It has been a long road for fans of the Eagles. In fact, it has been twenty-eight years since they last released an album of all new material. In an industry that changes constantly and is often a slave to flavor-of-the-month trendiness, there is an obvious question. Can this group, even with their rich heritage of past success, release an album of new songs that are relevant and interesting? Furthermore, can they recapture that Eagles' sound that their long-time fans remember so well? The Eagles are certainly aware that this recording will be under the microscope to an even greater extent than most, and that may be part of the reason why they have reportedly spent six years meticulously crafting their long-awaited new album: Long Road Out Of Eden. The second question is answered very quickly. The first track on this double cd issue, "No More Walks In The Woods," proves that their famous harmonies are as disciplined as ever, perhaps more so. This mostly acappella (a guitar is lightly strummed in the background) offering is a reworking of the poem "An Old Fashioned Song" by John Hollander. The bleak lyrics, about a world in which ecological disaster has occurred, echo the emptiness of the sepia-toned desert scenes in the cover art. They also announce that the Eagles have lost none of their passion for causes or their desire to use their music as a catalyst for change. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that their last studio album was released in 1979, the last year prior to what became known as the "me decade." In that time period following 1979's "The Long Run," rock music often seemed to exist merely to celebrate itself and the culture it created. This album, along with some other recent releases, may indicate that the pendulum is swinging back the other way. While some may view music with a message as "preachy," it does seem infinitely more interesting to actually sing about something worthwhile. What a shame to have a platform and never use it. The disc's second song, the J.D. Souther penned "How Long," seems an odd choice as the first single released. While it has a radio-friendly length and harkens back to the Eagles' country rock roots, it may not be the strongest cut or the most likely to entice listeners into buying the cd. It does hold up well to repeated listening, and fits well within the context of the entire album. However, it doesn't seem to do as well without that context. "Busy Being Fabulous" was written by Henley and Frey, but lyrically it seems closer to Henley's solo work. The title refers to a wife who is "just too busy" impressing everyone, and being sure that she doesn't miss out on anything, to have time for her family. It's an irresistible song that bounces along with an infectious melody and rhythm, and caustically sarcastic lyrics. As in "No More Walks In The Woods," it sets a particular tone for the album: social commentary will be included. The next three songs are love songs sung by, respectively, Frey, Walsh, and Schmit. While they are worthy songs, they are far overshadowed by the one that follows. "Waiting In The Weeds" is a seven-and-one-half minute gem that is destined to become a classic. It has all the elements a good love song should have: lyrics of gracious, painstaking poetry, a melody that soars and dips according to the emotional content of those lyrics, effective and judicious use of harmonies and background vocals, and beautiful interplay between the guitars, keyboards, and mandolin. Henley's emotive voice is perfect for this story of lost love, being sung by a man who waits patiently for his time to come around again. In concert, it will be a showstopper. "No More Cloudy Days," a Frey song, keeps the pace slow and stays with the theme of love. Then, "Fast Company" picks the tempo right back up again. Similar to "Fabulous," the song deals with living fast in a fast-paced world. It is something the Eagles have sung about in the past. Famously, it is something they know about firsthand. "Do Something," with its exhortation to take control of your life, also offers advice for living and fits neatly in the next slot. Disc one is completed by the slow and sweet "You Are Not Alone." The second disc opens with an epic protest song written by Henley, Frey, and Schmit. The title track, "Long Road Out Of Eden," is a ten minute tale of the fears and frustrations of our soldiers in the Middle East. The lyrics move us seamlessly from the backdrop of the desert to the easy, fat-cat life of the power brokers in the USA, and then back again. The music builds to a crescendo that is highlighted by guitar work that will remind fans of "Hotel California," and then drops off again to make room for the angry poetry. It is a moving song, and along with "Waiting In The Weeds," is worth the price of the album. But of course, there