|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
  |
 |
|
USE THIS BLOG TO POST: Music Reviews |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Driving Blind SONG/ALBUM: Driving Blind GENRE: R&B RATING: 6
Long winter nights can challenge even the most inventive minds to stay entertained. And in Montreal, where the winters are nine months long, it takes that much more effort to keep oneself amused through the endless hours of darkness and cold. But since one of its members happens to co-own a recording studio, a natural outlet was ready and waiting for this creative outpouring from Driving Blind -- a band whose songs display a relaxed soulfulness and deep-rooted regard for pop music. Glance at the cover photo, though, and your first reaction might be, “Where’s the rest of the band?” It’s not a mistake. Driving Blind consists of vocalist/keyboard player Bil Ringgenberg and bass player/guitarist Andrew Frank -- two clever musicians who are capable of creating entire soundscapes from their fertile imaginations. Equally surprising is this record’s sunny, laid-back feel, derived from Ringgenberg’s smoky vocals and the song’s funk-based grooves. “This record is an expansion of what we had experimented with on some of the tracks from our last record,” says Ringgenberg. You’ll hear what he means on their jazzed-up version of Fleetwood Mac’s "Hypnotized," where the track’s cool ambiance is enhanced by a muted trumpet, and on "Contradictions," where Frank’s steady bass provides a melodic anchor to a slinky violin solo. Driving Blind may hint at the sense of the intuitive that ultimately shapes their music. But these guys definitely know where they’re going. Posted November 8, 2006 4:03 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Storyville SONG/ALBUM: A Piece Of Your Soul GENRE: R&B RATING: 7
Our heroes say a lot about us. They establish our standards, define what we value, and provide a window to what we aspire to. Storyville’s heroes are legendary soul and blues artists -- the kind of performers whose raw energy, unfortunately, is rarely heard in today’s music. "We definitely wanted an old-school type of Otis Redding/Sam Cooke vocal on this album," said lead singer Malford Milligan. "To me, that stuff is like coming home." For those who yearn for the classic R&B sounds of the '60s and '70s, A Piece Of Your Soul will indeed feel like coming home. Loose and self-assured, its eleven tracks percolate with an infectious blend of soul, gospel and Texas guitar rock. Some of that seasoned sound can of course be credited to the band members' impressive resumes. Drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon are both veterans of the Arc Angels and Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Double Trouble. Guitarist David Grissom played with Joe Ely and John Mellencamp, while Dave Holt, Storyville’s other guitarist, performed with the Mavericks and Carlene Carter. The band’s only relative newcomer is Milligan, described by the Austin Chronicle as "the most amazing male singer in Austin, bar none."
"Nowadays, a lot of black music is really melodic,” explained Milligan. "But Otis and Sam and Stevie Wonder and the Isley Brothers, who were all real big influences on me, were almost staccato singers. They’d leave these gaping holes where nothing was said, just the music, and then they’d come back in, so whenever they said something, you’d hear it, and you’d feel it, and it felt good." Whether coaxing the heartbreak out of a blues ballad like "Cynical," or propelling listeners onto their feet with the funk-based title track, Storyville does its heroes proud and claims a rightful place among them.
Posted October 28, 2006 2:23 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Toshi Reagon SONG/ALBUM: The Righteous Ones GENRE: R&B RATING: 6
Toshi Reagon poses with an acoustic guitar on the cover of The Righteous Ones, and why not? She is a folk singer, after all. Of course, she's also a blueswoman, funk-rocker, gospel belter and much more. Reagon's previous album had been on Smithsonian Folkways, the label of scholarly folklorists in her native Washington. This one is on Razor & Tie, a label that specializes in roots-rock. Both are appropriate homes for a woman who's just as comfortable performing with Pete Seeger, Lisa Loeb, Chaka Khan, or Lenny Kravitz. Reagon has confidently combined all these styles, and doesn't care to label the result. "I take whatever I'm really into and try to learn it and put it into music," she says. On The Righteous Ones, Reagon segues easily from the earthy "Sweet In The Morning" into the ethereal "Yes It Was" and then the funky, bass-heavy "Drive It Home." Her versatility makes these transitions seem natural.
