We’ve all heard the story about how a glass of red wine a day helps you live longer. Personally, I’m convinced the same is true about live music.
I’m certain a scientific study that took a group of people and exposed them to one live music event each month would prove that group would live longer than those who had not experienced as much live music over the same time period.
That’s part of the reason I make it a point to see at least one live show per month. This discipline has kept my rock & roll incisors sharp and allowed me to see firsthand the pageantry of everyone from Michael Jackson to Tim McGraw. I’m such a live music veteran now that I proudly wear the totally uncool neon earplugs. Go ahead and laugh, but next time you’re at First Avenue check the tall roadie dude covered in ink carrying away the empties – and you’ll see he’s wearing them too.
Over the years I’ve assembled a sacred group, which I refer to as my Live Top 5. It’s a group I can count on one hand who for various reasons have been enshrined in my personal live music hall of fame.
Most of the names you would expect.
The Boss is there because no one, absolutely no one works harder than Bruce Springsteen. The older he gets, the more he upholds the ethos of one of his tracks, “Prove it all Night.” Going to see Bruce Springsteen live is a bit masochistic, like signing up for a session with the personal trainer you heard was “psycho” to at the health club. Because make no mistake you (and the rest of his aging audience) will give up before Bruce does.
Prince makes the Live Top 5 and not just because he’s from Minnesota and can do the splits on top of a piano in heels. No Prince makes the list because of his medley style playlist when he’s in concert. When you see a Prince show it’s like he’s done a scientific study of the high points of every one of his songs and he’s put it all in a blender to serve you up only the best bits. It’s like he’s run a concert optimizer, and you’ll never come down.
Of course the Irish lads make the list. While U2 can be inconsistent live depending on how ready they were to tour or how many clove cigarettes Bono is smoking, when they’re on their game it’s something to witness. Bono isn’t my favorite singer in the world, but he is my favorite front man – and there’s a difference. And to see a U2 show is to understand the importance of that distinction. Edge’s wind chime guitars and Bono’s ideas are stadium sized indeed.
If anyone is ready to take U2’s live torch as they slowly move past the exit, it’s probably three punks from Oakland. If you haven’t seen Green Day live yet, you need to before they get knocked back down to size. Green Day’s current rock opera phrase has this trio transforming from the snot and bloody lip of their punk roots to the pyrotechnics and stadium spectacle of big time rock & roll. No one is having more fun out on tour right now, whether they’re mocking the King of Pop or starting their sets with a drunk guy in a pink bunny suit--Green Day are indeed in their prime.
But there is one surprising name that rounds out my Live Top 5. And that name is Bob Schneider, a singer songwriter from Austin, Texas.
The live music experience with Bob is difficult to describe. There are certain performers that when you see them it’s almost spiritual, like going to music church. Martin Sexton has that, Springsteen, etc. I remember the first time I went to a Bob show and saw the huge line snaking around the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, I knew there was real credibility to Bob’s live reputation.
To put it in a sentence, the biggest compliment I can give Bob Schneider and perhaps the most accurate description of his live experience are the 6 words my wife said when I took her to see her first Bob show this summer at the Double Door in Chicago:
“This is weird. I like it” she said.
That about sums it up. The son of an opera singer who used to entertain at his parent parties, Bob has basically been marinating in Austin’s melting pot of a music scene for decades. Over this time Bob has morphed into a real version of someone Matt McConaughey would play in a movie. He’s a larger than life sloppy rock god that can put together a live show that’s equal parts Copacabana, G Love’s special sauce, romantic comedy, with a pirate’s eye patch tossed in for good measure.
Bob’s genre bending live spectacle is the stuff of legend. Like the city of Austin itself, Bob is indeed weird, but good. For a taste check this live link from YouTube:
Saxon Pub
This clip gives you a glimpse of the genuine love between artist and audience Bob evokes. Personally I think the first comment from KillMeNow1990 below the clip nails it, “Quite simply, the coolest fucker on Earth. And I would assume the universe.”
So if I’m carving Bob Schneider’s comic book hero jaw line into my live music Mt. Rushmore alongside The Boss, Bono, and Billy Joe – one has to wonder why most of you you’ve never heard of the man.
And that’s a good question, besides a cup of coffee of success more directly linked to Bob dating actress Sandra Bullock then his live music prowess, he does remain relatively under the radar. And while Bob followers range from 35-year old women to University of Texas co-eds, and David Wooderson wannabes – mainstream success has yet to arrive.
All of that may be about to change with the release of Bob’s latest studio album, Lovely Creatures.
Lovely Creatures is a different album for Bob fans. It’s a romantic record composed of ten pretty songs and two greatest hits. The closest thing from Bob’s back catalogue to resemble this record is probably “Flowerparts” linked here:
Flowerparts
Yes Bob has tucked in his shirt for this album. The result is a handsome little record, and one giant song.
“40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)” is the song that just might get Bob on a few more Live Top 5 lists. It’s also everything you should love about Bob rolled into four minutes and thirteen seconds of undeniable soft rock. To give it a listen and get a glimpse of a more recent live experience from Bob click here:
40 Dogs
And there it is. “40 Dogs” is a track romantic enough to bring to mind a young John Cusack. A song you, your buddy, your wife, and mom can agree on. And of course the brilliant lyric, including the following:
Come out tonight, come out with me baby
We’ll throw the careful into the crazy
Turn the sky black into a sky blue
Turn a closed shade into a Hoo Hoo!
At its core “40 Dogs” is pure Bob. From the sloppy combination of Shakespeare and malt liquor, to the naughtiness, and the grit. But it’s also a thing of beauty. If Bob’s intent was, as it seems to write and record a lovely record, then “40 Dogs” has emerged the super model track of the bunch. “40 Dogs” has all the excitement of the perfumed air at the beginning of a relationship; locking eyes at a bar, and the high cheekbones and ample lips only a songwriter of Bob’s pedigree could possibly deliver. “40 Dogs” is the song that should get more people to visit the church of Bob.
There are other gems on Lovely Creatures from the tortured soul of “Changing my Mind” with Patty Griffin which proves art loves heartbreak. “Changing my Mind” is an exceedingly sad song that still feels good to listen to. “Bicycle vs. Car” is a gorgeous gawker slowdown of a ballad as we pan across the lopsided collision of head vs. heart.
Lovely Creatures also includes two tracks that have been fan favorites at Bob’s live shows for years in “Bombonanza” and “Tarantula.” A musician marinated in the Austin, Texas music scene like Bob is bound to become the musical equivalent of a rink or gym rat. To reach tracks like “Tarantula” and “Bombonanza” requires the experience and flavor of a dirty barbecue grill. That’s been Austin’s gift to Bob, and he’s returned the favor to us with songs like these two live escapades. While less than four minutes here trust that both are much meatier in person. When Bob does “Bombonanza” it’s “Copacabana” only you’ve swapped Barry Manilow for Don Draper. And “Tarantula” features another ridiculous yet perfect Dr. Schneider sing-a-long chorus in “There she goes! There in the moonlight! Under the stars! Tarantula!”
