Joe Walsh Goes Analog

Joe Walsh is one of those guys where I like the hits. "Rocky Mountain Way", "Life's Been Good", "Walk Away", "Funk 49", and a slew of others bring the party with goofy themes and crunching guitars. Even with all these songs I like, I haven't had an interest in Walsh's solo albums beyond hit compilations. This makes his recent disc Analog Man the first proper Joe Walsh solo disc I've owned.

And I gotta say it's pretty good. The title track and "And The Band Played On" have the biting guitar licks, slamming drums and buzzy vocals strong enough to fit alongside Walsh's best material on classic rock radio. Whether you agree or disagree with him, Walsh's old man complaints about the modern world and reflective moments about his life have some weight.

Like any long time rocker, there's gonna be some treading water moments like the sappy ballad "Family" or the reworked "Funk 49" as "Funk 50". Yet overall Walsh displays potency behind his six string sting and producer Jeff Lynne gives some of that Tom Petty sheen to make it go down smooth.

Analog Man is a good solid disc with a handful of killer moments. An above average solo album to me.

Freakin Sweet Art

As Joe Pesci would say "Ok OK Ok" I have a lot of catching up to do. So let's cut the crap and get down to it with an old fashioned multi post fest. I have had a lot of posts on me mind but haven't bothered to type them out, so here goes.

Matthew Sweet released an album called Modern Art that I downloaded about a month ago. And it is a really good album. Probably the most addictive one of original material for me since Blue Sky On Mars. Sweet pretty much said his approach to the music was a little more organic and it shows with delightfully quirky touches and loose ends surrounding his sturdy power pop stylings. As a result Modern Art has a broad palate containing Sweet's fave influences that includes White Album era Beatles ("Ivory Tower"), Brian Wilson precious melodies ("Modern Art")and Neil Young ragged chug a lug rock ("Ladyfingers").

Unlike the prior solo release Sunshine Lies there are some stand out cuts. The ghost story "She Walks The Night" has a bangin hook while the midtempo "Baltimore" finds Sweet in his forlorn zone. My favorite track is the music geek out "Late Night With the Power Pop".

This is Matthew Sweet's best work in a long time, so I give it a

The Dream Carries On

Oops,haven't posted in a while. Happy Turkey Day everyone! Today's review is an album I've been listening to for a while, Dream Theater's A Dramatic Turn Of Events.

I purposely sat on this one a bit because the last few albums from them I liked a lot more when I initially got them and then less over time. In particular the last disc Black Clouds And Silver Linings fell off quickly and I eventually only found half the album enjoyable. So I waited until the newness wore off on this disc this time out.

The album's title refers to obvious events in the DT camp, founding member Mike Portnoy exited the band after he failed to convince the others to take an extended break. The Portnoy / Dream Theater saga hit soap opera proportions as fans sided with one person or the other. Once the dust settled, Dream Theater went on a search for a new drummer before selecting Mike Mangini.

And the change has done the band good from my point of view. Dream Theater sounds like a band out to prove it's still vital on ADTOE, unleashing barrage after barrage of their trademark riffage and noodling. Portnoy's absence brings a welcome change in their dropping that nu metal growling / melody style in favor of a more classic approach (which I'm really really happy about. Systematic Chaos gave me a literal headache at times). New guy Mangini has a drum style notably less heavy but no less dexterous than Portnoy, allowing a lot more space for bassist John Myung to groove.

There are some songs on ADTOE that I flat out love, and funnily enough my favorite is the slightly nu metal flavored "Build Me Up, Break Me Down" with it's "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" keyboards, churning guitar riff and stellar chorus. The band locks in to prog nirvana on "Bridges In The Sky" as they pile on the solos until things get almost jazzy. The rest of the disc is filled with high points in almost every song and even surprises by showing a bit of restraint on the closing track "Beneath The Surface".

Despite doing just about everything right, I don't care for the album as a whole. Part of the problem is I didn't like most of the ballads, the power ballad "This Is The Life" felt lie it should have had a better melody. The whole track builds up to this flick your bic moment and then the chorus hits and it's kinda a let down. And while I like vocalist James LaBrie generally I found the Phantom Of The Opera tone to "Far From Heaven" a bit much to take. Speaking of choruses, many of them seem to follow a similar pattern on ADTOE so it takes a while to differentiate the songs from each other.

After having A Dramatic Turn Of Events for a month I find I'm still going back to it repeatedly so while it's not perfect I like it a lot. Dream Theater proves they are still plenty awesome.

