This is a review of the Black Keys' new album Brothers

The time has finally come. One of my most anticipated albums of 2010 has arrived and The Black Keys' Brothers was well worth the wait. It's been two years since their last album, the Danger Mouse-produced Attack and Release. The boys have been busy in the meantime, each being attached to a release of their own (Dan Auerbach's first solo album, the excellent Keep It Hid and Pat Carney's percussionist supergroup Drummer's debut Feel Good Together). They also continued their goal to make the music world a little smaller, working with a slew of rap and hip hop artists on the ambitious crossover album Blakroc and getting started on a rumored collaberation with ZZ Top. There's no question they're making an early run at artist of the decade for the teens.

While these side efforts are a nice gap filler, they aren't a substitute for the blues-soaked real thing. The album starts out in a splendid way with the uber-catchy Everlasting Light. Dan flexes his falsetto muscle here, something we haven't heard much in the past, and pulls it off nicely. It's a groove that sticks and is sure to be my summer 2010 anthem. The first single, Tighten Up, is a reference (in name only as far as I can tell) to the Archie Bell and The Drells song. It starts off with a tambourine and bass beat with a catchy whistled melody before breaking out the killer guitar hook. About 2/3 of the way through there's an extremely satisfying tempo change with a determined, driving beat and transformed guitar effect. The bass line is surprising, previously these guys were pretty strictly a vocals/guitar/bass two man group. I'm not complianing though, Tighten Up is my early pick for 2010 single of the year and I can't get enough. The song stands up just fine on its own, but for a good laugh, check out the associated video or the equally entertaining official video. The next track Howlin' For You finds them channeling their inner Gary Glitter for a total stadium rocker. If I were a pro baseball player, I always said I Wanna Be Your Dog would be my signature song, but I think this one might replace it. There's even a baseball reference about midway through. Mark my words, this will invade minor league stadiums across the country very soon. She's Long Gone is classic Black Keys raw garage blues at its finest. Black Mud is a great instrumental track where Dan shows off his guitar skills with a slinky keyboard accompaniment. Too Afraid to Love You relies on a haunting harpsichord melody and serves as a break in the midst of the big guitars. Sinister Kid, The Go Getter and Unknown Brother are among my other early favorite songs. When I saw the tracklist was 15 songs long I was admittedly a little concerned they may have tried to overextend themselves, that we would inevitably get some lots of killer material mixed with a bit of filler material. So far, my assumption was wrong and this one is solid top to bottom. In fact, the song Ohio, which they released on a split single with a new song by Devo, would have been a very apt 16th track.

Their sound on this one is admittedly less raw than their early releases (a quality one could argue makes their style most endearing), but the shedding of the roughened edges comes with a maturity of sound that's been evolving since Rubber Factory. Attack and Release was a superb album and I acknowledge that Danger Mouse is some kind of musical genius (see the Grey Album). However, on A&R, much like on so many of DM's other work, the extra production may not be necessary. In some cases I don't feel like the bloops and bleeps add much (though Psychotic Girl remains one of my favorite BK songs and wouldn't be the same without Danger Mouse). On this one, I think they've taken what they've learned from the ultra-produced A&R and coupled it with their core garage blues sound to create what will surely be the album that sees them finally and deservedly explode on the national scene.

If they do indeed blow up, it won't be by mistake. The new ads are everywhere and these guys are getting tons of exposure, from radio play to TV commercials to movies soundtracks including MacGruber and the new Twilight movie. My first impression of the new advertising campaign for the new album was that it was a little gimmicky. These guys have always been low key and cool. The new PR theme, from the album cover art to the website to the ads, seemed uncharacteristic. However, I only recently realized that the new album cover is actually an homage to a certain Howlin' Wolf release, which makes it much less gimmicky and much more awesome. These guys know their roots and take every opportunity to acknowledge their influences (see the Junior Kimbrough cover EP entitled Chulahoma).

