Happy New Year!

May your New Year be one big intergalactic jam-fest.



Here is to a new year of:
1-relearning how to play the guitar
2-living healthier
3-a new kid, car, home... ulcer?

Eye Candy

Well, not in that sense.

Can you name the song that inspired this art?


Well, not in that sense. Can you name the song that this art was largely inspired by?

Digital Poodle

Of all the awful band names out there... well this is one of them. Yet, the name tells a story. Having formed in Toronto in 1987, the name alludes to two things. 1, a forward thinking philosophy. "Digital" was very futuristic at the time. 2, "Poodle" being a send up to their Canadian brethren, Skinny Puppy, the leaders of industrial music at the time. They didn't last long and produced only two full studio albums, but they did make some fun pounding, synthesizer rich, driving, and dancy industrial music. Think early nin without the rock song structures and melodic vocals. Work Terminal is a pretty solid effort. Great stuff to write report card comments to, believe it or not. In fact, I spent part of the day listening to Digital Poodle while writing report card comments by the light of the Christmas tree. And somehow it was so right.

It's That Time of Year

With the turkey scraps barely cleaned from the plates, the Christmas music is already chiming in. As an adult sharing the joys of these tunes with my children, I'm listening to them with a bit more scrutiny and realizing just how bazaar some of these songs are.

In the midst of old and new holiday songs on the radio yesterday, along came "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa" performed by Andy Williams. What a ridiculous song! The song is told from the perspective of a child who stumbles upon his mommy kissing Santa. And at the sight of this, he finds pleasure and amusement. He even muses at the notion of "what a hoot it would have been, if Daddy had only seen." What? I don't know what kind of liberal family this is, but "hoot" is hardly the term that comes to mind when think of my father walking in on mom and another man smooching. I'm pretty sure that "hoot" is not the word that would be used in the police report either.

And then there is "The 12 days of Christmas." The last time I heard there was only one day of Christmas. And this true love person has a twisted sense of what would be an appropriate gift.

12 drummers drumming? OK.
11 pipers piping? OK.
10 lords a leaping? WTF?
9 ladies dancing? I like where this is going.
8 maids a milking? Woah, woah woah. What kind of kinky freak are we dealing with?
7 swans a swimming? Aren't swans extremely aggressive?
6 geese a laying? Um, eggs are good I guess and I like birds.
5 golden rings? 5? 5 rings? Who did you rob?
4 calling birds? More birds?
3 french hens? I know that I said I like birds once, but isn't this a little overboard?
2 turtle doves? Enough with the birds!
1 partridge in a pear tree? At least it's a place to put all the birds. That's a whole lot of poop to clean off those pears, though.

SOTD - Low - Breaker

Low are the ultimate punk band. Not in sound, but in theory. The idea of punk is to push what is expected and challenge listeners to open their minds to perceiving music in new ways. When Low formed in the 90's, there were a number of bands imitating the the sound of the original punk movement. Copying the fast tree chord rock song was very punk in the late 70's when the status quo was ostentatious rock epics, disco, and wimpy ballads. The grit and energy was original and new. Twenty years later, not so much.

Anyway, Low took the spirit of of punk and and pushing against the flow. When fast and loud and dumb were the big thing, they decided to form a band that would be slow, quiet, and smart. There songs were dead slow and painfully soft and haunting. Repeated listens would reveal the beauty of the simple harmonies and human imperfections.

Their sound developed and changed over time, but the impact has been constant. In 2007 they released Drums and Guns with the song Breaker on it. The organ hums and the track is carried by a simple hand clap, but then the lyrics are violent and even scary. the song is so provocative in its ability to take your mind all sorts of places. Then there is the video... This is one of the few videos that actually adds to the artistic impact of a song. Like Low themselves, the video is simple and straight forward, but the video creates such a level of unease that perfectly suits the song despite the fact that the content has nothing to do with the lyrics.

Breaker

Their Christmas album is one of my favorites as well. The time to bust it out is near.

Dreamology

October 28th came and delivered the two albums that I have been anxiously waiting for over the past month. I have been a huge follower and supporter of the careers of The Cure and Ryan Adams over the years.

Each time anew album is presented by these artists, it is met with the same enthusiasm on my part. Thus, I waited until I had some time to absorb them and get over the initial excitement before I chose to write about these two albums. I have been listening to both ferociously and I still can’t get enough. Neither disappoints.


Cardinology is a laid back Cardinal effort. It is akin to Cold Roses in its kind of Grateful Dead feel. It is an album that isn’t afraid to blend aspects from numerous influences in subtle ways. Every song has its hook that sticks in your head and many of them build to triumphant endings. The band sounds so natural and intimate with how the guys play together and blend their instruments and voices. It is a complex album that feels quant. It is just fantastic.


4:13 Dream is the best Cure album since Wish. Dropping Roger O’Donnell and Perry Bammont for the return of Porl Thompson was the best career move that they have made, possibly ever. The three albums that they recorded after Porl’s departure didn’t hold up to the work that they had done with Porl. These felt a little phoned in. The songs were there, but the performances lacked energy. Porl’s return brought not only his fiery guitar squalls, but also a passion in Robert Smith’s performance. The songs are familiarly Cure songs without sounding like repeating songs that they have already written. It is complex and grand. Fantastic also.

Strengths in common:
Production! Both albums present a variety of types of songs, but there is a tone and texture established on each that tie all of the songs together to collectively form a bigger movement that is the album as a whole. This is something that both artists have struggled with trying to achieve on many of their albums. Cardinology achieves it through a stripped down, live in studio feel. 4:13 Dream achieves it through dense production and layering. The latest Cure album feels like a Wish or Disintegration era album.

Weaknesses in common:
Terrible album names and artwork. Cardinology is just a cheesy title, especially for an album by a group named the Cardinals. 4:13 Dream tries to be profound in its reference to the recently scaled back band of 4 members making their 13th album, but it is not very artistic. As for the artwork… well, take a look.

iLove the internet

I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of two albums set to drop by two of my favorite artists (on the same day none the less): Ryan Adams and The Cardinals as well as The Cure. Come October 28, don't call the Vesneski house because we won't be answering. In the meantime I have been treated to numerous live recordings featuring the new songs. On top of that, The Cure played a show in Rome that featured the entire new album in order and filmed it. The entire thing is up on youtube as well as various other trading sites. Now Ryan has posted the entire new album on iLike. They both sound great. Then again, they would to me.

Check them out!

Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within

Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within is one those albums that has been a stronghold on that list of albums to bring if stranded on a desert island. This live album is kind of like a best of (minus a few classics). The tracks are pretty evenly split between Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry songs. It is just such a beautiful album and the live versions of the songs capture a depth of sound that they never reached in the studio. They do a wonderful job blending world, ambient, goth, and ambient elements into their own sound. I have been listening to this quite a bit lately and just love it. There was a sister video released with the album that documented the same show. Here are a few of my favorites.

Rakim
Cantara
American Dreaming

... And The Other One

The other song that I just can’t get enough of will officially be released tomorrow as a digital single from iTunes and the likes. Ryan Adams and The Cardinals have been playing “Fix It” live quite a bit lately and it is classic Ryan Adams heartbreak rock.

Studio Version (cut)

The new Cure and Cardinals albums both land on October 28. Until then, the singles and bootlegs will have to do.

I absolutely love both of these bands and highly recommend either of them to anyone that loves music. They both make fantastic albums, but the real magic happens on stage. Any live recording of either of these groups comes highly regarded by yours truly. It's worth a visit to their fan sites.

http://www.ryanadamsarchive.com/? is a great spot for information and downloadable shows.

http://craigjparker.blogspot.com/ is like the bible for info on the Cure. They often put up links to cool live stuff as well. No torrents though :(.

