.for what it's worth.
My first official published piece. :)
Every time I listen to this song, I like it a little bit more. The first time I heard it, I liked it, but I knew it was a song I would have to get really used to and that would grow on me. Which is exactly how it’s going.
It’s very catchy, which is a great for a single, especially a first single in over a decade. It feels, to me, like a sort of dance pop song, which isn’t exactly a bad thing, especially because it also has a very distinct reggae beat to it. It feels like No Doubt, which is really what I was hoping for most.
The video itself I LOVE. I love the theme and all the bright colors; again, it feels very much like them. Obviously, my favorite scene was when they met and hugged, especially because that included the four main members, but it also included the horn players Gabe and Stephen. It was definitely an ALL MY EMOTIONS moment.
I also really liked Gwen’s dance scenes, mostly because that felt the most real and the most connected to the song. I think it’s funny, and also brilliant, because that was essentially what Gwen said about the scene and why it was her favorite. Watching the finished product, you can feel that come across during those scenes; it was really well done.
I really cannot wait for this album to come out. September is only a couple months, but it feels like a century right now. [Sidenote: Push And Shove is an excellent album name, let’s just take a moment to appreciate that fact.]
With the video for No Doubt’s first single in roughly ten years to be released this Monday, anticipation is high. I’ve missed this band, and after seeing the sneak peeks and webisodes they’ve been releasing in preparation for it, I’m even more excited to see this video. It looks like a lot of fun, and the band doesn’t look or sound like it’s been years since they last performed together. It seems like they’re just as tight as ever, and come Monday, I hope all the excitement is worth it.
In the meantime, MuchMusic.com posted a list of top 5 favorite No Doubt music videos, so I thought I’d do the same. Watching all their videos again has reminded me of what I love about this band, and further pushed my giddiness for new content into overdrive.
1. Just a Girl
Hands down, the best No Doubt music video of all time, and easily my very favorite. There is so much to love in this video: Gwen’s iconic ’90s look (most importantly, the cropped tops showing off her killer abs); her kick-ass, punk rock, strong female attitude; and the “ladies” and “women” bathroom signs spliced throughout the video. Not to mention the rock-out scene with separated “boy” and girl” moshing until the band members invade the girls and everyone blends together, where there’s a shot of Gwen pushing against a wall as she sings that, for reasons even I’m not entirely sure of, I just love. I also think this may be one of my favorite Tom moments of their videos, especially right around 2:40 of the video where he casually sticks his tongue out in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion.
Plus, from this video alone it’s easy to see why the song, and the video, from their third album Tragic Kingdom (1995) catapulted them into the spotlight and became one of their most well-known, and well-loved, songs.
2. Simple Kind of Life
It’s the beginning and the end that do it for me with this video. Shots of Gwen, with pink hair and wedding dress, running from her tuxedo-ed bandmates (who knock over a crate of oranges - subtle throwback to Tragic Kingdom, perhaps?) pretty much set the video up to be awesome. It’s pulled together near the close of the video. with a shot of Gwen holding a baby and each band member coming up in turn with his hands out, leaving her with a tough choice. “Simple Kind of Life” (from 2000’s Return of Saturn) is not high on my list of favorite No Doubt songs, but the video has a very cool, well-executed concept that fits the song perfectly.
3. Don’t Speak
Famously thought of a song about Gwen and Tony’s romantic split, the video for this song off Tragic Kingdom is very well put together. A highly tense band rehearsal is featured as the main content, mixed with flashback shots of happier practices. When Gwen seems to “plead” with each band member but is given the cold shoulder, it is the icing on this cake. The mood of the song is so well executed, you can’t help but feel the heartbreak too.
4. It’s My Life
Again, it’s not one of my favorite No Doubt songs, but it is a pretty great cover, and the video is iconic. One thing I love about No Doubt videos is that they tend to have Gwen interacting with each band member. Except, in this one, she’s killing them all in different ways: Tom gets off “easy” with poison, poor Tony gets run over, and Adrian - always the naked one - gets electrocuted in the bathtub. Then there’s Gwen in an orange jail jumpsuit with red bra peeking through. The ’20s theme - not to mention the murder trial - makes the video reminiscent of Chicago, which, for me, just adds to the goodness.
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5. Hey Baby
I almost didn’t include this one on the list, but two things changed my mind: 1. The “NO DOUBT” “ROCK STEADY” and “HEY BABY” scribbled in red, black, and white as the background, an instantly recognizable image from the band’s last studio album Rock Steady (2001); and 2. the shots of the band against said background. This video looks like it was a lot of fun to make, and I loved watching the playful interactions between the members, reminding us just how well they work together.
It’s a good weekend to be punk fan and CBGB enthusiast in New York City.
The CBGB Festival kicked off this Thursday, July 5, features music showcases, film showcases, a music conference and film conference, as well as a Spirits Festival to close out the weekend on July 8.
Krist Novoselic kicked off the festival as it’s keynote speaker on Thursday and events have been on a rolling schedule ever since. The line-up consists of 300 unknown bands as well as a few more well-known headliners playing in various venues around Manhattan and Brooklyn. There will even be a free concert in Times Square on July 7!
In true CBGB fashion, much of the news about this festival has been underground, at least from what I’ve heard here in California. The festival, which I heard about a few months ago, seemed to sneak up on me!
From what I’ve read and what I’ve seen, this seems to be a truly unique twist on the festivals we have seen more and more of the past few years. The spirit does seem to mirror that of the former club in that it features mainly unknown or underground artists, as well as re-formations and appearances by CBGB veterans such as those from the surviving Ramone, Tommy and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols. Richard Lloyd and Billy Ficca of Television, the first band to play at CBGB, were scheduled to perform as well until illness caused them to cancel. The festival boasts many more acts of CBGB fame, as well as 30 documentary and rock films through two days of the festival.
All of this, I think, sounds unbelievably cool without trying to hard, again in true CBGB spirit. Unfortunately for me, I live all the way across the country in Southern California. If you’re lucky enough to be in New York, however, and you like a little punk rock, you may want to check it out - at least go to the free show in Times Square! Let me know how it is. From where I’m standing it seems pretty exciting, but there’s only so much you can get from news articles and short clips. I have a feeling this is something that needs to be experienced and I really hope that it turns out to be as good as it seems on paper so that perhaps in a few years I will be able to say for myself if the CBGB Festival is the festival to attend.
This video is pretty damn cool. This guy does a history of rock ‘n’ roll through 100 classic guitar riffs, without pause between any of them. He even moves smoothly between songs that use bottleneck slide [like “Seven Nation Army”] and those that don’t, which was impressive to me because he still didn’t miss a beat. It spans the genres, of course, so it’s an eclectic mix of music through the decades. He nails some sweet, and of course very famous, riffs. If you love rock and roll, this video will probably have you weeping tears of joy.
![Jack White’s debut solo album hit stores worldwide today, which coincided perfectly with my finally having the time to sit down and listen to it from start to finish.
Jack White, in my opinion, is an incredible artist. From The White Stripes, the Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather to guest appearing with the likes of blues-rock heavyweights like The Rolling Stones and Jimmy Page, White has yet to disappoint me. White is a skilled musical craftsman, both as an artist and producer, and ever since I heard he was releasing solo work I’ve been anticipating it.
Let me state first: Blunderbuss is a great album. White continues to bring the blues riffs and country-soft songs he’s well known for, and he does it with the skill to which his fans have grown accustomed. There are certainly some well-executed rock songs, such as singles “Sixteen Saltines” and “Love Interruption,” as well as “Missing Pieces,” the album’s killer opener.
Yet I find that, on some level, Blunderbuss sort of underwhelms me. The main reason for this, I think, is because as a cohesive collection of songs, it doesn’t hit me hard. Rather, the first half of the album delivers a powerful punch that tapers off into the rest of the work, sprinkled with tunes like “I’m Shakin’” (the only cover on the album, this is originally a Little Willie John song) and the piano-driven “Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy” that break the surface again intermittently, though not with the force that the first few songs seem to do.
It’s very easy to see why “Sixteen Saltines” and “Love Interruption” were the two singles off the album. They’re easily the most pop-sensible tracks, but they’re also, in my opinion, a couple of the best works off the album.
“Sixteen Saltines” delivers the fuzzy, splintering distorted guitar rock I’ve come to love from Jack White, not to mention an infectious hook, “Who jealous? Who’s jealous? Who’s jealous? Who’s jealous of who?” laid over a catchy repeated guitar line. White displays his shred skill in this song as well, as the background for the second time the above hook is repeated. The drums deliver a steady, pounding beat that drives the song really well.
“Love Interruption” is a quieter song that nonetheless “[walks] right up and [bites].” The lyrics, riddled with vibrant imagery, are haunting, both gentle and harsh, and they sink into your heart and hit home like the knife featured within them. Ruby Amanfu’s enchanting voice provides a perfect mirror to White’s soft vocals; together they put forward a song that sounds innocent on the surface but whose lyrics paint a much darker image of love. Simple acoustic guitar over a more orchestrated, lilting background add to the aching effect.
The other stand-out song, for me, was song that opens the album, “Missing Pieces.” After a few seconds of repeated keyboard that slows and leaves the listener teetering on the edge, the first lyrics of the album, “I was in the shower/So I could not tell my nose was bleeding,” deliver the final push into a song that doesn’t quit. The instrumentation here, the balance between the distorted guitar and the keyboard, was well-done.
The album itself is really a collection of three-minute, radio-friendly rock pieces. Most of the songs range from just under three-minutes to just over four; none of them break the five-minute mark. All in all, it is an album that is definitely worth a listen or two, and if nothing else the stand-out tracks are worth buying. With this, along with work from The Black Keys, The Kills, and others, garage-rock blues seems to be rising into the greater music consciousness once again.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m30j8kREAQ1rnp9ero1_500.jpg)
Jack White’s debut solo album hit stores worldwide today, which coincided perfectly with my finally having the time to sit down and listen to it from start to finish.
Jack White, in my opinion, is an incredible artist. From The White Stripes, the Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather to guest appearing with the likes of blues-rock heavyweights like The Rolling Stones and Jimmy Page, White has yet to disappoint me. White is a skilled musical craftsman, both as an artist and producer, and ever since I heard he was releasing solo work I’ve been anticipating it.
Let me state first: Blunderbuss is a great album. White continues to bring the blues riffs and country-soft songs he’s well known for, and he does it with the skill to which his fans have grown accustomed. There are certainly some well-executed rock songs, such as singles “Sixteen Saltines” and “Love Interruption,” as well as “Missing Pieces,” the album’s killer opener.
Yet I find that, on some level, Blunderbuss sort of underwhelms me. The main reason for this, I think, is because as a cohesive collection of songs, it doesn’t hit me hard. Rather, the first half of the album delivers a powerful punch that tapers off into the rest of the work, sprinkled with tunes like “I’m Shakin’” (the only cover on the album, this is originally a Little Willie John song) and the piano-driven “Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy” that break the surface again intermittently, though not with the force that the first few songs seem to do.
It’s very easy to see why “Sixteen Saltines” and “Love Interruption” were the two singles off the album. They’re easily the most pop-sensible tracks, but they’re also, in my opinion, a couple of the best works off the album.
“Sixteen Saltines” delivers the fuzzy, splintering distorted guitar rock I’ve come to love from Jack White, not to mention an infectious hook, “Who jealous? Who’s jealous? Who’s jealous? Who’s jealous of who?” laid over a catchy repeated guitar line. White displays his shred skill in this song as well, as the background for the second time the above hook is repeated. The drums deliver a steady, pounding beat that drives the song really well.
“Love Interruption” is a quieter song that nonetheless “[walks] right up and [bites].” The lyrics, riddled with vibrant imagery, are haunting, both gentle and harsh, and they sink into your heart and hit home like the knife featured within them. Ruby Amanfu’s enchanting voice provides a perfect mirror to White’s soft vocals; together they put forward a song that sounds innocent on the surface but whose lyrics paint a much darker image of love. Simple acoustic guitar over a more orchestrated, lilting background add to the aching effect.
The other stand-out song, for me, was song that opens the album, “Missing Pieces.” After a few seconds of repeated keyboard that slows and leaves the listener teetering on the edge, the first lyrics of the album, “I was in the shower/So I could not tell my nose was bleeding,” deliver the final push into a song that doesn’t quit. The instrumentation here, the balance between the distorted guitar and the keyboard, was well-done.
The album itself is really a collection of three-minute, radio-friendly rock pieces. Most of the songs range from just under three-minutes to just over four; none of them break the five-minute mark. All in all, it is an album that is definitely worth a listen or two, and if nothing else the stand-out tracks are worth buying. With this, along with work from The Black Keys, The Kills, and others, garage-rock blues seems to be rising into the greater music consciousness once again.
I’m doing a research paper for my American Studies Pop Culture class on fans of Led Zeppelin, so if you could PLEASE take a few minutes fill out my survey I would really appreciate it! Thank you!
http://app.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/nikki-K/led-zeppelin-fandom/
See, THIS is the letter I would have liked to have seen the first time around, when Axl initially declined his invitation. The first letter, in my opinion, came off as abrasive and elitist, whereas I think this has a much more civil and congenial tone.
I mean, to an extent, I understand the differences in the tones of the letters; in the first, as he said, he was expecting backlash. This one has come after he’s seen support, so it makes sense that he’d be much more appealing in this letter.
Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Hall itself, and this paragraph from Axl’s letter perfectly explains why:
I still don’t exactly know or understand what the Hall is or how or why it makes money, where the money goes, who chooses the voters and why anyone or this board decides who, out of all the artists in the world that have contributed to this genre, officially “rock” enough to be in the Hall?
In fact, I almost wish the rest of GNR (aside from Izzy, of course, who also did not show - in a characteristically much quieter fashion) had given the Hall the finger as well. It’s the kind of bad-ass attitude that made the original line-up so awesome.
My opinion is that part of the reason the Hall inducted GNR on the first nomination was to bring back the old calls for a reunion of the original line-up. To be honest, much as I love Appetite-Era Guns N’ Roses, I’m not naive enough to think this is ever actually going to happen. There is far too much bad blood (anyone else notice Axl mentioned playing with everyone but Slash in the first letter?), not to mention the fact that Axl’s ego and current GNR line-up prevent even the tiniest hope of the original line-up coming back together again. Yet I think the Hall wanted to be the ones to say they did what hasn’t been done in over twenty years. For that, I wish that every member of GNR had declined the Hall any sort of satisfaction.
This is the new video for Slash’s song “Gotten” from the first record. It’s a project done in connection with LAYN [Los Angeles Youth Network] to raise awareness and about youth homeless and what LAYN does to help them.
In the video, AJ Michalka plays a teen who runs away from her mother [Kristin Bauer] and alcoholic step-father [Jack Rubio]. On the street, she starts to turn tricks [Judd Nelson plays her first John] and uses the money to buy a gun. I’ll leave the rest of the story for you to find out as you watch, but the end might not be what you expect.
This isn’t something I see often: making a music video into something more than just another way to sell a song. It’s such a creative approach to making a difference, and I applaud all those that were a part of this project for it.
It’s a very powerful, well-made work of art that I think carries an important message. I think it’s wonderful of Slash to do something creative like this and make it about a cause. If nothing else, the video makes you aware of the situation and the organization, LAYN, which looks like it does a lot for Los Angeles runaway and homeless youth. Take a moment and watch it, share it with a friend, donate if you can. Even spreading the word helps.
“You’re A Lie” - Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators off the new upcoming album Apocalyptic Love. The album will be out in the US on May 22nd.
I’ve been anticipating this album since the last one came out last year, and as it gets closer and information gets released, I only get more excited. May 22nd cannot come soon enough.
This song kills. Slash’s decision to do the entire album with Myles was a great choice. The lyrics and vocals Myles brings compliments that classic ‘Slash’ sounds very well. The songs Myles did on the first record were some of the best - specifically, “Back From Cali” was one of my favorites - and they have a chemistry that works really well both on stage and in the studio.
I have to say, too, that part of the reason they sound so great together is probably because Myles’ voice is similar to Axl’s. It’s reminiscent of old Guns N’ Roses without all the bullshit.
As for Slash himself, I can already tell this is going to be another amazing record. He has a signature sound that he brings to each record, each song; it’s familiar and instantly recognizable as his work, and there is no denying that this essence is an underlying presence in every song he works on, from Guns through to Velvet Revolver and the last solo record. It’s what he loves to play and what he loves to hear, but it works. Despite this intrinsic familiarity, every song he creates could stand alone and kick-ass piece of music. If there is one thing he does well, it is create infectious, gritty rock&roll.
