Can 2012 be halfway over all ready? It's been a whirlwind of a year already and there are still 6 more months to complete it. I look forward to the upcoming months with eager anticipation as Amy and I are expecting our first child in late November. What I can tell our new baby years from now about the first six months of 2012 in music? Well, for starters, I'll say your father took a nosedive into some more aggressive albums that I absolutely loved. New releases from The Men, Japandroids, Cloud Nothings, Jack White, Sleigh Bells and a couple album full on retro garage numbers from Ty Segall have found a different place in my heart so far in 2012. But I've also been impressed with a lot of female led artists' releases. First Aid Kid, Sharon Van Etten, Alabama Shakes, Beach House and Fiona Apple have all been way better than average. Artists that have had a foothold in music for quite awhile have released some good music in 2012 as well. I wouldn't tell anyone that the new releases from Springsteen, Hot Chip or Spiritualized are washes. In fact, they are all growers with a lot of potential to be top 20 favorites at the end of the year. And my mellower side hasn't been let down as Damien Jurado and The Tallest Man On Earth both have released exceptional LPs in the first half of the year.
I guess what I'm getting at is 2012 has been a stronger year for music in retrospect than maybe 2011 was at this time last year.And that just gets me excited for a slew of artists in August and September that I'm looking forward to checking out. My message to my newborn would be, you were born in a year of some pretty fine modern music. Now I'm going to play "King Of The World" from First Aid Kit for you.
Like last year at this time, I'm categorizing what I've loved, liked, sleepers, etc. below. A poll is up on the side of the page asking you the reader "What have you enjoyed the most in 2012 so far?" I'm always looking forward to seeing what others have enjoyed so vote for as many LPs as you like.
This week marks the halfway point in the Top Artists Of All Time that we're featuring on station to station. For the past 16 weeks, 20
voters receive ballots of 32 artists and vote for 6 artists to move on
to the semifinals round. Points go from 6 for 1st, 5 for 2nd, etc. and No Order gets 3.5 points a piece. This week had a ballot with 5 votes which went from 5 to 1 points. The Top 8 in points are rewarded each Friday and get
featured on station to station. This week's Top 8 rounded out a discography from 1948 to 2012. And
out of the 20
voters, 16 (80%) cast ballots in the Blues/Blues-Rock Division. Out of the 32
artists, 22 received at least one vote. 7 different artists received
first place votes.
Jimi Hendrix takes top honors in the category with six first place votes and enough points to move him into the 12th position on the overall leader board. The Doors actually received one more vote than Hendrix (13 out of 15) but came up 9 points behind him to take 2nd place. B.B. King and his guitar Lucille grabbed third place while slowhand Eric Clapton grabbed fourth place (His work with power trio Cream just missed the Top 8 finishing in 9th place.) More recent acts the now defunct White Stripes and The Black Keys took 5th and 7th respectively. Stevie Ray Vaughn received seven votes and 18 points for the 6th position and Muddy Waters represents the 50's and 60's blues scene taking the final spot.
You can keep up with The Top Artists Of All Time (32 artists, 32 Genres) by clicking the tab at the top of the home page to see who's moving
on to the semi-final round of 256. Below are The Top 8 artists from
the Blues/Blues-Rock Division (with total points and votes received), the artists
who just missed or had votes cast, and the ballots randomly placed
at the bottom. Thanks again to those who voted this week and have participated up to the halfway point!
_______________________________________________________________________________
Missed The Cut (Total Number Of Points and Votes):
Cream 14 (3), Howlin' Wolf 9 (2), Robin Trower 8 (2), Janis Joplin 6.5 (2), Steve Miller Band 6 (2), Bonnie Raitt 6 (1), Blues Traveler 4 (1), Bo Diddley 3.5 (1), The Yardbirds 3 (2), Joe Cocker 3 (1), Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 2 (1), Whitesnake 2 (1), Elvin Bishop 1 (1), Johnny Winter 1 (1)
No Votes:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Captain Beefheart, G Love & Special Sauce, George Thorogood, Jefferson Airplane, John Mayall & The Bluebreakers, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Los Lobos, Ry Cooder
