Saturday, February 25, 2012

Frankie Rose - Interstellar

Frankie was a member of the Dum Dum Girls, amoung other groups. As a drummer/vocalist she has played mostly with surf/noise-rock under the indie umbrella. This album shows that a producer can make all the difference. Not that I love it all, but it's clear that she's acheiving something more accessible and easier-listening. Reverb is cleaned-up. Vocals are echoed and double-tracked. And there are times when it seems that Frankie's trying to capture a St. Vincent vibe and others where it's cloer to Jane Weidlin.

If she wanted to hide the fact that she's a drumer, she's doing a good job of it. The songs are largely dream pop. An exception is the upbeat, "Night Swim". With it's stong vocal chorus and steady backbeat, it's a candidate for a summertime hit if there ever was one. The guitar tones have some of that surf vibe. That is, I'm sure someone is playing a Fender Stratocaster through an echoplex-type effect. But the playing is too subdued for my tastes.

I would still call Frankie green in the songwriting department. Chords are simple and repetitive. "Pair Of Wings" is an interesting example. With its lyric of "show me your scars, I'll show you mine" it shows promise, but then never builds to anything that's going to be memorable. At that is true of most of the album. (2 of 5 stars)

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Band Of Skulls - Sweet Sour

I saw BofS a few years ago at a club in town and was quite taken with them. British, but wearing US garage rock on their collective sleeves. Without fail, when playing "Death By Diamonds And Pearls" on the bar jukebox, someone invariably asks me if it's a Jack White side project.

I don't think that the trio will be facing that close a comparison with their sophomore effort. It doesn't stray too far away from it's debut. But there is definitely a desire to branch. Respectable, but their branch is a low hanging, heavy with fruit, mellow branch. "Wanderluster", "Lay Your Head Down" and "Navigate" are simply not worth it. Maybe if they built to something like The Joy Formidable does, but these guys seem to be trying to keep it spooky. As "Close To Nowhere" closes, I was afraid that they were going to start singing "I'll Be Your Mirror".

The single below stays true to expectations, a plodding blues riff which is fun and white-boy-sexy enough to dance to. The drummer is Bonham-deliberate and delivers the goods on this track. And whoever produces the band gets that right throughout the 3 or 4 songs where drumming applies.

Another highlight grabs the best of old-school Black Keys (when Patrick got frenetic and weird) and mixes it with a wordsmithitude of an Alex Turner with a great title. "You're Not Pretty But You've Got It Goin' On". Good job. But that and "Lies" pretty much makes up the songs that rock on the album. And I feel that that's where the band's strengths lie. Rocking, not atmosphering. (2.5 of 5 stars)

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Van Halen - A Different Kind Of Truth

Being my favorite band of all time, I am quite relieved to see new product from the guys for the first time in a while. Dave's back in, Wolfgang's in for Mike and the brothers both have thicker wrinkles. But hopefully you'll dive in with me and have it cranked while we go. Needless to say, this was a (5 of 5 stars) review.

"Tattoo"
The opening track is, like several of these songs, a re-working of old unreleased demos from the '70s. This one was "Down In Flames" back then, but the lyric is totally rewritten. If this is what we're into for the rest of the album; I'm pumped. Dave's lyrics are great here, coining the new term "momshell". Also, "Uncle Danny had a coal tattoo / He fought for the Union. Some of us still do."





"She's The Woman"
Another old demo, the first thing that get your balls rolling is the bass lick in the intro.  The "Mean Street"-like guitar riff is heavy and Alex is also pounding the shit of his drums. But knowing that old version and that huge VH chorus, you do start to miss Michael a little bit.

"You And Your Blues"
I can  see this being another single. It's got a heavy verse and more sing-along chorus. Dave shouts out several old blues songs to describe the situation of leaving this bad news woman. That's common in Sammy Hagar lyrics, but this is Dave's first experience with that kind of wordplay. Totally works though.

"China Town"
This is going to be the heaviest song on the record. A fantastic Edward finger display at the onset of this before Alex kicks the double bass into overdrive. Dave tells us the story of the rough side of town where "heroes aren't born, they're cornered". It kind of reminds me of a Dave solo tune, "Slam Dunk". See what you think.

