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@Music
Your source for Rock, Indie and Hip Hop news and reviews. Featuring Local to National artists.
Randomize
Our editors set their mp3-players to random and list their first five songs. No cheating.
This week's list by J.Kral.
1. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
2. the Beatles - Mr. Postman
3. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
4. Radiohead - 2+2=5
5. Eli Cash - NeoRetro
Dirty Pretty Things
Waterloo To Anywhere
by Kevin Krekling
Ex-Libertine Carl Barat spent the last 5 years being overshadowed by Pete Doherty, his drug-addled writing partner/blood brother. And although Barat was responsible for writing some of The Libertines greatest songs, Doherty's human train-wreck circus show seemed to always steal the show. Well, since the breakup heard around England, the two have moved on to form their own respective groups. The results are stunningly, yet predictably, different. While Doherty's new group, Babyshambles sounds like a gang of street urchin junk punks trying to stay in tune with needles hanging from their arms, Barat's Dirty Pretty Things sound like an actual band.
Dirty Pretty Things' debut album "Waterloo to Anywhere" is proof that Pete needs Carl a hell of a lot more than Carl needs Pete. And, the proof is in the puddin'.
The album is the pure vintage Libertines sound they brought on the scene in 2001. It's brash. It's profanity-ridden and drug referencing. It's dirty, old Clash-y punk. Yet, it's still stunningly melodic and catchy.
From the get go, you're hooked. The album opener "Bang Bang, You're Dead" is the best Libertine-related single since "Can't Stand Me Now." Not coincidentally, both songs are related to the Doherty-Barat conflict, which seems to bring out their best work. Shooting straight for Pete's heart, Barat scolds, "Bang, bang you're dead/Always so easily led/Put all the rumors to bed."
Other standouts are the thrashed-out "You Fucking Love It," the loose "Last Of The Small Town Playboys," the Strokesy "If You Love A Woman" and the thuggish "Deadwood." Actually, I could name every song because there's absolutely no filler. Clocking in at just over 37 minutes, it's raw power with no shortage.
While Pete is off captivating the tabloids by further turning himself into the British Ol' Dirty Bastard, Carl seems to be just sitting back and laughing. Well, laughing and also making brilliant music.
Along with the new releases by The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys, "Waterloo To Anywhere" is the best rock n roll album of the year. And, the way Pete's going, it's the closest thing to The Libertines you will ever hear again. Savor it.
Alabama-based newcomer, Dan Sartain doesn't mean no harm…But, he does mean business.
Raised on both Johnny Cash and the Sex Pistols, he's just a down-home country punk that wants to not only rock the socks off your mama, but make her dance too. His debut album, "Dan Sartain Vs. The Serpientes" is perfect garage trash rock that rolls sped-up blues, Libertines-y punk, and rockabilly country honk all into one loosely rolled joint. The set moves at a breakneck speed, moving from one tiny monster to another and Sartain has plenty enough in the lungs to make the monster scream.
Album opener, "Tryin To Say" sets the tone with its Pete Doherty-like riff and "I Could Have Had You" sounds straight out of a Tarantino movie. With its body-movin breakbeat, surf guitars, and cocky lyrics, it's the album's standout. "Metropolis" has beautiful traces of Richard Hell and "Autopilot" is a stunningly chilling acoustic tale of drugging and zoning out.
What is there not to like here? Well kids, the answer is: nothing. It's one of the best solo artist debuts in quite a long time, and worth tracking down (But, you gotta look further than Best Buy for this gem). In a post-White Stripes school of rock, Dan Sartain is well on his way towards moving to the head of the class.
Sept. 27th - John Lennon's two sons have both struggled to step out of their father's massive shadow with their own musical ventures. After a short-lived success in the ‘80s, Julian Lennon quickly fell into the “One-Hit Wonder” category. John's son with Yoko, Sean, also released an album of his own to lukewarm response (“Into The Sun”of 1998). However with his new album “Friendly Fire,” Sean Lennon has proven that maybe there were some musical-mastermind genes passed on after all.
