JANGLE ON!

 by Eric Sorensen

Several months ago, I mentioned Susanna Hoffs’ new disc – Someday.  Susanna and a sharp band are now touring in support of this new album.  I had the good fortune to see them at Jammin’ Java (a 200-seat venue in Northern Virginia) on Halloween night.  Wow!  When Susanna (playing her signature Rickenbacker six-string guitar) and the band (with lead guitarist Andrew Brassell playing an amplified acoustic 12-string guitar) opened their show with Jackie DeShannon’s classic jangly tune “When You Walk In The Room,”  the mostly Boomer audience knew it was in for a treat.  The band dressed in the Halloween spirit – with Brassell dressed as Buddy Holly; the drummer dressed as Ringo Starr; the bass guitarist dressed as Jimi Hendrix; the tambourine player was a Blues Brother; and Susanna (in her trademark black crepe miniskirt) was Josie from Josie and the Pussycats.

After opening with DeShannon’s oft-covered song, Susanna’s second number was “Different Drum;” other cover songs included the Beatles’ “All I’ve Got To Do;” the Association’s “Never My Love” and Lowell George’s “Willin’” (recorded by Linda Ronstadt in the 70s).  The rest of the 19-song set/encore included material from Someday … and Bangles standards like “Manic Monday,” “If She Knew What She Wants,” “In Your Room,” “The Hero Takes A Fall,” “Eternal Flame” and the rocking version of “Hazy Shade of Winter.”  After Hurricane Sandy had drenched the Washington, D.C. area for several days, it was good to get out and see an excellent live pop/rock show featuring the ageless (yes, she really is 53!) Susanna Hoffs.

New discs that have caught my ear are the self-titled disc by the very pseudo-60s band the Allah-Las and Drunkards and Fools – the CD EP by the One Minute Millionaires.  While there are surf and British Invasion influences in the Allah-Las’ contemporary garage-rock, there are plenty of chiming 12-string guitars that bring to mind the Byrds and other mid-60s jangly bands.  Byrdsian tracks include “Vis-à-vis,” “Busman’s Holiday,” “Tell Me,” “No Voodoo,” “Sacred Sand,” “Don’t You Forget It” and “Catalina.”  The One Minute Millionaires remind me of both the Gin Blossoms and the Rumors – particularly on the chiming track “Outlaw Girl.”  “Bottle” and “Broken Bones” are two other songs that will resonate with jangleholics.

Uncut magazine just released a cover feature on the Byrds (with McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman interviews) that focused on the Fab Five’s Younger Than Yesterday album. Uncut also included a 16-song CD to accompany the article.  Top tracks on the CD are: the aforementioned “Vis-à-vis” by the Allah-Las; “Sparks Fly Again” by the Beachwood Sparks; “Hand It Out” by the Woods; “Jules and Jim” by Nada Surf; and “Again and Again” by Mikal Cronin.  Uncut readers – and Byrds fans – will recall that the magazine also released a 19-track “Eight Miles High” CD in conjunction with its August 2003 issue.

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Speaking of Byrds tribute discs, jangly music fans should seek out Time Between: A Tribute to the Byrds (released in the late 80s on the Communion Label), the digital download Those Byrds Have Flown: A Byrdsian Tribute (PowerPop Criminal Blog) and the excellent four-CD set Timeless Flyte (available digitally through RRO Entertainment).  There are plenty of jangly tracks – by some very cool indie bands and artists – on all of these compilations.

Lastly, I want to mention again the great jangly material that has been recorded by McGuinn disciple Horst-Peter Schmidt (known for his solo material and his group work with Different Faces and Starbyrd).  Over the years, Horst-Peter has shared some of his unreleased songs with me – and some of his very jangly nuggets that I have been listening to this month include “6D,” a cover of Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” and “Woman of My Dream.”  Horst-Peter sure knows how to get that Rickenbacker 370RM compressor to snap and chime!

Until next time, jangle on!