The Suburbs – Arcade Fire

            I’m going to be testing out a different format for this review.  Rather than going on a track-by-track basis, I will separate this review into three distinct categories: music, lyrics, and concept.  This will allow me more flexibility as opposed to reviewing in a strictly chronological fashion.  If this new configuration works out better, I’ll keep it.  If not, then I’ll return to my original format.

            The Suburbs is the third full-length release from Arcade Fire.  This album was different than their previous one, in a variety of ways including musically.  For starters, the first couple of songs sounded far more like pop tunes when compared to their usual fare.  Arcade Fire isn’t the most esoteric of rock groups, but they’re songs are not usually this straight forward.  Other tracks, such as “Rococo” and “Half Light I” have the more sweeping, anthemic sound the band is known for.  I also hear references to past musical eras throughout this album as well.  “City with No Children” for example, sounds like a psychedelic rock tune from the 60s.  “Half Light II” is laden with 80’s style new wave synthesizers.  But perhaps the strongest throwback of all has to be the penultimate track, “Sprawl II.”  This track’s a disco beat as well as the cadence of its melody line makes it reminiscent of the Blondie tune “Heart of Glass.”  Overall, there was a good diversity of musical styles throughout this album; more so than on their last.  Though I enjoy some of the tracks more than others, my various opinions of the individual tracks will undoubtedly change as I give this album the repeated listens that it merits.

            If this album merits repeated listens musically, lyrically it requires it.  It’s a concept album that centers on some of the band members’ suburban Houston upbringing.  Most of the songs seem almost nostalgic, involving concepts such as loss of innocence, coming of age, and self-discovery; all set against the backdrop of suburbia.  Since the members of this band average around 30 years old, the time period in which this story takes place, is most likely the early to mid 90s.  I feel a greater connection to this album, as I’m sure any Gen Y-er does, because I too grew up during this time period.  Like the music on this album, lyrics are wide ranging, portraying a variety of different emotions from childlike exhilaration to skepticism of authority.  The most prevalent emotion by far, however, is nostalgia.  Not just for the past itself, but for the innocence that’s lost with the end of childhood as well as the carefree nature of youth experienced before the onset of adult responsibility.  The band does a good job of portraying this bittersweet nostalgic theme with out being redundant or going over the top (except for maybe in a couple of instances).  Arcade Fire is certainly not the first group to look longingly to the past as a more innocent and carefree time (Brian Wilson is still doing it).  What makes them unique, however is that they are one of the first bands of the modern era devote an entire album to the subject matter.  This isn’t baby boomer Don Henley singing about the boys of summer or The Smashing Pumpkins reflecting on 1979.  This is the voice of a new generation singing about what it was like to come of age in the 90’s. 

            I feel a strong affinity for this album’s concept because it relates to a time and place with which I’m very familiar.  And that is precisely what makes this album so widely successful.  It deals with universal themes in a time and place that almost everyone can relate to.  For one thing, it’s set in the 90s, a time most people are quite familiar with given its relative recentness.  To make a larger point, however, this album centers on a place that most people are familiar with.  This touches on a concept that I myself have more recently reflected upon.  More Americans live in suburbs than in any single city in the country.  While suburbia isn’t a specific geographic location such as New York City or Los Angeles, it is a specific place with it’s own uniquely homogenized culture, style, and even mentality.  Anyone who has traveled from the suburbs of Dallas to greater Seattle or the surrounding neighborhoods of Chicago can tell you, it’s the same place.  One that’s easily recognizable by it’s endless sprawl of chain restaurants, shopping malls, and super-centers as well as its neighborhoods containing endless rows of houses and manicured lawns.  In fact, if someone were randomly placed in a suburban town, they would likely be hard pressed to identify the metropolis with out consulting a newspaper or turning on the radio.  It is this reason that suburbia can be thought of as a single place containing the majority of Americans and it is in this distinctive atmosphere that this album takes place.  Almost everyone can identify with 90’s suburbia as well as the widespread themes that this album is comprised of.  By adding music that is intriguing, yet accessible, Arcade Fire has created an album that is universally resounding in its impact.

