(song links to be added later)
Satellite – Guster
Great song, the vocals are very 60’s garage and the music is full of jangle and tasteful guitar licks with a great bass line. Nothing to complain about here.
Midnight - Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani proved one thing with his music, the more talented a guitarist who can “shred” the less shredding they actually do. This is not a song about playing his guitar as fast as he can this is a short instrumental that very quickly builds, climaxes and then closes itself out. Very effective for just playing the guitar for 1:43
Foreplay/Longtime – Boston
One of Boston’s best. Boston is one of those bands that recorded every thing Loud with a capital L. I mean they are louder then Deep Purple! The great guitar tone and the sing-a-long lyrics make this a classic.
The Fame- Lady GaGa
One thing I love about Lady GaGa is she uses guitars, not the cliché electronic beats that plague most dance music. Sure the drum machines are boring dance rhythm but they are topped with the most interesting sounds; from electronic bleeps to effective guitar loops.
You Love The Thunder – Jackson Browne
I have heard a lot of people express hate towards Jackson Brown and then exalt the Eagles in the same breath. This I don’t get unless your prefer Eagles songs like the sterile (but rockin’) Life in the Fast Lane instead of the delightful Take it Easy (actually written by Browne). This song is very indicative of Browne’s style. Tasteful country rock with plenty of piano and slide guitar in tasteful manageable amounts.
Laissez-Moi Tranquille – Warren Zevon
A song completely in French…that is really good, and it isn’t just nonsense words either. The titles means “leave me alone” and I put the rest of the lyrics into a translator and while they didn’t perfectly translate and looked a little off I could get the general gist of the song. Man that takes talent to write a song in a language you are not a native speaker of.
Would? – Alice in Chains
I think this song is overrated. It is plodding and dark sounding sure but that is all it is. I really have little else to say about it. An ok song not worth much attention.
Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine – Elvis Presley
Not the best indicator of what Elvis is all about. Pleasant rockabilly with a rollicking melody but pretty weak compared to some other prime Elvis tunes.
Catch the Rainbow – Rainbow
All I need to say about early Rainbow songs are, Richie Blackmore on Guitar and Ronnie Dio on vocals…What more do you want from an early Metal Band? This one is moody and atmospheric instead of loud and riff filled but that shows that they are not one trick ponies.
Born Under the Wrong Sign – Nazareth
This is a great dark funk number. Nazareth will always be known for their cover of “Love Hurts” which is great and one of the good power ballads, but they are so much more then that. This song is off their most diverse album and is one of my personal favorites, echoey guitars , talkboxes, over a very professional and funky
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh – Magma
Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh – Magma
Best Song: Hortz Fur Dëhn Stekëhn West
Magma is probably the most pretentious band in the world. A French progrock group that sings in a language they made up whose songs are about an Apocalyptic future. Wait don’t run! Once you get over the fact that these guys must have had an ego the size of the International Space Station you realize that it is no different then listening to music in a foreign language. It just means that you need to focus solely on the music since you won’t be able to tell what is going on.
And the music is pretty good. Not great but very epic and Wagner like. In fact that is the best way to describe what Magma is trying to do here; update Wagner. And they basically succeed without a hitch. You should think of this as one long piece with several different “movements” instead of as individual songs. Out of all the movements my favorites are the first two, since they are the most varied. It does start to get very monotonous towards the end and the entire album seldom rises above interesting background music so don’t expect a master piece. Not great but not bad, just something completely different.
Best Song: Hortz Fur Dëhn Stekëhn West
Magma is probably the most pretentious band in the world. A French progrock group that sings in a language they made up whose songs are about an Apocalyptic future. Wait don’t run! Once you get over the fact that these guys must have had an ego the size of the International Space Station you realize that it is no different then listening to music in a foreign language. It just means that you need to focus solely on the music since you won’t be able to tell what is going on.
And the music is pretty good. Not great but very epic and Wagner like. In fact that is the best way to describe what Magma is trying to do here; update Wagner. And they basically succeed without a hitch. You should think of this as one long piece with several different “movements” instead of as individual songs. Out of all the movements my favorites are the first two, since they are the most varied. It does start to get very monotonous towards the end and the entire album seldom rises above interesting background music so don’t expect a master piece. Not great but not bad, just something completely different.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Is It Classic?: Slanted & Enchanted
Slanted & Enchanted - Pavement
Best Song: Zurich is Stained
A yes, the great lo-fi album that (to quote allmusic) “help[ed] establish a brand new subgenre of rock and roll”…a good album but not as unique or ground breaking as the critics would have you believe. This is kind of twist on pop music had already been done by both Big Star on Third/Sister Lovers and some John Lennon songs. In fact John Lennon was way more lo-fi then Pavement and Third/Sister Lovers was a way more out there deconstruction of pop music.
