Pick These Up

For part two of 'Pick These Up' I'm only doing a single-album review, but it is definitely an album I've been listening to a lot lately...

Hood
Outside Closer

New listeners to Hood's music may be tempted to draw some comparison lines to such an album as Radiohead's Kid A; however, it should be noted that Radiohead was the later of the two to experiment electronically. Since 1991, the Leeds, England sextet known as Hood has released seven full-length albums, but didn't crack the American market until 2001. On Outside Closer, Hood follows the post-rock aesthetic and infuses elements of electonics with traditional instruments such as piano, acoustic guitar, strings, and drums. Mixing lo-fi with hip hop and classical brings you somewhere near Hood. The songs on Outside Closer layer simplistic guitar plucking with lush violin arrangements and electronic glitches reminiscent of a computer shorting-out. Thin vocals add to the delicate melancholy, setting bleak winter scenes of contemplation. On the seven minute"Any Hopeful Thoughts Arrive", the guitar and drums build to a breathtaking (yes, i did use the word breathtaking) violin finish. The electronic glitches are most prevalent on "The Lost You," which is also the most upbeat song on an album of slow, somber dreamscapes. The lyrics are generally abstract, as seen in the intricate, accordian-laced track, "The Negatives...":

”The Negatives are added but it’s not enough, and if you know the feeling you’ll get beaten up, you need to go to the furthest place from your house, stand there a while and make sure you’re broke…I tried to walk to town but I got so lost…reassure me.”

Although one or two tracks in the latter half aren't as outstanding as the rest, Outside Closer as a whole is a gorgeous album - for the rainy sunday afternoons and chilly winter mornings that find you wanting to lay in bed all day.

Key Tracks: "The Negatives...", "Any Hopeful Thoughts Arrive", "The Lost You"

Upcoming NIN Album Arouses Buzz

I have read a number of reviews lately of the upcoming NIN album, "With Teeth," and I must say I have heard only good things. Combined with the album reviews, I had the pleasure of listening to not only 'Bite the Hand that Feeds', but 'Every Day Is Exactly The Same,' a totally kick-ass song that was reminiscent of Trent's 1989 debut, as well.

And although Yours Truly is experiencing somewhat of a transitional period in the financial department, I may have to scrounge up just enough funds to purchase the record when it is released on Tuesday.

Let's just say I am actually excited for the first time in a long time for an upcoming record release. Time will only tell if my high expectations are justified.

Ted's Song of the Week - 04/27/05

F**k Me For Free
Recover
This May Be the Year I Disappear

The emo foursome, Recover, wastes no time assaulting the eardrums with this song that probably won’t hit the radio. Vocalist/Guitarist Dan Keyes illustrates his feelings of pain and disgust while the rest of the band shows a remarkable amount of versatility to complement him. “F**K Me For Free” may not offer the deepest of lyrics, but it compensates with great harmonies and an impressive spectrum of sound for any listener to appreciate. A must hear for fans of Taking Back Sunday and the Used.

Lyrics:

you did it to me, so now i do it back
give me disease, give me a heart attack
all my plans are tentative, i'll die for you but i won't live

oo we can go anywhere - oo we can go in an ambulance
oo we can do anything - oo we can do it right now

you did it to me
so now i do it back
you did it to me
so now i do it back

fuck me free. i want my money back
love is so cheap, such a worthless trap
all my friends are fake as thieves
i dug for them in what we need

oo we can go anywhere - oo we can go in an ambulance
oo we can do anything - oo we can do it right now

can you come home - can you come right now
can you come home - can you come right now

i'm not good enough, im not clean anymore
im damaged up, i want to come home
but i'm not good enough, im not clean anymore
im damaged up, i want to come home

oo we can go anywhere - oo we can go in an ambulance
oo we can do anything - oo we can do it right now, right now

Mudvayne Debuts at #2

Amazingly enough Mudvayne's latest record, 'Lost and Found,' debuted at #2 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart this week. Only Mariah Carey finished ahead of the thrash metal group. And, in even more pure mind boggleness, it is the first time I have noticed in awhile that a rock group has surged ahead of 50 Cent. Either it was a slow week in other genres of music or rock is on the upswing. Hopefully, it is the latter. Peace.

