Blogcritics Author: Josh Phillips

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Music Review: Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight

Josh Phillips — Sun, 3 Jun 2007 21:49:29 EDT

The New Linkin Park album Minutes To Midnight was one of my most anticipated albums for this year not only because of their great music in the past but also because they are a band whose sound is constantly evolving. Hybrid Theory was incredibly different from Meteora in the sound department, so it was fun to anticipate what they would do this time. To simply say I was not disappointed would be an unfair analysis. It went above and beyond. Less electronic effects were done on this album, instead a more subtleapproach was used. There is a lot larger variation of guitar sound obtained through different combinations of vintage guitars and amps. The way I see it, out of the twelve songs on this album, nine could be possible singles. The depth on this album is incredible and the only comparable one I can think of would be the Fall Out Boy CD From Under The Cork Tree. "Given up" is the first stand out track that comes to mind. It is the second track and the second single off Minutes To Midnight. It is also by far the hardest rock song on the album. Very comparable to one of the original Linkin Park singles, "One Step Closer". This song is very powerfully song and is a great opener. The first song on this album to focus rapping is "Bleed It out," The difference from this song from the other Linkin Park songs with rap is the fact there is heavy guitar use. To be honest, I really like it like this. There is something almost "Youth of the Nation" about it in its own unique way. The lead off single off this album was "What I've Done" and I was surprised. When I heard it the first time, I wasn't crazy about it. It took 5-6 listens before I began to appreciate this song. I came to the conclusion you simply can not take it all in at once there are too many things going on at once, especially musically, underneath the guitar. "Valentine's Day," after ten or so listens to this album, is my favorite song. It has some of the best lyrics all time from Linkin Park. It also has some of the better emotional use of music on this album. Also it seems like this song has one of those piano intro rifts that Linkin Park is known for, only they're done on guitar for once. I like the buildup that "In Pieces" brings; it starts out nice and soft and steadily crescendos to something powerful. It just builds musically and lyrically, not necessarily louder, but bigger. Overall this has been the best new album I have herd so far this year. More importantly, I was a Linkin Park fan before this album, and am a bigger one now. Each new album draws me in more and more. They just keep growing on a musical and lyrical level. I am excited to see how they change next.

I am your everyday 17 year old. Between my attempts of world domination, I enjoy music, playing both the guitar and bass but not the bass guitar. When I am not watching Stephen Colbert I am watching the Detroit Red Wings...or coloring in my coloring books.

Interview: Band of the Week - The Argonauts

Josh Phillips — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:37:18 EDT

The Argonauts are a punk/ska band from northwest Ohio with an incredibly unique and fun sound. I was granted an interview with my good friend Curtis Presley, the saxophone player. However, he is extremely busy with school and practicing his music, so I was limited to a three minute interview that occurred between two BGSU classes. Curtis is very vibrant and not only shines through his music but with his off-the-wall humor that is more than evident to anyone who spends more than five minutes minutes in his presence. While some of these questions might seem odd, Curtis would expect no less and fans of the Argonauts have come to expect the zaniness. Describe the Argonauts in exactly nine words. Punk. Warriors. Politically Aware. Past/present music majors. Who is the song writer of the group? Mostly Mark, Jason, and Chris. They bring in a song to practice and then we all throw in our two cents and finalize it. Each song we play didn't come through exactly as it was on paper when we read it down. Which of your songs would you say most closely resembles "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof?Maybe "Pirate Show" or "Leaving the Midwest Forever." I really don't know what "If I were a Rich Man" sounds like. What from your live show do you hope to carry into your first album? The good times and the energy. Which can be very hard to do when your audience is replaced by a microphone and multiple takes.When you're involved in a multi band performance, do you prefer starting the night off or ending it and why? We actually prefer the middle of the bill. Everybody who's gonna show up is there and no one has left yet. Which of your songs creates the most energy between the band and audience when you perform it?"A-Ok." Solos and shouting fun for the whole family, plus its our closer. How many roadies do you hope to have once the Argonauts hit the big time? As many as it takes to create a roadie pyramid... Which band member is the most like Paul McCartney? Mark... I guess... He plays bass and sings and is first name has four letters in it. When you think about it, what popular band do you sound the least like? The Monkees What is the greatest complement you have received from a fan? "Dude, I skanked so hard that I puked."Many of The Argonaut songs have caught my attention, a fun one is "Midnight Raid." Lyrically, it is my favorite because it is nearly inspirational, and makes me just want to jump out of my seat and dance. I was informed by an inside source that "Half a World Away" is based on a ancient war and the soldiers fighting in it. The intro to this song is very My Chemical Romance before changing to a more traditional ska guitar rhythm. Again, what I like about this song is how it really takes advantage of their more unique instruments within the horn section. "A OK" is the song that has the happiest feel to it, even though lyrically it is a little on the blue side. The horn line gets its longest solo period and each band member gets their own moment to shine. The chorus is catchy, the bridge is enjoyable, and it is an overall well rounded song. The Argonauts debut album A Catalog of Heroes will be released March 20. You can look into acquiring the Album through the band's myspace. They are a lot of fun band and if you give them a listen, I'm sure you will enjoy them. If you are local to Northwest Ohio and get the chance, catch one of their live shows. I guarantee you will have a good time.

