JEFFREY MORGAN’S MEDIA BLACKOUT #494.120!

Gordon Davis – Shaft (Warner Bros.) :: Can you dig it?

Geoff Berner with Diona Davies and Wayne Adams – The Wedding Dance Of The Widow Bride (Jericho Beach) :: It’s not every day you hear an album that begins: “I’m internationally recognized as a really, really lucky guy. Everybody knows that I’m the lucky goddamned Jew.”

The Book Of Lists – The Book Of Lists (Scratch) :: I meant to type “shitfaced Brit psychedelia” but I’ll honor my typo as a hidden intention and admit that “stiafes brit psychedcecia” is a much better way to describe this Jarvis Bowie meets Suede Floyd glam pop album.

Dustin Cole with The Specialest – Try And Love Me (Scratch) :: Crystal clear vocals on cavortin’ cruise control drift languidly over a barren backwash of minimal and at times deeply distorted in the red instrumentals.

Isaac Hayes – “Theme From Shaft” (Stax) :: Right on.

Amplified Heat – Amplified Heat (Arclight) :: Feelthy mungified Texas rock that’s stronger than dirt and sounds just like Lemmy fronting Blue Cheer. Bonus points for stealing the intro from Rush’s “Any Way I Can” and reinverting it.

ALO – Roses & Clover (Brushfire) :: Track one on this professionally spit-polished platter is derivative enough of the Springsteen Allmans to get my attention and original enough to keep it until I start groovin’ on the tasty Simon & Fabfunkle vibe.

The Bay-Kays – “Son Of Shaft” (Stax) :: Hot buttered jive turkeys.

SIZZLING PLATTER OF THE WEEK: Various Artists – Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration (Stax) :: Stax wax is bax to celebrate its 50th birthday with a snatch-smokin’ bag of hot reefer releases that’re both old and new. This twofer hit from the original box set is not just required listening, it’s a 100 percent cumpulsory pussy-poundin’ screw-e-delic delight. So ditch those effete Motown pansies and drop down for the real honey-humpin’ happening. Oh yassss!

Be seeing you!