Blogcritics

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.

The Listening Room April 30, 2007: Pearl Jam, Boston, Vanessa Daou, Muse, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Garth Brooks

Josh Hathaway — Tue, 1 May 2007 10:30:23 EDT

The Listening Room is once again alive and kicking. I can't remember why we took the brief hiatus, so best not to think too much about it. We're back with more musical musing and recommendations. This week, there are five steps to instant cool- and a suggestion I can only hope is a very guilty pleasure (I'm trying really hard not to glare in your general direction, Brewster).They may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.Josh Hathaway: “Given to Fly” from Yield by Pearl JamI wrote about this song over at Confessions of a Fanboy today because two separate, recent events coaxed it from my memory. I'm going to avoid re-hashing those reasons other than to say I'd love it if you decided to find out what they are for yourself. For those of you who can't be arsed to follow that link, here's a little bit more about the song (it's all about the standalone here at BC Magazine):I'm kind of amazed Jimmy Page didn't call his lawyer, because the verses to this song could hardly resemble “Going to California” any more without being a cover version. There's a thin line between influenced and derivative, and if you keep walking you cross over The Great Ripoff Reef. Don't let that discourage you from discovering, or rediscovering, this song because this song gloriously departs from the Zeppelin classic and – the cliché police will crush me for this one – takes flight, streaking across the sky in a blaze of soaring emotion. “Given to Fly” is authentic even if it's not completely original- authenticity is more important. Pico: "Foreplay/Long Time" from Boston by BostonWell, I'm finally holding my personal Brad Delp memorial today by revisiting Boston's debut album. This LP may hold the distinction of being the only album where every baby boomer knows every song without having to own the record. In fact, it pretty much introduced the whole concept of "album rock" (and arguably, "arena rock").Although over 30 years old now and played to death over the airwaves even today, Boston still sounds fresh and suspended in time. It's due to a number of things: heavy metal that is married more to Beatle-esque melodic hooks than the blues; that huge arena rock sound; and Brad Delp's vocals.His sweetly soaring tenor was a perfect match for band leader Tom Scholz's grand sound; it was high pitched enough to get heard over all the cascading electric guitars, but much more agreeable to the ear than, say, Geddy Lee. And while he can rock hard like the best of them, he's perhaps more at home on the soulful numbers, such as "Long Time."Boston's lyrics weren't ever particularly deep, but when Delp sings "Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on/You'll forget about me after I've been gone", I can't help but think that he was singing about himself, decades later. But he's wrong: no one will soon forget about him. Rest in peace, Mr. Delp.Glen Boyd: "My Love Is Too Much" from Zipless by Vanessa DaouVanessa Daou is this completely unknown singer who also happens to hold the distinction of recording the single most erotic sounding album I have ever heard. Think of the smoky torchiness of someone like Sade, and then apply it to what it might sound like recording your girlfriend as she achieves multiple orgasms and you begin to get the idea here.Simply put, since I first heard this album in the late nineties, I have never heard anything quite like it since. The playing here, which falls squarely into the late night chill feel is simply exquisite, while Daou's heavily breathed vocals invoke something else entirely that I can't quite put into words, but most red-blooded guys (and more than a few gals) would get instantly. Based loosely around the literary writings of feminist author Erica Jong, tracks like this one as well as "Becoming a Nun," and "The Long Tunnel Of Wanting You" leave little to the imagination in terms of "setting a mood."Gentlemen, forget those Luther Vandross and Marvin Gaye records. This is an eargasm to truly be appreciated.God, I love this woman. Michael Jones: "Starlight" from Black Holes and Revelations by MuseThis past Wednesday I found myself seated in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium, suffering through a fierce head cold and the prospect of having to drive back home to Arkansas in the morning so that my sister could achieve Nirvana and see her favorite band My Chemical Romance in concert. While I'd heard of said "favorite band" (repeatedly!), it was the opening act that had me lifting up my aching head so that I could see who was responsible for the amazing music that was breaking through my allergies. The band's name? Muse.For forty-five minutes or so, these guys pretty much blew me away. I'd expected another bombastic emo band kind of a sound, as that's what MCR sounds like... instead I got this wonderfully lush guitar driven band. It's... well, it's hard to describe how Muse sound. If you were to take a healthy dose of the experimentalism of Queen, add in the guitar wail of Steve Vai, and then mix it all up in a giant glass with a double-dose of Pink Floyd's sense of endless groove for a purpose, that might come close.On the way home, somewhere around Memphis, we stopped at a Circuit City and purchased their newest album. Then we alternated listening to it, and to MCR's latest album, all the way home. Joy! Sigh. Anyways, while the MCR was what it was and made my sis happy, when the Muse CD's turn came, I kept wanting to hear this one particular song. "Starlight" was either the first or second song these guys played in concert, and it's just one hell of a song, filled with soaring vocals, dense back beats, and a healthy sense of self.I've since discovered that Muse have been around for a few years. So, I'm itching to pick up their older albums, sooner than later. All in all... I suppose getting to discover new music was worth the crushing headache and stuffed-up nose. Check out Muse for yourself, if you don't believe me.El Bicho: "Just Like Honey" live from Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival by Jesus and Mary Chain with Scarlett Johannson Playing their second gig since they broke up in 1998, it was great seeing the Reid brothers delivering their fuzzed-out gloomy tunes to a large, appreciative crowd. At least those who hadn't passed out from exhaustion from the sweltering heat or whatever they may have ingested and couldn’t handle.I hadn’t listened to JAMC in a long while and had slightly forgot about them as bands like The Raveonettes stepped up in their place, but it’s good to have the originals back. Hopefully for a while if their writing a new song is an indication that they plan on working passed this initial reunion over the summer.Celebrities were spotted throughout Coachella, but none was more noticeable than Scarlett Johansson who joined JAMC on vocals for “Just Like Honey,” a fitting cameo as the song played during the end of Lost in Translation. It was good, so good.Mat Brewster: "Shameless" by Garth Brooks from Ropin the Wind Yeah, I know, Garth freaking Brooks. But I grew up in Oklahoma, which is pretty, much ground zero for Garth Brooks. Every time I go back home my mom tells me about another time she saw Garth eating a sandwich at Burger King or wherever. I was mostly a metal-head in high school, but the behemoth that is Garth Brooks still kind of got to me. I can remember sitting up in my little attic bedroom late at night, listening to this album real low. Say what you will, but this Billy Joel cover has a mountain of energy and just the right amount of cheezy swagger that still bowls me over.In my continuing effort to put everything piece of music I own on my iPod, I went through my Garth Brooks box set (yes, I have a Garth Brooks box set, it was cheap and you'll get over it.) I gotta say I went all nostalgic with it, and had a few listens and might have dropped a tear or two in my beer.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room April 16, 2007: Watermelon Slim & The Workers, Billy Bragg, HellYeah, and Neil Young

