I've already heard Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' new album on myspace, and I already think it's one of the 25 best albums of this decade. It was released today; my copy is en route from amazon.com, since I don't trust any of the crappy CD stores around here to carry it. So while I impatiently wait for it, here are some of his past albums that are all more than worth hearing:
The Boatman's Call: A beautiful collection of ballads that many consider his masterpiece. It shows off his songwriting ability much more than the instrumental chops of his band, but as far as heartbreaking piano/songwriter work goes, you can't beat "There Is A Kingdom" and "Into My Arms".
No More Shall We Part: I've always been able to appreciate this album more than enjoy it. The lyrical territory is so death-obsessed fire and brimstone that it's difficult to get to the end while maintaining any faith in God or humanity. There sure are some brilliant moments though: "And No More Shall We Part" is a perfect piano ballad for a funeral, and "Oh My Lord" has an amazing climax that involves Nick yelling "oh I hate them all!".
Abattoir Blues/Lyre Of Orpheus: In his mid-40s, he creates his masterpiece. Everything that Nick ever did great is magnified here. "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" rocks louder than he ever has with its pounding piano and screaming choir. "O Children" is like a summary of No More Shall We Part. "Breathless" is an honest-to-God love song! "Let The Bells Ring" is an unbelievable Johnny Cash eulogy. You have to hear the entire two discs to understand the depth, scope, and perfection of this album.
Grinderman: What does he do for an encore? Rename the band and do punk-blues songs about primal sexual urge. I think "No Pussy Blues" summarizes it pretty well. This isn't half the masterpiece that his last record was, but what a sweet divergence.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
The Black Keys Attack & Release
I've always thought of the Black Keys as a much less creative version of the White Stripes. Granted, they do well with their two man drum-and-guitar only setup, and they did create one impressive near-masterpiece with Rubber Factory. But they don't have the range of instruments Jack White has (piano, bagpipes, marimbas, etc.) and they don't have his range of influence (bluegrass, folk, etc.) so what do they do after a few albums? They can call in a ringer or they can remake the same album until people get sick of them.
Well, guess what: they called in a ringer. Two, actually. Danger Mouse, of Gnarls Barkley and Grey Album fame, takes on the unlikely production role of the year. Marc Ribot (who has played with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Joe Henry, Robert Plant, etc.) is about the last person I would expect to see here: how will his atmospherics and subtly work with a garage-blues outfit? He is my all-time favorite underrated studio guitarist, so I'm sure he can make this work.
The result is a Black Keys album that usually sounds like the producer added to it after it was already finished. That isn't necessarily a bad plan, since it still holds on to most of the charge and excitement Rubber Factory had and it still emphasizes their driving guitar hooks and excellent singing (think: a white Jimi Hendrix). The differences are the surprises that fill in the voids left by the small manpower, like the banjo in "All You Ever Wanted" and the flute in the intro of "Same old Thing".
Attack & Release isn't the liberating artistic triumph that the White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan was, but it is a big step for a band that is looking forward while keeping what they do best. This album was an outlet for some ideas that could have failed if handled wrong, but ultimately gave the band some new artistic focus, the way Van Dyke Parks did for Silverchair on Young Modern last year. It's always great to see a band trying so hard.
Best Tracks: "All You Ever Wanted", "Strange Times", "Lies", "So He Won't Break"
Well, guess what: they called in a ringer. Two, actually. Danger Mouse, of Gnarls Barkley and Grey Album fame, takes on the unlikely production role of the year. Marc Ribot (who has played with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Joe Henry, Robert Plant, etc.) is about the last person I would expect to see here: how will his atmospherics and subtly work with a garage-blues outfit? He is my all-time favorite underrated studio guitarist, so I'm sure he can make this work.
The result is a Black Keys album that usually sounds like the producer added to it after it was already finished. That isn't necessarily a bad plan, since it still holds on to most of the charge and excitement Rubber Factory had and it still emphasizes their driving guitar hooks and excellent singing (think: a white Jimi Hendrix). The differences are the surprises that fill in the voids left by the small manpower, like the banjo in "All You Ever Wanted" and the flute in the intro of "Same old Thing".
Attack & Release isn't the liberating artistic triumph that the White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan was, but it is a big step for a band that is looking forward while keeping what they do best. This album was an outlet for some ideas that could have failed if handled wrong, but ultimately gave the band some new artistic focus, the way Van Dyke Parks did for Silverchair on Young Modern last year. It's always great to see a band trying so hard.
Best Tracks: "All You Ever Wanted", "Strange Times", "Lies", "So He Won't Break"
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
R.E.M. find the Fountain of Youth!!!
