Absolutely stunning track. If you like music at all you must have this.
from Inspiration Information, available on CD
02 Oct 03 ·tinks: it is a great song, even if it was in a cereal commercial. and i think i like the brothers johnson's hit cover of it just as much as the original. 15 Mar 04 ·olli: hey, don't forget aht uh mi hed. it's one of the two absolutely fantastic songs on the album. too bad his comeback flopped, i think the reissue of inpiration information was too hyped, those who were expecting "THE LOST GENIUS OF SOUL" were disappointed... still, i think his work is pretty interesting. it�s worth checking out some of the recordings made by his father johnny otis, too. pretty good stuff.
"Kid Charlemagne" sounds like it's starting in the middle -- a little instrumental passage between stanzas, or the middle of a drug bust. Whatever it is, it works: the song drops you right into a seedy, sun-soaked, coke-fueled, sour-tasting hangover of a scene, populated by "Day-Glo freaks" and "low-rent friends."
What makes the song most memorable for me are the two all-too-brief soaring guitar solos unleashed by Larry Carlton (and drums by Bernard Purdie!), particularly the one that still echoes in the ears of the listener on the way out. That and the unforgettable couplet, bracketed in the last verse (and sung by Donald Fagen with a half-faltering note that makes it sound like undisguised joy) for maximum effect:
"Is there gas in the car?
Yes, there's gas in the car."
Sometimes it's just the slightest detail that turns a song into a masterpiece.
from A Decade of Steely Dan, available on CD (MCA)
02 Oct 03 ·tinks: i've never thought much of steely dan. and i still don't. but reading this review set off a frenzy of activity in my little brain trying to figure out where i knew "kid charlemagne" from as a pop-culture reference. at first i thought..."was it the name of a boxer on the simpsons?" was it from mr. show? no...it was the college radio handle of the dad on "malcolm in the middle". 05 Apr 04 ·Latimer: Chuck Rainey's bass work on this track is absolutely great. It's the epitome of his style, a veritable thesaurus of syncopation. - Kid Charlemagne supposedly refers to Augustus Owsley Stanley III, sometime purveyor of high-grade acid to the hippie elite, and raided in 1967.
Peers and close friends of Stereolab, Birmingham's Broadcast are one of the most interesting alternative pop acts in the world. This song is an example of their extraordinary skills in crafting a haunting, beautiful melody to go with a sound that's like a son of the band The United States Of America and Ennio Morricone. These folks took four years building their own studio. Can't blame them a bit as the results are simply stunning.
18 Aug 03 ·eftimihn: Oh yes, this track is gem, no doubt about that. To me the melody and harmonies incorporated are quite reminiscent of late 60s sunshine pop/soft rock stuff of that era. 18 Aug 03 ·tempted: You're correct there. They must be fans of people like Curt Boettcher and Margo Guryan, too! 08 Oct 03 ·tinks: i love this band. they are so very excellent to see live, as well. and they'll be here in about a month! woohoo!
This is a pretty much overlooked gem by The Association. Somewhere described as a "total pacific beach fantasy", that's exactly how the song sounds. With it's idealized lyrics, great vocal harmonies, lush strings and a very nice acoustic guitar solo you can almost feel a gentle pacific breeze, evoking a similar kind of "lost summer" mood Chad & Jeremy's "Distant Shores" provide (at least for me)...
This is a song that has made me cry twice. The first time was when I first heard it. The second...
"Am I bringing you down/when I'm giving you candy/all I want is the best for you tonight"
Burt Bacharach would be proud of this song had he written it. It reminds me a lot of his work.
The Aluminum Group are truly unique in the world of pop music today. With help of Jim O'Rourke among others they've created celestial music.
12 Dec 03 ·musicmars: I agree. The Aluminum Group are incredible and "Chocolates" is their best song. Talk about Sophistipop. The new cd "More Happyness" is a masterpiece. I really thought "Happiness was alright but More is ... definitely MORE. I was lucky enough to see them live last year and they put on a wonderful show. the Navin's have unique music, voices and personalities - very funny, beautiful people. 26 Dec 03 ·tinks: i djed a show with them and parker & lily a while ago...they're really nice guys and have impeccable taste in music. 01 Oct 05 ·eftimihn: Perfect song, really with gorgeous, bittersweet melancholia. From the songwriting to the production and arrangement, this is truly impeccable. 22 Nov 05 ·moondog: yeah, really great song, but i think they completely lost it after the plano cd. I thought "pedals" should be their masterpiece after the promising two first cds but remember how disapointed i was after hearing it.
