Crack the Sky "Machine"

This is a great example of my music collection:  Rolling Stones, 1 album; Bob Dylan, 1 album; Crack the Sky, ELEVEN records!  And that's just CTS.  I have John Palumbo solo albums and one from another band he was in called Cruel Shoes.  Do you think I like this guy?  Come on, I've got quoted lyrics in the About Me portion of the blog!

Palumbo is the constant of Crack the Sky's 35-year, on again/off again existence.  He's the primary songwriter, vocalist and guitarist, yet he's been able to surround himself with plenty of talent in the varying lineups.  The group for "Machine" is most of the original members from the early days of the first couple of records which had some chart success.  If you were a concert-goer in the late 70's, you may have seen them as openers for damn near every major arena tour in the eastern half of the country.  They still perform live on a semi-regular basis, primarily to their Ohio and Maryland fan base, but Palumbo has slowed down a bit at the age of sixty saying, "I just don't stage dive anymore."  I never understood the constant comparisons of CTS to Steely Dan.  It's prog-rock, not jazz.  More like a cross of Cheap Trick and the Cars with Yes-like song structures.  I will say that the Cruel Shoes record had more of the pop/jazz stylings of Steely Dan, but it went absolutely nowhere. 

Machines are the running theme for this new album (go figure) and death seems to be a secondary thread.  Before you realize it, you'll be singing along to "We're all dead, we just don't know it yet."  The lyrics aren't morbid, but they are classic Palumbo.  Caustic, acerbic, sarcastic, introspective, reflective, and certainly humorous, which is why I am such a big fan.  The single, "Hyphen-Americans", is a perfect example of the lyrical style, where he recites many sub-genre hyphenated names and wonders in the chorus, "Where did all the American-Americans go?"  Musically, "Machine" is an electric guitar based progressive rock record with plenty of acoustics and a variety of keyboards, ie. a typical Crack the Sky record.  It takes one helluva of a band to make a great rock recording like "Machine" at sixty years of age after you've been toiling in relative obscurity for decades.  I hope you will seek this album out if this piques your interest.  It's not easy, but try their website or Barnes & Noble.  If not, then sample some of the other albums, like "Safety in Numbers"
(Palumbo wasn't actually on this record but he penned all the songs) or "White Music."  They are all MAD ROCKER approved!

Brandon Flowers "Flamingo"

So the Killers' front man steps out for a solo project.  Was anybody really surprised in light of this guy's ego?  He is the prime feature of one of the decade's international success stories.  I never grew to like "Sam's Town" but I liked the tracks that didn't make it that were later included on "Sawdust."  And they did not impress me in concert, basically playing "Hot Fuss" note for note.  But there was something about the songs wrapped in that 80's synth-pop-with-guitars sound that was as contagious as a common cold. 

Flowers isn't the greatest singer alive, but I do believe he has improved over the years.  Here, he comes off on a couple of tracks like Roy Orbison.  I realize that will offend some of you but I wasn't a fan of that high-pitched warbling.  Any number of effects and treatments are used to create different vocal patterns, one time coming off like some Cheap Trick harmonies.  Certainly having one of the greatest producers of our time, Daniel Lanois, manning the console is a big positive.  Also on board is Brendan O'Brien, who has worked with the biggest rock names in the biz for the past two decades.  But make no mistake, this is not just a rock album, much less a Killers record.  True, there are a couple of tracks that would be killer Killers, but there is also a great little country story and a gospel-tinged track featuring the Las Vegas Mass Choir!  Another pair of songs are immediately danceable, one charting as high as #3 on the Dance charts. 

Las Vegas is the theme of this entire record, and I've heard of Flowers being called the "Desert Springsteen."  Based on the songwriting chops I'll agree with that analogy to a degree, but I can't fathom how some people make comparisons with Bono.  Anyway, "Flamingo" isn't as cheesy as your typical Killers album and it's missing some of the guitars in favor of keys, but I like the variety of styles.  It is like a Killers record in that it gets better with every listen, making it difficult to remove from the player.

!!! (chk chk chk) "Strange Weather, Isn't It"

I remember seeing this band show up on our Music 4 Less/Sound Shop product calendar eight or nine years ago and I wondered who the hell would name their band "exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation point?" That's like naming your band Shitwad, it doesn't have a chance.  So it was too dumb for me to stock it, and where would you alphabetize it anyway.  A few years later I run into them at WPRK during my eighteen month revival of the famous "PM in the AM" show, but my bias rules out and I don't even give it a listen, but I at least learned the pronunciation of the band name.  Fast forward to October this year and I see a new release for the band, so I figure since they've survived with that stupid name this long that I would finally give it a shot.  And wouldn't you know it, I like it!  As a matter of fact, I was playing the bejesus out of Radio 4 and the Rapture at WPRK, and they were other bands cut from that same NYC post-punk dance rock scene as !!!.  I suppose you could throw the Scissor Sisters into that group, too. 

While spinning "...Weather...", there is the immediate latter-day Gang of 4 influence along with the Clash and Public Image Limited, and maybe just a smidgen of Kid Creole buried underneath.  The obvious current day comparison is LCD Soundsystem, but LCD is more precise and witty where !!! is looser and sweaty.  Here is a live video from France in which you will get a better visual sense of the band, though the sound quality is quite poor, but I reason you can hear their music anywhere else. 

"Strange Weather..." is 40 minutes of energetic fun.  Put it on at a party and watch the heads start to bob across the room, or play it in your car on an open road, but watch your speed!

Philip Selway "Familial"

Purchased this album based on the two contributions he had on the tremendous 7 Worlds Collide project from a year ago.  If you are a Radiohead fan, you know who Philip Selway is and you will probably appreciate this recording.  I own Kid A, I think, but that's it for me.  Always a bit too pompous and self absorbed for my tastes, and hey, they are worldwide stars and don't need my approval!

For this solo effort, the drummer steps out to the front with ten self-penned tracks clocking in at 33 minutes, adding acoustic guitar to his repertoire.  He sings in a fragile, soft voice set in a very acoustic setting, surrounded with all the subtle ambient tricks that his band employs.  It's an extremely low-key recording that needs to be absorbed, so a group setting is out of the question, unless, of course, you're all zoned out on your favorite mind-altering substance.  The two tracks from the 7WC album, “The Ties That Bind Us” and “The Witching Hour,” aren't as full and rich sounding here as they were with Neil Finn and company, even though some of the same participants joined in on these versions.  I started to link to a video of "The Witching Hour" live with Mr. Finn on the keyboard but that wouldn't be very fair to this record, so here is a track recorded live at the BBC studios a couple of months ago.  It's nice...pleasant, even, but in my ear it's preaching to the Radiohead choir.

Ra Ra Riot "The Orchard"

Really enjoyed their debut album in 2008 and immediately jumped on this one when I saw the release.  Now that I've had the three prerequisite spins, I can safely say this is a nice record.  Uh, oh...that doesn't appear to be very positive.  Is it a memorable record?  I don't think so.  Those of you who know me are aware of my fondness of orchestral treatments and instruments in my music, so prominently featured violin and cello is a good thing, especially when the cellist looks like a young Demi Moore, but I digress.  Maybe it was the eclectic nature of the first album that tickled my aural fancy, a prep-smart pop masterpiece that cracked the charts and received much critical praise.  "Orchard" has fared even better, hitting the Top 40 in sales amid much hyped live appearances.  There is an entire one hour live show on Hulu, from which I culled this performance of the single "Boy."  They're scheduled to appear on David Letterman next Tuesday the 7th.  Please check them out and feel free to comment.  I would love to hear some of your opinions. 

