A heartfelt lament for a Friday? When it’s Ryan Adams, with his former entourage Whiskeytown, why the hell not? Almost unexplainable, especially with my usual listening habits, the Jacksonville, NC native rarely disappoints. Off of Whiskeytown’s finale as a band, Pneumonia, comes the The Ballad of Carol Lynn. As you’d guess by the title, it’s a slow burner. The man’s entire catalog is routinely returned to; but lately, this track seems to always come back around again. Oh, Carol Lynn…
Mercury prize 2009 nominees ... Bat for Lashes, La Roux, Florence and the Machine. Photograph: PR
I’m not ready to proclaim the music world safe from those “terrified of girls” — as we only recently witnessed with the ridiculous ABC “Hottest 100 Of All Time” poll from Australia released weeks ago that featured ZERO female artists. As one commentator noted on the ABC site, “…until women are no longer judged on their sex appeal, their poignant lyrics and raw emotion in song won’t touch enough people to make any top 100 lists.” Not to mention, despite the thoughts of Lauren Laverne, they’re not running the radio stations, much less the majority of writers.
So, it comes as no surprise, that much of the press today about the Mercury Prize shortlist centered on the record-breaking five female artists who made the cut. Chaired by pop music scholar and former music journalist, Simon Frith, the list includes female performers Bat for Lashes, Florence and the Machine, La Roux, Lisa Hannigan, and Speech Debelle. Frith, well known for his sociology-based approach to studying rock music, comments that female artists have benefited from structural changes in the music industry, especially the decreasing role of record labels and the ensuing blurring of genres: “As genres break down it means that women are not having to be pop stars of a certain sort. Somebody like La Roux, who creates fun synth pop, not being pushed in a cutesy way.” Early bets are on Florence and the Machine, led by singer Florence Welch, prevailing as the winner September 8th.
Mercury 2009 Shortlist:
See the Polaris Music Prize below the jump…
Muse, a band with a stadium rock meets classical, dark sound has entertained me over the years. Their first three LPs are nearly perfect. Absolution, now six years old, still stands up to the test of time. Their previous effort, Black Holes & Revelations was decent; no doubt it created its moments. Overall though, it almost made me lose interest in the current day recorded Muse. Live, it’s an extravagant event – electric meets epic. Being a fan of openers like New Born or Apocalypse Please will always keep my interest piqued to experience what these English lads are composing next. The Resistance, the forthcoming Muse record debuts in September. On the local board, I began to become excited about studio Muse again with comments like these:
With their previous record, Black Holes & Revelations being a slight let down, compared to their three previous efforts displaying true excellency, Bellamy has been quoted about the band trying to write a larger, epic piece with a an Orchestra this time around. Wanting to put out a work as large in-scale as Dark Side of the Moon. I recall him saying they were working on a 15 minute epic piece for this album.
Or something like this re-sparked my interest in a band capable of so much:
classical, orchestral, hardest song ever, and song in three parts they’ve been working on for years
Maybe a single; maybe just an idea of their current thoughts in the studio, Muse has unleashed Ununited States of Eurasia. Once, Muse was pegged as a Radiohead rip-off. And now, some may say the trio is biting Queen. All artists have influences, and if Muse wants to put them front and center, for us to experience, I won’t object; especially since the piano is just as essential as Freddy Mercury.
Today, for the first time in unfortunately three months, I sat down at a nice, upright piano. Within seconds, I went to situate my fingers to begin Apocalypse Please. Nothing came about. I couldn’t remember the right chords and notes. This band still excites me, even if I can’t rock the keys like Bellamy or Rachmaninov.
Even in the summer, when the temps are blazing and the sun is readily apparent, a song with haunting tones can work. Add light, dark keystrokes into the mix, with angelic atmospherics and it’s all over. On repeat.