The album is much less experimental than his ‘98 debut, but that's not to imply that it is boring or un-original in any way. “Friendly Fire” is very comparable to the DreamWorks albums of Elliott Smith, “XO” and “Figure 8.” That, by the way, is a huge compliment. Much of the album deals with Lennon's break-up with his long-time girlfriend, which ended when she cheated on him with his best friend. The songs are personal and heartfelt, yet easy to identify with. Lennon has grown to be a very talented songwriter without ripping off his father's group, seemingly crafting impeccable melodies with ease. Acoustic guitars are the backbone of the tracks, but they are surrounded with beautiful orchestration (including strings, pianos and organs to name a few). Lennon has plenty of bittersweet lyrics on the album, however they don't become depressing thanks to the sweet melodies throughout.
“Friendly Fire” finds Sean Lennon becoming a respectable songwriter, in his own right. These songs are pretty undeniable, a definite must for fans of Elliott Smith who are still mourning the loss of their favorite loner-musician. Anyone who has ever been through a break-up will relate to the album, and everyone else will still find themselves humming along. His Dad would be proud.
September 9th - For the common citizen, it may be rare to witness the trueness of pure spectacle, but when the gods of rock and roll call you to stand tall, the result may turn out in your favor. It was such a call that brought me to Marcus Amphitheater on September 6, to experience the living history, the brilliant artistry, and the living spectacle of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.
The trip was made by my father and me, the former being a fan of 36 years, the latter exposed to the super group at the earliest of age. In all honesty, my first memory that I can recall is listening to the song “Ohio” while driving in my father's car, him explaining it to me at a tender age.
To walk in several songs into the set is a tragedy, but entering a facility to the sound, and sight, of Neil Young singing was a thrill to be unparalleled. Their 2006 “Freedom of Speech” tour consisted of two sets, each consisting of time tested “oldies,” infused with material from Neil Young's newest album Living with War , as well as assorted material from the pantheon of the careers of all members.
“Let's Impeach the President” made the crowd roar, as it was the only song with its often humorous lyrics represented on the monitors above. Instead of a Stills or Young solo during the bridge, the monitors above flashed montage clips of President Bush, contradicting himself over and over. Songs like “Shock and Awe” prove that Neil Young remains relevant even today, and also that he is an artist of oddity as he transcends the generations.
Crosby's “Carry On,” Nash's “Our House,” Stills' rendition of an Otis Redding song, and Young's “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” all displayed the band's intricate diversity and abundant talent, which in itself is quite the understatement.
Placed in front of changing backdrops that displayed everything from peace signs to Mexican, Canadian, and American flags, the political charge of much of the music is nothing new to these Vietnam-era leaders of protest. “Find the Cost of Freedom,” along with “Ohio,” were chilling reminders of an unchecked machine that can be the United States' government. Perhaps a highlight for many of the middle-aged crowd, as well as protest conscious youngsters, was the full band rendition of Buffalo Springfield's “For What Its Worth.” Penned by Stills, and expanded by the wonder of Young's wondrous guitar skill, its message called of immense importance in both reflection of the past and connection to the present. Consciousness rarely has such an exceptional treat.
The great finale echoed in their tradition of socially conscious material, as the full band tackled Neil Young's “Keep on Rockin' in the Free World.” This anthem of the times directly preceding the fall of the Berlin Wall rang true to the crowd, who universally stood up, both literally, and metaphorically as the lighters in the crowd flared. Fists pumped in the air, and as the people were brought together in a great feeling of unity, my father and I joined the masses in singing along to the inspirational chorus. To be sure, I held my lighter high.
