Category: Rock (Page 20 of 241)

Ministry: Every Day Is Halloween: Greatest Tricks

October 13, 2010 / James B. Eldred

RIYL: Drowning puppies

Al Jourgensen is a liar, an asshole, and a washed-up, no-talent hack.

He’s a liar because even though he said he was breaking up Ministry in 2008, after the release of The Last Sucker and the covers compilation Cover Up, here he is with a “new” album. He’s an asshole because the said “new” album is nothing more than a hastily thrown together hodgepodge of lazy covers and re-recorded versions of Ministry songs. And he’s a washed-up, no-talent hack because it all sounds like shit, the obvious work of a lazy pig who hates his fans, throwing together a collection of compost just for a quick paycheck.

The covers on Every Day Is Halloween: Greatest Tricks are atrocious. While the covers on Cover Up took elements of the originals and incorporated them into an industrial sound, here Al just grabs some classic rock tunes (and Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”), throws some distorted guitars over them, cranks the drum machine to 11 and calls it a day. The cover of “Strangehold” sounds like the cover of “Iron Man” that sounds like the cover of “Paint It Black” that sounds like a pile of dogshit. He even manages to ruin “Thunderstruck,” which is pretty damn impressive if you think about it.

Even worse are the re-recorded tracks. New versions of “N.W.O.” “Stigmata,” “Every Day Is Halloween” and the other unfortunate Ministry classics that are assassinated here either sound too similar to the old versions, or radically different in all the wrong ways. What’s most noticeable on all of them is that Al can no longer sing, scream, howl or growl with any kind of intensity. Either that or he just doesn’t give a shit about Ministry anymore. And I’m right there with him. (Cleopatra Records 2010)

Ministry MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Industrial, Rock

Jackson Browne: Going Home

October 8, 2010 / Scott Malchus

RIYL: The Eagles, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley

In 1994, Jackson Browne released I’m Alive, a strong collection of songs that was a return to personal songwriting after years of political. In conjunction with that release, the Disney Channel, when they still offered programming that would appeal to adults, presented this documentary, “Jackson Browne: Going Home.” The 90-minute production captures the artist performing live with his great band from the ’90s, as well as footage of Browne, mostly at his home, sharing stories about his life, his career and the process he goes through making music. Interspersed with the concert and backstage footage are rare photos and filmed performances that span his career up to that point.

The live concert production is tight and immaculately produced. Like many of his Laurel Canyon 1970s singer-songwriter comrades, there is an attention to detail when Brown performs that makes you appreciate the professionalism of the artist. No note is out of place; what has been recorded on the record is duplicated perfectly in concert. However, Browne is also one of those artists who knows how to connect with his audience, making each concert unique. So, whether singing live in front of 20,000 or in a sterile TV studio for a small number of fans, it never feels like he’s going through the motions.

The abundance of music in the documentary seems far too much for only an hour and a half, but it all fits and everything sounds fantastic. The song selections must represent Browne’s set list in the early ’90s; mixed in with ’70s classics like “These Days,” “The Pretender” and “Before the Deluge,” are standouts from his late ’80s period like “In the Shape of a Heart,” “World In Motion” and “Sky Blue and Black.” There are also some excellent deep cuts, like “Farther On” and “Birds of St. Marks.”

Many of Browne’s famous friends show up. David Lindley, Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Don Henley, Jennifer Warnes and the rest of the Eagles all make appearances, with Lindley, Crosby, Nash and Warnes performing live with Browne and his band.

It’s hard to believe that “Going Home” was shot in 1994. Aside from some graying hair and additional wrinkles here and there, Browne doesn’t appear to have aged at all in all of these years. Moreover, his voice continues to sound as youthful as ever. A nifty video montage of “Doctor My Eyes” edits together performances that range from early in his career to the ’94 show. So often with these type of DVD releases, only hardcore fans will buy them. However, this is one release that stands on its own as a quality film whether you’ve been following Jackson Browne for years or just heard of him yesterday. (Eagle Records 2010)

CD Reviews, Music DVDs, Pop, Rock

Bonnie Raitt Crosby Stills and Nash David Lindley Don Henley Jackson Browne The Disney Channel The Eagles

Weezer: Hurley

October 8, 2010 / Scott Malchus

RIYL: The Killers, Jimmy Eat World, Tegan & Sara

Casual fans of Weezer, the ones who only really know their pop hits, should love Hurley. The new album, their first since parting ways with Geffen and signing with indie label Epitaph, is a strong collection of pop rock/punk songs that will make the grayest autumn days ahead seem much sunnier. Everything about Hurley feels as big and burly as the photo of “Lost” actor Jorge Garcia (a.k.a. “Hurley”) on the front cover.

Throughout the album, Rivers Cuomo sings with the angst and melancholy of a singer half his age. But there is a lightness to his performances that makes you think that getting free from the corporate record company bog has given the band and Cuomo a new lease on life. “Memories” is a driving, nostalgic look back at that bygone era of… the ’90s. “Unspoken” begins with pretty, acoustic harmonies. Is this Weezer unplugged? Fear not, as the song shifts into gear by the end, kicking some serious ass. “Where’s My Sex” starts off as almost a joke, as Cuomo changed the letters of “socks” to “sex” in the lyrics. As the song nears its completion, the band suddenly becomes Green Day, switching time signatures and segueing into a completely different tune, a la “Jesus of Suburbia.”

The strongest selection on Hurley is “Hang On,” a beautiful work of ’70s-style pop/glam rock. Listen to it, you’ll hear shades of Sweet and Cheap Trick flowing freely with Weezer’s impeccable harmonies and hand claps. This one has radio written radio hit all over it. I hope so because this one would sound great coming out of teenage cars across America.