Rating:

Lindsey Buckingham - Seeds We Sow live and on CD

When I first started buying records and tapes, listening to music intently beyond just what was on the radio, one of the first bands that I got a lot of was Fleetwood Mac. My best friend's parents had bootlegged HBO off a satellite dish and I asked them to make a recording of the Mirage tour concert for me. They did and I became a Fleetwood Mac super fan.

That taped concert made a huge impression on me on what I thought rock music was. Lindsey Buckingham in particular had an impact because he was the lead guitarist and singer (and later I'd find out producer, songwriter, artist, and so on). The way he played guitar (no pick), the herky jerky body language (like the air humping thing he does when he solos on "I'm So Afraid")...I just thought that was what all rock stars did. I didn't realize it was something unique to him.

Now decades later I've learned that Lindsey Buckingham is a unique talent and I've been a fan of both his solo work and Fleetwood Mac. This was my first time seeing Buckingham live on his own. I got held up at work and was late for the show, so the set list from what I saw was:

Go Insane / Trouble / Never Going Back Again / Big Love / Under The Skin / All My Sorrows / In Our Own Time / Illumination / Second Hand News / Tusk / Stars Are Crazy / End Of Time / That's The Way Love Goes / I'm So Afraid / Go Your Own Way
encore: Turn It On / Treason / Seeds We Sow

Napa's Uptown theater was pretty much a sold out crowd and they were pumped for a rock show. So pumped there was dancing in the aisle and random shouts of "Yeah!" during the acoustic first half. Buckingham wisely front loaded his hits at the start. Performing alone with his guitar and Art Garfunkel haircut, Buckingham was able to reveal added levels of desperation and wistfulness to his familiar tunes like "Trouble" and "Go Insane".

After "Big Love" a three man band joined Buckingham on the stage to allow for more of a band performance. With a lot of momentum built up the set list alternated between his pure solo stuff and remaining Mac hits to make sure no one got bored. Not that boredom is an option at Uptown, the small converted movie theater makes for a more intimate setting where people can yell things at the performer and actually get a response (like when some guy yelled "How many guitars you got?" between songs and Buckingham replied "Too many").

"All My Sorrows" was a major treat for me, Out Of The Cradle is one of my all time favorite albums by anybody anywere. It was nice to drink in the languid tone and pretty melody during live performance. His new disc Seeds We Sow was strongly represented with six songs performed live and in a switch from the norm, the audience seemed to enjoy new material. "In Our Own Time" in particular thrived with Buckingham stooping down for his jagged little guitar fills. Also away from the norm, the crowd seemed to appreciate the artist's abilities beyond being a human jukebox, revelling in Buckingham's intricate guitar work (so intricate he has to shake his hand loose before many songs. Repetetive motion injury?) and howling vocals.

That appreciation is probably why the place went ape shit when Buckingham went full throttle into a classic rock smash like "Second Hand News". It was one of those perfect concert moments where the audience and performer feed off each other as Buckingham's insistent "Do it! Do it! Do it!" in between "bom bom bom bom"s increased in intensity. Buckingham reached out to his fans now, pointing at some dancers and shaking hands with the front row. The extended solo at the end of "I'm So Afraid" gave us the guitar God moment, ending with women literally grabbing at his legs. And how could "Go Your Own Way" not go over well?

After firing off all his major hits I wondered if there would be an encore and if there was would it include "Holiday Road". The answer turned out to be yes and no. Got another treat in form of the Out Of The Cradle track "Turn It On" before discovering a new appreciation for "Treason" off the Gift Of Screws album. Buckingham ended the evening solo acoustic on "Seeds We Sow".

Concert Rating:


Lindsey Buckingham's new disc Seeds We Sow arrived with some minor buzz around it a few months ago. Most of that buzz was about it being self released and sounding under produced. When I first played the album, I thought it was under produced too initally but have found Seeds We Sow to be a -wait for it - slow grower. Where Lindsey Buckingham's work can often be described as lush or layered, Seeds We Sow has an approach closer to Fleetwood Mac's Tusk where the music was stripped down to guitar, bass, voice and drums.

After playing this in my car a few weeks, the each of the songs started to resonate more. On initial listen I enjoyed the 80s pop flavored "Illumination" and the speedy "One Toke Over The Line" influenced "One Take". The electric version of the title track (an Amazon bonus cut) also sounded great. It was the slower numbers that took time to appreciate. "End Of Time" has become one of my favorite Lindsey Buckingham songs, beautiful chorus matched with just enough lush accompanyment to make it shine. And the jerky rhythms to "In Our Own Time" cannot be done by anyone other than Buckingham. The spare sound becomes refreshing over time and actually becomes one of the album's strengths.

