From the very first note, I knew I was going to love Lester's Lithuanian Luau. This is one WACKED record! Every song was written or adapted by and every instrument is played by Lester Philip Dray. I don’t know Lester Philip Dray, but I wish I did. The liner notes provide scant information, but I knew I was on the right track when I saw it was 18 songs, few more than 3 minutes long.

I have no idea if this music has anything at all to do with Lithuanian anything, but it’s got a groove and a verve all its own. The songs, although they lack vocals (I ‘spoze this was on purpose; maybe Lester doesn’t sing too good) are what Eugene Chadbourne would be doing if he wanted his music to make sense. I feel every bit as much innovation happening in this record as I would one of Eugene’s, but it’s so completely listenable that nobody’s alienated, either. Which is a plus. On the other hand, my housepets were initially agitated when I put it on, which is another plus. You’ve got to love a record that agitates your housepets. Let me put it this way: none of it sounds like a malfunctioning appliance, but you’re not dancing to it on American Bandstand, either.

Despite the fact that Lester plays everything himself there’s a million different instruments on this record. I’m talking pipe organ, here. I’m talking horns. Electric Guitar. Tambourines. Bongos. You name it. I wouldn’t have thought to use a tambourine with a pipe organ, but what would I know? I’d have skipped the drum machine myself, but it’s not too prominent, and therefore forgivable. It also doesn’t sound like one of those records where one guy plays everything and recorded it in his basement. To hear it, you’d think Lester went into a coffee shop in Bridgeport, CT and assembled every hot jazz musician sitting there (there would be plenty, believe me) and gave them all instruments from the trunk of his car.

This is one flipped out weird record but it is completely and utterly listenable. That’s what’s so fascinating about it. You could listen and enjoy it. Unless you were really paying attention, though, you’d never know what was really going on. Which is plenty. I think they call that “accessible”.

And, with song titles like “Those Incredible ‘No Wave’ Nights at Max’s Kansas City 1977-8” and “I’ll Never Go Back to Minneapolis” how could you resist? One-two-cha-cha-cha. One-two-cha-cha-cha.

This is the soundtrack to my next dinner party with Ed and Lorraine Warren. Or maybe it’s my new boyfriend test: be intrigued by this or we’re going to have nothing in common. My old boyfriend test was “What’s your favorite Jam song?” and the prospective boyfriend just needed an answer--any answer--’cos anybody who doesn’t have a favorite Jam song is just plain trouble.

Pay full price for this one, too. I know Cliff likes it better when I hate the records, but I like this one alot and just had to say so. (ed. note: Cliff not only did like this one, he knew Miss Di would too!)
(Lost Records, 166 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11211 (1997), e-mail: pdray@echonyc.com)

Okay, I realize that I’m really, really late in reviewing With a Twist. It’s been out awhile--heck, it’s been out since the last time I drank my Shirley Temple too fast and kissed a local newspaper editor, something which I always do when I drink my Shirley Temple too fast and then regret in the morning. Anyway, it’s been out since then, which is a while, and Todd Rundgren's toured with the Tiki bar and everything.....but all in all, the more I listen to this record, the more I realize that it’s been overlooked by too many people who would really enjoy it. They’re probably dismissing it as another Rundgren remix, or an effort to jump on the lounge thing before it dies, but that sells it way too short.

I was never really a Rundgren fan. I read about him in Hit Parader back in Indiana in 6th grade, and I knew he was really well respected in the music business, but heck, what did I know? I was busy pronouncing the Ramones the Ramoneys (how did I know the “e” was silent?) and listening to Kiss' “Destroyer”. Who had time for Utopia? Besides, he had stupid hair.

But that was a long, long time ago. It’s odd to me that Mr. Rundgren jumped on the Lounge Music bandwagon, so to speak. I don’t know why he’d do it, and then half defend it on the back cover of the record in his statement “Am I serious? I’m always serious. Bossa Nova is serious music”. So I ask myself, “Is he serious?”