As a whole Lovely Creatures offers a more tapered and romantic sound than Schneider fans may be used to hearing. But even though Bob may have added a spoonful of sugar on his latest record, the live favorites “Bombonanza” and “Tarantula” finally delivered to a studio record and the first kiss boom of “40 Dogs” should result in a few new faces at the church of Schneider on Sunday. And to that I say, “Amen.”
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Green Day earn the yellow jersey
It finally happened. We have a new leader in the clubhouse. Green Day has stripped the yellow jersey off the Followill brothers delivering the best album of 2009 with 21st Century Breakdown. The yellow jersey earns you a lot of things not the least of which is pole position in the Wrangler’s six CD changer’s slot one. Not only is 21st Century Breakdown stronger then the guys 2004 rock opera, American Idiot, I believe it’s the record of the year for the following three reasons:
LONG LIVE THE ALBUM
Often my 8 year old will put on his shorts or shirt backwards. When I correct him and tell him his clothes are on backwards he usually just looks at me as if to say, “who cares? If it doesn’t bother me, what does it matter?” My static answer to his indifference is usually something about how the clothes are made to be worn a certain way and that’s why they put the tag in back, etc.
When I loaded 21st Century Breakdown into my computer and put it onto my Shuffle, I somehow put the songs in reverse order for my playlist. 21st Century Breakdown is just the sort of album where once you know the material having the songs backwards will drive you crazy and for that, I’m thankful. In a lot of ways I think digital music has allowed too many young people to begin looking at music the same way my son looks at his shorts and shirts. If the songs work for them in any order what difference does it make? Thankfully Billie Joe Armstrong and the gang still understand that the music makers put things in a certain order because they’re meant to be listened to that way. For this reason, 21st Century Breakdown should only be judged as an album. Of the few thousand people I’ve told to buy the new record, my marching orders have consistently been to listen to the entire thing (18 tracks, 1.1 hours) six times straight through before passing judgment. I challenge anyone to do that and not think Green Day have truly found higher ground as a band. The way the songs fade into each other is seamless, and the rock opera effect means most of the tracks are more sections than they are songs. In other words if you don’t like a song, wait 15 seconds and you just might. 21st Century Breakdown is true proof that Billie Joe is a world-class conductor with both the pen and the baton. Long live the album!
CREATIVE RANGE
For Green Day fans where 21st Century Breakdown separates itself from American Idiot is the band’s newfound range. Wow. Consider the following:
On track 7 “Last Night on Earth“ the band sounds like the Beach Boys slinging Sunkist.
Track 8 “East Jesus Nowhere” has all the steel-toed stomp of Marilyn Manson at his finest, and just as much ballistic blasphemy.
Track 9 “Peacemaker” sounds like Dick Dale on a long board or something Tarantino would have been listening to when he was still renting videos.
Track 14 “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” starts with the lyric “I’m not fuckin’ around!” and means it for the entire 3:14 all the way to the “G-L-O-R-I-A” shoutout to Van. This song will be the cause of some leatherneck running into his locker before practice and a few speeding tickets.
Track 15 “The Static Age” sounds like the Go-Gos if they were a punk band. This is the one for the convertibles and movie soundtracks this summer. Cue the music video in your head; this bubble gum punk will have even the bumpiest faces believing they can get the girl.
And through all this they still manage to dispense some undeniable Green Day in the three song arch between Track 3 and 5 with “Know Your Enemy,” “Viva La Gloria!” and “Before the Lobotomy.” These songs are filled with the machine gun guitars and cartoon violence we’ve come to expect from the boys as they hit their prime as a band. And for the record any chance to scream “Whisky shots and cheap cigarettes!” at the top of your lungs is a good thing in my book.
If that wasn’t enough, Green Day reinvent the rock ballad once again with Track 16 “21 Guns.” This thing is some damn infectious you won’t be able to get it out of your head. And you won’t want to. Should be a big song for them this summer.
THE AMBITION OF THE ARTIST
I love that somewhere in Oakland Billie Joe Armstrong still sits down and writes an album about Christian and Gloria. I love that he divides the record into three distinct acts. I love that he starts with the stories. I love that the band is working with an experimental theater group to bring parts of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown to the stage. It’s all about the art with these guys, and in a world increasingly filled with suits and science we could all use a little more art.
So please go out and pick up the new Green Day, listen to it six times, and thank me later. You’ll be surprised how good it feels to listen to an album that still understands why the tag goes in the back. I’ve dressed Green Day up in yellow for the three reasons above, but whether you have them in front of your pack or not, rest assured you’ll enjoy the raucous ride that is 21st Century Breakdown.
LONG LIVE THE ALBUM
Often my 8 year old will put on his shorts or shirt backwards. When I correct him and tell him his clothes are on backwards he usually just looks at me as if to say, “who cares? If it doesn’t bother me, what does it matter?” My static answer to his indifference is usually something about how the clothes are made to be worn a certain way and that’s why they put the tag in back, etc.
When I loaded 21st Century Breakdown into my computer and put it onto my Shuffle, I somehow put the songs in reverse order for my playlist. 21st Century Breakdown is just the sort of album where once you know the material having the songs backwards will drive you crazy and for that, I’m thankful. In a lot of ways I think digital music has allowed too many young people to begin looking at music the same way my son looks at his shorts and shirts. If the songs work for them in any order what difference does it make? Thankfully Billie Joe Armstrong and the gang still understand that the music makers put things in a certain order because they’re meant to be listened to that way. For this reason, 21st Century Breakdown should only be judged as an album. Of the few thousand people I’ve told to buy the new record, my marching orders have consistently been to listen to the entire thing (18 tracks, 1.1 hours) six times straight through before passing judgment. I challenge anyone to do that and not think Green Day have truly found higher ground as a band. The way the songs fade into each other is seamless, and the rock opera effect means most of the tracks are more sections than they are songs. In other words if you don’t like a song, wait 15 seconds and you just might. 21st Century Breakdown is true proof that Billie Joe is a world-class conductor with both the pen and the baton. Long live the album!
CREATIVE RANGE
For Green Day fans where 21st Century Breakdown separates itself from American Idiot is the band’s newfound range. Wow. Consider the following:
On track 7 “Last Night on Earth“ the band sounds like the Beach Boys slinging Sunkist.
Track 8 “East Jesus Nowhere” has all the steel-toed stomp of Marilyn Manson at his finest, and just as much ballistic blasphemy.
Track 9 “Peacemaker” sounds like Dick Dale on a long board or something Tarantino would have been listening to when he was still renting videos.
Track 14 “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” starts with the lyric “I’m not fuckin’ around!” and means it for the entire 3:14 all the way to the “G-L-O-R-I-A” shoutout to Van. This song will be the cause of some leatherneck running into his locker before practice and a few speeding tickets.
Track 15 “The Static Age” sounds like the Go-Gos if they were a punk band. This is the one for the convertibles and movie soundtracks this summer. Cue the music video in your head; this bubble gum punk will have even the bumpiest faces believing they can get the girl.
