The Music Is You: a Tribute to John Denver

by Cat Johnson

Growing up in the Rockies, John Denver’s music was woven into the fabric of my life. When “Rocky Mountain High,” was being denounced as a pro-drug anthem, the sentiment of those of us who lived in the majestic mountain range was, “Well, they’ve obviously never been here.”

Denver’s music is sometimes relegated to the realm of adult contemporary-esque soft rock, but it’s full of touching lyrics, beautiful imagery and melodies that plant themselves in your brain for days; the characteristics of timeless, genre-eluding songs.

On the recently-released tribute album, titled The Music Is You, contemporary artists put their own twist on the legend’s songs. Kicking off with “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” one would think that the album would be a singalong of songs that have been a bit overexposed, but props to the artists for digging deep into Denver’s catalog to reveal some of the lesser-known gems. Of course, “Sunshine on My Shoulder,” “Annie’s Song” and “Take Me Home Country Roads” are included but some songs that I’m less familiar with, such as “All of My Memories” and “Some Days Are Diamonds” are also here.

The artists represented are top-notch and their interpretations, except perhaps Train’s straight-ahead version of “Sunshine on My Shoulder,” reveal new layers and textures that I haven’t picked up before. Standout tracks include Lucinda Williams’ version of “This Old Guitar,” Evan Dando’s “Looking for Space” and Kathleen Edwards’ “All of My Memories” but, there’s not a weak track on the album. The closest thing to it is, I hate to say, a kind of syrupy version of “Rocky Mountain High” by Allen Stone. But, we’ll forgive him because it’s such great singalong fodder and a really beautiful song.

Track List:
Leaving On a Jet Plane – My Morning Jacket
Take Me to Tomorrow – Dave Matthews
All of My Memories – Kathleen Edwards
Prisoners – J Mascis & Sharon Van Etten
Sunshine on My Shoulders – Train
Back Home Again – Old Crow Medicine Show
This Old Guitar – Lucinda Williams
Some Days Are Diamonds – Amos Lee
Rocky Mountain High – Allen Stone
Annie’s Song – Brett Dennen & Milow
Looking for Space – Evan Dando
Take Me Home Country Roads – Brandi Carlile & Emmylou Harris
The Eagle & the Hawk – Blind Pilot
I Guess He’d Rather be in Colorado – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Darcy Farrow – Josh Ritter & Barnstari
Wooden Indian – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Reviewed: Redd Kross – Researching the Blues

by Brian Berry

How long does it take to craft a flawless power-pop album? After hearing Researching the Blues, Redd Kross’ 6th full-length album in their three decade career, you’ll find the answer: 15 years.

Over their critically praised yet criminally overlooked career by the mainstream, the McDonald brothers of Hawthorne (the same town that brought you the Beach Boys!) have tested various rock genres from the snotty garage-punk on 1982’s Born Innocent to the proto-grunge classic Neurotica from 1987 (Mudhoney and Nirvana must’ve had Redd Kross on repeat in their formative years). RK’s latest masterpiece is an infectious, stripped down 32 minutes of pure ‘70s-influenced power-pop that stands up to-and often above-the best work by Cheap Trick and Teenage Fanclub. Stand out cuts include the single “Stay Away From Downtown”, the Stones-esque “One of the Good Ones” and “Hazel Eyes,” which closes out the album. There really isn’t a weak track or a wasted second on this though.

Luckily, Merge Records has taken on this album so we can trust Researching the Blues won’t disappear into obscurity like much of Redd Kross’ back catalog. Can’t wait for the next Thermals record? Are your Big Star records warped? Wish Fountains of Wayne put out more than one great record? You should buy Researching the Blues and make sure to crank it up.

Metal Round-Up

A semi-regular (i.e. whenever we get around to it) overview of new(ish) metal releases. \m/

by JJ McCabe

Over Kill – The Electric Age
For their 16th studio album, the veteran New Jersey thrash quartet has unleashed a lean, vintage thrash record that could have been recorded in ’86 if the production didn’t sound so good. The drums are tight and punchy and the guitars thick and shredding, and surprisingly the bass is very prominent with a trebly lead tone more reminiscent of Flea than your average metal bass player. Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth’s Halford-esque vocals are starting to show his age a bit, but considering he’s been at it for 32 years, he sounds better than he has any right to.

