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Part Four

Mighty Red Sluggo! CD cover.

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First Taste of MK/BFD

My perspective may be a bit unique on Sluggo!. First, I am a woman who actually bought it- waited in vain for the Canada Post strike to end, asked for Suzanne to UPS it, waited while *they* lost track of it for awhile, and eventually ripped it out of the delivery man's hands whilst beaming like a fool. Secondly, this is the first MK/BFD I've ever heard. I was an admirer of Mike and Bryan as writers before ever hearing a lick of their music. But wouldn't you all agree- Sluggo! is a fantastic first taste...

The disk hasn't left my CD player since it arrived a week ago. I can't write anything like a complete review without many more listens, every one of which I'm looking forward to. But for my friends who were all wondering what I'd think of this crazy, cool stuff- I love it unreservedly.

Great graphic design and artwork, too- I *always* check this stuff out with an eagle eye.

"Potato" is an excellent choice for first track; Mike hooks me in good here. You're all correct- it's imposssible NOT to sing "potato potato potato"...

"Drum-running"- mysterious intro, builds nicely, and MK certainly did give Bryan a beautiful dŽbut on the album. Every section rocks full-on.

"Guy?"- I'm with Brad, this is my favourite track. Would make an excellent second single. Frantic energy, great lyrics (I'm very taken with all of Mike's lyrics on this album) I'm glad he chose the straight-ahead tone of this, rather than the angry or more resigned feel mentioned as possibilities. Drums ragin'. Beller plays like a bass god. Wow's all round, guys.

"Nina"- not only is this just a beautiful piece, BUT- I draw caricatures for a living. Can you imagine how totally cool it is to hear a piece of music based on one of my professional idols?? C'mon!

"Frozen Beef"- Hilariously sly lyrics, and a tasty hook that I can't stop singing.

"Chatfield Manor"- a beautiful valentine, all the sweeter that it was a surprise. Yes, I want to be drunk in that Jacuzzi. And it makes me think of my own Chatfield Manor; the home of my best friend (whom I hope will get over his shyness enough to post here too).

"Beautiful"- awesome song in every respect. Definite Steely Dan feel to the slinky walking groove and the glistening little keys accents. And I'm glad it came out cheerfully ironic rather than the primal screamin' rage.

"Guess I'll Peanut"- er, remember I never heard any Keneally before this, okay? On the one hand, pretty damn weird. On the other, so like one of my own dream images that I have to smile in recognition. I regularly make drawings based on dream imagery, so I adore the idea that Mike brings us music based on his.

"Voyage to Manhood"- Doesn't this make you all feel like sending Mike some more coasters? I wanna be at that party! Big authoritative performances from all concerned. You guys rock so hard.

"Egg Zooming"- It's easy to see why at least one of you commented on the "difficult for difficulty's sake" idea, but I disagree. Yeah, it's fucked, but I love the many, many layers of complexity. I hear something more every time. Very... musicianly writing and playing. I wish I could say more about it, but it'll take a lot more listens for this to sink in. Remember when Bryan said in LOB last summer that the bass charts looked like pointilism? Now we all know just what he meant, eh. Whew.

"Own"- hey, this could be the third single! Pretty straightahead if you listen to it that way, but verrrrry deep too. All the more impressive knowing how Mr. Mike forced his boys to learn it and then play it in pretty much one go.

"Afraid"- Lovely song, and I'm amazed that anyone could think otherwise. Direct, sweetly heartfelt, and can cut like an arrow straight to your heart. 'Nuff said.

"Cardboard Dog"- Here's another one that I can never resist singing along to, right from the very first listen. I love the keyboards, and the song is growing on me more and more with every listen. Tasty hooks. That Mr. Keneally sure can write, can't he?

"Sluggo"- Yep, it's official; he can play anything he wants in any style of his choosing. What's not to like?

Now all that's left is to make sure this album gets the airplay it deserves, and that Mike Keneally and Beer For Dolphins mounts a great big tour behind Sluggo! Please don't forget to come to Toronto, okay?

--Kimberley Whitchurch


cashew! (gesundheit 451)

"Sluggo!" is a triumph of the imagination. Words can't begin to describe it. The music should do the talking. Having said that (and not missing the chance to offer my $0.02) here are some pseudo-random thoughts strung together for your dining pleasure.

Potato: Frank Briggs's introductory drum fill should be transcribed and framed. That plus an irresistable hook prepare you for all that follows.

