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Poll question: "What were your favorite albums of
2009?"
Article: The following article was written for
the February 9, 16, 23, March 2, 2010 issues of
"Dr. Music's
Weekly Checkup."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll question: "What were your favorite albums of
2008?"
Article: The following article was written for
the February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 2009 issues of
"Dr. Music's
Weekly Checkup."
Album of the
Year
1. "Pretty. Odd." - Panic At The
Disco
2.
"Totality" - The Flyin' Ryan Brothers
3.
"Death Magnetic" - Metallica
4. "Phoenix" -
Asia
5.
"Indestructible" - Disturbed
6.
"tout ce que j' ai reve" - Jellyfiche
7.
"Chinese Democracy" - Guns 'N' Roses
8.
"This Changes Nothing" - Ready Fire
Aim
9.
"The Hand That's Dealt" - D-Day
4-Ever
10.
"The Invisible Line" - Temposhark
Honorable mention: "Dark Horse" -
Nickelback, "God/Family/Nature" - Deanna Johnston, "XV" - King's X,
"Nostradamus"- Judas Priest, "The Cosmos Rocks" - Queen + Paul
Rodgers, "Yhta kuin voitto" - The Rain, "Scars On Broadway" - Scars
On Broadway, "Cosmic Universal Fashion" - Sammy Hagar, "Legacy Of
Fools" - Little King, "Piikki Lihassa" - HB, "Black Ice" -
AC/DC
Welcome to the Album of the Year
article for the year 2008! As always, this list is a collection of records that
moved ME - records that left an impression on ME.
I am a big believer in the fact that music is a personal experience,
and we all have different tastes - different likes and
dislikes. My only purpose for compiling this list is to,
perhaps, point you in the direction of something that
might move you, and also to give you a glimpse at what moved
my life musically during the twelve months we called 2008. This
is not about debating which albums are "better," this is simply
about the music. It's always about the music here at Dr. Music's
Weekly Checkup.
With that said, let's talk about
my list for the past year. In the top spot this year is a band
that I really don't know too much about. I went into this "Pretty.
Odd." disc doubting them. I thought Panic At The Disco was another
of these Good Charlotte or Fall Out Boy-types that would turn my
stomach, but that was obviously not the case. Another surprise on
the list was the long-awaited, I mean REALLY long awaited, "Chinese
Democracy" release by Guns 'N' Roses, a band that I really do not
like very much. And, I guess you could say that I was surprised all
year long because I never thought I would be ranking another Asia
album either. So, being pleasantly surprised and discovering more
great new independent music made for a very fun year.
Let's
take a closer look at each of these picks........
1. "Pretty. Odd." - Panic
At The Disco
I feel like I've taken the biggest risk I've
ever taken by choosing Panic At The Disco to top the list. This
is a young band that is sometimes seen as silly and immature, but
this record stuck with me like a greasy burrito. It stayed in the CD
player for most of the year, and it engraved its pop grooves into my
mind. I know this will be a controversial pick, but I found this
particular record to have beautiful production, catchy
melodies, and a pop charm reminiscent of The Beatles "Sgt.
Pepper's" album. This is the guilty pleasure. This is a choice
that just might lose some readers. I might be sacrificing some
integrity here, but I really do feel that the music acts in my
defense. Give it a listen with an open mind and let these songs
speak to you. I think many of you just might understand why it holds
the top spot.
2nd
Place
3rd
Place
2. "Totality"
- The Flyin' Ryan Brothers
If
you're looking for the best musical performance and most talented
band of 2008, it's The Flyin' Ryan Brothers that you want. This
"Totality" disc just might be the best instrumental album I've ever
heard. I love Jeff Beck's "Wired" album, and I love Joe Satriani's
"Surfing With The Alien," but this is something that bridges the gap
between all of the great ones. Besides having one of the best rhythm
sections I've ever heard (William Kopecky on bass and Johnny
Mrozek), guitarist brothers Jimmy and Johnny Ryan put technical
expertise, as well as patient melodicism and poise on display here.
For the instrumental lovers out there, this is the perfect record.
3. "Death Magnetic" -
Metallica
Yes, that's
right, the boys are back in town. No, not Thin Lizzy, but Metallica.
After a less than impressive "St. Anger" record, and all of their
dirty laundry hanging on the community clothesline, I think everyone
had their doubts whether or not we would see this band return to
their old form ever again. This album was definitely the most
important album in their star-studded and lengthy career, without a
doubt. If this one failed to impress, you could pretty much pound
that last nail into the coffin. But, not only did this impress, it
blew me away. The songwriting is excellent, their musical chops
are incredibly tight, and the overall sound of the record is like
the Metallica of old, and that's the most satisfying part of it
all. No worries.... Metallica is still alive and
well.
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
4. "Phoenix" -
Asia
Yeah, really, it's THAT Asia! The original lineup that
gave us huge hits like "Heat of the Moment" and "Only Time Will
Tell" returned to cut this remarkable album of great songs. I really
do feel that this record rivals the amazing debut from the band. The
songs are wonderfully written and nothing sounds forced. Who knows
what the future of this turbulent band holds, but this record has me
wanting to hear more.
5. "Indestructible"
- Disturbed
Okay, you can make the argument that all of their songs sound
the same. I understand that line of thought, and would even
partially agree with it! But, there is something about this band
that just stirs things up deep inside of me. This is an aggressive
record that is well written and produced by a band that is one of
the tightest of its kind. The raw tension and the incredibly complex
drum beats alone were enough to put this one on the
list.
6. "Tout Ce Que J’Ai
Rêvé" - Jellyfiche
Somebody
asked me once, "What's more important to you in a song: the lyrics
or the music?" My reply, in essence, stated that I usually weigh
both of the elements equally, but it also depends on the band
and the style of music they play. Well,
Jellyfiche lyrics are entirely in French, and I speak as much
French as a garden hose. I don't understand what the hell
they're saying, but I love this record. Coming from Unicorn
Records, the progressive rock label that supplied last year's Album
of the Year, Mystery's "Beneath the Veil of Winter's Face," comes a
band that blends "Dark Side of the Moon"-type moods with early
Genesis-type flair and inventiveness. And, the Eric Plante saxophone
solos throughout the disc make this one of the most unique records
of the year.
7. "Chinese
Democracy" - Guns 'N' Roses
If you
would have told me that I'd have Guns 'N' Roses on my
Top 10 list I probably would've laughed my way into the nearest
psych ward. I feel that Guns 'N' Roses is probably the
most overrated band in the history of rock and roll........by far. I
thought "Appetite For Destruction" was simply good, but nothing
special. The "Use Your Illusion" releases hit me about the same
way - average. Singer (and it literally hurt to use that term
for him) Axl Rose always sounded like he was from the
typical L.A. sleaze scene. I had heard him a million times before.
So, why people waited 17 years for this "Chinese Democracy" record
just baffles me.
When I
heard the title cut on the radio I was quite impressed. This wasn't
your typical Axl, wasn't your typical G'N'R sound. It was razor
sharp - maybe even a little over-produced. I thought I should check
out the rest of the record, since it is the most anticipated record
in history. Lo and behold, this really is a great record! Even Axl
sounds like he became a singer over the 17 years he had to prepare.
Words like "door" or "care" weren't made into seven syllable words
with an irritating squeal and drawl. He actually "sings out" here,
and it sounds pretty damn good. The songwriting is fresh and
different. The guitar work is something that stood me straight up.
Yes, all the pieces are together. And finally, I'm almost ashamed to
say this, but I was reminded of Queensryche and their singer Geoff
Tate while listening to a few of these tracks!! Not that Axl is even
close to Tate in talent, but I wasn't reminded of a tortured alley
cat, and that's a good thing.
8.
"This Changes Nothing" -
Ready Fire Aim
This duo of poet/singer/actor/author/everything elser Sage Rader and
DJ/producer Shaun Morris (a.k.a. Stakka) put out an album that you
really can't classify, and that's difficult these days. With a sound
somewhat similar to Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, and New Order,
this is an album with great hooks, pumped up electronic beats, and a
really killer production. All of these songs are delivered from
different angles, too. Each of them has their own personality and
appeal. I got hooked into this one early in the year, and it still
spends a lot of time in the disc player.
9.
"The
Hand That's Dealt" -
D-Day
4-Ever
South
Africa is in the house!! D-Day 4-Ever is a hard rock outfit that
wear their South African heritage on their sleeves with great pride.
Their song "Hello Afrika" is a rousing anthem for not only South
African metal fans, but for all fans of great party music. But
that's not all there is to this band. They can do the power ballad
just as good as they can throw a party. With strong songwriting and
hooks that kill, look for this band to break out of South Africa and
start infecting the rest of the world.
10. "The Invisible
Line" - Temposhark
Temposhark
is a London-based electronic rock band that has gained popularity on
the club scene and critical acclaim amongst its peers. Producer Guy
Sigsworth (Madonna, Britney Spears, Bjork) bacame an instant fan
upon hearing their second EP and went on to produce the band's first
UK single, "It's Better To Have Loved." With most of the production
of this record handled by Sean McGhee, this is one of the sharpest,
most intensely produced records I've ever heard. It's one of those
you play if you want to show someone how good your stereo can sound,
This is an awesome sounding disc that is truly a guilty pleasure and
a treat for the ears.
***************************************************************************************************
THE
PATIENTS LISTS
Wayne
S.(U.S.)
Without a doubt .........DISTURBED -
"Indestructible" Honorable mentions: Theory of a Deadman -
"Scars & Souvenirs"; Sammy Hagar - "Cosmic Universal
Fashion"
Johan
C.(Belgium)
1. TV On The Radio - "Dear
Science"
Intruiging, tight, sexy, daring and ambitious
without being too pretentious. An album that manages to hold your
attention from a to z and that keeps on growing and gets richer
every time you listen to it.
2. The Feeling - "Join With Us"
The most perfect example of beautifully crafted
pop songs, full of golden melodies, catchy choruses and smart
songwriting.
3. Grace Jones - "Hurricane"
The comeback of the year - no competition. An
album that even holds up pretty good next to that definitive
eighties album, Nightclubbing.
4. Jamie Lidell - "Jim"
Entertaining exercise in vintage retro soul - a
white-faced Brit delivering a perfect black American soul
record
5. Tim Grimm - "Holding Up the World"
The perfect late night by the fireside album:
country music in its most honest, bare form
6. Dido - "Safe Trip Home"
A surprise for me. Where I thought I would
find a mellow middle of the road collection of mediocre songs, I
discovered a very touching album, perfect in all its
subtility
7. Cut Copy - "In Ghost Colours"
A perfect blending of New Order and Human
League; groups that had their heyday when these young Australians
from Cut Copy weren't even born yet.
8. Aimee Mann - "@#ù&! Smilers"
Slices of life, set to music, coming from one of
the best female singer-songwriters around
9. Lindstrom - "Where You Go I Go
Too"
A synth extravaganza, this lengthy piece of cosmis
disco incorporates the best from Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis and
Giorgio Moroder
10. MGMT - "Oracular Spectacular"
A mix of psychedelic rock and white funk, good for
a fresh sound and some great singles
And besides the top ten, I enjoyed some marvelous
singles from The Killers, The Script, The Kooks, Keane, Death Cab
for Cutie, The Black Kids, The Raconteurs and The Hold
Steady.
Most overrated band: Fleet Foxes.
Joe S. (U.S.)
I've been
listening to this group [City Of Sin] and this song ["Art Isn't
Real"] in particular.
Ed S.(U.S.)
John Mayer - Where the Light is Live
Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
Nickelback - Dark Horse
Metallica - Death Magnetic
The Black Keys - Attack and Release
MudVayne - The New Game
BB King - One Kind Favor
Individual Songs that got
played a lot:
In Flames ( 2 songs come to mind - Cloud Connected and Take
this Life)
Got Money - Lil Wayne / T-Payne
Got Money - REMIX by Jonathan Davis Feat Jim Root from
Slipknot
Low - Flo Rida
Party People - Nelly
Let it Rock - Kevin Rudolf
Stricken - Disturbed
1. Nine Lucid
Dreams by Two Loons for
Tea
2. Let's Leave This Town by Taylor, Chip
3. Songbones by Grayson Capps
4. Venus on Earth by Dengue Fever
5. Tintype by The Pack A.D.
6. Children of Saturn by Tin Scribble
7. Revelling/Reckoning by DiFranco, Ani
8. Echoes by California Guitar Trio
9. Coup D'Yah by Sub Swara
10. Totality by
The Flyin' Ryan Brothers
Christine
W.(U.S.)
While I was up [in the Chicago
area] in June I heard a band called Backdoor
Slam on WXRT and I loved them! So I've been listening
to their CD all year, as well as Poi Dog Pondering
(which no one down here [Florida] has heard of)...
another was Adele, she has a very unique voice
and I just love her for mellow music. Currently, I've been
listening to some old Sublime CD's in the car, but
when I'm home I've found 1st Wave on Sirius radio
and I'm hooked! It's all the music of my 20's clubbing in
Chicago and it just really takes me back (New
Order, The Cure,
etc).
You know my musical interests are all
over because I bought the new James Taylor CD,
Christina Aguleira - Decade of Hits
and Beyonce's new CD as well. I
have a hard time with all these new rock groups because to me, they
all sound alike... and unfortunately that's usually a sign of
someone getting older, isn't it? LOL
Vin
N.(U.S.)
Jeff Beck - Official Bootleg 2006 USA
Tour
Peter Frampton - Fingerprints
Rossington-Collins Band - Live in Nashville
1980
Tommy Bolin - Whips And Roses
John Mayall - A Hard Road, Blues From
Laurel Canyon, Back To The Roots
Wishbone Ash - Wishbone Four
Thin Lizzy - Thunder And
Lightning
Alice Cooper - Love It To Death
Ray D'Ariano
(U.S.) 1. Kenny Vance & The
Planotones… “Soundtrack to the Doo Wop Era: A Kenny Vance
Collection” 2. Gary US Bonds…
“Dedication/On The Line” 3. Asleep at The
Wheel… “Reinventing The Wheel’ 4. Dion….
“Son Of Skip James’ 5. Boyz II Men…
"Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA"
Michael C.
(U.S.) "Black Ice" -
AC/DC "Sam's Town" - The Killers "81" - Black Rebel Motorcycle
Club
Reijo
P.(Finland)
1. HB - Piikki lihassa 2. Krystal Meyers - Make Some Noise 3. Kikka Laitinen
- Suomalaisia rakkaustarinoita 2 4. Indica - Valoissa 5.
Maarit Peltoniemi - Sano sana vain 6. Laura Voutilainen -
Palaa 7. Anna Abreu - Now 8. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone 9.