The daughter of Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of Sweet Honey In The Rock, Reagon was raised with that group's brand of a capella gospel and political consciousness. Her own politics, however, are seldom explicit. "From who you are in your everyday life, that's where you make change," she notes. "Can you sing freedom with me one more time?" Reagon asks in "There Are," but most of these songs are about human relationships, and transcend ideology. In "Real Love," she sings about finding the "unbelievable trust and lust" that is "all that matters here." In the exuberant "Happy And Satisfied," she's found it. Co-produced by Reagon and her longtime guitarist Adam Widoff, The Righteous Ones has a rich, fully realized sound. The album accomplishes the singer's foremost goal, which is to make an album that captures the sheer joy of her widely-heralded concerts. "When people are immersed in a live performance, they're not concerned with trying to figure out what the music is called," she explains. "I want people to hear my albums that way too, just to be a part of the experience and enjoy it."
Posted October 27, 2006 2:31 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Laura Love SONG/ALBUM: Octaroon GENRE: R&B RATING: 7
There's an old joke in which a musician asks how to get to Carnegie Hall (the punch line of course is "practice, man, practice"). For Laura Love, however, getting to Carnegie Hall was the easy part. In a nervy move, the Seattle singer came out solo on that venerable stage at a songwriters' festival in 1994. She had only her instrument, which happens to be electric bass. If there was skepticism, it quickly evaporated. Love had attracted another group of converts to her unique "Afro-Celtic" style, and in the audience was the man who would ultimately get her a major-label record contract. On the resulting album, Octaroon, Love expanded on the style of the three discs she had released previously on her own independent label. She's accompanied this time around by a three-piece band, though she’s not afraid to go it alone, as on her impressive cover of "Come As You Are," by another Seattle luminary, Kurt Cobain. On a version of the traditional "Blind Bartimus," her voice is accompanied only by her own hand claps.
There's a lot of territory between Nirvana and traditional gospel tunes, and Love travels it without looking back. The opening track, "Bad Feeling," incorporates a bit of Sly and the Family Stone funk, while "I Am Wondering" briefly turns into Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top." At times, Love can sound a bit like Tracy Chapman, but her stylistic reach is far wider. Love is candid about the more difficult experiences of her life. Crediting music with rescuing her from a life of petty crime, she jokes, "Now when people ask me about my record, I can reasonably assume they're referring to my music." Love sings about hard times, but with a joy that insists one's difficulties can be put in the past. When she sings "Amazing Grace," it's with the conviction of someone who seems to have found it.
Posted October 27, 2006 2:21 PM | | |
ARTIST: Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes SONG/ALBUM: Hearts of Stone GENRE: R&B RATING: 8
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes debuted on the national scene in 1976 in the wake of the enourmous succcess of their New Jersey buddy, Bruce Springsteen. The resultant flurry of publicity was a double-edged sword for the Jukes, an electrifying R&B ensemble from the Jersey shore. The frequent dismissals of the Jukes as a knock-off of the E Street Band were baffling -- there's little similarity between Springsteen's urban folk rock and the Jukes' sweaty, horn-driven rhythm and blues. And Southside Johnny Lyon's careening, care-worn vocals are a far cry from Springsteen's stentorian theatrics.
The Jukes' entire career has been flecked with glorious moments, but their third album, 1978's Hearts of Stone, was its pinnacle. Drenched with reckless, committed emotion, its extravagant melodies soar to the stratosphere, propelled by swirling horn arrangements. Lyon's ragged, raging vocals have never sounded better (nor have the horns, the ace up this band's sleeve, ever sounded more explosive). It was also the final album involving Miami Steve Van Zandt. Van Zandt, doing double-duty as Springsteen's E Street Band guitarist, cofounded the Jukes with Lyon and wrote much of the band's first three albums. The first two mixed Van Zandt originals with soul classics, but Hearts of Stone was almost entirely penned by Van Zandt, Springsteen and Lyon. From the opening tune, "Gotta Be a Better Way Home" which swiftly adds, in succession, drums, guitar, piano, bass and finally surging horns, there's not a single fall off among the disc's nine tunes. Both "This Time Baby's Gone for Good" and "I Played the Fool" swell with an all-encompassing sadness and sense of loss. And it's hard to believe that Springsteen wrote the bubbly, unaffected "Talk to Me." The Jukes take a break from their over-the-top intensity on the wistful "Light Don't Shine" and horn-free "Hearts of Stone," the ultimate heartbreak ballad and one of the band's sparsest arrangements, nudged along by a lyrical lead guitar. Though Lyon often hurled himself willy-nilly at a song, these ballads revealed that he could also caress a song with his voice. The raw "Take It Inside" is one of the band's all-time high points, though it doesn't begin to touch the band's eventual masterpiece, "Trapped Again," which builds off Allen Berger's portentious bass riff and detonates like a firecracker, spewing the messy, impolite, even dangerous passions that were at the heart of the band's original, pulsing music.
