Poppers Lose Some Power and Gain Some Perspective

Artist: The New Pornographers
Album: Challengers

Comments: Despite their R rated name (for adult themes, adult content, and brief nudity), the New Pornographers has been delighting families with their sugar-sweet-but-tooth-ache-free brand of power pop since the turn of the millennium. The Canadian group has been gaining steam since their spirited debut (the wall-of-noise joy-fest of Mass Romantic) and their well received follow-up (the sterile cleaning power of Electric Vision). After their fantastic 2005 album Twin Cinema, The New Pornographers were poised to break out of indie rock and take over the world, which is why Challengers is such a disappointment.

There is nothing wrong with the most recent effort from the New Pornographers, per say. Challengers is more of what people have come to expect from the band; power pop focused on vocal harmony, lead by stadium guitars, and powered by ambiguous, catchy songwriting. The starts off slow with “My Rights Versus Yours,” an excellent song that won’t rock you like a hurricane or lull you to sleep; it’s the definition of mid-tempo. Elsewhere on the album, “Myriad Harbor” kicks things up a notch with some serious rock harmonica and lyrics about pretty girls being pretty.

In fact, there are a lot of good songs on this record. The problem is that these songs seem to exist in a vacuum. While the album is on, Challengers is a good an album as any other New Pornographers album. However, once the disc stops spinning the music fades from thought. Besides the two songs listed and “Mutiny I Promise You” which sounds like a Twin Cinema b-side, there isn’t a single song that will bury into your brain and hold you in its twisted clutches. If a pop record can’t get stuck in your head and stick with you it can’t be great because that is what pop music is supposed to do.

If there is blame to be placed, place it on the songwriters. Too many of the songs on Challengers are slower, less powerful numbers that turn the amps back from 11 and offer to tuck you in for a night of reading by the fireplace. Songs like “Challengers” and “Unguided” are nice, but lack the punch need to stick to the ribs. Even the rockers like “All The Things That go to Make Heaven and Earth” and “Entering White Cecelia” are edgeless and hollow.

While not a bad record, Challengers is a disappointment in how disposable it is. For a band like the New Pornographer who made their name on giving weight to a genre so often slammed for being shallow, for them to make an album that sucks the power out of their pop is to take away the thing that makes them such an important band. Challengers is a fine album to play for a quiet, safe night in, but the Pornographers sound better when they’re out on the town, singing their lungs out, and daring you not to sing along.


Rating: 6 out of 10

Key Tracks: My Rights Versus Yours, Myriad Harbor, Unguided, Mutiny I Promise You

Worth The Money: Only just

Liars are Human After All

Artist: Liars
Album: Liars

Comments: Since their dance-punk debut, the long winded-titled They Stuck Us in a Trench and Threw a Monument on Top (which, I admit, I have never heard), Liars have put out two albums of noisy, artsy, sometimes unbearable, and sometimes beautiful progressive music and established the band as dudes trying to push music forward even at the expense of the listener. Their first foray into expansionism is the Harry Potter inspired They Were Wrong so We Drowned, which was followed by Drum’s Not Dead. While They Were Wrong only flirted with enlightenment, the empty desperation and push-pull concept behind Drum’s Not Dead (a concept album about the struggle between creativity and self doubt) made it one of the most challenging and most rewarding albums of 2006.

Following those mind-fuck albums with a more conventional rock album may seem like some what of a step backwards, for a band as obsessed with development as Liars it is the perfect move. Instead of trying to expand minds and move thoughts about what can be considered music, Liars commits itself to a genre, and works within the confines of it to change perceptions of what Rock music can be.

The album opens with “Plaster Casts of Everything” which is as straightforward a song as Liars have ever done. Lead singer Angus Andrew croons distinctive overtop distorted guitar and pounding drums, letting the listener know he wants “to run away / I want to bring you too.” By the time the second guitar melody arrives, one already knows that, even within the confines of rock music, Liars are still as weird as they’ve ever been. “Plaster Casts” gives way to “Houseclouds,” who’s programmed pop drums would sound downright contemporary if not for the dual vocal attack and ambient drone of synthesizers. Still, it’s not nearly as abrasive as it looks on paper, as “Houseclouds” is a good song to come down off of drugs to.

Not all the songs on the record are as good as the first two. No band can walk on the edge without falling off once or twice, and Liars are no exception. “Leather Prowler” plays like a flaccid Drum’s Not Dead b-side. Elsewhere, on “What Would They Know,” the band ends up mining their back catalogue a bit too much, making a song that sounds like the missing link between They Were Wrong and Drum with none of the success. Album ender “Protection” strives to reach the same cathartic grandness of “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack” and falls short, landing on the wrong side of cheesy. This may be the biggest failing of the album, in that there is never a moment where we get a look at what’s going on inside the minds of these madmen. Also, the pattern of putting the cathartic, slow song that is starkly tender in the face of the brutality of the album threatens to stale.

Still, this album does contain what might be Liars’ best song, the dance-rock-noise-mood-chant stomp of “Clear Island.” Like “Plaster Casts,” this song is a rocker, but it moves around and touches on more brilliant ideas than most bands accomplish in the span of their careers. With droning synth, jumpy guitars, and the instantly recognizable Lairs vocal drone-layering, the song both sounds familiar and fresh at the same time.

Even when making a rock record, Liars still sound miles away from everything else. On other efforts, where the band gave itself no restrictions and free reign to do whatever came to their warped little heads, Liars finds the band choosing to confine themselves to a genre and push it as far as it can go, even it rips at the seems. Despite the convention on this record, Liars are still a bunch of space cadets who make interesting music that is sometimes beyond comprehension and sometimes devastatingly beautiful.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Key Tracks: Plaster Casts of Everything, Houseclouds, Clear Island

Worth The Money: Just barely, but know what you’re getting into.

Warm Spots in a Cold Summer

Let's face it, this past summer was a pretty lame one as far as music is concerned. It was a struggle, but I was able to find 10 things about music this summer that were pretty good.

10) Amy Winehouse goes into rehab: When Amy Winehouse sang about going to rehab on her breakthrough album Back to Black, some critics thought it was an empty sentiment, and that Winehouse was trying to cash in on a demographic by creating a false persona. Well, OK, I thought that. All doubts were shattered however, when the British singer and her husband Blake Feilder-Civil checked into a drug rehabilitation center. The trip to rehab came days after Winehouse was admitted to a hospital for an overdose after taking a cocktail containing heroine, cocaine, ecstasy, alcohol, and ketamine, a horse tranquilizer. While this is no laughing matter, it does give Winehouse a level of credibility that some (read: me) had questioned before. The news of the rehab not only gives Winehouse’s music a new level of sincerity, but it shows that she’s a freaking trooper. I mean, horse tranquilizer cocktail? What a bad-ass.

9) Sean Kingston – “Beautiful Girls”: With big name acts like Kanye West, James Blunt, John Legend, and Alicia Keys taking the summer off to release albums later in the year, it was up to smaller acts and no-names like Sean Kingston to provide the people with summertime jams. The 17-year-old Kingston stepped up to the plate big time with his song about good looking girls breaking hearts, aptly titled “Beautiful Girls.” Sampling “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King, the song is one of the catchiest songs released this past summer. Kingston’s voice is reminiscent of Akon’s, but he brings a level of innocence to the song, making it the soundtrack to high school drama instead of baby-mama drama. Apparently, the rest of the world agrees, as the song is currently number on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot Digital Songs.

8) Bruce Springsteen gets the band back together: After releasing a solo album, 2005s Devils and Dust, The Boss is back together with his old crew, announcing that he will once again be paired up with the E Street Band. Not only have they recorded a new album to be released this fall, but the boys will be back in town soon enough, as a tour is rumored to be in the works for Bruce and the E Street Band. The album, which is set to be titled Magic, is the first album that Springsteen has done with the E Street Band since the critically acclaimed The Rising was released in 2002.

7) T.I – “Tell ‘Em I Said That”: While T.I’s 07 releases T.I Vs T.I.P was no where near as good as his 06 record King, it still served to show that T.I is one of the best mainstream rappers in hip-hop right now, and no song proves it better than “Tell ‘Em I Said That”. It boats sharp production centered on a dramatic keyboard, a capela lines, and a thermion to give it a spooky, threatening feeling. T.I is as sharp as ever as he calls out fake MCs everywhere, urging people to “run up on the suckers.” T.I may spend too much time calling out his opponents, but he sure sounds good when he does it.