About a month and a half ago, I said that R.E.M. were due for a comeback: a return-to-roots album that would remind us all why we love them. Much to my surprise, it actually happened.
Accelerate is a glorious blur. They run through 11 songs in 35 minutes - some songs end when I was just starting to sing along. There isn't a second of filler and even the ballads drive hard. There are a few songs here that rank with the best they've ever recorded:
"Living Well is the Best Revenge": The most lively opening they've ever had. Michael Stipe sounds frantic, angry, and like he's 25 years old again. Fortunately, he sounds this way the entire album.
"Houston": Remember that low, paranoid, creepy voice he used in most of New Adventures in Hi-Fi? It's back. Combine that will organ fills, some great acoustic guitar work, and horrifying lyrics about escaping Hurricane Katrina, and you have a wonderful yet unnerving two minutes.
"Sing for the Submarine": This is the only track I could call epic. It takes a minute to build, but the chorus is supplemented by a guitar squeal and some creepy backing vocals.
"Horse to Water": This song is, in one work, urgent. They haven't used that tempo since Reckoning.
Overall, they didn't do anything new here, but they didn't need to. They go back to their garage roots, use their political leanings as an advantage (and not a hindrance like they did on their last few records), and rediscover using melody over multi layered instruments and production. The result: their best album since Automatic for the People. We knew you had it all along.
Accelerate is a glorious blur. They run through 11 songs in 35 minutes - some songs end when I was just starting to sing along. There isn't a second of filler and even the ballads drive hard. There are a few songs here that rank with the best they've ever recorded:
"Living Well is the Best Revenge": The most lively opening they've ever had. Michael Stipe sounds frantic, angry, and like he's 25 years old again. Fortunately, he sounds this way the entire album.
"Houston": Remember that low, paranoid, creepy voice he used in most of New Adventures in Hi-Fi? It's back. Combine that will organ fills, some great acoustic guitar work, and horrifying lyrics about escaping Hurricane Katrina, and you have a wonderful yet unnerving two minutes.
"Sing for the Submarine": This is the only track I could call epic. It takes a minute to build, but the chorus is supplemented by a guitar squeal and some creepy backing vocals.
"Horse to Water": This song is, in one work, urgent. They haven't used that tempo since Reckoning.
Overall, they didn't do anything new here, but they didn't need to. They go back to their garage roots, use their political leanings as an advantage (and not a hindrance like they did on their last few records), and rediscover using melody over multi layered instruments and production. The result: their best album since Automatic for the People. We knew you had it all along.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Counting Crows
Why is this band so hated? They are one of the only distinctive, interesting band in a popular rock arena polluted with bands like Nickelback and Hinder. They are the best of the mid-90s adult alternative bands and about the only one that still matter (what ever happened to Train and the Wallflowers?). They sure don't overdo the releases: this is their first record since 2002.
Music critics seem to think that they have no place in modern rock, although I think that's a good thing. To me, they just continue to make brilliant, uncompromising roots rock like they always have.
They gave us a masterpiece of a debut (August and Everything After), a wild sophomore album that shows off their range (Recovering the Satellites), and a brilliant, somber, intimately underrated third effort (This Desert Life). I'll admit Hard Candy was a little weak, and the bad Shrek 2 song and the abysmal Joni Mitchell cover ("Big Yellow Taxi") made me loose some faith in them.
Their new album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, makes me glad they kept going and never changed their sound too much. The first six songs are a blessing: real rock with real singing and real guitar playing! Could this get onto rock radio next to the awful grunge rehashes that dominate it right now? The blues-jam of "Los Angeles" and the keyboard driven "Cowboys" probably have no place there, which is a shame.
The later half is a well-paced throwback to August and Everything After. The highlight is the transitional "Washington Square", which sets the tone for the rest. Nobody writes great somber pop ballads like "Anyone But You" anymore.
Ignore the critics on this one: the Counting Crows have given us one of the best records of 2008.
Best tracks: "Los Angeles", "Cowboys", "Washington Square", "On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago", "Come Around"
Next we, we get to see if an even more improbable comeback works: REM! I'm hopeful...
Music critics seem to think that they have no place in modern rock, although I think that's a good thing. To me, they just continue to make brilliant, uncompromising roots rock like they always have.
They gave us a masterpiece of a debut (August and Everything After), a wild sophomore album that shows off their range (Recovering the Satellites), and a brilliant, somber, intimately underrated third effort (This Desert Life). I'll admit Hard Candy was a little weak, and the bad Shrek 2 song and the abysmal Joni Mitchell cover ("Big Yellow Taxi") made me loose some faith in them.
