Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime
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Free Music Notes for Double Nickels on the Dime
Free Music Review: Attitudinal punk
Hit: 5 Stars
Politically speaking, 1984 wasn't the best year as Ronald Reagan handily won re-election. Musically speaking, however, it was an extraordinary time, thanks in no small measure to two revolutionary post-punk releases: Husker Du's "Zen Arcade" and the Minutemen's "Double Nickels on the Dime."While the Huskers noisily plumbed the inner depths of alienation and despair, the Minutemen created something that amounted to good time music for the Reign of Reagan. "Double Nickels" is a breathless 43-song (45 on the original tape), 75-minute romp that wrapped both the minutely personal and profoundly political in the language not just of punk, but also of funk, jazz and folk.
With an ever-widening thematic lens, nothing escaped the Minutemen's power of observation, from gangster capitalism and overseas intervention to leaky apartment ceilings and the youthful jams of aspiring punks. To this day I marvel at the tensile strength of "Double Nickels on the Dime." In the Minutemen's world, heartbreak and humor both held squatter's rights.
Make no mistake: D. Boon (guitar), George Hurley (drums) and Mike Watt (bass) were the children of punk. Still, it's almost pointless to categorize "Double Nickels" because of its stylistic sprawl, its welcoming embrace of pop's idiomatic diversity (there are even covers of Steely Dan, Creedence Clearwater and, on the original tape, Van Halen) and, of course, its ideological thrust.
Buoyed as it is by Boon's often spoken-sung poetry and well-placed guitar licks, Watt's funky bass lines and Hurley's sturdy drum and cymbal work,"Double Nickels on the Dime" retains its transcendent power nearly 20 years after its original release.
We can only speculate on the fertility of the Minutemen's musical imagination and the depths of their collective heart. As Reagan's revolution continued to torch the working class, Boon was killed in an automobile accident at the end of 1985. "Three-Way Tie for Last" would be their final release, with "Double Nickles on the Dime" standing as their finest hour.
But don't think of "Double Nickels" as a last will and testament. "I stand for language, I speak for truth, I shout for history." Boon says In "Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth?"
To which I respond: Amen brother. You always did, and always will.
Free Music Review: Unrelenting but hooky punk classic - 43 awesome tracks
Hit: 5 Stars
Usually my reviews conclude with a "Best Tracks" play-by-play, but in this case I'm going to take the easy route and skip that section. That's because this is one of those albums that, yes, plays best as a cohesive whole. Despite the fact that there are 43 tracks here, this album of short songs (most under 2 minutes) plays great from start to finish. Like a punk version of side 2 of Abbey Road, the album runs through a series of songs that are diverse and unique but similar enough to sit comfortably next to each other. My only complaint is that they left out the band's cool 45 second cover of Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", along with another original track, in order to edit this double LP down to a single CD.
The Minutemen were always a punk band first and foremost, but there was so much more to their cound. From the frenetic drumming of the underrated George Hurley, to D. Boon's incomparable singing style that owes a lot to Captain Beefheart, to the jazzy bass playing of Mike Watt, this power trio could really outplay the majority of punk bands at the time. Adding a unique funk and skronk-y jazz flavor to their tunes, the band really had a sound all their own. They were political, but never heavy-handed, funny but never unintentionally cheesy. The only thing even close was early Red Hot Chili Peppers, who hailed from the same So.Cal scene, but came a bit later and were clearly influenced by the Minutemen.
From the driving "Viet Nam" to the pistolero's theme "Corona", to the awesomely-riffed "West Germany" and the hypnotic "Jesus and Tequila", there's a lot to soak up here. Mostly every tune reveals a hook, and those that don't are filled with lyrics that are either sublime, hilarious, or so strange their eminently enjoyable. The band even includes an odd Steely Dan cover "Dr. Wu" with some great falsetto singing, a semi-ballad in "History Lesson-Part II", and a spoken word sort of thing in "Take 5, D" that sounds like something eccentric home-studio mastermind R. Stevie Moore might do. There's a lot of oddball stuff here, but let the album sink in for a while and you'll really "get" what's going on here. It's a real shame that D. Boon died so young, but this is a great testament to his originality. This is an absolute milestone in college rock/punk/alternative music that is righteously revered by critics and fans alike.
