D.C. Hardcore film, "Punk the Capital" on Kickstarter + from my vinyl vault: Faith's, "Subject To Change + the First Demo"

DC punk/hardcore film: Punk the Capital

When I first heard that there was a film being made that will be tackling the history of punk/hardcore in Washington D.C., I  totally flipped out!!!! I'm a huge fan of punk & hardcore in general; specifically the D.C. scene and many of the groups on Dischord Records that were very involved and integral parts of it.

As a kid/teenager, I was incredibly inspired by this scene. I spent all weekend usually with a small group of friends jamming to early D.C. hardcore bands; we'd play covers of Government Issue's, "Bored To Death", "Asshole", and, "Hour of One",  the Faith's, "You're X'd!" and, "No Choice", the Teen Idles, "I Drink Milk", S.O.A.'s, "Draw A Blank"and, "Gonna' Have To Fight"-- the list goes on! At that particular time we were too young to drive to go to many shows ourselves, much less play anywhere at that point in time-- we just hung out all weekend, and took turns switching instruments; teaching each other any new covers we learned, printed out the lyrics and all took turns doing vocals for a couple covers each, etc. Even though we weren't a serious band at the time and didn't gig, it was such a great time, and also provided the insight necessary to develop in order to be in bands that went out and played later on.

Faith's, "Subject To Change plus first demo" LP.

So naturally, when I discovered that they were having a Kickstarter to help complete the project, I was super excited and ready to contribute. In my choice of contributing $40 to the completion of this film I not only get to go to a private screening at the Black Cat for it, but also later will receive it on a 2-disc DVD. Perhaps most importantly, in a neat small way-- I get to give something back towards the scene that was a huge inspiration to me and one of the principal reasons I decided to play music in the first place; by contributing, it helps ensure this music will be properly documented as it rightfully should be.

I've also been happily immersing myself in the reissues Dischord has put out of some older and previously never officially released material; most recently being Faith's, "Subject to Change plus first demo. I just ordered this about a week ago, and it just came today right in time for all the excitement and hype of this film, as members of Faith are some of the many people interviewed in the film, as revealed in a trailer that has been posted.

Back of, "Subject to Change".

On this particular re-release of, "Subject to Change" the original 8 tracks that consist of that album are all put on to side A. The only thing excluded is the ridiculously long and exhausting looping laugh that was at the end of the record. Instead, now side B contains all of the bands first demo, which after being remastered; sounds full of new life and perfectly captures the intensity of the group in their earlier stages as a band. For a demo, its surprisingly incredible quality; its just as great quality-wise and just as impressive as the other side of the record, despite being a demo.

What's really exciting about, "Subject to Change" was that for this particular album the group had expanded their line-up to now also having Eddie Janney on second guitar, which really added to the dynamics and brought a new sense of melody into their sound. The contrast of this stylistic change with the demo featuring just the single guitar of Michael Hampton on side A is interesting and shows the groups growth and change of direction, its still furious relentless hardcore, but the melodic undertones of the additional guitar did make a significant change compared to the average run-of-the-mill hardcore bands that unlike Faith don't stand the test of time.

Inner sleeve cover w/Eddie Janney

What sets aside the D.C. hardcore scene of that time and Faith was the incredible songs that these bands were writing. Musically these groups certainly had similarities being within the genre "constraints" (for lack of a better term) of hardcore; however, the spirit and energy of the D.C. hardcore scene of that time will probably never be matched or surpassed. These groups, and Faith in particular proved themselves a force to be reckoned with, by presenting unique song structures into hardcore along with a sense of melody (see the song, "Untitled" for example). The lyrics were also incredibly passionate, and thought provoking.

Back of inner sleeve w/lyrics.

You could pick up your finger and randomly point to any song on the lyric sheet and find an intelligence that is quite contrary to the stereotype often expected of hardcore. "Untitled", "In Control", and "No Choice" are all just a few shining examples. Behind a great hardcore band is a great frontman-- in this case Alec MacKaye. The guy not only penned the groups incredible lyrics, but his undeniably unique tone to his voice and remarkable stage presence (if you youtube some live footage, you will definitely see!) created a channel for the energy of this relentless hardcore sound to travel.

