Music

I Quit

/ Tim / 1 Comment

I made it through Band on the Run and just cannot bring myself to continue my latest project. I guess I achieved my goal of determining the precise point when Paul McCartney’s career became an embarrassment. It was April 1970, when he released his first solo album. Sure, he had some decent songs here and there, but most of his post-Beatles material is a steaming pile. 

Going into this thing, I figured the career turn occurred in the mid-1980s. When I was only 13, Spies Like Us and his cameo in that Tracy Ullman video left a long-lasting impression on me: Macca was a shameless dork. Knowing how great The Beatles were, I assumed the evolution from great to crap took a while. Not so much.

Why Do I Live Here?

/ Tim / 2 Comments

It’s the middle of November in Minneapolis. We are entering the time of year when I ask myself and anyone who will listen why the fuck we live in this frozen wasteland. Fortunately, several nights each year, I am reminded. Tonight was such a night.

I live here because I got to see Prince play nearly every Friday and Saturday during the summer of 1995.

I live here because The Gear Daddies helped me survive being surrounded by a bunch of asshats in college.

I live here because I got to see the final Trip Shakespeare shows at The Cabooze and most of the early Pleasure/Semisonic shows at 7th Street Entry, The 400 Bar and First Avenue. 

I live here because I get to see Dan Wilson play several times every year.

I live here because I get to see The New Standards’ annual holiday show, when John, Steve and Chan get together with other talented Minneapolis musicians, like Jeremy Messersmith, Dan Wilson and Matt Wilson, for the most spirited show of the year.

I live here because Haley Bonar has the voice of an angel. 

I live here because there’s always a chance Paul Westerberg might show up.

I live here because I know the skyway don’t move at all like a subway.

I live here because Soul Asylum is still the best bar band in America, and the bars they still play are within 10 minutes of my house.

I live here because I drive by at least one Craig Finn reference every single day.

I live here because, like so many songs by these great musicians, Minneapolis is scratched into my soul.

Why Do I Punish Myself?

/ Tim

I may have to abandon my Paul McCartney project. I’ve listened to McCartney, Ram and part of Wild Life. Three albums in, and I’m trying to decide whether pills would be easier than taking a nap in the garage with the Buick idling. For every great song, there are at least eight that are either complete garbage or mediocre. I figured Macca’s career slide occurred sometime in the mid-80s. I’m starting to think it happened in April 1970 with the release of his first solo album.

A New Mission

/ Tim / 2 Comments

I’m on a mission to figure out the precise point at which Paul McCartney’s music started to suck. In the coming weeks, I’ll be working my way through his post-Beatles catalog with the goal of determining the album that was the turning point between mostly great and completely embarrassing. I shall report my findings when I return from this important mission. Wish me luck.

She’ll Always Be Debbie To Me

/ Tim / 1 Comment

Yesterday morning, we were treated to a rare viewing of “Lost in Your Eyes” on VH1 Classic. Michele suggested “Lost in Your Eyes” is Debbie Gibson’s best song. Although it is her most popular, I wasn’t so quick to accept this obvious choice. Instead, I retreated to my lab basement for a few hours of in-depth analysis. I decided to rank Debbie’s songs from best to worst. 

Ground rules: no covers, no b-sides, no imports—only U.S. album tracks from the albums between Out of the Blue and Deborah. I didn’t include M.Y.O.B. simply because I had quit paying attention by that time and never got around to buying it.

With that, I give you the list (with comments for selected songs):