And through all this they still manage to dispense some undeniable Green Day in the three song arch between Track 3 and 5 with “Know Your Enemy,” “Viva La Gloria!” and “Before the Lobotomy.” These songs are filled with the machine gun guitars and cartoon violence we’ve come to expect from the boys as they hit their prime as a band. And for the record any chance to scream “Whisky shots and cheap cigarettes!” at the top of your lungs is a good thing in my book.
If that wasn’t enough, Green Day reinvent the rock ballad once again with Track 16 “21 Guns.” This thing is some damn infectious you won’t be able to get it out of your head. And you won’t want to. Should be a big song for them this summer.
THE AMBITION OF THE ARTIST
I love that somewhere in Oakland Billie Joe Armstrong still sits down and writes an album about Christian and Gloria. I love that he divides the record into three distinct acts. I love that he starts with the stories. I love that the band is working with an experimental theater group to bring parts of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown to the stage. It’s all about the art with these guys, and in a world increasingly filled with suits and science we could all use a little more art.
So please go out and pick up the new Green Day, listen to it six times, and thank me later. You’ll be surprised how good it feels to listen to an album that still understands why the tag goes in the back. I’ve dressed Green Day up in yellow for the three reasons above, but whether you have them in front of your pack or not, rest assured you’ll enjoy the raucous ride that is 21st Century Breakdown.
Friday, March 27, 2009
You Never Forget Your First
I had a great parenting moment the other day. My 7-year old son came frantically running down the stairs of our home and said five words I’ll not soon forget, “Dad, I like a song!” he exclaimed.
The best part of it was that for my son this was probably the first time he had ever experienced this. Sure he’d tolerated music riding around in my Jeep, maybe even liked some of it. But he had never found the music for himself; those songs had never been his own. And I loved the way he said it. “Dad, I like a song” was shouted with the same coming-of-age surprise of “Dad, I found a chest hair!” It was if he had never been surer about anything in his whole life.
I wasn’t about to let this moment pass me by. Determined to reinforce the behavior I sprinted upstairs to see what song he was listening to. I fully expected to hear some bubble gum pop or Auto-Tune hip-hop song to be playing; I was surprised to find the clock radio tuned to our local mullet rock station 93X. After giving my son a proud glance, I turned my attention to trying desperately to decipher enough of the lyrics to punch them into Google. A few seconds into this excellent track I had a revelation, “Holy crap, this is Eddie Vedder. And it’s new.” For the record, the revelation that the first song your son likes is Pearl Jam is just about as awesome as him bringing a beautiful girl home on a date.
Damn near hyperventilating I worked the lyrics (something about brothers and sisters) into Google and scoped the 93X site for their current play list. After a false start looking for the song which I learned was called “Brother” on the Pearl Jam rarities disc Lost Dogs, I learned the version of the song I was actually looking for (with lyrics) would be included on the Ten anniversary reissue, Pearl Jam Ten (Legacy Edition), out this week.
In some ways Pearl Jam Ten was also my first. Besides maybe Achtung Baby (out around the same time), Pearl Jam’s Ten was my first polarizing music experience. I vividly remember sitting in the backseat of cars in high school listening to Ten not knowing whether I should make fun of it or love it. A few of my buddies spent the summer at a church camp and I still remember them coming home with the same reaction. There was no doubt about it. Ten was different. You couldn’t ignore the sound. Unfortunately this classic album was at least partially to blame for all the coeds wearing flannel shirts and jeans my entire four years of college. But with a sound like this it might be worth the trade.
The Ten reissue comes in several flavors. The one I purchased had two discs. One is simply a remastered version of the original Ten, the second disc Ten Redux features a Brendan O’Brien remixed version of the record as well as six previously unreleased new tracks, including my son’s new favorite song “Brother.”
Overall I must say it was a treat to listen to the majesty of Ten once again and be reminded of Jameson shots in the dorms and driving to Tower Records in Boston for midnight album releases. To this day one of the coolest live music experiences I’ve had was when Pearl Jam used to open shows in complete darkness playing “Release.”
I’m not sure what to make of the Brendan O’Brien remixes, they end up feeling more remastered than remixed. It’s not until some extra backing vocals appear on “Jeremy” that we even see his hand. Sure he takes the butter knife blunt guitar grunge and gives it a little steak knife shimmer, but it’s damn subtle. It’s almost as if O’Brien was too scared to mess with a masterpiece. Which is a shame because everyone is going to get the original album as part of the dual disc set anyway. I really wish O’Brien would have thrown caution to the wind and had some fun messin’ with the record. Personally I’d love to hear what Ten would sound like in the vinyl bin at Rebel Rebel records completely remixed and ready for the Soho Grand lobby. It seems O’Brien felt more comfortable messing with the lesser known tracks as hits like “Alive” and Even Flow” remain relatively unchanged. He does tuck in the flannel and add some gloss on tracks like “Once” and “Garden.” But not enough to make a meaningful difference.
As for the new stuff, I must agree with my son that “Brother” is splendid. It just feels good to have some new Pearl Jam in the world, and “Brother” is vintage stuff from the band. Over the course of four minutes it prominently features circular guitar riffs and shredding solos that would sound great to amp up any pregame hockey skate, and it includes a syrupy Heart of Darkness sequence in the middle where Vedder slows it down only to restart it all up again a few moments later.
If I had to pick the voice to be in my personal super group it would be Ed Vedder. Note: he’s constantly referred to as Ed (not Eddie) Vedder in the liner notes and for some reason typing that just feels fantastic. It’s like calling Robert DeNiro “Bobby.” Vedder is carved into my musical Mt. Rushmore in large part due to slow down sequences like this one in “Brother.” He’s the master at providing that Martin Sheen in the hotel sense of total abandon. Part of it is his voice is big enough to throttle down like that and not lose your attention, and part of it is the big space emotion and imagination his voice immediately coveys. It’s the same reason he was the perfect choice to do the Into the Wild soundtrack. If anyone can put rock & roll back in the loincloth, it’s Ed Vedder because no voice sounds better under the expanse of the stars. The last song on Ten, “Release” manages to bridle this spirit horse for an entire nine minutes as like Jim Morrison with a surfboard, Vedder stares at you cross eyed and says, “I’ll ride the wave where it takes me!” somehow still convincing you to paddle out behind him.
“Just a Girl” desperately wants to be “Why Go,” but sadly stays on the leash. “Breath and a Scream” starts out sounding like a studio track, but very quickly gets raw with some drums.Vedder sings, “I suggest you step out on your porch and run away my son see it all, see the world” his voice cracking with passion. In some ways “Breath and a Scream” is three acts delivered across six minutes from studio, to tribal, and finishing with a wicked Mike McCready guitar solo at the end.
“State of Love and Trust” is a riff masquerading as a song, but the chops from McCready and Stone Gossard are so good it almost leaves you not caring. I’m sure “State of Love and Trust” sounds great played live with the steam coming off the crowd.