Also recommended: Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - I Don't Want To Go Home; Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - This Time It's For Real; Arthur Alexander - The Ultimate Arthur Alexander; Sam Cooke - Greatest Hits; Thornetta Davis - Sunday Morning Music; The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen Posted October 23, 2006 2:48 PM | | |
ARTIST: Lewis Taylor SONG/ALBUM: Stoned GENRE: R&B RATING: 7
Lewis Taylor arrives on our shores with some heavy recommendations in tow. Brit music mags like MOJO have been frothing at the mouth for years, comparing him to Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Fans like David Bowie and Elton John swear that Taylor is the best thing they’ve heard in ages.
Stoned, his US debut, an expanded version of his third album, features twelve songs written and performed by Taylor, plus two choice covers. So, does he live up to the accolades? While he’s not quite Stevie or Marvin (is anyone?), there’s definitely something special going on here.
First time through, I was dazzled by the production and the vocals. On “Positively Beautiful” and “When Will I Ever Learn” Taylor layers his voice into elaborate collages, with silvery falsettos darting through masses of oohs and aahs. It’s definitely something he learned from Marvin (I’d wager that Taylor has worn out his copy of Here, My Dear), but he brings his own harmonic sense to it. There are even jazzy touches, a la Swingle Singers, here and there. No doubt about it, this guy has got killer pipes.
It took a third listen for the songs to grab me, but there are some beauties. Especially memorable are “Shame” and “Til The Mornin’ Light.” Delicate, funky, with supple melodies elevated by interesting chord progressions, arranged in surprising ways. “Lovin U More” and “Throw Me A Line” both sound like should-be-hits.
Taylor may not be R & B’s second coming, but there’s enough promise in Stoned to make me think that he just might have an Innervisions in him yet. Posted September 18, 2006 9:03 AM | | |
ARTIST: Van Hunt SONG/ALBUM: On The Jungle Floor GENRE: R&B RATING: 8
Nuance is a word you don’t hear much anymore, especially when it comes to the X-treme antics of contemporary R & B music. For those who favor the delicate over the dumbed-down, and the sidelong glance over the shagging bump ‘n’ grind, Van Hunt is your man.
From the opening tracks of his sophomore album, it’s obvious that this young soul singer is in touch with his inner Curtis Mayfield. Elegant arrangements, deliciously sly grooves, melodies that dance like a silk scarf in the wind. On upbeat tunes “If I Take You Home” and the hit-worthy “Being A Girl,” Hunt flaunts songwriting chops to match his seductive sound. His ballads are just as strong. “Daredevil, Baby” recalls Stevie Wonder in his early ‘70s prime, while “Mean Sleep” stairsteps from verse to chorus with neatly constructed twists and turns. Album closer “The Night Is Young” achieves a Bic lighters aloft anthemic quality without being cheesy in the least.
Though he shares a co-producer credit with Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow, Michael Jackson), multi-instrumentalist Hunt is behind all of the writing, along with most of the arranging, performing and singing here. It gives Jungle Floor a cohesiveness that’s missing from many modern R & B records (where it’s not unusual to have seven different producers).
Kanye and Usher may be grabbing the headlines, but for my money, Van Hunt has got the sound - and the nuance - to go the distance. Posted September 18, 2006 9:02 AM | | |
ARTIST: Sam Cooke SONG/ALBUM: Night Beat GENRE: R&B RATING: 9
Night Beat is the perfect title for this album, suggesting not only the languid, after hours tempo of the music, but also beat in the sense of a familiar path trodden nightly by a restless man. Even further, beat in the sense of poetry. These songs speak in wee hours poetry - that direct language of 2 am, when all affectations and clever rhymes are stripped away to bare the cries of the soul.
And was there ever a finer soul crier than Sam Cooke? Though he’s best remembered for hits such as “You Send Me” and “Wonderful World,” the syrupy strings and corny Ray Conniff-style singers on those records often diluted the power of Cooke’s amazing voice.
On Night Beat, he’s surrounded by a hipster quintet that includes Barney Kessel on guitar and Hal Blaine on drums. Spare arrangements free Cooke’s voice to soar, delivering potent soul cries like “Get Yourself Another Fool” and “Fool’s Paradise,” as if he’s confessing to you in the privacy of your own room.