Blues Bash Music Review: Charlie Wood - Lucky

Josh Phillips — Fri, 1 Dec 2006 19:40:04 EST

I don't listen to a lot of blues because it often all sounds alike, very little mainstream music is as strictly built on scales. However, Charlie Wood’s new album, Lucky, is extremely unique and not even just as a style but even song to song. "Solo project" takes on a completely different meaning on this album. Mr. Woods plays virtually all the instruments preformed. The only exception is the harmonica and the saxophone. But after doing most of the recording by himself, he turned around and produced, mixed, and also took care of the photography for the album. But with all the instruments Charlie Wood plays on Lucky, piano is defiantly prominent, and it is a strong performance. While in a completely different genre, his playing reminds me of Billy Joel. And he plays real piano, not just chords like is so common with today’s musicians, such as The Killers and Brandon Flowers. My favorite song on this album is the lead off "Can’t Teach That Stuff." It talks about the lesson learned through experience. It gives insight about how blues musicians must learn improvisation, as they often will play with different bands without rehearsals. Also this song manages to keep the blues feel even though it's primarily electric piano.“If It Makes Me a Dollar” examines the persuasion money has on people's beliefs. One of my favorite things about this song is how the rhythm piano, bass, and drums all work together for a very unique beat. "Beale Street Blues" has a very old-time blues feel to it, a sound which has been nearly completely lost. Charlie Wood is joined on this track by label mate, Billy Gibson. “Beale Street Blues” is also one of the few tracks not written by Mr. Wood. But even though it was not written by him, he obviously adds a lot to make the song his own.This CD has found itself a regular spot on the recently played list of my iTunes because of its unique mixture of old blues and new blues feeling. This comes from the numerous influences Charlie Wood has played with including the great B.B. King. This CD would be an excellent stocking stuffer for any music lover. For more information about Charlie Wood and streaming MP3s you can go to his Myspace Profile Page or his page on Sonicbirds.

Music Review: The Killers - Sam's Town

Josh Phillips — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 21:06:36 EDT

I purchased the Killers debut album, Hot Fuss, after hearing three solid singles from them -- “Somebody Told Me,” “Mr. Brightside,” and “All These Things That I’ve Done.” Each of these songs, as well as the rest of the record, had a unique edge with influence from the '80s. I quickly became a fan and eagerly looked forward to the release of their follow-up album, Sam’s Town.Unfortunately, as is often the case with hot new bands, the second CD is somewhat of a disappointment. It is over early, after their lead-off single “When You Were Young,” which is the second song on the album. Out of forty-five minutes of music, about eleven minutes are enjoyable. Lead singer Brandon Flowers' voice doesn't have a wide range. His strong suit has been the songwriting ability of the band, which has the knack of writing songs in which the vocal talent seems better than it actually is. Guitar riffs have always been an enjoyable factor of this band, especially in “Mr. Brightside” and “All These Things That I’ve Done.” They caught the listener’s attention and got the song stuck in their head. Yet this CD uses a lot more synthesizer than their original release, giving it a bland, repetitive sound. Yet with the letdown this CD brings, it also brings hope with songs such as their first single, “When You Were Young.” This song has a similar feel to “Somebody Told Me,” and unlike the rest of the CD, was instantly recognizable as The Killers. Like much of their music, it has an '80s feel, and on this song, Flowers’ vocals don’t fight the music like it does on more then one occasion throughout the rest of the CD. My second favorite song on this album, “Read My Mind,” is one of the better displays of guitar work on the record. It also isn’t overpowering and it vocally complements the music. “Sam’s Town” is one of the few shows of synthesizer that impresses me. It is also the only radical vocal work that ends well for The Killers. It also has a bit of neat guitar work near the center of the song. In the end my high expectations for this CD were let down. It was also rather short at just under three quarters of an hour in twelve tracks. Overall the CD simply is too repetitive and is getting too close to a big band sound, which is not its trademark. You get the feeling that the CD was rushed in the making and had a lot of label influence, so it may not even be the band's fault it fell short.

