I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle

Here’s a rarity, as it’s about words as opposed to sound, but I just finished reading what may be the most laugh out loud, funny book I’ve ever managed to devour, and when I say laugh out loud, I actually mean it…I was in public, so there are witnesses.

A few days ago, I was in your local neighborhood literary superstore and happened to stumble across, I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle, a one time writer for The Simpsons, sitting on this amazingly overcrowded table. It had a snazzy orange and white cover with a rather amusing illustration, a weird yet eye catching title and the jacket write up made the book sound like a mix between every John Hughes movie ever made (prior to his preteen phase) and a train wreck you just couldn’t look away from. Needless to say, having watched a certain movie by Mr. Hughes so many times I could recite the dialogue on command, I was sold. So I bought I Love You, Beth Cooper and, for one of the few times ever, a purchase ended up being everything it was billed to be…and more.

From start to finish the book was hysterical, sometimes relentlessly so. It follows uber-geek, Denis Cooverman (”The Coove” to his best, and possibly gay, friend and “Penis” to absolutely everyone else) through his highly unanticipated high school valedictorian speech and all of the repercussions that come with it when he decides to cast off regret and tells everyone who’s listening, “I Love You, Beth Cooper!”

While embarrassingly funny (I don’t recommend reading it in a packed coffee shop if you really don’t like to draw attention to yourself) I Love You, Beth Cooper is not just a lunatic joy ride without any grasp of reality. Denis Cooverman is identifiable, relatable and genuine…unless you’re the knuckle-dragger whose girl he just tried to woo, in which case, I’m actually surprised you can read at all. Along with all the hysterics and insanity of what is, admittedly, an entirely over the top graduation night and next morning, there’s also poignancy, friendship and, well…hot cheerleader types who really wouldn’t have given you the time of day in high school anyway…uh, but I digress.

I Love You, Beth Cooper is a truly funny and brilliant read. It’s quick, witty and never dry. Larry Doyle has crafted a great story that shows its not always about being who you’re expected to be, but who you can be that makes all the difference. Sure, you may say to yourself that there are already classics in this genre and I’d have to say you’re right. Most of them are on film and have names like Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Some Kind of Wonderful and Say Anything. But, there’s always room for another name on that list and I Love You, Beth Cooper fits right in.

The Frames – The Cost

The Frames – The Cost

The Cost, which happens to be the new album by the Irish band The Frames is absolutely my new favorite album of 2007 so far. That should be enough for you to run right out to iTunes and download a copy, but if my word isn’t quite enough, I can give you one more simple reason…The Cost is so worth buying just to hear its nearly perfect second song, Falling Slowly.

Falling Slowly is rich and delicate, subtle and yet all encompassing. It has a chorus that pulls you in melodically and then you actually hear the words and are all the more captured. It begins simply enough, with just a voice and guitar, but then builds into a piece of music that swirls around the space between your ears until you think you might burst. Lyrically and musically, Falling Slowly gives you the idea of hope and yet holds onto an undercurrent that makes you wonder if things ever do really work out. I really can’t say enough about this song, as if that’s not obvious, but I guess I’m just under its spell in the best possible way...and do you want to know the best part? There are nine other songs on the rest of the album.

As an album, The Cost delivers ten songs of mellow intensity with flawless execution and terrific musicianship. Guitarist and lead vocalist, Glen Hansard is spot on with his delivery, breathing life into The Cost while the other current band members, Joe Doyle on bass, Colm MacConIomaire on violin and keyboards and Rob Bochnik on lead guitar shape the sound of the album into it’s cohesive and complex whole.

One of the many notable things about The Cost is the inclusion of the violin into the mix of sound that is The Frames. As restrained as it is, it not only gives this band another color to paint with aurally but also the ability to not be pigeonholed into the format that rock traditionally is. It gives another dimension to what is already a multi-dimensional band and helps afford them the luxury of being something unto themselves and not just another in a long line of more of the same.

I guess that could be the reason it’s taken me so long to hear about The Frames. Since 1995 they’ve released eight albums, including The Cost and if it weren’t for World Café on NPR this past Saturday night, I’d still be missing out…and that would definitely be my loss.

I wonder if that could be a reflection on the music industry and what passes for talent these days? I guess anythings possible, but that’s another story all together. Go buy this album and introduce yourself to The Frames.

Art Turner – Sonora

Art Turner – Sonora

So I’m a fan of the Wailin’ Jennys incase you hadn’t noticed. If you go to their website or their MySpace page, you’ll see all of these wonderful photos of them…and if you look, you’ll see they were taken by Art Turner. If you go to the Jennys’ Link page you’ll see the following, “Art Turner: Art is a great friend of ours, a fabulous finger-style guitarist and he is also responsible for our new promo shots.” I read this and thought to myself that, “Hey, I’m a guitar player and a photographer too.” Needless to say, I clicked the link and I’m glad I did.

Aside from the great pictures, as if that weren’t enough, Art Turner is just an outstanding guitar player. While I may be a “Jack-Of-All-Trades and master of none,” Mr. Turner appears to be a master of both. I listened to some of the song samples on his Albums page and was just blown away. Not only is Art Turner amazingly technically proficient, he also has a gifted ear for melody and the ability to craft a full and expressive piece of music using only a single acoustic guitar.

That’s not to say that the tracks on Sonora are only solo acoustic guitar. Guest musicians also add the flavors of other string instruments to the tracks, but if you were to take all of them away, Sonora could still stand as a perfectly beautiful album.

Sonically, Sonora is beautifully simple with nothing getting in the way of the performances, and those performances are wonderfully crafted and simple in an amazingly complicated kind of way.

If you’re a guitar player or just love the guitar, I wouldn’t miss the chance to hear Art Turner play.

Meet Peter Ostroushko

Coming Down from Red Lodge

Postcards

Meet Peter Ostroushko

Way back on December 23, 2005 as I introduced myself to you in what was to be my first Onthepod.net post, I mentioned that I was listening to Peter Ostroushko and that I would tell you about it later. It’s taken me a while, but I didn’t forget the promise. Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet a master of the Fiddle and Mandolin, Peter Ostroushko…

As a regular listener to Garrison Keillor’s radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, I’ve heard a lot of artists that, in the course of my normal listening habits, I wouldn’t have otherwise. Peter Ostroushko is one of those artists. As a frequent guest of PHC, most of the really cool Mandolin and Fiddle pieces that you may have heard on the show are probably pieces written or played by Peter Ostroushko.

