Posts Tagged ‘Glenn Mercer’

YUNG WU – ” Shore Leave “

Posted: November 15, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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One of the most overlooked and underrated albums to emerge from the Feelies universe, side project Yung Wu’s “Shore Leave” ranks highly in the group’s oeuvre, at least the equal of and in some ways superior to the three albums the Feelies released under their own name between 1985 and 1991. Yung Wu was led by singer/songwriter Dave Weckerman, who had been the drummer in the Feelies’ first lineup before being replaced by Anton Fier. Backed by Glenn Mercer and Bill Million on guitars (they also produced the album), John Baumgartner on keyboards, Brenda Sauter on bass, and Stanley Demeski on drums, Weckerman finds a midway point between the mellow, twangy rootiness of contemporaneous Feelies records like Only Life and the more tightly wound jangle of 1980’s Crazy Rhythms. Resulting songs like the title track, “Spinning,” and the quietly tense “Return to Zion” are archetypal examples of the Hoboken sound that was a mainstay of late-’80s college radio.

The album’s three covers — Neil Young’s “Powderfinger,” the Rolling Stones’ “Child of the Moon,” and “Big Day,” a Brian Eno song that originally appeared on Phil Manzanera’s solo album Diamond Head — were proudly uncool by 1987 terms, which of course only makes them cooler. Shore Leave was largely ignored at the time, selling fewer than 5,000 copies all told, but it’s a minor classic of ’80s jangle pop ripe for rediscovery.

When you’ve made one perfect record, why make another? “Shore Leave”, originally released in 1987, is Yung Wu’s sole long-player (though a covers album has circulated privately). It’s a jangle rock gem, filled with sparkling song writing, infectious rhythms and hook-laden melodies. But even though the band’s discography is brief, you know the sound: Yung Wu is basically the Feelies with percussionist Dave Weckerman stepping into the frontman role (and keyboardist John Baumgartner contributing as well). But it’s much more than just a Feelies footnote; freshly reissued this year with stellar remastering, Shore Leave is a necessary listen.

Although never released on CD at the time (in 1987, a lot of indies were still sticking exclusively to vinyl and cassettes), Shore Leave is one of many classic out of print albums on the Twin/Tone and Coyote labels now available on custom-burned CDs through the Twin/Tone website.

The FEELIES – ” Crazy Rhythms ” Released 1st April 1980

Posted: March 2, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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On this day (April. 1st) in 1980: nerdy, nervous & noisy New Jersey band The Feelies released their debut album ‘Crazy Rhythms’ on Stiff Records in the UK (SEEZ 20); its fusion of post-punk & jangle pop was influential on the forthcoming alternative rock genre, with R.E.M. among others citing the album as an influence; although not commercially successful, it has remained a critically lauded cult fave in the decades since its release…The Feelies – Outstanding Debut Album ‘Crazy Rhythms’ Came Out 40 Years Ago…

The Feelies are a rock band from Haledon, New Jersey. They formed in 1976 and disbanded in 1992 after having released four albums. The band reunited in 2008.

New Jersey’s post-punk misfits The Feelies released their debut longplayer ‘‘Crazy Rhythms’’  on April Fools’ Day 1980 via legendary label Stiff Records. It wasn’t a commercial success but praised for years by the music press.

Rolling Stone wrote: The Feelies formed in 1976 in their small hometown of Haledon, New Jersey, as a lark. Tripping on acid one day, Million passed guitarist Glenn Mercer’s garage and was impressed to hear the band playing the Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” The like-minded guitarists formed a band that eventually included bassist Keith Clayton and drummer Anton Fier. The music is jittery, thumping and volatile, complementing titles like “The Boy With Perpetual Nervousness” and “Loveless Love.” There are long silences, repeated notes, wavering tones, pickups flipped on and off. Any gaps are filled with strange, found percussion instruments, including cans, shoe boxes and coat racks. After recording a four-song demo, the Feelies signed with England’s Stiff Records, the only label that would let the fledgling band produce itself.

“Crazy Rhythms is aptly titled,” says Bill Million of the Feelies. “There are a lot of weird things going on. We didn’t practice much, so we were kind of disjointed when we made the album.” Today, Crazy Rhythms is a landmark of jangly, guitar-driven avant-pop, and its shimmering sound can still be heard in bands like R.E.M.

The Feelies rarely worked with outside producers and created shimmering soundscapes with multiple guitar layers that set them apart from most of the punk/new wave bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. They frequently played at Maxwell’s, a live music venue and bar restaurant in Hoboken during the 1980s, often on national holidays.

Although the Feelies never sold a great number of records, their influence was felt on the indie rock scene. Their first album, Crazy Rhythms (Stiff Records, 1980) was cited by R.E.M. as a major influence. The novelist Rick Moody has also cited the band as one of his influences (and allegedly based the punk band in his first book Garden State on them).