  1. No More Rhyme: The last Top 20 single for Debs, NMR beat out Lost in Your Eyes by a squeaker. Early in my analysis, it seemed as though the little-known Goodbye might rise to the top. However, it was not to be.
  2. Lost In Your Eyes: Despite it’s No. 2 slot on the list, Lost in Your Eyes remains a classic. 
  3. Goodbye: Without question, Debbie’s ballads have always been better than her other songs. The final track on the Body Mind Soul album, Goodbye nearly pulled an upset, but ultimately fell to No. 3 on the list.
  4. Shake Your Love: Debbie’s poppiest song, Shake Your Love is also the best of her non-ballads. After hearing it, I just can’t shake the chorus—the sign of a great pop song.
  5. Let’s Run Away: The 1995 Think With Your Heart album had several strong ballads but none as strong as this track. 
  6. Ode To A Would Be Lover: The top-placing track from Deborah, Ode To A Would Be Lover charts high despite it’s lame title.
  7. We Could Be Together: If I hadn’t excluded remixes from the competition, the Campfire Mix of this song would have likely cracked the Top 5. 
  8. Between The Lines: Also the title of Debbie’s autobiography, Between the Lines also seemed like a stronger choice than Staying Together for the fifth single from the Out of the Blue album. Unfortunately, record labels are run by morons, so it remained an album track.
  9. Only In My Dreams: Any Debbie Gibson Top 10 without this song would be a sham.
  10. Out Of The Blue: Ditto.
  11. Foolish Beat: This is a controversial placing for Debbie’s first No. 1 single. I find it a tad overwrought.
  12. One Hand, One Heart: The No. 12-14 picks are the highest-placing songs from the Anything is Possible album. AIP suffered from being overproduced and far too long for its own good. Clocking in at nearly 80 minutes, the album was divided by two sides, NRG Up and Mood Swings. NRG Up pretty much sucks. Mood Swings contains all of the ballads and would have been a pretty solid album without the other eight tracks.
  13. Sure
  14. Try
  15. How Can This Be?: Getting dumped = good song.
  16. Dancin’ In My Mind: Have I mentioned that I really like the Think With Your Heart album? This ballad is another reason why.
  17. You Don’t Have To See: Much like better-known Debbie ballads No More Rhyme and Foolish Beat and despite being recorded in the mid-’90s, this song features that dependable staple of the ’80s—the sax solo.
  18. Who Loves Ya Baby?: The opening track from the Electric Youth album, Who Loves Ya Baby? is the highest ranking upbeat Debbie song never released as a single. 
  19. Where I Wanna Be
  20. Should’ve Been The One
  21. Wake Up To Love
  22. Cry Tonight
  23. Helplessly In Love
  24. Can’t Do It Alone
  25. Didn’t Have The Heart
  26. Think With Your Heart
  27. Only Words
  28. Deep Down
  29. Staying Together
  30. Where Have You Been?
  31. Two Young Kids
  32. I Will Let You Go
  33. Just Wasn’t Love
  34. Over The Wall
  35. This So-Called Miracle: This song isn’t bad, but it’s more than seven minutes long. I guess this is Deb’s Freebird. 
  36. Love in Disguise
  37. Red Hot
  38. Fallen Angel
  39. Losin’ Myself
  40. Shades of the Past
  41. Mood Swings
  42. Do You Have It In Your Heart?
  43. Another Brick Falls
  44. Naturally
  45. For Better or Worse
  46. Anything is Possible: Wondering which of Debbie’s songs has the worst production? With vocals alternating between channels early in the song, this one is the clear winner.
  47. Silence Speaks (A Thousand Words): The opening flute solo is enough to ruin an otherwise decent ballad.
  48. Tear Down These Walls
  49. In His Mind
  50. Free Me
  51. Love Or Money
  52. Kisses 4 One
  53. Give Me Your Love
  54. Electric Youth: This song was actually a hit. Wow.
  55. It Must’ve Been My Boy
  56. Play The Field
  57. Nobody’s You
  58. Dontcha Want Me Now?
  59. Stand Your Ground
  60. Negative Energy: The drum beat on this song sounds like it was produced on the Casio keyboard I had as a child.
  61. One Step Ahead: This is one of the dreaded Anything is Possible songs featuring Debbie rapping. Not a good idea.
  62. Lead Them Home My Dreams: Too much production for too little of a song.
  63. When I Say No: Debbie takes on date rape and teaches a generation of girls how to fend off advances from the quarterback.
  64. I Can’t: This song is just really dull.
  65. Shock Your Mama: Debbie’s mama was her manager. She should have been shocked at how bad this song was and pulled it from the album. Somehow it ended up as a single. 
  66. Reverse Psychology: Whoever encouraged Debbie to rap on the Anything is Possible album should be severely punished. 
  67. Moonchild: The title alone is enough to place Moonchild in the bottom five.
  68. Too Fancy: With sort of a cabaret vibe to it, this song is just too Broadway.
  69. Butterflies Are Free: Horrible title and horrible lyrics. Barely edged out for worst song by Little Birdie.
  70. Little Birdie: Despite a fairly decent chorus, every other part of this song is unlistenable.