Author: David Medsker (Page 72 of 96)

You heard it here first: Hard-Fi, “Suburban Knights”

August 14, 2007 / David Medsker

Not to be confused with Muse’s “Knights of Cydonia,” another song I hyped under the “You heard it here first” banner. My boys from Staines are back with their second long-player, and if this song is any indication, this record is gonna be HUGE. At the very least, it will sound huge, and principal songwriter Richard Archer clearly hasn’t forgotten that sometimes the simplest parts of a song are its most enduring. Not sure what I mean? Wait for the backing vocals in the chorus.

Windows Media

Real Audio

Video

The album, Once upon a Time in the West, drops September 18. I, for one, can’t wait.

Alternative, Artists, Rock, Songs, Videos

Yet another ripple effect of the slump in CD sales: really shitty album covers

August 14, 2007 / David Medsker

As the senior editor for Bullz-Eye, I am bombarded with dozens of emails per day from publicists (and they never sleep. Ask them, they’ll tell you), and to be honest, I’m lucky. Our publicist, Mike Farley, only forwards the must-act emails to me, so it could be much worse than it already is. (Thank you, Mike.) Today I received a newsletter from one very nice publicist (she has my direct email address, rats) who has the unfortunate task of repping a sorry excuse for a Benetton ad of a band named The Last Goodnight. I received a promo copy of their record last month, and the cover featured a picture of the band. They look ridiculous, but that’s not the point of this post. (It is, however, the point of my review, which runs on 8/24.)

This is what the final album cover artwork looks like.

Are, you, kidding me?

That is the worst album cover I’ve seen in years. Look at the snake’s head and its tail. Hell, look at the snake’s entire body. It looks as though it was drawn by a blind person who had the features of a snake explained to them by a Japanese person who was speaking through a translator. In other words, I know that’s a snake, but it’s the worst-looking snake I’ve ever seen in album cover history. How on Earth, in this day and age, did such a mediocre drawing make it to the final pressing?

Almost at once, the answer hit me: because no one buys CDs anymore.

I can actually hear the CEO bellowing at his staffers in the boardroom. “What are you doing wasting another thousand dollars on the cover? The kids are just going to download the album anyway! The cover, if they even look at it, will be no more than an inch by an inch on their freaking iPod Nano! The snake looks fine, now get the damn artist out of here. He’s stinking up the place, and my lunch has been stolen three days in a row.”

Anyone who lived through the ‘80s knows that this is actually a hilarious concept, since the advent of the CD had LP artwork purists crying foul as far back as 1986. Sure enough, the popularity of the compact disc caused bands to think of their album covers in much simpler terms, but no band in the ‘80s on Virgin Records (the Last Goodnight’s label) had to suffer the embarrassment of a cover like this, which is why I think this artistic atrocity comes down to simple economics. If people aren’t buying CDs, then there is no reason to waste money on elaborate, or even adequate, artwork.

I hope the people in the art departments at the major labels know Flash, or how to make a stunning cup of coffee, because it appears they are next on the chopping block…if they haven’t been axed already.

External Music, Pop, Rock

Lollapalooza, Day 3: And on the third day, we collapsed

August 6, 2007 / David Medsker

It is surely because Jason and I are in our mid to late ‘30s, but the third day of Lollapalooza is hell. They could stock it with our favorite bands (something we’ll explore in more depth in our final recap), and it would still be hard to get excited about the third day. The organizers appeared to be aware of this, and to lure people in early, they front-loaded the day with Little Miss Drunken Hipster…

2:15: Amy Winehouse, Bud Light stage
David: One of the few artists that wasn’t on time (I pictured her drunk in her trailer, throwing bottles as people dragged her to the stage), but she sounded fabulous, if a bit mid-tempo (read: sleep-inducing) for such a hot day. I love Back to Black, but even I was eager to get into the shade and listen to the rest of her set from there.

2:15: Los Campesinos!, PlayStation stage
Jason: Good God, it’s another scorcher today, and even though they have called for rain the sun is beating down on me while I’m watching this so-so performance. The studio clip the band had on the official Lolla site was certainly more interesting than this public execution. I’m sweating the water as fast as I’m drinking it. Ugh.

