Album Review: T. Lee (of Babybrutha) - Babybrutha Knows

T.Lee-Bass,Guitar, Keys,Vocals,Drum loops
Danya Thompson-Drums
Keith King-Drums
Sav Izzi-Guitar
Mecca Modai-Vocals
Natalie Rose-Vocals
Vaan Lotus-Vocals

10 songs of Chicago inspired funk music.  Tim Lee (known as T Lee) is a Chicago born multi-instrumentalist who writes songs about real shit.  Tim first heard Howlin' Wolf at age 6 and was scared, but got over it after being exposed to the music of his siblings, and by the age of 12 got his first real guitar. 

Upon listening to the album you can't help but pick up on the influences.  It's not vintage, old school or slow jams.  It's an explosion of genres and influences.  Influences such as P-Funk, James Brown, Prince or Sly Stone.  Me personally?  I pick up some Lenny Kravitz on the album.

I mentioned that all the inspiration for the songs on the album come from real life.  We all know real life is full or ups and downs.  This album deals with both the highs and lows.  The roller coaster of life is alive and well on this album.  Tim has used his life time is Chicago to write some solid tunes, and throws in funk so it might feel like a happy song about topic hard to talk about, and that's what this album so good. 

"Wanted Man" is a stand out track on this album.  A song about how fast things can change for the good or bad at a blink of eye.  Live for the moment, don't worry about the future holds.  "You Good For Me" is a Rick James' inspired song about love.  As close to a love song without calling it a love song.  "I Wanna Get Up" is a slow burner, and probably the most personal song on the album.  Inspired by George Harrison and Tim's father's battle with cancer that he eventually lost.  Changing gears to "Walk Of Shame" summer is short in Chicago, people tend to let their freak flags fly (so I've been told).  The album closes with "Misguided Love" a fun song again about something real.  Probably not fun for the person going through it at the time, but good song writing material.

These guys kill it live!  Transferring their energy from the record to the stage.  They play pretty frequently, and have opened for the likes of Erykah Badu and Nina Sky.  Go check these guys out.  T Lee throws in some solo gigs too, so if you get a chance....  They "just want to make music and hopefully get a few people to bob their heads to it"

Now.....  GO WIGGLE!

-Mike Downing

ALBUM REVIEW - The 7th Sons - Hard Tails

 

Jerry Eady:  Guitar/Vocals

Steve Kost:  Drums

Mark Groble:  Bass

 

I've been listening to the 7th Sons since they were a 2 piece playing Black Keys and White Stripes covers, also conquering classics by the Doors, and other unexpected tunes.  The addition of a bass player has added a completely different element to their sound.  They describe themselves as "classic rock to punk, hard rock to rock n blues...  pulled out of array of freestyle jams".  These guys are NOT your typical "jam band" but there's influences (and all but 1 tune is over 5 minutes long).  

 

Their first album of original music came as a little surprise to me.  A little harder edge than I would have expected.  That being said full of Seventh Sons attitude, balls and clearly hard work. The songs on the album are all well written, and put together.  I mentioned the length but these guys know what they're doing and have the chops to have 6, 8 or 9 minute songs.  The opening track "Soul Soup" has a great beat, then the lyrics starts and the song transforms to another place!  That's the magic of the Seventh Sons.  They're a little like the old saying "if you don't like what you hear wait 5 minutes".  Sometimes the beginning won't sound like the middle or the end.

 

Another stand out track is oddly the shortest song on the album "Mind the Gap".  Brings feelings of sunshine, beers, and girls!  A good old rock n roll song.  Doesn't sound like the rest of the album.  It's a nice little pick me up.  This sound might be something the band could explore in the future.  One more standout was "Right a Wrong".  A song about all the bullshit life has to offer and sometimes you have right the wrong to handle it.  Another well written tune.  The rest of the album is a journey through their eyes.  The songs are about real shit, that can happen, will happen or has happened to anybody.  At the same time they jam, make you want to dance, and forget your troubles.  Good time music indeed.  "Fragments" is slow burner at over 8 minutes about picking up the pieces, yet I still find myself bobbing my head, and rockin' along.  Again, who hasn't been there?  This is music you can relate to.

 

I'm looking forward to see how the songs play out live.  Now that the album is out it's time to tour. 

 

The album closes with a live cover of my favorite Doors song Peace Frog.  These guys again nail it, yet add their own "Sons magic" and make the song their own.  I'd be the first to say it if they butchered this song.  They don't.  Trust me.

 

These guys are friends of mine.  Hard working family guys.  Talented songwriters and musicians.  I'm honored to have reviewed their album on our little blog.  It's awesome that we all have our forums to bring music to the masses.  Now, if you're EVER in the Chicago area and they're playing go see them.  And buy their record!

 

-Mike Downing

 

 



You Should Be Listening To The Lone Bellow

To say that the blog has been lacking would be an understatement! We apologize as we've all had a lot going and the blog fell by the wayside unfortunately. Having said that, let's get things going again:

Over the past year, a ton of new music has been released as usual. Every year I look forward to releases from old favorites but one of my favorite things is getting turned on to a new artist. For me, the standout in the later category has been when a friend introduced me to The Lone Bellow. Their self titled debut album is really something special but it's not until you see them live that you really get a handle on their talent. On the subject of the album itself, there are several stand out tracks such as "You Can Be All Kinds Of Emotional", "You Never Need Nobody" and my personal favorite "Teach Me To Know". This is one of those rare records where you can hear the song writers connection to the lyrics immediately and each of the above tracks are great examples of that. 

Upon first look and listen, you may find The Lone Bellow to be cut from exactly the same cloth as The Lumineers or Mumford & Sons. I felt the same way until I was able to see them live in concert earlier this year. The emotion conveyed on their debut LP is pale in comparison to that which they bring to a live setting. You can see all three members mean what they wrote and more importantly, you can hear it. After the first of two shows I witnessed this year, I likened their performance to that of what a Simon & Garfunkel show must have been like in the late '60s. Many examples can be found around the internet but I believe this is one of the best:

In a regular live setting the band is joined by drummer and bass player but if I'm being honest, those components are not necessary. In some cases the added musicians actually detract some from the overall feeling of the songs. Having said that, the live experience is still the best way to experience this music based on the passion displayed by the three principle members. 

