Local Natives on La Blogotheque
And so, I must share their Local Natives sessions with you. As always, the video and the music are both emotional, beautiful, and perfect.
Yim Yames: Valentine’s Day Show
When Jim James plays a solo show, you know it’s gonna be something great. This past Valentine’s Day, Mr. James, or Yim Yames as he tends to go by these days, put on a fantastic solo show in Louisville, KY where he played a mixture of My Morning Jacket songs, and awesome covers (including a beautiful version of “Just The Two Of Us”).
Much thanks to Yonah for sending me the show. Enjoy.
I Will Be There When You Die
Only Have Eyes For You
Just The Two Of Us
Tonight I Want To Celebrate With You
Wonderful (The Way I Feel)
Hopefully
Bermuda Highway
The Right Place
Look At You
His Master’s Voice
Wonderful Man
Blue Moon
Take My Breath Away
It Beats 4 U
Sweetheart
Knot Comes Loose
True Love Ways
Good Morning Dove
Smokin From Shootin
All The Best
Anytime
I’ve Got Bugs!!!!!
These days, there’s a lot in my life revolving around bugs. Beyond to obvious roach issue that every New York resident is familiar with, there’s another Bug reference that I hope to be able to share with you in the coming weeks.
Until then, enjoy the tracks.
Pearl Jam – Bugs (Audience Boot)
A Tribe Called Quest – Buggin’ Out
Elliott Smith Live in DC (4-17-98)
It’s always the best who die young. Elliott Smith may very well have been one of the greatest songwriters of our generation, but his life was cut tragically short by two self inflicted stab wounds to the chest. Like many great musicians, his life was dominated by alcohol and drug abuse, which translated into fantastic songwriting.
Check out this bootleg, and enjoy the man at his absolute best.
Angeles
Division Day
Clementime
Waltz #2
Between The Bars
Southern Belle
Jealous Guy
Say Yes
Oh Well, Okay
No Name #4
Rose Parade
Alameda
Pictures Of Me
Some Song
Biggest Lie
St. Ides Heaven
Care Of Cell 44
Speed Trials
Thirteen
No Name #3
Ben Sollee @ Joe’s Pub in 2 Weeks
In case you don’t follow my Buzz and/or Twitter feeds, you may not yet be aware that Elana and I will be attending the Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore concert at Joe’s Pub on the evening of March 6th.
For those who don’t know, Ben and Daniel just released a new album called Dear Companion, and it’s just fantastic (review to come). I’ve heard great things about his live performances and I’m excited to check it out.
If you’re interested in coming, here’s the info:
March 5 – 7PM
March 6 – 9:30 PM
Tickets: $20
Hope to see you there!
Popout
Pearl Jam Scheduled as Musical Guest for March 13th Episode of Saturday Night Live
Local Natives: Gorilla Manor
Ten years from now, when compiling my list of Top Albums of the 10s, this is going to be up there. I’m going to be saying that one of the best albums of the decade came out just a few months into the decade, and I’ll use this post as proof that I predicted it.
Hailed by Pitchfork as Grizzly Bear of the west coast, Local Natives is in many ways an LA version of their Brooklyn-based brethren. Their album is even called Gorilla Manor, which recalls the name Grizzly Bear. It’s kind of like The Black Keys and The White Stripes; both bands are duos with similar names and similar stripped down sounds. But coincidences are coincidences, and all four of these bands are fantastic. While Local Natives does crossover with Grizzly Bear in terms of vocal stylings, their music is quite different with an unbridled happy aggression that is usually absent in most of today’s indie rock.
In many ways, Pitchfork is right; Local Natives truly are the west coast surfer punks to the ivy league, boat shoe, button down shirt tucked into khaki wearing Grizzly Bear of the New York area. Just as Kerouac couldn’t truly realize himself until he made his way out west, NYC indie rock needed that raw California emotion to reach its potential. Gorilla Manor is that realization.
Check out the tracks, check out the album, and please enjoy the music.
Monday Blues
Monday’s are never fun. Monday’s are even less fun when the rest of the world has off. Columbia University, however, decided that President’s Day was not important enough to give us an extended weekend. So I came home from the snowy wonderland that was Baltimore, and ventured down to school.
After class, I headed to the pool to try to kick out 25 laps. It just wasn’t to be. Besides for the fact that my body gave out after 15 laps, I had the most annoying swimmer sharing my lane. As he was swimming slower than me, I tapped his foot to indicate I’d like to pass him, yet every time we got to the wall, he wouldn’t let me past. When he finally let me go by, he decided that it was time to speed up and kept slapping my foot. So I let him pass me again, at which point he decided to slow back down. Eventually I gave up and hit the showers, only to find out that the hot water had run out.
Then my equipment in my lab wasn’t working, and I got home to a full garbage and a sink full of dishes. Today has been a Monday for the ages. Here’s to hoping Tuesday’s a bit better.
Buddy Guy – Stormy Monday Blues
Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughn – Stormy Monday Blues
The Avett Brothers: 7/20/05
I’ve recently been taken by The Avett Brothers. I dabbled a bit in their most recent album. Then saw them on Austin City Limits. And now, I’m just hooked. Something about them is just captivating and sounds refreshing and new every time around.
Check out this bootleg from 2005.
Pretty Girl From Annapolis
Please Pardon Yourself
At The Beach
Pretend Love
A Lover Like You
SSS
Pretty Girl From Raleigh
Pretty Girl From Matthews
Distraction 74
Left On Laura Left On Lisa
Old Joe Clarke
Pretty Girl At The Airport
Nothing Short Of Thankful
New Love Song
Sixteen In July
Salvation Song
Hesitation Blues
I Killed Sally’s Lover
A Blizzardy Mix
And the snow keeps on storming.
My class today was cancelled, but so is the bus that I was supposed to take home to Baltimore for Shabbat.
Anyway, here are a few wintry tracks to listen to while staying cozy and warm inside. In case you’re wondering why I included “Wish You Were Here,” it’s because of the blizzard-like winds at the end of the track that always make me feel a bit cold inside. It’s the perfect song for wanting to curl up with some hot chocolate.
Explosions in the Sky – Snow and Lights
The Tallest Man on Earth – The Blizzard’s Never Seen the Desert Sands
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
Radiohead: Haiti Benefit (1/24/10)
A few weeks ago Radiohead played a show in LA to benefit Haiti. While the audio quality isn’t perfect, it’s the most recent RH live show. So enjoy!
Intro
Faust Arp
Fake Plastic Trees
Arpeggi
The National Anthem
Nude
Karma Police
Kid A
Morning Bell
How To Disappear Completely
A Wolf At The Door
Brooklyn Brooklyn Take Me In
The Avett Brothers – I And Love And You
Load the car and write the note
Grab your bag and grab your coat
Tell the ones that need to know
We are headed north
One foot in and one foot back
But it don’t pay, to live like that
So i cut the ties and i jumped the tracks
For never to return
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I’m in
My hands they shake my head it spins
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
When at first I learned to speak
I used all my words to fight
With him and her and you and me
Oh but its just a waste of time
Yeah its such a waste of time
That woman shes got eyes that shine
Like a pair of stolen polished dimes
She asked to dance I said it’s fine
I’ll see you in the morning time
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape im in
My hands they shake my head it spins
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
Three words that became hard to say
I and love and you
What you were then, I am today
Look at the things I do
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I’m in
My hands they shake my head it spins
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in
Dumbed down and numbed by time and age
Your dreams to catch the world, the cage
The highway sets the travelers stage
All exits look the same
Three words that became hard to say
I and love and you
I and love and you
I and love and you
Owen Pallett: Heartland
For those of you already familiar with Owen Pallett and Final Fantasy, forgive me; this album is my first exposure to his music under either moniker. And while I will have to check out his FF stuff eventually, right now I’m spinning Pallet’s new album Heartland and I’m liking what I’m hearing.
My first thoughts are a cross between Animal Collective and Andrew Bird; broad luscious soundscapes that include th electronic hippieness of the former and the looped violins and soothing vocals of the latter.
I haven’t listened closely enough to the lyrics yet to make much of them, but Pitchfork seems to think that “these twelve songs are monologues from Lewis, an “ultra-violent farmer” in a world called Spectrum, as he tries to come to grips with his own creator, Owen Pallett.”
But the best thing about this album to me, is how it sounds better on each subsequent listen. Each time I spin it, I like the songs more, and find more things to love about the album and Mr. Pallett.
So please check Owen Pallett out, and as always, enjoy the music.
Owen Pallett – Midnight Directives
Owen Pallett – Keep The Dog Quiet
Surfer Blood: Astro Coast
This is what Vampire Weekend would sound like if I had my way. But this isn’t VW, this is Surfer Blood. This is the band that should be garnering all the critical acclaim, all the blogger hatred, and all the indie rock kid obsessions.
Surfer Blood’s debut album Astro Coast is filled with indie rock gems that don’t get repetitive and sound nothing alike. This is an album full of funky rhythms, grungy guitars, polished vocals, and upbeat fun music. But what makes this a true standout indie album is the guitars. The interwoven parts can’t be deciphered as rhythm or lead; they can only be defined by their greatness and brilliance.
This is a band that has set down their potential for greatness. Yet, unlike certain other bands that will remain nameless, Surfer Blood’s long reaching style that can’t be clearly defined or pinned down shows a maturity and breadth of musical abilities. We can only hope that this will lead to more awesome music down the line.
For now, check out Swim, the single released last year, Harmonix, my personal favorite off the album.
The Masses Are Kind Of Stupid Sometimes
I will never like Coldplay. It won’t happen. And for exactly the same reasons, I will never like the TV show Lost. It’s not that either of these forms of entertainment are bad. It’s not even that I bear a personal grudge against them either; Chris Martin never insulted my intelligence and I’ve never watched more than five minutes of Lost – not nearly enough time to allow me a vendetta against the program.
It’s just that I’ve lost faith in the opinions of the masses. This is a populace that gave Taylor Swift the Grammy for album of the year. This is a nation of TV watchers that pushed Conan out in favor of Jay. This is a nation of imbeciles that wants their music boring and their comedians predictable. In truth, I can’t speak about Lost as I’ve never watched an episode, but from what I’ve heard it’s not all that different from other network dramas; a show based on a weird hitch that favors plot turns over acting and storylines, and tends to get more confusing and less entertaining in later seasons, as the writers attempt to raise ratings by substituting writing for non-believable events. Now, in a perfect world, the masses would see through this. In a perfect world, formulaic shows likeHouse, Prison Break, and (dare I say it?) Lost would get terrible ratings and would fall off the air after a season. But it’s Arrested Development that ends up getting cancelled. I wouldn’t be lying if I said I’d lost my faith in the public’s ability to appreciate good television.
The same goes for bands like Coldplay. But with music, it’s a little more complicated. In general, at least in the rock music world, bands need to impress s lot of people to get attention at all. It’s not as if there are a limited number of channels and TV shows and all you need to do is impress TV execs. In the music business, you need to impress record execs, bloggers, concertgoers, and CD buyers. Needless to say, Coldplay did this. But to put your faith even in the music loving community is dangerous. Because for every few that the masses get right, there are so many that we get wrong.
Here’s the problem; once the masses like you, their opinions are sealed. They like you as you are, and never want you to change. They want you to record the same album with similar songs over and over. What would Radiohead be if they creatively peaked with Pablo Honey? Or The Beatles had they recreated Please Please Me over and over?
You see, everyone loves Coldplay. And everyone loves Vampire Weekend. And everyone loves Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear and Kings of Leon. And when everyone loves you, the easiest thing to do is keep doing what you’re doing. This works surprisingly well. The general populace wants bands to put out familiar safe albums that sound like the last one. This is the populace that loves Jay Leno because they know what joke he’s going to say before he says it. This is a populace that loves Taylor Swift because she’s cute, writes simple songs and will always stay that way. (And if you saw her duet at last night’s Grammy’s with Stevie Nicks, it was clear that the elder stateswoman’s voice is far better than Ms. Swift’s, and sadly, Taylor will probably never mature to the point where she can sing like Stevie.)
Coldplay, in a big way, fell victim to this rut. They put out a pretty good debut album; it wasn’t revolutionary, but it certainly showed promise. Vampire Weekend did the same; I was a bit annoyed with the songs, but they showed promise of a talented band that could go somewhere. And both of those bands, drunk on the fumes of their popularity, decided to take the easy way out and create more of the same, knowing full well that the majority of music fans would eat it up. Or maybe I’m giving them too much credit. Maybe these bands just aren’t as talented as it seemed when they released their debuts; maybe those first albums showed the limit of their songwriting abilities. Whatever the case, neither of these bands has put out a musically relevant song since their first albums.
Animal Collective, it seems, has been able to avoid this. By their nature, they happen to be an ever evolving band, both musically and sonically; painting broad textures of sound that are always different and always a dream to listen to. Kings of Leon have continually changed and adapted their sound, I only hope that they don’t fall into the U2 rut that marked their last album. Grizzly Bear too needs to avoid falling prey to the sirens of success, and will hopefully continue to adapt their sound, and give us great music.
So there you have it. I don’t hate Coldplay. I just don’t care about them anymore. They’re no more musically relevant than any other one-hit wonder. Just because they were able to blow our minds once, doesn’t mean they’ll do it again. So if predictable music is your game, then by all means, listen to Coldplay. But if you want something that rocks, or something that blows your mind, then do yourself a favor and listen to something real. Challenge a band to do something cool, something new. Listen to something worth listening to. Because, we only have so many years to crank out the jams before our ears blow out. How about we spend that time with some quality music.
Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky
Grizzly Bear – While You Wait For The Others
Fleet Foxes: Live in the Netherlands
CSNY was known for their harmonizing. Their live shows, however, were unable to replicate the pristine vocals that were captured on the albums.
The Fleet Foxes are a band that can recreate those harmonies in concert. If you don’t believe me, then give the tracks a listen to.
Intro
Sun Giant
Sun It Rises
Drops In The River
English House
White Winter Hymnal
Ragged Wood
Your Protector
Crayon Angels
Oliver James
He Doesn’t Know Why
Mykonos
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Blue Ridge Mountains
Outro
J.D. Salinger, Dead At 91
Jerome Davis Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye, Nine Stories, Franny and Zooey, and many other great works of fiction died today at the age of 91.
To the literarily inclined, Mr. Salinger was one of the greatest. His unique writing style was patently American, and his sparse dialogue wasn’t just unique, but was representative of the speaking and thinking style of many of the teenagers that he was writing about.
And while the author spent most of his life as a recluse (his last work was published in 1965), he remains one of the greatest American authors of all time.
Miles Davis & John Coltrane – Fran-Dance
Okkervil River – Singer Songwriter
Wilco – Ashes of American Flags
New Music: The Tallest Man On Earth
At the beginning of this year, I compiled a list of bands I love, who are supposedly releasing albums this year. The Tallest Man On Earth was on that list, and I’m happy to share this gem of a song with you.
The new album, to be called The Wild Hunt is going to be released on April 13th by the label Dead Oceans. The label’s website had the following to say about the forthcoming album:
With unbridled excitement, we bring you The Tallest Man on Earth’s second LP, The Wild Hunt. It is all here: The words. The voice. The melodies. Ten perfect songs.
So there you have it. Check out the track, and as always – enjoy the music.
The Tallest Man On Earth – The King Of Spain
(thanks to AD for the track)
Radiohead: Lotus Flower
Popout
Check out Stereogum’s coverage here.
Ticketmaster – Live Nation Merger
It’s finally happened, and it’s not good. After months (years?) of debate, the Justice Department finally gave the two ticket giants the go ahead to merge and form a monopoly.
While it’s upsetting, this shouldn’t be a surprise. With the large record companies unable to make a buck by selling albums, the next obvious money maker in the music industry is the live show. The worst part is, while music fans were able to get around sky-high album prices by illegally downloading the tracks, it’s going to be tough to get into concerts without purchasing a ticket from one of these monoliths. So we’ll continue to purchase tickets, and the price will continue to rise, with the big guys getting the largest cut, and the rest of us wallowing in the pit empty wallets and bank accounts just because we wanted to see a few of our favorite bands.
As Jim DeRogatis put it in his 2003 book Milk It:
[Woodstock ’99] set a new low for the blatant disregard of live music fans as anything but willing sheep ready to be fleeced for every last dollar while being bombarded by the forces of marketing.
He’s right, but what else can we do? Those of us who love music, and aren’t writers or don’t have friends in the industry will always have to shell out cash to see our heroes. And to tell you the truth, I can afford it. But it’s the teenage fans who can’t. It’s the young music fans, the ones usually most passionate about the bands and the songs, who are going to be shafted by this deal.
For more info on the merger, check out Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal.
Here’s to hoping this decade doesn’t destroy the concert like the last one destroyed the recording industry.
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (12-31-91)
Grace Potter – Ticket To The Show (7-23-06)
Pink Floyd – The Show Must Go On
Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison: Live
Looking back at this recording, it’s tragic to think how these two artists’ lives were cut so tragically short. At the time this show was bootlegged, Hendrix was 25 and Morrison was 24. Both would be dead before their 28th birthdays.
So we’re seeing two revolutionary artists at their prime, and the show does a great job of reflecting this by portraying each of these characters at their musical extremes. Hendrix’s guitaristry is fiery and fierce, as he plays his Strat like no one else can. Morrison’s vocals are dark and frightening, and he uses the microphone to express his frustrated poetry.
Check the show out, it’s a gem of a classic bootleg, and I’m proud to be bringing it to you.
Red House
Wake Up This Morning and Find Yourself Dead
Bleeding Heart
Morrison’s Lament
Tomorrow Never Knows
Uranus Rock
Outside Woman Blues
Sunshine Of Your Love
Eddie Vedder: My City of Ruins
As many of you remember, Eddie Vedder performed Bruce Springsteen’s song My City of Ruins for the Kennedy Awards at which Springsteen was honored. While the entirety of the song wasn’t played on the broadcast (a verse was cut out), it’s now available from iTunes, with all the money going to benefit Haiti.
So, get off your butt, click the link if you haven’t already, and buy the song. It’s for a good cause, and it’s pretty freaking amazing.
The Death of the Record Store
There are so few left. So few true record stores left in this world. While the album may or may not have died, the record store certainly has. Sure, there are a few hanging on for dear life, but most are gone.
In 2006, Tower Records filed for bankruptcy and shut down many of their stores, including the one in downtown Manhattan. While Tower was a large chain, it had a small record store feel to it, selling more obscure and rare records and always hosting live music.
Enter No Longer Empty, a a group of artists and art lovers who set up exhibits in vacated storefronts in New York City. In the former Tower Records building on the corner of Broadway and 4th, NLE has set up an exhibit calledNever Say Goodbye, using a number of artists’ depictions of classic albums, including tile versions of Nevermind and London Calling, a glitter encrusted version o Bowie’s Space Oddity, and Miles Davis’ Bitched Brew featuring what looks to be Jay-Z on the cover.
So, while the record store may have died, art is alive and well. Open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays until February 13th, make sure you head down there if you’re in the New York area.
Enjoy the pics, and, as always, enjoy the music.
Turn up your radio and let me hear the song
Van Morrison – Caravan
Counting Crows – Caravan
And the caravan is on it’s way
I can hear the merry gypsies play
Mama mama look at Emma Rose
She’s a-playin with the radio
La, la, la, la…
And the caravan has all my friends
It will stay with me until the end
Gypsy Robin, Sweet Emma Rose
Tell me everything I need to know
La, la, la…
Turn up your radio and let me hear the song
Switch on your electric light
Then we can get down to what is really wrong
I long just to hold you in my arms so that I can feel you
Sweet lady of the night I shall reveal you
Turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher radio
Turn it up, that’s enough, so you know it’s got soul
La, la, la, la…
And the caravan is painted red and white
That means ev’rybody’s staying overnight
Barefoot gypsy player round the campfire sing and play
And a woman tells us of her ways
La, la, la, la…
Turn up your radio and let me hear the song
Switch on your electric light
Then we can get down to what is really wrong
I long just to hold you in my arms so that I can feel you
Sweet lady of the night I shall reveal you
Turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher, radio
Turn it up, that’s enough, so you know it’s got soul
So you know, So you know it’s got soul, So you know it’s got..
So you know it’s got soul. so you know it’s got soul
Turn it up now! Turn it up
One more time!
So you know!
One more time! One more time! One more time! One more time!
Lou Reed: Metal Machine Music
Do not listen to this album. Do not download the song, and please do not stream it. It’s not worth your while.
Well, now that I’ve got your attention, here’s a bit of background: I’ve recently attained a copy of Lou Reed’s album Metal Machine Music. I had read Lester Bang’s take on this album years ago, and have been wanting to hear just what he was talking about. To quote Mr. Bangs:
You know when you get so tense and anxiety-ridden that all the nerves in the back o your neck snarl up into one burning ball? Well, if that gland could play music, it would sound like this album.
The album is four tracks of nonsensical feedback and distortion. It’s a mess. It’s annoying. It’s offensive to the ears. Yet, after a while, it becomes somehow soothing. Seriously. A minute and a half into the first track, and you’ll want to punch yourself in the head. But four minutes in, and it almost turns into peaceful background noise; white noise if you will.
Mr. Reed claimed that there was symphonic harmony to this album. He claimed that every sound, every nuance of amplified sound fed back into itself was planned and perfectly written out. Mr. Reed was full of shit. But while he didn’t create a masterpiece of sound, he did pave the way for many other bands to create beautiful music using distortion. Without this album, there would never have been Sonic Youth. There never would have been Pavement. There never would have been My Bloody Valentine.
What makes my discovery of this album so much more exciting is that I just received an email from school informing me that the Fireworks Ensemble, under the direction of conductor Ulrich Krieger, will be performing this album at Columbia’s Miller Theater using classical instruments. I’m intrigued as to how it will sound, and totally would go if it wasn’t on a Friday night.
So, if you must, give the first track a bit of a listen, but don’t say I didn’t warn you; it sounds like crap.
Lou Reed – Metal Machine Music Part I
Pearl Jam Lollapalooza Rumors
a little birdie told me that PJ, Them Crooked Vultures and Soundgarden will be performing/headlining at Lollapalooza this year. this is just what i was told. nothing officially confirmed though.
I scoured the PJ forums and tracked it down to here.
Two Feet Thick, however. pointed out that this wasn’t an official moderator tweet.
So there you have it. You can choose to believe, not believe, or not care. Just keeping you updated on the info. More as it comes.
Ben Sollee: I Can’t
This ain’t the life I thought I’d live
This ain’t the home I hoped we’d make
This ain’t the path I thought I chose
This ain’t the sky I’d hoped we’d see
This ain’t the tree I thought would grow
This ain’t the god to which I pray
This ain’t the song I thought I’d write
These ain’t the words I want to say
I can’t be your man
This ain’t the flag I thought we’d raise
This ain’t the wind I’d hoped would blow
This ain’t the ship I thought would sail
This ain’t the rose I’d hoped would bloom
This ain’t the play I thought we’d stage
These ain’t the hills I’d hoped we’d roam
This ain’t the sword pulled from the lake
Yours ain’t the heart I want to break
But I can’t be your man
This ain’t the end I thought it’d be
Are you someone I’ve loved before
In this the song the caged bird sings
Is there some law I choose to ignore
This is a faith I must defend
I’ve tried, I can’t pretend
There is a hope I must contend
We’ll find the thread with the strength to mend
I can’t be your man
Least not this time around
And it’s something unpredictable
Like where a leaf might fall
And it’s something unrestrainable
Like a rooster’s morning call
I can’t be your man
Miles Davis: Antibes Jazz Fest 1969
With Chick Corea on electric piano, Wayne Shorter on saxaphone, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack de Jhonette on drums, this Miles Davis set shows him at his most electric. His playing is fierce and unparalleled, and his fabulous backing band keeps up brilliantly.
Enjoy the show.
Directions
Spanish Key
I Fall In Love Too Easily
Masqualero
Miles Runs The Voodoo Down
No Blues
Nefertiti
Sanctuary
Jay Reatard Remembered
After reading through the comments on Stereogum’s article about Jay Reatard’s passing, I feel like I owe him a more complete eulogy.
No, I haven’t listened to much of his music. And no, if you asked me to name a song of his, I probably couldn’t. But that’s not the point; the point is that someone died. This death is no more important than anyone else’s, but now that we’ve heard about it we owe him our respects. Sure, he may have been a douchebag who abused his body chemically and didn’t take care of himself. But that doesn’t mean he was a bad person, and it doesn’t mean we should trash his memory.
So, to honor his memory as a musician, here’s a few songs to check out. Let’s celebrate his life by being inspired and moved by his music even now that he’s gone.
Jay Reatard – Always Wanting More
Haiti
As you all know, catastrophe struck Haiti this week when an earthquake ravaged the already impoverished city of Port au Prince. The relief efforts are only just beginning, and a lot more help and support is going to be neccesary.
Here are a few ways to donate to the cause:
- Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to RedCross relief efforts
- Donate via Oxfam
The Arcade Fire – Haiti
Andrew Bird – Natural Disaster
Pearl Jam – Tremor Christ (2-6-95)
Computer Down
My computer is officially down. While trying to clear some space on my laptop I deleted Open Office, which I rarely use anyway. Suddenly, Microsoft Word wouldn’t open and I was unable to open any executable files.
I’m currently trying to restore my computer to its factory settings (and writing this post from my phone). Hopefully everything will be back up and running in a few hours and I’ll be able to post some stuff for y’all.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
R.I.P. Jay Reatard
I didn’t love his music all that much but he was a well respected musician and will be sorely missed.
The Mountain Goats: Psalms 40:2
The Mountain Goats – Psalms 40:2
Pulled off the highway in Missouri and low our hearts were heavy laid
Made for the chapel with some spray paint for all the things we’d held in secret
Lord lift up these lifeless bones
Light cascading through the windows
all the rainbow’s heavy tones
He has fixed his sign in the sky
He has raised me from the pit and set me high
Left that place in ruin, drunk on the Spirit and high on fumes
Checked into a Red Roof in stayed up for several hours and then slept like infants
In the burning fuselage of my days
Let me mouth be ever fresh with praise
He has fixed his sign in the sky
He has raised me from the pit and set me high
Each morning new
Each day shot through
With all the sharps small shards of shrapnel
that seem to burst of me and you
Head down towards kansas We will get there when we get there don’t you worry
Feel bad about the things we do along the way
But not really that bad
We inhaled the frozen air
Lord send me a mechanic if I’m not beyond repair
He has fixed his sign in the sky
He has raised from the pit and he will set me high
Delta Spirit: People, Turn Around
Delta Spirit – People Turn Around from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
Delta Spirit – People Turn Around
Eighteen and jaded with guns in their hands
They were fighting for freedom, and just what is that?
Bills to the banks and food for the kids
Money for college, but couldn’t get in
Made all the grades, but got taken to task
By a man in an alley wearing a mask
Screamed and she begged as the people walked by
The man he just laughed and the woman she cried
Well it’s time all you people turn around
For the life we’ve been living, messing around
The blood we’ve been spilling will bleed us dry
The life we’ve been killing is the life like mine
The needle is sweet and the snow it is pure
The pain I’ve been hiding from, I’m finding a cure
The night it is warm, well the light it is cold
The family I’m robbing, I’m calling them home
It’s time all you people turn around
For the life we’ve been living, messing around
The blood we’ve been spilling will bleed us dry
The life we’ve been killing is the life like mine
My heart it is thumping the veins they’ve been blue
The blood that’s been pumping still hasn’t met you
The beard that I’m growing, not fully grown
The years are not coming the way I thought they would
I’m hoping and waiting for something to sing
Like the angels in heaven, the bones on the street
Hoping for love to find a new voice
The song that’s needs singing has already been sung before
It’s time all you people turn around
For the life we’ve been living, messing around
The blood we’ve been spilling will bleed us dry
The life we’ve been killing is the life like mine
It’s time all you people turn around
For the life we’ve been living, messing around
The blood we’ve been spilling will bleed us dry
The life we’ve been killing is the life like mine
Vampire Weekend: Contra
Something needs to be clarified: I don’t despise Vampire Weekend. I did not hate their first album, nor do I entirely entirely hate their second album, Contra. Sure, I disliked them in concert, and probably won’t pay to see them again. But I don’t hate them, and think that they have what to contribute to music.
That said, I do not like their music all that much. I can listen to about 1/3 of any one of their songs before I feel like someone’s trying to force feed me a popsicle and it’s getting all over the place, and not in the 3rd grader eating a fudgesicle kind of way where it’s cutely smudged all over his face, but in the awkward middle aged man on the train with ice cream stains on his shirt and fingers. Their music is an unwelcome sugar rush that seems more fitting on a Radio Disney album than on the radio.
Before all of you VW fans try to drive a stake through my heart (yes – that vampire pun was intended), let me take a step back. I do think that they are a unique sounding band. I also think that they are talented songwriters and musicians. I just happen not to like their brand of music. And this is fine. I’m ok with it, and I hope you are too. I guess I was hoping that they would depart from this childish style for something more appealing to my ears. They did not, and thus the band and I will remain at a distance.
In their review, Pitchfork states that “Vampire Weekend sound like they’ve fallen in love with what they started and are hugging it tight without shame or apology.” I guess I just really wanted to like this band and this new album. Maybe someday my ears will change their opinion of the band and their style. Until then, I’ll sit back and listen to something else.
…Hmmm. This wasn’t much of an album review; it was more of a tirade against a style that I dislike. So, if you want to check out the album for yourself, please stream it on their My Space page. Hope you enjoy it more than I did.
New Animal Collective: Brothersport
Like most AC music, the video is a real trip. The only think I can really compare it to is a Jon Hopkins video screen at his live shows (check him out if you can!).
Enjoy!
Popout
The Allman Brothers Band: Live at the Beacon (3/14/06)
To those of you who have been religiously following this blog for the past two years – I apologize. Almost two years ago to the day I posted this concert for the few who were reading this blog in its humble beginnings. But now, as we’ve grown, it’s high time to post this show again. Plus, the Allmans will be returning to New York this Spring, but not to the Beacon Theater; this year they will be performing at the United Palace Theater, in Washington Heights – right around the corner from me.
One of the more exciting things about this to me, is Gregg Allman’s desire to use Wash-Hi as a hangout during their few week tenure at the venue.
The band is also looking into other ways that it could make the Washington Heights neighborhood more familiar to its itinerant followers, who might not have spent much time there. Mr. Allman said he and his colleagues might rent a bar there during the residency that would offer “a safe, safe place to get loaded or talk to the pretty women — do the things that us guys do.”
While I’m not really in the business of “getting loaded and talking to the pretty women,” I do think it would be pretty cool to have the Brothers hanging out in the neighborhood.
This is the show I attended when The Allmans graced the Beacon four years ago. It’s been a while, and I think it’s time for me to see them again.
Revival
Midnight Rider
Firing Line
Rocking Horse
Gamblers Roll
Trouble No More
Into The Mystic
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Samething
What The Hell Is Going One
19 Years Old
Got My Mojo Working
Egypt
Leave My Blues At Home (Drums)
No One Left To Run With
Southbound
Soundgarden: Live in Denver
With the news that Soundgarden is reuniting, it’s high time to post some of their music. I found this bootleg of a ’96 show in Denver, CO, and though the sound isn’t perfect, it shows a band with a well honed live sound; a bootleg that belongs in this series.
Spoonman
Searching With My Good Eye Closed
Let Me Drown
Pretty Noose
Burden In My Hand
My Wave
Ty Cobb
An Unkind
Improvision
Fell On Black Days
Helter Skelter
Boot Camp
Rusty Cage
Black Hole Sun
Outshined
Dusty
Blow Up The Outside World
Search and Destroy
Slaves and Bulldozers
Never The Machine
Jesus Christ Pose
The Year in Review
It’s also been a great year for albums. And a great year for concerts. And a great year for music in general. Here’s a sum-up of the posts relating to all of those this year.
Concerts (that I’ve attended)
- My Morning Jacket – Madison Square Garden (12.31.08)
- Kings Of Leon – Madison Square Garden (1.29.09)
- State Radio – The Bowery Ballroom (2.16.09)
- Eddie Vedder – Lyric Opera House (6.15.09)
- Andrew Bird – Radio City Music Hall (6.18.09)
- The Derek Trucks Band – Lincoln Center (8.13.09)
- Pearl Jam – United Center (8.23.09)
- Pearl Jam – United Center (8.24.09)
- Pearl Jam – The Spectrum (10.28.09)
- Pearl Jam – The Spectrum (10.31.09)
- Sonic Youth – The Bowery Ballroom (11.25.09)
- Phish – Madison Square Garden (12.2.09)
- U2 – No Line On The Horizon
- Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
- Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey & The Groo Grux King
- The Decemberists – The Hazards Of Love
- Yim Yames – Tribute To
- Steve Earle – Townes
- Pearl Jam – Backspacer
- State Radio – Let It Go
- The Mountain Goats – The Life Of The World To Come
- Top 10 of 2009
- Top 50 – 41 Albums of the 00s
- Top 40 – 31 Albums of the 00s
- Top 30 – 21 Albums of the 00s
- Top 20 – 11 Albums of the 00s
- Top 10 – 1 Albums of the 00s
- Stream of Consciousness: From Jack Kerouac to Miles Davis
- The Death Of The Album & Attempted Murder In The Music Business
My Morning Jacket: New Years Eve 2009
Last New Years Eve I attended one of the best parties ever; My Morning Jacket’s concert in Madison Square Garden. And even though the New Year has come and gone, I figured I’d share this concert with you as a part of the bootleg series. Enjoy!
intro music – What Are You Doing
Move On Up (Curtis Mayfield)
Evil Urges
Off The Record
Gideon
The Way That He Sings
Thank You Too
I’m Amazed
Golden
Librarian
You’re All I Need (marvin gaye)
Express Yourself (charles wright)
Wonderful Man
Lay Low
Phone Went West
Look At You
Dondante
Smoking from Shootin
Touch Me Part 2
Run Thru
The Wanderer (Dion)
Dancefloors
Magheeta
new years’ countdown
Celebration (kool & the gang)
Get Down On It (kool & the gang)
Wordless Chorus
Highly Suspicious
Cobra
Islands in the Stream (Dolly Parton)
Bring It on Home to Me (Sam Cooke)
Cold Sweat (James Brown)
Anytime
One Big Holiday
Auld Lang Syne (sung by Jim James)
Soundgarden Reunion!
At midnight last night, as 2009 slid into 2010, Chris Cornell posted the following on his Twitter page:
The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!www.soundgardenworld.com
It seems like the wait is finally over, and the boys will be either getting back into the studio or heading out on the road in the coming year. I guess that’s what Eddie Vedder meant when he said that Pearl Jam may not be coming back for a while; it would be pretty hard for them to play without Matt Cameron, drummer for both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.
Unless of course PJ and SG tour together and Matt plays both sets… Here’s to hoping!
Top 50 Albums of the 00s: 10 – 1
40 – 31 can be found here
30 – 21 can be found here
20 – 11 can be found here
Drumroll please for the TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE DECADE (imho)
10. Eddie Vedder – Into The Wild (2007)
I know one of my rules this list was no soundtracks, but if you look closely at how I formulated the rule, you may notice that I stated that “Nocompilation-style soundtracks” are eligible for this list. And yes, I did that precisely so I could include this album. Because it is, in fact, an album much greater than the movie. I’m pretty sure no one knew that Ed had such a folksy quality to him until this album was released. A true folk rock troubadour, Eddie astounds listeners with his beautiful fingerpicking and his longing vocals. This album contains 11 gorgeous songs, all sung and played impeccably. What’s more, this is the album that led to the Eddie Vedder solo tours, and if you’ve seen any of those shows you know that this album deserves a place up on the mantle as one of the best.
9. The Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
This band is Canadian. Which explains all the French in their songs. I guess in my idealistic indie world The Arcade Fire would actually be French, it just seems to fit so well. I have no idea why, but they just seem like Frenchmen to me. But onto the music: This album takes indie rock to the next level. Instead of sad sorry derivative music that encompasses a lot of stuff classified as indie, this album is anything but repetitive. Sure, it sounds gorgeous and somehow familiar, but try to equate this band or this album to anything else, and nothing comes up. At every twist and turn we get a new style and a new sound, all without sounding forced or fake. From simple violin riffs to crunchy distortion, this album spans every genre and is an overwhelming presentation of creativity at it’s best. The Arcade Fire has earned the right to be in a class all their own. This is the album that bought them that right.
8. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (2008)
The premier prophet of our generation, Jack White strikes again. After successfully conquering the world and our ears with The White Stripes, Mr. White neither burned out, nor did he fade away. Nay! He turned around and decided to create a new band, The Raconteurs. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a raconteur as “the narrator of an anecdote or story, esp. a person particularly skilled in this role.” Mr. White and his bandmates are truly this. But their mode of storytelling isn’t a book or story hour at the library; it’s music. The album name comes from a quote on the side of the Washington DC Post Office that reads: “Messengers of sympathy and love, servants of parted friends, consoler of the lonely, bond of the scattering family, enlarger of the common life.” This album truly lives up to that; a unique sound, but familiarly based in the blues and in storytelling. Jack White knew that we, the music fans, needed something deeper than the brashness of the early 00s. He knew that at the heart, all we really wanted were some freaky bedtime stories set to music.
Well now you heard another side to the story
But you wanna know how it ends?
If you must know, the truth about the tale
Go and ask the milkman
Thanks for the milk, Jack.
7. Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)
This is the album that solidified the Kings as rock gods in Europe, though America wasn’t quite ready for them yet. Ironically, it’s the patently American South sound that makes KOL great, but we can’t seem to appreciate that. This is a sophomore album for the ages, described by the band as the hangover after the party of their first album. And what a hangover it is. These road-tested warriors are chock-full of stories from their travels, about girls, drinking, and good ole Southern fun. Sons of a preacher they may be, but this album is about as far from religion as we can get. Caleb Followill’s voice also shows it’s first glimpses of brilliance with his recognizable growling screech that simultaneously makes listeners feel the urge to clear their throats and chug a bottle of bourbon. So sit back and listen to the raw guitars, the ever rawer vocals, and be delighted by this unbelievable band, and eve unbelievabler (sic) album.
6. Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)
This is an album full of love songs. Strip away the computerized drum beats, the electronic sounds, and Jonny Greenwood’s tinkering, and you’re left with with Thom Yorke’s lyrics about love, life, and loss. But that’s not Radiohead, and that’s not this album. In Rainbows is another leap in the innovative machine that comprises this band. It’s another step forward and another push to change the state of music and creativity. We can listen to the simply beautiful sounds of pop music, or we can listen to the haunting beauty of Radiohead, which is both beautiful on the outside and the inside. This album is a just that; a collection of songs that are both catchy at first listen, and magnificently revealing on each subsequent spin. One of the happier sounding Radiohead albums, Thom Yorke and co. continue to excel at the creation of music as art – and continue to push the envelope creatively, artistically, and beautifully.
5. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2001)
The guys at Reprise Records must be kicking themselves for this one. Upon hearing the record for the first time, the execs at this Warner Bros subsidiary complained that there was no single, and subsequently dropped Wilco from their label. The album has since gone gold, and Wilco has proven to be a huge force in the music business, releasing successful album after successful album. This album, however, takes the cake as Wilco’s best. Though the album was written before 9/11, it has a haunting post-catastrophe feel to them, with titles like Ashes of American Flags, and two tall buildings on the cover art; it’s almost as if Jeff Tweedy and co. put out this album as a consoler in the potential event of a tragedy. Well, ten years down the line these songs are still just as heartfelt and as meaningful as they were when they first came out. I would like to salute the ashes of American flags. We salute you too, Wilco. Salute your brilliance. Salute this albums beauty. And salute you, for changing the face of music as we know it today
4. My Morning Jacket – Z (2005)
The glory of My Morning Jacket was solidified with this album. Every single song is an absolute winner, and more importantly, this is the album where we see Jim James and co begin to explore their experimental jam-band roots, combining the sound they had already become known for with a newer type of sound that’s not quite definable; it’s alternative, jam band, progressive, and folksy all at the same time. It’s also on this album that we first see Jim James as the master of all trades that he is, with the golden pipes, the rhythm guitar efficiency, and the lead guitar mastery that he shows over and over again, song after song. We are the innovators, they are the imitators wails James during Wordless Chorus, the album’s opener. And it’s all too true. This album is one of the most significant declarations of musical innovation this decade.
3. Jay-Z – The Blueprint (2001)
One of the best rap albums of all time, Shawn Corey Carter’s The Blueprintwas one man’s statement to the world that he was the greatest there ever was. Take into account the fact that this was all amid two pending criminal charges, and numerous feuds with other rappers, and it’s astounding that Jay-Z still had that much confidence in himself and in his abilities. But I guess when you’re the best, you know it. Angry at times, soulful at others, Jay-Z abandons gimmicks and some of his more poppy radio friendly beats, and just raps. His beats are catchy and his rhymes are smooth. Backed mainly by producers Kanye and Just Blaze, the Brooklyn native lets it all out on this one, rapping about his court cases, girls, and family. This unabashed approach strikes the listener deep and combined with unforgettable backing tracks, forces the listener to return to this album over and over again.
2. Radiohead – Kid A (2000)
Noises. Lots and lots of noises. And yet, they sound so beautiful. Having already released three successful albums, Thom Yorke and Radiohead decided that it was time to buck the trend once again, and step out of the arena of rock music and into the world of creation; not just the creation of new songs or a new album, but the creation of an entirely new sound. The album opener Everything In Its Right Place sets the tone for the musically absurd with vocals that ooze into some sort of song. Kid A is pure cacophony, but in a weirdly good way. From there, the album just keeps getting both stranger and better. The creative genius of this band is quite apparent in their ability to craft patently unique songs that are both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. This was the album that changed Radiohead. This was the album that changed music.
1. The Strokes – Is This It? (2001)
That first sound says it all. It sounds like a tape recorder trying to rewind something as its batteries are running out. I’m pretty sure this wasn’t The Strokes’ intention with the sound, but I see it as the death rattle of all the bad music that defined the late 90s, before we hear the first ever Strokes drumbeat, and damn it if it doesn’t sound absolutely glorious. And looking back, I think everyone who came of age in the 00s can relate all to well with this album. Is this really it? Isn’t there more to life than the monotony that defines the everyday? I remember the first time I heard a Strokes song –Last Nite. It was in my dad’s car on the way to school one morning, and I kept thinking that the opening of the song sounded exactly like the interlude in Tom Petty’s American Girl. But once the song began, it was clear that this was very different from anything else I’d ever heard. That year, at least once a week the song would be on during our seven minute morning drive to school, mostly when we were getting into the car, with me always hoping that the post-verse break was the one before the solo and not the one right before the song ended. I felt a connection to this band unlike many other bands I’d heard before. This was my music, and this was my band. Is This It? was the thesis statement for the entire decade, and the saving grace for a generation starved for music would be theirs and theirs alone.
HAPPY 2010!
Top 50 Albums of the 00s: 20-11
40 – 31 can be found here
30 – 21 can be found here
20. My Morning Jacket – It Still Moves (2003)
While not my favorite MMJ album, this one has a ton of amazing hits, and all of them translate amazingly live. From Magheeta, to Dancefloors, toGolden, to… Ok, before I name every single song on the album, I’ll stop and just let you know that I love all of them. This is MMJ’s first true masterpiece. Just to focus on my favorite song off the album, let’s shmooze about One Big Holiday. Everything about the song is perfect. We have the intro riff that sounds like something out of an AC/DC song (specifically the song TNT) that moves ever so delicately into the main riffage, which is potently grungy. That riff then descends into a perfectly alternative verse chorus combo. I’m not sure if it’s the crazy combo of styles that gets me going, but something about this song is just so good. Listen, and if you don’t agree, you’re just wrong. This isn’t opinion, it’s fact.
19. Ben Harper – Both Sides of the Gun (2006)
It’s not really fair to look at this as one album, but we will anyway. This is one of Ben’s most mature and best written albums. To give you a bit of background, this is a double album, the first of which is softer acoustic songs (a-la Ben’s first two albums) and the second of which is his heavier stuff (a-la Ben’s later albums). It’s rare that I’ll listen to a double album all the way through, but this one can’t be done any other way. The soft side opener Morning Yearning sets the stage with the heartbroken wake up call of a stranded lover waking up without his beloved. The rest of the side continues with the same theme of sad longing songs. By the time we get to the second half, Ben has transformed into a changed man, ready to take on the future. Is Better Way about moving past a relationship or changing the world? Depending on whether you see the song in the context of the entire album or on it’s own changes your perception of the track. Black Rain, is obviously about the floods in New Orleans, while Please Don’t Talk About Murder While I’m Eating could be about anything. The album closer, Serve Your Soul, sounds eerily like Led Zeppelin’s When The Levee Breaks. Possibly Ben equating the theme of the songs with the levee them in Black Rain? I’m not sure, but I sure am glad that he’s given us such a beautiful album open to such vivid interpretation. It’s pretty freaking awesome.
18. The Black Keys – Rubber Factory (2004)
This album was recorded in an abandoned warehouse in Akron, Ohio, and hell if it doesn’t sound like that. Gritty. Dirty. Messy. Bluesy. The duo of guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney sound larger than life on this blues workhorse of a third album. I’m not sure what’s more amazing: that two musicians can produce such a full sounding album, or that these white boys from Akron can play the blues so damn well. It’s certainly not your father’s blues, but there’s no other way to describe it. This album exemplifies everything great about the Keys. When The Lights Go Out, 10 AM Automatic, Grown So Ugly, and Aeroplane Blues all prove why this band is so great, and why this album deserves a spot in the Top 50. No bones about it, this is a modern blues band that just plain brings down the house. So flip on the album, crank it up, and watch your neighbors complain. Then invite them in to listen, because no one can really resist this band; they’re too darn good.
17. Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2006)
They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said ‘No! No! No!’
Oh Amy, how we love you. You sing like you’ve been smoking and drinking since you were born, which, considering your binges and gaunt figure, sounds about right. Amy’s sophomore album is without a doubt her best, and the one that introduced most of the world to just how soulful her voice can be. But beyond her voice, her lyrics and songwriting skills are unparalleled in the pop world; no one else can do it as well as Amy. Always in the tabloids for her famous binges and public displays of debauchery, Amy is that tragic artists who uses drug and alcohol abuse as her muse. But we’re willing to forgive all of that, as long as she continues to put out amazing albums like this one.
16. Radiohead – Amnesiac (2001)
No other band in the world goes so far off the deep end experimentally, and manages to succeed and gain even more fans. Radiohead never goes about anything conventionally. Amnesiac, the second album from the studio sessions that produced both it and Kid A, is the second and possibly more approachable of the two album. I personally love it. It’s quirky and thought provoking. We have weird instruments, radio clips, and sounds that can’t be placed. But that’s just me; I love stuff like that. I love it when guitars get stranger and stranger, and the music keeps me guessing, almost to the point where it’s bothersome. I love that stuff. I’m just not sure what the masses (the same masses that ate up NSync and Britney that year) see in this album. This album is one of my favorites ever. And apparently the world agrees. I just have no idea why.
15. Kanye West – The College Dropout (2004)
First things first. Kanye West is a douchebag. We knew it long before he stole the mic from Taylor Swift. We even knew it before Bonnaroo when he cried to the promoters that Pearl Jam played for too long. How did we know? I think it had a lot to do with those sunglasses, but we knew. Either way, he’s a damn good producer and an even better rapper. Not all of his songs are perfect, but this was one of the first times a producer successfully made the switch into rapping and that itself is admirable.Jesus Walks is one of the best rap songs of all time. I don’t care that he’s being annoyingly preachy. I don’t even care that he’s self referential or that he uses a line from Happy Gilmore. What matters is that this song is unbelievably good. As is the rest of the album. So continue to hate Kanye all you like. Just remember that he kind of is as awesome as he thinks he is.
14. Pearl Jam – Binaural (2000)
I’ve always derided this album as one that lacked flow. And while I don’t entirely disagree with that thought, I do think this is one of Pearl Jam’s best; certainly the best of this decade. Let’s start with qualifications: every song on this album is amazing (except of course for Evacuation which is nothing short of horrid in my opinion, but hey – you’re allowed one crappy song per album). The two opening rockers Breakerfall and Evacuation set the stage for the album, before letting Light Years lead us swirling away from the grunge and into PJ experimental territory; experimental but with a pop-like quality. The Mike McCready solo-fest Nothing As It Seems follows, which is basically 5 minutes of McCready soloing away; over lyrics written by…Jeff Ament? Betcha didn’t see that one coming. Thin Air is another calm rocker, which uses Ed’s reaching vocals to take it from an ok track, to a superb one. Insignificance is an PJ gem, and the first time the band took advantage of Matt Cameron’s unique staccato drumming style. Of The Girl falls in the purely experimental category, and Grievance is one of those songs that sounded ok, until we all heard it live, and our heads were blown clear off of our bodies. Rival is the sleeper pick of the album, one that I barely noticed until recently, but rocks with a patently Vitalogy feel to it. Slight of Hand, Soon Forget, and Parting Ways close off the album calmly and quietly – leaving the listener wanting to hear just a bit more of the grunge that started it all, forcing us to flip the record back over to side one and start all over. And that, is the mark of a great album.
13. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001)
This album changed the world. This album (along with a few others) helped usher out the terrible albums that marked the end of the 90s, and helped return brash guitar music to the forum. Listen to Fell In Love With A Girl, and try not to think about the summer of 2001, or the cool lego music video. This was a band that knew how to play their instruments (at least Jack did). They just chose not to. It’s almost as if Jack White knew that rock and roll needed to be saved, and he knew that we needed simplistic guitar rock to do it. So he put a hold on his blues rock, and like a stranger with a piece of candy, enticed us to come into his van and join him in his musical journey. Well, once we heard the first few notes, we were hooked and music was saved. I’m pretty sure Jack White is a prophet, and this album is the proof.
12. Radiohead – Hail To The Thief (2003)
Many people have told me I’m crazy that I like this album better thanAmnesiac. But this is my list, not theirs (I’m talking to you, Avi Sher). I know that this album is a bit more approachable, and maybe I like it more because it was one of the first Radiohead albums that I truly enjoyed. Or maybe I really like when songs have two titles. Or maybe the album is just awesome. Sit Down, Stand Up (Snakes & Ladders) just really does it for me. . A microcosm for an actual rainy day, before the rain actually has begun, the song builds up and churns, like the clouds gathering for a storm, leaving the listener anxious about what is to come. And it keeps building, until we finally feel the first drop. But there’s no full release yet, and we keep building and building until the clouds finally break and the raindrops, the raindrops is repeated over and over. The entire album is a storm of brilliance and poetic beauty. Just listen for yourself.
11. Eminem – The Eminem Show (2002)
This was the best selling album of 2002. A rap album by a white guy that sold more than any other album in 2002. That’s a big deal. But screw stats; listen to the songs. Em rhymes better than almost anyone else in the business and this album has him at his absolute best. This is a guy who somehow transcends race while at the same time flaunting the card in every song and lyric. But what’s amazing about his rapping not only that he annunciates every single word, but that he tells stories with his songs. It’s not the classic rap structure of a few cool sounding words followed by a chorus; it’s storytelling. Eminem’s songs actually make you stop and think. And while I ignored this album for quite some time, I’ve gotta thank Elana (I think it was Elana…) for turning me onto this one. It’s one of the best.
More tomorrow…
Top 50 Albums of the 00s: 30-21
40 – 31 can be found here
30. Okkervil River – The Stage Names (2007)
This album quite possibly had the greatest blog hype of 2007; it was uncanny how many bloggers loved this band, and how much I initially hated them. But at a certain point, something clicked. At a certain point I began to appreciate and fall in love with this band’s distinct style and sound. From the rhythmic Unless It’s Kicks, to the bass driven A Hand To Take Hole Of The Scene, to the soft flow of A Girl In Port the album is chock full of terribly catchy songs. Emotionally riveting at times, the album also includes nods to earlier bands and songs, most obviously the references to 96 Tears and 99 Luftballoons in Plus Ones, and the Beach Boy’s homage at the end of John Allyn Smith Sails. But while the album may have some lyrical familiarity, the music is anything but, as this band has taken great strides to be original, innovative, and amazingly musical.
29. TV On The Radio – Dear Science (2008)
“It sounds like Flight of the Conchords,” complained my roommate Sammy, as I blasted this album in our apartment while cleaning up one Friday afternoon. But while Brett and Jermaine of FOTC write comical songs, TVOTR seems to want to be taken seriously. And so we shall take it. The new-age sound that this band has created is both futuristic and punk-tastic at the same time; using electronic sounds almost as much as their regular instruments. When your band’s guitarist lists his main instrument as “programming,” there’s bound to be a lot of computer generated sounds in your music. Why is this album so good? Precisely because it sounds like nothing else, yet is so unbelievably approachable at the same time. Brilliance.
28. Green Day – American Idiot (2004)
When Yocheved, Gilad, and I bought tickets to see Green Day during the summer of 2004, I didn’t expect to see a great show; I just wanted to relive these pop-radio heroes of my youth. And then they proceeded to play an unbelievable show that was not only impeccably performed, but with the energy of kids half their age. What else should I have expected? American Idiot was just that; an brilliantly crafted album with the angst and energy of kids in their 20s. The idea of a rock opera about middle American kids was brilliant, especially in a time when America was becoming quite disillusioned with itself and it’s place in the world. The fact that the songs actually rock takes this from an album that tries hard, to an album that’s one of Green Day’s best.
27. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges (2008)
These guys can do no wrong. This album is hailed (by idiots mainly) as one of their worst. Yet it manages to boast songs like Evil Urges, Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Pt. 1 & Pt. 2, Librarian, and Aluminum Park. I’m sorry, but even if this is MMJ’s worst album, it’s still better than 90% of everything else out there. This is the album where MMJ continues the experimental stance they began with 2005’s Z, and brings their wackiness to new heights, all taken even higher with Jim James’ angelic vocals. On a recent episode of American Dad, Stan becomes obsessed with the band to the point where he refuses to listen to any other music. The fact that that doesn’t seem like such a bad idea to me only furthers the point that these guys may very well be the best band in the world right now. Peanut butter pudding surprise!
26. Drive-By Truckers – Southern Rock Opera (2001)
This is an album that unabashedly focuses primarily on the members of the band having never had the chance to see Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert. Sure, along the way we touch on high school drunk driving, Alabama politics, race issues, and AC/DC, but this band’s love for the Southern rock icons is proven and shown with absolute certainty. This is straight up whiskey music, and all of the songs drip of Jack Daniels (a drink that this band enjoys swigging from bottles onstage). The transition of the few spoken word songs into their full band counterparts is a crafty way to introduce the listeners to the topic in the upcoming song, and has an eerie haunting quality to it. The album lives up to it’s name: a true opera of Southern rock.
25. Jet – Shine On (2006)
Many people hate this band. The same goes for this album. Some go as far as to liken it to a chimp urinating in its own mouth. While I have no idea what Pitchfork really meant to say with that video, I do know that I disagree with everyone who has bad things to say about this band. True, their rock songs are straight forward and basic, they still manage to inject a certain amount of grit that other bands just can’t seem to mimic. Additionally, this album features two of the band’s most beautiful piano ballads in Kings Horses and Shine On. The songs show a maturity that wasn’t noticeable in the band a few years earlier. With this 2006 release, the band songs are a bit more carefully written, the melodies sharper, and the guitars tighter. Pitchfork: you guys have no idea what you’re talking about.
24. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008)
A chorus of angels. No other term better describes this bands sound. The jangly acoustic instrumentation coupled with heavenly harmonies give this band a Levite (Bible joke!) quality that few others possess. The hippie-bearded-acoustic-jangliness that defines this band’s sound takes what Iron & Wine was trying to do a step further by incorporating full harmonies, instead of one hoarse guy’s vocals. Listen to the intro to Blue Ridge Mountains and try to convince yourself that this is only a few guys harmonizing, and not an entire choir. Their voices and instrumentation take on identities of their own and tend to soar high above the plane of reality. As the song works its way past the first chorus, the music just explodes with a beautiful sonic boom, a microcosm for this band’s explosion into our lives.
23. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love (2009)
On July 6th, when reviewing this album, I implored my readers to “Buy this album right now. I’m not kidding. It’s that good.” Almost six months later, I still agree with every word I said. Their Homeric epic poem of an album is a masterpiece of storytelling and musicianship. The different musical themes for each character in the story makes this an album that’s both interesting and familiar the whole way through. Completing a task like this is not an easy one, and The Decemberists executed it with class, elegance, and musical brilliance. The Crane Wife, my foot. This is the best Decemberists album.
22. Daft Punk – Discovery (2001)
Most people know Kanye’s Stronger, featuring Daft Punk. What most people don’t know is that the song comes from Daft Punk’s 2001 albumDiscovery, and Kanye basically just added his own backbeat and a few limited raps to Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger – an amazing song in its own right. The funniest part of it all is that the original Daft Punk version also features other bands’ samples, making the Kanye version a twice removed sample. In truth, I know very little about electronic music, and even though Wikipedia hails this album as marking a “shift in sound from Chicago house… to disco, post-disco, and synthpop,” I can’t say I really know what that means. What I do know is that this is an electronic album that even I can love, making this album either a failure in that world, or a huge success in the contemporary one. I’m gonna go with the latter.
21. The Black Crowes – Lions (2001)
What makes this album so great is that it shows a more explorative Crowes. The sound is less classic rock, and more…well, more everything else. We have the grungy Midnight From the Inside Out, the anthemicCome On, the gospel Soul Singing, and the undefinable Young Man, Old Man. And even the straight forward rockers sound somewhat different from the regular Crowes song structure. Greasy Grass River, Cypress Tree, andLosing My Mind all have a bit of a different feel, while at the same time being quite obviously Black Crowes songs. Having seen the Crowes in concert, it’s easy to see these songs fitting perfectly into the rest of their repertoire. It’s only when you take a look at this album as an entity that you see this new and amazing direction that the Crowes chose to take with this one.
Sorry for the delay on the list. Time for a bit of sleep… I’ll post the next ten tonight. Till then.
Top 50 Albums of the 00s: 40-31
40. The White Stripes – Elephant (2003)
While White Blood Cells established The White Stripes as a force of minimalistic alternative rock, Elephant showed a band who’s repertoire went deeper than three power chords and a bass drum. Winning a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2004, Jack White could finally show his true colors: as a bluesman. But then again, this wasn’t your father’s bluesman. This also wasn’t your Stevie Ray-esque clone. This was a bluesman who had used the same 12 bars as Muddy, Buddy, and B.B., before veering off into extraordinary venues. While at this point we had no idea of Jack White’s musical genius, with our hindsight bias it’s quite easy to see this album as him solidifying his position as a rock god.
39. Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass (2007)
I’m by no means a big hip hop or rap fan; I can’t even define the difference between the two genres. But every now and then, an artist comes around that just forces me to sit down and listen. This album was my introduction to Aesop Rock, the stage name of the MC Ian Matthias Bavitz, and I was immediately hooked. The way he raps, annunciating every syllable while at the same time allowing the words to slowly roll off his tongue is unmatched by any other rapper that I know of. None Shall Pass features a the rapper’s 5th full length album, and it shows him at his most mature; better beats, better rhymes, and better flow to each of the songs. If you haven’t checked him out yet, it’s time.
38. John Butler Trio – Grand National (2007)
From the opening banjo riff of Better Than to the last acoustic jam of Gonna Take It, the John Butler Trio released a cornucopia of acoustic jam rock music with 2007’s Grand National. We’ve got love songs (Daniella,Caroline), political rants (Used To Get High, Gov Did Nothin’), and plain old feel good tracks (Funky Tonight, Groovin’ Slowly). This album also sees JBT depart from being a band focused on acoustic jams, and allowed them to explore the art of the slide-infused blues rock. Devil Running, a perfect example of this, features the intertwining of rhythmic drumming with John’s almost angry slide guitar. The combination is both brilliant and amazing, as the power chord driven chorus pushes JBT’s music to new heights; but not without intricate fingerpicking to bring things back home again. This album shows the band at their absolute best.
37. Deer Tick – War Elephant (2007)
There’s nothing like whiskey infused blues country rock to get your motor running. Deer Tick combines these styles flawlessly, all the while, seeming to have wisdom and grit well beyond their 20 years. Somehow, this band plays and sings as if they’ve already experience a life full of pain and angst. From the country jangle of the album opener Ashamed, to the drunken rock of Standing At The Threshold, Deer Tick uses their debut album to establish themselves as future mainstays of the Southern/country rock scene, joining forces with bands like the Drive By Truckers and The Black Crowes, and using as many overdriven guitars as they can, as much voice box straining as humanly possible, and enough Tennessee Mash Whiskey to fill a barn.
36. Counting Crows – Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings (2008)
Adam Duritz is an emotional wreck. We know. That’s part of why we like him anyway, so stop using that as a reason why we shouldn’t listen to his music anymore. For those of you stuck in 1994, CC have moved well beyond the innocent ballads of August & Everything After into the madly self aware rock songs of Saturday Nights. Unable to commit to anything, Adam Duritz puts his heart and soul into the first side of this two part album, baring his soul clear about his own sin, disillusionment, and the inevitable fall from grace that accompanies every hypothetical Saturday night. The second part of the album tones the music down a bit, wherin Adam awakes on a Sunday morning sick to his stomach at what occurred the night before. But instead of being immediately cleansed with sweet acoustic songs, we’re informed that the heartbreak is still there, and now it’s time to slowly pick up the pieces of life again. This emotional rollercoaster of lust, love, self hatred, and forgiveness, while somewhat ignored by critics, is pure poetic and musical genius.
35. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (2009)
It’s psychedelic. It’s bluesy. It’s indie. It’s pop rock. Truth be told, Grizzly Bear’s third album is all of these things. Southern Point introduces us to their jangly harmonies and melodies, coupled with acoustic rock brilliance. Then Two Weeks takes things up a notch with that catchy piano riff (though the video is a bit too creepy for my tastes). The rest of the album follows suit, with song after song of catchy well written tracks. In the summer of 2008, I spent an evening listening to the sounds of Grizzly Bear echo in the Camden air, as the sun set over the Philadelphia skyline. Then, knowing very little about them, I was convinced that this band was destined for greatness. Veckatimest is the next step in that direction.
34. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife (2006)
Stories set to music are amazing, and The Decemberists have an uncanny knack at successfully telling them. According to band leader Colin Meloy, the story is as follows:
It’s a story about a peasant in rural Japan who finds a wounded crane on an evening walk; there’s an arrow in its wing. He revives the crane and the crane flies away. A couple days later, a mysterious woman shows up at his door and he takes her in. Eventually they fall in love and get married. But they’re very poor, so she suggests that she start weaving this cloth which he can in turn sell at the market—the condition being that when she’s weaving it, she has to do it behind closed doors and he can’t look in. So this goes on for a while and they actually become kind of wealthy. But eventually, his curiosity gets the best of him and he looks in at her while she’s weaving and it turns out that she’s a crane and she’s been pulling feathers from her wings and putting it into the cloth, which is what makes it so beautiful. But him having seen her breaks the spell, and she turns back into a crane and flies away. That’s the end.
If you have the time, give the album a listen to. Whether you love stories or just great music, this one’s totally worth your time.
33. The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (2007)
Indie rock gods The Arcade Fire’s second album, Neon Bible, while not the innovative genius of their debut (only because they already did it) kind of defines the decade for me. Alternative rock in the 90s was just grunge music with a few major chords. Alt rock of this decade was offered in grandiose nature such as this. While I’m not taking a pot shot at my fave decade (90s), I do think that everything this band touches turns to gold immediately. Songs like Neon Bible, Keep The Car Running and Ocean of Noise are at the same time easy to listen to, exciting, fun, and inspiring all at the same time, The Arcade Fire will hopefully continue to wow us with amazing albums like this.
32. Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha (2007)
This is Bird’s masterpiece. Perfectly crafted songs, all accompanied by harmonies, violins, and most importantly – whistling. The way he weaves his melodies with his violin, layering sound over sound, noise over noise, until the listener can’t even tell what they’re listening to anymore, is astounding. His mastery of his loop pedal is only matched by his virtuosic mastery of the violin. Toeing the line between uncomfortable and majestic, Bird creates songs that are both peaceful and intriguing at the same time. He’s an artist unmatched by many of this generation, and this is only talking about his studio offerings; his live shows take him to an entirely different plane occupied by only the best. So please, listen to this album; you’ll hate yourself forever if you don’t.
31. The Strokes – Room On Fire (2003)
I was heading back to Israel, having returned home for a few days to celebrate my brother’s Bar Mitzvah in Baltimore. An avid Strokes fan, I discovered that their sophomore album would be released just days after I left the US. Distraught and disappointed, I consoled myself with the fact that I would be able to hear it in just a few months when my parents were scheduled to visit. And then fate struck. Wandering London’s Heathrow Airport during my stopover, I waltzed into a music store, and discovered Room On Fire sitting on a display. Could it be? Was it possible? Apparently, the album was released earlier in Europe, and I, your humble narrator, was able to benefit from this pre-release. I immediately purchased the album and popped it into my Discman (this was before first iPod, when I carried a book of 300 CDs everywhere I went). From the first notes, it was sonic love. The entire album picked up where Is This It? left off, making me, and my ears, quite happy on the flight back to Israel. Unless you don’t like being happy, you should listen to this album right now.