Asia - Phoenix 10. Britney Spears - Circus 11. Johanna
Debreczeni - Lanteet kertovat sen 12. Metallica - Death
Magnetic
______________________________________________________________
Here are a few lists from some of
the best selling music magazines:
ROLLING
STONE
50 No Age - Nouns 49 Hot Chip - Made In
The Dark 48 Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It 47 Of Montreal
- Skeletal Lamping 46 The Academy Is... - Fast Times at
Barrington High 45 Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward 44 The
Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely 43 Nas - Untitled 42
David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen
Today 41 AC/DC - Black Ice 40 Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit
Longer 39 Taylor Swift - Fearless 38 Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb
Line 37 Nine Inch Nails - The Slip 36 The Hold Steady - Stay
Positive 35 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus,
Dig!!! 34 Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash 33 Ne-Yo -
Year Of The Gentleman 32 Jamey Johnson - The Lonesome
Song 31 MGMT - Oracular Spectacular 30 Duffy -
Rockferry 29 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago 28 The Knux -
Remind Me in Three Days... 27 Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old
Sun 26 Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch 25 The Magnetic Fields -
Distortion 24 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals 23 Conor Oberst -
Conor Oberst 22 Jackson Browne - Time the Conquerer 21
Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads 20 Kings of Leon - Only By
The Night 19 Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Part 1 (4th World
War) 18 Lucinda Williams - Little Honey 17 B.B. King - One
Kind Favor 16 Randy Newman - Harps and Angels 15 The Black
Keys - Attack & Release 14 Ryan Adams And The Cardinals -
Cardinology 13 Blitzen Trapper - Furr 12 Guns N' Roses -
Chinese Democracy 11 Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes 10 Vampire
Weekend - Vampire Weekend 09 Metallica - Death Magnetic 08
Beck - Modern Guilt 07 Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All
His Friends 06 Santogold - Santogold 05 John Mellencamp -
Life, Death, Love and Freedom 04 My Morning Jacket - Evil
Urges 03 Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III 02 Bob Dylan - Tell Tale
Signs:The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 01 TV on the Radio - Dear
Science
SPIN
40 Chairlift - Does You Inspire You 39 Guns N'
Roses - Chinese Democracy 38 Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul 37
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer 36 Lykke Li - Youth Novels 35
The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely 34 Miles Benjamin
Anthony Robinson - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson 33 El
Guincho - Alegranza 32 The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia 31 Bon
Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago 30 Lucinda Williams - Little
Honey 29 Nas & DJ Green Lantern - The Nigger Tape 28
Metallica - Death Magnetic 27 The Streets - Everything Is
Borrowed 26 R.E.M. - Accelerate 25 Death Cab For Cutie -
Narrow Stairs 24 Duffy - Rockferry 23 Kate Nash - Made Of
Bricks 22 Black Kids - Partie Traumatic 21 Kings Of Leon -
Only By The Night 20 Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple 19
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins 18 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! 17 The Roots - Rising Down 16 My
Morning Jacket - Evil Urges 15 Beck - Modern Guilt 14
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend 13 No Age - Nouns 12
Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Pt. 1: 4th World War 11 Elbow - The
Seldom Seen Kid 10 MGMT - Oracular Spectacular 09 Coldplay -
Viva La Vida 08 Hot Chip - Made In The Dark 07 Deerhunter -
Microcastle 06 Santogold - Santogold 05 Fleet Foxes - Fleet
Foxes 04 Fucked Up - The Chemistry Of Common Life 03
Portishead - Third 02 Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III 01 TV On
The Radio - Dear Science
BLENDER
33 Hayes Carll - Trouble In Mind 32
Taylor Swift - Fearless 31 Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig,
Lazarus, Dig!!! 30 Young Jeezy - The Recession 29 Raphael
Saadiq - The Way I See It 28 Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks -
Real Emotional Trash 27 Mariah Carey - E=MC² 26 Usher - Here
I Stand 25 Santogold - Santogold 24 The Roots - Rising
Down 23 The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale 22 Coldplay - Viva La
Vida 21 Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Pt. One (4th World
War) 20 Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing 19 Katy Perry - One
Of The Boys 18 Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual 17 Conor
Oberst - Conor Oberst 16 Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward 15
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago 14 Jenny Lewis - Acid
Tongue 13 Al Green - Lay It Down 12 My Morning Jacket - Evil
Urges 11 Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs 10 Fall Out Boy
- Folie A Deux 09 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend 08 Randy
Newman - Harps and Angels 07 of Montreal - Skeletal
Lamping 06 Robyn - Robyn 05 Hot Chip - Made In The
Dark 04 Metallica - Death Magnetic 03 TV On The Radio - Dear
Science 02 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals 01 Lil' Wayne - Tha
Carter III
STEPHEN KING'S TOP 10 (ENTERTAINMENT
WEEKLY)
10. Hey Ma,
James
9. Harps and Angels, Randy
Newman
8. Gift of Screws, Lindsey
Buckingham
7. Lay It Down, Al
Green
6. Viva la Vida,
Coldplay
5. Real Animal, Alejandro
Escovedo
4. Feed the Animals, Girl
Talk
3. Just Us Kids, James
McMurtry
2. Black Ice, AC/DC
1. Black Butterfly, Buckcherry, and
Break Up the Concrete, The Pretenders
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES (Jim
DeRogatis)
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “Dig!!!
Lazarus Dig!!!” (Anti-) 2. David Byrne and Brian Eno,
“Everything That Happens Will Happen Today”
(everythingthathappens.com) 3. Vivian Girls, “The Vivian Girls”
(In the Red) 4. The Knux, “Remind Me in 3 Days”
(Interscope) 5. Brazilian Girls, “New York City” (Verve) 6.
Local H, “12 Angry Months” (Shout Factory) 7. Saul Williams,
“The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!”
(niggytardust.com/Fader) 8. Fleet Foxes, “Fleet Foxes” (Sub
Pop) 9. Kanye West, “808s & Heartbreak” (Roc-a-Fella/Def
Jam) 10. Erykah Badu, “New AmErykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War”
(Motown)
CLASSIC
ROCK
50. The Black Keys - "Attack
& Release" 49. Todd Rundgren - "Arena" 48. Nick Cave
& The Bad Seeds - “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!! 47. Thunder -
"Bang!" 46. Tesla - "Forever More" 45. Viking Skull - "Doom,
Gloom, Heartache & Whiskey" 44. The Jim Jones Revue - "The
Jim Jones Review" 43. Girlschool - "Legacy" 42. StoneRider -
"Three Legs Of Trouble" 41. Black Tide - "Light From
Above"
40. Diagonal -
"Diagonal" 39. Dirty Penny - "Take It Sleezy"
38. Glenn Hughes - "First
Underground Nuclear Kitchen"
37. Bob Dylan - "Tell Tale
Signs"
36. Graveyard -
"Graveyard" 35. Lethargy - "Purification" 34.
Testament - "The Formation Of Damnation"
33. Blood Ceremony - "Blood
Ceremony"
32. The Mars Volta - "The
Bedlam In Goliath Universal" 31. The Hold Steady - "Stay
Positive" 30. Kings Of Leon - "Only By The Night" 29. Rose
Kemp - "Unholy Majesty" 28. The Clash - "Live At Shea
Stadium"
27. Joe Bonamassa - "Live
From Nowhere In Particular" 26. Endeverafter - "Kiss Or
Kill" 25. Uriah Heep - "Wake The Sleeper"
24. Rose Hill Drive - "Moon
Is The New Earth"
23. Drive-By Truckers -
"Brighter Than Creation’s Dark" 22. Queen + Paul Rodgers - "The
Cosmos Rocks" 21. Thin Lizzy - "UK Tour 1975" 20. Judas
Priest - "Nostradamus"
19. Marillion - "Happiness
Is The Road" 18. Pride Tiger - "The Lucky Ones" 17. Alice
Cooper - "Along Came A Spider" 16. Motörhead -
"Motörizer" 15. Black Crowes - "Warpaint" 14. Stone Gods -
"Silver Spoons & Broken Bones 13. The Gaslight Anthem -
"The ‘59 Sound" 12. The Raconteurs - "Consolers Of The
Lonely" 11. Opeth - "Watershed" 10. Mötley Crüe - "Saints Of
Los Angeles"
9. Journey -
"Revelation" 8. Big Linda - "I Loved You" 7. Whitesnake -
"Good To Be Bad" 6. Def Leppard - "Songs From The Sparkle
Lounge" 5. Airbourne - "Runnin’ Wild" 4. Black Stone Cherry
- "Folklore & Superstition"
3. Guns N’ Roses -
'Chinese Democracy ' 2. Metallica - "Death Magnetic" 1.
AC/DC - "Black Ice"
METAL HAMMER
1.
Metallica - Death Magnetic 2. Opeth -
Watershed 3. AC/DC - Black Ice 4. Testament -
The Formation Of Damnation 5. Gojira - The Way Of All
Flesh 6. Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder
God 7. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone 8. Meshuggah
- Obzen 9. Grand Magus - Iron Will 10. Children
Of Bodom - Blooddrunk 11. Trivium - Shogun 12.
Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer 13. Cavalera Conspiracy -
Inflikted 14. Ihsahn - Angl 15. Satyricon - The
Age Of Nero 16. Black Stone Cherry - Folklore And
Superstition 17. Airbourne - Runnin' Wild 18.
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip 19. The Sword - Gods Of The
Earth 20. Motörhead - Motörizer 21. Enslaved -
Vertebrae 22. Cynic - Traced In Air 23. Melvins
- Nude With Boots 24. 36 Crazyfists - The Tide And Its
Takers 25. Judas Priest - Nostradamus 26.
Bleeding Through - Declaration 27. The Haunted -
Versus 28. Alice Cooper - Along Came A
Spider 29. Black Light Burns - Cruel Melody 30.
Torche - Meanderthal 31. Soulfly - Conquer 32.
Blood Ceremony - Blood Ceremony 33. Valient Thorr -
Immortalizer 34. Mindless Self Indulgence -
If 35. Underoath - Lost In The Sound Of
Separation 36. Nachtmystium - Assassins 37.
Mötley Crüe - Saints Of Los Angeles 38. In Flames - A
Sense Of Purpose 39. Death Angel - Killing
Season 40. Firewind - The Premonition 41. Sahg -
Ii 42. Disturbed - Indestructible 43. Lair Of
The Minotaur - War Metal Battle Master 44. Dragonforce -
Ultra Beatdown 45. Walls Of Jericho - The American
Dream 46. Iced Earth - The Crucible Of Man: Something
Wicked Part 2 47. Bring Me The Horizon - Suicide
Season 48. Hate Eternal - Fury And Flames 49.
Witch - Paralyzed 50 .Cult Of Luna - Eternal
Kingdom
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll question: "What were your favorite albums of
2007?"
Article: The following article was written for
the February 3, 10, 17, & 24th, 2008 issues of
"Dr. Music's
Weekly Checkup."
Album of the
Year
1. Mystery - "Beneath The Veil Of
Winter's Face"
2. Coheed And Cambria - "No
World For Tomorrow"
3. After Forever - "After
Forever"
4.
Seether - "Finding Beauty In Negative
Spaces"
5.
Dream Theater - "Systematic
Chaos"
6. Maroon 5 - "It Won't Be Soon
Before Long"
7. Mountain Of Power - "Mountain Of
Power"
8.
Lynn Carey Saylor - "You Like It
Clean"
9.
Alter Bridge -
"Blackbird"
10. Kid Rock - "Rock 'N'
Roll Jesus"
Honorable mention: "Implications of
a Genetic Defense" - Dimension X, "Elect The Dead" - Serj Tankian,
"Minutes To Midnight" - Linkin Park, "Black Rain" - Ozzy Osbourne,
"United Abominations" - Megadeth, "No More Kings" - No More Kings,
"Nothing Means Everything" - The Dykeenies, "Song Of Times" -
Starcastle, "The Heart Of Everything" - Within Temptation
Welcome to the Album of the Year
article for the year 2007! I really feel that this past
year was packed full of great music, and I think a lot of the
readers felt the same way. Putting this list together was no easy
task. Picking a top 10 list almost seemed unjustified and wrong. I
listened to so many of the year's releases track by track, and
tediously nitpicked the smallest details to make choosing possible.
I really feel like I could insert any of the Honorable mention
selections into the #10 spot and still be satisfied with the list,
and that's a great feeling.
With the major labels supposedly
crumbling at my feet, it's only fitting that my
choice for Album of the Year is my first ever by an artist on
an independent label. I think the flood gates have opened and
we have the opportunity to hear almost anything we like, with
sources like MySpace and Garageband.com leading the way. WE, as
fans and listeners, are now in control of what we hear, not the
corporate giants. For so many years we had talent withheld from our
ears, and many bands never got the opportunity to be heard, and
that's a crime. The idea that the guys in the garage at the end of
the block can record something and get it to people around the world
without kneeling at the altar of a major label is something that is
really long overdue.
As always, the list is a
collection of records that moved ME - records that left
an impression on ME. I am a big believer in the fact that
music is a personal experience, and we all have different tastes -
different likes and dislikes. My only purpose for compiling
this list is to, perhaps, point you in the direction of
something that might move you, and also to give you a glimpse at
what moved my life musically. This is not about debating which
albums are "better," this is simply about the music. It's
always about the music here at Dr. Music's Weekly
Checkup.
1. "Beneath The Veil Of
Winter's Face" - Mystery
Call it a concept album, call it progressive rock, call it anything
you like - but something I called it all year long was "incredible."
"Beneath The Veil Of Winter's Face" is the first independent release
to be awarded Album of the Year honors in the five-year history of
Dr. Music's Weekly Checkup. Unicorn Digital (www.unicorndigital.com) is a progressive
rock label based in Canada offering a number of talented artists
such as Hamadryad, Dimension X, Spaced Out, Kopecky, and Daryl
Stuermer. But, Mystery is one band that holds a special place at the
heart of the label. Michel St-Pere, founder of the label, is the
mastermind behind Mystery and this astonishing disc. Having created
the Unicorn label in 1996 primarily to promote and release
music from his band Mystery, St-Pere found that he could use
Unicorn to market and promote other great artists as well. The label
now distributes worldwide and is a highly respected force in the
progressive rock world.
Michel St-Pere has solidified himself as a genius in my book.
St-Pere wrote almost all of the lyrics and music for this
release; he plays guitar, bass, and keyboards; and he is also the
album's producer. That sounds impressive even if you haven't heard
the album, but once you hear these songs you'll see why the "genius"
crown fits St-Pere so well. In a year chock full of impressive
music, this Mystery release, "Beneath The Veil Of Winter's Face,"
defies the odds and stands head and shoulders above the
rest.
For
the full review of "Beneath The Veil Of Winter's Face" from Mystery,
click here.
2nd
Place
3rd Place
2. "No World
For Tomorrow" - Coheed And Cambria
Coheed And Cambria's "No
World For Tomorrow" is one of those records that makes your ears
itch. The band's music acts as a feather grazing across your ear,
causing you to shift in your seat a little bit. The unusual
arrangements and the crisp, seering vocals make it a little
uncomfortable and creepy, but oh so tantalizing at the same time.
You put it on and it seems to cast a spell on you. Singer Claudio
Sanchez has one of the most unique voices on today's music scene.
His ultra-high tenor and eccentric style sends the hard driving
melodies of "No World For Tomorrow" to dizzying
heights. Coheed has a real knack for striking a perfect
balance between pop melodies and edgy modern rock angst, not to
mention the lyrics being pretty thought provoking,
too. Check these out from the song "Mother
Superior":
Mother superior Come catch the rabbit that
runs My, how you run You're frightened of living
this, Truly gone fishing amalgam Go fetch the gun
Your
answer is in there Just stare down the barrel Their sincerest
apologies won't write you out of this one Tonight, you'll find
the right In the pull of the trigger, now bite So young fool
don't cry anymore
This
is an album that is fun to listen to, but it is also a poised and
passionate work of art at the same time. There really isn't a
band that sounds like Coheed and Cambria. I can see where many a
listener might be disturbed by their sound, but I can also see many
of you enjoying the challenge of this record. Once you wrap your
ears around this and scratch the itch, reaping the rewards is an
endless pleasure.
3. "After
Forever" - After Forever
Walking in the
footsteps of fellow female-fronted bands such as
Nightwish and Within Temptation, The Netherlands' After
Forever became the soundtrack to much of my life in
2007. On this self-titled release, the music is very similar
to the Nightwish brand of goth metal that seems to be
gaining in popularity. The songs are filled with soaring
soprano vocal acrobatics, a nice touch of keyboards and
orchestration, and even a few death metal-style grunts scattered
along the way. Their powerful ballad "Cry With A Smile," became
one of my favorite songs of the past few years and something that
still gives me a chill. With an operatic singer, and songwriting
very reminiscent of Nightwish, this album gave me all the things
that the current Nightwish record did not. I was slightly
disappointed with the 2007 Nightwish release, "Dark Passion Play,"
and After Forever filled the void perfectly. A guest vocal
appearance from one of my old favorites, Doro Pesch (Warlock), is a
welcome addition to this set as well. The catchy melodies, the
excellent musicianship, and the pristine production make this one a
real winner.
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
4. "Finding Beauty
In Negative Spaces" - Seether
South
Africa's Seether just keeps doing what they do best, and that's
putting out great hard rock songs with one hell of a groove. They
always seem to find a killer riff or a wicked bass line to drive
their tunes straight through your skull. I listen to much of this
record with a quickened heart rate and clenched fists, but Seether
can also write some excellent melodic rock as well. They have a
specific sound that they tap into with every track, but
they are hardly one-dimensional. You might find yourself snapping
your fingers to a song like "Rise Above This" and find yourself with
a concussion after listening to "No Jesus Christ." But there is no
doubt in my mind, if you are a fan of hard rock with a heavy groove,
listening to Seether tunes like "Fallen" will melt your
face.
5. "Systematic
Chaos" - Dream Theater
This one
is never a surprise. Yep, it's another amazing release from the
guys that have this music thing mastered. Having a
band made up of five of the finest musicians in the world
doesn't always mean that they can write great songs, but these five
sure did a beautiful job with this one. Dream Theater brings
progressive rock heaven to Earth.
