Damn, I hate to say it but this Babyshambles shit is worth the hype. Like most of you I’ve been burned by plenty of British imports promising to be the next big thing. Lead singer Pete Doherty has been running around with Kate Moss, doing lines of coke off six-pack abs –livin’ the rock & roll life. He’s been a central figure in a couple next big things including The Libertines and now Babyshambles. From what I could gather from the 5 songs here, Babyshambles have a sound that should punch its passport and catch on.
I picked up the Babyshambles EP The Blinding at Barnes & Noble, and immediately discovered a band I want to know more about. Call me curious enough to dig all the way back to The Libertines days as well.
On The Blinding EP Babyshambles sound like Sublime with a bloody lip Arctic Monkeys vocal. There’s even hints of Nirvana – not sure what it is and realize those are strong words but it’s true. There music here is equal parts reggae and street. Very cool vibe.
The Blinding EP is a joy to listen to, here’s a track-by-track breakdown:
“The Blinding” is pouty and British in the spirit of Arctic Monkeys. While more plodding there is a nice spiral guitar riff that pulls it through. When Doherty riffs “what would you do, has it run out of time for you” and screams “on with the show!” the music un-tucks its shirt and starts to feel comfortable. There’s something special happening on the entire disc. The music feels live, raw, and layered. Doherty’s presence adds recklessness to the music that is a perfect fit.
“Love You But You’re Green” brings even more of an island vibe. We get a nice chill steel drum pace to this one. The sound owes a lot to Sublime. But like most of the music on the record, “Love You, But You’re Green” is multi-faceted. When Doherty sings, “when she goes” he’s letting you know he can do the big anthem (Oasis) thing too (he can btw check “Fuck Forever” for your new favorite song), but maybe it bores him. A lot of the music on The Blinding EP is sort of slumped over like most of us at our company holiday parties. The Babyshambles sound is tweaked, it’s very drunken and blurry. What makes “Love You But You’re Green” is the layers. Throughout the entire 4:37 the band keeps adding little details, new interest, new instrumentation, and the song continues to build bit by bit. The result is pretty intoxicating. The sound is a rare combination – almost like wearing flip-flops on the tube.
The steel drum vibe continues on the more spirited and upbeat “I Wish.” I can picture Doherty running around on stage with the pockets of his dirty jeans turned inside out crooning “got no money in my pocket you see.” While the most fun song on the EP, it’s also the simplest. But it’s a nice light number with fun guitar and a nice little “oh oh oh oh oh” sing-a-long at the end.
“Beg, Steal or Borrow” starts with drums before bringing in the chime of big guitar. Those of you that have frequented this space know that chime (think Edge) guitar is the quickest way to my heart. Maybe it’s a Minnesota thing, but there’s just something very Carhartt hat about this style of guitar. It very quickly starts to sound like Lee’s Liquor Lounge in the winter. It’s my cozy. The guitars here remind of recent Razorlight singles.
“Sedative” gets moodier and dark, and I’m guessing Doherty is drawing from personal experience. The ebbs and flows are like dark waves on the beach and the end result on “Sedative” is another enjoyable track. The guitar gaps with Doherty asking; “Who is my hero” are awesome when combined with the tidal rhythm of the song. “Sedative” sounds like a person in detox sitting next to their bed shaking and scratching their skin. But the music is optimistic enough to make you think they’ll probably figure it out especially the end section where they add more strumming guitar and almost an internal monologue to the lyric.
Babyshambles did not disappoint. Listening to this five song EP only made me want to own the rest of what they’ve put out. Either Doherty is a true maestro or he has some great people around him. The texture to the record is fascinating. The biggest compliment I can give Babyshambles is the music doesn’t appear to repeat itself. Every song is like one long build, with new unexpected and exciting twists around each corner. The music reveals itself the more you listen to it. And it sounds pretty great the first time you listen as well. Of all the stuff I’ve reviewed I’d say the Babyshambles are closer to a hip-hop disc in terms of how complex and how much depth there is to the sound. Be sure to check them out.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Jay-Z Delivers Sonic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on American Gangster Soundtrack
On the news the other day they were talking about how American Gangster was Jay-Z’s 10th #1 album tying him with Elvis and second only to the Beatles nineteen chart toppers. This fact reinforced in my mind the almost larger than life status of the east coast icon. Jay-Z’s latest effort is the soundtrack to the Ridley Scott film American Gangster. What’s unique about the sound on the album is the unlikely cocktail of Marvin Gaye style ‘70s R&B with Jay-Z’s signature clip.
I had an interesting revelation the first time through American Gangster. You know how hip-hop records jack up your iPod and iTunes listings because every song title is featuring or presenting somebody. My first time through the disc was on the treadmill at the health club. I was excited to bring Jay-Z to the human gerbil wheel as I figured it would give me some scratch. When I searched Jay-Z on the iPod I found American Gangster listed—but what I ended up listening to were just the songs where Jay-Z is solo as the collaborative tracks were under different headings. The surprise was that the solo tracks are some of the weakest on the record.
I guess that makes sense, as hip-hop is the musical equivalents of leapfrog as one after one people bring each other up to the top. You get your shot when someone features or presents you and the understood arrangement is when you make it big you bring someone else up and out. But only a few in hip-hop ever make it to icon status: Dre, Jay-Z, Kanye is knocking on the door. The icons get to work with riches every album and Jay-Z has that here with guest appearances from Beyonce, Kanye West, Pharrell, Nas, and Lil Wayne to name a few.
American Gangster starts with an intro track with lots of movie dialogue clarifying for a gangster it’s what’s on the inside that counts. It’s your genes not your jeans. It’s about being outside the law and making your own rules, and it’s American at its core.
After the movie clip intro the album really starts to kick with hot track “Pray” featuring Jay-Z’s lady Beyonce and some pretty low-fi Knight Rider style sound effects. At his best Jay-Z sounds like patent leather, like looking out of a plane window as you land in Manhattan at night. “Pray” has that with the fight the power style retro sample and the classic Jay-Z rap. “Pray” is basically the song that tells you where you are. “Pray” firmly establishes the setting in Gotham, but waits to reveal the album’s sound.
“American Dreamin” is the first we hear of the signature sound of the American Gangster album taking a killer ‘70s groove and layering it with the staccato Jay-Z clip. The result satisfies like a Snicker with the R&B groove providing the caramel and Jay-Z bringing the nut.
That’s the biggest compliment to the record as a whole. Somehow Jay-Z has managed to deliver groovy rap—something I wouldn’t have thought possible. American Gangster delivers street licks mixed with SNL’s Ladies Man Leon Phelps. It’s got the rap cred but it’s wearing a maroon turtleneck and the sideburns are long enough to curl.
I guess what brings it all together is the pimp factor. The music is rich. It sounds like something a dude with a bearskin rug and some Courvoisier would put on. At its best American Gangster is Scarface, mixed with Teddy Pendergrass, Al Green, and Marvin Gaye
But just when you think Jay-Z is going to stick to that sound you get an interesting song like “Hello Brooklyn 2.0” with Lil Wayne bringing crunk to our ‘70s theme party. Kanye brings the horns and the optimism on “Roc Boys (and the winner is)” extending our membership to the mile high club and doing his best Urkel impression, “We in the house!”