Ballots: 1- 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Muddy Waters 3. Eric Clapton 4. The Doors 5. The Black Keys 6. The White Stripes 2- 1. Muddy Waters 2. The White Stripes 3. Howlin' Wolf 4. Jimi Hendrix 5. Robin Trower 6. Elvin Bishop 3- 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Eric Clapton 3. The Doors 4. Joe Cocker 5. The White Stripes 6. The Black Keys 4- 1. The Doors 2. The White Stripes 3. Blues Traveler 4. B.B. King 5. The Yardbirds 6. Eric Clapton 5- 1. The Doors 2. The Black Keys 3. Jimi Hendrix 4. B.B. King 5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 6. Stevie Ray Vaughn 6- 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. The White Stripes 3. The Doors 4. Janis Joplin 5. B.B. King 6. The Black Keys 7- 1. B.B. King 2. Howlin' Wolf 3. Muddy Waters 4. Cream 5. Eric Clapton 6. The Black Keys 8- 1. Bonnie Raitt 2. Cream 3. Eric Clapton 4. Stevie Ray Vaughn 5. The Doors 6. B.B. King 9- 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Eric Clapton 3. The White Stripes 4. B.B. King 5. The Doors 6. The Black Keys 10- 1. Cream 2. Jimi Hendrix 3. Stevie Ray Vaughn 4. The Doors 5. The White Stripes 6. The Yardbirds 11- 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. B.B. King 3. The Doors 4. Eric Clapton 5. Stevie Ray Vaughn 6. Muddy Waters 12- (5 Votes) 1. B.B. King 2. Stevie Ray Vaughn 3. The Doors 4. The White Stripes 5. Jimi Hendrix 13- 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Eric Clapton 3. B.B. King 4. The Doors 5. The Black Keys 6. Stevie Ray Vaughn 14- (No Order) B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors 15- 1. The Doors 2. Jimi Hendrix 3. The Black Keys 4. Stevie Ray Vaughn 5. Steve Miller Band 6. Eric Clapton 16- 1. Robin Trower 2. B.B. King 3. Steve Miller Band 4. The White Stripes 5. Whitesnake 6. Johnny Winter
Arriving before their new EP "Underwater" which is due out July 24th, The Antlers released a couple songs in the past week or two as a sneak peak. Here we have "Drift Dive" complete with a warped slide guitar that sounds like it's from the islands of Hawaii and a gentle rhythm which feels like a nice trade wind breeze. If you found their previous work loathing in self doubt then take comfort in knowing that they can see a little light at the end of the tunnel with this one. Looking forward to this EP if it delivers on "Drift Dive"'s promise of tranquility.
Avett Brothers fans are probably rabid about a new release since it's been three years since their breakthrough album from 2009 "I And Love And You". This week, they got good news. Their first single from their LP "The Carpenter" is called "Live and Die" and features more of their trademark Appalachian folk pop with a knockout chorus. It's breezy and even hints at more of a carefree feeling then previous efforts. "The Carpenter" drops on September 11th. You can read more about the new album produced by Rick Rubin in a Q & A at Rolling Stone right now.
It's hard to believe that time flies by so quickly. There's no need for further proof than to realize that it's been a full six years since Cat Power released her last full length LP "The Greatest" back in 2006. But lead singer Chan Marshall's vocals remain breathy and sensual on the new album's lead off track "Cherokee" just as they were over a half decade ago. And there's a lot of good things going on with "Cherokee" including a great, driving beat and overdubbed vocals in the chorus. Cat Power has a September 4th release date for the new LP "Sun". Anticipate it.
Comprised of Britt Daniel of Spoon, Dan Boeckner of Handsome Furs and New Bomb Turks' drummer Sam Brown, Divine Fits could be called a super side project group in some circles. A couple songs have been released including their first single "My Love Is Real" which is the opener to their debut LP "A hing Called Divine Fits" which is set to be released on August 27th. For more about the band and the release including track listing, Paste Magazine has a nice write up on it here.
For those who find that Muse is where it's at, then you can rejoice. The British outfit is set to release their latest LP "The 2nd Law" on September 17th. Their first offering from "The 2nd Law" is "Survival" which is set to be the official song for the London Olympics this summer. Lots of people enjoy Muse but I for one find them to be a bit ridiculous at times. Can I handle a whole album of tracks like "Survival"? No way! But for those of you who revel in their sound, enjoy the clip provided.
I know, it's tough to keep up with Ty Segall releases considering they seem to crop up like weeds on an untreated lawns. But I've got my ear open this summer to his music considering they'll be at The Pitchfork Music Festival in July. So here's an offering from Segall's band (a debut since his other material is strictly solo) from their new album "Slaughterhouse." "I Bought My Eyes" is classic retro garage rock which will make your hair stand up on the back of your neck. And who doesn't like that feeling?
When I visit Oregon someday, I want to find a seedy old bar, preferably in Portland. I will look for a jukebox. In that jukebox I will look for Loretta Lynn's "Van Lear Rose" LP. After I locate it, I will select her duet with Jack White "Portland, Oregon." I will then meet my wife back at the table where she'll have a pitcher of slow gin fizz waiting for us. Then we will sing in gleeful unison:
Well Portland Oregon and sloe gin fizz
If that ain't love then tell me what is
Well I lost my heart it didn't take no time
But that ain't all. I lost my mind in Oregon
At some point by the end of the night, we'll leave the bar..but before we do, we'll see if we can get the bartender to follow the same prescription that Jack and Loretta serve up at the end of "Portland, Oregon."
Well sloe gin fizz works might fast
When you drink it by the pitcher and not by the glass
Hey bartender before you close
Pour us one more drink and a pitcher to go
And then maybe we'll visit some rose gardens the next day.....after we loved enough for the both of us. Here's to you Oregon, sincerely, Loretta Lynn and Jack White.
