REVIEWS - COMING SOON

Foxy Shazam

The Church of Rock And Roll

EMI

With a name like Foxy Shazam images come to mind of early and mid ‘70s blaxploitation films and the such. Well, Foxy Shazam has a sound reminiscent of that era.   Picture AM rock radio and you have Foxy Shazam.

Soaring vocals, raucous rhythms and there you have it.  Picture Rush circa 1974 or Queen circa 1976 and there you have it.  The band pays homage to theatrical almost progressive rock on The Church of Rock and Roll.  Check out “Holy Touch” one of the more standout cut on the album to understand what I’m talking about.

Loud at times but deeply charismatic throughout there is definitely nothing like this out right now so check it out.

Of Montreal

Paralytic Stalks

Polyvinyl Records

Indie darlings return to form with Paralytic Stalks.  I tried to listen to their last release, Thecontrollersphre last year and literally had to turn it off.  It’s one thing to be indie, but to play some of the unlistenable crap on that was far beyond my abilities.

Still very independent sounding, Stalks comes across as more of a concept album as each song feeds into the other.  Not really too keen on the vocal style and the mix is a little rudimentary, but it is a progression in a positive direction.

There is a lot going on here and it takes a couple of listens before yu can start wrapping your head around it (I’m still trying), but for the core Of Montreal fan they will literally cream in their slacker skinny jeans.

Graffiti6

Colours

Capitol

At times it was hard to wrap my head or ears around Colours.  I have been listening to different versions of some of the songs on the final master for the past six months.  The original versions of songs like “Annie You Save Me” were soulful, catchy and downright listenable.  The final master that I listened to came across more electronic and lacks the soul the other versions of the song had.

There are a lot of hooks and a poppy feel spread throughout the album, but it lacks soul.  It sounds like too much of a pop album while to compositions are actually ore sophisticated and the ear candy become very saccharine-like almost sweet but lacking the full flavor that is potentially there.

All in all the album is very listenable but after hearing earlier versions of some of these songs I wonder what the producers were thinking.  A little soul and emotion and go a long way in selling a pop song and I would have liked some of the melodies fleshed out a little more.  Interesting songs but I feel they were interpreted or mixed wrong.

 - Wm. Alexander

Puscifer

Conditions of My Parole

Puscifer Entertainment LLC

I’ll be honest with you.  I never understood the fanaticism of Tool.  I know only a handful of songs, and I’ve seen them once at a festival a few years ago.  While their music I give them credit for, I still wasn’t sure what all they hype was about - and the fan’s loyalty to enigmatic lead singer Maynard James Keenan.  The band has always been odd in the fact they don’t grant interviews nor do they allow photographers to cover their show.  Maynard was once heard saying they already sell out every show, so they don’t need the publicity.  That always put me at odds with Keenan.

Keenan is part of two side projects, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer.  I did see APC in concert.  It was a cool visual experience.  And now I get to experience Puscifer’s newest album, Conditions of My Parole.

Dark, moody with extreme and distinct instrumentation this has already jumped to the top of my favorites, granted we’re only three weeks into the new year.  Keenan’s vocals are sharp, almost intimidating at times and matches the band’s aggressive percussive sound.  At times very intimidating but oh, so charismatic.  This is definitely a good listen.

Nada Surf

The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy

Barsuk

Nada Surf has come a long way from its late-‘90s roots where they were borderline rock and emo.  They hit it big with the song “Popular” which could have easily been passed off as a Weezer tune with similar chord progressions and even vocal style.

While critically acclaimed for their other works they are continually lumped in every 1990’s compilation album of one-hit wonders.  While most of their peers have gone the way of the dialup internet, they come out with a gem in The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy.

The album blend good ole power pop and mixes it with a little more power rock to gie it a full sound – not too heavy and not too bubbly.  Check out the tunes “Jules and Jim” and “No Snow on the Mountain”.  Those two songs will definitely hook you in.

The Little Willies

For The Good Times

Milking Bull/EMI

The Little Willies is a side project of Norah Jones.  It’s good old-fashioned country.  In fact, Willie himself would be proud of the work here.

Over the years many have tried to emulate the sound of the Grand Ole OPry from its heyday of the late ’50s and ‘60s and come off sounding like a tribute band pretending to be a true country band.

Jones’ vocal style is honest and pure and adapts well to the slow ballad-esque tunes that litter this release.  Jones has one of the purest voices and popular music and she is an asset to the instrumentation and not a distraction.

Thrown in here is a cover of “Diesel Smoke Dangerous Curves”, a trucker classic and “Fowl Owl On the Prowl” from In the Heat of the Night soundtrack.

There are a lot of people that are getting into country music because they think it is an easier genre to master and get recognition.  That doesn’t mean all country is good.  This, however proves that some people know what they’re singing about.

 - Wm. Alexander

The Maccabees

Given to the Wild

Universal

The Maccabees are the latest Britpop band and critic’s darling trying to make a go of it in the states.  Given the Wild is their third album and while the band has kind of grown up from their indie poser roots they still have a long way to go.

The problem with bans like this is they get overambitious with their music and try to come up with multi-layers of sound and vocals to sound bigger than they really are.  The problem is, every other band like them is doing the exact same thing.  And while there are gems tossed in here like “Pelican”, which really rocks out, you’ve got a myriad of songs like “Forever I’ve Known” which is a dreary, redundant recycled style of Britpop and indie pop that has been around since this indie pop movement started at the beginning of the century.

The album as a whole is very hit and miss, and despite it’s upside from earlier works lacks identity.

Mastodon

The Hunter

Reprise

Atlanta’s own Mastodon has released their first album of new material since ’09.  I have seen these guys play just about every heavy metal/punk dive bar around here and after listening to The Hunter I am truly impressed.

Mastodon channels hard rock/ metal bands of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s in this disc.  It’s much more sophisticated than a metal album.  There are rhythmic changed, trance-like drumming and a good mix of strong guitar work and appropriate vocals that make the band sound far more mature and sophisticated beyond their years and fanbase.  Progressive rock sounding at times like on “Thickening” this album was well worth the wait and should put Mastodon on a totally different level,

The Lemonheads

Hotel Sessions

CBRA

Looks like Evan Dando was doing some long needed house cleaning when he came across this cassette.  There literally is nothing new on Hotel Sessions.  It is basically demos from 1993 with a majority of the songs appearing on Come On Feel the Lemonheads.

Hotel Sessions is an appropriate name as this is a lo-fi acoustic recording complete with background noise, tape hiss and crackle.  While there is nothing earth shattering here it is interesting listening to early versions of some of these songs and compare them to the polished ones that ended up on the album.

While breaking no ground here it is a big of an interesting historical perspective of one of the early ‘90s alt pop acts whose light shone bright and burnt out by the end of the century.  It just goes to show you how disposable some talent becomes.

 - Wm. Alexander

INXS

The Very Best

Universal

INXS was one of those cool bands that broke as part of the early MTV generation with songs like “The One Thing”.  As they became more and more established they became less and less of a new wave band and more of a pub rock or alternative pop rock artist. The charts of the latter ‘80s and early ‘90s was dominated by this Aussie band, led by the sensual, smoking vocals of Michael Hutchence, whose poster graced many a young girl’s room in the day.  The band came to an abrupt half with the controversial passing of Hutchence, who was found hanging in his hotel room.  Many deemed it a suicide while others pointed to auto-erotic asphyxiation.

This two-disc set brings back some fond memories for INXS fans as the first disc is a greatest hits complication of songs dating from about 1985 to 1996.  Conspicuously absent on the complication are songs from their breakthrough album Shabooh Shoobah, but the rest are well represented here with cuts off of Kick, Listen Like Thieves and others.

The second disc features mashups, live recordings and previously unreleased material.  While INXS is still around, they are a shell of their former self and listening to these discs makes you miss Hutchence even more.

Andrew Bird

Fake Conversations

Delmark

The Chicago singer/multi-instrumentalist updates traditional swing and jazz with this one of a kind EP that defies description.  Very intricate string work on violin, kind of raw in places, Bird delivers some fine acoustic-based thought provoking songs like the opening track “Effigy”.  “Weather Systems” is a slow, cascading piece moody at times and daunting at others with strong instrumentals

The five-song disc will whet the appetite of longtime Bird fans and his past incarnations, and his ode to musician ship is to be commended and appreciated.

Weezer

Live In Del Mar, California

Epitaph

Just like it the title says here’s Weezer in concert recently in California.  The 20-song disc is a good representative of the body of work these alt-pop favorites have graced us with for almost two decades.

This is a great little companion to go along with any other Weezer a;bum you might have.  Most of the old hits are here such as “Undone”, “Hash Pipe”, “Buddy Holly” and the newer ones like “Pork and Beans”.  The only two songs conspicuously missing are “El Scorcho” and “Susanne” (a personal favorite and a great background story to boot).

One of the nice things about the disc is they pretty much sound the same live as they do in their studio recordings.  A lot of times you will be shocked at how mediocre or off a band sounds live compared to the studio cut you become accustomed.   It’s obviously they’re a live band and they’re still alive and kicking.

 - Wm. Alexander

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

The Magic of Youth

Redeye

The Bosstones to me are the godfathers of the punk ska movement.  I fell in love with these guys 20 years ago when they were still in the Taang! Label.    Likewise they were the first ska/punk band to land a major label deal.

With the airwaves bombarded by similar but not equal bands and ensembles, there’s something to be said for hearing the real deal do it. 

“Like A Shotgun” is exactly like that a full blast, full tilt rocking tune complete with their traditional horns an hard driving rhythm.

Dickey Barrett’s gravely vocals are in its same stereotypical form.  Some really cool percussion is featured on “Disappearing” and “Sunday Afternoon on Wisdom Ave.” are bound to become another ska/punk anthem to the boys.

A truly great live band – if you get a chance you’ve got to witness this, but this album does well in displaying the band’s great energy and enthusiasm.

The Black Keys

El Camino

Nonesuch

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this album.  For as long as I have known of the Black Keys they were always the darling of my music snob friends.  That scared me.  I’m sick of all the posers and pretenders that claim to be music snobs.

For a duo, the Black Keys have a lot of energy. Much more than I expected.  A departure from their earlier works El Camino has a much fuller blue rock sound.  Still rough around the edges, the songs have a melodic quality that will sooth even the must underachieving of music listeners.

“Gold on the Ceiling” is a pretty rocking tune with guitar-work reminiscent of early ‘70s rock and an upbeat tempo.

The guitar work on the album is very interesting on the album the more and more I listen to it.  You can tell the band has listened a lot to ’72-era Stones Small Faces like on “Run Right Back”.

Not a bad album. It’s worth a listen.

Amy Winehouse

Lioness: Hidden Treasures

Universal Republic

I have to admit that most of my knowledge of Amy Winehouse is courtesy of the tabloids.  Sure, I’ve heard cuts off of Frank and Back in Black, but the majority of this troubled singer’s life has been in rehab and in gossip columns.  And it’s a shame.

Listening to Amy Winehouse is like stepping back in time to another era.  Forget auto-tune and sampling, it’s pure God-given talent that she possessed.

Nothing proves this more than this posthumously released disc of old classic, reworks and unreleased works.  Listening to this, I have garnered new respect for her, while at the same time am ashamed at some of the music I have promoted.

I sit in front of this keyboard tapping this out in a humbled state.  I regret never getting to see her perform live.  With all the negative attention she received for her behavior I’m not sure I would have attended.  But I will never know, as all we have left of her are recordings like this and video.  Rest in peace Amy.

 - Wm. Alexander

Kate Bush

50 Words For Snow

ANTI Records

One of the most storied and influential women in modern music for the past 30 years, Kate Bush comes back with a set of songs set to the falling snow. 

Very evocative vocally, Bush can put more emotion and range in a single note than many of if not all of today’s female artists.  After listening to her on this it is obvious where Florence Welch draws influence as well as any other female Brit vocalist.

Instrumentation on 50 Words features collaborations with some who’s who in popular music like Sir Elton John.

Gym Class Heroes

The Papercut Chronicles II

Fueled by Ramen

The newest release from Gym Class Heroes is a welcome mixed bag of surprises and styles. Labeled as a hip hop outfit, it is a shame they are pigeon-holed into that one genre.

On The Papercut Chronicles II there is so much more than hip-hop.  Even the hip-hop aspects of this are more rhythmic and sequenced better that any rap artist.  The music cleverly blends elements of alt-rock, R&B, straight up pop and rap into a charismatic bundle that is not stereotypical or monotonous. 

There is a lot going on in “Solo Discotheque” that is one trippy ride mixing multiple genr in a four-minute song without breaking a sweat. “Marytial Girls” is a little heavy musically but sets a driving tone for the rest of the album.

Very well put together and original, it is great to see these guys, especially Travie McCoy pick himself up from oblivion and deliver a real winner of an album.

Rihanna

Talk That Talk

Def Jam

Pop’s current princess returns again with a candy bar of tunes that will satisfy.  Just like a sugary treat there are a bunch of empty calories that will get her fans and top 40 princesses and princes all hopped up, but oh wait for that crash once you realize there is not much there.  Heavy synth pop with more adult lyrics than her other works Ri Ri comes out with both barrels blaring, but all that is left after consuming is an empty wrapper and a hollow empty feeling.  Too derivative and electronic for its own good.  Talk about dumbing yourself down to down to your crowd…

 - Wm. Alexander

Snow Patrol

Fallen Empires

101 Distribution

Scottish band Snow Patrol comes out with their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires.  Billed as a change in direction for the band, if this is the case, it was a wise move.  It’s very apparent listening to this release whre their influences come.  They literally wear their U2 inspiration on their sleeve and on many tracks conjure up their inner Chris Martin (Coldplay) on songs like “In the End”.  But you know what?  It works.

Fallen Empires is a powerhouse album full of rock anthems and singles that stand out on their own individual merits like “Called Out In the Dark”.  Dark and pensive at times and emotional evocative at other times this was well worth the listen.

Kathleen Edwards

Voyageur

Zoe/Rounder

Folkie singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards comes out of the gate with her fourth disc.  Voyageur lives up to its name as it is very much a voyage deep into the cosnsciusness and heartfelt emotions of one of Canada’s better imports.  Co-produced by Bon Iver Justin Vernon there are many voyages and collaborations in this tight ten-song collection.  A little slow at times, while at other times right on it’s should make every hipster cream in their $200 jeans as they sit around and pass the community can of PBR and discuss the world.

Not really my cup of tea, but I get it.  Edwards plays some nice melancholy music that will tug at your emotions and make you sit there and think.

The B-52s

With the Wild Crowd: Live In Athens, GA

Eagle Records

Maybe the greatest party band of all time, it has taken the B52s 32 years to finally release a live CD.  It’s never to late.  One of the great things about the Athens, GA icons is that their songs have never gone out of vogue.  It’s a non-stop party as this this 18-song concert collection gives you the feeling you are on stage with the band.  Actually their music always sounded like a live concert, but with With the Wild Crowd you can actually hear the cheering crowd.

Songs like “Private Idaho”, “Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster” are perennial songs that will always bring down the house.  This is truly a celebration and a large house party of sorts.  It is obvious by listening to both the studio and live versions of songs we all know by heart (you know you do), that these songs were written to be played live.  Fred, Cindy and Kate are on their game – as they have always been when I’ve seen them live here.

There’s something to be said for music that brings joy, silly fun and in an odd way self-introspection into being.  Again, the only thing better than listening to the album is to see them live, and luckily they are still out and about enjoying doing so.

 - Wm. Alexander

You Me At Six

Sinners Never Sleep

Virgin

This Brit alt-rock band kicks their third album off with a band with “Loverboy” and from there it’s mostly downhill.  There are peaks and valleys here, and whoever set the format for an alternative rock album to have loud bombastic songs one after another to then throw it in reverse with a power ballad needs to rethink this.

“Loverboy”, a rocking tune with a feel good kind of rhythm to it is one of those songs that will sell the album to the uniformed.  The rest is formula schlock.  Granted there are a few other cool songs here like “The Dilemma”, but a majority of it is so formula, it’s like judging a paint-by-the-numbers painting as a work of art.

Cast

Troubled Times

Pledge Music

2011 seems to be the year for reunions, and new material from some thought dormant bands. Cast is the latest to join the trend.  Following in the footsteps of bands like The Cars, Blondie and the Smithereens, and the recently announced Stone Roses reconciliation, you have this lesser known Brit rock act.

The bands shot out of the gates hot with their debut disc in 1995 with four singles that charted and a top 20 seller and over a million copies sold to become the fastest selling album in the history of Polydor.  It’s been ten years since the band has played together and they make a comeback bit with Troubled Times thanks to their friends and Pledge Music that allows fans to donate to help pay for the disc.

Cast is better than I remembered.  The vocals are definitely British and the melodies are tight, the music is light airy and easy to wrap your ears around.  More of a pop rock album with a definitive ode to Brit bands of past it is a melodic heaven for the ears and makes me want to revisit the old stuff if I can find it in my storage shed.

Nicole Scherzinger

Killer Love

Universal Japan/Zoom

Nicole Scherzinger is living proof that women should be seen and not heard.  The former Pussycat Dolls singer has released her first solo work entitled Killer Love.  It takes true love to sit through this kind of crap.

Borrowing heavily from Lady Gaga, Beyonce and her old troupe Pussycat Dolls, this is an over the top, over produced piece of drivle and computer manipulation that will appeal to the 12-18 year olds it is geared to as well as the mindless that actually thought the PCDs were more than a singing burlesque act.

Surely to make the dance floors shake it is also guaranteed to drop your IQ by ten or more points.  And for some you are already on unstable territory.

  - Wm. Alexander

Jane’s Addiction

The Great Escape Artist

Capitol Records

One of alternative rock’s truest alternative original, Jane’s Addiction return with their fourth studio album.  There’s one thing that everyone can say about leader Perry Farrell - he’s an original.

The Great Escape Artist is a great return for the band that so influenced and molded alt rock in the late ‘80s and into the ’90 with Farrell’s other projects.  The Great Escape Artist is loud and bombastic as your ears are flooded with emotion from Farrell’s shrill voice.  Throbbing drums and killer guitar work beckon to a day when music wasn’t so cookie cutter and personality shone through.  The music itself is electric, not electronic like all the other so called laptop top 40 acts out today.  Welcome back.