I, Drum Running, Am Clapboard Bound: Mike's incredibly well-placed answer to ELP's Ginastera adaptation? You decide.

Why Am I Your Guy?: Bryan Beller, meet inspired bass licks. Inspired bass licks, meet Bryan Beller.

Looking for Nina: Taco Physique indeed. Dada marches on.

Frozen Beef (Come With Me): Falsetto is a beautiful thing when used judiciously. This proves it.

TRANQUILLADO: The keyboard patch during the refrain is too cool for words. So are the vocals.

What Happened Next: Intermission. Brought to you by ...

Chatfield Manor: It's not just a song. It's an anthem, damnit.

Beautiful: Jazz. JAZZ, I tell you!

"I Guess I'll Peanut": (see subject of this message)

Voyage To Manhood: Lightning polyrhythms and Christopher Cross. Chix Diggit!

Egg Zooming: "Memory fault. Core dumped."

Own: Another well-placed track. The pacing of this piece is truly wonderous.

I'm Afraid: Contrast (to "Own"), anyone? Mike is so sincere and manages a quick take on The Beatles and Star Wars in the process. THAT is beautiful.

Cardboard Dog: Deck the Halls? No, it's the grand finale. Watch it float by ... and savor every moment, won't you?

Sluggo: Irresistibly tasty. Also known as "icing on the cake." Yum!

I'm afraid it's true. MK and BFD have outdone themselves. Congratulations!

--Joe D'Andrea


If I Had A Tater

If I had a potato, I'd potato in the morrrrrning, I'd potato in the evening all over this la-and!.. I'd potato out danger, Will Robinson, I'd potato out romance, I'd potato out love between the sheets and the covers allll over this la-a-a-and...

--Oppy


Sluggo! Review :-)

I sent this review to Ron Spiegelhalter and a few friends, and Ron suggested sending it to Sluggo!-rama. I've got no pride...what the hell. I didn't intend this for anyone's eyes initially except Ron and a few friends so this review holds nothing back...hope no feelings are stomped out of existence. Enjoy:

Being the music fan I am (and Keneally one too) I couldn't let Ron's take on Sluggo! drive by without my pothole contributions as well. I'd like to offer a little realism to the fray, as I think Ron is about to begin human sacrifices at his Mike Keneally altar. Though no where near as eloquent as our dear friend Ron (and definitely not as informed of Keneally-isms) I feel that another opinion is always a good thing to throw into the pot and stew on. So here it is...

Let me just start by saying, "Way to go Mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!" This album (I'm dating myself, I guess they're called discs now) is just GREAT! Don't just believe me...don't just believe Ron...go out and buy one yourself and just give it a spin and I rest assured that you will agree. How's that for pompous, I-know-I'm-right attitude? I am not afraid to make any sort of comparisons to Keneally's previous recorded output however, as I believe it is a good thing to consider an artist's work in the context of his/her career, as well as how it stands by itself. As far as Sluggo!, It's better and worse than Keneally's previous recordings. It lacks the incredible consistency of his first two discs, but offers a more mature compositional affair. Enough of the generalities, let's get down to the nitty-gritty...

"Potato", the first song on the disc, is one of the inconsistencies. First song anxiety indeed! It's repetitive pop, just one step above any of the other millions of paltry songs gracing the airwaves at any given point. The verses are a cut above the rest, but the inane chorus ties concrete blocks around its feet and drowns it. If your idea of hearing the word "potato" 33 times in 3 1/2 minutes is a good idea - go nuts. Ron mentioned something to me about an MK reply to his review that talked about the satire here poking fun at pop music while writing a pop song at the same time. Nice try. Satire is all good and well if done with a sense of humor (Frank Zappa) or with subtlety (XTC), but making fun of bad music by writing bad music is...well...just bad music - any way you slice it.

I'll be spinning this disc starting from the stellar second song, "I, Drum-Running, Am Clapboard Bound". From the gorgeous grand piano intro, to some excellent acoustic guitar work, to Bryan Beller's awesome bass solo, to the subtle piano ending, this piece is vintage Keneally. This song should have begun the disc. It easily ranks with some of MK's best work. It's compositionally strong but interesting. I'm a sucker for changing time signatures and Keneally's all over the board on this one. Being an instrumental allows the music to take the limelight in all its subtle glory. I knew that MK was a multi-instrumentalist, but I had no idea that he could play the piano this good! Remember that statement 'cause it will pop up again and again in this review. Drum-Running is a big fav here that only gets better. And did I mention that the piano is just AWESOME in this tune (and I don't even like pianos.)

