This is where you spill your guts. C’mon, let it bleed.
Feb 152007
Feb 132007
Before I begin, let’s get a couple of things straight:
- It can be safely assumed you are a passionate and articulate fan of rock ‘n roll if you’re here in the Hall.
- It can be safely assumed that you are aware of the gulf between The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman” and any song by AC/DC.
- Any possible comparisons between Bon Scott and Brian Johnston will not be considered relevant to the discussion.
OK. So I’ve been listening to AC/DC’s High Voltage over the past week. My friend Seth bought me a couple of AC/DC albums last year as both fine birthday gifts and educational opportunities. He wanted me to hear their albums’ productions and see if there was anything I could learn and better understand when he discussed the sound of our own band’s productions. Since receiving these educational gifts, I listen to these albums every few months. I see what he means about the awesome dry production of the drums and guitars, in particular. It’s the kind of production lovers of dry recording get wet over. Listen to the intro of the opening track, “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If you Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”, if you want to know what floats my boat in terms of dry production. If possible, hit PAUSE at the 29-second mark, right before the vocals enter.
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Feb 132007
All-Star Jam. Use it or else. There’s a thin line between love and hate. This one’s intense! Don’t freak out. Don’t lose it. At all costs, don’t freak out and lose it!
Feb 132007
In preparation for Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about love songs. What makes a great one? What can spoil a love song for you? Are love songs more important to you when you are in love or when you are not in love? Songwriters, poets, have you written of love? Not love gone bad, not unrequited love, but true love, or at least a facsimile thereof. How did your loved one feel about hearing your work for the first time?
The only rules (don’t think the only rule is there are no rules) in this game are as follows:
- No lists
- No posting full sets of lyrics without analysis
- No wussing out and holding your tongue, so to speak
I look forward to your input.
Feb 122007
All-Star Jam. Just do it!
What do you think, did this band get the shaft from 2 out of 3 judges, or what? Who’s laughing now?
Feb 122007
Riding the coattails of the work of Townswoman Citizen Mom, I’m about to write a real-time review of the new album by The Apples in Stereo, New Magnetic Wonder! After a brief backgrounder, I will advise you to strap in and prepare for what might be a bumpy ride.
I thought Apples in Stereo were cooked! After leader Robert Schneider’s breakup with wife/drummer Hilarie Sidney, I’d read he was deep in long-distance collaborations with the likes of Andy Partridge and Robert Pollard. I’d read he was making electro-mash-ups on his laptop.
Like so many of you, I fell in love with Tone Soul Evolution. Sure, I was behind the curve, but it led me down the path of catching up with the Elephant 6 collective. I especially liked The Minders, who sounded like all the rickety ’60s elements of Apples in Stereo without the dangerously overreaching ambitions. I lined up outside a local record store for the release of the Apples’ follow-up album, Discovery of a Moone Inside Your Ass (or something like that). Every little overdub was placed just so. Details, details. It was retro-indie-sunshine pop made by a copy editor, or a proctomusicologist. As someone says in Spinal Tap, “Too much fuckin’ reality.” This album would be traded in a mere week later.
I could no longer hang with Schneider. Our affair was a brief one, but I’m about to give him a try again. Right now! For a limited time, you too can listen to a streaming version of this album from our friends at Phawker. Are you ready? OK…strap in!
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Feb 122007
Who’s your favorite “underdog” artist in rock?
Along the same line of thought, has there ever been a better “ugly duckling” moment before a national audience than Elliott Smith performing in that ill-fitting white suit at the Oscars?
I’ve been hearing a lot of Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” on oldies radio. This has always been my second-favorite Elton John song. To this day I greatly anticipate the moment when he sings “dammit” as well as the moment when he launches into that falsetto coda. Two questions emerge:
- Is there a song with a naughty word you highly anticipate hearing, no matter how many times you hear the song?
- Excluding Billy Joel’s fine homages to the particular singing style of Frankie Valli and Lou Christie (not a true falsetto, as someone like Smokey Robinson uses), is Elton John the last artist to have successfully turned this trick?
I look forward to your responses.
