This is Part 2 of my "Favorite Artists" series, a series where I write in-depth about my favorite bands and artists of all time.
I consider The Who to be the greatest rock band of all time. I don't say that lightly. I realize that some people might offer other valid choices for this title. I also realize that there's a difference between naming a band "my favorite band" and saying that a band is the objectively the greatest ever. Some days, The Who is my favorite band. But I've had many favorite bands on many different days, including The Monkees (who were my first musical love when I got my first transistor radio), Procol Harum (who were my favorites for most of my teen years), and Jethro Tull (who've probably been my favorite band on most of the days of my adult life). My pick for greatest band of all time is different, though. It doesn't fluctuate daily with my moods and my taste. A favorite band is a choice of the heart (and certainly there are many days where The Who is my favorite band as well). But my choice of greatest band ever is more a choice of the head.
Here's my case. To start with, the individual members of The Who are all at or near their top of their chosen instruments. Many would pick Keith Moon as the greatest rock drummer of all time, and many would pick John Entwistle as the greatest bass player. While Pete Townshend is seldom mentioned as the "greatest" guitarist of all time, he is undeniably a great guitarist, with his own unique style of rhythm guitar playing (which is as visually impressive as it is musically impressive). As for Roger Daltrey, he was doubtlessly the last of the four members of The Who to fully come into his own. However, once he did, as he began to embody the character of Tommy Walker and make him his own, he too became a singular and forceful vocal talent, one of those rare singers who can sing with equal parts power and beauty. (And it's enhanced by the weird high-pitched harmonies and occasional lead vocals Townshend and Entwistle provide). Add to all of this the uncommon chemistry that these four men had together, and their deserved reputation as one of the greatest live bands ever. Then finish it off with the genius of Townshend's writing (and yes, I know that word is overused, but in this case, it's 100% earned) and you have, in my eyes, the one band that stands out among all others.
I don't think there's ever been a one-two-three punch of studio LPs in rock annals like the successive releases of Tommy, Who's Next and Quadrophenia (and just for laughs, they threw Live at Leeds in the middle of all that, an album that many consider one of the legendary live albums of all time). The closest comparison, for me, was Pink Floyd's run from Dark Side through The Wall, but even here, I'd have to give a narrow buT definite advantage to The Who.
Think about Who's Next for a minute. Here we have what is almost universally accepted as one of the top albums in rock history, and the damned thing was a frigging failure by Townshend's standards. Fresh off the amazing breakthrough that was Tommy (which went beyond the notion of the mere concept album to become the world's first rock opera,) he was trying to create something so big it would blow Tommy out of the water, a project that would exist in multiple media formats and would join the band and the audience together in the creative process: The Lifehouse project. The concept was so big that he couldn't ever pull it all together and get it into a form that even his own management and his bandmates could understand. So after pretty much giving himself a nervous breakdown, Townshend admitted failure, abandoned the project, took the best individual songs (like "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again") and put them out in a regular album format as Who's Next. What we wound up with was of the most amazing LPs in the history of LPs, and this was one of his failures! Then, just for laughs, after he'd gotten a little rest and came back to his right mind, he lowered his sights and banged out Quadrophenia. I'm in awe whenever I think about it.
Here's another thing, too. When we think of those albums, we think of the legendary rock anthems such as "Pinball Wizard" and "We're Not Gonna Take It" from Tommy, the three songs I mentioned earlier from Who's Next, and "Love, Reign O'er Me" and "5:15" from Quadrophenia. But some of my favorites are the smaller numbers from those three albums: "Sensation" and "Amazing Journey" from Tommy, "Bargain" and "Getting in Tune" from Who's Next, and "Cut My Hair", "The Dirty Jobs" and "Sea and Sand" from Quadrophenia. Then there are the character numbers, like "Bell Boy" from Quadrophenia. And don't even get me started on the "added-value" of John Entwistle's songs -- songs like "Boris the Spider", "Fiddle About" and "My Wife".
I once heard it said that "A million Def Leppards will come and go -- but there will only ever be one Who". I feel bad picking on Def Leppard in particular -- I have nothing against them (although I have nothing especially for them either). But you get the point. Although they only released eleven actual studio albums, The Who not only created music that is timeless, but also ideas and ways of doing things that forever changed rock history. Ironically, even the punk movement, which mostly abhorred what had come to be thought of "stadium rock", by and large revered The Who.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. I'll be the first to admit that someone else could make the case for other bands. For me, though, it's pretty cut and dried. The Who are my choice the greatest band in rock history.
Coming up next in this series, in about 3 months: Pink Floyd.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Saturday, July 7, 2018
Review of The Gothard Sisters' "Midnight Sun"
I posted this review a short while ago on the Sputnik Music website:
Three sweet-voiced blonde-haired sisters fiddling away and singing songs about flowers and mermaids and fairies -- it sounds like many a Sputniker's vision of aural hell. But as John Astin discovered in that classic episode of the old Night Gallery show, one man's hell is another man's heaven.
The Gothard Sisters are a trio of performing siblings from Washington State. Purportedly inspired by a video of Riverdance, they began taking Irish step dancing lessons to complement the violin lessons they were already engaged in, and by their teens, they were performing at state fairs and Celtic music festivals throughout their home area. Now all in their twenties, they have released a dozen or so albums, and become headliners at Celtic music events all over North America.
Midnight Sun is their most recent LP. Released this past May, it contains a dozen songs that are evenly split between instrumental tracks and tracks with vocals. For those who appreciate Celtic-tinged original music, there's a lot to like here. The fiddling throughout is particularly enjoyable, and there's some nice acoustic guitar and piano playing as well. As for the lead vocals, they're sung by the youngest sister, Solana, with sibs Greta and Willow providing the harmonies. Solana's voice is high-pitched and pleasant, if maybe a tad thin. The songs are nicely constructed musically, although some of the lyrics can be a little insipid. In their defense, though, they're working in a genre where songs about magical beings is part of the tradition, so I'm going to cut them some slack here.
