Every once in a while I'll visit my family. When I have some off time from working and art, it's good to catch up on things and overall, relax with them. My lil bro subscribes to Alternative Press magazine. Most of the magazine features the same garbage and columns with whatever the flavor of the week is. They always seem to have their fingers on whatever Fall Out Boy is doing or whatever Myspace sensation is tearing up the web. Well anyways, I came upon an article/poll about musicians and bands being too old to play...Is there an age to success in the music world? This could be a toss-up. If you're 43 years old, still dressing up like you're 18 playing the same music aimed towards teens, you'll look like a desperate wanker. But if you're playing what you love, how can one condemn that? AC/DC has been around for a very long time and continue to play what they love. The fans dig it and no one is unhappy. But then again, they're iconic. They're classic. You can't match up groups like AC/DC with Cobra Starship or any of those groups that are painful to hear. But then there are those groups like Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. These guys don't look like they're having the fun they did when they climbed the ladder to stardom. Sometimes it's good to step away gracefully, then to stretch out your career into complete and udder desperation.
I've recently received a bit of stick from a very close friend of mine because of a perceptible contempt I have with covers bands.
I don't totally hate these bands. Especially the ones that do their covers while adding their own spin to these songs. I saw a band at Banana Joe's in downtown MPLS nine years ago that did amazing Prince covers. And of course, there's Me First & The Gimme Gimmes who are the world's greatest covers band.
So, in honor of my dear friend who loves covers and the bands that play them, here are my all-time greatest covers:
Here is another segment of "You Know What Really Grinds My Gears?"
Now granted I don't know much about R&B and Rap music. I mentioned my lack of knowledge in that department on my M.I.A. rant before. But every once in a while Rap/R&B and I run into each other. Whether it's on our basic TV channels, a song comes up somewhere...etc
These two larger then life singers, Kanye West and T-Pain are all over the music world, but I don't know why. I've heard some of their songs, and for some reason they use the infamous Auto-Tune on their music whether it's live or in the studio. Kanye has put himself over every musician, but he uses this stupid effect. If he's so damn good, why does he need to be auto-tuned? It makes himself look like a stupid robot? T-Pain is the same way. Another goofy user of
the auto-tune.
And they say they're larger then life. They can't even stay in tune naturally.
A few months back, one of my favourite local bands Decibully was dropped from their record label, Polyvinyl, right before preparing to release their latest album World Travels Fast. According to guitarist/vocalist William Seidel, it was one of those "it's not us, its you" moments. So Decider Milwaukee asked if they'd put it on their website for the fans to hear. Decibully graciously agreed to stream their entire album which I have listened to way too many times recently. Why let masterpieces collect "dust" on your laptop when you could share them with the world?
World Travels Fast is the follow up to the flawless Sing Out America! The first song "Broken Glass" intros a slow crescendo & gets you absolutely in the mood for what the rest of the album will present. Live By The Lake showcasestechnically creative beat from drummer Aaron Vold , some cool distorted guitar parts & some layered vocals.
Lets Not Fight has a simular driving beat to their single Penny Look Down from Sing Out America! None the less, it's a very cool song. It's one of the more up-tempo numbers on a very mellow album. Something different Decibully displays is a blues/soul song entitled Baby's Mama. It's a great toe-tapper. Somewhere In The World is one of my favourite songs. The layered vocals, catchy guitar part and chorus are pure gold.
Overall, the album is fantastic. Decibully has always been able to perform the most unique and eclectic songs. It's well worth listening to.
With 2008 in the past, it's time to check out the best albums and movies in 08. My favourite album of the year was Less Than Jake's GNV FLA. With a slew of solid songs, this was easily my pick. My favourite songs is defiantly "Conviction Notice".
Alkaline Trio's Agony and Irony rounds up second place. They moved to a major label with this album, and it worked alright for them. "Love Love Kiss Kiss" and "Do You Wanna Know" are my favourite songs.
Ben Fold's Way To Normal picks up third place. Songs For Silverman was a bit slow and lacked his famous energy he so often puts forward, but with Way To Normal, he lets loose. "Hiroshima", "Bitch Went Nutz" and "You Don't Know Me" are some of the gems.
As for movies I only have two favourite films. The Dark Knight was absolutely amazing. Heath Ledger played one of the greatest villains of all time. His character knew how to psychologically twist you into a pretzel you didn't think could happen.
WALL-E places second. It has a great message, and a robot love story. The art was upped by Pixar, and I just loved it. They never cease to amaze me.
I'll admit it, I'm not always up to date with the latest singles in pop culture and music. Ask me anything about Lil' Wayne or T-Pain. I've heard of them, but mostly because they are always in trouble with the law. Anyway, I recently heard M.I.A.'s big single "Paper Planes" a lot lately, and found it resembling one of the greatest bands in the world (The Clash)'s song "Straight to Hell".
Yes, I understand rappers do "sampling". The song, aside from ripping off The Clash, is pretty stupid. The lyrics make absolutely no sense. I saw some videos of this small rapper, and she is absolutely terrible live. You can't understand what she is rapping. It may have something to do with that she is rapping over her song being played loudly over the speakers. Or maybe it's because she is terrible in general.
I don't know. No one will remember her in the next couple years
Everyone seems to love this time of the year. I despise the traditional holiday songs because at work, they play all day long. They rotate the same ones every time. It's enough to make you smash your head against a wall. Seriously. Well, thankfully, there are some pretty decent punk rock holiday songs that can help you through the holiday stress.
Auld Lang Syne-Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies (live)
Feliz Navidad-Voodoo Glow Skulls
Snake Oil Tanker-Alkaline Trio (acoustic)
The Grinch-Blue Meanies
Child on Christmas Day-Decibully
Happy holidays!
(these from 82) "Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight tonight) - The Ramones
"Blue Christmas" - Squirtgun
"Christmas (Baby please come home)" - New Bomb Turks
"White Christmas" - The Impossibles
"Grandma got runover by a reindeer" - Less Than Jake
and the greatest holiday song:
"Fairytale of New York" - The Pogues or No Use for a Name.