On a Saturday night back in 2002, one of the most beautiful pieces of music I had ever heard came drifting through the speakers of my car. I can still remember the feeling that I had that night. I was so moved when I heard it and that feeling has never left me. I never really knew who had written it at the time, but a few years later, during a listener request show Teelin Bay Waltz by Peter Ostroushko was re-aired. Ever since then, I’ve been a fan.

I don’t mind saying that every time I hear Teelin Bay Waltz, especially as the piece moves into and through its bridge section, my heart just breaks. Aurally, I suppose it’s the interplay between the Fiddle and the Slide Guitar. Musically, I would guess its how everything seems to hit its crescendo, how it peaks then very gracefully begins to slide towards it conclusion. Personally it all just comes together with such emotional force that it moves me in a way that very few pieces of music do.

Teelin Bay Waltz was recorded for Peter’s Coming Down from Red Lodge album, released in 2003 on the Red House label. Since finding that out, I purchased both that album and Peter’s most recent musical offering, 2006’s Postcards. Both are full of wonderful displays of just how much can be accomplished with the Fiddle and Mandolin when in the hands of a master composer and player.

If you haven’t been lucky enough to hear Peter Ostroushko play before, I managed to find a link from the PHC website to the original performance of Teelin Bay Waltz that originally aired on the show way back on March 2, 2002.

http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/20020302/

If you like what your hear…and really how could you not, I highly recommend either Coming Down from Red Lodge or Postcards as a great introduction to Peter Ostroushko and his immense musical talents. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Coming Down from Red Lodge

Postcards

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Calling

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Calling

I fell in love with Mary Chapin Carpenter on her album Stones In The Road. Something about that album and all of it’s songs just connected with me on some level that most music doesn’t often do. Thirteen years and three albums later, Mary Chapin Carpenter has returned with her latest effort, The Calling, and I think that I’m falling in love with her all over again.

On her ninth album, Mary Chapin Carpenter seems to have found that place where her writing, her playing and her singing all come together to build a collection of songs that are bigger than themselves to create an album that is as much full of songs as it is full of feeling and emotion. From gentle ballads to rolling country flavored rockers, The Calling manages to score with every track.

The overall sound of the album is crystal clear with each instrument and vocal performance existing in it’s own space and yet playing perfectly off each other giving the album both texture and space at the same time.

The instrumental performances on The Calling are all top notch, as anyone familiar with Carpenter’s previous albums would expect. Along with a host of other players, Mary Chapin Carpenter again turns to her long time collaborator John Jennings on all manner of stringed instruments as well as one of my favorite pianists, Matt Rollings and his remarkable talents with all things keyed.

For her fans and for anyone who’s not really familiar with her previous work, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s The Calling is a great way to get to know her…or get to know her again.

Jonatha Brooke - Careful What You Wish For

Jonatha Brooke – Careful What You Wish For

Jonatha Brooke’s seventh release, Careful What You Wish For finds her in a much different place than her earlier recordings. Empowered and supported by her live band, featuring Darren Embry on Bass, Rich Mercurio on Drums and Geoffrey Moore on Guitar, the album is a much more electric offering, both in sound and spirit than any of her previous efforts.

All of the tracks on Careful What You Wish For are strong and full of a frenetic energy that was glimpsed on her recent live album, Live In New York. There are also the quiet moments that Jonatha Brooke does so well, one of which is the beautiful, Je N’peaux Pas Te Plaire. Despite, or perhaps because of, its French vocal, the track is sophisticated and elegant and yet very laid back.

Careful What You Wish For also continues the instrumental eclecticism of her prior albums that is almost a Jonatha Brooke trademark. Along with being eclectic, all of the musical performances are as warm and intimate as they are powerful and driven. Lyrically and melodically, the album finds Jonatha agile as ever, continuing in the tradition set with her very first releases.

Careful What You Wish For again finds Brooke partnered with veteran producer and long time collaborator Bob Clearmountain to handle most of the technical studio requirements as well as some of the instrumental duties. Surprisingly, there are also a few new and seemingly odd faces on Careful What You Wish For, in the guise JC Chasez of N’Sync and Nick Lachey, both of whom share writing credits on the album.

Throughout her two albums with The Story and her previous solo releases, Jonatha Brooke has continued to grow as a writer, musician and most of all as an artist and Careful What You Wish For is no exception. This album is a welcome addition to Jonatha Brooke’s album catalogue…and mine.

PS – If you order Careful What You Wish For from www.jonathabrooke.com it comes signed by Jonatha herself.

New: On the pod

New: On the pod

Fear the State - Live @ CBGB: OMFUG

Great White – Live At The Marquee (Official Bootleg)

Jonatha Brooke – Careful What You Wish For

Kelly Keagy – I’m Alive

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Calling

Norah Jones – Not Too Late

Pete Yorn – Musicforthemorningafter

Rocco DeLuca & The Burden – I Trust You To Kill Me

Shaw/Blades – Influence

News: On the pod

We’re Back!!! As you may have noticed, OTP has been on a bit of an extended hiatus lately. It wasn’t really intentional, but as it turns out it was necessary. I found myself in the hospital for a few days and then not doing much for about six weeks. Not to worry though…I’m back into the swing of things for the most part and ready to bring you up to speed on a few great albums I’ve found.

While I was goofing around, I managed to blow through a couple of books:

Halo: Ghosts of Onyx – Eric Nylund

If you dig the Halo video game series, then odds are you’ll dig this book. This is the first book inspired by the game where the usual hero of the series, Master Chief, is not featured. It follows the story arc of a new Spartan program lead by a long thought dead Spartan from the Master Chief’s own team.

Hannibal Rising – Thomas Harris

Thomas Harris managed to score both a new book and a new movie all at the same time with Hannibal Rising. I just read the book though and oddly enough, not as creepy as I thought it would be. However, it does give a look into the life of a young Hannibal Lecter and some reasons for the way he ended up. It was a quick read that I managed to get through it in a day.