The Perfect Pop Song

The Ear Candy holding pattern persists. Life in Rutneski Land has been quite hectic with Carley working now and our mad scramble to make sure that we have battened down all of the hatches before the winter season is upon us. I may have been neglecting my Ear Candy duties in this time, but my time listening to music has not been compromised in the slightest.

There are two songs that I have just been in love with recently. Yes, if you know me, you can probably predict the artists. No surprises here.

Today I want to talk about The Perfect Boy by The Cure. It was the final of the four pre-album singles released this summer. I enjoy most everything that the Cure puts out, but there are some songs that just rise above. This song could easily go down as one of their best singles. Live version.

It is a perfect pop song. It’s catchy as hell. Robert is adept at capturing a moment in time as well as the euphorically gleeful sense of infatuation. Robert also loves to implore broad innuendos that run the risk of being too vague or directionless. Not so here. All the references, but one are obtuse; yet narrow enough to make their sentiments clear. (Your take on the “Laurel Kismet Hardy” line is as good as mine)

In the first verse he takes on the voice of the female hopeless romantic. Her sentiments are unapologetically optimistic and deliberately naïve. “Oh Girl, He Is The Perfect Boy.”

The second verse takes on the voice of the male that is less idealistic and plays off of the female’s confessions with just enough of a tweak to the language to turn her forever ideals into his for-now seductions. “Oh Girl, He’s Not So Wonderful.”

And in light of the dismissed romanticism our heroin sees us out with an unscathed and boundless hope of finding The Perfect Boy.



THE PERFECT BOY

“YOU AND ME ARE THE WORLD”
SHE SAID
“NOTHING ELSE IS REAL
THE TWO OF US IS ALL THERE IS
THE REST IS JUST A DREAM…
ALWAYS MEANT TO BE
I CAN FEEL IT
LIKE A DESTINY THING
WRITTEN IN THE STARS
INESCAPABLE FATE
Yeah IT’S OUT OF MY HANDS
FALLING INTO YOUR ARMS”

“AND I DON’T WANT TO GET INNOCENT
BUT I WOULD LOVE YOU TO TAKE MY TIME
WE'RE ON THE EDGE OF A BEAUTIFUL THING”
SHE SAID
“COME ON…
LET’S STAY HERE FOR A WHILE”

Oh GIRL!
HE IS THE ONE FOR SURE
Oh GIRL!
HE IS THE PERFECT BOY

“Yeah ME AND YOU ARE A WORLD”
HE SAID
“BUT NOT THE ONLY ONE I NEED
THE TWO OF US IS NEVER ALL THERE IS
THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN FOR REAL
IF IT WAS MEANT TO BE US
IT WAS MEANT TO BE NOW
DON’T SEE THE SENSE IN WASTING TIME
IF YOU’RE SO SURE ABOUT THIS
LAUREL KISMET HARDY THING
YOU KNOW TONIGHT YOU’RE MINE”

“AND I DON’T WANT TO GET OBVIOUS
BUT I HAVE TO BE GONE BY THREE
WERE ON THE EDGE OF A BEAUTIFUL THING”
HE SAID
“SO COME ON…
JUMP WITH ME”

Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT THE ONE FOR SURE
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT SO WONDERFUL
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT THE ONE FOR SURE
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT THE PERFECT BOY AT ALL

“YOU AND ME ARE THE WORLD”
SHE SAYS
“NOTHING ELSE IS REAL
THE TWO OF US IS ALL THERE IS
THE REST IS JUST A DREAM… ”

AND HER HEART MAY BE BROKEN
A HUNDRED TIMES
BUT THE HURT WILL NEVER DESTROY
HER HOPE…

THE HAPPY EVER AFTER GIRL
ONE DAY FINDS THE PERFECT BOY

Benny Lava!

The internet is filled with all sorts of wacky stuff. The wackiest stuff has to come from India.

Thriller

Benny Lava

Sadly, the videos are even funnier without the subtitles.

Feeling Dandy

Summer is over and it is back to work. August was filled with all sorts of wonderful tunes.

The Dandy Warhols – Earth to…
I don’t think that I have read a single good thing about this record. Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Blender all gave the most recent effort from Portland’s finest some of their lowest ratings. All of their reasons are true. A good deal of the lyrical wit is gone. There are some clear pop singles that don’t have the solid hooks that previous singles have had. There are some random genre shifts, but is that really a bad thing? If you have followed the Dandys, this is the path that they have been on since “13 Tales From Urban Bohemia.” They have been indulging in their whims and obsessed with making cool hipster psychedelic music since then. If you like them for what they are about, then this is a great album. Even more so, this is their first independent release since their mid nineties debut. Corporate constraints are no longer pushing the pop single. What it comes down to is it’s fun, much like all of their other records.




Tricky – Knowle West Boy
I thought that Tricky was done. He fell off the radar for a few years. This album snuck its way into record stores and online sites. And what a pleasant surprise. It is just fantastic. The trip-hop feel is still there, but in a far more organic way with some bluesy influences.




The Rolling Stone – More Hot Rocks
I recently picked up the sister compilation to the quintessential Stones collection, Hot Rocks. Like Hot Rocks, More Hot Rocks focuses on The Stones through the early seventies. Although this collection is weak compared to it’s counterpart, it is still a fun ride and interesting perspective on the roots of one of the greatest rock bands ever. A number of cover songs serve as a reminder that they had their own idols and were initially, just another rock band in the early stages of their career.

The reunion pt. 2

What is the true value of the reunion?

The notion of what could have been is as powerful as what already has been.

Recently, the Police reformed to take on a world tour that netted record profits. All of the original members got back together and they put together a solid nostalgia set for their long lost fans to reminisce to. Despite the astronomical ticket prices, I support this effort. Yes, it was a ploy to make some money, but the bulk of their audience is middle-aged people that are obviously willing and able to dish out a few Franklins in order to relive that 80’s vibe. The expectations were clear from the beginning; pay us lots of money and we will give you what you want. They did their tour and have once again, gone their separate ways. Their legacy is left intact. People still don’t know what more they could have offered.

There are acts that start like this, and then try to take it further. These are dangerous waters. Fleetwood Mac and The Bauhaus went out as legends with solid legacies. Each of these acts reformed in the late nineties for tours much like The Police (minus the outrageous ticket prices). Each then put out a live disc documenting the tour. Great! I love them both. That was great, but then they gave in to the temptation to add a new chapter to each of their stories. A comeback is a dangerous thing. A mediocre comeback can scar your reputation in the eyes of history. Fleetwood Mac’s Say You Will maintained and lived up to their reputation. Bauhaus’ Go Away White, written as a long overdue swansong, really brings their integrity into question.

When you are part of a disbanded legend, there is an unspoken expectation that whatever you were doing that was so great was going to get even greater. If you reform and put out an album that is just as good as the one that people remember you for, then that is the least that people expect. That is a very high and impractical standard to meet. From what I’ve heard of comeback discs, the ones that hold up the best are often the ones that take the music somewhere it hasn’t gone yet and often are met with skepticism by die hard fans.

How to make it work:
Say You Will blended classic Mac type songs that sit perfectly next to their songs from 20 to 30 years ago with songs that sound new. There is some real poppy stuff as well as some noisier stuff that reflects what Lindsey Buckingham has been up to on his own. It is a solid record that maintains their reputation and puts them in a position to either move forward or call it a day again without marring their place in rock history. Moving forward and adding new elements is key. Skinny Puppy broke up in the mid nineties under the duress of drug addictions, a tragic death, and a record label that abandoned them. The two remaining members went their own ways and grew artistically through their own projects. When they reformed in 2004 and brought all that they have learned over the past decade to the table, they created the most focused and brilliant record of their career.

