Music – Weird 8

Bohemian Rapsody Isn’t Good But Go See It Anyway

So, the Queen movie.

When I was nine (in 1980), I visited my grandmother in Michigan and on the first day she would take us down to the Ben Franklin store (that she and my grandfather used to own) and buy me a treat for my visit, usually somewhere around $10. Before that summer of 1980, I had always wanted Legos or Star Wars figures. But not that summer. For my birthday I had received a cassette player and had been looking to branch out into something other than a few tapes my parents owned (for instance, Peter, Paul and Mary’s Greatest hits because the 70s). I remember standing in front of a huge rack of tapes, all priced for $5.99 or some nonsense, and seeing the grey colored cover for Queen’s The Game. I had been hearing this really groovy song on the radio, Another One Bites the Dust, and I thought that if a band could play a song like that, then I wanted in on whatever else they were doing.

For my first music purchase, then, I chose The Game, which is a pretty solid choice for my nascent musical snobbery. The Game has it all: rocking riffs, huge melodies and harmonies, a swingy, jangly song about love and riding motorcycles, a song about suicide (!) and why not to try it, and of course the Chic-inspired/stolen bass line of Another One Bites the Dust. That album opened me to a whole world of possibilities and I was forever changed by that album and that band.

The movie Bohemian Rhapsody is not a great biopic of Freddy Mercury, nor is it even a good one. All the music critics are correct when they say the movie hedges its bets continuously, not really knowing what made Mercury and his band so special; they’re also correct when they complain that it’s really a by-the-numbers biopic that provides a very vanilla take on one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. For being about a band that was so adventurous, the movie takes very little chances. It’s a very non-Queen story about Queen.

But what the critics miss is truly the wonder of Queen, and how powerful they are and were. Yes, it’s not a deep or meaningful dive into Mercury’s life or what makes Queen so special, but it really doesn’t need to be for you to sing along and be reminded how seminal those Queen songs were and still are. That the movie doesn’t quite know how to deal with Mercury’s special talent for mixing the fun and bizarre, for taking chances that only now seem so obvious, for loving music so much that he becomes the voice of a generation of rock and rollers, eventually performing what is recognized as the greatest rock performance of all time — the movie has no idea what do to with these or why they matter, and that’s really alright.

Because music is art and art is mystery and mystery is what keeps us coming back for more, and goddam isn’t Queen an incredible band with so many songs that are fundamental to how we listen to rock and roll that it’s actually better that we don’t know exactly what makes them so special? So no, Bohemian Rhapsody is not a well made biopic that shrewdly cuts into Mercury’s or Queen’s personality to help us see them more clearly.

But it *does* provide us a rough outline of the story of Queen, with all its ups and downs, eventually ending in the super high of their once-in-a-lifetime Live Aid performance crashing into the bottoming out of Mercury’s death by AIDS, all the while reminding us, via their songs, that Queen was a truly special one of a kind band that wrote and performed like their lives depended on it, because, as it turns out, they did.

Do you like serious biopic films that cut and dive and explore personalities? Then maybe this isn’t for you. But if you like Queen (and really, who doesn’t?), then go see and thoroughly enjoy Bohemian Rhapsody. Go and relive the wonder and glee and just pure joy of a man and his band as they make true rock and roll, bringing joy to people across the world, just like nine year old me.

Go see it now.

My Tour with Sleater-Kinney

I’m so blissfully ignorant. I’m on tour with Sleater-Kinney, covering their return to rock as a music journalist and it seems so damn quaint. They all still share a bed and hotel room together, and we laugh and joke as we get ready for their first show on their tour in Olympia, their original hometown.

I’m fitting in well for the first day. I call them “guys,” get to sleep in bed with them, and have started asking those probing questions that a serious rock journalist asks in order to build rapport in a short time. My question is “what is the fictionalized version of you like?” (Not a very good question, I admit.) Carrie answers, “just me but not real.” Corin wants to answer me later. Janet’s in the shower.

Then someone lights up a joint, which kicks off the fire alarm and everyone is heading out to the first show. Fred Armisen is with us, dressed in drag, and Corin shows me the tweet of mine she’s kept — in it, I declare my undying love to her as a rock goddess. She smiles and I wonder if I will end up kissing this woman.

