Mondegreen, noun: A misheard lyric of a song, typically a phrase rather than a single word.
One of the many Tenology posts currently in the works deals with Mondegreens in Rock/Metal music old and new. When assembling this list, I tried to avoid choosing songs with forced misinterpretations that clearly sound nothing like the original lyrics, instead opting for lyrics that are either well known Mondegreens or ones that I've personally misheard over the years.
Underneath each track is an embedded YouTube video that starts just before the Mondegreen in question. However, since videos get taken down every day, I'll also be including a Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post along with the exact time of the Mondegreen for said Spotify track. Again, the time listed in the title is for the Spotify track, NOT the YouTube one.
1. "Paranoid" - Black Sabbath (2:20)
Lyric: "And so as you hear these words, telling you now of my state".
Mondegreen: "And so as you hear these words, telling you now I want my steak".
Of all the lyrics that I've misheard over the years, this is the one that probably surprised (and embarrassed) me the most. I only discovered the real lyrics after singing this song on Rock Band with one of my friends, outing myself as a classless fool who didn't know the real lyrics to a Black Sabbath song. Fortunately, I don't think he gave a shit and my social status remained untouched that day. To be honest, I prefer the delivery of "I want my steak" and will always hear those words when I listen to this song.
2. "Kid Charlemagne" - Steely Dan (3:26)
Lyric: "Careful what you carry".
Mondegreen: "Care for wine, Drew Carey?"
I once read a heated debate in a YouTube comment section as to whether the lyric in a song about drug dealers was about caution when transporting goods to a car or offering the host of Whose Line Is It Anyway a glass of Pino Grigio. It went on for some time and the only purpose it served was allowing me to list it as a Mondegreen some 10 years or so later. Whilst I've never made the mistake of thinking the lyric was genuinely about Drew Carey myself, I can hear both versions when I listen to it.
3. "Turn Up The Radio" - Autograph (1:33)
Lyric: "The only time I turn it down, is when I'm sleeping it off".
Mondegreen: "The only time I turn it down, is when I'm feelin' it up".
Unlike "Paranoid", this Mondegreen is one that I may have made myself but didn't believe was genuine for years. I listened to this song and wasn't sure if he was singing about feeling music up although didn't care enough about the real lyrics enough to do a five second Google search. However, after knowing the correct lyrics, I feel like that's all I can hear now. However, if you find a version of this song with weaker audio quality, you might mishear the lyrics too.
4. "Blinded By The Light" - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (0:11)
Lyric: "Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner...".
Mondegreen: "Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche, another runner...".
Continuing the trend of alternating personal Mondegreens with fairly well known ones, this song contains arguably one of the most common Mondegreens in existence. I mean, just listen to it! They must've heard the chorus after recording it and thought "Hmmm, that kinda sounds like we're talking about wrapping up douches. Should we do another take?" before deciding to take an early lunch instead. Ah well, at least this isn't the band's signature song or anything...
5. "Footloose" - Kenny Loggins (2:37)
Lyric: "Gotta take the hold of all".
Mondegreen: "I'll take the whole of Rome".
Another Mondegreen that I only believed because I couldn't figure out what the actual lyrics were when I first heard this song. I can't remember exactly why but at some point in my youth, I was typing out all the lyrics to this song and didn't have the common sense to simply Google the lyrics...so I tried to work it out phonetically and needless to say, ended up very confused. Now I know the actual words, I can hear "all" instead of "Rome" but you have to admit, the first part of the line still doesn't sound quite right.
6. "Hate Not Gone" - Stone Sour (2:10)
Lyric: "My Hell is running cold".
Mondegreen: "My Elvis wouldn't go".
This is one that I've coined but every time I hear this song, whenever it gets to the line before the chorus, I always hear "My Elvis wouldn't go". This line appears throughout the entire song but I've selected the line that I believe sounds the funniest when you imagine Corey Taylor lamenting the fact that his personal King Of Rock wouldn't do what he wanted. This isn't a well known song so I doubt this is a popular Mondegreen but of all the ones on the list, it's probably one of the easiest ones to hear.
7. "(You Can Still) Rock In America" - Night Ranger (1:23)
Lyric: "Not a sound as she makes her getaway".
Mondegreen: "Not a sound as she Mexican waves".
This is a Mondegreen that I genuinely thought was the actual lyric until I played this song on Clone Hero recently and saw the words "makes her getaway" instead of "Mexican waves". Granted, the actual lyric makes a hell of a lot more sense in the context of the song but I didn't dispute the idea of this fictional character figuratively (or literally) performing a Mexican wave in dead silence. Why? Not entirely sure although I can still hear both versions of the lyric when I listen to this song.
8. "Creeping Death" - Metallica (1:24)
Lyric: "So let it be written, so let it be done".
Mondegreen: "So let me retire, so let me die".
Whilst both lyrics are suitably badass for this absolute beast of a song, I personally prefer the version that I misheard when I first listened to this song. Since the song was called "Creeping Death", I think I naturally assumed the chorus would be about dying. However, some years after hearing it, I discovered that it was actually someone giving orders, kinda like the rest of the song. Should've figured it out but ah well, it's still a fucking great tune.
9. "La Dee Da" - Foo Fighters (0:18)
Lyric: "Jim Jones painting in a blue bedroom".
Mondegreen: "Chimp Trump's bleeding in a blue bedroom
When I first heard this song, I couldn't quite make out the lyrics and assumed it was about Trump due to Dave Grohl's unhappiness with American culture around the time of the album's conception. That and the previous line referring to the White House. Admittedly this isn't a well known Mondegreen (as far as I know) but don't worry, the last one's a bit more infamous.
10. "Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival (1:47)
Lyric: "I ain't no military son".
Mondegreen: "I ain't no milk terrorist's son".
Again, I quite like the term "milk terrorist" but I only discovered the true lyrics after a radio DJ also confessed to getting the lyrics incorrect when they listened to it. Even though I can sort of hear "military son" when I really listen for it, "milk terrorist's son" just sounds more natural. Song's still great, though.
Are there any well known or lesser known but equally amusing Mondegreens in Rock/Metal I've missed? Let me know via Twitter or in the comment section, as I'm probably gonna do another one of these posts in the future if I can find enough examples.
Showing posts with label Foo Fighters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foo Fighters. Show all posts
Thursday, 16 August 2018
Friday, 10 August 2018
Rapid Fire: Black Stone Cherry, The Offspring, Foo Fighters
Recently, I went to visit family and had to spend five hours driving from my house to theirs. Before setting off, I grabbed three CDs from my collection that I hadn't listened to for the car journey and once I arrived, decided to write a blog post discussing each album. So yeah, that's the theme for this month's Rapid Fire post. Not genres, not decades, just three albums I listened to whilst travelling alone on the motorway.
1. Magic Mountain - Black Stone Cherry
The first album I listened to was easily the best although don't mistake that for me saying it was a great album overall. Magic Mountain has some decent Hard Rock tracks but more often than not, the songs were built on uninspired riffs and generic Black Stone Cherry material. Album opener "Holding On...To Letting Go" starts off with a great rhythm and some decent riffing but regrettably the band make their classic mistake of letting things slow down for no good reason in the middle. It's a shame too as the guitar solo's pretty good, although changing the rhythm in the middle of a song by slowing it down rarely ever works unless you're a Prog Metal band and even then, it's never worth it.
The slower sections of the album come in the form of drug themed tracks such as "Peace Pipe", "Me And Mary Jane" and "Blow My Mind". Similar to some of the material off the latest albums by The Sword, I get the impression that the chilled, Southern Groove behind each of these songs sounds better when 'blazing up' as all the hip kids say. Since I was behind the wheel at the time of listening to these tracks, I can't confirm or deny that theory but what I can confirm is that unlike other Black Stone Cherry albums I've listened to, this album has songs I would love to listen to again such as 70s throwback and title track "Magic Mountain" and emotionally charged album closer "Remember Me", even if it does go on way too long.
The stronger aspects of the record, as always, are the dynamic riffs and heavy grooves whereas I felt myself tuning out during the slower, whinier numbers ("Sometimes") and gimmicky filler tracks straight outta shit-kicker, cousin-fucker county ("Hollywood In Kentucky"). All in all though, it's a complete album that didn't feel like it was playing it too safe or recycling material (unlike another album I'll be discussing lower down). I recommend Magic Mountain to fans of Hard/Southern Rock although don't set your standards too high.
1. Magic Mountain - Black Stone Cherry
The first album I listened to was easily the best although don't mistake that for me saying it was a great album overall. Magic Mountain has some decent Hard Rock tracks but more often than not, the songs were built on uninspired riffs and generic Black Stone Cherry material. Album opener "Holding On...To Letting Go" starts off with a great rhythm and some decent riffing but regrettably the band make their classic mistake of letting things slow down for no good reason in the middle. It's a shame too as the guitar solo's pretty good, although changing the rhythm in the middle of a song by slowing it down rarely ever works unless you're a Prog Metal band and even then, it's never worth it.
