My All Time Favorite Rock Albums

I just watched a great documentary on the history of the rock band AC/DC. In it, the makers of the film were asserting - among other things - that Back In Black is one of the best rock albums ever made.

I cannot disagree. In fact, I whole heartily agree! I remember one day back in an ancient time called the 1980s, I was in high school talking music with an acquaintance of mine before class started and this guy - who was a very non-rock Goth type - said to me that Back In Black was a "must have" album for anyone, regardless of what type of music they liked. I'd heard Back in Black the song...along with Shook Me All Night Long. But, based on this dude's strong and seemingly against-type recommendation, I invested in the full Back In Black Album. Glad I did.

Not much longer, I had another friend who was deep into AC/DC and through him I heard all their albums as we cruised the suburban streets of Bellevue, WA...on the way to or escaping from any number of teenage escapades.

Anyway, I love me some AC/DC and by all means Back In Black is an all-time best album.

And that got me thinking, what other rock music do I own that I think is absolutely seminal, must have, go-to-my-grave great?

Well, below is my list. In no ranked order, these are albums that I personally find to be the very best from my years on Earth and appealing to my taste.

Call it my own personal "desert island disc" list if you want. Any way you slice it, these are are my very favorites full albums because - for me - they deliver the goods across an entire set. Sure, there are other singles or compilations that I love along with these, not to mention other albums that I like and listen to a lot, but in sticking with the inspiration of Back In Black, these are my favorite full albums:

• Back In Black - AC/DC
• London Calling - The Clash
• The Holy Bible - Manic Street Preachers
• Endless Summer - The Beach Boys (a compilation...but a huge, impressive and defining one)
• Revolver - The Beatles
• Rubber Soul - The Beatles
• Howl - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• Parklife - Blur
• In Utero - Nirvana
• Vitology - Pearl Jam
• Euphoric Heartbreak - Glasvegas
• Global A-Go-Go - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
• Wolf's Law - The Joy Formidable
• Mona - Mona
• Nothing To Fear - Oingo Boingo
• I Didn't See It Coming - The Professionals 
• Never Mind the Bollocks - Sex Pistols
• Album - Public Image Limited
• Hot Rocks I and II - The Rolling Stones (again, a MAJOR compilation)
• Sex, Drugs & Rock and Roll - Social Distortion
• Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden
• Built for Speed - Stray Cats
• Snapshot - The Strypes
• Zooropa - U2 (that's right people, Zooropa. Not all those others that everybody loves. I like those too, but I LOVE the U2 sound and approach to this one.)
• Elgin Avenue Breakdown - The 101'ers

So there you go. See something you've never heard of? Check it out!

Mona Releases Second Album - Torches & Pitchforks

Nashville based band Mona is a group I've been keeping my eyes and ears on over the last year or two. Why? Well, they are new outfit that seems to capture what I think is great about rock and roll - rebellion, style, energy, commitment and above all...great tunes. Turns out, you CAN still get great music from a bass, drum kit, two guitars and a lot of conviction.

I've seen Mona twice in Seattle and once in New York City, and each time these guys don't disappoint. And, they are approachable off stage as I was fortunate enough to meet each member of the band at some point at one of the shows I attended. Good guys.

Torches & Pitchforks Album Cover

In any case, they just released their second album titled Torches & Pitchforks. That's right, as in the villagers out en mass at night to find and kill the village monster - holding aloft sharp pitchforks and flaming torches as they march forward on their mission. So which is Mona, the enraged villagers or the monster?  Maybe a bit of both. Or, perhaps when you listen to this album about standing your ground, reaching for the stars, the sadness of depleted or lost love (or lost opportunity), the excitement of lust and seeking truth in life....they are neither, but rather the energy, spirit or mania that fuels both righteous mob or cornered monster.

You can decide for yourself by listening to their album. If it helps, below are my thoughts on the songs - which Mona have arranged in three parts with interesting interlude sections in between.

REVIEW

Intro. "From the depths of the Earth." This is first of three "interlude" pieces that divide Torches & Pitchforks into three parts. And, it's actually not a song sung by Mona. Rather, it's an excerpt from an old-timey gospel piece, complete with scratchy record sound, called "Born to Serve the Lord" and performed by The Chapel Keys. I like it. Mona definitely plumbs nostalgia in its lyrics and style and has toyed with the salvation and hypocrisies of religion. So, it's a fitting intro to set the stage for what is to come.

Wasted. "Do you believe in God? No, but I still pray." The title and subject of this song plays with a double meanings of "wasted." On one hand, the lyrics suggest a drug addict and his girl trying to come to grips with their situation, seek salvation and then resigning themselves to the fact that, well, it's too late already...full speed ahead! But on the other hand, it suggests two people "wasting" their lives in dead end situations...seeking something bigger and more exciting and ultimately not being afraid to take a big leap to get out, to avoid ultimately wasting away. Or at least that's my interpretation.

Musically, this one kicks off the album proper with a good, fitting rock song Mona style. Nick Brown's powerful, soulful voice sings out and howls over a driving and rumbling accompaniment though the intro, crescendo, breakdown and back to a powerful ending. While this song is perhaps a bit "Mona by the numbers," the song kicks off the album with a burst of energy. It does the trick for me.


2013 Publicity Photo of Mona, main man Nick Brown in middle

Truth. "Oh the nine to five, got you weary souled." A baseline from Zach Lindsey starts this one off with a piano joining next, then a guitar, a deliberately paced drum, lead guitar and ultimately the singing voice to build into a song that's shows some diversity of style for the band. Best I can tell, this one talks about someone who is fed up with the fake and superficial trappings of life, but who is also partnered with someone who is either unaware of the shallowness of those things or indulges in them out of fear. The singer is seeking "truth," but is weighed down by someone who is not or cannot. And what does that ultimately mean? Seems like by the end of the song, the main character has decided to go it alone, with "nothing now" - which is liberating, but also raises the question of "who am I?"

Darlin'. "Don't leave me darlin'." That pretty much summarizes the theme of this song - don't leave me baby! Is it just for the night or forever? Could be either. In any case, this is a stand-out track to me. A jaunty guitar line starts this one out with drums and a second guitar kicking it up a notch as the song moves quickly into almost throw back rockabilly vibe...all of which morphs into more of a rock presentation a la The Strokes and finally ends on a much slower and isolated lament...closing with, "I came here to see you, but you walked out the door." This is a bit of a change up for Mona and for that I like it. The tune sticks in your head and, well, the message is universal. We've all been there at one point or another.

Goons. "Baby I need it all." This is the rebellious first single from the album and has been out for a while now. The title is a take on something Frank Sinatra said when he was asked about the initial wave of rock and roll back in the 1950s. He said in part, "It's sung, played and written, for the most part, by cretinous goons." Mona seem to be taunting The Chairman of the Board by saying, "Hell yeah...you're right. We ARE those goons...and we want it all!"

Freeway. "I don't want to be the one that leaves." Lyrically, this one is nothing particularly new - perhaps a deeper version of the previous song, Darlin'. Basically, its a guy saying he and his girl have been through a lot and perhaps the end is near, but none the less he does not want to be the one to end things. Musically though, the song is compelling and pulls a the heart strings with a soulful delivery by Brown and thoughtful, moving music to go with it.

Interlude (Don't Cry). "Everyone's on the dash, trying to get it and pile up all the cash, baby it won't last...that's not the way it seems to be with me." This second short buffer segment is Mona this time and introduces what I think is the best third of this album. On this short segment, Nick Brown sings to a ukulele accompaniment and nice breezy backing vocals from the rest of the guys on this pleasantly subdued little track. What's he singing about? A guy who is rejecting the normal pursuits in life and telling his girl not to cry too much about it. I think.

