Phrazes For The Young Review

Released: Nov 3, 2009
Genre: Alternative Rock, Electronic, New Wave, Synthpop
Number Of Tracks: 8
The Stroke's singer's solo project. It feels very different from the Strokes, very electronic.

Sound: The Stroke's singer's solo project. It feels very different from the Strokes, very electronic. Think of it as like First Impressions, with more synth and electric keyboards. There are very catchy songs on here, like Left and Right in the Dark, and 11th Dimension. River of Brakelights sounds like Juicebo from First Impressions. Ludlow Street has a very countryesque feel to it. I found that overall, the new instrumental style actually helped support the melodies better than the Strokes straightforward rock. My only disclaimer is that at times the keyboard/synth melodies sound out of place. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: Julian is a great singer and this album showcases his skill. He is able to make exceptional melodies, like in 11th Dimension, 4 Chords of the Apocalypse and River of Brakelights. His lyrics are conventional lyrics, but there are some memorable lines in the album. The lyrics match the music's mood quite well. The upbeat songs have happy lyrics and the somber songs are matched by more solemn subjects. I think overall, the lyrics were great. // 9

Impression: The album is very different from the Strokes, and if you were expecting that coming, be prepared. It has a techno feel, and is like an extension of Ask Me Anything from First Impressions of Earth. Exceptional songs are Left and Right in the Dark and 11th Dimension. This is essentially showing what Julian could do if he was let to run a musical project, and it's great, but I'm not into the new electronic sound he's created. If it were lost or stolen, I'd be happy for the person who stole it but I'd most likely just go and buy the new Strokes CD coming out next year. // 8
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Hello Hurricane Review

Released: Nov 10, 2009
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Lowercase People Records
Number Of Tracks: 12
On their first release since parting ways with Columbia Records, Switchfoot are enjoying the freedom to think outside of the world of cookie-cutter formats.

Sound: After playing by Columbia/Sony BMG Records’ rules on their past few albums, the members of Switchfoot have rediscovered creative freedom. Frontman Jon Foreman candidly stated they “wanted to start with a clean slate because the last couple of records felt kind of compromised.” One can imagine that the record execs wanted an album chock full of radio hits that follow a pretty common format, and while Switchfoot’s 7th studio album Hello Hurricane comes close to that ideal, it’s obvious that the quintet wanted to get a bit more artsy in the process. There’s an underlying pop-rock vibe that is the driving force behind the CD, but Switchfoot still shows off their experimental side in a big way.

Small indications of that experimentation are apparent in a track like “Needle and Haystack Life,” which immediately introduces a much richer guitar tone that we’ve heard from the band in the past. While that particular song still sounds like a perfect fit to play over the credits of any random hip TV show, “Mess Of Me” begins to take the album in a more intriguing direction. If you prefer the edgier, more straight-up rock side to Switchfoot, you’ll love “Mess Of Me.” Starting off with a sonic, distortion-seeped guitar hook, it also features an interesting arrangement in which a cappella vocal lines often trade off with the rest of the instrumentation.

It’s very likely that Foreman and his bandmates had a ball playing around with various effects/synth equipment. There’s been a quote going around regarding how Hello Hurricane delves deeper into both the band’s acoustic and electronic sides. As odd as it sounds, it’s an accurate statement. Not every song includes this combo, of course, but the album is full of paradoxes to be sure. A song like “Sing It Out” is an aural free-for-all, starting out with some eerie Pink Floyd-like crying guitar effects. The bass line is the guiding force underneath Foreman’s solemn vocal work (which is also eventually joined by a string section), and you’ll even hear a subtle robotic-like vocal line mirroring his lyrics. There’s also a lengthy, fairly ghostly instrumental outro that sounds to be primarily synth work.

