Lunch of Champions

Bob Mould | District Line

Unless you’ve been lost in the caves on the Mississippi for the past few decades, if you live in Minnesota you’ve probably heard of Bob Mould and you’ve definitely heard him even if you don’t realize it. In the right circles, the man is a living legend. Hüsker Dü, coupled with a few other bands of it’s day, changed music forever.

But you can’t expect someone to keep changing the world.

With his latest album, District Line, Bob Mould seems less interested in creating something new. That’s not to say it’s a bad album. If I had to venture a guess, Bob’s sick of hearing good music done poorly. Take that cheesy, over-produced modern rock crap, rip it apart, have a good musician write new lyrics and reassemble the songs, and you might have an album sort of like this.

The trouble is that a lot of manufactured bands have come before and done the same styles and sounds. It’s pretty ordinary if you’re not listening. Electric guitar plays melodious distortion with an acoustic taking over the solos, occasional echo on the mike, and a steady drum beat. Try not to let every-day Power ballads taint your pallet, just listen to it as though you’d never heard anything that sounded like it.

The one thing that I really love about this is it’s a fantastic listen if you’ve ever had a bad relationship. Take the song “Again and Again” for instance. “My biggest mistake was taking you back again and again.” All the satisfaction of drunk dialing your ex without the hangover and angry voice mail.

I wouldn’t say this is Bob Mould’s best. Hüsker Dü fans might just turn their nose up at it without a second listen even. But it’s a solid album. So it’s a little sappy here and there, it’s still a pretty good listen. It’s worth keeping it from gathering dust.

BECK | Odelay Re-Issue

Well hello there!

This is my first article for Lunch of champions, and it feels very good to be a part of this. It’s not every day I get to write reviews and people actually read them. So thanks to Toby and Charles for letting my vent a bit.

I thought for my first review I should do my favorite album of all time, and since Beck is set to re-release Odelay on January 29th, this is a must. It will include another disc with b-sides and rarities from the sessions, which i will get to later.

Okay , so here I go.

Many of you probably remember waiting around in Cheapo to get that Radiohead record at midnight. Or perhaps a stop right after work or school to buy the new Pumpkins record. As we all know buying that physical copy of a album is important. The process that came with spending your money that you put off to the side for it, still allows you speak to your fiends around a few drinks to pose that magical question, “What were you doing the day that ‘Kid A’ came out?” (I went to Brits Pub myself and got into the listing party from let it be records..wow…) So yeah, here’s what I did when Odelay came out. I went to best buy and got it on tape (yeah,tape) and listened to it at midnight. And proceeded to listen to it over-and-over again from side a to b.

So heres the run-down of this album. When you first hit the play button on your Sony Walkman, a fuzzy E note kicks into the most memorable riffs of the 90′s. Then comes the best opening vocal line from any album you will ever hear (sorry jarvis….). The next sound you hear is those drums, those fucking mind blowing drums. We will thank the dust brothers for that sample and for every thing else they did on the album. Hot wax comes in with a country swagger and distorted notes moving up and down and slide guitar that forms into a broken piano to an acoustic riff to outer-space where a girl asks “Who are you?” and a response that you must find out for your self a billion times over.

Lord Only Knows its getting late and then time to go to Houston to do the hot dog dance (and purchase pants) just to sing about a woman with cigarette arms and a charm only to put her in a new pollution filled with organs the best bass line over and over again. Phew!

Then it’s off to the creepy “Derelict” which has inspired my whole musical taste and my way of writing music. When “Novocain”‘s bass line comes in, it iss like being in cage and then ready to be released into a episode of “supermarket sweep” – the big sweep right at the end, you know? When you have to run around the whole market and get all those clues and big chunks of meat (for extra points)? Click here if you want try syncing them up. The song and that video…it might be fun. “Jack-ass” Aka “strange invitation” Aka “Burro” Aka “Its all over now, baby blue (the THEM version)” is the last song on side a of that tape i owned. Perhaps the best transition ever and Willie Nelson in that video is priceless. I don’t even have to talk about “Where It’s At” because it is imprinted in the majority of all people that have lived in the past ten years, and i’m sure you think that its the best song ever made because of it….thats fine.

The next track “Minus” talks of vomiting horses and the power of a fork and levels this album out with its rock. “Sissyneck”, my favorite track on this album is a story about a man who is drifting around the world (I would like to think Texas somewhere) looking for acceptance for his “rhinestone life”. My favorite line ever is “match sticks strike when I’m riding my bike to the depot, because every body knows my name at the recreation center”. BRILLIANT!!