Interview: Barenaked Ladies

Josh Phillips — Mon, 9 Oct 2006 16:47:58 EDT

On October 5, 2006, members of the Canadian rock group Barenaked Ladies treated me to an interview in Cleveland, Ohio. Some of the songs on your new album go as far back as Maroon. What made you decide to re-record those now when you had such a large amount of brand new material? Ed Robertson: Being on our own was really liberating, and there were songs that we liked then but we never really had time to realize them. When you’re on a label, they have a lot to say about what goes on the record. We were listening to a compilation of songs we had never released or at best were B-sides, just songs that fell through the cracks. We were listening to a collection of them in a dressing room in Boston one time and Jim said, “I think this is my favorite record by us.” It was all stuff we had never put out there. So when it came to making this record and we weren’t dealing with a major label, we decided we wanted to take the time with some of the songs that had slipped through the cracks and see them through.In what other ways has being king of your destiny influenced your music on this new album and its follow up to be released early next year? Kevin Hearn: Being kings of our own destiny, how has it influenced our music? When we made this record, we produced it ourselves and we weren’t under a time constraint from a big label. It influenced our music in that we could just do it the way we really wanted to and felt like doing it.Ed: I think it’s allowed us to be more adventurous and more nimble maybe…Kevin: That’s good.Ed: Thank you. In a pinch it will rhyme with thimble.Have you ever had a song which you thought just rocked, but when you presented it to the audience, their response was not what you anticipated? Ed: Oh Yeah.Kevin: “Happy Birthday”.Steven Page: “One Week,” the first time we played it. Ed: Oh yeah. (Everyone Laughs) The first time we played it, it just wasn’t very good.Steve: And that was in front of 50,000 people at RFK Stadium in D.C.Kevin: Wow, really? That was the first we played it?Ed: Yep.Steve: I remember the dude from the label coming backstage and saying, “Boy, that new song really needs some work, huh?”Ed: That’s right. Yeah, we never know what the reaction is going to be. We have gotten better and better at understanding what it takes to play something live. We didn’t really rehearse "One Week," we just got on stage at RFK Stadium and tried it.(Everyone laughs)What about the other way around? Have you ever been surprised by how well a song was received? Steve: I think songs that we didn’t put on the albums like “Powder Blue.” We discarded it and the fans always seem to like it when we play it live.At the beginning of "Running Out of Ink," you can hear someone, I believe it's Tyler, saying “I quit!”. Was that pre-planned or spontaneous? Steve: That was spontaneous and we decided to keep that there, but you know that’s the thing about making records. It sounds like anything you put there is planned, no matter how blind it is. It was real, we just kept it because it made sense with the song. Was that something the band really wanted in there or something Bob Clearmountain had a part in?Steve: No, that was us. We just left it there on the tape. Kevin: We cleaned up most of that kind of stuff before Bob started mixing, but that was something we all agreed upon.Steve: Like for instance, we got rid of the 'one, two, one, two, three, four' at the beginning of “Bull in a China Shop.” Can you do that again for us Tyler?(Tyler shakes his head no)Kevin: And we got rid of the “There was a man”.Ed: That’s on “Quality” right?(Laughs)Tyler: There was a man.Steve, coming off your solo album (The Vanity Project), which was more laid back than some of the Barenaked Ladies' material, did you have some inner rocker waiting to come out? Steve: I think I saved that for the live show, but there is stuff like “Something You’ll Never Find” and songs like that on this record that are more high energy. Ed, Kim Mitchell did some guitar work on "Wind It Up," how kick-ass was it having him in the studio? Ed: It was the most kick-ass imaginable. He’s my ultimate hero. He’s a guy who, after working with him and meeting him a bunch of times, I don’t think I’ll ever lose the fan-boy thing. I played so many of his songs in my high school band. He will just always be one of my heroes. Getting to spend a couple hours with him in a studio, him liking my song, and playing on it was great. Actually it was sort of like going back to high school. Last week, I sat down and learned a Kim Mitchell guitar solo, which I haven’t done in about ten years. Good fun.You recorded a vast amount of stuff with him, correct? Ed: Yeah, we recorded like two and a half hours of solos. How did you cut that down? Ed: In the end, we just used pretty much one take on the solo and one take on the outro. We just cross-faded between the two. But there were a couple I was really drawn to that, to me. just screamed, "That’s Kim Mitchell playing guitar!". And that’s what I wanted on the record. Tyler, it is known you are an enthusiastic hockey fan and I don’t feel there is enough fan-based input on the rule changes and how they have effected the NHL. Could you comment on that? Tyler: Well, last night I learned the legal curve has been increased now, because I guess they weren’t getting the puck off the ice enough, which in the NHL is a little bit surprising. But I think the game is a lot faster and a lot more entertaining for fans. All we have to do now is get television networks interested in the United States and maybe someone like ESPN to rejuvenate the NHL. Because it’s the most exciting it’s been in 20 years easily.And as far as the curve, especially for European players, eh? Tyler: Well, the thing about European players is they're from Europe. (Laughs)What is more difficult for you, writing the instrumental or the lyrical parts of songs? Jim Creeggan: I think it is easier for me to write an instrument part to a lyric that is already there, because there is something to play off of or emotionally play into. I think the hardest thing is coming up with something out of the air or an idea.Ed: We tried the reverse process on the last record. We tried sort of jamming through ideas then coming up with lyrics and it felt like the lyrics were kind of graphed on. I think we work better when we come up with lyrics than when everybody instrumentally adds their part. About lyrics - where does the "bank full of nuns" line from "Bank Job" originate from?Ed: I don’t know. I was thinking about, you know, movies like Reservoir Dogs and Capers and such, and I thought it would be an interesting way to foil a bank robbery. Just with confessionary camouflage.So we should take that song at face value? Ed: Yes, it’s a true story, true story. Did you anticipate so many barenaked air guitarists participating in the contest to be in the “Wind it Up” video? Ed: That’s been really cool watching some of those, actually. I’ve personally watched at least fifty of them now.Tyler: Wow!Ed: Well, they're good. I don’t normally watch the whole thing, but if they're really good I do. But, there are some really cool ones. There was one I watched recently and I thought it was pretty run-of-the-mill. It was these three guys just air guitaring; two guitar players and a bass player. I thought it was pretty average until I realized it was all the same guy, and that he had actually done video compositing. He just went for suitably different looks. Not radically.Tyler: My favorite so far is that one kid. He’s pretty great.Ed: Yeah, there's a kid, I don’t know his name but, he starts with saying, "Testing, one, two, three," then he has a snippet from “Too Little Too Late.” There's been some really cool submissions. So we actually made a video to that song in L.A. with actors and stage sets and that’s coming out this week. And then we're compiling a fan video of all the best air guitar. How is the video being released? Ed: The video we made is being released first on Yahoo! as a Yahoo! exclusive for 24 hours or something on October 10th. Then it will be up on our website and I think it will be in heavy rotation on MTV right away. They're going to sandwich it in between the Real Life, the OC, and Gilligan’s Island. Does MTV play music videos anymore? Ed: Nope, they do play Gilligan’s Island now, but few people know that. How has Podcasting affected how you communicate with your fan base? Steve: Well, just like how we don’t Podcast anymore, we don’t communicate with our fan base any longer. (Everyone laughs)Ed: Podcasting is excellent, but it's time-consuming and we’re on the road now. It is becoming harder and harder to get it in. You had a great idea (talking to Tyler) the other day to do a Podcast on the train from Washington D.C. to New York. Steve: Then we didn’t do it.Tyler: We played cards