While “Mess Of Me” and “This Is The Sound” are the big rock numbers, the mellower offerings take up the bulk of the album. “Enough” is just a little too predictable in comparison with the rest of the tracks, but it does score points for its sentimental factor. “Your Love Is A Song” begins by being a fully electric ballad, but the band quickly strips everything down to only an acoustic and vocals. There are a few transitions of that sort in not only “This Is The Sound,” but in songs scattered throughout the CD. The acoustic doesn’t always take the spotlight on the ballads, however, and you’ll notice that Switchfoot became fond of a keyboard effect that produces a chiming effect that you might hear in a nursery rhyme. It’s the little details like those which indicate that Switchfoot is truly attempting to think outside of the box. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: There’s a common theme that runs throughout Hello Hurricane, namely that of self reflection. Whether Foreman expresses, “I still believe you can save me from me” or “the sickness is myself…I made a mess of me,” the album probably had a cathartic effect for the singer/songwriter. The main issue is that there is a fair share of the normal/typical rhyming patterns (“I’ve got my back against the wall; I can still hear the blue sky call”), and that often becomes distracting. The candid themes relayed, however, allow you to often overlook any predictable rhymes that show up on the record. // 7

Impression: Recalling Switchfoot’s big hits from The Beautiful Letdown (“Meant To Live” and “Dare You To Move”), there does seem to be creative growth for the San Diego natives. While it’s fascinating to hear what effects, drum tracks, sampling are chosen (and where they are placed), it’s just as satisfying to hear a dirty riff show up in the middle of Hello Hurricane. Somehow with all of the experimentation, Switchfoot still manages to sound commercially acceptable. The band didn’t necessarily play by a major label’s rules this time around, it would still be no surprise if a number of Hello Hurricane’s tracks find Billboard success. // 8
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Bon Jovi's Copyright Case Resurfaces

Bon Jovi's legal battle over their baseball anthem is far from over - the man who filed a $400 billion plagiarism suit against them last year is dragging the case back to court.

Massachusetts-based musician Samuel Bartley Steele filed papers last October alleging the group copied lyrics from his 2004 song (Man I Really) Love This Team, which was used as the theme tune for his Boston baseball team The Red Sox.

Steele alleges the group's New Jersey-born frontman Jon Bon Jovi heard the song while campaigning for US. Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004, and used the track's lyrics to create hit song I Love This Town - which was later used as a promotional track for Major League Baseball.

A judge dismissed the case in 2008 after Steele's own musicologist agreed the songs weren't very similar, but Steele has decided to challenge the decision. He filed an a notice of appeal to the First Circuit Federal Court on Friday (November 06).

Thanks for the report to Contactmusic.com.
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Metallica Interviews Alice In Chains

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica interviewed Alice In Chains for FMQB Productions' "Inside Alice In Chains: Black Gives Way To Blue" broadcast special, which will air on radio stations across the country starting tomorrow (September 25).

When asked by Hetfield what the album title means to the band, guitarist Jerry Cantrell explained that the title track is a song about late Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002. "It's a really intense song and a really open-hearted song because of Layne and the experience that we all went through," he said. "It's [about] facing up to that stuff and all the good and all the bad and moving forward together. It speaks to [the fact that] things were pretty black for us. It's pretty literal, and things are starting to get a little lighter."

Cantrell also stated that having Elton John play on the song was an honor, because Elton was the first musician that he really admired. "It was a really heavy thing for me, because my whole journey starts with him. That was the first guy I really got into," Cantrell said. "Then I started discovering guitar bands like AC/DC and Kiss and all sorts of other stuff. But Elton was the first thing that turned the light on for me. So to have that come full circle for all of us – for what we've all been through – and for who that song is about, it's a pretty heavy thing. It's one of the few moments in life where the universe really lines up and tells you you're doing the right thing."

The band was also very candid about going through their own battles with addiction after Staley passed away. "We kind of went off the rails and stopped touring with two number one records back-to-back because we were not in really good shape. We tried to take time off, and the plan was to focus on living a little bit," Cantrell said. Drummer Sean Kinney added, "The plan was to stop because I knew for a fact, if we were to stay out on the road, death was imminent. It wasn't just Layne — it could have been me, it could have been anybody. We pulled back from that and the theory was to try to get our act together so we could live and move on."

Later in the special, Hetfield asks Alice In Chains singer William DuVall if it was strange for him to sing someone else's lyrics. But as DuVall pointed out, music is always open to interpretation, and he takes away his own meaning from the lyrics, whether they were written by Staley or Cantrell.

"Truth is truth, and I'll relate to it on that level," he explained. "It's similar to the older songs; a tune that might be really personal to Jerry, like 'Rooster', Layne sang those songs with a lot of conviction. I come to that stuff singing a song like 'Dirt' or 'Junkhead' with my own experience, because the feelings behind those lyrics are universal. The impetus for writing them may be extremely personal, but that's the beauty of music. That's the power of it. It's all the blues to me, and I know a thing or two about the blues. I'm a blues person!"