A song like “Sweet” with Jay-Z going solo has the Starsky and Hutch factor, but we’re missing the velvet groove.
Like “American Dreamin’”, “Party Life” has both groove and street. Jay-Z is solo on this one rappin’ “gangster effortlessly” and that’s exactly how it sounds with a wicked sample underneath. The lyrics are also classic Jay-Z, “She’s my little quarterback because I’m all that in the sack” as well some funny Jackson 5 stuff all pulled through with the silky ‘70s sample.
Jay-Z deserves credit for pushing things forward on tracks like “Success” and “Hello Brooklyn 2.0.” He doesn’t need to do this, but he keeps pushing. While the result doesn’t hit quite like the cocktail on “American Dreamin” and “Party Life” it’s clear Jay-Z’s creative spirit is alive and well as he rhymes about Google Earth, Jacob the Jeweler, De Niro and Pacino. The last song “American Gangster” is equally epic even finishing with a string section as Jay-Z marries funk with upbeat mid-90s glam rap.
Hip-hop records are some of the toughest to review because there is so much layer and diversity to the sound that the great records take some time to reveal themselves to you. For instance, the Kanye West record is something I’ve kept in heavy rotation in my car since I gave him a very average review many weeks ago.
Overall American Gangster is at its best when Jay-Z takes a smooth ‘70s track and adds his snap crackle pop over the top. That’s when 1+1=3. Trouble is this combination happens on less than half of the 15 tracks leaving several air pockets in the hour-long album. But Jay-Z remains an iconic and his willingness to push the envelope is the reason his albums continue to debut at #1.
At least that’s what I think this week, but you might want to check back in a month.
I had an interesting revelation the first time through American Gangster. You know how hip-hop records jack up your iPod and iTunes listings because every song title is featuring or presenting somebody. My first time through the disc was on the treadmill at the health club. I was excited to bring Jay-Z to the human gerbil wheel as I figured it would give me some scratch. When I searched Jay-Z on the iPod I found American Gangster listed—but what I ended up listening to were just the songs where Jay-Z is solo as the collaborative tracks were under different headings. The surprise was that the solo tracks are some of the weakest on the record.
I guess that makes sense, as hip-hop is the musical equivalents of leapfrog as one after one people bring each other up to the top. You get your shot when someone features or presents you and the understood arrangement is when you make it big you bring someone else up and out. But only a few in hip-hop ever make it to icon status: Dre, Jay-Z, Kanye is knocking on the door. The icons get to work with riches every album and Jay-Z has that here with guest appearances from Beyonce, Kanye West, Pharrell, Nas, and Lil Wayne to name a few.
American Gangster starts with an intro track with lots of movie dialogue clarifying for a gangster it’s what’s on the inside that counts. It’s your genes not your jeans. It’s about being outside the law and making your own rules, and it’s American at its core.
After the movie clip intro the album really starts to kick with hot track “Pray” featuring Jay-Z’s lady Beyonce and some pretty low-fi Knight Rider style sound effects. At his best Jay-Z sounds like patent leather, like looking out of a plane window as you land in Manhattan at night. “Pray” has that with the fight the power style retro sample and the classic Jay-Z rap. “Pray” is basically the song that tells you where you are. “Pray” firmly establishes the setting in Gotham, but waits to reveal the album’s sound.
“American Dreamin” is the first we hear of the signature sound of the American Gangster album taking a killer ‘70s groove and layering it with the staccato Jay-Z clip. The result satisfies like a Snicker with the R&B groove providing the caramel and Jay-Z bringing the nut.
That’s the biggest compliment to the record as a whole. Somehow Jay-Z has managed to deliver groovy rap—something I wouldn’t have thought possible. American Gangster delivers street licks mixed with SNL’s Ladies Man Leon Phelps. It’s got the rap cred but it’s wearing a maroon turtleneck and the sideburns are long enough to curl.
I guess what brings it all together is the pimp factor. The music is rich. It sounds like something a dude with a bearskin rug and some Courvoisier would put on. At its best American Gangster is Scarface, mixed with Teddy Pendergrass, Al Green, and Marvin Gaye
But just when you think Jay-Z is going to stick to that sound you get an interesting song like “Hello Brooklyn 2.0” with Lil Wayne bringing crunk to our ‘70s theme party. Kanye brings the horns and the optimism on “Roc Boys (and the winner is)” extending our membership to the mile high club and doing his best Urkel impression, “We in the house!”
A song like “Sweet” with Jay-Z going solo has the Starsky and Hutch factor, but we’re missing the velvet groove.
Like “American Dreamin’”, “Party Life” has both groove and street. Jay-Z is solo on this one rappin’ “gangster effortlessly” and that’s exactly how it sounds with a wicked sample underneath. The lyrics are also classic Jay-Z, “She’s my little quarterback because I’m all that in the sack” as well some funny Jackson 5 stuff all pulled through with the silky ‘70s sample.
Jay-Z deserves credit for pushing things forward on tracks like “Success” and “Hello Brooklyn 2.0.” He doesn’t need to do this, but he keeps pushing. While the result doesn’t hit quite like the cocktail on “American Dreamin” and “Party Life” it’s clear Jay-Z’s creative spirit is alive and well as he rhymes about Google Earth, Jacob the Jeweler, De Niro and Pacino. The last song “American Gangster” is equally epic even finishing with a string section as Jay-Z marries funk with upbeat mid-90s glam rap.
Hip-hop records are some of the toughest to review because there is so much layer and diversity to the sound that the great records take some time to reveal themselves to you. For instance, the Kanye West record is something I’ve kept in heavy rotation in my car since I gave him a very average review many weeks ago.
Overall American Gangster is at its best when Jay-Z takes a smooth ‘70s track and adds his snap crackle pop over the top. That’s when 1+1=3. Trouble is this combination happens on less than half of the 15 tracks leaving several air pockets in the hour-long album. But Jay-Z remains an iconic and his willingness to push the envelope is the reason his albums continue to debut at #1.
At least that’s what I think this week, but you might want to check back in a month.
VHS or Beta delivers citizen’s arresting sound as junior police officers
Call them the poor man’s Police. A poor man’s Bloc Party. A poor man’s Cure. It doesn’t really matter because what VHS or Beta tends to sound like is some pretty good music. There’s nothing wrong with being the little brother of good especially when you’re a trio from Kentucky.
Bring on the Comets has a confident title, and the first track succeeds in building anticipation. While only a minute ling, instrumental “Euglama” sounds like another car puling up next to you at a stoplight and their party is better than your party. It’s equal part disco and party guitars.
After the groovy “Euglama” we get right into a strut with “I’ve Got Your Love in my Pocket.” Ax max and lead singer Craig Pfunder takes charge of this one from the start with a guitar riff as jagged as a jackolantern mouth. “I’ve Got Your Love in my Pocket” will have you walking on your toes as the guitar cuts up and down.
