Sorry. Really no other way to put it. I'm all for Guitar Hero and Rock Band introducing a new generation of music lovers to some great songs and legendary musical figures of the past. I'm all for technology (for the most part) being the mechanism that brings about such an education. But re-introduce the past, don't re-imagine it. I've played video games for enough years to truly appreciate unlockable characters, levels, and powers. Kurt Cobain singing Bon Jovi = bad enough. Kurt Cobain approximating Flavor Flav's "Yeah Boy!!!" in "Bring the Noise"? That's just downright ridiculous. Courtney Love, you selfish bitch, you have eclipsed Yoko Ono as the worst "rock and roll wife or ex-wife" ever. I understand providing a future for Frances Bean, but selling out her dead father? Unacceptable. The fact that Grohl and Noveselic most likely had to sign off on this too makes me scratch my head til it bleeds.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Mos Def's Michael Jackson tribute in Portland
Yesterday would have been Michael Jackson's 51st birthday. Mos Def graced Portland with a nice little MJ tribute complete with moonwalking at his Roseland Theater performance last night. I was down on the floor watching Mos own the stage when he broke into "Billie Jean." It was a nice surprise. Mos did a bit of "Rock With You" as well last night. What struck me is how these exquisitely crafted songs hold up 25-30 years later. They sound as good today as they did when MJ earned his self-proclaimed "King of Pop" title. As for the rest of Mos Def's performance, it was bangin'. The dude is entertainer personified.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Them Crooked Vultures performances from Lowlands Festival
“Caligulove”
"New Fang"
Pure bliss. More as it is appears.
"New Fang"
Pure bliss. More as it is appears.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Ahhh...Humbug
The quick back story. Arctic Monkeys blew away the UK with their 2006 debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. WPSIATWIN became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history, breaking the mark previously held by Oasis's Definitely Maybe. The album also won the 2006 Mercury Prize. The Monkeys blew up and even "Bet U Look Good on the Dance Floor" was a minor US hit. The critics loved them, across-the-ponders went nuts for them, and the American listening public for the most part didn't care.
Just 15 months after they released their debut, Arctic Monkeys dropped Favourite Worst Nightmare, the band's sophomore release. In the UK, the record's first day sales of 85,000 outsold the rest of the Top 20 combined. The album was clearly a step forward from what was one of the best debut albums of the last 30 years. FWN capitalized on the band's ability to go from aggressively, well-constructed full-on rock jams to quiet, moody ballads, all the while becoming a tighter and more intelligent musical unit.
Next Tuesday, Aug 25, Arctic Monkeys release their third full-length album, Humbug. I've been listening to it for a few weeks and I must say, I'm impressed. It took a while to really embrace the album as a whole, but the band continues to grow musically and stay true to their specific vision. This isn't a band that will go away until it's ready. Teaming with their previous producer, James Ford (aka Simian Mobile Disco) and bringing main Queen of the Stone Age, Josh Homme, into the fold resulted in a darker, wiser and even tighter group than before.
Humbug succeeds as a musical statement of where the band is now and where they might be going. "Dance Little Liar," "Pretty Visitors," and "Potion Approaching" all bump and grind with QOTSA inspired riffage and Alex Turner's witty songwriting. "Cornerstone"is an instant classic - Turner's typical tale of dark bars and darker women, but with the wisdom and maturity that spending three years as Britain's saviours of rock can instill in both songcraft and songwriting. "Dangerous Animals" should fail on principle alone; there hasn't been a good "spell-along" song since Toni Basil's "Mickey" back in the early 80s. The song doesn't fail, but instead is packed with Turner's snotty sneer and fiery drumming courtesy of the automatic cannon arms of Matt Helders. The rest of the album toys with heavy psychedelic tinged guitars, tightly-constructed rhythms, and succeds in creating a new sound that the band wears well.
The album shows the Monkeys maturing and making music on their own terms. Humbug is the sound of a band experimenting with new sounds confidently and defiantly. The hooks may not be overtly present, but as cliche as it sounds, the album does sound better the more time you spend with it. I, for one, have spent a lot of time with Humbug these past few weeks and am already anticipating their next album.