Josh Hathaway — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:18:08 EDT

Wow, no Springsteen entries this week and yet we all found something to listen to. We've got a smaller group this week than most, but the songs here are all worth hearing. They may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.Josh Hathaway "The Wheel Man" from The Wheel Man by Watermelon Slim & The Workers (feat. Magic Slim)I was really conflicted about which song to write about this week. I spent a ton of time listening to Tom Petty over the weekend as I recovered from sinus hell, and there are some songs from The Rounders' Wish I Had You that I am going to have to talk about soon. In the end, I had to go with Watermelon Slim & The Workers because their new album, The Wheel Man, is out this week and I've declared it Watermelon Slim week over at Confessions of a Fanboy. I've been listening to the album all day long and I could write about any song on the record. I wrote about ”Black Water,” a couple weeks ago, so I've chosen to write about the new album's title track. Often when two stars get together for a duet, the idea turns out to be more interesting than the results. “The Wheel Man,” pairing Watermelon Slim with the legendary Magic Slim, is not one of those moments. This is one of those rare occasions when everything works. This is a great song in its own rite and the Slims rise to the level of the song. Magic Slim doesn't go out of his way to overshadow his host, and Watermelon Slim is secure enough in his own talents and generous enough of spirit to allow Magic Slim near equal time. This isn't about oneupmanship, this is about two bluesmen getting together and letting it rip. “The Wheel Man” is a hell of a way to open a record.Pico: "Present" from Mirakle by Derek Bailey/Jamaaladeen Tacuma/Calvin Weston.As the foundation for the deep (or should I say deeply twisted) funk of avant garde heavies like James Blood Ulmer and electric Ornette Coleman, putting Tacuma and Weston together with the godfather of whack jazz guitar was just crazy. Crazy like a fox, that is.Despite the rhythm section for James Carter's Layin' In The Cut trying their damdest to entice Bailey to groove, Derek listens but gives no ground. Tacuma even uncorks a Sly Stone bass riff at around the three minute mark that any other guitarist would follow like the Pied Piper, but Bailey hardly moves away from his own private storm. And somehow, it works together beautifully.Musicians who rub up against each other with styles that seem incompatible sometimes create sparks. Bailey, Tacuma and Weston together causes a five alarm fire.Mat Brewster "Ingrid Bergman" from Mermaid Avenue by Billy BraggBilly Bragg and Wilco's brilliant interpretation of Woody Guthrie lyrics has been this week's CD-that-plays-in-my-car-for-the-drive-to-work. I love just about every stinking note on that record, but the stand out song this week has been Bragg singing “Ingrid Bergman.” When I think about Woody Guthrie I think of songs like “This Land Is Your Land” and about his staunch communism, and his politically charged lyrics for the working man. I think about Oklahoma and the hot, dusty road to California. What I don’t think about is sex. Yet here’s Billy Bragg, another very political songwriter, singing words by Woody Guthrie that are so sexually charged and full of innuendo it makes me blush.With words like “You'd make any mountain quiver/You'd make fire fly from the crater” and “This old mountain it's been waiting/All its life for you to work it/For your hand to touch its hard rock” how can you not giggle with glee?Michael Jones "Alcohaulin' Ass" from HellYeah by HellYeah.More often than not HellYeah, a new "super group" built from pieces of Pantera, Mudvayne, and Nothing Face throttle the songs on their debut album at a constant "Spinal Tap on Eleven" decibel level — but there are rare moments, such as this song, where they allow the rock engine they've built to just sit and growl menacingly. I like that about bands that know they can rock your asses off, really.That's why I've been hitting repeat on this album, and this song in particular, as it is nothing more or less than a bunch of guys celebrating the joy of playing a superbly well-written rock song about drinking and living life to the fullest. "Alcohaulin' Ass," you see, is just flat-out fun to listen to.Super groups come and go, but if this is what HellYeah is capable of at its beginning... I hope they stick around for a few more rounds at the bar.Glen Boyd "Ambulance Blues" from On The Beach by Neil Young.Earlier this week, a guy I work with surprised me with a burnt copy of a 1974 Neil Young show from The Bottom Line. What made this show so special is that it features ultra-rare live versions of nearly all of the songs from On The Beach, which is in my mind the most underated record in Neil Young's entire catalog.Depending on how you choose to look at it, the three songs comprising that album's original second side are either some of the most depressing, or the most beautiful and austere music Neil -- or anyone else for that matter -- has ever recorded. All I know for sure, is that whenever I used to play it around my friends (back when it first came out), I'd get lots of concerned looks and comments like "is everything okay, Glen"?"Ambulance Blues" is the best of the lot and one of Neil's best ever. In it's seven or so minutes, the lyrical ground it covers alone is just staggering. From it's opening line about "back in the old folkie days," we soon find Neil snarling about "all you critics sit alone" with their "stomach pump and hook and ladder dreams." I have no idea what that particular phrase means, but when Neil sings it the words are sheer poetry. Later in the song Neil says something I've always wanted to say to a number of my acquaintances. Namely that "there ain't nothing like the friend, who can tell you that you're just pissing in the wind."Earlier today, On The Beach kept me company on a particularly brutal drive back to Seattle from Portland, Oregon. And "Ambulance Blues" had me singing out loud in the traffic.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room April 9, 2007: Sheryl Crow, Bruce Springsteen, Lizz Wright, Patti Smith, Eddie Money

Josh Hathaway — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 08:57:55 EDT

A Happy Belated Easter to all you Easter people from your Listening Room panel. We don't have any “Easter” themed entries in this week's installment. That's kind of a drag, actually. I like when themes emerge. Oh, well, there are plenty more holidays in 2007. Maybe we'll put something together for one of them.I don't know if anyone else had trouble choosing this week, but I did. There were several songs that emerged as possibilities for me, but I eventually narrowed it down to one. You'll find out what that was soon enough. Once again, Bruce Springsteen makes an appearance in The Listening Room, which means the baffling contingent of anti-Springsteen people who have coalesced here at Blogcritics should have a field day. You know, I understand we all have our individual likes and dislikes. I actually had some idiot come over to Fanboy and insult Guster. Why didn't he go ahead and insult TheWifeToWhomI'mMarried and my mom while he was at it? We all have our likes and dislikes and that's fine and good, but I don't understand the Springsteen vitriol. Of course, a great many libraries could be filled with the things I don't understand. This is not exactly exclusive terrain.These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.Josh Hathaway “My Favorite Mistake” from The Globe Sessions by Sheryl CrowFew things in this world will put TheWifeToWhomI'mMarried in a cross mood faster than to catch me listening to Sheryl Crow- it's a long story, it was a long time ago, it makes me look bad, and I'm not going to tell it. Anyway, I used to really like her music but decided it was a waste of precious capital to listen to it. By the time I got an iPod and could listen in privacy I had somewhat lost interest. That, and C'mon C'mon didn't do much for me and I moved on. This is precisely why I stopped trading CDs in at used places. Last night, while trying to make some changes in iTunes I stumbled across her discography and this song. I decided to listen to it again and it clicked inside my head.It's a completely foreign concept, the idea behind the lyrics. Even though it was usually me who got dumped, it didn't take long for me to be as glad to be rid of them as they were me. I can't think of a single past relationship that thinks of me as their favorite mistake. Oh, I might be their biggest mistake but even that's pushing it. I seriously doubt I made that much of an impression. Besides, contrary to internet rumors (everyone else has an internet rumor, I want one, too!) I wasn't exactly what the kids would call a player (I believe it's correctly misspelled “playa,” but I don't roll like that).Crow always had a terrific voice but on her early albums didn't always have the best control of it. By the time of Globe, she had matured into a great singer and this is one of her vocals I like best.Pico "Trouble" from Dreaming Wide Awake by Lizz Wright.Like most of her folk, gospel and soul-inspired music, "Trouble" has a low key way of achieving a certain loftiness about it. It starts with Wright's empathetic, gentle vocal, and is perfectly supported by the sparse, efficient production, putting Wright's rhythmic acoustic guitar up near the front. It's a song that carries enough emotional feel to compel you to pay attentions to the lyrics, which is about appealing to a Higher Being to stay strong in the midst of despair. You then sense the added weightedness when the B-3 organ opens up in the chorus and the prayer is then made:I'm gonna ride this pain like a waveLord, make me over I don´t wanna be afraidAnd when my time is come and goneI don´t wanna be the one who can´t let go Inspirational, indeed.Michael Jones "Gimme Shelter" from Twelve by Patti Smith.While there are a few choices that Patti Smith made as to what songs to cover on her newest album, "Gimme Shelter," is not one of them. Right from the opening chords, Patti makes this song something familiar and yet new, raw, and definitely hers. That's not easy to do, especially when the song is so well known that to think of it is to immediately think of The Stones. And yet, Patti wraps her voice around the lyrics, and makes me forget for a while... and just close my eyes and enjoy myself. Great song on a damn good album.Glen Boyd "Long Time Comin'" from Devils & Dust by Bruce Springsteen.I know Springsteen has been showing up here quite a bit lately, and that it has also drawn out his more, umm "vocal detractors". But I had to put this one up because there is a personal story attached to it. For me, Springsteen's voice has always been one I've turned to as a source of comfort, in times both good and bad. Right now, times are pretty good for me, as I've returned to a great new job in my first love, doing direct sales in the record business...after a particularly bad period last year. For me, it feels like I've kind of come "home" after being away far too long.And that to me is what this song--one of Springsteen's best in my view--is all about. It's really a song of affirmation, whether it be through overcoming the odds to persevere, or just rediscovering that place you've really belonged all along.For me these lyrics really sum it up:"Tonight I'm gonna get birth naked,and bury my old soul,and dance on it's grave."The storytelling and overall lyrical imagery of Devils & Dust is nothing short of amazing anyway. But this one hits me particularly hard on a personal level in the place I uniquely live.Connie Phillips "You Don't Know Me" from Wanna Go Back by Eddie MoneyWhen I first saw this album, I mistakenly believed it was going to be a "greatest hits" collection of Money's songs, include the song of the same name. What it was, in fact, was a collection of classic rock songs.The first single, "You Don't Know Me" is one of my favorites from this album. A perfect fit for Money's smooth, yet testosterone coarse voice, it's a stunning rendition backed with a simple piano arrangement. The song is most famous for Ray Charles rendition and is as heart wrenching as it is simply beautiful.If you love the classic songs rock music was formed on, you'll want to check out this album and song.Mary K. Williams: "Tessie" by The Dropkick Murphys About 18 months ago I wrote an innocuous little review of The Dropkick Murphys' release of The Warrior Code. I quite fell in love with the CD, but over time I've misplaced it. It was just recently that I had a renewed hankering for the sounds of TDM, caused in part because we just passed St. Patrick's Day not long ago. Also, I was delighted to find that "Shipping up to Boston" was part of the soundtrack for The Departed. Murphys Mojo to be sure! And maybe it was my imagination, but HBO had Fever Pitch showing a lot recently, could it be because of Spring Training? Now, my dear friend Josh had super words to say about John Fogarty’s “Centerfield”. And I agree. But, since this is opening day of major league baseball, I felt the sounds of TDM’s "Tessie" would be more welcome than not, at least in Red Sox Nation!