So when it comes down to it why should any one give a damn about Slanted & Enchanted? Because it is a solid and cleverly produced record. Every single song on here is interesting backed by either a solid hook or some well calculated atmosphere. This is not an accident the production is actually well done. Compare this to anything considered lo-fi today or hell any early Lennon track this album will seem almost Spectorish by comparison. I mean you clean up the distortion a bit and In The Mouth A Desert wouldn’t seem out of place on a Cure album. Flame Throwa is a patently ridiculous song that sounds like every part was originally intended for a different song, but it wouldn’t work any other way.
As for the best song that is a tough one. I think it would have to be Zurich Is Stained; the twangy “almost out of key”-ness of it all is great and it is also a nice break from the formula othe rest of the record. So when it comes down to it did Pavement really create an album that ushered in a new way of music? No but that didn’t stop Abbey Road or Tapestry from being classics and it sure doesn’t stop Slanted & Enchanted.
Final Verdict on Reputation: Deserved
Best Song: Zurich is Stained
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
A yes, the great lo-fi album that (to quote allmusic) “help[ed] establish a brand new subgenre of rock and roll”…a good album but not as unique or ground breaking as the critics would have you believe. This is kind of twist on pop music had already been done by both Big Star on Third/Sister Lovers and some John Lennon songs. In fact John Lennon was way more lo-fi then Pavement and Third/Sister Lovers was a way more out there deconstruction of pop music.
So when it comes down to it why should any one give a damn about Slanted & Enchanted? Because it is a solid and cleverly produced record. Every single song on here is interesting backed by either a solid hook or some well calculated atmosphere. This is not an accident the production is actually well done. Compare this to anything considered lo-fi today or hell any early Lennon track this album will seem almost Spectorish by comparison. I mean you clean up the distortion a bit and In The Mouth A Desert wouldn’t seem out of place on a Cure album. Flame Throwa is a patently ridiculous song that sounds like every part was originally intended for a different song, but it wouldn’t work any other way.
As for the best song that is a tough one. I think it would have to be Zurich Is Stained; the twangy “almost out of key”-ness of it all is great and it is also a nice break from the formula othe rest of the record. So when it comes down to it did Pavement really create an album that ushered in a new way of music? No but that didn’t stop Abbey Road or Tapestry from being classics and it sure doesn’t stop Slanted & Enchanted.
Final Verdict on Reputation: Deserved
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Just a song
Papa Won't Leave You Henry is my favorite Nick Cave song. It is pretty simple but powerful and just has this manic feeling about it that is completely captivating. I think Cage the Elephant were inspired by this song when they wrote Ain't No Rest for the Wicked
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Shake It Up
In this feature I will put my ipod on shuffle and will comment on the first ten songs that come up.
1) Kiss Me, Son of God – They Might Be Giants
This is They Might Be Giants at their best. A shot song that last less then 2 minutes and packs more social commentary then the average Rage Against the Machine song. Sarcastic, quirky and catchy; what more do you want?
2) God Is In The Radio – Queens of The Stone Age
From short and catchy to long and plodding. It is pretty easy to see that this is fronted by the same guy who fronts Them Crooked Vultures. Queens of the Stone Age are all about being a mid-tempo, semi-loud, monotonous beast and this song is no exception. The guitar solo is really classy though.
3) Somewhere – Soundgarden
What is wrong with grunge as a genre? Soundgarden. Needlessly sloppy and full of pointless angst; it is almost impossible to imagine that the same people who did such a great song as Blackhole Sun could also come out with all this horrible mediocre bullshit music. This one isn’t that bad but it sure isn’t good.
4) Memories Are Made Of This – Johnny Cash
What is wrong with county as a genre? Well it sure isn’t Johnny Cash. Avoiding all the common pitfalls of country Cash always delivers. He can be the most depressed person on the planet one moment, but when he is happy nothing in the world can bring him down. And he takes you with him on this cover of a Dean Martin song as he talks about all the pleasant things that make up the memories we chose to keep.
5) Mr. Pitiful – Otis Redding
Oh boy do I love me some Otis Redding. Redding is one of the greatest singers ever and one of the true romantics in music. He always put 120% of himself into his songs and especially live he would be up there dancing and singing and dancing even when the audience was ready to collapse. Mr. Pitiful is one of his best.
6) 10:1 – Rogue Wave
I don’t have a lot to say about this one. A decent tune that is catchy and dreamy but not much else. Rogue Wave has better.
7) Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song – Harry Nilsson
Oh man I love this song. The low but kind of repressed swing of the horns are the basis of a great story about a teen idol as both his fans and the singer himself out grow his fame. The vocal wah wahs at the end are great and a common device used by Nilsson; man you really have to have confidence in your voice to do that.
8) Stiletto – Billy Joel
Not one of Billy Joel’s better known songs which is a shame. Jazzy and driven with a solid rhythm section and some soulful saxophones. When I saw him do it live he introduced by saying “Now this song isn’t what people call “politically correct” but I don’t give a shit I am doing it anyways”. Just a cool song.
9) Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac has some of the most inventive pop hooks ever conceived attached to their name. This song isn’t one of them but it is a still good. Say You Love Me has a pretty basic bass pattern, pretty basic country twang to the backing guitars and pianos. The only thing that really makes this song worth its fame is the guitar solo and lead guitar licks when they show up.
