The return of Bowling Green’s greatest exports an addictive indie pop slice of heaven, starting with California washed away in waves and ending in a built to singalong “Do it? I think I would, know it? Won’t but I think I should”. This is a really good song – A
The consensus is that there will be one man standing at the end of the day for music streaming, and I would tend to think it is tough to beat Spotify right now, but tough is not impossible and if Apple ever gets its act together and figures someway to introduce streaming without eating their young, Spotify will be toast
So I got a tix, my best seat for an ex-Beatle, 16 th row orchestra at the Beacon, a great place to see a band as well. There are two dates but I’m going Wednesday, June 18th, 2014 and it has been so long (early 00s) since I’ve seen young(ish) Starkey croaking and charming between other performers playing songs you never ever want to hear again
Three women have ruled February: Angel Olsen, Katy B and Lydia Loveless which, despite disappointment (relatively speaking) in Little Red is still a very strong effort. Lydia reminds me of Liz Phair, or do I mean Elvis Costello, on her immense and sprawling album of disastrous love affairs. Angel Olsen came of age.
The least weird song on the album is still pretty weird, a dance number but it sounds like Robyn on a jittery caffeine high but suffering a fit of manic depression and she just can’t shake it until in a wild rhythmic breakdown she pauses and regroups none the better – A
Country boy Dierk is good where nearly everybody else isn’t because he has a great voice for this but also because he plays country rock with backbone and intricate clicked in arrangement, maybe because he isn’t a boy any more If he was better lyrically he’d be blowing Brad Paisley away, just the way he did when he opened for Brad at MSG – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+
Susan writes for her voice and songs like “Just Don’t Care” and “Car” are built to build to powerful chorus where she can really let loose and despite a cold she never waivers right through to the closing “Run Jack Run”.
Everything we’ve heard from Beck’s Morning Phase (his self professed follow up to Sea Change) have been excellent; there is nothing to choose between “Wave”, “Waking Light” and “Blue Moon”, they are first rate return to forms. Otherwise, Schoolboy Q, St. Vincent, Neneh Cherry, maybe Wild Beasts.
The week belonged to two women, Angel Olsen and Lydia Loveless but on the charts Eric Church has a baffling success with the terrible The Outsider… even Rolling Stone only gave it four stars so you just know it sucked.
All modern dance, all the time. Real simple, only A Great Big World doesn’t fit the EDM profile one oh one. Mostly soul, some hip hop, some House, all electronic, all DJ whatever the name on the package might say. And remarkably strong.
The Brit Awards effect, not unlike the Grammys. see one lousy album after another reach the top of the charts. And look at that, four of these albums could certainly be considered modern soul UK-EDM style; what Rudimental and Disclosure have brought together…
I’ll Always Remember You – George Strait – 30 years into his hugely successful career, Strait paid tribute to his audience in what amounts to a love song for us folks who cheer him on every day of his life. Nice to be appreciated – B+
All of this revolving around Jessica Molaskey both Matriarch and stylish sex symbol center stage. She isn’t using all of her gifts here, while adept about the jazz folk flung Joni’s songs, she is perfection purring her way through the Great American Songbook
Why did George Strait not play Madison Square Garden on his farewell tour? I realize the Empire State ain’t THAT big on country, but when the biggest name (if not the single best name) in country decides to hang up his spur shouldn’t he follow LCD Soundsystems lead and do it here? Nope, the crappola Prudential Center is what we get and trust me, we will take it this Saturday.
It is one of the wonderful things about the record biz. Dan Smith was a bartender writing songs on his laptop two years ago, and one, based upon the infamous city, went onto his first album. Today his life is changed forever, he is a sensation, and whether I (or you) can stand the song is irrelevant, the man hit the jukebox jackbox. PS we don’t like the song at all.
Eric sold nearly 300K copies of his dog album, giving spoken word a bad reputation from sea to shiny sea. The thing is, when he is good he is not good enough and when he is bad he is the absolute pits. Come back “Jack Daniels” all is forgiven.
