Saturday Throwback: Dr. Dre's The Chronic

I picked up Dr. Dre's The Chronic the in the summer of 1992 during a mock boot camp I attended for JROTC. Those two weeks were absolute hell, but I was able to escape at night listening to this album on my discman. I rocked The Chronic for the rest of the summer, and into the fall and winter as well. The album marked Dre's first solo attempt since his split with N.W.A., and is widely regarded as the album that marked gangsta rap or "g-funk" as a viable money maker for major labels, as well as putting the genre mainstream. This album also helped launch the careers of many artists, Snoop Dog and Nate Dogg especially. The Chronic is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential albums of the 1990s, and I for one won't disagree.

For your ears -
Dr Dre: Nuthin' But A G Thang
Dr. Dre: Let Me Ride
Dr. Dre: Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat
from the album The Chronic (buy it)

For your eyes -
Dr. Dre's video for "Fuck Wit Dre Day"

Dr. Dre's Website

Friday Five - I'm Going In, Cover Me

I have been a bad blogger as of late. Chalk it up to sickness and a bad case of the "fuck its". I promise not to be such a bad boy. Anyhow, it's Friday, so here's your covers.

For your ears -
Social Distortion: Under My Thumb (Rolling Stones cover)
Nina Gordon: One More Night (Phil Collins cover)
Dixie Chicks: Top of the World (Patty Griffin cover)
Damien Rice: Creep (Radiohead cover)
James Eric: Sexyback (Justin Timberlake cover)
support these artists by buying their albums

For your eyes -
The Fray covering Weezer's "(Undone) The Sweater Song"

"What would Jay Z do?"

Australian native Ben Lee's new album, Ripe, hits stores early last week. I've listened to the album briefly, and can't say that I am entirely impressed with it. Ripe is a decent pop album, but that is about it. If I need a Ben Lee fix, I'll stick to 2005's Awake is the New Sleep.

For your ears -
Ben Lee: What Would Jay Z Do?
Ben Lee: Numb
Ben Lee: Sex Without Love
from the album Ripe (buy it)

For your eyes -
Ben Lee's video for "Love Me Like the World is Ending"

Ben Lee's Website, MySpace

"Yeah I'm loopy loopy loopy over a love"

Sometimes you hear a band and you enjoy their music, but you kind of forget about them afterwards. This was the case with The Brunettes. I saw them open for Rilo Kiley back in 2005, and thoroughly enjoyed their show, but never followed up on procuring their music afterwards. I finally went on a sampling spree after reading an article about them and picked up their new album, Structures and Cosmetics, plus a few songs from their earlier albums. The New Zealand indie pop band, consisting of Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield, have been performing together since 1998. Pick up their latest, it's a damn fine time.

For your ears -
The Brunettes - Loopy Loopy Love
from the album Mars Loves Venus (buy it)
The Brunettes - Cotton Candy
from the album Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks (buy it)
The Brunettes - Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth
The Brunettes - If You Were Alien
from the album Structures and Cosmetics (buy it)

For your eyes -
The Brunettes video for "Her Hairagami Set"

The Brunettes's Website, MySpace

Saturday Throwback: Tori Amos' Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos' second album, which saw her going from the mess that was Y Kant Tori Read to the "girl and a piano" shtick (as Atlantic Records called it), is still her best piece of work in my opinion. Little Earthquakes is a raw, moving piece of work about identity, sexual assault, sexual awakening, religion, and finding strength in disappointment. From the powerful fury of "Precious Things" to the playfulness of "Leather", I think this album has something for everyone and should be a must in anyone's collection.

For your ears -
Tori Amos: Precious Things
Tori Amos: Girl
Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos: Silent All These Years
from the album Little Earthquakes (buy it)

For your eyes -
Tori Amos' video for "China"


Tori Amos' Website, MySpace

Friday Five - Cover Your Mouth!

I am hella sick, and it's Friday, so it means a little less conversation and a lot more covers. Enjoy.

For your ears -
Dawn Landes: Young Folks (Peter Bjorn and John cover)
Bjork & PJ Harvey: Satisfaction (Rolling Stones cover)
Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins: Handle With Care (Traveling Wilburys cover)
Live: I Walk The Line (Johnny Cash cover)
Tori Amos: Enjoy The Silence (Depeche Mode cover)
support these artists by buying their music

For your eyes -
Rilo Kiley covering Pete Townsend's "Let My Love Open The Door" live in Seattle.

