The 1981 Listening Post - Was (Not Was) - Was (Not Was)

 Was (Not Was) - Was (Not Was)

#263

June 1981

Was (Not Was)

Was (Not Was)

Genre: soul/beat poetry

3.25 out of 5

You know who reminds me of Was? The Black Keys. That same groovy musicians who made pretty good music of their own but really worked better as producers of others. 

Maybe that’s just me, I’m tired and I’ve had way too much coffee this week.

My first introduction to Don Was was when he produced Bonnie Raitt’s record Nick of Time in the late 80s. That record sounds nothing like this one which is all funk and Soul Train grooves. 

If it wasn’t for Don’s pedigree I’m not entirely sure we would be covering this record since it’s heavily soul and funk and that doesn’t realllllly fit the rock mission statement.

Now, I know this causes some of you to bristle. “It all comes from the same place!!!” And I don’t disagree with that. But my experience with the other forms, jazz, soul, disco, R&B, et al, is so limited that it wouldn’t be fair to me or you for us to include them.

If someone wants to create “The Listening Post: Soul of the 80s” go for it. I’ll happily be a guest reviewer on that page. 

I can kind of dig the groove of “Carry Me Back to Old Morrocco” but I never need to hear it again.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/out-come-the-freaks/258293780

The 1983 Listening Post - Was (Not Was) - Born to Laugh at Tornadoes

Was (Not Was) - Born to Laugh at Tornadoes

September, 1983
Was (Not Was)
Born to Laugh at Tornadoes
2.5 out of 5

Highlights:
Knocked Down, Made Small (Treated Like a Rubber Ball)
Bow Wow Wow Wow

Why do I think of Ween, The Residents and Primus when this album kicks off? It doesn’t sound like any of them but it sort of does and then it’s a New Wave meets Chubby Checker rave up. Is this the Was brothers production audition album? Like, “Hey, everyone. We can do anything. Check us.”
Btw, it often works. Most of the time it’s like the Gulcher Records compilation album that went around in the decade. A bunch of “bands”, sort of connected, loosely, but really just an excuse for one group of musicians to get their shit out there.
And Shake Your head (Let’s Go To Bed) features Ozzy Osbourne, sounding nothing like you’ve heard him before. (Madonna auditioned for the song but wasn’t give the op to sing it until later and she turns up on remixes. I can’t tell if it’s her or Kim Basinger…seriously…on the version I heard. Oh, the 80s.) (Return to the Valley of) Out Come the Freaks is such an interpolation of “Come and Get Your Love” that I would be surprised if Redbone didn’t sue. “Smile” featuring Doug Feiger could almost fit on a Knack album…if it didn’t sound so wimpy and synth-laden. And those programmed drums are the worst, guys.
And…umm…Mel Torme is on this thing. This weird weird thing. On a song about a guy choking and turning blue.
Weird.

https://itunes.apple.com/…/born-to-laugh-at-torn…/1396689414