Anvil! The Story of Devotion

I love a good movie that rocks. From The Blues Brothers to Hedwig And The Angry Inch, any movie that has to do with music typically resonates with me. When I first heard of a small documentary about a thrash metal band from Canada entitled "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", I knew it would be my kind of movie.



Now after seeing it a half dozen times, "Anvil!" is my favorite film 2009 had to offer. Regardless of whether you like metal music, you will enjoy this movie. On the surface it is a documentary about a couple aging metalheads that never quite made it to the big time (however are referenced as influences by Metallica, Guns 'N Roses, Anthrax and Slayer.) But at its core, the movie is about two guys who are so passionate and devoted to their craft they forge ahead, even if only a handful of people, not including spouses, children and siblings, appreciate their work. The result is a movie that will not only melt your face off but touch your heart.

Anvil! The Story Of Anvil trailer

Vampire Weekend Part II - Contra

XL Recordings (1-12-10) The second offering from this foursome of Columbia University bandmates is laced with the same catchy, rhythmic fare as their self-titled debut. With a unique sound that blends influences from traditional African music, island reggae, and ska (amongst others), Vampire Weekend continues to explore a new avenue in indie pop. The album begins with the track "Horchata", a syncopated melody with saccharin accents which flow as easily over your speakers as chai tea over your palate. "Cousins", the first iTunes single released from the album, emotes the winding guitars and upbeat tempo of "A-punk", and "Giving Up the Gun" is a pleasing base-carried departure from their typical format. The album is punctuated with "I Think Ur A Contra", on which Ezra Koenig muses "my revolution thoughts, your little arrows of desire, I want to trace the source...you're going to watch out for yourself, and so will I". This bookend track is a creeping ride to a connection severed, and the quiet contemplation of the path not taken. The alternate path appears to be Vampire Weekend's modus operandi, and that's fine by me.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Cash Back

It's unfortunate when you discover a band or artist you thoroughly enjoy and anticipate more and better things from in the future as they continue to evolve, only to have them devolve into something disappointing and craptacular (the Journey-fication of Kings of Leon comes to mind). Then there are others who never seem to disappoint and have the ability to hang on to the sound that initially made you a fan while keeping things interesting enough to have you come back for more time and time again. Johnny Cash continues to do this for me, even from the grave. I grew up in the backseat of my parents' car listening to JC and Roger Miller on countless trips to and from my grandparents' house. I love those songs and they signify a happy time from my youth with my family. If you've heard anything he's ever done then I don't have to sell you on just what makes JC's music special. If you haven't heard him....no, you're heard him.

By the time I was in high school and had begun to develop a more refined taste in music, JC launched a career comeback by teaming with Rick Rubin and releasing American Recordings - an album consisting mostly of covers of very recognizable popular songs. If you're read my best of the 90's post you'll know this was in my top 10 albums of that decade. He created the template for other aging musicians' career rebirths (see Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson and Tony Bennett to name a few) by lending his vintage sound to songs and production a younger generation can identify with. Since that first spectacular album, he's released four more studio albums (one posthumously) and a box set of four discs worth of unreleased material. On those albums he's covered Nick Cave, Danzig, Tom Petty, Nine Inch Nails, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Depeche Mode, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, The Eagles, Soundgarden, U2, Leonard Cohen (he of the recent Cash-esque comeback himself), Bob Marley, Beck and many, many others. If that's not an eclectic mix, I don't know what is. He never covered Hall and Oates - draw your own conclusions.

These albums have been the soundtrack to a lot of good times in my life and have helped me through some of the worst times in my life. For these reasons, I'm very pleased to learn that a second posthumous album is forthcoming next month. The sixth studio album, American VI: Ain't No Grave will arrive February 23rd. While his later stuff is noticeably affected by age and declining health, it's no less powerful and I expect good things from this last compilation. I'll revisit this topic after giving it a listen. Meanwhile, check out American Recordings and American IV: The Man Comes Around to get you started.

Death Metal Rooster

Whether you are a fan of this genre or not, check out this video. Who knew nature, poultry for that matter, could be this brutal! Thanks for the clip Andrew!



Up The Horns!
\m/ \m/

Haulin' Oats

We are amidst reminiscing the decade that was and all the brilliant music that came from that "era". I want to take a step back and discuss an album that has stood the test of time. I think it is easy to say the music we heard in "the Ohs" may not have been the same if it was not for Daryl Hall and John Oates.

Okay, maybe not, but Hall & Oates are still deserved of some props. In 1981, Billy Squier, Olivia Newton-John, REO Speedwagon and Blondie were ruling the airwaves when all of a sudden the 'Blue-Eyed Soul', juggernaut duo Hall & Oates released "Private Eyes". Following the success of their single 'Kiss On My List', "Private Eyes" upped the ante. Just look at the album cover, it spews street cred!



Their best song to date, 'I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)', has been sampled by the likes of De La Soul and 2 Live Crew. Who knows, if that song had never been written, there may have never been an OutKast or 50 Cent, both of whom credit those artists as influences (De La Soul and 2 Live Crew that is, if I am wrong they should be influences). Other megahits include the self-titled track that seems to be a clairvoyant vision of Michael David Barrett and 'Do It In A Minute' which is obviously referring to the speed at which John Oates trims his mustache. Do yourself a favor and buy this classic 80s album.



Simon and Garfunkel eat your hearts out.

Best of the Oh's - ZH style

It was tougher to compile this list than I expected. Lots of good stuff in the Oh's. I have a top thirty in no particular order - except for the top 10, which are also in no particular order. I have no doubt my top 10 were influenced by recency. It's hard to avoid it. Parenthetical tracks are especially tasty.

Plant & Krauss - Raising Sand (Gone, Gone, Gone)

Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs (MX Missiles)

Bright Eyes - Lifted (Make War)

Cody Chesnutt - The Headphone Masterpiece (Eric Burdon)

Damien Rice - O (Eskimo)

Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (Paw Paw Tree)

Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (Take Me Out)

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (Cheerleader)

Kings of Leon - Youth & Young Manhood (Spiral Staircase)

Nick Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig (More News From Nowhere)

Once Soundtrack (Say It To Me Now)

Radiohead - Kid A (Everything in It's Right Place)

Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black (You Can Bring Me Flowers)

Spoon - Gimme Fiction (The Beast and Dragon, Adored)

Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus (Jo Jo's Jacket)

Johnny Cash - American IV, The Man Comes Around (We'll Meet Again)

Strokes - Is This It (Last Nite)

Elliott Smith - Figure 8 (I Better Be Quiet Now)

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose (Portland, Oregon [of course])

Tom Waits - Orphans (all of 'em)

Air - Walkie Talkie (Venus)

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (Wolf Like Me)

White Stripes - White Blood Cells (Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground)

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Jesus, Etc.)

Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely (Old Enough)

Black Keys - Rubber Factory (When The Lights Go Out)

Blitzen Trapper - Furr (Furr)

Menomena - Friend and Foe (Air Aid)

Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (Phantom Other)

William Elliott Whitmore - Song of the Blackbird (Everyday)