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room April 2, 2007: R.E.M., Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Springsteen, Dylan, Rush, Cut Chemist, and Whitesnake?

Josh Hathaway — Mon, 2 Apr 2007 16:32:12 EDT

The big news for this week? That idiot DJRadiohead has stopped running this feature and has turned it over to me. There are a few of you who will get that joke. The rest of you would do best to keep reading forward, as there are some great entries in this week's Listening Room.Speaking of great entries in The Listening Room, if you want to tell the world what you have been listening to, feel free to join us in the comments. You can also participate in the series by joining us in the BC Forums.These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.Josh Hathaway: "The Great Beyond" from In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 by R.E.M.I've been thinking about R.E.M. a lot lately as they make plans to release their new album. As you might expect, that has resulted in my listening to several R.E.M. tracks this past week. A day or so ago, I would have sworn I'd be writing to you about "Feeling Gravity's Pull." This morning, my iPod randomly dialed up "The Great Beyond," and I've been listening to it ever since.It's hard to argue R.E.M. has been at the top of their game these past few years, but "The Great Beyond" and "Leaving New York" (from the truly awful Around The Sun) stand with the very best songs this band has ever produced. I'm not saying they are the best, but I'll argue with anyone that they belong in the discussion. So, what do these two latter-day songs have in common? Great Michael Stipe vocals. Somewhere, when we weren't looking, the charismatic mumbler of Murmur became one hell of a singer. His lead and overdubbed harmony vocals on "The Great Beyond" sometimes give me chills- like now. Yes, boys and girls, Mike Mills is also in the mix but the vocal power of this song comes from Stipe.Speaking of Mills, he and Buck give top-notch performances creating a musical soundscape that is lush without being overblown. R.E.M. can knock a dozen of these songs out in their sleep. Let's hope Jacknife Lee on a Pogo Stick coaxes a few out of them.A. Hathaway: "All the Wrong Reasons" from Into The Great Wide Open by Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersMost of my music listening time is spent while driving out to the animal shelter I volunteer at on Thursday evenings. It's the most time I spend in the car on any given day and I listen to most of my music in the car. At home, my hubby and his 1,000 CD collection intimidates my meager 60 CDs.Anyway, this past Thursday evening drive was spent in the company of Tom Petty and "All the Wrong Reasons." The first time I heard this song (and I mean within the first second and a half) I connected to it. The music is beautiful and the lyrics are profound - at least in my opinion. If I had to pick an anthem for the current times we live in, then this would be it. I don't want to say too much more because I can't do the song justice in writing. But here are a few of my favorite lines from the song:Well she grew up hard and she grew up fastIn the age of televisionAnd she made a vow to have it allIt became her new religionOh, down in her soul, it was an act of treasonOh, down they go for all the wrong reasonsMichael Jones: "Fool For Your Lovin'" from Ready And Willing by WhitesnakeIn celebration of that most revered of days for children — or all those with the same sense of humor as a child — April Fool’s day, I had an incredibly difficult time picking just the right song. Sure, there were the obvious choices such as “The Fool On A Hill” by the Sergio Mendes and Brazil ’66 by way of the Beatles, “Fools Rush In” by Rick Nelson, “A Fool For You” by Ike and Tina Turner, and “Foolish Little Girl” by the Shirelles, but in the end I decided to go in a totally different direction.A classier direction, if you will.Of course, I’m talking about the supremely awesome “Fool For Your Loving,” which can be found on “Ready An’ Willing,” the 1980 masterwork by Whitesnake. Has there ever, in the history of recorded music, been any better lyrics than those featured in this track? I think not.Don’t come running to me, I know I’ve done all I canA hard loving woman like you just makes a hard loving man.Angel wept, really. But then, just when you think the emotion has reached a climax and that the heart simply cannot anymore, David Coverdale croons the chorus…So I can say to you babe, I’ll be a fool for your lovin’ no more.A fool for your lovin’ no more!I’m so tired of trying. I always end up crying. Fool for your lovin’ no more.I’ll be a fool for your loving no more…Speaks for itself, really. I’ll sit here and gather myself back together as you all rush about and gather your keys so that you may head out and purchase this masterwork, for yourself. No, no. I insist. You’ll thank me!Uh. April Fools, heh. Okay… I’ll admit to actually liking the damn song. Sigh. I guess I’m the fool here.Mat Brewster: "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" from Born to Run by Bruce SpringsteenFor the longest time I have resisted the urge to become a Bruce Springsteen fan. Sure, there was the odd single here and there that I dug ("Glory Days" immediately comes to mind) but he always seemed to be so earnest and political, that it just rubbed me the wrong way. Then I bought The Seeger Sessions and I finally started to see what everyone else said. Slowly, I've been buying his back catalog, and just this week hit upon Born To Run. Sweet Molly Ringwald's lips, what was I waiting for?This here is a freaking brilliant album. After about a dozen listens this week I can firmly say I love every last note, but it is this song that makes me smile even brighter than the rest. It's got that booty shaking rhythm coupled with a horn section that makes me feel like a warm summer's night.Sterfish: "The Garden'" from The Audience's Listening by Cut Chemist.Hip-hop group Jurassic 5 announced recently that they were breaking up after their current tour. I was a little sad at the news given that I've been a fan since the release of their major label debut Quality Control. However, things just didn't seem to be the same for the group after one of its DJs, Cut Chemist, left to pursue a solo career.It's kind of funny, then, that I would start getting into Cut Chemist's solo debut, The Audience's Listening only days after the announcement of Jurassic 5's breakup. I've been enjoying the album immensely but one song I've really been feeling lately is "The Garden."I'm always a sucker for world music with a beat put behind it, and "The Garden" is an excellent example of this phenomenon. I don't know if it's the sounds of the berimbau or the sampled Portuguese vocals that does it, but I just kind of float away whenever I listen to this song. Then, when the drums kick in, I'm rattled back to reality in a good way. "The Garden" is a little more than six minutes long, but it never feels like it. It really could've been another two or three minutes long and I still would love it. Now all I have to do is try to listen to it a little less so I don't make myself sick of it. That would be a damn shame.Glen Boyd: "Changing Of The Guard" from Street Legal by Bob DylanWith this week's surprise announcement that Bob Dylan will be a guest judge on next week's "all-folk music edition" of American Idol, I thought it might be a good time to bone up on my Dylan in preparation for that certain to be fun episode. Patti Smith does a really good cover of this song on her upcoming Twelve release of songs written by other artists--on Patti's version you can actually make out the words for one thing.But I still love the swirling carnival organ and cheesy Vegas style horn arrangements of the original. Street Legal is one of those great lost Dylan records that kind of got lost in the shuffle, sandwiched as it was between records like Blood On The Tracks,Desire, and Slow Train Coming, and "Changing Of The Guard" may be the best song on the album.Hopefully Dylan will whip out the electric guitar and perform it on next week's "all-folk night" on American Idol. Better yet, maybe they can get Sanjaya to tackle something like "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands." Talk about your must-see TV!Tom Johnson: "How It Is" from Vapor Trails by RushIn reading Rush drummer Neil Peart's Ghost Rider, I've developed a new respect for this song, so often overlooked and dismissed by fans as one of the lesser Vapor Trails offerings. Here, as in the book, we get a more humble, simpler Peart, a man facing a change in his life and opting to, for once, simply surrender instead of struggle against it.Peart, having lost both his wife and his daughter in the span of a year's time, was a man who desperately needed to surrender to the changes wrought by his past, and this song is more than just a simple ode to the struggles we all face with the difference between what we plan and how things turn out. It's about turning the corner from spending every day dragging the past behind you as a weight, to making the past a part of your life and letting it help carry you forward. “How It Is” might not be one of Rush's more popular songs, but it is one of Peart's more heartfelt lyrics.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room March 26, 2007: Nirvana, Joan Jett, Paul Westerberg, Genesis, Queen

