Ironically, any guitar so called "aficianado" will tell you about clapton, jimmy page, hank marvin and all the icons who are of somewhat an iconic status, yet seem highly derivitive compared to some of the guitarist which came out of the jazz fusion camp.
You have to remember the landscape of music was dramatically altered during the early 60's to early 70's.
The advent of moog synthesizers, informed us of the sounds which were to become commonplace in music later on and today still. Rock and roll adversly shocked a whole generation of adolescents into submission, ultimately denotating any traces left of be bop jazz or broadway/easy listening music which was popular amongst the youth at the time.
It passed, quintets became skiffle groups, mods became the new wave of cool. You couldn't pick up any music publication or newspaper entertainment section without seeing the fab four or the rolling stones on the cover.
However, boiling away at the surface, rock music informed a lot of jazz musicians about crossover popularity, with the beatles incorporating sitars and the likes of eastern sounds to complement the sonic palette of the music.
Jazz saved people from alienation. What was swing became smaller due to amplification, huge swing bands proved too expensive to book, smaller groups playing at intimate venues such as downtown new york's mintons playhouse and such were the places to go instead. However the smaller it got, the more alienating the music seemed to be for people, it was reduced to smaller venues and there was more emphasis on pushing forward with improvisation than maintaining strong melodies, and this drew away crowds that loved dancing. People embraced this music by sitting back, usually people fond of instrumentation were more involved in the be-bop scene than your regular out going types.
Was it dying? Yes. Jazz died a little with the british invasion, in fact the first signs of it's partial decay was when Elvis came onto the scene. The King ignited everything. It was the cool thing. Jazz was now like on the fringe of everything, and within certain circles it was still appreciated, but while there was less vocalised jazz, people turned to the vocal stylings of a man that was melting hearts across the globe, and because of that Jazz was no longer at the forefront of music.
Along with musicals, Jazz as an art form was weird to people now. It was the musical equivilent of spoiled devondale milk in your fridge, it was good while it lasted, BUT IT GONE BAD!
In the mid sixties, although no one really noticed it, the cambridge scene was prominent in the U.K. A band called Soft Machine were incorporating elements of Jazz into their sound, creating a "fusion" sound. It was recognised as a novel approach and proved popular amongst the english music at the time.
The importance of such a man in music, whom I'm about to write about, is probably biased and exaggerated because of the fact that the writer is a huge fan. But nonetheless, Miles Davis has been often maligned by critics and fans for "abandoning his jazz origins", however this couldn't be further from the truth. If anything, he opened up to different sounds and embraced this by incorporating them into his own music. Jazz was in the doldrums, but Miles got Jazz out of there.
After meeting funk singer Betty Mabry in 1967, he turned to a more electric sound, incorporating fender rhoades keyboards and electric bass to his sound. It wasn't long before guitarist John Mclaughlin was recruited to play guitar on his albums.
The seminal release, 1970's Bitches Brew, is a watershed album. Considered to be one of the best, and also one of the worst Jazz albums of all time, depending on who you ask. It changed everything, and it's influence must not be overlooked in the canon of contemporary music.
Miles davis soon after this release played at rock festivals. That's right rock festivals. A trumpet player, in front of tens of thousands playing his music to the masses. Brass was back in, bands were beginnning to take the hint and started using saxophonists and brass on their albums. Chicago were using a horn section as part of their band, it influenced a number of different groups.
Jazz did rock a favour, and Rock did Jazz a favour in return. Rock and roll today without incorporating elements of Jazz, would prove to be stale. Because remember that synthesizers were also apart of the jazz fusion sound, and are utilised in rock music so much today.
The ebb and flow of music will always be, bands over-extending there experimental zone out jam 20 minute pieces,to three chord punchy straight to the point numbers. So it will be one for a while, until people get sick of it, and then will alternate.
But without the experimentation of fusion, today we might not of had that choice to choose from.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
COLUMBIA RECORDS FLASHBACKS
*Review* Bruce Springsteen- The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle (1973) (CBS)
The Boss, as he is affectionately known, became a household name with his 1975 smash Born to Run album, however the one he made before that has been immortalised in the minds of long time fans, an artistic statement, which was the pinnacle of his career. Born To Run would prove to be his commercial breakthrough, but The Wild.. became much more than that.
Being one of the most overlooked albums of all time, one has to wonder why the appeal of it’s successor eclipsed this set of music. Simply because of commerical potential. A lot of promotion went into Born To Run, it was being hyped to the max and columbia records saw it as a once in a llifetime opprortunity to propel Springsteen into the mainstream. If he couldn’t achieve it with Born to Run, then it would never of happened.
The Boss, as he is affectionately known, became a household name with his 1975 smash Born to Run album, however the one he made before that has been immortalised in the minds of long time fans, an artistic statement, which was the pinnacle of his career. Born To Run would prove to be his commercial breakthrough, but The Wild.. became much more than that.
Being one of the most overlooked albums of all time, one has to wonder why the appeal of it’s successor eclipsed this set of music. Simply because of commerical potential. A lot of promotion went into Born To Run, it was being hyped to the max and columbia records saw it as a once in a llifetime opprortunity to propel Springsteen into the mainstream. If he couldn’t achieve it with Born to Run, then it would never of happened.
In hindsight, many facets of Springsteen’s music has been continual over his 30 plus year career.
His E Street Band, his style of songwriting, his management (Jon Landau).
However, in my opinion he peaked on this one. It’s like when Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys tried to follow up the pet Sounds album, he had an unstable personality but anyway he had a nervous breakdown because he accomplished so much on that record, that he was artistically burnt out.
However, in my opinion he peaked on this one. It’s like when Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys tried to follow up the pet Sounds album, he had an unstable personality but anyway he had a nervous breakdown because he accomplished so much on that record, that he was artistically burnt out.
In no way did the Boss burn out after this though. But material wise, the second album was his strongest to date. It starts of with The E Street Shuffle, you get a feeling of the summer air in New Jersey as you walk the streets, and see the children playing under fire hydrants, (it sounds like the first scene of Spike Lee’s Crooklyn). Interracial families hanging out by the diner, the young men in their Sunday best trying to make the girls swoon. It’s typical 1950’s New Jersey which Springsteen paints a picture, and from there he takes you on a journey.
Sandy, is a song about a beloved girl who falls in love a boy and they ponder over leaving the wreckless town in which they live.
Sandy, is a song about a beloved girl who falls in love a boy and they ponder over leaving the wreckless town in which they live.
Kitty’s back, about the ex-girlfriend, who’s back in town and you don’t want to be lured in again by the reckless vixen.
Side two is essentially a three song suite, which run into one another. It opens with the classic “Incident on 57th Street”, refers to Spanish johnny the central character of the song, he can’t find a true heart and thinks it can be bought, however finds his true love in puerto rican Jane whom he leaves at the end, to succumb to the street hood he was and always is.
Rosolita, is about the rock n roll singer and his girlfriend’s disaprroving parents. It’s a plea to the girlfriend to see some sense and make a decision on whether they should go steady.
Rosolita, is about the rock n roll singer and his girlfriend’s disaprroving parents. It’s a plea to the girlfriend to see some sense and make a decision on whether they should go steady.
The closer “New York City Serenade”, is the centrepiece of the album. Describing the dusk atmosphere of early morning New York, walking past buskers and corner boys down on their luck. Set against an orchestral backdrop, it threatened to be one of the all time classics in contemporary music. Had it not been for it’s unrecognised reception upon release, it may well of been considered his greatest album. He followed this album up with the classic
“Born To Run”, his first mutli platinum classic.
“Born To Run”, his first mutli platinum classic.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Musicians Who Never Learnt Their Instruments
Believe or not, music has a long history of musicians who have never learnt to play their instruments properly.
Not to be disheartened by this, some of them have become notable for their influence on popular music in a way. It all stems from either lack of resources, like teaching wasn't available in their area, or couldn't afford leasons, or because the player eventually had a natural talent for hearing notes inside a scale, and putting it together in their head and replicating on the instrument.
Many popular artists have accomplished this, most notably a large number guitar players have managed to learn this way, as it is easy to do so than to learn music theory.
Eric Clapton never learned music, he was bought a guitar, and copied note for note the guitar lines from his favourite Muddy Waters records.
Jimi Hendrix- never learnt music theory. He tuned his guitar to what he could hear, his band would play to what key he was tuned in. He used to refer to different colours when trying to describe what key or vibe he wanted the direction of music to be in.
Paul Mcartney- never learnt theory. To this day he's writing material for his solo albums and hasn't needed the aid of sheet music or notation to get him by.
To have a natural ability to hear notes is a great ability to have as a musician. Some musicians could have learned all the theory in the world, and practice consistently for years and still not be as proficient as someone who plays by their ear. It shows you can still be terrible if you try and learn everything right, it's apart of having the natural talent.
Having said that, Jimi Hendrix never learned theory and was a great guitar player, but at the same time he was no pavarotti when it came to vocal ability. In fact, in my opinion that was his weakest attribute, he couldn't sing that well really but he had a lot of presence in his performance which was what his appeal was.
Don Letts, a famous London DJ, who rose to prominence in the 70's london punk scene, as a DJ he started spinning his dub reggae records at the punk clubs and became an influential documentary maker in the later years, was called upon to be a part of a new group, which Mick Jones (at the time, out of the just disbanded Clash) was forming called Big Audio Dynamite.
His input into the band, would be to press his fingers on the keyboard when the lights shone on the keys. So it goes to show you, that you can be in a band without even having to play a note. All jokes aside though, I think Mick Jones recruited him for the gimmick value of it.
Ornette Coleman is another example. He came onto the Jazz scene without knowing a solitary note, he played Alto Sax but never learned to read notation and didn't know any scales whatsoever. He became an innovator in the free jazz movement of the early 60's, and remains still a relevant figure today as he is still musically active. Miles Davis claims in his autobiography that, "I don't know what's wrong with him. For him-a sax player-to pick up a trumpet and violin like that and just think he can play them with no kind of training is disrespectful toward all those people who play them well".
Soon music will become automated, just like everything else in our lives. I've explained in a previous blog that music will not psychically change hands at the counter anymore, we will be purchasing digital files at a music store designed for purchasing tracks at 1.69 and there will be no cover art at all to look at. The fact that musicians don't have to really have learn instruments to get by isn't exactly a revelation in this day and age.
Anyone who saw Britney Spears woeful lip syncing performance at the 2007 MTV Music Awards, knows that she had to get there, and she got there by fresh airing it.
Lip syncing has become such a maligned apsect of television live performances. Australia's hit music show Countdown, every opportunity they got would get the peformers to lip sync their songs on live television. The show ran from 1974 to 1987 in Australia on the ABC network. The live performances often entailed solo artists lip syncing to the background music of their song.
So there you have it. If you want to become a keyboard player, you program your keyboard to light up your keys. If you want to play proficient guitar, try copying all the solos off the old Muddy Waters albums, if you want to sing, get someone to autotune your voice in the studio and sync it up when you're singing live. If you want to become a critically acclaimed jazz musician, just pick up a violin and start wailing on that bow.
Not to be disheartened by this, some of them have become notable for their influence on popular music in a way. It all stems from either lack of resources, like teaching wasn't available in their area, or couldn't afford leasons, or because the player eventually had a natural talent for hearing notes inside a scale, and putting it together in their head and replicating on the instrument.
Many popular artists have accomplished this, most notably a large number guitar players have managed to learn this way, as it is easy to do so than to learn music theory.
Eric Clapton never learned music, he was bought a guitar, and copied note for note the guitar lines from his favourite Muddy Waters records.
Jimi Hendrix- never learnt music theory. He tuned his guitar to what he could hear, his band would play to what key he was tuned in. He used to refer to different colours when trying to describe what key or vibe he wanted the direction of music to be in.
Paul Mcartney- never learnt theory. To this day he's writing material for his solo albums and hasn't needed the aid of sheet music or notation to get him by.
To have a natural ability to hear notes is a great ability to have as a musician. Some musicians could have learned all the theory in the world, and practice consistently for years and still not be as proficient as someone who plays by their ear. It shows you can still be terrible if you try and learn everything right, it's apart of having the natural talent.
Having said that, Jimi Hendrix never learned theory and was a great guitar player, but at the same time he was no pavarotti when it came to vocal ability. In fact, in my opinion that was his weakest attribute, he couldn't sing that well really but he had a lot of presence in his performance which was what his appeal was.
Don Letts, a famous London DJ, who rose to prominence in the 70's london punk scene, as a DJ he started spinning his dub reggae records at the punk clubs and became an influential documentary maker in the later years, was called upon to be a part of a new group, which Mick Jones (at the time, out of the just disbanded Clash) was forming called Big Audio Dynamite.
His input into the band, would be to press his fingers on the keyboard when the lights shone on the keys. So it goes to show you, that you can be in a band without even having to play a note. All jokes aside though, I think Mick Jones recruited him for the gimmick value of it.
Ornette Coleman is another example. He came onto the Jazz scene without knowing a solitary note, he played Alto Sax but never learned to read notation and didn't know any scales whatsoever. He became an innovator in the free jazz movement of the early 60's, and remains still a relevant figure today as he is still musically active. Miles Davis claims in his autobiography that, "I don't know what's wrong with him. For him-a sax player-to pick up a trumpet and violin like that and just think he can play them with no kind of training is disrespectful toward all those people who play them well".
