That's right, back for a limited engagement this weekend only, it's the return of the Weekend WTF!! This one comes by request from my good friend Ray. Ray went to go see The Aquabats at the Trocadero last week, and opening for the band was a group calling themselves Tragedy. Tragedy bill themselves as "An All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees". If you're eyebrows are somewhere on the ceiling right now, it's OK. Mine were too. Then Ray showed me some video (note: the video below is not Ray's, as his were posted only to facebook. Hoping he'll youtube them sometime soon, as they were far better quality than this one)
As ridiculous metal covers go, this one's actually pretty damned good. Ray and I were both duly impressed with this one. Below you'll find the band's MySpace and official page. Sadly Tragedy is done touring the US for now, but expect them back sometime in '09, and if you have some cash to spare and don't want to deal with bands who take themselves too seriously, go give Tragedy their due.
Tragedy Official Website
Tragedy on MySpace
Tragedy - Stayin' Alive
==TJ==
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Kanye Gives Us his Broadway Moment
Re-posted with streams instead of links
In theater we describe musicals as being scenarios where the stakes get so high that characters can't express themselves through words anymore; they feel so strongly about the given situation that they have to sing. That same idea is what drives Kanye West's new album, the remarkably divisive 808's & Heartbreak. Released less than a year after the death of West's mother and breaking up with his fiancee, 808's presents a drastically different side of the self-proclaimed voice of this generation. While purist rap fans will scoff at West's turn toward unfiltered emotion and honesty, those willing to let Kanye pour his soul out on his terms (and really, after the hits he's given us, don't we owe him that much?) will find an arresting, albeit flawed listen.
808's and Heartbreak features none of the ego and spectacle that's made Kanye West a household name. The album opens with West letting his barriers down to show that he's really hurting on "Say You Will". Between the warbling "hey, hey, hey, hey"s and the admissions that he misses the mystery girl, it's hard to suggest the hurt is anything but genuine. On the first single "Love Lockdown" 'Ye switches gears and becomes the one dealing out the hurt, declaring "Where I want to go / I don't need you". "Paranoid" and "Heartless" are the two songs closest in style to the West of old, with bouncy choruses and a touch of self-confidence, while "Amazing" lets Kanye's ego out for a little sun, while letting Kanye get to work his pipes (and Auto-Tune). The heart-wrenching closer "Coldest Winter" brings the record full circle, offering an emotionally charged tribute to Kanye's mother. Across the board 808's and Heartbreak is an honest record, immortalizing West's feelings in a style far different than anything we've heard from the man before now.
Kanye's feelings and passion are palpable throughout every track, and for the most part that carries this record a long way. Moments where other artists would sound cringe-inducingly bad are forgiven here because it's accepted that Kanye must be really commited to a song if he's willing to sing rather than rap it. That said, West is still a rapper first and foremost, and he's not ready to make the jump completely on this record, which hurts the product in some spots. "Amazing" sounds like it belongs, but its message doesn't fit the theme of the rest of the album, and his collaboration with Lil' Wayne "See You In My Nightmares" feels forced into this album, not really belonging in any sense. I applaud Kanye for taking a sharp turn out of his comfort zone and being fully committed to that turn for the most part, but this is by no means a perfect album.
808's and Heartbreak will likely be remembered as Kanye letting off steam in the wake of an unimaginably difficult year. it's very much a product of what Kanye was feeling in this present moment, and I don't foresee West continuing this path on the next album. Having said that, Kanye West has taken a jump with his music that few artists in any genre dare make, and for that it's only fair to give Kanye massive amounts of credit for his effort.
Final Score: 6.5/10
Kanye West - Heartless
Kanye West - Street Lights
==TJ==
In theater we describe musicals as being scenarios where the stakes get so high that characters can't express themselves through words anymore; they feel so strongly about the given situation that they have to sing. That same idea is what drives Kanye West's new album, the remarkably divisive 808's & Heartbreak. Released less than a year after the death of West's mother and breaking up with his fiancee, 808's presents a drastically different side of the self-proclaimed voice of this generation. While purist rap fans will scoff at West's turn toward unfiltered emotion and honesty, those willing to let Kanye pour his soul out on his terms (and really, after the hits he's given us, don't we owe him that much?) will find an arresting, albeit flawed listen.
808's and Heartbreak features none of the ego and spectacle that's made Kanye West a household name. The album opens with West letting his barriers down to show that he's really hurting on "Say You Will". Between the warbling "hey, hey, hey, hey"s and the admissions that he misses the mystery girl, it's hard to suggest the hurt is anything but genuine. On the first single "Love Lockdown" 'Ye switches gears and becomes the one dealing out the hurt, declaring "Where I want to go / I don't need you". "Paranoid" and "Heartless" are the two songs closest in style to the West of old, with bouncy choruses and a touch of self-confidence, while "Amazing" lets Kanye's ego out for a little sun, while letting Kanye get to work his pipes (and Auto-Tune). The heart-wrenching closer "Coldest Winter" brings the record full circle, offering an emotionally charged tribute to Kanye's mother. Across the board 808's and Heartbreak is an honest record, immortalizing West's feelings in a style far different than anything we've heard from the man before now.
Kanye's feelings and passion are palpable throughout every track, and for the most part that carries this record a long way. Moments where other artists would sound cringe-inducingly bad are forgiven here because it's accepted that Kanye must be really commited to a song if he's willing to sing rather than rap it. That said, West is still a rapper first and foremost, and he's not ready to make the jump completely on this record, which hurts the product in some spots. "Amazing" sounds like it belongs, but its message doesn't fit the theme of the rest of the album, and his collaboration with Lil' Wayne "See You In My Nightmares" feels forced into this album, not really belonging in any sense. I applaud Kanye for taking a sharp turn out of his comfort zone and being fully committed to that turn for the most part, but this is by no means a perfect album.