6. "It Won't Be Soon
Before Long" - Maroon 5
This stuff is today's answer to the 80's "white soul" of
Hall & Oates, and it really is something special. The
songwriting is some of the finest in decades, and singer Adam Levine
is inspiring and soulful throughout the record. Armed with a barrage
of potential radio singles, this album plays like a greatest hits
set. With a sound that's something like Smokey Robinson fronting
Matchbox 20, Maroon 5 delivers small doses of funk and soul while
still remaining true to their pop tendencies. But make no mistake,
the strength of this record lies within the hook stuffed
songwriting. All of these songs are rich in texture, but they are
also fun to listen to. This is perfect radio rock.....I mean
pop.......I mean soul........alright, I mean all of the above ...and
more.
7. "Mountain Of
Power" - Mountain Of Power
Nothing is
more of a straight forward, rip your head off, tear your heart out,
kick ass guitar record than this. Released on the hottest
independent guitar rock label in the world, Grooveyard Records,
"Mountain Of Power" is a collection of smoking cover songs by the
likes of Montrose, Budgie, Mountain, Moxy, and more. If you want to
set your speakers ablaze with guitar fire, this album from Sweden's
Mountain Of Power is the one you need to have. For the full review,
click here. You
can visit the band's MySpace page at this location and experience
the guitar power for yourself: http://www.myspace.com/mountainofpower
8. "You Like It
Clean" - Lynn Carey Saylor
After
looking at this woman, and hearing her sing these excellent songs
(that she wrote), I just kept wondering how she hasn't sold millions
of records. She's ravishingly beautiful, has a wonderful clean
vocal sound, and writes all of her own songs - and they're really
good songs, too! And did I mention that she has Queen's
Brian May playing guitar on two songs? To find out more about this
excellent new artist and hear some of her great songs, you can
visit her MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/lynncareysaylor. And, for the full review, click here.
9. "Blackbird" -
Alter Bridge
Guitarist Mark Tremonti spent many years
writing songs of power and undying spirit with his former band,
Creed. When the fallout with Creed singer Scott Stapp took
place, Tremonti took the rest of his Creed bandmates and formed
Alter Bridge. Their first album, "One Day Remains," kept his
signature songwriting style in place, and the addition of singer
Myles Kennedy made the whole thing a powerful machine. All of
those great elements are still intact with this release. Songs like
"Rise Today," "Ties That Bind," and "Buried Alive" are devastatingly
strong tunes with both hard rock muscle and heartfelt emotional
power. Another excellent release for this
band.
10. "Rock 'N'
Roll Jesus" - Kid Rock
Here is the guilty
pleasure for the year. It may not be anywhere near the caliber of a
Dream Theater, and it might quite frequently be lyrically
silly, but gosh darn it - it's a lot of fun to listen to. I had the
Linkin Park album in this spot for a long time, and it might just
deserve it more than this one. I had Within Temptation's album here
at one time, also. But when it came down to listening to them
back-to-back, this Kid Rock disc had me smiling a little more.
Kid Rock's
self-titled disc just previous to this release was very
disappointing for me. I felt that he was pushing himself to cut
another single that was like "Picture" (the highly successful duet
he did with Sheryl Crow from his "Cocky" album). The album seemed to
abandon his hard rock roots and the result was a dry, slow moving
affair. Rock bounces back with a loud, obnoxious bang here, though.
"Rock 'N' Roll Jesus" is a raucous strut down bad attitude street.
Songs like "So Hott" and "Lowlife (Living The Highlife)" are
completely moronic, really, but they're still a kick to listen to.
But it's rockers like the title cut, "All Summer Long," and "Don't
Tell Me You Love Me," along with melodic sing-alongs like "Roll
On" that launch this one into the #10 spot.
***************************************************************************************************
THE
PATIENTS LISTS
"My choice for album of
the year might be …..The I Phone."
Vince (U.S.)
I’ll tell you something, my listening habits have
changed. I really can’t think of any albums like in the olden days.
Everything is now on my I Phone. I just download stuff I like but
there isn’t any new albums like in the past where I’m into the whole
thing. I guess my model of listening to music has changed to reflect
the times. My choice for album of the year might be….. The I
Phone. Albums might be dead.
EDITOR NOTE: This perspective represents the exact fear I have of the
digital music age. Vince's view is a perfect cross section of
the whole entire world's views, I think. And, although the convenience and accessibility of
digital is great, the loss of the music as an art
form really is
unfortunate.
After
some coaxing and a really interesting conversation, Vince looked
through his iPhone and came up with a
winner......
Here’s what I played most frequently: Dan Fogelberg
and Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced. I’m surprised there. I
didn’t think I listened that much. Clan Destiny - Wishbone Ash,
I tried to like it. Best of Chicago. I’ve been on a little
"brass in rock" kick lately. Best of ARS [Atlanta Rhythm Section], I
love the early stuff. Fillmore East, Allman Bros. ...no
surprise there. Believe it or not, the Album of the Year for me is
the Ben Granfelt album where he cops all guitar
feels from the 70s. I love "The Sum of
Memories." I really like the textures that Granfelt gets from his
guitar. It really reminds me of Trower or Page. The lyrics are
cool too. I like "Check Up from The Neck Up" and "Falling off a
Drunken Horse." Those would have been excellent [Wishbone] Ash
songs. But, go ahead and put the Phone as #1. It really has changed
my music habits. It’s always with me so I always have my music,
plus I can download anywhere.
Johan
(Belgium)
01. The Shins - Wincing the night
away. Golden melodies with an indierock edge to it.
02.
Tragically Hip - World Container. After a few disappointing albums,
this gem served as our reconfirmation in the strenght of this band
and in our belief in guitar rock.
03. Patrick Wolf - The Magic
Position. Arty rock with a slice of cabaret - pretentious but never
boring.
04. Tom McRae - King of Cards.
Best singer-songwriter stuff of the year.
05. Ania - Kilka historii na ten
sam temat. The biggest surprise of the year: lighthearted bossa
nova, fresh loungy pop en Brazilian vibes, coming from, of all
places, .... Poland.
06. Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion.
The artist whose debut album provided a lot of good vibes for my
family - and his concert in Brussels proved that the man is here to
stay.
07. Josh Haden - Devoted. Very
subtle late evening record.
08. Krista Detor - Cover their
eyes. A disgrace, how little this female singer songwriter is known.
She deserves a place, up there with the very best - think Suzanne
Vega, Joni Mitchell and Tori
Amos.
09. Jeb Loy Nichols - Days are
mighty. That falling leaves feeling, set to music. Folky rootsy
stuff - warm music for chilly days.
10. Michel Bisceglia - Inner You:
best jazz moment of the year, coming from Belgium. Transparent
album, ideal to de-stress.
And
besides the top 10, I enjoyed music from Ben Westbeech, Lucky
Soul, Steve Earle, Eagles, Annie Lennox, Machine Head, Crowded
House, Stephan Eicher, Buffalo Tom, Simply Red, Chaka Khan, Calvin
Harris, Warren Zevon ('Preludes - Rare and unreleased recordings')
and Ryan Adams. And concerts from Stephan Eicher, Tom McRae,
The Datsuns, Joan Armatrading, Tragically Hip, Koop,
SundaySoulSquad, Mika, Danny & Dust and The Police.
Colin (England)
Systematic Chaos by Dream Theater
Anonymous (U.S.)
Memory
Almost Full - Paul McCartney
(Velvet Revolver, Fountains of Wayne, and
Fogerty were all in heavy rotation as well)
Joe (U.S.)
Beneath
The Veil Of Winter's Face - Mystery
Ed (U.S.)
Album of the year is always a tough one
for me. There is a lot of good stuff that has come out, yet I
always seemed to get engulfed into something that happened a few
years back. (i.e. Nickelback, Kotton Mouth Kings, My Chemical
Romance)
Two albums that came out in 2007 that I
really liked were Nonpoint's Vengeance, or the new
Kanye West ("Graduation"). The Justin Timberlake
album arrived in 2006, but survived all the way through 2007. I
still can't believe that he had 4 huge songs on that release
and another 4 that could still be huge.
Brian (U.S.)
I would have to say that the album I
enjoyed the most from 2007 was "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant and
Alison Krauss. It's a great collaboration between the two and
something of a departure for Plant. Great vocals, great musicianship
and great tunes.
Each year, I review the playlists
generated by my broadcasting activity and discern the most played
artists of the year. Often, there is somewhat a surprise to find
what documentation shows I was most eager to play during the few
hours of airtime I have. This list is my commentary on those results
in no particular order. Note, not all releases are 2007
releases.
Mark (U.S.)
1. Les Paul with Mary Ford, The Best Of
The Capitol Masters, 2005 release 2. Jeff Beck, Who Else!,
1999 release 3. Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton; Deluxe Edition, 2006
release 4. Cream, Those Were The Days; Box Set, 1997
release 5. Jars Of Clay, The Essential Jars OF Clay, 2007
release 6. Jars Of Clay, Good Monsters, 2006 release 7. Bob
Dylan, Modern Times, 2006 release 8. The Derek Trucks Band,
Joyful Noise, 2002 release
9. Alison Krauss & Robert Plant,
Raising Sand, 2007 release
MetalHead Dave (U.S.)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium
Arcadium
Reijo (Finland)
01. Heli Ruotsalainen - Tuulen
Suuntaan
02. Megadeth - That One Night - Live in Buenos
Aires
03. Anna Eriksson - Ihode
04. The Donnas - Bitchin'
05. Megadeth - United
Abominations
06. September - Dancing Shoes
07. Stryper - Live in Puerto Rico
08. Johanna Pakonen - Kosketus
Jää
09. Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn
Thing
10. LeAnn Rimes - Family
11. Sonata Arctica - Unia
12. Britney Spears -
Blackout
______________________________________________________________
Here are a few lists from some of
the best selling music magazines:
ROLLING
STONE
50 Britney Spears - Blackout 49
Dropkick Murphys - The Meanest of Times 48 Mavis
Staples - We'll Never Turn Back 47 Band of Horses -
Cease to Begin 46 Fall Out Boy - Infinity on
High 45 Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience &
Grace 44 Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's
Block 43 Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist 42
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky 41 of Montreal - Hissing
Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
40 Amy Winehouse - Back to
Black 39 Dr. Dog - We All Belong 38 Imperial
Teen - The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band 37 Down
- Over the Under 36 Alicia Keys - As I
Am 35 Feist - The Reminder 34 Chris Brown -
Exclusive 33 Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Price -
Last of the Breed 32 Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon
Before Long 31 Kings of Leon - Because of the
Times 30 Youssou N'Dour - Rokku Mi Rokka 29
Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains 28 The Apples in Stereo
- New Magnetic Wonder 27 Lil Wayne - Da Drought
3 26 Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 25
Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight 24 Robert Plant and
Alison Krauss - Raising Sand 23 1990s -
Cookies 22 Paul McCartney - Memory Almost
Full 21 Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero 20 Melissa
Etheridge - The Awakening 19 Devendra Banhart -
Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon 18 Lucinda Williams -
West 17 The White Stripes - Icky Thump 16
Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends 15 Common -
Finding Forever 14 Gogol Bordello - Super
Taranta! 13 Lily Allen - Alright, Still 12
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga 11 John Fogerty -
Revival 10 Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga 09
Against Me! - New Wave 08 Rilo Kiley - Under the
Blacklight 07 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of
Silver 06 Radiohead - In Rainbows 05 Kanye
West - Graduation 04 Arcade Fire - Neon
Bible 03 Jay-Z - American Gangster 02 Bruce
Springsteen - Magic 01 M.I.A. -
Kala
ROLLING STONE
READER'S POLL
1. Radiohead –
In Rainbows 2. Arcade Fire – Neon
Bible 3. Wilco -
Sky Blue Sky 4. White Stripes – Icky
Thump 5. Bruce
Springsteen – Magic 6. Nine
Inch Nails – Year
Zero 7. The Shins –
Wincing The Night Away 8.
Spoon – Ga Ga
Ga Ga Ga 9. Kings of
Leon – Because of the
Times 10. Kanye West –
Graduation
11. Queens of the Stone
Age – Era
Vulgaris 12. Foo
Fighters - Echoes, Silence,
Patience & Grace 13. LCD
Soundsystem – Sound of
Silver 14. Ryan Adams –
Easy Tiger 15. Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare 16. The National – Boxer 17. M.I.A. - Kala 18. Amy
Winehouse – Back To
Black 19. Smashing
Pumpkins – Zeitgeist 20. Modest Mouse – We
Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank 21. Eddie Vedder – Into
the Wild Soundtrack 22. Rilo
Kiley – Under the
Blacklight 23. Bright
Eyes – Cassadaga 24.
Robert Plant/Alison
Krauss – Raising
Sand 25. Paul McCartney
– Memory Almost
Full
SPIN
1. Against Me! - New Wave 2. Arcade Fire - Neon
Bible 3. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver 4. kanYe West -
Graduation 5. MIA - Kala 6. Radiohead - In Rainbows 7.
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black 8. Jay-Z - American
Gangster 9. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga 10. White Stripes - Icky
Thump 11. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3 12. Prince - Planet
Earth 13. Hives - Black & White Album 14. Bruce
Springsteen - Magic 15. Justice - † 16. Lily Allen -
Alright, Still 17. National - Boxer 18. Feist -
Reminder 19. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare 20.
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? 21. Modest
Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank 22. Elliott
Smith - New Moon 23. Peter, Bjorn & John - Writer’s
Block 24. Shins - Wincing the Night Away 25. Queens of the
Stone Age - Era Vulgaris 26. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga 27.
Band of Horses - Cease To Begin 28. Iron & Wine -
Shepherd’s Dog 29. Panda Bear - Person Pitch 30. Brother Ali
- Undisputed Truth 31. Handsome Furs - Plague Park 32. Black
Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81 33. Wildhearts -
Wildhearts 34. Bat for Lashes - Fur & Gold 35. Say
Anything - In Defense of the Genre 36. Bonde do Rolê - With
Lasers 37. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Living with the
Living 38. Dizzee Rascal - Maths & English 39.
Turbonegro - Retox 40. Rilo Kiley - Under the
Blacklight
BLENDER
25. Rihanna, Good Girl
Gone Bad 24. Bright Eyes, Cassadaga 23. Lily
Allen, Alright, Still... 22. Band Of Horses, Cease To
Begin 21. Okkervil River, The Stage Names 20.
Brad Paisley, 5th Gear 19. Modest Mouse, We Were Dead
Before The Ship Sank 18. Justice, † 17. Bruce
Springsteen, Magic 16. Jay-Z, American
Gangster 15. Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Raising
Sand 14. The White Stripes, Icky Thump 13. Feist,
The Reminder 12. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga 11. LCD
Soundsystem, Sound Of Silver 10. Rilo Kiley, Under
The Blacklight 9. Miranda Lambert, Crazy
Ex-Girlfriend 8. Amy Winehouse, Back To Black 7.
The Dream, Lovehate 6. Radiohead, In
Rainbows 5. Against Me!, New Wave 4. Kanye West,
Graduation 3. Lil Wayne, The Carter 3
Sessions 2. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible 1. M.I.A.,
Kala
ENTERTAINMENT
WEEKLY
10. Lupe Fiasco - Lupe
Fiasco's The Cool 9. Bettye Lavette - The Scene Of The
Crime 8. Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full 7. LCD
Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver 6. M.I.A. - Kala 5. Miranda
Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 4. Radiohead - In Rainbows 3.
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible 2. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black 1.
Bruce Springsteen - Magic
CLASSIC ROCK
10. MACHINE HEAD - The Blackening 9. SAXON - The Inner
Sanctum 8. EAGLES - Long Road Out Of Eden 7. JOE BONAMASSA -
Sloe Gin 6. STATUS QUO - In Search Of The Fourth Chord 5.
IAN HUNTER - Shrunken Heads 4. PORCUPINE TREE - Fear Of A Blank
Planet 3. DOWN - Down III: Over The Under 2. RUSH - Snakes
And Arrows 1. GUNS N’ ROSES - Chinese Democracy (Not officially
released – obviously
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll
question: "What were your favorite
albums of 2006?"
Article: The following article was written for
the February 13, 20 & 27th, 2007 issues of
"Dr. Music's
Weekly Checkup."
This is it. This is the issue that I work toward
each and every year. This is my chance to share with all of you, the
music that shaped the days of the past year. This is not a list to
tell you what the best albums were, but it is more of a portal into
my mind as a listener and fan of music. Some of these selections may
not be the most accomplished records of the past year, but this is
what touched me. That's all I wish to do with this list - share my
thoughts and feelings about the music that touched my life. Thanks
for listening.
