I brought back Guilt-Free Sunday because I'm on a Luscious Jackson kick.
I have spent the last week walking you though their catalog, but I had up until now avoided their debut EP, In Search Of Manny. The seven songs on that set (3 early Jill Cuniff/Gabby Glaser demos and four others) were hip-hop/pop/rock fusion unlike anything the music industry had ever seen.
"Daughters of the Kaos" was their first video and you can see the hip-hop group influence, with Cuniff and Glaser taking turns on verses, not unlike other similar artists of their time, and the heavy use of samples - which persists through their music going forward. Lyrically, the song is possibly a little more badass than their image going forward (remember, this was also a single of theirs), but they were well on their way to finding their sound.
Somehow, the song is better live. When the song opens, you don't expect police sirens to follow the Spanish guitar - and yet, there it is.
I may have taken forever to get to the earliest Luscious Jackson music, but they don't at all avoid it. Somehow it sounds a little less dark as they perform it twenty years later, but it's still tight.
19 June 2020
19 June 2020 - Luscious Jackson - Show Us What You Got
Luscious Jackson broke up in 2000, but they started undoing that breakup pretty quickly, and by 2010, they were back together.
In 2013, they released a really solid album called Magic Hour. This was the first single. It clearly retains the hip-hop sensibilities, but it's edgier than their earlier stuff. Listen to this post from two days ago, then come back to this one - and remember that it's the same band.
Here they are in 2013 on Letterman. They always look like they are having so much fun live, so I love sharing these.
In 2013, they released a really solid album called Magic Hour. This was the first single. It clearly retains the hip-hop sensibilities, but it's edgier than their earlier stuff. Listen to this post from two days ago, then come back to this one - and remember that it's the same band.
Here they are in 2013 on Letterman. They always look like they are having so much fun live, so I love sharing these.
18 June 2020
18 June 2020 - Luscious Jackson - Here
Yes. The answer to my question yesterday was yes. I am posting another Luscious Jackson song today.
I am posting this for four reasons..
1) Luscious Jackson in general deserves a lot more attention and respect than they get. You've got a band with four REALLY good female musicians, making inventive yet accessible music. That they didn't have more huge hits is criminal.
2) This song features all three vocalists, and three part harmonies are awesome.
3) Few videos were more blatantly made prior to the song being put on a movie soundtrack (Clueless), forcing a movie tie-in to be added where it could be.
4) The song is exciting and easy to dance to. You know you're dancing to it right now. If you aren't, why not???!!!
As per my style, here's the band performing live. No Clueless tie-ins necessary.
I am posting this for four reasons..
1) Luscious Jackson in general deserves a lot more attention and respect than they get. You've got a band with four REALLY good female musicians, making inventive yet accessible music. That they didn't have more huge hits is criminal.
2) This song features all three vocalists, and three part harmonies are awesome.
3) Few videos were more blatantly made prior to the song being put on a movie soundtrack (Clueless), forcing a movie tie-in to be added where it could be.
4) The song is exciting and easy to dance to. You know you're dancing to it right now. If you aren't, why not???!!!
As per my style, here's the band performing live. No Clueless tie-ins necessary.
17 June 2020
17 June 2020 - Luscious Jackson - Ladyfingers
So I couldn't even wait to finish my story.
At the end of my post YESTERDAY, I alluded to the fact that Vivian Trimble left Luscious Jackson and the group made another album, this one as a trio.
This was the relatively well-received single from that third album, Electric Honey. The group broke up soon after, but not because they thought they were were making bad music or not enjoying it. The official word was "they wanted to spend more time with their families" but really, females weren't getting radio airplay in 1999 and 2000 - which is a shame, because this is excellent music.
You can see how much the band loved performing - and really, they didn't stay broken up for long.
Will I post another Luscious Jackson song tomorrow? Tune in.
At the end of my post YESTERDAY, I alluded to the fact that Vivian Trimble left Luscious Jackson and the group made another album, this one as a trio.
This was the relatively well-received single from that third album, Electric Honey. The group broke up soon after, but not because they thought they were were making bad music or not enjoying it. The official word was "they wanted to spend more time with their families" but really, females weren't getting radio airplay in 1999 and 2000 - which is a shame, because this is excellent music.
You can see how much the band loved performing - and really, they didn't stay broken up for long.
Will I post another Luscious Jackson song tomorrow? Tune in.
16 June 2020
16 June 2020 - Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye
I know - I've written about Luscious Jackson before, and I will write about them again. But it's different this time.
I wrote about the harmonies between Jill Cuniff and Gabby Glaser before, and today I won't be doing that. Reason: these harmonies don't include Glaser, but rather, keyboardist Vivian Trimble - that's right. There are THREE solid vocalists in Luscious Jackson - or rather, there were. More on that in a minute. - and they all harmonize well together.
Between their first and second albums - Natural Ingredients and Fever In, Fever Out - Cuniff and Trimble did a side project, called Kostars. A single album came out of it - and even though Glaser and drummer Kate Schellenbach were both part of the recording of that album, it was quite clearly not a Luscious Jackson record.
This song was more classic LJ - a significant hip-hop feel, while retaining a rock feel. It ended up being the band's only Top 40 hit - peaking at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997 - and remains a cool song to this day. The video itself is somewhat cool looking - with all four band members never appearing together but also seemingly playing the same stoic role.