Now here comes the “bridge” of this album…”Readymade”. Almost like a intermission to the rest of this album which presents us with “High 5″. One thing I love about Beck is his way to rap. Kick it into random mode.The great thing about this track also is that it samples a song that you already heard. THEN interrupted with a suggestion to get the other record…ah… surgery you the man. Last but not Least, “Ramshackle” a lullaby none the less that makes you want to turn the tape over and give this album another go. …but just when you think its over and the time is now one in the morning, BAM, a loud guitar wakes you up and scares the shit right out your body and then puts on a top hat and says good bye….. all you can think or say is “Cool.” Thnx beck.

Nastolgia Machine

Though I would be born 13 years after the release of the Beach Boys’ groundbreaking album, Pet Sounds, it continues to be influential in my songwriting – a testament to the quality of the work. Here’s one of my favorite songs of the album, “God Only Knows”:

Cake Live

I’ve said this many times in the past, but I believe that Cake is one of the greatest live bands around. Check out this clip of them playing two of their best songs, “Stick Shifts and Safety Belts” and “Love You Madly”:

Best Guitar Hero Player Ever???

They’re Coming To Take Me Away (Haha)

This song comes out of the “Classic” vault. Released in the summer of 1966, “They’re Coming to Take Me Away” made it into the top 20. To my memory, it is the only scary song to ever make it in the top 20…

Mickey Avalon – “My Dick”

Song of the year. 2008 BITCHES!!!

~HumanBoy~ Brings sound and texture to the Nomad

Humanboy once again brought class to the venue it was currently occupying on Friday night. Their sound continues to be tight and inviting.

The always beautiful Brie Harthun swooned her microphone as drummer Ryan Guanzon drove the live and sampled drums into everyone’s frontal lobe until they couldn’t help but share the beat.

The guitar work of Geoff Fischbein and Ben Berg is hypnotic. With Fischbein seducing the calmer side of Humanboy with fluent and subtle plucking, Berg begins to add simple and moving accents to each melody. Reminiscent of the Stone Roses and The Verve alike, Berg’s tones tend to be reverberated and precise. This is a sound that I seem unable to get enough of. The guitars, although being polar opposites in delivery, fit together so perfectly that it gave a very complete sound to the whole show.

Harthun’s voice is sweet but not too sweet, perfect but not too perfect. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a sour note out of her. She sings with confidence and the assurance that you made the right choice to go out on this Friday night.

You’d pick up a copy of their latest offering, “I’m No Good at This,” at their upcoming Triple Rock Social Club on January 24th, 2008 if you loved yourself, but if you can’t, check out their myspace page @ www.myspace.com/humanboy

Human Genome Projectile @ The Nomad World Pub 1-11-08

The Human Genome Projectile made their live debut on Friday night at The Nomad in Minneapolis. They played through an endearing set of songs written by lead singer Doug Gengler.

I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting their set to be all that moving. With little time to prepare and little live action, it could only get better from the show I was about to see. After all, this was their first live show.

Two songs in, the stranger sitting next to me turned and we said at the same time, “I actually really like this!” The songs were a mix of early Pavement, Jonathan Richman and the Velvet Underground. This was not boring music.

Doug’s singing was a bit reserved, but, his communication with younger brother Joe Gengler on guitar was exciting and wordless. Doug would give a very subtle look Joe’s way and like only a brother can, he responded. They were locked.

Aaron Gugel was the most animated of the bunch bouncing and enjoying the music like he knew what the Gengler brothers didn’t, that this could be really, really good someday. The guitars had moments of The Pixies, noodling and driving the songs to new platforms of cool.

Joe, nervous, took every chance not to look at the audience and focused everything he had to complimenting Doug’s melodic guitar work. They weren’t cool rock stars. They just wanted to play their well written gems and get the fuck out.

The drumming from Dave Wrzos was simple and humble. He only played what he had to. With some work and a bit more confidence, you should be seeing the Gengler brothers reading each other’s minds, playing more shows and bringing honest nerd rock back to its’ feet.

Cheers!

5 Albums That Didn’t Live Up to the Hype for 2007

Sadly, some of our most beloved artists put out records that could and should have been simply, better. I am a fan of every one of the artists on this list and no one is more disappointed than me. The list is compiled from worst disappointment to least disappointing.

1) Interpol – Our Love to Admire.

