Friday, November 30, 2007

TERRELL'S TUNEUP: SCARRED AND SCREAMING

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
November 30, 2007


Johnette Napolitano’s new solo album, Scarred, could almost pass for a Concrete Blonde album. It’s dark, intense, full of sneaky little hooks, sometimes a little overwrought, and, of course, it’s centered around the low, hoarse, frequently world-weary but always sexy voice of Johnette Napolitano.

All it lacks is the distinctive guitar scream of James Mankey (who mixed several tracks but didn’t play on it). A new collaborator, Will Crewdson, plays some pretty good guitar and provides some tasty little electronic gurgles and rumblings here and there.

Napolitano performs a couple of covers on Scarred. There’s a so-so Coldplay song called “The Scientist.” And there’s The Velvet Underground classic “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” though I’m not sure the free world really needs another version of this.

Far more interesting and arresting are Napolitano’s original tunes. Napolitano opens with “Amazing,” a song with a catchy chorus that sounds like it could be a happy love song. “Amazing, you’re amazing. ... And I just want to live in your light.” But as the minor-key melody suggests, there’s something deeper going on. “Look at my hands/Look at my feet/Clumsy stumps of leftover fin.” It’s a song of self-loathing and co-dependency.

It’s not hard to connect this with the title song — a smoldering little masterpiece of inner pain. Here, Napolitano sings of being so damaged by love gone sour that her only refuge is sleep. The lyrics are sparse, but the emotion in her voice as she wails, “I am so scarred,” is downright frightening.

The lyrics of “Save Me” sound like they’re from a woman trapped in a building after an earthquake. “I heard a train on the roof and a burglar alarm/And a shaking foundation/And I tried to hold on. ... And the windows breaking/And the dogs were barking.”

I can’t help but remember the time I interviewed Napolitano over the phone in February 1994 — the day of a big earthquake in Los Angeles that shook her home in Silver Lake. (“I got home about 2:30 this morning. About 4:30 it hit. I just shook in my bed. I crawled on hands and knees, got my dog, and went outside to see my neighbors. ... Something like this puts things in perspective. Life is very short and precious. This is just a reminder.”)

“Save Me” is just one of several “spoken-word” songs in which Napolitano recites rather than sings the verses. Also in this category are “Poem for the Native,” “I’m Up Here,” and “Everything for Everyone.” She’s used this technique occasionally since the early days of Concrete Blonde (remember “Roses Grow”?), but she overdoes it here. On all three of these songs, however, the music builds up to such a powerful rage, I wouldn’t want to tamper with any of the chemistry.

Still, I go back and forth between loving and hating “Everything for Everyone” because of the vintage pop-psych slogans that Napolitano drops into the lyrics. She actually says, “Today is the first day of the rest of my life” and that she wants to be “naturally high.” Oh well, at least the music doesn’t sound like John Denver’s.

I thought I was going to hate “Poem for the Native.” Usually songs by white people extolling the mystic virtues of Native Americans make me cringe. (Except maybe Hank Thompson’s “Squaws Along the Yukon.”) But, to her credit, Napolitano’s song doesn’t fall into patronizing clichés. Plus, the dang thing rocks every time it gets to the chorus.

As for “I’m Up Here,” which closes the album, this song sounds like it might be a furious rant against God himself. “Where was I when the levy broke?/When the husband choked his wife?/Where was I when the priest ruined his son?” (The first one Napolitano thanks in the liner notes is “The Creator,” so maybe she’s hedging her bets.)

Napolitano plays at Santa Fe Brewing Company (27 Fire Place, 424-3333) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. David J of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets open. Tickets are $18 in advance at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St., 988-1234.

Not recommended:

*White Chalk by P.J. Harvey. Just a year ago, the release of Harvey’s The Peel Sessions 1991-2004 reminded me of what a vital rocker Polly Jean Harvey was, especially when she first started out. Her first three albums (four if you count the outtakes record 4-Track Demos) were nothing short of mighty.

Harvey’s output in the last 10 years has been spotty. But this album is one big splotch. The only people I can imagine voluntarily listening to this dreary dreck are college girls reading Sylvia Plath at 4 a.m. It makes me want to stick my head in an oven.

That being said, the one little thing I do appreciate here are the opening piano notes on the first song, which remind me of the intro to the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” The name of the song: “The Devil.” Clever. But not enough to carry the rest of the record.

Forget the piano, Polly. The world needs your guitar.