As for now, I don't believe I'll add this album to the vault, but it's a nice record...

Meadow Island

Once again, I cannot recall the origin of my selecting this band to sample, but I did, and it was intriguing enough to purchase.  I couldn't find the first thread that would connect me to this band while doing a little research, so it must have been Divine Musical Intervention which led me to them.  Meadow Island is from Finland, and I haven't a clue who the guy's other band is, but what I gather is they are much more electric and rock.  So this is a departure from the norm, the other persona of this young musician.  His side kick is a woman who's vocals elicited names like Sarah McLachlan, Enya, and Clannad.  This is introspective, acoustic, soft pop.  Here is a live example for your enlightenment.  Of course, I go and pick a song to link that has the guy singing, but if you are interested in hearing her, you can hunt around that link and find a couple with her vocals and you'll see why I name-dropped the previous females.  The CD is much more produced, filled with ethereal ambiance, textural keyboards, maybe a hint of classical structure.  It's a beautiful recording and would be a wonderful CD to play for a small gathering of your intellectual associates. 

Even though I truly think this is a fabulous release, I already own so many other albums within this genre that never hit my airwaves, so I won't add another.  I do not believe this is available through the traditional domestic channels, but if I can buy it, you can buy it.  Hey, you can have my copy...

Underworld "Barking"

This is a band I go all the way back to 1984 with, only then they were called Freur.  The debut album "Doot-Doot" was #6 on the Mad Rocker's Top Albums from that year and it still holds firm twenty-six years later.  There's a track on it called "Theme From the Film of the Same Name" that is the definition of cinematic music.  Anyway, another failed album later and the band reforms as Underworld in 1988, putting out my favorite two albums by them, "Underneath the Radar" and "Change the Weather."  "...Radar" charted and I know we had a pocket of sales in the TN market because I pushed as hard as I could, getting local DJ's to like it and spin it.  These records were certainly groove driven, danceable pop music, but they didn't connect as well as they should have.  The band's Karl Hyde and Rick Smith were never afraid of experimentation, so they added a DJ for "dubnobasswithmyheadman" and became more trance/house/techno and much more critically acclaimed, but that's where they lost me.  I've never been one for bips and boop noises in my music, especially looped for what seems to be hours.  Then the song "Born Slippy" from the movie Trainspotting awakened the world to Underworld and the rest is club/dance music history. 

So here it is five albums and some fifteen years later and I see the release of "Barking."  "Ah, what the hell, let's give it a sample listen," I say to myself and I find that there are some of the old elements of Underworld that I used to enjoy, ie. vocals I can understand and happy dance beats, not the numbing, dumbing drone that I'm much too old for.  No Ecstasy for me!  Well, there is some of that sound here, too, but it's only about three tracks, and many of the younger, raving reviewers like these.  Me?  I absolutely love two of the old school tracks, and yes, the Mad Rocker can still call them as one of my favorites is the new single currently being pushed on the American market.  Here's the band on Jimmy Fallon just the other night supporting the record.  It should be a smash hit, and so should the track "Between Stars." 

"Barking" is truly an assemblage of past styles into a record that could please a large demographic of humans.  There's even a couple of those ambient/atmospheric/environmental pieces that scream for a black lite, a lava lamp, some Gainesville Green and a Quaalude (look it up, kids).  WHEW!

Foghat "Last Train Home"

I must admit that I'm skeptical of many artists/bands from decades ago who spin the revolving door of personnel, tour the oldies circuit and release an album every seven years or so.  Disappointments are too numerous to mention, but there are always exceptions to the rule.  Foghat was one of the bands I loved in the 70's, and living here in Orlando, I used to run into Lonesome Dave Peverett and the regrouped Foghat in the 90's.  So when I saw a new release listed as blues, I felt like it had earned the casual sample, so I did.  Listening to the first 45 seconds or so to several of the tracks, I thought it sounded OK, but my skepticism overtook the selection and I passed on the purchase.  Just a few weeks later, Mr. Kilts asked me if I had heard it.  I told him the above story, to which he agreed, but he had opted on buying it.  He thought once I got into the meat of the songs that I would change my mind, and I did!  This is footstompin' boogie, the kind that keeps you turning up the volume.  A few originals, some well-chosen covers like "Shake Your Money Maker" and "It Hurts Me Too" (which was also on the Stone Blue album in 1978, but this is a uniquely different take), and an outstanding instrumental called "495 Boogie", which showcases Colin Earl, brother of the only remaining original member, Roger Earl, on piano.  Colin played with another British band you may remember, Mungo Jerry.  And while I'm citing individuals, let me disclose who is in this version of Foghat, and you old-timers out there will understand why this lineup clicks like it does.  On lead guitar is Bryan Bassett.  Who, you say?  Remember that plucky guitar intro to "Play That Funky Music?"  Yep, this is that guy, one of the founding members of Wild Cherry.  He went on to spend several years at King Snake Studios in Sanford (many great blues records cut there) and also as one of the members of the 90's version of Molly Hatchet (actually one of the disappointments I referred to earlier).  On lead vocals and guitar is Charlie Huhn.  This is the guy who got his start with the ultimate egomaniac, Ted Nugent, replacing Derek St. Holmes in 1978.  He was on Weekend Warriors, State of Shock, and Scream Dream with the Terrible One.  He also played with Gary Moore and was the featured singer on the Scorpions drummer's solo album, Herman Ze German, which I absolutely loved.  He was also in a couple of bands some of you might recall, Victory and Deadringer. 
Having owned nearly all of the above resume, it was obvious why "Last Train Home" tickled my Ol' Rocker personna.  The first half of this record steamrolls right along and then coasts into the station on the final three tracks.  I would love to see this version of Foghat in concert, and here is a taste of them live from UCF a couple of years ago.  Now that's blues...

1973 "Bye Bye Cellphone"

I have never given much credit to the domestic music charts... you know the ones I'm referring to, the overall top songs or albums, not the genre specific ones.  They give you an entire country's perspective, not just one group or style.  The musical taste of the ol' USA has been in the crapper for quite some time now, so when I'm bored I visit the charts of other countries for inspiration.  You already know my affinity for Australia, and I'll search the Canadian, UK, and other European charts for the next aural gem which 99% of Americans haven't heard of but should.  This one is from the German charts, though I'll bet it was also on the charts of their home country of France.  The lyrics are English, sung in soft vocals with that European lilt in the cadence and pronunciation, along the lines of Sondre Lerche or Andreas Johnson, and for the older demographic readers, at times like A-Ha or Double.  It also reminds me of the final three Klaatu albums with the shimmering, catchy pop songs.  The production is top-notch,  first sounding like 10cc or Godley & Creme, but after additional spins more like the work of Alan Parsons for his own Project as well as his hand on records by Pink Floyd, Al Stewart, and Sir Paul McCartney.  The album has been available in the US since early summer but with little fanfare.  The first European single was this track, which should please the many fans of the Mumford & Sons sound, banjo and all.  It's not indicative of the entire record, but an example of the variety of instrumentation found on this wonderful album.  Put this on at a relaxed gathering of humans and no one will be offended.  In fact, I guarantee someone asks you, "Who is this?  It's good!"