Cage the Elephant – Cage the Elephant

            Part of the reason I decided to start this blog was so that I could expose myself to more recent music.  Since this band has been getting a lot of airplay lately, I decided to listen to their 2009 debut (interestingly enough the album was actually released ten months earlier in the UK).  The first track is a noisy, high-energy rocker.  Lead singer Matt Shultz spits out his vocals with attitude, however, upon closer inspection the lyrics seem somewhat trite and rather unimpressive.  Still, this music could be enjoyable under the right circumstances.  Two is James Brown, and is quite similar in style to the first one.  Again, the lyrics are average at best (though not from lack of effort).  This band does have an ability to write high-energy songs with somewhat catchy hooks.  At times they almost sound like a lesser version of Franz Ferdinand.  Track three, probably the band’s best known song, is “Ain’t no Rest for the Wicked.”  The first time I heard this song, it’s vocal rhythm and slide guitar reminded me of the Beck’s hit “Loser.”  Though the songs are too similar, it’s an enjoyable track nonetheless.  As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it (or in this case, if it sounded good in ’93, it’ll still sound good 15 years later).

             

            Four is more of the bland, generic rock that is quickly becoming a hallmark of this album.  As this track continues, however, it does start to become more intriguing.  In fact, towards the end, it actually starts to go somewhere.  Track five sounds like a sub par attempt to mimic the Chili Peppers.  I get the feeling that this band genuinely tries to be deep, lyrically as well as musically.  Sometimes they almost get there; but, unfortunately, a lot of times they don’t.  The sixth song is “Back Against the Wall.”  As I listen to the mind-numbingly simple chorus, I hear a group that can’t wait to get back into the same (safe) groove.  I don’t know if I would go as far as to say this song is boring, but it is certainly inoffensive.  At least there’s a retro guitar sound to provide something of interest.  Track seven is more of the same.  At this point, the songs are starting to blend together into one, consistent groove.  With lines like, “Here we stand at this fork in the road”, the lyrics haven’t gotten any better either.  The only saving grace for this indistinguishable track is its brevity.  Judas is a better song with the band continuing to straddle the line of mediocrity; at brief points rising above it and at others falling below.  I did enjoy the throwback nature of this song as well. 

            Track nine is a welcome surprise.  Titled “Back Stabbin’ Betty”, this track proves that when Cage the Elephant are at their best, they are capable of writing decent music.  Ten unfortunately, is a return to their same, monotonous groove.  If anything, the music is at least slightly better than the lyrics.  Eleven is the last track and proves to be a decent closing number.  It is a bit more raucous in nature providing a free-jam feel to the finale of the album.  In general, the songs range from pedestrian to B minus level rock.  There are about three to four tracks on this album that are worth listening to again.  The rest, however, are not.  One thing this band does not lack however, is energy and, to a lesser extent, attitude.  This makes me curious to see if they might be a decent live band.  Some groups have a charisma that can never be entirely captured in the studio and this could be one of them.  This recording however, is one that struggles to rise above mediocrity.           

 

The Diary of Alicia Keys – Alicia Keys

            As popular as she is, commercially as well critically, I should not be able to say I haven’t listened to an Alicia Keys album.  Subsequently, I am reviewing her second studio album from 2003.  The album starts off with enjoyable, almost classical sounding piano runs.  This soon gives way to a beat more indicative of hip-hop music.  Over this Keys delivers her short, spoken-word intro.  Track two, begins with a different, yet equally enjoyable sting introduction.  Once, again a hip-hop beat comes in confirming the songs genre.  The background vocals are great, but what I really enjoy about this track is the repetitive, middle-eastern sounding (defiantly modal) violin loop, which plays throughout.  Three is more of a filler piece, mindless dance club music at best.  Even so, Keys has an ability to draw from a multitude of genres from hip-hop to R&B to soul.  Also, she sings with great confidence that almost borders on attitude similar to artists such as Mary J. Blige or Missy Elliot.  Track four is definitely more urban sounding in nature.  It’s because of this kind of diversity that she appeals to such a wide audience.  Again she does a fantastic job of wearing her emotions on her sleeve and really putting her passion into the music.  I enjoyed the background vocals on this song as well.  Though this track isn’t an original, it’s a solid arrangement.  Five starts out with a retro beat immediately invocative of Marvin Gaye.  Again, she employs a nice, slow-jam groove reminiscent of one of the group she covered on the previous track.  The song also had excellent background vocals not to mention a nice multi-octave, chromatic piano run.  Two thirds of the way into the track she goes into a spoken word segment.  This starts out okay, but ends up being entirely too long and almost laughably over the top.  She redeems herself with her McCartney-esque string outro, however, and this ends up being one of my favorite tracks!