“She Says” sounded so much like old U2 at the start I was looking for the cover of the album to see if Anton Corbin took the photograph. But just when you hoist your white flag and start marching around the stage the music changes again back to a much more driving sound with some guitar bolts by and a weepy vocal by Pfunder. Sounds like a party in the ewok village.
The high point of Bring on the Comets is without a doubt track four “Can’t Believe a Single Word” with its big guitar and frothing chorus. What it lacks in imagination it makes up for in pace. This is where VHS or Beta sound precisely like, well, VHS or Beta. At least I think that’s what they should sound like. “Can’t Believe a Single Word” takes VHS or Beta out of the club and into stadiums. This one could give more than a few of us speeding tickets if it ever makes to radio as a single. Pfunder takes charge of the vocal stomping through the track as the guitar snakes around and some nifty keyboards make it a full on party. If it’s a sonic appetizer you’re after, this one is the water chestnut wrapped in bacon. There’s something ‘80s about “Can’t Believe a Single Word” and the entire album really. It songs like this one that leave you wanting to sit in detention with the rest of the breakfast club.
“Burn it All Down” is much more Bloc Party and is second best on the album. “Burn it all Down” sounds like letting go with lyrics that say, “sick and tired of feeling. . . .easy come and go” there is an awesome release to this one. VHS or Beta systematically “burn the flags burn the house burn the churches burn it all down.” And you know what, it feels good to let go. “Burn it all Down” will be great on the dance floor especially with benefit of a remix. The last supper vibe is very cool as Pfunder says “you bring the bread I’ll bring the wine.” It’s an intelligent lyric and the kind of song that makes an album.
Trouble is “Can’t Believe a Single Word” and “Burn it All Down” are the two-standout tracks on Bring on the Comets. As a whole VHS or Beta turn up a few songs short of getting their names on the marquee and come off more like the cousin of some really great music.
None of Bring on the Comets is hard to listen to, and even an average song like “Take it or Leave It” will feature some effected spiral guitar work. Overall there’s still too much noise and arcade sounds in the music and it can get in the way. VHS or Beta is at their best when they can get on top of the music and the noise.
“Alpha Theta” starts with whale mating sounds. But once you get passed the Discovery channel intro it’s an ambitious little track.
Overall Bring on the Comets runs out of gas about midway through. Like the rookie with no motor by the second half of the season the last several songs are completely forgettable. So much so I had to keep going back in iTunes to see if I was missing something.
I’m not sure VHS or Beta will ever amount to much of anything but there are a couple nice tracks on here and they do sniff around some music you probably already like. Pfunder leans into some nice guitar, and a song like “The Stars Where We Came From” indicates the band likely has more range then I’m giving them credit for. I’m adding “Can’t Believe a Single Word” and “Burn it all Down” to my play list immediately and I’ll be curious enough to check out the next VHS or Beta release as well.
C
Bring on the Comets has a confident title, and the first track succeeds in building anticipation. While only a minute ling, instrumental “Euglama” sounds like another car puling up next to you at a stoplight and their party is better than your party. It’s equal part disco and party guitars.
After the groovy “Euglama” we get right into a strut with “I’ve Got Your Love in my Pocket.” Ax max and lead singer Craig Pfunder takes charge of this one from the start with a guitar riff as jagged as a jackolantern mouth. “I’ve Got Your Love in my Pocket” will have you walking on your toes as the guitar cuts up and down.
“She Says” sounded so much like old U2 at the start I was looking for the cover of the album to see if Anton Corbin took the photograph. But just when you hoist your white flag and start marching around the stage the music changes again back to a much more driving sound with some guitar bolts by and a weepy vocal by Pfunder. Sounds like a party in the ewok village.
The high point of Bring on the Comets is without a doubt track four “Can’t Believe a Single Word” with its big guitar and frothing chorus. What it lacks in imagination it makes up for in pace. This is where VHS or Beta sound precisely like, well, VHS or Beta. At least I think that’s what they should sound like. “Can’t Believe a Single Word” takes VHS or Beta out of the club and into stadiums. This one could give more than a few of us speeding tickets if it ever makes to radio as a single. Pfunder takes charge of the vocal stomping through the track as the guitar snakes around and some nifty keyboards make it a full on party. If it’s a sonic appetizer you’re after, this one is the water chestnut wrapped in bacon. There’s something ‘80s about “Can’t Believe a Single Word” and the entire album really. It songs like this one that leave you wanting to sit in detention with the rest of the breakfast club.
“Burn it All Down” is much more Bloc Party and is second best on the album. “Burn it all Down” sounds like letting go with lyrics that say, “sick and tired of feeling. . . .easy come and go” there is an awesome release to this one. VHS or Beta systematically “burn the flags burn the house burn the churches burn it all down.” And you know what, it feels good to let go. “Burn it all Down” will be great on the dance floor especially with benefit of a remix. The last supper vibe is very cool as Pfunder says “you bring the bread I’ll bring the wine.” It’s an intelligent lyric and the kind of song that makes an album.
Trouble is “Can’t Believe a Single Word” and “Burn it All Down” are the two-standout tracks on Bring on the Comets. As a whole VHS or Beta turn up a few songs short of getting their names on the marquee and come off more like the cousin of some really great music.
None of Bring on the Comets is hard to listen to, and even an average song like “Take it or Leave It” will feature some effected spiral guitar work. Overall there’s still too much noise and arcade sounds in the music and it can get in the way. VHS or Beta is at their best when they can get on top of the music and the noise.
“Alpha Theta” starts with whale mating sounds. But once you get passed the Discovery channel intro it’s an ambitious little track.
Overall Bring on the Comets runs out of gas about midway through. Like the rookie with no motor by the second half of the season the last several songs are completely forgettable. So much so I had to keep going back in iTunes to see if I was missing something.
I’m not sure VHS or Beta will ever amount to much of anything but there are a couple nice tracks on here and they do sniff around some music you probably already like. Pfunder leans into some nice guitar, and a song like “The Stars Where We Came From” indicates the band likely has more range then I’m giving them credit for. I’m adding “Can’t Believe a Single Word” and “Burn it all Down” to my play list immediately and I’ll be curious enough to check out the next VHS or Beta release as well.
C
Monday, December 10, 2007
Jimmy Eat World's power pop cuts to front of the line
I was standing in the music section of a Best Buy store the other day when I heard an irresistible new rock song playing over the PA system. When this happens to me I freak out and get frantic. It’s like passing a girl on the subway not knowing if you’ll ever run into her again. This might just be my new favorite song, but I need to get her name. When it happens I usually run around looking for a store employee to ask what song is playing. I’ll grab a pen and I’ll try to listen to the lyrics close enough to gather a snippet to plug into Google later. I’ve had this happen to me at coffee shops, at live shows when the soundboard guy is playing warm-up music, Hollister, even the Gap. When I hear something and it sounds great the first time I need to know what it is. If you’ve ever been with me you know I have a one-track mind. But I usually will get its name. I will get its digits. This particular song sounded like the The Killers or one of those really catchy new Christian rock songs that you wish weren’t Christian rock.
