February 25, 2009
Bruce Springsteen A "Sell-Out?"
This was written in response to some negative writing regarding Bruce's supposed selling out by taking $100,000,000 from Columbia, making a so called "mediocre" album, doing an exclusive deal with Walmart for a greatest hits album, and playing the Super Bowl to sell it all.
Thought I'd share. Your comments are welcomed!
I grew up with Bruce Springsteen at Columbia Records. We're the same age. I spent a fare amount of time with him and the gang, especially in those early years. I can assure you he is a most sincere fellow (nobody could write those songs if they weren't), and furthermore a very down to earth guy. If you went to dinner with him you wouldn't believe it was him--he'd be telling you stories about living part of his life in the back of a surfboard shop and having a laugh about how the fumes may have affected his writing! Ha,ha!
In all my years in the business I never saw a guy work harder than him. Ran all his own sound checks, did the show (4 hours every night), toweled down, and then took the time to say hello to everyone who waited backstage until the wee hours of the morning, and then got up and did it all again.
One of the problems with the music business is that it IS a business and artists are expected to produce X amount of records in X amount of years whether those songs are in them organically or not. And, to make matters more complex, unlike a painter, let's say, part of the process is live performance. That is both an art form and a drug in and of itself. Some people just HAVE to be on that big stage, they just NEED it to complete themselves. Both of these endeavors are surrounded with so many trappings it's a wonder how so many even survive.
The thing that happened to Bruce is the same thing that happened to us all--he grew up. And as he did, he, like most of us, he changed with that growth (BTW I think that's what a lot of "growth" is). The challenge is, people want him to be the "old" Bruce, but he can't because he's the "new" Bruce and he has to be, and HE SHOULD BE, to remain true to himself. I remember my surprise 30th birthday party when my dad showed up wearing one of my old college denim work shirts with a big red fist on the back. Right in front of everybody he asked in his big, booming Brooklyn voice, "Hey Paul, I see that Cadillac you rent when on the road--what happened to the revolution?!!! Well, of course, everyone laughed like crazy--BUSTED! The American dream plays tricks on you--you have ideas and ideals and you try your best, but capitalism will bite you on the ass--it comes with the territory. I had a great career at Columbia and I got to keep my integrity, but I found myself in some places I never thought I'd be, and bending a few rules I never thought I'd bend. The trouble is, when you're a celebrity EVERYONE sees your mistakes and the rules that you bend for yourself.
Part of Bruce is poet, but part of Bruce is show-off, that's for sure, but that's why he has so much fun on stage and that's why we have just as much fun watching him. Also, make no mistake, even Bob Dylan, THE POET of our generation and ultimate anti-sell out, still wants (read, NEEDS) as many people listening to his works as possible. In fact, it used to really piss him off that bands like Fleetwood Mac would sell 6 million albums and no matter what he did he could only sell a million. He used to ask me if he was so great, where are the other 5 million? Of course that was a long answer and I don't want to stray from my point.
The point is, I believe Bruce finds himself in these trappings and does the best he can. Let's not forget all the causes he supports and all the concerts he's done: for a candidate, veterans issues, hunger, etc., etc.. Some of these have been unpopular with certain segments of his audience, yet he does them anyway because he believes in these causes and walks the walk.
In a recent article in the Washing Post ("He's The One" , which I highly recommend reading), the author reminds us of a lyric that Bruce wrote some years ago. A song called "I'm Turning Into Elvis (And There's Nothing I Can Do)".
Well he came to me last night in a dream looking just like he did in '57/He said, "Son, that guitar is a wonderful thing, but it can be the living devil's friend/On the other hand there's sex-starved women, millions of dollars, and anything you want to do."/I'm turning into Elvis and there's nothing I can do.
When someone offers you 100 million dollars reflecting the greatness of a lifetime of work and worth, and work yet to come--literally everything you've believed in for yourself, for your whole life, mistakes and all,...well I think that's pretty hard to turn down.