As Cooke digs deeper into lonely (“Lost And Lookin’”), lonelier (“Mean Old World”) and loneliest (“I Lost Everything”), he achieves a fundamental definition of soul over and over: Singer bares soul, listener has soul moved.
In one of the few interviews he did before he was murdered in 1964, Sam Cooke said, “You must make your audience feel what you feel. You have to stir up emotions and literally lift them from their chairs.”
Prepare to be lifted. Posted September 8, 2006 1:00 PM | | |
ARTIST: Aretha Franklin SONG/ALBUM: Live at the Fillmore West GENRE: R&B RATING: 8
It’s not quite the history-making event that R&B legend Otis Redding unleashed at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival. But the Aretha Franklin’s three-night stand at San Francisco’s Fillmore West in 1971 certainly was something special. The "Queen of Soul" was at the height of her powers, already an international star thanks to a remarkable string of pop crossover hits dating to her 1967 Atlantic Records sessions with producer Jerry Wexler at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. But she was still relatively unknown to the rock audience, which by 1971, had completed its conquest of the popular culture. Wexler and the Atlantic brass decided that she should begin her latest cross-over campaign with a series of high-profile gigs at promoter Bill Graham’s Fillmore West, epicenter for the hippie-rock scene that gave birth to the likes of the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane,Big Brother & the Holding Company, et al.
If Franklin had any qualms about performing in front of the "longhairs," as Wexler called them, she didn’t show it. She would later call her three days at the Fillmore the highlight of her performing career. You can hear why in this amazing two CD live set, which features Franklin blazing through an old-school soul revue that included plenty of her own hits ("Respect," "Dr. Feelgood," "Spirit in the Dark"), plus stunning interpretations of top rock and pop hits ("Eleanor Rigby," "Love the One You’re With," "Bridge Over Troubled Water.") Her supporting cast is a band for the ages, too. King Curtis and the Kingpins and the Memphis Horns, with the Sweethearts of Soul on backing vocals. The one-two, gone-to-church punch of "Dr. Feelgood" sequing to "Spirit in the Dark" will give you chills.
Disc 1 features the original "Live at the Fillmore West" album, originally released in May of 1971, but with a few enhancements. Most notably, there’s a remarkable, 19-minute, unedited version of "Spirit in the Dark" featuring Ray Charles.It's a jam that even the Grateful Dead would envy. Disc 2 includes alternate takes and unused songs recorded over the three-night stand. All of the tracks here are keepers. All hail the Queen of Soul.
Posted August 22, 2006 3:56 PM | | |
ARTIST: U2 SONG/ALBUM: All That You Can't Leave Behind GENRE: Rock RATING: 9
Musical trends wax and wane, and fame, as we know, is often fleeting. So admit it: when it comes to popular culture, absolute statements should be met with guarded skepticism. Still, U2 has undeniably established itself as the most influential rock band of its generation. As proof, just cue up All That You Can't Leave Behind, the band's 10th album and the third major milestone in its long, successful career. In 1987, The Joshua Tree swept across the musical landscape and established U2 as the pre-eminent band of the '80s. In 1991, the Irish rockers re-invented themselves with the dark ironies of Achtung Baby. Then, with two decades of music behind them, U2 reached the point where most rock bands become tired, timid, or simply spent. On this impressive album, however, Bono and his mates rushed headlong into the 21st century with one simple goal: to return straight-ahead rock to a place of pre-eminence.
