. . . That I can’t wait for Savefile to get back up and running to post it. Really annoying–the service isn’t working and it’s not clear why.
. . . That I can’t wait for Savefile to get back up and running to post it. Really annoying–the service isn’t working and it’s not clear why.
A twofer from my review queue. These albums happened, at random, to come up back-to-back, and they inspired me to rip up my T-Shirt and dance around playing air guitar (not a pretty sight), so I thought they deserve a post. Two really good rock albums, in a year that seems to favor rote hip hop and twee/light music. Maybe it’s a sign for us to return to our rock roots.
THE BLAKES-Self Titled.
First, The Blakes. Regular readers who actually come here for content may recall that I reviewed The Blakes’ self-titled EP last month, promising they’d release a full length in October.
Well, they’re delivering. The good news is, most of the great songs from the EP (like “Magoo,” for instance) are on the album. The great new is, they actually have a full album’s worth of material. All meat, no filler, this is hot and hard rock and roll without any whining, politics, pretension or themes deeper than odes to a “perfect body” (“Modern Man”) and hot chicks. My favorite line: “I’m caught up in your legs, I don’t wanna get out!” (From “Don’t Bother Me.”) But there’s plenty of other hot lyrics laid over hot licks.
The Stones don’t make real rock anymore. Thank God for the Blakes
RED COLLAR-Hands Up!
“Cocaine and caviar, baby!” If you miss the pre-mopey days of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, you’ll love Red Collar. Hailing from North Carolina, the band has been saturating bloggers with review requests — and I can’t blame them for being excited. This is a really great rock and roll record. Kinda punk, kinda hard rock, and tons of fun, this is a rare example of an EP that leaves me wishing there was a complete album to listen to.
Since I’m such a slow blogger, you’ve probably already heard about them from the umpteen sites that reviewed them already, but I’m posting anyway. Lets create a groundswell. More Red Collar!
Go to Power Up Records to buy the EP. Just $6.50, including shipping.
I’ve struggled with this disc. It defies classification, for one thing, bouncing easily from jazz, to lounge, to something approaching country. For another thing, it is laced with acid wit–lyrics that are funny, and often deep–shrouded by what sometimes sounds like novelty music. Like their tune, “Pirates of the Heart,” which sounds like Tom Waits minus the gravel, and “In My Car Again.” But then there’s the bluesy “Bossy Man,” which could be an old standard (until an odd break in the middle where “the band goes undercover”). This is some of the weirdest, but most fun, music I’ve heard in a while.
So why did I struggle with it? Because it’s hard to embrace the offbeat at first. But I swear, give this a chance and you won’t regret it.
Plus, Ethan Lipton‘s from Brooklyn, so there you have it.
Check it out.
Here on this corner of the blogosphere, we have a general rule against reviewing RIAA material. But we’re making an exception for Hard Fi for selfish reasons. The Middlesex, England, band’s first album (which premiered on an independent label, Necessary Records) was one of my favorite albums of this Century. It got them signed to Atlantic Records, where they re-recorded the indie release but stayed true to the concept and sound of the lower-budgeted release. Their spirit and their music is modern punk (they are often compared to The Clash, who also were on a major label), and Stars of CCTV is nothing short of a masterpiece. The band’s first tour sold out and they’re doing well for themselves, so they don’t need help froma humble blogger like m’self, but on the other hand, we all need a few supergroups. And these guys deserve to be one, at least based on their first album.
Which brings me to Once Upon a Time in the West. The title alone worried me as I broke the plastic seal around the CD. First, it’s pretty cliche. Second, their first album was all about England and paranoia. I’m not sure how I feel about British punks crossing the pond and taking on an American theme. Also, I’m worried that it’ll be an attempt at alt-country, like The Killers’ big misstep last year.
Their first album will be Hard To Beat, I think. After all, it sold well and was a virtual Cash Machine for them. For all know, they finished it, went on some big Middle Eastern Holiday, and started Living For The Weekend. I Gotta Reason that all that success will just cause Unnecessary Trouble for them artistically–they’ll be Tied Up Too Tight by label pressures. If so, they better Move On Now. They Better Do Better than their first album.
So I thought, well, what better way to review the second than to A/B it against the first?
TRACK ONE: Cash Machine versus Suburban Knights. The title of the new first single has me concerned, for the reasons listed above. But it’s got a pretty tight hook, with a Kaiser Chiefs chant on the chorus. It’s a solid tune, and I’m digging it. But Cash Machine is a brilliant anthem that can stand beside any Friday Night Quittin’ Time song out there. Score one for Stars of CCTV, but not because Suburban Knights isn’t good. Only because Cash Machine is phenomenal.