I have the great fortune to be able to see the Black Keys perform again this fall as they return to the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. This was the site of the show they released as a live DVD two years ago. They've come a long way since I first saw them play in a little shack called Mojo's in Columbia, MO five years ago. If they happen to stop by your neck of the woods, don't hesitate.

Ronnie James Dio R.I.P.

We have truly lost a music legend. Ronald James Padavona aka Ronnie James Dio succumbed to gastric cancer at 7:45 AM on Sunday, May 16. His last public appearance was at the Revolver Golden Gods awards (see below) where he won the award for Best Metal Vocalist. He had recently received his seventh chemotherapy treatment and as a result was forced to postpone the European leg of his Heaven & Hell tour.

Ronnie James was known as one of the kindest, most grounded rockers in all of metal (and music for that matter). Standing at just 5' 4", Dio was a beast on stage. His vocal range and musicianship was second to none. There has never been a better voice or lead man in metal including Bruce Dickenson (Iron Maiden), Rob Halford (Judas Priest), or Ozzy. Part of this argument stems from the fact that Dio just released a new studio album and was touring in support at the age of 67 (16, 9 and 6 years older than his above mentioned peers respectively). I had the opportunity of witnessing his live act 3 years ago and was blown away by his stage presence. Prior to the show, I brushed shoulders with him backstage and despite me being five inches taller, he seemed like a giant.

Besides his musical accomplishments, Mr. Dio is just as well known for giving the metal world its trademark sign; the mano cornuta, Corna or "the devil's horns." Dio has stated he started flashing this sign when he was a child. His Italian grandmother reportedly used this gesture to ward off evil (watch his interview on the fantastic metal documentary "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey"). Even though he died too early, he has left us a monumental music catalog which will last eternity. God bless RJD and rest in peace. Below are my favorite Ronnie James Dio albums and songs.

7. Heaven & Hell - "The Devil You Know" (2009)

Choice cuts: "Bible Black", "Eating The Cannibals", "Neverwhere"

6. Dio - "The Last In Line" (1984)

Choice cuts: "The Last In Line", "Egypt", "We Rock"

5. Heaven & Hell - "Live From Radio City Music Hall" (2007)

Choice cuts: "Heaven And Hell", "E5150/After All (The Dead)"

4. Rainbow - "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" (1978)

Choice cuts: "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll", "Kill The King"

3. Black Sabbath - "Mob Rules" (1981)

Choice cuts: "The Mob Rules", "Sign Of The Southern Cross"

2. Black Sabbath - "Heaven And Hell" (1980)

Choice cuts: "Heaven And Hell", "Neon Knights", "Children Of The Sea"

1. Dio - "Holy Diver" (1983)

Choice cuts: "Holy Diver", "Stand Up And Shout", "Don't Talk To Strangers", "Rainbow In The Dark"

[For those who would like a great collection of his music (spanning his stints in Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio), check out "Stand Up And Shout: The Dio Anthology" released in 2003 on Rhino records. This 2-disc, "Best Of" collection has hits from his first three bands on the first disc and a Best of Dio collection on the second disc.]

A Week with Pearl Jam

Over the course of my life I have had the pleasure of seeing Pearl Jam nine times, at most once or twice per tour since 1998. This year I had the opportunity to have my ultimate experience in fandom and overindulgence- four shows in five nights.

For those of you who love going to lots of live shows, you've probably encountered a few bands who sound great on records but leave something to be desired by their live performances. Pearl Jam is definitely not one of those bands, as their shows are always intense, rocking, interactive, and performed with a true sincerity of purpose. They are, by far, the best live band I've ever seen, and though their albums are good, their music is best served live. I've never been disappointed, and am confident I never will be. But I digress, onto the concerts...

