Got Mashed Potato, Ain't Got No T-Bone

One classic rock legend, and one future indie-folk legend: we're checking out Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Re-ac-tor and First Aid Kit's Stay Gold.

In 1981 Neil Young and Crazy Horse were working on Re-ac-tor, a rock followup to their monumental 1978 classic Rust Never Sleeps. The previous year, Neil had gone solo on a country-heavy release called Hawks And Doves, giving Crazy Horse a break. At the same time, Neil and wife Pegi were having difficulty with a program intended to help their son, Ben - the experience of which would inform Neil's next album, Trans, although it certainly seems to have had its effect on this disc as well. So what did they accomplish?

What I Liked:
Neil, 'Poncho', Billy and Ralph are always rocking as hard as they can. They never fail to pull out all the stops when they go to record an album. And here, on the hardest rocking tracks, it shows! Although a bit goofy, 'Opera Star' is pretty wild and nicely polished for the band; 'Southern Pacific' is as mournful and serious as it is loud; and closer 'Shots' nigh-upon flips out. The vocal hooks in 'Opera Star' kinda make me giggle, by the way. 'Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze' sees the boys playing it cool for a track, and they do it pretty well. The songwriting is on when it's on; 'Southern Pacific' is probably the best-written track of the effort, with that spooky refrain. 'Shots', for it's madness, paints an evocative picture. I swear, this song is like a car crash. It's messed up, but you can't look away. And you can feel the continuity between this album and Rust Never Sleeps; 'Southern Pacific' and 'Rapid Transit' especially feel like sequels to 'Hey Hey My My'.
Best Songs: 'Southern Pacific' without question; probably 'Opera Star', 'T-Bone', and 'Surfer Joe...' for the next tier.

What I Didn't Like:
Neil's voice shows some signs of aging here - he's a little more strained at times. It's most evident on 'Opera Star'; you can really hear him push his voice. If anything, 'Get Back On It' and 'Motor City' aren't so spectacular; they kind of feel like 80's-tinged filler. They're not quite as full throttle as the other tracks here. Hell, 'Motor City' is Neil tricking the rest of the band into playing a shitkicker's ode to the American automobile; and 'Get Back On It' wouldn't have sounded out of place on Everybody's Rockin' a couple of years later. The treatment of most of the material feels somewhat disheveled. I have seen this album described as 'Neil Young going slumming' or 'trash-rock'; and it does have a schlocky feel at times. 'Rapid Transit' has a vocal hook that seems uninspired; Neil hisses his way into each line, and the verses aren't consistently full thoughts. 'T-Bone' and 'Shots' seem interminable; the latter in particular having a maniacal streak that I've never heard before or since from Neil. It's actually disconcerting listening to Neil having a paranoid meltdown of sorts; which is offset somewhat by it's cathartic value. Meanwhile, 'T-Bone' is so repetitive that it almost could be a Zen mantra. I don't mind so much; but your mileage may vary, especially as the song ticks towards ten minutes. The quality of the songwriting being off may be the most visible sign of Neil's distraction with the effort he and Pegi poured into caring for Ben. Otherwise, there's really nothing else to give one any clue to the situation.

In Conclusion:
While not Neil and Co.'s most substantial album, it's got a few oft-overlooked gems (all these reviewers that praise the hell out of 'Shots' - did their copy mysteriously lack 'Southern Pacific'?). Neil diehards probably already have this; fans who prefer Neil's hard side should at least try it out; and punk fans, of all people, might get a kick out of some of the craziness.

Hailing from the Stockholm, Sweden suburb of Enskede, sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg are the lead singers and songwriters of indie folk band First Aid Kit. But here's the thing - even the DJs on WYEP agree that they sound like they're from Nebraska or something! So how do they stack up?

