That's right!.....Jad Fair was in Half Japanese.
So to flesh out this fact here's Half-Japanese's best album.
Chock-a-block with untuned falling apart anti-rock.....aka, wot proper rock should sound like.
Tracklist:
A1 My Concentration, Oh No
A2 2 Hearts = 1
A3 If My Father Answers, Don't Say Nothing
A4 Scientific Devices
A5 Gift
A6 Dumb Animals
A7 Popular
A8 I Know How It Feels. Bad
A9 Perfume
A10 New Brides Of Frankenstein
A11 Forget You
A12 Loud/Louder/Loudest
B1 Spy
B2 No Danger
B3 Love Lasts Forever (Sometimes)
B4 Nurse
B5 Only Dancing
B6 Bad To Your Best Friend
B7 Baby Wants Music
B8 High School Tonight
8 comments:
i bought this record back when you had to guess what the band might be like from the album cover, their name, and the song titles. this platter did not disappoint. the rest of the band's albums never came close.
As with a lot of bands, the first (good) album you hear cuts deepest. For me it was Half Gentlemen Not Beasts. The first Ramones album I heard was Rocket to Russia, so I don't care which album is best, that one is for me. Even so, I didn't like the first time I heard Jandek, and I cannot totally overcome my sentiment.
Still I love your blog, Thank You
Richard
I know what you mean, but the first 1/2 Jap album I heard was also '1/2 gentlemen', but preferred 'Loud'. As for the Ramones, I heard 'Sheena' and thought it was shit, and never bought a Ramones album. They were like a metal Bay City Rollers to these ears. As for jandek (whose sound had a lot in common with early 1/2 jap?) the first time I heard 'Ready For The House' I was hooked....one of those mouth open in astonishment moments; but i understand anyone hating it.
dont get me wrong. i love a lot of solid noise, even a little skronk, but loud is a good balance of compositional structure, noise, and catchy tunes. i dont feel 1/2 jap achieved that on other releases. i still give mad props to all their output.
jandek on the other hand... i've been in locked wards, seen the real thing up close. not a pretty sight. some dipshit hipster coyly fetishizing mental disability and doing a faux-innocent schtick... he can go fuck himself (hes well practiced im sure)
I admit I like a catchy tune allied with the racket.....it actually takes some kind of craftsmanship/or talent to do 'tune'.
That doesn't bother Jandek however.
I suspect Jandek is and was a 'Rich texas boy', his canon is more a conceptual piece on how to become a 'cult' (not cunt), and that if you throw enough shit at the wall it will eventually schtick......and it has. Fetishizing mental disability has always been a fav pastime of the entertainment industry....the public love a loony....even if Mr Sterling isn't.....there's still a chance he might be....leave me with my fantasy at least?
yeah, i have a LOT of good friends, whose tastes i admire who love the jandek. i should love jandek too, considering all the other similar music i listen to most of the time... he just bugs me. plus he managed to become something of a darling to all these kids i know about 12 years younger than me. kids ive known for years, kids who used to tell me to "turn that shit off! no one wants to hear that caterwauling!" while they insisted on playing destroyer ffs (dont get me started on that wet fart) now they line up to pay 30$ to see the jandek. hes a modern master!
jeeze, listen to me. i'll go and read my field & stream magazine now. grampa doesnt need to angry up his blood any more this afternoon.
Wow I always learn so much here. Like there is a word named 'skronk' and that this is the best half jap album to start with (yes i have put it off for a long time believe it or not, only lightly nibbled really) Also that Jandek could very well be me if I don't change my nefarious ways. The shtick is up! I do like his hats though. Reminds me of BAD Jones and that can never be bad you know.
Does anyone know much about Armageddon Records? I looked through the Discogs listing and there's quite a few cool releases on the label, I'm curious who started it, if they did anything else.
Post a Comment