Posts Tagged ‘Positively Music’

Two reasons to get excited for the upcoming Alice in Chains album: It’s the band’s first record in 14 years and rock legend, Elton John plays piano on the tribute ballad to late lead vocalist Layne Staley, entitled “Black Gives Way to Blue.”

Alice in Chains thought it would take a miracle to get Elton John on board, but it only took a listen to the song for Elton to agree to play. “He’s a really warm person,” said Alice in Chains co-founder Jerry Cantrell of John. “He got up and gave us a couple of hugs, and said, ‘Well Jerry, I just wanted to tell you that I think it’s a beautiful song…I really dig the sentiment of what it’s about and who it’s for and I just want to tell you that I’m going to play on the song.’”

Cantrell, who wrote the tune, had already made a demo of the song when someone heard it and suggested John as the perfect person to play the piano part. Although the band knew people connected to John, they thought it was a long shot that he would even consider it.

So I guess you could say that when the going gets tough and you need someone to step up to the plate and validate your music, count on Sir Elton to come through in the clutch.

Following weeks of anticipation it’s official: Paula Abdul will NOT be returning to American Idol. Abdul broke the news to her tweets on her Twitter. A judge on the popular singing contest since it began in 2002, supposedly her decision was made firm after negotiations over salary fell through.

Sources say Abdul wanted $20 million to return, while producers were willing to come up with just $10 million. In the meanwhile, host Ryan Seacrest signed a three-year contract worth $45 million, making him the highest paid host on reality TV. Poor, poor Paula. Guess $10 million just doesn’t go as far as it used to.

A stunning Amy Winehouse cleaned up her act when she appeared in court in London. The case stems from a September 2008 incident when 27-year-old Sherene Flash accused Winehouse of hitting her after she approached Winehouse for a photo op.

The judge, however, acknowledged that he could not be certain that the “assault” wasn’t an accident on Winehouse’s part, and dismissed all charges. A subdued Winehouse was dressed in business attire while in court, but immediately changed into a black leather jacket and skinny black jeans before even leaving the courthouse. Hmmm, hopefully this is just a wardrobe change and not indicative of Amy returning to her old ways.

As a Wilco fan, I don’t know what I was anticipating with their latest release. They aren’t known for being a band that rocks out; they have a laid back appeal and it usually works well for them. They are able to push boundaries and they’ve blessed us with three minor masterpieces, ”Being There,” “Summerteeth,” and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.”

So, to be succinct, Wilco (The Album) doesn’t give us anything that made those albums so direly relevant. Sure, there are some great ballads here – like the gorgeous “Country Disappeared.” But there’s nothing here that wasn’t featured on ”Sky Blue Sky.” In fact, you might as well call this album ”Sky Blue Sky Part II.” There are some great songs here, but nothing stands out to distinguish it from their last effort (an effort that was undeservedly panned by some critics.)

With that said, I don’t want to be the guy who panned (The Album). It’s a far more accomplished effort than most bands can achieve. But it’s also from a band that we expect more from; a band that’s been dubbed “America’s Radiohead.” If you’re a Wilco fan, I would definitely reccommend Wilco (The Album); but if you’re not (and intrigued), try out “Sky Blue Sky” as a starting point and then see if you are ready for the sequel.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past couple days, you most likely know about Michael Jackson’s untimely death Thursday at the age of 50. I thought it would be an appropriate time to pay the superstar his due reverence with a top 10 favorite song list, but any list wouldn’t be complete without a Jackson joke; after all, its become a pop culture necessity for several years – well before he named his youngest child, Blanket.

So here’s one courtesy of Late Night host Jimmy Kimmel: “He was an extremely powerful symbol: a black performer whites could relate to and then later in life, a white performer who blacks could relate to.” Well done, Jimmy. And on that note I bring to you my top 10 Michael Jackson playlist.

10) Remember the Time

9) Rock With You

Who Is It?

7) Black or White

6) Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

5) The Way You Make Me Feel

4) Beat It

3) Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough

2) Man in the Mirror

1) Billie Jean (Quite simply the most timeless, brilliant pop song ever recorded. Pretty cool video too.)

As you probably noticed, Thriller is conspicuously missing from my list. The reason being that I always considered it a far better video than song. But that’s just me and everyone’s got their own personal Jackson faves.

R.I.P. Michael

Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor has announced that their performance Sunday at the Bonnaroo Music Festival was their last in the United States. For those unaware, Bonnaroo is a popular music festival in Manchester, Tennessee which has been dubbed as “The New Woodstock.”

The industrial rock group performed their last set in the early morning hours Sunday, shortly after Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band wrapped up. “It just dawned on me that this is our last show ever in the United States,” Reznor said during his band’s set. “Don’t be sad. I’ll keep going. But I think I’m going to lose my … mind if I keep doing this, and I have to stop.”

