Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On

Reviewed by Steve Thompson

I think I may have had my own “heart on” while waiting for this album’s release. Eagles of Death Metal are just one of those bands I love to love because of they don’t take themselves to seriously. This past Tuesday, their third LP “Heart On” was released. With two years since a release from the band (not counting DVD By Sexy), I was quite stoked to hear where they’d go with the new record.

From one listen, I can say that this record feels a lot less in-your-face than “Peace, Love, Death Metal” or “Death By Sexy.” It seems more immediately focused than 2006’s “Death By Sexy” as well, but doesn’t retain the awesome vibe of their debut (which at times felt very personal as if the listener was just hearing two of their goofball friends jam out).

A little more about individual tracks now… The first track I think really stands out if you’re spinning this disc passively is “Secret Plans.” It feels like a throwback to their older work and really boosts the energy on the first half of the disc. The first single “Wannabe In L.A.” also provides some fuzzed-out rockin’, but starts off with very strange vocal percussion sort of stuff reminiscent of Peter Gabriel’s “The Rhythm of The Heat.”

The title track has some background vocals that reminded me of almost Earth, Wind, and Fire. All over this LP, you can tell the band was progressing and trying out new things. This may be one case where I say “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?” One of the best things about Eagles of Death Metal was their full-throttle fuzzed out attitude on the first LP.

“Heart On” isn’t a bad record by any means. Rolling Stone gave it 4/5 stars. We give it slightly less. It’s a fun ride, but on the first listen, it doesn’t have the same rawness that made the first two Eagles of Death Metal albums so great.

3/5 Stars for Heart On

Mike Doughty – Golden Delicious

Reviewed by Steve Thompson

Mike Doughty spent years being known for his off-the-wall, abstract slam poetry which carried over to the bizarre sampling and jazzy basslines of his previous band Soul Coughing. During the recording of their second album Irresistible Bliss, Mike grew tired of the drawn-out recording and recorded his first solo effort Skittish in one day. Skittish featured minimalist music with intelligent lyrics and fun rhythm. In 2004, Mike signed to ATO records and released Haughty Melodic – a record that kept his previous songwriting style but whose sound was augmented by a full band. How does Mike’s new ATO release Golden Delicious fair? Read on to find out track-by-track.

Fort Hood starts things off and it’s a catchy tune. No surprises there. Production seems a little more slick off the bat here with the vocals and drums seeming more at the forefront than Mike’s guitar. Also noticable is some nice backing vocals from what sounds a lot like a southern baptist choir. The worst part of this song is the chorus is a blatent rip-off of The Fifth Dimension’s “Age of Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In.” At first, I was thinking it was some brilliant allusion to their music or the era, but it goes on after each verse as if it’s the “proper” chorus to this song.

“I Just Want The Girl In The Blue Dress To Keep Dancing” is the record’s second track and it’s very similar in terms of production to the opener of Golden Delicious. Again, where is the guitar? It’s so low in the mix this sounds like some generic pop song. Fortunately, Mike’s lyrics on this one are a little bit more like his older work… with the exception of the overly used “barum-batum-bum.” Overall, this second track sounds like something you’d hear in the trailer for some coming of age teen drama. Regardless, this song has one of the catchiest, yet simple bridges ever.

“Put It Down” begins sounding like a very slowed-down version of “Ossining” from his Rockity Roll EP. This song is probably the first on the record that feels most like a Doughty track. Again, the production is slick and Mike is backed by the southern baptist type vocals. We are fortunate enough to hear some very Doughty vocal delivery on this track as well. As for the lyrics, they’re not quite your most brilliant. A decent track.

“More Bacon Than The Pan Can Handle” is the fourth track on the record. It’s also the shortest. This track is probably the most like Soul Coughing of any in Mike’s solo catalog. It sounds a lot like one of the sampler jams that Doughty does at his shows.

“27 Jennifers” was a song released previously on Mike’s Rockity Roll EP. Compared to that version, this one features the full band ensemble instead of just Mike’s guitar, vocals, and drum machine. While this song still holds up well, it sounds less quirky like it did on Rockity Roll and more like something you’d hear at Abercrombie & Fitch. There’s a new bridge in the song, but it’s nothing that will blow your mind.

“I Wrote a Song About Your Car” is one of the better tracks on the record. The guitar is actually in the mix and you can hear it. Clavinet also plays a small role in this song which adds to the array of instruments Doughty employs on this release. The only thing that hurts this track is the same slick production affecting the entire record.