How not to make it work:
Go Away White sounds remarkably like what the Bauhaus were doing during their short career in the early eighties. This would have been great if it were 1983. I like it, but it answers the question, “what more could they have done?” with a less than stellar answer: not much. Jane’s Addiction did the same thing. They retired as alternative rock gods. When they reformed and recorded a new record that was ok, it left the listener thinking, “Oh, I guess that was all they had to offer.” The question of what could have been is answered with a definitive answer, which is never a good thing. The Eagles also recently reformed and recorded an album of songs railing against the trappings of corporate America. And they released it exclusively through Wal-Mart. The fact that their comeback is a faux stand up to the man effort completely shatters their reputation in my eyes. It could be two discs of the best songs ever written, but it will still be a zero for its lack of integrity and sincerity.

The Beatles, Nirvana, The Doors, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Tupac Shakur, Bob Marley and the Wailers, etc. These are all groups that will never reunite due to a lack of key members that are living. Because of this, their reputations are all the stronger. They are not only maintained by what they have done, but they are further immortalized by the notion of what they might have gone on to do but never will. They have never had to reach the point of revealing the fact there was nothing left to offer. If Curt Cobain had not killed himself and put Nirvana back together for a new album, I don’t think that his reputation as a genius would hold as well as it has and is set to.

As a general rule of thumb, the reunion isn’t a good idea long term. A band is really a complex relationship. When that relationship goes bad and you break up, it is kind of like milk that has soured. When it is bad, you throw it out. You don’t put it back in the fridge and hope that it will be better tomorrow.

Two Worlds Collide

It isn't often that I find connections between my professional life and my personal interests (music especially). I work in the land of The High School Jonas Montanas Musical. It's a far cry from what I tend to prefer.

That is why I was so excited to discover this article about a new children's book based on a song from one of the best independent albums ever. Good Morning Captain is the closing track to Slint's most notable album Spiderland and now the premise of a children's book.

Spiderland laid the ground work for many art rock acts to follow in nineties. Their minimal sounding production and melodically slow builds to bombastic endings strongly influenced acts like Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and Pelican.

Awesome!

The Reunion - pt. 1

I’m reaching a point in my music *fanship where I have not only seen bands come and go, but now I am seeing many of those bands come again. But, to what avail? My feelings on this subject run hot and cold and I would like to come to some sort of conclusion as to the true value of “The Reunion.”

First off, the topic needs to be subdivided. There are various types of reunions.

1.There are the nostalgia reunions: bands that get back together to relive the past either with a tour or one or two special event concerts. These are often accompanied by some sort of live album documenting the incident.
2.There are the reunions where a band actually tries to get back together and pick up where they left off. They record new material and take the music on the road.
3.There are the studio reunions. This is where a band gets back together (either literally or remotely) and records a few new tracks and that’s about it.
4.Lastly, there are the career *reunioners. the bands that seem to be constantly breaking up and reuniting.

I think that this covers most of the reunion scenarios. Let me know if I missed something. I look forward to digging deeper into the specifics of this topic in the days to come.

*Fanship – one’s tenure as a fan
*Reunioners – individuals that take part in a reunion

The Presets - Apocalypso

Prior to my pitchfork, amazon, emusic, and i-tunes days, I used to discover music the old fashioned way. I would go out and find it. I would go to clubs based on the DJ playing that night. I would hang out in record stores talking to people and scanning for interesting cover art. I would sit in the isle at the book store and read the music reviews of all of the music magazines. WestConn had a radio station that turned me on to many great songs and artists. My favorite means of discovering music was to grab a cup of coffee and spend an hour or two surfing the listening stations in a Borders or Virgin Records. A number of factors changed the way in which I find music. The biggest being the internet. Music hunting is now at my fingertips 24/7. The other being that it is hard to justify that time spent browsing for music as a husband, father, and homeowner. Thus, when I have the chance to shop the old way and it produces and great find, the discovery is all the more special.

This is part of why I am so infatuated with this album. I discovered The Presets on a listening station at Virgin Records. The cheesy cover art (reminiscent of Daft Punk) and album title caught my eye and the samples sealed the deal. The Presets sound exists somewhere between Depeche Mode’s more industrial dance music, The Rapture’s style of instigating a party, and The Faint’s Danse Macabre. It is a techno album that throbs and commands movement on the dance floor. Furthermore, they are able to find a happy medium between taking themselves too serious and being too silly. The industrial/dance genre is a tricky area to take part in. Being too serious results in music that sounds way to self important and thus goofy. Even though it can be dark and heavy, it is still dance music. It is not the setting for overtly profound wisdom. On the other hand if it is too light or silly, it comes off, again, as goofy or else just meaningless. The end result is a rockin’ dance party. Get down like it’s 1996!!!

It has been a very long time since I have been this excited by any electronic dance music. In the nineties, I lived on this industrial/dance type stuff, but the genre grew stale almost as quickly as it appeared on the scene. Coming across an album like this that not only rekindles life in the genre, but takes it a step forward is so refreshing.

Enjoy. Play it loud!

On their webpage a window pops up that will play songs and videos. I suggest checking out "My People"

More Free Stuff

It has been a while since I've posted and there is lots to report. In the meantime, we did a little more house cleaning and uncovered some more discs that we are looking to pass on to new homes. It's a free for all, so first come, first serve.

Sneaker Pimps - Becoming X. trip hop stuff

Common Threads - Songs of the Eagles. country covers of Eagles songs

Ten Fold - Bored in Tustin. some of the OC's finest

Sugar - Favorite Thing. single

Winter Solstice On Ice. new age christmas music
anonymous 4. celtic christmas music

Tori Amos - Strange Little Girl. her covers album

Mortal Kombat - Soundtrack. late 90's metal

Lunasa - Otherworld. traditional irish music

Green Day - Dookie. early 90's alternative

Everclear - Sparkle and Fade. early nineties alternative

Garbage - Queer. single

Macy Gray - 4 song sampler. very raspy pop

The Cure - The Head On The Door. The Cure circa 1985. It includes Inbetween Days, A Night Like This, and Close To Me. It's a good mix of their pop and dark capabilities.

The Glove - Blue Sunshine. A side project of Robert Smith and Steve Severin. If you like early Siouxsie stuff, this is not too far off. The woman that they enlisted to sing sounds a lot like she wants to be Siouxsie.

Portishead - Portishead. Trip hop masters!!! Chill, cool, and sexy.

Moby - Play. Whether you think you know Moby or not, unless you have lived under a rock, you are familiar with at least holf of the tunes on this album. It is his best post-rave effort.

Lords of Acid - Voodoo You. Hard rockin' techno with x-rated lyrics. Loud and silly, but not for the faint of heart.

The Cure – MSG 6-20-08

Underneath The Stars @ Madison Square Garden



There is so much to say about this show. Where to start is the dilemma. The performance I guess…

The Cure were at the top of their game. The main set ran for two hours and the three encores stretched the show to run for three hours total. Not one minute was wasted. The show gave The Cure’s career a fair and balanced representation. They opened with a few languid and jangely pieces that claimed all of the space in arena as nothing other than Cure territory. From there they delivered pockets of infectious pop songs, oppressive doom and gloom, more jangely spacious numbers, hard rocking pounders, silly dance tunes, and finally a set of early post punk brilliance. Thirty years of songs and history built to a very strong performance that blended well and still felt vital and new. They played six new songs from their upcoming LP and they not only held their own alongside classic songs, but some of them even stole the show. Robert even let loose a little between songs and talked more than usual, (which is still not much). Normally, he doesn’t say much more than the occasional, “thank you,” or, “thank you, goodnight.” This evening he was feeling rather randy and poking fun at himself for mumbling when he talks to the crowd. He even went so far as to repeatedly mimic himself. He clearly was having as good of a time as I was.