Gone are the gimmicks that drained the life from the band's immediately previous efforts. Instead, the ill-advised theatrics are replaced by instant anthems that synthesize everything that has made U2 great for so long -- sweeping melodies, soaring lyrics, an unmistakable sense of purpose, and an unshakable belief in redemption. Bono has said that what he expects from rock is transcendence, the kind he associates with Bruce Springsteen. And that's what U2 delivers here, with music that arcs like a rainbow over a junkyard. Producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, whose names are synonymous with electronic moodiness, have kept the murkiness to a minimum on this album, and instead have allowed the band to showcase what each member does best. The Edge's chiming guitars add richly layered textures, in bold brush strokes and subtle nuances. Drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton construct an unfaltering rhythmic foundation. And most importantly, Bono voices the band's restless yearnings with clarity and conviction -- from the gorgeous sonic rush of "Beautiful Day," to the mid-life stirrings of "New York" and the awe-inspiring "Walk On," which would become the redemptive anthem of a nation following September 11th, 2001. All That You Can't Leave Behind is the kind of seamless, organic work that can only be created by veteran artists with a profound, instinctive sense of each other's talents. Grand but not grandiose, political but not pretentious, this musical masterpiece rouses the spirit and shocks the nervous system with a sense of splendor. Posted November 9, 2006 3:35 PM | | |
ARTIST: The Kinks SONG/ALBUM: To The Bone GENRE: Rock RATING: 7
Every self-respecting student of rock-and-roll already acknowledges the achievement of The Kinks, who first blazed their way into America’s consciousness during the ‘60s British Invasion. But unlike some of their contemporaries who passed quickly into obscurity, The Kinks have remained a vital and active force, producing three decades of highly intelligent pop masterpieces. From the beginning, their early tunes -- "Tired of Waiting," "All Day And All of the Night," "You Really Got Me," were elevated to instant classic status by songwriter Ray Davies’ irresistible melodies, and brother Dave’s insistent guitar riffs. Ray’s acerbic, witty lyrics continued to bolster the band’s reputation with songs such as "Lola," "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" and "Sunny Afternoon." It’s a body of work that’s already earned them an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and credit for having influenced some of today’s most successful bands.
Their place in rock history secure, they released To The Bone, a double album with 29 tracks that serves as a case study in music-making excellence. “This record came about almost by accident,” said Davies, recalling how the project casually took shape. Many of its tracks were recorded during the band’s critically acclaimed 1993-94 concert tour, which showed them still at their peak as performers. “I’ve got a few of my favorite Kinks songs on this record,” Davies admits. “And they are not necessarily the ones people might expect.” To The Bone is essential listening, a primer for anyone interested in getting to know rock’s rich history.
Posted November 9, 2006 2:04 PM | | |
ARTIST: Julian Dawson SONG/ALBUM: Move Over Darling GENRE: Rock RATING: 5
British songwriter Julian Dawson is hardly a newcomer to the music scene. But on Move Over Darling, he steps off the charted path and explores a different musical arena, one that gives him a chance to combine his solid musical grounding with a healthy dose of spontaneity and risk-taking. It's that mix of ingredients that lends a bracing vitality to this release. "This was my first 'acoustic' album after a decade of band line-ups," said Dawson, who has toured extensively throughout the U.K., Europe and the States as a founding member of Plainsong, which he formed with fellow Brit Iain Matthews. For Move Over Darling, he enlisted Stewart Smith, a multi-instrumentalist best known for his inventive guitar work with Shawn Colvin. Together, the musicians constitute a two-man band, building an appealing folk-rock foundation from their combined efforts on guitars, harmonicas, banjo, keyboards, percussion and bass.
In addition to performing a fresh batch of his own tunes, Dawson obviously revels in the opportunity to cover a few personal favorites, including Aretha Franklin's "All The King's Men," and the title track, a Doris Day classic. "It's the most relaxed I've ever been in a studio, and the most fun I've ever had recording," said Dawson about this release. To make sure the album captured the natural chemistry that was present in the studio, Dawson instructed the engineer to keep the tape rolling while the musicians sat down and played together as if it were just another laid-back jam session. Next, The Roches added their ethereal sisterly harmonies to the title track, Dan Penn (author of the classic "Do Right Woman") stopped by and sang on a few tunes, and British guitar virtuoso Richard Thompson displayed his amazing instrumental prowess on several songs. "We put down all the tracks live, and kept about seven or eight first takes," Dawson says. "The additional overdubs and guest appearances were cherries on the cake. I'm lucky to have such friends." Indeed.
Posted November 9, 2006 1:31 PM | | |
ARTIST: Jason Falkner SONG/ALBUM: Author Unknown GENRE: Rock RATING: 6
Jason Falkner doesn't hear a simple song inside his head. Instead, his musical conscience swirls with vivid, technicolor dreams in an imaginary landscape brimming with lush arrangements and soaring harmonies. Bright splashes of guitar, buoyant drumming, an evocative wash of keyboards -- Falkner does it all on this sparkling debut. It's a good trick, considering how he juggles those complex tasks and still comes up with such a deceptively innocent sound. On Jason Falkner Presents Author Unknown, this engaging songwriter and one-man band merges his singular vision with an affinity for upbeat British pop and a knack for wry, catchy lyrics. Hardly a musical newcomer, Falkner started pounding on a kid-size drum kit as a precocious six-year-old, then spent his teenage years immersed in rather passionate study of piano and guitar. The L.A. native's resume includes a stint in the Queen-inspired rock band Jellyfish, and later in the short-lived but equally acclaimed Grays. Here, with no boundaries beyond those of his own imagination, Falkner directed his artistic freedom towards the richest creative expression of his career.