Each song on Hurley flows right into the next one making this a great listening experience. At ten songs (four bonus tracks are also available on a Deluxe edition) it’s also one of the quickest listens, too. Maybe the songs aren’t as complex as some of Weezer’s previous efforts, but this is certainly one of their most accessible and therefore fun albums. (Epitaph 2010)

Weezer MySpace page

Alternative, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Headlines Hurley CD review Rivers Cuomo Weezer

The Posies: Blood/Candy

October 7, 2010 / Greg M. Schwartz

RIYL: Big Star, Matthew Sweet, the Foo Fighters

The Posies deliver their first album since 2005 here, and it’s a mixed bag. There’s a handful of songs that rival the Seattle-rooted band’s best work on Frosting on the Beater, their 1993 alternative-era classic. Big melodic hooks, vintage gear, soaring vocals with depth, rich harmonies; these are great to hear in 2010. But there are other songs where it sounds like band leaders Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow couldn’t agree on which direction to go, and fused competing ideas together in odd ways that don’t quite gel. Either that or some of their mutual ideas were just weird. There’s an admirable effort at musical sophistication, but their best tunes tend to be the ones that keep it simple because these guys write really great hooks.

The first three songs all feature guest vocalists, but in subtle fashion. “Plastic Paperbacks” uses some low-end vocals from punk legend Hugh Cornwall of the Stranglers. It’s more of an embellishment than a major factor in the mid-tempo track, based around a melodic piano part and some atmospheric guitar. It feels like a bit of a misfire. But “The Glitter Prize,” featuring Kay Hanley from Letters to Cleo, is a tune with the classic Posies sound. It’s upbeat with layered guitars, a groovy bass line and infectious vocals. It’s too bad that Hanley is buried so deep in the mix, because this power pop gem is the best song on the album. Lisa Lobsinger from Broken Social Scene is a guest on the Beatlesque “Licenses to Hide,” but the tune sounds like Lennon and McCartney had an argument while writing the song and neither would budge (the Lennon-esque parts are better).

“So Caroline” gets back to the melodic rocking that the Posies do so well. “Take Care of Yourself” is another good one in a similar vein, but goes in a bluesier direction. “Cleopatra Street” mixes in some heavier guitar sounds and has some interesting psychedelia, but feels disjointed. “For the Ashes” brings in some Sgt. Pepper psychedelic vocal effects, but doesn’t really soar. “Accidental Architecture” is all over the place. It probably felt very creative in the studio, but it won’t likely last long in the band’s live repertoire.

“She’s Coming Down Again” has the band’s upbeat sound, but with some darker lyrics about a girl’s apparent drug problem. “Notion 99” is a dynamic tune with big drums and various sonic counterpoints, but seems like it would benefit from some thicker guitars. “Holiday Hours” never really gets going, but “Enewtak” closes the album with some majestic rock momentum. It’s too bad the album couldn’t have been a little more consistent, but you can’t really fault the band for seeking to experiment instead of just re-hashing a tried and true formula. It’s a fine line, but the bottom line is that it’s still great to hear Auer and Stringfellow working together again. (Rykodisc 2010)

The Posies MySpace page

Alternative, CD Reviews, Power Pop, Psychedelic, Rock

Blood/Candy The Posies

Spot the Similarity: Linkin Park’s “Robot Boy” vs. Semisonic’s “She’s Got My Number”

October 7, 2010 / David Medsker

Welcome to the debut of Spot the Similarity, where we take two songs and, well, do we really need to explain the purpose of the column?

Pop songwriting is hard. There are only a handful of chords, and underneath that, there are only a handful of chord progressions that will register as pleasing to the ears, so it comes as no surprise that sometimes a band looks as if they were caught peeking at someone else’s paper during the final exam, even if they weren’t. It could be a riff, or a vocal melody, or a certain rhythm.

Or, in this case, it could be several things.

Now, let’s just state for the record that we do not believe for a second that Linkin Park were trying to steal from anyone. They take their music much too seriously to do such a thing. But, for the sake of argument, take a listen to “Robot Boy,” from their impressive new album A Thousand Suns.

Sweet little tune, right? Now, if you please, check out “She’s Got My Number,” from Semisonic’s 2001 album All About Chemistry.

Wowzers. Peas in a pod, these two songs. Lots of piano, eerily similar drum tracks, big swells towards the end. The chord progressions are different, no question, but not terribly different. Was Linkin Park aware of the existence of “She’s Got My Number”? Doubtful. The only link between the two bands is Rick Rubin, who produced Semisonic singer and principal songwriter Dan Wilson’s 2007 solo album Free Life as well as Linkin Park’s last two albums. But since Rubin didn’t get involved with Wilson until well after Chemistry was released, it’s safe to say that he’s never heard “She’s Got My Number,” which means Linkin Park probably hadn’t either, since they were still doing the angsty nu-metal thing at the time.

We have not reached out to anyone in Linkin Park for comment – because really, that would look like we’re accusing them of plagiarism, and we’re not – but we did send “Robot Boy” to Dan Wilson, and he told us this: “I usually don’t hear it when people tell me something sounds like a track of mine, but I totally hear it with this. Thanks for the note, it reminds me how much I like ‘She’s Got My Number.’ And now I like ‘Robot Boy.'” Awww, how cute is that? We love a happy ending.

Click to buy Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns from Amazon
Click to buy Semisonic’s All About Chemistry from Amazon

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock, Spot the Similarity

All About Chemistry Dan Wilson Headlines Linkin Park Robot Boy Semisonic She's Got My Number Spot the Similarity