TRACK TWO: Middle Eastern Holiday versus I Shall Overcome. Middle Eastern Holiday is actually pretty similar to Suburban Knights, whereas I Shall Overcome is somewhat downtempo with a twinge of ska. Musically, it’s a far more complex song than Middle Eastern Holiday, with its time shifts and swells at the chorus. Plus, if it isn’t my favorite song on the new album, it’s damn close. Score one for Once Upon a Time.
TRACK THREE: Tied Up Too Tight versus Tonight. One of the great things about Hard Fi is their ability to play a slow and fast song with equal energy. The slower songs on CCTV weren’t excuses to get the ladies interested, they were solid songs that simply played better without a hyperactive backbeat. Tied Up Too Tight was merely slower than what had preceded it on CCTV. Tonight is the first downright slow song on the new album. It’s okay, but it’s a little too slow. A little dull. And I could do without the violins. I appreciate what they’re trying to do here, expanding into stadium balladry, but it’s not working for me. Score two for CCTV, although neither of these songs are particularly good examples of what this band is capable of.
TRACK FOUR: Gotta Reason versus Watch Me Fall Apart. When the string section begins the first few notes of Watch Me Fall Apart, I first think I’ve hit the wrong button: This is “All Of My Love” by Led Zeppelin. But no, it’s Hard Fi following up the moody “lighters up” anthem of Tonight with another slow song. Two slow ones in a row? They didn’t do that on the first record. Gotta Reason is tight and tough (and Tied Up Too Tight wasn’t very slow, anyway). Still, Watch Me Fall Apart is strangely compelling. “Every smiling face just brings you down, brings you down,” Richard Archer sings in the slow drawl of Sunday Morning Comin’ Down. Musically, it’s a simple slow song, but it’s catchy. These two songs are so different from each other. I’m calling this one a draw.
TRACK FIVE: Hard To Beat versus I Close My Eyes. Make that impossible to beat. I Close My Eyes is a really hot song, punk screaming over clatter into a collective shout. It’s excellent. But Hard to Beat is better. Point goes to CCTV.
TRACK SIX: Unnecessary Trouble versus Television. The third unforgettable anthem from CCTV crushes the competition. But I must say that for a song that rhymes “television” with “new religion” and has a chorus of “hallelujah,” Television surprisingly doesn’t sound trite. And by all rights, it should.
TRACK SEVEN: Move On Now versus Help Me Please. At last, two slow numbers going head to head. Move On Now is probably the weakest song on CCTV. On the other hand, Help Me Please was mixed better on the “Help: A Day In The Life” charity CD that it first appeared on. Points to Hard Fi for remixing it so that completists still have to buy the other record (although taking the wind out of a charity CD sale by republishing the track on their album seems a little stingy). Overall, though, the edge goes to Once Upon a Time.
TRACK EIGHT: Better Do Better versus Can’t Get Along (Without You). At last, Once Upon a Time kicks up the speed a notch. Can’t Get Along never hits the frenzied pace of the best Hard Fi songs, but it has a classic, almost 1950s feel to it. Old Time Rock And Roll and all. Nice effort, and an interesting progression in their sound. Better Do Better, from CCTV, isn’t much of a departure from Hard Fi’s standard sound. So for experimenting and succeeding, I’m enthusiastically giving West it’s second victory.
TRACK NINE: Feltham Is Singing Out versus We Need Love. By the time you hit CCTV’s ninth cut, you know what to expect from Feltham, and it delivers a good dancepunk song. But West offers We Need Love, which in some ways seems Lennonesque. “I see the fear in your eyes/When they keep you afraid you believe all their lies . . . What we need now is love/not suspicion, division/In Washington, New York City/What we need now is love.” It’s ballsy for a punk band to ask for love. Yeah, the lyrics a little clunky and the shout-outs to all the troubled countries in the world borders on the pedantic, and yet it sounds sincere. Again, Hard Fi asks you to come along with them on a somewhat riskier tune than they usually make. And again, it works. Score three for West.
TRACK 10: Living For The Weekend versus Little Angel. Weekend is the last balls-out rocker on CCTV, and it’s a great one. Christ, I love this album. How can a song called Little Angel possibly compare? What’s that? A horn section? Are they just showing off their recording budget? No! It’s good! It’s really good! Score four for West.
