http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Fri, 13 Oct 2006 05:34:38 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, 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. 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Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/10/13/053438.php Neal GardnerIn The Heebie-Jeebies, Steven Lee Beeber delves deep into the tangled history of Jewish Punk, from Lenny Bruce to Lou Reed, the Ramones, Jonathan Richman, Lenny Kaye, Hilly Kristal (owner of CBGB's), Dick Manitoba, Richard Meyers, and Chris Stein. Also considering Jewish American Women and the birth of Female Punk, along with the Radical Jewish Culture Movement, Beeber writes of the psychic roots of punk music. He examines the post-Holocaust generation of disaffected youth who grew up with a different viewpoint than their parents. Considering themselves the ultimate outsiders, all paths led to New York and the East Village/Lower East Side.Taking cultural cues from such sources as Mad magazine, and EC comics, (those paragons of taste), the wisenheimer, smart-ass attitude of New York City comes through loud and clear in punk rock. Not by accident. Through interviews with more than 125 people, Beeber tells personal histories of participants in the scene. Some tried to hide their Jewish heritage, some embraced it, some, paradoxically, embraced the trappings of Nazism. Others promoted the music, wrote about it, and sold it.This is more than just another rock and roll book. It is an examination of how a culture effected and created an art form.Author Steven Lee Beeber will be appearing at CBGB's Gallery this Friday, October 13 from 6-8 p.m. He'll be reading selections from his book The Heebie-Jeebies At CBGB'S: A Secret History of Jewish Punk. Following the readings will be performances by The Dictators, Sic F*cks, and Bullys. Further info is available at jewpunk.com. Books54322@blogcritics.org Fri, 13 Oct 2006 05:34:38 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/08/29/064321.php Neal GardnerLemmy and the boys (Philip Campbell, guitar, and Michael "Mikkey Dee" Delaouglou, drums) rock 'em out with their new release Kiss of Death, available now. Mr. Romance -- one of June 2006 Maxim's top 10 "Living Legends of Sex" -- sings of love, one-night stands, and overall badness. Recorded at L.A.'s Paramount studios and produced by Cameron Webb, there are 13 tracks to assault your ears and mind. C.C. Deville and Alice In Chains' bass player, Mike Inez, make guest appearances.The album begins with the hyperspeed (I don't know why, but sometimes superfast 4/4 begins to sound like an oompah band) of "Sucker." On the second tune, "One Night Stand," Lemmy proclaims (I'm an idiot if this is wrong) "I've been a slut all my life / I wish every night was a one night stand." The Bard couldn't have put it any better. Things don't let up until the acoustic-tinged "God Was Never On Your Side." But don't be fooled by the simplistic introduction. Continuing as usual comes "Living In the Past" (not the Jethro Tull song). Another song, "Be My Baby," is not the Ronettes tune. The band covers Chuck Berry territory with the fem-titled "Christine." "I just wanna jump her bones all the time." This tune reminds me of the old MC5 stuff; no-frills "fuck you" rock and roll. The disc ends with the short 1:22 "Ramones," a tribute to the New York City group.I haven't mentioned all the songs on this album, but I don't have to. With Motorhead, you know what you're getting ahead of time. I guess all the adjectives have been used up to describe their brand of music. It's head-bangin', high-energy, kick out the motherfuckin' jams kind of stuff. Lemmy's been doin' it for 30 years. There's nobody better. Music52133@blogcritics.org Tue, 29 Aug 2006 06:43:21 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/08/23/203343.php Neal GardnerI don't know if this is a companion DVD to a book or the book is companion to the DVD, but there is a book out with the identical title (different subtitle) and cover art, both from the same publisher. According to the blurb on Amazon, the book contains more detailed information such as a listing of every recording and live session future Zep members played on. The gist of it is, I think the two are related. Alan Clayson, who appears on this DVD is the author of the book in question.Talking gray-haired heads take up much of this disc, though it seems to be balanced with still photographs and audio/video clips. Chris Dreja of the Yardbirds provides much of the information and is an enlightening resource. Other contributors include Melody Maker's