all the way. I want to know how you Photoshopped your head into the Big Green Egg smoke hole? Steve: I didn’t. My friend took a picture of me. I was grilling and lifted it up and he took a picture through the smoke hole of the Big Green Egg.Tyler: That’s very cool.What is the Barenaked Ladies card game of choice? Ed, Tyler, and Kevin: Euchre.How much time goes into making a Podcast? Ed: It’s real time. We just talk for however long it is.Steve: It’s the putting it together and adding links and music and the editing and stuff like that. Takes me an hour and a half. Ed: Yeah, that’s the extra hour and a half or two hours extra at the end of the fifteen minutes of talking. What older Barenaked Ladies songs need more banjo in your opinion?Tyler: "Alternative Girlfriend."Ed: "Million Dollars" doesn’t have any banjo on it, does it?Steve: Yeah.Ed: Does it? Who played it?Steve: You know what -- what version has banjo? Is it the Yellow Tape, or the Pink Tape. No, the CVC version has banjo.Tyler: That’s right. I don’t think Gordon does have Banjo. It has Bob Wiseman on accordion, Dave Allen on violin, and everyone in Toronto on vocals. Steve: Except for Paul Myers.Tyler: That’s right.Ed: He’s not bitter about that, though.Steve: No!Tyler: Well, just ask him. He will be done telling you about it… in a million years! (Everybody laughs)Steve: “These Apples” has banjo on the record, doesn’t it?Ed: Yeah.Tyler: What’s the song you did with the slowed down banjo sped up?Ed: “Back.”Tyler: You sound like a wicked banjo player on that.Jim: For “These Apples,” didn’t you do one picking part at a time?Ed: No that was “Jane.” Oh, maybe on “These Apples” I did that.Jim: Because it was an actual banjo. Ed: Yeah, maybe I did the slide stuff and then did the don bing don bing dong bing. Jim: Yeah, you separated it.Kevin: “I’ll Be That Girl” has banjo on it.Ed: Yeah, but the question is what could use more banjo?Tyler: "Crazy."Ed: Just the album Gordon could use more banjo. Steve: “Old Apartment.”How many different instruments were used in the making of this album? Steve: Seventeen … I have no idea.Tyler: Someone should count. Ed: Well, I’ve got acoustic… I’ve got guitar. Let's just call it guitar. I played banjo. Kev, what are you at, nineteen?Kevin: Really? Mandolin, guitar, piano, organ, accordion, clavinet, synthesizers, saw...Tyler: Hammer.Kevin: Melodica. That’s about it.Ed: Jim, bass.Jim: All five-stringed instruments: Violin, viola, bass (electric and double), cello, and the horns: were baritone sax, alto sax, tenor sax, trombone, trumpet, clarinet, piccolo.Tyler: We’re at nineteen right now, nineteen plus Ed, right?Ed: Nineteen, altogether.Kevin: I had nine and Jim just said ten. So that’s twenty-one altogether. Jim: Recorder.Steve: Twenty-two.Kevin: Harmonica.Ed: Harmonica. Twenty-three.Tyler: Bongos, maracas, shaker.Jim: We’re talking about instruments.(Everyone laughs)I believe the shaker is an instrument.Tyler: Drums.Steve: The bird sounds on "The New Sad," or is that just Kevin singing it?Kevin: Bird sounds.Can you elaborate on the meaning of the line "Deliver me from my friends," from the song "Take It Back"?Ed: Yes….Would you like me to?Yeah.(laughs)Ed: I thought post 9/11 that one of the first people who said something I admired or who said something worth saying was John Cougar Mellencamp. He surprised me by saying something to the effect of obviously our brown brothers and sisters are very angry about something that we’ve done and we need to try and understand what that is. Steve: Who said that?Ed: John Cougar Mellencamp. He said we should put a whole bunch of energy into finding out why they're so mad at us. So that line is trying to figure that out and try to disassociate myself from whatever acquaintance or friend has pissed someone off to the point of blowing up my family and being able to say, "Whatever it is, I’m sorry".What made you come to the decision to release the new music the way you did with the multiple physical and digital collections of the 29 songs? Steve: You guys (fans) were waiting for it and we didn’t want it to end up in the living room buried. We just wanted to make sure people had accesses to it and they can do with it as they wish. Tyler: We were tired of saving music for occasions that were never going to arrive. What other songs in the past do you feel got lost? Ed: "Powder Blue" is a big one.Kevin: "Inline Bowline."Steve: "Yes, Yes, Yes."Ed: "And I Can, I Will, I Do." We thought, oh this is going to be great for a soundtrack of a movie that no one's ever going to ask us to put this song in. Steve: We did four songs for the greatest hits album and only put two on, and the other two were left to sit. Kevin: "I Don’t Care Anymore" was one.Jim: That was on Greatest Hits, wasn’t it?Steve: No, but we’ll put it on the box set. Do you have any idea when you're looking at that being released?Tyler: A year from just before Christmas, hopefully.I know songs are like children and you love them all the same, but if you could save just one of the new songs from an impending doom, which would you save? Ed: I’d choose my son Arden. Oh, songs or children?Songs.Tyler: I’m telling Hannah and Lyle.Steve: I’d say "One Week," so it continues to have a career.Ed: We can only choose one song?Jim: I’ll take "Millions Dollars."Steve: Out of the new ones, you wanna know?Yeah.Steve: I like "Adrift." Jim: "Sound of Your Voice."Ed: I’m going to go with "Home."Tyler: I’m going to choose the dark horse. I like the song "One and Only."Ed: Kev?Kevin: umm…Tyler: Call it "seren-dip-ityyyy."Kevin: I’ll Say "Home."Were any of the new songs difficult to get recorded?Ed: "Easy" was actually the most difficult, contrary to its name. We talked about it in one of our Podcasts. It was really difficult to get the bridge in that song. I think in the end it benefited from all the... Tyler: (interrupts) That’s a funny Podcast.Ed: What? That’s right. I forgot about that. Tyler: That’s a f****** sucker punch. My kind of joke. Ed: I think it benefited from all the work we put into it, which is nice, but that and maybe "Everything Had Changed." We tried really hard to record that over a few years. It was a last minute change of approach that facilitated the song and became totally one of my favorites. Tyler: Do you wanna do that one today? I remember practicing that song on the way back to Toronto. Kevin: Practicing your finger snaps. Did we count that instrument? Do claps and cowbells count? Tyler: Twenty-five instruments. Is there a cowbell?On Kevin’s "Another Spin," isn’t there one at the end? Kevin: Oh yeah! Good going, man!Ed: That’s the percussionist's job to mention that. What do you guys bring to live shows that make them so popular? Ed: Baked goods.Kevin: Crack Cocaine.Jim: (yelling) This is great! I’m Great!Kevin: Spirit and fun, humor, and good songs.Steve: Moderately priced.Ed: Energy, intimacy. I think the fact that we engage the crowd we’re playing for and treat them as the unique people they are. I think of people like that and it keeps it fresh for us. The fact that we know we're on stage in Cleveland or we’re on stage in Grand Rapids or wherever we are and we tend to know a bit about the town and the people who are there and every show is different. I think that is what keeps people coming back. That and the donuts. Speaking of donuts, what’s your favorite episode of all time from Red vs. Blue? Ed: Speaking of donuts (laughs) -- that’s good. Well researched. Well, my favorite episode of all time from Red vs. Blue? There’s a lot.Favorite episode or quote? We will open it up. Ed: I don’t know if you saw us on the tour when they did a bunch of bits for the show?I saw the one on Youtube for when you’re cleaning up the cereal. Tyler: They're a bunch of dudes, dude.Ed: Those guys are so funny! Actually, my greatest Red vs. Blue moment was after a show in Austin, Texas. Those guys came on the tour bus and we played a game of multiplayer Halo, but the other guys' voices you're listening to are Church and Sarge. It was just amazing. Jim: Were they good players?Ed: They were amazing. They destroyed me. I ended up joining their Red vs. Blue X-Box live Clan, but I was a total liability. Out of all of their episodes, the first one is still one of my favorites because it’s so sublime. It’s the idea in a nutshell and it set the tone for the rest of the series. It gets so ridiculous eventually. I liked it best when it was all in game, when they weren’t adding any animation. Though some of that stuff is really funny; I liked it best when it was all in game.At interview’s end and after mentioning that I was an aspiring musician, Mr. Ed Robertson took off to retrieve a guitar to show me how to play the song “Sound of Your Voice,” which I had been trying to figure out since the album's release. After my mini-lesson, we were invited to stay and watch the guys rock out during a radio station performance.