The slower sections of the album come in the form of drug themed tracks such as "Peace Pipe", "Me And Mary Jane" and "Blow My Mind". Similar to some of the material off the latest albums by The Sword, I get the impression that the chilled, Southern Groove behind each of these songs sounds better when 'blazing up' as all the hip kids say. Since I was behind the wheel at the time of listening to these tracks, I can't confirm or deny that theory but what I can confirm is that unlike other Black Stone Cherry albums I've listened to, this album has songs I would love to listen to again such as 70s throwback and title track "Magic Mountain" and emotionally charged album closer "Remember Me", even if it does go on way too long.
The stronger aspects of the record, as always, are the dynamic riffs and heavy grooves whereas I felt myself tuning out during the slower, whinier numbers ("Sometimes") and gimmicky filler tracks straight outta shit-kicker, cousin-fucker county ("Hollywood In Kentucky"). All in all though, it's a complete album that didn't feel like it was playing it too safe or recycling material (unlike another album I'll be discussing lower down). I recommend Magic Mountain to fans of Hard/Southern Rock although don't set your standards too high.
1. Holding On...To Letting Go
2. Peace Pipe
3. Bad Luck & Hard Love
4. Me And Mary Jane
5. Runaway
6. Magic Mountain
7. Never Surrender
8. Blow My Mind
9. Sometimes
10. Fiesta Del Fuego
11. Dance Girl
12. Hollywood In Kentucky
13. Remember Me
ALBUM RATING - 6/10
Next up is an album by Pop Punk champions The Offspring!
2. Americana - The Offspring
Don't let the album artwork fool you; this album isn't even the remotest bit interesting. Released in 1998 and after the band's much better albums Smash and Ixnay On The Hombre (not to mention before Conspiracy Of One, also a better album), Americana is supposed to be the band's statement on life in America from the band's youthful perspective but ends up sounding like weaker versions of material we've already heard before. Album opener "Welcome/Have You Ever" has the same rhythm, the same guitarwork and the same basic vocal structure as your typical Offspring track only it lacks that special spark. Possibly because the band try to add more progressive elements to their aggressive Pop Punk and it simply doesn't work.
Whilst there are some instances of tracks working perfectly as they are ("The Kids Aren't Alright", "Staring At The Sun"), the majority of songs on the album trip and fall over themselves. For example, lead single "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" has an amazing chorus and some fine guitar/vocal work, not to mention decent Latin influences. Unfortunately, it's ruined by the obnoxious "GIVVIT TO ME BAY-BEEEE, UH-HUH UH-HUH" throughout. If that vocal melody was played on guitar instead, this would've been an album highlight. There's also album closer "Pay The Man", a song originally intended to be on the previous album but was left off because they felt like it didn't belong. That was a smart decision, unlike the decision to make it eight-minutes long and easily forgettable. That was a dumb decision.
Ultimately, you'll probably enjoy this album if you haven't heard their previous work, similar to how you probably think Die Hard 4.0 is awesome if you haven't seen the first or second one. Americana is surplus goods and the Pop Punk filler tracks are old news at this point. Even the singles are dull or flawed to the point that they're not enjoyable (apart from "The Kids Aren't Alright"). You don't really stand to gain anything from listening to this entire album that you couldn't get elsewhere and the fact that the band's next album moved towards more conventional Rock than their brand of Skater Punk tells you that at least one member of the band felt like Americana showed warning signs of the band going stale.
1. Welcome
2. How Are You
3. Staring At The Sun
4. Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)
5. The Kids Aren't Alright
6. Feelings
7. She's Got Issues
8. Walla Walla
9. The End Of The Line
10. No Brakes
11. Why Don't You Get A Job
12. Americana
13. Pay The Man
14. Pretty Fly (Reprise)
ALBUM RATING - 3/10
And last but certainly least, we have Dave Grohl "experimenting"!
3. There Is Nothing Left To Lose - Foo Fighters
I fucking hate this album. It's generic, depressing, repetitive and possibly worst of all, it feels like Dave Grohl knew exactly what he was doing. The first three songs are completely different to the rest of the album and unsurprisingly, those three songs are the ones that are (semi) popular Foos tracks. Album opener "Stacked Actors" sports a great riff, an explosive chorus, a decent guitar solo and some classic Grohl vocals. Following close behind is "Breakout", another proper Rock song with Dave letting loose throughout. However, once we reach "Learn To Fly", a mediocre but passable radio friendly song designed to sound as commercial as possible, everything goes downhill.
The rest of the album contains guitar riffs that sound like they were written in about 10 seconds ("Live-In Skin", "Headwires"), percussion that would nudge coma patients onto the next mortal plain of existence ("Ain't It The Life", "Aurora") and vocals with all the energy and passion of an insurance salesman humming TV ad jingles whilst waiting for a bus ("M.I.A.", "Next Year"). It's almost as if Grohl didn't have much confidence in what he was doing so decided to start the album off with his three favourite songs so that people would hear the first few tracks and mistake There's Nothing Left To Lose for a Rock album.
This is the kind of album I'd imagine pretentious, hipster douches listening to because of how sensitive and non-threatening this "Rock" music is; your Zach Braffs, your Simon Neils, etc. If you're one of them, go knock yourselves out. Literally, knock yourselves out because your taste is awful and unwanted. Do not listen to this album, there are literally hundreds of better modern Rock records that don't sound phoned in or misleading. I've criticised Queens Of The Stone Age material due to how the mix of soft vocals and aggressively fuzzy guitar/bass tones does not work but I'll take Josh Homme's audio jizzrag over Dave Grohl's, if this album's anything to go by.
1. Stacked Actors
2. Breakout
3. Learn To Fly
4. Gimme Stitches
5. Generator
6. Aurora
7. Live-In Skin
8. Next Year
9. Headwires
10. Ain't It The Life
11. M.I.A.
ALBUM RATING - 2/10
COMING SOON: Tenology posts and more NEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWS.
Friday, 25 May 2018
Here Is The News!
Another month where I let the backlog of posts I need to write get too high but hey, at least I'm kicking this month off with a brand new post format: Here Is The News (working title)!
I tend to write about Rock/Metal albums, songs and soundtracks with a few opinion posts splashed about here and there but I rarely cover real world events happening in the world of Rock/Metal (e.g. new album releases, tours, deaths, etc). That's where these posts come in...sort of.
You see, I could tell you about real world events in the world of music but chances are, you would be able to find this information out at any decent music site with far more informative details and links to quotes/sources/fancy images. So here's where the differences start: each section of these posts will be spoof articles based around real world events. The main aim of this is to have a laugh at the events happening in the world of Rock/Metal whilst also informing you about certain genuine stories that you may or may not already know. Whether it works or not will be for time to tell but I'm excited about giving it a go, seeing as how it's more creative than just covering stuff that people have already written about with no personal inflection.
Anyway, time for the first broadcast!
After what feels like many long, long decades of anticipation, the original lineup of Guns N' Roses have made an exciting announcement that has shocked the entire Rock community. Axl Rose, lead vocalist of the 80s and briefly 90s Hard Rock outfit, has finally given birth to the gigantic turd he's been holding since 1986.
This announcement came shortly after the band made the page just before the sports section with their cryptic tease of various billboards reading "Destruction Is Coming", presumably designed to trick people into thinking an original lineup album or tour would be announced (pictured left). Instead, the band announced a reissue of their debut, Appetite For Destruction, an album that's been readily available at literally every record store and digital streaming site for the last 31 years. However, there are also new demos of a handful of unreleased tracks that were left off the original album for a reason.
Two weeks after the official announcement was made, Axl was rushed into hospital to finally push out the faecal log growing inside him. After several days slaving away squatting over an industrial sized toilet, Axl finally made the push that fans have been anticipating ever since they realised the build-up of shit inside him was affecting his performance as a vocalist. One hardcore fan, who wishes to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying "I'm glad he finally got it out of him. I was first worried about his health when I heard him vocally straining during "Knockin' On Heaven's Door". The man clearly had something causing intestinal pressure up inside him so I'm relieved he finally sorted it out, although probably not as relieved as him...or his bandmates". A female fan under the age of 18 wearing a classic Appetite For Destruction T-shirt was also quoted as saying "Who's Axl?".
Now that Axl has finally given birth to the behemoth turd inside his belly, it's expected that Axl can finally start behaving like a functioning person instead of a troubled diva. No longer will Axl force fans to wait hours for him to reach the stage due to labour pains and false alarms. No longer will band and crew members have to endure the stench of Axl's chud emerging whenever he bends over or opens his mouth. No longer will Axl's stylist have to stealthily replace his wardrobe with plus sized clothing to accommodate his growing frame and avoid hurting his feelings.
Thankfully, those days are behind us and Axl Rose can start showing us what he's truly capable of; hundreds of people cannot wait.
I tend to write about Rock/Metal albums, songs and soundtracks with a few opinion posts splashed about here and there but I rarely cover real world events happening in the world of Rock/Metal (e.g. new album releases, tours, deaths, etc). That's where these posts come in...sort of.
You see, I could tell you about real world events in the world of music but chances are, you would be able to find this information out at any decent music site with far more informative details and links to quotes/sources/fancy images. So here's where the differences start: each section of these posts will be spoof articles based around real world events. The main aim of this is to have a laugh at the events happening in the world of Rock/Metal whilst also informing you about certain genuine stories that you may or may not already know. Whether it works or not will be for time to tell but I'm excited about giving it a go, seeing as how it's more creative than just covering stuff that people have already written about with no personal inflection.