Among the best tracks on Midnight Sun are the title track, which pays homage to living in one of those areas in the northern hemisphere where the sun never sets at certain times of the year, and "Rose, Marie and Heather", which tells the tale of an encounter between three sisters and a Fairy Queen of ill intent who tries unsuccessfully to get each of them to betray the other two. The best of the instrumental numbers might be "When the Rain Falls", which Willow Gothard co-wrote with pianist Michele McLaughlin (who also plays on the track).
Midnight Sun won't be for everyone. Its unrelenting positivity will doubtlessly turn some listeners off, and others might find the sugary vocals intolerable. Nevertheless, there is some truly lovely music to be had here that's also lively and fun. It might even inspire you to step dance.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Review Summary: If I could do it without breaking a hip and endangering those around me, this album would inspire me to step dance.
Three sweet-voiced blonde-haired sisters fiddling away and singing songs about flowers and mermaids and fairies -- it sounds like many a Sputniker's vision of aural hell. But as John Astin discovered in that classic episode of the old Night Gallery show, one man's hell is another man's heaven.
The Gothard Sisters are a trio of performing siblings from Washington State. Purportedly inspired by a video of Riverdance, they began taking Irish step dancing lessons to complement the violin lessons they were already engaged in, and by their teens, they were performing at state fairs and Celtic music festivals throughout their home area. Now all in their twenties, they have released a dozen or so albums, and become headliners at Celtic music events all over North America.
Midnight Sun is their most recent LP. Released this past May, it contains a dozen songs that are evenly split between instrumental tracks and tracks with vocals. For those who appreciate Celtic-tinged original music, there's a lot to like here. The fiddling throughout is particularly enjoyable, and there's some nice acoustic guitar and piano playing as well. As for the lead vocals, they're sung by the youngest sister, Solana, with sibs Greta and Willow providing the harmonies. Solana's voice is high-pitched and pleasant, if maybe a tad thin. The songs are nicely constructed musically, although some of the lyrics can be a little insipid. In their defense, though, they're working in a genre where songs about magical beings is part of the tradition, so I'm going to cut them some slack here.
Among the best tracks on Midnight Sun are the title track, which pays homage to living in one of those areas in the northern hemisphere where the sun never sets at certain times of the year, and "Rose, Marie and Heather", which tells the tale of an encounter between three sisters and a Fairy Queen of ill intent who tries unsuccessfully to get each of them to betray the other two. The best of the instrumental numbers might be "When the Rain Falls", which Willow Gothard co-wrote with pianist Michele McLaughlin (who also plays on the track).
Midnight Sun won't be for everyone. Its unrelenting positivity will doubtlessly turn some listeners off, and others might find the sugary vocals intolerable. Nevertheless, there is some truly lovely music to be had here that's also lively and fun. It might even inspire you to step dance.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Review of Pete Townshend's "All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes"
I just posted this review on the Sputnik Music website a few minutes ago:
All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes was released in June of 1982, nearly four years after the death of Who drummer Keith Moon, and just three months before the release of It's Hard, The Who's last studio album (at least until 2006's Endless Wire.). It was a time, then, when the band's three surviving members were all starting to transition into solo careers, and in fact, some critics who didn't like It's Hard accused Townshend of holding back his best new material from The Who in order to stoke his own solo career. Cowboys didn't do that great at first, either sales-wise, or with the critics. It only reached the #32 position on the UK charts, and the #26 position on the U.S. charts (as opposed to his previous solo LP Empty Glass, which got as high as #11 and #5, respectively). There were also no successful singles on the album. Nevertheless, the LP's reputation has grown in stature over the years, and it's now considered a pretty solid effort by most critics and Townshend/Who fans alike.
You can't really review the album in 2018 without commenting on the incredibly insensitive (by today's standards) nature of the title. In a 1982 interview with Rolling Stone, Townshend explained that the title referred to the way American movie western heroes such as Clint Eastwood and John Wayne were famous for the steel-eyed squints they gave off as they blew multiple people away, but then went on to add that it also referred to how different ethnic and national groups such as Americans, Russians, Chinese, etc. tend to stereotype one another and view the other groups as evil. Old Pete could always dissemble with the best of them. All I can tell you is it was 1982, and the rules of what you could and couldn't say were a little more relaxed, or at least less explosive, than they are today. I fully expect that sometime soon, they'll be burning this album on the same pile as copies of the Huckleberry Finn novel. When they do, please don't tell them I own this on CD. I'm not giving my copy up.
The sound here is, as you would expect, is much lighter and poppier than that of the average Who album. There's none of Entwistle's booming bass, or (of course) Moon's whirlwind drums. Instead, the album relies largely on Townshend's acoustic guitar and synthesizers. While there are no singles here that charted as well as "Let My Love Open the Door", or even "A Little Is Enough" from Townshend's previous LP, there are some solid and memorable songs. The best of them might be "Slit Skirts", the album closer, which seems to be mostly about the disappointment inherent in a mature long-term relationship. However, "Face Dances, Pt. 2", which is an upbeat little electropop number, and the spiritual and triumphant "The Sea Refuses No River," aren't far behind. I'm also fond of "Somebody Saved Me", which seems to be a song in praise of, umm, shall we say sexual obstructionism (and which also reminds me of that one Elton John song, only without the "sugar bear"s), and "North Country Girl", an alternative version of Dylan's "Girl From the North Country".
Although I'm sure I'm in the minority here, this is actually my favorite LP overall out of Pete Townshend's solo albums. Pretend the full title is simply All the Best Cowboys... and enjoy it for the music, or burn it if you must. Admittedly, Pete Townshend has said, done and written some questionable things throughout his career. He sure has made some great music, though.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Review Summary: While this album wasn't particularly successful when it was fist released in 1982, its reputation has improved over the years with critics and fans alike.
All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes was released in June of 1982, nearly four years after the death of Who drummer Keith Moon, and just three months before the release of It's Hard, The Who's last studio album (at least until 2006's Endless Wire.). It was a time, then, when the band's three surviving members were all starting to transition into solo careers, and in fact, some critics who didn't like It's Hard accused Townshend of holding back his best new material from The Who in order to stoke his own solo career. Cowboys didn't do that great at first, either sales-wise, or with the critics. It only reached the #32 position on the UK charts, and the #26 position on the U.S. charts (as opposed to his previous solo LP Empty Glass, which got as high as #11 and #5, respectively). There were also no successful singles on the album. Nevertheless, the LP's reputation has grown in stature over the years, and it's now considered a pretty solid effort by most critics and Townshend/Who fans alike.