Album of the
Year
-
"The Black Parade" - My
Chemical Romance
-
"A Sleeper's Awakening" -
Pictorial Wand
-
"Wolfmother" -
Wolfmother
-
"IV" -
Godsmack
-
"A Matter Of Life And
Death" - Iron Maiden
-
"Black Stone Cherry" -
Black Stone Cherry
-
"Marty Casey &
Lovehammers" - Marty Casey & Lovehammers
-
"Livin' It Up"
- Sammy Hagar & The Wabos
-
"The Great Burrito
Extortion Case" - Bowling For Soup
-
"High & Mighty" - Gov't
Mule
Honorable mention: "Fingerprints" -
Peter Frampton, "Enne" - HB, "Blood" - Kopecky, "2 of 5" - Mike
Martin, "15" - Buckcherry, "Southern Born Killers" - Stuck
Mojo
This year was an unusually shocking year for me. I was introduced to
Gov't Mule's music for the first time, and loved it. I enjoyed Marty
Casey's Lovehammers release even more than I enjoyed the J.D.
Fortune fronted INXS release from 2005, which is odd because I
preferred J.D. over Marty on the Rock Star INXS television show. And
I've never had a liking for 70's boy toy Peter Frampton, but
his "Fingerprints" album was really something impressive. Okay, I
guess I shouldn't rule out The Village People or K.C. & The
Sunshine Band quite yet.
1. "The Black
Parade" - My Chemical Romance"
Having a newer, more modern
sounding band like My Chemical Romance topping my list was something
that never struck me as realistic when the year started. I had heard
the band on both of their previous efforts and I thought they were
impressive in many ways, but I never thought they could piece
together a modern day masterpiece like "The Black
Parade."
This is a record that amazes me each and every time I listen to it.
Sure, it's appealing to the 15-year old goth crowd. And yes, the
album has moments that might even fit into the latest "emo" genre of
two chord punk pop. But the beauty of this record lies in the flow
and arrangement of all that sound. MCR hired on the hottest
production team working today to twist the knobs on this bad fella,
and what they came up with is nothing short of classic.
Producer Rob Cavallo and the same team of experts that gave us
Green Day's "American Idiot," Chris Lord-Alge (mixing) and Doug
McKean (engineer), have now given us something to really sink our
teeth into. Besides being arranged perfectly, the album boasts
influences of classic rock lumanaries such as Queen, Cheap
Trick and Pink Floyd. And possibly the best part of having all of
these diverse influences oozing out is the fact that the band never
sacrifices their true direction. Behind all of this big production
and "The Wall"- type conceptual feel, the raging heart of My
Chemical Romance is still beating strongly. They are an angst
riddled alternative punk band, and that still lives in the soul of
this record.
They cast dark shadows over this robust and grandiose
production with lyrics of death and disease, courtesy of
singer/lyricist Gerard Way. The lyrics are cathartic and sincere,
while the music just compliments the mood with uncompromising
precision. Songs like the dark and foreboding "Cancer" and the
gritty and eclectic "Mama" are reliant on singer Gerard Way and his
approach to the powerful lyrics. When he delivers these lines from
"Cancer," "Call my aunt Marie / Help
her gather all my things / And bury me in all my favorite colors /
My sisters and my brothers still / I will not kiss you," there's a certain
chill that crawls up my spine. And the job he does turning a phrase
with the following verse from "Mama" is complete and utter
brilliance.
"Well mother what the war did to me legs and to my
tongue
You should have raised a baby
girl
I should have been a better
son
If you could coddle the
infection
They could amputate at
once
You should have been
I should have been a better
son"
I think this is an album that
has it all. It has excellent instrumentation, highlighted by
memorable guitar work from guitarist Ray Toro; it has deep and
meaningful lyrics and amazing emotional flow from song to song,
courtesy of Gerard Way's outstanding vocal performance and writing
style; and of course, the razor sharp production qualities, courtesy
of Cavallo and his crew. And did I mention that it also has a vocal
cameo by Liza Minelli!
Frontman Gerard Way has
stated that the three albums which are most similar to this album,
and influenced this record, are Queen's A Night at the
Opera, The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club
Band, and Pink Floyd's The Wall. He has also said
that The Smashing Pumpkins album Mellon Collie and the
Infinite Sadness influenced this record and that he wishes the
new album to "echo the aesthetics of Mellon Collie." Well
Gerard, you've done a wonderful job because "The Black Parade" is a
perfect blend of those four albums. Listening to this band modernize
those four great albums by crafting this work of art was something
that grabbed me hard, and I still have not felt it loosen its
grip.
RUNNER -
UP Third
Place
2.
"A Sleeper's Awakening" - Pictorial
Wand
3. "Wolfmother" - Wolfmother
You can read full
reviews for each of the above selections in the Review Archives
section of this website.
This is the usual
Godsmack fare - inspiring riffs, hearty hard rock vocals, and some
great songwriting. After Godsmack put out their EP, "The Other
Side," I felt cheated by the band. I've liked every other album from
these guys, and while this one was nothing groundbreaking, it was a
complete return to form for Godsmack. This is a very solid hard
rock/metal album.
5. "A Matter Of Life And
Death" - Iron Maiden
This was another one that wasn't
anything groundbreaking, but it was one of the best Maiden albums in
years. This is a band that is in a class by themselves, and this
album is near the head of that class. You can read my full review of
the album on the Are You On Something.com website (www.areuonsomething.com).
6. "Black Stone Cherry" - Black Stone Cherry
Oh yeah, baby! Strap yourself in for this one! This is a rip
roarin' good time album that really opens up that proverbial "can of
whoop ass." A Southern fried riff fest that takes hard rock back to
a 70's style guitar rock frenzy. I found this late in the year and
immediately fell in love with it.
7. "Marty
Casey & Lovehammers" - Marty Casey & Lovehammers
This is Marty Casey's band - you know, the guy who lost the
Rock Star INXS television competition. Now here's a great example of
what a large budget and a big time production team can do for you. I
had the Lovehammers self-produced indie album "Murder On My Mind"
before I heard a lot of those same songs re-done here. I didn't even
like the songs on the "Murder" disc, but I love what they've done
with them on this major label debut. The production highlights the
writing here, and it turns out a real winner.
8.
"Livin' It Up" - Sammy
Hagar & The Wabos
Maybe only the die hard Sammy fans can appreciate this one,
but I had great fun with this one. If a hard rock version of
Jimmy Buffett sounds appealing, this is the disc for you. This is
just a hang loose, good time rock & roll, fun-in-the-sun
record.
9. "The Great Burrito
Extortion Case - Bowling For Soup
Alright, I just can't help myself. This is my guilty pleasure
pick of the year. This one's not as great as their 2004 release, "A
Hangover You Don't Deserve" (my Album of the Year for that
year), but it is still some of the best power pop to be found.
Songs like "I'm Gay," "Val Kilmer," and "99 Biker Friends" are
just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tightly played sing
alongs.
10. "High
& Mighty" - Gov't Mule
Warren
Haynes is wicked good, ladies and gentlemen. This guy is not only
one of the premier guitar players in the world, but his vocals are
soulful and passionate as well. This thing is packed with great
guitar harmonies and solos, along with a great classic rock song
formula. I've always heard so much about Haynes and Mule, but for
some reason I just took my time getting to them. It seems that I
really was missing out on one of the hottest acts in the world.
You
know, I went back over my Album of the Year lists for the
past three years, and it seems that I made some pretty good
choices. Now, let me clarify that statement. I think a "good choice"
is when I can put the given album on today and still feel
strongly about it. For example, in 2003, my choice for Album of the
Year was Evanescence's "Fallen." As I listened to
that just a few days ago, I was still moved by the powerful force of
the music. That tells me that I made a good choice. Some of the
other albums that I still have in regular rotation from the past
couple of years are The Flyin' Ryan Brothers' "Blue
Marble," Disturbed's “Ten Thousand Fists,”
The Corrs' "Borrowed Heaven," and Alter
Bridge's "One Day Remains." There is one particular disc
from last year that I had on my Honorable Mention list that I
feel got overlooked. James Blunt's "Back To Bedlam"
is a disc that I only got around to at the end of last year, but it
is a disc that has set up an apartment in my disc player. Yes, it
lives there. "Back To Bedlam" should have been near the top of the
list last year, if not at the very top. It is one of the finest
pieces of music that I own. But, that's the way these things go,
right? Hindsight is 20/20, as they say.
Some of
the disappointing things from this past year were
Evanescence's "The Open Door," which should've been much
stronger considering the wait we had to
endure. Audioslave's "Revelations" was another
disappointment, as was Los Lonely Boys' "Sacred"
and Pearl Jam's self-titled return. I was
also a little disappointed by songwriting genius Butch
Walker's solo record, "The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the
Let's-go-out-tonites." Walker has consistently written
great songs and produced quality recordings for so many artists, but
this album was just not the same caliber that I've come to expect.
But the biggest disappointment of the past year was
Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime II." This
thing, with a guest appearance by Ronnie James Dio as Dr. X, was
almost guaranteed to be my list topper before it even came
out. The first "Mindcrime" is one of my favorite records
of all time, Geoff Tate and Ronnie James Dio are two of my
favorite singers. So this had everything going for it, right?. What
happened?!! Well, it's obscenely apparent that Tate needs
former guitarist and songwriter Chris DeGarmo's help writing songs,
because "Operation: Mindcrime II" is fresh out of good songs.
There are so many releases
that I wish I would've had more time for, but there just aren't
enough hours in the day. Here is a list of records that very well
could've made the list this year, but I just didn't get to them:
Slayer - "Christ Illusion," Blackmore's Night - "Village
Lanterne," The Sword - "Age Of Winters," Tool - "10,000 Days," Al
DiMeola - "Consequence of Chaos," Cheap Trick - "Rockford," Larry
Carlton - "Fire Wire," UFO - "The Monkey Puzzle," Cactus - "Cactus
V," and many many more.
And finally, I'd like to
mention some of the fabulous talent that I discovered on the MySpace
pages. By doing the MySpace Discovery Zone column, I have been in
contact with a great many artists who possess some very special
gifts. Miss Crazy, the
exciting, self-promoting L.A. act that's trying to put 80's metal
back on the musical map, is really an act to watch closely.
Sheena Morris, the Tori Amos-like
pianist/guitarist/singer, is one of the finest talents I've come
across in a very long time. Guitarist Mike Martin actually gained an
Honorable mention with his 2006 instrumental disc, "2 of
5." Pop/Rock acts The Pinder Brothers
and The Goondocks blew me away with
their amazing songwriting skills. Guitarist Kevin M. Buck,
rocker Matt Beal, and
Xu are all very worthy of mention
as well. I like to think I've helped these bands reach out to more
people and spread their sound to a wider audience. It is so
rewarding for me to be able to help, and I thank each of the artists
for inviting me into their world.
I just
want to say that it has been the ride of a lifetime over the past
four years. Doing the Checkup each week can take time that I
might not have, and I don't always feel up to writing some of the
material, but it's YOU that pushes me onward. I know there are a lot
of you that enjoy what I'm doing, and that touches me
deeply. Thank you.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE PATIENTS
LISTS
"If I tell you what I listen to it might scare
people off! LOL... I don't think any of it is from the 21st
century!!," Berends tells me. His Mastermind project is on hold at
the moment and he is keeping busy in a trio that covers Cream songs.
He continues, "I do get on 'tangents' and my listening will change
as I research certain things. For example, doing the Cream trio
shows ( www.myspace.com/berendswilsontrio), I may
listen to Cream bootlegs for weeks on end then suddenly need to hear
Shostakovitch, John Lee Hooker, or Tangerine Dream!" Here is a
list of what he's been listening to, starting with the most recent:
- Masters of Reality - Sunrise on the Sufferbus
- PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her
- Jack Bruce - More Jack than God
- Cream - The Remasters bootleg set
- Ten Years After - Stonehenge / Watt
- John Lee Hooker - Early Years 1948-1951
- John Mayall - Bluesbreakers w/ Eric Clapton (Beano)
- Tangerine Dream - Mars Polaris
- Sarah McLachlan - Afterglow
- Dimitri Shostakovitch - String Quartets #11 thru #15
- Henryk Gorecki - Symphony No.3 (Symphony of Sorrowful
Songs)
- Jens Johansson - Ten Seasons
- The Beatles - White Album
William Kopecky of Kopecky/Far Corner/Yeti
Rain/Michael Angelo Batio/Flyin' Ryan Brothers (www.williamkopecky.com)
1. Univers Zero,
Live
2. Kopecky,
Blood
3. Yeti Rain,
Discarnate
4. Ornette Coleman
- Sound Grammar
5. Ayelet Rose
Gottlieb - Mayim Rabim
6. Kayo Dot
- Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue
7. Unexpect
- In a Flesh Aquarium
As I have always known, I have an extremely
diversified group of readers that are enthused by both new and old
music. One of my readers told me that he could be found listening
to Love's "Love Forever Changes" followed by
Nightwish's "Once." These are two selections from
two differing time periods and genres, but yet they were
found in full rotation for this reader in 2006. And talking about
diversity....try this one on for size. One of my readers has chosen
Rob Zombie's "Educated Horses" and Weird Al
Yankovic's "Straight Outta Lynwood" as his Albums of the
Year.
But, lo and behold, I think I have the most
diverse list yet from one of my most devoted readers I have, out in
Finland. Check out this explosion of sound preferences:
1. HB -
Enne
2. The Pipettes - We Are
the Pipettes
3. PMMP - Leskiäidin
tyttäret
4. Elina Vettenranta -
Sydänten yö
5. Agnes - When the
Night Falls
6. Jessica Simpson - A
Public Affair
7. Kim
Wilde - Never Say Never
8.
LeAnn Rimes - Whatever We Wanna
9.
Kikka Laitinen - Suomalaisia rakkaustarinoita
10. Juliette
& The Licks - Four on the Floor
Another of my most distant
and devoted readers from Belgium submitted this sweetheart of a
list:
01. Paul Simon -
Surprise "A feast of subtility, with
brilliant, highly imaginative lyrics and intruiging soundscapes by
Brian
Eno."
02. Muse - Black Holes and
Revelations "Over the top sonic
adventures."
03. Donavon Frankenreiter - Move By
Yourself "Crossroad between
Southern rock and laidback
soul."
04. Jhelisa - A Primitive Guide to Being
There "An example of all
kinds of soul music, with the flexible voice of Jhelisa as common
denominator."
05. John Mayer -
Continuum "A flawless
blending of rock, blues, soul and
pop."
06. Wolfmother -
Wolfmother "Young daredevils
and their take on old school hard
rock."
07. Josh Rouse -
Subtitulo "Rouse is never
disappointing. This time he brings his American singer-songwriter
stuff from a sleepy, Spanish, one horse
town."
08. Killers - Sam's
Town "First the hype,
now the
confirmation."
09. Krista Detor -
Mudshow "Romantic piano
ballads for those who wish to go further than Tori
Amos."
10. Ed Harcourt - The Beautiful
Lie "Sweeping melancholics
from the British younger version of Tom
Waits."
Just fell off the Top 10: The Feeling - Twelve Stops and
Home "Pop bliss with a
seventies feel to
it."
The "I couldn't care less Record of the Year":
"Information" from
Beck
Another reader tells me, "I'm sad to say that I've
become one of those people that doesn't keep up with the new albums
each year." She continues, "I did go to Napster to check out some of
the Top 100 songs, and I can see that I didn't miss a thing." She
goes on to recall a few of the discs that she purchased over the
past year, and here's what she had on the list:
- Fergie - "The Duchess" - IS awful!
I like her singing with the Black Eyed Peas... but the
kindergarten lyrics and ridiculous rap repetitions make the CD
unbearable.
- Justin Timberlake - "FutureSex / LoveSounds"
- Justin is one talented guy... I really enjoy this CD.
- Beyonce' - "B'day" - There are some really
good songs on this CD, and more repetitious rap stuff..
Overall it's ok...
- Gwen Stefani - "Sweet Escape" - Jury is still
out on this one. I think she may be trying to hard to make
all her songs sound like "Holla Back Girl."
- Evanescence - "The Open Door" - I really like
this CD; however, I still like their first CD better. Some of the
songs on this CD seem to imitate the first CD.
I seemed to have quite a few readers this year
that reverted back to the old stand-bys. One reader had The
Allman Brothers "Live at the Fillmore East" and
Jeff Beck's "Blow By Blow" in regular rotation, as
well as The Beatles' "Revolver," and the more
recent "Bonafide" from Wishbone
Ash. He says of the latter, "'Bonafide' stands as one of
Ash's best albums to me." This same person, who is quite an
accomplished guitar player, also told me he has found interest in
the Country music genre. As he put it, "I love Brad Paisley. That
guy shreds on guitar."