Soon music will become automated, just like everything else in our lives. I've explained in a previous blog that music will not psychically change hands at the counter anymore, we will be purchasing digital files at a music store designed for purchasing tracks at 1.69 and there will be no cover art at all to look at. The fact that musicians don't have to really have learn instruments to get by isn't exactly a revelation in this day and age.
Anyone who saw Britney Spears woeful lip syncing performance at the 2007 MTV Music Awards, knows that she had to get there, and she got there by fresh airing it.
Lip syncing has become such a maligned apsect of television live performances. Australia's hit music show Countdown, every opportunity they got would get the peformers to lip sync their songs on live television. The show ran from 1974 to 1987 in Australia on the ABC network. The live performances often entailed solo artists lip syncing to the background music of their song.
So there you have it. If you want to become a keyboard player, you program your keyboard to light up your keys. If you want to play proficient guitar, try copying all the solos off the old Muddy Waters albums, if you want to sing, get someone to autotune your voice in the studio and sync it up when you're singing live. If you want to become a critically acclaimed jazz musician, just pick up a violin and start wailing on that bow.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
COLUMBIA RECORDS FLASHBACKS
Miles Davis-Bitches Brew (1969) (CBS)
The cultural and political landscape has changed not only in America, but worldwide over the last 50 years. We have been changing continuously to meet the demands of everyday life, with economic reform, lifestyle changes are inevitable. The political and social landscape was changed significantly in America during the period of 1944 through to 1970. Many things happened, and many contributing factors led to the eventual liberation and change in levels of patriotism one had for their country dubbed “the home of the brave”.
On the political front, movers and shakers such as Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Malcolm X and others, shared a similar view in that the people as a nation should be united as one, and embrace and respect each other’s heritage without prejudice. While many shared this view, black oppression was and still is prominent in the U.S (other countries as well) and sticklers for convention were reluctant to acknowledge other races, let alone accepting the fact that interracial politicians were active in their country.
Making a statement always meant that controversy would surround you in whatever you attempt you made to lead a normal, unharmed life. In wanting unity for everybody, Martin Luther was assassinated, the same applied for Malcolm X. Bobby Kennedy wanted to provide for the working class or hard done by districts, he went into the run down communities and tried to make a change, providing them with more facilities. Or at least he tried to. The years of work he tried to put into the country was all a waste, after his death. In a few years time the imprint he left on American society was all but diminished when Richard Nixon led his term in office, ruining any hope the American people had of changing their way after making so much progress.
After World War II, the depression had a certain catharsis in the air, and blues singers probably could muster up more pain and anguish in their playing, than any emo band could in a lifetime.
Families trying to survive doing what they had to do. Black musicians were entertaining everyone and the main culprits around this time were Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to name a few. They were all entertaining coloured folk around the country and leading jazz in becoming a popular form of music.
From 52nd streets rush, to Harlem’s inner heart, and Minton’s Playhouse were so many legends of jazz played over the years. In the beginning it was pure, and it was music for the black people as was blues.
Once Caucasian America caught wind of it, it began to spread out, and white musicians were starting to popularise this music by playing at white clubs around New York.
Bill Evans among many others were starting to get known for their brand of jazz around town, and it was of the opinion of the African American folk that the white man would try and take their music from them and take credit for it.
There was a truly vibrant atmosphere around uptown New York with clubs like Minton’s playhouse or Heatwave where all the hot jazz ensembles had residences.
After the big band era died, jazz started getting smaller, and the quintet’s starting forming, where a smaller setting for the music enabled the musicians to thrive on not compositional arcs in the music, but the improvisational nature of it.
With the emergence of the bebop sound, were it’s pioneers Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker, they paved the way for what was to become the modern jazz sound. However, it was Miles Davis who then took all his influences from the Dixieland through big band and bebop and created his own style of jazz, it would become the Modal sound.
The modal approach to jazz was based on a series of chords, in which the soloists can improvise around, moving up in key to further explore a roughly arranged chord progression.
Miles Davis was from St Louis and moved to New York to enrol in the Julliard School of Music. He later sat in for Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and would later become a very influential figure in popular music.
His breakthrough album which featured the modal style of playing, was 1959’s Kind of Blue. It’s considered a jazz album classic and is highly publicised as being the highest selling jazz album of all time to the present day. He broke into the big league, having already established himself in the jazz scene. After a few years his second great quintet featuring Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock recording a few classic albums, such as E.S.P, Nefertiti, Filles De Kilimanjaro etc. However by the mid sixties Miles had to move forward with the times. He met Betty Mabry in 1968 and they got married shortly after he divorced his previous wife Frances earlier that year. She was a funk soul singer who was into the new culture of rock n roll, and influenced the way Miles dressed and played after that. Out with the Italian suits, and in with the flairs and colourful vests and whatnot. He had changed in a big way, and his music was also going to indicate a huge turning point in his life, because he would ultimately alienate the bulk of his long-time fans, but reach out to millions of new ones.
In a Silent Way was recorded before Bitches Brew. He introduced rock drumming time signatures, upright basses turned into electric bass, guitarists started being used (John McLaughlin debuts on this record for the miles davis band) and the music begin being more ethereal and more funk based.
Bitches Brew is a landmark album in music history, it represents the pride and boldness of an artist to come forth and break open the floodgates for everyone else to come through. Jazz had such a repressed attitude about it, and Miles had always claimed that good music is good music no matter what genre it is, it allowed experimentation into the jazz form, which is ironically something it had been lacking for a couple of years, despite aficionados saying that it was such a complex and exciting form of music, though they cringed at the fact that anyone could introduce electric instruments into it. Miles did that and broke the conventions of a genre that was getting pigeonholed. It was to the outrage of the purists who thought that Davis had gone mad, though it was to worldwide praise that this significant document of music had been received, and to this day it remains that way influencing countless numbers of musicians around the world.
The album opens with Pharaoh’s Dance, a slowly building dissonant gliding piece. Next up is the title track Bitches Brew. In all it’s 27 minutes of greatness (it originally covered side 2 of the LP) it’s a brooding slow build, rising action and decline. The sneeking bass line is immortalised as one of the most beloved memories of my music appreciation, the bass line acts as a mantra throughout the track, and the other soloists interact with each other building up to wailing proportions and then falling again into submissiveness. Miles uses an echoplex of his trumpet something revolutionary at the time, which gives it an alien like attitude to his horn sound.
Spanish Key remains one of the most upbeat numbers on the album, Miles resonating riff through Spanish Key is memorable.
John McLaughlin the track named after the guitarist of the same is the shortest track on the album about 4 minutes long.
“Miles Runs The Voodoo Down” is a remarkable funk based jam which rises up to the heavens with dissonant noise, and wailing trumpet from Davis, it feels as if it’s going to burst out of the speakers.
The closer Sanctuary, I believe is the centrepiece of this album. It requires the group to keep contained and they reach an unspeakable climax at the end, to be reinforced by Davis’ central riff at the end to finish proceedings.
An astonishing achievement in contemporary music, it’s vital for anyone who wants to explore a certain electricity which cannot be obtained by sticking a fork into a power point. Miles Davis has been declared an innovator up until his death, but has left behind an unmatched legacy in terms of spirit of creativity he brought to music as an art form. Becoming the first jazz musician to perform at huge rock festivals and arenas around the world, Bitches Brew more than made up for its sheer audacity and non compliance with the jazz form, by opening up to millions more younger people willing to open up their minds to even jazz musicians, he left the old timers behind and never looked back.
The ability to nurture this historical document of recorded sound is made possible by either these days a cd reissue by Columbia records, or the original LP which is now a huge collector’s item.
Discover this album for the time in the cd reissue from 1998. It is a terrific accomplishment, by one of the most accomplished men in music, Miles Davis.
The cultural and political landscape has changed not only in America, but worldwide over the last 50 years. We have been changing continuously to meet the demands of everyday life, with economic reform, lifestyle changes are inevitable. The political and social landscape was changed significantly in America during the period of 1944 through to 1970. Many things happened, and many contributing factors led to the eventual liberation and change in levels of patriotism one had for their country dubbed “the home of the brave”.
On the political front, movers and shakers such as Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Malcolm X and others, shared a similar view in that the people as a nation should be united as one, and embrace and respect each other’s heritage without prejudice. While many shared this view, black oppression was and still is prominent in the U.S (other countries as well) and sticklers for convention were reluctant to acknowledge other races, let alone accepting the fact that interracial politicians were active in their country.
Making a statement always meant that controversy would surround you in whatever you attempt you made to lead a normal, unharmed life. In wanting unity for everybody, Martin Luther was assassinated, the same applied for Malcolm X. Bobby Kennedy wanted to provide for the working class or hard done by districts, he went into the run down communities and tried to make a change, providing them with more facilities. Or at least he tried to. The years of work he tried to put into the country was all a waste, after his death. In a few years time the imprint he left on American society was all but diminished when Richard Nixon led his term in office, ruining any hope the American people had of changing their way after making so much progress.
After World War II, the depression had a certain catharsis in the air, and blues singers probably could muster up more pain and anguish in their playing, than any emo band could in a lifetime.
Families trying to survive doing what they had to do. Black musicians were entertaining everyone and the main culprits around this time were Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to name a few. They were all entertaining coloured folk around the country and leading jazz in becoming a popular form of music.
From 52nd streets rush, to Harlem’s inner heart, and Minton’s Playhouse were so many legends of jazz played over the years. In the beginning it was pure, and it was music for the black people as was blues.
Once Caucasian America caught wind of it, it began to spread out, and white musicians were starting to popularise this music by playing at white clubs around New York.
Bill Evans among many others were starting to get known for their brand of jazz around town, and it was of the opinion of the African American folk that the white man would try and take their music from them and take credit for it.
There was a truly vibrant atmosphere around uptown New York with clubs like Minton’s playhouse or Heatwave where all the hot jazz ensembles had residences.
After the big band era died, jazz started getting smaller, and the quintet’s starting forming, where a smaller setting for the music enabled the musicians to thrive on not compositional arcs in the music, but the improvisational nature of it.
With the emergence of the bebop sound, were it’s pioneers Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker, they paved the way for what was to become the modern jazz sound. However, it was Miles Davis who then took all his influences from the Dixieland through big band and bebop and created his own style of jazz, it would become the Modal sound.
The modal approach to jazz was based on a series of chords, in which the soloists can improvise around, moving up in key to further explore a roughly arranged chord progression.
Miles Davis was from St Louis and moved to New York to enrol in the Julliard School of Music. He later sat in for Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and would later become a very influential figure in popular music.
His breakthrough album which featured the modal style of playing, was 1959’s Kind of Blue. It’s considered a jazz album classic and is highly publicised as being the highest selling jazz album of all time to the present day. He broke into the big league, having already established himself in the jazz scene. After a few years his second great quintet featuring Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock recording a few classic albums, such as E.S.P, Nefertiti, Filles De Kilimanjaro etc. However by the mid sixties Miles had to move forward with the times. He met Betty Mabry in 1968 and they got married shortly after he divorced his previous wife Frances earlier that year. She was a funk soul singer who was into the new culture of rock n roll, and influenced the way Miles dressed and played after that. Out with the Italian suits, and in with the flairs and colourful vests and whatnot. He had changed in a big way, and his music was also going to indicate a huge turning point in his life, because he would ultimately alienate the bulk of his long-time fans, but reach out to millions of new ones.
In a Silent Way was recorded before Bitches Brew. He introduced rock drumming time signatures, upright basses turned into electric bass, guitarists started being used (John McLaughlin debuts on this record for the miles davis band) and the music begin being more ethereal and more funk based.
Bitches Brew is a landmark album in music history, it represents the pride and boldness of an artist to come forth and break open the floodgates for everyone else to come through. Jazz had such a repressed attitude about it, and Miles had always claimed that good music is good music no matter what genre it is, it allowed experimentation into the jazz form, which is ironically something it had been lacking for a couple of years, despite aficionados saying that it was such a complex and exciting form of music, though they cringed at the fact that anyone could introduce electric instruments into it. Miles did that and broke the conventions of a genre that was getting pigeonholed. It was to the outrage of the purists who thought that Davis had gone mad, though it was to worldwide praise that this significant document of music had been received, and to this day it remains that way influencing countless numbers of musicians around the world.
The album opens with Pharaoh’s Dance, a slowly building dissonant gliding piece. Next up is the title track Bitches Brew. In all it’s 27 minutes of greatness (it originally covered side 2 of the LP) it’s a brooding slow build, rising action and decline. The sneeking bass line is immortalised as one of the most beloved memories of my music appreciation, the bass line acts as a mantra throughout the track, and the other soloists interact with each other building up to wailing proportions and then falling again into submissiveness. Miles uses an echoplex of his trumpet something revolutionary at the time, which gives it an alien like attitude to his horn sound.
Spanish Key remains one of the most upbeat numbers on the album, Miles resonating riff through Spanish Key is memorable.
John McLaughlin the track named after the guitarist of the same is the shortest track on the album about 4 minutes long.
“Miles Runs The Voodoo Down” is a remarkable funk based jam which rises up to the heavens with dissonant noise, and wailing trumpet from Davis, it feels as if it’s going to burst out of the speakers.
The closer Sanctuary, I believe is the centrepiece of this album. It requires the group to keep contained and they reach an unspeakable climax at the end, to be reinforced by Davis’ central riff at the end to finish proceedings.