Review: Rilo Kiley w/ Grand Ole Party, Jonathan Rice @ The Phoenix 9/18/07

Rilo Kiley's show last night at The Phoenix in Toronto was an extremely well put together show. From their opening number, "It's a Hit", to their closing number "Does He Love You", Rilo Kiley rocked the crowd. The band played a good mix of songs from all four releases, as well as a reworking of lead singer Jenny Lewis' "Rise Up With Fists" that was even better than the original. Rilo Kiley's live act is impeccable, and even made me fall in love with the songs from the new album that I can't stand ("15", "Smoke Detector"). If the band comes near your town, spend the $20 to see them, it's well worth it.

Grand Ole Party opened the concert, and dare I say, almost stole the show from Rilo Kiley. The three piece act from San Diego, California was upbeat, engaging, and I dug every single song they played. Drummer and front woman Kristin can sing, and reminds me a bit of a saner Karen O. Their debut album, Humanimals, was produced by Rilo Kiley guitarist Blake Sennet. The album is currently only available on Itunes and at shows, but I highly recommend picking it up when it hits stores.

I have nothing good to say about Jonathan Rice, who almost killed my concert buzz going on between G.O.P. and Rilo. His songs were trite, his voice awful, his band looked like he had picked them off the street, and his stoner bantering between songs were soul-crushing. Two big thumbs down to Jonathan Rice.

For your ears -
Grand Ole Pary: Bad Bad Man
Grand Ole Party: Insane
from the album Humanimals (buy it)

For your eyes -
Grand Ole Party performing "Roll On Down" at The Casbah in San Diego 1/5/07

Grand Ole Party's MySpace

"C'mon boy, tell me what you're thinking now"

There is a great influx these days of feisty, upbeat Euro girls with indie leanings. Kate Nash is in that pool, using her MySpace to score herself a record deal from across the Atlantic. If you tend to like artists such as Soko, Amy Winehouse, and Lily Allen you'll enjoy Kate Nash and should pick up her debut album, Made of Bricks.

For your ears -
Kate Nash: Foundations
Kate Nash: Mouthwash
Kate Nash: Birds
From the album Made of Bricks (buy it)

For your eyes -
Kate Nash's video for "Caroline's A Victim"

Kate Nash's Website, MySpace

As a sidenote, I have 2 hours til Rilo Kiley goes onstage at the Phoenix Theatre here in Toronto. Cross your fingers for me that they play mostly older material. Look for a full review tomorrow.

Go Betty Go!

Go Betty Go is a pop punk band from Glendale, California that has been performing together since 2001. The group, consisting of Emily Wynne-Hughes (vocals), Aixa Vilar (drums), Betty Cisneros (guitar) and Michelle Rangel (bass) has some ska influence to them as well as performing some songs in Spanish. The group is currently working on a new album, and doing various shows in their area. Go Betty Go material is all upbeat and bouncy and I highly recommend picking up their album Nothing is More, as well as their EP Your Worst Enemy.

For your ears -
Go Betty Go: Saturday (highly recommended)
Go Betty Go: Ticking Bombs
from the album Nothing is More (buy it)
Go Betty Go: C'mon (highly recommended)
Go Betty Go: It's Too Bad
from the EP Your Worst Enemy (buy it)

For your eyes -
Go Betty Go's video for "C'mon"


Go Betty Go's Website, MySpace

Nestle in my boobies...

Straight from the back alleys of Atlanta comes the post-punk grrl group The Coathangers. The group is a hot mess of silly lyrics, fast guitar riffs, and the occasional round of hand claps. They've released their debut, available on Itunes, and I've found it quite entertaining so far. They have some songs available for download on their MySpace and the band's bio there should give you a little insight into what you're getting yourself into:
"It all began in that dimly lit back ally in the summer of 2006. It was there that four ladies of leisure, bound by circumstance, joined forces to disorganize rock and/or roll. Forged from the blood of aborted fetuses and risen from the ashes of blunt roaches...Coathangers will devour your immortal soul. Who's in? You?? If you said no, fuck your dad...your mom's alright. "
So, if you want some post-punk that will remind you a bit of Sleater-Kinney (if they were incredibly stoned), check out The Coathangers.

For your ears -
The Coathangers: Nestle in my Boobies
The Coathangers: Parking Lot
The Coathangers: Shut The Fuck Up
The Coathangers: Don't Touch My Shit!
buy The Coathangers' EPs and merchandise here

For your eyes -
The Coathangers performing "Never Wanted You" @ The EARL in Atlanta 2/14/07

The Coathanger's Website, MySpace

Saturday Throwback: Live's Throwing Copper

Throwing Copper was released four days before my birthday in 1994, and is one of a handful of albums that really marks my teenage years for me. The album was the sophomore release from Live, and has been the band's most commercially successful record to date. Almost every track on this record is exceptional, especially "Pillar of Davidson" which goes down in my book as one of the best rock ballads ever. Throwing Copper has never stayed out of my rotation, give it a spin.

For your ears -
Live: Pillar of Davidson
Live: I Alone
Live: Selling The Drama
from the album Throwing Copper (buy it)

For your eyes -
Live's video for "Lightning Crashes"

Live's Website, MySpace

Friday Five - Duck and Cover!

It's Friday, which means you get a fresh serving of five cover songs. If you enjoy covers as much as I do, you should check out Copy, Right? which is nothing but great cover songs. Enjoy!

For your ears -
The Gossip: Are U That Somebody (Aaliyah cover)
Rilo Kiley: Such Great Heights (Postal Service cover)
The Watson Twins: I Summon You (Spoon cover)
KT Tunstall: Get Your Freak On (Missy Elliot cover)
Reel Big Fish: Take On Me (A-ha cover)
support these artists by buying their music

For your eyes -
Rose Cousins and Rose Polenzani cover Feist's "The Park"

"Leave it all to me, I will do the right thing"

I never really paid much attention to KT Tunstall when she first came out commercially. Her first single "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" drove me nuts whenever it came on the radio or one of the various music channels, and I'd scream and turn the dial. I picked up her new album, Drastic Fantastic (due out September 18th) on a whim, as I like the first single off the album, "Hold On". Color me surprised as I like every single tune on this record. KT is making more than radio friendly pop here, and I may have to go back and grab her first record as well. A solid, fun listen from start to finish, I highly recommend picking this one up.

For your ears -
KT Tunstall: Saving My Face
KT Tunstall: Beauty of Uncertainty
KT Tunstall: Someday Soon
KT Tunstall: Hopeless
from the album Drastic Fantastic (buy it)

For your eyes -
KT Tunstall's video for "Hold On"

KT Tunstall's Website, MySpace

Chalk it up as a loss.

PJ Harvey's new album, White Chalk, hits U.S. stores on October 2nd. Let me save you some trouble if you thought about buying this album: DON'T DO IT. I am a huge fan of most of PJ's work. White Chalk however is a huge pile of ugly. Off-key, high pitched warbling is a staple of every single track, along with some half-assed piano playing. If you're looking for an album like To Bring You My Love, or Rid of Me, look elsewhere. White Chalk isn't fit for anyone's ears.

For your ears -
Don't believe me? Try it for yourself.
PJ Harvey: When Under Ether
PJ Harvey: Before Departure
from the album White Chalk (buy it if you must)
Now, back when things were good....
PJ Harvey & Thom Yorke: This Mess We're In

For your eyes -
PJ Harvey's video for "Down By The Water"


PJ Harvey's Website

"When I kiss the angel, I have a taste of you"

Kristin Hersh has decided to take matters into her own hands. Her company, ThrowingMusic, has decided to stop effing around with the big labels and distributors and put the music directly at the fans fingertips. From their website:

"ThrowingMusic is happy to announce an entirely new musical endeavor. We're calling it the Coalition of Artists & Stake Holders, or the "CASH Music Project". CASH Music represents a new music business model which we hope you'll not only support but also help us shape, by sharing with us your thoughts, suggestions & opinions.Over the next couple of weeks, we will come to you with a new kind of offering from Kristin. We're planning lots of great new content, including a brand-new studio recording posted to Kristin's blog every month - free of charge.We're committed to not holding music hostage, the music will be free. We’ll be asking for donations and offer you the opportunity to subscribe to Kristin’s career – past, present and future.The business of music clearly needs an overhaul. We're going to present our ideas - and with your help, we'll endeavor to create a sustainable, fair-trade music business model.This will be a strictly independent and self-sustaining venture -- for better or for worse. No record label, no distributor, no middle-man -- just Kristin, the songs and you.We're hoping to finally take the leap and see what all of us together, as a small but enthusiastic community of 'stake-holders' can do for ourselves."

