Appreciation is the key to releasing innovate and groundbreaking music. You can't win over the hardcore music lover by mimicking music that has only had a ten year life span. An artists' influence should be an amalgamation of past artists that have truly impacted American music. Retrospectively, classic bands, such as, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, were heavily influenced by the blues. Bob Dylan drew from the music of Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams for his inspiration. However, modern rock music has only identified itself as a clique or cliche. Bands like Seether, All American Rejects(their first album was actually enjoyable) and Nickelback are derivative of themselves. What do I mean by this? There is nothing in their music that gives a nod to past artists. They need to step outside of their own "creativity," and look at themselves through a different set of lenses. They need to ask themselves, "If we were a band during the heyday of rock and roll would The Beatles be fans of our music." It doesn't necessarily have to start with the instrumentation, even though that would be more refreshing. Lyrically, they usually settle for generic content. They are not above describing something colloquially. But don't take my word for it, just look at the lyrics of Nickelback's "Rockstar" or All American Rejects' "Hope It Gives You Hell." There is nothing to dissect. The lyrics are excruciatingly simple, it is nothing short of someone describing their day. I am not going to cop out, and say that we should all turn to independent artists. That would be too simple. We should expect the same excellence that yesterday's artists achieved.
Besides being super cool, Beck also makes some good music. Look no further than 2001's Sea Change to hear one of the greatest break up albums ever recorded. Nowadays Beck likes to hang out in his huge studio, and have marathon recording sessions with some of his best friends. (aka other super cool, musician weirdos like himself) Beck chooses a hodge podge of his buddies for each session. When everyone gets to the studio, they decide on a classic album to re-record. So far they have done Leonard Cohen's "Songs of Leonard Cohen," Skip Spence's "Oar," Velvet Underground's "Velvet Underground & Nico," and INXS's "Kick." Beck has brought in a diverse array of musicians including members of Wilco, MGMT, St. Vincent, Liars, Os Mutantes, Devendra Banhart, Nigel Godrich, Giovanni Ribisi, Feist, Jamie Lidell, and a multitude of others.
Watch MGMT and Devendra rock out Leonard Cohen's "Teachers." The bass sounds mmm...mmm...good
Although he has put his name on at least three signature guitar models, the guitar most identified with Edward Van Halen of the legendary rock band Van Halen is none other than the Frankenstrat.
Originally released in February 1973, Raw Power was the third, final and most brutal record by legendary Detroit rockers the Stooges. After being dropped by Elektra in 1971 due to the poor sales of their first 2 albums, 1969's self titled debut and the 1970 follow-up Fun House, the original group had for all intents and purposes disbanded. A meeting between frontman Iggy Pop and David Bowie led to Pop signing on with Bowie's management company and heading to London with guitarist James Williamson to start writing a Pop solo album. Unable to find a suitable rhythm section, they called upon the services of Stooges members Ron and Scott Asheton, with Ron switching to bass from his previous role as guitarist. The newly renamed Iggy & the Stooges began recording in earnest in late 1972.
There is not much that can be said about this album that the title doesn't already imply. From the opener "Search & Destroy" through the finale of "Death Trip" it is a fully charged, nihilistic behemoth of slashing riffs, primal rhythms and Pop's one of a kind yelp. The new Legacy edition features a remastered version of Bowie's original mix, which is quite different from the previously reissued 1997 version that was mixed by Iggy himself. While the Iggy version brings out all of the bottom end that was lost in the Bowie mix and gives the album an overall heavier feel, which I personally like better, this version of the Bowie mix is not without it's merits. With the vocals and guitar pushed way up in the mix it has a slightly more lo-fi quality that was definitely picked up on by the early punk rockers who lay just around the corner.
Also of special interest is the bonus disc, which contains a full show from October of 1973 at Richard's in Atlanta. With Iggy in prime audience berating mode the group plows through most of Raw Power's tracks and a few until now unreleased gems. Although the playing is great throughout the show, there are hints of the troubles that would destroy the band only a few months later. It's funny to hear at one point an audience member saying "I don't think he (Iggy) likes us very much." Truer words could not have been spoken.