Then we had the reader that stumbled upon
something that they ended up spending a lot of time with over the
course of the year. "When I went searching for Dion's 2006
album, 'Bronx In Blue,' I discovered a CD he did two years
ago called 'New Masters' (where he re-did all his
all hits with today's technology. I ended up loving both CD's)" The
same reader went on to tell me that they "loved" Bob Dylan's
2006 release "Modern Times" and also Van Morrison's
release from '06 "Pay The Devil." There was also the
influence of television and a concert experience that gave this
person some new musical interests. After seeing The Pogues live
for the first time, The Best of The Pogues got
quite a few spins. And, the VH1 documentary that shows the making of
Motorhead's "Ace Of Spades" made this reader stand
up and take notice of a classic. Some of the other discs that this
reader enjoyed were "Stadium Arcadium" from The Red Hot Chili
Peppers and Gretchen Wilson's second release from 2005, "All
Jacked Up."
I got a vote for Iron Maiden's "A Matter
Of Life And Death" for Album of the Year from someone that
was even more electrified by a DVD that he saw. It was the 1998
Rammstein DVD release, "Rammstein Live Aus Berlin,"
and he calls it "one of the coolest live DVDs I've EVER seen."
And then of course there were the folks that found
that 2006 gave us nothing to really rave about. I got
responses such as this: The only disc I can think of that was
okay was the Paul Stanley solo
album ("Live To Win").
And one reader said, "I wasn't overly impressed with rock music in
2006. Pop music actually had some intriguing stuff (Gnarls Barkely,
for one), but - to me - rock seems stuck in the grunge-lite mold."
He went on to give me his Top 5 for the year though, and here it is:
1) Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"I think this was the best rock album of the year. I don't even
think it's RHCP's best, but good enough for #1 in 2006." 2)
A Bigger Bang - Rolling Stones. "They're well past
their prime, but they put out a better than average disc in 2006.
Seeing them at Churchill Downs helped push this up the list, that's
for sure!" 3) Sam's Town - The Killers.
"Nowhere near as good as their last one, but it does rock.
Enjoyable, if not a masterpiece." 4) How To Save A Life
- The Fray. "Nice, inoffensive pop-rock. Their singles were
excellent. The rest of the disc is rather generic, but not
horrible." 5) St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley.
"I think "Crazy" was the song of the year. Unusual and fun. Best pop
album of the year, too."
He adds, "Liked some of the
latest from Nelly Furtado, Snow Patrol, Mary J. Blige, Bob Seger and
others, but didn't like the entire disc enough to rank 'em."
Another discouraged reader wrote,
"I have mixed emotions for 2006.
There were a few good albums that I listened to over and over again,
but I also found myself digging up a bunch of old stuff that I have
not listened to in a long time. Maybe this is showing that I am
getting older, but there is not a lot of the new stuff out there
that I like." Some of the newer releases that he did find
interesting:
- Trivium - The Crusade
- My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
- Nonpoint - Live and Kicking
- The entire Nickelback library - "Where the
hell was I over the last 6 years?"
- James Blunt - Back To Bedlam
"Still in pretty regular rotation."
He goes on to tell us which of his favorite tunes
from the past got a "2nd Tour" in 2006:
-
Decadence Dance - Extreme - "Nuno rips
it in this one."
-
Miracle Man - Ozzy "Intro
is the best guitar riff ever written in my humble opinion."
-
Milennium - Fear Factory "Awesome cover - so
fat and heavy"
-
Poem - Taproot
This reader also supplied us with
his Top 3 singles for the year:
#1 - There's Going To Be A War -
Nonpoint
#2 - Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
#3 - Follow You Home - Nickelback
He also wanted to give top honors to the Pussycat
Dolls as well. As he put it, "I honestly believe 'Buttons' will
be played in strip clubs for the next 30 years. It is officially the
catchiest stripper pop song I have ever heard. I still turn
this up on full blast every single time it comes over the
airwaves."
Is this a diverse group of
readers, or what?! I feel very privileged to be able to communicate
with all of you. I think almost all of you have a deep love for the
music in your lives, and I totally respect and appreciate that. No
matter if you're enjoying Slayer or The Pussycat Dolls (or both, if
that is really possible), the idea is to have fun with music
and let it enhance your life. Let it capture the time, like a
photograph would for you.
Thanks to all
of those that submitted responses for the article, and
thanks to each and every one of you for reading each week. You are,
collectively, the heart that keeps Dr. Music alive - and I
thank you.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here are a few lists from some of the best selling
music magazines:
ROLLING
STONE
- Modern Times - Bob Dylan
- Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Rather Ripped - Sonic Youth
- Return to Cookie Mountain - TV on the Radio
- Fishscale - Ghostface Killah
- The Greatest - Cat Power
- Hell Hath No Fury - Clipse
- Boys and Girls in America - The Hold Steady
- Blood Mountain - Mastodon
- Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards - Tom Waits
- Continuum - John Mayer
- One Day It Will Please Us To Remeber Even This - The New York
Dolls
- Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
- American V: A Hundred Highways - Johnny Cash
- Wolfmother - Wolfmother
- Food & Liquor - Lupe Fiasco
- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
- Game Theory - The Roots
- Taking The Long Way - Dixie Chicks
- The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
ENTERTAINMENT
WEEKLY
- St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley
- Return To Cookie Mountain - TV on the Radio
- The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
- Future Sex/Love Sounds - Justin Timberlake
- Hell Hath No Fury - Clipse
- Taking The Long Way - Dixie Chicks
- Modern Times - Bob Dylan
- Alright, Still - Lily Allen
- The Greatest - Cat Power
- Post-War - M. Ward
SPIN
- TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain
- Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere
- Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm
Not
- Ghostface Killah, Fishscale
- My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade
- Joanna Newsom, Ys
- Cat Power, The Greatest
- My Morning Jacket, Okonokos
- Clipse, Hell Hath No Fury
- Beck, The Information
- The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
- Hot Chip, The Warning
- Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat
- T.I., King
- Lady Sovereign, Public Warning
- Editors, The Back Room
- Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
- The Streets, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
- The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers
- Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor
CLASSIC
ROCK (This is Dr. Music's personal
favorite music magazine. One of the few that is still dominated by
music, not politics and fashion)
-
A Matter Of Life And Death
- Iron Maiden
-
Wolfmother -
Wolfmother
-
Rise - The Answer
-
Grand Hotel -
Roadstar
-
Blood Mountain -
Mastodon
-
Age Of Winters - The
Sword
-
Out Here All Night -
Damone
-
One Day It Will Please Us
To Remember Even This - The New York Dolls
-
Riot City Blues - Primal
Scream
-
Black Holes
And Revelations - Muse
-
You And Me - Joe
Bonamassa
-
Rockford - Cheap
Trick
-
Valor Del Corazon -
Ginger
-
The Crusade -
Trivium
-
15 - Buckcherry
-
Modern Times - Bob
Dylan
-
Christ Illusion -
Slayer
-
Revelations -
Audioslave
-
Blood, Sweat And Towers -
Towers Of London
-
Inhuman Rampage -
Dragonforce
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll
question: "Out of all the artists that are
not yet inducted into The Rock 'N'
Roll Hall Of Fame, who do you
feel is most deserving of the honor?"
Article: The following article was written for the
May 2nd, 2004 issue of "Dr.
Music's Weekly Checkup."
Rock Hall Future
Inductees?
When I posted the "Power
To The People" poll question, about four weeks ago now, I expected
to get a lot of repeat responses. I thought all of you would have a
general "first choice" for the artist who most deserves to be
inducted. It seems, once again, that I misjudged you. Everyone who
checked in with a vote had a different pick. For myself, I find it
very difficult to pick just one artist. I feel that there are many
that are deserving of the honor of induction. Many of you asked
about the specific criteria involved in being
eligible; for details of the induction specifications, you can
visit the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame website at: http://www.rockhall.com/hof/process.asp.
So, how do you choose who
goes and who doesn't? Are sales the biggest factor? The jazzy
rock/pop of Chicago has sold more than 120 million records
worldwide, but they still need to buy a ticket to get in. I
believe sales have a very minimal bearing as to whether an artist
makes it in or not. Is it popularity and chart success? Chicago has
had 50 hits in the U.S. alone, including 20 Top 10 singles, and they
have spent 9 weeks at the top of the charts. Yes, I said
50....f-i-f-t-y. I'd say that it's not a popularity contest
either. So what does get you inducted? For now, let's take a
look at some inductees and try to analyze a bit.
Almost all of the
inductees thus far, are either still together as a unit, or have
deceased members. It has also become a custom that the artist
perform at their induction ceremony, so what
happens if Van Halen or Kiss gets inducted? Does
David Lee Roth perform? Does Peter Criss get an invite? Their is
civil unrest in these bands at this time, and I think the Hall
steers clear of this sort of situation. If there is controversy
surrounding the artist, it makes performing, presenting, and the
overall induction process "risky". Take a look at the current list
of inductees, they are almost all "safe". AC/DC, ZZ Top, Steely Dan,
Aerosmith......they all have a "clean slate"; no angry former
members, no pending lawsuits.
Let's take a look at some
of your choices.
I got a vote for Styx, and
another for REO Speedwagon, both of which are bands that originated
here in Illinois. I got mention of bands such as Yes, Rush, and Van
Halen also. I thought these were all great choices, and pretty much
what I expected to hear.
I got a vote for Jeff
Lynne's classic Electric Light Orchestra. A band that is sometimes
forgotten about, they were one of the first bands to fuse
traditional pop arrangements with classical symphony pieces. When
ELO started performing from their flying saucer/spaceship
stage set, brought out for the "Out Of The Blue" tour in 1978, they
immediately cemented their place in Rock history. Also, being one of
the first to enter into the elaborate stage set genre, they truly
are one band that deserves to be recognized.
Another vote came in for
the southern rock pioneers, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Incorporating a twin lead guitar invasion, in the same vein as
Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy, with a country verbalization and drawl,
no artist attacked the style quite like they did. With the recent
induction of the very similar ZZ Top, it seemed apparent to at least
one "patient" that Skynyrd got forgotten. ZZ Top has a more
blues "boogie" sound, as where Skynyrd just savagely
ripped into things. Their sound was harsh and raw, and that's the
way we liked it! A special thanks to my Skynyrd fan out there, who
sent in a fabulous article on "how the Hall dropped the ball" with
Skynyrd. Here's the link to that article:
And one of the most
surprising votes that came in was for Mr. Dick Dale, the "King of
Surf Guitar". It really is amazing, when you think about
it, that Dale is not in the Hall. This is the man that
invented surf music in the 50's. The idea that The Beach Boys went
in in 1988 with The Beatles, and Dick Dale is still not inducted,
really is a crime. He is also directly responsible for the early
development of the Fender amp. When Leo Fender gave Dale his
Stratocaster Electric Guitar and an amp, he told him to "beat it to
death". Dale blew up Leo Fender's amp and blew out the speaker.
Dale proceeded to blow up forty nine amps and speakers; they would
actually catch on fire. When Dale broke the electronic barrier
limitations of the 50's era, he was given the title of "Father Of
Heavy Metal" by Guitar Player magazine. Dick Dale, a true rock 'n
roll pioneer.
And, finally, that
brings us to my choice for most deserving of
induction. I had one other vote come in that mirrored my overall
pick, and that vote was for the legendary, influential, and just
plain amazing ....Black Sabbath. Releasing their debut in 1970, they
put "flower power" in its grave. In an era of bright swirling
colors, smiley faces, and peace & love; Black Sabbath brought
darkness, Hell and chaos to the masses. They sang of Satan,
witches, faeries, and black magic. They single-handedly invented
Heavy Metal music. You would be hard pressed to find a hard rock or
metal act that would not site Sabbath as one of their primary
influences. They sold records. They broke new ground. They upset
parents. They are the epitome of Rock And Roll.
I just want to
leave you with a list of artists that are not yet inducted into the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It is really an incredible, yet
incomplete, list of artists that are, arguably, worthy of the
honor.
Kiss
Black
Sabbath
Deep Purple
Rush Bad
Company
Styx
Cheap
Trick ELO
Heart
Miles
Davis
Jethro
Tull
John Cougar Mellencamp
Steppenwolf
Grand Funk
Railroad
The Moody Blues
Hall &
Oates
Triumph
MC5
ABBA
Sha Na
Na
Journey
Jim
Croce
Jimmy
Buffett
Alice Cooper
Yes Chicago
Barry Manilow
Van
Halen
UFO
Albert Collins
The
Cars The
Guess
Who
Tower Of Power
Kansas Thin
Lizzy
The
Carpenters
Natalie
Cole
Barbara
Streisand Tom
Waits
The
Monkees
Jeff
Beck Manfred
Mann
Neil
Diamond
Scorpions The
Doobie Brothers
Gordon
Lightfoot
Emerson, Lake &
Palmer
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Foreigner
Judas
Priest
Wishbone
Ash .....etc., etc.,
etc.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll
question: "What is your favorite 'Summer'
song?"
Article: The following article was written for
the July 25th, 2004 issue of "Dr. Music's Weekly
Checkup."
Checkup Community Feels The
Heat
"Nibblin' on sponge cake Watching the sun
bake All of those tourists covered with oil Strumming my
six-string On my front porch swing Smell those shrimp, they're
beginning to
boil"
Are these
the lyrics that set your heart thumping with the rhythm of
Summer? Taken from Jimmy Buffett's classic "Margaritaville", it was the choice of
at least one "patient". This past week, Jimmy Buffett
secured the first chart-topping record of his three decade
career. It seems that more than just a few folks are enjoying Mr.
Buffett here in these Summer months. As music opinion polls always
seem to prove though, each of us has a personal favorite. Different
melodies touch each of us in a different way, making music one of
the most personal gifts that life has to
offer.
I think when the "Power To The
People" Poll Question, "What Is Your Favorite Summer Song?" was
asked, most folks immediately started thinking of The Beach Boys.
Rather an obvious choice for Summer songs, it did remain a choice
for a few of you. Songs that received mention
were "Sloop John B"
and "Good Vibrations". Most of you though, left the security
of a Beach Boys choice for one more heartfelt and privy. Most of
what was sent in contained the word Summer somewhere within the song
though, and usually in the title of the tune.
The choices were drawn almost exclusively from the decades of
the 70's and 80's, with the exception of The Beach Boys tracks
and only two others; therefore, the infamous "Summer Of
Love" of 1967 was virtually a no show here. Here's a few of the
songs or records, along with the artists, that were overlooked
from that era:
The Monkees
(Daydream Believer, Pleasant Valley Sunday) The Doors (The Doors,
Light My Fire, Strange Days) Steppenwolf The Turtles (Happy
Together) The Byrds The Association (Windy, Never My
Love) The Jefferson Airplane (Surrealistic Pillow, Somebody to
Love, White Rabbit) Strawberry Alarm Clock (Incense and
Peppermint) Jimi Hendrix Bob Dylan Buffalo Springfield (For
What It's Worth) The 5th. Dimension (Up, Up &
Away) The Beatles
(Sgt.Pepper, All You Need is Love, Penny
Lane) Frankie Valli and 4 Seasons (Can't Take My
Eyes Off You) The Boxtops (The Letter) Procol Harum (Whiter
Shade of Pale) Tommy James & The Shondells (I Think We're
Alone Now)
Looking at the
list here, it is surprising that none of these received any votes;
especially feel good songs like The Monkees "Daydream Believer"
and the Turtles' "Happy Together". These are songs that seem to
attach themselves to the generation train, and move from decade to
decade, while retaining their charm and popularity. So, I know some
of you are going crazy right now, wondering how you might've
forgotten some of these! Well, let's take a look at the
songs that everyone did remember when it came to thinking
Summer thoughts.
The only other
track from the 60's era to get a vote came from the Lovin'
Spoonful with their classic, "Summer In The City". Heard in commercial advertising and compilation
packages everywhere, this is one that lives eternally in the vaults
of every record collector. The same "patient" gave mention of
another timeless classic which he could only come up with a few
lyrics for. As he said, " in the summer time when the
women are fine", the Doctor proceeded to fix a broken lyric.
The song I believe he was reaching for was Mungo Jerry's "In The
Summertime", which has these lyrics:
In the summertime, when the weather is
high,
You can
stretch right up an' touch the sky,
When the
weather's fine, you got women, you got women on your
mind,
Have a
drink, have a drive, go out an' see what you can
find.