Lady Friday (The Keys to the Kingdom) – Garth Nix

Yeah, OK, so I read kids books…well young adult books, but still. Garth Nix is a terrific writer of young adult fiction whose Lady Friday book marks the fifth of seven in his The Keys to the Kingdom series. In this installment we continue to follow the young Arthur Penhaligon, the rightful heir to the Will of the Architect, and his struggle to save his friends, his family and himself from the denizens of the upper house and Lady Friday. The series is really a fun read and with only two installments left…it’s time to get started, don’t you think?

I also picked up my Xbox 360…finally. Of course, as expected, the minute I bought it Microsoft announced the Xbox 360 Elite…Bastards. So, I returned it and will be waiting for the new Xbox 360 Elite. Prior to that, I managed to play:

Dead Rising

You’re a photojournalist stranded in a shopping mall infested with zombies for 72 hours. You have to take outstanding pictures of the horror all around you and…survive by any means necessary. The game play is cool, but this game is meant for a big screen as the on-screen text is very small and hard to read.

Crackdown

You’re a super cop in a city run amuck. It’s very similar in fashion to the Grand Theft Auto series but this time you’re the good guy. The game play is very easy to get used to and as you collect and use your abilities, your powers increase. My only real complaint with this game was that it was really short. Even though you have three different gangs you need to put out of business, I managed to finish this game in less than a week. It’s a big investment for such a short experience, although it is ready for Xbox Live and does come with an invitation to the Halo 3 online beta.

Gears of War

First off, this is a pretty bad-ass game. The story is a familiar one though, you’re a human(oid) and your planet is invaded by aliens. At the start of the game you’re a soldier who’s serving time and you’re broken out only to facedown an alien invasion and your past. The game play is fairly unique in that one of the things you have to do in order to survive the game is take cover…if you don’t, you die. The weapons are fun too, although a chainsaw on the end of a machine gun? Eeh, who’s to say?

Finally, in my down time I’ve been watching a few DVDs. Here’s what I thought:

24: Season 1

I may have been the only person left on the planet Earth who hadn’t watched Jack Bauer save the world. Having watched Season 1…I get it. Good stuff!

Bones: Season 1

Based on characters created by Kathy Reichs, Bones is the story of Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist played by Emily Deschanel, and her dealings and relationship with FBI agent Seely Booth, played by David Boreanaz. They hate each other, they love each other, they solve cases with each other…but the scripts are well written as well as being supported by great actors. Bones is actually a fun and intelligent alternative to the less fun and intelligent CSI.

I did say finally about the DVDs didn’t I? Oh well, last week was the week of live shows for me. I managed to see:

Indigo Girls @ the Mohegan Sun Cabaret Theater in CT

I’ve seen the Indigo Girls a bunch of time before, but this was hands down the best time yet. They played as an acoustic duo for the evening and just brought the house down. It was great because along with playing the predictable hits and new stuff, they dipped into their seemingly endless song catalogue for some really obscure things I’d never had the pleasure of hearing them play live before.

Shaw-Blades @ BB King’s in NYC

These two guys can sing. This was my second acoustic show for the week and well worth the trip. In a lot of ways, it was a cover show as they played tunes both on and considered for their latest album, Influence. They also played favorites from Damn Yankees, Styx and Night Ranger. With great songs and stories, the show was a great way to spend an evening in Manhattan

Fear the State @ The Space in CT

These guys have to be the hardest working unsigned band around. I have never seen them have a bad show performance wise, much less a show where they didn’t absolutely give 110% on stage. They work it no matter who or how many people are in the crowd and it’s always fun.

Speaking of Fear the State, they’ve released a new EP called Live @ CBGB: OMFUG. It’s half live and half new studio tunes. Fear the State was actually one of the last bands to play the legendary and now defunct CBGBs in NYC. They recorded that show and the best tracks are included on this disc. In many ways, Live @ CBGB: OMFUG is really a historic recording in that it captures the last days of the famous and infamous club. Aside from the cool tunes, it’s worth picking up just for that and if you manage to catch them live, I think you can pick up a copy for free when you buy your long sought after Fear the State merch.

That’s it…I swear. I just want to say thanks for reading and for continually coming back even during the down time. If you come back next wee, you’ll get a look at Jonatha Brooke’s new disc and here are some of the other artists I have coming up: Art Turner, Guy Clark, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Peter Ostroushko.

Thanks again and as always…Keep Listening!

Joe

Shaw-Blades: Influence

Shaw-Blades: Influence

There seems to have been a glut of cover albums released in the past few years by any number of bands and the latest comes from members of both Styx and Night Ranger. Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades first played together in Damn Yankees and since then have gone on to write songs for the who’s who of the music industry as well as releasing their 1995 album, Hallucination. For the most part, cover albums are generally interesting for the first five minutes and then you realize that you’re listening to mostly uninspired renditions of songs that you never really liked in the first place. Influence isn’t like that…It’s not like that at all. To my great surprise, Influence is actually a really, really good album.

The track listing of Influence is eclectic, encompassing everyone from Simon and Garfunkel through the Mamas and the Papas all the way to Yes. The arrangements also are eclectic, preserving the spirit of the original songs but allowing Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades to make them their own. A very much electric version of the Simon and Garfunkel classic I Am A Rock is a perfect example of this.

An obvious highlight of Influence has to be their outstanding cover of Your Move by Yes. Presented independently from its usual partner, I’ve Seen All Good People, Your Move is an inspired version of the Yes original. The Shaw-Blades version faithfully preserves the vocal harmonies and the musical arrangement of the original while the Tommy Shaw driven vocal performance makes this rendition shine

The simple fact is that most of Influence’s eleven tracks shine. The album is chock full of some great classic rock and roll songs, some more familiar than others but all made current by the talents of Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades. This is one cover album I’ll be listening to for a while…actually, I’m listening to it right now.

Guest Reviewer: Erik Remec & Comedy Steel 2007

Hi everyone,

My good friend Erik Remec is back with another review this month. He recently met up with the king of all DJ’s, Eddie Trunk and his Comedy Steel 2007 show. Many thanks to Eric for another great job and some fantastic pictures.