Can we call them epics? Possibly. It seems that if you polled a group of people, they would say a song is an "Epic" right after the 7 minute mark. To me, after the 8 minute mark...it becomes an opus. That's probably why there is a good chunk of songs that I enjoy between the 7 and 8 minute mark. It's just long enough to be epic...but not long enough to become, in some cases, bloated. Below are 40 of my favorites that range in that 7 to 8 minute mark in length. First off, only one song per artist for more variety. Secondly, I weeded out any live cuts or remixes and kept this to just the studio versions. Of course there's a ton, but I'm just looking at my ITunes this evening and picking the 40 I'd enjoy getting my money's worth on the jukebox. Or you could turn in a 40 song playlist into 4 hours 56 minutes and 48 seconds of music. It's the more bang for your buck playlist.
Division 15 took the Delorean and Marty McFly back to the 50's as we continue station to station's 32 artists in 32 genres. This is the 15th week where 20
voters receive ballots of 32 artists and vote for 6 artists to move on to the semifinals round. The Top 8 are rewarded each Friday and get featured on station to station. While voting was the lowest this week, out of the 20
voters, 13 (65%) cast ballots in the 50's Pop/Pop-Rock division, it turned out to be some of the tightest results yet. No artist ran the board and the top 4 all vied for first place until the last three ballots were cast in the last 24 hours. Out of the 32
artists, 23 received at least one vote. 7 different artists received
first place votes.
If Elvis is the King of Rock 'n roll, then he didn't perform as well as expected in Division 15. The Father of Rock'n Roll, Buddy Holly received the most love this round on 9 ballots to capture the most points. The chairman, Frank Sinatra, also beat out the king with the most 1st place votes cast this week. Elvis took third place and it make me wonder if he'll be a dark horse or a dud to make it into the final 64 at the end of this tournament. Chuck Berry also received a good amount of love capturing 4th place this week. The rest of the field winds up nicely with Ray Charles and The Everly Brothers receiving a first place voite a piece and ending up 5th and 6th, respectively. Roy Orbison was on two more ballots than Jerry Lee Lewis as they both will move on to the semifinals finishing in 7th and 8th place.
You can keep up with The Top Artists Of All Time (32 artists, 32 Genres)
by clicking the tab at the top of the home page to see who's moving
on to the semi-final round of 256. Below are The Top 8 artists from
the 50's Pop/Pop-Rock Division (with total points and votes received) the artists
who just missed or had votes cast, and the ballots randomly placed
at the bottom. Thanks again to those who voted his week! One more week to the halfway point of the Genre rounds!
_______________________________________________________________________________
Key Albums: Jerry Lee Lewis, Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
5 Essential Tracks: Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, Great Balls Of Fire, High School Confidential, You Win Again, Breathless
_______________________________________________________________________________ Missed The Cut (Total Number Of Points and Votes):
Dean Martin 9.5 (4), Fats Domino 8.5 (2), Little Richard 7 (2), Carl Perkins 6 (1), Neil Sedaka 5 (2), Eddie Cochran 5 (1), The Drifters 4 (2), Gene Vincent 4 (1), Ritchie Valens 3 (1), Johnny Mathis 3 (1), Paul Anka 3 (1), The Coasters 2 (1), Dion 1 (1), Harry Belafonte 1 (1), Ricky Nelson 1 (1)
No Votes:
Bill Haley & His Comets, Bobby Darin, Duane Eddy, Frankie Lymon & His Teenagers, Nat King Cole, The Del-Vikings, The Diamonds, The Flamingos, The Platters
Ballots: 1- 1. Chuck Berry 2. Elvis Presley 3. Buddy Holly 4. Little Richard 5. The Everly Brothers 6. The Drifters 2- 1. The Everly Brothers 2. Buddy Holly 3. Frank Sinatra 4. Paul Anka 5. Neil Seaka 6. Dean Martin 3- 1. Buddy Holly 2. Elvis Presley 3. Frank Sinatra 4. The Everly Brothers 5. Chuck Berry 6. Dion 4- 1. Frank Sinatra 2. Elvis Presley 3. Buddy Holly 4. Ray Charles 5. The Everly Brothers 6. Roy Orbison 5- 1. Elvis Presley 2. Jerry Lee Lewis 3. Frank Sinatra 4. Buddy Holly 5. Chuck Berry 6. The Everly Brothers 6- 1. Ray Charles 2. Fats Domino 3. Buddy Holly 4. Jerry Lee Lewis 5. Chuck Berry 6. Elvis Presley 7- 1. Frank Sinatra 2. The Everly Brothers 3. Ray Charles 4. Roy Orbison 5. The Coasters 6. Dean Martin 8- 1. Frank Sinatra 2. Elvis Presley 3. Dean Martin 4. Neil Sedaka 5. Roy Orbison 6. Ricky Nelson 9- 1. Frank Sinatra 2. Elvis Presley 3. Chuck Berry 4. Roy Orbison 5. Jerry Lee Lewis 6. Ray Charles 10- 1. Buddy Holly 2. Eddie Cochran 3. Gene Vincent 4. The Drifters 5. Elvis Presley 6. Roy Orbison 11- 1. Buddy Holly 2. Chuck Berry 3. Little Richard 4. Ritchie Valens 5. Roy Orbison 6. Ray Charles 12- (No Order) Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Frank Sinatra 13- 1. Carl Perkins 2. Ray Charles 3. Chuck Berry 4. Johnny Mathis 5. Jerry Lee Lewis 6. Harry Belafonte
To
get straight to the point, I'm having troubles thinking of a sophomore
rock album from a band that I've enjoyed so much in the past decade.