Don Henley was
actually the first artist to get a vote, with his smash
"The Boys Of
Summer". The "patient"
that first gave me this choice, while trying to think of the
track, mistakenly mentioned Bryan Adams' "Summer Of '69", which he felt would also be a
great choice. Knowing this "patient" like a brother (hint
hint), and knowing that he is a huge fan of the 1969 New York
Mets baseball team, I would say that that fact may have had some
bearing on his choice. He also applauds The Ataris cover
version of the Henley hit as well. As I later received another vote
for Henley's "The Boys Of Summer", there was no doubt that this was
a great choice. Another great choice was a song called "Summertime Girls" by longtime rockers
Y&T. Originally named Yesterday & Today when they started
out in 1976, the band stripped down to simply Y & T for
their "Earthshaker" lp in 1981. But, it wasn't until they
released their 1985 live record "Open Fire" that we got their ode to
beach babes "Summertime Girls". The "patient" that gave me this
song made it clear that this wasn't the
best Summer song that he could think of, just the
first one that came to mind. It was really a
pleasant surprise to hear of someone other than myself that actually
remembers this song! Speaking of remembering songs....., I got a
vote for a song by one-hit wonder Dino called "Summergirls". Sounding like something from the
"Beverly Hills Cop" soundtrack, this was one that the Doc had
trouble remembering. Then there was the "patient" that cited a
Country song, which really through the Doc for a loop!! The vote was
for Clint Black's "Summer's Coming". This was the only track from the 90's to receive a
vote.
Sometimes
there are songs that have a theme that we relate to Summer in some
way, Alice Cooper's "School's
Out" is one of those songs. When we think of the
last day of school, we think of Summer actually beginning. With
Cooper's anthem of student rebellion, this "patient" was
excited to just be thinking of this track. Paired with Seals &
Crofts' "Summer
Breeze", we were shown
both the heavy and light sides of memorable Summer tunes.
Then there are those folks who need no
reference to Summer, boats, or beaches to make them think of
the season. By receiving votes for Golden Earring's "Radar Love", Meat Loaf's "Paradise By The Dashboard
Light", and Bruce
Springsteen's "Born In The
U.S.A."; it just goes to
prove, that rock and roll can always be appreciated, no matter what
the weather.
Now, for those
of you wondering what reminds the Doctor of the sunshine times, let
me share a few thoughts. The very first song that comes to my mind
is one that I first heard while sailing in the middle of Lake
Michigan. There was no song more perfect for the moment than David
Sanborn's "Chicago Song". With its smooth jazz
horns and upbeat melody, it seemed to literally "float my
boat". Another song that caught me in a perfect place, at a
perfect time, was Jay Ferguson's "Thunder Island". Sitting poolside in Orlando, Florida waiting for my
family to join me, "Thunder Island" was being piped in, and
it just took on a personality all its' own. Being on vacation
with the ones I love, in one of the most beautiful places in the
world, sitting poolside.......it was perfect. Then there's another
song, that I'm sure nobody has ever heard of, called "An American Dream" by The
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Just a quaint little tune that takes me away
to that island full of sun, sand and cool drinks. Check out these
"cool" lyrics that make up the chorus:
I think Jamaican in
the moonlight. Sandy beaches, drinking rum every night. We got
no money, mama, but we can go; We'll split the difference, go to
Coconut Grove.
I find it hard to read these lyrics
without going to the kitchen and mixing myself a drink. With a sound
something like that of Jimmy Buffett, it's a sure winner for those
that like Caribbean themes or rhythms.
Well, I must
admit, I'm somewhat shocked at some of the choices that I received.
I expected a lot more Beach Boys songs to flood in. I am always
thrilled to be surprised by all of you. These were great and
interesting choices, and I thank you for sharing your opinions. Let
me just leave you with a small list of some other songs that I
wouldn't have been surprised to receive as votes. Anyone remember
these tunes?....
Summer Lovin' -
Grease Joy To The World - Three Dog
Night Saturday In The Park -
Chicago I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny
Nash Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly and the Family
Stone We Got The Beat - Go Go's
Summertime Blues - Eddie
Cochran Sunshine On My Shoulders - John
Denver Vacation - Go Go's Centerfield - John
Fogerty Low Rider - War Beach Baby - First
Class Just You 'N' Me - Chicago Spill The Wine -
Eric Burden and War
Magic - The Cars
Laughter In The Rain - Neil
Sedaka
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert
Holmes
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll question:
"What is your favorite album cover ...and
why?"
Article: The following article was written for
the April 10th, 2005 issue of "Dr. Music's Weekly
Checkup."
Art & Song: Digitally
Separated
I was about 7 years old when I picked it up. It was a toy for a kid
of so few years, not an album cover. I can remember
spinning that wheel around and around, looking for every member of
the band through the small circles, and all the while seeing
hypnotic swirls and trippy images of the 70's era. It took me a
long time to get past the cover art and actually put the slab
of vinyl that was "Led Zeppelin III" on the turntable, but when
I did, it brought the artwork to life.
I was 36 a week ago when I picked it up. It was convenient for
a busy husband and father like myself. It wasn't pretty,
but hey, I burned the whole album for the price of a gumball. It was
a pretty good disc too; Lacuna Coil, or something like that. I
try to put a visual image to the music, but it's very difficult. You
see, I have an image in my head for this band, but I can't help but
wonder what image they might represent themselves with. I must
admit, it's a bit bothersome for me to listen and not look
sometimes. But this is the age of digital media, an age where
art and music no longer seem to walk
hand-in-hand.
Yes, the
time when we related a 12" square of art with the music that was
contained within it, is over. The age of digital media has dissolved
the artwork of yesteryear like an Efferdent tablet. The kids of
today are burning CD-R's and downloading MP3's, without giving a
fleeting thought to any images or artwork. One half of me says,
"It's all about the music, right? The tunes should be able to stand
alone", and the other half of me wants to hold that big square in my
hands, and read every last letter of those liner notes. I grew
up with two older brothers in the 70's. Coming home from school
and hearing "Blackmail" from The Runaways first lp bouncing off
the walls of my brother's room was liking walking into a rock
'n' roll church for me. As I hustled into my brother's room and
saw 12" images of rock gods like Ronnie Montrose and Jimi
Hendrix resting against the stereo awaiting their turn to spin, my
heart began to race and my body began to shake. I guess we were a
bit like Pavlov's dog back then, the images triggering thoughts
of particular sounds, but those were precious times in my
musical awakening. When a kid comes home from school today, the
music is either coming out of a computer or an MP3 player in most
cases. And, instead of bands possibly being set apart by a
particular image that you relate with their music, the lack of an
image is making many bands disappear in the crowd. This is when I
ask myself if I'm getting better quality bands, because the bands
that do set themselves apart are doing so without the help of any
artwork. It does pose an interesting question, I guess. When I asked
the Checkup community to pick their favorite album covers, it was
the reasons why they were favorites that I was curious to hear. Some
of the choices might shock you, initially. Hearing the reasons why
will leave you with many thoughts to ponder.
Artwork and imagery does different things for different people. I
received many choices that were predictable because of obvious
reasons. The Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" record with the real
working zipper on the front; Alice Cooper's "School's Out" cover
that unfolded into an actual school desk; and all of the great Roger
Dean created Yes album covers. I even got a rare pick
of Detroit's own 3-D Invisibles, and their record "Jump
Off The Screen", which came equipped with a pair of 3-D glasses!
These were all obvious choices, as they had all exploited the
possibilities of dealing with a 12" square of paper. They
were overtly artistic, ingenious, and just wonderfully
satisfying to look at and explore. Then I got choices that
epitomized the overall image of a particular band and its'
music. Black Sabbath's first record with the spooky cloaked figure
standing eerily in the backwoods; Jimi Hendrix's trippy "Bold As
Love" cover with the 60's East Indian flavor; Jethro Tull's hunched
man with "bad intent" on the cover of their classic "Aqualung"; and
all of The Grateful Dead covers with the skeletons and
roses, and the sharp contrasting colors. These are all covers
that personified their respective band's sound. I ask you, would
Black Sabbath's first record have the same impact if it had a
dancing bear in lingerie on the cover? That spooky figure is what my
mind sees when I think of Black Sabbath, and I'm not the only one.
What image do you think of when I say Blind Faith? Yes, ...I do too.
I think everyone thinks of Ginger Baker's pubescent daughter holding
that plane. It is an image that defines the band. I think you
could say that the bands have given the art a voice, and the art has
given many bands a visual representation.
The real story behind cover
art though, lies in the deeply personal choices that I received.
When one of my patients came in with The Cure's "Standing On A
Beach", which is seemingly just a close up of an elderly man's
weathered face, it was the patient's reason why that was
thoroughly enlightening. As he put it, "As a teen I discovered the Cure and added them to
part of my standard collection of favorites. He was there when I
found myself sitting in the corner of art class having eye liner
applied by the girl I had a crush on...to now, changing diapers,
sans eye-liner, thankfully. Aside from the music which holds
different memories for me every time I hear each song, the old man
on the cover gives me a start every time I see him." This is obviously a deep introspection that is highly
personal, and therefore, it is special. When art and music can
combine to cause a stir in emotion, it can be an amazing thing. I
also learned from this person's choice, that The Cure called the
cassette "Standing On A Beach", and all other formats "Staring At
The Sea". The whole experience has now shed new light on that record
for me. Another patient tells me of how he has the first
Captain Beyond album cover, in all of its early 3-D
glory, mounted in his recording studio. An obvious
inspirational tool, along with acting as apt studio decor. Yet
another interesting and personal choice came from a reader that
likes the artistic flair of The Del Fuegos' debut record "The
Longest Day". He says, "The sleeve design is timeless and somewhat
reminiscent of the old Blue Note sleeves. You see Dan Zanes and the
other Fuegos depicted in their youthful cool. I had the sleeve
hanging on my wall for a few years (yes, I like it that
much)." This same
"patient" gave
another choice of Queen's "Hot Space", stating that although it is
not the band's strongest effort "the sleeve is
brilliant" and "reminiscent of Andy Warhol's multicolored
reproduction of Marilyn Monroe, this sleeve is striking, with bold
colors and the immediately recognizable faces of the four band
members." With two more choices of Logic
System's "Orient Express" and its' "surreal, futuristic" sleeve design; and Thomas
Dolby's debut, "The Golden Age Of Wireless", for its depiction of
Dolby's persona, "an image he constructed or
reinforced himself, a mad professor." - this person is an obvious student of old school
album art. Then there are
the folks that just love art for art's sake. Emerson, Lake and
Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery" was the choice of a patient who
recognized the talent of artist H.R. Giger as the cover's creator,
and also mentioned that the same artist was the designer of the
alien creature from the series of "Alien" sci-fi films. "Brain Salad
Surgery" is artistic excellence at its' very best. The Roger Dean
created covers for Yes and Asia could also be included in this
group. A more interesting choice of creative cover art came by way
of Peter Gabriel's self-titled release from 1980. It is the "melting
face" cover that kept hits like "Games Without Frontiers" and
"Biko" safe. This patient also offered a possible explanation of the
"melting effect" by saying that he read somewhere that
"Gabriel got this effect by rubbing Polaroids
while they were still developing." Interesting. Leave it to a guy like Peter Gabriel. And
finally, I had someone mention simply a logo. The 70's keyboard
driven hard rock act Angel had a logo design that I still see as
unchallenged on any level. This is a logo that reads the band's
name, Angel, whether it is upside down or right side up. An utterly
ingenious design that is a must see.
While writing this report, I started to wonder what an artists point
of view might be on this issue. Does the artist create things with
the particular music in mind? Do the artists feel that their artwork
is being enhanced or exploited by being placed on an album cover?
What are the effects of the digital age, if any, on the artist that
still creates with their hands? I thought I might ask two
of the greatest artists of our time some of these same questions.
Sci-fi Fantasy artists Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell are the best
in the business. With decades of experience attached to their work,
they have seen almost every twist and turn that the art world has
endured. I expected their views to be educated, as well as
insightful, and they were just that. Here are the comments that they
so kindly contributed:
"A
computer is a tool that can be, and is, used the same way as a
traditional artist may use brushes and paint, or a photographer uses
a camera and then Photoshop. It is just a matter of the artists
preferred tool. Having said that, personally we feel that
traditional painting reflects more of the personality of the
artists and that's why we choose oils and brushes to do our art. Art
enhances music and music enhances art, if you put them
together.
In an album jacket, the same
as in a book cover, the point is to attract the eye of the buyer to
the album before the product is bought. After that, the music speaks
for itself. Sure, the reduced size of a CD necessarily minimizes the
impact of the art in the cover, but the music remains the same. At
the end, art as well as music, is about inner joy and as such, a
matter of personal preference. Changes don't have to be replacements
but additions."
- Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell
You can view their
amazing artwork at http://www.imaginistix.com/. Mr. Boris Vallejo created the artwork seen on the
cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "The Ultimate Sin".
I find the comments from the Vallejo and Bell camp to
be extremely admirable. To hear an artist say that "the music
remains the same" even though the art's impact is minimized,
is really commendable. I think the comments above mirror my own
thoughts exactly. Which brings us to the part of the report where I
get to chatter about some of my faves.
I have a few covers that just stick in my head. I have a few
picks that I like, all of them for various reasons. Let me
start with my favorite in the "for art's sake" category.
A German group by the name of Lucifer's Friend released an
album called "Mind Exploding", and besides having a great title, the
album had a cover that was just plain cool. I remember as a
kid, seeing this and having trouble peeling my eyes from
its' mesmerizing detail. The black blindfold with multi-colored
stars that blinds the leopard-like face; the barbed wire behind
the head; the cobra tongue slipping between the vicious steely
fangs; the elegantly nude female figures that appear as a
brain; and the orange lava and purple sky that serves as a
backdrop. This is a wild rock 'n' roll cover, and I still have
trouble tearing my eyes away from it. The cover I chose for the
simple "guilty pleasure" category, was the Scorpions original
"Lovedrive" cover. As a young boy, seeing the dapper
gentleman's hand stretching the elegant woman's Bubblicious nipple
in the back of that limo just fascinated me. It was sexy, it was
creative and artistic, and most of all....it screamed
with rock 'n' roll excess. In the "best
representation" category, I would have to choose King Crimson's
"In The Court Of The Crimson King". This is one of those covers
that you immediately identify with the band. The fearful, screaming
face showing a full set of teeth, complete with dangling
uvula; and the twin tunnels that are nostrils, with the
terrified eyes sitting dark and bold above them. No words; not the
name of the band, nor the title of the album. Artistic, as well as
definitive. And finally, my choice for "most meaningful" sleeve
would go to the atrocious Deep Purple cover for the double live
"Made In Japan". A blurry concert photo of Purple, measuring about
5"x 8", set in the center of a gold square. The ultimate
in yuck. Why did I pick a cover that I think looks horrible? Well, I
did so for a couple of reasons. One, it was the first record I ever
bought with my own money. I laid out eight dollars, which was
about three months of saving my dishwashing money, to purchase this
hideous looking thing. And the second reason I picked this
cover? I loved the music with all of my heart and soul. It
didn't matter what the cover looked like because the music was so
astounding. The temptations were many for me at that time,
being a kid of just seven or eight. I could have been dazzled by the
extravagance of Kiss, or the beauty of Roger Dean's Yes covers; but,
instead I put my faith entirely in the music, and walked out of the
store with one of the worst covers ever.
So, what did we learn from all of this? To tell you the truth, I'm
not real sure - but I do know one thing. The times have
drastically changed, and the dawn of the digital age has diminished
all things visual; but in the end .............the song really
does remain the same.
- Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
You can click on
any of the following titles to view the actual cover art mentioned
in the above article:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll question: "What Is Your Favorite
Car-Tune?"
Article: The following article was written for the June 19th,
2005 issue of "Dr. Music's Weekly
Checkup."
Car-Tunes:
"Patients" Take A Free Ride
SPECIAL REPORT by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
I have two
kids - one that's excited to be starting "real" school
(Kindergarten) in the Fall, and another that's excited to be out of
school for the summer before his return to start third grade.
As I got the pistons pumping on my kid bus, set to pick up my
son on his last day of school , I didn't really pay too much
attention to what was on the car stereo. My mind was racing, not my
car - and I was anxious to see Nathaniel's report card. I was afraid
that I was going to have to duct tape him to the hood of the car
again for an errant grade or two; it really was ugly the first time.
I got to the school and expected to see kids trickle out of the
portals in their usual mindset, but of course today was different.
The pace had quickened. Instead of glum and dismal faces barely
being able to budge the doors, the doors exploded opened
with the fury of the opening gates at the Kentucky Derby.
