15-Minute Break Reviews
By Mike SOS
Editor’s Note: Each Tuesday Cube-Side will publish a variety of short reviews by Mike SOS.
ATAKHAMA
EXISTENCE INDIFFERENT
WOODCUT
Rising from the ashes of Funeris Nocturnum, Finnish metal troupe Atakhama strive to combine Eastern European black metal bludgeonings with a discernible Florida-style death metal crunch on EXISTENCE INDIFFERENT, making this nine-track offering a tumultuous yet technically sound disc. Tracks like "Predatory Acts" feature an incessant double-bass drum barrage and an atypical guttural growl that you can actually understand, while the instrumental title track hits levels usually reserved for the likes of Morbid Angel and Zyklon with squelching guitars morphing into a blistering black metal mechanism. Prepare to be blown away by the interesting merger of styles conjured up by Atakhama. www.woodcutrecords.com
DIVIDED BY ZERO
THE BLACK SEA
SIK WORLD
A plethora of hard rock styles collide on Divided By Zero's 15-track offering, giving THE BLACK SEA a lot for the listener to grasp hold of. From the heavier Disturbed by way of Avenged Sevenfold aura of "Double Negative" to the 311-esque funk of "Strike in the Time-Bomb Town" and "Ashes of Armies", this San Diego based outfit manages to churn out some uninspired, slickly produced nuggets ready for modern rock radio airwaves or the speakers of the shopping mall's alternative shops. When the band tones it down such on "The World is Not Mine", they've got a somewhat earthy vibe that truly gets undermined by the nu-metal meanderings of tracks like "Damn the Dream". If you dig Flaw, Buckcherry, and Godsmack and are seeking a super-polished hybrid of these bands rolled into one, THE BLACK SEA is the album you've been waiting for. www.sikworld.com
CRASH ROMEO
MINUTES TO MILES
TRUSTKILL
"Pop rock sensation" Crash Romeo hail from the mecca of pop rock, New Jersey, and play the kind of innocuous power punk that so many faceless acts these days are trying to commandeer. On this quintet comprised of childhood friends' 11-track release, there's a whole lot of hullabaloo for the Warped Tour crowd to gush over, from the huge hooks and synth underlays of "Get Up, Shut Up", the infectious chorus of the title track, and the dance-rock sensibilities displayed on "Hot Commodity". Despite the fact that these guys are undeniably tight and play with a enthusiasm that can't be faked, their whiny style seems to ape Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, and Motion City Soundtrack simultaneously without any real sense of identity of their own, causing many to skip right over MINUTES TO MILES and go to the original source. www.trustkill.com -Mike SOS
IGNITE
OUR DARKEST DAYS
ABACUS
After a six-year hiatus from recording, the rejuvenated Orange County, CA hardcore outfit Ignite come out swinging with a vengeance on OUR DARKEST DAYS. Retaining its signature sound, the 14 tracks that adorn this meaningfully masterful release harken back to the band's salad days without any sense of retread or shame. Instead, tracks like "Let it Burn" and "Save Yourself" carry the same vitriolic virtue and socially conscious slam of much of the band's incendiary works, while the rapid-fire "Are You Listening" displays fast-paced melodic hardcore at its best, with a short, punchy delivery and effectively tinged with an air of reservation. In fact, a lot of this disc is laden with these traits, sans the band's last two tracks, the done to death cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and the out of left field acoustic "Live for Better Days". If Ignite stopped at track 12, they'd have an arguably flawless blueprint of what melodic hardcore should entail. Even with these glitches, OUR DARKEST DAYS far and away does the job, approaching these tracks with true passion and conviction in a genre flooded with new jacks constantly wheeling out half-baked product more concerned with being stylish than providing substance. www.igniteband.com -Mike SOS
ROSES ARE RED
WHAT BECAME OF ME
TRUSTKILL
You know the kind of band that endorses more clothing lines than musical instruments that wears its hearts on its designer shirt sleeves and laments over lost love? Roses are Red are one of those limp-wristed chick friendly rock acts whose 11-track excursion sounds huge thanks to Brian McTernan's expert production. But at the end of the day, despite the rich guitars of "Remember Me" and the tug at the heartstrings feel of "Show Your Eyes", WHAT BECAME OF ME is basically suped-up love songs for the Warped Tour crowd all too eager to flick a Bic for the first time. www.trustkill.com
Review, Fading Trails, Magnolia Electric Co.
By Dan Berkman
Jason Molina is in the process of creating a musical legacy that will last forever. He has given us Songs Ohia; then he created several key solo records like Let me go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go, which was also just released, and now we have Magnolia Electric Co. The band is a backing band that Molina has put together. The group consists of members of The Impossible Shapes and John Wilkes Booze. He decided on adding the band to flesh out his sound a little more than he has in the past. The name he picked for the group tells you what you are in store for. Just to catch people up that don't know: Magnolia Electric Co was the name of the last Songs Ohia album before he put the mantel down. So that kind of clues you in to where he considers this music. This is not a new venture but simply his next step in his musical evolution.
