BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG No Fun Mondays
( Reprise )
Most of us spent lockdown baking frog bread , binge watching Tiger King , and building the perfect Animal Crossing town . Yet Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong found solace by doing what he was born to do : make music . With the band ’ s nearly sold-out Hella Mega Tour on hold , Armstrong launched No Fun Mondays , a series where he covered his favorite rock n roll deep cuts . By releasing a new cover song each week Armstrong did the impossible ; made Mondays fun . Spanning 14-tracks , Armstrong digs deep in his record collection and covers rare gems , like “ War Stories ” by Starjets , Stiv Bators ’ “ Not That Way Anymore ,” and “ Corpus Christi ” by The Avengers . He pays tribute to the late Adam Schlesinger with “ That Thing You Do !” and tracks like John Lennon ’ s “ Gimme Some Truth ” and The Clash ’ s “ Police On My Back ” reflect the civil unrest of 2020 . He also covers popular pop-radio classics “ I Think We ’ re Alone Now ” and “ Manic Monday ,” which thankfully makes you forget about the awful ' 80s counterparts . Choosing obscure songs rather than popular ones with endless covers ( looking at you “ Imagine ”) gives the album more variety . We ’ re not hearing yet another version of “ Blitzkrieg Bop ” or “ Yesterday .” Rather , Armstrong highlights lesser known songs he loves . Chances are most Green Day fans won ’ t know these songs , yet the album exposes them to artists they may not have discovered otherwise . Armstrong ’ s covers remain faithful to the originals . He ’ s not reimagining the songs or giving them a Green Day makeover . It ’ s just him having a good time and jamming out , similar to what he does in his cover band , The Coverups . Not having the epic scale of Green Day lets you focus on his talent as a singer . Because he ’ s screaming in your face like he usually does in Green Day , you hear how soulful his voice is . For a punk rocker , Armstrong has a gentle croon that ’ s both sweet and haunting . At the same time , him not straying from the originals make the covers sound too similar . He does a fine job with them , but many of them aren ’ t memorable outside of the album . It would ’ ve been great to hear a punk rock twist to “ You Can ’ t Put Your Arms Around A Memory ” or a hard and fast version of “ Whole Wide World .” Armstrong missed the chance to shake
things up and offer a unique take on some of these tracks , which prevents them from being stellar cover songs .
Despite its title , No Fun Mondays , is a blast to listen to . It gives us a peek at some of Armstrong ’ s influences and what he listens to when not commanding a stage . Listening to it , he ’ s clearly having a good time playing songs he loves . And that ’ s part of what makes the album so enjoyable . Unlike most cover albums , it doesn ’ t feel like a calculated release to appease fans between album cycles . It ’ s a project Armstrong launched to kill boredom , keep playing music , and have a good time during a difficult situation . And it gave fans new music to look forward to . It doesn ’ t feel like an obligation , especially since he avoids typical cover songs . It ’ s a great project that he could easily turn into an ongoing series . Let ’ s hope it doesn ’ t take another pandemic to get No Fun Mondays 2 .
-Ashley Perez Hollingsworth
7
THE KINKS Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround Part One 50th Anniversary
( BMG / Abkco )
After the Kinks ’ infamous four-year ban from the United States by the American Federation of Musicians , the Kinks returned to the states in support of 1969 ’ s sparkling but underappreciated gem Arthur ( Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire ). Touring woes , stressful pace , and lack of industry support turned principal songwriter Ray Davies inward , and he exorcised some of those demons while writing 1970s Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround , Part One . The album has been described as “ a satirical appraisal of the music industry , including song publishers , unions , the press , accountants , business managers , and life on the road .” In the process of railing against the music business machinery , the album and its controversial single “ Lola ” put the Kinks back into the US Top Ten . The song “ Lola ” earned its way to the Billboard Hot 100 ’ s number nine slot with an arena-sized singalong chorus , Dave Davies ’ most muscular guitar riffs , and the forbidden fruit of Ray Davies ’ s tale about a cross-dressing romance . The song also benefitted from John “ The Baptist ” Gosling ’ s rollicking piano , recorded during his first session as as a newly-minted Kink . Controversy only served to cement the song ’ s staying power . In the States , many radio stations dropped the song due to its subject matter . In the UK , the song was banned for mentioning Coca- Cola , leading a hastily recorded replacement line about “ cherry cola .” “ Get Back in Line ” is one of Ray Davies ’ great unheralded everyman anthems , describing a downtrodden soul in the welfare line . The muscular “ Top of the Pops ” chronicles of the dream life of rock stardom in the ascent , complete with countless new friends and “ the chance to earn some real money .” With the island music-influenced “ Apeman ,” Ray Davies imagines leaving the musical circus for a carefree life among the animals in the jungle . John Dalton ’ s bass propels “ Powerman ,” describing the villain who has Ray ’ s money and publishing rights . “ But I ’ ve got my gal , and I ’ m all right ,” he sings , consoling himself with thoughts of the lover who keeps him sane . Brother Dave Davies carries a pair of the album ’ s most memorable cuts . The bouncing acoustic bonhomie of “ Strangers ” offers brotherly love for a fallen friend , extending that camaraderie to fellow travelers and spiritual seekers everywhere . Dave ’ s slashing guitar riffs and Gosling ’ s shimmering organ fuel “ Rats ,” as the song laments those who have abandoned their souls in pursuit of filthy lucre . In addition to single mixes of “ Lola ,” “ Apeman ,” “ Rats ,” and “ Powerman ” on disc one , the 2CD Deluxe package features a second disc of demos , alternate mixes , and live versions . The 2020 remix of “ Strangers ” adds a biting lead guitar intro and pulls Dave Davies ’ lead vocal into clearer focus . “ Top of the Pops ,” “ Powerman ,” and “ Rats ” also benefit from the remix treatment . The chorus to b-side “ Anytime ” describes the power of music . “ Anytime you ’ re down , anytime you ’ re sad , I ’ ll be there to see you through ,” sings Ray Davies . A live version of “ Lola ” features Ray backed by the Danish National Chamber Orchestra and the Danish National Vocal Ensemble . The melancholy “ Marathon ” is a piano-and-vocal piece taken from the 1970 film The Long Distance Piano Player , a BBC-TV Play for Today drama starring Ray . The world-weary song is answered by a twinkling version of “ Got to Be Free ,” which was ultimately included as the hopeful closing track of Lola Versus Powerman .