Chris Welch, Keith Altham of New Musical Express, and Clem Cattini, not exactly a household name, but he was the session drummer on the Kinks "You Really Got Me."Hardcore Led Zeppelin fans will already be familiar with much of the material covered here. Jimmy Page used to be in the Yardbirds, he used to be a session musician, and he appeared on a British TV show with a skiffle group. Robert Plant used to be in a hippy-dippy group. John Paul Jones studied music formally. John Bonham was one of the most powerful drummers in the U.K. All these things are well known.There are some treats though, like hearing Neil Christian and the Crusaders performance of "Road to Love" featuring Page on guitar. "Dazed and Confused" was first done by folk singer Jake Holmes. (Yes, we hear a snippet of it.) There are short versions of early Plant efforts, and interviews with musicians who worked with Zeppelin members such as Dave Berry singer on "The Crying Game."Led Zeppelin I and II are the albums covered here. There are some interesting bits about the song choices on the albums and the backstory on them. The issue of plagiarism is covered. "Bring It on Home" was attributed to Page and Plant when it's a direct lift from Sonny Boy Williamson. "Whole Lotta Love" was really "You Need Love" by the legendary Willie Dixon. Even the ending vocal gymnastics (" . . . Way down inside, woman you need . . . ") on "Whole Lotta Love" were copied from Steve Marriot's vocal treatment. Marriot's performance is shown for comparison. It's great to hear part of folky Jake Holmes's version of "Dazed and Confused." Extras on the DVD: The Story of the Yardbirds, 25-question "The Hardest Led Zeppelin Quiz in the World Ever," and bios on contributors. It is nicely shot with widescreen 16:9 view.Bottom line? Not a bad use of discretionary income. Music51918@blogcritics.org Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:33:43 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/08/09/151003.php Neal GardnerReaders with an interest in this book will already have some familiarity with the job of a music producer. For a further explanation, author uao of Blogcritics has an excellent article here, entitled "Top 20 Record Producers of the Rock Era." The music producer is a jack-of-all-trades and is often expected to be a master-of-all-trades. A producer has to serve as psychiatrist, friend, mother, father, confidant, drug counselor, guru, AA sponsor, and play a lot of other roles as well. This is in addition to his or her role as sometime engineer, mixer, musical arranger, and overall dude in charge of the "vibe." The title of this book, Producing Hit Records - Secrets From the Studio is a tad misleading. I'm not sure the key to producing hit records lies within, but it very well may, for all I know. Hit records are as much a result of dumb luck as they are a result of secret activities of producers. There are producers interviewed by author Farinella who have produced hit records, but there are no formulas like, "I did A, B, and C and that is why that record was a hit." A collection of anecdotes reveals the experience of numerous producers and the environment they tried to create in the atmosphere of the studio. There are no secrets as such, but revelations the likes of "This is what I did in this situation; I found this to be effective; I solved this problem by . . . " There's no "Hit" button on the mixing console. Often the producer and musicians will come up with a sound that all believe to be perfection itself only to have it rejected by music company executives for one inane reason or another.There is no dearth of talented producers interviewed within. Names which I recognize: Solomon Burke, T-Bone Burnett, Ben Harper, Linda Perry, Rick Rubin, Rufus Wainwright, and Don Was. There are others just as stellar that I, in my ignorance, am not hip to.The author has done a remarkable job of hunting down producers and interviewing them. The book goes far in removing the mystery surrounding the art of producing. If one desired to become a producer, Farinella's writing could provide the proverbial road map. Books51376@blogcritics.org Wed, 9 Aug 2006 15:10:03 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/07/19/193801.php Neal GardnerIf I had a more up-to-date computer instead of this boat anchor, I could be playing around with the Ableton Live 5 demo while I review Ableton Live 5 - Tips and Tricks. Lucky me downloaded the Live demo and then found my system did not meet the minimum requirements: Mac: G3 or better, 512 MB RAM, OSX 10.2.8 or later. Windows: 600 MHZ or faster, 512 RAM, Win 2000/XP, compatible