6) Against Me! – New Wave: With the switch to a major label and releasing an album produced by Butch Vig, Against Me! will no doubt hear all the usual “sellout” accusations in the punk community. What those critics will miss is how far Against Me! has come as a band, and how good of a rock record they’ve made. The cleaner production and studio budget are all used to capacity on New Wave, as the band strives to push not only punk but rock music forward in hopes that music will matter again. If Against Me! can keep making tracks like the raucous “New Wave” or the power pop of “Thrash Unreal”, there is no doubt in my mind that they’ll pull it off.

5) Wal-Mart Sells DMR-Free Music Online: Not many people would be willing to praise a global conglomerate, but this time they did something right. Wal-Mart is now selling DMR free music at their online music store for 94 cents a song, a full 35 cents cheaper than on iTunes. DMR files have long been planted into music files as a means of slowing internet piracy, but problems with the songs and outrage by consumers has lead more and more companies to abandon the technology. This trend toward more open music sharing is more proof of the movement toward an all digital music market which is forcing more and more record labels to rethink how music is sold.

4) Rihanna – “Umbrella”: I don’t know how Rihanna keeps doing it. Last year, she rocked my cold, lonely world with “S.O.S”, a song that not only sounded better than ½ of the singles released that year, but also managed to make Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” relevant again, a feat that none had dared attempt since The Coneheads movie in 1993. Now, she found a way to bury herself in my brain once again, this time with “Umbrella”, which boats both the stupidest and catchiest chorus I’ve heard in years. You couldn’t turn around this summer without hearing the song blasting out of someone’s car, boom box, or ipod, and it never got old. If that isn’t the hallmark of a good song, I don’t know what is.

3) Lollapalooza: The massive alt-rock festival was held in Chicago’s Grant Park for the third year in a row, and despite the fact the mammoth rock carnival no longer tours the country, people flocked to Chi-Town to watch up and comers like Tapes n’ Tapes and LCD Soundsystem play next to established acts like Modest Mouse, Daft Punk, and Pearl Jam. Regardless of personal tastes, Lollapalooza had something for everyone this year. From hip-hop acts like The Roots and Common, to pop singers like Amy Winehouse, to dance music from Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem, Lollapalooza covered all the bases. Not to mention producing some of the best live shows of the year. Tickets were a little more expensive than in past years (around $200), but people would pay that to see Pearl Jam, not to mention the 130 other bands at the festival. A success on all fronts.

2) Morrissey Turns Down 75 Million Dollars: In a time when has been rockers will get back together, embarrass themselves onstage, and shamelessly mine their back catalogue for a quick payday (cough The Police cough), Morrissey’s decision to not participate in a Smiths reunion is refreshing. The prolific singer and well documented sad sack reportedly turned down 75 million dollars to perform on a reunion tour set to take place sometime next year. Feelings about the Smiths aside, it isn’t often that a person will turn down money to do almost nothing, let alone 75 million dollars. Morrissey should be applauded for his decision.

1) Dan Deacon – Spiderman of the Rings: In a summer full of mediocre releases from second-tier artists, only one record stood out among the pack, fully embracing the ideal that summer should be loud, fast, fun, and over the top at all times. Spiderman of the Rings by Dan Deacon is as fun an album as I have heard all year. Deacon’s music is electronic ripped from the midi’s of childhood Nintendo games, cartoons, or whatever else happens to strike his fancy. Songs like “Woody Woodpecker” and “Snake Mistakes” push the listener just as much as they reward them; songs sometimes go into pitches that can be appreciated, but not enjoyed. Still, it is by no means a hard listen, as this is a party record for people with a nostalgic sense of humor and fun. The epic 12 minute trek that is “Wham City” is without a doubt the highlight of the record. Each sample lays on top of either other building to one giant, choral breakdown where everyone plays drums and sings. And in the center of it all is Deacon himself, every sound controlled and manipulated to suit his whims. Spiderman of the Rings is for the person who sees little kids playing with bubbles and thinks about joining in. After all, cutting loose is what the summer is all about.

LOTD's Next Big Thing: Hot Club De Paris

Album: Hot Club De Paris

Album: Drop It 'Till It Pops

Comments: Since the turn of the century, Europe has been kicking our ass at pop music. Radio has been importing their pop-rock from across the pond for years now, but with the popularity of bands like Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, and the Fratellis some people seem to think we are in the midst of a miniature British invasion. Even big name pop acts like Beyonce and Christina Aguilera are being out-sung and out-done by European acts like Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. With the release of Drop It ‘Till It Pops, young upstarts Hot Club De Paris are making sure that this trend doesn’t change any time soon.

Drop It ‘Till It Pops is about as fun a record as I have heard this year. All the usual influences are heard in the music; the band borrows a little from XTC in the vocal work, a little from Wire in the guitar playing and song length, and has just as much youthful energy as anything the Futureheads or the Arctic Monkeys have put out. Still, what is really remarkable about the group is how well they play together. The clean, tight, efficiency of UK pop is long documented, but Hot Club De Paris is doing much more than power chords and 4/4 time. Opening track “Shipwreck”, would be nothing more than a faux sea shanty without the manic, light speed guitar line that anchors the song. The same can be said for the more somber, but equally catchy “Clockwork Toy.”

Songs like “3:55 AM: I Think We Should Go Home” and break neck “Sometimesitsbetternottostickbitsofeachotherintoeachother” explore the manic, almost desperate joy of being young and dumb; Hot Club De Paris play as if they are trying to beat the clock and get as many miles out of their youth as they can. Still, the band maintains a tongue-in-cheek stance throughout, taking serious issues as lightly as they can without making a joke of them. With song titles like “Snitches get Stitches”, its easy to see that this is a band that can take a joke.

Even though the album is only 30 minutes long, it can get repetitive. “Names & Names & Names” stretches the lighting fast and submarine tight playing almost to its breaking point, and the interesting but unsatisfying foray into beat boxing on “Bonded By Blood (A Song For Brothers)” is entertaining, but not more than a gimmick. There are two songs on the record that establish Hot Club De Paris as more than the typical scene band looking to cash in on a sound. The first is the excellent “Your Face Looks All Wrong”, which is a somber look at city living where ghosts complain of over crowding while the young punks navigate through burning buildings. It is a sobering piece about the sadder side of the city, and it’s delivered with a tender and knowing hand.

Still, if “Your Face Looks All Wrong” is sobering, then “Hello, I Wrote A Song For You Called ‘Welcome to the Jungle’” is a cold shower and a hot cup of coffee after a long, hard night. The curtains come down, the walls fall, and the man-boys of Hot Club De Paris expose themselves as people just looking for something, anything, to hold on to. The break-neck guitars fall away, the drums relax, and the bass line dances over tragic and accurate character sketches of the lonesome unwashed of the world, adopted children, and the power of women who look good when the walk away. It’s a crushingly beautiful song, and easily the best song on the album.

Even without the quiet moments of reflection, Drop It ‘Till It Pops is still worth a spin based on musicianship and sheer fun. Like the best things in life, it never lasts long enough, but the good news is that once it’s over you’ll want to put it back on again and again. I can only hope that the boys in the Hot Club catch on here in the states. As long as Europe keeps making music like this, I have no problem with this invasion.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Key Tracks: Clockwork Toy, Hello, I Wrote A Song For You…, Welcome to the Hop, Your Face Looks All Wrong.

Worth The Money: Absolutely

Hot Club De Paris - Hellow, I Wrote A Song For You Called "Welcome to the Jungle"

Twin Hotties Bring Brains and Beauty on The Con

Arist: Tegan and Sara
Album: The Con

Comments: I am not a very good looking guy. The most that can be said of me is that I am interesting looking. Besides being overweight, I’ve got a patchy, comical attempt at a beard, and a curly mess of long, thinning hair. I’m going to end up looking like the love child of Michael Moore and Doug Martsch before everything is said and done, and I am ok with that.

Being as I am on the ugly side of normal, I have always had a distrust of beautiful people. Sometimes it manifests itself into outright hatred (after a few drinks, I’ll be happy to tell that tanned, popped-collar-wearing gentleman how I feel about his frosted tips and pink shirt), and sometimes it will sneak up on me. For example, I have often felt suspicious of attractive women who talk to me, the fear being that they are just looking for a favor, or playing a cruel joke on me (not that beautiful women are knocking down my door, but stranger things have happened).