My mini-tour began at the Sprint Center in the Power and Light district of Kansas City, MO. Prior to the show there were hundreds of concert-goers amassed in the P&L courtyard drinking beer and watching an old PJ show being projected on the courtyard bigscreen television; it was a pre-concert of sorts. After consuming a few pints of Guinness in the early evening sun, I headed into the Sprint Center to catch the end of Band of Horses' (new album out May 18th) opening set. I was 18th row, center stage- not too bad. After a long intermission and plenty of anticipatory banter, the lights lowered and Metamorphosis II by Philip Glass began emanating from the sound system. This song caused the audience to stand up and begin an escalation of cheering (as well as causing the hair on my arms to stand up), as Metamorphosis II signals PJ is on their way to the stage. The band members took their respective places, and then came the first somber notes of "Of the Girl", a slow tune off of their 2000 release, "Binaural". It was the first time I'd heard the song live, and it was a great way to start of the set. Then the wrapping was officially ripped right off this package, as they followed up with the pounding threesome of "Animal", "Worldwide Suicide", and "Got Some". Next was "Unthought Known", my favorite track off of 2009's "Backspacer". This song immediately stood out to me upon my first listen to the album, and it's transitioned into being one of my favorite live songs as well. The band was really getting into it, with Mike McCready running around the stage, the usually-stationary Stone Gossard head-banging to the rhythm, and Eddie's voice sounding as powerful and impassioned as ever. Other Set 1 highlights included "God's Dice", "Present Tense", and a rousing "Do the Evolution" to close the set. The crowd was impressively loud throughout, and the band appeared to be feeding off of their energy as the night went on. Encore 1 included "Off He Goes", "Given to Fly", an extended version of "Porch", complete with strobe lights and a myriad of solos. Encore 2 had Eddie appearing with his signature bottle of wine and a recently acquired Kansas City Royal's jersey. PJ then busted through crowd favorites "Black", "Betterman", and "Alive" before blowing it out with "Rocking in the Free World". Then, before playing "Yellow Ledbetter", Eddie introduced Curt Tomasevicz, a member of the 2010 Olympic gold-medal-winning 4-man boblsed team. Apparently one of Curt's dreams was to jam with PJ at some point in his life, and his wish was granted as Jeff Ament happily handed over his base to Curt for "Ledbetter". McCready sent us home with a Jimmy Hendrix-esque rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner", and an exhausted crowd headed to the exits with smiles all around.

The following night's show was at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO. This arena is home to the St. Louis Blues, and interiorly is a carbon-copy of the Sprint Center. Without a buddy accompanying me to this show, I decided to forego tailgaiting and head in early to see the opening band in it's entirety, and check the view from my seats (19th row, right of center). After catching BOH's inspiring set, I curiously waited to see what PJ had in store for the opener. Looking out over the crowd, Eddie quietly crooned "Large fingers pushing me...you're god and you've got big hands," the first words of "No Code's" "Sometimes". From there PJ segued into my favorite song, the classic-rocking Corduroy. Once again, the crowd was filled with enthusiastic sing-alongs and a penchant for being impressively loud. Other first set highlights included "Why Go", "In Hiding", "Severed Hand", "Glorified G", and the always angry "Not for You". A cool moment for me was hearing "Pilate", a song from their 1998 album "Yield" which had only been played live 17 times over the course of hundreds of shows. Encore 1 began with 2 slower songs, "Inside Job" and "Just Breathe" before furiously accelerating with "Jeremy", "Got Some", and ending with an extended "Rearviewmirror". Encore 2 eased in with "Garden", before rocking the arena with "Alive" and "Baba O'Riley". As Mike McCready painted yet another solo masterpiece at the end of "Yellow Ledbetter", a sweaty, tired, content Vedder sat at the center of the stage smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer, and smiling contentedly at the crowd, reflecting on yet another wonderful night of rock and roll.

