Pitchfork Media is a great resource for album reviews. Usually. Granted, not everyone is going to agree with every review they publish, good and bad, but there are some albums more than others that have struck a negative chord with a seemingly large populous of Pitchfork readers for (or the more vocal ones at the very least), many of which I happen to agree with. For this Top 5, here are the most WTF? inducing low scores. Perhaps I'll save the most WTF inducing high scores for a later date.
5). Wilco - A Ghost is Born (6.6)
Definitely not the masterpiece that was Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I'll be the first to admit or agree to this point, but is it really that much worse than Summerteeth, which the 'Fork scored a 9.4? In my personal opinion, the answer is a resounding no. I know there are plenty of you that will disagree with me, Pitchfork obviously has, but those of you that do are probably fans of the more alt/countryish tracks, the ones that I find to beless-than-stellar and stick out like a sore thumbs amongst the gorgeous, lush pop/rock gems. That, or you've forgiven Tweedy & co. for knowing that you got a fair exchange of said gorgeous, lush pop/rock gems. I would definitely consider myself among the latter, in fact. It's also the same excuse I use for A Ghost is Born, as I've forgiven them for the tippy-toe movements into generic AOR because there's a fair amount of excellent gorgeous, lush pop/rock gems on this album too. I guess what I'm trying to say is either both albums are really, really good, or neither of them are.
4). Belle & Sebastian - The Boy With the Arab Strap (0.8)
It must be a disappointing follow-up thing. As with Wilco's Ghost, Arab Strap is not in the same league as it's predecessor, but seriously, this album deserved at least a one! Jason Josephes opened his brief "review" by stating, "Mediocrity is not a punishable crime, but if it was, Belle & Sebastian would be enjoying their last meal right about now." As if scoring Arab Strap this low wasn't puzzling enough, their next album, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant - an album even Belle & Sebastian fans have trouble defending - received a 6.7.
3). Beck - Sea Change (6.9)
This one isn't as surprising as some others I've come across, the album received its share of mixed reviews following its release, mostly because reviewers were split as to whether or not they felt Beck's singing voice could carry an entire album, a fair criticism considering most Beck fans were unaccustomed to it. I think the most WTF inducing factor is that it made the year-end list despite its low score. I can't think of another album that scored below a 7 to make a Pitchfork best-of list, can you? Anyway, its also WTF inducing because I happen to love the shit out of this record, but that could just be me.
2). Beach Boys - Pet Sounds [Remastered] (7.5)
While most bands would probably be satisfied with a 7.5 rating, the Beach Boys aren't most bands. This is fucking Pet Sounds we're talking about, and you would have thought that Pitchfork head-honcho Ryan Schreiber would know better. Now, granted, personal taste is personal taste, and I commend him for sticking to his guns and being honest about the fact that he isn't fanatical over it, but to write that, "If this were not the Beach Boys, but some indie pop outfit on Parasol Records, it might make a few critics' Top 10 lists, if it didn't just vanish into obscurity," is just absurd. Ryan obviously wasn't taking into account the fact that Pet Sounds probably influenced every artist on Parasol Records, not to mention three plus decades worth (at the time of his review) of other pop bands. Thankfully, someone else at Pitchfork, Dominque Leone to be exact, gave the album (the 40th anniversary edition, to be exact) a higher score and a much better review in 2006.
1). The Flaming Lips - Zaireeka (0.0)
Oh great, here's Jason Josephes being a douchebag once again. Zaireeka got the infamous double goose-egg score because he didn't have enough CD players to play the album properly, and instead of getting together with friends or Ryan Schreiber for a Zaireeka listening party (like your esteemed Range Life staff does on at least a quarterly basis...no, I'm totally serious), he tried listening to each disc singularly. No shit it didn't sound great, Jason. Geez man, that's like saying the Soft Bulletin sounded a bit off because you left a speaker unplugged.
Got any favorite WTF inducing reviews, Pitchfork or otherwise? We'd love to hear about them.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Top Five Tuesday:
Rating: WTF???
