This has been an amazingly productive decade for Bruce. After breaking up the E Street band in the 90s and making albums that seems like a parody of himself, he came roaring back in 2002 with one of the essential post-9/11 rock records with The Rising. Then after two convincing genres exercises without his band, he gave us Magic - probably his most complete, exciting album since Darkness on the Edge of Town. Now he's back to complete the trilogy a week before performing at the Super Bowl. Here's a track-by-track:
"Outlaw Pete": This is the track Rolling Stone compared to "Jungleland"? Really? It's an eight minute theme song to a corny 50s western. I can't imaging why he would open a record with this. Let's pretend this song didn't happen.
"My Lucky Day": OK, we're back on track. An outstanding barroom anthem that could be off The River. Catchy chorus, loud guitars - an album highlight. It doesn't make up for that first track though.
"Working On A Dream": A light mid-tempo ballad that seems like an answer to U2's "Beautiful Day". This one had to grow on me, but I like the light harmonies and the background vocals. Not bad - oh wait, is that a whistling solo?
"Queen Of The Supermarket": This is a symphonic ballad about grocery shopping. It contains lyrics about "miles and miles of dreams that await you". No, I'm not kidding. This is worse than the first track, which is hard to believe. Every time he sings the chorus, it gets louder and more painful. This is the worse thing Bruce has ever recorded.
"What Love Can Do": Yes! Hard-rocking, dark, amazing guitar solo... I love this song. The inconsistency of this album is staggering. Put it on your iPod and delete about half of it.
"This Life": Bruce takes another stab at the Beach Boys sound to make a less convincing version of "Girls In Their Summer Clothes". It has nice moments, but it doesn't hold together well and seems a little fragmented.
"Good Eye": What is going on here? His vocals are distorted beyond recognition on this one - it might be a good song, but the production ruins it. Bruce, please leave your studio experiments off future records. Thanks.
"Tomorrow Never Knows": A country ballad with max Weinberg shockingly playing Johnny Cash-style rhythms. It works surprisingly well. This song is the rare moment on this album where new ideas actually work.
"Life Itself": This song sounds bitter, but it drives pretty hard and has a great chorus. Great song. Does this guy have to be pissed to be happy? Yes!
"Kingdom Of Days": Another pop epic complete with backing vocals, violins, dramatic tempo shifts, a great guitar solo - and it all hold together great. This might be the best song on the album. That means there are three listenable songs in a row on this album now! Yes we can!
"Surprise, Surprise": ...and the streak ends at three. Here we have a jangle-rock song that is trying to replace "Happy Birthday". This song is a joke that is only funny once.
"Last Carnival": An outstanding acoustic ballad written for Danny Federici. Thank you. He saved his good songwriting for Danny. I love the choir at the end.
"The Wrestler": Another great solo acoustic song that won his a Golden Globe. These last two tracks really make you wish he took a more stripped-down approach to his other material.
Bottom line: this album is the worst thing the E-Street band ever recorded. I'm sorry. Somebody had to say it. There are great moments and it is worth buying if you are a Bruce enthusiast, but be sure not to transfer tracks 1, 4, 6, 7, or 11 onto your iPod. For an E Street album, that's a lot of failed attempts.
Oh well, I'll get over this one. I still have that Animal Collective album....
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Antony and the Johnsons
2005 was the first most of us heard of the haunting, gorgeous voice of Antony Hegarty. I Am A Bird Now stunned everybody to become one of the years favorites amongst critics and fans. Listening to that album a few years later, it doesn't seem like it aged well: besides three or four of the best tracks, the album gets bogged down with wallowed meandering and too many guest appearances. I can listen to "Fistful of Love" ten times, but I don't think I've played the whole album since the year it came out.
