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Serj Tankian: Elect the Dead Symphony

March 3, 2010 /


RIYL: System of a Down, Primus, Deftones

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if Serj Tankian of the dormant System of a Down took his solo record and performed it with an orchestra? You now have your answer in the release of Elect the Dead Symphony. The record was recorded with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at the Auckland Town Hall. For the geographically challenged, that’s in New Zealand. Serj performs material from 2007’s Elect the Dead, a tune from the Axis of Justice release and a new composition. There is no System stuff to be found here.

The backing orchestra is extraordinary beautiful, but it just doesn’t mesh with Serj and this material. The strength of Serj both in his solo work and with System is the insane tempo changes and maniacal construction of the music. The orchestra plays the material wonderfully and precisely, but it slows things down even in the most deranged of moments. That leaves his voice completely in front and after a while, without the craziness, it isn’t as interesting or captivating and for the first time, sounds a bit vulnerable. In “Money,” where the music gets chaotic in the background, Serj shouting over the orchestra is more irritating than entertaining. That is very different than the original recording when he is shouting over a metal overload.

The production is pristine and the orchestra mix is fantastic. The combination of Serj’s voice with the orchestra just doesn’t blast out the speaker with the same weight as when accompanied by rock musicians. Oddly, it is a great sounding record without being a great record. Serj performs “Beethoven’s Cunt,” which is a hilarious title considering the accompaniment, but without the dangerous sounding metal behind him, it falls flat. (The lyrics have nothing to do with Beethoven or a vagina by the way.) For those of you excited that Soundgarden will be reuniting after a 12-year hiatus, this writer is hoping for a System return. You can’t fault Serj for trying something different; he is an artist who’s normal material is full of risk and surprise, but the safety of an orchestra rubs that edge away and safe sounding is not what we expect from this brilliant mad man. (Reprise 2010)

Serj Tankian MySpace page

Alternative, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

Josh Rouse: El Turista

March 3, 2010 /


RIYL: Paul Simon, your Brazilian grandfather’s record collection

When Josh Rouse moved to Spain a few years ago, nobody really expected things to change with regard to his music career. After all, there are many jobs that can be done from anywhere these days, with touring recording artist being one of them. But along the way, Rouse met and married a Spanish woman, singer Paz Suay, and along with learning to speak Spanish fluently, he also began writing songs in his new home’s language. That’s all well and good, but on his latest, El Turista, Rouse took things a step further by incorporating Brazilian and even Afro-Cuban flavors to the music, including a couple of covers. The entire set also reflects Rouse’s desire to lean toward jazz, without becoming a full-on jazz artist. The result? A mediocre experiment.

There is nothing wrong with trying new things, but the problem with Rouse’s recent musical offerings are that he’s been writing too much – causing his songs to become diluted, at least compared to the stuff he was making in his hometown of Nebraska and in Nashville. It’s not just that, but Rouse is better at the alt-pop thing than he is at the Bossa Nova sound he’s aspiring to, and El Turista is, well, it’s sleep-inducing. That said, dude still has a super smooth voice. The best track on here is the English-speaking “Lemon Tree,” and if you’re in the mood to drink a pina colada and start a conga line, put on the festive “Valencia.” However, if you were/are a fan of Rouse’s earlier material, you may want to run the other way before giving El Turista a listen. (Bedroom Classics/Nettwerk 2010)

Josh Rouse MySpace Page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Latin, Pop, Rock

Listen to Prince’s new song, “Cause and Effect”

February 26, 2010 /

It’s been awhile since we heard from Prince, hasn’t it? Good news is the royal one is still on his game, proven by his new song, “Cause and Effect,” now streaming over 89.3 The Current, a Twin Cities public radio station. The tune is upbeat, silly, and might even entice you to leave the house.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

Artists, Songs

Beth Thornley: Wash U Clean

February 26, 2010 /


RIYL: Aimee Mann, Anya Marina, Ben Folds

It takes real talent to create music that is hip, yet melodic; accessible, yet not forced; and catchy yet not catchy to the point that you don’t want to listen after five spins. Piano songstress Beth Thornley has done this on her third album, Wash U Clean, a bouncy collection of pop tunes that are as infectious as any piano-driven ditties you’ve ever heard. Thornley herself is apparently amazed at the variation between the artists she is compared to, but that’s because that variation is genuinely as wide as the Grand Canyon – even from track to track. That’s just one of the many reasons to like this terrific set of music, and it’s a bonus that you’ll feel as cool as some hipster blogger while listening to it. The title track features a horn riff that will remind you of the synthesizer in Gary Numan’s “Cars,” but the soaring chorus is like one of those long-lasting wads of bubble gum. From there, Thornley weaves in and out from Ben Folds-like anthem (“Still Can’t Hide” and “It’s Me”) to the Aimee Mann-ish “There’s No Way” to the best track of all, the stunning ballad “What the Heart Wants” – the musical version of a lazy Saturday afternoon. Beth Thornley has really delivered a beauty with Wash U Clean, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a bad song on it. (Stiff Hips 2010)

Beth Thornley MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop

Jason Castro: The Love Uncompromised EP

February 25, 2010 /


RIYL: Amos Lee, Michael Tolcher, Daniel Powter

Good luck trying to compare former “American Idol” finalist Jason Castro to anyone, because dude is clearly blazing his own trail. At times, you’ll hear elements of the artists listed above, and in the opening track of Castro’s The Love Uncompromised EP, he even channels Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. When Castro was on “Idol,” he played the part of the jam band stoner hippie, and he played it well. But one thing everyone knew about Castro was that, as Randy Jackson would say, he could “really sing, dawg.” And that remains the case today, but even better is the fact that Castro writes some nice, memorable songs that do not seem forced. The opener, “Let’s Just Fall in Love Again,” is acoustic and has some corny lyrics about falling “disgustingly” in love, but after that the fully produced fare is melodic with nice rhythmic arrangements – especially “Love Uncompromised,” which has a sort of reggae feel, and the bouncy “If I Were You.” But the best track of all is the riveting ballad, “Sweet Medicine,” which has the tenderness and soul of some of Amos Lee’s best material. The EP will leave fans wanting more, and that’s okay because this one is only available digitally and at Castro’s shows, but the full-length will be out this spring. Sometimes former “Idol” hopefuls tank, and sometimes they soar – and Jason Castro has the goods to be in the latter category. (Atlantic 2010)

Jason Castro’s website

American Idol, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop

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