(That's Jim Breuer and Mr. Remec himself in case you were wondering)

Enjoy...

Joe from Onthepod.net

Comedy Steel - Nokia Theatre

Comedy Steel - Nokia Theatre - New York City - January 13, 2007

Welcome to my second concert review for OnThePod.net so let me just say thanks once again to Joe for letting me post on his site. Anyway, on to the review …

In late 2001 NYC Hardrock & Metal Radio DJ Eddie Trunk put on N.Y. Steel, a 9/11 benefit concert which featured hard rock and metal musicians from the New York City area. In addition to getting some great musicians together for a very worthy cause, the concert was the also the impetus for getting the band Twisted Sister back together. Now just over five years later, Trunk decided to put on another event but with a twist: Comedy Steel which would bring together heavy metal musicians and standup comedians in a meeting of minds so to speak with portions of the proceeds going to the charity Cure Autism Now. The show which took place at the Nokia Theatre in the heart of Times Square in New York City, featured comedians Don Jamieson, Jim Florentine, and headliner Jim Breuer. All three comedians are huge fans of metal and have appeared on Trunk’s radio show in the past.

I was lucky enough to get a VIP ticket which did cost twice as much as a normal ticket but it got me into a meet & greet with Jim Breuer before the show. The ticket also came with a complimentary gift pack that included a T-shirt and a signed Breuer concert DVD. After trying to find a good spot in the VIP section of the theatre, I decided I should really be down on the floor and settled near the front of stage left.

The show started with an Ozzy Osbourne impersonator in a wig and athletic jumpsuit (Ozzy’s stage attire as of late) who along with a backing band delivered a spot on version of the song “I Don’t Know” from Ozzy and Randy Rhoad’s live album Tribute.

Comedians Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine from the comedy DVD Meet the Creeps gave enjoyably rude and crude sets. Their material was filled with tons of metal references (especially Jamieson’s) and Florentine sported a vintage Iron Maiden Piece of Mind T-shirt.

In between the comedy sets, came the tunes. The special musical guests included the guitarists Jay Jay French & Eddie Ojeda from Twisted Sister, Bobby Blitz & DD Verni from the band Overkill, and Anthrax bassist Frank Bello. The guys mixed it up taking turns doing cover songs of Twisted Sister, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and Judas Priest with singer Billy Mira (who also did the Ozzy impersonation) handling all the vocals.

The final act of the almost three hour show was Breuer’s set. Just let me just make something clear here, Jim Breuer is out of his mind. ( And I mean that in a good way of course! ) Backed by a 3 piece heavy metal band, he was clad in full metal regalia : Black leather vest and pants, spikes, and a belt buckle that Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson might have worn during Maiden’s ‘84-‘85 Powerslave Tour. Breuer’s set started with a video that drew us into the story of his childhood indoctrination into heavy metal thanks to the Judas Priest album Screaming for Vengeance. Faced with a choice of listening to a Flock of Seagulls record or Judas Priest, he opted for Priest. After hearing the intro track “The Hellion/Electric Eye”, he was never the same …

A personal highlight for me was the bit that had Breuer doing impressions of James Hetfield, Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne, Brian Johnson, and Angus Young in the merchandise returns line in the department store Sears. He really nailed the accents especially Sharon’s & Ozzy’s. The other highlight for me was “The Wizard” bit. It was about Breuer as a teenager hanging out before a concert in the parking lot of Nassau Coliseum (Long Island) with his friends high on mescaline for the first time. “Whatever you do (the wizard tells him) … Don’t step in the darkness!” Hilarious!!!

To close the show, everyone took the stage for a roaring cover of Twisted Sister’s “We’re not gonna take it” with the comedians handling backup vocals. Twisted Sister was the first band that got me into hard rock and metal when I was a wee lad of 11 years old. It’s been over 20 years for me now and I can also say, I haven’t been the same since …

Everyone involved with the show has a love for this type of music and they really wear that passion on their sleeves. Hard rock & metal usually doesn’t get much respect so it‘s great to have an event where everyone involved is first and for most a fan of the music & they show that affection proudly.

By the way, one more thing about Eddie Trunk. I listen to his weekly Friday night show on NYC’s Q104.3 religiously. He’s one of the last radio DJ’s who still has full artistic control over what he plays on his show and it’s a godsend for any fan of rock music today in this era of radio station consolidation and preprogrammed musical filler. He is a true fan of the music and it shows. Get out & support people like him.

Check out www.eddietrunk.com for more info about listening to his show on the radio or through the internet.

See you on the road,

Erik

eremec@yahoo.com

© 2007 Erik Remec

New: On the pod

New: On the pod

8mm – Songs to Love and Die By
The Beatles – Love
Brian Kahanek – Real Live
Buckethead – Cuckoo Clocks of Hell
Buckethead – Enter the Chicken
Buckethead – Island of Lost Minds
Buckethead – Population Override
Carbon Leaf – Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat
Corinne Bailey Ray – Corinne Bailey Ray
Danzig – Danzig
Georgia Satellites – Georgia Satellites
Guy Clark – Workbench Songs
Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape
The Hold Steady – Boys & Girls in America
Holly Brook – Like Blood, Like Honey
Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat
Loreena McKennitt – An Ancient Muse
Lynyrd Skynyrd – All Time Greatest Hits
Patty Smyth – Never Enough
Whitesnake – Live…In the Shadow of the Blues
Wolfmother – Wolfmother
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones


News: On the pod

So…it’s been a while. I swear December 2006 was the worst month for new music I have ever seen. I managed to find some stuff since though, as you can see. Most of it is from earlier in 2006 and some of it is even older than that…can you say Danzig?



Four of my New: On the pod artists are a direct link to my coolest Christmas present from this year (or last year now I guess). My wife gave me Guitar Hero II and I haven’t seen her since December 25th. What an awesome game that is…I suck at it mind you, but it’s an awesome game. Anyway, that’s why Brian Kahanek, Buckethead, Danzig and Wolfmother are New: On the pod.