This album, Fading Trails, finds Molina in a much more country-rock mood. That genre in particular is getting a little crowded these days. So to stand out from the pack you have to do something really special and guess what? On Fading Trails that's what you get. Many of people have said that Molina sounds a bit like Neil Young and I can see the comparison. Take a look at “Talk to me Devil, again.” He sounds a lot like Neil Young at his most basic level without his trademark high-pitched quiver when he sings. For most artists even being mentioned in the same breath, as Neil Young is enough, but Molina is on his way to standing on the same strata as the great man himself. A good part about Fading Trails is that Molina has expanded his sound without damaging his old one. Lots of artists claim to expand their sound but really what they do is slam the door shut on what they have done in the past. For every song with drums and bass we get a track with just Molina. Numbers like those on his solo records have a quiet power and a silent beauty about them. You can't put your finger on why songs like “The Old Horizon” will stop you dead in your tracks. It is just simple piano and a vocal, but there is something behind them that just halts you and lets you take the music in. “Spanish Moon Fall and Rise” is a showstopper in the waiting. Not to further the Neil Young comparisons but you can’t think of the song without hearing Neil's 'Harvest Moon' Each of those songs create a picture in your head –drawing you to some front porch out in the west somewhere where the sand gets kicked up by the wind, and the moon shines as bright as can be.
When Molina decides to "kick it up a notch," the results are different but equally beautiful. Songs like “Montgomery” are practically rockers by Molina's standards. With its steady drum beat, clever slide guitar and twinkling piano it is about as upbeat as it gets. The band even at its full flight does not ruin the mood or step over the great lyrics. Just the way he sings "I make my own mistakes on my own time" and "This train is Montgomery bound" will get you ever time. "Lonesome Valley" is fantastic track and one of the few that words cannot describe. It is so arresting, so grabbing that you can do little but listen.
Not only was this music written and performed by such loving hands but also everyone that touched it is a bit of legend in their own regard. Steve Albini recorded part of the album. Albini not only was in Big Black and Shellac, but he has produced many classics records from bands like The Pixies to name only one. Another part of the album was mastered in Abbey Road Studios. Yes, that Abbey Road. Yet another part was recorded in Sun Studios, you know where Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley and thousands of other greats got their start. How cool is it that he got to record there? Lastly, he adds the personal touch as he used to with all of the Songs:Ohia albums, and recorded a bit of the album in his home studio himself. The production at every stage really shines and remains surprisingly constant throughout the album's run. Speaking of the album's run, it is wonderfully laid out. Jason Molina, unlike most artists, has a point to make and that's what he does. There are only nine tracks but all of them are great and well thought out. Dragging it on any longer or forcing any ideas or putting on incomplete songs would have damaged the record. From beginning to end Molina and the boys in Magnolia Electric Co. have you hooked and don’t let go till the end. That is a lot more then you can say for 95% of what gets released.
Magnolia Electric Co's Fading Trails is another wonderful record from an artist that is building his legend. This record along with Let me go, Let me go, Let me go are fantastic testaments to how varied Molina can be while delivering every time. The fact these two albums are coming out so close together is a real treat for Songs: Ohia fans but also should be for anyone that has a soul. These two records are something you are going to be playing for decades. Something to tell the grandkids about…well when they are old enough to appreciate good music. Watch out history, here comes Jason Molina!
Dan is a recent college graduate who received a degree in television and film. He is trying to make his way in this big world and hopes to work in writing and music- two of his passions. In between listening to music and writing reviews, Dan can be found looking for work and watching his beloved Simpsons. He can be reached at danielcberkman@yahoo.com
Ray LaMontagne A League of His Own
By Laura Pease
Tonight, I attended a “MySpace Secret Show” and I found myself just as excited to see who turned out for the show as I was about the performer. Let me tell you, I saw it all. The college students just back in town for the new semester and ready for a party? Check. The photographer always in your way who didn’t understand the need for minty fresh gum (or deodorant for that matter)? Check. Teenybopper girls wearing sparkly logo tees and giggling inappropriately? Check. Middle aged man on the lookout for said teen girls? Check. (I nicknamed him Creepy McPedophile. Needless to say, I had a lot of time to kill in the hour and a half between doors and start of show). But, it has to say something that despite all this diversity of background, age, and general personal hygiene, such a motley crowd could gather together for an artist. Ray LaMontagne is that artist, and for good reason.
LaMontagne’s music is not for the light of heart. His songs are haunting and full of melancholy, not something the typical concertgoer is expecting when headed out to a show. Perhaps this is why LaMontagne recently pulled out of the rest of his co-headlining with Guster. Fans of Guster may not have been ready for the depth and soul that comes out of his music, and, instead of quieting down and listening, chose to ignore common courtesy and talk throughout his set. LaMontagne eventually stormed offstage and chose pulling out of the tour over fighting with the audience. Upon learning this, I understood why so many people at tonight’s show were “shushing” the crowd between songs. A man shouldn’t have to fight to share his gift. He is playing for his own love of music, not to please the masses. For that reason, it seems LaMontagne does not belong in this decade. Watching him, I felt as though I was transported to another era. His voice has a gritty soulfulness that takes me back to the heyday of Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, and even Otis Redding. The days of Woodstock and Vietnam, when music was a tool for the youth of America and men like Dylan fought for what they believed in with their songs. If you’ve ever seen legends such as these live in concert, you’ll understand what it is like to watch Ray LaMontagne onstage.
LaMontagne is in his own world when he plays. Or perhaps he just wishes it that way. Standing in the crowd, I often felt uncomfortable, like I was eavesdropping on an intimate moment. His demeanor is quiet and he does not open his eyes when he sings, as though experiencing the same heartbreak and stirring of his soul each time he breathes life back into his songs. Watching him, I was reminded of the younger days of Jim Morrison, who famously refused to face his adoring crowd in his early years. I feel LaMontagne would have it the same way, if possible. Maybe that’s the hardest part of being a “rockstar”. LaMontagne is a musical genius, but when it comes to sharing his music in front of a packed room, he is reluctant and shy, acknowledging the crowd with an occasional “Thank you” barely audible over the hum of the theater. But there really is no need for LaMontagne to be flamboyant. We have plenty of unnecessary bravado and excess in the current state of modern music. What we need is a real musician and in that, LaMontagne delivers.