Yep, when you play the big game not every album is gonna be a gem, and there will be some clunker songs along the way, and yes, you will at times become a parody of yourself. But then a masterpiece like "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" will emerge, or "The Seeger Sessions" which brings back that live spontaneity we all crave from Bruce.
As far as the Superbowl? You gotta move ahead in this world or you're just standing still. If you know Bruce he just can't stand still, and you know what? Neither can a lot of us. And, if part of you is a show off--well, that's one of the biggest stages in history. But as we're all watching him shake his booty on this most commercial of broadcasts, let's not forget that just a few weeks ago he was a very meaningful part of the some of the most amazing history of our country. And, as commercial as he's capable of being, he's still the guy who wrote "Thunder Road" and "Badlands," and so many more. I just heard "Brilliant Disguise" on the radio the other day and it took my breath away. "God have mercy on the man who doubts what he's sure of." Wow, come on, who writes that?!! We should look to Bruce's greater songs to find his total credibility, not his every "human" action or decision.
So yeah, he'll continue to grow and move forward and yes he'll continue to make some mistakes, and also have to continually fight those demons which want to turn him into Elvis. But I suspect if we all hang in there with him, that there is more great art yet to be heard from him. And that will come when it comes (remember it took a while for "Blood On The Tracks" to emerge and remind us all of how great Bob Dylan was and is--not to mention "Time Out Of Mind" after a long drought of greatness). This kind of art doesn't grow on trees and cannot be forced when trying to fulfill a record company contract. It shows up like magic for those few who are capable of receiving those kinds of messages.
And when those songs show up (hopefully on a complete inspired album), let's remember one of my all time favorite quotes--yes, one from the Boss himself: "Trust the art, not the artist."
Paul Rappaport
Posted by msrap at 4:35 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2009
My Favorite Radio Station's Top Albums of 2008
Now that I am an official affectionado of the indie music scene, I'll share my favorite radio station which is also a great source of new music. KEXP is the public station in Seattle. Seattle, you say? Yes, Seattle! Not only do they have a great mix of music featuring a wide array of indie and alternative artists which they stream live so you can listen on your computer, but they let you know what they are playing as they play it so you know exactly what you are listening to. A big plus if you want to buy, download or add to the library's collection.
Here's their list of the Top Albums of 2008. I'll start with the first 25 on the list:
1. Fleet Foxes FLEET FOXES
2. Vampire Weekend VAMPIRE WEEKEND
3. TV on the Radio DEAR SCIENCE
4. MGMT ORACULAR SPECTACULAR
5. Bon Iver FOR EMMA,FOREVER AGO
6. The Helio Sequence KEEP YOUR EYES AHEAD
7. Death Cab For Cutie NARROW STAIRS
8. Santogold SANTOGOLD
9. My Morning Jacket EVIL URGES
10.Beck MODERN GUILT
11.Sigur Ros MEO SUO I EYRUM VIO SPILUM ENDALAUST
12.Okkervil River THE STAND INS
13.Kings of Leon ONLY BY THE NIGHT
14.Portishead THIRD
15.Flight of the Conchords FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS
16.M83 SATURDAYS=YOUTH
17.Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds DIG LAZARUS DIG!
18.Cut Copy IN GHOST COLOURS
19.DeVotvhka A MAD & FAITHFUL TELLING
20.David Byrne & Brian Eno EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WILL HAPPEN TODAY
21.The Hold Steady STAY POSITIVE
22.Wolf Parade AT MOUNT ZOOMER
23.Elbow THE SELDOM SEEN KID
24.Deerhunter MICROCASTLE
25.Frightened Rabbit THE MIDNIGHT ORGAN FIGHT
Watch fot the rest of the list. The best part is All these CDs can be found in the Manhasset Library Music Collection.
