It has been a long time coming. 12 years after they went their own ways, Meat Puppets came back together to give us the 2007 ‘Rise to Your Knees’. Somehow, the original punch of the punks was missing, which they used to stir up to perfection in their original years. A couple of years down the line and looks like they have managed to get the key to those concoctions of the past. Not exactly, though. Because ‘Sewn Together’ is not that much punk as much as mainstream rock. Maybe because the Kirkwood siblings have grown up now. But whatever it maybe, they sound fresh and better than they have in all these years. Massive bluegrass influences make their way on ‘Blanket of Weeds’ (no pun intended), while ‘Sapphire’ brings in that rustic country flavor, all of which come together to a biting halt on ‘The Monkey and The Snake’ (no Shaolin temple references here though!), a jaunty melody which tends to stick to you.
Since the advent of the R&B genre, female groups comprising of black females have laid its foundation and built colossal architectures with impervious walls made up of powerful vocals, and the relief made up of images overflowing with oomph and chutzpah. Speaking of trios, just like the 60s saw the success of Motown with The Supremes; it was the 90s which reinforced female black music’s power with the effervescent trio of TLC.
Not even long after they had begun basking in the success of their debut album ‘Oooooohhh…. On the TLC Trip’, the trio began having problems of their own in the form of troubled relationships, financial drought and congenital disease. Re-entering the studio in 1994 to begin work on their second album, they created a groundbreaking record which carved their names in stone in the annals of musical history. Female power and emancipation spoke in loud overtones on this album, a marked departure from their previous work. Beginning with ‘Creep’, a playful tune which mocks the infidelity of boyfriends and retribution in the form of infidelity itself, TLC set the stage for one of their biggest hits to top the charts. Produced and written by Dallas Austin (who incidentally also fathered a child with one of the band members), this song was an essential part of their Grammy winning spree that year. Nothing however compared to the funk led undertones and fluid vocal delivery on ‘Waterfalls’, a song which rings true even today as TLC’s signature song. One of the biggest hits of the 90s, the legacy of this band was conventionalized in the soothing character of advice laid down in its lyrics. Though Dallas Austin worked as the primary producer, heavyweights like Sean Combs (If I Was Your Girlfriend), Babyface (Diggin’ on You, Red Light Special – which had the guitar parts arranged by GnR’s Slash) and Jermaine Dupri (Switch) made sure that the album had the makings of mythical proportions. Tragic though, that their journey was cut short by the accidental demise of one of the trio soon after the release. T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli though would continue to glisten under the Waterfalls.
Just as life, there are quite a few things else, which are equally shallow, if not more – Andrea Ferro’s vocals for one. Even after all these years with Italian goth metal outfit Lacuna Coil, Andrea hasn’t been able to find sound grounding for himself. Thankfully, Lacuna Coil managed to stumble upon some vocal talent in the form of Cristina Scabbia, who has since elevated herself to the status of one of the hottest chicks in the metal scene globally. ‘Shallow Life’, their latest album, has essentially transcended the core of their sound, in order to incorporate a much more pop oriented sound. Soaring choruses with Scabbia taking the lead (although in his defense, Andrea does support her well), with elaborate keyboard melodies and standard non-interfering guitar and drum work exhibit a deliberate transition from their past work. This would surely be in part to accommodate the growing inclination within musicians to put that ‘hook’, and that chorus effect within their songs to get that chart topping single. The album begins well to this effect with ‘I Won’t Tell You’ and ‘I’m not Afraid’ which show promise. However, as you move beyond to the second half of the album, the promise seems unfounded. Noteworthy, although, not exactly worthy of being mentioned as much.
Much awaited and much delayed, Ciara finally releases her album ‘Fantasy Ride’. Alter egos, it seem, are the flavor of this season as far as pop divas are concerned. Quite like Beyonce and Sasha Fierce, Ciara proclaims to exhibit her inner self in the form of Super C on this album. Super C, though just takes on duties on the more aggressive tracks, leaving the finer nuances to be pronounced by Ciara herself. The album is already building up its magic with ‘Love Sex Magic’, where she has collaborated with Justin Timberlake to create a smouldering flare of seduction with plenty of spice talk thrown in for fun. As the lead single, the funky bass laden grooves are enough to raise the temperatures and much else (just as Timberlake whispers ‘pardon the pun’). Another association though, just manages to raise a few eyebrows. ‘Turntables’, though rendered well, doesn’t go down as well, largely because Chris Brown after his infamous Rihanna assault. Assisted by top of the line members of the industry like Polow da Don on the misty ‘I Don’t Remember’ and using the production capabilities of Tricky Stewart ensures the album is ahead of the pack amongst most stuff released by R&B females.
