Hello again and welcome back to America’s favorite new music and movie release publication.
It’s where the gap between the most listed and the least heard and seen grows ever wider.
(That made sense in my head but I’m not sure it does on paper.)
Let’s try it again:
It’s where the gap between the listed and the heard and seen grows ever wider.
Somebody out there’s gotta know what I’m talking about.
It’s where the ‘tried and true’ mix with the ‘new and unheard’.
Unfortunately, it happens with everybody, the older you get the ‘tried and true’ often fall to the wayside. Multitudes of things happen. Bands disband, group members leave, singers lose their once golden voices, bands continue with fewer and fewer original members. People stop listening to what was once ‘new’.
That’s why I have never subscribed to the ‘hip’ and ‘now’. Instead, I subscribe to ‘who speaks to me’.
It’s true with every generation of music. What’s ‘hip’ and ‘now’ will always eventually be yesterday’s news. For the hip publications of today who rag on bands like Big Country and the Smithereens and the Smashing Pumpkins and the Goo Goo Dolls and Buffalo Tom and the BoDeans and so on and so on, are they somehow under the impression Coldplay, Radiohead and The Arcade Fire won’t one day be in the same category? Each younger generation will always relegate the bands before them as their parents music.
But, sounds change too. You pretty much can’t hear anything by the Smashing Pumpkins and not think of the 90’s. Their most widely heard output came out in the decade of the 90’s. So maybe people move on. But, you know, you don’t have to.
The older I get the more I realize that music is just music. How else can I be listening to Americana-drenched Gillian Welch and metal legends Iron Maiden back-to-back in the same day? I can go from The Hooters to Metallica and not think twice about it.
It’s just music. Glorious music! God’s gift to the world! Truly the gift that keeps on giving, but in a good way!
I was recently listening to the new album by Foreigner called ‘Can’t Slow Down’. Now, there’s only one original member in the band at this point in the proceedings and that’s guitarist/songwriter Mick Jones. The rest of the band is made up of younger musicians but not by much. I’m guessing there’s roughly a 15 to 20 year age difference between Mick Jones and the rest of the band. In fact, two of the other members are Jeff Pilson, bassist of 80’s band Dokken and singer Kelly Hansen of the 80’s band Hurricane. Now, I listened to the album and naturally you think, well how good can this be? There’s only one original member! But, you know what? It’s pretty solid. Sure there are a fair share of cliches. But, it’s well performed, well produced and really well sung by Mr. Hansen. Is it Foreigner? Well, actually the answer is yes, I decided. It’s who Foreigner is now. In the legacy of this band called Foreigner who, at one time was one of the biggest bands of the late 70’s and 80’s.
So, what’s the point? The point is if you like it and it ‘speaks to you’ then that’s all that matters.
All the bands and artists are going to change and lose members and go through different styles and try on different hats and metamorphosis.
So, let’s review:
Some of my favorite bands are Big Country and the Smithereens and the Smashing Pumpkins and the Goo Goo Dolls (some of them even pick not so great names) and Radiohead and the Arcade Fire and Coldplay and King’s X and Marillion and Bruce Springsteen and Rush and U2 and all the bands I have mentioned on here through the years. But I also have newer favorites and am always looking for newer artists to explore.
Some bands, which I’m pretty new to, have actually been around for awhile. Like British band Gomez for example. I discovered them just two years ago, yet they have actually been around for twelve years. I’m looking forward to their new album out this month.
Newer artists I like and we’re not talking about flavor of the month new include The Gaslight Anthem and Regina Spektor and KT Tunstall and the Dresden Dolls and Amy MacDonald and Shinedown and Mutemath and Band of Horses and Mumford & Sons and Ezra Furman and One Eskimo and the Decemberists and Eisley and the Airborne Toxic Event and so on and so on. That was a lot of ‘ands’.
Right now the kids are digging on Lady Gaga. But, does anyone think she’s not going to one day be the next Madonna? Hey kids, she ‘is’ the next Madonna.
So, dig what you like. But, I say, go further. Dig what you have ‘always’ liked!