808's and Heartbreak will likely be remembered as Kanye letting off steam in the wake of an unimaginably difficult year. it's very much a product of what Kanye was feeling in this present moment, and I don't foresee West continuing this path on the next album. Having said that, Kanye West has taken a jump with his music that few artists in any genre dare make, and for that it's only fair to give Kanye massive amounts of credit for his effort.
Final Score: 6.5/10
Kanye West - Heartless
Kanye West - Street Lights
==TJ==
The Crash Motive Coming To An End
No radio show today as I'm getting ready to head home for Thanksgiving break. Lots of blogging today though.
This news will probably not get picked up by anyone else, but it means something to this blogger, so we're gonna give it its due.
Delaware-based rock outfit and friend to ¡Viva la Mainstream! The Crash Motive will be disbanding at year's end. In a message sent out to the band's mailing list, lead singer Derek Fuhrmann announced that The Crash Motive's remaining three shows in 2008 would be his last with the band, at which point he'll be leaving the band to record a solo record in New York. The other members of the band have further decided to not continue on as The Crash Motive. The nonsinging band members intend to continue on a new project, but details on that project are not available yet.
The Crash Motive were one of the first up-and-coming bands I wrote about here, way back in the early days of this blog. They were also one of the first bands to take VLM seriously, offering me promotional considerations and the like after I reviewed their album Consequence. It saddens me a bit that I will likely never see them live (their last all-ages show is this Friday), but all the same I wish the band nothing but great success in the coming year.
The Crash Motive - You Can't Know It All [iTunes]
==TJ==
This news will probably not get picked up by anyone else, but it means something to this blogger, so we're gonna give it its due.
Delaware-based rock outfit and friend to ¡Viva la Mainstream! The Crash Motive will be disbanding at year's end. In a message sent out to the band's mailing list, lead singer Derek Fuhrmann announced that The Crash Motive's remaining three shows in 2008 would be his last with the band, at which point he'll be leaving the band to record a solo record in New York. The other members of the band have further decided to not continue on as The Crash Motive. The nonsinging band members intend to continue on a new project, but details on that project are not available yet.
The Crash Motive were one of the first up-and-coming bands I wrote about here, way back in the early days of this blog. They were also one of the first bands to take VLM seriously, offering me promotional considerations and the like after I reviewed their album Consequence. It saddens me a bit that I will likely never see them live (their last all-ages show is this Friday), but all the same I wish the band nothing but great success in the coming year.
The Crash Motive - You Can't Know It All [iTunes]
==TJ==
Monday, November 24, 2008
At Long Last, A Chinese Democracy Review (And I'm Not Kidding This Time)
I have a much different angle on Chinese Democracy than most of my blogging peers. When Use Your Illusion came out, I was probably sitting in front of a TV watching Sesame Street at the tender age of 2 years, 11 months (This is where I duck while my peers throw things at me for making them feel old). I haven't waited 17 years, endured the countless broken promises and trainwrecks that led to yesterday's unimaginable final chapter. I came into this story far later, as a music fan who discovered GN'R well after the original lineup abandoned ship, when the mythical album had already become a punchline. So for me Chinese Democracy's release is much more of a historically significant event, rather than the emotional release that Guns N' Roses fans of old might be feeling right now. But I digress. The point is, Chinese Democracy is real (the album anyway), and while those waiting 17 years might feel a bit let down, it's still a damn fine album, and certainly not lacking in anything fans want in a Guns N' Roses record.
The title track takes a full minute to get going, but by the 61st second guns are blazing. It's fast, it's dirty, and Axl isn't interested in easing people in. Rose may be 46 years old, but you couldn't tell from his voice. The song sounds dangerous, ballsy; like the GN'R of old. From there we get "Shackler's Revenge", which keeps things fast and rocking, but former guitarist Buckethead's avant-garde texturing bogs the track down. If someone wants to pick apart Chinese Democracy, they'd do well to start with Buckethead. His work is admirable standing alone, but on this record it takes songs that could be humongous rock songs and sucks the hook out of them, turning them into artsy, atmospheric sludge. Think Radiohead cranked up to 11. The worst example is "Sorry", a 6-minute would-be opus that has Axl bearing all, while the rest of the band does little more than mark time.
Rose, on the other hand, is in top form. The two ballads "Street of Dreams" and "This I Love" let Axl pour his heart out while the strings and keys play on. On the other hand "Riad N' The Bedouins" is a gem, a sign that the Guns N' Roses that rose to the top with "Paradise City" isn't gone forever. Second single "Better" gets better with every listen, the kind of track that modern rock needs to hear right now (take notes, Three Days Grace). The whole record feels very precise, as though nearly two decades of work went into every note, line and phrase of the album (wait...). More often than not Rose's perfectionism pays off, as the record manages to balance sounding clean and professional and being truly rock and roll. "Better" is a very polished affair, but still makes room for Axl's gut-wrenching growl to show through. "Madagascar"'s sampling of speeches in the bridge is pure production, but is among the best songs Chinese Democracy offers. As a whole, as Axl goes, so goes the album.
The simple fact that Chinese Democracy is on store shelves makes it a memorable release. The fact that its so excellent is just an added bonus. People who've waited 17 years might not find it to be all they hoped for, but that's a result of the lack of Slash, Izzy and Duff on this record. If you go in accepting the fact that you're not hearing the explosive lineup that sold millions of records in the 90s, you're bound to hear something truly enjoyable. Axl Rose can sleep soundly tonight knowing he's done well. Let's just hope I'm not 37 when the next Guns N' Roses album comes out.