Hatebreed, though may not be as huge a name in the metal genre on the whole, yet it does enjoy leading a closely knit tribe, which would swear by their name, and mosh at the drop of a quarter note. As with all bands, they also had their favorites which helped them shape the body of their sound as we know it today. Since they have been around for a good time, it does seem fitting that they release a tribute to those big daddies. An album with 18 covers of some of the biggest names in their respective genres, to some arcane ones too, ‘For the Lions’ is meant for metalcore fanatics. Adding the flavor of their groove to the songs has lent a ubiquity not seen earlier on each of them. And the widely diverse nature of the songs has allowed them to improvise each one in a manner which is absolutely befitting. Be it metal heavies like ‘Metallica’ or ‘Sepultura’, punk dads like ‘Misfits’ or thrash punks like ‘Agnostic Front’ and ‘Dirty Rotten Imbeciles’ – each of them find a mention on this album.
The Indies have been continuing to step out from the shadows, and continuing making those strides towards taking over the ‘majors’. And the UK being what it is for nurturing indie talent in recent years continues to hold on strong to its status. And bands like Maximo Park continue to add on to that status and to add on to those strides. Releasing their third album in a short span of four years, they definitely know how not to stay out of collective memory. ‘Wraithlike’ with its clashing skins makes for a good opener on ‘Quicken the Heart’, and gives out a good feeling that these guys still know how to get those tunes which create epidemics. The expectations though come down crashing afterwards just like sticks on skins as you move on further. Their continued fascination with tales of love (‘Calm’, ‘In Another World’) don’t make for really good listening, specially from the story telling perspective. Quick to make amends though, ‘Roller Disco Dreams’ make up for lost ground with big indie beats and keyboard play, but by then it does feel a bit late into the game. Not an album to be missed completely, what you miss is their original form.
Big beat electronic music is witnessing a lot of action these days. Fatboy Slim got together his coterie of artists to bring out an album under his side project BPA; The Prodigy have been screaming how its an ‘Omen’ on the hard hitting ‘Invaders Must Die’; so it is but fitting that West Coast electronicians The Crystal Method also come out with an album. After it’s been a break of five years now. Their latest album ‘Divided by Night’ doesn’t fail to impress. Crafted with the same immaculate integrity as their previous albums, this one does tend to explore newer territories as well. This is afforded by the inclusion of several guest appearances on various tracks, and not restricting themselves to a purely orchestral performance. The presence of the vocals of reggae rapper Matisyahu on ‘Drown in the Now’, Joy Division bassist Peter Hook on ‘Dirty Thirty’, and even Samantha Maloney, the crazy ex-drummer of Hole – each of these lend an absolutely thrilling uniqueness to the album in its entirety. Be prepared, not to be divided, but united into the night with these beats.
Amongst the impossibly diverse genres and influences which make up what we know as World Music, Latin music has always been a cornerstone of delight. Arguably, one of the most widely heard musical genres to have emerged out of the third world; the certain element of earthiness which occupies it makes it an experience in detoxification. And like Latin culture, the music is a melting pot of influences which stretch right across geographies which have enjoyed a history of migrant populace through time. Recent musical acts have tried, and succeeded at a communion between these rustic influences and modern western world musical forms of jazz and hip hop, while retaining the voice of the downtrodden. San Diego based B Side Players have been making much noise for the past decade and a half with their incendiary live performances, and their landmark album ‘Fire in the Youth’. Fifteen years of being together have resulted in ‘Radio Afro Mexica’, an archival fusion of reggae beats, vocals interspersed with Spanglish, and some serious percussive Jarocho and Cumbia action with the grit of Samba. All of this stitched together on a framework of jazz and funk based rock structures. Perfect listening for a languid summer afternoon with flaring temperatures.
First impressions can be deceptive. The past few weeks have witnessed substantial promos being aired over music channels announcing the launch of a work of music. The name of which contained within itself the power to deconstruct an entire century. A century which even though hasn’t even gotten on its week properly, but has witnessed some of the most horrific events recorded human history would have seen. War, natural calamity, terror, collapsed economies – this century has seen it all.