After a one-day stopover in Chicago, my friend and I headed to Columbus, OH, for night 3 of the mini-tour. That evening's show was at yet another hockey venue, Nationwide Arena. Pearl Jam's Ten Club hooked us up with a wonderful hotel room at the Hyatt Regency at a heavily-discounted rate, and it was located only 2 blocks from Nationwide. We decided to pick up our tickets before our pre-show dinner, hoping that tonight would be the night we finally won the lottery. A childish grin slipped across my face when the teller handed me my tickets with the lovely letter "B" printed on them. "Does that mean 2nd row?" I inquired. "Yes hon, it does," said the teller, "Enjoy yourselves tonight." My night was immediately made, as I hadn't had such choice seats since the last general admission PJ show I attended way back in 1998 in Rapid City, SD. After multiple celebratory beers, my friend and I realized we'd missed BOH, and we excitedly headed into Nationwide. Our seats were just right of center stage- absolutely amazing! Pearl Jam came on stage, close enough to shake hands with, and started the show with "Oceans", a track from their debut album "Ten" which I hadn't heard in any of my previous 11 shows. The rest of the show went by in what seemed like 15 minutes (actual time 2 1/2 hours), as I was having the time of my life singing along, jumping, dancing, and taking it all in. Song highlights included "Alone", "Comatose", "State of Love and Trust", "Spin the Black Circle", "Go", "Once", "Hail, Hail", and "Crazy Mary", a Victoria Williams cover showcasing PJ's keyboard player, Boom Gasper (if you haven't heard a live version of this song with Boom, you're missing out). They closed the 2nd encore with "Alive" and "Yellow Ledbetter", and Eddie thanked the raucous crowd for yet another great night.

The next night, my final show of the tour, was in Noblesville, IN at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Outdoor shows are always more enjoyable for me, especially with three friends in tow, a cooler full of beer, and a couple of hours to prime for the show. As we were opening our first bottles, we were approached by Band of Horses' photographer who had coincidentally parked beside us. He was full of tour stories, and shared with us some enviable photographs from previous shows. Then the sky turned an ominous grey, and the unwelcome lightning, thunder, and rain forced us back into our car. The photographer texted us from inside the gates that the show may not happen. Luckily, after 30 pensive minutes, the venue gates opened and we made our way to our 36th row seats (no bitching from me after my luck in Ohio). This show opened with "Release", an undulating, morose tune about Eddie's father that has become one of my favorite openers. Then, once again, Vedder gnashed his teeth and busted into heavy-hitters "Last Exit", "Got Some", and "Why Go". "In My Tree" was a nice touch, as Matt Cameron now plays that song's percussion in the same manner as his gifted predecessor, Jack Irons. Other notable Set 1 songs included "Supersonic", "Goin' Back to Indiana" (Jackson 5 cover), "Daughter" with the "W.M.A. tag", and "Rats" from "Vs.". The 1st encore included "Off He Goes", the punk screamer "Lukin", and ended with "Do the Evolution". The 2nd encore songs included an inspired version of "Garden", followed by "Whipping", "Alive", "Baba O'Riley", and "Yellow Ledbetter". 22,000 plus fans headed out into the chilly May air thankful for the weather's mercy and yet another great Pearl Jam show.

On my return flight I reflected on what a crazy week it had been. After four concerts, 112 songs, and 10 hours of unrelenting Classic Rock, I was thoroughly exhausted. Though sad to be done with my Pearl Jam tour (especially with Matt Cameron's inevitable departure to re-join Soundgarden this summer and the uncertainty thereafter), I knew it was time to go home. I also realized, after screaming my lungs out to four shows in five days, "Do the Evolution" in Nobelsville had finally provided the death knell to my tortured voice, and further singing would have to wait. I can only hope they'll head out to the Midwest once again next year so I can repeat this experience. Either way, it was a memorable trip, and I'm once again reminded of one inarguable truth: there are precious few things I enjoy in this life as much as being at a Pearl Jam show.

And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes...