TRACK 11: Stars of CCTV versus The King. I swear to God I didn’t plan this. The score is tied even four to four, with two ties along the way. Hard Fi has clearly avoided the sophmore slump. Both albums close with the slowest songs on each record. Stars of CCTV is significantly more interesting, but both are great in their own way. So Hard Fi’s first album wins, by a nose. But by this time, I don’t care. I’ve found what may be my favorite modern band.
Seven Nation Army (White Stripes cover)
Team9 – The Money Song (Hard-Fi vs. Red Hot Chili Peppers vs. Flying Lizards vs. Abba vs. Jay-Z)
I should change the name of this blog to Rodney Dangerfield’s blog. I’ve been all-the-fuck-over Hype Machine for over a month now. Right this moment, I have three songs in the top 10. Yet, whenever the press talks about blogs, I get no respect. Whenever artists contact blogs to offer exclusives, I get no respect.
Poor poor pitiful me.
Will You Smile Again?-And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead
2007 has been a miserable year for hip hop. Kanye’s new one is good, but it’s not great, and no matter how many people call me names and get in my face, I just can’t get behind “Curtis†in any way. It’s boring and ordinary, and he’s done it before and much better. So far, only Blue Scholars and Brother Ali dropped anything approaching a classic. Maybe that’s why the “new†Rick Ross CD, “Rise to Power,†is getting a post: It’s not new.
Suave House Records has packaged early Rick Ross, before he got a major label deal. This album is full of Rick’s crunky, raw, Miami street rhymes back in the days he worked with Tony Draper. Rick falls prey to the biggest problem in hip hop: Too many guests, with appearances Scarface, Clipse, Devin Tha Dude, Big Duke of Boyz N The Hood, and many others. Some of these guys do show him up (in particular Pusha T and Scarface), but he largely holds his own – young Rick had a hard and fresh voice, and it’s obvious why he got his record deal.
Kinda like listening to Fiddy’s “Power of the Dollar†mixtape . . .
Just a little bit left . . .
“Black and Blue” (1976) A significantly underrated Stones album.
Hey Negrita-Tupac vs. The Rolling Stones (mash up)
Some Girls (1978)
Let There Be Rock/Miss You/Let There Be Rock-Drive-By Truckers
Before They Make Me Run-Patterson Hood
Beast of Burden-Alejandro Escoveda
“Tattoo You” (1981)
I’m sure there’s lots I missed–I didn’t even post every single one I own, just the highlights. If you know of some I missed, toss ‘em up in the comments!
JOSH RITTER
It’s been pointed out to me that I have yet to mention that Josh Ritter‘s new album, “The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter,” is fantastic. Every song front-to-back is amazing. It’s the best thing on a major label this year, and, I daresay, it’s the most indie major label recording I’ve ever heard. It sounds indie without trying to sound indie. Death Cab For Cutie maintained their integrity after getting a contract, and Josh Ritter kept his. So, it is possible.
You listening, Kaiser Chiefs and Killers?
Sadly, because he’s on a major label, I won’t post any of his songs. But you can find them on hype machine–posted by bloggers far braver than I. Or go to his site for streams. Other than that, you’ll have to take my word for it: It’s awesome.
Tour dates:
October 2 – Portland, ME – Space Gallery
October 3 – Northampton, MA – Pearl Street Night Club
October 4 & 5 – Somerville, MA – Somerville Theater
October 6 – Westport, CT – Westport Arts Center
October 9 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
October 10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Diesel Club Lounge
October 11 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
October 13 – Lewisburg, WV – Carnegie Hall
October 14 – Charleston, WV – Mountain Stage Radio Show
October 15 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
October 16 – Chicago, IL – Park West
October 17 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
October 18 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theater
October 20 – Boise, ID – Egyptian Theater
October 21 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Theater
October 22 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
October 24 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club
October 25 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theater
October 27 – Tucson, AZ – Plush
October 29 – Austin, TX – The Parish
October 31 – Birmingham, AL – Workplay Theatre
November 1 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
November 2 – Nashville, TN – Exit/ In
November 3 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
November 4 – Newport, KY – Southgate House
November 5 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
November 7 РPhiladelphia, PA РWorld Caf̩ Live
November 9 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
RAVENS AND CHIMES-“Reichenbach Fallsâ€
“This Is Where We Are†begins with a bang. It immediately pulls you into action and tension, like the best Arcade Fire songs, and then at the halfway point it slows down, gets quiet, and commences the kind of slow build you usually find at the beginning of an indie rock anthem. Okay. Ravens and Chimes are not your typical band. I get it.
Yet every track is not like the first.