What I Liked:
Oh my God, these ladies know how to create the most heartbreakingly beautiful harmonies. Their voices, and especially their voices together, make one of the most numinous listening experiences I've ever had the pleasure of understanding. Arrangements are lush, but still with a delicate feel; and the music is a very worthy background to their vocal performance. That is to say, vocal melodies tend to carry the songs; much of the music is there to set the overall mood, and the girls fill in everything else. Klara handles guitar, while Johanna takes care of keyboards and, on at least one track, autoharp. There's a lot of lost love and sadness in their lyrics; enough fading and ending - and fear of it - that I'm tempted to recommend this album to J.R.R. Tolkien. 'My Silver Lining', which starts the record, is probably the most affecting example; the contrast between the dark atmosphere of the music and the steely resolve of the lyrics gives the proper emotional punch. The title track has just the same impact; a wonderful lament of the passing of good things and good times. 'The Bell' is actually very similar; but seems more introspective, more subjectively focused - and also a little less dark. 'Cedar Lane' and 'Waitress Song' are both more wistful; but I personally prefer the clearer message of lost love in the former. Each side ends in a counterpoint to the previous songs; Side A ends with 'Shattered And Hollow', a reprise of the resolve and fortitude of 'My Silver Lining' with a more openly optimistic build-to-climax; while Side B builds more upbeat and hopeful until 'A Long Time Ago', the ultimate lament for love gone and never to return. Remember how I said heartbreakingly beautiful vocals? This is the song to think of. Speaking of Side B, 'Heaven Knows' is the song that introduced me to Klara and Johanna; and it's such an upbeat and country-folky jam I can't help but tap my toes and sing along. It begins so peacefully that when the girls stomp right into the chorus, it catches you utterly off guard after so much quiet and contemplative music that came ahead of it. It's a future classic, if you ask me.
Best Songs: Yes. Yes they are.

What I Didn't Like:
Aside from 'Heaven Knows' the album is uniformly languid and melancholy. For me personally, that's just fine; the depth which  their voices give the music makes it worth it. But for somebody not under their spell, it may be a bit of a downer.

In Conclusion:
I really like them! If you have a soft spot for new things in folk or really like wonderful vocal performances, you're going to like them, probably just as much as I do.

The Second And Only Time

Breaking Rocks In The Hot Sun

Leedsworld, Upper Burrell, Pennsylvania, January 15, 2015.

I Hear You Knockin', But You Can't Come In

It says 'Welcome' on the exit. Why does it say 'Welcome' on the exit?

This Is Not 38, This Is Old 97

All of a sudden, I've been surrounded by Norfolk Southern heritage units. Until last Saturday, the only ones I'd seen were the Nickel Plate Road, Conrail, and Pennsylvania units, all with Nickel Plate Road 765 on fantrips; and one sighting of the Lackawanna unit when I didn't have my camera.

Well, all that changed after last Saturday. I happened to be heading home through Creighton, after hanging out at a friend's house. As I was headed towards the C. L. Schmitt Bridge (known to locals as just the 'New Ken bridge'), Norfolk Southern sent an oil train up the Conemaugh Line. I'm headed the opposite direction, and I take a peek at the power. At first, the two black-and-white locomotives didn't seem all that special...until I realized that the trailing unit was the Penn Central heritage unit. I swear I did a double-take, cartoon-style. So I banged a u-turn and did my best to follow the train. He was going fairly slowly for some reason. I tried to get a good picture, but it was too dark and I couldn't hang around.

Worst. Heritage unit picture. Ever. 

Next morning, after meeting my family for breakfast, my sister and I ran a quick errand and then took the scenic route home, up the Kiskiminetas River. We caught up with a train heading east (this is further east on the Conemaugh Line, for those wondering) and I decided to try a new photo spot on the Vandergrift Bridge. As the train came around the curve, I realized that the second loco in the consist was the NS 'Honoring Our Veterans' unit! I was so surprised, that Brie had to remind me to take pictures. I was hoping for a better picture, so we tried to chase to Apollo and Avonmore, but to no avail. He was moving like he was late for a hot date.

We salute you. 

And then, yesterday happened. I just wanted to go out for a little while and clear my head. As I was headed towards the city, I checked the heritageunits.com site. I discovered that the Southern Railway and Erie units were converging on the city! I had a moment where I thought I had missed the Erie unit, so I beat feet to Rochester, parked at the bowling alley, and got there just in time to catch the Southern unit on an intermodal train headed west. 

The Southern serves...southwestern Pennsylvania?

Figuring that I'd done well enough for the day, I took a brief cruise back up PA-65, and passed the Conway locomotive service terminal. And to my surprise, there was the Erie unit! It took a slight hike across busy, four-lane 65 to get a good photo, but here it is!

It's not easy being green.

As a bonus, while I was across the highway, I noticed the unit I'd been wanting to see the most - the Wabash! Unfortunately, it was dark enough I had trouble getting a good photo, and she wasn't well lit, as well as hidden behind that BNSF GEVO. But hey, it was there.

Follow That Flag!

I did previously get photos of the Nickel Plate Road, Pennsylvania, and Conrail units. Here's the NKP unit with 765 out by Leetsdale back in 2012.

Nickel Plate High Speed Freight Steam Locomotive On A Passenger Excursion Service

And here are the Pennsy and Conrail units, also with 765, on a chartered excursion over Horseshoe Curve. I got this photo from downtown Altoona.