 

The Cat Empire "Cinema"

My good friend Jeff is going to have a heart attack when he hears this record.  This is one of my favorite finds of 2010.  Trolling the Australian charts once again, I stumbled onto this band name and just had to give it a listen.  What I heard was THE SECOND COMING OF SPLIT ENZ(!), but this upgraded model features horns!  Not just a saxophone, HORNS plural!  Lead trumpet, for crying out loud.  Made me think of Chase and Herb Alpert!  One of the two lead vocalists sounds eerily like Tim Finn.  And I mean Split Enz people, not Crowded House.  Lots of keyboards with background guitars, based in a musical bowl of multi-genre contents.  The ska and Latin rhythms coupled with the horns would lead someone to compare to Oingo Boingo, but its more like Cake than Boingo.  I thought of fellow Aussie band Hunters & Collectors, but their horns were more dissonant in a section setting.  "Cinema" is eleven tracks of happy, intellectual, smile-a-minute, pop gems.  Here is an album release live take of "Shoulders." 

I was so enamoured by this album that I had to find out more about the band.  Turns out "Cinema" is Cat Empire's 4th commercial studio release, and the five-member group (six, if you count the DJ...yep, there's scratchin' on the record!) utilizes additional horns and an endless list of guest artist contributions.  Their live shows can include a string section and a group of dancers (what, nobody paints onstage?) and are said to be quite improvisational in nature.  I see they have a double live CD from last year and I am going to pull the trigger on it instead of previous studio releases.  Some of the reviews I've read from the band's faithful following suggest that this album is a departure from earlier recordings, and since I absolutely LOVE "Cinema", I'll try the live history instead. 

Black Country Communion

Here is that "supergroup" tag again, but this one will have legs as there is material already written for a second album and a tour planned for 2011.  I alluded to it in an earlier post, and now that it's out, you original Mad Rocker fans need to jump on the Black Country Communion bandwagon.  Joe Bonamassa on guitar/vocals, Jason Bonham on drums, Glenn Hughes bass/vocals, and Derek Sherinian on keyboards.  For many of you, there is no further explanation needed for both JB's, so let's dive into the others.  There really shouldn't be a need for elaborating on Glenn, who is truly an English rock legend, but I feel so many of my readers won't know him.  As a teen, he was in a band called Trapeze, and BCC covers "Medusa", a song he wrote and recorded at the tender age of eighteen.  The year?  1970.  Yep, he's pushing sixty and his voice sounds just as great as it ever has.  For the uninitiated, it's a cross of a screaming Paul Rodgers with the soulfulness of Tommy Bolin...ah, hell, if you don't know who Glenn is you won't know who Tommy is, so forget it.  Anyway, Glenn became a member of Deep Purple (I put BCC's version of "Mistreated" on a Facebook post) and contributed to other artists like Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, Whitesnake and Pat Travers, actually collaborating on an album with Travers' additional guitarist, Pat Thrall.  Derek Sherinian has played with Kiss, Alice Cooper, Todd Rundgren, Dream Theater, Yngwie Malmsteen and Billy Idol.  And let's not forget producer Kevin Shirley, who basically put this whole thing together in an extremely short period of time.  He's been involved with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Journey, the Black Crowes, Rush, Aerosmith, and Aussie favorites of mine like Cold Chisel, the Angels and Silverchair.  Whew!  Is that enough name-dropping for ya?  Here is a track from the BCC site for you to absorb and enjoy.

This record is an excellent example of what classic rock was, and is.  Single out a few of the aforementioned bands and stir it up.  The songs are not similar, but the feeling is.  Bonamassa wrote or co-wrote most of the songs, and Hughes handles the majority of lead vocals, but Joe sings his share and those tracks are standouts, utilizing Glenn's amazing harmonies.  There's plenty of 70's-era bottom (how could there not be with the Bonham/Hughes tagteam).  You could tell from Joe's album "...John Henry" that he didn't just excel at blues licks, that he had some old school rock in his arsenal.  Well, here it is in all it's splendor.  Sherinian's keys are subtle, but they well up as the album progresses, actually becoming more noticeable with addition spins.  BCC is truly an ensemble recording, not a Bonamassa solo with guests.  I believe I would have selected a different track to open the record with, but otherwise this is what rock albums used to be like back in the days of AOR. 

This would have been a weekly staple of the Mad Rocker Shows at WPRK (I'm certain I played "Medusa" more than once...I still have a copy of the Trapeze vinyl with WPRK's stamp on it).  I have to give this a huge Mad Rocker vote of approval!

WSNB (We Sing Nasty Blues)

Of course, you, too, can suggest things for the Ol' Mad Rocker to peruse.  This is also from my buddy Bob in north GA, who happened across these guys at an outdoor blues event back in the summer.  There wasn't a large crowd, so he got to mix and mingle with the bands and got his liner notes signed.  During the day-long event, I received one voice...eh, musicmail, containing 90 seconds of smokin' blues, and a couple of frantic, all-caps texts naming his discoveries of the day.  With kind permission of the band, he sent along copies of their two CD's for my listening pleasure.  And indeed, they both hit the mark solidly.  They dub it American Swamp Blues, but if you are a fan of the Blues Traveler style, then you will find these records quite enjoyable, but with more of a John Mayall harmonica style instead of Popper's histrionics.  "Jomo Swamp Root Boogie" is from 2006/7, and I was truly moved by the track "Come Back".  2008 release,  "Oktibbeha County," has plenty more head-nodding tunes, really hitting its stride on the last half of the record.  But I have to admit that it was the live recordings, such as the link above, I heard from various video sites that fired my appreciation.  And they are making a brief Florida swing this week, stopping in Jax Beach and for two shows in the St. Pete area.  I had hoped to catch them at Dave's just across the Gandy on Saturday, but it conflicts with another event here in Orlando, and hell, I didn't need to try to drive two hours back home with that much whiskey in me anyway...Hey guys, there is a place here called McWell's that is a perfect fit if you have an open date, and I could get a cab for the ride home!  Here is the link to their website and you can also obtain their albums from iTunes.  Hey, 2006, 2008, will there be a new WSNB record before the end of 2010?  Hope so.  Seek, find, enjoy!

Party Favours and Headphones

 

First of all, thank you, Bob, for the title to this post.  It's a perfect fit.  I'm using the UK spelling for a reason, and you will understand once you hear this record.  Now this, boys and girls, is psychedelic.  For the old hippie in each of you, I present Tame Impala "Innerspeaker."  It's got every 60's era studio trick in the book that bands like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin used:  reverb, feedback, distortion, phase shifts, echo chamber, etc..  This really reminds me most of Ozric Tentacles with vocals which, at times, come off like tweaked John Lennon.  It's pre-"Dark Side"...Pink Floyd crossed with such shoegazers like Blur, the Charlatans, the Stone Roses, all enveloped in a foggy haze of smoke-induced smiles.  Trippy bass lines and manic drumming a la early Sweet or the Who form the frame for the guitar work, which has a tiny bit of fellow Australians, Wolfmother, in the fabric.  Did I mention psychedelic?  The new video for "Lucidity" is from a camera attached to a weather balloon, released from a spot where the band is set up in the desert somewhere, going up up up into the clouds, then crashing back to the ground where a vulture ambles into focus to take a look.  Yes, kids, spark one up!  The band will soon be in the states for a few dates in major metropolitan cities and eclectic music venues, but none within a thousand miles of me, so somebody out there please go see them and let me know the experience.  Here is a live video  from 2009 to give you an idea of what to expect.  And yes, they are KIDS, about the same age as many of my known readers' offspring!