Anyway, time for the first broadcast!
AXL'S HOT NEW RELEASE
After what feels like many long, long decades of anticipation, the original lineup of Guns N' Roses have made an exciting announcement that has shocked the entire Rock community. Axl Rose, lead vocalist of the 80s and briefly 90s Hard Rock outfit, has finally given birth to the gigantic turd he's been holding since 1986.
Two weeks after the official announcement was made, Axl was rushed into hospital to finally push out the faecal log growing inside him. After several days slaving away squatting over an industrial sized toilet, Axl finally made the push that fans have been anticipating ever since they realised the build-up of shit inside him was affecting his performance as a vocalist. One hardcore fan, who wishes to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying "I'm glad he finally got it out of him. I was first worried about his health when I heard him vocally straining during "Knockin' On Heaven's Door". The man clearly had something causing intestinal pressure up inside him so I'm relieved he finally sorted it out, although probably not as relieved as him...or his bandmates". A female fan under the age of 18 wearing a classic Appetite For Destruction T-shirt was also quoted as saying "Who's Axl?".
Thankfully, those days are behind us and Axl Rose can start showing us what he's truly capable of; hundreds of people cannot wait.
DAVE GROHL DOES IT AGAIN
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl once again proved how likeable and fun he is by not only judging a BBQ contest in Memphis, Tennessee, but also rescuing a family of kittens from a burning building.
Dave Grohl (pictured left) has always come across as a genuine, warm, funny and talented person but it wasn't until this particular act of kindness that people believed this about him even more. It all started when Dave was chatting with fans about his favourite types of chips; that's when he heard the screaming. A nearby hospital had erupted into flames due to an unforeseen incident with an oxygen tank and a misplaced defibrillator, placing thousands of lives at risk. It was at that moment that Dave Grohl put down his beer and leapt into action.
Onlookers claim that Dave vaulted over various parked cars before smashing through one of the windows on the ground floor and making his way up to the blaze. Whilst it's unknown exactly what Dave did inside the building, he soon emerged carrying not only several patients but also a basket full of kittens that had presumably been brought to the hospital for positive reasons. Once he took the kittens and smoke-damaged patients to safety, Dave rushed back in and continued to do his best to fight the fire. It's reported that even after the firefighters and trained professionals arrived, Dave insisted on being at the front of the operation even though he happened to be wearing highly flammable clothing at the time and was currently going through back problems that day.
One of the firefighters who let Dave take control and do their job for them would later state "it's not something that we'd ordinarily do but Dave really wanted to be in charge and, I mean, come on. It's Dave Grohl; I'm not gonna say no to him, even if he isn't the right man for the job and probably would've been better suited at the back with everyone who needed water and funny anecdotes about the guys from Metallica". When asked to comment on the incident, members of the band Foo Fighters released the following statement: "We think Dave Grohl did an awesome thing and have no doubt in our minds that he is the greatest Rock frontman in recent history. We wrote this ourselves".
After the fire had been put out, Dave Grohl returned to the party to continue having fun for the rest of the day, offering no comment on the incident because he's a nice guy. The Foo Fighters are touring this year where they're expected to play a mix of classics and new songs off their latest LP, Concrete And Gold. At the time of writing this article, the album is still godawful.
NU-METAL ARRESTED
The entire genre Nu-Metal has caused quite the scene after being arrested for committing criminal acts including GBH, loitering and animal cruelty.
The 25-year old style of music was heard blaring out of a car as they drove past a playground, causing serious damage to the cochlea of anyone who had the misfortune of being within earshot of "Bodies" - Drowning Pool and "Nookie" - Limp Bizkit (pictured left). If things weren't already bad enough, the car had to come to a stop at nearby traffic lights, meaning the exposure to this hazardous content lasted for over 30 seconds. A mother at the playground claimed "it was the most horrendous thing I've ever heard. Whoever thought Rap and Rock should mix should take a long, hard look at themselves". Rick Rubin has been unavailable for comment.
Another parent had to take their child to a nearby hospital to have their ears syringed, although unfortunately the hospital was on fire at the time so the child could not purge their head of the thudding noise. When asked about the incident, the parent said "Why does the genre think it can get away with this kind of behaviour? This might have been acceptable in the mid-2000s when it was still in its teenage years but the time has come for Nu-Metal to stop this reckless attitude and mature into either Hip Hop or Heavy Metal".
The genre was last heard as the car pulled up outside the driver's address, just opposite a gathering of pigeons who would become so damaged by the sound of the generic riffs and terrible lyrics that their brains partially shut down, rendering them even dumber than before. These brain damaged pigeons (pictured right) were last seen wearing camo-trousers and getting face tattoos. Animal welfare agents did their best to aid the creatures, one of which later stating "this is the most emotionally devastating case I've dealt with since swine flu and even then, I didn't have to relive the embarrassment that was music in the late 90s".
Nu-Metal was arrested and charged in the early hours of the morning after it was found broadcasting on Kerrang during a three hour celebration of edgy music videos involving bands playing in empty warehouses. It's expected that Nu-Metal will be put away for a long time although exactly how long is unknown. However, if the cases of The People vs. Hair Metal or Hard Rock vs. Grunge are anything to go by, Nu-Metal will never see the light of day again.
That's the end of the news for this month! I'll be back with another broadcast in June but first, I've got about three other posts for May to catch up on.
Another parent had to take their child to a nearby hospital to have their ears syringed, although unfortunately the hospital was on fire at the time so the child could not purge their head of the thudding noise. When asked about the incident, the parent said "Why does the genre think it can get away with this kind of behaviour? This might have been acceptable in the mid-2000s when it was still in its teenage years but the time has come for Nu-Metal to stop this reckless attitude and mature into either Hip Hop or Heavy Metal".
Nu-Metal was arrested and charged in the early hours of the morning after it was found broadcasting on Kerrang during a three hour celebration of edgy music videos involving bands playing in empty warehouses. It's expected that Nu-Metal will be put away for a long time although exactly how long is unknown. However, if the cases of The People vs. Hair Metal or Hard Rock vs. Grunge are anything to go by, Nu-Metal will never see the light of day again.
That's the end of the news for this month! I'll be back with another broadcast in June but first, I've got about three other posts for May to catch up on.
Sunday, 31 December 2017
Tenology: My Ten Favourite Rock/Metal Songs Of 2017
It's not been that long since I did a Tenology post but it's been an entire year since I did one of these specific posts! 2016 was a shitshow and let's face it, 2017 wasn't that much better. It may have been an amazing year for video games (the best since 2009, in my opinion) but it's been a bit weak for Rock/Metal albums. Most of the albums I've reviewed from this year have been average or weak with only a few standout strong entries but fortunately, there have been several brilliant album tracks and singles to list here.
As I've done in the past, this post isn't a reflection of the Top 10 songs of the year ranked according to sales, fan reception or even my personal opinion. Yes, I've chosen these songs based on my opinion and taste but I'm not listing them in any particular order. They're just ten songs I liked more than anything else I heard this year. If I've missed anything that you think I'd like or should at least draw attention to in the Honourable Mentions section later on, feel free to leave a comment or message me via Twitter.
But now it's time to find out which songs I enjoyed this year in between playing video games and being depressed!
1. "La Dee Da" - Foo Fighters
One of the big album releases this year was Concrete And Gold - Foo Fighters. If you didn't read my review of it, all you really need to know is it's terrible. It's a tepid affair full of bland, easily forgettable material...except the one track that stands out. "La Dee Da" is a fast paced proper Rock song that blows all the cobwebs of boredom formed by the gloomy Alternative dirge away. Granted it comes in the middle of the album so those cobwebs form again pretty quickly but it's still the highlight of the record and, in a year where great music was somewhat lacking, it's enough to make this list.
2. "She's $$$" - Kenny Wayne Shepherd
I feel like each year has to have at least one really good Blues Rock number and 2017 is no exception. Kenny Wayne Shepherd provided us with a track that took the rhythmic foundations of "Call Me The Breeze" - J.J. Cale and added some fancy instrumental sections, heavier percussion and new lyrics before presenting us with a catchy tune to tap your feet to. I'll even excuse the seemingly pointless use of "$$$" in the title when "She's Money" would've looked much better!
3. "Nowhere" - Cheap Trick
No, this isn't a track off Cheap Trick's mediocre Christmas album. It's off another album they released this year entitled We're All Alright that I neglected to review or even listen to. There may be better songs off the album but this one's not half bad. It's a punchy number that harks back to their early days as a rough-edged Rock outfit before they turned up the charm and churned out Dream Police. It's only a short tune but it's still an enjoyable one!
4. "Heavy Fire" - Black Star Riders
Whilst my favourite song off the latest Black Star Riders album came out last year, "Heavy Fire" is a close second which makes it number one for this year. It opens up with a thunderous riff before the rest of the band explode onto the scene and it only gets better from there. This is the kind of song that opens live shows with all guns blazing and I don't just mean shows promoting this album; this could be one of the band's most badass songs! It's just a shame they had to slow things down with an awkward middle section before bringing it back around with a heavy reprise but hey, at least they got 2/3 of the song spot on!