Contrasting the previous track, “I Got The Drop On You” is starkly intimate and very reminiscent of the tracks on Skittish. Despite the simple arrangement in the song, this is probably one of the strongest tracks on the record proving that what Doughty does best is not always what sells best. This short track ends with Doughty and his guitar. Quality track.

The following track “Wednesday (No Se Apoye)” is also a very good song. The drum is laid back and this song is driven by some gentle piano. This is one song where the level that Mike’s guitar is mixed in at doesn’t hurt the song. This song is laid back and quite mellow. And while not quite the catchiest hook you’ve heard at first, the song’s chorus will eventually be one of the most memorable on the album. I didn’t bother researching what language Mike sings the “no se apoye” part in at the end, but it’s fitting.

At first, it seems that “Like A Luminous Girl” could be a sequel to Haughty Melodic’s “Sunken-Eyed Girl” based on some of the lyrics. This song is quite different though. It features some of the best hooks since “I Hear The Bells” during the song’s chorus and the mix on this one is quite complementing to all the elements of the track. This is one of the best tracks on the record hands down.

“Nectarine (Part One)” is an interesting song because this release lacks a second part to the song. Perhaps Doughty will release a follow-up on his next record or this track just didn’t make it past the cutting room floor so to speak. This song is pretty good, but some parts feel like Doughty is just resorting to the same old song and dance. For example, instead of “barum-batum-bum” this track features a more annoying “ding d-ding da-ding” sing-along part. It’s more appealing to hear Doughty’s non-sense repetition of words on Soul Coughing’s material than these goofy sing-along parts. Overall, this song isn’t great, but it’s not bad either. Maybe part two wouldn’t been a better track to include on the release.

The final track on the album is called “Navigating By The Stars At Night.” What a romantic title that conjurs up imagery of sailing and such. Well, this finale doesn’t disappoint. It’s not the best song on the album, but it’s pretty good. The song is very atmospheric almost in the same vein as “Grey Ghost” from his previous release. I will say that it would’ve been nice to have a better hook in the chorus, but I won’t complain.

Whew, so this record is over almost as soon as it began. Is it bad that it seems like a short record? Not EP short, but 1960s lunch-break record short. It’s always hard to evaluate a release after one listen, but my initial thoughts are disappointment. As with other bands that signed to a major label, got bigger, and changed unfavorably, Doughty seems to be moving less and less away from his guitar-based singer/songwriter roots. I mean, there aren’t even any of his signature gangadank rhythm playing on this record. This may be a good point for a Soul Coughing reunion so Mike can remember why he originally went into that New Jersey studio for one day to record Skittish in the first place.

2.5/5 stars for Golden Delicious

The Mars Volta – The Bedlam In Goliath

Reviewed by Steve Thompson

To ever describe The Mars Volta as accessible music might be impossible. Often, their albums take several listens to really appreciate with their manic transitions and long-winded ambience. The Bedlam In Goliath is the band’s fourth LP and offers a definitely different sound as each of their first three albums have done no matter how subtly.

This album is definitely noticably more aggressive than their predecesors. Also, seemingly gone is the ambience of releases like Francis The Mute which contained long gaps in music featuring things such as frog noises with some light synthesizer accompanyment. However, the sound of this record is still indeed unique to the band and doesn’t seem like a rehash of At The Drive-In or anything despite the more raw and aggressive sound. From a personal standpoint – I would say this album is closest to their debut LP Deloused in the Comatorium if anything.

The lyrics are cryptic as ever which is good and bad. Fans of concrete writing will probably never have listened to this band in the first place, so I’m not sure it’s that big of a deal. Allegedly the band experienced all kinds of occult things while recording this album. A sort-of Ouija board they nicknamed Soothsayer influenced much of the material on the album if one buys into the band’s description of their experience recording this album. Regardless of their muse on this record, it sounds as if the band is refreshed and more energetic than ever.

It’s a hard thing to do, but if I had to decide on stand-out tracks, I would put my vote towards Tourniquet Man, Ilyena, and Ouroborous. While I’ve only listened to this record a couple times so far, I think I can say that it catches my attention a lot more than their past two efforts. It’s still the same band, but a slightly different sound than previously and, in this case, that’s not a bad thing.

Radiohead – In Rainbows

Reviewed by Steve Thompson

Okay – so we’ve all had a couple weeks to let the dust settle after Radiohead released their seventh LP via the controversial “pay what you want” scheme. While the effect of this release on the industry is extremely important to the future of music, how does the music itself stack up to the greats like OK Computer and Kid A? Read on to find out in Weekly Rock Review’s review of Radiohead’s In Rainbows.

Many of the tracks on In Rainbows have been played live for some time now. 15 Step is one of these tracks. The final studio version of this song doesn’t disappoint – with jazzy guitar and some electronic drum loop starting things off, we can already get a good idea of the record from this track. It’s different yet familiar. Relaxed yet tense. There’s some overdubs of school kids yelling “yay” at some points in the song which will probably freak out listeners who are on acid. By the end of the song, things are richly layered with some nice bass work and “real” percussion. Overall, a strong opener.

The second track Bodysnatchers reminds me of krautrock with its steady, driving beat. There’s some very distorted guitar during this song and it’s hard for me to find a comparison point in the band’s catalog for this sound. About halfway through, we can hear an acoustic guitar in the mix. Thom Yorke sings about it being the 21st century and the lights going out which can only lead me to believe this is one of several songs dealing with the terrifying state of the world today. Overall, Bodysnatchers is a good track to balance out the sound on the majority of the album with some overdriven rock.

Nude is a track supposedly dating back to the OK Computer sessions. It’s quite simply one of the most beautiful tracks on the record. Starting off with some backwards guitars and vocals harmonies, Nude is one of those beautifully depressing songs. While not quite as much of an impact as, say, How To Disappear Completely from Kid A, this is one of the finest tracks on In Rainbows. This is one of the tracks that makes me realize how refreshed the band sounds since Hail To The Thief – if taking four years off since then was what they needed then they have my blessing after hearing this track. Thom’s vocals are really great on this track as well.

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi is a track that I had heard of long before many of the others on this record. The drum beat and guitar on this track remind me of jazz in some ways like the instrumentation on 15 Step. This is one of my favorite songs on the album even though nothing stands out incredibly to me after several listens.

All I Need is the fifth track on the album. It starts out with some lush strings, a hip hop beat, and some clunky synthesizer all gradually layered on top of each other. It’s a dark track, but continues the trend of mellow/relaxed songs on the record. The piano at the end of All I Need when the live drums come in is one of the best moments on the record with everything going on but order still persisting.

Faust Arp contains some nice acoustic guitar and more strings. For being the shortest song on the record, it’s definitely a beautiful song. I can’t help but compare it to Gagging Order from the Hail To The Thief era.

I didn’t know what to expect from the track Reckoner. I had never heard a live version or anything prior to the release. I’ve got to say that it is one of my favorite tracks on the record. Thom’s yelp is mournful and ghostly as ever with some reverb-treated drums driving in the background of the track. I think for me the chord progression that emerges during this song from the keys is why I love this song. It’s a great chord progression and this is a great song!

House of Cards is the eighth track on In Rainbows and it comes quite quickly while listening to the record. I think a lot of that is due to the lack of any real filler on In Rainbows. This track is one of those that was mentioned long ago – in fact, I think it was one of the first songs they played from this record live. Someone mentioned somewhere that this track sounds a lot like Sweet and Low by Fugazi from their album In On The Kill Taker. I guess it sort of does, but I find that more of a case of someone splitting hairs. It’s a proven fact that musicians tread over others’ territory inadvertently. It just happens. Regardless, House of Cards has a steady guitar riff with Thom’s vocals being treated with some heavy reverb. The track has a laid-back feel like much of the album and is minimalistic in many ways like the band described the material for this album. Worth mentioning is that this track also seems to be about the downfall of society in today’s world or the world itself.

Jigsaw Falling Into Place is one of the album’s handful of upbeat tracks. It definitely comes off as one of the album’s rockers with some nice guitar and bass work being showcased. OVerall, I dig Thom’s allusions in his lyrics here, but this track isn’t one of my favorites. That’s not to say it’s bad, because it’s far from it, but it just feels like something that should have been placed earlier in the record.

Videotape closes the album. This track is mainly a piano and vocals track with only some strange off-beat drumming coming in half way through. As off-rhythm as the drumming is, it synchonizes fine with the timing of the piano melody. Videotape is a great closer for the album.

So, overall, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. Not only did Radiohead release the album in a revolutionary way, but they created a great addition to their catalog. Is the album itself revolutionary? Not revolutionary, but damn good! It’s not their best album and it’s not their worst album. It’s definitely one of their most coherent albums from start to finish combining elements of OK Computer, The Bends, and Kid A without ever alienating listeners too much as some might say Kid A and Amnesiac did. In Rainbows will no doubt stay on my playlist for months to come.