Florence & the Machine

Ceremonials

Universal Republic

Florence Welch has undisputedly the richest voice in popular music. In fact, her voice is actually too beautiful to be used in pop music.  A voice like hers is best reserved for musical theater and beyond.

Ceremonials is kind of an odd bird.  Dark by nature, this deep and brooding sounds mesh well with her operatic voice to weave an aural web that surrounds the listener.  A little slow at times the disc picks up the pace about midway through.

In actuality it is a good vehicle for Welch to display her wares.  Haunting, melodic and downright daunting, her breathy yet rich voice will keep the listener on the edge of their seat and paying full attention.

They Might Be Giants

Album Raises New & Troubling Questions

Idlewild Recordings

Alt rock legends, They Might Be Giants (TMBG) return with their second album of the year.  Made up of a few new songs, some left over material from the last album and some old favorites  remade, TMBG remain a true original. 

Mellow at times like on “Now I Know” their humor remains in tact as well as their unique and original view on life in general.  More melodic and actually more musical than their early trademark hits like “She Was A Hotel Detective” and “Ana Ng” the duo hasn’t lost their wit or whimsy in writing. 

An all-time personal favorite band (one of a handful I look forward to hearing new stuff from these days), TMBG do a great cover of “Tubthumbing”.  They bring a touch of humor to that politically charged song.  A electronic version of “Istanbul” gives they a techno sound to one of the best sing-along songs of the 1990s.  If only all bands were as creative as the Johns, this would be a better and smarter world.

 - Wm. Alexander

Dead City Radio

Post Traumatic Tales

Independent

If Danny Elfman and Rob Zombie had a lovechild it would be named Dead City Radio.   Post Traumatic Tales is the band’s debut six song EP that starts off heavy and brings the listener through the troubling life and times of the band’s singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Dug Garnett and his trials and tribulations of dealing with and finally defeating his drug addiction.

From the opening chords of “Without You” the listener is enveloped in an intense rhythm and pulsating beat that puts them on the edge.  Along with “Another Life” and “Space Shuttle Disaster” the vibe from all three track is reminiscent of early ‘90s alt hard rock mixed with a sense of macabre and instrumentation reminiscent of an eerie mystery/psychedelic murder mystery movie.  There’s a magical feeling as if you’re part of a soundtrack and in fear of what is lurching behind the corner.

The EP then takes a dynamic twist at this point with “Like A Seizure” which has poppy guitar riffs and an upbeat backbeat reminiscent of ‘80s college rock.  This continues through the final two songs, “In The End” and “Staircase Underwater”, song that to me are reminiscent of bands like Pursuit of Happiness.  While the lyrical content is still intense the music is fresh, upbeat and downright addictive.  The album as a whole is an aural masterworks of well-blended influences mixed to peak perfection.

Erasure

Tomorrow’s World

Mute

Erasure is one of those bands I can’t get enough of.  I’ve been a big Vince Clarke fan since his days with Depeche Mode and Yaz(oo), and Erasure has been an extension of his keyboard mastery and foray as one of the greatest synth-pop keyboardist in rock history.  His work is one I can pick out of a crowd without hesitation.

Add to that the soulful and soaring vocals of Andy Bell and you have a winning combination that has been putting out great dance music and ballads for a quarter of a century now. 

Tomorrow’s World is no exception.  The one thing I think I love best about Erasure is that you know it’s them one the drumbeat begins and the keyboards start.  That, and the fact despite sounding so familiar, and what you expect, it doesn’t sound dated.  It’s all a progression.  Bell’s vocals are really soulful on “You’ve Got To Save Me Right Now”, which has kind of a ‘60s Motown feel with modern syncopation. 

“Be With You” and “Running Love Riot” are soon to be dancehall favorites.  Erasure keeps putting out great music, never missing a beat and never looking back, yet never forgetting where they came from.

Jack’s Mannequin

People & Things

Sire

Andrew McMahon aka Jack’s Mannequin completes a trilogy of related albums with this third installment, People & Things.  His first release was a melodic break-up while his last dealt with his battle with leukemia.  Now, to end the trilogy of emotion is People & Things.  Coming  home is the theme of this disc.

Release Me”, especially plays into the theme. The title alone tells the story.  The album is smooth, melodic mixing  bubbling guitars and ideally situated keyboard parts.  The music as a whole melody-wise is reminiscent of bands like The Call, and The Alarm, while the lyrics are personal, frank open and full of hope.

 - Wm. Alexander

Blink-182

Neighbors

David Geffen Company

What sounded new and entertaining in 1999 now sounds old and dated.  The clown princes of power pop/punk Blink-182 return with their first album in many a year as each member went off and played in a variety of side projects before last year deciding to give it another go.

The trouble with Neighbors is I’ve heard this all before.  And since their debut the previous millennium there have been dozens who have tried to copy their formula with mixed results.

And that is the problem with Neighbors.  Mixed results.  The new music tries to bound between emo, edgy harder rock and pop and doesn’t quite pull it off with finesse.  Vocals are as tight and reminiscent as ever, but there is nothing excitable about this album. It comes across as an attempt to capitalize off its own name.  The only word I can think to describe this is mundane.

Chris Difford

Cashmere If You Can

SMMC Media Ltd.

Difford is maybe the lesser known half of the songwriting duo of Tilbrook and Difford, better known to the masses as Squeeze.  Those two are probably new wave and moern rock’s equivalent of what Lennon and McCartney were to our parents.

While Difford’s songwriting has been critically praised literally for decades with numerous songs that are now standards in every late baby boomer’s mixtape, his work as a singer and instrumentalist has always been overlooked because of Glen Tilbrook’s solo success and the fact he tours more regularly.  Besides, it’s Tilbrook’s voice most recognize.

Difford deserves a little praise for his smooth baritone voice and a collection of songs on Cashmere If You Can that are far from being singer/songwriter fodder.  Listening to the veteran pop artist it is easy to hear what influence he ha had on a lot of current rock and pop acts and proves here he is a relevant voice in rock and pop.

The tunes on Cashmere If You Can are breezy, not over poppy and relevant.  This one was actually fun to listen to and not worry too dearly about what was being said and at the same time enjoy how it was being delivered.

Wilco

The Whole Love

dBpm Records

The veteran Chicago-based rockers return with their eighth studio album. The 15 year vets music has started over the past couple of efforts to be more and more Beatle-esque mixing sharp harmonies, hummable choruses and tight songwriting to create a fun journey.

Bandleader Jeff Tweedy is in fine form on songs like “Capitol City” which has an “Eleanor Rigby” feel, complete with church bells and such.  The same with “Whole Love”

The also touches a little light psychedelia and modern jazz on tunes like “I Might” which is reminiscent of late ‘60s Steely Dan.  All in all the album does a fine job of mixing various influences from pop to jazz to good old fashioned rock and roll.  A must listen.

 - Wm. Alexander

Kasabian

Velociraptor!

Sony

Kasabian’s newest treads on familiar and comfortable ground.  This is indeed a Brit Pop/rock album to the extreme.  It starts off a little dreamy with “Let Roll Like We Used To” that starts out with an Eastern beat before coming through with dancey lyrics and an addictive percussive beat.

The rest is pretty much power alt-rock featuring great reverb, quirky lyrics and the inane ability to get even the most docile male moving.  The slower songs come off well as they don’t come across as too pretentious.

Their first new release in two years, it’s good to see and hear Kasabian out and stronger than they’ve been in a while.  There are also a lot of early ‘90s Brit-Pop influences on a number of tracks like “Days Are Forgotten”.  Despite that it’s good to hear something a little more original than the common fare.

AA Bondy

Believers

Fat Possum

AA Bondy’s newest features some spooky, if not hypnotic psychedelic sounds.  Moody, mellow at times and often it puts the listener in a trance.  I got the feelings at time I was in a Pink Floyd time warp, while not quite as ambient, but chilling just the same.

“Highway/Fever” is hypnotically dreamy moody, kind of like the feeling you get after doing an all-nighter as at time while listening you feel like you are losing your moral grip on reality.  Overall kind of dreary, yet melodic, Believers could be a sleeper album that probably won’t get the attention it deserves.

Clem Snide

Clem Snide’s Journey

snideco

I was never much of a Journey fan and thanks to Clem Snide I’m even less of one.  Clem Snide’s Journey features the acoustic singer/songwriter picking and wailing his way through six of the more popular tunes of the late ‘70s/early ‘80s power ballad band that is now such a staple of Adult Contemporary.

I’ve heard some good bluegrass/acoustic interpretations of popular rock music done well in the past like Leftover Salmon’s take on Cracker, but on this the songs aren’t even recognizable.  There were a couple of Journey’s hits I do like including “Any Way You Want It” which is murdered here, unless you’re more of  a Clem Snide fan.  I’m not.  When I think of that song I think of Rodney Dangerfield and “Caddyshack”.  This version I think of cutting my wrists.

I realize songs aren’t necessarily to be covered by other artists to sound like the original, but I at least would like to recognize the song being played.  I actually did on “Who’s Crying Now”.

Maybe it’s because these are stripped down to the core without reverb, embellishment or mega production, I can’t tell you.  But by listening to this the songs need to go back to the ‘70s.

 - Wm. Alexander

Kim Wilde

Snapshots

Snapshots is a collection of handpicked covers by ‘80s Brit diva Kim Wilde.  Wikde, who had two big hits in the ‘80s covering Motown classics tries her hand at newer material, most iof it ‘80s influenced with mixed results.

Wilde has a very theatrical voice, maybe one of the better trained vocalists of her generation, almost up there with Annie Lennox but not quite.  Ironically the ‘80s ushered in an era of not great singers. But singers with voices that had character and made them stand out on their own.  That is why it was hard to hear her cover bands like The Cure, The Cars and Erasure.  Her voice isn’t too bad – she does actually have a great voice, but it seemed out of place on these songs.  And the backing band didn’t really seem to be into it either.  It came off a more or less glorified karaoke.

She does do a killer cover of Buzzcock’s “Ever Fallen In Love” and of “Forever Young”.  She of course hits a home run with any of the original female fronted songs like Tracy Ullman’s “They Don’t Know About Us”.

Kind of an uneven album, but it does have its moments at times.  It’s an acquired listening.

Peter Hook & The Light

Unknown Pleasures in Australia

pylon

Unknown Pleasures is a trip down memory lane for fans of Peter Hook and his part of the much ballyhooed Joy Division whose career was cut short by the untimely suicide of frontman Ian Curtis who killed himself literally days before they were to embark on their first tour of the United States.

Hook or course and the rest of the Joy Divisioners stuck together and formed New Order, one of the most prominent post modern rock bands who blended alternative rock, synth-pop and New Wave into a genre all their own with many classic hits that are still mainstays on modern rock and classic modern rock radio like “Blue Monday”, “Pleasure, Little Treasure” and “Regret” to name a very few.

Last year in honor of the 30th anniversary of Curtis’ death, Hook along with his new band, The Light played homage to his former band leader as they performed live in its entirety Joy Division’s first album, Unknown Pleasures.

It’s been a long time since anyone associated with the band has played this material.  Hook, the band’s former bassist does a great job paying homage.  For all their cult status most people only know maybe two of the band’s songs well.  The first, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” has been a staple in college radio since the mid-‘80s and the modern rock radio format if there is still one out there these days.  The other is “Shadowplay” that has been revitalized thanks to a great cover version released a few years back by The Killers. That alone sparked new interest in the band as two movies about the band came out shortly after that.

Hook does a good job channeling his former band mate in playing the album note for note, track by track.  I couldn’t help but feel a couple of times that I was transported back to 1979.  Hook’s vocals are a little more melodic than Curtis, but they in turn lacked the same emotion.  Despite that little setback I enjoyed listening to an actual member of Joy Division play Joy Division.  And Hook does well here.

 - Wm. Alexander

Red Hot Chili Peppers

I’m With You

Warner Brothers

I really wanted to hate this.  I used to be a big RHCP fan going back well over a qurter of a century.  I wore out Mother’s Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magic (the CDs actually, not the tape).  But over the years the band has been come a mockery of itself with the same thumping bass of Flea – who is no doubt remarkable and almost cartoonish vocals by Anthony Kiedis at times.  The band was fun for a while, but I’ve been over it for about a dozen years.  I watched the Foo Fighters eat their lunch on tour back in ’99 and haven’t paid much attention to them since.  The Peppers have always been able to put one serviceable single on their albums to get them on the radio, but beyond that, it’s been a snooze fest for me.

Members (especially guitar players) have come and gone over the years and it’s no different now.  I wasn’t expecting much.  That being said, if you are a diehard RHCP, you will cream in your pants.  Very much formula stuff here.  The kicker is the new guitarist adds a little vigor to the old bones of his veteran Pepperheads.  Flea has a tendency to go off the deep end at times with the bass, but recovers nicely in most of the cuts.  After about the second or third listening I even found myself humming along a little (I don’t know the words).  I was utterly surprised to find myself lulled back into the fold.  Actually a pretty good album minus the stereotypical musical masturbation that tends to happen in a RHCP disc, but they redeem themselves and avoid sounding like middle age rockers trying to relive their glory.

Suzi Quatro

In the Spotlight

101 Distribution

Glam rock queen and female modern rocker pioneer Suzi Quatro returns with her first effort in years.  Despite being 60(!) Suzi still brings it.  In the Spotlight offers some new material, her first new material in four years and a few choice covers including Presley classic, “Hard Headed Woman”, which even includes one of the original Jordanaires on guitar and backing vocals.

“A Girl Like Me” is a little slow starting but soon get moving.  “Breaking Dishes” is as cool as it gets.  It’s vintage Quatro with power chords and aggressive vocals.  It’s one of the better songs on the disc.  Check out “Hot Kiss” as well, another anathematic rock song.

Patti Smith

Outside Society

Sony Legacy

Outside Society is a handpicked retrospective of songs that chronicles one of the icons of the New York punk and rock scene over the past 40-plus years.

Smith is a unique character with a unique vocal style as she walks the fine line between seductress on some songs and then comes at you with a vengeance, ripping you to shreds.

The tracks on this as mentioned earlier were handpicked.  They were picked by Smith herself as she weaves a tale of fortune, mayhem, torture and love in a roller coaster ride.  Smith can exude more emotion in one line than most Hollywood actresses in their career.  Smith is also much more talented.

This is one of the few times I’ve set down to listen to her stuff unabated by anything else.  I’ve read what others say and was skeptical.  No longer.  A fine mix of orignal and interpretation, like the soulful version of “Free Money” and “Because the Night”.  And the ferocity of “Gloria” and “People Have the Power”.

A worthy compilation worthy of anyone’s music collection, even the resident music snob.

 - Wm. Alexander

30 Seconds to Mars

Unplugged

Virgin Records

Unplugged is a four-song EP by LA rock group 30 Seconds to mars that is fronted by actor Jared Leto.  30 Seconds is hard to categorize as they try to fuse metal, rock and a little prog in the mix, which can be confusing to some ears.

The fours songs on this release contain three cuts, their most popular off their latest. This Is War and one cover.  The unplugged songs were recorded with a live audience, giving the EP a slight coffee house feel.  The songs actually play better acoustically than one might expect as Leto’s voice is strong yet not overpowering.  There is a sense of vulnerability in his voice on songs like “Night of the Hunter” an autobiographical song about growing up in the south.

The one cover on the EP is U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name”.  Listening to it, you would swear Leto was being back by a choir, and the songs seems like a religious experience is taking place.  The crowd really was getting into it, I wasn’t, however.  It’s a cover, and let’s face it, he’s not Bono and shouldn’t try to be a Bono-Lite, even if you’re not a Bono fan yourself.

Eskimo Joe

Ghosts of the Past

Dirty Diamonds Productions

Eskimo Joe is Australia’s finest import since Kylie Minogue.  Not that I’m a fan of her music, but I do like looking at her.  After all I am a guy.  Maybe it is better put that Eskimo Joe is the best Australian import since maybe Midnight Oil in the mid-‘80s.

Ghosts in the Past is the band’s third album, the first released on their own label, Dirty Diamonds Productions.  The band says this disc is not as orchestrated of “full sounding” like their previous works.  I tend to disagree.  Of course this is the first album of theirs I have heard, but I am totally impressed.

Lush layers of guitars, keyboards and emotional vocal reverberate throughout the entire album.  This is not another run of the mill indie band, but a full all out polished rock band.

“Gave It All Way” and “When We Were Kids” are pounding rock anthems with a mid’’80s alt-rock feel to them that set the album off in the right direction.  “Love Is A Drug” is reminiscent of long forgotten ‘80s band The Call.

Al-in-all a very impressive outing by the Aussies.  I hope the states pick up on them like their homeland has.

Warm Ghost

Narrows

Partisan Records

War Ghost is a two-man outfit, which you can’t tell by the sound of their music.  Narrows is a complicated, sophisticated, aural journey filled with emotion turns and twists.

Part synth-pop (I know, a dirty word these days), and part ethereal.  There is a lot going on in the music with different tempos, beats and sounds.  Narrows is not the kind of album you sit back and take in, you have to dig through the many layers and enjoy the at times bumpy, but truly fascinating and at times spiritual experience.

  - Wm. Alexander

Mates of State

Mountaintop

Barsuk

Mountaintops is the newest release from husband and wife duo Mates of State.  The indie cult rockers mix clever harmonies, driving organ and percussion and in fuse a ‘60s pop sound to it that makes it or the band sound a lot larger than what they are.

Tight hooks and catchy melodies make the duo’s new release hard to turn away from.  Mixing time honored traditional pop with an indie feel i.e. smart, insightful, not stupid and intrepid lyrics makes the Mates one of the best discs to come around in a long time, (Other than the old pros like The Cars, Smithereens, etc.).

Blue October

Any Man In America

Red General Catalog

Any Man In America continues the therapy and emotional bloodletting of lead vocalist Justin Furstenfeld.  Maybe one of the deepest and sincere lyricist in rock and roll he puts together 13 tight, well connected tracks that spew forth great emotion and thought.  And he does it with the precision of a talented surgeon as he cuts through the muke of human existence and bares all for you and I to see.

Instrumentation on the disc is fitting, nice string arrangements embellish the striking and deep-hitting lyrics.  “The Money Tree” is a little more upbeat in musical syncopation, mixing an upbeat drum and bass rhythm that contrast with the lyrics that speak true volumes of the human experience.