Don't Stand Me Still? Or Keep It Moving With Conrail? How about both?

And that may not be the end of the story. Back in 2013, my friend Matt and I happened to catch the Lackawanna unit after hanging out at Primanti's in Harmarville; but that was in my pre-smartphone days and I didn't get a picture. However, as of three hours ago, she was due west out of Harrisburg on an oil train and I may have a chance at catching her today!

Also, there's the other 12 heritage units and a few other special locomotives to look out for. I'll just have to keep an eye out.

Also also, I signed up for a spotter account on heritageunits.com. If you see a spot listed by LL1060, that's me.

But I Guess Until I Get MY Car Back This Will Do

Self-driving cars suck.

No, I mean it. I guess I'm officially some kind of luddite for this, but a future of Google-type self-driving cars sounds like the most sterile and soulless thing I've ever heard short of Communism. Either that, or it sounds like the revenge of the Parry People Mover. (Note to self: great movie idea right there.)

And yes, I can see some advantages to self-driving cars. People who need to get around, but have a disability that prevents them from operating a conventional vehicle, or an elderly person who may have to give up their license could benefit from such a technological advance. But you will never see me pop into one of these things. I object to the idea from beginning to end. 

For starters, just look at this thing. 

It looks terrible. It looks absolutely derpy. This is the Nerdmobile 9001, even more so than Rick Moranis' solar powered van from Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. Google has other prototypes based on the Toyota Prius, and Audi and Lexus vehicles as well, but I'm still not impressed. Principally because the goofy thing you see above is supposed to be the production model. The modified vehicles have, so far, been used as system testbeds, rather than representing any self-driving version of their manufacturer's product. Of course, one would wonder why Google hasn't decided to try modding a Tesla electric sports car, or dare to automate a '68 Dodge Charger. 

And this brings me to my more important point: there are some of us that just enjoy driving. The Telsa roadster and the '68 Dodge are fun to drive, to operate by hand, to actually control with two hands on the wheel. It's that feeling of control that is going to trip Google up, I think. Sure, there are some people who just view driving as a chore, and would probably be perfectly open to traveling by autonomous vehicle. Maybe they will, in fact, be a majority. But there will always be those of us who prefer to drive ourselves. 

Besides, it just might make it harder to take a trip without much of a plan. It certainly seems like the interface is all about plugging in your destination and away you go, end of story. I can't imagine going railfanning in one of these, where the idea is in fact to stop at places along the tracks to watch and take pictures. That's far easier to do manually. A Sunday drive with an impulsive stop at a yard sale or two? Can you just hit a big red button and stop the car? I have my doubts. Try taking a road trip - again, the destination is vague and the itinerary is flexible in the extreme - can the Googmobile handle that? What if Junior has to use the facilities on a longer trip? That's going to be a real problem in more ways than one. The freedom and control of the automobile as we know it even today is a plus, and I worry that autonomous cars will take a big chunk of that away. 

Maybe, though, we're safe for the time being. The Atlantic has a story that details the technology and its vast scope, pointing out that it's not yet possible to plop one of these cars down in, say, Pittsburgh, and have it start driving. And when they come to Pittsburgh, I want to watch one of these things try to tackle Penn Hills, or the South Side on a Friday night. Meanwhile, Slate takes a more pessimistic view; hell, their subtitle even says it 'may never actually happen'. 

I don't know about you, but I'm perfectly happy to sit behind the wheel for the next fifty years. I guess we'll see if they're still making actual cars then. 

From Wikipedia

Sure, why not. 

You Could Have A Steam Train If You'd Just Lay Down Your Track

Nothing like an indeterminate amount of time off work to give the LEGO railroad a bath.

Like Some Doll You Thought You Could Throw Away, I Found My Legs

So my favorite girl rockers of the past few years broke up after a single LP. Wild Flag called it off in early 2014 because of difficulties getting Carrie Brownstein, Janet Weiss, Mary Timony, and Rebecca Cole in one place to record a follow-up. Am I sad? A little, but I feel a lot better after the end of last year. That's when I discovered that Brownstein and Weiss got in touch with Corin Tucker and got Sleater-Kinney back together, and Timony formed Ex Hex with Laura Harris and Betsy Wright. Better yet, both bands had albums on the way! Now that they've both finally dropped, we're blogging about them today.

A reunion album by the last, best-known, and possibly most accessible band of the riot grrrl movement? Tch-yeah! This one seems to have taken the hipster music world by surprise. No record leak, no buzz or hype, almost no hint that the girls had gotten back together to make new music. So let's see what we got!