is much more to come. "Long Road" is followed by a short Frey instrumental, "I Dreamed There Was No War." Next, Frey takes lead vocals on "Somebody." This tale of karma, or maybe just a well deserved paranoia, has a quiet menace to the lyrics that is enforced by the driving rhythms and guitar. "Frail Grasp On The Big Picture" is one of the two purely angry songs on Long Road Out Of Eden. The song deals with our inordinate attention to trivialities in the face of important issues. Again, the lyrics are poetic, biting, and incisive. "Last Good Time In Town" is vintage Joe Walsh. A song about just staying home and doing nothing, it doesn't tackle big issues. It does hit home with many of us, though. When he refers to it as the last good time in town, it resonates with people of a certain age, who have "done" the night life to death. Of course, it has his usual sterling guitar work. Frey takes the lead again on "I Love To Watch A Woman Dance," a slow and pretty song that would have fit in perfectly on the Desperado album. There are three good songs to close LongRoad Out Of Eden. "Business As Usual" is about the influence that business and commerce has on every aspect of our lives, including our government. Curiously, the last lines seem to take a shot at the band itself. "Center Of The Universe" is another pretty, well crafted, beautifully harmonic love song. It is also worth mentioning that Steuart Smith had a hand in writing this along with several other of the stand-out songs on this album. With his contributions of song writing, co-producing, guitar, keyboards, and mandolin, one has to wonder if he is gradually becoming the fifth Eagle. The Eagles would never leave us without holding out a ray of hope to end the album. "It's Your World Now" passes the baton. It puts the world, and our fate, into our own hands; more appropriately, it puts it into the hands of the next generation. The Eagles have long wanted to be free of the influence exerted by the record companies, and they may have succeeded. Long Road Out Of Eden is only available from their web site, Wal-Mart, and Sam's Club. Inevitably, they are going to take some heat for singing about the undue influence of big business while using what many consider to be the evil empire of retailing to distribute their record. However, if it is the same price in the stores that it is on their site ($11.88), it will have to be seen as a bargain for the consumer. So, what do you get after a twenty-eight year wait? How about a double cd of songs that range from pretty good to hauntingly beautiful. This may just be the best Eagles album ever.
There are two ways to look at Exile On Mainstream, the long awaited new release from Matchbox Twenty. Some fans will be disappointed in the two-cd set due to the fact that it only offers six new songs. The second cd is a greatest hits disc consisting of the eleven songs that were the most popular singles from their first albums. Of course, for anyone who was anxiously waiting a greatest hits cd, the new songs are a terrific bonus. The good news for all fans is that the new material is excellent. With the departure of Adam Gaynor, Matchbox Twenty is now a quartet. Combine that with a very successful solo effort by Rob Thomas, and many wondered if the band would stick together. There are indications here that they will. The first rate quality of the songs attests to the fact that the band and its good name are important to them. These are not throw away tunes crafted quickly to help sell a compilation album. Most significantly, this is the first album where all the band members receive song writing credits. That hints at a unity that many of us were unsure existed. Of the six new songs, "How Far We've Come" was chosen as the first single and pre-released three months earlier. "These Hard Times" has become a hit and is a frequent download on iTunes. For fans of Rob Thomas' solo album, "I'll Believe You When" is reminiscent of that record, and "Can't Let You Go" highlights the angst ridden vocals of love gone wrong in that very distinctive style of his. "All Your Reasons" and "If I Fall" round out the first disc. A lot is being made of the new release's title, Exile On Mainstream. The obvious reference is to the Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street, and some people seem to be finding significance in the fact that Mick Jagger co-wrote "Disease" with Rob Thomas. While there may be some tribute to the Stones inherent here, the more likely intent is to show their acceptance of and comfort with their place in popular music. A band that was regarded as having a bit of an edge when they made their debut eleven years earlier has become, through their own evolution and the evolution of rock music, well, mainstream. When the songs are this good, there is nothing wrong with that.