10 more tomorrow….
Top 50 Albums of the 00s: 50-41
50. Explosions In The Sky – How Strange, Innocence (2000)
Most fans of this band will deride my choosing this Explosions album as their lone appearance in my top 50 list. But there’s something beautifully juvenile and gorgeous about the recording. The quality is shoddy, and the buildup jams aren’t as intricate as they become on later albums. But there’s something pure about this album. There’s something that touches home about a group of high school kids just recording their own music, unsure of the future of their own band, with all of the beauty and innocence of youth open and visible in their music. This is the emotional yearnings of a bunch of teenagers, put to instrumental jams, and it’s so damned beautiful.
49. Wilco – A Ghost Is Born (2004)
The final cut on Wilco’s 2004 offering opens with the lyrics: “The greatest last track of all time.” And they might be right. This unbelievable followup to the groundbreaking Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (more on that later) features Jeff Tweedy and co. at their absolute songwriting best. From the piano ballad-turned alternative crunch of At Least That’s What You Said, to the soft billowiness of Hell Is Chrome, to the endless churning of Spiders (Kidsmoke) to “The greatest last track of all time,” (The Late Greats), Wilco once again proved that you don’t need radio-friendly singles to be a great band. Just amazing albums.
48. The Strokes – First Impressions of Earth (2006)
To many music fans, it’s as if The Strokes only put out 2 albums. Everyone knows about Is This It?, and most musically aware folks are pretty familiar with Room On Fire as well. But ask fans about FIOE, and they’ll either respond that they didn’t know The Strokes put out a 3rd album, or that they listened to it and hated it. Well, bullocks to all of you! The only problem with this album is that it came after two unbelievable albums. Brushing aside this album would be akin to ignoring Hail to the Thief just because it followed Kid A and Amnesiac. Take a step back and look at this album in the context of music. Then listen to the album the entire way through, and try to tell me that it’s not one of the best of the decade. I dare you.
47. Jack Johnson – In Between Dreams (2005)
Jack Johnson is not my favorite musician. His acoustic writing style is not my favorite either. But I think he’s got a number of things going for him. First of all, he ushered in an entire genre of relaxing indie-acoustic rock, and managed to do it without seeming annoyingly emo. Secondly, he doesn’t consider himself a great musician. He’s a surfer, and a filmmaker, and a musician. He plays acoustic guitar well, and writes chilled out songs. He doesn’t think he’s changing the world (Coldplay) or the best blues guitarist since SRV (John Mayer). I’m not sure why this effects my impression of his music, but I guess it just makes it more palatable. And songs like Better Together and Banana Pancakes are just too good to ignore.
46. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium (2006)
It’s never easy to release a double album. On the belated hells of 2002’s By The Way, when RHCP succeeded at releasing a relevant 28 song album, something unheard of in this day and age. With singles and mixtapes dominating airwaves, and album sales at all time lows, releasing a double album takes a combination of confidence and gumption. RHCP has both, and neither were misplaced. The album screams open with Dani California, followed by the gorgeously arpeggios of Snow (Hey Oh). From there, the album spans all of RHCP’s styles; from the funk tracks, to the ballads, to the straight rock songs. Winning a Grammy for Best Rock Album in 2007, this is one of RHCP’s strongest offerings ever.
45. Pearl Jam – Backspacer (2009)
Well, what can I say that hasn’t been said. Clocking it under 37 minutes, the album is a grunge rock mini-masterpiece; exploding out of the gate with three raucous tracks, before taking a step out of the classic PJ form with the new-age Johnny Guitar. Just Breathe takes us all back down to earth with “Into the Wild” inspired Ed-Ved fingerpicking. The album continues with the highs of Amongst the Waves, followed by the Wishlist-esque Unthought Knownwhich then explodes into Supersonic, a song with possibly the best PJ bridge ever, courtesy of Mr. Stone Gossard. Speed of Sound brings us back to the soft stuff, before we’re introduced to Force of Nature, a seemingly standard rocker that just keeps on revealing more and more of itself on each subsequent listen. The album closes off with the tear-jerking ballad The End, a dying man’s heartbreaking last words to his family. To those who thought Pearl Jam was a 90s band, start rethinking that. This is a band for the ages.
44. State Radio – Us Against the Crown (2005)
The band’s first full length album is quite possible their best. After departing from Dispatch, vocalist and guitarist Chad Urmston started his own band, State Radio. Focusing on political lyrics and reggae beats injected into alternative music, Chad and co. released Us Against the Crown in 2005, and followed it up by touring relentlessly the next few years. The album features some of the band’s best songs, including: Mr. Larkin, Camilo, Right Me Up, and Man in the Hall. One of the best alternative bands to emerge in this decade, SR continues to tour and release albums that somehow manage to go under the radar of major labels and magazines. Too bad; this is a band for the ages.
43. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals (2008)
It’s not everyday that such a revolutionary album comes out. DJs and those in the know just claim that Greg Gillis was the first guy to start using the pre-made “cut it and match it” technology, and that he himself isn’t much of an artist. But that’s really the point of great artistry: I too could’ve stuck a bicycle on a stool, but Duchamp is famous because he did it first. Same goes with Girl Talk. Now, beyond the innovation, this guy straight up knows how to mix and match great songs. With a minimum of 15 different samples on every single track, Gillis astounds and amazes listeners with his ability to combine so many great songs into one that’s just fun to dance to. It may not be your father’s music, but damn if it isn’t awesome.
42. The Vines – Highly Evolved (2002)
At the height of the supposed “garage-rock” revival, The Vines released their first album. The album switches back and forth between hard rock and psychedelic ballads, from Get Free to Autumn Shade. Songs like Mary Jane take listeners on a Pink Floyd inspired trip, while 1969, a seeming straight rocker, creates something of a sonic freakout, by speeding up the song more and more, until the listener is just begging for the release, wherein the too fast riff fades out in a scream of feedback, only to be brought back by a groan and overdriven guitars. Musically, the album is both innovative and amazing. While it was lumped together with bands like The White Stripes and The Strokes, this Vines album only shares one thing with those other two artists: a step away from nu-metal and pop-punk, and back to straight forward rock.
41. Audioslave – Audioslave (2002)
Lets just start off with the basics. Both Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine were better bands. But this wasn’t just a band. This was a supergroup. Combining the vocal power of Chris Cornell with Tom Morello and his rhythm section, Audioslave’s self titled debut album was a musical powerhouse, even if it did sound kind of like RATM with a more-singy/less-rappy vocalist. From the opener Cochise (what does that even mean?), the album exploded with straight-forward rock songs, featuring the patented Tom Morello guitar fidgetry. While I Am The Highway actually sees Morello playing a straightforward solo, the rest of the album relies on the tested and approved screechy sound method, with Morello rubbing the strings while flipping the pickup switch back and forth. Sure, this album isn’t Superunknown, and it isn’t Evil Empire. But if we can get past those two bands, we’ll be able to see this album for the rock masterpiece that it is.
Tomorrow: Albums 40-31
The Death of the Album & Attempted Murder In The Music Business
The album should have died. Music should have been reduced to mixtapes and singles, with the art of the full length studio offering going the way of map reading and newspaper folding. Just to take a step back and bring you up to speed, I’m pretty sure that the recording industry tried to kill music in the 00s. This was not a cognitive decision, nor can one single action be pointed to that tells us why or how albums came under attack.
The decade started off brightly for the music industry, with ‘N Sync selling 2.4 million copies of “No Strings Attached” in 2000. Record execs sat back, and smoked their cigars; confident that they had discovered the perfect formula for pop music, and thus the perfect money making machine. But what they forgot, was that the people don’t want a a formula; they want music. This, in essence was the fatal error of the record companies, and what led to both the destruction of the recording industry, and a musical revolution.
While it’s impossible to point to any moment in time when this happened, let’s take a trip back to 2001, when Wilco presented Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to their label, Reprise Records. Certain execs are said to have hated the album, and unable to find a ‘decent’ single to release, they decided to drop Wilco from the label
The album, hailed as one of the best of the decade by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NME, Paste, Uncut, and many others, wasn’t good enough for Reprise Records, a small subsidiary of Warner Brothers Records. It was probably more important for Reprise to release Mandy Moore’s self titled offering that year, an album which she herself admits “sucked.” But then again, Mandy had singles, while Wilco did not.
Pushing aside the fact that Pot Kettle Black, Jesus, etc., and Heavy Metal Drummer all should have been viable options for singles, what’s most frightening is that one of the greatest albums of the decade (ever?) was almost never released, because it was deemed un-radio friendly. Wilco, unwilling to let this ruin their plans for alt-rock domination, gained rights to the album, and began streaming it for free on their site.
Music 1, The Man 0.
And suddenly, the industry began to decline sharply. The record industry responded by releasing singles, and selling tracks one at a time on Amazon, iTunes, and a myriad of other sites. Bands responded by writing great albums and touring relentlessly. And so, the distance between the artists and the labels was again widened.
In 2006, Pearl Jam broke away from Sony to release their self titled album. This past year, Backspacer was ranked 11th best album of the year by Rolling Stone, and was only distributed by Target, and small record stores.
Music 2, The Man 0.
Radiohead released one of the best albums ever in 2007 by offering it for free on their website. When they eventually released physical copies of the album, it still sold surprisingly well, proving that people want to own good albums.
Music 3, The Man 0.
Girl Talk released 2008’s Feed the Animals for free on his MySpace page. Not only did this take a shot at record companies by sampling music from their artists without compensation, but it was in Time Magazine’s top ten albums of 2008, #24 in Rolling Stone’s top 50, ranked 16th best album of the year by NPR listeners, and #2 of 2008 according to Blender magazine.
Music 5 billion. The Man 0.
And so it goes. Record companies think the populace wants pre-packaged pop, music responds with what we truly want. Record companies think we want our music one song at a time, music responds by creating albums of amazing artistic expression.
Just yesterday, my own brother in law made the claim that this decade featured the death of the album. So Shua, I implore you to go through this list of albums, and then try to reform that opinion. No two decades are the same, but what the 00s proved more than anything, that no matter what – music will never die, and the art of the album will continue to exist, as long as there are people out there who love music.
The first installation of the Top 50 Albums of the 00s will be posted in just a few. Try to keep your pants on until then…
Top 10 Albums of 2009
10. Steve Earle – Townes
In memory of his mentor, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle put out this album full of covers. From the patently country White Freightliner Blues, to the harsh blues of Lungs, Earle does a fantastic job paying tribute to his hero and his friend.
9. U2 – No Line on the Horizon
“Get on your boots. Sexy boots.” Needless to say, the first single didn’t sound promising. And then the album came out. Opening with the anthemic title track, the studio offering explodes with a U2 that I haven’t seen since the 90s. Soaring at times, humbling at others, the entire album runs from the gamut of human emotions, from the religious, to the personal, to the purely sexual; a strong offering from a band that never seems to let up.
8. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
While not the epic masterpiece of 2007’s Armchair Apocrypha, Noble Beast is a whirlwind of sounds and excitement. Once again, Mr. Bird has almost single-handedly created a symphony of sound using his violin, a guitar, his voice, and his beautiful whistling. Fitz and the Dizzyspells, Oh No, and Effigy are all tracks worthy of an Andrew Bird greatest hits CD, thus making this album a highlight of 2009.
7. Silversun Pickups – Swoon
I never wanted to like the Silversun Pickups. Something about this so-called “grunge revivalist” band rubbed me the wrong way. And then I heard Swoon. Sure, he sounds just like Billy Corgan. Ok, so they all sound like the Smashing Pumpkins. But who cares? The Pumpkins stopped putting out good records 10 years ago; the Silversun Pickups are just picking up where they left off. Highlights include There’s No Secrets This Year and Panic Switch.
6. Wilco – Wilco (the album)
This is a band that can do no wrong; Jeff Tweedy’s voice is just too damn sweet. Every single emo-rocker is trying to get pack the emotion that Tweedy seems to get into every word, and none of them come close. And he does it packaged under the pretense of alt-country rock. From the ironically self aware Wilco (the song) that opens the album, to the ballad – Everlasting Everything – that closes it, Wilco has managed to stay both relevant and musically brilliant.
5. The Mountain Goats – The Life of the World to Come
While I only recently discovered The Mountain Goats, their 2009 release blew me away unlike many other albums I’d heard this year. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a powerful voice, singer/songwriter John Darnielle uses the Biblical themes of his songs to chastise and inspire his listeners; a fiery preacher singing songs of hope, love, and faith to his devoted parishioners. I too, Mr. Darnielle, have become a believer.
4. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
It was just about a year ago when this album was leaked. By the first day of 2009, most bloggers had concluded that this would be the best album of the year. Not wanting to be swayed by their excitement, I decided to give the album a listen myself. Now, while it’s not necessarily the best album of the year, it’s certainly up there. Songs like In the Flowers, My Girls, and Summertime Clothes have this uncanny ability to captivate listeners, both confusing and delighting them. This wacky LSD-infused circus explodes in your ears and leaves you wondering when the freak show will be returning to your town next.
3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
It’s psychedelic. It’s bluesy. It’s indie. It’s pop rock; truth be told, Grizzly Bear’s third album is all of these things. Southern Point introduces us to their jangly harmonies and melodies, coupled with acoustic rock brilliance. Then Two Weeks takes things up a notch with that catchy piano riff (though the video is a bit too creepy for my tastes). The rest of the album follows suit, with song after song of catchy well written tracks. In the summer of 2008, I spent an evening listening to the sounds of Grizzly Bear echo in the Camden air, as the sun set over the Philadelphia skyline. Then, knowing very little about them, I was convinced that this band was destined for greatness. Veckatimest is the next step in that direction.
2. Pearl Jam – Backspacer
Well, what can I say that hasn’t been said. Clocking it under 37 minutes, the album is a grunge rock mini-masterpiece; exploding out of the gate with three raucous tracks, before taking a step out of the classic PJ form with the new-age Johnny Guitar. Just Breathe takes us all back down to earth with Into the Wild inspired Ed-Ved fingerpicking. The album continues with the highs of Amongst the Waves, followed by the Wishlist-esque Unthought Known which then explodes into Supersonic, a song with possibly the best PJ bridge ever, courtesy of Mr. Stone Gossard. Speed of Sound brings us back to the soft stuff, before we’re introduced to Force of Nature, a seemingly standard rocker that just keeps on revealing more and more of itself on each subsequent listen. The album closes off with the tear-jerking ballad The End, a dying man’s heartbreaking last words to his family. To those who thought Pearl Jam was a 90s band, start rethinking that. This is a band for the ages.
1. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love
On July 6th, when reviewing this album, I implored my readers to “Buy this album right now. I’m not kidding. It’s that good.” Almost six months later, I still agree with every word I said. Their Homeric epic poem of an album is a masterpiece of storytelling and musicianship. The different musical themes for each character in the story makes this an album that’s both interesting and familiar the whole way through. Completing a task like this is not an easy one, and The Decemberists executed it with class, elegance, and musical brilliance. The Crane Wife, my foot. This is the best Decemberists album.
Honorable Mentions:
- The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
- Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King
- Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 – White Lies for a Dark Time
- Jay-Z – The Blueprint III
- Sonic Youth – The Eternal
- Deer Tick – Born on Flag Day
- Truckstop Coffee – For Dear Life
Listmania!
The end of the year is always an exciting time for bloggers; when we get to compile lists of our favorites of the year. The end of the decade is almost too much for me.
What should I include in my Top 50 Albums of the 00s list? What bands make the cut? Should I include Christina Aguilera just because Elana told me the album is amazing? Should I base this on my favorite albums, or the albums that I think are the best. Is there a difference between them? Should there be a difference?
There’s so much to take into account. In one instance of my Top 10 Albums of 09 list, I had Backspacer ahead of Vekatimest. Yet, Grizzly Bear’s offering was included in my Top 50 of the 00s, while this PJ album was left out. It’s tough to keep all of this straight, especially when I’m not entirely sure what albums I like better. And how do I even judge a band like Pearl Jam in relation to everyone else? I know I’m going to be biased when it comes to judging their albums, so how do I compensate for that? And should I?
To try to keep things simple, I’ve created a few rules for determining which albums are up for contention:
- No live albums. If I didn’t have this rule, my list would be Nirvana’s Live at Reading, and 49 other Pearl Jam bootlegs.
- No compilation-style soundtracks. This means what it sounds like. Almost Famous is out of the question, while Into the Wild and There Will Be Blood are fair game.
- No Greatest Hits albums. Sure, Fall Out Boy’s Greatest Hits wasn’t really in the running anyway, but in case you were concerned, now you know it’s out for sure.
New York City Cops
As many of you may know (via Tweets and FB status updates) my amazing girlfriend Elana got me The Strokes’ album Is This It? on vinyl for Chanukah. Besides the fact that this makes her the coolest girlfriend ever, it also gave me a new Strokes song that I previously hadn’t owned.
New York City Cops, a track mocking NY’s Finest, was cut from the US release of Is This It?, as the album came out soon after 9/11. It was, however, included on the British release of the album, and on all vinyl editions. I myself had heard a few live versions of the song, but never the original studio cut. (I know, Hanan, it’s sacrilegious that I hadn’t heard it until now.)
So, to prevent y’all from having to have the same NYCC deprivation that I’ve had all these years, I present to you the studio cut, and The Strokes at their finest.
The Strokes – New York City Cops
Colbert and Alicia Keys
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My Morning Jacket: Bonnaroo 2006
My Morning Jacket: Bonnaroo 2006
Intro
Wordless Chorus
Beats 4 U
What A Wonderful Man
One Big Holiday
Older Guys – Head Held High
Lowdown
The Way That He Sings
Masterplan
At Dawn
Golden
Gideon
Xmas Curtain
Dondante
Dancefloors
Anytime
Mahgeetah
A Quick One
Loving Cup
Attitude
Off The Record
Lay Low
The Dark
The Bear
I Will Sing You Songs
Heartbreakin’ Man
Evelyn Is Not Real
It’s About Twilight Now
It Makes No Difference
Phone Went West
Run Thru
Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me,
Tell me where did you sleep last night.
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun don’t ever shine.
I would shiver the whole night through.
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows.
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun don’t ever shine.
I would shiver the whole night through
Her husband, was a hard working man,
Just about a mile from here.
His head was found in a driving wheel,
But his body never was found.
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me,
Tell me where did you sleep last night.
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun don’t ever shine.
I would shiver the whole night through.
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows.
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun don’t ever shine.
I would shiver the whole night through.
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me,
Tell me where did you sleep last night.
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun don’t ever shine.
I would shiver the whole night through.
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows.
In the pines, …the pines,
……… sun,
……….shine.
I shiver the whole, night through!
Phonograph Fridays
Suggestions for what we should call this feature are welcome.
Right now it’s at Phonograph Fridays, but I know that kinda sounds dumb, so please leave your suggestions in the comments.
Blogaversary: 2 Years and 1 Week Later
Thanks to Avi forgetting his own blogaversary, I realized that not only do he and I have the same blogaversary, but that I missed mine as well.
It’s been 2 years and 1 week since that first post, inspired by the Lollapalooza episode of The Simpsons when Homer was introduced to Billy Corgan:
“Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.”
“Homer Simpsons, smiling politely.”
And now, on this belated two-year-anniversary, it’s time again to post about the Smashing Pumpkins. Yes, it’s true that Billy Corgan was recently seen with Jessica Simpson. And yes, this makes the lyric “Emptiness is loneliness,” all the more ironic, considering he’s seeking a relationship with an actress who has little in the brains department.
But, despite the fact that I just dedicated the last paragraph to BC’s personal life, it’s basically irrelevant to me. Sure, I know a ton about the intricacies of pop music and the persons involved in it; but as any true follower of this blog knows – it’s all about the music.
Looking back at my comments from over two years ago about the Pumpkins, I still agree with everything I said:
There’s something about their music that just soars. It’s crazily heavy, and it Corgan’s voice is screechy at times (understatement?)- but the music just seems to soar. Not sure how he does it, but it’s fantastic.
Two years later, the fact that I’m still this passionate about this blog (and even still agree with some of my earlier comments), coupled with the fact that I’m getting around 500 hits per day, makes me just want to continue doing this for a long long time.
Smashing Pumpkins – Silverfuck
Buy the Smashing Pumpkins @ Amazon.com
Electrochromic Devices What?
Just finished presenting my Electrochromic Window research project in Optical Systems class. Gotta love spending 1.5 weeks doing research, and getting results just hours before the deadline. Ahhh. Science.
Wilco – Hell is Chrome (buy @ Amazon.com)
Guster – Window (buy @ Amazon.com)
John Lennon: 29 Years Gone
Twenty nine years ago today, John Lennon’s life was tragically cut short. It’s tough to write about such a prolific and influential musician, if only because there’s too many accomplishments to focus on in too few years. While he’s not my favorite Beatle (George Harrison takes the cake there), he incidentally did compose most of my favorite Beatles tracks.
Unwavering in his vision; dedicated to his position as a musician, performer, and artist; and both the voice and the guitar of more than one generation; John Lennon and his music will forever remain alive in our hearts, minds, and ears.
Rest in peace, John.
Ben Harper – Strawberry Fields Forever
Stereophonics – Sgt. Pepper’s Reprise
The Black Crowes – Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
Pearl Jam and Neil Young: 6/24/95
Just today, I received an email from a TSU follower who wanted to know if I had an mp3 of Pearl Jam and Neil Young performing Cortez the Killer in 1995. He was, of course, referring to the famous San Fransisco show where Eddie came down with a stomach bug and couldn’t finish the set, only to be relieved by Neil Young, who proceeded to pound through an entire set of his songs (including Rockin’ In The Free World twice) with PJ as his backing band.
Phish: Live at the Garden (12.2.09)
Last night, I had the sincere pleasure of attending my first ever Phish concert. There’s something truly magical about the first time you see a band; especially one as hyped up as this. You’re not really sure what to expect and because of that, nothing can disappoint.
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Ben Harper: Bonaroo 2007
I know I’ve posted this one before, but it wasn’t up for too long, and I got many requests for it to be reposted. So here it is; Ben Harper’s unbelievable set from Bonnaroo 2007.
Sonic Youth: Live in Williamsburg
Nine years ago, at my first ever concert, Sonic Youth was supposed to open for Pearl Jam. A personal emergency ensued backstage, and the band was never able to take the stage. During the beginning of Pearl Jam’s set, Eddie Vedder addressed the crowd as to the situation:
Jay-Z: Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z is a genius.
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Pearl Jam: Immortality
So here it is for you: Eddie’s supposed eulogy for Kurt Cobain, had it’s premier on April 11th, less than a week after Mr. Cobain’s life was tragically cut short. This version is from the very next night, and one of the few times they played it with these lyrics.
Enjoy.
I could take the sun
I could call the couple anyone
I won’t tell the comfort in the world
I can’t take it off
I won’t say, “Enough, it’s not my fault”
I won’t care, there’s something in the wind
Take me as I am
I don’t need this
I die just to live
Immortality…
I could paint the moon
I could reflect light into a room
If I could, the fortune all be there (?)
I could paint it all
I won’t say, “Enough, it’s not my fault”
I won’t call the altar in the air
Take me as is
I don’t need this
I die just to live
Immortality…
I can’t take a walk
I won’t fight this world
I won’t save it all
It is not my fault
Take me as is
I don’t need this
I die just to live
I won’t stay long
I’ll be long gone
I die just to live…
Band of Horses: Bonnaroo 2009
I don’t know all that much about BoH, but they seem to put on a pretty good show.
Deer Tick: War Elephant
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I posted about these guys a few months ago, and then again in a recent post; but that’s not going to stop be from taking a gander at War Elephant, Deer Ticks 2007 debut album.
Rage Against the Machine: The Battle of Dusseldorf
Sometimes, I’m a complete musical ignoramus. Take Bruce Springsteen’s classic The Ghost of Tom Joad. In this weeks Rolling Stone Magazine, on the cover article’s photo page, the collage contains a picture of Tom Morello with the caption: “Tom Morello added punk energy to Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad.” The article is about the historic concerts to celebrate the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th birthday. But that isn’t what this post is about.
Zac Brown: Live at the CMA Awards
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And get excited. Because there’s sure to be more ZB posted in the coming weeks.
Pearl Jam: Just Breathe
To the chagrin of some, and to the joy of others, I haven’t been posting all that many Pearl Jam mp3s in recent months. This is mostly out of fear of a lawsuit. Sure, I know what I can and can’t post, but I’d rather let things settle and avoid any unnecessary confrontation.
Year One
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Today marked the first anniversary of the day Elana and I started dating. That’s right; I’ve been going out with the same lovely lady for over a year now. It’s pretty freaking awesome. So in her honor I present this post to mark the end of our first wonderful year together. Here’s to many more.
Forgotten 90s: Volume 6
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It’s been quite some time. Over a year, actually. But worry not, because the 90s will never die. Never. I mean, look at the music scene. Pearl Jam’s new album is ruling the charts, Alice in Chains is touring, Weezer is putting out an album, and on top of all that Nirvana just came out with a live album and there are rumors of Soungarden getting together for a tour.
Grizzly Bear: Boston 8/14/08
Nirvana: Live at Reading and 12.31.91
Interested in hearing what all the hype was about (and by hype I refer to Will Leitch, former editor of Deadspin,tweeting about listening to the album 13 times the day it came out), I decided to purchase Nirvana’s recently released Live at Reading album.
Server Down
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Sorry guys. My server finally crashed and burned. Or, they decided to redo their entire company without telling anyone. So now, none of my files exist anymore, and my account has been downgraded. I’m going to upgrade to more bandwidth soon, but it’s going to take a bit longer to upload all the files for previous posts.
Pearl Jam:Philadelphia 10-31-09
When we finally boarded that SEPTA train for the Saturday night show, after the Sabbath had ended and we were able to begin making our way to the concert, Gilad and I took a look at Friday night’s setlist. As we read, we began to groan. Tremor Christ. Deep. The Mama-Son Trilogy. Breath. Sonic Reducer. Baba. Jeremy with strings.
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 10-28-09
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So it’s 630, and were still waiting on Stevie to make it to the Lower East Side so we can head out to the show. I begin nervously pacing around Yishai’s living room, trying to convince myself that well make it to the spectrum before the ticket window closes at 915, and my 10 club tickets are lost forever. At 634 Stevie calls to tell us he’s right around the corner, and me, Elana, Yishai, and Gitler bolt out of the apartment to hop in the car.
We drive through Brooklyn to avoid the parking lot that is the Holland tunnel during rush hour and make it out of the city in pretty good time. According to our friendly GPS, our ETA in Philly is 820, which will give us lore than enough time to pick up our tickets and get to our seats before PJ goes on.
And then we hit traffic. Turns out that it’s really important to turn three lane into one at this hour of the night; no matter that no actual construction is going on. And our ETA keeps rising. 825. 830. 840. You can feel the anxiety and impatience in the car, beginning to reek up the small sedan, as we all begin sweating, wondering if and when we’ll actually arrive at this show. At around 830, we finally make it past the construction that forced three lanes into one and begin burning some serious rubber toward Philly. Our ETA is now a nervous 843 and somehow still rising.
At 854 exactly, we finally pull into an unattended Spectrum parking lot (as the attendants had probably abandoned guarding the entrance hours ago, after all the sane fans had already arrived. So it’s 854 and the ticket window is supposed to close at 915, but who knows if they’re going to close it early. So Elana and I, the only ones who need to pick up 10 Club tix from Will-Call, bolt from the car and literally sprint around the outside of the entire building until we find the window.
“Schwartz,” I pant, totally out of breath.
“ID.”
I hand him my drivers license.
“Sign here.”
I sign, and quickly glance at the tickets. Section 213, row 15, seats 9 and 10. Sweet.
We run through security, and run straight into our section, which was thankfully right where we entered the building. As we enter the arena, the commemorative Spectrum video is playing on the screens. We fumble through our row to claim our seats, the lights turn down, and we hear that familiar thunderous roar, as the Rocky theme plays over the loudspeaker, signifying the band’ entrance. We get to our seats, and before we even have time to get our bearing we hear Matt’s sticks pound four short times on a tight high-hat, and the band rips into Animal.
The concert just took off from there with show stopper after show stopper. As Stevie put it, it was Yield night at the Spectum, with GTF, Wishlist, No Way, and Push Me Pull Me (first time since 98). And they played Greivance. And The Real Me. And Porch. And Lukin with strings. And Johnny Guitar Watson Starin’ At Me. And so many more.
My brothers, who hadn’t been to a show since last year weer a section over from me and Elana, and we spent the whole show just exchanging looks of excitement as they kept playing our faves. Garden for Gilad, Just Breathe for Ezra, Gone for Elana, and for me…
ITS
MY
BLOOOOOD!!!!!!!!
The show was unbelievable, as they always are. Can’t wait until Saturday night. Only time will tell if they actually go “All Night.”
Finally, much thanks to Stevie and Yishai for taking care of transportation, and props to Steve for confusing the t-shirt salesman to the point where we were able to buy 4 shirts for $20. Can’t wait to do it again with you guys.
Till then, cheers.
U2: Live in San Jose
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So I’m sitting here, pretending to do my homework, and watching the U2 live concert broadcast on youtube. And what amazes me the most is their ability to still seem to emotionally connect with an absurdly sized crowd.
The Mountain Goats
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It’s been a while since I was honestly moved by new music. This past week, while cramming for my Data Structures midterm, I put on The Mountain Goats’ new album The Life Of the World To Come. The album is 43 minutes long, and I spent those next 43 minutes barely touching my work; unable to stop focusing on the beautifully simple melodies and emotionally poignant lyrics.
Happy 19th Birthday, Pearl Jam
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19 years ago today, a young band, calling themselves Mookie Blaylock played a one-off show at a small club in Seattle. The band, having risen from the ashes of the demise of their previous attempts at stardom, would soon change their name to Pearl Jam and would explode along with the rest of the grunge scene.
But while the rest of the grunge movement has succumbed to death, breakup, and overdose, Pearl Jam remains a formidable force in rock music; releasing a Number One album, getting radio airplay, and still selling out concerts. This is a band that was, and continues to be, a powerhouse in rock and roll music.
Here’s to another 19 years. Cheers.
Pearl Jam @ Off Ramp Cafe: 10.22.90
My Morning Jacket Covers
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One of the things that makes MMJ shows so exciting is the fact that you know they’re bound to whip out three or four random cover songs a night. We’re not talking Pearl Jam style covers where you can expect something from Neil Young or The Who. We’re not talking Phish style covers where you can expect one weird but predictable hip hop song. (And here’s where the onslaught of Phish commenters is bound to begin.) We’re talking about a totally random song; a-la the Bruce Springsteen random audience request method, except for the fact that the band (seemingly) chooses and plans the covers themselves.
Bon Iver: Bonnaroo 2009
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It’s really late, and I can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong with my Computer Science homework. Yet, here I am – posting for y’all.
It’s A Girl!
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My sister just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and so I’ve become an uncle. It’s a pretty exciting time for the family, so I thought I’d put up a tribute post.
Islands in the Ghetto
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Sometimes I’m a bit of a music ignoramus. Exhibit A: Last New Years Eve’s My Morning Jacket concert [Edit: I love how many capital letters are in a row in this sentence] during which the band covered a song called Islands in the Stream. Now, any self respecting music fan should know that this song written by the BeeGees, and made famous by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. But of course, I just kept hearing the chorus to Ghetto Superstar over and over in the song.
Waffles Request!
Hey Readers,
Girl Talk: Live at Yale
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The holiday season is finally over, and with it comes a return to regular posts… that is until midterms begin, which happens to be Wednesday. But don’t worry, because we have this sick Girl Talk bootleg to whet your collective appetites for the time being. Thanks to YANP for posting this boot, and enjoy!
Pearl Jam: LA Tour Highlights
I can’t got this far into a tour without giving a few updates; especially after the 4 nights just played in LA. The 3rd and 4th shows in particular (10/6 and 10/7) stand out with amazing setlists, rarities, and special guests.
Tuesday nights show was pretty standard; until the second encore that is, when they played Once, Footsteps, Hunger Strike with Chris Cornell, and closed the show with Jerry Cantrell filling in on Alive.
Before last night’s show, rumors were swirling that the band would be pulling out a few deep cuts. And cut deep they did, playing Alone, All Those Yesterdays, Crown of Thorns, and MC5’s Kick out the Jams (again with Cantrell filling in).
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David Byrne: Bonnaroo 2009
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In an effort to post as much as I can this week, I’m going to share a bootleg that I just recently heard for the first time.
State Radio: Let It Go
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I am a State Radio “superfan”. It’s quite hard for me to be objective about this band’s music; I usually find myself to be overly critical, and obviously I am almost just as often awestruck. I’d also heard many of the songs on this album before, because Chad Urmston (frontman) prefers to test out his new songs on the road long before recording them in the studio – leaving fans (like me) who collect concert recordings with months (and sometimes years!) of anticipating how the album versions of these songs will sound. In order to try and combat this handicap, I refrained from listening and even singing State Radio songs for about four months prior to receiving the album. While this certainly didn’t cure my subjectivity in either direction, it did help – and I’m hoping that you will see the benefits as you read further.
Try as hard as I could, I simply could not find a song on this album that I wanted to skip. Nonetheless, the album definitely has some moments that are far stronger than others. Here’s a look at its strongest moments:
The whole album features terrific coordination between the three band members (Chad on guitar, joined by Chuck Fay on bass and Mike “Maddog” Najarian on drums). The ebbs and flows of Mansin Humanity show a band that has all its members on the same page, and all playing extremely well. The song’s opening riff grabs you right at the beginning, and continues to do so when it shows during later parts of the song, matching the lyrical content perfectly – the song describes the desperate and failed attempts of a diplomat in Turkey to warn the world about the Armenian genocide after World War I.
The bass solo, bridge, and outro of Arsenic and Clover rock harder than any song in the band’s catalog up to this point. The song describes Chad’s confused emotions as a young adult visiting Zimbabwe, having contracted some sort of local disease and being told that the only cure was drinking a concoction containing arsenic. I had seen the tremendous intensity in this song when they played it live, and it is definitely captured in the studio.
Knights of Bostonia has an Irish punk rock feel, a la Dropkick Murphys. It tells the story of young kids in Boston fighting to keep the summer around and not have to go back to school in the fall. The opening accordion and swelling drums that carry the song from the intro into the body of the song are definitely a highlight – and the song is just plain fun.
True roots reggae form is shown in Calling All Crows, Bohemian Grove and Evolution, but pulled off better in the latter, which describes a theoretical evolution of society into one where all levels of humanity become more and more kind towards one another. Bohemian Grove’s catchy protest chorus (“don’t need your world control, and the opinion of the inner elite”) and the genuine hope shown in Evolution affirm this band’s right to be described as one of this generation’s strongest links to the reggae tradition of Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley and The Wailers.
Held Up By The Wires is recorded well enough to make you believe that the band is playing for you in your living room. This is absolutely a must-listen, period. The song is about “the indomitable human spirit”, and that is displayed quite accurately in its power and punch.
The harmonica playing in Blood Escaping Man was a surprise, as in the 7 years that this song has been played live it had never been played with a harmonica involved (excluding shows between the recording and release of the album). I find it quite enjoyable; it gives the longtime fan favorite more muscle and brawn than it had before. The story being told is a fictional addendum to The Odyssey – As Penelope waits for Odysseus to return, there are suitors pressuring her to choose them over him, trying to convince her that he will never come back. She tells her late teen male servant that she would rather choose him over the suitors, but the servant convinces her that she should really wait for Odysseus – whom he has seen in town dressed up as a beggar, showing tremendous sacrifice and ability to not judge people by their look. The storytelling together with the harmonica echoes Bob Dylan in the best way possible.
Still and Silent recalls Us Against the Crown’s Man in the Hall lyrically, but far outdoes it musically. The intricate structure and spirited outro make for an excellent song.
And now for the weak moments:
The ending of Doctor Ron the Actor – This song descends into a mess of horns and distortion that is just hard to understand.
The lyrics in Calling All Crows – Those of us who follow the live recordings know that these lyrics were changed from “it’s a veritable revolutionary rookery” to “said the rebel to the revolutionary – come with me.” Dumbing down lyrics is rarely a good idea.
The production of Bohemian Grove – The bubblegum backup vocals in the chorus and poppy use of keys and synthesizers make this song hard to listen to. It’s probably hard for power trios to know how much is too much when it comes to production, but they should have realized that this was too much.
The chorus of Let it Go – Why a band known for intelligent lyrics would choose to make a chorus with 3 words repeated over and over is beyond me.
The various unoriginal snippets along the album – 2:48-3:00 of Mansin Humanity sounds too much like 1:00-1:10 of The Shins’ “Fighting in a Sack”. 2:58-3:20 of Doctor Ron the Actor sounds like Green Day, which is almost never a good thing. The vocals in the verses of Let it Go sound too much like Eddie Vedder (except for the fact that they are intelligible).
All in all, this album is more subtle than sledgehammer, and therein lay its strength. Previous songs by this band have been titled Guantanamo, CIA, Fight No More Forever, and Fall of the American Empire – and focused on specific political topics. Nearly all of Let it Go is more personal than political. Indeed its biggest failures come when the songwriting becomes preachy. This band has tremendous talent, and is still quite young. This album will not go down as their best work, but it’s getting there. It’s closer to Rubber Soul than it is to Sgt. Pepper. Musically, this is by far their best album yet – Chuck and Maddog are absolutely on top of their game, and Chad is not far behind. The restraint shown in most of the songwriting coupled with the tight musicianship make for an album just short of classic.
Track Listing:
“Mansin Humanity” – 5:07
“Calling All Crows” – 3:38
“Doctor Ron The Actor” – 4:02
“Arsenic & Clover” – 3:06
“Bohemian Grove” – 4:35
“Knights of Bostonia” – 4:26
“Let It Go” – 3:12
“Evolution” – 3:55
“Held Up By The Wires” – 4:37
“Blood Escaping Man” – 3:32
“Still & Silent” – 4:06
“Indian Moon (Reggae) (Hidden Track)
*Physical copies of the cd contain a front-ended bonus track called Sybil III, and I strongly urge all who can to acquire that song through any means possible…
[Bootleg] The Derek Trucks Band: 8-13-09
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I know I haven’t been great with the Sunday boots lately, but those of you who keep the Jewish holidays are probably aware that during years like this, all of our Sundays are taken up by holidaying, and thus no posts. Add to that too much homework and many trips to and from NY (to Baltimore three times, to Chicago once) and we have good reason for me to be sparse on the posting.
Phish vs. White Stripes
It’s always fun when you have two song riffs that are exactly the same. Elana brought this one to my attention: Phish’s “Sample in a Jar,” and The White Stripes’ “The Air Near My Fingers.”
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Shopping Music
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Elana and I were shopping in Frank’s Market tonight when a song suddenly came over the loudspeaker. Both of our ears immediately perked up, as we both racked out brains for who was singing. Sure, the guy singing backing vox was clearly Jack Johnson, but who was singing lead?
Brother
Pearl Jam: Backspacer Review
I can never really tell, right when the album comes out. My over excitement about hearing new Pearl Jam material prevents me from being an entirely unbiased reviewer of the material. But then again, I certainly felt something for this most recent offering that I hadn’t felt for any of the past three albums. Binaural had fantastic songs, but lacked flow. Riot Act had great flow, but isn’t the best in terms of quality songs. Avocado was a great return to their punk roots, but still seemed a few steps short of greatness.
Enter Backspacer. Gone is the Bush dynasty and with it Ed Ved’s political rants- some of which were turned into sub-par PJ songs (see: “Bushleaguer”). As anyone who has heard the first single, “The Fixer,” has noticed, it almost sounds as if Eddie is happy. Anyone who has followed Pearl Jam throughout their career knows that most of PJ’s songs are either sad or angry; happy is not an adjective usually associated with this band, and it’s weird and almost unnerving – but in a good way.
The album explodes in a way we haven’t seen since Ten and Vitalogy. (PJ buffs may argue that Binaural had three hard rockers to open, but I will respectfully counter that the relative uselessness of Evacuation as a song renders that album’s explosiveness a moot point.) First we have “Gonna See My Friend,” (or as Yonah calls it “Gonna Punch My Friend in the Face,” due to it’s hard-rocking nature, and how it makes both of us want to run around screaming and hitting things – in a good way. Eddie’s vocals are howling in a way that recalls songs like Deep, Rats, and Leash, and the overall speed and raunchiness of the song makes it a dream as an album opener. We’re lead directly into “Got Some,” Eddie’s stab at post-modern self referential bullshit, as he croons that we, the listeners, just want to hear a rock song – so here’s a rock song. The lyrics may leave what to be desired, but the song punches right on through leaving the listener salivating for more, which we get with “The Fixer.” Now, many PJ fans have derided this song as sell-out, radio-friendly, bullshit that has no purpose on a Pearl Jam album; from the perfectly distorted intro, all the way through to the sing-along chorus. But then again, most of these fans haven’t seen the song live yet. While I don’t particularly love the studio version, the song takes on an entirely new identity in concert. The distortion is more grungy, the piano licks in the chorus more pronounced, and the sing-alongs just so damn awesome. So take my word for it, the song straight up rocks.
Which takes us to “Johnny Guitar,” a song written from the perspective of a young music fan who falls in love with a model on an album cover. Both lyrically and musically, the song ventures into areas that the band hasn’t touched before. The story is weird, but probably biographical. The music sounds like something off an early Stooges album, and Eddie seems to be doing his best to sound like Iggy Pop. It’s not classic Pearl Jam, but it’s entertaining and innovative, and therefore awesome. Just Breathe is a continuation of “Tuolumne” from the Into the Wild soundtrack, and takes the album’s pace down a few steps as Eddie sings about life, love, and loss.
At this point, the album changes from just being a great hard rock album, to a fantastically constructed masterpiece with beautifully composed songs. “Amongst the Waves” quickly establishes itself as the catchiest song on the album, and one of the most beautiful. Brendan O’Brien’s influence can clearly be seen in the music, while the guitars remain sparse until the chorus- letting bass, drums, and organ dominate the verses. The opening lyrics set the stage for the poetry that marks the rest of the album:
What used to be a house of cards
Has turned into a reservoir
Save the tears that were waterfalling
Let’s go swim tonight, darling.
The song explodes into an immensely catchy chorus, with both Mike and Stone rocking out hard- letting the song crescendo beautifully and perfectly. After dropping back into another verse and chorus, Mike lets loose and entertains us with a perfectly written solo (yes, that’s right – Brendan made Mike actually write out the solo to that song, as opposed to letting him wing it like he normal does) which continues into the outro choruses, during which we see not one, but two vocal-inflection brilliances on Ed’s part.
“Unthought Known,” follows, with a musical buildup that mimics a lyrical one. We open with one guitar and a lone person’s thoughts. That sound is expanded with the addition of guitar and organ, as the lyrics move from being inside one’s head, to walking along a road. Another guitar joins in the music, as another character enters the song – the lover or partner. Now the love moves from the road up into the air, as the keys pound more heavily. Suddenly, Matt’s drumming takes a turn, as the story takes off into the sky, past the moon. Now, the song has reached it peak, and as there’s no higher for either the song or the lyrics to ascend, the music continues jamming, while Eddie croons “Nothing left,” over and over again. The song ends with another quick buildup, but this time the moon, the path, the dreams are all combined in one verse, where Eddie joins everything together. As for the poetic analysis of that, I’ll leave it up to each listener to determine for themselves.
“Supersonic” stole the riff from “Mankind,” but no one cares. Not only does the song rock my socks off, but the slow jam interlude that Stone breaks out at 1:20 is so freaking good that I’m nervous I may wear the grooves off the record for that part. “Speed of Sound” seems to be one of those songs that fans will never agree on. I love it, but many seem to hate it. The atonal intro melody just makes the beautiful vocal lines that much more gorgeous, and the full band version is a huge improvement from Ed’s solo version.
The final two songs, are probably some of the most beautiful and haunting poetry that Ed has ever written. “Force of Nature” starts off like a standard rock song, with a trademark Matt backbeat, and a groovy lead guitar intro (which I’m guessing is Stone, but have no way of knowing). The story begins about from the perspective of a woman who is described as a “force of nature,” who is “letting go,” and quickly shifts to a “common man” who seems to be desperately trying to save his love. The first chorus uses some of the most vivid imagery I’ve seen from Ed yet:
One man stands the edge of the ocean
A beacon on dry land
Eyes above the horizon
In the dark before the dawn
The story continues using the analogy of a hurricane to describe the storm that is his love to this woman can’t seem to hold on anymore. He’s waiting for her to come back from something. Did she leave him? Did she lose her mind? Did she die? It’s unclear from the lyrics, as we’re only privy to Ed’s description of this man’s tragic loss of his love.
Suddenly, the song shifts to the first person, and we hear Eddie’s editorial on the situation:
Makes me ache
Makes me shake
Is it so wrong to think
Love can keep us safe?
While I’ve only scratched the surface of the poetry of the song, it’s the music that truly carries the message through. The song is perfectly structured, and has one of the most beautiful choruses I’ve ever heard.
Which brings us to “The End.” From the first time I heard it, bootlegged from the Eddie solo shows, it was clear that Eddie was back in full form. In an almost “Off He Goes” style of a ballad, this time it seems that this is a love song not to a lover, but to us – the fans. While this is probably not PJ’s final album, it seems that the end may be coming.
What were all those dreams we shared those many years ago…I’m just a human being…I just want to hold on and know I’m worth your love.
This is entirely my own opinion, but I would like to think that this is Eddie’s gift to his fans, a song written for them, about them. He seems unsure about the future, but if this is it, then it’s certainly been a fantastic ride.
Give me something to echo in my unknown future, you see, my dear, the end, comes near, I’m here, but not much longer.
Happy New Year
Hey folks. I know I haven’t posted much this week, but it’s been an insane past couple days, filled with the new Pearl Jam album, my first couple problem sets of the semester due, the official Chicago PJ boots released, and, oh, did I mention that Backspacer leaked?
Pearl Jam Update
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Hey loyal listeners.
Pearl Jam Backspacer Leak
Finally. Sure, it’s only a week before the album is to be released, and the PJ people probably let it leak themselves. But who cares? I’m currently listening to the album in its entirety for the first time, and I’m loving it. It’s a but more upbeat and happier than their previous offerings, almost with Yield-esque feel to it.
Covering Pearl Jam
A lot of people (read: obsessive PJ fans) enjoy focusing on the myriad of covers that Pearl Jam has played over the years; from The Who and Neil Young, to The Ramones and The Clash, to The Dead Boys, CCR, Thin Lizzy, Bruce, Mother Love Bone, and tons of others. But fewer people turn that model inside out and search for the bands covering Pearl Jam.
School’s Back in Session
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The semester is about to begin. I’m sitting here in 545 Mudd, more than 12 minutes early to my first class of my final year of schooling. This will probably be, the last time I’m this early for a class…ever. But, I figured I’d start off the school year on the right track.
Pearl Jam: 8-24-09
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Sorry for keeping you waiting, but this weekend included many birthday celebrations (thanks E!) and I had little to no time to dedicate to the blog. But here it is: Pearl Jam Night 2 in Chicago. Enjoy!
The Anniversary of the Day of My Birth
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So, I know I may have promised you guys the Monday night PJ show from Chicago, but I’m going to digress a bit from the norm, as today is the anniversary of the day of my birth. Yes- it’s my birthday.
Pearl Jam: 8-23-09
I’m feeling like sharing today. And thus, I present to you night one (part one?) of Pearl Jam’s stint in Chicago last week. And if I’m feeling up to it, I may even post night two tomorrow.
Grace Potter: 7-23-06
Sorry for the brief hiatus from posting. After getting home from Chicago and posting about PJ, I spent the rest of last week watching The Simpsons and occasionally popping my head in at work. Then, this past weekend was spent at home in Baltimore for some quality family time, and a pretty freaking awesome wedding last night.
Pearl Jam in Chicago: August 23-24, 2009
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As Tony drove us back to West Rogers Park last night, we sat in his back seat speechless. We were on our way back from the second show of Pearl Jam’s two-night stint at the United Center in Chicago, and for once, words failed us.
Chicago
So, I’m off to Chicago tomorrow morning for the weekend to hang out with Elana and her family, and to see Pearl Jam. I probably won’t have time to post between now and when I get back, so here’s a few Chicago tunes to tide you over.
Pearl Jam: Supersonic
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Supersonic, a new song off Pearl Jam’s upcoming album Backspacer, was played for the first time ever last night at the PJ show in the O2 Arena in London, England. This song wasn’t just played live for the first time, but was actually the first any non music insider had heard the track.
It’s 3AM And I Want to Go To Bed
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Well, I’m up at the crack of dawn for the ride to Cornell for a research presentation conference thingy. I’d give more details, but I just slept for 2 hours, and my mind isn’t all there. Uch. I just want to get back into bed.
Woodstock: 40 Years After
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Billed as an “Aquarian Exposition in White Lake, NY” no one really knew what to expect with the festival that presented itself as “3 Days of Peace and Music.” 60,000 tickets were sold to the event, and the promoters expected around 100,000 people would show up. When 800,000 people attempted to make the trip (many of whom never actually made it to the festival) the promoters were forced to let the torn down fences lay as they were and declared it a free festival.
Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes): 7-11-09
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The Derek Trucks Band: 8-13-09
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A lone Gibson Les Paul guitar sits in the middle of the stage, a tribute to it’s namesake who had just passed away early that day. Directly to the left of the guitar stands Derek Trucks, celebrated slide guitarists, just 30 years of age, of the lengendary Allman Brothers Band, and his very own Derek Trucks Band. His bleach blond hair slicked back in a tight ponytail, Derek’s glass slide glides along the strings as his unique bluesy style emerges from his amplifiers, lighting up the night at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors summer concert series.
Summertime Heat
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It’s so freaking hot outside. Anyone taking the subways in NYC this summer, or trying to save a bit of cash by sleeping without the AC knows what I’m talking about. It’s when you take a cold shower and still come out sweating. It’s when you dread leaving work because it means going home to a hot apartment. It’s when naps are no longer worth it- because even if you manage to fall asleep in the heat, the cold sweat you wake up in negates any benefit. It’s when you start collecting sweat stains the second you walk outside.
Jonny Greenwood or Stone Gossard
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Is it just me, or does Stone Gossard look like Jonny Greewood these days? They’re even wearing the same shirt.
Pearl Jam: Live @ Lollapalooza 1992
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For our second Lolla boot of the day, we’re digging deep into the Pearl Jam archive to pull out one of their 1992 Lollapalooza shows. For those of you who don’t remember, Lollapalooza used to be a traveling festival- not a one shot deal.
Radiohead: Live @ Lollapalooza 2008
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As Lollapalooza 2009 comes to a close tonight, I figured it be apro pos to post not one, but two Lollapalooza bootlegs. We’ll start with Lollapalooza 2008 with healiner Radiohead’s set.
Pearl Jam @ Virgin Fest
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So, Pearl Jam kicked off their tour last night in Calgary, headlining the Virgin Fest there. The set looked pretty killer, with gems like Brother and The Real Me (The Who). The set was cut short due to curfew, but if you add Release (which wasn’t played) and all the crossouts (Comatose, RVM, and Corduroy) then this sounds like a pretty freaking awesome show.
Encore 1: Betterman, BROTHER!!!, Black/improv, Spin The Black Circle
Encore 2: Crazy Mary, THE REAL ME!!!, Yellow Ledbetter
Videotape
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There’s a reason that Radiohead is one of the greatest bands of all time. And the song Videotape, the final track off In Rainbows, is a perfect example of what makes this band so fantastic.
Popout
Summertime Blues
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Every now and then, you get than feeling where you just need to listen to some blues. Not because you’re sad, or feeling down- but because you just need to hear that pure raw soulful music.
The Decemberists: SXSW
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The first time I heard The Hazards of Love, the new album by The Decemberists, was when I first listened to this bootleg from 2009’s South By Southwest (SXSW) festival, where they debuted the album in it’s entirety. This was quite a feat, considering the fact that most of the bands at SXSW are limited to half hour sets- creating audiences that are expecting to hear a few of the performers’ hits, before moving on to the next act. For The Decemberists to play for an entire hour, and not play any hits until the encore, was a gutsy move that proved brilliant.
Happy Weekend!
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So, the weekend is almost upon us, and what a weekend it’s going to be. The 3 week period of mourning for destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem has ended for us Jew-people, and it’s time to crank the music back up, and start listening to those weekend appropriate songs.
Enjoy!
Harpo- Homeward Bound (Od M’at Shabbat)
The Honey Tongue Devils- Sunday Morning Blackout
Speed of Sound
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Diverging from the short punky songs, and catchy ballads of the past few albums, Eddie and PJ seem to have created a gem with this new song. The rumors going around are that this is only an Eddie demo, and that the album version will sound different; this is entirely possible as he seems to be the only musician and vocalist on the track. The rhythm is definitely Eddie, and the lead could be him as well. Similarly, the lead vocals are Ed, and the backing vox sound like him too.
So- what do we think of the song?
In the vein of the Into the Wild soundtrack, the song opens with Eddie’s fingerpicked guitar, quickly followed by his vocals. But while the three second guitar intro sounds like something that could be found on the movie, once Ed begins singing, we’re quickly thrown off by the slightly atonal chord and melody. Some listeners may find this disconcerting; I’m hopeful that this is a Pearl Jam that is ready to begin challenging their fans and listeners again.
But besides that bit of dissonance in the beginning of the verse, the rest of the chords and melody flow beautifully. The song gently builds up during the chorus, with Ed’s own backing vocals lending depth to this otherwise simple song.
The lyrics to me are almost Kafka-esque in their claustrophobic nature; putting the protagonist in the song stuck in the darkness, looking towards the light, with either the inability or the lack of desire to reach it; unsure whether the voices in his head are real or imagined; all made more confusing by the contrast between a slow beautiful song and a title that evokes speed. The atonality combined with the beautiful melody seem to also be playing on this notion of “holding tight to a dream of distant light,” while at the same time being painfully aware that we’re “waiting on a sun that never comes.”
As a solo offering, this song has quietly grown on me over the 14 times I’ve listened to in the past few hours. We’ll see how it turns out with the rest of the band.
Yesterdays, How quick they change
All lost and long gone now
Want to remember anything moving at the speed of sound
With the speed of sound
And yet I’m still holdin’ tight to this dream of distant light
In that, somehow I’ll survive, but this night has been a long one
Waiting on a sun that just don’t come
Can I forgive what I cannot forget
And live a lie?
I could give it one more try
Why deny this, drive inside, just looking for some peace
Every time I get me some it gets the best of me
Not much left, you see
And yet I’m still holdin’ tight to this dream of distant light
In that, somehow I’ll survive, but this night has been a long one
Waiting on a word that never comes
A whisper in the dark
Is that you or just my thoughts
I’m wide awake and reaching out
It’s gone so quiet now
Could it be I’m farther out
Movin’ faster than the speed of sound
Pearl Jam on Sporcle
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PJ quiz on Sporcle here!
Pearl Jam Artwork Game
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If you want a free PJ download and have time to go around searching the web, go tohttp://www.pearljam.com/backspacer/art/ and play the Pearl Jam artwork game.
The PJ people have hidden the album artwork on various websites. In order to play, add the name of the website after “art/”
Example: If you think there’s some art at target.com, then type
http://www.pearljam.com/backspacer/art/target.com
Just to give you a headstart- target is not one of the sites. To start you off, try a couple of music magazines, and electronics magazine, and a search engine that isn’t google.
Happy gaming!
Pearl Jam: 10-4-96 (Charlotte, NC)
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Well, it’s Sunday bootleg time again, and I finally got a PJ request that I have- so I’m going to share this one with you guys. This show was commenter JStock’s first show, and he’s been searching for the boot ever since. And, as it’s a pretty solid setlist with good sound quality, I couldn’t help but post this one.
Enjoy, and don’t forget to wish Elana a happy birthday for the next hour and a half.
Pearl Jam: 10-4-96 (Charlotte, NC)
Long Road
(Getting to be Friends)
Last Exit
Animal
Spin the Black Circle
Hail, Hail
In My Tree
Corduroy
Lukin
Not For You
Jeremy
Better Man
Red Mosquito
Black
(Two Steps Back)
State of Love and Trust
MFC
Habit
Rearviewmirror
Immortality
Alive
Porch
Gloria speech
Who You Are
Even Flow
Whipping
I Got Id
Leaving Here
Daughter/The Real Me/Noise of Carpet
Yellow Ledbetter
Monsters of Folk
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So, Monsters of Folk is coming, and it’s quite exciting.
For those not in the know, Monsters of Folk is the moniker that Conor Oberst, Jim James, and M. Ward chose for their very own supergroup. In this era that’s experiencing an enjoyable revival of folk music, it’s exciting to see these talented singer/songwriters all collaborating on one project.
Besides Say Yes, the song that’s free for download on their website, I haven’t found any other songs anywhere. As the album release date (9/22) draws sooner, hopefully more songs will be found.
For now, check out this song, and the tour dates listed below.
Monsters of Folk tour dates
10/13: Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
10/14: Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
10/15: Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
10/17: Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
10/18: Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
10/20: San Diego, CA @ Spreckels Theatre
10/21: Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theater
10/22: Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
10/28: Omaha, NE @ Holland Center
10/29: Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
10/30: Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre
10/31: Louisville, KY @ Louisville Palace Theatre
11/02: Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
11/03: Boston, MA @ The Orpheum
11/06: New York, NY @ United Palace
11/08: New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
11/09: Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
11/12: Stockholm, SE @ Philadelphia Church
11/14: Berlin, DE @ Huxleys
11/15: Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
11/17: London, UK @ Troxy
11/18: Paris, FR @ Elysee Montmartre
11/19: Koln, DE @ E-Werk
11/21: The Hague, NL @ Crossing Border
11/22: Antwerp, BE @ Crossing Border
New Pearl Jam: The Fixer
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Pearl Jam released The Fixer, the first single off their upcoming album Backspacer, today. After close to 20 listens, the track seems to be a bit more…happy than most PJ songs. It’s short, poppy, and definitely different. Still unsure what my thoughts are…
Leave your thoughts on the track in the comments.
Drive-By Truckers: Vic Theater (5/19/05)
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DBT is a band that has taken the folk-country genre (see yesterday’s post), added just more than a pinch of electric blues, and led the musical style to it’s next step. Far from alternative country, and even further from radio-friendly rock, these southern rockers sound as if they were weaned at the feet of Steve Earle and Lynyrd Skynyrd- combining the rock of the latter with the country of the former.
Check out the show, and let us know what you think of them.
Drive-By Truckers: Vic Theater (5/19/05)
One of These Days
Lookout Mountain
Decoration Day
Feb. 14
Gravity’s Gone
Sinkhole
Never Gonna Change
Aftermath U.S.A.
Carl Perkins’ Cadillac
Easy on Yourself
Dead, Drunk, and Naked
Guitar Man Upstairs
Ronnie and Neil
Outfit
The Living Bubba
Marry Me
Tales Facing Up
Goddamn Lonely Love
18 Wheels of Love
Women Without Whiskey
Do It Yourself
Danko and Manuel
Wednesday
Putting People on the Moon
Let There Be Rock
The Day John Henry Died
Zip City
World of Hurt
Buttholeville
People Who Died
Townes
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I know little about Steve Earle, and even less about Townes Van Zandt. Most of what I know about both of them, I read in an article in a recent issue of Rolling Stone. I know so little about Steve Earle that when I saw his picture in the article, I was puzzled as to why the actor who played Walon (Bubs’ sponsor) on The Wire was gracing the pages of my magazine.
And then I read the article, and learned the story of two folk troubadours who lived the true lifestyle; a lifestyle that centered around addiction, storytelling, and music. But while these friends shared their penchant for alcohol and heroin, they also shared an ability to dig deep into their souls, and write and perform country and folk music unlike anyone else.
Those who claim to appreciate country music, and immediately rattle off Dixie Chicks, Rascal Flatts, and Jason Aldean as their favorite artists, are not listening to the same country music that these true-blood musicians were playing. This music isn’t rock with a dab of fiddle, this is pure folk-country; music tainted with the pain of the blues. This is the legacy of Johnny Cash, of the true dark personas, of the internal turmoil of the soul being wrung out in the only way these artists know how- with a guitar and their raspy, smoke addled, voices.
On the album Townes, Steve Earle takes his favorite Townes Van Zandt tunes, and covers them with the respect and admiration of a true friend and mentee. So check out this album, and open your ears and hearts to music that may be a bit darker than what you’re used to, but can also be more beautiful than anything in the world.
The Fixer Commercial Clip
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Tonight, Fox aired a commercial during the All Star game which featured 30 seconds of Pearl Jam’s forthcoming song The Fixer. It’s kind of had to hear, but towards the end, you can hear Eddie’s voice clearly.
The song sounds pretty good and upbeat- can’t wait to hear the entire thing.
Pearl Jam- The Fixer clip 1 (alt download)
Pearl Jam- The Fixer clip 2 (alt download)
Yim Yames: Tribue To
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When George Harrison passed away in 2001, Jim James, folk music troubadour and bandleader of My Morning Jacket, recorded a few of his favorite Harrison tracks under the quirky yet clever moniker Yim Yames.
I have no idea where these tracks have been for the past eight years, nor do I know why James has decided to release them now, although it could have something to do with his two upcoming folksy releases: the highly anticipated Monsters of Folk album, with fellow folk rockers Conor Oberst and M. Ward, and James’ own upcoming solo album.
But none of that really matters. What matters is that these songs sound brilliant- James’ voice and guitar playing do both justice to the originals, and also innovate in a very Jim James way. Six of the tracks are currently available, and the rest of the album, to be called Tribute To will be released on August 4th.
So enjoy the music, and keep your ears out for the rest of the album.
Pearl Jam: Seattle (12/7/93)
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So… only one guy actually commented with a bootleg request, and it happened to be a show that I don’t have. That kinda sucks, and I feel like I’ve let him down, but hey- not every show was recorded; you can’t recreate a recording that doesn’t exist.
Anyway, I decided to dig deep into the vault for a late 1993 show- one in PJ’s hometown; Seattle. This showcases the band after they’ve had major success with their sophomore album Vs. with the band almost going platinum in it’s first week of sales. This commercial success confirmed in the eyes of the media that this quintet from Seattle wasn’t just a one-hit-wonder, but they were truly a force to be reckoned with.
But we don’t care about that stuff, and neither did the band (or at least they professed not to). What the fans cared about were the shows. Eddie had since gained a reputation for climbing all over the stage during his shows, using his mic chord to pull himself up into the scaffolding, and jumping out into the crowd. As early as 1991, Pearl Jam had proven themselves as a “must see” band, as their wildness at their shows was only made better by an incredible tightness and massive live sound, a feat rarely achieved by young bands.
By 1993, their show had only gotten better. So check out this homecoming show, one that starts off with a bang, ripping through Go, Animal, Why Go, and Deep to start things off. The sound quality is pretty good and the band just sounds incredible.
Pearl Jam: Seattle (12/7/93)
Go
Animal
Why Go
Deep
Jeremy
Glorified G
Daughter/Golden Years/Across the Universe
Evenflow
State of Love and Trust
Black
Alive
Blood
Improv
Ed Talking/Don’t Touch Me There
Porch
Rearviewmirror (Song Stopped)
Rearviewmirror
Whipping
Garden
Ed Talking
Leash
Indifference
The Tallest Man on Earth
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They say he sounds like Dylan. And it’s true; he does. Sometimes, it almost sounds like he has a better voice that’s being curtailed so that he can sound more like the epic songwriter. But then again- who would actively want to sound like Dylan- a great tunesmith, but an average songwriter at best.
So, we’re going to have to compare this man to Dylan, because there’s no way to view his music independent of the man formerly known as Robert Zimmerman. While his songwriting isn’t in the same league the master, his guitar playing is much better. His album is well crafted, and his singing is also a bit better than Dylan’s (in my opinion). So, you can brush this guy off as a Dylan clone, or you can get excited that people are going back to writing music in the style of our favorite singer/songwriter/poet/civil-rights-activist.
Enjoy!
PopoutTallest Man on Earth – The Gardener – A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
The Tallest Man on Earth- The Gardener
The Tallest Man on Earth- The Blizzard’s Never Seen the Desert Sands
Buy The Tallest Man on Earth on Amazon.com
Pearl Jam Voting
Hey y’all. So.. it seems I’m not as below the radar as I thought. I have been asked to remove them by Rob, who it seems works for Pearl Jam. The email went a little something like this:
Yitzchak Schwartz,
Please remove the two EV songs that you have on your blog http://troubledsoulsunite.blogspot.com/2009/07/new-pearl-jam.html.
I was hoping you’d get the hint when I removed them the other day, guess not.
As stated on your blog:
And if you represent an artist and would like a song taken down, please contact us via email.
So, I’m contacting you via email. Please remove the songs and links from your blog.
EV has requested that no recordings be made of his solo shows. Please respect his wishes.