It will remind you of all those times both good and bad that will make you laugh, smile and cry. That time of first discovery and that time when you just couldn’t get enough of an artists’ music. And, maybe that’s why you keep listening to all the bands and artists that you’ve been listening to all along, because you simply can’t get enough! The bands and artists that ‘speak to you’ or ever 'spoke to you' are the bands and artists for all time!!!
Note: the upcoming and highly anticipated album of the reunited Jayhawks has been pushed back to September. Hey, I’m just the messenger. Don’t kill me. But, that’s the only September album I listed. If you’re like me, you’re trying to get this Summer to last as long as you can and I’m in no rush to get into the -ber months if you know what I mean. So, Summer it is.
May the Summer Fun Spectacular kick off!
And, oh yea, go see ‘Super 8’!
I’m about to blast out a Bay City Rollers album, so be forewarned! Just kidding.
S A T U R D A Y Night!
Recently released and not mentioned in last edition:
* Big Country - Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire 2011 (2 CD’s.) and Dreams Stay With You: Live in Edinburgh 2011 (2 CD’s/2 DVD’s; w/Mike Peters on lead vocals.)
* Coldplay - Every Teardrop is a Waterfall (new single.)
* Joseph Arthur - The Graduation Ceremony
* The Head and the Heart - S/T
* Israel Nash Gripka - Missouri EP (United for Joplin charity.)
* The Midwinters - EP
* Minus the Bear - Hold Me Down EP
* Andrea Nardello - My Aeroplane
* David Olnay - Film Noir EP
* Riley Etheridge, Jr. - Powder Keg
* Rachael Platten - Be Here
* Kaiser Chiefs - The Future is Medieval
* Tres Mountains - S/T (Doug Pinnick/Jeff Ament side project.)
* Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse & Paul Gilbert - One More Night in NYC: Beatles’ tribute (2 CD’s.)
* ZZ Top - Live in Germany 1980
* Johnnette Napolitano - Rough Mix (book.)
* Guster - Road Journal 1999-2003 (book.)
+ Sound It Out (documentary about a British record store.)
6/7
* Carolina Chocolate Drops - Heritage (compilation.)
* The Vines - Future Primitive
* Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator
* Sam Phillips - Solid State
* Madeleine Peyroux - Standin’ on the Rooftop
* Mary Bragg - Tattoos & Bruises
* Sondre Lerche - S/T
* Anathema - We’re Here Because We’re Here
* Black Lips - Arabia Mountain
* The Postelles - S/T
* Givers - In Light
* Adelita’s Way - Home School Valedictorian
* All Time Low - Dirty Work
* The Wooden Birds - Two Matchsticks
* Matt Bauer - The Jessamine County of the Living
* Jill Andrews - The Mirror
* Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
* Esmirine - La Lechuza
* Duncan Sheik - Covers 80’s
* Chris Difford - Cashmere if You Can
* David Bowie - Golden Years EP
* Peter Murphy - Ninth
* Battles - Gloss Drop
* Cults - S/T
* Dawes - Nothing is Wrong
* Givers - In Light
* Nick 13 - S/T
* Bedouin Soundclash - Light the Horizon
* City and Colour - Little Hell
* Farewell Drifters - Echo Boom
* Rosebuds - Loud Planes Fly Low
* Daniel Isaiah - High Twilight
* Ronnie Dunn - S/T
* Matthew Barber - S/T
* Tricia Brock - The Road
* Joe Ely - Satisfied at Last
* Larry Carlton - Plays the Sound of Philadelphia
* Joe Jackson - Live Music
* Bruce Hornsby - Bride of the Noisemakers: Live
* Depeche Mode - Remixes 2: 1981-2011 (3 CD’s.)
* Saga - Heads Or Tales: Live (Import.)
* Montrose - S/T (reissue.)
* Alice Cooper - Old School: 1964-1974 (Box set.)
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It’s a Corporate World
* Paul Simon - a few Deluxe editions
+ Def Leppard - Mirrorball: Live (2 CD’s/1 DVD.)