We are living in the age of the death of creativity. The majority of what we're exposed to in pop culture anymore is a tired retread of something that's already been done. One could argue that this is not a new concept, that everything we see and hear is directly influenced by something before it; the Black Keys were influenced by Led Zep who were influenced by Howlin Wolf who was influenced by Robert Johnson and on and on and on. The difference is that we're out of the realm of influence and into carbon copies. Part of it is that in our disconnected, self-concerned, convenience-centered modern day American lives we're losing our ability to connect with each other and our ability to come up with an original thought. The other part of it is driven by money. Why take a chance on a new concept? Why not rely on something that had a proven track record that may not live up to the original, but will at least generate enough interest to earn a bit of profit? Major movie studios are most guilty of all. If the original sold more than a handful of tickets you can be sure someone's ripping off the screenplay, making a few tweaks and putting it back on the big screen. How did we get by this long without seeing Kelly from the Bad News Bears as Freddy Kreuger?

It was with this attitude I first approached the recent release with the cumbersome title The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon. I won't go into detail describing the premise here, I think the name says it all. I will however, comment on the ballsiness of deciding to do something like this. Most would argue that Dark Side of the Moon is one of the few perfect albums of the last 50 years. To try to cover something like this should be a surefire failure for any band. Take too many liberties and with the material and you're a rock n roll heretic. Follow the original material too closely and you're no better than the mindless majority I described above. The first I'd heard about it was when they announced they'd be performing the Pink Floyd classic in its entirety on New Year's Eve to their hometown crowd in Oklahoma City. Sounded like a bit of a gimmick, cool idea and probably a fun show, but I didn't give it much more thought than that. I was apparently a bit more intrigued when they released it on double vinyl for Record Store Day, as I had it in my hands in the checkout line before I decided to put it back, deciding I'd better take a listen before dropping vinyl-type dollars. Finally, I decided to give it a try. On the first listen it felt a little stiff, a little too mechanical, not quite right. I think it was because it is decidedly different than the original, to which I was naturally comparing it. But with each subsequent time through I'm appreciating it more and more as it's own organic entity. With an audacious project such as this I think it's much more important to come into it as a Flaming Lips fan than a Pink Floyd fan. In fact if you love Pink Floyd and are even indifferent to the Flaming Lips I will guarantee that you will hate this record (sorry PD). As someone who appreciates both, I like hearing these familiar legendary tunes poured through the filter of the 'Lips spacey, psychedelic instrumentation. There are some downright funky moments, as on Great Gig in the Sky and Any Colour You Like and Dennis (Wayne's nephew) Coyne and his band deliver respectable versions of the slower tracks Time and Brain Damage. I'm not crazy about Henry Rollins' dialogue contribution, but because he's otherwise awesome, I'll give him a pass.

The album obviously doesn't match the heights of the original and I don't think that's what anyone is really expecting. The Flaming Lips do, however, pull off this seemingly impossible task of reimagining a masterpiece by creating a fresh, yet faithful version in their own signature style. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and the fact that the remaining living members of Pink Floyd gave these guys a green light to release this album tells me the lads from London were at least somewhat impressed.

I give it 1 (out of 2) Flaming Lips

Revolver "Golden Gods" Awards

The 2010 Revolver "Golden Gods" awards took place in Los Angeles, CA and is America's first ever hard rock and heavy metal award show. Ballots were voted upon by fans and winners were given their due props. Below is a list of the victors.

Metal Blade "Golden God": Rob Halford (Judas Priest)


Liquid Metal "Best Vocalist": Ronnie James Dio (Heaven & Hell, Dio)


Epiphone "Best Guitarist": Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society)


Ferret Music "Best Underground Band": The Dillinger Escape Plan

Samson/Zoom "Best Live Band": Metallica

Guitar World "Comeback Of The Year": Alice In Chains

Roadrunner Records "Honorary Headbanger": Robert Englund (the original Freddy Krueger from Wes Craven's 1984 masterpiece 'A Nightmare On Elm Street')

Just Cause 2 "Hottest Chick In Metal": Maria Brink (In This Moment)

Drum Workshop "Best Drummer": Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (Avenged Sevenfold)

Splatterhouse "Lifetime Achievement": Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead)

Ballhype "Most Metal Athlete": Marc Columbo, Leonard Davis, and Corey Procter (Dallas Cowboys and Free Reign)

Harley-Davidson "Album Of The Year": 'Black Gives Way To Blue' Alice In Chains


The award show, which was hosted by Chris Jericho (of Fozzy and WWE fame) and Andrew WK, will be aired on VH1 Classic on May 22nd. In the days following its broadcast, two Epiphone guitars signed by Slash, Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains), Kerry King (Slayer), Zakk Wylde, Scott Ian (Anthrax) and many more will be placed online for auction at skeletonkeyauctions.com for 17 days (May 24-June 10). All proceeds will go towards the Damien Echols defense fund (regarding the West Memphis Three).

