Tuesday, March 13, 2012
3/13/12
So, Lovedrug released "Wild Blood" last week. There's little chance I will do this album justice, should I attempt to write a review. Maybe because I already love it so much, because it's warm outside and "Wild Blood" sounds so damn good blasted loud with the windows down and true connections with records can be so hard to find.
I love this album, and I love this band. With an ambitious sound and a live show to die for, Lovedrug has long stood out among indie bands as a group with true mastery of their craft. The type of band you could call on to write any type of song, and they'd give it to you - a theory proven in a cover album released this past winter in the run-up to the full-length release.
"Wild Blood" has just enough of a point to prove, just enough swagger propelling the sentiment.
"we'll fight the hipster hell/we'll soak it all in gasoline/got matches/we are a fire/we're cryin' out/honestly/this wild blood will set us all free/we're crying out/do you follow me/this wild blood/will set us all free" ~Wild Blood
Unafraid of tradition in an age where indie music too often relies on ones-and-zeroes, "Wild Blood" counters with a full-fledged offensive of chromatic and delayed guitar parts, heavy hooks and locked-down rhythms, singing the songs in the hearts of the tired and worn and willing to fight. It's a rallying cry for the wrecked looking for more. Though they may waltz down the road of nostalgia at times, a fervent desperation to get out, get up and get on makes for a fearless onward trek of life and love.
"sure shot/you were always my sure shot/kicking up dirt in the wrong bars/hey good lookin'/you are bad news following bad news/drunk and beautiful born to lose/and if you're wanting the truth honey/i'm falling harder and harder for you" -Pink Champagne
Words full of passion and fire glint like steel held in defense against the shadows of aging. Lovedrug doesn't shy from embracing the darker side, letting it creep into low-end driving, occasional piano chords and hazy synth tones.
Slower moments unveil heartfelt sentiment, the type of honesty often cast aside in favor of mysterious, unearned gravitas and armchair pontificating in today's lyrical catalog.
"you crawl in the fire when you're feeling down/when you feel it hurting/these ghosts have been a chasing you so/if you could violently swim to the opposite shoes/i'd be there reaching out so/i'll be your drug if you need it, i'll be the one that'll chase you so hard/i'll be the one your drug if you need it so" ~Anodyne
The album hits a steady groove with the yearning, pace-jumping "Ladders" followed by "Great Divide," with an undeniably stadium-sized bridge. Here, on this album, we have a Lovedrug that embraces the hook like never before and it is Satisfying, although they were already pretty good at it before.
"nothing good comes easy/nothing good is free" ~Great Divide
Well-toned, well-polished and luminescent, "Wild Blood" shines under what is easily the best production from Lovedrug (which is incredibly fascinating and wonderful, to me, given "Wild Blood" was funded by fans through PledgeMusic when previous releases were label-supported). Backing vocals are sprinkled carefully, with a hint of choir harmony, and barely-there auxiliary tones fill the space between.
Well, at least I can say I tried. In any case, they're on and long, windy tour and they're coming to Rochester. April 11 can't come fast enough.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
3/6/12
There is new Lovedrug, and it is beautiful. It is real, and sad and hopeful, and made for live performance.
It is Wild Blood.
Here's a softer cut:
Words that come to mind: Realized. Focused. Satisfying. Heartfelt. Heartbreaking. Joining. Sentimental. Nostalgic.
This is the album for wondering if where you've been will follow where you go.
I have much to say about this record - the songs themselves, and the band's approach - but I am getting picked up for drinks. Meanwhile, the title track chorus will be running through my head.
Meanwhile, I will be running 'round the world.
April 11 will be a show in Rochester, at the Bug Jar, which is small and grungy and dirty and freeing. I hope I will be here to see it. I hope I leave shortly after, resolving to run, propelled by momentum of knowing there's much more in this world than me and these corners.
It is Wild Blood.
Here's a softer cut:
Words that come to mind: Realized. Focused. Satisfying. Heartfelt. Heartbreaking. Joining. Sentimental. Nostalgic.
This is the album for wondering if where you've been will follow where you go.
I have much to say about this record - the songs themselves, and the band's approach - but I am getting picked up for drinks. Meanwhile, the title track chorus will be running through my head.
Meanwhile, I will be running 'round the world.
April 11 will be a show in Rochester, at the Bug Jar, which is small and grungy and dirty and freeing. I hope I will be here to see it. I hope I leave shortly after, resolving to run, propelled by momentum of knowing there's much more in this world than me and these corners.
Monday, March 5, 2012
3/5/12
A friend of mine had an extra ticket to a Matt Nathanson concert last night, and it was't until I got there that I realized a)how badly I needed a concert b)how liking Matt Nathanson is a really, really good idea.
You won't find trendsetters at his shows, you won't find the kind of people who flock to Pitchfork darlings with stupid names and laptop performances. You will find music listeners who are engaged, connected, and full of spirit for life and physical passion, qualities Nathanson sweats from every pore.
Homie's recorded nine albums. That's gotta be hard.