You can't really review the album in 2018 without commenting on the incredibly insensitive (by today's standards) nature of the title. In a 1982 interview with Rolling Stone, Townshend explained that the title referred to the way American movie western heroes such as Clint Eastwood and John Wayne were famous for the steel-eyed squints they gave off as they blew multiple people away, but then went on to add that it also referred to how different ethnic and national groups such as Americans, Russians, Chinese, etc. tend to stereotype one another and view the other groups as evil. Old Pete could always dissemble with the best of them. All I can tell you is it was 1982, and the rules of what you could and couldn't say were a little more relaxed, or at least less explosive, than they are today. I fully expect that sometime soon, they'll be burning this album on the same pile as copies of the Huckleberry Finn novel. When they do, please don't tell them I own this on CD. I'm not giving my copy up.
The sound here is, as you would expect, is much lighter and poppier than that of the average Who album. There's none of Entwistle's booming bass, or (of course) Moon's whirlwind drums. Instead, the album relies largely on Townshend's acoustic guitar and synthesizers. While there are no singles here that charted as well as "Let My Love Open the Door", or even "A Little Is Enough" from Townshend's previous LP, there are some solid and memorable songs. The best of them might be "Slit Skirts", the album closer, which seems to be mostly about the disappointment inherent in a mature long-term relationship. However, "Face Dances, Pt. 2", which is an upbeat little electropop number, and the spiritual and triumphant "The Sea Refuses No River," aren't far behind. I'm also fond of "Somebody Saved Me", which seems to be a song in praise of, umm, shall we say sexual obstructionism (and which also reminds me of that one Elton John song, only without the "sugar bear"s), and "North Country Girl", an alternative version of Dylan's "Girl From the North Country".
Although I'm sure I'm in the minority here, this is actually my favorite LP overall out of Pete Townshend's solo albums. Pretend the full title is simply All the Best Cowboys... and enjoy it for the music, or burn it if you must. Admittedly, Pete Townshend has said, done and written some questionable things throughout his career. He sure has made some great music, though.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Tesla, Styx and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
I've had Styx on my list of bands to finally see live for the last few years. I was going to see them at Citi Field in a concert after a Mets game two years ago, but I couldn't drum up any interest from my family. I could have gone on my own, but I assumed (incorrectly, as it turned out) that they'd probably only play a few songs, since the show would be coming at the end of a full nine-inning baseball game. As it turns out, I remember that day was stiflingly hot, so I was just as glad I didn't.
Last summer, I caught up with another band I'd wanted to see for a while that I've always associated with Styx, Kansas. This made me more determined than ever to see Styx. They were playing Jones Beach last summer, but two things decided me against getting tickets. The first was that the opening band was REO Speedwagon, who I have no interest in whatsoever. The second was that when I looked up the setlist the band was playing last summer, for whatever reason, they weren't playing "Mr. Roboto". I'm willing to compromise on other songs, but if I go and see Styx, the three must-hear songs for me are "Come Sail Away", "Fooling Yourself", and "Mr. Roboto". So I didn't buy the tickets, and my family wound up going upstate that week anyway.
So this summer, when the Jones Beach schedule started coming out, I immediately looked for Styx, and sure enough, there they were. And better yet, this year, the opening act was Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Now I'm not the biggest Joan Jett fan, but she definitely has some songs I like, and for my taste, she was a huge step up over REO Speedwagon. And as a bonus, there was a third act on the bill, Tesla, who I'd heard of, although I wasn't really familiar with them. I asked Denise if she had any interest in going, but I wasn't surprised that the answer was no. But the tickets were inexpensive, so I bought a pair, so I'd have a little room to manuever.
Flash forward to this past Friday night. It was a hot day, 87 degrees. I tried to tempt my daughter into going with me, even if using the extra ticket would make my space tighter. (I know that at least she likes "Mr. Roboto" and "Come Sail Away".)
"Guess where I'm going tonight?" I asked her. She ignored me entirely, and went back to her room. Later, I reminded her, "Hey, you never guessed where I'm going tonight."
"That's because I don't care," she responded.
My enthusiasm unhampered, I continued, "I'm going to see Styx!"
"Wow!" my daughter answered. "That's incredibly lame!"
"Come on," I pleaded. "Domo Arigoto, Mr. Roboto!"
She shook her head sadly, and went back to her room.
OK, I was on my own then.
I left the house at about 5 o'clock, picked up a hero from TJ's (my favorite hero shop), and headed for Ocean Parkway.
I reached the parking lot at around 6PM. All around me, people were having tailgate parties. It was a weird crowd -- definitely older, and several people were wearing the paraphernalia of bands like Motley Crue. I assumed they were there for Tesla. I quietly ate my hero and listened to music until 6:30. Then I headed in.
I soon found my seats, four rows from the top of the stadium. I pulled out my mountain climbing equipment, and climbed up the stairs. The stadium was still mostly empty.
I texted my daughter: "Nice breeze up here. Beautiful night. Up a little high for my taste, though."
She texted back: "I hope a bird dookies on your head."
Hmm. Families might just be wildly overrated.
I was comfortable enough. However, I was dead in the middle of the row, and all I could think of was if I had to get out to use the restroom once the stadium was full, I was going to wind up tumbling down the rows when I tried to climb over people. Down by the landing was a lovely handicapped section. So I took a chance and climbed down the steps again (desperately hoping I wouldn't have to climb back up), and happily enough, they let me trade in my two tickets for a cushioned pull-out chair below.
Soon enough, Tesla came on. The only song I was familiar with of theirs was "Signs". (You know it: "Signs, signs, everywhere a sign!"). I discovered that they were sort of a mix of '80s hair band meets southern rock band -- kind of Cinderella meets Lynyrd Skynyrd -- not really my thing. Truthfully, I was pretty bored for most of their set, although to be fair, being that opening band while the stadium is still empty is a pretty thankless position. They had their contingent of fans in front of the stage, but in a large venue like that, they got lost. They worked hard, although I found their lead singer's voice pretty annoying. Their best number was their closer, a decent rock anthem called "Modern Western."
During the set change, I paid little attention, texting back and forth with my wife about my son's upcoming eighteenth birthday. Then the lights dimmed, and I heard the first strains of -- Styx!!!?
Wtf?!!!!!
It was true, though. Apparently, Styx and Joan Jett are co-headlining this tour, and at least for tonight (maybe because Joan is a hometown Long Island girl), Styx was going on first. All I could think of was how pissed I'd have been if I'd have come late, and missed Styx, or missed half of their set.
Unfortunately -- and it pains me to say this -- while I did enjoy Styx's set, they had the absolute worst sound mix I've ever heard at Jones Beach. Not only was it muddy, but it seemed to pulsate. I'd also have liked for the synthesizers to have been much higher in the mix -- on some of Styx's songs, like "Fooling Yourself," the synth should absolutely slice right through you, and it was so damned low in the mix that it was lost behind the guitars.
Nevertheless, I was glad to be there. Styx played the three songs I wanted, plus a lot of other good ones like "Blue Collar Man", "The Grand Illusion", "Lady", and "Renegade". The only other ones I can think of I'd have loved to heard were "Babe" (which they play surprisingly rarely in concert, considering what a popular song it was), and "Locomotive" (which I knew they wouldn't play. It's my favorite song from their 2017 album The Mission, but it's very low-key, not really a big live number). Still, I wish the sound had been better. I don't know if it was entirely the venue's fault, or if some of it was the band's equipment, but regardless, it was a disappointment.
When their set ended, I had a decision to make. I'd already seen the band I really came to see. I thought about how nice it might be to escape the stadium early, and avoid all of that traffic at the end of the night.
I also had some concerns that Joan was going to get political. Like much of America, I'm pretty burnt out by the constant political noise going on in the country 24/7, and in my head, I thought Joan was a bit of an activist. (Might have been wrong about that, as it turns out.) But it was a beautiful night. It was comfortable and cool, and now that it was dark, there was gorgeous blood moon hanging low in the sky over Ocean Parkway. So I decided to stay, although I was secretly hoping that Joan would open up with "Bad Reputation", my favorite song of hers, so that if she did start preaching and I decided to walk out, at least I'd have heard that one.
As it turned out, I needn't have worried. Joan's style is to focus entirely on the music, with a bare minimum of stage banter of any kind, which I found to be quite a relief (and rather admirable on her part).
It didn't all go smoothly, though. Here's what happened.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts opened with a song I wasn't familiar with, "Victim of Circumstance". Unlike with Styx, this time, the sound was perfect. Then she busted out a trifecta of rock classics right in a row, "Cherry Bomb," "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" and "Bad Reputation," and the stadium was on fire. People were dancing and hitting beach balls around. Unfortunately, that was the high point.
Here's the problem: Joan is a rock goddess. However, she simply doesn't have enough A-list material to headline a show like this. She pulled out another obscure Runaways song, played "Light of Day," from the film she made with Michael J. Fox (A Springsteen song, but one I think he banged out in about five minutes while he was sitting on the toilet), the Blackhearts' first hit single, something from her most recent (2013) album, etc. And all the while, more and more of the energy was sucked out of the arena.
As I watched the line of cars start pulling out of the parking lot halfway through her set, I started thinking about the fact that even some of Joan's biggest hits were actually covers, so it makes sense that she has a limited number of truly great songs.
Joan and the band played 21 songs in all, including the encore, but they never got back the momentum they had in that three-song spread from "Cherry Bomb" to "Reputation". The weird thing is they did have some popular songs left, but they held them in reserve until the very end of Joan's regular set, then, bang-bang-bang!, she reeled off "I Love Rock and Roll", "Crimson and Clover" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" all in a row again. It was good, but at this point, the audience had had the life sucked out them, and they never fully got back in the groove.
At this point, a mass exodus occurred in between the end of the set and the encore, so that when the lights came back up on stage, only about a third of the audience remained. This was unfortunate, because while the first two songs of the encore ("Hard to Grow Up" and "Make It Back") were pretty basic and boring, she closed with a nice cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People". Meantime, the only song in the set between "Bad Reputation" and "I Love Rock and Roll" that I found at all engaging was a number called "Fresh Start", which is apparently going to be a single from a documentary about Joan's career coming out later this year (fittingly called Bad Reputation).
I felt bad for Joan and the band. They deserved better. But, 1. Styx should have been the headliner, local gal or not. I've seen them on dvd hold a crowd's attention just by playing all of the songs from The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight from start to finish. Joan's set as a headliner was just too long. And, 2. whoever put together Joan's setlist made a huge error by clumping all of her biggest songs into those two groups of three instead of spreading them out more. They wouldn't have had as much excitement early in the set, but they also wouldn't have had that long dead spot in the middle.
That's the story of one of the weirder nights of music I've ever experienced at Jones Beach. I know it wasn't just me, because as I walked down the ten thousand flights of steps to exit the stadium, I heard other people talking about how they'd never seen a Jones Beach show clear out like that before the end.
So the show wasn't perfect, by any means. The bill was made up of three bands who really don't belong together, the sound for Styx was lousy, and Joan's set was way too long for her material to sustain it. But it was also a beautiful night, and I was really conscious of how lucky I was to spend such a night, comfortable and happy and listening to three bands all of whom have created fine careers for themselves. (And for once, because so many people had left early, I was out of the parking lot and back on ocean Parkway in a jiffy). And a bird didn't dookie on my head.
So while it could been better, it was still pretty great.
Last summer, I caught up with another band I'd wanted to see for a while that I've always associated with Styx, Kansas. This made me more determined than ever to see Styx. They were playing Jones Beach last summer, but two things decided me against getting tickets. The first was that the opening band was REO Speedwagon, who I have no interest in whatsoever. The second was that when I looked up the setlist the band was playing last summer, for whatever reason, they weren't playing "Mr. Roboto". I'm willing to compromise on other songs, but if I go and see Styx, the three must-hear songs for me are "Come Sail Away", "Fooling Yourself", and "Mr. Roboto". So I didn't buy the tickets, and my family wound up going upstate that week anyway.
So this summer, when the Jones Beach schedule started coming out, I immediately looked for Styx, and sure enough, there they were. And better yet, this year, the opening act was Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Now I'm not the biggest Joan Jett fan, but she definitely has some songs I like, and for my taste, she was a huge step up over REO Speedwagon. And as a bonus, there was a third act on the bill, Tesla, who I'd heard of, although I wasn't really familiar with them. I asked Denise if she had any interest in going, but I wasn't surprised that the answer was no. But the tickets were inexpensive, so I bought a pair, so I'd have a little room to manuever.
Flash forward to this past Friday night. It was a hot day, 87 degrees. I tried to tempt my daughter into going with me, even if using the extra ticket would make my space tighter. (I know that at least she likes "Mr. Roboto" and "Come Sail Away".)
"Guess where I'm going tonight?" I asked her. She ignored me entirely, and went back to her room. Later, I reminded her, "Hey, you never guessed where I'm going tonight."
"That's because I don't care," she responded.
My enthusiasm unhampered, I continued, "I'm going to see Styx!"
"Wow!" my daughter answered. "That's incredibly lame!"
"Come on," I pleaded. "Domo Arigoto, Mr. Roboto!"
She shook her head sadly, and went back to her room.
OK, I was on my own then.
I left the house at about 5 o'clock, picked up a hero from TJ's (my favorite hero shop), and headed for Ocean Parkway.
I reached the parking lot at around 6PM. All around me, people were having tailgate parties. It was a weird crowd -- definitely older, and several people were wearing the paraphernalia of bands like Motley Crue. I assumed they were there for Tesla. I quietly ate my hero and listened to music until 6:30. Then I headed in.
I soon found my seats, four rows from the top of the stadium. I pulled out my mountain climbing equipment, and climbed up the stairs. The stadium was still mostly empty.
I texted my daughter: "Nice breeze up here. Beautiful night. Up a little high for my taste, though."
She texted back: "I hope a bird dookies on your head."
Hmm. Families might just be wildly overrated.
I was comfortable enough. However, I was dead in the middle of the row, and all I could think of was if I had to get out to use the restroom once the stadium was full, I was going to wind up tumbling down the rows when I tried to climb over people. Down by the landing was a lovely handicapped section. So I took a chance and climbed down the steps again (desperately hoping I wouldn't have to climb back up), and happily enough, they let me trade in my two tickets for a cushioned pull-out chair below.
Soon enough, Tesla came on. The only song I was familiar with of theirs was "Signs". (You know it: "Signs, signs, everywhere a sign!"). I discovered that they were sort of a mix of '80s hair band meets southern rock band -- kind of Cinderella meets Lynyrd Skynyrd -- not really my thing. Truthfully, I was pretty bored for most of their set, although to be fair, being that opening band while the stadium is still empty is a pretty thankless position. They had their contingent of fans in front of the stage, but in a large venue like that, they got lost. They worked hard, although I found their lead singer's voice pretty annoying. Their best number was their closer, a decent rock anthem called "Modern Western."
During the set change, I paid little attention, texting back and forth with my wife about my son's upcoming eighteenth birthday. Then the lights dimmed, and I heard the first strains of -- Styx!!!?
Wtf?!!!!!
It was true, though. Apparently, Styx and Joan Jett are co-headlining this tour, and at least for tonight (maybe because Joan is a hometown Long Island girl), Styx was going on first. All I could think of was how pissed I'd have been if I'd have come late, and missed Styx, or missed half of their set.
Unfortunately -- and it pains me to say this -- while I did enjoy Styx's set, they had the absolute worst sound mix I've ever heard at Jones Beach. Not only was it muddy, but it seemed to pulsate. I'd also have liked for the synthesizers to have been much higher in the mix -- on some of Styx's songs, like "Fooling Yourself," the synth should absolutely slice right through you, and it was so damned low in the mix that it was lost behind the guitars.
Nevertheless, I was glad to be there. Styx played the three songs I wanted, plus a lot of other good ones like "Blue Collar Man", "The Grand Illusion", "Lady", and "Renegade". The only other ones I can think of I'd have loved to heard were "Babe" (which they play surprisingly rarely in concert, considering what a popular song it was), and "Locomotive" (which I knew they wouldn't play. It's my favorite song from their 2017 album The Mission, but it's very low-key, not really a big live number). Still, I wish the sound had been better. I don't know if it was entirely the venue's fault, or if some of it was the band's equipment, but regardless, it was a disappointment.
When their set ended, I had a decision to make. I'd already seen the band I really came to see. I thought about how nice it might be to escape the stadium early, and avoid all of that traffic at the end of the night.
I also had some concerns that Joan was going to get political. Like much of America, I'm pretty burnt out by the constant political noise going on in the country 24/7, and in my head, I thought Joan was a bit of an activist. (Might have been wrong about that, as it turns out.) But it was a beautiful night. It was comfortable and cool, and now that it was dark, there was gorgeous blood moon hanging low in the sky over Ocean Parkway. So I decided to stay, although I was secretly hoping that Joan would open up with "Bad Reputation", my favorite song of hers, so that if she did start preaching and I decided to walk out, at least I'd have heard that one.
As it turned out, I needn't have worried. Joan's style is to focus entirely on the music, with a bare minimum of stage banter of any kind, which I found to be quite a relief (and rather admirable on her part).
It didn't all go smoothly, though. Here's what happened.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts opened with a song I wasn't familiar with, "Victim of Circumstance". Unlike with Styx, this time, the sound was perfect. Then she busted out a trifecta of rock classics right in a row, "Cherry Bomb," "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" and "Bad Reputation," and the stadium was on fire. People were dancing and hitting beach balls around. Unfortunately, that was the high point.
Here's the problem: Joan is a rock goddess. However, she simply doesn't have enough A-list material to headline a show like this. She pulled out another obscure Runaways song, played "Light of Day," from the film she made with Michael J. Fox (A Springsteen song, but one I think he banged out in about five minutes while he was sitting on the toilet), the Blackhearts' first hit single, something from her most recent (2013) album, etc. And all the while, more and more of the energy was sucked out of the arena.
As I watched the line of cars start pulling out of the parking lot halfway through her set, I started thinking about the fact that even some of Joan's biggest hits were actually covers, so it makes sense that she has a limited number of truly great songs.