Velvet Revolver Joins Ozzfest

Velvet Revolver will join the bill for the final seven dates of this summer's annual Ozzfest tour. The group's first show will be Aug. 23 in Albuquerque, N.M., and it will remain on the bill through the Sept. 4 finale in West Palm Beach, Fla. Ozzfest will be headlined by Black Sabbath and also feature Iron Maiden, Rob Zombie, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall and Black Label Society.

Here are Velvet Revolver's Ozzfest dates:

Aug. 23: Albuquerque, N.M. (Journal Pavilion)
Aug. 25: Dallas (Smirnoff Center)
Aug. 27: Houston (Cynthia Woods Music Pavilion)
Aug. 28: San Antonio (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
Aug. 31: Nashville (Starwood Amphitheatre)
Sept. 2: Charlotte, N.C. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
Sept. 4: West Palm Beach, Fla. (Sound Advice Amphitheatre)

Happy Birthday Steve!

The Lonely Note staff would like to extend warm "Happy Birthday" wishes to fellow contributor and audiophile, Steve. Have a good one, buddy - and keep on rockin' in the free world!

Doves Pull Out Of Coachella

U.K. rock act Doves has been forced to cancel its appearance this weekend at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., as vocalist/bassist Jimi Goodwin is suffering from severely strained vocal chords.

Pick These Up

It's been quite some time since I last wrote an album review, and in that time I have been listening to a lot of new music. Instead of a single album review this time, I am doing a multialbum discussion to highlight some of my favorite albums released within the last few months. For my first installment, I'm going to talk about two of the albums I've been listening to alot since about February.

Death From Above 1979
You're a Woman, I'm a Machine

Death From Above 1979 have not only put out one of the hardest rocking albums of 2005, but also one that is catchy enough to stick in your head for weeks on end. Consisting of only two members, a bass player and a drummer/vocalist, DFA1979 stomp out loud, meaty hooks with unrelenting dance-punk energy for a solid half hour on You're a Woman, I'm a Machine. The Canadian duo churn out 11 tracks of pounding rhythm accompanied by the occasional synth, and capped by the whisper-to-a-scream style vocals of drummer/vocalist Sebastien Grainger. Rarely does a two person band rock as hard as DFA1979 (think a faster, drum and bass version of Local H). These guys bring the wailing, the funky basslines, the high-hat crashing, and the indie rock flare that is needed this year. The lyrics are intelligent, short, and sweet. Take this verse from 'Black History Month', one of the album's mellower tracks:

"Do you remember a time when this pool was,
a great place for waterwings and cannonballs,
a nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls,
and on, and on..."

Part new wave, part punk, part metal, this album is definitely worth checking out.
Key tracks: 'Blood on Our Hands', 'Black History Month', 'Romantic Rights'

Low
The Great Destroyer

Low has been playing the indie circuit for more than a decade, having released 7 full-length albums since 1994. The Duluth, Minnesota trio's slo-core sound has been synonymous with a minimal aesthetic for years, but the deeper production on The Great Destroyer finds the band exploring new intricacies within themselves. The album ranges from slow-burning acoustic numbers to eerily brooding ones. Tracks like "Monkey" and "Pissing" revel in the dark side, "Broadway(so many people)" creates a soft ballad, and "Everybody's Song" drags your heart around at minimum speed. A main theme on the album is about getting older, which makes sense for a band that has been playing together since grunge was king. Cold and beautiful, the band's sound could be compared to the winter weather of their hometown. The male/female whispers play nicely off one another over the drowned-out echoes of guitar and synth. The lyrics at the end of the album's final track, 'walk into the sea', really tie the whole concept together:

"Time's the great destroyer,
Leaves every child a bastard,
But when it finally takes us over,
I hope we float away together"

Subtle and cathartic, The Great Destroyer is a thoughtful look at life and death from the perspective of aging rockers.
Key Tracks: "Monkey", "On the Edge of"


...stay tuned for a follow-up post to Tae's "Pick These Up"

Scalpers Go High Tech

There is an interesting article on scalping, and how it is becoming increasingly difficult to buy tickets legitimately to popular shows.