Four years later, after Antony has made dozens of guest appearances and a surprising potent side project as a disco singer (last year's Hercules and Love Affair), he finally has a proper follow-up, The Crying Light. This album probably could have generated more buzz by not being released on the day the Animal Collective dropped their masterpiece and, more importantly, the day Barack Obama was inaugurated. However, this album is an improvement in every way over his already impressive last record.
The most improved thing about this album is the lyricism. Antony seems obsessed with religious imagery this time around: on "Epilepsy is Dancing", he describes his love as a "Christ now departing" whereas on the next track he sings of "on dove to bring me some peace". Is he looking for the love, God, redemption, or all of those? Whatever the mood and the lyric, the instrumentation does seem more in sync with him this time. The soft saxophone solo in "One Dove" turns into a darker key for the harrowing ending. In an odd sequencing contrast, the next track "Kiss My Name" has a playful rhythm - neither of those are words you usually associate with his songs.
The albums has a soft meditative middle section with the high-octave title track and "Another World", which is so beautiful it had to be released again (it appeared on the Another World EP last year). He saves the best track for the latter half: "Aeon" is soulful blues where he belts out about a baby boy who will "set him free".
This month is two good to be true: three weeks into 2009 we have two masterpieces from artists that have peaked above their potentials, and we still get a new Bruce Springsteen album next week. It's going to be a good year.
Four years later, after Antony has made dozens of guest appearances and a surprising potent side project as a disco singer (last year's Hercules and Love Affair), he finally has a proper follow-up, The Crying Light. This album probably could have generated more buzz by not being released on the day the Animal Collective dropped their masterpiece and, more importantly, the day Barack Obama was inaugurated. However, this album is an improvement in every way over his already impressive last record.
The most improved thing about this album is the lyricism. Antony seems obsessed with religious imagery this time around: on "Epilepsy is Dancing", he describes his love as a "Christ now departing" whereas on the next track he sings of "on dove to bring me some peace". Is he looking for the love, God, redemption, or all of those? Whatever the mood and the lyric, the instrumentation does seem more in sync with him this time. The soft saxophone solo in "One Dove" turns into a darker key for the harrowing ending. In an odd sequencing contrast, the next track "Kiss My Name" has a playful rhythm - neither of those are words you usually associate with his songs.
The albums has a soft meditative middle section with the high-octave title track and "Another World", which is so beautiful it had to be released again (it appeared on the Another World EP last year). He saves the best track for the latter half: "Aeon" is soulful blues where he belts out about a baby boy who will "set him free".
This month is two good to be true: three weeks into 2009 we have two masterpieces from artists that have peaked above their potentials, and we still get a new Bruce Springsteen album next week. It's going to be a good year.
Monday, January 19, 2009
2009's First Masterpiece: Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion
It took me a few years to finally get the Animal Collective. For years I read critics praise them for their loud random noise and sometimes complete lack of song structure. Considering that they combine abstract noise and Brian Wilson harmonies (and that they hail from Baltimore), they always seem like a band I should love, but it never happened until now.
Feels and Strawberry Jam were albums I liked but never loved - sometimes they let the experiments in droning noise completely overtake the song, which made both of these records choppy at best. Both of these albums were trumped by Panda Bear's 2007 solo masterpiece Person Pitch, a grower if I've ever heard one. If only he could bring the personal heartfelt beauty of that record back to his band and let the vocal emotion overtake the need for sound destruction, the Animal Collective could probably make an amazing record.
Well, that's actually what happened. Merriweather Post Pavilion, named after an outdoor amphitheater in Columbia, Maryland, is the sound of a band coming together and actually exceeding their high potential. The layered electronics from Strawberry Jam meet the cathedral-like vocals from Person Pitch to create and energy that doesn't let up for 55 minutes.
Let's start at the end - "Brother Sport", which closes the record, is a summation of everything that goes right the entire record. The harmony tells us to "open up your throat" (who knows if that refers to singing or a sex act) as swirling electronics and tribal drums come beating in. The energy builds through an instrumental middle until call-and-response vocals finish the song. It's not that they are doing anything new this time, it's that they learned to do everything in just the right amount. Whereas they would have crammed in more sounds or made it longer on previous records, the restraint used here makes this a pop song that you'll remember a week later.