Torches & Pitchforks. "Say what you need to say, you gotta get it right." OK, now we're really talking. This one is the best on the album in my book. Up to now we've had some good songs that are fun to listen to or make you think a little with Darlin' being the highlight to me. But with T&P the band steps up their game and shifts up a gear or two - full Mona style. Baby we got it all: heartfelt delivery by Nick Brown, epic and catchy music, soulful background singers and a theme about facing your fears instead of running - saying what you need to say, doing what you need to do in the face of whatever "torches and pitchforks" are coming your way. A+ work.

Mona on stage in Seattle. Photo taken by Marc Osborn.

Like You Do. "Everybody talks and nobody listens." This is strong musically - catchy and even has a few flashes of synth on it - but lyrically we're back to holding on to precarious love and what may need to change - a theme now done a couple times already on the album. However, I like this one quite well and taking it together with the other songs in this section of the album, it fits nicely.

Cross the Line. "I hoped it wouldn't come to this, but as you're talking I feel my hand turning into a fist." More good stuff! Mona jump into scrappy, greasy, "don't mess with me" territory on this song. Guitar riffing with a piano and driving drum beat kick this song off on a promising note and it turns out...yep, kick ass song. "Back the F*#%K off. What's mine is mine and you are not going to take it, man." That's the message on this noisy, straining song. Dead serious lyrical delivery exploding into a ripping chorus by Brown leaves you convinced he ain't fooling around.

Me Under. "I'm going everything but nice and slow." At times I hear a bit of U2 in Mona, and this song is like that to me. And it's good. It's an expansive tune that starts off with a racing spare guitar and builds quickly into a song that is, best I can tell, about coming of age and a guy who wants to...needs too...feel unconstrained, unencumbered to lash out at (or embrace) all that the world has to offer. And he does not want anyone dragging him under. He wants to go down to the river to wash himself clean of his burdens and go forward from there - at full speed. I rate this song as right up there as best on the album. Strong work from the band.

Interlude (Waiter). "Tell me, waiter...did you get that girl's name?" This is the third interlude bit on the album. It's pretty short and too the point: Hey, I just met (or saw) a girl that amazed me, but I didn't get her name. Anyone know who she is?

Late Night. "It's gonna be a late night she said." This is a song about a girl who is, unfortunately, driven to sell her body for money and the tragedy that this is...the girl knowing she should be somewhere else, doing something (anything) else than her sad realization of what she has to do to pay her bills. In only one line in the song, there is the implication that there is someone outside of this Hell that she wants to "stay near," but that is the only lifeline of hope...the rest is the solid truth that she is stuck in her situation with no seeming way out.

Sounds bleak. And yeah, that's bleak stuff. But, Mona deliver this message in a touching song that messages sympathy for the girl.

L.L.L. This song picks up the anti-conformity sentiment of "Torches & Pitchforks," "Truth" and "Cross the Line" from earlier in the album. It also is another song that has some U2ish elements. With the up-tempo music and rapid and righteous delivery from Brown about "living like lovers" and fighting the good fight, I like this one. But, it isn't quite up to par with those other "I fought the law" songs on this album already. Good, not great.

Love Divine. "Even when it's fair, life's not fair." At almost seven minutes, this is easily the longest song on the album. It's an ambitious affair with piano, synths and a few change ups in pace from slow and quite to loud and rage-y - all centered around mid-tempo backbone. The theme of the song seems to be about pushing past life's pains and traumas to find something real...but honestly the lyrics are all over the place, ending with Brown exalting that "you will find me down on my knees" as the sound of the album fades out over the same crackley record sound it began on.

WHAT TO GET
I'm usually in the camp of getting an entire album by an artist, and I'd recommend that for Torches & Pitchforks too. But, in case you just want to sample a few songs to see if you like Mona, below are some recommendations.

Download Now:

• Torches & Pitchforks
• Me Under
• Cross the Line
• Darlin'

Want more? Get These:

• Like You Do
• Freeway
• Late Night

Glasvegas Back With New Single and EP

Cover of the "If" EP by Glasvegas

One of my favorite bands from recent years, Glasvegas, is back in the music-release business with a new single and EP called "If " to proceed the anticipated release of their third album in September titled "Later...When the TV Turns to Static."

You can sample the four songs on the "If" EP on the band's Web site and clicking on the "Legacy" link at the top. And you can see the video version of the song featuring a cameo by William Shatner - yes, Captain Kirk - by clicking on the "GVTV" link at the top of the band's page.

Here are my thoughts on the songs just released:

1. If. "If our love was ever to part ways, the world as I know it would never ever spin again." Musically and lyrically, this is full on Glasvegas. The binary premise of the song is that without one extreme, how would we even know the opposite extreme existed. If not for this, we wouldn't have that. It takes one side of things to truly know the other - making both real. For example, in one line James Allan sings, "If not for dark, how could I recognize the spark. If not for evil, the kind man would walk by invisible."

Much of the rest of the song uses the same juxtaposition of things (sun/rain, Mary/the devil, etc.) to make the point, culminating several times with the crescendo chorus that if "our love would ever part ways" the world would essentially end - simultaneously implying that the love shared and active keeps the world turning. For anyone who is or ever has been in love - either short term lust and longing or lifelong love - this is the ultimate and personal payoff on the "if" theme of the song and for that it packs a powerful emotion punch.

Mid-way through, the song re-trenches with what I'd call a tip o' the hat to the Talking Heads using a wordplay on that group's song Road to Nowhere - flipping it on its head to be on the more positive "road to somewhere." It then seamlessly picks back up into the main riff and finishes.

Musically, I'd call this a mid-paced rock song featuring Rab Allan's shimmery guitar and "oooh, ahhh" backing vocals, a galloping drum beat from Joanna Lofgren to move things along and solid bass work from Paul Donoghue. I'd compare it to earlier Glasvegas songs such as "Geraldine" or "The World Is Yours" - both excellent tunes.

To summarize, this song delivers what Glasvegas is great at - heartfelt lyrics cleverly delivered along with compelling, moving music. Check it out.


2013 Promo Shot of Glasvegas

2. Press Play. "If we'd met in another story, things could have worked out differently." This song is, as far as I can tell, a lament over what the singer would have done differently in a relationship if another chance was available. Starting quiet and slow with voice and piano only, the pace slowly builds over the course of the tune. This is a similar technique used by Glasvegas in their song "Lots Sometimes" from their last album. However, in this case it's a slower build with not quite as frantic an ending as that earlier song, but with some clever use of xylophone tones. After singing about  how things could have worked out and what he would have done, Allan then summarizes toward the end (now faster and now more musically dense background that adds synths and a touch of bass) that if he could go back in time, he'd "press play" - implying he would be more active, engaged and present.

3. The Words That Maketh Murder. "I have seen and done things I want to forget." This one is a cover of the PJ Harvey song by the same name. I read somewhere recently that Glasvegas main man James Allan said while they had done covers in the past, they were usually of older songs and they wanted to do one that was more recent. He didn't say why they chose this - what I think is a - anti-war song, however. With a more aggressive sound and lyrical delivery that the previous two songs on the EP, this urgent song talks about someone who has seen the horrors of war and equates the words that start or fuel wars with words that "maketh" murder.

4. Finished Sympathy (Demo). "Sick to death of the means to an end." I think this one is about the final, crushing realization that something - a relationship or perhaps innocence - is over. Done and dusted. There is no longer even sympathy from those involved, just...the finished finality of things. Over. And it hurts at least one party as expressed by the singing voice of James Allan with backing voice provided by Rab Allan. Being a demo, this one might sound different on the upcoming album, but if it does not, this version very capably delivers the emotion.


OK, so what do we have here? We have an "up" tune expressing the wonder and reality of how it takes opposites to confirm each other's existence...up to and including love and the end of love, a couple lament songs beautifully delivered and a more aggressive and dark cover version of an anti-war song. Good stuff to me and a nice taster of what is coming in the album. I am looking forward to seeing what the team from Glasgow has cooked up in full.

