• Rock

    Titus Andronicus at Coachella

    Can’t catch Titus Andronicus live any time soon? Here’s the next best thing – their full set at Coachella.
    Can’t git enough…

    Note about the video player – when you click the red arrow below, another page will launch with an annoying ad. Just close that window, come back here, and click the arrow again.

  • Live,  Punk,  Rock

    Recap: Titus Andronicus at the Rhythm Room

    It was a modest but passionate crowd that showed up at the Rhythm Room Monday night for New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus. The passion manifested itself early, as the group launched into “No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future”. When the drums kicked in, the crowd near the front of the stage erupted in a mosh frenzy, knocking around and into us, and making it clear this was gonna be a high energy show.

    Frontman Patrick Stickles commented often on the positive punk vibe, and he and his band did not let up for the next – I don’t know – 90 minutes? This was one of those shows where i was completely swallowed up in the spirit and energy, and didn’t check the clock – not even once. The music was explosive, angry, beautiful, and intense from start to finish. I was blown away.

    The songs came primarily from their two studio releases – songs like “Four Score and Seven”, “Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ”, “To Old Friends and New”, “The Battle of Hampton Roads” (a favorite), and of course “A More Perfect Union”. But they threw in a couple of punk covers: most notably “Racism Sucks”, a 7 Seconds song that was clearly directed at my state’s government – and rightly so. The second cover was UK punk band Sham 69’s “If the Kids Are United”, which they played for the encore .

    Mucho props to guitarist/violinist Amy Klein, who is one of the rockin-est (for lack of a better term) female guitarists I’ve ever seen live. She adds a great dynamic to the band, and rocks out fiercely with her male bandmates. She made it a point to tell the crowd it was her favorite show of the tour so far. She had one hell of a cheering section in front of her… a lot of fun to see the give and take.

    Titus Andronicus is live force right now. Yeah, they only have two studio albums to their name, and their band lineup is even more recent, together for just over a year. But as new as they are, they have something very cohesive and powerful. And that Patrick Stickles – the bearded, spirited front man with his primal growl… He’s laying it all out there – he’s hungry for it, and you can tell.

    In the summer of 2000, I saw Philly band Marah play a small, sweat soaked club in Tempe. They were also touring behind their second album, and I came away completely transformed – just jaw-droppingly floored by their energy and their ability to take control of a room.

    I had the same feeling last night when I walked out of the Rhythm Room. I made a beeline to the back door to shake Patrick’s hand and thank him for the show. Nights like this are few and far between…

    See. This. Band. http://titusandronicus.net/tourdates

     

  • Rock

    Here We Go Again…Again…

    Every couple of years it happens. Each time I think it will be different. My expectations are high and, as I listen, I lie to myself. “This is the one. It’s good. Finally, they are back.”

    But it’s not the one. It’s not good. And they aren’t back.

    Before we take a look at Collapse Into Now, the new disc from R.E.M, let’s briefly review their catalog and rate them on a 10 point scale.

    Chronic Town (1982)- Fun loving and brilliant first volley. 9
    Murmur (1983)-The timeless classic. 10
    Reckoning (1984)- The one that proved they had width of vision. One of the many soundtracks to my senior year. Goofed off with them at their Summer Fest show in Milwaukee in July 1984. My friend Matt wouldn’t give Michael Stipe any of his bbq ribs. Matt was very possessive of his food. 10
    Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)– Straddling the next level with authority. 9
    Life’s Rich Pageant (1986)– The “lost” underrated one. 8
    Document (1987)– Indie fame and more achieved. “End of the World” and “The One I Love” played endlessly in every dorm room everywhere for several generations of college students. 9
    Green (1988)-The calm (meaning they were still an alt college kept secret) before the storm. 8
    Out Of Time (1991)– Boom! 8
    Automatic For The People (1992)– Still Boom! Almost like Disc 2 of Out of Time. 7
    Monster (1995)– My favorite R.E.M. album. Why? Because it proved that they were still relevant and could grow beyond their signature sound. Such a great record. 10
    New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1997)– The beginning of the decline. 5
    Up (1998)– No. Absolutely not. Never. 2 (simply due to the warmth of the glow from the previous efforts).
    Reveal (2001)-A slight return…almost a tease but still a 6
    Around The Sun (2004)– And back to sleep again. 4
    Accelerate (2008)…into what exactly? More snoring? 4

    And that brings us to their latest disc. Again, we have critics saying this is their “Comeback” but in three years when their next disc comes out, this one will suck and that future one will be the “Comeback.”