The comparison to the aforementioned acts is inevitable but I sincerely hope The Lone Bellow get a chance to stand on their own. They are touring the US again this fall and I highly recommend that everyone attend a show if possible. With ticket prices around and well under the $20 mark, it's really and experience that's well worth your entertainment dollar. Here is the schedule for the rest of the year according to pollstar.com:

Like The Lone Bellow? Don't like The Lone Bellow? Other questions, comments or concerns? Log in and leave a comment!

ALBUM REVIEW - Tennis - Young and Old

Young And Old
Tennis
14 February, 2012
Rock/Pop/New Oldies

Is it better to have unlimited potential with huge buzz or an established career with a steady following?  That is the question facing Tennis with the release of their sophomore effort, Young And Old. The internet sensations rode the wave of adulation from their unexpected and unintentional debut, Cape Dory; a 30-minute  wistfully nautical diary entry originally intended for themselves and close friends.  Creating a worthy follow-up to any halfway decent debut album is a tricky proposition.  But theirs is a tougher row to hoe considering the effortless creation of their first album.  It's like you pick up a basketball on a whim and free throws.  You make both of them, and someone comes along and says, "Hey, you're pretty good.  I'll give you $50,000 if you make your next 20 in a row."  How do you recreate the feel of a process you were never aware of?
     Some things are very clear up on first album.  It is apparent that Tennis has a fondness for early motown female acts and production.  Sonically they are deceptively complex for such a clean clear sound.  Playful and light, the album moves along at a constant mid-tempo. Alaina Moore's vocals are reminiscent of that doo-wop, beach-pop sound as well, delicately accompanying the instrumentation in a delightful tango.  She exhibits the ability to dominate a track at times, but wisely just goes along for the ride.
     The inconsistency comes in the tone the songs carry due to the lyrics.  Everything comes packaged in that breezy summertime swing, whether it matches lyrically out not. I sense there might be a lack of confidence in branching out musically.  Their first album had the central theme of sharing a personal experience.  Cape Dory was the soundtrack to what sounded like a wonderful vacation.  Young And Old doesn't seen to have the same purpose or cohesion.  It's a if they are wondering what to do next and are trying things out to discover what works, who they are, and what direction they should go in.
     That being said, I want to follow them on that journey, because there is some really good stuff here.  I wish everyone could sound this good while searching for themselves.  It All feels The Same starts the album with some attitude and, not so secretly, I think this is where their strength lies.  Their best songs are not the ballads or laments; it's the anger, the hurt, and the driven that shines through. Take Me To Heaven is an exquisite song and well worthy of a rare 100 song rating.  I guess the story of the album is in the highs (100, 98, 97) and lows (76, 76, 78) that coexist on the same pressing.

     1) It All Feels The Same (98)
     2) Origins (84)
     3) My Better Self (76)
     4) Traveling (83)
     5) Petition (97)
     6) Robin (78)
     7) High Road (76)
     8) Dreaming (81)
     9) Take Me To Heaven (100)
     10) Never To Part (79)
     11) Deep In The Woods (82)
     12) Vegas (79)
YOUNG AND OLD CAS = 84.42

Lollapalooza 2012

Over the past several years I pondered the thought of going to Lollapalooza.  I've attended my share of concerts of all shapes and sizes, but never a multi-day festival.  I've been to Lollapalooza a few times in the past when it was a one day traveling event.  I had heard the stories about the legendary experience of the now 3-day Grant Park festival.  So, I finally bought a 3-day pass, and booked a hotel (the only way to attend), and off I went.

The weather stole the show at times.  Friday was hot, sticky, and sun filled!  Staying hydrated was a must, and word must have got out.  Water refill station lines were longer than the beer lines until after 7pm.  Satuday history was made when they evacuated the park prior to what was a pretty significant storm (good call Lolla team, safety first!).  Sunday's weather was PERFECT!  A beer drinking day if there every was one!

I would say that proper planning insures that you get to see everybody you want to.  However, there were some scheduling conflicts Friday but I went with the legendary Black Sabbath.  The big stages are at both ends of the park in largest fields, and another stage is 45 degress around the field, and music alternates.  So as you're waiting for somebody you really want to see you can still see bands.  On the north end the alternate stage is the only stage on blacktop, so that got pretty damn hot if you're watching a band there.  The set-up is great, but it's about a 10-20 walk  (depending on route and crowds) from one major stage to the other.  The other 4 stages are tucked in other side areas of the park, and there is some sound bleed, but nothing too bad.  The schedule and times are posted way weeks ahead of time so you can plan your experience.  You also want to have time for discovery of new bands.  You can also catch 15 minutes here and there before traveling to the next stage.  This was my first time here, I pretty much flew solo all weekend.  I met some friends by the fountain so we can check out some bands together, then I was off again.  I think this strategy works in this enviornment so you can see who you want, when you want, beers and bathroom breaks aren't an issue, and go at your own pace.

I thought I would go in on the upper end of the age demographic.  However I was wrong.  Lollapalooza is really for EVERYBODY.  Kids, parents, grandparents...  etc.  The Kidzapalooza area of the fest went until 5pm, featured some really cool family oriented music, and kids were free to attend the festival.  Sure there were a number of shirtless douch-bags, there were also the frat boys, goth kids, metal dads, hipsters, and hot chicks.  With 100,000 people a day, everybody got along.  I didn't see any fights, arguments, or injuries.  I think the most of the trouble came Saturday with the evacation and closure of the festival for a few hours.  Other than that seemed pretty peaceful.