New Music for 2013

Well, it's been a while. Between the holidays, a super crazy start to 2013 at work and getting pretty dang sick...I haven't had time or inclination to post much.

But, the plan is still the same as previous years people. That's right, I fully intend to post my own music reviews, comments on politics, travelogues, gig reports, pictures and more.

To start things off, I thought I'd touch on a few bands who are coming out with new music this year that I'm looking forward to. Are these the most popular bands in U.S. or the world? No, not really. But many "big" bands are really over rated anyway.

Here's what I'm looking forward to:

• The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law (out now). Power trio from Wales with a great female lead singer.
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Specter at the Feast (March 19). Dark SF band with killer hooks. Single "Let the Day Begin" can be heard HERE.
• British Sea Power - Machineries of Joy (April 1). Art noise spliced with melodic rock. Check it out. 
• The Courteeners - Anna (April 2) New single "Lose Control" can be heard (and seen) HERE. Straight modern British rock. Good stuff.
• Mona - album title and release date still to be released, but expected in 2013. Great Nashville band doling out rock and roll as it should be.
• Glasvagas - Later...When the TV Turns to Static (date still TBD). Some info HERE. For readers of this blog, you know I love Glasvegas.
• The Static Jacks - album name and release date TBD, but expected in 2013. This is a lively band out of NJ that you should check out for a rush of great rock emo goodness. 

And of course, if even a few of these bands get to Seattle in 2013, you know I'll be there. 

British Rock and Roll

OK, so we all know the 2012 Summer Olympics are being held in London.

And, if any of you watched the opening ceremonies last Friday, you know that there was a major section of the show dedicated to the famous and influential rock and roll music to have come from the UK.

That got me thinking that it is absolutely ASTOUNDING how many quality rock performers or bands have come from the UK. Sure, some cats down south here in the USA invented "rock and roll" out of combinations of blues, jazz, hillbilly country...but you gotta give it to the Brits for matching that invention with a major, major dose of quality follow up.

And yes, we all know about Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, the Floyd, the Zeppelin, Bowie, Queen, Clapton, Pistols, Clash, Dire Straights, Smiths, Blur, Radiohead, Oasis, Coldplay, Adele, Amy Winehouse...and lots and lots more super well known UK bands.

But, the whole opening ceremonies also got me thinking that in an age when we here in the U.S. basically don't give crap one about rock music any more...in deference to rap, hip hop, dance, American Idol balladry, sugary country and all things produced and copied from someone else...how some of the best "from the streets" rock has always been and is still coming from the good old UK.

With that in mind, here are some perhaps lesser known British bands that are well worth checking out if you are interested in, you know, some actual rock and roll with spirit. I've grouped them into two divisions - new/newish from the 2000s and vintage from whenever in the past.

New or Newish (2000 or later)

• Libertines - the band that put rebellion back into British rock
• Arctic Monkeys - the band that picked up the mantle of the Libertines and stayed together
• Snow Patrol - heart felt, melodic rock
• Sound of Guns - like Snow Patrol, but with 15% more rock and roll
• Bloc Party - arty, angular, thought provoking techno rock
• British Sea Power - interesting, rough, arty rock
• Glasvegas - epic, emotional, melodic, interesting
• The Enemy - socially conscious, guitar rock
• The Hours - spawn of Joe Strummer 
• The Joy Formidable - strong, female lead vocal, Nirvana influence rock from Wales
• Sharks - like seal barking over traffic noise...but in a good way
• The Vaccines - catchy, fun

Vintage
Some of these bands are still active and putting out music, some not. But...in any case, the started well before 2000...

• Big Audio Dynamite - Mick Jones 80s dance rock band after the Clash
• Stone Roses - Madchester and late 80s "baggy" culture at its zenith 
• Public Image Limited - Johnny Rotten's band after the Pistols, very strange, arty and influential stuff
• The Good, the Bad & the Queen - Damon Albarn from Blur, Paul Simonon from the Clash and a few others...mellow, melodic, thought provoking
• The English Beat - ska, skanking goodnesss
• The Jam - late 70s, early 80s British "mod" rock
• Manic Street Preachers - epic rock and roll
• Placebo - a band with it's own sound
• The Jesus & Mary Chain - influential Scottish band
• The La's - eccentric acoustic sound. You know their song "There She Goes" already
• Ned's Atomic Dustbin - you know, just check it out. Get their debut Godfodder
• Joy Division AND New Order - two bands, but essentially the same lineup of musicians
• Primal Scream - the Stones meet the Stone Roses meet dance meets the MC5
• The Professionals - post Pistols band from Steve Jones and Paul Cook
• Stereophonics - Wales rock worth checking out
• The 101ers - Joe Strummer's band before he joined the Clash

New PiL Album Out

One of my favorite bands, Public Image Limited (PiL) has, for the first time in 20 years, put out a brand new album. Called This Is PiL, the new disc is out now.

For those of you not versed in PiL, I'll give you the short version of the story:

Lydon as Johnny Rotten - 1976/7

• 1978 - Singer John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten, see picture at right) from the Sex Pistols forms new group called Public Image Limited.
• Late 70s/early 80s - PiL put out three extremely good and extremely influential albums - First Issue, Metal Box (also issued as Second Edition later) and Flowers of Romance.
• The band's sound was different, groundbreaking and not structured like traditional rock and roll or even punk. 
• Mid-80s - original lineup leaves except Lydon, band continues to tour and put out records, the best of which is called Album.
• Early 90s - last PiL record (or so we thought) called That What Is Not put out.
• All of the above music is an interesting, avaunt guard mixture of grindey, dancey, screechy, rockish music with Lydon's warbley vocal...very different than mainstream rock and with intelligent (for the most part) lyrics. 
• And then it stopped. According to recent interviews, Lydon says that his record label simply stifled him and would not let him create the type of music he wanted to. So, he waited them out. Once the contract expired a few years ago, he drummed up some cash by - ironically for a punk legend - staring in TV advertisements for Country Life Butter. But, this gave the man funds to get a version of PiL back together and tour in 2010 and 2011.

Classic PiL Logo

My buddy Paul and I went to see the band when they performed in Seattle in 2010. You can read my review if the gig HERE.

The touring and practice set up PiL recording a new album that just came out. It's also important to note that Lydon and PiL did this 100% on their own - recording, producing, fabricating and setting up distribution their new record on their own - no record company. Very punk.

And speaking of punk or post-punk, I fully recognize that the PiL sound ain't for everyone. Grindey music, Lydon's diction and screechy delivery are not what many are up for. It's an acquired taste for sure. But also, not everything has to be sugary and nice. It's the difference between a pop fiction vs. serious literature. And like literature, Lydon and the PiL team deliver a set infested with imagery, metaphor, motif (the sea, relationships, rooms, dreams all make multiple appearances) and story. Anyway, my goal below is not to convince you to like this record or PiL, but rather just to pass on my thoughts on what I've heard.

With that as the set up, below is my review take on This Is PiL. You can check out Lydon's own run-down of his new album HERE. And, he explains the cover art for the new album in a video HERE.

Cover of This Is PiL

This Is PiL. "This is PiL." Well, that's pretty much the lyrical content of this song. As if the album title is not enough, Lydon wants to remind you at the outset that you are listening to and are about to hear a whole album of music from, you guessed it, PiL. In fact, you are entering the PiL zone he says. OK. We get it. From my read of his comments, the song and album title are equal parts a statement about how this current incarnation of the band is Lydon's favorite AND a shot across the bow to former PiL members who have been playing PiL songs live without Lydon or permission. Either way, to me, this song is a clear "miss" and should have been left off the album. It's unfortunate it leads off because even fans like me wonder, "what the Hell did I just buy." Fear not though, the rest of the album delivers.

