So Prince died a couple of days ago. Meh.
Back in January, I wrote a post about the deaths of David Bowie, Glenn Frey and Paul Kantner. I was a little upset that some twit who writes for the New York Daily News used the occasion of Frey's death to write an unflattering article about The Eagles. (As an aside, my Uncle John worked his entire working life for the Daily News. He wrote a column called "The Inquiring Photographer". If he were alive today, he'd be horrified at what a rag the Daily News has become.)
But anyway, here it is 3 months later, and Prince is dead. And I find myself uncomfortably with a more sympathetic feeling for the Daily News twit.
Here's the thing. As I've said previously, music is the most important thing in my life, other than my family. And Prince's entire career basically ran through the prime of my life. And never once was I moved to purchase even one Prince album. That might sound like a small thing, but I literally own thousands of CDs. There aren't a whole lot of major artists I've totally snubbed.
Now Denise likes Prince. And that was enough for me to sit through the entire film Purple Rain at least once, and to sit through parts of it a few more times. (Forget about Under the Cherry Moon, though. I could never handle more than about 10 minutes of that).
Our friend Chip Sciacca, of the late great local band This Island Earth, used to do sound for Prince at some of his live shows. And Chip always spoke of him in a complimentary way.
But I just never got what people saw (and heard) in Prince. He had a few songs I though were decent, most notably "When Doves Cry".
I think part of it was because it seemed like the guy took himself so seriously, but he was so unrelentingly goofy. A few examples: 1) When she was getting started, he tried to talk Vanity into using the stage name "Vegeena". Vageena? really?; 2) Remember when he changed his name to Squiggle (or whatever the hell that stupid symbol was supposed to be)?; and 3) "Oooo, Vicky Vale!". He always just seemed like a guy who a living, breathing caricature of a pretentious pop star. 'Nuff said.
Anyway, if you're one of the many to whom Prince and his music meant something, my apologies to you, and my condolences for your loss. I really feel bad about being the kind of butthole who has to piss on someone's memory of an artist they loved. With so many fans who loved his music, I accept there must have been something there.
I was just never able to hear it.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sucks.
I could probably end my post right there and you'd have the gist of what I want to say. But I guess I should explain.
First of all, it's in Cleveland. Really. Cleveland.
But that's not the worst of it. The worst is that it's perfectly willing to induct rap artists, blues artists, artists from various genres that have little to nothing to do with rock, but they deliberately snub artists from one of the more important rock sub-genres, progressive rock.
How many progressive rock artists have been inducted into the Hall? Well there's Genesis. Certainly the Peter Gabriel lineup was a progressive rock band. Not sure if they would have been inducted if it weren't for the poppier Phil Collins version of the band, but whatever. We'll give them that one.
Then there's Pink Floyd. That's a legitimate entry. 'Nuff said.
Wikipedia lists both Queen and Rush as progressive rock bands. I'm not totally sure about this categorization of Rush, and it took years and a lot of arm-twisting from their fans to get them in there, but OK.
I'm not sure if most people would consider The Who a progressive rock band, but with the rock operas, sometimes use of synthesizers, etc., they certainly had progressive rock elements.
And that's about it.
No Jethro Tull. No Yes. No Moody Blues or Emerson, Lake & Palmer, or even King Crimson. Don't even think about bands like Strawbs, Renaissance, Procol Harum or Gentle Giant. We have N.W.A. though. Boy, do we have N.W.A.
The problem is that the induction process is controlled by a closed little club of people who obviously let their personal tastes and prejudices rule supreme over any kind of logic or fairness. Jann Wehner and his little cabal rule the process with an iron hand, and they keep the process of who gets selected and how as secret as they can. I'm pretty sure there is some human sacrifice involved, some upside-down crucifixes. Definitely some Satan's penis kissing. It's the only thing that makes sense.
I love music. It's one of the most important things in my life. But if I gave you a list of my favorite 20 bands/artists of all time (which I won't, at least not today. After the last couple of posts, I'm all listed out for awhile), only nine of the 20 are currently R&RHoF inductees. Two of them aren't eligible yet, so there's a valid reason there. One of them, Rush, had to practically break down the doors. And I appreciate that a band like The Good Rats were never that well known nationally, although I think they should have been. But what about the others? The answer -- most are progressive rock bands, the sub-genre that dare not speak its name. (At least not in Cleveland).
So until Jethro Tull and Yes, at least, are inducted, I will never visit The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I'll always maintain that Jann Wehner sucks. Because he does.
I could probably end my post right there and you'd have the gist of what I want to say. But I guess I should explain.
First of all, it's in Cleveland. Really. Cleveland.
But that's not the worst of it. The worst is that it's perfectly willing to induct rap artists, blues artists, artists from various genres that have little to nothing to do with rock, but they deliberately snub artists from one of the more important rock sub-genres, progressive rock.
How many progressive rock artists have been inducted into the Hall? Well there's Genesis. Certainly the Peter Gabriel lineup was a progressive rock band. Not sure if they would have been inducted if it weren't for the poppier Phil Collins version of the band, but whatever. We'll give them that one.
Then there's Pink Floyd. That's a legitimate entry. 'Nuff said.
Wikipedia lists both Queen and Rush as progressive rock bands. I'm not totally sure about this categorization of Rush, and it took years and a lot of arm-twisting from their fans to get them in there, but OK.
I'm not sure if most people would consider The Who a progressive rock band, but with the rock operas, sometimes use of synthesizers, etc., they certainly had progressive rock elements.
And that's about it.
No Jethro Tull. No Yes. No Moody Blues or Emerson, Lake & Palmer, or even King Crimson. Don't even think about bands like Strawbs, Renaissance, Procol Harum or Gentle Giant. We have N.W.A. though. Boy, do we have N.W.A.
The problem is that the induction process is controlled by a closed little club of people who obviously let their personal tastes and prejudices rule supreme over any kind of logic or fairness. Jann Wehner and his little cabal rule the process with an iron hand, and they keep the process of who gets selected and how as secret as they can. I'm pretty sure there is some human sacrifice involved, some upside-down crucifixes. Definitely some Satan's penis kissing. It's the only thing that makes sense.
I love music. It's one of the most important things in my life. But if I gave you a list of my favorite 20 bands/artists of all time (which I won't, at least not today. After the last couple of posts, I'm all listed out for awhile), only nine of the 20 are currently R&RHoF inductees. Two of them aren't eligible yet, so there's a valid reason there. One of them, Rush, had to practically break down the doors. And I appreciate that a band like The Good Rats were never that well known nationally, although I think they should have been. But what about the others? The answer -- most are progressive rock bands, the sub-genre that dare not speak its name. (At least not in Cleveland).
So until Jethro Tull and Yes, at least, are inducted, I will never visit The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I'll always maintain that Jann Wehner sucks. Because he does.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Top 20 Songs of 2015: Part 2
I can't believe it's taken me until April 1 to post this. Work hours and health issues have just been kicking my ass, but better late than never, I guess.
10. Pvris -- "Smoke"
This is a band from Lowell, MA who hit it big last year with their White Noise album. They got a lot of coverage from magazines like Alternative Press and playing last year's Vans Warped Tour. This is a slow song with a lot of sexual heat. What's with spelling "Pvris" with a "v", though? For some reason, my iPod just can't cope with it, and I have to look them up by the album name instead of the band name. It's annoying. Anyway, lead singer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen has been getting more love in the press than any alt rock female singer since Hayley Williams.
9. Meg Myers -- "Desire"
This is another slow song sung by a female singer with a lot of sexual heat in the mix. Meg Myers is a Los Angeles resident (by way of Nashville, TN). Her debut CD Sorry made my Top 10 this year, not bad for a new artist. The album charted on the Billboard 200, and the song peaked at #17 on their Alternative Songs chart. She sings with some definite attitude. She claims to have been heavily into grunge, but her interest is in mixing it in with some nice pop hooks. I think she's done a decent job of that here.