Personal insecurity aside, I will admit that I have had problems in the past because I assume that beautiful people have nothing to offer beyond their looks, a trait in myself that I don’t much care for. And I will also admit that when hearing about identical twin sisters Tegan and Sara, I thought that their music would either be bland tampon rock, or faux empowerment pop. However, after listening to The Con, I am pleased to report that T&S are much more than just a pretty faces.

The rap sheet on Tegan and Sara is pretty long, and kind of misleading depending on where you read it, so I’ll give you the facts that are pertinent to The Con. The twin duo started out doing folk rock, the kind of power chord, woman’s lib that makes Ani Difranco so popular. For recent albums, T&S dropped the chick rock and overt feminism for an electronic sound and more subtle, internal lyrics. The more restrained sound works on The Con, which was produced by Chris Walla (of Death Cab For Cutie, feelings-loving OC band de jour).

The Con is a relationship album at heart. Despite the bubbly beginning of “I Was Married”, the album treads some darker territory, especially on “The Con”, “Knife Going In”, and “Dark Came Soon”. The pair sings like salty veterans of one too many broken love affairs, and the music comes off with a personal sincerity that is both charming and disarming at the same time. T&S spend an entire album thinking about loss, redemption, love, hate, regret, and hope within the scope of finding someone. It’s the only topic, but its one that is covered well.

Still, the one note songwriting is forgiven by the production. For an electronica album with rock sensibility, the music is top notch. The synth lines in the music are reminiscent of mid 80s indie rock, or more tender Nine Inch Nails songs. It’s a good listen, never getting too outrageous and never lulling to sleep. However, that shouldn’t suggest that the music is bland or middle-of-the-road. Each track is layered and textured enough to make the songs interesting, although not always memorable. The only complaint I have about the album is that it can run together at times with no real breakout track, but for the most part it is able to define itself somewhere between rock and electronica without ever sounding like its borrowing too much from either.

The Con works, either as background music or as a listening piece. As background music, it’s a pleasant soundtrack to personal moments, but I wouldn’t play it at a party. As a listening piece, it serves as a personal deconstruction of relationships for anyone who had something not work out. Tegan and Sara won’t change your life, but they will mirror your life, which is as good as anything. If nothing else, it proves that beauty and brains aren’t exclusive, and gives my messenger-bag-wearing brethren something to lust for.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Key Tracks: The Con, Kinfe Going In, Dark Come Soon, Back In Your Head

Worth The Money: Yes

Lollapalooza - Saturday Recap (Walk Around and Drink Some More)

After a 12 hour car ride, the dance rhythms of LCD Soundsystem proved to be the medicine to put a song in my heart, a spring in my step, and give me my spirit back. As I walked into the park at 12:30 in the afternoon, a sprawling mass of people before me and three of my four most anticipated acts awaiting me inside the confines of the ever-beautiful Grant Park, I decided that today would be the day that I would get drunk.

But first, there was work to do; people to meet, and bands to see. With Joe, James, John, and my old man close behind, we made our way over to the Bud Light stage to watch a band that none of them had any interest in besides me; the 19 piece feel good act I’m From Barcelona. We approached as the indie-pop act were getting their set started with one of the better songs from their 2006 release, a song called “Treehouse”, which prompted unfocused ridicule from Joe. Apparently, he was not on board with this.

I can understand why. From watching I’m From Barcelona, it’s easy to think of them as a tad gimmicky. Still, in a festival setting like this one, it goes over fantastically. Most of the band was just on stage to clap their hands, dance with each other, and run into the crowd with tambourines and high fives waiting for the audience (and a dude in a bear costume. No joke). So upbeat and happy are the songs, and so joyful are the people who play them, that it is easy to overlook songs about tree forts and chicken pox and just get caught up in the special of the whole thing. Songs like “Rec & Play” and “We’re From Barcelona” blasted over the crowd as everyone within earshot clapped and sang along with the mad scientist singer, whose fiery red hair and moustache made him look like some kind of crazed indie rock Einstein. As we walked away, Joe summed it up best; “I could never listen to it on an album and take it seriously, but it’s a hell of a thing to see live.” Well said, Joe.

As if my mood wasn’t good enough from the hippie love fest that was I’m From Barcelona and my decision to drink some points of my IQ, Tapes n’ Tapes decided to play an amazing set of songs from their first album, The Loon, as well as a number of new songs. Usually, I hate when a band plays new songs at shows (I am a huge fan of singing along), but I had no problem with Tapes n’ Tapes playing that card. Their new stuff sounded right at home next to older classics like “10 Gallon Ascots” and “Just Drums”.

What is most striking about Tapes n’ Tapes live is how big and hard their sound is. On their album, their songs are tight and produced with little room to walk. On stage, the same songs that sounded so planned and rehearsed on the album, now sound chaotic and dangerous in that way that striking rock music can sound. The lead Tapes, who usually saves his voice for the sweet melodies on the album, channels his inner Frank Black when he’s on the stage making his everyman voice sound twice as big and 10 times as sinister. Guitar solos, drum fills, and bass accompaniment are all kicked up a notch, turning the band from an indie rock such-and-such into a rock powerhouse. To really understand Tapes n’ Tapes, you’ve got to see them live. They will not disappoint.

Also, the lead singer had the best t-shirt I saw all weekend, with the exception of the guy who had an all black shirt that said “Fuckin’ Slayer” in huge bold font on the front.

After Tapes n’ Tapes rocked my face off, I took the next hour off to do some drinking. While my friends did their best to encourage and oblige me in my nonsense, I was able to catch snippets of other acts. I watched Silverchair play a song, sounding like they were just happy to be back near the limelight, and I overheard Stephen Marley mining his father’s legacy for a crowd of pot smoking hippies and bros. Both sounded fine.

By the time The Roots took the stage, I was pretty well sloshed and letting everyone around me know just how much I thought the Roots “fucking ruled, man!” Still, I’d like to think that I would have been just as excited without the 6 beers fighting my liver for control of my body. Since my teenage years I’ve had a love affair with the Roots, and despite their reputation for being a great live act, I had somehow been able to avoid them my entire concert going career until this point. Truth be told, I had my doubts that they could live up to my expectations.

They exceeded them. Despite the short set, the Roots played as well, if not better, than anyone else I had seen besides LCD Soundsystem. It’s hard for me to describe exactly what makes them so good on stage. There’s energy, sure, and fantastic musician-ship from everyone, especially drummer ?uestlove and bassist L Hubbard (not the scientology founder, although that’d be pretty neat). But neither of those things alone can explain what is so satisfying about seeing them live. It might be nothing more than the combination of jazz discipline with hip-hop intensity. But whatever it is, it works, as the Roots have become a must see band in my mind. If they are anywhere within my city limits, I’ll be there.

Still, there is no finer joy in this world than being drunk and listening to bar-room poet laurite for the 21st century Craig Finn and his band of late-70s stadium rockers that combine to form the Hold Steady, who were build for the giant festivals and arenas of America and Europe. Fuck the Decemberists, the Hold Steady were made for the stage.

Screaming from the front of the crowd, I felt like one of Finn’s characters in his one acts about drugs, drinking, and the terrible beauty of being young and fucking around. Finn stumbles and shakes all over the stage, using his hands to clap, count, shake, point, and occasionally play guitar, all while the lead guitar stays in one spot looking bored until it’s his time to solo; the cool yang to Finn’s manic ying. As the band blew through the hits off their three albums, you could actually see the crowd getting stronger as the set went on, like a pitcher gaining strength towards the end of a perfect game. At the end of their set, Finn told the crowd that “there is so much joy in what we do on stage.” Everyone there saw it, and fed off of it because at the end of the day, the Hold Steady makes songs about hopeful beginnings masked as dark endings.

As the band strummed the notes to their closer “Killer Parties” and looked out on the sea of rockers with mile-wide smiles, you could tell they knew what everyone in the crowd knew; there’s a lot of joy in watching what they do, too.