The only problem I have with the disc is that I feel like after listening to it as well as every other Blue October disc I’ve listened to, feel like I’ve just come out of an intense therapy session.  Instead of using music as an escape tool, I find myself thinking more than I really intended to when I started listening.

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Mirror Traffic

Matador Records

I was at a quandary listening to this.  Mirror Traffic is the latest release by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.  Malkmus is renowned by music snobs everywhere for being one of the members of cult indie rock band Pavement. I was never a Pavement fan.  Of course I didn’t really try either.  I kind of resented my fellow music snobs, the ones who always go to the shows that only five people show up for and they tell me how great and underappreciated the band is.  Maybe my tastes are too mainstream.  I don’t know.

The one thing going for Mirror Traffic is that Malkmus worked with Beck on the disc.  With Beck playing producer, it adds a more sonic quality and less indie feel, while at the same time still keeping it eclectic.

Some of the lyrics are plain stupid like on “Senator”.  Those were some of the most irritating lyrics I heard, and I know the music snobs out there are praising it going, “Hell, yeah, man!”  Not me. On a whole those the music is quite rhythmic with a loose college rock feel, something that is right in Malkmus’ wheelhouse.  All in all, a pretty good listen minus a little misguided lyric here and there.

 - Wm. Alexander

All my fraternity brothers had the hots for Carlisle, the lead singer. My crush was on Jane Wiedlin. She was the brunette with a pixie haircut and was oh, so cute and oh, so talented. It was the old Ginger vs. Maryann thing. I’ve always been partial to Maryanns my whole life. I even followed and listened/bought the cassette (yes, that long ago) of Wieldin’s solo album “Fur”, which was a slice of pop heaven. But I digress.
The Go Gos’s have embarked on their 30th anniversary tour, actually celebrating the 30th anniversary of their record-setting album, “Beauty and the Beat”. The girls made history as the first all-girl rock group to write and perform all their own songs, and are the first all-female band to go to number one. Sure, the Runaways came first, but their success was limited. The Go Go’s opened the floodgates and knocked down barriers for all-female bands, proving they weren’t a gimmick or novelty, but a musical force to be reckoned with. Bands benefiting from the Go Go’s success include and are not limited to acts such as L7, The Breeders, and The Donnas, just to name a few.

Despite 30 years, the girls all looked great, no worse for the wear. Carlisle’s voice was intact and drummer Gina Schock kept the rhythm going. Carlisle danced and swirled about the stage, dressed head to toe in all black. The girls began their set with “Vacation” and proceeded to run through a dozen and a half hits and near hits, and cult favorites with all the most popular tunes included including “Our Lips Are Sealed”, “We Got the Beat” and “Head Over Heels” and more. They even threw in solo works of both Carlile and Wiedlin in the mix as well.

While labeled as a “new wave” act, the Go Go’s roots go back to the late ‘70s California punk scene, and they played aggressively almost as if they had a point to prove. I remember seeing them in concert in 1984 and nothing has changed much, other than their hairstyles. Good ole run rock and roll party.

Opening the show was the Tom Tom Club. Originally an off-shoot or side project of Tina Weymouth and Chris Franz of the Talking Heads, TTC remains an active entity, as they are celebrating their 30th anniversary as well. Their music is unique, refreshing and very reminiscent of New York and CBGB back in it’s glory days. They played a ton of cult classics such as “Genius of Love” and finished their set with “Take Me To the River”, Al Green’s song that was immortalized by the Talking Heads and followed by a Heads’ cover of “Psycho Killer”.

- Dave Weinthal

Brian Wilson put on a show Wednesday night at Chastain Park Ampitheatre that appeased both sets of Brian Wilson fans.  As many of you know, Wilson is one of the founding brothers of the iconic beach music rock band, The Beach Boys.  Wilson is a tortured genius whose battles with mental health, depression, and addiction has been well-documented through the news, magazine articles and even a made-for-TV move about the Beach Boys.  As the band’s primary songwriter, Wilson pretty much wrote all Beach Boy songs until the early ‘80s when he officially retired from the band.

The years following his departure from the Beach Boys saw him come out of the dark hole he had been in for years. (He quit touring with the band way back in 1965).  He literally got his life in order and began to write and create new works.  In 2004 he released the lost “Smile” album, which he quit producing in 1967 for the Beach Boys after hearing the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, feeling, overwhelmed to try and keep up with what his English counterparts were doing.  Many claim this is what pushed Wilson into his deep depression that he did not officially come out of until 1983. While “Smile” was a Beach Boys project initially, it is regarded now as a Brian Wilson album – a masterpiece by many.

With so many fans casual and not so casual of Wilson and his songs there are usually two camps when it comes to his music.  There’s the general populous.  They all know the big hits like “Fun, Fun, Fun” and “California Girls” by heart.  And then there’s the music snobs.  They all listen to be Brian Wilson solo material, most of which has been released within the last 20 years.  They know and like the Beach Boys songs as well, but they are too popular for the music snob.  And everyone of these snobs has “Smile” on their iPod to prove it.

I was seated conveniently between the two camps on this hot and muggy Wednesday night.  I’ve heard the Beach Boys for as long as I can remember.  I remember singing “Help Me Rhonda” at a birthday party of a friend of mine and wondering if the song was about his mom, since she was the only woman I knew named Rhonda. (It wasn’t.) I’ve heard the music so long, so many times, and now there seems to be an overabundance of “oldies” and “classic rock” stations in my market that I find myself phasing out the songs since they play the same three or four constantly.  Plus every cover band that does any classic rock has a couple of Beach Boys songs in their repertoire, especially during the summer season.

However, like I said it before, it sounds a whole lot different and you get a new appreciation for the music when you hear the group and or man who originally wrote and composed these old songs play them live.  It was a fun night. Wilson played two sets and two encores as the decidedly older crowd (much older than the crowd that was at Chastain Park the night before for Selena Gomez) danced, swilled wine and didn’t want the night to end.  And to be honest, after a while Wilson looked to start enjoying himself. 

“He started the evening with “California Girls” and moved quickly through a series of hits that included “Catch A Wave”, “Wendy” and “In My Room”.  He even threw in a little audience participation as he got the crowd to join him in singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.  He finished the first set with “I Get Around”.

After a 20-minute break Wilson and his band came out and started by playing a number of George Gershwin songs, off of his Gershwin album he released last fall.  The first six songs he performed were Gershwin tunes, starting off with an A Capella version of “Rhapsody In Blue”.  Other notable Gershwin tunes included “Summertime” and “I Got Rhythm”.

The rest of his set he played a cut off “Smile” and songs off various Beach Boys albums including songs off 1973’s “Holland”.  He finished his 15-song second set with Good Vibrations”.

After exiting the stage the crowd was abuzz.  One by one the band was introduced to the crowd with Wilson the last to join.  Wilson then led the band through a five-song encore that began with a rousing version of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode”. He then led the band through  a series of iconic Beach Boys songs everyone knew by heart and at this point sang along.  First was “Help Me Rhonda”, followed by “Barbara Ann”, “Surfin’ U.S.A., and finally “Fun, Fun, Fun”.  The crowd was ecstatic as the band once again left the stage.  Show over, right?  Nope.  The band’s drummer came out, stood behind the drum set and started beating one of his drums.  Wilson and company followed and performed a hot rendition of “All Summer Long” from the album of the same name in 1964. The crowd lost it.  Wilson, who was seated behind the keyboard the whole night seemed to really enjoy his time out there.  In one interview he stated he was retiring from touring after this year because he will turn 70 on his next birthday and it’s time to retire.  After his second encore he smiled broadly, waved to the crowd and said, “Maybe we’ll see you here next year.  Who knows?”

We can only hope.

 - Dave Weinthal

The walk to the venue has interesting. Cars, mini-cans all around were decorated with signs of love and adoration for Gomez, also known as the Bieb’s main squeeze. (No sighting of him, though).

Gomez has made a name for herself along with a cavalcade of teenagers like MIley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers and others via Disney. On one hand it’s difficult to take a Disney star seriously (look at the foibles of Britney and Xtrina). Hell, MIley Cyrus has made an ass of herself since turning 18.

But Gomez seems to be different. And she has proven that with her new album and with the live show in Atlanta. Gomez has grown a great deal and matured greatly since her Disney inception. Her new CD, “When the Sun Goes Down” with her band, The Scene is pure synth pop and dance. It’s not kiddie stuff. When I say it’s not kiddie, I mean it’s less candy sweet bubble gum pop and more relevant that even someone over the age of 15 can listen to and enjoy.

Her live show adds to this. She looked all grown up in her sequined gold gown, backup dancers (ala Rihanna), but it still had the feel of a backyard production like something you’d see the Little Rascals put on. This is meant to be a compliment actually. The live show is still simple enough and an eyeful for the thousands of tweeners and parents that were there, and despite her sophisticated look and mature manner on stage I was kindly reminded by the stage show that she’s still a teenager, and seemingly content to be so, which is nice. The music flowed well, the new stuff really rocks and I look forward to seeing where she goes from here. Hopefully not on TMZ like so many of her Disney alumni.

- Dave Weinthal

The Features

Wilderness

Bug Music/Serpents & Snakes

Indie darlings and music snob favorites, The Features return with the independently released Wilderness.  After kicking it around for almost 15 years, it seems as if the other testicle has finally dropped for the Tennessee quartet.

Wilderness is an aggressive, at times angry, but well tool mix of songs.  Matt Pelham dhannels his inner Robin Zander on vocals and sings with more conviction and less whiny than other releases.  The guitars also pop off the disc as well, asd the disc takes on without going full-blown power pop.  About midway through they find their tried and true indie side that longtime fans will be all about. 

“Content” and “Kid” are good power rockers.  “Chapter III ends the disc with an almost psychedelic, trippy rock feel bringing an end to an enjoyable 11-track ride.

Jessie J

Who You Are

Universal Music Group

A Brit idol, complete with a thick cockney accent, Jessie J before she released Wo You Are is best known for writing the godawful Miley Cyrus song, “Party In the USA”, which went multi-platinum around the world.  That has got to be one of the worst songs every written, performed, so on, and so forth.  Yet it sells millions of copies.  That song alone taints my opinion of the Brit Award winner whose debut album dropped in the states a few months back.

I had to walk away from my computer for a minute or two as I composed this because “Party In the USA” kept popping into my head and the madder I got.  But I’m back now.

Who You Are is an interesting and unbalanced mix of pop, rap and softer melodies.  It was as if written by someone with ADD.  From cut to cut you’re not exactly what you’re gonna get – kind of like the old Forrest Gump box of chocolates analogy.  JJ mixes acoustic, hip hop, pop, and even a little soul here and there throughout.  There’s never a dull moment.

One of the better songs on it and I can actually visualize her performing the lyrics is “Do It Like A Dude”.  The song is quite humorous and works well.  “Casualty of Love” is a nice love ballad.  It’s reminiscent of one of those early ‘70s soul classics that used to fill the AM airwaves.

All in all, not that bad. It is a mixed bag of influences and such and would do better with a little direction.  But I have heard a lot worse.

311

Universal Pulse

ATO Records/Red

It’s nice when some things remain intact.  311’s newest, Universal Pulse has the band playing right in their wheelhouse without sounding old, tired, or trying to relive their past glory.

Old fans and new alike will get into this eight-song disc.  While it’s short on content it’s full of good vibes.

The opening track “Time Bomb” is just that or it might be better named “Time Travel”.  Included on the song are numerous bits and pieces that make up the signature 311 sound, guitars, floaty vocals and a pounding drum beat.

“Wild Nights” is a little harder than the opening track with angrier guitars and some old school rap as only 311 does strategically thrown in.

“Sunset In July” has a more ska/reggae feel, a typical summer song.  This and a number of the songs on Universal Pulse will find their way into many heads and be the background music for many an activity.

 - Wm. Alexander

The crowd rose to its feet as soon as an extended version of “Heart of Rock N’ Roll” began. The baby boomer crowd rose to their feet, arms flailing in the air, the horn section kicked in and that was all she wrote.

Anyone who listened to the radio between ’82 and ’85 knows all the songs by heart. You can’t help it. Granted, he admits he gets a little tired of playing the hits, but he delivered.

A majority of the first half of his set were songs of “Soulville”, his reworking of some great songs from the Stax Records era of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s released last fall.

Lewis’ husky voice was in fine form as was the brass section and he sauntered back and forth across the stage. Dressed in causal attire, jeans and a short sleeve shirt, he looked like he had stepped off the golf course before coming to sing.

Old school Lewis fans were pleased as they danced most of the night to songs like “Hip to Be Square”, but he proved that despite being out of the spotlight for a little while, he’s as relevant as ever and “Soulville” a worthy addition to his fan’s catalog.

Opening the show was Little Feat. The veteran rock/R&B/boogie woogie band played a short set preceding Huey Lewis and the News. After watching their set, it is obvious where today’s jam bands draw inspiration and the veteran group played one long jam after another including their signature song, “Dixie Chicken”.

- Dave Weinthal

When we got there it was total mayhem in the street in front of the venue. Uniquely dressed folks wandering around, plenty of black t-shirts and unique fashions galore. I picked up our tickets. Tim looked like a hungry pup. “You mind?” he asked. “No”, I answered as I handed him his ticket. I didn’t see Tim until it was time to go home almost two hours later.

The stage had a gothic, almost military feeling to it. There were ammo boxes on stage as well as shell casings, and right up front a small piano, kind of like Schoeder’s in “Peanuts”. The crowd was abuzz as this was the band’s first tour in seven years.

The big talk amongst the faithful was where would Maynard James Keenen be and what would he be wearing. Keenen is the front man of Tool, a hard rock band known for selling out shows in a matter of minutes. To add to Tool’s mystique, they grant no interviews. “Our shows are sold out, we don’t need to promote them”, and they don’t allow photography or video to be shot during their performances. When they performed at Bonnaroo in ’07 they did not allow video to be broadcast from the stage. All adding to the mystery of the band and the man everybody calls Maynard, as if they know him personally. Talk amongst the crowd was where would Maynard be and what would he wear, and if he was going to try and disguise himself.

Besides Maynard and band founder Billy Howerdel, the band now boasts having James Iha on guitar and keyboards. Iha, of course was a longtime staple as a member of the iconic Smashing Pumpkins.

The band came on stage, each strategically placed across the stage. Howerdel sat down at the tiny piano as the band began the night with Crucifix’s “Annihilation”. The short song was followed by a very deep, almost gothic version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”.

The band followed with songs familiar to the crowd and introduced some new material that matched their more popular songs. Tim was impressed. Maynard was set in the back of the stage on a tall riser with no light upon him wearing a wig.

The crowd really got into Iha’s guitar work and hand at keyboards, as the band hi the halfway part of their tour this night. Everyone looked comfortable on stage. Howerdel is a beast on guitar and took part in some of the vocals.

The 19-song set included an inordinate amount of covers, but they were covered well (everyone from Marvin Gaye to Joni Mitchell). They definitely has their act together as fans now await a new record.

Oh yeah, Tim wouldn’t shut up the whole way home about the show. He owes me big now.

- Dave Weinthal

Anyone who listened to radio in the mid to late ‘70s and early ‘80s know Michael McDonald’s voice. If he wasn’t singing lead, singing a duet, singing background vocals or even on a soundtrack then there was something wrong. McDonald’s voice is so prominent with that era that Family Guy had a segment where McDonald was s[eaking backup vocals to Peter’s conversation. Heck, he was in everything.

McDonald started singing with Steely Dan moved to the Doobie Brothers, and took over lead vocals for an ailing Tom Johnston. During that era of 1976-81 the Doobies had one top ten hit after another. McDonald was also heard in a duet with Patti Labelle, singing background vocals for Kenny Loggins, James Ingram, and Nicolette Larson to name a few.

McDonald’s set played like a best of early FM radio as the king of blue-eyed soul played classic Doobie Brothers like “Shine Sweet Freedo” to Minute By Minute” to solo clasics like, “I Keep Forgettin’”. His set included a number of classic Motown hits like “Heard It Through the Grapevine”, Stevie Wonder’s “Just Enough for the City” and “Yah Mo B There”, the soul driven classic he recorded with Ingram. He finished his set with probably his most popular Doobies single, “What A Fool Believes”.

Boz Scaggs took the stage next. The 45-year rock veteran mixed a little old and new in his set. Scaggs, who got his start with the Steve Miller Band, and featured on their first two albums as well filled the AM and FM dials of the mid and late ‘70s.

Scaggs played newer material from after his heyday like “Some Change” from the early ‘90s, mixing a more blues rock set with tinges of jazz. Scaggs was not short of playing the hits. “Jo Jo” was the second song of his set. He played classics like “Breakdown Dead Ahead”, “Lido Shuffle”, “Miss Sun” and “Lowdown”.

There was no shortage of recognizable songs this evening as both artists played to the crowd, with Scaggs taking a few more chances and playing some lesser commercially known compositions. Those in attendance definitely got their money’s worth.

- Dave Weinthal

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges

Blue Note

Hot off the heels of his Academy Award winning performance as a country artist in “Crazy Heart” Jeff Bridges comes out with a self-titled disc of country and folk tunes.  Usually skeptical of actors who cross over to become musicians and vice versa, I was pleasantly surprised.

To defend those who do this, it should be noted that most actors have trained voices, many can sing better than most top 40 artists, many of whom have no vocal training.  The problem in the past with such cases is not the ability to sing, but poor choice of material.  They get caught up in their celebrity and put out mediocre material at best.  The cutout bin at record stores of yore were filled with them with everyone from Lorne Green to William Shatner and even Leonard Nimoy.  Only a handful do well, Rick Springfield being one.

Bridges worked with T. Bone Burnette on this old school sounding album. Burnette is the undisputed king of this stuff, working with the greats of 40-plus years ago and even with the likes of Jack White.

The disc starts off with a rockabilly-tinged tune called, “What A Little Bit of Love Can Do”.  This is probably the weakest cut on the disc.  It is a little reminiscent of Rockpile and ‘70s era Clapton, which Bridges does not pull off well.

“Everything But Love” is an old school country ballad and more in Bridges’ wheelhouse.  Some of the lyrics are a little contrived on this and other cuts, but the pace and flow of the music match up with his vocals a lot better.

Overall, not a bad album, but I’m not sure if it can get over that novelty factor, which may or may not enhance reception to the music.

