Album Review: Sound City Real to Reel

Sound City was, for lack of a better comparison, America's answer to Abbey Road Studios. It held sessions by artists such as Neil Young, Santana, Tool, and Johnny Cash and played an integral part in the conception of some the all time great rock records. After more than forty years the studio closed its doors for the last time in May 2011. Dave Grohl, of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame, has made a documentary about studio and has assembled an all-star cast of musicians to make the soundtrack, Sound City: Real to Reel. Given the reputation of Sound City this soundtrack boasts a jaw-dropping roster. Along with Grohl and fellow Foo's Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee, and Pat Smear you can find members of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Kyuss, Cheap Trick, Rage Against The Machine, and many more. This already impressive list does not even include the guest lead vocalists such as Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, Joshue Homme (Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age / Them Crooked Vultures), Corey Taylor (Slipknot / Stone Sour), Trent Reznor, Chris Goss (Masters Of Reality), Rick Springfield, and Lee Ving (Fear). With this many hands in the pie, what does the album actually sound like?

In short it sounds like a soundtrack, but one that uses many of the same bands / artists / musicians on most of the songs. All of which is to be expected: Grohl has a tight-knit group of compadres and he wants to use them and as well and as often as possible which makes perfect sense. With all the star-power on board the MVP award goes to good old Joshua Homme. His two contributions to the album ('Centipede' and the emotional outro 'Mantra') are easily two of the strongest numbers on hand, further whetting our appetite for that new QOTSA album. Also faring well is one of the most talked about song on the album, 'Cut Me Some Slack'. The track is led by Paul McCartney but notably features the reunion of Grohl with his former Nirvana band mate Krist Novoselic. The song itself is a shit-kicking rock number that will undoubtedly recall the manic Helter Skelter, as all of McCartney's hard rock songs tend to do.

The major issue with this soundtrack as an album is that there seems to be far too many chefs in this kitchen and they inevitably tread on each others toes.. While some unexpected appearances add some much needed “wow” others are quite unsatisfying. When great talents like Chris “the godfather of desert rock” Goss get lost in the shuffle you know something is amiss. Just like the film itself, Real To Reel is an earnest attempt to further cement the Sound City legacy and keep it fresh in people's minds. The execution leaves a little to be desired but you cannot take away from Dave Grohl that it is a ballsy attempt at old-school rock and roll spectacle in an increasingly jaded and un-magical world.

Rating: B-

Recommended tracks: Centipede, Cut Me Some Slack

Review Wrap-Up: February - March 2013

Today we have a quartet of reviews to tantalize your tastes and expand your musical horizons. Eclectik Electrik music reviews: its a good thing! - Prof. Ric

#1 Alice Russell – To Dust

English-born Alice Russell is a rare breed in the world of the modern chanteuse; she manages to sound classic without ever stooping to being overtly retro. The music, produced and performed by TM Juke, is contemporary but Russell's bitter-sweet rasp is timeless. Not all tracks live up their potential but To Dust is peppered with highlights. Album opener 'A to Z' screams “sample me” and any entrepreneuring DJ could turn it into a funky club jam. She has a masterful command of the language of funk and soul and bends it effortlessly to her will. All three parts of 'Heartbreaker' (played out of order just for fun) mine the rich history of R&B and re-clothe it for a modern audience. With each album released Alice Russell becomes more confident in her abilities so wherever she goes from To Dust should be something to behold.

Rating: B-

Recommended tracks: Heartbreaker pt 2, Hard and Strong

#2 Endless Boogie – Long Island

There may not be a band on earth with a name the describes their sound better than Endless Boogie. Their albums are marathon slogs of jam-tastic noodling and blues rock excess that would make Canned Heat keel off their perch. Needless to say Long Island is a long album with its eight songs stretched over the full 79 minute run time so endurance is key to surviving the full run time. The vocal stylings of Paul “Top Dollar” Major might also take some getting used to. His tone is so gritty and raw you could be forgiven for thinking that some unhinged Vietnam veteran had hijacked the microphone. If that doesn't float your boat don't worry the focus is still on the endless piles of molten rock contained herein.