Lollapalooza - Friday Recap (What Makes a Good Show)

What makes a great show? The people of Lollapalooza would seem to think that its directly connected to the number of bands at the show. And while this did give me the freedom to see whoever the hell I wanted, numbers alone does not a good show make. And while I stood amongst the other alt rockers who had made the pilgrimage to watch their favorites bands under the breathtaking view of the Chicago skyline in the mammoth Grant Park, I found myself wondering what really makes for a good show.

A great show should transcend boundaries. Not in a universal, change-the-world sense (although that certainly helps), but in a much more physical way. A great show can look and sound and feel good in any place, from an elevator to an open park. Bar room bands and stadium rockers, if their product is good, should be able to switch venues at will and still have the same impact. However, this is not always the case, as Ted Leo and the Pharmacists showed me early in the afternoon yesterday. Ted and his pill pushers started off strong with "Building Skyscrapers in the Basement" and "Sons of Cain", and proceeded to play a passionate but sloppy set consisting of mostly new cuts off of Living With The Living. Sadly, energy alone couldn't carry the day, as Ted played some of the worst songs on the album, including "Colleen", "Bomb, Repeat" and "The Unwanted Things", although he nearly saved the show with an intense rendition of "C.I.A" to close the show. In the five times I've seen Ted, that was his worst set. The bottom line in my mind is that Ted Leo and friends were not built for the stage. Their place is the dark, poorly lit rock clubs of America where his music sounds bigger than life. Out in the open, he's just another act.

Another group that was surprisingly unimpressive live was the Polyphonic Spree. I had high hopes for the Spree, given my love of twee pop and their supposedly great live show. And I have no doubt that if I were in a more intimate setting, or if I was closer to the stage that I would have had the time of my life. But from my spot 100 yards back from the show, the Spree looked like any other band. Doing a sound check for 24 instruments and 24 voices must have been a shit show, because the sound was off the entire time. Once again, I'm sure this band would have floored me in a different setting, but the open air of Lollapalooza was not the place for them.

A great show should suggest, but never force the listener to shape their thoughts with the band's to fully enjoy the music. Opinions can be changed through spirited performance and developed, inspired music, but not through shouting and soap-boxing, at least not at a rock show. Against Me!, former punk heroes and topic of discussion amongst the angsty, DIY'ers all across the nation, put on a surprisingly good show given their setting. Like Ted Leo, I expected the large festival setting to be a burden. Sure, they've played the Warped Tour a hand full of times, but this is no punk festival, and the indie rockers of this audience do not care how many teenagers have your t-shirts. However, Against Me! put on as good a show as they ever had, although they didn't play "We Laugh at Danger and Break All the Rules", which came as a bit of a shock. Still, songs like "New Wave" and "Stop" weaved well with older classics like "Walking is Still Honest" and "Rice and Bread". The only problem with their set was their political songs, which were preachy and underwritten, but that is the band's problem, and not a reflection of their performance, which was great.

Still, Against Me! didn't floor me the way Silversun Pickups did. Earlier in the year I somewhat wrote them off as the hot band of right now, but ultimately substance-less. Their live show made a believer out of me. Which is another mark of a great show; one should gain a new appreciation from it. Silversun's shoe-gazing guitar work, punchy bass lines, and flashy drum work had my head bobbing for an hour straight. The band seemed loose and utterly excited to be there, and it showed on stage. Their two song closer of "Lazy Eye" and "Common Reactor" nearly brought the house down.

Still, none of these bands, from the good shows to the bad shows (speaking of bad shows, Blond Redhead was fucking AWFUL) could hold a candle to the best show of the night, put on by LCD Soundsystem. This came out of nowhere. If you had asked me yesterday if I would have enjoyed a house band playing dance music, I would have told you to fuck off. Still, when James Murphy and Co. took the stage and opened with "Us V Them" off of his top ten record Sound of Silver based aspect of the culture came down, and everyone danced. We danced like out feet were on fire, with a kind of reckless joy that comes from passengers on sinking ships. We danced for an hour and didn't stop, all while a subdued Murphy called out our steps. Credit is due to his band, who were excellent, but it was Murphy's , I realized that a great show can take hold of you and protect you. A great show can make your insecurities and hang-ups seem small and stupid and utterly useless, at least for a little while. And that is what this show did, not just for me but for an entire audience filled with a subculture full of passive females and beta-males. The entire self conscious, appearancessubtle showmanship that propelled the show. Hands down, LCD Soundsystem won the day on Friday, even over french robots Daft Punk.

Here's the tentative schedule for today:

I'm From Barcelona
Tapes n Tapes
Silverchair
Motion City Soundtrack
The Roots
Hold Steady
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Spoon
Muse

We'll be back tomorrow.

-Mr.Dogg

LOTD & Lollapalooza 2007 - The Morning Of (With Apologiez to the Great State of Indiana)

Greetings from Chicago! I am coming to you live from dirty hotel room outside of O'Hare Airport at 7:37 mid-west time, only a few short hours away from the once proud festival that roamed the country calling out to the privileged-yet-disenfranchised suburban youth of America. Now, neutered and confined to the limits of beautiful Grant Park on the banks of Lake Michigan, Lollapalooza is much less a celebration (bitches) of community spirit and belonging, and much more a chance to see a bunch of bands that normally wouldn't play together in a million years.

The reasons for the decline in the once great Lollapalooza are numerous. Some people claim that the festival lost its true spirit of independent and underground thinking when festival big- wig and Jane's Addiction front man Perry Ferrell decided to bring Metallica in to headline the festival in 1996, which is the equivalent to inviting the stereotypical teen movie football star to the stereotypical high school anime club dance. Purists maintain that the flooding of alpha males into a temporary society of passive dudes was crippling to the idea of Lollapalooza.

Still, others say the decline of the traveling rock circus comes from the economy. People just don't have the money or the inclination to shell out 260 dollars for a one day show in their town regardless how many bands are playing. Others blames the shunning of Ozzy Osborne in 97 and his subsequent Ozzfest, a metal festival created out of spite for Lolla higher-ups saying that Ozzy was uncool, for the decline and crippling of the show. Still, it's probably just due to the fact that Lollapalooza was always a grunge festival at heart, and after 1997 grunge just doesn't sell anymore.

Still, I can't be totally right, seeing as the big draw for this year's festival is none other than grunge pioneers Pearl Jam. And don't let my above paragraphs fool you, I am significantly geeked out over this festival. Who cares if I had to drive 12 hours from Philadelphia to get here, the line up alone is worth the caffeine overdose, the flat, lifeless planes of Indiana, and having my butt fall asleep from sitting in one spot too long.

All weekend, the LOTD crew (including contributors Joe Gilson and James Keough) will be updating you good people on the goings on and happenings at this once proud, still awesome mega-concert. Here's a look at what we'll be (tentatively) checking out today:

Illinois
The Fratellis
Chin Up Chin Up
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Jack's Mannequin
The Polyphonic Spree
Against Me!
Moe.
Silversun Pickups
LCD Soundsystem
Daft Punk (!!!)

Be sure to check back periodically, as we will be updating as often as we can.

Well, I'm off to go watch some rock music and drink pricey beer with thousands of my closest friends. Until later!

- Mr. Dogg

Movie Star vs the Trap Star

Artist: T.I
Album: T.I vs T.I.P

Comments: This concept album-of-sorts from T.I is one of two things. It is either a bold yet flawed attempt at making an album that showcases the duality of his music, or it is a brilliant think piece that subtly highlights his persona by making sacrifices at the expense of the listener.

The basic idea behind T.I vs T.I.P is that there are two sides to the Atlanta born king of the south. There is T.I, which is his businessman side, and there is T.I.P, which is his hustler side. The album is broken up into three acts, with each half getting seven tracks and four more tracks in the third act where the two sides come together.

Abe Lincoln once said that a house divided could not stand. T.I probably should have brushed up on some history before making this record. There aren’t any terrible tracks on the record, just a lot of inconsistent ones. And that can be chalked up to the confines of the project itself. Because T.I is forcing himself to only speak through one half of his mouth for most of this record, it rarely gets really good.

From the (arguably better) T.I.P side, we have tracks like “Big Things Poppin” and “Da Dopeman” that highlight T.I’s gangster side, his villain side. While neither track can match the grandness or the confidence of anything on King, they still hold up and are just as good as anything else T.I has done. Just not great. Also worth noting in the first act is “Watch What You Say to Me” simply for the dynamite guest verse from Busta Rhymes of all people.