Screams of "I'm free! I'm free!" escaping the mouths of some, and
"School's out!" for all the others. My son was about the least
excited kid on the lot, that was until I told him I forgot the
tape, only then did he show full elation. This brought so
many memories back for me. Of course, being a music fanatic, I heard
"I'm free!" and I thought of The Who's "Tommy", and "School's
out!" brought verses of Alice Cooper's classic to my lips.
The ride home was a little different than the ride there. Nathaniel
has his "Favorites" CD's that I make for him; a diverse mix of
Metallica and AC/DC rubbing shoulders with The Ramones and Barney
the purple dinosaur. We threw the fourth edition of his faves on,
and Summer vacation was now in full swing. But I couldn't help but
think about the perfect songs that I could've been listening to; the
ones that I might've chosen for the drive. It seems that
everyone has their favorites for every driving occasion,
some of which will probably shock you, and others that just
might change the way you drive.
As I got
responses to my Power To The People poll question, "What is your
favorite 'car-tune'?", I found new life for my driving times. Living
in Chicago most of my life, and only about a mile from Lake Shore
Drive, an obvious song for the moments spent on LSD would be
Aliotta/Haynes/Jeremiah's
"Lake Shore Drive". This
was a clear cut choice for a patient that grew up about 15 miles
from Lake Shore Drive who remembered cruising the beautiful stretch
in her high school days. Some of the other obvious choices were
tunes like The Doobie Brothers' "Rockin'
Down The Highway", Limp Bizkit's "Rollin'", and "Hot
Rod Lincoln" which are tunes that have driving themes already
attached to them. In fact, the patient that cruises to
"Hot Rod
Lincoln" prefers the tune so much that he
will listen to anybody's version! It's funny that I say
"obvious" choices, because it turns out that the obvious was not
what I received, for the most part. I expected to hear titles like
"I Can't Drive 55" and "Highway Star", but what I got instead
was The Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool
Believes" and Crosby,
Stills, Nash & Young's live version of
"Southern
Man." Like most every aspect of music, the
songs we choose to listen to in our cars are very personal choices.
"Ridin' the storm out,
waitin' for the thaw out On a full moon night
in the Rocky Mountain winter."
There was nothing more personal and befitting of this
subject than the choice of REO
Speedwagon's "Ridin' The
Storm Out" that I received. This particular person
actually rode the storm out. He reminisced with me about a trip he
had taken with his brother through the Rocky Mountain region with
the tune playing on the car stereo. Lo and behold, the two were
caught in a vicious storm, cementing the REO classic as a lifelong
personal favorite. When the songs we love act as a soundtrack for
our lives, I think we find enrichment that we can take to our
graves. Much like a photograph can bring tears or a smile, the power
of song works very much the same way. I can also associate a
particular time in my life with a particular album. When one of your
favorite artists releases a worthy record and you spend a
significant amount of time with it, it begins to become an audible
reminder of that time. For example, I had recorded Van Halen's
"5150" and Judas Priest's "Turbo" to cassette in 1986 so I could
listen to them on a long train journey I was about to make. I
was going to meet a friend to accompany her to her high
school prom. As I listened to "5150" over and over it started to
become "part of the time." Now when I hear either of these two
records I think of that train ride, the prom, and a close friend
that I haven't seen in a very long time. They become a lot more
than Sammy Hagar's Van Halen debut and a weak Judas Priest
record - they're personal.
Any job that I have worked
I have had to make a significant trek to reach it. When you
drive for an hour or more each way to work, the songs you listen to
can dictate the mood for that day. I had a "patient" who sent in
over two dozen song titles that he listens to in the car! I had a
feeling he was one of those folks that spends more time in the car
getting to work than actually at work, and it seems I was correct.
This is a person with 700 watts of music muscle packed into his
vehicle with every piece of equipment upgraded, along with XM
satellite radio. As he said, "36,000 miles per year requires a
nice stereo." As I apologized to him for my limited space here,
I asked him to narrow down the list to only eight songs. First he
gave me four "guaranteed to get played at very high volumes", they
were: "Happy" -
Mudvayne, "Yeah" -
Usher, "Rollin'" - Limp Bizkit, and
"Lying From You" - Linkin
Park. He then gave me four "fun songs that get
played when in a good mood", they were:
"Money" -
The O'Jays, "Pick up the
Pieces" - Average White Band, "Soul Man" - The Blues
Brothers, and "Summer
Song" - Joe Satriani. As you can
see, this is a guy that loves all kinds of music, and has got to
love the drive to work! I also had someone that loves to enhance his
car travels through his beautiful country of Belgium with "straight
rock music." As he states, "It just sounds the best when having long
drives on the road." He decided to give me albums instead of mere
songs. The five he gems he picked out were: "Rage Against the Machine" - Rage Against the
Machine, which he loves for its' in your face high
energy; "Back In Black" -
AC/DC, he calls it "one of the big surprises in rock
history"; "Killers" - Iron
Maiden; any of Van
Halen's first three albums; and "Moving Pictures" - Rush, which
contains "Red Barchetta", a tune he calls "one of the
ultimate 'car songs' in rock history." He goes on to warn us,
"Watch out for the speed limits when pumping this at volume 10
through your car stereo!"
This turned out to be a
difficult question for a lot of folks. Many of you were undecided,
or declined a choice at all due to difficulty choosing. But, there
were a few out there who knew exactly what they liked to hear in
their vehicles. One person quickly responded with The Outlaws
classic "Green Grass And High Tides" - period. That is his tune in
the car. A clear cut choice. Another person came in with Don
Henley's breezy tune, "The Boys Of Summer". I got the feeling that
there was a similar affection for Led
Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and The Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool
Believes" for one patient. He actually said of the
latter, "I can't even listen to this without being in a car, it just
doesn't feel right." Some other clear cut choices came by way of the
classics. Point Blank's "Great White
Line" and Wishbone Ash's
live version of "Way Of The World" were winners for
one person, and another chose Wishbone
Ash's "Argus" for a long trip and "The Trooper" from Iron
Maiden for the abbreviated jumps.
Many of you will see my
personal choices as a bit odd, a fact which I would reluctantly
agree with. Growing up in the 70's with two older brothers,
seven and nine years my senior, I was exposed to healthy doses of
what we now consider "classic rock." Aerosmith (the real one)
...Supertramp ...Black Sabbath ...Elton John ...Kiss - these were
all regulars on that ancient device known as a turntable. So, it
should come as no surprise that I might pick a few from that era. My
first pick would have to be "Rock
The Nation" taken from my all-time
favorite record, the first and self-titled debut from Montrose. The fast paced riff
and the free wheeling, open air crispness in the production
make this a killer cruising tune. Along those same lines comes
another choice of Edgar
Winter's hard hitting instrumental "Frankenstein". Some of the other
speed inducing songs I find myself attached to are "Back To Shalla-Bal" - Joe Satriani,
and maybe the best driving song ever from a band called
Shooting Star.
"I've got four-hundred horsepower,
And
the road up ahead is clear,
Gonna take this car of mine and shove it into
gear.
You'd better hang on for your life
tonight."
"Hang On For Your Life"
is mind blowing when you're in a vehicle. A heavily accelerated
power chord backed by lyrics about letting loose after work on
Friday night; this is amazing stuff ladies and gentleman. Please go
get the album with the same title ("Hang On For Your Life"), it's a
great one, and let me know if you can drive slow while
listening to that title track. Not a chance. Shooting Star also has another song
that made my list, but it's a song for the cool breezy night drive.
Their song "Heartache"
is so entrancing that it should come with a warning. This song will
make a clear night clearer, a cool breeze a little cooler, and it
will make the road go on forever. It's a song that must be played
when it's dark, on a perfectly clear summer night - there is no
better song for the mood. A song very similar in mood is the theme
song for the Ron Howard film, "Night Shift". A beautiful jazz
influenced track by 80's band Quarterflash, this song, also called
"Night Shift", is
perfect for the cool night drive. And, finally, I had to throw this
one in. A song that makes me want to drive through the housing
projects on the west side of Chicago, this is the ultimate pimp song
- War's "Low Rider".
Playing this song loudly in my quaint suburban 'hood would
wreak terror among the locals. "For Sale" signs would grow out of
the ground as I drove by - you gotta love it.
So there you have it. It's
time to go out and get all those car-tunes that I just mentioned and
give them a test drive. Or, even better yet, go get a new car to
hear them in - that's what I did. Because of all of you, I
had to go get a fun car to try out all these songs; and, of
course, it had to be a convertible. As of this moment, I have
not had the chance to play, but my time is near! For any of you
who feel guilty for pushing me further into debt by sending
in your tantalizing car songs, and you'd like to help with the
payments, just let me know.
If I learned anything from
doing this poll question, it was this. No matter what the choice
was, you could almost touch the power of music with every response I
got. People's lives are different, altered in many ways, by the
music they listen to in their cars. Trips can go smoother, work can
be a better place, and old times can be lived once more. The power
of music is a mighty sword that we can all wield at will, .....and
doing so comes "Doctor" recommended.
--- Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll question: "What were your favorite albums of
2005?"
Article: The following article was written for
the February 7th, 2006 issue of
"Dr. Music's
Weekly Checkup."
Album of the
Year
Runner-Up Third
Place
1. “Mezmerize” -
System Of A Down 2. “Dynamite” -
Jamiroquai 3.
“Colossus ADEA” - Parallel Mind 4. “Us And Them” -
Shinedown 5.
“Blue Marble” - The Flyin’ Ryan Brothers 6. “Devil’s Playground” - Billy
Idol 7. “Ten
Thousand Fists” - Disturbed 8. “Local Ground” -
Altan 9. “Hearts
On Parade” - American Hi-Fi 10.
“Angel Of Retribution” - Judas Priest
Honorable mention: “Switch” -
INXS, “Volume 5: Anatomic” - The Afro Celt Sound System, “Hypnotize”
- System Of A Down, "One Way Ticket To Hell ...And Back" - The
Darkness, "Back To Bedlam" - James Blunt, "Good Apollo I'm
Burning Star IV / Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness"
- Coheed And Cambria, "Guero" - Beck, "The Alternative To Love" -
Brendan Benson, "All The Right Reasons" - Nickelback
I've
gotten many different opinions of the year 2005. I've had folks tell
me that they didn't find too much to like in the world of music, and
had others that discovered an abundance of discs to savor. I must
admit that I was overwhelmed by the quality of many different
albums, from many different genres, that I heard in 2005. It had
been two years since I had given a "10" rating to a disc, and
this year I found two albums that qualified. Last year, my choice
for Album Of The Year garnered only a "9" rating. I will say that I
still adore the three albums that topped my list for last year
though (Bowling For Soup's "A Hangover You Don't Deserve," The
Corrs' "Borrowed Heaven," and Alter Bridge's "One Day Remains"), and
that is an extremely pleasant feeling. Besides System Of A
Down's "Mezmerize," Jamiroquai's "Dynamite" record is a super cool,
light and breezy, funked up modern music marvel that defines
perfection. I always find that many of you will ask why I choose one
album over another, even though I rate them equally. All I can offer
you as explanation is this, ...it's the minor, and sometimes minute,
details that make the difference. In order for me to choose
"Mezmerize" over "Dynamite" this year I had to dig deeper than I
normally would, and weigh the tiny nuances of each release. I felt
that the "Mezmerize" record went to many different places, and fused
all the best qualities of the band into one very complete
offering. As far as "Dynamite," I felt that Jamiroquai was
just sticking to their usual style, but doing it with a consistent
spark that was unseen from them until this record. System Of A Down
broke some new ground with this record and showed the world
that they can do many different things; whereas, Jamiroquai just did
what they always do, except they did it better than ever
before. You can read full
reviews of all of the albums on my list, except for one, by
visiting the review archives on the website (www.DrMusic.org). From the list above, the
only album I have not done a full review of is Altan's "Local
Ground" release. This is an excellent record that comes from a genre
that differs drastically from all the others that are represented on
the list. This is a Traditional Celtic Folk record performed by
a band that hails from Donegal, in the northwest region of
Ireland. With a voice as delicate and beautiful as a fluttering
butterfly, and a fiddle that will drive your feet into a frenzy,
singer/fiddle player Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and company deliver an
astoundingly entertaining set with "Local Ground." Here's an album
that transports you to the liveliest pubs of Ireland. The
rhythms and tones of this record will infect you with a love for
Celtic music culture. The sound is so deeply rooted and inspiring
that I found myself looking for plane tickets to Ireland. I have
come to find that there is always beautiful music to be had - you
just have to look a little harder to find it sometimes. Let's take a
look now, at some of what you found this past year,
2005.
It was interesting, as it
always is, to hear from all of you. I have so many readers that
have such diverse tastes in music, it's always terribly
exciting to see your choices. I feel like I'm going on a musical
safari through the jungles of a musical world when I get these
lists. To start us off this year, I got a list consisting
mostly of talented and melodic pop artists, from a dedicated reader
and friend in Belgium. He gave the following list of favorites, with
commentary, for the past year: 1. Brendan
Benson - "The Alternative To Love" - Pure pop
bliss. 2. David Gray - "Life in Slow Motion" -
Panoramic, epic, astounding. 3. Death Cab For Cutie -
"Plans" - Intruiguing, rich, clever, catchy - best of
the indie-rock batch 4. Ryan Adams - "Cold
Roses" - Countryrock XXL. 5. Gorillaz - "Demon
Days" - Eclectic soundtrack for now people. 6. I
Am Kloot - "Gods & Monsters" - The quiet loud,
folkrock with an edge 7. Roachford - "Word Of
Mouth" - The smoothest in soulful pop. 8.
Athlete - "Tourist" - Britpop with guts and
soul. 9. AJ Croce - "Adrian James Croce" -
singer/songwriter stuff, up on par with the best of them He also
mentions that he enjoyed the latest from Stevie Wonder, Steve Wynn,
Hall & Oates, Robert Plant and the Queen & Paul Rodgers live
album.
This next list came from someone who "can never pick just
one." Here are a few he had chosen as his favorites for
2005: Flyin' Ryan
Bros - "Blue Marble" Meshuggah - "Catch
33" Sigur
Ros - "Takk" Parallel Mind - "Colossus
ADEA" Jonas
Hellborg - "Kali's Son" Cuong Vu
- "It's Mostly Residual"
The following list
came from someone that picked The Darkness - "Permission To Land" as
tops in 2004. But, as we see here, The Darkness didn't fare as well
with their 2005 release, "One Way Ticket To Hell ...And
Back.": 5. Les
Paul & Friends - "American Made World
Played" 4. Les Paul & Mary Ford - "The
Best Of The Capitol Masters - 90th Birthday
Edition" 3. Eric
Johnson - "Bloom" 2. Elvin Bishop - "Gettin' My
Groove Back" 1. Sir Paul McCartney - "Chaos And Creation In
The Backyard"
This
list came in from a self-proclaimed "aging baby
boomer"(with a taste for classic music apparently!): "Black Coffee" - Al
Kooper "Magic Time" - Van
Morrison "Prairie Wind" - Neil
Young
Here's another
patient list that came from, as he says, "off the top of my
head": Skindred - "Babylon" - New heavy
sound I love. Soilwork - "Stabbing The
Drama" - New Creative sounds with great
hooks! James Blunt - "Back To Bedlam" - Male
version of Norah Jones? higher voice than her.
:-)
This next list has got to be the most diverse
list I received. It comes from a patient friend from Finland, where
he finds himself enthralled by the pleasant sounds of many genres.
Take a look at this: 1. Shakira - "Oral Fixation vol.2" 2.
Anna Eriksson - "Sinusta Sinuun" 3. System of a Down -
"Mezmerize" 4. Dream Theater - "Octavarium" 5. Wingdom
- "Reality" 6. System of a Down - "Hypnotize" 7.
Geri Halliwell - "Passion" 8. Dimension X - "So...This
is Earth" 9. Garbage - "Bleed Like Me" 10. Disturbed
- "Ten Thousand Fists" 11. Helloween - "Keeper of the
Seven Keys - The Legacy" 12. Superchick - "Beauty From
Pain" He added that he was surprised to find Shakira as his number
one, and that he was impressed with the year, musically.
This next entry came described as "just a great slab of southern
rock (but not too twangy!) and shows great maturity." The choice
that earned that description was an album called "Z"
by My Morning Jacket. His runners-up were:
"Bleed Like Me" - Garbage,
and "Waiting for the Siren's Call" - New
Order. This reader also expressed his disappointment of
2005 by calling it "a very down year for rock 'n'
roll."
