Ron Wood

REVIEW: Bubbles and the Sh*trockers – Longhauler – The Best Of (2024)

BUBBLES and the SHITROCKERS – Longhauler – The Best of Bubbles and the Shitrockers (2024 Swearnet)

It’s right there in the lyrics to “Home Is Where Your Shed Is” – kitties, liquor and dope.  That about sums up the major singing interests of the Bubbles character from Trailer Park Boys.  The album Longhauler – The Best of Bubbles and the Shitrockers accompanies the new movie, Standing on the Shoulder of Kitties.  As implied by the the title, many of these songs are familiar from the TV show or online episodes.

The question is, can you sustain the jokes for an entire album?  A TV series or a movie is an altogether different comedic vehicle.

Fortunately, Mike Smith (Bubbles) is a worldclass musician from the Halifax band sandbox.   This album will probably land in more ears than his conceptual indi rock band ever did, and for that reason, it is produced and engineered by none other than Eddie Kramer.  It also features Billy Bob Thornton and Ronnie Wood in the credits on backing vocals, not that you’ll notice.

The direction is, with the exception of two tracks, country & western.  Musically, this album is legit.  Mike Smith plays most instruments, including guitar, mandolin, piano, mellotron and more.  His backing band provides pedal steel, dobro, hammond, stand-up bass and all the trimmings.  Smith is a seasoned musician and songwriter, and he knows his stuff.  There’s nothing jokey about the music; just the lyrics.

Perhaps the part that wears out soonest is the Bubbles character himself.  Singing like that, and the limited subject matter of the lyrics, over the course of a full album is a challenge to take in.

Songs you’ll recognize:

  • “Who’s Got Yer Belly?” featuring Mike’s pal Alex Lifeson from Rush
  • “Kitties Are So Nice”
  • “Liquor and Whores”

It is also great to have a copy of Bubbles’ pirate shanty, “The Kittyman”.  This is one of the songs that doesn’t fit the country direction, and is a highlight for that reason.  Plus it’s also just great fun.

Even songs that seem “clean” and safe to share with your cat-loving friends, such as “Kitties Are So Nice”, may not be safe to share after all.  “Every kitty I ever met likes to fuck with string,” sings Bubbles in an earnest voice.

The album closes with the movie theme, “Standing on the Shoulder of Kitties”.  Immediately with the mellotron, and the backing vocals later on, it’s more Beatles than country.  It might be overreaching.  The lyrics about how awesome kitties are will keep most people from caring.  If you want to hear somebody do music like this, there are probably Oasis songs you haven’t heard yet.  That’s the impression anyway.  It’s more Oasis than Beatles, and more Beatles than country.  “A kitty’s love is all it takes, la la la la la.”  Not hiding the influences at all, Bubbles even sings that “all you need is love.”

This is a novelty album.  However, if you have a cat lover in your circle, who doesn’t mind a little beer and liquor, then consider Longhauler as a thoughtful gift.

3/5 stars

 

Standing On The Shoulders Of Kitties I Official Red Band Trailer – Trailer Park Boys, Billy Bob Thornton & Ronnie Wood

Bubbles and the Sh*trockers are back, along with Ricky, Julian and Randy. That’s right – the Trailer Park Boys are back in the cinema December 6!

It’s been a minute since we’ve seen the boys on the screen, but fans know that Bubbles (Mike Smith) has always brought music to the fore.  Whether it’s jamming with Alex Lifeson on “Closer to the Heart”, playing with his band the Shitrockers, or crooning solo hits such as “Kitties Are So Nice”, Bubbles is the musical one.  And now, the Shitrockers are on the road, opening for Billy Bob Thornton’s band the Boxmasters.  And somehow Ronnie Wood figures in it too.  I guess we’ll get the whole story on December 6!

From prison riots to being stranded in London, it sure looks like Bubbles and the boys will have their hands (and pipes, and glasses) full this time!  This’ll get your lazy arses back in the cinema, stoners!

 

REVIEW: Rod Stewart – The Story So Far: The Very Best Of (2001)

ROD STEWART – The Story So Far: The Very Best Of (2001 WEA)

Sir Roderick Stewart might be best known for his covers, though he certainly wrote his fair share of corkers.  He’s the kind of artist that made certain covers his own, to the point that some think they’re his originals.  “Downtown Train” (Tom Waits) is a good example.  So is “The First Cut is the Deepest” (Cat Stevens).  Rod’s versions are iconic.  Something about his blue-eyed raspy soul.