"No More Runnin" is their best ever ballad - if the vocals were clearer, this could be a closer for Brian Wilson's Smile. A soft piano underpins a vocal harmony - never have they made a song this simple, conventional, and perfect.
"My Girls" will no doubt be another fan favorite - the fluttering keyboards build into two vocalists singing an offset round with offbeat tribal percussion. The chorus changes key to deliver another sweet harmony - along with the Fleet Foxes, these are some of the greatest vocalists in modern music.
There is so much to say here that I only got to cover three songs. Three weeks into January, I already know this is one of the best albums 2009 has to offer. Trust me, you need this album.
Feels and Strawberry Jam were albums I liked but never loved - sometimes they let the experiments in droning noise completely overtake the song, which made both of these records choppy at best. Both of these albums were trumped by Panda Bear's 2007 solo masterpiece Person Pitch, a grower if I've ever heard one. If only he could bring the personal heartfelt beauty of that record back to his band and let the vocal emotion overtake the need for sound destruction, the Animal Collective could probably make an amazing record.
Well, that's actually what happened. Merriweather Post Pavilion, named after an outdoor amphitheater in Columbia, Maryland, is the sound of a band coming together and actually exceeding their high potential. The layered electronics from Strawberry Jam meet the cathedral-like vocals from Person Pitch to create and energy that doesn't let up for 55 minutes.
Let's start at the end - "Brother Sport", which closes the record, is a summation of everything that goes right the entire record. The harmony tells us to "open up your throat" (who knows if that refers to singing or a sex act) as swirling electronics and tribal drums come beating in. The energy builds through an instrumental middle until call-and-response vocals finish the song. It's not that they are doing anything new this time, it's that they learned to do everything in just the right amount. Whereas they would have crammed in more sounds or made it longer on previous records, the restraint used here makes this a pop song that you'll remember a week later.
"No More Runnin" is their best ever ballad - if the vocals were clearer, this could be a closer for Brian Wilson's Smile. A soft piano underpins a vocal harmony - never have they made a song this simple, conventional, and perfect.
"My Girls" will no doubt be another fan favorite - the fluttering keyboards build into two vocalists singing an offset round with offbeat tribal percussion. The chorus changes key to deliver another sweet harmony - along with the Fleet Foxes, these are some of the greatest vocalists in modern music.
There is so much to say here that I only got to cover three songs. Three weeks into January, I already know this is one of the best albums 2009 has to offer. Trust me, you need this album.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A few leftover 2008 reviews
Yes, I'm still buying records from last year. This is bound to happen for two reasons: 1.) although it didn't have as many classics as 2007, it was a potent year for music, and 2.) I wasted a lot of time and money last year on horrible albums by formerly great musicians. Here's three more albums I've been playing from 2008:
Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentlemen: How long have we waited for a good Michael Jackson replacement? I think we've found it! Unfortunately, "Closer" is too whiny and overbearing to open an album, but "Nobody" redeems is with one of the best dance soul tracks in recent memory. Michael would definitely be proud of the falsetto chorus and blasting horns that augment some great corny sex lyrics. I can't play this track enough times. "Single" would be a great song if he didn't steal the chorus from Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (am I the only one who notices this?). "Miss Independent" proves that you don't need to use an auto-tune to make a great club track (thank you God). The album's only misstep is "Stop This World", which would have been great for a Disney movie ten years ago. This album gives me hope for modern soul music - well done.
B.B. King - Some Kind Favor: In his mid-80s, he's doing exactly what he has always done. If you are already a fan, this might be his best in decades. If not, its a good place to get into him. The combination of Dr. John's barroom piano, woozy horn sections, and smoky production by T-Bone Burnett make his guitar playing shine even more. Its classic B.B. - you can't go wrong here.