Janine Rostron is an acquired taste and I recommend seeing her live to get the full impact of her gender uncertain agitprop, though this song isn’t so out there the bass line doesn’t keep you in and keep you there – A-
I kissed Donna’s hand and spoke briefly, there was something beatific in her visage, she looked lovelier than I had ever seen her. Then I went left and went home and so did the couple. Joseph tells me that towards the end of the concert you can see Donna on the balcony looking down!
The other problem is the body of work on this website is huge. If nothing else, it stands as a a study of 5 years of contemporary. Which is essentially the plan here any way. Fascinating stuff, right?
Well, “Jack Daniels” is great -unfortunately it was a coupla years ago. Here “Cold One” was nearly as good. What else? “Tallega” is a good old fashioned bromance, as good as Blake Shelton for sure. The title track has a nice head of foam if you haven’t just been listening to Drive-By Trucker.
I have never had much of a taste for Southern boogie and even if I did, DBT aren’t so terrific at it. When I do like (or even love) the band, they are playing Stonesy hard rockers with great melodies and lively three guitar attacks, when I don’t like em they are playing boogie.
Do That Dance (Feat Nancy Whang) – Shit Robot – Mr. Robot grows up. It’s been years since his debut album, but this shows his dance chomps are in place and also he can construct a song. It’s a long wait for the vocal, but well worth it as well – B+
these stories of love gone wrong are entirely astounding singer-songwriter country informed pop rock that gets under your skin on the first listen. My friend Mark Deming of Allmusic called it a contender for the album of the year. Well, definitely the week – A
It doesn’t live up to the hype; in theory the sound of modern EDM finds a young English woman in search of more than dancing after the lights on the disco are turned on. In practise, one too many ballad makes it a little less than the tight grip on the dancefloor we were hoping for
Derek Jeter retiring at the end of this season. I remember seeing his very first game in the majors and noticing him and, as a season ticket holder from 1999 – 2001. Greatest moment? The lead off home room in game four of the 2000 World series
Marry Me – Drive-By Truckers – Off their best album, this is a pure slice of Rolling Stones style hard country rock and holla by one Mike Cooley, which revs and revs to a blasting guitar solo before Cooley’s rasp takes em home – A
There couldn’t be a record company more in tune with Chance’s avant garde funk sounds and more considerate of his immense musical gifts. For an early viewing make sure that you check out the True Groove All Stars on March 11th, 2014 at the Cutting Room
Queens faves Bayside, though I wasn’t that thrilled the last time I saw em live at Best Buy, get the nod this week. First runner ups Suzanne Vega and Angel Olsen and honorable mention to PLANNINGTOROCk. Now let the game of what to Spotify have and not have begin… so far they’ve missed out on Broken Bells and Eric Church.
Tuesday for Katy B, right? I can’t wait, this is one of the biggies this year, three years in the making and the buzz has been absolutely humongous. Everything I’ve heard is aces and so here is the question… where is it??? And when is she playing New York?
Zedd is wonderful modern EDM with Hayley handling the lead, Clean Bandit leads the year as far as hit songs in the UK go, Katy B is a fascinating intro to the new album, Pitbull and Pharrell we know by now but they are both excellent. Wow, England rocks (or at least dances)
Ever wonder why Brinsley Schwartz never made it? Compare this plodding country rock to Dave Edmund’s sparkling and sexy take. The harmonies on the chorus kill it, the drawl is the reverse of the never sing with a fake British accent and the organ is a drag – C
Ben Weasley’s solo on “I Hate Everything” is succinct to the point of abruptness, drummer Lurch Nobody’s intro to “Monster Zero” is exemplary, bassist Chris Fields was all speedy power chords. And Joe has been doing it so long it is a zen like -I don’t mean calm, I mean natural and intuitive, everything done to the precise degree necessary for the required effect.
Anything interesting? Lesse here: new Beck, Dierks Bentley, St Vincent, The Fray (THE FRAY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO), St. Vincent, Drive By Truckers, Cloud Nothings, and apparently D’Angelo has completely given up and is releasing a live album.
This looks like a solo tour to me and Bronson is that rarity who is quite at home by himself as with a band. With a band you get the heft of sound but solo you can hear the songs (and such great songs) and it is wonderful to hear how easily they break down to just acoustic guitar.