Much of LaMontagne’s music is delicate, but don’t be deceived. He’ll melt your heart with Shelter and Trouble, then bust out a rocker, as he did with the highlight of the short one hour set, the rocking Three More Days off his upcoming album Till The Sun Turns Black. His songs are simple, but they hit you hard. He admitted himself when asked to play the old tune Water from the Well that he can’t remember the chord progression, which is surprising because, as he stated, “I use the same chord in every song”. But I think that it is the simplicity of his music that makes such an impact. LaMontagne uses just enough accompaniment to compliment his vocals, no need for the flash and overproduction that plagues modern rock today. What comes through is raw and real and for that, LaMontagne is in a league all his own.
Check out the music of Ray LaMontagne at www.raylamontagne.com or www.myspace.com/raylamontagne and pick up his new album Till The Sun Turns Black in record stores August 29. My advice to you? Catch a show before the rest of the world realizes what they’ve been missing.
Laura recently graduated Ithaca College with a degree in Biology. She now lives and works in New York City in the pursuit of a career in the music industry. Feel free to contact her at Laura760@aol.com.
Review of Putting The Days To Bed
By Christian Klepac
A few years ago, it would have been presumptuous to place John Roderick in the same league as pop visionaries like Bowie, Beck or Neil Diamond. Sure, the Long Winters' first album, The Worst You Can Do Is Harm, was a brave re-imagining of indie rock's far frontiers, but one could wonder if it was a beautiful fluke - one of those art works belonging to a time and place, impossible to replicate. Then came When I Pretend to Fall, which showed Roderick equally at home with goofy rave-ups as with stark ballads of betrayal (although there were still plenty of the latter to go around). Now, with their third album, the Long Winters (who have always been essentially John Roderick and Friends) have reached a point where none can defy their greatness, and where mainstream accolades must only be days or hours away. Right?
"Mature" might be a good adjective for Putting The Days To Bed, if only Roderick had not always sounded wise beyond his years. He specializes in lyrics that are dense, evocative and moody, often swinging from joyful nature boy to menacing wounded lover in the space of a song, if not a single line. When he has a story to tell, it will be told: listen to "Hindsight", where he evokes Elvis Costello in his refusal to fit his sentences into neat verses and choruses. The comparison is just literary, though. Roderick's mellow baritone puts Costello's punk croon to shame. It's one of the best voices in rock music today, and if you don't believe me you haven't heard it.
Roderick's guitar playing has that skronky home-schooled noise that evokes Jeff Tweedy, or Cobain, or any other songwriter who has better things to do than practice his scales. It finds a welcoming home in the Long Winters' lushly ornamented arrangements. They are in many ways a studio band - "Honest" owes some of its effect to a whiff of drifting pedal steel, and there is no shortage of vintage keyboard goodness. At the other end of the spectrum, Roderick continues to tweak his angular, scathing get-you-back songs, and "Rich Wife" boasts a fiery, precise guitar riff that keeps the song aloof while the vocals dish the dirt. In the middle we have a number like "Clouds", which brings together the best of the Winters' sound: earthy, shuffling drums, some picked guitar, a keyboard, and a gorgeous, plaintive melody. "The ground is so proud just to hold us up / We're a kiss away from being dangerous".
Maybe the rest of the world has already caught on to the Long Winters. I'd like to hope so. Whether they "break" nationally tomorrow, or next year seems almost beside the point. The three albums they've made already are enough to secure them a fine place in pop heaven.
Christian works, writes, makes music, and occasionally sleeps in Seattle, Washington.
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Review of Allen Clapp’s Something Strange Happens
By Dan Berkman
Something Strange Happens is an odds and ends collection from singer/songwriter from Allen Clapp. Before we get into the album let's welcome the newcomers to an artist we have been enjoying for all this time. Allen has appeared in his share of his bands. In high school he was in a band with two guys who would later go on to form The Mummies. Also, a former band mate of his, Dan Jewett, would go on to play in The Himalayans which turned into The Counting Crows. Yeah, I know you don't care but I am trying to pepper this introductory class with enough trivia to keep the hardcore fans along for the ride. After that he was part of an acoustic folk duo. Following the duo, he bought a cheap mic from Radioshack and a four track and began writing songs. He recorded an album and then became reacquainted with some of his old bands mates and formed the band that would go to be called The Orange Peels. In between all of this madness Clapp recorded his classic debut, One Hundred Percent Chance of Rain. Some tracks even contradict the title because they are not on four-tracks, but Allen happily admits it on the back of the CD case. He says, "Not actually recorded on a four track."
Now that we are all up to speed we can move forward. This album is a collection of demos, previously unreleased tracks, tracks from comps, seven-inch singles and even two new songs--all right! Allen Clapp has one of those heart-warming nice voices that often gets shoved under the "twee-tree" if you will, but in short he is a fine songwriter, who writes with wit and humor and knows how a pop song is supposed to work. The tracks come from various sources as I said before so it kinda jumps in quality, although no recording is terrible. They all fall somewhere nicely in the middle. The drums rattle a little more then they should, but Clapp's voice can soar above the chaotic recording.
The title track, “Something Strange Happens” is glorious. How was this not a big fat wonderful hit? Allen Clapp could easily be painting himself as this generation's Alex Chilton. For those that don't know, Alex Chilton was the singer/guitarist behind Big Star. Like Alex, Allen is a fantastic pop songwriter who is going criminally unrecognized. Clapp's songs are generally about love and obsessing about it like the fantastic “Mystery Lawn.” Every song sounds like it was crafted to appear on a full length. There is not a song on this album that I would throw away. Songs like “Happy to be Sad” could easily be a hit single for an overblown English pop band.