Music Review: John Popper Project - John Popper Project Featuring DJ Logic

Josh Phillips — Mon, 9 Oct 2006 02:14:21 EDT

John Popper has been the front man of the rock/blues band Blues Traveler for 20 years. Occasionally, when writing songs, he would write something that just didn’t fit Blues Traveler’s sound, but they weren't the kind of songs to cast away. Instead, a solo project was formed, which became known as the John Popper Project. This self-titled breakout CD has a completely unique sound, which is difficult to describe. Some of the songs are blues meets rap, while others have a synthesized feel to them. One thing is certain, it definitely has blues roots and a lot of that feeling comes from front man John Popper. John Popper is the Eric Clapton of harmonica players and he brings every bit of his skill to this CD. In many ways, it is even more prominent on this album than anything he has performed before. The main reason being there is little or no lead guitar on most songs. This not only forced, but has allowed him to reach for new heights and come away with unique sounds on the harmonica.Tad Kinchla, a member of Blues Traveler as well, also helps fill the void left by the lack of guitar. The bass lines steal the show when there is no harmonica playing. The John Popper Project is a wonderful chance for Tad Kinchla to express himself, which he doesn’t get to do as a beat keeper for Blues Traveler. Drummer Marcus Bleecker, originally from Mosaic, is the second largest reason the John Popper Project refines the blues feeling. Nearly all the drum work on the CD has a jazz influence while keeping a unique edge. DJ Logic and his turntables are what make this CD a revolution. He adds the synthesized and the rap feel, both of which compliment Popper's voice extremely well. One of the most groundbreaking songs on this album is “Louisiana Sky.” Obviously a song about the Hurricane Katrina disaster, it has a Southern rock feel to it. This song is also one of the few to have guitar. But what is best about “Louisiana Sky” is the harmonica rock near the middle that goes out of control. Another stand out song is “All Good Children.” It has the Popper vocals Blues Traveler fans love with a great drum beat. The harmonica in the background works against the melody, making for a pleasant original sound. "Open Hand" has a lot of DJ Logic’s handy work that makes it sort of a Blues Traveler remix song with great lyrics. It also has very powerful vocals from John Popper. Over all, The John Popper Project has a Blues Traveler influence that is obvious, but it is also something completely unique. It is a CD I loved on the first listen and it is very full -- lyrically and musically. Finally, it has mad harmonica solos as well as harmonica taking the part of rhythm guitar, which, as far as my knowledge goes, is something brand new for music and very, very enjoyable.