Los Lobos "Tin Can Trust"

Everybody needs a Los Lobos record in their collection, and I don't mean La Bamba.  It was destiny that I picked this up.  I happened to be rooting through the "K" and "L" shelf of the Top 500 and ran across their 2002 release "Good Morning Aztlan".  Thought I would play the bonus enhanced CD for kicks.  A few days later on the satellite station, up pops one of that album's tracks.  Next thing you know, they are playing the AARP Convention here in town (certainly upping the coolness factor).  So I took all the hints and added this to the vault.  I'd have to go to the file to be sure, but I believe this is my third Lobos record out of their fourteen or so, and I also have one of the side project Latin Playboys CD's.  One of the members, Steve Berlin, will be on many albums you own from the last twenty years as a session man or producer, such as R.E.M., Paul Simon, Dixie Chicks, Gregg Allman, the Tragically Hip, etc..  In the mid-80's, The Lobos were big buddies with T-Bone Burnett, so having him as a friend and producer says mucho about their studio prowess.  All of their albums are sonic studio precision, blending rock, blues, R&B, and Latin inspirations into topical, traditional, or even Disney tunes!  There wouldn't be a Los Lonely Boys without Los Lobos... 
"Tin Can" is a typical LL album as described earlier.  A variety of story lines based in our economic funk, tucked into the standard aural stew, punctuated by dual guitars...perfection in headphones.  You don't get invited to play Clapton's Crossroads concert unless you're a top notch axe wielder.  And if you didn't know better, you'd think Steve Winwood was guest vocalizing on a couple of tracks.  I found this live video of the title track.  Now that's the kind of live setting the Ol' Mad Rocker likes!

Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise"

My first encounter with Ray LaMontagne was 2006 when "Be Here Now" played on my satellite station while I was creating dinner in the kitchen.  I stopped chopping, listened, and ran into the living room to see who it was.  Bought the album the next day and been a fan since.  I like the fact that his records are different stylistically to a degree.  "God Willin'..." is Ray Goes Country with plenty of Nashville influence, lots of pedal steel guitar and banjo.  Hey, Country sells product as well as anything out there, but what I've noted is how Country has become more pop and rock influenced to do so, which makes a strong case for the current trend of pop music leaning on country influences.  LaMontagne has also produced himself this time, but he obviously learned well from Ethan Johns, who's worked with names like Hiatt, Stills, Crosby, Nicks, Ronstadt...need I continue?  My favorite tracks on this album are the two six+ minute songs, "Rock and Roll Radio" (the lyrics speak volumes) and "Repo Man".  Click the link for a live rendition of the song from the tour.  The audio is lacking but ramp up the video setting to one of the HD versions.  Also do a little search for the videos from the Jools Holland program if you aren't too familiar with his music.  My ears hear Joe Cocker as a heavy influence, but I've not seen anyone else make the same determination.  I also hear a little Roger Chapman every now and then.  Who, you ask?  He was a singer in the 70's for a couple of bands I liked, Family and Streetwalkers.  But my favorite comparison for Ray L. would be this generations' Cat Stevens.

Blitzen Trapper live in Orlando w/Avi Buffalo

Really glad to have the time and opportunity to be able to attend this show (thanks Rob @ WPRK), knowing that their newest album will be in my Top 5 of the year, but where was everyone else?  My neighbor Frank and I got a late start for the show, so arriving around 10:15 I fully expected to get in just as they were starting their set, having to elbow our way through the packed house to get a drink at the bar and then commandeer a couple of square feet of floor space.  I was soooooo wrong and very disappointed.  Waltzed right up to the bar with little resistance and barely bumped into the first human crossing the room.  Avi Buffalo was still on stage for their set and there may have been fifteen people in the pit watching.  This is a young band with some serious national buzz!  People were actually able to stay seated at the bar and see them play.  Unbelievable.  We moved into the pit during the set change and were joined by maybe thirty people for Blitzen's set.  No jostling, pushing, and certainly no stage diving, as there were plenty of warning signs restricting that activity.  Good thing because you could have killed yourself splatting on the concrete floor if you attempted to fly into this "crowd."  There is a 10-minute video on the web from last year's stop at the Social and damn sure more people at that show than Friday's.  No wonder they came back to town.  Doubt they will again.  Techno music bleeding through the walls from Tabu, but they joked about it, even mimicking a synth line in true mocking fashion.  Couldn't even see the acoustic guitarist on stage left until frontman Eric Earley cracked wise about it, forcing a "house technician" to come out and adjust the lighting with a stick, for crying out loud!  My neighbor guestimated about 200 people at the outset, and I thought that was generous, but the numbers dwindled as the 65-minute set proceeded, so I wasn't surprised when they closed the final song and headed off stage, the front door opened and most of the remaining attendees filed out onto Orange Ave.  A gallant few urged for an encore but why bother?  OK, I realize that the two bands are Left Coast natives, and Orlando was their furthest tour stop to the southeast, but there should have been a better turnout from the faithful.  The only terrestrial radio station playing either band would be WPRK, but I heard one of the DJ's earlier in the week talking up the show but couldn't play any of the music because the CD's were in limbo, either misfiled in the library or, most likely, lifted "temporarily" by one of the staff. 
Suffice it to say that both Avi Buffalo (who played as a three-piece...I think they have four members) and Blitzen Trapper were consummate professionals, playing enlightened sets when they could have thrown out a "C" grade performance.  Here is a link to a BT show in Iowa from August, where they had a real audience.  Enjoy...

Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles "The Grand Bounce"

There are those of you who will recognize the name Gord Downie as the leader of the Tragically Hip, the legendary Canadian band with a twenty-year history and a dozen albums in tow.  They were quite popular in the early 90's, especially on the college circuit, and in bigger metropolitan areas of the northern US.  The further south you went, the less they were known.  I remember going to Niagara Falls for a Music 4 Less opening and my buddy Steve D. had every Hip record available for sale.  I was astounded by the numbers sold when I could hardly move one unit in Florida, unless it was to a Canadian, of course.  Got to see the Hip play in my favorite small venue of 300 where my guest and I, along with the club staff, were the only Americans in the house.  I had never seen so many hockey jerseys and Canadian flags in my life...in Orlando, for crying out loud.  "Hip, Hip, Hip, Hip" was the chant of the night.  We sold tickets for the show at my store and I ran into several of the purchasers at the venue.  They could not believe they were seeing The Hip in a club setting.  One of the band's merchandisers told me they had played for 30000 the week before in Canada.  Another M4L/Sound Shop manager, Tracy O. posted on his Facebook recently about Tragically Hip just as I found out this new solo album was dropping.  So to end this brief history lesson, I give you the Hip on SNL circa 1995.

The Country of Miracles is Gord's other band who has backed him on his previous solo releases but only now receiving billing.  This gives him the option of other musical styles besides the rock of the Hip, even though "Grand Bounce" contains two tracks that rock just as hard.  Here is a live video from just ten days ago for the new single as an example of what the record is like.  The harmony vocals of the young lass in the band meld perfectly with Downie's throughout the album.  If I had to offer a band name for comparison, it would be the Wallflowers, but this is far better than anything the fruit of papa Bob's loins has been involved with.  Actually, "Grand Bounce" is a much more cohesive and entertaining record than the Hip's 2009 release, "We Are the Same."   Unfortunately, this is another album unavailable to the US in the traditional sense, but if I have it, you can find it, too.  It will be worth your effort to find what I consider to be Canada's version of Michael Stipe.