Last year, Fleet Foxes' sophomore release "Helplessness Blues" was
stunningly pastoral and completely satisfying all the way from beginning
to end. It ended up being my favorite album of 2011. But that album is
on the opposite end of the spectrum from the two piece garage rock of
Vancouver Canada's Japandroids. While the Fleet Foxes lull you into a
complete dreamland of autumn and painted landscapes, Japandroids
just simply want to have a celebratory good time. It's obvious from the
duo's second album title "Celebration Rock" that they just simply want
to create a work to raise your arm and pump it in the air for 35
minutes. And it works through every minute of their latest release.
Japandroids debut from 2009, "Post Nothing" was a fine work itself
bringing a bit of their own messy, freewheeling flair to the garage rock
party. But it had it's own fiery energy that other artists in the genre
would have trouble mustering through a whole LP. Instead of a retread
of "Post Nothing" they just decide to step down on the gas pedal and
hardly letup through the album's complete running time. I mean if you
want a celebration, why not bookend the album with fireworks like they did
here? The songs in between those fireworks all follow the same
blueprint: Unbridled energy with a lot of oohs and aahs to punctuate the
sound. With each listen of "Celebration Rock", Japandroids have
moved away from the messy sound of their debut and into the echelons of
New Jersey rockers like the Gaslight Anthem, Titus Andronicus or even
Springsteen himself. From the immediate fist pumping opener "The Night
Of Wine And Roses" through the delightful first single "The House That
Heaven Built", the Japandroids Brian King and David Prowse churn
straightforward songs into crowd pleasing anthems that have a certain
dose of vibrant excitement that is impossible to resist. The two
oddballs of the eight songs on "Celebration Rock" are a cover of a Gun
Club song "For The Love Of Ivy" and the (if you can call it) less
frantic closer of "Continuous Thunder." The cover I could honestly do
without but it sill fits the formula. "Continuous Thunder" shows lead
vocalist King getting a bit sentimental, "And if the cold, pissing rain
flooded that fire/Would you still take my hand tonight?" I absolute love
it...especially when the fireworks come in at the end. And those other
six songs? Not a stinker in the batch.
As of today,
"Celebration rock" is simply my favorite album of the year so far. No
question about it. It effortlessly rocks with good energy, an abundance of
smart hooks and a youthful disposition that I didn't think would be
possible from any rock band in 2012. Rock music is dead is the old
phrase. Well, then let's celebrate it's death with this gem of an
album...like continuous thunder. What do you say?
JHO Picks: The Night Of Wine and Roses, Fire's Highway, Younger Us, The House That Heaven Built, Continuous Thunder
I
hate to say this but when I see an album being totted as a band's step
into maturity, I often throw a red flag up in the air. That's all I kept
reading about the months leading up to The Walkmen's seventh album
"Heaven". And after seeing the album receive a ton of good praise in the
last couple weeks, I kept listening waiting for a spark to light,
anything to make me understand why their new release was so well loved
by critics across the board. I mean, I've been enjoying these guys for
ten years now. I loved their first two albums were brash and
full of cocksure confidence. I stayed on board through the uneven "A Hundred Miles Off". I
was won over by the moody serenades on what I find to be their most
successful album "You & Me." I enjoyed their savory trip to Portugal
on the wonderful "Lisbon" two years ago. But "Heaven"? I don't hear
anything here to get me excited and it's a bit disappointing. I guess
I'm on an island with my opinion.
Some
songs wore just fine in the mold that I'm used to hearing from these
guys. Hamilton Leithauser still can turn your ear and get your attention
on winning numbers like the title track or a straight forward pop track
like "Heartbreaker". The theme of the album sounds not only like a band
that is getting comfortable in their older age, but looking
reflectively on the ten years before that got them there. The closer
"Dreamboat" for instance is simple but effective as Leithauser looks for
forgiveness from a loved one for being gone for so long, "Virginia, I
miss you the most,Virginia, I got so lost...The irony ain't lost on me."
And his look on love is whimsy as always. "Baby it's the love you love,
Not me," he taunts on "The Love You Love." But more often than not, I
just can't find any excitement to keep me interested in "Heaven". I'm
not looking for another angst-ridden ode like "The Rat" or something
bright and charming like "Louisiana". But those songs had character as
do many of the songs in The Walkmen's discography. They have many
moments in the past where I was urging myself to listen to that number
again. Besides the title track's gorgeous guitar work and smart chorus,
there is nothing on "Heaven" that I could see me wanting to go back and
listen to again and again. And the mid-section of the album is just dull
starting with the unimaginive "The Witch" through the instrumental
"Jerry Jr.'s Tune."