Hetfield joined Alice In Chains on stage on November 26, 2006 at the Warfield in San Francisco to perform the song "Would?". Watch a fan-filmed video clip at YouTube. A professional-quality clip of Hetfield playing "Would?" with Alice In Chains at the Rock am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany on June 2, 2006 can be viewed here.

When asked by Revolver magazine if he had a close relationship with Staley, Hetfield replied, "I wasn't really close with Layne, but I remember going to see Alice In Chains many times. I remember when we were down in L.A. [in 1991, making 'The Black Album'], I left the studio early to see them play on Clash of the Titans with Slayer. I was driving like a madman in this rented van, going on the median and scaring the shit out of my friend — 'We gotta get there!' And we get there, and they'd just got off. I was like, 'Aw, man!' [Laughs] I hung with them a little bit, always just loved their music, and I'd say that Jerry [Cantrell, AIC guitarist] and I share some life experiences, like getting a second chance at life and realizing how cool things can be. So we've got kind of a kinship that way. And seeing them play — I just love hearing those songs. Those songs are awesome and should be heard, you know? They were so unique, so ahead of their time. And out of all the Seattle stuff, that stuff is the most timeless. Unfortunately, Layne just loved the junk too much, man, and that was that. I just read in his lyrics his obsessiveness about it. And he knew where he was goin'! It's like, in the school of driving, look where you want to go — and that's what he was doing, it seems like."

Thanks for the report to Blabbermouth.net.
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Megadeth: 'We're Living The Dream Because We're Awake And We're Working It'

Gav Ross of Australia's Beat magazine recently conducted an interview with Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On the fact that talking about his craft and answering the same questions over and over again is far from a chore:

Dreams are for people who sleep. We're living the dream because we're awake and we're working it. It's really important that we remember that things aren't just going to happen by us sitting back and waiting for something to drop into our laps.

On Megadeth's new album, "Endgame":

Part of it was written in the studio; part of it was some riffs I'd saved over the years. I'm just really excited about how it all came together. Granted, there's a lot of stuff I'd like to have had happen with this record, like doing it all in one sitting rather than having all the interruptions that we had with tours and stuff. Sometimes it makes it so difficult — you're in a creative moment and then you've gotta stop.

On the unexpected generosity he encountered while putting together his recording studio, Vic's Garage, in San Marcos, California:

We had a guy come into (Vic's Garage) and he and his wife were huge fans. While I was a little uncomfortable with his offer, he has now — no shit — dropped over $100,000 in sound-proofing the studio for free. His son is a drummer and they've already done some recording in here too.

On the general support he has received during his career and his position as something of a guitar deity:

I haven't felt as honored or respected [by] our fans or the heavy metal community as much as I do now. It's so rewarding and almost inebriating. I've never been one of those guys to get caught up in the hype because I put my pants on just like everyone else, y'know?

On Megadeth's recent Canadian tour with Slayer — the first time the two bands played together in almost 15 years:

(Because) we hadn't played together in quite some time we didn't really know how it was going to go. The concerts were great; the fans were great and the bands will continue to grow closer over time. We'd had some problems in the past, but we're considerably more mature now and I've changed a lot, so anybody that's waiting for me to say something to ruin the tour, they're going to get disappointed.

On being on the road for long periods of time:

I don't really tire from the touring as much as a normal guy would because I take really good care of myself. The touring rigors will eat you alive if you don't get your act together. It's real easy to be out on the road and to lose sight of what's good for you; you can get sick really easy out there by following some bad habits or doing some stuff with people.

On Megadeth's upcoming Australian tour with Slayer:

That's the problem when you're in the situation of there being more than one band (on the bill). Because it's a co-headline show both bands get exactly the same amount of time. They're closing, we aren't, but we're going to play as many songs as we can in the amount of time we have. The four concerts we did Canada were only 60 minutes and that only allows us to play about 12 songs.

I'd like to play longer, but I also know that we're being followed by a very capable band and they're going to be just as exciting to listen to as we are. My main goal is to play the best that I absolutely can on this tour and be in the best physical shape I can be.

