THURSTON MOORE
Released April 28, 2017
NEW 2017 MUSIC: WSUM's Freak Scene Radio brought me here and incidentally, this album was my final purchase at the great Mad City Music Exchange before they closed up shop at the location they occupied for 30 years and just prior to their move to a new location (long may you run).
Anyhow, and for no reason in particular, I have never really listened to Sonic Youth. Certainly, I have heard some songs over the years but believe me, I could never even begin to tell you what they even were let alone what they sounded like. That being said, there was some thing that did indeed compel me to purchase "Rock N' Roll Consciousness," the latest solo offering from Thurston Moore and it was a wise purchase indeed. For me, these five extended songs, the shortest of which ("Cusp") runs a hair over six minutes while the longest ("Exalted") is just shy of 12 minutes, feels like one, vaguely prog, subtly post-rock, undeniably psychedelic soundscape where emotions of melancholia, doom, rage, and oddly enough, a certain tranquility weave its meditative spell..albeit a decidedly agitated meditative spell.
Through all of the sounds and hippie styled lyrics as contributed by poet Radio Radieux, the guitar is unquestionably the star of the album as elegant passages crash into bombastic power chords, which then float into feedback drenched anarchy and often, brilliantly so, into mesmerizing interlocked sequences that for me, recalled the very best of Television's now iconic "Marquee Moon" (released February 8, 1977).
Thurston Moore's "Rock N' Roll Consciousness," for me, is that perfect "grey day" album--one for solitary moments spent under cloudy skies.
"PRISONER B-SIDES: END OF THE WORLD"
RYAN ADAMS
Released April 28, 2017
NEW 2017 MUSIC: This is a quickie...but first things first...Ryan Adams, who reportedly recorded a whopping 80 songs for his achingly beautiful album "Prisoner" (released February 17, 2017) definitely picked the very best of the best to make up that album.
As for this B-sides collection from the same sessions and collected upon the "End Of The World" vinyl set and later released digitally, these 17 songs make up for a rawer, rougher double album length experience that only extends and deepens the "Prisoner" album with its post-divorce themes of heartbreak, isolation, confusion, restlessness, uncertainly and the attempts of trying to figure out how to move forwards when "'til death do us part" has proven itself not to be. With titles like "Are You Home?," "It Will Never Be The Same," "Broken Things," "Let It Burn," "Please Help Me," "Too Tired To Cry," and "The Empty Bed," you know that upon listening to these songs, you are in for a dark, sad ride.
I am still working through the collection but even so, what remains is my mystification at just how oh how does Adams continue to unearth new ways, lyrics, melodies and performances to convey stories and emotions of love and loss, essentially the cornerstone of his entire recording career. Regardless of the methods behind his specialized brand of musical magic, these songs are more than worth your attention if you are just itching for something even broader, something that sounds like the perfect extension of one of his finest works (aside from "Prisoner"), "Love Is Hell" (released May 4, 2004).
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM & CHRISTINE McVIE
Released June 9, 2017
NEW 2017 MUSIC: Essentially a Fleetwood Mac album in all but name and without the presence of Stevie Nicks (whom, as far as I am concerned, is acting a bit mercenary lately due to her lack of studio participation in favor of solely participating in more money grabbing tours), "Buckingham McVie," itself a play upon the pre-Fleetwood Mac endeavor (and still unavailable on CD or digital formats) "Buckingham Nicks" (released September 5, 1973), is a glistening, rock solid pop album that shows without any doubts that these musical veterans still have more than enough musical magic to create and deliver.
These 10 new songs are a veritable showcase for Lindsey Buckingham (who seems to be on a prolifically creative high over these last 15 years or so) and Christine McVie to not only remind listeners why we fell in love with the in the first place but to introduce any curious new listeners a level of songcraft, production and musicianship that is of such rare quality in the 21st century but was the norm 40 years ago. Frankly, Buckingham and McVie get to show everyone just how it is done while still unearthing some surprises.
Where tracks like "Feel About You," "Red Sun," "Lay Down For Free," "Sleeping Around The Corner" and the stunning, warm wind rush of "In My World" could all sound like updates from Mac's "Mirage" (released June 18, 1982)--and in the very best way--I was indeed surprised by the funk groove of "Too Far Gone" and was undeniably moved by the selections of the flat-out beautiful "On With The Show," "Love Is Here To Stay," and "Game To Pretend," songs that conveyed a level of wistfulness that only arrives with age and having much life lived.
It is truly a joy to hear Christine McVie, a songwriter who I have always felt gets a bit lost in Stevie Nicks' powerful presence and looming shadow. Her warmth, skills, and supreme voice have lost absolutely nothing during her time away and er songwriting remains as bulletproof as ever. Hearing her paired with Lindsey Buckingham again allows him to work with his musical paintbrush with a completely different sense of inspiration and the effect is sparkling. And man, by the time he unleashes his guitar solo during the album finale "Carnival Begin," it feels as fi he has realized another potential live in concert six string fireworks display.
Essentially 30 years ago, I vividly remember hearing some B-side selections from Fleetwood Mac's "Tango In The Night" (released April 13, 1987) including one oddball cut entitled "Ricky," a joint composition by McVie and Buckingham on which McVie seemed to be singing in Buckingham's agitated style. It was a song so quirky, so unexpected and yet, it worked perfectly.
Now 30 years later, it feels as if Christine McVie (now fully returned to Fleetwood Mac after a 16 year absence) and Lindsey Buckingham have blissfully picked up from where they left off and the time apart has not dulled their skills whatsoever. And with bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood, one of rock and roll's finest rhythm sections ever, playing on the album throughout, we have an album of rock royalty performing with vibrancy and vitality and without any of the angst of the past.