Then my cousin shows up outside the hotel with a gun in his bag, which he fires into the air, and things turn weird and I shift and suddenly… I’m awake, it’s 3am, and it was all a dream. Oh, but for a moment what a beautiful dream.

Clearly Sleater-Kinney is on my mind. They’ve just released their eighth album, No Cities to Love, after an eight year hiatus, and it was well worth the wait. But I’m not going to provide a straight-up review of their album. With a score of 90 over at Metacritic, their new album clearly has all the positive reviews it needs. No — I want to talk about why Sleater-Kinney is so damn important to rock music.

See, the thing about the new record isn’t just that it’s great, that it sounds amazing, that Sleater-Kinney is back in full form, or that everyone agrees how amazing it is. Fact is, it may be the most important rock record of the decade. Because it’s not that easy to make an Important Rock Record these days, and those who attempt it face an uphill battle against every Important Rock Record that has been recorded before. But I’m pretty sure No Cities to Love is pretty fucking important.

First and most important, the album has momentum, is momentum. Right out of the gate with the first song, the album propels itself with an immediacy most bands would die for. This isn’t just about up-tempo songs — it’s about keeping the listener engaged with back-to-back energy that keeps you hooked, won’t let your attention slip. Song after song goes by, the longest still clocking in just four minutes, and each and every one means something. From the existential and practical crisis of opener “Price Tag” to the rock anthem guitar hook of the closer “Fade,” Sleater-Kinney knows how to construct song after song of immediate, focused rock. This band knows how to rock better than just about any band out there today and this album is the proof.

The band’s secret weapon in all this is Janet Weiss, perhaps the most underrated drummer in all of rock history. Much is continually said of Carrie and Corin, and people rarely take the time to understand how critical Janet is to the band, but good God this woman can drum. It’s not enough that Janet has rock-solid tempo and seems to find all the interesting spots between the dual guitar attack from the front of the stage. For such a straight-forward rock band, there is nothing straight-forward about Weiss and her drumming. Sure, she can provide the pounding and thumping needed to propel the rocker “Surface Envy” forward. But “Fangless” has a off-center funk that most drummers could not pull off, while “Gimme Love” has a mid-phrase hiccup that many drummers would not even know what to do with. With every song Weiss brings a wealth and wide spectrum of creativity and agility that is extremely rare in today’s music. There are very few touring bands with such an amazing backbeat and yet she gets no glory — she is truly a secret weapon.

All this leads me to Sleater-Kinney themselves — the real secret weapon. Sure, those in touch with indie rock know and worship the band appropriately. But they will never have the surprise Grammy win of The Arcade Fire, my parents will never like them, and most people won’t get past the howling vocals. Which is perhaps the biggest reason why they’re so important — part of rock music needs to go against the grain, to be counter-culture, to show what’s wrong with the status quo. Sleater-Kinney does just this. The ten songs on the new album clock in at under 40 minutes — again the immediacy is palpable — and they say things about our world that no one else says. This record shows how three women can make their own way in a world dominated from top to bottom by men and sacrifice nothing along the way. Finally, the band demonstrates how to pull of a come-back, returning to recording and touring on their own terms, all while refusing to compromise their songs, their sound, or their souls.

This all comes together in this Important Rock Album. And, really, it’s the true mark of a great rock band.

A Rush Fan Commits Heresy – Clockwork Angels Tour Review

‘Time crumbles things; everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time.’ – Aristotle

It must be hard to be an aging lead singer. I remember first noticing how the toils of time can wear on a singer’s voice when watching The Who perform ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ from their 1989 Tommy reunion tour. Daltrey was forced to cut short his money shot at the very last refrain (“Loooooooooooooooove!”) as well as drop it an octave – there was just no way 45 year old Daltrey could hit the notes that his 28 year old self could.