10) Magic Power – Triumph
Triumph is often considered the poor man’s Rush. Well if that is true call me a poor man because, while they are similar, they lack the pretentiousness and seriousness of Rush. This song is a souring anthem, a stadium song (but in the good sense). And while I would never treat this like a great piece of art it certainly is a great piece of fun.
1) Kiss Me, Son of God – They Might Be Giants
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
This is They Might Be Giants at their best. A shot song that last less then 2 minutes and packs more social commentary then the average Rage Against the Machine song. Sarcastic, quirky and catchy; what more do you want?
2) God Is In The Radio – Queens of The Stone Age
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
From short and catchy to long and plodding. It is pretty easy to see that this is fronted by the same guy who fronts Them Crooked Vultures. Queens of the Stone Age are all about being a mid-tempo, semi-loud, monotonous beast and this song is no exception. The guitar solo is really classy though.
3) Somewhere – Soundgarden
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
What is wrong with grunge as a genre? Soundgarden. Needlessly sloppy and full of pointless angst; it is almost impossible to imagine that the same people who did such a great song as Blackhole Sun could also come out with all this horrible mediocre bullshit music. This one isn’t that bad but it sure isn’t good.
4) Memories Are Made Of This – Johnny Cash
What is wrong with county as a genre? Well it sure isn’t Johnny Cash. Avoiding all the common pitfalls of country Cash always delivers. He can be the most depressed person on the planet one moment, but when he is happy nothing in the world can bring him down. And he takes you with him on this cover of a Dean Martin song as he talks about all the pleasant things that make up the memories we chose to keep.
5) Mr. Pitiful – Otis Redding
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Oh boy do I love me some Otis Redding. Redding is one of the greatest singers ever and one of the true romantics in music. He always put 120% of himself into his songs and especially live he would be up there dancing and singing and dancing even when the audience was ready to collapse. Mr. Pitiful is one of his best.
6) 10:1 – Rogue Wave
I don’t have a lot to say about this one. A decent tune that is catchy and dreamy but not much else. Rogue Wave has better.
7) Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song – Harry Nilsson
Oh man I love this song. The low but kind of repressed swing of the horns are the basis of a great story about a teen idol as both his fans and the singer himself out grow his fame. The vocal wah wahs at the end are great and a common device used by Nilsson; man you really have to have confidence in your voice to do that.
8) Stiletto – Billy Joel
Not one of Billy Joel’s better known songs which is a shame. Jazzy and driven with a solid rhythm section and some soulful saxophones. When I saw him do it live he introduced by saying “Now this song isn’t what people call “politically correct” but I don’t give a shit I am doing it anyways”. Just a cool song.
9) Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Fleetwood Mac has some of the most inventive pop hooks ever conceived attached to their name. This song isn’t one of them but it is a still good. Say You Love Me has a pretty basic bass pattern, pretty basic country twang to the backing guitars and pianos. The only thing that really makes this song worth its fame is the guitar solo and lead guitar licks when they show up.
10) Magic Power – Triumph
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Triumph is often considered the poor man’s Rush. Well if that is true call me a poor man because, while they are similar, they lack the pretentiousness and seriousness of Rush. This song is a souring anthem, a stadium song (but in the good sense). And while I would never treat this like a great piece of art it certainly is a great piece of fun.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Show 'em How it's Done: Don't Think Twice It's Alright
One of the most common ways people cover a song is by striping it down to acoustic guitar and vocals. Now some people think this it the true way to tell how good a song it. That is bull. It only shows how good the guitar/vocal parts are.
But what do you do when you start with acoustic/vocals? Well you turn it into a soulful blues rock tune. Bob Dylan has many songs that are just him and acoustic but Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright is one of the best. On the night of Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert Eric Clapton takes this song in a whole different direction. He takes almost all the Dylan out of it and inserts as much Clapton as he can.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Talent vs. Genius
In the world of music there are many ways to critique the sounds you hear; whether it is by the strength of the hook, groove or lyrics or the complexity and sheer technical perfection of the playing and lyrics. Now in a perfect world you could have both in your music but that is seldom the case. If you want to feed your heart you listen to Janis Joplin not ELP and if you want to feed your brain you reverse it. This distinction is why I tend to think of how skilled a band is by their genius versus the amount to talent they have.
Just to give you an idea of the distinction
some bands/artists I consider to have very little genius but tons of talent include:
ELP
Iron Maiden
Aretha Franklin
Van Halen
Eagles
Some bands/artist I consider to have a lot of genius but very little in the way of talent:
Leonard Cohen
Janis Joplin
Lou Reed
Klaus Schulze
Daniel Johnston
The Birthday Party
Now I want to be clear that I like all of those listed above. The only difference is how I enjoy the music. The first list is full of people who have very few songs in their entire catalog that are bad. But there is also a lack of truly outstanding tracks to keep me enthralled (not to say they don’t have any Hotel California, RESPECT, and Run to the Hills are all stand outs). This makes listening to them in depth hard and usually leads to the songs melding together.