What I Liked: 

Okay, it's official. The Sickest Riff Of 2015 Award is quite likely to go to S-K for 'Bury Our Friends'. The song is an epic allusion to their comeback; and a blistering, aggressive piece of punk rock. And the ladies don't stop there - the whole album is a rockfest of dramatic proportions. Tucker and Brownstein haven't lost their ability to wield a hard-hitting guitar sound, backed by Weiss' tight drumming. I like how they can make atonal licks sound so good at times. They write lyrics that make you think, give you something to chew on mentally. 'Price Tag' starts the disc with its theme of overextension - or buyer's remorse, more likely. 'Surface Envy' and 'No Cities To Love' both put a troubled and slightly gloomy verse together with an upbeat chorus, to good effect - the former being the more dualistic of the two. I like the super upbeat and poppy feel of 'A New Wave' - which I could actually see being on the Ex Hex disc reviewed below! It's such an energetic song, with a neat vocal hook (...but a fit would be more FIT-TING! FIT-TING!) that I keep getting stuck in my head. The irony of a true rock anthem being titled 'No Anthems' is not lost on me, but it's a true face-melter, and prepares you for the sinisterly cathartic 'Gimme Love'. My personal favorite from the album is, as you probably guessed, 'Bury Our Friends'. It's just so heavy and makes such an impact when it hits you - and I dare say it blows AC/DC's 'Back In Black' out of the water as a comeback statement! 'Hey Darling' brings the mood up again with a touch of melancholy. If that wasn't in there, it'd just be too sugary. And 'Fade' sends the album out on a big rock ballad sound. It has a very Doors-like or Wish You Were Here-era Pink Floyd quality, somehow. It's spacey and dark and delightfully transcendent. 

What I Didn't Like: 

Y'know, this may be as close to a perfect album as I can think of. Nothing truly offends me, although I can see how their occasional atonal moment might turn off some people. 

An Observation:

I sprang for the deluxe edition of the vinyl, which is pressed in white, has a really nice slipcover and inner package, and a two-song bonus 12". The bonus disc is the songs 'Heavy When I Need It', a sunny ode to adaptability; and 'The Fog And Filthy Air', a spooky, gnarly rocker that sounds just as it's title indicates. 

In Conclusion:

I think I enjoyed this too much. It's one of the best albums of 2015, at least so far. I don't know how this could be topped.

What I Liked:
Side One gave me the impression of a punk cover band for Canned Heat. Every track is so upbeat and sunny - sunny! - that it's got this sunshiney hippie vibe, after a fashion. Much of both sides sound very three-chord caffeinated - there's no lack of energy here. It's largely well-done, simple, stripped-down rock, if not strictly punk. Timony can shred like few I've heard - if all those solos and licks are completely off-the-cuff, I'm impressed, and if they're not, they still sound damn good! The slightly slower 'Waste Your Time' has a nice hook that gets better when the vocals join in on it, and opener 'Don't Wanna Lose' features a delightfully fun chorus. While Side Two slows down at first with the stomptastic 'Hot And Cold' - seriously, the song is all epic, big, meaty 70's hard rock - it's just as good. 'Radio On' is another classic, if comparatively low-key rocker, and 'New Kid' is the closest to punk that the ladies get. It's the only song that I could hear the Ramones cover! Most of the lyrics are pretty clever, if about somewhat pedestrian stuff like parties and overdoing it at same and relationships; but 'Everywhere' seems to hide a transcendent double meaning I haven't deciphered yet. 'Outro' is kind of an opulent almost-arena-rocker with a slow beat leading the album out; I like that it's a little dreamy-sounding. Best Songs: 'Don't Wanna Lose', 'Hot And Cold', and 'Waterfall', although the rest of the album is a great second tier.

What I Didn't Like:
The downside to having the greater part of the album be so upbeat and sunny and fast-paced is that the songs are all very similar. It can be hard to tell some of the lesser material apart in memory. There's a lot of what seems to be riffs all in the same key. Timony wrote much more complex and interesting material, musically speaking, with Wild Flag - where has that gone? Next album please, Mary? The lyrics, like I said earlier, could also use a little more depth, but I consider that a nitpick.

In Conclusion:
While I still think Mary Timony had a sonically better deal in Wild Flag, Ex Hex promises to be an awesome act, and I hope they can stay together for even just a little longer than Wild Flag. This has proven to be an eye-opening debut and an unabashedly good rock album.