Rob
Anyway, in my overwhelming excitement for the Pearl Jam shows that I’m heading to Chicago to see in the end of August, coupled with the fact that the band just announced a mini-tour (where I will hopefully be making the drive down to Philly to attend), I’ve decided that it’s time to start posting some old school PJ bootlegs. And, as I am a man of the people, I thought I would let you, the fan, decide what shows I post.
Here are the rules for voting:
1. The show cannot be one that was released as an official bootleg.
2. The show cannot have been a live album that was sold in stores.
3. Basically, if you can buy this show in a store or online- I’m not posting it.
4. Please leave your requests in comment form.
5. DO NOT EMAIL ME WITH YOUR REQUESTS. And if your show doesn’t make it, feel free to beg me to post it in the comments, but ONLY in the comments.
So start thinking about that show you saw in 92 or 98 or whenever, and I’ll take your requests, and decide which ones to post.
Let the games begin!
More Bandwidth!
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Ok people. Now’s when I ask for a little something in return. I hate to do this, but I’ve gotten so many complaints about running out of bandwidth, that I decided to leave it up to you- the reader.
Here’s the long and short of it: More bandwidth costs money. I’m a poor student, and have very little to spare. I’m already spending $25 a year for file hosting and bandwidth- but that only gives me 10 gig of bandwidth per day. For $50, I can get 25 gig of bandwidth per day.
So I leave it up to you, the reader. If I get $50 in donations in the next few days, then we can say goodbye to out bandwidth issues. If not, we’ll stay at 10 gig per day- which is just fine as well. From my perspective, I don’t really care. This one’s in your court.
Jet- Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Olin & the Moon- Turn Me Into Money
Buy Jet, Olin, and Patti @ Amazon.com
New Pearl Jam
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Well folks, I may get in a ton of trouble for posting these for you. Lately, PJ has been pretty strict with blogs posting stuff from Eddie’s solo shows, but I think I’m far enough under the radar to get away with this one.
First things first. Eddie played a new song called The End in Philly on June 12th. According to Visions magazine (or this translation of the article), this is the final track on the upcoming album. Unclear how it will sound with the full band, or if Eddie will just do it solo, but for now- it sounds pretty great.
Moving along to the show in Honolulu on July 2nd, Eddie debuted another song that is supposed to be on the new album, entitled Speed of Sound. Again- sounds great acoustic, but not sure how the full band version is going to look.
Enjoy the tracks while they last. I’m guessing this post will be taken down shortly.
Eddie Vedder- The End
Eddie Vedder- Speed of Sound
The Decemberists: The Hazards of Love
It’s actually surprising that so few bands venture to undertake what The Decemberists have done with their latest album, The Hazards of Love. In a day and age when the internet has super-saturated the amount of available music, it’s a wonder that bands don’t come up with innovative ways to make their music stand out. While The Decemberists have enough of a unique style to stand out based on their musical innovation alone, they still managed to put themselves in a league populated by bands like The Who, composers like Beethoven, and epic poets like Homer.
The theme is one that is mentioned often, but rarely executed, and almost never successfully. The Who created their rock opera with Tommy- but the story didn’t exactly make sense. Green Day attempted it with American Idiot, but again- not a story that flows well. But The Decemberists, well, not only was their execution perfect, but their “rock opera” was more of an epic poem set to music. For the entire story, check out this link here, or, listen to the album and figure it out for yourself. I want to focus more on the execution of the feat than the story itself.
What stands out as brilliant about this artistic venture is the musical themes that are obviously constant throughout the album. Like the great classical composers would do with their symphonies, basing entire pieces of music on one recurring motif, and expanding on that to create long unique pieces that somehow sound familiar yet original the entire way through.
Each character in the story has their own “theme music” that is evident in every song about them, lending distinction to the different parts of the story, while at the same time letting the listener know that this is a character they have already met. To further this point, the band makes use of numerous vocalists of both genders- giving each protagonist in the story their own unique voice- literally.
What ensues is a masterpiece of modern music; an album for the ages that is beautifully constructed and perfectly executed. Musically, The Decemberists have expanded their pallet, as this album is their heaviest to date, yet still stays within the confines of “folksy” most of the way through.
Buy this album right now. I’m not kidding. It’s that good.
The Decemberists- The Hazards of Love 1
The Decemberists- The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing
Buy The Decemberists @ Amazon.com
Cage the Elephant
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to apologize for the continued screwup with my files and server. Things are up and down there, and I’m beginning to look into using new guys, but that would involve the tedium of moving all my files, and would also cost me money. And so, unless the donations start pouring in, we’re probably going to have to sit this one out, and you’ll have to be satisfied with my writing during the time being. And on to the album review.
A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine (Julez) sent me a track by a band then unknown to me. The song was called No Rest for the Wicked, but a band that went by Cage the Elephant. I listened to it a few times, and quite enjoyed it. The vocalist reminded me of a cross between Dylan and Jason Mraz, in a very strange sort of way (as he sounds like neither of them), using Dylan’s unique half-speaking/half-singing approach to vocals, coupled with Mraz’s lyrical ADD- throwing as many words into as few beats as possible, making him sound pretty much like a five year old who can’t decide whether the need to urinate outweighs the story he wants to tell you, and ends up trying to relate as much information as quickly as possible before he urinates all over his self… in a good way. (He also looks like Beck.) The music is likewise enjoyable, sounding a bit like The White Stripes album, White Blood Cells, with it’s garage rock guitars and stocattoed rhythms.
A few days later, I was watching a live webcast of Bonnaroo while eating my Sunday breakfast, and realized that the band I was watching was Cage the Elephant. I was quite entertained by the eccentric frontman’s stage antics, and I spent a while just watching him flounder all over the stage in a red spandex bodysuit (the top half of which, due to the Bonnaroo sun, he was forced to remove, leaving the audience with a hilarious picture of a man still trying to run around the stage, while also holding the bottom part of his jumpsuit up at the same time), as his band crunched and grinded through the songs along with him.
So of course, I procured for myself a copy of the album, and gave it a few listens to. For a band’s first offering, this one is pretty good. Mind you, they do need to expand their sound a bit. Some of the songs sound drastically similar, and a few are patently boring. But when they’re on, they’re on. Songs like No Rest for the Wicked, and In One Ear are both musically invigorating, as well as lyrically though provoking. On Free Love, the guys channel the passion of Hendrix and the intensity of the Chili Peppers, on this drum heavy and funk-a-licious (sic) track.
The album is thankfully free of any ballads (the closest being the Strokes influenced Lotus, and the fact that the song sounds Strokes-ish is proof enought that it is definitely not a ballad), as this is a band that knows what they do well, and didn’t try to throw in any cheesy “I miss my girlfriend” slow songs for fans to stick up their lighters to. These guys seem content for their fans to go nuts, mosh, and bob their heads while the band themselves go nuts onstage.
So check the album out; I freaking love it, and so should you. And I’m sorry for not being able to post any mp3s at this time, but here are a few videos for you to check out. Peace.
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Rest in Peace, Michael
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Writing obituaries is probably the hardest thing I do on this blog. Yet, it’s probably the best way to deal with losses like this.
I must admit; I don’t feel as personally hit by this one as I did a few months back when Leroi Moore passed away. I was never the biggest fan of pop music, and though I do have a copy of Thriller on record, I wouldn’t put Michael Jackson up there with my favorite musicians.
That being said, this one still hurts. He was, without any question, the unrivaled King of Pop. What he did to popular music was revolutionary. Starting out in the family-centric Jackson 5, it was soon clear that Michael stood out from his siblings. He broke away from the family band in 1971 at the ripe old age of 13, and began one of the most brilliant careers of any popular musician anywhere.
He was an entire entertainment package- from his voice, to his songs, to his dancing, even to his controversial persona in the public eye. He became one of the earliest crossover musicians to be fully accepted by all music fans, effectively breaking down color barriers in music. He changed pop musicianship from just being a singer to being a performer. Where Elvis shook his hips, Michael took that a step further, as he changed the face of dancing in music- something that all pop musicians have striven to imitate, with most coming up short.
Possibly the most popular musical icon of our generation, Michael will be sorely missed by fans of music everywhere. Rest in peace, Mike.
Michael Jackson- Will You Be There
Michael Jackson- Black or White
[Bootleg] Andrew Bird @ Radio City Music Hall
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Last week I saw Andrew Bird put on a fantastic performance at Radio City Music Hall. (Check the review here.) And, as I did not post a bootleg this past Sunday, coupled with the fact that I just found the boot of this show, whose quality happens to be stellar, I thought it apropos to post the show for y’all.
Enjoy!
Andrew Bird: Radio City Music Hall
Intro
Sweetbreads
Fiery Crash
Opposite Day
Fitz and the Dizzyspells
Masterswarm
Oh No
Effigy
Anoanimal
Imitosis
Cataracts
Skin Is, My*
Scythian Empires*
Tables and Chairs
Why?
Don’t Be Scared
Fake Palindromes
* with Calexico
Backstage at Aerosmith and ZZ-Top
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So it’s two thirty in the morning, my hearing is severely impaired and I just got home from the craziest show of my life. Aerosmith and ZZ Top; backstage; on stage for the show. What could be cooler? I know what you’re thinking- How the hell did Ariel’s brother, albeit an awesome and great looking brother, get the hook up for this? I’ll tell you the tale.
To give you some background info, my oncologist’s sister knows the guy who runs Nissan Pavilion so I got hooked up to hang around with him all day before the Aerosmith show this past sunday.
The first part of the day was pretty chill. I met the guy Ryan who runs the place, and we chatted a bit, and he remarked “Yeah hopefully you’ll have a pretty cool night” Little did I know….
So after meeting some of the staff, and driving around in the golf cart through the backstage area, taking care of some misc. stuff, we headed to the Aerosmith meet and greet, which the Aerosmith people graciously let me go to. At this point in the day I learned that my oncologist’s sister also knows Aerosmith (?) or something like that. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to meet them, get a picture and get my one item signed. I actually was put at the front of the line, before the two kids who won the guitar hero contest (they were kinda weird), and before the two dozen other people who probably payed close to three thousand dollars for the same thing I was about to get for free. I guess I’m pretty lucky.
Here’s where it gets cool. I walk up to the guys by the picture tent, and Steven Tyler immediately signs my hat. I hand my ticket to a decidedly dazed and confused Joe Perry, which he signs, and as we get ready for the picture I proceed to have the greatest conversation of my life.
Steven: (jokingly) Hey they say I have a zit on my face
Me: Nah man, you look great
Steven: Yeah, so do you, so do you
(Picture Taken)
Steven: Hey man, so are you doing ok?
Me: Yeah I’m doing great, thanks…
Steven: So where are you sitting?
Me: VIP Box 203
Steven: (aloud) Let’s this guy on stage for the show….
WTF?? It seems as though Steven knew why I was there and was informed of my medical situation. How did that happen? And in a move that displayed his graciousness and good heartedness, he immediately upgraded me to the best seat in the house.
I waited until the meet and greet was done, and I went with some of Aerosmith’s guys backstage to get me a pass to get on the stage. I then proceeded to the VIP box they had to watch ZZ Top open the show.
Now for the music…
I never really ‘got into’ ZZ Top. They’re just one of those bands that everyone loves to listen to and that plays good southern rock blues. In my VIP box I had a pretty good view of the stage, and the sound was damn good. The word I’d use to describe their sound is heavy; you feel the thickness of the strings and the deep, grungy, booming riffs crankin’ out of the amps. I wasn’t familiar with all of their songs, but they were all similar and pretty rockin’. After a finale that included La Grange and Tush, I decided that ZZ Top puts on a decent live show and was satisfied with their set.
Just a little bit about the atmosphere in the box. If you’ve ever been in a VIP box you’ll know its a totally different atmosphere than a lawn seat or even a regular pavilion seat. There are chairs around tables and waitresses that come around bringing food and drinks. To me it was very strange; it almost seemed as if the music was an afterthought, sort of like music to accompany dinner. I’d probably rather be in a regular seat during a concert (although I can’t really complain). The other thing that drove me nuts was the abundance of fat middle aged women getting drunk and trying (horribly) to dance. It really was not the greatest sight to see but I guess it’s inevitable at a concert like this.
So ZZ Top finished and there was a 45 minute break in between the bands, since Aerosmith has a shitload of equipment to set up. I met up with Ryan again, and we headed into the back again to get me set up on the stage. I got set up in a seat that was literally right on the side of the stage. About ten feet in front of me was the spot where the bass player would be jamming all night. [Editor’s note: Mike’s side of the stage. PJ fans know what I’m talking about.] I was seated next to a disabled lady named Cathy (I think it was Cathy, or Kathy) who was clearly a huge Aerosmith fan. When I told her this was my first show, she looked at me like I was nuts. The roadies helped us settle into our little area and told us that we definitely had the “best seats in the house”. There was a huge black curtain in front of us that pretty much blocked our view of most of the stage, but we were assured it would go down once the band got out. I felt like the kid from Almost Famous when he gets whisked backstage for the Stillwater show. Crazy.
Aerosmith walked onstage to Bob Dylan’s ‘Everybody must get stoned’ [Editor’s note: the song is actually called ‘Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35′], and the crowd happily sang along, reveling in the apparent condoning of drug use and drenched in the excitement of the oncoming foray of rock n’ roll. As Aerosmith started playing the chords to ‘Train Kept a Rollin,’ the huge curtains came down and we were struck with an incredible view of the stage and the 14 thousand fans in the stands and lawn. It was a surreal experience, and it kept getting better. They played hit after hit, including the full album ‘Toys in the Attic.’
Throughout the show Steven periodically would come to the right side of the stage and sing directly to Cathy, myself and the rest of those lucky enough to be on stage. But the best part of the night came during ‘Walk This Way’. Steven screamed Cathy’s name and ran over to let her sing a verse of the song with him, finishing off by giving her ‘a little kiss, like this.’ I took a picture with my phone (since my camera died halfway through the set) and the look on Cathy’s face directly afterwards was one of pure joy. She was so happy that her idols had granted her this opportunity, and she had shared in the rock star glory.
After the first set ended, Joe Perry came out and did a guitar battle with his Guitar Hero character who played on the big screen. The real Joe Perry eventually won, as the video game version burst into flames, and the rest of the band ran on stage to perform an encore of ‘Rag Doll’, and ‘Come Together’ (which kicked ass). When the show ended I chilled with Ryan and drove around the parking lot in our golf cart, hanging out with drunk chicks. I finally drove home at midnight, and here I am trying to retain the glory and excitement of the night. I have my pictures, autographs and backstage passes to remember the night by, but nothing will match actually being there.
The music, the rock stars, the experience was amazing; truly once in a lifetime.
[Editor’s note: Check out the video from the show. If you look to the little ramp on the left side of the stage, you can see some people sitting behind it. Gilad is the one in the black t-shirt with his arms crossed. Pretty sweet, considering that when I saw Aerosmith at the same venue back in ’01, I was in the back of the lawn section.]
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Buy Aerosmith and ZZ Top @ Amazon.com
Andrew Bird: Radio City Music Hall
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It was my first time at Radio City Music Hall, and what stood out most to me were the bathrooms. I ventured downstairs to relieve myself after catching a few songs of opener Calexico’s set, and was taken aback by the amazingly luxurious bathroom that stood before me. There was an entire room with couches and comfy chairs leading into the room with the stalls, urinals, and sinks. This has absolutely nothing to do with the music itself, but it did exude the sense of high-class-ness (sic) that a venue like Radio City Music Hall represents.
It seemed that Andrew Bird himself was taken aback by the quality of the concert hall as well. A few songs into his performance he informed the crowd that “I don’t even know how we got here.”
Mr. Bird may not have been sure how he arrived to the venue (whether he was referring to literally being unsure of how he arrived at that night’s show, or he was speaking more existentially- being not quite sure how his solo career had brought him to such a prestigious venue) but he sure as hell put on a fantastic show.
This was my first time seeing Mr. Bird in concert, but I had been forewarned that his shows were something special. As an avid concert-goer, I took these words with a grain of salt, skeptically thinking that he couldn’t possibly be that great. I mean, it’s just an guy looping his violin- what’s so special about that.
And then, we began to hear music from behind the curtain- a sweet piercing violin sound. The curtains rose to reveal Mr. Bird standing alone with his violin perched neatly beneath his chin, playing the intro to Darkmatter. (Note: this seems to be something of a debate. Some setlists claim that a song entitled Sweetbreads was the opener. It seems that Sweetbreads is an earlier version of Darkmatter, and that it was that version which opened the show on Thursday night.)
But what made the show so amazing was Mr. Bird’s command of the music. He would begin each song by playing a short piece on his violin- either in the classic under-the-chin method, or turned sideways like a mandolin. After looping the piece, he would proceed to loop another piece on top of that. Sometimes more violin, sometimes some whistling, and other times some guitar. After all his looping was finished, he would proceed to play the entirety of the song with his band- continually aweing the crowd with their amazingly tight musical talents.
And beyond the music, his voice stands out as incredible. He has a soaring voice that filled Radio City quite well; at times piercing, at times sensual- but always incredible.
Though, I think I need to stop. Not because I have nothing more to say, but because I can’t quite think of how to say it. You can listen to his studio tracks, live bootlegs, watch youtube videos- but none of that can come close to actually seeing him live. This is one of those shows that you need to attend to properly understand. So, for lack of being able to competently describe the hold Mr. Bird and his bandmates had on the entire crowd for close to 2 hours, I will just implore you to see him live yourself. It is certainly something to be experienced.
Updates
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A few things I wanna let all of you guys know:
- The Eddie Vedder show was reblogged yesterday by the Pearl Jam superfan site Two Feet Thick. Check it out here.
- In less than an hour, I’ll be headed down for the Andrew Bird show at Radio City Music Hall. For those of you going, it’s bound to be an amazing show. For those not, look forward to a review coming up soonish.
- My file host is down again. I keep trying to get in touch with them, but they are being quite difficult about everything. If anyone has suggestions as to a better server, lemme know.
Other than that, things are pretty cool. Listening to Olin and the Moon’s new album, starting to like Silversun Pickups, and have recently discovered the amazingness (sic) of Cage the Elephant. Oh, and one more thing- Eddie Vedder played a new song at a few of the solo dates this tour. Once my files are back up, that one will be shared with you as well.
Till then, enjoy the music.
Eddie Vedder: Lyric Opera House Baltimore (2)
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It’s always difficult to transmit ones feelings about an experience to those who themselves have not experienced it. And so, I’ve always had trouble with concert reviews, especially when I’m writing for people who may not have seen this particular artist in concert themselves. Yet, when thinking about the Eddie Vedder solo show I attended last night, there’s only one word that comes to mind to describe the night:
Stunning.
My brothers and I arrived at the beautiful Lyric Opera House at 645PM for a show that officially began at 730, to ensure that we’d be able to buy as much merch as we wanted (an awesome poster for me, and t-shirts for them). The doors to the theater opened at 7, and we were greeted by ushers who handed out playbills; and so from the outset, it was clear that this was no ordinary concert- this was to be a night at the theater.
By the time Eddie came on a bit after 830 (Liam Finn opened the show- but more on that in a later post) the place was almost entirely filled up. When the lights finally went down, and the curtain came up, there was a mad rush through the theater doors, as the rest of the concert-going patrons filed in and quickly found their seats. Eddie walked out to thunderous applause.
A bit about the stage- a few stools, plush armchairs, a chair in the shape of two feet (you kinda have to see that one to know what I’m talking about), his amp with the bat-like wings on the top, a tiny bass drum box, and a few guitars, and a bottle of wine. Yet, instead of taking swigs directly from the bottle, Eddie had a glass with him, and it seemed that this touch of class was a microcosm for the entire night. Instead of a mosh pit, there were velvet seats, and instead of the crowd standing the entire time, Eddie urged everyone to sit down with him and enjoy the evening. And besides for the annoying drunken hecklers and their annoying screams of “play State of Love and Trust!” and “hey Eddie, I wanna party with you,” to which he responded- “what the fuck do you think we’ve been doing all night?” besides for those minor annoyances, the evening was successfully transformed from a rock concert into (in Yonah’s words) “a night at the theater.”
And sure, all of that added to the overall ambiance, but what made the show truly stunning was the music. Eddie opened with Walk the Cow, before segueing into a verse of Brain Damage (Pink Floyd) as an intro to Sometimes- by which time Eddie’s vocals began to truly shine through as brilliant. He moved onto Trouble, and then into Around the Bend, but not before heckling right back at the locals with his idea for a new song: “the words are ‘I’m from Baltimore and I’m an asshole,'” a jest that the crowd received in good humor, laughing along with Ed. From there Eddie played one last Pearl Jam song (I Am Mine) before moving into his Into the Wild tunes. He began that section of the show by letting the crowd know that Chris McCandlesses (the young man who Into the Wild is based on) sister was in the crowd tonight, hearing the songs live for the first time. It seemed as if letting us know that gave him a bit more energy to sing the songs, as he launched into (yes, I’m going to use the word again) stunning versions of Far Behind, No Ceiling, Guaranteed, and Rise. He then pulled out the Tom Waits classic Picture in a Frame, followed up by You’re True, and Open All Night by Bruce. And suddenly things were kicked up a notch- Driftin’, You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Let My Love Open the Door (!!!), Parting Ways, a beautiful sing-along version of Small Town, and a glorious acoustic rendition of Porch.
Thus endeth set 1.
The second set (first encore?) was riddled with guests. First Ed brought out Jerry Hannan for Society (Jerry wrote the song), then Liam Finn for Throw Your Arms Around me, and EJ Barnes for Golden State. Eddie continued on his own with Forever Young (as a happy birthday song to anyone who has a birthday in the coming year), Wishlist, and a hauntingly perfect version of Arc- pulled off with the aid of a looping machine, over which Eddie dubbed at least ten different vocal tracks. He finished Arc, and let it continue to play on a loop as he walked to the edge of the stage and shook hands with everyone lucky enough to be that close.
As the curtain went down, a few people headed for the exits, but most expected him to come back out with Liam (drums and vocals) and EJ (vocals) for a closer of Hard Sun. Not one to disappoint, Eddie returned in full force with this meager backing band, leading the entire crowd in the (finally) stand up sing along.
The show was a basketful of goodies for any PJ fan, with Forever Young, Throw Your Arms Around Me, and Let Love Open My Door. But beyond those covers, what made this show was Ed’s impeccable playing and singing, and his ability to command a room as a lone man on a stage. From heckling back at the hecklers, to telling stories about his 2 year old daughter questioning his lyrics (check it out here); this was an exceptionally special night for everyone in attendance.
If you get the chance to check Eddie out for his solo act, get off your butt and do it. It’s not the same as the full Pearl Jam experience, but it’s certainly something not to be missed.
Crying
So, my girlfriend’s sister and brother in law came in for the weekend. Being the awesome boyfriend that I am, I offered to watch their two young children while the girlfriend and her sister went out to a show. And while the 6 month old went to sleep right away, the 2 year old spent close to an hour crying for her “Ima,” “Daddy,” and just plain “out!”
Jose Gonzalez: 930 Club (10/2/07)
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Storm
Hints
Suggestions
Heartbeats
All You Deliver
Stay in the Shade
In Our Nature
How Low
Lovestain
Remain
Down the Line
Killing for Love
Cycling Trivialities
Teardrop
Deadweight on Velveteen
Crosses
Time to Send Someone Away
Small Town Boy
Dave Matthews Band: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
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I haven’t bought a DMB album since 2000’s Everyday (an album which I quite enjoyed). I guess I saw them more as a live band than anything else, and didn’t feel any need to purchase their studio recordings. But for some reason, last night I decided to go out on a limb and iTunes their new album. I had heard some pretty good reviews of the album, and wanted to see if the hype was well deserved.
Additionally, this is the first album released since the tragic passing of saxaphonist Leroi Moore, and I knew that it was dedicated to his memory.
I could not have been more pleasantly surprised with what I heard. This band has taken an entirely new direction with this album. It’s as if recording the album in New Orleans forced the band to incorporate bluegrass and delta blues into the music- leaving them with a record that sounds as if it was soaked in a liter of whiskey before released to the public. But beyond the bluesy grooves and banjo fills, the horn section- sans the late great Moore- sounds staggeringly different.
The album opens up with the instrumental Grux, a recording of Lerio just noodling on his horn, while Carter adds a bit of precussion in the background. The album then kicks into high gear with Shake Me Like a Monkey, which opens with piercing trumpets- a stark contrast to Leroi’s constant saxaphone drone that marked DMB songs until now. Whether this was just a result of no longer having Lerio in the band, or an intentional departure, it’s clearly a new direction for this band’s sound. Shifting to the first single, Funny the Way It Is, the band moves back into familiar territory- even the horns sound Leroi-ish. Lying in the Hands of God sounds like a song Coldplay would’ve written if they were talented. Skipping ahead a few songs to Squirm, Dave and Co. pull out the big guns with this heavy blues track, before the hoedown jam of Alligator Pie. Seven has Dave using his voice creatively and Time Bomb begins slowly but gets insane about two and a half minutes into the song. (Actually, if I’m being totally honest- the riff played at the end of the song sounds mysteriously similar to The Rolling Stones’ song- Bitch, a track that DMB covered last summer. Hmmm.) The album ends off with two more chillers- My Baby Blue and You and Me, (which itself ends with a jam that sounds like a Leroi phrase that was looped over and over- and kinda sounds a bit weird).
So that’s my track by track analysis. But the album as a whole rocks my socks off. These guys rocked the Beacon Theater on Monday night, and the entire show is on Hulu. Check out the show, because these songs seem to translate quite well live.
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Dave Matthews Band: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
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I haven’t bought a DMB album since 2000’s Everyday (an album which I quite enjoyed). I guess I saw them more as a live band than anything else, and didn’t feel any need to purchase their studio recordings. But for some reason, last night I decided to go out on a limb and iTunes their new album. I had heard some pretty good reviews of the album, and wanted to see if the hype was well deserved.
Additionally, this is the first album released since the tragic passing of saxaphonist Leroi Moore, and I knew that it was dedicated to his memory.
I could not have been more pleasantly surprised with what I heard. This band has taken an entirely new direction with this album. It’s as if recording the album in New Orleans forced the band to incorporate bluegrass and delta blues into the music- leaving them with a record that sounds as if it was soaked in a liter of whiskey before released to the public. But beyond the bluesy grooves and banjo fills, the horn section- sans the late great Moore- sounds staggeringly different.
The album opens up with the instrumental Grux, a recording of Lerio just noodling on his horn, while Carter adds a bit of precussion in the background. The album then kicks into high gear with Shake Me Like a Monkey, which opens with piercing trumpets- a stark contrast to Leroi’s constant saxaphone drone that marked DMB songs until now. Whether this was just a result of no longer having Lerio in the band, or an intentional departure, it’s clearly a new direction for this band’s sound. Shifting to the first single, Funny the Way It Is, the band moves back into familiar territory- even the horns sound Leroi-ish. Lying in the Hands of God sounds like a song Coldplay would’ve written if they were talented. Skipping ahead a few songs to Squirm, Dave and Co. pull out the big guns with this heavy blues track, before the hoedown jam of Alligator Pie. Seven has Dave using his voice creatively and Time Bomb begins slowly but gets insane about two and a half minutes into the song. (Actually, if I’m being totally honest- the riff played at the end of the song sounds mysteriously similar to The Rolling Stones’ song- Bitch, a track that DMB covered last summer. Hmmm.) The album ends off with two more chillers- My Baby Blue and You and Me, (which itself ends with a jam that sounds like a Leroi phrase that was looped over and over- and kinda sounds a bit weird).
So that’s my track by track analysis. But the album as a whole rocks my socks off. These guys rocked the Beacon Theater on Monday night, and the entire show is on Hulu. Check out the show, because these songs seem to translate quite well live.
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Additionally, DMB will be on Jimmy Fallon tonight, so be sure to tune into NBC a few minutes before 1:30 AM EST to catch the performance.
Dave Matthews Band- Funny the Way It Is
Dave Matthews Band- Alligator Pie (Cockadile)
Buy Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King @ Amazon.com
Pearl Jam: Holiday Single
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These guys have been all over the blogs as of late. Last week, about 300 unemployed Seattleites were “hired” to be extras on the music video of an unknown band. The band turned out to be Pearl Jam. Then, just yesterday, the guys debuted the Get Some, a new song off the forthcoming album (supposedly to be called Backspacer) on the debut of Conan Obrien’s new Late Show.
But that’s not what this post is about. We can discuss the new song later; first things first- the Pearl Jam holiday single finally arrived. I finally had a chance to give it a spin tonight, and was quite happy with what I hear. I’m mostly excited because both songs are acoustic, and thus game to be played at the Eddie Vedder show I’m going to in two weeks’ time. Santa Cruz is a chilled out rocker and Golden State is a beautiful duet between Eddie and Corin Tucker.
I feel particularly connected to listening to the single at this time, as I just returned from my 25 hours in LA a few hours ago (I had a friend’s wedding there). So, the California theme of the single definitely resonates with me.
So check out these tracks, try to get to an Eddie show, and keep your eyes and ears posted for some new PJ.
Fleet Foxes @ The Black Cat (7/7/08)
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It’s been a few weeks since we’ve done our Sunday Bootleg series. From moving apartments, to finals, to weddings- it’s been quite a busy past couple of weeks. But now I’m back, with a fantastic Fleet Foxes show from the Black Cat in DC last July.
What’s truly amazing about these guys is how spectacularly perfect their harmonies are. When going through my father’s records a few years ago, I came across a copy of CSNY’s live album, 4 Way Street. The first track I listened to was Find the Cost of Freedom, one of the greatest vocal songs of all time. But while the studio track is pristine, the live rendition left what to be desired. Not so for Fleet Foxes.
This was my greatest surprise when hearing this boot for the first time. I was astounded by their ability to perfectly recreate the layered vocals on every single song. There were no cracks, no off key slips, no pitchiness; none of that.
But don’t take my word for it, check out this beautiful concert for yourself.
Fleet Foxes @ The Black Cat
Sun Giant
Sun It Rises
Drops In the River
English House
White Winter Hymnal
Your Protector
He Doesn’t Know Why
Crayon Angels (Judee Sill cover)
Oliver James
Mykonos
Blue Ridge Mountains
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
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Grizzly Bear’s latest offering, Veckatimest, is the next step for all indie rock- the right direction for a genre of music that seems to have been stagnating in depressing acoustic ballads and balladeers for the past few years.
With this album, Grizzly Bear has properly positioned themselves amongst the leaders in this new indie movement- amongst the movers and shakers, not the posers. This Brooklyn based, Banana Republic poster boy style band looks a bit like Vampire Weekend on the outside- but has something entirely different going on on the inside. What stands out about their sound is how well the songs seem to flow with each other. The rhythms are tight and well constructed; the guitars sharp and distinct, and the vocals almost syrupy.
Take, for example, Two Weeks, the second track on the album. With chiming harmonies that would not sound out of place in an Apple ad, GB uses original rhythm styles and spares instrument placement to get this song. They could’ve easily used the same chords to write a boring acoustic song- with one vocal track singing the words that, frankly, I haven’t even taken the time to listen to- as every time I listen to this song, I’m captivated by the rest of the music. But they didn’t. They went a step further- taking this from one guy’s solo effort- to a track that has the touches of every member of the band (all of whom have fantastic voices, by the way).
And maybe that’s just it. That’s exactly what this second coming of indie rock is all about. We’ve heard the Elliot Smiths, and the Garden State soundtracks, and all the sad bastard music that goes with it. (I’m excluding Bon Iver, because I love his sad bastard music- but that’s a topic for a different post.) What we want now, is full band indie rock. Creative, innovative, and tasteful- we want bands that are doing new things, that are stretching the boundaries of music as we know it.
With vocals harmonies as good as anything by CSNY or Fleet Foxes, a psychedelic drone reminiscent of Strawberry Alarm Clock and The Black Angels, and original rhythms unlike anything I’ve heard before- Grizzly Bear has stuck indie rock gold with his new offering. Apparently, Radiohead knew what they were doing when they had these guys open up for them on last summer’s tour. It’s about time the rest of us followed suit and gave these guys the credit they deserve.
The Gaslight Anthem: State of Love and Trust
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Ok ok. This band isn’t the greatest. They sound like a cross between Allister and The Dropkick Murphys. Fine. I’ll admit it- I kind of like these guys’ sound. But that’s not what this post is about. We’re not going to talk about the skeleton in the closet that is my love for pop punk with nostalgic lyrics and sing-along choruses. We’re going to talk about Pearl Jam.
Why? you ask. Well, because this New Jersey band has been covering Pearl Jam’s classic track State of Love and Trust. They did it on Letterman (see the mp3) and in Milan (where, amazingly- the entire crown in the pub seemed to know all the lyrics. Pretty cool for a song that doesn’t appear on any of their albums. Check that one out on the video)
So, you may love these guys, and you may hate them- but we can all agree that they do a pretty rocking cover of State of Love and Trust.
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The Gaslight Anthem- State of Love and Trust (Letterman)
The Gaslight Anthem- The ’59 Sound
The Gaslight Anthem- I Coulda Been a Contender
Buy TGA @ Amazon.com
Siamese Dream
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There may be those of you who disagree with me, but I’m pretty sure that Siamese Dream is the Smashing Pumpkins’ greatest album. Don’t give me Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Don’t give me artsy music videos. Rewind to pre- shaved head Billy, and to before every emotionally messed up teeny bopper out there owned the Zero t-shirt. Take a trip back to the Pumpkins’ second album.
This was an album wrought with depression, band fighting, and drug abuse. Bassist D’Arcy and guitarist James Iha had recently broken up. Corgan was suffering from depression and had just been through a nervous breakdown. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain was hopelessly addicted to heroin. And Billy’s perfectionism didn’t do anything to help the band dynamic. Convinced that D’Arcy and Iha were sub-par musicians, Billy would overdub their parts- confident that he could do it better than them, and to ensure he got the sound he was looking for.
While the album ended up a ton of money over budget, and was released long after the expected release date, it all seemed to be worth it. Billy’s obsession, along with the guidance of produced Butch Vig, allowed this album to revolutionize the alternative sound, taking it beyond Seattle grunge, and extending it to noise rock a-la My Bloody Valentine. The heartfelt lyrics on the album clearly express Billy’s depression during this time, and the soft acoustic inspired ballads sound painfully true.
For the amazing noise, check out the middle section of Silverfuck, which basically chills for 3 full minutes, before kicking back into high gear with a wall of noise. For the quieter stuff, check out Sweet Sweet.
But wait- you may ask. Why am I reviewing this album now? Isn’t it 2009? This album came out in 1993, a whole 16 years ago. Well, to be honset, I just found a cheap copy of the record in a Barnes and Noble, and as it’s one of my more favorite albums of all time, I figured I’d purchase it. I’ve been listening to it non-stop since than, and figured I’d share with you a few of my favorite tracks. Enjoy!
Smashing Pumpkins- Sweet Sweet
The Arcade Fire: Ziggy Stardust for the 21st Century
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I was walking to school last week, listening to The Arcade Fire when I had a musical epiphany. Now, The Arcade Fire’s music could fit into more than a few musical genres; yet, I don’t think I’ve heard anyone describe them as glam rock. But I saw it, and apparently David Bowie did as well.
See, the epiphany I had was that of the obvious connection between The AC’s album Funeral, and David Bowie’s revolutionary The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.
I’m going to take a step back for a second. In general, I do not think The Arcade Fire would be considered glam rock; I don’t even think that Funeral is a glam rock album. But there are certain moments that sound hauntingly similar.
It’s going to be difficult to convince you (the reader) of this fact, but I implore you to listen to both albums and then make a decision for yourself. But even before I do that, I’ll try to make a few comparisons. Both albums begin with slow wide open songs, before kicking it up a notch. But the strongest similarities, in my eyes, are in Bowie’s songs Soul Love and Moonage Daydream (which sound more like one two-part song than two distinct tracks) and The AC’s Wake Up. Both songs open similarly- vocally and harmonically. And both songs have 2nd parts that kick it up a notch and speed things up.
If you don’t believe me, just ask Bowie himself. As I began to do a bit of research for this post, I googled “the arcade fire and david bowie” to see what came up. I surprisingly came up with 231,000 hits. Apparently, Bowie was the one who discovered The Arcade Fire and, in the words of Wikipedia “brought them to the attention of label oweners.” So it was Bowie who basically made them popular beyond the blogging world.
But what did Bowie see in them? Why did he decide to take this young band under his wing and to ensure their major label success? Obviously, because of their similarities. Bowie heard a 21st century version of Ziggy Stardust and wanted to make them as popular as possible.
If you disagree with me, then you’re probably wrong, but you’re welcome to leave comments and insult my intelligence (as I have yours).
The Arcade Fire and David Bowie- Wake Up
The Arcade Fire- Five Years (David Bowie cover)
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Buy Bowie and TAC @ Amazon.com
The Decemberists on Jay Leno
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Here’s a band I never really got. They always struck me as a boring carbon copy indie rock/folk band- nothing all that special, and certainly undeserving of all the press they’ve been getting.
That is, until I saw them on Jay Leno tonight. Where I always imagined them sounding sorta like a lame version of Joni Mitchell, they played “The Wanting Comes in Waves,” a song off their new album, a song that began like slowly, but built on itself until the band sounded like the demon child of Janis Joplin and Sonic Youth, between the female vocals rocking out the end and the noise rock feedback at the end of the track.
I’m not entirely sure what these guys used to sound like, what the rest of their new album sounds like, or what they’re trying to sound like. But this song is money. Just plain money
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Buy The Decemberists @ Amazon.com
Fleet Foxes
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Why does this always happen? Time and again, every reputable music blog hails some unknown band, I give them a listen and decided they’re crap, only to come back months later and realize these bloggers were right on. It happened with Okkervil River, and now again with Fleet Foxes.
Actually, to set the record straight, my friend Max first told me to check these guys out over a year ago. I listened, thought they were boring folk rock, and dismissed them as another popular indie band with little to no talent, that I could never lover.
Fast forward to last week when, with my discovery of La Blogotheque, I found a video of Fleet Foxes singing Blue Ridge Mountains in an abandoned university rotunda in Paris. The mesmerizing vocal harmonies and acoustic instrumentation immediately grabbed me, and made me realize that this was a band to be contended with.
Now, my goal with this post is to describe the album to you, so as to convince you to give it a listen. The beautiful harmonies are reminiscent of CSNY; they have that rare ability to perfectly layer vocal harmonies. The actual songs sound like a cross between folk rock, and bluegrass. But while much of the music in those genres tend to rely on simplistic musicianship and lyrics, FF are anything but that. Their lyrics are smart and well thought out; they speak about love and life and tell stories quite well. Yet, I doubt that one discerns the actual words the first go around- not because they’re not prominent in the music; this is basically folk rock, vocals and lyrics are the driving forces behind most of the songs. Nay, a listener may miss out on the actual verbiage because the music itself is so overwhelmingly beautiful. Simple guitar parts are layered with mandolins and keyboards so expertly, that the vocals sometimes get lost in the music.
But not always. My favorite song on the album, Blue Ridge Mountains, is quite the opposite. Beginning with simple open chords, vocalist Robin Pecknold’s vocals prominently drive this gorgeously constructed song. Keys join in for most of the first verse, before dropping out for the vocally led interlude, which is surprisingly dissonant- lending more evidence to the fact that these guys seem to know what they’re doing musically. And then things take off. The entire band joins in as Pecknold’s voice soars high above the jangling music below him, carrying the entire song on his coattails. Not to say the instrumentation itself is somehow subpar; the song would stand on it’s own had it been an instrumental. Yet, the stunning vocals lift the song even higher.
This is a band that has a clear grasp on their talents, limitations, and what they’re trying to do with their music. I could go on describing each and every song on the album like this, but I’d rather you let the music inform you own opinions of them before I attempt to do so.
So give these guys a listen. And then go out and buy a copy of the album; this is one worth owning (thanks E!).
Fleet Foxes- Blue Ridge Mountains
And here’s the La Blogotheque video I posted the other week, for those of you who haven’t seen it yet
PopoutFleet Foxes – A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
My Morning Jacket: Lousisville, KY (11/23/05)
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And so, the school year has finally drawn to a close. If you’ve been wondering where I had gone, and why there had been few posts in the past week or so- it’s because finals and moving apartments have been dominating my life. But don’t despair! I’m back, and it’s summertime- so I will hopefully be posting more often than I’ve been doing lately. And don’t worry about me going away on any extended vacations; I spent all my money on Pearl Jam tickets this summer, so I’ll be spending the rest of my time working off those bills in my lab at Columbia.
But enough about me, back to the music. We skipped the Sunday bootleg, so I’m going to give you one on Tuesday night (or, possibly Wednesday by the time all these files get uploaded). I recently realized that I have not posted any full MMJ shows. (I know I recently posted a Jim James solo show, but that’s a different animal altogether.) This is quite the tragedy, as I frequently praise their amazingness (sic) as a live act.
As I write up this post, I’m listening to this boot for the first time. The sound quality is pretty good, and Jim’s voice sounds spot on (or as spot on as his unique falsetto can be). So give it a listen, and lemme know what you think.
My Morning Jacket: Louisville, KY (11/23/05)
Wordless Chorus
It Beats For You
Gideon
One Big Holiday
What a Wonderful Man
Lowdown
I Will Sing You Songs
Golden
Sooner
Hell
Lay Low
Off the Record
Dondante
Dancefloors
Anytime
Louisville Pride
I Will Be There
Bermuda
At Dawn
Run Thru
Magheeta
Pearl Jam in Chicago
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So, PJ will be playing 2 dates in Chicago at the end of the summer, on August 23 and 24. I will be roadtripping out there for both show with a few friends. And here comes the first ever TSU contest! Well, it’s not actually a contest.
Basicaly a friend of mine is buying 10-Club tickets, but isn’t sure if he has a second person to go with him, as it’s difficult to find people willing to make the drive from the east coast to the mid-West. As PJ requires it’s club members to purchase tickets in pairs, if he wants to get the presale tickets, he’s going to need to buy 2 tix, and fast- as the presale runs out tomorrow night.
So, if you’re at all interested, comment with your information, and we’ll see if we can hook you up.
The Real Heaven is a Porch Filled With Monkeys and Me
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I recently came into possession of the entire Pearl Jam catalog. Now, you may ask: shouldn’t he already have every studio album that PJ has put out? I mean, c’mon- he seems to post them all the time. If I was that much of a fan, I would have all of their albums.
So let me rephrase- I just came into possession of every existing Pearl Jam recording. This includes not only the bootlegs that they’ve been releasing since the 2000 tour, but every unofficial audio and video bootleg as well- amounting to around 100 gig of Pearl Jam.
Now, the only challenge is to sort through it all, a challenge that I am excited to spend way more time than is healthy, doing. Today, I’ve listened to two 1994 shows the Orpheum Theater show in Boston on April 12th, and the Bayfront Amphitheater show in Miami on March 28th. Now, while the Orpheum show is a classic- choc full of rarities as Eddie allowed the crew to make up the setlist, it was the Miami show that caught my attention- specifically with this rendition of Porch.
The version begins quicker than than any other I’ve heard (and I’ve heard a fair share) and the band sounds incredibly crisp as well. And then, they took it to another level. While the band jams out, instead of climbing precariously into the rafters (as he was known to do) Eddie begins singing. It’s difficult to make it out in the beginning, and then it becomes clear that he’s singing The Pixies song: Monkey Gone to Heaven. And if this wasn’t enough, he launched into the Who’s classic The Real Me.
So check out the track, and revel in the wild boar-like intensity of the song.
Pearl Jam- Porch (Miami 3/28/94)
The Pixies- Monkey Gone to Heaven
Buy PJ, The Who, and SY @ Amazon.com
Delta Spirit
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And finally, we’re back. Mp3s are up and running (for now, at least), and I can finally share some great music with you.
For some inexplicable reason, during finals I tend to fall in love with tons of new music. This semester has been no different. Thanks, primarily to La Blogotheque, I’ve been listening to a ton of new bands- most of whom I will post about eventually. But today, I would like to do a post on a San Diegan (yes, San Diegan is the correct term for people from San Diego) band called Delta Spirit. These raucous rockers play their instruments with a sense of their own impending mortality- as if if they don’t play loudly or intensely enough, something terrible may happen. So they “throw down the mic” (figuratively) on every song, playing with the intensity of a coke addict with a penchant for soulful northwestern folk rock.
Now, I realize that calling them “soulful northwestern folk rock” may immediately convince you that these guys sound exactly like Neil Young: he sings soulfully, is from the northwest (is Canada NW?), and definitely plays a ton of folk rock. Yet, this is an entirely different brand of northwestern folk soul, or as I like to call it- NWFS.
So check out the videos (of course, from La Blogotheque) and the mp3s (yay! we can post mp3s again) posted below. And if you think these guys suck, then I truly feel for you, because if that’s the case, chances are you have a lump of coal where your heart should be, and a soul that’s devoid of all feeling. And if you give them a second listen, and still don’t get it, then watch the video and pay close attention to the singer’s face as he sings. It’s pretty freaking amazing.
PopoutDelta Spirit – People Turn Around from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
Delta Spirit- Gimme Some Motivation
Delta Spirit- People, Turn Around
Delta Spirit- People C’mon
Buy Delta Spirit @ Amazon.com
Iron and Wine- Boy With a Coin
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So, the file host is still being annoying and not allowing me to upload. Additionally, it’s reading week- so I’m kind of really busy. But in the meantime, check out this beautiful video. I’ve never really been into Iron and Wine, but after this video, I’m definitely going to check out more of their stuff.
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Iron & Wine- Boy With A Coin
La Blogotheque
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Since the file host is down again, I figure I might as well post a great website that I just discovered. For anyone who likes good music, and good film- this site will be a gold mine. La Blogotheque features filmmaker Vincent Moon’s avant garde music videos with various famous artists. Basically, Moon and these musicians walked around the streets of Paris and they played while he filmed. But these aren’t just any live videos- each one of them has something more.
He’s got Animal Collective playing an enchanting rhythm on a shopping cart pushed by a random dude, Jason Mraz playing It’s A Lovely Day with a homeless man on the street, The Arcade Fire playing Neon Bible in an elevator, Andrew Bird just playing as he walks through the streets, and many more that I have yet to watch.
But beyond being cool videos, what exactly does is the point of the videos? What propels Mr. Moon to make these videos? And even further, what propels the musicians to agree to these videos? And I think the answer is quite simple: this is art. While I don’t think this is the future of music, it’s an interesting direction to take music. The convolution of creative cinematography and beautifully crafted rhythms fits impeccably well together in all of Moon’s videos. Moon wants to create something unique and entertaining, and all of these musicians seem to want to be a part of it.
So check out the site, and here are a few of the videos for your viewing pleasure:
PopoutFleet Foxes – A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
The Deadly Snakes
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I love searching through my iTunes, and discovering entire albums that I’ve never yet listened to. The Deadly Snakes are such a band. I’m pretty sure a friend of mine (Paul Adam) gave me this album, but at the time, I had no space on my iPod and thus- never really got around to listening to it.
So I have them a listen to today, and discovered an amazingly eclectic band. The Deadly Snakes were formed in 1996 for a one-time gig at a friends birthday party, but decided to continue on as a band, and eventually became pretty popular in the Toronto scene. Their sound is something of a mix between psychedelic rock, country/Americana, and straight up blues. Whether this is an effect of their not being able to decide on one specific genre, or an impressive ability to cross-over different styles, is something for you to decide.
But if you want to, you’re going to have to give them a listen to first.
The Deadly Snakes- Debt Collection
The Deadly Snakes- High Prices Going Down
The Deadly Snakes- So Young & So Cruel
Buy The Deadly Snakes @ Amazon.com
Andrew Bird: Live @ the 930 Club
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I guess it was only a matter of time before I was to come under the enchanting spell that Andrew Bird casts with his music. Every aspect of his music is incredibly appealing. As a classically trained violinist (thanks E!) Mr. Bird is able to integrate sounds into his songs, that most rock bands are unable to utilize. But beyond his virtuosic instrumental talents, his singing/whistling too, is quite stellar. Using a voice that sounds at times like Thom Yorke, and at other times like Jim James (thanks again E!) Mr. Bird has a voice that convinces a listener to listen closely, because this guy has something soulfully important to say. Ok, he may be singing about board games or loving his own songs- but, as with many great musicians and songwriters, his message isn’t driven my words. The lyrics are merely an additional media to help carry his music to the masses. It’s the sounds themselves that are important. What Mr. Bird has to say isn’t expressed in a textual message- it’s in a passionate whistle, or in a whimsical yelp, or in a shredded violin run.
This is music at it’s purest. It isn’t lyrical poetry or storytelling. It’s pure unadulterated musical greatness. And it’s glorious. So check him out, and be sure to listen to this concert from this past February, recorded in the 930 Club in DC. As you will soon see, while his studio recordings are phenomenally well done, it’s as a live musician that he truly shines.
Andrew Bird: Live @ the 930 Club
Instrumental
Tables and Chairs [Encore]
Buy Andrew Bird @ Amazon.com
Eddie Vedder Links Re-Posted
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Again, sorry for the temporary inconvenience, and hopefully we’re back up for good.
Deer Tick Throws Down The Mic
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I was listening to a podcast of a Raconteurs show when I heard NPR’s Bob Boilen announce that “Jack White threw down the mic.” While it soon became clear that Boilen was making a literal reference to White having actually thrown the microphone (along with it’s stand) to the floor, following the conclusion of their set, at first I wasn’t so sure. At first, it seemed to me like some sort of creative way to desribe the intensity of the performance.
And then it occurred to me that music journalists, critics, and bloggers are always trying to come up with new ways to describe the music they hear. Striving to be creative and original is something that isn’t always so easy when it comes to using words to paint an audial picture. Some writers have a knack for it. Those who frequent this blog know of my obsession with Lester Bangs, and much of my fascination stems from his unique style of critical prose and his ability to express how he feels about a particular song/album/artist/ band.
I too, am always looking for new musical idioms; new ways to describe the sounds I hear and wish to share with you. So, I think it would be appropriate to describe Deer Tick as having “thrown down the mic.” Comprised of only a guitarist, a drummer, and a cellist (celloist?), their infectious sound combines folksy blues with a vocalist who sounds like he’s been smoking for the past 70 years- an incredible feat considering these guys are in their 20s. Basically, these guys have crafted, and phenomenally well at that, old-man country blues songs. That they’re able to sound like geriatric alcoholics is only a testament to their incredible talents. Check ’em out, and celebrate the fact that my file hosting server seems to be back up. More blogs for everyone!
Deer Tick- Still Crazy After All These Years
Eddie Vedder: Live in Chicago
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So, as many of you hopefully know, Eddie Vedder will be playing a handful (well, a few hands full) of shows early this summer. To my excitement, he decided to play two dates in my hometown of Baltimore, MD. The venue is the beautiful Lyric Opera house, and on June 15th, I will be one of 2564 lucky fans in attendance. I may not have the closest seats, but the venue is small and intimate enough that every seat in the house is bound to be amazing.
In preparation for this exciting show, I’ve decided to share an amazing Eddie boot from last year. This is his second Chicago show, the last date from his solo tour last summer. Enjoy.
Eddie Vedder: Live in Chicago
Sometimes
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away
Web Sheriffs and Musical Freedom
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Music, in our glorious era of technological advancement, has done nothing but surge forward. The internet has been able to literally bring music to the masses; allowing bloggers in Kalamazoo County to listen to bands from Finland, without forcing the fan to travel to Europe, or the band to do a world tour.
Yet, despite all the glory that the internet has to offer in terms of spreading music to the masses, something you would assume both the fans (for obvious reasons) and the musicians (for popularity reasons) would appreciate, not everybody is so happy about the state of digitized music these days.
Just yesterday, I was reading an article in Rolling Stone Magazine about a Web Sheriff. Apparently, bands like Animal Collective, Van Morrison, and Prince have hired this individual to remove links to their leaked music, websites that contain photos of the band, and in Prince’s case, even a photograph of a fan’s tattoo of Prince’s likeness.
Now, I’m not going to lie, I do not purchase every single song that I have on my computer. And I love getting leaked albums early. In the past few months I’ve listened to leaked copies of Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion, U2’s No Line on the Horizon, and Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest (review post coming). And I know this may make me guilty of certain copyright laws, and who knows, the Web Sherriff may be coming for me next.
So let’s start with the basics. I realize that musicians need to make money, and I realize that selling music is how they do that. And I don’t want to go around justifying my downloads- that seems apologetic, and I hate that. But I don’t understand bands that aren’t willing to give away their music for free, at least for a time. Take bands like Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, and Girl Talk. All of these bands offered their new albums for download, allowing the fan to choose the price. Present this money-making scheme to an economics and they’ll laugh at you. But somehow, it worked. Radiohead fans were so grateful for a new album, that many of them decided to pay for an album they could’ve gotten pro-bono. Maybe they looked at it as a donation to the band. Maybe they saw it as a ‘thank you’ gift for writing some of the best music of all time. Or maybe they just felt guilty receiving a piece of art without paying for it. Whatever it was, Radiohead actually made money on these free downloads.
But let’s say they didn’t. Take Girl Talk, for whom fans probably weren’t as willing to shell out a few bucks. What did he lose by offering the album for free? You could say he lost potential sales, but then again, he also probably gained a ton of fans. I myself never would have made it to a Girl Talk concert had I not downloaded his album (legally, on his site). Girl Talk probably wouldn’t have received the positive press that he did after deciding to give away the album, had he tried to sell it. He probably wouldn’t have sold out Terminal 5 in Manhattan three nights in a row either. So, while he may have lost a bit in the CD sales department, he gained a ton in fans and concert income.
And I think that’s the point. Digital music, in my opinion, should be free. If fans want an actual copy of the album, with album art, thank yous, and a lyric sheet, then they can pay for it. If fans want see a band play their album live, then they should pay for that. These are tactile things that can be bought and sold, and these are things in demand. But digital downloads, mostly due to the fact that they can be copied so easily, with no actual cost, make them harder to sell, and harder to convince people to buy.
But while this is something for the musicians to decide for themselves, it’s at the Web Sheriff that I direct this post. There is nothing as despicable as a man who’s job it is to go around the internet, sending threatening warning emails to young music fans who truly love the music they’re listening to, and are doing whatever it takes to get that out there to the masses. These are the biggest fans out there, and some bands and their Sheriff are taking huge shits on these kids; kids who have no way of fighting back, who have no way of knowing that it isn’t the least bit illegal to post picture of Van Morrison, or pictures of Prince tattoos.
Who do these artists think they’re fighting? Do they think these are seedy music haters, sitting in their basements, contriving ideas of how to destroy the music business? No. These are music’s biggest fans. These are they kids who love the bands, who buy Rolling Stone magazine, who follow the bands all summer on concert, who write loving posts about their heros. These are the kids who are getting music out to the masses- something the record companies seem to be at a loss to do.
As Lester Bang’s beautifully put it; “The ultimate sin of any performer is contempt for the audience.” So today, I raise my glass to all those music bloggers out there. Let’s drink to their continued success, and to the failure of Web Sheriffs everywhere.
Spin the Black Circle
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There’s something magical about buying a new record. Ripping off the plastic covering, spreading the cardboard open, sliding the vinyl disc out. The album art, the creative inside casing, the Thank Yous, the excitement of putting the record on the player and dropping the needle down. There’s just something about it that makes listening to music so amazing.
Now, dissenters will claim that no musical quality can come close to the digital prowess that CDs can offer. And they’re totally right. As an electrical engineering student, I know the science behind analog and digital. Everything I’ve learned should tell me that CDs should sound superior to records.
The problem is, they don’t. Sure, sometimes there’s a bit of hissing or buzzing if the record is dusty or if the needle is dirty. But the overall sound is warmer, richer, and more enjoyable to listen to. One of my Professors, the very one who taught us everything we know about digital and analog systems, after going through all the specifics of digital music sampling, and after explaining to us how digital is the best way to accurately recreate the sound; after all this he threw up his hands and admitted that he still thinks records sound better.
Maybe all of us record listeners are shutting our ears for the sake of nostalgia (and for myself, nostalgia for a time before I was born). Maybe we just want to like records because it allows us to snub trendy mp3 players for chic cool turntables.
All this could be true. Yet, as I sit here listening to my newly purchased copy of Radiohead’s In Rainbows on vinyl, it somehow sounds better than it has ever sounded before. Better than listening to the mp3s that were sampled at 160kbps through my $150 headphones. My speakers are emitting a warm sound that seems to envelop the entire room. Sure, the drums may not be as sharp as they are on a digital copy, but the rest of the sound seems to be superior.
“But wait,” you interrupt. “Even if a record sounds better, I’d rather have a way of getting it onto my iPod.” Herein lies the biggest pitfall (in my opinion) of record sales. Portability of music is probably the most important thing to people nowadays. Take a look at headphones, for example. Over-ear headphones are cheaper than in-ear ones, and the sound is also exponentially better. Consumers, however, prefer the in-ear buds, which allow more portability. So, for someone who doesn’t want to illegally download a digital copy of an album they just purchased, records seem to be a pretty silly purchase.
I would concur, though I myself think that as long as I’ve purchased a copy of the album, be it in analog or digital form, I should be able to download a digital copy of the album. I think that it should be the responsibility of the record companies to provide record purchasers with digital copies to go along with their analog purchase. The buyer just spent 20 bucks on a record- throwing in some digital downloads would be nice. And it’s not like this would cost the record companies anything- downloads are absolutely free.
My Morning Jacket has taken this a step further. Included in each of their records (at least in the ones that I saw in Record and Tape Traders) is a CD copy of the album purchased. Wow! What innovation! How corteous of them! They took my download idea a step further and actually included a physical CD. When I saw this, I put down my $12.99 CD of their 2003 album It Still Moves and picked up the $19.99 record and CD combo and marched right to the checkout counter.
While paying for my two records (In Rainbows and It Still Moves, in case you’ve already forgotten) I realized that both of these bands found a way to give their fans free digital copies.
Radiohead brilliantly gave them away for free on their website. I say brilliantly, because tons of fans still decided to purcahse the album. In Rainbows had the most sales of any record in all of 2008. It could be that all Radiohead fans are pompous audiophiles who refuse to listen to anything digital, or it could be that these fans were so appreciative of getting an amazing album for free that they were willing, nay, wanted to go out an purchase a copy of the album.
And MMJ’s decision to include CDs with their records is just another all-star move by an all-star band. If you’ve ever been to an MMJ show, you’ll know that these guys are all about the fans. When these guys played MSG on New Years, they seemed genuinely overjoyed to be playing such a venue on such a night. They were like little kids, and they kept thanking the fans over and over again. So, the fact that these guys decided to give a little bit back to their fans is no surprise to me.
So, musicians, we’ll make a deal with you. We’ll stop downloading all of your music and we’ll purchase your records. Just make sure to throw in some digital goods along with the package.
Radiohead- Like Spinning Plates
Pearl Jam- Spin the Black Circle
Buy Radiohead, Pearl Jam, and Olin & the Moon @ Amazon.com
Indie Rock Cred
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I was sitting in the Yeshiva College writing center the other week, when I overheard a few professors discussing how much easier academic research is, now that everything is on the internet. And it got me thinking about how Al Gore’s invention affected not only one’s ability to research more accurately and efficiently, but it also changed media as we know it.
Due in part to the fact that I’m currently reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, his magnum opus of a novel that explores (among many things) the addictive aspects of entertainment, media and entertainment have been on the mind.
Back in the day, in order to watch TV or movies or listen to music online- you needed to either stream them, or download them; both illegal. Movies and television have made bold steps in the right direction, with sites like Hulu that allow interneters to stream media along with commercial breaks. Music, however, doesn’t seem willing to make that next step.
Yet, while those who make internet music laws don’t seem to be budging, those sharing music on the internet are at the forefront of the industry, and seem to be the new critics that rock radio has desperately needed for the last ten years.
When I grew up, I got all of my music from the radio. The system worked well when 98 Rock and WHFS played Pearl Jam, Nirvana, STP, Weezer, and the Pumpkins. But when bands like Puddle of Mudd started getting absurd amounts of radio play, I was forced to settle for classic rock radio. Not to say there’s anything wrong with classic rock, I just don’t aspire to the belief that rock died in the late 60s or early 70s. I believe that great music continues to be made, and will continue to do so as long as creative and emotionally distressed people are out there to create it. The key is being able to find it.
Which brings to light the music blog world. In the past three years, I’ve probably been exposed to more music that I never would have heard of had I not begun perusing what the internet had to offer. I never would’ve known about Girl Talk, would never have given My Morning Jacket a second chance, and certainly wouldn’t have discovered bands like Daft Punk, Animal Collective, Andrew Bird, Band of Horses, or The Arcade Fire.
But while this exposure is great for both bands and fans, it takes something away from the music. True music geeks used to be able to haughtily snub us radio folk, chiding us by saying that the music we were listening to was nothing compared to the stuff they liked. We never really knew where they got their music from- I myself can’t imagine discovering this stuff withtout the internet. But somehow they found it and were able to throw it in our faces.
These ivory tower, greasy haired, Licorice Pizza loving, geeks would retreat to their musical nerderies and would revel in the fact that they listened to bands with true indie rock cred, and that somehow, because of that, they were better people. But today, in the day of sites like Stereogum and Pitchfork, where bands like Animal Collective are hailed, and radio starts like Miley Cyrus snubbed, what exactly does indie cred mean anymore?
In a word- it means nothing, just as it should. To asses somethings worth based on it’s unpopularity is counterintuitive, and shows little faith in mankind’s ability to assess good art. Art critics don’t complain that Picasso is too famous, nor do literary nuts complain that Hawthorne sold too many novels.
So yes, while I understand that sometimes it sucks for the fans when bands start playing larger venues, try not to complain too much. Sometimes it’s nice when good art is appreciated by the masses, and it’s always cool to be able to claim that you saw The Beatles before they were famous. But tell anyone that spent their life listening to the radio that you saw Captain Beefheart before he was famous, and a blank look will register on their face- a look that says:
a. Who the hell is Captain Beefheart?
b. If he was famous, I’d probably have heard of him?
and c. Why are you telling me this?
And so, here are a few bands or songs that you’ve probably never heard before. Because isn’t that the point of this whole blog thing? Oh, and if you have heard any of the songs before, let us all know about your musical awesomeness with a comment. Cause (sic) us writers love comments, and don’t see nearly enough of them.
The Pixies- Monkey Gone To Heaven
Buy these guys @ Amazon.com
Okkervil River live in DC: 9/30/07
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And next in our Sunday Bootleg Series we have…. Okkervil River!
Okkervil River puts on a fantastic live show. I’ve only seen them once, but they managed to blow me away. So check out this show, and next time they come around, make sure you’re in attendance.
Okkervil River: Live in DC
A King and A Queen
A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene
Our Life is Not A Movie, Or Maybe
Encore
A Stone
Buy Okkervil River @ Amazon.com
The Exodus, In the Style of Metallica
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Wednesday night marks the anniversary of the Jews Exodus from Egypt. To celebrate that fact, let’s remember the Exodus in the best way possible- through the medium of metal music. Metallica, in their song Creeping Death, retold the story of the final plague- death of the firstborn. While the theme of death is in no way foreign in Metallica’s music, the Bible is.
So let’s celebrate this holiday by listening to these guys’ artistic interpretation of the final and most deadly of all of the plagues. Happy holidays!
Jim James @ Newport Folk Festival 2008
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My Morning Jacket may very well be the best live band consistently today- a fact that I’ve said before, and one that I will probably repeat over and over. The band’s ability to interweave their well written songs with exciting jamming is something that no one does as well as them. As such, one might think that a solo show by Jim James, MMJ’s frontman, would leave what to be desired.
Surprisingly, this isn’t so. Similar to Pearl Jam’s frontman Eddie Vedder, James manages to put on an exciting solo show, despite missing the backing of his phenomenal live band. James’ reworking of MMJ’s tunes sounds great, and this show is a ton of fun to listen to.
Jim James @ Newport Folk Festival 2008
Tonite I Want To Celebrate With You
The Black Keys: Live @ the 9:30 Club
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It’s Sunday afternoon, and time for another bootleg. Not sure if this is going to happen every Sunday, but I’ll do my best to keep it up.
This week, we’ve got a boot of the Black Keys, ripped from an NPR podcast of their May 18th 2008 concert at the 9:30 Club in DC. After hearing this boot, I desperately want to see the Keys in concert. To recreate such a unique brand of heavy blues in concert would be impressive with a full band; it’s nothing short of incredible with just a guitarist and a drummer.
Not too much more need be said about this boot. The quality is great and the band sounds awesome, and so- I implore you to download this boot. You won’t be disappointed.
The Black Keys: Live @ the 9:30 Club
Girl On My Mind
Buy the Black Keys @ Amazon.com
Obadiah Parker
There’s a pretty decent chance some of you have heard of Matt Weddle, the singer-songwriter-guitarist for the folk trio Obadiah Parker. You may have heard his cover of Outkast’s Hey Ya, on which he took the hip hop track and transformed it into an acoustic masterpiece.