soundcard.Oh well, I'll try to slog through this anyway. Any of you Ableton Live experts will have to excuse my ignorance. I’m still using Voyetra's Digital Orchestrator Pro. I've tried my best (sure) to understand what Ableton Live 5 - Tips and Tricks is all about. Ableton Live is a loop-based jamming tool used in performance, composition, recording, jamming, and remixing. The author of Ableton Live 5 - Tips and Tricks, Martin Delaney is a performing musician who uses Live in performance on a laptop (Apple G4 PowerBook 12inch, 1.5 GHz, 1.25 GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive at the time of writing the book) along with various other electronic gadgets. He is also the author of Laptop Music.Delaney begins with the admonishment to RTFM. Any further information he gives is based on the user of Ableton Live 5 being familiar with the basics of the program. The chapter "Get Organised" covers the basics of setting up your system for optimal performance of Live 5. Basics such as checking for updates, keeping file sizes down, signal routing, hardware configurations, etc. are covered. Don't forget to use the Live tutorials.Delaney mentions a new feature in Live 5, a "nudge" control which allows you to jump through clips in the increment of global quantization values. New audio effects are Flanger, Phaser, Saturator, Auto Pan, and Beat Repeat. The use of the optional Operator synth includes Impulse, a sample playing instrument and Simpler, a sampler. Automation of Live 5 is covered, working with envelopes, and MIDI mapping tricks. Chapter 8 lays out preparing a "set" for live performance and Delaney's track set-up for techno stuff.I must mention the graphics here. The good: The pages are filled with screen shots of particular Session or Arrangement views, along with lots of other shots of menus, effects, track set-ups, etc. The bad: Many of the shots are just too small and the particulars of a screen shot cannot be seen without magnification. Either that or my eyes are really, really getting bad. Chapters 10-16 cover more aspects of Live 5 such as its use in songwriting, remixing, and mashups. The use of ReWire and other software is detailed and the specifics of using Live 5 with various hardware controllers, audio, and midi controllers are spelled out. The final chapter mentions ways to get more sounds and samples.The useful appendix has a variety of links to audio and midi sound collections, software sites, etc.Quite frankly, my review does not do justice to the book. Author Delaney has used the software since version 1.0.1 back in 2001. He uses it regularly in live performance and is familiar with the little details that crop up in using audio software. Things like routing of signals, communications with other software and hardware, and troubleshooting glitches are all covered. Delaney is also not afraid to point some of the shortcomings of the program. Ableton Live 5 has a steep learning curve and the author flattens it out. Books50564@blogcritics.org Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:38:01 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/06/30/132159.php Neal GardnerAir America radio's Sam Seder, co-host with Janeane Garofalo of Majority Report, and the show's former producer Stephen Sherrill have made the jump into print with F.U.B.A.R. - America's Right-Wing Nightmare. There is no doubt about the subject matter therein. The authors portray a present/future world where the Rapture Right and conservative Republicans are controlling the social and economic networks. The intelligent design movement is examined, the world of the fictional "Mr. Science Guy" (imagine all scientific knowledge equivocated by intelligent design theory) has changed, and apocalyptic visions come true.The authors examine sexual issues like the abstinence movement, birth control, and gay marriage in light of so-called family values. That puts me in mind of Republican Senator from Oklahoma James Inhofe's claim, "I'm really proud to say that in the recorded history of our family, we've never had a divorce or any kind of homosexual relationship." How does he know? Does he give everyone at the family reunion a polygraph test? Do they all walk through a gaydar detector?Charming anecdotes are sprinkled throughout, like the chapter entitled "I Hate Myself: Life as a Gay Republican." An informative study is mentioned wherein nonhomophobic men, and homophobic men were shown heterosexual, male homosexual, and lesbian video tapes. The subjects were hooked up to a penile plethysmograph, which measures male tumescence. The 1996 