Posted November 8, 2006 4:11 PM | | |
ARTIST: Stir SONG/ALBUM: Stir GENRE: Rock RATING: 5
A trio of longtime friends from Missouri, Stir fits easily with the generation of hard rock bands that includes The Verve Pipe, Tonic, and Better Than Ezra. Yet the group’s sound also recalls “alternative” rockers like R.E.M. and Live, as well as neo-classic rock outfits such as Counting Crows. Add some jazz and country influences, and it becomes clear that Stir is not following any trend. All this comes naturally for singer/guitarist Andrew Schmidt, drummer Brad Booker, and bassist Kevin Gagnepain, who’ve been playing together for years. Schmidt and Booker are childhood friends who performed in their high-school jazz band while rocking at night. Gagnepain met the duo when the three attended the University of Missouri. They experimented with various formats, but always came back to the core trio. On thundering rockers like "Don’t Understand" and "Stale," Stir demonstrates that it has all the firepower it needs. Yet the trio also has a delicate side, showcased on dramatic ballads like "One Angel" and "Lady Bug." The band members add dulcimer, dobro, keyboards and pots and pans to the mix, giving the sound a homespun quality. "I was into heavy bands," recalls Schmidt, the band’s principal songwriter. "But I was also into jazz and took classical guitar. I can’t attribute my style to any one person’s influence."
Stir, the band’s major-label debut, was produced by Justin Niebank, whose credits include Eric Clapton and Blues Traveler. The trio doesn’t sound very much like the latter, but both bands share an interest in taking the best elements of late ‘60s rock and updating them. Stir certainly doesn’t lack confidence. "I don’t want to be like Elvis, I don’t want to be like Jim," sings Schmidt in "Lady Bug." "I just want to be myself right now / I’ll be better off than them.”
Posted November 8, 2006 3:12 PM | | |
ARTIST: Third Eye Blind SONG/ALBUM: Blue GENRE: Rock RATING: 6
On Third Eye Blind's second album, Blue, the guitars rage and singer Stephan Jenkins howls. The Golden Gate Boys Choir harmonizes. And fans of the San Francisco quartet's quadruple-platinum debut were pleased. On Blue, Third Eye Blind was still a rock band, but a decidedly different one. The album tempers the band's natually aggressive sound with more tempered vocal arrangements, as well as horns, strings and sonic accents derived from a wide range of influences, including hip-hop and Indian music. Ironically, this musical shift happened on an album that was supposed to have a stripped-down style. Lead singer Jenkins, who co-produced Blue, was intent on capturing the band's live sound in the studio. The results can be heard with the band in top form on "Wounded" and "The Red Summer Sun," stark but surging in a style not unlike U2's epic rockers. "I think a lot of bands tend to re-do their first album," explained bassist-keyboardist Arion Salazar. "I don't think that we've done that at all." Added Jenkins: "It's about finding something of our own." That something is a hard-driving and dramatic yet consistently tuneful style. Even at its most vehement, Third Eye Blind provides a full complement of pop hooks. Such songs as "Never Let You Go" and "An Ode to Maybe" have a certain swagger, though melodically they're still pretty sweet. Also recommended: Foo Fighters - There Is Nothing Left to Lose; Stereophonics - Performance and Cocktails; Therapy – Troublegum. Posted October 27, 2006 3:13 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Marshall Crenshaw SONG/ALBUM: #447 GENRE: Rock RATING: 6
Parenthood, moving back to New York City and Yogi Berra were among the things that most inspired Marshall Crenshaw's #447. Those might seem an unlikely collection of influences, but they led to the roots-rocker's best album to date. The Detroit-bred singer/songwriter, who began his career by playing John Lennon in Beatlemania on Broadway, made #447 the same way he made each of his previous albums: he played virtually all of the instruments, turning to other musicians only for occasional embellishment. Crenshaw's goal was a live-in-the-studio sound, captured with vintage equipment. Still, he's no purist. "I think that right now is a really good time to be making records," he said on the heels of this recording, "because you've got a whole century's worth of recording technology to pick and choose from."