I'm extremely thrilled that I'll be attending a fundraiser at the Black Cat this Tuesday for Punk The Capital that will have a Q & A with the filmmakers Paul Bishow and James Schneider, and hope they succeed in documenting this incredible moment in punk music. For any of those as equally as excited for this film as I am, here is the Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1137256310/punk-the-capital-straight-from-washington-dc

Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers at the Black Cat!!!

Shilpa Ray @ the Black Cat.

I owe a seriously huge thanks to my friend Doug for first telling me about this band a couple years ago; he had seen them at a festival I believe, and one day mentioned that he thought I would be interested. He definitely hit the hammer on the head with that statement. Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers gave an energetic and exciting performance, as I was lucky enough to witness it firsthand on Memorial Day at the Black Cat in Washington D.C.

Shilpa Ray uses a harmonium. A harmonium is a neat free-reed instrument, with a a keyboard and a drawer in the back that you repetitively open and close in order to pump its bellows. Sort of like if you took the bass/button/left-hand off an accordion and then laid it down flat. It's certainly an interesting factor in part of the creation of their unique sound; it's not a common inclusion in a band, especially not often so heavily used when included. Although the harmonium is perhaps most commonly associated with Indian music, her usage of it in this band is rather separate from that-- and probably has more in common with Nico's (yes, the same Nico from the Velvet Underground) solo albums than the latter. 

Shilpa Ray has a rather peculiar voice, not dissimilar to the spirit and charm of Patti Smith or the soulful grunting and howling of Janis Joplin. Yet her voice is certainly strong enough to stand on its own, and only faint reminders of others artists come to mind; just enough to make it seem somewhat familiar, but just different enough to be exciting and fresh. This is also true of the music itself-- it's equal parts early first-wave punk, indie-rock, and sixties psychedelic/acid-rock; all thrown in with  time-signature curve-balls, grooving melodic bass lines, buzz-saw guitar galore, and a propulsive rhythmic drive.

At this particular performance, the group did I believe all or just about all four of the songs off of their latest EP, It's All Self Fellatio; along with a healthy handful of selections from their debut album, Teenage & Torture. One thing I noticed right off the bat and was immediately caught up in was their drummer, John Adamski. This dude is a seriously hard-hitter!!!! He also had some rather intricate ways of doing things; not necessarily out of the ordinary, but a bit uncommon. He held his sticks more like a jazz drummer than most in rock outfits, he performed at least the first several songs with no cymbals-- all toms, bass, and snare. He stops and starts on a dime, and pounds away like there is no tomorrow. He was truly an impressive percussionist.

Shilpa Ray at the Black Cat.

Nick Hundley the bassist, had some very interesting melodic moments, and some rather fanciful walking lines here and there-- occasionally switching roles with the guitarist and often doing some pedal-steel guitar himself. Guitarist Andrew Bailey gave the audience both the attitude and immediacy of punk with his rhythmic playing, but also the stylistic chops and skills of a lead blues guitarist in his shining moments.

Though there was no opening act, it was honestly wonderful to just skip to the main attraction right away. The group gave a performance nothing short of impressive. They filled the room with hauntingly beautiful melodic drones, danceable grooves, and a crunchy guitar assault; with Shilpa's voice leading the way through their hard-hitting, sweat-drippping, blaring unique blend of indie-rock-- all topped with a wonderful and very brief split-second of awkward silence at the end of each song. That perfect delayed moment of realization that they just made your jaws drop to the floor before the room erupts into applause.

A diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Jo Basile & His Orchestra, "Play Music From The Hit Musical Cabaret"

Jo Basile's accordion covers of, "Cabaret"

I picked up this particular record on a special trip to meet my girlfriend/now fiance's parents for the first time, and also to help her drive her car back from Texas. On the way back we stopped to visit her brother in Missouri before coming back to Virginia, and while we were there we stopped at an antique place near her brother's house where I was lucky enough to score this Jo Basile album.

The title basically says it all, but for those who aren't familiar with Jo Basile and his albums; what is quite peculiar about this album is that he often just does accordion instrumentals of folk/world music and each album usually tends to just focus on one country/ethnic style at a time. Never before have I seen or heard of him doing a musical, usually he always sticks to a certain country as the basic theme per each album. So common was this particular stance of his, that I don't know if besides this and the, My World album (Jo Basile also played clarinet- but often did not mention, reveal, or perform any clarinet on any of his other albums much at all or possibly ever- except the My World album).