So the hardcore are probably asking how is the unreleased stuff? Well let me tell you then. Clapp has always been quite a witty writer who knows how to turn a phrase no matter how simple. How great is it that he did a song called “Why is Sting Such an Idiot?" Well our favorite songwriter doesn't disappoint even on unreleased songs. One of the many great tunes is “Flintstones and Honeycombs.” In this song he sings: I didn’t want to go to work today/thought I would stay at home/watch the Flintstones and eat honeycombs all day" Who can't relate to a sentiment like that? It's pure, simple and true. To think that is one of the songs that he didn't release. It's brilliant and a classic already. Another unreleased track, “How Mary Tyler Moore Really Felt” finds Allen playing some piano, and quite well I might add. Although it is an instrumental, the feeling and emotion behind it is so warm that you want to run barefoot in the grass. Songs like "The Way I Feel Today" sound like they are completely finished and radio ready. Clapp’s wonderful voice, simple drum samples, swirling keyboard line, and great lyrics should have sealed the deal for him. The last "new' song "The Girl with the Smile” sounds like it should have been recorded by Aussie pop masters The Lucksmiths or The Go-Betweens. Simple, yet awesome stuff.
In “The Sunset” he masterfully re-writes popular television theme songs like Beverly Hillbillies and Gilligan's Island. A silly idea? Yes. But when you can actually pull it off and make it sound all your own and actually improve on the old lyrics a little, then I am fine with it. Like all things Clapp does, this is done with understated genius and full of wit. Even Clapp's throw-a-ways are better then many band's "hits.” There is no reason why Allen Clapp should not be huge right now and considered a legend. Maybe like Alex Chilton it is going to take a generation of people growing up with his records and then starting their own bands to finally get the credit he deserves. This is the work of a master artist at his best. Hardcore fans will readily welcome these many fine songs into Clapp's canon and new fans will see why their cool friend likes him so much. It's rare that a b-sides/out-takes collection is so good that it can inspire fandom on its own terms. Also included in the album inlay is a sentence or two from Allen telling us about each song, how it came about or some trivia about it.
Dan is a recent college graduate who received a degree in television and film. He is trying to make his way in this big world and hopes to work in writing and music- two of his passions. In between listening to music and writing reviews, Dan can be found looking for work and watching his beloved Simpsons. He can be reached at danielcberkman@yahoo.com
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Super Fan #31...and counting…
By Laura Pease
When I was 16, I bought Before These Crowded Streets by the Dave Matthews Band and it changed my life. I understand that statement in itself is a cliché, but, in all honesty, it’s true. I feel all music lovers have that one album, that one singular moment where their minds were blown open to the worlds of music out there. I’m not saying it was “Listen to Tommy with a candle lit” kind of dramatic, but those eleven tracks opened up a world of possibility to me. DMB led to Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, then Santana, Led Zeppelin, and Bob Dylan. Everything fell into place at my first Dave Matthews concert. It was “An Acoustic Evening with Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds” at Landmark Theatre in Syracuse New York on January 29, 1999. I watched my newfound hero onstage, and I knew I was hooked.
Fast forward seven and a half years later. Last Sunday, I attended my thirty-first Dave Matthews Band show (at Randall’s Island in New York City). Thirty-one shows may be excessive to some, but to real Dave fans, this is a small number. I have “Dave friends” that are in the 40 and 50 range. I may not be at that caliber, but, with thirty-one shows under my belt, I have a lot to compare to the Randall’s show. I was also lucky enough to bring along a friend who had little experience at DMB shows. Bringing a “non-Dave” person to shows can go either way. I got lucky this time, however, and I even caught her looking the same way I must have all those years ago when I experienced my first DMB shows, watching the stage in awe and joining in with the energy of the crowd. Now, on with the show.
The set started off with Everyday. Everyone knows this song from the video, where Judah Friedlander is the “hug guy”, walking around Charlottesville hugging everyone he sees. The song itself is actually a progression from #36, an old fan favorite. Now, I am not a fan of the Everyday album so much. There were a few gems (one of which is When the World Ends, also played at this show), but all in all, not my favorite. The title song, Everyday, is a bit of an exception, if only because of how it is played live. I first experienced this Everyday/#36 duo back on the summer tour of 2002, a moment that has stuck in my mind vividly. Somewhere throughout the tours following the release of Everyday, the crowd began singing lyrics from #36 back to the band, beginning in the opening notes. “Honey honey, come and dance with me” the crowd sings. As Dave continues on with Everyday, the crowd keeps answering back until the end of the song, where Dave finally calls back to us, answering our cries of, “Honey honey, come and dance with me” with his own. It is a moment not soon forgotten by those in attendance, and, by the smile on his face, it seems as though Mr. Dave Matthews enjoys these moments just as much as we do.
The show continued with Pantala Naga Pampa into Rapunzel, then Say Goodbye, a song played pretty sporadically in recent years, making it a treat to hear. The crowd erupted at Stefan’s (Lessard, bassist) opening bass notes of Crush and went wild during Boyd’s (Tinsley, violin) and guest Bela Fleck’s dueling solos on Lie in Our Graves. All in all, a pretty lively set with Sleep to Dream Her being the only real disappoint. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones joined in for Jimi Thing and the set closed with Louisiana Bayou. The crowd went into the essential pre-encore Two Step chant, but the band chose to close with Steady As We Go and Tripping Billies. This was a disappointment to me only because I wanted my newbie DMB friend to experience a live version of All Along the Watchtower, something everyone should experience at some point in their life. The band also broke out two new tunes during the set, Break Free and Can’t Stop, both of which make me excited for the recent work done by the band in the studio. All in all, this Randall’s show was a pretty lively set, great for die-hard fans and newbies alike. Now I’m just awaiting the winter tour and my thirty-second show.