Well, if you liked that one, check out the cover of Radiohead’s Idioteque. The sound isn’t the greatest, but the track is quite amazing. I implore you to give this one a chance, even if you’re bored by the piano intro. The meat of the song is just fantastico (sic).
Thanks E!
Obadiah Parker- Hey Ya
Buy Obadiah Parler @ Amazon.com
Monday Morning Covers
On this deceivingly cold Spring Monday afternoon, I think it’s time for a few phenomenal cover songs. I have nothing else to say, partially because I have no desire to ramble about these bands right now, but mainly because class has begun, and I should start paying attention.
Screaming Trees- Tales of Brave Ulysses (Cream cover)
John West- Umbrella (Rihanna)
The Black Keys- She Said, She Said (Beatles cover)
Buy these guys @ Amazon.com
The Raconteurs: Live @ Glastonbury 2008
This is a band that I’ve been pining to see in concert for a very long time. Hearing this boot only makes it worse. This short set (which is even shorter in mp3 version, as 4 songs seem to be missing from my version of the show) is amazingly energetic and charged. This is a band that whose sound and talents fit so perfectly in a live setting. Their musicianship is honed and phenomenal, they work off each other well, and they just rock so freaking hard.
Radiohead with the USC Marching Band
I’ve been meaning to post this song for a while, but never got around to it. For those of you who watched the Grammy’s you probably saw Radiohead’s phenomenal performance of their song 15 Step, accompanied by the USC Marching Band.
The percussive heaviness of the song makes it the perfect one to play with an entire marching band. So check out the video, and 2 mp3s of the live track below. It’s two different versions, and I’m not sure which one I like better, so I’m posting both of them. You decide which one you like. Enjoy!
Popout
Radiohead- 15 Step (w/USC Marching Band) [1]
Radiohead- 15 Step (w/USC Marching Band) [2]
The Kinky Wizards
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What is this?
It’s Vince and Justin.
Who’s that?
The little skate fuckers.
No way.
Yes way.
It’s really… it’s really fucking good
Ever since I first saw High Fidelity, I totally agreed with John Cusak and Jack Black’s characters: the song really was good. But I had no idea who wrote it, what it was, or where I could find it. Until today.
Apparently the song, which is attributed to Vince and Justin’s band The Kinky Wizards, was written by a band called Royal Trux. I don’t know very much about the band or any of their other songs, but this one is pretty damn awesome.
Royal Trux- The Inside Game
Buy Royal Trux @ Amazon.com
Pearl Jam: Revisited
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This week, Pearl Jam finally released their long awaited remixed version of their debut album Ten. And it’s about freaking time. The band had been begging producer Brendan O’Brien to remix the disc since the band was working on their sophomore album Vs. (Sic– I’m really not sure how to put a period at the end of a sentence when the last word in the sentence has a period in it. Should it be Vs. or Vs..?)
Yet, while the band wanted the album redone, O’Brien was hesitant, as he didn’t want to mess with such a classic album. And there’s something to be said for that. There’s something to be said for listening to music in it’s original context, with all the errors and issues that go along with it. There’s something much more musically fulfilling about listening to a Dylan record, where you can hear him catching his breath and his fingers scratching the strings, than a Boston record that’s been overproduced so many times with so many guitar tracks that it almost sounds fake.
But then again, by remixing the album, PJ wasn’t producing it further; they were taking a step back. The original album ended up being overproduced, with their heavy grungy sound being a bit muffled with syrupy reverb, and cutting back the edge from the vocals, drums, and guitars. When comparing the original album to the remixed version, it almost sounds like the tone knob had been turned down for the past 18 years, and suddenly O’Brien cranked it back up- allowing us to finally hear all the secrets Ten had to offer.
The remixed version is grittier in every way, but probably most in terms of drums. I noticed it during my first listen-through, and Rolling Stone commented on it as well in their latest issue: Dave Krusen was an absolute beast. So to give a feel for what I mean, check out these two drum heavy tracks.
The Dead Weather
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Jack White can’t seem to do wrong. Whether he’s playing loose garage rock and tight blues with the White Stripes or straight up rock and roll with the Raconteurs, here is a guy who always adds his own flair of musical talent to whatever project he’s working with.
So, of course, it’s not surprising to hear that he has a new band- The Dead Weather. While touring with The Kills this summer, Jack White teamed up with Raconteurs bassist Jack Lawrence, and Kills’ singer Alison Mosshart to record Are ‘Friends’ Electric, a psychedelic rocker by Gary Numan. With White taking his long forgotten place behind the drumkit (the first instrument he learned), Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Fertita soon joined their ranks to even out the band.
Their music sounds both familiar and new at the same time, taking it’s cues from both of White’s former bands, but adding a unique psychedelic feel to some of the songs, and a distincly late 60s/ early 70s fuzz sound to the tracks.
So check out this third offering from Jack White, who seems to be falling into the role of the musical visionary with more ideas whirling around his head than time or bandmates to actualize them.
The Dead Weather- Are ‘Friends’ Electric
The Dead Weather- Hang You From the Heavens
Buy The Dead Weather on iTunes
Ben Harper: Live @ Bonnaroo 2007
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It was almost two years ago when I first heard this bootleg. I was sitting in my sister’s Ramat Aviv apartment, jet lagged out of my mind from arriving in Israel two days before. So, at 2 in the morning, instead of sleeping, I was watching a live video broadcast of Bonnaroo. When I tuned in on my computer, Ben Harper was in the middle of an amazing rendition of Dazed and Confused with John Paul Jones. I quickly began to rip the video so that I would be able to retain the audio. And thus, I came into possession of part of this bootleg.
But it wasn’t complete. I had missed the first half of the set, and the songs were interrupted whenever the video feed stuttered or went silent. I tried to retrieve the rest of the set by ripping YouTube videos (you’ll remember this,Tokayer), but all the videos were in two parts, leaving me with a few mp3s of half of a song.
So I spent my days listening to half a bootleg. I myself had from halfway through Black Rain until the end of the set, with a few inopportune sound breaks in the middle, but mostly pretty decent audio quality. But Ben’s performance was so stellar that I was willing to listen to this cut up recording.
In the back of my head, however, I knew there was a good recording out there. Somewhere. And it took me years to find it.
Actually, I began looking for and found it last night, all in the span of a few minutes. So here it is, for your listening pleasure. And make sure to check out Ben’s killer vocals on Dazed & Confused and the amazing jam/bass solo on Black Rain.
Ben Harper: Live @ Bonnaroo 2007
Please Don’t Talk About Murder While I’m Eating
Diamonds On The Inside/Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Don’t Take That Attitude To Your Grave
Dazed & Confused (with John Paul Jones)
Get Up Stand Up (with Ziggy Marley)
St. Paddy’s Day
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Drunken Irishmen are the best kind of Irishmen. And St. Paddy’s Day is the best day of the year to meet a drunken Irishman. Well, truthfully, most are drunk throughout the year- it’s the rest of the world that decides to drink today. So, chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you’re not a drunken Irishman (my apologies to any drunken Irishmen who are fans of this blog).
So to channel your Irish drunkenness, grab a bottle of Jameson and have a listen to this playlist of Irish drinkin’ songs. Oh, and if you’re a fan of HBO’s The Wire, you’ll appreciate the first track.
The Pogues- The Body of an American
Dropkick Murphys- I’m Shipping Up To Boston
Whiskey In The Jar (not sure who this one is played by, but it’s a classic Irish drinking song)
Buy The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys, and Flogging Molly @ Amazon.com
50 Songs Esquire Wants You To Listen To
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Beyond the obvious grammatical faux pas of starting each paragraph of the article “50 Songs Every Man Should Be Listening To” with the word Because (example: “Because these reunited Brooklyn-based alt-country pioneers are staging two comebacks- one for themselves, the other for the kazoo.” referring to the song Me No by Clem Snide), Esquire has gone out on a limb to not only advise it’s readers to listen to some pretty horrible music (new Guns N’ Roses, new Metallica, any Coldplay at all) but their reasons for listening to the songs run the gamut from being straight up absurd, to downright offensive.
Chuck Klosterman advises Esquire readers to listen to a song by Benji Hughes based on the way the musician appears on the cover of his album. “The moment I saw the cover, I knew: I was going to love this music.” Now, don’t get me wrong; I love Klosterman’s writing. His breadth of knowledge of popular culture makes his writing immensely entertaining, and usually allows him to have pretty astute analyses of music and musicians. But then again, only half of his writing actually seems to take itself seriously; the rest of it is mostly incomprehensive dribble about his inability to cope with women and reality. So chalk this one up as one of Chuck’s misses, because to judge the quality of an album or song by the cover art is as absurd as deciding to buy a dog because you think the dog food package looks cool.
But it gets weirder. The 13th song that “Every Man Should Be Listening To” is Sex on Fire by….James Morrison? WTF? Didn’t Jim Morrison die in 1971? Upon further internet based research, it has come to my attention that there is a British singer-songwriter (whose parents must have been huge Doors fans) who plays soft acoustic pop. Now, I admit I know very little about his musical abilities, or how well he plays this song. But cmon! The Kings of Leon just put out (in my opinion) their most listenable album to date. It may not be their best, but it’s certainly their most approachable, as evidenced by them finally getting radio recognition in the US- most notably with the single SEX ON FIRE! Not only is the song amazing, but the entire populace of the US seems to agree! Why would Esquire tell me to listen to a boring (I’m assuming) acoustic version of such a solid song?
But let’s move on to where it gets downright offensive. Describing Dear Wife off My Morning Jacket’s Live from Las Vegas album, Esquire opines: “Because this live recording of a previously unreleased tune doesn’t offer the My Morning Jacket trademark high-pitched vocal. (We’ve never gotten the falsetto. And we don’t want to get the falsetto.)” Now, I can understand being of the opinion that Jim James sings strangely, or just not liking the band at all; I myself wasn’t a huge fan for a while (see MMJ post). But then again, the weird vocals are such a huge part of what this band is about. Right now, MMJ is probably the best live band out there (all you Phish fans out there can start your screaming now, but I’m standing by my opinion) and so much of what they do is based on Jim James’ unique voice. If you don’t like his voice, fine- you’re missing out. But don’t for a second try to make the point that this band would be better off if he sang just like every other boring band out there. These guys are different and have a great thing going for them.
While there are many more decisions that I disagree with, I will commend the editors of Esquire for posting songs by Dan Auerbach (When The Night Comes), The Raconteurs (Old Enough), and Mos Def (Quiet Dog), three great bands/artists who do not get nearly enough recognition. The rest of the suggestions look like a cross between a Top-50 Hit radio stations daily playlist, and last weeks posts from Pitchfork, two forms of media that I try my best to ignore. (Sidenote: I do check Pitchfork from time to time, but I find their offerings to be repetitive and boring, a la Sufjan Stevens and M. Ward.)
So while the editors of Esquire may have had a few “hits,” try not to give too much credence to the rest of the article; after all, these are the guys who tell us how to dress and which cocktails will impress our friends the most. Music, understandably, is not exactly their forte.
My Morning Jacket- Hot Fun in the Summertime (live @ Bonnaroo) [Sly and the Family Stone cover featuring a healthy dose of Jim James’ falsetto]
Dan Auerbach- When The Night Comes
The Raconteurs- Old Enough (live acoustic)
Buy Dan, The Raconteurs, and Mos Def @ Amazon.com
Josh Dion Band: Bowery Ballroom 9/6/08
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So, I just discovered that this boot exists. I hope that this will give you guys a bit more of an idea of what this band is all about. Those of you who read first post about these guys and downloaded the tracks may not have understood what I liked about this band. Sure, they’re a great pop rock band, but some of you out there may have been wondering if there was anything beyond that.
Here it is. These guys happen to put on an amazing live show. Me and a few friends discovered them when we went to a Pete Francis show (he sucked pretty badly) last September. We arrived early and walked into the venue as a shaggy bearded guy wearing an ascot sat down at the drums, and proceeded to lead his band through an immensely entertaining set. I have never seen anyone play pop rock drums with more intensity. With his beard and hair flying in all directions and his sweat spraying the first few rows of fans, he led his band through a tight but rowdy set of catchy songs. As Ilan put it “I’ve never seen anyone go beserk on the drums like that before.”
So try to listen to the drums, and imagine the weirdo in the picture going psycho on his drum kit while playing sweet sounding pop.
Josh Dion Band: Live @ the Bowery
Line ’em Up
Take the Time
Buy JDB @ Amazon.com
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
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As of late, I’ve been on something of a roots music bender. So, as any self respecting (deprecating?) music critic, I was forced to think about the music, and specifically what I liked about it. So I racked my brain, trying to understand how I could love both the intricate electronic rock music brilliance of a band like Radiohead, while at the same time appreciate loose, raw, blues-folk.
And then I realized that it’s the Americana aspect of the music that appeals to me. It’s the ability to scorn perfection in favor of doing something different. It’s the desire to be a Norman Rockwell or a Jack Kerouac, and to rewrite the rules of art- and to throw away convention for passion. This is what the blues has always been about, and this is what Slim’s has been doing for years.
So check these guys out. I think they’re pretty awesome, so you should too.
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club- An Introduction to the Power of Braces (Arms)
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club- Children of the Lord
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club- Boom Magalina Hagalina
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club- An Introduction to the Power of Braces (Faith)
These United States
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Ahhhh, Spring Break is finally here. You know what that means, all you TSU fans: I’ll be posting every day! Ok, so I’ll probably end up getting lazy, but I’m going to do my best to bring you music that you’ve probably never heard of, all break long.
And, to get things started off, we have These United States. This is just straight up solid blues-folk music (let’s call it blolk) with a hint of Americana roots rock, and a pinch of soul. Their more rocky sound is reminiscent ofThe Whigs and The Henry Clay People, while their folksy influences scream of bands like Olin & the Moon(though, as O&tM is a failry unknown band, I think it’s safe to say that they aren’t actually one of TUS’s influences).
So check them out, and make sure to listen carefully to Honor Amongst Theives, as the band pronounces the H in the word “honor,” something I find both gramatically appealing, and highly entertaining.
These United State- First Sight
These United States- Honor Amongst Theives
These United States- Twelve Gates to the City
Check out their website here, and buy their CDs here.
311
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Thanks to Josh, it has been brought to my attention that I have yet to post any 311. So, I’m not gonna lie, Josh could do a much better post than I’ll be able to do, as my exposure to this band ended shortly after the release of their self titled album in 1995. Sure, I’ve heard the singles off the later albums, but never really delved into them like I’ve delved into this album.
So here they are: my favorite tracks off 311 by 311. Enjoy.
The Roots (again)
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So, Conan Obrien is moving up in the ranks, and Jimmy Fallon, former SNL star, is taking his place at the late late show. Though Fallon’s comedy may still be awkward in a not so funny way, and his interviewing skills need a bit of work, there are two things that have so far redeemed the show in my eyes.
Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood- Live @ Electric Ladyland
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Here’s a good one: What’s the probability that I would decide to listen to post this bootleg given I listened to it while studying probability?
The Roots
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So, Conan Obrien is moving up in the ranks, and Jimmy Fallon, former SNL star, is taking his place at the late late show. Though Fallon’s comedy may still be awkward in a not so funny way, and his interviewing skills need a bit of work, there are two things that have so far redeemed the show in my eyes.
Gogol Bordello
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There’s something uncannily hilarious about Easter-European punk rock. I’m not sure exactly what makes this style of music so funny; it could be the singer’s heavy Russian accent, their absurd lyrics, or just the overall weird musical combination of polka and punk rock. But something about this music makes me crack up.
So, on this snowy Monday (on which I sadly have both school and work) take a break from whatever you’re doing, and get ready to be be weirded out, and highly entertained at the same time. Oh, and much thanks to Yonah for pointing these guys out to me, and to Joey for dumping them on my hard-drive all those months ago.
Gogol Bordello- East Infection
Gogol Bordello- Strange Uncles From Abroad
Buy Gogol Bordello @ Amazon.com
My Bloody Valentine
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Getting turned onto new music, or more specifically- music you’ve never really heard before, is literally (sic-hehe) one of my favorite things. It’s like there’s an entire world of awesomeness out there to be tapped, that I’ve yet to experience, and when someone opens a new musical world for me, I get quite excited. Normally, however, that person is a friend, or a musical acquaintance; it’s rare that the guy who gets you into new music is the random guy living on your couch.
But that’s how it went for me. From mid-September until mid-October, Joey/West Coast Joey/New Joey/ Joey on the Couch spent most of his days on my couch, either prostrate or sitting up- but rarely moving from there the entire time. Of course I’m exaggerating, but thinking back, he did spend an absurd amount of his waking hours sitting on that couch, which isn’t as strange as it may seem at first, as our couch happens to be quite comfortable.
All that aside, before Joey sadly “moved out” and found his own place in Queens, he took my external hard drive and loaded it up with a ton of music he insisted that I listen to. Of course, it took me until last week- more than four months after he moved out- to actually begin listening to his musical gifts.
One of the first bands I dumped on my iPod was My Bloody Valentine, a band I knew very little about except that they were some sort of punk band in the 80s that put out one record, and then broke up for all time. Well, apparently I knew less about them than I had thought, because almost all of the information that had been in my head was wrong.
MBV put out 2 albums in their career, the second of which, entitled Loveless, came out in 1991. Following the release of this album, the band went into the regular emotional and mental fallout that usually follows good artists after completing a masterpiece at a young age, and were unable to record a followup album. It had seemed that this young masterful band would go the way of so many other musicians, burning out way too soon, that is, until last year when they suddenly began touring the festival circuit once again, and have spoken about releasing a new album sometime soon.
But while their disappearance and subsuquent reappearance gives a mystique and aura to band that music fans seem to salivate over (It’s part of the uber music nerd-fan syndrome that causes these greasy haired obsessors to scan record stores for rare and “only released in Japan” Smiths singles; harcore music fans love nothing more than to be listening to something that only they can listen to. They love to elevate their own selves by having a copy of some random basement tape, that probably never got released because it sounded horrible, because then their supposed level of superiority in this subculture is once again heightened, to the chagrin of all the other music freaks. I myself am guilty of this as well, which is probably why MBV was the first band that I decided to check out from the list of 40 that Joey put on my HD), it’s actually their sound that makes them stand out.
Their sound if complex in a confusing way in that they basically make lots of noise, and somehow form melodies out of it. But that’s really only the half of it. There’s a ton going on in every one of their songs, and each one seems like an artistic masterpiece, not only because it sounds great, but because at first listen, you realize that there are so many levels to the song, which can be overwhelming at times.
Some may argue that these guys just combined pretty vocal melodies with heavily overdriven guitars. I say that even if that was all they had done, their music would’ve been noteworthy, as to accomplish that feat is no simple task. But in my opinion, their music is so much more, from the churning rhythms, to the melodies that lull you into a false sense of comfort, to the blaring guitars that continue to loop and repeat thoughout the song, giving the album a discomforting yet peaceful appeal.
My Bloody Valentine- Only Shallow
My Bloody Valentine- To Here Knows When
The Doors with Eddie Vedder
Here’s a classic boot that’s been begging to be posted every since I laid my hands on it. When inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the remaining members of The Doors performed three songs with Eddie Vedder. With those immensely large and troubled Lizard King shoes to fill, Eddie stepped it up and gave a stunning performance, paying homage and tribute to his hero- Jim Morrison.
The Doors (with Eddie Vedder) – Roadhouse Blues
The Doors (with Eddie Vedder) – Break on Through
The Doors (with Eddie Vedder) – Light My Fire
Breaking The Norm
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On my way home from school today, in the elevator at the 168th Street station, I noticed that the lady standing to my immediate right was sending something of an amused smile my way. For a few seconds I was confused as to what I could be doing that would be entertaining to her, and then I realized it: my headphones were on a bit loud, and I’m pretty sure that she was amused that the very white and very Jewish looking boy next to her was listening to Snoop Dogg, circa 1994.
Personally, I think everyone should be comfortable listening to whatever they like. There’s a phenomenal ad on the NYC subways for a music downloading service that shows a bunch of different people sitting on the subway listening to music. Yet, pasted on top of each person’s face is the album cover of whatever music they’re supposedly listening to. So we have the businessman listening to the gangsta rap, the young black kid listening to Dylan, and a few more people seemingly breaking through the stereotypes of what they “should” to be listening to.
So ignore what you’re supposed to be doing. Because music isn’t about fitting into expected molds or about what everyone else tells you to do; it’s about breaking the rules and doing what you want. Rap and rock may be very different genres in terms of musical style, but they do share this ideal of rebelling against the norm and going against the grain.
Here’s a few more songs off the playlist I was listening to:
Mos Def- Do It Now (feat. Busta Rhymes)
Buy Snoop, Biggie, Coolio, Blackalicious, and Mos Def @ Amazon.com
Dan Auerbach
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Dan Auerbach, lead guitarist and singer for the blues rock due The Black Keys, has recently come out with a solo offering; a disk of his own. The tracks sounds very much like the Keys’ stuff, but without the heavy percussion, which makes sense- as this album features all (sic) the members of the Keys sans the drummer.
So, whether you’re looking for some chilled out gritty blues, or just some softer Black Keys tunes- check these tracks out, and for those of you in NYC, check him out next week at the Bowery Balroom (March 3).
Dan Auerbach- Heartbroken, In Disrepair
Review: The Steps- The Steps
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Hailing from Austin, Texas, The Steps have created a retro brand of rock that sounds something like the lovechild of Jet and The Strokes that was dropped on it’s head as a baby, and then began smoking crack to nurse itself back to health- in a good way. There’s something both raw and tight about their music; two sounds that at first glance would seem to be contradictory.
The album is a whirlwind of short fast songs (with the longest clocking in at 4:01) and it screams of youthful exuberance that’s normally only found in a band’s first offering. They shy away from ballads, and just provide balls to the wall rock and roll. It’s refreshing to see a young band like this, willing to just rock out to their hearts’ content. So check these guys out and enjoy the song.
Most of their upcoming tour dates are in Texas, but in case any of you readers hail from that part of the country, go check them out- they’re bound to be a great live band.
February 10 – Charlottesville, VA / Bel Rio
February 12- Charlotte, NC / Milestone
February 18 – Austin,TX / Stubbs w/ Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
February 19 – College Station,TX / Fitzwilly’s w/ Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
March 5 – Austin,TX / Pangea w/Fastball< March 19 – Austin,TX / SXSW Music Festival May 2 – Austin,TX / Pecan Street Festival w/The Boxing Lesson, nelo, more…
Check out their site for more info @ www.wearethesteps.com
U2- No Line on the Horizon
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So the new U2 album is due out in about 2 weeks (March 3rd) and it’s supposed to be a good one. From what I’ve heard (sic) it’s something of a return to The Joshua Tree era, but with a bit of a heavier edge. Basically, it sounds like everything Coldplay has come up short trying to achieve in the last ten years. To put it simply, only U2 is U2, and this album certainly has that stamp in it; in a way that’s been missing from some of their last few albums.
So check out the title track, and purchase the album when it comes out; it will definitely be worth the money.
State Radio: February 16th 2009 (Bowery Ballroom)
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Living in NYC is amazing for those who love to frequent concerts. Not only do you get to see tons of bands, but you get to see your favorite bands numerous times, which is awesome because you become familiar with their onstage antics, and get to brag to your friends at the show that this is the n¬th time you’re seeing this band, thus raising your music-cred in their eyes, or at least making them think you’re a pompous elitist asshole.
That being said, it’s not all fun and games. See, when you end up seeing a band too many times, you start to construct lists in your head of songs you’ve never heard them play, and you NEED them to play those songs at the show, or else the show becomes a disappointment. They could’ve put on an amazing show, with a kick ass setlist, but you, sitting on your ivory tower of concert greatness, can’t seem to appreciate that anymore. No, not you. When asked if you liked the show, you have to respond with something like: “It was pretty good, but not even close to when I saw them 5 years ago, back before they were big.”
Now listen up, dear readers; I’ve put this entire post in the second person up until now in order to make it seem like I wasn’t talking about myself. And in truth, that person is only partially me. Part of me only wants the rarities, and wants to brag about all the shows I’ve been to, but there’s still the rest of me that will love any well played show.
Which brings me to last night’s show: State Radio. These guys are tied with Pearl Jam for the highest number of shows I’ve seen from a single band (6), which means I should probably rank them as one of my favorite bands. But let’s focus on why this band is still able to wow me after having seen them so many times.
State Radio, headed by Chad Stokes/Chad Urmston/Chetro, and backed by Chuck Fay on bass and Mike Najarian (Mad-Dog?) on drums, did something I’d never before seen a band do. They showed everyone that they cared. How? You ask. How did they do this? Well, I’ll tell you.
First of all, they did one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen a band do. Before the show, they had “How’s Your News” open up for them. “How’s Your News” is an MTV program that run by 5 reporters with mental and physical disabilities. The crowd was treated to a 15 minute clip from their latest show, and then saw their band perform 4 songs with Chad. To see a band like State Radio supporting a cause such as this, to the extent that they brought them out at their show was amazing.
After “How’s Your News” played, State Radio took the stage and ripped through an awesome setlist (which is now in the hands of my girlfriend), and they brought the HYN guys out to play along on a few more songs.
But what really surprised me was what happened after the show. The band didn’t retreat backstage, nor were we forced out of the venue by the ushers. Everyone sorta hung around and chilled with the HYN band, reporters, and staff, and with the guys from SR. I myself got one of the drum sticks which I giddily brought up to each of the guys in the band asking them to autograph it for me. I felt like a 4th grader, but it was just so much fun. One of my friends got his yarmulke autographed by the band (also on the beanie are the signatures of the member of the John Butler Trio), and we just all chilled around for a while- enjoying the company of a bunch of wonderful people.
So yes, I can be an elitist sometimes, and every once in a while I’ll be disappointed with a show. But when something as fun and as awesome as this comes around, it would take a real negative Nancy (yes, I just used that cliché) to walk away feeling gypped.
So, here’s to great bands, great causes, and great people.
Valentine’s Day Playlist 2009
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While presenting some of my choices for a V-Day playlist, a friend of mine commented that some of the songs don’t seem appropriate for the day. When I questioned her questioning of my choices, she responded by telling me that “When I think of V-day, I don’t think of missing someone; of being sad.”
That being said, I think this “holiday” works both ways. I’m not really sure what it started out as, or how it developed into a commercialized day filled with chocolates, teddy bears, and roses- but it somehow has come to be a day for those in relationships to express their feelings for each other. For me, it’s merely my mother’s birthday (which makes buying birthday flowers for her quite a hefty expense) and not much more. But I nonetheless constructed a playlist of some of my favorite love songs- not neccesarily happy songs about successful relationships, but songs sung by those in desperately in love. Sadly, most of those songs happen to be sad ones, about loss and longing. And I think, im some ways, this fits in with a realistic approach to such a holiday- one that on the outside is supposed to look picture perfect and happy, but could be extremely sad to one who has recently lost a loved one.
Now, humble readers, try not to read any of my comments into my own personal life; these are merely my musings on the art of the love song and how such a day could be both emotionally amazing for some, while demoralizing to others. So, this day, I suppose, is a microcosm for love songs in general. The emotion is there in all of them, it’s just a matter of how we relate to it.
Counting Crows- Goodnight Elisabeth
Nirvana- Where Did You Sleep Last Night
The Dire Straits- Romeo and Juliet
They Might Be Giants- New York City
Buy all of these guys @ Amazon.com
Modest Mouse
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And once again, I’m retreating to the vault of songs Yoni introduced me to on that mix; songs I never would’ve had access to back when I was in high school. God only knows where he found them. So, while I do have a bunch of MM on my computer, this is the song I choose to share with you- because it’s the one that was shared with me.
Interpol
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Again, I’d like to bring back a song from an indie band I learned about in high school, and then neglected to find anything else about afterward. I’ve head a bunch of songs by these guys, but this is the only one I like. So if you read this post and think “holy crap, this guy is crazy, this band has so many better songs!” then tell me. Post a comment and let me know what I’m missing. Until then, I’m going to enjoy this song by a band who curiously named themselves after the European International Police.
The Flaming Lips
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I really know very little about this band,very little beyond the two songs that Yoni put on that mix for me back in 12th grade. I do know, however, that these songs are pretty awesome, and that their live shows are often accompanied by confetti, cool costumes, massive prop hands, and giant life-sized hamster balls. That should be more than enough to get you to check out these 2 tracks.
The Flaming Lips- Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
Grammy Disappointment
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As expected, the 2009 Grammy’s were a huge disappointment; with mediocre bands winning it all, and phenomenal bands getting snubbed once again. Like middle school student council elections, the Grammy winners tend to be the “coolest” and most popular artists, as opposed to the best.
Joey: This One’s For You
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Fire is one of those things that’s a pretty awesome musical theme, but sometimes sucks in real life. So, in memory of 910 Eileen Street, I would like to dedicate this post to you, Joseph. If you need a place to crash, my apartment is always open; as you know well, our couch is often frequented by persons with your name. So Joey, this one’s for you.
Nice Girls Singing Gangsta Rap
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There’s something amazingly disquieting about someone like Nina Gordon (formerly of Veruca Salt) singing a song like “Straight Outta Compton.” This late 80s cut from retroactive rap supergroup N.W.A just seems to fit amazingly well with Nina’s sweet sounding pipes- that is until you listen to the actual lyrics.
But who cares? Put on your headphones (in case you’re listening at home and your mom is opposed to nice girls dropping the f-bomb) and crank up this track. It’s bound to bring a smile to your face.
Nina Gordon- Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A cover)
State Radio to Play Bowery Ballroom
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For those of you music fans out there in NYC, let it be known that State Radio will be playing the Bowery Ballroom on February 16th. Tickets went on sale this past Thursday and you can get them at ticketmaster.
Kings of Leon: January 29th 2009 (MSG)
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There’s something magical about the venue. Sure, it’s not the most intimate of settings, with it’s 20,000 person capacity, and standing up next to your seat doesn’t even come close to moshing around with a bunch of people you’ve never met before (yes, I wasn’t able to secure floor seats). But there’s just something about a band playing their first ever show at Madison Square Garden. Granted, these guys just headlined England’s legendary Glastonbury Festival in ’08, but that was across the pond. For their entire careers, these guys were unable to match their amazing success in Britain; at least not in a mainstream way.
Which brings us to Thursday night’s show. Selling out MSG, this just months after this band was opening for Pearl Jam on the first half of their tour, is an amazing step forward as to their popularity in this country. They have, as is colloquially said “made it.” But making it comes with a price. Sure, the band was overjoyed that they were able to play such historic venue, but many fans are somewhat less excited.
With the release of 2008’s Only By The Night, many fans claimed that KOL were taking their raw unabashed Southern style rock and were selling out for a more radio-friendly sound. And at first glance, it’s hard to argue with them. They were playing 100,000 people festivals, had a song featured on Gossip Girl, have been nominated for a few Grammy’s, and of course- just sold out Madison Square Garden. But while this may seem like selling out to many fans, to me this is just an amazing new direction in their sound. With their new album, they somehow managed to combine their toxic mix guitar driven rock with a soaring arena style sound that brings to mind both U2 and the Smashing Pumpkins. To call this “selling out” is merely to sell this incredibly talented band short.
The show opened up with a wall of guitar feedback as the band launched into Crawl, an incredibly heavy rocker off their new album. The setlist was peppered with a well thought out mix of new and old songs, with Caleb’s voice soaring on some of the newer material, and screaming on much of the older stuff. And while some of the songs probably would’ve sounded better in a smaller venue, say at the Bowery Ballroom, but newer songs like Sex on Fire and Use Somebody were nothing short of transcendental (not the best word choice, but it’s the best I’ve got right now).
In the infamous words of those guys from 311, “Fuck the naysayers because they don’t mean a thing because this is the style we bring,” the Kings of Leon should continue to bring it like they’ve always done, and should continue to let their sound develop in the amazing ways it has for their entire careers.
The Whigs
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In about an hour, I’ll be heading down to Madison Square Garden to see Kings of Leon in concert. While I’m really excited to see them, I’m also pretty excited to see the opening band- The Whigs.
A band that I recently discovered, these guys have a pretty rocking sound- something in between Centro-matic and Jet, with a hint of White Denim here and there. So check out these tracks for now, and I’m sure I’ll have more to say about them after the show.
The Whigs- I Got Ideas
The Whigs- Right Hand On My Heart
Carolina
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Ben Gibbard- Carolina
Every scream went bleeding through these paper walls
And all the make-up in the world couldn’t hide the scars
I leave today, I’m packing light: a suitcase, some toiletries
The rolling hills and willow trees of Carolina wait for me
You never learned, the rules have changed since we were nine
This isn’t school, boys don’t assault the girls they like
The taste of blood, the claim of love
these two will here on cease to be Sprouting from your fists and tongue ’cause Carolina waits for me
Fields of grain go whipping by from the window seat
I’m drifting in, I’m drifting out catching up on sleep
I couldn’t get indentured since the very crest of 17
I left my keys and broken dreams ’cause Carolina waits for me
I will never forgive a single day
Mile markers seem to call my name and say,
“You’re safer now through every town, we’ll light your way in reflective green” All the way, the entire state of Carolina waits for me
Album Review: Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
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You never know what to do when music blogs promote an album as “The Best Album of 2009” during the first week of 2009. So when Stereogum decided that Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective was “The Best Album of 2009” on January the 5th, a mere 5 days into the new year, I figured the album was worth taking a listening to.
And while I doubt that this album will be my fave of the year, it certainly warrants a listen or two.
If I was forced to describe the sound on the album, I would call it a sugar-coated circus on acid. They sound like an overly poppy of Explosions in the Sky, but not pop in the plastic sense, pop in the sense that this album could is both radio friendly, and musically significant. The songs are innovative and complex, but the sound is easy to listen to. There are moments that are reminiscent of Sgt. Pepper’s style Beatles, even though the music is an entirely different style.
So check these guys out, and decide for yourself whether or not this album deserves the title, The Best of 2009. Plus, the album is named after one of my favorite music venues- Merriweather Post Pavilion- where I saw my first ever concert.
Animal Collective- In The Flowers
Animal Collective- Summertime Clothes
Buy Animal Collective @ Amazon.com
I’ll Rise
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Ben Harper- I’ll Rise (Based on Maya Angelou’s poem)
You may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust Ill rise
Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like Ive got an oil well
Pumpin in my living room
So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And Ill rise
Ill rise
Ill rise
Out of the shacks of historys shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
Ill rise
Ill rise
Ill rise
Now did you want to see me broken
Bowed head and lowered eyes
Shoulders fallen down like tear drops
Weakened by my soulful cries
Does my confidence upset you
Dont you take it awful hard
Cause I walk like Ive got a diamond mine
Breakin up in my front yard
So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And Ill rise
Ill rise
Ill rise
Out of the shacks of historys shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
Ill rise
Ill rise
Ill rise
Buy Ben Harper @ Amazon.com
Crash Course in Brain Surgery
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In honor of my brother’s recent release from the hospital, here’s a few “head case” songs to honor the staples in the back of his head.
Metallica- Crash Course in Brain Surgery
Rage Against the Machine- Bullet In The Head
Inauguration 2009
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In honor of yesterday’s historic inauguration, here’s a quick playlist to commemorate the event.
Goo Goo Dolls- America Girl (live @ The Concert for NY)
moe.- Captain America (live @ Nissan Pavilion)
Jimi Hendrix- Changes (live @ The Fillmore East)
John Mayer- Waiting on the World to Change
Drive-By Truckers
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First things first: the Drive-By Truckers have one of the coolest band names of all time. I’m not sure I really need to say anything else about these guys; I’m going to assume their awesome name will speak for itself…
Actually, I must admit that when I first began listening to this band, about six months back, I was quite unimpressed. I had bought their most recent offering “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark,” and decided that I disliked the album before I even made it home from the record store. I went as far as to return the album without even loading the songs onto my computer; apparently I disliked it that much. A few weeks later, when a friend asked if I wanted to come see them in concert, I politely declined, informing him that I didn’t really like their sound.
Oh, how our musical tastes develop. Maybe it was the song I heard the other day that opened me up to their guitar driven country rock. Or maybe it was my emotional state of mind that allowed me, at that point in time, to appreciate everything I missed less than a year ago. Whatever caused my sudden change of heart, I was hooked.
They have an awesome blend of country and southern rock that somehow sounds original in a world of Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Black Crowes rip offs. These guys have managed to create their own original niche in that genre without stepping on anyone’s toes, or stealing any material.
So check these guys out, and check out these live tracks from the legendary Vic Theater in Chicago. If you want the full show, you can get it here.
Drive-By Truckers- One of These Days (live)
Drive-By Truckers- Feb 14 (live)
Drive-By Truckers- Aftermath USA (live)
Drive-By Truckers- Dead, Drunk, and Naked (live)
Drive-By Truckers- Let There Be Rock (live)
It’s Ok
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I sit here bewildered at everything that’s going on. Those of you who know me and my family personally will understand that we’re going through some tough times, and things don’t seem to be getting better.
So, while everyone has their own way of dealing with things, music is the only way I know how to deal with stuff. And even though it’s not really going to be ok, we still need to tell ourselves that.
And when you go to bed at night, you try to tell yourself ‘It’s gonna be ok.’
But last night I was thinking that, maybe it’s not.
It’s getting harder and harder to say ‘It’s Ok.’
So will you help remind me?
If I say ‘It’s OK’ will you say ‘It’s Ok?’
Pearl Jam- Daughter/It’s Ok
Power Drainage
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Alas, my laptop charger is busted. Home in Baltimore for vacation, my charger has become loose, and no longer charges my computer- forcing me to share a desktop computer with the rest of the family. And thus- I have been unable to post for the past few days.
So, here’s a little short post, using the music on the family computer, and I should be back in full force soon enough.
Stream of Consciousness: From Jack Kerouac to Miles Davis
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One of the greatest things about writing a blog is being able to ramble on incoherently. Just writing “stream of consciousness” style, and letting the thoughts that run through your head get put down on paper; or at least typed down into a word file.
I recently finished “On the Road,” the literary masterpiece written by Jack Kerouac. The book is considered to have laid the stepping stones for the “beat” culture and writing style. Kerouac writes in sentences that are way too long for their own good; like an overly excited kid who moves on to the next sentence before finishing the first. Kerouac’s leaping from idea to idea in the span of a few sentences bewilders the mind, and reminds the reader of the wonderment and amazement that comes with childhood, and the selfish mind of an adult who still thinks he is a child. And this, is exactly what Kerouac is; an overgrown child who can’t seem to think of anyone but himself. It is, an effect of the soul searching lifestyle and journey; anyone whose primary focus is to find themselves must definitely be selfish. Yet, selfish doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In Kerouac’s world, his selfishness is necessary for his existence, and fuels his incredibly attractive writing style.
And while his storytelling is great, and his travel descriptions evocative, his real strength lies in his ability to write about music; specifically about jazz- the style that is most commonly associated with the beat movement; the style that fits most happily with stream of consciousness writing, as it itself can be thought of as a stream as well- a stream of instruments, ideas, collaboration between different players, between different sounds and feelings; the jazz that weaves in and out of different thoughts and modes taking the listener from one side of the world to another in the span of a few phrases. Kerouac has the ability, just like jazz does, to transform his reader from wherever they happen to be reading him, to his world, by painting his pictures so vividly, and by enticing his readers to allow themselves to be lost inside his childish mind of excitement, drama, and appreciation. It’s at this point, where the boundary between music and writing is broken, and the reader forgets if they’re reading a description of music, or hearing the actually music and merely thinking Kerouac’s thoughts in their own minds. When the hands forget they’re holding a book, and the mind forgets it’s piecing together streams of words into ideas- this is when the stream of consciousness takes over and convinces us that we are truly hearing the moaning of the horns, the keys, the brushes; the entire band- as we let ourselves get lost in the sounds; in the smoke that surrounds the bar as the band plays late into the night and the early morning, into the sounds, the sadness, the yearning, and all the other emotions that jazz brings along with it.
Read the poetry of the beatnicks, the books of it’s founder, and the music of it’s master; and let yourself get lost in the stream that is our consciousness.
My Morning Jacket: New Years Eve 2009
My Morning Jacket continues to amaze me. It wasn’t too long ago when they were a little known band, opening for Pearl Jam on their 2006 summer tour. Fast forward two and a half years later, and these guys are selling out Madison Square Garden for a marathon 3+ hours New Years Eve show.
The band was dressed to the nines, emerging from backstage a bit after 9PM, wearing black tuxedos and top hats. But this was to be expected from a band that posted the following on their website a few weeks before the show:
We invite and encourage everyone coming to the new years show to “dress to the nines,” in your finest and classiest party wear: suits/tuxedos, frilly dresses/luxurious ballgowns, top hats and canes, 2009 glasses, etc – as we intend to really “class up the joint” and celebrate the monumental year that 2008 was, whilst gazing forward to the thrills and chills that 2009 will hold.
A class act like no other, these alternative rockers have been on the rise since they began their careers in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998. Five albums and ten years later, MMJ has generated a dedicated fan base due to touring incessantly and gained a reputation as a band that would regularly play sets at least 3 hours in length.
Between 9:15 and 12:50 on New Years Eve 2009 (sans a 20 minute encore break before the New Years countdown) MMJ entertained concert-goers with their innovative brand of alt-rock, with tinges of southern rock and country combined with a jam-band attitude towards playing live. Selecting songs from 4 out of 5 of their studio albums, the band also peppered their set with a wide range of cover songs, from Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on Home” to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “Islands in the Stream.” This combination of jammed out classics and fun covers led to an amazing show that beyond being well performed was just plain fun.
So check out the posted tracks- they’re from the actual show (Higlights:Nicole Atkins’ backing vocals on “You’re All I Need”, the jam at the end of “Touch Me Pt. 2”). If you want the entire show, you can download it here.
My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges (live)
My Morning Jacket- Off the Record (live)
My Morning Jacket- Gideon (live)
My Morning Jacket- You’re All I Need (Marvin Gaye) [w/Nicole Atkins] (live)
My Morning Jacket- Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2 (live)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
For once, I can’t seem to find the words to put down on paper. Words, my foremost mode of expression escape me at the moment. But maybe it’s better that way. Music always has been what this friendship was based on. So even though you’re leaving town for a far off land, take this music as a parting gift. From mutual acquaintance, to concert buddy, to great friend- this one’s for you Jenn.
David Gray- Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
The Simpsons Rain It Purple
It’s a classic Simpsons moment. In Special Edna (Season 14, Episode 7) Little Richard (and not James Brown, who happens to be pictured above) guest stars as himself to present the Teacher of the Year award. Here’s how it goes down:
Homer: Purple Rain!!
Little Richard: Shut up!
Homer (to Marge): Oh my God, Michael Jackson just told me to shut up!
Ahhh. The show is amazing. So here’s a bit of MJ, LR, and Prince for you to sink your teeth into as you wait forthis episode to load.
My Morning Jacket: New Years Eve 2009
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My Morning Jacket continues to amaze me. It wasn’t too long ago when they were a little known band, opening for Pearl Jam on their 2006 summer tour. Fast forward two and a half years later, and these guys are selling out Madison Square Garden for a marathon 3+ hours New Years Eve show.
The band was dressed for the occasion, emerging from backstage a bit after 9PM, wearing black tuxedos and top hats. But this was to be expected from a band that posted the following on their website a few weeks before the show:
We invite and encourage everyone coming to the new years show to “dress to the nines,” in your finest and classiest party wear: suits/tuxedos, frilly dresses/luxurious ballgowns, top hats and canes, 2009 glasses, etc – as we intend to really “class up the joint” and celebrate the monumental year that 2008 was, whilst gazing forward to the thrills and chills that 2009 will hold.
A class act like no other, these alternative rockers have been on the rise since they began their careers in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998. Five albums and ten years later, MMJ has generated a dedicated fan base due to touring incessantly and gained a reputation as a band that would regularly play sets at least 3 hours in length.
Between 9:15 and 12:50 on New Years Eve 2009 (sans a 20 minute encore break before the New Years countdown) MMJ entertained concert-goers with their innovative brand of alt-rock, with tinges of southern rock and country combined with a jam-band attitude towards playing live. Selecting songs from 4 out of 5 of their studio albums, the band also peppered their set with a wide range of cover songs, from Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on Home” to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “Islands in the Stream.” This combination of jammed out classics and fun covers led to an amazing show that beyond being well performed was just plain fun.
The show went on until close to 1AM, when the band closed out their stellar performance by making up the words to singing Auld Lang Syne (“May all acquaintance be forgot… and whatever the rest of the lyrics to this song are…”) as the crowd happily applauded
So check out the posted tracks- they’re from the actual show (Higlights:Nicole Atkins’ backing vocals on “You’re All I Need”, the jam at the end of “Touch Me Pt. 2”). If you want the entire show, you can download it here.
My Morning Jacket- Off the Record
My Morning Jacket- You’re All I Need (Marvin Gaye) [w/Nicole Atkins]
My Morning Jacket- Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2
Top 10 Concerts of 2008
10. The Josh Dion Band (September 12)
These guys surprised me with their catchy pop-rock songs, and impressively entertaining live show. Check out the review here.
9. Arrested Development (July 17)
This show was just a load of fun, as this early 90s hip hop group apparently still has it, and is still able to rock the stage, and the mic, like they were always know to do. Check out the review here.
8. Kaki King (April 9)
Kaki King is one talented guitar player. Her virtuosity and sheer brilliance of play was exemplified in this amazing live show. Check out the review here.
7. Foo Fighters (February 19)
Dave Grohl is a BAMF. No questions asked. If you get the chance, see these guys as soon as you can.
6. Dave Matthews Band (June 4)
Check out the review here.
5. Counting Crows (March 26, October 30)
Every time I see this band, I’m blown away by the emotional journeys that Adam Duritz takes his audience on every time he performs. Check out the reviews here and here.
4. Girl Talk (November 18)
Girl Talk was one of the most fun shows I’ve ever been to in my life. If you’ve heard his albums and you appreciate them, you gotta check out his live show. There’s nothing quite like a long haired, shirtless dude- sampling and mixing tracks on his laptop, while the entire audience goes crazy both on the floor, and on the stage.
3. Okkervil River ( October 7)
Any band that totally rewrites one of their songs in honor of the Presidential debate that was going on that night is awesome in my book. Okkervil River totally redid “The President’s Dead” changing the lyrics to The President’s live on Fox 5… The show just went on getting better from there. Check ’em out sometime if you get the chance.
2. Radiohead (August 12)
As expected, Radiohead blew me away with their amazing live show. Check out the review here.
1. Pearl Jam (June 22, 24, 25)
As I’ve said many times before, Pearl Jam’s live show is a religious experience. In this respoect, the shows I saw this year did not disappoint. Check out the reviews here, here, and here, and next time they come around- make sure you see them.
Favorite Posts of 2008
Reading back on my words over the past few days, I’d like to share with you my top 5 favorite posts of this past year (in no particular order).
Top 10 of 2008
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As a Metallica fan since the early days of my youth, I felt it necessary to include this bands first original release in over 10 years. Yes, that’s right, I’m not including St. Anger as one of their albums- it just wasn’t them; it wasn’t their music. And this is why Death Magnetic deserves a spot in the Top 10 of 2008; because it signifies a great band returning to do what they do best- record heavy metal music. The album may not be that innovative, but it sounds like a nice amalgam of all of their previous studio albums.
9. Okkervil River- The Stand Ins
This second half of what was initially intended as a double album may give off the impression of being full of B-sides. With the first half called The Stage Names, an album titled The Stand Ins could easily be perceived as second rate songs; it’s anything but. The album stands out on it’s own as another great release from a great band that we can expect to see great things from in the future.
Okkervil River- Lost Coastlines
8. The Black Keys- Attack & Release
Ths album is just plain killer. The furious twosome takes a step back from their heavy raw-blues sound, and plays songs that go much deeper than that. You can still hear their guitar/drums blues rock tracks here, but they’ve integrated more of a Zeppelin feel to the blues this time; allowing themselves the opportunity to write more ballady and meaningful songs. Feel free to check out the review here, and the track below.
The Black Keys- Things Ain’t Like They Used to Be
7. Olin & the Moon- 40 Miles of Bad Road
Having just discovered this band courtesy of 9 Bullets, and having reviewed it a few months back, I don’t feel so much of a need to rejustify this bands position on the list. But I will go and restate the fact that these guys are phenomenal songwriters, and have broken onto the list of my favorite bands of the year. Check out the review, and the track.
6. My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges
I’ve recently become enamored with these guys, partly becuase I have tickets to see them New Years Eve in Madison Square Garden, and partly because of their amazing take on alternative rock. Their vocals may be awkward sometimes, but they just plain rock, as this album clearly shows.
5. Girl Talk- Feed the Animals
Girl Talk just blows me away. While his albums are only secondary to his live shows, they do a great job of replicating what he does so well onstage- sample, mix, match, and DJ the hell out of all styles of music. This album was released for free on his MySpace page and is amazing to listen to. If you’re ever wondering what to put on at a party you’re hosting, this album is guaranteed to turn some heads.
Girl Talk- Play Your Part (Pt. 1)
4. Counting Crows- Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings
The Counting Crows are one of the bands that always sound better live than in the studio- not because they record poorly, but because their live shows are done so well. This album, however, managed to capture the emotional intensity of Adam Duritz’s live repertoire. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve heard so many of their recordings where Adam explains the emotional aspect behind the album, but I also think that he’s more in touch with his emotional instability on this album than he’s been in a long time. Check out the review here.
3. The Raconteurs- Consolers of the Lonely
The Raconteurs are one of the bands who will save rock and roll. This album was amazingly brilliant in it’s raw brutal energy, combined with a straight up rock and roll sound. Their musicianship is stellar, and the only thing holding them back is the fact that they’ve only released two albums so far. If this album is a sign of things to come, the music world is in good shape.
The Raconteurs- You Don’t Understand Me
2. Kings of Leon- Only By the Night
While their previous releases have been more focused on their Southern Rock roots, this is the album where KOL expands their horizons and incorporates U2-style ballads with soaring vocals into their unbridled southern style cooking. Some hardcore fans think this is a step in the wrong way. I would argue that this is the only step to take, and that these guys have probably just released the best album of their young careers.
1. Radiohead- In Rainbows
Headbanging May Be Harmful To Your Health
So on this lovely Christmas morning, make sure to bang your head to this one.
Given To Sign
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The whole thing is pretty amazing, I’ve never before seen someone sign at a concert, and the fact that someone who is deaf would come to a Pearl Jam show just speaks to the raw energy emitted by the band- an energy that exceeds sound waves and moves beyond that.
Eight Crazy Nights
The festival of lights is upon us again, and as usual, I forgot to get myself a menorah before the holiday began, which forced me to use a makeshift candelabra constructed out of shot glasses, olive oil, and wicks. But still, to celebrate Chanuka this year, let’s listen light-filled songs, and get in the holiday spirit.
The Rolling Stones- Shine a Light
Explosions in the Sky- Snow and Light
Pete Yorn- When You See the Light
The Black Keys- When the Lights Go Out
Buy The Stones, Explosions, Pete Yorn, and The BK @ Amazon.com
Guest Post at 9B
In the meantime, I want to draw your attention to my guest post at 9-Bullets, one of my personal favorites when it comes to the world wide bloggingdome.
So keep your eyes peeled for the new post, and check me out at 9B.
The Who Examines Your Zipper
The picture you see should, if you are a fan of classic rock, look familiar to you, but somehow off. It is, in fact one of the pictures from the photo shoot for The Who’s classic album- Who’s Next.
As the story goes, the photographer wanted this monolith on the album cover, and the band spent most of a day taking all sorts of pictures around the concrete protrusion. At the end of the day, however, everyone was still unsatisfied with the photos taken. So the band proceeded to urinate on the structure, leaving four wet spots. This is the shot that made the album cover, complete with urine stains and band members zipping up their flies and rebuckling their pants.
Enjoy this new look at a classic album cover you probably never looked at in this manner before, and enjoy this classic Who track from the Monterey Pop Festival.
Circuits
Hi all. I realize it’s been a few weeks since the last post, and that I seem to keep saying that I’ll try to write more often, but midterms turned into reading week, which has turned into finals.
The best time for me to write, however, is in that hour before each final, which I set aside as relax time for myself (if I can afford it). So, as not to spend all of my hour creating this post, I’m just going to post a pretty good track by Centro-Matic, a band that I’ve posted about in the past.
So check them out, check out the new track, and wish me luck in my circuits final.
Rock and Roll is Dead and it’s Vampire Weekend’s Fault
I stood there, watching a sea of over-happy preppy-children bouncing up and down, sometimes even waving their hands, all in unison, as the band played their jumpy indie pop, that, despite the fact that it sounds pretty decent on album, just sounded empty, repetitive, and boring onstage. “At least all their songs sound familiar to me,” I thought to myself, trying to salvage at least something from the night, trying desperately to get into the show, and not to be that bitter disenchanted guy; the one who everyone knows is a music snob, and is just too much of an asshole to let his guard down and just enjoy the show. “If their songs sound familiar, then I must know them, and I should be able to get into it.”
And then I realized- it’s not that I knew their songs, it’s that I knew a few songs; and all the rest follow exactly the same formula: high pitched guitar intro, keyboard based pre-chorus with the drums taking a bit of a break, and then a guitar driven (and I use that word lightly) chorus with a penchant sing-along “whoa-o-oh” or some sort of falsetto wailing. Every song. One, after the next, after the next; with the happy-go-lucky prepsters bouncing up and down the whole way through, as if they had no idea that they were just listening to the same exact track on repeat for an hour.
“An hour,” you might say to me, while reading this slightly negative review, “they surely played for longer than an hour.” Alas, it was not to be. They went on at 9:15 PM, left for the encore at a few minutes to 10, and were off by 10:15. One hour. That’s even less than Coldplay played for- and that was a free show. I don’t care if they only have one album worth of music. If I’m paying $25 (plus the cursed Ticketbastard fees) I expect more than an hours worth of entertainment.
While I was somewhat happy to be free of the claustrophobia that can occur while surrounded by indie-rock “Guy Smileys” for so long, and I was quite relieved to find that the show let out early enough for us to catch the express A train back uptown, it’s the principle of the matter that I speak of; play some covers (and that crappy Fleetwood Mac song that they did cover (Everywhere) does not count- it sucked), extend your songs, go into some jams- DO SOMETHING, but do not, and I will repeat this for emphasis- do not play a concert for only an hour. Congrats VW- you sold out two nights in a row, but if you want to keep your fans, you’re going to need to play for a bit longer, and make it a bit more interesting.
And it all boils down to this one point. Sure, I could’ve ignored the annoying fans had the band actually done something interesting at the show. What they did, quite adequately, if not exceptionally, was recreate- exactly- the sound on the album. It was as the band got all dressed up, grabbed their instruments, stood onstage, and lip synced and played while someone played their CD. There was no innovation, no jamming, no extended songs, no interesting covers- nothing too exciting.
But that’s exactly what I should’ve expected. This isn’t a band that’s looking to make it big on a tour following. Looking around in the crowd, those weren’t the type of fans they had already wooed. These were radio fans, the everyday music listener, who will go to one concert a year, maybe, if the band they’re currently in love with happens to stop off in their city. These fans have been force-fed VW via the radio waves and their favorite DJs, and have responded in kind.
So what’s going to happen when it hits the fan? Sure, they’ll come out with a new album soon, and it’ll probably have one or two popular singles. Hey, maybe it will be the next Dark Side of the Moon, and I’ll look back at this post, laughing at myself for my immaturity, claiming that at this show I “just didn’t get them” in order to save musical face, and not look like a total douchebag in case I turn around and decide I like them. That may happen, but I highly doubt it. These guys have two options in front of them: they’ll either make it huge on the pop rock scene, and will jump straight to playing shows at huge venues that will be attended by teeny-boppers who’s parents will be willing to shell out the $70 they’re going to charge for tickets, or- they’ll fade into one-hit-wonder obscurity, popping up ten years from now when bloggers do “Remember the 00s” posts, and we’ll all listen with forgetful nostalgia, wondering where they went wrong.
Well, I’m telling you right now- this band went wrong with their live show. If they would do it right, and try to gather a following of live music fans- the losers who will come back and see their favorite bands over and over, instead of radio music fans- the cool kids who’re gonna jump on the next big thing the moment it hits the airwaves, forgetting what they loved about their last favorite band, if VW does that, then they’ll survive. If not, then it’s goodbye yellow brick road for these guys.
And what’s so sad, is that there is a ton of potential in these guys, and it’s so obvious that they’re being stunted by the record companies to keep their songs short, radio friendly, and poppy, instead of brash, exciting, and innovative. Their music has no swagger, it has no punch, and thus it will never save the world.
Lester Bangs spent twenty years of his life trying to convince us that rock and roll had died. Right now, I’d have to agree with him.
Vampire Weekend- Mansard RoofVampire Weekend- Cape Cod Kwassa
Miles Davis: Music as Emotional Instability
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If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.
This famous quotation, attributed to Louis Armstrong, kind of sums up everything jazz is about, and why it makes so many people pissed off- while they claim it’s just a bunch of pretentious dribble. See, in the eyes of an academic, anything (and everything) can be quantified, analyzed, and understood. Someone with a PhD in Astrophysics can appreciate the musical genius of Beethoven, as they understand that there is something mathematical and calculated behind his music; structure, a theme. In short, the music is scientific, and thus logical.
But then there’s jazz- the musical style that is anything but scientific, anything but calculated, anything but understandable. And sure, all academics will claim they love jazz, and love listening to Miles, Charlie, and Louis- but much of this has to do with their own pretension, and their desire to see themselves as cultured and high class. Secretly, they disdain the music, and more importantly, themselves, for not understanding it, and for not being able to properly appreciate it. They’ll brag to their friends that they own a copy of Kind of Blue on vinyl, while all the while they’ll hate playing it- just in case their 10 year old son creeps into the room while it’s on and cries out that the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes, in the form of a “this music sucks,” leaving them without any coherent or proper response to their kid. They live in fear of the unexplained, and their own inability to explain, and thus jazz music is the manifestation of their greatest and deepest fears.
And this is exactly why they’ll never get it. Because jazz isn’t about understanding; it’s not about a specific song structure, or a specific meaning. Jazz is a free form art, which is about pushing the boundaries. Not like other genres, where the development of music occurs when an artist decides to take the style to the next level; nay- jazz itself is always being pushed; during the song, throughout the jam- the entire genre is based on the lack of structure, and the idea that a song is never truly finished. And this is why people have such a problem understanding jazz; because it’s like life. If a kid came up to you and said “Can you explain what life is about to me?” you would be dumbfounded. “Life…” you would stammer, “is about…” And you wouldn’t really have an answer- because there is no one answer. It’s about living, it’s about experiencing; it’s about emotions and feelings and everything else that happens. So, to define jazz as a combination of notes with a given time, would be horribly underselling the product. Because it’s so much more than that.
Miles Davis, in particular, wrote some of the saddest music known to man. There’s just something about his horn that speaks, nay yearns, from the deepest part of his soul. Without being able to properly explain it (and thus I won’t even try) I’ll just quote my favorite music critic, Lester Bangs:
Make no mistake, Miles understands pain- and he will pry it out of your soul’s very core when he hits his supreme note and you happen, coincidentally, to be a bit of an open emotional wound at that moment yourself. It is this gift for open heart surgery that makes him the supreme artist that he is.
I myself cannot, in any way, shape, or form, give a better explanation of why Miles Davis sounds so amazingly good. And this is why I love to write about music, because it forces me to listen more intensely, and to try to understand what I truly love about it.
So on this one year anniversary of this blog, I present to you this Miles Davis bootleg; because this stuff, more than anything else, is why I love music- the combination of virtuosity, talent, beautiful sounds, and emotional instability. This is music, and this is life.
MILES DAVIS QUINTET (feat. JOHN COLTRANE)
Kurhaus, Scheveningen, The Netherlands – April 9, 1960
A Y&SL Tribute Post
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Your dedicated blogger returns! No, I’m not back in the USA just yet, but sitting in my sister and brother in law’s apartment in Israel, secretly typing up a tribute post for them as they pick up dinner with my younger brother. I picked a few of their favorite bands, and then picked some of my favorite songs by those bands- a good compromise, if you ask me. So yea, even though I kinda hate G. Love, this song still makes me laugh.Tomorrow (Monday), I will return to the America and will try to resume my blogging duties amid the whirwind of final projects and preparing for final exams. So, as I sit here, trying to enjoy the last hours of my vacation from the freezing weather of New York City, and the debilitating pressure of the final few weeks of school, I’m listening to these four songs; to relax, to enjoy, to chill. You should, in my opinion, take a break from your life, and do the same.
The Aeroplane Flies High
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In about 12 hours from now, I’ll be boarding an aeroplane headed for the land of Israel, to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of a cousin of mine over the upcoming Thanksgiving vacay. So, despite the fact that midterms have finally ended, I will once again be gone for a week, and will probably not be posting again- unless I find a good internet connection over the ocean. But until then, enjoy these flight pattern songs.
The Black Keys- Aeroplane Blues
Smashing Pumpking- The Aeroplane Flies High
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Aeroplane
Buy The Black Keys, SP, SR, moe., and RHCP @ Amazon.com
Girl Talk: Concert Tomorrow
I’m going to see Girl Talk tomorrow night at Terminal 5 (and Jenn- if you forget the tickets, I’ll kill you). This will be his final night in NYC on this tour, having sold out all three shows he played here.
If you’ve never heard him, check out my earlier post about him here. If you know who he is, then you’ve probably already downloaded this album (he posted it for free on his website). But if you haven’t then check out these tracks, and get mad jealous that you’re going to be missing a sick show tomorrow night. [Ed. note: By the time I got around to posting, it was already the day of the concert. Oh well.]
Girl Talk- What It’s All About
Buy Girl Talk @ Amazon.com
Sunday Morning Mixtape
I know I’ve been slacking on the posting as of late, but I’m going to try to step it back up, despite having way too much work to get done. Either way- check out this Sunday morning mix. Just make sure not to listen to the last track until you’re fully ready to pounce out of bed, cause it’s going to wake you up whether you like it or not.
Counting Crows- On Almost Any Sunday Morning
The Velvet Underground- Sunday Morning
Southern Blues for the Wintry Weather
I know I know- it’s been almost a week since my last post. Midterms this week and next, tons of homework, figuring out next semester, along with everything else just seemed to keep piling up this week, preventing me from having the time or energy to sit down and write this post, which I’ve been meaning to write for quite some time now.
Now, I discovered all (or at least 2 out of 3) of these bands on 9-Bullets, the same blog that opened me up to Olin & the Moon (a band that so many of you seemed to like). These bands play the southern blues like it always was… no, no- that’s not true. These guys play the souther blues like it would’ve been played if those musicians had more in their guitar arsenal than a beat up acoustic guitar, and a knife to slide up and down the strings. If someone had handed Robert Johnson an electric guitar, I doubt Clapton’s version of Crossroad Blues would’ve come out; nay- he would’ve been playing something more like these guys play- straight up electric southern blues rock. Kinda sounds like exactly the type of music a band like the Black Crowes would play (which may explain why the first two bands sound almost exactly like them). But all similarities aside, these are two great bands, that play and sing the blues like it was meant to be played and sung.
So, while the weather outside may be frightful, curl up inside with these warm southern tracks, and imagine yourself lazing on a porch somewhere in Alabama, rocking on your rocking chair, sippin some whiskey, and just enjoying the sounds.
The Honey Tongue Devils- Down Here
Moreland & Arbuckle- Gonna Send Ya Back To Georgia
Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed and the True Loves- The Satisfier
Buy HTD, M&A, and Eli Reed @ Amazon.com
Timeless Classics vs. Historical Revolutions
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Accepting The Fate of the Space Time Continuum
Having finished my homework early this afternoon, and presented with an unprecedented break before my next class, I made my way over to the Columbia Bookstore, where I bought Songbook by Nick Hornby, a book I’ve been meaning to buy for quite some time now. The book, which is a collection of essays about some of Hornby’s favorite songs and what they mean to him, has surprisingly good musical analysis given that it was written by a novelist; though, anyone who’s read High Fidelity already knows that Hornby is something of music snob himself.
While I don’t want to review the book itself, I do want to touch upon a topic he brings up during one of the essays. He briefly mentions the difference between hearing a song in it’s historical context, versus hearing it at a later date. While talking about Dylan, he says:
“I regret never having heard any of the songs at the right age, in the right year. What must it have been like to hear “Like a Rolling Stone” in 1966, aged nineteen or twenty?”
He goes on to admit that when he was nineteen in 1976, he heard “White Riot” and “Anarchy in the UK,” but he brushes those singles off as unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
I want to take this discussion in two directions: First, I want to discuss whether hearing Dylan contextually is any more significant than hearing The Clash or the Sex Pistols at the onset of the punk revolution. Second, I want to attempt to deal with the question of what kind of song is more important; the historically relevant song in during that time period, or the timeless song, whose greatness exceeds the bounds of time?