Look,
I know that all band's grow up at some point and it seems many believe
that The Walkmen have reached that point with grace and style. I tend to
disagree. It's a rare case where the thought they put into "Heaven"
just doesn't add up to many large dividends on return. Does maturing
mean to lose your edge? I hope that's not the status quo. I guess I'll
stay on my island of being disappointed and pull out "You & Me" to
remember the good old days of 2008.
As
for another band that has been at it on the indie electronic scene for a
decade, Britain's Hot Chip just can't seem to stop making their own
brand of infectious dance music. It's simple but has enough character
and quirks to stop you in your tracks wanting to listen to it's rhythms
over and over again. Their last album, 2010's "One Life Stand", was very
heartfelt and warm. On their latest effort, the band's 5th LP "In Our
Heads", Hot chip wants to keep that heartfelt feeling but make you move
your feet just a little more. The combination they're aiming for works
pretty well this time out.
Lead
singer Alexis Taylor delves into the always palatable and debatable
spectrum of love with carefree and wit through the album's 11
tracks.Sometimes it's downright playful as on "Motion Sickness" and
"These Chains". Sometimes it's Erasure-rific like on the truly upbeat
wonder of "Don't Deny Your Heart". Sometimes it takes a groove and
stomps it in your mind with reckless abandon like on the opening single
"Night And Day". And other times it's thoughtful and just bitterly sweet like
"Let Me Be Him." Taylor's sentiment hit me hardest with the first
lyrics to the extended workout of "Flutes": I know it's nothing more then flutes/
But something in my heart is loose." This is music to work out your
feelings of love to while urging you to get up and dance them out.
Nothing less or more than that, Hot Chip has become very workmanlike and
consistent through their discography at mastering this trade.
If "In Our Heads" doesn't go down as one of my top albums of the year, it still thrills and yields more invitations to come back and visit it more often then some other LPs do. If anything, it's a bit surprising that Hot Chip haven't had that big breakthrough song to push them ahead to a bigger status. I mean, they've been at it the same amount of time that Erasure was in the 80's and delivered equally, if not better, compositions in the synth genre to retrieve more recognition. In the meantime, those who want to keep Hot Chip as their own secret gem in the category should still be happy with their output. Because their latest album will still be stuck "In Our Heads" for weeks to come.
JHO Picks: Motion Sickness, Don't Deny Your Heart, Night And Day, Let Me Be Him
We're up to Division number 14 of 32 Genres on station to station's Top
Artists Of All Time. Each Friday, a panel of 20 judges vote for their
favorite 6 artists out of 32 from the given genre.The Top 8 artists
in points move on to the semi-final rounds which will begin sometime in
Mid-October. Points are scored 6 (for a 1st place vote) thru 1 (for a
sixth place vote) or 3.5 points (for No Order). Out of our 20 voters, 15
(75%) cast ballots this week for Reggae/Ska.
Out of 32 artists, 22 received at least one vote. 4 different artists
received
first place votes.
Reggae, Ska, Ska Revival, Third Wave Ska Revival, Reggae Pop....this week's division has had many incarnations and rebirths through the years. So it's only fitting that the Godfather of Reggae takes the top spot by a landslide. Bob Marley received 10 first place votes and rolled along this week. He takes over second place on the overall leader board as well. The Third Wave Ska Revival had a strong showing as artists like 311, No Doubt, Sublime and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones took spots 2,3,4,& 6 respectively. Jimmy Cliff represented early reggae with Marley taking the 5th spot. And Ska Revival bands from the late 70's, The Specials and Madness, tallied in the same points and votes to get the last two spots. For statistical purposes, The Specials had a first place vote to break the tie between them and Madness.
You can keep up with The Top Artists Of All Time (32 artists, 32 Genres) by clicking the tab at the top of the home page to see who's moving
on to the semi-final round of 256. Below are The Top 8 artists from
the Reggae/Ska Division (with total points and votes received) the artists
who just missed or had votes cast, and the ballots randomly placed
at the bottom. Thanks again to those who voted this week!
