Album Review - The Parting Gifts Strychnine Dandelion

This review is part of the "Over Flow" Review Series. For various reasons these past reviews were not published anywhere else. I am tagging them as Overflow Reviews and may add some extra information after if needed but I will keep the ratings and reviews just as I originally wrote them. Enjoy:

 The Parting Gifts

Strychnine Dandelions

**** and1/2 out of *****

The teaming up of Greg Cartwright and Lindsey "Coco" Hames got music nerds all jacked up and apparently it did the same for the participants as a one-off-quickie-collaboration spun into a new band and a full length release.  The newly christened, The Parting Gifts shacked up and spun out Strychnine Dandelion a 15 song album that breezes past in a quick 32 minutes, meaning these songs are short, and very very sweet.  

A slick early 60's lofi rock and roll permeates all of these tracks, while they do cover 1 song from that era the rest all sound so rooted in that peak garage rock time frame it wouldn't be a shock to learn that these were unearthed hits from The Seeds or Birdwatchers, except for one thing...these songs are better.  

Combining Reigning Sound and The Ettes looked great on paper and sounds even better in practice all though it must be noted that Cartwright seems to dominate, and I am guessing no one had a problem with that as the songs flow expertly.  The smoother, slower aspects of all involved come to the forefront with the jangling "Keep Walkin'" opener setting the tone.  

From there on out the mold has been established, the shimmying, tambourine banging "Strange Disposition" warbles the ears and the countrified boogie of "This House Ain't Home" allows Coco to take the lead vocals and play around with male/female dynamics, ending things on a high.  The lone cover comes from a lesser known Rolling Stones song, "(Walkin' Thru This) Sleepy City" bangs a piano and allows all the players to breath musically while the ohhs and ahh's float along among the abandoned streets, a simple tune that sounds like it could go on forever.     

Revisiting the wheel instead of reinventing it, all the tunes presented are great in this vein, "Shine", "Strychnine Dandelion", "Hanna", "Bound To Let Me Down"... I could list them all.  Even with some A-listers helping out (Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys and Patrick Keeler from The Raconteurs) the album plays straight as a love letter from Greg and Coco to a period of rock and roll that still remains unknown to many fans.  Do yourself a favor and pick up this release, break out the tamborine, pump the volume up loud and shakeout out those 21'st century blues.   

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I got no idea how this album slipped past me last year...I got it early in 2011 but the review never went anywhere as it was too far past the release date when I wrote it...That is strictly my bad.  Now however, with The Ettes playing Bowery Ballroom this weekend, I figured I would get this post on RtBE.  As for this album...all I can say is wow!!!  It easily would have made my best of 2010 list last year... 

I love me some Greg Cartwright very very much as a musician, he is one of my favorite writing tunes today and can not get enough of anything he has done.  I will say I favor Reigning Sound over most everything else, but if The Parting Gifts stay together they may start to rival that.  Will Coco plays her part here you can just tell Cartwright is the mastermind, you only have to look at his past work with The Detroit Cobras or Mary Weiss to tell he loves writing for a female voice.

This coming together is Boosh and I urge everyone to buy this album if you like straight ahead early 60's garage rock...you won't get much better anywhere, including from that decade...take a listen:
"Hanna"

"Sleepy City" Stones Cover

"Keep Walkin'" Live
"Don't Wait Up" Live
"This House Ain't A Home" Live

Friday Funday - Howlin' For this to be made into a full length

The Black Keys album Brothers was my favorite from 2010 and it keeps giving in 2011.  Not just with it's joyous tunes that sound killer on vinyl but with some pretty kick arse videos....If you haven't peeped "Howlin' For You" yet, you need too...this NEEDS to be made into a full length, check it:

Holy 70's Thrill ride Batman, that is pure BOOSH!  Easily the front runner for video of the year...

I love seeing the duo create a mini movie and act poorly as Mariachi serenader's, why don't more bands do this?!?  Then again this is top quality stuff that few can pull off.  For example: 

The Flying Tomato Shaun White getting strangled with a bike chain post-coitus by the leather clad seductress and brutal assassin Tricia Helfer, what is better then that?!?!  How about Sir Todd Bridges

as the ass kicking priest who drops the best line in the mini flick, "I am pretty sure God would consider it a sin not to glorify that ass!" can't be topped right?  Well maybe it can...by that ass in question; the uber-babe and hysterical tweeter Diora Baird. 

 

(Follow that broad she is funny and sexy)

Muscle cars, Top Hats, White Stallions, Swords, Guns, Knifed Eyes leading to Eye Patches,  Babes, Corbin F'n Bernsen and LAS TECLAS DE NEGRO.  This shit is bumpin' b, give it a go and support all involved, lets get this piece made into a full length...or I will choke a chupacabra with my bare hands!!!

Enjoy the weekend all.

Year in Review 2010 - Top 10 Albums - Part 3 (5-1)

So it shall be presented, here is part 3 of RTBE's Year in Review for 2010, today we are dealing with the cream of the crop, concluding our top 10 list with albums 5-1.

In the instance that I have reviewed the album either on this site or somewhere else I will link to that review and I will also provide a link to Amazon so you can pick it up with the quickness.  I worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20 so expect some overlap, but not a ton. Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen to all the way through.

After the jump we have albums 5-1, all are excellent and will remain in the my listening rotation for years to come I am sure.  There was actually a struggle for the top spot this year as I went back and fourth multiple times, but I feel pretty good with the list.  Some are popular, others aren't well known but all the music is captivating so click that Read More button and let's get started.  

Year in Review 2010 - Top 10 Albums - Part 2 (10-6)

Here is part 2 of RTBE's Year in Review for 2010, today we are dealing with the first half of our top 10 list Albums 10-6.

In the instance that I have reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else I will link to that review and I will also provide a link to Amazon so you can pick it up with the quickness.  I worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20 so expect some overlap, but not a ton. Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen to the full way through.

Here re albums 10-6 after the jump and it seems these are always the one's I slap around in different orders 100 times until I feel best about them...anyway, click that Read More link down there...to well, read more and find out.

Year in Review 2010 - Top 10 Albums - Part 1 (The Just Misses)

Well we are about to complete the first calendar year for Rock The Body Electric, and we have had some amazing times in my brain and chatted about some great music.  I have been able to expand my writing style, delve deeper into The Dead and conduct a few special interviews; here's hoping it's only the beginning of things to come.

I got some ideas for the upcoming year and hope to incorporate a few new voices/threads/topics so we shall see.  Before we stumble into 2011 though we should probably give a look back, and because everyone and their mother enjoys a good list I am going to rattle off my top ten albums of 2010. 

In the instance that I have reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else I will link to that review and I will also provide a link to Amazon so you can pick it up with the quickness.  I worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20 so expect some overlap, but not a ton. Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen to the full way through.    

Today I am going to focus on the "Just Misses" and unfortunately the "Let Downs" released this year.  Here's hoping you like them, but also feel free to call me an idiot in the comments and tell me your choices.  Expect installment 2 soon, but for now click on the jump homey: