Vol. 5 Episode 7

I have decided to go to the Temples show instead of the Weekend show next month. I decided this because I have not seen Temples but have seen Weekend. That and I just can’t swing the days off. I have also not been to First Ave in quite a while too.

I will also be going to see The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart next month. They will be at the Triple Rock again but there is supposed to be a slightly different line up in the band. I am excited to hear the changes in sound.

I am also shooting to take my 13 year old son to his first concert this year. His favorite band, Linkin Park will be at our state fair this year (the end of August). Expensive tickets but something special for his first concert.

Record Store Day 2014 release info is starting to leak out. There is finally going to release the cover album for Nirvana’s album In Utero. Whirr will have a track on it.

The Dodos will release a 7” record for RSD2014 with a couple special tracks on it too.

I wish I had some really great new music to review but things that I am expecting are delayed.

Here we go...

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

This is the groups fifth album. It was released in 1991. It was a major break through album for the group. The musical styles of Blood Sugar Sex Magik differed notably from the techniques employed on the Chili Peppers' preceding album, Mother's Milk, and featured little use of heavy metal guitar riffs. The album's subject matter incorporated sexual innuendos and references to drugs and death as well as themes of lust and exuberance. Guitarist John Frusciante quit the band mid-tour in 1992 (not returning until 1998) due to his inability to cope with the album's popularity. Blood Sugar Sex Magik is recognized as an influential and seminal component of the alternative rock explosion in the early 1990s. I bought this album on cassette when it was new simply because I didn’t have a CD player yet. I have yet to get it on CD and probably will never do so because I can record any analog content to digital.

There were five singles released from this album. The first single is called Give It Away and was the reason that I got this album. Radio stations refused to play the song initially because they said that it lacked melody. Video channels such as MTV put the song in heavy rotation propelling the song in the charts. Radio stations then relented and started playing the song too. The song for me is an amazing percussive track that makes it unique.

The second single is called Under The Bridge. Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express a feeling of loneliness and despondency, and to reflect on narcotics and their impact on his life. Kiedis initially did not feel "Under the Bridge" would fit into the Chili Peppers' repertoire and was reluctant to show it to his band mates until producer Rick Rubin implored him to do so. The rest of the band was receptive to the lyrics and wrote the music. I like the music for this song but the lyrics are so depressing. This combined with the over playing of the song really turned me off to the song. It just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth even now.

The third single from the album is called Suck My Kiss. Kiedis had this to say about the song, the song was about oral sex and how one boy at his school always seemed to go on about getting it. It is a funky song that I liked but didn’t seem to be the best song in the singles that they put out for the album.

The fourth single from the album is called Breaking TheGirl. The song is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend, Carmen Hawk. It is a sad song but the music works so well it is just smooth to listen to. It is a very good song.

The last single if called If You Have To Ask (nudity in the video). This is a funky track that just didn’t have what it took to break through. It didn’t get much air play on the radio or on TV. It is not a bad song it just wasn’t popular.

This is a great album but there is a ton of music on the album. This makes it hard to listen to all the way through.

 

Toto – IV

This is the fourth album from Toto. It was released in 1982 and has been certified triple platinum. The album had an amazing seven singles released and there were only ten songs on the album. I remember the big singles but don’t remember the others as well. They are all good songs though. When this album was new I had no idea who they were but liked what I had heard on the radio. I guess they were considered arena rockers and I didn’t really get into that music much. Listening to the music now, I can appreciate the music more.

The first single from the album is called Rosanna. From Wikipedia, “The song was written by David Paich, who has said that the song is based on numerous girls he had known. As a joke, the band members initially played along with the common assumption that the song was based on Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro at the time and coincidentally had the same name.

The drum pattern is known as a "half-time shuffle", and shows "definite jazz influence".  Featuring ghost notes and derived from the combination of what Jeff Porcaro calls the "Bernard Purdie half time shuffle" (Purdie shuffle) and the "John Bonham beat" (from "Fool in the Rain") with the well-known Bo Diddley beat.”

The second single from the album is called Make Believe. The track is lead by a piano track that reminds me of something that Billy Joel could have written. It is a good song but for me is taken down by the use of synth sounds. I guess that is what you get from an arena rock group who uses all the tools available to make music slow or other wise.

The third single is called Africa. The song is about a boy trying to write a song about Africa but he has never been there and has only seen pictures. The song is lead the whole way by synth sounds and is a slow song. This, for what ever reason, worked very well for the band as the song went to number one in the charts around the world. This is the reason that I got the album, so it did an number on me too.

The next single is called Afraid of Love. The song is more of a rocker than the previous singles. It features standard rock instruments; guitar, bass and drums. It is still a slower song but works pretty well as it is still an arena rock track.