+ Whitesnake - Live at Donington 1990
+ AC/DC - Let There Be Rock: 30th Anniversary
+ True Grit
+ Sanctum
+ Just Go With It
+ Another Year
+ The Company Men
+ Rubber
6/14
* Jon Anderson - Survival & Other Stories
* Neil Young - A Treasure: Live in 1984/85
* Ziggy Marley - Wild and Free
* Peter Bradley Adams - Between Us
* Marissa Nadler - S/T
* Emmy the Great – Iris
* Jackie Evancho - Dream With Me
* Fair to Midland - Arrows & Anchors
* Dark Mean – S/T
* Dear Hunter - The Color Spectrum
* Vetiver - The Errant Charm
* Sons and Daughters - Mirror Mirror
* Blackie & the Rodeo Kings - Kings and Queens (Many guest female singers.)
* Pat Metheny – What's It All About
* Jeff Healy Band - Live at Grossman’s 1994
+ Red Riding Hood
+ Battle: Los Angeles
+ Kill the Irishman
+ Hall Pass
+ The Concert
6/21
* Gomez - Whatever’s on Your Mind
* Centromatic - Candidate Waltz
* Laura Cantrell - Kitty Wells Dresses
* Sarah Nixey - Brave Tin Soldiers
* August Burns Red – Leveler
* Jim Lauderdale - Reason & Rhyme
* James Maddock - Wake Up and Dream
* Gavin Friday – Catholic
* Bon Iver – S/T
* Dave Alvin - Eleven Eleven
* Liam Finn - Fear of Missing Out
* Ingram Hill - Blue Room Afternoon
* The Trews - Live from Montreal (download only.)
* Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Last Smoke before the Snowstorm (Import.)
* Dave Stewart - The Blackbird Diaries
* Night Ranger - Somewhere in California (a return to their 80’s sound.)
* George Lynch - Kill All Control
* Weird Al Yankovic – Alpocalype
* Peter Tosh - Equal Rights (Deluxe edition.)
* Tony MacAlpine - S/T
* Chicago - Live in Concert 1993
+ Less Than Jake - Anthology
+ The Adjustment Bureau
+ Unknown
+ The Eagle
+ Bending All the Rules
+ Cedar Rapids
+ Happy Thank You More Please
6/28
* Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest
* Queensryche – Dedicated to Chaos
* Derek Webb and Sarah McCracken - TN EP
* Eilen Jewell - Queen of the Minor Key
* Marianne Faithful - Horses and High Heels
* Mighty Clouds - S/T
* America - Back Pages
* Rave on Buddy Holly: Tribute
* David Cook - This Loud Morning (CD/DVD.)
* Richard Thompson - Live at the BBC (Box set.)
* Thievery Corporation - Culture of Fear
* Riverside - Memories in my Head EP
* Rock the Cradle: Dreamin’ with Def Leppard (New Children’s series featuring original artists.)
+ Lord of the Rings trilogy (Extended versions on Blu-ray.)
+ Season of the Witch
+ Beastly
+ Barney’s Version
+ Bloodworth
+ The Warrior’s Way
+ Sucker Punch
7/5
* The Old 97’s - Grand Theatre, Vol. 2
* Radiohead - The King of Limbs remixes
* Basement - I Wish I Could Stay Here
* Steve Cropper – Dedicated
* Gardens and Villa - S/T
+ Ironclad
+ Of Gods and Men
7/12
* Yes - Fly From Here (produced by Trevor Horn; new singer Benoit David w/Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Geoff Downes & Alan White.)
* John Wetton - Raised in Captivity
* Incubus - If Not Now, When?
* Theory of a Deadman - The Truth Is
* Alkaline Trio - Damnesia
* Sepultura - Kairos
* William Elliott Whitmore - Field Songs
* Vanessa Carlton - Rabbits on the Run
* Kasey Chambers - Little Bird
* Samantha Fish - Runaway
* Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer
* Imelda May – Mayhem
* Ashton Shepherd - Where Country Grows
* Amy Stroup – The Other Side of Love Sessions
* Ronnie Vannucci – Big Talk
* Fair to Midland - Arrows and Anchors
* Roger Glover - If Life was Easy
* George Thorogood - 2120 S. Michigan Ave.
* R.E.M. - Life’s Rich Pageant (Deluxe.)
* Tesla - Twisted Wires
* Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying? (Deluxe.)
* Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 soundtrack
+ Foo Fighters - Back and Forth (Tour documentary.)
