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Man-About-MySpace: St. John & the Revelations

October 10, 2007 /

Frere Medsker recommends St. John & the Revelations, this week’s MySpacer, and it makes complete sense: It’s a D-Med artist, all the way. If Catherine Wheel was Smiths 2.0, then these guys are the 3.0 version.

Guitarist-frontman St. John–a Canadian-born resident of Venice, Calif.–has a brooding, Depeche-Joy Division vocal drone of biblical proportions. The music has much more earthy texture and 2007 acoustic-techno style than his 1980s British counterparts, but he can brood on and on and on with the best of them.

chillin' in the crib
St. John chillin’ in the wickah

Best cut of the band’s MySpace buffet is “Parallax,” which has a tasty little organ feature at the beginning that features the Leslie (or equivalent digital effect box) spinning up to build some sonic drama. The organ line plays a prominent part in the track, giving it a more grounded vintage pop edge and taking off some of the technological chill prevalent in their other mixes.

Still, if you’re into the Emo, into vintage Jimmy Somerville and Depeche, give these Canadian popsters a spin. MySpace gives you a free taste, what’ve you go to lose?

Ruby Tuesday: The Boomtown Rats, “Me and Howard Hughes”

October 9, 2007 /

Bob Geldof’s Boomtown Rats were originally pegged as Springsteen ripoff artists – and if you’ve ever heard “Rat Trap” or “Joey’s on the Street Again,” you know exactly where that rumor got started – but their US debut, A Tonic for the Troops, was much more than a series of “Rosalita” rewrites. And while the band came to prominence during the punk scene, let’s face it: the Rats were no more a punk band than the Clash were. They could rock, sure (“She’s So Modern,” “Blind Date,” “Mary of the 4th Form”), but at heart they were a pop band. A very strange, wonderful pop band.

Thus, “Me and Howard Hughes,” a harmony-drenched song about a guy who fancies himself a self-loathing eccentric. Lock yourself up in your room and enjoy this criminally overlooked band.

Boomtown Rats – Me and Howard Hughes

Alternative, External Music, Rock, Ruby Tuesday, Songs

Deep Cuts: Stone Temple Pilots

October 8, 2007 /

Written by Bill Clark

Stone Temple Pilots are one of those bands for whom, in hindsight, it’s easy to wonder how they did as well as they did, given the music scene at the time. 1992’s Core landed right smack in the middle of the grunge era, but STP’s sound from the get-go veered more towards hard rock – and fairly catchy hard rock at that. The band always wore its influences on its sleeve; from the Beatles to the Doors to the blues. They were a multi-faceted band, and one that can be even more appreciated when you dig deeper than the 15 Top Ten singles they released during their career. They may not have always been the most original band, but they were immensely talented musicians and performers. The following list is in chronological order and covers all five studio albums.

“Dead & Bloated” – Core
If ever there was a song to start off and set the tone for a debut album, this is it. Beginning with vocalist Scott Weiland singing “I am smelling like a rose that somebody gave me / Cause I’m dead and bloated,” the tune shoots into a heavy verse and soaring chorus. It’s an excellent audio personification of STP’s early days.

“Sin” – Core
Trapped between radio hits “Wicked Garden” and “Creep” is “Sin,” one of the most underrated STP tunes out there. It has the kind of intro that leaves you baffled as to where it’s headed, but soon enough it dives into a signature STP verse and an excellent low-end chorus. The acoustic interlude and subsequent explosive guitar solo is a treat that would pave the way for STP’s musical growth.

“Piece of Pie” – Core
Now here’s one rockin’ tune. Guitarists (and brothers) Robert and Dean DeLeo drive this monster home with every palm-muted chord, and Weiland’s expansive vocals compliment it to perfection.

“Meat Plow” – Purple
Talk about another killer opening track. The monstrous opening riff eventually molds with the chorus’ slide guitar (a method STP would go on to use liberally) seamlessly. This is down-and-dirty STP.

To view the rest of the list, click here.

Alternative, Deep Cuts, Lists, Rock, Songs

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