Free Music Review: Frenetically Classic Punk-Funk
Hit: 5 Stars
I didn't hear this album until a few days ago, but for years I had heard the outpouring of critical raves bestowed upon this titanic 1984 magnum opus by San Pedro's Minutemen. I finally purchased a vinyl copy, a move that I would recommend to anyone interested in this album, as the vinyl version containes 45 songs, while the CD version contains only 43...the CD is missing several stellar tunes, including the blistering Van Halen cover and "Mr. Robot's Holy Orders." To say the least, I was floored upon first listen. Rock and punk bands just don't play with this sort of energy and conviction anymore. Mike Watt alone is akin to the eight wonder of the world--his warbly, jazzily popping bass tone is enough to make anyone want to get up and dance whilst screaming some lyric like "forced-fed sifted tin can turn handle puppet!" Watt's buddy D. Boon (rest in peace) shouts the band's obtuse, creative lyrics with a ferocious authenticity and a peerless attitude; so many political albums sound corny, but this one certainly does not, as every word that spills from Boon's mouth is pure magic. Furthermore, he backs up every word with either a staccato riff or a burning solo, both of which make a case for Boon as the greatest indie guitarist of all-time. Drummer George Hurley rounds out the lineup, adding his shotgunning drums and fluid cymbal crashes to the band's jazzcore sound--the end result is so energetic and bluesily frenzied that it makes Led Zeppelin sound like Sigur Ros. While this sort of energy is rare, it is given even greater value by the fact that the Minutemen sustain it for *45* straight tracks (imagine the scene when the trio was recording these tunes in marathon sessions!). There is not one shred of filler among these nearly 50 songs, and that is a near superhuman feat. From "This Ain't No Picnic" to "Corona" to "History Lesson, Pt. 2" (the best song on the album), "Double Nickels on the Dime" is an album ridden with surpises, sharp virtuosity, and inconceivable consistency.Free Music Review: One of the Best Records of All Time! Jam Econo!
Hit: 5 Stars
The Minutemen were an amazing trio from San Pedro, CA. They took rock, jazz, blues and punk, deconstructed it and put it back together again in the most wonderful ways. Though most Minutemen songs were brief, each one is a satisfying composition that will leave you hungry for more. Musically, The Minutemen were like a well-oiled machine. Drummer George Hurley absolutely has to be the tightest drummer I ever witnessed live. Bassist Mike Watt truly is one with his bass. To hear his mastery over the instrument, you can only assume he came out of the womb with it! Singer/guitarist D. Boon's heartfelt, thoughtful lyrics and his commitment to the musical ideals he believed in have always served as an inspiration to me in my own musical endeavors. His honesty, integrity and imagination really helped me to realize what punk rock really meant. D. Boon never seemed like a guitar hero to me. He seemed like an older brother who took you under his wing, imparted words of wisdom upon you and gave you the idea that you were free to listen to anything you wanted, achieve anything you wanted or be anything you wanted to be. D. Boon's senseless, tragic death (he was killed in a car accident) was an unbelievable loss. God bless D. Boon!This imaginative masterpiece was recorded in a relatively short period of time and features 43 cuts (45 on the original vinyl LP) that range in style from punk to country to funk to pretty much all points in-between and they cover such wild stylistic ground so effortlessly! Not one track on the album is a throwaway or a disappointment! Some of my favorite tracks here include "Jesus & Tequila", "This Ain't No Picnic", "Glory of Man" and "#1 Hit Song" but rest assured, every track is a winner and your particular favorites will probably differ from mine and from anyone else who holds this record near to their heart. Trust me, if you are debating buying this, do so now! This record cannot mean so much to so many people if it wasn't good!
Free Music Review: Worth so much more than nickels and dimes
Hit: 5 Stars
If the show Jackass ever did anything worth admiring, it was choosing "Corona" by Minutemen as its theme. At two and a half minutes, it's one of the longer tracks on this nearly 45 track album. It's also one of the more conventional punk anthem's they've done, considering how far the horizons stretch when it comes to this band and being creative.
Not to sound pretentious, but Minutemen are someone I admire because they seem like me. That is, they seem to get awfully bored, really quickly. That may just be an allusion created by this bands short and brilliant bursts. Tracks like "Cohesion" are an example--here, in between these polka-influenced punk songs, we get an arpeggiated Spanish guitar demonstration. And, somehow, it works beautifully.
"Nature Without Man" seems to outdue everything Pearl Jam every did, in just over 90 seconds. "Love Dance", along with "Jesus and Tequila" treat us to some blues; and "Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want the Truth" is just as inspirational as any hymnal.
It's sad that in this "Jackass" generation Mr. Boon and his companions have been forgotten. Minutemen are comprised of ideas, and not just power chords (though, they do those damn well too!). I've tried to introduce this album to the "punks" that I know, but they're so easily turned off when they don't hear pop punk that's been taught to them as though 20 songs about the bands girlfriends have substance; it seems the punk mentality has died.
Very few albums span across so many genre's with this type of skill and tenacity (if you know of some I may not, please tell me). Everything here seems so incoherrent that it begs for repeated listens; begs for that "shuffle" button, too. It should also beg for your attention. Beg to turn your head to a past time, where emotional and political music didn't have to be covered by a label or a haircut or a t-shirt.