The fifth single is called Lovers In The Night. This is a jazzy piano driven track with an over lay of a rock feel. It is another love track so there seems to be a rock feel in the track too. It is a good track but didn’t have the big hit success that some of the earlier singles had. Not a favorite of mine but still a good track.

The next track that was put out as a single is called I Won’t Hold You Back. This is another slow ballad track that could put me to sleep. It is not a bad track and has its place but I usually just want to hear a pumping track and this is just not it.

The last single from the album is called Waiting For YourLove. This song has a good groove. It almost has a disco feel to it. It is a slower song but there is just something about disco that makes me feel good. Behind the two or three big singles from this album this one is one of my favorites.

As sappy as this album comes off, it is an important album in music history. If you don’t have it get it! If you are a singles person then just get Rosanna, Africa and Waiting For Your Love, great songs.

Cameo – Word Up!

This is the twelfth album from Cameo. It is a great album with awesome funk and R&B sounds. The first single, Word Up!, was the reason that I got the album and is a song that I had forgot about until Korn had covered it in 2004. I thought that was a complete failure. The cover version brought the song back to my memories and about six years later I found the album at one of my local record shops.

There were three singles from the album. The first is Word Up! I remember hearing the song on the radio so it was a big hit for sure as I only listened to the top 40 channel at the time. There was a music video for the song but I don’t remember ever seeing it on MTV. The song is very funky and makes me want to move.

The second single is called Candy. The song compares women to candy repeatedly through the song. I am not a big fan of this but what I do like about the song is the saxophone that plays through a majority of the song. The guitar that comes in and out of the song has a very cool sound.

The third single from the album is called Back And Fourth. The song has a cool funky synth part that I really like. The chorus has a fun call and response style vocal part that adds to the funness of the song. I feel that this song is better than the second single but over all, all three songs are very good.

 
That is all for now...

Vol. 5 Episode 6

Black Hearted Brother have a new EP coming out. It will have remixes and B sides on it. It will be a digital only EP and will be released on March 31. You can preorder it at any of your favorite MP3 companies.

I am very excited to say that The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart will be going on tour soon. They will be making a stop in my home town, Minneapolis MN at the Triple Rock Social Club. Tickets are not yet available to purchase but there is a special presale for tickets. There is also a new album coming out soon. Kip put up a short clip recently that is putting every one in a frenzy about the new album. Then, just this week, the first single was released, Simple and Sure, to stream on the internet. The album will be called Days Of Abandon and will be released April 22 on Yebo Music. I have never heard of this record company and am a little disappointed that it will not be on Slumberland Records. Pitchfork posted some information earlier this week.

That is the big new for the week. On with the show...

Silversun Pickups – The Singles Collection

This is a best of 7” box set from Silversun Pickups. It was released this past Tuesday, February 25, 2014. I got my copy on the Saturday before the actual release date. To my knowledge the collection will be released as a download with eleven songs and as a 7” box set, although, Amazon is selling it as a CDr on demand as well. The box set is being sold as a standard box and as a deluxe set. Both sets come with a 7” adapter printed with the Silversun Pickups name and The Singles Collection on the inner part of the adaptor. On the other side of the adaptor, pressed in the plastic, is the company that made the adaptor, 45rpmrecordadaptor.com. Both versions also have the last 7” in grey. This grey 7” has the new song Cannibal on the A side and Devil’s Cup on the B side. The B side track can only be found on the grey record. It is not a part of the download. Both box sets come with a download card for the first eleven tracks. The deluxe edition also comes with a black T-shirt, buyer chooses the size, with a white graphic of the bridge on the cover of the box. It also comes with a limited edition poster and the band signed the inner box of the box set.

Since every song on this collection has already been released as a single except for the last two, the two on the grey record in the collection, I will only be talking about those two. The track that has been released as a new single is called Cannibal. Lyrically, the song makes me think more about man and the fact that we, as man, eat animals for sustenance. It also talks from the animals’ perspective saying that they want to gang up on man to stop him from eating animals as food. Musically, the song has a very cool guitar slide that is used through the song. The bass and the guitar are distorted and sound very cool on top of each other.

The B side to the previous track is called Devil’s Cup. This track was originally recorded with the Swoon sessions. It hasn’t been released until this box set was put out. The song starts off with a single fuzzy distorted guitar in the groups well known style. I was almost disappointed with the simplicity of the song but it has grown on me. The vocals are just as simple. There are no modifications to the vocals and it sounds very cool. There are points where you can hear the microphone; it is so unedited sounding. I like this a lot. I hope that you all get a chance to hear this track over Cannibal. I am very saddened that this track was not included in the download.