Final Score: 9/10
==TJ==
The title track takes a full minute to get going, but by the 61st second guns are blazing. It's fast, it's dirty, and Axl isn't interested in easing people in. Rose may be 46 years old, but you couldn't tell from his voice. The song sounds dangerous, ballsy; like the GN'R of old. From there we get "Shackler's Revenge", which keeps things fast and rocking, but former guitarist Buckethead's avant-garde texturing bogs the track down. If someone wants to pick apart Chinese Democracy, they'd do well to start with Buckethead. His work is admirable standing alone, but on this record it takes songs that could be humongous rock songs and sucks the hook out of them, turning them into artsy, atmospheric sludge. Think Radiohead cranked up to 11. The worst example is "Sorry", a 6-minute would-be opus that has Axl bearing all, while the rest of the band does little more than mark time.
Rose, on the other hand, is in top form. The two ballads "Street of Dreams" and "This I Love" let Axl pour his heart out while the strings and keys play on. On the other hand "Riad N' The Bedouins" is a gem, a sign that the Guns N' Roses that rose to the top with "Paradise City" isn't gone forever. Second single "Better" gets better with every listen, the kind of track that modern rock needs to hear right now (take notes, Three Days Grace). The whole record feels very precise, as though nearly two decades of work went into every note, line and phrase of the album (wait...). More often than not Rose's perfectionism pays off, as the record manages to balance sounding clean and professional and being truly rock and roll. "Better" is a very polished affair, but still makes room for Axl's gut-wrenching growl to show through. "Madagascar"'s sampling of speeches in the bridge is pure production, but is among the best songs Chinese Democracy offers. As a whole, as Axl goes, so goes the album.
The simple fact that Chinese Democracy is on store shelves makes it a memorable release. The fact that its so excellent is just an added bonus. People who've waited 17 years might not find it to be all they hoped for, but that's a result of the lack of Slash, Izzy and Duff on this record. If you go in accepting the fact that you're not hearing the explosive lineup that sold millions of records in the 90s, you're bound to hear something truly enjoyable. Axl Rose can sleep soundly tonight knowing he's done well. Let's just hope I'm not 37 when the next Guns N' Roses album comes out.
Final Score: 9/10
==TJ==
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Jesus to John Lennon: "Yeah, It's All Good"
It took 42 years, but the Vatican is finally ready to make nice with The Beatles. In its newspaper on Sunday, the Vatican announced that it had forgiven John Lennon for a controversial interview in 1966 in which he stated that The Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ. The report more or less came down to the Vatican realizing that Lennon was coping with sudden success, and the fact that Beatles' recordings are still so ridiculously popular 40 years later (The White Album turned 40 this week) means that its time to let bygones be bygones.
Any snarky joke I'd put here would end up in bad taste somehow, I think. I'll just point out that Lennon died 28 years ago after spending his post-Beatles career campaigning for peace, and they're just NOW deciding that everything's cool.
==TJ==
Any snarky joke I'd put here would end up in bad taste somehow, I think. I'll just point out that Lennon died 28 years ago after spending his post-Beatles career campaigning for peace, and they're just NOW deciding that everything's cool.
==TJ==
Ducking For Cover
Want to clarify something I said in the last post that garnered some comments:
I don't believe that Blink 182 is my generation's The Police in terms of their talent or quality of music. Naturally The Police are a significantly better band. I meant that it seemed like the careers of Blink and The Police are strikingly similar. Both bands exploded rather unexpectedly and developed a rabid fan base. Over the course of their respective tenures, both bands grew and reached out in directions that listeners didn't expect, culminating in records that totally changed the way in which people viewed the band (Synchronicity and Blink 182). Both bands then came undone in a very public manner resulting in a seemingly irreconcilable breakup. The biggest difference is that Sting was actually able to have a successful career without The Police, while +44 and AvA demonstrated that Blink was only as good as the sum of its parts.
Hope that clears it up. I don't know what (if any) band matches The Police's success and talent in my generation. Part of what made The Police so huge was their worldwide appeal. I don't think any band has acheived that AND had the raw talent to back it up. *Nsync, maybe (with Timberlake in the role of Sting), but the comparison is still very flawed. That gives you a sense of what I was trying to say though.
This week is looking like review week here at VLM. In the next few days you'll get reviews of new albums by:
Guns N Roses (expect this one in the next few hours)
Kanye West
Scott Weiland
Britney Spears
and perhaps a surprise or two if the Gods of Music and Blogging deem it so.
[tangent: Is there a God of Blogging? If so, think he's got a blog? I feel like that blog would be like the ultimate LiveJournal, where said God just rants and raves about all the crazed keyboard-wielding lunatics and the ideas they insist on making public. /tangent]
==TJ==
I don't believe that Blink 182 is my generation's The Police in terms of their talent or quality of music. Naturally The Police are a significantly better band. I meant that it seemed like the careers of Blink and The Police are strikingly similar. Both bands exploded rather unexpectedly and developed a rabid fan base. Over the course of their respective tenures, both bands grew and reached out in directions that listeners didn't expect, culminating in records that totally changed the way in which people viewed the band (Synchronicity and Blink 182). Both bands then came undone in a very public manner resulting in a seemingly irreconcilable breakup. The biggest difference is that Sting was actually able to have a successful career without The Police, while +44 and AvA demonstrated that Blink was only as good as the sum of its parts.
Hope that clears it up. I don't know what (if any) band matches The Police's success and talent in my generation. Part of what made The Police so huge was their worldwide appeal. I don't think any band has acheived that AND had the raw talent to back it up. *Nsync, maybe (with Timberlake in the role of Sting), but the comparison is still very flawed. That gives you a sense of what I was trying to say though.
This week is looking like review week here at VLM. In the next few days you'll get reviews of new albums by:
Guns N Roses (expect this one in the next few hours)
Kanye West
Scott Weiland
Britney Spears
and perhaps a surprise or two if the Gods of Music and Blogging deem it so.