Josh Hathaway — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 23:06:47 EDT

Much excitement as we return The Listening Room to it's standard Monday time slot. Much excitement as we welcome a first-time contributor to this week's installment. Much excitement because as I skim this week's entries, I see a lot of great music worth listening to and discussing. These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.DJRadiohead: "Milk It" from In Utero by Nirvana“Milk It” uses nearly every element of the Nirvana playbook. The soft/loud dynamic is used. Sonically, producer Steve Albini's fingerprints seem to be all over this song. The detuned guitars have that very In Utero ambiance. Cobain's guitar doesn't exactly create a melody during the verse, nor does it serve the rhythm. Instead it plinks out nonsensical notes, bathed in the glorious Albini effect. In addition to loving the guitar sounds Cobain and Albini crafted together, Krist Novoselic's bass has the gorgeous boom and buoyancy to it. I might be alone in this, but I find it brilliant that Kurt Cobain could toss out a line like “Look on the bright side of suicide” with a mix of fury, menace, and humor. Cobain tosses out a string of contradictory lines that sound like nonsense on the surface and a few biting or funny one liners. You don't have to reinvent the wheel when you have a great formula and a great song. “Milk It” is not a lead song, it's a supporting one. It isn't the reason In Utero is a great album, but In Utero wouldn't be great without it.Connie Phillips: "We Will Rock You" from Queen Greatest Hits by QueenLast weekend I accompanied my daughter and other members of her Pony Club to this year's Quiz Rally – A knowledge based competition between all the clubs in the Great Lakes Region. Quiz Rally is much like any other academic competition, except it's a test of horse knowledge. As with most USPC events, part of the process is to teach the kids to work together and perform as a team while having a healthy competitive spirit.As "our girls" stood outside one of the rooms, waiting for their next phase in the contest, they started the familiar rhythmic Stomp stomp clap! Stomp Stomp Clap! before breaking into the first verse of "We Will Rock You" proving to me it's a timeless and classic song of rivalry. However, like many songs that are associated with sporting events, the lyrics and rhythms are such they get stuck in your head and you find yourself still singing them a week later.Sterfish: "Nothing Like This" from Ruff Draft by J. DillaThe title of this song really describes it. Every time I listen to it, it amazes me just how unusual it is. Despite a rough, gritty sound filled with distortion, it is really a sweet love song. Dilla doesn't quite rap on this song and he doesn't quite sing either. The beat has Dilla's always excellent drums but features a trippy, warped beat that reveals itself to (possibly) be country in origin by the end. It sounds like it shouldn't add up to a great song at all but in Dilla's hands, it does. Maybe that's why I like it so much. It defies a lot of conventions. It's sad that, as far as I know, Dilla never made another song quite like it.Pico: "Korn Dutch" from Live In Tokyo by LettuceNothing works better at getting a Friday afternoon attitude on a Monday morning than some James Brown inspired funk-jazz jams. And who better than to provide those jams than a supergroup consisting of Soulive's keyboard player and guitarist along with John Scofield's drummer from Uberjam, Adam Deitch? It's played live, which is how jam music is meant to be played. "Korn Dutch" contains just enough interesting chord changes to take the tune beyond the generic and offers plenty of solo space. Eric Krasno in particular rips on guitar. The JB-like horns add the cherry to the sundae.Mark Saleski: "Bad Reputation" from Bad Reputation by Joan JettYou might be shocked to learn that TheWife™ has a favorite television show: American Chopper. The only way this can be explained, since neither of us gives one hoot about motorcycles, is that she thinks one of the Teutels is hot... I do NOT want to know which one. Seriously.Anyhoo, the show has been using "Bad Reputation" in a promo. I'd seen it a bunch of times and my weakness for old power pop/punk took hold.Honestly, this song, in all of its Runaways/Ramones goodness, just can't be turned up too loud.Mat Brewster: "Knockin' On Mine" by Paul Westerberg from 14 SongsI got this album from the $3 bin from my favorite local record shop back in high school. It stayed in heavy rotation in my car for months, and started my long lived love affair with the Replacements. The record starts with a flash and a bang on this song, and I must admit I spent many years after owning it, trying not to be first to laugh, as to prove I, as Paul sings, "didn't get the joke."It's been ages since I gave it a listen, but for whatever reason I pulled it off the shelf earlier this week, and it's been making me all nostalgic and happy ever since.Glen Boyd: "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" from Wolfgang's Vault by Genesis.So I guess I'm going to cheat and do this two weeks in a row, since I got away with it last week. The thing is that as long as Wolfgang's Vault keeps adding shows like this on a regular basis, I simply can't help myself. What we have here--again newly added to the Concert Vault just this week -- is an ultra rare live performance of the complete Lamb Lies Down On Broadway rock opera from Peter Gabriel and Genesis.Recorded at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA on 01/24/1975, this has long been considered to be the holy grail for fans of the prog-rock, pre Phil Collins era Genesis. Collins is still here of course, behind the drums where in my personal opinion is the place he really belongs in this particular group.The recording here is absolutely incredible, and on songs like "Hairless Heart" and "The Lamia," the musical nuances -- particularly those between keyboardist Tony banks and guitarist Steve Hackett -- will simply make you melt in your seat. For those who can't afford the version on the pricey Genesis Archives 1967 - 1975 box-set, this truly is the Grail.Michael Jones: "All These People" from Oh My Nola by Harry Connick, Jr.For his latest musical offering, Harry Connick, Jr. went back to the studio and recorded two albums meant to pay tribute to his hometown, as well as to serve notice that all thoughts of New Orleans do not have to be sorrowful. Instead, he offers the ideals of hope, history, love, and understanding. Of course, as those of us from Louisiana are want to do, he added a lil' bit of Langiappe to his albums, by making sure they were just as equally filled with beautiful music as they were with beautiful intentions..The song I've found myself listening to over and over, a stunner of a track entitled "All These People," comes off of the more lyrical of the two releases, Oh My Nola. Blessed with additional vocals from Gospel legend Kim Burrell, the song (one of only four Connick-penned originals on the album) is just this wonderful slow-burner of a musical elegy dealing with the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I just... well, let's just say that I just love everything about this song, all at the same time that I mourn the thing that inspired it.As a side note, the companion album to Oh My Nola, the mainly instrumental Chanson du Vieux Carre, is an amazing album in its own right. If you have the chance and opportunity, buy both albums and sit back with your headphones and visit the music of Harry Connick's (and my own) heritage.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room March 20, 2007: Jerry Cantrell, Amy Winehouse, Brand New and Giant