Basement Birds

Also discovered this record while perusing the Australian charts.  It was released in the USA in July to little or zero fanfare, but let me tell you something, if you want to find the next Mumford & Sons-type sleeper hit to impress your musical friends, this is it.  The four members are all acoustic singer/songwriters well-known Down Under, so they equate themselves with the Traveling Wilburys, which is self-appointed high praise if you ask me, but I get the reasoning behind the comparison.  There is a Little River Band theme running through this album, but without the strong lead vocalist like Shorrock or Farnham.  Plenty of great harmonies, a la CSN&Y, the Rembrandts, maybe even Fleet Foxes.  Here is a video for an example Not the One.  This is Aussie-cana if I ever heard it!  One of the great things about a record like this is it morphs into something else each time you spin it, taking on new meaning depending on your listening environment.  I believe I would have sequenced the tracks differently as it starts out a tad slow but hits its stride about five songs in and is solid the rest of the way.  Don't let the Explicit Lyrics warning turn you off because there is only one "Ducking" in the entire record (damn that Tipper Gore).  The track called "Reasons" contains what would have to be one of the great karaoke stumper lines of all time:  "Only the lonely will tell you they're happy to be on their own when they're singing along to the songs that remind them of times when they weren't quite as happy to be on their own."  Whew, now that was even hard to type!

Pendulum "Immersion"

I saw this on the ARIA charts during a recent browse but passed it over because it was listed as genre Drum & Bass, and the Ol' Mad Rocker doesn't hang in clubland.  Next thing you know, I see it on the UK charts and I read that Steven Wilson contributes on a track.  So two positives, Mr. Wilson and Australian, are enough to get me to try it.  Well, it's Drum & Bass for sure, with BPM's of 100+ at times and tons of those squiggly synth lines, but it's not a total loss by any means.  The band has six members, so it's not just programs and loops, it's real instruments, closely resembling the Prodigy (though I don't own any).  Liam Howlett even guests on one track, not that it matters to me.  A couple of tracks about a third of the way in slow down enough to be enjoyable, one coming off like a Filter record.  A two part piece called "The Island" has been released as an EP, and the first half called (Dawn) could be mistaken for a methed-out Howard Jones song.  Actually quite good.  Then there's another numbing fifteen minute stretch before arriving at the final three tracks, one of which is the aforementioned Steven Wilson contribution.  The Porcupine Tree sound is vague, but it's there, and it briefly bubbles up in a couple of other spots...probably why SW got involved in the first place.  Another rockin' track features Swedish headbangers In Flames, and the album ends on a heavy Depeche Mode theme, though revved up by 50%.  So hey, I'm keeping six tracks/40%.  Not too shabby for something completely dismissed at the outset.  "Immersion" isn't available in the US yet, but it's such a big deal overseas that it will probably get here soon enough.

Mystery Jets "Serotonin"

Not certain of where I heard of this band but I believe they were pitched to me as a psychedelic pop group, which isn't really the case for my ear, but it certainly is a retro/revivalist group hailing from England.  I hear some Tony Carey/Planet P in some of the vocals and generally just a lot of early MTV-sounding influences, which isn't a bad thing.  College radio must dig it as I heard some on WRAS from GA State while driving through Atlanta several weeks back.  It truly is a shiny, happy, singalong pop record.  I like it...I just don't think I'll keep it.  If I want shiny, happy, pop music, I have tons of it already.  The Wondermints is a similar band that comes to mind which I already own, but I haven't found myself motivated to play it in, say, two years, and that's probably a lowball guess.  The last thing I need is a new entry into the vault that I doubt seriously I'd grab to play sometime before 2012.  But I really like this record!  Here is a link to the new video so you can see the 60's mod look and hear the catchy chorus for yourself.  But I really like this record!

The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree...

...and since most of you (Americans, that is) have no idea who Fiction Plane is, the frontman/vocalist/bassist is one Joe Sumner, the son of Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, AKA Sting.  Some of you may have even seen Fiction Plane in concert when they opened for the Police on the recent reunion tour, playing in front of tens of thousands.  I saw them on the supporting tour for their first album some six or seven years ago in a small club with about a hundred people, many of which were attractive twenty-something females hoping to hit the handsome ca-ching of Sting's loins.  The three-piece band rocked hard, as loud a show I'd attended in years, and truly impressed this old fart.  One of the songs from that first record became a personal anthem, and I have often pulled the CD out to play for people over the past few years.  I completely missed the second record from 2007 and its subsequent live album last year, but I'm ahead of the game with "Sparks", released in Europe a couple of months ago and rumored to be available here in the states this fall.  There is mixed info about that, though, as I've seen one release date and label go by the wayside already.  This would be a tragedy for domestic audiences because this record is one of the best of the year so far.  You can hear dad's influence in Joe's vocals and songwriting, though the lyrics and tone can be much darker and more cynical than papa Sting's.  Here is the new video exclusive I found on a French site that illustrates what I mean.  Also, the final track on the album is an acoustic song called "Sadr City Blues", so you can imagine the content within.  It's completely atypical of the musical style of "Sparks", but it is a certified smash hit if it will only get airplay.  Speaking of musical style, this is a rock/pop record, not a pop/rock record full of la la la songs, although ironically the opener is subtitled the La La Song.  The first five tracks are head-nodding rockers, and then the band gets really adventurous with challenging tempos and subject matter, making "Sparks" a must listen for Mad Rocker fans.  You can tell that money isn't a roadblock for these guys; big production, studio-friendly, best equipment, etc..  The most head-shaking fact for me is that the band members cite Nirvana's "Nevermind" as a prime influence for what they do, and I don't hear any of that at all, thankfully.  Rolling it up for this old music ear, I hear Crack the Sky meets Blue October meets the Killers.  But for any of you old Police fans who have kids into intelligent music and not the standard radio crap, buy this record for them but give it a listen yourself.  Oops, I forgot, you'll have to visit an international seller and get it digitally, just like your ol' pal.

Jimmy Gnecco "The Heart"

 

As a major fan of the band Ours, I was all sorts of excited to see a new record from Jimmy Gnecco, who is essentially the creative mastermind of that group, much like Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails.  Pick any of the three albums by Ours and be amazed by the power and depth of the music.  For example, I've converted many a U2 fan into an Ours follower.  The 2008 album, "Mercy", was one of the best of the year.  I paid to see them live in 2006 when they featured new music from that record, and then waited an excruciating eighteen months for the album to drop, but was rewarded with a release that made the Ol' Mad Rocker ecstatic.  That album did not leave the changer for months!  Even paid to see them live again (you can't beat The Social and their approx. 300 capacity for a show like this).  So with great anticipation, and preconceived expectations, I popped "The Heart" into the player.  I had always scoffed at the comparison to Jeff Buckley that many critics have mentioned, but by golly there it was, all over the first three tracks/13 minutes.  Have I mentioned that I don't like Jeff Buckley?  My God, I'd rather listen to Thom Yorke on quaaludes (you young bucks will have to look it up).  Anyway, the title track at #4 offered quite a bit of hope, the highest of highlights, as it turned out.  But I soldiered through spin one and two, and almost dreaded the required third spin, envisioning a Frisbee toss out the window afterwards.  But guess what?  I caught myself humming and singing along to the same tracks I had discounted on earlier listens.  It's Ours Unplugged.  That's why I always take my time when digesting these records.  I don't play 'em back to back.  I shuffle through five or six CD's at a time, always offering a new perspective to the listening experience, and it truly makes a difference.  So, ultimately, I will add "The Heart" in its entirety to the collection based on Gnecco's history.  Does it make me want to go see him as a solo this weekend?  I'll wait for the band...