Posted by msrap at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)
November 10, 2008
Black Crowes Rock the Hammerstein Ballroom on Halloween
On a warm and drizzly Halloween, the Black Crowes were at the end of a three-night stand at the Hammerstein Ballroom and in the middle of a NYC residency. While they may have left the tradition of a cover-set behind them, the Crowes brought blues and rock jams both old and new. However, the Atlanta natives made sure to also bring out their 70's influences like the Rolling Stones' "Torn and Frayed," Led Zeppelin's "Hey Hey what Can I Do," and Bob Dylan with the Band on their b-side "Ain't No More Cane On the Brazos." The band has spent a majority of 2008 supporting their self-released Warpaint and for the first time it's great to see Chris and Rich Robinson with a well-rounded collective of musicians. Their new record is a fresh take on a southern rock sound that picked up where they left off in 2005 with increased accessibility. Most noticeable is the addition of Luther Dickenson (North Mississippi Allstars) on guitar adding fiery slide and lead parts. While the show certainly was not a hit parade, they did sneak in "Remedy" and "She Talks to Angels." The crowd had a blase reaction to the later, as it has been road tested for their entire career (and is second in popularity behind their cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle") Since then it seems to have lost some of its original fire. But, for many fans enjoying their first Crowes concert, the song was welcomed. A number of songs from Three Snakes And One Charm made it to the set including "Halfway to Everywhere," bringing the straight-up rock and roll, "Good Friday," a mellowed-out song of love gone sour, and the dark and spiritually themed "Evil Eye." Their acoustic efforts are just as good as their heavy hitters and "Whoa Mule," from the new album, featuring drummer Steve Gorman on djembe proved that. The show did not have a true highlight but contained multiple peak moments. The first set of them were in the ferocious run throughs of newer songs like "Evergreen," "We Who See the Deep," and "Wounded Bird," with Rich Robinson and Luther Dickenson in friendly competition for the tastiest guitar licks. The later half of the show jammed out earlier material like "Thorn in My Pride" and "Wiser Time" that brought the mid-tempo blues improvisations slow-burning moments, along with spaces filled by the keyboard runs of Adam MacDougal. In their two-hour plus performance the Crowes satisfied fans of jam, hard rock, and southern rock. All in all the Crowes still have it. Their new record, band configuration, and live performance outlook give the impression they will be kicking it for years to come on their own terms.
Be sure to check out www.liveblackcrowes.com to purchase soundboard downloads from their current tour and past performances.
As a belated Halloween treat I have included a stream of "Wounded Bird" from the show which closed their main set.
FYI- To get a taste of the southern sound described above, the North Mississippi Allstars' newest release Hernando is available for loan at the Manhasset Public Library.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at 3:41 PM | Comments (1)
October 23, 2008
Mr. Love and Justice
One-time Wilco collaborator and current folk-rocker Billy Bragg's latest effort, Mr. Love & Justice, opens with the piano driven and finger snapping "I Keep the Faith" It asks the listener "to just see it through," "go against the grain," and "endure," yet it is surprisingly filled with a saccharine sound that makes it a pleasure to do all of the above.
Unfortunately, the same can not be said of the entire album. Bragg alludes to vignettes of life with his acoustic guitar such as departing the familiar, scolding cigarette makers, challenging politicians or revealing desires to return to country life. The lyrics make big attempts but never grab the listener. One of the CD's better moments comes when asking the whole town to join in on "Sing Their Souls Back Home," as organ and slide guitar happily collide into each other. Classic rock with a punk tinge emerges on "Something Happened," and a vibe eerily similar to The Band is on the title track. By the album's end two characters seem to emerge: Mr. Love or Mr. Justice and only you can pick the one that occurs more.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at 8:13 AM | Comments (0)
October 22, 2008
Man Man Meets Rabbits!