If I reviewed Seeds We Sow a few weeks ago I would have given it a seven. But now, I'll bump it up to

Album rating:

You Really Can Still Rock In America

To a smaller audience, but yes you can. A few weeks ago I got the most recent album from Night Ranger, a Bay Area band I've been a fan of since their debut Dawn Patrol way back in 1982-83. After a three album hot streak of killer rock and flick your bic power ballads the band seemed to lose direction - going all synthesizer, then firing the keyboard player, then turning into a power trio before doing the whole reunion thing in the 90s. Despite their best efforts, Night Ranger was not able to recapture that spark they had early on - they rocked yet lacked that hyper adrenaline manic edge of their early days. I thought maybe that edge could only be captured in the studio by the late producer Pat Glasser since he handled the first three albums. When last we saw our "Sister Christian" heroes, they were searching for a new sound that would fit in with the 21st Century. The guitars were lower (think the term is "downtuned"?) and an emphasis on alt rock style melodies dominated Hole In The Sun. Sun turned off the fan base and the quick dismissal of long time axe slinger Jeff Watson didn't help.

So here we are in 2011 and Night Ranger is making a 180 from Hole In The Sun. They're going back to the 80's - the early 80's, to recapture their original sound. And unlike so many bands who have done this same maneuver only to prove you can't go home again, Night Ranger pulls it off on their new disc Somewhere In California. Those high flying choruses, barrelling grooves and twin guitar attack have sting again. Rockers like "Growin Up In California", "Bye Bye Baby" and "Rock And Roll Tonite" are dazzling spectacles of AOR perfection. When the band hits that guitar solo build up part of "Lay It On Me" I'm in rock heaven. And the power ballad quota is met with the decent "Time Of Our Lives". Somewhere In California front loads the best songs in the first half, the second half is good but not as memorable (save "Tonite" and a rampaging cover of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" as a bonus track). This disc shows off a revitalized band who I hope to see live tomorrow (weather permitting).

rating:

Midnight Madness - Debt Ceiling Edition

Uh oh, looks like the sky is falling and we're all screwed. Guess I better throw in a new post!

I Must Be Dreaming - I saw Inception and I've gotta say it lived up to the hype. It was intense,confusing yet I couldn't stop watching it. Makes me wonder what writer / director Christopher Nolan is like, all his movies have to do with a search for identity while grappling with a skewed perception of reality. Bet he's great at parties,all brooding in a corner playing with memories that may or may not be his. I was expecting this sort of wanna be The Matrix and there were definite similarities, but Inception had enough of it's own identity (ha ha) to live the dream.

The Reflex - I liked Duran Duran's lead single "All You Need Is Now" it's just too bad I can't say the same for the whole disc. The sound is nicely polished and there are parts of bass lines and keyboards that call back classic Duran, just taken as a whole it's kinda eh.

Portions For Foxes - Years after they fell off the face of the earth Rilo Kiley has broken up.

Nobody Messes With Niko Belic - working on my Niko imitation after playing a bit of GTA 4. Which of course sounds like a bad imitation of Borat. "I steal car now, you like?"

Don't Look Down!- I've gone back to listening to my favorite Lindsey Buckingham album Out Of The Cradle and finds it's still plenty awesome.

Swan Dive - Seems like someone's working overtime to make sure we know there's a new movie called Friends With Benefits coming starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. It wasn't that long ago we were inundated with commercials for a movie with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman in what sounds like the same plot - two friends try to have a sexual relationship without romantic feelings. It's like they're going to keep making the same movie with different people over and over until we give in and watch the damn thing. Which is an even bigger waste of time when you realize we can see Kunis and Kutcher get together for free five times a day in That 70s Show reruns.

Full Speed Ahead Captain - I lost interest in Thor after it came out (maybe because it doesn't look like the Thor I know, where were the red wrist sweat bands for example?) though Captain America looks promising.

By George, I think he's got it - this commercial for Bacardi throws me each time I see it 'cause it sounds like someone copied George Clooney's speech mannerisms. It's like one of those things I never thought of, Clooney has a specific style of speaking, until I heard it in this context. I am aware of his whole "I'm staring at you when I talk" thing that I find annoying, it's like "C'mon guy at least blink or something instead of delivering dialog as if you're in a staring contest with a dog". Not to say he isn't a good actor or anything (place Batman & Robin cheapshot here) I'm just amazed someone copied the way he talks.

