In honor of Wilco's new album, "Star Wars", I have decided to make the title of this week's blog a reference to the "Star Wars" movies!! Here are this week's songs:
"Phone In A Pool" by Ben Folds (featuring yMusic): Ben Folds is one quirky dude! I mean, who ELSE would come up with a song title as random as "Phone In A Pool"? As it turns out, the title is not as random as it seems. It actually comes from how Ben was sick of answering his cell phone all the time. This resulted in how he did, in fact, throw his phone in a pool, out of the anger that rooted from having to answer it so often, even when he just got off stage. The song itself is charmingly odd, like most of Ben's material. New York ensemble yMusic provides a bit of light classical influence to the song to add to Ben's signature piano sound.
"Random Name Generator" by Wilco: So here's the moment you've all been waiting for, folks! A long time ago (1995, to be precise) in a galaxy far, far away (actually Chicago, Illinois), a singer named Jeff Tweedy decided to form a band, and he called it Wilco, after a military term short for "will comply". They started off as a country-rock group, but soon ventured into more folk, psychedelic, and even punk influenced territory as their career progressed. Their ninth and latest album is called "Star Wars", though no one quite knows why (yet). The first single off that album, "Random Name Generator", is, well, random! Both the title and the lyrics are rather mysterious, perhaps as an ode to musical heroes of theirs, such as Bob Dylan, though the song itself sounds more like something from what a Lou Reed led Led Zeppelin might have sounded like.
"Spots of Time" by Warren Haynes (featuring Railroad Earth): As a temporary member of The Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes is quite an accomplished "jam band" guitarist! His studio songs often feel more like live recordings due to their enormous length. Another thing he has in common with The Allmans is how blues-y he sounds. Well, normally. Warren's latest song, "Spots of Time", sounds more like an amalgam of flamenco, bluegrass, and jazz. So how did this happen?! Perhaps it's because he chose to jam with Railroad Earth, who are known for being more bluegrass than blues. For you guitar solo hungry folks, though, fear not! There is still plenty of chunky guitar jams in this song! It's just that this time around, they're interspersed with fiddle solos, too.
"The Next Storm" by Frank Turner: Plenty of folks have opted for folk-rock in the 2010's, but in 2013, Frank Turner won over more than just the usual folk-rock crowd with songs like "Recovery" and "The Way I Tend to Be", both of which made it into my Top 20 of 2013 at the end of the year. Songs like these were invigorating, lively, and quite clever as well! Frank continues this pattern with his newest song, "The Next Storm", proving himself to be England's answer to Bruce Springsteen in the process of performing it! "I'm not gonna live my whole life indoors, I'm gonna step out, and face the next storm", Frank proudly and defiantly proclaims in the chorus of "The Next Storm". Adventure, ho!
"Trouble" by Keith Richards: Since quite a large number of adult alt stations have started spinning this song when it isn't even a week old yet, I was expecting this to be a softer Keith/Stones song. It is not! It's basically a Stones song with Keith taking the lead vocals instead of Mick. The song has plenty of juicy Chuck Berry style riffs, a fast, propulsive beat, and an overall rebellious (but fun) sound. The world's oldest looking Stone is still young at heart! The dry, sardonic delivery of the lyrics is also worth noting here, as a marked contrast to the louder, more direct vocal delivery of Mick Jagger.
Showing posts with label Warren Haynes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Warren Haynes. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Sizzlin' Songs for a Sizzlin' Summer!!
Interestingly, all three of the songs I'm reviewing for this week are blues-rock tunes!! (Hence the title of this week's blog). Anyway, here they are:
“Blew Up (The House)” by Jonny Lang: One of the two best known names in ‘90s blues-rock (the other being Kenny Wayne Shepherd), it seemed as though Jonny Lang took on a more pop-y sound in the ‘00s, with songs like the slow “Red Light”, and the slightly more upbeat but still pop-y “Anything’s Possible”. The messages and deliveries on the songs Jonny did in the ‘00s didn’t seem to match the powerhouse quality he had in the ‘90s. Finally, after 7 years, Mr. Lang has redeemed himself, with the barn-burnin’ blues-rocker, “Blew Up (The House)”. It looks like Jonny has rekindled the fire within his soul, and is letting it light up the hearts of blues and rock fans the world around! Rock on, Jonny!!