I got lucky this time as Best Buy radio came on the air and revealed the track as “Big Casino” by Jimmy Eat World. I immediately proceeded to the J section and grabbed their new disc Chase This Light. “Big Casino” is my kind of song from the signature guitar intro (you could put this one first on your mix CD right after the movie quite), the androgynous pretty vocal part Angels & Airwaves part Brandon Flowers. There was real pop sensibility to the glam guitar. This is my type of music. But “Big Casino” sounded like something, I couldn’t quite place it—but then it hit me. The story of “Big Casino” about the “New Jersey success story” sounds eerily familiar to ‘90s hit “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it’s in there.
I remember as a kid there were often situations where my two brothers and myself would all draw pictures or color the kids’ menu at the restaurant. We always asked my parents what the “best one” was. OF course they remained neutral always calling it a draw. That’s how I feel playing catch up on the blog this week. I had picked up three spankin’ new CDs. The plan was to mix genres and go from Jay-Z to VHS or Beta to Jimmy Eat World, which admittedly was pretty similar to Angels & Airwaves. Trouble was I wanted to listen to Jimmy Eat World. And I did. It quickly became my favorite, the teacher had a pet. It wasn’t a fair fight.
Randomly I just want to say I love CD stickers. I don’t know what it is, but I love all the multi colored shapes calling out the prices and the songs they think you’ll like. There’s something old school about it like the starburst graphic in PowerPoint. I just picture some rock guy saying to the band, “and then we’ll put a red circle here with “Big Casino” in it and wham, bam!” Good stuff.
Interesting that the sticker on Chase This Light called out 4 songs –and they just so happen to be the first 4 songs on the record. And they might have been right. Chase This Light starts in a three-point stance and really never slows down. The start explodes with “Big Casino,” and “Let It Happen” which adds a little more twinkle and head nod. Lyrics like “Could have been a night like any other one of us has to drive, one of us gets to think”—makes the music extremely accessible.
“Always Be” gets a little more girly—finger snaps and all. If there’s a knock on Jimmy Eat World it’s probably that Jim Adkin’s vocal is more delicate like Tim Booth from James –and whenever you call to mind the softer pop sensibility of “Breakfast of Tiffany’s” there’s a group of people who won’t engage. But for the girly boys like me Jimmy Eat World make damn fine music. It’s the stuff for the music video playing in your head and Chase This Light will have even married guys on their riding lawn mowers feeling like they were in high school again.
There’s a tremendous optimism to the pop rock of Jimmy Eat World. The music sounds like a sunrise. It sounds like something you and your girl could listen to. It sounds like bare feet on the dashboard with just a faint smell of Drakkar left over from the ‘80s.
“Carry You” adds more acoustic and maintains the love. On “Electable (Give it Up)” Jimmy Eat World take the sound to more black leather pants. The riffs are more Green Day and the “Oh oh oh oh oh” chorus is a joyous romp. Chase this Light is just damn fun and the whole album is this way. Makes me want to see a live show. My sense is Jimmy Eat World would shred as they may be at their apex like a Matchbox Twenty show back in 1997.
“Gotta be somebody’s blues” is more moody like “Bullet in the Blue Sky” with a whisper. It’s not my cup of tea but it’s not out of place. If this is the concert I’m reloading my beers during this one. And to be honest with the pace of the rest of the record you almost need the break.
The CD sticker missed one. I dare you to find a more infectious sing than “Here it Goes.” “Here it Goes” is like “Mr. Brightside” meets “The Electric Slide.” It’s absolutely fabulous. I can already see the pretty girls roller-skating to this one. Awesome stuff. It’s sound like “Here it Goes” and previously “The Middle” that make me think Jim Adkins has a real gift for melody in almost a Rob Thomas I write the songs that make the world sing type way. Downloard “Here it Goes.” If they made cotton candy Q-Tips this is what it would sound like.
The title track brings back the crescendo. Most of the songs on Chase this Light are built on glam guitar, sweet vocal and the Some Kind of Wonderful bang of Zach Lind on drums.
Another pocket rocket off the album is “Firefight.” Overall Jimmy Eat World brings a steady stream of upbeat melodic rock. I guess the fault of the record would be they tend to sound the same and maybe Adkin’s vocal will wear on you after a few spins but I doubt it. Jimmy Eat World’s new disc is one of the more satisfying music purchases I’ve made this year. And good enough to cut to the front of the line during a busy week.
I got lucky this time as Best Buy radio came on the air and revealed the track as “Big Casino” by Jimmy Eat World. I immediately proceeded to the J section and grabbed their new disc Chase This Light. “Big Casino” is my kind of song from the signature guitar intro (you could put this one first on your mix CD right after the movie quite), the androgynous pretty vocal part Angels & Airwaves part Brandon Flowers. There was real pop sensibility to the glam guitar. This is my type of music. But “Big Casino” sounded like something, I couldn’t quite place it—but then it hit me. The story of “Big Casino” about the “New Jersey success story” sounds eerily familiar to ‘90s hit “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it’s in there.
I remember as a kid there were often situations where my two brothers and myself would all draw pictures or color the kids’ menu at the restaurant. We always asked my parents what the “best one” was. OF course they remained neutral always calling it a draw. That’s how I feel playing catch up on the blog this week. I had picked up three spankin’ new CDs. The plan was to mix genres and go from Jay-Z to VHS or Beta to Jimmy Eat World, which admittedly was pretty similar to Angels & Airwaves. Trouble was I wanted to listen to Jimmy Eat World. And I did. It quickly became my favorite, the teacher had a pet. It wasn’t a fair fight.
Randomly I just want to say I love CD stickers. I don’t know what it is, but I love all the multi colored shapes calling out the prices and the songs they think you’ll like. There’s something old school about it like the starburst graphic in PowerPoint. I just picture some rock guy saying to the band, “and then we’ll put a red circle here with “Big Casino” in it and wham, bam!” Good stuff.
Interesting that the sticker on Chase This Light called out 4 songs –and they just so happen to be the first 4 songs on the record. And they might have been right. Chase This Light starts in a three-point stance and really never slows down. The start explodes with “Big Casino,” and “Let It Happen” which adds a little more twinkle and head nod. Lyrics like “Could have been a night like any other one of us has to drive, one of us gets to think”—makes the music extremely accessible.
“Always Be” gets a little more girly—finger snaps and all. If there’s a knock on Jimmy Eat World it’s probably that Jim Adkin’s vocal is more delicate like Tim Booth from James –and whenever you call to mind the softer pop sensibility of “Breakfast of Tiffany’s” there’s a group of people who won’t engage. But for the girly boys like me Jimmy Eat World make damn fine music. It’s the stuff for the music video playing in your head and Chase This Light will have even married guys on their riding lawn mowers feeling like they were in high school again.
There’s a tremendous optimism to the pop rock of Jimmy Eat World. The music sounds like a sunrise. It sounds like something you and your girl could listen to. It sounds like bare feet on the dashboard with just a faint smell of Drakkar left over from the ‘80s.
