Friday, November 14, 2008

Careening Around My Cranium with Daryll Collins #2!!!

Little Known Albums-All Time Favorites

In what I hope will become a regular column feature is the first "Little Known Album That Is An All Time Favorite". The name of the band and album is Aorta.

This group is a bit of a mystery as for whatever reason information about them is scarce. What I do know is that they were out of Chicago and recorded two albums.
This release was on the CBS/Columbia label. It is not a power pop release but there are touches of The Beatles and The Beach Boys scattered about. You'll also find traces of Cream and The Doors thrown in for good measure.

I was turned on to this album as a kid by a teen aged neighbor in 1969 or 1970 and from the first listen I was hooked. I never owned the album and by the time I was earning my own cash as a paperboy, I couldn't find it anywhere. Now I could get my mom or dad to spring for a Beatles or a Monkees album, but The Aorta would be an extremely hard sell! It took me over 25 years to track down a CD copy.

PhotobucketI consider this album a psych masterpiece as it incorporates a Sgt. Pepper feel but with more of an eerie component in parts.The flow of the tracks is seamless. There are Beatleish flourishes to the arrangements as some of the songs incorporate strings and horns. Beautiful Beach Boys harmony vocals especially on the stellar "Thoughts And Feelings", which sounds like a missing track from Pet Sounds. On the harder rocking numbers the guitar tone is quite similar to Cream era Eric Clapton. Quite possibly the best fuzz tone guitar ever! In some parts a Doors like keyboard sound dominates. The musicianship and imagination involved in this release is absolutely stunning!

Did I mention this conglomeration is loosely wrapped around a theme referencing the circulatory system???!!! Actual song titles include, "Main Vein", "Heart Attack", "Main Vein 2, 3 & 4". Above is the album cover for your perusal... This art really captures the musical genius/madness therein. They recorded a follow up album that completely and totally sucks! What happened??? If anyone out there in the NOT LAME community has any more information about this group, please post and clue us in.

And now on to the musical fast break...

How do you like The Smithereen remakes of Beatles tunes? They’re fairly faithful to the originals but Pat DiNizio & Co.'s vocals really give them a fresh spin. And how cool is it to have Jack Davis illustrate the cover art to their B-Sides release! Pretty cool indeed.

PhotobucketLet’s All Do The iPod Shuffle!

It’s fun and easy. Just list the first 10 songs to pop up after setting your listening device to Shuffle Play. No cheating. Include all selections, even the ones you don’t want your friends to know about! Some of these random playlists can be downright inspired. This is from my 80GB iPod that currently holds 10,612 songs. Here we go...

* Joe Jackson - “Is She Really Going Out With Him?”
* Average White Band - “Goin’ Home”
* Valley Lodge - “Cruel”
* Gorillaz - “Feel Good Inc.”
* Tubetop - “Bleeder”
* Supergrass - “Sun Hits The Sky”
* The Raspberries - “Starting Over”
* Stevie Wonder - “All In Love Is Fair”
* Supergrass - “You Can See Me”
* Ivy - “I Think Of You”

Feel free to list your Random 10 in the comments section...or not.

I had my iPod on shuffle this morning and “Anyway” by Poole came up from their outstanding album, Among Whom We Shine. Whatever happened to these guys? Bruce, anybody? Ditto for Roger Klug. Where are you?

Does your personal listening device have any pecularities in how it selects random songs? Does it play favorites? Mine seems to really give preferential treatment to XTC (58 songs) and ignores The Beatles (148 songs).

A group that should have really made it big time is Artful Dodger. It would be great to have all of their releases on CD.

That's it. Short and sweet this time. I'll be back...

***

Daryll Collins is a free-lance cartoonist/illustrator who has worked for a wide variety of clients including magazines and newspapers, advertising, greeting cards, character design & development, children's books, comic strips and gag cartoons. You can check out his work at www.daryllcollins.com

13 Comments:

Blogger Roger Linder said...

1. Fantasy Part One - Fred Guggenberger - Journey Through Visions
2. Man Called Aerodynamics - Guided By Voices - Under The Bushes Under The Stars
3. All The Girls Love Alice - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
4. I Miss You - I-GaS - Maybe
5. Different Strings - Rush - Permanent Waves
6. Lady Is A Tramp - They Might Be Giants - Miscellaneous T: B Side/Remix Compilation
7. Wishing Well - Final Mastered - The Airborne Toxic Event - SXSW 2008 Showcasing Artists
8. The Maker - Won't Let Go - Leaping Cat Records - 9 Lives in Time
9. Dear Mom - Joe Jackson - Night and Day II
10. Ask The Lonely - Floy Joy - Weak In The Presence of Beauty

November 14, 2008 at 8:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I enjoy your posts. Here is my random 10:

"Coffee in the Kitchen" - Wanderlust
"Panic" - The Smiths
"Sonny & Cher" - Double Naught Spies
"Far Out" - Silver Sun
"Dearest Darling" - Liquor Giants
"Throw it All Away" - Toad the Wet Sprocket
"The Girl Who Never Falls in Love" - Material Issue
"Future Reference" - Kiara Geller
"School Reunion" - Farrah
"Mad March Hare" - Martin Newell

November 14, 2008 at 8:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The World Record - "We're #1"
The Wannadies - "Friends"
The Rosenbergs - "Secret"
Dada - "It's All Mine"
Honeybunch - "Count Your Blessings"
The Pictures - "It's For Your Love"
John Faye Power Trip - "Coming Up"
ELO - "Sweet Talkin' Woman"
The New Pornographers - "My Rights vs. Yours"
The Semantics - "Black and Blue"

November 14, 2008 at 12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All Music Guide is your friend. Information on Aorta:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:f9frxqr5ld0e~T1

November 19, 2008 at 8:27 AM  
Blogger popcornucopia said...