‘21st Century Breakdown’, as the name clearly suggests is what the latest studio album from one of the biggest contemporary punk (or ‘sellouts’, whichever side of the fence you decide to keep yourself) acts alive today. Twenty years of being together, and you wonder what has it been that could have Green Day tight till now. Whether the diamond status of their breakout album ‘Dookie’; or more significantly due to their previous work ‘American Idiot’, which bought the sentiments of a W bashing generation to the forefront.
‘21st Century Breakdown’ picks up where ‘American Idiot’ left. While we had Jimmy and ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ as they grew up in their neighborhoods on ‘American Idiot’, we now have a couple which instead of finding themselves in the loving arms of each other, struggle as they jolt through the bumps which are bringing the journey of an entire nation (and world) to a stop. Christian, the explosive nihilist, and Gloria, the idealizing pacifist, both of whom narrate the world as they see it through their minds. The narrative is hitting and moving at the same time; and though the continuity may not be as fluid, there is a line which runs through the entire album and serves to unite it. Broken up into three parts (or acts, as they have been called), each of which have names which serve as headings for the contents within. Act I, ‘Heroes and Cons’ opens with a radio static ridden ‘Song of the Century’ which laments the turn of events at the turn of the century. A short opening, which in turn, effectively sets the chord for the sentiment which follows through the album, on the title track, and the lead single (‘Know Your Enemy’, which incidentally was responsible for the first impression). All glory though is reserved for ‘Viva La Gloria’, which has a resounding chorus potent enough to set oceans on both sides of the US mainland churn themselves to search for Gloria as Christian looks around for her. Green Day despises authority, any form of it, and they don’t hesitate to exhibit this. So while the government and its decisions on war form Act I, religion and pseudo hypocrites get bashed up on ‘East Jesus Nowhere’ as soon as Act II begins in the form of ‘Charlatans and Saints’. The Lost American Dream – as was spoken about on ‘American Idiot’ – continues to find its voice. Just like Christian bemoans Gloria as the ‘Last of the American Girls’, another of those songs which contain vivid metaphorical references to the qualities which made up what America was and was meant to be. War has undoubtedly been the activity possessing the single largest denomination within the American government in recent times. And in the name of patriotism, countless young men and women have been pushed to the end of their lives. Which is reason ample enough for Act III to be named ‘Horseshoes and Handgrenades’ which has a namesake title track, to be followed by an attempt on creating another ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ on ‘American Eulogy’ (though they fail miserably, if they actually did try to attempt it). Three cords, thumping drums, high treble bass tones rule most of the high tempo tracks, all of which bear ‘idiot’ic images of Armstrong, Dirnt and Cool throughout. However, Armstrong does tend to digress towards his Lennon-esque ‘working class hero’ influences as well. Something which reflects beautifully on some of the piano led ballads they have attempted (‘Last Night on Earth’, ’21 Guns’, ‘Last of the American Girls’), serving as a nice break to the otherwise insane levels of tempo (which keeps compounding) built on the rest of the tracks.
So while initial impressions may have been deceptive, and though the past influences may still be very visible on Green Day’s latest album, it is fair to say that they have notched up another rock opera as a worthy successor to their past lineup; pseudo patriotism, notwithstanding.
He maybe hitting the septuagenarian decade in a couple of years from now, it still doesn’t feel as if Bob Dylan is old. Part of the reason for this could be the fact that he has always been worldly wise with that grim roughed out voice of his which have sung verses filled with truths of life hardly ever seen in that perspective. ‘Together Through Life’ therefore comes as no surprise. Dylan gets back to working with old time chum Robert Hunter, the essential Jerry Garcia companion, who helped the Grateful Dead pen some of their most memorable lyrics. The natural affinity present between the canvas of work created by both Dylan and Hunter individually serves to just make this coming together work like magic. There may not be much in terms of instrumentation; what you listen to are standard bluesman songs, but then each of them is played to perfection on lyrics which make you realize why Dylan is still the modern man’s Bard. Love, that ephemeral feeling, the companionship of which is what helps you go through life – Dylan realizes and eulogizes this in words like no one else could.
Malice n Wonderland - Snoop Dogg
Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Cosmic Egg - Wolfmother