“Carry You” adds more acoustic and maintains the love. On “Electable (Give it Up)” Jimmy Eat World take the sound to more black leather pants. The riffs are more Green Day and the “Oh oh oh oh oh” chorus is a joyous romp. Chase this Light is just damn fun and the whole album is this way. Makes me want to see a live show. My sense is Jimmy Eat World would shred as they may be at their apex like a Matchbox Twenty show back in 1997.
“Gotta be somebody’s blues” is more moody like “Bullet in the Blue Sky” with a whisper. It’s not my cup of tea but it’s not out of place. If this is the concert I’m reloading my beers during this one. And to be honest with the pace of the rest of the record you almost need the break.
The CD sticker missed one. I dare you to find a more infectious sing than “Here it Goes.” “Here it Goes” is like “Mr. Brightside” meets “The Electric Slide.” It’s absolutely fabulous. I can already see the pretty girls roller-skating to this one. Awesome stuff. It’s sound like “Here it Goes” and previously “The Middle” that make me think Jim Adkins has a real gift for melody in almost a Rob Thomas I write the songs that make the world sing type way. Downloard “Here it Goes.” If they made cotton candy Q-Tips this is what it would sound like.
The title track brings back the crescendo. Most of the songs on Chase this Light are built on glam guitar, sweet vocal and the Some Kind of Wonderful bang of Zach Lind on drums.
Another pocket rocket off the album is “Firefight.” Overall Jimmy Eat World brings a steady stream of upbeat melodic rock. I guess the fault of the record would be they tend to sound the same and maybe Adkin’s vocal will wear on you after a few spins but I doubt it. Jimmy Eat World’s new disc is one of the more satisfying music purchases I’ve made this year. And good enough to cut to the front of the line during a busy week.
If you want a Hank Williams Jr. record don't buy Kid Rock
Here’s my excuse. Kid Rock was interviewed on Larry King. He was engaging. He was rock n roll. He seemed smart. He seemed interesting. He’s slept with Pam.
I guess I always hoped there was a little more behind the curtain with Kid. A little touch of Skynyrd by way of Detroit. With singles like “Picture (with Sheryl Crow)” in the past I felt Kid Rock one day would put out a nice little Southern fried rock record.
The reviews on Kid’s new record Rock N Roll Jesus talked about monster AC/DC guitar riffs. Producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day) was prominently involved, and there were hints that Kid pulled out the bourbon and did his best Waylon and Willie impression. I was excited to check it out if for no other reason than hoping I’d find one nice little tune that no one else would know. Finding a sneaky little Kid Rock song to for your party play list, is a bit like finding a great shirt at Target boutique. The closest we get to this is probably “Amen” which is acoustic Kid at his best sounding like his head hurts after a hard night and singing about soldiers, lawyers, and pastors. He keeps the lyrics simple and it reminds of Tesla (think their cover of “Signs”) back in their heyday. “Amen” isn’t a great song, runs a bit too long, but it’s as good as we get on Rock N Roll Jesus. “Blue Jeans and a Rosary” would run a close second to “Amen” as the best effort on the album. Kid seems to be comfortable in his own skin on these two.
The problem with Rock N Roll Jesus is at the end of the day Kid still has to pay the bills. He can do all the magazine interviews he wants claiming he’s done saying his name in every song – but there’s still plenty of bad Woodstock ’94 hick-hop on the new record. It’s clear Kid still has to pay homage to the 12 million people who bought Devil Without A Cause. And with lyrics like “I want to fuck your pussy ‘til it’s cold,” “fuck you in the nose” ⎯to name a few it’s pretty clear Mr. Rock is still sitting at the kids’ table.
“All Summer Long” basically takes a “Sweet Home Alabama” sample and tries unsuccessfully to turn it into an original song. The result while sweet to the taste has all the staying power of a stick of Fruit Stripe gum. Part “Crocodile Rock,” the result sounds corny. “All Summer Long” might sound decent at a Solo cup keg party, but Kid isn’t adding much here he’s basically leaning into a riff we already know. He’s cheatin’ and he still can’t win.
“Roll On” might be a decent track if it weren’t a complete theft of Jonny Lang’s “Breakin’ Me.” “Roll On” has that Todd Beamer, USO, American spirit that has become the Kid Rock brand. The backing vocal and piano are nice, but the similarities to the Lang track were too much for me to forgive. I’d suspect lawyers are involved here.
The rest of the album has Kid doing his metal meathead act on “So Hott,” “Sugar,” and his close circuit to his ex-wife Pam “Half Your Age.”
A lot of different Kid Rocks make an appearance on Rock N Roll Jesus and the result sounds like the audio equivalent of a major identity crisis. Some songs like “Sugar” even waver from an acoustic intro to rapping like Zack De La Rocha from Rage to dropping samples of “Cowboy” —all in one track. That’s a steep descent. Lyrics like “kiss my Anglo Saxon ass!” and “I’m watching porno on the TV” sound pretty junior varsity to my well trained thirty three year old ears.
I guess I can’t really blame Kid. He’s always been this way. He grew up a rich boy from Michigan who wanted to be Vanilla Ice. Next he wanted to be a hardcore rapper. Then he wanted to be Limp Bizkit. Now he wants to be Hank Williams Jr. After listening to Rock N Roll Jesus a few times I can assure you he’s nowhere close.
If I go back to the Larry King interview that lead to the unexpected appearance of Kid Rock on Music Martes I still think there’s something in the cupboard here. Trouble is Kid Rock needs to determine what type of artist he wants to be. He should either do the Southern acoustic thing in the vein of “Amen” and “Blue Jeans and a Rosary” for an entire album. If he did he might get some of the honky-tonk cred he clearly craves. He’s not going to be Hank Williams Jr., but he could probably pull off a sound like The Georgia Satellites or (maybe) even something like Guns N’ Roses Lies record.
Even with big ax tracks like “So Hott” I don’t think true hard rock in the spirit of AC/DC, White Zombie, or Buckcherry is realistic for Kid. There’s too much of a wink to him.
Another thought would be for Kid Rock to reinvent ZZ Top for a new generation and make some kick ass rock that doesn’t take itself so seriously. Might be a way for him to find a happy medium. He could sing about the girls, have the big riffs, and still live larger than the rest of us. At least he wouldn’t sound as confused as he does here.
I guess I always hoped there was a little more behind the curtain with Kid. A little touch of Skynyrd by way of Detroit. With singles like “Picture (with Sheryl Crow)” in the past I felt Kid Rock one day would put out a nice little Southern fried rock record.
The reviews on Kid’s new record Rock N Roll Jesus talked about monster AC/DC guitar riffs. Producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day) was prominently involved, and there were hints that Kid pulled out the bourbon and did his best Waylon and Willie impression. I was excited to check it out if for no other reason than hoping I’d find one nice little tune that no one else would know. Finding a sneaky little Kid Rock song to for your party play list, is a bit like finding a great shirt at Target boutique. The closest we get to this is probably “Amen” which is acoustic Kid at his best sounding like his head hurts after a hard night and singing about soldiers, lawyers, and pastors. He keeps the lyrics simple and it reminds of Tesla (think their cover of “Signs”) back in their heyday. “Amen” isn’t a great song, runs a bit too long, but it’s as good as we get on Rock N Roll Jesus. “Blue Jeans and a Rosary” would run a close second to “Amen” as the best effort on the album. Kid seems to be comfortable in his own skin on these two.
