ChordStrike

Lost Gems: Chandra

Every now and again, I get super obsessed with a record, and this week belongs to Chandra. I first heard Chandra years ago, when I was writing for a website that reviews bizarre, hip, and unique vinyl finds called Waxidermy. Someone had happened upon a copy of this long out-of-print (circa 1980) gem of an EP, Transportation, and shared some MP3s. When I heard the tracks, I was totally floored.

Why, you ask?

Because Chandra Oppenheim is (well, was) a 12-year-old girl dynamically and powerfully fronting a no-wave/experimental disco band (think early Talking Heads or B-52's, only weirder) that sounds as confrontational, dissonant, beautiful, and odd as any of the work out of the active NYC no wave/noise scene of the day. Beyond that, these were her own compositions, with subjects ranging from the city's confusing subway system, to a girl named Kate "who thinks she's really great, but she's not." (Ever since my first exposure to this song, every time I meet someone named Kate, these are the first words that come to my mind.) Hearing these well-written, exceptional tracks was, as they say on Waxidermy, "face-melting."

Is this children's music? Electronic? Post-punk? Experimental? Pop? The answer is yes.

Somehow, I missed the re-issue of the Transportation EP late last year, but I'm sure glad I discovered it now, even if a few months late! Now with four additional tracks (from a 14-year-old Chandra) tacked on, the EP sounds better than ever. The newer tracks are more accessible, and she's accompanied by an all-teen backing band to boot. Although Chandra abandoned her band to focus on school before these bonus tracks could be released, it's a thrill to get to hear them now.

Oh, how I wish I lived in a world where the Chandras of world replaced the Miley Cyruses, Selena Gomezes and Demi Lovatos.

It would sure be a lot different.

Check out some tracks below, and let me know what you think.

--Alan Wiley

I <3 Song-Poems

I've always been a fan of the odd, offbeat, and slightly warped. Hence, my discovery of song-poems felt like finding a long-lost cousin in a random crowd. For those of you who aren't familiar, song-poems come from small ads placed in the back of magazines soliciting "poems" (and a few hundred dollars) to be turned into songs--because, you know, there's big bucks to be made in the music industry, and your poem could be turned into the next big Billboard chart-topper! For your words and money, you'd typically receive a 7" record (or these days, a CD) and maybe even the opportunity to appear on a compilation. Many of these records ended up in dusty thrift store record bins where they sat for years. These days, they're nearly impossible to find and are considered very collectible.

Song-poems are essentially a scam. No song-poem has ever topped the charts, or even come close to entering them. The people who make the music and sing the songs are in it simply for the paycheck. However, what we are left with is essentially comedy gold, and the results range from completely insane to passable. Many songs are political or patriotic in nature, there are, of course, love songs, and some are kinda dirty. There's even a collection of holiday themed song-poems available. What all these songs have in common is a distinct "huh?!?" factor that is virtually unmatched in music. It feels like these songs could really only come from the anonymous collaboration of amateur writers and hack musicians. Try throwing one of these into the mix at your next party and watch the looks on people's faces and you'll see what I mean.

There's a great film covering the subject, Off The Charts: The Song-Poem Story, which not only takes a look at the history of the art, but gives us a peek at what the industry looks like today. In the film you can actually witness the recording sessions for such future hits as "I'm A Ginseng Digger," "Be My Shark," and my personal favorite: "Non-Violent Taekwondo Troopers," who's author states "The subjects I write about are: martial arts, the ladies, and religion, and science fiction too." It can sometimes be hard to find, but the soundtrack is an essential post-viewing purchase.

All in all, I have to admit that I really, truly love these recordings. They're always the perfect bit of spice for a mix CD or playlist, and when one comes on in shuffle mode, it almost always elicits a smile. As ridiculous and fun as they are, most of the words come from the heart, and though the vast majority of them are extremely bizarre, they mean something to someone. In a world full of jaded and often pretentious music, that's gotta count for something.

Recommended listening:

• The American Song-Poem Anthology: Do You Know The Difference Between Big Wood And Brush
• The American Song-Poem Christmas: Daddy, Is Santa Really Six Foot Four?
• Off The Charts Companion CD Soundtrack
• Anything by prolific song-poem composer Rodd Keith

--Alan Wiley

All's Phair in Guyville

One of my favorite albums ever, Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville, is getting the 15 year anniversary reissue treatment next week, and I couldn't be more excited. According Phair herself, Guyville is a song-by-song response to Exile on Main Street by the Rolling Stones, a fact scoffed at by many critics (and that I don't quite believe myself). Looking back, that possible truth/publicity gimmick seems like one of the least significant things about this monumental album--in fact, as great as Main Street is, I prefer Guyville, and I doubt that I'm the only one who feels that way.

Exile In Guyville was a revelation for many of those who heard it when it was released back in 1993. Here was a beautiful, independent woman creating her debut album packed to the gills with her impeccably written, semi-scandalous, and often touching songs filled with a swagger, sexuality, and confidence rarely seen by any artist of the time, male or female. This was no Lilith Fair pabulum--songs like the anachronistic Salome/John The Baptist-inspired "Dance of the Seven Veils," or the hypnotic "Glory" still beg me hit the back button on my iPod at every listen, just to dwell in Phair's lyrical mastery for another moment.  To me, it was a perfect album, completely devoid of weak tracks or filler, and one of few from that era that I still listen to on a regular basis. In the last several years, Guyville has become harder to find, especially as a digital download, but come June 24th, we get a remastered version with a few bonus tracks and a DVD of Ms. Phair interviewing some of the "guys" that populate Guyville.

I've heard the remastered tracks, and they truly shine brighter than those on any other reissues I've heard in the last several years. As a music lover, it's an ecstatic experience to listen to an album you've heard hundreds of times and all of a sudden hear new elements you didn't know were there. Kudos to Liz for finally re-releasing this and doing such a great job of it. Check out the trailer below for the DVD featuring the likes of Dave Matthews, John Cusack, and Ira Glass--but be warned--those Chicago musicians, most notably Phair herself, are known for their indelicate language, so watch out for the F-bombs!

On her subsequent albums, Liz Phair never really recaptured the magic that she caught on Guyville, but now that she's switched over to the Dave Matthew's-owned ATO Records, I have renewed hope. The (slightly bitter) cherry on top of all this reissue excitement is that Liz Phair will be playing four shows in three cities of the album in it's entirety (all of which I cannot attend, hence the bitter). One might ask: why no full tour? However, what I really want to know is: Ms. Phair, will you ever release all of your notorious Girlysound cassettes? Please?

--Alan Wiley

Insane Radiohead Remix Made Using Outdated Hardware

We've posted about Radiohead's invitation to remix their song "Nude" before, but after stumbling across James Houston's innovative and creepy version tonight, I can't help but to think that the contest might as well be over. Nobody's going to top this:

Big Ideas (Don't get any) from 1030 on Vimeo.

Houston used a Sinclair ZX Spectrum, an Epson LX-81 dot matrix printer, an HP Scanjet 3c flat bed scanner, and an array of hard drives acting as some kind of speaker, to create this stunning, unique take on the inimitable band's latest gem. The video looks great too. Something tells me even the band couldn't have dreamed someone would pull off an interpretation this creative and inspired. ~Alan Wiley