Rating: C

Recommended tracks: Taking Out The Trash

#3 The Fall of Every Season – Amends

Some may not like it, but Opeth are one of those touch-stone metal bands that are extremely easy to refer to when describing the sound of another. What makes Norway's The Fall Of Every Season so intriguing is that is manages to sound like early / Candlelight-era Opeth had they evolved in a different direction to the modern incarnation. Acoustic prog? Check. Grandiose riffs and hell hound's bark? Check. A clean singing voice to die for? Double check. But on Amends you will find less stylistic freak-outs than on Watershed, with the focus on creating a more emotionally engaging experience. Even more amazing is that all the music is coming from one man, Marius Strand. Many one-man acts sound a little lacking but Strand is more than capable of playing the force of nature that this record demands. Quality stuff all around.

Rating: B+

Recommended tracks: Sole Passenger, The Mammoth

#4 Jimi Hendrix – People, Hell, and Angels

Jimi suffers a little from his unreleased work being so readily plundered. Of all the famous “27 Club”, Hendrix was one of the greater tragedies given his comparatively small body of work. The albums, proper albums as constructed by the classic Experience trio, had a sense of movement as they let their many moods and styles interplay. Rock and roll powederkegs, smoldering blues, freakout jams, gospel joints, all rubbing shoulders and knowing their place. People, Hell, And Angels, or any other posthumous release for that fact, will never satisfy quite the way that Electric Ladyland did. This disc focuses on the band's looser, jammier modes over volcanic guitar leads with tracks like the impossibly funky 'Mojo Man' being futuristic for their day. None of these later day compilations will ever replace his primary discography but they all us to see another side to such a legendary musical iconoclast.

Rating: B-

Recommended tracks: Mojo Man, Let Me Move You

From The Professor's Page: Tasty Future Treats

We are living in kick ass times, music lovers! It seems that barely a week can go by without the announcement of a new album down the line to make us salivate. Rather than hit these one at a time I thought it apropos to compile them into one giant drool-fest. Expect to see a review for all of these albums in the coming month, as well as many many more. - Prof. Ricardo

Beastwars (March 2013)

Beastwars are one of my home country's best metal exports in many a year. Like a little sludge, a little stoner rock, and an endless devotion to the power of the riff? Then this is the band for you. Their self-titled debut album only came out internationally last year but their follow up is just around the corner. The exact release date is a little fuzzy and the album's title is a bit of a mystery, but trust me: this one is going to fucking rock.

Flaming Lips – The Terror (April 2nd)

I'm a later in life Lips fan. I missed out on hearing their legendary 90s records when they were new articles, something which has led me to anticipate this new record with obsessive fervor. The thing you can always say about a new Flaming Lips album is that you never know what you are going to get. Coyne and Co have described The Terror as their best, most compelling work to date so there is plenty to look forward to.

Iron & Wine – Ghost on Ghost (April 16th)

Sam Bean, aka Iron & Wine, is slowly but surely breaking out of his folksy shell and indulging further flung musical influences in later years. Some lamented Kiss Each Other Clean's more accessible sound but I freaking loved it. The few songs leaked from the album so far have a distinct 70s soft rock vibe mixed with a side serving of jazz. Comparisons to Van Morrison and Fleetwood Mac are inevitable.

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Mind Control (April 18th)

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats are an English rock band who channel the gothic doom of early Black Sabbath and the horror movie fetishism of White Zombie into a tasty throwback cocktail. Their obsession with the occult on their 2011 debut Bloodlust has been stepped up another notch if their latest single 'Poison Apple' is anything to go by.

Melvins – Everybody Loves Sausages (April 30th)

 I know it can be hard to get too excited about a covers album, but this is Melvins we are talking about here! These songs range from the relatively safe Queen, David Bowie, The Kinks, and Roxy Music to the heavier end of things with Throbbing Gristle and Venom. Along for the ride are Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Aussie Industrial icon and music director for Venture Brothers JG Thirlwell, and Clem Burke of Blondie.