5/5 Stars for In Rainbows

Serj Tankian – Elect the Dead

Yes, it’s the Front Man of System of a Down giving his first solo album a whirl. The album is called Elect the Dead and is a CD full of the problems of the world. Lyrically it is a bit different than your usual System of a Down album but the sound is just the same. This was quite disappointing. Sure Serj has his own style and lyrically is getting his voice out there but instrumentally it is the same ol’ same ol’. I was hoping with Serj playing all the instrumentation on this album that he would add a little more something to it but my hopes and dreams were shot. Right from the first song, Empty Walls I could tell what I was going to get. I was going to get the same SoaD sound produced by only Serj, singing about the turmoil, hate, and greed of this earth. I was pleased with the songs he produced, once again, lyrically.

Supposedly the man with the worlds master plan has over 4,500 songs recorded and is already talking about putting a new album together on his own. Hopefully Serj puts in a little more time and effort instrumentally to break away from the SoaD machine and bring something different to the table. Sure I enjoy hearing Serj’s ideas about the atroscity’s of the world but also this is music and something other than the same heavy tone with his wild vocals would be a nice change. Also, with the talk of another solo album already before the date of his solo albums debut could this be the end of an era and SoaD’s deconstruction? Only time will tell.

As for songs that stood out for me on this album Empty Walls, The Unthinking Majority (personal Favorite), Feed Us, and Sky is over are really the tracks that stand out compared to the others on the album. Unfortunately this is a low number of tracks, 4 to be exact. Now if you are a SoaD fan boy and really don’t care about the progression of music then this album will be a great one for you. He definitely keeps the SoaD feeling going and has some cool, thought provoking lyrics. As for the rest of us this is a bummer of an album and unfortunately won’t be playing in my playlist for a while so you won’t see this album in my Top 50 on last.fm anytime soon.

Elect the Dead – 2.5/5

She Wants Revenge – This is Forever

Reviewed By Steve Thompson

She Wants Revenge: Hot Topic poster band or respectful revival of Joy Division/New Order stylings? One can only wonder. Truly, these questions were to be determined by the follow-up to the band’s 2006 self-titled debut. The new-school hipsters called them Interpol rip-offs and the old-school purists looked at them as seemingly more fodder to be blown away by squadrons of pre-teen girls looking to be dark and goth. Regardless, this record offers thirteen brand new tracks meerly a year after the band’s debut and, also, a second glance at what this band may truly be.

First, Love – the first track on the new She Wants Revenge album reminds me a lot of Condemnation by Depeche Mode from Songs of Faith and Devotion. I really think this instrumental is a strong opener with its haunting piano and steady onslaught of rhythm.

The second track of the record is called Written In Blood. The introduction and beat reminds me a lot of Joy Division and, not to mention, the material from the self-titled She Wants Revenge record. I dig the verses a lot (though they deal with the stand She Wants Revenge themes), but the chorus lacks a hook to me. This is disappointing considering the quality of the verses. Overall, it’s not a bad track and, in all fairness, it’s probably quite a grower.

The third track on This Is Forever is called Walking Away. The usual beat starts us off – these guys really know how to get the groove down in their music. The chorus in this song has a much catchier hook than the last track and seems “single-worthy.” Again, listeners won’t be surprised by the thematic elements of this track. It’s a She Wants Revenge song about lost love and yadda, yadda, yadda. The synth bridge in this song is pretty haunting with some gentle piano making a brief appearance (those there are some random notes hit throughout the song, this is a stand out little moment for one of the few non-electronic instruments this band employs). The song’s ending also has some nice mellow piano after the chaos of the electronics dies down.

The first single from this record (and fourth track) is True Romance. Again, with this song, the guys solidify a groove in your mind with some nice beats starting things off along side a creepy synthesizer. This isn’t Tear You Apart… it’s not as dark, but it is as scary. This was probably a good choice for an initial radio offering (though I don’t know how much you hear them on the radio). This is a catchy, dark, ghostly dance number and I think I’m slowly getting addicted to it.

What I Want is another track I can get into from the get go. My only complaint in the verse is how disjointed and non-dance-like the bass feels compared to the beat and reverb-y guitar. The chorus is heavy and unrelentless though brief. I like the direct, stinging lyrics, but they’re nothing fresh and new. This band does anti-love songs and they do them well!

It’s Just Begun – not the record, but the sixth track. That’s its name. This track has an acoustic guitar and piano on it – also the obligatory dance beat. This track is laid-back. I can’t say it’s a bad song, but it’s not a stand-out to me.

She Will Always Be A Broken Girl is the next track. Maybe it’s the musician in me – but the melodies for vocals in this song seem VERY similar to These Things from their first record. It’s a synth-y catchy song, but also not a stand-out track the first time through. The finale of this track is pretty cool though, I must say.

This Is The End is the album’s eighth track. The guitar on this track has some crazy reverb/delay type stuff going on and I love the way the drums are mixed. They remind me a lot of Echo & the Bunnymen. I think the guitar does too. Trite lyrics as usual though it’s still a track that’ll get you rompin’ around the room.