Temples – Sun Structures

This is the first full length album from Temples. It was released this past Tuesday, February 25, 2014 on Fat Possum Records in the US. I had not heard anything from this band until I heard their first single, released in 2012, on my local radio station, in 2014. I think this is because this is their catchiest song and that the album was coming out this month. My local radio station, 89.3 The Current, doesn’t play most of the music that I like and listen to but they come close. So when they actually pick up on something that I haven’t heard that I do like I get excited. I had never heard anything from them but they do have a similar sound to The Ar-Kaics just a bit more polished. I like both bands but lean toward The Ar-Kaics because of the noise.

Surprisingly there are already four singles released from this album. The first single, Shelter Song, is the song that my local radio station has been playing. The first time I heard it I thought it was a Beatles song that I had never heard before. Luckily, the DJ came on after the song was played to let me know that it was this new group called Temples. After finding this out I went on line to find that the group had been releasing music since 2012. I was bummed to find this out because that means that I would have a very hard time finding the singles on line as they are now out of print.

The second single released is called Colours To Life. This song is a bit slower than Shelter Song but somehow this doesn’t bother me. It may be that it reminds me of that 60s psychedelic sound still so I am not bothered by the slow feel of the song. The back ground has a really cool wave wash type of sound that I can get along with quite well with a nice jangly sound on the guitars.

The third single is called Keep In The Dark. This is a track that reminds me of something from something from the T Rex album Electric Warrior. I am sure that they were aiming for that sound with this track. The song has a seemingly laid back sound but still stands right in your face. I really like the song and could see it released as a single. I don’t see it doing that well here in the US though. It will be another hidden gem in the US but common in the UK.

The last single released from the album is called Mesmerise. This track reminds me of The Beatles again. The melodies and the simple sounding drums are why I feel this way. The guitar solo on the other hand has a tone that is more current than that. It is still a good song.

This is a really good album and fans of the original psychedelic rock sound will love this.

Beck – Morning Phase

This is the twelfth album from Beck. It was released this past Tuesday, February 25, 2014, on Capitol Records. It was released as a download, CD and on vinyl. The Vinyl came with a separate version of the download. This different version was recorded from a record so there is the needle drop on the beginning of each track from the A side and the B side and there is also some record noise on the tracks. The idea is that it gives the download a more real sound. This was also done with the previous album, Modern Guilt. The album is supposed to be a companion to Sea Change. To help get the sound that was on Sea Change Beck enlisted many of the same musicians who originally recorded that album to play on this new album. Although this album was created with the idea of capturing the same sound as Sea Change the album comes off a little bit lighter than Sea Change. I am happy that it is a bit lighter because Sea Change is so depressing. It is a really good album but it is hard for me to listen to because it is so heavy. Morning Phase is sad but so much easier to listen to.

Beck has already released three singles from the album. The first single is called Blue Moon. This song is really a moderate rocker. I don’t feel like it is a slow song because the beat is quick but the music comes of is thought provoking and slightly depressing. The focus on instrumentation with the track is mainly acoustic and it fits the song well. What I really like is the electric guitar solo that happens toward the end of the song. It plays while the vocals are playing and doesn’t get in the way of the vocals at all. This is a great song and a great lead single for this album.

Waking Light is the second single released from the new album. This track comes off as a bigger sound with strings and a larger percussion section. It brings back the 70s psychedelia sounds and reminds me of elements that Pink Floyd used back then. This song steps a bit deeper into the darkness than Blue Moon started us off with. I actually like this track better than Blue Moon, especially with the big movements in the strings. It just draws me in.

The third release from this album is called Waves. This track is soaked in orchestral movements and builds on what Waking Light had to offer. It is soft, elegant and deeply moving. This one actually reminds me of the music that was on Björk’s album called Homogenic in some ways. The way that the strings move in the song reminds me of something that I can’t quite put my finger on but It very moving to listen to. The song is sleepy, warm and heavy. I feel comfortable listening to the song, like it is an old friend that is nearly forgotten. It is absolutely beautiful and I really can’t get enough of this track.

Over all the album is brilliant and so much more easy to listen to then Sea Change. I recommend this album to anyone and everyone. It is that good.

That is all for now...

 

Vol. 5 Episode 5.5

Graveface Roadshow at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis MN on 2-25-2014.

I got tickets to this show, like I always do, early. I was very excited to see The Stargazer Lilies but disappointed that Dott was not going to be a part of the line up until after this show. I would have loved to have seen them too.

We got to the venue with just enough time to check out the merchandise booth just as Dreamend started their set. I looked through the music that was for sale but found nothing that I needed. There were a few items that I had interest in but had not listened to the music enough to say that I wanted to buy it. I could always get it later from the Graveface web page. There were about 50 people or less. It was cold out but I also hoped that there would have been more people at the show. It is too bad that there were not. I really want Graveface to succeed.