Just 15 months after they released their debut, Arctic Monkeys dropped Favourite Worst Nightmare, the band's sophomore release. In the UK, the record's first day sales of 85,000 outsold the rest of the Top 20 combined. The album was clearly a step forward from what was one of the best debut albums of the last 30 years. FWN capitalized on the band's ability to go from aggressively, well-constructed full-on rock jams to quiet, moody ballads, all the while becoming a tighter and more intelligent musical unit.
Next Tuesday, Aug 25, Arctic Monkeys release their third full-length album, Humbug. I've been listening to it for a few weeks and I must say, I'm impressed. It took a while to really embrace the album as a whole, but the band continues to grow musically and stay true to their specific vision. This isn't a band that will go away until it's ready. Teaming with their previous producer, James Ford (aka Simian Mobile Disco) and bringing main Queen of the Stone Age, Josh Homme, into the fold resulted in a darker, wiser and even tighter group than before.
Humbug succeeds as a musical statement of where the band is now and where they might be going. "Dance Little Liar," "Pretty Visitors," and "Potion Approaching" all bump and grind with QOTSA inspired riffage and Alex Turner's witty songwriting. "Cornerstone"is an instant classic - Turner's typical tale of dark bars and darker women, but with the wisdom and maturity that spending three years as Britain's saviours of rock can instill in both songcraft and songwriting. "Dangerous Animals" should fail on principle alone; there hasn't been a good "spell-along" song since Toni Basil's "Mickey" back in the early 80s. The song doesn't fail, but instead is packed with Turner's snotty sneer and fiery drumming courtesy of the automatic cannon arms of Matt Helders. The rest of the album toys with heavy psychedelic tinged guitars, tightly-constructed rhythms, and succeds in creating a new sound that the band wears well.
The album shows the Monkeys maturing and making music on their own terms. Humbug is the sound of a band experimenting with new sounds confidently and defiantly. The hooks may not be overtly present, but as cliche as it sounds, the album does sound better the more time you spend with it. I, for one, have spent a lot of time with Humbug these past few weeks and am already anticipating their next album.
Them Crooked Vultures: More to drool over
I'm slowly swaying from my original stance of cautiously optimistic to Mega Fanboy status.
This could be something special if and when it drops. A tour has been announced so an album seems logical. More will appear here as it becomes available.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
File Under: Tease
Them Crooked Vultures. John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, and Josh Homme together making music. Potential for greatness. The inevitable high expectations. And now, a tease of what can be.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Superfriends Unite!
The term 'supergroup' is getting tossed around as easily as a five-year old in a mosh pit. Supergroup used to mean something. Cream...that's a supergroup. Asia, not as much, but still had some power back in the day. Try to resist "Heat of the Moment" all these years later. I dare you. Then there's the Pearl Jam / Soundgarden collabo Temple of the Dog. That is a supergroup for this generation if there ever was one.
The problem with supergroups is that the cumulative talent rarely fails to deliver the expected goods. Whether it's a case overthinking or disparate elements that look good on paper never achieving cohesiveness in the studio or on stage, supergroups are rarely anything more than a one-off side project fueled by a desire to branch out (read: be spontaneously creative and infuse life into a dying career) that results in bland and predictable output. See Audioslave as an example of all the above.
This year has seen a couple of supergroups that failed to deliver the goods.
Chickenfoot (Sammy Hagar, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Pepper time-keeper Chad Smith, and some guitar player named Joe Satriani). The sum is not greater than the parts. I loved all these guys in their former incarnations at one time or another. Sammy...I got nothin' but love for you buddy, but it's time to stick to Tequila makin'. The cha-ching of cash registers has got to better than the thud you hear when the window of opportunity - and for Sammy it was a BIG window - closes.
Tinted Windows - All growed up Taylor Hansen (no more MmmBop for him), Fountains of Wayne leader (and all around pop song God) Adam Schlesinger, former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, and Cheap Trick drummer Bun. E. Carlos. I expected great things from this band, but aside from a song or two, the shimmery summer pop vibes I'd hoped for were lost amidst sub-par songs. Too much cheese is never a good thing, even when we're talking about straight-up pop music.
So here we are. Another supergroup is upon us. This one is called Them Crooked Vultures. I want to get excited. I really do.