One Drop. "The laws of nature, they are lawless and free." This is song about the agelessness of true rebellion and a liberating power of a rebellious soul. Lydon typically espouses the viewpoint that age is irrelevant and his line in this song - sung by the 50 something man - that says, "we are teenagers" makes the point. Musically, this is a mid-paced song dominated by Lydon's voice with typical angular PiL guitar as background and in a short solo. The takeaway for me on this one is to embrace your youth no matter how old you are. It's the wild side of life that we need you know.

Deeper Water. "Head for deeper water." Featuring a wicked good descending, angular guitar riff, this song delivers the PiL goods in full. The sea as metaphor for the dangers in life. Yes, been done. But, Lydon uses it effectively as after he describes the various things that can happen to someone in "turbulent seas" and "crashing waves" that buffet and threaten to "dash you on the rocks" he wails that the answer is not to try and save yourself toward land...but no, head for deeper water. No fear, not drowning. Embrace the deeper water and the unknown rather than the familiar but deadly route to land reached by going through crashing waves on a rocky shore.

Terra-Gate. "Mad as you are, you are probably fake." Blazing out of the gate, this is a Lydon rant and bellow about the relationships, ego, ridiculous arguments, fake people and the BS we all (should not) put with. I like it! This is the most "radio friendly" and rocking song on the new album and I can see hitting play on this one over time. It just encapsulates PiL...odd but imbued with Lydon's intelligence and revved up a bit for effect.

Human. "If these are your leaders...they are not good enough for you." Lots of stuff going on in this song...some recollections of what Lydon likes and does not like, nostalgia for England (he has lived in L.A. for some time), how each of us slips up sometimes and advice on being careful who you select for leaders and heroes.

I Must Be Dreaming. "And you know, you're to blame." A slow/middle-paced song in which we learn that Lydon has indeed "just been dreaming." What is he dreaming about? Well, killing seasons, weakness, awaking in a damaging hate, mistaken meanings...among other things we are told. Put it all together and, well, it's not all too clear what this is about. But that is a good thing. That is a hallmark of PiL songs...you don't always know exactly what it's about and this leaves the song open to interpretation. Lydon has said this one is about the enduring lameness of consecutive UK governments - the nightmares of that and the potential to dream for better. But hey, the lyrics could mean a lot of things. Check it out for yourself.

John Lydon today

It Said That. "Go gossip that." OK, so after five really great tunes, all with their own character and sound...we now turn back toward something like the opening track. This is kinda a repeated spoken mantra focusing on how people (or the good old Internet) actually say things that are - gasp - not true. Basically, an anti-gossip song. So, this one might not be my favorite on the album, but ponder the fact that PiL has done a song against gossip and tabloid mentality. Not something you hear too often.

The Room I Am In. "Through this window no large orbs ever come into view." This one is reminiscent of "Religion" off of PiL's first album, First Issue, as Lydon mainly talks this "song" through...more like a poem with subtle, aching backing sounds. While not nearly as hostile and cutting as "Religion," in this one Lydon alludes to the narrow folly and trouble of drug addition through the metaphor of being trapped in a room or cell. That we know of, Lydon is no drug addict and if he ever was it is decades in the rear view mirror. But, he has certainly known his fair share and seen the damage done - primarily to his friend and fellow Sex Pistol Sid Vicious and former PiL band member Keith Levine. Perhaps part commentary on that experience, along with observations generally. This is definitely a change up track in the middle of the album that slows things down to a contemplative level. 

Lollipop Opera."What's that? A complaint? The hotel smells?Well it can't have be me...I weren't there." This one features a catchy drum driven beat with some funky electronic sounds to punctuate. Over the top of that, Lydon sings about brooms, rooms, mushrooms and cleaning said room. Huh? And then several times during the tune his voice comes through as if through a tunnel...a stream of fast paced words along the lines of "ticky tock at the lollipop opera." While first listen is a bit odd, this is classic PiL for the modern era - strange, catchy, strange twists and effects. It will grow on you. Not sure what it all means though. Lydon has hinted that it's about the sense of community that working class neighborhoods share. OK. As good an explanation as any.

Fool. "You made a fool out of me." This is a slowdown "bitterness of relationship" type song calling out how one can get burned by someone once loved. And, if you listen carefully, some advice on how to move on..."see you later, baby."

Reggie Song. "No matter where you come from, you can always be a better person." Musically, this song it reminds me of some of PiLs work of the late-80s with the guitar sounds and effects and how Lydon's voice sounds. Lyrically, Lydon talks about "shining like a beacon" to be the best you can be, while offering forgiveness to those that perhaps wronged you in the past. Oh, and Lydon reminds us that he's from London. Solid tune.

Out of the Woods. "As we march, the forest parts, the wildlife darts." Kicking off with a subtle and bass driven beat, this nearly nine minute song starts with a string of rhymes...almost for the sake of rhyming. But as you listen the rhyming becomes less forced and the song becomes stronger and stronger. Eventually you realize that this is a song about a battle with soldiers marching through and charging out of the woods and the things they see and experience. You get the sense that it's an old battle Lydon is referencing as he talks about horses and there is even a very brief banjo interlude. Seriously. Anyway, this is a curve ball ending for sure. I mean, after an entire album about dreams, hardship, forgiveness, honesty and relationships...a song about war. But, for that I like it as it makes you think about

Summary:
This is a very good return for Lydon and PiL. Clearly, the man has something to say and continues to find unconventional ways to do it. Props to doing the way he wants and bucking convention. At times, such as in "This is PiL" and perhaps "It Said That," it may not come off as well as I'd like, but those are minor speed bumps compared to the success of the record overall. The world is full of expected music and the offspring of X-Factor and American Idol. This is not that. This is authentically "alternative" music worth checking out.

Best Song:
Lots to contenders on this album. By my count there are no fewer than five top notch songs here. But, I'm going to say that...at least for my tastes..."Deeper Water" is the best. It's the best combination of music, lyrics and overall message.

Song to Skip:
"This Is PiL" - literally, the title says it all. Don't bother.

What to Get:
Look, I'd recommend getting the entire This Is PiL album, but if you want to just see what's up without committing the massive $10 to explore new music via digital download of the whole thing, I'd say check out "Deeper Water," "Terra-Gate," "One Drop," "Human" and "Reggie Song."

Meanwhile, you would be doing yourself a favor by getting the entirety of the First Issue and Metal Box (aka Second Edition) albums.

My GIGS Book

Here is a book I created recently using photos I took at local shows and text from posts from this blog.

I think the title and sub-head of the book says it all - GIGS: Live Music, Small Camera, Low Light...Rock & Roll.

Check it out!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create your own personalized photo books at Shutterfly.com.

Insights On Most Viewed Posts

I was looking at statistics for which posts to this blog have received the most hits and views "all time."

What I found was interesting in several ways...

The most viewed single post on this blog by a long shot is one that I wrote, ironically, on the topic of which photos from my Flikr Photostream were getting the most views. The title of this all-time eyeball getting post was "Naked, Gay, Vietnam, Taj...and Don't Tread On Me." The title is literally a descriptive list of the pictures getting the most looks on Flickr.

Not much of a post really as it just runs down the top 10 most viewed pictures and my quick thoughts on why these pictures might be getting views.

But oh that title. Turns out as you know...there are A SHIT LOAD of people online looking for either just naked pictures of people or naked gay people. And that headline was too much for them to pass up a look. I know...surprise, surprise.

So you know, "naked" referred to a picture I took of the naked bicycle riders in the annual Solstice Parade in Seattle. And the "gay" picture referred to was a shot of a person participating in the Seattle Gay Pride parade, not naked. And the other items were

The rest of the top five most viewed were mostly travel essays that I wrote or an album review. This restored some amount of hope in me for humanity and I was pleased to see some alignment between what I enjoy writing about and people's interests in viewing things on my blog...