Before I end this column, I feel I need to explain something that has been on my mind for years. Everyone has their opinion of DMB and their fans and, believe me, I’ve heard it all. Some think DMB has sold out or that their shows are all about getting high on the lawn (true for many) or getting wasted with your buddies (true for many more) and not really remembering what went on the next day. This is not the case for me. I go to these shows to really experience the music. You have never seen a band like DMB perform live. These are musicians at the top of their game playing their hearts out every night. It’s hard not to be moved by that. I too after all this time cannot help but be moved. I still get chills at every show, and I still geek out when one of my favorite songs starts to be played. I can’t help it. Those men onstage are my heroes, and they are the reason I have chosen the career path that I have. I have met more people, seen more cities, and lived a more exciting life because of all the shows I’ve been to, be it DMB or others. Music has been the catalyst to leading the life that I want to lead. I have evolved from the shy girl who never talked, to an adventure seeker that has traveled the country in pursuit of live music. Say what you want about DMB, say what you want about me and my love for this band, but, honestly, I don’t care. I’ve heard it for years, even from my closest friends. I guess I can relate it best this way. Everyone takes something with them as they grow up, maybe a security blanket or a family heirloom. For me, it is the music of the Dave Matthews Band.
Special thanks to my gal pal Amanda for using her resources and helping me out in getting tickets to this show.
Laura recently graduated Ithaca College with a degree in Biology. She now lives and works in New York City in the pursuit of a career in the music industry. Feel free to contact her at Laura760@aol.com.
Review of 3rd Party’s Separation of Powers
mixed by DJ Center.
A Collective With Soul
By Campbell Kennedy
There was a five year span of time where I avoided any hip-hop shows on MTV or BET. I believe it was bracketed by the release of Black Star's debut album at one end and TI's Rubberband Man at the other. Suffice it to say, I felt there was a decline in all areas except the bling being displayed, the production costs of look-a-like videos, and the advent of Little John. Needless to say I was a bit depressed and longed for the days of innovation, originality, and well, intelligence.
Enter Separation of Powers, 3rd Party's far from sophomoric second release. This album is a breath of fresh air in the increasingly static, monosyllabic, and gold teeth fronted world of hip-hop. From the first bars of the opening Hear Here I was excited -- something that hasn't happened to me and a hip hop album in a long time.
The three MC's, Hired Gun, Farbeon, and Rabbi Darkside, are not just another indy hip hop group carving out a niche among navel gazing, back packers and b-boy purists. In addition to putting out an amazing album they run the popular Fourth Friday parties at the Bowery Poetry Club. Two of the members are also teachers in the New York City Public school system and recently the trio rocked an hour long freestyle session on WBAI, something that you won't find today's bling encrusted stars attempting. They are living souls sharing their insights, dreams, and social commentary over a lush background of kicks and snares, strings and bass.
Songs like First Bell, Live Right (featuring Mr. Mayday) and Same Old Paradigm recall the feel of late 80's and early 90's hip hop in their warmth of production and beautiful sampling of upright bass, guitar, and funk. Lyrically it brings to mind groups like Dream Warriors and Jurassic Five. However, these aren't throwback tracks. The topics and style are thoroughly 21st century, dealing with topics of racism, corporate government, making ends meet, and the war in Iraq. The three MC's have their own styles ranging from Hired Gun's rapid fire delivery to Farbeon's head nodding salt of the earth rhymes. Yet despite the variety of styles and heavy subject matter, the trio never loses their groove.
The album is mixed smoothly by DJ Center, one of Urb Magazine’s Next 100. He skillfully blends Separations of Powers sixteen songs into a thick tapestry letting the songs build drop and space out. The arrangement of the album itself is unique, aside form the introductory homage to their last release Pressed for Time, each of the MC's rock four solo tracks and come together on four, allowing each to show their own style while at the same time coming together for head nodding tracks like Playback and Best Minds.
Separation of Powers is a reminder of not what hip-hop was, but what it is. As Farbeon says in Same Old Paradigm: "If you are hustling hard/you in it for the business/ probably excel but burn the culture phoenix/ if you are in it for the art/in it for the love/ combustible energies spread your residue out above." Idealistic, a bit, but damn it, it feels so good.”
For more information check out the groups website at www.saywordentertainment.com
Campbell is a freelance writer, historian, musician, and DJ who also enjoys anime and chimichangas.. He is one third of the trio ChaosFrame. You can hear some of his work at www.myspace.com/snakofabass and www.myspace.com/chaosframe . He can be reached at campbell.kennedy@gmail.com
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Review of Blusom's The Metapolation
By Dan Berkman
Man and machine have worked side by side down the centuries. They make our lives easier and are fighting with the canine for the role of “Man’s best friend.” Well nowadays computers are not just cooking our meals, providing us with porn and news from around the globe but they are now being used to make pop music. Mechanical drum beats and computer generated ambient soundtracks are so important that bands have based entire careers around the use of them -- such as Depeche Mode, later Radiohead and Echo and the Bunnymen. But mechanized music is not just from the mainstream. It has worked its way into the independent music scene and helped create hits like The Postal Service’s first record.