The late Karen Dalton has been called a folk singer's folk singer. With a voice falling somewhere between the smokey jazz of Billie Holiday and the pure Appalachian folk of Jean Ritchie, Dalton was one of the brightest stars of the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early to mid 60's. Her ability to make any song from any genre her own made her a favorite of contemporaries like Fred Neil and Bob Dylan. Dalton's first solo album, It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best, released in 1969, was a loose, folk-inspired album featuring traditional songs as well as those of peers Tim Hardin and Fred Neil. In late 1970 Dalton headed to Bearsville Studios in upstate New York with producer/bassist Harvey Brooks to begin her second album, In My Own Time. In contrast to the "playing in the living room" looseness of her debut, this sophomore effort featured well seasoned session players and an even more genre stretching song selection. Credit must go to Brooks whose skills at arranging and selecting songs keep the album flowing smoothly despite the disparity of the material. The musicians as well play with great finesse and restraint, never getting in the way of Dalton's voice, providing the perfect musical backing.
And what a voice. Never has the word "yesterday" sounded as heartbreakingly joyous as it does introducing the opening track "Something On Your Mind." And it only gets better from there. Next up is quite possibly one of the most unique versions of "When A Man Loves A Woman" ever recorded, her voice teetering on the edge of its range. After the first few tracks' slightly r&b feel, the mood switches abruptly, but somehow effortlessly, to 30's era Appalachia with "Katie Cruel," featuring Dalton on banjo and a lonesome fiddle off in the distance. Other highlights include a faithful rendition of the Band's "In a Station" and a glorious take on the country standard "Take Me," made famous by, among others, George Jones and Tammy Wynette.
Unfortunately after the release of this album, Dalton pretty much retired from the music business. Always a staunchly independent artist, she could never be pigeonholed to a specific genre which made her "unmarketable" by music business standards. She passed in 1993 without fully realizing the huge impact she would have on a whole new generation of artists.
Over the course of a nearly two decade career, Will Oldham has released roughly 16 proper full length albums of, I guess we'll call it folk music, under various monikers such as Palace(Brothers, Songs, Music, etc.), Bonnie "Prince " Billy, and even a few under his own name. Add to that countless singles, e.p's, collaborations and live albums not to mention an acting career to boot and it's a wonder the man has had much sleep since 1992. An artist this prolific is usually in danger of being a poor self-editor, releasing songs as soon as they're written with little regard for quality control. This is not the case with Mr. Oldham. Though every song may not be a gem, each release contains a deep mine from which jewels may be extracted if the listener is so inclined. Treat each album as an adventure rather than just something to listen to. That being said, it could prove a daunting task given his extensive output. Provided below is a carefully thought out, but by no means definitive, guide to the wonderful world of Will Oldham.
Palace Brothers - Days In The Wake (1994) Will's second full length is "Brothers" only in name. Just Will's voice and simple guitar on ten musings on love, death and cinematography. Key tracks: "You Will Miss Me When I Burn," "No More Workhorse Blues," "I Am A Cinematographer."
Palace Music - Lost Blues And Other Songs (1997) His first compilation collecting various singles, alternate versions and previously unreleased material. The only place to find some of the early out-of-print singles. Key tracks: "Ohio River Boat Song," "Horses," "West Palm Beach," "Gulf Shores."
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See A Darkness (1999) The first full length under the Bonnie Billy moniker and possibly his most well known work. A somber release to be sure but not without a giant dose of hope. Kudos also to brother Paul, whose stark recording style only adds to the quality of one of Will's best collections. Key tracks: "Death To Everyone," "Madeleine-Mary," "I See A Darkness," "Raining In Darling."
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Ease Down The Road (2001) Bonnie Will invites a busload of his musician friends along for a country rockin' good time ride through some of the most disturbing regions of his psyche. Topics include eating babies, marital infidelity, and, as always, a little death. Key tracks: "Careless Love," "A King At Night," "Grand Dark Feeling Of Emptiness," "Rich Wife Full Of Happiness."
