Doc Neeson (Angels/Angel City): Never Gonna See His Face Again

Whether you called the band Angel City or The Angels or The Angels from Angel City depending on where you were from, the band had the right recipe, especially on the second to fifth records. Start with the riffs and rhythm that sounded like a knife edge, tight high-wire tension, an unmeasured menace - the kind of unheralded genius that Malcolm Young brought to the table for the first half of AC/DC's career. Add a lyrical spice rack that veers sharply from the norm 0f the late '70s and early '80s, one that sometimes seems to have more in common with Kafka, Orwell or even Dostoyevsky than chicks and cars or dragons and wizards. Straitjackets and persecution, outcasts and big brother, no exit, dark rooms, solitary confinement and not wanting to face the day - not your typical good time party rock and roll wordsmiths here.


But to top it off, The Angels had one of the most mesmerizing vocalists the earth has ever seen, Doc Neeson. He growled, he crooned, he barked, he screamed, he muttered, he machine-gunned - he very rarely just sang. Onstage, he was one of the performers that could transport you, to a seedy back alley, a white cell, an ancient castle, or just out of yourself.

 Doc Neeson died June 4, 2014. I haven't found another vocalist like Doc or another band that could make a record like Face to Face, Darkroom or No Exit.

 Take a Long Line


Fashion & Fame (Live)



No Secrets


Face the Day


Marseilles


Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again (Live)

Waiting for the World


Ivory Stairs (Live)


Shadowboxer


Can't Shake It


Good doc on The Angels.


The following doc is a bit sad. I don't think it focuses on what is great about the band or Neeson, but if you want to see him get sick, here ya go.

A Very Good Rascal - the Doc Neeson Story


Buy Angels/Angel City on Amazon.

Buy Angels/Angel City on iTunes.

Robyn Hitchcock - The Ghost in You and The Man Upstairs

In his bid to release more albums than any other man, Robyn Hitchcock will be unleashing The Man Upstairs in August 26. The record will include Roxy Music's To Turn You On, The Doors' Crystal Ship, Psychedelic Furs' The Ghost in You, I Was a King's Ferries, Grant-Lee Phillips' Don't Look Down as well as new versions of songs like Comme Toujours. Gillian Welch painted the cover, Joe Boyd produced the record, it shall be worth checking out.

 The Ghost in You

Hitchcock has performed The Ghost in You for years, here's some footage circa 1989.



There was a live version thrown out there as a b-side many years ago, you can check it out over at Flowering Toilet.



 The Man Upstairs Tracks:

1. The Ghost In You
2. San Francisco Patrol
3. To Turn You On
4. Trouble In Your Blood
5. Somebody To Break Your Heart
6. Don’t Look Down
7. Ferries
8. Comme Toujours
9. The Crystal Ship
10. Recalling The Truth

 Hitchcock's last album Love from London only came out last year, so the guy's churning out records like it's the old days. Love it. But I still think his last album deserves more listens when he releases tunes like Fix You, you can get a bit more about that here.
 

The Alphabet Part 2: A to Z Music You Need right now: Listen, Watch, Download

Three large posts, a truckload of music, little-to-no editorialising (or even editing). It's the A-Z of what's been catching Scruffy's ears, too much for one post. Part one was here.

 Hold Steady did some shows with Deer Tick. Must have been amazing. Here's Deer Tick doing a Hold Steady tune.
 
Deer Tick - Constructive Summer (Hold Steady Cover)


And some Hold Steady.
Spinners


I Hope This Whole Thing Didn't Frighten You


I Never Wear White from Suzanne Vega's latest Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles.


Joseph Arthur - Take a Walk on the Wild Side


Justin Rutledge - Thugs


Justin Rutledge - Fiddler's Green featuring Jenn Grant


Justin Rutledge- Courage


Jordan Klassen - Go To Me


Mark Lanegan - Deepest Shade


Paul Langlois - What the Hell I got


The Lemonheads are supposedly making a new record with original member Ben Deily, who was great. Check out some reissued tunes below, and listen to some live Evan Dando (recently recorded in Winnipeg, just before his guitar was stolen) songs at Teenage Dogs in Trouble.

Lemonheads - Second Chance


Lemonheads - Mallo Cup


Lemonheads - Anyway


Lemonheads - Clang Bang Clang


Lemonheads - 394


Lemonheads - Out


Hamilton Leithauser - 11 O'Clock Friday Night


Greg MacPherson - 1995



The Mariachi Ghost mix tradition with ambition, classic sounds with some unexpected twists, somehow managing to make the band's aural effects as arresting as the visuals. Would you have guessed The Mariachi Ghost hail from Winnipeg? Hit the link to listen to the album.


Milwaukee - Aimee Mann and Leo are The Both

Nai Harvest - Ain't That Enough, Free download of a Teenage Fanclub cover! One of my favourite bands at the moment, sleazy guitars and slippery vocals, lazy cool even when aggression rears its ugly head.



Old 97s


Old 97s - Most Messed Up


Doug Paisley is from TO, but that isn't necessarily evident from his music. To me, he fits in with Del Barber, Corb Lund, and Daniel Romano, well-crafted songs without pop, rock, or flash - Canadiana?

Doug Paisley - Radio Girl


Doug Paisley - Song My Love Can Sing

Doug Paisley - No One But you

Doug Paisley - If I Wanted To


Doug Paisley - Sad Sinner


Peter Buck - Monkey Mask


Pixies' Women of War is a free download from te band to you.

Pixies - Women of War

Pixies - Silver Snail


Posies - Grant Hart

Posies - Ontario