Rolling Away

Rating:

Man, I was bummed that Raphael Saadiq's new opus wasn't better than it was. I've been looking forward to this album for a good month or two before it came out. The song "Good Man" is easily my favorite song so far this year, a brilliant combo of retro soul with a hint of modern day hip hop. And the song "Stone Rollin"? Awesome blues groove that any artist would love to lay claim to. Saadiq definitely has good taste, his ability to channel classic R&B passion with sturdy songwriting and present day spirit can generate strong results like 2008's The Way I See It. So it's a shame that beyond the two songs I love the rest of the material on Stone Rollin comes across as impressive yet hollow sonic experiments. Particularly "Go To Hell", "Daydream" and "Over You", those songs are just plain forgettable. The rest goes down easy and have catchy bits but still pass by inconsequentially.

A Witchy Woman Ages Gracefully...

Rating:

Stevie Nicks...likes...ellipses...so it seems fitting to write this review in her style, little one. The original witchy woman (who is not the subject of the Eagle's hit) has released her first solo album in a decade. And it soars on the wing of a white winged dove(which means it's good). The stars aligned to unleash her best written work since '83's Wild Heart record. And it gives...a portrait of...a woman aging gracefully...sitting in the corner of a crowded room...like a shadow of a shadow...like a dream...or a Jane Seymour movie... Like the album title In Your Dreams suggests, Nicks lays on the mystique thick invoking exotic locations and the dead (even undead). Dave Stewart's gauzy production enhances the dark mysterious mood while keeping a spotlight on Nicks' fortune teller presence. In fact, if Nicks wasn't so authentic (and wealthy) I'd say "Wide Saragasso Sea","New Orleans", "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream) and "Italian Summer" were inspired by surfing basic cable tv. But this is Stevie's world baby, so we stay with her awhile. Part of the fun of a Nicks album is deciphering what she's talking about. In Your Dreams is the most romance novelish thing she's done yet, with themes of passion and hope amid a shifting sea of mortality and maturity. Sort of Anne Rice minus the goth. Which works well...in concept and execution...And so...the story goes...

Dream After Dream

Rating:


Journey's new disc Eclipse is out and I got it this week, and I have found it their most addictive release since - wait for it - Frontiers. It is that good. I've played it four times over in the last 48 hours. But it is also gonna be a tough sell to a mass audience. I don't think many of the fans they won over with Revelation is going to like Eclipse. It's not a very romantic album. Not a lot of heartache and heart break here, which is what a lot of people like about Journey's music.

When it comes to Journey, people expect power ballads ("Open Arms", "Faithfully")and self empowerment anthems("Be Good To Yourself", "Don't Stop Believin"). On Eclipse Journey ditches the former and goes all in on the latter. Every song on the album depicts struggle against the odds and fighting to get to the top because as they are sure to tell you "Anything Is Possible" when you "Resonate" at the "Edge Of A Moment" in the "City Of Hope".

To be honest, I was really ready to not like Eclipse before I even heard it. I had read online about the uncommercial tact of the new album and when they had done this type of thing before on Red 13 or Generations the results kinda sucked. When I hit play on my Ipod for this sucker, I braced myself for a lot of non melodic jams with excessive guitar soloing.

So I was shocked, shocked I tell you, that the melodies are killer on Eclipse (like the dramatic "Chains Of Love" where the building chorus is awesome). And while there is a ton of guitar on this disc, I didn't find the solos excessive. Plus drummer Deen Castronovo gets a chance to really shine here, playing with both weight and dexterity. Arnel Pineda has settled into the frontman role nicely and sounds at home here. There is a very real prog rock edge to Eclipse with moments that deftly recall the Next / Infinity days ("Venus" and "Human Feel") combined with some slick choruses a la "La Raza Del Sol".

While Schon's unmistakable guitar and Cain's hooky choruses stamp the music as Journey, I was thinking about how much I like the album but not in the usual Journey way. Then as Arnel Pineda got near operatic singing over Jon Cain's classical sounding piano during "Tantra" it hit me: Holy Crap, Journey made a Dream Theater album. A really freakin' good Dream Theater album, I'm talking Images And Words era DT. Producer Kevin Shirley once produced a Dream Theater album so he definitely knows the territory. And it explains why Castronovo's drums has so much presence, he's got Mike Portnoy room to work with in the songs.

Some people might think I'm putting down Journey for sounding like DT but I'm really not. Regardless of whether the homage is accidental or intentional, this music goes to the heart of the type of music I love - 80s AOR with proggy overtones. It's not for everybody, I remember in high school being the only guy owning Toto's Isolation album let alone liking it, but this sound is definitely for me. I won't be surprised if Journey ditches this musical style by the next album, so I plan to enjoy it while it lasts.