They are playing as a four piece band for the first time in a very long time in their career. For the past 20 years, they have been playing as a five piece band with keyboards in the fifth spot. The keys are gone and all of the keyboard parts have been picked up on guitar. As a result they sound much more raw and lively. This is also the first time that they have toured the US since Porl Thompson returned to the band on guitar. The Cure’s sound definitely missed Porl’s sense of texture during his absence.

I am happy to report that I still have not missed a tour since I first saw them in 1992. Every time I see them I am in awe of just how much I connect to all of their music. Given how good this show was, I plan to continue that streak for as long as they keep coming around.

The set list, care of my friends at ChainOfFlowers:

Underneath The Stars, Prayers For Rain, A Night Like This, The End of the World, Lovesong, To Wish Impossible Things, Pictures of You, Lullaby, Fascination Street, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, The Perfect Boy, Hot Hot Hot, The Only One, Wrong Number, The Walk, Sleep When I'm Dead, Push, Friday I'm In Love, Inbetween Days, Just Like Heaven, Primary, Shake Dog Shake, Charlotte Sometimes, One Hundred Years, Baby Rag Dog Book

1st encore: If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, The Kiss
2nd encore: Freakshow, Close To Me, Why Can't I Be You?
3rd encore: Boys Don't Cry, Jumping Someone Else's Train, Grinding Halt, 10:15 Saturday Night, Killing An Arab

I'm going...

Sorry for the lack of posts, but it is just that time of year. The good news is that I will be going to see The Cure in New York this coming weekend. I will maintain my track record of having not missed a tour since I first saw them in '92. I lamented the fact that I was going to miss this one for long enough. A week ago, more tickets were put up for sale and I jumped on it. My friend Rob and I will be in the nose bleed seats. The Fuse network is supposed to broadcast parts of the show as it is going on Friday night. If you have Fuse, tune in at 11 and look for me when they scan the crowd. I'll be the one in black. Review to come.

SOTD - Grinderman/Honey Bee (Let's Fly To Mars)

It's no secret that Nick Cave is high on my list of respected artists. His career has weathered a long and tenacious span and enjoyed it's years of inspiration and suffered periods of stale monotony. The last few years have seen a revitalization in his song writing and energy in his performances. It also saw him move beyond the comfort of the Bad Seeds by starting Grinderman. Granted, Grinderman is made of select members of the Bad Seeds, it did shake things up and work as a situational muse. The result is a high octane recollection of his first band, the Birthday Party. The self-titled album is a raw and rockin' romp. It also yielded one of the best songs I've heard in a long time, "Honey Bee (Let's Fly To Mars)." The song swells with guitars and energy with wailing keyboards and the man even buzzes like an angry bee during the chorus. This live version even has him flapping his arms like a bee. Way to Kick Ass, Nick! The new found energy carries over into his new Bad Seeds record. Check out the title track, "Dig! Lazarus, Dig!"

SOTD - Sigur Ros/Gobbledigook

Well, here is something to see. I love Sigur Ros. This track isn't my favorite, in fact, I'm not even sure if I like it at all. But if you like naked people running through the woods, check out the video for Gobbledigook. As much as I like the idea of naked people running through the woods, I'm finding myself watching out of fascination more than connecting with the images. I guess I wasn't cut out for the whole hippy-earth child thing. If you are new to Sigur Ros, this is pretty far off from the bulk of their body of work. They typically sound more like this.

Mogwai - Young Team

Another fantastic album has joined the ranks of the "reissues as a double album." Mogwai's first proper album, Young Team, was just reissued with a bonus disc of b-sides and rareties. Released on Jetset records, this album hit the states in 1997. At the time I worked at The Disc and was in the throws of my undergrad work. Outside of my classes, I completely submerged myself in music. My job and my friendships were all largely centered on music. Therefore I can't quite remember who turned me on to this record, but I do remember listening to it with my friend Graham a great deal. We played it in the store almost as often as we were playing Portishead-Dummy. Both frustrated customers because they were on small labels that were hard to keep in stock. We would never get more than one or two at a time and they would sell quickly.
Mogwai have become one of my favorite bands and I have loved most of what they have done since this record. In fact, they have matured and focused their sound continuously over the past ten years or so and have been quite successful for an instrumental rock band.
Young Team is a wild ride that you need to commit yourself to experiencing if you are going to truly appreciate it. The songs move in many directions and borrow structures from early Smashing Pumpkins, Swans, and Cure records. Despite the influences of these groups, they maintain what has become a distinct Scotland rock sound. There are sonic qualities to their work that I have only otherwise heard in fellow Scottish bands such as Aerogramme and Arab Strap. At times they plod along and slowly build to a theatrical climax. They can also do the opposite and catch you off guard by whipping the gentlest melody into a pounding sprawl of heavy drumming and feedback. I still can get lost in it.
I did not buy the new double disc version. I did however purchase the songs from the bonus disc off of emusic. Does that count?

I may have to go anyway...

So, the Cure thing is haunting me. There are single tickets still available at very reasonable prices. Now the cost, in my mind, is just going to New York and driving back after midnight (gas, tolls, parking, driving late at night, etc.). I keep flip-flopping on the matter. I feel like John Kerry! Going is a bigger task than I want to deal with at the moment, but I am certain that if I don't go I will regret it. Any words of wisdom?

Countdown To The Cure

I am so bummed that I will be missing the Cure as they play through the states this year. I have not missed a tour since I saw them on the Wish Tour in 1992. I was too slow on the uptake to get tickets and the second hand dealers had prices that were not acceptable. That doesn't mean that there is nothing to look forward to. This Tuesday saw the release of the first of four pre-album singles to be released this summer. The album comes out in September and is rumored to possibly be a double album. That makes for a whole lot of new Cure songs when you factor in the b-sides from the four singles. So, all is not lost in missing the tour this summer. The .com era has helped keep me up with what I might be missing. Many of the shows have been posted on various torrent sights and there is all sorts of footage that turns up on you-tube. Here is a link to a very good amature shot of the new song The Perfect Boy. Here is a link to the video for the most recent single The Only One as well. Robert is as bloated as ever, but he can still rock pretty hard for a guy that will be 50 next year. They are playing three hour sets on this tour! And what is up with that tattoo on Porl's head?

SOTD - Beach Boys/Brian Wilson – “Heroes and Villains” and “Good Vibrations”

I can’t tell you the number of times that my Saturday mornings through the summer started with a sensory routine that will forever symbolize summer for me. Yes, I know, who doesn’t associate the Beach Boys with summer? Anyway, most warm Saturdays began early with the hum of the lawn mower outside my window. Seven in the morning is not too early to operate a very noisy tractor in my father’s eyes. He would spend the beginning of the day racing around the yard filling my nose with the smell of fresh cut grass as well as my ears with the oscillating rumble of the engine as he drifted towards and away from the house. Both of which worked as warnings of the inevitable wake up and work. Weekends in the summer often included some sort of manual labor, so staying in bed postponed moving rocks or digging holes or both. Eventually the tractor would stop and my dad would come inside.

Instead of coming to the door and waking me up, my dad would put on his stereo as he cleaned himself up from the lawn and got ready for breakfast. He had one of those record players that stacks three or four records and drops one at a time onto the turntable. The Beach Boys – Endless Summer always seemed to start the set. Despite the annoyance of being woken up to do yard work, it felt so good to wake up it such joyous harmonies.

At that point in my life, the Beach Boys were a household staple and the two songs I’m focusing on wouldn’t have been my childhood favorites. They do capture that otherworldly harmonies that made it good to get out of bed and ready to build a stone wall or deck. I am also struck by these songs as an adult because they are a true testament to the brilliance and insanity of Brian Wilson. These songs are so complex yet sound so easy and simple. Try to count how many times Good Vibrations changes directions and how many different melodies are going on in the song. It is amazingly dense, but sounds very lighthearted and fun. Heroes and Villains is just incredibly rich with texture and equally diverse.