“2,000 Mile Blues” is just that, a bluesy little romp that ultimately doesn’t have the strength to defend itself against the distortion peddles leave it sounding more like noise than music. “Evil Little Goat” is more goofy stuff from the grab bag as the title might suggest. I’m guessing it’s somehow linked into the Chicago Cubs and the curse.
Truth is “Brother” is the best of the new bunch and the only thing worthy of being included in on Ten if they were to add a track to this famous album. The rest are mostly just scraps from the table and there’s not much to the remixes either. But I can honestly say it was worth the purchase for the memories and more importantly for my son to say I love you back to music for the first time. Thanks Ed Vedder for reminding me how easy it is for the sound of one big voice to remind you how big the world is out there. Now go see it.
The best part of it was that for my son this was probably the first time he had ever experienced this. Sure he’d tolerated music riding around in my Jeep, maybe even liked some of it. But he had never found the music for himself; those songs had never been his own. And I loved the way he said it. “Dad, I like a song” was shouted with the same coming-of-age surprise of “Dad, I found a chest hair!” It was if he had never been surer about anything in his whole life.
I wasn’t about to let this moment pass me by. Determined to reinforce the behavior I sprinted upstairs to see what song he was listening to. I fully expected to hear some bubble gum pop or Auto-Tune hip-hop song to be playing; I was surprised to find the clock radio tuned to our local mullet rock station 93X. After giving my son a proud glance, I turned my attention to trying desperately to decipher enough of the lyrics to punch them into Google. A few seconds into this excellent track I had a revelation, “Holy crap, this is Eddie Vedder. And it’s new.” For the record, the revelation that the first song your son likes is Pearl Jam is just about as awesome as him bringing a beautiful girl home on a date.
Damn near hyperventilating I worked the lyrics (something about brothers and sisters) into Google and scoped the 93X site for their current play list. After a false start looking for the song which I learned was called “Brother” on the Pearl Jam rarities disc Lost Dogs, I learned the version of the song I was actually looking for (with lyrics) would be included on the Ten anniversary reissue, Pearl Jam Ten (Legacy Edition), out this week.
In some ways Pearl Jam Ten was also my first. Besides maybe Achtung Baby (out around the same time), Pearl Jam’s Ten was my first polarizing music experience. I vividly remember sitting in the backseat of cars in high school listening to Ten not knowing whether I should make fun of it or love it. A few of my buddies spent the summer at a church camp and I still remember them coming home with the same reaction. There was no doubt about it. Ten was different. You couldn’t ignore the sound. Unfortunately this classic album was at least partially to blame for all the coeds wearing flannel shirts and jeans my entire four years of college. But with a sound like this it might be worth the trade.
The Ten reissue comes in several flavors. The one I purchased had two discs. One is simply a remastered version of the original Ten, the second disc Ten Redux features a Brendan O’Brien remixed version of the record as well as six previously unreleased new tracks, including my son’s new favorite song “Brother.”
Overall I must say it was a treat to listen to the majesty of Ten once again and be reminded of Jameson shots in the dorms and driving to Tower Records in Boston for midnight album releases. To this day one of the coolest live music experiences I’ve had was when Pearl Jam used to open shows in complete darkness playing “Release.”
I’m not sure what to make of the Brendan O’Brien remixes, they end up feeling more remastered than remixed. It’s not until some extra backing vocals appear on “Jeremy” that we even see his hand. Sure he takes the butter knife blunt guitar grunge and gives it a little steak knife shimmer, but it’s damn subtle. It’s almost as if O’Brien was too scared to mess with a masterpiece. Which is a shame because everyone is going to get the original album as part of the dual disc set anyway. I really wish O’Brien would have thrown caution to the wind and had some fun messin’ with the record. Personally I’d love to hear what Ten would sound like in the vinyl bin at Rebel Rebel records completely remixed and ready for the Soho Grand lobby. It seems O’Brien felt more comfortable messing with the lesser known tracks as hits like “Alive” and Even Flow” remain relatively unchanged. He does tuck in the flannel and add some gloss on tracks like “Once” and “Garden.” But not enough to make a meaningful difference.
As for the new stuff, I must agree with my son that “Brother” is splendid. It just feels good to have some new Pearl Jam in the world, and “Brother” is vintage stuff from the band. Over the course of four minutes it prominently features circular guitar riffs and shredding solos that would sound great to amp up any pregame hockey skate, and it includes a syrupy Heart of Darkness sequence in the middle where Vedder slows it down only to restart it all up again a few moments later.
If I had to pick the voice to be in my personal super group it would be Ed Vedder. Note: he’s constantly referred to as Ed (not Eddie) Vedder in the liner notes and for some reason typing that just feels fantastic. It’s like calling Robert DeNiro “Bobby.” Vedder is carved into my musical Mt. Rushmore in large part due to slow down sequences like this one in “Brother.” He’s the master at providing that Martin Sheen in the hotel sense of total abandon. Part of it is his voice is big enough to throttle down like that and not lose your attention, and part of it is the big space emotion and imagination his voice immediately coveys. It’s the same reason he was the perfect choice to do the Into the Wild soundtrack. If anyone can put rock & roll back in the loincloth, it’s Ed Vedder because no voice sounds better under the expanse of the stars. The last song on Ten, “Release” manages to bridle this spirit horse for an entire nine minutes as like Jim Morrison with a surfboard, Vedder stares at you cross eyed and says, “I’ll ride the wave where it takes me!” somehow still convincing you to paddle out behind him.
“Just a Girl” desperately wants to be “Why Go,” but sadly stays on the leash. “Breath and a Scream” starts out sounding like a studio track, but very quickly gets raw with some drums.Vedder sings, “I suggest you step out on your porch and run away my son see it all, see the world” his voice cracking with passion. In some ways “Breath and a Scream” is three acts delivered across six minutes from studio, to tribal, and finishing with a wicked Mike McCready guitar solo at the end.
“State of Love and Trust” is a riff masquerading as a song, but the chops from McCready and Stone Gossard are so good it almost leaves you not caring. I’m sure “State of Love and Trust” sounds great played live with the steam coming off the crowd.
“2,000 Mile Blues” is just that, a bluesy little romp that ultimately doesn’t have the strength to defend itself against the distortion peddles leave it sounding more like noise than music. “Evil Little Goat” is more goofy stuff from the grab bag as the title might suggest. I’m guessing it’s somehow linked into the Chicago Cubs and the curse.
Truth is “Brother” is the best of the new bunch and the only thing worthy of being included in on Ten if they were to add a track to this famous album. The rest are mostly just scraps from the table and there’s not much to the remixes either. But I can honestly say it was worth the purchase for the memories and more importantly for my son to say I love you back to music for the first time. Thanks Ed Vedder for reminding me how easy it is for the sound of one big voice to remind you how big the world is out there. Now go see it.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Kings of Leon Stagger to Greatness
If Jack White is The Rockfather, Kings of Leon are the first family of American rock. The latest record, Only By The Night, from the three southern brothers and a cousin is yet another sign rock & roll is alive and well in the United States.
