Rock (w/o the roll)

This blog is really a conglomerate of two genre’s of Rock. None of this roll business, just straight up Rock and the subgenre, blues based rock(which is misleading since all rock is blues based...i just mean it wears that influence on its sleeve)

As I write this, I’ll be tempted to reference alt, prog, metal, and any number of genres. The intent however is to throw my Rock into a musical centrifuge and separate the purest form of rock from the genre’s it inspired. There will be plenty of time to go into the materials that ended up away from the center later on…

So we start with rock. I mean the hard hitting stuff, the kind of rock that needs to be played loud and annoy your neighbors, parents (mine would enjoy it, but you know what I mean).

I already talked about The Doors, but hey, they rock and I needed an early example so back off! Flash forward to now(ish) and listen to this my friends. Even their name evokes the Rock gods... its just pure Rock, from concentrate. It’s the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or BRMC when they wanna be alt. They sometimes get close to the Metal line, but never cross it. Hence they came out of the Centrifuge under 100% genuine full grade rock. I consider Baby 81 one of the greatest modern rock albums, it always pumps me up. Those crunchy guitars are pretty much gifts from above(or below I suppose) Even still, they did an acoustic album that actually rocks in a more Oh Brother Where art Thou fashion.

Next on our tour, we come to a quick collection from the 90's. We Care A Lot! Got to have a shout out to my brother Matt's band Faith No More. Since my bro was a drummer and a pure dude, I was apprenticed in the ways of rock under his tutelage. Another of his rockin bands that unfortunately didn't really hit the big time was the Hellacopters. They always rocked with fun. Foo Fighters! David Grohl outdid himself on the album "One By One". It starts off with one of the coolest intro's to an album ever. Smashing Pumpkins...Zero, speaks volumes (turned up to 11)

Part 2: The White Stripes

When I think of modern rock, its hard not to contemplate the raw awesome that was the White Stripes. They come from a great tradition of blues based rock. I could start almost every post with The Beatles and trace that lineage to a current band or genre. So for the White Stripes, i'd pick Yer Blues. I'd trace it through Led Zeppelin (the obvious choice I know, but still very accurate) And then finally to Mr. Jack White's band. The started with a bang, had a fantastic go and ended with a bang. So much sound from just two people, they were weird, funny, and knew how to Jam. I like Jack White and think he will continue to rock throughout the rest of his career.

Also, there are some fun new bands w/ similar styling. Check out Band of Skulls. They definitely have potential...

Moral of the story lets turn to the wheel of Morality... "wheel of morality, turn turn turn, tell us the lesson that we should learn...." todays lesson is: listen to more BRMC and White Stripes and your life will be enriched.

Cheers and Love,

~James

last year's infinite playlist

I've been making mix cd's for a while now. I feel i'm fairly good at predicting other folks tastes. Of course the job is infinitely easier/harder when the recipient is someone who appreciates the good stuff. Add to that, the opportunities of listening are basically in the car with my lil rambunctious nephews (i don't know that i've used "rambunctious" in casual conversation :)

Anyways, the point is, last year after refining a playlist I developed for Emily Clay... to meet Mallory Manning's tastes, I finished the job on what may be my most important accomplishment at least of 2009: My sister's birthday mix! (i love making a grand dramatic scene on this here blog).

I discovered most of the songs on said playlist on podcasts. I would listen to them a good amount my junior year at BYU and find a few gems here and there. During my internship with KPMG I actually discovered a bunch of the songs on my way to Disneyworld. Sadly my podcast days have kind of ended. But i wanted to make the point that I was cool and hip those days B).

Note: this is the extended cut of the playlist, includes the songs that didn't make the CD due to space issues,

Anyways here is the playlist:

ok ok, DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT click on these first 3. The three songs (and all of the songs on the playlist) are clean and don't swear, but these first three are by a group named Star#%$@#$.

Click on them and avert your eyes from the title of the video as it includes the #%$@#$ from the band name. You've been warned... please click on them though, the songs are amazing 3:)

1: Pop Song by Star#%$@#$

2: German Love by Star#%$@#$

3: Medicine by Star#%$@#$

4: Stay by Small Sins

(the harmony is like 80's metal, but the song is real chill, the contrast makes me laugh)

5: Rotten Love by Levi

(this song speaks to me... again very chill)

6: Night on Fire by VHS or Beta

7: White Daisy Passing by Rocky Volalato

8: Cold World by The Electric Soft Parade

(live version, isn't the best but gets the point across and is fun)

9: Peace and Hate by The Submarines

10: You Push, I'll Go by Baby Dayliner

10.1: Raid by Baby Dayliner

(ok this wasn't originally on the playlist... but i couldn't help myself, its just that awesome)

11: Grave Situation Part 1 by The Burning H-E-double hockey sticks

(i'm surprised i found this online...the kids loved it, its pure comedy)

12: Help Me by the Mommyheads

(power pop at its finest!)