An astonishing achievement in contemporary music, it’s vital for anyone who wants to explore a certain electricity which cannot be obtained by sticking a fork into a power point. Miles Davis has been declared an innovator up until his death, but has left behind an unmatched legacy in terms of spirit of creativity he brought to music as an art form. Becoming the first jazz musician to perform at huge rock festivals and arenas around the world, Bitches Brew more than made up for its sheer audacity and non compliance with the jazz form, by opening up to millions more younger people willing to open up their minds to even jazz musicians, he left the old timers behind and never looked back.
The ability to nurture this historical document of recorded sound is made possible by either these days a cd reissue by Columbia records, or the original LP which is now a huge collector’s item.
Discover this album for the time in the cd reissue from 1998. It is a terrific accomplishment, by one of the most accomplished men in music, Miles Davis.
Monday, October 6, 2008
*Review* Oasis-Dig Out Your Soul (SONY)
Rating:**/5
Before you predictably write them off, as for years we've been so inclined to do, let's examine the history of Oasis and the reasons why they have set themselves up for failure ever since they tried to follow up 1997's "Be Here Now".
It's simple science, they have not followed their formula. It's as simple as that.
And what is their formula you might ask? It's simple melodic hooky pop rock.
And good songwriting.
I believe the Gallagher brothers peaked two albums in with their songwriting efforts. They wrote enough classic tracks to fill maybe 2 and a half albums worth of material. So the debut was full of the early tracks, (What's The Story?) Morning Glory, was material that they couldn't fit onto the first. Be Here Now, had leftovers and the second half was material they had written at the time of recording.
So you get a sense of this as you listen to Be Here Now, which I reckon is their last decent album. In which the first half of the album starts out very strong, and then it falls in pieces towards the end. Then to follow it up with Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, well that was the last nail in the coffin for all the Oasis faithfuls out there, and the critics stood clear after that as well.
What went wrong, it was simply selection criteria or lack of ability to write songs anymore. This has plagued Oasis for the last ten years, they can't for the life of them deliver on any high expectations set upon them by the fans who have been heralding a return to form for the last 4 albums.
There is however, some silver lining in this. 2005's Don't Believe The Truth was warmly received upon critics and fans alike when it was released, and was somewhat tolerable compared to Heathen Chemistry (spew) and Giants.. Lyla was great leadoff single and showed a lot of promise for the group heading into the promotion of it.
To follow up on this, they have not in any way, succeeded to build upon what worked they towards on their last release. Noel Gallagher's vocals are lost in their own echo, as is evident from the oddly mixed vocal tracks, where you can only hear a slightly muffled and hardly audible english whine of his.
Somehow, the album has flashes of brilliances, but they are quite often fleeting, and the next thing you find yourself listening to the next track which is devoid of any kind of hook or catchy chorus. There us no opportunity for the listener to believe or join in.
In their heyday's, the Gallaghers were specialists at providing sing a long chorus' and catchy melodies, you couldn't help but sing a long to Shakermaker, Wonderwall or Roll With It. Yet there is no evidence of this on Dig Out Your Soul, which makes it a very disappointing effort from an act who for a period of time were the hottest rock band on the globe.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Influential Bands Getting Overlooked
Seminal acts quite often never get the kudos they deserve. It's odd in this day and age that a lot of the acts come through and the fans who are oblivious to their predecessors are unable to acknowledge the artists they were influenced by.
It's through this ignorance that i bring this up to discuss the hopelessness of a situation where by music lovers have forgotten about respecting the people who inspired their favourite artists. It must be said that it's pretty common for people listening to current bands not to know who people like Gang of Four, King Crimson, Pere Ubu, Moby Grape, Spirit etc.
I went to see the Black Keys earlier this year during their "Attack and Release" tour. They played at the Metropolis Fremantle which is great venue for their kind of show. The supports played, they were pretty good, including a great set from local bands The Silents.
After the Silents got off the stage, they were setting up for the Black Keys to come on. Anyway, the house music was playing and "You Aint Goin' Nowhere" by The Byrds came on.
A guy in front of me started frowning and proclaimed that "this music is hillbilly shit, what are they playin this for?". Because it suited the venue, and because without The Byrds, The Black Keys may have never come to be.
The Byrds released an album in 1968 entitled "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". After a few years with nominal success through albums sich as "Younger than Yesterday", "Fifth Dimension" and "Mr Tamborine Man", they had a few linup changes which resulted in a change of direction for the band. David Crosby and Micheal clarke left the group after they recorded "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" album.
Coming to a crossroad in their career, they had to do something to move forward. After exploring pop folk with "Mr Tamborine Man, "My Back Pages", psychedelia ("Eight Miles High"), they started expanding out into a more country orientated version of rock. Gram Parsons was recruited into the band at the time he was only 21. Deciding to record the album in Nashville, the bulk of the songs were covers of songs written specifically having the country rock sound in mind.
Parsons wrote "Hickory Wind, "Lazy Days" and "A Hundred Years From Now". The three originals continued in the vein of the country rock sound. Others including "You Aint Goin Nowhere" written by Bob Dylan and "Pretty Boy Floyd" by Woody Guthrie also continued in this vein.
Due to the controversial change in style, it signaled the start of the commercial decline of the group. However, this album was highly instrumental in the way bands out of the west coast honed their sound in years to come. Together with Buffalo Springfield and The Eagles, later in the 70's with country rock sound would become prominent and it's because of Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
Also, a lot of artists who were into blues rock had incorporated elements of country into their sound. Ted Nugent, Ry Cooder, ZZ Top, Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Whiskeytown are all indebted to the Byrds.
And so is The Black Keys, so in condemning this music you ultimately condemning the people who have made them who they are.
Metal Machine Music, by Lou Reed. A commercial failure upon it's release in 1975, it signified the innauguration of abstract noise in rock music. even though it was incredibly criticised at the time without it we wouldn't of had the likes of Sonic Youth, Gang of Four, Bauhaus, Jim Jamusch, Theoretical Girls, Merzbow,Mogwai etc.
Big Star, a very overlooked band whom without them we wouldn't of had a entire movement. Indie rock.
Suicide, the trio from New York whose ultra violent confrontational stage act involving whips and assaulting audience members, was a precursor to the punk movement which would emerge 5 years later in England.
So you see their are many bands whose influence has been overlooked in the history of 20st
century music, and their is nothing much anyone can do except acknowledge these acts. but next time you criticise a band or artist because you don't like a certain aspect of their sound, remember that bands like the Black Keys, who even though are a heavy blues rock band, can still be influenced by such a band as The Byrds.
It's through this ignorance that i bring this up to discuss the hopelessness of a situation where by music lovers have forgotten about respecting the people who inspired their favourite artists. It must be said that it's pretty common for people listening to current bands not to know who people like Gang of Four, King Crimson, Pere Ubu, Moby Grape, Spirit etc.
I went to see the Black Keys earlier this year during their "Attack and Release" tour. They played at the Metropolis Fremantle which is great venue for their kind of show. The supports played, they were pretty good, including a great set from local bands The Silents.
After the Silents got off the stage, they were setting up for the Black Keys to come on. Anyway, the house music was playing and "You Aint Goin' Nowhere" by The Byrds came on.
A guy in front of me started frowning and proclaimed that "this music is hillbilly shit, what are they playin this for?". Because it suited the venue, and because without The Byrds, The Black Keys may have never come to be.
The Byrds released an album in 1968 entitled "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". After a few years with nominal success through albums sich as "Younger than Yesterday", "Fifth Dimension" and "Mr Tamborine Man", they had a few linup changes which resulted in a change of direction for the band. David Crosby and Micheal clarke left the group after they recorded "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" album.
Coming to a crossroad in their career, they had to do something to move forward. After exploring pop folk with "Mr Tamborine Man, "My Back Pages", psychedelia ("Eight Miles High"), they started expanding out into a more country orientated version of rock. Gram Parsons was recruited into the band at the time he was only 21. Deciding to record the album in Nashville, the bulk of the songs were covers of songs written specifically having the country rock sound in mind.
Parsons wrote "Hickory Wind, "Lazy Days" and "A Hundred Years From Now". The three originals continued in the vein of the country rock sound. Others including "You Aint Goin Nowhere" written by Bob Dylan and "Pretty Boy Floyd" by Woody Guthrie also continued in this vein.
Due to the controversial change in style, it signaled the start of the commercial decline of the group. However, this album was highly instrumental in the way bands out of the west coast honed their sound in years to come. Together with Buffalo Springfield and The Eagles, later in the 70's with country rock sound would become prominent and it's because of Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
Also, a lot of artists who were into blues rock had incorporated elements of country into their sound. Ted Nugent, Ry Cooder, ZZ Top, Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Whiskeytown are all indebted to the Byrds.
And so is The Black Keys, so in condemning this music you ultimately condemning the people who have made them who they are.
Metal Machine Music, by Lou Reed. A commercial failure upon it's release in 1975, it signified the innauguration of abstract noise in rock music. even though it was incredibly criticised at the time without it we wouldn't of had the likes of Sonic Youth, Gang of Four, Bauhaus, Jim Jamusch, Theoretical Girls, Merzbow,Mogwai etc.
Big Star, a very overlooked band whom without them we wouldn't of had a entire movement. Indie rock.
Suicide, the trio from New York whose ultra violent confrontational stage act involving whips and assaulting audience members, was a precursor to the punk movement which would emerge 5 years later in England.
So you see their are many bands whose influence has been overlooked in the history of 20st
century music, and their is nothing much anyone can do except acknowledge these acts. but next time you criticise a band or artist because you don't like a certain aspect of their sound, remember that bands like the Black Keys, who even though are a heavy blues rock band, can still be influenced by such a band as The Byrds.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Is An Artist's Death in Vain?
An established artist can be around for decades, in their heydays sell multi platinum albums and go on world tour promotion tours. Over a period of around ten years or so, they will eventually reach their peak and make way for the emerging artists of the time. They will dubbed musical veterans of the scene or dinosaurs with dwindling interest in them, even with the die hard fans. Release after release, the group/solo artist will be looking for validation for their efforts. In an attempt to stay relevant in some ways to not only the young commercial target audience, but their long time loyal fanbase.
Tensions will arise, usually concerning ownership over material, or royalties for the songs. Solo artists will find themselves resorting to bringing on board new producers to inject some life into their otherwise torrid and diminishing repertoire. Other succesful artists may join them in the mighty infamous "Duets".
Record labels will drop them, they will enter rehab for drug and/or alcohol abuse. They will have to wipe the slate clean once again, and think about their comeback plan.
Touring schedules will be shortened to less and less dates. Booking agents will have them starting to perform at civic centres in rural areas, usually named on the bill just above the chicken parmigana (see Spinal Tap).
After years of trying to reignite the passion they once had for music, everything will die down and they will fade into obscurity, like countless others in the industry have done.
Renewed interest in their back catalogue will enjoy a short lived boom upon their uneventful passing. People will recognise what the artist represented in their music, and will savour the sounds they brought to our ears.
Sounds bleak, doesn't it? Well the road less travel may mean you could become a legend by the age of 27 if you wanted to.
Kurt Cobain, beloved singer songwriter of Nirvana (1967-1994). Led the powerhouse to multi-platinum sales of their second album Nevermind (Geffen 1991). Becomes an icon, speaks out to the generation x kids, enjoys wealth and chart success for 3 years and committs suicide at the age of 27.
His death was a glorification for the masses, which indicated that it was alright to committ suicide. Because after all, Kurt did it and he was cool. The mindset of a lot of people was that it was a waste, and a shame for popular music as he was so influential to a lot of people and got people through rough times with his music.
A lot of emphasis was put on his relationship with Courtney Love, and his psychological state leading up to the point in which he ended his own life. Claims from people who saw him the night before he died, said that they wouldn't of been able to pick that he was suicidal at all.
Drugs may have presumbly played a part in his taking his own life, they wouldn't of helped to his state of rashionalising, so it may of contributed to it. Although many things did contribute to his suicide.
The media exposure he was receiving was overwhelming for him, and would for be anyone. He had been hailed as the next musical icon, the next Hendrix, the next Elvis up in those ranks. People put him up on a pedestal for everyone to see, he had become public property.
Now, had things been different today, Nirvana may have gone on to make more successful records, and may even still be around today. However, the nature of Cobain's songwriting was so volatile, that at any given time it was destined to self destruct. He could of either kept going, under sufferance or retreated to another country or retired on his earnings. The latter might have been an option. His career may have gone on, but he would have deteriorated in time, and his songwriting would of suffered for it. With each move he made he would of been scrutinised. When another album failed to live up to people's expectations, he would be scrutinised for it. Sooner rather than later, people will question his ability to write hooks like he did when he was in his prime, and eventually he and Nirvana would be written off as a joke.
Nirvana would of been viewed as a forgotten relic. People would of said, "Cobain used to be a song writing genius, but he's a has been now". No one knows whether Kurt could of predicted this could occur, but the question is would you rather take yourself out of the limelight and live a normal life? Or end it ensuring you become even more famous than when you were alive?
Some artists have taken over decades to be recognised for their music, without a mere mention from anyone, once someone committs suicide then that's when the attention starts to revolve around them. You could go down in history for taking your own life. It takes a lot of courage to committ an act so painfully honest, for the public to recognise the angst and frustration you must of felt when you were walking the earth! Wrong, note that i was being sarcastic and all i would ask for is that i don't hear about how brave Kurt Cobain was for killing himself. After all he was a drug addict, he was just a weathy one at that.