Since his last album with the E Street Band, 2002's The Rising, The Boss has taken some interesting detours. Last year's The Seeger Sessions had him dipping into a rich well of American folk music. His previous release, Devil's & Dust, was a turn to bare bones acoustic ballads. They were both excellent, admirable works which showed just how versatile Bruce Springsteen really is. Better still, they seem to have left him with a fresh palette and a new enthusiasm for his roots--rock with the E Street Band. Magic is not just Springsteen's best recording in years, it is one of his best records ever. That famous Bruce Springsteen-E Street Band sound is back in a big way, with quality songs from start to finish. The music is rich with full-on guitars and carefully crafted melodies, and the lyrics are among his most incisive. Just as he always does, Springsteen sings about life in all its facets. The difference on this album is found in the undercurrent of anger. While that has always been present in his music, it is both more pervasive and more subtle on Magic. The first song, "Radio Nowhere," was the perfect choice to open the record. The sound is dense, and it is vintage E Street, with the guitars dominating and the rhythm section driving the song in a way that is both defined and flexible. This is something that canned rhythms will never be able to do, and is the essence of the song. "Radio Nowhere" is a lament for the dearth of true rock and roll, both on the radio and elsewhere. When Springsteen says "I want a thousand guitars/I want pounding drums," he will find many who agree. In a time when music is dominated by the sameness of whichever pop princess is dominating the charts, or the directionless diatribe of bile from the "hood," there seems to be little room left for rock in its purest form: three guitars, a drummer, and vocals with an actual melody. "Radio Nowhere" announces with unquestioned authority that this type of music still exists, and that Bruce and The E Street Band are among its chief proponents. As always on a Springsteen album, there are songs of love lost and love yet to be, and vivid slice-of-life descriptions of life in America. What separates this record from previous works is the sub text. The Rising, released in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy, mourned our losses on that day while celebrating the greatness of our country and the good fortune that we share just by being Americans. It was unabashedly patriotic. On Magic, that patriotism has come full circle. It still celebrates the joy of being an American, but it mourns the losses that we have largely inflicted on ourselves since that time. The war in Iraq is very much on Springsteen's mind, along with the loss of our young soldiers. Also of concern is the accompanying loss of freedoms and loss of faith in our leaders. While several songs deal overtly with this subject, almost every song deals with it symbolically or metaphorically. While everyone will find their own favorites on this record, the title track does tend to stand out. "Magic" is a slow, melodic tune with an undertone of menace. As the singer runs through the litany of magicians tricks, the listener is subtly reminded of disappearing weapons of mass destruction, along with the sleight of hand tricks that are accomplished when intelligence is hand picked to justify preconceived ideas. "Magic" is followed by "Last To Die," which doesn't bother with subtlety. It asks, outright, who will be the last to die for a mistake? Popular music has a rich history of protesting war and injustice. Considering that, it seems strange to hear so many saying, of late, that entertainers have no place in politics. Should we assume that those who proffer this opinion simply disagree with their politics? After nearly seven years of an administration that seems to consider opinions and discourse which are in opposition to theirs as unpatriotic, it almost seems that entertainers have a duty to use their platforms for change. And if Springsteen seems idealistic, well, maybe that is all right. Music, when employed in the service of grand ideas, can only become more grand. This is a grand recording, sometimes dark, but always hopeful. It does what a good rock album should: it stirs the emotions, it stirs the intellect, and it makes you tap your feet.
For almost forty years, Joni Mitchell has been the reigning poetess of popular music. There have been few serious challengers to her crown, and certainly none that have lasted through the years as Ms. Mitchell has managed to do. Part of the reward for her longevity seems to be a new freedom in her music. With her first release on Starbucks' hearmusic label, she has shaken off the corporate shackles that dictated, to some extent, how her earlier compositions would ultimately sound. The result is an album of uncommon, brooding beauty and her usual intensely personal and intelligent lyrics. She has always been a slave to two muses, and that is still true. There have been some albums where beauty seems to be her inspiration, and some that are ruled by her well known penchant for melancholy. Shine has both in roughly equal measures, with each seeming essential to the other. The dominant theme of Shine is that we have a beautiful planet, our own little Eden in the vastness of the universe, and that we are carelessly destroying it. The album opens with an instrumental, "One Week Last Summer," that sets the musical tone for this record. It is followed by "This Place", which is both Ms. Mitchell's ode to her personal little paradise and a requiem for its likely imminent demise. The theme is certainly universal, as more and more forest and pasture is scraped away to accommodate