They had a lot more fun and were a lot less stoic playing live, as you can see in this clip from Late Night With Conan O'Brien from 1997.
Vivian Trimble eventually left the band, and they broke up completely in 2010 after an album as a trio (see a future post for details on that) but they reformed in the early 2010's, still as a trio, to make new music and tour. Here's a stripped down version of the some, featuring Cuniff and Glaser, who does NOT step in on Trimble's vocals.
It's the mark of a great song - when it works so brilliantly both with a full band, loudly, and stripped down, quietly. And THIS is a great song.
(edit: 18 June 2020): I have discovered that the Luscious Jackson Twitter account recently posted a handwashing guide based on this song. And yes, I did.
I wrote about the harmonies between Jill Cuniff and Gabby Glaser before, and today I won't be doing that. Reason: these harmonies don't include Glaser, but rather, keyboardist Vivian Trimble - that's right. There are THREE solid vocalists in Luscious Jackson - or rather, there were. More on that in a minute. - and they all harmonize well together.
Between their first and second albums - Natural Ingredients and Fever In, Fever Out - Cuniff and Trimble did a side project, called Kostars. A single album came out of it - and even though Glaser and drummer Kate Schellenbach were both part of the recording of that album, it was quite clearly not a Luscious Jackson record.
This song was more classic LJ - a significant hip-hop feel, while retaining a rock feel. It ended up being the band's only Top 40 hit - peaking at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997 - and remains a cool song to this day. The video itself is somewhat cool looking - with all four band members never appearing together but also seemingly playing the same stoic role.
They had a lot more fun and were a lot less stoic playing live, as you can see in this clip from Late Night With Conan O'Brien from 1997.
Vivian Trimble eventually left the band, and they broke up completely in 2010 after an album as a trio (see a future post for details on that) but they reformed in the early 2010's, still as a trio, to make new music and tour. Here's a stripped down version of the some, featuring Cuniff and Glaser, who does NOT step in on Trimble's vocals.
It's the mark of a great song - when it works so brilliantly both with a full band, loudly, and stripped down, quietly. And THIS is a great song.
(edit: 18 June 2020): I have discovered that the Luscious Jackson Twitter account recently posted a handwashing guide based on this song. And yes, I did.
09 June 2020
9 June 2020 - Game Theory - Erica's Word
This is possibly the first time I am purposefully repeating a song. But I have a good reason.
In 2012, I wrote a very long post about Game Theory, featuring many of their lesser known songs. Scott Miller, lead vocalist and mastermind behind Game Theory, passed away a year later, and I appended that post to include this song and one other ("The Real Sheila").
I regretting not giving this beautiful, snarky piece of pop jangle its personal due. So, today, I remedy that.
"Erica's Word" was the big single from Game Theory's 1986 breakthrough album The Big Shot Chronicles. Of course, between the time the song was recorded and the video's release, there were a couple of lineup changes to the band - which was OK. Scott Miller was the only constant in the band. It was his baby - and it is the 1986 iteration of the band, which recorded two subsequent albums together, that appears in the video.
The song itself is beautiful, sweet, and yet ends its third verse with quite a bit of snark. How this song wasn't a huge hit is an absolute mystery to me. It's endlessly catchy.
Here's Game Theory in 1985, performing this song live, prior to its release. This is the 4-piece lineup that recorded the song - the differences being a different bassist and lack of rhythm guitarist.
In 2012, I wrote a very long post about Game Theory, featuring many of their lesser known songs. Scott Miller, lead vocalist and mastermind behind Game Theory, passed away a year later, and I appended that post to include this song and one other ("The Real Sheila").
I regretting not giving this beautiful, snarky piece of pop jangle its personal due. So, today, I remedy that.
"Erica's Word" was the big single from Game Theory's 1986 breakthrough album The Big Shot Chronicles. Of course, between the time the song was recorded and the video's release, there were a couple of lineup changes to the band - which was OK. Scott Miller was the only constant in the band. It was his baby - and it is the 1986 iteration of the band, which recorded two subsequent albums together, that appears in the video.
The song itself is beautiful, sweet, and yet ends its third verse with quite a bit of snark. How this song wasn't a huge hit is an absolute mystery to me. It's endlessly catchy.
Here's Game Theory in 1985, performing this song live, prior to its release. This is the 4-piece lineup that recorded the song - the differences being a different bassist and lack of rhythm guitarist.
08 June 2020
8 June 2020 - N.W.A. - Express Yourself
This may be the angriest song I've ever posted.
I was introduced to N.W.A in the early 90's while in college. I probably missed the messages of their songs at the time, but in this time of protest, this song about freedom of expression resonates.
This is probably the only song they ever did that could be played on radio. Which is hilarious, because the song itself calls out other hip hop artists for avoiding profanity just to get on the pop charts.
They didn't need to curse to make an anthem about expression. Primarily performed by Dr. Dre, the song was written by Ice Cube.
I was introduced to N.W.A in the early 90's while in college. I probably missed the messages of their songs at the time, but in this time of protest, this song about freedom of expression resonates.
This is probably the only song they ever did that could be played on radio. Which is hilarious, because the song itself calls out other hip hop artists for avoiding profanity just to get on the pop charts.
They didn't need to curse to make an anthem about expression. Primarily performed by Dr. Dre, the song was written by Ice Cube.
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