While the first half is not great, it at least sounds meaningful. The same cannot be said for the second, or the T.I act of the record. Seeing as this half of T.I is all about making money hand over fist, they come off with much less conviction. Making money is never as interesting as struggling and fighting for respect. Besides the overlong “Help is Coming” and the comical southern drawl Eminem adopts on “Touchdown”, this section of the CD is skippable.

However, it is the last act of the record that makes me think T.I is brilliant. Here’s my theory. T.I knows his limits and he knows what makes him good. He knows all along that he will only sound half as good when he’s only using half of his personality. But he does it anyway to prove the point. The point being that when he gets both sides working together, he really is one of the best rappers around. These four songs are all much better than anything else on the record, and as good as anything T.I has done, especially the banging “Tell ‘em I Said That”.

So is T.I brilliant? Or did he just make an uneven album based on an idea that would make for a good song but not a good record. That’s for you to decide. T.I vs T.I.P may not be his best work, but it proves that the crown of king of the south is his to lose. And when he puts everything he has into it, no one can touch him. It’s just a shame he doesn’t do it for a whole album.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Key Tracks: Big Things Poppin, Help is Coming, Tell ‘Em I Said That, Respect This Hustle

Worth the Money: I have to go with no.

Far From Crime - By John Adams

Artist: Against Me!

Album: New Wave

Comments: New Wave is the first cd put out by Against Me! since switching from Fat Wreck Chords to Sire Records and the common complaints are all over the internet, people say Against Me!’s latest effort is over produced and it doesn’t even sound like the same band any more. I can agree with one of these statements. The cd isn’t over produced, that’s just what cds from major labels sound like, it’s a much cleaner production. As far as Against Me! being a different band, I completely agree, sure there are elements that remind you of their folk-punk past but now Against Me! is just a rock band.

The cd opens up with the title track, one of the faster and more upbeat songs on the cd. "New Wave" and "White People for Peace" are the only two songs that come close to reliving the sound produced on Reinventing Axle Rose and As The Eternal Cowboy. The title track is more or less the mission statement for the cd, it lets the listener know that the band is looking to broaden their horizons and expand both their music and their fan base. A reoccurring issue on the cd is about going out and making the music that you want to hear and what you think is good, songs like “Up the Cuts”, and “Stop”.

The song that really makes you realize that Against Me! isn’t the same band any more is “Borne On the FM Waves of the Heart”. “FM Waves”, tends to sound like a New Pornographers song especially with the guest vocals of Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara, and the style of the guitar playing. The only song on the album that is really optimistic is “Piss and Viniger” which showcases Gable’s anger with the way people in the music business tip toe around what they really think of records just so no body is mad at them.

The last two songs on New Wave really compliment each other well, "Animal" has a slow pumping tempo for the tail of a troubled relationship and the cd is finished of with the confessions of what Gable fantasizes life would be like if he could have had things the way he wanted from the beginning. Looking back, Against Me!’s last release( Searching For a Former Clarity) on an independent label, Fat Wreck was the (fitting) eulogy for the way the band used to approach music and writing. People should no longer expect folk-punk anthems from Against Me!, from now on people should expect just plain old Rock and Roll.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Key Tracks: New Wave, Borne on the FM Waves, Piss and Vinegar, and The Ocean

Worth The Money: yes

J-Direct is Here to Save us All

Artist: J-Direct
Album: Live & J-Direct

Comments: Despite the popularity of artists like Common and Kanye West, Chicago is not considered a force in hip-hop music. Unlike New York and LA (and to a lesser extent Atlanta and Huston) which have long standing identities in hip-hop, the flag ship city of the Mid-West has never had its own signature sound to define it. New York has its innovations ( like scratching) and roots in rock and blues, and LA has long been rooted in samples and funk influence, but Chicago has never really had a style to call its own. The closest thing they’ve got right now is the hyper-sampling of soul tracks that made Kanye West so famous, but that’s more an individual style than a city anthem. Chi-town is a city without a definitive voice in the hip-hop world.

This is a fact not lost on Chicago native J-Direct. He addresses it directly on the opening track of Live & J-Direct (I gotta ask / Does Chicago really want new shit? / Or do you want to ride Atlanta or New York’s dick?). “Marvelous” serves as both a brief history of J-Direct and as a two fold mission statement. This man is here to put Chicago, and himself, on the map.

Bringing oneself up is hard enough, let alone putting a whole city on one’s back. The only rapper to do that in the last 15 years is Eminem, and he was blessed with an almost unmatched lyrical skill and a rock-solid sense of rhyme. J-Direct doesn’t have that same level of skill, at least not yet. The first few tracks on Live & J-Direct play more like freestyles than album tracks, as both the production and the delivery sound unsure and tentative. On these first four tracks, J-Direct is not glued to the beat, but it sounds more like inexperience talking than designed nonchalance. The production is sloppy and unremarkable; it sounds like the kind of thing first timers would make on a Casio keyboard.

However the album is better than the opening stumble would let on. “What is Better?” is the first track on the album where J-Direct’s swagger is given the proper supports. The production this track is most definitely lo-fi and independent, but it is none the less clean and plays to J's natural, relaxed flow. J is at ease and confident on the track, and over old-school strings it isn’t hard to believe when he says hes “the heart of this town.” “Hand be Free” is another standout track highlighting J-Direct’s values, namely integrity, hard work, and that he’s the guy whose going to bring Chicago into the game.

Live & J-Direct stumbles out of the gate, but once it gets into a groove the quality of the tracks rarely dips. Some tracks just sound less planned than others, which can be good, but it doesn’t play out well on this record. It remains to be seen if J-Direct will be the next big thing to come out of Chicago. He has the work ethic and the swagger to make it out, and with some more lyrical and development of flow, it isn’t hard to imagine him making it big. A little more consistency will raise J-Direct from an blip to a force. But for now, Live & J-Direct is an interesting, if not transcendent, record that tries to put Chicago on the hip-hop landscape for good. J-Direct aims to put the whole city on his shoulders, and while he isn't able to carry the weight just yet, he should be applauded for trying, and no doubt he will only get stronger over time.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Key Tracks: What is Better? Hand Be Free, Here to Save you All

Worth the Money: Fans of hip-hop should check this out

Doing the Whirlwind

Off the top of my head, I can think of at least 10 CDs that I would like to review. 10 CDs that I did not even look at during the two week vacation I just took.

I'm going to be reaching out to Max and Paul and perhaps a few others for help in recovering the damage. But in the meantime, just know that the hiatus is almost over, and Left of the Dial will be coming back very very soon.

Here is all I can promise for the week:

Hot Club De Paris - Drop it Till' It Pops
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

We're coming back, just hang on a little longer....

-Mr.Dogg

BRMC Show Maturity on Baby 81 - By Paul Tsikitas

After venturing into the world of acoustic blues, Black Rebel Motorcycle club is back to their electric sound with their latest album Baby 81. Unlike many of the other bands from the garage rock movement like the Strokes and Franz Ferdinand, BRMC has been able to develop, evolve and mature—to an extent. Their past albums have all had a twist of the basic garage sound, but never venture to far from the sound they established on their self titled debut. Howl, the critically acclaimed departure, brought in a taste of the blues and folk that refreshed the band’s sound. Now, on Baby 81, we see a band fully formed and matured and ready to make an impact on rock music once again.

First things first, you may be wondering what Baby 81 as a title itself may mean. This may trump the Yo La Tengo album title from last year in stupid album titles. Apparently, “Baby 81” is the name given to one of the Tsunami victims from 2004. What this has to do with the album is beyond me, but look past the strange title and give it a listen.

The album kicks off with the grungy track “Took Out a Loan.” The track sounds straight out of 1991 with heavy guitars, a pounding beat and an amazing outro noise jam. The first single “Weapon of Choice” starts off sounding like an outtake from the Howl sessions with acoustic guitars and tambourine, but quickly transforms into a melding of loud guitars and fuzzy vocals. The second single, “Berlin” has a jumpy drum beat that makes it a summertime rock track worthy of blasting while jetting down to the highway.

The album follows this sound for the most part, which many may find tedious or repetitious. However, the few divergent tracks are a good break-up of the pacing of this album. Songs like “Windows” starts off with a piano intro and then piles on the fuzz of guitars and scratchy vocals. “All You Do Is Talk” has a more ambient feel for the album with an ethereal hum over the vocals. The sound of drums and guitars comes in halfway through the track and builds upon the atmosphere created.