Checking Out is the next track on This Is Forever. The thumping bass is really infectious and THEN it just kind of goes too low in the mix making the way for some generic synthesizers. While the verse takes a while to build itself up to speed, the chorus of the song… is missing. Maybe it’s just me, but there’s no chorus in this song – the droning verse just goes into a slightly different melody and keeps you bored for the entire six minutes this song almost lasts. The bass-driven bridge is one of this song’s only redeeming factors.

Pretend the World Has Ended is a very 80s song in terms of production. It seems to see the band breaking out of their usual lyrical vein which I can appreciate. I like the lush synth arrangements and steady beat. This track isn’t a stand-out track, but it’s one that seems like it could do a whole lot of growing in a very short time like many of their songs can.

Replacement seems like another single-worthy track with some light synth and guitar in the beginning. The chorus is catchy and sweeping with several synths, bass, and guitar overlapping one another nicely. I think all-in-all this is one of my favorite songs on the record though there’s not much to write about it.

All Those Moments has some quality synth parts going over one another at the beginning and this pleases me. It serves as the album’s second instrumental and is definitely the best instrumental, in my opinion, the band has done to date. Simple, but well-done.

Finally, the track Rachael closes out the sophomore effort of She Wants Revenge. This song has your usual krautrock-esque beat with some overlapping synthesizers for starters. It’s got a pretty solid hook in the chorus and I can definitely see it being a strong closer at live shows for the band. As for closing the album, it is good, but I’m not so sure it would have been the best decision for a closer. Abruptly, the song cuts off at the end leaving you feeling like you wish there was more.

Ok, so overall – do things add up? Is this band the real deal or just some knock-off capitalizing on synth-pop and post-punk sounds for the money? I can’t answer that – are you crazy? Look, it’s not my place to judge that sort of thing, but to look at albums. From what I can tell, this is a solid album. Better than their debut? Hard to tell from early listens, but it’s solid. If nothing else, look at this way. Most bands take years off between records. She Wants Revenge have released two solid albums within a less-than-two-year time span. It may not be perfect, but it’s pretty darn good.

Rating for This Is Forever: 4/5

Matchbox 20 – Exile on Mainstream

Listening to the radio one day I heard How Far We’ve come on the radio. I thought man is this a great song and sat there pondering with my wife who was that singing the song though? Here to my shagrin it was Matchbox 20. I have to admit I’ve never kept a close radar on these guys so I had no idea they were writing music again. I was actually quite interested in hearing their new album but was dissatisfied when I heard it was a greatest hits album, six new songs and their eleven singles. I personally believe that if you are making a greatest hits album it should not be until you have Five plus albums out. Either way I’ll rate the first six songs as they are the new ones put out and the others, well, you know them already if you are a fan of Matchbox 20.

How far we’ve come – This is actually a pretty rockin song by Matchbox 20. I must admit I’m not a huge fanboy of this band but this is probably my favorite song by the band. It has a great riff and lyrics. I think for many people – fan or not will enjoy this song. This is a great lead off song for MB20 on their new album Exile on Mainstream.

I’ll believe you when – This song is yet another poptastic song by the boys of Matchbox 20. As poppy and a chick song as this is it is a different aspect musically from the guys. It is actually a little country sounding riff and a polkaish bass line in my opinion. It sounds like guitar from the 60’s and there are some cool clapping parts of the song. If it wasn’t for the wonderful Top 40 Chick lyrics from Rob this song could’ve been great.

All Your Reasons – This is definitely an unmemorable song for this album. It is your routine Matchbox 20 minus some great background vocals and ewww, ahhhs. I think Matchbox 20 is definitely going for a little more vintage rock sound but are missing it on this track.

These Hard Times – This song is classic Matchbox 20 but for me is the 2nd best song of the 6 new tracks. It is a slow jam but very good lyrics and great vocals by Rob Thomas. He sends across the message of it being Hard Times throughout his song. He really captures what he wrote in his voice. This is definitely a good song.

If I Fall – Vintage Matchbox 20 with some musical twists. They are definitely trying to reinvent their sound a little but it is still there. This one is definitely a catchy tune with the small hook of “If I fallallallallall”. It sticks with you compared to many of the other songs. Another good jam from the guys of MB20.

Can’t Let You Go – This is a different tune from Matchbox 20. Not so much from the lyrics / voice of Rob Thomas but I thought I was listening to a John Mayer song. It has a little bit of a weepy almost bluesish tone to it with a soft piano back track. Over all it is nicely done but I can’t say it is one of my favorites on this track.

