Song Of The Week: "Discipline" (The Rosie Jones Band/Leatherface)

Yeah, I know, tribute comps suck. Most of the songs, as decent as they might be, just make you want to throw on the originals. Rubber Factory's "Leatherface Tribute" isn't very exceptional in this respect. Of the forty or so renditions hereon, about eight warrant repeat listens. The one I celebrate today always kills me though: a western version of "Discipline" (western as in country and western)!?! On paper, it sounds hokey and ridiculous, but in the capable hands of The Rosie Jones Band, we are given one beautiful piece of work. The band's rootsy approach luckily predates the trash the industry passes off as "country" these days, and the skillful use of acoustic string instruments and the nice vocals delicately harness the urgency and somberness that make Leatherface an eternal favorite. A good cover should bring something new to the table while still keeping the integrity of the song's mood and power intact. This one does it, and while doing so, completely rips apart my genre prejudices. A lot of you are gonna hate this, so proceed only if you're feeling a little adventurous.


"Discipline" (Leatherface) performed by The Rosie Jones Band

Song Of The Week: "Springtime" (Leatherface)

They say that SoCal has no seasons, but it does. The changes are just subtle. Being a kind-of-outdoors man, I feel a little more in tune with these changes. One thing's for sure, no matter where you are, spring is pretty friggin' magical time (yeah, the bugs can suck... but whatever). I had all kinds of grandiose plans for the blog during my Spring Break, but I'd much rather be on a mountain somewhere, which is exactly what's about to happen. No new posts for a few days, but I leave you with the cheeriest of my favorite Leatherface tracks (of which there are many), "Springtime." Joyful as it may seem, like all good art it's tinged with that necessary bit of sorrow, and a nostalgia and praise of youthful naivete reminiscent of the Romantic English poets. This isn't the first Leatherface SOTW, and it won't be the last.

"Springtime"

There's a little bit of springtime in the back of my mind
Remembers when there was a time when we danced
And we laughed spent some time drinking wine
And somewhere in there there's a little child without a thought
Without a doubt that every cloud is silver lined
He is warm and everything is new and everything is clean
And everything is free and there were still so many things to see
So many things so many things left to be very small drop in the
Middle of the big sea of high and mighty things
Your fascination for larger than life your brand new appetite
As though we'd invented it and we danced
There's a little bit of springtime in the back of my mind
Remembers things perhaps as they should have been
Rather than the lies rather that the cruelty
That sometimes we were guilty of as everybody knows
We were only young and really couldn't have known
We were very young and though it's nice to know there's a place to go
There's still so many things left to see
Little drop in the middle of the big sea of high and mighty things
Your fascination for larger than life your brand new appetite
And there's springtime in my mind and I'd rather be alive
As though we'd invented it and we danced
It could have been the longest time and I'll remember it
You don't know what's in store when we laugh

Song(s) Of The Week: Leatherface Mix

Two things sparked this post: 1) I fuckin' LOVE Leatherface! 2) I finally saw Leatherface live this summer and while I was having a religious experience of it, a large majority of the crowd (what I like to call the hair-style-of-the-week crew) was sitting OUTSIDE during the band's set (!), probably waiting for the flavor-of-the-week band that was to come on after. Since the late eighties, the UK's Leatherface have consistently (more or less) written some of the most driving, powerful, beautiful, sad, joyous punk in the history of that musical style. Although they have legions of reverent fans worldwide, my encounter with the pathetic enclave mentioned above leads me to believe there are a few unanointed, could-be Leatherface fans out there. For better or worse, the band influenced a ton and a half indie rock-via-punk bands like The Sainte Catherines and Hot Water Music, but I have yet to hear a band of this style as heart-breakingly powerful.

Seeing that it's impossible to choose only one Leatherface song, I've put together a mix of 10 favorites. That was still a hard task, so I limited myself to one track from each album, and a couple of singles selections. As usual, if you like what you hear, go to BYO Records and order some of the band's fine work. Their early LP, "Mush," is unanimously considered their opus, but you can't go wrong with any of their releases (especially "Fill You Boots," "Horsebox," "Cherry Knowle," and their split with Hot Water Music).

Link has been removed. Go to BYO or the Leatherface myspace.

Tracks:

1. "Dead Industrial Atmosphere"
2. "Sour Grapes"
3. "Here Comes The Judge"
4. "Deep Green Beautiful Levelling"
5. "Patrick Kills Me"
6. "Animal Day"
7. "Books"
8. "Dreaming"
9. "Hops and Barley"
10. "Hoodlum"