That New Car Smell

Rating:



The Cars is one of those bands where I didn't realize how much I missed them until they released new music. The original unit split somewhere around 1988 with leader Ric Ocasek moving into producing and swearing off reunion offers. Now Ocasek and the original band (sans the late bassist/vocalist Ben Orr) have reformed and released a new disc Move Like This.

All the things you remember about The Cars are in place: Ocasek's quavery singing, New Wave synths flashing here or there, synthetic hand claps, jerky beats, and a refreshing sense of energy. The songs are new with hooky melodies that recall past glories (such as the "Drive" like "Soon") yet come across as fully realized in their own right. The surging mid album double play of "Sad Song" and "Free" is as good as it gets for new music to an old guy.

Let'sPick A Winner

Rating:




For a couple of years the only music video channel I had was CMT, watching it taught me I didn't completely hate Country music. Or at least Modern Country aka 38 Special with steel guitar and twang. Funnily enough, the Country artist I got the most into was not quite modern Country but instead bluegrass all stars Alison Krauss and Union Station.

I've become a fan of their work and have some of their discs. Their music reminds me of a gently babbling brook in the woods with a serene feminine voice floating above like a cloud of marshmellows filled with match sticks and Americana. After '07's Lonely Runs Both Ways album the band went on break while Ms. Krauss teamed up with Golden God Robert Plant for a Grammy winning duets album. The dynamic duo tried to record a followup which they said lacked inspiration which leads up to now, the return of Alison Krauss and Union Station.

So here they are, for better or worse sounding like they never took a break. You can always count on these guys for tasteful performances on strong material. Still it's hard to not feel pushed down, turned around,apprehended and led down town - you know, restless, because there's no growth here. Creatively they've plateaued. The only song that had me say "Wow" was "Miles To Go", that song was killer. Krauss's soft plaintive delivery wins everytime. "Dust Bowl Children" has a bit of depression era kick / relevance with Dan Tymynski singing lead.

The rest of the album sounds fine, just not memorable. While I could have gone for some new development in their music, Paper Airplanes can still stick a landing.

Foos Day

Album:
and a half

Back & Forth Documentary:


Fuse Tv Takeover:


Hey look, the Foo Fighters are back! They've flooded the media with their first album in about 3-4 years with their new effort Wasting Light. I'm a big fan of the Foos and as blasphemous as it is like them better than their "parent" group Nirvana. Maybe that's because even with all of their alternative rock posturing to me they are at heart an arena rock band. Fired up, inoffensive, catchy and slightly formulaic rawk.

Like the best of arena rock bands, Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters know how to update and tweak their sound each time out to keep things fresh. The time off did Grohl some good as Wasting Light is their most consistent sounding disc since 99's There Is Nothing Left To Lose. Every song on Wasting Light has a strong guitar riff and hooky chorus. Bringing in Nirvana Nevermind producer Butch Vig brings back that classic album's punchy feel. Original guitarist Pat Smear returns giving the Foos that "Molly Hatchett" effect of having a butt load of axe slingers ready to lay down the law. Guest appearances by Pixie Bob Mould and ex Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic have the rare effect of enhancing the music instead of distracting (a lot of guest appearances to me have that "special guest star" effect when it happens). Having Novoselic, Grohl and Vig in one place is a big deal in the post grunge world.

Maybe that's the artistic growth here, Grohl no longer has to run from his association with a rock legend. His lyrics seem darker than ever here ("Rope" seems to use a hanging metaphor and another song is called "Miss The Misery")and at one point seems to address the ghost of Cobain himself (with the Novoselic assisted "I Should Have Known"). As uniformly great as Wasting Light is, my one problem with the album is there isn't a stand out track. The Foos can usually be relied on to deliver at least one stand out anthem per disc ("The Pretender", "Best Of You", "Learn To Fly" and "Everlong" come to mind). None of these songs hit me that way (though "Alandria", "Miss The Misery", "Dear Rosemary" and the single "Rope" get close). That's pretty much my only quibble with this album.

To go with the new album is a band documentary Back & Forth. As far as rock and roll band docs go, it's kinda dull. Dave Grohl himself is always game for a good interview, yet after watching I didn't feel like I got any more insight into the band than if I just read Wikipedia. And to be honest, other than thinking Grohl rocks I haven't been that interested in the band's personal history. It wasn't a total waste of time, I learned they've had the same bass player since the second album (Nate...I forgot his last name. Still, I thought the side men kept switching from disc to disc but guess that was just the guitarist slot.) I vaguely recalled the drummer drama between the 1st and 2nd albums and it was nice to see Grohl openly take some responsibility for that mess. And it kind of confirmed that the One By One album was lacking (well, at least that they recorded it twice). But yeah, nice to watch as a fan just not very deep or revelatory.