Review of The Strokes' "First Impressions Of Earth"
by Kevin Krekling
I have a few things to get off my chest and I must be blunt. A lot of critics are being really quick to shit on the new Strokes record. Well, I refuse to be one of them. Yes, it's true that "First Impressions of Earth" is different than anything they've ever done; with songs dabbling in classical, electronic, new wave, psychedelia, and metal. And yes, in a sense, they've abandoned the whole "fall outta bed, have a smoke, and cut a track" sound they created and perfected on their debut album, "Is This It?" But, so what? Can't a band change? Jack White can trade in his guitar for a piano and a marimba and get record of the year, so what's the difference? It's called trying something different. It's called evolution. The Beatles did it on every record and ended up as the greatest group in the history of the universe. Now, before you think I'm overreacting, you must remember that these were the same critics that shitted on them for making the same album twice (see "Room On Fire.") Now, they're getting hounded for trying too much, for stretching themselves too thin, for being too ambitious? These guys just can't win. Well, in this critic's humble opinion, those critics are completely full of what they've been dousing The Strokes with for the past three years. One constant that hasn't changed with their new record, "First Impressions Of Earth" is that they're still the best of what America has to offer these days. Absolutely nothing has changed with this release.
Which brings me to Exhibit A…Well, it's actually my only piece of evidence, but it's all I really need: "You Only Live Once" starts the album off brilliantly and is an instant classic in the group's catalogue. Never before has Julian Casablancas' voice sounded so vibrant and upbeat as it does here, and never has the band sounded so happy. It's the perfect example of why The Strokes are what they are. Not only are they the ultimate form of NYC cool -brilliant, stylish, hard, and pained- they're also supremely catchy.
Next up is the massively-bootlegged single, "Juicebox," which is the group's heaviest and most dangerous-sounding effort to date. With Casablancas' pleading "why won't you come over here? /We've got a city to love!" over the group's frantic backdrop, The Strokes sound like they're in the midst of a killer panic attack. If the first cut is Ecstacy, "Juicebox" is the result of downing some bad speed. Who's got the Xanax?
After the album's strong start, you might expect a little bit of a lull. Not the case. In fact, "Heart In A Cage" is possibly the album's highlight. If not the catchiest, it is the best song of the bunch. It's also the best lyrics Casablancas has written, to date. Try listening to the song without getting the opening lines stuck in your head ("I don't feel better when I'm fuckin' around/ And I don't write better when I'm stuck in the ground"). C'mon, try! Save yourself the time and effort because it's impossible. This is the first example of the Strokes new forays, though. It sounds like nothing they've done before. It's like a strange Depeche Mode- Richard Hell mashup with Jim Morrison on the mic. I don't know how, but it works… perfectly.
With "Razorblade," "Vision of Division," "Fear of Sleep," and "Electricityscape," the band raves on. This isn't music for the faint of heart. It's intense, it's gut-wrenching, it's sometimes psychotic and unnerving, but it's always great. The only slowdown on the album is the strange "Ask Me Anything." With nothing but the sounds of a keyboard and Julian's crooning, it's about the closest The Strokes will come to sounding Beatle-esque. It's strange, to say the least. And, although there are a couple weaker tracks ("Ask Me Anything" counted), none of them can be considered failures. They're way too much fun.
This is the biggest and most epic the group has ever sounded. And, on many songs it's also the best they've ever sounded. Is the album as good as their previous releases? Who cares? Trying to compare a band to its previous work isn't always fair or an accurate barometer of how good a record is. Just know this: "First Impressions" is better than pretty much everything else that has come out in recent history. And, that's what really matters. It's just different, but change is good.
Music and Cognition
"
The history of music in relation to human beings predates the written word and is tied to the development and unique expression of various human cultures." - Wikipedia
By Justin Kral
Category: Music, News
September, 9th - At its most basic level, music is just sound. Sound produced by vibration. However, music also affects all of us in complex ways-- as anybody that has experienced a memory triggered by hearing a once-meaningful tune can attest to. It should be of no surprise to readers that recent studies in cognitive neuroscience have suggested that memories are encoded differently for music-based memories than they are for other semantic memories.
Madlib pays tribute to the sadly departed J Dilla, a producer with whom he'd forged a mutual stylistic compatibility that began with beat-tape trading by mail and resulted in the underground classic Champion Sound.