The bands that were on the bill for the show were Dreamend, The Stargazer Lilies, Grandma’s Boyfriend and The Casket Girls. Dreamend had a short set and consisted of a drummer that was used in not only this band but also for The Stargazer Lilies and The Casket Girls, a bassist who was also the guitarist for The Stargazer Lilies and played bass for a song with The Casket Girls and Jason Graveface on lead vocals and guitar. The sound of this group smacked of The Marshmallow Ghosts but with out the Halloween theme. This is probably because it is basically the same band. I think that Dreamend is missing something without that theme though.

The Stargazer Lilies were up next. The group consisted of the basist, on the guitar (J Cep), and the drummer from Dreamend, along with K Field on bass and lead vocals. I find it amazing that they can make such dreamy sounds with just the guitar, bass and drums. They played a 40 minute set with eight songs. I was a little disappointed that there was no echo on the vocals. They came off kind of flat with out that extra sound. It also seemed like K Field couldn’t hear herself in the monitor very well because she was off pitch frequently in the songs. I know that she can sing because the record sounds fantastic. putting that one issue aside that set was great and I am happy to have been there to see them play. I wish that there was a single that was put out because I would have had them sign one. I hate bringing a 12” sleeve because they are so big. There wasn’t any music from them for sale or I would have thought about buying another copy really.

The third band in the show was called Grandma’s Boyfriend. They were a cross between Devo and Blondie. They were so much fun! They were pop and new wave and punk all rolled into one. I think that it is the worst band name but one of the most fun bands that I have ever had the privilege to hear. I would totally go and see them again if they came back to the twin cities. They are a five piece group with a female vocalist. There is no synth in the group but they were able to make sounds with guitars that come off as synth. I always find that to be such a cool sound. The vocalist danced around the small stage like she was in the crowd but knew the songs well enough that she got to the mic in time to keep singing. It was awesome. I think they were the best group on the bill that night.

Last was The Casket Girls. I have heard music from this group on the internet in the past and didn’t really think much of them. The band consists of Jason Graveface on keyboards and back up vocals, the drummer from Dreamend and Elsa and Phaedra Greene (sisters) on lead vocals. The music that was played was OK but it was very distracting that the girls couldn’t stay in tune or together. This didn’t help the fact that I wanted to be won over and be shown that I was wrong about what they sounded like based on the music that I had heard on the internet. It is to bad that I was right and I will never be interested in any thing that they put out.

It was still a great time at the show. Thanks to Jason and all of the bands that were a part of the show; Dreamend, The Stargazer Lilies, Grandma’s Boyfriend and The Casket Girls for playing and for The Triple Rock Social Club for having them.

The Stargazer Lilies set list:

Don’t Waist My Time

Fukitol

Sad Colored Tears

We Are The Dreamers

Endless Days

Sunday Is Monday At Midnight

How We Lost

Well Versed to Verb Doubt

Vol. 5 Episode 5

This past weekend De La Soul gave away their entire back catalog digitally for free. All of their standard albums and a set of instrumentals, B sides and rarities were put out with this special Valentines day release. I think it comes out to eight or ten albums total.

If you preordered the best of My Chemical Romance album the single from the album has been put out. You can get it for free if you preordered it or you can get it from your favorite MP3 distributor.

Beck has also put out the third single from his album along with being able to listen to the album in advance at NPR First Listen. The third single is called Wave.

The Graveface Road Show has encountered a problem with a car accident last week. I am still hoping that they will be here for the Minneapolis date next week. I am assuming it is still on as there hasn’t been any cancellation info yet.

Here we go...

Linda Smith – Till Another Time

This is a three track 7” EP that Slumberland Records released in 1992. I found out about the release last week when the record company posted about the release in recognition of their 25 year anniversary. I found that the release was still in stock at Slumberland so I bought one. I have been a big fan of Slumberland ever since I found out that they were the company that was releasing the music for The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. I have found so many other artists that I like through this record company.

The first song is called Till Another Time. The song start off with a brief intro that sounds dark and electronic. It then moves on to fuzzy guitars and soaring synth parts. The vocals are perfect and sound like she is standing in the mouth of a cave. It is a very cool sound indeed.

The second track is called I Just Had To. This one also starts off with a electronic intro but sounds more like a cheap Casio loop. The guitar then comes in with a nice jangle pop sound along with a straight forward bass guitar sound. The vocals still sound like she is standing in the entrance of a cave though. The song reminds me of a trashier version of a song that The Smiths did called Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want.

The last song on the EP is called In This. This track continues with the jangle pop theme. What really gets me with this track is the use of two different sounding tambourines that are played alternating sounds all the way through the song. The vocals on this one seem a bit more close up. There is still a bit of echo but not as much as the other two tracks.