Better was their takeover of the FUSE channel where they funded some aspiring video makers to create clips for the songs on Wasting Light. While there was a definite repitition of themes among the vids (chasing, boy meets girl and weird stuff happens, people being taken over by a mysterious black force like Spawn) and lacked the presence of the band, the videos had that creative fire that recalls the early days of MTV. And the hour long interview with Toure' was more fun to me than the documentary. Particularly when Grohl took exception to Toure's insinuation that rap was more socially relevant than rock (though to be honest, I side with the interviewer on that one) Grohl's irritation was better than anything from the documentary. And a final interview between the band and Mark Hoppus where they rip on each others videos was pretty good. I even learned what a Leighton Meester was...I think. Is that who I was watching?

I've often had to sit through a launch of many a popular artist who I thought was just OK or worse in recent years. It's nice to see it happen for a band I like.

Crystal Vision

Rating:

Pia Toscano's rejection from American Idol this week pretty much sank any hope of a female contestant making it to the finals this year. With that in mind, thought I would take the time to review the album from the last girl to make it to the big show: Crystal Bowersox Farmer's Daughter.

On the show, Bowersox came across as a folky combo of Bonnie Raitt / Melissa Etheridge style classic rock and street corner busker. She seemed a bit ragged, a bit dirty not in a nasty way but in an "I've been places and seen some stuff" way. Not squeeky clean like how many American Idol contestants come across on the show, ready to flash their ultra whites preening through yet another take on "Against All Odds". Maybe it was the dreadlocks?

True to recent American Idol history, a finale came about squaring off the most artistically talented contestant versus a fairly talented but pleasant guy that tweens can latch on to. In this case Bowersox versus the everyman Lee DeWyze. And despite totally mopping up the floor with DeWyze in the finale performance showdown peaking with an emotional read of "Up To The Mountain", Bowersox lost. But as they like to say on the internet, maybe it's for the best so that the 2nd place person doesn't have all those restrictive handlers when making their record-sorry, album...I mean CD...er download.

So how does Crystal Bowersox fare? She fares OK. Bowersox does get to do a fair chunk of her own writing (with the exception of the pandering Nickelback/Kara Dioguardi composition "Hold On") and sings with conviction. Much of the likeable rough edges of her music has been sanded off to a commercial sheen and with it her true grit. A great example is "Holy Toledo" which when excerpted as an acoustic guitar song on American Idol came across as Dylanish hearing it getting transformed into a Myley Cyrus "The Climb" soundalike is a mild disappointment.

The first half of the album sounds like it's more programmed for mass acceptance as "Toledo", "Hold On", the lead single "Farmer's Daughter" and the made for some future chick flick soundtrack theme song"Ridin With The Radio". Plus a pleasant cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" for those who hadn't heard her do enough cover songs on AI. At least the whistle happy "Lonely Won't Come Around" retains some of her simple direct charm.

The second half shows more of Bowersox's Raitt / Etheridge influence to better effect. She sounds more at home pulling out the blues mama stops backed by an Allman Brothers style groove, blasts of cool organ and piercing guitar breaks. The songs I like the most on the disc, the punchy "Kiss Ya" and the blues rock ballad "Speak Now" show up here.

Farmer's Daughter is, hopefully, as commercial as Bowersox gets. And as it is it ain't bad. But I get the feeling there's more talent there waiting to be exposed. She has shown a willingness to explore personal issues (like parental abandonment in the title song) and political as well (albeit VERY mildly in the form of the Buffalo Springfield cover). With a little less calculation and a little more of the heart-on-her-sleeve straight shooting she did on the show, her music could get interesting.

Straight From The Heart

After spending the last few years on the road delivering sharp performances all over the place, the Wilson sisters have returned with their first new disc since 2004's Jupiter's Darling. But where that album held some vestiges of the group's more commercial past, Red Velvet Car finds the sisters returning to the sound of their earliest work. Like Led Zeppelin III, Heart pummels their acoustic guitars into rocking form while occasionally flipping on the electrics to burn the place down. The buzzsaw riffage of "WTF" is offset by some sturdy strumming on tunes like "There You Go" or "Wheels". The dramatic "Safronia's Mark" is pretty good too. Where Red Velvet Car stalls is in finding memorable hooks to go with their fervent guitarwork. The song writing is solid and likeable, definitely within Heart's comfort zone, but nothing with the Wow factor.