I think this is an exceptional idea, and hope that it pans out for Kristin.

For your ears -
Kristin Hersh: Me and My Charms (Strings Version)
Kristin Hersh ft. Michael Stipe: Your Ghost
from the album Hips and Makers (buy it)

For your eyes -
Kristin Hersh's video for "In Shock" from her latest album Learn to Sing Like A Star

Kristin Hersh's Website

"Tell me what beat fills the night"

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs played a private show here in Toronto on Friday, as part of the Film Festival going on over the weekend. They are unfortunately not on tour right now, but are working on a new album. In the meantime, they released Is Is, a five song EP that is pure rock bliss from start to finish. Karen O. can do no wrong in my book, see if you agree.

For your ears -
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Down Boy
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Rockers to Swallow
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Kiss Kiss
from the EP Is Is (Buy It)

For your eyes -
Yeah Yeah Yeah's video for "10x10"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Website, MySpace

"When I turn around and walk away, you'll cry, cry, cry"

Cry Cry Cry was a folk supergroup, consisting of Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky, and Dar Williams. The band released a single eponymous album of cover songs on October 13, 1998. The group took its name from Johnny Cash's first popular song. I have always been a fan of Dar William's voice, and her and Lucy Kaplansky harmonize beautifully. Check it out:

For your ears -
Cry Cry Cry: Fall On Me
Cry Cry Cry: Shades of Gray
Cry Cry Cry: I Know What Kind of Love This Is
Cry Cry Cry: Speaking With The Angel
from the album Cry Cry Cry (Buy It)

For your eyes -
Lucy Kaplansky singing "The Kid" from the Cry Cry Cry album.

Dar William's Website
Lucy Kaplansky's Website
Richard Shindell's Website

Throwback Saturday: Weezer's Pinkerton

It's hard for me to believe that I first picked up Pinkerton almost 11 years ago as a freshman in college. What is also hard for me to believe is that Rivers Cuomo is embarrassed of the greatest work his band has done to date. Perhaps because the lyrics were too personal (he penned them all while recuperating from surgery), or because Pinkerton's initial sales were low compared to the success of The Blue Album, Cuomo has stood on the ground that the record should have never been made. Part diary entry, part concept album (based loosely around the opera Madame Butterfly) this is a sound rock record from start to finish. Cuomo's lyrics are at their best, and Matt Sharp's bass lines can't be beat (sadly, this was his last album with the band). As a huge Weezer fan I lament the fact that I'll probably never see another Pinkerton-type album from them.

For your ears -
from the Pinkerton album (buy it):
El Scorcho
The Good Life
Pink Triangle

For your eyes -
Weezer's video for "El Scorcho"


Weezer's Website, MySpace

Friday Five: Cover Me!

For this Friday, I present you with five cover songs from five female acts that I adore. Enjoy!

For your ears -
Kristin Hersh: Pennyroyal Tea (Nirvana cover)
Sleater-Kinney: More Than A Feeling (Boston cover)
Jem: Maybe I'm Amazed (Wings cover)
Katie Melua: Just Like Heaven (Cure cover)
Indigo Girls: Down By The River (Neil Young cover)
support these artists by buying their music

For your eyes -
Yeah Yeah Yeah's cover of Bjork's "Hyperballad" (in honor of their private show tonight in Toronto which I am lucky enough to attend)

Head Explodey!

The weather today has been unseasonably warm, my stomach unreasonably upset, and not too much has made me feel great today. As I still don't have access to my computer (damn you UPS man!), and I am feeling under the weather, I give you songs that make me feel better almost every time.