Their new album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, makes me glad they kept going and never changed their sound too much. The first six songs are a blessing: real rock with real singing and real guitar playing! Could this get onto rock radio next to the awful grunge rehashes that dominate it right now? The blues-jam of "Los Angeles" and the keyboard driven "Cowboys" probably have no place there, which is a shame.
The later half is a well-paced throwback to August and Everything After. The highlight is the transitional "Washington Square", which sets the tone for the rest. Nobody writes great somber pop ballads like "Anyone But You" anymore.
Ignore the critics on this one: the Counting Crows have given us one of the best records of 2008.
Best tracks: "Los Angeles", "Cowboys", "Washington Square", "On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago", "Come Around"
Next we, we get to see if an even more improbable comeback works: REM! I'm hopeful...
Friday, March 28, 2008
I Miss You, Lauryn Hill
I walk into one of my employee's office today and she was playing one of my favorite albums from high school. It was so refreshing to hear a true timeless classic. I felt bad for not playing it for so long. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is ten years old this year. Can you believe it?
This album will sound both fresh and classic in 30 years. 15 perfect songs (and one useless intro) that she would never even try to follow up. Here is a few of my favorite moments:
"Ex-Factor" - The best soul song of the past 20 years... it just makes you wish that Motown still made them like this. The track doesn't peak until about 3:30 in, which hurt its radio potential but made it even more replayable. Perfect.
"Final Hour" - I never imaged a soul singer would be capable of something this tense, dark, and apocalyptic, but she can rap with the best.
"Forgive Them Father" - Now she pulls out reggae and raps out of the Bible. This is the kind of song Wyclef Jean would put out if he had any talent.
"Everything is Everything" - I remember her performing this song at the MTV Video Awards with a 15-piece band; she made every musician in that room look like a joke that night.
"Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" - This is a song that holds it all together for me. After taking us through about 10 musical styles and mastering them all, she writes a piano ballad and belts it out like nobody has since Aretha Franklin. This one is high on my list of "rip your heart out" songs.
She put out one album that was at the same time one of the best rap albums ever, one of the best soul albums ever, and one of the overall best albums of the 1990s. Then she quit and called it a career. Not too bad. I only have one thing to say about that: you don't need the Fugees! Forget them!
This album will sound both fresh and classic in 30 years. 15 perfect songs (and one useless intro) that she would never even try to follow up. Here is a few of my favorite moments:
"Ex-Factor" - The best soul song of the past 20 years... it just makes you wish that Motown still made them like this. The track doesn't peak until about 3:30 in, which hurt its radio potential but made it even more replayable. Perfect.
"Final Hour" - I never imaged a soul singer would be capable of something this tense, dark, and apocalyptic, but she can rap with the best.
"Forgive Them Father" - Now she pulls out reggae and raps out of the Bible. This is the kind of song Wyclef Jean would put out if he had any talent.
"Everything is Everything" - I remember her performing this song at the MTV Video Awards with a 15-piece band; she made every musician in that room look like a joke that night.
"Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" - This is a song that holds it all together for me. After taking us through about 10 musical styles and mastering them all, she writes a piano ballad and belts it out like nobody has since Aretha Franklin. This one is high on my list of "rip your heart out" songs.
She put out one album that was at the same time one of the best rap albums ever, one of the best soul albums ever, and one of the overall best albums of the 1990s. Then she quit and called it a career. Not too bad. I only have one thing to say about that: you don't need the Fugees! Forget them!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Heart of the City Tour
I've been to a lot of concerts in the past few years, but none of the prepared me for what I saw last night: Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige at Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida. Part of the fun was that I have never been to a hip-hop show; I had no idea what to expect. Who will go on first? Will there be a band, or just a turntable setup? How long do they perform? How clear will the vocals be? I had no idea.
It didn't take long for me to get it. After a brief video intro, a curtain went up and there sat a band with at least 18 members: drums, guitars, trumpets, violins - just about everything. Mary J and Jay-Z took their time walking out there, until the beat dropped and they jumped into a stunning duet of "Can't Knock The Hustle". This was the kind of cathartic moment I thought was only possible at an Arcade Fire or U2 show.
Mary's set was loose and unrestrained. The bouncy-as-ever "Real Love" was a highlight, where Jay-Z added a frantic 15-second verse. "No More Drama" was even more dramatic than on record, which I didn't think could be possible. Some of her more recent material dragged a little, but the call-and-response chorus of "You Know" reminded me why she has been so loved for so long.
Jay-Z didn't waste any time. He crept out with a single slow verse before dropping his real opener: the jazz trumpet section blared and Jay-Z spit fire on a version of "Roc Boys" that felt like it could tear the roof off of Amway Arena. It was unbelievable. Watching him rhyme was like watching Michael Jordan in 1996: not only was he the greatest, he knows it.
