Search results matching tags 'reviews' and 'rock and roll'

The Clash's "London Calling" Still Rocks!

Bufkinite@evpl — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:17:00 GMT

I have been listening to London Calling - the Clash's 1979 breakout album - on my morning drive recently, and wanted to blog about how fresh it still seems after 30 years. In fact, it's hard to believe that it was 30 years ago that I was first entranced by the hypnotic sounds of the title track.

It's aged really well, and seems almost playful now - at least tracks like "Jimmy Jazz" and "Lost in the Supermarket." Other tracks maintain their effrontery and anger as fresh as the first time I heard them. I'm thinking especially of "The Guns of Brixton," the lyrics of which predate the race riots that took place there in the 1980s, but are almost prescient in terms of depicting the tensions that were building at the time that bassist Paul Simonon penned the song in 1978, largely due to the heavy-handedness of the police.

Other songs that still resonate are "Working for the Clampdown" and "The Card Cheat."

One thing you never had to be afraid of with the Clash was being shortchanged. The 19 tracks on this album contain over an hour of listening. Their other recordings are similarly generous.

An interesting note about the album cover: it was a parody of/reflection on Elvis Presley's debut album, "Elvis Presley," which came out in 1957. Considered a "bad boy" in his day, by the time the Clash debuted with "London Calling," Elvis seemed positively wholesome, and the image of bassist Paul Simonon smashing his bass on the stage of the Palladium in New York City reinforces the new level to which being a "bad boy" had risen by that time.

Give the Clash a listen! If you've never heard them, it's high time; if you have, you'll enjoy the return trip.

"Ain't no party like my nana's tea party!" Flight of the Conchords albums are musically, comedically brilliant

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:13:00 GMT

Flight of the Conchords is an award-winning New Zealand comedy band, self-described as "New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo". While a couple previous blog posts (1 2) talked about their recent TV series on HBO, this post will focus primarily on their music.

Bret McKenzie & Jemaine Clement formed Flight of the Conchords in 1998. They create original songs that parody real songs, both in style and lyrics. With an odd mix of guitar, bass, & synthesizers, along with hilarious lyrics, they cover all the genres: romantic/R&B, rap, pop, new wave, techno, and more!

In 2007, they released their six song EP, The Distant Future, in the US; this album contains three studio tracks and three live tracks. In 2008, they released their self-titled album Flight of the Conchords. The EVPL has both albums, and both are definitely worth checking out! Here are a few of my favorite songs:

"Inner City Pressure": (On Flight of the Conchords) A spot-on parody of the Pet Shop Boys 1985 hit "West End Girls". It received a 2008 Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics". Check out the video below to see for yourself! Here's a snippet of lyrics:

"Counting coins on the counter of the 7-11,
From a quarter past six 'til a quarter to seven.
The manager, Bevin, starts to abuse me
Hey man, I just want some Muesli.
Neon signs, hidden messages,
Questions, answers, fetishes.
You know you're not in high finance,
Considering getting second hand underpants."

"Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenoceros (Featuring Rhymenoceros & The Hiphopopotamus)": (On Flight of the Conchords) A hilariously tame gangsta rap song, featuring too many rap clichés to count. Here's a sampling of the hardcore lyrics:

"They call me the Hiphopopotamus
Flows that glow like phosphorous
Poppin' off the top of this esophagus
Rockin' this metropolis
I’m not a large water-dwelling mammal
Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis?
Did Steve tell you that, perchance?"

"Think About It": (On Flight of the Conchords) A parody in the vein of Marvin Gaye's/Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is the Love?" The lyrics talk about society's ills: violence, AIDS, sweatshop labor, etc.

"They're turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers.
But what's the real cost?
'Cause the sneakers don't seem that much cheaper.
Why are we still paying so much for sneakers
when you got them made by little slave kids?
What are your overheads?"

"The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)": (Studio recording on Flight of the Conchords; live recording on The Distant Future) A rousing, romantic love song to the most beautiful girl (in the room).

"Looking 'round the room
I can tell that you
Are the most beautiful girl.....in the room.
(In the whole wide room.)
And when you're on the street
Depending on the street
I bet that you are definitely in the top three
Good-looking girls on the street.
(Depending on the street.)"

"Not Crying": (On The Distant Future) An emotional break-up ballad, trying to save face.

"I'm not crying. No, I'm not crying.
And if I am crying, it's not because of you.
It's because I'm thinking of a friend of mine who you don't know who is dying.
That's right, dying.
These aren't tears of sadness because you're leaving me.
I've just been cutting onions.
I'm making a lasagna...for one."

This is just a small taste of the Conchords. Check out their albums for the full deal, including some songs I can't mention here.

Finally, if you're a fan of their music, check out the Flight of the Conchords TV show on DVD! Bret & Jemaine play a fictional band that moves from New Zealand to New York to make it big. They're constantly breaking into song (the ones on their albums, along with some additional ones) to tell the story. Quite possibly the funniest show I've seen in a long time!