• Indeed, clocking in at the second most viewed post was my post about Diane and my travel to Egypt - in particular our stay in Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.
• Next on the list was one of my pieces on our trip to Romania, focusing on Bucharest and Snagov.
• Then an album review. I wrote my thoughts the release called Euphoric Heartbreak by one of my favorite bands, Glasvegas. Good to know some people appreciate good, new music!
• And then rounding out the top five was a post I wrote about our stay in Savannah, GA back in 2009. In the post I talk about the sights and great food we experienced in the city.

All that said, to help generate more traffic, I'm considering adding "naked" or "gay" to every single title of the posts I write and put on this blog. You know, like...

• Naked, Gay Report on Travel to France
• Naked, Gay Album Review of Latest from U2

Finding Good Modern Rock and Roll

For anyone interested in rock and roll music, the USA is a wasteland...or at least that the way it seems. For example, look at a recent Billboard "Hot 100" list of songs.

By my count, there are only THREE performers on that list that even come close to rock and roll - Coldplay, Foster the People, and the Black Keys. You'll never mistake any of them for AC/DC, the Who, Chili Peppers, the Clash or similar. But, they are at least on the outer edges of being rock and roll. Other than that, it's all soul divas, techno synth rap, some country and, well, that's about it. 97 percent of the list is that.

Sure, there are "legacy" acts that still find success even if they aren't on a hot 100 list. You know, U2, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Metallica and similar. But people, these are bands who came into being and fame a good 20-30 years ago. Whatever they do now - good or bad - tends to be hailed as "rock is still alive." I don't think so. I think it says that some people from 30 years ago really are talented and have continued to come up with quality rock that nostalgia hounds continue to eat up. Hell, I'm one of them.

But, this does not mean rock is still "alive" in my opinion. For that, it would take new groups with new songs regenerating the form anew pretty regularly. You don't see that much...at least not on the surface of things.

This leaves me often wondering where the good, new rock and roll is. I'm talking about new music by bands or performers starting out now...or within the last few years lets say. Turns out: a) it's out there, but b) it's hard to find.

Indeed, you have to do some homework, take a few risks and explore to find them. You have to, as Joe Strummer said, be "diggin' the new."

With that in mind, below are several new/recent bands that I've invested time in and think are the real deal. They key to me is that while they all exhibit their influences, they bring something new to the table in their sound primarily. I've done the work so you don't have to...

• Mona - a combo of sounds from this band out of Nashville, this is a modern, new, talented, legit rock band in the best sense of it.
• Howler - gritty with some pop hooks, this Minneapolis band is just coming on the scene and I'm liking them.
• Funeral Party - rock and roll from today's Los Angeles - not a re-hash of 1980s Whiskey A Go Go Sunset Strip big hair LA rock.
• The Gaslight Anthem - NJ band belting out well crafted rock using just the basics - guitar, drums, bass and heart felt vocals. The real deal.
• Glasvegas - thoughtful, epic, emotional rock that takes on issues far beyond the normal set of topics.
• British Sea Power - arty, angular, powerful rock music put together with sometimes odd and disconnected lyrical themes. Makes you think.
• The Courteeners - from Manchester, this band's sound is somewhere between Oasis and Blur with a little Morrissey drama thrown in.
• The Joy Formidable - female lead singer and guitarist belting out a powerful rock that reminds me a bit of Nirvana, but slightly more poppy.

Will we be talking about any of these bands in 10-20 years? Likely not given the odds of what it takes the "break trough" especially in the musical environment of the USA. But, that's not exactly the point I'm trying to make. No, I'm saying...real, vital and new rock and roll is indeed around. It lives in the moment, on stage and online rather than on the radio. You have to look to find it. But when you do, it's just as "alive" as ever. Get going people.  Rock on.

Rainy Weather Music Recommendations

For the first time in a while, I drove to work today in the rain. Yes, summer here in Seattle seemed short and the previous winter and spring were wet. But, in any case, it's been a while since I did my commute in the rain.

That got me thinking, what are some good bands or albums to listen to when it's gray and rainy? For some people, foul weather may bring on a desire for bright and sunny music that reminds them of a more pleasant season - reggae, Beach Boys, pop and the like.

For me, however, I go the other way - embrace the gloom, marinate around in it and find music that goes with the feel. That's not to say...depressing...but just that fits the environment.
Anyway, here are a few ideas for music that goes with gray rainy weather:

• Radiohead - pretty much anything by them, but more particularly OK Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac.
• The Good, the Bad & the Queen - an album by Damon Albarn of Blur, Paul Simonon of the Clash and others.
• Rubber Soul by the Beatles - Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Michelle, Girl and other songs really fit the rainy mood.
• Suedehead by Morrissey - it's a "best of" compliation from the Mozzer, but it's genius and fits a melancholy mood.
• Ten by Pearl Jam - Once, Evenflow, Alive, Porch, Jeremy...all great foul weather rock.
• Lifeblood by Manic Street Preachers - icy, detached, sythy-rock with some guitar...this entire album connotes bad weather.
• Metal Box by Public Image Ltd. - grindy, scratchy, warbly avaunt guard music. Gray, dark and challenging - just like a winter day.
• The Joy Division - pretty much anything by this band.
• Kill to Get Crimson by Mark Knofler - mellow, soulful, beautiful. Check it out next time there's a light rain falling. 
• Bleach by Nirvana - you sick of the rain? You pissed off that it's dark, cold and damp for like nine months out of the year? Crank this up and get that angst out!
• Zooropa by U2 - Lemon, Numb, Stay, Zooropa and pretty much everything else here fits rain.

There are just a few suggestions, and I'm sure you have your own favorites for those not-so-great weather days. Feel free to let me know. It's October now, so I'll be looking for some new tunes for the upcoming season.

New Rock Music for 2011

OK, so here we are nearly six months into 2011. If you are like me, over recent years you've lamented the lack of quality new rock and roll. Sure, we all have our favorites from years gone by...some of whom are still active. And that's great. Love it. But, what's new?

Two quarters into this year (and that's how us corporately indentured slaves measure things), based on my listening I can report that rock and roll is alive and well actually.

For example, here is some NEW music by either NEW rock bands or relatively new bands that you should check out:

• The Joy Formidable - check out their 2011 album The Big Roar.
• Mona - Nashville based rockers spit it out on their debut album by the same name.
• Funeral Party - L.A. pop rockers know what's up with their first full length album called The Golden Age of Knowwhere.
• Glasvegas - epic, heartfelt rock from these guys in their second album called Euphoric Heartbreak
• The Vaccines - this English guitar based pop rock group hits some nice chords and tunes that make you want to jump around...and that ain't a bad thing.
• British Sea Power - with their new one called Valhalla Dancehall, this British group really rocks out in a smart and compelling way. Check it. 
• Sharks - this band's compilation of work over the last 4-5 years is called The Joys Of Living. They haven't had a full LP release, so this is it for them so far. I say check it out and see if you dig.

For sure there are some other rockers keepin' it real such as Foo Fighters, Social Distortion, U2 and some others. But, in terms of what's new from new or recent band, I think these are among the best.

One last note, if you noticed that most these rock bands are from Britain, you are not seeing things. Nope. Unfortunately, the USA has for the most part given up on rock and roll in favor of pop (in all of it's varieties), country (or what passes for it today), hip-hop and dance music. If rock bands want to get a hearing today they either need to be from Britain or go there to get known. Sad but true.

2010 Rock Hall Nominees - What Do You Think?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its new set of nominees.

Setting aside the idea of enshrining rock and roll into a museum and all the contradictions that entails, here are the nominees with my comments if you care...