The lyrics are laden with references to youth rebellion, love lost and rock and roll mysticism. With lyrics like “Turn your eyes from the window so you won’t see this world/The walls are closing inward, there’s nowhere left to turn” shows the band’s overall feeling of angst, fear and trying to forget what really goes on around the world. This is not what rock and roll used to drive home. Before it was songs like Jefferson Airplane’s “Volunteers” or MC5’s “Kick out the Jams” which were anthems of activism. The disillusion of the American rocker is now pretty evident in the lyrics throughout the whole of Baby 81.

Overall, the band doesn’t do a whole lot to make each track standout. The soundscapes created flow together nicely in a sea of fuzz that only calm down for a moment or two before the songs flare back into a hazy controlled chaos of guitars, drums and vocals. As a rock and roll record, Baby 81 works well. As a thoroughly ground breaking, mind expanding or new venture in rock and roll music, it falls a bit flat. That being said, rock bands don’t need to be blowing minds each outing. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club writes decent rock songs that are worthy of a listen, but not mandatory in the grand scheme of rock records.


Rating: 7 out of 10


Key Tracks: “Took Out a Loan”, “Weapon of Choice”, “Windows”, “666 Conducer”

Worth the Money: Fans will like it and rockers will like it. Give it a whirl if you want.

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted...

Hey all,

Left of the Dail is going to be going on a break for the next two weeks while I work on another project that's going to be demanding a lot of my time. I don't want to give anything away yet, but it'll be good.

Either way, I've got a few guest reviews lined up, and I'll try to post something small whenever I can, but if anyone is interested in writing for the next two weeks. Let me know. Stay tuned...

-Mr.Dogg

50 Year Old Women's Rights Activists Make Porn Music

Artist: Beastie Boys
Album: The Mix Up

Comments: The Mix-Up has got a lot more in common with recent Beastie Boys records than one might think.

The Beastie Boys have been putting out music since 1986, but in my opinion, they haven't put out anything truly worth while since Ill Communication. Hello Nasty was overwrought, and Through The Five Boroughs took itself too seriously to be any fun at all (although “Intergalactic” was a ballin' ass song). Still, a hip hop act with this kind of longevity is a rare thing, especially considering how the Beastie Boys have been able to evolve (almost to a fault) and avoid tarnishing their legacy with really terrible records. Even on bad albums, the Boys have been able to maintain a level of credibility and sincerity that many top 40 rap acts could never hope to achieve. As on of the most successful rap groups of all time, they have nothing to prove to me or anyone else.

At the same time, not many people are rushing to Wal-Mart to listen to three 50 year old men rap about women's rights and equality. As noble as those pursuits are, they don’t sell too well. So on The Mix-Up the Beastie Boys have fallen back on what has supported them throughout their career, which is their musical abilities. What we get is an instrumental record that is not bad, but totally unnecessary.

Something interesting about the Beastie Boys; since their days as a punk band in the early 80s, the boys have been using their own instruments to make beats for their music (not to forget the whole sampling debacle of 2003, but a lot of their stuff is self made). Which is why The Mix-Up makes more sense than people think. It isn’t like the Beasties just picked up instruments for this record, they’ve been playing for years. And to their credit, it plays through on the Mix-Up. The band works as well together as a funk-soul-rock trio as they do as a rap trio.

Still, The Mix-Up is not really anything too special. It makes for good background music, and I think it would sound good as the soundtrack to a 70s kung-fu movie, or maybe a classy remake of “Debbie Does Dallas”. The whole album is just minimal funk lounge music, never straying into uncharted waters and pushing itself, and never sounding sloppy or slack. Really, it is a pleasant album to put on while you do something else, which is a compliment in itself in some circles.

So what does an instrumental soft-funk record that features no rap what-so-ever have in common with records from one of music’s longest running and most successful rap groups? All of them are good records that don’t embarrass the artist, and both are totally non-essential. If you get The Mix-Up, you wont be disappointed and you won’t be overwhelmed. Still, if there was one act in all of hip hop that has earned this right, it is the Beastie Boys

Rating: 5 out of 10

Key Tracks: There’s no reason to single out a track, but I did like the opening track “B For My Name” more than most.

Worth The Money: No

New Logo

Check out that hot shit up to the top left of the page.





See it?








Hell yes!

The fancy new LOTD logo is sure to bring a level of class to this site that an over-weight, pimply, nerdy man in his mom's basement like myself could never dream to attain. The man responsible for this fine work is none other than Stu Romanek, THE digital arts man that all the taste makers have been going on about. Get some learning at howromanek.com and see what all the fuss is about. Huge ups to Stu for the help.

Updates will resume on Monday. Sorry about the delay, I had too much hot meat on Wednesday.

- Mr. Dogg

Half Way Home: The Best of the First Six Months in 07

When it comes down to it, 2007 so far has been kind of strange. A lot of bands that I was anticipating new albums from seemed to have released stale efforts. New bands and some classic artists of the glory days of alternative have stepped up to the plate to bring the goods of musicology to the table. One thing still gets me is the fact that a lot of artists I love have released stuff and, well, frankly I just don’t know if I will ever get to listening to it. So far, I’ve realized a lot of the albums I thought were new from this year are actually late releases from last year. Regardless of the weak efforts, the lackluster start to what I thought would be a year ripe with good tunes, here is my best of 2007 so far.

10. The Sharp Things- A Moveable Feast- A valiant recording, this hodge-podge of baroque rock and straight up pop is definitely an indie rock fans dream. Overall a well structured album, The New York based collective writes great songs that will be some of the best tracks offered this year. The album features two short tracks from Franz Nicolay of the Hold Steady playing accordion. It’s mild mannered and laid back indie rock that doesn’t ever get too pretentious.

Standout Tracks- Don’t Hold Hope, Through With Love, Don’t You Leave Me This Way

9. Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start- Worst Band Name Ever- The boys from South Jersey who like to write nerdy math rock with silly lyrics have released another stellar disc. Following up their Girls Names EP and Internet EP, Worst Band Name Ever is a 10-song romp of just a little under a half an hour of music. With lyrics like “If you think making out on a pool table is hard, then try dating girls with no car”, you know these guys enjoy the sillier side of what their music typically sounds like. Steve Poponi’s blissful vocals soar over the ultra nerdy time signatures of jaunty guitars and drum beats. A short, sweet disc, Up Up Down Down deserves some props.

Standout Tracks- Gas Station Hair, I’ll Thank You Later, Boise

8. Fountains of Wayne- Traffic and Weather- Not gonna lie, I have a soft spot for Fountains of Wayne. When it comes to pop music, FOW writes decent songs. Catchy riffs and lyrics with funny stories, Traffic and Weather is another good addition to the bands catalogue of pop rock. A band that never really wants to be taken seriously, but often times gets hated on for being goofy, takes another turn at silly, but ultimately relatable stories basted in catchy rock grooves.

Standout Tracks- Yolanda Hayes, This Better Be Good, Someone to Love

7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club- Baby 81- After a stint in folky, Dylanesque songs, BRMC is back to what they did before, strapping back on their electric guitars and writing great classic rock songs. Borderline shoe gazing rock songs and the raspy vocal performances reminiscent of The Jesus and Mary Chain add some of the best rock and roll tunes the band has put out. 2005’s Howl was great and all, but it’s not to see the band back to their old tricks.

Standout Tracks- 666 Conducer, Cold Wind, Weapon of Choice

6. An American Chinese- Panic Pilgrim EP- Is it bad for me to claim that my cousin’s bands EP is one of this years best musical excursions? I’d say no. Just like many other indie rock bands like Tapes N Tapes or The Coral., An American Chinese writes catchy tunes with Beatlesque melodies and jaunty structures. Sadly, only four songs (plus a bonus alternate version of the standout track “No No Like That”), it’s still a good taste of what’s to come (which is a full length album sometime in the near future.) Definitely check out the band’s myspace page to get a glimpse of one of South Jersey’s finest new acts.

