Category: Artists (Page 87 of 262)

AFI: Crash Love

October 1, 2009 /


RIYL: Alkaline Trio, The Misfits, Naked Raygun

In punk years, AFI have been around for a lifetime. While many of their mid-’90s counterparts have bitten the dust or become completely irrelevant, the Northern California quartet have kept their career fresh through a series of albums where they’ve opened up their material to all sorts of sonic experimentation. The band started out as a dime-a-dozen melodic punk band in the vein of Bad Religion, but their more recent output has revealed everything from synthpop to Goth-rock leanings woven into their assault. For the last decade or so, Davey Havok (vocals) and Jade Puget (guitars) have been the primary driving forces behind AFI’s open-ended songwriting style.

On their newly released album, Crash Love, AFI tone down the electronic flourishes of their last full-length effort (2006’s decemberunderground) which, looking back, did come off heavy-handed at times. Puget’s guitars are pushed to the front of the mix while Havok’s candy-coated vocal melodies take center stage. There are still some of those electro touches included, like the drum loops in “End Transmission,” but they are harder to find. Listeners who fell in love with the band from hits like “Girls Not Grey” and “Silver and Cold” don’t have much to complain about this time out.

“OK, I Feel Better Now” and “I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here” are the kind of modern rock nuggets that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on their breakthrough Sing the Sorrow album while the pulsating rhythms in “Too Shy to Scream” are sprinkled with Marc Bolan and Suzi Quatro glam dust. Havok and company even prove they can spool together a bonafide pop gem in the irresistible “Veronica Sawyer Smokes.”

Producer Garret “Jacknife” Lee (Bloc Party, Kasabian) does a splendid job of blending the textural nuances with AFI’s anthemic qualities. All of the act’s strengths are at full display on Crash Love and Lee highlights all of the right instrumental spots in all of the right moments. He does especially impressive work with the lead and background vocals and if you know AFI’s discography already, you’ll know how impactful that aspect of their attack is. There isn’t that one song to truly push the album into the four-star range, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better alt-rock record hitting shelves for the rest of the year. (Interscope 2009)

AFI MySpace page

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Rock

The Clientele: Bonfires on the Heath

October 1, 2009 /

In an era where slacker sensibilities and low-gazing attitudes seem to dominate the musical mainstream, the Clientele’s preoccupation with lush, radiant textures and elaborate, ethereal arrangements consistently go against the norm. Vocalist/guitarist/musical mastermind Alasdair MacLean’s aversion to bombastic singers and self-serving guitar solos finds thoughts morphed into action via the collision of horns, harmonies and soft-swaying melodies that adorn Bonfires on the Heath, the latest extravaganza from this Hampshire band. The group conjures up a number of obvious influences – Love, the Zombies, Galaxie 500 and the Felt – but given their seamless delivery and breezy, shimmering style, it would sell them short to merely attribute their sound to appropriating that of their predecessors. “I Wonder Who We Are,” “Bonfires on the Heath” and “Jennifer & Julia” purvey a genteel charm and a soothing, sensual ambiance that seizes attention even on first encounter. And while the scattershot shuffle of “Sketch” almost seems disruptive in the midst of these mellow soundscapes, a song such as “Never Anyone but You” shows their ability to make a seamless transition from meditative reflection to gently compelling refrains. Varying the tempos between a samba and a sway, this rich mélange provides an allure all its own. (Merge 2009)

The Clientele MySpace page

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

New Paul McCartney live CD/DVD on the way

September 30, 2009 /

Decades removed from their break up, the Beatles are possibly busier than they’ve ever been. Almost every day, an interesting bit of news surfaces with connection to the band. Earlier this week, Lucy Vodden, the underlying inspiration for “Lucky in the Sky with Diamonds,” passed away. Four days ago, an essay written by Paul McCartney when he was 10 about the Queen was unearthed. Of course, this news pales in comparison to The Beatles: Rock Band and the remasters of their entire catalog, which were released on September 9th. It looks like Beatlemania will never end and I couldn’t be happier.

On November 23rd, Paul McCartney will release a 2CD/1DVD package of his performances from earlier this year at New York’s Citi Field. Good Evening New York will highlight each night’s 33-song set filmed with 15 high-definition cameras.

