Archive for the 'Opinion Posts' Category
Postmodern Masters
Author: Gabriel Barrio
There is a nagging suspicion that these recurring themes I hear in music lately are no accident, but play into
the hands of a generation without direction, nothing of its own but hopelessness. All these purported advances in musical style are not braving a new world but are borrowed from our most colorful decade the 80’s. The 80’s bred some sort of
strange postmodern musicianship that had previous generations scratching their heads. Read the rest of this entry »
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AUTHOR’S NOTE: DUE TO A SITE MALFUNCTION, A PHOTO OF THE BOOK COULD NOT BE UPLOADED.
Once upon a time, there was a band nobody heard of. The people HAD actually heard this band many times. MTV, they were the backing band for Meatloaf’s massive debut album. This band and many members of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band formed that famous backing troupe.
Previewing SXSW – 10 Acts to Look Out For in 2010
Author: Ryan Brodhead
For movie fans there is Sundance. For sports fans there is the Super Bowl. For us music nerds, there is the Grammys. Actually — you know what…scratch that. For the most part, we were all equally outraged (or at least should have been) by what transpired at this past year’s awards ceremony. In a perfect world, the Grammys should be able to accurately inform the nation of which artists are currently trending and deserve recognition for their efforts. Here in the real world, we were just told Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” was the best album of 2009. Hmm…
There is a light at the end of the tunnel for music geeks everywhere, though. No, I’m not talking about those of us that are obsessed with Rihanna or that think Drake is the man. I’m talking about the select few that view music as a complete and utter obsession. Those of us that still go to our favorite record stores and buy albums. Those of us that still play in bands even though we know we really can’t afford it. For us there is the South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas. Read the rest of this entry »
Top Ten Musician Lists for 2009
Author: Jeff Boule
This year’s top ten list is a bit late. I will confess that I have been busy setting up a new business venture that is finally starting to provide its own sustainability. It involves people and things I am not allowed to elaborate on. While it is something I love to do, it is not music related directly. Therefore I feel this is an incorrect forum for this and subsequently no need to go into the details.
If you remember last year’s Top Ten, we certainly stirred up some controversy regarding the omission of a certain electronic guitarist due to a scheduling snafu. For those of you who don’t remember, and due to the fact that their scheduling snafu affected shows that were due to happen this year, that same omission is applicable again this year. That and the fact that a certain omitted electronic guitarist was asked by a member of the Montreal Gazette about the incident that occurred right here on the blog earlier this year.
So read on, get angry, write me nasty comments and tell me I do drugs and I should be sued for libel.
Been there, done that…
Vinyl or CD? (Setting the record straight)
Author: Doctor B
The great debate over digital versus analogue audio has been raging since a joint venture between SONY and Philips brought the (literally) logical successor the the vinyl record to market over a quarter-century ago. It came up again in the course of a review in Goldmine magazine, the New York Times of the music-collecting community. It was for the vinyl reissue of a long-sought-after 1973 album by the seminal German progressive (or “kraut-rock”) band, Faust,. whom I had the privilege of seeing live in concert at Philadelphia’s International House last fall. The Goldmine review lauded EMI’s 180-gram audiophile edition of Faust IV. I recommend this album or any other by this act without hesitation, whatever form you choose to buy it in.
I’m always glad to see great vintage music back in print. I do take issue however with the reviewer’s apparent assertion that vinyl always sounds better than digital audio. As I’ve pointed out from time to time elsewhere, the technology used to make a recording, analogue or digital, takes a back seat to the technique and skills of the engineer and the amount of care he or she takes in making the recording. The mastering process, as any producer can tell you, can make or break the sound of a recording. And the efforts of everyone else in the chain, from the performers on down, don’t mean a thing if similar care isn’t taken in manufacturing the final product. Read the rest of this entry »
I’m Only Sleeping. And Eating. And I’m So Tired.
Author: Lydia Pudzianowski
In this busy time of year, I thought it fitting to open up a discussion about something we’re all probably lacking: sleep. The context here is the Beatles. Read the rest of this entry »
R.I.P. Jim Carroll
Author: Doctor B
Death as a subject in rock music (or “nec-rock-philia” as some wags have dubbed it) is nothing new. It showed up in everything from Mark Dinning’s 1959 one-hit wonder Teen Angel, to J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers’ romance-comic-like tear-jerker from 1964, Last Kiss to Bloodrock’s grinding, dirgey, death-metallic 1971 hit, DOA. Nonetheless, when Jim Carroll’s single People Who Died arrived at the radio station I spin for back in 1980, my jaw hit the floor. What was this guy up to? What was this guy on? Read the rest of this entry »
Todd Rundgren poses as master of disguise during his time travel back to 1973. Photo by Lynn Vala
On the two and a half hour drive from my home base in the fascist surrounds of Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania to Stamford CT, all I kept saying to myself is “This better be worth it, I am too damn old to be doing this!!!” There were extenuating circumstances this time. I had first volunteered to assist in the production, working concession organization the night before. This was when the show was not yet a minor tour, and only happening in Akron OH on the sixth. I had even been contacted by my former band mate from The Goodz, Marc Blanc, and he had proposed my best thing to ever happen to me and I join him and his cousin Jaime to venture first to Penn State, then to the Rock and Roll hall of fame in Cleveland.