            Track six begins with a nice, slow shuffle.  Most of the songs on this album are self-written which is always respectable.  As the track begins to reach it’s chorus, I suddenly recognize it.  This is another one of my favorite tracks.  Keys is proficient at a style I can only call modern soul and in a way I am sad that I didn’t listen to this music earlier.  Seven is a little bland, sounding more like filler material.  It employs a circular piano melody, which is almost hypnotic in nature.  I noticed in the liner notes that Keys produced this album.  This impressive given the fact that this is only her second release.  Eight starts off with what sounds like the opening theme to The People’s Court.  This introduction gives way to what some may refer to as ‘baby-making’ music.  This song goes on a bit too long, lacking the material necessary to maintain interest for four and a half minutes.  Track nine opens up with a retro string intro, which is quite enjoyable.  I liked this track with its ahh-oop background vocals and slightly laid-back sound.  By contrast, ten is once again more urban in nature.  It is more, progressive as well, using a sped-up vocal sample. Additional vocals fill out the remaining space in between.  Consequently, I liked this track even better than the last.  

            Track eleven sees Keys, once again, employing a relaxed 6/8 shuffle.  At this point she seems to be consistently volleying between smooth R&B and up-tempo hip-hop.  Unfortunately, this song isn’t one of her stronger ones.  Even so, her talent as a pianist, vocalist, and songwriter is undeniable.  The following track was possibly my favorite.  Acting as a interlude to the album’s final three tracks, it is only about two minutes long.  The song utilizes only a few synthesizes and vocals to create an outstanding sonic texture.  It is a short, sweet, soulful piece that is Alicia Keys at her best!  On the thirteenth track, she goes back to her smooth R&B sound.  Like some of her other tracks, this one isn’t very remarkable lyrically or musically.  Fourteen employs an acoustic, upright bass and has a tinge of Latin American flavor.  I enjoyed it’s title (Samsonite Man) as well as the song’s background vocals.  Not one of my favorites, but a solid track.  The fifteenth and final track on the other hand, is one I very much enjoied.  It evokes Marvin Gaye once again and employs an interesting chord progression.  What is perhaps the bast part of this shorter track however, is the first time appearance of saxophone.  Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable album.  It isn’t anything legendary, but it is worth a listen.  Still, I would have to say Ms. Keys gets more credit than she deserves.  Her music is decent and well-written, but it is nothing that hasn’t already been done.  I would buy one of her first two albums or a greatest hits collection, but beyond that, save your time and money.  Out of five stars?  I’d give it three and a half. 

The Union – Elton John and Leon Russell

            I had heard that this album had received rave reviews so I decided to check it out.  Though I was interested in discovering who Leon Russell was as well as his music, I especially wanted to hear Elton John’s latest release. 

            An old-time piano immediately takes the listener back in time along with soulful background vocals that indicate this isn’t going to be a typical pop-rock record.  Elton and Leon’s voices work well together as they sing in harmony.  There isn’t anything groundbreaking about this song, but it’s a solid track.  Two is classic Bernie Taupin/Elton John.  Elton’s vocals are great and the song reveals him to be the consummate songwriter, always able to craft a decent song.  Taupin’s lyrics are intriguing to say the least.  Together, they prove that they can still out-write most of their contemporaries.  Track three recalls some of the darker numbers on their more recent albums such as ‘And the House Fall Down’ and ‘The Wasteland’.  A decent enough background choir as well as a soloist helps to give the song its soulful feel.  The ending is decent as well.  Like the first two tracks of the album, it seems to be just the right length.  Four, is titled ‘Gone to Shiloh’.  I particularly enjoyed the short musical introduction as well as the strong thumping bass employed throughout the song.  I seem to be enjoying the Elton John/Bernie Taupin-written numbers more so far.  Russell’s playing is almost as strong however.  He, like Elton in more recent years, posses a raspier, almost withered voice, which is perfectly suited for this particular style.  The lyrics are decent as well, recalling the rustic theme of the civil war.  I was pleasantly shocked, although I don’t know why I would be given his voice, when Neil Young appeared on the track.  Equally enjoyable was the somber brass, which comes in toward the end.  This is, so far, the standout track on the album.   Song five is ‘Jimmie Roger’s Dream’.  This enjoyable Elton John/Bernie Taupin tune has a bit of a country twinge to it apropos of its title.  It seems that this songwriting pair have dug into their Honky Château Roots on their last couple of albums.  There’s No Tomorrow, surprisingly, was one of the darkest songs on the album.  This whole album has a heavier feel to it.  This song however, overdoes it, feeling almost like a dirge.  By contrast, track seven has a more up-tempo, boogie-woogie feel.  As I scan the extensive liner notes, I can see that Elton, surprisingly, does not use his regular back up band.  Later I learned that this was the first time in over thirty years that they didn’t play on an Elton John record.  Taupin’s lyrics are intense and at eleven people, the background vocalists sound more like a choir. 