Joan and the band played 21 songs in all, including the encore, but they never got back the momentum they had in that three-song spread from "Cherry Bomb" to "Reputation". The weird thing is they did have some popular songs left, but they held them in reserve until the very end of Joan's regular set, then, bang-bang-bang!, she reeled off "I Love Rock and Roll", "Crimson and Clover" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" all in a row again. It was good, but at this point, the audience had had the life sucked out them, and they never fully got back in the groove.
At this point, a mass exodus occurred in between the end of the set and the encore, so that when the lights came back up on stage, only about a third of the audience remained. This was unfortunate, because while the first two songs of the encore ("Hard to Grow Up" and "Make It Back") were pretty basic and boring, she closed with a nice cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People". Meantime, the only song in the set between "Bad Reputation" and "I Love Rock and Roll" that I found at all engaging was a number called "Fresh Start", which is apparently going to be a single from a documentary about Joan's career coming out later this year (fittingly called Bad Reputation).
I felt bad for Joan and the band. They deserved better. But, 1. Styx should have been the headliner, local gal or not. I've seen them on dvd hold a crowd's attention just by playing all of the songs from The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight from start to finish. Joan's set as a headliner was just too long. And, 2. whoever put together Joan's setlist made a huge error by clumping all of her biggest songs into those two groups of three instead of spreading them out more. They wouldn't have had as much excitement early in the set, but they also wouldn't have had that long dead spot in the middle.
That's the story of one of the weirder nights of music I've ever experienced at Jones Beach. I know it wasn't just me, because as I walked down the ten thousand flights of steps to exit the stadium, I heard other people talking about how they'd never seen a Jones Beach show clear out like that before the end.
So the show wasn't perfect, by any means. The bill was made up of three bands who really don't belong together, the sound for Styx was lousy, and Joan's set was way too long for her material to sustain it. But it was also a beautiful night, and I was really conscious of how lucky I was to spend such a night, comfortable and happy and listening to three bands all of whom have created fine careers for themselves. (And for once, because so many people had left early, I was out of the parking lot and back on ocean Parkway in a jiffy). And a bird didn't dookie on my head.
So while it could been better, it was still pretty great.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Review of The Naked and Famous' "Simple Forms"
I posted this review on the Sputnik Music website last night.
I don't want to rag on The Naked and Famous. There's a lot to like about them. Their general sound is a good one for me, with lots of rolling synthesizers and both female and male lead singers. Their female vocalist, Alisa Xayalith (who handles about three quarters of the leads) is first-rate, and their male vocalist, Thom Powers, is solid at worst. Their songwriting, if not outstanding, isn't cringe worthy either. So what's my hesitance to full-throatedly recommend this album about?It comes down to this: I like Simple Forms. But I wanted to love it.
I think part of the problem is the large shadow cast by their breakthrough single. When this band first burst onto the international scene in 2010 with their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, it was largely on the strength of the excellent lead single from that LP, "Young Blood". The song was a #1 hit in their native New Zealand, and a Platinum single here in the U.S., which isn't too shabby. They also had another charting single off of that album, "Punching in a Dream", but as often happens, I think that a lot of the success of that song was due to a ripple effect from "Young Blood".
The band's next two albums, In Rolling Waves (2013) and this one, have actually both been more consistent efforts overall than Passive Me. Unfortunately, neither had a single of the quality of "Young Blood" (although Simple Forms takes a pretty good shot at it; more about that in a minute). Consequently, each of those two follow-up LPs feels mildly disappointing. "Young Blood" set the expectations a little too high, and T/N/A/F, while still creating enjoyable music, hasn't been quite able to live up to that track's exalted standard.
There are a few highlights that I want to point out on this LP, though. The first is its aforementioned lead single, "Higher". This is a mid-tempo synth-pop anthem with a triumphant feel to it, powered by a particularly lovely lead vocal by Xayalith. In spite of the fact that "Punching in a Dream" actually charted higher, this is truly the second-strongest single that the band has ever released. Then there's "Laid Low", Simple Forms' follow-up single. It has some engaging synth work, and is also a pretty good song, in spite of the fact that it wasn't as successful as "Higher". And the closing number on the LP, "Rotten", might be my favorite track of all. This one has an interesting pattern of percussion, and a slight feel of the Australian bush to it. I especially like the way the song builds, and the way Xayalith's vocals are layered over one another. I can see why it wasn't released as a single -- it isn't necessarily as hook-laden or radio friendly as the other two tracks -- but in many ways, it might be the most effective song on the album.
So The Naked and Famous is still good with me. I continue to enjoy this band, and I'll definitely go ahead and pick up their next original studio LP. I absolutely liked this album. I'm just hoping that next time, they'll up their game just a smidgen more. They continue to be a solid band. But I think they've got a little better in them.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Review Summary: It's ... nice.
I don't want to rag on The Naked and Famous. There's a lot to like about them. Their general sound is a good one for me, with lots of rolling synthesizers and both female and male lead singers. Their female vocalist, Alisa Xayalith (who handles about three quarters of the leads) is first-rate, and their male vocalist, Thom Powers, is solid at worst. Their songwriting, if not outstanding, isn't cringe worthy either. So what's my hesitance to full-throatedly recommend this album about?It comes down to this: I like Simple Forms. But I wanted to love it.
I think part of the problem is the large shadow cast by their breakthrough single. When this band first burst onto the international scene in 2010 with their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, it was largely on the strength of the excellent lead single from that LP, "Young Blood". The song was a #1 hit in their native New Zealand, and a Platinum single here in the U.S., which isn't too shabby. They also had another charting single off of that album, "Punching in a Dream", but as often happens, I think that a lot of the success of that song was due to a ripple effect from "Young Blood".
The band's next two albums, In Rolling Waves (2013) and this one, have actually both been more consistent efforts overall than Passive Me. Unfortunately, neither had a single of the quality of "Young Blood" (although Simple Forms takes a pretty good shot at it; more about that in a minute). Consequently, each of those two follow-up LPs feels mildly disappointing. "Young Blood" set the expectations a little too high, and T/N/A/F, while still creating enjoyable music, hasn't been quite able to live up to that track's exalted standard.