I guess the answer is that I don’t care. Maybe I’m feeling old or something, but it’s very interesting to hear new versions of old hits you tried to ignore on your folks’ station wagon AM radio. You suddenly realize that they were (are) very solid songs, and that remixed and redone into bossa nova they’re listenable in a whole new way: sexy, relaxing, and playful. Although they come from very different eras (1972-1983), different music publishers, and even different groups, they translate well into the bossa nova style, and they make a very cohesive record. I listen to it as a whole, rather than selecting certain songs. I find I know the words to many of the songs, having them drilled into my brain by WIFE AM Indianapolis during the 70’s, but I’m not familiar with the arrangements, which makes it a different listening experience.

These new arrangements bring to the songs a new vigor which makes them very listenable now--listenable in a way which they just were not as pop tunes. Many of the old arrangements haven’t aged all that well. I found myself going back and buying “The Very Best of Todd Rundgren” (Rhino) to compare the new versions to the old, and I find I much prefer the new versions. Heck, we’ve all matured in the last 20 years and time’s also touched Todd Rundgren. Of course, it’s done so to Todd Rundgren in a much more interesting way than it has to the rest of us.

Let’s face it, Todd Rundgren has always been a very interesting musician, composer, artist and producer. Even when he did icky records which I found unlistenable, he was still interesting. This record, on the other hand, is both interesting and listenable and lovable. Pay full price & don’t feel guilty singing along to “Hello, it’s Me”. I’m not kidding. You’ll love this record.
(Guardian Records 810 Seventh Avenue, NYC 10019 / www.tr-i.com )

I got a promo copy of B-Tribe's Sensual Sensual (Atlantic), so I didn’t get the fancified cover or the bio or the liner notes or nothin’, but I figured that the pompous paragraph on the back cover of the CD jewel case did not bode well:

“With his third striking release, Germany’s inventive studio craftsman Claus Zundel--also known as B-Tribe--continues to break sound barriers.”

Oh yeah, the only sound barriers I hear being broken here are that suddenly Atlantic has signed a guy who sounds like he should be on Wimpdon Hill. I assume that “studio craftsman” means he can’t hold it together for a live show--sorta like Bananarama.

“Fiesta Fatal” and “Suave Suave” have recorded US sales in excess of a quarter million copies, primarily on the strength of word-of-mouth in both club and boutique circles.”

I think this means that his record company didn’t support or promote the earlier records very well. To add insult to promotion injury, as a “studio craftsman” I don’t ‘spoze he toured......The next thing I need to know is what’s a “boutique circle”? Is that the place I saw in Greenwich Village with underpants that cost $62?

“While his earlier works have found a home within the dance community, 1998’s Sensual Sensual” is a moodier, more delicate collection of shifting synth melodies and percolating rhythms--effectively placing B-Tribe on the cutting edge alongside today’s renowned electronic and ambient all-stars.”

I think this means that Mr. Zundel didn’t follow the record company’s advice and just re-make his prior records, which sold well to mobile DJs and club kids in huge markets like NYC and didn’t sell anyplace else. As a “moodier, more delicate collection” the record company doesn’t think this record is going to sell at all, because it will alienate his following among mobile DJs and club kids in huge markets, and the company is wondering if it should print the fancified cover art at all, or just trash the whole thing. This is only a guess, mind you. This is only a guess.

“Seamless and mercurial, ‘Sensual Sensual’ is perfectly cinematic in its ability to evoke motion and emotion.”

Well, everyone is entitled to his opinion. Actually, the record isn’t as bad as I’m making it out to be. If you wanted to drink too much and make out with somebody you barely know, this would be a good record to have on the hi-fi set for just such an endeavor. But, you’re not dancing to it, and I’m not getting any cinematic images, despite what the record jacket says. Not the sort of images I got with the Burroughs/Material record I got last month, anyway....

If you don’t get a promo copy of this one, don’t go buying it when you could be spending your lawnmower money on Lester or Todd Rundgren. But what would I know? I just bought Earth, Wind and Fire’s Greatest Hits, Volume 1. I’ve been laughing ever since.

The previous edition of The House O' Chicken is available. You can also visit the original House 'O Chicken pages of Miss Diana to learn more about her.

Hollow Ear copyright 1997 Cliff Furnald