BRAIN: Malpractise, X Bros

[John A Swartz]

Will second Andy's comments on *Malpractise*.  "Needle Gun" is excellent,
although I can't compare it to Hawkwind since I haven't heard their
version.  "Hassan..." sounds pretty cool too - do my ears detect more
dropped tuning?  "Ciudades" really smokes, "Death Valley Nights" is
great (although I like the piano and bassline from the BOC version - still,
Al's vocals and the guitarwork is great on this version, and Deb shows
that she too "Plays the Drums").  "The Girl That Love Made Blind" is quite
different from the waltzy version submitted for *Imaginos*, and "Tour Spiel"
sounds great - tBS newsletter said this was different from the version that
appeared on the Minuteman tribute, but sounds really close to my ears -
maybe they just re-mixed the earlier version?  "Language of Love" sounds
different, but as good as the original, and "Name Your Monster is a real
kick!  Very different done acoustically - the wit at the end is fun, and
the guitar and bass work shines throughout -- but Deb's vocals!  Where
the original version was mean and nasty, this version is breathy and
seductive - quite good, oh yeah...  Oops, sorry, I drifted off there for
a minute (g).  "Baby Ice Dog" and "Career of Evil" rock - those of you who
missed out on the *Career of Christmas* tape have been given a second
chance!  Deb's vocals on "Astronomy" are great (a different feel from the
BOC version for sure), and finally, "I Am The One You Warned Me Of", although
acoustic, is very true to the original and still retains it's edge.

Al kind of hinted that the other 2 songs from the *Pull The Plug* tape
(Lady of the Harbor and Frenchette) probably won't make it to a future
CD (although LotH might in a different form) -- this is too bad.  I'd
really like to have those on CD as well - and, while I'm requesting songs
for *Malpractise-Volume 2*, don't forget the Watt cover of "Dominance
and Submission" (which about half the credits go to Joe and Albert on that
recording anyway - what with Albert's guitar, drums, and vocals, and Joe's
keyboards), and maybe some other rarities -- we NEED Pete Bohovesky's
"Christmas Song" (I have the tape if you need it) on CD (was hoping a version
would've hit his solo album), and how 'bout some other old classics that
BOC rejected - wasn't their one called "She Fell in Love With Ritchie
Blackmore's Dildo"?

John