Colorado’s own Blusom is very much like this indie tradition. The band is a duo. Mike Behrenhausen sings and plays guitar while his partner Jme provides keyboards, drum samples, and ambient sounds. When the duo work together well they are capable of energetic, exciting, and warm pop music. Mike’s voice is a weird amalgamation that just fits Jme’s contributions. Songs from their second full length The Metapolation, like Mayday, so achingly evoke the summer that it is almost like a hymn to the season. Also on songs like Ticks: Tick, Tick are dreamy layers of folk pop songs with a modern pop twist provided by Jme.
Although for all of their success there are times where the pairing does not fair too well. In between many songs they include a transitional track like The Gossamer Wasp Saves Himself, which is just a ball of loud ambient noise. Not only is it not interesting, but also it ruins the flow of the album. Also there is another track Versus Nightclubbing, which is completely ruined by trying to add an art school flavor to it. They speed up Mike‚s vocals and then throw them wildly off sync, which comes off as a moronic attempt to try something “new.” It seems as if the album does not know if it wants to be an indie relaxer or push the boundaries of noise music, like Brainiac and Eluvium did. This is not to say that Mike doesn’t need Jme, although Mike handles the song Carnival very well by himself. Jme adds flavor to Mike's playing and voice. Mike although a good musician would not be very interesting for a full album simply playing by himself. Jme comes in and shakes up the music and often adds to a depth in it that will guarantee repeat listens.
Sadly for the album as a whole, it struggles with its identity too much to be a huge success. But there are some great songs on there like Mayday, Ticks: Tick, Tick and Midnights and Mornings that will make excellent editions to a mix tape to enjoy the last days of summer with.
Dan is a recent college graduate who received a degree in television and film. He is trying to make his way in this big world and hopes to work in writing and music- two of his passions. In between listening to music and writing reviews, Dan can be found looking for work and watching his beloved Simpsons. He can be reached at danielcberkman@yahoo.com.
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The World’s Greatest Floating Music Festival
By Laura Pease
I have a few confessions. The “real world” scares me. I have musical guilty pleasures that range from Neil Diamond to Fall Out Boy. I’m only twenty-four, still feel like I’m sixteen, but act like I’m thirty (sometimes). Professionalism has become an important theme in my life as I have realized that what I do in the next few years of my life pretty much cements what is to come in my future. Actions have consequences. I miss college (again, sometimes). Back at good old Ithaca College, I could decide not to go to class simply because I saw a few snowflakes and was afraid to drive up the hill in such “hazardous conditions”. Please, I’m from Buffalo and I have actually driven in blizzards, these were not hazardous conditions. I just did not want to sit through another hour of listening to the analysis of the oh-so-interesting genetic make up of Drosophila. And you know what, I’ll admit it. I miss Spring Break. One week where all the worries of midterms and ten page papers melted away amid keg stands and body shots. Now that we’re in the said “real world”, are we still allowed to go on Spring Break?
The Rock Boat (TRB) says, “YES!” loud and clear. And on The Rock Boat, all of these “real world” things are thrown right out the window with your first drink. We’re talking Spring Break for adults and we all know, what happens on Spring Break stays on Spring Break. Well, until now. Here is a typical day on The Rock Boat VI.
A typical day on the boat would make the live music lover drool. Days were spent on the Lido Deck listening to early sets by Wideawake or Getaway Car while sunbathing and drinking pina coladas. At dinner, your crew would often get sat with band members, offering up another chance to talk to your heroes, something not at all uncommon on TRB. Five courses later, it was time for the debauchery to really begin. When the music started, it was all about buckets of Icehouse in hand, clear starry skies above and kickass music straight ahead. Shows started around 5 PM on four main stages, as well as in the Icehouse Lounge, where artists played small acoustic sets for a select audience. Artists played into the wee hours of the morning and offered up such memorable sets as the all-night jam that took place on the Lido Deck. It was like watching “We are the World” come to life right in front of you, with all of your favorite acts playing together on one stage (watch for Josh Kelley wearing what seemed to be the only article of clothing he brought for the trip: His Carnival Cruise bathrobe). Still not tired? Head over to the Promenade bar to have a few drinks with your favorite bands and listen to Francisco Vidal, the hardest working man on the boat. And, as may already be obvious, sleep was pretty much the only thing to be missed on the boat, so BYORB (Bring Your Own Red Bull).
Now, let me make clear just how important The Rock Boat is to its guests. The entire year revolves around this 5-day span for many so-called “Rock Boaters”, making the trip itself all the more enjoyable for someone like me because everyone is there for the love of live music. It is the concert lovers dream come true with a line-up never fails to impress. Last year featured co-founder Sister Hazel, along with veteran rockers Better Than Ezra (don’t miss J-J-J-Juicy), Josh Kelley, and Nashville’s latest and greatest including Matt Wertz, Dave Barnes, and Battle for the Boat winners FLOREZ. This tears line-up on TRB VII sees the return of BTE, Pat McGee Band, Aslyn, and FLOREZ, as well as Collective Soul and Toby Lightman, along with a few more still to be announced (my lips are sealed).