Do they have it all or too much? This question was repeatedly on my mind as I listened to Man Man's major label debut Rabbit Habits. To set up this review, the album is on Anti Records, a label known for doing everything far from conventionally. While Man Man's music is heavy on piano and horns, they manage to adopt a lot of Eastern influences along with rock, and even funk. Plenty of instruments occupy the record's sonic space like xylophone throughout "The Ballad of Butter Beans," percussion on "Mister Jung Stuffed," and even surf-style guitar on "Harpoon Fever (Queepeg's House)." "Doo Right," half-way through, shows elements of a ballad and thereafter slower tempos dominate the remainder of the album as on "Poor Jackie" and the waltzy closer "Whalebones."
Lyrically the album also seems to be tangential. On the same disc you can find songs about girls, friendships, science, and zombies. (Hopefully not all together!) Collectively, however, something fresh still comes out of the mix. Man Man provides a musical adventure that keeps you guessing. Just don't anticipate coming home soon.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at 1:13 PM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2008
Live from the All Points West Festival
In August I had the pleasure of attending the later half of the All Points West Festival (APW) in Jersey City. First let me say that the Coachella and Highline Ballroom organizers get a gold medal for their efforts in setting up the New York metropolitan area’s first music and arts festival. While they managed to gather some big hitters (Radiohead & Jack Johnson), hipster bands (Animal Collective & Metric) and up and comers (Alberta Cross & The Felice Brothers) it lacked a true festival vibe. Instead, it was better seen as glorified concerts of a contemporary folk rocker and one of the new millennium's best bands. This was especially apparent on Sunday as Jack Johnson’s label mates Matt Costa, Rogue Wave, and Neil Halstead found their way to Sunday’s lineup. While the festival did gather a wealth of talent on multiple stages, a regimented schedule resulted in numerous conflicts that aggravated open minded listeners. I also could talk more about how my public transportation experience was less than memorable but will forgo that to go on with the music!
Saturday
I arrived just in time to check the end of Alberta Cross’ short set. I grabbed their EP, The Thief & The Heartbreaker, a few months ago and looked forward to hearing their modern rock with a Neil Young twist. Due to traffic I only saw two new originals. They closed with “Leave Us or Forgive Us” a steady paced rocker with just enough energy to leave the crowd wanting more. Rumor is they have been working on a full album to be released in the near future. Be sure to look out for that one. Next, I hung around the second stage to check out the Felice Brothers. The New York area band comprised of immediate and “extended family” were one of the few folk/country acts at APW. Their music, heavy on accordions, fiddles, and washboards, left the impression that you were far from city life. Their drummer's on stage antics also strangely boosted the crowd's energy. From them I saw a punchy half hour in which they easily got the crowd to clap along with songs about drinking, chicken coups, and country crime. Highlights consisted of “Frankie’s Gun!”, “Whiskey In My Whiskey” and “Ruby Mae”.
To get a pick-me-up it was onward to the main stage to check out Chromeo as well as Broken Social Scene offshoot Metric. 
Chromeo brought easily accesible electronic music with guitars, keyboards and a drum machine all of which were geared mostly to a large crowd of adults in their twenties. They were particularly indulgent on the song “Mama’s Boy”. Their set stressed new material from Fancy Footwork and no one seemed to disagree with their choices. Unfamiliar with Metric’s catalog I saw a set of inspired synthesizer rock. “Monster Hospital” stuck with me in particular as lead singer Emily Haines gave her best battle cry.
Call them what you will but the ever evolving Animal Collective brought on the noise, rock, electronic jams and hypnotic beats. However, their music was met with great enthusiasm by some and utter confusion by others, as their set was a sixty minute seamless segue. Highlights of their set included “Fireworks” and “Peacebone”. The Kings of Leon played right before Radiohead with an 80 minute set that was both straightforward and rocking. While they brought older songs like “The Bucket”, “Molly’s Chambers”, and “Taper Jean Girl” their set leaned on Because Of The Times. I strongly recommend getting your hands on this album as it was one of the best releases of 2007. On cuts like “Knocked Up”, “My Party”, “On Call” and “Charmer” the family Followill brought their whiskey dowsed sound which rocked and jammed, definitely holding the crowds attention. Also welcomed was a preview of some of the material from their forthcoming CD.