The second list on the other hand is full of people who have some truly great songs that should never be missed; however there is also a lot of misses and just plain bad music in their repertoire. In exchange though they offer something else such as meaningful lyrics or heart felt honesty. Leonard Cohen is responsible for some of the ugliest pieces of music but the fact that he is always lyrically interesting saves even his most atrocious works. On the other side Janis Joplin manages to give 120% of herself into each and every song she sung making even the most lame and pedestrian lyrics seem like a spiritual call.
Now most people/bands don’t lie on either extreme and rely on their pool of both talent and genius to pull them through. There is only one band that managed to, for a short time, reach the peak of technical perfection with their talent and emotional perfection with their genius. And no, it is not the Beatles who lose a little (but not a lot) on the talent side do to some real weak numbers on their early albums and Revolution 9. I am talking about The Who. From 1967-1973 they came out with 5 completely timeless albums that are packed with impeccable playing, clever ideas, unmistakable hooks, and all the heart that they could muster. This is a topic I could ramble on for hours but this initial post seems to have hit all the basic points.
Just to give you an idea of the distinction
some bands/artists I consider to have very little genius but tons of talent include:
ELP
Iron Maiden
Aretha Franklin
Van Halen
Eagles
Some bands/artist I consider to have a lot of genius but very little in the way of talent:
Leonard Cohen
Janis Joplin
Lou Reed
Klaus Schulze
Daniel Johnston
The Birthday Party
Now I want to be clear that I like all of those listed above. The only difference is how I enjoy the music. The first list is full of people who have very few songs in their entire catalog that are bad. But there is also a lack of truly outstanding tracks to keep me enthralled (not to say they don’t have any Hotel California, RESPECT, and Run to the Hills are all stand outs). This makes listening to them in depth hard and usually leads to the songs melding together.
The second list on the other hand is full of people who have some truly great songs that should never be missed; however there is also a lot of misses and just plain bad music in their repertoire. In exchange though they offer something else such as meaningful lyrics or heart felt honesty. Leonard Cohen is responsible for some of the ugliest pieces of music but the fact that he is always lyrically interesting saves even his most atrocious works. On the other side Janis Joplin manages to give 120% of herself into each and every song she sung making even the most lame and pedestrian lyrics seem like a spiritual call.
Now most people/bands don’t lie on either extreme and rely on their pool of both talent and genius to pull them through. There is only one band that managed to, for a short time, reach the peak of technical perfection with their talent and emotional perfection with their genius. And no, it is not the Beatles who lose a little (but not a lot) on the talent side do to some real weak numbers on their early albums and Revolution 9. I am talking about The Who. From 1967-1973 they came out with 5 completely timeless albums that are packed with impeccable playing, clever ideas, unmistakable hooks, and all the heart that they could muster. This is a topic I could ramble on for hours but this initial post seems to have hit all the basic points.
Lost Gem: Rough Mix
Rough Mix is a competition. There is only one song that is actually a collaboration and that is the title track. Every other one either belongs to Lane of Townshend (except for the closing track). The best song belongs to Lane. Annie is often considered the best song that he ever wrote and it isn’t hard to see why. It is a song you will feel like you already should have known with its traditional form and heart felt singing.
Townshend takes his highlight in the delightful and chugging Misunderstood. This song would not have looked out of place on a record by The Who. One thing this album shows is that, especially later in the bands career, The Who really needed a second major creative force (John Entwistle was great but never a major songwriter). Townshend had burnt himself out after the grandiosity of Quadrophenia and this album helped revitalize him long enough to pump out one more timeless album (Who Are You).
Now every other track on here is also highly enjoyable which is why I am not mentioning them individually. The closer is a great cover of ‘til The Water All Runs Dry. It is a great way to close a folk influenced album, with a cover of a strait up country song. This is a great album that should be considered a classic. So find it, get it, and spread the word.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Show'em How It's Done: Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Knockin’ On Heavens Door has been covered so many times that many people lose track of the fact that it is a Bob Dylan song. But what version is the best? The original? Or Eric Clapton’s reggae version? It certainly isn’t the butchering that is the Guns N Roses version. For my money the best goes to Warren Zevon.
In 2002 Warren Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He was told that he only had months to live and immediately set out to record his final album The Wind. It is during these sessions that he recorded his version of Knockin’ On Heavens Door. He sounds tired but not downtrodden. This is his curtain call and he is going to take it gracefully.
In 2002 Warren Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He was told that he only had months to live and immediately set out to record his final album The Wind. It is during these sessions that he recorded his version of Knockin’ On Heavens Door. He sounds tired but not downtrodden. This is his curtain call and he is going to take it gracefully.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Vampire Weekend: Contra
Contra - Vampire Weekend
There are bands that evolve with every release and there are bands that find a solid formula and stick with it. There are some bands that the evolution is important (The Who) and some that should never change their formula because it works (AC/DC).