Ex-NIN player Chris Vrenna went under the moniker tweaker, to record 2 A.M. Wakeup Call – which was guest heavy, including Los Angeles bedroom composer Mellowdrone. With tweaker’s record debuting shortly after Mellowdrone’s A Demonstration of Intellectual Property – an EP I rank as one of my favorites – the collaboration was enticing. The end product, Worse Than Yesterday, was exactly what I’d expect from someone who contributed to records like The Downward Spiral. But it’s the somber simplicity of this composition which struck me. The Buckley-like delivery of Mellowdrone is intact; his whisper adds to the dark chill of Worse Than Yesterday. Experience darkness in the daylight…
Basement Jaxx’s Scars holds potential – this forthcoming record looks to be all over the place. Yoko Ono is appearing? No need to hate; JC Chavez ignited Plug It In off Kish Kash. If the cover won’t do it for you, Raindrops should; if not, upbeat house in pop form just ain’t your thing. The rumor is we’re waiting until October until the fuckin’ madness is unleashed on us. In the meantime, let the sugary house duo give you a glimpse of Scars…
Has an album ever drastically changed the direction of your musical preferences? No, more than that: Breakfast With Girls is responsible for new beginnings – an influential record that changed my perception on everything. Not only that, it opened up new musical avenues to explore; sparked friendships; and is solely responsible for this here very blog. sElf’s intricately layered pop masterpiece is 10 years old today. This is why I still care…
The nice thing about witty word smiths like (MF) Doom, rhyming over glistening and throbbing beats, are they don’t get stale. Yeah, five years old – off of the rather well received Madvillainy LP – is/was Money Folder. With poetry like the aforementioned, it’s difficult to shy away from Doom with his complex, yet playful and humorous demeanor. Add Four Tet to the mix, and the beat takes off; actually begins to soar. Take yourself back a few years…
MF Doom :: Money Folder (Four Tet remix)
And in case you missed it, Four Tet got funky with the monkeys with miniature cymbals enthusiasts, Hot Chip…
It only takes one. And that catalyst for an eventful weekend is a MiS favorite: The Features, who are proclaiming on their Twitter, of their grand appearance at Monolith. Their latest LP, Some Kind of Salvation is what anyone who’s witnessed this TN pop outfit live knows they were always capable of on record – relentless energy bundled up into lighthearted pop numbers. The greatness this LP exuded lyrically speaking – Temporary Blues continues to resonate – and the superb craftsmanship instrumentally speaking, caused me to purchase all forms of this album. Thanks to the CD, my bathroom’s boombox and its morning routine’s use, always had a smile on its face, no matter the ungodly hour. Like a beaming trophy, my double-sided LP rests firmly next to its older – by 10 years next week – brother. And those digital files, they’ve helped to secure the number three spot on my coveted list.
Red Rocks continues to showcase acts I spin routinely. While Lollapalooza has an extensive lineup – even a TN act – Monolith has the one act from TN meriting any type of showcasing: The Features. Nothing has changed; Tennessee is still nothing to fuck with.
FLUX EDIT : : Speaking of the other aforementioned TN act, the Features were recently signed to a new label imprint of Bug Music, of which the Kings of Leon are intimately involved. The deal will generate better distribution efforts for Some Kind of Salvation, which will be available in stores on July 28th.
Experience the greatness of two songs destined to be dropped at an elevation of almost 5800 feet.
L.L. Cool J is your undertaker
Def hit-maker plus a bone-breaker
Treble terminator, bass mutilator
You can drop your drawers, I’m a rapper castrator
On the microphone you will never recoup
When I’m finished with you, boy, you’ll be suckin’ on soup
Ladies love Cool James. No shame should be had when expressing one’s equal adoration for the 80’s rapid-fire, original rhymesayer, LL Cool J. Rock the Bells exploded off of LL’s debut Radio. It was a 4:00 minute boast about how hard he was. With the simple, yet hard-hitting beat and vocal artillery blast, no one doubted the MC’s prowess of beats & rhymes. What looks to have been on the b-side to this single, was an extended version of Rock the Bells. Not only was it extended, all the lyrics are unique to this version. He slays on this version. The witty attacks are only half of what makes this track unstoppable: the non-stop spit from James is what brings it all together. I may hear one inhale throughout the whole seven minutes. Consider Mama Said Knock You Out the follow-up bout to this heavyweight champion…
The intimate performance of MTV’s Unplugged is tough to step to. Yesterday, I sent an email to a few Mana – the Latin rockers from Guadalajara – aficionados asking where to begin with their catalog. Their unanimous response: Mana Unplugged or their En Vivo LP because they’re a great live band. And a few days ago, I couldn’t resist the temptation to spin the album when MTV forced Rod Stewart to sit for a rather electric set. Fast forward to 2009 where Los Angeles’ fuzzsters Silversun Pickups are asked to please take their seats for six up close and personal songs. And now all this Monday needs is SP announcing they’re attending Monolith.
Check the six song set here.
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