Stewart is also known for his successes in multiple decades.  He was big in the 60s, with Jeff Beck.  He was huge in the 70s with the Faces  as a solo artist.  He successfully rode out the disco era with a huge hit (an original, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”, co-written by Carmine Appice).  He became a massive pop star in the 80s, and even kept the momentum going through the start of the 90s with MTV Unplugged.  Finally he became an adult contemporary sensation in the 2000s with his Great American Songbook albums, before finally returning to writing original music.  Rod just has an ear for a good song, and an ability to wrap his inimitable voice around it.  The Story So Far: The Very Best Of Rod Stewart captures a huge chuck of music from the late 60s to 2001.  It’s separated into two discs, for two moods:  the upbeat A Night Out and the softer A Night In.

Is The Story So Far all you need?  No, but it touches the bases.  It’s easier to think of songs that aren’t included.  You’ll still want to get “Handbags and Gladrags”, “Infatuation”, “Broken Arrow”, and many more.  This CD set will help you hone in on what you want, and you’ll still get plenty of goodies.  From “Stay With Me” and “In A Broken Dream” all the way through “Some Guys Have All the Luck”, and into the unplugged “Reason to Believe”, it’s loaded with quality.  In fact there’s only one dud, which is “Don’t Come Around Here” with Helicopter Girl (who?) from 2001’s dreadful Human.   The programmed beats reek of an age past when everybody turned to computers to stay trendy.

There are even a couple hard to find tracks.  “Ruby Tuesday”, from Rod Stewart, lead vocalist was not originally released in North America.  “All For Love” is a Bryan Adams song featuring Rod and Sting from the Three Musketeers soundtrack.  “In A Broken Dream” is an oldie by Aussie band Python Lee Jackson, featuring Rod at the mic.  These are good songs worth owning.

One misfire on a compilation of 34 songs ain’t bad, and Rod’s ballads are as good as the rockers so both discs are equal in strength.  Get your “Hot Legs” on the dance floor with some “Young Turks”.  You’ll have a great time, “Ooh La La”, so “Tonight I’m Yours”.  “Tonight’s The Night”, so go get some Rod Stewart!

4.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds – Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds (1992)

IZZY_0002IZZY STRADLIN and the JU JU HOUNDS – Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds (1992 Geffen)

Izzy was quick out of the gates after leaving Guns N’ Roses at the height of their success.  Less than a year after his departure, a dreadlocked Izzy reappeared with his new band the Ju Ju Hounds, a Stones-y outfit also featuring Rick Richards from the Georgia Satellites.  Guns’ main songwriter and rhythm guitarist unleashed an album of songs that easily could have been released in the early 1970’s.

There’s very little resemblance to Guns, aside from a few tracks on Use Your Illusion.  “Pressure Drop” (the reggae classic) is redone here as a classic rock/punk hybrid, and it’s probably the only tune that you would think, “Yeah, that sounds like Guns.”  “Bucket O’ Trouble” also has a distinct punk rock vibe, but the Hammond organ keeps it from going all the way.  The rest of the songs are a lot more open, and far less heavy than fans were used to.  Fans who “got it” loved it, and those that didn’t probably never will.

There are no bad songs on Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds, but there is little question about who this album sounds like.  Izzy approaches it like a Keith Richards album with songs suited to his raspy voice.  Izzy’s singing voice is so Stones-y and raspy that you’ll have trouble telling him apart from guest Ronnie Wood, who sings with Izzy on his own song “Take a Look at the Guy” (originally from Wood’s 1974 solo record I’ve Got My Own Album to Do, his first).  “Train Tracks” is a Stradlin original that sports some tasty slide guitar straight out Wood’s book.


The single was the still-great “Shuffle it All”, which was criticized by some for a superficial resemblance to Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side”.  Only the bassline has any similarity; which is admittedly a pretty significant hook.  I like “Shuffle it All” better (heresy!), which easily could have been on Beggars Banquet.  Those “ooo, ooo, ooo” backing vocals seal the deal for me.

There were also a couple mellow tracks.  “How Will it Go” and “Come on Now Inside” are both lovely ballads with piano and acoustic guitars.   “Come on Now Inside” contains a hidden bonus track called “Morning Tea”, but this isn’t really a full-fledged song of its own.  This is just a percussion instrumental outro.

The Japanese edition has a bonus track called “How Much” which was also on the single for “Shuffle It All”.  I’ll review that single on its own at a later time.  It’s an Izzy original but you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s an old Bob Marley cover.  Great tune — I’m a sucker for reggae.  The song is worth it if you want to track down the single or Japanese import.

3.5/5 stars