Vampire Weekend chose to try and be the former when the latter would have been better. I am not saying Contra is bad, it is actually pretty good, I am just saying it pales in comparison to their debut. Vampire Weekend has traded string arrangements and fun vocals for electronic noise and auto tuning. Again these are not inherently bad things and it isn’t true they are completely gone. Taxi Cab for example has a good use of both electronic beats and strings, but it doesn’t have the same charm of the songs off the last album. And California English sounds like it could be on a Black Eyed Peas album vocal wise (though it is lyrically and arrangement wise one of my favorites). They used to have this great sound that was somewhere between Peter Gabriel and The Kinks. Now the freshness isn’t there.
I actually really like Contra, but this is the wrong step for Vampire Weekend. There are plenty of bands that do the electronic stuff better. There are maybe one or two songs that I think are worthwhile when compared to the previous album. One is the aforementioned Taxi Cab. And the other is Giving Up the Gun which feels like the only real solid transition between the old songs and the new (even though it feels like it would evolving into the debut, you did this backwards guys!).
Verdict: Thumbs up (tepidly but still up)
There are bands that evolve with every release and there are bands that find a solid formula and stick with it. There are some bands that the evolution is important (The Who) and some that should never change their formula because it works (AC/DC).
Vampire Weekend chose to try and be the former when the latter would have been better. I am not saying Contra is bad, it is actually pretty good, I am just saying it pales in comparison to their debut. Vampire Weekend has traded string arrangements and fun vocals for electronic noise and auto tuning. Again these are not inherently bad things and it isn’t true they are completely gone. Taxi Cab for example has a good use of both electronic beats and strings, but it doesn’t have the same charm of the songs off the last album. And California English sounds like it could be on a Black Eyed Peas album vocal wise (though it is lyrically and arrangement wise one of my favorites). They used to have this great sound that was somewhere between Peter Gabriel and The Kinks. Now the freshness isn’t there.
I actually really like Contra, but this is the wrong step for Vampire Weekend. There are plenty of bands that do the electronic stuff better. There are maybe one or two songs that I think are worthwhile when compared to the previous album. One is the aforementioned Taxi Cab. And the other is Giving Up the Gun which feels like the only real solid transition between the old songs and the new (even though it feels like it would evolving into the debut, you did this backwards guys!).
Verdict: Thumbs up (tepidly but still up)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Is It Classic?:London Calling
London Calling - The Clash
Best Song: London Calling vs. Lost in the Supermarket
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Is this album really all that good?
The short answer is, “Yes, but you have to work hard for it.”
The Clash is one of the hardest bands to assimilate. If you can honestly say you know your feelings about The Clash after listening to one of their albums once you are lying to yourself. There sound is much too dense and diverse and clever to be enjoyed that quickly but seldom does a song of theirs bore you too sleep upon first listen.
London Calling has made tons of lists of “Greatest Punk Albums” but it will never make mine. And that is because this album is not punk, at least not musically (lyrically I guess it is) . This is not bare-boned Rock ‘N Roll taken to the basics like on The Ramones. This is some world class ska music. Now it is worth noting that ska influenced punk and then punk influenced third wave ska so it is a really hard cycle to keep up with. But this falls outside of “influenced by” and directly into “is”.
Which is not a bad thing! Punk is a great genre but it is also limiting musically to pretty trivial (but kickass) instrumentation and the music on London Calling is anything but trivial. Like most ska and reggae a lot of these songs are groove based instead of melody based. But if you allow yourself the time to let these songs grow on you not a single one is bad.
The two songs I most recommend are the title track, which is the most biting track both lyrically and musically, and Lost in the Supermarket. Lost in the Supermarket is this kind of dreamy rock that would, nine-years later, be used by Sonic Youth years later on Daydream Nation, though Lost in the Supermarket is better then anything on that album.
Final Verdict On Reputation: Deserved
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Show 'em How it's Done: Louie Louie
I have a fascination with cover songs. It is just so interesting to hear how a band interprets the original. Sometimes they pay a complete note for note homage, sometimes they add or subtract parts, sometimes they parody or deconstruct, and sometimes they make it their own.
Louie Louie is one of the most primitive songs ever, driven forward by three simple garage rock chords that are so powerful Chip Taylor stole it to write Wild Thing. There are so many versions of this song every one has their favorite. Mine happens to be by The Flamin' Groovies. They change this primitive garage rocker into an amazing RnB jam. Most versions focus on those famous chords but The Flamin' Groovies only use them as the basis for the jam; the chords just set the key and the tempo for the Groovies to perform over.
Louie Louie is one of the most primitive songs ever, driven forward by three simple garage rock chords that are so powerful Chip Taylor stole it to write Wild Thing. There are so many versions of this song every one has their favorite. Mine happens to be by The Flamin' Groovies. They change this primitive garage rocker into an amazing RnB jam. Most versions focus on those famous chords but The Flamin' Groovies only use them as the basis for the jam; the chords just set the key and the tempo for the Groovies to perform over.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Daniel Johnston: Fun
Yesterday I talked a bout a horrible album by a band I usually like, so today I will talk about a great album by and artist that usually leaves me lukewarm.