“Funny Little Tragedy” by Gov’t Mule: So what do you get when you mix Allman Brothers alumni with Elvis Costello?! This song!! And yes, Mr. Costello contributes a guest vocal spot on this song!! Fans of Costello’s punk-pop days from when he was with The Attractions will love the relentless energy of “Funny Little Tragedy” (as well the organ solos towards the end of the song), while fans of The Allmans can still get their kicks with the song’s blues-y guitar solos and ragged guitar distortion (though the distortion is closer to Neil Young than it is to The Allman Brothers Band). I have to say, between this song and the one that Elvis Costello did with The Roots from just a week ago, I think Elvis is doing a fantastic job at retaining his hip-ness cred, and will probably continue to do so, as long as he continues making music!!
“Somebody Else” – by JJ Grey and Mofro: JJ Grey is da man!! He is more proof that white men can, in fact, sing the blues! JJ injects plenty of good ol’ fashion soul influence into his latest song, “Somebody Else”, too, simultaneously evoking the gutsy, raw, passionate R & B of James Brown, Al Green, and Otis Redding, among others. You get twice the instrumental prowess in “Somebody Else”, which boasts both a gritty sax solo and a mean guitar solo! Nice use of the organs on this song, too, though that instrument is not as prominent. To top it all off, the song ends on a jazzy, suspenseful, “James Bond”-ish chord. Could a “Blues Brothers” revival be far behind?!
“Blew Up (The House)” by Jonny Lang: One of the two best known names in ‘90s blues-rock (the other being Kenny Wayne Shepherd), it seemed as though Jonny Lang took on a more pop-y sound in the ‘00s, with songs like the slow “Red Light”, and the slightly more upbeat but still pop-y “Anything’s Possible”. The messages and deliveries on the songs Jonny did in the ‘00s didn’t seem to match the powerhouse quality he had in the ‘90s. Finally, after 7 years, Mr. Lang has redeemed himself, with the barn-burnin’ blues-rocker, “Blew Up (The House)”. It looks like Jonny has rekindled the fire within his soul, and is letting it light up the hearts of blues and rock fans the world around! Rock on, Jonny!!
“Funny Little Tragedy” by Gov’t Mule: So what do you get when you mix Allman Brothers alumni with Elvis Costello?! This song!! And yes, Mr. Costello contributes a guest vocal spot on this song!! Fans of Costello’s punk-pop days from when he was with The Attractions will love the relentless energy of “Funny Little Tragedy” (as well the organ solos towards the end of the song), while fans of The Allmans can still get their kicks with the song’s blues-y guitar solos and ragged guitar distortion (though the distortion is closer to Neil Young than it is to The Allman Brothers Band). I have to say, between this song and the one that Elvis Costello did with The Roots from just a week ago, I think Elvis is doing a fantastic job at retaining his hip-ness cred, and will probably continue to do so, as long as he continues making music!!
“Somebody Else” – by JJ Grey and Mofro: JJ Grey is da man!! He is more proof that white men can, in fact, sing the blues! JJ injects plenty of good ol’ fashion soul influence into his latest song, “Somebody Else”, too, simultaneously evoking the gutsy, raw, passionate R & B of James Brown, Al Green, and Otis Redding, among others. You get twice the instrumental prowess in “Somebody Else”, which boasts both a gritty sax solo and a mean guitar solo! Nice use of the organs on this song, too, though that instrument is not as prominent. To top it all off, the song ends on a jazzy, suspenseful, “James Bond”-ish chord. Could a “Blues Brothers” revival be far behind?!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
7 MORE songs?!?!? WHAAA....?!?!
That's right!!! 7 MORE songs!! Perfect way to start the month of September! Here they are:
"Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" by The Nightwatchman (a.k.a. Tom Morello, ex-Rage Against the Machine member): Would you have expected the guitarist of '90s hard rock group Rage Against the Machine to have suddenly reinvented himself as a Dylan-esque folk singer?! Probably not many of you would have, but around the mid 2000's he did so, and he did a mighty fine job at it too! The latest from Morello, "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" seems like where ends would meet for him, musically. While acoustic guitar and harmonica both play a central role in "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine", the fast pace of the percussion makes it sound more like a rock song, and the chorus (just the song's title, really) is "sung-spoken" in an aggressive fashion more typical of a Rage song than a Dylan song. Hope to hear more of Morello channeling his inner Dylan sometime soon, he really does an excellent job at it!
"Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr.: Amazingly, there are three songs from blues musicians that are being reviewed this week, and this one is first in line! This song, Gary Clark Jr.'s ode to New York City (as he states in the opening line, "Woke up in New York City"), sounds more like it belongs in the 1970's than it does to the 21st century, with its flashy guitar solos and its propulsive boogie beat! Somehow, though, whoever produced this song made it sound polished enough that it sounds recent, in spite of the instrumental techniques used in this song. At 5 minutes and 13 seconds, the length of the song also seems more suited to classic rock than it does to modern/alt rock. Ultimately, though, it's songs like this one that make music all the more worth listening to in the 21st century, and it's also proof that rock 'n' roll is not "dead", despite what some people might think.
"Cruel" by St. Vincent: So how exactly does one classify a song like "Cruel"?! Electro-disco-classical-post-punk-hard-rock?!? Somehow, it kinda sounds like that. Aside from incorporating influences from multiple genres, "Cruel" also manages to evoke multiple emotions. The overall tone of the song is dark, yet the lead singer has very melodic (but sometimes desperate) vocals, and it's also a song that makes me want to dance AND play air guitar at the same time!! Yet I don't know if I'd feel entirely comfortable dancing to a song that's so ominous sounding, and also what is a rock 'n' roll guitar solo doing in a song that's supposed to be disco inflected...with post-punk creepiness?! There doesn't seem to be an easy way to define this song, but sometimes those are the best kinds of songs!!
"If I Had A Gun" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Oasis might not be as big as they once were in the '90s, but WOW, the members are definitely still active!! Around February of this year, the band Beady Eye (featuring Liam Gallagher from Oasis on lead vocals) came out and released a fun, jaunty Beatlesque tune called "The Roller". Now it's the other Oasis brother, Noel Gallagher's turn in the spotlight. "If I Had A Gun" provides an introspective, poignant contrast to the bouncy, pop-y aspects of "The Roller". In some ways "If I Had A Gun" almost sounds like a "sequel" to Oasis' biggest hit, "Wonderwall", as both songs are slow, sweet sounding, prolific, and even in the same key (F sharp minor, though "Wonderwall" was capoed). It's unfair, though, to dismiss "If I Had A Gun" as a "ripoff" of "Wonderwall", since it is a song that takes on beautiful, reflective qualities of its own!
"Love the Way You Walk Away" by Blitzen Trapper: Though I only know three songs (including this one) by Blitzen Trapper, I love pretty much everything they have released so far! Much like Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons, and The Decemberists (all of whom Blitzen Trapper have probably been compared to by now), Blitzen Trapper are a bittersweet sounding neo-folk-rock band that have made a name for themselves among indie rock fans (including me)! That being said, I was looking forward to hearing what their latest song, "Love the Way You Walk Away" was going to sound like. Its sound seems kind of country-folk influenced, in a very laid-back, "traveling back home on the highway" kind of way. Though I was expecting it to have more of a Donovan-esque "psych-folk" sound the way other Blitzen Trapper songs (especially "Dragon's Song") typically do, "Love the Way You Walk Away" does have a very earnest, heartfelt sort of sound. This one (and probably the Noel Gallagher song as well) are my fave releases of the week so far!!
"River's Gonna Rise" by Warren Haynes: Like his song released earlier this year, "Man In Motion", the part-time Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule guitarist lays down some mean blues licks once again on his latest effort, "River's Gonna Rise". Unlike the frenzied, enthusiastic guitar playing "Man In Motion" boasted, "River's Gonna Rise" is a bit of a calmer song. This does not mean Warren doesn't show off his chops on his axe, though, he most certainly does. However, the feel of this song is a bit more earthy like B.B. King, and not so much a "guitar hero" Eric Clapton type sound. Somehow, the title alone seemed to indicate to me that this would be a calmer song, as this song uses the word "river" in the title, and that's what rivers usually are.
"T-Bone Shuffle" by Johnny Winter: It's quite amazing to me that three of the songs I've reviewed this week are blues songs. "T-Bone Shuffle", however, is by far the blues-iest of the three!! No complex emotions or "deep" lyrics in this song, and no weird chords or odd song structure either, just your basic 12 bar blues. As much as the gentle, poignant, bittersweet songs I review have become close to my heart, sometimes it's fun to just play the blues! It's great to listen to, and fun to dance to. No song I've reviewed so far has come as close to reviving the spirit of the blues as "T-Bone Shuffle" has, with its feel-good, toe-tappin', guitar blastin' sound!!
"Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" by The Nightwatchman (a.k.a. Tom Morello, ex-Rage Against the Machine member): Would you have expected the guitarist of '90s hard rock group Rage Against the Machine to have suddenly reinvented himself as a Dylan-esque folk singer?! Probably not many of you would have, but around the mid 2000's he did so, and he did a mighty fine job at it too! The latest from Morello, "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" seems like where ends would meet for him, musically. While acoustic guitar and harmonica both play a central role in "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine", the fast pace of the percussion makes it sound more like a rock song, and the chorus (just the song's title, really) is "sung-spoken" in an aggressive fashion more typical of a Rage song than a Dylan song. Hope to hear more of Morello channeling his inner Dylan sometime soon, he really does an excellent job at it!
"Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr.: Amazingly, there are three songs from blues musicians that are being reviewed this week, and this one is first in line! This song, Gary Clark Jr.'s ode to New York City (as he states in the opening line, "Woke up in New York City"), sounds more like it belongs in the 1970's than it does to the 21st century, with its flashy guitar solos and its propulsive boogie beat! Somehow, though, whoever produced this song made it sound polished enough that it sounds recent, in spite of the instrumental techniques used in this song. At 5 minutes and 13 seconds, the length of the song also seems more suited to classic rock than it does to modern/alt rock. Ultimately, though, it's songs like this one that make music all the more worth listening to in the 21st century, and it's also proof that rock 'n' roll is not "dead", despite what some people might think.
"Cruel" by St. Vincent: So how exactly does one classify a song like "Cruel"?! Electro-disco-classical-post-punk-hard-rock?!? Somehow, it kinda sounds like that. Aside from incorporating influences from multiple genres, "Cruel" also manages to evoke multiple emotions. The overall tone of the song is dark, yet the lead singer has very melodic (but sometimes desperate) vocals, and it's also a song that makes me want to dance AND play air guitar at the same time!! Yet I don't know if I'd feel entirely comfortable dancing to a song that's so ominous sounding, and also what is a rock 'n' roll guitar solo doing in a song that's supposed to be disco inflected...with post-punk creepiness?! There doesn't seem to be an easy way to define this song, but sometimes those are the best kinds of songs!!
"If I Had A Gun" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Oasis might not be as big as they once were in the '90s, but WOW, the members are definitely still active!! Around February of this year, the band Beady Eye (featuring Liam Gallagher from Oasis on lead vocals) came out and released a fun, jaunty Beatlesque tune called "The Roller". Now it's the other Oasis brother, Noel Gallagher's turn in the spotlight. "If I Had A Gun" provides an introspective, poignant contrast to the bouncy, pop-y aspects of "The Roller". In some ways "If I Had A Gun" almost sounds like a "sequel" to Oasis' biggest hit, "Wonderwall", as both songs are slow, sweet sounding, prolific, and even in the same key (F sharp minor, though "Wonderwall" was capoed). It's unfair, though, to dismiss "If I Had A Gun" as a "ripoff" of "Wonderwall", since it is a song that takes on beautiful, reflective qualities of its own!
"Love the Way You Walk Away" by Blitzen Trapper: Though I only know three songs (including this one) by Blitzen Trapper, I love pretty much everything they have released so far! Much like Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons, and The Decemberists (all of whom Blitzen Trapper have probably been compared to by now), Blitzen Trapper are a bittersweet sounding neo-folk-rock band that have made a name for themselves among indie rock fans (including me)! That being said, I was looking forward to hearing what their latest song, "Love the Way You Walk Away" was going to sound like. Its sound seems kind of country-folk influenced, in a very laid-back, "traveling back home on the highway" kind of way. Though I was expecting it to have more of a Donovan-esque "psych-folk" sound the way other Blitzen Trapper songs (especially "Dragon's Song") typically do, "Love the Way You Walk Away" does have a very earnest, heartfelt sort of sound. This one (and probably the Noel Gallagher song as well) are my fave releases of the week so far!!
"River's Gonna Rise" by Warren Haynes: Like his song released earlier this year, "Man In Motion", the part-time Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule guitarist lays down some mean blues licks once again on his latest effort, "River's Gonna Rise". Unlike the frenzied, enthusiastic guitar playing "Man In Motion" boasted, "River's Gonna Rise" is a bit of a calmer song. This does not mean Warren doesn't show off his chops on his axe, though, he most certainly does. However, the feel of this song is a bit more earthy like B.B. King, and not so much a "guitar hero" Eric Clapton type sound. Somehow, the title alone seemed to indicate to me that this would be a calmer song, as this song uses the word "river" in the title, and that's what rivers usually are.