This is a very cool EP that I wish I had known about when it was released. As a side note, it was released in a cool dark blue swirl but that was not in stock twenty plus years later.

cathy Crescendo - Expensive Ink

This is a new, to me, group that was started in Minnesota. This is actually their seventh album. I found out about the group from my mother-in-law. She works with one of the members of the groups mother, I think. I was given the CD for free quite a while ago. I sat on the album for quite a while because I don’t usually like what my mother-in-law likes musically and she really liked this album. I finally listened to the album and it impressed me a lot. This is what I know about the group from their facebook page, “Minneapolis-based rock band cathy Crescendo centers around the dynamic vocals of Jacob Champlin and the unique production/engineering of Adam Kiesling. Their latest release “Expensive Ink” is their 7th album as a partnership. Their sound has progressed from a somewhat quirky folk project along the vein of Death Cab for Cutie and The Decemberists, to its current sound which has been frequently compared to Brand New, Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday.

Much like the evolution of artists like Pedro the Lion/David Bazan or Manchester Orchestra, cC explores the complexity of departing from one’s faith in a gripping and identifiable way that people of all backgrounds can relate to. Champlin spent his early 20's as a worship leader for a large church until he was asked to step down for asking disruptive questions; it was this that led him to question his faith. That struggle was made more difficult when he was diagnosed with serious vocal cord damage that made singing nearly impossible. After several surgeries and 3 years of recovery, Champlin emerged with his most ambitious material to date. “Expensive Ink” is a rock album you will want to add to your collection.”

The album is ten tracks of questioning ones faith with songs about the Father/”my father”, unfinished buildings and flight to name a few ideas on the album. The album has a very cohesive sound. That sound is reminiscent of the early emo sound from the late 90s. I really like that sound. I wasn’t an “emo kid” but I liked the music that was made that falls into that genre.

I have no idea where to get this album except maybe at a local Minnesota record store like Cheapo, The Electric Fetus or Down In The Valley possibly.

Rockwell – Somebody’s Watching Me

This is the debut album from Rockwell. It was released in 1984 on Motown Records. I picked up this record recently at one of the half priced books that I frequent. The record was in good condition so I bought it along with a few others.

There were two singles released from this album. The first one is called Somebody’s Watching Me. This was a big hit and I remember watching the video on MTV as a kid. I thought the song was so cool. I, along with every other American at the time, thought it was so cool that Michael Jackson helped out on the songs chorus. This song has always been on my mind and I have been looking for the album for a while.

The second single from the album is called Obscene PhoneCaller. This song was nowhere near as strong of a hit as his first single. It comes off as very cheesy but that is what I would expect from a single from 1984.

Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam – Spanish Fly

This is the second album from Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam. The album was released in 1987. This was their biggest hit record because of the first two singles. The second of these two singles has been on my mind since its release and I finely found a copy of this album this past week (It was one of the few others).

There were five singles released from this album. The first is called Head To Toe.  The song is classic late 80s synth pop. Lisa sings that she loves someone from head to toe. It is a sweet song with easy to translate meanings. The song is completely dated because of the electronic sounds used but I don’t think I would have it any other way.

The second single from the album is called Lost In Emotion. This song was the most musical for me. It is smooth flowing and uses soft vocals overall. one of the members of the band had this to say about the song (Pulled from Wikipedia), “Full Force member Lou George describes Lost in Emotion as a combination of two Mary Wells' hits: Two Lovers and You Beat Me to the Punch, an idea which occurred to George as the result of his playing Wells' Greatest Hits album on which Two Lovers and You Beat Me to the Punch were sequential tracks. George - "We didn't steal the riffs: all we did was get the flavoring...We [used] a xylophone and some bells because back in the Motown days they always used those simple instruments."”

The third single from the album is called Someone To Love MeFor Me. It is true old school slow and sappy. A lot of people love this style of music. I didn’t even like it when Michael Jackson did these type of songs. These songs just don’t move me at all.

The next single is called Everything Will B-Fine. It is a more peppier song than the previous single but is very dated with the staccato synth bass line, the guitar sound and the use of broken samples. It is a good song but doesn’t have that number one smash hit single sound that the first two had.

The last single is called I Promise You. This is a fun track musically than the previous two in my opinion. The drum beat is what makes the track work. I could see this song as a single but it is just not musically as beautiful as the first two releases again.

Overall, this is a fun album that doesn’t get enough play because it is so dated. I do recommend this album as it is good and has a couple of great singles.

Cutting Crew - Broadcast

This is the first album from Cutting Crew. It was released in 1986. The album had one single that was just huge all over the world but there were four singles total on the album.