Daniel Johnston’s early music was one part disjointed beauty, one part pointless noise, and zero parts production value. There was always some gem hidden beneath the cracking and amateurish echo but you really had to make yourself work to get it.
With his major-label debut Fun, Johnston shows how he can really shine. 90% disjointed beauty, 10% well planned noise, and the music is all clean and listenable. It opens with Love Wheel which is lulls you into the false sense that this is just going to be a standard Daniel Johnston album that is just a little bit cleaner. Of course as soon as Life in Vain starts you are proven wrong. An absolutely gorgeous song based around delightful acoustic strumming, soaring violins and carrying cellos and bass. It is the highlight of the album.
The next two songs ditch that “heavenly” feel to focus on some barebones music making. Crazy Love is beyond minimalist. It is Johnston singing with out accompaniment except for a piano cord every couple of seconds. Surprisingly the lack of actual melody is what makes this song so good. Catie is a strait up blues song sung with Johnston’s quivering vocals instead of a standard blues rasp. Not great but certainly interesting.
My favorite piece of noise on the album comes in the song Jelly Beans. It is about “a space orphan from Long Store6” who lost his third leg and wrote a song about soda and candy. It is brilliantly ridiculous. Equally strange is Circus Man which seems playful until it takes a dark turn at the end. All in all, Fun is an unpredictable bipolar album, and one of the few that actually works. Any album that can have both drama, and pointless fun in one song (Jelly Beans), shift from the noisy paranoia of Psycho Nightmare to the heartbreaking musing of Silly Love and not make it a jarring experience should be considered a classic.
This album belongs in the same category as Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers and Skip Spence’s Oar. Disjointedly beautiful albums made by someone who is suffering from mental (or artistic) breakdowns that manage to hold it together long enough to make something worth your time. So while Daniel Johnston’s early and later work is very patchy I would suggest every one give Fun at least a try.
Daniel Johnston’s early music was one part disjointed beauty, one part pointless noise, and zero parts production value. There was always some gem hidden beneath the cracking and amateurish echo but you really had to make yourself work to get it.
With his major-label debut Fun, Johnston shows how he can really shine. 90% disjointed beauty, 10% well planned noise, and the music is all clean and listenable. It opens with Love Wheel which is lulls you into the false sense that this is just going to be a standard Daniel Johnston album that is just a little bit cleaner. Of course as soon as Life in Vain starts you are proven wrong. An absolutely gorgeous song based around delightful acoustic strumming, soaring violins and carrying cellos and bass. It is the highlight of the album.
The next two songs ditch that “heavenly” feel to focus on some barebones music making. Crazy Love is beyond minimalist. It is Johnston singing with out accompaniment except for a piano cord every couple of seconds. Surprisingly the lack of actual melody is what makes this song so good. Catie is a strait up blues song sung with Johnston’s quivering vocals instead of a standard blues rasp. Not great but certainly interesting.
My favorite piece of noise on the album comes in the song Jelly Beans. It is about “a space orphan from Long Store6” who lost his third leg and wrote a song about soda and candy. It is brilliantly ridiculous. Equally strange is Circus Man which seems playful until it takes a dark turn at the end. All in all, Fun is an unpredictable bipolar album, and one of the few that actually works. Any album that can have both drama, and pointless fun in one song (Jelly Beans), shift from the noisy paranoia of Psycho Nightmare to the heartbreaking musing of Silly Love and not make it a jarring experience should be considered a classic.
This album belongs in the same category as Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers and Skip Spence’s Oar. Disjointedly beautiful albums made by someone who is suffering from mental (or artistic) breakdowns that manage to hold it together long enough to make something worth your time. So while Daniel Johnston’s early and later work is very patchy I would suggest every one give Fun at least a try.
Monday, January 4, 2010
How the Mighty Have Fallen: Genesis
Genesis is a band that held a lot of gems in their catalog. Regardless of whether you prefer the prog-musing of Peter Gabriel led Genesis (reaching it’s peak on Selling England by the Pond) or the pop of Phil Collins led Genesis (reaching it’s peak on Genesis) there is always something to enjoy from their songs. That is unless they are destroyed by synthesizer man Tony Banks.
Calling All Stations is just an atrocious record. After Collins left they replaced him with a man named Ray Wilson.
When Gabriel led the band Collins proved himself one of the best drummers on the prog-rock scene. And then, between his work with Gabriel on solo records and with Genesis, Collins proved he could use Drum Machines with out making them generic. On Calling All Stations the drum machines are permanently stuck in 4/4 time. The Hooks of any of the songs (and a few of them could have been loaded with hooks) are all buried under needless atmosphere and electronic noise. I find the song The Dividing Line particularly distasteful. What is this, Kraftwerk? It just doesn’t work.
