Only Child Book Club: Respect Yourself: Stax Records And The Soul Explosion by Robert Gordon

I come from reading people. Even though for quite some time during high school and college, I didn't read for fun that often, I have always enjoyed books. As an only child with specific tastes rarely did I have other people with which to talk about the books I had read. So I just read and kept all the things I learned to myself. Which is part of the reason I think my wife calls me "Wiki." Now that we are grown up we all have things to do, people to see, lots and lots of media to consume, no one has time to talk about what they have been reading, if they have been reading anything other than twitter and Gawker at all. Book clubs are just an excuse to see each other in person under the guise of participating in culture, but we all know no one actually reads the books. So I decided to start my Only Child Book Club. I read the book, and then discuss it with the internets, you have absolutely no responsibility to participate! It's a win/win.

 I usually do not enjoy fiction, genre books in particular are offensive to me. There will be no discussion of sci fi series, or vampire series. Harry Potter was good, The Hunger Games was passable, and that's about as deep as I get. The only fiction authors I get down with on the regular are Chuck Palahniuk and Jonathan Franzen. I prefer nonfiction writing, especially with a strong narrative. I want to learn something while I read, most people don't want to be bothered, for that I say "Go choke on that Twilight apple."

The first book in this series is "Respect Yourself: Stax Records And The Soul Explosion" by Robert Gordon.

Soul music has always been something I've been in to. I've always dug the...well...soul that is present in the recordings. As I have complained in this space before, I hate crispy clean production, I want to feel the groove, or pain, or elation that the musicians are feeling while recording.

For Christmas 2012, my sister-in-law Sarah got me a compilation record of an obscure artist named Wendy Rene called "After Laughter Comes The Tears: The Complete Stax and Volt Recordings".  If you're in the know, you would recognize some of Wendy Rene's samples from Wu-Tang's "Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers", as RZA used his parents record collection as base for the beats of that classic record.



Besides the joy of hearing the original pieces that RZA used to construct the beats, I was getting a real feel for the Wendy Rene tracks. Yes these tracks were pretty old, and recorded on equipment of much less quality than even what is available on my phone today, but there was an authenticity to those tracks that I think is rare to find in 2014. I wanted to learn some more about the history of soul music, beyond "Green Onions" and The Blues Brothers. (Shout out to Mr. Ceci, AP English for forcing The Blues Brothers on us!)

I came across this book while searching for some Stax related records at the library, I figured I would give it a read. What an accidental find.

"Respect Yourself" tells the story of Memphis born and bred Stax Records from it's inception as kind of a lark by a bored banker, through it's rise to prominence as one of the largest tastemakers of African American culture, to it's shockingly quick demise. The other part of the story is Memphis of the 1960's, with it's social problems, and the racial tumult that came along with it. Stax Records is shown as the antithesis of Memphis. Where Memphis is segregated, and still in the clutches of Jim Crow laws, Stax is integrated from the get go, and fosters inclusion of all types.

From the highs of the earliest hits from Rufus and Carla Thomas, to Sam and Dave, to Otis Redding to Isaac Hayes and "Shaft", to the crushing lows of bad contracts, losing all the original masters, the untimely death of Otis Redding and the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, Gordon has interviews with all the important players and a driving narrative that tells the story.

My favorite story from the book is the one time Stax agrees to record an artist from another label, just to see if they can get anything out of him. That guy hires a driver and brings all of his gear from Georgia to Memphis. During the failed recording session, the driver is telling anyone who will listen that he can sing. Finally they say all right and give him a shot, and yes, he could sing. Who was that driver? Otis Redding!


My biggest take away from this book is a lesson I already knew, but had reinforced. As Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest says "Industry rule number 4,080, record company people are shady." The bad contracts with distributors, and producers of physical products, and artists, and session musicians, and publishing rights, and disc jockeys, and payola, and coercion...it's a wonder anyone ever made any money, or enough money to make it all worth it.

Overall this is a really good book, about a really important slice of American culture. If Jim Stewart had not been a restless, bored banker we would not have "(Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay" or "Shaft"...so as America, we owe Jim Stewart a debt of gratitude.

2013 Year In Music: Top 20 Songs

This was a lot harder than I anticipated when I started running my mouth in my Albums post. I don't feel like racking my brain and trying to rank these., but there are 20 songs from 2013 that I love. I can tell you that "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk is far and away my favorite song of 2013. Enjoy. I have also included a handy Spotify playlist for your convenience. 