"Blood And Fire"
This is no accident that it sounds like the 80s. Ed recorded this as an instrumental called "Ripley" while working on the score for "The Wild Life". This time, Dave is also in full 80s mode. But less a heavy rocker as almost something new wavy. The chorus is not, as it would seem, lifted from Iron Maiden, but maybe your more excitable Cars or even Cheap Trick.

"Bullethead"
This is another old demo. Albeit one that was mostly unintelligible until now. And did I say that "China Town" would be the heaviest. This is the most old-school Iron Maiden track VH has ever done. This side of "Light Up the Sky". Essentially a road rage tune, it'll work in any situation where your manic needs depressed.

"As Is"
Another of the heaviest, fastest songs VH has done. Of course, once you get past the sick grind of the intro. Alex is all over the double bass. Dave is way out front selling the same attitude that Sammy did with "Right Now"; except with awesomely disrespectful teeth. "I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better, totally better." No saving the world here.

"Honeybabysweetiedoll"
This one is not an old demo, but to me feels like a reversing of the "Outta Love Again" riff. That tone gives the music some dark latin seriousness, but this is where Dave is more playful than anywhere else. Totally getting cocksmanic on a flavor of the day, stating "I’m a face grenade with the sex-pin pulled."

"The Trouble With Never"
This may end up being my favorite track on the album... for now. It's got the oldest-school flare of the funnest side of Van Halen. Big chorus. A sexy "Panama" like breakdown. An age-old philosophical question, "When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

"Outta Space"
Originally "Let's Get Rockin'" back in the day. Dave has changed the vibe from 70's backyard party to an environmental... not even a warning. More of a "fuck it. we're outta here." message. Another great line, "Trouble-free Earth despocrats made Mother Nature piss her pants"

"Stay Frosty"
This is clearly the most unique song on the album, and maybe even the oddest song VH has done next to "Big Bad Bill". A religious mantra where Dave is clearly just inviting us to "be cool" as a way of life. It starts out with a complex and sloppy acoustic intro with Dave rapping as fast as ever with stories of his various spiritual journeys (and jokes). "God is love, but get it in writing"  and "Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel"

"Big River"
An old demo called, "Big Trouble". This is one where I don't know why Dave would rework so much. The old song had an element of danger with it. Now, Dave has given it a placid Huck Finn non-commitment description of just being free. Plus, the "Big river rollin'" line sounds too much like Montrose's "Make It Last", and Dave certainly doesn't want to to be harking back to Sammy Hagar songs.

"Beats Workin'"
"Put Out the Lights" back in the day, Dave has reworked this into another success-hasn't-spoiled-me-yet themes. I almost dismissed this, as I wasn't impressed with what Dave brought to the table. But don't, becuase otherwise you'd miss one of the best Ed/Wolfie grooves on the record. Just as funky and twice as crunchy as "Jaime's Cryin'"

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

As a huge Tom Waits fan, I guess the conventional wisdom is that I would also be a big Cohen fan. To the layman's ear, they're both well-respected songwriters, they both most often focus on the failings of man, as opposed to celebratory pop music. But the difference (to this writer, anyway) is that Cohen is primarily a poet who sings whereas Waits is more of a storyteller/showman/musician. And that's why I'm not a huge fan.

Don't get me wrong. This albums is full of still good writing. The title "Old Ideas" is assuredly meant to the LC fan that, "Yeah... nothing new here."  And there's not. Cohen's themes are about the trappings of romance, loss of love and spiritual disconnection.

But there's little distinction from one song to the next. Leonard's never been much of a dynamic vocalist, and he plays it straight here too. Monotoned, deep, whispy. I can see each song individually maybe helping me get into a young lady's pants. But after two songs, she's going to insist that I turn grandpa off.

Musically, it's minimalist, which fits well with this style of writing. So when he amps up the back-up choir singers, I have to scratch my head. It's starts feeling too new-agey there.

I have a favorite, though. "Crazy To Love You" may be the simplest lyric on the record and is perfectly complimented by nothing more than an acoustic guitar. "I'm old and the mirrors don't lie / But crazy has places to hide in..." (2.5 of 5 stars)