• Alice Cooper - yes, should be in. Innovative godfather and forerunner of goth, metal and makeup rock.
• Beastie Boys - yes, should be in. Innovative rap team key to bringing rap "overground" to the masses back in the 80s.
• Bon Jovi - no, should not be in. Sold a lot of records, but...what exactly did they bring to the table?
• Chic - not yet. Should eventually get in, but not so impressive that they are a lock.
• Neil Diamond - yes, should be in. Marginal on the "rock" scale, but clearly a major and influential writer and performer.
• Donovan - no, should not be in. Nice performer from the 60s and 70s, but not so influential or important to merit the hall.
• Dr. John - yes, should be in. Very influential jazz, blues and pop performer.
• J. Geils Band - um, no. Should not be in. "Angle Is A Centerfold" is reason alone to exclude them.
• LL Cool J - respect here, but not in yet. I think there are more deserving people on the current list. He'll get in eventually.
• Darlene Love - no opinion. I don't know enough about her to judge.
• Laura Nyro - no opinion. I don't know enough about her to judge.
• Donna Summer - yes, should be in. It's Donna Summer!
• Joe Tex - no opinion. I don't know enough about her to judge.
• Tom Waits - yes, should be in.
• Chuck Willis - yes, should be in. Early rhythm and blues pioneer.

What do you think?


Who should get in? Who should not?

Somebody important missing from the list? Nominees must have released their first recording at least 25 years ago to be eligible.

Know Your Enemy

Rock band Green Day will release their first album in years in May. It's called 21st Century Breakdown - which is a halfway or more rip-off of the title of the album put out by Joe Strummer's band the 101'ers called Elgin Avenue Breakdown. After it's release, Joe promptly left and joined a little unit you may of heard of called The Clash. So, given all that Green Day owe to Joe and the Clash musically, parodying an album title is certainly understandable. 

Anyway, I've not heard any of the new Green Day set yet, but I have to say that I like the Bay Area band quite a bit. Especially over the last few years as they've upped their game to sing about political issues instead of "I'm board and poor me" topics.

Another naming coincidence (?) is that the first single from Green Day's new album is called Know Your Enemy. You can buy the song now in iTunes if not elsewhere. But, Know Your Enemy is the name of an entire album of songs by an excellent political rock band you probably have never heard of - Manic Street Preachers. 

If you have never heard the Manics, you need to go out and get their debut Generation Terrorist, their artistic peak album The Holy Bible and their commercial hit Everything Must Go. The Welch band has many other good albums out, but those are essential. In early 2001 they also put out a CD called...Know Your Enemy. 

The Manic's Know Your Enemy was a return to a more aggressive rock sound after a couple more commercial outings. 

And there's lot to admire on this one - including that they kicked off their tour that year with a show in Havana, Cuba. You think Green Day is going to make that political statement? No, they're not.

At any rate, whether it's the ripping Found that Soul, the touching Ocean Spray, the polemic Intravenous Agnostic, the sunny Why So Sad, the disco (disco mocking that is) Miss Europa Dancer, the beautiful and educational Let Robeson Sing or political My Guernica or Freedom of Speech Won't Feed My Children...this record has a lot of songs to like and to ponder.  

So much so that I'd recommend that you check it out at the same time as you get Green Day's single Know Your Enemy and new album. Compare 'em. Who is singing about real issues? Who is more musically adventurous? I love me some Green Day...trust me. But, if you like them too I think you're gonna love the Manics.

Check it out. Oh, and if you've never heard the 101ers, you should check that too. Joe Strummer in his early days and definitely rockin'.

Happy First Birthday To The Western Front Blog!

Ladies and gentlemen, The Western Front blog has just turned one year old.

Yep, one year of trying to entertain, share and have a good time online. I started the blog last April for a few reasons. Among them, I've spent the better part of 40 years soaking up information and experiences...helping form a lot of opinions and, hopefully, some useful knowledge to pass on. With that in mind, I just figured it's time to start putting something back out there instead of mostly just absorbing it.

Another reason was that in my job I am increasingly using online social media to communicate, and I figured that diving into blogging would help me better understand that world.

In any case, based on my experience so far, I'm going to keep going.

To celebrate this first anniversary, I've put together a "best of" set of articles from the 117 posts to The Western Front blog over the last 12 months. I've grouped these into the categories of Music, Politics, Travel/Food, Photography, Opinion/Observations and Movies. I hope you enjoy reading or re-visiting some of these posts...

MUSIC

• Bad Economy = Better Music?
• Glasvegas Concert Review
• 2008 Concert Reviews
• Five Albums You Should Get
• Three Songs You Should Check Out
• Creating A "Genesis-Neutral World"

POLITICS

• How I Know Obama's Plan Will Work
• Tea-Baggers: Hypocrites, Rubes or Both?
• Who Is To Blame For the Current Crisis?
• What You Can't See in Shanghai Is What You Can See at Wal-Mart and on Wall Street
• McCain Dusts Off "Socialist" Charge
• May the Best Perception Win
• Goodbye to the Worst U.S. President Ever

TRAVEL/FOOD

• The China Reports
• Party Time in Spain - April Fair
• Hot, Fresh NYC Restaurant Reviews

PHOTOGRAPHY

• A Link to My Flickr Photostream Sets
• The Seattle Times Runs One of My Photographs
• The Spookiest Picture We've Ever Seen
• Wine Pictures
• New Mexico Pictures
• Vietnam and Cambodia Pictures
• Educational Publisher to Use One of My Pictures

OPINION/OBSERVATIONS

• Of Football, Fans, the Flag and a Guy Named Tits
• It's Not A Sport If...
• Time for Pirate Radio Again?
• Is Pollution An Olympic Sport?
• There's An A-Hole In Every Crowd (Sometimes Two)
• 20 Things I Am Thankful For
• My Un-American Fourth of July
• The Passing of a Great Man
• Marc's 2008 Year In Review

MOVIES

• Get Milk
• Pre-Oscars Movie Reviews

Music You Like - It Has to Start Somewhere

As a baby born in 1969, a child who grew up in the 1970s and who came of age in the 1980s, experiencing music was much more difficult than it is now. I mean, you know, there was no iTunes, no Internet, no nothing in in the late 70s and early 80s other than just radio and the record store. So, to find your groove and what rang true took quite a bit of effort.

With that in mind, in my suburban Bellevue, WA existence...I had no concept of nor any access to exotic stuff like the New York Dolls, Sex Pistols, Hanoi Rocks, Social Distortion, the Velvet Underground, Stooges, MC5, or any number of other great alternative bands. Those acts might as well resided on the planet Pluto. The just were just not visible to me. Instead, 90 percent of what you heard was stuff like Duran Duran, Foreigner, Journey, Michael Jackson, Pat Benetar, the Cars, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Rush, Genesis and groups seeking to clone one of these act.

Within the remaining 10 percent, what did stick out to me were bits of lyric that rung true, a sound unlike what else is on the radio, a rebellious look or attitude. Within the narrow context of what I could actually hear on a daily basis, these were the things that struck me as different than the mainstream and what I gravitated to. Not sure why, but that's what happened. There were a few albums that really punched trough to me at that time...and in hindsight served as "gateway" records that opened up a whole world of music later in high school and well beyond. Anyone who loves music has the same story I am sure.

Below I've listed four albums that did this for me. They date from the period of time when I really started to pay attention to music in any serious sense - 1979-1983. These are not highbrow selections that prove "I knew what was happening" back then or that I had some sort of instinct for cool music. No, I suspect they are rather pathetic. Rather, these are the faves I connected with on an instinctual basis. The best you could do was hear something on the radio and check it out at the record store or find something similar. If your were adventurous, you could head to the U-District or Capitol Hill in Seattle to try to find an import. That was it. Based on what I heard on the four albums below, I did this.

While there are more than four albums that I could list as important to opening up new channels and interests in music for me from those days, here are four FOR SURE that did do that for me. Their value lies not in there own quality compared to some other more spicy acts, but instead in their ability to slice through the dearth of the mainstream and inspire an American suburban white boy that there was more out there than the norm...and inspire him to look deeper.

So, without further adieux, here are the four albums that back in the very early 1980s that really cut through and made an impression on me:

Billy Idol - Don't Stop

Ah, Billy Idol. Time has not necessarily solidified him as a rock great, but at the same time he was a clear standout in the early 1980s. His songs were on the radio and his videos were playing on this new thing called MTV. Remember when MTV played videos?