[tangent: Is there a God of Blogging? If so, think he's got a blog? I feel like that blog would be like the ultimate LiveJournal, where said God just rants and raves about all the crazed keyboard-wielding lunatics and the ideas they insist on making public. /tangent]
==TJ==
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Blink 182 'Reconnecting'; Reunion Speculation Heats Up
Just a few short months after Travis Barker was nearly killed in a tremendous plane crash that killed 4 people, he and the other members of Blink 182 are apparently back on speaking terms for the first time in four years. According to a blog post written by former Blink bassist (now with +44) Mark Hoppus, the punk trio that sold nearly 12.7 million albums between the mid-90s and their split in 2004 have met face to face and communicated with each other for the first time since their well-publicized breakup. The blog post reads:
Blink 182 are sort of the Police of my generation. Both had wild success during their time, leading to dissent amongst the band and a messy, very public breakup in which the members of the band stopped talking to each other for some time. It took 23 years before The Police could get back together for a tour. I'd be amazed if Blink 182 got back together after just 4 years away and did anything near what they were up to when they split. So while I want to see another Blink record in the near future, I also hope it's not too soon.
Blink 182 - The Rock Show [iTunes]
==TJ==
[Hype Machine Readers should Bookmark Me (Ctrl + D)]
in the midst of everything else that has happened lately, tom, travis, and i have all spoken together. first through a number of phone calls, and then a couple of weeks ago we all hung out for a few hours. they’ve all been great, very positive conversations. we’re just reconnecting as friends after four years of not talking. it’s a good thing. obviously the first question for a lot of people will be “does this mean a blink-182 reunion?” the answer is none of us know. we haven’t talked about it at all. right now it’s just good for the three of us to see one another, reconnect, and let the past be the past. the events of the past two months supersede everything that happened before. life is too short.That pretty much poses and answers every question on the minds of Blink fans everywhere. While I'm glad to see the band is talking again, too many things need to happen before a reunion can take place. +44 and Angels and Airwaves (Tom DeLonge's band) are both still under contract for at least one more album, which means that little actual work can get done with Blink until those contracts are up. Travis Barker is also still recovering from injuries in that plane crash, so that's slowing things down too. All in all I think it'll be at least a year and a half before any talk of a Blink 182 reunion can be taken seriously.
Blink 182 are sort of the Police of my generation. Both had wild success during their time, leading to dissent amongst the band and a messy, very public breakup in which the members of the band stopped talking to each other for some time. It took 23 years before The Police could get back together for a tour. I'd be amazed if Blink 182 got back together after just 4 years away and did anything near what they were up to when they split. So while I want to see another Blink record in the near future, I also hope it's not too soon.
Blink 182 - The Rock Show [iTunes]
==TJ==
[Hype Machine Readers should Bookmark Me (Ctrl + D)]
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Killers Lay Tribute At the Altar of All Things '80s
[Hey Hype Machine readers: Most of my posts aren't being picked up anymore as a result of me trying to dodge Blogger's anti-DMCA iron fist. If you're reading this on hypem, bookmark me the old-fashioned way (Ctrl+D) and check back regularly for mp3 goodies and some awesome music stuff.]
The Killers are many things, but bashful sure as hell ain't one of 'em. The Las Vegas band's debut Hot Fuss was pure 80s glam worship at its finest, making it one of the surprise hits of 2004. After letting Brandon Flowers indulge his Springsteen fantasies on their slightly misguided Sam's Town and blowing off steam with the Sawdust compilation, The Killers come back reaching for the sky and ready to work this year with the bombastic Day and Age. This new record is a recognizable third step in the band's progression, taking the best elements of the two previous records and creating a monster of an album that is nothing if not grand, fun, and completely lacking in apologies.
Day and Age comes in with full '80s bombast in the form of "Losing Touch", a track that mixes the synthesized wonder of Hot Fuss's "Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine" with the brass-band, blue-collar rock that permeated Sam's Town. From there the album doesn't skip too many beats, offering loud, sing-with-the-windows-down fun rock music. Flowers' lyrics make about as much sense as they always have (read: not too much, but who cares?), but when the melodies touch the sky and the music forbids you to listen sitting down, the indulgent musing is forgivable. First single "Human" gets better with every listen, and matches nearly every single The Killers have ever released (except maybe the epic "All These Things That I've Done"). "Joy Ride" is another bouncy, unwavering classic in the making. If you get the leaked version that I snagged or the iTunes release, bonus track "Forget About What I Said" is the kind of song you put on repeat for an hour and just enjoy however you choose. The only false note on the entire album is the closer "Goodnight, Travel Well". For some reason The Killers seem to think they need to announce when they're done playing with a song saying just that. The sooner Flowers and co. realize they can just leave the stage with a final bang, the better their records will get.
Day and Age resembles what would happen if The Police and Bruce Springsteen got into a marching-band style war, each trying to outplay the other. The winner here is whoever's listening. The Killers sound like they hit their mark in full force this time around. There's no hesitation whatsoever on this record, and certainly no shame. Day and Age is a sweeping, unapologetic tribute to the glam, the goof, and the ego that the 80s embodied. And damn it if Day and Age isn't the best job the Killers have ever done to pay homage. By putting forth significantly less effort, The Killers have put together their finest work to date, an album that rewards with every trip through.
Final Score: 9/10
The Killers - Human
The Killers - Joy Ride
Pre-Order/Buy Day and Age on iTunes
==TJ==
PS: Check out the poll question in the sidebar at the top of the page.
The Killers are many things, but bashful sure as hell ain't one of 'em. The Las Vegas band's debut Hot Fuss was pure 80s glam worship at its finest, making it one of the surprise hits of 2004. After letting Brandon Flowers indulge his Springsteen fantasies on their slightly misguided Sam's Town and blowing off steam with the Sawdust compilation, The Killers come back reaching for the sky and ready to work this year with the bombastic Day and Age. This new record is a recognizable third step in the band's progression, taking the best elements of the two previous records and creating a monster of an album that is nothing if not grand, fun, and completely lacking in apologies.