5. "Who's The (Bat) Man" - Patrick Stump
I'm not sure whether this technically counts (as it was a track on the soundtrack for The Lego Batman Movie) but since it functions as a song, I'm including it. Plus it's arguably heavier/more awesome than the majority of tracks in this post! If you haven't seen The Lego Batman Movie, it opens with an action scene involving Batman fighting all of his villains whilst rocking out to his Let's Go Nuts mix, featuring this song that he sings and apparently plays the guitar solo for too. It amplifies everything great about the scene in a way that's not only hilarious but also pretty damn epic, if you'll pardon the term. But here's the biggest surprise: the song is credited to Patrick Stump, lead vocalist/guitarist for Fall Out Boy. Yeah, the frontman for Fall Out Boy had this material up his fucking sleeve but instead resorts to whiny Emo shite for fake tattoo-sleeve wearing twelve year olds.
6. "The Last Song For My Resting Place" - Black Country Communion
I've heard a few decent Black Country Communion tracks but I'm making the active decision to not get into them on account of my personal hatred for Glenn Hughes. From what I hear, it's not just me who has a problem with him as Black Country Communion previously called it quits after a dispute between Glenn and guitarist, Joe Bonamassa. However, since then, they've decided to patch things up and record another album which speaks volumes about Joe's ability to forgive as there's no reason he needs to pause his solo career just to appease an egotistical tosser who's desperately trying to prove he's as talented as he thinks he is. Anyway, I listened to the album recently and it's passable at best. There are a couple of solid tracks including "The Crow", a song that shamelessly rips off "Bulls On Parade" - Rage Against The Machine but gets a pass from me purely because they made that RATM track better. However, "The Last Song For My Resting Place" is easily the highlight. It's an eight-minute emotional powerhouse that puts Glenn exactly where he needs to be; right at the back propping up a much more talented vocalist/musician (Joe Bonamassa) with bass and backing vocals.
7. "The Way You Used To Do" - Queens Of The Stone Age
The Foos weren't the only big American Rock band to release a new album this year! Queens Of The Stone Age delivered a new record with heavy Pop influences but still firmly in the Rock genre (review here). This song was the lead single and is probably the most enjoyable track out of the bunch, even if there are other tracks that are decent too. Josh Homme's guitarwork is relatively simplistic but when paired with the catchy rhythm, it's enough to carry the song from start to finish. I was torn between this track and "The Evil Has Landed", as that's another strong tune from Villains, but I went with this purely because I've found myself wanting to listen to it more than anything else off the album this year.
8. "(She Don't) Gimme No Lovin'" - King King
OK, this song would never top conventional Best Rock Songs Of 2017 lists on account of it being a little uninspired compared to some of the singles released this year but that's part of what makes it enjoyable. It's a good old fashioned Hard Rock track that sounds like it's cherry picked elements of Rock's biggest artists from the 70s and 80s, much like the song from School Of Rock that combined elements from AC/DC tracks to make an all-round crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike. This song feels like that without becoming tame so here it is!
9. "Taking The Blame" - Inglorious
From a paint-by-numbers "Rock" song to this hellraiser, Inglorious have good track record with fast paced, high octane Hard Rock so I wasn't surprised to hear another belter from them this year. I should really check their two albums out but for now, we're all presumably in the same boat of not really knowing an awful lot about them. Fans of my blog will know I'm a sucker for Riff-Based-Rock that doesn't take prisoners so "Taking The Blame" well and truly belongs on my list, although I'd like to give a special shout out to Phil Beaver for some cracking percussion in this song.
10. "Buccaneers Of Hispaniola" - The Darkness
Well shit, I've done it again. I've left my favourite song until last even though I said I wasn't going to do any kind of ranking. Pinewood Smile was easily my favourite album of the year and out of all the songs I loved on it (believe me, there were several I was tempted to include), "Buccaneers Of Hispaniola" is the one I played most of all. Opinions on falsetto singing and comical lyrics aside, The Darkness have proven in the last couple of years that they know how to record a bitchin' tune when they want to and that's exactly what this song is. It's loaded with heavy riffs, sweet solos and awesome vocals. It's the kind of song that wouldn't sound out of place blasted from the heavens as you stormed into the most epic of battles and even though I would probably prefer it a little more if I could slightly tweak the outro vocals (where Justin sings "BUUUH, BUUUH, BUH-BUH, BUH, BUH BUUUUUCCANEERS!"), I doubt I will ever get tired of listening to this, the shining jewel of 2017's contribution to Rock/Metal.
So that's it for 2017...OR IS IT? Of course it fucking isn't! There are still Honourable Mentions to plough through! Here are five songs I almost included before they fell at the last hurdle...or in this immediate case, the first:
"Friends Are Family" - Oh, Hush feat. Will Arnett & Jeff Lewis
Another song off the soundtrack for The Lego Batman Movie. This is played during the closing credits and whilst you could argue that it may fall into the Pop Rock category, I decided to omit it from the main list because I felt like it was a little too close to Pop. However, I still love it to bits. It pisses all over "Everything Is Awesome" from The Lego Movie and actually does a solid job of echoing one of the film's main themes through a catchy chorus and a neat solo played by Alfred the butler...what, it is. Go watch the film and see!
"Head Like A Haunted House" - Queens Of The Stone Age
Yeah, I know I said I was torn between the dancey one and "The Evil Has Landed" but remember, these are Honourable Mentions, not an extension of my ten choices. I've already mentioned that song so now I'm mentioning this one! Villains had an eclectic mix of styles but this song stood out as one with a bit more character than the rest. It's wacky, sure, but it reminds me of 70s Punk what with the amplified bass and kooky sound effects. It's also a fun title, which is somewhat of an anomaly on a QOTSA album. I didn't include this in the main list for the same reason I didn't include "The Evil Has Landed"; I preferred "The Way You Used To Do". Plain and simple.
"Heartland" - Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
This one's a bit of a late entry but it just made it in at the last minute. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite good enough for me to make the main list but it's still got some strong attributes such as the heavy fuzz and talented Mr Bryant. I don't know if I like the vocals during the chorus to say whether this song will make a stronger impression on me than some of the other songs I've heard this year but at the current time of writing this post, I like the track.
"Southern Trains" - The Darkness
As I said earlier, there were several tracks from Pinewood Smile that could've made this list but only one that I felt deserved an Honourable Mention. For those of you reading this in the UK who have ever been burdened by delayed trains, wasted hours in shitawful stations, disgusting toilets and cramped conditions due to annoying passengers you'd rather stab repeatedly than stand up for, this is the song for you. It's a celebration of everything terrible about the Southern train service in this country packaged as a fast paced Hard Rock/Heavy Metal number in vintage Darkness fashion. Enjoy!
"Thunder Child" - The Bad Flowers
Lastly, we have what I would describe as a solid filler track out of all 15 songs included here. It's got a good riff and a fun rhythm but it just doesn't land as well as the others for me. Maybe that's because I haven't given it as much of a chance as the others on this list although you could argue that songs like "Buccaneers Of Hispaniola" and "Heavy Fire" did more to grab me by the short and curlies straight away, therefore having my full attention for the rest of the track. It's not a bad song and it might even be one of your favourites if you like standard Rock but for now, it's only worthy of an Honourable Mention from me.
And THAT is it for this blog in 2017. We've had some fun moments now and then (ABCs of Producers was a personal highlight) but the next time you'll be reading anything new on here will be 2018...unless you're spending your New Year's Eve going back over some of my older posts that you haven't read yet. If that is the case, I can't say I blame you; NYE is fucking shit and my blog's pretty underrated so it's only natural that you'd rather spend your last day of 2017 reading my unchained opinions on Rock/Metal instead of spending it partying with friends and family.
See you all on the other side!
As I've done in the past, this post isn't a reflection of the Top 10 songs of the year ranked according to sales, fan reception or even my personal opinion. Yes, I've chosen these songs based on my opinion and taste but I'm not listing them in any particular order. They're just ten songs I liked more than anything else I heard this year. If I've missed anything that you think I'd like or should at least draw attention to in the Honourable Mentions section later on, feel free to leave a comment or message me via Twitter.
But now it's time to find out which songs I enjoyed this year in between playing video games and being depressed!
1. "La Dee Da" - Foo Fighters
One of the big album releases this year was Concrete And Gold - Foo Fighters. If you didn't read my review of it, all you really need to know is it's terrible. It's a tepid affair full of bland, easily forgettable material...except the one track that stands out. "La Dee Da" is a fast paced proper Rock song that blows all the cobwebs of boredom formed by the gloomy Alternative dirge away. Granted it comes in the middle of the album so those cobwebs form again pretty quickly but it's still the highlight of the record and, in a year where great music was somewhat lacking, it's enough to make this list.
2. "She's $$$" - Kenny Wayne Shepherd
I feel like each year has to have at least one really good Blues Rock number and 2017 is no exception. Kenny Wayne Shepherd provided us with a track that took the rhythmic foundations of "Call Me The Breeze" - J.J. Cale and added some fancy instrumental sections, heavier percussion and new lyrics before presenting us with a catchy tune to tap your feet to. I'll even excuse the seemingly pointless use of "$$$" in the title when "She's Money" would've looked much better!