There are a few highlights that I want to point out on this LP, though. The first is its aforementioned lead single, "Higher". This is a mid-tempo synth-pop anthem with a triumphant feel to it, powered by a particularly lovely lead vocal by Xayalith. In spite of the fact that "Punching in a Dream" actually charted higher, this is truly the second-strongest single that the band has ever released. Then there's "Laid Low", Simple Forms' follow-up single. It has some engaging synth work, and is also a pretty good song, in spite of the fact that it wasn't as successful as "Higher". And the closing number on the LP, "Rotten", might be my favorite track of all. This one has an interesting pattern of percussion, and a slight feel of the Australian bush to it. I especially like the way the song builds, and the way Xayalith's vocals are layered over one another. I can see why it wasn't released as a single -- it isn't necessarily as hook-laden or radio friendly as the other two tracks -- but in many ways, it might be the most effective song on the album.
So The Naked and Famous is still good with me. I continue to enjoy this band, and I'll definitely go ahead and pick up their next original studio LP. I absolutely liked this album. I'm just hoping that next time, they'll up their game just a smidgen more. They continue to be a solid band. But I think they've got a little better in them.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Review of Tomita's "Snowflakes Are Dancing"
I posted this review about an hour ago on the Sputnik Music website:
It's hard for music lovers today to picture the smorgasbord of genres that were played on 1970s FM radio in America. Yes, there are more different types of music available today on the Internet, but it's pretty diffuse -- you have to know how to go out and find it. Modern college radio is a little more comparable, but for the most part, while those stations play many different styles of music, genres are often segregated into little two- or three-hour blocks, depending on the interests of the host. Seventies FM radio was a different animal. Yes, there was a ton of what is now referred to as "classic" rock, but it was mixed in with everything from R&B to Sinatra to folk and light jazz. And one artist who benefited from this open format was the Japanese synthesist Isao Tomita (known at the time simply as "Tomita").
Tomita was a composer and a classical-music student who became fascinated with the efforts of Walter (now Wendy) Carlos in translating the work of classical composers such as Bach for the Moog synthesizer. Beginning in 1974, Tomita released a series of albums, each of which focused on the work of one or more classical composers as played on the Moog. The first, and perhaps best, of these was Snowflakes Are Dancing, which focused on the work of French composer Claude Debussy. This album became a worldwide success. I can't speak as to how it grew prominent in the rest of the world. In the U.S., however, it became known not only in classical music circles, but in rock and popular music circles as well, thanks to the airplay it received on FM radio. North American fans, having been prepared for this kind of music by the psychedelic and electronic experiments of bands like Pink Floyd, as well as the classical music/progressive rock crossovers of artists like Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, accepted Snowflakes Are Dancing as simply another step in the progression of the music they were already listening to. Consequently, the album charted in both the U.S. and Canada. It also received four American Grammy Awards in 1975 (including Best Classical Album of the year).
While some of Tomita's other albums sold quite well, especially his 1975 release of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, I would argue that Snowflakes Are Dancing was his best LP. This is because the musical tone poems of Debussy were particularly well-suited both to Tomita's electronic explorations, and to the lightheartedness of his work. Debussy's music is often delicate and airy, and the compositions recorded on Snowflakes (all of which were originally composed for the piano) work well with Tomita's buoyant approach. Where Mussorgsky's tone was grand and majestic, and consequently much better suited to the head-on style used by Keith Emerson in ELP's excellent version of Pictures, Tomita's lighter touch proved perhaps too flimsy for much of Mussorgsky's music. It was, however, perfect for the gentle, more fragile compositions of Debussy.
There were ten tracks on the original release of Snowflakes, all programmed and played on a variety of Moog synthesizers and a mellotron. There are no human vocals on the LP, but part of the joy of the work is that in various places, Tomita uses his synthesizers to approximate human voices, both solo and in choruses. He also gets playful at times, and makes his synths sound like a person (or persons) whistling, as evidenced on tracks such as "Arabesque No. 1" and "Golliwog's Cakewalk".
On the LP's best numbers, though, the combination of Debussy's music and Tomita's treatment of it are exquisitely beautiful. "Claire de Lune" is such a piece. Here, the music is so airy that it practically floats away. In fact, at the end of the piece, this is almost exactly what happens, as the notes get higher and higher until it all seems to just dissolve into a soft, wonderful cloud. Other tracks that will transport you to another world include "The Engulfed Cathedral", where Tomita creates various bell and church-organ sounds, as well as his own angelic electronic chorus, and "The Girl With the Flaxen Hair", a slow and wistful number that somehow actually creates the visual image in your mind of the damsel from the song's title lazily brushing her long, blonde locks.
Sadly, Isao Tomita passed away in May of 2016 from a longstanding heart problem. He left behind a legacy of original and adapted music, soundtrack albums, and innovations in electronic music. For my money, though, if you want to experience Tomita's artistry, Snowflakes Are Dancing is the place to start. It will not only give you fine taste of Tomita, but it might also give you an interest in a deeper exploration of the music of Debussy.
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Review Summary: For many 1970s fans of band's like Pink Floyd, Yes and ELP, this semi-classical album seemed like just another logical step in the expanding development of their musical tastes and appetites.
It's hard for music lovers today to picture the smorgasbord of genres that were played on 1970s FM radio in America. Yes, there are more different types of music available today on the Internet, but it's pretty diffuse -- you have to know how to go out and find it. Modern college radio is a little more comparable, but for the most part, while those stations play many different styles of music, genres are often segregated into little two- or three-hour blocks, depending on the interests of the host. Seventies FM radio was a different animal. Yes, there was a ton of what is now referred to as "classic" rock, but it was mixed in with everything from R&B to Sinatra to folk and light jazz. And one artist who benefited from this open format was the Japanese synthesist Isao Tomita (known at the time simply as "Tomita").