Anytime Jahn Xavier brings together Charles Roth and Tom Curiano together as the Bowerytones for a night of music is a night not to be missed. The last time I saw them play was at this very venue and man did it kick hard, indeed, it was one of the best shows imaginable and I have hope
Hurray For The Riff Raff – Soul beauty about New Orleans area by one Alynda Lee Segarra, who digs deep for this one and though Ceu could sue it is such a rip of “You Won’t regret It”, she probably won’t.- A-
Perhaps married life has softened the band, the growing old, the changing of the guard, and the world’s hostilities, the relatively low sales volume of the pretty good Mechanical Bull, the hit and miss rate on their own songs; while they still seem way too distanced, they don’t have the stench of arrogance any more.
“I don’t agree with that at all,” Tilbrook declared. “I’d say we’ve been on a couple of diversions. We’ve made two albums that’ve had their low points, probably lower than the albums that came before them. But I’m in the position where I’m involved with the new album now and I don’t think we’re going downhill”
“In every critique of Twin Shadow, there is a dropping of Morrissey’s name, which I always thought was funny because I have never really been a huge fan of Morrissey or the Smiths. [Laughs] So it’s a nod to people calling me “the Dominican Morrissey”
Nicki Minaj causing controversy? No not from her music, which is, well, pretty much past that coupla weeks of prime we’ve heard of already, but something to do with Malcolm X and it begs an answer to the musical question: who can we not offend it 2014?
The “True Groove All Stars” concert at the Cutting Room on March 11 th will be a terrific chance to reacquaint yourself with the wonderfulness that is Sir Tomas, or the opportunity to catch up with his truly all stars, bassist Kevin Jenkins and spoken word maverick Marla Mase (whose new album is gonna blow you away) at the top of the list
Well, I’ve seen em three times and plan to see them this, the (gulp) twelfth version of his All Starrs and here is the line up and besides Rundgren we all know what to expect from this, right? t Steve Lukather, singer Richard Page, keyboardist Gregg Rolie, multi-instrumentalist Todd Rundgren, and drummer Gregg Bissonette. Toto? That’s all starr? Come home, Sheila E all is forgiven.
I Got The Reason – Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band – A botched arrangement stops this from being one of his biggest triumphs; he knew what he had in the pounding Richard Manuel inspired piano and went too far. Still a masterpiece, of course – A
Conor Oberst is becoming the Elvis Costello of indie Kings. After years and years of ruling the earth, of being such an obsessive songwriter his girlfriend at the time, Maria Taylor, wouldn’t let him drive when they went out, he became… I don’t know what he is? A dick
MJ and the Romantics are arrangement chuckles, digging into the songs, the paranoia of “Billie Jean” and the intense “Talking In Your sleep”, “Between The Bars” revisits their indie roots with a very credible Elliott Smith take and best of all “Sour Times”, gone is the heavy throb and dub.
Starting with a spitted out “That’s why I fucked your bitch, you fat mother fucker”, 2Pac takes the Bad Boy crew and blows em away and never better: this time he wipes the smirk off Biggie’s face with a violent, threatening, deadly earnest “Back the fuck up or you’ll get smacked the fuck up.” Result: the murder of two of the biggest pop stars of all time.
I like my emotions, and my favorite type of music, to be very very intense and with that in mind I am including two Valentine’s Day songs in celebration of VD in 2014. Do I have a Valentine? Yes, I do
The Eric Pasley took me by surprise but hey, it is better than reading nitwits compare Eric Church to Springsteen. Not that it matters, the week belongs to daley and the Civil Wars with a cool new miranda lambert cut the cherry on top.
Cities – Talking Heads – Despite the botched geography (ancient Egypt folks), it remains a wondrous beat as Bryne catalogs the world as a series of strange observations, “I got it figured out…” he claims but does he? Deranged and brittle bouncy – A+
After telling Margaret Mullen, no, I wouldn’t go with her, and then changing my mind and discovering the tickets were too expensive (two hundred buck range) maybe two weeks late I checked for a single and picked it up at a hundred bucks. That is tix to see Sting and Paul Simon together at MSG on March 6th, 2014.