5 Essential Tracks: My Girl, One Step Beyond, Baggy Trousers, House Of Fun, Our House
_______________________________________________________________________________ Missed The Cut: (Total Number Of Points and Votes)
Reel Big Fish 13 (4), UB40 11.5 (3), Peter Tosh 9 (4), Eddy Grant 9 (3), Operation Ivy 9 (2), Matisyahu 5 (2), Desmond Dekker 5 (1), Lee "Scratch" Perry 4 (1), Toots & The Maytals 4 (1), Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers 4 (1), Michael Franti & Spearhead 4 (1), The English Beat 3 (2), Steel Pulse 3 (1), Burning Spear 2 (1)
No Votes:
Black Uhuru, Damian Marley, Inner Circle, Johnny Nash, Less Than Jake, Maxi Priest, Sean Paul, Shabba Ranks, Shaggy, Third World
Ballots: 1- 1. Bob Marley 2. Sublime 3. Eddy Grant 4. No Doubt 5. 311 6. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 2- 1. Bob Marley 2. UB40 3. Jimmy Cliff 4. Reel Big Fish 5. No Doubt 6. Peter Tosh 3- 1. Bob Marley 2. 311 3. No Doubt 4. UB40 5. Sublime 6. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 4- 1. The Specials 2. Sublime 3. Madness 4. Eddy Grant 5. Peter Tosh 6. Bob Marley 5- 1. 311 2. Reel Big Fish 3. Bob Marley 4. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 5. Matisyahu 6. No Doubt 6- 1. Bob Marley 2. Jimmy Cliff 3. The Specials 4. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 5. Madness 6. 311 7- 1. Bob Marley 2. Jimmy Cliff 3. Toots and The Maytals 4. The Specials 5. The English Beat 6. Peter Tosh 8- 1. Operation Ivy 2. Desmond Dekker 3. Madness 4. Matisyahu 5. No Doubt 6. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 9- (No Order) 311, Bob Marley, No Doubt, Sublime, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, UB40 10- 1. Bob Marley 2. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 3. Sublime 4. No Doubt 5. Eddy Grant 6. Reel Big Fish 11- 1. Bob Marley 2. 311 3. Reel Big Fish 4. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 5. Sublime 6. No Doubt 12- 1. Bob Marley 2. Jimmy Cliff 3. Jimmy "Scratch" Perry 4. Madness 5. The Specials 6. The English Beat 13- 1. 311 2. Bob Marley 3. Madness 4. Operation Ivy 5. Sublime 6. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 14- 1. Bob Marley 2. Peter Tosh 3. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers 4. Steel Pulse 5. Burning Spear 6. Jimmy Cliff 15- 1. Bob Marley 2. No Doubt 3. Michael Franti & Spearhead 4. Jimmy Cliff 5. The Specials 6. Sublime
Next month will mark thirty years ago that the Violent Femmes recorded their songs for their self titled debut classic that went on to be released in 1983. After hearing some Femmes on the IPOD on the way to work yesterday ("Out The Window"), I thought I'd throw out my ten favorite Violent Femmes songs this Tuesday. The Femmes spent countless years trying to live up to their superb debut and sometimes had some base hits. But their folk punk on the debut remains my favorite. It's hard to believe it will turn 30 next year. I'll throw "Blister In The Sun" as a bonus pick because I don't know where to put it. Viva Wisconsin!
In this week's look at the Top Artists of All Time, 32 Artists In 32 Genres can be perceived as a lot of artists with the same mediocre support or just too many to pick from. I guess it depends who you ask. It supports the theory that this genre was very...samey. At least that's the results way of showing it. Between the 8th and 17th position, there was a separation of only 6.5 points. Unfortunately for artists 9-17, they didn't make the final cut to move on to the semifinal round. Each week a panel of 20 voters vote for their favorite 6 artists. The top 8 in points move on to the finals. From our panel of 20 voters this week, 15
(75%) cast ballots for 90's Pop-Pop Rock.
Out of 32 artists, 23 received at least one vote. 8 different artists
received
first place votes.
Counting Crows ran away with the top spot, even though it was the least amount of points for a first place artist after 13 rounds. Far behind in second was Ben Folds Five and Dave Matthews Band. From there, The Wallflowers, Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette got a good amount of points to move along as well. The difference makers at 7 & 8 were Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty who had just enough to beat out the rest of the tightest field we've had on a ballot yet in the mid section. If you're a strong Toad The Wet Sprocket supporter, you have to be chagrined that they just missed the cut by .5 points. Garbage 13 (4), Sheryl Crow 12 (4), Matthew Sweet 11 (3), Hootie
& The Blowfish 10.5 (4), Third Eye Blind 10 (4), Gin Blossoms 10
(4), Collective Soul 10 (3), Barenaked Ladies 9 (3) all were in the running for a spot in the Top 8 but they all came up short.
You can keep up with The Top Artists Of All Time (32 artists, 32 Genres) by clicking the tab at the top of the home page to see who's moving
on to the semi-final round of 256. Below are The Top 8 artists from
the 90's Pop/Pop-Rock Division (with total points and votes received) the artists
who just missed or had votes cast, and the ballots randomly placed
at the bottom. Thanks again to those who voted this week!
So Oklahoma is placing themselves on the sports map. If it's not the Oklahoma City Thunder barreling along to their first ever NBA finals, the NCAA Softball Chamionships have the Oklahoma Sooners playing in the title game this week....in Oklahoma City. So call it a coincidence as we ALPHABETICALLY take a rip around the country for 50 Songs For 50 States that today we are on Oklahoma.
It's a state I've never traveled to before. I always pictured a long panhandle with tornadoes and a lot of...dust. But after seeing some shots of downtown Oklahoma City and their Bricktown neighborhood with canals running through it, I'm intrigued at what "The Big Friendly" has to offer.