"T-Bone Shuffle" by Johnny Winter: It's quite amazing to me that three of the songs I've reviewed this week are blues songs. "T-Bone Shuffle", however, is by far the blues-iest of the three!! No complex emotions or "deep" lyrics in this song, and no weird chords or odd song structure either, just your basic 12 bar blues. As much as the gentle, poignant, bittersweet songs I review have become close to my heart, sometimes it's fun to just play the blues! It's great to listen to, and fun to dance to. No song I've reviewed so far has come as close to reviving the spirit of the blues as "T-Bone Shuffle" has, with its feel-good, toe-tappin', guitar blastin' sound!!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Allman Brothers connection (plus one more song)
Interesting that TWO of the songs I'm reviewing this time have alumni of The Allman Brothers featured on the tracks! Here they are (plus one more song):
"Bound For Glory" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: A husband and wife match made in blues-rock heaven! Susan Tedeschi is a blues based musician with a heavy influence of Stax Records brand R & B (think Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, etc.) in her music as well, and Derek Trucks is a blues-rock guitarist that occasionally plays in legendary blues-rock combo The Allman Brothers Band. So what do they sound like together?! A powerhouse, that's what! Especially with Derek Trucks mad guitar skills in the middle of what would probably be more of a '60s R & B/gospel pastiche without his contributions. "Bound For Glory" is quite an apt title for a song that builds up to glorious proportions as it continues to chug along!
"Man In Motion" by Warren Haynes: Yet another (occasional) member of The Allman Brothers Band (as well as more contemporary blues-rock musicians, Gov't Mule). The vibe this song gives off is definitely more of a '70s classic rock one than that of the previous song, and in particular, it reminds me of the blues-gone-somewhat-hard-rock feel of Eric Clapton's mid-'70s rock anthem, "Cocaine". Once again, amazingly talented guitar skills show up in this song! What can I say, sometimes you just gotta let out your blues on the 'lectric guitar and ROCK OUT!!
"Will Do" by TV on the Radio: Amazingly, this is the ONLY song I'm reviewing this week that HAS an "indie" feel to it!! Weird, huh?! Anyway, to give you a background on the cleverly named TV on the Radio, they have been around since roughly the mid 2000's, and their material is typically somewhere between the more "experimental" side of classic rock (i.e. David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, etc.) and the more icy cold, claustrophobic, tensed up feel that bands of the post-punk era typically give off (i.e. Gang of Four, Public Image Ltd., Joy Division, etc.) "Will Do" is, quite possibly, the first TVOTR song that strips away the band's typical post-punk influence and instead goes for more of a '70s "soul ballad" vibe a la Marvin Gaye, though it still has the Gabriel/Bowie type sound dominating the tune. It is also one of the few (if not the only) song by TVOTR that I find has a memorable, catchy chorus ("Anytime will do...my love"), delivered by the smooth, soulful vocals of lead singer Tunde Adebimpe. Though this song is atypical of their style, it's also the first song of theirs so far that's won my affection!
"Bound For Glory" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: A husband and wife match made in blues-rock heaven! Susan Tedeschi is a blues based musician with a heavy influence of Stax Records brand R & B (think Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, etc.) in her music as well, and Derek Trucks is a blues-rock guitarist that occasionally plays in legendary blues-rock combo The Allman Brothers Band. So what do they sound like together?! A powerhouse, that's what! Especially with Derek Trucks mad guitar skills in the middle of what would probably be more of a '60s R & B/gospel pastiche without his contributions. "Bound For Glory" is quite an apt title for a song that builds up to glorious proportions as it continues to chug along!
"Man In Motion" by Warren Haynes: Yet another (occasional) member of The Allman Brothers Band (as well as more contemporary blues-rock musicians, Gov't Mule). The vibe this song gives off is definitely more of a '70s classic rock one than that of the previous song, and in particular, it reminds me of the blues-gone-somewhat-hard-rock feel of Eric Clapton's mid-'70s rock anthem, "Cocaine". Once again, amazingly talented guitar skills show up in this song! What can I say, sometimes you just gotta let out your blues on the 'lectric guitar and ROCK OUT!!
"Will Do" by TV on the Radio: Amazingly, this is the ONLY song I'm reviewing this week that HAS an "indie" feel to it!! Weird, huh?! Anyway, to give you a background on the cleverly named TV on the Radio, they have been around since roughly the mid 2000's, and their material is typically somewhere between the more "experimental" side of classic rock (i.e. David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, etc.) and the more icy cold, claustrophobic, tensed up feel that bands of the post-punk era typically give off (i.e. Gang of Four, Public Image Ltd., Joy Division, etc.) "Will Do" is, quite possibly, the first TVOTR song that strips away the band's typical post-punk influence and instead goes for more of a '70s "soul ballad" vibe a la Marvin Gaye, though it still has the Gabriel/Bowie type sound dominating the tune. It is also one of the few (if not the only) song by TVOTR that I find has a memorable, catchy chorus ("Anytime will do...my love"), delivered by the smooth, soulful vocals of lead singer Tunde Adebimpe. Though this song is atypical of their style, it's also the first song of theirs so far that's won my affection!
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