Crazy Rhythms by The Feelies

I am having another flashback. I wish I could still put my hair in one of those ponytails that goes off to the right or left with, of course, wall bangs. I would also be wearing a shirt with the collar cut off (with a tank top under that), leggings (with a skirt over that), and maybe leg warmers above my Keds. I'm back in the 80s, if only for a little while. That is what I felt like listening to this CD. I had never heard of the Feelies but they sounded a lot like the music I listened to for a good portion of the beginning of the 80s. Maybe if they had had a video on one of those late night video shows I would know them.

The Feelies are a punk rock/new wave band from New Jersey. Their sound on this CD reminds me of a mix of Devo and the Suburbs. The lead singer has kind of a deadpan singing voice similar to some of the Suburb songs. The guitars and the drums are kind of manic and really fast like some of the Devo songs or just new wave songs in general. It was definitely like going back in time listening to this CD. One of the unusual things they did in quite a few songs on this record was that they didn't start the music right away. There might be little sounds or it might just be quiet for about a minute. I thought that was pretty unique for a band to do. I also thought it cool that they did a cover of a Beatles song and a Rolling Stones song. Not really what you would expect from a new wave band.

My favorite songs are "Raised Eyebrows" and "Crazy Rhythms." The reason I like both of these songs are the beats and the rhythms in the songs. They are both pretty typical 80s songs. In "Raised Eyebrows" there is a lot of guitar and drums at first and there isn't any singing until pretty late in the song. The guitars reminded me of surf songs but then it changes to that 80s beat with a little Cure mixed in there. With "Crazy Rhythms" it was all about the beat too (lots of guitar and hammering drums) and the lead singer singing really fast and not making any sense (totally punk). It just made me want to swing my ponytail around in the air and dance really fast.

I could totally see Ross digging this CD in the 80s. I could see him at the record store with his long hair, his moccasins, and his tie-dye shirt buying this CD and then listening to it really loud. He probably had this on tape originally and then wanted to get the CD version. I cann't decide if I will keep this CD or his other Feelies CD. I struggle a lot with how many of these CDs I should "save." I didn't love this CD and I would save a CD I loved. It definitely brought back memories of a certain time in my life but I have other CDs that bring the 80s back for me. Also this CD doesn't really make me think of Ross either. So it really doesn't have much meaning for me. I guess I have my answer. Anyone out there want to have this CD and will appreciate it more than I do?

Raised Eyebrows - The Feelies

Confessin' the Blues by Carrie Smith

Carrie Smith is a blues and jazz singer from Georgia. This CD has a nice mix actually of blues and jazz songs. They are all cover songs that you so often here from the women jazz/blues singers. It has taken me forever to listen to this CD, not because it is a bad one, but because there are 16 songs on the CD. I would get through the first 5 going to work, the next 5 going home, and I would forget what the first 5 sounded like so I would listen to them again, then the next 5... Are you getting the picture? I would never get to the last 6! Even though it took me forever to hear the whole thing, I do love this CD. It's a lot like the other women singers Ross had in his collection. Carrie Smith is in the vein of Ruth Brown, Ernestine Anderson, Nina Simone, and Ella Fitzgerald. I love them all. This CD is great too because it has some really upbeat, shake-your-tail-feather songs, and it also has some dark, sad, my-life-sucks songs.

My favorite song is #2 on the CD, Country Man. Not just because I heard it the most but because I love the words to it! "I need a man with a whole lot of energy." Hmm. It's about how she needs to find a country man because they have all kinds of energy to do everything around the farm and yet can keep up with (if you know what I mean) her. Classic. Unfortunately I couldn't find the song anywhere to let you all hear it. I did add "Ill Wind" just so you could hear her voice. It's also a song that many jazz singers have done a cover of and I do love every cover that I have heard of it.

I am sure Ross bought this because of his affinity for women who sing jazz and the blues like nobody's business. Carrie Smith is definitely in that category. I do find it interesting that when I looked her up online it said that she never really got popular here but has a cult following in Europe. Leave it to Ross to find music that is very obscure and yet awesome. I'm keeping this.

Ill Wind - Carrie Smith, Sir R...