Music Review: Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked Ladies Are Me Deluxe Edition

Josh Phillips — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 02:59:15 EDT

Barenaked Ladies recorded and mixed 29 songs over the last year. Thirteen were chosen to be on the main album, Barenaked Ladies Are Me, which was released on September 12. Fourteen others will be available through various special editions of that album when downloaded, as well as its own CD, Barenaked Ladies Are Men, which will be available early next year. There were two bonus songs available if you pre-ordered, which I sadly did incorrectly and didn’t get. They are “What a Letdown” and “Why Say Anything Nice.” I already reviewed the first disc of this deluxe edition. What follows is a look at the second disc.Keyboardist Kevin Hearn opens up the second half of the deluxe edition with "Serendipity." The bassline of this mid-tempo indie song is almost a fifties-style walk. It also really shows off his vocal range. Though it probably wouldn't make my top ten list of BNL songs, it's not bad.“Something You’ll Never Find,” sung by Steven Page, can be summed up in two words -- fricken’ marathon. This song goes nearly non-stop lyrically and is high energy musically, especially for poor Tyler on the drums. My favorite lyrics from this track are, "Over in Indiana/ Wearing their red bandanas/ Indians eat bananas/ Thinking they're full of Vitamin C." It makes me giggle. The song also flows very well from verse to chorus and back again.Next up it's Ed’s turn to sing on “One and Only.” The fact they have three different confident singers in three songs goes to show Barenaked Ladies has a vocal diversity similar to the Beach Boys. Unlike most bands with one singer, and one, maybe two songwriters, Barenaked Ladies have four members who participate in songwriting and take their turns at the microphone.“Angry People” is the happiest song ever written, not lyrically, but instrumentally. You also get a choir-like background vocal over the chorus just making it seem all the more upbeat. The lyrics describe angry people and how they can make those around them miserable. The song fits right into the BNL trademark of a hypocrisy-fueled musical combination fans love.“Down To Earth” starts off with a heavily distorted 1-2-3 guitar intro -- you know the type -- it lets you know this song is going to rock. Then to make it even better, Ed Robertson's lyrics are the kind you can over-analyze, trying to decipher a hundred different metaphorical meanings -- none of which are probably what he was thinking while writing the song. “Beautiful” is a "what if" song, questioning the influence beauty has on people. This song has a great vocally-layered chorus that makes you want to sing each part -- even though it is impossible to sing all three at once. At only two minutes 35 seconds, it's the shortest song on the album, but one of my favorites.“Running Out of Ink” is one of Steven Page’s greatest vocal triumphs since “Break Your Heart.” It is also extremely entertaining, lyrically and instrumentally, making it quite possibly the best from the deluxe CD. It also has a bridge, which moves from the uptempo pop melody to something almost like orchestration and then back again. It is something rarely pulled off by other bands, but BNL does it very well. Another great bridge is in “Half a Heart” -- actually, it is quite possibly the best part of this song. And it may even be one of BNL’s better bridges ever. This song also has some cool stuff going on in the background musically, especially in how the synthesizer and guitar complement each other.“Maybe Not” is one of those songs that feels sad but has funny lyrics. It makes the listener feel confused. Which mood is the most appropriate to be in while listening to it? It's about breaking up, which isn't funny at all, but it's so goofy you can't help smiling. Also, I like the hand claps. It's about time for '80s hand claps to return to music. They have been gone far too long and I have been adding them to every song I listen to for ages now. ‘I Can, I Will, I Do” is Steven Page on helium. He is able to sing the entire song at a higher pitch than he typically sings, which makes me jealous. I cannot sustain a higher pitch, let alone stay in tune at that pitch for more than about four bars. I guess that’s why he's the professional. “Fun and Games” is the heavily political song fans who read the BNL Blog have seen coming. What is truly amazing about it is they deliver their very strong political beliefs in such a way you want to sing along – even if you disagree with them. It also has another example of their great bridges I talked about earlier. “The New Sad” is a song that reminds me of something off of Steven Page’s solo album, Vanity Project. The focal point is the vocals, and it's rather simple in construction. Though it is in the background, this song features some of my favorite guitar work on the whole album and it also blends well with the keyboard. “Quality” reminds me of “Celebrity” from their album Everything to Everyone. Many of the lyrics just leave me baffled though, such as “Look at them now, they're rubbing my cow there, And feeding it beer.” Huh? What is that all about?Kevin opened this set of songs, and he also gets to close it with "Another Spin." This is truly the best of him. It is slightly rock, slightly pop, and extremely entertaining. It even has cowbell! It is one of my favorite songs he has written, and there could be no better way to close out the album.I didn't warm up to Barenaked Ladies Are Men as quickly as the first half of the deluxe album, but I find myself listening to it more frequently now. It is made up of the extremes left off the first half -- the higher energy songs, and the lower energy ones. Barenaked Ladies Are Me is the middle ground of the 29 songs. This article is part of the featured artist of the month. Please check out a review of Barenaked Ladies Are Me, a band Bio, and a look into Barenaked Ladies videos.