"Check out these prices: Nine Inch Nails on April 27th at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, with a face value of $35.50, now up to $407 at ticketliquidator.com; Audioslave on April 30th at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, originally $35, $177 at stubhub.com; and U2, whose tickets hit $1,500 apiece last month on eBay until the band recently lowered demand by adding more shows."

Ted's Song of the Week - 04/20/05

Straight To Video
Mindless Self Indulgence
You'll Rebel To Anything

Mindless Self Indulgence has finally released their much anticipated album, You'll Rebel To Anything, which makes this contributor a very happy man. "Straight To Video", the album's third track, is only one of many that i could have chosen for the song of the week, but I thought i would give a shout out to what may be a testament to the band's personal growth. While MSI is not your typical radio-friendly band, "Straight To Video" could be one of the few tracks to make it to the airwaves. Haunting synthesizers, steady beats, and the Marilyn Manson-esque vocals of lead singer, Jimmy Urine, create a song of angst and torment.
Other tracks to consider: "What Do They Know?", "Shut Me Up".


Lyrics:

All aboard
Hit the road
All the bullshit
Can't be ignored
It's hard to place
In my face
No emotion

All the problems make me wanna go
Like a bad girl straight to video
Little darling welcome to the show
You're a failure played in stereo

Hiney-ho
Here we go
No solution
Strong undertow
Quite unfair
Quite a pair
No box office

All the problems make me wanna go
Like a bad girl straight to video
Little darling welcome to the show
You're a failure played in stereo

I'm never noticed
No, never noticed
You're so amazing
So amazing
I'm never noticed
No, never noticed
You're so amazing
So amazing

All aboard
Hit the road
All aboard
Here we go

All the problems make me wanna go
Like a bad girl straight to video
Little darling welcome to the show
You're a failure played in stereo

I'm never noticed
No, never noticed
You're so amazing
So amazing
I've never said it
No, never said
You're suffocating
Suffocating
I'm never noticed
No, never noticed
Your beauty's fading
It's F-f-fading

Fred Durst Video Interview

While I'm not the biggest Fred Durst fan in the world, I found this video somewhat hilarious. Check it out here. (Windows Media Player link).

Audioslave Itching To Debut New Tunes

This post is dedicated to regular Lonely Note visitor, Joey K:

With the track listing nearly finalized for its May 24 Interscope/Epic release "Out of Exile," Audioslave hits the road tomorrow (April 14)in Las Vegas for a 19-date North American tour. Guitarist Tom Morello hints that aside from new material, fans may be treated to a few gems from band members' erstwhile outfits Rage Against The Machine and Soundgarden.

Written last spring and summer and recorded last fall and winter, "Out of Exile" represents a wholesale change for Morello, who decided against his normal recording modus operandi of walking into the studio with "20 great riffs." Instead, he relied on spontaneity and eliminated self-censorship when recording his guitar parts.

Ted's Song of the Week - 04/13/05

Black and White Town
The Doves
Some Cities

The Manchester trio known as the Doves have done it again with a style all their own. "Black and White Town" has the catchiness of a favorite jingle and the intensity of a jackhammer as it bangs its way into your head. I especially enjoy the duality of piano and drums in this tune. This looks to be the Doves' finest work, so add it to your library ASAP.

Lyrics:

Here comes the action
Here it comes at last
Lord give me a reaction
Lord give me a chance
You should follow me down
In satellite town
There's no colour and no sound
I'll be ten feet under ground
Gotta get out this black and white town

Here comes some action
Put sound in my life
Gotta get out to get compensation
Gotta get out to get this to play

Well, leave me alone
Boy, you try to find your way in this world
You better make sure you don't
Crack your head on that pavement now
My god this is sick
It's been plaguing me now
This is a dangerous place now
This is a dangerous place

You should follow me down
In satellite town
There's no colour and no sound
I'll be ten feet under ground
This black and white town

New Band: 22-20s

On XM's Album Liberation on channel 47, the featured band this week is the 22-20s from England. While their album isn't new, with its true release back in the fall, they are gaining increased notoriety here in the states.