8. Lord Huron -- "Meet Me in the Woods"
I expected the Strange Trails CD that this came from to be a heavy rock album, probably because I was mixed up and thought the band had named itself after Lord Humongous from The Road Warrior film. Instead, it turns out Lord Huron is an indie folk band from Los Angeles. Nevertheless, there's a kind of darkness to this album, and particularly to this song, which hints of unspeakable acts going on in the woods ("There ain't language for the things I've seen/The truth is stranger than my own worse dreams"). And there's nothing I like better than a nice dark song.
7. Tang -- "The 11th Hour"
Tang's Blood & Sand was my Number One album for 2015, and this song is a good example of why. It's kind of medium-paced, with both melodic and screamo vocals, and the lyrics are full of images of armageddon. The song has some great dynamics, with soft breaks that contrast nicely with the points where all hell breaks loose. And although the song holds up just fine by itself, there's a great moody intro track called "Ashes" that leads into it. Blood & Sand was my Number One album of the year from the first time I heard it, and this track is one of the reasons why.
6. Elle King -- "America's Sweetheart"
This is what they used to call "shitkicker" music, with some driving banjo and a country-sounding vocal. To listen to her, you'd probably think Elle King was a Nashville gal, but she was born in Los Angeles and currently lives in Brooklyn (and frighteningly enough, apparently she's the daughter of Rob Schneider, the comedian). The song is about drinking, picking up guys and then dumping them, and otherwise trying her hardest to not be a role model. ("What do you want from me/I'm not America's sweetheart"). It's not usually my style of music, but she does it really well.
5. Death Cab for Cutie -- "Little Wanderer"
As Death Cab is wont to do, this is a stark number, kind of quiet and sad. It's about a long distance relationship and what it's like to be the person that stays at home while the other one indulges in wanderlust ("But someone's gotta be the lighthouse/And that someone's gotta be me"). The song is bittersweet, and the music fits the theme.
4. The Juliana Hatfield Three -- "If I Could"
Weird coincidence, but this is the second song in a row on this list where the theme is long-distance relationships sung by the partner who stays behind. As compared to the previous song, this one is faster-paced, and the chorus has a really strong hook. The album is called Whatever My Love, and although Hatfield has been active as a solo act over the last 20 years, this is the first time The Juliana Hatfield Three has been back together since 1993's Become What You Are album. "If I Could" is a little less sad than "Little Wanderer", but no less worthy a single.
3. Jeremy Gilchrist -- "Letter from the 21st"
Jeremy Gilchrist is a singer-songwriter who currently resides in Vermont. This song is one of his strongest ever. It's basically a musical love letter to a future generation and an apology for the world our generation has left for them. The song is slow and a little sad, but there's also a sense of optimism that the future can be better, even if the present is less than ideal ("Sorry you can't drink money/It suited us just fine"). Though the lyrics are sarcastic and at times filled with mild despair, there's a sweetness in the hope that maybe future generations will learn from our mistakes. Nice job by a former Long Islander.
2. The Decemberists -- "Make You Better"
For most of the year, I thought this song was going to be my Number 1. It's certainly worthy. It's slow and fairly sparse, and has a strong vocal by Colin Meloy. I'll be honest -- I have no idea what some of the lyrics mean, beyond the fact that they're about a relationship that's obviously gone south ("I want you thin fingers, I wanted you, thin fingernails"). But the words are kind of poetic, and the song definitely evokes a wistful feeling. There's also a cool video for it, featuring the band playing on a German television talk show while the clueless host fantasizes about hitting on his beleaguered production assistant.
1. Antigone Rising -- "My Town"
Antigone Rising has released two EPs in the last two years, Whiskey & Wine Vols. 1 and 2, and if they'd have released them as one full-length LP, it would have scored high in my Top 10 Albums list. Lead singer Nini Camps has always had an exquisite voice, and this is one of her strongest numbers. The song has a rural or small town feel to it, and while it might be an idealized vision, I really want to live in this town ("There's something here for saints/And for sinners like me"), where they "give second chances" because "We're hopeless romantics like that". This band has always managed to make a career for itself, but in a fairer world, they'd be huge.
So that wraps up my musings on 2015. I'm just starting to listen to some stuff from this year, so hopefully next post, I'll have something a little more up to date.
10. Pvris -- "Smoke"
This is a band from Lowell, MA who hit it big last year with their White Noise album. They got a lot of coverage from magazines like Alternative Press and playing last year's Vans Warped Tour. This is a slow song with a lot of sexual heat. What's with spelling "Pvris" with a "v", though? For some reason, my iPod just can't cope with it, and I have to look them up by the album name instead of the band name. It's annoying. Anyway, lead singer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen has been getting more love in the press than any alt rock female singer since Hayley Williams.
9. Meg Myers -- "Desire"
This is another slow song sung by a female singer with a lot of sexual heat in the mix. Meg Myers is a Los Angeles resident (by way of Nashville, TN). Her debut CD Sorry made my Top 10 this year, not bad for a new artist. The album charted on the Billboard 200, and the song peaked at #17 on their Alternative Songs chart. She sings with some definite attitude. She claims to have been heavily into grunge, but her interest is in mixing it in with some nice pop hooks. I think she's done a decent job of that here.
8. Lord Huron -- "Meet Me in the Woods"
I expected the Strange Trails CD that this came from to be a heavy rock album, probably because I was mixed up and thought the band had named itself after Lord Humongous from The Road Warrior film. Instead, it turns out Lord Huron is an indie folk band from Los Angeles. Nevertheless, there's a kind of darkness to this album, and particularly to this song, which hints of unspeakable acts going on in the woods ("There ain't language for the things I've seen/The truth is stranger than my own worse dreams"). And there's nothing I like better than a nice dark song.
7. Tang -- "The 11th Hour"
Tang's Blood & Sand was my Number One album for 2015, and this song is a good example of why. It's kind of medium-paced, with both melodic and screamo vocals, and the lyrics are full of images of armageddon. The song has some great dynamics, with soft breaks that contrast nicely with the points where all hell breaks loose. And although the song holds up just fine by itself, there's a great moody intro track called "Ashes" that leads into it. Blood & Sand was my Number One album of the year from the first time I heard it, and this track is one of the reasons why.
6. Elle King -- "America's Sweetheart"
This is what they used to call "shitkicker" music, with some driving banjo and a country-sounding vocal. To listen to her, you'd probably think Elle King was a Nashville gal, but she was born in Los Angeles and currently lives in Brooklyn (and frighteningly enough, apparently she's the daughter of Rob Schneider, the comedian). The song is about drinking, picking up guys and then dumping them, and otherwise trying her hardest to not be a role model. ("What do you want from me/I'm not America's sweetheart"). It's not usually my style of music, but she does it really well.
5. Death Cab for Cutie -- "Little Wanderer"
As Death Cab is wont to do, this is a stark number, kind of quiet and sad. It's about a long distance relationship and what it's like to be the person that stays at home while the other one indulges in wanderlust ("But someone's gotta be the lighthouse/And that someone's gotta be me"). The song is bittersweet, and the music fits the theme.
4. The Juliana Hatfield Three -- "If I Could"
Weird coincidence, but this is the second song in a row on this list where the theme is long-distance relationships sung by the partner who stays behind. As compared to the previous song, this one is faster-paced, and the chorus has a really strong hook. The album is called Whatever My Love, and although Hatfield has been active as a solo act over the last 20 years, this is the first time The Juliana Hatfield Three has been back together since 1993's Become What You Are album. "If I Could" is a little less sad than "Little Wanderer", but no less worthy a single.