Music Review: Barenaked Ladies Are Me - Barenaked Ladies

Josh Phillips — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 09:00:33 EDT

Barenaked Ladies Are Me hits stands starting Tuesday, September 12. This latest album is by far my favorite. I believe the artist always has the best idea of what they want the song to be and now that the Barenaked Ladies are their own boss, they get to make the decisions. This has truly brought out the best in their music. The first song on this album is also one of my favorites. “Adrift” has banjo and I like a song with a banjo. It also has the type of lyrics everyone loves this band for ("You’re an abacus, and my heart was counting on us"). Next we come to "Bank Job" a completely awesome song in its own right, though I like the live versions I have heard more. They contain more guitar and less keyboard. However, the recorded version does a great job of going through the ups and downs of robbing a bank musically. Also the way Ed Robertson can sing makes it seem like he is actually trying to figure out just what went wrong, making it an awesome effect. So we’re two songs in and both are sung by Ed and not as much as a peep from Steven Page, the band’s lead singer yet. Well, he gets his big entrance in "Sound of you Voice" and it is really one of his better vocal accomplishments. It's '50s meets rock meets pop and it is an amazing outcome. It is also easy to sing along with. It has a catchy chorus; the kind that gets stuck in your head. But then it also totally rocks so it's ok when it doesn’t go away for hours. On the first couple listens, I didn’t quite know what to think about the song "Easy." I heard this song much earlier than the rest of the album as it is the lead off single and it took several listens for it to grow on me. Because of the delivery of the lyrics I feel it is easy to not catch the plot of the song. You have to listen to it five or ten times before you can decide if you like it or hate it. However, it has one of their most unique videos and I cannot get enough of.One thing you notice rather early in this album is it's a lot more guitar rifts and a lot less chords. It's a big move musically for the Barenaked Ladies and it affects the music in a positive way. A good example of this is "Home." While many of their songs have always stayed away from the three chords standard, Guitarist Ed Robertson is just plain amazing when it comes to writing unique rifts the fans can fall in love with. The next song, "Bull in a China Shop," could have very easily gone on their first album Gordon. It goes back to their roots and I love it. It also tests Steve’s voice in a new way. It goes high to low, piano to fortissimo, and ends up with a great vocal performance. The only thing better than one Banjo song is a second. "Everything Had Changed" is Steve’s musical genius at its best lyrically. I think it is one of his best since "Break Your Heart." I always enjoy his I-regret-the-fact-that-I-can’t-express-emotion songs. What I like best about this type of song by him, they are often written and sung with such emotion that they become sarcastic in tone. The musician I envy most, the whole reason I play stand-up bass, and maybe the largest musical influence in my life, Jim Creeggan, wrote and sings the song "Peterborough and the Kawarthas." The influence for this song comes from a weather forecast of all places. "Perterborough and the Kwarthas" is a region in Canada that always just caught his ear. The jazz feel along with lyrics of longing for something makes it just impossible to hit the skip button. One thing that makes "Maybe Your Right" such a powerful song is, it starts off soft and slow and really builds. Another is the layer of lyrics going on towards the end, the most prominent of which is Steve all but yelling, "Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right, but I don’t think so." It also features a wicked-awesome horn melody at the end which really brings the song to a powerful close. "Take it Back" is my favorite song on the whole album. It has lyrics trying to figure out if there is something within us to blame for terrorism, while still wondering why someone would go to such an extreme. It also has a great bridge that is the peak of the song. I love the flowing feel of the chorus that makes the four minute song seem like it's barely two. Kevin Hearn gets his chance to sing in his song "Vanishing." It has an awesomely eerie finger picked guitar rift that is just pure musical genius. I believe it's the kind of song you either love or hate on the first listen. You either get it or you don’t. It doesn’t really grow on you in time. The song "Rule the World with Love" is full of the musical changes that make Barenaked Ladies so unique. It effectively keeps the listener on their toes, and I am sure the band members must stay alert when performing it as well. It also has a keyboard solo in it I can just not get enough of. I cannot get bored with this song!Their last song is a super-silly rock song along the same lines of what has made them famous. The magnificent guitar work by Kim Mitchell on “Wind It Up” makes you want to just jam with it. It also has incredibly fun lyrics about disguise and flying cell phones.I knew with the first listen this CD was my favorite from them. They have advanced tremendously now that they are on their own label. They have made huge advancements musically and lyrically and I feel everyone in the band has a huge factor in the writing of the songs, which make them all that much better. Please stay tuned for more articles on this band as they are the Blogcritics Featured Artist for September. Rating:

Featured Artist: Barenaked Videos Rock

Josh Phillips — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 09:59:25 EDT