Kahanek’s Gemini is one of the bonus songs you can add to your set list in Guitar Hero II and it’s really cool. A sweet little southern/bluesy intro followed by some rippin’ guitar parts make Gemini fun to play and listen to.



The above video is of Matt Kegermann rockin’ the crap out of Buckethead’s Jordan, another bonus song you can add to your set list. There are four difficulty levels in Guitar Hero II; easy, medium, hard and expert and depending on your performance you can get anywhere between 1 and 5 stars. I was only able to manage 4 stars on medium. 5 stars on expert…Kegermann is sick.

Glenn Danzig and Mother…bad ass tune from a creepy guy.

Wolfmother’s track Woman accompanies Danzig in Guitar Hero II’s Opening Licks section and is, like mother, another bad ass tune. It reminds me a lot of early Aerosmith among others and is a blast to play.

I guess you could call that a glowing thumbs up review for Guitar Hero II. It’s totally worth the cost of the game and the controller. There are other wireless guitar controllers you can buy too, including a red metal flake Flying V and there are even pre-made graphics you can pick up so you can customize your stock SG controller…mine now has Eddie Van Halen like stripes.

God, I’m such a geek.


In Other News:

On the finding new music front, Hear Music on XM is really turning me on to a lot of new people I wouldn’t normally hear. Carbon Leaf, Corinne Bailey Ray and Holly Brook are all finds from that station along with AM from my last review. If you have XM, give it a shot.

Speaking of XM, I also picked up Guy Clark’s Workbench Songs after hearing him on the Bob Edwards Show. It was a very cool interview and the songs that were featured were outstanding, so I’m looking forward to giving that a listen.

As I’ve already admitted to being a geek once, there are no new Audiobooks to report on because I’m still working my way through the Star Wars New Jedi Order books I made using Text-To-Speech and a bunch of EBooks. I just finished #12 plus three short stories, so I only have seven left with one short story and I’m done. It’s actually an interesting idea if you can get past the Star Wars aspect of it. Somebody had a story idea, outlined it and then managed to get a bunch of different authors to write books in the story arc. It’s interesting to see how the vision of what goes on, in what is essentially the same story, changes based on who’s writing at the time. I know...still a geek.

On a side note, if you happen to still rent movies at a store and know what Redbox is, check out www.insideredbox.com. Trust me, it’s worth the visit.

There’s not too much more to tell this time around other than On the pod.net might have a couple of weeks of inactivity starting at the end of January. There’s some stuff I need to take care of that may or may not keep me away from a computer for a few weeks…we’ll see.

Have a great 2007 and, as usual, keep listening!

Joe from On the pod.net

AM – Troubled Times

AM – Troubled Times

http://www.amsounds.com
http://www.myspace.com/amsounds


So I was on my way into work, or what passes for it these days, and I was listening to XM 75, which happens to be HEAR Music: The Sounds of Starbucks. Say what you may about their painfully overpriced and pretentiously named coffee, but they do occasionally have good taste in music…and a nice Green Tea Latte. Anyway, the point of all this is that I heard a song I hadn’t heard before, which for me really isn’t a surprise as my musical radio time rivals that of my exercise schedule. The song was City Syndrome and the artist was AM. I liked it so much that I called my voicemail and left myself a message to look it up. I did…and here’s what I found.

AM, the guy, is from Oklahoma. He spent his teens in Louisiana, played guitar, went to Loyola and started writing songs in college. He won best Singer / Songwriter in 2005 from the Los Angeles Weekly Music Awards and has had his music placed in quite a few television shows and films. AM, the guy and his band, are now from Los Angeles and feature AM on vocals and acoustic guitar, Mark Getten on the bass, Geoff Pearlman on electric guitar and background vocals, Mike Mangan on keyboards, Bryan Head on the drums and Chris Lovejoy rounding things out on percussion. In 2005, AM released an EP of remixes of their song Mainstay and 2006 saw the release of their full length album, Troubled Times.

As it turns out, Troubled Times, the album containing my morning drive time epiphany, is a really good disc. It’s got a smooth vibe and is full of melody, with catchy hooks and unpretentious lyrics. My overall impression of the album is very clean and very cool. Full of acoustic and clean sounding electric guitars, Troubled Times showcases AM’s vocals in a band setting with dirty electric guitars and keyboards reinforcing the rhythm section, but never overpowering it.

Some of the most interesting things for me about Troubled Times were the recorded tracks themselves. I found little parts of the instrumental tracks to be like aural “Easter Eggs” similar to the hidden features you would find on a DVD. Let me give you a couple of examples. On the album’s opening track, Gone Away, there’s a tambourine doused with echo and buried in the mix that just makes me think of a sixties kind of sound. Another happens on the track So Lonely. One of the guitars plays a quick up-pick that sends me back to pop music in the 80’s. There are more “hidden” parts on the album too, but for me those little things help take good tracks and just give them that much more of a push towards being something remarkable.

As far as Troubled Times is concerned, what you’re left with at the end of the day is a ten song album full of solid songs, solid writing and a name we’ll hopefully be hearing more from in the future.

(By the way, if your searching iTunes for AM, try searching for Troubled Times, it's easier to find.)

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Seasons Greetings from all of us here at On the pod.net

Elizabethtown – Score by Nancy Wilson

Elizabethtown – Score by Nancy Wilson

The Elizabethtown Score is like a sketchbook into Nancy Wilson’s mind. Some of the sketches are rough and unfinished, some are full of colors, but all of them are full of ideas and the Elizabethtown Score allows the listener to actually hear a musical idea better than anything else I’ve listened to lately. Each composition contained on this album seems to be a small, delicate thing showcasing little vignettes from a life; in this case the life is that of Drew Baylor and comes to us thanks to Cameron Crowe and his film Elizabethtown.

The album itself is primarily an acoustic one, with the occasional electric guitar thrown in for color. The tone of the album is wistful and introspective. A few of the tracks, like Dirty Shirt, are fully involved band pieces; however the majority simply feature acoustic guitar and/or piano with the occasional accompanying instrument.

The music chosen for the disc is really the emotional underpinnings of the film, showcasing the music used to help convey plot and develop emotional resonance. While it may not play like a traditional album, the score delivers outstanding pieces of music that are full of melody and the space they need to bloom into outstanding individual pieces.