Monday, March 10, 2008
Mixtape Monday:
Songs Marching Two by Two
I spend a lot of time thinking about the meaning behind song titles. Sometimes they don't seem to mean anything, or at least not anything I can discern. Of course, other times a song title can cue us into the song's major topic, or if we're lucky, themes. Knowing this, I thought it would be interesting to look at songs that have the same titles. Would their content or themes coincide? I found some surprising results. Even more surprising: out of all these songs, there's not a stinker among the bunch.
Hell, I thought about putting "Rain King" by Sonic Youth and Counting Crows on here, or "Creep" by Radiohead and Stone Temple Pilots and TLC, but that would just be cruel.
So here are songs marching two by two... toward greatness.
“All I Need”
Air – Moon Safari (1998)
Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)
I love this pairing, both musically and thematically. What do they need, after all? Thom says he’s “a moth who just wants to share your light.” Meanwhile, Air’s guest singer Beth Hirsch says all she needs is “to get behind the sun and cast my weight.”
“Strange”
Galaxie 500 – On Fire (1989)
Built to Spill – Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001)
BTS' Doug Martsch sings, “This strange plan is random at best.” By the end of the song he admits, “It’s strange but not all that strange.” In an alternative universe more than a decade ago Galaxie 500’s Dean Wareham wails, “Why’s everybody actin’ funny? Why’s everybody look so strange?” What’s a fellow to do? He stood in line, and ate his Twinkie.
“She’s the One”
Caribou – Andorra (2007)
The Beta Band – The Three E.P.s (1997)
I like this pairing quite a bit. The Caribou track is one of my favorites off this album. As for The Beta Band, The Three E.P.s is every bit as good as John Cusack would have you believe.
“Paper Tiger”
Spoon – Kill the Moonlight (2002)
Beck – Sea Change (2002)
2002 was a fantastic year for music, and for tracks named “Paper Tiger.” For anyone who doesn’t know, a paper tiger is “a person, group, nation, or thing that has the appearance of strength or power but is actually weak or ineffectual.” Thankfully neither of these songs are weak or ineffectual. The Beck song in particular has always blown me away.
“Words”
Cyann & Ben – Sweet Beliefs (2006)
Doves – The Last Broadcast (2002)
This is perhaps the most homogenous pairing here, and so far, the most rockin’. We’ve got your shoegazers right here, folks.
“Heaven”
The Rapture – Echoes (2003)
Talking Heads – Fear of Music (1979)
These two songs couldn’t be more different. But for some reason, I rather like them together. The Rapture tells us, “If you focus very hard, the train will come for you at last,” while a countdown leads us to seven, God’s “number.” But maybe we shouldn’t worry about getting to heaven at all, David Byrne suggests. He puts it best when he says, “Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.”
The Weekend in Music: Lost in Translation, Galaxie 500, Portishead
I haven't done one of these posts in a while. As much as I love doing them, they remind me of this awful morning show on MSNBC called "Morning Joe" where all of the anchors come out at the end and discuss what they learned that day. On that note...
Regardless of your feelings for this film, one cannot deny the strength of its soundtrack. If I'm ever in Japan, I hope my escapades are set to My Bloody Valentine's "Sometimes" (This ranks as one of my favorite movie music moments, a Top Five I will get around to doing someday.) If you've seen the film you probably also know it closes with Jesus and Mary Chain's "Just Like Honey" (damn you, TBS, for cutting it off so you could play your stupid promos). What I didn't realize was that Air makes its second appearance on a Sofia Coppolla soundtrack here, after their phenomenal work on The Virgin Suicides. Even more interestingly, Kevin Shields of MBV fame lends not only what is arguably his best song, but four other tracks written for the film. Unfortunately, Peaches' "Fuck the Pain Away" was unduly excluded from the official soundtrack.