*R.E.M. Live. Most washed-up rock bands that insist on carrying on join the casino circuit. Those from commercial rock’s higher strata release two CD, one DVD live packages — heavy on the “greatest hits” and fortified by backup musicians.

I have to admit, many of these songs still have a lot of power. “The One I Love,” “Cuyahoga,” “Orange Crush” (I still don’t know whether they were singing about Agent Orange or the Denver Broncos), and “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth” are well done.

Probably the weakest tracks are the new protest songs “I Wanted to Be Wrong” and “Final Straw.” Don’t get me wrong, I love a good protest song: “We Can’t Make It Here” by James McMurtry, “Nothing at All” by the Waco Brothers, “They Crowned an Idiot King” by Swamp Dogg, “Rich Man’s War” by Hundred Year Flood. But these R.E.M. tunes are anemic.

The sad truth is that R.E.M. has a history to be proud of. I’m just not so sure about the present.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP: POLITICAL NEVERLAND

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
November 29, 2007


When Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez officially announced his U.S. Senate run in October, he said he had spoken recently with Gov. Bill Richardson, whom he called “the next president of the United States.” At the time, Chávez declined to say exactly what he and the governor talked about, though a statement released the same day by Chávez’s campaign said Richardson “indicated” he had no intention of running for the Senate seat.

That wasn’t surprising. Richardson and his spokesmen have “indicated” hundreds of times that Richardson isn’t going to run for Senate since U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, a Republican, announced he’s not seeking re-election.

But in an interview Monday, Chávez provided some details about his conversation with Richardson, indicating there were more indications indicated than originally reported. “He told me he’s not running for Senate, ” Chávez told me. “But then he told me, ‘I never say never.’ ”

The Richardson presidential campaign didn’t respond to a question about his conversation with Chávez except to repeat Richardson is not running for Senate.

Chávez’s version of the conversation reminds me of The New York Daily News’ interview with Richardson in August. When the paper pressed him about his insistence he wouldn’t accept a place on the Democratic ticket as vice president, the governor said, “I never preclude anything.” However, he quickly added, “But I am telling you that I’m not interested.”

Richardson was asked yet again about the vice presidency during an interview Thursday on XM satellite radio’s POTUS ’08 network (the nation’s first 24-hour news radio station dedicated to the presidential race). “Well, I’m not interested in the vice presidency. Obviously, it would be an honor, but I’m going to win the nomination.”

I guess that settles that.

You say it’s your birthday: Chávez might have had a chance to clear things up about Richardson’s possible Senate plans at Richardson’s birthday party a couple of weeks ago.

Only problem is, unlike his Senate primary rival, U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, Chávez never got an invitation to the birthday bash thrown at one of the Santa Fe homes of Andrew and Sydney Davis, who are generous contributors to state and local Democrats.

“Gee, I was at his birthday party last year,” Chávez said. Then, with a wry grin the mayor added, “My invitation this year must have gotten lost in the mail.”

More on Art Hull: For months now, the Richardson administration has insisted Art Hull, longtime lobbyist for Public Service Company of New Mexico, didn’t lobby for the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Act when he worked for the Governor’s Office as part of PNM’s Loaned Executive program.

Attorney General Gary King’s staff took Richardson’s staff at their word about this when investigating Hull’s role earlier this year. “The governor’s office did not assign Mr. Hull to work on legislation creating the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority,” Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Glenn said in a letter to Ben Luce of the watchdog group Break the Grip, which called for the investigation. Glenn said she found no evidence to the contrary.

However, on Wednesday, Break the Grip announced they had unearthed, via the state Open Records Act, an e-mail from Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos to blogger Joe Monahan on Jan. 30 (after the Legislative session had begun) that said, “With the exception of the governor’s proposed Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, Art is not lobbying on behalf of any of the governor’s energy package.” (That’s exactly what Monahan posted soon after Gallegos sent the e-mail.)

Luce — who says Hull’s lobbying for the bill while on the governor’s staff is a conflict of interest — is calling for the attorney general to reopen the investigation. Gallegos couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday night.

Back to the races: Speaking of Udall, the congressman from Santa Fe has scheduled his formal announcement 11:45 a.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in the city that calls Marty Chávez mayor. He’ll be doing a three-day “announcement tour” with stops in Santa Fe (4 p.m. Saturday at Eldorado Hotel), Los Lunas, Las Cruces, Silver City, Clovis, Las Vegas, Mora and Taos.