He was unbelievably entertaining. I saw him play acoustic once, maybe six years ago, and getting to check him out in front of a live band was a different experience, although not necessarily a worse one. Fortunately it didn't interrupt his intimacy with the audience, and he told the audience what the songs were about before he played them in the majority of instances. His preface ranged from simple - "This is about fucking" - to elaborate backstory, like when he launched into "Bent" after telling the story of a girl he once "knew" and their attempts at "rekindling."
"You turn, turn, turn, turning me on
Like a slow fire burn
Know that it's wrong
Still I run, run, run, run right into you "
Oh look, says audience member in their head. This guy has experiences, and he writes about them. I've long believed Matt Nathanson is an expert in biting, bitter honesty, tossing out lines that cut straight to the intersection of desire and despair. I could see where people would throw him the "bro" category, given all the sex-inspired talk and acoustic strumming, but poetry is poetry is poetry.
"And I'll forget about you long enough
To forget why I need to"
I was particularly peaked when he told us certain songs were penned after hearing a friend say a simple sentence or so - "I'm nobody's girlfriend," for example. Good songwriting, while springing from the depths of the soul and manufactured in creative consciousness, does not have to run hand-in-hand with pain, pleasure, discomfort, anger, or any other particular emotion. Simple discovery, and curiousity, can do the trick, if said writer is willing to peel back layers of the mind to tap into what's unseen, and often unsaid.
As for the musicianship, one of my favorite moments in the show was after an acoustic duo bit with Matt and his guitar player, Aaron. The rest of the band joined on stage, but the bass player brought a stand-up, the keyboard player an accordion, and the drummer emerged from the back-stage corner drummers are typically confined to, and took a brush and a stick to a djembe at the front of the stage. Sweet! They played a couple songs that way, but only after a jam session of La Bamba.
I was not close enough to see *what* instruments they had, though I continue to notice more and more about what gear is used when (I was close to criticizing the DJ at a karaoke outing the other night, he was running a cheap mic through a huge PA and the balance was a disaster, but the important thing is that I noticed).
I should also mention the delightful opener, Rachel Platten, who sang gorgeous, played piano like a fiend, and exhilarated the audience with an adorable pep. I wanted to hang out with her, especially after a surprisingly soaring cover of "Gin and Juice" that made me want to be 16 and riding in cars with illegal drivers and boys I had crushes on. I hope to hear more from her in the future.
All in all, I was thrilled to see some great live music, from an artist I've long respected. To be sure, this is his first appearance on this blog and for that I am sorry. Hopefully this review, and corresponding inspiration, makes up for it.
You won't find trendsetters at his shows, you won't find the kind of people who flock to Pitchfork darlings with stupid names and laptop performances. You will find music listeners who are engaged, connected, and full of spirit for life and physical passion, qualities Nathanson sweats from every pore.
Homie's recorded nine albums. That's gotta be hard.
He was unbelievably entertaining. I saw him play acoustic once, maybe six years ago, and getting to check him out in front of a live band was a different experience, although not necessarily a worse one. Fortunately it didn't interrupt his intimacy with the audience, and he told the audience what the songs were about before he played them in the majority of instances. His preface ranged from simple - "This is about fucking" - to elaborate backstory, like when he launched into "Bent" after telling the story of a girl he once "knew" and their attempts at "rekindling."
"You turn, turn, turn, turning me on
Like a slow fire burn
Know that it's wrong
Still I run, run, run, run right into you "
Oh look, says audience member in their head. This guy has experiences, and he writes about them. I've long believed Matt Nathanson is an expert in biting, bitter honesty, tossing out lines that cut straight to the intersection of desire and despair. I could see where people would throw him the "bro" category, given all the sex-inspired talk and acoustic strumming, but poetry is poetry is poetry.
"And I'll forget about you long enough
To forget why I need to"
I was particularly peaked when he told us certain songs were penned after hearing a friend say a simple sentence or so - "I'm nobody's girlfriend," for example. Good songwriting, while springing from the depths of the soul and manufactured in creative consciousness, does not have to run hand-in-hand with pain, pleasure, discomfort, anger, or any other particular emotion. Simple discovery, and curiousity, can do the trick, if said writer is willing to peel back layers of the mind to tap into what's unseen, and often unsaid.
As for the musicianship, one of my favorite moments in the show was after an acoustic duo bit with Matt and his guitar player, Aaron. The rest of the band joined on stage, but the bass player brought a stand-up, the keyboard player an accordion, and the drummer emerged from the back-stage corner drummers are typically confined to, and took a brush and a stick to a djembe at the front of the stage. Sweet! They played a couple songs that way, but only after a jam session of La Bamba.
I was not close enough to see *what* instruments they had, though I continue to notice more and more about what gear is used when (I was close to criticizing the DJ at a karaoke outing the other night, he was running a cheap mic through a huge PA and the balance was a disaster, but the important thing is that I noticed).