a growing population. The song ends with a plea for the wisdom to save our land, and therefore ourselves. "One Week Last Summer" is followed by "If I Had A Heart," which takes a turn towards despair. As she lists the sins of the world, the artist sings a leaden chorus: "If I had a heart I'd cry." And truly, it is tough to have a heart in this modern world. We are assailed each day with images of war, cruelty, starvation, blight, and any number of unspeakable horrors. They reach us from our televisions, our movies, our newspapers and magazines. How do we keep from becoming jaded and world-weary. In truth, to some extent, we do not. If we had hearts, we would cry more often. The album moves forward with "Hana," a heroine who "rolls up her sleeves" and gets the job done. Is "Hana" Joni's alter ego? It seems like a good possibility. She has always had a bit of an "Earth Mother" aura. It is easy to picture her as a caregiver. But this song segues immediately into "Bad Dreams," another lament for the damage done by the power brokers. Next comes a redux of one of her best known songs. "Big Yellow Taxi (2007)" is less lighthearted than the original, a plaintive ode to things we have lost or are losing. "Night Of The Iguana," based on the Tennessee Williams play, deals with lost innocence and the failure of the church in the lives of so many. The album as a whole refers much to Eden, and so original sin must have its day. This is an interesting and unique way to work it in. The composer's righteous anger is ratcheted up on "Strong And Wrong." Abuse of power is the subject of this song, and Ms. MItchell's anger is directed at the male of the species. It is a difficult point to argue since, with a few notable exceptions, the wars which she decries have been the works of men rather than women. The emotional pendulum swings the other way with the title track. "Shine" is definitely the centerpiece of the album. Here, her gracious poetry it at its finest as she pleads to "let your light shine" on everyone and everything. It is a prayer for the light of wisdom, the light of forgiveness, and the light of love. It speaks to the artist's own capacity for those qualities. To end the album, Joni again borrows from past literature. Anyone familiar with Rudyard Kipling's amazing poem, "If," will be astounded to find it set to music. Ms. Mitchell's final take on this work can probably be deduced from the cover art, which she, of course, designed. The cover features a troupe of ballet dancers, jumping up from the darkness, arms outstretched, to what at first seems to be the Earth. On closer inspection, though, the object of their desire appears more as a window into heaven. It is a stunning image, unforgettable. And it makes an obvious statement: on this album, when all is sang and done, beauty wins.
For fans of Los Lonely Boys, three years was a long time to wait for a new studio album. This trio of West Texas brothers made a huge splash with their 2003 debut. That self titled album was good for four grammy nominations, including a win for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. It also introduced the world to a Texas secret. Henry, JoJo, and Ringo Garza had established a very loyal following in Texas. Renowned for their live shows, the band was now accessible to a much wider audience. And fame has kept them busy.
To begin with, there has been a lot of touring. Los Lonely Boys have opened for Carlos Santana as well as headlining their own tour. They also recorded one of their songs with Santana on his most recent album. A film documentary, Cottonfields And Crossroads, has been playing in theaters and fans are hoping that it will eventually be available on DVD. Texican Style: Live In Austin is already available on DVD, and will soon be joined by a DVD version of their album, Live AtThe Fillmore. Combined with their appearances at various benefit concerts and award shows, it is not surprising that it would take them three years to write and record a new album.
What an album it is! Their time has been well spent, for Los Lonely Boys have avoided the dreaded sophomore jinx with an album of thirteen quality songs that have more hooks than a tackle box. From the grungy guitar riff that opens the record on "My Way" to the soulful, soaring notes that close the final song, "Living My Life," this is a record that will have their fans dancing with glee. Each song is a gem.
Everyone will find their own favorites on this album, but some songs do seem to stand out. Both of the previously mentioned tracks, along with "Diamonds" and "I Never Met A Woman," are sure to become concert staples.
There are several things that make Los Lonely Boys stand out from the crowd in the world of popular music. Certainly, the varied styles that have influenced their music make them somewhat unique. Their style embraces rock, blues, jazz, soul, tejano, conjunto, and country. In the end, the blend becomes their own brand of good old-fashioned guitar driven rock and roll. Not surprising since older brother Henry, who plays lead guitar, was named by Guitar World magazine as their Breakthrough Artist of 2005. But this is not to say that it is a one man show. Far from it. It is the combination of the brothers that makes the whole thing work. Ask any Los Lonely Boys fan and they will tell you that this is the tightest band ever. They sound as if they have been playing together all of their lives. Because they have. Middle brother JoJo plays bass guitar and piano, Ringo plays drums, and Henry adds harmonica to his lead guitar duties. They all sing, and their harmonies are possibly their single most distinctive trait. Again, they have been singing together all of their lives and it shows.