This longtime solo outlet for Jan St. Werner of Mouse on Mars plays host to a compilation of recent works commissioned to accompany art installations. Many pieces focus on issues of technology in everyday life, with industrial signifiers replacing the organic electronic music from St. Werner's previous works.
This outstanding Norweigian label-- home to experimental rock, jazz, and electronic artists such as Supersilent, Alog, and Shining-- celebrated its fifth anniversary with a 2xCD + book collection; now it does the same to honor its 10th year in business.
One-man noise-pop project Nathan Williams has quickly moved from homemade cassettes to online buzz, and he delivers on his first widely released LP, which recalls No Age's basement punk but feels more insular, self-contained, and unsettling. [Best New Music]
Red Hot's latest all-star charity comp features 31 new and exclusive songs from Arcade Fire, Spoon, David Byrne, My Morning Jacket, Feist, Ben Gibbard, the Decemberists, Conor Oberst, Stuart Murdoch, Yo La Tengo, the New Pornographers, Cat Power, Antony, Bon Iver, and members of Sigur Rós, among many others. Yes, it's good. [Best New Music]
This new Slumberland band will be bracketed with other lo-fi/noise-pop peers, but it has songs that will appeal beyond the confines of subcultures: Anyone with a weakness for trebly, melancholy pop music will find a lot to like about this record. [Best New Music]
On The Crying Light, Antony Hegarty remains fascinated with the transitions and overlaps between birth and life, life and death, this world and the next, but he expresses them in more universal, more direct, but no less rapturous terms than he did on his New York-tinted breakthrough I Am a Bird Now. [Best New Music]
On Merriweather Post Pavilion everything that's defined Animal Collective to this point is refined and amplified, resulting in an album (released tomorrow on vinyl and digitally, and in the next week or two on CD, depending on your location) that puts the group's quirky and forwardly expressive style in its most accessible light. [Best New Music]
We travel to the wide-open spaces of Whitefish, Mont., to watch hyper-pop mastermind Dan Deacon put the finishing touches on his new LP, Bromst. The Baltimore iconoclast walks us through the dizzying experimentation behind his follow-up to Spiderman of the Rings.
Explosions, abominable snowmen, skulls, flying-v guitars used as weapons, shredding jams in a snowstorm-- this is my kind of video. (via Brooklyn Vegan)
Ghostface Killah releases a low-key and straight-up track in support of Rihanna (but really, for all his ladies), urging her to stay strong and "protect ya neck." A few lines miss but it sounds like his heart is in the right place. (Nah Right, via Idolator)
Zane takes on Chris Moyles - Find out what happens when the indie titan takes on thesaviour of Radio 1 on the decks
NPR
Song of the Day
The Besnard Lakes: Filling The Room With Sound - "Albatross" finds Olga Goreas singing sweetly while accompanied by insular, shoegaze-tinged fuzz. Yet as the song cakes on layer upon layer of glorious harmonies, overblown guitars, swirling feedback and the propulsive thunder of drums, "Albatross" begins to buckle like a collapsing star.
Midlake: In Tune With Nature - "If all that grows starts to fade, starts to falter / Oh, let me inside, let me inside not to wake," Midlake's Tim Smith sings in "Acts of Man," which surrounds his meditation on man and nature with dense harmonies and the rich sounds of a folk-pop orchestra.
Seabear: Iceland's Orderly Orchestra - "Lion Face Boy" is the first single from Seabear's sophomore album, We Built a Fire, and it's a perfect display of the band's knack for constructing mountains of instrumentation on a simple idea. The track opens with understated vocals and drums, but eventually bursts into a swarm of piano, horns and guitar.
G-Side: Whose World Is It Now? - Illmatic, Nas' 1994 paean to and from New York's Queensbridge projects, is considered by many to be the pinnacle of hip-hop. So it'd be an understatement to say that the Huntsville, Ala., duo G-Side was sticking its neck out when it decided to remake the emotional centerpiece of that album, "The World Is Yours."