Crowded House "Intriguer"

Those of you who know me are aware of the fact that I consider the Finn brothers two of the best songwriters ever after Lennon/McCartney.  When Split Enz broke up, brother Tim took off on his own and Neil formed Crowded House, and for ten years or so, basically ruled the world outside of the U.S.  Sure, they had a couple of top 10 hits you all know, but each of their four albums was chocked full of "intellipop", much too smart for American radio music directors.  Damn shame.  Another ten years go by and Neil decides to reform the band, releasing the live swan song concert from the 90's (I don't think it ever came out here but it charted wherever it was issued) and now this second studio album, "Intriguer."  It doesn't have a clear cut radio-friendly hit, but an adventurous programmer could pick any of the ten songs and be an influence in creating a hit.  Complex yet melodic, lyrically stimulating, beautiful instrumentation and expert production...yep, I love it, can you tell?  Featuring many of the family and friends who participated in the Seven Worlds Collide project, this is a pop masterpiece that won't go completely unnoticed thanks to a Top 50 showing in Billboard and a US tour featuring at least half the album.  You can purchase this record in a number of formats and from plenty of locations.  I now wish I had known there was a DVD with 11 live tracks also available.  Oh well, I'll find it somewhere.

New Pornographers "Together"

This is the followup to the Minus the Bear post earlier this month.  Finally sprung for this record from the Canadian "supergroup" and now wished I hadn't.  I did not know that Neko Case was one of the members, and if I had, I know I would have saved my money.  Never been a fan.  Lots of great music comes from north of our border, but this doesn't qualify in my book.  If you think you would like a 21st century version of The Mamas & The Papas draped over a poor man's ELO cello track, then this is for you. And there are plenty of you out there, as this has been a Top 20 record, as well.  This wasn't a total loss as the first two tracks were quite catchy.  They seemed to quack a little like Crowded House, whose new album preceded it in the changer ( a fine record it is, too...post later), but the remainder seemed to swim in mediocrity.  So I altered the musical order in the player, and yes, the first two songs were still good, but not anywhere close to the Decemberists, as one reviewer told me.  If I was Colin Meloy, I'd be pissed at that diss...

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

Thank you, Greg A., for turning me on to this talented band.  I find that I'm coming in on album #3 for the band and #4 counting her solo debut beforehand.  Obviously, they are not a secret as this album has been in Billboard's Top 20, but it's called a Rock record, yet I certainly hear tons of Country radio potential in light of what the format sounds like these days.  The final listed track on the record is a bonafide smash if some country programmers have the cojones to play it.  Sure, there is plenty of bluesy rock n' roll here, too, as one track brought the Black Crowes to mind and Ms. Potter's Hammond B-3 is a nice spice throughout the album.  This record is a very polished, major label release, and while I normally bash the big boys, this one they certainly got right.  Can't wait to see them live, which shouldn't be too long a wait since they play about 200 dates a year.  A concert recording may be just what the Dr. ordered. 
So let me see how I can describe this in summation...how about a fine Bordeaux or CA Meritage, predominantly Joan Osborne, some Melissa Etheridge & Bonnie Raitt, a splash of Heart's Wilson sisters, and more than a touch of Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles.  Sounds good to me!

The final connection to Bonnaroo 2010

I know Bonnaroo was two months ago, but I finally removed this CD from the player just this week. While trolling through the live videos from the festival looking for connections to make for you, the reader, I recalled that many attendees were commenting on the LCD Soundsystem set. So I click on the link for the track "I Can Change" and immediately I'm transported back in time to an Oingo Boingo show in Nashville at the Exit/In when they were supporting Dead Man's Party. I've since watched the other videos from Bonnaroo and I'm convinced Danny Elfman HAD to be an influence on this guy, James Murphy, who basically is LCD. Think TV On The Radio with a sense of humor. I detect a Cracker sensibility, too, also based on wryly humorous. Apparently, Mr. Murphy had a chance to write for Seinfeld, so I get the funny aspect of LCD. I hear a hundred other musical influences, all dating back decades ago. In addition to the aforementioned Boingo, there's a lot of Talking Heads, OMD, Yello, some Trent Reznor, and one song that morphs from Blancmange into the Cars....wow...

Anyway, I guess I had passed on this band before maybe thinking it was some techno crap based on the name. It's danceable, no doubt, with nine tracks weighing in at approx. 65 minutes, but it is far more intelligent than just dance music, it's also fun!

One of the best of 2010 so far...

Bummed that I didn't get to see them at Bonnaroo, and now even more so because this is a truly outstanding piece of work. Thankfully, they are coming to the Social in October and I will not miss it! Found them in 2008 with the "Furr" record and had no idea they'd been around all decade. Probably relegated to their home Northwestern region for the first few years, more than likely helping to initiate the "beard rock" movement. This is more than folk/Americana, this is a palate of aural history from the 60's through the 80's. These are stories set to song, much like Mike Scott and the Waterboys used to do. Great production with multi-tracked harmonies more in the foreground than back. OK, I'll just throw out the influences I hear as a 50+ year-old with a deeper background than most of the reviewers I've read so far: latter-day Beatles (with Billy Preston); Supertramp; Klaatu (is that redundant w/the Beatles?); ELO; Guess Who; City Boy (that prog-rock "Mutt" Lange production); Elton John "Tumbleweed Connection" era); and Wilco for something a little more current. Now if that list doesn't intrigue your ears, then what the hell are you doing reading my blog?!

An atypical Mad Rocker selection

We had some friends over a couple of weeks ago and I slipped this CD in the player on background volume. When it finished, I reached to change it and both MJ and Kelley said, "What was that? That doesn't sound like you." I put it on again last night and MJ said, "Oh, I like this one." Yes, this isn't like me, but as I've said all along, I appreciate all kinds of music, and "Night Work" by the Scissor Sisters is proof. I think I mentioned their cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" a few posts ago. It was a brilliant re-creation of the classic, and who would dare to try it? That's why I like this band. They were glam before Lady Ga Ga and much more talented. "Night Work" is a dance record with a sense of humor and style. The band has had so much more success in Europe than here, it was no wonder they made the track "Fire With Fire' the first single. I would have sworn it was Robbie Williams. The next track is a Bee Gees song, or should have been. Think of the Eighties bands like Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, OMD, etc., and roll it into some Elton John flair. The band members all use stage names, and male lead singer, Jake Shears, is a Freddie Mercury/Holly Johnson mix, absolutely wired up on something in every live video I've seen, so hurry up and try this band before he burns out. Speaking of Mr. Johnson, the final song on the record is without a doubt the best, channeling Frankie Goes To Hollywood to perfection. If you are a fan of dance/club music, or any of the artists mentioned, or you've seen Mama Mia more than once, this is a record for you.

Two Superstar releases

I don't normally acquire records by major names such as these two any longer because they do not need my support, they have plenty of yours. But there has been a blues wave to hit some of these major artists and my interest was piqued. First was Cyndi Lauper's "Memphis Blues." This one was wrong on soooooo many levels. Truly an incredibly bad decision to make. Jonny Lang and B.B. King couldn't pull this record up from the abyss. You can tell when BB is uninspired, and this is proof.




