I am going to keep the Nuggets intro short since I went a little wild writing about Bob Dylan, and I had to try to keep that one short too. I have some cool nuggets to share. I think they’re cool at least. Please tell me if you think they’re lame or you’ve found some cooler nuggets you are willing to share back to me.
Bob Dylan – Too Late (Band Version)
I won’t pretend to be one of those weirdos who knows every little nook and cranny and bootleg and nuance of Dylan’s career but I’m fascinated with the points in his career when things weren’t going his way. Those periods when he just flat-out couldn’t write songs like he did so effortlessly in the 60’s. That’s why I love the Jokermen podcast.
This new Bootleg Series release collects non-album tracks from his early-to-mid 80’s era, which wasn’t quite the absolute dregs of his recording career but is pretty close. It’s ridiculous that songs like Too Late and Blind Willie McTell (or any number of outtakes from this set) didn’t make it on Infidels or Empire Burlesque, but we get Neighborhood Bully for some reason.
Too Late has basically the same lyrics as Foot of Pride (another outtake), but whereas Foot of Pride is pithy Bob, Too Late is a more earnest Bob and it makes the actually great lyrics in this song a lot more poignant. Bonus points for getting to hear Bob describe people doing “the bumps and the grinds.”
LURK – See-Thru
What starts as a ripping garage punk number moves and morphs effortlessly into this big juicy indie rock chorus and then manages to get right back into ripper-mode. LURK pull this trick off a few times on their new record, Around The Sun (another notable example is on Top Secret), and it’s thrilling.
The Bananas – Gentrification For Dummies
Who? I didn’t know The Bananas either, but my good friend Hondo mentioned this song and now I’m trying to understand 20 years of back catalog from this Sacramento punk band. They released much of their stuff on Plan-It-X Records, which makes my having missed them even more mysterious.
David Wiffen – Driving Wheel
People cooler than me probably already know David Wiffen but I’m not very cool and just found out about him. He’s got that smooth and smoky voice over 1971 guitar tone plus rhodes-style keys (is it?) and it’s pretty magical.
See you next time.