Only By The Night starts with the haunting “Closer.” With no shortage of effects “Closer” is more Close Encounters and sounds like a pitch-black night with a prison spotlight panning over the ground. While far from a gem, “Closer” builds anticipation and is a serviceable table setter for the few of us who still listen to whole albums.
By song two it’s on. “Crawl” brings the fuzz guitars Wolfmother style while maintaining a sled dog pace by layering a cleaner guitar riff right over the top. It should be noted that “Crawl” was rumored to be the first single and video off the album before being eventually being replaced by “Sex on Fire.”
That’s what I love about Kings of Leon. They’re proper rock stars. The behavior, the egos, the chemicals. Rolling with the song title “Sex on Fire” as your first single is going to significantly limit your radio options. But that’s Kings of Leon, they don’t try to fix it. Just listen to how “Sex on Fire” ends with that last hard guitar jab. It’s the studio equivalent of throwing the mic down at the end of your set only without the feedback.
When the band appeared on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, they chose to play the single “Sex on Fire” and glossy ballad “Use Somebody.” I suspect “Use Somebody” will be a hot button song for Kings of Leon fans. While this power ballad still has some of the band’s signature rough edges including increasing the tempo midway through – it’s a long way from the Tennessee woods and whiskey where many of their core fans want Kings of Leon to stay. “Use Somebody” is Black Crows meets Bryan Adams. And I for one hope it pops for them as this is a band that needs to be as big as they sound.
If pressed to describe the Kings of Leon’s signature sound I’d call it jean shorts and wine rock. Like “Ragoo” off Because of the Times, “Manhattan” nails this rambling, open toed sound of rock & roll stuffed into a picnic basket. Really great stuff, and at the moment a sound only coming out of this band.
If there is a dip on Only By the Night it occurs with the four songs directly after “Manhattan.” I suspect this section of the record will grow on me and become more important in the days ahead but it doesn’t pop right away. There are nuggets here too though from the street fighter spirit of “Notion” to the soda pop swank of “I Want You” which wouldn’t sound out of place alongside Lucille washing the car in Cool Hand Luke.
Only By The Night’s second act begins with song ten “Be Somebody.” It’s another power ballad, but not quite as tucked in as “Use Somebody.” The similar song titles reminds me of the early ‘90s when seemingly every Pearl Jam track was called “Nothing Man,” “Better Man,” etc. The two songs are similar but the drums and epic sound of “Be Somebody” make it the one you’ll remember.
The big knock on Because of the Times, and likely Only By The Night is going to be that the music is too crisp and produced. People will be looking for the Larry, Daryl, and Daryl grit of the band’s first couple albums. To these people I proudly introduce the last track on the record and also the song that solidifies Only By The Night as a great album . . .it’s called ”Cold Desert.”
“Cold Desert” is a staggering ballad that would sound best with a bottle of bourbon under the wide-open sky. It’s sprit horse Indian reservation stuff, the musical equivalent of Martin Sheen in his hotel room in Apocalypse Now. It’s the song Kid Rock can only dream of one day making. If lyrics like “Jesus don’t love me” don’t get to you, this YouTube behind the scenes look at the making of “Cold Desert” certainly will:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhBdPEaNj-g
In summary, I for one hope Only By The Night places Kings of Leon one step closer to stadiums. This music is too important not to be heard by more people. I hope the boys put a fist through the wall and get out of their critical, UK based niche and get more acclaim here in the States.
Which remind me, all the great music is coming out of Blackbird Studios in Nashville right now. Is there someway we can get homeland security protecting that place? I want barricades. I want an on-going red level warning. I’m willing to be frisked to and give up civil liberties. Anything to help Mr. White and the extended Followil family put their music into the world.
Only By The Night starts with the haunting “Closer.” With no shortage of effects “Closer” is more Close Encounters and sounds like a pitch-black night with a prison spotlight panning over the ground. While far from a gem, “Closer” builds anticipation and is a serviceable table setter for the few of us who still listen to whole albums.
By song two it’s on. “Crawl” brings the fuzz guitars Wolfmother style while maintaining a sled dog pace by layering a cleaner guitar riff right over the top. It should be noted that “Crawl” was rumored to be the first single and video off the album before being eventually being replaced by “Sex on Fire.”
That’s what I love about Kings of Leon. They’re proper rock stars. The behavior, the egos, the chemicals. Rolling with the song title “Sex on Fire” as your first single is going to significantly limit your radio options. But that’s Kings of Leon, they don’t try to fix it. Just listen to how “Sex on Fire” ends with that last hard guitar jab. It’s the studio equivalent of throwing the mic down at the end of your set only without the feedback.
When the band appeared on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, they chose to play the single “Sex on Fire” and glossy ballad “Use Somebody.” I suspect “Use Somebody” will be a hot button song for Kings of Leon fans. While this power ballad still has some of the band’s signature rough edges including increasing the tempo midway through – it’s a long way from the Tennessee woods and whiskey where many of their core fans want Kings of Leon to stay. “Use Somebody” is Black Crows meets Bryan Adams. And I for one hope it pops for them as this is a band that needs to be as big as they sound.
If pressed to describe the Kings of Leon’s signature sound I’d call it jean shorts and wine rock. Like “Ragoo” off Because of the Times, “Manhattan” nails this rambling, open toed sound of rock & roll stuffed into a picnic basket. Really great stuff, and at the moment a sound only coming out of this band.
If there is a dip on Only By the Night it occurs with the four songs directly after “Manhattan.” I suspect this section of the record will grow on me and become more important in the days ahead but it doesn’t pop right away. There are nuggets here too though from the street fighter spirit of “Notion” to the soda pop swank of “I Want You” which wouldn’t sound out of place alongside Lucille washing the car in Cool Hand Luke.
Only By The Night’s second act begins with song ten “Be Somebody.” It’s another power ballad, but not quite as tucked in as “Use Somebody.” The similar song titles reminds me of the early ‘90s when seemingly every Pearl Jam track was called “Nothing Man,” “Better Man,” etc. The two songs are similar but the drums and epic sound of “Be Somebody” make it the one you’ll remember.
The big knock on Because of the Times, and likely Only By The Night is going to be that the music is too crisp and produced. People will be looking for the Larry, Daryl, and Daryl grit of the band’s first couple albums. To these people I proudly introduce the last track on the record and also the song that solidifies Only By The Night as a great album . . .it’s called ”Cold Desert.”
“Cold Desert” is a staggering ballad that would sound best with a bottle of bourbon under the wide-open sky. It’s sprit horse Indian reservation stuff, the musical equivalent of Martin Sheen in his hotel room in Apocalypse Now. It’s the song Kid Rock can only dream of one day making. If lyrics like “Jesus don’t love me” don’t get to you, this YouTube behind the scenes look at the making of “Cold Desert” certainly will:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhBdPEaNj-g
In summary, I for one hope Only By The Night places Kings of Leon one step closer to stadiums. This music is too important not to be heard by more people. I hope the boys put a fist through the wall and get out of their critical, UK based niche and get more acclaim here in the States.