Heart is one of those bands that have definitely earned a victory lap and after all these years it is nice to hear them make a disc that reflects their original concept clearly. Red Velvet Car is a nice reminder of how great they are and in terms of performance they are as sharp as ever, if only the songs had been beefed up a little more they probably could have turned out a classic. So good stuff yet still a missed opportunity.

String Theory

Sting returns with an album filled with symphonic renditions of his reggae/jazz-rock classics...oh, wrong Sting pictured here.

Okay, I haven't posted in a month's time so I got a backlog of stuff to write about. Here's to hoping I can keep it up this time. Some of the music I've listened to feature two aging British rockers taking their music uptown to the symphony.


I'll start with the erstwhile Peter Gabriel's album Scratch My Back. This disc started as a project where Gabriel would cover another artist's song and then that artist would cover one of his songs. As time went on, the covers became a bit one sided with Gabriel doing most of the covering so it looks like he just decided to release his set as a full album. Lots of tasteful folk get the Gabriel treatment like Radiohead, Arcade Fire, David Bowie, Lou Reed and others. Usage of a symphony harkens back to Gabriel's prog rock roots and is a marked departure from his standard polyrhythmic antics. The orchestral arrangements take a straight nod from Suftjan Stevens with strings that stir and go twinkle-twinkle at the end. It's all done with forethought and artistry, too bad the end result is a snooze. After the opening version of Bowie's "Heroes" I find it hard to pay attention to this, it's like sitting through a science class - you know the information is useful and helpful but it still puts your ass to sleep.


Sting and his strings fare better on his album Symphonicities. Ever notice if you add an "r" into the third letter of Sting you get String? The Stingster covers his own material, giving fresh reworkings to both hits ("Roxanne") and album cuts ("We Work The Black Seam"). Unlike Gabriel, Sting doesn't straight jacket his songs with stuffiness instead opting for what must be the Disney music orchestra. The orchestra swings and grooves in a way that will give figure skaters background tracks to at least ten different routines. Best moments include a version of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" that would sound appropriate in The Little Mermaid, a slowed down "Roxanne" and a fired up "She's Too Good For Me". Favorite cut was "We Work The Black Seam" which originated from Sting's first solo album, "Seam" is given new life and relevance in it's muted meditation on world peace. As long as you don't think too hard (like asking what's the point of this project?) Symphonicities is a pleasant effort with some high points.

Grace Is Gone...

Rating:

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So I jumped on the bandwagon of looking forward to a new release from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. They rode in on a heavy buzz with support from Rolling Stone magazine and a nice push for their video "Tiny Lights". I liked the new song and went online to check out this group. And I liked what I heard, 70's boogie rock with a singer that could wail strongly while playing organ like an Allman sister. Then, I saw on tv a recent concert performing many songs from the new album. The band's shaggy 70s rock aesthetic came over nicely and they weren't bad tunes.

So I bought the album and found it to be competent and dull. What's sad is it's not necessarily the songwriting, about half the songs I would say are good which isn't really the ratio of good:bad songs you want but I've sat through worse. No, what sucked was the production. All of the rambunctous energy and ragged fun had been taken out, replaced with clean smooth sonics. It was like Grace Potter had become one of those prehistoric insects trapped in amber. You could look at her and imagine what she was like back when she was alive. Not that I wish she was dead or anything of that ilk, just talking talent wise here.

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So out of this overproduced disc there are a few winners: the song "Paris (Ooh La La)" sounds ready for a reality tv montage with it's saucy delivery and surging guitars. And there is some quiet ballad song that I can't remember the name of. That's about all I got.

So I jump off yet another bandwagon promising glory while giving me a drink coaster. Better luck next time kid.

Kiss Is On My List Pt 1.

Not out of touch but a little out of time for The Bird And The Bee.

Rating:

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Remakes of Hall & Oates you say? Blasphemy! Still, I was intrigued by the prospect of new age jazzers The Bird And The Bee tackling these revered classics on Interpreting The Masters Vol 1. Electro poppin where H&O bounced, B&B grooves with clever intricacy and buzzy sheen. Natch, singer Inara George's breathy vocals can't match Daryl Hall's blue eyed soul so she doesn't try to. This is Hall & Oates done Cost Plus style and the results wind up fittingly half and half. Like a new coat of paint hastily plastered on an aging fresco, there are moments of revised beauty and spots of threadbare wear for 'ol warhorses like "Sara Smile" or "Private Eyes". As honorably faithful it is to not change the gender on the girl-I-love-you lyrics relayed by Girl George, it starts to distract after awhile. Nothing wrong with girl to girl love songs, it just has to hit me more universally for me to dig it. Thankfully, B&B knock H&O's two deadliest grooves "Maneater" and "I Can't Go For That" out of the park. End result? Pretty good, could have been better. Or should I say "So close, yet so far away"?

