Swede Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 How could this NOT be a hit.. AMG song review: The Litter's "Action Woman" was only a hit in the Minneapolis area. But eventually it became esteemed as one of the top 1960s garage rock tracks, first through its appearance as the very first track on the first volume of the Pebbles series, and then on its ultimate appearance on the Nuggets box set. The opening unaccompanied burst of electric guitar distortion is probably what, more than anything else about the single, captured the attention of listeners (and, later, collectors). Its overamped tone and declarative chords give way to a piercing whine, much like a rawer American counterpart to the assault of the early Who. Stuttering drums then rope in the whole band, anchored by a repetition of a crazed garage- hard rock riff, which ends on a slightly dissonant brush of two ascending chords, like a man on the point of dementia. Denny Waite's lead vocal is among the most authoritative of 1960s garage rock: arrogant yet cool and commanding. The lyrics would not pass muster as the most enlightened view of man-woman relationships, yet they do powerfully convey exuberant hormonal rage, at once vehemently putting down a stuck-up princess and declaring intention to find an action woman who'll satisfy his soul (and most likely carnal needs as well). The verse would probably be enough to satisfy most garage hounds, but it's elevated above the usual pack by a shift to a somewhat more simmering, contained bridge that brims with tension. The guitar continues to play between crunching riffs and Who-ish sustained distorted tones. Waite intones defiant lyrics that are probably among hardcore garage-heads' favorite couplets, particularly the announcement that although the nameless girl he's struggling with thinks she owns the world, she doesn't own his soul. That section explosively gives way to a reprise of the chorus, though the fadeout of the song doesn't quite match the brutal, lean power of the controlled mayhem that precedes it. "Action Woman," incidentally, was not written by anyone in the Litter, but by their producer, Warren Kendrick. "Action Woman" was one of the 1960s garage songs revived by Naz Nomad & the Nightmares, aka the Damned, on their 1984 album Give Daddy the Knife Cindy. Please name a song that you think deserves to be heard, but never became a hit.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmie ray Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 "Injun Joe" - The Good Rats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidmoon Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Ashes -- Embrace: Wagon Wheel -- Old Crow Medicine Show: ...and about 4,000 other songs I have in iTunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 Wagon Wheel -- Old Crow Medicine Show: That Old Crow Medicine Show piece was good stuff, never heard.. This Road with Lars Bygdén and Ane Brun is one fine song too.. Ane's voice gives me goosebumps.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenman Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Ashes got into the UK top 10 didnt it? Alot of early Verve stuff springs to mind, All In The Mind, She's a Superstar, Gravity Grave, Blue and Slideaway all failed to make the top 40. Gravity Grave only got to 196 Verve - Gravity Grave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 That Old Crow Medicine Show piece was good stuff, never heard.. I've been hearing about it for a while but finally heard it for myself on XM's X-Country channel over the weekend. If I'm not mistaken, Dylan had a hand in writing that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JethroTull Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I'm starting to feel like my taste in music sucks and is really lame. Swede has been doing an excellent posting job lately with many interesting subjects. Swede, Are you familiar with..... http://www.nortonrecords.com/ Can anybody tell I am in a weird mood tonight? JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 I'm starting to feel like my taste in music sucks and is really lame. Swede has been doing an excellent posting job lately with many interesting subjects. Swede, Are you familiar with..... http://www.nortonrecords.com/ Can anybody tell I am in a weird mood tonight? JT Thanks, it comes and goes.. Sometimes I don't know what to post and then I just read stuff.. I'm familiar with Norton Records and think it's a great label. They have released a lot of great old stuff, The Sonics among others.. Thanks for the link, I will check out their site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidmoon Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 That Old Crow Medicine Show piece was good stuff, never heard.. I'm glad you liked it! I'll tell ya, if you like that tune, you'll like the band. I'm sure you know how rare it is that a band can showcase good vocals (they have 4 good singers), good musicianship, and good songwriting. They've released two albums (you can find them easily online) with a mixture of traditionals and originals -- all good. Let me make up for the other song I mentioned: If you haven't heard of the Secret Machines, consider yourself deprived. http://youtube.com/watch?v=3OMsHMdvZ2o in the words of Jeffery Goines, "Look, listen, kneel, pray..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidmoon Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 This Road with Lars Bygdén and Ane Brun is one fine song too.. Ane's voice gives me goosebumps.. Viking folk music? Sounds good to me -- I agree with you on the girl's voice; maybe she should go solo. Added: I guess she is a solo artist after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Added: I guess she is a solo artist after all. That's correct. She's from Norway and have released a couple of records. Lars Bygdén, who I know, is from my hometown and has released quite many albums too. He's a very good songwriter, influenced by The Band, Little Feat among others.. Thanks for the links, I will certainly check 'em out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragster Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 "I like girls" by Eric Stumpo's PLAN 9....a Paisley Underground band from NYC on Midnight Records Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Ashes got into the UK top 10 didnt it? Alot of early Verve stuff springs to mind, All In The Mind, She's a Superstar, Gravity Grave, Blue and Slideaway all failed to make the top 40. Gravity Grave only got to 196 Verve - Gravity Grave Verve was a great band. Though I haven't heard much of the early stuff.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragster Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Verve was a great band. Though I haven't heard much of the early stuff.. I totally concur! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 This was quite a hit in Sweden when it came out, but I think it should've been a world wide hit.. I just love the organ part, simple, but damn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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