I can’t wait to use them to lure Peyton and Sonja out of bed to do yard work for me.

Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

As if the Ghost I-IV project wasn't enough for this year, there is a brand new NIN album available less than one month after the official release of the double album aforementioned. Trent has become so prolific you would swear Ryan Adams must have joined the band. The new album is more of a proper rock album in contrast to the spacious instrumental release from April. It is totally free as well. Yes, FREE. I was impressed with the lead single being free, but the entire album being free is completely unprecedented. Get it at nin.com

Trippy Reprise

So I did some re-listening to the Massive Attack stuff. They certainly were paving the way for Tricky and Portishead. Even paving the way with Tricky. I didn't realize that Blue Lines was from 1991. Man, were they ahead of their time. I'm listening to their Mezzanine album at the moment. I never really got into it in '98 and it has been many years since I last listened to it. There is some great stuff going on there. I think it may remain in heavy rotation for a while.

I guess that my oversight was more due to the fact that they lacked a certain downbeat murkiness and sorrow that the other two mastered. Perhaps the grandness of their sound kept them just far enough out of the emotional gutter for me.

In any case, I'm quite excited for Portishead - Third. Out today!

SOTD - 1000 Homo DJs/Supernaut

Supernaut is actually a Black Sabbath song. My friend Kyle brought it back to my attention with a recent post on his blog where he referenced a disagreement that we had about this cover. In the early nineties, the chicago industrial music scene was like a music orgy. Everyone was in everyone else's band and there were a handful of studios in the city that seemed to be where they all wound up after long evenings of some sort of chemical indulgence. Ministry and friends wound up recording a cover of Black Sabbath's Supernaut and a handful of other tunes that they wanted to release as a Ministry ep. When Warner refused in fear of flooding the market with Ministry releases, they brought it to, then independent, Wax Trax Records. Since Warner owned the rights to the Ministry name they needed to use a fake name. The name 1000 Homo DJs came from a snide comment made by the Warner exec that nixed the project. Trent Reznor sang on the original version, but it wound up being shelved due to licensing issues for years until TVT records bought Wax Trax Records. Versions with both Al Jourgensen and Trent Reznor have appeared in various forms. Distinguishing them is the challenge. Check it out at Kyle's Music Blog.

Supernaut

SOTD - Chris Isaak/Dancin'

In the late nineties, Chris Isaak packed up his band and headed south down the California Baja peninsula. They found a remote place to lodge and let the atmosphere steer what was to come. Between surfing and cantina stops, they channeled their experience into a collection of songs that would become known as the Baja Sessions. Mostly, it is made up of session recordings of songs from earlier albums and a few covers with a few new songs mixed in. Due to the nice weather we have been having lately, we have had the summer tunes on heavy rotation. The Baja Sessions are often in that mix. My favorite songs comes toward the end of the disc, Dancin'. The song completely takes me on vacation. This song belongs, not on the beach swaying in the breeze or blowing through your hair as you drift down the PCH with the top down, like many of Chris' songs do. This one is more on the fringe. It is sonically the soundtrack to a small cantina that opens to the beach right about the time when you are hitting your third drink and the sun has just dipped below the horizon. Despite the present tense of the delivery of the lyrics, the "Dancin" in the song sounds less like a recount of what's happening and more like an anticipation of what's to come.

SOTD - Portishead/Threads

Last FM has been streaming the new Portishead album. Threads is the final cut on the album and the closest tie to what they were doing ten years ago. I like their new direction for what it seems to be, but I still long for the sexy lamentation that defined the beginning of their career. Unfortunately, I do not have a link for it at this time.

SOTD - NIN/Discipline

SOTD? It's the Song Of The Day, a new feature that I'll be trying out here at the Ear.

Today's song is Discipline by Nine Inch Nails. I don't have much to say about the song itself. In fact, it is pretty run of the mill NIN stuff.

The noteworthy part is how it has been delivered to the world. My understanding is that the song was very recently recorded and then rushed out into cyberspace and radiowaves. Here is the coolest part. It's free! Trent is giving away new music less than a month after the release of a double album. And it gets better. Not only is the song free, so are the multitrack files for people to remix. I've written extensively about NIN and the marketing and artistic experiments they have been trying lately, and I continue to be amazed and surprised by the bold directions that this band has been going. Keep me on my toes trent.

Listen to Discipline

Download Discipline

Record Store Day pt. 2

Unless you happen to live in or near a major city that is home to an independent record store that was featuring a live in store performance, Record Store Day can be summed up in one word. LAME!

The promises of free promotional label mixes and limited releases was a bust. Nothing free at Phoenix Records. A limited edition seven inch single by REM for sale? That would have been really cool 20 years ago. Don't get me wrong, any excuse to go record shopping is a good one, but the expectations of the day being something special were a big let down.

Well, it was a good idea. Perhaps next year there will be a bit more to offer.

Record Store Day

Mark your calendars! Saturday, April 19th is Record Store Day. Finally there is a holiday other than Christmas that is worth losing sleep over. Check out who is participating near you! RecordStoreDay

Feeling Trippy

With the new Portishead album just on the horizon, I have been inspired to dig back into my trip-hop albums of old. The genre had a very short lived heyday, but in many ways I am thankful for that. 1996 saw the release of two albums that would become the definitive sound of the genre. The first being Portishead's Dummy and the other being Tricky's Maxinquaye. The tunes are sexy and dark. They are smooth and jazzy in a haunted sort of way. They are also laden with slow and heavy beats borrowed from the era's hip-hop scene. Somewhere James Bond, Miles Davis, Snoop Dog, and David Lynch got mixed together into a smooth blend that can make anyone seem cooler simply by being in its presence.

I'm glad that the commercial trip-hop era was short. The genre burst through the gates with its two best efforts and had nowhere to go but down. Not that Portishead's and Tricky's follow up albums weren't good. Some of them were even great, but pale compared to the two aforementioned. There were also many followers that, again, made some great records, but couldn't hold a candle to Dummy or Maxinquaye. Hooverphonic, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, Red Snapper, Morcheeba, Lamb, Ruby... all of them are worth listening to. The genre died off before it slid from good imitators into the bad ones. This happened with most of the techno and grunge scenes that were flooded with terrible knock off acts at that time.

Portishead's latest is to be titled Third, denoting that it is there third record. Simple or clever or both. I truly admire the fact that the waited 10 years to follow up their last effort. It has been long enough that it won't sound like just another trip-hop record in the late nineties. They also waited until they were ready to do something unique with their sound instead of just recreating the same thing. From what I have heard of the new record, it is very dark and Beth Gibbons sounds more haunting than haunted. James Bond appears to have left the building and let Caberet Voltaire fill his place in the mix. It seems hard to access and takes patience to really get into what they are doing. It doesn't seem like it will be a car trip album or make me seem any cooler than I am, but that isn't what this one is about.

There is a great in-studio performance of some of the new material on Current TV. Portishead in Portishead

A.A. Bondy

This guy came out of nowhere and knocked my socks off with a bluesy folk album. It's called American Hearts and is a quant and personal album that recalls early Dylan and RA's Heartbreaker. I first heard him on All Songs Considered on NPR a few weeks back. It has been a mainstay in my car ever since.
Check out this short performance from A.A. Bondy at the South By Southwest Festival.

The Record Show

For the first time in many years, I went to a record show. Every few months, these things pop up in a conference room of a local hotel and dealers from all over the tri-state area show up with their goods to trade. Record nerds come out of the woodwork in search of their own personal lost arcs to bring back to their own private museums. These are my people.