Basile continually churned out countless incredible albums with various standards from around the globe and performing them into beautiful arrangements for accordion from one album to the next. This album is no exception, except for its focus being on the musical, Cabaret. If you've ever seen the famous film verison of the musical with Liza Minnelli, then you already should be aware that its a perfect fit for the accordion; due to its usage of it in various scenes throughout the duration of the film.

The main theme itself soars beautifully as the record first starts spinning; the backing music of this manages to be both aligned with what you would expect and somewhat parallel to the film version, but somehow more energetic and sincere and minus the comedic aspects. Basile's version of the title track is in itself a showstopper, full of pizazz and excellent showmanship. Things then get to a finger-snapping groove with the swinging number of, "Don't Tell Ma". A transition into, "Pineapple" starts with a bouncy and circus-like introduction; flowing into a smooth calming moment before coming full circle where it started. "What Would You Do" is both mysterious and suspenseful; full of ticking and clacking in the backing percussion before fading into the cheery, "Meeskite". "Meeskite" is a particularly neat number, with equal amounts of swing and melody, both catchy, and also boasting a nice saxophone solo.

Back of cover.

As we flip to side B, the charm continues with, "Willkommen"- a rather addictive melody, and quite a climatic point of the album, appropriately placed at this middle moment of the record. Things take an exciting melodic turn with the enchanting moods of, "Married" with its bicycle-bells and light waltz backing rhythm, fluttering melody fills with the main melody re-inserted by the light and breezy lead guitar. This then blends like musical camouflage into, "So What?" where the chorus picks up with a loud crashing energetic rather fast waltz chorus, complete with a booming tuba as the backbone of the alternating bass line. The record comes to a close with the light, "Tomorrow Belongs To Me", a pretty little number that helps the record give this instrumental dedication to Cabaret the perfect touch with the final ring out being the closing curtain of another show well done. Jo Basile's albums are always a delight, never a dull moment. As far as accordion instrumental albums go, his are always a must. In fact, he's pretty underrated compared to say Frankie Yankovic or Dick Contino for example; his music is just as talented and just as skillful, and arguably is melodically and stylistically more beautiful.

A GINORMOUS diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Gogol Bordello's, "Super Taranta!"

Gogol Bordello's Super Taranta!

This merry bunch of immigrant-punks have been knocking out their trademark sound of gypsy-punk since 1999 with their first album, Voi La Intruder. Gogol Bordello pulls from various forms of European folk music: Eastern European & Klezmer, Ukrainian, especially Balkan, and many others combined with intense heavy doses of various rock influences. A perfect pinch of each is put into mix, creating a glorious union of genres while creating a style that is truly their own.

Gogol Bordello has been building a steady fan-base along the way of constructing seven studio albums since Voi La Intruder. Though it was with their third album, Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike, that the bands momentum truly took off. During the earlier period of the social-media craze with Myspace, each month a new band with a single and/or video was posted that millions of users would see/hear before logging in. Gogol Bordello was once featured on the front sporting their promotional single, "Start Wearing Purple" for the album and garnered the band even more attention.

Building upon this momentum, their next and fourth album to follow was Super Taranta! After the initial statement was made with Voi La Intruder, then stylistically harnessed with Multi Kontra Culti Vs. Irony, and then they were full embraced with the success of Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike. By that third album, and by switching to from Rubric Records to a more mainstream label with SideOneDummy Records; the group hit a critical turning point, they've gained both the attention, but now also the support they need and became truly limitless as a band. SideOneDummy Records being a bigger label, had the necessary muscle to provide better distribution for the bands records and related methods of support. At this point the band had mastered their craft; this album in particular, is arguably a creative high-point for the band and the results produced are arguably their best album up until that point-- or perhaps even yet!

Gatefold design containing two LP's.

The record is packaged brightly with a nice green background while portraying the band with nice cut-outs from live performances. What lies inside after you unfold the the stylish gatefold style cover, is an even more thrilling album properly dished out over the course of two LP's.

Things kick off rather bold with, "Ultimate" and then into a highly singable crowd-pleaser with, "Wonderlust King". Don't be fooled though, Gogol Bordello isn't a band that cares about playing it safe, things get to a wild chugging beat on, "Zina-Marina" and then explode with a brass-heavy chorus guest-starring Slavic Soul Party. Yuri Lemeshev then charms us his catchy and skillful accordion introduction on, "Supertheory Of Supereverything" with the energy constantly climbing before fading and wrapping side A of the first record.

