Monday, June 14, 2010

I LIKE RALPH CARNEY (A LOT)

Well, I am having too much fun with all these new Blogger design goo-gaws, aren't I? Red-blood cells in the background! A new look everyday?!

Ralph Carney's having even more fun on his album "I Like You (A Lot)," which came out back in 1999 (yeah, I'm a bit slow sometimes). Carney is the carny calling you into his freak show of kazoos, xylophones, Tibetan bowls, drum machines, cheesy organs, Beefheartian guitar, harmonica, musical saw, strings, bamboo flute, pots 'n' pans percussion, and all manner of spazz-jazz horns.

Yep, he plays 'em all, producing a new adventure in every song: some tracks could be by The Residents if they were influenced by early jazz instead of Zappa. There's a "Pet Sounds" pastiche called "Brian The Beach Man," kinda-klezmer Middle-Easternisms, beat-box funk, free jazz skronk, a song
inspired by Miles Davis' psychedelic excursions, and the occasional vocal number sporting absurd dada-esque lyrics. Add a subtle sense of humor and fun, mix with technical virtuosity, serve hot.

Carney has been Tom Waits' right-hand man since the early '80s, contributing greatly to His Waitsness' transformation from '70s singer-songwriter to experimental oddball. But he also has played with Chris Butler in Tin Huey, has appeared on records by The B52s, David Thomas of Pere Ubu, Allen Ginsberg & William Burroughs, and even more sedate acts like country/folk singer Victoria WIlliams.

Ralph Carney "Fun House" - Not the Stooges' song, this is a delirious carnival ride
Ralph Carney "Hawaiian Eye" - Because I'm feeling summery: some exotica for kazoos, autoharp, cowbells and jews-harp.


5 comments:

Marvin the Martian said...

Have you heard of Bog Log III he is the one man band!

Martian the Marvin said...

Whoops I meant Bob not Bog. Bwahaha

BOPST said...

I like Carney (A LOT) too. Thanks...

N. said...

Hello,

The jilted lovers at NOVO FAUVE think you might appreciate AMERICUNT!, veritable lo-fi fuck-yous with songs such as Tandoori Sun, Egg White Washed, and iPussy. Trek on over to:

http://novofauve.com/

(all the songs are available via Soundcloud.com)

Post them, love them, hate them. Just give it a whirl. Thank you, dear one!

With a wide broken heart,
N

imaxipad said...

I will check that out N. But I doubt they hold a candle to Tracy Lords Loves Noise, Or I Shit On Your Face.