            The second half of the album starts with another Elton John-Bernie Taupin number.  This one, however, is more trite in nature; sounding too much like the stuff they have already done in recent years.  This song definitely isn’t essential.  I do like the fact that Elton and Russell both sing on each other’s tracks.  In fact, this album consists of an entire variety of song writing combinations.  In some tracks Elton and Russell write together, in others the producer will write with Elton and Bernie, and in one, Russell and Taupin even write together.  Nine is ‘A Dream Come True’.  This is a decent, up-tempo number, which employs a funky, honky-tonk riff.  Like the track before it, however, the ending was a little too repetitive.  Track ten, like four, contained a surprise guest.  This time it was Brian Wilson and although I couldn’t hear him singing on background vocals, I enjoyed his arrangement of them.  Russell’s voice almost reminds me of Willie Nelson at times.  I enjoyed this somber-natured track.  Eleven took a while to grow on me.  The primary problem was the fact that it was the third track in a row written in a very similar style.  Eventually, however, I became fond of this track.  Track twelve is a Leon Russell number.  I can definitely hear the way in which he influenced Elton John.  It’s a solid number in a honky-tonk style (resulting in part from the decent background vocals and horns).  As reflected in the artwork, this album certainly has an ‘Old West’ feel to it.  Thirteen is reminiscent of ‘This Train Don’t Stop Here Any More’ in Elton’s weary-old-man portrayal.  Elton’s voice is excellent and everyone else’s performance is strong as well.   In addition, the end is strong, making this one of my favorite tracks on the album.  The fourteenth and final song on the album is a Leon Russell number titled ‘In the Hands of Angels’.  This song has a gospel feel from the title itself to the organ intro and the return of the chorus-like background vocals.  This return provides a nice unification for the album.  As for the song as a whole, I feel that they could have picked a stronger track to end the album with.  It not a terrible song, but it certainly isn’t one of the stronger ones either. 

            For being more than sixty minutes long, this album actually goes by fairly quickly.  This is a good sign.  I have always felt that regardless of physical length, the only time an album sounds like it’s too long is when it’s uninteresting and poorly written. As this album reveals, sometimes the story of how a work comes into being is almost as important as the work itself.  Fortunately, Elton provides liner notes, which address this subject giving the listener a better perspective and providing a better context into which they can place this work.  By now, Elton John legacy as a composer is legendary.  Throughout five decades, he has produced commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed classics at a prolificacy that is nothing short of astounding.  Sometimes it takes the form of a musical, other times it’s an album, but it’s always done with a passion and a craftsmanship that is virtually unparalleled.  Because of this, anyone who listens to this album will undoubtedly find it to be a decent work.  While the average listener or Elton John novice might find it to be more average in nature, dark and somewhat redundant throughout; devotees as well as those who take the time to do their homework (i.e. learning about and understanding the album’s history) and appreciate Elton (as well as the other collaborators) for the outstanding artisan that he is, this has the potential to be a very rewarding listen.               