+ The Lincoln Lawyer
+ Insidious
+ Miral
7/15
+ Rango
+ Arthur
7/19
* Burlap to Cashmere - S/T
* The Summer Set - Everything’s Fine
* Amy LaVere - Stranger Me
* Richard Youngs - Amplifying Hosts
* Anni Rossi - Heavy Meadow
* Jenny O. - Home
* Tom Morello & Nightwatchman - Union Town
* 311 - Universal Pulse
* Cold - Superfiction
* They Might Be Giants - Join Us
* Spiro - Lightbox
* Portugal the Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud
* Memories of Machines - Warm Winter
* Fink - Perfect Darkness
* David Rotheray - Life of Birds
* Mike Zito - Greyhound
* REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity (30th anniversary Deluxe.)
+ Limitless
+ Take Me Home Tonight
+ Postiche
7/26
* The BoDeans - Indigo Dreams
* Joss Stone - LP1
* Aretha Franklin - 30 Greatest Hits (2 CD’s.)
* All Shall Perish - This is Where it Ends
* The Living End - The Ending is just the Beginning Repeating
* The Horrors - Skying
* Eric Church - Chief
* Vince Gill - Guitar Slinger
* Jimmie Vaughn - More Blues, Ballads & Favorites
* Queen - a few Deluxe editions
+ Source Code
+ Trust
+ Winter in Wartime
+ Life During Wartime
+ Mao’s Last Dancer
+ Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
8/2
* Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full of Holes
* O.A.R. - King
* Puddle of Mudd - Re: (disc) overed (Covers project.)
* Mat Kearney - Young Love
* Brian Keenan - Today This Year
* Keb Mo - The Reflection
* Kenny Wayne Shepherd - How I Go
* Himalayan Bear - Hard Times
* The Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (Deluxe.)
+ Jewel - Essential Live Songbook
+ The Music Never Stopped
+ Soul Surfer
+ The Perfect Game
8/9
* Trivium - In Waves
* The Beach Boys - Smile Sessions
+ Paul
+ Your Highness
+ Super
+ The Last Godfather
+ Mars Needs Moms
+ The Fox and the Hound
8/16
* Blue October - Any Man in America
* Cut Off Your Hands - Hollow
* Ollabelle - Neon Blue Bird
* Maria Taylor - Overlook
* Jeff Bridges - S/T (actor.)
* O Brother, Where Art Thou - Deluxe soundtrack
+ The Grace Card
+ The Conspirator
+ Hoodwinked Too
+ The Big Lebowski (Blu-ray.)
8/23
* 12 Stones - Only Human
* Black Tide - Post Mortem
* Don Airey - All Out
* Airrace - Back to the Start
8/30
* Red Hot Chili Peppers - I’m With You
* Edwin McCain - Mercy Bound
* Juliana Hatfield - Speeches Delivered to Animals and Plants
* Lenny Kravitz - Black and White America
* Gabe Dixon - One Spark
* John Doe - Keeper
* Beirut - The Rip Tide
* Tommy Keene - Behind the Parade
+ The 5th Quarter
9/20
* The Jayhawks - Mockingbird Time
LYRICS of the MONTH:
“All I waited for
Was a chance to make you understand
And tell you these forgotten truths you never thought were real
And if the world should turn its back, you know that I'm still here
Time won't ever steal my soul
We're not broken, so please come home
Morning comes, and life moves on
And when it changed, you didn't know you belong
And I'll still catch you when you fall through a past that steals your sleep
And scroll these words upon your wall remind you to believe
Time won't ever steal my soul
We're not broken, so please come home
And if the world has worn you down
I'll be waiting, so please come homeI won't let them break you down
And I won't hear the empty sounds
I'm hopelessly pretending that I know the answer
Angel's light and neon fires that burn so cold through your desires
And all you are is all I need to know
When the world is insane
You get used to the pain
And you don't even know what you feel
And I am like you, all alone and confused
But you know it's not forever
Time won't ever steal my soul
And we're not broken, so please come home
And if the world has worn you down
I'll be waiting, so please come home.”
John Rzeznik (The Goo Goo Dolls), the song 'Notbroken' from the album Something for the Rest of Us released in 2010.
Have a Great Summer!!!
See you in July.
Chris Barlow
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