And now for something completely different..."Why Am I Your Guy?" A total, driving, head-banging, scream-the-lyrics-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-while-you're-driving kind of song. Its only just under 4 minutes but it could use a nice break somewhere so I could catch my breath and continue with renewed vigor. This is straight-ahead pop the way it should be (another slam against "Potato"...I just can't resist). I haven't mentioned Keneally's lyrics yet because this is the first song to have any ("Potato doesn't count...oops, there I go again). I've always appreciated MK's way with the written pen and this is no different. Just the sort of thing that all us married average guys can relate too. My first reaction to this song was "nice stereo guitar action but kind of nondescript as a whole". It's grown on me. I really dig the phenomenal fuzz bass action by Bryan Beller. Where did this guy learn to be so good? Excellent wall-of-sound ending too.

"Looking for Nina" just RULES! This has got to be possibly the best song on Sluggo! It's great funk in sort of a weird, eerie kind of way. Kudos to Frank Briggs for a wonderful mood on the synthesizer. The "Taco Physique" interlude fits in perfectly, giving the song a real interesting flair. What more can I say? It figures that this is one of the most AWESOME songs and I have so little to say about it. That's just it though. Great art is beyond explanation...it just is. It touches you somewhere really cool that most stuff doesn't. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In case "Why Am I Your Guy?" doesn't give you enough straight-ahead, driving rock, then fill up with "Frozen Beef (Come With Me)". For those of you out there who own and dig Hat and/or ...Dust Speck, you'll love this track. It would fit comfortably on either of those as well as finding a nice home right here on Sluggo!. Great guitar work by MK throughout that should leave all you air-guitar nuts winded. I think I'd get off on hearing just the guitar without anything else it's so good. Eat your heart out Mr. Vai.

For all you dog lovers out there, "TRANQUILLADO" joins a long, growing list of "dog" songs by Mr. K. (I'm still waiting for a poodle song). More great piano work, though in a more subtle manner than the incredible "...Drum-Running...". This song has a great fun feel to it with a great lilting chorus. I don't know about Ron's recent "I'm Afraid"-Queen comparison, but just to turn heads, I say that the piano playing in "TRANQUILLADO" has some Freddie Mercury aura to it. How's that for fishing for a sound? For some silly reason, I like the song ending with the sound of a foot being taken off a piano foot pedal...guess I'm strange.

Anyone who owns Hat or Boil That Dust Speck is familiar with MK's link songs - little ditties or grooves in the vein of the latter half of Abbey Road, which he sprinkles about and makes for a lot of fun. Sluggo! shies away from these little numbers for the most part, but "What Happened Next" is one of the exceptions. It's a neat little groove that sets a wonderful mood for 1 1/2 minutes.

"Chatfield Manor" is Keneally's attempt to convey a certain mood in an abstract sort of way and he nails this one right on the head. Beautifully layered vocal harmonies and some exquisite guitar work paint a wonderfully lush picture of a rejuvenating sanctuary away from the hustle-and-bustle of everyday existence. It's pretty straight forward for an MK tune, but this works to its benefit as it slowly unravels over 8+ minutes, gradually warming and giving you that cozy feeling inside. The ending is very befitting, letting you down easy from the clouds. Just a wonderfully beautiful piece of music.

"Beautiful" is a jaunty little number with an appealing case of schizophrenia. It alternates between verses of Zappa-esque, Man From Utopia-like, coupled guitar and vocal lines (is it irony that the lyrics talk about going to a Chad Wackerman show?) and some happy choruses of pure-hook pop...all knit together into a cohesive whole. Apparently, the guitar and vocal lines of the verses were not recorded simultaneously, but rumor has it that they are being performed live as such...MK's talent never ceases to amaze me. This falls into the category of trying to write your name in the air with both hands simultaneously, one being a mirror image of the other...good grief! I feel so mortal.

"I Guess I'll Peanut" - an hysterical sound byte. I sometimes miss the dirth of these quirky sprinkles on Sluggo! At other times, I'm glad to hear the stronger cohesiveness of the well-knitted longer compostitions. In any case, this track always makes me chuckle :-)

And now for a little ROCK!..."Voyage to Manhood", sandwiched between screeching guitar squeals, is MK's unique version of rock music. Recipe: take your favorite AOR-format song; change the vocal lines to end on notes substantially higher than where they began; throw a monkey-wrench into the time signature every now and then; quote Christopher Cross (of all people); spew hysterical lyrics; add a dash of electric mandolin and Hammond organ; and mix, stir, beat, whip, coax, knead - VOILA! - tastes great and more filling. I love this stuff!

