Confessions of a Fanboy

It’s starting to hit me like a 2-ton heavy thing. First, Surfing With the Alien turns 20, now “Luscious Jackson” turns 41! Oh, what the fuck happened to this world? This is just one more cosmic mindfuck to remind me that I’m getting older and I’m not real damn happy about it.

Jill Cunniff, bassist and lead singer of Luscious Jackson, turns 41 today. OK, so it’s a bit worse for her on the aging thing. I don’t mean it’s bad that she’s 41, just that it’s her birthday and not mine. Fuck it. You get the idea, you know what I mean.

I wrote extensively about Luscious Jackson back when Confessions of a Fanboy was just a column for Blogcritics. Look at us now, we’re a full-fledged, Big Boy site now!

I got some favorable reaction to the LJ piece way back when, I’d love it if you gave it a second look. I’d love it even more if you gave it a first glance if you missed it before. WARNING: it’s really fucking long, but I think it’s a good read. Go to the bathroom, wash your hands (hygiene, people!), get yourself a drink, and then get comfortable. It will be fabulous.

In honor of her 41st birthday, we’re going to put together an LJ-inspired playlist to celebrate.

• “Naked Eye” – We have to start here. This is the first LJ song I ever heard. If you didn’t re-read the aforementioned long version, I discovered LJ while I lived in Colorado. If you’re curious, the same ill-fated relationship is referenced in the Screaming Trees post from earlier this week and the LJ piece. Just… you know, if you’re curious about my circle of misery.

• “Never So Lonely“ – This is a great song from an album that is out of print. By the way, it’s a total sham and a crime that Kostars’ Klassics With a K is out of print. It’s such a fun record! It was a side project the members of LJ participated in, and this is one of my favorite songs from that record.
• “Under Your Skin” – This is one of those great summer songs. This is one for the beach or for riding with the top down. Whenever I listen to this song, I think summer.
• “Ladyfingers” — This one got some radio airplay when Electric Honey was released. It was easily the best song from that album and still sounds great years later.
• “Why Do I Lie?” – Even the hipsters from LJ get the blues. I think I’m drawn to the honesty in the lyrics. They aren’t pure poetry or profound, but they resonate because their bare and true. Emmylou Harris does some great backing vocals on this one. You might recognize this from Good Will Hunting, one of the few non-Elliott Smith songs on that soundtrack.
• “Roll The Dice” – Another side project song. This one comes from a band called Dusty Trails which featured ex-LJ keyboardist Viv Trimble. Trimble brought Cunniff in to sing lead on this cut, and it’s a lot of fun. Dusty Trails is also out of print and that, too, is a crime. DT (Trimble and Josephine Wiggs) was sort of a soundtrack/soundscape duo. There is some fabulous music on their album, with and without vocals.
• “Citysong” – I was never as enamored with the hiphop stylings of LJ’s formative years, but “Citysong” is pretty fucking catchy.
• “Nervous Breakthrough” – I wonder if this song is about the band’s reaction to “stardom.” “Naked Eye” was a certified hit and brought them from indie hipsters to pop star, if only for 15 minutes. Again, catchy.
• “Red Umbrella” – Another Kostars tune. I just love vocals on this one.
• “Water Your Garden” – Probably the masterpiece from Fever In Fever Out, LJ’s biggest album.

I had to leave a few favorites off the playlist, but it’s 10 mostly-fun songs. Coming to terms with my aging via the aging of Jill Cunniff requires as much fun as I can muster. Enjoy!

Filed under: Luscious Jackson, The Concept Album Mix Tape