Heyday Revisited: Game Theory

Yes, I've loved Game Theory very much for a long time now. Beautiful instrumentation, incredibly clever lyrics, some production by Mitch Easter: does it get any better? A friend even got me Scott Miller's autograph, along with a personal message to someone he didn't even know. Wow! As best I can tell, GT's products are no longer available new, and the used versions are higher priced than standard, but well worth it. (Just to clarify, if you click the Amazon link, I am not referring to "Game Theory" by The Roots. Not at all.) I've kicked myself many a new one for not buying Lolita Nation in CD back in the day, but at least I have precious vinyls of it, along with vinyls of all their other lps. Please read the AllMusic summary, where you will note that Miller went on to form a new band, The Loud Family, who just released a new album, What If It Works?,this past fall. You can disport yourself happily at The Loud Family website, reading cool insights by Miller and downloading beaucoup mp3s by both TLF and GT. I think you will agree that the producers of a popular t.v. series wisely did not choose the following as the theme song. If all goes as planned, it will be posted for seven 24's.

Game Theory - 24

Heyday Revisited: Material Issue

In case you're new to this blog, for several weeks now I've been posting three or four favorites per week from the late 80s/early 90s. This was a heyday of musical discovery for me, hence the incredibly clever title of the series. Chicagoans Material Issue were definitely one of my favorite bands from the era, producing pure powerpop produced (on two albums) by fellow Hoosier Jeff Murphy, member of one of the purest of all powerpop bands, Shoes. (I've posted about Shoes here, here, and here.) As usual, I'll let the music do the talking. Read a good summary of Material Issue here, sample and buy here and here. "Renee Remains the Same" is off their debut full-length, International Pop Overthrow. The song is posted for one week. (There are lots of links in this paragraph, so hover and discover.)

Material Issue - International Pop Overthrow - Renee Remains the Same

Heyday Revisited: Plasticland

Plasticland were yet another love at first listen. Neo-psychedelia from Milwaukee. “Gloria Night” was my favorite off their second full-length, Wonderful Wonderful Wonderland, but the whole album is packed with grooves that will effectively alter your perspective. Read more here, buy this good stuff here and here. Fire up the lava lamps, close your eyes (preferably in that order), and assume the position. Oh, yeh, and click the song title. 4 days + 3 days = the chronolength of this one's sojourn here.

Plasticland - Wonderful, Wonderful Wonderland - Gloria Night

Heyday Revisited: The Church

Yeh, don't worry, I've sensed it. Some of you cogniscenti have been smirking right the way through this Heyday thing I've been doing. You've been thinking things like, "Okay, Mr. Blogger Man, if you were really one of us, if you were really in the know, if you really knew your "heyday," you'd be posting something from the real Heyday. You'd be posting something by those righteous men of Oz, The Church. And you know, you're right. I remember the thrill, the shiver of pleasure the first time I heard them. And the song posted below was the one. It was recommended to me by the guy I'm calling "James," referred to in an earlier post. The Church quickly became one of my all-time favorite bands. You've most likely heard their biggest hit, the transcendent "Under the Milky Way," from their album, Starfish. If not, go watch it at YouTube and buy it at the links I'm posting. (I'll provide the link or post it here when YouTube is back up and running.) I had the pleasure of seeing the band with some dear friends in Austin during the Gold Fix Afternoon tour. Wow! So here we go. Read here, buy here and here, and visit them here, s'il vous plaît. And this just in from their bandsite:
The new Church acoustic album EL MOMENTO SIGUIENTE "the following moment" is NOW AVAILABLE to purchase here at Churchmerch and will available from Liberation Blue in shops around Australia on 3rd February 2007 . . . This album is not available anywhere else in the world. Click the link below to go direct to Churchmerch. You can also hear selected tracks playing at our MySpace!http://www.thechurchband.com/shop/default.php
With this, as with all of the Heyday Revisited songs, on the seventh day we wrest.

The Church - Heyday - Myrrh

Heyday Revisited: The Smithereens

Again, I gave some indication as to how much The Smithereens mean to me in an earlier post previewing their just-released Beatles tribute album, the delightful Meet the Smithereens. I also previously posted a song by Don Dixon, who produced Green Thoughts, the album on which the song posted below is found. Ever heard a song in which every freakin’ sound totally delights you? “Elaine” does that to me, and it happens song after Smithereens song. I'm providing links whereby you can purchase Smithereens albums and individual songs. You can stream three songs from Meet the Smithereens here and buy it here. One-week post.

The Smithereens - Green Thoughts - Elaine

Heyday Revisited: The Cavedogs

In one of my earliest posts, I made it about as clear as I succinctly can how much I treasure these Beantown brilliants. Please go read that post and listen to those songs if you like, before, after, or. . .well, before or after listening to this deluxe dopaminer of a song. I just checked and The Cavedogs' albums are still available at Amazon for ridiculously low prices. (How does, like, $.10 and $2.39 sounds?) I have to woof in agreement with the person named "Anonymous" who opined at my previous post that someone needs to reissue the 'dogs albums. This will be posted for seven days.