I saw 22 bands in the 3 days.  I didn't come back Saturday after it reopened.  I walked back to hotel before the storm it, and nursed a toe injury so I can be ready Sunday.  Sunday was the best day in my book...  weather was perfect, most of the bands I wanted to see played that day, and Jack White sent us home for 2012:

Friday:
Animal Kingdom, O'Rappa, Michael Kiwanuka, Dr. Dog, Tame Impala, Metric, Die Antwoord, Passion Pit, and Black FUCKING Sabbath!

Saturday:
Kopecky Family Band, Los Jaivas, JEFF the Brotherhood, and Quinn Sullivan (very tale end)
Saturday's storm knocked about 4 hours off the schedule.  So when it got going again it mostly just the headliners.

Sunday:
Verve Pipe on Kidzapalooza Stage, Quinn Sullivan, The Devil Makes Three, White Rabbits, Gary Clark Jr., Gaslight Anthem, Florence and The Machine, Miike Snow, and Jack White.

Sabbath was highlight.  I know there was no Bill Ward, but his replacement hit the skins so hard he made the band sound better.  Ozzy was well Ozzy.  Tony and Geezer were flawless!

Quinn Sullivan is a 13 year old blues player.  He was fantastic.  Good kid, bought his CD and he signed it for me.  Hope he's around for a while.  Buddy Guy mentors him from time to time.

Florence held the crowd in her hands.  I haven't felt that kind of energy since Stevie Nicks in her prime.  Too bad it was still daylight. 

I'm already gearing up for next year.  Do you hear me QOTSA, Willie Nelson, and Alice in Chains?

-MD

ALBUM REVIEW - Silversun Pickups - Neck Of The Woods

In gymnastics, it's not enough to attempt the most difficult routine on the uneven bars, Your execution must be impeccable, or the effort and risk is all for nothing.  With NECK OF THE WOODS, Silversun Pickups dazzle the listener with sonic flips and twists, and display large scale sweeps of power and grace.  They wobble a bit on the landing, but strut off the mat with two middle fingers thrust firmly in the air.

     This is the SP's 3rd full length album, and each album  gets progressively bigger in scale and scope as the band gets more comfortable with who they are and what the strive to be.  In interviews, frontman Brian Aubert says this album was inspired by horror movies.  The influence is palpable; it isn't hard to imagine each song pulsing in the background of your favorite slasher flicks.  However, this album is not a list of filler music. The tracks are character-driven, exhibiting a deeper range and depth of emotions than most 90 minute screenplays. I have much appreciation for NECK, as the SP's seem intent on focusing attention to the artistry and totality pf each song.  The shortest song, THE PIT, clocks in at 4:39; these are no radio friendly unit shifters.  Despite the extended song lengths, only one song drags to the finish line; the 5:37 GUN SHY SUNSHINE, which aappears to be the Pickups' attempt to incorporate a little electronica into their sound via the sticcato synth strikes of a lurking killer.

     The rest of the album's songs are full bodied. These songs are long because they have to be. Each is the full expression of thought and emotion through musical execution. Nothing is truncated. This just might be a challenge to the value meal pop-rock that seems to populate the airwaves today.

     *Sidenote: I know, the SP's sound very similar to another SP band, the Smashing Pumpkins.  Most people that have heard both groups undoubtedly will make the comparison, despite Aubert's assertion that their major sonic influence is My Bloody Valentine. Their body of work is similar to the Pumpkins through 3 albums as well, the difference being Billy Corgan's ambition, ego, and arrogance with MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS.  I enjoy the Pickups because of this difference, and inspite of this difference.

Silversun Pickups
Neck Of The Woods
8 May, 2012
Rock/Alt Rock

1. Skin Graph (89)
2. Make Believe (86)
3. Bloody Mary (97)
4. Busy Bees (81)
5. Here We Are (88)
6. Mean Spirits (95)
7. Simmer (94)
8. The Pit (92)
9. Dots And Dashes (90)
10. Gun Shy Sunshine (78)
11. Out Of Breath (94)

     NECK OF THE WOODS CAS =  89.45

My Method of Reviewing Albums

     I am not into buying singles.  Don't get me wrong, I will by a single here and there to satiate my urge to purge whatever song is stuck in my head (curse you, Madcon, for your terrible cover of Beggin'!).  I love albums, mostly because it isn't instant gratification.  Albums are fully conceptualized, cohesive thoughts on display for world consumption.  Albums define One-Hit Wonders. The difference between The Smashing Pumpkins and Candlebox are the albums.  So I take my album purchases seriously. 
     So, because I'm a big-mouthed knowitall, I feel it's my God-given right to share with the world my opinions on the albums I buy.  I'm hoping that these ratings spur some debate on good music.  Maybe my reviews and ratings will introduce some of you to new artists that might have never caught your attention.  I love sharing the music I love with people that love music.
     It would be helpful for you to understand my rating system.  When reviewing an album, I rate each song on a scale from 1 to 100, then I average the scores to come up with the CAS (Composite Album Score).  It's as simple as that.  Yet, its simplicity belies its complexity.  When I first started using this system, I found that some LPs that I thought were greats, or even classics, really had only three or four great songs surrounded by average efforts.  See, to me, the definition of a great ALBUM is one that you can start playing at the first song and never have the urge to skip a song through the album's conclusion.  I'm sure that if you went through your personal catalog of music, you would be shocked to know how few truly great albums you possess.
     Here is how I break down the CAS numbers:

• 96-100 = A Marvin All-Time Classic
• 91-95 = I love this album and will annoy my friends with how highly I think of it
• 86-90 = I am very happy I bought this album
• 81-85 = I'm still happy I bought this album, but I thought it would be better than this
• 76-80 = I must have been drunk on the singles... I should have bought something different
• 71-75 = I must have been drunk. Period.
• 00-70 = An investigation must be launched into who stole my credit card and bought this shit on Amazon.