3:30: Apostle of Hustle, PlayStation stage
Jason: Luckily, I get to stay put and don’t have to walk anywhere to get to the next band and lose even more fluids through my sweat glands. Unluckily, the Apostle of Hustle is tossing out the second mediocre performance for the day. Apparently day two of the fest was my day. Things aren’t sounding (or feeling) so good. Something’s gotta give.

4:15: Iggy and the Stooges, Bud Light stage
Jason: I’m on my way over from Apostle of Hustle when I hear this giant explosion from the Bud Light stage. Yes, it’s Iggy and the Stooges and they’re making a huge, glorious racket. Did anyone expect anything less? Perfect, primal rocking and Iggy giving the vocals full-throttle overdrive. At least there was a payoff to all this heat. But I’m feeling slightly nauseous from the sun and beat…I’m heading back to the hotel to relax.

4:15: Kings of Leon, AT&T stage
David: This is perfect. I’m in the media area, out of the sun, in a chair, and the Kings are rocking the house a hundred yards away. I close my eyes, and smile. This is the most relaxed I’ve been all weekend.

6:15: My Morning Jacket, AT&T stage
David: There are approximately 600,000 people at the AT&T stage, and I’m guessing about half of them are there to see Pearl Jam. Perry Farrell introduces the Chicago Youth Orchestra to play with the band. The tepid response is actually kind of sad.

8:00: Pearl Jam, AT&T stage
David: Um, they rocked. That’s why they’re the headliners of Lollapa-freaking-looza. Any other questions?

Our final, much more detailed recap of the weekend’s events will hit Bullz-Eye this week. Stay tuned, if you want to know about Juliette Lewis and the return of Punky Brewster fashion.

Alternative, Artists, Concerts, Hip Hop, Lollapalooza, Rock, Songs

Lollapalooza, Day 2: Gaga for an unsigned act

August 5, 2007 / David Medsker

With constant cloud cover and a 15-degree drop in temperature, this was the most picture-perfect weather an all-day concert fan could possibly ask for after being burned to death the day before. And with better weather came a much better day of performances. Oh, and BE writer James Eldred assures us that Daft Punk was “fucking incredible” on Friday. Sigh,.

2:30: Silverchair, AT&T stage
David: The quote of the day came with the first band I saw: “I had a dream that I vomited dolphins.” And laugh all you want about Australia ‘s teenage answer to Pearl Jam playing Lolla, but these guys freaking brought it live. I just got a copy of their new album. I can’t wait to hear it.

3:00: Lady Gaga, BMI
Jason: Ho-ly shit. What the hell did I just witness? Lady Gaga came out and rocked on keyboards and vocals while Lady Starlight DJd and go-go danced on the stage! They were both scantily clad and oh so luscious. Lady Gaga’s only 20 years old and is making amazing music. Check her out!

3:30: Motion City Soundtrack, MySpace stage
David: At the risk of dating myself – which is illegal where I come from, bad um bump – I had never heard of this band in my life. But they were the kind of band that I’d be okay with my kids listening to. Sounded good, seemed to be decent human beings, and their drummer was damn good.

4:30: The Roots, Bud Light stage
David: So, these guys write songs of their own, right? Half of their set consisted of covers, including, God help us, Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend.” I know that lots of people love the Roots, but this was not their finest hour

5:00: Roky Erickson & The Explosives, PlayStation
Jason: Oh. My. God. Roky fucking Erikson came out and blew the place away with his psychedelic blues. Just incredible. This is a legend we’re talking about people, and the man did not disappoint. It was everything great, real rock and roll should be and then some. I witnessed history, folks, and even Jeff Tweedy showed up in the crowd. Beautiful.

5:30: Regina Spektor, Adidas stage
David: So, so cute. Like eat-you-all-up cute. During one song, she whacked a drum stick on a chair while singing and playing piano with one hand. Adorable.

6:30: Snow Patrol, Bud Light stage
David: Sounded fab, but not terribly engaging. The bit where they spoke of Spider-Man (I was out of view of the stage) was funny. Someone must have come up onstage for a snog.

7:30: Patti Smith, Adidas
Jason: What was gonna top Roky? Nothing, but Patti equaled him. Patti’s 61 this year and is still as powerful as ever. It was if she was exorcising herself and the crowd as the rain came down and she and her band thundered through “Gloria” and a ton of other rockers. I am so glad I opted to see Patti instead of Spoon, as I had originally scheduled. This was powerful, earth-moving stuff.