Two notable bands from Oklahoma: The Flaming Lips and Hanson. Favorite Oklahoma Sooner Athlete: Mookie Blaylock. And fortunately, Whiskeytown has a rollicking number called "Oklahoma" (probably too many f-bombs to become an official song for the state, don't you think?) we can add to the list of 50 Songs For 50 States. So good luck to Durant, Harden, Westbrook and company. And give Oklahoma a look while it's in the spotlight this week.
While on vacation last week, I missed the news that Gene and Dean Ween were putting their experimental band Ween to rest after 25 years of making music. Lead vocalist Aaron Freeman (aka Gene) said he was retiring Gene Ween to explore other musical opportunities.
So what does Ween leave behind? 11 studio albums and a handful of live albums. And of course, their breakthrough single "Push Th' Little Daisies" with what one friend once told me was "The most annoying vocals ever recorded to tape." Sure Gene Ween's helium like vocals were in an octave no one could bare to touch and could be like nails on a chalkboard, but "Daisies" is so ridiculously catchy and kitschy that it couldn't be denied. I always thought the Ween's sense of humor was in the same vein of The Dead Milkmen, another Eastern Pennsylvania outfit, and that they were taking the torch from the Milkmen and journeying though the 90's as the next rock comedy event.
And while some may say they dipped into obscurity, diehards will point to the fact at how wildly creative their output was for their remaining years. For me they would always pop on a late night TV show performing a song that sounded really good or release a video that made me laugh my ass off. Their album "Chocolate and Cheese" (which besides the awesome title has a titillating album cover, literally) features a couple songs I played at my college radio station in the mid-90's. I was never a diehard, but I admired Gene and Dean for their longevity.
So today, I say goodbye to Ween with three favorites of mine from the band. You were, sincerely, a one of a kind band who threw a little of everything from rock to power pop to soul to the kitchen sink in your eclectic mix. I can't think of a quirkier band that's ever existed. R.I.P.
I've given Baltimore dream pop duo Beach House's fourth album a couple weeks worth of listens before passing a proper judgement. It is, for me at least, my most anticipated release of 2012. I wanted to give it ample time to see if it tugged at my heart me as much as their previous release 2010's ethereal wonder "Teen Dream" did. It happened to be station to station's Top Album Of 2010. So I basked in "Bloom" to see if it had the same effect. And after several listens I've come to the conclusion that "Bloom" is a different album than their last album, but yet it's still playing the same formula. "Bloom" is like going on a vacation somewhere and having the time of your life and then going back two years later trying to relive that "time of your life". The elements are there, but something is a little different. For better or worse it makes "Bloom" another solid record from Beach House.
Of course it's going to be tough not to compare "Bloom" with "Teen Dream" so let me just start with that right off the bat. What's missing from "Bloom" for me is the devastating and yearning moments from their 2010 standout. When lead singer Victoria LeGrand howled over soundtracks for the lonely stuck on a dark beach with waves crashing down around her ("Silver Soul", "Norway", "Take Care"), they were heartbreaking, wonderous moments on "Teen Dream." Songs on "Bloom" tend to not have those yearning tendencies. The album and LeGrand's vocal delivery stays even keel and seamless from end to end keeping the same tone throughout it's ten songs. Even if their isn't as many high points, LeGrand's vocals tend to work even better at times with Alex Scally's arrangements. Opener "Myth" has the interplay between the two at their best. The yearning is more subdued but equally as wonderful when LeGrand repeats the refrain "Help me to make it" over lush keys and guitars on the opener. That formula is in tact and works just as well on other standouts "Wild", "Other People" and "Wishes". Beach House is still the lone masters of providing wistful and ethereal dream pop gems.
The arrangements tend to have less hooks over the first few listens of "Bloom" as well. And the percussion feels more mechanical than organic, something I never really noticed to be a case on "Teen Dream". But with repeated listens, there are more musical moments to be found on "Bloom". LeGrand's carnival like organ intertwines with some of Scully's knockout guitar riffs on songs like "Lazuli" and "The Hours". A guest viola player adds to the album's emotional moments. There's even some studio sounds like seagulls, locusts and manipulations of LeGrand's vocals to add variety. LeGrand repeats over the sullenly stunning murk of keys on the closer "Irene", "It's a strange paradise". And it's tough not to argue with that sentiment. The strange paradise they've conjured sounds comfortable and inviting. And Beach House has found the habitat to be....their own paradise.
A lot of people may have looked at "Bloom" as Beach House's big moment to grab the spotlight with a knockout punch of dream pop classics. I was one of them who thought they would go with this approach. But they didn't exactly do that. Beach House has stayed with the same approach, but they sound more comfortable on "Bloom". It can be a bit jarring waiting for big moments to arrive like they did on "Teen Dream". But it's still a more than satisfying listen, even if the killer hooks are harder to find. It's very challenging, but so is the heartbreak and isolation that LeGrand and Scully have gotten down to a science in delivering.