     My wife read up to this point and, in so many words, asked, "Why is 70 such a crappy score in your world?" I thought about it, and understood it is a fantastic question. 70 is a craptastic score because in order for me to have bought the album in question, I most likely have already listened to some of it, and liked it. So it is a colossal disappointment to buy an album and it rate out to a C-.  And who sets out to create a C- album?  I mean, other than this current generation of rappers, who decides that they're going to spend three to nine months working on an album and, after listening to it, say to themselves, "...eh... it's adequate. Put my name on it and print it!"  That is why 70 sucks.
     I believe an example is in order.  But, I will do you one better; I will give you an example that is also the benchmark for all albums.  To me, the greatest album of all time is... Michael Jackson's Thriller.  As far as an end-to-end burner, to me it gets no better.  My rating system treats Thriller like this:

1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (100)
2. Baby Be Mine (98)
3. The Girl Is Mine (95)
4. Thriller (100)
5. Beat It (100)
6. Billie Jean (100)
7. Human Nature (100)
8. P.Y.T. (100)
9. The Lady In My Life (100)

      THRILLER CAS =  99.22

     Let me tell you, with the greatest of scrutinizing, I challenge you to find another album with 7 songs you can honestly mark as 100's on a scale of 1 to 100.
     Before I go, let me leave you with a few things to keep in mind when reading my ratings;

• Most albums I review will have a CAS in the 80-90 range, seeing as I preview albums before I purchase them.
• If you request me to review an album, I will try my best to oblige. But please remember I have 6 kids and a full time job.
• If an album has skits as stand-alone tracks on the album, the skit will be combined with the track it belongs to, and the two tracks will be scored as one.
• Sometimes it will be necessary to score two song tracks as one, depending on the way the artist intends the album to be heard.
• After reviewing over 30 albums so far, I have come to learn and appreciate the difference between a CAS of 90 and 93.  The difference is A LOT LARGER THAN 3 POINTS!
• It is very hard to achieve a song score below a 70.  The fact that an artist managed to create a song, have it produced and recorded, and a record company agreed to release it accounts for some talent. To get below a 70, a song has to go beyond the casual shoulder shrug and dismissal to actual frown inducement.

     I hope my reviews entertain you. Feedback is warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated.
-MPII

Music elitist...Why can't they let go, even in death?

The recent deaths of Davy Jones and Ronnie Montrose got me thinking of 3 snubs that the elitists in the music biz pulled during the "In Memoriam" piece on the Grammy show as well as the snubbing of the rock n' roll hall of fame. The hall of fame has been beaten to death by others so I'm not gonna spend much time on that, however the hall would be wise to hear fans of bands such as Rush, Kiss and many others, especially when they put in others who are nowhere near deserved as those previously mentioned. I really want to focus on how someone could really be this elitist and snub someone even in death.

When the Grammy's aired their "In Memoriam" piece it went on and on and as usual had lots of behind the scenes type people. I kept seeing producers and execs and so on but I saw no Mike Starr (Alice In Chains bassist), no Mikey Welsh (Weezer bassist) and most notably no Jani Lane (Warrant singer). At first I thought the snubs were because these were drug related deaths, but they spent most of the show remembering Whitney Houston who was a well known drug abuser and speculation of her death has been mostly drug related. My belief is that these men were just not considered "important" or "cool enough" for the Grammys.

For me the one that is the most perplexing is Jani Lane. The man wrote all of Warrants hits and sold millions of albums making the music biz tons of money yet when he passes the Grammys act like they have never heard of him and it's bullshit! Maybe Warrant wasn't the Beatles, but they had a very large fan base at one time and Jani was a well known personality, his later years not being that different then Whitney's (Drug/alcohol abuse, reality TV, poor record sales). Why can't they add a simple photo, let alone a song clip? Maybe a song like... I don't know.... "Heaven"? It was just really disrespectful to him and to fans of 80s music basically telling them that their favorite bands and music was not important to the Grammys.

Will Davy Jones (from the Monkees a band that critics hated) or Ronnie Montrose (a guitarist who had a low profile) make the cut? today yes, a year from now? Maybe not. And that is just pathetic.

Van Halen- A Different Kind Of Truth

Before I start this review I want to tackle 2 issues.
Issue 1... These are old songs: Yes some (If not all) are old songs from the bands demo tape... Who cares? Bands have been doing this forever. I can't imagine writing what I think is a good song and having to just forget it because a record company exec decided they didn't like it and then I'd have to never touch it for years. Like I said... Bands have been revisiting old material forever.
Issue 2... Too high of an expectation: When a band makes a "come back" often they do so under much more scrutiny. We expect something that may be impossible to do. I try not to use old albums or back stories when I review a record. It's tough... But I try.

It's been 28 years since we have had a full album of new material from a David Lee Roth led Van Halen and 14 years since Van Halen released their last new material "Van Halen III" and though I think it's a good record over all it does suffer from some low points.

The album starts with the single "Tattoo"



I really didn't like the single when I first heard it. It sounded like DLR's solo stuff circa "Skyscraper". It's starting to grow on me with it's catchy pre-chorus though the repetitive chorus' are something I'm not a huge fan of.

"She's The Woman" a more of a boogie shuffle style of song. A lot more upbeat and rocking song over all. I am assuming this will be the next single as it has gotten the most play at the shows the band has been doing before the album release.

"You and Your Blues". Here is where you really start to miss Micheal Anthony as there is more focus on the backing vocals and they are a little flat. Musically it's solid, we do get DLR over singing a little, but it's a solid song.

"China Town" This song is a rave up type of a song, faster pacing but still somehow boring. Not a big fan of it.

"Blood And Fire" Another song that sounds pulled out of the solo DLR playbook circa "Eat 'em and Smile" era. It's not a bad song but too much Dave not enough everyone else.

"Bullethead" is a hard rocking number. And it's very messy. Think Van Halen meets punk rock. Would have been a good B-side.