Josh Hathaway — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:00:03 EDT

A day late and... a day late. I've got nothing. It was bound to happen sooner or later, that a weekly edition of The Listening Room would slip from Monday to Tuesday. I have a good excuse this week. You can read my excuse and consider it a supplement to this very installment of The Listening Room. Your compliance is appreciated.These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.DJRadiohead: "Psychotic Breakdown" from Degradation Trip Vol. 1 & 2 by Jerry CantrellI guess that tells you everything you need to know about my mental state of the last week then, doesn't it? Alice in Chains fans know how much Jerry Cantrell meant to the sound of the band, but it is almost scary to listen to tracks like this. Jerry will never be able to fully summon Layne Staley's vocal powers, but he can mimic them a bit and he does on this song. Layne's energy is certainly lurking here and Jerry has rarely sounded better. His layered, detuned vocals and detuned guitars have an integrity and power the nu-metal clones that followed never got right. "Psychotic Breakdown" would have been hugely popular if it had appeared on an AiC record. Mark Saleski: "Rehab" from Back To Black by Amy Winehouse.I've had two musical whiplash experiences recently caused by seeing performances on the television. The first was due to Lily Allen and her appearance on Saturday Night Live. She played "Smile" and my reaction was something like: What The Hell Was THAT?!Similarly, I caught Amy Winehouse on David Letterman's Late Show. Out comes a woman with a straight-lined dress, heels, giant hair and mega-makeup. I have no idea what this is going to sound like. She launches into "Rehab" and I am transfixed. With a big 'ole horn section and backup singers, Winehouse sounds like the evil side of Diana Ross. Or Something.Michael Jones: "Sowing Season" from The Devil and God are raging inside me. by Brand NewFor weeks I'd been staring at this interesting looking cd cover, only to shake my head and decide not to purchase it. I'd never heard of the band, you see, and buying it simply because I thought the cover was interesting... weird, right? Eventually, I caved (the relatively low price helped) and bought it. I'm so glad I did.The music enwrapped in the artwork has turned out to be one of the best I've heard so far, this year. Dark lyrics, gorgeous melodies that rise and fall at the whim of whatever emotion the song is trying to channel, all serve to make this a complicated and complete album. That's a rare word, these days."Sowing Season" starts off with this slow and melancholy give and take with the vocals and a soft guitar melody, only to explode into this heavy crunch of emotion and sound. Sure, there is nothing new about having dynamics in a song, but such things are standards because they truly work when they're done correctly. Brand New, on "Sowing Season," without a doubt, has it down pat. Just a killer opening track to a wonderful album.Ian Woolstencroft "Innocent Days" from Last of the Runaways by GiantThis is a prime slice of classic 80’s hard rock, all big guitars and big choruses (not to mention big hair). At it's heart is Dann Huff, providing both screeching guitar and emotive vocals.Picking a track from Giant’s debut wasn’t easy, it’s packed full of great songs but this one kind of summed up my feelings. This album and others like it were the soundtrack to my late teens/early twenties, a time when anything seemed possible. “These are the innocent days” sings Dann Huff and you know what? He was right.Glen Boyd: "Live At CBGB's New York, NY 08/11/1979" from Wolfgang's Vault by The Patti Smith Group.So I'm not sure if this really qualifies for The Listening Room or not, but this week an amazing show from Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Patti Smith was added over at Wolfgang's Vault, and I can't stop listening to it.Starting off with an incredible reading of "Land" from Horses that segues seamlessly into "Land of 1000 Dances", Patti and the boys are extremely loose throughout this two hour set. The best parts come toward the middle with a four song sweep that begins with "Dancing Barefoot," moves quickly through "Space Monkey" and "Privilege" from Easter and then winds up with a ferocious "25th Floor," which finds the band sounding particularly muscular. There are also several choice covers here, ranging from John Lennon's "Cold Turkey" to the Yardbirds "For Your Love" (with Lenny Kaye on lead vocals!). The Patti Smith Group of this period was renowned for it's live performances, and this one is no exception.Anna Creech: "Prisoner of War" from Life Beneath The Sun by Michelle MangioneBy the time I finish reviewing a CD, I usually have one or two songs that I keep coming back to over the next few days and weeks. The most recent is Michelle Mangione's "Prisoner of War." The song begins minimally with an acoustic guitar and Mangione's voice, backed with a little bit of accordion. As the song shifts into the chorus, a little percussion is added, and then electric guitar. The build-up of instrumentation is classic acoustic pop-rock, and it does a good job of following the lyrical ebbs and flows. Every time this song comes around on shuffle, my ears perk up and I can't stop bobbing my head along with the beat. The whole album is good, but for some reason the combination of lyrics and music keeps drawing me back to this track in particular.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room March 12, 2007: Watermelon Slim & The Workers, In Theory, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Dwight Yoakam

Josh Hathaway — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 23:26:01 EDT

If I had been forward thinking, I would have tried to be in the mood to listen to something from one of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. As it turns out, none of us had that kind of synergy or forethought going. Still, we have one of the more diverse collections of songs to grace this series since its inception and that doesn't suck. These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you. DJRadiohead: “Black Water” from The Wheel Man by Watermelon Slim & The WorkersI told you in the Blues Round Up that Watermelon Slim's new disc, The Wheel Man, is in stores April 17. There is nothing about having connections that doesn't rule. I got an advance of Slim's new album and I listened to it from beginning to end three times within the first 12 hours of having it in my possession.His current self-titled release leads all BMA's in nominations with six. The Wheel Man might actually be a stronger album! I don't want to tease too much of my upcoming review, but here is the quick skinny: the best songs from the self-titled record might be a bit better than what's on The Wheel Man, but this new album is a more consistent listen from beginning to end.As I write this, I am listening to “Black Water.” There are some really cool songs with that title. Charlie Musselwhite's unbelievably good Delta Hardware has a great song by that name, Meat Puppets have a good one, and then there is the Doobie Brothers' classic. Add this cut by Watermelon Slim to that list by pre-ordering a copy of The Wheel Man. This is easily going to be one of the best blues releases of 2007.Connie Phillips: "New Medication" from This is It by In TheoryI've been listening to In Theory's soon-to-be-released This is It in preparation to feature them as an upcoming Band of the Week. They have a modern rock and mainstream pop sound, and their first single, "New Medication" is extremely catchy. Inspired by a friend's struggle with alcoholism, it's ambiguous enough to be open to interpretation and could be a wake-up call for anyone suffering a loss and trying to self-medicate. It's a polished and solid-rocking track, and just a slice of what promises to be a break-out record.Mat Brewster: "Easy Plateau" from 06/03/05 by Ryan Adams and the CardinalsSounding more electric, more rock, and more like the Grateful Dead than the countrified version on Cold Roses, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals kick out the jams to open this astounding show in Clifton Park, NY. Every instrument is crisp, and clear, and turning like a well oiled machine, which is pretty spectacular considering the the band has only been playing together for less than a year. People have killed for less magnanimous openings.The rest of the show aint bad either.Tom Johnson: "Hyperballad" from Trio by Wasilewski/Kurkiewicz/Miski Having installed some new speakers in my truck, and having spent far too much time doing so, I needed to take a drive to both pick up dinner and test out the speakers. Frustrated and tired, I also just needed to get out and not think about anything for a little while.Choosing just the right music with which to try out those new speakers isn't easy, but after a few songs, I settled on just the right one, a cover of Bjork's "Hyperballad" by this nearly unpronouncable Polish trio. Freed of vocals, the tune here allows the band to emphasize the underlying melodic beauty while maintaining some room for them to explore. Of course, for my needs at the time, it sounded gorgeous, but most of all, it simply soothed my tool- and stress-weary nerves. Ian Woolstencroft: "Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)" from Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room by Dwight YoakamThis is just about the perfect country song. It’s got all the right ingredients – love, betrayal and murder. A sparse production really shows off Dwight’s vocals and Pete Anderson’s guitar provides excellent accompaniment. Yoakam’s nasal twang may be an acquired taste but it’s hard to imagine anyone else singing this tale of a scorned husband’s revenge on his philandering wife. All very un-PC of course but then so many of the best country songs are.Glen Boyd: "Untouchables" from Livin' Like Hustlers by Above The LawBefore gangsta rap became the commoditized, made for mass consumption product (and subsequent convoluted mess) that it is today, it's earliest records from the mid to late eighties could be great little lessons in musicology. On many of these original West Coast jams--especially those produced by Dr. Dre--you could find little snippets of everyone from Sly and The Family Stone to Ramsey Lewis, sandwiched in between all the rhymes about pimpin' hos and poppin' caps.On this track from the Dre produced debut album from Above The Law, rapper Cold187um rhymes about his hustling skills comparing himself and his crew to the "Untouchables" of the original Chicago gangster era, backed by this great jazz version of "Light my Fire" by ---? And that's the question. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out where this jazzy version of "Light My Fire" used by Dre and ATL came from ever since I pulled it out of the CD rack earlier this week. It's also been used as a music bed during bits on the Howard Stern Show.So this is as much of a query as it is a recommendation. Can someone help me identify this? This one's for all you BC jazz buffs. Saleski?Pico: “Strange Meadowlark” from Pink Elephant Magic by Joanne BrackeenMy ears perked up at the opening notes of this song: it's long been my favorite composition from the Dave Brubeck Quartet's all-world Time Out lp and it's probably the most overlooked. Brackeen goes solo piano on it (which is what Dave did for the first minute or so on the original, anyway) and gives the beautifully lilting waltz a heartfelt rendering.Brackeen herself has been inexplicably unnoticed. Her note-perfect interpretation of “Strange Meadowlark” is the kind of reward awaiting the curious for digging just a little bit beyond the big names and the big songs in jazz.Michael Jones: "Hourglass" from Internal Revolution by Diecast.Until seeing them open for Sevendust last Friday I'd never heard of Diecast. After seeing them tear up the stage, though, I found myself rushing to the merchandise booth in order to pick up their cd. By the time it took me to work through the line, amazingly, Paul Stoddard (the lead singer) was there signing autographs. Very cool, right?Even cooler is the fact that I've been spinning my autographed copy of Internal Revolution nearly non-stop since that night. For a band relatively new to the spotlight that opening for Sevendust will shine upon them, Diecast is an amazingly tight and talented band. Stoddard's voice screams and soars over the dual guitar attack of Jonathan Kita and Kirk Kolaitis while Dennis Pavla (drums) and Brad Horion (bass) hold down a fierce rhythm section.Of all the songs on the album, however, "Hourglass" has become my favorite. Fueled by a chugging guitar attack, Stoddard's lyrical assault on the idea of how living forever and watching the world decay is not such a good thing, is flat-out wonderful rock and roll thriving out on the metal edge. Great song on a great album, period.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room March 5, 2007: Jarvis Cocker, Josh Groban, Mike Keneally, Billy Bragg & Wilco, Nick Lowe