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf (2005) The best of Will's many collaborations. Here former Chavez and (ugh) Zwan guitarist Matt Sweeney adds his tunes to Will's lyrics and comes up with a winner. Some of the best layered guitars this side of Physical Graffiti, though it sounds absolutely nothing like Zeppelin. Key tracks: "My Home Is The Sea," "Goat & Ram," "Only Someone Running,"Rudy Foolish."
This summer two veteran rock bands will be hitting the road for some majorly huge shows. This time though the savvy vets are taking some well know indie rock bands with them, putting a little artistry and maybe even some street cred into their tour. These shows will prove beneficial for all involved. The young 'uns are going to be playing sold out arenas for the first time in their careers, and the seniors citizen bands will gain some exposure to younger fans (who probably had no idea these old guys influenced some of their favorites).
U2 will be taking the dark, reverbed sound of Interpol out on a few summer dates. Here they are.
06-27 Minneapolis, MN - TCF Bank Stadium
06-30 East Lansing, MI - Spartan Stadium
07-03 Toronto, Ontario - Rogers Centre
07-06 Chicago, IL - Soldier Field
07-09 Miami, FL - Land Shark Stadium
07-12 Philadelphia, PA - Lincoln Financial Field
05-03 Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
05-04 St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
05-06 Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena
05-07 Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
05-09 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
05-10 Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena
05-13 Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
05-15 Hartford, CT - XL Center
05-17 Boston, MA - TD Garden
05-21 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
Memphis, and the music world at large, lost a true original with Wednesday's passing of Alex Chilton. He was 59 years old.
Chilton began his career in the mid-60's as the 16-year-old lead singer of the pop-soul group the Box Tops. The group had a number one hit with "The Letter," as well as several other major chart hits in the late 60's. The group broke up in 1970 and Chilton left Memphis for New York City for a brief period. Upon returning to Memphis in 1971, he hooked up with local musician Chris Bell's group Icewater, featuring bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, which essentially turned into Big Star. The Chilton-Bell partnership created perhaps one of the greatest American pop albums of all time, #1 Record, which was released in 1972. Critics raved about the album upon its release but due to the usual record industry b.s. the album was poorly promoted and eventually pulled off shelves altogether. This, coupled with fighting among the members, led to Chris Bell's departure in late '72. A few months later the remaining three regrouped and began recording their second record, Radio City. With Bell gone there was an obvious sonic shift, with Chilton's rough around the edges songs taking center stage. Not that there was a total absence of pop sensibility, which Radio City still had in droves, but there was definitely a rawer, more rocking sound. Again, record industry chicanery led to poor sales and more ambivalence among the group, especially Chilton. In late '74 Chilton and Stephens along with producer Jim Dickinson headed back to Memphis' Ardent Studios to begin work on a third album. Although the resulting album, titled Third/Sister Lovers, went unreleased for many years, it might actually be the most complete artistic statement of Chilton's career, albeit a very incomplete kind of completeness. Many of the songs have a dark, druggy feel and were recorded in a style that at the very least can be termed "loose," almost to the point of collapse. The group formally disbanded not long afterward.
Chilton moved to New York in 1977 and continued to play with various musicians and released his first solo album, Like Flies On Sherbert, in 1979. The album mixes Chilton originals with obscure covers, ranging from r&b to the Carter Family. Needless to say the obscure covers and ramshackle performance insured the album went nowhere.
Upon moving to New Orleans in the early 80's, Chilton worked a series of tree-trimming and dishwashing jobs before returning to music full time mid-decade. His solo releases from this period show a musician fully adept in a number of musical styles, with strong singing and guitar playing throughout. In 1993, Chilton and Stephens reformed Big Star, along with Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow from Big Star disciples the Posies, eventually releasing a new album, In Space, in 2005. In fact, the group was scheduled to play one of the final shows of the South By Southwest music festival in Austin this Saturday.