It is also gratifying to see that fame has not gone to their heads. To many, it will seem that Los Lonely Boys are an overnight success. Their fans in Texas know better. Once their careers took off, things happened fast. But they worked for a long time to catch that rocket. And they have not forgotten. In the liner notes on Sacred, and whenever they have the opportunity, the Garza brothers give credit to God for their talent, to their family for nurturing it, and to their friends for the support they have received. If these boys aren't careful, they're going to give rock and roll a good name.
Additional tracks: Orale, Oye Mamacita, Roses, Texican Style, One More Day, Memories, My Loneliness, Outlaws, Home
Los Lonely Boys
FastTrack Guitar Method - Book 1 Written by Blake Neely, Jeff Schroedl. Instructional book and examples CD for guitar (electric or acoustic). With instructional text, instructional photos, guitar tablature, standard guitar notation, chord names and guitar chord diagrams. Series: Hal Leonard Fasttrack Music Instruction. 48 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.697282) See more info...
October 27th, 2006
BOB SEGER FACE THE PROMISE
Face The Promise is Bob Seger's first album of new music in eleven years. While it may not be his strongest effort, it is solid enough to please most of his fans.
The album gets off to something of a slow start. The first few songs are a bit uneven, with good music but somewhat weak lyrics. Seger does establish from the very beginning that he still possesses the restless heart that was the hallmark of his previous records. The first two songs, "Wreck This Heart" and "Wait For Me," are hymns to wanderlust. And there are some small gems hidden in the lyrics. In "No Matter Who You Are" Seger sings: "Between the soaring dream and the bottom line, so much is given up, so much is left behind." Despite his success, Seger still seems to identify with the working man.
Face The Promise does get better as it goes along. "Won't Stop" is vintage Seger, a song about that restless itch that has always driven him. "Between" is a strong rocker about rampant consumerism and its effect on the planet, and features one of Seger's most innovative guitar riffs. "Real Mean Bottle" by Vince Gill is a duet with Kid Rock and the only song on the album not written by Seger.
The pace slows down for the last two songs, a duet with Patty Loveless called "The Answer's In The Question" and "The Long Goodbye," an ode to inconstant love.
There is more good news for fans. Seger is out on tour for the first time in about ten years. Shows are still being added. To find one in your area, visit his web site.
For the last twenty-five years or more, virtually all of the new country music acts have been trying to meld country with rock and roll. Some have met with a great deal of commercial success, but artistic success has been in much shorter supply. For Rosanne Cash, the commercial success has been limited when compared to the astronomical sales from some of country music's biggest stars. Certainly, she has a strong enough fan base to keep making albums, and happily, she does. Because artistically, she is at the head of the class in the country-rock genre.
Black Cadillac is one more in a series of very personal albums from Ms. Cash. In the span of just two years, she lost her Mother, her Stepmother, her Father and her stepsister. That is an incredible blow, and just as she has sung about her past trials, Rosanne Cash chooses to work through her grief by writing and performing songs. It is probably not a choice. She is an artist with a musical pedigree that spans four generations. What else could she do?
And just as lost love and divorce was the dominant theme on her earlier album, Interiors, death is the topic that she sings about on Black Cadillac. Not just death, of course, but everything that goes with it: spirituality, the sweet hope of eternity and reunion, blessed memory, and the inevitable anger. These are all topics that songwriters have delved into for as long as there have been troubadours. But there have been few albums that choose to deal almost solely with that subject. It takes some courage to do that. In an age when most rock music is largely about partying and sex, and country musicians write about death in the most maudlin and simplistic of terms, Ms. Cash has given us twelve lovely, complex songs about that most devastating and universal emotion-grief.
The album opens with the title track. The obvious reference for the black Cadillac is the hearse which "took you away." It also represents the Cadillacs which her father drove during his life. Cars, especially Cadillacs, played a large role in the life of Johnny Cash. He used them for touring, he sang about them, and at one time the status conveyed by a Cadillac was probably an important part of his image. The metaphor may extend to his driven nature; the need to succeed in music was sometimes at the expense of his family life, and he was often driven by the self-destructive forces of excess.