7:30: Spoon, Myspace stage
David: I like Spoon, I really do. But they bore me to tears live. Three songs in, we left to get as close as we can to see Muse.

8:30 – Interpol, Bud Light
Jason: Yeesh. What’s this wannabe Bauhaus stuff? I’m not sure what the big draw to this band is, having now heard them live. Needless to say they were not anywhere close to matching the entertainment and excitement I witnessed from the three prior acts. Ah well, it was a wonderful day overall filled with amazing music and performances.

8:30: Muse, AT&T stage
David: As BE’s resident Muse nut, I have to say that I was slightly disappointed with the set list. “Butterflies and Hurricanes,” YES. A whole bunch of mellow piano songs in the middle of the set, NO. But “Knights of Cydonia” freaking killed. “No one’s gonna taaaaaake meeeee aliiiiiiiiiive…”

Alternative, Artists, Concerts, Lollapalooza, Rock, Songs

Lollapalooza Day 1: Hot hot heat

August 3, 2007 / David Medsker

It was near 90 and cloudless. A faint breeze blew around far too infrequently. And everything, it appeared, was much louder.

The main stages aren’t in the corners this year. The AT&T stage and Bud Light stage point due north and due south, respectively…and you can hear the bands on those stages for miles. Which is fine, when the mix job is done right. When it’s not, it’s death. We were a quarter mile away from one band, and they still hurt our ears. Who’s at the mixing board, Pete Townshend?

11:30: Rock for Kids Youth Jam Band, Kidzapalooza stage
Jason: Unfortunately this first little act I caught sounded more like an informal session than a real gig. Did these kids “jam?” It’s hard to say.

11:15: The Helicopters, Citibank stage
Jason: I caught the middle and end of this band’s set, a local group playing as part of the “Last Band Standing.” They rocked the hell out of the stage and made me an instant fan. The “modern rock” tag doesn’t always have to be bad, and these guys are proof.

11:45: The Fratellis, MySpace stage
David: Easily the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at Lolla for a band playing this early, but the fans were rewarded for their troubles, even though the band admitted it was a tad early for them (“We’ll be good by the end of the set.”) They weren’t much to look at in terms of stage presence, but they sounded fabulous. “Chelsea Dagger” has the best drunken barroom chorus since “Tubthumping.”

12:00: Illinois, Citibank stage
This Pennsylvania group sports a lead singer who also doubles on banjo and keyboards. These guys sounded great, despite their second song being riddled with microphone and keyboard problems. Nevertheless, Illinois persevered and the crowd enjoyed them muchly.

1:00: Improv Comedy: The Second City, MOTO Mindfield stage
Jason: This, along with the Helicopters, was my favorite thing I saw on the first day. These guys seemed to do skits instead of improv, but they were hilarious, combining short films and live sketches. Absolutely hilarious. I wanna see ‘em again.

1:30: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, MySpace stage
David: To paraphrase Morrissey, I was bored before it even began. Off to the north side to see the Polyphonic Spree.

2:30: Polyphonic Spree, Bud Light stage
David: Man, I can’t tell you how disappointed I was by the Spree. With all of those people onstage, I expected a party. What we got instead was the worst mix job in Lolla history, and the loudest band in Lolla history, thus making it even more unfortunate that the mix job was so bad. I was a good 100 yards from the stage and wearing earplugs, and they still hurt my ears. Time to go check out Jack’s Mannequin

2:30: Jack’s Mannequin, AT&T stage
David: I’ve seen these guys before, and they’re very good. We watched a good chunk of their set (after the 10-minute walk from the north side stages) from the AT&T Oasis, just to get a break from the sun.

3:30: Slightly Stoopid, MySpace stage
David: Who the hell are these guys? What started off as harmless reggae turned into an unopened love letter to the Beastie Boys. We were so annoyed that we went to get something to eat…

…and never came back.

We would like to send our deepest apologies to Daft Punk (currently playing as we post this piece), but when you’re staring down a four and a half-hour wait until the next band you give a damn about takes the stage, it’s difficult to rationalize subjecting yourself to such brutal conditions for no reason. We’re arriving a little bit later tomorrow, since there is no way we’re missing Muse and Interpol. Though Jason may require a trip to the disabled list after the wear and tear he suffered on his first day.

Alternative, Concerts, Lollapalooza, Rock, Songs