No Hablo Ingles

Music to me is about the music, NOT lyrics. Some will argue this point, but I have never been a person drawn to a song or album because of the lyrics. Growing up in Christian, conservative South Dakota, I was listening to the likes of White Zombie, Alice In Chains and AC/DC having know idea what they were singing about. Not that I couldn't understand English (even though reading my posts, one could wonder), I just didn't pay attention to the lyrics. My Protestant aunt actually pointed out the lyrics "Well sweet little sista's high in hell cheat'n on a halo" (from 'Thunder Kiss '65') and "Jesus Christ, deny your maker, He who tries, will be wasted" (from 'Man In The Box') to my parents who made me throw out those classic albums (an "of age" individual helped me replenish them shortly thereafter for only a small buyers fee). Little did she know, it was the guitar, riffs and music that spoke to me. Am I alone? I think not. That being said, there are some fantastic albums, of late, that have been released with lyrics sung in an entirely different language than in my own native tongue. Hopefully this will get some of you around this little "pleading ignorance" loop hole and into some more brilliant music.

Sigor Ros - "Ágætis Byrjun"

Sigor Ros (roughly translated from Icelandic 'Victory Rose') released this fantastic album in Iceland in 1999 and later in 2001 in the states. Already popular in their native country, Sigor Ros had yet to make the leap to a mainstream US audience. Buzz surrounded this band referring to them as the next Radiohead, only with a more ambient, heavenly sound. Upon the release of "Ágætis Byrjun" (translated "Good Start") that leap was made and well received. Songs from this album have appeared on "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" and "Vanilla Sky" soundtracks. Stand out tracks include "Svefn-g-englar" ("Sleepwalkers"), "Starálfur" ("Staring Elf") and "Olsen Olsen". Even though the entire album is sung in Icelandic, Rolling Stone has ranked "Ágætis Byrjun" the 29th best album of the 2000s.

Dungen - "Ta Det Lugnt"

Dungen, or 'a grove' upon Swedish translation, is a group hailing from Stockholm, Sweden. They have a 60s-era psychedelic vibe and sound very similar to Pink Floyd, Traffic or The Creation. "Ta Det Lugnt" (translated "Take It Easy") was released in 2004 and had some critical praise in the US upon its arrival. The entire album is sung in Swedish, however, with its kaleidoscopic, mind-bending intonation, it hardly matters. Fans of this genre or the above mentioned bands will most definitely dig this group. Dungen has been compared to other more popular North American bands such as Animal Collective and Neutral Milk Hotel. Stand out songs include "Panda", "Festival" and "Du e för fin för mig" ("You're Too Good For Me").

Mike Patton - "Mondo Cane"

The exceptional mind and voice behind Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, and Fantomas recently released the album "Mondo Cane" (translated from Italian; "World Dog") in 2010. Recited entirely in Italian and backed by a 40-piece orchestra, a choir, and a 15-piece band, "Mondo Cane" has Mike Patton covering a slew of Italian pop songs originally from the 50s and 60s. For fans of Mike Patton, this serves as another great album from someone with as vast a music catalog as the Beatles in quantity, quality and innovation. Mr. Patton's vocal range is second to none in the pop/rock scene and he remains the hardest working man in music today. "Mondo Cane" exhibits Patton's crooning, Sinatra-style tendencies to a tee. Choice tracks include "Il Cielo in Una Stanza", "20 Km Al Giorno" and "Che Notte!"