I should also mention the delightful opener, Rachel Platten, who sang gorgeous, played piano like a fiend, and exhilarated the audience with an adorable pep. I wanted to hang out with her, especially after a surprisingly soaring cover of "Gin and Juice" that made me want to be 16 and riding in cars with illegal drivers and boys I had crushes on. I hope to hear more from her in the future.
All in all, I was thrilled to see some great live music, from an artist I've long respected. To be sure, this is his first appearance on this blog and for that I am sorry. Hopefully this review, and corresponding inspiration, makes up for it.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
3/1/12
“What the really great artists do is they're entirely themselves. They're entirely themselves, they've got their own vision, they have their own way of fracturing reality, and if it's authentic and true, you will feel it in your nerve endings.”
― David Foster Wallace
― David Foster Wallace
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
2/29/12
A few things about this NME list about the 50 best choruses:
*Oh my god, oh my god, could you BE any more British?
*Adele should not be on this list. That chorus ("Someone Like you") isn't that good.
*"Enter Sandman?" I'll take it.
*"Sex on Fire" chorus is not > than "Use Somebody" chorus melody-wise, it just has sex in the lyrics.
*"Pride(In the Name of Love)" could totally be higher.
*I understand lists need to take into account new things, in an attempt to shape what will still be cool or insert your knowledge & relevancy but really...Lana Del Rey at 11? That song isn't *that* good. I mean, maybe it's only because I've heard it once, when she sang (horribly) on SNL, but I've seen way more talent out of hick bar open mic nights. Even from people who weren't my friends.
But, beyond those gut reactions, I have to say I love the concept driving this list. Who doesn't love a great chorus? Sub-par verses (too wordy, too spoken or too bland) can easily be redeemed by a great chorus - in fact, some songs are only *worth* listening to because of the chorus - for example, Toto, earning a well-deserved #32 on this list. We all know that chorus - it's soo nice - but sing a verse? Could't if you gave me tequilia.
Also, a really solid built-up, with plenty of tension and bite, can be perfectly topped off with a line or two performed with enough power. For example, one of my favorites off the list(at 33):
"You can go your own way, go your own way
You can call it another lonely day
You can go your own way,
go your own way"
~Go Your Own Way
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Not too over-the-top, but it gets the point across. Doesn't it? The throw-away line at the end is trademark Lindsey Buckingham bitterness. I love.
Beyond those impressions, I have to say I love lists. Journalists do, you see, they are easy to compile, and readers love them because why read 25 two-sentence paragraphs instead of 50 kitschy one-liners?
Also, I will be tracking this playlist down on Spotify when I'm working tomorrow afternoon, and in need of a midday inspiration burst.
(My tags indicate I haven't mentioned Spotify on this blog yet, which is a bit of a shame because it makes at-home listening oh-so fun. All my songs, and all the other ones, too? It's pretty fantastic, and I'm really happy I joined. Should 2012 see me make more money, I'll maybe even subscribe.
Naw. I won't, actually.)
*Oh my god, oh my god, could you BE any more British?
*Adele should not be on this list. That chorus ("Someone Like you") isn't that good.
*"Enter Sandman?" I'll take it.
*"Sex on Fire" chorus is not > than "Use Somebody" chorus melody-wise, it just has sex in the lyrics.
*"Pride(In the Name of Love)" could totally be higher.
*I understand lists need to take into account new things, in an attempt to shape what will still be cool or insert your knowledge & relevancy but really...Lana Del Rey at 11? That song isn't *that* good. I mean, maybe it's only because I've heard it once, when she sang (horribly) on SNL, but I've seen way more talent out of hick bar open mic nights. Even from people who weren't my friends.
But, beyond those gut reactions, I have to say I love the concept driving this list. Who doesn't love a great chorus? Sub-par verses (too wordy, too spoken or too bland) can easily be redeemed by a great chorus - in fact, some songs are only *worth* listening to because of the chorus - for example, Toto, earning a well-deserved #32 on this list. We all know that chorus - it's soo nice - but sing a verse? Could't if you gave me tequilia.
Also, a really solid built-up, with plenty of tension and bite, can be perfectly topped off with a line or two performed with enough power. For example, one of my favorites off the list(at 33):
"You can go your own way, go your own way
You can call it another lonely day
You can go your own way,
go your own way"
~Go Your Own Way
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Not too over-the-top, but it gets the point across. Doesn't it? The throw-away line at the end is trademark Lindsey Buckingham bitterness. I love.
Beyond those impressions, I have to say I love lists. Journalists do, you see, they are easy to compile, and readers love them because why read 25 two-sentence paragraphs instead of 50 kitschy one-liners?
Also, I will be tracking this playlist down on Spotify when I'm working tomorrow afternoon, and in need of a midday inspiration burst.
(My tags indicate I haven't mentioned Spotify on this blog yet, which is a bit of a shame because it makes at-home listening oh-so fun. All my songs, and all the other ones, too? It's pretty fantastic, and I'm really happy I joined. Should 2012 see me make more money, I'll maybe even subscribe.
Naw. I won't, actually.)
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