3. Jeremy Gilchrist -- "Letter from the 21st"
Jeremy Gilchrist is a singer-songwriter who currently resides in Vermont. This song is one of his strongest ever. It's basically a musical love letter to a future generation and an apology for the world our generation has left for them. The song is slow and a little sad, but there's also a sense of optimism that the future can be better, even if the present is less than ideal ("Sorry you can't drink money/It suited us just fine"). Though the lyrics are sarcastic and at times filled with mild despair, there's a sweetness in the hope that maybe future generations will learn from our mistakes. Nice job by a former Long Islander.
2. The Decemberists -- "Make You Better"
For most of the year, I thought this song was going to be my Number 1. It's certainly worthy. It's slow and fairly sparse, and has a strong vocal by Colin Meloy. I'll be honest -- I have no idea what some of the lyrics mean, beyond the fact that they're about a relationship that's obviously gone south ("I want you thin fingers, I wanted you, thin fingernails"). But the words are kind of poetic, and the song definitely evokes a wistful feeling. There's also a cool video for it, featuring the band playing on a German television talk show while the clueless host fantasizes about hitting on his beleaguered production assistant.
1. Antigone Rising -- "My Town"
Antigone Rising has released two EPs in the last two years, Whiskey & Wine Vols. 1 and 2, and if they'd have released them as one full-length LP, it would have scored high in my Top 10 Albums list. Lead singer Nini Camps has always had an exquisite voice, and this is one of her strongest numbers. The song has a rural or small town feel to it, and while it might be an idealized vision, I really want to live in this town ("There's something here for saints/And for sinners like me"), where they "give second chances" because "We're hopeless romantics like that". This band has always managed to make a career for itself, but in a fairer world, they'd be huge.
So that wraps up my musings on 2015. I'm just starting to listen to some stuff from this year, so hopefully next post, I'll have something a little more up to date.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Top 20 Songs of 2015: Part 1
Finally, I get to publish my Top 20 Songs of 2015. I put a lot of thought and listening hours into this list. It's not perfect, but it's mine.
20. Three Days Grace -- "I Am Machine"
This Canadian band reminds me of Bad Religion for some reason. I love the vocals on this song -- their power matches the power of the theme. It makes me think about the character of Murphy in Robocop, but you could go with Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Vision in The Avengers, or pretty much any A.I. character who wishes he or she was human. Of course, I think the writers wanted it to be about how all of us are losing our humanity, and that's fine too.
19. The Decemberists -- "Till the Water's All Long Gone"
This is the first of two songs from The Decemberist's What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World to make this list, which is kind of weird because I felt kind of meh about the album as a whole. This song is beautiful, though, slow and haunting. It's sung by a character whose time has passed him by -- his beloved daughter is long dead, some distant ancestors have come down from the mountains, but he's protecting his water even if he can't quite remember who he's protecting it for. The song has nothing to do with this, but for some reason, it makes me think of the Bikura episode in Dan Simmons' Hyperion novel. I think it's because both the singer and the people coming down from the mountains remind me of the Bikura in their dimness.
18. Florence + The Machine -- "Ship to Wreck"
Florence + The Machine is a weird band for me. On each of their albums, including this one, I find I'm not impressed with most of the songs, but there are always one or two that I really like a lot. This song is the band at their best. It has a strong hook, the lyrics have strong imagery, and it all goes perfectly with one of Florence Welch's best vocals. Sometimes (too often, actually) this band gets into a bluesy thing that I don't care for, but this number is straight-ahead driving rock.
17. Melanie Martinez -- "Pacify Her"
Cry Baby, the LP on which this song appears, is a concept album. The CD is done up as a kind of demented children's book. This particular song is pretty laid back -- slow, and a little dreamy. It's not the first song I noticed when I heard the CD, but it's the one that grew on me the most. Thematically, it's the reverse of Paramore's "Misery Business" -- this time, we're getting the point of view of the manstealer. "Tired, blue boy walks my way/Holding a girl's hand/That basic bitch leaves finally/Now I can steal her man." There's a wicked sense of humor here, and no repentance whatsoever, which makes it even funnier.
16. Coldplay -- "Everglow"
This is a slow, kind of sad ballad. It features a soulful vocal by Chris Martin, and some really exquisite Bruce-Hornsbylike piano work. It might be a little schmaltzy, but I can deal with that because it's so damned beautiful. And apparently Martin's ex, Gwyneth Paltrow, does an uncredited guest vocal. What's in the box, Chris?! Oh, what's in the f!-@ing box?!!!
15. Coin -- "Run"
Coin is a poppy alternative band from Nashville. This song is from their eponymous debut CD. The song is a delightful, upbeat indiepop number. It's a little like this -- imagine you took Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up", sped it up, and added jangly guitars, some synth on the transitions, and some clean alt-rock vocals. That's what it's like. A little. Sort of.
14. Holly Miranda -- "Desert Call"
Holly Miranda is a singer-songwriter from Detroit. "Desert Call" is from her self-titled debut album. This is another slow, dreamy number, with vocals that are alternately breathy and belty. (I'm pretty sure I just made that word up.) There's some stark guitar in the beginning, and later on some gentle sax to carry the song home. And since she grew up singing in a church, there are some easy "halleljuhs" at the end that I'm pretty sure have more to do with world of the flesh stuff than with ecstasies of the spirit.
13. Virgin Steele -- "Hymns to Damnation"
Although Virgin Steele is a metal band, and there's plenty of fast-paced rock on the two-disc album from which this song comes, "Hymns to Damnation" is a ballad. It's a psychotic ballad, but it's a ballad. And you've never heard such a loving tribute to death, deceit and damnation, lovingly growled by lead singer David DeFeis. ("Child heart with bestial eyes/Like tears in spider webs, a perfect disguise ...") Demons rock!
12. Night Riots -- "Break"
Night Riots is a California band that has been compared to The Killers. This track is from their Howl EP. The song is a strong alt-rock single, although strangely it wasn't released as a single. Go figure. It's a medium-paced song with a positive message "They will try, but they will never break what you are/There is us, we are one/As the whole world falls apart." It's catchy. You'll like it. (Actually, I have no idea if you'll like it, but I like it, so that's why it's here.)
11. Hey Violet - "You Don't Love Me Like You Should"
Hey Violet is a mostly-grrl pop punk band from Los Angeles in the tradition of The Go-Gos. Apparently they used to be an all-grrl band called Cherri Bomb, but stuff happens. The music is fast-paced and fun, even when the lyrics are about sad stuff (like when your significant other doesn't love you like they should). They've got a full-length CD coming out later this year, but this song is from last year's I Can Feel It EP. I've never seen them live, but I bet they're a pisser.
Next Post: Top 20 Songs of 2015: Part 2
20. Three Days Grace -- "I Am Machine"
This Canadian band reminds me of Bad Religion for some reason. I love the vocals on this song -- their power matches the power of the theme. It makes me think about the character of Murphy in Robocop, but you could go with Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Vision in The Avengers, or pretty much any A.I. character who wishes he or she was human. Of course, I think the writers wanted it to be about how all of us are losing our humanity, and that's fine too.
19. The Decemberists -- "Till the Water's All Long Gone"
This is the first of two songs from The Decemberist's What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World to make this list, which is kind of weird because I felt kind of meh about the album as a whole. This song is beautiful, though, slow and haunting. It's sung by a character whose time has passed him by -- his beloved daughter is long dead, some distant ancestors have come down from the mountains, but he's protecting his water even if he can't quite remember who he's protecting it for. The song has nothing to do with this, but for some reason, it makes me think of the Bikura episode in Dan Simmons' Hyperion novel. I think it's because both the singer and the people coming down from the mountains remind me of the Bikura in their dimness.
18. Florence + The Machine -- "Ship to Wreck"
Florence + The Machine is a weird band for me. On each of their albums, including this one, I find I'm not impressed with most of the songs, but there are always one or two that I really like a lot. This song is the band at their best. It has a strong hook, the lyrics have strong imagery, and it all goes perfectly with one of Florence Welch's best vocals. Sometimes (too often, actually) this band gets into a bluesy thing that I don't care for, but this number is straight-ahead driving rock.