Artists deserve more recognition when they're alive, but continuing on they must understand that they won't be on top forever. If you're of the indie persuasion, then you'll be content with reaching a niche market for which you will be appreciated by your fans. If you are looking at breaking it big, the industry is hopelessly fickle and one day you're the biggest shit out, and the next your cd's start appearing in cash converters bargain bins or end up as landfill.
If you've died of natural causes then you have more of a chance of being ignored, but still honoured in some way.
Jimi Hendrix, he was put on a pedestal- Drug Overdose
Janis Joplin, put on a high pedestal (OVERRATED)- alcoholic
Charlie Parker, jazz legend highly respected-drugs
John Coltrane, heart problems-former drug user though.
Bud Powell-drugs
Sid Vicious-drug overdose
Elvis Presley-the king couldn't be told to stop- his dead body temporarily resided over a toliet bowl reportedly when he was found dead.
All these guys, put up on a pedestal only to find themselves a hollow and empty shell of a person, succumbing to their own self decadence, and ultimately death.
It's a harsh way to send off our beloved idols, although that's the way it often is in the industry.
Upon signing up to any major label, it should be a pre-requisite for any record company to offer either a burial or cremation service upon signing, i think that's what is has come to.
Tensions will arise, usually concerning ownership over material, or royalties for the songs. Solo artists will find themselves resorting to bringing on board new producers to inject some life into their otherwise torrid and diminishing repertoire. Other succesful artists may join them in the mighty infamous "Duets".
Record labels will drop them, they will enter rehab for drug and/or alcohol abuse. They will have to wipe the slate clean once again, and think about their comeback plan.
Touring schedules will be shortened to less and less dates. Booking agents will have them starting to perform at civic centres in rural areas, usually named on the bill just above the chicken parmigana (see Spinal Tap).
After years of trying to reignite the passion they once had for music, everything will die down and they will fade into obscurity, like countless others in the industry have done.
Renewed interest in their back catalogue will enjoy a short lived boom upon their uneventful passing. People will recognise what the artist represented in their music, and will savour the sounds they brought to our ears.
Sounds bleak, doesn't it? Well the road less travel may mean you could become a legend by the age of 27 if you wanted to.
Kurt Cobain, beloved singer songwriter of Nirvana (1967-1994). Led the powerhouse to multi-platinum sales of their second album Nevermind (Geffen 1991). Becomes an icon, speaks out to the generation x kids, enjoys wealth and chart success for 3 years and committs suicide at the age of 27.
His death was a glorification for the masses, which indicated that it was alright to committ suicide. Because after all, Kurt did it and he was cool. The mindset of a lot of people was that it was a waste, and a shame for popular music as he was so influential to a lot of people and got people through rough times with his music.
A lot of emphasis was put on his relationship with Courtney Love, and his psychological state leading up to the point in which he ended his own life. Claims from people who saw him the night before he died, said that they wouldn't of been able to pick that he was suicidal at all.
Drugs may have presumbly played a part in his taking his own life, they wouldn't of helped to his state of rashionalising, so it may of contributed to it. Although many things did contribute to his suicide.
The media exposure he was receiving was overwhelming for him, and would for be anyone. He had been hailed as the next musical icon, the next Hendrix, the next Elvis up in those ranks. People put him up on a pedestal for everyone to see, he had become public property.
Now, had things been different today, Nirvana may have gone on to make more successful records, and may even still be around today. However, the nature of Cobain's songwriting was so volatile, that at any given time it was destined to self destruct. He could of either kept going, under sufferance or retreated to another country or retired on his earnings. The latter might have been an option. His career may have gone on, but he would have deteriorated in time, and his songwriting would of suffered for it. With each move he made he would of been scrutinised. When another album failed to live up to people's expectations, he would be scrutinised for it. Sooner rather than later, people will question his ability to write hooks like he did when he was in his prime, and eventually he and Nirvana would be written off as a joke.
Nirvana would of been viewed as a forgotten relic. People would of said, "Cobain used to be a song writing genius, but he's a has been now". No one knows whether Kurt could of predicted this could occur, but the question is would you rather take yourself out of the limelight and live a normal life? Or end it ensuring you become even more famous than when you were alive?
Some artists have taken over decades to be recognised for their music, without a mere mention from anyone, once someone committs suicide then that's when the attention starts to revolve around them. You could go down in history for taking your own life. It takes a lot of courage to committ an act so painfully honest, for the public to recognise the angst and frustration you must of felt when you were walking the earth! Wrong, note that i was being sarcastic and all i would ask for is that i don't hear about how brave Kurt Cobain was for killing himself. After all he was a drug addict, he was just a weathy one at that.
Artists deserve more recognition when they're alive, but continuing on they must understand that they won't be on top forever. If you're of the indie persuasion, then you'll be content with reaching a niche market for which you will be appreciated by your fans. If you are looking at breaking it big, the industry is hopelessly fickle and one day you're the biggest shit out, and the next your cd's start appearing in cash converters bargain bins or end up as landfill.
If you've died of natural causes then you have more of a chance of being ignored, but still honoured in some way.
Jimi Hendrix, he was put on a pedestal- Drug Overdose
Janis Joplin, put on a high pedestal (OVERRATED)- alcoholic
Charlie Parker, jazz legend highly respected-drugs
John Coltrane, heart problems-former drug user though.
Bud Powell-drugs
Sid Vicious-drug overdose
Elvis Presley-the king couldn't be told to stop- his dead body temporarily resided over a toliet bowl reportedly when he was found dead.
All these guys, put up on a pedestal only to find themselves a hollow and empty shell of a person, succumbing to their own self decadence, and ultimately death.
It's a harsh way to send off our beloved idols, although that's the way it often is in the industry.
Upon signing up to any major label, it should be a pre-requisite for any record company to offer either a burial or cremation service upon signing, i think that's what is has come to.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
*Review* Artist: Trivium Album: Shogun (Roadrunner)
Rating:*/5
Listening to Trivium, is like reading The First Circle by Alexander Soltzhenitsyn. If you are familiar with this text, then you'll understand why i say this, whether you agree or not is another matter.
Subjecting anyone to listen to Trivium is unspeakable, well that's my opinion anyway. They are a well respected Metal band from Orlando,Florida. They rose to prominence with their Crusade album of a few years ago, being named as a serious successor to the throne of Metal's next best thing since Metallica, understandable in Metal circles given the fact that many facets of their sound are influenced by them. Ultimately this is a tried attempt by anyone to try and live up to the aformentioned powerhouse, and it is sickly in vain as so many tried attempts have failed resulting in many metal bands folding into a sub standard stereotypical sludge infested farce which they will inevitably become.
So again subjecting anyone to Trivium's lastest effort should be said in advance to be a waste of time on anyone's behalf. Well i'm not in the business of judging something before i've listened to it, so the only way we are going to get through is one.
Comparing listening to Trivium, to living in a Gulag Prison is a bit of a stretch you would say. For someone who doesn't like generic hardcore metal bands then it is. But I haven't written them off yet. I was excited to hear about this release because i wanted them to prove me wrong.
Trivium toured and did the big day out 2007, to much acclaim. They also did private shows which big crowds attended. I attended their set at the Perth leg of the festival, and was a little disappointed after all the hype i'd heard surrounding this band. They sounded clogged up with everything that was going with the sound. The arrangements as I expected were busy as, with guitars going a hundred miles an hour, and there was a lot of intesity in the performance and atmosphere. Having said that, if you had someone record the live set from a soundboard you would notice how terrible the band sounded if you heard the audio and had not been there.
So why do i reference the First Circle book? Well, the story entails a bunch of prisoners are captured, and are used to assist in Stalin's regime involving security. The characters are faced with the moral dilemma of contributing to the decay of the Soviet Union and it's people.
It's similar in a way, because by listening to this music you may be contributing to the decline of metal music. I'm doing the same by reviewing it. It wouldn't like to see this band like many others contribute another mediocre entry into the worldof music.It's happened all too many times now, i just hope the genre doesn't implode, and we're left with no outlet for venom in contemporary music.
It does implode upon commencement, and that's probably the best thing about the album, on about the 4th listen by now it's integral appeal will be the emphasis on heavy riffing, and the tight compositional structure of the tracks. This wasn't evident when i saw them live at all, because the sound was too cluttered and busy, and the live interpretations didn't do any favours for the studio takes. Burdened with the fact that they sound a hell of a lot like Metallica, i feel that they've tried to break out of this mould but were unable to, infusing their sound with more modern flourishes doesn't take away how dated the twin guitars sound upon listening to tracks like "Torn Between Scylla And Charybdis", and indeed the bulk of the songs on Shogun.
A different aspect of their songwriting involves more mythical subject matters, so that is something they have incorporated into their sound.
Shogun will please fans, but it's nothing I haven't heard before. Their overbuilt hype has been in vain in many respects, this won't be the decline of civilization but i will force you to question who your next metal heroes will be. Substandard. Sub zero. One star for the cover art. Prisoners of war were lucky Trivium weren't around the time of Stalin's regime.
*Review* Artist: End of Fashion Album: Book of Lies (EMI)
Rating:**1/2 out of 5
The second album from Australian act End of Fashion.
You have to keep in mind that this album is out through EMI/Virgin.Now, this is an important thing to know in accessing how good this album is.
EMI, one of the big "4" in the business, is host to some of the worlds greatest international acts and are in turn an iconic musical institution which produces quality music from around the globe. Rolling Stones, The Beatles, David Bowie, Coldplay, Pink Floyd,Dean Martin, Sinatra all have had extensive record contracts through this company, most of them released under the capitol label before EMI bought them out. They have a great track record of signing artists with a lot of promise, and subsidiary labels like MUTE,VIRGIN,HARVEST have become important parts of EMI's makeup over the last 20/30 years.
Harvest was an outlet for the more avant garde jazz and prog rock bands in the 70's to release music. Acts such as Soft Machine's Kevin Ayers, pre 1975 Pink Floyd,Kate Bush, The Move etc were prestigiously represented by Harvest Recordings as an outlet for the more left field types of artists at the time.
EMI's list of labels are too many to list here, however they have acquired rights to a lot of labels, whom without their collapse, EMI wouldn't of been able to obtain otherwise.
However, after EMI tried to buy out Warner Music Group in 2006, things started going downhill, and a rebuttle from WMG was to react to the proposition by buying EMI out. In the year of 2007, estimated losses of 260 million pounds was something that was unwelcome news for the company. They eventually had been bought out by Terra Firma Capital Partners on August of 2007, who after the transition cut back over 1500 jobs in the company.
So in having some background on EMI, you have a feeling of how big a concern they are, and that wanting to invest in talent should be a primary concern of theirs. Emerging artists should be progressed and selling records, continually meeting commercial expectations.
I've talked about how an act puts out a superior debut album, and is later plagued by the abscence of good material on the sophomore album. We have to tread carefully when we assess the merit of these such efforts, as our expectations are always high in the anticipation of a release like this.
The self titled debut of 2006 unleashed a polished and tight set full of pop rock hooks to please appetite of any beatles afficianado or someone that way inclined to like vintage pop. End of Fashion were a force to be reckoned with, and did what they do best, with tight catchy immediate hooks with sensitive vocals that compliment the solid songwriting. I was amazed to find such a source of anthemic bliss in the first sitting, and continued to enjoy it with multiple repeated listens.
Book of Lies differs from the debut, the quality of the material is still high but throughout repeated listens it reveals itself more and more. The debut was like a piece of musical cyanide which blows you away on initial exposure to it. Book of Lies is more of like a slow burning candle, it reaches it conclusion in a longer timeframe.
Highlights such as"Biskit", "Exotica" and "Fussy" are enough for this album not to become a pedestrian effort, however this album is by no means any leap forward and I was highly dissapointed with this album. Second album syndrome is rampent nowadays and it's definately disheartening to see such a talented group follow up a stellar debut with a lacklustre sophomore.
Monday, September 29, 2008
*Review* Artist:Cold War Kids" Album:Loyalty to Loyalty (shock)
Rating:**/5
California's Cold War Kids follow up there highly acclaimed debut "Robber and Cowards". Loyalty to Loyalty feels as if you've entered an apocalyptic blue collar wasteland, where treason, poverty and redemption are ever prominent in an everlasting blaze of self destructing, defecating mannerisms, as evident in this set of songs.
How is this different from the debut, well the attitude in the music has changed, we experienced a lot of hurt and regret in the tracks of the debut. The songs came across as characters who have felt betrayed, yet are content to stay true to their sinnister ways. "We Used to Vacation" is about a man who has done irreparable damage to his loving family who look up to him as a provider, even though when he comes home from work he beats the shit out of them in a drunken stupor.
"Hang Me Out To Dry", is about the girlfriend who has taken the fella for granted, and he has been a idiot all along by not identifiying the signs of a cheating lover. He is still yearning for her even though she uses him as a dispoable entity in which she uses for sexual pleasure.
The characters on the sophomore effort, are different however the characters from the first album resurface in a couple of tracks, though not as evidently.
A more weary and suspicious character, appears in this blue collar district, which is the setting for the album.
The tracks are reminiscent of Rain Dogs era Tom Waits, so did the first album for that matter, the desolate losers who are portrayed in the settings, the expositional nature of a redemptive bafoon who is willing to either seek forgiveness for his sins, or is content to wallow in his state of obliviousness for the feelings of hurt he has caused his loved ones.