study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology surprisingly revealed that homophobic men were twice as likely to be aroused by the male homosexual videos. The significance? Our authors say: For one thing, it means it's perfectly natural to be really, really anti-gay and yet be gay. But does it mean that all homophobes are actually gay? Yes. It does. Sarcasm is dripping from the pages as in the chapter "So You Wanna Buy A Congressman..." Or "Heck of A Job" about the rampant cronyism in the Bush administration which gave us the likes of Michael Brown. The informative "How to Speak Religiously" chapter details the meaning of "I believe in family values." I don't like to pay taxes for government services. I'm afraid of homosexuals. I'm afraid of black people. I'm afraid of foreigners. I believe Rush just had a bad back problem. I think the fifties was the best time in U.S. history. I'm white. On the book jacket it is stated that coauthor Steve Sherrill once wrote for The Late Show with David Letterman and Michael Moore's TV Nation. There are some funny bits throughout the book, but some fail to hit the mark. It's like buying Mad magazine. Everyone has had the experience of reading through the good parts and only later going over the not-so-funny stuff. You figure you've paid good money so you are obligated to read everything, even if it's mediocre. Writing humor is hard work and difficult to sustain for 200 pages.Political leanings will most likely not be changed by this book despite chapter 21, "How To Win Friends and Convert Republicans (Or Just Convert Republicans)." As another reviewer wrote about this book, it is a case of preaching to the choir. An amusing read for those of the southpaw persuasion. It will be rebuked by those of the Rapture Right. Books49854@blogcritics.org Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:21:59 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/26/180305.php Neal GardnerIn 1958 jazz guitarist Tal Farlow retired from active playing at the top of his game. He had played in the Red Norvo Trio featuring Charles Mingus, and in the bands of Buddy DeFranco and Artie Shaw. Down Beat chose him "New Star" of 1954. He was a Down Beat poll winner in 1956 and 1957. Tal went back to life on the river and the craft/occupation of sign painting in Sea Bright, New Jersey. He taught guitar while occasionally playing out in the New Jersey and New York areas. His absence from the jazz scene proper was noted and eventually everyone was asking, "What happened to Tal Farlow?"Filmmaker Lorenzo DeStefano helped answer that question with the release of Talmage Farlow in 1981. A 1980 visit with Tal was the basis of the film. In addition, rehearsals of the Tal Farlow Trio are filmed featuring pianist Tommy Flanagan, and bassist Red Mitchell. Interspersed throughout are stills of club marquees, album covers, photos of Farlow, etc., documenting his popularity in the '50s. Later in the film legendary guitarist Lenny Breau pays a visit to Tal and they are also shown sitting in the sunlight on Tal's porch playing a duet.The trio of Flanagan, Mitchell, Farlow is shown rehearsing atop a penthouse apartment in Manhattan. The film winds up with coverage of a few songs from a performance at The Public Theatre in New York.Extras on the DVD include an hour of outtakes with Lenny Breau and Farlow, a photo gallery, and the trio.This film manages to convey an overall impression of Tal Farlow as a musician and a person. Greensboro, North Carolina born Farlow projects a country boy simplicity and kindness coupled with a virtuosic talent for jazz improvisation on the guitar. I've played guitar for more than 40 years and my knowledge of guitar compared to Farlow's amounts to the proverbial drop in the bucket. Any guitar players comparing themselves to Tal have to be tempted to just put his instrument back in the case and slide it under the bed. Farlow, who died July 25, 1998, is now in the pantheon of jazz greats, and a true inspiration to plank spankers everywhere.Songs on the DVD include: "Autumn in New York" "Fascinating Rhythm" "I Love You" "Flamingo" "Jordu" "I Hear a Rhapsody" Video48363@blogcritics.org Fri, 26 May 2006 18:03:05 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/18/075834.php Neal GardnerOh, how it used to be. Marshall Chapman used to deliver hard-edged rock and roll back in the late '70s and early '80s. Now I guess she's become, according to the title of the CD, mellow. This is Marshall Chapman light. If I had a copy of Goodbye, Little Rock and Roller (2003), the autobiographical book, by Marshall, maybe I'd know why.They're nice little songs