Hyra De Hero

Birth, School, Work, Death

Stereo Bang Media

Hyra De Hero, a Houston rapper/artist channels his inner Zach del la Rocha on Birth, School, Work, Death.  This vocals are hauntingly similar to the Rage Against the Machine front man, but the lyrics are a different story.

BSWD tries to mix hip-hop and alternative rock channeling angst-ridden melodies that are rapped over, but the lyrics are stereotypical rap lyrics, using the standard foul language that has been prevalent in rap the last 20 years including the occasional “ho”.

“Grudge” is a pretty dumb, what one could call a stereotypical bad rap song with use of foul language, the “N” word and references to making money and chasing “hoes”.

The same juvenile theme continues through “We Still Popular” but things pick up from there.

Very edgy music mixed with angry, almost call to action vocals the album comes to a head on the final track, “System Overload”.  It has perhaps the best, if not most true lyrics ever written or rapped – “Women and machines rule men’s lives”.  No truer words spoken.  With that one lyric along, Hyro Da Hero won my respect.

3 Doors Down

Time of My Life

Republic

It is what it is.  3 Doors Down has a sound that is all theirs. Time of My Life is no exception.

The new disc is a hard driving rock album that is easy to listen to on the surface.  The main problem is that it is the same usual stuff.  3DD needs to be careful as this album almost falls into that same AC/DC stereotype – same music different lyrics.  Guitar leads, pounding drums and even lyrical detonation make me think it is a song I’ve already heard, not anything new.  With this type of music it sounds like they are trying to play it safe musically.

Lyrically, it’s not bad, but a lot of it is lost in translation.  No new roads driven here, just safe power ballads that the band from Mississippi have been known for for over ten years now.  That being said, “Race For the Sun” is a pretty good rocker.  It’s more uptempo than a lot of the songs with strong guitar leads.  Another plus for the album is the engineering.  There are fine nuances that I picked up listening to it through my headphones that might get overlooked being played in a car stereo unless at high volumes, but is greatly appreciated and applauded.

 - Wm. Alexander

The city of Atlanta was once again on fire as Rihanna came to town Tuesday night. The fire this night unlike from a show in Texas over the weekend was all about Rihanna.  The sweltering heat of mid-July rose the heat index up into triple figures as well.

Rihanna is one of those performers I always had a hard time figuring out.  I really like her early stuff.  I was dance-oriented leaning a little towards alternative rock or even mild techno.  Her latest stuff is very R&B and hip-hop influenced with the use of a lot of Auto-Tune.  I saw her perform one Saturday morning on the Early Show where she sang badly.  I mean very badly.  Off-key.  My mother was watching and she started laughing at Rihanna.  “That’s horrible,” mom said.  Mom comes from a different generation when singers had to sing for themselves and not depend on a computer program.

But still curiosity got the best of me when I saw she was coming close by.  I’m ashamed to admit I have learned more about Rihanna from tabloid websites and shows like TMZ and Entertainment Tonight that from Billboard and Rolling Stone.

She’s got a buzz going that doesn’t let up, so I decided to give her a chance to win me over.

I was expecting and over-the–top lavish show ala Britney Spears and a lot of the boy bands that ruled the charts for the past decade or so.

My opinion has changed… for the better.  Rihanna’s show is visual decadence complete with color, lights, background dancers, a band and costumes galore.  First off, Rihanna is far more beautiful in person that in pictures and video.

Second, the show started off more like a rock show as she started with “Only Girl (In the World)”.  She was lowered onto the stage in a neon sphere similar to what Cher did during her farewell tour years ago.  Dressed in a sequin ensemble, she rocked out.  She moved back and forth the front of the stage.  Her background dancers danced behind her, in front of her, but not with her.  This gave me the impression she was singing and not lip-syncing to tracks like a lot of the pop tarts do this day.  The fact she was dancing separately from the dancers and backup singers made her look more like a rock god like Pink does on tour.

She followed with “Disturbia” and then went into one of her earliest dance hits, “Shut Up and Drive”.  By this time she stripped down to a sequin two-piece for lack of better words, bikini.  She shook, she shimmied, she moved about.  She got on her knees and greeted her lusting fans at the front of the stage.

Her voice sounded strong, on-key and most importantly (to me) not mechanically altered. Rihanna played her newer hits like “Rude Boy” and “S&M” as well as throwing in some well placed covers (“Darling Nikki” for one).

I was truly impressed.  I’m back on board now.  The show was definitely worth the trip.

Opening for Rihanna was J. Cole.  My how he’s grown in a year-and-a-half since I saw him open for Jay-Z.  Having met him, I was really impressed with him.  Very eloquent and graduated from St. Johns with honors, I was in disgust the first time I saw him perform.  He came out opening for Jay-Z emulating thug-life, talking like a thug complete with the stereotypical language. Tuesday was a different story.

His background music has vastly improved and his raps are more clear and easy to follow. His stage presence has matured greatly.  It looks like he’s made that jump from a stereotypical rapper to a full-fledged hip-hop artist with a bright future.

 - Dave Weinthal

Ah, yes, the Psychedelic Furs.  I spent an “evening with” the Psychedelic Furs the other night with close to a thousand of my “friends” or fellow fans.  The Furs are one of those bands that have been hard to define by many – critics and fans alike.  The band that has been around since the late ‘70s has been labeled everything from an art rock band, to post-punk, and new wave.  I guess that would encompass it all.  All I know it’s great stuff.

The band is currently touring celebrating the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album, 1981’s Talk Talk Talk, which spun them into the mainstream and pop culture with songs like “Pretty In Pink” and “Dumb Waiters”.  The band performed two sets, playing Talk Talk Talk in its entirety and followed with a set of “greatest hits”.

The crowd at the Masquerade was definitely more mature than most shows I go to minus the Monkee’s reunion where the median age for that about 55.  While waiting in anticipation for the show to start everyone in the crowd talked, some reminiscing of other Furs’ shows they’d seen or other alt-rock acts we’d seen or wish we had seen.

As I have harped on many times over the years, there is such a generational gap in what is live music any more, and what constitutes a good show.  Music, rock and even traditional pop music is sound that is made with an instrument via voice, string instrument, keyboard, percussion or via air blown into a tube (sax/horn, etc.). This concept is totally lost by today’s top 40 acts.  The reason Britney Spears sound “just like her record” in concert is because she is literally lip-syncing to it.  You know, the stuff that cost Milli Vanilli their Grammy.  Music is not someone dancing around on stage choreographed with 16 backup dancers mimicking their moves.  It’s about singing and playing.  The music should move you, not a choreographer.

And that is exactly what the Psychedelic Furs did Wednesday night.  Lead singer Richard Butler who always fit the prototype look and style of an alt-rock singer, lean, with black hair kind of shaggily cut.  Still thin as a rail and the hair a little more salt and pepper in color, but nonetheless recognizable from all those album covers of the 1980s was in top form.  Butler has one of the most unique voices in modern rock. He always sounds on the verge of just getting over or catching a cold with his distinctive style of singing, a raspy gravelly, midrange baritone that is unmistakably his.  I remember the first time I heard his other band for the first time on the radio almost 20 years ago, Love Spit Love. 

Even though I was unfamiliar with the song and the band, I knew it was the guy from the Psychedelic Furs singing.

Butler was joined on stage by brother Tim on bass (band co-founder), Mars Williams on saxophone (who has been with the band since 1984), Richard Good on lead guitar, Amanda Kramer on keyboards, and for this tour the Fur’s drummer during a majority of the ‘80s, Paul Garisto.

The Furs put on a real rock show.  Butler moved all over the stage in theatrical manner, arms flailing, rushing the edge of the stage, retreating, brother, Tim did the same often finding himself next to Good. 

One by one Butler and the Furs knocked out track after track from Talk Talk Talk.  There was minimal talk between songs, with Butler smiling in appreciation of the crowd’s fanatical reaction.  It was getting hot in the venue and Butler stripped himself of his black sport jacket and down and dirty as the band moved effortlessly through seminal tracks like “Pretty In Pink”, “Into You Like A Train”, and finishing the set with album’s last track, “She Is Mine”.

On a number of songs on both the Talk Talk Talk set and “greatest hits” set, sax player Mars Williams took center stage and gave Butler a run for his money.  Saxophone is one of those instruments that can be great, and then at times date itself or the song, almost falling into the cheesy category.  Williams’ sax fit in perfect during the course of the night, and for that matter the Furs’ music in general.

After a well-deserved break, the band returned for a second set playing a number of the band’s best-loved songs.  I was kind of surprised they played “Love My Way” as the second song of the set, seeing that other than “Pretty In Pink” it is almost universally fans of the band’s favorite song.  You could tell the band really got into the song, especially when they could hear 1,000 people singing along word for word.

A lot of the songs on the second set came from Forever Now, the follow up to Talk Talk Talk.  Standing center stage, Butler held his arm out in front of him like a member of the Third Reich as “President Gas” began.  He goose-stepped across the stage in military fashion.  The song’s lyrics are so prophetic now and maybe more relevant than in 1982 when released.  Of course back then I listened without putting any thought into what the lyrics said.  Now, almost 30 years later they ring even more true than before.

Butler and the band criss-crossed and moved to the music they were playing.  It wasn’t choreographed, and it didn’t need to be.  When you write and perform your own music, you just go with the flow, which is what the Psychedelic Furs did.

The only thing missing from the greatest hits set was “All That Money Wants”. After finishing their set the band came back after a minute for a two-song encore finishing the night off with “Forever Now”. I can’t emphasize enough how high-energy and musically entertaining the show was.  But that’s usually the case when it’s your material – something the top selling artists of today should learn.

 - Dave Weinthal

Fountains of Wayne

Sky Full of Holes

Yep Rock Records

Fountains of Wayne return after a number of years with a great summertime album.  The songs on Sky Full of Holes are light, guitar-driven and at times hummable.  There’s not that much of these today.

Sky Full Of Holes actually in a way sounds a bit like a throwback.  Despite their age, this is a full-fledged college rock album.  Remember those?  There once was a day when music like this was played on college radio and nowhere else until someone decided to make college radio an actual commercial format.  That format bastardized and poisoned the term college rock, and soon there morons from all over calling themselves “alternative”.

Catchy lyrics like on “Richie and Ruben” and “The Summer Place” make for great songs to listen to riding down the road, bobbing your head back and forth.  No political, agenda, no angst, just good ole rock and roll.  Something we have been missing a grat deal of for some time.  “Acela” is another cool, upbeat rock ballad.

Fountains of Wayne are back just in time to save the radio.  Hope people are still listening.

Relient K

K Is For Karaoke

Mono vs. Stereo

The pop punk band, Relient K, known for playing their share of fun covers during their live sets come out with an EP of covers.

The mix of genres are great here – everything from They Might Be Giants, Tom Petty to even Justin Bieber.  Most bands tread on a slippery slope when covering well-known songs, going in one of two directions – either true to the original or they try to make it their own.  On K Is For Karaoke, Relient K is able to straddle that fence a little and do a great job of putting their stamp on it.

I love their cover of They Might Be Giants “Dr. Worm”, which is very close to the original.  Their cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is a little updated, especially at the beginning, but remains true.

Their interpretation “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears For Fears is alittle more upbeat, but unmistakable.  They definitely enhanced this song by putting their stamp on it.  Indeed, a lively update.

Included here is “Baby” originally by the Biebs.  Their version sounds like they’ve been through puberty unlike the original, and a lot less sappy or dare I say “gay”. (Sue me)  Other covers include Tom Petty’s “Here Comes My Girl” and Weezer’s “Surf Wax America”. 

Selena Gomez & the Scene

When The Sun Goes Down

Hollywood Records

I really wanted to hate Selena Gomez.  You see, I haven’t been a fan of much of what Disney does or supports since the days when Mickey and Donald ruled the roost, and back in the day when Kurt Russell was a computer that wore tennis shoes.  In other words, a long time ago.

To be honest, I hate the prepackaged crap Disney feeds tweeners and the youth of today – everything from Miley Cyrus to the Jonas Brothers – the only Demi I like is named Moore not, Lovato.  And then there is Selena Gomez.  I never took anything with her seriously because it all came across as teen packaged crap meant to sell millions of dollars in merchandise.  Like a a ball of cotton candy – all fluff and a big crash after an initial sugar buzz.

But holy cow!  Gomez’s new disc, When the Sun Goes Down floored me.  She’s no longer daddy’s little girl on this.  I read this was a more mature release for the Disney star, but I had my doubts until l listened to it.  This is actually one really good dance album.

When The Sun Goes Down is very much a synth-pop album.  A little more demure or innocent than early Lady Gaga, but in that vein, paying homage to early ‘80s Euro-pop and even dancehall classics from the late ‘70s, almost bordering on disco.

“Whiplash” is an awesome dance song as is “Bang Bang Bang”.  There is a lot of Auto-Tune obvious on the tracks, but unlike Ke$ha it doesn’t make itself so over the top and the star of the song.  That’s the only drawback, a little overproduction like on the tile track.

Who would have ever thought I would like?  I guess you’re never too old to like something new.

 - Wm. Alexander

JEFF The Brotherhood

We Are The Champions

Infinity Cat

We Are The Champions is a bundle of nervous energy that pulsates out your speakers as you listen to the 11 tracks.  The lead track, “Hey Friend” is kind of trippy and almost psychedelic at times, but the angry guitars pulsate with anger.

“Cool Out” the next track does anything like that.  It is a hard driving, punk-influenced ditty with positive energy and the feeling unlike most band described as any king of punk influenced original.  Angry drums towards the end lets you know this is not your ordinary one-trick pony.

“Bummer” is more melodic and kind of rock anthematic at times without the need for a Bic lighter.

The album is king of a throwback to a lot of the harder college punk crossover bands of the early ‘90s like L7 and Sebadoh.  This band would fit very well on the Sub Pop label.  An oasis amongst auto-tuned and factory produced songs cluttering the airwaves and internet of late.

Braid

Closer to Closed

Polyvinyl Records

Braid’s a little band that’s been around since the early/mid ‘90s and they sound like it.  That’s not always bad.   I hadn’t heard at all of this band until I got Closer to Closed.  This is indeed a throwback.

Vocals and recordings on this sound like early Dinosaur Jr.  and Sonic Youth. One critic described the band as emo before that was a bad term.  The vocals are loose as is the rhythm and lead guitars lending to it an indie/college feel  before that term got  a bad rap.

Doesn’t seem like any chances were taken on this, and why?  There’s no need.  Yet another reminder of a simpler music genre and day.  Actually kind of refreshing.  Sorry to disagree with all you music snobs out there.

Thievery Corporation

It Takes A Thief

Esl Music

It Takes A Thief is basically a “best of “ album featuring songs we all have heard.  Unless you’ve been under a rock, in jail, or frankly deaf, you will recognize a tune or two, even if you aren’t familiar with the DJ duo.

A lot of the songs featured here on It Takes A Thief have been used countless times on numerous TVs shows and commercials hawking everything under the sun.  That’s one way to make a buck.

This best of is like a Cliff Notes version of a classic novel.  While it gives you the basic rundown of what the band is all about, you, the listener miss out of the finite details only found by album surfing.  If you’re looking for a shortcut, by al means check it out.  If you want to do a little discovery check out Thievery Corporation full lengths.

 - Wm. Alexander

Peter Murphy

Ninth

Nettwerk Records

Goth daddy is back joining a number of veterans this year releasing new material.  The former Bauhaus lead comes out with his first album, Ninth in many years.

Murphy has been blessed with one of the greatest voices in alternative music or any genre for that matter.  His smooth baritone voice is as haunting as ever and full of both life and mystery. Right out of the gates with the first cut, “Velocity Bird” there are angry guitars and his bellowing voice that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.  The energy stays up with “Seesaw Sway”, a really rocking tune.

Having almost forgotten about Murphy all these years due to the myriad of mediocre put out that has cluttered my ears, not only is he alive and well, but something still to be reckoned with.  Maybe his strongest work since Deep, actually Murphy is living proof whether if rocking hard or mellow like on the end track, “Crème de la Crème” not only is he relevant, but still a standard-bearer.

The Vines

Future Primitive

Sony

The Vines were one of a group of bands all with “The” in their name that made up a lot of the musical landscape in the earlier part of this millennium (along with THE Strokes, THE White Stripes, and THE Raveonettes).  They all had that indie ‘60s-era garage band sound that made them stand out from the processed pop rock and hip-hop we were being spoon-fed by the labels.  Some went on to great things, dissolved or are still struggling for their piece of the pie.  Future Primitive is The Vines’ fifth album and with brings its mojo with them.

Raw guitars, a hypnotic drum beat and haunting vocals, a reminder of a genre past, this album is truly a gem. “Gimme Love” is a strong power pop, raw song that clock in at under two minutes.  The energy and power is felt in every cut, even a bit of mysticism and daunting melodies and a tribal drum beat like in “Outro” will leave Vines fans screaming their praises, and those who like honest, pure rock and roll, dancing in their seat.

The Wonder Years

Suburbia I’ve Given You All And Now I’m Nothing

Hopeless Records

Go, I’m beginning to hate the term “pop punk”, which is what The Wonder Years are described as.  Generic emo boys would be a better term.  While bringing up some interesting and at times deep thoughts on Suburbia, it is totally lost in translation.

This album reminds me of the Butch Walker ditty on Left Of Self Centered “Rock Vocal Power” an entertaining parody of an fake school of how to sing like a rock star.  The Wonder Years sound like graduates of this institute as every song sounds like the other and like every other song of this genre.  It’s no wonder I gave up going to the Warped Tour a few years ago.  I would love to hear something original and challenging.  Why buy this?  Most angst-ridden teens and young adults have a closet full of this shit already. By God, just give your money to a charity instead.

 - Wm. Alexander

Before there was “Glee” and before the original MTV, there was “The Monkees”.  That was 45 years ago.  Some critics called them the Pre-Fab Four, others like myself called them Mickey, Mike, Davy and Pete.  We didn’t care who played their instruments or who wrote the songs. We dug the music they were playing, arguably some of the best pop rock in music history.  The Monkees were a cultural phenomenon, a made for TV band who fought critics and became a good band, playing their own instruments and writing their own songs over time.  The TV show was like the Three Stooges meets Don Kiirshner Presents (who actually was the music director for the first season of the show).  Four young guys living together and trying to make it as a rock band.  The show was ahead of its time mixing slapstick humor, pop culture and finishing each episode introducing a new song to the public.  And oh, what songs.  It was a can’t miss lineup of Hollywood’s best songwriters – everyone from Carole King, Neil Diamond, Boyce and Hart, Carol Bayer Sager, Harry Nilsson and eventually Dolenz, Nesmith, Jones and Tork.  Love them, dismiss them, The Monkees defined part of the pop culture of the mid and late 1960s.