Jack Rose: What Could Have Been - Luck in the Valley is a bittersweet posthumous release by the great guitarist, who died in December at age 38. Featuring the old-time music trio Black Twig Pickers as his backing band, "Lick Mountain Ramble" is a collaborative effort that hollers whiskey-soaked goodness down the mountain.
MetaCritic.com
Album Reviews
Battle Of The Sexes by Ludacris - The latest album for the actor/hip-hop artist features guest appearances from Eve, Flo Rida, Lil' Kim, Ne-Yo, Trey Songz, and Trina. [Rap]
San Patricio by The Chieftains Featuring Ry Cooder - The concept album about a group of Irish US soldiers who deserted to join the Mexican army during the Mexican-American War was an idea by The Chieftains' Paddy Moloney and co-producer Ry Cooder. [World, Folk]
Beat The Devil's Tattoo by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - With new drummer Leah Shapiro (who replaced Nick Jago), the rock band from San Francisco works to mix its rock side with the country/acoustic sound it revealed in 2005's Howl. [Rock, Alternative]
Rolling Stone
Reviews
The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night -
Artist:
The Besnard Lakes
Review:
At its website, Montreal's Breakglass Studios — run by
Besnard Lakes bandleader Jace Lasek — trumpets its custom
1969 Neve mixing board, used by Led Zeppelin on Physical
Graffiti. The same piece of equipment was used on "Albatross,"
a standout on the Lakes' immersive second LP, a magnificently
oceanic meld of Beach Boys harmonies, My Bloody Valentine tidal
waves and Phil Spector girl-group siren songs shot through with
soaring guitar. It's a producer's wet dream, like most of
the...
Rating:
3.5 Stars
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat The Devil's Tattoo -
Artist:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Review:
Five studio albums in, California psych-garage trio Black Rebel
Motorcycle Club are still religious zealots — worshippers in
rock's Gothic cathedral. The song titles tell the tale: "Bad
Blood," "War Machine," "River Styx." In "Aya," singer-guitarist
Peter Hayes moans, "She's a reckless lover/With blood-stained
hands/Around the neck of her helpless man." There was a time, circa
2001, when Black Rebel Motorcycle Club were supposed to inherit the
Earth, or at least the mantle of Rock's Great...
Rating:
3 Stars
Serj Tankian - Elect The Dead -
Artist:
Serj Tankian
Review:
System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian's 2007 solo debut,
Elect the Dead, was a harmless brain-dump, but the idea of
recording it live with an orchestra is another story. The Auckland
Philharmonia Orchestra gamely chase Tankian into a maze of
art-song, but where SoD might turn lyrics like "prophets all
destroying the Tao" into an apocalyptic blitz, surging symphonics
expose it as the doofy pomp it is. And asking classical musicians
to play a song called "Beethoven's Cunt"? That's just mean.
Rating:
1.5 Stars
Jimi Hendrix - Valleys Of Neptune -
Artist:
Jimi Hendrix
Review:
Some grousing from fans greets most posthumous Jimi Hendrix
studio releases. And fair enough: Hendrix can't offer his opinion
anymore, and between past dubious product (i.e., the heavily
overdubbed Crash Landing) and ongoing estate squabbles,
there's been plenty of sketchy business over the years. But on
Valleys of Neptune — a collection of more-or-less
previously unreleased tracks recorded with the Jimi Hendrix
Experience in 1969, assembled by the archivists at Legacy and the
Hendrix...
Rating:
3.5 Stars
Broken Bells - Broken Bells -
Artist:
Broken Bells
Review:
Part Kanye West, part Brian Eno, producer-musician Brian Burton
— a.k.a. Danger Mouse — has defined himself with his
excellent taste in brilliant misfits. His biggest smash was Gnarls
Barkley, with whom he turned oddball former Dirty South rapper
Cee-Lo into a falsetto swinging soulman on the sublime "Crazy,"
triggering moving karaoke performances worldwide. He's helped
blues-rock freaks the Black Keys find their groove; helped
midcareer weirdo Beck locate his mojo on 2008's
Modern...
Rating:
4 Stars