Winger - IV

Winger - IV


When I was in High School, I loved Hairbands…I mean, come on, it was the 80’s after all. One of the bands I would, on occasion, listen to was Winger. They caught a lot of flack for any number of reasons, real or imagined, but guitarist Reb Beach and drummer Rod Morgenstein could both play and Kip Winger was…well, Kip Winger. As the band’s songwriter, bassist, vocalist and namesake, he was a great frontman; unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, he also didn’t look like he had just been hit by a truck…so there was way too much attention paid to the way he and the band looked and not to their musical abilities.

Anyway, after two albums full of hit singles, guitarist and keyboardist Paul Taylor left the band…to end up working on Steve Perry’s comeback album of all things, and Winger released Pull, which went right over my head. After that the band seemed to go away for the most part…that was 1993. In the interim, Kip Winger ended up releasing three solo albums, Reb Beach went on to play with Alice Cooper, replaced George Lynch in Dokken and then filled Steve Vai’s shoes in Whitesnake and Rod Morgenstein went back to playing with the Dixie Dregs and several other side projects.

Now, thirteen years after Pull, Winger, the band, is staging a comeback of sorts with their new album IV. With the addition of John Roth on guitar and Crenk Eroglu on keyboards; Winger, Beach and Morgenstein have released an album stylistically closer to Pull than either of Winger’s first two albums. It’s also a bit more aggressive than the band’s earlier offerings and infinitely more political.

Kip Winger seems to be talking a lot about the ongoing war in Iraq on several of IV’s eleven tracks. The album’s cover illustration even shows a soldier in desert gear encircled by three angels. As opposed to approaching the subject in an outwardly hostile and negative way, the songs on IV tend to come from the point of view of the soldier, not the onlooker or the protester. That’s not to say there aren’t question posed, but they are not quite the incitement of an administration that the songs on say…Neil Young’s Living With War are.

Sonically, IV still has that polished and produced “Winger” sound especially in the vocal department. Basically, it’s good sounds with lots of overdubs. One noticeable addition to IV is the inclusion of acoustic guitar in most of the tracks. That is in no way saying this is an acoustic album. The acoustic exists in addition to all of the electric guitars, they have not been excluded to make room. The acoustic guitar is really there as an addition to IV’s sonic landscape. Speaking of guitars, it was nice to hear Reb Beach again play in the context I was first introduced to him. His leads on IV, while outstanding, seem to better fit into the framework of the songs that hold them as opposed to the spectacle they were on previous Winger tracks.

Overall as an album, IV shows a Winger that’s dialed back from eleven a bit but is, in essence, still the same. There are things on IV that worked better for me than others, but on the whole, it’s an entertaining listen…especially for fans of the decade of big hair.

New: On the pod

New: On the pod

Andy Timmons – Resolution
Andy Timmons – That Was Then, This Is Now: The Best of Ear X-Tacy
Andy Timmons – And-Thology: The Lost Ear X-Tacy Tapes
The Cardigans – Super Extra Gravity
Chris Botti – December
Dweezil Zappa – Automatic
Dweezil Zappa – My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama
Elizabethtown – The Original Score by Nancy Wilson
Halo – Original Soundtrack
Homeworld – Episode 01 Game Soundtrack
Homeworld – Episode 02 Game Soundtrack
Jack Caldwell – As Sweet As I Remember You
Joe Satriani – Satriani Live
Richard Cheese – Silent Nightclub
Soup’s On – A Benefit For The Shoreline Soup Kitchen


Audiobooks:

Augusten Burroughs – Sellevision


News: On the pod

If you managed to catch my Thanksgiving post about the Shoreline Soup Kitchen, the information below is directly related. I pulled this post from www.shorelineacousticunderground.com!

Soup's On! The Concert

On Friday December 1, 2006 7:30 PM at Andrews Memorial in Clinton CT, The Shoreline Acoustic Underground will present an evening of music to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchen in their ongoing efforts to provide food and fellowship to members of the community in need.

Also on sale at the concert will be the newly released benefit CD "Soup's On!" featuring acts performing at the concert.

The concert will be sponsored by AcousticMusic.org of Guilford, Neri Lutherie of Clinton and Wall Street Gallery of Madison.

All proceeds from the event and CD sales will go to The Shoreline Soup Kitchen.

Appearing will be:

Paul Neri.
Chuck E. Costa
Jack Caldwell
Ebin-Rose
Sandra Lauren Lichter
Kailin Garrity -
Rod Washburn
Ian Charles
Lara Herscovitch
Other Acts Be Confirmed!
Running sound for the evening will be Jeff Stielau.

For information call 203-458-2525 or 860-669-3351.

Refreshments will be offered at intermission.

A minimum donation of $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per child is requested.

Additional donations will be welcome.

Just like the CD, this is for a great cause. Come on out and hear some music and help some people at the same time. It should be a great time.

In other news, I’m still working my way through my homemade Star Wars Audiobooks, so I don’t anticipate getting to Sellevision or any other Audiobooks anytime soon. I apologize for the lack of new Audiobook reviews lately and in the near future.

As far as upcoming music releases, there’s not too much that I’m aware of on the horizon. As it is, the Joe Satriani live disc kind of snuck up on me. I do know that the Wailin’ Jennys were set to record a show or two on this tour. Who knows, maybe a forthcoming live album from them. I did find this link to Billboard’s new release schedule:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/releases/index.jsp

I’m headed over there now to check out what’s on the way.

Hope your Thanksgivings were excellent and as always, keep listening.

Joe

Andy Timmons Band – Resolution

Andy Timmons Band – Resolution


When I was in college, I took a semester of guitar lessons with Nick Bagnasco at the University of New Haven. One of the first things he did was ask me which players I liked. After some thought, I answered: Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse and Eric Johnson. It’s been a long time since any guitar players have really impressed me to the point I’d include them on my list, the last was John Petrucci from Dream Theater. However, I’m pretty confidant in saying that I think I have a new favorite guitar player.

