THE INJURED PARTIES
Product Placement
(Zenith Beast)
Many IE readers will know the Injured
Parties as Chicago-area fixtures and main-
stays of the Empty Bottle’s annual Alex
Chilton Birthday Bash, even if the group
has only one other full-length album to its
credit (2009’s Fun with a Purpose).
Songwriter/poet Larry O. Dean and
bassist Jimmy De Lauriea have no short-
age of credits outside of the band, and the
Injured Parties’ decadal return to the stu-
dio is thoroughly assured and rust-free -
unless you’re looking for the good kind
that never sleeps and occasionally
reminds you of Crazy Horse. The album
opens with the protracted teenage rebel-
lion of “Got a Tattoo,” throwing your
favorite guitar-pop moves by British
Invasion-era Kinks and Who into a
blender with Big Star, Teenage Fanclub,
and The Smithereens. Despite the smart-
alecky posturing, Dean faces the chal-
lenge of learning to love yourself. Even
with a change in outward appearance,
“you can’t really change the person with-
in,” he sings. De Lauriea’s gliding bass
leads the bittersweet way southbound
along “Damen Avenue,” followed by
trumpeter Ned Bowen and trombonist
Mike Perry as the Albhy Galuten Free
Horns. The frenetic basher “Should’ve”
lists a litany of regrets, both poignant and
preposterous. In addition to the practical
and impossible recriminations hurled at
Dean’s younger self, the song also fea-
tures a red-hot snare drum break by Mike
Ebersohl. Ebersohl unleashes his inner
Keith Moon and Ric Menck with loose-
limbed fills during “Bangkok,” too, while
the band aims for pop stardom in
Indochina (even if the affectionately deliv-
ered lyrics are somewhat geographically
dubious). Rollicking roots-rocker “That’s
Why God Made Credit Cards” reflects the
reckless and shambolic wit of the
Replacements. The sly critique of “Frosted
Flakes” bemoans a culture debased from
“Shakespeare in the Park to Disney on the
lawn.” The self-deprecating observations
of repurposed Post Office psych-pop
stomper “The Advantage Was Mine”
remind listeners anew of Dean’s spiritual
connection to Ray Davies, even as his
tremulous tenor echoes Neil Young. The
torch of great Midwestern power-pop
passed from bands like Shoes and Cheap
Trick is carried another mile by the
Injured Parties on songs like the acerbic
“Murder the Truth” and idealistic call to
action “Obama’s Girl.”
Appearing 12/28 at the Empty Bottle for
the annual Alex Chilton Birthday Bash.
– Jeff Elbel
8
FREDDIE MERCURY
Never Boring
Box Set
(Hollywood/Mercury)
Arriving in time for the holidays and
sure to intrigue those captivated by 2018’s
Bohemian Rhapsody movie, this box set cel-
ebrates the solo side of Queen frontman
Freddie Mercury’s spectacular career.
Included is a new remix of 1985 rock/pop
album Mr. Bad Guy and the 2012 special
edition of 1988’s operatic Barcelona that
features live orchestration, replacing the
original album’s synthesizers and drum
machines. A third disc, Never Boring col-
lects solo favorites from the records, film
soundtracks, and more. The three albums
will also be available separately on CD,
vinyl and digital formats.
Favorites on the Never Boring disc
include Mercury’s impassioned 1987
cover of the Platters’ “The Great
Pretender.” Queen’s Brian May plays gui-
tar on the urgent “She Blows Hot and
Cold.” Mercury’s debut solo song “Love
Kills” was written in collaboration with
Giorgio Moroder for the soundtrack to the
1984 restoration of 1927 Fritz Lang film
Metropolis. The pulsing electro-pop ver-
sion on Never Boring includes contribu-
tions from all of Mercury’s Queen band-
mates. The band later released a dramatic
ballad version of the song featuring
Mercury’s original vocal on 2014 collec-
tion Queen Forever. Rarities include the
stunning vocal performance captured as
the original demo for “Time Waits for No
One” as well as “In My Defence,” both
written for Dave Clark’s (of the Dave
Clark Five) musical Time.
“Made in Heaven” became the title
track of Mercury’s 1995 posthumous
album with Queen, with a bombastic
track built around the vocal heard on
**Mr. Bad Guy. Similar treatment trans-
formed Mercury’s original disco treat-
ment of “I Was Born to Love You” into
Queen’s chugging rock version. Mr. Bad
Guy’s “Love Me Like There’s No
Tomorrow” is smoky cabaret, and title
track “Mr. Bad Guy” marries Raymond
Scott’s cartoonish “Powerhouse” to ambi-
tious classical pomp. The album’s fresh
mix takes the song from small-screen
glory to widescreen Technicolor grandeur.
Barcelona’s title track features Mercury in
duet with the breathtaking voice of
Spanish diva Montserrat Caballé, perform-
ing the official theme song of the 1992
Olympic Games in Spain. “How Can I Go
On” boasts Queen bandmate John Deacon
on bass, while “The Golden Boy” features
Roger Taylor’s son (and member of the
Darkness) Rufus on drums. The special
edition adds Caballé’s evocative perform-
ance “Exercises in Free Love” (the genesis
of stripped-down piano ballad "Ensueño")
to the original eight-song running order.