The song I heard was entitled "22 Days," and although it didn't really do much, in my mind at least, to separate itself from the current slew of garage-punk-revival bands, it was still good; a somewhat paradoxial statement I realize.

In any event, if you are bored and looking for some new music to buy, steal or try-before-you-buy, you may be interested in them enough to check them out.

Pete Doherty Followup: Charges Dropped

A few months ago I detailed that Pete Doherty of the Libertines had been charged with robbery and blackmail. According to BBC Radio, it appears those charges have been dropped. Keep on rocking in the free world Pete!

The Crown Prosecution Service told us they decided not to take the case to trial because they didn't have enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

In the Studio: Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode, a pioneering force in electronic rock since the early 80's, is back in the studio again for a follow-up to 2001's Exciter. Last year's extensive Remixes 81-04 collection found overseas success, and should put the band in a prime position for another hit recording. The new album, which has not yet been titled, is slated for a release date this fall.

Sevendust, Korn Working on New Material Despite Losing Guitarists to Christ, etc.

I know what you've been thinking. The Lonely Note has been looking particularly lonely lately. Occasionally, even a master literary icon like myself can be overcome with bouts of unproductivity. After an extended absence in contributions, I decided I had better get my act together; not only for the sake of all my devoted fans, but to pull my weight among my L.N. colleagues. Oh, wait. You mean you didn't notice I was gone? ...All of that aside, I wanted to update the site on a couple of news features that aren't exactly hot off the press, but were deemed to be mentionable...by me.

Back in December, Sevendust guitarist/songwriter Clint Lowery abruptly left the band mid-tour for "personal issues", and it was unclear as to whether he had any plans of returning. The band, who tour harder than pretty much anyone else in the music business, decided they owed it to their fans to finish the remainder of their scheduled shows sans-Lowery. The latest update is that the band is still working together, despite Lowery's departure. Within the last month, the band has announced that they are not only working on new material, but that are doing so with a new guitarist - Sonny Mayo of Snot fame. The two bands had been friends for some time, and after the tragic death of Snot vocalist Lynn Strait in December of 1998, Mayo went on to play with Amen and (hed)p.e. Sevendust worked with members of Snot to record the hit song "Angel's Son" for a tribute album titled Strait Up. For now, Mayo appears to be a permanent replacement for Lowery. Lowery had been the chief songwriter for many of the band's best known songs throughout the years. Although it's unfortunate to lose the musical and stage talents of Clint Lowery, fans can still expect a good show from Sonny Mayo. The band has posted new coast-to-coast tour dates, with 15 shows planned for April.

In other "guitarist departure" news, Brian 'Head' Welch shocked fans by leaving Korn to pursue his born-again Christianity. Welch, who has struggled with drug addiction, decided in February to part ways with Korn after more than a decade of working together. The remainder of the band plans to continue with new material for a September follow-up to their recent Greatest Hits album. Welch has adopted the "Jesus" look, and is planning to pursue a career in Christian music, with an album already in the works. For more information, visit the official Korn site here and definitely the new Brian Welch site, Head to Christ (and a quick shout-out to Lonely Note reader Joe K. for the original heads up on this one. thanks man).

Auf Der Maur Gets Busy On Sophomore Album

Melissa Auf Der Maur has finished writing the material that will make up her sophomore album for Capitol. After hunkering down at a family home in Cape Cod, Mass., to get ideas on tape, the artist tells Billboard.com she will spend the next "five or six weeks doing pre-production so I can be ready to record by June 1."