The problem with Rock N Roll Jesus is at the end of the day Kid still has to pay the bills. He can do all the magazine interviews he wants claiming he’s done saying his name in every song – but there’s still plenty of bad Woodstock ’94 hick-hop on the new record. It’s clear Kid still has to pay homage to the 12 million people who bought Devil Without A Cause. And with lyrics like “I want to fuck your pussy ‘til it’s cold,” “fuck you in the nose” ⎯to name a few it’s pretty clear Mr. Rock is still sitting at the kids’ table.
“All Summer Long” basically takes a “Sweet Home Alabama” sample and tries unsuccessfully to turn it into an original song. The result while sweet to the taste has all the staying power of a stick of Fruit Stripe gum. Part “Crocodile Rock,” the result sounds corny. “All Summer Long” might sound decent at a Solo cup keg party, but Kid isn’t adding much here he’s basically leaning into a riff we already know. He’s cheatin’ and he still can’t win.
“Roll On” might be a decent track if it weren’t a complete theft of Jonny Lang’s “Breakin’ Me.” “Roll On” has that Todd Beamer, USO, American spirit that has become the Kid Rock brand. The backing vocal and piano are nice, but the similarities to the Lang track were too much for me to forgive. I’d suspect lawyers are involved here.
The rest of the album has Kid doing his metal meathead act on “So Hott,” “Sugar,” and his close circuit to his ex-wife Pam “Half Your Age.”
A lot of different Kid Rocks make an appearance on Rock N Roll Jesus and the result sounds like the audio equivalent of a major identity crisis. Some songs like “Sugar” even waver from an acoustic intro to rapping like Zack De La Rocha from Rage to dropping samples of “Cowboy” —all in one track. That’s a steep descent. Lyrics like “kiss my Anglo Saxon ass!” and “I’m watching porno on the TV” sound pretty junior varsity to my well trained thirty three year old ears.
I guess I can’t really blame Kid. He’s always been this way. He grew up a rich boy from Michigan who wanted to be Vanilla Ice. Next he wanted to be a hardcore rapper. Then he wanted to be Limp Bizkit. Now he wants to be Hank Williams Jr. After listening to Rock N Roll Jesus a few times I can assure you he’s nowhere close.
If I go back to the Larry King interview that lead to the unexpected appearance of Kid Rock on Music Martes I still think there’s something in the cupboard here. Trouble is Kid Rock needs to determine what type of artist he wants to be. He should either do the Southern acoustic thing in the vein of “Amen” and “Blue Jeans and a Rosary” for an entire album. If he did he might get some of the honky-tonk cred he clearly craves. He’s not going to be Hank Williams Jr., but he could probably pull off a sound like The Georgia Satellites or (maybe) even something like Guns N’ Roses Lies record.
Even with big ax tracks like “So Hott” I don’t think true hard rock in the spirit of AC/DC, White Zombie, or Buckcherry is realistic for Kid. There’s too much of a wink to him.
Another thought would be for Kid Rock to reinvent ZZ Top for a new generation and make some kick ass rock that doesn’t take itself so seriously. Might be a way for him to find a happy medium. He could sing about the girls, have the big riffs, and still live larger than the rest of us. At least he wouldn’t sound as confused as he does here.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Tom DeLonge Needs To Get Out More
I’ve followed the career of Tom Delonge ever since he extracted all of the talent from Blink 182 and went his own way. I enjoyed his first side project, Boxcar Racer, and would call myself a fan of his latest band Angels & Airwaves. When DeLonge got married and had kids it didn’t bother me either because I knew this guy was determined to make the big planetarium rock that would fit in a John Hughes teen drama. Angels & Airwaves is like “Salisbury Hill” with better guitar. And the newly minted family man DeLonge was bound to hit some themes I could get into.
Angels & Airwaves is starry sky rock at its best and when Tom has the guitars frothing at the mouth it can be pure bliss. Angels & Airwaves make the sort of music that scares the crap out of you when you turn on your car because you can’t believe how loud you let it get the last time you were in there. The trouble with Angels & Airwaves is Tom seems to have lost his ability to taper the music. He’s become indulgent and perhaps a bit out of touch. The music sounds like it comes from a guy who has a studio in his house and doesn’t have to answer to anyone –there’s no fit or finish. Case in point “True Love” is a nifty little song that takes two minutes just to get going.
Many of the songs on I-Empire include two-minute intros and lots of meandering guitar twinkle. If I was playing a video game and this was the score-it’d be fine. But I’m not. I bought an album and I expect the songs to have a little more discipline.
DeLonge always has killer pedals going on his guitar. The opener “Call to Arms” is classic, cinematic Angels & Airwaves and a good way to start. Track two “Everything’s Magic” adds some sound effects and a little pace to take us closer to a single.
A big problem with I-Empire is the first three tracks don’t bring much to the cake mix. It’s mostly whiney vocal, sound effects, and just a tease of guitar. “Breathe” has some cool 1980’s drum effect, but it sounds too unfinished.
“Love Like Rockets” starts the countdown as we hear the familiar walkie-talkie crackle and get closer to what makes Angels & Airwaves one of my favorite new bands. When DeLonge gets the guitar going like a helicopter, Angels & Airwaves music can have all the drama of Cape Canaveral. “Love Like Rockets” should get points for the title alone and is a fun little song. It sounds like the sort of thing you’d want playing on a hot summer night in a convertible. “The stars in your eyes light up the skies” chorus even has a little Bono thing going on. Angels & Airwaves has a heavy U2 influence from DeLonge’s guitar to the “oh ay oh” sing-a-long choruses.
But unlike the last Angels & Airwaves record We Don’t Need to Whisper which gave us “The Adventure,” “The War (theme from MTV’s Two-A-Days),” and “Distraction” –the only must have track off I-Empire is “Secret Crowds.” After a somewhat needless thirty-second intro, “Secret Crowds” leaves the atmosphere on the back of DeLonge’s power chords. This is a massive pump up song for your collection. “Secret Crowds” is straight up black t-shirt rock. The core idea of the album is here as DeLonge talks about his I-Empire (“If I had my own world”) where he world “spread love like violence.” And the “Let me feel you carry you higher . . .secret crowds rise up and gather” even has a little “We Will Rock You” beat that had me banging the roof of the Wrangler. This is the sort of song Jack Black’s character would have broke a piece of chalk telling the kids about in School of Rock. It’s simply that good.
Trouble is there isn’t much else here on I-Empire. “Secret Crowds” craps bigger than the rest of the record. Overall I worry about Angels & Airwaves. The music is so out of touch that I think DeLonge might be fading. We’ve reached the true fan-stage of his career. The hardcore like myself will be able to pull a great song out of every album, and not much more. And until Delonge hooks up with some other talent I don’t see much more happening. But with the right supporting cast DeLonge could make a big dent on the scene. Selfishly I’d love to see Delonge get picked up in some sort of rock and roll super group in the spirit of Audioslave and Velvet Revolver for his guitar and his mind. The man gets music. Otherwise he’ll just make six-minute songs like “Heaven” which sound like the distortion pedal version of a guy watching his life projected in Super 8 on the wall in the dark.
