Perfect Sound Forever- November 2020 issue

[Jason Gross]

Greetings,

In the latest issue of Perfect Sound Forever <http://www.furious.com/perfect/index1120.html>, you'll find (among other things):


MILTON BABBITT
Was the composer a jazz artist?, by Daniel Barbiero
"One of the more interesting results of Gunther Schuller's efforts to bring classical and jazz into dialogue with each other was his commissioning of one of the most rigorous--and wittiest--works to bring jazz and state-of-the-art classical composition into contact: Milton Babbitt's "All Set" for an octet of trumpet, trombone, alto and tenor saxophones, vibraphone, piano, double bass and drums."

RACHEL BROOKE
Country Blues - where you been, by Cat Celebrezze
"For Country Blues in contemporary action, look no further than Rachel Brooke and her newest solo album, The Loneliness in Me. It’s a record with a sound reminiscent of the Golden Age of Nashville yet delivered with a decidedly 21st century sensibility. The songs, twelve in all, are meditations on the wild strangeness of loss - losing love and the familiar, old selves, direction, dreams. It has the beauty and charm of a shape-shifter, part classic country, part post-millennium mystic."

CHRISTMAS CAROLS
Where the pop classics originated, by Kelly Ferjutz
"Many of the earliest carols for instance were not only secular; they were, in fact, dance music. In some cases, these new 'carols' were a mixture of old tunes with new words, and sometimes, the reverse. Whatever their origin, they were not sung inside the church. In the early Middle Ages, dancing and joyous singing were not welcome in the Church service." See them performed by Nat 'King' Cole, Annie Lennox, Elvis, Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Judy Collins, Mike Oldfield, Ritchie Blackmore, Judy Collins, Steeleye Span and more.

JESSE FREDERICK
Not just for Leon Russell fans, by Kurt Wildermuth
"The person who played 'Alice Cooper Roadie,' Jesse Frederick, is best known for his work as a film and television composer and singer. Frederick's memorable achievements include the opening themes of the 1980's-'90's TV shows Perfect Strangers, Full House, Family Matters and Step by Step. At Frederick's Wikipedia page, you have to read far down to find out that in 1971, he released a self-titled singer-songwriter album. With its creator's subsequent connections layered over it, that album has become a pop-cultural historical curiosity, with obscure origins."

GRATEFUL DEAD
Comforters in COVID times, by John Dougan
"Digging into 70 hours of Europe '72: The Complete Recordings was easy because the original 3-LP release was the one Dead album I was never without and loved above all others. Even after finding out years later that the vocals benefitted from post-production sweetening and re-recording, my ardor for it remains undiminished. For me, this was the Dead at their live best, touring Europe for the first time under difficult circumstances, breaking in new keyboardist Keith Godchaux, while dealing with the rapidly declining health of vocalist/keyboardist/founding member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan"


HEALTH AND HAPPINESS SHOW
'90's Indie Alt-Country Power Pop, by Kurt Wildermuth
"Since the mid-'80s, the Bongos' primary singer-songwriter, Richard Barone, has led a productive solo career. The other tributary from river Bongos was the Health and Happiness Show, fronted by the singer-songwriter James Mastro. In a sense, the folk-country part of the Health and Happiness Show is mainly a matter of presentation."


PETER LAUGHNER
Adele Bertei book excerpt/interview by Jason Gross
"Even before no wave, Bertei started out in Cleveland, meeting up in the mid-70's with that that industrial city's mythic underground rock leading light, guitarist/writer Peter Laughner (founding member of Rocket from the Tombs, Pere Ubu). The two of them would join forces in the band the Wolves. Brief as their collaboration was (Laughner would die '77, not long afterwards), it left a lasting impression on Bertei, leading to the recent book about her time in Cleveland and working with Laughner."

ANTHONY MOORE
Interview- solo & Slapp Happy, by Jason Gross
"Guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter/composer Anthony Moore did become a German transplant early on and did a trio of fascinating classical/minimal/experiment records for Polydor. And then, along with singer Dagmar Krause and guitarist Peter Blegvad, he co-founded the remarkable pop/rock/cabaret combo Slapp Happy. Their initial early '70's run included two wonderfully strange, unique albums (which featured the Faust crew)."

OBNOX
Indie black rock at war & peace, by Robin Storey Dunn
"Lamont Thomas has been keeping busy in a friend's home studio, he says. He's always been prolific. Since 2011, he's released eleven solo albums as Obnox, with at least that many singles and EP's. Before that he played and recorded with the Bassholes, This Moment in Black History, Puffy Areolas, and a host of other bands. Still, he hesitates to call himself an artist."


OFFSPRING
Their rise and fall, by Peter Crigler
"When I was getting ready to enter high school, the Offspring were one of the most popular bands around. Everyone around me loved them and they were almost worshipped as one of the best rock bands we'd ever heard. But by the time we had graduated high school and even more so by the time we had all finished college, the band was nothing more than an afterthought. Nowadays, they're not even a band that crosses my radar very much except for certain songs that I still enjoy. How did this happen?"


RAZORCAKE
Interview- indie mag 20 yrs & counting, by Scott Bass
"Razorcake magazine has been a beacon on the Los Angeles punk underground music scene for twenty years; not just serving as sextant for local scene sailors, but also as a metaphorical cultural lighthouse marking the musical mecca popularly known as Los Angeles on the map for those who are not as geographically close. Issue after issue, they continue to carry the torch for the L.A. DIY Punk music subculture."


THE SWEET
Interview- founder Frank Torpey, by John Wisniewski
"The glam legends actually dates back to the late '60's and one of its co-founders was a guitarist named Frank Torpey. Though he didn't stay in the band long, he helped create a legacy. Here we find out from him about how the group came together, some wild road stories and how they held their own up against some more well-known acts, in addition to his subsequent career, which now includes no less than three projects, including a single, a rock opera and some techno music."


TAYLOR SWIFT
Her growth into Folklore, by T.K. McNeil
"The genre is, quite accurately, labelled as "Alternative" even if this is a bit nebulous. The first three tracks still have a lot to appeal to her core fan base. They aren't nearly as catchy as "Shake It Off" but they have a good groove and Taylor sounding most like her usual self. Even though, as they progress, there is a noticeable change."


TOOTS & THE MAYTALS
Reggae pioneer- tribute, photos, videos, by Eric Doumerc
Looking back at the amazing career of a musical legend, from his early years with ska music to his rise to international fame, including a famous film appearance. Also, exclusive photos and videos of a solo show that Toots did in NYC in 2016.


VINYL ANACHRONIST
2020, Year of Cuarantena, by Marc Phillips
The 22nd Annual Vinyl Anachronist Awards for Analog Excellence, including best new LP, best reissue, best turntable and best cartridge.


We also have a Spotify playlist with most of the artists above here:
<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1s6Xrvo4fie6WnozeoqRPD?si=_Y9gHrNJSam2nJOjnRuVmA>

We're always looking for good writers and/or ideas so let us know if you have anything to share.

See you online,
Jason