June 17, 2020 Playlist

Sir Paul of Wings

The Self-Indulgent Birthday Special

Featuring Sir Paul McCartney

"A Hard Day's Night" by The Beatles (1964)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
The Beatles "A Hard Day's Night"  1964 (UK)
This week we have two classic albums for my self-indulgent birthday special. Sir Paul McCartney and I were born on the same date (let's hear it for the gemini) so I tend to have something by him to feature on these shows. It's hard to call any Beatles albums "underappreciated" as they are one of the most studied and commented-on musical acts of all time, but one place you might discover hidden gems is the hitless second side of their third album. A Hard Day's Night was of course The Beatles' first movie, and the first side of the album features all the songs heard in the film. This was also the first Beatles album where there are no cover songs, in fact it is their only album where 100% of the tunes are written by Lennon-McCartney (George sings lead on one track but didn't write it.) I think this is a cornerstone album in the group's career for that reason, and also because their songwriting was clearly advancing from the basic "teen love" songs on their first two albums (their debut Please Please Me is a teenybopper classic, though their second album With The Beatles was a typical sophomore slump: they used all their best originals on the first album so they padded out the second with a bunch of cover songs.) Though another interesting things to note about this period of the group's history is how much John Lennon dominated the lead singer role - later albums are pretty evenly split between John and Paul songs, but he is the lead singer on 9 of the 13 tracks on this record.
"Yoshu Fukushu" by Maximum The Hormone (2013)
2nd bonnus CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Maximum The Hormone "Yoshu Fukushu"  2013 (Japan)
MTH is Japan's most notable metal band of the 21st century. This quartet was founded at the end of the 1990's by Daisuke-han (growl/scream vocals) and Nao (drummer & girly pop vocals), and reached their iconic form with the addition of "Maximum The Ryo" (Nao's little brother on guitar and pop-punk vocals) and Ue-chan (a tatooed bassist who avoids wearing shirts). Right away you can see a key difference from typical metal bands: every member of the group sings, and three of them are lead singers. Their musical approach is similarly all-encompassing: though brutal, virtuoso heavy metal is the core of their sound, they frequently deviate into pop, techno, funk, psychedelia, and traditional Japanese music. They are also notorious for having a "troll-y" sense of humour (one of their band logos is a picture of Ryo picking his nose) and apparently their lyrics are a confusing mash up of Japanese, English and nonverbal noises (their song "Chu Chu Lovely Muni Muni Mura Mura Purin Purin Boron Nururu Rero Rero" is a good example - those are mostly words used in comic books (manga) to depict various sexual sounds - and adding to the weirdness, those very sexual lyrics are sung by the brother and sister in the band.) Despite being one of the most beloved groups in their home country, they are notoriously unproductive - the band has existed for more than 20 years yet has only recorded four albums, the most recent being this week's CAOTW, Yoshu Fukushu ("Prepare For Vengeance"). They switched record labels and released an EP in 2018, so in theory they are about due to drop another album . . . one of these years.
In other Japanese music news, Haru Nemuri released a new music video this week which seems inspired by our current quarantine era. Here's a few more music videos for Japanese artists heard on the show this week: Chelmico, Charisma.com, Wednesday Campanella, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Dempagumi.inc, and of course Maximum The Hormone!
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Horse Lords People's ParkThe Common Task (N)2020 (Northern Spy)USA
Ian Thompson Hold On To Your Mindnew single from Mean Time (N)2018 (self release)UK
The Howling Hex North AquarianKnuckleball Express (N)2020 (Fat Possum)USA
Damaged Bug Lovely Gold (Michael Yonkers)Bug On Yonkers (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
Once & Future Band Problem AddictDeleted Scenes (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
 
 
The BeatlesCan't Buy Me LoveA Hard Day's Night
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1964UK
The BeatlesThings We Said TodayA Hard Day's Night
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1964UK
The BeatlesAnd I Love HerA Hard Day's Night
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1964UK
Paul McCartney & WingsMedley:
  Hold Me TIght
  / Lazy Dynamite
  / Hands Of Love
  / Power Cut		Red Rose Speedway1973UK
Paul McCartney & WingsSilly Love Songs Wings At The Speed Of Sound1976UK
   
 
Maximum The HormoneYoshu Fukushu
("Prepare For Vengeance")		Yoshu Fukushu
 2nd Bonus CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		2013Japan
Maximum The HormoneChu2 The BeamYoshu Fukushu
 2nd bonus CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		2013Japan
Maximum The HormoneA-L-I-E-NYoshu Fukushu
 2nd bonnus CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		2013Japan
BABYMETALHeadbanger!!BABYMETAL2014Japan
Poppy Sit / StayI Disagree (N)2020 (Sumerian)USA
Dempagumi.incPrecious Summer!Wareware Wa Dempagumi.inc Da2019Japan
Maximum The HormoneChu Chu Lovely Muni Muni Mura Mura Purin Purin Boron Nururu Rero Rero
(the title is a series of obscene sound effects)		Buiikikaesu!!
("Reviving!!")		2007Japan
   
 
Chelmico Easy Breezysingle (N)2020 (Warner Japan)Japan
Charisma.comHateAi Ai Syndrome2015Japan
DAOKOBoku ("With")DAOKO2015Japan
FEMMNeon Twilightsingle2016Japan/USA
Wednesday CampanellaIkkyu-San
(name of a zen buddhist monk)		Superman2016Japan
Haru NemuriNarashite ("Sound")Haru To Shura
("Springtime And Carnage")		2018Japan
Kyary Pamyu PamyuInvader InvaderNanda Collection
("What's This Collection")		2013Japan
Dave 3000Not Badunreleased original song demo2015USA
Dave 3000Goneunreleased original song demo2015USA
Dave 3000Time Fliesunreleased original song demo2016USA
   
 
Dave 3000Nobody Does It Better (Carly Simon)unreleased 4-track tape1995USA
Dave 3000You Should Be Dancing (The Bee Gees)unreleased 4-track tape1996USA
Dave 3000Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young & Crazy Horse)unreleased 4-track tape1996USA
Vosellglaas (Dave 3000)Battlezone Planet part 3unreleased imaginary soundtracks2009USA
Dave 3000Untitled A7 Mixolydian Jamunreleased recording2017USA
   
 
Vosellglaas (Dave 3000)Seven Shadows, parts 1-3unreleased imaginary soundtracks2009USA
             
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