Dave Grohl - some think he's become douchey - I say he's one of the best rock drummers of our time. Sure, the Foo Fighters' records are becoming boring, but the dude still has a little of "it" in him I think.
Josh Homme - some think he's always been douchey - I say he brings a killer aesthetic and some pretty kick-ass riffage to the table. Not to mention the fact both these guys can sing.
I was blessed to see the one-time-only Queens of the Stone Age with Dave Grohl tour supporting Songs For the Deaf. I stood but ten feet away from the side of the stage and witnessed Grohl's thunderous drumming and Homme's 'cool as fuck' axe slinging from the best seat in the house. Chemistry. You can't fake it. It has to happen. And with these two, it happens in abundance.
And certainly not the least of the These Crooked Vultures triangle is Led Zeppelin bassist/keyboardist, John Paul Jones. If anyone says he's douchey, I will not just kick their ass, but I will cover it with gas and set the thing on fire. 'Nuff said.
Jonesy, Grohl and Josh...hmmm. Potential, yes. Optimism flowing through my veins, not quite. I've been burned by the 'Supergroup' before and I'm more than guarded about this one. I want it to be amazing. The pieces are in place. Time will tell if These Crooked Vultures will break the mold and restore a little dignity to the term, well...you know the term by now.
The problem with supergroups is that the cumulative talent rarely fails to deliver the expected goods. Whether it's a case overthinking or disparate elements that look good on paper never achieving cohesiveness in the studio or on stage, supergroups are rarely anything more than a one-off side project fueled by a desire to branch out (read: be spontaneously creative and infuse life into a dying career) that results in bland and predictable output. See Audioslave as an example of all the above.
This year has seen a couple of supergroups that failed to deliver the goods.
Chickenfoot (Sammy Hagar, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Pepper time-keeper Chad Smith, and some guitar player named Joe Satriani). The sum is not greater than the parts. I loved all these guys in their former incarnations at one time or another. Sammy...I got nothin' but love for you buddy, but it's time to stick to Tequila makin'. The cha-ching of cash registers has got to better than the thud you hear when the window of opportunity - and for Sammy it was a BIG window - closes.
Tinted Windows - All growed up Taylor Hansen (no more MmmBop for him), Fountains of Wayne leader (and all around pop song God) Adam Schlesinger, former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, and Cheap Trick drummer Bun. E. Carlos. I expected great things from this band, but aside from a song or two, the shimmery summer pop vibes I'd hoped for were lost amidst sub-par songs. Too much cheese is never a good thing, even when we're talking about straight-up pop music.
So here we are. Another supergroup is upon us. This one is called Them Crooked Vultures. I want to get excited. I really do.
Dave Grohl - some think he's become douchey - I say he's one of the best rock drummers of our time. Sure, the Foo Fighters' records are becoming boring, but the dude still has a little of "it" in him I think.
Josh Homme - some think he's always been douchey - I say he brings a killer aesthetic and some pretty kick-ass riffage to the table. Not to mention the fact both these guys can sing.
I was blessed to see the one-time-only Queens of the Stone Age with Dave Grohl tour supporting Songs For the Deaf. I stood but ten feet away from the side of the stage and witnessed Grohl's thunderous drumming and Homme's 'cool as fuck' axe slinging from the best seat in the house. Chemistry. You can't fake it. It has to happen. And with these two, it happens in abundance.
And certainly not the least of the These Crooked Vultures triangle is Led Zeppelin bassist/keyboardist, John Paul Jones. If anyone says he's douchey, I will not just kick their ass, but I will cover it with gas and set the thing on fire. 'Nuff said.
Jonesy, Grohl and Josh...hmmm. Potential, yes. Optimism flowing through my veins, not quite. I've been burned by the 'Supergroup' before and I'm more than guarded about this one. I want it to be amazing. The pieces are in place. Time will tell if These Crooked Vultures will break the mold and restore a little dignity to the term, well...you know the term by now.
MCA talks about cancer surgery and the support he's received.