The Reminder – Feist

            I have wanted to listen to an album by Feist since I first heard her featured in that iPod nano commercial from 2007.  This album starts off with a smoother sound that could almost be characterized as ‘jazz-lite’.  With its acoustic bass and smooth percussion, I find this track to be solid, but an interesting choice for an opener.  Track two is definitely more single material.  The only way I can describe her sound is by using the word alternative; a term which has grown far too broad and vague over time.  Regardless, it’s delightfully catchy. I like the vocals as well.  I wouldn’t want to hear her voice on a regular basis, but it works well for this particular style.  Three is My Moon, My Man.  I particularly enjoyed the background vocals, which come in towards the end of this one.  I also appreciated the sounds effects that enter after the fade out and lead directly into track number four.  The Park is a track that is more stripped down and barer in nature.  It almost has the feel of a folk or country ballad.  It builds slowly until by the end, her voice is a raw, emotional wail.  Track five starts with a slow, jazzy intro that reminds me of Fiona Apple.  Naturally, I like everything about this track from the upright bass to the more relaxed sound to the lyrics themselves.  Six is what sounds like an African choir with an electric synthesizer.  Needless to say, I was taken aback by this abrupt shift in style.  Later in the track, she even starts to rock a little bit, which provided a nice change of pace.  Apparently, the song is based on an African children’s chant, the lyrics to which are quite interesting.  Track Seven is called Past in Present and has a down right country feel to it.  There is definitely an element of diversity to this album and Feist should be commended for that.  Even if not every song is a complete success, substantial variety can go a long way.  No matter the genre however, it’s clear she enjoys using handclaps as this is the third time she does so. 

            The second half of the album starts off with The Limit to Your Love.  This track changes the pace yet again, and I enjoy it’s almost Motown feel complete with flute, piano, and sleek string arrangements.  The vocals on this track remind me a little bit of Florence and the Machine.  Nine is 1234.  Obviously, I’m most familiar with this song as I have known it the longest.  Even having heard it many times before, I am picking out new surprises like the banjo that comes in half way through.  Its things like these that make this album so enjoyable.  The horns that enter towards the end of the song are enjoyably reminiscent of the ones at the end of All You Need is Love.  The tenth track, Brandy Alexander, is a solid song as well.  This time, it was the lyrics that caught my attention.  In this song she uses Brandy Alexander as a metaphor when describing her relationship to great effect.  Actually, Fiest is pretty solid throughout the album lyrically speaking.  I also enjoyed the end of this track as well.  Eleven is Intuition.  This track is softer and more relaxed in nature.  I actually found it vaguely reminiscent of Nick Drake.  While Drake stays subdued however, Feist brings in a chorus chant toward the end of this song.  I can’t yet decide weather or not I agree with this decision.  Either way, it’s nice to know that there is a contemporary artist out there who doesn’t mind going with a softer, more acoustic sound a couple of times on an album.  Sometimes less is indeed more.  Twelve changes the sonic direction yet again.  This song is a difficult one to describe through written word.  Her background vocals as well as a harp like sound provide a kind of rhythmic pattern over which she sings.  Her lyrics are intriguing as well, describing a woman seeking her lover. Track thirteen is the final song.  Feist’s vocals are once again reminiscent of Apple’s. Eirik Glambek Bøe makes a surprise guest vocal appearance on this number, providing a nice contrast to Feist’s higher voice.  Overall, this track provides a nice finish to this album.  Though How My Heart Behaves is quieter in nature, it works as a concluding track because of the somewhat reserved nature of this album. 

              I would say this album exceeded the already decent expectations I had for it.  It shows a great diversity not only in instrumentation and dynamic, but in style as well.  Feist shows promise in her ability as a writer lyrically and musically as well as her fearlessness for trying things new.  She maybe no Fiona, but she may well be on her way.

Pink Moon - Nick Drake

            I recognized Pink Moon by its Dali-esque cover and wanted to review an album from a little further back so I decided on this 1972 classic by Nick Drake.  Pink Moon is the third and final album from this English singer-songwriter who, by all accounts, was pretty much of a recluse.  Because of this, none of his albums sold more than a few thousand copies when he was alive.  Since his death however, he has been acclaimed as one of the most influential English artists of the last half a century.  This is quite impressive as he only released three albums, his first at just 21 years old. 