Which remind me, all the great music is coming out of Blackbird Studios in Nashville right now. Is there someway we can get homeland security protecting that place? I want barricades. I want an on-going red level warning. I’m willing to be frisked to and give up civil liberties. Anything to help Mr. White and the extended Followil family put their music into the world.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Save your Sunkist, Joe Purdy Has the Beach Blues.
Every now and then a voice will just grab you. I remember it with Tracy Chapman and “Fast Car,” and Joe Purdy is the same way. At risk of ruining it I must mention the first time I heard the man was on Grey’s Anatomy. Purdy’s vocal jumped off the screen. His sound is in the genre of Chapman, Ben Harper, Amos Lee, and Jack Johnson. Purdy delivers Otis Redding dock music right sized for the iPod world.
But unlike Jack Johnson’s sun soaked good vibrations, Purdy’s brand of water music is moodier. “Skinny Dippin’ girl” sounds like swimming at night. Whereas Johnson uses the water to catch a wave, Purdy seems to use it to wash himself off.
Purdy’s voice evokes heaviness, a sadness. For some this will be a welcome thing like watching a sad movie, as they’ll enjoy cutting to the core with Purdy. For others it will grow tiring especially as most of the songs tend to sound similar when dominated by such a distinct vocal.
Julie Blue is a record from 2006 and according to the liner notes was recorded raw in one week at a lake home. The album is filled with frayed edges in the form of audible breaths; fret slides, and waves crashing against the shore.
At his best Purdy snaps off a song like “Far Away Blues.” The sand is still in your toes, but it’s a heavy track. There is a simple brilliance here. The lyrics are spare and the song lasts just over two minutes, but it’s really a wonderful little long distance love song. A surf sonnet of sorts.
On “Whiskey & Fish” Purdy takes things up a notch rocking his guitar hard and bringing a smile to his beach blues. The pace is fantastic and the arch top guitar and mandolin create a tapestry of sound with as much life as a cabin full of people.
In some ways Julie Blue reminds me a lot of the Into the Wild Soundtrack. It’s music inspired by something. In this case it’s a singer’s trip to Board Island in upstate New York. In Vedder’s case it was Sean Penn’s film. It’s difficult to judge either as an album when they’re really closer to works of art. In Purdy’s case I feel like I’ve found his journal. I feel like I should be walking around a museum looking at black and white photos when I listen to Julie Blue. There is a story here and it’s a heavy one. Joe Purdy wants to tell us something. I’m not sure he gets it all out here, but it sure if fun listening to him try.
For those that haven’t heard it, “I Love the Rain the Most” is far and away the standout track on the record. Purdy delivers simple magic with lyrics like “I like the rain the most when it stops.” As we listen to him plead, “no more rain today” Purdy has an almost Marley-like ability to create timeless music around simple structures. In the case of “I Love the Rain the Most” he tells the story of summer coming to an end with a white cap vocal alongside some sun shower guitar picking.
That’s the blessing and the curse of Joe Purdy. His music is intoxicating, but like any good depressant carries with it a sadness. Julie Blue is the sort of soundtrack you’d put on an iMovie slideshow of your kids because it would sound great and has the melancholy of growing up.
I was already familiar with “Wash Away,” “Far Away Blues,” and “ I Love the Rain the Most” prior to picking up the CD. Beyond those TV drama tracks I can’t say I discovered much else here. Of the new bits my favorites would be “Whisky & Fish,” “Skinny Dippin Girl” and “Abbie’s Song.” The bar hall bustle of “Whisky and Fish” with lyrics like “They fed me fish and whisky and I went to sleep again” would rank best of the rest.
But unlike Jack Johnson’s sun soaked good vibrations, Purdy’s brand of water music is moodier. “Skinny Dippin’ girl” sounds like swimming at night. Whereas Johnson uses the water to catch a wave, Purdy seems to use it to wash himself off.
Purdy’s voice evokes heaviness, a sadness. For some this will be a welcome thing like watching a sad movie, as they’ll enjoy cutting to the core with Purdy. For others it will grow tiring especially as most of the songs tend to sound similar when dominated by such a distinct vocal.
Julie Blue is a record from 2006 and according to the liner notes was recorded raw in one week at a lake home. The album is filled with frayed edges in the form of audible breaths; fret slides, and waves crashing against the shore.
At his best Purdy snaps off a song like “Far Away Blues.” The sand is still in your toes, but it’s a heavy track. There is a simple brilliance here. The lyrics are spare and the song lasts just over two minutes, but it’s really a wonderful little long distance love song. A surf sonnet of sorts.
On “Whiskey & Fish” Purdy takes things up a notch rocking his guitar hard and bringing a smile to his beach blues. The pace is fantastic and the arch top guitar and mandolin create a tapestry of sound with as much life as a cabin full of people.
In some ways Julie Blue reminds me a lot of the Into the Wild Soundtrack. It’s music inspired by something. In this case it’s a singer’s trip to Board Island in upstate New York. In Vedder’s case it was Sean Penn’s film. It’s difficult to judge either as an album when they’re really closer to works of art. In Purdy’s case I feel like I’ve found his journal. I feel like I should be walking around a museum looking at black and white photos when I listen to Julie Blue. There is a story here and it’s a heavy one. Joe Purdy wants to tell us something. I’m not sure he gets it all out here, but it sure if fun listening to him try.
For those that haven’t heard it, “I Love the Rain the Most” is far and away the standout track on the record. Purdy delivers simple magic with lyrics like “I like the rain the most when it stops.” As we listen to him plead, “no more rain today” Purdy has an almost Marley-like ability to create timeless music around simple structures. In the case of “I Love the Rain the Most” he tells the story of summer coming to an end with a white cap vocal alongside some sun shower guitar picking.
That’s the blessing and the curse of Joe Purdy. His music is intoxicating, but like any good depressant carries with it a sadness. Julie Blue is the sort of soundtrack you’d put on an iMovie slideshow of your kids because it would sound great and has the melancholy of growing up.
I was already familiar with “Wash Away,” “Far Away Blues,” and “ I Love the Rain the Most” prior to picking up the CD. Beyond those TV drama tracks I can’t say I discovered much else here. Of the new bits my favorites would be “Whisky & Fish,” “Skinny Dippin Girl” and “Abbie’s Song.” The bar hall bustle of “Whisky and Fish” with lyrics like “They fed me fish and whisky and I went to sleep again” would rank best of the rest.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Now Batting for the Rochester Red Wings Mason Jennings!
Mason Jennings is one of these guys who seem to have been on the verge of breaking big for around a decade. Jennings has been a fixture on the local scene in Minneapolis and has put out 7 proper records since 1997. A lyric from the opening track on his new record “I’ve been lovin’ you forever but I never knew your name” could just as easily describe his career. Recently Jack Johnson took Jennings under his long board and signed him to Brushfire Records. Like Johnson, Jennings was also born in Hawaii and I’m sure fans of Jack have taken Mason in as their own.