The title track though is the absolute worst. Generic metal guitar work over generic “atmospheric” synths all backed by a pointless drum beat that just repeats itself over and over. And the lyrics? Well I don’t care about them. I am not gripped enough to sit down and say “ok so what are you trying to say”. Leonard Cohen has some of the lamest produced songs ever written but there is always enough going on that I am interested in getting deeper and eventually letting his lyrics elevate the song. But these songs could have the greatest lyrics ever (I have looked some up and trust me they don’t) but I still would hate them because I can’t get that far into the listening experience.
I talked about Albums that are so bad they are good. Calling All Stations is so bad it is shit bad. While there are a few almost good songs like “Shipwrecked” most are so bad that I heard better songs from the 90’s dance-pop scene…Oh yeah I went there.
Friday, January 1, 2010
We Can Work It Out
I am working on a pretty big multipart post so I am re-posting something I wrote about a year ago, this time with links to the songs.
We Can Work It Out is one of my favorite songs ever, and I have 10 versions of the song. So I am going to post to arrange what my favorites are and what versions fall short.
(I have not been able to find certain versions online so I am going to upload them later)
10.) Humble Pie
Pros- none
Cons- everything
This version sucks sucks sucks SUCKS!!!! This version is 3:19 the next version is 7:08 but let me tell you, this version seems to never end. Don’t take one of the best power pop songs ever written and turn it into a slow R&B song without really strong vocal (along the Otis Redding line) chops. #3 will show how this song should be R&Bified. Did I mention that this version sucks?
9.) Deep Purple
Pros- funky bass
Cons- intro jam, organ solo and electric guitar licks over the verses
So Deep Purple decided to start of the song with a 3 minute boring jam subtitled Exposition, nothing special but nothing especially horrible. It is slower then the original again but thankfully not in the way Humble Pie slowed it down. The bass is more prominent then it is in the original but is still over powered by the guitar which is too bad since the bass line is groovin’ and the guitar work and organ work are irritating to no end. This version only makes the cut as a decent cover on a particularly good day
8.) Petula Clark
Pros- very consistent and sweeping string arrangement
Cons- very consistent and sweeping string arrangement
I like this version and hate it in the very same breath. The vocal delivery is very well done, but it doesn’t change much during the “for fusing and fighting my friend” line. They strings make is seem much more dreamy and atmospheric, but at the same time crank up the cheese factor to 11. Inoffensive and a decent cover; take it or leave it.
7.) Heather Nova
Pros- close to the original
Cons- guitars mixed to high and vocals are kind of boring
When it really comes down to it no one needs this version if you have the original since they are identically arranged. This, of course, means I really like this version. It could have been even better if the guitars where mixed a little bit lower and the vocals had some more power behind them. Plus it is just Heather singing and I miss the strong harmonies.
6.) Tesla
Pros- power
Cons- no studio trickery (since it’s live)
In this version Tesla proves that all you need to do is play some acoustic guitars and belt out a song to cover it. Though they strip out some of the songs charm they replace it with raw power. I particularly love how even though they are singing by yelling most of the time they still harmonize.
5.) Chris de Burgh
Pros- Close to the original (even more so the Heather Nova’s version)
Cons- everything is mixed at about the same level
Wow this could practically be the Beatles version and only is dropped from #3 to #5 for one reason, who ever produced this. They did a good job making sure everything had some poppy power behind it but then they went and recorded everything at around the same level. If you want to listen to it closely and pick out individual instruments (like I do from time to time) it will give you a headache trying to sort through it all; everything is just so muddled.
4.) London String Orchestra
Skipping pros and cons for this one because they are obvious, if you don’t like classical or instrumentals you won’t like this. If you do this is exactly how a pop song should be arranged for orchestra. Multiple instruments take turns soloing for the vocal part but in a very natural way, not in a “well every one will bitch if we don’t give a solo so here is a solo” way.
3.) Stevie Wonder
Pros- Harmonica solo and its Stevie Wonder
Cons- cheesy female backing vocals
Damn this is a great recording. See Humble Pie this is how you R&Bifi the Beatles. Well except for the backing girls but this was while Stevie was still a Motown artist so they are expected. Still this is the first cover on the list fully realizes the song, while still having an interesting melody, is really groove based. Plus once that Harmonica solo comes up…well lets just say he blows the shit out of the poor little harp.
2.) The Beatles
Pros- damn near everything
Cons- if there were any noteworthy ones would I be making this list?
Well it doesn’t make #1 but this is still one of my favorite songs. For me it is the peak of The Beatles as pop masters it just seems to click for me. Anything else I could say would just be rambling.