On a side note, I'd like to say that while I have seen LIT twice before, this was my first viewing that really left an impression. And I only saw the final half! And with commercial interruptions! I even started to tear up at the end when Bill Murray whispers those unintelligible last words. Could it be that the film has finally hit a chord with me? Or is it just that I was so overcome by something of this caliber being shown on national television? You be the judge.
Galaxie 500
If you've spent time around me recently, you know I'm absolutely foaming at the mouth over this band -- and in particular its 1989 album On Fire. The band's final album This Is Our Music (1990) is accomplished in its own right, with far more polished production that nevertheless maintains the band's charm. And after just one listen to Today, the band's debut, I'm elated. How incredible is it to discover a band you love that's been there all along, just waiting for you to find them?
If anyone is interested, I came across this column about a month ago. After reading I immediately had to get this album. It's remarkable when someone's passion intoxicates you.
If you'd like to hear a taste of the Galaxie 500 experience, I'm posting one of their songs on my mixtape later this afternoon. Stay tuned.
Portishead's Third
After all that whining I finally got my grubby hands on Portishead's return to the music world. After two cursory listens, I have to say this wasn't what I expected. While ITunes categorizes the album as "Trip-Hop," it's decidedly not. Sure, you'll hear your effects here and there, but this a (relatively) stripped down Portishead with a far more organic rock sound. (Are those real drums?)
I'm not blown away at this point, though there's a lot to take in here (and a lot of expectations to answer to). I will say the second track "Hunter" is incredible. And that guitar in "We Carry On" pretty much kicks ass.
Then you have odd-men-out like "Deep Water" and WTF-inducing "Machine Gun" that complicate matters.
I'm going to need more time to simmer with this one.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Column:
What Does Your ITunes Play Count Say About You As a Person?
By Nicole Pope
Ordinarily in this column I try to answer a big question I've pondered recently. Today I awoke to yet another suffocating blanket of snow. Just like that, my energy was zapped.
So I decided to do something fun like checking my ITunes Play Count (You know, sorting your music using the "Play Count" tab - after "Rating" - or simply viewing your "Top 25 Most Played" playlist.) Incidentally, ITunes collects this data in order to make Smart Playlists. If any of you have ever tried allowing ITunes to make, say, a party playlist for you, you know it's not the smartest AI around. Something cool and party-friendly will come on, like "The W.A.N.D.," and then ITunes will blow it by playing "Tears Are In Your Eyes" (sorry, YLT).
Lately I've thought it might be funny to write one of those lame quizzes and ask, "What Sub-Genre of Indie Rock Are You?" I thought I knew what my answer would be, until I started reading way too much into my play counts.
Do you ever wonder how other people truly see you? Well, check your ITunes play count and you might catch a glimpse of the undeniable truth of your soul. It's like ITunes is whispering in that trademark Nico hush, "I'll be your mirror." (A song that currently has a Play Count of 13.) And I was just trying to write a mindless column today.
Well, Yeah, You Got Me.
My No. 6 most listened to song is The National's "Green Gloves" (36 listens), while "Guest Room" is gaining at No. 14 (33 listens).
Panda Bear's "Take Pills" comes in at No. 11 (34 listens). (WTF? This isn't even close to my favorite on the album???)
Deerhunter's "Cryptograms" takes the No. 20 spot (31 listens), with "Hazel St." closing in at No. 26 (29 listens).
And despite having only been in my possession for two months, pretty much all of Beach House's Devotion, as expected, is moving toward a top spot with the majority of its tracks at 22 listens, and "You Came to Me" with 27.
Other top contenders: Iron & Wine's "Evening on the Ground" (31), Feist's "The Water" (31), The Field's "A Paw In My Face" (29), Of Montreal's "Gronlandic Edit" (28), Badly Drawn Boy's "Everybody Stalking" (28), Yo La Tengo's "Flying Lessons (Hot Chicken #1)" (28).
Really? Are You Making This Up?
Here's where the mirror comes in, and I was quite surprised by what I saw.
Overwhelmingly, my No. 1 song was "The Well and the Lighthouse" by The Arcade Fire (40 listens). This means that either my husband or I secretly love Neon Bible more than we've let on. Or that "The Well and the Lighthouse" is a fucking great song. Which it is.
Interestingly, Hot Chip's The Warning made two appearances in my Top Ten, including "Just Like We (Breakdown)" at No. 4 (37) and "Look After Me" at No. 7 (36). This isn't too much of a shocker because, while certainly not one of the best albums ever, The Warning suits so many moods. (Just look at the range represented by those two tracks.)
The biggest surprise for me was seeing songs from Blonde Redhead's 23 at the top of the list. "Publisher" nabbed the No. 2 spot with 38 listens (I'm looking at you, Backdrifter), while "Spring and By Summer Fall" came in at No. 8 with 35 (that one's my doing.)
Mitigating factors: I've had ITunes for about a year and a half, which might account for the prevalence of some of the albums coming out around that time (23 and Neon Bible). These figures don't account for what I listen to in my car, which is a considerable amount of the time I spend listening to music. It also doesn't account for whole albums, only songs, which I assume would give an entirely different result altogether.
So what did all of this tell me? Well, I was surprised to see that I'm not as much of a sad-bastard music lover as I thought. It also shows me that some of the albums/bands I've been criticizing lately have at one time been a predominant presence in my music collection. Because of this it also shows the fleeting nature of taste and, really, obsession.
So everyone, when you get a chance, take a peek at your ITunes Play Count. You might be surprised by what you see.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
My Waxing Philosophical, Your Waning Interest
I’m going to jump through some existential hoops here. Feel free to join me in my mental masturbation. I want to talk about the difference between fact and opinion in reference to music. Nicole has touched on this in her always-wonderful series, “The Unappreciated Scholar,” particularly in the January 11th edition. She’s addressed some ideas of value and belief that I think about more often than any normal person probably should.
First, let’s establish what an opinion is not. A scientific theory is a type of belief with universally useful and predictive applications. The theory of gravity is a belief that is equally useful for any person to hold. It makes predictions about how objects in the material world will act. Apples fall, moons orbit, and I break my ass on the pavement after ice storms.
A scientific theory is reached through the scientific method. A hypothesis is proposed, experiments are devised, and results are collected as evidence for or against the hypothesis. Other scientists in other labs perform similar experiments, and once sufficient evidence mounts, the hypothesis graduates to a theory. This theory represents a modicum of how things probably are.
We can only use past evidence to project a probability of future states. There’s always the possibility that gravity will suddenly stop working normally tomorrow, and we’ll all be hurled into space. Scientists fuck up, just like the rest of us, but with enough collaboration (and competition), mistakes will hopefully be caught. So far, the scientific method has worked out pretty well for us.
There are a number of aspects of human existence that simply are not commented on by the scientific process. Most systems of morality arise from nonscientific assumptions. (“Unscientific” has taken on a bad connotation lately, so I’ll continue to use “nonscientific”.) That’s a topic for another discussion, though. Let’s get to music.
Art exists in a realm of thought entirely different from Science, though the two do like to flirt. You can do experiments to test the acoustic/musical properties of songs. You will collect data, but you won’t know anything more about how that music will make you (or anyone else) feel. There are trends of relationship, to be sure, but musical taste is unaccountable to musical theory.
Exactly repeating an experiment results in more evidence. Exactly repeating a work of art results only in a copy. The belief that gravity will work tomorrow is fundamentally different from the belief that Radiohead is the greatest band of all time. Why do some opinions feel like undeniable truth? Is there any harm in feeling that way?
Nonscientific belief can be used as a personal tool. A belief that leads to no negative consequences of action or behavior and which is not opposed by material evidence is a personal matter. If that belief yields positive actions or behaviors, it can be logically argued that the belief should be maintained, regardless of its lack of scientific grounding.
If you accept the above as true, then the only real gauge for the personal value of an opinion is its effect on the person with the opinion. Furthermore, that valuation is only true for the opinion holder. This may seem like a long way to go to point out the obvious… our opinions aren’t facts, and we form them as we like. Maybe it is, but I think doing the exercise makes it clearer that both fact and opinion are infinitely if not universally valuable.