In the Ever is a nice little folk record. Trouble is only two tracks really rise to the occasion here resulting in an another uneven offering from journeyman Jennings. Opener “Never Knew Your Name” is bar hall meets Alice in Wonderland. While it has elements of sing-a-long, it’s just dark enough to make you want to sleep with the lights on.
Jennings is like the over thirty career minor leaguer having a nice season. While impressive, it’s also a bit sad because you know he missed his chance. Clearly Jennings has the talent, I’m just afraid the train has already left the station.
Tracks at the start of In the Ever have a haunted rocking chair feel to them. The music has a folksy front porch vibe to it but something is off kilter. Jennings voice will appeal to Jack Johnson fans, as he’s capable of sounding exactly like him. The difference is Johnson sounds like a sunset, and Jennings sounds like a BxW photo . . .of a crime scene. There’s more sadness and darkness to Jennings’ overall vibe.
There’s something very Vaudeville and experimental about this disc from Jennings. It’s as if he’s at peace and he’s finally doing it the way he wants to. Jennings has the sound of a free man, someone who is no longer trying to appease someone or get somewhere. And there’s something admirable about that. There are moments on In the Ever where that spirit turns into nice music. “I Love You and Buddha Too” is both hysterical and fun to listen to.
Jennings finally turns up the lights and gets out of his shell on “Fighter Girl.” He sounds like Jack Johnson’s cooler, older brother on this one. The voice is deeper and ready for the campfire especially the “yeah yeah yeah a yeah” chorus. “Fighter Girl” is barefoot white t-shirt rock that will put a smile on your face and one of the standout tracks on the record.
Jennings mixes in some folksy, borderline silly live tracks like “Your New Man” where he sings about cookies and getting too drunk at the Christmas party. You can tell by the audience enthusiasm that Jennings the showman is truly adored. He seems to be cut from the cloth of the old folk singers as he’s comfortable with the harmonica, commanding a room, and doling out anecdotes as songs. Yes Jennings is quite at home singing about god, rivers, and cities he might never have been to. It all sounds very natural. There’s a little Zen here and I can see the fit with Johnson.
The only mixes signal is a track like “Going Back to New Orleans” where Jennings seems to want to make a political statement, trouble is the message is lost in two minutes that are more mumble than music.
Like a true folk rock, songs like “How Deep Is That River” paint an amazing picture with lyrics like “God saw that man was just a little too rough so he gave him a heart and filled it with love.” Trouble is most here won’t have you tapping your foot.
The best of In the Ever are the power couple of “Fighter Girl” and “Soldier Boy.” “Soldier Boy” would sound fantastic on HBO’s miniseries Generation Kill this summer with lyrics like, “I was born on the railroad tracks with the weight of the world on my back.” “Soldier Boy” is sure to have the bodies bobbing at the summer festivals with its “bang a bang” chorus. This is another one to pay attention to.
So two more nice hits for Jennings on In the Ever, but I’m afraid it’s still not enough to take him to the big leagues.
In the Ever is a nice little folk record. Trouble is only two tracks really rise to the occasion here resulting in an another uneven offering from journeyman Jennings. Opener “Never Knew Your Name” is bar hall meets Alice in Wonderland. While it has elements of sing-a-long, it’s just dark enough to make you want to sleep with the lights on.
Jennings is like the over thirty career minor leaguer having a nice season. While impressive, it’s also a bit sad because you know he missed his chance. Clearly Jennings has the talent, I’m just afraid the train has already left the station.
Tracks at the start of In the Ever have a haunted rocking chair feel to them. The music has a folksy front porch vibe to it but something is off kilter. Jennings voice will appeal to Jack Johnson fans, as he’s capable of sounding exactly like him. The difference is Johnson sounds like a sunset, and Jennings sounds like a BxW photo . . .of a crime scene. There’s more sadness and darkness to Jennings’ overall vibe.
There’s something very Vaudeville and experimental about this disc from Jennings. It’s as if he’s at peace and he’s finally doing it the way he wants to. Jennings has the sound of a free man, someone who is no longer trying to appease someone or get somewhere. And there’s something admirable about that. There are moments on In the Ever where that spirit turns into nice music. “I Love You and Buddha Too” is both hysterical and fun to listen to.
Jennings finally turns up the lights and gets out of his shell on “Fighter Girl.” He sounds like Jack Johnson’s cooler, older brother on this one. The voice is deeper and ready for the campfire especially the “yeah yeah yeah a yeah” chorus. “Fighter Girl” is barefoot white t-shirt rock that will put a smile on your face and one of the standout tracks on the record.
Jennings mixes in some folksy, borderline silly live tracks like “Your New Man” where he sings about cookies and getting too drunk at the Christmas party. You can tell by the audience enthusiasm that Jennings the showman is truly adored. He seems to be cut from the cloth of the old folk singers as he’s comfortable with the harmonica, commanding a room, and doling out anecdotes as songs. Yes Jennings is quite at home singing about god, rivers, and cities he might never have been to. It all sounds very natural. There’s a little Zen here and I can see the fit with Johnson.
The only mixes signal is a track like “Going Back to New Orleans” where Jennings seems to want to make a political statement, trouble is the message is lost in two minutes that are more mumble than music.
Like a true folk rock, songs like “How Deep Is That River” paint an amazing picture with lyrics like “God saw that man was just a little too rough so he gave him a heart and filled it with love.” Trouble is most here won’t have you tapping your foot.
The best of In the Ever are the power couple of “Fighter Girl” and “Soldier Boy.” “Soldier Boy” would sound fantastic on HBO’s miniseries Generation Kill this summer with lyrics like, “I was born on the railroad tracks with the weight of the world on my back.” “Soldier Boy” is sure to have the bodies bobbing at the summer festivals with its “bang a bang” chorus. This is another one to pay attention to.
So two more nice hits for Jennings on In the Ever, but I’m afraid it’s still not enough to take him to the big leagues.
Looking For a Little Magic? Pull Frightened Rabbit Out Of A Hat
Every now and then you run into a little batch of songs that are truly unbreakable. The Fray did this for us last year, and as much as I hate to admit it I’m fairly certain I will never ever get sick of “Stop & Stare” from One Republic despite the fact that it’s playing every time I walk through the lobby at work.
“The Modern Leper” is track one on the Midnight Organ Fight record from Frightened Rabbit. Simply put it truly explodes off the page. “The Modern Leper” is pure magic. It gets you to lean in from the start with the awkward and picturesque lyric, “cripple walks amongst you, all you tired human beings. He’s got all the things a cripple has not working arms and legs.” Lead singer Scott Hutchison sounds like Adam Duritz if no one broke his heart. “The Modern Leper” is a steady crescendo working towards the heights of a cinematic swell by the one-minute mark. If you make compilation CDs for your friends, look no further as this should be your first track on the annual music mix. The prairie guitar strum combined with grinding of the gears will have you out of your seat by the time they hit the “is that you in front of me” bridge, white capping their way through lyrics like “you must be a masochist.” But the real beauty of “The Modern Leper” is you can keep winding it up because this song will pop off for you time and time again like Old Faithful. Wow. The full-bodied sound of “The Modern Leper” is not to be appreciated by everyone, but will be truly savored by the music lover.