3. "Nowhere" - Cheap Trick
No, this isn't a track off Cheap Trick's mediocre Christmas album. It's off another album they released this year entitled We're All Alright that I neglected to review or even listen to. There may be better songs off the album but this one's not half bad. It's a punchy number that harks back to their early days as a rough-edged Rock outfit before they turned up the charm and churned out Dream Police. It's only a short tune but it's still an enjoyable one!
4. "Heavy Fire" - Black Star Riders
Whilst my favourite song off the latest Black Star Riders album came out last year, "Heavy Fire" is a close second which makes it number one for this year. It opens up with a thunderous riff before the rest of the band explode onto the scene and it only gets better from there. This is the kind of song that opens live shows with all guns blazing and I don't just mean shows promoting this album; this could be one of the band's most badass songs! It's just a shame they had to slow things down with an awkward middle section before bringing it back around with a heavy reprise but hey, at least they got 2/3 of the song spot on!
5. "Who's The (Bat) Man" - Patrick Stump
I'm not sure whether this technically counts (as it was a track on the soundtrack for The Lego Batman Movie) but since it functions as a song, I'm including it. Plus it's arguably heavier/more awesome than the majority of tracks in this post! If you haven't seen The Lego Batman Movie, it opens with an action scene involving Batman fighting all of his villains whilst rocking out to his Let's Go Nuts mix, featuring this song that he sings and apparently plays the guitar solo for too. It amplifies everything great about the scene in a way that's not only hilarious but also pretty damn epic, if you'll pardon the term. But here's the biggest surprise: the song is credited to Patrick Stump, lead vocalist/guitarist for Fall Out Boy. Yeah, the frontman for Fall Out Boy had this material up his fucking sleeve but instead resorts to whiny Emo shite for fake tattoo-sleeve wearing twelve year olds.
6. "The Last Song For My Resting Place" - Black Country Communion
I've heard a few decent Black Country Communion tracks but I'm making the active decision to not get into them on account of my personal hatred for Glenn Hughes. From what I hear, it's not just me who has a problem with him as Black Country Communion previously called it quits after a dispute between Glenn and guitarist, Joe Bonamassa. However, since then, they've decided to patch things up and record another album which speaks volumes about Joe's ability to forgive as there's no reason he needs to pause his solo career just to appease an egotistical tosser who's desperately trying to prove he's as talented as he thinks he is. Anyway, I listened to the album recently and it's passable at best. There are a couple of solid tracks including "The Crow", a song that shamelessly rips off "Bulls On Parade" - Rage Against The Machine but gets a pass from me purely because they made that RATM track better. However, "The Last Song For My Resting Place" is easily the highlight. It's an eight-minute emotional powerhouse that puts Glenn exactly where he needs to be; right at the back propping up a much more talented vocalist/musician (Joe Bonamassa) with bass and backing vocals.
7. "The Way You Used To Do" - Queens Of The Stone Age
The Foos weren't the only big American Rock band to release a new album this year! Queens Of The Stone Age delivered a new record with heavy Pop influences but still firmly in the Rock genre (review here). This song was the lead single and is probably the most enjoyable track out of the bunch, even if there are other tracks that are decent too. Josh Homme's guitarwork is relatively simplistic but when paired with the catchy rhythm, it's enough to carry the song from start to finish. I was torn between this track and "The Evil Has Landed", as that's another strong tune from Villains, but I went with this purely because I've found myself wanting to listen to it more than anything else off the album this year.
8. "(She Don't) Gimme No Lovin'" - King King
OK, this song would never top conventional Best Rock Songs Of 2017 lists on account of it being a little uninspired compared to some of the singles released this year but that's part of what makes it enjoyable. It's a good old fashioned Hard Rock track that sounds like it's cherry picked elements of Rock's biggest artists from the 70s and 80s, much like the song from School Of Rock that combined elements from AC/DC tracks to make an all-round crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike. This song feels like that without becoming tame so here it is!
9. "Taking The Blame" - Inglorious
From a paint-by-numbers "Rock" song to this hellraiser, Inglorious have good track record with fast paced, high octane Hard Rock so I wasn't surprised to hear another belter from them this year. I should really check their two albums out but for now, we're all presumably in the same boat of not really knowing an awful lot about them. Fans of my blog will know I'm a sucker for Riff-Based-Rock that doesn't take prisoners so "Taking The Blame" well and truly belongs on my list, although I'd like to give a special shout out to Phil Beaver for some cracking percussion in this song.
10. "Buccaneers Of Hispaniola" - The Darkness
Well shit, I've done it again. I've left my favourite song until last even though I said I wasn't going to do any kind of ranking. Pinewood Smile was easily my favourite album of the year and out of all the songs I loved on it (believe me, there were several I was tempted to include), "Buccaneers Of Hispaniola" is the one I played most of all. Opinions on falsetto singing and comical lyrics aside, The Darkness have proven in the last couple of years that they know how to record a bitchin' tune when they want to and that's exactly what this song is. It's loaded with heavy riffs, sweet solos and awesome vocals. It's the kind of song that wouldn't sound out of place blasted from the heavens as you stormed into the most epic of battles and even though I would probably prefer it a little more if I could slightly tweak the outro vocals (where Justin sings "BUUUH, BUUUH, BUH-BUH, BUH, BUH BUUUUUCCANEERS!"), I doubt I will ever get tired of listening to this, the shining jewel of 2017's contribution to Rock/Metal.
So that's it for 2017...OR IS IT? Of course it fucking isn't! There are still Honourable Mentions to plough through! Here are five songs I almost included before they fell at the last hurdle...or in this immediate case, the first:
"Friends Are Family" - Oh, Hush feat. Will Arnett & Jeff Lewis
Another song off the soundtrack for The Lego Batman Movie. This is played during the closing credits and whilst you could argue that it may fall into the Pop Rock category, I decided to omit it from the main list because I felt like it was a little too close to Pop. However, I still love it to bits. It pisses all over "Everything Is Awesome" from The Lego Movie and actually does a solid job of echoing one of the film's main themes through a catchy chorus and a neat solo played by Alfred the butler...what, it is. Go watch the film and see!
"Head Like A Haunted House" - Queens Of The Stone Age
Yeah, I know I said I was torn between the dancey one and "The Evil Has Landed" but remember, these are Honourable Mentions, not an extension of my ten choices. I've already mentioned that song so now I'm mentioning this one! Villains had an eclectic mix of styles but this song stood out as one with a bit more character than the rest. It's wacky, sure, but it reminds me of 70s Punk what with the amplified bass and kooky sound effects. It's also a fun title, which is somewhat of an anomaly on a QOTSA album. I didn't include this in the main list for the same reason I didn't include "The Evil Has Landed"; I preferred "The Way You Used To Do". Plain and simple.
"Heartland" - Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
This one's a bit of a late entry but it just made it in at the last minute. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite good enough for me to make the main list but it's still got some strong attributes such as the heavy fuzz and talented Mr Bryant. I don't know if I like the vocals during the chorus to say whether this song will make a stronger impression on me than some of the other songs I've heard this year but at the current time of writing this post, I like the track.
"Southern Trains" - The Darkness
As I said earlier, there were several tracks from Pinewood Smile that could've made this list but only one that I felt deserved an Honourable Mention. For those of you reading this in the UK who have ever been burdened by delayed trains, wasted hours in shitawful stations, disgusting toilets and cramped conditions due to annoying passengers you'd rather stab repeatedly than stand up for, this is the song for you. It's a celebration of everything terrible about the Southern train service in this country packaged as a fast paced Hard Rock/Heavy Metal number in vintage Darkness fashion. Enjoy!
"Thunder Child" - The Bad Flowers
Lastly, we have what I would describe as a solid filler track out of all 15 songs included here. It's got a good riff and a fun rhythm but it just doesn't land as well as the others for me. Maybe that's because I haven't given it as much of a chance as the others on this list although you could argue that songs like "Buccaneers Of Hispaniola" and "Heavy Fire" did more to grab me by the short and curlies straight away, therefore having my full attention for the rest of the track. It's not a bad song and it might even be one of your favourites if you like standard Rock but for now, it's only worthy of an Honourable Mention from me.
And THAT is it for this blog in 2017. We've had some fun moments now and then (ABCs of Producers was a personal highlight) but the next time you'll be reading anything new on here will be 2018...unless you're spending your New Year's Eve going back over some of my older posts that you haven't read yet. If that is the case, I can't say I blame you; NYE is fucking shit and my blog's pretty underrated so it's only natural that you'd rather spend your last day of 2017 reading my unchained opinions on Rock/Metal instead of spending it partying with friends and family.
See you all on the other side!
Saturday, 16 September 2017
Concrete And Gold - Foo Fighters
It's finally here! Another album from the Foo Fighters that doesn't feel like Dave Grohl trying to prove how fucking great he is. If memory serves, the last time we got a straightforward Rock album from the Foos was 10 years ago with Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Since then, we had Dave's back to basics, "we're using an 8-track, aren't we cool" album, an album that was basically just promoting their TV show and a five song EP that could've/should've been fleshed out into a full record. However, even though this is their attempt at recording just an album, you'll be wishing they went back to gimmicks by the end of it.