    I don’t get Peter Buck. How can he make such a great record with Tired Pony and then go back to boring the shit out of me with a new R.E.M. album. Maybe they need a Brit in their band to make it right. More importantly, does Michael Stipe have anything relevant to say anymore? I don’t think so. In the 80s, he was so youthful and fun. R.E.M has such a different sound to everything that was coming out back then that is was so fresh and different. In the 90s, when they achieved “god like genius” status, they epitomized that decade. But that’s just it….they were (and still are) soooo 90s…the faux hippie shit…the “sharing time”…the film Point Break…in so many ways it was the suckiest decade. I know, I know….how can that be, Mark? With Blur, Oasis, The Verve, and Stereophonics all launching that decade? Well, those bands (and a few others) were my saving grace in a decade that truly gargled my balls from a sociocultural and contextual standpoint.

    And that’s why Collapse Into Now is another 4. “Überlin” is worth a download because it addresses the struggles of middle age. At least Stipe here is writing about things that matter and are relevant in the year 2011. And stylistically it does bring a hearty whiff back of the greatness that was once R.E.M. But the rest of the tracks aren’t really there at all.

    So, now we begin the countdown to the next album in around three years in which the same thing will happen all over again. Super!

  • Rock

    Yes, Please

    I was recently lost in thought about the state of Brit rock when I realized it was high time we had “THE NEXT BIG BAND FROM THE HOLY LAND.”

    Honestly, we haven’t had one since Friendly Fires in 2008 so I knew it was only a matter of time before NME started blowing loads of some new band. Of course, I always roll my eyes when they do this…for about a millisecond…and then I proceed to fully embrace whomever they are amping and blow my own mammoth load far more voluminous than they ever did.

    Which brings us to The Vaccines.

    Their first single (Wreckin’ Bar) is 1 minute and 24 seconds of pure, unadulterated fun. Upon hearing it, I felt the same things I felt when I heard “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor” by the Arctic Monkeys or “Eddie’s Song” by The Kooks. Their next single, “Post Break Up Sex,” made it official: these London lads are the real deal.

    Interestingly, they have a real sense of the history of rock and roll in their band. Taking part of the 1950s-Under-the-Boardwalk style of Glasvegas and making it their own, The Vaccines have a sound that propels you to time where broken hearts and hope chests ruled the lonely nights. “Blow it Up,” for example, sounds like a half speed surf tune for Atlantic City.

    Their first LP, What Did You Expect From the Vaccines, is out in the UK now with a stateside releaser later this spring. They will be opening for The Arctic Monkeys (!!!) on their tour in the US later this spring. I’ll be at the First Avenue show. Check out the video for Post Break Up Sex

  • Rock

    Titus Andronicus!

    Once in a while, a song comes along, lifts me up by the collar and slams me up against the wall. I had one of those moments with “A More Perfect Union”, the opener on the The Monitor, the latest record by New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus. The album/song start with a spoken word excerpt from an 1838 speech given by Abraham Lincoln – and when the guitars & drums crash in powerfully after the words “If destruction be our lot, we ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we will live forever, or die by suicide”, it’s off to the races.

    The band clearly comes from the same school of raw, raucous power as the Clash, Bruce Springsteen, the Pogues, and the like. And singer Patrick Stickles has an irreverent, raging vocal delivery that reminds me of Conor Oberst – and I like Conor a lot when he’s pissed off.

    The official video of “A More Perfect Union” skips the opening Lincoln intro, which is a shame, because it’s an integral piece of kicking the song into overdrive – from zero to sixty in a second. But you’ll get the vibe.

    The Monitor comes highly recommended. Buy it for $5 on Amazon. I did. If you’re with me here in Arizona, I’ll see you April 18th for their show at the Rhythm Room.

  • Rock

    Johnson!

    Many of my favorite artists sneak out albums and never tell me. Todd Rundgren is sadly no exception. Towards the end of last year, he released Todd Rundgren’s Johnson (snicker), a collection of his interpretations of Robert Johnson classics. The disc is very difficult to find (although a stateside release is planned for April 21st of this year) and is available only in New Zealand and some parts of Japan as well as the UK. Is it worth it?

    For die hard Todd fans like me, yes. No matter what Todd does, I’m going to like it. So he automatically gets a 6 if he just records himself breathing for 50 minutes. But that’s all the further the disc gets for me. Maybe it was because I was super excited that he was getting back to being the killer ax man that I know he’s always been or maybe it was Kasim Sulton playing bass on the record that got my hopes all high but, after several times through it, it’s just alright.

    His renditions are somewhat plodding and over produced. The guitar work is excellent and so is Kaz’s bass but most of the disc feels like it was recorded and performed by a hair band trying to be hip and cool. On a few tracks, there are simply too many effects and the instruments got washed out. Thankfully, his stunningly soulful voice is not drowned out and this is one of the albums saving graces.