"Egg Zooming" is an AWESOME jazzy tune. It's quite complex - the kind of music that you need to listen to as opposed to having for a background. In fact, it's the most complex song on Sluggo! The instrumental dexterity by all three participants (Mike Mangini - drums, Bryan Beller - bass, MK - his usual 40+ instruments) is mind-numbing. Mike Mangini lays down the best percussion track on the disc, with polyrhythms galore. BB struts his stuff again with some incredible bass work (you're right Keneally - you are lucky to have such an awesome bass player) and MK doesn't shy from the fray with some killer guitar licking and cool electronic vibes. The only bad thing about this song is that the ending SUCKS! It fades off right in the middle of a great vamp with no sense of closure. It was as if this song (6 1/2 minutes on this disc) went on for 45 minutes in the studio and, since it was too long, the powers-that-be just randomly picked a spot to fade it out. UGH! Total musical blue balls!

The bad taste of "Egg Zooming"'s ending is carried over into the next number, "Own" - an overly lengthy, drab piece of...I don't know what. It's fairly straight ahead pop (with an alternative [whatever that means] sound) in the usual verse-chorus-solo noodling-verse-chorus format. At 7+ minutes, this song is WAY too long. It has its nice touches here and there, but even editing wouldn't save it I think. Keneally's usually entertaining and/or insightful lyrics go over my head on this one. MK rarely bores me, but this one is a yawner all the way.

...And you ain't heard nothing yet. Sluggo! dips to its ultimate nadir with "I'm Afraid", a terribly mushy affair sung by the wrong guy. This is Mike Keneally's ode to his daughter who he's away from way to much touring and doing all those things musicians must do to stay alive. Hey, if I were he, I'd have dozens of these tunes in my closet, and I might even bring one out once in a while as a Christmas gift, but I would NEVER put one on an album. It's like publishing a love note to your wife as an editorial in the newspaper. This one is pure sap all the way - it drips goo from the sentimental beginning to painfully wishy-washy ending. To top it all off, this ain't the sort of thing that MK's voice was meant to do. Ron has mentioned some sort of Queen-like quality to it...NOT! Though I dig Keneally's singing, in his own unique sort of way, Freddie Mercury he's not, and he definitely shouldn't try to sing like him (though I still fail to hear Ron's aforementioned connection). I don't even have to go out on a limb to say that this is, by far, the worst thing I've ever heard by MK. Hopefully he's got it out of his system now.

The leap from the awful depths of "I'm Afraid" to the amazing brilliance of "Cardboard Dog" is shocking. I seriously question the song sequencing, as it makes "I'm Afraid" look even worse (if that's possible). "Cardboard Dog" welcomes back the wonderful grand piano (and the dog theme too). Lush vocal harmonies combined with some enthralling songwriting result in an absolutely gorgeous song. Keneally displays some exquisite acoustic guitar work (and electric too) and impresses with his subtle percussion touches. "Cardboard Dog" vies with "Looking For Nina" as my favorite song on Sluggo! It totally kicks ass! To accentuate the rift from the previous song, which I believe is MK's worst effort, I would venture to say that "Cardboard Dog" ranks up there in the heavens as one of Keneally's masterpieces. Utter genius!

Sluggo! ends with its namesake song "Sluggo", a solo piano jazz number. Hats off to engineer Mike Harris, who recorded all the grand piano work on this disc. It's not just a grand piano sound, it's a GRAND piano sound. And Keneally tinkles those ivories pretty darn well. I wonder if he's not a better piano player than guitar player (I know that Ron said this same thing, but it's a good point). This song pretty much floors me. I had no idea that MK could play jazz or the piano in this way. Keneally describes this song as a tribute to Thelonious Monk with a little Vince Guiraldi thrown in for good measure. I couldn't describe it any better. It is beautiful, yet has a touch of that humor that Monk was so reknown for. Wow!