It’s also hard in face of technical prowess – even aging rockstars can keep their chops in shape and stay in form. Case in point: Geddy Lee is still one goddam badass bass player. Sure, Lifeson and Peart are still great, but Lifeson was never truly flashy, and Peart is beginning to sag a bit. But Lee is still in top form, which the new Rush video Clockwork Angels Tour clearly demonstrates. If you want to see a band at the peak of its skills nearly 40 years along, there is no better place to go than Rush: pulling from their extensive back catalog (yet strangely focusing on 1985’s Power Windows, to my delight) as well as performing most of their recent Clockwork Angels album, the band is still in top form, with an extensive light and video show, a high-end stage production, and even a string section to complement the new material. All in all, the band is just running on all cylinders. Except…

When The Police and Genesis reunited for their world tours in 2007-2008, it was clear that Sting and Phil Collins were no longer the singers they used to be, and they dropped the keys on many songs to accommodate their limited vocal range. Rather than try to force the songs they couldn’t sing and have them come out strained or off-key, they opted to change the songs to fit their aging voice. Geddy Lee needs to seriously think about doing this same thing.

I would guess that no criticism of Lee’s voice would phase him at this point. Having endured a lifetime of negative feedback for his screeching voice, and yet still coming out on top as one of the most influential and lasting rock bands ever, he has earned the right to say a big “fuck you” to anyone who thought his voice wasn’t strong enough to carry the band. And I agree – his voice is one of the reasons Rush is so unique and special, and Lee has earned the right to disregard everyone who tried to make his voice into a liability.

But now here we are, with Lee just turning 60 years old, and, really, his voice just ain’t cutting it anymore. This became horribly obvious on their previous tour video, Time Machine, in which they played the entire Moving Pictures album. In what should have been the quintessential Rush performance, Lee strained to hit many of the notes, which are now well out of his range, and the results range from head-shaking to cringe-inducing. In the end, I can’t even listen to that record anymore because he misses so many of the notes so consistently.

Now, some of that is due to the specific night the band plays and the strength and power of Lee’s voice on that particular night. It also depends on the songs and where the melodies Lee sings fall into in his now-limited range. I watched the new Clockwork Angels Tour video with hesitation, hoping that Lee was having a better night and overall tour when they recorded this video in Dallas. As mentioned, everything else about the video is a near-perfect experience for a Rush fan (the perfect experience being actually attending the show). But once again, Lee’s voice is the sole liability, and, on about half the tracks, it’s just too obvious to ignore.

And it’s not like they’re playing super old stuff – 80s songs like “Force Ten” and “The Body Electric” are just in that sweet spot (or should I say sour spot) just outside of Lee’s current range, and he really has to strain to his many notes. Even some of the new material (like my personal favorite “Clockwork Angels”) has some notes that are just hard for Lee to hit. In all, about a third of the songs that would otherwise be excellent renditions are impacted by Lee’s inability to sing his parts.

At this point, Rush has earned the right to do things however they want. Ever since they kicked off the latest ten years of their career, they have solidified their reputation as the “world’s biggest cult band,” with three excellent studio records, extensive world tours, a heartwarming and honest documentary of their career, and final acceptance by the establishment (which they didn’t really need) by their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Forty years on, Rush is still delivering the goods, and we fans have very little to complain about.

I just wish there were some way to get Lee and the boys to change the keys of the songs. Perhaps it’s just not possible (or it’s too much work) with their intricate arrangements. Or perhaps the band is locked in a George Lucas-like box of denial where it’s the elephant in the room (like Jar Jar Binks) that no one talks about. Or maybe Lee just doesn’t give a shit about it because he doesn’t have to. Rush fans are extremely loyal lot, and we’re going to continue to show up in droves as long as Rush keeps touring. After a lifetime of proving that his voice was his voice, no one else’s, and having the band become successful despite what everyone else said, maybe Lee is content to just keep singing the way he always has, limited vocal range be damned.