The nature of the Record Collectors' Convention has changed quite a bit from when I first started attending these things in the early nineties. Back then I was a teenager and part of a see of adolescents washing into an ocean of older career collectors. The halls that the shows were in were large and often spilled into other banquet halls. It would literally take hours to give the place a good once over. Trade tables would be completely covered with boxes of cds packed tight and on end. Giant bins of loose discs filled the space beneath the tables. Crates upon crates of records ate up as much space as the discs. Each table was managed by some sort of peddler that knew their product and loved working with it. Most of them were there more on quests of their own than to make a buck selling their own product. Then there was the random collectable shit: life size cut outs of Elvis, signed promo shots of everyone from Aerosmith to The Zombies, KISS lunchboxes, etc. I would have to wedge my way in between people to get a glimpse of what was there for the taking. And the people. There was a pretty even mix of young and old. Punks, Gen-Xers, Deadheads, Dads, Grandpas, and a whole lot of guys that were suspiciously similar to the comic book guy from the Simpsons. Proper hygene was not essential at these events. In fact, I came to accept it as a strategy. These weren't people that didn't care for themselves. These were people who understood the game. The confines are tight and it is every man for himself. A little BO or bad breathe may keep an adversary far enough at bay so that they do not claim what you have come in search of. The Sunday morning of a record show never started with a shower or toothbrushing.

Back then cds were still the hot new medium for music and most of the dealers were enthusiastic to embrace it. My quest was always for two things, the bootlegs and the promos. Most of my time and money went after Cure and Nine Inch Nails products. The bootlegs were the big draw. At the time there were a few European companies that would get their hands on recording of concerts and put together elaborate packaging to go along with them. The end product wound up being really expensive due to the fact that, since they were illegal, they had to not only be imported, but smuggled into the country. As for promos, it was a time when the record labels were cd crazy. Often times when an artist had an album coming out, the labels would print up all sorts of related promotional stuff that they gave away to stores, radio stations and djs. Most of these items had b-sides, remixes, and other unreleased tracks. If you caught them early on, dealers would practically give them away, and then as numbers dwindled the prices went up. It was also a good time to search for used cds. The format was still relatively new, so there hadn't been time for collections to build up large quantities of totally undesirable cds that never sold.

Fifteen years later, it is a different scene. I was surprised at how many of the faces behind the tables I recognized from years ago. I was, but then again I wasn't. I'm still here, so why shouldn't they be as well. The room that it was held in was much smaller, but just as packed. There was no longer an admission fee either. As I first took in the space to plot my path, a few other changes became very obvious to me. For one, most of the product is now very old vinyl. This is no longer the endless landscape of new or once used products. Most things here had been bought and sold and bought and sold many times before finding their way here. Given their age, I began to wonder how many of them had been loved by someone, but just outlived their owners. Had they then moved to a basement of a relative for years only to be dumped at a consignment shop and picked up by a knowledgable dealer? I then also realized that the number of record dealers hadn't outgrown the cd dealers. The cd dealers are simply fading away. The smaller room is due to the lack of cds. As I inspected the few cd tables that there were I confirmed a few things that I had suspected. One, the cd bootlegs are gone. This I actually knew. There was a pretty big crack down on the major distributers by the FBI in the late nineties. That was the first hit, the second was the internet. Live shows are free and plentiful in cyberspace and often times they are available within hours of the event. Two, promos? What promos? Record labels are getting stingy with the free stuff and are finding other ways to promote their products. Three, the used cds aren't even worth looking through anymore. Now that cds have been around for 20 years, there is a lot of crap that nobody bought that has been building up and filling more and more of the space in the used boxes. This is not to say that I didn't find anything interesting. There were plenty of things that I looked at in depth and thought about buying, but then decided I didn't want to spend the money on.

There was one thing that hadn't changed that deeply saddened me. Just like when I was a teenager discovering this whole subculture, I found that today I was still one of the youngest people there. The younger generations have gone digital and there is no real place for it in this forum. You can't sell downloads at a table. It's sad, because younger music enthusiasts won't get to take part in this sort of sonic swap meet. I guess convenience is a nice tradeoff. I certainly am enjoying the ability to track down almost any music I want from my living room. The interconnectedness of the internet is very disconnecting on a personal level though.

For instance, today I got to meet a guy that had a thing for concert t-shirts. He was buying ten or so from a dealer as he was telling me stories of his shirt collection and his ability to go months without wearing the same one twice. One of the shirts that he was purchasing today completed his collection of shirts that were available from the Rush 19whatever tour. T-shirts and Rush aren't my thing, but his passion I understood. And his breath kept me at an arms length distance so I couldn't dig through the same pile of shirts until he was done. At least not without holding my breath. Yet another thing that hasn't changed.

Everyone here has their own thing that they are after, but they all share the same passion. That connects us and adds to the coolness of the experience. At these shows, there is no judgement. The leather clad punk with the foot high mohawk, the Jerry Garcia looking deadhead, and I are all connected and interact freely and openly in this environment. You can't really get that from a computer or in another setting.

In the end, I walked out with a four dollar CBGB's T-shirt. I've always wanted one, and now that they are out of business, it was a good find. It certainly wasn't what I went there looking for, but it is the kind of random find that will keep me and all the other music nuts coming back.

More Mixes

I have two new mixes up on the nin remix site. Drop by and give it a listen. The Veless mix is a throw away, but the Capitol G (Night of 1000 Trents) mix is a good time. The End of the Beginning is a good listen too.

http://remix.nin.com/member/carbar

Or try the following:

1. click the remix.nin link in my links column
2. click on the “listen” link towards the top left
3. a blue box will appear on the bottom left. Above it there will be a “search” link to click.
4. in the search box type “carbar”
5. after you hit search, my mixes should appear in the blue box. You can listen to them by clicking the triangle button next to each song.

Enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Get your MOJO running

I was introduced to this MOJO software by a friend of mine. It seems pretty cool. I'm looking to learn more about it. Anyone know anything?

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/31798

http://www.deusty.com/software/

Jot me a thought.

Stranger's Almanac

Ah yes, the deluxe cd reissue. Whiskeytown has joined in on the efforts to get people to buy an album twice. Actually, Gefffen records played more of a part in this happening. Either way, I'm willing to buy and happy to listen.

Stranger's Almanac holds a deep rooted place in my heart for many reasons. Most importantly, is the music. The album wears many of its influences quite blatantly, but the synthesis of those influences and the earnest and open delivery of each track make it a masterpiece. Sure they borrowed from the Replacements, Alejandro Escovado, REM, and even Uncle Tupelo. The result is quaint and most importantly, sincere. The deluxe version has some great extra goodies that I addressed in my Deluxe Redux post.

This was my first exposure to Ryan Adams. In a lot of ways this album captured his greatest strengths and weaknesses. Here is guy that is a little over a year older than me and at 22 he was writing songs that so convincingly portray the confessions of an weathered soul and delivering each lyric so authentically that my heart breaks with his every time I listen. On the other hand, his lyrics, often seem underdeveloped and simple. This is a trait that would stick with him and occasionally work against him in his solo career. But on this piece, it adds to the realness of it. People aren't perfect, and the words they form to accompany their emotions are not always what they mean. His vocals sell more of the story to each song then his words do. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. Every time I listen, I emerge from the experience in love with every bit of it.