Not so long ago, I found a video of Andy Timmons on YouTube playing his song Farmer Sez…and I was just blown away. The song itself is a cool little “Chicken-Pickin” piece, but he and his band manage to play it way over the top by accelerating the tune to match how loud the audience gets. I just kept watching this thing, thinking that eventually someone had to screw it up. But no one ever did, it just kept going faster and faster.



I first heard of Andy Timmons in 1989 when he played on Danger Danger’s self-titled debut album, so I was kind of surprised that I had missed out on whatever had gotten him on stage for that performance. As it turns out, Andy Timmons had released several albums by that point, and his most recent, Resolution, was just released on Favored Nations (Steve Vai’s record label). I happened to see Resolution at my usual music spot on the web a few weeks ago, and decided it was about time to check out Andy Timmons a little more closely.

So, what did I think? Like I said, I think I have a new favorite guitar player.

As a player, Andy Timmons manages to take the familiar aspects of the Instrumental Guitar genre and mix it with the structure of a more commercial band setting to actually write songs. His leads are lyrical in their melody, finding both verse and chorus as opposed to one blaring solo track. On Resolution, Timmons’ tone is also outstanding, with a really crunchy and fuzzy voice that manages to still be cutting and clear at the same time.

As a whole, Resolution is an outstanding guitar album with eleven tracks that just rip from start to finish. I, personally, didn’t find one weak track; they were all unique and ranged from the bombastic to the delicate while holding on to their feeling. If guitar acrobatics are your thing, you won’t be disappointed…there is more than enough “Shred” on Resolution to make your technique loving head spin, however I didn’t feel that any of the songs were overplayed. All the lines were tasty and fit the moment they were written for. For the times on Resolution where speed is at a minimum, Timmons shows that he’s more than capable of restraint and a subtle hand.

I found Resolution by the Andy Timmons Band to be a near perfect album for the genre. It’s loaded with feeling, technique and speed; not to mention a great sounding and playing band with cool songs. What more could you want?

Soup’s On: A Benefit for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen

Soup’s On: A Benefit for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen

http://www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org/
http://www.shorelineacousticunderground.com


Ok, so I’m mere minutes away from putting a serious hurting on ye olde Thanksgiving turkey just like a lot of us are going to do. I actually wanted to say like we’re all going to do, but that wouldn’t exactly be true…and that just goes to how easy it is to forget things you don’t see (or choose not to see) every day. All of that leads me to this…

My friend Jack Caldwell sent me a brand new CD recently. It seems that Jack along with the Shoreline Acoustic Underground and a group of friends and fellow musicians got together to donate their time, talents and resources to recording a benefit album for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen. What/Who/Where is the Shoreline Soup Kitchen you ask? Well, in their own words…

“The Shoreline Soup Kitchens’ mission is to provide food and fellowship to those in need living on the shoreline. Founded in 1989, at the Baptist Church in Essex, Connecticut, the agency continues in its mission to feed the hungry in body and spirit. In 2003, 257,852 meals were distributed to individuals and families during The Shoreline Soup Kitchens programs. This included 243,756 meals from our grocery distribution sites; 5,268 heat-n-eat meals; and 8,828 meals served at area soup kitchens.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens offer food and fellowship to the communities of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Lyme, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. Our family oriented meal sites serving hot, nutritious and delicious food are located in Centerbrook, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Old Lyme, and Old Saybrook. And, our grocery distribution sites where participants receive enough food for three meals for three days are located in Clinton, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. Also, provided to those who have limited cooking facilities are frozen heat-n-eat meals that can be picked up at any of our pantries.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens accomplishes its goals with the help of over 750 volunteers, who provided over 17,600 volunteer hours in 2003. We provide those in need with food and with fellowship, responding to all with humanity and respect.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens had its origin at a “Vision Day” at The First Baptist Church of Essex, Connecticut. To determine the need, an “experimental” soup kitchen meal was held on the Saturday before Easter, 1989, in the Fellowship Hall of the church to see if anyone would come to such an offering. Nine people came that Saturday and 14 people came the following Saturday. On that basis, it was decided to open on every Saturday thereafter.

Since that time, we have continued to grow. Eight meal sites and four grocery distribution sites throughout the Shoreline and Lower Connecticut River Valley are now provided by The Shoreline Soup Kitchens. Each meal site serves one meal each week. The grocery distribution sites provide families with groceries on a weekly basis for meal preparation at home.”

What about the disc, you ask? Well, the disc features 16 tracks by area musicians that range in styles from folk to hard rock and everything in between. Basically, Soup’s On! has at least one track that everyone can get into. In my case there were several that I found outstanding. With so many artists and styles in one place, it’s kind of hard to characterize the album as a whole, but as far as quality goes Soup’s On is excellent. All of the captured performances are great as is the individual track production which lends to the enjoyment of this varied and worthy listening experience.

So say you happen upon this disc in your retailer of choice and you wonder what would happen if you actually bought it. Well, if you read the back cover of the disc, you would find…

“By buying this CD you are making a ten dollar donation to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen…The need for this service on the shoreline might not enter your field of vision, but it is very real. This eclectic mix of songs, all done by shoreline artists, is sure to appeal to everyone’s musical tastes. 100% of all proceeds raised from the sale of this CD will go directly to The Shoreline Soup Kitchen. All of the artists have donated not only their musical talents, but the money it took to produce this CD you are holding.”

Did I mention that Soup’s On is for a good cause? I did? Well guess what, it’s still for a good cause and with each disc being a ten dollar donation, you get to feel good about yourself while getting to listen to new music to boot. To me, that’s a pretty good way to spend a Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone…now go buy a copy of the disc!

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part I

What follows below was my submission to Finer Things Magazine for their Fall Issue. It's reproduced here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part I

Hi everyone, I’m Joe from On the pod.net and welcome to the first in what I hope to be a long series of music reviews for Finer Things Magazine. For our first time out we’ve got three discs for your listening pleasure. First, we’re going to start off with something a little heavy, Phobia, the new album from Breaking Benjamin. Second, we’re going to find out about “Texican Style” with the sophomore effort from Los Lonely Boys, Sacred. Finally, to cap it all off we’re going to get ready for the new fall TV season with a look back at volume one of the Scrubs soundtrack series…and away we go.