I once compared Foo Fighters to the comedy film genre in that there are a lot of great examples of excellent comedies but opinion will always be divided on what "the best" films are with some people putting examples like "The Pretender" over others like "My Hero" and vice versa without a single, unifying consensus in the same way everyone knows Die Hard is one of the best action films ever made. It seems Dave Grohl must read this blog and took issue with that comparison so decided to write their flattest, bleakest, most depressing album to date as a throbbing middle finger to me personally.
In all seriousness though, Concrete And Gold is all former, very little latter. Apparently, Dave's main inspiration was his fear and concern for the future of America, what with literally everything that's happening over there right now, but instead of writing a punchy, powerful "don't lose hope, we can take that orange fucker down" record like most artists have had the balls to do with their medium, the Foo Fighters instead chose to wallow in cynicism and depression without turning things around by the end for a million Foos fans to raise their fists at in a triumphant "Fuck yeah!".
Album opener is split into two parts; "T-Shirt" is a short introduction, setting the glum tone for the rest of the album and ending on a decent riff that could've/should've been fleshed out into a full track. However, the next song is arguably the true album opener as "Run" is one of about three songs on the album that feel like they truly belong in the Rock genre. My opinion on "Run" still hasn't changed since I first heard it in June although having listened to the rest of the album, I'm glad they featured it. It might have a godawful verse with a dull riff, terrible vocals and a poor choice of percussion but everything else sounds like a typical Foo Fighters Rock song and will likely give fans something to headbang to at live gigs.
I wish I could say it was just that song that completely beefed the guitar, vocals and drums but it seems to be a running theme throughout this album. "Make It Right" suffers from an unfinished riff and a drum rhythm that doesn't quite fit, not to mention the pointless inclusion of Justin Timberlake on backing vocals that he may as well have recorded over Skype as they add fuck all to the track that other members of the band couldn't have replicated. Then there's "La Dee Da", the only song on the album I enjoyed listening to with tones of "Fire Your Guns" - AC/DC and a stronger feel to each band member's performance. Unfortunately, Taylor Hawkins fails to keep the consistent aggressive rhythm going throughout the track and as a result, you're constantly brought out of the music.
The point I'm basically getting at is for a band fronted by one of Rock's greatest drummers, it feels like a colossal misfire to have him screaming behind a mic playing tepid tunes whilst some low-rate surfer bro/Peter Dinklage lookalike ruins what could've been awesome songs. I'm not saying Taylor Hawkins completely sucks but it does feel like his better skills are poorly utilised in this album. His vocals in "Sunday Rain" sound better than Dave's have in a long time and the dynamics throughout that track feel less like awkward bursts and more like a natural progression. I'm not sure whether Dave's decision to stand at the front and be the face of the band when Taylor is quite possibly better at it is fuelled by arrogance or just a desire to step out from behind the kit having served his time there but either way, I wish they swapped places more.
One of the significant factors behind this album occasionally sounding less like Rock and more like Pop songs covered by a Rock band is down to the band's choice of producer. Greg Kurstin has mostly worked with Pop artists like Lily Allen and Sia so we've ended up with songs like "The Sky Is A Neighbourhood" that attempt to blend keyboard melodies and singsong vocal lines in the chorus with shouting in the verses and a cymbal crashes and "The Line" which sounds more like Kings Of Leon than an actual Rock band. At least they're not unpleasant to listen to, which is more than I can say for some of the notable tracks.
"Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)" may sound like a b-side from The Colour And The Shape but once the strings start and the lyrics sink in, the whole thing becomes instantly drenched in pessimism without really going anywhere after that. Worse still, title track and album closer "Comfortably Nu...uhh, "Concrete And Gold" is so weighed down in grandiose sludge that it belongs on a Queens Of The Stone Age album. You can praise it for being epic but after being dragged through an emotional septic tank for about 50 minutes, I couldn't care less if it sounds like a symphonic salute to Dave's mental state, especially when you end it on a chord and feedback slowly fading out for over a minute.
There are a couple of songs here for people who were looking forward to hearing the Foo Fighters just recording music in a studio again ("Dirty Water" and "Arrows") but ultimately, nothing on Concrete And Gold pumps you up or keeps you invested in the same way that previous albums or similar bands have recently managed. It's all just background noise with a few recognisable hallmarks of mediocre Foo Fighters tracks, an album full of "These Days" and "Everlong" for people who like ready salted Rock.
If you're the sort of person who goes to festivals to see Paloma Faith but sticks around when The Black Keys come on stage, you might enjoy this album. For everyone who doesn't want bland sound, stay away from Concrete And Gold. You won't gain anything positive from the experience of sitting through it and if you're already feeling down, there are better albums that harness that negative emotion into something memorable to listen to like The Getaway - Red Hot Chili Peppers. I rate this album 3/10; it might not be utter shite but it's pretty fucking far from something decent.
I once compared Foo Fighters to the comedy film genre in that there are a lot of great examples of excellent comedies but opinion will always be divided on what "the best" films are with some people putting examples like "The Pretender" over others like "My Hero" and vice versa without a single, unifying consensus in the same way everyone knows Die Hard is one of the best action films ever made. It seems Dave Grohl must read this blog and took issue with that comparison so decided to write their flattest, bleakest, most depressing album to date as a throbbing middle finger to me personally.
In all seriousness though, Concrete And Gold is all former, very little latter. Apparently, Dave's main inspiration was his fear and concern for the future of America, what with literally everything that's happening over there right now, but instead of writing a punchy, powerful "don't lose hope, we can take that orange fucker down" record like most artists have had the balls to do with their medium, the Foo Fighters instead chose to wallow in cynicism and depression without turning things around by the end for a million Foos fans to raise their fists at in a triumphant "Fuck yeah!".
Album opener is split into two parts; "T-Shirt" is a short introduction, setting the glum tone for the rest of the album and ending on a decent riff that could've/should've been fleshed out into a full track. However, the next song is arguably the true album opener as "Run" is one of about three songs on the album that feel like they truly belong in the Rock genre. My opinion on "Run" still hasn't changed since I first heard it in June although having listened to the rest of the album, I'm glad they featured it. It might have a godawful verse with a dull riff, terrible vocals and a poor choice of percussion but everything else sounds like a typical Foo Fighters Rock song and will likely give fans something to headbang to at live gigs.
I wish I could say it was just that song that completely beefed the guitar, vocals and drums but it seems to be a running theme throughout this album. "Make It Right" suffers from an unfinished riff and a drum rhythm that doesn't quite fit, not to mention the pointless inclusion of Justin Timberlake on backing vocals that he may as well have recorded over Skype as they add fuck all to the track that other members of the band couldn't have replicated. Then there's "La Dee Da", the only song on the album I enjoyed listening to with tones of "Fire Your Guns" - AC/DC and a stronger feel to each band member's performance. Unfortunately, Taylor Hawkins fails to keep the consistent aggressive rhythm going throughout the track and as a result, you're constantly brought out of the music.
The point I'm basically getting at is for a band fronted by one of Rock's greatest drummers, it feels like a colossal misfire to have him screaming behind a mic playing tepid tunes whilst some low-rate surfer bro/Peter Dinklage lookalike ruins what could've been awesome songs. I'm not saying Taylor Hawkins completely sucks but it does feel like his better skills are poorly utilised in this album. His vocals in "Sunday Rain" sound better than Dave's have in a long time and the dynamics throughout that track feel less like awkward bursts and more like a natural progression. I'm not sure whether Dave's decision to stand at the front and be the face of the band when Taylor is quite possibly better at it is fuelled by arrogance or just a desire to step out from behind the kit having served his time there but either way, I wish they swapped places more.
One of the significant factors behind this album occasionally sounding less like Rock and more like Pop songs covered by a Rock band is down to the band's choice of producer. Greg Kurstin has mostly worked with Pop artists like Lily Allen and Sia so we've ended up with songs like "The Sky Is A Neighbourhood" that attempt to blend keyboard melodies and singsong vocal lines in the chorus with shouting in the verses and a cymbal crashes and "The Line" which sounds more like Kings Of Leon than an actual Rock band. At least they're not unpleasant to listen to, which is more than I can say for some of the notable tracks.
"Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)" may sound like a b-side from The Colour And The Shape but once the strings start and the lyrics sink in, the whole thing becomes instantly drenched in pessimism without really going anywhere after that. Worse still, title track and album closer "Comfortably Nu...uhh, "Concrete And Gold" is so weighed down in grandiose sludge that it belongs on a Queens Of The Stone Age album. You can praise it for being epic but after being dragged through an emotional septic tank for about 50 minutes, I couldn't care less if it sounds like a symphonic salute to Dave's mental state, especially when you end it on a chord and feedback slowly fading out for over a minute.
There are a couple of songs here for people who were looking forward to hearing the Foo Fighters just recording music in a studio again ("Dirty Water" and "Arrows") but ultimately, nothing on Concrete And Gold pumps you up or keeps you invested in the same way that previous albums or similar bands have recently managed. It's all just background noise with a few recognisable hallmarks of mediocre Foo Fighters tracks, an album full of "These Days" and "Everlong" for people who like ready salted Rock.
If you're the sort of person who goes to festivals to see Paloma Faith but sticks around when The Black Keys come on stage, you might enjoy this album. For everyone who doesn't want bland sound, stay away from Concrete And Gold. You won't gain anything positive from the experience of sitting through it and if you're already feeling down, there are better albums that harness that negative emotion into something memorable to listen to like The Getaway - Red Hot Chili Peppers. I rate this album 3/10; it might not be utter shite but it's pretty fucking far from something decent.
