Ten Nice Unearthed Relics from 2016 Reissues

Youtube, we need you to rap:

[BONUS] The most disappointing unearthed relic from 2016 was probably Big Star's cover of T.Rex's "Baby Strange" which appeared on Big Star: Complete Third. When the tracklisting was announced with "Baby Strange," we had reasonably high expectations. Now we know better. The first 45 seconds of the track are silent and the rest doesn't sound as if they cared. IMO a lot of Complete Third shouldn't have been included on there, and this is a good example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe82-mJRT5s.

10. Odion Iruoje "Anogo / Giri"

Originally from 1983's Down To Earth LP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_vpwSH0_A8

9. The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris & Linda Rondstadt) "Are You Tired Of Me?"

From The Complete Trio Collection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et1Qc0qZtWo

8. Pink Floyd "Green Is The Colour" & "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" (Live BBC Radio Session, 12 May 1969)

From The Early Years 1965 - 1972.
"Green Is The Colour" only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XeWngFZaa8

7. The Rift Valley Brothers "Mucang'ang'o Ugiraga Mukindirio"

From Kenya Special, Vol. 2
https://youtu.be/mBBKVBaMJoE?t=17m21s

6. Chris Weisman "The Hamburger Goal"

Originally from 2007's Trash Picture. Re-released on Trash Picture / August Demos.


5. Yoko Ono "Open Your Box"

Previously only available as a 7-inch edit on the b-side of Plastic Ono Band's "Power To The People" from 1971. A different 3-minute edit also appeared as "Hirake" on Fly, also from 1971. The 2016 re-release of Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band includes "Open Your Box" in its entirety.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8R_FrF_Bk0

4. Tad "Nuts N' Bolts"

From 8-Way Santa (Deluxe Edition).


3. Once "Joanna" / Joe Tossini and Friends "Wild Dream" / Some Of My Best Friends Are Canadian "Feeling Sheepish"

From 2013's Sky Girl comp, re-released by Efficient Space in 2016.
"Joanna" originally from 1981's The Hush: https://efficientspace.bandcamp.com/track/joanna
"Wild Dream" originally from 1989's Lady Of Mine. https://efficientspace.bandcamp.com/track/wild-dream
"Feeling Sheepish" originally the a-side from an out-of-print 1980 7-inch. https://efficientspace.bandcamp.com/track/feeling-sheepish

2. Queen "It's Late (BBC Session / October 28, 1977)"

From Queen On Air.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QlKt6qRmh8

1. Heatmiser "Christian Brothers"

First surfaced on Soundcloud in 2013. From Heaven Adores You Soundtrack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rer91PoR0Sc

beyonce/queen troll

This fuckin thing from over the summer... We saw some friends post this on facebook.


These songs have almost nothing to do with each other. Who the fuck would hear "Run The World (Girls)" for the first or second or twentieth time and think to themselves, "now here's a song that's just BEGGING to be compared to Bohemian Rhapsody." "Run The World" didn't even chart that well and isn't nearly as famous as "Bohemian Rhapsody." It seems like an unfair comparison that someone threw together just to troll the frustrated 70's rock fans of Facebook and see how far they could carry a bullshit meme.

Beyonce and Freddie Mercury are both very famous names that generate millions of dollars year after year. This is essentially the base of their similarities, thus making them easy targets for the "popist vs rockist" debate. The image seems to side with the rockists, although it's debatable whether the responsible party truly believes what they're preaching deep down.

"Run The World" isn't exactly bland and simple. It's not the greatest song we've ever heard or anything, but it's adequately structured, with a steady enough progression of ideas and fragments that it actually sounds to us like an equal amount of thought and effort went into BOTH songs.

"Run The World" sounds like it had 6 writers and 4 producers. It's not a surprise to learn this. Yes, it's overproduced, but that's part of what makes it a good song. It takes serious-ass skill to throw together this type of production. In some settings, it can actually be more difficult to write and produce collaboratively.

Despite its complexities, it's similarly unsurprising that Freddie Mercury was the lone songwriter of "Bohemian Rhapsody," in which he plays a character experiencing a flamboyantly wine-drenched and non-linear journey through the process of suicide, with all its glorious darkness and fabulous insanity intact. And the music carefully matches these extremities. While not intended by Queen as kid stuff, kids REALLY love to sing along to it 30+ years on, because it's also fun and kinda wacky sounding. But it's also a rarity in that it's probably the most famous pop song that goes on for six minutes while hardly repeating itself. We could go on and on about how great this song is... Freddie was obviously gifted, etc, etc...

But the point is that it's unfair to judge the music of MOST songs against "Bohemian Rhapsody." "Run The World" is hardly a prime example of a pop song that deserved this. And despite what 70's rock fans might think about it, gloss and shimmer can still reveal depth.

Plus, removing half of the lyrics from both songs and placing them side-by-side is hardly a strong argument.

Not sure why we're still going on about this... Nothing really matters.

NOTE: "Run The World" missed out on our "Hot Mix 2011," although we happily included "Party" from the same album at #61. WE have yet to post an official 70's mix, although "Bohemian Rhapsody" was included on a "bored at work 70's list" at #48 a couple years back.

80s Jams #05: Queen & David Bowie "Under Pressure" (1982)

...The album's undeniable saving grace is the concluding "Under Pressure," an utterly majestic, otherworldly duet with David Bowie that recaptures the effortless grace of Queen's mid-'70s peak, but is underscored with a truly affecting melancholy heart that gives it a genuine human warmth unheard in much of their music. Frankly, "Under Pressure" is the only reason most listeners remember this album, which is as much a testament to the song's strength as it is to the rather desultory nature of the rest of Hot Space. -- Allmusic http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jnfpxqyaldke

P.S. For the record, "Body Language" is also on Hot Space which is not nearly as good as "Under Pressure," but is still nothing short of fucking awesome. Although next to "Under Pressure," there isn't much left from the 1980's that can really hold a candle.. Kind of an unfair comparison...

80s Jams #37: Queen "The Hero" (1981)

While writing and recording The Game, Queen were asked by renowned movie director Dino DeLaurentis to provide the soundtrack for his upcoming sci-fi epic Flash Gordon. The band accepted and promptly began working on both albums simultaneously. It was the two more conventional songs that were the album's two best tracks — the anthemic U.K. Top Ten hit "Flash's Theme" and the woefully underrated rocker "The Hero." With Queen involved, Flash Gordon is certainly not your average, predictable soundtrack. -- Allmusic http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:anfoxqyaldje

"The Prophet Song"

Freddie starts kicking ass around 3:00 in this..