In fact, I almost wonder with Stevie Nicks' absence, she has contributed to the album as that aforementioned angst and friction is out of the way (not that she was ever the sole cause--just let me make that clear). It is through her absence, we can see and hear the joy and love between these bandmates. We can hear how this specialized chain musically stays together.
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"TI AMO"
PHOENIX
Released June 9, 2017
NEW 2017 MUSIC: I have to admit, that even though I like the album, Phoenix's previous release "Bankrupt!" (released April 22, 2013) is not an album that I have returned to very much at all because it just felt too much like a step-by-step sequel to their breakthrough "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" (released May 25, 2009)--the sound of a band wanting to creatively move forwards but not really knowing quite how to do and ultimately sounding just as before. It was fine but you just knew they could do a bit better. Now...they have.
"Ti Amo," the sixth album from Phoenix, is a top to bottom winner where every single track is a sunshine beachball splashdown spectacular that should be voluminously blasting from car and house party windows all summer long. If you want a pop album and not hate yourself for loving it to pieces, Phoenix have cracked the code as they fully understand songwriting, performance, and production to the degree that they have crafted a European summertime fantasy album where the warmth radiates from the speakers and your bodies are in constant motion due to the infectious grooves that merge the dance floor from the 1970's and the 21st century blissfully and effortlessly,
ANDRE CYMONE
Released April 7, 2017
NEW 2017 MUSIC: One of the best albums of 2017 without question.
Andre Cymone, veteran singer/songwriter/musician, pioneer of the Minneapolis scene and sound of the late 1970's/early 1980's and close friend, confidant and former pre Revolution bandmate of Prince himself, has followed up his stirring 4 song "Black Man In America" EP (released September 30, 2016) with the propulsive, swaggering, downright electrifying "1969," a collection of raw, ragged rock and soul inspired by the music of Cymone's youth.
True to the album's title, Andre Cymone and his crack band evoke the sonic styles of Sly and the Family Stone, The Rolling Stones and James Brown plus the pastoral psychedelia and fearless folk of the era, what is most notable about the album is how Cymone superbly mirrors the socio/political landscape of the past with the present to showcase brilliantly how not terribly much has changed over nearly 50 years, and especially in a post President Obama world, which has seemingly swung backwards in time to a point before 1969.
With tracks like the slammin' strut of "Money," the urgently acoustic "Black Lives Matter," the street chants of "Black Man In America," the meditative poignancy of the album's title track and even more, Andre Cymone's "1969" is a fully transportive experience fueled by his undeniable energy, focus, commitment as well as his muscular voice and instrumental prowess and powers.
PHIL COLLINS
384 pages
Published by Crown Archetype
Released October 25, 2016
Phil Collins has long existed as one of my most passionate musical heroes.
While I prefer his music as a member of Genesis rather than his solo material, I have long felt a certain kinship with the legendary drummer as I play drums (admittedly nowhere near as brilliantly as he) and of course, we share the same last name (no relation...ha ha). As I look over my musical loves and education throughout my life, I remain so graciously thankful that I was coming of age at a time wen spectacular rock drummers armed with exquisite skill as well as the personality to make each kit sound completely unique to themselves were so present.
For me, having the likes of Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland and Collins all so visible, creative, and especially innovative to the point where they all completely altered the perception of what a drummer could possibly be was seismic to me. Phil Collins was just towering to me as I was growing up and I marveled at how a drummer could also be a songwriter, singer, frontman, producer, and even an actor! While many grew tired and even irritated with his increased ubiquity during the latter half of the 1980's and early 1990's, I didn't care a whit because I simply continued to cheer him onwards as his talent was unquestionable.
While he has always been an artist (especially Genesis) that I have found myself having to defend over and again, the level of cruelty hurled towards him over the years is massively unnecessary because, honestly--look at all of the music released and tell me if the music of Phil Collins is really that sub-par. It isn't. You know it. And besides he is one of the finest musicians to ever hold two sticks behind a drum kit and his drum sound is iconic!!!
So, of course, it was imperative that I pick up a copy of Collins' memoir Not Dead Yet, and I believe that for Collins fans as well as for those who just love good books, this autobiography makes for compulsively entertaining, candid reading.
Chronicling the entirety of his life, Phil Collins' Not Dead Yet is surprisingly breezy and disarming with its tone that strikes a fine balance between the literary and the conversational. Collins' written voice comes off much like his music...warm, earnest, confessional, romantic, sometimes sentimental, sometimes cheeky, and at its very best, brutally honest and unflinching towards the mistakes made in his life, therefore leading to quite powerful soul searching regarding the imbalance between the grand success of his working life and the emotional drama with in his tumultuous family life, one that has given him three wives and five children between them. Additionally, I was deeply moved by the later sections of the book in which he details the harrowing details of his late in life alcoholism which nearly killed him plus his declining physical health due to 50 years of playing and bashing away upon the drums. Every high and low of his life is presented cleanly and without any stitch of self-conscious maudlin. It is as if Collins is sitting in the room with you, personally sharing the story of his wondrously charmed life.
No, the book is not as exquisitely, meticulously written as Elvis Costello's Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink (2015) and certainly, as a Genesis fan, I would have loved to have read more complete stories about the makings of certain albums and songs. But, even so, what we have is akin to Pete Townshend's wonderful memoir Who I Am (2012), a memoir from a musical legend who brings himself so fully down to Earth with wit, charm and an accessibility that showcases an enormous commonality and humanity.
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