In terms of the folk rock rebellion versus the punk rock insurgency, I would argue that both of these music revolutions were just as important in the history of music. Sure, the folk rebellion was more socially conscious- as these musicians used their music to try to change the world for the better, yet, where the onset of folk rock was innovative in a political sense, the punk rock revolt was novel as a sociological revolution. Here were a bunch of nihilistic teenagers who wanted nothing more than to get drunk, stoned, and maybe play some rock music. The hippies and folksists had San Francisco, and the punks had New York and London. Both movements were significant in their own right, but it’s always easier to look at the revolution that you missed as the more important one- the grass truly is always greener in the other decade. (Pun very much intended.)
What I’m talking about here is not songs that are specifically historical, but whether it’s cooler to hear a revolutionary song when it’s revolutionary, instead of studying it years later. And this is where the issue comes up: should we enjoy music more because we heard it in a specific context, or should we separate context from music, and judge the song/band on it’s/their own right?
One might argue, at first, that the latter choice is ideal, despite the difficulties one might come into separating their emotions from what they like about music. We should, as good music critics, be able to judge music outside of history, which should allow us to properly analyze the music for what it is, and not what it’s connected to. But that is, in my opinion, quite impossible. See, we like music because of the context, and attempting to like it outside of that is almost taking all the fun out of listening. Would I love Pearl Jam as much had I not grown up in the 90s? Possibly, but I’d guess not. These guys inspired me during my adolescence, and thus I have a deeper, albeit unscientific, connection with their music, and the entire Seattle sound that accompanied it.
So yeah, I can appreciate the Rolling Stones not having heard them redefine rock and roll in the late 60s just as much as I can appreciate The Velvet Underground without having been part of the avant-garde art and rock scene either. But I imagine it was probably cooler to have been there when it happened.
The important thing, however, is to not live during your own musical era lamenting that you didn’t grow up in a different decade, but to find the great music of your own years, and someday brag to your kids that you were a fan of “insert band name here” band before they became famous, and you were there at the historic gig at the “insert concert venue here.” That’s kind of what it’s all about.
Bob Dylan- Like A Rolling Stone
Sex Pistols- Anarchy in the UK
Buy Dylan, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols @ Amazon.com
Olin & The Moon
I love it when I find an amazing band that no one I know has heard of, and I’m able to share them with the world. I first heard of these guys while perusing Nine Bullets, one of the blogs I tend to peruse on a daily basis. In the past 9B has provided me with some amazing southern style blues, but this is the first time I’ve found such a folk rock gem on their site.
These guys’ country styling reminds you of Wilco, while the sincerity of the lyrics makes you think of Dylan and the Counting Crows. But, where I think this band truly excels is in the way the singer sings. Sure, the music and the words are good- but it’s the vocals that truly make these guys stand out.
The album switches between solo acoustic songs, on which just an acoustic guitar and vocals is present, and full band songs, which also tend to be dominated by the vocals and acoustic guitars. Beyond that, I really don’t have much to say about this album, as even though I’ve listened to it six times in the last two days, it’s one of those albums that you can listen to all the way through without thinking much about it; it’s just sort of there- but in a really good way.
So check out the track’s I posted. And if you want the whole thing, you can probably still get it here.
Enjoy!
Olin & The Moon- Turn Me Into Money
Election Day 2008
Returning home after voting this morning, I got the idea to construct a politically charged playlist. Everyone knows that musicians love using their music as a platform for projecting their political views on others, so I figured I’d find some liberal songs, some conservative songs, and construct them into an Election Day playlist.
But I forgot one little thing.
I forgot that there are no conservative musicians, or at least, if there are- they tend to keep their mouths shut.
Music and rebellion always have gone hand in hand. As far back as La Marseillaise– the French national anthem which began as a rallying cry of the French Revolution, mankind has always used music as a way to express their discontent with the powers that be.
So, while I’m unsure why this is, the fact is that most political songs tend to be anti-establishment or at least revolutionary to some degree.
In this respect, whatever your political leanings are- check out this Election Day playlist. If you’re a hardcore conservative- then take these songs for their predictable ironic appeal. And if you’re a left wing liberal wacko (my dad’s term, not mine), then take these tracks to heart. But whichever side you choose- don’t forget to vote, cause if you don’t- you’re stupid, and no one likes an idiot.
State Radio- Democracy in Kind
John Butler Trio- Gov Did Nothing
Rage Against the Machine- Township Rebellion
Atumnal Musings
It’s time to whip out the sweaters, put on the wool socks, and start layering. Oh, how I love the autumn; from the falling leaves, to the warmth of cashmere, to the brisk cleanliness of the morning breeze. This is the best of all the seasons, and here’s a playlist to listen to as you hold your head up high and brave the cool air on these chilly November mornings.
Willy Mason- When the Leaves Have Fallen
Buy The Vines, The National, Firekites, Willy Mason, The Rosebuds, and GNR @ Amazon.com
Counting Crows: October 30th 2008
It was supposed to be a quiet acoustic show. He was supposed to be worn out from playing a week full of shows while tormented by the flu. At the end of Wednesday nights show, after putting on what was supposedly an amazingly energetic concert, Adam Duritz, announced to the band that he was sick and tired, and that the next nights show would have to be a quiet acoustic performance.
He came out looking sick and disheveled, in a Dead Boys t-shirt and a wool ski-cap. Followed only by guitarist David Immerglück, it looked for a second like Adam was actually going to live up to his promise of an acoustic set. But it was not to be. After a beautiful rendition of “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson Frank, Adam called the rest of the band out, and they began to grind through an amazing set list, which included rarities like “Up All Night” rockers like “1492” and “Hanging Tree” and a few of my personal favorites like “Saint Robinson in his Cadillac Dream” and “Round Here” (both of which I had never seen the Crows perform before).
This was the third time I’ve seen the Crows in concert, but easily the best performance I’ve ever seen them put on, both in terms of the setlist, and in terms of the intensity of the performance. Songs about heartbreak and loss can very easily get old and tired- with the lyrics sounding cliché, and the audience feeling more embarrassed for the singer than sympathetic towards them. Maybe it’s because we assume that the topics of the songs aren’t real and we’re able to distance ourselves from feeling emotion when hearing them.
Not so with Adam Duritz. Every word that comes out of his mouth sounds like it was ripped straight from the depths of his love scorned heart. It’s not just the words he sings, but the way he sings them, and how his onstange antics make you believe that he’s letting you in on a little secret about his tragic love life and his inability to maintain a relationship. He stood onstage clutching at his heart, and you believed it actually hurt him to sing the words he was singing. By the end of the show, he seemed more emotionally exhausted than physically worn out. This is a guy, who puts 100% into every lyric, and gives everything his all; because that’s the only way he knows how to give. When you’re songs come straight from the heart, sometimes it hurts to sing them.
And the crowd eats it up, because we all have a little bit of Adam inside of us. A little bit of that tortured soul that just needs to come out. A little bit of emotionally instability that needs to be verbalized, shared with the world, screamed on top of a mountain, and expressed to millions and millions worldwide. We can all connect with his lyrics, because we’ve all been there before.
She says can’t you see me?
Can’t you see my walls are tumbling down?
Can’t you see my walls are crumbling down?
Can’t you see my sun stopped spinning around?
And can’t you see that sky turned black and brown?
And can’t you see that moon go flashing round?
And can’t you see me?
And can’t you see me?
And can’t you see me?
No!
What makes Adam Duritz so attractive to music fans isn’t that we can sympathize with his predicament, but we can empathize with it. It’s why we started listening to music in the first place, and when we hear him go off on his passionate lyrical tangents, we can’t help but feel some deep seeded connection to what he’s going through.
Setlist
Blues Run the Game
Up All Night
All My Friends
1492
Perfect Blue Buildings
St. Robinson In His Cadillac Dream
Good Time
High Life
Hanging Tree
Round Here
Friend of the Devil
Time and Time Again
Insignificant
Sullivan Street
You Can’t Count On Me
Big Yellow Taxi
Rain King
The Ghost In You
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Live at the Fillmore
Indie rock (real indie rock- as in bands independent of labels) always seems to share one thing in common; a dedication to the music that they love making- regardless of any (or no) critical acclaim. These bands refuse to compromise, and sadly, many of them spend their entire careers struggling to support themselves as semi-successful musicians.Not so with Neil Young. After achieving commercial success alongside Stephen Stills in Buffalo Springfield by age 22, the band broke up, and Young began his solo career. Not having to worry about writing radio-friendly music, but already famous enough to sell records, Young was able to do what he wanted, and was able to succeed at it. Writing raw, guitar driven music with politically infused lyrics, Young released album after album of music that should not have been commercially successful- but still somehow was.
However, Young’s most important work wasn’t accomplished in the studio, but on the stage. Backed by his band, Crazy Horse, these guys took the jam band aesthetic, stripped it bare, passed it through a reverse low pass filter (not actually a real thing), and then stuffed it as full of feedback as humanely possible. Neil is definitely not the most technically talented lead guitarist, but what he lacks in ability, he makes up in raw emotive playing. To best describe Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s sound, I would equate them to the antithesis of Boston; instead of perfectly played lead guitars layered five billion times, these guys’ have songs that guttural appeal of a first take- it may not be played perfectly, but it damn near sounds what perfect would sound like if we all had the ability to channel our passions into electrically amplified instruments.
NY&CH’s shows at the Fillmore East in March of 1970 magnificently portray the raw (I keep trying to find another synonym for the word raw, but nothing seems to come close to describing what I’m trying to say) and unbridled jamming of this band. For those of you who want to hear Neil really cook, check out the solos on Down by the River and Cowgirl in the Sand. I don’t care if Young’s pure talents were nowhere near that of a Hendrix of a Clapton- this album shows why his name should be up there with the rest of the greats.
[Edit: As per Dan’s comment, I realize that I had posted the entire album. I had posted the 6 songs I had off the album, assuming I only had about half of it, when in truth- those 6 songs were the entire album. So, in order not to have an entire “for sale” album posted, I’ve taken down 2 of the tracks.]
Neil Young and Crazy Horse- Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Down By the River
Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Come on Baby Let’s Go Downtown
Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Cowgirl in the Sand
An Entourage Mix
Creating a great TV show is not an easy thing, as anyone who watches some of the crap that somehow makes it onto network television can plainly see. However, there is one network that is able to, time and again, create the best shows out there. From action (The Wire) to comedy (Flight of the Concords) to drama (Entourage), these guys write the best stuff out there.
What makes these shows so great, beyond the great writing, is the attention to detail. Rome, a show about, well, ancient Rome, lasted only two seasons, as each episode was costing the network the price of a small budget movie; creating elaborate costumes for an army of 10,000 extras every single episode will put you out a pretty penny.
But what I want to focus on is the music in these shows, particularly in Entourage. This season in particular, I’ve noticed that the music in each and every episode is so perfectly hand picked for the moment it’s played during. I’d love hearing Fake Plastic Trees anytime, but at a pivotal moment, when it seemed like Vince and Ari might be breaking up made me damn near break down in tears. See- music has that ability to make us feel certain feelings, and when it’s played at the opportune moment, even if the feelings we’re feeling are projected from some fictional character- the music makes it seem real.
Here’s a short playlist of some of the gems that the Entourage guys have been throwing into this seasons episodes:
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band- Electricity
Neil Young- Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Buy Blind Melon, Captain Beefheart, Cream, Radiohead, and Neil Young @ Amazon.com
Kings of Leon
I was recently accosted by a friend who thought my blog has turned elitist and fake. She claimed that I seemed to be conforming to the musical opinions of all critics; that instead of actually promoting my own true musical loves, I was merely trying to project an image of the “music critic” and that it was that image, more than anything else, that I was striving for with this blog.
Well, I’m going to go out on a limb this post, and let you all know, that I love this band solely because of their sound. Yes, that’s right. I’m not trying to impress anyone. I’m not trying to project an image about myself. I’m not trying to make it look like I know more music than you, the reader (because I probably don’t) nor am I’m trying to convince you that the music I like is better than the music that you like (because that’s probably not true either- unless of course you’re a die hard Britney Spears fan. In that case, I can say, without a doubt, that this music is better than that). I started this blog to share music with my friends, and that’s what it’s going to continue to be.
So listen to the Kings of Leon. Not because I’m telling you to. Not because “music critics” think they’re good (they may or may not- I really have no idea). Listen to them because they have an amazing sound and are just an all around great band. These guys have heart, they have soul, and most importantly they have grit- and the guts to play awesome music in a world full of crappy pap. And if you’re going to be in the NY area this coming January 29th, buy some tickets to see them rock Madison Square Garden. I know I did.
Buddy Guy
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Some music is beautiful for it’s technical perfection; for it’s impeccable composition and performance. But then again, that’s not what music always about, is it.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve read a number of quotes about how music and art are the things that humanity was given to make life beautiful. The acts of creation and improvisation that take place in music are simply a microcosm for how humanity expresses itself. Thus, it is precisely music that makes us human- and to not listen to music, would be to deny ourselves our humanness.
That being said, music can express two, sometimes divergent, human abilities: intelligence and emotion. Some musicians use their technical knowledge to construct brilliant compositions. But that music can only touch you so much. Sure, we can all appreciate the brilliance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (quite possibly the most beautiful piece of music ever written), but what it has in technicality, it lacks in soul.
Now, soul is one of those intangibles that can’t quite be described. I feel like a hypocrite, because whenever I hear baseball analysts talk about intangibles- like “clutch hitting” and being a “team player” I (as any good FJMreader would do) patronizingly laugh at them from my statistically infused ivory tower; unable to understand why they can’t seem to fall in love with a stat like VORP, or why they still seem to think RsBI are important. But I digress.
When it comes to music, there obviously are intangibles, because we’re not dealing with a scientific phenomenon, but an emotional one. Music is, and always has been, at it’s root, an emotional exercise. Because of this, there’s a certain intangible that we like to call “soul” that some musicians have, and some just don’t
The blues, is one of those genres of music that revolves around this idea of soul. You can hear the emotion not just in the singers voice, but in the wail of the guitar. It’s the genre of music that first said, it’s not about how many notes you play- but how you play the notes that you choose to play.
Of all the Chicago bluesmen, however, one stands out in my mind as one of the guys who most energetically and successfully, took the ideals of the acoustic delta blues, and applied them to city life- electrifying the genre without losing any of the heart or soul in the process. Hailed by both Clapton and Hendrix as their personal favorite bluemen, Buddy Guy happens to be my favorite as well (though, I imagine my opinion is less valued that the two former guitarists).
So, in the timeless words of Guy himself, “Let’s get back to the blues.”
Buddy Guy- One Room Country Shack
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers or Pure Unadulterated Fun
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This band is not technically good. They really don’t boast anything at all. They’re not popular, as in- on the radio. They’re not popular amongst music critics. They don’t do anything particularly amazing, besides for play good pop rock and put on fun live shows (which I can’t really still attest to, as I haven’t seen them live in about three years).
I was talking to my roommate tonight about why we like good “insert art form here,” and why we consider it to be good “insert same art form again.” I was raving about the brilliance of “An American Tale,” when I thought about “Fargo” (not sure what the connection in my mind was- but if you’re a psychologist, you could probably do a number on my head). I asked Kelin if he ever saw it, and he said he did, and didn’t like it- but wants to see it again because he would probably appreciate it better now. At which point I asked him if he thinks that we, as self proclaimed appreciators of higher art forms, force ourselves to like certain authors/bands/artists not because we actually enjoy their work, but because we feel like we should like it, as connoisseurs of the arts.
Now, don’t take this too far. I’m not saying that I can convince myself that I like something, and go from hating it entirely to becoming obsessed with it. However, I do think that if it’s something that we are told we should/would appreciate, we put more effort into liking it- which may defeat the purpose of being a truly good critic.
But if I was only concerned with high arts, then I would never appreciate a band like this. I like them for nothing other than the fact that they’re pure unadulterated fun. So listen to this band- not for how they took their influences and created an entire new genre of music; not because of the influence they’ve had on Western culture in the dawn of the 21st century, and certainly not for their virtuosic talents. Listen to these guys, because deep down inside- the music we like the most is the stuff that just sounds good to us.
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers- Days
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers- Start the Day Early
I Will Hold A Candle Till It Burns Up My Arm
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Just the other day, I was talking to my brother, and he mentioned how he loves the second verse of Indifference, by Pearl Jam.
You mean-
I will hold a candle till it burns up my arm
I asked.
Yea.
I’ll keep taking punches until their will grows tired.
So when we ourselves can’t verbalize the words that get us through the day, we turn to our poets, or musicians, and our lyricists to do it for us. Eddie always has been able to, and always wil have that power.
I will stare the sun down, until my eyes go blind.
I won’t change direction, I won’t change my mind.
This one’s for anyone who needs something to hold onto right now.
Pearl Jam- Indifference
(Not my favorite version, but from the first PJ show we saw together, so it’s got that emotional hold on me.)
Buy Pearl Jam @ Amazon.com
New Radicals During the Holiday Season
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I’d like to start of by apologizing for the lack of posts as of late, and also apologize in advance for what will be another weak week or two.
The combination of the Jewish holiday season with a Columbia University courseload has proven more than I thought I could handle.
So, give me a few weeks, when midterms are over, and the holidays are through, and I promise I’ll be back up and running on the daily schedule I was keeping to earlier this year.
Here’s a quick track that I’ve loved ever since I heard it on Scrubs that time. Yes, the band is the New Radicals- headed by that guy who always wore that silly hat, and sang ‘You Always Get What You Give.’ But this song is much better, so try to ignore his poor fashion sense (at least in terms of head coverings) and appreciate the beautiful pop song that this is.
Phish: Reunion 2009
Anyone music fan who frequents the interwebs on a regular basis, will know that the Phish reunion is old news. But I’ve been bogged down with schoolwork (which I still have tons of to do: If anyone can help me with my Data Structures homework- lemme know in the comments. Constructing a boggle solver is no fun when your Intro to Java course was horrible) so this is the first chance I have to post about it. As of Thursday, jam band gods Phish announced that they’ll be reuniting for three Virginia shows this coming March.
Now, for many music fans, this is the Holy Grail. Especially those high school kids who recently discovered that they love jam band music and the “culture” that goes along with it (hmmm…) and lament the fact that they were still in grade school when Phish went on hiatus last, and for all intents and purposes, seemed to have broken up.
I am not one of those fans.
My relationship with Phish is a much more causal one. Similar to my take on the Grateful Dead (the original jam band, whose shows Phish supposedly models theirs after) – while these guys are known for their incredible concerts- I prefer their studio offerings.
You could shrug this statement off by claiming I just don’t like live music, and prefer the cleanliness of a studio recording. That would be entirely false. There are certain bands (like Pearl Jam and the Counting Crows, to give two examples) of whose studio catalogue I almost entirely ignore for their stupendous live selections.
So yes, I do think it’s odd that the only Phish stuff I don’t automatically skip over when shuffling on my iPod is stuff from Pictures of Nectar, Lawn Boy, or a few other of their studio albums that I enjoy listening to; yet when Hampton Comes Alive shows up, I always tend to get bored (what’s the deal with the Audience Chess Moves?) and end up moving on to the next song after less than a minute of listening. (Like I said before, it’s the same thing with the Grateful Dead: I love American Beauty and Skeletons in the Closet [despite the fact that true music fans shouldn’t own “Best Of” compilations, this was the first Dead album I purchased, so I’m going to stand by it] but it’s rare when I’ll listen to any of their live stuff – except of course tracks off Europe ’72. Hmmm… I guess this equation has been disproved, and rendered moot and uninteresting.)
And herein lies the conundrum placed before me: Do I assume that my dislike for their live albums will translate into a dislike for their actual live show, and ignore this semi-significant reunion by not even attempting to obtain tickets? Or do I think that in order to properly appreciate this band, I need to actually be there- that I need to be in attendance to witness this purported greatness?
So, as any self respecting concertgoer would do- I registered for the possibility to buy tickets early (which really means, that if I win this chance, I’ve already purchased the tickets- God, these guys are smart business dudes). If all goes well, I will be in attendance, and will be able to report back to all of you on my opinion as to whether these guys actually deserve their spot as the best jam band since the Dead (which I guess, is no big deal in my book, as I don’t see the Dead as such an awesome jam band either).
Oh, and one more thing about this band. Can people stop saying they love Farmhouse? It’s probably the most generic pop song written by a band whose strong suit was diverting from that tired genre. With great cuts like Cavern, Horn, and Guelah Papyrus- this is a band that should not be known for their only song that follows a traditional G, D, Em, C song structre.
Happy New Year’s
Hmmm. I’m not really sure if the phrase “New Year’s” should have an apostrophe or not. Either way, the Jewish New Year- ראש השנה- is this coming Tuesday and Wednesday. So, to celebrate, it’s time to post a few songs about the coming New Year.
Death Cab For Cutie has become one of the most popular non-indie indie rock bands (meaning, that they fall into the musical genre of indie music, but are in fact signed to a major label, and are thus not actually independent. But despite their extreme popularity, they happen to be a pretty good band. [I realize making a statement like that makes me sound like a pompous music elitist who thinks that only unpopular bands have any musical merit. I know there are tons of good bands who are famous- basically every classic rock band; but in recent years, the trend seems to have been that the most popular bands are the worst. I could blame it on the insane commercialization of music- but then again- the record companies are trying to sell a product- so what’s popular is ultimately going to be based on demand. I could fabricate a conspiracy and claim that there are a bunch of rich music haters out there who pay off radio stations so that they play only the worst music- kind of like a payola scandal out of a bad comic book; but that would be ridiculous even for me. So I guess I’m going to base it on the lack of taste of the populace, which probably stems from the fact that they’re looking at music as something to entertain them, as opposed to a work of art. But enough about that- more about the band.] Ben Gibbard (their lead singer and possibly a guitar player as well) is one of the best contemporary pop music songwriters, and their music is poppy enough to sound cool on the radio, and interesting enough to make it listenable to the elitist music fan.
U2 on the other hand, holds an itneresting place in the world of popular music. I have always loved this band and their arena rock sensibilities. Their songs just always seem to soar, and I can’t really imagine hearing them anywhere but in a huge arena with tons of screaming girls (which is something I wouldn’t normally enjoy- but for U2 it seems like it would have to be that way to work). Now, many musical purists don’t seem to like U2. I have no idea why, and won’t try to come up with a reason. Sure, Bono has changed his tune over the years; going from the extremely anti-commercialization pop icon who was too cool for school, to the entertainment economic genius- running some of the most lucrative tours in recent years, to the budding politician- one of the few celebrities who’s opinion is actually valued in the wide world of politics. But change should be why people love Bono, not why they hate him. To change is to be confident enough to say “I was wrong, and I used to think that way, but now I think this way.”
And we’ve come full circle, because that’s exactly what the New Year is about. Reevaluating values, rediscovering beliefs, and rediscovering ones self. So listen to the music, and even if you don’t happen to be Jewish, use this Rosh Hashana as a chance to take stock- because you don’t have to be part the Tribe to do that.
State Radio
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It was in an attempt to hear Dispatch that I discovered this band. In the winter of 2006 (I think it was then) I headed down to Irving Plaza to hear a “Relief Project” concert, which was going to be headlined by Pete Francis, Braddigan, and State Radio. Each of those three groups was headed by one of the guys from Dispatch, so I was kind of hoping for something of a reunion.
Band of Horses
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Every once in a while, I discover a band that blows me away. In a genre as tired as a salmon after fighting upstream to spawn (who, by the way, thinks he’s just going to relax after his long trip fighting current, bears, and fishermen; little does he know, he’s about to die) indie pop seems like it’s been supersaturated these days. I imagine it was similar with the folk explosion of the 60s. It must have gotten to the point where people thought “Ok! Enough Dylan. Enough Joni Mitchell! Just write me a fucking rock song already!” I’ve felt that way about this indie rock phenomenon that has gripped emotional music fans. “I’ve heard the Shins, I’ve heard enough Joshua Radin. Just give me some more bands like the Strokes!”
Forgotten 90s: Volume 5
The 90s have been over for more than 8 years. But that doesn’t mean I’ve ever stopped loving any of the music from that time period. I think with time, I’ve only become more and more attached to it. So back from a few months ago- it’s time to revive the Forgotten 90s posts.
Richard Wright: 1943-2008
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It seems that a bunch of my posts of late have been about death, yet here we are again. A few days ago, Richard Wright, keyboardist and founding member of The Pink Floyd succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was 65.
But I don’t want to talk about death and the tragedies of music. Sure, Wright died younger than he should’ve, and he died of a disease that no one should have to endure, but he didn’t die as we expect all musicians and artists to. He didn’t tragically leave us at the all too young age of 27. He didn’t lead a life of misery, and finally succumb to drug abuse, or throw it all away by committing suicide. He lived, a full long life, albeit cut short by disease.
A few years ago, I read Chuck Klosterman’s book “Killing Yourself to Live.” The idea was to travel around the US, visiting the sites where famous musicians died, and write a book about the connection between death and music. While I don’t remember what Chuck’s conclusion was (in fact, all I really remember from that book was being angry that he took such a great idea and used it as a forum to vent his relationship issues instead of actually exploring the concept) I’ve been mulling over the idea for a few days. For some of us, this loss leaves us with a feeling of emptiness and forces us to confront the reality of mortality. Adam Duritz wrote Richard Manuel is Dead about such an experience. For others, it’s like the loss of something external- like if you lost your iPod: you can’t listen to it anymore, but it’s hardly tragedy.
I think the sense of loss is directly related to the connection you have with the musician’s work. When John Lenon died, an entire generation mourned; not because he was necessarily a good person, but because there was some emotional connection that everyone had with his music. It was the first time that people truly believed the Beatles would never reunite; until then, the option was alive in every fan’s head, despite the band members’ continued insistence that it would never happed.
This is the loss I felt when I heard the news about Richard Wright. The Pink Floyd has always been the holy grail of live shows for me; after my dad took me to my first ever concert (Pearl Jam), I asked him what he thought of it. He responded “it was pretty good, but nothing compared to Floyd on The Wall tour.” Those words put me in eternal awe of my dad and the concert’s he went to.
And Floyd was always one of those bands that could’ve gotten back together. Hendrix, Bonzo, Keith Moon, and John Lenon were all dead before I was born. But everyone from Floyd was still alive; the only thing keeping them from reuniting were the conflicting egos of David Gilmour and Roger Waters. But in my head, those guys were going to work it all out, and the band was going to get back together for the most amazing reunion tour of all time. Sure, my dad and people of his generation would say that they weren’t nearly as polished as they used to be, and that the shows used to be better. And I would nod in agreement, not really caring, because I would be seeing The Pink Floyd in concert!
In 2005, I thought I may get my wish. I mean, they got together to play the Live Aid show. Maybe they would do a full fledged tour. Who knew?
But alas, Richard Wright has passed on, and with him, my hopes for a Floyd reunion. Because we hope against all hope for that which seems impossible; but it’s only death itself that actually forces our improbable hopes to come to a halt.
But instead of mourning the loss of potential, let’s celebrate the his life, his ability to craft some of the most amazing psychedelic songs ever, and his place in one of the greatest rock bands to ever walk this earth.
Here’s to you Mr. Wright.
Pearl Jam: Live in Atlanta (4-3-94)
It’s been a while since I’ve done a Pearl Jam post, so I feel like I can get away with this one.
As one of the greatest live acts of all time, it’s tough to pull out any single show as one of Pearl Jam’s greatest of all time. Yet, here I am, about to do just that.
Now of course- I haven’t heard a recording of every single show, but I do have quite a number of them on my iTunes. The show that I’m about to post, is one of the best recordings/most intense shows that I’ve ever heard. Eddie is stellar, the guitar playing is amazing, and the sound quality is out of this world. If you’ve never downloaded anything Pearl Jam of mine, please take this show. It’s a guaranteed good time.
The Show
Release
Top 5 Songs About Death: A DFW Tribute Post
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As many of you probably know by now, David Foster Wallace sadly took his own life this past Friday night. While death, and especially suicide, is not a foreign subject in any art form, it still feels like a punch in the stomach whenever you hear the world has lost someone who created for a living, someone who was able to share their art-form with the rest of the world, and influence countless individuals and fans.
I myself know very little about DFW. My roommate Avi is a big fan of Wallace’s work, and being that we’ve lived together for over a year, I myself have read many of Wallace’s short stories and essays. While he’s not my favorite author, I was always able to appreciate the uniqueness of his writing style, and thus I think it appropriate to honor his life with a “Top 5 Songs About Death” post.
Now, this idea is not mine. I stole this from High Fidelity, when Laura’s dad died, and the guys make up a Top 5 Songs about death list in her honor. I feel like I should post their lists, but Rivka still hasn’t given back my copy of the book, and I don’t feel like pulling out the DVD right now. So here are my top 5 songs about death. Listen. Enjoy. And post your suggestions in the comments.
Dave Matthews Band- Gravedigger
Temple of the Dog- Say Hello 2 Heaven
Black Sabbath
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It’s funny how most of the music world credits Led Zeppelin with inventing “heavy metal” while they somehow forget about Black Sabbath. Actually, most self proclaimed music elitists make the claim that Sabbath was merely copying Zeppelin- pointed specifically to Tomy Iommi’s lead guitar style as derivative of Jimmy Page’s blues infused guitar rippery.
But if you listen to Black Sabbath, and truly listen to them for what they were, you’ll get a different impression. Black Sabbath began as blues band called Earth, before adopting worship of the occult into their lyrics and changing their name. And yea, Jimmy Page also had a weird obsession with all things pagan, but I’m pretty sure Ozzy beat him to that punch.
As for their playing styles and their cultural impacts, the bands couldn’t be more different. Zeppelin was the first arena rock band, playing heavy music to the masses- but they still retained their status as sex symbols. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant stood onstage with their shirts wide open, long hair flowing everywhere, and they looked like rock gods.
Not so with Sabbath. These guys didn’t appeal to the teenager looking for a sex symbol, but to the introvert who just wanted to wear his big headphones and listen alone. It’s no coincidence that William Miller, the socially awkward fictional journalist from Almost Famous was asked to write up 1000 words on Sabbath as his first assignment. This was metal that appealed to the nerdy, the quiet, the lonely, and the strange.
In this way, it’s Sabbath who truly invented heavy metal- a genre that has been dominated by self proclaimed freaks. If you still don’t buy it, just think about it in these terms. Who would fit in better at Ozzfest? Black Sabbath (who still frequently play there)? Or Led Zeppelin?
The answer is obvious. So reconnect with your inner freak, sit in the corner all alone, and crank some Sabbath on your headphones. It’s bound to be a great time.
Radiohead: September 11th 2001
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“I’m trying not to say anything. I mean, what the fuck are you going to say after today? There’s absolutely nothing to say.”To merely recall the facts, the play by play of the day, seems like we’re selling our memories short. People say that time heals all wounds; well, that’s because time numbs our emotions. But when we want to remember, we need to find ways to reopen those wounds- to relive, not just the facts, but also the feelings that we felt.
While the rest of the world was figuring out that the planes that crashed into the towers were indeed hijacked by terrorists, Radiohead had begun to play a concert in Berlin. It’s clear from the audio recording of the show that the band knew very little about what had happened, and apparently the crowd knew less.
“So who here doesn’t know about it?” asks Thom Yorke following a stellar rendition of Pyramid Song. “Everybody knows that I’m talking about…you don’t know what I’m talking about? You don’t know about the aeroplanes in America? Somebody tell ‘em. I’ll tell ya.”
The crowd remains mostly silent though Thom’s speech; as if this is news to them- which it probably was. Thom himself is still unclear on the number of planes that crashed, and his version starts with two, and then jumps to seven, before settling on four.
From the nearly silent crowd, you can hear one disbelieving fan scream out “Bullshit!” expressing what we all felt on that day; that feeling of denial that stems from not wanting to believe what we’ve just heard.
We’re not scaremongering
This is really happening
But that was just one of the many feelings that permeated the day. We went from denial and disbelief, to anger, to depression, to that horrible feeling of helplessness. And it was the helplessness that brought us together. It was helplessness that forced us to sit together in front of the television, just watching in silence. It was helplessness that made us cry; that made us weep.
I remember going home, and just sitting in my room, listening to the radio, and quietly strumming along on my guitar. 98 Rock was taking requests from listeners, listeners who kept calling in and telling the DJs why this particular song was the one getting them through the day.
At my first ever concert, Sonic Youth was supposed to open for Pearl Jam. It was announced that there was a band emergency, and that they would not be able to play. Later in the show, Eddie Vedder began to talk about how due to the emergency, Pearl Jam also considered not playing. But he then related that a friend backstage told him that they’d probably listen to music to get through it anyway, so what better way that to listen to music with an entire audience.
So maybe this is why Radiohead decided to play their show that night, despite what had just happened over the pond; because music is how they would’ve gotten through it anyway. Because music is how we deal with our problems, how we express our emotions, and how we get through life.
But I can’t help the feeling
I could blow through the ceiling
If I just turn and run
To remember 9-11 this year, let’s not just recall what happened, but how we felt on that day. Let’s listen to the helplessness in Thom’s voice, a helplessness that always exists, but seems to be even more potent on this particular show, and use it to reopen those wounds, and reignite those feelings.
When you listen to the lyrics to Idioteque, it sounds as if Thom Yorke isn’t just trying to sing them, but to passionately convince himself of their truth- despite the horror that that truth involves.
We’re not scaremongering
This is really happening
Yes, it was happening. And the only thing left to do was to throw up our hands; in anger, in sadness, in helplessness, and in disbelief.
This September 11th, let’s try to remember.
Radiohead in Berlin: September 11, 2001
Radiohead- Climbing Up The Walls
Radiohead- Packt like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Box
Radiohead- Everything in Its Right Place
Radiohead- Like Spinning Plates
Radiohead- How to Disappear Completely
The Josh Dion Band: Bowery Ballroom (9-6-08)
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Discovering new great bands is always fun, but discovering them at a live show is amazing; especially when they’re the opener, and the headliner fails to step it up.
This past Saturday night, I braved the thunderstorms that managed to soak me to the skin in the quarter block walk I had between my apartment and the subway, and headed to the Lower East Side, to see Pete Francis perform at the Bowery Ballroom- probably my most favorite venue in NYC.
Yesterday I spoke about the first opener- Barefoot Truth. Those guys were fun, and they’re great songwriters. But The Josh Dion Band really stole the show for me. Now, musically, they aren’t the most innovative band. They sound like a cross between Tea Leaf Green (sans the awesome jams) and John Mayer. They’ve got a bit of a bluesy feel to them, but with heavy pop influences. Listening to them right now, I’m also hearing a lot of Jason Mraz in the vocals.
But don’t judge them based on their derivative sound- judge them on their live show. These guys are, without a doubt- a live band. Certain bands just need to be experienced live in order to fully understand their greatness. Pearl Jam is like that. I’m told the Grateful Dead and Phish are as well. While The JDB isn’t neccesarily on par with those bands, they do have a great live feel to them. I guess that explains their slogan: The Josh Dion Band- Best Served Live. (I made that slogan up.)
First of all, Josh Dion is both the singer and the drummer. And despite the fact that he had a scarf tied around his neck, and looked a bit stupid- he wowed me with his ability to combine intricate drum beats with great vocal lines. The guitarist was also pretty good, stepping up to solo during opportune moments (I got great pics of him, and I’ll post them later- when I get home). And who could forget the keyboard player and his muttonchops?
So I’m not going to try to explain why these guys had a good live sound. To understand, you’d have to go see them. Check out the tracks, but don’t make your decision about these guys until you’ve fully experienced them.
The Josh Dion Band- Makin My Living
Barefoot Truth
Tonight, I headed back to the Bowery Ballroom, for the first time in a while to see Pete Francis put on a show. Pete was the most experienced musician and performer at the venue; his previous band, Dispatch, put on the largest indie rock show ever, boasting a crowd of 110,000 fans, and also managed to be the only indie band not only to headline at Madison Square Garden, but they also sold it out three nights in a row. Yet, it wasn’t Pete who stole the show; it was the opening acts.
While I’ll talk about the second band, The Josh Dion Band, tomorrow, tonight I want to focus a bit on Barefoot Truth- a band that I’ve posted about a few times before (here and here), but never in depth.
First of all, their lead singer is their drummer (which also happened to be the case for the other openers- The Josh Dion Band), which is automatically impressive, especially when the drummer isn’t only playing basic beats. Second of all their live show was just… hmm. Ok, well, I can’t really comment about their live show. I only heard them play a song and a half, as the Sabbath didn’t end until after 8, and BFT went on before 9:30. But, I did hear them play Mama’s Minstrel in full- which was pretty cool stuff.
So what am I trying to say? Basically, I was using their show (which I didn’t really see much of) as an excuse to post about a great roots rock/jam band/chill out artists who happen to write great songs, that don’t all sound exactly alike.
And with that half-assed compliment, check them out- their album, their live show- whatever you want. I like them, and so should you.
Nobody Likes You When You’re 23
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So it’s my birthday, and I just turned 23 years of age. Birthdays are kind of anti-climactic these days, to tell you the truth. When we were kids, every birthday was great- parties, presents, cake- we got it all. Then we had the significant birthdays- 13 (Bar Mitzvah), 16 (driving), 17 (Rated R movies), 18 (buying alcohol in Israel), 21 (buying alcohol in the US).
But who cares about 23? I mean, sure- I only have two more years before I can run for the US House of Representatives, but beyond that, I don’t really see much of a point of aging anymore. I think it’s time to end this whole “aging process.”
So yea, thanks to all of you for the kind birthday wishes already, but I’m going to opt out of aging this year, and attempt to remain 22 for as long as I can. Because no one likes you when you’re 23 anyway.
Live
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Anyone who grew up on modern rock radio in the 90s (I myself was sated on the musical offerings of 98Rock, WHFS, DC101, and WGRX when it still existed) repeatedly heard songs by a band called Live. We weren’t really sure what the point of their name was. Were they trying to convince us that they put on a good live show? Did should it have been pronounced [liv] instead of [lahyv]? And what was the deal with all those rumors that they were neo-Nazis? So they had that weird lyric about Hitler, but no one really knew what the hell they were saying.
So who was this band? And what was their deal. They were, I guess, just another great alt-rock band. Their sound had more of a soaring vocals/70s classic rock kind of feel than the grunge music surrounding it. Almost like a less heavy version of the Smashing Pumpkins.
So check them out, if you never have, and if you know them- check out the songs you don’t know yet. Cause I guarantee it’s some good stuff.
New York City
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As has been discussed in the past, neither repetition nor popularity truly makes something great. However, as we say in the Talmudic world, while it’s the reason for greatness, it could be a sign of greatness.
I am speaking, of course, of New York City. Let’s start off with population: there are over 70,000 residents per square mile, making it the most densely populated county in the US (at least according to Wikipedia). As for popular culture- so many television shows (especially sitcoms) take place in the city: Flight of the Concords, Seinfeld, 30 Rock, Friends, and How I Met Your Mother (which I should keep off this list due to it being horribly overrated as a show).
Music, however, is where things really get good. There are so many famous clubs, venues, musicians who live here, and songs written about this place.
So fine, these are all signs that New York is great. But what made it this way? How did it come to be that New York City became the center of the popular culture world?
I could take it back to the 1800s and give you the whole discourse on Vaudeville, the motion picture shows, Tin Pan Alley, and the development of the music scene. But I’ll leave that for Professor White and “The Making of American Popular Culture.”
I guess, for me, the greatest thing about this city is the vibrant music scene. Take last Sunday, for example. I had to split my day between the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival that took place downtown, and the American Roots Music Festival, which took place at Lincoln Center and was headlined by none other than Patti Smith. And those were just the free shows.
But beyond the live music, there are the records stores. Oh the record stores. As a self diagnosed music nerd, I naturally own a record player, and attempt to collect all kinds of records; jazz, blues, classic rock, modern rock- everything. There is no better place in the world, than NYC, when it comes to record stores. You walk down a few steps into a dank storefront, which forces even the shortest of patrons to duck their head upon entry, and find yourself lost in the disorder of fifty square feet of store, covered from floor to ceiling entirely with records. There is no order to the madness, and no direction of where or how to look. Just records everywhere. The salesman behind cash register, who’s having a conversation with another patron about unreleased Crazy Horse albums, looks like something out of a Nick Hornby book; greasy hair, horrible posture, and an utter disdain for anyone who isn’t a musical knowledgeable as him. It’s musical heaven.
This, my friends, is my New York City. And this, is why I love this town.
They Might Be Giants- New York City
Dead Heart Bloom- New York City Heat
Buy Moe., TMBG, and Dead Heart Bloom @ Amzon.com
Metallica
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They first began to intrigue me in 1996, with that “Na na na, na na na (pause) na na na na na,” part at the end of “The Memory Remains.” The music was heavier than the rest of the alternative stuff on the radio, and that heaviness translated into something deeper to me. So I bought Reload (actually, me and my sister split it, but I ended up buying her half off of her a few years later) and ate that entire album up.
But it wasn’t enough. I was told that there early albums were even better. So I went back and bought Master of Puppets and Kill ‘Em All. These albums were even faster and heavier than the band’s later offerings, and I became more and more obsessed with this band. I soon collected every single one of their albums, and the first album I ever bought on the day it came out was their live concert with a symphony- S&M.
Why did I connect with this band that derived their influences mainly from European speed metal bands? What was it about them that made them my first true musical love?
Their lyrics were depressing, most of them being about death and dying- and as I wasn’t really an unhappy child, I doubt it was the words I was connecting with.
So it must have been the music. But what about it? Was it the passion in James Hetfield’s voice? Or was it his unrelenting machine gun of a strumming arm? Or maybe it was the bass playing of Cliff Burton? (It certainly had nothing to do with the bass playing of Jason Newstead- he merely doubled what the rhythm guitar was playing.) Then again, it could’ve also been the searing leads that emanated from Kirk Hammet’s guitar, a guitarist trained by Joe Satriani.
Obviously, it’s not one of any of these things. A great band (and yes, I just called Metallica a great band), does not come from one individual. Sure, there are the Clapton’s and the Hendrix’s who are known more as solo artists than band members. But then again- Clapton’s best work was with Cream, where he played alongside other superstars like himself. A great band comes from collaboration and chemistry. This band has both of those things.
From seven Grammy’s to 90 million records sold worldwide, Metallica was able to take a relatively ignored genre and make it mainstream, spawning scores of copycats, and influencing a generation of budding musicians (including myself; some of the first songs I learned were Metallica songs).
But beyond their success, I think it was the passion in their music that stuck with me. Some people call it screaming and headbanging, but I call it passion. These guys truly got lost in their music, and for the first time, I felt like I was lost in it as well. This is why I loved these guys.
I’m going to ignore their latest effort, 2003’s St. Anger, as I don’t consider that a true Metallica album. They plan on releasing a new album this year, so we’ll see if they can bring back the greatness that they once had.
So whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, you’ve got to appreciate them; for what they were able to do, and the legacy that they managed to create for themselves.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
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You never know what’s going to set me off.Yesterday, a friend asked me to suggest a song for her to listen to.
“Heart in a Cage, by The Strokes,” I quickly answered, happy that I was able to pick such a cool song that she hadn’t yet heard.
After listening for about half of the song, she commented to me that this Strokes song sounded like Metallica.
I immediately launched into a tirade about their different styles of singing, guitar playing, bass, and most importantly drumming.
But later in the day, it got me thinking about the connections people make in music. I listen to the wild drumming of Lars versus the tight drumming of Fabrizio (though, they do both have pretty awesome names). I hear James screaming into the mic, and Mr. Casablancas singing almost monotonically at times. I hear the bass that always doubles what the rhythm guitar is playing contrasted with bass and guitars that are all over the place, but tight at the same time. But it’s the musician in me that hears these things.
Someone else, however, hears something entirely different. Elana, I think, heard the high pitched lead in this rare minor key Strokes song, along with a few drumbeats here and there that sounded something like One by Metallica (Look to Heart in a Cage at 1:14-1:15 and One from about 4:20 until the end of the song) and deduced that the song was similar. This was, a logical deduction, but it was one that surprised me nonetheless.
See, I have no beef with either The Strokes or Metallica. I grew up on Metallica and own every single one of their albums. I discovered the Strokes during high school and immediately fell in love with the supposed reinvention of garage rock that they were leading. (Which in retrospect was just a few bands who were playing real rock and roll, as opposed to the nu-metal which dominated the airwaves, influenced, ironically, by kids who grew up on Metallica but forgot to learn how to plan leads.) So, I wasn’t offended that an equation was drawn between these two bands, merely surprised.
And what’s the point of all of this? I don’t really know. I just think it’s interesting that two people can look at the same song and hear totally different sounds and influences, and thus have totally different sonic experiences. This is not, a shortcoming in the music or in the listener. Just the opposite; it’s what’s so beautiful in music and the interpretation of it as art- we all draw our own conclusions.
Buy Metallica and The Strokes @ Amazon.com
So Sorry
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So, it seems that I’m out of bandwidth again. Basically, people have been downloading a lot (which is a good thing) and all the 10 gig of downloads have been used up for this 24 hour period. So sit tight until Aug 28, 2008, 8:26:41 pm, at which point my bandwidth should reset, and downloading should resume.
Just as a side note- if you’re downloading a concert I posted, or a few posts here and there- that’s cool. But if you’re going through the backlogs of the blog, and downloading everything I’ve ever posted, I’m flattered, but try to curb your downloading a bit, and allow everyone to get a piece of the pie.
Thanks
-Ariel
The Presidents of the United States of America
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“Why the hell are you listening to a song about cancer?” shouted my mother over the din of the radio.
Puzzled by this query, I opted to follow up on my mother’s question instead of my normal approach of just ignoring her.
“Umm…how is this song about cancer?”
“Well, the singer keeps saying ‘She’s lump! She’s lump!’ He’s talking about a breast lump, which is breast cancer.”
“Why would they be singing about cancer?”
”I don’t know- it’s your music, not mine.”
The question still puzzles me, assuming cancer is truly what this song is about. I mean, I could understand a sad, sappy, tearjerker of a song about cancer; but a fast, upbeat one? Unless The Presidents were trying to be ironic or purposefully crass – a la Lou Reed tying off during a performance of the song Heroin, I couldn’t, and still can’t make sense of this song.
So what do you make of a band that sings about cancer in one song, furry house pets in the next, then dune buggies, Cleveland, peaches, the fact that they will never succeed as a band, and the social and cultural implications of MTV? (Ok, the last song is a cover, but I think the point is made.)
Clearly, meaningful lyrics are not this band’s forte, nor their intention; nor is staying on topic, for that matter. The topics from song to song flow almost like free form poetry- or like an ADHD kid’s train of thought. But then again, that’s what makes the songs so fun- that’s what makes listening to these guys a ‘party in your ears.’ Every time.
Musically, these guys latched onto the alternative movement, writing loud and fun pop-rock songs, with gritty vocals and distorted guitars; the perfect mid-90s radio act.
So listen to the music, but try to ignore the words- unless of course you’re a lit major, and think you can make sense of it all.
The Presidents of the United States of America- Lump
The Presidents of the United States of America- Peaches
The Presidents of the United States of America- Kitty
The Presidents of the United States of America- Dune Buggy
The Presidents of the United States of America- We Are Not Going To Make It
The Presidents of the United States of America- Video Killed the Radio Star
Buy The Presidents of the United States of America @ Amazon.com
Soundgarden
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What was it about that 80s music that seemed so fake? Maybe it was the hair. Maybe it was the ridiculous costumes. Or maybe it was the music itself- arena rock that just seemed too polished, and too clean; despite whatever image they seemed to be trying to project. But in Seattle, another sound was brewing- a dirtier sound. Combining the “who cares” ethic of punk rock with heavy metal solos and singing; grunge music was the “real music” answer to the fake sounds surrounding it.
Soundgarden was one of the bands that helped create this new sound. Fronted by singer/songwriter (and original drummer) Chris Cornell, the band opened the world’s eyes to the Seattle revolution, and paved the way for the bands of the early 90s.
Just like Patti revived music in the 70s, these guys revived it in the 80s, and created the sound that allowed the 90s to happen.
Soundgarden- Burden in My Hand
Patti Smith: Godmother of Punk Rock
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Rock and roll was, according to everyone who was anyone, dead. The Beatles had broken up. Hendrix was dead. Woodstock was over. The 60s, and everything that went along with it; peace, love, flower children, hippies, and most importantly rock and roll, seemed to be a relic of a past time. They had reached for an ideal, and just as they thought they had it in their grasp, it slipped out and crashed to the floor, leaving the musicians, poets, and artists, standing in a pool of their own failure, reeking the horrid smell of a lost cause. So they naturally assumed that rock and roll had imploded along with their dreams; that it too was no longer.
And for a few years, it seemed that way too. Sure, we had bands playing music- but there was something dead about it; something repetitive- derived from the innovations of the decade before. It was as if, once the Beatles wrote pop songs, everyone else was just copying. And once Jimi played a guitar solo, every other guitarist was just ripping off his riffs. Everything seemed dull and overdone.
But there was a culture brewing in New York City. There were kids, hungry for their own music; music that would rival what their older siblings claimed they had. They weren’t looking to revive the music of the previous decade, but to redefine what music is and what it can be.
In the midst of that, arose a poet; a musician; a true artist- Patti Smith. Following in the footsteps of the 60s beat poets, Smith applied this art of the spoken word to her music; frequently venturing away from a melodic vocal line to favor a monotonic “poetry reading” that despite it’s flat delivery, would build in intensity until Smith was screaming her words at the audience, rather than singing to them.
But she didn’t limit her innovations to vocal style, she also went back to the roots of music- favoring simple 3-chord progressions over the more complicated arena rock that was developing in that era. Musicians were too busy concentrating on sounding like Led Zeppelin, and creating intricate chord changes, solos, and vocal lines, that they forgot about writing simple rock songs.
Patti Smith brought this all back, and in doing so, inspired a punk rock revolution- that was originally just about playing simple rock songs, with no glitzy solos and no glamorous frontmen.
And so punk rock lives on, with it’s 62 year old androgynous godmother still rocking out- because while the complicated songs of the 70s sound tired and stale after a while, Patti Smith’s work still does, and always will, sound as fresh as it did the day it came out.
The Pink Floyd
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The Pink Floyd was one of the most innovative bands of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The band was originally headed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Syd Barrett, until he was forced to leave the band due to mental deterioration as a result of excessive intake of LSD and other such drugs. Guitarist David Gilmour joined the band shortly before Barrett’s departure, and stayed on after he left- becoming one of the primary songwriters, along with bassist Roger Waters.
While the 60s defined the band as a progressive psychedelic space rock band, it was the 70s that allowed this band to really push the envelope. Beginning (in my opinion with the 1972 album Obscured by Clouds, Floyd began to take psychedelic music in an entirely new direction. This was not your hippie’s psychedelia. While LSD may have caused San Francisco musicians to see everything in bright colors with paisley patterns, it had an entirely different effect on these British blokes. But Obscured was just the beginning.
1973 brought with it possible one of the greatest albums of all time; The Dark Side of the Moon. This 42 minute tour de force of music and lyrics turned the popular music world on it’s head- remaining on the Billboard top albums list for a record setting 741 consecutive weeks, approximately 14 years. But as we all know, popular support does not make an album great. What makes this album great is that The Pink Floyd had finally incorporated the extended instrumental jams of their live show, and laid them down onto vinyl. Lyrically, as well, the album was innovative; Waters wrote the album about Barrett and his deteriorating mental state.
The next two albums, Wish You Were Here in 1975 and Animals in 1977, just made this band bigger and bigger. But it was the 1979 concept album The Wall that made this band eternal. Written by Waters about his own childhood (supposedly), the first disc of this double album depicts a child growing up in a world perceived dangerous by a mother who then builds a protective wall around him. The second disc tells the story of adulthood, and the eventual tearing down of the wall, and along with it, the emotional trauma inflicted on him during childhood. While on tour for this album, the band actually built a wall around themselves during the show, only to tear it down at the end. The band actually went bankrupt on this tour, as each show cost more than it made in profit. The album was able to work both as a concept album, and as radio hit, featuring songs such asComfortably Numb, Hey You, and Another Brick in the Wall.
The Pink Floyd continued until the mid 80s, when Waters left the group. The band officially continued afterwards with Gimour at the helm, but was no longer the musical powerhouse they once were. The band reunited for a one time performance at Live-8 on July 2nd 2005, but has not played together since.
So while we all wish we could’ve seen The Pink Floyd in concert (which was supposedly their strongest facet as a band- pretty impressive considering their skills at writing are pretty darn amazing), I guess we’re just going to have to settle for the recorded versions of these songs, and appreciate from the solitude of our iPods and headphones.
The Pink Floyd- Obscured by Clouds
The Pink Floyd- Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)
The Pink Floyd- Comfortably Numb
There Are Jaguars In Mexico: A Vocal Journey with Adam Duritz
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One of the best things about the Counting Crows’ live show is the improvisation. But this isn’t the classic improvisation a la The Grateful Dead, Phish, and every other jam band out their. We’re talking vocal improvisation. Adam Duritz, lead singer of the Crows, frequently deviates from the lyrics of the song he himself has written, opting instead to sing songs by other artists.
We’ve got Glory Road by the Boss stuck inside Rain King, Red Hill Mining Town by U2 during A Murder of One, Van Morrison’s Sweet Thing during Round Here, and some other unknown lyrics during A Long December, andSullivan Street.
So check out these tracks, and see them in concert so that you yourself can also experience the vocal journeys that Adam ventures off on.
Counting Crows- A Murder of One
Counting Crows- A Long December
In Memory of LeRoi Moore: 1961-2008
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There are some forms of writing you never want to have to learn to write. A eulogy is one of those. Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 8/19/08) LeRoi Moore, the saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band, passed away.
For me, this is the first time I’ve felt the loss of a musician so personally. I was too young to understand when Kurt Cobain died. I remember the deaths of John Lee Hooker and Chet Atkins- but never had enough of an emotional connection with their music to really feel the loss fully.
But the Dave Matthews Band, well, I grew up on the Dave Matthews Band. I remember the first time I saw a video of DMB playing live. It was their performance at Woodstock ‘99. I remember thinking how cool Dave looked when he danced. I remember how much fun Carter looked like he was having from behind the kit. I remember how Boyd twirled around onstage. I remember how Stefan was able to look uber cool without even trying. But what stood out the most to me was LeRoi. LeRoi stood stage right, wearing a huge peach colored t-shirt, corn-rowed hair tied back in a pony tail, and sporting a pair of Ray Charles style shades. What struck me most was how out of place he looked in this band; the rest of the guys looked cool in the rock star sense, while this guy looked like he would’ve fit in better at a dressed down blues jam.
That was LeRoi Moore. He may not have looked like he fit in stylistically, but musically he was the perfect match. His saxophone skills were amazing. The two times I saw him play live, his playing was out of this world. He may not have moved around onstage, but his music was able to move the audience.
And that’s exactly what he was able to do. The horns played by LeRoi brought the music regular pop music to something better. They combined the old school big band with the new school jam band. They refused to bow down to the stereotypes of the modern rock band with 2 guitarists, a bassist and a drummer. They broke all the rules, and because of that shined through. And LeRoi was one of the brightest lights out there.
So let’s celebrate the life of this great musician. For those of us who were able to see this band live, let’s remember those shows, our favorite jams, and the excitement of watching this master of the saxophone onstage. If you never saw LeRoi perform live, listen to the live tracks, and let the music paint the picture for you.
Dave Matthews Band- Ants Marching
Dispatch
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While it’s become it’s own genre of music, indie rock used to refer to independent bands, not signed to a major label. As a result, most indie bands were unknown by the majority of the music listening population. But some bands were able to break that mold. Some bands were somehow able to break the shackles of anonymity despite lack of major label distribution and promotion. These bands make it big on word of mouth and on their talent alone.
Dispatch is one of these bands. They somehow managed to go from a small college band in Boston to one of the most popular independent bands of all time. They played a final free show in Boston in 2005, estimating a turnout between 10,000 and 30,000 people. 110,000 fans showed up to bid them farewell. They reunited to play one show in the summer of 2007 at the premier venue in New York City, Madison Square Garden. When the show sold out within minutes, they quickly added another. That one sold out as well and a third show (which also sold out) was set up.
Now, in terms of their music, these guys are not the most innovative. They write pop rock songs, many of which sound similar. But their singing/harmonies are great, and their lyrics (at least for the songs Chad wrote) are thought provoking and cool.
So check these guys out. Their songs are definitely catchy, and even if they’re not creating a new style of music, and paving new roads in the audio art, they still were able to break through the glass ceiling that has been keeping indie bands unpopular forever.
Sister I See You
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Just got back to the city after being home for the weekend for my sister’s wedding. Weddings are loads of fun, especially when it’s a family member. So I figured as a wedding present (don’t worry Yo, I’ll get you something real too) I’d do a post dedicated to her. So here’s to you, Yo.
Buy Sister Hazel, The Black Crowes, and The Nixons @ Amazon.com
What Makes a Band: The Music or the Fans?
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Since yesterday’s post about tailgating, I’ve been getting comments (both in the official comment form on the blog, and in gchats from friends) about my trashing of the Dave Matthews Band. Some people were supportive, calling him “Dave-I’m-so-boring-Matthews” (thanks a-Tart) while others berated me for trashing their hero (thanks Rebbecca).
So it’s time for me to clarify my position on this band. I love the band, but hate the fans. If you’ve ever been to a show, you know exactly what I mean. The frat-boy, abercrombie t-shirt wearing, Natty-Ice guzzling, imbeciles, with frosted tips and visors on their heads. These never sober ignoramuses pile into their pickup trucks (bought by their parents) and drive to the show (with tickets purchased on their parents’ credit cards) and sit in the parking lot blasting Dave, while playing beer pong and other such party games that are supposedly fun and entertaining. It seems that these morons are more interested in partying outside the show, than in listening to the music inside. When then finally do make it into the venue, they make sure to urinate and puke in places that are not the bathroom, much to the chagrin of the rest of the concert-going patrons. Then, once they’ve expelled all the waste from their bodies, they spend the rest of the concert talking. That’s right. The music is playing, but they feel the need to socialize and make dumb comments to each other, ruining everyone else’s music experience.
But then there’s the music. You can call these guys a pop group, a rock group, or a jam band; they play all these types of music. And they play it well. Every single one of them is a virtuoso at his instrument. But what really makes them work is how well they play together. Somehow the acoustic guitar, the slap bass, the billion piece drum kit, the violin, and the sax all mesh together to create a beautiful cacophony of sound. Their jams are stellar, and they flawlessly recreate their studio sound during the show.
So please, if you want to hate on them, hate on their fans. But before trashing the music, why don’t you give it a listen. Because even if you’re going to judge a book by it’s cover (which I do all the time) it’s not fair to judge a band by it’s fans.
The Art of the Tailgate
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After tailgating for the first time ever this week (check out the awesome pic of Joe manning the grill), I’ve decided to compose a short list of rules for tailgating.
1. Arrive at least 3 hours before the show. This will give you enough time to cook and ingest food and drink, and properly expel any liquid waste before the show begins. Otherwise, you’re going to be running to and from the bathroom once the show begins, and no one wants to do that.
2. Make sure to bring just enough food. Anything less, and you’re going to be salivating over your neighbors’ burgers. Any extra, and you’re going to give it to the vulture of a neighbor who’s been eying your grill since you started cooking.
3. While cooking and eating, it’s sometimes pleasurable to listen to music. Do not listen to the band that you are about to see. Whether you agree with my “no music the entire day for the band you’re about to see” rule or not, you absolutely cannot listen to that band in the parking lot. It’s just plain inconsiderate to others in the parking lot.
4. Do not crank your music so that everyone in the parking lot can hear it. Arrange your grill near your car doors so that you can hear the music, but so it doesn’t destroy everyone else’s ears.
5. However, no matter how hard you try to not make your music heard by others, it’s going to be impossible to entirely block it from their hearing. With that in mind it’s important to listen to music that will be respected by everyone, and won’t bother anyone.
Good bands to listen to: The Strokes, The Velvet Underground, Fugazi, The Raconteurs, Okkervil River, or any other rock band that has achieved the status of “cool” by fans and rock critics alike.
Bands to avoid at all costs: Pop (except for Prince), rap (except for Talib Kweli, Arrested Development, and Aesop Rock), and all classic rock. Yes, this means no Zeppelin, no Who, no Skynyrd, no Allmans, no Journey, no Boston, and definitely no Aerosmith. However, you are allowed to listen to the Grateful Dead. I’m not sure why, but somehow they slipped under the radar.
That’s basically it. Try to be considerate to those around you and to think of them when you blast your tunes. Your playlist can be status symbol that either defines you as the guy who really knows good music, or as the guy who’s listening to the Dave Matthews Band to the chagrin of the rest of the concert going-patrons.
So make sure to print out these rules and bring them to the next show you go to. Hell, print out a dozen copies and hand them out to everyone else. Because it’s important not only to listen to the arbitrary rules that someone else made up and to live your life based on them, but to project those axioms on other people- telling them how they should be living their lives.
Oh, and just a note about the songs posted: This Raconteurs song is probably one of the coolest stories ever told in the form of a song. Listen to it all the way through, and make sure to pay attention to the words. Jack White at his absolute best.
The Velvet Underground- The Black Angel’s Death Song
The Raconteurs- Carolina Drama
Okkervil River- John Allyn Smith
Buy The Strokes, VU, Fugazi, The Raconteurs, and Okkervil River @ Amazon.com
Radiohead: August 12th 2008 (Camden, NJ)
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To the casual radio fan, this show would’ve been torture. Last night’s Radiohead setlist included none of their major radio hits; no High and Dry, no Karma Police, no Paranoid Android, no Creep.
But then again, if you’re just a casual radio fan, you have no place at a Radiohead concert.
Besides Pablo Honey and Amnesiac, then band sampled from all of their studio album, relying heavily on the recently released In Rainbows which they played in it’s entirety.
Many times, when going to see a band, you hope they only play a few tracks from their new album, and instead play mostly their older hits. No one was wishing that at this show (or at least I wasn’t). In Rainbows is such a phenomenal album that I really wanted to hear all of it.
But that doesn’t mean I didn’t almost crap my pants when they played that first chord from The Bends. Or when they played National Anthem. Or Planet Telex. Or Street Spirit.
Beyond the killer set (in my opinion), what impressed me so much was their ability to recreate such a complex and intricate sound onstage. I guess it doesn’t hurt to have a musical genius for a lead guitarist. Johnny Greenwood, looking somewhat like a mime in his black and white striped t-shirt, played guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, percussion, and more. There was a point during the show (I think it was during Street Spirit) when Johnny was playing the notes on his piano with the headstock of his guitar, while playing guitar. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. This guy is the opposite of most other rock musicians. Most lead guitarists are loud, flamboyant, and run around onstage playing fairly simple licks behind their backs to get a crowd response. It’s all showmanship with no actually talent. Johnny embodies talent and does it quietly and calmly. But that’s not to say he doesn’t get into the music. When the songs kick up (which happens at the end of almost every Radiohead song) check out stage right to see Johnny wildly flailing his strumming arm, as if he’s trying to rip the strings off his guitar, and beat it into oblivion, sending a mess of wood and bronze coating flying into the crowd as he sits back, happy at what he was able to create and subsequently destroy.
Thom Yorke is also a crowd pleaser, with his beautifully haunting falsetto voice and his thin dancing body. Note to Radiohead fans: If you’ve never seen Thom Yorke dance, you’re truly missing out on something: Quirky arms flying right and left, legs seemingly disconnected from the top of his body- this guy truly does not know how to dance conventionally, but sure does a good job of doing it in his own entertaining way. Plus, whenever he thanks the crowd, you can hear his British accent- which is loads of fun. Everyone loves a Briton.
So there you have it. Radiohead is a must see on the live show list. And if you tell me that you haven’t really gotten into them yet, and that their music is just too weird for you, then just shut up, stop spewing you’re musical ineptitude, and given them another listen. And try not to expect a band that’s derivative of Zeppelin, the Who, or The Dead (as so many contemporary bands are these days). If you keep your mind and ears open, and listen for something different, something great, then maybe you’ll get it. Because these guys, both in their writing and in their performing, are musically brilliant.
A final note to the douchebag who stole my poster- when I die, I will take a trip down to hell, find you, rip my Radiohead poster off the wall of your cell, and kick your ass. I mean, c’mon, who steals at a concert? Thankfully, they were only $10, and I could afford to buy another one. But then again, the cheap price begs the question again- why would someone feel the need to steal something that costs so little?
Grizzly Bear opened up and put on a pretty good performance. I’m pretty sure I’d never heard them before, but I still enjoyed lying on the grass in the lawn section, soaking in their chilled out psychedelic vibes as we watched the sun set on the skyline of Philadelphia.
Radiohead Concert Tomorrow Night
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Ahhhh… it’s good to be back. For those of you who haven’t been keeping score at home (though I don’t know why you wouldn’t be), it’s been quite some time since I’ve been posting regularly. I went to Alaska for almost 2 weeks, and then spent the weekend in camp. But now I’m back, better than ever, and excited to see Radiohead in concert tomorrow.