17. Melanie Martinez -- "Pacify Her"
Cry Baby, the LP on which this song appears, is a concept album. The CD is done up as a kind of demented children's book. This particular song is pretty laid back -- slow, and a little dreamy. It's not the first song I noticed when I heard the CD, but it's the one that grew on me the most. Thematically, it's the reverse of Paramore's "Misery Business" -- this time, we're getting the point of view of the manstealer. "Tired, blue boy walks my way/Holding a girl's hand/That basic bitch leaves finally/Now I can steal her man." There's a wicked sense of humor here, and no repentance whatsoever, which makes it even funnier.
16. Coldplay -- "Everglow"
This is a slow, kind of sad ballad. It features a soulful vocal by Chris Martin, and some really exquisite Bruce-Hornsbylike piano work. It might be a little schmaltzy, but I can deal with that because it's so damned beautiful. And apparently Martin's ex, Gwyneth Paltrow, does an uncredited guest vocal. What's in the box, Chris?! Oh, what's in the f!-@ing box?!!!
15. Coin -- "Run"
Coin is a poppy alternative band from Nashville. This song is from their eponymous debut CD. The song is a delightful, upbeat indiepop number. It's a little like this -- imagine you took Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up", sped it up, and added jangly guitars, some synth on the transitions, and some clean alt-rock vocals. That's what it's like. A little. Sort of.
14. Holly Miranda -- "Desert Call"
Holly Miranda is a singer-songwriter from Detroit. "Desert Call" is from her self-titled debut album. This is another slow, dreamy number, with vocals that are alternately breathy and belty. (I'm pretty sure I just made that word up.) There's some stark guitar in the beginning, and later on some gentle sax to carry the song home. And since she grew up singing in a church, there are some easy "halleljuhs" at the end that I'm pretty sure have more to do with world of the flesh stuff than with ecstasies of the spirit.
13. Virgin Steele -- "Hymns to Damnation"
Although Virgin Steele is a metal band, and there's plenty of fast-paced rock on the two-disc album from which this song comes, "Hymns to Damnation" is a ballad. It's a psychotic ballad, but it's a ballad. And you've never heard such a loving tribute to death, deceit and damnation, lovingly growled by lead singer David DeFeis. ("Child heart with bestial eyes/Like tears in spider webs, a perfect disguise ...") Demons rock!
12. Night Riots -- "Break"
Night Riots is a California band that has been compared to The Killers. This track is from their Howl EP. The song is a strong alt-rock single, although strangely it wasn't released as a single. Go figure. It's a medium-paced song with a positive message "They will try, but they will never break what you are/There is us, we are one/As the whole world falls apart." It's catchy. You'll like it. (Actually, I have no idea if you'll like it, but I like it, so that's why it's here.)
11. Hey Violet - "You Don't Love Me Like You Should"
Hey Violet is a mostly-grrl pop punk band from Los Angeles in the tradition of The Go-Gos. Apparently they used to be an all-grrl band called Cherri Bomb, but stuff happens. The music is fast-paced and fun, even when the lyrics are about sad stuff (like when your significant other doesn't love you like they should). They've got a full-length CD coming out later this year, but this song is from last year's I Can Feel It EP. I've never seen them live, but I bet they're a pisser.
Next Post: Top 20 Songs of 2015: Part 2
Friday, March 18, 2016
Top 10 Local Albums of 2015
I'm a Long Island guy who grew up in Queens. I used to do a radio show highlighting "local" music, and a couple of public access TV shows as well.
When I talk local music, I try to keep a fairly loose definition of the word "local". For the purposes of picking a Top 10 Local Albums list, here's what I consider "local": 1. Long Island, for sure; 2. The 5 boroughs of NY (especially Brooklyn, where a lot of Long Island bands have run off to) 3. Sometimes Jersey or a little ways upstate, if the mood takes me. (I'm not giving away money or anything, so I kind of get to make up the rules as I go along). Also, if a band or artist spent a decent amount of time living on and playing on Long Island, they get to qualify, even if they've moved to another area of the country.
As for format of what constitutes an "album" I'm going by the same rules I used on my The Top 10 Albums of 2015 list --there has to be a hard (CD copy) of the album, and it has to full-length; No EPs. allowed.
Because there's not much suspense about the top 3 slots (Since Tang, Elle King and Matt and Kim all made the national list), we're going to print this list from top to bottom.
Top 10 Local Albums of 2015
1. Tang -- Blood & Sand
Holy Guacamole! A local Long Island band takes the #1 slot for 2015! They describe themselves as a "dual female fronted alternative metal power trio". They've done some good stuff in the past, but this by far the best complete album they've ever put together. They're a way heavier band than I usually go for, but this was my number one album this year from the moment I first heard it, and nothing was able to dethrone it for the rest of the year. The whole album is first-rate, but the apocalyptic "The 11th Hour" is the standout. (So for all the happy, upbeat albums in the first part of the list, the darkness wins out after all. Yay darkness!)
2. Matt and Kim -- New Glow
Yet another great band (duo, actually) that lives in Brooklyn, these guys make music that's just kind of goofy and fun. When I first heard them, it seemed to me as if Beavis and Butthead had formed their own band. Then I found out that Kim was a girl, and I felt kind of bad about thinking that. Anyway, what is it with me and happy, fun bands these days? Usually I gravitate towards much darker stuff. (Well, wait until we reach my Top 20 Singles of 2015 list). As a New Yorker, I particularly love "Can You Blame Me" which has some great lyrics like "Climbing the Manhattan Bridge/Give the finger to our city with a kiss". These guys get it.
3. Elle King -- Love Stuff
Elle King is one of a ridiculous number of talented artists living in Brooklyn these days. Her music mixes rock, country and maybe a little blues. Love Stuff is her debut album, and it's a strong one. A lot of the songs on this CD feature her playing the bad girl -- drinking, breaking guys' hearts, tempting Satan, etc. "Ex's and Oh's" is the one everyone knows, if not from the rock charts or the alternative charts, then surely from one of several television commercials that make use of the song. My personal favorite is "America's Sweetheart", where she gets to do the bad girl thing to the hilt -- "Well they say I'm too loud for this town/So I lit a match and burned it down."
When I talk local music, I try to keep a fairly loose definition of the word "local". For the purposes of picking a Top 10 Local Albums list, here's what I consider "local": 1. Long Island, for sure; 2. The 5 boroughs of NY (especially Brooklyn, where a lot of Long Island bands have run off to) 3. Sometimes Jersey or a little ways upstate, if the mood takes me. (I'm not giving away money or anything, so I kind of get to make up the rules as I go along). Also, if a band or artist spent a decent amount of time living on and playing on Long Island, they get to qualify, even if they've moved to another area of the country.
As for format of what constitutes an "album" I'm going by the same rules I used on my The Top 10 Albums of 2015 list --there has to be a hard (CD copy) of the album, and it has to full-length; No EPs. allowed.
Because there's not much suspense about the top 3 slots (Since Tang, Elle King and Matt and Kim all made the national list), we're going to print this list from top to bottom.
Top 10 Local Albums of 2015
1. Tang -- Blood & Sand
Holy Guacamole! A local Long Island band takes the #1 slot for 2015! They describe themselves as a "dual female fronted alternative metal power trio". They've done some good stuff in the past, but this by far the best complete album they've ever put together. They're a way heavier band than I usually go for, but this was my number one album this year from the moment I first heard it, and nothing was able to dethrone it for the rest of the year. The whole album is first-rate, but the apocalyptic "The 11th Hour" is the standout. (So for all the happy, upbeat albums in the first part of the list, the darkness wins out after all. Yay darkness!)