He astounded me by the different ways he could use his band: the jazz touch of Reasonable Doubt's "Can I Live", the Latin horns of "Encore", the guitar thrash of "99 Problems", the screeching organ of "Public Service Announcement", and the full-out pop jam of "Izzo". The band didn't waver one second through the gorgeous closer "Heart of the City" with Mary J.
I have one complain about this concert, and it has nothing to do with the musicians: Orlando has no soul. Why was everybody sitting? If Jay-Z, Mary J Blige, and a 18+ piece band can't move you, you should probably check your pulse.
This concert was one of the greatest musical experiences I've ever had. If you go to this tour, don't be ashamed to dance. The entire house will probably be moving (unless you are in Orlando).
You've never felt hip-hop like this before.
It didn't take long for me to get it. After a brief video intro, a curtain went up and there sat a band with at least 18 members: drums, guitars, trumpets, violins - just about everything. Mary J and Jay-Z took their time walking out there, until the beat dropped and they jumped into a stunning duet of "Can't Knock The Hustle". This was the kind of cathartic moment I thought was only possible at an Arcade Fire or U2 show.
Mary's set was loose and unrestrained. The bouncy-as-ever "Real Love" was a highlight, where Jay-Z added a frantic 15-second verse. "No More Drama" was even more dramatic than on record, which I didn't think could be possible. Some of her more recent material dragged a little, but the call-and-response chorus of "You Know" reminded me why she has been so loved for so long.
Jay-Z didn't waste any time. He crept out with a single slow verse before dropping his real opener: the jazz trumpet section blared and Jay-Z spit fire on a version of "Roc Boys" that felt like it could tear the roof off of Amway Arena. It was unbelievable. Watching him rhyme was like watching Michael Jordan in 1996: not only was he the greatest, he knows it.
He astounded me by the different ways he could use his band: the jazz touch of Reasonable Doubt's "Can I Live", the Latin horns of "Encore", the guitar thrash of "99 Problems", the screeching organ of "Public Service Announcement", and the full-out pop jam of "Izzo". The band didn't waver one second through the gorgeous closer "Heart of the City" with Mary J.
I have one complain about this concert, and it has nothing to do with the musicians: Orlando has no soul. Why was everybody sitting? If Jay-Z, Mary J Blige, and a 18+ piece band can't move you, you should probably check your pulse.
This concert was one of the greatest musical experiences I've ever had. If you go to this tour, don't be ashamed to dance. The entire house will probably be moving (unless you are in Orlando).
You've never felt hip-hop like this before.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Gnarls Barkley's The Odd Couple
This is the kind of album critics hate to review. Not that they hate it, they just hate to review it.
Gnarls Barkley's first album was a glorious mess; it was an accumulation of crazy ideas that most musicians would never try. It was wildly inconsistent; for every track that the album could have done without, there was an absolutely brilliant, memorable track that I'm still humming two years later. "Crazy" became a huge hit, the title track is still one of my favorite soul tracks in decades, and "Just A Thought" remains as powerful and unpredictable as it ever was.
So after hearing the first album, I though what probably everybody else thought: this band needs restraint and focus to do a great album. Now they have that, and their second album does not have a bad song on it, but there aren't any stunning, exceptional tracks like "Just A Though" or "St. Elsewhere" either.
Song for song, the Odd Couple is a better album start to finish; but in a few years, St. Elsewhere will still sound fresh. So which one will everybody be happier with? Good question. Both are worth buying to find out for one reason: nobody else is making music like this right now.
Best tracks: "Who's Going To Save My Soul", "Run (I'm A Natural Disaster)", "Blind Mary"
Gnarls Barkley's first album was a glorious mess; it was an accumulation of crazy ideas that most musicians would never try. It was wildly inconsistent; for every track that the album could have done without, there was an absolutely brilliant, memorable track that I'm still humming two years later. "Crazy" became a huge hit, the title track is still one of my favorite soul tracks in decades, and "Just A Thought" remains as powerful and unpredictable as it ever was.
So after hearing the first album, I though what probably everybody else thought: this band needs restraint and focus to do a great album. Now they have that, and their second album does not have a bad song on it, but there aren't any stunning, exceptional tracks like "Just A Though" or "St. Elsewhere" either.
Song for song, the Odd Couple is a better album start to finish; but in a few years, St. Elsewhere will still sound fresh. So which one will everybody be happier with? Good question. Both are worth buying to find out for one reason: nobody else is making music like this right now.
Best tracks: "Who's Going To Save My Soul", "Run (I'm A Natural Disaster)", "Blind Mary"
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