She & Him - Volume One: I know I mentioned this one about a month ago, but I think it warrants repeat because I think I underrated it. I can't stop playing this album. Every morning on the way to work, I instinctively put it in without thinking - it doesn't make sense. I think it's the vocal harmonies at the end of "Why Do You Let Me Stay here?". Or maybe the catchy acoustic rhythm and chorus of "This Is Not A Test". Or how easy it is to cry along with "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today". Or the fact that they are probably the only modern act to cover "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". I can't stop playing this album. I feel like I have a disease. If you want to take that as an endorsement to buy this record, go ahead.
Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentlemen: How long have we waited for a good Michael Jackson replacement? I think we've found it! Unfortunately, "Closer" is too whiny and overbearing to open an album, but "Nobody" redeems is with one of the best dance soul tracks in recent memory. Michael would definitely be proud of the falsetto chorus and blasting horns that augment some great corny sex lyrics. I can't play this track enough times. "Single" would be a great song if he didn't steal the chorus from Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (am I the only one who notices this?). "Miss Independent" proves that you don't need to use an auto-tune to make a great club track (thank you God). The album's only misstep is "Stop This World", which would have been great for a Disney movie ten years ago. This album gives me hope for modern soul music - well done.
B.B. King - Some Kind Favor: In his mid-80s, he's doing exactly what he has always done. If you are already a fan, this might be his best in decades. If not, its a good place to get into him. The combination of Dr. John's barroom piano, woozy horn sections, and smoky production by T-Bone Burnett make his guitar playing shine even more. Its classic B.B. - you can't go wrong here.
She & Him - Volume One: I know I mentioned this one about a month ago, but I think it warrants repeat because I think I underrated it. I can't stop playing this album. Every morning on the way to work, I instinctively put it in without thinking - it doesn't make sense. I think it's the vocal harmonies at the end of "Why Do You Let Me Stay here?". Or maybe the catchy acoustic rhythm and chorus of "This Is Not A Test". Or how easy it is to cry along with "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today". Or the fact that they are probably the only modern act to cover "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". I can't stop playing this album. I feel like I have a disease. If you want to take that as an endorsement to buy this record, go ahead.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Dizzee Rascal/DJ Shadow
For anybody who tries to tell you that electronic music can't be beautiful and profound, I've been listening to two records that will prove them wrong. DJ Shadow's Entroducing... (1996) and Dizzee Rascal's Boy In Da Corner (2003) are two of the most original albums I've ever heard and both make my feel better about the often-made claim that hip-hop is the future of pop music.
DJ Shadow's Entroducing... doesn't even need singing or lyrics to tell stories: its compositions move from mood to mood using rhythm changes and extended tones, like he was trying to use turntables and hip-hop beats to update classical orchestral movements. Nowhere is this more evident than "Stem/Long Stem/Transmission 2" (yes, most of the song titles are this confusing), where an occasional soul samples breaks the silence of the soft ambient tones before a beating club rhythm comes marching in. The next track, "Mutual Slump", starts with pounding drums and bass, but is later augmented by something you don't often find in electronic music: melody. Another highlight is "Midnight In A Perfect World", a building track where steady drums are unpinned by piano, dubbed voices, and keyboards: it's the perfected form of what Moby has been trying to do for years.
(Note about this album: I don't recommend the double disc with the scattershot remixes/outtakes on disc two; if you can find it, just buy the single album or buy it on iTunes)
Dizzee Rascal's Boy In Da Corner is one of those moment in hip-hop where the production found the right rapper: just about anybody else would have failed with these beats. "Sittin' Here" is the perfect opener: the beat creeps in and builds while he reflects "I'm just sittin' here, I ain't saying much I just think". This is one angry young man. The first track has a tension like he's about to snap, on the second track ("Stop Dat") he does, yelling off a list of things he's pissed at. He calms down and gets optimistic over bright ringing beats on "Brand New Day", but he has enough rage to make this album 16 tracks long. "Fix Up Look Sharp" and "Jus' A Rascal" are other highlights due to their stomping drums and metal guitar riffs, but this album never lets up. This is a hip-hop classic.