As a supporter/worshiper of the Beastie Boys from the very beginning, it brought a smile to my face to read the following in my email this morning:
aug 5 2009
hey all,
hope you are doing well.
so i'm about a week and a half out of surgery now and rapidly recovering from it. i haven't taken any of the pain meds, which supposedly speeds along the healing process, or should i say, taking them slows it down. anyway, i spent 1 night at the hospital after the surgery. the hospital was too crazy to get any rest so i headed home to relax, have home cooked food and hang out with the family.
i'm pretty well detoxed from the anesthesia that they pumped me up with to keep me under for all that time. that took several days to get out of my system. my neck and jaw are still pretty stiff from the surgery, but it gets better everyday. had the stitches out this past monday... so things are moving along.
but no sooner am i on the mend from this first torture than are they lining up the next one. the next line of treatment will be radiation. that involves blasting you with some kind of beam for a few minutes a day, 5 days a week, for about 7 weeks. that will start in a few weeks...
saw the jay-z cover of no sleep, and the coldplay one of fight for your right from APW on youtube. good shit. and i heard karen o wore a "get well MCA" armband, and that q-tip gave a shout out too..... very kind of them.
just wanted to thank them and everyone else who sent positive thoughts my way. i do think that all of the well wishes have contributed to the fact that my treatment and recovery are going well.
much love back at all of you!
adam
----------------------
Jay Z covering "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" at All Points West
aug 5 2009
hey all,
hope you are doing well.
so i'm about a week and a half out of surgery now and rapidly recovering from it. i haven't taken any of the pain meds, which supposedly speeds along the healing process, or should i say, taking them slows it down. anyway, i spent 1 night at the hospital after the surgery. the hospital was too crazy to get any rest so i headed home to relax, have home cooked food and hang out with the family.
i'm pretty well detoxed from the anesthesia that they pumped me up with to keep me under for all that time. that took several days to get out of my system. my neck and jaw are still pretty stiff from the surgery, but it gets better everyday. had the stitches out this past monday... so things are moving along.
but no sooner am i on the mend from this first torture than are they lining up the next one. the next line of treatment will be radiation. that involves blasting you with some kind of beam for a few minutes a day, 5 days a week, for about 7 weeks. that will start in a few weeks...
saw the jay-z cover of no sleep, and the coldplay one of fight for your right from APW on youtube. good shit. and i heard karen o wore a "get well MCA" armband, and that q-tip gave a shout out too..... very kind of them.
just wanted to thank them and everyone else who sent positive thoughts my way. i do think that all of the well wishes have contributed to the fact that my treatment and recovery are going well.
much love back at all of you!
adam
----------------------
Jay Z covering "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" at All Points West
Jack White - Coming soon in 7" and 480" varieties.
Jack White is reportedly working. If you weren't sitting down, I apologize. It's pretty bone-rattling news. Mr. Ubiquitous, not content with his rotating rock trifecta of the White Stripes, Raconteurs, and Dead Weather is now releasing solo material. "Fly Farm Blues" will be released Aug 11 on White's own Third Man Records in digital format only. No extra tracks. No fancy vinyl collectors packaging. Just Jack. Just a song. Because he can.
White recorded the song during the filming of It Might Get Loud, a little tale of three guitar Gods and their individual takes on what the guitar means to them. And then they jam the shit out of each other's music. Jack White. The Edge. Jimmy Page. Cross-generational guitar Gods ready for your silver screen consumption. The film opens in LA and NY Aug 14 and then trickles out to the rest of America over the next two months. Full release schedule here. Trailer is below.
White recorded the song during the filming of It Might Get Loud, a little tale of three guitar Gods and their individual takes on what the guitar means to them. And then they jam the shit out of each other's music. Jack White. The Edge. Jimmy Page. Cross-generational guitar Gods ready for your silver screen consumption. The film opens in LA and NY Aug 14 and then trickles out to the rest of America over the next two months. Full release schedule here. Trailer is below.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
New Muse: United States of Eurasia
I see a little silhouette of a man. Scaramoosh Scaramoosh....
This is certainly a WTF moment if I ever heard one, but Muse is generally ambitious so this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.
Their fifth album, The Resistance, is scheduled to be released Sept. 15.
This is certainly a WTF moment if I ever heard one, but Muse is generally ambitious so this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.
Their fifth album, The Resistance, is scheduled to be released Sept. 15.
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