Film content includes the farcical video for
“The Pretender,” reeling through recogniz-
able alter-egos (and performing with his
familiar mustache shaved). An extended
bonus version includes backstage prep
footage by Freddie’s backing vocalists –
Roger Taylor, actor Peter Straker, and
Mercury himself in drag. Other videos fea-
ture the theatrically hellish scene created
for “Made in Heaven.” Three restored per-
formances of songs from Barcelona show
Mercury and Caballé singing together
from the steps of Montjuïc in the presence
of the King and Queen of Spain to wel-
come the Olympic flag. These clips capture
Mercury’s final appearance on stage in
October of 1988. Another bonus clip is a
spirited interview with Dave Clark and
Mercury about the making of ** Time.
Clark recalls that he wanted Mercury’s
performance to blend Edith Piaf, Jennifer
Holliday, and Shirley Bassey. “I said,
‘David, I have all their dresses, and I can
do it perfectly,” quips Mercury.
Packaged in a striking box suitable for
coffee-table display, the set includes treas-
ures aside from the music and video con-
tent. A frame-worthy poster on quality
paper features a “transcription” of the
song “Mr. Bad Guy,” rendered as an
abstract oil painting in blue, gold, and gray
by synesthetic artist Jack Coulter. The back
of the poster features a nearly life-size
black and white photo portrait of Mercury
from the Mr. Bad Guy album cover. A 120-
page hardbound book offers photos of
Mercury at home, on stage, and in the stu-
dio. He’s seen in casual clothes, ballet
attire, outrageous costumes, and (of
course) shirtless. The book features a for-
ward from Bohemian Rhapsody’s Oscar-win-
ning lead actor Rami Malek and is loaded
with Mercury’s eminently quotable anec-
dotes. “You can do anything with my
work, but never make me boring,” he said.
In the 28 years since Mercury’s passing, his
reputation looms as large as ever. There’s a
slim chance he’ll ever be described as dull.
– Jeff Elbel
7
SCONE CASH PLAYERS
As The Screw Turns
(Flamingo Time/Mango Hill)
The prior release by Sugarman 3 veter-
an Adam Scone was Blast Furnace!, a soul-
ful set of instrumentals featuring Scone’s
Hammond B-3 organ supported by ace
players from the Dap-Kings and Charles
Bradley’s
band.
Saxophonist
Ian
Hendrickson-Smith returns for As the
Screw Turns, tightening up the album’s title
track into a perfect accompaniment for the
camel walk. Otherwise, Scone corrals a
new cast of players for a different approach
to a party album that's both rowdy and
tender. For starters, there are vocals on sev-
eral cuts. Soul shouter Jason Joshua cooks
on percolating boogaloo track “Bokum
Hi.” Joshua nods to titans James Brown
and Bradley during the hard-nosed funk of
“Canned Champagne,” spiked by Alex
Chakour’s slinky guitar, the heavy snap of
Caito Sanchez’ drums, Dave Guy’s soaring
trumpet, and Scone’s dervish solo.
Baritone John Dokes slows it down for sea-
sonal offering “They Say It’s Christmas
Time,” which finds Santa taking a stroll
through every corner of Brooklyn. Gospel
matron Naomi Shelton leads the under-
dog’s declaration, “My House is Small (But
I Dream Big).” Scone’s instrument is
prominent throughout, with five instru-
mental tracks for fans of his organic acu-
men. “Smoke and Nails,” “Brass Tacks,”
and “The Crown Divide” explore diverse
facets of R&B that will appeal to fans of
Booker T & the MGs. Guy and Chakour
trade wicked licks before unleashing
Scone’s spine-tingling keys on “Dr. Red
Teeth.” (sconecashplayers.com)
– Jeff Elbel
7
THE ROLLING STONES
Rock and Roll Circus
Limited Deluxe Edition
(Abkco)
Fifty-one years ago, in December 1968,
the Rolling Stones convened an ambitious
assemblage of psychedelic pop wonders
intended for release as a BBC television
special. The program was conceived and
staged within two weeks, but went unseen
until 1996. Rumor holds that the Stones
weren’t thrilled with their performance,
although the then-fresh songs from Beggars
Banquet are spellbinding – particularly the
potent take of political polemic “Sympathy
for the Devil.” The show’s most familiar
clip is probably the bracing one-off per-
formance of supergroup “The Dirty Mac”
(John Lennon, Keith Richards, Eric
Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix Experience
drummer Mitch Mitchell) performing the
Beatles’ “Yer Blues.” The program also fea-
tured British rock heavyweights The Who,
newcomers Jethro Tull, chanteuse (and
girlfriend of Mick Jagger) Marianne
Faithfull, and American bluesman Taj
Mahal. The musical components are set
among the big top trappings of the Robert
Fosset Circus, including tigers, clowns,
acrobats, fire-eaters, and sawdust floors.
Jagger had wanted to feature Brigitte
Bardot as ringmaster. Since the blond
bombshell wasn’t available, Jagger stood
in for the role himself. “We’ve got sights
and sounds and marvels to delight your
eyes and ears,” says Jagger, leading into
what would have been the program’s first
commercial break.
The first featured act is the bohemian
band Jethro Tull, led by wild-eyed Ian
Anderson. The group bounds through a
rough-and-tumble performance of “A
Song for Jeffrey,” while bassist Glen Cornic
Continued on page 41
24 illinoisentertainer.com december 2019