We are kicking off today with Iowan Dan Bern and the title track from his 2001 album New Amrican Language.
Part Americana, part folk he also resorts to talking Blues on occasions usually on his protest songs which are often humorous in nature and often lead to comparisons with Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie
Dan Bern - New American Language
The next two offerings are somewhat more noisy in nature.
L7 are a Log Angeles female rock band active between 1985 and 2001 with the obligatory reunion in 2014.
Associated with grunge and an influence for riot grrrl bands they infamously caused some controversy in the UK when vocalist and guitarist Donita Sparks flashed on the TV programme The Word in 1992. Rock'n'Roll!
L7 -Moonshine
Finally we have Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV the man formerly know as Black Francis and the main man of one of the most influential bands of recent years The Pixies
Upon leaving the Pixies in 1997 he formed the band Frank Black & the Catholics. 6 albums followed prior to him getting back with the Pixies in 2003.
This song is from their second album from 1999 Pistolero
Frank Black & the Catholics - I Want Rock'n'Roll
Coming from Log Angeles would explain L7's slightly wooden sound
ReplyDeleteI noticed that earlier and was going to edit it.
DeleteNow I think I'll leave it as is!
Love Dan Bern. That album's a cracker.
ReplyDeleteI have seen one of these three acts, and it's the one you would be least likely to guess. I took my little brother to see L7 in the summer of 1992. We were just about the only males in the tightly packed crowd. Sounds great, but it wasn't... at all. We were about as welcome as Elizabeth Warren at a Trump rally.
ReplyDeleteThat made me smile Brian!
DeleteI came to feel anything Frank Black put out post-Pixies was dull, anti-climactic (Ha! Sounds rich I know coming from someone who's contributed bog all to popular music since ever!!!) so just stopped listening in the end. Expectations too high I s'pose. But that was years ago so maybe I should dip my toe in again.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Chapbrook in being disappointed with much of Frank's stuff post-Pixies, but given he put on such a great show with his his old band at the Barrowlands last year then he gets a free pass from me.
ReplyDelete'Pretend We're Dead' by L7 is a belter of a single. I didn't, however, pursue much before or after it. The incident on The Word and the tampon throwing incident at Reading (I think?) made me think of the band as mere attention-seekers.