The Veils – Time Stays, We Go (April 2013)

This London-based band, led by NZ ex-pat Finn Andrews, have been fairly quiet since the Troubles Of The Brain EP in 2011. Time Stays, We Go is the next in a line of puzzling album titles but The Veils have yet to disappoint. If 'Through The Deep Dark Wood' is any sign to go by, this new record is going to be nothing short of enthralling.

Kylesa – Ultraviolet (28/5)

This Savannah, GA quartet have been blending sludge, hardcore, and old fashioned psychedelics for over a decade now. Their line-up includes the impossibly awesome Laura Pleasants as half of the vocal duo and two drummers. That is so badass!Ultraviolet will be their sixth album so they are clearly no slouches behind closed doors. 2010's Spiral Shadow was a critical darling so the stakes are high but I think that Kylesa have to goods to pull off another hit.

Tricky – False Idols (28/5)

Tricky was once an icon of trip hop when that was a thing. His last few albums have criminally gone under most people's radars in spite of how damned good they actually were. On False Idols, to be released by his new record label of the same name, Tricky is attempting to reconnect with what made the Bristol sound so ubiquitous in the mid 90s. Head to his website now for a free download of new track 'Nothing's Changed'.

Album Review: David Bowie - The Next Day

You could be forgiven for thinking that David Bowie was already retired and had long ago abandoned the idea of ever making another album. Even his guest appearances, bolstering the credibility of young acts the world over, have become rare as of late. Would you believe that is has been a whole decade since his last record was released? So imagine (or, indeed, remember) the world's surprise when barely a month ago the once and future Ziggy Stardust announced that not only was there going to be another album but that it was already complete and ready for human consumption. So amidst all the hype and second guessing how does The Next Day fare?

The first song to be released from this album (Bowie's 26th overall, by the way) was the placid 'Where Are We Now?'. It was a very unlikely choice for a single given its quiet, retreating nature, and it lead many to question if the former Thin White Duke had much of anything left to offer. Thankfully the album opens with the nervy and energetic 'The Next Day' and follows that up with the deconstructed jazz pop of 'Dirty Boys'. After more than 40 years as a high profile musician Bowie's instinct for writing pop music is a highly sharpened instrument, one that is practically unrivaled by any living person. On the flip side of that coin songs like 'If You Can See Me' are as disheveled and angular as one could ask for. That particular example is propelled forward by stabs of guitar, slabs of organ, and a manic beat that unpins the whole lot. It is a rare but welcome moment of roughness outside of the usual craftsman-like polish.

A lot of Bowie's own prodigious past is referenced in these songs, so they can be viewed as a compendium of past triumphs if one wishes. The garish glam era of the late 1970s now has a fitting epitaph in 'I'd Rather Be High'. It is the same situation later in the album on 'How Does The Grass Grow?' with awkward new wave. The titles, lyrics, and theme of 'Dancing Out In Space' are familiar like a euphoric Major Tom plummeting back towards terra firma after a lifetime spent in the infinite void. The album cover is even a riff on one of his classics. Yes, those meandering weepers are inevitable (the aforementioned 'Where Are We Now?' is in fine company with the melodramatic closer 'Heat') but they never linger long enough to derail the album out of joyful comeback mode and into “woe-is-me” territory. Its not that they are bad songs at all – in fact they are masterfully executed – its just that every aging rock star can churn them out. They are far from new territory from 70s icons looking to rekindle their fires.

The Next Day, against all odds, feels like an appropriate continuance from 2003's Reality. At his age and at this point in his career it is admirable that David Bowie hasn't fallen into the trap of releasing covers of the “great American songbook” or rehashing Motown standards. The fact that he has a vibrant, engaging album of original material at the ripe old age of 66 is, in itself, a singular achievement. Just deal with the fact that there will probably never be another Aladdin Sane or Heroes in your lifetime and you will enjoy the ride.

Rating: B+

Recommended tracks: If You Can See Me, Dancing Out In Space