Here's a video of "Inner City Pressure" as it appeared in "Bret Gives Up the Dream", the 2nd episode of the TV show.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Search for the FotC music CDs and DVDs in our online catalog.
What the Folk!: Unofficial fan site about Flight of the Conchords.
Amazon.com: Purchase CDs, DVDs, & other FotC merchandise using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

"Our Bright Future" by Tracy Chapman

MediaPhile@evpl — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:35:00 GMT

I have long been a fan of Tracy Chapman. She has a beautiful, soulful voice that lends itself to the simple but smart and touching songs that she writes.

"Our Bright Future" is her 8th album. She started out 23 years ago in little cafes near Harvard Square, strumming her acoustic guitar and singing her songs to whoever would listen.

Now of course, she can afford to hire expensive backup players and arrangers. But it is still the same Chapman we know and love.

You can listen to these songs for their social message or you can just relax into their warm beauty. Either way a new Chapman cd is always a treat!

And visit her website. It's way cool!

Me First & the Gimme Gimmes punk-ify the classics

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:58:00 GMT

Musical parody...such a fine art. Back in the day, I was a big "Weird Al" Yankovic fan ("It's all about the Pentiums, baby!"). There are also bands that take well-known music and reinterpret it: some of my favs include Hayseed Dixie (they play AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, etc. as bluegrass!), Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine (90s-00s rock as lounge music), and the String Quartet Tribute series (Dylan, Clapton, Evanescence, Eagles, Rolling Stones).

My favorite parody band is, hands down, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes. On their albums, they take a wide variety of popular tunes and turn em into blazing punk rock songs. That probably doesn't sound too appealing...but you'd be pleasantly surprised. They are masters of their craft, creating a catchy, brilliant mix of new and old...nothing beats hearing "Ghost Riders in the Sky" with blaring power chords, a constant bassline, and driving toms with double-kick on the drums!

Below I'll list the albums the EVPL has, the particular theme, as well as highlights from each album.

Are A Drag
1999
Showtunes!

This album features covers of beloved showtunes, including "Over the Rainbow", "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Favorite Things", and "Rainbow Connection". I'm not that big of a showtunes fan (surprising, right?), but I love their interpretations of the songs I do know!

Blow in the Wind
2001
60s songs

Covers of songs from the 60s, including "Blowin' in the Wind", "Sloop John B.", "Elenor", "Stand by Your Man", and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow".

Take a Break
2003
R&B songs

An amazing collection of classic R&B songs, punkified. Highlights include "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", "Hello", "Ain't No Sunshine", "I Believe I Can Fly", and "Nothing Compares 2 U". A couple songs mash-up other songs with brilliant results: their cover of "I'll Be There" incorporates parts of The Cars' "Just What I Needed".

Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah
2004

This album doesn't have a "theme", per se, as it's a compilation of awesome tracks they performed live at...you guessed it, Jonny's Bar Mitzvah. This album features covers of "Stairway to Heaven", "Come Sail Away", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "The Longest Time", "On My Mind", and "Take It on the Run". Between the tracks, there's also lots of hilarious banter.

Love Their Country
2006
Country

I am not a fan of country music (I was subjected to it by my dad & sis when I was young), so I find this particular album hilarious! Check out "Ghost Riders in the Sky", "Desperado", "Jolene", "On the Road Again", and "East Bound & Down" to hear these songs rock like you've never heard them before!

The Gimmes are brilliantly hilarious, as well as being excellent musicians, so I highly recommend checking them out!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of albums by Me First & the Gimme Gimmes at EVPL libraries.
DailyMotion: Watch the Gimmes perform "Take it on the Run" live on Last Call with Carson Daly.
Amazon.com: Use this link to purchase their albums at Amazon, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

New Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders album

MediaPhile@evpl — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:04:00 GMT

Chrissie Hynde is back -- and she's spectacular -- in the Pretenders' first studio album in 6 years, "Break Up the Concrete." She hasn't lost her voice or her style!

The hard-rocking Hynde, who wrote all the songs, fronts an all-new band consisting of Jim Keltner, Eric Heywood, and James Walbourne.

Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1951, Hynde attended Kent State University and knew one of the students killed during the Kent State protests. She has spent most of her life living in London, but now also owns an apartment back in her Midwestern hometown.

Hynde is a longtime vegan and, according to Wikipedia, she "opened a vegan restaurant in Akron in 2007 called The VegiTerranean. The restaurant....serves fusion Italian-vegetarian food." She has been known to perform there.

On October 17, 2008 Hynde played with fellow Akron-area musicians Devo at a special benefit concert for candidate Barack Obama at the Akron Civic Theater.

Welcome home, Chrissie!

"Little Wild One" by Joan Osborne

MediaPhile@evpl — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:17:00 GMT

"Righteous Love" is one of my all-time favorite albums, so when I read in "People"
magazine that Joan Osborne had a 7th album out -- "Little Wild One" -- I made sure the library ordered it.

Osborne's music has elements of rock, folk, country, and blues -- so it's hard to squeeze her into a box. She kind of transcends the usual genres.

Her ethereal voice is complemented by the songs themselves, co-written with her band members. Yes, not only is she a fabulous singer, but she also fronts her own band as well as being a guitarist and composer. She has toured with the Dixie Chicks and Grateful Dead, among others.

If you like to sing in the car -- or in the shower -- and need some new material, check out Joan Osborne.