Category: Rock (Page 91 of 241)

Amazing Baby: Rewild

June 19, 2009 /

When UK bands were crashing on American shores during the Britpop boom of the mid ’90s, it made sense that Pulp would have a more difficult time making the transfer than some of their contemporaries. Singer Jarvis Cocker’s lyrics were steeped in class warfare and bedroom politics, meaning that most American teenagers wouldn’t quite understand what it meant to live like common people. Flash-forward a dozen years or so, and Brooklyn band Amazing Baby, born from the ashes of several other Brooklyn bands, lets their Pulp flag fly on Rewild, and the results are intoxicating. Ringing guitar lines, breathy but deathly serious vocals and pogo-friendly drum beats abound, but Amazing Baby are no knockoff band; Pulp, for example, would never have written “The Narwhal,” though Supergrass might have. After enduring band after band of self-absorbed ninnies, to see a group like Amazing Baby actually enjoying themselves is a sight for sore eyes. More, please. (Shangri-La 2009)

Amazing Baby MySpace page

Alternative, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Melodramatic, Pop, Rock

Butterfly Boucher: Scary Fragile

June 19, 2009 /

The story of Nashville-by-way of Australia’s Butterfly Boucher is an all too common one these days. Her debut on A&M Records, Flutterby, was well-received by fans and she later had a song placed on a critical scene of “Grey’s Anatomy.” But A&M couldn’t figure out how to maximize her potential, and didn’t really try hard to do so, so Boucher was granted her freedom, which she embraced with the vigor of someone who wanders the desert to find an oasis. Her new album, Scary Fragile, on her own imprint, Situation Operation (she is managed by alt-pop powerhouse label Nettwerk Music), reflects the last few years of trying to make music for the right reasons. This woman can write songs really well, and it’s just mind-boggling that labels can give up on talent like her’s so quickly. Boucher sings in an endearing Australian accent and her voice is unique and easy to pinpoint – and she’s hip without being hipster, melodic without being predictable. The album kicks off with “I Found Out,” which is clearly an anthem of liberation that flat-out rocks. And on a mostly solid sophomore effort, the other standouts are “Gun For a Tongue,” which may remind you of Luscious Jackson; the summer rock feel of “Keeper” and the haunting beauty of “Bitter Song,” which is the same track used by “Grey’s Anatomy.” (LABEL: Situation Operation)

Butterfly Boucher MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Power Pop, Rock, Rock Babes

The Kings: Anatomy of a One-Hit Wonder

June 17, 2009 /

Strange that we would see two releases in the same year about Canadian rock bands that hit their commercial peak in the early ’80s but continue to soldier on, but the entertainment business is funny like that (see: “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon”). However, the Kings, who owned Friday afternoon drive time on rock radio for years thanks to their bouncy “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide” and its “Nothing matters but the weekend” battle cry, did not assemble “Anatomy of a One-Hit Wonder” to inspire sympathy; rather, this collection of the band’s music videos and live performances, combined with a 40-minute documentary of the band members describing the origins of “Beat/Switchin’,” is a sweet love letter to both its fans and even casual admirers of their big hit. Singer Dave Diamond, who at times recalls Martin Short, does most of the talking (though that is likely because guitarist John Picard, a.k.a. Mr. Zero, is shooting the interviews), and he’s refreshingly aware of the Kings’ place in the grand scheme of things; when he talks about working with mega-producer Bob Ezrin (just after he finished The Wall, no less) or appearing on “American Bandstand,” he’s not sticking his chest out as he does so, thank goodness. The interview footage is admittedly not professional quality (Zero financed the movie himself, shooting and editing it over a three-year period), but no one buying this video is looking for slick production. In fact, the DVD is worth purchasing for the opening clip alone, where Zero splices footage from dozens of performances of the band’s big hit and creates one monster performance video. Good for them for seeing this video through to its completion. Now, if you’ll politely oblige, your presence is requested by Diamond and Zero in the Mercedes. (Dizzy Records 2009)

Click to buy The Kings: Anatomy of a One-Hit Wonder

Artists, DVD Quicktakes, External Music, Music DVDs, Rock

Tiny Masters of Today: Skeletons

June 12, 2009 /

If you can get past the subliminal screams of “Hipster band! Hipster band!” as you’re listening to Skeletons, the sophomore effort from Brooklyn teenagers Tiny Masters of Today, it’s easy to see why they’ve earned the love of David Bowie, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and (cough) Kimya Dawson. They make simple but crazy catchy DIY alt-pop, all fuzzed out guitars and dispassionate vocals (but well sung for teenagers), with tunes that would give the Breeders and the Strokes pause. Indeed, “Ghost Star” is catchier than anything the Breeders or Strokes have sent to radio in ages, and “Big Stick” has the kind of drum track that the Beastie Boys will surely sample for their next record. The biggest problem with Tiny Masters of Today is that while they do what they do really well, they’re not exactly versatile. Sure, they incorporate indie rock, hip hop elements, and other borough-friendly sounds, but the album feels longer than it is, even at 26 minutes. Still, you can see the makings of a band that will one day be worthy of the hipster buzz they’re already getting. It will be interesting to see what they do when they reach their twenties. (Mute 2009)

Tiny Masters of Today MySpace page

Alternative, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses: Roadhouse Sun

June 12, 2009 /

Ordinarily, any album with the words “dead,” “horses,” and “roadhouse” on its cover would be a ripe candidate for outright dismissal on the grounds of crippling cliché addiction, but there’s an exception to prove every rule, and Ryan Bingham’s latest, Roadhouse Sun – credited to Bingham and the Dead Horses – is a helluva lot more enjoyable than its cover might suggest. For starters, Bingham has beefed up his arrangements and strengthened his grooves since 2007’s Mescalito; where his last album lacked the spiky, hallucinogenic thrills promised by its title, this batch of songs is just as hot and grimy as you’d hope for. Only 28, Bingham is already a grizzled veteran of the rodeo circuit and the itinerant life – miles of hard living that surface in each of Roadhouse’s 12 tracks, which range from the raging, slow-burning opener “Day Is Done” to the sprightlier, Nashville-flavored “Country Roads” and all stops in between. While lacking anything you’ll probably identify as an instant classic, Roadhouse comes at you with its chin jutted out and a pack of cigs rolled into its sleeve, and has the chops to justify the swagger; it’s a yellow-eyed, dust-covered reprobate of a record, steeped in Faces-style rock and soaked in bourbon. It doesn’t stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of Bingham’s influences, but if the leap he’s made between his first two releases is any indication, he’s well on his way to making a definitive statement. In the meantime, just crank this mother and knock a few down. (Lost Highway 2009)

Ryan Bingham MySpace page

Americana, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

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