Overall, the six new tracks were pleasing musically. They have definitely grown since their last album in 2004 when Rob decided to try his own solo career out. I credit this change musically to the drummer turned guitarist. Their guitarist left the band when Rob went on his own in 2004. After this their drummer went forward and began being the guitarist finding a new drummer for recording / touring. Hopefully these guys will put out a full length studio track instead of adding to their “greatest hits”.

3/5 Stars for Exile on Mainstream

*Special Event* – Andrew Bird Concert

Andrew Bird – Pittsburgh – October 2, 2007

Reviewed By Steve Thompson

Tue 2 Oct – Andrew Bird

So last night I had the pleasure of seeing Andrew Bird at Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh. Wow. He is everything you’d want and more live – fantastic show and possibly in my top 3 of shows I’ve ever seen. Yes, that good.

My memory of the set-list is questionable – he played songs mostly from The Mysterious Production of Eggs and this year’s Armchair Apocrypha. I can’t stress how much I respect him after seeing him – he truly embodies the vibe of pure music. Not only is he competent at every instrument he plays on stage, but the presentation is unbelievable. We’re talking a better sound than on the album probably. My friend Todd who was along commented that his on-stage persona was very mad-professor-esque.

Martin Dosh did a fine job on percussion, but I felt kind of bad for the bassist Andrew had with him on tour. While obvious that he was a talented bass player, he was overshadowed by Bird’s insane looping of violin and guitar tracks. Speaking of looping, Andrew Bird makes the best use of a looping pedal I have ever seen – another Todd-quote from the night was something like If I ever make a film, he’s definitely scoring the thing without a doubt.

Howe Gelb opened for Bird. His music was raw and honest. I could dig it – I’d like to hear more. His stage presence was either just plain off-the-cuff or unprofessionally awkward. I think it was more of the former. Good opener though – you could tell he took his music seriously.

Another great part of Bird’s on-stage ensemble was the rotary speaker. I don’t even know what else to say about it. Oh, he’s also the best damn whistler ever, but if you’re reading this you probably already realized that.

Here’s my weak attempt at a partial set-list (hopefully I will be able to find a complete one soon-ish):

Fiery Crash

A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
Spare-Ohs

Fake Palindromes
Imitosis

Plasticities
Armchairs

Scythian Empires
Opposite Day
Tables and Chairs

*Special Event* – Queens of the Stone Age Concert

Queens of the Stone Age – Pittsburgh – September 28, 2007

Reviewed by Steve Thompson

Fri 28 Sep – Queens of the Stone Age, Dax Riggs

So last night I saw Queens of the Stone Age for the third time in my life. I never planned on seeing them the past three tours – it just so happened that somehow I did. The last time was really only because they were playing at Lollapalooza 2006 and we were there. This time was because my friend who wanted to see them with me the other two times was finally going to see them.

I had never been to the venue before and, I must say, it wasn’t too bad, but it did not suit this band. Seriously, it was a sit-down venue. I will say that this ruined my experience a little bit compared to, say, Bryce Jordan Center in State College, PA where I was rocking out in the front row. Regardless, the band sounded pretty good – better than Lollapalooza and maybe worse than at Bryce Jordan. I really think Josh Homme’s vocals could’ve been higher in the mix – of course, this could have been the crummy seats we had too. The lighting was a real treat and the left/right/top strobes they had alternating were sick.

Something about this band, to me, just isn’t the same since Nick Oliveri’s departure in 2004. Joey Castillo is a freakin’ awesome drummer and Troy can play some amazing riffs, but the two other guys they’ve got on this tour aren’t anything out of this world. You can hardly even compare their current bassist to their past bass player, in my opinion. Homme sounded really good on pretty much every song with the exception of being able to hear the vocals as well as I would’ve liked.

The most disappointing part of the night was when they came out and tore through Song for the Dead for the encore and then… nothing else. Surely, I thought, they would play No One Knows as they had before for the last song. Nope – just one song. And while it was awesome, the encore wasn’t quite enough. I might have had something to do with Josh saying earlier that no one told them the venue had seats and, while everyone there was very nice to them, they would “never play this venue again.” Some stand out moments during the show included the audience sing-along to Make It Wit Chu which Josh commented afterwards that we were “all getting laid tonight.” He also dedicated Little Sister to all the “little sisters” that came to see Hanson play at the venue the night before.Here’s a rough set-list… I don’t think the order is perfect:

Burn the Witch
Misfit Love
Leg of Lamb
Into the Hollow
Battery Acid
Little Sister
Sick Sick Sick
Go With the Flow
3’s and 7’s
Make It Wit Chu
Do It Again
In the Fade
Turnin’ on the Screw
You Would Know
Avon
I Think I Lost My Headache
Song for the Dead