NIN just completed a U.S. tour with Jane’s Addiction. Their summer tour continues in Europe and Asia. The tour is entitled “Wave Goodbye” and was conceived as a farewell tour to mark the 20^th anniversary of their debut album, “Pretty Hate Machine.”

Best wishes, Trent. It’s been an impressive journey.

How did Green Day go from a shameless 90’s Bay area punk trio to the most relevant rock band in America? It’s a rhetorical question, I know, but there is something truly special about a band capable of making the cultural defining statements of Dookie, American Idiot, and their latest offering (which complements Idiot quite well), 21st Century Breakdown.

On Breakdown, Green Day is truly breaking it down on what it means to be alive in post-Bush America. Billie Joe Armstrong is like a modern day Walter Cronkite, reporting on America’s state of affairs much like Cronkite brought the ugliness of Vietnam directly into Americans living rooms in the 70’s. He is a child of Nixon era America and now he is chronicling the Obama era like he belongs to the ‘class of 13’ as he proudly exclaims.

It’s an ambitious and successful follow-up to Idiot. The album is divided into 3 Acts, Heroes and Cons; Charlatans and Saints; and Horseshoes and Handgrenades. Act III is the weakest of the three but it also features the album’s most enjoyable track, the aforementioned “Horeshoes.” The band connects admirably on at least half of these 18 tracks, making the division of the album into 3 acts function as smoothly as a stage play.

I couldn’t help but think, however, had Green Day eliminated a handful of songs this could be the most consistent, enjoyable rock album of all-time. Either way, if you like good rock music, you will find plenty to like in 21^st Century Breakdown.

Depeche Mode, the trifecta hailing from Basildon known for their eerily romantic and idiosyncratic sound, released Sounds of the Universe on April 21st. Upon first listen, I found the album a bit disappointing. Certainly nothing that carried the melodious resonance reminiscent of Violator. However, after a few rounds of listening, I found quite a few gems among the compilation that I first believed would be more appropriately titled, Sounds of Mediocrity.

In Chains

Song I: Enter passion, electric guitar, and metronome.

“In Chains” is one of my favorite songs on the album, second only to “In Sympathy”. It explores one’s submissive nature to the hypnotic allure of graceful physical movement. The potent lyrics extend over a tantalizing musical arrangement that utilizes intensifying synthesizer riffs pulsating amicably alongside the steady cry of Martin Gore’s guitar.

David Gahan’s smooth voice assuages the musical composition, creating a universally harmonious sound. Appropriately so…for the album’s welcoming number.

Little Soul

“Little Soul” is something of a spiritual revelation; a spiritual revelation that communicates itself in a docile, yet imprinting manner. The electro-dominant melody provides a calm compulsion to hark on Gahan’s liberating testimony.

“I’m channeling the universe

It’s focusing its love inside of me

A singularity”

Note: Listen for an extraterrestrial contribution from the creature from Alien that accompanies the chorus with a mysteriously effervescent transmission.

Jezebel

This song sounds like a compulsory opportunity to moralize the vocation of the one they call Jezebel.

The flirtatious beat tap dances around melancholy imbued lyrics, further dramatized by heavy synthesizer riff raff. The song explores the emotional appeal that underlies the coarse semblance of a curious harlot.

In Sympathy

“I’m watching your serenity…the way your soul transcends”

Gahan’s crooning voice lends words of optimism that lull the listener into a state of repose. This waft of optimism compliments a delightful industrial framework to solidify itself as the most powerful song on the album.

Spacewalker

An interesting choice for Sounds of the Universe, this 2-minute instrumental awakens memories of the disturbingly somber organ play of the hermetic Cimmerians that dwell in my nightmares. What’s that…you hear them too?

Despite any alleged shortcomings, Sounds of the Universe is a sound album for any DM fan.

Amidst the loud fuzz of guitar driven distortion comes the Silversun Pickups sophomore album, Swoon. It improves upon their impressive debut, Carnavas, in its more intricate arrangements and fully realized song structures. Most of the songs on Swoon top four and a half minutes and feature the ballad turned rocker design of one of their foremost influences, The Smashing Pumpkins.

The Pumpkins similarities abound on Swoon; from the album’s artwork, the lead singer’s vocals (which sound a lot like Billy Corgan’s), to the nature of the arrangements which resemble the Pumpkins earlier material. Listen to the “Soma” like influence of “Growing Old Is Getting Old” and the “Rocket” like theatrics of “Panic Switch,” the album’s finest song.

Much like the Pumpkins did in their heyday, the Pickups know how to find beauty in noise. If you like a lot of good guitar work and songs with gorgeous melodies that build to thrilling conclusions, you’ll find a lot to like in Swoon. Needless to say, if you liked Carnavas, you’ll really like Swoon.