Both of these albums are genre-defining moments that you can't hear enough times to fully understand. If these albums represent the future, there's a lot to look forward to.
DJ Shadow's Entroducing... doesn't even need singing or lyrics to tell stories: its compositions move from mood to mood using rhythm changes and extended tones, like he was trying to use turntables and hip-hop beats to update classical orchestral movements. Nowhere is this more evident than "Stem/Long Stem/Transmission 2" (yes, most of the song titles are this confusing), where an occasional soul samples breaks the silence of the soft ambient tones before a beating club rhythm comes marching in. The next track, "Mutual Slump", starts with pounding drums and bass, but is later augmented by something you don't often find in electronic music: melody. Another highlight is "Midnight In A Perfect World", a building track where steady drums are unpinned by piano, dubbed voices, and keyboards: it's the perfected form of what Moby has been trying to do for years.
(Note about this album: I don't recommend the double disc with the scattershot remixes/outtakes on disc two; if you can find it, just buy the single album or buy it on iTunes)
Dizzee Rascal's Boy In Da Corner is one of those moment in hip-hop where the production found the right rapper: just about anybody else would have failed with these beats. "Sittin' Here" is the perfect opener: the beat creeps in and builds while he reflects "I'm just sittin' here, I ain't saying much I just think". This is one angry young man. The first track has a tension like he's about to snap, on the second track ("Stop Dat") he does, yelling off a list of things he's pissed at. He calms down and gets optimistic over bright ringing beats on "Brand New Day", but he has enough rage to make this album 16 tracks long. "Fix Up Look Sharp" and "Jus' A Rascal" are other highlights due to their stomping drums and metal guitar riffs, but this album never lets up. This is a hip-hop classic.
Both of these albums are genre-defining moments that you can't hear enough times to fully understand. If these albums represent the future, there's a lot to look forward to.
Monday, January 5, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
#1: I will listen to more genres of music this year.
In the last two months, I have bought three albums in genres I never before really cared about: Buena Vista Social Club's debut (Cuban jazz), DJ Shadow's Entroducing (electronic/instrumental hip-hop), and Bob Marley's Exodus (reggae). After hearing these three masterpieces, I feel like its time to expand. Maybe death metal is my next stop. Or bluegrass. Or 1920s blues. We'll see.
#2: I won't underrate an album just because it's a pop album.
Maybe this was just a freak thing that is exclusive to 2008, but is pop music making a comeback? I saw the nominees for the Grammy for Album of the Year for 2008: three solid albums (Ne-Yo, Coldplay, and Lil Wayne), one overrated but still good album (Robert Plant/Allison Krauss' Raising Sand), and one flat-out masterpiece (Radiohead's In Rainbows, which didn't even come out in 2008). This is the best collection of albums to get nominated for this award in at least a decade. I'll be happy no matter who wins it. Throw in brilliant well-selling albums by Taylor Swift, Mudcrutch, and the Counting Crows, and I almost want to start listening to the radio again. Almost.
#3: I will not buy albums by an artist just because their last one was good.
Do you know what Gnarls Barkley, Lucinda Williams, My Morning Jacket, and Kanye West have in common? They all put out horrible albums in 2008. Also, they had all previously released brilliant records. Don't trust everybody. (Note: this resolution does not apply to artists who are incapable of releasing a bad record, such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Nick Cave...)
#4: I will write about old music more and new music less.
To accomplish this, I have to stop buying so much new music. Which brings me to my last one...
#5: I will spend less than $1,000 on music this year.
We'll see. No promises.