2. Matt and Kim -- New Glow
Yet another great band (duo, actually) that lives in Brooklyn, these guys make music that's just kind of goofy and fun. When I first heard them, it seemed to me as if Beavis and Butthead had formed their own band. Then I found out that Kim was a girl, and I felt kind of bad about thinking that. Anyway, what is it with me and happy, fun bands these days? Usually I gravitate towards much darker stuff. (Well, wait until we reach my Top 20 Singles of 2015 list). As a New Yorker, I particularly love "Can You Blame Me" which has some great lyrics like "Climbing the Manhattan Bridge/Give the finger to our city with a kiss". These guys get it.
3. Elle King -- Love Stuff
Elle King is one of a ridiculous number of talented artists living in Brooklyn these days. Her music mixes rock, country and maybe a little blues. Love Stuff is her debut album, and it's a strong one. A lot of the songs on this CD feature her playing the bad girl -- drinking, breaking guys' hearts, tempting Satan, etc. "Ex's and Oh's" is the one everyone knows, if not from the rock charts or the alternative charts, then surely from one of several television commercials that make use of the song. My personal favorite is "America's Sweetheart", where she gets to do the bad girl thing to the hilt -- "Well they say I'm too loud for this town/So I lit a match and burned it down."
4. Jeff Rosenstock -- We Cool?
Actually, I hated this album the first time I heard it. There's a lot of feedback and cacophony going on. But on second listen, I realized there's also some first-rate song writing on this CD. Rosenstock has been involved in a number of previous projects, including the ska-punk band The Arrogant Sons of Bitches and a music collective called Bomb the Music Industry. The best songs here include a number called "Nausea", which includes a description of a great deal of substance abuse, and "I'm Serious, I'm Sorry" which also contains some excessive alcohol consumption, but is the song with the biggest heart on the album.
5. Jeremy Gilchrist -- Causality
I'm cheating just a little bit with this one, because it was actually released in the last two weeks of 2014, but tough. Jeremy Gilchrist is a former Long Islander who has since moved on, first to North Carolina and then to snowy Vermont (which is appropriate, since Jeremy is almost as well known for his love of extreme weather as for his love of music). This is his best album to date, which is saying something. The most powerful song is a slow number called "Letter from the 21st", which is a musical love letter to the 22nd century, full of hope, but also filled with regret for things we won't be leaving them. Also particularly strong is the last song, "Great Escape", which features the heaviest dose of Gilchrist's unique musicality, especially his half-laughing, half-maniacal vocals.
6. Melanie Martinez -- Cry Baby
Martinez is a Manhattan resident who competed on Season 3 of the television show The Voice. Cry Baby, her first full-length CD, is a concept album done in the style of a very adult and disturbing children's book. There are themes of family trauma, rape, childhood bullying, and others guaranteed to keep you up at night. The big single was "Pity Party" which borrows heavily from "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To," but twists it into something a little more desperate. My favorite track is Pacify Her", a subtle number that is sort of the bizarro world version of Paramore's "Misery Business", told from the viewpoint of the boyfriend stealer with not a whole lot of sympathy for the victim. ("I can't take her whining/Where's her binky now?") The music is well thought out and heavily produced throughout.
7. Blackmore's Night -- All Our Yesterdays
All Our Yesterdays is Blackmore's Night's 10th studio album. I actually don't think it's one of their strongest, but it says something that even an album that's not one of their best still makes my local Top 10. The title track is classic Blackmore's Night, featuring yet another crystal clear and beautiful vocal by Candice Night. There's also some particularly tasty instrumental work from rock legend Richie Blackmore and his band here, especially on "Allan yn n fan". It blows me away that we have a band this strong on Long Island that has such a virulent following in places like Germany, but they've mainly only got a cult following here. Get with the program, Long Islanders!
8. Sufjan Stephens -- Carrie & Lowell
Sufjan Stephens is a Brooklyn resident with a distinguished musical career over the last few decades. This a bittersweet concept album with songs written mostly about his relationship with his mother who suffered throughout her life with mental illness and substance abuse, and his stepfather Lowell Brams, who later became the head of his record label. It's described on Wikipedia as "sparsely instrumental", and I'd say that's an accurate assessment. The best number is called "Fourth of July", an intensely beautiful song that recounts a conversation between Stephens and his mother while she was in the hospital dying of stomach cancer. If you're looking for party music, this ain't it. But if you want something subtle, sorrowful and poetic, this is a highly worthwhile album.
9. Torres - Sprinter
Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres) is a Brooklyn-based singer songwriter. Sprinter is her second full-length CD. She opened for Garbage earlier this year at The Space in Westbury, and I'm bummed I missed it because I really like this album. I particularly like the song "New Skin", told first from the viewpoint of her as a baby trying to make sense of her baptism, and later of her as the young woman she is today. I'm also particularly impressed by a long, sparse number called "The Exchange". It tells the story of her loss of her own history; her mother was an adoptee whose birth records were lost in a church flood. The album as a whole is kind of stark, which of course, is one of the things I like best about it.
10. Virgin Steele -- Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation
As Monty Python would say, "And now for something completely different." With the exception of the Tang album at the top of the list, most of my Top 10 Local CDs list has been dominated by quiet, subtle or acoustic music. Virgin Steele is a heavy metal band of Long Island origin, in the tradition thematically (if not quite sonically) of European epic metal. Nocturnes of Hellfire and Damnation is a 2-disc concept album filled with demons, devils, witches, etc., and what could be wrong with that? There are a number of strong songs on both the main disc and the bonus disc. My particular favorite is "Hymns to Damnation", which is sort of a slow, pretty demonic ballad celebrating damnation and disease. I also love "Persephone" which a more typical, driving number.
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this list. Again, my hope is maybe I'll turn you on to an album or artist you were previously unfamiliar with, and it will make your 2016 a happier year.
Next Post: The Top 20 Songs of 2015
I'm cheating just a little bit with this one, because it was actually released in the last two weeks of 2014, but tough. Jeremy Gilchrist is a former Long Islander who has since moved on, first to North Carolina and then to snowy Vermont (which is appropriate, since Jeremy is almost as well known for his love of extreme weather as for his love of music). This is his best album to date, which is saying something. The most powerful song is a slow number called "Letter from the 21st", which is a musical love letter to the 22nd century, full of hope, but also filled with regret for things we won't be leaving them. Also particularly strong is the last song, "Great Escape", which features the heaviest dose of Gilchrist's unique musicality, especially his half-laughing, half-maniacal vocals.
6. Melanie Martinez -- Cry Baby
Martinez is a Manhattan resident who competed on Season 3 of the television show The Voice. Cry Baby, her first full-length CD, is a concept album done in the style of a very adult and disturbing children's book. There are themes of family trauma, rape, childhood bullying, and others guaranteed to keep you up at night. The big single was "Pity Party" which borrows heavily from "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To," but twists it into something a little more desperate. My favorite track is Pacify Her", a subtle number that is sort of the bizarro world version of Paramore's "Misery Business", told from the viewpoint of the boyfriend stealer with not a whole lot of sympathy for the victim. ("I can't take her whining/Where's her binky now?") The music is well thought out and heavily produced throughout.
7. Blackmore's Night -- All Our Yesterdays
All Our Yesterdays is Blackmore's Night's 10th studio album. I actually don't think it's one of their strongest, but it says something that even an album that's not one of their best still makes my local Top 10. The title track is classic Blackmore's Night, featuring yet another crystal clear and beautiful vocal by Candice Night. There's also some particularly tasty instrumental work from rock legend Richie Blackmore and his band here, especially on "Allan yn n fan". It blows me away that we have a band this strong on Long Island that has such a virulent following in places like Germany, but they've mainly only got a cult following here. Get with the program, Long Islanders!