Friday, 9 June 2017
Taster Session #8
Back to the classic format for this posts, I'm afraid. Five new Rock/Metal singles from albums coming out this year with a link for you to sample each track along with my personal verdict.
"Dig Down" - Muse (listen here)
From the album ???? (??/??/????)
Apparently, this song was written as a way of saying "don't let all the shit that's happening in the world get you down" and what better way of communicating that sentiment than with a terrible song and a step backward for the band's musical quality. Drones had me hopeful that the band were realising they're actually a Rock band instead of a shitty hipster synth outfit but now they've decided to write music off The 2nd Law again. Bland, repetitive WUBWUBWUBs and Matt Bellamy's moaning vocals carry this song because no other fucker's bothering to bring the thunder. On the plus side, it still sounds like Muse at its heart, although not good Muse. Just Muse Muse.
"Run" - Foo Fighters (listen here)
From the album Concrete And Gold (15/09/17)
So far, we're 0 for 2. The song starts off like your typical sensitive Foos track but once percussion and heavy guitar riffs come in, it turns to shit. Dave's screaming is easily the worst aspect of any Foo Fighters song (not to be confused with his singing or shouting vocals, just when he screeches) and they're used a fair bit throughout the track. The riffing and guitar melodies are incredibly average but then so was everything about "Everlong" and people adore that song for some fucking reason. However, the most disappointing aspect has to be the drumming during the verse. It sounds wrong. It doesn't match the heavy riffs and sounds like the kind of percussion you'd hear in a shitty football anthem, not Hard Rock single for one of the biggest modern Rock bands on the planet.
"Must Be Nice" - Nickelback (listen here)
From the album Feed The Machine (16/07/17)
My Nickelback policy is simple. If it sucks, it sucks. If it rocks, it rocks. "How You Remind Me" sucks. "Burn It To The Ground" rocks. This song rocks. Great riffs, sweet solo, steady rhythm, typical Rock song structure. It's not exactly the band pushing any boundaries and the vocal delivery in the verse is a little off-putting with repeat listens but if you want a solid Rock song, this is a good track to listen to. On a side note, that album cover is pretty fucking cool too. If it didn't have Nickelback at the top, more people would probably pick it up. Finally, a song I enjoyed and would want to hear again!
"Great Heathen Army" - Iced Earth (listen here)
From the album Incorruptible (16/06/17)
Gotta love that chanting, although the intro does go on a bit long. I haven't discussed Iced Earth much (if at all) on the blog but if you like your Metal fast and heavy, check them out. I think the easiest comparison would be Slayer mixed with Iron Maiden but you could probably apply that to any American Metal band that doesn't rely on their sensitivity to pad songs. The music's a little dull and mostly serves as background noise for the vocals here, which goes against traditional Metal values but at least it isn't crap. It's just a bit meh, which is a shame as I had high hopes for this band's new material.
"Paranoiac Personality" - Alice Cooper (listen here)
From the album Paranormal (28/07/17)
Now, see, THIS is proper Heavy Metal! It reminds me of "Believer" - Ozzy Osbourne with the bassline at the start but the riffs are a lot better than whatever Randy Rhoads was doing. It's a decent Rock song, although I'm hoping the outro doesn't just cut out like that on the album. Based on this track, I'd be tempted to give the rest of the album a listen, as I don't believe I've ever actually sat and listened to a full Alice Cooper album from start to finish before. I've tried to sit through a couple but gave up part way through. Anyway, good song!
Coming soon: a Showdown post featuring Halestorm covers and their originals!
"Dig Down" - Muse (listen here)
From the album ???? (??/??/????)
Apparently, this song was written as a way of saying "don't let all the shit that's happening in the world get you down" and what better way of communicating that sentiment than with a terrible song and a step backward for the band's musical quality. Drones had me hopeful that the band were realising they're actually a Rock band instead of a shitty hipster synth outfit but now they've decided to write music off The 2nd Law again. Bland, repetitive WUBWUBWUBs and Matt Bellamy's moaning vocals carry this song because no other fucker's bothering to bring the thunder. On the plus side, it still sounds like Muse at its heart, although not good Muse. Just Muse Muse.
"Run" - Foo Fighters (listen here)
From the album Concrete And Gold (15/09/17)
So far, we're 0 for 2. The song starts off like your typical sensitive Foos track but once percussion and heavy guitar riffs come in, it turns to shit. Dave's screaming is easily the worst aspect of any Foo Fighters song (not to be confused with his singing or shouting vocals, just when he screeches) and they're used a fair bit throughout the track. The riffing and guitar melodies are incredibly average but then so was everything about "Everlong" and people adore that song for some fucking reason. However, the most disappointing aspect has to be the drumming during the verse. It sounds wrong. It doesn't match the heavy riffs and sounds like the kind of percussion you'd hear in a shitty football anthem, not Hard Rock single for one of the biggest modern Rock bands on the planet.
"Must Be Nice" - Nickelback (listen here)
From the album Feed The Machine (16/07/17)
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My Nickelback policy is simple. If it sucks, it sucks. If it rocks, it rocks. "How You Remind Me" sucks. "Burn It To The Ground" rocks. This song rocks. Great riffs, sweet solo, steady rhythm, typical Rock song structure. It's not exactly the band pushing any boundaries and the vocal delivery in the verse is a little off-putting with repeat listens but if you want a solid Rock song, this is a good track to listen to. On a side note, that album cover is pretty fucking cool too. If it didn't have Nickelback at the top, more people would probably pick it up. Finally, a song I enjoyed and would want to hear again!
"Great Heathen Army" - Iced Earth (listen here)
From the album Incorruptible (16/06/17)
Gotta love that chanting, although the intro does go on a bit long. I haven't discussed Iced Earth much (if at all) on the blog but if you like your Metal fast and heavy, check them out. I think the easiest comparison would be Slayer mixed with Iron Maiden but you could probably apply that to any American Metal band that doesn't rely on their sensitivity to pad songs. The music's a little dull and mostly serves as background noise for the vocals here, which goes against traditional Metal values but at least it isn't crap. It's just a bit meh, which is a shame as I had high hopes for this band's new material.
"Paranoiac Personality" - Alice Cooper (listen here)
From the album Paranormal (28/07/17)
Now, see, THIS is proper Heavy Metal! It reminds me of "Believer" - Ozzy Osbourne with the bassline at the start but the riffs are a lot better than whatever Randy Rhoads was doing. It's a decent Rock song, although I'm hoping the outro doesn't just cut out like that on the album. Based on this track, I'd be tempted to give the rest of the album a listen, as I don't believe I've ever actually sat and listened to a full Alice Cooper album from start to finish before. I've tried to sit through a couple but gave up part way through. Anyway, good song!
Coming soon: a Showdown post featuring Halestorm covers and their originals!
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Rock Productions presents...
A while ago, I wrote a blog post about various popular genres of Rock as if they were members of a family, picking similar aspects from both parties and comparing them for shits and giggles. I enjoyed writing it and had a think about similar posts I could write with a familiar theme without just relying on the same observations from the first post.
In the end, I decided to move from using Rock genres to actual Rock bands. However, I won't be comparing bands to family members. Nope, I'll be turning well known bands into films! Not specific films, though. Rather official and unofficial film genres that I would list to give you some examples of what I mean but that'd be silly, considering I have the content underneath this paragraph.
So without further waffling, here's another attempt at music humour that you shouldn't take too seriously (especially the last one, even I know I'm pushing an analogy a bit too far there)!
COMING SOON!
AC/DC
From the makers of "Action Films"
A guns-blazing production with plenty to keep men and young adults entertained. There are plenty of scenes that are memorable and a talented cast who know how to deliver an explosive bundle of action. However, whilst they know how to write a solid fight scene or car chase, you'd be hard pressed to find a fan of their recent work over their classics from the 80's and early 90's. Sure, the new films have their moments but nowadays the majority of their material feels repetitive. With so many other directors making action-packed movies that challenge the viewer with new stunts and visual effects, perhaps it's time for these films to reach their conclusion...especially since the key actor integral to the band's popularity has quit due to age-related poor health and their latest picture is dull as fuck.
Uriah Heep
From the makers of "Sci-Fi Films"
A bizarre genre with stories that might turn the casual cinema-goer off with all the strange creatures on the poster but if you like complexity in your art, these are the movies for you. That being said, there are more complex films from that time and genre that more passionate fans will most likely prefer. Over time, they've become a bit more mainstream and the improved budget has allowed for a stronger quality of production, even if the script has suffered slightly. At the end of the day, both the perplexing films from the 70's and the simpler movies from the 10's are entertaining in their own ways, even if they're not as popular as other flicks.
Foo Fighters
From the makers of "Comedy Films"
Everyone loves a good comedy and time after time, these filmmakers have created a solid hit with lots of quotable moments. It's hard to name the most iconic comedy as there are plenty of contenders for the title but everyone has their own personal favourite which they'll treasure over someone else's. However, for every laugh out loud scene, there's usually a dud moment that will be easily forgotten. There are also comedies that have been repeated in the media too much and are starting to bore viewers...well, most viewers. There'll always be people laughing at the same mediocre jokes out there. Sadly, their latest movie reeks of self-indulgence and whilst it is well made and clearly inspired by early material, I doubt there'll be many more films like this one. I hope not, anyway.
