The Wicked Wing of the West

My boss gave me the season four DVD of The West Wing after I mentioned how much I like the show. I'm thinking of popping it in this weekend and having a marathon.

Someday, probably someday very soon, I'm going to have to do an in-depth post about The West Wing (only seasons 1-4; everything after Aaron Sorkin left sucks), and talk about Sorkin in general.

By the way, last month before my wireless G died I caught Shattered Glass again on IFC. Keep an eye out for my review.

Belly promises

Before computer problems struck me mid-January, my plan was to use the month to spotlight Belly's Star LP. That didn't work out but it doesn't matter because during the first week of RJ Battles I did a post about the 4AD cassette artwork and showed my favorite pictures.

Of course I'd also planned on scanning the Gepetto[Remix] EP that I have- it's probably my favorite Star-era artwork. Then there are the "Feed The Tree" covers; each format has a different tree photo- the cassingle, the 45, the 12". And of course there's Baby Silvertooth, the Japanese EP containing B-sides and a "Tree" remix.

But fuckitall, it's February, it's time to talk about King, Belly's 2nd and last studio album.

King came out (in America) on Valentine's Day 1995, the same day that Throwing Muses's University was released.

I couldn't wait for King, but it ended being (to this day) a disappointment. The songs- as good as they are- are wrecked by poor production. Like the opening song, Puberty: great lyrics, an amazing chorus, the best title, but it just doesn't soar the way that it could and should.

Track two, Seal My Fate starts off with a guitar that sounds like springtime but even that song ends up being just mid-90's rock music. Same thing with Red, and on and on.

It's easy to see why Now They'll Sleep was chosen to be the lead single. It's one of the few songs that sounds complete. I read an interview at the time about how rough the rehersals were; they'd play and play and still couldn't get the sound they wanted. Anyway, it's what I'd call a Tanya Donelly "hummer", where- like "Not Too Soon" and "The Night You Saved My Life"- it's got some great sections where she hums a little and it makes the song that much better.

What should be the best song on the record ends up suffering the same problem as Puberty; King is amazing but it could've been 10 times better. It could've been the song of the decade, something to make everyone forget "Teen Spirit".

After everything else we're left with Judas My Heart which was, that spring, my favorite song from the record. I still love it, but now I think it's too bland and not helped by the incluion of the piano.

If it's taken me a long time to like the album, it'll take me twice as long to like the B-sides.

The Now They'll Sleep tracks didn't do anything for me aside from "Baby's Arm" and I don't think I'll ever like "John Dark"; on the latter some of the lyrics just get stuck in my ear.

Seal My Fate does better: "Spaceman" isn't a favorite but the band takes a new approach (Tanya Donelly says in the liner notes of Sweet Ride that had they stayed together, they would've continued in the direction of "Spaceman"); "Diamond Rib Cage" is a straightforward rock song, good, but like "John Dark" it has some lyrics that don't fit; the gem is the last track, a cover of Harry Nillson's "Think About Your Troubles"- it would've fit in perfectly on- and elevated- Star.

King was and is a troubled album. I don't think record studio pressure or constant touring helped. They couldn't get the performances they wanted, plus I think there were different ideas about which songs should be on the record. I think "John Dark" was supposed to be on King but got left off at the last minute. "Diamond Rib Cage" as well- I'd say the King artwork playing card theme was inspired by the song's lyrics: "My heart in a diamond rib cage".

So anyway, King is still a great record. You can put it on and have a good time and not have to skip any songs. It just could've been so much better.

Back for a couple days

There's been a lot happenning and even more not happenning. I've been sleeping plenty, working during the week, and reading all weekend long.

I had such big plans for January, February too for that matter. But January is the worst month. Sometimes the best you can say is I made it through January.

My internet has been down since the middle of last month; whenever I'm away from Facebook for an extended time I always expect more messages waiting for me, or at least more than none. Oh well.