Among the guest musicians are pianist David Sancious and saxophonist Paul Shapiro, whose presence illustrates Crenshaw's growing interest in jazz. Such instrumentals as "You Said What?" and "Eydie's Tune," both originally written for a documentary about Yogi Berra, find a cool groove that's fresh yet rooted in tradition. "I'll never be a jazz musician," admits Crenshaw, who describes his jazz guitar playing as "Bill Frisell with two broken fingers." Crenshaw fans needn't worry, however, that he's lost his gift for sparkling pop-rock songs that combine the directness of early rockers like Buddy Holly with grown-up sentiments. In the rollicking "Tell Me All About It," he confronts a straying lover by noting that "People can hide things up their sleeves / Even when naked." The title of the radiant "T.M.D." stands for "truly madly deeply," but romantic love isn't the only emotion motivating these songs. "Ready Right Now" is a bluesy, minor-key introspection about the responsibilities of fatherhood. Despite such adult topics, though, Crenshaw hasn't changed his classic sound.
Posted October 27, 2006 2:10 PM | | |
ARTIST: Vigilantes of Love SONG/ALBUM: Audible Sigh GENRE: Rock RATING: 7
“You can go to sleep in hell and wake up at heaven’s gate,” sings Bill Malonee on Audible Sigh. A hard-won lesson in life’s vicissitudes? No doubt. For nearly a decade, the Athens, Georgia-bred Vigilantes of Love saw more than their share of ups and downs -- high praise, low fees, small labels and distribution deals, promising signs of rising popularity, and frustrating reminders of mainstream resistance. But none of that affected Malonee’s skills as a songwriter, which have always allowed him to bring a rare level of intelligence, humor, passion and compassion to his music. Those virtues are evident on Audible Sigh, an album so full of keen-eyed observations and sly turns of phrase that it effectively demands repeated listening. Certainly Buddy Miller, a longtime fan and occasional guest Vigilante, was on to something when he said of Malonee: ”The poetry and intelligence of his songs rival Dylan’s.”
Anyone looking to substantiate that claim should check out "Resplendent," one of the stand-out tracks on this often overlooked album, with Malonnee and Emmylou Harris vividly conjuring up the dustbowl depression era. Conjuring up the ghosts of Steinbeck and Guthrie, he begins with this typically concise verse: “I remember the dark clouds, raining for days on end/ blew all the earth out to California/ and just left us here with the wind.” Other well-wrought songs informed by Malonnee's strong but unsentimental trust in faith, include the sardonic "Could Be A Lot Worse," the searing but ultimately comforting "Goes Without Saying," and the deeply personal "Nothing Like A Train." Posted October 26, 2006 3:44 PM | | |
ARTIST: Jeff Beck SONG/ALBUM: You Had It Coming GENRE: Rock RATING: 7
Any fan of guitar legend Jeff Beck would have been surprised, even shocked, by rumors of Beck going "techno." Yet when the sound first caught the rock icon's ear in London dance clubs in the late '90s, in the percussive thrust of Prodigy and Fatboy Slim, he soon began plotting his own variation on a techno theme. Perhaps remarkably, the result became 1999's Grammy-nominated Who Else. What Beck found fascinating about the London club scene was the so-called "bottom line" -- the rhythmic force that underpinned the music and often compensated for trite lyrics and otherwise unremarkable mixes. Indeed, Beck, who normally took long breaks between recordings during his prolific career, was so drawn to the drum-driven techno sound that he returned to the studio to experiment further with its fundamental rhythmic structure. The impressive result can be heard on You Had It Coming, a brash and still unlikely fusion of guitar wizardry and contemporary beats.