"As Is" Sounds like a song that was supposed to be an instrumental that Dave scat sings over. The band sounds good, probably better without a singer though

"Honeybabysweetydoll" This could have been "eruption" like.... Shut up Dave please! His vocals add nothing of value here.

"The Trouble With Never" Good chorus, however the verses are awful. Sounds like a half baked throwaway track

"Outta Space" The song sounds recorded live in studio and has a very free feel to it. I would have made this the 1st single. Good track

"Stay Frosty" OK... I said I didn't want to compare this to old VH but this song is very reminiscent of "Ice Cream Man" off of their debut album. I can see this being a live favorite for years if they keep touring

"Big River" Another single worthy song. It has the best traditional structure of a song on the album. If they get to 3 singles I can't see why they wouldn't release it.

"Beats Workin'" The song starts with a little AC/DC rip off of "Walk All Over You" Then gets back to a VH sound. Chorus is catchy. Could be a big summer song. Should have been earlier in the album. Sequencing matters.

Over all I like the record. As I said, I'd re sequence it for a better flow but in this day I'm not sure that really matters. The keyboards are GONE! So if that was something you didn't like about "Van Hagar" then you will be happy. Also no sappy love songs. This is a heavier record for VH, more towards "Balance" then anything from DLR era VH. The band is solid, Dave could use a muzzle here and there (but that's kind of expected with him). If you buy the special edition you also get a 4 song video of the band sitting around doing an acoustic set. It's kind of nice seeing the laid back tone, though some interviews from the band would have been a cool addition.

If I have to give it a rating I'd say 7.5 out of 10. Not their best, but still better then most

Are we looking to the future or are we stuck in the past?

I have avoided righting a end of the year post because, quite frankly.... Not much new inspired me this year. However the more I think about it I think the reason I was uninspired is that nothing new really happened. The big music according to Billboard was still pop acts like your Biebers, who is derivative of New Kids On The Block: The solo years. The only newer bands that have got my ear in the last few years have been the Kings of Leon, The Black Keys & Avenged Sevenfold... And they are hardly breaking ground and are barely "new", more newish, haha.

What was most exciting to people from the response of everyone seemed to be reunions. This year we saw reunions for Rage Against The Machine, Soundgarden, Faith No More, Smashing Pumpkins, Anthrax & at the start of this year Van Halen with David Lee Roth. Hell... The biggest shows of the year were the Big 4 shows featuring metal bands from the 80s. How are these guys making more noise then the Biebers & Gaga's out there? It's simple... It's what the people truly want.

Billboard's main pop chart only includes albums that are under 2 years old. Why is this? If you look at sales for all albums there are catalog records that routinely outsell newer releases, yet aren't acknowledged. Maybe if they were we'd have a better music scene and less whining about the end of record sales. Sure... Maybe it's easier to sell a greatest hits package or a discounted disc, but Led Zeppelin 4 still out sells most music and it is neither a greatest hits package or typically in a bargain bin. Same can be said for the Beatles, the Stones, Pink Floyd & numerous other older acts. And I don't care about spikes in sales because of a death. Sure, when Michael Jackson died he was the biggest selling artist that year, but people would have never bought the music if it was bad (no pun intended)

I guess my point is simple. Billboard needs to recognize these albums just as they would a new release and maybe the suits at these record companies would take notice and start producing acts we can actually care about again.

2011 - Through My Eyes...

I would love to give the readers of this blog a highly informed and intimately knowledgeable account of the music scene for 2011. However, I find that to be impossible to do fairly, seeing as I couldn't ever come close to listening to all the music released in any year's time. How could I call an album "Album of the Year", if I haven't listened to every album released that year? So this is what I will do; I will review every music purchase I made in 2011. This is much easier to do in the modern music era, because I only buy music from Amazon MP3. So, all I do is pull up my account and go through all my 2011 music buys. For your convenience, I will be abiding by a few rules I thought of to make reading this blog entry less like work. 1) Album reviews will be 4 sentences or less. 2) Reviews of singles will be 2 sentences or less. 3) At the end of each review, I will assign a numerical value to show how strongly I feel about the product. I derive this value from rating each song on a reviewed album on a school of 1 to 100, 1 representing Barbie Girl by Aqua, and 100 representing Michael Jackson's Human Nature. If anyone wants to see my track-by-track numerical breakdown, just mention it in the comment section. So without further ado, Marvin's Musical 2011.

JANUARY

GHOSTFACE KILLAH - APOLLO KIDS (2010)

I forgot I even bought this. Standard fare from a fairly consistant MC. Provides a constant headnod, however it's an unremarkable product. Regression via lack of progression? 81/100

FEBRUARY

THE GO! TEAM - ROLLING BLACKOUTS (2011)

Bought this little number because I was inpressed with their debut album Thunder, Lightning, Strike. Like so many other items I've purchased, I got hip to them from a commercial: the NFL's Play 60 campaign where kids are riding a bus with NFL players. The best way to describe the music is cheerleader chants + eurotechno + britrock + futuristic boom-bap + adrenaline + swagger. Me likey. 85/100

MARCH

RADIOHEAD - AMNESIAC (2001)

One of my old Limewire downloads that I sought to legitimize due to my respect for the artist. I've had this album for years in a degraded form and never actually listened to it. I'm glad I procrastinated on this one, because I doubt I was ready for it when it was originally released. Fucking brilliant, I tell you, FUCKING BRILLIANT. 91/100

RADIOHEAD - KID A (2000)

Another Limewire download rectified. Once I realized the greatness of AMNESIAC, I rushed to get this. Some of it works, some of it doesn't. I like to think of this album as Radiohead's last experiment before perfecting their sound (Kid A was released a year before Amnesiac). 80/100

APRIL

SINGLE: JUSTICE - CIVILIZATION (2011)

From an Adidas commercial. Makes me want to dunk a nuclear warhead into the rings of Saturn. 82/100

LUPE FIASCO - LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR (2006)

I was in a rut with hip-hop, so I looked for earlier releases that slipped through the cracks in my collection. Quirky, honest, vibrant, and without the traditional trappings of rap i.e. guns, drugs, money and bitches. A truly progressive moment for mainstream hip-hop. Too bad the progress ended here for Lupe. 80/100

PHAROAHE MONCH - WA.R. (WE ARE RENEGADES) (2011)

One of the last doomsday lyricists left, I find it hard to be disappointed with any of his efforts. Like most MC's of his ilk, his music production can be sometimes, well, indulgent. This is as close to "street church" as it gets. 84/100

MADCON - BEGGIN' (2011)

Another Adidas commercial purchase, however through this purchase I discovered the original Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' version. After hearing Frankie's rendition, I'm ashamed of ever buying this turd. 80/100 before hearing Frankie Valli, 32/100 after

MAY

BEASTIE BOYS - HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE PART 2 (2011)

This one is difficult. On one hand, I admire what they did here with fusing old school boom-bap with new school production. On the other hand, it just doesn't have the bite that I was expecting. However, "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" with Santigold is THE TRUTH! 69/100

ADELE - 21 (2011)

As you know by now, Adele is supremely talented. This is almost a carbon copy of her debut album, 19. There are some really good moments on here, but it/she is missing something. Just a bit hollow... 84/100

JUNE

COLD - NO ONE (2000)

A guilty pleasure. Sounds like run-of-the-mill woe-is-me rock, but for some reason I feel this one. 75/100

JEAN GRAE - THE ORCHESTRAL FILES (2008)

It doesn't matter how good of an emcee you are, the production is an equally important ingredient to a good product. The music doesn't match her flow. And Jean should NOT be doing love songs. 69/100

BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH - JEAN GRAE: THE EVIL JEANIUS (2008)

I loved the concept here. The execution is more big hit - big miss, though. "Threats" is an amazing song and makes the album worthy of purchase by itself. 76/100

SINGLE: SISTER NANCY - BAM BAM (Single) (2002)

You've heard this song before. If you don't like this, then you're probably whiter than you should be, Poindexter. 100/100

FOO FIGHTERS - WASTING LIGHT (2011)

One of the things I love about the Foo Fighters is that they have an unmistakeable sound. However, on this album I feel there is too much of that sound; no deviation, very little tempo change, and not enough feeling. Everything sounds and feels too controlled and sanitizied. Above average for most anyone else, sub par for the Foo Foo Fighters. 76/100

ADELE - 19 (2008)

Better than her follow-up, 21. She sounds a little more authentic and raw on this one. Why would anyone date this woman when you know she'll eventually dog you in one of her songs? 85/100

JULY

SINGLE: MARTIN SOLVEIG FEATURING DRAGONETTE - HELLO (2010)

I'm starting realize how much I like techno-dance-dubstep-electronica music... sometimes. 92/100

AUGUST

ICE CUBE - AMERIKKKA'S MOST WANTED (1990)

For some reason I never transfered this from CD to mp3, and I eventually lost it. That gave me a great opportunity to examine it from a fresh perspective. The verdict? It still kicks ass. 90/100

ONEREPUBLIC - WAKING UP (2009)

I bought this because I was late to the party with All The Right Moves. I liked some of the stuff I've heard from them on the radio, so I thought it was safe. This album reminds me of Muse's sound. Minus originality, musicianship, scale, theatrics, song writing, and wow factor. 74/100

ROYCE DA 5'9" - SUCCESS IS CERTAIN (2011)

I thoroughly enjoyed this album. My problem with Royce in the past has been with his production, not his lyrics. I guess being down with Marshall again can afford you better producers. My favorites off this are easily Where My Money and Security. 84/100

JAY ROCK - FOLLOW ME HOME (2011)

This was my first ever experience with Jay Rock, and I am now a fan. There are some real genuine moments on here, and for the first time in a long time I found a traditional west coast hip-hop record that didn't sound tired and dated. The production matches the lyricist in both depth and complexity. I will buy more of Jay Rock in the future. 82/100

SEPTEMBER

SINGLE: LITTLE DRAGON - RITUAL UNION (2011)

I want to LOVE this artist so bad, but there is just something missing... 94/100

GIRLS LOVE SHOES - STARS (2010)

Yet another tv commercial-influenced buy. Quirky electronic girl pop that is no longer so quirky. This sounds like they want mainstream appeal, but are probably better suited for indie appeal if they added a little more grit. The single Stars, however, is the bee's knees. 80/100

SIA - WE ARE BORN (2010)

I love this artist. You probably know her as Christina Aguilera's crazy friend on the singing competition show The Voice, but I've known her for a while as the vocal muscle behind Zero 7's first 3 albums. My first listen through of this and I thought it was so-so. Now I'm blown away. 88/100

OCTOBER

PHONTE - CHARITY STARTS AT HOME (2011)

Well crafted solo project from the better half of the rap group Little Brother. The only thing that keeps this title down are some of the singing portions, as Phonte is no Stevie Wonder. But the production is tight, and he is, without a doubt, a top ten lyricist at this moment. 84/100

9TH WONDER - THE WONDER YEARS (2011)

Another stellar mixtape from my favorite producer. There is such understated class in these tracks, that it almost feels formal. The album excels with it's r&b songs, but the hip-hop is good, too. 9th does it again. 90/100

CAMP LO - UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT (1999)

Repurchase for a lost album. On this album, Sonny Chiba and Ceechi Suede are the best I've ever heard at turning your flow into an instrument. I can't tell what they're saying, and I don't care! 86/100

JAY Z + KANYE WEST - WATCH THE THRONE (2011)

On first listen, I didn't like this. But I have to be honest, now I really like it. The production is top notch, and Jay Z sticks his foot in the lyrics. OTIS! 86/100

NOVEMBER

SINGLE: ELTON JOHN - BENNY AND THE JETS (1973)

I was going to own this at some point in my life. 100/100

GOAPELE - BREAK OF DAWN (2011)