Aimee Mann

Late one night in December of 1994 I was driving home after making out with my friend's sister, and before I pulled in the driveway Aimee Mann's new song "That's Just What You Are" came on the radio. I parked and listened and thought about earlier in the night and watched the snow fall.

I was never a Til' Tuesday fan, and I didn't bother picking up her album I'm With Stupid because I didn't think I'd like anything else by her. I didn't give her another chance till five years later when I heard "Save Me" on the radio. I'd read somewhere that she'd done some songs for the soundtrack of the movie Magnolia, but I had no desire to see Magnolia because I disliked Boogie Nights so much.

A while later I caught Magnolia on IFC and was blown away. Granted I have a lot of problems with the movie ( I'd slice about an hour from it and you wouldn't see the name Jason Robards in the credits ), it's hard to not be impressed by it. And I love the final scene when "Save Me" is playing- it's perfect.

The moment the movie was over I got on the computer and tracked down all the AM songs I could find and while they were downloading I looked up every Magnolia review and article, and Paul Thomas Anderson interview on the web.

Now I've got all of AM's records and I've seen PTA's post- Magnolia movies. Even though I was disappointed with Punch Drunk Love & There Will Be Blood, as well as The Forgotten Arm & Smilers, I still think they're both capable of great things and I'm looking forward to their future projects.

Sunday marks 3 months of RJ Battles

The next few days are going to be huge here at RJ Battles. Sunday, January 11, 2009 marks three months of RJ Battles. Three Months.

Monday, January 12, 2009, I'll be joining in the Final Girl Film Club; the film is going to be Grindhouse. I can't wait to see it. Plus, I've been wanting to join the FGFC for some time now. Final Girl is my favorite blog, the blog that I try to emulate, the blog that I'll never come close to matching. I'd link to FG on the side of the page but I have no idea how to do that.

Also, as you already know, January is going to be Belly Star month ( and February will be Belly King month ).

And of course, after all the demands I've been receiving I can't put it off any longer. My eagerly-awaited review of the movie Shattered Glass will finally be available this weekend. You'll get to read my comments first. In a few months my words will be added as a postscript to the deluxe DVD edition; Hayden Christiansen will read an excerpt after the picture fades to black, before the end credits appear.

Plus, to kick off Month Four of RJ Battles I'll be talking about Aimee Mann.

Oh baby I've been wrong before

I assumed when I started this blog that over time I'd get better at managing it.

Nope.

Some bloggers are able to insert photos into their text so that the words and images can match up. They can talk about, say, Cyndi Lauper's True Colors album and have a picture of the album cover appear right afterwards.

Three months into RJ Battles and, still, all I can do is post 5 photos at the top of a post. The only thing is- I've gotten worse at that.

Used to be, the pictures would appear, top to bottom, in the order that I uploaded them. Now they show up in reverse order and I have no clue- NONE- why.

What is going on?

In a minute or less I'm going to attach four photos to this post. Two are part of the sleeve for a 4AD complilation called Uncut, one is the back cover of a compilation called This Is Fort Apache, and the other is the cover of the lyric booklet for Tanya Donelly's Whiskey Tango Ghosts CD. That's the order that I'm gonna upload them; if it doesn't show up that way you can figure it out.

Sixty posts

I've written 60 posts for this blog; we're also nearing RJ Battles 3 month anniversary.

So far I'm pretty satisfied with the blog. It isn't yet what I wanted when I started it. My goal was and is to have a page that appeals to all interests but specializes in graphic art and record sleeves in particular.

What I really want is to share my enthusiasm for sleeve design. That's the hard part. I can post pictures that I like but I'm not good at sharing the enjoyment that I get from looking at them.

Anyway_ _ _

I'm planning on dedicating January 2009 to the Belly LP Star and its related singles and EPs.

And for February- Belly released their second album on Valentines Day 1995 ( Throwing Muses released University the same day )- I'm going to spotlight King along with "Now They'll Sleep" and "Seal My Fate".

Also_ _ _

Soon I'm going to post my review of Shattered Glass. The wait is almost over.