So if you're lookin for something new, then this isn't the place to go, there aren't many revelations discovered on this set, although the nature of the characters have changed from the last album. Sound wise, their is no new ground covered, but that is not a bad thing though. Cold War Kids have provided enough for any casual listener or fan to be satisfied with, but this is no blinder, rest assure that nothing has really taken my breath away with this one, despite being a good listen. Consistency is taken into consideration with this band, as both of the albums don't contain many weak tracks, maybe more laidback or subdued ones.
Not a classic, but a great listen. The apocalytic blue collar oppression continues in this saga as told by the Cold War Kids.
California's Cold War Kids follow up there highly acclaimed debut "Robber and Cowards". Loyalty to Loyalty feels as if you've entered an apocalyptic blue collar wasteland, where treason, poverty and redemption are ever prominent in an everlasting blaze of self destructing, defecating mannerisms, as evident in this set of songs.
How is this different from the debut, well the attitude in the music has changed, we experienced a lot of hurt and regret in the tracks of the debut. The songs came across as characters who have felt betrayed, yet are content to stay true to their sinnister ways. "We Used to Vacation" is about a man who has done irreparable damage to his loving family who look up to him as a provider, even though when he comes home from work he beats the shit out of them in a drunken stupor.
"Hang Me Out To Dry", is about the girlfriend who has taken the fella for granted, and he has been a idiot all along by not identifiying the signs of a cheating lover. He is still yearning for her even though she uses him as a dispoable entity in which she uses for sexual pleasure.
The characters on the sophomore effort, are different however the characters from the first album resurface in a couple of tracks, though not as evidently.
A more weary and suspicious character, appears in this blue collar district, which is the setting for the album.
The tracks are reminiscent of Rain Dogs era Tom Waits, so did the first album for that matter, the desolate losers who are portrayed in the settings, the expositional nature of a redemptive bafoon who is willing to either seek forgiveness for his sins, or is content to wallow in his state of obliviousness for the feelings of hurt he has caused his loved ones.
So if you're lookin for something new, then this isn't the place to go, there aren't many revelations discovered on this set, although the nature of the characters have changed from the last album. Sound wise, their is no new ground covered, but that is not a bad thing though. Cold War Kids have provided enough for any casual listener or fan to be satisfied with, but this is no blinder, rest assure that nothing has really taken my breath away with this one, despite being a good listen. Consistency is taken into consideration with this band, as both of the albums don't contain many weak tracks, maybe more laidback or subdued ones.
Not a classic, but a great listen. The apocalytic blue collar oppression continues in this saga as told by the Cold War Kids.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Second Efforts Fall Short
With the momentum of a young singer songwriter or group, their best material is often in the earlier part of their careers. It's difficult to actually pinpoint how successful a follow up album can be given the fact that it is subjective opinion. Honestly you could state your claim on an entire nation with a successful chart topping act, and it could last for a couple of months, or a couple of decades.
In the modern age, we have a tendency to consider everything disposable, our jobs, our appliances, our cars. So when record companies can capitalise on a band's success while they are hot on their heels of breakin it, they can destroy their reputations and hopes for the future in the blink of an eye when there sophomore single fails to make the charts. It's disposable talent, and that is the future for our consumerist counter culture of internet celebrities, and myspace bands who are the next big thing. Having not been conditioned to the industry, are enticed into a promiseland of everlasting success and wealth.
When artists have well received debut albums,the follow up is one of the most daunting tasks they encounter in their careers. It mostly comes down to the selection criteria. Consistent material which outshines or builds on the first set of songs, may be enough to eclipse the success of the first album. But the reason why they call it "the difficult second album" is because many artists will fall short of the mark concerning their legitimacy in following up an otherwise stellar debut effort. This is a fact of life for musicians, and they would probably wish they could bypass this obstacle and go straight to the third album.
Classic debut albums have all the bells and whistles, and are never modest in their approach to reaching their audience. A good thing going is best executed right there and then. Momentum can build when you're song writing, and if the hooks keep coming. Then why not, but keep in mind your life will depend on what you do next, and you will not want to be forgotten.
Alanis Morrisette exploded onto the music scene in 1995 with Jagged Little Pill. Although it wasn't the first album she had recorded ( it was actually her third, but first record released internationally). The album met with commerical and critical acclaim upon release, and turned her into an international supserstar.
The bulk of the album contained many chart topping tracks, including "Ironic" "You Outta Know", "Head over Feet" and "Hand In My Pocket."It is the higest selling debut album by a female artist with over 14 million units sold up until september 2008 in the US alone, and over 30 million worldwide.
Morrisette enjoyed considerable success around the world with the album, including Grammy Nominations and world wide tours.
So Morrisette's follow up "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" emerged in November of 1998. Upon release it sold well, and met to generally favourable reviews. However sales declined, and the material wasn't as potent as it's predecessor had been. The reason for this was the material selected for the album. Jagged Little Pill had the urgency and pop sensiblity of a young canadian singer songwriter who had a musical visionary in the partner of Glen Ballard, who co-wrote and did the arrangements for her music.
A more mellower effort, the compositions were more subdued, and not typical of what made her a phenomenon in the first place. Singles packed Jagged Little Pill set with consistency which made it a blockbuster. None of these elements were evident in Fomer Infatuation Junkie, therefore making it a less memorable event in Morrisette's discography.
From 14 million, to 2 in the US marked a significant drop in sales. Her second effort just didn't reach as many people as she would of liked, despite constant radio rotation.
Boston, from Massachusetts exploded into the mid seventies in the same manner. Tom Sholz advertised for players to come join a band, after initially being a keyboard player he converted to guitar to play in Boston which would originally consist of Sholz, vocalist Brad Delp, drummer Jim Masdea, and bassist Barry Gondreau. Their self titled debut album appeared in 1976 when they were signed to CBS subsidiary Epic Records ( who represent the likes of Sly and the Family Stone, and formely Pearl Jam).
It became the highest selling debut album in US history selling over 17 millions albums, it still holds the record to this day. "More Than A Feeling" became a world wide hit, with top 40 hits in "Long Time" and "Piece of Mind".
A couple of years passed, and Tom Sholz planned a follow up with material written over the two year gap between the debut and "Don't Look Back" which appeared in 1978. Don't Look Back sold reasonably well in it's first months with 4 million units in the US sold, however the sales and the critical reception for the album was symbolic of the lacklustre's effort to succeed.
Moderate success followed for Boston in the coming years, but were never able to reach that pinnacle that they did on the first album.
With the evidence provided to suggest that stellar debut albums can overshadow successive efforts, we can't help but expose this when big artists are successful and all the pressure is on them to create history again and again. Many have managed to achieve this, namely U2, Madonna, Minogue,AC/DC, Metallica have managed to have huge fanbases spanning several decades. So for an artist to fall from grace so abruptly, one can suspect the artist of not having the ability to overcome media scrutiny and the high expectations set upon them by their peers and critics. This is true, and while the bands that have defined generations still enjoy mainstream success and their records are considered timeless, there will always be the former superstar who the public had an infatuation with for a split second, then discarded like a butted out cigarette, squashed into the ground, an analogy which could be used for the treatment of pop idols of the contemporary era.
The Strokes were a force to be reckoned with when "Is This It" came in 2001. It topped critics lists and saw emergence of one of the most hyped bands around the Us and Britain. It all went to waste when the sub standard "Room on Fire" was released in 2003.
Guns n Roses enjoyed the multi platinum debut of "Appetite For Destruction" in 1986, but conjured up an effort to cringe at with GNR Lies years later.
The MC5, one of the most notorious bands of the late sixties from Detroit, released the uncompromising, unleashed hell of Kick Out The Jams. An era defining album which saw the roots of what would later become the punk rock movement.
They followed it up with the sterile, glossily produced "Back In The USA", this marked the end of the long reigning Detroit outfit, who many looked up to in the sixties, as giving the middle finger to the establishment.
X-Ray Spex, one of the most infamous bands from the English punk scene, only managed to make "Germ Free Adolescents" in 1978. The all girl punk outfit made one of the most acclaimed albums in music history, and didn't release a follow-up until their reformation in 1991, in which it took another four years to deliver a follow up "Conscious Consumer" which appeared in 1995. It was received poorly and the music press took hardly any notice of it.
We all have thoughts, of what could of been. But when the artists lower themselves to become forgotten relics of the past, or sink to the level of mediocrity, where they are still working but no one really cares anymore, you have to consider that as a part of the nature of music. It was in the moment in which they thrived, and even though many of these artists have been forgotten today, we can at least acknowledge that they were a part of our consciousness for a short amount of time.
In the modern age, we have a tendency to consider everything disposable, our jobs, our appliances, our cars. So when record companies can capitalise on a band's success while they are hot on their heels of breakin it, they can destroy their reputations and hopes for the future in the blink of an eye when there sophomore single fails to make the charts. It's disposable talent, and that is the future for our consumerist counter culture of internet celebrities, and myspace bands who are the next big thing. Having not been conditioned to the industry, are enticed into a promiseland of everlasting success and wealth.
When artists have well received debut albums,the follow up is one of the most daunting tasks they encounter in their careers. It mostly comes down to the selection criteria. Consistent material which outshines or builds on the first set of songs, may be enough to eclipse the success of the first album. But the reason why they call it "the difficult second album" is because many artists will fall short of the mark concerning their legitimacy in following up an otherwise stellar debut effort. This is a fact of life for musicians, and they would probably wish they could bypass this obstacle and go straight to the third album.
Classic debut albums have all the bells and whistles, and are never modest in their approach to reaching their audience. A good thing going is best executed right there and then. Momentum can build when you're song writing, and if the hooks keep coming. Then why not, but keep in mind your life will depend on what you do next, and you will not want to be forgotten.
Alanis Morrisette exploded onto the music scene in 1995 with Jagged Little Pill. Although it wasn't the first album she had recorded ( it was actually her third, but first record released internationally). The album met with commerical and critical acclaim upon release, and turned her into an international supserstar.
The bulk of the album contained many chart topping tracks, including "Ironic" "You Outta Know", "Head over Feet" and "Hand In My Pocket."It is the higest selling debut album by a female artist with over 14 million units sold up until september 2008 in the US alone, and over 30 million worldwide.
Morrisette enjoyed considerable success around the world with the album, including Grammy Nominations and world wide tours.
So Morrisette's follow up "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" emerged in November of 1998. Upon release it sold well, and met to generally favourable reviews. However sales declined, and the material wasn't as potent as it's predecessor had been. The reason for this was the material selected for the album. Jagged Little Pill had the urgency and pop sensiblity of a young canadian singer songwriter who had a musical visionary in the partner of Glen Ballard, who co-wrote and did the arrangements for her music.
A more mellower effort, the compositions were more subdued, and not typical of what made her a phenomenon in the first place. Singles packed Jagged Little Pill set with consistency which made it a blockbuster. None of these elements were evident in Fomer Infatuation Junkie, therefore making it a less memorable event in Morrisette's discography.
From 14 million, to 2 in the US marked a significant drop in sales. Her second effort just didn't reach as many people as she would of liked, despite constant radio rotation.
Boston, from Massachusetts exploded into the mid seventies in the same manner. Tom Sholz advertised for players to come join a band, after initially being a keyboard player he converted to guitar to play in Boston which would originally consist of Sholz, vocalist Brad Delp, drummer Jim Masdea, and bassist Barry Gondreau. Their self titled debut album appeared in 1976 when they were signed to CBS subsidiary Epic Records ( who represent the likes of Sly and the Family Stone, and formely Pearl Jam).
It became the highest selling debut album in US history selling over 17 millions albums, it still holds the record to this day. "More Than A Feeling" became a world wide hit, with top 40 hits in "Long Time" and "Piece of Mind".
A couple of years passed, and Tom Sholz planned a follow up with material written over the two year gap between the debut and "Don't Look Back" which appeared in 1978. Don't Look Back sold reasonably well in it's first months with 4 million units in the US sold, however the sales and the critical reception for the album was symbolic of the lacklustre's effort to succeed.
Moderate success followed for Boston in the coming years, but were never able to reach that pinnacle that they did on the first album.
With the evidence provided to suggest that stellar debut albums can overshadow successive efforts, we can't help but expose this when big artists are successful and all the pressure is on them to create history again and again. Many have managed to achieve this, namely U2, Madonna, Minogue,AC/DC, Metallica have managed to have huge fanbases spanning several decades. So for an artist to fall from grace so abruptly, one can suspect the artist of not having the ability to overcome media scrutiny and the high expectations set upon them by their peers and critics. This is true, and while the bands that have defined generations still enjoy mainstream success and their records are considered timeless, there will always be the former superstar who the public had an infatuation with for a split second, then discarded like a butted out cigarette, squashed into the ground, an analogy which could be used for the treatment of pop idols of the contemporary era.
The Strokes were a force to be reckoned with when "Is This It" came in 2001. It topped critics lists and saw emergence of one of the most hyped bands around the Us and Britain. It all went to waste when the sub standard "Room on Fire" was released in 2003.
Guns n Roses enjoyed the multi platinum debut of "Appetite For Destruction" in 1986, but conjured up an effort to cringe at with GNR Lies years later.
The MC5, one of the most notorious bands of the late sixties from Detroit, released the uncompromising, unleashed hell of Kick Out The Jams. An era defining album which saw the roots of what would later become the punk rock movement.