That’s right, tomorrow night, in Camden, NJ, I will be witnessing Radiohead perform selected songs from their catalogue, live. So, in honor of that, I will post an uber-awesome Radiohead playlist. I’m going to try to stick to songs that I haven’t posted yet, so if there’s something that you really like and I didn’t post, check the earlier posts- it’s probably buried somewhere in there.
Alaskan Update
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It’s been almost 2 weeks here in Alaska, and the trip is basically done. It’s been an amazing experience, and I really don’t want to leave. But tomorrow night, I’ll be flying back to NYC, and should be back in the city by early Thursday evening.
But I just wanted to give a little post before I came back, to whet your appetites until the big comeback post.
My music is limited here, as I’m using a friend’s laptop- so I’m working with the music he has on his computer. But I like this song anyway, so enjoy.
Alaska Ho!
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Yes, it’s true. In less than an hour I will be getting into a cab which will take me to the airport, where I will board a plane for Alaska, where I’ll be vacationing for the next two weeks.
For those of you who check this blog religiously (and I doubt there are many of you) I will not be able to post my thoughts and music, and for that I apologize. But I will be back in a few weeks with picture and stories from the trip, and the songs that go along with all that jazz.
So try not to miss me too much, and I’ll be back before ya know it.
Here’s a couple of snowy songs to tide y’all over (as we will be climbing a glacier, and apparently theres a lot of snow on those.)
Album Review: Counting Crows- Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings
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So far, I’ve talked up the “music as art” concept quite a bit; imploring my readers that music is only worthy of listening to if it pushes the boundaries and introduces something new into the word. But if that was the only kind of music we listened to, we would be ignoring the music as poetry stance.
Adam Duritz and the Counting Crows are one of the best modern representations of musical poets- it’s music as unbridled emotional instability. There are few songwriters out there, who have the ability to tell a story like Adam can; who have the ability to emote as beautifully and poetically as he can.
As it’s been an entire four months since their latest album, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, has come out, I think it’s an opportune time to finally at long last review the album. But instead of giving you my thoughts on the album (I think it’s a brilliant display of emotive art) I figured I would just let you know what Adam himself thought about the songs he wrote.
These are comments collected from various live recordings over the past year, where Adam has discussed the meaning behind the songs on the new album.
We spent last year working on a new record, and it’s the first new record we’ve done in a long time. It’s called Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, it’s a two part record. The first parts all about sin and disillusionment and ruining your life, and the second part’s about crawling from the wreckage. It’s kind of like the binge and the hangover, because Sunday Mornings is about what happens when you’ve completely wrecked your life, but you see a possibility of being different than that, but then what do you have to go to, to put it back together. And that side of the record kind of shifts between being numb and the pain you feel when you do feel things, because you’re not prepared for it, and you don’t know how to do it, and so you lose things because you don’t know how to keep them.
1492
So Saturday Nights is all about sin and disintegration and a loss of faith and madness and the entire record was inspired by one song I was sitting at home listening to over and over again, and it’s the first song on the album, and it’s called 1492.
Hanging Tree
So the record sort of starts off with disintegration and then it sort of leads into becoming about a lack of faith and the more faith you lose, the more touch you lose with reality. So this is about sort of losing faith with your ability to care about anyone and anyone’s ability to care about you and how that sort of circle can just hang you up. This is about being a Judas to yourself.
Los Angeles, Sundays
These are both about more loss of faith and more bitterness.
Insignificant
The second to last song on Saturday Nights, which is about really really feeling the need for your life to mean something, but the more you lose touch with reality the more you have no idea how to make it mean anything. And in this song, you have to remember, my songs are really about how I feel; not necessarily about me, but about how I would feel about something. In this song, the character is so desperate to mean something that he walks up to the top of a building and stands on the roof and thinks I could fly. Which is probably a mistake.
Cowboys
When you lose faith, and you lose hope, and you lose the thing that tethers you to the world, you kind of become like a balloon that someone let go of. And I was trying to imagine what would happen at the furthest extremity; when you can’t feel at all, and you can’t touch the world at all and you have no connections with people. And the only think you can think of to do, to touch the world at all is just to kill people. And I was trying to think what would possibly make anyone want to be a killer. And the only think I could think of is if you completely lost all contact with the world and the only way you could feel anything is to commit the most horrific and violent of acts.
And so I imagined the person driving the freeway in the middle of the night, maybe, the serial killer driving the freeway in the middle of the night. That some that happened in his life is so horrifying, so painful, so terrible that he can’t face it. Something, someone who rejected him that caused him to just turn away from everything.
And he goes through the song and he’s paranoid about everything. He talks about satellites looking at him, he talks about the president. And then, he keeps talking about the girl, and now she won’t look at him, and she won’t talk to him, and now he can’t look at her. And in the end though, you realize the president he’s talking about is Abraham Lincoln, so, it can’t be real, and so if that’s not real, maybe none of its real and it all just exists in his imagination.
This is the last song on Saturday Nights which is about completely, when life becomes so painful that you just put it away from you entirely and descend into something that is not real life, or some nightmarish version of it.
I actually used the “Come on come on!” thing, because I had used it in Accidentally in Love and there it’s a galvanizing thing, it’s like “Come on, we’re in love.” In Cowboys, he can’t feel anything anymore because he lost the thing he felt in that song and he just wants anything to come through him and make him feel. I wanted to use the same words to show that one is a nice feeling and the other is a horrifying feeling, because he can’t get anything to come through him.
Washington Square
This is about my neighborhood and it’s about leaving it behind.
This is a song I started right after I moved here. I’d come back from tour, and I’d lost something, someone, and I was kinda faced with the prospect of going back out again, and it seemed like a hard thing to leave New York behind.
It’s a song about making a choice, to change, to go back to doing your life, to go on the road. But it’s also a song about how much you give up or risk giving up when you do that.
On Almost Any Sunday Morning
[This] is a song about lying next to someone in bed and desperately wanting to get out of there. But once they’re gone, realizing that you have to get yourself back together and go out and find someone else the next night, because you can’t stand to come home alone; which is a really crappy cycle to be on.
When I Dream of Michelangelo
I started this song like twenty years ago, and had no idea how to write it. And I used a little bit of it in Angles of the Silences and I finally understood how the hell to finish this song. I Kept thinking of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel where Adam and God are like, you know. And I think art is reaching out to touch something divine, to make something out of nothing, the act of creation. And I’ve always thought that it looked to me like you can’t quite touch it. And it just occurred to me recently that that’s not what the pictures about. The pictures about having just touched him and now he’s brought him to life. But in my mind it’s always been: you reach out, and you can’t grab onto anything divine, and whatever you do, it just really isn’t enough. And while you’re looking so hard to touch something like that, you forget to touch anyone else in the world- so you lose connections with them. You kind of lose your humanity. And that’s what this song is really about.
Anyone But You
Another song about just being to numb to care for anyone.
You Can’t On Me
So, I was very concerned that Sunday Mornings would be misinterpreted; that it would seem like everything was bad, and now everything is good; because the music becomes very beautiful on the second side of the record. And I didn’t want it to be easily confused. I didn’t want a Born in the USA kind of thing where you have a song that’s about a protest that becomes a song about waving a flag.
I’ve written 4 entire albums about how you should stay as far away from me as possible, and somehow that’s a romantic notion, and the thing I kept thinking about is that no matter how sad a story you’re telling or how bad a story you’re telling, if you put it well enough, or eloquently enough, it sounds really good and tempting. And the person who hears it thinks “aww.” And so, I wrote this song, and I wanted to stick it right in the middle of Sunday Mornings, with electric guitars what will jab at you; because it’s about a relationship that’s ended, and a guy and a girl separately reminiscing about it. And every time he says something about his memories of it, it’s beautiful, and then he just says something incredibly cruel. And the idea is that you keep getting sucked in by the music, and then punched in the face by the reality of it.
Le ballet d’or
This is about looking back at your life and realizing, if I just had done things a little differently, this could all have been a lot different. As the song starts off “Wasted time running scared when all love needs is to be believed in.” Which is an obvious thing to say, but not a simple thing to do.
And he goes through the seasons in the song, it’s kind of a companion song to Omaha in a way, that he’s looking at his life these different ways and he’s looking at all the places where it didn’t have to go as wrong as it did. It’s just that if I had been able to see things a little differently, I could’ve done things a little differently. And he kind of comes to the conclusion that I’ve got to stop being the way I’ve been and do something different.
On A Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago
I wrote in Amsterdam a week after Accidentally In Love, at the time written about “what if this wonderful thing in my life were to fall apart and drift away.” And years later after it actually did, it becomes this truly sad thing to have lost something that meant so much to you.
And it’s really interesting, a friend commented to me the other night, she said: “you know this album; the healthier you get, the sadder it gets.” I think that’s because madness is like numbness, and you retreat from the world. And the healthier you get the better you are and the more you can feel. And feeling can go either way. You can feel good, you can feel bad.
Come Around
It comes to the end of the record, and the last song is about having sort of decided that: “Look, if I’ve been through all this and I’ve come to here, then whatever that hurts, feeling is living. So if I’m still here and you’re still here, then we should go out and play some rock and roll.”
And it’s sort of a song of defiance about “hey, I’m still around.”
Listen to the album; it’s a whirlwind of emotion and feeling. And knowing where it came from makes it seem even more meaningful
Counting Crows- Hanging Tree [Philadelphia 2/8/08]
Counting Crows- Washington Square [Farm Aid 9/9/07]
Midsummer Nights Insomnia
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I guess it’s just one of those nights. Sleep seems as far from reality as possible, despite being tired as hell. It’s like your brain is running on overtime, while your body just wants to let go. And it’s at those times that we give in to our emotions, to the dismay of our rational thought processes. It’s at those times that we get up, and put on a record, load up a playlist; anything- some kind of music to push us through. It’s at the times when everything that’s piled up suddenly seems to be weighing down on us that we turn to music for comfort. We turn to our songs that get us through the dark nights.
These are my songs.
Radiohead: April 1, 2008
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As those of you who frequent this blog may know, I’ve fairly recently taken a liking to, nay, an obsession with the alternative rock band Radiohead. As you may have read, Radiohead is one of those bands that I never really got. Yea, sure, I liked the singles, and OK Computer. But I felt like I was missing out on something; missing out on the rest of their supposed greatness.
Since then, I have gained an appreciation for the bands music, and have fallen in love with most of their albums. And despite claims I may have made in my younger years that this band is overrated (yes Sher, I’m talking about conversations I had with you on-the-air) I am no longer the heathen of a music fan I once was. If anything, these guys are underrated.
Now, I have friends who’ve berated me for coming to like Radiohead. They claim that I only started liking them because as a music fan, I’m supposed to like them; that I’ve convinced myself that I’m a fan of this band in order to support my status as lover of quality music. It would be difficult to actually argue this assertion. I can’t and won’t try to prove to anyone that my being a fan of this band is true and unfettered by perceived music-fan obligations. That is not my prerogative and not the point of this post.
The point of this post is merely to share with you some phenomenal (yes Jenn, I said it again) live Radiohead tracks. Why am I doing this? Well, the Radiohead show is coming up in a few weeks, and I’m going away on Sunday for almost 2 weeks, and thus won’t be able to share this great show with you.
The show is the evening show from the BBC Radio Theater in London, performed on the first of April of this very year. The quality is pretty good, and the playing is great. So far on the tour, they’ve been sampling mostly fromIn Rainbows but have also been playing songs from everywhere else as well. And since I have nothing to do at work, and this interests me, I’m going to now list every single song they’ve played and how many times they’ve played it on their various tours in 2008 as of yet.
And here’s the list of songs, from most to least played:
All I Need (28)
Nude (28)
15 Step (28)
Videotape (28)
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (28)
Idioteque (28)
Reckoner (28)
Bodysnatchers (28)
There There (27)
Everything In Its Right Place (27)
Faust Arp (26)
Jigsaw Falling Into Place (23)
The Gloaming (23)
National Anthem (23)
Bangers and Mash (22)
Optimistic (19)
House of Cards (19)
You And Whose Army? (18)
Paranoid Android(18)
Pyramid Song (18)
Airbag (15)
Lucky (14)
Just (14)
Exit Music (for a film) (12)
How To Disappear Completely (10)
Karma Police (9)
Planet Telex (9)
Myxomatosis (9)
Street Spirit (fade out) (9)
Where I End and You Begin (9)
2+2=5 (8)
Dollars & Cents (8)
My Iron Lung (8)
Climbing Up The Walls (7)
Fake Plastic Trees (7)
No Surprises (6)
Wolf at the Door (5)
Cymbal Rush (4)
Supercollider (4)
Morning Bell (4)
Go Slowly (4)
The Bends (4)
The Tourist (3)
Like Spinning Plates (3)
Hunting Bears (3)
Talk Show Host (3)
Much thanks to FuelFriends and SixEyes for posting this show.
Lester Bang: Rock Criticism At Its Best
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Late last night, I was reading a book by Lester Bangs entitled Mainlines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader. For those of you familiar with popular culture, or if you’ve ever seen Almost Famous (where Lester is portrayed brilliantly by Phillip Seymour Hoffman) you know that Lester was one of the most important rock critics of the 70s and early 80s. His writing is captivating and almost explodes off the page, and his ability to use way too many metaphors without sounding cliché or overdone is unparalleled in rock journalistic writing.
In this respect, I just wanted to share a sentence that I read last night, that I thought brilliant and informative.
America, which is essentially our universe, is having earthquake-sized convulsions, choking, spitting up blood, reeling dizzily back into some crumbling limp falldown of terminal disease, weaving back and forth on its knees moaning and clutching itself tightly in one wounded area after another, raving like a wood-grain-alcoholic crashing in the Bowery on his Last Go-Round, and I don’t have any answers, or even very many opinions right now, seems like all the factions in the brawl are starting to look like the very thing they’re opposing so desperately, so that even semilucid and halfway rational New Leftists who can see in reasonably complete clarity the disastrous turn their politics and political organizations down to the last one have taken, must still sit tight keep their chops gritted and be ready for the impending fight, no matter the consequences, perhaps because they’ve never really conceived of America falling into a continent of burning junk piles and primitive local control by brute force, meaning that perhaps they’re just bored with the same old scene, day after day, month after month, everything secure, bolted down, in order, safe for the cowering rodent-citizenry of elm-lined tract homes, maybe these cats just wanta see the entire structure fall or at least get shaken to its quick for once simply because it’s never happened before and, you know, man, like with their Che caps and half-assed homemade Mollies, why, they’re a Revolutionary Insurgent Liberation Army, can-you-dig-it?, ready to get out there by God and do some fucking Liberating!
Now that, my friends, is the epitome of a written rant. His ability to put his train wreck of a thought process down onto paper is inspiring. The context of the sentence is barely important; by the time I was done reading it I had forgotten what the rest of the article was about, but I knew I had come across journalistic gold. I knew I had read something that was worth re-reading. Not because it’s grammatically perfect; not because it should have been the one singular sentence it was written as; but because it has the ability to evoke so much thought and contemplation, and in this way his writing is almost poetry.
Self deprecatingly weaving in and out of opinions, the man was able to put music into words like no one else I’ve ever read before. This is the man that called Miles Davis a “worthless wretch” and says he “should have died,” and he says these things not just for their effect, but because he actually believes them while writing. It doesn’t matter that he’ll later go back and praise the same album that months earlier he trashed. It doesn’t matter because he’s writing what he believes in the present. He’s writing how he feels about something right now, without a care in the world for how he may feel about it at some later date. And that’s what makes his writing ring true. That’s what makes his articles and opinions so strong- that they’re not affected by hype- just by his singular opinion at the time of writing.
To end, I think this quote sums up what we all feel about rock music- the less cultured art. Once again, Lester was able to put down in words what every other thinking fan of rock music has had in the back their head for years.
I’ll probably never produce a masterpiece, but so what? I feel I have a Sound aborning, which is my own, and that Sound if erratic is still my greatest pride, because I would rather write like a dancer shaking my ass to boogaloo inside my head, and perhaps reach only readers who like to use books to shake their asses, than to be or write for the man cloistered in a closet somewhere reading Aeschylus while this stupefying world careens crazily past his waxy windows toward its last raving sooty feedback pirouette.
Lou Reed- Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Buy Lou Reed @ Amazon.com
Rob Zombie
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Remember when metal was the music your friend’s older brother listened to? It must have been the 5th grade the first time I ever heard of “heavy metal” bands. A friend of mine introduced me to his older brother’s music; specifically Pantera and White Zombie. But those were my early days of music listening, and I couldn’t really appreciate these bands.
And then 6th grade rolled around, and I got into Metallica. It started with hearing Fuel and The Unforgiven II on the radio over and over. Then me and my sister bought Reload. And I took it from there, buying Master of Puppets next, and the rest of the albums soon afterwards. Now, I digress into my love for Metallica merely to explain how I came to appreciate heavy metal.
8th grade rolled around, and Rob Zombie went solo and came out with Hillbilly Deluxe, boasting rockers likeDragula and Living Dead Girl. This was the album that finally got me into these guys. This was the album when I finally realized that I really liked heavy metal. Not glam-metal from the 80s, but the real deal.
Look for more heavy metal posts in the near future: Metallica, Sabbath, Ozzy, Pantera, and more as I think of them.
So check out the tracks, and check out the video from Ozzfest ’05 (and try to appreciate it even though Rob can’t seem to sing at all anymore) and rock out to some midsummer metal mania.
White Zombie- More Human Than Human
White Zombie- Super Charger Heaven
Excuse Me Mister
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There are certain words and themes that seem to be used over and over in music; and in most art for that matter. Let’s take the word Love. If I search my iPod for the word love, I come up with 135 results. And these are just the songs, albums, and artists with the word in the title. Countless others have love as a lyric in their songs. I actually used to play a game with campers and co-counselors on hikes in camp where we would pick a word (like love or rock) and would go back and forth finding songs with that word in it. (Julie is still the only one to ever beat me.)
In this respect, I recently realized that not only are there a lot of songs with the word Mr. in the title, but most of them are great songs; many of them actually my favorites for that band.
Mr. Crowley happens to be my favorite Ozzy song of all time- the solo in it is killer. (Apparently, the story goes as follows: Randy Rhoads, Ozzy’s late great guitarist, just couldn’t get a take he liked for the solo, at which point Ozzy came up to him and said “Randy, stop thinking and just play what you feel.” So he went back into the booth, and in one take banged out this beautifully haunting solo.)
Mr. Brownstone is my favorite GNR song- it just plain rocks. And while it’s topic is a bit more than PG rated (Mr. Brownstone is a name for heroin), the song and lyrics craftily depict the horrors of addiction both in music and in words.
Mr. Jones is ever radio fans favorite Counting Crows song (though not mine) and Mr. Larkin is many people’s favorite State Radio song.
The rest of the tracks, while probably not anyone’s favorites, are still great songs. Any Mother Love Bone song deserves to be listened to by any and all self respecting fans of music; Grace Potter just wails on everything she puts out (despite the fact that she’s getting a bit too much of a pop slant in her music for my liking); and Ben Harper is…well, Ben Harper. So while this isn’t his greatest song ever, it’s able to hold court on one of my favorite albums of the 90s (Fight For Your Mind).
So while these songs aren’t really thematically tied in (this is not a tirade against “the man”), I just thought it cool that Mr. songs happen to be of a high caliber. And the lesson to be learned is thus: if you want to write a good song- just put the word Mr. in the title. It’s as simple as that.
Mother Love Bone- Mr. Danny Boy
Buy GNR, Grateful Dead, Ozzy, Grace, Mother Love Bone, CC, SR, and Ben Harper @ Amazon.com
Don’t Forget to Vote
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In case you forgot, voting for Round 2 is still going on. So if you haven’t yet, please take the time to vote for the worst band of all time.
New music will be coming sometime later tonight. Fear not.
Arrested Development: July 17, 2008
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It’s been a while since I’ve seen a band as excited to be playing as these guys were. Sure, Carter Beauford always looks like he’s having the time of his life, as does Mike McCready. But the last time I saw an entire band play an entire show with huge smiles plastered across their faces was probably the first time I saw Robert Randolph and the Family Band. Well, Arrested Development was able to bring back that vibe, seventeen years into their careers.
This band looked genuinely ecstatic to be performing onstage. It didn’t matter to them that there were only a few hundred people in at the show; they still put in an intensity fueled performance that lasted well into the night. And that’s really the only way to describe this show. It wasn’t a religious experience. It wasn’t an arena show. It was just a bunch of guys and girl onstage, having the time of their lives.
Seeing them at such a small venue was great, as it allowed me to get right up to the stage and take tons of pictures throughout the night (with the recent DIY fixing of my camera).
One more note (for Jenn, because she was just as confused as I was about this guy)- the old guy, apparently he’s their spiritual guru. He doesn’t really play anything- he just walks around onstage; kind of like the guy running around with the Jamaican flag at the Damian Marley show I saw, and the guy in Snoop Dogg’s band who just waltzes around onstage with a jewel encrusted goblet.
So check out the tracks, admire my picture, and enjoy the midsummer hip hop.
Arrested Development- Since the Last Time
Arrested Development- Honeymoon Day
Arrested Development- If Dey Ask
Arrested Development- Miracles
Arrested Development- Tennessee
Anarchy In The UK: The Sex Pistols and the British Parliament
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I love the British. Their accents make me laugh, they created many of the hilarious TV series’ that we stole and claimed as our own, and we kept beating them in war. First there was the Revolutionary War, during which we were able to destroy them, as they felt the need to march in formation in silly red uniforms while we shot at them from behind trees. Suckers. Then was 1812 (they claim it was a tie), and since then, we’ve become the world power while they remain…funny to listen to.
This day in age is no different. In my apartment this past year, my roommates and I would all gather round the TV at 12AM on Sunday night (Monday morning?) to watch C-Span for the incredibly hilarious show “Prime Minister’s Questions.” In the program, delegates and, most importantly, opposition leader David Cameron, shoot questions at the PM, which he attempts to answer competently.
Now, in any normal form of government, this would be done respectfully and with cooperation from all members of the government. Not in England. In England, despite the fact that the people sound so proper with their accents and excellent vocabularies, cheering, booing, and laughing is completely normal. During the program it is not uncommon for Cameron to straight up insult Prime Minister Gordon Brown, albeit in the form of a question.
First they gave us “Whose Line is it Anyway,” then “The Office,” and now “Prime Minister’s Questions.” This, my friends, is comedy at its absolute best.
I guess the Sex Pistols got it right when the claimed there was anarchy in the UK. Damn straight there is- and it’s quite funny too. While I’ve briefly spoken about them in my rant on Guitar Hero, I’d like to bring them back here for a second; because beyond comedy (both intentional and unintentional) the British have also given us music. Bad pop in the sixties, creamy blues rock in the early seventies and angry punk in the late seventies. Unclear what the country have given us musically since then (kidding), but we do have the Sex Pistols to thank for letting us know how much their country sucks (or at least how much they hate it). Here’s to the freedom of expression in music, assuming they have that freedom across the ocean.
So check out the tunes, and check out the videos of Gordon Brown getting rocked. Because we all love the British, and that’s what makes us America. And so can you.
The Sex Pistols- Anarchy in the UK
The Sex Pistols- God Save the Queen
The Sex Pistols- Holidays in the Sun
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Addendum To Round 1
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So, in response to some losers who’ve complained that I didn’t put a poll on the blog for the Battle of the Crappy Bands, I have placed 4 poll, for the four different games, on the left side of the blog. If you haven’t voted yet, feel free to vote now. If you’ve already voted- feel free to either vote again, or don’t- whichever you want.
The Battle: Round 1
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If you do know what this is all about- welcome to round 1. We’re going to have this set up tournament style, with an East, West, North, and South divisions. The winner of the East will play the winner of the West; the winner of the North will play the winner of the South; and the winners of those divisions will compete for the title of “Crappiest Band Ever.”
And remember- you’re voting for the worse band in each case. So vote for whomever you think sucks more.
Don’t forget to vote in each division.
Eastern Division
Here we have Drowning Pool vs. Godsmack.
Drowning Pool:
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Godsmack:
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Western Division
Here we have Creed vs. Bon Jovi
Creed:
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Bon Jovi:
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Northern Division
Here we have Linkin Park vs. Nickleback
Linkin Park:
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Nickelback:
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Southern Division
Here we have Staind vs. Puddle of Mudd
Staind:
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Puddle of Mudd:
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Please vote responsibly.
Battle of the Crappy Bands
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Ok, so it’s that time of the summer again- when I feel this desire to start hating on music that I don’t love. In reality, I don’t hate all of these bands- they’re not as crappy as I’m going to pretend- but then again- sometimes it’s fun to do something like this.
Because what these bands are not, is creative and innovative. Their songs all sound similar and derivative of a ton of other bands.
Take Creed for example- these guys are (as I remember happily reading in a Newsweek, many years ago) “7th generation Pearl Jam ripoffs.” And then there are all the so called nu-metal bands, like Puddle of Mudd, Godsmack, and Drowning Pool are just Korn ripoffs without being nearly as musical or innovative, and without ever changing up their sound- so the songs just sound exactly the same. Oh, and speaking of songs sounding the same, Nickleback is probably the king of that one. Check out this website for confirmation. Some crafy individual put How You Remind Me in one speaker, and Someday in the other. It’s incredible how similar they are. Similarly, we’ve got Bon Jovi, whose songs all sound the same. C’mon, sing along with me “It’s my life, it’s now or never, whoa-oh! living on a prayer!” Oh wait, those are two separate songs? You could’ve fooled me.
To prove how much they suck, check out the video.Popout
Now, you may claim Linkin Park are innovative. They sing, they rap, they have a DJ, the bring on real rappers to do cameos. Maybe so. I just think their music is terrible, and for a number of reasons.
1. It’s not catchy
2. It doesn’t make me wanna head bang or run around in circles screaming
3. It does make me want to change the station
4. It sucks donkey balls
Finally we have Staind- whom I would classify as the emo rockers of the nu-metal movement. I get so incredibly depressed listening to Aaron Lewis groan about his father that I am now unable to listen to them. Thanks man, I almost liked you’re music for a second.
So… with this in mind, it is time for the Battle of the Crappy Bands.
That’s right. We’re going to have a bracket set up, and match up these bands for the crown of Crappiest Band Ever.
And you- the dedicated reader- will decide who is crappier, and moves on the the next round, and who will go home, saddened that they were unable to be the crappiest ever. So leave your votes in the form of comments, to decided which of these bands sucks the most.
Or, more likely, when no one actually votes, I will make the decision on my own.
Bilious Bloggers Unite: Major Recognition
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This does not happen too often, but it seems like my blog has garnered major literary recognition. If one reads the cover article of the June 23rd issue of Spin Magazine (as I did on the crapper in boys tzevet in Camp Stone this past weekend) you will read about how Coldplay is hated by many, and dismissed by the rest as boring and derivative.
But wait, there’s more. Four paragraphs into the article, Michael Joseph Gross lets loose the line “Even the most bilious bloggers reluctantly praised the album’s first single, “Violet Hill.” That’s me! I backhandedly praised that single in my rant on Coldplay. Click the link, scroll down to the third to last paragraph, the third to last sentence, and you will read my beautifully crafted words: “I just got done listening to the six songs from their new album that I’ve been able to procure. Except for Violet Hill, which I do admit is a really cool song, I was not impressed. That’s not to say I won’t learn to love it, I just highly doubt it.”
So there you have it. I wrote it first, and Mr. Gross acknowledged me as a “bilious blogger.” And now, to sit back and drink in the sweet elixir of major magazine recognition.
Life is sweet.
“I Love You.” “I Love…Cake?”
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Ahhh. Cake. So many historical quotes about it. When the women of Paris marched on Versailles demanding lower bread prices, Queen Marie Antionette supposedly responded with the curt “let them eat cake.” Historians maintain that this never actually happened. (Thanks Professor Freedman!)
Then there’s that other quote “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.” So that’s just not true. First you have your cake, and then you eat it. What’s the problem with that? Ahhh. That’s because the original quote is reversed and reads “you can’t eat you cake and have it too.” And that is for sure true. It’s quite impossible to eat your cake, and still have it afterwards
So- despite the fact that the only two aphorisms (edit: neither are actually aphorisms) about cake that I’m aware of are untrue, that doesn’t mean we should all start hating on cake. Nor should we hate on the band Cake.
Yea yea. Some people make the claim that the lead singer doesn’t actually sing- he just recites lyrics. Great observation Watson! But that’s what makes them cool- it’s what makes them different from other bands. So, despite the fact that musical elitists will claim that this isn’t music; I would argue just the opposite. This is music at it’s absolute best and most fun.
Cake- Short Skirt, Long Jacket
Oh, and that’s it for the weekend. I’ll be heading up to camp early tomorrow morning. Se y’all again om Monday.
The Meters: Live @ The Bottom Line (1977)
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Funk is one of those genres that either works, or bombs. James Brown was able to brink the funk. Parliament was able to brink the funk. Even Prince could sometimes brink the funk. And finally, The Meters bring the funk.
Don’t know if its the slapping bass lines that do it. Unclear if it’s the soulful singing. Or maybe it’s the… [ok- seems I’ve gotten into one of those funks (pun intended) where I do a “not sure if it’s A, maybe it’s B, or possibly C” routines. I gotta stop doing that. It’s so cliche and predictable]
So yea, I’m going to stop talking. Just listen to the music. Please. It’s really good.
Moe.
I’m not such a big fan of the jam band. It’s not really my most favorite style of music. BUT- that does not mean there aren’t jam bands that I like, appreciate, and think are awesome.
Moe. is one of those bands. So since it’s late, and High Fidelity is captivating me for the umpteenth time, just check out the tunes.
David Bowie
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One of the most important cultural icons of the 70s, David Bowie managed to reinvent himself time and time again throughout his career. Whether he was the androgynous Ziggy Stardust, or the any of his other flamboyant personas, what made Bowie great was not these alter egos he created, but the music he was able to invent.
Everything from folk rock, to glam rock, to psychedelia, to grunge; Bowie was able to succeed in so many different musical genres. Plus, his voice is hauntingly cool. Oh right, and the fact that he had a cameo in Zoolander makes him a star in my book.
David Bowie- The Man Who Sold the World
*Note: Under Pressure was a collaboration between Bowie and Queen
Some Midsummer Nights Hip Hop
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And never, since the middle summer’s spring, Met we on hill, in dale, forest or mead, By paved fountain or by rushy brook, Or in the beached margent of the sea, To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind, But with thy brawls thou hast disturb’d our sport.– A Midsummer Nights Dream, William Shakespeare
So listen to this “whistling wind” and make sure your ringlets keep dancing all night long. Grab some lemonade, kick back, relax, and enjoy the tunes.
Arrested Development- Tennessee
Buy Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Miri Ben Ari, Ohmega Watts, Aesop Rock, AD, and De La Soul @ Amazon.com
Explosions in the Sky
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So the critics call these guys “post-rock.” I guess that’s because the band is made up of guitarists and a drummer, and they don’t’ play regular rock music- despite their rock band lineup.
But a genre like post-rock only tells you what these guys are not. So fine, we accept that these guys aren’t the Rolling Stones- but then what are they?
The music is both psychedelic and churning. The songs twist in and out of different parts- sometimes soaring, sometimes plummeting; sometimes clear, sometimes muddy. Oh, and the music is entirely instrumental. Try that one on for size.
Allright. I guess that’s why critics merely call these guys post-rock; because it’s too hard to describe them in other words. So let the music do the talking (not literally, as it’s instrumental) and check these guys out.
Oh right, and it’s almost the 4th of July. So maybe tomorrow you can listen to Explosions while watching some fireworks/ real explosions in the sky.
Explosions In The Sky- Greet Death
Explosions In The Sky- A Song For Our Fathers
Explosions In The Sky- Your Hand in Mine
Explosions In The Sky- Welcome, Ghosts
Eddie Vedder Solo Tour
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Just received an email from the Ten Club (Pearl Jam fanclub) telling me that Eddie Vedder will be embarking on a month long solo tour starting in the beginning of August. I’ve looked through the tour dates, and although I myself will be unable to attend any of the shows (I’ll be in Alaska, and my sister is getting married), they do look to be incredible events.
So while I’ll be hiking through the Alaskan wilderness, EV will be playing songs from the soundtrack for Into the Wild, a movie (and book) about a young man who disappeared in the very same wilderness. So while I’ll be missing the shows, I guess I’ll be experiencing firsthand what Vedder attempted to convey in song.
Information about the shows can be found at Pearl Jam’s website.
A Psychedelic Rant of Sorts: Art In A Post-Culture World
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Here’s a rant that’s been running through my head as of late. I keep talking about music as art- but maybe that’s just an excuse to call what we’re doing a justifiable usage of time. Maybe it’s all just senseless entertainment after all.
Let’s take movies as an example: Aren’t movie buffs just movie addicts who’ve elevated their activity of sloth to one of culture? Haven’t they just convinced us that their culture of obesity and sitting on a couch can be made into a sophisticated activity?
But then, this should apply to literature, art, and music as well. Do we tell ourselves these self indulgences add to our characters as cultured beings- making us different from animals- in order to blind ourselves to the truth of our time wasting activities? Do we waltz through art museums, pretending to enjoy the culture in order to allow ourselves to listen to music without fear of being called a bum? Do we read through Kafka and the New Yorker, secretly wishing we could be reading Harry Potter and New York Magazine? Is this culture we created merely a façade to our true realization that all forms of art are equally meaningless?
Or maybe not. Maybe there is actually some meaning to what we read, see, watch, and listen to. Maybe the art we choose affects who we are, and turns us into the human beings that we wish to be. If that’s the case, then art, in all its forms, should be acceptable. But then is the purpose of art merely to advance the human race? And if so, to what end?
Well, apparently I’m weirder than I realized, and my mind goes to strange places when I let it. I guess that’s what happens when you’re sitting at work with nothing to do. Anyway, to go along with my tripped out (but entirely sober) barin, here’s some psychedelia to get you all in that “thinking way too much about absurd things” mindset.
Strawberry Alarm Clock- Incense and Peppermints
Max Frost and the Troopers- Shape of Things to Come
The Sparkles- No Friend of Mine
13th Floor Elevators- You’re Gonna Miss Me
Buy Strawberry Alarm Clock, Max Frost, The Sparkles, and 13th Floor Elevators @ Amazon.com
Ted Leo and The Pharmacists
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I guess third time was the charm with these guys. First time, the sound in the venue was pretty weak. Second time, I was too busy getting excited for PJ in the garden. But that third time, I don’t know why- but something clicked for me. Maybe it was because I finally had a vague familiarity with their songs. Or maybe it was the first time I really paid attention and actually listened to them. But when the guitarist stood up on top of his amplifier, and Ted started hopping around like an adolescent, i started to fall in love with these guys.
So check out their cool brand of punk/alternative/new wave/garage rock. It shan’t disappoint.
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists- Me and Mia
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists- The Sons of Cain
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists- The World Is In the Terlet
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists- Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone
Okkervil River
Thank goodness for the blogosphere, and the incessant musical obsessions of my fellow bloggers. If not for their weird fascination with Okkervil River, I may never have discovered this band’s brilliance. When I first noticed these guys on a blog (don’t remember which one) I downloaded a few tracks because I thought the album art was awesome. The only problem was, I didn’t exactly enjoy the music.Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I decided to give these guys one more chance. And then it clicked for me. Not sure what exactly I like about them. They’re kind of like Wilco, but much edgier. They’ve got something of a garage sound to them, but with almost southern influences. These guys might just be the next big thing. And if not, who cares- they’re still a great listen.
Okkervil River- The President’s Dead
Okkervil River- No Key No Plan
Pearl Jam: June 25th 2008
It began like any other night. Except it wasn’t. Far from it. This was night two of Pearl Jam’s stint in Madison Square Garden. Cynics would have argued that there was no way a 44 year old band leader would be able to pull off another 25+ song set lasting close to 3 hours, especially given the intensity he put into the previous nights set.
Cynics be damned.
“We’re gonna be playing a long time,” said Vedder. “This ain’t no free show,” he continued, taking a stab at Coldplay’s encore-less free performance in the Garden two nights prior. (Apparently, Chris Martin was in the audience for this show.)
And long time they played.
The show started off phenomenally, as the band churned through Release. Eddie’s vocals on the song could be described as nothing short of messianic.
They moved into World Wide Suicide (first time on this tour) and then settled back into some tour regulars and fan faves Severed Hand, Corduroy, and All Night. Things got interesting when the band followed that with Cropduster, a great track of Riot Act, an album from which they seem to love sampling.
And then came the kicker. I personally have always loved this next song. The lyrics are hauntingly beautiful, as is the melody.
The direction of the eye
So misleading
The defection of the soul
Nauseously quick
I don’t question
Our existence
I just question
Our modern needs
When Stone started the riff to Garden, I almost wet myself. Vedder sang passionately, almost acting out the lyrics- putting his wrists together as he sang the chorus.
I will walk…with my hands bound
I will walk…with my face blood
I will walk…with my shadow flag
Into your garden
Garden of stone
And so one song of my own personal wishlist had been fulfilled, the band played Marker in the sand (which Mike screwed up, and then apologized, as the band successfully got the song on take 2). I’m Open followed (sans the weird talking part) and then they played Wishlist, which I hadn’t heard since 2000. But the following song was what surprised me the most. Not because they played it, but because how well the crowd knew it. State of Love and Trust was a song released on the Singles soundtrack- not on any studio album. That the crowd was able to sing along to a rarity as this word for word just astounded me. Even Flow followed, during which Mike added some awesome distortion via humping his guitar up against his amp as part of the solo. In addition, Matt Cameron put on a nice show of a drum solo before the jam section of the song gave way back into “1 2 3 4 Even flow!” Following Who You Are, the band decided to let me cross one more off my wishlist. Something in the back of my mind must’ve known they were going to play it next, because I shouted out “Rats! Play Rats!” As if he was responding to my shout, Eddie took the mic and told the crowd “There’s a lot of rats in New York City.” The girl standing next to me looked at me like I was a prophet as the band kicked into another one of the songs I had been waiting to hear for years. The set was finished off with Given To Fly (which I could hear every night of the week and would never get tired of), Do The Evolution, and Go, which I had yet to hear.
The first encore began with Inside Job, which is an amazing live song. Following W.M.A., Vedder, looking exhausted, took the mic and proclaimed to the crowd “We’re gonna give my voice a rest on this next one. Let’s get a campfire vibe going.” And then they played Lukin- quite possibly their least campfire-esqu track, and probably the hardest on Vedders vocal chords. They then brought on CJ Ramone for I Believe in Miracles (again) and then kicked into Betterman. Now, as much as Betterman is a radio-hit, and not a rarity at all- there’s just something about 22,000 people all singing along to the same song that gives you a high. After botching the first word of the song, “With your permission,” Vedder began the song again, only needing to sing the first word- “Waiting,” before the crowd took over for the entire first verse. It was something the likes of which I’ve never before heard, and probably never will again. PJ ended off the set with RVM, which included a great breakdown jam.
The second encore began a little slowly with No More (please Eddie- no more, we’ve heard it enough) and Last Kiss, for which the band turned around and played to the people sitting behind the stage (like in DC). Why Go followed, before Eddie took the mic to call out one more special guest. “On this next song, we’re gonna have Mike McCready and Matt Cameron on vocal and Ace Frehly on guitar.” Mike looked like a kid in a candy store as the Kiss guitarist took the stage alongside him. Mike sang the first verse (not too well) of the Kiss hit Black Diamond, and Cameron continued with stellar vocals for the remainder of the song. The band looked to finish off the show with Alive (for which the crowd was thunderous) until Cameron walked to Vedder and whispered something in his ear (probably telling him it was only 11:20). The band took up their instruments again and launched into McCready’s tuck in song- Yellow Ledbetter.
The show was stellar. The repeats were to be expected this early in a tour, the rarities were there, and much of my wishlist was fulfilled. While leaving MSG was bittersweet, as this is the last time I’m seeing PJ on this tour, it was a great run.
Pearl Jam: June 24th 2008
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A little over 12 hours since last night’s Pearl Jam show ended and I’m still reveling in the greatness of the performance. I could talk about the awesome setlist that included rarities like All Night, Down, and Faithful. I could talk about their flawless cover of The Who’s song Love Reign O’er Me. I could talk about how they brought out C.J. Ramone to play bass on I Believe in Miracles. But I won’t. What I want to talk about is how much this band gives to its fans, and how much those fans reciprocate.The key word here has to be intensity. Pearl Jam took the stage with an intense ferocity that I have yet to from any other band, or any of their other shows I’ve been to. (This was my 2nd of the tour, and 5th overall.) But this wasn’t just an effort on the part of the band- the crowd (at least in section 334) was out of control. You arrive at one of these shows, and you immediately connect with these people- because you share this love for Pearl Jam with them. Time and again, I hear people talking about bringing a friend to their first Pearl Jam show, and that friends becoming a “believer.” And it’s true- one thing everyone in that sold out Madison Square Garden crowd (including the 400 sections all the way round the stage) was a believer last night. It took all of three songs for the venue to start shaking. Actually shaking. Every once in a while, I would stop jumping around and dancing to stand still and just feel the concrete floor shaking. And that was up in section 334. I can only imagine what it felt like on the floor.The night began calmly (and a little repetitively in my opinion as I just saw this song open the show in DC) with Hard to Imagine. They followed that with Save You, off Riot Act, before kicking into high gear with Why Go. And it just kept getting better from there. I got chills listening to the entire crowd screaming “We’re faithful! We all believe! We all believe it!” But the real highlight for the first set for me was Whipping, the punk rock anthem off Vitalogy, and album that they don’t nearly sample from enough. The first set ended with Do the Evolution, which Eddie dedicated to George Carlin.
When Eddie came out to start the first encore, he told us that he’s going to try something that they’ve only tried a few times before. And then Boom (Kenneth ‘Boom’ Gasper- organ player) began the first few notes of Love Reign O’er Me. I began shrieking like a little school-girl. Beyond showing their musical greatness by impressively covering that difficult song, EV’s vocals were other-worldy on this song. Hearing the man belt out “Love!” at the top of his lungs, stretching his vocal range as much as he could, was awe inspiring.
The crowd went insane for Leash, which many NY fans had yet to hear, as PJ stopped playing it until their 06 tour. The encore ended off with an extended version of Porch, with some of the most solid jamming I’ve heard from Stone, Jeff, Mike, and Matt in a while. During the jamming, instead of climbing into the stage rafters, and more mature Eddie Vedder walked to the edge of the stage and began pouring wine into fans’ beer cups, before just handing the almost finished bottle to a lucky fan. I saw that fan leaving the arena later that night, clutching his new prized possession with a huge smile on his face.
Encore #2 began Eddie’s political rant (which thankfully didn’t last too long) when he spoke about how “we get ourselves into these wars and it’s so hard to get out- so let’s just make sure we don’t start any more wars. He then launched into his newest anti-war song No More. Crazy Mary featured Mike and Boom trading solos, I Believe in Miracles had CJ Ramone on bass, and the fan favorite Alive ended off the encore.
Now, most bands do one encore. Some will maybe do two. How many bands do three? I imagine that this was the only band in the world for which at the end of the second encore, the entire crowd sat down, expecting a third. Not a single person got up to leave. This dedication both on the part of the band and of the fans is unrivaled.
Eddie and Co waltzed back onstage and kicked into All Along the Watchtower. The lights then turned on and the band finished off the show with Indifference.
For me, this was probably the best I’ve ever seen them. Pearl Jam as a band was on fire, Eddie was vocally emoting like I haven’t heard him ever before, and the crowd was responding in kind. At the beginning of the show, Eddie mentioned how he loves playing the Garden, because the fans there are the best. And it’s totally true. But we’re only the best for the bands we believe in. Pearl Jam is a band that we believe in. Here’s to hoping tonight’s show gives us another chance to belive.
Setlist
Hard to Imagine
Save You
Why Go
All Night
Corduroy
Faithful
Small Town
Down
Unemployable
Given to Fly
Who You Are
Whipping
½ Full
Even Flow
Present Tense
Daughter
Do the Evolution
Encore 1
Love Reign O’er Me
W.M.A.
Leash
Spin the Black Circle
Wasted Reprise
Porch
Encore 2
No More
Crazy Mary
Comatose
I Believe in Miracles
Alive
Encore 3
All Along the Watchtower
Indifference
Coldplay: June 23rd 2008
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Here’s a challenge for you. Try giving away tickets to a concert, and still make the concert-goers feel ripped off. That, my friends, is talent.
Last night, I saw Coldplay perform at Madison Square Garden. And I have to admit, I was impressed. Vocally, Chris Martin was on the money. Entertainingly (not a word), he danced around on stage all night like a happy go lucky middle schooler. Musically, the band put on a stellar performance. In terms of the crowd- I’ve never before seen so mad 30-somethings dancing their pants off like there was no tomorrow. And when Chris asked the crowd to sing along- the place erupted.
Beyond their excellent live playing abilities, the band did a few fun and cool things to make the concert experience more enjoyable. They moved their instruments to an stage extension that pushed out into the crowd, and was no bigger than 10 feet by 10 feet. It was cool to see them together as a band on such a small stage- they looked like at one time in their careers, they may have actually had fun interacting with each other, instead of each prancing around in his own corner of a massive stage.
While Chris did forget the words to a few songs, he played it off in a way that no one seemed to mind. At one point, he didn’t like the way a song ended, so he went back to the last few bars and re-did it.
Later in the show, Chris announced to the audience “We’re gonna do something we’ve never tried before.” I had noticed, that during the past few songs, more than a normal amount of security guards were congregating right by the entrance near my seats. As Chris and Friends started walking through the crowd, I put 2 and 2 together (2+2=5?) and glanced back to that gate- finally seeing a few mics set up. They came out to us and played an acoustic version of Yellow, followed by an Irish pub song (?) – sung by the drummer.
They ran back to the stage and played a few (2?) more songs before saying goodnight to Fix You and a slew of confetti.
And we all waited for them to come out to do an encore. And waited. And waited. And then the lights turned on.
The crowd was filled with faces of disbelief (sans the fans in the floor seats who still looked like they were having a confetti party- throwing gobs of it all over each other) and angry murmurs.
As we walked out of the Garden, I glanced at the main merchandise stand by the entrance to the venue. I remember at the last show I attended at MSG (Foo Fighters) I had to fight my way through a mob of people just to buy a t-shirt. But not for Coldplay. Not one person was buying a t-shirt. I guess the fans just didn’t want shirts with June 23, 2008 plastered all over it. I can imagine what I would say to a friend if I ever saw them wearing that shirt. “Oh hey! June 23, 2008! Wasn’t that the free show where they didn’t play an encore? Yea, it was. Pretty crappy of them, huh?” I guess everyone was thinking what I was thinking.
In all, they put on an excellent performance, but left everyone with a sour taste in their mouths.
In other news- the first openers, the Blue Jackets were kind of fun, but would probably have fit more in a club setting. The second opener, however, was amazing. Jon Hopkins played some wacked out psychedelic techno music while fantasia like animation developed on a screen behind him. It’s like when you turn on the iTunes Visualizer and it keeps changing and getting cooler, and you can’t take you eyes away; that was what I felt like during this performance. He blew me away, and was given a standing ovation (by me) at the end of his set. Can’t find any Hopkins right now, but there will be a post about him at a later date.
Pearl Jam: June 22nd 2008
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I’m going to be trying something new when it comes to concert reviews. As of last nights PJ show, I started writing down my thoughts before during and after the show. So for this experimental post, I’m going to share with you many many thoughts; feel free to ignore me, as I tend to ramble on.
Pre Show
Sitting up in the abyss that is section 403, I listen to the surprisingly cool sound of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, awaiting what will be the first of 3 PJ shows I attend this week. TLs sound is raunchy and muddy- but this is probably their first time playing an indoor stadium, so that’s to be expected. Here’s to hoping it’s them and not the acoustics in this place.
TL has finished and the place begins to fill up. Me and my bros are taking bets as to the opening song. Ez has Severed Hand (he’s the closest, as that’s played second), Gilad has Long Road, and I’ve got Love Boat Captain.
Let the Show Begin
And so, at 845, music beings to play from somewhere, with the lights on, and no one on stage. The crowd gets up tentatively- not sure what exactly is happening.
And then the lights go out. The sound is deafening.
The set begins slowly with Hard to Imagine, a song that way too few people recognize, before kicking into high gear with Severed Hand, Hail Hail (a first for me) and Do The Evolution. I first become aware of the crowd during Small Town (I just wanna scream….HELLO!!), a crowd that seems to only be able to sing along to the radio classics. (I’ll later find out from friends on the floor that the fans down there were much more into the less famous songs). Following that is a botched attempt at Evacuation that involvs either EV singing off key, Mike’s guitar going haywire, or both. Ed quickly saves face by launching right into the crowd fave Corduroy (I’m 4-4 on that song), changing the lyrics as he’s been doing for years to “can’t buy what you want because it’s PEACE!” The band continues with a trilogy of “I” songs: the rarely played (5 times in total) I’m Open, I Am Mine, and I Got Id. Daughter, Light Years, Evenflow, and Green Disease all follow before EV and co. pull out another quasi trilogy of sorts; this one the “you” songs: You Are, You, and Who You Are. They finish off the first set strong with Why Go before heading off stage for a break.
In all, the set wasn’t the greatest I’ve ever heard. Individually all the songs are great, but they didn’t come together as a great setlist. Also, I thought that EV’s intensity level was down, and the acoustics were pretty poor- but that was an effect of the venue, not the band.
The second set begins with things turned up a notch- kicking it off with Comatose. During the song, the guy in front of me turns around and tells me that he was down by the stage during the encore break, and he saw the setlist, and it had RVM for the end of the first encore, and Watchtower and Ledbetter finishing off the second. I tell the brothers and we exchange high fives in anticipated excitement. The encore continues with Sad, Given to Fly, Come Back, Grievance, Black, and RVM. Just a note about Black: This was the best version I’ve heard, in concert or in bootleg form. Eddie was at the top of his game emotionally, even singing “We Belong Together” at the end. The crowd was at the top of their game singing the “do do do do do do do” part for about 5 straight minutes. And most importantly- Mike was at the top of his game, pulling notes out from deep within to play an emotionally charged solo that went above and beyond any Black solo I’ve yet to hear.
The third set begins with Eddie’s new anti-war ballad No More, played by himself on an acoustic. The rest of the band joins afterwards, and turns around to face the fans sitting behind the stage- playing Last Kiss for them with Mike and Jeff dancing in unison the whole way through. The band turns back around to face the rest of the crowd for some great versions of Crazy Mary and Alive. Now, at this point- when they being Alive- I start to get worried. The guy said he saw the setlist, but who knows if they changed it. It’s already 11:10- are they really going to be able to play 2 more songs? And then I remember that they always play the last song with the house lights on- so Alive can’t possibly be the end. After Alive, the lights kick on, and EV is walking around with a guitar in his hands- and I know he doesn’t play on Ledbetter! So they must be doing Watchtower. And they do. They invite some kid guitar player on stage to play along and rock out to a raucous version of the song. And everyone thinks that’s it. I mean, how many times do they play more than one song with the lights on? And then Mike starts to “tuck us all in” with Ledbetter, which he finishes off with the Star Spangled Banner, as EV sits to the right of the drums, sipping his bottle of wine, and taking it all in.
In all, the main set left what to be desired, the sound and fans up high were kinda lame (though down low both were supposedly great) and the encores were awesome.
Can’t wait until tomorrow night.
Peace
The Set
Hard to Imagine
Severed Hand
Hail Hail
Do the Evolution
Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town
Corduroy
I’m Open
I Am Mine
I Got Id
Daughter
Light Years
Even Flow
Green Disease
You Are
You
Who You Are
Why Go
Encore 1
Comatose
Sad
Given to Fly
Come Back
Grievance
Black
Rearviewmirror
Encore 2
No More
Last Kiss
Crazy Mary
Alive
All Along the Watchtower
Yellow Ledbetter
Pearl Jam: Best of Live (5)
Sorry about not posting on Friday afternoon. Got caught in some traffic on the way to Baltimore. But here we are. Less than 24 hours until my first show of this tour. And I can’t wait.
Enjoy the rest of the show.
Acoustic Pre-Opener
Long Road [Perth, Australia 2/23/03]
First Set
In My Tree [Berlin 11/3/96]
Once [Zurich 6/18/92]
Garden [New York, NY 11/31/92]
Spin the Black Circle [Bristow, VA 7/1/03]
Sonic Reducer [New York, NY 11/29/91]
Glorified G. [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Love Boat Captain [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Daughter/ It’s OK [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Breath [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Porch [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Animal [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Rats [Atlanta, GA 4/3/94]
Alone [Prague 9/22/06]
Whipping [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
I Got Id [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Present Tense [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Black [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Rearviewmirror [Washington DC 9/4/00]
Encore 1
Crazy Mary [New York, NY 7/9/03]
Footsteps [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Release [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Crown of Thorns [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Love Reign Over Me [Copenhagen 6/26/07]
Encore 2
Come Back [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Baba O’Riley [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Dirty Frank [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Alive [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Rockin’ In The Free World [Washington DC 9/4/00]
Yellow Ledbetter [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Pearl Jam: Best of Live (4)
Yes- here it is. Encore #1 from my ultimate setlist. Since we’re getting to the end, I’m going to suck it up and post the entire set until now! That’s right. I’m being un-lazy and stepping it up for you. All because I don’t want you to have to scroll down to the 3 previous posts. I’m that awesome.
Hopefully the second encore will be posted tomorrow. Ciao.
Acoustic Pre-Opener
Long Road [Perth, Australia 2/23/03]
First Set
In My Tree [Berlin 11/3/96]
Once [Zurich 6/18/92]
Garden [New York, NY 11/31/92]
Spin the Black Circle [Bristow, VA 7/1/03]
Sonic Reducer [New York, NY 11/29/91]
Glorified G. [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Love Boat Captain [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Daughter/ It’s OK [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Breath [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Porch [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Animal [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Rats [Atlanta, GA 4/3/94]
Alone [Prague 9/22/06]
Whipping [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
I Got Id [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Present Tense [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Black [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Rearviewmirror [Washington DC 9/4/00]
Encore 1
Crazy Mary [New York, NY 7/9/03]
Footsteps [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Release [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Crown of Thorns [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Love Reign Over Me [Copenhagen 6/26/07]
Pearl Jam: Best of Live (3)
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Our set continues tonight with some of the best live PJ songs there are. The version of Rats (thanks Julie) is out of control. Plus, the Black that I chose has Eddie screaming “Let her be free! You don’t belong to me!” as the song jams it’s way out. Finally, the RVM that I chose has a special place in my heart, as it’s from my first ever PJ show. As that track ended the first Pearl Jam set I ever witnessed, so too it shall end the set that you hear tonight.
Acoustic Pre-Opener
Long Road [Perth, Australia 2/23/03]
First Set
In My Tree [Berlin 11/3/96]
Once [Zurich 6/18/92]
Garden [New York, NY 11/31/92]
Spin the Black Circle [Bristow, VA 7/1/03]
Sonic Reducer [New York, NY 11/29/91]
Glorified G. [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Love Boat Captain [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Daughter/ It’s OK [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Breath [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Porch [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Animal [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Rats [Atlanta, GA 4/3/94]
Alone [Prague 9/22/06]
Whipping [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
I Got Id [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Present Tense [Washington DC 5/30/06]
Black [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Rearviewmirror [Washington DC 9/4/00]
NOTE: The song without links are still posted in the 2 previous posts. I just got lazy and didn’t want to copy and paste all the links again. So feel free to download the entire first set.
Pearl Jam: Best of Live (2)
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Tonight, we continue our set with another 6 songs. In particular, this version of Porch is the best I’ve ever heard. Like most early boots, the quality of the audio isn’t perfect, but EV makes up for it in pure intensity.
Enjoy these- they won’t disappoint.
Acoustic Pre-Opener
Long Road [Perth, Australia 2/23/03]
First Set
In My Tree [Berlin 11/3/96]
Once [Zurich 6/18/92]
Garden [New York, NY 11/31/92]
Spin the Black Circle [Bristow, VA 7/1/03]
Sonic Reducer [New York, NY 11/29/91]
Glorified G. [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Love Boat Captain [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Daughter/ It’s OK [The Gorge 7/22/06]
Breath [New York, NY 7/8/03]
Porch [St. Petersburg, FL 3/29/94]
Buy PJ @ Amazon.com
Pearl Jam: Best of Live
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And so it begins.
With less than a week to go before my first Pearl Jam concert in over three years, I have sworn off all music other than Pearl Jam. Last week, it took me two full workdays to plow through PJ’s entire catalog of studio albums.
And now, the live shows have begun. Today I listened to July 9th 2003, the second of the two MSG shows that year, and February 23rd 2003, PJ’s final Australian show of the year. Both great show, and some of the tracks you will hear here tonight come from those legendary concerts.
So to celebrate my obsession with this one band, I am in the process of creating my own ultimate setlist. These are the songs that I, your humble author, would like to hear in concert. This is the order in which I want them played. And these are the greatest versions of those songs that I have laid my ears upon.
Here are the first five songs of my ultimate setlist. As the week progresses, so will the set, until the end of the week when I post the entire ultimate PJ set in full.
Feast your ears.
Acoustic Pre-Opener
Long Road [Perth, Australia 2/23/03]
First Set (first 4 songs)
In My Tree [Berlin 11/3/96]
Once [Zurich 6/18/92]
Garden [New York, NY 11/31/92]
Spin the Black Circle [Bristow, VA 7/1/03]
Happy Father’s Day
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Happy Father’s Day to all you dad’s out there. Enjoy the Dad’s Day Mix.
Dave Matthews Band- Dreams of Our Fathers
Violent Femmes- Gone Daddy Gone
Buy Everclear, Elton John, DMB, Blind Melon, and the Violent Femmes @ Amazon.com
Music As Art
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In response to all the comments I’ve been getting in response to my Coldplay post (some comments on the blog, some friends chatting me up and telling me to give away my ticket), I think it’s time for me to whip out my “Art as Music Rant.”
Art (and music) can be divided into 2 or 3 main categories.
1. Aesthetically pleasing art: Now, this is art that just nice. Nothing revolutionary, nothing challenging, nothing that makes the viewer think. Just plain nice.
2. Art that pushes the boundaries of what art is. Pablo Picasso. Andy Warhol. Modern art. Taking a bicycle wheel and nailing it onto a stool.
3. This category would be described as free-form or improvisational art, but the crossover between art and music gets sketchy here.
Now, I am not supposing that I only like Category 1. This isn’t true. Much of the music I listen to would fall under this category. However, I enjoy these bands, not because I respect what they are doing, but because they just sound nice. That Green Day just took punk rock and made it more radio friendly doesn’t bother me. I still like and listen to their music, despite the fact that I don’t think of them as innovative.
Coldplay, on the other hand, have not been able to captivate my ears. I’m not wary of their music solely because it isn’t artistically unique, but also because it just sounds a bit boring to me. I don’t mean to insult anyone with these comments, I’m merely using this blog as a sound board for my opinions.
This doesn’t mean I don’t want to go to their concert- maybe they’re a fantastic live band and I’ll be converted at the show. And maybe I’ll learn to love them for their aesthetic attributes. Only time shall tell.
That being said, I also like to listen to music that pushes the musical boundaries. Music that sounds like it has no predecessors. Music that sounds like it took it’s influences, internalized them, and then dragged them through the streets after having beaten them to death (a la Achilles). Music that sounds like nothing I’ve heard before. Music that makes me think.
This doesn’t mean that I enjoy albums such as Lou Reed’s “Metal Machine Music” which is two full albums of screeching feedback. It’s kind of like why I don’t like those canvases in the MoMa that are just painted one color- that doesn’t take talent, nor is it thought provoking or cool.
But music (or art) that makes me think, or strikes me as awesome and different- now that’s what I’m looking for. Frank Zappa composed every single note of the musical madness he created- and it’s all awesome. Talking Heads started out as art students, and two out of three of them didn’t even know how to play instruments until they decided to form a rock band as the ultimate form of art. Hendrix was the first to fully realize the potential of the electric guitar. The Ramones played the same three chords in every song- but they played music no one had before- and it was damn catchy. Nirvana merged punk and pop (something that had never been done, and everyone copied). Pearl Jam merged punk and metal. Radiohead merged alternative and absurd.
These are the bands that I respect not just as musicians, but as artists. Because in the end of the day, anyone can be a copycat. It’s the innovators who will always be remembered.
Frank Zappa- It Might Just Be a One Shot Deal
Talking Heads- Once in a Lifetime
The Ramones- We’re a Happy Family
Buy Frank Zappa, Talking Heads, Jimi Hendrix, The Ramones, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Radiohead @ Amazon.com
P.S. A note about the Dave Matthews Band. Someone commented that if I don’t like Coldplay, I shouldn’t like DMB either. I will refute this in three ways. Firstly, the Dave Matthews Band sounds fun and good to me- making them fit into a band that I like in the first category. Secondly, they kind of fit into the second category- using a violinist and a saxophonist in a rock band, playing in the weirdly insane style that Dave plays in- these guys do things with a non-conformist spin, though many would argue. Finally, these guys (at least in concert) fit into the third category in terms of their jam status. While they may not be considered a jam band, their jams at concerts are phenomenal- which gives them credence as a talented and original rock band. Game. Set. Match.
Coldplay: A Study In Identity Theft & Mind-Reading
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Identity theft is not a joke. Neither is plagiarism. But stealing someone else’s ideas without them knowing it- well that’s just downright unforgivable.
I, your humble blogger, has been the victim of such a crime.
Let’s back up a bit to give you some context to my story. Ever since I won tickets to the Coldplay concert in Madison Square Garden on June 23rd, I’ve been trying to listen to this band, and trying to think of them as anything but boring. I have yet to make progress.
“So why would you enter a contest to win free Colplay tickets if you don’t even like that band?” you may ask me. Well, I just so happen to be seeing Pearl Jam in DC on June 22nd, and again in MSG on the 24th and 25th. With that in mind, I thought it would be cool to see 4 concerts in a row- 3 of which will be performed in one of the largest stadiums in North America. I did not, I repeat, did not expect to win this contest. So when I got the email from the Coldplay people I was a bit surprised. After my initial surprise wore off (which was supplemented by the fact that a friend of mine also won tickets, leading me to believe that they gave away the entire concert, and that not too many people signed up) I began to collect Coldplay songs from various sources; blogs, friends, CDs, and the like. And then I began to listen. And I waited for that moment of revelation, where I would discover just what the hype was. I waited to gain enlightenment into their musical genius, and why exactly they’ve been able to sell over 30 million albums.
Nothing.
Ok, I exaggerate. I totally understand why they were able to sell so many albums- they write mellow catchy songs that are prefect for the radio. They are just the type of band that the public would like- poppy enough for teenage girls to obsess over; musical enough for adults males to listen to; sad enough for depressed loners to gobble up. But that’s not for me. That kind of music doesn’t do anything for me at all. They are, as I have been telling all of my friends, boring Radiohead; without innovation; without pushing the musical envelope. I almost felt bad equating them to Radiohead, even on such an insulting level, until I read this article; the article that stole my idea.
I was innocently sitting on my computer, watching a rerun of the Simpsons, when Jenn g-chatted me asking if I write for Time magazine. She informed me that there was an article written about Coldplay that sounded exactly like the theories I’ve been spewing about them. So I googled “time magazine coldplay,” clicked on the link, and read this:
Coldplay’s albums sound like crib-safe versions of Radiohead–a band that, while commercially less successful, is infinitely more hip and worthy of adulation.
That’s me! That’s my line! I don’t know who Josh Tryangiel is, but he’s been inside of my head, and I’m not happy about it. But then again, I’m happy to see that someone else (besides Chuck Klostermann, who hates everything except for music that came from the 80s, see Fargo Rock City) is under the impression that these guys aren’t all that they’re cracked up to be.
Well, after that anti- Coldplay rant, I do admit that I enjoy some of their music. I think some of their songs are great, but ironically, most that I like sound like something off Pablo Honey. I just got done listening to the six songs from their new album that I’ve been able to procure. Except for Violet Hill, which I do admit is a really cool song, I was not impressed. That’s not to say I won’t learn to love it, I just highly doubt it.
So here’s a few Coldplay tracks for you people. If you’re fans, you can send me hate emails and laugh at me for my ignorance (and not download the tracks because you probably have them already). And if you’re like me, download the songs, and give them a try. That’s what I’ll be doing to get ready for this concert.
Here’s to hoping I fall in love with this band, and that boring emotional music will suddenly hitsme as a brilliant innovation. Cheers.
Iggy & The Stooges
“Here’s a theory for you to disregard completely. Music, true music, not just rock and roll, it chooses you. It lives in your car. Or alone listening to your headphones with the vast scenic bridges and angelic choirs in your brain. You know it’s a place apart from the vast benign lap of America.”
“It’s quite an honor to have the world’s greatest rock critic and editor of Creem Magazine back home in San Diego for a few days- Lester Bangs.”
“The Doors? Jim Morrison? He’s a drunken buffoon, posing as poet.”
“I like The Doors.”
“Ah, give me The Guess Who. C’mon, they got the courage to be drunken buffoons, which makes them poetic. Gimme some White Light/ White Heat. Iggy Pop! Amen! Aw, put this one, this isn’t on your playlist either”
“Lester, don’t you think it’s a little early for that?”