Anyway, Billy's attitude, lyrics, the aggressive nature of his songs...man, they were all very appealing. And, at a time when most teenagers were walking around trying to look like a member of Ratt, Def Lepard or (on the other extreme) Duran Duran...Billy's spikey blond hair and torn shirts look really struck me as cool. When his Don't Stop EP (EP was a term for a short record of 4-5 songs) came out with Money Money, Baby Talk, Untouchables and...you know it...Dancing With Myself I was smitten. I quickly learned that Billy had previously been the singer in a London punk band called Generation X. This lead me to check out as many of these groups as I possibly could. As a result I found my all time favorite group, The Clash. Also, I discovered the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Damned, The Stranglers, The Buzzcocks, Joy Division and many more.

Stray Cats - Built for Speed

Rock and roll stared in the U. S. of A. and when it did it was a combination of country and "jump blues" that came to be called rockabilly.

In the early 1980s The Stray Cats championed a revival of this type of music with a New Wave/Punk dressing. And I loved it. There was something about the cool guitar sound, the rebel attitude, slicked up and back hair and tunes about girls and cars that just sounded so cool to me. By listening to these lyrics and reading interviews with singer Brian Setzer, I was introduced the older rockabilly artists such as Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis and many more.

And, I started to take Elvis Presley seriously. In the 19070s and after his death, he was kinda an over-the-hill joke. But, listening to the Stray Cats got me to revisit his Sun Records and early RCA output, and I am a big fan now. I never got to see the Stray Cats in concert back in the 1980s, but many years later I saw them live as they toured through Seattle in 2007.

AC/DC - Back in Black

I remember in my freshman year in high school a classmate who was, shall we say, very New Wave said to me one morning..."look, I hate metal, but you HAVE TO have Back in Black by AC/DC. It's a must."

Hearing this from a guy who was sporting a Flock of Seagulls hairdo made an impact. For sure, I'd already heard Shook Me All Night Long and Hells Bells. But, based on this dude's comment I went out and bought that Back In Black cassette tape (that's what you bought back in those days you youngsters reading this) within a week. Later, I would become friends with a guy named Doug who was a huge AC/DC fan and between Mr. Flock of Seagulls and Doug I came to love AC/DC. This is good enough on it's own. But, it also opened my mind to other types of hard rock and heavy metal. Getting to love AC/DC led to other explorations by me into Metallica, Guns 'N Roses, Led Zeppelin, the Who, and a few other bands of that ilk.

Oingo Boingo - Only A Lad

I had never heard of Oingo Boingo. Some of you may not of either...even to this day.

But one afternoon after a long freshman day in high school, I bummed a ride home after school with a friend of a friend named Eric. He put in a tape (again, remember cassette tapes were it(!) then) called Only A Lad by this group called Oingo Boingo. Well, this was something different. The combination of driving beat, quirky lyrics about "nothing wrong with the capitalism," being "on the outside" or "faceless surgeons armed with razors cutting out our imaginations" frantically delivered by Danny Elfman along with the horns, guitar and sax of the band created a manic stew that was impossible to ignore. This led me to check out their entire set of albums...and you should too. To me, Oingo Boingo was the great doorway to alternative music. I'm not talking about punk here, but rather the truly strange underground music scene that never gets airplay on the radio but sells out live shows everywhere it goes.

I also have to give a special call-out to my high school friend Scott N (last name withheld to protect the not-so-innocent) for introducing me to "deep Beatles" and the Stones. Yes, I had heard all the early stuff like I Want to Hold Your Hand, Satisfaction and such, but Scott had the real goods...he had Sergent Peppers, the White Album, Sticky Fingers and more. The insertion of this channel of music really turned me on to not only the more interesting later output by the Beatles an Stones, but also other acts such as The Kinks, Van Morrison, the Doors, Pink Floyd and many others. Thanks Scott!

So there you go...four records and one guy who introduced me to albums of music that opened up my mind, my interests and my wallet to new forms of music that have served me so very well through the years.

Do you have a similar story? I'd love to know what albums set you off on your musical ventures.

100 Posts from The Western Front

This post is the 100th entry on The Western Front blog since I started it back in April 2008. (Picture at left from FreeFoto.com)

In that time, I've averaged about nine posts per month - focusing primarily on subjects such as politics, music, travel, photography, food, entertainment and a few other odds and ends.

I hope you've enjoyed what you've read or viewed here, even if you don't always agree with what I've said or like what I've posted.

The goal I have for this blog is to use my first hand experiences and time spent considering certain topics to create posts that deliver one or more of the following:

• Provoke thought
• Share knowledge and opinions
• Share photography
• Have a good time

So, if you read The Western Front regularly, my hope is that after 100 posts, you have checked out some new music that you would not normally have come across, that you are hearing some political ideas that maybe run differently than yours to at least ponder (or if you agree with me you're getting your fill of my preaching to your choir), that you've viewed some pictures from around the world that you've not seen before, that you've gotten tips on some good restaurants and movies, that you feel like you've read some entertaining essays or opinions on society that make you think, and that you've had a few laughs.

The one year anniversary of this blog is coming up in about six weeks. I'll be playing around with some new formats to see if I can update The Western Front with a new look for the next 12 months. And, I'll re-cap the "Best of The Western Front" around that time too.

In the meantime, let me know if you want to know if there's something you want to know more about.

Marc

Bad economy = better music?

Over the past 50 years economic times have sometimes lead to a rejuvenation and re-invention of rock and/or pop music and I'm wondering if the spectacular turd economy of the late 2000s will result in an influx if more intense, meaningful and new sonic innovation?

In the 1970s, oil shocks, inflation and unemployment (along with a bloated, silly and going nowhere music scene) helped spawn punk, new wave and rap in the U.S and the U.K.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s a similar set of economic and music industry circumstances helped birth grunge rock. While it may not seem as big a deal now in the rear view mirror, Mr. Cobain and his colleagues did us all a favor back then. Remember Poison? Mr. Big? Whitesnake? No? Well, that's because Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney and others made you forget.

Since then, the music industry has been on cruise control offering up a massive helping of "bitches and hos" rap, meaningless sugary pop "punk," diva acts, big hat country, stadium rock and nostalgia trips. Along the way, someone convinced the public that a DJ mashing together other people's songs and rapping over them was original. It's not and it's not entertaining.

Sure, there have been some great bands and performers come out of the past 10-15 years. But, for every Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Glasvegas or Arcade Fire there are 100s of bands like Coldplay, The Dave Matthews Band (yes people, the honest truth is that DMB is boring fratboy crap), the Fray and others serving up vapid nothingness. And that's just in the rock area. 

Not even the real-time disaster parade of the George W. Bush years pushed music ahead. After all, after five minutes of "really caring," the people of this nation's primary response to the 9-11 attacks, hurricane Katrina and conservative attack on the economy was in the end a big, "eh...lets go to the mall then to Outback." This is not a culture ready to have an open ear or mind to new music. Nope, give them more of the same or more of what sounds like what they used to like years ago. 

I can only think of one exception of protest rock being really popular among the masses over the last eight years - Green Day's American Idiot. Yeah, most people were responding the nice tones and and pop soundscape. None the less, listen to the words on that album. 

Anyway, back to my main point... 

Will the all-to-real economic hard times and rising unemployment re-generate the music scene? Will kids without much of a future spend more of their afternoons in the garage working up a set of songs with some buddies on guitar, bass and drums to express themselves rather than eating cheetos and playing video games? Will their friends across town channel their bleak futures to take rap to new places and say something real? Will laid off factory workers pick up acoustic guitars and pen new and inventive country tunes expressing their situation? Will techheads whose jobs have been outsourced to India finally use their free time and expertise to create new and revolutionary electronic beats and sounds?