Standout Tracks- No No Like That, Jersey Claw

5. Wilco- Sky Blue Sky- Tweedy cleaned-up is not necessarily the best thing for Wilco as they lost some of their edge. However, the no bones about it honesty his songs have turned into has lead to a lighter side of Wilco that is welcomed. Never will fans of Wilco be satisfied after getting a masterpiece such as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The songs on Sky Blue Sky are so ripe with honest lyrics and clean guitar riffs that it’s hard to see why some fans are disappointed. Songs like “Impossible Germany” still have the sprawling jams that any song off of A Ghost is Born could offer, and yet minus all the spacey distortion, it sounds even better then some of those songs. Wilco offers up yet another slice of Americana that any music fan should enjoy.

Standout Tracks- Impossible Germany, Side With the Seeds, Shake It Off

4. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible- The sophomoric effort from the Canadian wonder group is nothing out of the ordinary. With grandiose arrangements including a giant pipe organ and other baroque instruments, Arcade Fire continues to soldier on with their pomp and circumstance blend of indie rock. What is lagging a little bit in this album is the sense of urgency that their first record had. A little bit darker of a tone then Funeral, Neon Bible is a definite good follow up showing that although a little bloated at times, the songwriting is still solid, catchy and fun to listen to.

Standout Tracks- Intervention, Black Wave/ Bad Vibrations, Keep the Car Running

3. The Shins- Wincing the Night Away- Finally arriving, the third effort from the New Mexican based Shins is definitely a good one. Although it has some lagging moments, when this album shines, it truly shines. The album of dreamy pop songs based upon lead singer James Mercer’s rampant insomnia is standard Shins fair. Coming off the heals of their radical success thanks to Zach Braff launching them into infinity with his film Garden State, it’s nice to hear that the songs don’t try to pander to anyone but follows a comfortable progression for one of today’s finest pop rock bands. Although The Shins don’t offer anything groundbreaking or new here, they still offer.

Standout Tracks- Sea Legs, Australia, Split Needles

2. Dinosaur Jr. – Beyond- The triumphant return of Dinosaur Jr. is one of the most exciting rock records of the decade. Ten years since J Masics last recorded under this fossil of a band and 20 years since its original line-up last recorded, Beyond packs a heavy nostalgic punch. From start to finish, Masics, Barlow and Murph do what they do best—create an atmosphere of chaos and catchy riffs. The guitar soloing on this album is some of the best I’ve ever heard. The trio shows that rock and roll has a chance to survive the tests of time. There isn’t any filler on this disc and every song soldier’s on at a furious pace.

Standout Tracks- Pick Me Up, Crumble, This is All I Came To Do

1. The Earlies- The Enemy Chorus- Psychedelic rock is making its comeback. Thanks to the likes of the Flaming Lips and now The Earlies, the psychedelic sound of the late 60’s is back, but with a twist of sophistication. The Enemy Chorus has some of the best arrangements from a pop record in a long while. With a great woodwind and brass section piercing through the swirling synthesizers and marching drums, the diversity of sound this album brings to the plate will leave you refreshed. Following up their acclaimed These Were the Earlies disc from 2004 took a lot of time, but the long wait was well worth it. Unlike a lot of bands as of late, the word Sophmore Slump could never come into the picture here. With Beach Boys harmonies, intricate percussion sections and diversity, The Enemy Chorus is by far the standout record thus far.

Standout Tracks- Foundation and Earth, The Ground We Walk On, Burn the Liars, When the Wind Blows


By Paul Tsikitas

Linkin Park's Gravy Train Might Be Minutes From Midnight

Artist: Linkin Park
Album: Minutes to Midnight

Comments: If you are between the ages of 18-25 and you claim that you never liked rap-rock music, then you are a fucking liar. I know this because I used to love, LOVE rap-rock, and now I am the most pretentious guy on the block. With the exception of LOTD writer Joe Gilson, who was a child of grunge through and through, I don’t know another person who can honestly make the claim that rap-rock never meant anything to them.

In my opinion, the entire musical sub-genre gets a bad rap. People forget just how well received and important “Walk This Way”, by Aerosmith and Run DMC, and “Bring The Noize” by Anthrax and Public Enemy were, not only to the revitalization of rock music, but to help legitimize rap as an important genre and an art form. People forget that, from 1992 until 1999, the only band making consistently good and relevant protest music was Rage Against The Machine. Rap-rock is not just some useless, angry, frat nonsense like people seem to think it is.

At the same time, this is also the genre that produced Crazy Town, so I’m not giving it a free pass.

My whole point here is that rap-rock might be more relevant than people think, even in the 2000s. In 2003, about three years after the rap-rock bubble burst, Linkin Park released Meteora, a record that replaced the blind rage of 90’s acts like Limp Bizkit and Soulfly with the heartbreak and isolationist angst of emotional bands. Meteora went on to peak at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Number one on the Billboard 200! In 2003! A rap-rock record! If anyone stood a chance of keeping the dwindling rap-rock genre alive, it was Linkin Park.

Sadly, that pipe dream is over. Minutes to Midnight does the worst thing possible and ditches what made Linkin Park bearable, the rap (and to a lesser extent, the rock) aspect of their music.

Here’s my take on Linkin Park: They are a mildly talented band that was able to tap into something in America’s youth that would allow them to sell records. They were able to strike a chord with the people who still buy records (12-15 year olds) with songs about being frustrated, angry, and heartbroken. And while their stuff was never fantastic, it was just good enough to be listenable (unless you were angry, frustrated, or heartbroken and never got in to punk. Then this shit was right in your wheelhouse). No matter how angsty they got, there was always a balance. No matter how cheezy Chester Bennington’s lyrics were, there was always Mike Shinoda and Mr. Han to balance it with rap. And when Shinoda’s grade-school flow got soft, Bennington would come in with a well placed scream to shift the focus. They worked well together, and if it wasn’t always great, it was always listenable. And it always sold.

Not the case on Minutes to Midnight. There are only two songs on this record that feature Shinoda vocally at all, and one of them, the anti war track “Hands Held High”, is more Fort Minor than Linkin Park. Without Shinoda, its all Bennington on this one, and that is never a good scenario. Bennington is still screaming about the same insecurities and isolation that he’s been toting since Hybrid Theory, only now they sound a little less sincere. Where his angst sounded born from experience on earlier releases, here it just sounds like he doesn’t know what else to say. Worse still is the production of the record, which cuts the guitars and the low end almost entirely out, so even the songs that are meant to be heavy sound hollow and tinny.

Basically, what we have here is a record from a rap-rock band that neither raps nor rocks with any kind of conviction. Sure, maybe Linkin Park are tying to expand their sound, but if that was the case, why not try to expand their songwriting too? Is Shinoda too busy with Fort Minor to focus on his (former?) full time band? I had hopes that Minutes to Midnight would stay the course, not give in to the times, and be Hybrid Theory pt 3. Sadly, nothing lasts forever, not angst, not heartbreak, not even rap-rock. Maybe this record will sell, but it wont sell as much. And if this is the last we hear of Linkin Park (as I suspect it might be), I just wish they had made a more fitting eulogy for rap-rock.

Rating: 3 out of 10

Key Tracks: Bleed it Out, Hands Held High

Worth The Money: No

Talkin' About: Icky Thump

We're trying something new here. This is a conversation between myself (noted below as Mr.D in red) and Dr. Max H (noted below as Max H in blue) regarding the new White Stripes record Icky Thump. The conversation is real, and only midly edited for space, good taste, and to make us look less like idiots. Enjoy.
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Artist: White Stripes
Album: Icky Thump

Max H: My brotha.
Mr. D: Maxwell. You ready for this?
Max H: Lets do this like a prison break.
Mr. D: How's that? Loud, messy, and with lots of shiving?
Max H: Mmmmm, shiving.
Max H: I’d like to start things off by saying that Jack and Meg should just get it over and
come out with a sex tape.
Mr. D: That'd be a pretty taboo sex tape, no? What with the whole sister / lover thing?
Max H: Incestuous rock n' roll.

*****

Mr. D: Are you surprised to see Jack back with the White Stripes? It seemed to me that he'd outgrown that shtick a little bit and I fully expected he'd be a Raconteur for the rest of his life, for better or worse.

Max H: I think he's very much in love with the White Stripes, and think that might be kind of an ego thing. The Raconteurs were a band, but The White Stripes is Jack White, and I think he enjoys that spotlight.

Mr. D: You’re right about that. Meg White brings nothing, NOTHING to the table. But then again, she doesn’t really have to. She’s just there for Jack to have something play off of, I think

Max H: You're right, and they do have great chemistry. It shines through on Icky Thump as well as it has on any of their pervious stuff. Lots of monster guitar riffs over loud, jamming drumbeats.