Now Sheryl Crow's record, "100 Miles From Memphis", is a 50/50 chance. I love what she's done with her career since 1993's "Tuesday Night Music Club." I was really behind that record as a David Baerwald fan. What is this, her 7th album of new material? In 17 years? Now that's a career path to emulate. Anyway, this album has the sunny Sheryl formula. She sings all over the damn thing. Finally, she shuts up late in the record and Doyle Bramhall II gets to shine on guitar once. He is why I gave "100 Miles" a shot in the first place, he co-wrote most every song yet he yields to Ms. Crow's stardom and stays in the background. There is a laundry list of credits as she provides jobs for half of L.A., waking up Keith Richards for one track and getting Justin Timberlake to sing backgrounds on TT D'Arby's "Sign Your Name", which is one of the tracks that works. I've seen her panned several times for her take on "I Want You Back", the Jackson 5 song she is said to have sung background on at the age of 12. Probably most of those reviewers weren't old enough or even alive in 1970 to have a true feel for the song. I think it's a spot on take and very well done, indeed.

And now we come to the winner of the bunch, "Mojo" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This record is solid from start to finish. Great songs, lyrics, guitar, everything! If you are looking for rockin' blues, this isn't it, but if you want a sampler of many other blues styles, run right out and get a copy. If you enjoyed the Mudcrutch sessions, you will love this. My second spin through Mojo happened during the cover of darkness of 4 A.M., driving I-24 on my way back from Tennessee. No distractions, just enveloped by the sound in my little 70 mph cocoon. Found myself turning the volume up with a big grin on my face. There may not be a "radio hit" per se on Mojo, but mark my words, track 11, "Don't Pull Me Over", will be a reggae smash by somebody before 2010 is over!

Minus the Bear "Omni"

This is the first of two bands I will blog upon who have been on my radar over the years but wasn't ever motivated enough to delve further until now (the other is the New Pornographers, and they will be a few posts from now). All of you know what I mean; you've been told by friends a band is good, you read about them, they tour through your town regularly, but you just can't get off your hump to investigate. Minus the Bear is that band for me. Don't ask why I picked their fourth album as my full-on initiation, I don't know. What I've jumped into is a warm, breezy pop album, not simple by any definition, filled with strong, up-front vocals, mucho keyboards, and yet there is an abundance of guitars on several tracks, though they strike me as secondary to the keys. The piano based songs remind me of Keane and a California band I am very fond of called The Velvet Teen. When synths are used, they almost sound dated, lending a retro feel to the record. I will happily add this indie release to the vault, but I doubt it will encourage attending a concert. It may, however, be enough to seek out the next album down the road.

A Double CD...no, not the Swiss " Captain of Her Heart" band

These two records were short enough that I could put them both on one CD. Are they a stylistic match? Not at all, but they are both strong musical personalities who do things their way and not at the behest of some overpaid label jackass who hasn't a clue.

First is Paul Weller's "Wake Up the Nation." The man is an icon/legend in the UK but virtually unknown here in the States. I was never a fan of punk, so I didn't care for the Jam. They made three of England's most respected albums in the late 70's. I remember having the records in the WPRK catalog but I never put a needle to them on air. It was a few years later when the Style Council debuted that I came to respect Mr. Weller's talent. I mean, really, how the hell do you go from punk to R&B/soul/jazz?! SC had three great pop albums before hitting the creative wall, and then Weller went solo in the 90's and the rest is British musical history. The man can do it all, and "...Nation" is aural proof. Normally, I am not a fan of two minute songs, and 12 of the 16 tracks clock in at less than three minutes. But if you want a musical history lesson, this record is it. I have never heard so much music packed into such small sections. His Jam days are in a song or two, Style Council in a couple of others, there's Merseybeat, funk, those great instrumental tracks he's been known to do...just amazing. Damn shame we Americans aren't smart enough to understand the genius of Paul Weller.

We had the Shelby Lynne CD's in our Music 4 Less stores in the Country section all through the 90's, and they were OK as far as that genre of music goes. Then "I Am..." comes out in 2000, pulling a page from the Sheryl Crow handbook, doing her songs the way she wants to do them, and I AM FLOORED. I push and push this record in my stores with limited success, and I just can't fathom that no one seems to get it. Well, I was vindicated by her winning the Grammy for Best New Artist. Funny how you can be a "new artist" with six records, but "I Am" really was a new Shelby. I got to meet her during her tour for the followup record "Love, Shelby" and, deep sigh, I was smitten by the young vixen. But you could sense that she would kick your ass if you gave her a reason, and it's that mentality that she's put into her music ever since. "Tears, Lies & Alibis" just may be her finest record since "I Am", though many loved her last album that was in tribute to Dusty Springfield. Give me Shelby Lynne songs, and all ten here are hers. Poppy, jazzy, country, Americana, all rolled into one fine release. If country radio doesn't pick up the Jack Daniels inspired "Old #7" and make it a hit, well, they just don't deserve their jobs.

Widespread Panic "Dirty Side Down"

I was on the Panic bandwagon from the very start, picking up every recording released in the 20th century. Saw them live in a small venue in the late '90's, maybe 300 people, and was absolutely blown away. Even had a local college girl put her finger on my head for me to spin around under in jam band reverence/acceptance. But something changed in their studio releases this decade and I haven't made any additions to my WP collection. "Dirty..." is a perfect example. Out of the 12 tracks, five are keepers, five are so so, and two suck. It's a front-heavy release as the aforementioned five keepers happen within the first seven songs. Stuck firmly in the middle of the seven is a Vic Chestnutt song which features another Athens, GA, musical veteran, Anne Richmond Boston of the legendary Swimming Pool Q's. Obviously, it's one of the keepers, right? Nope, it sucked. So after much wrangling, I've decided to opt out of adding this record to my vault. I still haven't decided on retaining any of the keepers, either.

The Dead Weather "Sea of Cowards"

I never quite understood the success
of the White Stripes. Then the Raconteurs project raised an eyebrow, but no thanks. When I heard that Jack White had a new group called the Dead Weather last year, I did not even give it a chance. While attending a movie at the Enzian, a teaser for a documentary comes on, It Might Get Loud, with Jimmy Page, the Edge, and...Jack White? Wha, wha what? What were these two legendary guitarists doing in the same zip code as this White kid, much less a film? So after witnessing this unusual chemistry between these two "dads" and the "son", I felt like I owed the new Dead Weather record a shot. Upon first listen, I am stunned. Where the hell did this come from? The second spin took place on the way to Tennessee for Bonnaroo, and I'm excited to see them live. Please see the earlier post to get my take on them at Bonnaroo. And now when I play "Cowards", I hear so many old rock influences, in no particular order: Cream, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Big Brother Holding Co., Bloodrock...there's tape hiss, recording distortion, needles dropping onto vinyl...stop me. Wow. I had never heard of the Kills, and after a little aural research, had not missed much. But Alison Mosshart is a certified rock star singer in Dead Weather. Jack White doesn't even play guitar, he's on drums! Well, he came out from behind the kit for two songs at Bonnaroo and displayed truly inspired fret work. The regular six-stringer is some guy who has been credited to QOTSA, but I had never heard of him. But let me assure you he is no slouch, either. I could go on, but I'll stop now and say that "Sea of Cowards" is right now the best Rock record of 2010 so far. It is so good that the ol' Mad Rocker is even going to go backwards and get "Horehound" from last year. Those of you who know me realize that is a BIG Deal!

Dead Letter Circus "This is the Warning"

Been listening to this record since late May. Found this one on the Australian charts, sampled it, bought it, liked it. Went to #2 in their homeland but I don't think it is available yet in the States in a physical format. Certainly a rock record, at times reminding me of Dredg, Muse, People In Planes, maybe Radio 4, with the singer sounding like the vocalist from The Music or Evermore. I've read others hearing Radiohead and My Chemical Romance. So you should have enough references to judge for yourself whether it's worth a search for your tastes. The only downside to this album is that it suffers from a sameness from track to track on a complete listen. Here is a link to the new video out in Australia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2GAW87Jmw0 The band website asks their fans to request this from the video outlets so that there is one less Justin Bieber play coming from all the Stewie requests. Gotta love a band who enjoys "Family Guy!"