While I am a music snob by nature, The Monkees are my guilty pleasure.  I grew up with them literally.  I was barely out of diapers (well… a little older) when the show first premiered in 1966.  I had the benefit of a 12-year-old sister who was a big fan of them as well as the Beatles and other significant bands of that generation.  I can still see in my mind the Colgems label on the vinyl Monkees records we had in the house.  I carried them around like a found treasure.  I still remember trying to recite "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones LTD to this day.  I also knew it also meant it was time for probably my all-time favorite song by anyone still to this day to come on.  The next cut was “Pleasant Valley Sunday”.  I remember growing up in New York playing side two of the album over and over again to hear the song on my sister’s phonograph (yep, before stereos, boom boxes and MP3 players teens used to listen to music on a simple phonograph).  I still have fond memories of those lazy days and that bygone era. 

A couple of years later the band went away.  Actually after that album, the TV show went away.  I went in other directions musically, my sister grew up and moved away.  I moved on but every time I heard the Monkees on an oldies station I would conservatively crank it up.  While in high school I had a girlfriend who was a big Beatles fan and it turned out we both liked the Monkees.  One Christmas she gave me a Monkees Greatest Hits record.  I should have married her.  Then when I was senior in college they went on a 20th anniversary tour.  They actually ended up coming to town!  I was overjoyed.  I had eighth row center seats.  The Monkees were going through a revival at the time.  MTV started airing a Monkees marathon, rebroadcasting all the old shows, which started a new wave of Monkeemania, bringing the guys back together for not only a tour, they had a new single, “That Was Then” and were releasing a new album Pool It.  They even tried to tempt fate again and a new comedy series was created called “The New Monkees” casting four new unknown musicians, but updating everything to current day.  It was a miserable flop.

The Monkees put out one last album in 1996 called Justus that didn’t do anything.  A reunion show came up from time to time and this past Friday The Monkees kicked off the North American leg of their 45th anniversary at Chastain Park in Atlanta.  It was quite a feat, and a surprise it actually happened.  Less than two years ago Davy Jones went on record saying there would be no more reunion shows.  He was tired of the way Peter and Mickey treated everyone while on tour.  I could actually relate.  I got to meet and interview Peter Tork six years ago when he was touring with his blues band, Shoe Suede Blues.  I actually just called to get press clearance to shoot and review the show when his management asked me if I would like to interview him as well at the venue.  Of course I did.  I sweated the small stuff coming up with question after question, trying not to ask too much about the Monkees.  After all, he has tried to move on.  I even brought a few of my Monkee memorabilia to get autographed.

I sat through the show.  I was mildly impressed. Not bad.  But the crowd really got excited when he threw in two Monkees songs into the repertoire.  I was nervous.  I was getting to talk face-to-face with one of the guys I literally grew up listening to.  It was one in the morning, humid and he was a big jerk.  At one point he saw all my notes and asked, “Your not planning on asking me all those questions are you?”  I was frustrated, disappointed and letdown.  “Trust me, I don’t have much more to ask you,” I retorted.  I sulked back to my car and threw my tour poster in the trunk.  I was afraid to even ask for a signature.  I figured he would bite my head off.  I drove home disappointed but with a decent interview, though not one of my best.

Despite it all I still loved the music and when I heard they were going to go on tour I prayed they would come close by.  By good fortune or grace of God, their first show was in Atlanta.  I couldn’t wait.  The show started with a visual montage on the screen behind the stage show clips from the TV show and snippets of the music videos.  It was like having my life flash before my eyes.  The backing band started playing a medley of their greatest hits and then the three came out together. (Mike Nesmith is not touring with them again)  They immediately broke into the hits starting with the Neil Diamond penned “I’m a Believer”, then “Mary Mary” followed by “Girl I Knew Somewhere”.  All-in-all they played for three hours, performing 43(!) songs.  The band was joined midway through the first set by Dolenz’s sister Coco who sang lead on “Different Drum”.

At the midway point the band took a 15 minute break and while they were gone old TV commercials they starred in were aired including ads for Kool-Ade and Kelloggs.

The second set started with “Circle Sky” the first cut on Justus, their most recent album (1996).  While all the major and minor hits were played over the course of the night, they played a lot of material from their album, Head upon which they made a movie that at the time received mixed reviews but is considered a classic by today’s critics.

They finished the second set with “Daydream Believer” before shuffling off stage.  After a minute of cheers they came back on and played “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, a short version of “I’m A Believer” and left the stage to their theme song, which the three clowned around on stage, chasing each other around in circles around Peter’s keyboards, running into each other before running off the stage to a standing ovation.  Wow.

During the course of the night the three looked like they were actually having fun on stage going through their catalog.  I’m sure it is a rush to look up from the stage and see a sea of people singing word-for-word with every song you performed.  On previous tours there were ego clashes with Jones leaving the stage during songs performed from “Pool It” because he didn’t have writing credits on some of the songs, but Friday he stayed on stage the whole night and even came out in tails for a number in the second set.  Mickey was Mickey going between the front of the stage and then climbing behind the drums.  Peter Tork was smiling the whole time and was clowning around with Mickey and Davy.  Who knows, maybe they all finally realize they are the Monkees, people love the music, love the individual personalities and there a lot worse fate – trust me.  Hey, hey, you’re the Monkees.

 - Dave Weinthal

Lady Gaga

Born This Way

Interscope

Lady Gaga returns with the much anticipated and much, if not over-hyped Born This Way.  It has also been one of the most criticized be ever being released.  The singer was attacked for the lead single sounding like a rip-off of Madonna’s “Express Yourself”, which I found kind of unfounded.  Personally, I thought the single “Alejandro” sounded more like a rip-off of Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita”.  The comparisons are there and will either daunt or haunt Gaga until the end of time whether warranted or not.

That being said the dance floor diva does step out on a precarious perch as did Madonna by stepping beyond making dance music and getting political.  Warning Will Robinson!  Warning!  Dance music and politics is like mixing oil and water.  They just don’t mix.  Madonna survived by constantly reinventing herself over and over again. I’m not sure Gaga can do the same.  To Gaga’s credit, she is a complete artist.  Not only can she sing (without the help of Auto-Tune), but she can play piano and writes her own material (unlike Madonna, Katy Perry and Rihanna).  Despite her outlandish style and over the top antics – both on stage on on the red carpet, she is indeed truly a talented well-rounded artist.  That being said, I could care less about he views of sexuality, gender equality, war and violence.

Luckily for a casual listener like I am, the music far outweights the lyrics and actually crowds out the lyrics on a number of cuts because there is so much going on musically that you forget (if you really care) what message the 25-year-old mega-star is trying to get across.

The album gets a little heavy handed at times as the music gets into that techno range sounding more like industrial dance instead of synth-pop, which is where she really thrives.  And with the serious themes or stories behind the lyrics what could be really  good dance music is weighed down by too much cerebral demand.  While she may have been born this way I’d prefer to just dance.

Freelance Whales

Weathervane

Frenchkiss/Mom & Pop Records

Upon listening to Weathervanes for the very first time recently, I feel like I have heard these guys before.  Lo and behold I have – product placement.  Much to my pleasure or dismay the music here has been used as background music in TV shows and to pimp Chevrolets.  The album’s opening cut, “Generator ^ First Floor” was featured in the first episode of season four of the NBC adventure/comedy “Chuck”.  The song was also used to pimp Chevrolet’s electric car, “The Volt”.  Other songs on the album have been featured on shows like “One Tree Hill”, “Covert Affairs” and “My Life As Liz”

While the music is pretty good here is where I have a problem.  The songs sound as if they were written for product placement or show placement.  This not only borders on selling out, but makes me question a band’s intentions.  I know we’re all in it to make money, but I don’t want to listen to background drudge all my life.  If I wanted to hear crappy background music every day of my life I would hang out in the lobby of my doctor’s office and listen to the piped in crap there.  Who knows?  I might hear this there as well.

The band plays their instruments well, vocally it pretty, but the intention of the songs and some of the pedestrian lyrics kind of wear on me.  This is your typical indie rock fair.  If you want to listen to this band, just watch one of your favorite Warner Brothers’ produced shows, they’re all using songs off the disc.

Gomez

Whatever’s On Your Mind

ATO Records/Red

Let’s hear it for modern technology.  Members of Gomez live not oly on the east and west coast, but overseas as well.  The members put together this album, their first self-produced work (seventh overall) while communicating and sending files back and forth.  Then they gave their hard work to longtime friend Sam Farrar (Phantom Planet) and have put out a really compelling and full album.

Melodic, introspective and ethereal at times Whatever’s On Your Mind is a great listen.  The album is able to mesh soulful lyrical delivery with folk/indie sounding guitar work and mix in a bit of energy to make it a really palatable aural mix for even the harshest of music snobs to the most causal listener.

 - Wm. Alexander

Flogging Molly

Speed Of Darkness

Thirty Tigers

Speed of Darkness is the Celtic punk ensemble’s fifth album to date.  With this release the sound of the band really progresses beyond punk, hwile staying honest to those roots.  The lyrics are deep, dealing with economic times in America, but despite what miht consider stereotypical punk rhetoric, the music is even, not mumbled up or totally chaotic at times and disjointed as what a lot of stuff passed off as punk tends to be.

Not only has the music matured, but the lyrics as well. A lot of punk has been deemed (some rightly so) as gloom and doom.  Here on Speed of Darkness Flogging Mollys does deliver a message of hope and recovery.  “So Sail On” is a nice ballad, rich in Irish tradition.  There are also plenty of tunes to kick your heels up to like, “Saints and Sinners” and “Oliver Boy”. 

Speed of Darkness shows Flogging Mollys ability to grow up and still get across a pont without sounding self-serving.

Blondie

Panic of Girls

Eleven Seven

Blondie comes back strong with their first album since 2003.  Panic of Girls may be their most consistent album since Eat to the Beat.

Deborah Harry is still the queen diva with perhaps the greatest voice in rock/pop/punk/New Wave and disco history.  It is one full display here.  The women despite being 65(!) years olds still oozes sexuality out of every pore of her body.  On this disc like her early efforts, she lure you in with her come-hither voice and once she has you in her lair strikes you dead with fierce voracity, like a Queen Bee.  And while you may be her victim, you enjoyed the entire ride.

Panic of Girls, instead of experimenting with a bunch of different genres like Harry did in earlier works (disco on Parallel Lines, reggae and rap on Autoamerican, and Hip hop and swing on No Exit, and even house and techno in bits and pieces on other efforts), Harry sticks to what made her famous.  A couple of the early tracks like “D-Day” and “What I Heard” sound like early ‘60s power pop similar to her early works with Blondie (think “Sunday Girl”.  The first single is “Mother” a straight up rock song with kind of a pop/Top 40 twist to it.  “The End The End” and “Girlie Girlie” are reggae inspired sounds.  “Love Doesn’t Frighten Me” is classic rock and roll Blondie and one of the better cuts on the album.

If your looking to compare it to past works its somewhere between Autoamerican and The Hunter.  Harry’s voice never dates itself and the music remains relevant to this day both this disc and their entire catalog, for that matter.

Spring Offensive

Pull Us Apart

Burning Building Recordings

Spring Offense is an Oxford rock band that to their credit sound very original.  The instrumentation and harmonies on the cuts are somewhat loose, lacking the over-polishing most of their contemporaries go for, but do play music and not noise like a lot of indie bands try to pass off as music.

Pull Us Apart is a little dark and gloomy and theatrical in places like in “Every Coin”.  The instrumentation is terse and Lucas Whitworth’s vocals express great emotion, kind of like a less theatrical Freddie Mercury.  And with his accent there’s no denying his British roots.

Very eclectic, very original, this is an album for those not looking to hear a run of the mill over-the-top, over-produced load of crap being served up like it was made of gold.  Instead the music, the lyrics, and intent are honest and really hit home.

 - Wm. Alexander

Those at the Memorial Auditorium got a double barrel treat Thursday night. Mixing both humor and excellent musicianship, Steve Martin performed along with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Yes, that Steve Martin.

To be honest with you I think Martin is a better actor than comedian. He has had some iconic movies, but to be honest they were kinda silly, like “The Jerk” and “The Man With Two Brains”. When he and Robin Williams finally started flexing their acting muscles, that’s when they really started to earn my respect. One of my favorite movies he has done is 2005’s “Shop Girl”, kind of a romantic comedy that he played very subdued and was completely charismatic.

And now, after hearing him on the banjo, I’m even more impressed. I didn’t know what to expect sitting there in the theatre, but Martin showed some serious musicianship on stage with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Now I don’t know which I like better, the funny Steve Martin or the musician Steve Martin.

Of course he was in the company of one of today’s top bluegrass bands, the Steep Canyon Rangers. Bluegrass is kind of an enigma for me. It’s one of those genres of music that I can be a captivated audience member for about 15 minutes. After that my mind starts to wonder. Especially with instrumental bluegrass after a while every song begins to sound the same to me. It doesn’t matter who’s playing it – Nickel Creek or a couple of local yokels on their front porch. I’m sorry if I offend true blue grass affectionados, I do appreciate it, but more so as background music, something that doesn’t require my undivided attention.

With Martin’s help, he was able to break up the monotony (not that it was at all). Martin is a true humorist. He started the night telling a few jokes and explained how the collaboration between him and the Steep Canyon Rangers took place. He was able to get the attention of a very docile crowd and get emotion out of a group patrons that usually sit on their hands.

Every now and then he would inject a humorous story to segue in the next. But unlike his personality, he was serious as a musician, and of course he had the Steep Canyon Rangers to keep him on track and on his toes.

It was a very worthwhile venture almost reminiscent of vaudeville, but with greater emphasis on music and not laughter, although there was plenty of both. I initially went there to see Steve Martin, but stayed because of the Steep Canyon Rangers.

- Dave Weinthal

Train sure has come a long way since the first time I saw them.  It was a hot evening and they were the opening band on a three-band bill at a dive of a rock club called They Bay in 1998.  The Bay used to be a great place.  A lot of great acts played there many times to no one like the time Kid Rock was there a month before he broke out.  There were 12 people there, but if you ask now at least 10,000 people claim to have been there.  On this particularly hot evening Train opened for Athenaeum and headliner Better Than Ezra. 

Athenaeum of course is long gone, maybe a year of so after this gig.  Better Than Ezra is still around. They are still riding along semi-successfully on the strength of their first album in 1995 with singles like “Good” and “Battle of New Orleans”.  We all know about Train, the multi-Grammy winning band that has toured the world and has multi-platinum albums.  But 1998 was a different story.  Train was hungry.  They were between gigs when they were in Chattanooga and asked the bar owner if they could do a short residency until their next gig at the end of the week.  They were told “yes” and they played for three nights working on their craft, to a crowd much like the Kid Rock crowd mentioned earlier.  We felt sorry for them, had a laugh at their expense, and between our good-natured ribbing we were actually surprised how tight the band was.  My how times have changed.

Train played an intimate set at the Tivoli Theatre to a sold-out crowd.  Time has been kind to singer Pat Monahan.  Sporting a darker hair color than the last time I saw him a few years ago, he looked pretty much that day I saw him at the Bay, except with the look of success in his eyes.

For 90 minutes he sang, danced with audience members and was in motion the whole time as he ran through a number of songs which have become standard-bearers for the adult contemporary crowd.  Hard to believe that less than ten years ago they were considered an “alternative” band.

Monahan is a great frontman and probably underrated as one.  The key to his success fronting the band is his banter between songs.  Even the most casual fan would appreciate his small talk.  He uses the small talk to segue to the next song, letting everyone know what the band is performing next.  Some songs I know when I hear them but could not tell you the name of them to save my life.  Monahan let me know (not me personally) what he was playing, making it easier for me to find online. (I do that sort of thing.)

The band played a mix of material from their five albums to date and did not waste time getting to the classics.  His second song was “Meet Virginia”, which brought down the house.  A few songs later Train did an original interpretation of the Doobie Brothers’ classic “Black Water”.

From there Monahan segued into an acapella version of “When I Look to the Sky”.  Later in the set his hit some high notes with “They Call Me Free”.  Monahan then slowed things down with the ballad, “Marry Me” off of the newest album, Save Me San Francisco.  Realizing things slowed down considerably, he told the crowd it was time to get things more up-tempo.  The band broke into “Hey Soul Sister”, which got everyone out of their seats again.  All in all, a really special evening.

Opening the night was Knoxville’s Dirty Guvnahs.  The Guvnahs are a roots-based blues rock band.  The style and stage presence of lead singer James Trimble are reminiscent of the Rolling Stones minus the soul.  The music is pretty good, but a little thin in places.  Trimble is a great frontman.  He is very Mick Jagger-like in the way he prances around on the stage up and down, over and back.  He’s very expressive with his exaggerated body movement and it is quite addicting to watch.  They definitely have a future,l if they fatten up their sound some.

 - Dave Weinthal

Kate Bush

Director’s Cut

Fish People

The British songstress come back with a new release, Director’s Cut where she rerecords some of her finer songs from TheSensual World and The Red Shoes, in a way that brings them alive and timeless.  Bush, who came to fame in the ‘80s with songs like “Wuthering Heights” and “Hounds of Love” has created something new rerecording her vocals and slightly rearranging the original songs in way that gives them more pomp and an air of theatrics.

Bush does a great job of keeping the integrity of the original works, but embellishes upon them with a still, possibly even more symphonic voice than in the past – which is saying a lot.  While her work has always bordered on theatrical and/or progressive, the new recordings give greater justice to the writing, once you take into consideration where they came from and where he is coming from now.

Moby

Destroyed

Mute

Destroyed is kind of a disturbed, introverted, yet revealing work of art by Moby.  Moby is indeed a tortured artist, with a legion of fans of his electronic music and trance-like compositions.