The first single is called (I Just) Died In Your Arms. This is the song that meant the most to me. It is, of course, about a guy that fell in love with a girl because of a kiss that they had on a date, or something like that. Although the song uses heavy synth sounds the song doesn’t seem to be dated to my ear. This may be because there are still a lot of bands and musicians that still use that classic synth sound the way that it is used here on this song. The guitar sound that is used over the synth part is a very classic 80s sound that bands are still using today making this song not only a classic but still relevant today.

The second single from the album is called One For TheMockingbird. This track comes off a bit more dated with the use of a very 80s synth sound that was not so sought after when the 90s arrived. The chorus didn’t really translate well either. No one understood what “One for the mockingbird” meant. At least I didn’t and, since the song didn’t chart well, I can only assume that a lot of other people didn’t either.

The third single from the album is called I’ve Been In LoveBefore. This is a song that I had forgotten about. This is a slow and sappy song that I actually like. There is something about the vocals and the music work together. It may also be that I had a break up with a girl in middle school combined with my own depression growing up that was never treated. The song has come to mean a lot but I only seem to remember this when I hear the song. I guess it brings back good memories and bad memories, bittersweet.

The last single is called Any Colour. This song fits their style but doesn’t hit that amazing single sound. It was like a filler song was put out as a single to get people to buy the album. The song gets to be very repetitive and I very nearly want to just turn it off.

The album is very good overall but the two songs really make the album.

 
That is all for now...

Vol. 5 Episode 4

Radiohead have a new app out based on The King of Limbs ideas.

This is Slumberland Records 25th year. They will be highlighting records released through them every few days. Yesterday was Linda Smith - Till Another Time. I ordered a copy of this EP. The single I heard was very jangle pop sounding. I am excited to hear the other tracks on the EP.

Here We Go...

Daryl Hall & John Oates – Bigger Than Both of Us

This is the fifth album from Daryl Hall & John Oates, A.K.A. Hall & Oates. The album was released in 1976. This album marked the first in a series of number one hits for the group with the song Rich Girl.

The first single from the album is called Do What You Want,Be What You Are. The song is a slow R&B track that didn’t even crack the top 40 charts. It is a good song but didn’t have the pop sound that the public was craving for.

The second single was Rich Girl. This track isn’t much faster than the first single but there was something special about this track.

From Wikipedia about the song, “The song's lyrics are about a spoiled girl who can rely on her parents' money to do whatever she wants. The song was rumored to be about the then-scandalous newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. In fact, the title character in the song is based on a spoiled heir to a fast-food chain who was an ex-boyfriend of Daryl Hall's girlfriend, Sara Allen. "But you can't write, 'You're a rich boy' in a song, so I changed it to a girl," Hall told Rolling Stone.
Hall elaborated on the song in an interview with American Songwriter:
"Rich Girl" was written about an old boyfriend of Sara [Allen]'s from college that she was still friends with at the time. His name is Victor Walker. He came to our apartment, and he was acting sort of strange. His father was quite rich. I think he was involved with some kind of a fast-food chain. I said, "This guy is out of his mind, but he doesn't have to worry about it because his father's gonna bail him out of any problems he gets in." So I sat down and wrote that chorus. [Sings] "He can rely on the old man's money/he can rely on the old man's money/he's a rich guy." I thought that didn't sound right, so I changed it to "Rich Girl". He knows the song was written about him.^”

Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross

This is the self titled debut album from Christopher Cross. The album was released in 1979. It has been noted as one of the most influential soft rock albums of the early 80s. The album actually beat out Pink Floyds’ The Wall for album of the year in 1981.

The first single from the album is called Ride Like TheWind. This is a classic soft rock/synth pop track that makes me want to get down and boogie. It is not disco but it has that style of dance feel.

The second single, Sailing, has become a classic as well but strictly as a soft rock track. The song is slow but the vocals are what make this track. The tone and timbre of Christopher's’ voice is just magical.

The third single from the album is called Never Be The Same. This song was not as popular as the previous two songs but used the same sounds. It is a good song but not as good as the previous to singles in my opinion. It did reach 15 in the top 40 charts though so it was a popular song.

The fourth single is called Say You'll Be Mine. This is also a good song but didn’t seem to do as well in the charts. It doesn’t have that groove that makes you want to listen to the song over and over.

The album is great if you want to hear some soft rock or adult contemporary as the classification of soft rock has now become to be called.

Broken Bells – The Ghost Inside

This is a UK only 7” single released in 2010. I am a little disappointed that the single wasn’t released on vinyl or CD here in the US. I am also a little let down that there hasn’t bee a physical single released for the new album yet and there has been a second single put out just this week.

The A side of the single is The Ghost Inside. The single reached 22 in the US Alternative charts. Why they still call it the alternative charts is a mystery to me. The song is very good and makes use of very cool synth and guitar sounds. The lyrics are a bit depressing but the music is so good it is easy to overlook the lyrics.