Tomita was a composer and a classical-music student who became fascinated with the efforts of Walter (now Wendy) Carlos in translating the work of classical composers such as Bach for the Moog synthesizer. Beginning in 1974, Tomita released a series of albums, each of which focused on the work of one or more classical composers as played on the Moog. The first, and perhaps best, of these was Snowflakes Are Dancing, which focused on the work of French composer Claude Debussy. This album became a worldwide success. I can't speak as to how it grew prominent in the rest of the world. In the U.S., however, it became known not only in classical music circles, but in rock and popular music circles as well, thanks to the airplay it received on FM radio. North American fans, having been prepared for this kind of music by the psychedelic and electronic experiments of bands like Pink Floyd, as well as the classical music/progressive rock crossovers of artists like Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, accepted Snowflakes Are Dancing as simply another step in the progression of the music they were already listening to. Consequently, the album charted in both the U.S. and Canada. It also received four American Grammy Awards in 1975 (including Best Classical Album of the year).
While some of Tomita's other albums sold quite well, especially his 1975 release of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, I would argue that Snowflakes Are Dancing was his best LP. This is because the musical tone poems of Debussy were particularly well-suited both to Tomita's electronic explorations, and to the lightheartedness of his work. Debussy's music is often delicate and airy, and the compositions recorded on Snowflakes (all of which were originally composed for the piano) work well with Tomita's buoyant approach. Where Mussorgsky's tone was grand and majestic, and consequently much better suited to the head-on style used by Keith Emerson in ELP's excellent version of Pictures, Tomita's lighter touch proved perhaps too flimsy for much of Mussorgsky's music. It was, however, perfect for the gentle, more fragile compositions of Debussy.
There were ten tracks on the original release of Snowflakes, all programmed and played on a variety of Moog synthesizers and a mellotron. There are no human vocals on the LP, but part of the joy of the work is that in various places, Tomita uses his synthesizers to approximate human voices, both solo and in choruses. He also gets playful at times, and makes his synths sound like a person (or persons) whistling, as evidenced on tracks such as "Arabesque No. 1" and "Golliwog's Cakewalk".
On the LP's best numbers, though, the combination of Debussy's music and Tomita's treatment of it are exquisitely beautiful. "Claire de Lune" is such a piece. Here, the music is so airy that it practically floats away. In fact, at the end of the piece, this is almost exactly what happens, as the notes get higher and higher until it all seems to just dissolve into a soft, wonderful cloud. Other tracks that will transport you to another world include "The Engulfed Cathedral", where Tomita creates various bell and church-organ sounds, as well as his own angelic electronic chorus, and "The Girl With the Flaxen Hair", a slow and wistful number that somehow actually creates the visual image in your mind of the damsel from the song's title lazily brushing her long, blonde locks.
Sadly, Isao Tomita passed away in May of 2016 from a longstanding heart problem. He left behind a legacy of original and adapted music, soundtrack albums, and innovations in electronic music. For my money, though, if you want to experience Tomita's artistry, Snowflakes Are Dancing is the place to start. It will not only give you fine taste of Tomita, but it might also give you an interest in a deeper exploration of the music of Debussy.
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Friday, June 15, 2018
Review of Cassandra House's "The Roam"
I posted this review a couple of hours ago on the Sputnik Music website:
This album by Long Island singer/songwriter Cassandra House is like a musical Bermuda Triangle -- it exists in the in-between. At eight tracks long, it's in between being an LP and an EP. The genre of the music falls somewhere in between folk-pop, country and blues. Finally, while many vocalists lean in the direction of either power or beauty, House's voice once again is nearly exactly in the middle -- I'd give her about a 7.5 out of 10 on the beauty scale, and an 8 to 8.5 on the power scale. Her real strength, though, is what she's able to do with that voice. Ms. House is one of the most interesting interpretive singers I've heard in awhile. She doesn't annoy you with unnecessary vocal trills, but she varies things up in such a way as to keep her vocals consistently interesting.
The Roam is House's first (pretty much) full-length album. It's very nicely produced for an indie album -- there are tasteful vocal effects and interesting little instrumental flourishes throughout. I noticed this on the first listen, and then when I checked her website, I could see why -- the album was produced by Ben Wisch, a Grammy-winning producer who has worked with artists such as Marc Cohn and Patty Larkin.
As for the songwriting, I'll admit it didn't grab me at first. This is one of those albums, though, where the songs grow on you with repeated listens. "Little Flower" is as good a country-pop single as I've heard in a long time, and "Tidal", a slow, tense track, is almost as good. In fact, for a first (almost) LP, this is a very mature album.
House's bio says that she has shared the stage with artists such as Lucy Kaplansky, G. Love, Amy Helm, Jen Chapin and Todd Scheaffer (of Railroad Earth). I haven't seen her live show, but if it's anywhere near as good as her recorded efforts here on The Roam, I expect to see her go from a regional artist to a national headlining artist sometime within the next two years. This album is that good.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Review Summary: Country/folk pop from an up-and-coming artist
This album by Long Island singer/songwriter Cassandra House is like a musical Bermuda Triangle -- it exists in the in-between. At eight tracks long, it's in between being an LP and an EP. The genre of the music falls somewhere in between folk-pop, country and blues. Finally, while many vocalists lean in the direction of either power or beauty, House's voice once again is nearly exactly in the middle -- I'd give her about a 7.5 out of 10 on the beauty scale, and an 8 to 8.5 on the power scale. Her real strength, though, is what she's able to do with that voice. Ms. House is one of the most interesting interpretive singers I've heard in awhile. She doesn't annoy you with unnecessary vocal trills, but she varies things up in such a way as to keep her vocals consistently interesting.
The Roam is House's first (pretty much) full-length album. It's very nicely produced for an indie album -- there are tasteful vocal effects and interesting little instrumental flourishes throughout. I noticed this on the first listen, and then when I checked her website, I could see why -- the album was produced by Ben Wisch, a Grammy-winning producer who has worked with artists such as Marc Cohn and Patty Larkin.
As for the songwriting, I'll admit it didn't grab me at first. This is one of those albums, though, where the songs grow on you with repeated listens. "Little Flower" is as good a country-pop single as I've heard in a long time, and "Tidal", a slow, tense track, is almost as good. In fact, for a first (almost) LP, this is a very mature album.
House's bio says that she has shared the stage with artists such as Lucy Kaplansky, G. Love, Amy Helm, Jen Chapin and Todd Scheaffer (of Railroad Earth). I haven't seen her live show, but if it's anywhere near as good as her recorded efforts here on The Roam, I expect to see her go from a regional artist to a national headlining artist sometime within the next two years. This album is that good.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
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