“The Faraway Sound of Cars,†for example, is more odd than anthemic. “The House Where You Were Born†alternates between crashing collisions and gentle strumming, constantly knocking the listener off balance. It sounds more Montreal art rock than New York indie. The songs on this album lack pretension, but sound important without trying to.
Lead vocalist Asher Lack has great range, and knows When to inflect and when to back away. Musically, there are no real hooks here. No particular instrument stands out, in fact. They all seem to meld together into a single organism, turning and tangled together in twisty tunes, creating a signature sound like no other I’m familiar with.
There’s definitely a few misfires here, as there are with any work as experimental as this one. The instrumental pieces don’t hang together well, and sound like stoner filler (“Candles,†for example). A few other songs sound incomplete. Why they offer “General Lafayette! You are not alone!†for download escapes me, but perhaps it is just an indication that this new band doesn’t know itself very well yet.
But for every misstep, the band gets it right. “Archways†is an attempt at pop that fails, but “Saint Jude in the Village Voice” succeeds magnificently,
recalling the best of XTC and 60s nuggets like The Hollies or The Rasberries.
Reichenbach Falls is an extremely promising debut. I hope the blogosphere picks up on it, because I’m very curious to hear this band grow. You might recall that Arcade Fire’s first demo/album was quite uneven, and it wasn’t until their ’07 release that they finally perfected, “No Cars Go.†We should all give Ravens & Chimes the same opportunity.
MP3s:
January
General Lafayette! You are not alone!
. . . Continuing where we left off, with the 70s, including the greatest rock double album in history.
“Let it Bleed” (1969)
Featuring one of the greatest songs ever written, “Gimme Shelter.”
Gimme Shelter-Phil Lesh and Friends
You Can’t Always Get What You Want-The Radiators
“Sticky Fingers” (1971)
Tina Toledo/Can’t You Hear Me Knocking/Tina Toledo-Ryan Adams
And of course the song that has been covered ad nauseam. Here’s just a few examples of what I thought were particularly good takes on it:
Wild Horses-The Rolling Stones with Eddie Vedder
Dead Flowers-New Riders of the Purple Sage
Moonlight Mile-The Drive-By Truckers
“Exile on Main Street” (1972)
Shake Your Hips-The 101ers (Joe Strummer pre-The Clash)
Sweet Virginia-Camper Van Beethoven
Sweet Virginia-Derek Trucks Band
Sweet Virginia-String Cheese Incident
Loving Cup/Easy Morning Rebel Jam-My Morning Jacket
I Just Want to See His Face-Blind Boys of Alabama
Cocksucker Blues-The Rolling Stones. A prize in my possession. This tune was *ahem* whipped out during the Exile tour and was, understandably, never officially released.
“Goats Head Soup” (1973) Lots of folks will say that Sticky Fingers, with it’s operable zipper, was the greatest album cover of all time. But I actually prefer this one: A goat, in a bowl of soup, looking supremely pissed.
To be continued again . . .
Disappointed by the new Dead 60s album? Me too. So do what I did: Buy Bedouin Soundclash’s new release instead!
Named after an album by Israeli fusion artist Badawi, this reggae/ska/punk band has a genuine Kingston pedigree. (Okay, it’s Kingston, Ontario, but whatever.) I’ve been a fan for several years now (since their “Root Fire†debut album), and I was most excited to get my hands on their newest group of songs. Although I can’t say “Street Gospels†reaches the fantastic level of their earlier two records, it’s got enough punky hypnotic riddim to please anyone who
wishes summer wasn’t over yet. In particular, Nico On The Nighttrain and Hearts In The Night stand out.
Street Gospels also treads new ground, though, focussing on spirituals–including an acappella version of the old traditional, “Hush (Somebody’s Calling My Name).” This is most successful on “Higher Ground,” but overall it gives the album a more serene feel than their earlier works. It’s mellower, kinder. If “Root Fire” was their straight up ska party record, “Sounding a Mosaic” showed their experimental side, moving into harder areas of dub and reggae. So it’s about right that they get a little quieter now. You won’t go wrong with the new album, and you’ll definitely go right getting either of their earlier records, too. Get the whole discography!
Highly recommended.
Jealousy and the Get Free (From “Street Gospels”)
12:59 Lullaby (From “Street Gospels”)
Rude Boy Don’t Cry (From “Sounding a Mosaic”)
Johnny Go To New York (from “Root Fireâ€). I dig this tune because of the Police vibe to it.
New Year’s Day (U2)/ Guns of Brixton (Clash) (live)
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