If ears were muscles, some of these transitions could pull them:)

1. Jimmy Hendrix - Dolly Dagger
2. Bryan Scary - Purple Rocket
3. Lenny Kravitz - Love Revolution
4. The Redwalls - Hung Up On The Way I'm Feelin
5. Redd Kross - White Trash
6. Old 97's - This Beautiful Thing
7. Foxboro Hot Tub's - She's a Saint Not a Celebrity
8. Mike Elgert - Days Have Gone By
9. Ben Folds - Hiroshima
10. Dan Wilson - Against History

I'm having so much fun, here's the next five:
11. Maple Mars - Breathe Deep
12. The Pearlfishers - Eco Schools
13. The 88 - Go Go Go
14. Admiral Twin - I Confess
15. Sirens Sister - So Long

November 23, 2008 at 4:50 AM  
Blogger Daryll Collins said...

Thanks for the link about the Aorta anonymous! Helps fill in some of the history. Although I'd love to read an interview with any of the band members about the creation of their debut album.

Also, thanks to all who listed their ipod shuffle lists.

Dolly Dagger by Hendrix, one of my all time favorite Jimi tunes!

November 24, 2008 at 11:17 AM  
Blogger Daryll Collins said...

Thanks for the Aorta info link, anonymous. Very informative on their history, although I would love an interview with any of the band on the creative process involved in making their first album.

Thanks to all who submitted their ipod shuffle lists.

Dolly Dagger by Hendrix. One of my all time favorite Jimi tunes!

November 24, 2008 at 11:49 AM  
Blogger Porerror said...

Here's my ten:

Cheers!

1. The Number of the Beast - IRON MAIDEN
2. Pull Shapes - THE PIPETTES
3. Push the Feelings - MATTHEW SWEET
4. Get Out of Myself - REDD KROSS
5. Time of the Season - THE ZOMBIES
6. Know You Now - AMY WINEHOUSE
7. Carolina In My Mind - JAMES TAYLOR
8. My Heart Belongs to Daddy - ANITA O'DAY
9. Anymore Than I Do - THE ATTACK
10. Cats Vs. Dogs - MATTHEW SWEET

November 25, 2008 at 3:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, everyone can play:

1. The Connells- I Suppose
2. The Rooks- Drag of the Month
3. Wisely- Go!
4. Marshmallow- Casting Couch
5. Bowman- Save Me
6. The Format- The Compromise
7. Barely Pink- Simple Enough
8. Dada- How to Be Found
9. The Loveless- Return of the Ex-Girlfriend.
10. Lester Young- I Can't Get Started.

Geez, I have a lot of power pop on my list...thank goodness for that jazz song that snuck in at the last.

November 25, 2008 at 8:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ipod 2 Go / 508 songs

1. Sugarbomb - "Bully"
2. Sugarbomb - "Posterchild for tragedy"
3. Kelley Stoltz - "Everything begins"
4. Guns N'Roses - "There was a time"
5. Kelley Stoltz - "Words"
6. The Nerves - "Hanging on the telephone"
7. The Grip Weeds - "She brings the rain"
8. The Pearlfishers - "Swan dreams"
9. XTC - "Knights in shining karma"
10.Split Enz - "Dirty creature"

November 26, 2008 at 12:13 PM  
Blogger Juan Duque said...

Ok here's mine from my ipod nano:

1. "Border Radio" - The Blasters

2. "Sippur" - John Zorn/Masada

3. "10-Day Room" - Richard Buckner

4. "Di Gayster" - Itzhak Perlman

5. "Roll 'em Pete" - The Blasters

6. "Bluebird Blues" - Howlin' Wolf

7. "Thinkin' About You" - Bob Denton and Eddy Cochran

8. "Saturday Night Twist" - Doug Clayton

9. "Lord Mr. Ford" - Jerry Reed

10. "Suite for Cello Solo No.1 in G, BWV 1007 - Prélude" - Maurice Gendron

December 24, 2008 at 10:40 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

1. Fly From Heaven - Dulcinea - Toad The Wet Sprocket
2. Everytime Anytime - Ride The Wild TomTom - The dB's
3. Vanishing Girl - Chips from the Chocolate Fireball - The Dukes of Stratosphear
4. Fooled Around And Fell In Love - Live at the 400 Bar, Minneapolis, MN. 8-7-03 (Disc 2) - Golden Smog
5. Want You To Feel Good Too - Tiddlywinks - NRBQ
6. Black And White - Stands For Decibels - The dB's
7. St 100 6 - No.1 Record/Radio City - Big Star
8. Bowling Green - The Virginian - Neko Case
9. Saturn - Songs In The Key Of Life (Disc 2) - Stevie Wonder
10. The Magnetic Fields – Suddenly There Is a Tidal Wave

Oh - and Daryll: Roger Klug is 'back', playing gigs with a trio in the Cincinnati/Northern KY/ Southwestern Ohio area. There should be a new album released in a few months, with a CD release targeted in either late March or early April. Check www.mentalgiant.com for the details forthcoming.

January 29, 2009 at 3:09 PM  
Blogger Daryll Collins said...

Thanks Greg.

That's great news. I'll make sure I check the local club scene to find out when Roger's playing.

Can't wait for the new release!

February 3, 2009 at 4:07 AM  

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