“Lifeline” is an interesting song if for no other reason that it makes the best use of DeLonge’s eternally 17 angst ridden vocal and pulls it across a nice wingspan. “If you wish it wish it now. If you wish it wish it loud” and the familiar “yo oh oh oh” anthem is solid. “Rite of Spring” starts out like a Poison guitar riff but ultimately disappoints as the glam is quickly replaced with melancholy. But it is a nice personal story and his “chance for a better life” gives a glimpse of a genuine nice guy in rock and roll.
The Target version of the CD comes with two bonus tracks including an acoustic version of Angel & Airwaves first hit “The Adventure.” It’s painful to listen to and I can’t imagine how this version made it onto the record. My only explanation is someone has Punk’d DeLonge. All it does is reinforce how much help DeLonge needs with his vocal in post-production because the raw track sounds horrible. It’s like tone deaf Violent Femmes, it’s truly awful stuff.
In summary, I’m a fan of Mr. Delonge. His music makes music videos in my head. But if the man doesn’t get some help I worry that’s about as far as Angels & Airwaves will go.
Angels & Airwaves is starry sky rock at its best and when Tom has the guitars frothing at the mouth it can be pure bliss. Angels & Airwaves make the sort of music that scares the crap out of you when you turn on your car because you can’t believe how loud you let it get the last time you were in there. The trouble with Angels & Airwaves is Tom seems to have lost his ability to taper the music. He’s become indulgent and perhaps a bit out of touch. The music sounds like it comes from a guy who has a studio in his house and doesn’t have to answer to anyone –there’s no fit or finish. Case in point “True Love” is a nifty little song that takes two minutes just to get going.
Many of the songs on I-Empire include two-minute intros and lots of meandering guitar twinkle. If I was playing a video game and this was the score-it’d be fine. But I’m not. I bought an album and I expect the songs to have a little more discipline.
DeLonge always has killer pedals going on his guitar. The opener “Call to Arms” is classic, cinematic Angels & Airwaves and a good way to start. Track two “Everything’s Magic” adds some sound effects and a little pace to take us closer to a single.
A big problem with I-Empire is the first three tracks don’t bring much to the cake mix. It’s mostly whiney vocal, sound effects, and just a tease of guitar. “Breathe” has some cool 1980’s drum effect, but it sounds too unfinished.
“Love Like Rockets” starts the countdown as we hear the familiar walkie-talkie crackle and get closer to what makes Angels & Airwaves one of my favorite new bands. When DeLonge gets the guitar going like a helicopter, Angels & Airwaves music can have all the drama of Cape Canaveral. “Love Like Rockets” should get points for the title alone and is a fun little song. It sounds like the sort of thing you’d want playing on a hot summer night in a convertible. “The stars in your eyes light up the skies” chorus even has a little Bono thing going on. Angels & Airwaves has a heavy U2 influence from DeLonge’s guitar to the “oh ay oh” sing-a-long choruses.
But unlike the last Angels & Airwaves record We Don’t Need to Whisper which gave us “The Adventure,” “The War (theme from MTV’s Two-A-Days),” and “Distraction” –the only must have track off I-Empire is “Secret Crowds.” After a somewhat needless thirty-second intro, “Secret Crowds” leaves the atmosphere on the back of DeLonge’s power chords. This is a massive pump up song for your collection. “Secret Crowds” is straight up black t-shirt rock. The core idea of the album is here as DeLonge talks about his I-Empire (“If I had my own world”) where he world “spread love like violence.” And the “Let me feel you carry you higher . . .secret crowds rise up and gather” even has a little “We Will Rock You” beat that had me banging the roof of the Wrangler. This is the sort of song Jack Black’s character would have broke a piece of chalk telling the kids about in School of Rock. It’s simply that good.
Trouble is there isn’t much else here on I-Empire. “Secret Crowds” craps bigger than the rest of the record. Overall I worry about Angels & Airwaves. The music is so out of touch that I think DeLonge might be fading. We’ve reached the true fan-stage of his career. The hardcore like myself will be able to pull a great song out of every album, and not much more. And until Delonge hooks up with some other talent I don’t see much more happening. But with the right supporting cast DeLonge could make a big dent on the scene. Selfishly I’d love to see Delonge get picked up in some sort of rock and roll super group in the spirit of Audioslave and Velvet Revolver for his guitar and his mind. The man gets music. Otherwise he’ll just make six-minute songs like “Heaven” which sound like the distortion pedal version of a guy watching his life projected in Super 8 on the wall in the dark.
“Lifeline” is an interesting song if for no other reason that it makes the best use of DeLonge’s eternally 17 angst ridden vocal and pulls it across a nice wingspan. “If you wish it wish it now. If you wish it wish it loud” and the familiar “yo oh oh oh” anthem is solid. “Rite of Spring” starts out like a Poison guitar riff but ultimately disappoints as the glam is quickly replaced with melancholy. But it is a nice personal story and his “chance for a better life” gives a glimpse of a genuine nice guy in rock and roll.
The Target version of the CD comes with two bonus tracks including an acoustic version of Angel & Airwaves first hit “The Adventure.” It’s painful to listen to and I can’t imagine how this version made it onto the record. My only explanation is someone has Punk’d DeLonge. All it does is reinforce how much help DeLonge needs with his vocal in post-production because the raw track sounds horrible. It’s like tone deaf Violent Femmes, it’s truly awful stuff.
In summary, I’m a fan of Mr. Delonge. His music makes music videos in my head. But if the man doesn’t get some help I worry that’s about as far as Angels & Airwaves will go.
Friday, November 9, 2007
I’ll take $10 on Band of Horses to Show.
As it turns out the band I was hearing good things about was Iron & Wine, not Band of Horses. But I stuck with the BOH review assuming it was akin to accidentally betting on the wrong horse at the track. When that happens you never, ever take the ticket back to the counter. You roll with the destiny.
Funny thing happened, my ticket was a winner. I like Band of Horses. I don’t love them. I’m not running around telling people to buy them or adding icons to my facebook page. But BOH has a nice little sound about them.
When I explained to a buddy here at work that I was accidentally reviewing BOH he assured me I would like them. Turns out he had an Amazon box on his desk with the same Cease to Begin CD. He described BOH’s sound as Southern, more specifically “Southern dudes with beards” ⎯which is never wrong.
This was all starting to sound promising. For starters my music was going back into the barrel, A lot of my favorite music is a little gamey, has a little woods in it, you need to check for bones before you consumer—Kings of Leon had that in spades and sadly seem to have gone away from it a bit recently.
The first track on Cease to Begin “Is There a Ghost.” reminds me a bit of “MLK” from U2. Even though it clocks in at nearly 3 minutes it’s not as much a song as it is a sleepy time vibe. But to their credit, it’s a nice album opener with a little rock guitar thump and an introduction to lead vocalist Ben Bridwell’s pretty voice.