They followed it up with the sterile, glossily produced "Back In The USA", this marked the end of the long reigning Detroit outfit, who many looked up to in the sixties, as giving the middle finger to the establishment.
X-Ray Spex, one of the most infamous bands from the English punk scene, only managed to make "Germ Free Adolescents" in 1978. The all girl punk outfit made one of the most acclaimed albums in music history, and didn't release a follow-up until their reformation in 1991, in which it took another four years to deliver a follow up "Conscious Consumer" which appeared in 1995. It was received poorly and the music press took hardly any notice of it.
We all have thoughts, of what could of been. But when the artists lower themselves to become forgotten relics of the past, or sink to the level of mediocrity, where they are still working but no one really cares anymore, you have to consider that as a part of the nature of music. It was in the moment in which they thrived, and even though many of these artists have been forgotten today, we can at least acknowledge that they were a part of our consciousness for a short amount of time.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
*Review* Kings of Leon-Only By The Night (SONY)
Rating: ***Truly embracing your musical heritage and beginnings is one thing. But branching out and expanding your horizons to the point of alienating fans is another.
I don't believe the Kings of Leon have managed to alienate their audience, in fact over the last two years their fanbase has grown considerably. They are a band who you will consider amongst some of the best the first decade into this century.
Believably, you could claim that they wanted to dazzle fans with unexpected changes in style between albums. This isn't really so, at the core of all this music is the distinctive Caleb Followill at the front of the music, with his distinctive southern swagger.
The initiation of synthesizers on Because of the Times, marked a turning point for their sound and direction. The songwriting on all three of their previous albums was sophisticated and consistent and i believe will continue to be for a long time. With the use of catchy melodies and introducing synths and an arena friendly demanour to the songs, they built on what they already had as reputable back catalogue.
Only By the Night builds on this again. The southern consciousness is ever prominent in all of the songs but the flourishes of synths still make this music accessible to fans fond of the early material of Youth and Young Manhood.
Hightlights include, Closer, Sex on Fire, Cold Desert.
Fans arguably wouldn't be continuing to latch on to this band as one of the most improved and exciting bands of the last 10 years. Other acts, namly The Strokes, had groundbreaking debut efforts but have failed to deliver on successive occassions, slowing down their momentum.
Kings of Leon have that momentum all have been able to continously suprise and delight fans thorughout their last three albums, and the newest is no exception. There's a lot to like here, and it all comes with ease as you would expect from the threesome from Tennesee.
*Review* The Drones-Halivah (ATP)
Rating:****
The Drones are a quartet from Victoria, who specialise in slow building- down beat swamp rock in a sense. Hard to catergorize as a sound, but encompasses a hard hitting element of story telling in their compositions.
Influenced by Neil Young, story telling reminiscent of Tom Waits, it's a hybrid of all kinds of styles with a bluesy guitar sound which meanders off into dissonance heavily similar to sonic youth or bands of that ilk.
They took out the Australian Music Prize in 2006 for their album "Wait Long by the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By". Which generated a lot of rotation amongst triple j with both Tracks, "Sharkfin Blues" and "Baby2".
Gala Mill which was the follow up to Wait Long by the River.. was also nominated for the AMP award.
Now with 2008's Havilah, we have come to expect a standard and mood from the band with each set that they deliver. Gala Mill intiated a clause which must be followed concerning the band's character. It you want to listen to the Drones, start from the beginning, and follow the story straight from the start.
Stories will unfold, and vocalist Gareth Liddiard will take you their with his distinctively Australian rasp, which takes you beyond the sound of the song, and straight to the emotional state of the characters involved in these songs.
Gala Mill, and it's predecessor were at risk of becoming to dissonant for their own in amongst the longer tracks of those albums.
Gala Mill was very dark, although Havilah makes a refreshing change and adds a bit more light and accessibility to their sound.
"Nail it Down", the opener sees an upbeat start, an dynamic time shifts complement the ebb and flow of the song, accompanied by terrific solo work.
"The Drifting Housewife", is a slow building tale of abandonment which self destructs as it finishes.
The First seven tracks of this album, build a lot of momentum, and don't lag behind longer than they have to. That is the biggest strength of the album.
The other three albums had momentary signs of disappearing into their own echo, passages of dissonance which didn't really compliment the compositions that much. This set you can't tire of, because the majority of the first half is so enjoyable, that by the time the slower tracks emerge, you have been escounsed in the mood of the album and you can't wait for the second time around.
That is something which has been missing from the last Drones albums. This time around it is their best effort to date. A well rounded, consistent set of songs in the manner of which they were intended, but infused with an element of lightness which makes it a definite addition to any collection, and anyone who is interested in this band..
You cant help but feel, that a band comes along and they can either build a big reputation and peak early and not follow up on their success. Or upon each release, reveal another side of themselves and accentuate their strengths in a way which makes it exciting and enjoyable for the fans and people who have not heard them before. The Drones are in the later, they keep building as an act, and deserve all the recognition they can get.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sibling Success for Pop Artists. Should I Carry On OR Should I Put My Tongue in a Deep Fryer?
We can all rest assure that if a pop star these days received some success on the pop charts, then a sibling a few years younger won't be too far away.
Usually it's a sister, because of the history of female pop artists over the last 10 years. Jessica rose to fame with the insipidly delightful Newlyweds program, which gave a lot of viewers violent reactions to the ditzy nasaly blonde, with whom Nick Lachey had to put up with for a few seasons. So long Jessica Simpson.
The newlyweds program revived Simpson's career as it had been a bit stale with short lived hiatus from the pop charts. After the show's huge success worldwide, Simpson enjoyed gaining a lead role in the television to film adaptation of The Dukes of Hazzard. An accompanying song from the soundtrack, "these boots are made for walkin" was an ill fated attempt at covering a classic which was otherwise known as an anthem for the empowerment of women. But Simpson uses her sexuality and a lot of soap to communicate to the mass market that she is indeed a sexual object, and she had no intention whatsoever in cleaning the car. Laying all over the dukes car with soap all over her. That's what sells so who am i to argue, it is hot. However a complete insult to the nature of what the song was about.
The original moral of the song was, "im a women, and if you mess with my shit, i'll cut your dick off". Simpson's interpretation of the song was " look at me im all soapy in hot pants laying all over this car, come and get me,because im a extroverted slurry slurry whore who wants to appeal to the masses by objectifying myself to the masses, in order to get to the top of the billboard chart.
Well fair enough, but I digressed anyway. So Jessica enjoys a lot of success and all that. So then her younger sister Ashlee thinks she can do the same, well why the fuck not. Because really you idealise your older sister for being the centre of attention, and you would love to live up to the success of her, and given the fact that the family name is already well known in the industry will give you a head start.
OK, so it should all be set up for ya, if you're not fugly then you'll be fine. it turns out that your not but you couldn't sing a note to save yourself. But that doesn't matter these days, because producers have something called autotune, which means as long as you look alright and you've got a great body, you don't have to sing a note at all you just have to have a little sex appeal, great..
So Ashlee goes on a makes a few hits, so that's okay it's ok to look up to your sister. I mean she's pretty harmless i guess just a ditzy blonde with a hit tv show.
Although another set of sisters, the youngest one out of the two had a lot to contend and live up to. She really had to get out there and make a complete ass of herself...
Yes I'm talkin about Britney's sister, Jamie Lynn Spears.
One of the most talked about pop divas to hit the globe, became a pre adolescent pop mega star, promiscuous sexual media object, to a redneck white trash fried chicken eatin machine with two kids. So poor old Jamie had to do something, she couldn't just sit by and be lame and normal like everyone else in Louisiana. No she got preggas as well..
But I really commend Britney on waiting as long as she did. Because someone who is that successful at that age is bound to do one of three things;
1. Die of a drug overdose
2. End up anexoric or balemic
3. Have a drunken Las Vegas wedding, and have the marriage enulled after 55 hours.
She did the latter, which was embarassing, then after that she got up the duff.
Jamie Lynn thought it might be a good idea to get pregnant at 16. Could of fucked ya life up more, well not really guess she's a white trash mum now getting taken care by a wealthy estate i guess. She will lead a comfortable life, and in the later years she will make b-grade guest appearances on celebrity reality programs such as survivor or dancing with the stars.
But who's to blame, always showbiz parents. You are the worst, someone might as well call child services and get them to take away your kids, your pathetic..
Beauty pageant parents are a joke, parading around their kids like sexual objects at a very young age, condemning them if they don't win, and using the fear not being loved to spark them on.
The spears family aren't guilty of being like that, however after seeing one child follow a downhill spiral, you'd expect them to warn Jamie Lynn of what could possibly happen. From the early days of being in the mickey mouse club, she never had a real childhood, and was pushed and pushed until it became to surreal for her to comprehend..
Micheal Jackson, look at him. He is a grotesque monster now who befriends children, and allegedly does unspeakable things to them which is moraly wrong. From a child star, who had no childhood, performing for everyone was his life. He wanted to come away from that, and come out of himself, so he created an image of himself which was not at all recognizable to his true african american form, he became an insipid fake shell of a ghost, a mutant, which is what he felt like all the time. He wanted to be loved by his parents, not by the public.
Joseph Walter Jackson, (father) created the most hideous figure of the 20th century. That's right worse than Fran Drescher!
His abuse led to his demise in the normal world, he's all fucked up now dangling kids out of windows, completely lost the plot, he should be in some institution..
Anyway, you forge your own destiny. And young stars have to be aware of the history of stardom at a young age which leads to self destruction. If if acknowleged, can well be on their way to led a healthy successful life in showbiz.
The acknowledgment has to be made by family members, especially the parents, for if we can't rely on them to guide these guys and be responsible for guiding them down the right path. Then who can we rely on, certainly not talent agents and managers, they chew you up and spit you out like a piece of broccoli.
So be careful who you look up to. If you're in a famous family, don't be led astray by acts of stupidity by your role models. Because it's almost certain they've caught the hollywood epidemic, they think they're bigger than life at times.. But something has to kill you.
Usually it's a sister, because of the history of female pop artists over the last 10 years. Jessica rose to fame with the insipidly delightful Newlyweds program, which gave a lot of viewers violent reactions to the ditzy nasaly blonde, with whom Nick Lachey had to put up with for a few seasons. So long Jessica Simpson.
The newlyweds program revived Simpson's career as it had been a bit stale with short lived hiatus from the pop charts. After the show's huge success worldwide, Simpson enjoyed gaining a lead role in the television to film adaptation of The Dukes of Hazzard. An accompanying song from the soundtrack, "these boots are made for walkin" was an ill fated attempt at covering a classic which was otherwise known as an anthem for the empowerment of women. But Simpson uses her sexuality and a lot of soap to communicate to the mass market that she is indeed a sexual object, and she had no intention whatsoever in cleaning the car. Laying all over the dukes car with soap all over her. That's what sells so who am i to argue, it is hot. However a complete insult to the nature of what the song was about.
The original moral of the song was, "im a women, and if you mess with my shit, i'll cut your dick off". Simpson's interpretation of the song was " look at me im all soapy in hot pants laying all over this car, come and get me,because im a extroverted slurry slurry whore who wants to appeal to the masses by objectifying myself to the masses, in order to get to the top of the billboard chart.
Well fair enough, but I digressed anyway. So Jessica enjoys a lot of success and all that. So then her younger sister Ashlee thinks she can do the same, well why the fuck not. Because really you idealise your older sister for being the centre of attention, and you would love to live up to the success of her, and given the fact that the family name is already well known in the industry will give you a head start.
OK, so it should all be set up for ya, if you're not fugly then you'll be fine. it turns out that your not but you couldn't sing a note to save yourself. But that doesn't matter these days, because producers have something called autotune, which means as long as you look alright and you've got a great body, you don't have to sing a note at all you just have to have a little sex appeal, great..
So Ashlee goes on a makes a few hits, so that's okay it's ok to look up to your sister. I mean she's pretty harmless i guess just a ditzy blonde with a hit tv show.
Although another set of sisters, the youngest one out of the two had a lot to contend and live up to. She really had to get out there and make a complete ass of herself...
Yes I'm talkin about Britney's sister, Jamie Lynn Spears.
One of the most talked about pop divas to hit the globe, became a pre adolescent pop mega star, promiscuous sexual media object, to a redneck white trash fried chicken eatin machine with two kids. So poor old Jamie had to do something, she couldn't just sit by and be lame and normal like everyone else in Louisiana. No she got preggas as well..
But I really commend Britney on waiting as long as she did. Because someone who is that successful at that age is bound to do one of three things;
1. Die of a drug overdose
2. End up anexoric or balemic
3. Have a drunken Las Vegas wedding, and have the marriage enulled after 55 hours.
She did the latter, which was embarassing, then after that she got up the duff.
Jamie Lynn thought it might be a good idea to get pregnant at 16. Could of fucked ya life up more, well not really guess she's a white trash mum now getting taken care by a wealthy estate i guess. She will lead a comfortable life, and in the later years she will make b-grade guest appearances on celebrity reality programs such as survivor or dancing with the stars.
But who's to blame, always showbiz parents. You are the worst, someone might as well call child services and get them to take away your kids, your pathetic..
Beauty pageant parents are a joke, parading around their kids like sexual objects at a very young age, condemning them if they don't win, and using the fear not being loved to spark them on.