Get Lucky--Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams

Retrograde--James Blake

Blurred Lines--Robin Thicke featuring TI and Pharrell Williams

Royals--Lorde

We Can't Stop--Miley Cyrus

Follow Your Arrow--Kacey Musgraves

We Sink--Chrvches

Tom Ford--Jay-Z

Fuckin Problems--A$AP Rocky featuring 2 Chainz, Drake and Kendrick Lamar

Bitter Rivals--Sleigh Bells

Step--Vampire Weekend

Breakfast Can Wait--Prince

Closer--Tegan and Sara

Started From The Bottom--Drake

Mirrors--Justin Timberlake

Blood On The Leaves--Kanye West

Where Are We Now?--David Bowie

Rose Tattoo--Dropkick Murphys

Same Love--Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert

The Woodpile--Frightened Rabbit

Reflektor--Arcade Fire

2013 The Year In Music: Top 20 Records.

I know it's January 5th, but look, the end of the year is my busiest time at my J-O-B. I do not work as hard from March through November as I do from December through the end of February. You mad bro? I'm not bitter about it, it's the life I have chosen.

Excuses aside, before I started taking stock of the music of 2013 I thought this was kind of a down year. I was wrong. 2013 was a strong year in hip-hop, R&B, and pop music. Most of the records not on my top 20 could easily have made the list. Looking at lists complied by my friends, I realize we come together in a wildly divergent way, some really odd cross over choices. But that's what makes this all fun.

Since no one has been clamoring for my opinion, here it is.

#20 Dave Grohl, et al. "Sound City: Reel To Reel"

Soundtrack to the excellent documentary about the famous studio in L.A. Dave Grohl is just hanging out with his friends making records on a classic sound board. Ever want to hear Rick Springfield as a member of the Foo Fighters? Check. Paul McCartney as a member of Nirvana? Check. Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and Trent Reznor working together? Check. This a rock record crafted with love. Also number 6 on my buddy Newgazzi's 2013 list.

#19 Elvis Costello and The Roots "Wise Up Ghost"

I was intrigued when I heard this record was coming out. The Roots are top notch, the house band of popular culture. Elvis Costello is a prolific recording artist who loves to dabble in many styles of music. This a cool record. It has a dirty kind of vibe to it, like it was recorded at Stax in Memphis in 1967. Elvis Costello has a grime to his vocals that is evocative of bygone era of American Soul music. The only reason this was not much higher on my list is that it's too long and by the end unfocused, the bonus tracks version comes in at 72 minutes. Honorable mention over at Newgazzi

#18 Kacey Musgraves "Same Trailer, Different Park"

Oh snap, a country record! The worst sin art can commit is to treat it's consumers as if they are stupid. That is how I feel "Nashville" treats fans of country music. Whether it's the over the top, soulless production values or the schmaltzy and/or lowest common denominator lyrics, it's all just offensive to me. "Nashville" seems stuck in the 1962 version of the American music business.

That being said, Kacey Musgraves (and Brandi Clark) may be leading the charge for some change in "Nashville". The production on this record is still really offensive, there is no soul in the musicians who play on this record, it's so clean you could eat off the spotless sound quality. But the voice and the songs are there. "Follow Your Arrow" is not a country song that gets made before 2013, and puts crap like Florida Georgia Line to shame. I think I might really like to see Kacey Musgraves live ( I loved Jamey Johnson live, but his records are bullshit).

#17 Teagan and Sara "Heartthrob"

What a delightful pop record. I was always overwhelmed by the seriousness of the prior Teagan and Sara records, there was something always a little off-putting about the attitude, like I wasn't invited to the show but crashed. Everyone is invited to this record. There are many more words I could say about this record, but it's the number one record of the year for my buddy Jonathan over at LOOK UP and he has the best case.

Jonathan Rundman is a professional musician (like how he makes a living, no day job kind of professional musician) and does a fantastic structural analysis of "Hearthtrob".

#16 Shouting Matches "Grown Ass Man"

Justin Vernon can do lots of things. The Shouting Matches is a blues/rock band that has some swing to it. It is not the quiet introspection of Bon Iver or the artistic challenge of Volcano Choir (which was this close to making this a 2 Justin Vernon list), which I think is why it surprised me so much. Could a critic say this a knock off Black Keys record? Probably. But shut the hell up. I want to enjoy this record while enjoying a glass whiskey in the backyard on a hot night. This was also an honorable mention over at Newgazzi.

#15 Queens Of The Stone Age "...Like Clockwork"

Josh Homme is just an interesting dude, who makes interesting music. Kyuss, Them Crooked Vultures, Eagles of Death Metal, or QOTSA, it's all just good. "...Like Clockwork" gets back to what QOTSA does, just plain rock. It's no "Songs For The Deaf", but it's a really good metal-ish (?) record.

#14 Lorde "Pure Heroine"

I know "Royals" was everywhere in 2013. And it should be, it's a great song. The rest of the record is just as strong. Sparse, even a little funky production that showcases Lorde's strong and unique voice. They lyrics are smart and biting, but not cynical, which is tough line to walk. The downside is that if you hate "Royals", you will hate this record.