8. Sufjan Stephens -- Carrie & Lowell
Sufjan Stephens is a Brooklyn resident with a distinguished musical career over the last few decades. This a bittersweet concept album with songs written mostly about his relationship with his mother who suffered throughout her life with mental illness and substance abuse, and his stepfather Lowell Brams, who later became the head of his record label. It's described on Wikipedia as "sparsely instrumental", and I'd say that's an accurate assessment. The best number is called "Fourth of July", an intensely beautiful song that recounts a conversation between Stephens and his mother while she was in the hospital dying of stomach cancer. If you're looking for party music, this ain't it. But if you want something subtle, sorrowful and poetic, this is a highly worthwhile album.
9. Torres - Sprinter
Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres) is a Brooklyn-based singer songwriter. Sprinter is her second full-length CD. She opened for Garbage earlier this year at The Space in Westbury, and I'm bummed I missed it because I really like this album. I particularly like the song "New Skin", told first from the viewpoint of her as a baby trying to make sense of her baptism, and later of her as the young woman she is today. I'm also particularly impressed by a long, sparse number called "The Exchange". It tells the story of her loss of her own history; her mother was an adoptee whose birth records were lost in a church flood. The album as a whole is kind of stark, which of course, is one of the things I like best about it.
10. Virgin Steele -- Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation
As Monty Python would say, "And now for something completely different." With the exception of the Tang album at the top of the list, most of my Top 10 Local CDs list has been dominated by quiet, subtle or acoustic music. Virgin Steele is a heavy metal band of Long Island origin, in the tradition thematically (if not quite sonically) of European epic metal. Nocturnes of Hellfire and Damnation is a 2-disc concept album filled with demons, devils, witches, etc., and what could be wrong with that? There are a number of strong songs on both the main disc and the bonus disc. My particular favorite is "Hymns to Damnation", which is sort of a slow, pretty demonic ballad celebrating damnation and disease. I also love "Persephone" which a more typical, driving number.
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this list. Again, my hope is maybe I'll turn you on to an album or artist you were previously unfamiliar with, and it will make your 2016 a happier year.
Next Post: The Top 20 Songs of 2015
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Top 10 Albums of 2015
This list has been ready for at least a week and a half, but this is the first chance I've had to post it.
Here are the rules for what is eligible: It has to be a full-length album of at least 7 songs (unless you've got one or more epic-length songs). No EPs. It also has to be all by one artist -- no compilations. And although I know one of these days I'll have to change this, I'm still old school, so I have to have a physical copy of the album on CD. I won't count it if I can only get a digital version.
In 2015, I listened to 70+ albums to put together this list. I tried to include a variety of genres, but my tastes are what they are -- I like classical, but no classical albums were included. I don't much like pure hip-hop or jazz, so none of those albums were included. I didn't include any straight country, although some of the artists produced country-tinged rock. And of course, it's all based on my taste. It's all about what I liked, and what I thought was good.
So from 10th through first, here's my list:
Top 10 Albums of 2015:
10. Coldplay -- A Head Full of Dreams
This was the last album I reviewed for the year, but it made my Top 10. Actually, after being disappointed by Mylo Xyloto in 2011, I've liked their last two albums a lot. For me, these guys carry on the banner of Pink Floyd (although they're obviously much less psychedelic), so it's no wonder they're one the most successful bands in the world today. For me, the standout cut is the slow ballad "Everglow" which features some lovely piano that reminds me of Bruce Hornsby.
9. Meg Myers -- Sorry
This is the first full-length album for this West Coast artist who was born in Tennessee. The genre is rock-pop with some bite to it. Her first single, "Desire", is also my favorite song on the album. There's a kind of an animal longing to it, and also a fair amount of pissed-offishness, as she almost spits out "How do you want me/How do you want me?" I'd never heard of her before, and I don't even remember what made me try out the album, but I'm really glad I did.
8. Zedd -- True Colors
One of the top electro artists out today, I first became aware of him when he collaborated with Paramore's Hayley Williams on "Stay the Night". That song isn't on this album, but a whole bunch of other collaborations are, most of whom I either hadn't heard of or never thought I'd like (Selena Gomez sings one of the songs on this album, and it's actually pretty good). Some of the critics thought it wasn't as good as his first album, Clarity, but screw 'em. My favorite song is the first one on the album, "Addicted to a Memory", which features a strong vocal from an all-female Manhattan Beach band called Bahari. The song also has all kind of weird, swirling electronic things going on that I really liked.
7. The Mowglis -- Kids in Love
The Mowglis are a Southern California alt-pop band that just reek of wholesomeness and fun. Normally this makes me run for the hills, but it works for them. The music is a lot more modern and full, but for some reason something about them makes me think of The Cowsills. The band has both male and female vocalists, and there's a very upbeat vibe throughout the CD. The title track is my favorite, and it's about exactly what you'd think -- "Kids in Love." It has an infectious upbeat groove to it.
6. Passion Pit -- Kindred
Passion Pit is described by Wikipedia as an "indietronica band", although to my ears they're more "indie" than "tronica", and they're not so much a band as they are the musical project of one man, the falsetto-voiced Michael Angelakos. I've liked all three of Passion Pit's albums to date, and while there's nothing on this one quite as weird and out there (in a good way) as the song "Sleepyhead" from the first album Manners (which sounded like it was sung by Oz's Munchkins on acid), this new album is full of good stuff. "Where the Sky Hangs" is the one I like best. It's a dreamy little number that has a video featuring a strangely beautiful but disturbing-looking boy and girl lying side by side in the grass, holding hands and blinking a lot. Go figure.
5. Elle King -- Love Stuff
Elle King is one of a ridiculous number of talented artists living in Brooklyn these days. Her music mixes rock, country and maybe a little blues. Love Stuff is her debut album, and it's a strong one. A lot of the songs on this CD feature her playing the bad girl -- drinking, breaking guys' hearts, tempting Satan, etc. "Ex's and Oh's" is the one everyone knows, if not from the rock charts or the alternative charts, then surely from one of several television commercials that make use of the song. My personal favorite is "America's Sweetheart", where she gets to do the bad girl thing to the hilt -- "Well they say I'm too loud for this town/So I lit a match and burned it down."
4. Matt and Kim -- New Glow
Yet another great band (duo, actually) that lives in Brooklyn, these guys make music that's just kind of goofy and fun. When I first heard them, it seemed to me as if Beavis and Butthead had formed their own band. Then I found out that Kim was a girl, and I felt kind of bad about thinking that. Anyway, what is it with me and happy, fun bands these days? Usually I gravitate towards much darker stuff. (Well, wait until we reach my Top 20 Singles of 2015 list). As a New Yorker, I particularly love "Can You Blame Me" which has some great lyrics like "Climbing the Manhattan Bridge/Give the finger to our city with a kiss". These guys get it.
3. Three Days Grace -- Human
Three Days Grace is a Toronto-based band that I was originally turned on to by my son. Even though they're more heavy rock than punk, especially on this album, something about them reminds me of Bad Religion. The band has a new lead vocalist for this album, Barry Wolst, and although it didn't chart as well as some of their previous stuff, I think he's better than their previous singer. He's got a powerful but pleasing voice. The standout song for me is "I Am Machine" which sort of feels to me like it's being sung by the character of Murphy from Robocop.
2. Priory -- Need to Know
I'm kind of cheating with this album, because I'm pretty sure the digital download was available late in 2014. But I couldn't get an actual CD until sometime in 2015, so it counts. (Maybe it was only the single that was available digitally?) I saw them about a year and a half ago opening for The Kooks at the Paramount in Huntington, and I was on the hunt for the album ever since. I actually thought these guys were from somewhere in the UK, maybe Scotland or Wales, but it turns out they're from Portland, OR. Wikipedia describes them as electropop. OK. I'd just go with alternative. Anyway, it's a strong album, front to back, and the single "Weekend" is particularly tasty.