            Pink Moon starts of with a nice acoustic guitar sound.  The style is defiantly folk, utilizing simpler yet beautiful melodies and a more stripped-down production.  In fact, the only instruments that can be heard are his voice, guitar, and just a hint of piano.  This refreshing DIY approach sounds as if he could have recorded it in his bedroom, in one take.  The result is an especially intimate sounding album.  Track two continues this sound with a sparse, quiet instrumentation.  It’s worth noting that Pink Moon was completed during the “folk-renaissance” of the early 1970’s.  This was a time period when every one from Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell to James Taylor and Carol King were writing legendary folk albums of their own.  Something I found to be intriguing about this album in particular is that it contains absolutely no liner notes.  Also, it is quite short, lasting less than 29 minutes.  This is brief even by folk standards (especially as it was released after the mid 60s!).  Three is a track called Road.  Like the first two songs, this one has a straightforward sound that is especially listenable.  Because of the album’s brevity, the songs themselves are short, averaging around two and a half minutes each.  This requires a different, more focused approach to listening as the songs pass by so quickly.  Hearing tracks this short took some getting used to after having listened to hour-long albums with tracks over five minutes.  Track four is titled Which Will.  This track was decent as well.  Because the instrumentation and style of this album is similar throughout, it took some time for the individual nature of the tracks to develop as well.  It was at least a couple of listens before I could identify different tracks by their distinctive characteristics and recognize their specific melodies.  Five is Horn, one of the shortest songs at less than 80 seconds long.  This track is one of the least essential, consisting of a single, repetitive line played by a single guitar.  Six is Things Behind the Sun.  This longer track, along with perhaps the first, is my favorite on the album so far!  Not only is the music excellent, the lyrics are meaningful making them fantastic as well.

            Track seven is okay.  Like number five, it is shorter with a repetitive groove.  Number eight is the longest track at a whopping three and a half minutes!  It is also perhaps, my favorite song on the album.  There are several reasons for this.  Not only are the lyrics admirable, it is sonically memorable as well.  Also, it has a chord progression that almost sounds like it could be off of the White Album, which doesn’t hurt either!  Track nine is Ride.  I enjoyed this song as well.  This is defiantly an album where the more I listen to it, the more tracks I start to like.  Song number ten is the shortest at sixty seconds long.  Since I have been listening to longer tracks on other albums, sixty seconds seems really short.  Yet, because I had been listening to shorter tracks on this album, I was surprised at how much Drake was able to pack into such a brief time period.  Track ten is one of those songs I knew immediately, though I wouldn’t have recognized it by its title.  Unfortunately, because of the time and place in which I live, I had originally become familiar with it in an AT&T commercial just this past year.*  I have always found this to be a beautiful song.  So much so, I even considered looking it up when I had originally heard it.  If nothing else, I’m glad I got this album as I discovered this song!

            Overall, I would say this is a very solid album.  Because it’s softer and the songs go by quickly, it was a little harder to get into.  With repeated listens however, more and more songs make themselves apparent for the gems that they are.  I would have liked a bit more of variety, sonically speaking.  I don’t think I appreciate this album yet for the level of acclaim it gets.  I’m certainly more than willing to keep listening to it to see if I will!   

*Interestingly enough, I later learned that the title track was used in a commercial as well.  When it was featured in a successful ad campaign by Volkswagen in 1999, Drake posthumously sold more albums in one week than the entire time he was alive.                           

Phrenology – The Roots

            I wanted to do an album by the Roots and this one in particular had caught my eye.  I recognized the title and cover as referring to a branch of science once popular in the early 19^th century.  Though it is considered pseudoscience today, scientists once believed the brain to be divided into separate parts, with each one responsible for a specific function.  I caught this somewhat literate reference having taken psychology 101 in college.  Since it looked promising, I decided to give this album a try.

            Track one is a short, but decent intro.  The title, Phrentrow, is a creative portmanteau of the words phrenology and intro.  Track two is shorter as well.  Unlike track one however, I find it to be less creative possessing a more straightforward, repetitive nature.  Three is a half minute of loud, punk rock jamming which I could have done with out.  I really don’t see its purpose as it adds nothing to the album.  Track number four, Sacrifice, could be considered the first full song.  It’s a nice, slightly laid back number featuring Nelly Furtado.  I enjoyed Black Thought’s rap particularly the Eric Clapton reference.  As I listen to this piece, I am thinking of how to best classify this group which sounds like a fusion between hip-hop, R&B, and a smoother, more orchestrated sound.  Song number five is Rolling With Heat.  I liked this one as well.  The music had a decent, funky groove to it and the rap was, again, solid.  I should mention this album also has extensive (almost excessive) liner notes including dates songs were conceived, dates songs were completed, and random factoids, some of which are interesting, others pointless/bizarre.  Track six, however, is perhaps my favorite thus far!  Lasting exactly 60 seconds, it consists of a list of influential names in the hip-hop genre rattled off over an instrumental groove.  Rather than having just one vocal line, this piece utilizes multiple overdubs resulting in a type of vocal collage as 230 names are rolled off in the span of a minute.  I thought this song was done in a creative way that makes it one of their more artistic pieces.  