Possessing a belief in gravity says very little about a person. It greatly affects behavior, but it does so in a nearly identical way for each person. You try to avoid falling or causing things to fall… usually. Possessing a belief in Radiohead’s superiority says a great deal more about a person, because it’s not a materially required belief. Not everyone holds it, and those that do are affected by it differently.
Opinions are valuable, but how can you tell if a cherished belief is personally helpful or harmful? The answer is simple, but the implementation is not. Observe yourself. People have a notoriously large blind spot when it comes to objective introspection. We’re all spectacularly good at self-deception and cognitive dissonance.
Does hating 311 make me treat a 311 fan poorly, even when there’s no other reason to do so? (It does.) Does that amount to musical bigotry? (I don’t know… I really hate 311.) What benefits does cultivating this hatred of 311 bestow on me? It keeps me from listening to their music, but that could be handled by a simple dislike rather than active spite. How do I weed out this unnecessary vitriol?
One good way to get perspective on our opinions is to keep a regular diary (or blog). In fact, keeping a daily diary of events, dreams, thoughts, and feelings is generally recommended for everyone. You can then go back and read previous entries looking for patterns of behavior or thought that you’d like to cultivate or weed out. I wish I could say I did it, but I’m too lazy to keep that daily habit going. Maybe you have more perseverance!
I didn’t mean for this to turn into a treatise for the virtues of the blogosphere (Gah, I hate that word), but I suppose it’s as good a conclusion to reach as any. If you followed me this far without dozing off, you deserve a better reward than that. Maybe John Popper’s realization of the great farce? I like it, but that's just my opinion.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Wayback Whensday:
The Velvet Underground - Live
The first time I heard The Velvet Underground I thought they sounded so cliché. At the time I didn't understand that they weren't the ripoff artists, but rather the countless bands that followed hoping to capture their distinctive sound.
Lately I've been on an old music kick, so forgive me. Here are some of my favorite songs from The Velvet Underground and Nico, performed live.
The video of "Venus in Furs" is only 1:17, but is still pretty damned cool.
Why doesn't anything today feel this important?
"Heroin"
"Femme Fatale"
"Venus in Furs"
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Top Five Tuesday:
Where Do We Go From Here?
2. of Montreal – Early 2007 saw the release of the phenomenal Hissing Fauna, and with it, a new of Montreal was born. K Barnes and company simultaneously released their most depressing, most melodic, and most danceable work to date. So now that you’ve purged your soul of all that, what’s next? I'm intrigued not only by what Skeletal Lamping has in store for us, but also by its relatively quick release. Might it be the Amnesiac to Hissing Fauna's Kid A? 1. Portishead – Seriously, this album is due out in April and aside from the cover art I don’t know a damned thing about it. Does anyone? It’s been eleven years since the release of the self-titled Portishead album (ten since Roseland NYC Live), and all we’ve heard since is Beth Gibbons' side project with Rustin' Man (yawn) and a few under-nourished instrumental tracks on the band’s Myspace. I’m not sure what to expect here. And to be honest, I'm a little afraid. Other artists to watch in 2008: Junior Boys, Menomena, My Morning Jacket, and apparently, Gang of Four.Lately I've been rambling about the legions of album releases due in the coming months. I've heard a few tracks that scare me. Thankfully there have also been many that have piqued my curiosity.
I thought I'd compile some artists with upcoming 2008 releases that, for one reason or another, I'm regarding with special interest. A few of these bands have nowhere to go but up. Others...worry me a bit.
5. Wolf Parade – Ah, Wolf Parade. Recently I was listening to KEXP’s Cheryl Waters, a DJ with impeccable taste, and she mentioned that Wolf Parade was one of her favorite artists of all time. Really? How can you know that after just one album? Certainly Spencer Krug is a talented musician, spearheading WP and Sunset Rubdown as well as working on projects with Swan Lakes, Frog Eyes, and so on.