Aerosmith
From the makers of "Romantic Comedy Films"
The wussiest, softest, most wimpy yet simultaneously popular genre of film out there. OK, there are some great ones out there. Ones with balls that aren't all about romantic platitudes but there are way too many soft movies out there to ever consider this an aggressive, cool or even rebellious type of film. To clarify, this isn't a bad genre nor is there anything wrong with liking this genre or enjoying one of these films. They're great filmmakers and all but they also seem like the kind of artists who'd cry during sex or send roses on Valentine's Day. There's just so much that makes you groan with these films that whenever I see a trailer for a new one (or any movie news to do with the individual filmmakers), my mind automatically conjures feelings of fatigue and irritation.
Slipknot
From the makers of "Horror Films"
It'd be very easy to look at trailers for these and think "Ugh, who'd want to see that? Anyone who enjoys this kind of entertainment is stupid" but once you get past all the prosthetic masks and shocking moments, the films are often quite good. The classics are imaginative and well written, occasionally tackling issues other than death in an educated but dynamic manner. Much like other genres, they have scenes that stand out more than others and are renowned in the Horror Film community but these are the kind of movies that you probably need to watch from start to finish to get the most out of. Personally, I'm not into this kind of genre but I have total respect for it and the people who make it...provided they continue to challenge viewers by subverting the tropes surrounding their appearance.
The White Stripes
From the makers of "Buddy Cop Films"
Meet Jack White! He's a stern, serious cop with strong opinions about the justice system and a knack for what he does.
Meet Meg White! She's a lazy, talentless cop who's only there because she has family connections to the station and can just about do what any basic officer would master on day one of training.
Both cops are different...but what happens when you put them both together to solve a series of cases that seem strange on the surface but are actually incredibly basic when you watch them?
Together, these two wild cards will take you on a fun and dynamic journey as one of the officers does all the legwork and the other just shows up.
Jack and Meg star in...White Stripes! Rated PG-13.
Queen
From the makers of "Pixar, Aardman Animations & Occasionally Dreamworks Family Films"
These are your all-round well-made movies that can be enjoyed by pretty much anyone with a brain. There's something for young audiences who like memorable scenes they can tell their friends and repeat to themselves for weeks, there's something for old audiences who want non-aggressive, unoffensive material to sit back and enjoy and there's something for everyone in between who appreciates the occasional mature reference and poignant statement about life or politics without hammering it down their throat. Despite the appearance of some of their most popular pieces, these films are indisputably works of art and deserve all the acclaim they're getting.
My Chemical Romance
From the makers of "Every Other Mainstream Animated Family Film"
These are just aimed at children, overly emotional teens, simpletons or all of the above. This wouldn't be a problem & once in a blue moon there's a decent one of these that breaks the mould but this triumph is often cancelled out by the legion of idiots spouting off about a new movie that's just been/will be released for fucking months. Even if you want to avoid these loud and predictable films, it'll be impossible as everywhere will be playing adverts or rapidly tiresome sound bites from this packaged shite. People might defend these films and try to add intellectual meaning to them, claiming that there's actually more to it than superficial shouting about romance problems but chances are they're the target audience and they'll see whatever they want to see in these, regardless of whether it's there or not.
So that's what's on at the cinema for now. I'm unsure if we'll see another preview of upcoming films (as it took bloody months to put these together) but never say never! After all, if Spider-Man can end up in The Avengers, many other bands can end up on this blog!
In the end, I decided to move from using Rock genres to actual Rock bands. However, I won't be comparing bands to family members. Nope, I'll be turning well known bands into films! Not specific films, though. Rather official and unofficial film genres that I would list to give you some examples of what I mean but that'd be silly, considering I have the content underneath this paragraph.
So without further waffling, here's another attempt at music humour that you shouldn't take too seriously (especially the last one, even I know I'm pushing an analogy a bit too far there)!
COMING SOON!
AC/DC
From the makers of "Action Films"
A guns-blazing production with plenty to keep men and young adults entertained. There are plenty of scenes that are memorable and a talented cast who know how to deliver an explosive bundle of action. However, whilst they know how to write a solid fight scene or car chase, you'd be hard pressed to find a fan of their recent work over their classics from the 80's and early 90's. Sure, the new films have their moments but nowadays the majority of their material feels repetitive. With so many other directors making action-packed movies that challenge the viewer with new stunts and visual effects, perhaps it's time for these films to reach their conclusion...especially since the key actor integral to the band's popularity has quit due to age-related poor health and their latest picture is dull as fuck.
Uriah Heep
From the makers of "Sci-Fi Films"
A bizarre genre with stories that might turn the casual cinema-goer off with all the strange creatures on the poster but if you like complexity in your art, these are the movies for you. That being said, there are more complex films from that time and genre that more passionate fans will most likely prefer. Over time, they've become a bit more mainstream and the improved budget has allowed for a stronger quality of production, even if the script has suffered slightly. At the end of the day, both the perplexing films from the 70's and the simpler movies from the 10's are entertaining in their own ways, even if they're not as popular as other flicks.
Foo Fighters
From the makers of "Comedy Films"
Everyone loves a good comedy and time after time, these filmmakers have created a solid hit with lots of quotable moments. It's hard to name the most iconic comedy as there are plenty of contenders for the title but everyone has their own personal favourite which they'll treasure over someone else's. However, for every laugh out loud scene, there's usually a dud moment that will be easily forgotten. There are also comedies that have been repeated in the media too much and are starting to bore viewers...well, most viewers. There'll always be people laughing at the same mediocre jokes out there. Sadly, their latest movie reeks of self-indulgence and whilst it is well made and clearly inspired by early material, I doubt there'll be many more films like this one. I hope not, anyway.
Aerosmith
From the makers of "Romantic Comedy Films"
The wussiest, softest, most wimpy yet simultaneously popular genre of film out there. OK, there are some great ones out there. Ones with balls that aren't all about romantic platitudes but there are way too many soft movies out there to ever consider this an aggressive, cool or even rebellious type of film. To clarify, this isn't a bad genre nor is there anything wrong with liking this genre or enjoying one of these films. They're great filmmakers and all but they also seem like the kind of artists who'd cry during sex or send roses on Valentine's Day. There's just so much that makes you groan with these films that whenever I see a trailer for a new one (or any movie news to do with the individual filmmakers), my mind automatically conjures feelings of fatigue and irritation.
Slipknot
From the makers of "Horror Films"
It'd be very easy to look at trailers for these and think "Ugh, who'd want to see that? Anyone who enjoys this kind of entertainment is stupid" but once you get past all the prosthetic masks and shocking moments, the films are often quite good. The classics are imaginative and well written, occasionally tackling issues other than death in an educated but dynamic manner. Much like other genres, they have scenes that stand out more than others and are renowned in the Horror Film community but these are the kind of movies that you probably need to watch from start to finish to get the most out of. Personally, I'm not into this kind of genre but I have total respect for it and the people who make it...provided they continue to challenge viewers by subverting the tropes surrounding their appearance.
The White Stripes
From the makers of "Buddy Cop Films"
Meet Jack White! He's a stern, serious cop with strong opinions about the justice system and a knack for what he does.
Meet Meg White! She's a lazy, talentless cop who's only there because she has family connections to the station and can just about do what any basic officer would master on day one of training.
Both cops are different...but what happens when you put them both together to solve a series of cases that seem strange on the surface but are actually incredibly basic when you watch them?
Together, these two wild cards will take you on a fun and dynamic journey as one of the officers does all the legwork and the other just shows up.
Jack and Meg star in...White Stripes! Rated PG-13.
Queen
From the makers of "Pixar, Aardman Animations & Occasionally Dreamworks Family Films"
These are your all-round well-made movies that can be enjoyed by pretty much anyone with a brain. There's something for young audiences who like memorable scenes they can tell their friends and repeat to themselves for weeks, there's something for old audiences who want non-aggressive, unoffensive material to sit back and enjoy and there's something for everyone in between who appreciates the occasional mature reference and poignant statement about life or politics without hammering it down their throat. Despite the appearance of some of their most popular pieces, these films are indisputably works of art and deserve all the acclaim they're getting.
My Chemical Romance
From the makers of "Every Other Mainstream Animated Family Film"
These are just aimed at children, overly emotional teens, simpletons or all of the above. This wouldn't be a problem & once in a blue moon there's a decent one of these that breaks the mould but this triumph is often cancelled out by the legion of idiots spouting off about a new movie that's just been/will be released for fucking months. Even if you want to avoid these loud and predictable films, it'll be impossible as everywhere will be playing adverts or rapidly tiresome sound bites from this packaged shite. People might defend these films and try to add intellectual meaning to them, claiming that there's actually more to it than superficial shouting about romance problems but chances are they're the target audience and they'll see whatever they want to see in these, regardless of whether it's there or not.
So that's what's on at the cinema for now. I'm unsure if we'll see another preview of upcoming films (as it took bloody months to put these together) but never say never! After all, if Spider-Man can end up in The Avengers, many other bands can end up on this blog!
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