The hard-hitting, "Harem In Tuscany (Taranta)" is ans infectious energetic tune, rich with melody and flaunting the bands instrumental showmanship; complete with an undeniably catchy chorus. The song gallops to an incredible climax and drop us out with an exciting transition into that irresistible chorus just once more before cooling things off just a tad with, "Dub The Frequencies of Love". The tempo keeps chugging along with the introduction of, "My Strange Uncles From Abroad" and possesses a dramatic fiddle line by the one and only Sergey Ryabtsev. Approaching end to the second side, Yuri belts out a fantastic and uplifting solo; followed by another solo by Sergey, and another chorus that has you shouting along in no time. As the first record comes to a close, the intensity has hinted the party has only just begun!

Back side & label.

 The second record jams out a fun shouting sing-along, "Tribal Connection" with just enough pace to keep things upbeat without losing any variety. Thomas "Tommy T" Gobena's bass line gives the song an incredible groove, and Yuri's reverb-drenched accordion provides a wonderful sense of atmosphere to the tune. Now that the band has given you a nice change of pace, they take you by storm with the thrashing speed of, "Forces of Victory". The flaring melodies jammed into the tight spaces of such a fast-paced song on this number is truly impressive. At the same time, you don't get the sense that they are simply trying to cram notes in or simply show off; it's a well written song full of melodic intensity-- the fact that they are showing off is merely coincidental. This song serves a great sense of purpose to the record in terms of tempo variations for side A of the second LP. They begin to wrap up side A of the second record with a calmer tone in, "Alcohol" ; and then conclude this side with "Suddenly... (I Miss Carpaty)" a high-voltage tune, where the band continually starts and stops on a dime.

The final side of the second record starts to spin with, "Your Country" is a neat song full of variety in changes, even featuring a neat synthesizer moment in the mid-section; this song really surprises you at every turn; it's kind of weird even, but incredibly fun and makes its mark as a unique number on the album. "American Wedding" sees the band launch into another gypsy-punk party, complete with another undeniably catchy chorus, and once again backed by the fantastic brass work of Slavic Soul Party.  The final closing song of the album, "Super Taranta!" features a brief return to the melody introduction from, "Supertheory of Supereverything" before launching into a world of its own full of rolling tribal-like percussion, and a highly danceable Balkan-like melody. The melody continues to build momentum, and the percussion continues to rumble with intensity layered by delayed guitar; the fiddle scrubbing away at the melody more, before rebuilding that intensity back up again. Finally exploding into a full blast of punk fury and dramatically ringing out, and then yet again fooling us and building us up yet once more; with those Balkan melodies still jittering above the surface before finally letting go.

For a band that single-handedly coined the term, "gypsy-punk"; who have mastered their unique fusion of these styles, and practically responsible for its creation altogether. Gogol Bordello really made an incredible album this go around, filled with rich melodies; ripe with hooks and strong choruses. It's an album that's loaded with fun, flare, and energy. It's put them on a fast-track to where they are today with the records that followed, "Trans-Continental Hustle" and most recently with, "Pura Vida Conspiracy" and proved them a force to be reckoned with.

A diamond in the rough... from my vinyl vault: David Bowie's, "Let's Dance"

Front cover

Though certainly not rare, its definitely a great album. I actually have two copies of this, one I got at a thrift store in Chesapeake and one from Birdland- I spent only $2 or $3 on each copy (only reason; back when I temporarily didn't have my own turntable, I had my records boxed up and didn't realize I had it after-all).

I remember- I actually first heard this when I borrowed the CD from a friend of mine's older brother, and I recorded it onto a cassette and I would walk around our block after school on Fridays or on the weekend and listen to this on my Walkman pretty often- it was one of the first obviously dated records from 80's I got really into. I don't mean that in necessarily a negative way, but with the production and especially the drum sounds on this- it's chock full of features typical of an 80's record, and the first record with that kind of style and sound- somewhat the "new wave" era, that I got interested in and exposed to.  However, unlike many other records from this period in music- this was a record that was very, with-the-times so to speak- that has also managed to withstand the test of time; not an easy task, as most pop music from this generation becomes the butt of bad jokes, outdated, and/or only thought of highly in terms of nostalgia.