This is all pretty amazing considering The Rock Boat’s humble beginnings. The voyage first set sail in 2001 with only 400 passengers and has grown into a 4 day extravaganza with over 2000 fans, 2 dozen bands and over fifty concerts, all taking place on one of Carnival’s most luxurious cruise liners. TRB has become so popular that, this year, it sold out within days of opening up to the public and the wait list is longer than the wait at Starbucks when they’re giving away free iced coffee (they really did that last week!). So how can you be a part of the fun this year if it’s sold out, you ask? Well, it’s not going to be easy, but here’s a few of my secrets. Visit www.TheRockBoat.com and put yourself on the wait list or try the “Party in my Penthouse” link on TRB’s home page for a chance to win a trip on this year’s boat. Check TRB’s message board for those in need of a roommate (that’s how I found my roommates and we are now all great friends!). Often times, people back out unexpectedly, leaving a spot open just for you! Finally, visit www.sixthman.net or www.TheRockBoat.com for full details on how you can be a part of “The World’s Greatest Floating Music Festival” and check out all the other Sixthman events coming to your area. The Rock Bus (www.therushenergyrockbustour.com) featuring the Zac Brown Band and Wideawake should be rocking through a city near you shortly if you really need a fix.
But seriously kids, that’s all for now. I mean, I can’t tell you all my secrets. Sometimes, what happens on The Rock Boat stays on The Rock Boat.
Laura Pease recently graduated Ithaca College with a degree in Biology. She now lives and works in New York City in the pursuit of a career in the music industry. Feel free to contact her at Laura760@aol.com.
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Hickey's Various States of Disrepair
By Dan Berkman
Some bands just have this weird side to them. They are talented enough and smart enough but still managed to sabotage themselves. The primary example of this is The Replacements. The legendary Minnesota punk band who would get trashed before key gigs, even with a bass player who was not old enough to drive. They would play sets of all country covers to hardcore crowds in Hermoisa Beach, and then they would turn up their amps and feedback so loud that they scared everyone out of the room at a CBGB's show packed with industry types.
Led by singer/guitarist Matty Luv, the boys in Hickey trashed their way through the over crowded California punk scene. Making a name for themselves not only by making great music but with a series of outlandish stunts. Hickey released a split with the Voodoo Glow Skulls-without their input. After playing a show with The Voodoo Glow Skulls, the band bagged on Epitaph, the label which Voodoo Glow Skulls were on, for commercializing punk rock. After ranting and raving for a few hours they were eventually thrown out of the club. Not before stealing a trumpet that belonged to Glow Skulls. So for the Voodoo Glow Skull's side of the split, Hickey played the trumpet backed by angry and often homophobic answering machine messages from The Voodoo Glow Skulls and Epitaph staffers. The whole thing is not available on this collection, but one answering machine message is played before Make Sure There Aren't Any Squares at my Funeral.
Hickey's sound was very much like the early Replacements -- high octane songs, shouted vocals, and sincere ideas played off as jokes (For example, Make Sure There Aren't Any Squares at my Funeral and the twisted love song Happily Ever After.). What is more shocking than Hickey's deeds is the high recording quality of their songs. Also shocking is the fact that the band can actually play, and that Matty Luv was a good guitar player (seen at the beginning of Hickey is About Long Hair and Getting High, The Naked Cult, and Havanna a Hard Time) and lyricist (The Naked Cult). Matty Luv even comes away with a great quote in the song Everyone’s a Whore when he sings “life is cheap but living is expensive” before ripping into a rocking song-it really makes you see the human side of these good time jokers. Nothing these guys did was glamorous: they were basically homeless and drug addicts. Matty Luv died of a drug overdose in 2002, which broke up the band.
After Matty Luv's passing, like with the passing of all great artists, they finally get recognized. Hickey’s back catalog of two albums has been purchased and re-released to the public by 1-2-3-4 Go! Records. Also a singles and compilation track album Various States of Disrepair was released. This album contains everything the average Hickey fans need. Their cult classic songs are obviously represented The Naked Cult, Everyone’s a Whore and Last Night in a Planet, alongside live takes of Happily Ever After and Prettiest Junkie in Town. Both of the songs showcase what a fine live band they were. Also what is evident is how much fun the boys in Hickey had on stage. Matty Luv even claims: "I don't know about you but I think we're fucking great!"
I don't know why they didn't just release their two albums together along with the compilation tracks, much like Chunksaah Records did with their Sticks and Stones anthology. The compilation CD is not even that comprehensive. It misses a couple of covers and other odds and ends. It's nice to have so much Hickey in one place but it would be nice if they were more honest about what you’re getting. If you are new to Hickey this is definitely the album to get. If you absolutely love the album then you can dig even deeper into their material, all of which is of the same fine quality.
Dan is a recent college graduate who received a degree in television and film. He is trying to make his way in this big world and hopes to work in writing and music- two of his passions. In between listening to music and writing reviews, Dan can be found looking for work and watching his beloved Simpsons. He can be reached at danielcberkman@yahoo.com.
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The Adored's A New Language
By Dan Berkman
Pop-punk has gotten a rather bad name in the last decade or so. The term has come to apply to bands like Blink 182, New Found Glory and Yellowcard. But back in the 80's, pop-punk was just as dangerous as any form of punk rock. The artists making the music were smart enough to know that words like "pop" and "single" aren't dirty words. Bands like The Jam, Generation X, The Undertones, and The Buzzcocks took a lot of flack for their choices and their "hits" from fellow musicians, but the end result were classic songs that will far out live many of their detractors' music. Their songs were just good no matter if they charted or not. You can't tell me songs like The Jam's In the City, The Buzzcocks Autonomy or Generation X's Ready Steady Go are not damn fine and fun songs. Well if you don't agree with me at least Southern California's The Adored are on my side.