Arbouretum mainman David Heumann's J. Mascis meets Jerry Garcia guitarwork has shown up on releases by the Anomoanon,Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Cass McCombs and a host of other less well known indie rock groups. Being a highly sought after session player may be the reason why his own group has only released three full length albums in their seven year existence. While the group's two previous releases, Long Live the Well-Doer and Rites of Uncovering, featured a revolving line up of players, their newest release, Song of the Pearl, has a consistent line up throughout. Absent also are the sprawling instrumental passages that made up large portions of their previous albums. None of Song of the Pearl's eight tracks much exceed the six minute mark, focusing much more on the actual song than extended guitar workouts. Not that they don't still rock out, as evidenced on the track "Infinite Corridors," where Heumann and fellow guitarist Steven Strohmeier duel a la Neil Young and Danny Whitten circa 1969.
Heumann's songwriting shows a strong British folk influence, especially that of Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention. The track "Down By the Fall Line" mixes a haunting, celtic-inspired melody with a thick almost grunge-like musical backing. Elsewhere, the group experiments with a string arrangement on the title track and two drummers on "Thin Dominion." These embellishments never get in the way of the song, however. They only serve to further enhance the atmosphere of each piece.
The album concludes with an opium-paced version of Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow is a Long Time." Though the idea of covering one of the most covered artists of all time may seem suspect, Heumann and co. pull if off with restrained beauty. A perfect ending to a great album.
Check out this video for "Down By the Fall Line" and let me know what you think. Cheers.
Hello friends. Time for another installment of the music that's blessed my ears in the past week.
First up.....
Richard & Linda Thompson -I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (Island 1974)--a great mix of bleak musings on life ("The End of the Rainbow") and the need for a good weekend bender (the title track), held together by Richard's arabesque guitar work and wife Linda's beautiful voice. RIYL-late 60's British Folk, existential doubt
Nicolai Dunger - Tranquil Isolation (Overcoat 2003)--an exquisite folk rock masterpiece made by a Swedish ex-footballer? Yup, that's right. Dunger heads to Shelbyville, KY, hooks up with the Oldham clan (Will & Paul) and channels his inner Van Morrison. Perfect for those lazy twilights that seem infinite. RIYL-Moondance-era Van Morrison, Kentucky bourbon.
Palace - Arise, Therefore (Drag City 1996)--continuing the Oldham theme, here we find Will "Bonnie 'Prince' Billy" Oldham researching the darker parameters of the human condition. A stark release, even by his usual standards, but one of his most interesting. The fourth track, whose title is unfit to print, is one of my favorites in his entire oeuvre. RIYL-hmmmm, that's tough. Maybe the darkest, slowest Neil Young times ten without the Neil.
Nina Simone - To Be Free:The Nina Simone Story (Sony 2008)--one of the greatest voices in the history of American music, bar none. Whether it's jazz, blues, folk, pop or other, Nina makes a song her own. Equally at ease with a Gershwin standard ("I Loves You Porgy") as she is with fiery protest ("Mississippi Goddam"). Oh yeah, she's also an AMAZING pianist. RIYL--just get some of her music ok? If you have a pulse and functioning ears you'll love it.
Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (SST 1987)--guitars, guitars, guitars, guitars. But buried underneath all those guitars is some of the best pop music this side of the Atlantic. RIYL--Marshall stacks, fuzz pedals, furry things.
There you have it folks. Another list of essential listening from the vaults of the illuminated Don. Keep on the lookout for fnords.
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1 comment
Besides being super cool, .jpg)
Originally released in February 1973, Raw Power was the third, final and most brutal record by legendary Detroit rockers the 
The late 
Over the course of a nearly two decade career, 
Palace Brothers - Days In The Wake
Palace Music - Lost Blues And Other Songs
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See A Darkness
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Ease Down The Road
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Matt Sweeney - Superwolf
This summer two veteran rock bands will be hitting the road for some majorly huge shows. This time though the savvy vets are taking some well know indie rock bands with them, putting a little artistry and maybe even some street cred into their tour. These shows will prove beneficial for all involved. The young 'uns are going to be playing sold out arenas for the first time in their careers, and the seniors citizen bands will gain some exposure to younger fans (who probably had no idea these old guys influenced some of their favorites).
Memphis, and the music world at large, lost a true original with Wednesday's passing of 
Nicolai Dunger