Things kick off with a great boom, the opener and one of the lead singles, "Modern Love", still a classic from the album today; a ridiculously addictive catchy upbeat number, boasting a rip roaring sax from Steve Elson, all within the course of 4 and a half minutes. Worthy of countless repetitions, the strength of the album could stand on the shoulders of this song alone (but don't worry, it doesn't- it only gets better). Things take a semi-surprising turn as the opener fades and glides into, "China Girl", the famous David Bowie/Iggy Pop number; featuring a distinctive tinkering melody, another lead single from the album; Bowie's voice etched in the stone of the song, it's another trademark of the album. Third track in, "Let's Dance" boasts the famous Beatles ah's in it, but more importantly- this slight insertion discredit the song, instead it shows it standing on its own two feet; reinventing that moment musically for a whole new era. "Without You" is a particular tune, that just doesn't quite get enough of the credit it possibly deserves, the insatiable huge hook of, "There's no smoke without fire. You're exactly who I want to be with. Without you, what could I do?" It's a high point of the album, an understated tune and a climax for the first side of the record.

Backside.

Flipping over to side B, things get very rhythmically interesting and quite different with, "Ricochet". The energy gets cranked up with, "Criminal World", a song that also could've been a huge hit from this record. It's a song that boasts all the right moves, it has the perfect feel, the right hooks, the right everything. Things cool down just a bit, as we near the end of the record with, "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"; Stevie Ray Vaughn really shines on this particular song, and shows of his chop- flaring and waving in and out with his fancy fretwork in between Bowie's crooning. The closing track, "Shake It" ends on an upbeat feel, a grooving funkadelic bass line, both awesome and ridiculously amusing background vocals. The lead guitar weaves intricately in the perfect moments to provide excellent texture for the track, and the synth/keyboard lines provide the same funky-ness the bass groove does. Fading out, it's a record rolls perfectly back into itself again; it has to be played time and time again. Unlike so many other records of its time, though full of characteristics typical of 80's pop records; David Bowie's music, and this album too will always remain timeless classics.

Some home-state shows with the Fighting Jamesons....

You wanted the best... you got the best!

We recently finished up some Virginia shows in Roanoke, Fredericksburg, and Harrisonburg- also a show in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wrapping up the end of March, we played at Hard Times in Fredericksburg where we got to be KISS for just that one night (Mike got them to change the lights behind us to KISS lol). I'm a big KISS fan by the way, and I'm possibly semi-responsible for causing Mike to impersonate Paul Stanley from time to time (in the sense that I encourage this lol). My favorite Paul Stanley-ism is, "Why you people are hot! Why you're so hot- you're... HOTTER THAN HELL! (*then they roll straight into that song)- lol classic. Anyways, they really had some highly flashy stuff with the lighting in that place- and it made for a funny picture too. It was a great space, a long deep room- people were hopping around and having a good time, and the staff couldn't have been nicer. It was a rewarding feeling knowing we'd won the audience over that evening.

Starting things off in April, we headed out to Roanoke, Virginia to Martin's Downtown. The show was opened by Black Mountain Revival, a bluegrass band consisting of stand-up bass, acoustic guitars and mandolin. Though it was my first time meeting them personally, they go way back with the older members of the band- we had a great time hanging out and playing shows with them; they were a definitely a nice group of guys. Their frontman Chris was especially hospitable to us, and also really hilarious.

Justin the, "Irish Thor" Connor at Martin's Downtown

We got a chance to stroll around Roanoke a bit before we played; definitely a pretty town, nice atmosphere. It was wonderful to see some dedicated fans that have been into the Fighting Jamesons since the beginning both before and after the show; showing up with older Jameson's t-shirts. It means a lot to us in the band, because it's very inspiring to see their enthusiasm when they come out to the shows. Also, after speaking with some of them, they seemed highly pleased about the new record and the direction the band has gone in on the new album.

The next night, we headed out to Raleigh North Carolina to play at Tir Na Nog. It was a great venue, a beautiful large Irish bar- ripe for the Jameson's to set up and play our brand of Celtic-rock/punk. We got a great response out of the audience that night, including a nice couple who had seen us previously in March while on one of our dates with Lucero who liked it so much they said they had to come back- along with a nice handful of some fans from previous stops in the Raleigh area.  

at Madipalooza.

