Local Music
The View from Nowhere
By Alan Goldsmith
Good god. Frank Allison, Ann Arbor's gift to popular American music at the end of the 20th Century, and his sidekicks, the Odd Sox, have a new CD just out -- "Workman's Meal" (Dazy Records) -- and this is as good a time as any to reflect, ponder and celebrate his musical history and present status as one of this town's most unique artistic lights.
If I wanted to take the month off, I could lift quotes from Allison's press kit. Lines like "If you are seeing only one band in one club and then forever swearing off rock'n'roll, Frank A. and the boys are the hands-down Ann Arbor choice...." and "If city council were hip, they would pass a resolution thanking Allison for not moving to New York," are wonderful, but then I wrote those over the past decade in praise of Mr. Allison for various local publications, so it would not be stealing; it would be recapping universal truths.
But this column is not a thesis on what musical taste I have, or of my innate genius in discovering cool rock'n'roll. Anyone with an ounce of smarts who cares about music and burns with a passion for artists who are THE REAL THING obviously can figure out Frank and the Sox in a few seconds. The reason I called you all here today is to talk about the new CD and why this boy isn't more famous than he is.
The 15-song collection is more of what Frank Allison does best. Its low-key, upbeat, low-rent, fun, catchy pop music that, while rooted in American folk, country and pop/rock, is off in another place entirely. While songwise this CD could have been released any year over the last decade with the rest of Allison's recording catalogue (which includes scores of tapes, 45s, LPs and CDs), there are some important differences with "Workman's Meal."
For one, this is the first real studio recording from Allison since 1991's "Hokey Smoke" (which should be reissued shortly on the Schoolkids' Records label.) That's six years you know, in spite of 1993's "Pig out" and 1995's release of "Russia" (recorded in '91) Frank hasn't been in a studio with a real producer for a long time. So, what do we have here?
Frank is still writing tunes about schoolboy crushes, crummy jobs, credit cards, being in debt up to your ass and smoking dope. The guitars are still HAPPY; there is an air of quirky abandon, and a sense that Allison's artistic voice is still fresh as ever, even after over a decade of covering the same beat.
But this time, there's more of a focus on the recording process. On the kick-off cut, "Baby's Behind The Wheel," a two piece sax/trombone section adds a bit of spice and it's a clear signal that we're leaving the era of "turn on the tape and just PLAY" and into the "let's make a real record" era. Guitar overdubs and arrangements seem plotted and charted out carefully and there's a lack of a live feel to the party. The songs are the focus and while the energy level is high, you aren't going to hear any loud, raunchy guitar feedback, nor exploding drum crashes or discordance. The recording is ... nice and easy. But don't get me wrong.
This is not easy listening. Frank's perfect voice is all over the world, flipping out, soaring over cliffs and cartoonish in its silliness. This is fun stuff, not sell-out get-on-the-radio pap that takes no chances. On some of the tunes, Allison gets more and more into minor guitar chords. As a result, things seem off-centered to a degree, even with the toned-down acoustic things going on with the record production.
It's a Frank Allison and the Odd Sox that wants to relax and stretch out a bit with the musical side of song writing as well as learn new things in the recording studio. But there are some classics here that you shouldn't miss. "Ramone's Drone" is a sweet-sounding folk tune that celebrates shyness and rejection. "Rita Meets the Mighty Mouse" is a cartoon love ode that rocks. "Workman's Goon" is a working class hero tale of grief that has an Irish feel.
While it would be nice to keep Allison our own little secret for another decade, we must think of the rest of the world and their loss I suppose. The question remains: Why isn't this man famous? Hmmm ....
The same thing that drives Frank Allison's musical side -- the slacker, sleep on the floor, don't worry so much, let's put on a SHOW -- is the antithesis of show-business hardball that it takes to make the major record company world pay attention. Second, Allison is sooooo wonderfully strange, most people in positions of authority haven't a clue how to market him. And while Allison has been blowing away audiences and packing bars all over the place for most of his career, hell will probably freeze over before our monopoly owned, local "modern-rock" radio station (WIQB-FM 102.9) takes his music and this wonderful CD seriously. Like it or not... commercial airplay is an important piece to the puzzle ....
Until these things can be overcome (and they will), sit back and enjoy the show, and "Workman's Meal" while Frank Allison and the Odd Sox still belong to Ann Arbor and not the world.
The View From Nowhere,
AGENDA, 220 S. Main Street, A2, MI
48104, or e-mail to:
AlanGoldsmith@compuserve.com.