            Track seven is more straightforward, sounding a little more old school.  This group is definitely hip-hop, but more artistic and with more studio trickery.  It is certainly better than most of the hip-hop/rap that I’ve heard (especially lately).  Eight, The Seed 2.0, is the catchiest thing I’ve heard so far.  Just as I suspected, it is one of two singles taken from this album.  Again the groove they use seems to be more of a retro shuffle.  For this song Black Thought is assisted by Cody ChesnuTT.  As for the lyrics, lets just say they’re not exactly family appropriate.  Track nine is a little more relaxed, but catchy as well.  This song has a laid back, slow jam feel brought on by, among other things, a muted, retro synth that sounds almost like it could be played by Donald Fagen.  There’s an enjoyable ending as well with a slow two-minute instrumental before fading out.  This album is even more impressive when considering the hard-to-believe fact that it’s been almost ten years since it was released in 2002.  Water is the tenth track, a ten-minute track divided into three parts.  The first part goes back to the rots of hip-hop once again.  The lyrics describe what The Roots had to overcome in order to achieve success.  Rather than merely rapping about himself/his group however, ?uestlove goes deeper, exploring some of the external factors, including the social issues which sometimes interfere with a rise to fame.  The second part is one of the most experimental sections of the album.  This is one of my favorite tracks, and sonically, one of the deepest (and they say in the liner notes that they rejected one of the more cryptic versions of this track)!  Add guest guitarist James “Blood Ulmer” and you have a track that’s not just great hip-hop, but songwriting at it’s finest. 

 

            Eleven provides a bit of a sonic break as more of a vocal-driven piece.  Again the lyrics talk about how skilled The Roots are and how other acts can’t help but imitate them (typical in this genre of music).  Track twelve is another example of The Roots doing what they do best.  Their sound is once again laid back featuring, what else, an old school sample.  The vocals have a good flow, discussing the subject of fornication with women, another popular subject matter for this (and really most for that matter) genre.  Thirteen is decent as well.  The song is a slower ballad featuring Jill Scott.  Scott’s vocals are fantastic!  ?uestlove’s rap sounds like, dare I say, LL Cool J.  I enjoyed this smoother song as it displays The Roots’ ability for sonic diversity.  Track fourteen is the closing track and what a finale it is!  This is one of the heaviest tracks and certainly gives the listener the most to think about.  The lyrics are written and spoken by controversial poet Amiri Baraka.  I love the form and style of this song.  It’s construction as a spoken word piece with musical accompaniment is very artistic in nature.  It could almost be considered an art song.  Most importantly, it leaves the listener with something to think about which is exactly what a concluding track should do. 

 

            There are four hidden tracks on this album.  Tracks fifteen and sixteen contain twenty seconds of silence each.  I honestly haven’t the faintest idea why.  Seventeen is a track so hidden; even my CD player couldn’t find it.  Indeed, it wasn’t until I ripped the CD onto my computer that I heard it.  The track wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary by Roots’ standards.  It did break off into a second, divergent section toward the end before returning to the first, which was interesting.  The last track is seven seconds long, containing a single blip before the album ends.                

 

A Love Supreme – John Coltrane

            

            I was eager to listen to this album as it is not only considered to be one of Coltrane’s best, but one of the seminal cornerstones of the entire Jazz genre.  Coltrane is one of the most well known and highly influential Jazz musicians.  He rose to prominence in the mid to late 50s while playing for such Jazz greats as Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.  After proving his ability with these acts to wide critical acclaim, he signed to recently founded Impulse records and formed his own quartet in the early 60s.  A Love Supreme was one of two albums Coltrane recorded in 1964, both spiritual in nature.  I usually don’t think of Jazz in a spiritual context, but in reality, this makes perfect sense.  After all, Jazz developed from, among many other diverse sources, the Spiritual itself.  To give you an idea of how the music industry has changed since the mid 60s, this album was recorded on December 9^th of 1964 in a single session.  It was released less then two months later.  From this time up through today, its impact has been both far-reaching and powerful.  Not only critically acclaimed, it is adored by the public as well.  Needless to say, I wanted to find out why people hold for this work, A Love Supreme. 

            The Album is set up as a four-part suite.  The first side contains two tracks, Acknowledgement followed by Resolution.  Acknowledgement starts off with a brief introduction.  This consists of Coltrane playing over ringing cymbals and tremolo piano chords, which sets up a kind of anticipation.  Soon after, Jimmy Garrison comes in on bass, introducing the album’s main theme, a short four-note riff.  The rest of the band then joins in with Coltrane at the forefront.  Coltrane’s solo, the only extended one in this track, is superb.  Not only does he utilize a large dynamic range, he displays an intense ferocity, trying desperately to fit in all of his notes.  Another thing I noticed was his penchant for modal experimentation undoubtedly learned during his tenure with Miles Davis’s quintet.  As he fades away playing the album’s four-note theme, the track takes a surprising turn.  His voice can be heard taking over as he sings the title of the album on this same four-note theme.  I honestly wasn’t expecting to hear vocals on this Jazz album so it provided me with a nice surprise.  This theme is sung for a couple eights before fading away.  Soon the other instruments take this cue slowly fading away as well, one by one, until the bass player finishes the track’s final notes. 

          Track two, Resolution, starts off just how the first one ended, with bass only.  This is an excellent technique as it provides cohesiveness for the album.  This makes perfect sense as the album is set up as one four-movement suite.  Unexpectedly, a wall of sound crashes in as the whole band takes over.  This piece takes on a moderate, moving tempo as well.  I would identify the overall sound of this album as being hybrid.  Sometimes the band conveys the harder sound of be-bop at other times the relaxed feel of cool.  Unlike the first track, this one features more of the different quartet members including a delightful piano solo by McCoy Tyner.  Through this solo he continues the modal exploration begun by Coltrane in the first track.  After this, Coltrane comes in with a solo of his own.  One of the things that makes Coltrane’s playing so impressive is his ability to play long lines and keep on going.  In addition, he packs each line with so many notes; it’s a wonder he can breathe at all!  As the quartet ends the piece, it’s interesting to note how they all work together as a cohesive unit, even through the last note.  This track is probably my favorite, in part due to the strength of its primary theme.

            Side two is made up of parts three and four, which appear as a single track.  Part three, Pursuance, starts off with a drum solo, just one of the many unexpected things which makes this album so great.  Coltrane then cuts in on tenor as if he can’t wait to start.  Soon, Tyner takes over on piano, this time displaying more be-bop tendencies with a faster, more melodic solo.  Coltrane then comes back to the forefront once again launching into another one of his intense solos.  In this movement, the solos seem to get progressively better.  It’s almost as if each player is building on the others, excitedly trying to out do the last.  As Coltrane continues, he picks up the pace making this movement the fastest one.  Again, his playing is remarkably fast paced and includes frenzied, choppy phrases, as he urgently tries to fit in all of the notes.  He pushes the sound of his tone, as if feverishly extolling a higher power.  Like his playing earlier in the movement, he alludes to the four-note theme.  This time, however, it is less recognizable as he gets further away from it.  Eventually, he winds down, letting Elvin Jones take over on drums.  This solo provides a sort of transition to the fourth and final movement, Psalm.  As the drummer fades away, the bass player takes over.  Unlike the rest of the album, his playing is quite soft.  In fact, the playing is so quiet; it almost requires the listener to turn up the volume in order to be heard.  This calm style of playing seems intriguingly out of place.  As he continues, he just barely hints at the four-note theme before experimenting with different modes, playing it in a sequence.  Gradually, the other band members start to come in, slowly building tension.  Tyner begins rolling the timpani drums, further adding to this tension.  Then Coltrane comes in, beautifully developing a deliberately measured line.  As the band continues to play, the feeling that is created is one of suspense.  They continue exploit this mysterious sound for over six minutes, expertly building tension the whole way through.  Finally, Coltrane finishes his line with the band joining him on the last chord dramatically ending the piece.  This method of ending the suite was a risky one that paid off exponentially.  As a result, not only is the music powerful in its intensity, it is fashioned in an astonishingly creative way.