Still, the band that snagged a coveted 9.0 Pitchfork rating now faces the dreaded second album, a daunting obstacle for any band -- even more so with a band looking to match the success of their debut. (Clap Your Hands, anyone?) Will WP continue down a similar path? Or perhaps take a cue from Sunset Rubdown and focus on slower tracks like "Modern World"? Will they rock? Overproduce the shit out of it? Here’s hoping it’s not the latter.
4. Deerhunter – The machine Bradford Cox is scheduled to release another album this fall – Microcastle – due out on Halloween, according to Exclaim. This is one of the few on the list that I am confident will be good, I take it back incredible, though I’m most curious about how the album will sound.
In that interview with Exclaim, “I don’t really like using effects that much. I like them only because sometimes you need them to get a certain desired feeling or sound, but I don’t like for a song to depend on a metal box working and having fresh batteries in it. I guess I just get tired of depending on technology. The root of the song should be there already and I think you should be able to play these songs whether you have these things or not."
So does that mean the band is moving more toward territory staked by the Fluorescent Grey EP? I’m getting tingly all over thinking about it. And Let the Blind Lead… hasn’t even been out for a month.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially in love with Bradford Cox.
If nothing else, YIR showed the band isn't unafraid of trying new things, and that is why I’m confident the band will return with a triumphant follow-up album.
If the album artwork is any indication, are we to gather that Portishead's Third will sound exactly like the band's two previous efforts? Perhaps the more important question is, will that be enough?
Also, when is that freakin' MBV album I've heard so much about coming out?
Monday, March 3, 2008
Mixtape Monday:
Better Late Than Never
I had my iPod on random again the other day, and out of nowhere it started playing a bunch of 2007 songs I had completely forgot about. So many, in fact, that it inspired me to make this mix. In a year that gave birth to a plethora of great albums, other artists were bound to be overlooked. So, here's a mix of 2007 artists that probably deserved some blog love, hence the title. Oh, yeah, and its Tuesday, not Monday, so there's that too...
Interview:
The Lonely H
I’m talking to Mark Fredson, lead vocalist of Seattle-area rockers The Lonely H. He’s in a van with his band members trying to navigate out of the parking lot at the Newark airport. This week he was just about the coldest he’s ever been, he says. Four or five degrees. Snow. Next week they’re heading down to Florida.
“Then we’ll let the sun hit our pale, pale bodies,” he says.
I tell him it’s fifty here in the good ole Midwest, which hopefully means it will be warm when they pass through on their way to South by Southwest next week.
He says yeah, whenever he thinks of Kansas he imagines it as dry and hot. Then they came through for a show last month. He took a nap outside of their van and it was, well, cold.
“You took a nap outside of your van?”
“Yeah. That was the worst pre-show ever. Sometimes you just have to get over your sickness and just rock.”
I ask Mark what he and the guys thought of Lawrence. I tell him how whenever I talk to bands they always seem surprised all of Kansas isn’t lame.
“Yeah, when we were driving through Western Kansas we were like, this is going to suck. But it totally exceeded our expectations. Whenever someone asks us one of our favorite places to play, we always say Lawrence.”
(Incidentally, he’s telling the truth. I read an interview where he gave this very response. Way to go, Lawrence!)
The band’s second album Hair is set for release July 24. I ask Mark about the titular track. Specifically the fabulous line, “You like your hair short / And I like my hair long / And I don’t see the problem / What’s so wrong?”
I say, “That reminds me of my father-in-law still trying to get his 26-year-old son to cut his hair.”
“It’s as simple as that,” he says. “Some people just want you to be like them. Because they’re scared of freedom and revolution.”
There’s a bit of playfulness in his last words there. We both chuckle. Joking aside, I say this must be an important concept for the band, since they’ve named the album after the song “Hair.”
“It’s a word that goes along with rock,” he says. “All of our heroes and role models had lion’s manes.”