BEAUTIFUL album. This is the direction that r&b should be moving in. A step beyond neo-soul, this is a mash of 21st century funk and 80's soul songwriting. And not one lewd allusion to sex. 89/100

PHANTOGRAM - NIGHTLIFE (2011)

A solid, if unremarkable, follow-up EP to their Eyelid Movies, it starts strong but ends on a whimper. Think of a more confident and skillful Hooverphonic (of 2Wicky fame). This EP set me back 4.99. I would have gladly paid 14.99 for the song Don't Move by itself. 82/100

SINGLE: XV - AWESOME (2011)

Regretted bying this hip-hop title the second I downloaded it. 84/100

DECEMBER

THE ROOTS - UNDUN (2011)

I don't know if my friend Otis got in my head when we had a passionate discussion about The Roots, but I'm starting to agree with him on one thing; Black Thought is an average emcee at best. A good listen through and it's apparent what's holding this concept album back from being an unforgettable classic; the lack of complexity in Black Thought's rhymes and the emotionless delivery he employs on every album. An album tackling the serious subject matter that this one does deserves much better. However, the rest of the band comes close to saving the day. 83/100

AMY WINEHOUSE - LIONESS: HIDDEN TREASURES (2011)

This treasure trove of b-sides, remixes and unreleased covers is a must have. Her passing was as tragic as it was expected. But it wasn't until I heard this album that I actually missed her. Do you have to be a tortured soul to be this good? 90/100

COMMON - THE DREAMER, THE BELIEVE (2011)

For me, this is on par with his 6th album, Be. Beats are tight, rhymes are tight, and his flow is on point. Only problem is, the song Blue Sky is the lone track that could be considered stellar. Everything else is just really, really good. 89/100

SINGLE: RADIOHEAD - THE DAILY MAIL/STAIRCASE

Haunting and dramatic, an exceptional companion piece to The King of Limbs. 93/100

ROBIN THICKE - LOVE AFTER WAR

A welcome return to the singer/songwriter role for Mr. Thicke. It's still a lot of hit and miss, and I think there are too many love songs that dilute the power of the album. But, at least it's better than Sex Therapy. MILES better. 84/100

2011-Music Year in Review

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about all of the new music I heard in 2011. At first I was disappointed that I couldn’t even come up with a “Top 5” for the year and was leaning toward calling it a bad year for music. Then I started reflecting on the three albums that were my favorites and based on those albums alone, I’d call the year a success. There were some let downs and a few records I just didn’t get to yet, but overall I’m happy with some great releases this past year.

Top 3 albums released in 2011:

Foo Fighters-Wasting Light 

              

Released in April, Wasting Light lives up to the hype and viral marketing that preceded it. Prior to this album, I considered myself a casual fan of the Foo Fighters at best. I never disliked them per se, but I never really got into an entire album of theirs. Wasting Light changed that in a definitive way as I can say that there isn’t one song on the record I don’t like. The best track on the album is actually the closer “Walk” which shows a big progression in song writing for the Foo Fighters. It’s also a great peek into what the rest of the album sounds like. Wasting Light is the type of album you can play straight through and be surprised by album cuts you may not listen to regularly and be reminded that those songs are just as good as others you may listen to more often.  Deeper cuts like “Dear Rosemary”, “Arlandria” and “A Matter of Time” are all excellent songs that also show a very positive direction for the band. My personal favorites are the aforementioned “Walk” as well as “I Should Have Known” and the incredible opening track “Bridge Burning”. Wasting Light is without a doubt the best album from 2011.

Adele-21

                 

For all the roar and praise Adele’s sophomore effort would go on to receive in 2011, it was released very quietly back in February. When the first single “Rolling in the Deep” hit radio a few weeks later, the record was off and running. 21 is unique to me in that the record company seemed to know what to do with it. When I first heard it back in February, I knew “Rolling…” would be a hit but I didn’t see the label being able to properly promote the rest of the record as singles. Whether it’s due to the monster success of that first single or the fact that the label is doing something right, they have since released several very successful singles from 21. “Someone Like You”, “Rumor Has It” and “Set Fire To The Rain” were all songs getting regular radio play, which came as a pleasant surprise to me. A couple well-handled covers appear on 21 in the way of The Cure’s “Lovesong” and The Steeldrivers “If It Hadn’t Been For Love”. Given the fact that Adele can put soul into just about any track, and the songs from this album have a deep soul in the first place, 21 easily places itself among the best albums released this year.

Rich Robinson-Through A Crooked Sun

                 

In mid-October, Rich Robinson (of The Black Crowes) released his second solo effort. Being a longtime fan of The Black Crowes, I had hope for the record but was a little leery seeing as Rich’s last solo effort (2004’s Paper) was uneven at best. Through A Crooked Sun is one of the best work’s Rich has ever produced, easily standing up to some of his best efforts with The Black Crowes. Kicking off with the southern groove of  “Gone Away”, Through A Crooked Sun takes you through a journey of the many influences and sounds we’re used to from Rich and his main band without ever sounding like a retread or forced in any way. Lyrically, these songs are a high water mark for Rich and I expect that going forward he should and will flex his lyric muscle when The Black Crowes reconvene as a complete group.  If the lyrics of the Fleetwood Mac-ish “ Falling Again” are to be taken at face value, it might be a while before the Crowes re-group though. So many songs could be picked out and considered a highlight. From the chunky groove of “It’s Not Easy” to the willing and able cover of Peter Green’s “Station Man” each track is refreshing to listen to and absorb each and every time. For a sample, check out either “Falling Again” or “Hey Fear”, either track is a great example of the brilliance found all over Through A Crooked Sun.

