HOTLINE TO THE UNDERGROUND
Joe Viglione Essays
Adam Sherman Triangle Sky
The Go Gos
Lou Spinnazola, The Spin Room
Adam Sherman's voice has serenaded Boston for decades and this February 2021 release, Triangle Sky, is exquisite from track 1 to track 11. #7 is “Loveless Days” - three minutes and forty-one seconds of majestic elegance. It is superb.
Produced by David Minehan
and recorded at Woolly Mammoth Sound, Waltham MA as so many notable
recordings are these days, this particular composition features
Lauren Parks on cello, drummer Mike Levesque, studio owner
David
Minehan on the bass, David Lieb's keyboards and Adam Sherman on
vocals and guitar. “Footprints” is in the same style and works
as well, followed by a Brit-rock inspired bit of jangle pop with
“Like You Are.” The tune is Beatle-esque, R.E.M., the Hollies,
all that stuff we love in one charming little 3:47 song. This music
deserves a wider audience. “Justice Lies” is a great opening
track, “Blank Slate,” “Hope,” the entire disc works. I
believe Marian Ferro on Rock Under the Radar / Mark Skin Radio is
playing “Downpour.” Listen to Sherman's velvet voice (softer
than Marty Balin's of the Jefferson Starship) on the hip final track,
“Currents” which also features Sarah Levecque and Linda Viens on
vocals.
THE GO-GO's
Directed by Allison Ellwood
What I love about The Go-Go's documentary directed by Alison Ellwood is that before I watched it a gazillion times I listened to it on audio only twice. This is an amazing “radio show” that sustains itself just as well without the imagery. When you do watch you'll find the general public's image of a squeaky clean girl group is not really the story. Drugs, petty fights, hirings and firings, y'know...all the stuff most “band marriages” go through. You wouldn't know it from hearing their songs on the radio. These girls make the decadent Velvet Underground look like a Mitch Miller back-up group for Anita Bryant.
But,
of course, where there is controversy, there's a great documentary
waiting to be made. This is
it.
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Lou Spinnazola has one of the most fun radio shows out there, next to What's Happening with Aaron Borenstein and Bob Nelson on WMWM, Marian Ferro on Mark Skin Radio, Brian D. Young and Joel Simches on WMFO Medford and Stefano Trafecante on WCCA Worcester. These shows in particular are what the local music scene needs and is all about. Today's focus is on Lou who airs his program Mondays between 8 pm and midnight. On March 29, 2021 there was a kaleidoscope of fun stuff. Not a big fan of J.J. Cale I was blown away by a track I've never heard ...”Durango.” Plenty of Genya Ravan from her stint with Goldie and the Gingerbreads - “Skinny Vinny” and “Can't You Hear My Heartbeat” (which hit in Europe before the Herman's Hermits famous American version. And there's a story behind that we'll get to another day...Pamela Ruby Russell's “Space And Time” (at my request,) The Association “Everything That Touches You,” and even Norma Tanega's lost classic “Walking My Cat Named Dog.” Joe South was in my head this morning when I woke up from the experience. Google Super CFL and The Spin Room to check it out. What drives me bonkers...but is as fun as the music...is the constant pinging of members of the club talking live in “chat” with the DJ/Host as he spins his magic.
Next week (or next time!) I'll be reviewing Garr Lang, The Walk Offs with their “Sorry For Nothing” and a Bert Berns documentary. Lots of stuff on the radar that we will get to.
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