With Destroyed, the artist is giving you an inside look at his life and his trials and tribulations.  It is basically a look behind the stage, mic and living quarters of Moby and how he was able to challenge his bouts of insomnia into haunting, appealing and thought-worthy compositions. 

On many of the cuts you can not only hear, but feel Moby’s pain like on “After”.  Very autobiographical in nature, with the insight coming from music even more so than the words, it is a compelling set of tracks and what makes Moby standout from other celebrity deejays.

Thurston Moore

Demolished Thoughts

Matador Records

Demolished Thoughts is the third solo album by Sonic Youth leader Thurston Moore.  Moore is a little out of his element here as gone are the angry guitars, replaced with precise, delicate string work.

Moore’s vocals are smoky and mellow as ever as unlike being a contrast to the music it actually accompanies it as well.  A lot of this can be credited to Beck and his production work giving Moore’s music a more sophisticated and symphonic sound and feeling. 

Demolished Thoughts features Mary Lattimore on harp, Samara Lubielski on violin that aid greatly in the mellow and truly remarkable music on the disc.  The album is very warm, approachable and even sophisticated in a way Sonic Youth never thought of being.

- Wm. Alexander

The Sweetback Sisters

Looking For A Fight

Signature Sounds

Listening to the Sweetback Sisters is like stepping back in time.  The two “sisters”, Emily Miller and Zara Bode bring righteous harmonies and a bit of nostalgia with Looking For a Fight.

The music is simple in a good way, complete, charismatic, and makes me feeli like I’m sitting on the porch of the Grand Ole Opry.  The album is really a throwback to simpler country, devoid or rock influences and hip-hop like a lot of today’s country artists beg, borrow and steal from.

The album is bare-boned in it’s approach: solid instrumentation, including every stereotypical country instrument, fluid vocals that are strong but don’t overcome the music, and clever wordplay that usually goes overlooked in most country music.  A righteous disc, too bad more country isn’t like this still.

Adelitas Way

Home School Valedictorian

Virgin Records

Adelitas Way returns with their sophomore effort, Home School Valedictorian and manages to avoid the typical slump.  I wasn’t sure at first.  The first cut, “The Collapse” is such a stereotypical hard rock/active rock song that my eyes started rolling.  But as the album progressed, so did the music.

Granted, there are loud guitars and over modulated vocals (stereotypical for the genre), buy the band shows a more eclectic, smoother side on cuts like “Alive” and “Somebody Wishes They Were You”. 

“I Wanna Be” is one of the best cuts on the album.  It has a driving beat with cool percussion without being overbearing and heavy… something not found so much in this genre these days.  Missing on most of the album is the stereotypical power ballad, although “Hurt” technically qualifies as one.  It’s the last cut, so I’ll cut them some slack.  I guess for the record I would give Home School Valedictorian a passing grade.

Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi

Rome

Capitol

Rome is the long anticipated brainchild of mega-producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells, DangerDoom, etc.) and Italian composer Daniele Luppi. Five years in the making Luppi and Danger Mouse compiled together surviving musicians who performed on Ennio Morricone’s music scores for all those infamouse spaghetti westerns of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.  Mix in the modern vocal influences of Norah Jones and Jack White and you have quite the eclectic and fascinating mix going on.

The music has an eerie, smooth, soundtrack feel to it.  It makes for great background music.  Jones’ vocals are used wisely here to compliment the music, not overpowering it.  It’s almost like a reinvention of Jones from what we’re used to hearing her sing.  White’s recognizable vocal contributions lend to it a modern day twist on this moody, time travel-esque soundscape produced by DM and Luppi.  However it is Jones’ vocals that I fall in love with.  Like something out of a ‘60s romantic movie, her voice carries so much motion and style that you can’t help but find yourself mesmerized.  Check out the track, “Black” and you’ll know what I mean.  Heck, check it all out.

 - Wm. Alexander

The Cars

Move Like This

Hear Music / Concord Music Group

I must be dead - pinch me.  I must have died and gone to heaven.  Twice within the last month two great comeback CDs have been released.  First the Smithereens first disc of new material in a dozen years and now New Wave icons, The Cars with their first new release in almost a quarter of a century.

When I heard the news a few months back I was excited, and then I became scared.  I grew up on this stuff.  I lived it.  And my life has been devoid of it since 1987.  I can still remember reading the official announcement in 1988 that The Cars had disbanded.  I was floored.

I always hoped for a reunion, as most ‘80s bands have been doing of late, I even checked out the New Cars with Todd Rundgren.  When Ben Orr, who shared lead vocals with Ric Ocasek died ten years ago, I figured I was screwed.

But I was nervous and overjoyed when I heard of this new album.  I have seen too many of my childhood idols fail in their return from obscurity (The Monkees’ “Justus” is a prime example), but how bad could it be?  Ocasek had put out a couple of solo albums before and after the Cars and produced the likes of No Doubt, Bad Religion, Nada Surf and Possum Dixon to name a few.  So, he knows what he’s doing.

Move Like This sounds like the band left off from where they were in 1987 - actually better.  The work is more reminiscent of their earlier work like Panorama.  Everything is intact, Ocasek’s signature iconic vocals, the poppy, loopy keyboard that defined the Cars’ sound, and tight songwriting.  The band is able to pull it off great without sounding like a bunch of geezers trying to relive their youth.  “Soon” is a nice slow ballad, reminiscent of “Drive” in tempo.  The opening track sells the disc as the band throws every conceivable Cars’ trademark sound to lure you in.  “Sad Song”, despite its name is a very poppy, catchy tune with trademark Cars’ bass lines and even hand claps (think “My Best Friend’s Girl”).

Thank you Cars for giving me a second album this spring that I can proudly play in the car as I drive around with the top down.  What a week – tornadoes, royal wedding, the killing of Bin Laden and a new Cars album.

Bowling For Soup

Fishin’ For Woos

Red General Catalog

Texas punk pop band returns to form with Fishin’ For Woos, their newest release.  The band have been in a freefall since the popularity of “1985” a few years back.  Luckily they have found their groove back with this new disc.

Mixing power pop, a pseudo punk attitude and a sense of humor, this disc is actually fun to listen to, something that’s hard to say about a lot of new music coming out.  “S-S-S-Saturday” is the lead single, but there are other tracks to check out than that.  Check out “Girls In America” and “This Ain’t My Day”.  These are the kind of songs you find yourself involuntarily bobbing your head back and forth to… quite frankly like most of the album.

The album is very engaging in that it comes across as a concert with banter between some of the songs and BFS masterfully mix ballads with downright humorous pop ditties.  The attitude is very casual while the music is very professional and fun to listen.

Matt Pond PA

Spring Fools

MRI

The Pennsylvania indie pop band returns with an appropriately titled EP.  The music on Spring Fools is light and breezy with tightly constructed songs that flow effortlessly from track to track.

The instrumentation is solid and lifting with Pond’s well-constructed lyrical feed.  “Lovers Always Win” is a great track, maybe the strongest on the EP.  “Spring Fawn” has a mellow and smooth flow to it, as if you were flowing down a stream.

While I usually am skeptical of a lot indie artists (indie is usually a code word for uncommerical), Matt Pond PA delivers five solid singles that are not only entertaining, but also thought provoking.

 - Wm. Alexander

Augustana

Augustana

Epic

The maturing progress continues for Augstana as they release their third disc, this one self-titled.  While previous efforts they did their best to be catchy and current, Augustana’s direction is decidedly different.

On Augustana, the band has a much more mature, polished sound.  After listening to it over and over, to try to figure it out it struck me. I had heard this someplace else before.  Augustana owes its sound or is playing homage to late 1980s college rock.  For a minute there I thought I was listening to the like of the BoDeans and other alt-rock acts that kept me mesmerized back in the day.

Sometimes imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and it pays of well here for the band.  The rock, sometimes alt-country tones and power rock ballad tunes that pepper this current alternative disc sounds fresh compared to what and where a lot of Augustana’s contemporaries have been dishing out.

Zoe Boekbinder

Artichoke Perfume

Independent

Artichoke Perfume is the first solo effort for Zoe Boebinder, formerly of Vermillion Lies. Not that I know anything about them or for that matter Zoe, I found myself mesmerized by this album.

The music style is very unique mixing old swing, but more of stripped down than say a Christabel & the Jons.  Distinctive vocals play a big part in the attraction as well  like on “Wooden Spoon” which evoke a bygone era with nice eclectic harmonies..

The mainstream music fan may roll their eyes at Artichoke Perfume, but to someone looking for something actually original this will be hard to beat.  Unless you buy it however the only place you may hear it is NPR, unfortunately.

They Might Be Giants

Join Us

Idlewild/Rounder

The Johns return with their first “adult” release in years.  The quirky, eclectic New York duo (now a full band) made a name for themselves with off-the-wall, short, quirky, yet deeply lyrical ditties that have become part of pop culture.  After evolving from an “art band” to a full-blown rock act they seemed to lose a little direction as their patented left field compositions became more and more polished and professional.

Nine years ago they began to record children’s album’s beginning with the critically acclaimed, No!, which sounded to longstanding TMBG fans like vintage Giant fare.

Join Us is a return to the polished more mature sound of the band.  As much as I don’t like to admit it, the new sounds great.  I should explain that I’ve been a fan since the Greenwich Village days when they used to perform as a duo with a tape deck perched on a barstool to play sound samples and drum tracks.

The new material is more melodic with trademark Giant brass quirky instrumentation like on “Cloisonne”.  “Can’t Keep Johnny Down” is a rocking tune with that familiar nasal tone of John Linnell singing lead and the familiar guitar tones of John Flansburgh.

The band mixes folk and pop rock effectively and remain original and true to form, a form many of their older fans as well as the new ones will appreciate.  Thankfully TMBG will never go out of style.

 - Wm. Alexander

The Smithereens

The Smithereens 2011

Entertainment One Music

The last time the Smithereens put out a new album of all original material Bill Clinton was president, gas was hovering around the dollar mark, I had a full head of hair and the world seemed to be a better place.

The name of their last album of original material in ’99 was called “God Save the Smithereens”. This new disc could have easily been named, “God Bless the Smithereens”.  After more than a decade of unfiltered crap coming through my radio and all around me, I became numb almost and forgot my focus of what good music actually is. I started thinking l liked the likes of Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, and Kanye West were viable talents.  Thank you Smithereens for reminding me what great music is and hopefully teach this new generation what an album is and how to compose a group of songs as a cohesive unit instead of a bunch of pointless and scattered singles.

Without a doubt Pat Dinizio is the greatest American songwriter of the latter 20th and now 21st century, up there with the likes of Elvis Costello and Glen Tilbrook.  Dinizio is the only songwriter I know that can write a love ballad that doesn’t make me want to puke.  Words will never describe properly my admiration of his talent as a writer, singer or performer.

The album, 2011, is vintage Smithereens. If this album came out after 11, instead of Blow Up, there’s no telling where this band would be now.  From the first chord of “Sorry” to the last drum beat of “What Went Wrong”, there is no disguising that this is the Smithereens. 

Those are tall words to speak of the band, but those familiar with the Smithereens know what I’m talking about.  The sound of the group definitely pays homage to ‘60s power pop and rock and the Smithereens from early on made that sound distinctively theirs.  From the crunchy guitar of Jim Babjak, the thumping bass of Mike Mesaros and now Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion, the drums of Dennis Diken and the vocals and songwritng of Pat Dinizio, a Smithereens’ song is easy to recognize.  And while they’ve experimented a little with sounds and influences, each album has one tune that stands out as a definitive Smithereens signature song with “Sorry” followed closely by “Nobody Lives Forever” as two new signature Smithereens tunes on 2011.

Noteworthy tunes on the disc are the two aforementioned ones along with “One Look at You”.  There’s really not a bad cut on the album. I actually put this as my new third favorite Smithereens album ahead of 11 and just trailing Especially For You and Green Thoughts.  What jumps it so high in the ranking is the production work of Don Dixon who was back at the helm for his fourth Smithereens disc.  The only thing not making this album a true throwback is the absence of the Rickenbacker guitars that they abandoned after Green Thoughts.  Dixon is one of the best power pop producers out there still.  He slightly polished a band’s sound without cleaning them up too much, and leaves the band’s personality intact.

Do whatever you have to do – buy it, download it, steal it, share it, it will be the best thing you put in your ears in years.  Do yourself a favor and listen to what real music actually sounds like.

Gorillaz

The Fall

Virgin Records

Very different and experimental in nature, Gorillaz come back with The Fall.  I’m not sure what to make of this disc yet.  It sounds nothing like anything this cartoon band of alias’ have put out before, the disc takes a little bit to get used to.

Very stripped down, lethargic, and low-key by nature, Damon Albarn does used his trip across America on tour last year as his inspiration for this album.  Very much written as an American soundtrack of sorts, Albarn mixes a lot of influences here including Americana and western folk to create a definitely original piece of art.

Baby Teardrops

X Is For Love

Independent

NYC’s Baby Teardrops channel the best ’60 garage rock sound and create an original modern twist with their independently released X is for Love. 

There’s that loose feeling but distinctive drum and guitar tones that lets the listener revel in the loose yet woven texture of vocals, instrumentation and writing. 

Sparse in places the disc makes up for it with a very powerful power pop sound and a driving bass that calls to an earlier era and offers hope for things to come.

 - Wm. Alexander

Last Saturday, the crowd at Rhythm and Brews hit the “Indie Rock” trifecta. I don’t know how it happened, but if you missed it - well, you missed it.

Sleeper Agent, out of Bowling Green, KY opened the show. They’ve been described by Spin magazine as one of the “best new discoveries” at SXSW, last month. And they certainly lived up to the claim. Being a bit older than many of the attendees, I can only describe their sound as a kinder, gentler The Misfits with Chrissie Hynde on vocals. I guess the term continues to be Alt Rock, subcategory Pop. I call it super fun, and give it 7.

They were followed up by an even lesser known band by the name of Biffy Clyro. Chattanooga may not have known them when they came out, but it’s guaranteed that many will be mispronouncing that name for a while, as they spread the word. These guys are a 3 piece hailing from Scotland, consisting of a pair of twin brothers on bass and drums and a guitar/vocalist. They’re hard-driving rock anthems were blended into hip-swaying ballads at the blink of an eye. And the energy they exuded didn’t go unnoticed. By the time these two bands wrapped up their sets, the crowd at Rhythm and Brews wasn’t about to give up one spot at the front of the stage.

Cage the Elephant was not to be out-done and their enthusiasm was infectious. This band, also out of Bowling Green, shot out of the gate with their 2nd album debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200. Watching frontman, Matt Schultz was intense. This guy rarely slows down. He’s like a mixture of Curt Cobain, Shannon Hoon and Mick Jagger. The band was tight and true to form, as you would expect “The Next Big Thing” to be. They played like their lives depended on it, with a ferocity not often seen in this town. And the crowd loved it! All in all, the night proved to be a damned good show, and Chattanooga stepped up to the plate to prove that we’re ready for some good rock shows. Well, except for the whole crowd surfing/walking thing... Chattanooga’s not perfected that art yet.

- Gail Lindsey
Photo by Gail Lindsey

Britney Spears

Femme Fatale

Jive

Well, I listened to my first Britney Spears album today.  That’s about an hour or so I’ll never get back.  Spears, or something branded with her name have a new album out called Femme Fatale.  My ears have been mortally wounded by Fatale.

Britney Spears is probably public enemy number one when it comes to the current state of popular music.  She doesn’t sing, doesn’t write her own material, and for all intensive purposes is a digital music program with tits.

If you listen closely to the music, which is very derivative and the same as every other Top 40 diva you will realize she’s not singing on the songs.  The way I read it she is being fed lines to record and the deejay or producer splices her sound bytes into the programmed drum machine and manipulates it to fit the music.

I’ve often laughed at Spears’ stuff in the past and admit she was eye candy for a while, but her trailer trash appeal wears thin after being a regular on TMZ, and once overlooking the enhanced figure and heavy makeup and realize despite what they want you to believe, you still can’t polish a turd.

The Strokes

Angles

RCA

I wasn’t quite sure what to think after listening to The Strokes’ newest, Angles.  Af ter a couple of listenings I’ve grown quite fond of the latest from the quintet.

It’s been five years since the last release and a bunch of side projects in between.  Boy, I  missed these guys.  The Strokes return to form with Angles that takes their sophisticated garage sound and ups the ante a little with a tad more polish and flair. 

Reminiscent of early works but not redundant or trying to live past glory The Strokes come up with a rocking album with a sharp edge.  “Under the Cover of Darkness” is a great rocking tune sounding almost like a leftover from their This Is It sessions.  Intricate guitar work takes center stage on “Two Kinds of Happiness”.

While granted, it took a listening or two to get my stroke back on, do yourself a favor and  give it a try.

Green Day

Awesome As F**k

Warner Brothers

Awesome As F**k is Green Day live taking songs from various venues around the globe over the past two years.  What is there to say about a live album filled with songs with a proven track record?

Well, they didn’t screw them up, I can say that.  Someone that attends over 100 live concerts a year, I’ve seen more than my share of poorly executed live shows.  Of course with a high-tech editing bay at your disposal and literally hours of music to choose from this compilation of live tracks should have been a relative no-brainer that only the most inbred music editor would screw up.

The band sounds good on the disc, but they have lost some of their edge.  I guess that comes with success.  I remember seeing Billy Joe and the boys on the old Warped Tour circuit over a dozen years ago and partied with him backstage about ten years ago.

The band seems more intent now to put on a professional show than a bunch of raving lunatics causing havoc on stage as I remember them.  There’s a really nice rendition of “21 Guns” on the album that starts out with Billy Joe and a piano before the rest of the band joins in a minute or so into the song.  Very emotional.

They give a similar treatment for “Wake Me Up When September Ends”.  It was very touching, one of the few calm moments of the performance.  They were up to their old punk rock ways on “American Idiot” even though that is a relatively newer song in their catalog.  “When I Come Around” and “She” helped represent the old catalog for those still clinging to their punk pop roots back in the day when Dookie broke them.  And of course you guessed it, they ended the disc with “Good Riddance”.

All in all, a little bit of everything from their catalog, even though I would have like to have heard more of the older stuff.  But then again, I am older stuff.

 - Wm. Alexander

Having literally grown up listening to Gordon Lightfoot on AM radio, I got the rare treat of seeing him live Wednesday at the Tivoli Theatre.