Day and Age comes in with full '80s bombast in the form of "Losing Touch", a track that mixes the synthesized wonder of Hot Fuss's "Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine" with the brass-band, blue-collar rock that permeated Sam's Town. From there the album doesn't skip too many beats, offering loud, sing-with-the-windows-down fun rock music. Flowers' lyrics make about as much sense as they always have (read: not too much, but who cares?), but when the melodies touch the sky and the music forbids you to listen sitting down, the indulgent musing is forgivable. First single "Human" gets better with every listen, and matches nearly every single The Killers have ever released (except maybe the epic "All These Things That I've Done"). "Joy Ride" is another bouncy, unwavering classic in the making. If you get the leaked version that I snagged or the iTunes release, bonus track "Forget About What I Said" is the kind of song you put on repeat for an hour and just enjoy however you choose. The only false note on the entire album is the closer "Goodnight, Travel Well". For some reason The Killers seem to think they need to announce when they're done playing with a song saying just that. The sooner Flowers and co. realize they can just leave the stage with a final bang, the better their records will get.
Day and Age resembles what would happen if The Police and Bruce Springsteen got into a marching-band style war, each trying to outplay the other. The winner here is whoever's listening. The Killers sound like they hit their mark in full force this time around. There's no hesitation whatsoever on this record, and certainly no shame. Day and Age is a sweeping, unapologetic tribute to the glam, the goof, and the ego that the 80s embodied. And damn it if Day and Age isn't the best job the Killers have ever done to pay homage. By putting forth significantly less effort, The Killers have put together their finest work to date, an album that rewards with every trip through.
Final Score: 9/10
The Killers - Human
The Killers - Joy Ride
Pre-Order/Buy Day and Age on iTunes
==TJ==
PS: Check out the poll question in the sidebar at the top of the page.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Coming Up Today on ¡VLM! on the ARC
=Breaking down Kanye's 808's and Heartbreak
=What few highlights exist from David Cook's solo record
=I continue to proclaim my undying love for Hayley Williams
=Plus beginning to construct the Best Of 08 list
All today at 3PM on The ARC
radio.arcadia.edu
==TJ==
=What few highlights exist from David Cook's solo record
=I continue to proclaim my undying love for Hayley Williams
=Plus beginning to construct the Best Of 08 list
All today at 3PM on The ARC
radio.arcadia.edu
==TJ==
Monday, November 17, 2008
David Cook's Record Everything We Thought Nickelback's New One Would Be
Finding a copy of David Cook's self-titled record proved much harder than I initially thought. My usual seedy sources came up short, and the leak that was circulating above ground was of poor quality. So it was only yesterday when I finally got to listen to the bugger. In truth, knowing what I know now, I probably could've stood to wait a bit longer.
David Cook's post-American Idol record is exactly what so many feared it would be. The rock influence that won Cook so many fans on Idol is virtually nonexistent on the album. In its place is shlocky, paint-by-numbers radio fare that has a decent shot on radio, but is utterly devoid of the balls that Cook displayed earlier this year. "Declaration" sets the stage for the rest of the album with a below-average anthem in the vein of Collective Soul and Nickelback. Except its nowhere near the quality of either. "Permanent" is as dry and boring as a ballad could possibly be, and "Life on the Moon" is an awkward, unimaginitive affair. Nothing on this record, not the songwriting, not the music, not a damn thing matches up to Cook's work with Axium or the oft-bootlegged Analog Heart.
The album is saved from completely crapping the bed with glimmers of hope like "Bar-Ba-Sol" which actually shows off some testosterone in its up-tempo pace and less than pristine drums. "A Daily AntheM" is perhaps the most honest moment we hear on this record, a slightly better than expected tribute to Cook's brother (the capitalized letters spell lil' Cook's name). But even that doesn't match up to "AC", the song he did with Axium. And Cook gets his growl back on on "Kiss on the Neck", perhaps the finest overall track in this set. There's one problem though; "Kiss on the Neck" is the hidden track, appearing ten minutes after the last song. David Cook feels mismanaged, overproduced, and ultimately underwhelming.
As I tend to do in moments like this, I blame the label. Cook's label wanted so badly to score some cash in the form of radio play that they abandoned what made him popular in the first place in favor for their tired, established method. The songwriting, which Cook helped with, is good, but not nearly as good as anything Cook has written by himself (see: Analog Heart). The extra 'help' on the record makes it sound less like Cook himself and more like the people who got to put their hand in the cookie jar. It basically comes down to there being too many "Cooks" in the kitchen, when in reality one could've done a much better job. I can only hope that Cook gets another record and take the few successes from this botched, forced attempt and use them as a new foundation.
I can't believe I'm about to type this next sentence, but here goes. If you find yourself with 10 bucks to burn on music tomorrow, skip over this and pick up Nickelback's new album. It's far more consistent, and believe it or not, it's much better written and performed than anything on this abortion of a record.
Final Score: 4.5/10
==TJ==
David Cook's post-American Idol record is exactly what so many feared it would be. The rock influence that won Cook so many fans on Idol is virtually nonexistent on the album. In its place is shlocky, paint-by-numbers radio fare that has a decent shot on radio, but is utterly devoid of the balls that Cook displayed earlier this year. "Declaration" sets the stage for the rest of the album with a below-average anthem in the vein of Collective Soul and Nickelback. Except its nowhere near the quality of either. "Permanent" is as dry and boring as a ballad could possibly be, and "Life on the Moon" is an awkward, unimaginitive affair. Nothing on this record, not the songwriting, not the music, not a damn thing matches up to Cook's work with Axium or the oft-bootlegged Analog Heart.