Breaking Benjamin – Phobia
Breaking Benjamin first showed up on my radar when they contributed the song Blow Me Away to the soundtrack for the amazingly successful Xbox game Halo 2 in 2004. Now, two years later they have returned with their third studio album, Phobia. Made up of thirteen songs plus an acoustic version of the albums first vocal track, The Diary of Jane, Phobia is full of heavy guitars playing intricate rhythms, a tight rhythm section and vocals that, as a rule, remain melodic over the alternative metal underpinnings that comprise the sound of Breaking Benjamin. While heavy, the album as a whole hangs in the mid-tempo range with the occasional burst of speed as dictated by the material. If you’re a fan of Breaking Benjamin or the alternative metal genre as a whole, Phobia is definitely worthy of a listen.




Los Lonely Boys – Sacred
If you think you’re not familiar with the work of the Garza brothers, you probably just don’t know who plays that song Heaven you’ve been humming to yourself for the past two years. Sacred, the second album by the San Angelo, Texas trio Los Lonely Boys picks right up where their 2004 self-titled album left off. Stylistically, it’s a seamless blend of Latin inspired rhythms, blues, pop and just a dash of the Spanish language thrown in for flavor. Musically the album is excellent. Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza (guitar, bass and drums respectively) can, in a word, play. When artists try to blend styles, rarely does it work at all much less work so well. The difference with Los Lonely Boys is that they don’t have to try. They so obviously live the music they make, that they can draw from a seeming endless well of influences to express themselves in what can only be called, as one of the songs on Sacred is so aptly titled…Texican Style.




Scrubs Soundtrack: Volume One
The musical interludes during the sitcom Scrubs were always striking to me for their choice of music, so…I was thinking that since Scrubs is going to be starting its new season soon and they just released the second volume in their soundtrack series it might be fun to go back to where it started for the show musically. The Scrubs Soundtrack: Volume One is led off by the show’s theme, Superman by Lazlo Bane. It’s definitely interesting to hear Superman, the song, in its full and unedited state as opposed to Superman, the Scrubs theme song, in the bits and pieces you hear over and over again each week. The orchestration of Superman is eccentric, containing all the usual instruments you would expect, but topped off by a Banjo and what sounds to be either a Theremin or Tannerin playing those lovely woo-woo-woo-woo-woo sounds you hear in the chorus of the song, ala Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys. You could, if you were so inclined, actually use Superman and its instrumental eccentricities as a good read of the remainder of the soundtrack and, by extension, the show itself. The Scrubs Soundtrack: Volume One album plays home to fourteen other entertaining and very listenable songs from the Eels and The Shins to the Butthole Surfers and Colin Hay, best known for fronting the 80’s band Men At Work. The mix of artists is eclectic, but the material included is all similar enough in feel so as to not be overpowering…just fun.




So there you have it, your first three reviews. I hope you found them helpful and that they gave you a couple of new listening ideas. If you liked them and can’t wait for the next issue of Finer Things Magazine, check out all of my other reviews at www.onthepod.net.

Until next time, have fun and keep listening.

Joe

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part II

What follows below was my submission to Finer Things Magazine for their Winter Issue. It's reproduced here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part II

Hi everyone, it’s Joe from On the pod.net again. Welcome back to Finer Things Magazine music reviews. This month we’re hitting Pop, Folk and Rock for you with three new albums; Ta-Dah! by the Scissor Sisters, Despite Our Differences by the Indigo Girls and The Open Door by Evanescence. Here we go…




Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah!
Ta-Dah! by the Scissor Sisters is like stepping into H.G. Well’s time machine and dialing yourself back to the VIP lounge of Studio 54 in the mid 70’s to go wild for a little over three quarters of an hour. If you’re still having a problem picturing the vibe of this album; think Roller Skates, Afros, The Bee Gees, ELO, Elton John in costume and even a bit of Queen. Ta-Dah! takes the term retro to a whole new level, and in doing so ends up feeling like an entirely authentic album with a funky rhythm section, falsetto vocals and a definite sense of humor.




Indigo Girls – Despite Our Differences
In ten albums and nineteen years, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have gone from acoustic to electric and back again, covering everything from social issues to the internal dialogue of love. Despite Our Differences marks the Indigo Girls tenth foray into the studio since 1987’s Strange Fire and continues down the well worn path of their career to date. It doesn’t break any new musical ground for the duo, but it does harvest the fruits of their talents in a way that makes the thirteen tracks on Despite Our Differences seem more fresh than rehashed. As always, the lyrics are elegantly crafted and the music follows in similar fashion. While Despite Our Differences wouldn’t be my first choice as an introduction to the Indigo Girls, fans will recognize it for what it is…the continuation of a conversation with an old friend.




Evanescence – The Open Door
Love them or hate them, it’s undeniable that when Evanescence hit the music world with their first album, Fallen, they hit it big. The album’s first single, Bring me to Life was everywhere in a big way. Fallen kept producing a seemingly endless stream of singles, all of which found their way into heavy rotation over the airwaves. Three years later, everyone’s favorite Goth Girl, Amy Lee, is back with Evanescence’s second major label release, The Open Door…it also marks the band’s first album without, Evanescence co-founder and guitarist, Ben Moody. Amy Lee fills The Open Door with her trademark ethereal, operatic vocals on top of the counterpoint of distortion and heavy rhythms…and if this were a debut album, it would be enough. However as a sophomore effort, The Open Door, while staying true to the feel laid down by Fallen, does not move beyond it. That is not to say, however, that The Open Door isn’t a solid album. The opening track, Sweet Sacrifice, and the first single, Call Me When You’re Sober, are both bright spots on the album with the remaining tracks filling the remainder The Open Door nicely. That being said though, I think fans of Evanescence will draw more from The Open Door than the casual listener.




So, there you have three new discs for you to check out this month that should broaden your aural horizons, especially if you’re a fan of the Indigo Girls and Evanescence. If you liked the reviews and can’t wait for the next issue of Finer Things Magazine to decide what else to listen to, check out all of my other reviews at www.onthepod.net.

Until next time, have fun and keep listening.

Joe