Also on Thursday, state Sen. Joe Carraro of Albuquerque will announce his candidacy in the Republican primary for the soon-to-be-open 1st Congressional District seat. Carraro will be facing Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White in that race. Carraro’s announcement is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the George O. Breace Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 401, 2011 Girard S.E. in Albuquerque.

On Friday, a third Democrat formally will get into the Senate race. Santa Fe activist and alternative newspaper publisher Leland Lehrman will make it official. He’ll announce at noon Friday at the Capitol Rotunda. At 7:30 p.m. that night, he’s having an “after party” at the Green Palace, 209 E. Palace Ave, which Lehrman owns with his wife, Vera. The Shiva Brothers are playing music.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

THE MYSTERIOUS RICHARDSON PETITIONS (and more)

My story about those weird Richardson-for-Senate petitions can be found HERE.

Basically nobody believes they are real and speculation consensus is that it's some kind of political mischief.

One person I spoke to said it might be an attempt to discourage Richardson fans who might want to contribute to Tom Udall's Senate campaign. Of course -- assuming people would believe Richardson is soliciting petition signatures with unsigned letters on plain white paper -- that would discourage Richardson backers from contributing to Marty Chavez's campaign too.

So could it be a Republican plot? I don't see it. It doesn't matter to the GOP if contributions to Democrats in the primary is slowed down. Everyone realizes that no matter who the candidates are, both parties' general election Senate campaigns are going to be ridiculously well funded next year.

One Dem I talked to yesterday said the petitions could be from "some college student" supporting a presidential candidate other than Richardson in an effort to make Richardson look less serious in the presidential race.

Or indeed, could it be from the Richardson camp afterall -- sending out plain-white generic letters as a head-start on petition gathering as part of "Plan B" if the presidential race isn't successful? Not too likely. As one Democrat said, the number of signatures that could be gathered in such a fashion would be minimal.

So who knows? I'm just surprised that whoever did it couldn't come up with a fake letterhead with some cheesy campaign logo to at least make the thing look a little more believabe.

XXXXXX

Also in today's paper I wrote an obit for the late Stretch Boles, who headed the state Highway Department back in the days they were coping with that newfangled Interstate system thing. You can find it HERE.

XXXXXX

For a good, basic description of the arcane ritual known as the Iowa Caucuses, check out Carter Bundy's column today over at Heath's blog.

A WORD FROM A FORMER COLLEAGUE

Jackie came across an interesting book -- American Carnival: Journalism Under Siege in an Age of New Media by Neil Henry that quotes a former Capitol Bureau partner of mine, Mark Hummels. (Read her post HERE) Mark is cited as an example of a young journalist who got frustrated with "the game" and "the mediocre standards of the newspapers he worked for."

`I came to realize,’ he explained, `that government officials are so well-trained in obfuscation and spin that it’s next to impossible to get a real answer to most questions you ask them. This continues to drive me absolutely nuts with people in general, and with people in positions of trust especially. I came to think of reporting `both sides of the story’ as either 1) reporting `both’ sides of the octagon, or 2) giving `equal time’ for the Republicans and Democrats to tell their lies...’
Jackie also quotes Henry talking about the governor "luring some of the state’s best news reporters by offering better-paying work as public relations officers for the Richardson administration."

But, she notes that "a whole lot of `the state’s best news reporters' stayed at their jobs and kept chipping away tirelessly at the dreck coughed out by the administration in the guise of news."

Bless you, Jackie. Indeed some of the state's best reporters are still reporters. And so am I!

Monday, November 26, 2007

RICHARDSON ON IRAQ, ETC.

RICHARDSON IN CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
My article about Bill Richardson's changing view on the Iraq view can be found HERE.

Here are some links to some sources cited in the story

* Paula Zahn 2/18/03 (I got the date wrong in the article. There will be a correction in tomorrow's paper.)

* Candy Crowley 3/11/03

* Freedom House 3/20/03

* Larry King 4/13/04

* Meet the Press 5/27/07

A sidebar on fact-checking some of Richardson's campaign claims is HERE.

Below are links to the various sources challenging those claims.