The album is saved from completely crapping the bed with glimmers of hope like "Bar-Ba-Sol" which actually shows off some testosterone in its up-tempo pace and less than pristine drums. "A Daily AntheM" is perhaps the most honest moment we hear on this record, a slightly better than expected tribute to Cook's brother (the capitalized letters spell lil' Cook's name). But even that doesn't match up to "AC", the song he did with Axium. And Cook gets his growl back on on "Kiss on the Neck", perhaps the finest overall track in this set. There's one problem though; "Kiss on the Neck" is the hidden track, appearing ten minutes after the last song. David Cook feels mismanaged, overproduced, and ultimately underwhelming.
As I tend to do in moments like this, I blame the label. Cook's label wanted so badly to score some cash in the form of radio play that they abandoned what made him popular in the first place in favor for their tired, established method. The songwriting, which Cook helped with, is good, but not nearly as good as anything Cook has written by himself (see: Analog Heart). The extra 'help' on the record makes it sound less like Cook himself and more like the people who got to put their hand in the cookie jar. It basically comes down to there being too many "Cooks" in the kitchen, when in reality one could've done a much better job. I can only hope that Cook gets another record and take the few successes from this botched, forced attempt and use them as a new foundation.
I can't believe I'm about to type this next sentence, but here goes. If you find yourself with 10 bucks to burn on music tomorrow, skip over this and pick up Nickelback's new album. It's far more consistent, and believe it or not, it's much better written and performed than anything on this abortion of a record.
Final Score: 4.5/10
==TJ==
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Review: Nickelback - Dark Horse
Chances are not many folks are going to take the time to review the new album from Nickelback and will instead just give it a categorical thrashing. So when the album leaked earlier this week I allowed my curiosity (and yes, my casual fandom) to get the better of me and I grabbed a copy of Dark Horse, the band's sixth record.
Produced by Mutt Lange, Dark Horse is in many ways a far cry from the band's 2005 monster All the Right Reasons. The tone is nastier, slightly more reminiscent of the band's breakthrough Silver Side Up. Leadoff track "Something In Your Mouth" is a stripper anthem a la Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch" that's about as raunchy as the title suggests. The band goes even more balls-out on "Burn it to the Ground", a riot-inducing track that would make even Rage Against the Machine proud. On top of those is the album highlight "Next Go Round", which takes the hair-metal influence the band failed to get right on the last record ("Animals", anyone?) and puts a shotgun to its head. Let it be known here that the common complaint that Nickelback lacks spine is irrelevant. But Nickelback (and Mutt Lange's) greatest success here is getting Chad Kroeger to remove the pole from his ass. For the first time it sounds like Nickelback are actually having fun with these songs. Few moments here feel forced, and where Reasons album closer "Rockstar" quickly became the biggest joke in rock music this decade, this time around "This Afternoon" has a low-key, everyman quality to it that lends itself better to a drunken singalong.
That said, the Candian quartet is still very much interested in getting people to hear the music, hence the smattering of radio-friendly cuts here. "I'd Come For You" has some glaring comparisons to Mutt Lange's last production effort, Shania Twain's Up!. First single "Gotta Be Somebody" will rear its head once more in time for prom season, and Tim McGraw probably deserves a writing credit on "If Today Was Your Last Day" (the lyrics positively wreak of "Live Like You Were Dying"). But even these songs are nothing like the recycled tuneage of All The Right Reasons or the stinker that was The Long Road.
In spite of its successes, you can't help but remember once in awhile that this is indeed still a Nickelback record. The chorus to "S.E.X" is a takeoff of an old joke that every college frat boy has heard or told a thousand times "Sex is always the answer / It's never a question / 'Cause the answer's yes". Groan. Likewise "Never Gonna Be Alone" is a straightforward, boring affair that sounds like it was piecemealed together from "If Today Was Your Last Day" and "Gotta Be Somebody". And overall it just feels a bit too polished. Lange's production is good on the singles, but a bit overdone on the real rockers on the album. It kind of feels like a college dorm that got febrezed a few dozen times before the parents came over. It's clearly dirty and raw, but there's a layer of cleanliness designed to distract you from that. Ultimately it's that distraction that takes away from some of Nickelback's best work to date.
On Dark Horse take an incremental step forward from their past angst-ridden melodramas. It's a very small babystep and the band is still in their comfort zone, but listeners should take their victories where they come. That said, in a year where Coldplay grew up and filled out, Kanye West is channeling 60's soul, and Guns N' Roses are putting a steel toed boot to rock & roll's neck, Nickelback's growth is coming up just a tad bit short.
Final Score: 6.5/10
Nickelback - Burn It To The Ground
Back later with a look at the new Kanye West material and hopefully a look at the newly-leaked David Cook record.
==TJ==
Produced by Mutt Lange, Dark Horse is in many ways a far cry from the band's 2005 monster All the Right Reasons. The tone is nastier, slightly more reminiscent of the band's breakthrough Silver Side Up. Leadoff track "Something In Your Mouth" is a stripper anthem a la Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch" that's about as raunchy as the title suggests. The band goes even more balls-out on "Burn it to the Ground", a riot-inducing track that would make even Rage Against the Machine proud. On top of those is the album highlight "Next Go Round", which takes the hair-metal influence the band failed to get right on the last record ("Animals", anyone?) and puts a shotgun to its head. Let it be known here that the common complaint that Nickelback lacks spine is irrelevant. But Nickelback (and Mutt Lange's) greatest success here is getting Chad Kroeger to remove the pole from his ass. For the first time it sounds like Nickelback are actually having fun with these songs. Few moments here feel forced, and where Reasons album closer "Rockstar" quickly became the biggest joke in rock music this decade, this time around "This Afternoon" has a low-key, everyman quality to it that lends itself better to a drunken singalong.