Ms. Cash is unabashedly spiritual on this album, but on her own terms. Songs like "Radio Operator," "I Was Watching You," and "The World Unseen" express a strong and comfortable belief that there is continuity to life, perhaps not so much an afterlife as a permanence of the spirit. "The World Unseen" is a piano driven song with a wistful beauty and gently poetic lyrics; "I'm The sparrow on the roof, I'm the list of everyone I have to lose, I'm the rainbow in the dirt, I am who I was and how much I can hurt." In "God Is In The Roses," she sings of her belief that God is found in everything: "God is in the roses, the petals and the thorns." Her disillusionment with organized religion is also on display, especially in the songs "Like Fugitives" and "World Without Sound."
Not all her anger is directed at the church. In two songs, "Burn Down This Town" and "Dreams Are Not My Home," Ms Cash vents her frustrations concerning her own life. The guitar heavy "Dreams" is not so much angry as it is a yearning for normalcy.
One of the prettiest songs on Black Cadillac is "House On The Lake." This sweet reminiscence of her childhood home also speaks to the fact that she has come to terms with her losses.
The album begins with her Father's voice coaxing her to "Come on." Fittingly, it ends with him coaxing her again, and the toddler Rosanne saying "bye-bye" as an intro to the final song. It is touching, and personalizes her loss in a way that the songs alone could not do. And it brings the album full circle, in a way that nothing else could have.
Donald Fagen does not break new ground on his most recent album. There is no real need to, since the style he perfected on his solo albums and with Walter Becker as half of Steely Dan is unique enough to have not grown stale. Morph The Cat successfully continues the jazz-inflected sound that has brought him multi-plantinum album sales and a mantel full of grammy awards.
There are a couple of songs that stand out, grabbing the listener the first time around with clever lyrics, great hooks, and compelling music. "What I Do," especially, has all the hallmarks of past Fagen/Steely Dan hits. That is, it is irresistible lyrically, rhythmically, and melodically. "What I Do" is presented as a conversation between a younger version of Fagen and the ghost of Ray Charles. Thirty years ago, this would have been a major hit. If it gets the radio time, it could be a major hit now. Likewise for "Brite Nitegown," which is about death. The reference is from a W.C. Fields biography. Fields refers to death as "the fellow in the bright nightgown."
Fagen has been gracious enough to include a little information on each song, and it is helpful. He has always been a great lyricist, but his poetry can be hard to follow. The tidbits he includes make the songs more quickly accessible.
As usual for a Fagen album, there is no filler. Each songs stands on its own merit. You really have to admire someone who can write a love song for a woman he met when she was working at a security checkpoint at the airport. And if you are wondering just what "Morph The Cat" means, it is, in Fagen's words, "A vast ghostly cat-thing" that "descends on New York city, bestowing on its citizens a kind of rapture." We would have been working on that one for a long time.
One of the refreshing things about Fagen's music is that every note played by every instrument seems to have been carefully planned. In contrast to the metal and grunge which dominates rock radio today, the sound is much cleaner. It appeals to the listener in a less visceral, but perhaps more intellectual manner. And while metal and grunge are terrific forms of music, there is a definite need for what Fagen provides. His fans will not be disappointed with Morph The Cat.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are that rarest of commodities in the arena of rock and roll: a band that gets better with age. Their new release, Stadium Arcadium, is an exceedingly strong double cd which contains twenty-eight songs; not one of which is a throwaway. That is quite an accomplishment.
Stadium Arcadium may not appeal to all Chili Pepper fans. Those fans who feel that the band peaked with their Freaky Styley album may not care for it, while those who favor Californication will likely be drawn to it. The happy truth, however, is that Stadium Arcadium is a spectacularly successful blend of that early funk-rock sound with the smoother rock and roll of the later album. And initial sales are through the roof, indicating that the great majority of their fan base is very pleased.
There are several reasons why the band has been able to build on their past successes rather than grow stale. First, they have come to understand over the years that melody is crucial. While they have maintained their unique, funky rhythms, they have also realized that those rhythms work much better when framing a well defined melody. It is interesting to note, too, that this is the first time they have produced three consecutive studio albums with the same lineup. That continuity can be crucial, and may be part of the reason why Stadium Arcadium has the most uniformly excellent guitar work of any Chili Peppers release. The success of this record is also a testament to the skills of Rick Rubin, and shows why he is far and away the hottest music producer in the business these days. There is a large supporting cast of vocalists providing lush harmonies and backgrounds, as well as several guest musicians on the French horn, cello, clavenette (the recently deceased Billy Preston,) trombone, and percussion. These are likely Rubin's touches.