So there you have it - the low-down on Sluggo!. If it hasn't become apparent from my intro or the song descriptions - GO BUY THIS DISC NOW - [IMMUNE RECORDS 9269 Mission Gorge Rd #211 San Diego CA 92071 for those of you who's local music stores don't carry good music]. Your life may depend on it (I don't know how, but it might). Thanx MK for writing, playing and recording such awesome music. I guess I'll go peanut...HeHeHe...

--Member of THE ROOM


You Gods, You

Finland sez 1002 very large thankyous. I love everything on the album!

--A. Arnkil


Yet another opinion on Sluggo!

Let me start by saying that I agree with just about everybody's positive opinions regarding Sluggo! It's basically perfect, not just because Bryan is gloriously invisible and in the pocket (a la Tony Levin sometimes) or there's a zillion great drummers or he's got 19:16 polyrhythms in Egg Zooming ( though any of this stuff invariably helps), but because every bit of audio info he includes on that shiny plastic results from Mike Keneally being true to himself and where he was at the point in time in which he made it. This for me is more important than anything specific regarding the music. I love every single track for this reason, and of course because they all rock.

By the way, I love "I, Drum Running, am Clapboard Bound" more than anything I've ever heard by ELP.

I already can't wait for the next album (hell, the next 10 albums).

--Matt Mitchell


Oh Holy night, it's my pleasure

Merry Xmas, y'all.....

OK, I'll take a whack at this Sluggo-rama bidness. Yes, it's stupid long. Get some coffee going or something.

Aside: We just got a new kitten for Christmas and to show you how excited I am about MK's new CD, I have lobbied tirelessly to name the cat "Sluggo!" We'll see what happens. Any cat name suggestions? Email 'em to me at christianheilman@hotmail.com.

Enough about the damn cat, back to Sluggo!.....

I guess the unique thing for me was that I heard a few of these tunes live at the Troubadour weeks before I obtained the CD. This was very odd. My first reaction to the very first spin of Sluggo! was one of "wow...these tunes sounded more happening live". Then it sunk in, I wasn't *supposed* to hear it this way. But remember, I had been fetishing moosenet writings months before I owned ANY Keneally CD's. I am destined to do everything Keneally-related backwards. I guess the bottom line is, once these guys get a tour for Sluggo! going, you MUST, I repeat MUST attend and drag a few of your open minded music loving friends with you. These songs will become uniquely huge live. They will make you NIN like a moron, fer sure.

The track by track run-down-

Potato - Massive commercial potential. Hooky as hell, I couldn't stop singing after hearing it the first night of rehearsal in September. That gave me a few months to buildup a tolerance to the chorus, I suppose. My nightmare is that Burger King uses it for their new ad campaign for their scary new genetically enhanced french fries. Brigg's opening fill and overall performance is golden brown and piping hot. I dig the line about "Embrace my face and spread some happiness butter". Faces seem to pop up commonly in MK lyrics, along with dogs, of course. Any coincidence that Mike and Bry ended up as dog faces on Music for Pets?

Drum Running - The grand piano sounds hugely great. Hats off to Mike Harris. Beller (with that bitchen underwater chorusy sound) rips off a very tasty solo. I love dearly all the moog ornamental statements sprinkled throughout Sluggo! I used to own one them bastards and deeply regret selling it. Prog-rock heaven.

Why Am I your Guy? - My domestic partner dug this tune. Also another potential single in my opinion. There are actually quite few tunes that non-twisted individuals might like. Beller kicks fuzzy ass. I hear early WHO energy in this tune.

Looking for Nina - Great, great, great. I want a whole album of this wacked funky stuff. It too reminds me of Beck's Odelay stuff (which has also been a house fave lately). I will listen to this one incessantly. Oooo Ahh Oh.

Frozen Beef (Come with Me) - My head often substitutes existing lyrics, and I couldn't help but start singing-"I had a chance to be the dolphins roadie, but if you ask Beller he'll say hello and BLOW ME." This song rocks, especially the solo section which has some cool chords blowing beneath.

TRANQUILLADO - The Mister Rogers "land of make believe" reference with train whistle following is classic. This song sounds like no other Keneally song that has come before that I can think of. For me, it's been a sleeper that has aged very gracefully.

What Happened Next? - More prog-ness, interlude style. I like Tom Freeman's Bruford-esque drumming and the weird "Peter Gabriel/Lamb lies" down Leslied MK vocalizing. I think he's saying "I'll phone ET?"