Nightwish – Dark Passion Play

Nightwish’s 2004 release “Once” was a fixture of my car audio rotation for months after its release. The ecclectic mixture of orchestral arrangements, heavy metal guitars and drumming, and Tarja Turunen’s operatic vocals cemented the album as a neccessity for my ears during the later months of that year. Fast forward to 2007, “Once” was extremely successful for the band, they toured over the world in support of it, and, oh yeah, Tarja was expelled from the band in late 2005. As a fan of the band for a couple years, I questioned what the future held for the band after losing part of their signature sound. Well, the new record “Dark Passion Play” is in our hot little hands featuring new vocalist Anette Olzon (formerly of the Swedish band Alyson Avenue). Does “Dark Passion Play” stand up against the band’s back catalog?

Let’s start with “The Poet and The Pendulum” which is the first track on the new record. After roughly two minutes of ambience and instrumentation, we get our first taste of Anette’s vocal stylings over the familiar Nightwish sound (unless you heard the charity single “Eva” beforehand). Throughout the first verse I was apprehensive hearing someone different providing the vocals. As soon as the chorus hit, however, the deal was sealed for this close to 14 minute epic opener. The hook in the chorus will definitely pound into you and relieve any fears you had while listening to the verse. ‘Epic’ is probably the best word to describe this track – as I said, it’s close to 14 minutes in length with several significant changes. Yep, the full orchestra is here along with London Metro Voices Choir. Noticing the length, I can’t help but compare it to “Ghost Love Score” from “Once.” That track was probably the most epic symphonic metal song I have ever heard. Does “The Poet and The Pendulum” steal the thunder from “Ghost Love Score”? Hardly, but it’s a brilliant opener that almost anyone will probably appreciate.

The second track “Bye Bye Beautiful” is obviously about Tarja and her separation from the band. With a short synth swell at the beginning, the choppy heavy rhythm of the track begins – the pace is upbeat and relentless. Bassist Marco Hietala sings “Did you ever listen to what we played? Did you ever let in what the world said?” during the chorus with a lot of enthusiasm ranking up there with the chorus to “Wish I Had An Angel.” So this track is not quite as strong as the opener, but it’s still pretty epic for being a shorter song. Anette tries her hand at a more classical style of singing during the verse and pulls it off quite well. This track is sure to become a concert favorite.

“Amaranth” is the third track and also a single released from the record. Man – it sure is hard not comparing this song to “Wish I Had An Angel” from “Once.” However, while the latter track wandered slightly into pop territory while keeping its dignity, I can’t say I feel the same way about “Amaranth.” However, a lot of my opinion might be from seeing the music video for the song which, though it is cool, is definitely NOT metal. Again, Anette’s vocals still hold up pretty well on this track with several vocal doubling overdubs done for some nice harmonies. The melodies in this song are very well done, but it’s just far too poppy for my personal tastes after hearing songs like “Stargazers” or “Bare Grace Misery” on previous releases from the band.

The forth track “Cadence Of Her Last Breath” starts out with haunting piano and the beast breaks loose around 30 seconds into the song. Man, this song sounds like older Nightwish to me more than the previous track. There’s some nice stand-out drumming on this track from Jukka Nevalainen. The dynamics on this song are very cool ranging from all out heavy to soft and whispery thin. Overall, this song is a grower – at first it may just blend in to the background if you’re doing something, but after several listens, you’ll keep coming back for more. Also worth mentioning is a very nice guitar solo about halfway through the song.

“Master Passion Greed” is the fifth track on the record and, by this time, listeners are probably getting used to hearing Anette on these songs doing vocals. After some chilling synth at the beginning, some speed metal-esque shredding comes in with the double bass drum being used to the full effect. Marco sings the verse with a lot of furious speed leading into an epic chorus that feels like a battle out of Peter Jackson’s Return Of The King film. For whatever reason I really like this song. Maybe it feels like Nightwish is going back more to their roots with this one. Maybe it’s how instrumentally powerful this track is. I can’t say, but I’ll take some more please.

The album’s next track “Eva” was released way back in May just as Anette Olzon was announced as Tarja’s replacement. At the time, I enjoyed the song, but I thought that it was a very bad first release to showcase their new vocalist. I stand by that after hearing the other tracks on this record. The song is a ballad with piano and synth. The lyrics are meaningful and well-written only intensified by the vocal performance (love the subtle harmonies on this one). It’s heartfelt and well-done though, so don’t think for a second that I dislike it. Following up “Master Passion Greed,” it’s a cool change of pace, but as the first single from the album let alone their first with a new vocalist, it’s not that great. In terms of comparing it to their previous slower songs, I think “Eva” shows great musical progression. It may be one of their best slower, ballad tracks.