Anyone looking for proof that Jeff Beck, a Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer with the Yardbirds and an immensely successful solo artist, is open to new musical ideas will unquestionably find it here. Beck’s studio work for this album was mostly a solo affair -- or at least it was once producer Andy Wright decided that the sounds of Beck improvising over sampled loops assembled by programmer Aiden Love offered more than enough creative possibilities. Despite this insular approach to recording and the obvious techno influence, the music on You Had It Coming doesn’t sound premeditated, canned, or phony. On the contrary, Beck often sounds as if he’s responding to the loops in spontaneous bursts of drama ("Earthquake") and lyricism ("Nadia"). And despite the reliance on electronics, several tracks reveal Beck’s roots in blues and rock without apology or interference. The lone vocal track, in fact, finds Beck and British singer Imogen Heap passionately reprising the Muddy Waters hit, "Rollin’ and Tumblin." There’s also something old-fashioned about the way Beck employs the basics on these sessions, such as his trademark Stratocaster and Marshall amps, that prevents his brief romance with techno from ever sounding impersonal or insincere. Posted October 26, 2006 3:27 PM | | |
USER: Jim2nd USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: 38 Special SONG/ALBUM: Resolution GENRE: Rock RATING: 7
Don Barnes, vocalist and guitarist with veteran Southern rockers 38 Special, called Resolution “an album that emphasizes where we’ve arrived creatively, without forsaking what got us here. We’ve gone through a lot of changes over the years, watching the musical landscape shift dramatically. We’ve tried to look at those changes in a positive way and tried to learn from them, rather than be intimidated by them.” One thing that hasn’t changed is the band’s ability to meld southern rock with a penchant for memorable, pop-inflected choruses. Like the classic songs most often associated with the band, among them "Caught Up In You," "Back Where You Belong," and "Second Chance," the thirteen tracks that comprise Resolution are stuffed to the brim with six string alchemy and four-on-the-floor pop rock smarts. Producer Joe Hardy, who has worked as well with southern rockers ZZ Top and Steve Earle, captured the trademark intensity of 38 Special’s infamous live energy on "Deja Voodoo" and "Miracle Man," both of which recall the glory days of the band’s greatest success. Elsewhere, the band’s knack for earnest and emotional ballads comes into focus on tunes like "Shelter Me" and "Changed by Love," both of which reveal a band which has aged gracefully, and isn’t afraid to confront mature subjects. “Without a doubt,” Barnes remarks, “we tried to push ourselves lyrically, a lot of which is simply the result of getting to points in our lives where our concerns are naturally broader than they were in our twenties." With renewed energy and enthusiasm, 38 Special delivers one of its most inspired recordings here. Also recommended: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimmie Back My Bullets; The Allmann Brothers Band - Idlewild South; Marshall Tucker Band - The Marshall Tucker Band. Posted October 24, 2006 8:58 AM | | |
ARTIST: Mott the Hoople SONG/ALBUM: Mott GENRE: Rock RATING: 7
All the elements of Mott the Hoople's past and present synchronized perfectly on 1973's Mott, one magical moment before the band's Ian Hunter-fronted lineup disintegrated in 1974. It opened with the rueful "All the Way to Memphis," which mocked the pretensions of rock & roll stardom while rocking mightily with its heavy, rhythmic piano and the throaty sax of Roxy Music's Andy McKay. The song encapsulates Hunter's instantly identifiable (and later, much imitated) vocal style, derived from Dylan and Lou Reed but transformed by Hunter into his own signature approach with its lagging, conversational phrasing and wailing tone. The line "There was my guitar- electric junk" has since become one of rock's most memorable utterances.
Hunter's throbbing, insistent piano underlies most of the album, which has an irreverent classicism that thickens and complicates '50s influences Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard. The self-consciously decadent lyrics have to be taken in the spirit of the time. Though Mott the Hoople avoided the effete posturing and futuristic conceits of many glam artists of the time, they were still prone to singing about the glittering, frazzled rock & roll life they led (in fact, it was the main theme of the album). But songs like "Hymn for the Dudes," the engaging "Honaloochie Boogie" and "Ballad of Mott the Hoople" include sharp insights into their lifestyle snapshots (the now infamous line "Rock and roll's a loser's game" comes from "Ballad"). In a wholly different vein, the regretfully jaded "I Wish I Was Your Mother," has a kind of folksey flavor courtesy of guitarist Mick Ralphs' twinkling mandolin. "Drivin' Sister" is just good fun -- a song that could have been covered by any punk band of the last thirty years. Years after the Hoople closed up shop, not only punk bands, but metal bands like the London Quireboys, Hanoi Rocks and even Guns 'N Roses aped the band's riffs, phrasing, lyric concepts and even their look. Definitely worth every minute.
Also recommended: Mott the Hoople - All The Young Dudes; Mother Love Bone – Apple; Mick Ronson - Slaughter On Tenth Avenue; Guns 'N Roses - Appetite For Destruction; Hanoi Rocks - Two Steps From The Move; Ian Hunter - You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic Posted October 23, 2006 2:35 PM | | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