Chatfield Manor - My current fave. The moment Toss crash/ride cymbal-age and drums enter I am completely swallowed alive and rocking spasmodically without thought for outsider onlookers. The chorus has occupied my brain in approximately the same space as "potato, potato, potato" thank God. The Chatfields deserve this tune. I'm not sure why, but I have had chicken sandwiches in the freezer lately. The little snare accents Toss overdubbed on the ending section is tasty and adds alot. I like Mike's gee-tar solo tones on the is CD. Real, crunchy, non-racked out amp sounds. Bravo. Touching vocal "thank you" section at the end also. Southern rock aromas waft in and out of this tune, I guess it's the slide stuff.

Beautiful - Yes, he can do this live. Al Jolson should sing the chorus with a megaphone. Brilliant groove, killer melody, funny diary entry lyrics....love it. It also is a charming song for documenting Mike's evolving relationship with the world. Inspiring. The relaxed, tasty drum fill at the end is pure Toss.

I Guess I'll I'll Peanut!- I hear FZ/"We're only in it for the Money" in this twisted little number. I do hear the "hat" sample in this bit, though. Is he also saying "Goddamn, it's such a shame"? My Domestic partner says this piece reeks of sexuality.

Voyage to Manhood - Buddy Rich was indeed a dick. Not sure ceiling fans and coasters would have solved that dilemma. Has Chris Cross called on this one yet? The organ work on this tune is so rippin'. Powered by Panos/Beller energy. Not one of my faves, but certainly not bad.

Egg-Zooming - possibly the best drum work on the disc. That is saying alot considering the performances by Toss, Frank and Joe (and Mikey). I agree also that the ending is mysterious in it's fade. I just turn it up loud and enjoy the drum fill. Will this tune surface live? Mike+company, I dare ya. The guitar bits occaisionally do sound very McLaughlin-esque. This one will keep me listening for comprehension for awhile.

Own - OK tune, could be a absolute monster live but doesn't thrill me initially. The "What is it to you" vocal line sounds British in timbre. Scary lyrics. I do like the ending solo. The restraint given to the treatment of the lead guitar tone (non-delayed/flanged/reverbed) is so cool.

I'm Afraid - Yeeks, it's a Adult Contemporary radio friendly ballad. A pretty one at that. Filled with the genuine emotion of a father missing his daughter and family. A very normal tune that I could play for my mother, in fact I will someday. The acoustic and electric guitars shimmer and the vocal performance feels real to me. Not too fond of the "percussion" stuff tacked on. Other than that, I like it alot. I say this is the "risky" song of the album. Our expectations of Mike seem to be wide open except when he attempts something very straight. Thanks Mike for exploring these options. As long as your ass doesn't show up on VH1 or nothin'

Cardboard Dog - The beginning gives me happy shivers and I can't stop seeing Micheal Harrison's dog movies in my mind as this song unfolds. I love the moogish sixteenth note arpeggio that winds its way around the opening vocal stack. Did you know Mike can play this and sing it simultaneously live too? He's a mutant, that boy. His drumming is also very nice- quirky, light and does match the piano nicely. More moog, right on! I hear some more Chris Cross ambience towards the end before the heavenly vocals enter again. Ahhhh.....another song for speakers with candles. The subtle guitar noodling on the ending meltdown sound recorded at half-speed to me.

Sluggo! - Death piano solo. Some Monk, some Vince, some Richard Tee? Very swingin, baby! The perfect end to a near-perfect CD.

Fave tracks (in approximate order): Chatfield Manor, Looking for Nina, Beautiful, Cardboard Dog, Potato, I Drum-Running

Final Grade: A-.

A very satisfying musical artifact. I truly love nearly all the tunes, but I do miss the madness that usually occurs in terms of sequencing and editing. I also miss the free-form live guitar solo bits found on "hat." The sound/mix timbres of this album are at times odd. But compositionally, Sluggo! feels very confident to me. Given that I know approximately how much time Mike had to assemble this thing, it's practically a miracle. Eric Johnson would still be changing chorus pedal batteries in the space of time Keneally recorded, mixed (and re-mixed) this opus. The artwork is fabulous too. Wah.

Happy Holidays, moosenauts. Pass the pie and the psilocybin.

--Christian Heilman
webguy
Mount Shasta Home Page
http://www.mtshasta.com
christianheilman@hotmail.com


Let's burn down THE ROOM!

I've had just about enough of this trash-talk as far as Sluggo! is concerned.