with a bouncy little beat. You can decide for yourself whether that's good or bad. Depends on your tastes. Most of the arrangements and backing tracks sound as if they are straight from Band-In-A-Box. There are no smoking solos, pounding pianos, screaming guitars. Call me a voice of doubt and doom if you want, but gently strumming guitars and introspective lyrics just don't do it for me. I predict a lawsuit a la "My Sweet Lord" style regarding the song "I'm Just Pitiful That Way." If I owned the copyright to 1957's "Love Is Strange" by Mickey Baker, Sylvia Robinson, and Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel I would be on the horn to my lawyer immediately. It's a great CD for what it is. I'm positive many will love it. I urge you to go out and buy it just because Marshall Chapman deserves every good and gracious thing that comes her way. Music46506@blogcritics.org Tue, 18 Apr 2006 07:58:34 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/12/004123.php Neal GardnerSad to say, New Used Car leaves me cold. Yes, there is some tasty guitar work on this CD, some fine playing, but nothing really stands out and captures my attention. If Sue Foley is basing the appeal of this CD on the songwriting and the singing then I think it's a miss. She is portrayed as a blues guitar player and there's not enough guitar featured to make up for the weak songwriting.Personally, I think all of the best blues songs have already been written. Why reinvent the wheel? If you're mainly a guitar player sing the classics and dazzle us with your playing. If you are going to write songs at least try to go above and beyond the old cliches. I think it is stretching when you rhyme "real" and "feel" not in one song but two. Or how about this one? "Now look right through me, come on and sock it to me." Sock it to me? Didn't they used to say that on Laugh-In? The last song (and probably the only song) to use that phrase was Mitch Ryder's "Sock It to Me Baby." The title cut is the usual double-entendre car metaphor. Yeah, yeah we've heard it before like in Muddy's "I'll Put a Tiger in Your Tank."Many of the songs are derivative or an outright lift; as in the Stones "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'" outro riff played note for note in the title cut. "Do It Again" reminds me of "Beast of Burden" also by the Stones. "Found My Love" channels Bo Diddley's "Mona."When one of the few things on a CD I can latch on to is the simulated scratchy record sound on the beginning of "Sugar" I think something must be missing. Music46258@blogcritics.org Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:41:23 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/21/131200.php Neal GardnerWhen does an old song become irrelevant, if ever? Does a musical performance have a timeless quality? If something is good once, is it good forever? These questions may be raised when it comes to aging rock stars (though I hesitate to call him that) and guitar players like Robin Trower. Trower came to prominence in 1967 with the group Procol Harum. Five years later he left and he went to the trio format a la Cream, and Jimi Hendrix. Like Hendrix, Trower wielded a Stratocaster, Univ-Vibe (a guitar effects device), and a wah-wah pedal. At first he was criticized as just another Hendrix clone but Robin outgrew that label with his own brand of psychedelic blues-rock. 1974's Bridge of Sighs, with the hit "Too Rolling Stoned" became a classic album. If he never played another lick, it cemented Trower's credentials as a guitar god. But Robin continues to this day to release tasteful material, like his last CD Living Out of Time.Last year on Trower's 60th birthday, his performance at Bonn, Germany's Harmonie club was recorded and filmed. The DVD, released February 21st titled Living Out Of Time (Live) begins with the hit "Too Rolling Stoned" and continues through 12 others like "Day Of the Eagle," "Bridge Of Sighs," and "Little Bit Of Sympathy." In an intimate setting like the Harmonie club, viewers will be treated to close-up shots of Trower's hands on the fretboard, enabling guitarslingers everywhere to steal licks. By the way, viewers are able to discern Trower's brand of wah-wah pedal. It's a Fulltone "Clyde" model.Included on the DVD is a revealing interview with Trower wherein he talks of his early history, amongst other things. Music is an art form, like any other it has a timeless quality to it. What is art now is art later. Performers who have something to say musically do not become out-of date nor passé. A kiss is still a kiss. Music43919@blogcritics.org Tue, 21 Feb 2006 13:12:00 EST