“Sahara” takes listeners away from the gentle sound of “Eva” and back into heavier territory. As with many Nightwish tracks (specifically several on this album), the introduction is atmospheric and sweeping. A minute in, the crunching guitars begin with vocals and chorus background vocals not far behind. Anette’s range is pretty impressive on this song and I could easily see it being sung by Tarja – Anette rocks it great though! At this point on the record, listeners will probably start to think that she’s a good fit for the band (though I still question how she will do with the old material once they hit the road). Overall, it’s a relatively strong track, but not a stand-out track to me.

The next song reminds me a lot of the band’s older material in some ways, but “Whoever Brings The Night” applies some crazy flanging effect to the lead vocals during certain parts. When the chorus kicks in, the vocals come out clean and offer a catchy hook. This is another track I can see being very energetic in a live setting. It’s fairly short, but a lot of improvisational stuff could be done on the road during the middle parts of the track. As with the previous track, I enjoy this song, but after the first few listens it’s not a stand-out track.

“For The Heart I Once Had” is another slower track with piano, synths, and some rich vocal harmonies. If I had to compare this to “Eva,” I’d say I think it’s probably more of a rocker. It’s hard to say which chorus is catchier, but I think from the get-go, this song’s got a catchier chorus and is generally more poppy than “Eva” is. Fans of the heavier Nightwish songs or the older material will probably not care for this track, but I think it’s a good fit on the album and breaks things up a little bit coming between the heavy “Whoever Brings The Night” and the very unique following track.

Speaking of the next track, it’s called “The Islander.” Marco sings lead vocals on this one too. It’s probably the most atmospheric track on the record and also the most unique. The beginning has some truly beautiful acoustic guitar being played with Marco trading in his usual growl for something that sounds like a sailor relaying a story of his travels after only recently coming back to port. Honestly, my one gripe with this song is that there are points where I think he sounds a lot like Jack Black in Tenacious D. I don’t have a problem with Tenacious D, but I don’t know how well it fits with the rest of the Nightwish catalog. I think listeners will be on the fence with this track. It’s unique and very good, but it will probably turn off a lot of the hardcore fans who won’t think it sounds enough like the band. The track ends with a great celtic flair and more atmospheric ambience transitioning into the album’s only instrumental.

“Last of the Wilds” is the sole instrumental track on “Dark Passion Play” and, wow, is it cool. Other than some grinding, heavy guitar work, it barely sounds like the same band. There’s definitely something that sounds like an electric violin or fiddle being played. The whole vibe of this song reminds me of flying over the green hills of Ireland or something. It’s a shame that this song wasn’t written whenever Braveheart came out, because they would’ve been able to make it fit very well into that film. Epic and unforgettable!

“7 Days To The Wolves” was one of the track titles that stood out in my mind when they first started talking about tracks appearing on the album. The song starts out with a very John Bonham-esque drum beat and some synth. The Metro Voices Choir appear to be present on this track as well. During the chorus, both Anette and Marco share vocal duties providing a nice little duet sung with lots of passion. As with several others on “Dark Passion Play,” this song feels like it should be film score or something. The instrumental bridge that appears halfway through the song is definitely one of the best moments on the record; the electric fiddle or whatever it was makes a comeback briefly. I would say this is one of the stand-out tracks on the new record.

The final track on the record is “Meadows of Heaven.” Hard to believe we’ve almost made it through the whole record, isn’t it? Appropriately so, the final song on the album is a slower song featuring some brilliant string work as well as piano. I like the lyrics in this song as they are very descriptive and I think the vocals are pulled off very well. The song almost has a very gospel-esque feel at several points. Again, there’s a celtic feeling on this track with some tin whistle being played though I can’t say it’s a bad thing as it seems to fit very well with the overall sound of the song. This song, in my opinion, contains one of the best guitar solos on the entire album. A fine closer.

So as a whole, “Dark Passion Play” is a darn good record. At this point, I don’t feel like I can say it’s better than their last. The purists who didn’t like the direction of the last record should probably be careful listening since this album contains even more orchestration and less metal than “Once.” In terms of guitar work, there are a couple memorable solos, but nothing out of this world. Bottom line, this could be the start of something great regardless of Tarja’s departure. “Dark Passion Play” is a very good record and should easily ease anyone’s fears regarding the band’s future output.

4/5 Stars for Dark Passion Play