And it doesn’t stop there. “I Feel Better” features a great up-tempo intro. “I Feel Better” puts the throttle down and keeps chugging ahead with gusto. Frightened Rabbit remind me a bit of the band James in their heyday, as every song seems to have oversized ambition and heart. But like James there is a sense these guys won’t be discovered. From the way the album jacket looks to the complex dark beer rock they fill their second record with, I’m not sure MTV or radio would know what to make of Frightened Rabbit as they are truly neither hide or hare.
The long Os of Hutchison’s vocal made me wonder where Frightened Rabbit hail from, turns out they’re Scottish. British without the attitude I suppose. Songs like “Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms” don’t show much save for a little guitar flex from Hutchison towards the end as if he just wants us to know he can.
It’s not until “Old Old Fashioned” that we get another track worthy of being set next to “The Modern Leper.” On “Old Old Fashioned” Frightened Rabbit channel Snow Patrol with a bit more country bend. The message is a good one as Hutchison encourages his lover to turn off the television because they never talk asking her to kick it old school, “If I get old old fashioned, would you get old fashioned with me?” A nice combination of message and music coming together right here.
Frightened Rabbit remind me a lot of the spring of 2004. I was living in England with my family and every time I turned on Virgin radio it seemed they were opening another fresh can of crisp guitar rock. Snow Patrol and Keane were burning up the airwaves back then, and Frightened Rabbit appear to be on their front foot like those bands from nearly five years ago.
“The Twist” sounds like the single, but for my money it’s trying a bit too hard. Unlike the rest of the record that has a nice head on it, “The Twist” is a bit too art directed and contained. I tend to prefer the passion from earlier on. Frightened Rabbit sound best when they’re slightly off the rails.
Even on a one-minute instrumental like “Bright Pink Bookmark,” Frightened Rabbit show they’re more than capable of creating anticipation for what is to come. The squeaks of the orchestra here sound like a band stretching out their hamstrings before a long run.
Hutchison really has a great vocal and the occasional haunting lyric. Mixed with the big guitars Frightened Rabbit are a force to be reckoning with. You can see what the band is capable of in glimpses on songs like “My Backwards Walk” that don’t go all the way but seem to indicate creative range.
The last of the gems on their second record is “Keep Yourself Warm” with its spoken like a sailor lyrics, “It takes more than fucking someone you don’t know to keep warm.” “Keep Yourself Warm” is a torrid encounter between two medicated individuals. But the sloppy mess here sounds good enough to call her the next morning. “Keep Yourself Warm” builds all the way to Bellagio fountain blasts towards the end and the memorable shout-out, “see in the dark.”
The strength of Frightened Rabbit is that nearly ever track is completely listenable. But it’s songs like “The Modern Leper,” “Old Old Fashioned,” and “Keep Yourself Warm” that truly demonstrate the boys from Scotland have a few tricks up their sleeve.
“The Modern Leper” is track one on the Midnight Organ Fight record from Frightened Rabbit. Simply put it truly explodes off the page. “The Modern Leper” is pure magic. It gets you to lean in from the start with the awkward and picturesque lyric, “cripple walks amongst you, all you tired human beings. He’s got all the things a cripple has not working arms and legs.” Lead singer Scott Hutchison sounds like Adam Duritz if no one broke his heart. “The Modern Leper” is a steady crescendo working towards the heights of a cinematic swell by the one-minute mark. If you make compilation CDs for your friends, look no further as this should be your first track on the annual music mix. The prairie guitar strum combined with grinding of the gears will have you out of your seat by the time they hit the “is that you in front of me” bridge, white capping their way through lyrics like “you must be a masochist.” But the real beauty of “The Modern Leper” is you can keep winding it up because this song will pop off for you time and time again like Old Faithful. Wow. The full-bodied sound of “The Modern Leper” is not to be appreciated by everyone, but will be truly savored by the music lover.
And it doesn’t stop there. “I Feel Better” features a great up-tempo intro. “I Feel Better” puts the throttle down and keeps chugging ahead with gusto. Frightened Rabbit remind me a bit of the band James in their heyday, as every song seems to have oversized ambition and heart. But like James there is a sense these guys won’t be discovered. From the way the album jacket looks to the complex dark beer rock they fill their second record with, I’m not sure MTV or radio would know what to make of Frightened Rabbit as they are truly neither hide or hare.
The long Os of Hutchison’s vocal made me wonder where Frightened Rabbit hail from, turns out they’re Scottish. British without the attitude I suppose. Songs like “Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms” don’t show much save for a little guitar flex from Hutchison towards the end as if he just wants us to know he can.
It’s not until “Old Old Fashioned” that we get another track worthy of being set next to “The Modern Leper.” On “Old Old Fashioned” Frightened Rabbit channel Snow Patrol with a bit more country bend. The message is a good one as Hutchison encourages his lover to turn off the television because they never talk asking her to kick it old school, “If I get old old fashioned, would you get old fashioned with me?” A nice combination of message and music coming together right here.
Frightened Rabbit remind me a lot of the spring of 2004. I was living in England with my family and every time I turned on Virgin radio it seemed they were opening another fresh can of crisp guitar rock. Snow Patrol and Keane were burning up the airwaves back then, and Frightened Rabbit appear to be on their front foot like those bands from nearly five years ago.
“The Twist” sounds like the single, but for my money it’s trying a bit too hard. Unlike the rest of the record that has a nice head on it, “The Twist” is a bit too art directed and contained. I tend to prefer the passion from earlier on. Frightened Rabbit sound best when they’re slightly off the rails.
Even on a one-minute instrumental like “Bright Pink Bookmark,” Frightened Rabbit show they’re more than capable of creating anticipation for what is to come. The squeaks of the orchestra here sound like a band stretching out their hamstrings before a long run.
Hutchison really has a great vocal and the occasional haunting lyric. Mixed with the big guitars Frightened Rabbit are a force to be reckoning with. You can see what the band is capable of in glimpses on songs like “My Backwards Walk” that don’t go all the way but seem to indicate creative range.
The last of the gems on their second record is “Keep Yourself Warm” with its spoken like a sailor lyrics, “It takes more than fucking someone you don’t know to keep warm.” “Keep Yourself Warm” is a torrid encounter between two medicated individuals. But the sloppy mess here sounds good enough to call her the next morning. “Keep Yourself Warm” builds all the way to Bellagio fountain blasts towards the end and the memorable shout-out, “see in the dark.”
The strength of Frightened Rabbit is that nearly ever track is completely listenable. But it’s songs like “The Modern Leper,” “Old Old Fashioned,” and “Keep Yourself Warm” that truly demonstrate the boys from Scotland have a few tricks up their sleeve.
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