The spears family aren't guilty of being like that, however after seeing one child follow a downhill spiral, you'd expect them to warn Jamie Lynn of what could possibly happen. From the early days of being in the mickey mouse club, she never had a real childhood, and was pushed and pushed until it became to surreal for her to comprehend..
Micheal Jackson, look at him. He is a grotesque monster now who befriends children, and allegedly does unspeakable things to them which is moraly wrong. From a child star, who had no childhood, performing for everyone was his life. He wanted to come away from that, and come out of himself, so he created an image of himself which was not at all recognizable to his true african american form, he became an insipid fake shell of a ghost, a mutant, which is what he felt like all the time. He wanted to be loved by his parents, not by the public.
Joseph Walter Jackson, (father) created the most hideous figure of the 20th century. That's right worse than Fran Drescher!
His abuse led to his demise in the normal world, he's all fucked up now dangling kids out of windows, completely lost the plot, he should be in some institution..
Anyway, you forge your own destiny. And young stars have to be aware of the history of stardom at a young age which leads to self destruction. If if acknowleged, can well be on their way to led a healthy successful life in showbiz.
The acknowledgment has to be made by family members, especially the parents, for if we can't rely on them to guide these guys and be responsible for guiding them down the right path. Then who can we rely on, certainly not talent agents and managers, they chew you up and spit you out like a piece of broccoli.
So be careful who you look up to. If you're in a famous family, don't be led astray by acts of stupidity by your role models. Because it's almost certain they've caught the hollywood epidemic, they think they're bigger than life at times.. But something has to kill you.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
White Noise,Black Bar, Red Eyes, Sore Ears
On the night before anzac day, i went with a few friends to north perth to a club called shape. It was an experimental noise night.
Noise bands i've often been intrigued with. But as im reaching the wise old age of 22, i think im starting to lose my edge. Like im actually feelin like maybe i want to try and restore my hearing for my coming years of concert attending.
Fugazi, Godspeed You black emperor, mogwai, merzbow, that's the stuff i've got into over the past few years. To find some beauty in the dissonance of musicians violating the syntheziers and guitars as if they were pieces of utter shit, resonating what comes out of the speakers as pure irreverant bile spewing out at you. It's very attractive kind of music, you know, like you wonder why freaks like me spend three hours in a dark club listening to this stuff.
Well, this night was over before it begain. Now the first band was good. they played a half hour song, the only line in the song was "i can see the fire, imogen's fine" over and over. so that was the first set, so far so good.
The next band was pretty good, they were hell tight and there scratchy guitars were intact and sounded pretty good.
The headliner was pain, i forgot what they were called, but after 8 beers and hallocinating thinking a was seeing aladdin off in the distance riding the magic carpet on his way to offering me a lift home, i was getting restless, and even having inserted the earplugs that were provided to everyone before they came on, my ears were aching, they went for two hours, and it was PURE NOISE in the sense, now i knew it would be this kind of thing. But it was brutal, and i was hungry, and my foot was sore, i thought i saw a chic over in the corner with a bag which i thought could of had food in it. There might of been a cheese sandwich in there.but i found it wasn't after i stumbled over there and asked her what it was and she said she had her top from work in there.
i couldn't eat that.
anyway i don't know what has happened since then i've gone all soft and shit. i need my hardness back, but avant garde noise has just put me off for a while. I think i might listen to my billy joel albums for a while.
Noise bands i've often been intrigued with. But as im reaching the wise old age of 22, i think im starting to lose my edge. Like im actually feelin like maybe i want to try and restore my hearing for my coming years of concert attending.
Fugazi, Godspeed You black emperor, mogwai, merzbow, that's the stuff i've got into over the past few years. To find some beauty in the dissonance of musicians violating the syntheziers and guitars as if they were pieces of utter shit, resonating what comes out of the speakers as pure irreverant bile spewing out at you. It's very attractive kind of music, you know, like you wonder why freaks like me spend three hours in a dark club listening to this stuff.
Well, this night was over before it begain. Now the first band was good. they played a half hour song, the only line in the song was "i can see the fire, imogen's fine" over and over. so that was the first set, so far so good.
The next band was pretty good, they were hell tight and there scratchy guitars were intact and sounded pretty good.
The headliner was pain, i forgot what they were called, but after 8 beers and hallocinating thinking a was seeing aladdin off in the distance riding the magic carpet on his way to offering me a lift home, i was getting restless, and even having inserted the earplugs that were provided to everyone before they came on, my ears were aching, they went for two hours, and it was PURE NOISE in the sense, now i knew it would be this kind of thing. But it was brutal, and i was hungry, and my foot was sore, i thought i saw a chic over in the corner with a bag which i thought could of had food in it. There might of been a cheese sandwich in there.but i found it wasn't after i stumbled over there and asked her what it was and she said she had her top from work in there.
i couldn't eat that.
anyway i don't know what has happened since then i've gone all soft and shit. i need my hardness back, but avant garde noise has just put me off for a while. I think i might listen to my billy joel albums for a while.
The Renaissance of Old Rockers
You can never get your hey days back it seems, however many attempts older rockers may choose to make.
The tide will turn, we all cant be writing classic material forever. The Stones are winding down, bands of the likes of Duran Duran, Smashing Pumpkins and other gen x participants of the era are making ill fated attempts to capture the immediacy they had in their golden age. It will never happen, and while these guys have made somewhat of a resurgence, they will never match the quality and vibrancy that was once there.
Earlier this year at the V Festival, which went around Australia. When it came to Perth it was an interesting line up, so i was intrigued to see Duran Duran, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Smashing Pumpkins all on the same bill.
All three acts disappointed me. First off The Jesus and Mary Chain.
They were uninspiring, and though the vocal style of Jim Reid has sounded shoegazy, The reason they were an imposing figure in the 80's was because of their ferocious live act. All venom had been drained from them, and they performed as they were on the day. Middle aged has beens. That does sound a little harsh although it is true and anyone witnessing it would have to agree. They sounded like a more sedated version of Ride. Which isn't a good thing.
I was hoping the set would get better, but as the crowd continued to thin out and get pies, I followed suit. 5 songs in and still no convincing. This is from a fan of theirs who owns all of their albums mind you!
So okay that's fine, so what about Duran Duran.
Well not being a fan, coming into the set i wasn't really that excited. However the majority of the set was a cracker. They killed it, with material spanning all their albums so a healthy spread of songs, Rio, Hungry Like a Wolf it was all classic.
While i looked on, i knew the Pumpkins were up next. Now I was hanging out for this like you wouldn't believe. I was enjoying duran duran but a big fan of the pumpkins was waiting.
Duran closed with a song i most despise though. The most dirgy, brain numbing song ever written, Ordinary World, if you know this song you'll know what i'm talkin about.
I was hoping for something upbeat to finish, but no a slow 6 minute ballad to make the wait even more insufferable.
Finally, Pumpkins.
Tonight tonight starts the set, excellent, followed by a few new tracks. Mayonnaise off siamese dream a classic.Now were crankin, but all went wrong about half an hour in.
Corgin plays an unnoticable song that ends up clockin around 12 minutes, then after some 8 minutes of feedback and squealing, we are treating to even more, because then they kick in with United States off Zeitgeist. This ones is about 10 minutes long, and corgan is startin lose the crowd. As some fire works are noticed in the background, apparently a wedding had been held on the other side of the swan river that day.
As corgan shredds while lookin on at the fireworks complimenting the sky, with a vibrant perth city skyline as his backdrop. I start to yawn, and some die hard fans are starting too glare at me as if im supposed to be intrigued by guitar wankery, which ive already established in this blog i don't like.
Anyway, jimmy chamberlain less corgan, does a brief acoustic section of the set, he plays 1979 and that's the way my love is. Great, but then back to more shredding.
a good 45 minutes consisted of a while 3 songs.
We have to realise that a captive audience of a band will always come out to support their once most beloved treasure. Smashing Pumpkins were one of mine. Their music over the 10 years, ive carried with me forver in my mind, and enlightened me and made my life better.
These albums were classic, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. However energetic Zeitgeist was, it paled in comparison with their classics.
We are in an intimate era of music, a change is occuring, the new guys are taking over. What will the future hold?
The tide will turn, we all cant be writing classic material forever. The Stones are winding down, bands of the likes of Duran Duran, Smashing Pumpkins and other gen x participants of the era are making ill fated attempts to capture the immediacy they had in their golden age. It will never happen, and while these guys have made somewhat of a resurgence, they will never match the quality and vibrancy that was once there.
Earlier this year at the V Festival, which went around Australia. When it came to Perth it was an interesting line up, so i was intrigued to see Duran Duran, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Smashing Pumpkins all on the same bill.
All three acts disappointed me. First off The Jesus and Mary Chain.
They were uninspiring, and though the vocal style of Jim Reid has sounded shoegazy, The reason they were an imposing figure in the 80's was because of their ferocious live act. All venom had been drained from them, and they performed as they were on the day. Middle aged has beens. That does sound a little harsh although it is true and anyone witnessing it would have to agree. They sounded like a more sedated version of Ride. Which isn't a good thing.
I was hoping the set would get better, but as the crowd continued to thin out and get pies, I followed suit. 5 songs in and still no convincing. This is from a fan of theirs who owns all of their albums mind you!
So okay that's fine, so what about Duran Duran.
Well not being a fan, coming into the set i wasn't really that excited. However the majority of the set was a cracker. They killed it, with material spanning all their albums so a healthy spread of songs, Rio, Hungry Like a Wolf it was all classic.
While i looked on, i knew the Pumpkins were up next. Now I was hanging out for this like you wouldn't believe. I was enjoying duran duran but a big fan of the pumpkins was waiting.
Duran closed with a song i most despise though. The most dirgy, brain numbing song ever written, Ordinary World, if you know this song you'll know what i'm talkin about.
I was hoping for something upbeat to finish, but no a slow 6 minute ballad to make the wait even more insufferable.
Finally, Pumpkins.
Tonight tonight starts the set, excellent, followed by a few new tracks. Mayonnaise off siamese dream a classic.Now were crankin, but all went wrong about half an hour in.
Corgin plays an unnoticable song that ends up clockin around 12 minutes, then after some 8 minutes of feedback and squealing, we are treating to even more, because then they kick in with United States off Zeitgeist. This ones is about 10 minutes long, and corgan is startin lose the crowd. As some fire works are noticed in the background, apparently a wedding had been held on the other side of the swan river that day.
As corgan shredds while lookin on at the fireworks complimenting the sky, with a vibrant perth city skyline as his backdrop. I start to yawn, and some die hard fans are starting too glare at me as if im supposed to be intrigued by guitar wankery, which ive already established in this blog i don't like.
Anyway, jimmy chamberlain less corgan, does a brief acoustic section of the set, he plays 1979 and that's the way my love is. Great, but then back to more shredding.
a good 45 minutes consisted of a while 3 songs.
We have to realise that a captive audience of a band will always come out to support their once most beloved treasure. Smashing Pumpkins were one of mine. Their music over the 10 years, ive carried with me forver in my mind, and enlightened me and made my life better.
These albums were classic, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. However energetic Zeitgeist was, it paled in comparison with their classics.
We are in an intimate era of music, a change is occuring, the new guys are taking over. What will the future hold?
Friday, September 12, 2008
DEATH MAGNETIC?
On September 13, Universal Music release Metallica's Death Magnetic. Having preordered it and working in a music store (i'm in Australia) I acquired mine this afternoon.
FUCK.
Okay when you talk about comebacks and shit like that, in the history of contemporary music we are yet to experience what it's like for a premier band of such a calibre like Metallica's, to rise to the occassion when they are faced with such a highly anticipated reception for their lastest work.
But the day has come. And the thing is, it wasn't all to do with their ability as a band to deliver a consistent album. They had the ability to do that already, they never lost that. However many contributing factors made it so that, St Anger became their most maligned album yet amongst fans and critics.
Death Magnetic accentuates the strengths of this group, a 10 track album with focus. Songcraft, classic riffs, consistency. From start to finish a menace to get out of your head, and that's only after listening to it twice. The coffin graphic on the artwork will be irresistable to even casual fans tommorow, and im working so they'll be comin in droves to purchase their copy.
I didn't think that they could recover from the schamoozle that was St. Anger. To mind insipid and unforgiving, was what is was. But nevertheless, you always have interest in what's next for them. They are definately intriguing to say the least. They mean business this time and there are a lot of reasons why you will enjoy this album a lot more than the last. Here's the breakdown..
Producers
St. Anger- Producer (Bob Rock)
(The Black Album) (1991) Load (1996), ReLoad (1997), Garage Inc. (1998) and S&M (1999)
Bob rock has plagued the bands career from the early nineties onwards, Metallica lost some of the credibility they had before Rock started producing them. There was more of an urgency with the albums and contained more edge, instead of pop sensiblity, which was what Rock was trying to inject into the sound at the time.
Fans claim that he should of gotten dumped a few years ago when a petition circulated suggesting this happen. Metallica listened. Evidence of Rock's influence on the productions is evident in the Some Kind of Monster documentary.
Rock was telling them what they wanted hear, which i think is bullshit considering they were in crisis at this point, making an album that was trying to be written as it was made. Hetfield sitting their with his pad, "what rhymes with that, aw that's a good line, I'll write that down. Kirk put a riff over this".