Now on to Saturday’s main course, Radiohead. After a stealth and formal release of In Rainbows and amidst touring the US, the All Points West crowd was ready for anything they gave. The band chose a smart set to entertain the masses by performing all of In Rainbows and a smattering from their entire catalogue. Song choices were eclectic as both electronic numbers and arena rocking anthems fit well together. Thom Yorke and company provided intense energy and quite honestly is one of the best out of any touring band. Looking at the massive sing along was more akin to a catharsis that was years in the making (Radiohead’s last NY area appearance was at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in 2006). While every song from their more than two hour set was considered a stand out some strong points were “15 Step”, “There There”, “The National Anthem”, "Idioteque”, “No Surprises” and “Fake Plastic Trees”. Also played was the b-side “Banger’s n Mash” which featured lead singer Thom Yorke on a second drum kit. At show's end I couldn’t have asked for any more.
Sunday
Sunday could have been interpreted as a Jack Johnson picnic. However, I found myself more excited to see the other bands on the bill. I arrived earlier on Sunday ensuring I could catch more opening acts. First up was Neil Halstead, one of Jack Johnson’s surfer friends turned solo artist. His 40 minute set brought some good folk rock. Halstead received help from friends on bass, mandolin, and acoustic guitar, which definitely enhanced the stripped down songs. “Sometimes The Wheels”, “Elevenses”, the title track from Oh! Mighty Engine were highlights of the set as they elaborated upon relationships and the contemplative states life can lead us to. Halstead’s material was deep yet subtle and later I found myself bobbing along. Rogue Wave 
was up next. As the band assembled it looked as if California native Zach Rogue had assembled a group of hipsters to help him boast his songs. What I found was far from that. The band came out hard hitting and continued to keep the momentum going. In great part this was due to having three muti-instrumentalists. The band played many cuts from Asleep At Heaven’s Gate yet managed to sneak in some older songs like “Bird on A Wire”. Standouts from the album performed during the set were “Like I Needed”, “Harmonium”, and “Lake Michigan”. These songs channeled all aspects of a cleverly arranged and layered sound, from indie to alternative to singer-songwriter.
Matt Costa also played a folk friendly set. With a full band, Costa ran through a good mixture from both Unfamiliar Faces and Songs We Sing. Highlights were the bouncy yet melancholy pop ballad “Mr. Pitiful”, and the straight ahead “Emergency Call”. He sent the crowd out with an untitled acapella number that seemed to slowly bring the sunshine on a rainy Sunday. I made sure to catch at least some of former Drive By Trucker Jason Isbell.
My efforts were rewarded as Jason Isbell provided a good dose of Southern-infused rock and roll. He made the most out of not having his drummer make the gig. Pleasant surprising was “Try” from Sirens of the Ditch, and an interesting yet much welcomed take on Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic”. Next Earl Greyhound brought out the pure unadulterated 70’s rock and roll with a new millennium update. One part T.Rex, another part Led Zeppelin (think elements of I, II, and III combined with the ethereal Houses of The Holy while managing to sneak in a crunchy yet full distortion), with Queens of the Stone Age and Wolfmother twists. That briefly describes their vibe. While unearthing new material the power trio led by Matt Whyte played to a very receptive crowd well aware of its roots. This was especially apparent during accelerated full force run throughs of “S.O.S”, “Monkey” and “I’m The One” from Soft Targets. Unfortunately, while they had great songs they also had a penchant for turning their amps to eleven out of ten. For Sunday they win my “Bring Earplugs to Groove” Award. All in all they played on of the best sets of the day and I look forward to their new album coming out in the next few months.