1. Tang -- Blood & Sand
Holy Guacamole! A local Long Island band takes the #1 slot for 2015! They describe themselves as a "dual female fronted alternative metal power trio". They've done some good stuff in the past, but this by far the best complete album they've ever put together. They're a way heavier band than I usually go for, but this was my number one album this year from the moment I first heard it, and nothing was able to dethrone it for the rest of the year. The whole album is first-rate, but the apocalyptic "The 11th Hour" is the standout. (So for all the happy, upbeat albums in the first part of the list, the darkness wins out after all. Yay darkness!)
So that wraps up my Top 10 Albums of 2015. I hope maybe some of you get turned on to someone great you never heard before. All I can tell you is the list was lovingly, yet painstakingly, put together.
Next Post: The Top 10 Local Albums of 2015.
Here are the rules for what is eligible: It has to be a full-length album of at least 7 songs (unless you've got one or more epic-length songs). No EPs. It also has to be all by one artist -- no compilations. And although I know one of these days I'll have to change this, I'm still old school, so I have to have a physical copy of the album on CD. I won't count it if I can only get a digital version.
In 2015, I listened to 70+ albums to put together this list. I tried to include a variety of genres, but my tastes are what they are -- I like classical, but no classical albums were included. I don't much like pure hip-hop or jazz, so none of those albums were included. I didn't include any straight country, although some of the artists produced country-tinged rock. And of course, it's all based on my taste. It's all about what I liked, and what I thought was good.
So from 10th through first, here's my list:
Top 10 Albums of 2015:
10. Coldplay -- A Head Full of Dreams
This was the last album I reviewed for the year, but it made my Top 10. Actually, after being disappointed by Mylo Xyloto in 2011, I've liked their last two albums a lot. For me, these guys carry on the banner of Pink Floyd (although they're obviously much less psychedelic), so it's no wonder they're one the most successful bands in the world today. For me, the standout cut is the slow ballad "Everglow" which features some lovely piano that reminds me of Bruce Hornsby.
9. Meg Myers -- Sorry
This is the first full-length album for this West Coast artist who was born in Tennessee. The genre is rock-pop with some bite to it. Her first single, "Desire", is also my favorite song on the album. There's a kind of an animal longing to it, and also a fair amount of pissed-offishness, as she almost spits out "How do you want me/How do you want me?" I'd never heard of her before, and I don't even remember what made me try out the album, but I'm really glad I did.
8. Zedd -- True Colors
One of the top electro artists out today, I first became aware of him when he collaborated with Paramore's Hayley Williams on "Stay the Night". That song isn't on this album, but a whole bunch of other collaborations are, most of whom I either hadn't heard of or never thought I'd like (Selena Gomez sings one of the songs on this album, and it's actually pretty good). Some of the critics thought it wasn't as good as his first album, Clarity, but screw 'em. My favorite song is the first one on the album, "Addicted to a Memory", which features a strong vocal from an all-female Manhattan Beach band called Bahari. The song also has all kind of weird, swirling electronic things going on that I really liked.
7. The Mowglis -- Kids in Love
The Mowglis are a Southern California alt-pop band that just reek of wholesomeness and fun. Normally this makes me run for the hills, but it works for them. The music is a lot more modern and full, but for some reason something about them makes me think of The Cowsills. The band has both male and female vocalists, and there's a very upbeat vibe throughout the CD. The title track is my favorite, and it's about exactly what you'd think -- "Kids in Love." It has an infectious upbeat groove to it.
6. Passion Pit -- Kindred
Passion Pit is described by Wikipedia as an "indietronica band", although to my ears they're more "indie" than "tronica", and they're not so much a band as they are the musical project of one man, the falsetto-voiced Michael Angelakos. I've liked all three of Passion Pit's albums to date, and while there's nothing on this one quite as weird and out there (in a good way) as the song "Sleepyhead" from the first album Manners (which sounded like it was sung by Oz's Munchkins on acid), this new album is full of good stuff. "Where the Sky Hangs" is the one I like best. It's a dreamy little number that has a video featuring a strangely beautiful but disturbing-looking boy and girl lying side by side in the grass, holding hands and blinking a lot. Go figure.
5. Elle King -- Love Stuff
Elle King is one of a ridiculous number of talented artists living in Brooklyn these days. Her music mixes rock, country and maybe a little blues. Love Stuff is her debut album, and it's a strong one. A lot of the songs on this CD feature her playing the bad girl -- drinking, breaking guys' hearts, tempting Satan, etc. "Ex's and Oh's" is the one everyone knows, if not from the rock charts or the alternative charts, then surely from one of several television commercials that make use of the song. My personal favorite is "America's Sweetheart", where she gets to do the bad girl thing to the hilt -- "Well they say I'm too loud for this town/So I lit a match and burned it down."
4. Matt and Kim -- New Glow
Yet another great band (duo, actually) that lives in Brooklyn, these guys make music that's just kind of goofy and fun. When I first heard them, it seemed to me as if Beavis and Butthead had formed their own band. Then I found out that Kim was a girl, and I felt kind of bad about thinking that. Anyway, what is it with me and happy, fun bands these days? Usually I gravitate towards much darker stuff. (Well, wait until we reach my Top 20 Singles of 2015 list). As a New Yorker, I particularly love "Can You Blame Me" which has some great lyrics like "Climbing the Manhattan Bridge/Give the finger to our city with a kiss". These guys get it.
3. Three Days Grace -- Human
Three Days Grace is a Toronto-based band that I was originally turned on to by my son. Even though they're more heavy rock than punk, especially on this album, something about them reminds me of Bad Religion. The band has a new lead vocalist for this album, Barry Wolst, and although it didn't chart as well as some of their previous stuff, I think he's better than their previous singer. He's got a powerful but pleasing voice. The standout song for me is "I Am Machine" which sort of feels to me like it's being sung by the character of Murphy from Robocop.
2. Priory -- Need to Know
I'm kind of cheating with this album, because I'm pretty sure the digital download was available late in 2014. But I couldn't get an actual CD until sometime in 2015, so it counts. (Maybe it was only the single that was available digitally?) I saw them about a year and a half ago opening for The Kooks at the Paramount in Huntington, and I was on the hunt for the album ever since. I actually thought these guys were from somewhere in the UK, maybe Scotland or Wales, but it turns out they're from Portland, OR. Wikipedia describes them as electropop. OK. I'd just go with alternative. Anyway, it's a strong album, front to back, and the single "Weekend" is particularly tasty.
1. Tang -- Blood & Sand
Holy Guacamole! A local Long Island band takes the #1 slot for 2015! They describe themselves as a "dual female fronted alternative metal power trio". They've done some good stuff in the past, but this by far the best complete album they've ever put together. They're a way heavier band than I usually go for, but this was my number one album this year from the moment I first heard it, and nothing was able to dethrone it for the rest of the year. The whole album is first-rate, but the apocalyptic "The 11th Hour" is the standout. (So for all the happy, upbeat albums in the first part of the list, the darkness wins out after all. Yay darkness!)
So that wraps up my Top 10 Albums of 2015. I hope maybe some of you get turned on to someone great you never heard before. All I can tell you is the list was lovingly, yet painstakingly, put together.
Next Post: The Top 10 Local Albums of 2015.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Best Albums of the Decades lists Part VI: The '00s
Busy season at work has been killing me, which is why I haven't posted in two weeks. I finally have a weekend where I didn't bring home too much work, so I can finish this thread up. In the interim, I've at long last finished with my Best of 2015 lists. (What was it that made me think I'd be done with them before the end of January? Somehow it never seems to work out that way.)
The beginning of the first decade of the new millennium seemed a little musically listless to me. By this time, I wasn't even enjoying what was being released as national indie rock anymore. Mainstream music was even worse -- it was all either hip-hop or American Idol dreck, or both. Most of what I was listening to was local Long Island music. Someday I'll write a whole post about the local music scene of the late '90s and early '00s, and what it meant to me.
