Category: Rock (Page 116 of 241)

Social Code: He Said, She Said

October 31, 2008 /

There’s something that’s different from most power pop and Warped Tour fare when it comes to Canadian rock band Social Code. On the band’s debut US EP, He Said, She Said, Social Code sets itself apart from the pack a bit with a lot of guitar-driven energy and with Travis Nesbitt’s raspy vocal (think Hawthorne Heights and Fall Out Boy having a child). The title track is the kind of stuff that will give record labels and radio programmers a collective wet dream. But Social Code is just paying the bills with that and with the catchy but slightly grating “Beautiful.” That’s because the best tracks here are “Perfect Grave” and “The Shortest Line.” The former has a dark, melody-driven approach ala the Goo Goo Dolls, and could launch this band into superstardom if the right people hear it. Love it or hate it, this genre is still here to stay for a while, and Social Code is worth keeping your eyes and ears on. (LABEL: Fifth Season Music)

Social Code MySpace Page

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

Dear Mr. Fantasy: A Celebration of Jim Capaldi

October 24, 2008 /

In January of 2007, a very distinguished set of musicians put on a concert celebrating the life and work of Jim Capaldi, a founding member of Traffic who died in January of 2005 of stomach cancer at the age of 60. The DVD capturing the event is pleasant enough and features performances and contributions from musicians who worked with and were inspired by Capaldi’s spirit, songwriting and musicianship. The list includes Steve Winwood, Capaldi’s Traffic bandmate, who delivers a solid version of the Traffic classic “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” and other luminaries such as Joe Walsh, Paul Weller, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) and Deep Purple alum and keyboard genius Jon Lord. The house band supporting these stars during the show included Bad Company alum Simon Kirke on the drums and multi-instrumentalist and band leader Mark Rivera (Foreigner, Ringo Starr, Billy Joel). The artists offer competent versions of Traffic and Capaldi solo material while adding a wrinkle or two of their own. Islam sneaks in a refrain of “Wild World” during “Man With No Country” and Walsh, ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and Jon Lord deliver a bluesy, soulful rendition of “Living on the Outside.” Solid, mellow and entertaining without a ton of bells and whistles, the concert delivers a fine tribute to a respected artist and his work from those who loved him the most. (Eagle Vision)

Click to buy Dear Mr. Fantasy: A Celebration of Jim Capaldi

DVD Quicktakes, External Music, Music DVDs, Rock

Thea Gilmore: Liejacker

October 24, 2008 /

You would think that the final word in terms of singer/songwriter types was uttered in the ‘60s and ‘70s, given that that’s the era that birthed such visionaries like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne and their like-minded brethren. Then along comes an artist like Thea Gilmore, who proves herself more than able to reach that bar. In the past ten years or so, she’s notched up repeated successes on her ascent to the upper ranks of contemporary British singer/songwriters, and if Liejacker doesn’t quite rank as the absolute masterpiece of, say, Blue or Blood on the Tracks , it does impress with its array of alluring, caressing melodies and enough hooks to fill a fashion warehouse. Most artists would be content to be able to write songs that would make Gilmore’s “good” stack – and there are plenty of those here – but few could match such instantly indelible offerings as “Come Up With Me” or “Rosie,” two of the more infectious efforts this album has to offer. The former boasts the kind a catchy chorus that will likely never to wear thin even after repeated listens, while the latter comes across as a gentle ramble, its folk-like caress reaffirming Gilmore’s natural penchant for merging music and meditation. Gilmore’s got the goods, and with Liejacker she ups her ante considerably. (Rykodisc)

Thea Gilmore MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk, Rock

The Smithereens: B-Sides the Beatles

October 24, 2008 /

Dave Medsker wrote the following about the Smithereens’ initial Fab Four cover record (2007’s Meet The Smithereens): “Pat Dinizio has always worn his love for the Beatles on his sleeve (the band did a fab cover of Ringo’s “It Don’t Come Easy” back in 1991), but no one is going to mistake his singing for that of Paul McCartney or John Lennon, and that is the biggest problem with Meet the Smithereens.” Well, fast forward to 2008 and the newest Smithereens’ Fab Four cover record, B-Sides the Beatles, and nothing has changed, really. The boys do a great job of re-creating the vibe and sound of the early Beatles catalog, but Dinizio’s voice just doesn’t do the songs justice (Dennis Diken sings lead on “Slow Down”). I love Dinizio’s vocals in general, but not for these songs; they just don’t fit. The band gives a little more crunch to songs like “You Can’t Do That” and “Some Other Guy” but the only thing this album does is make you want to listen to the originals, not these covers. The Smithereens couldn’t resist the modest commercial success and critical buzz that the 2007 record achieved and went to the well one more time (off the back of a Christmas record with only three seasonal originals). Here is an idea: how about an original Smithereens record? They haven’t produced a new disc of Smithereens’ material since 1999’s overwhelmingly mediocre God Save the Smithereens. This is the band that produced great records like Green Thoughts and Especially for You. There has to be more in them than just becoming a Beatles tribute act. Competent, yes the album is competent and the art is cool and the liner notes informative, but exciting, or thrilling…not so much. (Koch)

The Smithereens MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

You heard it here first: Guns ‘n Roses, “Chinese Democracy”

October 22, 2008 /

Here it is, kids: the long-awaited, oft-delayed title track to Guns ‘n Roses’ Chinese Democracy, which finally has a release date of November 23. Of this year. No, seriously.

So how it it? Um, well, it’s…interesting.

Interesting. That’s the biggest cop-out adjective in a music writer’s arsenal. And yet, that’s as positive a word as I can come up with upon first listen. I feel the same way about this as I did when I first heard “You Could Be Mine,” the first single released from the Use Your Illusion albums. It reminds me of long-buried ’90s bands like Monster Magnet, and the guitar solo…doesn’t Tom Morello have patent pending on that stuff?

There was once a time where I was dying to hear what mad scientist Axl had been cooking up in his lab. Those days came and went roughly ten years ago. Now it’s on the level of cautiously optimistic. You know there’s a “November Rain” sitting in there somewhere. There has to be…right?

Artists, External Music, News, Rock, Songs

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