If the album has a weakness, it is probably in the lyrics. At his best, Anthony Kiedis writes lyrics that are incisive and pithy. At his worst, they sometimes seem to be a collection of unrelated phrases chosen for their convenient rhythms and rhymes. To be fair, Kiedis writes autobiographically and his lyrics are probably quite deliberate. But for those outside his sphere of reference, they can be daunting.
Flea has been quoted as saying that if you don't like this record "you are not a Chili Peppers fan." That is a good call despite the earlier warning in this article. With excellent vocals from Kiedis, great guitars, irresistible rhythms, and peerless production, Stadium Arcadium will stay on the charts for a while.
Celebrate the music of Carlos Santana, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and all your favorite rock stars with apparel from damselworld.com. Use the link at right to see their rockin' selection!
What happens when the master of subtle guitar riffs meets the queen of understated harmonies? Not surprisingly, the result is a beautifully restrained, finely nuanced album filled with songs of quiet elegance. All The Roadrunning may not be a runaway hit, but it is a quality album that gets better with repeated listenings.
The pairing is inspired in several ways. Knopfler has always enjoyed forays into country music. Ms. Harris certainly has her roots there, although her talent was always too large to be confined to that genre. Here, they very surely and easily meld country and rock , creating a sound that blurs the borders seamlessly. And of course, Emmylou Harris has a voice that can benefit any song. The bonus here, though, is that she actually seems to make Mr. Knopfler's singing better. Vocally, it may be his best album to date. The disparity in their styles is also part of what makes this album work. There is a certain synergy created by blending her smooth and artistic vocals with his rough and tumble voice.
"I Dug Up A Diamond" is one of the most easily accessible songs on the album. Written by Knopfler, it employs the metaphor of digging in a "deep dark mine" and finding a diamond as a representation of the struggle to find love "in the dirt and the grime" of failed relationships. Knopfler's moody guitar and Harris's hushed vocals are the perfect accompaniment for the seductive melody. On a less serious note, "Red Staggerwing" is an uptempo, country flavored tune that is just pure fun. It is followed on the album by "Rollin' On," one of three songs on this record, along with "All The Roadrunning" and "Beyond My Wildest Dreams," about life on the road. The road songs are slow and hint at some regret about this chosen life, but never suggest that the singers would have done anything differently. Emmylou Harris has co-writing credits, along with Kimmie Rhodes, for one of the prettier songs on the album: "Love And Happiness."
Some musicians are lucky enough to reach a point in their careers where they can make the music they want to make, rather than having an ear out for top forty radio hits. It would be nice if this record achieved both. If not, All The Roadrunning is a very satisfying album that has artistic integrity. It is the record that Knopfler and Harris wanted to make at this time in their lives. Well done.
Fans of the Robert Cray Band will be delighted from the very beginning of his newest release. “Poor Johnny,” the first track on the album Twenty, may be the best Cray tune in years. This tale of a cheating husband who gets caught and "taken down late one night” is vintage Robert Cray. Infectious rhythms, subtle keyboards, and a catchy lead guitar riff are the perfect accompaniment to Cray's soulful, plaintive vocals and smooth poetry.
Another strong contender on this record is the title track. “Twenty” is Cray's haunting tribute to our soldiers in the Middle East. This is one that deserves repeated listenings, which may be necessary to fully appreciate it. There is enough emotion in the voice and lyrics to indicate that it may be a very personal song for Cray.
Most of the album is filled with Cray's trademark tales of broken relationships and lessons learned too late. And why not, he excels in this genre. He does save perhaps the bluesiest number for the end. “Two Steps From The End (last door down the hall,)” features the kind of licks that made him famous. His persona in this song may be down and out, but Robert Cray is still riding high, with another very good record.
If you're looking for sheet music, we recommend Sheet Music Plus. They have the World's largest selection, guaranteed low prices, and great customer service.