There was one album released midway through the decade, though, that brought a huge smile to my face (and to Denise's), so I picked that for my Runner-up Best Album of the '00s.
2000s
Runner-up: Employment by The Kaiser Chiefs
I actually had a hard time with this pick. Truth be told, there are at least a dozen albums from the '70s that I would score higher than this, and if I really got into it, probably a few local albums from this time period also.
There were also some other bands who put out some good albums in this decade whose work I considered, notably The Killers, Metric and Bayside ( I gave some serious thought to Shudder).
In the end, what I really love about Employment is it's just a fun album. Even the darker songs have a sense of humanity to them.
The album also has a first-rate single in "I Predict a Riot", a song that gets you on your feet and keeps you there. I also love the casually sick view of mortality that "Time Honored Tradition" takes, and the sense of humor behind "Everyday I Love You Less and Less." And I have to admit that when I finally took that first trip to Europe at 50 years of age, the song that kept playing in my head was "Oh my God" ("Oh my God I can't believe it/I've never been this far away from home").
I've always been a little disappointed in The Kaiser Chiefs' output after this album. Employment was their first CD, and I thought they were going to become a really great band. But while they've definitely put out some good songs on subsequent albums, they've never really lived up to the promise I thought they showed. And clearly, this band isn't The Who. Then again, who is?
Taken for itself, though, Employment is fun and worthwhile, and in a somewhat flawed decade, it stands out among the best releases.
Best Album: Riot! by Paramore
I have to credit Paramore for reigniting my passion for music. By late in the decade, I was kind of burnt out musically. I had largely dropped out of the local music scene, except for the acoustic scene at the late, great Pisces Cafe in Babylon. Much of the excitement music-wise had started the drift from Long Island down to Brooklyn. And there wasn't much going on in the national scene that interested me at all.
That all changed with Riot! I wasn't even aware of the album, or of the band when it was first released, and consequently, it didn't make my "Best Of" list for 2007. And when I first did finally become aware of "Misery Business", I liked it enough to buy the CD, but it didn't really grab me right away.
I can't remember if it was when "Crushcrushcrush" started getting play as a single, or a few months later when Paramore's tracks on the soundtrack for the first Twilight movie started getting played, but at some point in 2008, I was inspired to go back to this album with fresh ears, and it blew me away.
It was a combination of 3 factors. The first was obviously Hayley Williams. Here was this little tiny girl with flaming orange hair with a voice that could knock down the walls. This is a girl whose voice scores high on both the power and beauty scales, who can hit you with a fast rock song like "Misery Business", or a ballad like "We Are Broken". But if you really want to hear the range of what she can do, listen to a song like "Hallelujah". That song still gives me chills down my spine.
The second factor is the quality of the songwriting. There were four songs released as singles from this CD, and of the remaining seven songs at least four more are very strong, and the other three are decent. When you combine songwriting like this with a charismatic and talented frontperson like Williams, you've got something special going on.
The third factor is the driving musicianship of the rest of the band. For two albums, Riot! and 2009's Brand New Eyes, this band was as perfect a rock music vehicle as you're ever going to find, in spite of the internal personality conflicts that were already eating at them. (And honestly, I could have easily named Brand New Eyes as my Runner-Up album of the decade). The band lost something when the Farro brothers left in 2010, and although the 2013 Paramore album was the band's first number one album sales-wise, the music and songwriting were both inferior to those of the previous two albums.
Sad as it is that the original Paramore lineup is no more, for me, Riot! will always stand frozen in time as an amazing achievement, an album every bit as good in its own way as those best albums of the '70s I love so much.
But enough of my nostalgic magic carpet ride through the decades of my younger years. In the next post, I'll (finally) bring things back to the (nearly) present.
Next Post: The Best of 2015 Part 1
The beginning of the first decade of the new millennium seemed a little musically listless to me. By this time, I wasn't even enjoying what was being released as national indie rock anymore. Mainstream music was even worse -- it was all either hip-hop or American Idol dreck, or both. Most of what I was listening to was local Long Island music. Someday I'll write a whole post about the local music scene of the late '90s and early '00s, and what it meant to me.
There was one album released midway through the decade, though, that brought a huge smile to my face (and to Denise's), so I picked that for my Runner-up Best Album of the '00s.
2000s
Runner-up: Employment by The Kaiser Chiefs
I actually had a hard time with this pick. Truth be told, there are at least a dozen albums from the '70s that I would score higher than this, and if I really got into it, probably a few local albums from this time period also.
There were also some other bands who put out some good albums in this decade whose work I considered, notably The Killers, Metric and Bayside ( I gave some serious thought to Shudder).
In the end, what I really love about Employment is it's just a fun album. Even the darker songs have a sense of humanity to them.
The album also has a first-rate single in "I Predict a Riot", a song that gets you on your feet and keeps you there. I also love the casually sick view of mortality that "Time Honored Tradition" takes, and the sense of humor behind "Everyday I Love You Less and Less." And I have to admit that when I finally took that first trip to Europe at 50 years of age, the song that kept playing in my head was "Oh my God" ("Oh my God I can't believe it/I've never been this far away from home").
I've always been a little disappointed in The Kaiser Chiefs' output after this album. Employment was their first CD, and I thought they were going to become a really great band. But while they've definitely put out some good songs on subsequent albums, they've never really lived up to the promise I thought they showed. And clearly, this band isn't The Who. Then again, who is?
Taken for itself, though, Employment is fun and worthwhile, and in a somewhat flawed decade, it stands out among the best releases.
Best Album: Riot! by Paramore
I have to credit Paramore for reigniting my passion for music. By late in the decade, I was kind of burnt out musically. I had largely dropped out of the local music scene, except for the acoustic scene at the late, great Pisces Cafe in Babylon. Much of the excitement music-wise had started the drift from Long Island down to Brooklyn. And there wasn't much going on in the national scene that interested me at all.
That all changed with Riot! I wasn't even aware of the album, or of the band when it was first released, and consequently, it didn't make my "Best Of" list for 2007. And when I first did finally become aware of "Misery Business", I liked it enough to buy the CD, but it didn't really grab me right away.
I can't remember if it was when "Crushcrushcrush" started getting play as a single, or a few months later when Paramore's tracks on the soundtrack for the first Twilight movie started getting played, but at some point in 2008, I was inspired to go back to this album with fresh ears, and it blew me away.
It was a combination of 3 factors. The first was obviously Hayley Williams. Here was this little tiny girl with flaming orange hair with a voice that could knock down the walls. This is a girl whose voice scores high on both the power and beauty scales, who can hit you with a fast rock song like "Misery Business", or a ballad like "We Are Broken". But if you really want to hear the range of what she can do, listen to a song like "Hallelujah". That song still gives me chills down my spine.
The second factor is the quality of the songwriting. There were four songs released as singles from this CD, and of the remaining seven songs at least four more are very strong, and the other three are decent. When you combine songwriting like this with a charismatic and talented frontperson like Williams, you've got something special going on.
The third factor is the driving musicianship of the rest of the band. For two albums, Riot! and 2009's Brand New Eyes, this band was as perfect a rock music vehicle as you're ever going to find, in spite of the internal personality conflicts that were already eating at them. (And honestly, I could have easily named Brand New Eyes as my Runner-Up album of the decade). The band lost something when the Farro brothers left in 2010, and although the 2013 Paramore album was the band's first number one album sales-wise, the music and songwriting were both inferior to those of the previous two albums.
Sad as it is that the original Paramore lineup is no more, for me, Riot! will always stand frozen in time as an amazing achievement, an album every bit as good in its own way as those best albums of the '70s I love so much.
But enough of my nostalgic magic carpet ride through the decades of my younger years. In the next post, I'll (finally) bring things back to the (nearly) present.
Next Post: The Best of 2015 Part 1
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)