13:Hurt Feelings by The Flight of the Conchords

(didn't make the cut, but awesome way to celebrate our NZ heritage video pulled for copyright...lamesauce)

14: The Best Thing By Ivy

(powerpop, by way of Fountains of Wayne guitarist and pretty french front girl)

15: Neon Beanbag By Stereolab

(another french girl, but its less powerpop and more electronica bliss)

16: Hideaway The Weepies

(tried to sell it as a modern folky version of The Sundays)

17: Takes so Long The Weepies

(makes lil Sam angry at the line about Sam and Libby...oh the controversy of the cooties)

18: Hey Julie Fountains of Wayne

(describes my life, with out the Julie part...also, the video is amazing!)

19: Harmony Clinic

(didn't make the cut...too heavy for a birthday mix)

20: Crash The Primitives

(dumb and dumber soundtrack is one of the best)

21: Yankee Bayonet The Decemberists

(can't remember if it made the cut, I love these guys)

22: Don't Know Why Ben Kweller

(don't think it made the cut...though i love it, it makes me sad there is no good version online)

23: Pot Kettle Black Wilco

(had to try to put wilco in, don't think it was a hit though, I picked this one as its main riff is very much like The Cure's in between days)

24: Little Ghost The White Stripes

(hilarious, to complement Grave Situation)

25: Lobsters in a Bucket The Aquabats

(Don't think this made it either...but not for lack of trying!)

And so, now I face the task of this years mix...

Love,

-James

Control Alt Country*

So I listened to Whiskeytown while I was auditing up a storm and decided it was high time I wrote about Alternative Country. Yes you read that right, me, James Elvin Harrington, absolutely with no apologies, loves a genre that has "country" in the title. But here me out, and click the links this time (i know you always click the links, but do it this time for sure. I plead because most of my blog material is familiar to you 7 followers(8 including me :), but not so with Alt country. I aim to enrich your life.)

The genre kind of got a false start with the Eagles but they were more Country Rock... the band that is credited with the true start of the very specific genre is Uncle Tupelo (see wiki article). In fact the alt country magazine is named No Depression, after Uncle Tupelo's first album.

I of course found out about them because of Jeff Tweedy, of current fame as frontman of Wilco. But his first Album came out in 1990 and was very different from anything else...err genre defining and such. Its opener Graveyard Shift took Q's from punk rock and country to basically make me happy and not just because of the cowbell. As a context, this was the early nineties...when grunge was king, so they definitely went a different direction, hence the "alt" part i suppose. They went on to move toward more folky sounds and away from punk, but always interesting lyrics. One of my favorites in this transition is Gun. Here's Jeff singing it in an acoustic set 15 years later (Acoustic is a much better live recording, but you can feel the energy of Uncle Tupelo in the first link). Anodyne, their last album is a love letter to the genre and is my favorite example. No Sense in Lovin' is actually very country sounding, but the lyrics elevate it to another level. A Wilco post will be forthcoming. (it is forthcoming actually)

Back to what inspired the post: Whiskeytown. Their album Strangers Almanac is very much beautiful. You folks might know the lead singer Ryan Adams since his solo career has been very successful. His voice on this album is just about perfect. The opener Inn town is a good showcase for it. Dang youtube for not having it. A more country oriented song on the album is Excuse me while I break my own heart. Love that voice. Here's an interesting live one, storytelling songs are fun.

Another great band of the era is the Jayhawks. My dad introduced me to Hollywood Town Hall before I showed him Wilco. Driving from Provo to Cupertino always made me happy going through Nevada California.

So if you take Jeff Tweedy and add Jayhawks you get Golden Smog. Ok Ok I'll try to put more effort into finding versions of these songs from all these bands that isn't Jeff and a guitar :) Dang it thats the only link to an album version and guess what its just him and a guitar... oh well I love the more folksy Alt Country too.

Another band I've enjoyed is The Minus 5. In fact Jeff has a role in one of their albums as well. I hesitate in putting them in this post because they have some pop-ish songs, but they certainly were influenced by alt country in that song. Also listen to the lyrics in this song...hilarious.

Also so i love the Decemberists. But guess what? his first band was very alt country! Check out out Tarkio's excellent Keeping Me Awake.

Anyways, sadly the story of Alt country kind of ends with the break up of Whiskeytown, though its influence is felt in the recent folkish revival of bands such as Mumford and Sons, and more. And of course, I'm happy that Wilco moved on, but hey...their first album continued that alt country tradition and I love it almost as much as the experimental awesomeness that was Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Almost started into the Wilco Post...but i'll save that for some future age. Next topic? i'll take suggestions in the comments section :D (again, i aim to please :D)