In short, will the societal dissatisfactions that come with massive layoffs, spectacularly expensive education, poor healthcare, the housing crisis, a weak dollar and other results of the past 20 years now culminating in the U.S. motivate music in new and interesting directions?

I'm going to say yes. I think the conditions are unfortunately right in the economy and the music scene that this will happen over the next couple years. But, for all our sakes I'd like to have the economic hardships addressed and improved sooner rather than later.

OK, those are my thoughts. Anyone care to comment?

3 Songs You Should Check Out

Part of the allure and fun of music is uncovering high quality but undiscovered or seldom heard songs. With this in mind, here are three singles that I discovered recently that you may want to check out:

"These Days" by At the Lake

This is a sort of a cross between Coldplay, early Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Glasvegas and Doves. 

You can hear These Days here. Just hit the little "play" arrow button. But, I've not been able to find this on iTues or anywhere else for download. The download function at this link does not seem to work for me. But, a good song worth giving a listen to. (Side note: the download function aside, the Strummerville site is a great place to hear sounds of up an coming rock, folk, electronic and other types of groups.)

At the Lake are a UK-based group that has been around for a couple/few years. I am not sure if they still exist, however. They have a Web site and you can get a couple of their songs (although not These Days) for free there. You can also get a couple more for a fee at iTunes. But, their site does not look like it's been updated for a couple years...so who knows. 

"Turn it Up" by Man Raze

This is a rock blast that will get you moving. The song itself is an ode the power and emotion of a loud fast rock song. If you're a runner, the song is like a nitro boost to speed you along. So, put it on your iPod and hit play when you need that extra juice to release some endorphins and get your run on the fast track.

The band is a London based unit made up of former Sex Pistol drummer Paul Cook, former Def Leopard guitarist Phil Collin (no, not Phil Collins...Phil Collin) and some other dude I have not heard of on bass. Their song and album is available on iTunes.

"Wanterlust King" by Gogol Bordello 

I'd heard of Gogol Bordello and even heard snippets of their music, but it was only until I saw the movie Filth & Wisdom that I really came to appreciate this band and, especially, their lead singer. Wanderlust King is a cross between gypsy music and rock and features prominently in the movie. Wanderlust King has a catchy tune, impassioned lyrics and delivery and an unusual Eastern European cabaret crossed with punk rock aesthetic you don't get anywhere else. 

The song and others by Gogol Bordello are on iTunes.

Check these three out and let me know what you think.

Five Albums You Should Get

OK, so there aren't "albums" anymore, but that's what we called them back in the day. When cassette tapes came on the scene, we still called them albums. Same with CDs and now full sets of MP3 files from - among other places - iTunes.

Anyway, there's something about a complete set of music vs. individual songs on a playlist. Much more enjoyable and you get a full expression of ideas...something to think about.

With that in mind, here are five "albums" you may not have heard of, but deliver great rock and roll and hang together as a full set of music. All but the second one are available on U.S. iTunes. (All artwork is by the artists, not me.)

Howl by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

San Francisco band BRMC started their career with a sound that's a cross between My Bloody Valentine, PiL and The Jesus & Mary Chain. And that was pretty dang good. Howl, however, is nothing like that. Rather, it's a big change up for the group that produced in my opinion their best work to date. Consisting of 15 tracks of mostly acoustic music that evoke Bob Dylan more than anything else, the still dark tunes deliver a major dose of soul, intelligent lyrics and musical talent on display. Every song is a winner, but standouts include the pumping Ain't No Easy Way, the drawing and haunting Howl, harmonica driven anti-war song Complicated Situation and the moving Sympathetic Noose. If you like what you hear on Howl, get Howl Sessions for some great songs that did not make the main album - in particular Mercy.

Neurotic Outsiders by Neurotic Outsiders

Remember the Sex Pistols? Guns 'n Roses? How about Duran Duran? What if some guys from those bands got together in a new band in the mid 1990s and put out a kick ass rock album? Would that be of interest? Well, that did happen. Comprised of Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) on guitar and vocal, Duff McKagan (GnR) on guitar and vocals, Matt Sorum (GnR) on drums and John Taylor (Duran Duran) on bass, the band was called Neurotic Outsiders. And their one self-titled album rocks. The main thing here is the music... slashing guitar from Jones, bombastic drumming and clever tunes that really move as they shift and propels to the next set of adrenaline inducing lick. Things only slow down for the self-contemplative Better Way, Union and Story of My Life.

Tackling weighty topics such as how much of a "'ho" one of the guys girlfriends is, the heavy weight of having been a Sex Pistol, the negative opinions of the band on too much plastic surgery on women, and other similar topics, the lyrics take a back seat. But they are at least delivered well. Standout tracks include Angelina, Revolution, Better Way and a wicked cover of Janie Jones by The Clash. I recommend this one for anyone for that perfect accompaniment to an aggressive workout at the gym or a hard run. But if you just want to rock out, it's pretty good for that too.

The Good, the Bad & the Queen by The Good, the Bad & the Queen

OK, so I'm not a big fan of "supergroups," but having said that...here's the second one I'm going to recommend in this group of five complete albums you should have. Comprised of Damon Albarn (Blur) on vocals, Paul Simonon (The Clash) on bass, Simon Tong (The Verve) on guitar and afro-beat legend Tony Allen on drums, The Good, the Bad & the Queen is both the name of the band and the album. With this lineup, you'd think maybe you'd be in for gaggle of rocked up songs, but that's not the case. It's much more interesting than that. Rather, with this one you get a number of well crafted, clever and mid-paced to slow atmospheric songs that address a wide range of subjects. The songs also act as a mixing pot of the talents of the members - dub bass and on-the-money backing vocals from Simonon, subtle guitar from Tong, soulful drumming from Allen and piano and lyrical sill from Albarn. Again, a set you can listen to from begininng to end. To me, the standout tracks are History Song, Kingdom of Doom, 80s Life, and A Soldier's Tale. Give this one a try.

The La's by The La's

Ah, The La's. One famous quote from Noel Gallagher of Oasis was that all his band was doing was continuing on what The La's started. Well, The La's only ever put out one album, their self titled debut in the late 1980s. The record is chock full of infectious songs, great melodies and the unique timbre of lead singer Lee Mavers...who, as the story goes, delayed the release through obsessive compulsive editing and tinkering. This worked out great for the eventual album, but the group broke up. You may have heard one song from this called There She Goes. But, the goodness goes far beyond that on this one. Strumming acoustic guitars (sometimes electric), perfectly phrased and timed verses about personal feelings and love, along with a subtle drum and bass deliver sing-along tunes that you'll be listening to over and over.

Standout tracks include: Son of a Gun, Way Out, There She Goes, Liberty Ship and Feelin'. Recently, this record has been re-issued, so you should be able to find it...and you should.

Narcissus Road by The Hours

Lastly but not least, Narcissus Road by The Hours. This is a band formed by a couple guys who used to play with Joe Strummer in Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros before Joe tragically died at age 50 of an undiagnosed heart malady. However, while this album does have hints of "how Joe would have done it," the sound is really not like what he produced. 

The 11 song album is comprised of a mix of upbeat mid-tempo rock tunes, several slow contemplative numbers and a couple sweeping epic songs that pull at the heartstrings, the album delivers on all fronts. Lyrically, the band take on on themes of redemption, getting off the mat when you've been been knocked down, love lost, dark motivations and living life for now. Perhaps the most unique song is Love You More in which the singer calls out all the things that he loves his signifiant other more than..proclaiming to love her more than his hooded sweatshirt, more than Tony Soprano, more than his football team, more than his Adidas shoes, more than The Clash and more.

Standout tracks are Ali in the Jungle, Back When You Were Good, Narcissus Road, Icarus and Love You More.

So, there you have it. Five albums that are listenable from beginning to end, and that you may not have ever heard of. Good luck. Let me know what you think.

And, as a bonus sixth to this list, see my review of Glasvegas by Glasvegas here.