Another reader sent in one choice and one choice only, and that was
for the legendary Alice Cooper's latest effort,
"Dirty
Diamonds." It seems it was a unanimous
decision for some. I got a few more that relayed only one choice to
me also. One reader simply said, "Ten Thousand Fists" -
Disturbed, and later decided to sneak in a runner-up by
giving me Static X - "Start A
War." Someone else had trouble
deciding between "Get Behind Me Satan" - The White
Stripes and "Guero" - Beck. He ultimately
decided upon The White Stripes, but told me wonderful things about
the Beck concert that he attended! Beck's latest
slab of pop jubilation,
"Guero," ended up on top
without any reservations for a different fan of the disc
though. There was a patient that simply mentioned his
admiration of the King's X disc "Ogre
Tones," declaring it "a masterpiece." The
rocker who sent in a choice for Neal Schon's Soul SirkUS
("World Play" - Soul
SirkUS) was insistent that "no other band or artist came
close to blowing (his) skirt up" except for possibly
The Flyin' Ryan Bros and their "Blue
Marble" release. He went on to call them "a kick ass
BAND and 2 very kick ass
guitarists!!!" Judas
Priest's return to heavy metal royalty, "Angel Of
Retribution," was hailed by another fan as
the year's top dog. Dream Theater's
"Octavarium" was the choice of another "patient," who could
also recall enjoying a Jordan Rudess disc during the year as
well. And even the spirit of Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead
lives on with at least one patient, who named "Fillmore West
1969 - The Complete Recordings" by Grateful
Dead as his overall pick. We also had a couple of readers
that were still finding leftovers from a few years
ago; their choices: "Hittin’ the Note" - The Allman
Brothers Band
and "Bona Fide" - Wishbone Ash. And to
prove that all of you combine to form the most diverse group of
music fans in the world, I got a pick for the worldly sounds
of Charming Hostess and their
"Sarajevo Blues"
disc.
As music always has been a personal adventure, and always will be,
it is lists such as this that show all of us perceiving sound in a
different way. Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder; and what
one sees as beautiful, the other might see as horrible. This is the
mystery of music. This is the beauty of auditory sound. As human
beings we rely on sound to guide us through everyday situations, but
the transmission of feeling and emotion that we get from our
favorite music is something that cannot be
equated. ---
Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Poll question:
"Is there an artist that not many people know,
but you feel that everyone
should?" Article: The following article was written for
the December 20, 2005 issue of "Dr.
Music's Weekly
Checkup."
A Few Good Bands
A look at the ones that
got away, and the ones that are coming your way
As a lover of all things musical, I find
great joy and comfort in hearing many different artists perform.
From a very early age I have been anxious to hear everything that I
could possibly cram into the sides of my head. Along the way, I have
blindly experimented and “taken a chance” on artists that either had
great art on their covers, or intriguing song titles, or they just
simply fit into the genre that I was looking for at the time. I mean
let’s be honest, who didn’t seek out every Seattle-based band after
Nirvana hit with “Nevermind?” During that time, for example, I found
a few “keepers,” like Gruntruck and Mother Love Bone. But whatever
the inspiration might be for seeking out new sounds, it’s always a
gift when you find something that sticks with you. In this report, I
am attempting to enlighten your lives as music fans by conveying the
thoughts and suggestions of fellow music lovers like yourselves.
When I asked my readership to name an artist that not many know, but
everyone should, the response was nothing short of breathtaking. As
you will see, there are so many tastes and talents that we, as
slaves to the music, have yet to savor.
Let me start out with some of my thoughts
on the subject. I’ve heard so many artists that have gone
undiscovered, the thought makes me ill. While acts like Village
People were selling hundreds of thousands of records during the
disastrous Disco era, legitimate artists such as Wishbone Ash,
Budgie and Captain Beyond were struggling to move enough product to
feed themselves. I’ve come to accept that it is not always raw
talent that sells records; as a matter of fact, talent usually has
little to do with it. Fame and fortune isn’t what this report is
about; this is about music that we, as the listening and buying
public, missed along the way. And when I speak of artists that got
missed, or overlooked, the first band that comes to mind is
Jellyfish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish_(band)).
This was an unadulterated pop band of the purest kind that wrote
some of the best songs that I have ever heard. If you are looking
for a catchy pop record that will stick with you forever, you must
check out Jellyfish’s only two studio releases, “Bellybutton” and
“Spilt Milk.” Another artist that still has yet to be known around
the world is Butch Walker (www.butchwalker.com). Now, Butch is
responsible for making many newer artists famous, such as Avril
Lavigne, Bowling For Soup, and Simple Plan, but has yet to be in the
limelight himself. Walker has written music and produced some of the
biggest hits from the acts I just mentioned, along with a few others
as well. Butch Walker started as a member of Southgang, and later
found a home with the Marvelous 3, where he cut two of the best
power pop albums known to mankind (“Hey Album” and “Ready, Sex,
Go”). Walker has also released a couple of solo discs - the first,
“Left Of Self Centered,” was fantastic; the second, “Letters,” is
probably the worst thing that Walker has been involved with. If you
want to hear Walker’s best work check out either of the Marvelous 3
records I mentioned, or Bowling For Soup’s “A Hangover You Don’t
Deserve.” As far as instrumental music goes, any fan of guitar based
rock instrumental, in the spirit of Jeff Beck, Wishbone Ash, and Joe
Satriani, will absolutely love The Flyin’ Ryan Brothers
(www.ryanetics.com). The Flyin’ Ryan
Brothers are Jimmy and Johnny Ryan on twin lead guitars, along with
a cast of miraculous musicians that have to be heard to be believed.
Their latest disc, “Blue Marble,” is just what the doctor ordered
for those who can’t get enough of instrumental rock. And now the
metal bands that all of you should know. The first one that comes to
mind is Chicago “doom metal” band, Trouble (www.newtrouble.com). Here’s a band that has
been going since 1979, and has influenced everyone from Corrosion Of
Conformity to Dave Grohl of Nirvana/Foo Fighters fame. With only a
handful of releases to their credit in all those years of existence,
that may be a contributing factor to their anonymity. But, if you
want Sabbath-like riffs and some deep, dark lyrics, you’re looking
for Trouble. Start off with their Rick Rubin-produced masterpiece
“Manic Frustration.” Next is Badlands (www.jakeelee.com), guitarist Jake E. Lee’s
project after leaving the Ozzy Osbourne nest. For a classic, hard
rocking blues record with overdoses of sharp guitar solos and riffs,
check out the self-titled debut and their second release, “Voodoo
Highway.” And now we move on to the ladies of forgotten metal.
ROCK GODDESS (www.aurealm.com/rckgdds.htm). This was a
three piece band from England who rocked hard. They got a little
silly and adolescent with the lyrics at times, but these girls
kicked major ass. Find their “Hell Hath No Fury” record from the
mid-80's and crank it up. Much in the same style, Drain
S.T.H.(http://mbcerbere.free.fr/menua.htm) was an
all-girl outfit from Sweden that rocked with a fury. Mixing dark
lyrical overtones with punishing instrumental work, this was a
legitimate band that deserves to be heard. Either “Freaks Of Nature”
or their debut, “Horror Wrestling,” are worthy of a listen. And
lastly, the newly disbanded Nightwish (www.nightwish.com) would be my last
choice of bands. Nightwish is a Finnish band that has taken the best
elements of progressive rock/metal and blended it perfectly with
traditional opera. Yes, ...opera. Singer Tarja Turunen, who was
recently fired from the band, is a sensational opera singer that
gave Nightwish a sound like no other. If you want a totally new and
unique style of progressive metal in your life, you want Nightwish.
Well, enough about me and my choices, let’s hear what you had to
say……….
THE RESULTS
There seemed to be two reactions to this
subject of revealing unknown bands - those who wanted to tell about
their old obscure favorites and those that wanted to expose some new
local talent. One of the first responses I received was from someone
that wanted to tell the world about an act that calls Birmingham,
Alabama home, their nifty name is Rollin’ In The Hay. This
came to me described as “a ‘newgrass,’ ‘jamgrass,’ ‘redneck speed
metal,’ ‘hillbilly hip hop,’ ‘honky tonk hippie rock’ band.” Need I
say anything more? You can see them for yourselves at www.rollininthehay.com . Another
promising entry came in for a band called Grey Eye Glances,
which sounded fantastic when I went to their website (www.greyeyeglances.com) and played a
few tracks. Kind of a combination of Fleetwood Mac, Evanescence, and
The Corrs, this band sounds exactly like it was described to me -
“great and completely overlooked.” The same person sent another
suggestion in for Willy Porter also, stating that he plays a
great guitar both solo and with a band. You can check out Porter’s
modern folk style here: www.willyporter.com/willy_flash.html.
Next, I received a submission that had two great names that I know
well, and one artist that I was just introduced to for the first
time. Wishbone Ash (www.wishboneash.com) and The Flyin’
Ryan Brothers (www.ryanetics.com) are two bands that I
love, and a couple that need to be heard by more people. The band
that was new to me was Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit
(www.aquariumrescueunit.com); an
eclectic sound that combines The Grateful Dead with the likes of
Frank Zappa-style lyrics. Interesting, to say the least. My heart
went pitter-patter when I received this next list of bands from a
big guitar rock fan. Let me show you the great list of artists that
this person dropped on me: Far Corner (www.far-corner.com) - an experimental
chamber rock quintet, The Flyin' Ryan Brothers, King's X
(www.kingsxonline.com), Kopecky
(http://kopecky.8m.com), Parallel
Mind (www.parallelmind.com) - a progressive
trio (keyboards, bass, and drums) with oodles of style and flair,
Plankton (www.plankton.nu), Protein (www.sonymusic.com/artists/Protein),
Truth Squad (www.ryanetics.com/truthsquad.htm). This
is a list that contains many pieces of brilliance from bassist
extraordinaire William Kopecky. This is also a list that includes
both of The Flyin’ Ryan Brothers’ Jimmy Ryan’s projects. Truth Squad
is Jimmy’s hard hitting classic power trio outfit; and Protein and
Plankton are guitar infected bands that carry the torch for all that
love the rock guitar. The truly unique Far Corner and Parallel Mind
were great to see recognized, along with melodic rock mainstays
King’s X. I received a total of 6 votes for The Flyin’ Ryan
Brothers over this past month, and found this extremely encouraging.
The Ryans are one of the hottest acts in the world, and it seems
that I’m not alone in that thought. I also got 3 votes for Wishbone
Ash, and even a vote for ex-Wishbone Ash guitarist Ben Granfelt
(www.bengranfelt.com) and his band. It’s
great to see the legends being remembered. When
entries for the likes of Canada’s Max Webster (www.maxwebster.ca), metal legends
Iced Earth (www.icedearth.com), and two separate
votes for Grim Reaper (www.angelfire.com/band/GrimReaper) came
in, I was floored. I’m really not the only one that remembers 80's
metal band Grim Reaper, huh?!! One of the “patients” that sent the
Grim Reaper entry also sent a long list of artists that he felt
deserved attention. When I asked him to pick one artist off of the
list that he would draw special attention to, he simply came back to
me with “Tony Levin.” Here is his complete list, except for
the aforementioned Grim Reaper: Parallel Mind, Shadow
Gallery (www.shadowgallery.com) - a
Queensryche-type progressive rock, Liquid Tension Experiment
(www.yesiknow.com/lte/) - a few of the
Dream Theater guys fire it up with Levin on bass, BLS
(Bozzio, Levin, Stevens)(www.tonylevin.com/bls.htm),
Bruford-Levin (http://www.billbruford.com/discog/main.html),
Abraxis Pool - a little known Santana spin-off,
Chris Rea (www.chrisrea.nl), DeMiola /
McLaughlin / DeLucia, Mind Bomb - local Chicago
hard rock, Amanda Marshall (www.amandamarshall.com) - strong
vocalist from the Lilith Fair period, Gary Moore (www.gary-moore.com) - one of the best
guitarists ever, Strict Nine - unpolished
progrockfusion band out of Chicago, 7 Months -
another prog band featuring former Strict Nine singer Joe
Boo, Jesse Cook (www.jessecook.com) - gifted acoustic
guitarist with a flair for flamenco, Billy McLaughlin (www.billymclaughlin.com) - another
acoustic guitarist that plays with poise and passion, Gary Hoey
(www.garyhoey.com) - a fired up guitar
player that can shred with the best of 'em, Verve Pipe (www.thevervepipe.com) - eclectic tunes
for the open-mided, Del Amitri (www.delamitri.com) - great traditional
pop band. I also got a smaller list from a person that enjoys the
more obscure acts out there, that list included: Asylum Street
Spankers (www.asylumstreetspankers.com),
Inspector 7, Moxy Fruvous (www.fruvous.com), Sleepyhead (sleepyhead.net) and Dungen (www.dungen-music.com).
There were other folks that submitted
small, precise descriptions of their choices. Here are two
informational pieces that might peak your interest: 1. Brendan Benson, and especially his
release The Alternative To Love (2005). Make no mistake, this is a
100% modern CD, although a lot of Benson's musical references hail
from the sixties and seventies. He obviously has a big love for
McCartney, Wings-era, whereas the title cut gives way at the end to
homage to Brian Wilson. Brendan Benson has a knack for combining
these influences in some catchy, fresh pop rock songs that we
haven’t heard since Matthew Sweet came on the scene. Also a big
credit for this highly enjoyable album is producer Tchad Blake, who
learned the trade as a sidekick to Mitchell Froom. On The
Alternative To Love he builds a sound that is as once transparent,
open and radiant, and that perfectly suits the pop gems of Benson.
Please don’t make the mistake of labeling Brendan Benson as a
singer-songwriter. His songs benefit, unlike on his previous,
somewhat amateuristic album Lapalco, from a rich ‘full band’
approach, with amongst other things some amazing drumming and lots
of detail being given to backing vocals. The “hip” factor of Brendan
Benson will rise in early 2006, when the album that he recorded with
Jack White (The White Stripes) will be released. If you want to stay
one step ahead of the hype, check out The Alternative To Love.
(www.brendanbenson.com) 2. During the late eighties and early nineties, a lot
of interesting guitar bands emerged from the US scene. Before the
Nirvana era, you had some good stuff from alternative rock bands and
college rockers such as Green On Red, Dream Syndicate, Rainmakers,
Del Fuegos, Jason & the Scorchers and Beatfarmers. The one band
that didn’t quite made it to that cult status, but that deserves all
kind of attention – even in 2005 – is called The Rave Ups.
They put out three albums, all excellent and definitely worth
checking out for everyone that’s a big fan of R.E.M. (just to quote
this reference as a “big name” in left-of-center intelligent guitar
rock). (theacf.com/raveups)
It was really nice to see people
researching and seeking out their local music. I had choices sent in
for power pop act Barefoot Bride (www.barefootbrideband.com), The
Drive By Truckers (www.drivebytruckers.com), who were
described as “Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Neil Young,” and folk/country
rockers Sisters Morales (www.sistersmorales.com) who hail from
San Antonio, Texas. All of these were sent in from people who are
out there supporting their local musicians. A big tip of the
proverbial cap to all of you, and thanks for letting us in on your
best kept secrets!
I’d like to leave you with one of the
most eclectic and diverse lists that I received. This is a list with
everything from traditional Irish music, to solo acoustic pianists,
to heavy metal reggae. Check it out: Soilwork (www.soilwork.org)- heavy groove metal
from Sweden, Skindred (www.skindred.com) - metal reggae,
From Zero (www.fromzero.com) - now defunct
Chicago metal, Nonpoint (www.nonpoint.com) - Florida rapcore,
Darwins Waiting Room (www.showandtellonline.com/_darwins_waiting_room)
- heavy stuff loosely connected to Nonpoint, Denny Daniels
(www.deluxury.com) - solo acoustic
pianist, Govi (www.realmusic.com/a_govi.htm) - “the
Steve Vai of Latin flavored music,” Leahy (www.leahymusic.com) - Upbeat Irish
music with crazy violin work. “Steve Vai's of the fiddle,”
possibly?, Zebrahead (www.zebrahead.tv) - rap/punk/power pop,
Primer 55 (http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-299266---Primer-55)
- funky hardcore metal from Memphis, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra
(www.trans-siberian.com) - the
sensational act, with former members of Savatage and Testament, that
brings us their annual conceptual Christmas record and concert
tour.
There you have it - this is what all of
your fellow "patients" would like to turn you on to. It took
many, many words to give you this info, but I hope you take at
least one new band with you when you go. I'm sure that all of the
folks that sent in choices are hoping that you do as well. I like to
think of music as the distant handshake that strangers can
share, even unknowingly. Happy listening!
-- Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
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