#13 Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines"

Another pop record! I really wanted to hate this. I have never been a fan of Robin Thicke's brand of blue eyed soul in the past. But damned if "Blurred Lines" was not just the catchiest jam of 2013.And it's not just the single, the rest of the record has some really nice R&B cuts. Ready for a hot take? This is the record Justin Timberlake should have made.

#12 Sleigh Bells "Bitter Rivals"

Sleigh Bells is not for everyone, but I love them. In my opinion Sleigh Bells is 3 for 3 putting out records that push the limits sonically. Song craft is not at work here, but the intersection of beats and noise make up for that. Give it a shot, most you will probably hate it.

#11 Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros "Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros"

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros is not for everyone, but I love them. Heard that before? ESaMZ is another challenging band, in a completely different way than Sleigh Bells. Their songs are lo-fi, and weirdly homey, which must be a challenge for such a large band. This record was a complete surprise, coming out with no notice, just days after ESaMZ played at Summerfest with no hat tip to any new music. It's just a good, fun record to listen to.

#10 Savages "Silence Yourself"

This record has so much in common with my number one record. And that's ridiculous since Savages is an all girl post-punk band that is made up of 3 English ladies, and a French lady. The sound of this record is detached, and spacious, and deliberately cold. Savages are not inviting you in, they are letting you listen from the street. It's not just challenging, it's also really good. Also an honorable mention over at Newgazzi.

#9 Low "The Invisible Way"

Duluth,MN's own Low has been putting out quiet records since 1993, always on the cusp of breaking out. "The Invisible Way" just keeps doing what Low does, there are some rockier elements, and there even  is a slight gospel-ly feel to a couple of the songs that is a really nice surprise. Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker both have distinct voices that work so well together. This is another sitting quietly with a glass of whiskey kind of record.

#8 David Bowie "The Next Day"

This was by far the most surprising record to come out in 2013. It had been a decade since any new Bowie music had been released, and this was not on anyone's radar as a potential release. There are so many good tracks here. "The Next Day", "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" and "Where Are We Now" are the stand outs. David Bowie has never been shy of experimentation, and while there isn't anything like Ziggy, or the Berlin records, or Tin Machine, it's a well produced set of later period Bowie songs. At 66, with various health issues (if you believe the tabloids), his voice sounds like the older man that he is. I hope this isn't the last record from one of the all-time greats.

#7 Dropkick Murphys "Signed and Sealed In Blood"

Bet you didn't have this on your list. Dropkick Murphys have been making Irish themed punk rock since the mid 1990's, and as they age their songs are less mosh pit ragers, and a tad more introspective. Not a lot mind you. "The Boys Are Back" and "Jimmy Collins Wake" are still rambunctious, but "Rose Tattoo" is on my list for favorite songs of the year, and they even have an Xmas tune "The Seasons Upon Us". "Signed and Sealed In Blood" is the most fun record on my list this year.

#6 Vampire Weekend "Modern Vampires Of The City"

Vampire Weekend is everyone's favorite hipster band to dog on. And in a lot of ways they deserve all the criticism they get, they are probably everything that's wrong with Brooklyn. And on the other hand, Vampire Weekend has made 3 consecutive pleasurable indie-pop records. Light hearted, uptempo, fun to listen to songs with interesting rhythmic dynamics that don't get boring.

#5 Avett Brothers "Magpie and The Dandelion"

"Magpie and The Dandelion" picks up where 2012's "The Carpenter" (top 10 of 2012 for me) left off. The Avetts know how to play their instruments really well, and their songs are catching up with their musicianship. There is nothing earth shattering here, just the best Sunday morning sing along kind of record.

#4 Run The Jewels "Run The Jewels"

You have never heard of this record. Run The Jewels is a collaboration of Atlanta mc Killer Mike (you may know him the various Outkast song) and Brooklyn mc/producer El-P (member of Company Flow and produced and rhymed on tracks by Aesop Rock, Atmosphere, Das Racist). Released as a free mix tape, there are interesting beats, entertaining lyrics, and a really tight 33 minute run time. Killer Mike and El-P are a really creative duo (check out 2012' "R.A.P. Music" by Killer Mike and "Cancer 4 Cure" by El-P) that will hopefully do more together. Did I mention it's a free mix tape? Download that shit right now.

#3 James Blake "Overgrown"

Look, James Blake won The Mercury Prize in 2013. This record was slotted this high well before that happened, it had been my early favorite for number two (number one was cemented from the first listen, no one else had a chance.) "Retrograde" is in my top 10 songs of the year. Electronic artists are hard to talk about because people either like them or hate them, there is very little in-between. There is a heart in James Blake's music, and soul in his voice, and a beautiful record is the outcome.