The first two Interpol records were divine. Both the Arcade Fire and Interpol have taken a page from The Cure with a dark and Victorian sound mixed with a clear pop sensibility. They have managed to be both depressing and optimistic at the same time. The eerie lead guitar lines of Daniel Kessler are intact in this third installment from the
New York based quartet. Smooth and bright, complimenting Paul Banks vocals like peanut butter meeting jelly for the third time. Sam Fogarino still holds a solid backbeat, but this time without Carlos D showing his chops. This is one of the biggest issues on this record. In previous records Carlos D has blasted through each song with excitement and melody. Once upon a time he was the backbone of Interpol. In Our love to Admire he plays a lazy role. Maybe he didn’t fancy the songs themselves? I know I didn’t. Rumors of breakups and make-ups leading up to the recording of the record could have persuaded him to be blasé about the whole process. Next is Paul Banks, the Ian Curtis like, lead singer and songwriter for the group. His songs have never been strong lyrically and have relied mostly on the atmosphere of the album in its entirety. But, with the record being so spotty, his words seem rushed, forced and unimaginative. If you are a fan, you will love the record. If you are a REAL fan, you will see the transparency.

2) The Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist

What the hell? It’s an easy hit but I couldn’t leave it out of the list. The return of one of the 90’s greatest rock bands falls short on all accounts. I am a fan of Billy Corgan; I have everything he’s put out. His masterpiece with the now dead Zwan was closer to a great Pumpkins record than this piece of poorly mixed garbage. Almost as boring as his solo record The Future Embrace, the songwriting is terrible. Sometimes, when a great American band breaks up, one or more members become obsessed with the concept of the group and the sound they created. They sit in their rooms and listen to the good ol’ tapes and tour occasionally with a new group that they have far less interest in. They hear their music from the point of view of a listener. This is what kills them. You can’t expect to write the same songs you wrote in the past and still be inventive. Especially in the case of a whole new lineup for the band, not listening to yourself and just DOING IT is what gets you where you want to be. James Iha is another element that is missing. He knew what to play and when to play it. He could make Billy Corgan cool. His memorable guitar lines from “1979” and “Today” can be found nowhere on Zeitgeist. That’s because he isn’t on it. I could go on forever about not hiring Melissa Auf Der Maur, mixing the album so poorly and letting bad songs that Billy thinks sound like Pumpkins tracks slide into the album. But, I won’t. Don’t waste your money.

3) Jarvis Cocker – Jarvis

I love Pulp. Lyrically Jarvis Cocker has been at the top of anyone’s game. Not this time. His words are boring and about bland topics. Since when do I want to hear one of the greatest poets of our time sing about girls is such simplistic terms? What happened to “Common People?” Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time is nonsense. “Let him read your palm and guess your sign, let him take you home and treat you so fine,” come on! The standout tracks of the album are Black Magic which is the exact melody of “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and the Shondells and secret track “Cunts are Still Running the World.” Cunts (to paraphrase), is brilliant. It’s the old Jarvis we are used to. Political, hilarious and vital in message. Hopefully he can bring it back with a sophomore album someday. Jarvis, I know you have it in you.

4) Kings of
Leon – Because of the Times

I think I listened to this one more than any other on the list. I wanted to like it. I believed that the energy and songwriting on Aha Shake Heartbreak was there, somewhere. But sadly after countless listens and confusion over the great reviews it got, I could fool myself no more! This record is arrogant. It is over ambitious and lacking in cohesiveness. The differences between Because of the Times and Aha Shake Heartbreak are profound. It’s less indie rock than grunge rock. Drummer Nathan Followill brings some interesting rhythms to the fold and has grown to be a defining member of this fantastic group. Caleb’s vocal sty lings remain intact, but when I listen to the record, it’s kind of like shooting a cannon ball out of a pistol. Both have potential, but they are in the wrong medium. This is fourth on the list, so I don’t have a whole lot of negative things to say, just that I feel it could have been better.

5) The Good, the Bad and the Queen – The Good, The Bad and the Queen

Let me start out by saying that this is not a bad record. It’s actually a good record and I recommend you pick it up if you get an itch to hear it. The reason why it made the list is that it is a bit boring. The album starts out with “History Song,” one of my favorite singles of 2007. It blends perfectly the bass tones of Paul Simonon with the surprisingly simple drumming of Tony Allen (Fela Kuti). It has a somewhat dazed carnival sound mixed beautifully with Damon’s always spot on voice. The keyboards are eerie, and the guitar, stripped down for a former member of the Verve (Simon Tong). But, sadly, they record becomes very spotty from then on. It picks up a bit with “Northern Whale,” but the track is more like an outtake from the most recent Gorillaz record. Each track for the rest of the record though good, never seemed to fully take flight. Maybe taking Danger Mouse off of the controls and going with say, Nigel Godrich, could have done them some good. Putting Simonon and Tong to more use would make a second record more promising from this super-group. I do dearly look forward to hearing it.