Having put aside a myriad of illnesses and even a news story at one point that he had died, the 72-year-old singer/songwriter showed a full house that he was very much alive.

Present this night were all the radio hits and more. Looking a little gaunt, but not frail Lightfoot struggled to hit some of the notes he sang, but overall it was a magical evening which played like a greatest hits show with newer material thrown in the mix.

It was a very quiet evening as you could hear a pin drop. While I can understand the nature of the music, but music is something that is to be reacted upon. I felt, sitting there at the theatre that I was sitting in a library instead of a theatre. With all due respect to Lightfoot, I think it would be appropriate to do more than clap between songs. After all music is about emotion, celebration and making noise.

Lightfoot played with full band accompaniment, helping fill the void of silence, but the drums were a little loud in the mix.

Overall, it was a genuinely fine evening, something I won’t forget soon, as like I said before I grew up listening to him on the radio and buying the 45s.
Listening to songs like “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “Sundown” and all of a sudden I am transported back to my bedroom fiddling with the radio dial trying to get the station clearer so I can hear the song better. Good times. Too bad they don’t last forever. Enjoy it while you can.

- Wm. Alexander
Photos by Chris Oughtred

Listening to Nathan Angelo Wednesday night was like sitting at a Michael Buble concert. I got the feeling I was at an Adult Contemporary show.

Angelo’s songs had a jazz-fueled feeling that would settle well with any young adult or older and not really to the younger crowd that was on hand. Angelo’s voice has great clarity and range is may make something out of himself if he is marketed well and learns how to dress on stage.
The only thing missing from Angelo’s ensemble Wednesday night was a pair of large black-framed glasses. Other than that, he was the spitting image of Steve Urkel, complete with plaid shirt and suspenders. One guy in the crowd even shouted out “nice suspenders!”. But I digress.

Some of his songs have potential but from a live performance standpoint he needs to do something about his personal appearance. His banter between songs was a little stiff as well. And when he attempted to get out from behind the keyboard with the mic and dance a little… well, some things are better left to the imagination. Stay seated son. Other than that not too bad a set, which included some fun covers like the Jackson Five and such, but the crowd there for the show really don’t seem like his demographic.

Opening the show was Brad Passons. The strong point of Passons’ set is his banter between songs. The weakness is his songwriting approach which appears too cookie-cutter and over planned like a paint by the numbers portrait. Sure there were a few gems thrown in there, but the melody and chorus were very predictable.

And as with Angelo, something needs to be said about stage presence. Passons’ backling band looked like they picked their hoodies up off the dorm room floor on the way to the gig and just stood on stage playing in support, forgetting that live music is performance art. It would be nice if they would try to mirror their leader’s personality on stage and at least dress less like a slob.

Passons’ live show is definitely a step above his recordings, as he is obviously comfortable behind the mic, a very important attribute to have. There’s a lot of energy there compared to Angelo’s set, which was quite pristine and well presented, but did not get anyone really moving until his tribute medley of Jackson Five material.

Maybe if Passons and Angelo worked together a little more (Passons has two songwriting credits on the new Angelo album), the two good qualities could rub off of each other.

- Wm. Alexander

R.E.M.

Collapse Into Now

Warner Brothers

Holy cow!  What a flashback.  Listening to Collapse Into Now I was transported back to my fraternity house arguing who would sell out first, Michael Stipe or Elvis Costello.  Music used to be great.  R.E.M. used to be great. The everyone else discovered them.  Sure they put out some memorable and remarkable songs, but it’s been a while since I was able to sit through an entire R.E.M. album without  picking and choosing singles.

Stipe and company are at full speed on Collapse with 12 outstanding cuts reminiscent of Dead Letter Office.  The album is more of a stripped down back to basic rock and roll roots that this band does better than anyone else and it pays off here.  Old R.E.M. fans who have become disenfranchised with the band over the past decade or so should pick up on this.  Collapse is back to the band’s indie rock roots, which is what made them the darling of the college crowd, not the mascara and glam of mainstream entitlement.

Sick Puppies

Polar Opposite

Virgin Records

Polar Opposite is a great name for this album.  Sick Puppies is a three-piece Australian post-emo rock band who loves them some Silverchair.  Noisy, irrelevant and gifted all at the same time, but failing to interest me all these years until now.

Polar Opposite, like the name says is just that for the band.  The disc is an acoustic gem that given me new respect for the band.  You can tell a lot about a band, if they truly have talent or are a studio project by how they sound acoustically.  Studio wizardry can hide bad vocals and mix can hide poor instrumentation, but when you’re on the firing line playing without a special effects board you either pass or fail.  Sick Puppies passes with high marks.

All the hits are here, “All The Same”, “Odd One” and Riptide” to name a very few.  While they claim to be particularly fond of Silverchair at least acoustically vocals reminiscent of Jimmy Somerville.  Acoustically the music compliments Shimon Moore’s vocals famously.  Definitely worth a listen.

Sky Ferreira

As If!

Capitol Records

My head can’t stop from spinning after listening to this EP.  And that’s not a good thing.  As If is the debut release from L.A. teenager Sky Ferreira.  My head almost exploded trying to listen to this stuff.

The first cut, “Sex Rules” is absolutely horrible.  Sparsely produced and thin I’m surprised it was allowed on a major label.  While I usually love an ‘80s inspired sound, this sounded like a bad Vanity 6 or Mary Jane Girls song.

The EP redeemed itself a little with the second cut “Traces” which is a slower moving ballad.  Her voice sounds much better in this genre than a symth pop sensation, which is the direction they seem to be leading her.

The third cut, “Haters Anonymous” has a good driving beat, but the chorus and backing vocals remind me of a bad Ke$ha (as if there is a good one) or Katy Perry song.  Once again AutoTune is overused.  Her voice is not really suited for the dance floor.

“99 Tears” were exactly what I shed listening to this piece of crap.  The vocals on this were crap.  The beat was okay, but the juvenile chant of “99 tears” over and over again makes me wonder if Dr. Luke is hiding somewhere in the lurches.  If he is shoot him.

I can see good qualities in Sky Ferreira’s voice, but the song selection and trying to make her a pop star like the aforementioned divas will probably lead her to a role in a celebrity reality show instead of pop stardom.

 - Wm. Alexander

Accordin to some old Chattanooga Times articles dated from 1925-1929 the Great Southern Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention was a pretty big deal locally and regionally; drawing crowds of up to 4,000 - 5,000 each day in the mid-20’s at Memorial Auditorium. It was only recently revived last year, as an event to “promote the old time fiddle music of the TN AL GA tri-state region”. The contest is traditional old-time only, no “bluegrass” (which started in the mid 1940’s). Well, I am all for the retro aspect of this event and I might add that this has to be better than most of the stuff we keep hearing on the radio these days. So, hell yeah, I’m in.

Here is the breakdown of the event, which is centered around good old-fashioned competition. Bring it on, folks.

The Skinny:

Join as we celebrate this Great Southern tradition. Contests, cash, and prizes given in the following categories: fiddle, banjo, dance, stringband. Special Performance by the legendary old time banjo magician Leroy Troy. Food and drinks will be available.
Admission - 5 dollars, kids under 12 are free

Schedule of events -

4:00 - Registration begins, performance by Hogslop Stringband
5:00 - Old Time Dance Competition
5:30 - Special Performance - (to be announced)
6:00 - Old Time Banjo Competition
7:00 - Stringband competition
8:00 - Leroy Troy performance
9:00 - Fiddle Competition
11:00 - After Party across street at JJ’s Bohemia - Hogslop Stringband,
New Binkley Bros., Gerle Haggard and more.

Rules/Prizes -
No electric instruments permitted. Drawing for order of contestants will be held at the registration table 15 min. prior to start of each competition. No registrations allowed after numbers are drawn. Contestants must be present when their number is called to take the stage for competition.

Fiddle – Prizes – 1. $200 2. $100 3. $50
Old time fiddling and tunes only, may play solo or with maximum 1 additional accompanist. Preliminary round – 2 tunes of choice. Finals – 2 tunes of choice.

Banjo – Prizes – 1. $100 2. $50 3. $25
Old time styles and tunes only. No metal finger-picks permitted. May play solo or with maximum 1 additional accompanist. Preliminary round – 2 tunes of choice. Finals – 2 tunes of choice.

Stringband – Prizes - 1. $150 2. $75 3. $50
Old time styles and tunes only. Band must consist of at least 2 stringed instruments. 2 tunes/songs of choice, 1 required to include vocals.
Dance – Prizes - 1. $75 2. $40 3. $20

Old time style dance. Dancers who wish to wear metal on shoe soles must bring a board to dance on.

The first Chattanooga old time fiddlers’ convention was held here in 1925. By 1930, all the big names in fiddle and string band music had come here to take part in the event. Old time music legends like Clayton McMichen, A.A. Gray, Gid Tanner, Bill Chitwood and Uncle Dave Macon attended regularly, as well as hometown musicians Lowe Stokes, Bert Layne, Bob Douglas, and Jess Young. They came together to play and celebrate the old time traditional music of their state, region and country. They came together to share tunes and stories, to catch up on the past years news and events. They came to Chattanooga in search of the title - Southern Fiddle Champion.

In a few short years, the event had grown in numbers of both contestants and attendance. By 1926, the convention had 250 musicians enter and compete. Two conventions were held in 1927 (Jan. and Dec.) and were attended by crowds of 4,500 and 5,000 people. By the early 1940’s, war and fuel rationing put a halt to the convention and so many like it across the south. While widespread interest in old time fiddle music has remained and even grown in the passing years, sadly, most of the old time fiddlers’ conventions have never returned.

On March 19th 2011, the Chattanooga valley will once again ring with the sounds of the old time fiddle and banjo music as we bring back the Great Southern Old Time Fiddlers Convention. So come out and show your support for old times, good music, and our city’s history. It is being held at the historic and marvelously restored Lindsay Street Hall, which if you haven’t been in this place yet, you’re only depriving yourself. It’s so gorgeous, it actually takes your breath away, when you walk in. Not to mention, the acoustics in this building are pure and impressive.

Check out the event page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=124054137661366
To see highlights from last year’s event: - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTHU2Dmujxc

Great Southern Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention - March 19th 2011, Lindsay Street Hall 901 Lindsay St. Chatt., TN 37402

- Hellcat

Midway through their first song Andy McClusky’s face was pouring sweat.  “It’s gong to be a hot one,” the lead singer of Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark (OMD) told the crowd.  Indeed it was.  It was quite a display and humbling experience to see the classic synth-pop band bring the energy like I’ve never seen in a live performance.

On tour with the classic lineup of the band for the first time in close to a quarter century OMD had a crowd that kept growing and growing by show’s end, dancing, shaking around, tapping their toes and staring and looking around.  They were an elixir that made a humdrum Monday night into a special moment in time.

When the band started the venue, The Loft, was maybe two-thirds full.  By the third song they were packed on the dance floor like sardines.  The crowd was unique in itself.  The band who is most famously remembered in the states for the hit, “If You Leave” off the “Pretty In Pink” soundtrack looked like it was hosting a high school reunion.  I actually think I saw Duckie there in the crowd.  Sprinkled amongst the male pattern baldness were former frat guys looking to relive their youth, mature women thinking they were as cool as Annie Potts’ character in the movie, nerds, music snobs and even a fair share of younger listeners who have become a fan of synth pop thanks to a lot of current Top 40 acts like Lady Gaga.

McClusky was impressed with the crowd’s enthusiasm complimenting them for such after playing one of the new singles off the recently released History of Modern.  OMD mixed classic material with new as they spun a web around the dance floor for 90 minutes.  The band was super tight – CD quality actually.  The songs sounded exactly as they do on the albums.  The show was a lesson for every Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Rihanna, Katy Perry and even Lady Gaga.  These guys not only write their own material, they perform it, play the instruments, and sing on key without the aid of a computer program.  There was no lip-syncing, or choreographed dance steps and backup dancers.  McClusky roamed the stage back and forth dancing and singing with his guitar – which he played. It wasn’t a prop.  And the songs new and old were and are still great.  I get angry thinking about it.  I would love to have the address of mega-producer/songwriter “Dr. Luke” who has polluted the airwaves with his Top 40 work with most of the artists previously named and others.  I would love to send him an envelope full of anthrax just because of the crap he parades out there as music that I’m forced to listen to now on the radio and the minions that are too stupid to realize what crap they’re being fed.  OMD is a proud example of why Baby Boomers and Generation Xers are still infatuated with the 1980s.  OMD made me proud to be a child of the ’80 Monday and ashamed to listen to my radio now.

The show, dare I say rocked.  OMD finished the night with hits “Dreaming” and “So In Love”.  The crowd both old and young alike were mesmerized by the band.  I was at a loss for words myself.  About halfway back to my car I was finally able to pick up my jaw which dropped midway through the first song as this easily goes down as one of the top five shows I have ever seen.  And I’ve seen a lot.

 - Dave Weinthal

Roxette

Charm School

EMI

Charm School is the first studio album of new material from the Swedish pop duo since 2001. Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle swap vocal chores on this two disc deluxe set.  The second disc is a live album featuring all the classic Roxette songs you all have known and loved back when you wanted your MTV.

Charm School has some surprisingly good tracks here and that’s coming from someone who was never really a big fan of the band.  The best song on the disc is “She Got Nothing On (But the Radio)” which is pure synth-pop heaven.  It evokes the driving dance beat from the early ‘80s synth-pop and European bands and updates it so even a fan of the current synth-pop craze can relate.

The live CD is worth buying the set.  The band is tight, the vocals pop and those songs I was tired of 20 years ago have new life live compared to the original recording.  The mixture of new material and old works to their advantage this time.  Might have grab my old Roxette albums from my older sister and listen to them again.

Nathan Angelo

Follow Your Heart

Dryve

To be honest I wasn’t looking forward to listen to this CD.  I always pictured Nathan Angelo wanting to be another pop star ala Elton John minus the flamboyance or sage personality.  He’s always had a fine voice and there was always one or two catchy songs on his two other releases, but he’s one of those artists that you see just to appease your date.

Follow Your Heart is a very grown up album for Angelo.  One the album he mixes R& B influences and for lack of a better way of putting it a more adult contemporary of jazz feel t it ala Michael Buble (except more manly).  I really like the opening track, “Love Is On The Line” as Angelo proves to the listener he actually has a little soul and not just trying to be a cute wordsmith.

“We Can Make It” work has that rocking jazz feeling of early and mid ‘70s jazz and rock that would make Donald Fagan and Walter Becker proud. (If you’re too young to know whom I’m referring to you are an idiot).  The funky rock and jazz sound makes for a bouncy song with strong backing vocals and a fantastic bass line.

There are a couple of tunes on the disc that don’t fit that are too poppy Top 40 sounding like “Hurt Me” which would be better sung by Justin Bieber and not Angelo.  Songs like this disappoint me on an album with so much promise.  But to each his own, I guess.

Outside of a couple of completely sell-out pop ballad ditties this is a strong release for Angelo and proves to be a very listenable album.

Florence & the Machine

B Sides Lungs

Universal Republic

I’ll be honest with you.  I’ve read a lot about Florence and the Machine, especially lead singer Florence Welch.  Ironically my first exposure to the band is this release of B-sides.

Wow.  What a voice.  The cuts on this disc display one of the finest voices hands down in popular music.  I’m just worried that Welch’s voice is too good for popular music.  Theatrical in nature, she shows great poise and form throughout the set of B-sides, rarities and even a cover for good measure.  Her voice is slightly reminiscent of Annie Lennox except more mature and daunting, and yes, more soulful.

Florence and the Machine play homage to fellow Brit, the late Robert Palmer, covering “Addicted to Love”.  The band’s rendition was very soulful, theatrical in nature and done in a firey jazz fueled rendition that gave the song a different perspective from the millions of times it has been covered by every band that has covered the song since it came out over a quarter of a century ago.

I just hope the powers that be realize the power of the voice behind the music here.  I know Welch has already been making the PR rounds in Hollywood.  As cynical as I really want to be about the hype over the band, I can’t bring myself to saying anything negative except I can’t figure out where this music belongs.  I know prog rockers are salivating amongst other things when they hear her voice and the band’s potential, as they are tight as a drum infused with jazz, strings and even a tinge of classical.

My curiosity has been tempted.  I must seek out more.

 - Wm. Alexander

Micky Dolenz

King For A Day

Red General Catalog

Former Monkee Micky Dolenz does what he does better than anyone in the business – sing other people’s compositions.  By now if you don’t know the history of the Monkees you have been in hiding for way to long.  A long time ago a TV show about a ficticious band hit the airwaves on NBC.  The Monkees became life imitating art as the four actor/musicians that made up the Monkees became songwriters in their own right before the Monkeemachine crashed with the end of the ‘60s.  Dolenz was one of the four.  He sang a majority of the lead vocals along with Davy Jones and played drums.

One of the stable of young and talented songwriters that the Monkees worked with during their heyday was none other than Carol King, who went on to massive and influential fame in the ‘70s with her landmark album, Tapestry.

Dolenz’s new album is a tribute to King as he sings songs ranging the entire length of her career.  As a sometimes casual listener I was surprised that she had written so many hits for other artists besides the Monkees.  One of these songs included on the album is “Up On The Roof” made famous by The Drifters originally released in 1962 (almost 50 years ago). Also on the tribute is “Go Away Little Girl” made famous twice, once climbing the charts with Paul Anka’s version and then a decade later when Donny Osmond had a big hit with it.

Dolenz’s version of “Crying In The Rain” originally made famous by the Every Brothers was especially touching as the song featured a duo with Dolenz and his daughter, Coco.

Dolenz’s voice is in fine form throughout the disc as he’s accompanied by what sounds like a symphony instead of a rock band, lending it to sounding more mature and not embarrassing himself by trying to come across as an aging rock and roller.

The only thing disappointing about King For A Day is that there were none of the Monkees songs included on the disc.  “Pleasant Valley Sunday” is one of the greatest rock/pop songs ever written and still stands the test of time today, and quite honestly is my favorite Monkees single.  Therefore, I realize I might be a little prejudiced by that.  And of course he may not have wanted to rerecord any of those songs without the blessing of Mike, Peter, and Davy.  But I digress.  Nice disc.

Avril Lavigne

Goodbye Lullaby

RCA

Avril Lavigne’s fourth studio album is appropriately named Goodbye Lullaby.  I found myself nodding off numerous times listening to this disc.