The Cavedogs - Joyrides for Shut-ins - Leave Me Alone

Heyday Revisited: Too Much Joy

Although partly known for zany, attention-grabbing antics, New Yorkers Too Much Joy recorded a number of excellent alternative songs, including my personal favorite, "Crush Story," from their 1991 major label debut, Cereal Killers. Read more here, buy some here, here, here, and here. One weeker. . .

Too Much Joy - Crush Story

Heyday Revisited: Big Dipper

I loved this Boston band and this song, among many others. I'm a bit short of time, so I'll just link to the occasionally snippy All Music summary--with which I don't fully agree--and leave it to your ears. All three full-length albums are listed on this Amazon page. Slam is available at Amazon for $.01. One week, then buh-bye.

Big Dipper - Slam
Love Barge

Heyday Revisited: Tex and the Horseheads

The look, the attitude, even the sound do not say “powerpop,” but Angelenos Tex & the Horseheads were recommended to me by one of the purest poppers I’ve ever known. (We’ll call him “James,” as that is his name.) I for one will be eternally grateful. Trouser Press’sss description probably won’t attract you either. I quote in part:
One of the wilder exponents of cow-punk, Tex and the Horseheads are spiritual kin to the Gun Club. And while they lean towards a very punky image (lead singer Texacala Jones dresses like a female Stiv Bator; on the first album, the bassist's name is Smog Vomit and the drummer is Rock Vodka), their playing is fairly coherent.
Faint praise if I've ever heard it. Tough tacos, I don't care, I love 'em. Rest assured that their debut album is available, used, at Amazon. . .for $99.99. That’s the only place I found their music for sale. You can frolic with them, if you dare, at their MySpace site. One-week post.

Tex & the Horseheads - Oh Mother

Heyday Revisited: The Godfathers

If you’re full of rage, you might as well don a shiny suit and skinny tie. I guess. Whatever, these angry Londoners put out four hard-hitting albums, with their second, Birth, School, Work Death, a certifiable alternative classic. It has song after excellent song - the title song, "If I Only Had Time," "Tell Me Why," "When Am I Coming Down," "Cause I Said So" - and is one of those rare albums I enjoy listening to from first song to last. My favorite has always been one of the perhaps lesser known tunes on BSWD, “Love is Dead.” For those who like their pop with an ooch of snarl. Check out the full catalog here and Birth, School, Work, Death here. Also, read more at All Music.

The Godfathers - Love is Dead

Heyday Revisited: Something Happens

Here’s the opening line in the Wikipedia summary: “Something Happens were an Irish pop-rock band whose heyday was the late 1980s – early 1990s." Heyday. Late 1980s – early 1990s. I'm suing the Wikis for stealing my theme line. Maybe. Anyway, I loved this band as soon as I heard their second full-length, Stuck Together with God's Glue. “What Now” is a pretty much perfect song, but please don't take my word for it. The Wikipedia article says “Parachute” and “Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello (Petrol)” were more popular, so please go check them out here. "Hello, Hello. . ." had a winsome video, but when I just went to see if it's available, da Tube was tied up. I'll check it again later. You can also sample and buy other Something Happens albums here. One week post. Good buy.

Something Happens - What Now

Heyday Revisited: The Brandos

We place before you, for your listening pleasure, another of our treasured numbers from the late 80s/early 90s heyday. Of course if you prefer simply to stare at the names of the band and the song (not to mention the picture), that is fine, too. New York’s The Brandos were another early and immensely satisfying discovery for me during that era. During the early 80s The Brandos’ frontman Dave Kincaid had been in the Seattle powerpop band The Allies but split and moved to New York, where he eventually formed the rootsier group featured here. Read more at All Music. What I like most about “A Matter of Survival”: the hook, the syncopated guitar/drum interplay, the vocals and lyrics, the sentiments, the clever, extended solo, and the ending. The debut album, Honor Among Thieves, from which the posted song is taken, is very much available here. Other albums from The Brandos’ catalog are for sale here. Again, posted for one week.

The Brandos - A Matter of Survival

Heyday Revisited: The Pursuit of Happiness

Over the next few weeks, and partly due to the request of an old friend, I intend to post songs from the late 80s/early 90s. For a variety of reasons, this was a kind of heyday of musical discovery for me. The right friends, the right media, the right dj (bless you, Jody Denberg), the right record stores all came together in a happy confluence of great music. Terrific Torontans The Pursuit of Happiness were one of the first groups I discovered during that time, and their music was absolutely infectious. “I’m An Adult Now,” “She’s So Young, “ and “Hard to Laugh” were great tunes and more widely popular, but my favorite song from their Todd Rundgren-produced debut Love Junk has always been “When the Sky Comes Falling Down.” You can buy Love Junk here, and you won’t be sorry. It’s one of my favorite albums from the golden age of late 80s alternative. (Yeh, yeh, alternative to what? Bleh.) Other albums from the TPOH catalogue are available here. Each heyday song I post will be up for but one week. If you like, buy more and tell your friends.

The Pursuit of Happiness - When the Sky Comes Falling Down