Josh Hathaway — Mon, 5 Mar 2007 16:13:08 EST

It's a whole new month in The Listening Room. What a perfect excuse to refresh your iPods with some new music. Perfect may be overstating things a bit. It is as much an excuse as I would ever need. Do you need some suggestions? We've got them.These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.DJRadiohead: "Running the World" from Jarvis by Jarvis Cocker I was very late to the Pulp party, to the point where I am only now buying their proper albums. I have been listening to This is Hardcore and We Love Life over and over. I recently got a copy of the UK-only solo album from frontman Jarvis Cocker, Jarvis as well as Pulp's Different Class (Deluxe Edition).Among the many wonderful songs on Jarvis is a song I am now claiming as my official mantra for a new political party I am forming. It's a little "lefty" for me but it reflects my anti-authority leanings. The BBC banned this song. It should also be noted, friends, that it uses a word that means very different things in the US and the UK. Jarvis is using it in the UK sense. A. Hathaway: “Machine” from Awake by Josh GrobanGuilty pleasure week. Actually, I haven't been listening to anything until Friday night. But, I put the song on repeat and listened to it five or six times so maybe that makes up for Sunday through Thursday.A departure from what he usually belts. Has much more of a pop feel to the song. A little fast paced. I didn't like it at first, but as this type of thing usually goes, it grew on me. I know Josh Groban isn't for everyone. Well, unless you are female and between the ages of 12 and 55. I have a feeling most people, fan or not, wouldn't like this song -- but I do. So there!Pico: "Draconian Blump" from Nonkertompf by Mike KeneallyOut of a true grab bag of spontaneous, totally instrumental ideas -- "songs" makes it sound too well-formed -- comes a track that's highly reminiscent of Miles' In A Silent Way-era experimentations. It's more amazing when you consider that this wasn't a bunch of seasoned musicians getting together to bounce ideas off each other; Keneally played all the instruments and dubbed them together. While Mike is better known as a shredder (he was a stunt guitarist for Zappa), his guitar here is pure pre-Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. Not even Johnny Mac himself plays such incisive guitar like that anymore and it's a pity.It ends all too abruptly at four minutes; you wouldn't expect Davis' trumpet to enter for another six or seven minutes.Mat Brewster: “California Stars” from Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg and WilcoI spent most of this past week lying on my back, with a nasty stomach virus. My mind was too fuzzy to read, and daytime television makes me nauseated on healthy days, so I spent some very quality time with the iPod.The entire Billy Bragg/Wilco collaboration is a marvelous, eclectic thing And with it’s dreamy lyrics and bright pillowy music, how could I not listen to “California Stars” ad repetum? It just makes you feel better.Lisa McKay: "(I Love The Sound Of) Breaking Glass" from Basher by Nick LoweI first became aware of Nick Lowe via his role as producer of some of Elvis Costello's best albums (including the flawless This Year's Model) and the author of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding", one of Costello's signature tunes that remains a staple of his live performances. In his own right, Lowe, with his roots in Brit pub rock, is a master of the three-minute pop song. This album is a really nice survey of the highlights of Lowe's career from the mid-'70s through the '80s. Full of brisk, incisive, and often humorous lyrics hung on catchy hooks, this is pop music at its unsentimental and uncomplicated best. Basher contains a whopping 25 tunes, and there's not a loser among them. This track is one of my favorites.Tom Johnson: "I See You" from Hereby Adrian BelewA coworker of mine has a band that has set out with a specific goal: to avoid the influence of the Beatles. Obviously, he can't be the first musician to attempt such a thing, but it's a noble effort. I just wonder if it really matters.It doesn't matter to my daughter, that's for sure. Driving along one day, with Adrian Belew's 1994 masterpiece Here playing, I looked in mirror to find her gently swaying to this oh-so-Beatlesesque tune. In her big car seat, she rocked from side to side while gazing out the rear windows to the sound of Adrian and his spot-on Lennon imitation.So, no, I'm not convinced it matters if a band is obviously copping from the Beatles – and, in fact, sometimes the world just needs more of that.Michael Jones: "Nothing Left Inside" from My War by Black Flag"Nothing Left Inside" is slow, churning, and brutally raw. While I'm a huge fan of Henry Rollins and the varied incarnations of the Rollins Band, I don't think he has ever bested the slow ponderous inferno of emotions that he wore on his sleeve during the recording of My War."Nothing Left Inside" sounds like what I'd imagine a therapy session for a child of Black Sabbath and the Misfits would sound like... That's if you could ever contain such a child long enough to get it to sit down and talk to someone, as opposed to kneeling down in the middle of the street and growling at the world.Great song from a band that imploded way too soon.Brian Garrepy: "500 Channels" from No Gods, No Managers(1999) by Choking VictimSpawned not only from listening to Choking Victim for a good portion of the week but also from an excerpt from Bill O'Reily's radio show on 96.9 Talk as well as an article posted on this here website;Citizen Fish, 500 ChannelsIs a powerful and catchy track that attacks the ideology of narcissism and low self-esteem. Or in layman's terms, Highs and Lows to the extreme.But, not to exclude their overall message about corruption and the evil that lies in this country's power to oppress the masses with war and greed and constant references to drugs. Also, let's not forget that it may also imply that your local cable company sucks and that watching that many channels can ultimately lead you to having a shallow existence.Now, Don't get me wrong, I love the Choking Victim! Their music was impressive, especially for a scene that was about to be watered down with all the mainstream pop-punk. But, I don't necessarily subscribe to all their beliefs and that's fine because music isn't always about following trends or leaders.Ian Woolstencroft: "Yakuza Girls" from The Last Wave Of Summer by Cold ChiselSome bands get back together merely to make a ton of cash and no doubt this was also a consideration when Australian rockers Cold Chisel reunited to produce The Last Wave of Summer in 1995. Still the ensuing album can hold its head up high in the company of classics like Circus Animals and East.Of course it would still have been a worthwhile venture if the only decent song produced was this crude, lewd stomper. While not the greatest song they’ve ever recorded, its 2min 25sec of blistering rock is the kind of thing Jimmy Barnes was born to bawl out.It transports us to a sleazy bar and gives us the guided tour; you’ll enjoy the visit (although you may want to get checked out by the doctor afterwards). “Who’s that haulin’ on a rubber glove/Yakuza girls and their lookin’ for love” so you’d better beware these “chicks of doom”.Cara de Pescado: "Dirty Magazine" from More B.S. by Bree SharpBree Sharp doesn’t have the world’s most refined voice, but that is what makes “Dirty Magazine” so much fun. She sings “some girls got class and some girls got dreams” but all she wants is to “be in a dirty magazine.” Something about her slight twang and rawness in her voice adds to her embracing her inner white trash with the attitude of a bad girl doing what she wants. The catchy beat and sophisticated yet witty lyrics make “Dirty Magazine” one of my favorite songs. And yes, it makes me want to be in a dirty magazine too.Glen Boyd: “Future Games” from Future Games by Fleetwood MacBefore there was Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, there was Bob Welch and Danny Kirwan, and before them there was the real engine which drove the originally blues based boat that was Fleetwood Mac in the form of the great Peter Green. There is a history lesson in there somewhere that I absolutely promise will be the subject of one of my future "Rockologist" columns, but for now, I've found myself grooving to stuff from the era when Welch helmed this band creatively speaking.There's a ton of great songs from this era which are great -- "Hypnotized" to name the single most noteworthy of them. But Welch's haunting vocal on this one, with the great lyrics of "you invent the future that you want to face," just really stick out for me.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room February 26, 2007: Pulp, Lily Allen, Anders Osbourne, Simply Red, and Iggy Pop