After staying for a few songs of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (a band that I love of but could not see their whole set due to festival scheduling) I made sure to catch Trey Anastasio 
former lead singer of Phish. As he ran through both solo material (“Cayman Review” & “Mr. Completely”), and jam- heavy tracks from Phish’s later catalog (“Sand” and “First Tube”), his band even snuck in new material clearly influenced by both the blues and pop genres Alaska. The hour long set saw old friends from his initial Trey Anastasio Band lineup musically reconnecting, feeding of each others improvisations, and elated to be reformed. Look for Trey Anastasio to be more visible than in years past. It was interesting paradox to see Ben Harper open for Jack Johnson, when the exact opposite occurred in 2003. Unfortunately, I chose to miss Ben Harper (as I have seen him in years past) but heard he played a great set despite a number of technical problems.
Jack Johnson was designated to close out the festival as it has been a couple of years since his last visit to the New York area. 
While Johnson is still considered by many as a singer-song writer who plays acoustic folk jams for the surf happy, West Coast inspired twenty somethings, his musical outlook and sound has greatly evolved over the years. Adding piano, melodica, and accordion player Zach Gill (from Animal Liberation Orchestra who in his main project plays jam friendly rock with a pop sensibility that is truly hypnotic.) along with playing more exclusively electric guitar have been catalysts in Johnson’s sonic shift. This new combination also saw Johnson pushing himself much more than in years past as he comfortably played rhythm and even loosely soloed over songs from his previous albums. Highlight of his set were “Staple It Together” “Hope” “Sitting Waiting Wishing” “Taylor”, “Flake”, “Breakdown” and Trey Anastasio joining the band for “Mud football (for Moe Lerner).” New arrangements of both classic and current songs also gave the band new life. Looking out from the audience, it was a joy to see as fans both old and new gladly sang along. The encore saw Johnson utilizing what works well for him which is playing solo acoustic. This included “Times Like These”, “Gone” and “All At Once.” As the lights came up I was sad to return home but tired from the plethora of activities. I look forward to potentially making a return next year.
Music from many of the artists above including Radiohead, Phish, Jack Johnson, ALO, Matt Costa, Kings of Leon, The Felice Brothers, and Rogue Wave are available for loan in the Manhasset Public Library’s music collection.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at 2:24 PM | Comments (1)
Weezer Rocks Madison Square Garden 9/24/08
If Weezer is a country then Rivers Cuomo is undoubtedly the bands dictator. This analogy held true until June when the band released the Red Album its third-self titled effort and sixth studio album. Now the band is more akin to a democracy, with a leader and trusted rock and roll veterans by his side. Such a change is refreshing as Weezer put on the best show of its past several tours. It was fresh and cutting edge yet held true to the band’s roots of nerdy Hollywood rock, glasses and all. Fans happily sang along as bass player Scott Shriner took lead on “My Name is Jonas” and “Perfect Situation.” Pat Wilson got to play guitar on his own song “Automatic” from the new CD and “Morning Glory” from Oasis’ classic album. Brian Bell, guitar, also joined the fold for “El Scorcho” from Pinkerton. As the band supported another primary colored CD many of the energetic tracks like “Dreamin,” “Troublemaker,” and the Timbaland praising “Pork & Beans” (the albums catchy first single) were on the set list. All these cuts picked up where Weezer left off from their previous albums and offered new shots at power rock. With this in mind, the absolute highlight of the album and evening was “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived”. The 6 plus minute song was a self-indulgent synthesis of prior work containing piano, sirens, crunchy distortion, spoken-word, and closed with a section that just makes you want to head bang and fist pump all night. Non-studio cuts such as doo-woopy gone grunge “Suzanne” and the mellowed out “King” were offered. The first encore was a hootenanny of about 30 fans (picked right before the show) playing a variety of instruments un-miced with the band. Spirited versions of “Island in the Sun” and Beverly Hills” then ensued as MSG saw a quieter moment. The words passionate, energetic, spontaneous, all help describe Weezer’s current reinvention phase. It showed them mesh into a collective both willing and able to change things for both fans and themselves. It’s a shame they’re not running for president.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at 2:05 PM | Comments (0)