I picked up Stranger's Almanac around this time of year in 1999. It was just before spring break of my final year of grad school. College was coming to an end, the soul crushing experience of interviewing for teaching positions was just beginning, and I was at the apex of the most destructive relationship I had ever been in. It was a relationship where I wound up being the other guy and it was the point of realization that this was the case and it wasn't going to change. Yet, I was madly in love and that makes you stupid and idealistic so you fight against inevitability. Anyway, it set the perfect stage to discover this wonderful sonic companion for heartbreak. That week of vacation was spent working at The Disc on an abandoned UConn campus while that love interest was off on vacation with man number one. Again, love can make you stupid. So, while not working in a record shop I filled my time by perusing other record shops. In my browsing I came across Stranger's Almanac. I had never heard Whiskeytown before and knew nothing of what to expect. What I did know is that I had seen it in the collection of a friend months before. They approved and I trusted their taste. I connected to the cover art and really connected to the truck drifting down the endless stretch of highway on the back cover. So I bought it. For that week, Whiskeytown became my best friend as NIN did in high school. Everything I was feeling was right there and I didn't have to experience it alone now. As I said before, the charm lies more in the delivery than in the total of the lyrics. Singing, "Excuse me while I break my own heart tonight/ after all it's mine," was quite empowering in a self-destructive way. I was totally living the frustration in Ryan Adam's voice as he sneered, "Don't you ask me how I'm doin', when everything I do says I miss you." I played it nonstop over that week. It went to the Disc with me. It kept me company back in the apartment at night. It stayed close by me through the inevitable collapse of that relation and the long and weathering job hunt process.
I've connected to other music during tough times and wound up leaving it behind with that era. Stranger's Almanac was the soundtrack to my misery for a good chunk of time. I didn't leave it behind though. It wasn't just a mirror that reflected what I was dealing with. In a way, it as a friend that supported me. The songs stayed with me beyond the reflection of that period instead of bringing me back.

Nine months later I found myself in a red Ford Explorer, heading into the northwest corner of New York state with a beautiful young woman I barely knew. A six hour ride to the middle of nowhere to ring in the change of the millennium with some dear friends of ours. Stranger's Almanac was a given for the ride. It was the ideal soundtrack to a long stretch of road through sparse and rural areas punctuated by factory towns. At the time I didn't realize that it was also the soundtrack to the start of the courting process of the the love of my life. Carley fell in love with the album as quickly as I had, it would take her some time to feel the same way about me, however. Our trip to Rossi, NY was perfect and the album that fit so well into the times when I was low, fit even better into the time when everything was right.

Free Stuff

Car and i have a little overstock in our collection. For one, there are the overlapping albums that each of had as we came into our marriage. There are also the old versions of the albums that I have replaced with deluxe versions. Some of them have already moved on, but some are still hanging around. Thus, we have some music that I would love to send out into the world to places where it will be listened to. If you are seriously interested in any of these items, just let me know and I'll pass them on.

Whiskeytown - Stranger's Almanac. This is one of my all time favorite albums. It documents the early stages of Ryan Adams' carrier. In short, it is a great alt. country album.

The Cure - The Head On The Door. The Cure circa 1985. It includes Inbetween Days, A Night Like This, and Close To Me. It's a good mix of their pop and dark capabilities.

The Glove - Blue Sunshine. A side project of Robert Smith and Steve Severin. If you like early Siouxsie stuff, this is not too far off. The woman that they enlisted to sing sounds a lot like she wants to be Siouxsie.

Portishead - Portishead. Trip hop masters!!! Chill, cool, and sexy.

Moby - Play. Whether you think you know Moby or not, unless you have lived under a rock, you are familiar with at least holf of the tunes on this album. It is his best post-rave effort.

Lords of Acid - Voodoo You. Hard rockin' techno with x-rated lyrics. Loud and silly, but not for the faint of heart.

There are some other cds that we are done with. I'll post them later.

Keep listening.

American (Idle?)

So I happened to catch an episode of American Idol a few weeks back while visiting my mom. Apparently Randy Jackson has made an album and he debuted the video for his song with co-Idol host Paula Abdul on American Idol. They prefaced the clip with all sorts of Randy Jackson hype. “This track is hot, dog,” and other accolades like that expressed in the same manner. The stage was set to knock the socks off of America.

Now, before I continue about the clip, there are a few things that need to be said. The three judges of this show are supposed to represent the higher music industry standard in which the contestants are aiming to achieve. Week after week they provide feedback to aspiring stars in regards to what it takes to meet this high standard held by the industry they represent. Having Randy Jackson put together an album and video that is being promoted through the show should imply that THIS IS the gold standard that we are holding you to, THIS IS what you should be aiming to achieve. And then they showed the video.

The best word that I could come up with for it was sad. It was sad, not because of it’s lyrical content or tone. Not because it was so incredibly bad or off the mark. It was sad, because it was none of these things. It wasn’t great, nor was it terrible. However, it wasn’t even just good or bad. It was there. Lifeless, lack luster, and generic. Had this been a contestant’s video, it would have been fine. You could watch and listen and think things like, “Well, they are developing. There is some potential if they work at it.” But it wasn’t a new artist who is finding his/her way. It is two music veterans that should be so much more. Randy Jackson is known for his studio magic. Paula Abdul is known for her dancing and voice. Putting these two together should have used those strengths, but didn’t. Instead they created a song that is pleasant, yet forgettable. The tune, the vocals, and the lyrics had no resonance. Then there was the video. Paula, known for her dancing, put on a performance that matched the energy of Brittany Spears’ Music Awards performance, lethargic at best. I could have danced just as well. On top of it was Randy with his bass, just rocking out to what appeared to be another song. What he was doing on the bass certainly did not match what was going on in the song. The whole thing looked like they took two people that know nothing about music and had Glamour Shots make a video. THIS IS the gold standard? It’s no wonder that the industry is tanking.

I actually felt uncomfortable watching the video, because I found myself feeling embarrassed for the two of them. The point that really made me feel that what I was watching was sad, was when my mom made the comment of, “there he is,” when Randy appeared in the video. The words are words that are used when your neighbor’s kid walks on stage in a high school play, not when your watching, “a hot new video.”

Don’t get me wrong. I think that Randy, Paula, and Simon are fantastic TV personalities. They have used their chemistry to create a TV show that truly rises above all of its reality TV peers. However, watching them try to do what they judge made it painfully obvious that their place in time for making music best be left in the past.

More Cowbell

You can never have too much cowbell.

Ghosts I-IV

It was quite a to do getting my download of NIN - Ghosts I-IV. Purchasing the CD came with a one time download of the album for while you wait for the actual thing to arrive. The link came to my email that Sunday and I followed it right away. I chose my format and clicked download and then… it didn’t work. I tried again. Nothing. And again. Finally, it started to download at a snail’s pace and it failed three minutes in. According to the NIN site, my link had connected and my one download had been used. Now my link was a dead end. Many emails were sent over the next two days. Finally, a post came up on the NIN homepage apologizing to those who had a hard time downloading. Apparently, there was more internet traffic than they were prepared to deal with. It claimed that they unlocked our one time download links so that we can follow it again.
So I tried again. I opened the email, follow the link to the download link and click it. Now, instead of downloading the album I get a message asking me to follow the original link from my email. Well, that is what got me here.
Again, with the emails of complaints to the NIN site. On Thursday I received a reply from them that linked me to a complaint account that had my complaint nicely posted. There was neat little area for their response to my complaint, empty of course. Now I had a place to go to see that no progress was being made.
Finally, a new link came on Saturday. I have to admit, it was worth the wait. The music files were lossless and thus huge. It also came with an elaborate pdf of an extensive 41 page booklet. The album is quite experimental. Each song is instrumental and composed as a soundtrack to different photographs. Very cool.

Acquiring the music was a pain, but it made for kind of a fun ongoing saga for the week.
Furthermore, Trent is continuing to push the limits of convention. He has launched a video contest for fans to create visuals to accompany the music that was originally composed to accompany visuals. It is a pretty cool move to further connect artist and fan. Especially, when it is considered that he hosts a fan remix site and freely makes available multi-track files of his recent music.

Deluxe Redux

I’m on the heals of purchasing my Whiskeytown - Stranger’s Almanac Deluxe edition. I’ve picked up quite a few of these recently and it got me thinking about the whole notion of the deluxe package re-releases. The industry standard seems to be taking a single disc album and remastering it, then packaging it with a bonus disc of related goodies and extensive liner notes. The two disc packs tend to cost what you’d expect for a double cd.

