The Friday Five: October 5, 2012
The Police - “Landlord” (Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings, 1993)
Fast, furious, and angry, this “Message in a Bottle” B-side defintely sounds more like Stewart Copeland than Sting.Queens of the Stone Age - “Gonna Leave You” (Songs for the Deaf, 2002)
Songs for the Deaf was my introduction to Queens of the Stone Age, and as much as I like it, the best thing about the album definitely has to be Dave Grohl, who handled the drumming duties on all but one song on the album.PFR - “Great Lengths” (The Bookhouse Recordings, 2004)
The Bookhouse Recordings was a Family Christian Stores exclusive album that the at-the-time-somewhat-newly-reformed CCM act PFR recorded during a one-week period. It features reimaginings of some of their more popular songs, but frankly, with a couple of exceptions, I think they should have left well enough alone. This version drops the excellent string arrangement opening of its Great Lengths album counterpart, opting instead for a tinny, weak intro with drum machines and cheap synthesizer strings that segues into an even worse electronic-based reworking of the verses. PFR was a band that drew lots of Beatles comparisons (even appearing on a Beatles tribute album), but for some reason, on this song, they felt compelled to omit those influences. I have linked the better version for inquiring minds.Gin Blossoms - “Just South of Nowhere” (Up and Crumbling, 1991)
Speaking of The Beatles, the opening to this not especially interesting Gin Blossoms song bears a striking resemblence to “Doctor Robert.” That’s about all I have good to say about this one.R.E.M. - “Orange Crush” (Green, 1998)
Great song from major label-, MTV-era R.E.M. I never knew until today that Green was recorded at Ardent Studios here in Memphis, coincidentally the same studio used by many CCM artists during the 90s, including PFR.