�Maxwell�s Silver Hammer� is my least favourite Beatles� song, and my nomination for Paul McCartney�s worst, most annoying composition ever (it�s a jaunty number about a homicidal maniac with a hammer in case you�re suffering from post-trauma memory loss since you last heard it). But anyway, that�s a debate that could just run and run (I�ll leave it to the BBC to compile the public�s top 100). Here�s not the place. But, BUT, this is musicaltaste.com, and there is one moment of utter sublimity, in that misery of a song, a moment of incredible transcendent beauty. That very last chord. The final chord is indescribable wonder (it�s a D I think). Every time I hear that I just feel like the dark clouds of evil have lifted, the ring has been destroyed, and everything is gonna be alright for me and the hobbits. I remember having a really vicious fight with my first wife and �Maxwell�s Silver Hammer� came on the radio and when we heard that final chord we just stopped, looked at one another and we both knew that from then on everything would be alright forever.
from Abbey Road
25 Sep 05 ·Mike: Unfortunately MacCartney, responsible for (or at least connected with) some of the best recorded rock/pop has also written such a huge quantity of absolute dross that I can't agree that "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" comes anywhere near being his worst. Can anyone name more than about three tracks he's come up with since the 60s that aren't dreadful? 26 Sep 05 ·rum: Well you can ignore his solo work, pretend it's not there, but 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is on an otherwise sterling Beatles set. Maybe if either the 'Frog Chorus' or 'Silly Love Songs' were on there instead they'd steal the crown. No, no, that's not true, i hate this track so much because it's meant to be funny (Paul was always the unfunny Beatle, listen to those early press conferences). If you listen very carefully you can hear the other Beatles wincing and grimacing at Macca's 'comedy'. It makes it so painful to listen to. Unbearable. Still I'd stick my thumbs aloft for 'The Girl Is Mine', now that's funny.
Another awsome but forgotten vocal group from 60's California that deserves a proper re-issue!The Collage were a vocal quartet(2 boys & 2 girls)with a very cool sound.Not enough to set them apart from the pack,but very groovy out of their context.The sound is as good as re-discovered groups like Free Design, or Millenium.In fact,Curt Boettcher wrote one of the songs on the LP,as well as Roger Nichols!
This song has a kind of"love awareness" message that seems just as relevant in today's troubled world: "...Look at a baby,what do you see?What do you see,lookin' at a baby?/I can see the world the way that I would like the world to be!..."This song,as the opener on the LP,has a lot of power, with that great 8th note stomp and a big,boomy,bass line with harpsichord.The arrangements are by the great Perry Botkin Jr.,and he gives the whole record a nice swirling,magical quality.And the rest of the album is just as impressive, and should be worth the high price for any lover of the genre.
19 Jul 04 ·kwan_dk: Great song! I was lucky enough to find their album for 1 (!) dollar at a garage sale and loved that great opening track... 09 Feb 05 ·rum: I heard a version of this track on that excellent rhino handmade 'Hallucinations' compilation. It was by the Collectors. I'm not sure whether it was the original or not, but it's really good. I remember looking at a picture of the band and thinking that if these 'collectors' started peering over into my baby's pram, I'd be wheeling him away to the nearest bobby. Ah such was the carefree innocence of the 60s that shabby young men could spend balmy afternoons in the park staring at young children. 12 Feb 06 ·maya: I love this album! I may post some recs once I've listened to it a few times more...and since the year has a question mark, it's from 1967! they've got such a soft, sweet sound, that it's hard to resist. 17 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: This song and band are great, no doubt. They were Canadian and later evolved into Chilliwack (who I haven't heard). I have their first LP which contains this song, and is excellent, it's a classic of West Coast psychedelia. I had a chance to hear their second
album from a friend of mine who works in a record store, it's terrific! I think I heard that the name "Collectors" was given to them by a manager or record executive...but please, overlook the dorkiness of the name! This song is getting around, I now have it on two comps.
I'm not usually too big on this kind of indie pop, but this is just gorgeus. Melancholy lyrics, slow picked guitar, piano, church hall ambience...This could have been just about a zillion bands, yet it manages to have a voice of its own.
Just a great song for me right now.
Sounds eerily similar to Magnet, though.
23 Feb 05 ·Ricard: Christian Rock... aaaggghh! 24 Feb 05 ·olli: Yeah, i know, they're christian.. So was Johnny Cash. it's not like they're spreading propaganda or anything,and this happens to be a minor classic. The fact that I don't share the personal beliefs of the artists involved has never stopped me from listening to interesting music.. I'm not too narrowminded to shy away from music by buddhists, nazis, italians from the 80's, satanists, mooncat-worshippers or even christians, and neither should you be. 25 Feb 05 ·rum: I agree olli. Good music is good music whoever's playing it. Narrow-mindedness will only lead to bitterness in old age, bemoaning all the great things you missed out on. I must confess though, ages ago I did once judge little known 80s Bristolian band, the Waxing Gibbons on their MoonCat worshipping beliefs. A mate of mine was really into them, but I was having none of it, wouldn't listen to their, "mumbo jumbo music". Then one time he played some stuff without me knowing who it was, and I was like, "woah, what is THIS?!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Absolutely awful. 03 Mar 05 ·Ricard: Hmmm. You sound like some sort of preacher to me Olli... a Christian Preacher!!! Using the innocent world of Musical Taste to spread your sinister "Italians from the 80's" message to society's more susceptible elements. Despicable 17 Mar 05 ·olli: Magnificent creatures, mooncats. Indeed. Take a look for yourself:
http://www.mooncatstudio.com.tw/fu.jpg
Of course this is Nirvana's biggest hit and probably bugging everyone because all the time you see Nirvana you see Smells Like Teen Spirit hand in hand. I dont dont blame Cobain- playing the song all the time can get to you...
Any way the song title has nothing to do with teen pride-it's really a girl's deodorant, bet hey, that's what you would expect from the band anyway
from Nevermind
07 Apr 05 ·rum: There should be a rule against bands recommending their own songs. The ever devious Signor Morricone did at least submit his own tracks under a variety of cunning guises. 07 Apr 05 ·konsu: Hey! Maybe they need some free promo... besides, I think these guys are gonna make some money someday, then musicaltaste will get a peice of the action!! sweet... 08 Apr 05 ·olli: Never heard of them. but this sounds like a rip off of The Offspring's "Self Esteem" to me:)
For Hideaki Sekiguchi, aka Bass Wolf, who sadly died of a heart attack on the 31st of March. He was only 38.
Guitar Wolf is one of those bands you either love or hate, i myself love them and their insane, primal rock n' roll antics. Sure hope they carry on, even though they are now missing a member.
This may well be the loudest song ever recorded. It's insanely great and makes me want to learn how to destroy a guitar.
09 Apr 05 ·rum: So is Jet Generation the album to get? I spent an age trying to hunt down that 'Planet of the Wolves', and then after a while I just cut my losses and I tried to move on, I tried to forget about Guitar Wolf... But, damn it, here they are again. And wow, they still sound fantastic. But then 'Japanese', 'insane' and 'destroy' are my music watch words... 14 Apr 05 ·tinks: they put on a great live show...i remember that all i was able to understand was something that sounded like "hoochie in the back, hoochie attack!"