A deluxe box set version of the reissue includes three CDs with B-sides , alternate takes and live versions , and behind-thescenes tracks featuring newly-recorded “ Ray ’ s Kitchen Sink ” conversations between Ray and Dave Davies . The box also offers reproduction 7 ” singles of “ Lola ” and “ Apeman .” A 60-page hardback book features essays , quotes from the band , rarely-seen photos , and a diary of the Kinks ’ activity in 1970 . The album has also been newly remastered for heavyweight vinyl .
-Jeff Elbel
8
ROB FETTERS Ship Shake
( Baby Ranch )
Ship Shake delivers what any blessed survivor of 2020 needs in a power-pop album : attitude , wit , love and libido , guitar heroics galore , swooning melodies , grievances exorcised , and a rejuvenating dose of positivity . Written well before the pandemic , the sublime reassurance of the prescient , eminently hummable and effervescent
“ Not the End ” offers a theme song for anyone with at least cautious optimism . “ Trust me now ,” sings Fetters with avuncular affection . “ It ’ s not the end of the world .” Much of the album was developed in lockdown isolation , but Fetters secured contributions from talented friends including his beloved bandmates from the psychodots and Raisins . Drummer Bam Powell and longtime bass-playing comrade Bob Nyswonger help to update the psychodots ’ 1991 favorite “ Artichoke .” Nyswonger ’ s ebullient bass also elevates the aforementioned “ Not the End .” “ Dreams won ’ t fly if I don ’ t even try ,” sings Fetters on the determined and encouraging “ Turn the Ship Around .” Guest Adrian Belew ’ s voice joins Fetters during the choruses , rekindling the perfect pop blend the pair shared throughout their tenure with the Bears . Fetters shows his teeth with the grim tidings of “ Prophets .” “ You ’ d all be prophets if you paid better attention ,” he sneers . The song represents the antithesis to “ Not the End ,” characterizing the social fallout and destructive protests of 2020 as the inevitable result of turning a blind eye for too long . “ Can ’ t Take it Back ” is a reminder that most of our statements come with no “ undo ” button . The song ’ s hypnotic riff and stratospheric solo will thrill Raisins and psychodots fans . The acoustic folk-based “ Me & Eve ” takes a different angle on the story of original sin . “ It just goes to show , knowledge is power ,” Fetters sings , finding an upside to lost innocence as Adam and Eve tear off their clothes and run blissfully away together . Ship Shake ’ s heaviest rocker arrives with Fetters ’ snaky riff for “ Dog is God .” The anthem for a new church includes twin credos of commitment and simplicity , with exhortations to “ go all the way ” and the mantra “ keep it simple , stupid .” The chamber pop of “ Scripture ” is Fetters ’ “ Eleanor Rigby .” “ She hears the devil quoting scripture every time I call her name ,” he sings about a loved one struggling with the voices in her head . “ She ’ s a Musician ” pledges everlasting devotion to a singular muse . “ Nobody Now ” imagines life as a faded star , once on top of the world but fallen from grace – but frankly finding the loss of status to be a relief . Fetters ’ catalog is peppered with related songs drawn from a bountiful but often-overlooked career and skirmishes with big music business , and he laces such tunes with wisdom and wit . The tumbling acoustic ballad “ Believed ” makes a heartrending mantra of a wounded phrase , regretting he missed opportunity to say “ I still love you .” m “ Love is not a sin ,” declares Fetters amid the mod-rock thunder of “ Queer Year ,” propelled by son Noah Fetters ’ Keith Moon-styled drumming .
The album closes with a bona fide fan ’ s race down “ Shakin ’ Street ” by formative influence the MC5 . The joyful romp is another family affair , with Fetters ’ wife Susan “ Swany ” Fetters adding spirited har-
Continued on page 26
24 illinoisentertainer . com january 2021