    I love Todd and have seen him live more than any other performer on my faves list (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009…at total of 17 times) so it is with heavy heart that I again say–For Die Hard fans only.

  • Rock

    Life Without Noel

    When I first heard that Liam Gallagher was forming his own band after the acrimonious split with his brother Noel, I simply thought the new group would be a little above average. I winced when I heard the name of the band figuring that Liam must’ve spent one too many nights ’round the pub.

    His own songwriting within Oasis had blossomed, though, over the last couple of albums, turning out some really amazing songs (“Born on A Different Cloud”, “I’m Outta Time”) which, I know, sound a lot like John Lennon but so what? They are fucking good tunes, man.

    Taking all this into account, I still kept my hopes in check.  When I heard that the group would be comprised of the remaining Oasis members (Gem Archer, Andy Bell, Chris Sharrock), I still tried to tell myself that it would be just alright. After all, I’m such a geek for Brit rock that I felt that I at least had to try to be a little more discerning.Yet the thought of it basically being a super group with Bell (who was the center of a great Brit rock band of the 90s, Ride) and Sharrock (drummer for The La’s) did, I admit, raise my expectations a tiny amount.

    So, when the debut album from Beady Eye was finally released, even though I was making every effort to be level headed, I couldn’t help myself. I freaked out at how amazing it was right from the start and it’s totally not my fault. Because, folks, the album not only exceeded my expectations but is a complete curve ball. Why?

    It’s essentially a potpourri of everything that’s great about rock and roll: Heavy (“Four Letter Word”), Psychedelic and Beatle-y (“Millionaire”), John Lennonesque (“The Roller”, “The Beat Goes On”), Mod (“Beatles and Stones”), 70s Dripped Haze (“Wind Up Dream”), 50s Ballin’ (“Bring The Light”), Tiger Beat Love (“For Anyone”), Noel Like-yes Noel Like! (“Kill For A Dream”), AOR Borscht Belt Grist (“Standing on the Edge of the Noise”), The Upbeat Ballad (“Wigwam”), Pop Star Angst (“Three Ring Circus”), and the Reflective Show Closer (“The Morning Son”)…all wrapped up in one wonderful gift of an album.

    Who would’ve thought that baby brother would turn out such a tome to the gods of music? It’s sitting on top of my CD player right now next to the deluxe edition of Are You Experienced and, y’know, it fits in perfectly. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised considering he does come from the Holy Land.

    Beady Eye | Web Site | Buy Different Gear, Still Speeding

  • Rock

    The Airborne Toxic Event

    A Facebook friend recently recommended taking a listen to the Airborne Toxic Event. So I dialed up their only full-length studio album (self-titled) and took a run around the ‘hood. I was seriously impressed. It’s a little bit hard-edged in some places, some 80’s alternative influences in other areas. At points, I was hearing sounds that wouldn’t sound out of place done by the Gaslight Anthem or The Hold Steady.

    It’s simply a very enjoyable record front to back. Singer Mikel Jollett has a wide-ranging vocal ability that makes you question if you’re hearing the same person from song to song. And you are.

    Here’s a live version of the the album opener, the explosive “Wishing Well”. They had me right out of the gate with this tune.

    MP3: The Airborne Toxic Event – Wishing Well – live March 1st, 2008 in San Francisco

    Check out this album if you get a chance. I’m embedding the Rdio album here. You Rdio subscribers can kick back and enjoy the whole thing. Non-subscribers can hear the 30 second snippets (you should really just subscribe to Rdio though, just sayin’. At least check out the free trial and see how awesome it is.).

    Photo note: I’ll be damned if that drummer isn’t Ben Stiller’s character in Dodgeball.

  • Rock

    The Cars are Back [Video: “Blue Tip”]

    For those of us who grew up listening to The Cars, there’s something comforting about hearing Ric Ocasek’s voice and that vintage Cars sound here in the year 2011. After all, the last time they released an album of new music was 1987. Just a few things have changed in the time between.

    But reunited they have – all original members (minus bassist and occasional lead vocalist Benjamin Orr, who passed away in 2000 after a battle with pancreatic cancer). Their new album, titled Move Like This, will be released on May 10th, and the lead single and video, “Blue Tip”, is now out – and it has that unmistakeable Cars sound: the new wave/rock blend and the quirky vocals of Ric Ocasek (yep, still married to Paulina Porizcova, 26+ years now).

    Here’s “Blue Tip”:

  • Rock

    I’m Tired Joey Boy

    A beautiful Van Morrison tune (from Avalon Sunset), covered by Tom Petty. I’ve had this MP3 for years, and was surprised to find the video tonight on a spur of the moment search.

    Tom dedicates the song to Bill Graham, who had passed just a month earlier. “I’m Tired Joey Boy”, from November 23rd, 1991: