CDM Co-op Swap 2nd Edition

Coyote Doc Music Co-op continues to bring you music and music related news for fans of everything from "Indie Rock" to "Americana". The midyear 'Swap' album have been distributed and are as follows:

ZH
-The Black Keys - "Brothers"

-Portugal. The Man - "American Ghetto"


JP
-Mumford & Sons - "Sigh No More"

-The Dirty Rooks - "Sugar Mama"


PD
-Shining - "Blackjazz"

-Crazy Heart Original Motion Picture Soundtrack


Check out the albums/songs for yourself and post your thoughts. Let us know what albums are missing up to this years midway point. Full album reviews to follow in the coming months.

Looking forward to the later half of 2010...

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

Midnight at the Movies

Justin Townes Earle's "Midnight At The Movies" I decided to let simmer for a while; always a good thing to do, in my opinion, when listening to something new. It didn't grab me on first listen and based on PD's high praise I knew there was more to appreciate. After tucking it away for a few weeks and then giving it another day in court, I'm starting to hear it. The first thing I thought on those initial few spins is that this guy sounds a lot like a countrified Mason Jennings (not helped by the similar 'I've Been Workin' on the Railroad' sentiment of both Empire Builder and John Henry). The problem I had with that was that much like Mason Jennings' work, I could see the talent and the knack for writing good songs, but I didn't feel like any of them would stick with me for more than a week or two, fairly forgettable stuff. The more I listen, the less similarity I hear and the more I'm realizing there are some really outstanding tracks. The album starts with the title track, a dreamy song that sounds like it was written and performed in those hazy wee-hours with which the subject matter is concerned. I like the lonely story of the aimless singer and the imagery as he describes the darkened movie theater as if it's his home away from home and perhaps a place to escape whatever's waiting for him when he steps out the front door as the closing credits roll. As a big movie and movie theater buff I feel like I've been there a time or two myself.

The second song on the album is possibly my favorite one. It starts out with an old-timey lilting piano and steel guitar melody with the banjo keeping time. JTE's voice starts out sounding exactly like some old singer whose voice I can clearly hear in my head, but whose name I'll probably never know. (Seems like they may have used his voice in commercials at some point if anyone has any idea who I'm talking about and can help.) There's a whistle solo thrown in and some nice harmonizing from the backup singers, but it's the main hook that makes this one of my favorites. That "I need to know right now" of the chorus is what I find myself spontaneously singing even when the song isn't playing. It's a short and simple tune, but something about it sticks with me. As I suspected, I underestimated the staying power of this album on first listen.

I also like the nice slow build of the next short and sweet track "John Henry," as he starts with guitar and layers on fiddle, then banjo, then bass. There's a solid honky tonk vibe to "Poor Fool" and the driving "Halfway to Jackson," with a harmonica line that is reminiscent of one of the greatest titled songs of all time, the Stones' "Turd on the Run." The ballad "Someday I'll Be Forgiven For This" is beautiful and obviously a very personal song, but it's the concluding track "Here We Go Again" that's a knockout. I place it with the likes of "Can I Stay" by Ray or "I Better Be Quiet Now" by Elliott Smith in a category called 'If I could write one song about a girl in my whole life I only wish it could be a fraction as awesome as this one.'

The one place the album goes astray for me is the cover of the Replacements' "Can't Hardly Wait." It doesn't translate to JTE's style well and I find it boring. However, the fact that the one stinker on this album is the cover track, to me, is a good thing. More originals please.

I rate this album one big ol' shiny steel guitar (out of five stars)

The Hazards of Love

Following in the footsteps of Tommy (The Who), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (David Bowie), The Wall (Pink Floyd), and Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day), the Decemberists' 5th studio album, the Hazards of Love, is a rock opera (coincidentally released on the same day as Crack the Skye by Mastodon, another rock opera). Hazards of Love is the story of a love affair between a young woman named Margaret and a shape-shifting beast named William, the misfortunes they undergo during their relationship, and the tragic end that befalls their forbidden romance.

The challenge with a rock opera, at least for the listener, is hearing only one continuing story over the course of an album, oftentimes with a congruous musical theme from beginning to end. Thus, if an artist is unable to capture the listener's ear with the first few tracks and the main hooks, they run the risk of the listener losing interest long before the conclusion. Thankfully, in the case of Hazards of Love, my curiosity was peaked enough from the initial song to keep me attentive throughout the entirety of the CD.

The 1st track, appropriately titled "Prelude", sets the tone with spooky synthesizers in the style of Phantom of the Opera. Track 2, "The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone", opens the story of Margaret and William with moody acoustic guitar and vocals remiscent of Automatic for the People-era R.E.M. or Death Cab for Cutie. This is followed by "A Bower Scene", the short but edgy tale of Margaret conceiving William's child, which is paralleled by sweetly-soft guitar picking alternating with stomping rock chords. "Won't Want for Love" consists of guest-vocalist Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond) decrying the wonders of infatuation with her nymph-like vocals, and lead-singer Colin Meloy echoing those sentiments with punching declarations of "Can you hear me love?". Another notable track is "Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid", a bluezy back and forth duet between Meloy and Shara Worden (My Perfect Diamond), emphasized by Worden's sultry vocals, which are temptingly reminiscent of Grace Slick. Also of note is "The Rake's Song" an angry, morbid soliloquy telling of the hope created by a new marriage, the loss of a wife in childbirth, the killing off of the remaining children, and the resulting freedom from the whole mess. Though disturbing in content and a little difficult to digest, "The Rake's Song" is clearly the best "rock" track on the album. Hazards of Love concludes with "The Drowned", beautifully detailing the final spirited reunion of Margaret and William before they meet their watery grave.

Upon my first distracted listen to this disc, Hazards of Love came off as rather redundant and somewhat whiny. However, after three more spins in conjunction with a careful inspection of the lyrics, I was surprised at how catchy it became. This album is a gentle roller-coaster of musical story telling, and is definitely worth a listen. And if you've never listened to the Decemberists before, this would be a worthy place to start.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Crack the Skye

It would be disingenuous to refer to myself as anything more than a casual fan of Heavy Metal, but I believe I can appreciate good music regardless of genre. That being said, Crack the Skye by Mastodon is the type of album which can appeal to almost anyone who enjoys hard rock. Brann Dailor, the band's percussionist, stated Mastodon was going after a "creepy, classic-rock sounding record". The resulting tracks are an unrelenting flow of technically precise and deeply layered Metal musicianship, highlighted by intricate solos seemlessly interwoven with stock progressive riffs.

The album begins with "Oblivion", a song with a prelude of gradually escalating guitar jousts building to an ignition of pain-filled vocal wailings during a rare vocal turn from Dailor. Next is "Divinations" a speedy, comparatively short rocker that begins eerily with a banjo in a possible homage to Deliverance by the Atlanta-based foursome. "Quintessence" is the most mainstream track on the album with alternating guitar blasts surrounding Brent Hinds' Ozzy Osbourne-esque vocals. For the true die-hard Metal fan, the title track "Crack the Skye" delivers the classic sludge riffs and growling, demonic vocals that have so often characterized Heavy Metal.

The magnum opus of Crack the Skye is the 13-minute epic "The Last Baron", christened in the first minute by Hinds' declaration, "I guess they would say, we could set this world ablaze". The song burns through three minutes of steady rock, before evolving via a rapid-fire barrage of percussion segueing into a jagged back-and-forth ambush of dueling guitar chords. Another blowout transition occurs at the eight-minute mark, followed by one final melt-your-face-off solo that caps off this monster of a track.

Overall, Crack the Skye is a very steady and intriguing rock album. I would still have to rank it behind Blood Mountain, as I feel the latter is still their best work to date. Nonetheless, this latest effort is more universally appealing than their previous recordings, and quite possibly has the most musical and lyrical depth. If you're curious about Heavy Metal, you should definitely give Mastodon a listen. And if you happen to be in Omaha on May 15th, you can see them rock the Midwest at Sokol Auditorium for only $25.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Dragonslayer for Dummies

Being the resident "Metal" expert and not much of a fan of "indie rock" it was an interesting task to review an album given to me from our "Independent" guru. The genre (albeit a very broad, generic category) as always seemed a little boring and repetitive, with most of the artists sounding exactly the same with an inbred sound. And the vocalists all suffering from life threatening sinus infections. With that being said, my task is to review Sunset Rubdown's latest release "Dragonslayer". Upon first listen, this album treads on very familiar territory sounding like the Thom Yorke led 'fictional' band Venus In Furs from the wonderful 'movie that rocks', "Velvet Goldmine." The opening of the first track "Silver Moons" could have fit perfectly in that movie. "Velvet Goldmine" was loosely based on David Bowie and Sunset Rubdown's lead man Spencer Krug has obviously been influenced by the androgynous hero. The next track "Idiot Heart" has a killer guitar riff to start and continues to gain momentum throughout the song. Overall, fantastic tune. You can listen to a brilliant acoustic version on Daytrotter which only solidifies this song as a classic. The next song "Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!" starts off with Nintendo-style keyboards which continues throughout the first half of the track. Deeper into the song at 3:25 a catchy guitar solo takes off and definitely has my attention. Another strong track. The next two songs "Black Swan" and "Paper Lace" sound similar but fit well with the theme of the album. "You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)" again starts with an electronic keyboard solo that you would hear on old school Sega Genesis games. Spencer Krug's voice sounds less and less like Bowie upon repeated listens as he has his own distinct voice dissimilar to most 'indie' front men. The next track "Nightingale/December Song" is a cool track with a great acoustic guitar riff. Sunset Rubdown does a great job of adding sounds and layers to this tune adding to it's appeal. The keyboards and piano are great. The album has a definite early 80s glam feel to it and NOT in a The Darkness kind of way. To end the album, Sunset Rubdown closes with a 10 minute opus entitled "Dragon's Lair". The song title itself deserves props as it reminds me of something Ronnie James Dio would pen. For 'Indie' fans this album delivers.



Stand out tracks: Idiot Heart, Nightingale/December Song, Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!

Rating: 15 out of 23 spiders from Mars

Monsters of Folk

Now that I've installed a sweet new CD player in my car I finally have a chance to complete the swap duties I've pledged to fulfill. My first review is of the self-titled album by the Monsters of Folk, a 'supergroup' comprised of Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (aka Bright Eyes), Jim James (of MMJ fame) and Matt Ward. When I first popped it in and heard the slow jam beat, harp strumming and falsetto 'be-bopping' of the first track I was sure that I was playing the wrong disc and thought it was a malfunction of my early 90's era 24 disc Fisher CD changer. I even stopped and ejected it to check (though I was sure these sounds weren't coming from anything that would already be in my collection). As it turns out it was the right disc so started it again. I quickly decided that that first track was aptly titled because I thought 'Dear God, this is unpleasant.' And so, for a few minutes I was somewhat disappointed. I had been anxious to hear this album because I'm a fan of all the component Monsters' work and had high hopes for the collaboration. I was also shocked (and still am) that they would choose 'Dear God' as their second single from this album.

But I pressed on, and thankfully, things quickly took a turn for the better. The second track (their first single) 'Say Please' is a rollicking tune with an infectious chorus that gives an early opportunity for the big three to tag team on lead vocals. Next comes 'Whole Lotta Losin' which continues the trend and is the excellent shining example of why these guys get mentioned in the same breath as The Traveling Wilburys so often. It's a fun song and you can tell they have fun performing it. The next several songs ('Temezcal' through 'Ahead of the Curve' minus 'Baby Boomer') are basically the big three taking turns laying down solo tracks with chorus harmonies thrown in by the other two. The M.Ward tracks sound exactly like M.Ward old-timey songs. The Jim James songs sound exactly like MMJ twangy alt-country. Bright Eyes sounds like Bright Eyes. Though not as collaborative as I might have wanted, they are very good songs and getting new solo tracks from any of these guys is certainly not a bad thing. (A brief side note: whether you love him or hate him you can not deny that Conor Obsert is a goddamn good songwriter.)

But it was that beard-rock harmonizing (see Fleet Foxes) that I was craving and they finally brung it on the slowed-down 'Slow Down Jo', and kept it going on the rocking 'Losin Yo Head,' two of the strongest tracks on the album. Then a quick hiccup on 'Magic Marker.' I don't know, maybe I'm weird, but this song kind of grosses me out when he sings about how many licks it takes. The second Yim misstep of the album. Then things get going again with my personal favorite track, the dark 'Map of the World.' Though distinctly a Conor track, this is where the full potential of the blending of these three voices is realized. One more M.Ward track that could have been a B-side from Post War and finally the set closes with 'His Master's Voice,' an emotionally-charged and appropriate conclusion and the place where Jim makes amends for his earlier transgressions.

While this album is an instance where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, I am thoroughly enjoying it. The above comments were based on a handful of spins and I suspect that there are some growers in here which will over time continue to endear it to me. I also suspect that these dudes had a really good time putting this together. They came through Portland not long ago and I passed on the show because the tickets were a little steep. I hope not to miss them next time, I'm sure it's a loose and fun show. Here's hoping there are more albums and more tours to come.

I give it 9 eyeballs (out of a possible 14)

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