These young lads have just released their first full-length album for V2 records called A New Language. The language may not be entirely new, but it’s sure a breath of fresh air. The Adored clearly know their history, creating a sound that mixes the anthem like vocals of Generation X, the smart pop sensibilities of The Jam thrown in a blender with the attitude of the Buzzcocks to make one fine product. It's the kind of album that artists seem to have stopped making. Everything about their album screams "joy, joy, joy"-- more than an old Ren and Stimpy cartoon. There is very little variation in the album's tunes, but when you are rocking this hard, who really cares? Each track on this album sounds like a single, with anthem choruses, sing along vocals, simple lyrics, and great guitar textures. They also pace their album well, no bloated guitar solos, no drum solos and no songs over 3 and half minutes. It's like a scientist cooked this up in a lab to be a success. Every song has reason to be called the lead single. If this album gets in the right hands songs like We Don't Want You Around and Tell Me Tell Me could easily be the hits of the summer. The only negative thing I can say is that the amazing song, I Don't Care from their debut EP did not make the final cut for the album. The band seems to be on such a songwriting roll that they don't even need it. The band is so good that even their heroes are starting to take notice. Pete Shelley, lead singer and guitar player for The Buzzcocks, not only sang on a couple of songs on their debut EP but invited The Adored out on the road to tour with them.
Kudos to V2 for picking an excellent time for this album to come out. It is clearly a summer/fun party record. Something that demands to be blasted with the windows down while driving to the beach or to the venue for a show. With A New Language The Adored are picking up the retro rock flag from The Exploding Hearts and could easily carry it up the charts. This is a band that it is set to explode, so see them in small clubs while you still can. The writers love them, their fans love them, even legendary bands love them, and if I have my way you will too. This will easily make my top 5 list at the end of the year.
Website: Http://www.theadored.com
Myspace: Http://www.myspace.com/theadored
Dan is a recent college graduate who received a degree in television and film. He is trying to make his way in this big world and hopes to work in writing and music- two of his passions. In between listening to music and writing reviews, Dan can be found looking for work and watching his beloved Simpsons. He can be reached at danielcberkman@yahoo.com.
Review of Cursive’s Happy Hollow
By Dan Berkman
I was talking to my friend in the kitchen the other day. While we were talking he asked me if I had heard the new Cursive album yet. I shook my head and asked him the quite loaded question, "Is it any good?" He took a moment and said,” Remember everything you loved about Cursive...." I immediately thought back to the discordant beauty of their last two albums "Domestica" and "The Ugly Organ". I thought of Tim Kasher's honest poetic lyrics, his beautiful yet ragged voice that sounds amazing either screaming or singing sweetly and the amazing musicianship they have exhibited in the past. Just as I was thinking this he said, ”Well all of that is totally absent here." I was shocked but decided to track it down for myself and slowly but surely I found that he was absolutely right.
Before "Happy Hollow" was even recorded a black cloud seemed to hangover the band. First celloist Gretta who had been a key part of their last two releases quit the band. Following that the band went on a hiatus of several months before reforming. Although somewhat of a bad start it was not the worst that can happen. Much of singer/songwriter Tim Kasher's best music comes from his pain. The heart breaking classic "Domestica" was written as his marriage was falling apart and as he was losing custody of his child. Their last album "The Ugly Organ" was written primarily by Tim while he was in the hospital recovering from an injury. So maybe the ultimate black cloud over the album was there was no real black cloud in Kasher's life.
One of the first things that you notice when you hit play on the album is the truly discordant nature of the songs. Cursive has always been known for including off kilter bits of reverb, wrong notes, and all kinds of phantom distort ion to heightened key emotional parts of the music, but never like this. Instead of feeling emotional like part of him is breaking, it just seems wrong. The discord is never relieved by any pretty section; it is like a train that keeps on coming. This kind of style was hinted upon on their last album "The Ugly Organ" on tracks like "The Gentlemen Caller" The reason that track works is that it mixes the two styles together instead of hitting you again repeatedly with the same things. Replacing cellist Gretta on this album is a horn section. The cello seemed to compliment the dark attitude of their songs. While as on "Happy Hollow" the horns make you scratch your head because they come so out of left field. They don't seem to fit or to work at all with the music. Tim Kasher also seems quite tired on this album. His trademark growling scream at certain key moments has been reduced to a high pitched girlish screech, which totally takes you out of the songs especially when he is trying to build tension.
Another frightening revelation about the album is the band rarely turns out anything new. The same style and formula is repeated again and again. It screams to be one of those albums you either take or leave. There is no two ways about it. The music is so discordant (do you mean discordant?) that if you find it off putting no amount of good vocals or good lyrics will save it for you. Even if it possibly could Tim does not deliver lyrically very much at all. The album, like so many of their records, is kind of a concept record. This one is all about the so-called "American Dream" The concept drags it down. His comments on the American Dream are nothing new, nothing someone else couldn't have done and better. The songs don't feel personal to him at all. Several songs on the album are about "the war" and even though it is an important issue it is so common of rock records these days. It drags the band further down into the common realm of rock bands. Also, songs like "So-So Gigalo" about a down and out actor in LA who is forced to the streets are better reserved for artists like Bright Eyes. Plus, the whole idea of raging against the "American Dream" is “so high school”, like being in a punk band and screaming about how much you hate the president.
Do I completely hate this record? No, I don't. There are a few little gems like "Bad Sects" which seems like a Good Life b-side (Tim Kasher's side project band). Will fans of the previous Cursive records be disappointed? More than likely they will. You are either along for the ride or you are not just plain and simple. Great art usually comes from great inner pain like in the works of Picasso, Keats or Bukowski. It's really a shame that it has to be that way but it just seems to work better for Cursive when Tim Kasher is unhappy. I wish him only the best but it makes me wonder if, along bands like Weezer, they should have stayed on hiatus because their "comeback" is ruining the legacy that their past records have created.
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