Josh Hathaway — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:07:44 EST

We had a lively discussion in The Listening Room last week, so lively it has brought BC Magazine a new writer and a new series. The discussion I refer to is whether or not we, the listeners of this room, should be trying to champion more obscure music with our selections. My answer to that is yes and no.There may be some of our participants who are using this forum as a crusade to spread the word about a favorite album or artist and they will not rest until we have all gotten on board. Some of us are using this as a vehicle to talk about music we love, damn the torpedoes. Some of us might be doing both at the same time. Some of us might take one approach one week, the other the next. Some of us simply aren't thinking about this that much and aren't taking ourselves so seriously. That is the beauty of panel discussions. We are all bringing our own vibe to the discussion. Speaking of discussions, thanks to everybody who has stopped in and commented in these first installments. These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.DJRadiohead "The Fear" from This is Hardcore by PulpThis is "Our Music From a Bachelor's Den"The sound of loneliness turned up to 10A horror soundtrack from a stagnant water bed, and it sounds just like this:This is the sound of someone losing the plotMaking out that they're OK when they're notYou're gonna like it, but not a lot" The powers that be will be thrilled to see my big lyric blockquote, but I felt I had to do it. That's almost as great an opening to an album as "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste." This, boys and girls, is how you make an entrance. That opening salvo is paired with a brilliant use of overblown, overwrought, goth-flavored horror music. The keyboards sound like the ones you remember hearing when Scooby-Doo went into the haunted houses, the backing vocals shriek and wail, and guitars are made to sound like harpsichords. I was very late to the Pulp party. In fact, I didn't buy my first Pulp CD until after Jarvis Cocker had pulled the plug on them. I am now playing catchup, importing these wonderfully-remastered deluxe editions of their best albums. I have Jarvis' solo record and Pulp's Different Class on the way. I have a feeling you will be hearing about them again next week.Mark Saleski: "LDN" from Alright, Still by Lily AllenAh the sweet Caribbean breezes, the sparky horns, the lilting melodies, the crack whores, and the muggings. What?! Yes, I had heard nothing about Lily Allen until her recent appearance on Saturday Night Live. There's just something about a pretty girl in a party dress tossing these images against such happy music. This song does spend its time in the ugly side of London, but it has what might be the catchiest pop song chorus ever written. I am powerless to resist.Pico: "Ash Wednesday Blues" from Ash Wednesday Blues by Anders OsbourneThere's a lot of songs about Mardi Gras, here's one about the day after (and so appropriate as I listen to it on this February 21).In a New Orleans-themed album that ranges in sound from The Band to Dr. John to the Subdudes, the title song is a quiet, introspective number accompanied by just a piano and an organ lurking ever so subtley. Both the mood and Osbourne's singing reminds me a lot of Billy Joel's "She's Got A Way". And that's not a bad reminder at all. Michael Jones: "They Don't Know" from Stay by Simply RedOver the past few days I've been listening to an advance copy of Simply Red's Stay, which is slated for release on April 3rd. I'll admit that the biggest reason I found myself wanting to review this album is the strong feelings of nostalgia I get when I think of Mick Hucknell's voice. Songs such as "Holding Back The Years," "Money's Too Tight To Mention" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now" are musical stepping stones along the path of some of my most treasured memories.So, imagine my surprise when I first popped Stay into my stereo, and found it to be something new, vibrant, and decidedly not something nostalgic. Sure, Hucknell's voice is just as wonderful as it ever was, but these songs are just as strong as anything Simply Red has ever released. My favorite song, and the one that's been in heaviest repeat on my iPod, "They Don't Know" just has this wonderful throwback sound to everything that is good and right in the world of soul music. It's just a beautiful song that gives my heart goose-bumps.Anywho, that's what's spinning in my ears the most, lately.Cara de Pescado: "Wishful Thinking" from The Ditty Bops by The Ditty BopsThe Ditty Bops are a California duo playing a mix of swing, folk, bluegrass, jazz, and ragtime that makes it impossible to not sashay alongside. Think Andrews Sisters singing They Might Be Giants or The Beatles singing Broadway Jazz numbers and you might get a pretty close mental picture of this duo fun enough to land a major label contract after only eight public shows. The foot-tapping melody of “Wishful Thinking” may lack deep or philosophical lyrics, but it does summon a feeling straight out of the Roarin’ Twenties. It may not be the world’s greatest song, but it sure is a happy ditty. Glen Boyd: "I Wanna Be Your Dog" from TV Eye (1977 Live) by Iggy PopThis morning I scored tickets to see Iggy And The Stooges (everyone else was tripping over themselves to get Police tickets), and brothers and sisters, I am stoked. So do you think I celebrated by dusting off my copy of Raw Power? Nope. I went straight to TV Eye, the live album recorded during the 1977 tour he did with Bowie on keyboards right around the time Lust For Life came out. Much as I love the original Stooges (and can't wait to actually see them live), the band heard on this performance combines the Stooges well, "Raw Power", with razor sharp musical chops cleverly disguised as sheer, unbridled punk-rock energy.Iggy is one of the few guys in music who can couple lines like "I'm so messed up, I want you here" with "Now I Wanna Be Your Dog" and make you actually believe it. The last time I saw him in the eighties, he was banned from playing in Seattle by starting a near riot with members of the audience storming the stage and tipping over the P.A. columns. Maybe this time around, I'll actually get to hear the band. Either way, I can't wait.Anna Creech "IKEA" from Smoking Monkey by Jonathan CoultonI saw Jonathan Coulton last night in Seattle, and leading up to and after the show, I've had a variety of his songs on rotation in my mental jukebox. He played all of them at the show except one, which was a slight disappointment because I love the song "IKEA" almost as much as I love the furniture. Like most of his tunes, it's lyrically witty and easy on the ears. (You can download it for free from his website, but do consider chipping in a buck for it anyway).

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .

The Listening Room February 19, 2007: Guster, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Bowling for Soup, Autechre, Rickie Lee Jones, Ben Kweller, and Sly And The Family Stone