“Not for me.”
Lester Bangs, one of the most formidable rock critics of the 1970s, was obsessed with Iggy & The Stooges. While this conversation that happened in the movie Almost Famous probably never actually happened in real life, something similar probably did; Bangs actually spoke and wrote exactly like that (and it’s likely that the “theory” he professes was taken from an article that he had actually written).
Iggy & The Stooges were one of the forerunners of both alternative and punk rock. Somehow, they were able to be both punk and alternative, while at the same time being neither. They played an original brand of music that had never been played before, and has yet to be copied. This is what makes them great and is the reason critics eat them up (even though the public hasn’t quite caught on).
So check out Iggy and check out The Stooges, and let yourself understand what all the hype is about. And if you don’t get it; if you listen and you just don’t think it’s that good- then I would suggest going to the hospital, because you probably don’t have ears.
Iggy & The Stooges- Shake Appeal
Iggy & The Stooges- Idea of Fun
Iggy & The Stooges- I Wanna Be Your Dog
The Bible Is Hilarious
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I’d like to thank Mike Cinnamon (colloquially know as the Spicemaster) for sending me this one. We all know the Bible is a pretty funny thing, and as an Orthodox Jew, I’m quite familiar with it. However, that doesn’t take away the fact that at face value, much of it is pretty hilarious and sometimes even ridiculous.
So if you have a sense of humor and or any interest at all in the Bible, check this one out. The 9 Most Badass Bible Verses. And even if you’re a very religious person, try not to be offended by this one- it’s all in good fun.
To go along, check out my Biblical playlist (that sounds like it should be inappropriate, but I can’t think of the right joke to make). Enjoy!
Matisyahu- King Without a Crown
Plain White T’s- Hey There Delilah
Buy Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Matisyahu, and Plain White T’s on Amazon.com
Sorry
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Hey people. I have run out of bandwidth for the day. Basically, this means that in the last day over 10 gig of music has been downloaded from the blog.
The bandwidth should automatically reset itself tonight around 9PM. If it happens not to automatically reset itself, then I’ll be back on again tomorrow night around 9PM.
In a related note- my running out of bandwidth has to do with a lack of funding. To host mp3s online, I need to subscribe to an online file-hosting site, which costs me money. If you would like me to upgrade my package- giving me more bandwidth- the please donate. A few cents or dollars here and there can really help make the site that much better. If you want to donate, please click on the yellow DONATE button on the right side of the page.
Thanks again for your support, and hopefully we’ll be back up and running in no time.
Dave Matthews Band: June 4th 2008
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Well, it took all day to get, but I finally found the Dave show from last night. The quality of the recording is stellar, and the setlist is awesome, so this show is a real gem that any Dave fan should be happy to get their hands on.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Dave Matthews Band- Don’t Drink the Water
Dave Matthews Band- Corn Bread
Dave Matthews Band- Smooth Rider
Dave Matthews Band- Rhyme and Reason
Dave Matthews Band- Where Are You Going
Dave Matthews Band- Pantala Naga Pampa
Dave Matthews Band- Melissa [Allman Brothers cover]
Dave Matthews Band- Lie In Our Graves
Dave Matthews Band- Ants Marching
Dave Matthews Band- What You Are
Dave Matthews Band- Louisiana Bayou
Dave Matthews Band- Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) [Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover]
Dave Matthews in Camden NJ
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I truly hate Dave Matthews Band fans.
Now, before you shoot me for insulting your favorite band, let me start by saying that I do love DMB, and I just saw them in concert last night, and think they are a pehnomenal band.
But something about the fans just irked me the wrong way at the show I just attended in Camden NJ.
Maybe it was the high school style party going on outside the venue- featuring kids with braces drinking Natty Ice- the cheapest beer money can buy. Or maybe it was the kid who whipped it out at the concert and proceeded to pee out what must have been an entire case full of beer, while I berated him for pissing all over himself. Or maybe it was the Penn State students who kept pushing in front of us; stepping on our toes, forcing us back, and chanting “Penn State!” during the songs.
Besides the dancing hippie girls to our right, the fans were just so damn annoying. But the music, the music saved the day.
This was, for those of you keeping track, my second and a half Dave show. I saw Dave and Tim play at Farm Aid (that’s the ½ of a show) and then saw the whole band for the first time in November. What I do like about this band, beyond each member’s virtuosity in his instrument, and beyond their sheer performance abilities, is the fact that they know how to switch up sets. I was worried that this show would again feature many of the hits I saw them play back in November- Jimi Thing, #41, Grey Street, Dreaming Tree, Warehouse, and All Along the Watchtower- while leaving out some of the songs that I hadn’t yet seen. I was not, however, disappointed. Of the songs I mentioned, none were repeated. But this time, they pulled out three of my favorite DMB songs; Don’t Drink the Water, Crush, and Lie in Our Graves. Don’t Drink the Water was the opener, which they followed up with fan favorite Two Step, then a personal fave of mine- Granny, then Corn Bread (which I mistook for Louisiana Bayou), Smooth Rider, and Rhyme and Reason. They took things down a notch with Where Are You Going followed by Pantala Naga Pampa and Rapunzel, after which they played a brilliant cover of Melissa, complete with Tim Reynolds wailing on the slide guitar.
And then they played Crush. And the Penn State fans started chanting something during the jam, but I made them all shut up so I could revel in the glory that is Leroy Moore and his brilliant sax solo in the song. The highlight for me, however, was Carter Beauford’s drum solo at the end, which gave me chills like I haven’t felt in a very long time.
The continued with #27, and then proceeded to blow my mind with Lie in Our Graves. Boyd Tinsley was unstoppable- twirling all over the stage, and wowing the crowd with his brilliant solo. When the jam in the song began, one of the Penn State kids said “I bet there’s a guitar solo here- it’s perfect for a guitar solo.” No my friend, not guitar, but violin. And perfect it was.
They went straight from the jam into Ants Marching (not sure whether this was on purpose of if Dave’s pot-addled brain forgot to finish up Lie in Our Graves) and followed that up with What You Are, and Louisiana Bayou (this time they actually did play it).
While this set was long, fulfilling, and overall incredible, the encore left much to be desired. Playing a cover for the first song of the encore is one thing; but covers for both of them? That’s a bit annoying. I was happy when Dave and Co. went into a rousing version of Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s- Hey Hey My My, beginning with just Dave on the acoustic part, before kicking it up with the entire band. But then they had to go and finish off with a cover of Bitch by The Rolling Stones. Neil Young is one thing, but the Stones? C’mon Dave. Give us something better to remember for the ride home.
In all, it was a great show, made even better by openers State Radio (this was my 5th time seeing them). So check out the songs, and check him out in concert, but beware- the fans may get under your skin, and you may end up hearing two cover songs for the encore.
Dave Matthews Band- Don’t Drink the Water
Freegans
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So I’m listening to the radio this morning, and all of a sudden, the DJs begin talking about this article in theKansas City Star about a group of people called Freegans. A combination of the words “free” and “vegan,” these people crowd around urban centers, searching for food and other stuff in the garbage. Big deal, I though, we call those the homeless where I come from. But then they continued. Apparently these people are not homeless; they’re just regular (and I use that term as loosely as possible) people who are boycotting our economic system and the culture of waste that America has created.Not to be convinced by mere radio folk, I felt the need to check out their website to see if these people actually exist. And apparently they do. Apparently there are anit-capitalistic vegans who hate the economic system so much that they’re willing to make their way through trash in order to take a stand against both animal testing (by only eating veggies) and America’s wastefulness.
But I’m not really convinced of their movement. Yea, there may be one or two crazies who actually believe that capitalism is destroying the world and think that if we want to save it we must survive on trash alone. While I calmly disagree (don’t even get me started on their disdain for animal testing), I’m willing to bet that most of these people probably can’t afford to purchase food, and are out their in the garbage dumps out of necessity and not choice.
Either way, if these people actually do exist (as there website seems to evidence), their movement makes me chuckle to myself, as weirdos have found yet another way to make themselves look even dumber. It’s humorous, that in an attempt to claim dignity for themselves and their cause, their forced to wade through garbage dumps, searching for edible trash. That, my friends, is irony.
In the end, this just sounds like homeless people looking for vegetables in the trash, a total and complete gross out. Enjoy the tracks.
The Beatles
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I hated them. I despised them. I mocked anyone who liked them and made fun of their music as tired boy band pop.
Ok, maybe those words are just a bit too strong. I didn’t actually hate the Beatles as much as I didn’t get them. Why were these guys considered the kings of pop music? What did they do that was so original? Why do music critics and the general populace alike eat these guys up?
These were questions that plagued me, so instead of actually researching the band, I claimed I didn’t like their music, that it wasn’t real rock, and that they were a bunch of pansies.
And then I started to listen. OK, maybe their first few albums are full of weak pop music, but once Rubber Soul rolled around, and certainly by Revolver- these guys were a rock band playing music that no one had ever played before.
Their genius comes from the fact that they were able to push the boundaries, while still creating music that people ate up; kind of like Radiohead, but with less boundary pushing and more popularity.
So while I don’t think these guys are gods when it comes to music, I’ve come to respect them as the great musicians and songwriters that they are.
The Beatles- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles- Strawberry Fields Forever
Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen
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“Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 97. Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis or reliable than my own meandering experience.”
I knew I should have listened to Baz Luhrmann. At least about the suncreen part. Because, I sit here on the couch, irritated by my sunburns, wishing I had just taken his advice.
So to soothe the pain, or at least to give me something to do to take my mind of this mild annoyance, I present to you a playlist of burned tracks.
Baz Luhrmann- Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) (Buy Baz @ Amazon.com)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club- Love Burns (Buy BRMC @ Amazon.com)
Green Day- Burnout (Buy Green Day @ Amazon.com)
Pete Francis- Burning the River (Buy Pete @ Amazon.com)
Talking Heads- Burning Down the House (Buy Talking Heads @ Amazon.com)
North Carolina On My Mind
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Greetings from gorgeous North Carolina. Just watched sunset on the beach. Ok, so we really watched the sunset from the beach- the sun sets in the west, and the beach faces east. But maybe if we’re ambitious enough, we’ll wake up to watch the sun rise over the sea. Yea, that’s probably not going to happen. But anyway, it’s been a fun day chilling by the water, reading in the sun, grilling in the evening, and listening to music as it got dark.
So here it is, the ultimate beach/sea/ocean playlist. Enjoy. And try not to swallow too much salt water.
The Who- I Am the Sea (Buy The Who @ Amazon.com)
Iron & Wine- House by the Sea (Buy Iron & Wine @ Amazon.com)
Phish- Sea and Sand (Buy Phish @ Amazon.com)
Pearl Jam- Oceans (Buy Pearl Jam @ Amazon.com)
Toad the Wet Sprocket- Walk on the Ocean (Buy Toad the Wet Sprocket @ Amazon.com)
Roadtripper
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Gonna ride me a southbound, all the way to Georgia, I ain’t never comin back.
Ok, I’m not going as far as Georgia, but tomorrow I will be roadtripping it down to North Carolina to meet up with some friends at a beach house; should be a nice way to spend the weekend. And as we all know, one of the most fun parts of the road trip is creating the playlist to go along with it; just plugging in that iPod, and letting it run by itself the entire way down.
Now, I don’t have nearly enough bandwidth or time to upload the seven hour playlist that I made for the way down (and yes, I will be making another one for the ride back up), but I will share a few of the tracks with you folks, and maybe, the next time you have a long drive, you can use these as the basis for you own playlists. But make sure to add to it; no one wants to hear the same songs on repeat over and over.
Marshall Tucker Band- Can’t You See (Buy Marshall Tucker @ Amazon.com)
The Honey Tongue Devils- Down Here
The Trews- Den of Thieves (Buy the Trews @ Amazon.com)
Pulling Teeth
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Everyone was telling me that it was going to hurt so much; that I’d be out of commission for a bunch of days. So I get home, take some painkillers, and wait for the real pain to set int. And I wait. And I wait longer. And it starts to hurt a bit, so I take some more painkillers. But then it’s no hurting anymore. All this worrying for nothing.In other news, I made sure to listen to Dark Side of the Moon during the surgery because I’ve always wanted to hear it while stoned, and the minor fact that I’ve never smoked has prevented me from doing so. But I don’t even remember it. It seems all of those potheads who love getting stoned and listening to music must be full of it, because the doctor put me on something- and I can’t remember a thing of what happened.
So for those of you who love music without external influences (like myself) check out these fun songs about pulling teeth, but don’t get too frightened- it doesn’t hurt that much.
Metallica- (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth (Buy Metallica @ Amazon.com)
Train Mix
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It’s been a few days since the last post. Thursday was graduation, Friday was moving day (so annoying) and then Saturday night I roadtripped up to Toronto for a friends wedding, which I just got back from less than an hour ago. God I hate Memorial Day traffic. And in an hour and a half, I’ll be heading home so I can get my wisdom teeth out tomorrow morning. Oh fun.
At least I’ll be taking a train; something that songwriters seem fascinated by, or at least feel the need to write about time and again. I assume the train they were talking about was not the Amtrak that I’ll be taking; with outlets at every seat and a snack car. But nevertheless- the idea is the same. So here’s a fine ‘train’ mix. Feel free to listen to it whether or not you happen to be situated on a train.
The Allman Brothers Band- All Night Train (Buy AAB @ Amazon.com)
Ben Harper- Fool For a Lonesome Train (Buy Ben Harper @ Amazon.com)
Guns n’ Roses- Nightrain (Buy GNR @ Amazon.com)
James Brown- Night Train (Buy James Brown @ Amazon.com)
Jimi Hendrix- Hear My Train a Comin (Buy Jimi Hendrix @ Amazon.com)
Yay! Graduation!
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Wow. Now it’s really over. All the formalities of graduation have come and gone; the robes and the hoods, the fluffy hats and the scepters, and the rituals frighteningly reminiscent of paganism and secret societies.
So before I head out to participate in the neccessary celebration rituals I’d like to post a graduation song. Please enjoy responsibly (something I may not be doing tonight in the partying).
Summertime Mix #1
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Ahhh. The sweet smell of summer is finally rolling into my nostrils. There’s no feeling quite like handing in that last final exam, and realizing that college is over. Sure, I have another 2 years at Columbia for engineering, but at least I’m done with my first undergraduate degree. It’s a good feeling and I’m quite enjoying it.
That being said, I feel like I should be working pretty hard on this first mix of the summer. I know the past week hasn’t been the greatest, but I’m going to try to make it up with this summertime mix. These are songs that came to my head when I thought of the glorious summer ahead of me. We have the classic rockers (Bowie and the Doobies), the little know acts (Kate and Barefoot Truth), some guilty pleasures (My Chemical Romance), and a bit of Guster (whom I don’t normally like, but think this song is awesome) and some Pearl Jam (because who doesn’t love them?).
So please, listen to this mix, and listen to it in order. As a student of the mix tape, I sat and thought exactly how to order these tracks for quite a long time (one minute) and thus, to listen to it in any other way would be to compromise the way the songs flow in and out of each other.
The Edgar Winter Group- Free Ride (Buy the EWG @ Amazon.com)
David Bowie- Rebel Rebel (Buy Bowie @ Amazon.com)
My Chemical Romance- Welcome to the Black Parade (Buy MCR @ Amazon.com)
Pearl Jam- The Boys Are Back in Town (Buy PJ @ Amazon.com)
Kate Voegele- Chicago (Buy Kate @ Amazon.com)
I Hate Packing and Moving
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Now that finals are almost over (one more to go, but I doubt I’ll be studying for it) it’s time to actually deal with life and move out of my housing, and into my apartment. But oh how I hate packing. And oh how I hate moving. I can’t wait to fast forward a few weeks until I’m moved in and unpacked.
So with this in mind, I think I’ll post some packing and moving songs- so all of y’all college kids packing up and moving out can listen to these tracks and make that annoying ritual a bit more deal-able.
Radiohead – Packt Like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Box (Buy Radiohead @ Amazon.com)
Stroke 9 – Little Blackpack (Buy Stroke 9 @ Amazon.com)
Jet – Move On (Buy Jet @ Amazon.com)
Joe Bonamassa – Never Make Your Move Too Soon (Buy Joe Bonamassa @ Amazon.com)
Public Service Announcement
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Dear Readers,
I’m really happy that so many people have been visiting the blog on a regular basis; we almost made it to 2000 hits last week. This is huge for me, and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to share so much music. However, with the package that I pay for, I have limited bandwith; about 10 gig per day. This means that in total, only 10 gigs of music may be downloaded from the blog per day. Once 10 gig is hit, no one is able to download for the rest of that day. So please, try not to go too crazy on the blog, downloading everything I’ve posted in the past few months. All the stuff is going to be up there for a long time. Download the new post, and a few more songs each day, but try not to go too crazy- I just want everyone who visits to be able to get at least something out of it. Hopefully, at some point I’ll upgrade my file hosting package to allow for more bandwith per day, but right now I just can’t afford it. So please, be considerate to everyone else, and download responsibly.
Thanks,
Ariel
Open All Night: A Counting Crows Gem
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It’s 530 AM as I write this post, and for the life of me, I cannot fall asleep. Thoughts are running through my head, pressures building up in my life; and thus the daylight streams in through my window before my body allows my mind its necessary rest.So I turn to my iTunes to try to quell my troubled soul with music, as I always do at times like these. And as this had been a night without sleep, I figured I’d share a Counting Crows song that is quite beloved to me. This one was never released, and very few people even know it exists (but thanks to FuelFriends for posting it, and if you want, you can get the entire show here). This bootleg contains one other unreleased song “Oh Margery” and a phenomenal cover of the Van Morrison song “Caravan.” So check out these tracks, and maybe, I’ll be able to get some sleep before these wretched finals end.
Counting Crows – Open All Night
Counting Crows – Caravan (Van Morrison Cover)
Buy Counting Crows @ Amazon.com
P.S. I actually tried to post this at 6AM, when I finished writing it, but my server was down, so here is the early morning post…at 1 in the afternoon.
It’s Over! Electric Style
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Ok, so we’re one final down and 2 to go. In honor of finishing electromagnetism I went through my iTunes searching for songs about either electricity and/or magnetism. Apparently magnets aren’t cool song topic, but electricity is. So enjoy, and till next time…
Metallica – It’s Electric (Buy Metallica @ Amazon.com)
Black Sabbath – Electric Funeral (Buy Black Sabbath @ Amazon.com)
The Strokes – Electricityscape (Buy The Strokes @ Amazon.com)
Forgotten 90s: Volume 5
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With the fact that my E&M final is in less than 20 hours, I don’t really have time to do a post today, so I’ll just do another Forgotten 90s post.
Much thanks to Julez for sending me “Stars,” the song from that Cadillac commercial that was a minor radio hit back in the 90s. The rest of these songs are pretty damn awesome- some you’ll be more familiar with- but you should know them all. If not, that’s what the blog is for.
Enjoy, and good luck to me on my final tomorrow. I can’t promise a post tomorrow as I’ll be heading off for the weekend immediately following my final. Seeya
Hum – Stars (Buy Hum @ Amazon.com)
White Town – Your Woman (Buy White Town @ Amazon.com)
Buckcherry – Lit Up (Buy Buckcherry @ Amazon.com)
Goldfinger – Here in Your Bedroom (Buy Goldfinger @ Amazon.com)
Spin Doctors – Two Princes (Buy Spin Doctors @ Amazon.com)
Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Buy Deep Blue Something @ Amazon.com)
A Stream of Consciousness Playlist
While listening to Metallica’s cover of “Tuesday’s Gone” while studying for this Electromagnetism final, my mind began to wander (as is totally normal when studying such a topic). “Tuesday’s Gone” is a song originally written by Lynyrd Skynyrd, as you may know if you’re a fan, or if you ever saw Forest Gump.Metallica – Tuesday’s Gone
I thought it might be a good idea to try to find a song that Skynyrd covered, and then find a cover song recorded the band who wrote the song that Skynyrd covered, leading us into a vicious cycle of music and fun. So I went straight for “None of Us Are Free,” a song that Solomon Burke song that Skynyrd has covered in recent years. But then I figured, hell- I like the Solomon Burke version better anyway. And also, I don’t know nearly enough music to find a song that Burke covered. So I decided just to go with the train of thought mode. While listening to each song, I’m going to hopefully think of another song, and just go from there, all the while keeping you posted on how my physics addled brain made the connection from one song to the other.
Solomon Burke – None of Us Are Free
Ok, so this is where it gets fun. This song was sent to me by T-Sos via the email, back when we were still trading music. (We stopped because I ran out of space on my iPod.) During those good non filled iPod times, she also sent me this next song by Taxi Chain. I have no idea what it’s actually called, and neither did she, but I have it listed as “Track 4.” Maybe they were going for a Blur-Song 2 kind of deal, or maybe someone just forgot to label the song. This is fun. Let’s see where we go next.
Taxi Chain – Track 4
So while listening to this song, I was struck by the bagpipes. I wanted to get into some more Irish influenced music (which is interesting, considering that the track immediately preceeding “Tuesday’s Gone” on Garage Inc. is a cover of an old Irish drinking song- posted here) and kind of wanted to post some Dropkick Murphy’s, but then I realized I already posted them (here). But the DMs have a song called “Shipping Up To Boson,” at which point I knew it was finally time to post some…
Boston – Rock and Roll Band
Having the words rock and roll in the song name gave me so much leeway with this next one. Too much leeway. It would’ve been way too easy just to post a song like “For Those About to Rock” or “Rock n’ Roll” or “Rockin’ in the Free World.” So instead I took the challenging route deciding to change it up a bit and bring us into the world of electronica.
The Chemical Brothers – Rock Blockin’ Beats
So that worked because of the word ‘rock’ in the song name, but for this next one, I’m going to stick genre specific and go with some Prodigy. I know it’s not as fun a jump as last time, but it’s the song that popped into my head while listening to the last one, so I feel a moral obligation to post it for you. I mean, who am I to question the gods of the Stream of Consciousness Playlist?
Prodigy – Breathe
As a young lad, I actually purchased some Prodigy; not the full album, but a single. So I thought back to other singles that I bought, back when I never had more than the $5 they sold singles for, and thus couldn’t actually buy any full albums and realized that I can’t remember any of them. But what I can post is one of my all time favorite Pearl Jam Christmas singles, a cover of this classic The Who song.
Pearl Jam – Love Reign Over Me
So we’ve come full circle; from one of my favorite bands in middle school (Metallica) covering a classic rock band (though some would argue Skynyrd is not) to my current favorite band (Pearl Jam) covering another great classic rock group (and if you want to argue that The Who is not classic rock, I will fight you).
Buy Solomon Burke @ Amazon.com
Smashing Pumpkins: GM Place (1/8/97)
Everyone wanted that shirt. Billy Corgan had shaved his head, donned those ridiculous silver pants, and worn a long-sleeved black t-shirt with the word ZERO emblazoned across it in the photos for the liner notes of the Smashing Pumpkins’ 1995 double album release Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. It was the shirt that became an icon.
I myself was not the most dedicated Pumpkins fan. Sure, my sister had bought Mellon Collie, one of my best friends was raving about Gish and Siamese Dream (I even think I bought him Adore for his birthday one year); but I myself was never that captivated by the Pumpkins. To me, they were just another radio band, with a weird looking frontman who wore a cool t-shirt.
It took a while for me to properly appreciate the greatness that was the Smashing Pumpkins. One of the things that stands out to me, is the brutal egoism of Billy Corgan, and his belief that he was actually God’s gift to music. I remember reading an interview from a 1995 issue of Guitar Magazine, where Corgan claimed to have started the alternative rock movement, then went on the deny it’s validity as a movement, and finished up by accusing other alternative bands of not touring enough. Wow. That either takes extreme guts, or extreme naiveté. I read another interview (and I have no clue what magazine this one was in, nor when I read it) in which Corgan claimed that during the Mellon Collie years, he was writing the best music of his life, and could have continued to do write the greatest rock music if he had really wanted to (which is pretty interesting considering that during this concert he mentions that 1979 is the best song he ever wrote; a song he wrote when he was 12).
Either way, I think that it was his never failing belief in his abilities that allowed him to be such a great live performer. There’s a reason that his songs have a soaring quality during all of his concerts. The recording of this show isn’t perfect, and the sound could be better; but the music makes up for it in pure intensity.
Just a few highlights to consider while you’re listening: “Tonight, Tonight” sounds so perfect- complete with the string section and everything. The sped up version of “Cherub Rock” is so freaking intense, and the vocals on “Muzzle” soar like nothing I’ve ever heard before.
So please, grab this show, and listen to it in its entirety. You will not be disappointed.
Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight
Smashing Pumpkins – Cherub Rock
Smashing Pumpkins – Where Boys Fear To Tread
Smashing Pumpkins – Rhinoceros
Smashing Pumpkins – Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Smashing Pumpkins – Thirty Three
Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Smashing Pumpkins –Thru the Eyes of Ruby
Smashing Pumpkins – By Starlight
Smashing Pumpkins – The Aeroplane Flies High
Smashing Pumpkins – Silverfuck
Buy Smashing Pumpking @ Amazon.com
P.S. I never did get that ZERO t-shirt. Maybe I felt like I wasn’t enough of a fan to wear it back then. Or maybe I just didn’t want to be doing it just because everyone else did. But maybe it’s time. Either way, it’s a pretty cool iconic relic of the 90s.
The Velvet Underground: How I’ve Come to Love this Band
Until a few weeks ago, I had figured that The Velvet Underground was just another one of those bands that I as a true fan of music was supposed to like, but had no idea why; like Bruce Springsteen, Fugazi, and formerly Radiohead. And then I started reading “Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung,” a collection of essays written by rock critic Lester Bangs. Teetering on the line between hero-worship and idol-trashing, Bangs wrote incessantly about Lou Reed and his bandmates in The Velvet Underground. And that’s when I decided it was time to give it another go. This time, I was less than disappointed.
Now, I’m not sure what it is exactly that I’ve grown to love about The Velvet Underground. It could be that they created a brand of music that no one had seen before. It’s art rock (Andy Warhol became their manager in 1965), it’s psychedelic, and most importantly- it’s noise. Great wonderful noise that sounds so freaking good.
More importantly, these guys were the original indie rockers. They never made it big, but anyone familiar with the New York music scene in the late 60s knew about them. Brian Eno is credited with saying that “despite hardly anyone buying this album on its release, everyone that did buy it seemed to have formed a band.” This is influence at it’s greatest. Plus, it can’t hurt to have Andy Warhol as your manager.
Allright, so Radiohead and The Velvet Underground can be checked off the list. Stay tuned for Fugazi and the Boss.
The Velvet Underground – I’m Waiting for the Man
The Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs
The Velvet Underground – Heroin
The Velvet Underground – She’s My Best Friend
Forgotten 90s: Volume 4
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I just realized that it’s been quite some time since I’ve done one of the Forgotten 90s posts. I guess it was discovering that the song from that Cadillac commercial (“Stars” by a band called Hum) was a long lost love- which I thought sounded all too familiar. Actually, I thought it sounded like the Smashing Pumpkins, to be totally honest with you, but that’s not the point.
Anyway, I’m not posting that one today, because I purchased it on iTunes, and thus cannot share it with you. (But, if you do know ahy good programs that will allow me to convert it to an unprotected mp3, I would be eternally grateful.) But I am posting a bunch of songs that were played all over the radio, all over the 90s. Oh, and I don’t know how many of you have actually heard of Jimmy’s Chicken Shack; I’m pretty sure they’re a local Baltimore band, and have no idea if they got any radio play anywhere else.
Ok. So here it is: Forgotten 90s Volume 4. Volumes 1-3 can be checked out here, here, and here.
Candyskins – Feed It (Check out Candyskins @ Amazon.com)
Dinosaur Jr. – Feel the Pain (Check out Dinosaur Jr. @ Amazon.com)
Jimmy’s Chicken Shack – High (Check out JCS @ Amazon.com)
The Nixons – Sister (Check out The Nixons @ Amazon.com)
Stone Roses – Love Spreads (Check out Stone Roses @ Amazon.com)
Guitar Hero
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As I sit in my apartment waiting for the library to open up on this late Saturday night (yes, I’m planning on spending my Saturday night in the library- I’m really cool like that) I’ve decided to post on a topic that I’ve been thinking about for quite some time: Guitar Hero.As a musician, I’m torn on the subject. On the one hand, with the amount of time these gamers put into beating Guitar Hero, they could become pretty adequate real guitar players; not guitar heroes just yet, but decent musicians who would be able to play basic songs. Now, while this may not be as cool as being able to clickety clickety clack to “The Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden, it is still something to be proud of. But then again- the world has enough crappy teenage guitar players who walk around their high schools thinking they’re the next Slash, butchering the chords to “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” while playing it during lunch to impress the lady folk (read: me when I was in high school).
So what exactly do I feel about these Guitar Hero players? I’ve decided (after not so much thought) that it’s not my place to judge how people spend their time. If they were playing Fifa 2007 on Gamecube (which is basically all we do in my apartment) then I wouldn’t be judging them. I guess, just because it’s a guitar related game, us musicians take a personal offense to it. Well, it’s time to stop.
Instead of mocking the game, we should be praising it for at least opening people up to music they never would’ve heard of before. I mean, how many teenage gamer freaks have heard of Dragonforce? How many people who don’t read guitar magazines know who Eric Johnson is? Who even remembers Living Colour? And don’t get me started on the Sex Pistols; a band that everyone has heard of, but no one can name any of their songs. Until now, that is.
Let’s celebrate this new form of distribution of non-radio music, and ignore whatever pet peeves we have with the game as an art form. At least until kids start bringing their Guitar Hero controllers to school and take to playing them acoustically (see South Park episode “Guitar Queero”). If that happens, we’ll go on a crusade against the video gaming world. But until then, let’s just sit back, relax, and enjoy the fact that so many kinds have finally heard of The Sex Pistols.
Sex Pistols – Anarchy in the U.K. (buy @ Amazon.com)
Dragonforce – Through the Fire and the Flames (buy @ Amazon.com)
Zox
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Opening bands are usually annoying. Having to sit through a sub-par performance of derivative and repetitive pop rock songs is not my idea of a good time. Yet, I never go to shows late- just to catch the headliners. I always make sure to catch that opening act, just in case they end up being awesome, and then I get to say that I saw them before they were famous (which is always a cool way to tell people you’re more musically knowledgeable than them, and affirms your ability to judge music as well).
Zox is one of those bands. The second opener at a State Radio show I saw a few years ago, I was surprised to see a band that used a violin as their only lead instrument. My immediate intrigue quickly turned into joy, as they began playing their cool version of violin rock, with the violinist occasionally turning his violin sideways like a guitar and plucking on the strings, before switching back to classic violin mode to pull out some fiercely shredded leads. It’s not every day you hear a heavily distorted violin sound leading a rock band.
Part of me wants to talk about the tracks I posted, but another part of me just wants you to listen to them first without hearing what I have to say about them. Just know that “Canon” is a cover of Pachellbel’s Canon in D.
Cool beans.
Zox – Leaving Me
The Screaming Trees
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1985. What a glorious year. I was born. The Screaming Trees were formed. Some other stuff probably happened- but in my mind, those are two of the most significant occurrences of that glorious year. Now, while I could tell you my life story, I’d rather not bore you with the gory and hilarious details. However, I can tell you a bit about The Screaming Trees. Hailing from the grungy state of Washington, these guys were some of the earliest grunge rockers, and even had the honor of being featured on the Singles soundtrack (which seems to come up in these posts with an alarming frequency…hmm). In addition to the dirty and heavy guitars that define their sound, they added the feature of a vocalist with one of the lowest ranges of any rock singer I’ve heard (with the exception of the guy from Everlast- but he’s not human).
Anyway, they’re just a great all around grunge band. I only have one of their albums (shame on me) but I figured I’d share some of my favorite tracks from that one.
So listen to the music, whoa oh ohhhhhhhhhhh, listen to the music. All the time.
The Screaming Trees – Shadow of the Season
The Screaming Trees – More or Less
The Screaming Trees – Secret Kind
The Replacements
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Apparently alterative rock was not begun in the early 90s, or even in the late 80s. Having formed in 1979, alternative rockers The Replacements lasted twelve years, and were already defunct by 1991. Relying heavily on the punk influences of the late 70s and early 80s, these guys added their own pop stylings and could possibly have single-handedly created alternative rock.
But while their style of music differed from punk rockers of the day, their onstage antics mirrored that of their less melodic rocker brethren. Their performances were wayward (I’m totally stealing this from Wikipedia right now) due to the influence of alcohol (heaven forbid), and they often went all Pete Townshend on their instruments (which is not a good idea if you can’t afford new ones).
Here are two songs by The Replacements, and two more solo tracks from Paul Westerberg (you may recognize them from the movie Singles).
Bye.
The Replacements – Unsatisfied
The Replacements – Androgynous
Paul Westerberg – Dyslexic Heart
Wilco
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Once upon a time, there was an alternative country band called Uncle Tupelo. They lasted until 1994, before singer Jar Farrar decided it was time for him to move on, and pursue better things. And thank goodness he did. Since then, he has had much success …ummm, ok, I have no idea what he’s been doing since then. But I do know that it’s been nothing but good news for the remaining members who formed a Wilco. And thank goodness for that, because I really like them. It could be the fact that they have latent country influences in their music. Or it could be that Jeff Tweedy’s voice is so soothing.
Who cares. I like them. You should too. Stop reading, and download the freaking tracks.
Pete Yorn
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When talking about singer/songwriters of the 21st century, I would be much amiss to skip over Pete Yorn. His music doesn’t hit you over the head with it’s amazingness at first- it almost seems like it’s background music that you could play over the loudspeaker in a library and no one would notice. OK, that didn’t make any sense- there are no loudspeakers in the library. But you get what I mean.
And while his music sits on the backburner of your mind for a while, without making a big dent in the musical synapses that occupy your brain. But then it hits you- this guy is a songwriting genius. It happens all at once- how you realize you know all of his songs by heart, and you love them all. How one day, you’re walking down the street humming a song, only realizing later that it’s a Pete Yorn track. How you end up devoting your entire being to collecting rare Pete Yorn b-sides and unreleased songs.
OK…maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but he is a great songwriter- so please check him out.
State Radio: Bowery Ballroom (2/17/07)
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I haven’t really devoted too much time to one of my favorite live bands, State Radio. I think that I’ve seen these guys more than any other band (4 times). This isn’t necessarily because I’m obsessed with them, and follow them around the country, but that they aren’t so famous yet, so they frequently play affordable shows in small venues in New York.This show, which took place at the Bowery Ballroom on February 17, 2007, was the best I’ve ever seen them. Maybe it’s just that I love small club shows, where they pack too many people into a tiny room. Maybe it’s just that I love concerts where the entire audience knows every word to every song. Maybe I just like being so incredibly close to the band. Maybe I just love the Bowery Ballroom (which I do).
What I do know is that this was a great show. Sadly for me, but exciting for them, is that they’ve begun to play larger venues. They played a show at Terminal 5 at the end of 2007, and will be opening for the Dave Matthews Band on a few dates of their upcoming summer tour.
Just a note- I left out a few tracks, like the intro, and when they had to stop a few times when the drunk guys kept climbing onto the stage. Other than that- this is the concert in the entirety, so listen to it the whole way through. Additionally, as they comment at the end of “The Diner Song,” the sound was initially a little messed up (poor treble, nonexistent mids). But not to fear; they fix it for Wicker Plane, and it’s pretty consistently good for the rest of the show.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings- check out the show, listen to the songs, and go check them out in concert- it’s bound to be a fun time. Oh, and all pictures are courtesy of me, so enjoy them responsibly.
State Radio – Held Up By the Wires
State Radio – Black Cab Motorcade
State Radio – The Diner Song
State Radio – Wicker Plane
State Radio – Gunship Politico
State Radio – Sudan
State Radio – Mr. Larkin
State Radio – Barn Storming
State Radio – Fall of the American Empire
State Radio – Right Me Up
State Radio – Good Graces
State Radio – Time Served
State Radio – Revolutionaries
State Radio – Man in the Hall
State Radio – Camilo
Korn
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Just a quick Saturday night post before heading out.
Korn is one of those bands, kind of like Rage, that defined a new genre. Many people put them in the rap/metal style that developed into the crappy nu-metal (read: Puddle of Mudd, Staind, and the like) that was being played on the radio in the late 90s and early 00s.
I would disagree with these musical ignoramuses and argue that Korn created an entirely new genre of music. The reason I believe this, is that the did not rely on any musical influences from the past. There’s no blues influence in any of their stuff. There’s no jazz, no pop, no punk, and no metal. They played ridiculously heavy music, to the point that it’s almost a-melodic; they don’t play guitar solos, and the singer doesn’t really sing. They created a brand of music that was merely heavy for heavys sake. This was music for angry adolescents to listen to, and run around their rooms screaming their heads off. Eventually, those adolescents became teenagers and did the same thing at concerts.
So get into that adolescent mode, crank up these songs, and run around your room yelling your head off.
The Hype Machine…and a lil bit of Semisonic
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So it’s official. We are finally on the hype machine. For those of you who don’t know, the hype machine is a website that collects music posted on an extensive list of blogs, and lets you search them for the stuff you want to sample or read about.
In celebration of this, I think it would be apropos to post some happy upbeat music. So this is one of my favorite songs by a late 90s band that most people have forgotten about. When most people hear the name Semisonic, they respond with something to the effect of “oh yea- the guys who played Closing Time!” This song however is not Closing Time. Some of you may recognize it from the motion picture 10 Things I Hate About You. (It’s played during the paint balloon fight, in case you were keeping track.)
So enjoy, and get excited for all the Hype Machine!
Rage Against the Machine
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Alternative rock is funny name for a genre. It’s a genre defined by what it isn’t, as opposed to what it is. Alternative music is an alternative to regular rock music. It’s rock music, but different. Led Zeppelin played rock music; the Black Crowes play rock; the Who was a rock band. But the sounds that emanate from the instruments of the LA quartet Rage Against the Machine cannot possibly be defined merely as “rock.” So we lop it together under the name “alternate rock” which only tells us what it is not.
Ok, so what is it? I’d say one part rock, one part rap, and three parts intensity. Whether or not you like the rap rock genre, or the crap that it developed into, these guys created it- and they did it so well. So check em out, download the tracks, and see if you can listen without bobbing your head. And if you feel the urge to protest against the government, don’t be surprised- their music tends to do that to people.
Rage Against the Machine – Know Your Enemy
Rage Against the Machine – Wake Up
Rage Against the Machine – People of the Sun
Rage Against the Machine – Vietnow
Rage Against the Machine – Sleep Now in the Fire
Alice In Chains
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Alice in Chains are one of the more important Seattle bands of the early 90s. Formed in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Lane Staley, these guys were one of the first of the Seattle bands to get signed to a major label, signing with Columbia in 1989.
Unlike many of the Gen-X bands, Alice in Chains seemed to have survived the 90s without any real tragedies on their hands. They even released new material as late as 1998. However, these were to be their last recordings as a band. In April of 2002, Staley was found dead in his apartment, having finally succumbed to the drug addictions that had plagued him his entire life.
This was the first musical tragedy that I, as a fan, truly felt deep in my heart. I was too young to appreciate what losing guys like Andy Wood and Kurt Cobain meant to the musical community. These feelings were not lost on me when I heard of Lane’s loss to his battle with drugs. I recall thinking that this was the first of the bands that I grew up with to lose someone to an overdose, when I was of an age to understand. Because of that, AIC will always have a place in my heart.
But more than anything, these guys were some of the earliest musicians to merge metal and punk, forming the strange brand of music that was grunge. They were, and always will be, the pioneers of the first style of music that I really truly loved.
Buy Alice in Chains at Amazon.com
Alice in Chains- Heaven Beside You
A Female Folsky Mix
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Kimya Dawson- Loose LipsKimya Dawson’s vocals are absurd, and her lyrics are so apropos for the song. This particular song was featured on the Juno soundtrack (I think) so you may recognize it from there. “Send me and IM I’ll be your friend.” God. No one writes lyrics like that. Incredible.
Joni Mitchell- California
Joni Mitchell is the queen of folk musicians, and her voice wavers between incredible and ridiculous. Just listen to how her voice shoots up when she says “California” the second time each chorus. Its sounds so strange, but so good at the same time. Vocal innovation, vocal brilliance, vocal awesomeness.
Regina Spektor- Fidelity
A nice Jewish girl, originally from Russia, Regina just makes it all work with this one. Yes, it’s ridiculous how she sings the word “Heart.” And yes, it’s annoying the first five times. But for some reason I started loving it after a bit. What’s important is that she’s being lyrically and harmonically innovative. And that’s what counts.
Suzanne Vega- Tom’s Diner (DNA Remix)
Originally released by Suzanne in 1981 as an a-cappella song, “Tom’s Diner” became famous with this 1990 remake of the song. The beat drives the song forward while the vocals tell a story (that goes nowhere).
Yael Naim- New Soul
Everyone should recognize this song from the MacBook Air commercial. As much as I hate to admit it, Apple’s ads are phenomenal and they consistently pick good songs for their commercials. And thus, I am not ashamed to post this one.
Aimee Mann- Just Like Anyone
Ok, so this one is pretty intense. It sounds just any old song, but when you know what the song was written about, it makes it so much more meaningful.
Here’s what Aimee had to say about the song (thanks FuelFriends for the post):
This is a song I wrote when Jeff Buckley died…I hadn’t known Jeff extremely well, but we kept bumping into each other here and there.
One night we met for a drink at a pub in NYC, and started writing messages to each other on a paper placemat that was there, instead of talking, because the music in the bar was really loud or something. An interesting effect of that was that we found ourselves writing things that we would never would dare to say to each other out loud. I remember thinking that he seemed to be sort of lost and sad although he outwardly was very funny and lively and confident, and wrote something about that, among another things.
I didn’t talk to him for a long time after that — I went to England to live for a while and we talked once or twice and then nothing for over a year.
Then one night I got a voice mail message from him that said, “I just realized what you were trying to tell me that night”. I tried to call him back but the number I had for him was old, and then I got his new number but I was out of town again and it was difficult to call, and then I heard that he was missing, and presumed dead. . .
Buy these artists at Amazon.com: Kimya Dawson, Joni Mitchell, Regina Spektor, Suzanne Vega, Yael Naim,Aimee Mann
Centro-matic
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I know almost nothing about Centro-matic. I’m not going to go research them. I’m not going to find out everything I can about them. Why? Because I don’t care. Their music is good regardless. A fantastic alternative rock band, or wait- I think I’m overusing the word alternative, we need an alternative to alternative. Ok: A fantastic post-alternative rock band, these guys combine the grungy guitars and muddy vocals that characterized early 90s music, with the chilled out indie pop songwriting structure that has characterized popular music of the last few years. Yes! Post-alternative! Brilliant!
So who needs to research about a band when you can make up your own definition for the style of music that they play? But isn’t that the point of it all? Coming to your own conclusions about music, and not reading what someone else has to say.
Ahh. I’m a hypocrite, you say. Maybe so. So disprove me. Ignore me. But listen to the music, and make your own decisions about it.
Centro-matic – Calling Thermatico
Centro-matic – Triggers and Trash Heaps
Centro-matic – Daggers Sharp Enough
P.S. To compound my hypocrisy, apparently I’ve already posted about these guys, and I researched them. So that whole bit about not researching the band and just listening to them? Well, I guess I lied.
Blind Melon
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Blind Melon was another one of the bands that tragically lost their frontman, Shanon Hoon, to a drug overdose in the early 90s. I don’t have too much to say about them- they were one of the most talented and innovative alternative rock bands, blending jam band guitar interplay with distinct vocals and lyrics.Thanks Elana for reminding me these guys exist.
Song in the Chill of E
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While going through the E artists in my iTunes and unselecting all the song I no longer (or never) listen(ed) to or never liked, I came across some really chill songs I hadn’t listened to, all in the key of E.
Ok, so that’s a lie, but were all pretty chilled out songs, so I figured I’d post them as a mini playlist here.
Purchase these artists at Amazon.com: Edie Brickell, Eels, Ethan Daniel Davidson
Edie Brickell- What I Am
Eels- Fresh Feeling
Ethan Daniel Davidson- Situationist National Commercial
Elliott Smith
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“What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”This opening line in the movie “High Fidelity,” based on Nick Hornby’s literary masterpiece (in my humble non-literary critic minded opinion) about music, relationships, and life, has always jumped out at me as brilliantly simple, or simply brilliant.
If I would have to attach a quote like this to one specific songwriter who epitomizes the ideal of writing pop songs about “heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery, and loss” it would have to be none other than Elliott Smith.
Elliott Smith, who has attained something of a god-like status in the music blogger world (go to http://www.hypem.com and search for “Elliott Smith” and see if you don’t find tons of audiophiles who are way too obsessed with the man) lived the tragic life of the brilliant songwriter. On October 21, 2003, after years of writing songs both about his emotional instability and his battles with drug and alcohol abuse, Elliot Smith was found dead in his apartment having suffered two stab wounds to the chest. In an almost Kurt Cobain- esque style, it was inconclusive as to whether the stab wounds were self inflicted, or whether they were caused by someone else; fans speculated that Smith’s girlfriend Chiba may have stabbed him. With regard to the debate as to cause of death (suicide or murdered by girlfriend), the difficult battles with drugs, and the tortured lyrics, Smith was something of a post Gen-X Kurt Cobain.
His songs are simple but haunting, leaving the listener with a lingering sense of unease at the end of each track. Beautifully crafted and perfectly performed, Elliott Smith was able to master the art of songwriting in his short and tragic 34 years on this earth.
Elliott Smith- Because (Beatles Cover)
Girl Talk
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It’s like that scene from Cameron Crowe’s 1992 movie Singles, when Steve runs into a supermarket clerk who remembers him from his DJ-ing days.
“You know what? We’re throwing down tonight over on Aloha Street! Yeah! We’re gonna have three bands; it’s gonna’ be insane! Would you… would you get up and do a little “Wheels of Steel” for us?”
“Oh, no, no…”
“You sure? You’re the only man I know who could mix Elvis Costello and Public Enemy!
[singing] What’s so funny about… peace, peace, peace… love and under… peace, peace. / Death Row, what does a brother know? peace, peace. / Yow, wow, wow, wow, wow, kapow! You’re the King, man, you are the King!”
I’ve been meaning to post some Girl Talk for a while now. DJ Gregg Phillips, who is better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is one of the best DJs I’ve ever heard. Now, to be totally honest, I’m not that into this kinda music, so my knowledge is kinda limited.
But apparently his shows are more like dance parties than concerts; he stands onstage with a laptop, shedding clothes as the show goes one and he gets sweatier and sweatier (from what, I’m not sure) and mixes music like it’s nobodies business while the crowd joins him onstage- turning the whole place into a rave.
You may not be into this kind of music, and neither am I really, but I beseech you to check it out. All I know is that I have respect for someone who can mix Elton John, Nirvana, and Notorious B.I.G. all into the same song. And you should too.
The Raconteurs- Consolers of the Lonely
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The lead blues riff moves into it’s second bar and you think this is just going to be yet another Raconteurs album; full of bluesy garage rock, straight outta D-Troit, with a vengeance. And then it happens. While the riff is still rockin’ the drum sticks start counting in a beat totally out of sync with the guitar. Once the drums kick in, the guitar shifts to the more upbeat rhythm, but the point has been made- this album is going to be the balls.“Consolers of the Lonely,” the albums first and title track kicks the album into high gear with the two rhythms that flow in and out of the song a la Magical Mystery Tour era Beatles. “Salute Your Solution” quickly follows as the perfect Raconteurs single- with it’s radio friendly structure, cool doubled vocals, nice cacophonic breakdown before the solo section, and awesome use of the fuzz box on the solo. After that, the boys take it down a notch with “You Don’t Understand Me,” the first ballad of the album, relying on the keyboard as the driving force in the song, and finishing off with a nice keys solo at the end. “Old Enough” continues in the chilled out ballady feel, this time adding folk, blues and country into the mix. Finally, the Raconteurs decide to kick it back up a notch, but not back to their regular heavy noise- for some reason (unbeknownst to me) they decided to enlist a horn section to supplement the song (and ruin a perfectly good blues). Next we have “Hold Up” with it’s tacky intro vocals which lead into a Ramones riff, augmented with a lead riff way to complicated and non-pentatonic for it to be a real punk rock song. In “Top Yourself” Jack White slips back into his White Stripes songwriting with this bluesy grinder of a track. “Many Shades of Black” sees the return of the ill placed horn section, however this time the trumpets aren’t spoiling the blues, but a pop song. It’s almost as if Gavin Degraw wrote them a song, which they stripped bare, added the ridiculous trumpets, and found in the end that they had produced musical genius.
For “Five on the Five” I need you to work with me. Ok, imagine someone took the intro riff to “Ride the Lightning,” but instead of playing it through a Jackson guitar plugged into a Marshal stack, they played it on a kazoo- the result would be this song’s intro. The song takes off from there- squeaky vocals making the simple descending riff all the more fun, and the yelps a la Michael Jackson in Smooth Criminal just seem to tie everything together. This song almost sounds like something off Spend the Night by The Donnas- only with song structure, and less tacky. Who woulda thought that they could touch on Metallica and the Donnas in the same song? “Attention” is another Donnas song with a cool organ solo at the end. Other than that, it’s not too innovative. For “Pull This Blanket Off” it sounds like someone invited The Band to the studio and let them jam it out. “Rich Kid Blues” sounds like a song written by Led Zeppelin. In actuality, it was written by a singer/songwriter named Terry Ried. It just so happens, that when he decided to leave the Yardbirds, Jimmy Page asked Reid to help him form a new band. Reid turned down the invitation, but suggested a vocalist by the name of Robert Plant. The rest, my friends, is history. “These Stones Will Shout” continues in the Zeppelin theme with Plant-esque vocals over Page-esque acoustic riffage. The album ends off with “Carolina Drama” a fabulous story of a song, very much written in the style of the White Stripes. The song moves past the Stripes’ influence with the female backing vocals (and is that a violin in there?) in between the verses. Folksy, bluesy, and the a work of storytelling genius, this track finishes off what has proven to be a well written and well constructed album.
For the most part, the Raconteurs parted from the past and created their own innovative brand of music. When they did sound like bands of the past, they took those influences and either threw them out the window, or butchered them with a horn section. As one of the top 3 albums of the year so far, you would do yourself good to grab a copy of it.
The Raconteurs – You Don’t Understand Me
American Idol Killed The Radio Star or What The Ramones, Bob Dylan, and Miles Davis Have In Common
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American Idol has single handedly destroyed music. Ok, that’s a lie. American Idol has significantly contributed to the death of music. Here’s why: We’ve created a popular culture where the two most important aspects of music have become vocal abilities and live performance. Now, while you may accede that vocal abilities are not nearly as important as the Idol judges seem to want them to be, you may argue on the importance of good live performance. C’mon, isn’t that what made all the greats truly great? Yes, I will answer. A definite yes. But what these self proclaimed judges of real music call good live performance is very different from what the regular concert going music fan looks for in a live performance. To help make my point more clearly, I would like to enlist the assistance of two musical examples: Bob Dylan and The Ramones. Let us begin with the almost too famous Dylan.
Dylan’s voice was bad. Not bad secretly meaning good. And not bad in it’s so bad it’s actually good. It was plain old bad. But then again, it fit his music. Probably the best songwriter of the past (and this?) generation, Dylan told and sang a story through his music like no one else could have. Yet, this is a man who would not have made it past the first round of American Idol. If we were to judge our musicians based solely on the standards that these musically incompetent judges rely on, we never would have had Blonde on Blonde, Highway 61 Revisited, or any of the scores of Dylan albums that have been put out over the years.
Moving right along to the Ramones; these guys didn’t just have poor vocals, but they wrote bad songs and performed so strangely, it was almost humorous. Joey Ramone, too tall and lanky for his own body, would awkwardly stand at the front of the stage gripping the microphone like some sort glorified phallus, while his band mates used the same “1,2,3,4” to count in every single song, before ripping into somewhere between two and two and a half minutes of unbridled punk rock. And it sucked. And they sorta bobbed around onstage, shaking their long mops of hair, nodding to the music they were creating. But at the same time, they somehow made it huge on the basis of their live shows. It didn’t matter that the songs all sounded the same. I didn’t matter that they either stood stoically onstage, or ran around like crazed kids without any sense of rhythm, syncopation, or decency. Their shows became legendary, and they spawned an entire generation of rip offs.
So there you have it, oh falsely glorified judgers of music. One doesn’t need actually vocal talent to succeed on the grand stage. There you have it you producers of replicated plastic that you call talent. A band doesn’t need to be technically good or have a well honed or organized stage act to succeed and to rock. And why is that? Because music, specifically rock music, is not about rules. It’s not about following an agenda, because that would only produce carbon copies of everything we’ve seen until now. The best and most famous musicians are those who piss on their influences, and create their own brand of music that no one has ever heard before. Because we can only take so much of the same reproduced synthetic crap before we become fed up with the whole institution of rock music and just listen to Miles Davis on vinyl until our ears explode.
Album Review: The Black Keys – Attack & Release
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The Black Keys are clearly trying to test the songwriting waters with their 2008 offering “Attack and Release.” First off, the album opens with an obvious closer. “All You Ever Wanted” is very different from anything the Keys have ever offered, with its folksy jangle chords that almost lull the listener to sleep before even given a chance to listen to the album. However, the song begins to build up towards the end as the organ and drums kick in strong, and the listener is left with the feeling that they may or may not have just experienced a church jam similar to the one James Brown lead in the Blues Brothers.
“I Got Mine” follows; opening with a colossal descending chord riff that almost sounds apologetic for the album’s slow start.
The Keys then kick into another classic blues rocker “Strange Times” (an mp3 of which I previously posted here) before departing for good from their tried and trusted method that they had relied on for every album until now and venturing out into the songwriting unknown.
Basically, instead of relying on the blue-rock formula that has served them quite well for the past however many albums they’ve put out, the Black Keys actually began to change it up a bit.
The album continues with “Psychotic Girl” a psychedelic mandolin based track. The song incorporates the classic Keys bluesy vocals with the almost eastern influenced mandolin riff and Zeppelin inspired background wailing.
“Lies” brings us back to the blues but in a more Zeppelin kind of way (yea, the Zeppelin theme is going to be there for the rest of the album).
Next we get what looks like should be a two part song with “Remember When (Side A)” and “Remember When (Side B)”; two songs that sound nothing alike. While Side A sounds like something out of the Yellow Submarine, Side B goes back to the twelve bar heavy blues rock that the Keys seem to love so much. What connects the songs is the lyrics; but not in the sense that it’s one continued story that spans two songs. No, the Black Keys were much smarter than that; they decided to use exactly the same lyrics for both songs. I can’t tell if this is a brilliant move on their part or if they just got lazy and didn’t want to write lyrics for another song.
Moving right along, we have “Same Old Thing” which is anything but the same old thing, with the flute giving it an Amazonian world music vibe. That vibe soon falls away, when it becomes clear that this is just another well constructed Keys song.
“So He Won’t Break” has a very 70s feel to is, with the beat almost reminiscent of Santana’s “Black Magic Woman.”
“Oceans & Streams” follows in like with the 70s feel and surprisingly, the clapping rhythm parts don’t even sound that kitschy. The album ends off with another awesome closer (in addition to the awesome closer that they used as the opener) “Things Ain’t like They Used to Be,” a song that starts off slow, but gradually drags the listener in with its obvious Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin influences.
In that respect, I think it’s only right to post the two versions of Remember When, to show how the Keys’ tried so hard to write real songs on this record that they got so caught up in it that they wrote the same song twice.
One Soundgarden Served Extra Hot
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Not wanting today to pass by without posting anything, I felt like I’d just put up a song that’s been in my head (and has gotten some pretty impressive rotation in my itunes) for the past few weeks. I don’t think I’ve posted any Soundgarden, so I guess it’s time for that. I’ll do a more intensive post on these guys in the weeks to come, but for now- just enjoy this one song.
Radiohead: Confessions of a New Fan
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It’s taking me a while, but I’m getting there. Radiohead has always been one of those bands that I feel like as an intelligent fan of music, I’m supposed to like. Thus, for quite a long time, it’s been a goal of mine to become a Radiohead fan; not just a fan of OK Computer – I’ve always loved that album and consider it in the Top 10 Albums of All Time (or at least of the 90s) – I want to be a real Radiohead fan. The kind that thinks every album of theirs is pure musical brilliance and that all other bands are musically and intelligently inferior to Thom Yorke and his Oxfordshire mates.
After trying a few times to become a “real” Radiohead fan, I’ve decided to give it one more go – partially because I have tickets to see Radiohead in concert this summer and really want to enjoy it as much as possible, but also because I feel like I really would like them if I gave them a chance and don’t want to be missing out on an awesome band.
I would like to report, with much happiness, that I’ve made a few huge steps in the direction of becoming a huge fan. Now, I don’t love every album of theirs yet, but I have uncovered the brilliance of two more of their albums- In Rainbows and The Bends.
I attacked In Rainbows first because it’s their newest album and will thus be getting a ton of play during the show- and I want to be ready. It didn’t take long for me to get hooked with the funky awkward opening drum beat of 15 Step. The album could be defined as brilliant, but I won’t do so yet- I haven’t listened to it enough to give it that much credit. What’s important is that I like the album, and enjoy listening to it.
Moving right along, I’ve kind of fallen in love with The Bends, Radiohead’s 1995 sophomore album. This album I am willing to call brilliant. The sings are well crafted; the album is constructed well; and it must have been obvious, this early in their career that Radiohead was going to be a major force in the music industry. And yes, I’m approaching this with convenient hindsight bias, but I don’t care- I love this album. The more I listen to it, the more I start to “get” what Radiohead is all about; I think.
Now, as I said in the beginning, I am on the path to becoming a Radiohead fan. I haven’t yet unconvered the subtleties that supposedly make Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief masterpieces of alternative rock. Additionally, I do not own a copy of Pablo Honey, so I can’t really speak for that other than the song Creep, which anyone who ever turned on a radio in the 90s is familiar with.
That being said- I’m still working on it. It may take longer than expected, but by the end of the summer, I expect to be a full fledged fan of Radiohead.
On a peripherally related note, I would like to commend Radiohead for both the distribution of this album, and the way in which they announced their tour dates. After getting fed up with people leaking their previous two albums on to the interwebs before they were released, Radiohead decided to beat their nemeses to the punch and released their album on their own website long before it’s release date. They allowed downloaders to “buy” the album in mp3 form for any price they wanted. I myself purchased the album for 0 pounds; partially because I didn’t then consider myself a fan of their music and never would have purchased the album in a store, and partially because I wasn’t sure how to convert dollars to pounds. Surprisingly, however, many Radiohead fans actually paid a lot for this album. Whether they thought the band would like them more if they gave more than the regular price of the album (again, I have no idea what that would be in pounds) or if they were just so appreciative to their favorite band for coming out with another album, I don’t know.
With regard to their tour dates, earlier this year Radiohead announced, via their website, what cities they would be visiting on their spring/summer tour, but neglected to list the dates during which they would be stopping in each city. That made me laugh, so I thought I’d share it with you.
Allright, I’ve rambled for long enough, and hopefully, most of you just scrolled throught the ramblings to get at the songs. Well, here they are. The first two tracks are from In Rainbows, while the rest are from The Bends.
The Best Rap Covers of All Time
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Writing a great song is an impressive feat. But taking that song, adapting it to another genre and making it even better is also pretty cool. I’m not talking about pop punk bands that rock out to Britney Spears; I’m talking about gangster rap songs that have been turned into great songs.
I’m not gonna lie; I am not a fan of Snoop Doggs version of Gin and Juice. It’s too bland for me. Then this band from Austin, TX called The Gourds comes along and turns it into a fantastic bluegrass song. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t the bluegrass cover version by Phish? NO! It’s not. This version of Gin and Juice became popular during the Napster craze, when people horribly mislabeled music all the time, and somehow the misperception that Phish covered Gin and Juice stuck. Well, I am here to set the record straight.
Moving right along, we have Dynamite Hack’s cover of Boyz-n-the-Hood, a song originally recorded by rapper Eazy-E. This cover had pretty decent radio play back in 2000. I myself have never heard the original, but I do love the cover version.
To end off our post today, we’re going to pull out my favorite hip hop cover of all time (thanks Julez for sending me this one). Everyone is familiar with Ms. Jackson, by hip hop duo Outkast. But fewer people have heard The Vines’ cover of the song. They managed to take a strange (read: annoying) hip hop song and turn it into a psychedelic masterpiece. This version is gold people- so if you don’t do anything else today- download this cover. It is awesome.
Nirvana
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Nirvana is a band that I have been unfairly neglecting since I began this blog.
I don’t really need to tell you about this band; most people see them as the kings and originators of grunge music, and as the pioneers of alternative rock. Those of you who frequent this blog may have a bit of a more detailed picture of how the grunge scene actually developed; but that doesn’t take away the major influence that Nirvana had on taking grunge and making it mainstream.
Ironically, for frontman Kurt Cobain, the popularity was too much to handle, and he fell into drug habits that eventually led to him taking his own life.
But these were the guys that started it all, and since they were awesome in concert, I felt the need to post some of their live stuff. It’s incredible to hear the contrast between their electric live songs, and their acoustic ones. That a band that was able to play with such prowess and intensity while plugged into amps was also able to tone it down and play a beautiful heartfelt set speaks volumes about Kurt Cobain’s genius as a songwriter and a performer.
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana – Scentless Apprentice
Candlebox
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Candlebox is another one of those early 90s Seattle grunge bands that had just a tiny bit of radio play- just enough to make their songs sound vaguely familiar to the casual listener- before disappearing into obscurity. But these songs recall an earlier era; a simple time. They recall a time (the 90s) when my musical education was just beginning and my musical tastes were begin formed by what everyone else thought were just angry bands with guitarists who couldn’t play solos; angry because they couldn’t play their instruments well; angry because they were rich white kids living in the suburbs and not inner city kids with real problems. But as an adolescent, this type of music had a deep effect on me- maybe because it made me realize that it’s not only people with real problem who can express themselves through music; or maybe just because I always did love heavy music with an angry edge to it. Whatever the reason- these guys are one of the more important grunge bands- so check them out.
Kaki King: Bowery Ballroom (4/9/08)
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I went to see Kaki King last night at the Bowery Ballroom. First of all, it must be noted that she is an abnormally awesome guitarist. She can make sounds come out of the guitar that I’ve never heard before. If you’ve seen the movie August Rush, she played a lot of that music- so you kinda get the idea; someone basically tapping on the neck of the guitar instead of strumming, using all kinds of harmonics, relying on the body of the guitar as a rhythm instrument, and even coming out for the encore to treat us to an eerily awesome looped song on a lap steel.
In contrast to her guitar playing, Kaki’s vocals are not the strongest; but that doesn’t stop her from singing on almost ever song. Additionally, whenever she brought out an electric guitar, I got worried that her songs would stop sounding innovative and start sounding poppy. While this may have been true for one or two songs, for the most part her electric songs developed into churning jams that would build up and crescendo before coming back down to be built up once again; almost like a cross between Tool and Explosions in the Sky- Tool in terms of the slow grinding buildups, and Explosions with regard to the strange sounds emanating from the stage. My only complaint is that they ended these songs too early, when there was so much potential for crazy extended jams with most of them.
Kaki and her band ended off the show with a fantastic rendition of a German metal song, Fashion Tattoo by Bubonix. After an entire show where most of the crowd kinda just stood around while the music was playing (mostly because it’s hard to dance to acoustic virtuoso music in 13/8 time), it was nice for everyone to be able to let loose and dance around for a bit. It was also cool to see that Kaki didn’t take her virtuosity too seriously, and still knew how to kick back and have a good time- while shouting the absurd lyrics that these German heavy metal rockers decided would make sense in that song (“A tattoo on your head, a tattoo on your neck,…, She loves me forever, she loves me forever…” etc.)
If you ever get the chance, check her out in concert- if not, just check out the tracks below.
Kaki King- Bone Chaos in the Castle
Kaki King- Life Being What It Is
Kaki King- So Much for So Little
Kaki King- Happy As a Dead Pig In the Sunshine
Kaki King- Everybody Loves You
Nobody’s Better Than Ezra…
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Though I am sitting at my computer, waiting for 12 PM to roll around so I can buy my Pearl Jam tickets, I have decided to refrain and not do a post on Pearl Jam right now. Some people have been complaining that I do too many of those posts. So considering that as I keep getting more and more excited for the shows there will be many more posts, I’ll try to share some other music.
Going back to music that reminds me of middle school and childhood, one band that stands out is Better Than Ezra. And yes, it is true that I have a younger brother named Ezra. It’s also true that whenever these guys were played on the radio my mother or father would turn to us and say “Nobody’s better than Ezra!” We would respond by groaning and wondering why our parents felt the need to constantly embarrass us.
But we’ve got beyond that point; now we can just appreciate the terrible joke, along with the excellent music.