Pearl Jam Halfway Home On New Album

Pearl Jam is progressing on its eighth studio album in Seattle. Guitarist Mike McCready tells Billboard.com the band has "about 20-25" songs in the hopper, comprising "some ballads and some pretty harder stuff, and some Who-ish type-stuff."

In addition, McCready says Pearl Jam is approaching the project from a new angle. "How we're recording it is a first," he says. "We've been recording for awhile, and then we'll sit down and listen to the songs and then take a couple of weeks off, come back and re-record them and add stuff. We generally just go in, do some demos and record."

McCready Guitars for Chron's Benefit

Friday, April 8th, Pearl Jam guitarist Mick McCready will be leading a benefit concert at the Showbox for the Northwest chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. McCready himself has dealt with the agonizing stomach disorder since 2003.

The artist will anchor the U.F.O. tribute band Flight To Mars at the show, which will also feature Lee Rude and the Train Wrecks and Left Hand Smoke, which has played at two prior CCFA benefits in Seattle. Earlier in the day, McCready
will serve as the featured speaker at a CCFA luncheon at Seattle's Westin.

Flight to Mars, named after what McCready describes as a "rickety, old crappy ride" at the Seattle center, pays homage to British band UFO, a group that rose to fame in the mid-1970s.

Ted's Song of the Week - 04/06/2005

Stronger
Trust Company
True Parallels

Most bands worry about the sophomore slump, but Trust Company has proven there is nothing to worry about with the release of True Parallels. The album kicks off energetically with their first single, "Stronger". Clocking in at just under three minutes, Stronger is a metallic blend of thrash and melody, thus appealing to a wide range of listeners and giving this band the attention it deserves.

Lyrics:

Can you save me
Will you fail me now
It's almost over cause you've faded out, again
Will you break me
When you're holding me down
I will escape you and I'll

I'll push you closer to the ground
Cause you're the one that's going down

And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away
You're so far away
And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away, since you crawled away

Never gonna save me
You just shut me out
And now it's over cause I'm stepping out, again
Never gonna break me
Just try and hold me down
I will escape you and I'll

I'll push you closer to the ground
Cause you're the one that's going down

And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away
You're so far away
And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away, since you crawled away

You want to tear me down
You want to hold me down
You can't control me now
You cannot take me out
You cannot save me now
Because I'm stronger now

And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away
You're so far away
And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away, since you crawled away [repeat]

You want to tear me down
You want to hold me down
You can't control me now
You cannot take me out
You cannot save me now
Because I'm stronger now

Staind New Album Due this Summer

While perusing Staind's website, I saw that a new album is coming out this summer.

Aberfeldy - Young Forever

5.0 out of 5.0

Emulating the folksy, Berkeley sound of the 1960s, Aberfeldy's "Young Forever" is the embodiment of mellow. Like the first soothing drag of a marijuana cigarette, the music on this particular disc slowly transports your soul to planes beyond the 4th and 5th dimensions; aka to another time and another place. Whimsical? Yes. Mystical? Of course. Just another album to get trippy to? Not so much. This Aberfeldy masterpiece is much more than that.

A bit chamber pop heavy at times, cheap keyboard sounds serve as an appropriate back beat to the love-heavy, drug tinged lyrics on several of the tracks. The male and female harminization is quite present on many of the tracks as well, and add a sort of utopian element to the disc, as both man and woman work seamlessly together to create brilliant and beautiful sounds. Additionally, "Young Forever" is full of experimentation all throughout, indicated by the use of alien voices and spacey synth-pop keyboard ditties.

Make love, not war seems to be the overall thesis of this record. Saturated with total positivity, "Young Forever" possesses the power to lift even the biggest Grinch into a pleasant mood. Simply, this is an ultimate feel good-album whose purpose serves as a breath of fresh air to those increasingly inundated by news of dying Popes, questionable wars and a recent slew of natural disasters. Genuinely good natured, "Young Forever" is an audio commune of sorts--the 2000s version of 1960s Vermont.

Some notable tracks include:

01 A Friend Like You, 03 Love is an Arrow, 10 Heliopolis by Night