3 Inches of Blood – Long Live Heavy Metal
With song titles like “Metal Woman,” “Leather Lord,” and “Die for Gold,” 3 Inches of Blood has given up on knowingly winking at some of the inherent humor in power metal and has instead made a full-blown parody album. If you’re looking for an epic laugh, pick up the new Tenacious D in a couple of weeks, and if you want to bang your head to some gloriously silly high-pitched wailing about trolls and stormy seas, pick up some old Blind Guardian records. Either way, I’d give this one a pass.

Meshuggah – Koloss
Whenever I hear Meshuggah, I like to imagine kids trying to mosh at their live show, and then I giggle a bit. The polarizing group is the Godfather of “djent,” and whether you love or hate them, Koloss probably won’t change your mind either way, as it’s more off-kilter odd time-signature groove prog heaviness with Jens Kidman’s guttural hollers. Not as strange and complex as Catch-33 or Obzen, this album finds them focusing more on the groove elements, resulting in an album that’s probably much more accessible (read: commercial) but may turn off some more “extreme” metal fans.

Bonus: YouTube video of dancing at a Meshuggah show

Naglfar – Teras
Don’t let the epic opening with the buried chanting fool you into thinking you accidentally picked up a tankard-swinging Viking metal record – this is modern Swedish black metal, kind of reminiscent of Watain’s most recent output. Melodic, but lacking the theatricality (or lame keyboards) of your Dimmu Borgirs, this is a pretty fun, grim, mid-tempo black metal album. The clean, high production and hard rock tempos make it accessible to black metal beginners, and I appreciate the blast beats and harsh vocals.

Asphyx – Death Hammer
Another band that’s been kicking around for quite a while and is approaching metal with a “If it ain’t broke…” attitude, Death Hammer sounds like it could have been written at the same time as the seminal “The Rack” album, though the production is noticeably better. Martin Van Drunen’s distinct howl (sounds to me like a Norwegian Obituary) is in place, as are the shifts between crushing death-doom (“Minefield”) and blistering thrash fury (the title track). In a year that has seen bands like Disma and Vallenfyre successfully rediscover old-school Swedish death metal sounds, it’s exciting to see bands like Unleashed and Asphyx releasing new records that embrace their roots.

Acephalix – Deathless Master
I love Amebix, and I love poorly recorded, murky, filthy death metal from the early 90’s, especially the sludgy doom-laced variety practiced by bands like Grave, Paradise Lost, and Unleashed. So not to be narcissistic, but it feels like the metal gods have gifted me personally with the filthy crust-doom brutality that is Acephalix. Real meat and potatoes death metal that sounds like it was recorded on a reel-to-reel live in a friend’s basement minutes before ritually sacrificing a virgin to the mindless Other Gods. And even better – they’re from San Francisco, typically home to melancholy and experimental (though often excellent) hipster black metal, so it’s even more surprising to discover such a Beast running loose just miles from the epicenter of the Summer of Love. My favorite new death metal band.

Album Review: Horse Feathers – Cynic’s New Year

by JJ McCabe

Those familiar with Horse Feathers’ previous album, Thistled Spring, may share my surprise through “A Heart Arcane,” the opening track of Cynic’s New Year– its stripped-down, dry, live sound and the absence of strings seems like a curious backward step from the lush, orchestral grace and delicacy of the last album. However, that aesthetic gives way to an Appalachian tinged chamber waltz that builds to a foot-stomping urgency and a more forceful vocal delivery then I’d previously heard from Justin Ringle. This push continues through the rest of the album, culminating in the single “Fit Against the Country,” which evokes early Neil Young filtered through the rustic Americana of the Pacific Northwest.

Much more so then on earlier outings, Ringle here gives the vocal arrangements the same attention that the rightly lauded string accompaniment received on past albums. His delicate Nick Drake-evoking voice benefits from more harmonies and the more driving aesthetic to these songs. I would go so far as to say that this is Horse Feathers’ rock album – which is to say it is still delicate, with gossamer banjo and mandolin plucks weaving through gorgeous violin and cello arrangements, but whereas Thistled Spring at times was so delicate and precise that the songs seemed in danger of collapsing into breathy silence, here a hearty confidence brings a strength to the performances. I was lucky to catch them the last time they came through town at a sold out Crepe Place performance, and Cynic’s New Year definitely captures the feel of their live performance – complex, dynamic yet warm, at times quietly insistent, and always engaging.