* Jobs

* Driver’s licenses for undocumented workers (and HERE )

* Kyoto Treaty

* Yucca Mountain (and HERE )

* Education

* Roswell UFO “cover-up”

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, November 25, 2007
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell

Now Simulcasting 90.7 FM, and our new, stronger signal, 101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Froggy by The A Bones
I Saw a Ghost by The Black Lips
Fuzz Gun 2001 by Mudhoney
Well All Right by The Hives
A Little Bit of Love by The Mooney Suzuki
The Weirdness by The Stooges
Lonesome Cowboy Bill by The Velvet Underground
Die by The Rockin' Guys
Dirty Old Man by Neil Young
Give Me Back My Wig by Hound Dog Taylor

Wonderful Witches by Thurston Moore
Almost Ready by Dinosaur Jr
Hubcap by Sleater-Kinney
Get it On by Grinderman
Six Strings That Drew Blood by The Birthday Party
Imaginary Diseases by Frank Zappa
My Babe by The Righteous Brothers

JOHNETTE NAPOLITANO SET
Save me by Johnette Napolitano
The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden by Concrete Blonde
It'll Chew You Up and Spit You Out by Concrete Blonde
Poem For the Native by Johnete Napolitano
La Llorona by Concrete Blonde y Los Illegals
Ghost Riders in the Sky by Concrete Blonde
Death of a Sufer by Vowel Movement

The Assassination by The Dixie Nightingales
Rollin' & Tumblin' by Bob Dylan
Pressing On by Chicago Mass Choir
She Sang Angels to Rest by Richard Thompson
Johnny Mathis' Feet by American Music Club
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

Sunday, November 25, 2007

MORE SUNDAY POLITICS: COMPLETE WEIRDNESS DEPT.

Politics in New Mexico has been fun lately, but not this much fun.

I wonder which one of our potential CD 3 candidates is most likely to have been brainwashed and abducted by a Satan cult?



And here's a little musical interlude:

UPDATE 7-7-08: I got rid of the lousy eSnips player because the jerks at eSnips kept eliminating the song without asking me. (I own all the rights to it. I wrote it, recorded it, etc.) But this should work.

















SUNDAY POLITICS

Here's a link to Anne Constable's story on Bill Richardson in Iowa.

I did a sidebar of the high and low points of the Richardson campaign so far this year.

Closer to home, here's a story about Marty Chavez attacking Tom Udall over his vote on the national labs budgets.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

RICHARDSON'S EARLIEST RACES


My stories about Bill Richardson's first political campaigns ran in today's New Mexican --- as did this 1978 photo of Richardson's weirded beardo stage (which I believe was shot by my old colleague Barbaraellen Koch.)

The story of Richardson's impressive if unsuccessful race against Manuel Lujan in 1980 can be found HERE.

The story of his hard-fought and controversial primary battle against Tom Udall, Roberto Mondragon and others can be found HERE .

More is coming in the next two days inThe New Mexican.

Speaking of politics, there's a new blog for Santa Fe County Democrats, Ward 47-A. Check it out HERE.

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, November 30, 2007
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell


Now Simulcasting 90.7 FM, and our new, stronger signal, 101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org


OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Hill Country Hot Rod Man by Junior Brown
Maybellene by Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriquez
Riders in the Sky by Dick Dale
Undo the Roght/Somebody's Back in Town by The Flying Burrito Brothers
Red Rumor Blues by Ronny Elliot
Flash of Fire by Hoyt Axton
Thumbelina by Albert & Gage

November by The Rockin' Guys
Jack Ruby by Camper Van Beethoven
Lee Harvey by The Asylum Street Spankers
He Was a Friend of Mine by The Byrds

San Francisco by Ted Hawkins
I Made a Mess of This Town by Scott Miller & The Commonwealth

The Girl on Death Row/Psycho by T. Tex Edwards & Out on Parole
Strangler in the Night by Albert De Salvo (The Buggs)
The Boston Strangler by Johnny Legend
Dolores by Eddie Noack
The Rubber Room by Porter Wagoner
Down in the Wrecking Yard by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy
Way Out in the World by C.W. Stoneking
O'Reilly at the Bar by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
Collegiana by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Coffee Blues by John Sebastian & David Grisman
My Walking Stick by Leon Redbone
Cruelle Tendresse by Les Primitifs du Futur
Old Pine Box by The Dead Brothers
Wildwood Fkower by Amy Nelson & Cathy Guthrie
Thanksgiving by Loudon Wainwright III
No Expectations by Johnny Cash
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

  Sunday, March 17, 2024 KSFR, Santa Fe, NM, 101.1 FM  Webcasting! 10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time Host: Steve Te...