Who do you guys in THE ROOM think you are? Please, consider these few questions and statements:

  1. First, and foremost, what the hell is WRONG with singing a nice song about how you love your daughter? Oh, "I'd write a ton of them if I had to leave my wife for a year, but I'd stick them in the closet." Why? Are you ashamed of your feelings for the people in your life that you care about?

    Is your name Mr. Scrooge? Besides, "I'm Afraid," is a nice little jam song. Also, I feel that it following into "Cardboard Dog" is very conceptual. Tonight Daddy pays?

  2. What is wrong with writing a pop song? Of course, "Potato" is stupid, but boy, is it ever a lot of fun! As far as comparing it to Zappa:

    You don't think that "Tryin' To Grow A Chin" and "Dancin' Fool" fall into the same category? There's much more to music than the difficulty of your charts. Besides, "Potato" answers a very important question for me: "What would Mike play for a guitar solo over a standard alterno-pop chord progression?"

  3. The piano is a beautiful instrument, thankyouverymuch. Go listen to some Schoenberg and call me back.
  4. Speaking of instruments, what instruments do you guys play anyway? Are you really that good that you can question Mike's judgement about what he puts on his CD's? Obviously you think you can do better. Go produce your own CD, call it, "I'm Not Afraid" by "The Members of THE ROOM" and let me review it. I'll get a few of my buds together, and we'll be "the boys from THE KITCHEN." (We'd have to listen to it in a kitchen of course, so we could fry it when we're done).
  5. If you want people to take your criticisms seriously, please at least have the balls to SIGN YOUR NAME to your review. Of course, you're ashamed of your love for your family members, so why wouldn't you be ashamed of your review? Isn't this an album that you want people to BUY? That you want to share? A simple, "I didn't really like this tune as much as the other ones" would have sufficed.
  6. What kind of name is "THE ROOM" anyway? Are girls allowed in your clubhouse? It's nice to know that people still know how to write in capital letters in America.
  7. The only criticism I have of Mike is that he even acknowledged you boys in his "Mike Types To You!" column.

Merry Sluggo! Christmas, boys and girls!

--Chris Opperman


Love songs stink. Usually.

Dammit already with "I'm Afraid." This is a wonderful song, not despite its sappyness, but because of it. (Sorry if I end up sounding hostile. I can't really approach this with an unbiased eye, creature of emotion that I am.)

Granted, if Mike were an Aztec god, I'd be the first to chop off some heads to ensure a rainy season. I'll admit I'm biased. However, "I'm Afraid" is a song about a real person's love for another real person. "The Desired Effect" is the same way. How sappy is that song? Very. I hate love songs, but "TDE" is one of my KeneallyFavorites. Musically, but most especially lyrically, "The Desired Effect" is completely endearing because the sentiments expressed are Real. This is not Michael Bolton spewing yet another exaggerated caricature of what love really is, and it sure as fuck is not Bon Jovi or Bryan Adams choking on more "I'd die for you, Baby," bullshit. Sluggo! is what, 73 minutes? That's about 20 minutes more than you'll get from most other music-type people, and if Mike wants to fill that time with fart sounds, that's fine with me: I'm still getting 53 minutes worth of simply amazing, exilerating, stimulating material. While fart sounds are great, I'd rather listen to "I'm Afraid." It's only a few minutes long, and Mike put more effort into that short little song than most other music-type people will put into their whole careers. I don't think it's at all frivolous for someone to really bare their soul. Not a Merideth Brooks sort of soul-baring, "I have, like, all these different sides to my personality," but a real honest-to-God- I-don't-care-what-anyone-thinks-and-here-it-is sort of thing. That takes more guts than I'll ever have, and I'd have to appreciate that in whoever could muster that sort of courage...(Though, if it was someone other than my most favorite music-type person in the whole wide world, I wouldn't make the effort to write in and disagree). If anyone thinks I'm out of line, feel free to write me, and we'll pursue this further. Thanks. Anyway, sorry if I've angered Merideth Brooks, her fans, or Aztecs (but not Bryan Adams, he just plain blows, and you know it.)

Thanks for your time,
--Sensitive Larry
State College, PA
lmm150@psu.edu


Yet another opinion part 2

Thank you very much to Chris Opperman and Sensitive Larry. It's always nice to hear opinions that are the same as yours and just a tad more vehement.

BTW, the fart sounds are a good idea as far as I'm concerned. You're all lying if you don't agree with me.

--Matt Mitchell


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Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Five
Part Six

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