Lastly, was our show for, "Madipalooza" at James Madison University. For me personally, this one took the cake! The JMU students went nuts- I have a great batch of some very fun new memories of how wild that crowd was: the "Dr.Pepper-shirt dude" (he was my favorite) crowd-surfing in a giant circle was pretty epic, the gentleman's mosh pit crew to the left-front-center, the purple tank-top dude, the "you with the glasses" girl on her friend's shoulders, the security dude who did the "2-3!" on the Irish Rover- the students at Madipalooza were a rowdy bunch and they definitely know how to rock a Jamesons show. It was wonderful chatting with the students afterwards and conversing with folks at the merch table too. If and when we go back in the future- I'll be thrilled to play there again. These past few shows have been a great run- it's been great seeing older fans return, but also making some new ones along the way. In the meantime, we've got a great handful of shows coming up in May with a lot to look forward to.

A diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Judy Garland's, "Judy In Love"

Judy Garland's, "Judy In Love"

Judy Garland immediately brings to mind Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz; some people are totally unaware that she actually also recorded a ton of swing albums. Not to say that the Wizard of Oz isn't a timeless cinematic classic of course, but it's kind of a shame that her solo records didn't receive as much attention as they perhaps deserved. She had a precise way of selecting songs, a very keen sense of style; she really drove them home. Garland's voice goes toe to toe with the even the best of jazz vocalists.

I picked this particular record up at Birdland Records in Virginia Beach used for just $3. After downloading it, I quickly became a fan of her take on the classic swing sound. So once I got lucky and found it in the used bin, I had to pick it up. After initially discovering this album on the net and reading that she actually had quite a huge discography of recordings; a large chunk of albums that were completely separate studio projects from the vast material on the musicals and films she had also worked on. Musically, it's in the same playing field as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, etc. Jazz vocal pop at its best backed with swing/big-band instrumentation. Though she's not throwing any curve-balls at you, every pitch is perfect on this record; she's a master at her craft.

Judy In Love is her fourth studio album, excluding some previous film soundtracks, and was released in 1959 (well, Wikipedia claims 1958, but my record says 1959). The album kicks off with, "Zing! Went the Strings of my Heart" (this was also recorded for the film Listen, Darling). Originally composed by James F. Hanley in 1934, This opener was recorded by countless others, including (but definitely not limited to...): Frank Sinatra, June Christy, Dinah Shore, and countless others; not surprising since these are all artists in the same genre (as that applies to the whole album), and all doing standard jazz tunes if you will. Arguably, Garland's version steals the show to all the other versions out there- yup, even Frankie's. Things cool down a notch, as the needles glides into the soothing, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" another classic jazz standard tune, originally written in 1928 by Jimmy McHugh. I first heard this sung by a character in a somewhat cheesy yet amusing B-Rate movie not worthy of mention, but the familiarity and the charming lyrical moments in this song shine through, and Garland's performance of it not only contends with the best, but oddly enough- for a considerably old song and older form of music, feels almost timeless. The energy and sensational power of Garland's voice really gets to show off during, "This Is It", possibly one of the most climatic points on the album, the momentum behind her voice in this moment feels limitless."More Than You Know", also notably done by Mildred Bailey (a popular 1930's jazz singer- she's definitely an underrated one worth checking out as well) this is another light breezy number, setting us up for another emotional high to come with, "I Am Loved" (a treasure from the famous Cole Porter songbook) wrapping up the first side of the record.

Side B starts off with a slow-dancing, "I Had't Anyone 'Til You", a Ray Noble tune from 1938 and gently rolls into another Poter tune with, "I Concentrate On You" which starts with a similar feel and then builds to a controlled tension, and ends magnificently with a climatic release; an eruption of trumpets blaring and fading into, "I'm Confessin" and then once again returning for a Porter song with, "Do I Love You?". Though she selected Porter tunes more than anyone else, it seems her voice and his writing were perfect fits, as all three Porter tunes on this record demonstrate the many moods those songs encompass and really give Garlands vocal cords a chance to flex their muscles. "Do It Again" starts strolling us along for the close of the record with, "Day In, Day Out". 

All in all, why Garland isn't just as known for her music as her film rolls? Just dumb-luck I guess. On the bright side, she left behind a legacy of classic swing/jazz vocal-pop recordings, just as good- if not better- than all the other singers who performed these standard tunes, and if you are interested in what her solo records were like, "Judy In Love" is a great starting point.