A deluxe edition will feature an additional DVD featuring McCartney’s performance at the Ed Sullivan Theater. The live album will also be issued on vinyl.

The gigs, at which McCartney played songs by The Beatles and Wings, as well as selections from his solo back catalogue, took place on July 17, 18 and 21.

They were significant for McCartney as The Beatles played the venue in 1965 when it was known as Shea Stadium.

This will be McCartney’s second release on Hear Music, which is owned by Starbucks Corporation.

Artists, Boxed Sets, Concert CDs, Concert DVDs, News

The Dirty Projectors: should I believe the hype?

September 29, 2009 /

A couple months back, I watched the Dirty Projectors perform on the “Late Show with David Letterman.” They played “Cannibal Resource,” a song off their newest album, Bitte Orca. I’m very critical of new music. Often, I’ll immediately disregard a band if they look too young, have multiple keyboard players, have stupid haircuts, or use unnecessary, flashy instruments. Yeah, yeah, it’s unfair and mean-spirited but in this day and age where billions of bands are thrust at the public, I think I’m in the right. There’s too much of everything.

On “Letterman,” I really wanted to like the Dirty Projectors. They didn’t seem obnoxious and I appreciated their simple set-up. However, I just felt the odd rhythms didn’t mesh with the fluid singing. Well, I think they hit the ball out of the park on “Fallon.” They opted to play a non-album track called “When the World Comes to End.” Listen as the female gibberish bounces throughout the studio in wonderful harmony. When the lead singer and guitarist ventures into that meaty solo, it just works. This song reminds me of something Stereolab might write. Now there’s a great band.

As you know, the Roots are the house band over at “Fallon.” Band leader and drummer, ?uestlove, invited the Dirty Projectors into his dressing room to see if they were they real deal. That meeting is below.

I don’t know. What do you guys think about this band?

Artists, Videos

Chevelle: Sci-Fi Crimes

September 25, 2009 /


RIYL: Tool, Helmet, Incubus

The Chicago power trio’s fifth album sees the band doing what it does best, which is rocking a heavy sound, yet one with more melody than most of their contemporaries. “Sleep Apnea” and “Mexican Sun” come right the gate with a powerful sound – big power chords, fat bass and crashing drums. Vocalist/guitarist Pete Loeffler still strays into screaming mode here and there on the album, but mostly leaves the screams on the curb, a good thing since he can actually sing. Brother Sam Loeffler on drums and brother-in-law Dean Bernardini on bass form a mean rhythm section for Pete to lay down his crunchy power chords over.

“Shameful Metaphors” is a major highlight that demonstrates Chevelle’s more dynamic side, as it starts off featuring the bass line and light, melodic guitar before the crunch comes in, reminiscent of the production style on the band’s 2002 smash hit “Send the Pain Below.” Pete Loeffler shows what an emotionally compelling vocalist he can be on tracks like this and lead single “Jars.” “Fell Into Your Shoes” and “Letter to a Thief” feature more big heavy hooks that will surely get fists pumping, and echoey guitar fills that expand the band’s sonic palette.

The album’s title apparently comes from “Highland’s Apparition,” which mixes things up with a solo acoustic ghost story ballad, and “Roswell’s Spell,” perhaps the heaviest song on the album. This unfortunately makes it challenging to discern the lyrics that allude to the infamous 1947 Roswell Incident, since Loeffler reverts back to screaming mode during the song. The intriguing lyrics, says Loeffler, were influenced by a friend of the band that’s way into UFOs and the paranormal. The topic has clearly influenced the band, as demonstrated by the album title and artwork featuring a flying saucer.

“A New Momentum” follows with a monster bass line, huge dirty chords and some really catchy riffs for another stand-out tune. “This Circus” closes the album with another heavy but more syncopated rocker. There’s a lot of heavy sludge rock out there that lacks any memorable hooks, while there’s just as much poser rock that lacks any real balls. Sci-Fi Crimes shows that Chevelle remain among the best at mixing melodic hooks with head-banging heaviness. (Sony 2009)

Chevelle MySpace page

Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

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