this month last month

Against Me!

Is bigger better? Against Me!’s last cd New Wave was excellent. But with success comes money, stature and expectations. While with New Wave their out look on life was supported through well-crafted songs, with White Crosses that doesn’t always happen. While the first single teenage anarchist is perfect example at them hitting their stride, unfortunately there are near misses along the way. Sometimes too much hard rock, sometimes to much heart felt earnestness sometimes too acoustic. Never truly awful, but more of a distraction to the cd than a driving force. Still with all these faults White Crosses is a decent cd, you just wish it was more consistent and had better anthems. Because Against Me! can write them. So bigger is not necessarily better here. 2.5

Joe Jackson

When handed this cd last month all I could do is groan. Haven’t ever been too big of a fan and did not really want to listen. Well I was wrong. What sets this apart from the Joe Jackson that I remember is guitars. Not overwhelmed with drippy emotional keyboards but straight up rock songs based around a guitar riff. Go figure. Yes most of his biggest are here, but the not so famous are pretty good too. There are a couple songs where the dreary keyboard starts to creep in but not enough to change the mood of the cd. And yes Anthrax’s version of Got the Time is one of the rare times where the cover outshines the original. 3.0

Concrete Blonde

This was the cd that marked the beginning of the end for Concrete Blonde. The LA punk over tones that marked their first two cd’s, were replaced with more production and expanded songs. Gone are the Thin Lizzy covers replaced with Andy Prieboy (although it is probably the best song on the cd). . Bloodletting is a good cd, but it misses some of the rawness that previous cd’s had. Heavy production led to the Heart like Joey and a mid tempo malaise that seems to stall the cd at times. While James Mankey is one of those few guitarists that has a sound that is his own the true star is Johnette Napolitano’s voice. It might be one of the greatest female voices in rock history. Unfortunately with the exception of Tomorrow Wendy this cd has not aged as I thought it would. 2.5

Peter Wolfe

So Peter Wolfe has discovered his inner Karl Wallinger. While not directly in his vocal sound, although he does come close at times, the songs here definitely are structured in style as a World Party cd. The catchy pop tunes, the dabbling in a soul/funk groove, the somewhat famous female back up singer, they are all here. Unfortunately we get bang rather than goodbye jumbo. Still bang was a good cd and like it this fades towards the end being possibly two or three songs too long. 2.0

Paul Weller

Paul Weller reminds me of another leader of a three piece that came out in the late 70’s. First few cds were raw and full of life. Fire the band and surround himself with jazz type musicians, then realize that hey I am a pop star but wait to late I’ve gotten boring. Like Sting’s police Weller’s pinnacle was with the Jam. And the Jam were a far better band. But man style council was okay but his solo stuff is pretty boring. I don’t know if it’s his yearning to be Clapton or what but wild wood and others were awful. Luckily Sandor gave me the Jam songs I wanted most on here. The rest won’t survive because between Snap and Jam cd’s I have what I need.

Topic

Oh when I was a wee young un all I knew was AM radio. As I grew into my high school mullet I discovered what is now classic rock but my focus was on all things Metal and the new Queen cd’s. Once in college I discovered jangle pop. Now as me hair grays and disappears its an amalgamation of all this but it all boils down to if it has a decent guitar part I’ll probably like it.

My Dessert Island has been known to change throughout the years. What changes the most seems which cd by a band will I bring. Mainstays will always be: UFO Strangers In the Night, Dada Puzzle, Beatles Revolver, Kiss Destroyer, Dramarama Stuck In Wonderamaland. There will be a Manic Street Preacher, a Queen and a Thin Lizzy but which one changes. The last two varies but The Snake,The Crown The Cross seems to making its way to the island permanently.