Rammstein - "Sehnsucht"

Rammstein is an industrial rock band whom took its name from a German town (and US Air Force base in Germany). Already very popular in Germany, Rammstein released "Sehnsucht" (translated from German "Longing") in 1997. The band had statewide success with their first single "Du Hast" (trans. "You Have") and toured in support of Korn and Limp Bizkit. Sung entirely in German, "Sehnsucht" remains a great metal album and will have you throwing up your mano cornuto. Spin tunes "Tier" ("Animal"), "Spiel Mit Mir" ("Play With Me") and "Küss Mich" ("Kiss Me").

Tomahawk - "Anonymous"

Yet another album in Mike Patton's repertoire, Tomahawk is an alternative rock supergroup consisting of Duane Denison (Jesus Lizard), John Stanier (Helmet, Battles) and Patton. Tomahawk's third album, released in 2007, is sung entirely in an undisclosed Native American language/chant, as ancestral American Indian music was used as the basis for the songs. Even the name of the album pays tribute to the uncredited people whom contributed to creating the songs in the 19th century. The band also incorporates traditional Native American instruments including rain sticks, flutes and buckskin drums to give the album an indigenous sound. Tomahawk mixes in more modern instruments and guitars with the result being an unforgetable alternative/experimental rock encounter. Leading beats include "Red Fox", "Sun Dance" and "Ghost Dance".

Much more than "Grunge"

Classic rock radio continues to change as it should. However for years, all I can remember on "classic rock" stations, are bands like Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Heart and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Recently you can tune into stations like KQRS 92.5 FM (Twin Cities) and hear bands like Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses and Def Leppard. Being 2010, this seems like the natural progression, regardless if you think "hair metal" should be considered "classic rock". This is only going to continue to expand. Bands that will most definitely be among the new playlists will include The Black Crowes, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Now being a casual Pearl Jam fan, I was given a copy of their most recent release "Backspacer" and was pleasantly surprised. Pearl Jam continues to put out music that remains relevant. The band has been around since 1990 and was initially penned a "grunge" band with their monumental album "Ten" in 1991. They have gone on to release 9 studio albums throughout their 20+ years of existence. "Backspacer" has Pearl Jam continuing with their trademark sound, however is much more than "grunge" and cannot be categorized in that all but dead genre. The album kicks off with "Gonna See My Friend" which is has a classic 90s groove with some punk tendencies. Eventhough Eddie Vedder remains the staple and a casual fans figurehead of the band, each member was involved in writings songs for the album and none of them were responsible for every track. This is a testament to the bands cohesiveness, which is a lot to say in this day and age of bands with ever changing lineups (see one of my favorite bands Megadeth for reference). The next track "Got Some" is one of my personal favorites. With its upbeat tempo and lyrics including "Every time, you can try but can't turn on a rock song... I got some if you need it". Rock song is right, these boys haven't lost any steam. Deeper into the mix is "Just Breathe" which is classic Vedder. He seems to have a penchant for great melody and depth in all of the songs he writes whether it be on a Pearl Jam album or a in moody soundtrack ("Into The Wild sdtrk" which is brilliant). As the album continues, the mood remains the same, heartfelt, rollicking and fun. All of which seems to be missing in much of today's music scene. "Unthought Known" starts slow and builds on a great guitar and piano riff that crescendo's throughout the song. "Supersonic" has a great punk vibe and one could imagine is a great song to hear live and has me smiling every time I hear it. As a metalhead at heart, this song has some great lyrics like "I catch a break, then a punch to the head, I smile big with a toothless grin". Amongst the meat of the song, a killer guitar solo belts out followed by more raucous fun. The album closes with yet another stellar track, "The End". This is an acoustic piece which rounds out the album perfectly. As Pearl Jam has been able to do throughout their career, the sound remains refreshingly similar, as this track could fit nicely among any album in their catalog. Would it be awkward to hear music from 2009 on "classic rock" radio? I would argue that songs from this record, if played on the likes of KQRS, would work seamlessly among our classic iconic tracks.



Rating: Ten