#2 Chvrches "The Bones Of What You Believe"

This made a late charge up the list as I was listening for positions over Decemeber. I had heard and read some people I trust talking about this record all summer, and I finally broke down and checked it out, what a revelation! Melodic pop songs with catchy hooks and a little harder edge on the production work. "The Mother We Share", "Gun" and "Lungs" are just so good, and "We Sink" is also in my top 10 songs list. I think the best way to put it is that I have a major crush on this record.

#1 Kanye West "Yeezus"

Shut up. Shut your goddamn mouth right now. I know Kanye is a douche. I could care less about "Kimye", North West, or that HORRIFIC Birkin handbag. Loving this record is in no way an endorsement of Kimye, you can love the art without endorsing the megalomania. And love this record I do. True story, I listened to it three times back to back to back the day it came out. It is everything it's accused of being. Delusional. Insane. Angry. Guilty as charged. I have never had an experience with music where the music itself has created a barrier between me (as the listener) and Kanye (as the performer). The beats literally feel like a physical wall between us. And it is that kind of genius that makes this record spectacular to me. It knows exactly what it is, delusional, grandiose, and it doesn't care about you or what you think, just hurry up with my damn croissants, and I find that brash honesty in art appealing.

Plus, I mean, THIS (Why two flannels? Why?!?!?!?)

Spotify playlist for your ease. My number 4 is not available on Spotify...but it is a FREE download.

Honorable Mention
--------------------------
The National "Trouble Will Find Me" #11 at Newgazzi
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds "Push The Sky Away"
Dessa "Parts Of Speech"
Lady Gaga "Artpop"
Miley Cyrus "Bangerz"
Jus Post Bellum "Oh July"
Joey Badass "Summer Knights"
Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip "The Abstract and The Dragon"
Nataly Dawn "How I Knew Her" #4 at Newgazzi
Eels "Wonderful,Glorius" honorable mention here and #6 here

Criminally Missed
------------------------
Haim "Days Are Gone" #2 here
Paul McCartney "New"

The ThreeTwo Philosophy

When I was a kid my family got a pontoon boat. This was boss. We fished. We grilled. We toured Lake Gogebic. We had adventure. People fell off. Radios, lots and lots of radios fell off. One time my Grandfather's bowling team almost sank it while overloaded with bowlers and their spouses. But one story about the pontoon boat has (metaphorically) been one of the driving principles of my life.

The opening week of fishing season was always a big event, not big enough for me to miss school, but big. All the men in the extended family would go out to our cottage and bachelor it up for a week.  Grilled meats, beers, manhattans, and hopefully, fried fish fresh out of Lake Gogebic. When you're out on the lake fishing with a group of guys anything goes. If you have to farmer blow, you farmer blow. If you have to fart, you fart and blame it on passing ducks. If you have to piss, you piss right off the side of the boat. If you grill bratwurst and sauerkraut and you have to take a massive shit, you do it in a coffee can. This is a group of men.

Wait. What?

If you grill bratwurst and sauerkraut, and that sauerkraut comes back to bite you approximately two miles across the lake from your property, well, sometimes you have to do things that you're not proud of. That includes filling a 2lb coffee can with 3lbs of shit, and then sinking it in the lake. That is the story that has been told. That is why the small bay across Lake Gogebic from our cottage has been christened "3/2 Bay" (unbeknownst to the property owners on said bay). That is the legacy that has been left to me.

And that is why I live life like I do. I have to remind you, the reader, that is indeed purely metaphor. I have not literally shit in to a coffee can, though it seems to be in familial nature to do so, and I'd be proud to carry on that tradition. What I mean is that I talk a lot of shit, I take wildly strong opinions on things, and then throw them out in to the world, just like that coffee can. Just the other day I called the bro-country band Florida-Georgia Line "lowest common denominator puke." I know, that's a hot take. I come from a storytelling people. We can all talk and spin a yarn, dare I say we are a family of lesser raconteurs. I want a larger forum to opine, and not offend some of my "tender hearted" Facebook friends. Twitter is good for spur of the moment ridiculousness, but sometimes you want to sit down and put good old pen to paper (well, fingers to Macbook, que sera), and write a screed. A SCREED DAMMIT!

Let's go back to Lake Gogebic for a second. The angle is kind of looking to the northeast, not directly to shore, but I'm pretty sure this picture was taken in 3/2 Bay, and based on the hat my uncle John (left) is wearing, this may have been the same summer of the infamous 3/2 incident.

The moral? Be really careful when consuming lake water. Just the number of radios from our boat alone can't be good for anyone. Nor can keeping 3lbs of shit pent up, even if you only have a 2lb can.

~j