Mr. Mojo Rising

Heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker don't you mess around no no no!

Rating:

and a half

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Tom Petty, rock and roll purist that he is, has gone back to his roots for the new album titled Mojo. Which is saying a lot considering his music was rootsy to start with. On Mojo, Petty and the Heartbreakers turn back the clock to the late 60s when rock was bluesier. Hard edged guitar riffs, organ bits skidding around and some psychedelic jamming takes over in a big way. This is probably the best "band" effort since 1999's Echo.

Speaking of the band, the stand out performance has to be lead guitarist Mike Campbell's. Long regarded one of the finest and most tasteful guitarist in rock, Campbell has made a name for himself based on economical solos and meaty grooves. On Mojo, Campbell cuts loose with extended solos that sizzle and bite with ferocious power. If you ever listened to his playing before and wondered what the big deal was, here's the disc to listen to.

Petty responds with some fine songwriting, the silly offhand "Candy" is my personal favorite. The heavy rockin "I Should Have Known It" has a strong impact as does the classic Petty sounding "Running Man's Bible". In another shot of welcome humor, the band does lite reggae to Petty's current ode to Mary Jane "Don't Pull Me Over". There isn't a bum track on the lengthy 15 cut disc.

Mojo is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in a natural and fully inspired moment. An amazing album.

The Racers Edge, Part Tres

Rating:

A few weeks ago I traced the career of the Stone Temple Pilots up to their new release, creatively titled Stone Temple Pilots. Of all their releases, I've looked forward to this one the most. The band seemed to have a fire and was ready to bring some much needed RAWK to the marketplace. And any time you can catch Scott Weiland on an upswing is a good thing for music.

Nine years away from their previous release, the sluggish Shangri La Di Da, STP returns with a strong showing. A big plus, in those nine years the other 3/4ths of the band didn't do squat. Well, that's not entirely true but it may as well have been. In any case, the DeLeos seem ready and armed with great riffs for Weiland to build on. Weiland himself is in fine form, at least as good as on his previous solo album. He seems awake and alert, delving into his glam rock influences to pull out his unique brand of rock mysticism.

And like all Stone Temple Pilot releases, they wear their influences out in the open. Nirvana, The Beatles, Mott The Hoople, David Bowie and Aerosmith all get copied yet STP has enough guts to make them their own. The grunge influence isn't quite as heavy allowing more room for poppier melodies on some cuts like "Cinnamon". STP has put together a uniformly solid disc, there aren't any highlights yet the album as a whole makes a good impression.

Will STP continue past this year? Who knows and who cares. They're here now and have delivered their best disc since 1996's Tiny Music.

The Other Ghost Of Tom Joad

Jakob Dylan goes blowin in the wind on his new album

Rating:

and a half

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Jakob Dylan's new album Women & Country is an album I have to fight through a whole lotta internal conflict to listen to. That's because it's a project that seems so rigged for a certain audience to like, it's hard not to feel a little manipulated when hearing it even though it's done subtly. You don't need me to tell you times are tough with the economy, foreign relations, personal relationships and a loss of national virtue banging down our doors every day. But history has proven we would like Bob Dylan to tell us about it. Or if he's not going to do it, maybe his son?

From the title (Women & Country, way to narrow down your subject matter) to the T Bone Burnett production smearing tattered flag Americana all over the soundscape, Jakob Dylan positions himself as the "new Dylan". Lots of guitar slidin and pickin, dirge rhythms and Salvation Army band horns set the stage for world weary tales of woe. Well, at least the kid has the birthright to do it.

Setting aside all this stuff, how good is the album itself? Surprisngly, it's more often good than not. "Nothing But The Whole Wide World", "We Don't Live Here Anymore" and "Everybody's Hurting" meets its reach in speaking to the masses living in what's presented as a modern day dustbowl depression. And the ballad "Smile When You Call Me That" is absolutely heartbreaking.

Some of the songs are too slight to carry the heavy messenger delivery utilized here but none of them are embarassing. It's an album that grows over time, better with each listen. I haven't bought anything of Jakob Dylan's since that famous Wallflowers album, this disc is good enough to call for a reevaluation of his catalog. Women & Country is no landmark classic, yet in these times of struggle it will do nicely.