1.) Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
Pros- Everything
Cons- Nothing
Here is where I think the song I finally fully realized. It isn’t the best R&B song ever, or the best orchestral piece or even the best pop song. At its heart it is really the greatest piece of funk ever written. It opens acapella and you think it is going to be just another fun and harmless white doo-wop song from the Four Seasons. Then the drum kick sets the speed and the funk vocals come in follow shortly by the bass; and man it is about time someone finally realized that the most crucial part of We Can Work It Out lies in that overlooked low-end instrument. Then the funk comes full on as we are greeted by some prime vocals sung by one of the Four Seasons and then another. In Fact Frankie Valli doesn’t show up until the bridges. Speaking of which, the emergence of the backing orchestra during the vocal fade outs of the bridges as these moody crashes just helps to add to the strength of the song.To sum it up in one sentence:
Wow Four Seasons, just wow.
We Can Work It Out is one of my favorite songs ever, and I have 10 versions of the song. So I am going to post to arrange what my favorites are and what versions fall short.
(I have not been able to find certain versions online so I am going to upload them later)
10.) Humble Pie
Pros- none
Cons- everything
This version sucks sucks sucks SUCKS!!!! This version is 3:19 the next version is 7:08 but let me tell you, this version seems to never end. Don’t take one of the best power pop songs ever written and turn it into a slow R&B song without really strong vocal (along the Otis Redding line) chops. #3 will show how this song should be R&Bified. Did I mention that this version sucks?
9.) Deep Purple
Pros- funky bass
Cons- intro jam, organ solo and electric guitar licks over the verses
So Deep Purple decided to start of the song with a 3 minute boring jam subtitled Exposition, nothing special but nothing especially horrible. It is slower then the original again but thankfully not in the way Humble Pie slowed it down. The bass is more prominent then it is in the original but is still over powered by the guitar which is too bad since the bass line is groovin’ and the guitar work and organ work are irritating to no end. This version only makes the cut as a decent cover on a particularly good day
8.) Petula Clark
Pros- very consistent and sweeping string arrangement
Cons- very consistent and sweeping string arrangement
I like this version and hate it in the very same breath. The vocal delivery is very well done, but it doesn’t change much during the “for fusing and fighting my friend” line. They strings make is seem much more dreamy and atmospheric, but at the same time crank up the cheese factor to 11. Inoffensive and a decent cover; take it or leave it.
7.) Heather Nova
Pros- close to the original
Cons- guitars mixed to high and vocals are kind of boring
When it really comes down to it no one needs this version if you have the original since they are identically arranged. This, of course, means I really like this version. It could have been even better if the guitars where mixed a little bit lower and the vocals had some more power behind them. Plus it is just Heather singing and I miss the strong harmonies.
6.) Tesla
Pros- power
Cons- no studio trickery (since it’s live)
In this version Tesla proves that all you need to do is play some acoustic guitars and belt out a song to cover it. Though they strip out some of the songs charm they replace it with raw power. I particularly love how even though they are singing by yelling most of the time they still harmonize.
5.) Chris de Burgh
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Pros- Close to the original (even more so the Heather Nova’s version)
Cons- everything is mixed at about the same level
Wow this could practically be the Beatles version and only is dropped from #3 to #5 for one reason, who ever produced this. They did a good job making sure everything had some poppy power behind it but then they went and recorded everything at around the same level. If you want to listen to it closely and pick out individual instruments (like I do from time to time) it will give you a headache trying to sort through it all; everything is just so muddled.
4.) London String Orchestra
Skipping pros and cons for this one because they are obvious, if you don’t like classical or instrumentals you won’t like this. If you do this is exactly how a pop song should be arranged for orchestra. Multiple instruments take turns soloing for the vocal part but in a very natural way, not in a “well every one will bitch if we don’t give a solo so here is a solo” way.
3.) Stevie Wonder
Pros- Harmonica solo and its Stevie Wonder
Cons- cheesy female backing vocals
Damn this is a great recording. See Humble Pie this is how you R&Bifi the Beatles. Well except for the backing girls but this was while Stevie was still a Motown artist so they are expected. Still this is the first cover on the list fully realizes the song, while still having an interesting melody, is really groove based. Plus once that Harmonica solo comes up…well lets just say he blows the shit out of the poor little harp.
2.) The Beatles
Pros- damn near everything
Cons- if there were any noteworthy ones would I be making this list?
Well it doesn’t make #1 but this is still one of my favorite songs. For me it is the peak of The Beatles as pop masters it just seems to click for me. Anything else I could say would just be rambling.
1.) Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
Pros- Everything
Cons- Nothing
Here is where I think the song I finally fully realized. It isn’t the best R&B song ever, or the best orchestral piece or even the best pop song. At its heart it is really the greatest piece of funk ever written. It opens acapella and you think it is going to be just another fun and harmless white doo-wop song from the Four Seasons. Then the drum kick sets the speed and the funk vocals come in follow shortly by the bass; and man it is about time someone finally realized that the most crucial part of We Can Work It Out lies in that overlooked low-end instrument. Then the funk comes full on as we are greeted by some prime vocals sung by one of the Four Seasons and then another. In Fact Frankie Valli doesn’t show up until the bridges. Speaking of which, the emergence of the backing orchestra during the vocal fade outs of the bridges as these moody crashes just helps to add to the strength of the song.To sum it up in one sentence:
Wow Four Seasons, just wow.
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