He was saying that it was great, he heard the singles that would be of the album, singing the praises of Hetfield and co. Claiming that Metallica were back. Nonsense talk, and someone should of gone in there and slapped Rock upside the head. You need to tell the band you're producing that there material is shit. That's all Metallica wanted, honesty. Rock was thinking about his paycheck, and so was shrink they hired to help them.
The inner turmoil in the band couldn't of helped the proceedings for St Anger. Nevertheless they were led astray by the all conquering Rock in his attempt to make another Metallica, Metal/Pop crossover blockbuster. It wasn't promising from the start.
So what could Rick Rubin bring to the table? Let's See
Death Magnetic- Producer (Rick Rubin)
1985: Radio – LL Cool J
1986: Licensed to Ill – Beastie Boys
1986: Raising Hell – Run-DMC
1986: Reign in Blood – Slayer
1987: Electric – The Cult
1987: Yo! Bum Rush the Show - Public Enemy
1988: Danzig – Danzig
1988: Tougher Than Leather – Run-DMC
1988: South of Heaven – Slayer
1988: Masters of Reality – Masters of Reality
1989: Dice – Andrew Dice Clay
1989: Live Fast, Die Fast – Wolfsbane
1990: Trouble – Trouble
1990: Danzig II: Lucifuge – Danzig
1990: Seasons in the Abyss – Slayer
1991: Nobody Said It Was Easy – The Four Horsemen
1991: Manic Frustration – Trouble
1991: Decade of Aggression – Slayer
1991: Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1992: Danzig III: How the Gods Kill – Danzig
1992: King King – The Red Devils
1993: Thrall: Demonsweatlive – Danzig
1993: Wandering Spirit – Mick Jagger
1993: 21st Century Jesus – Messiah
1994: Danzig 4 – Danzig
1994: American Recordings – Johnny Cash
1994: Divine Intervention – Slayer
1994: Wildflowers – Tom Petty
1995: One Hot Minute – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1995: Ballbreaker – AC/DC
1995: God Lives Underwater [EP] – God Lives Underwater
1995: Empty – God Lives Underwater
1996: Songs and Music from "She's the One" – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1996: Unchained – Johnny Cash
1996: Undisputed Attitude – Slayer
1996: Don't Call me Barry – Hermann and the Hermits
1996: Sutras – Donovan
1998: "Let Me Give the World to You" – The Smashing Pumpkins (an unreleased song)
1998: VH1 Storytellers – Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
1998: Diabolus in Musica – Slayer
1998: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road – Lucinda Williams (mix only)
1998: System of a Down – System of a Down
1998: Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts – Kula Shaker ("Sound of Drums")
1998: Chef Aid: The South Park Album – South Park
1999: Northern Star – Melanie C ("Suddenly Monday" and "Ga Ga")
1999: Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1999: Echo – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
1999: Loud Rocks – V/A ("Shame" by System of a Down and Wu-Tang Clan, "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing Ta Fuck Wit" Tom Morello, Chad Smith and Wu-Tang Clan)
1999: The Globe Sessions – Sheryl Crow ("Sweet Child O'Mine")
2000: American III: Solitary Man – Johnny Cash
2000: Paloalto – Paloalto
2000: Renegades – Rage Against the Machine
2001: Amethyst Rock Star – Saul Williams
2001: The War of Art – American Head Charge
2001: Breath of the Heart – Krishna Das
2001: The Final Studio Recordings – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2001: Toxicity – System of a Down
2002: American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash
2002: By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2002: Audioslave – Audioslave
2002: Steal This Album! – System of a Down
2003: Results May Vary – Limp Bizkit (with Terry Date and Jordan Schur)
2003: Unearthed – Johnny Cash
2003: Door of Faith – Krishna Das
2003: De-Loused in the Comatorium – The Mars Volta (with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez)
2003: The Black Album – Jay-Z ("99 Problems")
2003: Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium – Rage Against the Machine
2003: Heroes and Villains – Paloalto
2004: Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) – Slipknot
2004: Armed Love – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
2004: Crunk Juice – Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz ("Stop Fuckin' With Me")
2005: Make Believe – Weezer
2005: Fijación Oral Vol. 1 – Shakira
2005: Oral Fixation Vol. 2 – Shakira
2005: Out of Exile – Audioslave
2005: Mezmerize – System of a Down
2005: Hypnotize – System of a Down
2005: 12 Songs – Neil Diamond
2006: Stadium Arcadium – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2006: Taking the Long Way – Dixie Chicks
2006: American V: A Hundred Highways – Johnny Cash
2006: FutureSex/LoveSounds – Justin Timberlake ("(Another Song) All Over Again")
2006: The Saints are Coming – U2 and Green Day (single)
2006: Window in the Skies – U2 (single)
2007: Heroes and Thieves – Vanessa Carlton (with Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius and Stephan Jenkins)
2007: Luna Halo – Luna Halo
2007: "Better Than I've Ever Been" – Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One (single)
2007: Minutes to Midnight – Linkin Park
2007: Free Life – Dan Wilson
2008: The Cross of My Calling – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
2008: Live from Liverpool - The Gossip
2008: Weezer – Weezer
2008: Home Before Dark – Neil Diamond
2008: Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy - Ours
2008: Seeing Things – Jakob Dylan
2008: Death Magnetic – Metallica
So he didn't play in a shitty band called Payola like Bob rock did, and his cv spans over half the length of this particular blog.
Rubin has brought the business of making Metallica great back. The production is superb and despite the lengthy tracks, there is no excess and you are back in 1986 territory here, no filler whatsoever... NO filler.
A focused album of 10 tracks, just the amount. It feels complete like you coudn't ask for more from this, when it's finnished, mark my word... you'll put it straight back on.
This is an awakening from beyond the grave. The cellar dwellars will come out to play tommorow, heads will be banging, fists will be pumping like you wouldn't believe...
The album of the year.. I'm not taking the piss either
FUCK.
Okay when you talk about comebacks and shit like that, in the history of contemporary music we are yet to experience what it's like for a premier band of such a calibre like Metallica's, to rise to the occassion when they are faced with such a highly anticipated reception for their lastest work.
But the day has come. And the thing is, it wasn't all to do with their ability as a band to deliver a consistent album. They had the ability to do that already, they never lost that. However many contributing factors made it so that, St Anger became their most maligned album yet amongst fans and critics.
Death Magnetic accentuates the strengths of this group, a 10 track album with focus. Songcraft, classic riffs, consistency. From start to finish a menace to get out of your head, and that's only after listening to it twice. The coffin graphic on the artwork will be irresistable to even casual fans tommorow, and im working so they'll be comin in droves to purchase their copy.
I didn't think that they could recover from the schamoozle that was St. Anger. To mind insipid and unforgiving, was what is was. But nevertheless, you always have interest in what's next for them. They are definately intriguing to say the least. They mean business this time and there are a lot of reasons why you will enjoy this album a lot more than the last. Here's the breakdown..
Producers
St. Anger- Producer (Bob Rock)
(The Black Album) (1991) Load (1996), ReLoad (1997), Garage Inc. (1998) and S&M (1999)
Bob rock has plagued the bands career from the early nineties onwards, Metallica lost some of the credibility they had before Rock started producing them. There was more of an urgency with the albums and contained more edge, instead of pop sensiblity, which was what Rock was trying to inject into the sound at the time.
Fans claim that he should of gotten dumped a few years ago when a petition circulated suggesting this happen. Metallica listened. Evidence of Rock's influence on the productions is evident in the Some Kind of Monster documentary.
Rock was telling them what they wanted hear, which i think is bullshit considering they were in crisis at this point, making an album that was trying to be written as it was made. Hetfield sitting their with his pad, "what rhymes with that, aw that's a good line, I'll write that down. Kirk put a riff over this".
He was saying that it was great, he heard the singles that would be of the album, singing the praises of Hetfield and co. Claiming that Metallica were back. Nonsense talk, and someone should of gone in there and slapped Rock upside the head. You need to tell the band you're producing that there material is shit. That's all Metallica wanted, honesty. Rock was thinking about his paycheck, and so was shrink they hired to help them.
The inner turmoil in the band couldn't of helped the proceedings for St Anger. Nevertheless they were led astray by the all conquering Rock in his attempt to make another Metallica, Metal/Pop crossover blockbuster. It wasn't promising from the start.
So what could Rick Rubin bring to the table? Let's See
Death Magnetic- Producer (Rick Rubin)
1985: Radio – LL Cool J
1986: Licensed to Ill – Beastie Boys
1986: Raising Hell – Run-DMC
1986: Reign in Blood – Slayer
1987: Electric – The Cult
1987: Yo! Bum Rush the Show - Public Enemy
1988: Danzig – Danzig
1988: Tougher Than Leather – Run-DMC
1988: South of Heaven – Slayer
1988: Masters of Reality – Masters of Reality
1989: Dice – Andrew Dice Clay
1989: Live Fast, Die Fast – Wolfsbane
1990: Trouble – Trouble
1990: Danzig II: Lucifuge – Danzig
1990: Seasons in the Abyss – Slayer
1991: Nobody Said It Was Easy – The Four Horsemen
1991: Manic Frustration – Trouble
1991: Decade of Aggression – Slayer
1991: Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1992: Danzig III: How the Gods Kill – Danzig
1992: King King – The Red Devils
1993: Thrall: Demonsweatlive – Danzig
1993: Wandering Spirit – Mick Jagger
1993: 21st Century Jesus – Messiah
1994: Danzig 4 – Danzig
1994: American Recordings – Johnny Cash
1994: Divine Intervention – Slayer
1994: Wildflowers – Tom Petty
1995: One Hot Minute – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1995: Ballbreaker – AC/DC
1995: God Lives Underwater [EP] – God Lives Underwater
1995: Empty – God Lives Underwater
1996: Songs and Music from "She's the One" – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1996: Unchained – Johnny Cash
1996: Undisputed Attitude – Slayer
1996: Don't Call me Barry – Hermann and the Hermits
1996: Sutras – Donovan
1998: "Let Me Give the World to You" – The Smashing Pumpkins (an unreleased song)
1998: VH1 Storytellers – Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
1998: Diabolus in Musica – Slayer
1998: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road – Lucinda Williams (mix only)
1998: System of a Down – System of a Down
1998: Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts – Kula Shaker ("Sound of Drums")
1998: Chef Aid: The South Park Album – South Park
1999: Northern Star – Melanie C ("Suddenly Monday" and "Ga Ga")
1999: Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1999: Echo – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
1999: Loud Rocks – V/A ("Shame" by System of a Down and Wu-Tang Clan, "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing Ta Fuck Wit" Tom Morello, Chad Smith and Wu-Tang Clan)
1999: The Globe Sessions – Sheryl Crow ("Sweet Child O'Mine")
2000: American III: Solitary Man – Johnny Cash
2000: Paloalto – Paloalto
2000: Renegades – Rage Against the Machine
2001: Amethyst Rock Star – Saul Williams
2001: The War of Art – American Head Charge
2001: Breath of the Heart – Krishna Das
2001: The Final Studio Recordings – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2001: Toxicity – System of a Down
2002: American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash
2002: By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2002: Audioslave – Audioslave
2002: Steal This Album! – System of a Down
2003: Results May Vary – Limp Bizkit (with Terry Date and Jordan Schur)
2003: Unearthed – Johnny Cash
2003: Door of Faith – Krishna Das
2003: De-Loused in the Comatorium – The Mars Volta (with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez)
2003: The Black Album – Jay-Z ("99 Problems")
2003: Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium – Rage Against the Machine
2003: Heroes and Villains – Paloalto
2004: Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) – Slipknot
2004: Armed Love – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
2004: Crunk Juice – Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz ("Stop Fuckin' With Me")
2005: Make Believe – Weezer
2005: Fijación Oral Vol. 1 – Shakira
2005: Oral Fixation Vol. 2 – Shakira
2005: Out of Exile – Audioslave
2005: Mezmerize – System of a Down
2005: Hypnotize – System of a Down
2005: 12 Songs – Neil Diamond
2006: Stadium Arcadium – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2006: Taking the Long Way – Dixie Chicks
2006: American V: A Hundred Highways – Johnny Cash
2006: FutureSex/LoveSounds – Justin Timberlake ("(Another Song) All Over Again")
2006: The Saints are Coming – U2 and Green Day (single)
2006: Window in the Skies – U2 (single)
2007: Heroes and Thieves – Vanessa Carlton (with Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius and Stephan Jenkins)
2007: Luna Halo – Luna Halo
2007: "Better Than I've Ever Been" – Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One (single)
2007: Minutes to Midnight – Linkin Park
2007: Free Life – Dan Wilson
2008: The Cross of My Calling – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
2008: Live from Liverpool - The Gossip
2008: Weezer – Weezer
2008: Home Before Dark – Neil Diamond
2008: Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy - Ours
2008: Seeing Things – Jakob Dylan
2008: Death Magnetic – Metallica
So he didn't play in a shitty band called Payola like Bob rock did, and his cv spans over half the length of this particular blog.
Rubin has brought the business of making Metallica great back. The production is superb and despite the lengthy tracks, there is no excess and you are back in 1986 territory here, no filler whatsoever... NO filler.
A focused album of 10 tracks, just the amount. It feels complete like you coudn't ask for more from this, when it's finnished, mark my word... you'll put it straight back on.
This is an awakening from beyond the grave. The cellar dwellars will come out to play tommorow, heads will be banging, fists will be pumping like you wouldn't believe...
The album of the year.. I'm not taking the piss either
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