For your ears -
Feist: I Feel It All
Ben Lee: Catch My Disease
Bishop Allen: Things Are What You Make of Them
Kanye West: Homecoming
Support these artists by buying their music


For your eyes -
Coldplay's video for "Clocks"

"Your bones have been my bed frame and your flesh has been my pillow"

Ani Difranco is releasing a two-disc greatest hits collection, Canon, on September 11th. As an added bonus to fans, she re-made five songs for the record. As a long time fan of the little folksinger, I am throughly pleased with her re-workings of these favorites. Listen and judge for yourself.

For your ears -
Ani Difranco: Napoleon (new version)
Ani Difranco: Both Hands (new version)
Ani Difranco: Shameless (new version)
Ani Difranco: Overlap (new version)
Ani Difranco: Your Next Bold Move (new version)
from the greatest hits collection, Canon (Buy It)

For your eyes -
Ani performing "Studying Stones" live


Ani Difranco's Website, MySpace

Graduation Day

It's like mothereffing Christmas over here, as we finally got our grubby little hands on Kanye West's new album, Graduation. Simply put, it's freaking brilliant. If all hip hop sounded like this, I'd listen to nothing else. This is the hot ish kids, and I offer the entire thing up to y'all:

For your ears -
Kanye West: Graduation (full album)
order it and keep 50 Cent off the street

For your eyes -
Kanye West's video for "Can't Tell Me Nothing"


Kanye's Website

"When our hearts meet, I know you see"

Most of the good music in my life has come from my girlfriend's suggestion. Today's entry is also the case (thank you darlin'). Plumb is a singer songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee who has released seven albums since coming onto the music scene in 1997. Plumb started out as a contemporary christian band, until lead singer Tiffany Lee went solo in 2000, retained the group's name, and went more mainstream. Lee has written several songs for artists such as Michelle Branch, Kimberly Locke, and Mandy Moore, while managing to put out new material every few years. Insightful lyrics and a crisp voice make Plumb extremely enjoyable to listen to. Plumb's new album Blink comes out in October, and I for one can't wait to give it a listen.

For your ears -
Plumb: Cut
Plumb: Damaged
Plumb: Better
buy Plumb albums here

For your eyes -
Plumb's video for "Cut"


Plumb's Website, MySpace

"Nineties on Your Side"

The Sweet Homewreckers are an up-and-coming band from Ontario that has recently caught my ear. The bio on their webpage sums them up perfectly:

"If it's true that there is a tendency for young bands to wear their influences on their sleeves, the Sweet Homewreckers evidently can't decide which shirt to throw on. Formed in the small university town of Peterborough, ON, the Sweet Homewreckers are six-piece rock and roll outfit. They're tight enough to show the contours, but loose enough to let you move around. Take your basic two guitars, bass and drums, and throw in some horns for added appeal. As for the contents of their closet, the ensemble is quite eclectic. Their music has been described as harkening to the days of ..Halifax East-coast pop, with a long awaited nod to early Beulah.. included therein, and a fine mix of soft pop influences with hints of sweet 60s styles. Truth be told, it's hard to peg this band down, and as fans of anything-goes independent rock and/or roll, these young players couldn't be happier."

Their newest release is called From The Letdown to the Comearound, and I highly recommend picking it up. If you check out their MySpace, they also have some songs available for download.

For your ears -
The Sweet Homewreckers: Wild America
The Sweet Homewreckers: Louis
from the album From The Letdown to the Comearound (Buy It)

For your eyes -
The Sweet Homewrecker's video for "Wild America"


The Sweet Homewreckers' Website, MySpace

Throwback Saturday: The Cure's Disintegration

Mostly because I won't have my music library available to me until September 10th (damn you Compaq), and partly because "I wanna", I've decided to use Saturday's posts to re-examine favorite albums of mine from the past. This week's throwback is The Cure's Disintegration. In my opinion, this album is the crown jewel of their discography. Released in 1989, it is the most lyrically and musically sound of all The Cure's albums. You can always count on The Cure's material to be full of emotion, but there is something in Robert Smith's voice on this album that is so wrought with love and longing. All goth jokes aside, this is a beautiful album from start to finish. Rolling Stone Magazine recently ranked this album as #326 of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Disintegration ranks in my top ten. Here's a sampling of my favorite tracks from the album.

For your ears -
The Cure: Disintegration
The Cure: Untitled
The Cure: Pictures of You
buy the album

For your eyes -
The Cure's video for "Fascination Street"


The Cure's Website, MySpace