I realize all good things come to an end and we mature as we get older, but I miss the early punk priestess version of Lavigne who could switch from a ballad to rock it out with the boys.

Goodbye Lullaby took about three years to see the light, using the excuse that she writes her songs from her experiences.  Well, apparently, she hasn’t experienced much since The Best Damn Thing.

There is no mistaking the voice, as Lavigne’s voice rings true, but the album is way too mellow especially when you consider who worked with her on this album – Deryck Whibley (Sum 41) and Butch Walker to name a few.  Gone is a driving rock beat that was overstated in The Best Damn Thing as Lullaby seems to be going after true Top 40 status and/or Adult Contemporary.  “Everybody Hurts” is a good formula Lavigne song that follows the soft rock ballad formula since her first album.  Again, nothing new or challenging.

The album deals a lot with love and loss.  “Goodbye” is obviously about her failed relationship with Whibley whom she divorced last year yet remains close (he does produce part of the album).

“Smile” is a little more upbeat and more like Lavigne of old and “What the Hell” sounds like an outtake from The Best Damn Thing sessions.  Keeping with the goodbye theme most of these songs are about love and relationship lost.  Pretty formula and conceptual stuff, really.

- Wm. Alexander

I often wondered what Ozzy Osborne would be like in concert. This is one of the few things until Wednesday I had never witnessed.

My heavy metal buds used to tell me outrageous stories and were loyal to Black Sabbath and Ozzy. To them he was a god. To me as a kid he was scary as was most heavy metal.

Fast forward to the 21st century and Ozzy is a media darling. Sure we all know about the evils of heavy metal music, hell Ozzy was the poster child of abuse and excess. With reality TV, the worldwide web and the rebirth of pop culture mainstream Ozzy was declawed, lovable and almost a parody. He was a harried father of teenagers who was clueless a lot of the times of what was going on around him, dropping F-bombs left and right. Most recently he’s been seen shuffling around with Justin Bieber mumbing something about a 4G and 6G network. All for good laughs.

Here we are in 2011. What kind of show would Ozzy put on? Will he be live or a parody of himself like we’ve seen on TV for the better part of the decade?

The real deal took the stage in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena. It was unbelievable to watch. Maybe he’s done it for so long (four decades), as soon as the music comes alive a switch inside his head clicks and off he goes like the wild man we’ve all read about.

The Prince of Darkness sailed through a set of classic Sabbath, solo and new song soff his recently release album to a highly enthusiastic crowd. The band was tight, he was all over the stage, fireworks went off and the night was magic. If you missed you change to see it you are an idiot.

Opening the show was Slash, fresh off his Super Bowl appearance with the Black Eyed Peas. Fortunately for Slash, Myles Kennedy was singing lead instead of Fergie as he was ble to sing on key without the aid of AutoTune.

Slash’s backing band was incredibly tight and would have given Ozzy a run for his money if it wasn’t for Ozzy.

The band’s 50-minute set included some new solo material as well as tried and true Guns N’ Roses classics as well as some Velvet Revolver tunes.

Despite doing his best as a front man, Kennedy was overshadowed by Slash and his stature as one of the great guitar gods. It was obvious that people were there to see the guitar lord himself. Ironically the GNR covers sounded a lot better with Kennedy’s vocals and sans Rose’s antics. It made you remember that there were some good songs in the repertoire and not just a parody of what a good band really sounds like.

- Wm. Alexander

Runner Runner

Runner Runner

Capitol

The Huntington Beach five-piece rock band tries to live up to their self-described punk-pop moniker of their self-titled debut album.

Despite what they want you to believe there is more pop than punk here, and for the most part that’s a good thing.

The band has meshed out 12 relevant and original songs that at times flirt with punk on hits like “So Obvious” and emo on the sappy sounding “I Can’t Wait” ballad.

For the most part the music and lyrics give a picture of today’s youth, full of enthusiam, questions and angst.  “Unstoppable”, the second cut on the album has Top 40 pop written all over, whether that was the intent or not.  Punk-pop purists won’t like it but it does display a sense of purpose for the album.  A strong rhythm section with powerful percussion help raise Runner Runner above other bands in the same genre, making this debut album worth listening to.

Good Charlotte

Cardiology

Capitol

It’s been ten years since Good Charlotte released their self-titled first album.  And while the band has changed focus at times since, they score big with their latest release, Cardiology.

While still tied to their pop-punk roots the band reveals a deeper, more soulful side as the brothers Madden have grown up literally in figuratively in songwriting style.

There are still plenty of pop-punk anthematic, upbeat, drive with you windows down songs like “Sliver Screen Romance”,  there are more sensitive tracks like “Harlow’s Song (Can’t Dream Without You)” that shows the band’s not just for kids any more.

The band stays true to their hardcore fans as well as reels back in fringe fans who may have gone astray since the last album.  I for one have never big a big fan of the band, after listening to it a couple of times, it’s hard for me not to nod my head in approval.

Chromatic Black

Chromatic Black

Ok! Good

Dare I say Chromatic Black’s self-titled album is fun to listen to?  Not sure what to expect seeing the album cover reminded me of a lot of early 80s new wave/punk albums, I was pleasantly surprised.

That being said, that’s right in my wheelhouse of interest, that era was a prime time for expression, originality and creativity.  Chromatic Black sounds like a throwback.  Reminiscent of the Cramps, meets the Furs and maybe even Flipper (for you really old school guys), this album pay homage to some currently overlooked styles and bands that have shaped today’s consciousness.

Rough around the edges in areas, and smooth in others there is a raw feeling that comes listening to this album.  It’s all original, it’s hard at times, but best of all it’s listenable and enjoyable.

 - Wm. Alexander

Cake

Showroom of Compassion

Upbeat Records/ILG

With their sixth studio album of original material and first since 2004’s Pressure Chief, Northern California rockers Cake find themselves returning to their roots.  Probably the premier do-it-yourself band, that literally has gone by the beat of their own drum since their beginnings almost 20 years ago, the band has self-released their newest offering on their own label.

Showroom of Compassion is vintage Cake at times with songs like “Sick of It”, a sentiment held by most these days as bandleader John McRea remains the king of semi-singing.  This song has potential to be the anthem of the mood today, almost political with the implied intent.

While not as quirky as other releases there are some good instrumental moments in the album such has the instrumental track “Teenage Pregnancy” which is very keyboard heavy and haunting at times with strong percussion and one of the few tracks without horns.

Another noteworthy cut is the mellower “The Winter” which is a little stripped down even for Cake but a catchy bass line that leads the song down a strong path from beginning to end and with a little more sophisticated horns on the track, instead of the horns being an after-thought or filler.

True to their indie roots and off kilter sense of humor and style, while not the best album the band has done, it is an oasis in a musical desert that has been ruled of late by deejays turned record producers and formula writing teams that blatantly use the same rhythm track with every new song in spite of who might be singing vocals.

I’ve loved this band since it’s inception and the first time I heard “Rock N Roll Lifestyle” 17 years ago, and Showroom of Compassion gives me no reason to change my feelings.

David Lowery

The Palace Guards

429 Records

The clown prince of alt-rock, David Lowery steps aside from his longtime projects, Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker to release The Palace Guards, a truly mind blowing experience.

While the writer for his other two projects, Lowery’s first solo album is by far his most mature to date.  While still the king of angst and cutting wit, the music on The Palace Guards is far smoother and polished than other works baring his name.  While Lowery made a name for his music sounding “alternative” and a little rough around the edges at times, he emotes great comfort and maturity within the album’s nine tracks.

Backed by his inner circle of musician friends along with a little assistance from a couple of his Cracker band mates Lowery is able to remain sharp of wit, still reminiscent of Ray Davies on tracks like “Big Life” and “Submarine”.

The Palace Guards is Lowery’s best work since Cracker’s 1996 gem, The Golden Years.  While that album didn’t garner the attention and success of Kerosene Hat and their debut, the mid tempo slower works on the album were at that time and even today some of Lowery’s best work, and my personal favorites.

The album moves smoothly through different tempos and is some of the best country-tinged rock out there with both heart and humor.

Tom Smith

Jack Rabbit

Lone Oak

Simple, quaint, yet sophisticated are odd but true words that describe Tom Smith on this offering, Jack Rabbit.  While my ears are overburdened by overproduced multi-layered productions, Smith offers a stripped down honest piece of word, devoid of deception and full of character.

Whether playing guitar or banjo every string comes alive in Smith’s nimble hands as he weaves beauty through songs such as “New Beginnings” and “Through My Eyes”.  The album is instrumental minus one spoken word passage as he lays it out on the line for the listener to interpret and visualize.

 - Wm. Alexander

Wondering Where to go this Weekend?

Even though it is insufferably cold outside, I think I may have an event that could potentially warm you up.  The 3rd Annual Wreck the Halls, at Market Street Tavern this Friday night, should do the trick.  IckyBod CrankiN, Glowing Bordis, and Dandasha Bellydancers will provide more than enough moving and shaking to get your blood flowing.  Not to mention, a few drink specials that might help your cause.  $2 Bud pints, $3 Fat Tire pints, and $3 holiday shots are just the things to make you feel jolly.  Patrons are encouraged to dress up in their most creative Christmas ensemble, the master of this task, will receive a $50 prize.  All my ideas, are inappropriate to suggest in print, but if you are drawing a blank...shoot me an email.  Okay, so what's the big deal about these bands?  Well, IckyBod CrankiN, is made up of Danimal Pinson, Josh Sable, Adam Brown, and Maria Jordania.  The band is born from Danimal's solo music, and his friends quickly got in on the project after hearing his jams.  The new album, Allegory of the Cave, should be available soon, and if I were you I would snag it.  The fluidity of the sound, could be contributed to the fact that Danimal learned to play guitar by jamming with Adam in high school.  Their history together, both in music and in friendship, seems to put a closeness in the notes that you can hear.  The music, itself, is like that of an experience....you just feel it.  It is reminiscent of the emotional rock styles of the Flaming Lips, and Radiohead.  The songs are thought out and the arrangements are constructed to keep the integrity of the music, not necessarily to make a hook, although, the hooks...they come, but it seems natural, not forced.  Talking to Danimal, he said that the music is more about the listener, and allowing them to lose themselves in the sound and go on a possible journey.  I listened to it, and I see just what he means, I went on a little mental journey myself, and was quite pleased where I ended up.  Very Flaming Lips, and if you only know that “Tangerine” song, then just go on and get out of here, because that's not what I'm talking about and you need to go back to school.  Go see for yourself, but I was impressed. 

Next, is Glowing Bordis, which consists of, TJ Grever, Danimal, and Jonathan Susman (Hopsing Project, Millele Roots).  They have the intensity of the Joneses, but have a more updated 90's sound, with an atmospheric feel to it.  More song, less jam.  It has a slight Nirvana and Foo Fighters twinge to it, which gives me a nice familiar feeling.  Danimal said that TJ is playing a lot of lead guitar and is more expressive musically now, than he has been in the past.  He also stated that it was nice to play bass in a band that doesn't have a preset sound or feel to it, like the Joneses did.  Joneses' fans will like it, but the sound is different and should appeal to a wider audience.  “It's like a flood gate of creativity opened, and all these songs came out, that have been held back because they didn't fit the Joneses mold.  Personally, I think this evolution has led to some of T.J's best work.  We are definitely more comfortable expressing ourselves,” says Danimal.  Go check out both bands on Facebook.  Glowing Bordis should have an EP out in the next month or so.  Now, on top of all this, you have Ms. Lacy, doing her Dandasha Bellydance, to the music of IckyBod CrankiN.  Let me just tell you, this woman, oozes talent with every serpentine movement and elegant hip shimmy.  She is much prettier than any laser or light show that I have seen.  She instructs at Zanzibar, if you get so inspired, that you want to pick up a few moves for yourself.  Lacy will be employing strictly improve, letting her body be an instrument through which the music moves her.  The cover is only $5, go get your groove on.

- Hellcat

Trying to figure out Opposite Box’s sound is well…confusing. The hard rocking quintet mixes so many influences into their sound they run the risk at times of canceling each other out as with their freshman disc, Silly & Infantile. Known for their live shows and high energy, putting all that on a disc is a daunting task that was placed on guitarist Richard Long who also engineered the album.

The title Silly & Infantile is quite appropriate for the band as they, like the title are nothing but fun to watch and work, literally like kids in a sandbox. However the transition to disc can be a difficult task to accomplish.

The album opens with “Creepy” probably my second favorite cut on the album. Of all the cuts on this disc it is probably the one that is mixed the best. A haunting beginning fires up quickly with breakneck speed and then lulls you into ease before hitting the gas again. The lead guitar work is nifty as well playing some intricate chords to make it interesting.

The problem with the album however is it tries to be both heavy and funky at the same time and with inconsistent results. Some songs almost seem forced in their effort to try and blend the styles. At times this makes the songs come off as not quite as polished as they need to be. The mix at times is a little flat as the drums at times lacked that clarity I like to hear coming through my speakers.

That being said, it comes across as a fun, frat house party kind of CD, nothing but good times even when taking in some of the shortcomings of the album. Great song titles and interesting editing of sound and audio clips at times makes the CD a relative blast to listen, but no Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik” as some have compared the band to.

Emily Grace
My Neighborhood

My Neighborhood is Emily Grace’s sophomore album, or in this case EP. Little Emily has finally put on a pair of big girl pants and retired her Garanimals as she has truly jumped by lead and bounds since 2007’s Private Property.

After hearing Private Property It took everything in my power not to hate on Emily Grace. With songs titled such as “I Love Chattanooga” grrr… just make me cringe. When I see, read or hear song titles like that it has been my experience that the person writing the songs is dying for attention and adoration, trying to rally the troops behind what they hope will become some kind of anthem. Nine out of ten times it fails.

But with My Neighborhood, while still basically acoustic there is energy in the music and her voice that was missing in the first.

The title track is also a little genre bending as are most of the five cuts. The music takes on more of an alt-country feel and sound and Grace’s voice is well-suited for it, perfectly complimenting it perfectly.

Her vocal style seems to have also grown up a great deal. Her songwriting has as well and a lot of credit for that goes to Robert Williams who directed the project. Gone are the sappy “love me” kind of tunes that make even the most mellow cringe. It is replaced by more upbeat tunes that where the music is as much if not more important than the lyrical content.

While still a little trite in places, My Neighborhood is a good listen. It passed with flying colors as I listened to it recently while driving to Atlanta and back, not even bothering to check to see what was on the radio or succumb to a case of road rage which a bad CD is known to do. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

Lord Subliminal
Lanimilbus Drol

Lanimilbus Drol, as well is a sophomore release from street prophet and wordsmith and charismatic rapper Lord Subliminal. Lanimilbus Drol is a major change from his first release, Subliminal Thoughts. If anyone knows Lord Subliminal, they know he is a physically imposing character on stage and quite frankly standing on a street corner. Subliminal Thoughts sounded nothing like Lord Subliminal as his spoke word or rap was very soft-spoken. I had to look twice at the CD to make sure I had put the right one into my player. Not that there was anything wrong with it, it just did not mach the persona of the man we know as Lord Subliminal.

Lanimilbus Drol is a different beast. This disc is more forceful, more intimidating and even more thought provoking than the first. It’s Lord Subliminal at it’s best.

He manages not to make a mockery of himself or a stereotype, instead speaking with a more authoritative tone mixed with some interesting tracks to back him. The only downfall on Lanimilbus Drol is the quality of some of the backing tracks. Their inferior production made his voice stand out too far from the music instead of complimenting it. And with 25 tracks to sort through, we the listener more than get our money’s worth.

- Wm. Alexander

AFRICA

I must admit I’ve never really been a Pauly Shore fan.  I’ve actually met him a few times and thought he was pretty nice (nothing special), but I never thought he was funny.

To me he came off as the spoiled rich kid of a comedy club owner in L.A. who thought he was funny because it was his family’s business and MTV, back when it was a music television station pushed him hard to the public hosting sprig break parties and so on.  Of course this is the station that brought us JJ Jackson and “Yo, MTV Rocks” as well as ushering in the era (or error) of reality TV.

Shore was immediately cast into the spotlight there and that led to a number of forgettable sitcoms (Pauly on the newly launched Fox) and one bad movie after another- Encino Man, Jury Duty, Son In Law – I could continue but my head would explode.

Shore to me was never that funny, he was more famous for being famous.  As he has gotten older, he has matured and that Valley Guy thing he had going is not quite as exaggerated.  He actually put out a gem of a movie in 2003 called Pauly Shore is Dead.  I’m not sure if I liked it initially for the title, but Shore finally stepped over that line that brings acceptance from me for a comic – the ability to make fun of themselves.  That movie is now one of my guilty pleasures.

Shore now has come up with a new movie that may offend some, but is a great statement of our current American culture.  The film is called Africa.

Africa is a mockumentary that takes a poke at current pop culture, most pointedly at celebrity pop culture and their desire to adopt children from foreign countries.  While visiting one orphanage Shore drops Angelina Jolie and Madonna’s name telling the caregiver he wanted to try it out.

There are three main segments in the movie involving three Africa children and Shore takes the three out for a “test drive” to see which one he wants to take home.

He takes each child – two boys and one girl and spends the day walking the local streets, going shopping and other adventures such a wall climbing.

Some of the jokes involved only Shore can get away with, as you and I would be attacked or deemed racist.  This includes one scene when he loses one of the boys.  He accidentally takes a different child causing panic, as they fear their child has been abducted.  They confront Shore and demand their child back as he argues that it is his child.  Then the child he was actually with comes around the corner.  Apologizing for the mix-up he comments how all the children looked alike.  At one point he accuses the girl of robbing him at the hotel when he can’t find some of his stuff and she is nowhere in sight.

One of the funnier scenes involved Shore performing a standup routine for a group of locals.  They jeer him, boo him and basically force him to run for his life.  Art imitating life.

Over the years in his movies Shore has learned the fine art of making fun of himself allowing the audience to decide what is funny and not rely on himself to deliver every punch line or force others to be the butt of the joke.  In doing so with Africa it makes you ask questions he doesn’t ask like where or how does a celebrity decide who is worthy of their adoption, and if this adoption practice is little more than human trafficking with us looking the other way because they are famous.  Pauly Shore actually says a lot more with this film than he intended or knows, probably.

 - Wm. Alexander