On top of my Whiskeytown deluxe edition, I’ve been replacing my Cure collection with the deluxe versions and my feeling have been mixed.

The benefits are clear.
1. More is more. With a collection like mine, I am clearly a fan of more.
2. In most cases, the bonus material can help connect the dots. Skeletal versions of songs can build an appreciation for the song writing process or even draw your attention to parts of a song that you never noticed. They can also reveal some of the connections to the previous work.
3. In best case scenarios, there are a bunch of songs that just hadn’t seen the light of day since they didn’t fit into the direction of the album. Stranger’s Almanac fit this case. Whiskeytown actually had a whole album worth of demoed songs that they brought to the study and decided not to use. Awe yeah, a whole extra album with the album.
4. If you wait long enough, you can pick them up used for a reasonable price. Most of the Cure packs I picked up for ten to twelve bucks.

There are drawbacks.
1. In some cases the bonus material that has been scrounged from the cutting room floor might have been left there for a reason. Some of the bonus material on the early Cure album bonus disc is just hard to listen to.
2. Other times, most of the bonus material is stuff that is already accessible. Nine Inch Nails made a deluxe version of The Downward Spiral and the bonus disc was almost entirely made up of b-sides and songs from soundtracks. Most nin fans that would buy a deluxe package would have had these things, so it seemed pretty pointless. I passed on it.
3. In the worst case scenario, the bonus disc is just the album again, but mixed in 5.1 surround sound. I don’t know a single person with a player that would separate the channels properly in order to enjoy this bonus.

Overall, I’m for the format. Like I said, more is more.

Something Odd?!?

Industrial legends Ministry have recorded a theme song for a hockey team. Al Jourgensen has long ties to the city of Chicago and has been a key player in their underground music scene. Thus I am not surprised that he is a Chicago Blackhawks fan. However, this song that he has recently released in honor of their new momentum is a little bewildering. Ministry have a history of creating music that is less than suitable for the general public and here they are writing a sports anthem.

Keys To The City is Al's ode to the Blackhawks. It sounds like Marilyn Manson trying to rewrite Rock and Roll pt. 2. If you are familiar with Ministry, upon first listen there is an instinct to look for the punch line. This can't be for real. Yet it is. For those of you not familiar with Ministry's body of work, the album titles should give you an idea of what they were about: The Land of Rape and Honey, The Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Taste, Psalm 69, The Dark Side of The Spoon, etc. Not really serious and not really family entertainment.

The oddest thing about the song is that it is the best thing that they have written since the early 90's. Check it out in the Keys To The City Link. Or just go see the Blackhawks.

As an old school Ministry fan, I'm a little ambivalent about this career move.

Ghosts I-IV

I have to hand it to Trent Reznor. He is keeping things interesting and asserting himself as a music pioneer. Nine Inch Nails' second coming is proving to be a very worth while venture. Nine Inch Nails made their mark in the early 90's and seemed to be living in TDS's shadow. Last year they reinvented themselves when they dropped a fantastic concept album that sonically was just as impressive as it's elaborate backdrop and cross-media presentation. Later in the year, Trent produced an album for Saul Williams and helped him to distribute his album much the same way that Radiohead first released their new record. Go to a site to download it and either pay for it or not. Bring the music directly to the people and let them decide the value. Saul didn't fair as well as Radiohead in this venture. Most of the downloads were done for free. I would be one of those people that downloaded it for free. However, I wouldn't have considered the Saul album if it weren't for free. Radiohead has a strong and dedicated fan base that pretty much knows that they will like the music, so it has an implied value from the get go. Saul Williams was a wildcard. I believe that the abundance of albums that were downloaded for free was a good trade off for exposure. In any case, it was an interesting experiment in music distribution. On top of all of that, he launched the remix.nin site where he invited fans to remix and share nin tunes for free.
Now Trent has taken what he has learned from this experience and joined further in the experiment. Ghosts I-IV is a new NIN record that is entirely instrumental. Something that Trent has talked about doing for years, but was never a good business move while on a major label. On his own, he can do what he wants. The album is available through nin.com in a number of formats. Trent has also paid close attention to who the music listening community is. There is the cheapy 5 dollar download version for those who don't care about the artwork and packaging. There is the double cd for those who still like to physically have something to show for their music purshases, and there are a few very elaborate and overpriced limited edition packages for the real collectors. The prices for the limited edition packages were obscene, so I had to pass on those. All of the packages come with the instant download version so you don't have to wait for the tunes (very cool). I look forward to reviewing it in the near future.

Hi-lo Rilo!

Rilo Kiley. The pet project of Jenny Lewis. Her voice is sweet. Her attitude is somewhat spunky and sexy. She is mighty cute. And as Carley informs me, she was one of the girl campers from the film Troop Beverly Hills. I give my wife mad props for pulling this morsel of useless knowledge out of her head. If recalling useless media crap were a game of poker, I would easily qualify for the finals in the World Series of Poker. However, when Car dropped that nugget about Troop Beverly Hills, it was like she trumped my three aces with a royal flush. She laid the smack down with that bit-o-knowledge. Then to punctuate her winning hand she broke into a verse of the camp theme song from the movie.


Under The Blacklight is an album that I am kicking myself that I waited to get. It came out mid-year 2007 and I held out for Christmas to get it (thanks Karen). This album marked the beginning of their major label career. Rilo Kiley has a strong following from their indie days and a move to a major label is always met with controversy. Critics loved the album. Fan reviews railed about it selling out. I myself, liked them as an indie band, but was never crazy about them. In contrast to their die-hard fans, I think that this album was a giant step forward. It has proven them as not just being another indie band reaching too far. In order to make the shift to a major label work, they had to step it up and develop their sound. Under The Blacklight drifts between sweet melodies, sexy come ons, and disenchanted lovers with great ease. Not everything that they try to pull off works, but most of it does. Hopefully, on the next album they will skip the dsico and latin stuff. This has been a great listen and some of the songs stick with me for days. Had I purchased this when it came out, it would have been in my best of 2007 list on rutneskiland.

listen to these: Silver Lining, Close Call, The Moneymaker, Dreamworld, 15
skip these: Breakin' Up, Dejalo

So Long, Goth History Month

It has been a long dark month. I didn't get to cover all the things that I had hoped to this month, but as I look back, it seems like a pretty good start. I had doubts as to whether I would really stick to the theme for a whole month or not. However, I didn't get to finish what I consider the next two eras of goth music that are represented by my Ultimate Goth mix. Perhaps next year...
One cool thing that came of this for me was pushing myself to rediscover some music that I haven't really listened to for some time. The two biggest rediscoveries were the early era goth stuff. I spent much of the first half of this month listening to early Cure, Siouxsie, Joy Division and Bauhaus. I absolutely love this era and find that I can keep going back to it, no matter what style of music I am into at the moment, and be totally inspired. Normally, I'll pull out on of them here or there, but I was able to really experience the movement by taking them all in together. It really was a movement that tapped into much more than just a style of music.
The other big rediscovery for me was the swans. I absolutely loved them for like a two year period in college. Since then, I would occasionally pull out an album, but that's about it. Trying to write up a segment on them brought to my attention how little I actually knew about them. Thus, out came all of the albums and I spent a ton of time researching them on line. Laying their career out in front of me gave me context to listen to them in and for the first time, I actually listened to their body of music (that I have) as one piece that tells the story of a concept that grew, shifted, matured, and reached it's potential, then was laid to rest. The swans development often reflected the influence of those who came in contact with it, but never wavered from it's core elements even as they shifted from noise rock to folk influences and into ambient soundscapes. I have even started listening to the post swans projects of Michael Gira and Jarboe, which is something that I had little interest in prior to this venture.

With that said, March will not be Irish music history month.