The B side of the record, Meyrin Fields, ended up being the title track for the Meyrin Fields EP. I talked about this EP in Vol. 2 Episode 17. Obviously the comments that I made about the EP have changed as I have not only purchased This single but I have also purchased both albums, the EP and the two physical versions of the singles that have been released. I decided that, with the release of a second album, I could get all of the previous releases and have a full collection of their work.

That is all I have for this week...

Vol. 5 Episode 3

Just got in the limited (300 pressings) 7” from Veronica Falls. This is the release that was supposed to be put out in December. It finally got to my house on the 4^th of February. It is a very simple release. the sleeve is a black & white photo copied 14” by 14” sheet folded down to 7” by 7” to fit in a 7” outer sleeve with the record in a paper sleeve inside of the poster. There is also a stamp in red ink on the back of the poster with a hand written number on the back out of 300. I have the download so I don’t really need to play the record but wanted you all to know that they are coming in the mail now.

Slumberland has now got the preorders up for the repressing of the Tony Molina album on red vinyl and the preorders are up for the Withered Hand album. The withered hand album will be pressed on gold and brown swirl. There is also a bundle you can get of the Withered Hand first and second albums together.

Beck has put out a second single from the upcoming album called Waking Light.

I also found out that there is a single for the song Horseshoe on the new Withered Hand album out on Fortuna Pop! If you can find one it is on Gold vinyl.

Here we go...

Broken Bells – After The Disco

This is the second album from the duo known as Broken Bells. The album was released this week on the 4^th of February. The first single from the album was released in November of 2013, although, I didn’t hear the song until the end of December. I think it took a few listens before I decided that I liked the track. I think that this will be the way with the whole album. I have listened to the album one time through. I really like the single but there are some cheesy sounds that are being used on some of the songs. The first track, Perfect World, for example, uses what sounds like a cheap Casio synthesized trumpet sound. I have never been a fan of that sound as it is so fake I can taste it. I think that the album will get better with time like most Radiohead albums.

The first single, Holding On For life, has a good beat. This was really expected though with Danger Mouse doing the programming. The bass guitar has a very smooth picked style almost like that of Stereolab. There is also a synth sound that was used quite a bit in the 80s synth pop sound. It is really a sound that I have missed honestly. This is what needed to grow on me. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that sound to be brought back. I have realized that I missed that sound and am happy for it to have returned. The guitars are typical for this type of music right now. It is not watered down, it is just there to support the music.

I am excited to hear what other songs will be released from this album as singles. I am also excited to see if there will be any physical singles released. So far, no 7” singles from this album yet.

The Gaslight Anthem – B-sides

This is a collection of B side tracks, live tracks and acoustic tracks that were originally released on 7” singles. There was also a box set of these singles released on nine 7” records in a wood box if you’re interested in that. This is the easiest way to get these B sides though. I am not usually interested in live and acoustic tracks but I really like what they did with the Hold You Up 10” that was released for Record Store Day Black Friday 2012.  After listening to the album I was a little disappointed. I really like the melody that was on the three songs for the Hold You Up record but I found that this record was just not exactly what I wanted to hear from the group. It comes of as just noise in most songs. To play an acoustic fast just doesn’t always sound good.

The track that I have not heard in the past was good though. That track is called She Loves You. The song is a slower song but is very melodic. It kind of reminds me of something that could have been from The 59 Sound but is way to slow to have fit on the album. I am happy to have the song though.

I also kind of liked the cover of the Pearl Jam track, Stateof Love And Trust. The style of the vocals sung on this cover sort of floats between Eddy Vedders’ vocal style and Brian Fallon (the lead singer for The Gaslight Anthem). I am a fan of the older Pearl Jam music so this song keeps my interest.

There are five cover songs on this album, some are live and some are acoustic. Six of the tracks on the album are acoustic tracks. One of the tracks were recorded live (the Pearl Jam cover). That leaves four tracks that were recorded in a studio of some kind. This is an easy way to get all of those B side tracks that you missed out on when the single were originally released.

The Ar-Kaics –Why Should I?/Slave To Her Lies

This was just released. The record company, Windian Records, still has the single listed as pre-order, it is so new. Both of the tracks on this single can be found on The Ar-kaics self released cassette. I bought it because I want to support this band. They have a retro 60s sound brought current.

The A Side, Why Should I?, continues in the complete 60s garage rock style and simplicity. It is a fun rockin song that smacks of early Beatles tracks. It is a song that is very easy to get along with.

The B side, Slave To Her Lies, follows in that 60s garage rock style but this one comes off as more Rolling Stones this time. It is very interesting how they take classic sounds and make them their own.