One of the things I found a bit distracting about BOH was going from “Southern guys with beards” to the lovely vocal of Bridwell. I mean this guy doesn’t sound like a cowboy he sounds like the “you sure got a purdy mouth” guy the cowboys would want to share a cell with.
Track two “Ode to LRC” had me worried. The album was starting to sound like everything and nothing. This track reminds me of bands like Athlete that get the critics all excited and when you listed to them it’s just a good solid C+. Personally I’d rather listen to the best or the worst, the middle is what really hurts your ears and wastes your time.
Recovery was one song away with “No One’s Gonna Love You” where the boys got to me. “No One’s Gonna Love You” is a song about the phantom pains of love feeling like “a limb torn off.” You can hear the hurt in his voice as Bridwell goes out of his way to say “no one is ever going to love you like I do” to someone who has clearly moved on. “No One’s Gonna Love You” has a haunting effect as Bridwell pens one more love letter to the “ghost of what once was.” This one has all the moodiness it needs to toss it on top of the last 5 minutes of a Grey’s Anatomy episode.
I’m always going to be a sucker for the wind chime twinkle of a guitar because I grew up worshipping the Edge and U2. Band of Horses have some guitar chops featuring a guitar instrumental “Lamb on the Lam (In the City).” Bridwell’s vocal grew on me as well as at times he has a little Perry Farrell and he’s a real singer-which I appreciate.
Overall Band of Horses make lovely like the bell choir visiting your church around Christmas. What BOH lack in Adam’s apple grit, they make up for in gorgeous melody. The music tends to be a little bit too shoe gazer sleepy for my liking as it sort of wants to fade into a starry sky. But I think the band is capable of more. They have the guitar chops, but I’d like to see a little less twinkle twinkle and a little more asteroid coming from him.
Where BOH really won me over was by putting the belt buckle on and showing their range on “The General Specific” and “Marry Song.” “The General Specific” is a saloon stomp and a hot little song. It’s odd in sort of White Stripes way, at times sounding like a different band. The guitar is gone replaced with piano and a strong bass buzz. The eyes are no longer on the floor, and the feet are tapping. Bridwell’s voice changes, but it doesn’t sound forced. It’s almost as if the boys from South Carolina wanted to show us they could do it just to check the box. “Marry Song” is whiney whiskey country at its best. The sort of southern fried country that makes you want to drink until the sun hurts your eyes the next morning. It’s not for everyone, but if you like a good Western movie you’ll likely enjoy this 3:23 seat next to the organ. The keyboard work is key to both of these departure songs. Is there anything better than the sound of rock guys singing country?!
In short Band of Horses’ Cease to Begin ranks ahead of many other critical darlings (Interpol, Radiohead) I’ve reviewed in this space. I’d keep my eye on them. If they can stop counting sheep and get some of the music out of the evening and into the morning or afternoon—I think they could stick around for a while. I think they have too much personality not to do something interesting. Any band who can write a gorgeous ballad and name it “Detlef Schrempf” after the former 7’ awkward pasty German white basketball star has to be capable of making their mark.
Funny thing happened, my ticket was a winner. I like Band of Horses. I don’t love them. I’m not running around telling people to buy them or adding icons to my facebook page. But BOH has a nice little sound about them.
When I explained to a buddy here at work that I was accidentally reviewing BOH he assured me I would like them. Turns out he had an Amazon box on his desk with the same Cease to Begin CD. He described BOH’s sound as Southern, more specifically “Southern dudes with beards” ⎯which is never wrong.
This was all starting to sound promising. For starters my music was going back into the barrel, A lot of my favorite music is a little gamey, has a little woods in it, you need to check for bones before you consumer—Kings of Leon had that in spades and sadly seem to have gone away from it a bit recently.
The first track on Cease to Begin “Is There a Ghost.” reminds me a bit of “MLK” from U2. Even though it clocks in at nearly 3 minutes it’s not as much a song as it is a sleepy time vibe. But to their credit, it’s a nice album opener with a little rock guitar thump and an introduction to lead vocalist Ben Bridwell’s pretty voice.
One of the things I found a bit distracting about BOH was going from “Southern guys with beards” to the lovely vocal of Bridwell. I mean this guy doesn’t sound like a cowboy he sounds like the “you sure got a purdy mouth” guy the cowboys would want to share a cell with.
Track two “Ode to LRC” had me worried. The album was starting to sound like everything and nothing. This track reminds me of bands like Athlete that get the critics all excited and when you listed to them it’s just a good solid C+. Personally I’d rather listen to the best or the worst, the middle is what really hurts your ears and wastes your time.
Recovery was one song away with “No One’s Gonna Love You” where the boys got to me. “No One’s Gonna Love You” is a song about the phantom pains of love feeling like “a limb torn off.” You can hear the hurt in his voice as Bridwell goes out of his way to say “no one is ever going to love you like I do” to someone who has clearly moved on. “No One’s Gonna Love You” has a haunting effect as Bridwell pens one more love letter to the “ghost of what once was.” This one has all the moodiness it needs to toss it on top of the last 5 minutes of a Grey’s Anatomy episode.
I’m always going to be a sucker for the wind chime twinkle of a guitar because I grew up worshipping the Edge and U2. Band of Horses have some guitar chops featuring a guitar instrumental “Lamb on the Lam (In the City).” Bridwell’s vocal grew on me as well as at times he has a little Perry Farrell and he’s a real singer-which I appreciate.
Overall Band of Horses make lovely like the bell choir visiting your church around Christmas. What BOH lack in Adam’s apple grit, they make up for in gorgeous melody. The music tends to be a little bit too shoe gazer sleepy for my liking as it sort of wants to fade into a starry sky. But I think the band is capable of more. They have the guitar chops, but I’d like to see a little less twinkle twinkle and a little more asteroid coming from him.
Where BOH really won me over was by putting the belt buckle on and showing their range on “The General Specific” and “Marry Song.” “The General Specific” is a saloon stomp and a hot little song. It’s odd in sort of White Stripes way, at times sounding like a different band. The guitar is gone replaced with piano and a strong bass buzz. The eyes are no longer on the floor, and the feet are tapping. Bridwell’s voice changes, but it doesn’t sound forced. It’s almost as if the boys from South Carolina wanted to show us they could do it just to check the box. “Marry Song” is whiney whiskey country at its best. The sort of southern fried country that makes you want to drink until the sun hurts your eyes the next morning. It’s not for everyone, but if you like a good Western movie you’ll likely enjoy this 3:23 seat next to the organ. The keyboard work is key to both of these departure songs. Is there anything better than the sound of rock guys singing country?!
In short Band of Horses’ Cease to Begin ranks ahead of many other critical darlings (Interpol, Radiohead) I’ve reviewed in this space. I’d keep my eye on them. If they can stop counting sheep and get some of the music out of the evening and into the morning or afternoon—I think they could stick around for a while. I think they have too much personality not to do something interesting. Any band who can write a gorgeous ballad and name it “Detlef Schrempf” after the former 7’ awkward pasty German white basketball star has to be capable of making their mark.
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