Josh Hathaway — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:42:19 EST

Welcome to The Listening Room, your weekly survey of what your BC Magazine writers have been listening to for the past week. This week's mix of styles is a little more diverse than last week's, likely attributable to the fact we have more writers than ever taking part. I think I am going to have to ask management for bigger facilities.These may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you. DJRadiohead: "Satellite" from Ganging Up on the Sun by Guster I know... I'm on about Guster again. There is an actual reason for this, and it's something I will get in to in more detail in the coming days. I wrote about this song specifically in August of last year. I don't have much to add to what I said then, other than it's five months later and it still has the same traction, the same pull as it did then. I know some of you are tired of my Guster cheerleading, but if you haven't checked out Ganging Up on the Sun, you really are missing out something wonderful. A. Hathaway: "Whatever I Fear" from Coil by Toad The Wet Sprocket "Whatever I fear the most is whatever I see before me. Whenever I let my guard down. Whatever I was ignoring." Words I could live by. Words that describe how I have lived. Even before I ever heard this song. In June of 1998, I first heard "Whatever I Fear" by Toad the Wet Sprocket. I immediately connected with both the sound and the lyrics. I still do each time I listen to it - which has been most of this week. If I had to pick a theme song for my life, then this one is it. Now that I have exposed my insecurities for the mocking pleasure of cyberspace I will go on to say that if you can't relate to this song on some level, then I have to wonder if you have a pulse. Connie Phillips (Music Editor): "Belgium" from Let's Do It For Johnny by Bowling for Soup When I get stressed out I have a whole playlist of music I play to turn my mood around; much of it is comprised of Bowling for Soup. Though I'll usually turn to the outrageous and fun, this week I've found myself going back to "Belgium" over and over again. You wouldn't know it by the title, but it's actually a sweet love song. "And now you’re halfway around the world/and I’m just a day behind/Nothing seems to fill the hole/That I have since you left my side." Not typical fare for these guys, but the mellow sound and the underlying theme of real love and desire has been just what I needed to hear. Tom Johnson: "Augmatic Disport" from Untilted by Autechre It's the abstract rhythms in the electronic chaos that Autechre creates that draws me in. The beat lurches back and forth, fighting with itself, as if two drum machines are dueling over time. This is impossible dance music – no sane person could find a beat to center themselves around here, or, if they did, it would make for something humorous. There are stabs of synth here and there, but the focus is on time and how it competes with itself for the little sensible space our minds can allow. The listener's payoff comes when bits of rhythmic predictability set in, little by little - chaos resolving slowly to order, layers of fragmenting drums giving way to a steady pulse. Left with a simple beat for what seems like an eternity, it's something oddly soothing and predictable from a group who so rarely offers anything of the sort. Mark Saleski: "Nobody Knows My Name" from The Sermon On Exposition Blvd. by Rickie Lee Jones The initial idea was to create a musical and spoken word recording based on Lee Cantelon's book The Words, a "plain English" rendering of the words of Jesus Christ. Rickie Lee Jones was brought in to read from a few chapters and managed to completely transform the entire project. Jones' idea was to improvise her part, based on the selected text, over the given musical track. "Nobody Knows My Name" was the first result and it is stunning. Over a steady (almost Velvet Underground-ish) chord progression, Rickie sings out the idea of an anonymous Christ walking on earth. Pretty amazing stuff, even for a non-believer. Mat Brewster: "I Gotta Move" from Ben Kweller by Ben Kweller I really thought I would be talking about a new Lucinda Williams song, but through a series of mis-adventures (wondered around the big multi-mart looking for Valentine's Day gift, but for some crazed, unknown reason forgot all about the new LW album; went back to the store the next morning specifically to purchase, and forgot my wallet) I am still without the new Lucinda album. Instead I've been giving the relatively new Ben Kweller album repeated listens. I didn't pay much attention to it at first, but dang, it's crazy catchy. The whole dang album keeps sucking me in, but "I've Gotta Move" has been stuck in my head for days now. I wish it were summer so I could play with the windows down, cranked to 11. Lisa McKay: "Don't Take Me Alive" from The Royal Scam by Steely Dan I could listen to Steely Dan all day at work (and I often do). That sounds as if I'm calling them purveyors of elevator music, but that's not really what I mean. I love Steely Dan, and part of their appeal for me, especially for workday listening, is the way their music can just insinuate itself into the back of your mind without constantly pawing at your elbow for attention. The Royal Scam is a swell album, full of the edge and sardonic humor that makes Becker and Fagen such fine company, and this track is simply one of my favorites. El Bicho: "Five Card Stud" by Lorne Green from Ricky Jay Plays Poker Magician Ricky Jay has collected 21 tracks of poker-related songs from a roster containing legendary musicians: Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline, Robert Johnson, and Anita O’Day. Yet, the highlight for me is by an artist who has also appeared on the infamous Golden Throats series of albums. Recorded during his tenure on the TV show Bonanza, he doesn’t sing so much as he talks his way through "Five Card Stud," the story about a poker showdown between a stranger and a young cowboy. It makes me yearn for The Dr. Demento Show. Anna Creech: "Can You Feel It?" from New Magnetic Wonder by The Apples In Stereo As I wrote in my album review this week, "...New Magnetic Wonder is a fantastic pop-rock record. 'Can You Feel It?' repeats the title of the song in the chorus and adds the line, 'It makes you feel so good.' It certainly makes me feel good when I listen to it...." From the electronica intro to the sing-along and totally rocked out chorus, every aspect of this song gives me aural pleasure. It has been a lovely bit of sunshine in this otherwise grey and overcast week. Glen Boyd: "Sex Machine" from Stand! by Sly And The Family Stone In anticipation of the upcoming re-release of Sly's entire catalog in a few weeks -- remastered with new tracks to boot -- I've been revisiting much of that catalog, but always seem to come back to Stand!. There is just no way to understate how important this band was for it's time. Sly And The Family Stone influenced an entire generation of funk-rockers from Earth Wind & Fire to Prince (whose concept of a multi-racial, multi-gender powerhouse band was first done by Sly with this very band). Stand! has plenty of better known songs than "Sex Machine," -- "I Want To Take You Higher" and "Everyday People" to name just two -- but this nearly side long, psychedelically wigged out instrumental shows just how tight this band really was. Anchored by Larry Graham's trademark bass-popping and some wild guitar work from brother Freddie Stone on the wah-wah (remember those?), the track builds in tension for nearly fourteen minutes before exploding in a crescendo of crashing drums and cacophonous horns at the end. If this don't get your groove on, nothing will. Also highly recommnded are a couple of live shows from the Fillmore recorded during about the same period that are available now over at Wolfgang's Vault that are off the hook. Cara de Pescado: “Walking In Memphis” from Marc Cohn by Marc Cohn First, who can’t appreciate a man who was shot in the head and released from the hospital the next day? Sometimes I feel nostalgic and want to listen to music from the early 1990s. “Walking In Memphis” always makes the cut. Something about a suave baritone voice singing over the smooth piano makes the song speak to my soul. Plus, it is fun to sing along and really find my groove. I can sing neither gospel nor blues, but “Walking In Memphis” lets me pretend I can sing a little of both. Knowing the story behind it adds to the soul of the song. Marc Cohn was at an old slave commissary turned into a café called Hollywood. A woman was at a piano, singing spirituals and the like. Cohn spoke with this woman, each sharing their live stories. Their two spirits drawn to each other, she asked Marc Cohn to join her in singing “Amazing Grace.” Her name was Muriel. Benjamin Cossel: "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" from Your Cheatin' Heart by Hank Williams Williams' final released single, no one at the time of its writing could have known the poignancy the song would take on. This is a song about living too hard, drinking too hard, and realizing there's only one way out at the end. A good Sunday morning, you drank too much the night before tune and one of my personal favorites of Williams'. Michael Jones: "All The Things She Said" from Once Upon a Time by Simple Minds I can remember playing the daylights out of my cassette tape of the album this comes off of. When I'd heard another of this album's songs playing on Sirius a while back, it immediately made me wonder why I'd never purchased this as a CD. I was floored... this was an album that I'd basically adored at one point, and I'd come to the point where I'd nearly forgotten it. I'm sitting here listening to the song I chose, "All The Things She Said," and it all came rushing back. I can remember sitting on my bedroom floor with my cassette player, just listening and grooving to the music until I heard that harsh "click," which meant it was time for me to flip the cassette. This is just a great song off of a great album, and it waltzed its way back into my life and heart by tempting me with the all powerful currency of memory. Now, s'cuse me while I close my eyes and remember asking my mom to borrow $10 to buy another copy of this cassette after I'd let the other one melt on the dash of her car one fine summer day... Brian Garrepy: "Blackout" from Leading Vision by Gorod In the spirit of breaking boundaries, pushing the envelope and pioneering a new era, technical death metal gurus Gorod have really stepped up with their latest installment, Leading Vision. In the same fashion as Opeth, they have shown their ability to journey through soundscapes that are not all that common to this genre while attaining a style that still has the soul and Human element to keep it from sounding clinical and sterile. The track "Blackout" is a great example from this CD that shows just how progressive they can be while still incorporating what has influenced them as death metal musicians. What draws me to them week in and week out is how they keep it fresh and exciting. Leading Vision as a whole doesn't drudge on and has enough twists and turns for the ADHD in all of us.

Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and publishes the BC Network site Confessions of a Fanboy .