Videos by Barenaked Ladies fill the criteria for entertainment as defined by Josh’s laws of music (definition of entertaining: videos not by Beyonce, Trace Adkins, Gavin DeGraw, or Missy Elliot). Barenaked Ladies has always kept a certain level of humor in their music. Often, this humor is transferred into their videos, making them some of the greatest out there today.One example is the video for their song “Too Little Too Late,” which begins by making the band members, particularly Steven Page, portray actors shooting a video. In the middle of the video, they have a commercial run, in which the band’s name is incorporated into various products that is really neat. It took three full days of shooting to get the footage for this video. Another unique video is from their album Stunt. “It's All Been Done” depicts the band playing at a party in a house with multiple pets. The video is then shown through the eyes of the various pets and shows their experiences throughout the party. The video for “One Week”, also from Stunt, effectively conveys the musical ups and downs of the song while remaining fun. Easily one of their best, it incorporates concepts from a movie (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and a television show (The Dukes of Hazzard). While depicting the latter, band member Ed Robertson completes an impressive hood slide that you really must see. “Get in Line”, which was made for the King of the Hill soundtrack, contains a clever mix of animation and live action from the band members. And it is only fair a song about paranoia features the most paranoid character from the show, Dale. This video also does an extremely good job of transferring the energy the band carries during a live performance. But quite possibly my favorite music video by Barenaked Ladies is for the song “Pinch Me.” from their album Maroon. It takes place in a restaurant mentioned in the first verse (“There’s a restaurant down the street/where hungry people like to eat”). Employees are supposed to give happy thumbs up to all their customers, similar to the McDonald’s smile. However it is hard for the main character (Ed Robertson) to do so when he is so bored with his life in general. Their new video is going to incorporate fans. If you have mad air guitar skills you can possibly be in their next video, “Wind It Up”. Which would be awesome because Barenaked Ladies videos kick 50 Cent's video’s butt, plain and simple.There are more pieces to come throughout the month, as Barenaked Ladies are the Blogcritics Featured Artist for September.

Featured Artist: Barenaked Ladies

Josh Phillips — Fri, 1 Sep 2006 11:14:02 EDT

After a decade and a half, the alternative rock band Barenaked Ladies is still going strong. They are most commonly known for their number one hit “One Week” and their humorous live performances. They have released nine full length albums with a tenth to be released September 12. These are just some of the many reasons Barenaked Ladies is a Blogcritics' Featured Artist for SeptemberAll members of the band are Toronto natives, mostly the Scarborough area. Their legacy started when Steven Page and Ed Robertson were at a Bob Dylan concert. They got very bored and began coming up with fake band names to make fun of, Barenaked Ladies was one of them. The name stuck because it reminded them of something a child would say, and they always felt their music was kind of childish in its humor. Originally the band was just Steve and Ed singing while playing the guitar, often around a single microphone. They soon met brothers Jim (bass) and Andy (originally drums later Keyboard) Creeggan at a music festival with Tyler Stewart (now drummer) soon following. They soon acquired a deal with a major label and released their first record, Gordon. It went double platinum in Canada but had only mild success in the US. After their second album (Maybe you Should Drive) had less success than Gordon, Andy Creeggan left the band to pursue other musical interest. They continued on for a short amount of time without replacing him, recording their third album Born on a Pirate Ship, but decided they would need to replace him for the tour. They enlisted a friend of Tyler’s, Kevin Hearn. Next came a live record, Rock Spectacle, recorded during the Born on a Pirate Ship Tour. It was just what they needed to break into the US. Soon after Barenaked Ladies released Stunt, and the lead of single “One Week” was their super hit. This CD not only made them well known in the US as well as the UK, but also renewed their appeal in Canada. The follow up albums Maroon and Everything to Everyone with the singles “Pinch Me,” “Too Little Too Late,” and “Another Postcard” had marginal success but was nothing compared to Stunt. Two years ago, in 2004, they tackled the holidays - in a fun way. The CD Barenaked for the Holidays has Christmas songs, Hanukkah songs, and just plain winter themed songs, including originals and classics. It has multiple musical guests such as Sarah McLachlan and Michael Bublé. It was also the first record in which they took complete charge. They released Barenaked for the Holidays under their label, Desperation Records. Their new CD, Barenaked Ladies are Me, is already setting a new stage in the bands development. They recorded 29 songs, all of which will be released in various versions of the album. No longer will songs be forgotten and used only on tour. Also they are having a contest. Any fan with mad air guitar skills has a chance to be in their second video from this album, “Wind It Up” One of this groups best qualities is their abilities to mix and match emotions in their music, such as the hit that helped them cross the 49 - “Old Apartment.” It has the lyrics of reminiscing past memories with the energy of trashing someone’s place. Also the bitter sweet song “Break Your Heart” mixes relief with remorse. A lot of Barenaked Ladies songs are written by their inner child. They have multiple songs about mental health (“Crazy” and “This is Where it Ends”), songs about '70s one hit wonders (“Box Set”), and songs that don’t seem to have any plot or reasoning to the lyrics at all (“I Know”). While they have not grown up, they have always had one or two more serious song on each record such as “The Flag” and “War on Drugs.” But what is better than great Canadian rock? Great Canadian improv rock. The Barenaked Ladies take a few minutes each show to make up songs as they go on stage. This can be heard on the hidden track of their live album Rock Spectacle, or on many of their live albums available for purchase on their website. After more than 15 years of work they are still just as original as ever and I doubt we will soon hear the last of this band. They participated in Live 8 as well as numerous other charities, and continue to do so. But most importantly they continue to interact with their fans. This January the members of Barenaked Ladies are throwing a cruise which they have named “Ships and Dip.” They plan to be aboard the cruise the entire time doing several performances as well as numerous workshops and solo sets. Stay tuned for more articles about Barenaked Ladies as they are Blogcritics Featured Artist of September.