As I mentioned at the start, I initially looked back and thought 2011 wasn’t a great year for music due to the fact that I couldn’t think of a great number of albums I really liked. But in thinking on it further, I began to realize that those that I do like, I love. I started trying to “rank” my three favorites in my head and realized that I loved two of the three almost equally.  The thing that makes 21 come in second place to Wasting Light is the fact that Wasting Light has more memorable moments on it. In reviewing both records heavily over the past few weeks, I found myself listening to Wasting Light straight through with ease while I was regularly skipping 2-3 tracks on 21. While Wasting Light came out on top for that reason, I found that I was torn between 21 and Through A Crooked Sun put in second place. In the end, I honestly couldn’t decide between the two. So while Wasting Light is my clear favorite, I see both Through A Crooked Sun and 21 on equal footing for second favorite of 2011.

Honorable Mentions From 2011:

Some albums that I listened to a great deal this year but not nearly as much as those listed above were Stone Rollin’ by Raphael Saadiq, Born This Way by Lady GaGa and Kicking & Screaming by Sebastian Bach. Released in April, May and October respectively, all 3 albums are good representations of their genres and the artists themselves but none contain enough songs I found myself going back to so as to refer to it as a “favorite” or “best” album of the year. Of the three, I enjoy Born This Way the most based mostly on the strength of one song; “You & I”.

I would refer to all three albums as “mood albums” when I’m in the mood for soul, Stone Rollin’ would be the first album I grab. While Kicking & Screaming doesn’t break any ground or necessarily bring anything new to the table, it gives me some fresh, catchy metal to bust out when needed.  As I mentioned, Born This Way gets the most play of the three but there’s more to the record than “You & I”. If anything, the album is a little too schizophrenic for my taste. It seems built more as a “singles machine” (which isn’t a surprise) than a record meant to be enjoyed as a whole piece. Tracks like “Government Hooker”, “Electric Chapel, “Marry The Night” and “The Edge of Glory” certainly show that once you put aside the Madonna comparisons and look further than her shock shtick, GaGa has some musical feeling to share.

Disappointments From 2011:

Unfortunately there were a number of albums released this year that just didn’t cut the mustard. I was let down several times this year after the release of several records I’d been looking forward to. The first and probably biggest disappointment for the year was the Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part 2. After years of hype from the industry, the label and the Boys themselves, the record did absolutely nothing for me. Not one track on the album lives up to either the hype or the legacy of the group. Another big disappointment was Build A Rocket Boys! from Elbow as I was looking for them to build on the momentum they’d gained with 2008’s The Seldom Seen Kid. None of the feeling or memorable melodies found on their previous work make an appearance of Build A Rocket Boys!

The second half of the year provided two more let downs in Jay-Z and Kanye West’s collaboration Watch The Throne and Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger.  I was looking at both of these albums in the same light that I had with Sebastian Bach’s latest album; I wasn’t expecting anything ground breaking or new, but I expected both to at least live up to their past or at least return to it. Watch The Throne gives you not one track that makes you want to give even a second listen. None of the substance (or effort for that matter) found on previous Jay-Z and Kanye albums is present in any of the tracks. I take Kelly Clarkson for what she is but I have a hard time believing that she and her team can’t come up with better songs for her to sing. I realize that the pool of manufactured acts is pretty diluted these days, but I’m shocked that they can’t even give this woman songs that she can at least pretend she enjoys singing. Kelly Clarkson has a fantastic voice which continues to get criminally mis-lent to crap songs with absolutely no feeling behind them whatsoever. Not one track on Stronger is sung with any amount of feeling and I really don’t hold Ms. Clarkson responsible for that. Both of these albums are perfect examples of why people don’t buy records en masse as they used to; big names and catchy hooks aren’t enough to bring fans back. All you have to do is at least put the effort in to give people something to feel and they’ll associate their feelings with a need to support the artist.

Music From 2011 I Still Need To Get To:

There were plenty of releases this year that I just haven’t given a proper listen to. As the early part of the year tends to me slow for new music releases, I’m looking forward to digging into them very soon. I cannot comment on the content of the follow albums as of yet, but I’m sure I’ll get to post something on them in early 2012. Here’s what I’ll be getting to very soon:

Florence + The Machine-Ceremonials

The Black Keys-El Camino

Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds-Self Titled

Mr. Big-What If…

Loaded-The Taking

Miranda Lambert-Four The Record

Robin Thicke-Love After War

Music Outlook For 2012:

There haven’t been a lot of big announcements yet for 2012 with only one solid release date I know of from Van Halen and even that was just announced on December 26^th. If the current forecasts are to be believed, on February 7^th we will see the first album of new material from Van Halen featuring David Lee Roth on lead vocals since 1983’s 1984. Hopefully a more solid schedule starts taking form soon but for now albums are promised in 2012 from Soundgarden, Black Sabbath, Slash, Shinedown, Pearl Jam and Culture Club.

The Soundgarden and Black Sabbath albums are “reunion” projects but the first to be full length studio material from their classic, most respected lineups. Both acts have milked the “reunion bit” to a certain extent through live releases, tours and compilations so it may be exciting to get new material from each. Slash’s next solo album has potential as long as it avoids the genre-hoping, wanna-be-Santana pitfalls of his first release. Pearl Jam is looking to revitalize their career after having spent the past year celebrating their 20^th anniversary with a new studio album. Culture Club also has the potential to hit new heights when they release a reunion record later this year. Their last release, Don’t Mind If I Do from 1999 wasn’t even released in the US for a number of reasons so it will be interesting to see how things turn out this time.

Recap:

If nothing else, 2011 provided me with 3 albums that I’m certain I’ll be listening to on 2021, 2031 and so on. If I’m lucky, one or more of the albums I haven’t listened to yet from the year will have the potential to add themselves to that list.  While there were some disappointments from my perspective, none of those releases gave me reason to give up on any of the artists. I believe that all of them will be back with stronger releases in the future, or at least I’m hoping so.

I’m looking toward 2012 with a good optimism for music. Both for the albums I know are on their way and those I haven’t heard about yet. I’m certain that throughout the year, I’ll hear new artists and new sounds that will continue to give me hope for the future of recorded music as Wasting Light, Through A Crooked Sun and 21 did this year.