I believe there is going to be one more 7” single before the album will be released. Windian Records is having some troubles at the moment though so timing could be an issue. If you want to hear the songs head over to the bands' bandcamp page.

 

That is all I have for now...

Vol. 5 Episode 2

There is an EP of unreleased Nine Inch Nails remixes scheduled for release next week. The music is from The Downward Spiral era. One of the tracks is the remix of Closer that was used in the credits for the movie Seven.

here we go...

Broken Bells – The High Road

With the new album coming out from Broken Bells, I decided to look into what else they had put out for the first album. I found this single in that search. I had already had the single as a free download and had the album that the song came from on CD but was interested in getting the B side as it was unique to the 7” record. There is an insert in the sleeve for a free download of the two tracks but there was a time limit to getting that download. I typed in the link on the sheet and found that the page didn’t exist any longer. This was the lead single for the self titled album. The single was released in late 2009. For what ever reason, it was listed in the UK as a limited pressing of 500. I am not aware of that limitation here in the US. On some copies there was a blue promo sticker that listed the band name and the two members of the band, James Mercer and Danger Mouse, and the original release date of the first album.

The A side of the record is for The High Road. The song is a moderate rocker. The song has a very solid drum beat that has become Danger Mouses’ signature style. I would love to emulate his style in my own music. It is just so simple but complex at the same time.

The B side of the record is called An Easy Life(Instrumental). This is a song that I recognize because the original song is on the Meyrin Fields EP. This is interesting to me because the EP was released well after the self titled album was released. This produces sort of a quandary for me because if the instrumental version was released before the EP then should I have heard this version first and what type of a spin would that have put on me as to how I would have received the EP. Either way it is a wash I guess because I have heard the songs in the order that I heard them and cant stop it now.

Violens – V

 This is the first release from Violens. It is also their first EP. It was released in 2009 on CD and limited to 1000 copies. It is only four tracks long. This is a piece that works tward filling out my collection of music from the group. I found out about the group through the release of their second album, True, when it was released on Slumberland Records. I liked what they put out so much that I bought the supporting singles for True and vowed that I would get more music from them in the future. This EP is the first piece that I have gotten from before the release of True.

The first song is called Already Over. It start off with acoustic guitar and drums. The song sounds more like Eggstone than anything off of True. I like this track a lot because I like Eggstone so much and they haven’t put anything out in over ten years. Although they [Eggstone] did produce a song for April March on the album Triggers.

The second track is called Spectator & Pupil. This track continues with the sound of Eggstone. The tracks here are not quite as well produced as the Eggstone music but still gives me the warm feeling that Eggstone did.

The third track is called Doom. This is actually a very playful track and surprises me because of the name of the track. This track still follows in that Eggstone styled sound that I like a lot. It almost digs down into The Monkeys style of playful fun music.

The last track is called Violent Sensation Descends. This track has an eerie note about it and gives a slight inkling about where the band would be going in the future. It still retains elements of the Eggstone sound that I like from this EP though.

The Prodigy – Fat of The Land

This is the third album from The Prodigy. It was released in 1997. They are an electronic rock group and broke through to mainstream with the release of this album and support of its singles. There was some controversy with the third single regarding the title and chorus of the song. The album is in the list of albums that comprise the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. I am not sure where it lies in that list but it is there.

The first single from the album is called Firestarter. This was the groups first number one single. The title and lyrics were subject of controversy in the UK because of their violent nature. The music video further boosted these controversies. The song was all over the radio I remember. I thought it was cool but didn’t quite appeal to me. I tried to stay away from music that was controversial just to be controversial, so I left it be until just reciently.

The second single from the album is called Breathe. This song had my interest more so than either of the other two singles. It had more weight on the music than on the vocals and that was why I was more interested in this track. It was difficult to understand what the lead singer was saying so it became more of an instrument in my head. The vocals are very distorted in an analog way and the distortion on the guitar sounded very cool next to the vocals. The bass sounds like a synth keyboard with its own kind of distortion on it. All this distortion just seems to work well together.

The last single released from the album is called Smack MyBitch Up.  From Wikipedia, “The lyrics "Change my pitch up / Smack my bitch up" are repeated through the whole song. The band defended the song, saying that the lyrics were being misinterpreted as misogynistic and the song actually meant "...doing anything intensely..." The song led to a publicized disagreement at the 1998 Reading festival after the Beastie Boys asked the group not to play the track. The vocals are sampled and altered from the Ultramagnetic MCs song "Give the Drummer Some". The original lyrics, performed by rapper Kool Keith, are: "Switch up change my pitch up" / "Smack my bitch up, like a pimp,...".”

This is a great electronic album that should be heard as it is incredibly interesting although heavily electronic.

That is all I have for this week...