That said, the Candian quartet is still very much interested in getting people to hear the music, hence the smattering of radio-friendly cuts here. "I'd Come For You" has some glaring comparisons to Mutt Lange's last production effort, Shania Twain's Up!. First single "Gotta Be Somebody" will rear its head once more in time for prom season, and Tim McGraw probably deserves a writing credit on "If Today Was Your Last Day" (the lyrics positively wreak of "Live Like You Were Dying"). But even these songs are nothing like the recycled tuneage of All The Right Reasons or the stinker that was The Long Road.
In spite of its successes, you can't help but remember once in awhile that this is indeed still a Nickelback record. The chorus to "S.E.X" is a takeoff of an old joke that every college frat boy has heard or told a thousand times "Sex is always the answer / It's never a question / 'Cause the answer's yes". Groan. Likewise "Never Gonna Be Alone" is a straightforward, boring affair that sounds like it was piecemealed together from "If Today Was Your Last Day" and "Gotta Be Somebody". And overall it just feels a bit too polished. Lange's production is good on the singles, but a bit overdone on the real rockers on the album. It kind of feels like a college dorm that got febrezed a few dozen times before the parents came over. It's clearly dirty and raw, but there's a layer of cleanliness designed to distract you from that. Ultimately it's that distraction that takes away from some of Nickelback's best work to date.
On Dark Horse take an incremental step forward from their past angst-ridden melodramas. It's a very small babystep and the band is still in their comfort zone, but listeners should take their victories where they come. That said, in a year where Coldplay grew up and filled out, Kanye West is channeling 60's soul, and Guns N' Roses are putting a steel toed boot to rock & roll's neck, Nickelback's growth is coming up just a tad bit short.
Final Score: 6.5/10
Nickelback - Burn It To The Ground
Back later with a look at the new Kanye West material and hopefully a look at the newly-leaked David Cook record.
==TJ==
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Today on VLM on the ARC...
NOTE TO THOSE SEEING THIS ON THE HYPE MACHINE: THIS WILL BE THE LAST POST YOU PEOPLE SEE FOR AWHILE. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ, BOOKMARK ME AND COME VISIT THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY!!!
Today on the ¡Viva La Mainstream! radio show...
-Democracy arrives in China.
-3 consecutive Nickelback songs that aren't necessarily awful. Could Dark Horse be the first Nickelback record to get good reviews?
-Kanye remasters "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless" AGAIN. Is this the reverse Chinese Democracy?
-VLM favorites Drive A drop a new song, EP to come in 2009.
-Speculating on the Led Zeppelin reunion sans Robert Plant.
Plus your requests, wishes, and desires. Today at 3PM EDT at radio.arcadia.edu!
Drive A - Are You Blind
(Blogger can lick it. I can PROVE this one's fair game)
==TJ==
Today on the ¡Viva La Mainstream! radio show...
-Democracy arrives in China.
-3 consecutive Nickelback songs that aren't necessarily awful. Could Dark Horse be the first Nickelback record to get good reviews?
-Kanye remasters "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless" AGAIN. Is this the reverse Chinese Democracy?
-VLM favorites Drive A drop a new song, EP to come in 2009.
-Speculating on the Led Zeppelin reunion sans Robert Plant.
Plus your requests, wishes, and desires. Today at 3PM EDT at radio.arcadia.edu!
Drive A - Are You Blind
(Blogger can lick it. I can PROVE this one's fair game)
==TJ==
Monday, November 10, 2008
CHINESE DEMOCRACY HITS ITUNES!!!
In yet another sign of the apocalypse as caused by one W. Axl Rose, iTunes is now accepting pre-orders for Chinese Democracy, the 14-years in the making record from Guns N Roses (or 'Axl Rose and some guys he picked up off the street', to the naysayers). Pre-ordering the album will get you the title track/first single, and the rest of the record will arrive on hard drives on Sunday, November 23rd, 2008; the same day the album is supposed to arrive in Best Buy stores nationwide.
Yes, I plunked down the first $.99 to pre-order the record and get the first single, and will be paying the remaining 9 bucks to get the full download the day it comes out. That said, I still want a hard copy of this sucker, for no other reason than the historical implications of it. Chinese Democracy has become a joke over the last several years, a metaphor for things out of reach up there with unicorns, the ends of rainbows, and four-leaf clovers. If the world does not explode in the next 13 days, Axl Rose just might get the last laugh. Especially given the fact that "Chinese Democracy" is actually a damn good song. The song has a lot in common with the first Guns N Roses ever heard, "Welcome to the Jungle" both in terms of its mood and the excitement that hearing the track generates. Rose's age shows a bit on the track, and it's definitely moodier than the GNR of old. If you haven't heard it yet on the radio or in its numerous leaked forms, a stream is below (courtesy of imeem; I haven't had time to convert my .m4p file yet). Expect this track to show up on this weeks radio show.
No mp3 of this one, since I don't feel like joining Slash, Buckethead and Kevin Cogill on the list of folks who can't get a free Dr. Pepper.
==TJ==
PS: I promise never to get this excited about a pre-order again...at least until Scream finally sees the light of day.
Yes, I plunked down the first $.99 to pre-order the record and get the first single, and will be paying the remaining 9 bucks to get the full download the day it comes out. That said, I still want a hard copy of this sucker, for no other reason than the historical implications of it. Chinese Democracy has become a joke over the last several years, a metaphor for things out of reach up there with unicorns, the ends of rainbows, and four-leaf clovers. If the world does not explode in the next 13 days, Axl Rose just might get the last laugh. Especially given the fact that "Chinese Democracy" is actually a damn good song. The song has a lot in common with the first Guns N Roses ever heard, "Welcome to the Jungle" both in terms of its mood and the excitement that hearing the track generates. Rose's age shows a bit on the track, and it's definitely moodier than the GNR of old. If you haven't heard it yet on the radio or in its numerous leaked forms, a stream is below (courtesy of imeem; I haven't had time to convert my .m4p file yet). Expect this track to show up on this weeks radio show.