Flaming Lips "Dark Side of the Moon"

As I mentioned in the Bonnaroo post, I just couldn't do a 1 A.M. concert to see this. I'm not a big Lips fan anyway, only owning one complete album (out of what, 26?), "Yoshimi...", which, for me, was atypical. They do put on a gaudy live show, and I've seen some video that confirms it. I'm sure the late night set was a sight to behold, especially on the many substances available to the audience. My friend Dennis made the show, anticipating the "Dark Side..." replay, but he had not heard the studio version. If he had, I believe he would have caught a few extra hours of shuteye. You see, he comes from the rather large camp of Pink Floyd purists who disdain attempts to cover their band and/or songs/albums (the same group who were horrified at the Scissor Sisters "Comfortably Numb"). But at least he gave the Lips the benefit of the doubt. They have been compared to Floyd, but we're talking 60's era Pink Floyd; A Saucerful of Secrets, not Wish You Were Here; Ummagumma, not Animals...so you see the conflict. Me? I think the record is good, a keeper. It's recognizable, yet different. "The Great Gig in the Sky" and "Any Colour You Like" are the best remakes of the lot, with "Us and Them" getting the true PF sound. The Lips have received a lot of press and have been good about supporting the release, but somehow, I'm guessing they are growing tired of it, and they hope the video release will hurry up and hit the market so they can stop performing it.

Black Kids @ The Social 7/1/10

No, the picture is not the Social...that would look like an old comedy club shot. Scored this one from MTV2. Anyway, I was excited to see that the Kids had a new record in the can and was headed into Orlando for the first stop of a 7-date warm up FL tour. Not well attended in my mind, but they are much more popular overseas than here. Got there just as the opening band started, and within a song or two, started looking around for the cast of Saturday Night Live, thinking this had to be a rave up of those Justin Timberlake videos they've done. Nope. Just a laughable presentation of prerecorded dance pop. Well, the drummer and bassist played live but 90% of the remainder was tracked or AutoTuned. Damn, I could have jumped up there and sang through a computer! Finally the Kids hit the stage with real instruments and sounded quite good. The gathered crowd of approx. 200 was all over the Partie Traumatic tracks, and they worked really well live. As for the three new tracks played, well, let's hope there isn't a sophomore slump. I'll reserve judgement after hearing the new record a few times, whenever that happens. If you are unfamiliar with their sound, it is unapologetic dance pop music that will put a smile on your face if you are a fan of the B-52's, Human League, Thompson Twins, etc.

Reggie Youngblood's vocals recall Paul Hyde from the Payolas from that same decade, though there is NO WAY this kid from Jacksonville would know who that is, and probably most of you reading this, too! Here is their TV debut on Letterman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzaSM0Ac1BQ&feature=related

Anyway, if I had paid the $12 or $15 ticket price (thanks, WPRK) I would have been upset at the short 50 minute set. But it was an all ages show so most of the crowd had the parentals spring for it and their colas. No wonder the bartender poured me heavy Tanqueray and tonics...

Four Hours @ Bonnaroo 2010

Honestly, I didn't think much of this year's lineup. Truly, there were only five bands I had any desire at all to see. The main reason I was even in Dullahoma in the first place was to visit my parents, not the festival. It just so happened that the timing was right and I had committed to helping Dennis and I keep my promises. The first band I had an interest in seeing was Blitzen Trapper, and I just finished my first spin of their new album. Lo, they were scheduled on the first night while I was busy inhaling carbon monoxide at the gate. One patron asked me who to see once they got inside, and BT was my suggestion. They promised to give them my love. Cool. On Friday, I had considered the midnight performance of the infamous Flaming Lips and their version of "Dark Side of the Moon", but earlier in the day I found out the main stage was running an hour behind, and I'm just not that young anymore. So Saturday was it, as the other three bands I wanted to see were scheduled perfectly for me to do in a few hours.


Coordinating with Dennis, I acquired a resident access pass so I could get to the location of their great setup. Turning off the main highway, I was greeted by a fleet of motorcycle State Troopers, all lined up with somewhere to go, just not yet. Weird. Passing through two check points (a resident pass with Florida plates..."of course, I live here!"), I follow the directions down the country road to literally 100 feet of a gate to the festival. But I have to wait for a limo and some county sheriff vehicles to pass before I can turn in. Was that Norah Jones in that limousine? Turns out it was, as our hookup location actually adjoined the VIP access road and gate! Sweet! Could have literally hopped the fence and been on Bonnaroo property. I was greeted by the sign in the picture above (OK, so there is a misspelled word; it was the spirit I found enlightening). The owners had been looking for some rural property a few years earlier when they found the current location and told the real estate agent they liked it. In a fit of open disclosure, the agent said she needed to inform them that the property backed up to the big music festival that had been in the news. Obviously, it had been a deal-breaker more than once for her. "Sold!" So every year since, these people invite close friends to stay with them and enjoy Bonnaroo in a truly local fashion. Very nice.


So Dennis and I make the fifty yard walk to the gate...gotta love it...and we're off to my first Bonnaroo. Mumford & Sons was the first stop, this picture taken just as we walked up. Decent crowd for a band I did not figure many to be aware of. Those who were there were certainly in the know, singing along loudly through some of the selections from Sigh No More, making the ol' Mad Rocker very happy. Trotting out for the finale was the Old Crow Medicine Show and Gillian Welch, and the crowd absolutely exploded when they finished the set, screaming for more. But the boys had used their allotted time, and at Bonnaroo, if your set is 5 - 6:15 and you want to do an encore, then you'd better stop at 6 so the crowd can call you back and be done at 6:15 as the program states. Mumford & Sons obviously won over many in the crowd as their album has broken the Top 100 here in the States. Again, a happy Mad Rocker.

Next to the main stage and the Dead Weather. I'm not going to get too carried away on this post since I have the new record ready for comment and will do so in the next posting, but do yourself a huge favor and go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127088792 and listen to their set, and Mumford & Sons set as well, for that matter. Or better yet, even though it's only one song, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SHMt-2bpxU for a visual sample. Alison Mosshart looks like a skinny Siouxsie Sue and, boys and girls, that's what a "Rock Star performance" is all about. I looked at Dennis about twenty minutes into the set and I told him, "I want to do her right now, sweat and all, right there on the stage." Dirty, nasty Rock 'N Roll is still alive and well and living in the Dead Weather.

 

We then made quite the musical shift from loud to soft, and crowd size from thousands to eighty, as we stepped under the Cafe Where? tent for the Stone siblings.
With Weezer blaring away on the second stage, it was difficult to grasp the subtleties of the Stones from the edge of the tent, so I eased into the middle where I captured this song...

I hope they get some recognition in the States. Probably their first trip to America, but they were used to the Aussie heat so temps in the mid-90's didn't phase them. After they finished, Dennis and I meandered for a while, watching the crowd build in anticipation of Stevie Wonder. Had to be over thirty minutes later before we decided to bail, and as we walked past the Cafe tent, Julia was still there signing CD's and talking to a few fans. I stopped to have a word but opted out as Mr. Wonder cranked up.
Please people, if you like singer/songwriter music, support these kids. They deserve it.

And that was it for my Bonnaroo experience.