Read more from Beat magazine.
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Aerosmith: Joe Perry Interviewed

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was interviewed on Monday, November 9 by Chuck Nowlin of Boston's WZLX 100.7 radio station. A few excerpts from the conversation follow (as transcribed by Blabbermouth.net).

On whether Steven Tyler has left Aerosmith:

Perry: "I don't know. There hasn't been any communication with his managers. He hasn't talked to anybody in the band. So [the report on Classic Rock magazine's web site is] the only thing I've seen or heard.

"Right after the [Abu Dhabi] show [on November 1], I jumped in the car and went to the airport and flew to London for the Classic Rock Awards show. And so we got back a couple of days later than everybody else and when we plugged in and got online and saw [the Classic Rock article], it was kinda... 'OK, well, I guess that's what he's doing.' I knew we were gonna be taking some time off, but I guess he just announced what he was gonna be doing during the time off."

On whether there was any talk with Steven at all during the recent shows in Hawaii and Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates:

"No. He was off in his own dressing room, he stayed in different hotels from the band, travelled on different planes. We never saw him until we walked on stage on any of those shows."

On Steven telling Classic Rock magazine that he wants to concentrate on "Brand Tyler:"

"I guess. That's what [the article] says. That's what he's gonna do. I guess. Maybe we'll get a telegram from him; I don't know.

"Like I've been saying since the tour got cancelled, we're gonna be on hiatus. He was like that during the [ill-fated Aerosmith] tour [with ZZ Top], too. I mean, he was pretty much travelling on his own, with his own group of people. So there really wasn't much talk about what was going on. And after he fell off the stage the second time [in Sturgis], I don't think he was physically up to finishing the tour — even if he hadn't broken his shoulder. I knew we were gonna be off for a while, so that was it. And I guess he's announced what he's gonna do online.

"I've been pretty verbal about what I'm doing [referring to his recently released solo album. — Ed.]. I've told the [other] guys [in Aerosmith], I've played them the record — at least gave them the record. I know Brad's [Whitford; guitar] listened to it, I don't know if the other guys have. But I never let it get in the way of [Aerosmith]. But... that's life."

On whether any of the new Aerosmith album has been recorded and whether Steven completed any vocals for the new songs before the recent tour:

"No. The only thing we have is a bunch of stuff that's been left over from past records. Some of those [songs] we were gonna put on the [next] album, but he didn't do any singing at all for this record. I can't really understand that. We had some pretty good stuff laid out, and working with [producer] Brendan O'Brien, I thought it was gonna be a slam dunk, but for some reason, he just wasn't interested."

On having Aerosmith end this way after being together so long:

"Well, I don't really think... As long as we're still kicking, it's not over. We'll probably get bored and come back. I don't what everybody's gonna be doing. We've talked about getting someone else to sing in the band, we've talked about just doing... I don't know... whatever."

On whether they have anybody in mind as a replacement for Tyler:

"Not really. And the thing is, it can't be Aerosmith with... at least not the Aerosmith that we know. For it to be valid and have something real about it, it would have to be somebody that would bring something to the party. It would be the four guys that have been playing forever, and using that weapon with somebody that's got [something] to bring in. But I don't know yet. We've really just kind of got knocked back on our heels, and everybody is just kind of settling back and figuring out what's going on."

On whether he or any of the other guys has reached out to Steven:

"I did call him when we were in Hawaii, because we had some gigs that were offered to us to do in South America — like, three gigs that we were gonna do in December. And I called him up and asked him if he would consider doing them, and he hung up on me about halfway through the conversation, so I kind of got the hint that he pretty much wants to be alone and wants to do his own thing."

Tyler told Classic Rock magazine following the Middle East concert that he intended to work on "Brand Tyler" instead of a new Aerosmith record for the foreseeable future, saying, "I don't know what I'm doing yet, but it's definitely going to be something Steven Tyler: working on the brand of myself — Brand Tyler."

Perry told the Las Vegas Sun that he believed Tyler had been planning to leave for a while, saying, "Obviously he hasn't been giving 100 percent to this thing for a long time . . . To disregard his brothers to the point where we have to find out about it on the Internet — it's like, 'See you later, Bud.' I still care for him as a person, or at least the person I used to know. But things change."
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