No mp3 of this one, since I don't feel like joining Slash, Buckethead and Kevin Cogill on the list of folks who can't get a free Dr. Pepper.
==TJ==
PS: I promise never to get this excited about a pre-order again...at least until Scream finally sees the light of day.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Third Eye Blind Not Making Lattes, Releasing New Music
So we're gonna try something new; every song I post is going to have a stream here. It means that until I figure out something better, nothing I post is going to the Hype Machine, but it's an acceptable loss for the time being. Intelligent users (using Firefox) will know to access the source code for the entry and can access the mp3 from there for downloading purposes. If someone knows a way for me to have my cake, eat it too, and NOT get beaten down by Blogger, I'd appreciate the input. Onto the entry...
Pop quiz everybody: Raise your hand if you thought Third Eye Blind had broken up and become baristas at Starbucks years ago. (Note that I'm raising my hand)
Yeah. We all fail.
Welikeit.indie posted a story early this morning announcing that 90's pop-rock also-rans Third Eye Blind are releasing an EP of the their first new music since 2003's Out of the Vein on November 18th. Red Star will be released as a digital-only package an as a teaser for the album Ursa Major, which is slated for a 2009 release. The album will be released on Third Eye Blind's own label imprint, an offshoot of the Sony/RED label.
The first track from this EP is entitled "Non-Dairy Creamer". It's a slightly quirky look at the general idiocy of life in 21st-century America, with bouncy guitars and Stephan Jenkins's smooth, albeit mostly forgettable voice, leading into a strange acoustic/electric drum segment in the last minute. It's not going to shock the music world too much, but new Third Eye Blind is totally OK by me.
Red Star is due out November 18.
Third Eye Blind - Non-Dairy Creamer
==TJ==
Pop quiz everybody: Raise your hand if you thought Third Eye Blind had broken up and become baristas at Starbucks years ago. (Note that I'm raising my hand)
Yeah. We all fail.
Welikeit.indie posted a story early this morning announcing that 90's pop-rock also-rans Third Eye Blind are releasing an EP of the their first new music since 2003's Out of the Vein on November 18th. Red Star will be released as a digital-only package an as a teaser for the album Ursa Major, which is slated for a 2009 release. The album will be released on Third Eye Blind's own label imprint, an offshoot of the Sony/RED label.
The first track from this EP is entitled "Non-Dairy Creamer". It's a slightly quirky look at the general idiocy of life in 21st-century America, with bouncy guitars and Stephan Jenkins's smooth, albeit mostly forgettable voice, leading into a strange acoustic/electric drum segment in the last minute. It's not going to shock the music world too much, but new Third Eye Blind is totally OK by me.
Red Star is due out November 18.
Third Eye Blind - Non-Dairy Creamer
==TJ==
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
An Important Announcement From Viva La Mainstream
So with the help of reader Michael I was able to piece together why I've had so much trouble getting content to stay up on the blog. He found this article from prefixmag that tells the whole story. The long and short of it is that the RIAA and its European counterparts grabbed Blogger by the balls, and now Blogger has to comply with their wishes. From the looks of it, VLM has gotten it easy; yeah, posts are going down, but at least I had it coming. The comment section shows that folks who post mp3s with the band's permission are still getting crap from Blogger and the RIAA. Once again, something that could have been great is now getting set ablaze by the greedy rat bastards at the RIAA.
What this means for Viva La Mainstream: No, I'm not closing up shop. Just won't give the RIAA the pleasure. From the looks of it, it's gonna be tough continuing the way I have on Blogger. Over the next weeks and months I am going to begin archiving some of the better/more popular posts I've made over the last 18 months, so that they can be saved and posted somewhere else in the near future.
I also just registered a domain name at Wordpress, so if nothing else I might be headed there. More likely, I'm looking (with the help of fellow bloggers feeling the same troubles) at the notion of shelling out the cash to set up shop on my own. The soonest any of this would happen is early 2009, so for the time being I'm just going to tough it out as best I can here while I come up with a decent solution. Regardless of how this tale ends, I want to thank everyone who's ever found their way to this site, be it in search of a review or for an mp3 that the Hype Machine bookmarked, and Gina, who doesn't read this thing, but is indirectly the reason I got started on this blog (she told me in January of 2007 that I needed a hobby).
I'm going to try to post as much as possible in spite of the crackdown, but it probably won't be with the same frequency it was at the beginning of the year until the move to wherever is complete.
==TJ==
What this means for Viva La Mainstream: No, I'm not closing up shop. Just won't give the RIAA the pleasure. From the looks of it, it's gonna be tough continuing the way I have on Blogger. Over the next weeks and months I am going to begin archiving some of the better/more popular posts I've made over the last 18 months, so that they can be saved and posted somewhere else in the near future.
I also just registered a domain name at Wordpress, so if nothing else I might be headed there. More likely, I'm looking (with the help of fellow bloggers feeling the same troubles) at the notion of shelling out the cash to set up shop on my own. The soonest any of this would happen is early 2009, so for the time being I'm just going to tough it out as best I can here while I come up with a decent solution. Regardless of how this tale ends, I want to thank everyone who's ever found their way to this site, be it in search of a review or for an mp3 that the Hype Machine bookmarked, and Gina, who doesn't read this thing, but is indirectly the reason I got started on this blog (she told me in January of 2007 that I needed a hobby).
I'm going to try to post as much as possible in spite of the crackdown, but it probably won't be with the same frequency it was at the beginning of the year until the move to wherever is complete.
==TJ==
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