Even so, I just hope it doesn’t get any worse. Not that will stop me from buying their albums or seeing them on tour…

Rush, “Vapor Trails Remixed”

Anyone who has talked Rush with me in the past ten years has heard me ramble about how I loved the much-maligned Vapor Trails album, despite its horrific mastering. I always hoped Rush would find the time to go back and fix the record, and recently they delivered the goods.
The 2002 album finds the band recovering from the death of Neil’s wife and daughter, and the songs erupt with his long emotional recovery, breathing fresh air (at a huge cost) into a band whose lyrics had grown *Very* stale (‘Net boy/net girl’ I’m looking at you). Everyone’s playing is top notch, and the lack of guitar solos, while indicative of the time it was recorded, compresses the 12 tracks into a full set of tight, power trio rock that is still sorely lacking in our world.
The album has some of Rush’s best work in their career, and now you can finally hear it. The new mastering isn’t perfect, as the damage done to the album’s overall sonics cannot be entirely erased. But there is so much more clarity and room to breath in the records, you can actually – and finally – listen to it without losing your mind. It was worth the wait.

Murnie, “Crackle”

For piano rock fans, there are simply never enough bands to go around. Sure, there is Ben Folds Five (welcomed back after 10+ year sabbatical) or early Billy Joel or Tori Amos, but if you like rock bands where the piano takes the lead, it’s hard to feel sated. Fortunately, the Scottish band Murnie fills that gap, and they’ve got a new EP Crackle to prove it.

One of the best things about the death of the music industry is how it has blown apart the need to release a “proper” album. Bands now can release music on their own, in whatever form, so Murnie can put the four song EP Crackle out there to show progress and keep fans’ appetites whetted, which is exactly what it does. Over the course of the four songs, the piano-bass/gtr-drums+vox trio covers a lot of ground – from the opening rocker “Brass Boy,” to the wistful “Don’t Forget,” all the way until the longer, thoughtful “Little Girl Who Stole the World.” The shorter “Spidermonkey” again shows that the trio knows how to rock. All in all, Crackle is a great four song EP, and I was glad to add Murnie to my music library.

Another benefit of the downfall of the music industry is that bands can now record pretty much everything they need to put out a record on their own. Sometimes this is good, sometimes not. The Crackle EP was clearly recorded and produced on a string budget, which is great for the flexibility and independence it can afford a band, although sometimes a recording can lack the professional sheen that spending a little cash can acquire. Crackle needs just a bump in that direction (a good mastering goes a long way) and would raise the bar for the band significantly.

There is no question Murnie has all the skill it needs. They write great songs that give us piano rock fans exactly what we demand: solid rhythm section led by a rocking piano and melodic vocals. I imagine they’re a great live band, and they clearly get how to write, record, and release music on their own. Here’s to hoping their next EP is a bit more polished (perhaps an IndieGoGo project can raise some funds), which I would gladly pick up.

Listen to Crackle for yourself, and sate all your Murnie needs here.

Custom Built Empire, “Mission Statement”

After ten years together, Custom Built Empire (CBE) has finally released a record (literally), and while the album title Mission Statement is certainly appropriate for an 8-song EP, a more appropriate title might be “Finally Grows Up.” For while ten years is a long time to make your music available to the masses, CBE has finally put together a great sounding record that encompasses everything they love: delivering crunchy rock for however long they damn well please.

CBE falls squarely in the genre of “thinking man’s rock,” reveling in odd time signatures and extended song lengths familiar to fans of Tool and Mastadon. The dual guitar attack build solid walls on which to stack interesting melodies with lyrics about unusual people and their bad habits (my favorite song, “Robi,“ is about a crippling Robitussen addiction – bet you haven’t heard a song about that before). But the key appeal of CBE is the bass and drums; for fans of rocking rhythm section, CBE is not to be missed.

Songs like Flutter, Relentless, and Waking Sleep highlight incredible bass/drums interplay that is thoughtful, powerful and locked-in like the best of them. If your favorite part Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Mastadon or any other complicated hard rock band is the rhythm section; if you are, like me, always in search of a bass/drums combo that “gets it” by providing unique and challenging grooves; if you’re looking for a rocking San Francisco band to support (when they play their annual gig) – then CBE is a great addition to your music collection.

In the final analysis, the record sounds great all around, and is meant to be turned up. The Hit Wall Studio recording has a great professional sound that does not disappoint. That matched with a band that finally delivers the goods it has been promising for ten years means that Mission Statement is definitely worth the investment. Pick it up, turn it up, rock out.

You can hear the record here, and purchase it here. Do it!