Songs from High Fidelity
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Probably one of my favorite books and movies, Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity is filled with great music. Plus, the acting in the movie is awesome, boasting stars such as John Cusak, Jack Black, and Joan Cusak. This was also Jack Black’s first major role, and he was awesome in it.
If you haven’t read or seen it, you should. Buy the book, rent the movie, do whatever- just watch it- it’s awesome.
13th Floor Elevators- You’re Gonna Miss MeKatrina and the Waves- Walking on Sunshine
Ann Peebles- I Can’t Stand the Rain
The Chemical Brothers- Leave Home
The Velvet Underground- Oh! Sweet Nothin
Stevie Wonder- I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)
Gin Blossoms
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It’s a bleak and dreary Sunday morning on which I have no desire to get out of bed. The world looks so blah and it’s so warn in here. Anyway, in my opinion, this band is a fantastic cure for the Sunday Morning Blah-ness.
Anyone who owned a radio in 1995 knows who the Gin Blossoms were. These songs, almost more than any others, remind me of middle school. And music like that is awesome. It connected with you then, and now you can take yourself back to those days just by pressing play.
Saturday Night Mix
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We have three songs for you on this late Saturday night.
Let’s call this a Saturday Night When Spring Has Finally Arrived- Mix
Hurricane #1- Step Into My World
The Alternate Routes- Ordinary
Travis- Why Does It Always Rain on Me
Late Night Early April Blues
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April 3rd already, and no sign of the sun.
It’s almost 1 in the AM and I’m sitting up, listening to music, trying to create the perfect “Late Night Early April Blues” playlist. Certain music just sounds better played on your headphones while lying in bed on a cold April night. Or maybe I’m just weird.
Either way, enjoy the songs- I tried to pick stuff you guys haven’t heard, but will still enjoy.
Dishwalla- Somewhere In The Middle
First Pearl Jam Concert: Off Ramp Cafe (10/22/90)
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As you all probably know by now, Pearl Jam is doing a short east coast tour this June. I will hopefully be attending three of the shows, bringing my PJ concert attendance number up to six. Could be better, but it could be worse.
In order to celebrate their newly announced summer tour, I think it’s time to post the first ever Pearl Jam concert. I think they were still called Mookie Blaylock (named after the basketball player), but the real Pearl Jam fans can correct me if I’m wrong. While rehearsing for their upcoming release, 10, they played this small show at the Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle.
The recording is far from stellar, but they sound incredibly tight for a band that had only just met earlier that week.
Maybe it’s the fact that Stone and Jeff had been playing together for years. Or maybe it’s because even from that first show they were an awesome live band.
Right before Even Flow, Eddie asks the crowd “Did you miss these guys?” obviously referring to Jeff and Stone, who had been staples of the Seattle scene in Green River and Mother Love Bone. So even though this was their first show as a band, it wasn’t really anything pioneering- it was the continuation of the music that had been played in Seattle for years. Yet, at the same time- it was the start of something new- of the band that was to become Pearl Jam, arguably the longest lasting and most successful of the Seattle bands.
So here’s to my favorite live band- try to catch them sometime this summer.
Pearl Jam- Black (half of this song is missing)
Robert Randolph and the Family Bandro
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See him in concert. It’s really the only way to grasp his greatness.
Yea, it’s cool that his band is almost all family members. And it’s cool that he plays a pedal steel guitar (13 string guitar laid horizontally on a black of wood that’s played with foot pedals). And of course, it’s really cool that he created a style of music that samples from the jam-band scene, the blues, and straight up rock.
But if you really want to understand why Robert Randolph and the Family Band are awesome, you have to see them in concert.
Robert Randolph & the Family Band- The March (live)
Robert Randolph & the Family Band- Pressing My Way (live)
Robert Randolph & the Family Band- Tears of Joy (live)
Robert Randolph & the Family Band- Soul Refreshing
Robert Randolph & the Family Band- Going in the Right Direction
Robert Randolph & the Family Band- Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That
Counting Crows
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When we arrived, the line was already around the block- and it was two and a half hours before the show. We huddled in line, leaning against the wall of the store, as tourists and locals passed us by; some gave us quizzical looks, others asked us what we were waiting for, and a few even got in line behind us to try to get into the concert.A little after seven, they finally let us into the Apple Store in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. We climbed up the stairs, showing the Apple Store workers our badges that had been handed out outside, and may our way to the front of the crowd, waiting for the Adam Duritz and the Counting Crows to come out on stage.
Adam finally came out with guitarist David Immerglück and played a Jackson Frank cover, Blues Run the Game.
“We’re supposed to do one of these Storytellers kind of things,” said Adam following the song. “But I think I wanna just answer any questions you guys have.”
But of course, this didn’t stop Adam from explaining each and every song before he played them.
They followed up their question session with Richard Manuel is Dead, which is about Adam coming home to his apartment early one Sunday morning with a girlfriend, picking up the newspaper, and discovering that Richard Manuel had died. “When I found out he died, nothing seemed certain anymore. All of a sudden I knew that my girlfriend wouldn’t last, and nothing really lasts.
Angels of the Silences followed Richard Manuel. Adam explained that he had tried to write a song about Michelangelo for a long time, but couldn’t finish it, so he just put the line “When I Dream of Michelangelo” in the song Angels of the Silences.
Questions were asked and answered following these songs (a bit longer than I would’ve liked) before Adam sat down at the piano to play A Long December.
Afterwards, the band went through (almost) the entire Sunday Mornings half of their new album, before ending off the show with an awesome acoustic version of Rain King.
In all, Adam put on his normal incredibly emotional vocal performance, improvising lyrics, and baring his soul for us all to see.
I would post the new album stuff, but I think everyone should buy it themselves. So, I’ll post random versions of the songs mentioned, and if I manage to get a copy of this show, I’ll post it for y’all.
Counting Crows- Blues Run the Game
Counting Crows- Richard Manuel Is Dead
Counting Crows- Angels of the Silences
The Black Keys
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The Black Keys are not the White Stripes. Yes, they are both two piece bands. Yes, they both have a singer/guitarist and a drummer. Yes, they both have a color in their name. But still, they’re different bands. Taking their name from the “other” keys on the piano, the Black Keys seemed to have taken their name to heart- and seem to play an “other” kind of music.
Their music is the blues, but it’s not. It’s rock, but it’s not. And it’s certainly not blues-rock. The best way to define this band is to call them stripped down blues or stripped down rock and roll, even though they have nothing to do with the early versions of either blues or rock.
Let’s try it this way: Imagine you had a beautiful painting in a gorgeous frame. Now, light the frame on fire and scrape the paint off the painting; the art form that’s left would be the best description of the Black Keys’ music.
If you’re confused- good, because I don’t think I’m making any sense. So just give them a listen, and decide for yourself.
The Black Keys- When the Lights Go Out
The Black Keys- 10 A.M. Automatic
The Black Keys- She Said, She Said
Joe Bonamassa
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Continuing with the genre of 21st century bluesmen, Joe Bonamassa is someone who must be mentioned. The genre of a young white boy playing blues-rock is hard to be original in- especially after Stevie Ray Vaughn defined that genre in the 80s. Yet, somehow, Bonamassa manages to sound original within this almost tired genre. His riffs both pay homage to the classic bluesmen, while paving new roads for the blues to travel down. He is one of this centuries blues greats, and is someone that the blues fan cannot live without.
Marc Broussard
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It’s like that diner scene out of Blues Brothers:
“We got two honkies out there, dressed like Hasidic diamond merchants.”
“Say what?”
“They look like they’re from the CIA, or somethin’.”
“What they want to eat?”
“The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin’ on it.”
“Elwood.”
“And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a coke.”
“And Jake! Shit, the blues brothers.”
“The Blues Brothers?”
Now, Aretha Franklins’ surprise that these whiter than white boys could sing the blues was only natural. The blues was always a black-dominated genre, and it was assumed that white boys couldn’t play, or sing with genuine blues soul.
The turn of the century brought with it a number of young white bluesmen who played with more soul than the pigment of their skin seemed to want to allow.
Marc Broussard is one of these men. His song Home, supposedly written on a trip down south, sounds just like a song that would’ve been written by a 1920s bluesman, playing on a rickety acoustic guitar.
I’m posting two versions of the song, that display Marc’s versatility. The first shows how he took the genre of the blues, and added a thumping beat- as if he wanted to combine the two classically black genres, the blues and hip hop. The second shows how that in addition to expanding the genre of the blues, he’s still able to sit back and just play soulful southern delta blues, as good as the rest of them.
The Black Crowes: Kiss Me Baby On An Easter Sunday
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Three years ago, on Easter Sunday, my sister and I went to an Easter Sunday Service. Ok, so it was really a Black Crowes concert, but they did send out a notice that this nights concert was to be called the Sunday Service, and they asked everyone to wear white.
My sister and I did not.
If you’re wondering what this has to do with music and a new post, you can stop now. Obviously, we saw the Black Crowes on Easter, and thus on this 3rd anniversary of the show, I feel obligated to post some Crowes music to remind myself (and my sister) of that awesome show.
Additionally, on a bit of a deeper level, some of the Black Crowes songs incorporate Easter topics in them, inlucding Good Friday (obvious) and My Morning Song (“Kiss me baby, on an Easter Sunday”).
Now, I have always loved the Black Crowes. All my friends tell me I’m stupid, because the Counting Crows are better. This is a statement which has always confused me; making the assumption that I should only like one band with the animal ‘crow’ in it’s name and since the Counting Crows are better, I am obligated to like the to the exclusion of the Black Crowes. I would counter those claims with a few comments: You’re an idiot, Crowes is spelled differently, and they’re totally different styles of music.
The Black Crowes play a cross between a 70s rock band and a jam band. Their blues infused jam rock makes many dissenters hate them for being Led Zeppelin copycats, and trying to be a classic rock band during the 90s. For me, this is exactly why they’re great.
Listen to their studio stuff. Go see them live. And don’t worry- you’re allowed to like two bands with the same animal in their name.
The Black Crowes- Twice as Hard
The Black Crowes- Seeing Things
The Black Crowes- My Morning Song
R.E.M.
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In honor of their first album in four years and an upcoming world tour, I think that a post on alternative rock pioneers R.E.M is in order.
In the midst MTV and hair metal, these guys were able to attain relative success as an alternative rock outfit.
As the 90s rolled around and alternative music became popular, R.E.M. were seen as having paved the road for the genre.
Somehow, in recent years, they’ve managed to be faded out of mainstream radio play- no longer contemporary enough to be played on the rock stations, but not classic rock enough to be played on those stations.
But who cares? Anyone who mentions Lester Bangs and Leonard Bernstein in the same song is awesome in my book
R.E.M.- It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
and of course, the single of the new album
Everclear (Updated Links)
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I don’t care what anyone else says. I don’t care if you think my musical opinion is crap because of the statement I’m about to make. It’s something that I’ve wanted to say for a long time, so here goes:
I love Everclear!
No, not the alcohol, the band.
And no, not in the guilty pleasure kind of way, in the real “wow that band is awesome” kind of way.
Ok, I will admit that they have a defined sound. Many of their songs sound quite similar, but that’s no reason not to appreciate their sound and their influence on later 90s rock music.
Art Alexakis is a great pop-rock songwriter and has been able to crank out many a radio hit. Now, while talent is not defined by radio-play (see Britney Spears), that doesn’t mean that no one on the radio is a talented songwriter.
These guys filled the niche during the alternative 90s and really were able to take their early punk influences, the 90s grunge fad, and their pop music songwriting ability to create music that I still love to listen to.
Maybe I’m full of crap, and I just associate them with the years that I really began to love music. But who cares, to me that’s really all it takes.
Plus, they have a song called Volvo Driving Soccer Mom. Due to it’s lewd nature, I won’t post it, but if you’re interested, check it out. It’s hilarious.
Citizen Cope
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There’s something about Citizen Cope that I really like. Maybe it’s the really tight drum beats. Maybe it’s his chilled out voice. Maybe it’s his inability to grow a beard. Maybe it’s his cool style of music that just speaks to me. Who knows, but it’s some good stuff.
Enjoy.
Citizen Cope- Let the Drummer Kick
Citizen Cope- Son’s Gotta Rise
Citizen Cope- Bullet and a Target
Note: I’m trying out a new file sharing system. All songs are linked together, so you should be able to download them all at once.
The Rolling Stones
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You know what grinds my gears? The fact that the Rolling Stones are uber famous for music that is not their best. (That was not a sentence.) Their greatest hits album- Forty Licks, contains forty of their “best” songs. Somehow, not one of those songs was originally on their greatest album, in my opinion; Exile on Main Street.
If you ask any music elitist, they will tell you that the Exile is the best Stones album. Now, relying on pompous music critics is no way to judge an album, but somehow, this time, those guys got it right.
In 1971, the Stones were forced to leave England because of the ridiculous taxes they were being charged- something to the effect of 95%. (Hence the Beatles song Taxman: ‘That’s one for you, nineteen for me.’) So they fled to France and rented the Nellcote, a mansion that was used as Gestapo headquarters during WWII.
The mansion because something of a hangout for celebrities, musicians, and drug dealers- to support Keith Richards’ newfound heroin addiction. People were coming in and out, and nobody was quite sober for any extended periods of time.
The recording equipment was set up in the basement, but because of everything going on in the rest of the house, rarely were all the Stones together for any one recording session. Additionally, due to the fact that people were always coming and going, this album has quite an extensive quest musician list.
What makes this album so incredible is that it sounds so perfect and flows so well even though it was recorded over such an extended period of time, with such a wide variety of random musicians playing on every song. Ever song flows beautifully into the next as if the Stones planned the songs out perfectly. They didn’t, but somehow they were still able to create this gem of an album.
Check it out, for the first time ever! (…not really)
The Rolling Stones- Rip This Joint
The Rolling Stones- Shake Your Hips
Temple of the Dog
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While Pearl Jam was writing what would become their debut album Ten, another Seattle musician was writing music as well. However, as Pearl Jam was looking to a bright future, this songwriter was dwelling on a past he couldn’t forget- the death of his close friend and once roommate Andy Wood of Mother Love Bone. Chris Cornell, the lead singer of Soundgarden, one of the bands that helped define the “Seattle sound” in the early 90s, had written two songs in memory of his friend and wanted to record them, and put on a few shows to commemorate the life of his friend.
With Soundgarden’s drummer, Matt Cameron, behind the drum kit, Cornell went to Stone Gossard to see if Gossard, Jeff Ament, and Mike McCready would be interested in filling in as the rest of the band. As Wood’s former bandmates, Gossard and Ament were more than willing to join.
Initially planning on recording the three songs that Cornell had written, the band went into the studio and came out with a full album. They called themselves Temple of the Dog, a reference to a lyric in a Mother Love Bone song.
One of the more famous songs from the album, Hunger Strike, features Eddie Vedder on lead vocals. Since Pearl Jam was writing for their album at the same time, Vedder was hanging around the studio when Temple of the Dog was recording. On this particular song, Cornell was having some trouble hitting the low notes. Vedder offered his help, and ended up singing lead vocals on the song, with Cornell on backup.
The magnum opus of the album, though, is Reach Down, a song Cornell wrote about a dream he had about Andy. For the extended solo in the song, Cornell told McCready just to reach within himself, and let loose. Used to playing shorter more concise solos, McCready had to be convinced that he was allowed to just let loose and wail on this song. As the story goes, about halfway through the solo, McCready’s headphones flew off, and he recorded the rest of it without even hearing the backing music.
But the beauty of this album resides in the fact that they didn’t care about selling it, or making money, or getting signed to a major label. It was just a bunch of friends sitting down and remembering a close friend.
Temple of the Dog- Say Hello 2 Heaven
Temple of the Dog- Hunger Strike
Temple of the Dog- Times of Trouble
Temple of the Dog- All Night Thing
Here is the message written in the liner notes of the album:
GREEN RIVER & SOUNDGARDEN.
80’s SEATTLE BANDS MAKING HUGE SOUNDS.
FRIENDS ONE & ALL WITH SIMILAR
INTERESTS & A GENUINE RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.
CHRIS & MATT DID THINGS THAT AMAZED
STONE & JEFF AND VICE VERSA. LIFE WAS BEGINNING.
THEY HAD MANY COMMON FRIENDS,
ONE BEING MUSICIAN/ENTERTAINER FREDDIE PRODIGY
ANDREW WOOD.
WHO LIVED WITH CHRIS, WORKED WITH JEFF, & PLAYED AN
OCCASIONAL ACOUSTIC SET WITH STONE.
GREEN RIVER BROKE UP & ANDREW JOINED STONE & JEFF
…MOTHER LOVE BONE. LIFE WAS GREAT.
SOUNDGARDEN MADE RECORDS, TOURED, ROCKED HARD,
FLOURISHED. MOTHER LOVE BONE
MADE RECORDS & WAS ON THE VERGE OF…
AND WE ALL LOST OUR BEAUTIFUL FRIEND, ANDREW.
THE REST OF US HUNG.
TOLD STORIES, HELPED EACH OTHER. LAUGHED. CRIED.
LIFE WAS CONFUSING.
CHRIS WROTE TWO AMAZING SONGS ABOUT ANDY (SAY
HELLO 2 HEAVEN & REACH DOWN) & ASKED STONE &
JEFF & MATT 2 RECORD THEM. YES.
LIFE MOVES ON.
WE JAMMED. GUITAR WIZARD, MASTER OF ANIMAL SOUNDS
MIKE CAME BY. WE DID COFFEE. ATE HUGE
CARCASS-LESS MEALS WITH CYCLOPS AND DRANK WITH
SEPTIEM & THE OTHER GODS. MUSIC
FLOWED, WE GOT EXCITED, PLAYED A SHOW, WROTE MORE
SONGS & REELED IN A (N) POUNDER.
…IN A GOOD WAY. 10 SONGS. SPONTANEOUS. CREATION.
EMOTION. VERY PLEASING. REAL MUSIC.
NO ANALYZING. NO PRESSURE. NO HYPE. JUST MUSIC
TO MAKE MUSIC. FRIENDS AND A
REASON. CHEMISTRY.
BEAUTY.
LIFE RULES!
Pearl Jam- Beginnings
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Following the release of Mother Love Bone, bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard decided not to continue the band and didn’t know what to do with their lives; they had been so close to stardom and the rug was pulled out from under them. Starting over was too hard to bear, especially with the loss of a close friend still on their minds.
But the music was to prevail, and Ament and Gossard began jamming nightly in Gossard’s mother’s attic. They asked lead guitarist Michael McCready, who was playing in a metal group called Shadow, to join them. McCready agreed, and the trio began the painful and therapeutic process of writing music. After a few months of writing, the trio went into a studio and laid down three tracks which Gossard called Dollar Short, Agyptian Crave, and Times of Trouble.
They began searching for a vocalist and a drummer, at one point asking Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons if he would be willing to play with them. He himself was unavailable, but told them he had a surfer friend in San Diego who might be a good vocalist for the band. His name – Eddie Vedder.
Gossard sent the tape to Vedder and according to legend, Vedder listened to the tape, went surfing, and came up with the lyrics to Dollar Short in his head while he was out in the water; he called the song Alive. Writing lyrics for all three songs, Vedder dubbed his vocals onto the tape and sent it back to Gossard.
Known to Pearl Jam fans as the Mamasan Demos, here is the recording that Vedder sent back to Gossard.
Mother Love Bone
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It’s been a while since we’ve done a post relating to the 90s music. This time, however, we’re going to dig back a bit deeper into the Seattle scene and pull out a band from the late 80s- Mother Love Bone.
Just to give a bit of history, pre-grunge rockers Green River broke up in 1987 and their members formed 2 influential grunge bands; Mudhoney, fronted by grunge’s anti-establishment spokesperson- Mark Arm, and Mother Love Bone. Bassist Jeff Ament, and guitarists Bruce Fairweather and Stone Gossard joined up with Andrew Wood, an ostentatious front-man who acted as if he was born to be a rock star. But while Andy was so open about his craziness on the stage, in real life he was something of an introvert, reflecting a history of drug abuse that would soon become apparent to the rest of his band.
The band was almost immediately picked up by a major label and was on the verge of releasing their first album, entitled Apple, when Andy tragically succumbed to a heroin overdose. Unwilling to continue the band without Andy, the band members decided to release a longer album consisting of all the songs they had written, and simply called it Mother Love Bone.
Once described by a journalist as “Guns n’ Roses, with better vocals and worse guitar,” Mother Love Bone were the forerunners of the grunge movement both in their influence of the musical style of the Seattle scene, and more specifically in the fact that bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard would continue to write music, eventually forming a small Seattle band called Pearl Jam. Their combination of heavy guitar music with slow powerful ballads shows the transition from the power pop metal music of the 80s, to the more heartfelt and less polished music of the 90s.
Mother Love Bone- This Is Shangrila
Mother Love Bone- Man of Golden Words
JET
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Since I’m really into making lists, I’m going to list you the top, however many I can think of, reasons why JET is the best band of the 21st century.
1. Everyone loves Rolling Stones inspired blues-rock songs, and no one can replicate that quite like Jet can.
2. They’re British
3. They’ve put out 2 awesome albums
4. Even cooler than the albums they’ve already put out is the fact that they haven’t put out a 3rd album yet, meaning they aren’t giving into record company pressure to put out new albums every single year.
5. They’re British
6. They’re a British band made up of two brothers; kind of like Oasis, but with better songwriting skills, and less hatred between them
7. Most importantly, they write awesome songs, like the following:
Garage Rock: A Scientific Study
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I love garage rock, or specifically, the garage rock revival that occurred in the early 2000s. (I think that’s what we’re supposed to call the decade.) One of the things I love about garage rock is the fact that no one really knows how to define it. According to Wikipedia, “Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll.” That sounds good enough, but then why isn’t Neil Young considered garage rock? Did these bands all play in garages? What about bands that play in basements- could they be considered garage rock?
My goal, in this post is to uncover the true meaning of garage rock by analyzing the hit singles of four contemporary garage rock bands; The Hives, The Vines, The White Stripes, and The Strokes. We will look at the similarities between the bands, the songs, and anything else that may give us insight into what this genre actually is.
1. All of these bands have the word “The” starting off their band name. I’m not sure if this is a requirement for garage rock bands, but if you look at the list of garage rock bands on Wikipedia, you’ll discover that many of them use the word “The” in their band name.
2. All of these bands have at least a drummer and a guitarist. Some bands have more members, but the core of drummer and guitarist is probably a key element to making garage rock.
3. None of the Wikipedia websites for these bands mention anything about them playing in garages, so that probably isn’t a prerequisite for playing garage rock.
4. While The Vines, The Hives, and The White Stripes have a very raw sound, which would be associated with garage rock (at least according to Wikipedia) The Strokes do not, leading me to question their status as real garage rockers.
Ok, just to sum up; we’ve discovered that garage rock bands may or may not have the word “The” in their band name, they probably have at least a drummer and a guitarist, they don’t necessarily have to have played in a garage, and The Strokes probably shouldn’t even be considered garage rock.
The Hives- Hate To Say I Told You So
Reasons Why I Love The Strokes:
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1. Cool suits
2. I once read an interview where guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. said he would give up one of his testicles to play like Albert King. And I believed him.
3. They have a guru
4. They have the ability to be both tight and calculated, and loose at the same time.
5. They brought back rock at a time when the charts were being dominated crappy nu-metal bands like Nickleback, Puddle of Mudd, System of a Down, Staind, and Linkin Park.
6. They’re so uncool that they’re cool
7. You can listen to all three of their albums the entire way through
8. The drum intro to Under Control freaks me out, because I can’t figure out if it’s in time or slightly out
9.They have Jew-fros
Bluesman
Let’s get back to the blues. The style of music that really started it all. Beginning with field calls, developing into southern delta blues, and eventually moving it’s way up north via route 61 to Chicago and becoming electric blues; this genre is one that has been able to undergo intense development, but still remain true to the basics. Blues is the heart and soul of American music, so if you don’t like the blues, then you’re un-American.
Buddy Guy- One Room Country Shack
B.B. King- How Blue Can You Get
Ry Cooder- Dark is the Night
Albert King and SRV- Stormy Monday Blues
Stevie Ray Vaughn- Life By The Drop
Joe Bonamassa- The River
The Allman Brothers Band- Old Friend
Trees
While listening to In My Tree of a Pearl Jam bootleg I recently acquired, I realized that there are a bunch of really good songs about trees. The drums to In My Tree are awesome, and even though Vedder is slightly off key throughout the intro- this is one of the best versions of the song I’ve ever heard.
Pearl Jam- In My Tree
Cypress Tree is a fantastic song off the Black Crows hit Lions.
The Black Crowes- Cypress Tree
Hanging Tree is one of the new songs of the upcoming Counting Crows album, and was recently (within the past week) debuted in concert.
Counting Crows- Hanging Tree
The Dreaming Tree is one of DMB’s best songs (in my opinion).
Dave Matthews Band- The Dreaming Tree
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree is a straight up fun song that everyone can enjoy.
KT Tunstall- Black Horse and The Cherry Tree
Fake Plastic Trees is by Radiohead, and that’s really all you have to say about it- it must be good.
Radiohead- Fake Plastic Trees
One Tree Hill is off an album that also has the word Tree in the title (The Joshua Tree) and since I didn’t want to post the entire album, I figured posting one of my favorite songs that also contains the word tree in it would suffice.
U2- One Tree Hill
So sit down under a tree on this windy Sunday afternoon, get out your headphones, and kick back to these tracks.
A Little Bit of Jazz
Ok, so to expand our musical horizons, we’re going to delve into the musical stylings known as jazz. There’s nothing quite like coming home after a long day, taking out a Miles Davis record, laying that needle down, and listening to those glorious horns. While not all of you can hear this stuff on vinyl (which may not necessarily sound better, but definitely has a cooler feel) you can download the mp3s and go crazy with them.Buddy Rich- Caravan
Louis Armstrong- West End Blues
Miles Davis- Blue in Green
Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass- I Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues
Joe Pass- Night and Day
Count Basie- The Kid From Red Bank
Duke Ellington- Duke’s Place
Jam On
A camper of mine has been bugging me for quite some time to do a guest posting, and due to the lack of jam band music on this blog, and his good knowledge of that genre, I decided to relent and let him have his fun with a guest post. So here is Aron Gold, and his take on the Jam Band genre. There is a lot to say about jam bands. Their music is vivacious and original; each song is unique every time it is played, every jam song’s distinctive signature can never be duplicated. This ultimately defines a “Jam Band.” Simply put, each jam band produces music which is spontaneous and one-off. This spontaneity at live shows allows the artist an incredible amount of artistic freedom, which is pretty fresh in an age where record labels and producers control every aspect of the recordings and create computer generated “music” that begins to sound similar to a metal forks being shoved down a garbage disposal.
The sound of Jam is sweet and tasteful with it’s out of control guitar riffs, groovy baselines, and uncontrollable beats. (By the way you don’t have to be on drugs to appreciate the sincerity of the music: stay sober kids)
The relatively brief history of Jam can be traced back to the early blues bands of the early 20th century. Till then the Blues genre didn’t change much until the cultural revolution of the late 60s and early 70s. The Grateful Dead can really be cited as the first jam band, and shortly after the genre exploded, and bands like the Allman Brothers and Jimi Hendrix busted onto the scene.
Since I don’t have the time or space to cover the history of Jam, I’m going start off in the present state of the Jam scene for this post, and hopefully work my way back (if Schwartz lets me) in later posts. Some of newer bands are basically an orchestra with two or three guitarists, a bassist, two drummers, a keyboardist, violinist and 4 or 5 piece horn sections. Others take a minimalist approach with only two guys. Hopefully I will be able to encompass much of the modern scene with just a few songs.
The first two songs are part of the Jam scene called “Jam-Tronica” (a play on “electronic,” a very rave and industrial sounding genre). They may seem abstract at first, but give them a chance they are incredibly energetic and fun.
The first song is by a band called Pnuma Trio, its three guys a bassist: keyboardist and drummer. Notice that there is no guitarist. Th
e song that I have chosen is called Air, it is very progressive and the beat builds to massive proportions throughout the entire song, and is incredibly quick. Despite the electronic sound, it is in fact very “Jam.”
The Disco Biscuits- Little Lai
The second song is by a band called The Disco Biscuits. I love these guys they are so much fun because, their songs are so abstract and enjoyable. The song is called Little Lai, and it is from a concert I went to about a year ago. Give it a shot, it’s also pretty progressive like the first, but it has some real cool jams towards the end with great guitar riffs.
Benevento/Russo Duo- Becky, Mephisto
This next one is from a really cool band called Benevento/Russo Duo. These two guys use their keyboard and drum to create a sound called “Neo-Jazz.” The song is called Becky, Manifesto. It’s really two songs but the transition is totally transparent, because of the intense jam in the middle. It’s really cool listen; the whole thing, give it a chance.
The String Cheese Incident- Born On the Wrong Planet
Let’s get moving right along here, and take a departure from the really abstract stuff. Hopefully you guys have heard of this band before; The String Cheese Incident. This band was one of the original pioneers of the jam-bluegrass genre. There sound is for the most part acoustic with some very organic beats. It’s called Born on the Wrong Planet. Again, I apologize for the slow start to these songs, but the progressions are incredible and artistic. This one starts out with a funky acoustic jam that’s very natural.
These next guys are great; the band is called Tea Leaf Green. They create great music that is really funky and got a great sound. The song is called One Reason, and it’s a one of a kind the way it contains many blues influenced riffs on the guitar and keyboard.
Dave Matthews Band- Ants Marching
I just got to do a Dave song! It wouldn’t be right for me not to. This song is a little bit different; it’s got more of a bluegrass feel due to addition of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones playing alongside Dave. If you don’t know anything about the Flecktones, they have an incredible bassist and Bela Fleck is an unbelievable banjo player. These guys together with Dave put an interesting twist on an old classic, Ants Marching, the song I have provided.
Of all the bands in this list, Phish is probably the most noted for their contribution and development of Jam. Their music is archetypal Jam, and is synonymous with the scene. Trey Anastasio is probably on the top 10 guitarist of all time list, considering people like Hendrix, Page, Clapton and Garcia are on that same list, is very impressive. The Song I have Chosen is Tweezer Reprise, its ultra energetic and encompasses a lot of what phish represents, it’s got a great rhythm and baseline composed by Mike Gordon, their resident bassist.
Keller Williams is in incredible acoustic guitarist with roots in blues and bluegrass. He got his big break opening for the String Cheese Incident on their tour. He tours by himself as a one man act, running from instrument to instrument, looping them together to create a very original sound. The song is called Best Feeling, and I believe it speaks for itself.
Ok, one more for the road…
Dropkick Murphys
We’re gonna do a two-for-Tuesday today, even though it’s only Sunday. Yea, that’s right. I’m just in that kind of mood. What kind of mood you ask? The kind of mood that makes me want to get in touch with my Irish roots, don a kilt, drink way too much, and go all out crazy.These guys will do that to ya. The Dropkick Murphys sound like someone took a nice Irish folk band and cross-bred them with a bunch of New England punks. These guys are something else.
Oh, and you might recognize one of the songs from The Departed.
Dropkick Murphys- State of Massachusets
Dropkick Murphys- I’m Shipping Up To Boston
John Butler Trio: November 10th 2007
I’m going to do my absolute best to get recordings of the concerts that I go to, so that I can post them afterwards. This one took a while, but I finally found a recording of it. I saw the John Butler Trio at Terminal 5 on November 10th, and it was a fantastic show. Some bands are fun in concert because their songs lend themselves to dancing. Some bands are fun in concert because of the intensity that they play each and every song. Every now and then, you get to see a band that has both of those qualities. JBT played with a fire that I did not expect of them, and did so for over 2 hours. The show was fantastic, and if you have a top 3 bands you’re looking to see someday, JBT should definitely make the cut.
The John Butler Trio
Used To Get High
Pickapart
Something’s Got To Give
Daniella
Gov Did Nothing
Caroline
Treat Yo Mama
Losing You
Ocean
Groovin’ Slowly
Hello
Zebra
Good Excuse
Come Together
Better Than
Funky Tonight
Pop Punk Party
Allister- Somewhere Down on Fullerton
These guys epitomize pop punk. Both the music and the lyrics evoke your early teenage years. But as much as I don’t want to like them, it seems that I’ve fallen in love with these guys. According to my iTunes, I’ve played this song 33 times (and counting). What can I say, I guess its just that soft spot in my heart for cute melodies over crushing power chords. Any way you look at it, this song is a pop punk gem.
The Lawrence Arms- The First Eviction Notice
The opening palm muted chords that quickly morph into fully realized power chords a few bars in is what pop punk is all about. I have no idea what this song is about, and I don’t really care, that’s not what pop punk is about- it’s about ignoring the intricacies that music is supposed to have, ignoring the meaning that lyrics are supposed to evoke, and just rocking out to a song that sounds great.
Clocking in at just 59 seconds, this song has it all; two verses, a chorus, and even a key change. That’s pretty impressive for pop punk, especially in such a short song. But they don’t care what you think anyway- cause they’re punk. Right?
You can tell these guys are punk because they spelled “rock” incorrectly. Yea! That’ll stick it to the man! But who cares- this song is just plain fun, especially the no instrument sings along pat 1:21 in. I’d even consider seeing these guys in concert just to be able to sing along to that part. Hmmm. Are they coming to New York anytime soon?
None More Black- I’ll Buy You the Fucking Single
I’m not sure what this song has to do with the title. In most punk songs, they just take the title, and repeat it as a chorus ad nauseam (or at least as ad nauseam as you can get in a song under 2 minutes long). The backing vocals on the verse (“Hey! Hey! Hey!”) are classic. But for a pop punk song, this one is pretty long, and even has some song development. Who knew punks were so musically talented?
These guys just plain rock. There’s very little melody in their vocal lines, and it’s tough to even call this one pop punk. It’s more of a straight up punk rock song. It’s almost like they took Nirvana, made it a little faster, and added a better vocalist (or at least one who annunciates their words). And they have a bass and guitar solo- yea this is totally not even punk rock. But it’s fun- so who cares?
Black Tie Bombers- Lying Is Punishable By Death
Before even listening to the song, you gotta give these guys props on both their band name choice. It sounds like it should be thought provoking, but it’s definitely not. Great job guys. This song it classic pop punk- bad melodious vocals, faster than necessary drums, except for the chorus (can I even call that a chorus?) and repetitive down-strummed guitars. I know there’s a guitar solo, but it takes three seconds, so we’ll still let this one remain in the pop-punk genre; I mean, in what other genre do you have the entire band singing the chorus?
This song must be intense, they put an exclamation point after the song title. We’ll, it is kinda intense, though it sounds quite similar to the previous song (with worse vocals, drums and guitars). I guess I just liked the intro to the song.
Smoke Or Fire- Loving, Self-Loathing
This one actually sounds a bit different from the other songs, but then again, it has all of the ingredients to make a great pop punk song; a cool guitar driven intro and pre-chorus, a bass driven verse, and a sing-along chorus. What more could one ask for? It’s brilliant.
This one is just great. The intro is actually cool; the way the guitar sounds like its being played in a bathtub until the drums kick in? pretty cool in my book. This guy actually has a good voice, and the song actually has structure; they have a verse, a pre-chorus, and a chorus. Not all pop punk songs can boast that kind of structure. Plus, they have the sing-along aspect to the chorus which just adds to the fun. Hmm, maybe these guys are on tour as well… could be a fun show.
Acoustic Cafe
Erik Mongrain (a Canadian guitarist) primarily uses a technique called lap tapping, where the guitar is placed on ones lap and instead of just strumming or picking the chords or notes, the guitarist taps on the fretboard to create a slew of beautiful sounds. If you really want to get the full effect, check him out on youtube.
Erik Mongrain- PercusienFa
Erik Mongrain- Air Taps
Andy McKee is another one of these hidden acoustic guitar players. He does some crazy things with capos that allow him to get a very flowy acoustic sound, different from most other guitarists.
Andy McKee- Rylynn
Andy McKee- Drifting
Justin King has mastered the art of slap guitar. A style most commonly associated with the bass, slap guitar is when instead of just picking the notes, you slap them with your thumb, giving the note a cool sound. Check out Justin doing this onyoutube– his right hand moves so freaking fast.
Justin King- taps
Justin King- Phunkified
Kaki King is one of the few females in this genre. She does some crazy things with her fingernails, and plays the guitar very unconventionally. Check her out on youtube as well
Kaki King- Playing With Pink Noise
We’ve spoken about the John Butler Trio before, but until I saw them in concert, I had no idea how good of a guitarist John was. This song is his own solo acoustic piece that he plays almost every show. No vocals, no accompanying instruments; just John rocking out on an acoustic guitar. This version is kind of long (16 minutes or so) but it builds up quite nicely, so please listen to it the whole way through. If you want a better quality version, buy the Live at St. Gallens version on the iTunes store.
Make sure to check out CandyRat Records. Many of these musicians happen to be on this record label, and you can find many more artists like them here.
Mixtape Madness: March 1998 Side A
I’ve been wanting to do a post like this for quite a while. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I used to sit by my radio, waiting for my favorite songs to come on so I could dub them onto mixtapes, enabling me to listen to them whenever I so pleased. I knew all of the numbers of all of the radio stations by heart, and I would call them all- requesting my songs until they were played. WHFS, 98 Rock, DC101, and WGRX (before they switched to Froggy country music) were my stations. I knew which DJs would take requests and which ones would ignore me. It was a science to me, and I approached it as such.
It’s a bit sad that the art of the mixtape has been lost, but we’re in a different generation. The CD burner, while awesome, kind of killed of this art. Kids don’t listen to the radio like they used to. So this is for all you guys who remember what it was like to make a mixtape, and for those of you who never experienced it.
This is a mixtape that I made in March of 1998, almost 10 years ago. We’re going to do Side A in this post, and we’ll bring out Side B soon.
The Offspring- Disclaimer
Our Lady Peace- Clumsy
Cornershop- Brimful of Asha
Blink 182- Dammit
Matchbox 20- 3 AM
The Presidents of the United States of America- Video Killed the Radio Star
Semisonic- Closing Time
Our Lady Peace- Superman’s Dead
Everclear- I Will Buy You a New Life
Matchbox 20- Long Day
Aerosmith- Hole In My Soul
Smash Mouth- Walking On the Sun
The Allman Brothers Band: March 14th 2006
In March of 2005 I almost saw the Allman Brothers for the first time. Took the 1 train down to the Beacon Theater, bought tickets off a scalper- standing room only tickets- and confidently headed to the ticket taker.
“Sorry, we cancelled those tickets.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yea. The fire department decided they were a fire hazard, so they made us cancel the tickets.”
“So can I get a refund?”
“We already refunded the online purchaser.”
“But I didn’t buy these online. I bought them off a scalper!”
“Well then, it sucks to be you.”
I walked around the venue to try and find the guy who sold us our tickets, but of course he was gone. I returned home- upset, and out $50.
The next year came, and as March rolled around, I decided to actually purchase tickets from Ticketmaster. And so, on March 14th 2006, I actually did see the Allman Brothers for the first time.
The show was great. The opened with the classics, Revival and Midnight Rider, and then jumped right into some of the newer stuff, before going back to some classics for Trouble No More. After that, they brought out the Juke Horns to help out with some covers. First they played Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic, followed by The Band’s The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Afterwards they went into a more bluesy set, bringing out some old bluesmen like Elvin Bishop and Pine Top Perkins (who played with Muddy Waters). Leave My Blues changed from a 4 minute blues song into a 20 minute drum solo- with all three drummers taking turns delighting the crowd with their intertwining rhythms. For the encore, they brought the Juke Horns back out and wowed the crowd with an energetic version of Southbound.
They Brothers were at the top of their game that night, as you can hear in this stellar recording.
Revival
Midnight Rider
Firing Line
Rocking Horse
Gamblers Roll
Trouble No More
Into the Mystic
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Samething
What The Hell is Going On
19 Years Old
Got My Mojo Working
Egypt
Leave My Blues at Home
No One Left To Run With
Southbound
The Five Best Movie-Music Moments…EVER
Ahhh. The finals have finally ended. And thus, I emerge from the library and return to my computer to post everything I was unable to during my week-long studying/paper writing/test taking hibernation.
This was an idea that popped into my head during reading week, but I did not have the time nor the energy to put this post together. But here it is- the best music scenes in any movie- ever.
Number 5
To start us off, No. 5 has to be Twist and shout from Ferris Beuller’s Day Off.“Ladies and gentlemen, you are such a wonderful crowd, we’d like to play a little tune for you. It’s one of my personal favorites and I’d like to dedicate it to a young man who doesn’t think he’s seen anything good today – Cameron Frye, this one’s for you.”
Cameron Frye, this one is for you.
Number Four
Moving over to No. 4, we’re going to bring out a more obscure movie. This one was called Crossroads- not the Britney Spears one, but the one with Ralph Macchio (the guy from the Karate Kid). This time around, he’s a classical guitar student at Julliard (nicknamed Lightning Boy) who heads down south to find the fabled 29th Robert Johnson song. To help him find it, he locates Johnson’s harmonica player Blind Dog, a bluesman who traded his soul for his harmonica playing skills at a legendary crossroads. The movie climaxes when Lightning Boy offers to play one more guitar duel. If he wins- Blind Dog gets his soul back. If not, he loses his soul as well. So it’s lightning boy (who’s parts are supposedly played by Ry Cooder) against Steve Vai. Here’s that classic duel.
Steve Vai & Ry Cooder- Guitar Duel From Crossroads
Number Three
Some people have seen the movie High Fidelity, but many have not. Working in a record store has always been something of a dream of mine- so this movie will always have its place in my heart. But beyond that, the scene where Jack Black gets onstage and wows everyone with his rendition of Let’s Get It One is just amazing. “Thank you for the enthusiastic introduction Rob, but we’re no longer Sonic Death Monkey. We’re on the verge of being called Kathleen Turner Overdrive, but for tonight, we’re Barry Jive and the Uptown Five.” In comes the wah-powered guitar, and the rest, my friends, is history.
Number Two
This next one (No. 2) will probably be more familiar to most of you. Get in a fight with the band. Go to an all night party with “real people.” Stand on top of a roof and scream “I am a golden god!” and “I’m on drugs!” Morning comes, and you get back on the tour bus. “Ladies and gentlemen, the evening is over. We hope you all enjoyed yourselves, and we’ll see you all again in 1974.” The rest of the band is talking to you, and you’re not talking to them. But then the radio starts up; a simple Elton John song. And then the bassist starts to sing along. “I have to go home.” “You are home.”
Whenever that song comes on the radio- we’re all home.
Number One
Number one isn’t even a question. This may even be my favorite movie of all time. I think it had to do with the record store theme, but who knows. But with Sponge playing in the background, as they start lifting the drums up onto the roof- you know something fun is about to happen. Coyote Shivers is the band, and also the actor who leads the band on the roof. It’s just simple punk rock, but supplemented by Renee Zellweger’s backing vocals makes this performance a total gem. “Geena. Take the lead.” “What?” “You- lead.”
[Editor’s note: the studio version of the song does not include Renee’s backing vox, so I’m also posting the version that I ripped from the movie.]
Coyote Shivers- Sugarhigh
Coyote Shivers- Sugarhigh (Movie Version)
Happy New Year’s!!!
New Year’s/Holiday season mix-tape!
Death Cab For Cutie- The New Year
Pearl Jam- Don’t Believe in Christmas
Foo Fighters- Next Year
U2- New Year’s Day
Blink 182- I Won’t Be Home For Christmas
Hope you enjoy
We Belong… Together… Together!
As I sit here on Friday afternoon, eating my lunch of mac-and-cheese, watching the newest Pearl Jam DVD- Imagine in Cornice, I just can’t get over how much singer Eddie Vedder puts into each and every song. The intensity and emotion that he sings with, without going over the top, is just incredible.
But what makes it work, is that it’s all real.
One song in particular, Black, fits this mold perfectly.
It’s got nothing to do with melody or timing or even words; it has to do with the emotion behind the song. You can’t put out 50 percent. You have to sing them from a feeling. Like `Alive’ and `Jeremy’ to this day–and `Black.’ Those songs, they tear me up.
But just like Alive, while the song meant one thing to Vedder- it meant something totally different to the fans.
At a monumental MTV Unplugged performance, by just adding a few words to the end of the song, Vedder changed the song from a ballad about lost love to one that a troubled generation needed to hear.
The band returned from a European tour and taped a stirring edition of Unplugged. There was a particularly galvanizing, unforgettable moment at the end of “Black.” “We belong . . . together . . . together,” Vedder sang. It was simple, a guy sitting on a stool, ripping his heart out, drowning emotionally, right there in front of you. After Unplugged, letters to the band’s Ten Club almost doubled, many were about “Black,” and they began in an eerily similar fashion: “I was recently considering suicide, and then I heard your music. . . .”
Here is that recording, from Pearl Jam’s unplugged show.
Top Songs of 2007 By Bands I’d Never Heard of Before.
Thanks to my friends and all the music-blogs that turned me on to these songs.
Andrew Bird- Dark MatterHaven’t really heard of this dude before, but this song is lots of fun. Listen closely- it’s about the board game Operation. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Band of Horses- Is There a Ghost
Ok, in terms of lyrics, maybe these guys aren’t so poetic. I think there are ten words in the entire song. But that’s irrelevant, because the music is great. I don’t know much about these guys, but beyond being worried about ghosts in their houses, they cranked out a pretty awesome song.
Centro-matic- Daggers Sharp Enough
Apparently these guys have been around for over ten years and have released 11 full length albums, and many more EPs and singles. Who knew? Well, I discovered them this year. This is a perfect rainy day song, so put on your galoshes, sync your iPod, and walk through the grossness of the NYC rain while cranking this melancholic gem.
So I got this CD yesterday and have fallen in love with it (thanks Shua). To me, these guys sound like a cross between Jack Johnson (but good), Jason Mraz, Dispatch, with some acoustic funk mixed in. Oh, and check out the harmonica solo- you don’t see that too much anymore.
White Denim- Dark Sided Computer Moth
Not sure what to say about this one. These guys kinda sound like Jet on speed, if they forgot all the lyrics to their songs. Hmmm… not the greatest review of a band, but a fun song.
Medicine- One More
Ok, so this song kinda freaks me out. But for some reason, I can’t stop listening to it. It sounds pretty cacophonous at first, but then it almost sounds soothing. Weird. Haven’t found anyone besides me who likes this one yet, so let me know. Am I crazy? Or are there redeeming qualities to this track?
The Foxboro Hot Tubs- Mother Mary
Here’s the story with these guys. Less than a month ago a band that called themselves The Foxboro Hot Tubs put up a website with a 6-song downloadable EP. Rumor has it, that it’s the guys from Green Day, but nothing has been confirmed. Check them out here.
Pearl Jam: The Trilogy
We know it as one of the original grunge anthems. Like most others listening to the radio in the early 90s, we took it as a rallying call- “I’m still alive!” three words that got us through youth and adolescence. But to Eddie Vedder, the song was so much more.
“Everybody writes about it like it’s a life-affirmation thing–I’m really glad about that,’ he says with a rueful laugh. “It’s a great interpretation. But `Alive’ is . . . it’s torture. Which is why it’s fucked up for me. Why I should probably learn how to sing another way. It would be easier. It’s . . . it’s too much.”
See, for Eddie Vedder, Alive was just the first song of an emotional trilogy of songs, that came to be know to Pearl Jam fans as the Mamasan demos.To give a bit of historical context, Stone Gossard (guitar), Jeff Ament (bass), and Mike McCready (guitar) recorded a few instrumental songs Stone had written, and sent them to Eddie Vedder, a singer for the band Bad Radio, and an avid surfer. As the story goes Vedder listened to the music one morning, and then went surfing. While out in the water, he came up with the words to all three of the instrumental songs. He sent the songs with the overdubbed lyrics back to Stone in Seattle. These songs were to become Vedder’s very own semi-personal trilogy,Alive, Once, and Footsteps.
But for Vedder, those three first songs were more than just his resume for the band, but the story of a tortured soul, as the songs blur the lines between Vedder’s own life, and a fiction he created.According to Vedder, this is the story:
The story of the song is that a mother is with a father, and the father dies. It’s an intense thing because the son looks just like the father. The son grows up to be the father, the person that she lost. His father’s dead, and now this confusion, his mother, his love, how does he love her, how does she love him? In fact, the mother, even though she marries somebody else, there’s no one she’s ever loved more than the father. You know how it is, first loves and stuff. And the guy dies. How could you ever get him back? But the son. He looks exactly like him. It’s uncanny. So she wants him. The son is oblivious to it all. He doesn’t know what the fuck is going on. He’s still dealing, he’s still growing up. He’s still dealing with love, he’s still dealing with the death of his father. All he knows is `I’m still alive’–those three words, that’s totally out of burden.
Now the second verse is `Oh, she walks slowly into a young man’s room . . . I can remember to this very day . . . the look . . . the look.’ And I don’t say anything else. And because I’m saying, `The look, the look,’ everyone thinks it goes with `on her face.’ It’s not on her face. The look is between her legs. Where do you go with that? That’s where you came from.
But `I’m still alive.’ I’m the lover that’s still alive. And the whole conversation about `You’re still alive, she said.’ And his doubts: `Do I deserve to be? Is that the question?’ Because he’s fucked up forever!
So now he doesn’t know how to deal with it, so what does he do, he goes out killing people–that was [the song] `Once.’ He becomes a serial killer. And `Footsteps,’ the final song of the trilogy [it was released as a U.K. B side to `Jeremy’], that’s when he gets executed. That’s what happens. The Green River killer . . . and in San Diego, there was another prostitute killer down there. Somehow I related to that. I think that happens more than we know. It’s a modern way of dealing with a bad life.”
I’m just glad I became a songwriter.
This is the first time that the entire trilogy was played live.
Enjoy.
Concert Recap: 2007
State Radio- The Bowery Ballroom (2/17/2007)
This was the fourth time I saw SR in concert, and quite possibly the best show of theirs I’ve been to. The Bowery was filled to capacity with tons of SR super-fans, singing along to every word of every song- even the ones that hadn’t been released yet. Even though they may not have the musical superiority of bigger bands, their live shows are great. The music is tight, and the band members feed off each other quite well. The sound was also pretty good, as you can hear in the songs.
State Radio- Time Served
State Radio- Revolutionaries
Farm Aid- Randalls Island (9/9/2007)
I wasn’t supposed to be at this show. I bought tickets to the show over the summer, and then found out that I had a meeting the same day, from 12-5 PM, which I could not miss if I wanted to keep my job. So I sorrowfully sold my ticket to a friend. Come the day of the show, our meeting ends a bit early. One of the guys I work with comes up to me and tells me that very few of the bands had gone on, and did I want to split a cab with him over to the show? So we hop into a cab and zoom over to Randalls Island. We get out, and I see someone holding a few tickets. I approach him and ask how much he wants for one. He looks at me, tells me it’s an extra, and just hands the ticket to me. I stand there for a couple seconds, flabbergasted, before running into the venue to search for my friends. As I pass through the turnstile, I hear over the loudspeaker “I have the pleasure to introduce to you THE COUNTING CROWS!”
Counting Crows
While running through the crowd, I hear the opening chords to Rain King, at which point I stop dead in my tracks to just soak up the intro to the song. After standing there for a couple seconds, I call and find my friends, and enjoy a short but awesome Crows set.
After Rain King, Adam and crew jumped into Recovering the Satellites, followed by Washington Square, a new song that Adam described as a song “about my neighborhood and about leaving it behind.” They followed that up with a blistering rendition of A Murder of One (my personal favorite Crows song) before saying goodbye with A Long December along with a beautifully reworked intro to the song.
Counting Crows- Washington Square
Counting Crows- A Long December
The Allman Brothers Band
After the Crows set, Greg Allman came on to do a 2 song acoustic set with some friends of his. He first played Midnight Rider with Willie Nelson and followed that up with Melissa, which he played with Warren Haynes and Dave Matthews.
After his acoustic set, the rest of his band joined him for a full on electric Allman Brothers set. They ripped through Trouble No More, Revival, Who’s Been Talking, Black Hearted Woman, Statesboro Blues, and ended off with One Way Out.
Beyond the fact that the entire band plays phenomenally live, Derek Trucks was unstoppable that night. His solos were unlike anything I’ve ever heard him play, and it almost sounded like Duane Allman was back onstage playing with his boys again.
The Allman Brothers Band- Melissa
The Allman Brothers Band- Black Hearted Woman
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
So, I had been trying to go to a Dave concert since I was 14 years old. And every single time he’s come to my area, I haven’t been able to go for some reason or another. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed when Dave and Tim came out. I had thought that the entire Dave Matthews Band would be playing, but it was just Dave and Tim. In the end, though, they played a fantastic set and I was satisfied with their performance. Tim Reynolds is an insanely good guitar player, and he and Dave mesh beautifully. They opened with Lie In Our Graves, went into Gravedigger, Crush, Maker, and the Dreaming Tree, before finishing off with Ants Marching.
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds- Dreaming Tree
I stayed a bit longer and heard John Mellencamp (who was pretty good) and Neil Young (who was atrocious).
John Butler Trio- Terminal 5 (11/10/2007)
The lights turn out. The crowd comes to life. John steps out onto the stage, his dreadlocks tied in a braid behind his head, and welcomes the crowd to the show. His two band mates come out join him, and he picks up an acoustic guitar and sits down. At this point, I was excited for the show, but did not expect them to be such a great live band. I was quite mistaken. From the opening drum roll that started off Used To Get High, all the way through the entire show- the band just plain rocked. They played with an intensity that few bands seem able to attain, and I would rank this show up with some of the best I’ve ever been to. If you ever have the chance to see them in concert- do it, it’s totally worth it.
Dave Matthews Band- Izod Center (11/13/2007)
Since I didn’t get to see the entire Dave Matthews Band at Farm Aid, I was determined to so see them the next time they came to the New York area. I didn’t have to wait long. My longtime concert buddy Jen gave me a call the week before telling me she was going to get us tickets to the show. After buying a pair of tickets, reselling them for a better pair, we finally arrived in the Izod center to hear Dave for the first time. Just a note about the opening act; Robert Randolph and the Family Band are a fantastic band. I’ve saw them play a show at the 9:30 Club in DC, and they put on a very rocking show. The fact that the Dave fans sat down during Robert’s entire set bothered me, but that’s just how Dave fans are- they aren’t really music fans, just Dave fans.
But anyway, Dave and Co. played an awesome show, and I’ve never seen such intense crowd participation. I guess when you’ve been to 41 Dave shows (as the guy sitting behind me mentioned that he had) you get to know the words to every song by heart. The girls sitting next to me were surprised when I mentioned that this was my first Dave show. These fans are not normal- they won’t just see him a few times in concert, they need to go every single time he comes to their area, and spend summers going on tour with him. I consider myself a music fan, but that’s a bit intense.
Back to the music, they played a fantastic set, and even invited Robert Randolph back out for All Along the Watchtower- which was insane. The whole show was awesome, and I was finally able to say that I had seen the Dave Matthews Band in concert.
Dave Matthews Band- All Along the Watchtower
Dave Matthews Band- Ants Marching
I also saw the Australian Pink Floyd, but if you wanna hear about that one, check out the post on it.
Top 6 of 2007
Aesop Rock- None Shall Pass
Aesop Rock is one of the better rappers out there. I discovered him while browsing the new albums at Record and Tape Traders. I listened to this album and then left the store without purchasing it. But it played itself over and over in my head all weekend long, and I was forced to return to the store and purchase it for myself. This was a bit intimidating, as it was the first rap album I’ve bought since Tag Team- Whoop There It Is (which was actually the first album I ever bought, and I bought it on tape). But the whole album turned out to be quite good, and thus it’s in my Top 6 of 2007.
Aesop Rock- Catacomb Kids
Aesop Rock- No City
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals- This Is Somewhere
So the rock purist in me screams out that this is something I shouldn’t like at all. It’s something that my mom would listen to on Mix 106.5, and I definitely shouldn’t like anything like that. But something about it just grabs me. Maybe it’s her voice. Maybe it’s the fact that she bases everything on the blues. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for good pop music. Whatever it is, Grace and her boys totally nailed it with this album. Also purchased from Record and Tape Traders back at home, this one is also quite deserving of the Top 6 of 2007.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals- Ah Mary
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals- Stop the Bus
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals- Apologies
State Radio- Year of the Crow
This album just plain rocks. Ok, so maybe it’s not as good as their previous album Us Against the Crown, but I still really like it. There’s not too much else to say about them, but for those of you who don’t know, this band is lead my Chad, formerly of Dispatch. Yes, the same guy who wrote The General wrote all these songs as well. But these songs are great, and definitely deserving of the Top 6 of 2007.
State Radio- CIA
State Radio- Wicker Plane
State Radio- Fall of the American Empire
John Butler Trio- Grand National
These guys are just a fantastic band. In addition to releasing a killer album, they also happen to be a killer live band. Switching from blue to reggae to bluegrass to country to straight-up rock; this album has it all. This album was a shoe-in for the Top 6 of 2007.
John Butler Trio- Better Than
John Butler Trio- Used to Get High
Eddie Vedder- Into the Wild (soundtrack)
Ok, so it might be my undying love for everything Pearl Jam that made me love this album, but I think it might be something more than that. I mean, one of the songs was nominated for a Grammy, so it can’t just be me who likes this album. And thus, it belongs in the Top 6 of 2007.
Eddie Vedder- Hard Sun
Eddie Vedder- The Wolf
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals- Lifeline
This one was too easy. All of Ben’s albums are great. I don’t even feel the need to justify it. Just listen to the songs, and then nod in agreement- this one makes the cut for the Top 6 of 2007.
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals- Fool for a Lonesome Train
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals- Say You Will
Originals Galore
“Hey man, I love that song by [insert band name here].”“Dude, they didn’t write that song, it was written by [insert older band name here].”
“Really? Wow. I had no clue. I must be musically retarted.”
“Yea. You are.”
Ever have this conversation with a friend? I know I have. Well no more! Now, you can know who wrote all of these songs, and brag to your friends about your musical superiority.
Drumroll please….
Robert Johnson- Cross Road Blues not the Cream version (which they called Crossroads)
Joni Mitchell- Big Yellow Taxi not the Counting Crows
Michael Jackon- Smooth Criminal not Alien Ant Farm
David Bowie- The Man Who Sold The World not the Nirvana one
Otis Redding- Hard To Handle not the Black Crowes
Bob Dylan- All Along The Watchtower not Hendrix, or Dave Matthews
The Kinks- You Really Got Me not Van Halen
The Yardbirds- Dazed And Confused this is the pre-Zeppelin version
The Guess Who- American Woman not Lenny Kravitz
Fleetwood Mac- Landslide not the Smashing Pumpkins nor the Dixie Chicks
The Buggles- Video Killed The Radio Star not the Presidents of the USA
Two Hit Wonders
You always hear talk about one hit wonders. You know, those bands that had that one big radio hit and then disappeared into obscurity forever. If they don’t show up on VH1’s “Where Are They Now?” you’ll probably never see them again.But just anyone could rattle off a list of one hit wonders. That’s no challenge.
But what the two hit wonders? What about the bands that had two huge radio hits, and only then disappeared. These bands are much harder to come by. It’s quite rare that a band has two big hits without a third of fourth. I’ve spent many hours trying to come up with two hit wonder bands, and have realized that I cannot come up with too many myself.
But here they are. Blues Traveler and Blue Oyster Cult. (Interestingly these bands are right next to each other in my iTunes.) The only two Blue Oyster Cult songs that I’m aware of (to the best of my knowledge) are Don’t Fear The Reaper, the song immortalized in a classic SNL skit (“I’ve got a fever! And the only prescription is more cowbell!”) and Burning For You. Anyone who listens to classic rock radio knows these songs, and if you don’t, shame on you.
I’m a bit more familiar with the second band I’ve chosen- Blues Traveler. Now, I am well aware that their album 4 was incredible and almost all of the songs are stellar. But, thats not the point. The point is that only 2 songs made it onto the radio. Hook and Run Around.
If you disagree with me and think that these bands are more or less famous than I’ve stated, let me know. Also, if you think of any more two hit wonders, let me know as well and we’ll post them too.
Forgotten 90s: Volume 3
So we’re up to volume 3 of this lovely idea of mine. This time around, we’re posting the ladies of grunge. These ladies had as much an effect on the music of the 90s as the males did, and thus, we honor them as well. Enjoy.
Tracy Bonham- Mother Mother
Hole- Celebrity Skin
Veruca Salt- Volcano Girls
Letters To Cleo- I Want You To Want Me
DNA (Feat. Susanne Vega)- Tom’s Diner
Aussie Pink Floyd
Cover bands aren’t really my thing. A couple of weeks ago, i went down to the Lion’s Den with a couple of friends to see a cover band show. There was a Rage Against the Machine band, a Foo Fighters band, an Alice in Chains Band, and a Pearl Jam band. Now, some bands were better than others (Rage was great and AIC was insane, but the Foo’s and PJ kinda sucked) but the issue with all of the bands was that I just couldn’t get into the music. I knew that they were cover bands, and something in my head prevented me from really getting into the concert.
Tonight, however, was totally different. Tonight, we went to see Australian Pink Floyd. Now, these guys aren’t just a cover band- they’re basically the real deal. These guys replicated classic Floyd songs note for note, with an awesome laser show to boot.
As the lights dimmed, the crowd began to roar, and the first notes of Dark Side of the Moon echoed throughout the venue. The band ripped through the entire Dark Side album during the first set, perfectly replicating the songs- note for freaking note.
Overall, the concert was incredible- the only cover band show that I’ve been able to actually get into. Now, I know my father will tell me it’s nothing compared to a real Floyd show, but as far as I can tell, it’s the next best thing.
Pink Floyd- When The Tigers Broke Free
Pink Floyd- Obscured By Clouds
Forgotten 90s: Volume 2
So we’re up to Volume 2 of the Forgotten 90’s posts.I wanted to start off the Forgotten 90’s with more well known songs, which probably weren’t actually forgotten by most people. You all probably had them on your iTunes, read the posts, and felt proud of yourselves for being so musically knowledgeable about the 90’s. Well, it’s gonna get harder with Volume 2.These are the songs that we all forgot about and are about to rediscover. It’s a fantastic feeling, realizing that there was a great song that you used to love, but somehow fell off the radar, and when you hear it again- the 90’s comes rushing back. These are the songs we heard on the way to school (because we couldn’t drive yet); the songs we listened to on ourWalkmans (because CD’s weren’t as popular yet); the songs that defined our childhood- even though we didn’t know it at the time.
Volume 2:
Baz Luhrmann- Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
Dog’s Eye View- Everything Falls Apart
Eels- Novocaine For The Soul
Sneaker Pimps- Six Underground
Feeder- High
Spacehogs- In The Meantime
Happy Repeal Day! Celebrate Your Right To Drink Legally!
Today, December 5th, is Repeal Day– the only true American drinking holiday.
On December 5th 1933, the 21st Amendment was passed, repealing the 18th Amendment thus ending one of the darkest times in US History- the era of Prohibition.
In celebration of this glorious holiday, I felt the need to post a few drinking songs. So grab a beer, kick back, and celebrate the only true American drinking holiday. (But only if you’re 21. You’re celebrating the right to drink legally, underage drinking on a holiday such as this kinda defeats the purpose.)
Repeal Day 2007
Forgotten 90s: Volume 1
There was certainly something about growing up in the 90s when grunge had taken over the world and alternative music was becoming huge. People kept saying rock was dead (like they said in the 70s, and look who came out of that era) but for me, it was just beginning. I ate it all up. I knew everything that was played on rock radio and loved all of it. Being able to listen to this music, that wasn’t my father’s (The Who, Grateful Dead) was liberating and exciting. And the music just plain rocked.
Hopefully, we’re going to take a walk through time with this segment of the blog, as we try to relive all of those 90s radio classics.
This is going to be the first of many installments of the Forgotten 90’s posts. This is just Volume 1, so if you have any suggestions, please email them to me, or post them as comments.
Also, much thanks to Julie for sending me her Uber 90s mix and helping me compile my own 90’s playlist.
Forgotten 90’s: Volume 1
The Verve Pipe- The Freshmen
Matchbox 20- Long Day
Dishwalla- Counting Blue Cars
Our Lady Peace- Superman’s Dead
Harvey Danger- Flagpole Citta
Primitive Radio Gods- Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand
“Billy Corgan- Smashing Pumpking.” “Homer Simpson- smiling politely.”
There’s something about their music that just soars. It’s crazily heavy, and it Corgan’s voice is screechy at times (understatement?)- but the music just seems to soar. Not sure how he does it, but it’s fantastic.
Long forgotten on my iTunes, I recently rediscovered the Smashing Pumpkins and their glorious sound. Check out these songs- 2 of which come from studio albums, and one of which comes from a Pumpkins show 10 years ago in 1997. The studio stuff is awesome, but the live songs are so intense.
Smashing Pumpkins- Muzzle (1997-01-08 GM Place)
Smashing Pumpkins- Geek USA (Siamese Dream)
Smashing Pumpkins- Bullet With Butterfly Wings (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
Troubled Souls Unite 
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