Their proposition had become pricey, and times, as you know and can well verify for yourselves, are tough.
I had decided as temping as this was, I had to decline. This is where the volunteerism had come into play. I made sure to contact one of the promoters, someone who I must interview, with his partner Cruiser Mel, as they are most fascinating topics, yet the nicest, down to earth people you will meet, Doug Ford and let him know I could not attend but would lend assistance in anyway possible, promoting it in the blog, etc. Did I mention they were nice? Mr. Ford then suggests that if my best thing to ever happen to me and I were interested, we could work concessions, sorting merchandise by size, type etc. the night before the show. This was when the show was in Akron OH and was a one-off. Interest became so great that a second show was added. Then a show in Stamford CT., then Bethesda MD, London, and more. I had contacted Mr. Ford and asked could the arrangements be switched, and while the opportunity to sell merchandise was occupied, the spots available were assisting in the ticket sales, Will Call and reserved V.I.P. tickets.
Follow me through an adventurous, enlightening and needless to say entertaining evening, an evening I like to call 999 (09-09-2009).
Rundgren takes the mic back from Sulton for the ever popular 'Soul Medley'. Photo by Lynn Vala
Rundgren reemerges with an Orange suit on, much like the one worn during the Liars tour. This medley is obviously what they rehearsed the most, or it at least sounded that way as apart from some errant Theremin notes (and those things were hair-trigger at best) this was as tight as it gets.
Ever enchanting Amos warms the ivories on her trusty Bosendorfer piano. Photo by Lynn Vala.
Picking up from last time, we are now reviewing the concert show for Amos’ most recent release Abnormally Attracted To Sin. Red Bank to the average visitor (which I consider myself to be) is a quaint hamlet akin to Philadelphia’s South Street before the Mardi Gras riots of a few years ago. After a lovely dinner at a local diner, we venture to the venue. An all-American meal before seeing a show from an all-American girl.
Who just so happens to live in England.
TORI AMOS ABNORMALLY ATTRACTED TO SIN ATTRACTS ABNORMALS OF ALL KINDS
Author: Jeff Boule
On the outskirts of town, there is a scarlet mansion. Well maintained, and heavily visited. The police know what goes on there, and they look away. Those who enjoy visiting the scarlet mansion come and go frequently. Each bringing in their cares and woes and after an hour or so visit, they leave without them. What is the attraction? The girls.
Anyone who knows Tori Amos, knows that she refers to her songs as girls. When the girls want to come out and play, Amos inserts them into the song list, records them, or just pals around with them. If there was ever an appropriate allegory for a Tori Amos album, the above seems to fit. On the outskirts of town? Definitely a fringe artist, Amos only enjoyed minor success at the beginning of her career. As she became more established, her sales numbers leveled off until she was unceremoniously dumped by Atlantic Records. She did sign a short-lived deal with Epic, and they released some very interesting if not earnestly successful records. My most notable is “Strange Little Girls” which was an album of covers done in her own inimitable style. A scarlet mansion? Come on, look at her.
I’m not about to call one of music’s smartest redheads a blonde-wood bungalow.
The Young Person’s Guide To Fripp & Eno
Author: Jeff Boule
Again, we have a reissued blog from a time lost to the digital gremlins:
Mr. Billingsworth,
Upon bringing in the email, I found your exchange with my Mrs. from earlier today regarding Fripp & Eno. I have a few points of interest and we can also discuss Prog matters in general.
BILL BRUFORD – A DRUMMER OUT OF TIME: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Author: Jeff Boule
The Bill Bruford Autobiography, definitive reading for progressive music fans, jazz fans, music practitioners from the novice to the professional, this book is the 21st century musician's survival guide. (Photo permission courtesy of Bill Bruford)
A few posts ago, I wrote about Bill Bruford, announcing his retirement from public performance as of the first of this year. I was angry, I was hurt, I felt abandoned, and most of all I was disappointed that one of the primary warriors of mundane music had laid down his small wooden swords for the last time. I could not understand why the world’s greatest drummer would hang it up while he was still undeniably a force in the industry, the industry he labels as “the industry of human happiness”.
Sometimes you need a good autobiography to make things clear, to garner the inside perspective. But be warned, and I was taken aback by what I encountered, the ending of this book is not what you would expect from a player of Bruford’s qualifications.