In the last two months, I have bought three albums in genres I never before really cared about: Buena Vista Social Club's debut (Cuban jazz), DJ Shadow's Entroducing (electronic/instrumental hip-hop), and Bob Marley's Exodus (reggae). After hearing these three masterpieces, I feel like its time to expand. Maybe death metal is my next stop. Or bluegrass. Or 1920s blues. We'll see.
#2: I won't underrate an album just because it's a pop album.
Maybe this was just a freak thing that is exclusive to 2008, but is pop music making a comeback? I saw the nominees for the Grammy for Album of the Year for 2008: three solid albums (Ne-Yo, Coldplay, and Lil Wayne), one overrated but still good album (Robert Plant/Allison Krauss' Raising Sand), and one flat-out masterpiece (Radiohead's In Rainbows, which didn't even come out in 2008). This is the best collection of albums to get nominated for this award in at least a decade. I'll be happy no matter who wins it. Throw in brilliant well-selling albums by Taylor Swift, Mudcrutch, and the Counting Crows, and I almost want to start listening to the radio again. Almost.
#3: I will not buy albums by an artist just because their last one was good.
Do you know what Gnarls Barkley, Lucinda Williams, My Morning Jacket, and Kanye West have in common? They all put out horrible albums in 2008. Also, they had all previously released brilliant records. Don't trust everybody. (Note: this resolution does not apply to artists who are incapable of releasing a bad record, such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Nick Cave...)
#4: I will write about old music more and new music less.
To accomplish this, I have to stop buying so much new music. Which brings me to my last one...
#5: I will spend less than $1,000 on music this year.
We'll see. No promises.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
MGMT
How did I miss this one?
The best thing about music in 2008 was the ridiculous influx of debut records. Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes were two of the best I've heard this decade. Now throw in Hercules And Love Affair, Vampire Weekend, She & Him, Santogold, One Day As A Lion, and now MGMT. Most years you would be lucky to get two memorable debuts.
MGMT's Oracular Spectacular is the sound of experienced live musicians shooting for the moon their first time in the studio. Dave Fridmann (of Flaming Lips fame) makes his presence known as a producer: the entire record has a airy psychedelic feeling to it, even when there are mimicking deep funk from a Prince record. His production is what holds the ideas here together, whether its the grinding anthem rock of "Time To Pretend" or the dance-beat of "Electric Feel" (two of the catchiest songs you will hear in 08). They also venture into folk territory with "Weekend Wars" and "Pieces Of What", both of which could be an outtake from the Soft Bulletin.
The vocals on this album sound like Jack White with more echo, so this album might have died with lesser production. Fortunately, their ironic lyrics and stadium ready choruses get a quality recording job the first time out, so I can actually see this band taking off. Good for them - anything that draws equally from Prince and the Flaming Lips is something this world needs more of.
The best thing about music in 2008 was the ridiculous influx of debut records. Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes were two of the best I've heard this decade. Now throw in Hercules And Love Affair, Vampire Weekend, She & Him, Santogold, One Day As A Lion, and now MGMT. Most years you would be lucky to get two memorable debuts.
MGMT's Oracular Spectacular is the sound of experienced live musicians shooting for the moon their first time in the studio. Dave Fridmann (of Flaming Lips fame) makes his presence known as a producer: the entire record has a airy psychedelic feeling to it, even when there are mimicking deep funk from a Prince record. His production is what holds the ideas here together, whether its the grinding anthem rock of "Time To Pretend" or the dance-beat of "Electric Feel" (two of the catchiest songs you will hear in 08). They also venture into folk territory with "Weekend Wars" and "Pieces Of What", both of which could be an outtake from the Soft Bulletin.
The vocals on this album sound like Jack White with more echo, so this album might have died with lesser production. Fortunately, their ironic lyrics and stadium ready choruses get a quality recording job the first time out, so I can actually see this band taking off. Good for them - anything that draws equally from Prince and the Flaming Lips is something this world needs more of.
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