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#629: Pink Floyd – In the Flesh

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There are two “In the Flesh”(es) on The Wall, a concept album by Pink Floyd that some of you who are reading may know inside out, may have heard something about it somewhere, or have no idea about. The first one, ‘In the Flesh?’, is right at the beginning of the album. It introduces the story’s main character. It sets the scene. The second one, with no question mark at the end, comes near the end where the main character is hallucinating and believes he’s a massive fascist dictator at a concert. You need to listen to it to properly understand. Or just read its Wikipedia page.

The two songs have the exact same guitar introduction. Though the straight ‘In the Flesh’ is lengthened out by a glorious vocal choir (featuring Beach Boy Bruce Johnston) that eventually segues into the first verse. What I’ve always liked about this version of ‘In the Flesh’ are the drums. Those pack a punch with each hit. Very militaristic in style. I’ve always enjoyed the long drawn out big-rock ending too. It was during this time that the band’s bassist Roger Waters was very much taking over everything the group did and if the other members didn’t like it they could leave. This did actually happen during the making of the record. When he’s singing about getting ‘queers up against the wall’ and shooting people who smoke pot and have spots, I can imagine him singing it with no hesitation. You see, all of this sounds bad out of context. You really have to hear the whole package. He doesn’t obviously believe in any of it in real life. It is just a plot point in a story, don’t worry about it too much.

#628: Queens of the Stone Age – In the Fade

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I believe it’s agreed amongst many a Queens of the Stone Age fan that ‘In the Fade’ is arguably the best track on Rated R. It’s one that the band have never been able to replicate in terms of style, mood or execution since its release almost 20 years ago, and I think that stands as a testimony to its uniqueness. Mark Lanegan sings it, not the first time as he appears on the album as he backs in both ‘Leg of Lamb’ and ‘Auto Pilot’. Coming after Nick Oliveri’s screeching on the previous track, Lanegan’s deep and gravelly vocals are like butter to the ears.

It takes a while for the song to kick in. There’s a lone buzzing tone that fades into some keyboard chords and an echoing sound that I can’t describe. Lanegan sings the first few lines and after an open hi-hat and cymbal crash the track gives way to a fantastic groove led by Oliveri’s tremendous bassline. There’s a perfect mellow feel the music captures without it being too lazy, it’s a definite head-nodder/toe-tapper so it’s a definie bonus when the harder guitars join in for the more forceful choruses.

Think I read somewhere that it’s about suffering from a hangover? It may also just be about having to leave someone and knowing that it’s what’s best for the both of them. I’m not sure I’ve never cared for its meaning that much, I’m just one of those people. When it comes down to it really, it’s just a brilliant song. Great guitar tones, bass grooves and vocal harmonies/melodies are on full display. And there’s a little reprise of ‘Feel Good Hit of the Summer’ at the end.

#627: Green Day – In the End

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Sorry for the wait for any of you eagerly anticipating a post from here. I was at Lovebox Festival on Friday and Saturday. Have been gradually recovering since. I’m almost there.

‘In the End’ is the third track in that four-short-song-suite (as only I like to refer to it) that appears towards the end of Green Day’s 1994 breakthrough album Dookie. Preceded by ‘Coming Clean‘ and ‘Emenius Sleepus‘, ‘In the End’ concerns Billie Joe Armstrong’s feelings when his mother started dating a man who he wasn’t very fond of, as you can see in the song’s lyrics. It seems that he’s disappointed by his mum’s choice in choosing this person as opposed to practically anyone else and tells her straight that if this new boyfriend lets her down, he hopes he won’t be there to pick up the pieces.

I never properly appreciated the song until it was playable on Green Day: Rock Band. Next year that game turns 10 years old and I would be surprised if anyone remembers it. I reckon it’s quite easy to play on the guitar as its mostly based on two power chords with a bit of variation during the choruses but Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool are bossing it on the rhythm section, particularly on the instrumental section that separates the second chorus from the final one. It’s not very long so there’s not much to say about it; it is thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.

#622: Supergrass – In It for the Money

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So after Supergrass gained a ton of praise from their debut album I Should Coco in 1995, helped tremendously by their most recognisable hit and youth anthem ‘Alright‘, Steven Spielberg approached the band in an effort to make a television series with them based on that of The Monkees. The group declined, instead choosing to record their second album. This was most definitely the better route to take. Coco was a burst of sharp wit and energy. Its production made all the instruments sound very tight, like they were playing together in a tiny, tiny room. In It for the Money took a totally different direction.

Instead of carrying on with the usual breakneck velocity, Money is made of songs that are allowed to breathe. Take a breeze and chill with some slower tempos. The tracks also sound expansive. There’s also a wider variety of instruments. But the group never lost their playfulness and knack for great tunes. The title track shows it all in the three minutes it lasts for and is a fantastic taster for what’s to come It opens the album with an creepy organ drone that transitions into a heavy Beatles-like arpeggiated riff and Gaz Coombes’ vocal.

“Here I see a time to go and leave it all behind/And you know it’s wrong to fall/We’re in it for the money” are three lyrics that when put read together like that don’t seem to make much sense, though Coombes and bassist Mick Quinn on higher harmony deliver them with a power and confidence that make them sound like a formal declaration. There’s a musical build as the last phrase is repeated before the song explodes into its main refrain. The track takes another turn as it leads into another verse of repeated lines, accompanied with a beautiful guitar line and descending bass groove. A glorious fanfare of horns appear. It’s beautiful stuff.

It comes to a very abrupt halt but you have to listen to the album from front to back to understand the effect of that production decision. Summing it up, this was the introduction to a new Supergrass back in ’97 – definitely not a case of the sophomore slump.

#613: Jamie T – If You Got the Money

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Sometimes this song will come up on shuffle when I’m on the underground and I’ll be tempted to grab my phone right out of the pocket and press skip. I was in Year 7 when Panic Prevention came out, very much into my NME/British indie music stage. Jamie T doesn’t really make music like that any more. He has grown, as have I. So when the track starts immediately with him singing the song’s title with his prominent South London accent, it almost makes me wince a little. It just reminds me of that time in 2007 when I was young and doing stupid things.

That all changes when the bass comes in and the track’s groove gets going. It’s hard not to at least nod your head to it. It’s all about that rhythm. It’s at that point when I begin to remember what attracted me to the song in the first place. It’s a song that covers two things in each verse. The first concerning potential love and the loss of it on the dancefloor while on a night out, and the second detailing basic frustration with having a low-paying job and drinking your problems away. It’s very relatable. Very British in its delivery and execution too. Quite easy to see why he was described as a ‘one-man Arctic Monkeys’ during his first few years.

It’s a playful track, one that you can have a laugh to when listening but still appreciate what Jamie talks about and the great music that accompanies his thoughts.