SLIMMED-DOWN TUBES SPRING FROM NY ON WORLD TOUR – B.B. KING’S 05-31-09
Author: Jeff Boule
(Photo by Lynn Vala)
If you are a bit longer-in-the-tooth as I am, you remember a time when MTV played music videos, those alleged promotional devices that were short-form movies scripted to coincide with the lyrics and tone of the song being promoted. If you consider this time period (from 1981 to about 1992) when we were still recovering from the post-disco era, music that suddenly had images to accompany the sounds seemed like a logical place for this 7-piece-plus musical theater troupe of a band. Since their inception through their last major release, they have been minimally a 7-piece. TWO guitars, TWO keyboardists, bass, drums and vocals with occasionally added female vocals, dancers, roller skaters, actors, sometimes just the guys backstage would walk around on stage and it would be so heavily populated no one would notice.
Last Of Last Of The New-Wave Riders – Utopia Storm Tokyo, 1979
Author: Jeff Boule
Utopia bid adieu after a night on stage. Photo by Coming Age.
It is painfully; finally time to wrap up the on-going series of reviews tackling the Utopia box set Last Of The New Wave Riders. This set features Utopia playing to the American-culture-starved Japanese inquisitive yet reserved audiences. Japanese audiences were the most accepting of the some-time obscure and were willing to hear out the overtly obscure. No better place to play Utopia’s material. Unless you are Todd Rundgren and in your enthusiasm to entertain you do something that mortifies the people in the first few rows.
Acid Mothers Temple for beginners (like me!)
Author: Doctor B
I’d only heard a few of Acid Mothers Temple’s recordings before I saw them last April in Philadelphia. One of them was a seven-inch which sounded much to me like the output of any number of Japanoise bands, such as The Boredoms or The Machine Gun TV. Another was a live recording from 2004 which had them sounding like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd jamming with Blue Cheer with members of Pere Ubu sitting in. This turned out to be merely a fraction of a fraction of the output of this extremely prolific Japanese psychedelic-rock band One day while I was in Philadelphia visiting friends, I heard on the radio that Acid Mothers Temple’s 2009 North American tour would bring them to a club in Philadelphia called Johnny Brenda’s. So I decided to make the trip and check them out. Read the rest of this entry »
LAST OF THE NEW WAVE RIDERS, UTOPIA LAND ON THE WRONG PLANET
Author: Jeff Boule
Roger Powell from Utopia Photo by Coming Age
For those of you following my blogs, you know that some of my earlier posts were eradicated through the magic of ones and zeros. The reason I am bothering to repost them is that some are referred to in other blogs. Then when the hapless reader looks for those blogs they aren’t even there! This blog is BRAND NEW!!! This section of the box set Last Of The New Wave Riders never made it to press as concerts came first. I won’t be making that mistake this time. We will finish the box set and THEN begin an onslaught of new reviews. Upcoming will be The Tubes from B.B. Kings in NYC and then the Nine Inch Nails FAREWELL TOUR. Yup, you heard it right, Trenty is hangin’ up Nails. At least for a while. New Tori Amos album Abnormally Attracted To Sin will soon be reviewed here, and hopefully some new releases as well, as well as dipping our toes in some literary territory.
It ain’t all about Utopia, but we are going to review two more discs from the box set then we have all new events and music to sink our teeth into.
Soundtrack To Watermelon Munching
Author: HJ Mills
The seasons are nomads, and Summer has come back for a visit. Watermelon and berries are no longer in hibernation. There is now potato salad to make for the backyard barbeques to come. The beach becomes an opportunity again. Ball Mason jars are just waiting patiently to house freshly caught fireflies. And the songs of summer are ready to prove that they are just as luminous as sunlight glimmering through the trees. Read the rest of this entry »
Goodbye to All That (For Now)
Author: Anthony Medici
I’ve been writing for this blog since its inception, more than a year ago. I’ve decided it’s time for a rest, or maybe a change. Sometimes a rest is a change. I hope you have enjoyed what I have written. Or, if not enjoyed, at least found yourself thinking about the subject at hand. Thank you for reading, and thank you to Princeton Record Exchange for providing this forum. I have tried when and where I could to argue for the necessity of keeping the art known as jazz fresh, vibrant, indeed revolutionary, as it has always been at its best, but now seems in danger of ossifying under commercial pressure. There is no point to jazz’s survival, if that survival is one of only dreary “repertory” renditions, tired variations on tired themes, and endless reissues of many-times-reissued before albums. I have directed criticism at public radio and TV for its timid cowering to commercial and organizational pressure, its abysmal failure to offer content with “the shock of the new,” its dereliction of cultural duties that are its real reason for existence. Endless Yanni offerings, or pallid cocktail jazz, are not valid exercises of their public trust. Instead, public programming should stop acting like an also-ran commercial network, and start being a cultural change-maker. They do it much better in Europe. Read the rest of this entry »
Meeting People Is Easy
Author: Andrew Overton
For the last four years without question Radiohead has been my favorite band. Never has a band held my heavyweight title for that long. I’ve never been big on watching videos or movies about bands, but I make an exception for Thom Yorke & Co. I’m lying down to watch the documentary
Meeting People Is Easy , which follows the and during their infamous 1997 OK Computer tour. I’ll keep you posted on my thoughts and ramblings throughout the film.