Mr. D: Speaking of the old stuff, do you know anything about their post White Blood Cells stuff? I listened to Elephant a few times, but I never caught on to Get Behind Me Satan.

Max H: Get Behind Me Satan was, without a doubt, a setback in the White Stripes catalogue. Interesting, but lacking in substance and, for the most part, boring.

*****

Max H: On Icky Thump we see a lot of new territory. Jack White’s first political statements are all over the title track. He comes off smart and funny rather than whiny….

Mr. D: ….Which is a tough thing to do with his voice. I haven't really looked too far into the lyrics in “Icky Thump”, but I think it is an interesting choice for first single. Bold at best and foolish at worst, but interesting none the less. It is polarizing to me, and the keyboard riffing might be much for some people. At the same time, it’s the most alive I've heard J White sound since “7 Nation Army”. And when the man is into it, he is FUCKING in to it.

Max H: Haha. That’s funny that you say that, because he's recently quit smoking to improve his vocals. Jack isn’t known for his voice. But, yeah, I agree. There are definitely better choices on the album for the first single.

Mr. D: So what do you make of "Conquest" and that other Celtic sounding song, “Prickly Thorne, But Sweetly Worn”?

Max H: I was feeling it, man! On Get Behind Me Satan, Jack was exploring with marimbas and shit like that, and it came across as filler and uninteresting. On the other hand, the mariachi horns and bagpipes on Icky Thump really bring something to the table. Those two Celtic songs right in a row in the middle of the album are real psychedelic. They break the album up nicely.

Mr. D: I’ll tell you, at first I was not all about it. My first impression was that he was out of ideas, so he was fucking around with some other stuff that sounded okay, but came off to me as somewhat desperate. But now it’s grown on me, and it’s one of my favorites on the album. That second song is ass, however.

Max H: Haha. To each his own.

*****

Max H: What's your favorite track?

Mr. D: It’s another one that I thought was stupid at first; that blues-y one, “Rag and Bone”

Max H: Haha, I thought that song was cute.

Mr. D: Cute? You did not just say cute.

Max H: It was adorable, is that better?

Mr. D: I guess it’s better, but not by much.

Max H: We've got a little negative Nancy over here. Either way, I love when Meg gets into the singing. If you play the record real loud, you can hear Meg harmonizing on a bunch of the songs.

Mr. D: Listen, you being a girl aside, you’re right about Meg. It is nice when she gets into it. I like how her voice plays off Jack. Ying and Yang sort of thing.

Max H: I’m kind of sensing you don’t think much of the album on whole?

Mr. D: No, I do like it! I think it’s their best since White Blood Cells by far, and I like that they keep moving their music moving forward, even thought it’s just the two of them.

Max H: I think it’s as good as any record they've made and, one of the best albums of the year so far. Toss up between Icky Thump, Neon Bible, and All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone.

Mr. D: Now I’m not quite with you on that. This strikes me as the kind of album that needs to get some momentum to really be appreciated, and for me, as of right now it’s not one of the best. I can see it growing on me in the future though.

Max H: They should have released "You Don't Know What Love Is" as a single. It’s a great pop song with some awesome guitar. And speaking of awesome guitar, “I’m Slowly Turning Into You” blew my mind apart.

Mr. D: I’m still not sure Jack is as great a guitarist as people say he is, but he does do some pretty neat stuff on this record.

Max H: You need to check out their live DVD, Under Blackpool Lights....It’s pretty convincing. It’ll remove any doubt from your mind. He’s the real deal.

*****

Mr. D: So what would you give this record out of 10?

Max H: 8.5; I think the most significant thing about this album is the way it proves the inferiority of the Raconteurs.

Mr. D: Meh, I never took them seriously, they were just some fun thing to do.

Max H: Yeah, never made me stiff

Mr. D: Hah! I’m going to go with 7.5; for pushing things forward, but losing a little tenderness along the way.

Max H: What do you mean?

Mr. D: One thing I always liked about the Stripes is that no matter how reckless the songs got, no matter how raunchy, there were always the tender tracks to ground the record. Those were always my favorite ones, and that is kind of missing here.

Max H: Oh so you're looking for a "You've Got Her in Your Pocket" or "I Think We're Going to be Friends"

Mr. D: Exactly.

Max H: Well I think a lot of hardcore Stripes fans are going to like the way this album kicks you in the balls. This is some heavy, groovy, bluesy shit. And like you said, its real impressive the way they've pushed forward... they could have chosen to keep things retro and do some house covers for the rest of their career, but they've decided to redefine rock n' roll in production and songwriting. Exceeded expectations.

*****

Mr. D: Any last words?

Max H: My thought to leave you with is this: when I finish listening to this album, all I can do is hope that Jack invests a majority of his focus in this project. It would be for the better

Mr. D: And my final though is this: whether or not you like the direction that they're going in, this proves that the White Stripes are more than just a shtick; they aren’t going away. When they put their minds to it, they can make some damn fine music.

Max H: If this was their last album, what would their place be in rock n' roll history?

Mr. D: That’s an argument for another day.

Dr. Max Rating: 8.5
Mr. Dogg Rating: 7.5
Total Rating: 8 out of 10

Key Tracks: Icky Thump, Rag and Bone, Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn, Conquest, You Don't Know What Love Is.

Worth The Money: Yes

Kings of Leon Hold Their Throne

Artist: Kings of Leon
Album: Because of the Times

Comments: This review was supposed to go up on Friday. I had written up an original, sent it to my proofreader, and added some final points to it. All I had to do was press the “send” bottom on my screen.

But I couldn’t do it.

There is something go in here. The Kings of Leon are up to something, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. Something in the music; some great intangible, immeasurable thing that I could not grasp told me to wait for a while, and to listen again.

So I did. And what I found is that Because of the Times is a sprawling, massive, heavy album that was worth the extra time invested in it.

The Kings of Leon are a hard band to review. When I was writing up my first draft, I had a friend of mine listen to Because of the Times with me, hoping a pair of fresh ears would yield new ideas and, perhaps, an explanation as to what this band sounded like. Because, honestly, I was befuddled as to how I should classify the Kings of Leon. Other critics have penned them as staunchly American as apple pie, but listening to them I could hear fragments of new wave, British surf pop, and Interpol-like guitar work.

What my friend said was this: “There isn’t anything wrong with it. But at the same time there really isn’t anything great about it either. It just sounds like a bunch of guys who are really good at their music and who play really, really well together. It’s mediocrity to the point of excellence.”

She’s right, of course. Because of the Times won’t bowl you over with complex musicianship or overwrought construction. No, they go a quieter route of being impressive; their memorable attribute is their confidence and their cohesiveness. The Kings of Leon play fantastically off of one another. There are no mistakes; there is nothing that doesn’t fit. Alone, they are just four guys. But together, it fucking works. Because of the Times is the sound of a band in total control of their music.

There are times on this record when you can hear something special happening. The album opener “Knocked Up”, is a 7 minute relaxed rocker that sounds like it was recorded on a space station. Minimal drums slowly purr as a repeating bass line anchors the song, and an ethereal, distant guitar melody plays off of everything like sunlight dancing on the hood of a car. Even when the song kicks in at the 4:30 mark, the band still sounds relaxed and in control.

Longtime fans of the Kings might take issue with Because of the Times because it is somewhat of a departure from their other records. Where fan favorites like Aha Shake Heartbreak have instantly catchy songs and a sort of down home, basement-recorded, stuffy production, this album sounds like it was produced in outer space by comparison. Everything is turned up crisp and clean, and the music echoes off the walls of the brain when played in headphones. But those who would complain about the grandness are missing the point; those who would lament the lack of singles are not listening hard enough. This record takes Aha Shake Heartbreak, makes it grow up, matures it, and makes it better.

But at the end of the day, it is the great intangibles in the music that make it so good. I cannot explain what is going on in this music, but there is something here on Because of the Times that demands to be heard, and will not be denied. The Kings of Leon have made one of the best rock records of the year, and I have no idea how. But that doesn’t matter. Mediocre to the point of excellence? How about just excellent?

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Key Tracks: Knocked Up, Ragoo, Fans, The Runner

Worth The Money: Yes