When he says this I can’t help but ask: when he says hair and rock are inseparable, he’s not referring to the hair bands of the eighties, is he?
“Oh, no. I pretty much discount that decade.”
I can’t help remembering the band members grew up during this decade. When the band released its debut album Kick Upstairs, critics, interviewers and bloggers fixated on the band member’s youth. At the time, Mark was just fourteen.
I ask if some of that buzz has died down, and if he feels like critics or fans see them any differently now – not that they’re exactly long in the tooth at this point. After all, their official site has this to say at the bottom of the band’s biography: “See you this year...without a signed permission slip.”
“It gets people talking,” Mark says. “I’d like to think we’re past the point where age matters. We just want to be seen as a solid rock band.”
I tell him that I teach English, and in class we spend a lot of time analyzing titles and trying to determine a writer’s intent and themes and probably getting it all wrong. That said, I wanted to know where the band name The Lonely H originated.
Mark says, “I think as an English teacher you might appreciate this. Everybody knows the 5 W’s. Who? What? Why? When? Where? Then you got H. Without How, people wouldn’t be able to learn from each other. We’re just trying to stand up for the Lonely H.”
I say my next question might irritate him. Does anyone ever confuse them with Local H, that ‘90s alternative band?
“We get that a lot. People started calling us that on accident. I’m like, you really think we’re the Local H? That guy’s like forty and he’s from Chicago.”
It could be worse, I say. And they do have that one pretty bitchin’ song “High Fivin’ Mothafucka.”
“Yeah, as song names go, that’s pretty good.”
I ask him about South by Southwest coming up next week. Do they approach a festival show any differently in terms of preparations or setlists or strange superstitions or anything like that?
“Not really. We’re going down there to get our names known. Turn it up to eleven.”
“Is that a Spinal Tap reference?” I say. “Nice.”
Mark says they plan on checking out Iggy Pop and Dr. Dogg while they’re down in Austin. After that, with so much good music to choose from, they’ll just “see where the night takes [them].”
I ask if he can get us in.
“Well, we got to choose between passes and money,” he says. “We took the money.”
Live Review:
Clutch at the Beaumont
Clutch is often cited as one of the hardest working bands around. With a rumored touring schedule of between 100 and 200 shows a year (yikes!) and new LP releases every couple of years, it's amazing they've been able to keep momentum for nearly two decades.
Thursday night, patrons of the Beaumont in KC were treated to a small taste of a band that has some of the most devoted followers since the Dead Heads. A sea of Clutch shirts, almost no two alike, undulated in the smoky venue. So how was the show?
I'm not a member of the Clutch Cult. I don't own any of their albums, and I've never really listened to them much. If I don't know the words to the songs, it's usually much harder for me to get into a performance. Singing along is a big deal for me, so seeing bands I'm not already into live is a whole different experience. It's a more passive than interactive event.
The only other time I've seen Clutch was when they came to the Granada about a year ago. I know some big fans, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Their vocalist, Neil Fallon... is amazing. The sheer amount of energy he is able to project throughout a two hour show is incredible. It's difficult to describe how intricately expressive the man is. It's fun just to watch his facial expressions.
As with the lyrics, the whole performance is very tongue in cheek. The fact that they don't take themselves too seriously makes them infinitely more enjoyable. Neil is truly a rock preacher from the Discordian temple. At least... he usually is.
If Clutch's performance at the Granada was a 9, their Beaumont gig was a 6. It was still enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but Neil just wasn't into it. I guess that's to be expected with a tour schedule as busy as theirs, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed. A friend and uber Clutch fan tells me that's typical. They're more lively when touring for a newly released album than when they're working on a new LP.
For a band that has been thrown into genres like "Stoner Rock" and "Funk Metal," Clutch has a style all their own. To keep such a rabidly loyal falling since their first EP's release in '91 (named Pitchfork, interestingly enough) is an impressive feat. So this one show has by no means soured me on them. I'll definitely be giving Clutch another go.