Due to a station to station vacation, a special Sunday edition as we march our way through the Genre Divisions of The Top Artists Of
All Time. What we do each week is get a panel of 20 voters to cast
votes for their 6
favorite artists in a genre. The top 8 receiving points from votes move on
to the semifinals. The endgame is to have a final 64 tournament next
February-March with artists seeded based on points they received in the this
round and the semifinals. Out of our 20 voters, 17
(85%) cast ballots this week for Old School Rap.
Out of 32 artists, 20 received at least one vote. 6 different artists
received
first place votes.
And the results? The Beastie Boys ruled the roost. They received votes on all 17 ballots that were cast, the first artist to do so in 12 divisions so far. It also helped put The Beastie Boys at #1 on The Overall Leader Board so far (position on leader board will determine seeding in the semifinals round). Also racking in the points this week were Public Enemy and Run DMC placing second and third respectively. They were followed by a slew of iconic artists as N.W.A., LL Cool J, Ice-T and Boogie Down Productions all grabbed spots 4-7. And even though Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five didn't receive many points, the fact they got 5 votes was enough to nab the 8th spot away from Eric B. & Rakim.
You can keep up with The Top Artists Of All Time (32 artists, 32 Genres) by clicking the tab at the top of the home page to see who's moving
on to the semi-final round of 256. Below are The Top 8 artists from
the Old School Rap Division (with total points and votes received) the artists
who just missed or had votes cast, and the ballots randomly placed
at the bottom. Thanks again to those who voted this week! ______________________________________________________________________________
Old School Rap (17 Ballots)
Top 8 (Points and Votes) _______________________________________________________________________________
1. The Beastie Boys 80.5 (17)
Key Albums: Licensed To Ill, Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication
5 Essential Tracks: Fight For Your Right To Party, Hey Ladies, So What'cha Want, Sabotage, Intergalactic
8. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five 10.5 (5)
Key Albums: The Message
5 Essential Tracks: The Adventures Of Grand Master Flash On The Wheels Of Steel, It's Nasty, Scorpio, The Message, White Lines (Don't Do It)
_______________________________________________________________________________ Missed The Cut: (Total Number Of Points and Votes)
Eric B. & Rakim 8 (3), 2 Live Crew 6 (3), The Sugarhill Gang 6 (3), Afrika Baambaataa 6 (1), MC Hammer 5.5 (2), DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 5 (3), Biz Markie 5 (1), Big Daddy Kane 4 (2),
Salt-N-Pepa 4 (1), The Fat Boys 3.5 (1), Kurtis Blow 3 (2), Kid 'N Play 3 (1)
No Votes:
Doug E. Fresh, EPMD, Funky Four + 1, Kool Moe Dee, MC Lyte, Schoolly D, Slick Rick, Stetsasonic, Too Short, Treacherous Three, Ultramagnetic MC's, Whodini
Ballots: 1- 1. Ice-T 2. LL Cool J 3. N.W.A. 4. Run DMC 5. Public Enemy 6. The Beastie Boys 2- 1. Public Enemy 2. Run DMC 3. The Beastie Boys 4. The Sugarhill Gang 5. Boogie Down Productions 6. Grandmaster Flash 3- 1. Boogie Down Productions 2. Biz Markie 3. 2 Live Crew 4. Public Enemy 5. The Beastie Boys 6. Ice-T 4- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. LL Cool J 3. Public Enemy 4. Big Daddy Kane 5. N.W.A. 6. Eric B. & Rakim 5- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Run DMC 3. Public Enemy 4. N.W.A. 5. LL Cool J 6. Ice-T 6- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Public Enemy 3. Eric B. & Rakim 4. Grandmaster Flash 5. Kurtis Blow 6. Run DMC 7- 1. Run DMC 2. The Beastie Boys 3. Salt-N-Pepa 4. LL Cool J 5. Public Enemy 6. Kurtis Blow 8- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Public Enemy 3. Ice T 4. N.W.A. 5. Run DMC 6. LL Cool J 9- (No Order) Grandmaster Flash, MC Hammer, Public Enemy, Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, The Fat Boys 10- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Run DMC 3. N.W.A. 4. Eric B. & Rakim 5. The Sugarhill Gang 6. Grandmaster Flash 11- 1. Afrika Baambaataa 2. Public Enemy 3. Run DMC 4. The Beastie Boys 5. N.W.A. 6. Ice-T 12- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. N.W.A. 3. Public Enemy 4. Run DMC 5. 2 Live Crew 6. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 13- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Public Enemy 3. Ice-T 4. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 5. Grandmaster Flash 6. Run DMC 14- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Public Enemy 3. Run DMC 4. LL Cool J 5. MC Hammer 6. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 15- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. Public Enemy 3. Run DMC 4. Kid 'N Play 5. Ice-T 6. LL Cool J 16- 1. Boogie Down Productions 2. N.W.A. 3. Run DMC 4. Public Enemy 5. The Beastie Boys 6. The Sugarhill Gang 17- 1. The Beastie Boys 2. N.W.A. 3.Run DMC 4. Boogie Down Productions 5. Public Enemy 6. Big Daddy Kane
