Sunday, October 31, 2010
Book Review: Bob Dylan in America
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Alice Cooper: Between High School and Old School
Alice Cooper: Between High School and Old School
by Anthony Kuzminski
Hello! Hooray! Let the show begin
-"Hello Hooray"
On October 14, 2003 I watched the Chicago Cubs blow an eight run lead which made the hope of their first pennant in fifty-eight years vanish before my eyes. I watched it all take place from Harry Carry's bar in downtown Chicago. The main reason I was there watching the game was because I had tickets to a show at the House of Blues up the street the same night. After the loss, I felt like going home but I pushed myself into the House of Blues where I felt deflated, however, rock n' roll was about to reach out to me and pull me out of the depths of my depression just as it had so many times before. However, instead of a new up and comer, a seasoned veteran slayed the stage better than any teenager could ever dream of. For close to two-hours Alice Cooper rocked, shocked and flat out blew away the audience and made me forget about the Cubs loss for a short while. From "Hello Hooray" to "I'm Eighteen" to "Poison" to newer songs like "Between High School and Old School", Cooper was utterly magnificent in every respect captivating the audience in a way very few performers can.
Back in 1989 and pre-Trash, I had already made myself familiar with the ultimate shock rocker. I owned Cooper's Greatest Hits and School's Out and had heard enough buzz on the new disc to go out and buy Trash on the day it came out July 25, 1989. Ironically on the same day, Alice was sampled on a hip-hop masterpiece, "Paul's Boutique" by the Beastie Boys. Trash was a sonic shock-pop-rock masterwork. Everyone who was anyone in the late 80's hard rock explosion volunteered to play on the album (Joe Perry, Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Kip Winger, and Steven Tyler) just because they wanted to be in the same space as the legend. Seventeen years later, I still listen to the album on a regular basis, along with his most recent work, and while some may feel it does not match up well against Alice's 70's masterpieces, I would tend to disagree.
Ever since the 1986 release of Constrictor, critics have been hailing every Cooper release as his "best in a decade". This includes Raise Your Fist and Yell, Hey Stoopid, The Last Temptation, Brutal Planet, Dragontown, The Eyes of Alice Cooper and Dirty Diamonds. It doesn't take a genius to apprehend they all can't be comeback albums, but what they are is unyielding rock n' roll albums and they illustrate that Alice is still as relevant as the Stones, Dylan, Aerosmith or even McCartney as he continues to create and not rely solely on past glories. Artists like Alice Cooper get lost in today's media hoopla since he hasn't had another monster hit. As a result, damn fine albums tend to get overlooked. If you want proof of his still vital creative juices one needs to look no further than the song "Novocaine", from The Eyes of Alice Cooper. I have close to 15,000 songs on my iPod and this one is in the 25 most played as it's as infectious as anything on the radio today. It has a staggering groove that if done by anyone else would find its way to the mainstream. This is a great arms-in-the-air anthems, it's a shame few know of it. The Eyes of Alice Cooper and Dirty Diamonds have an edgier garage sound compared to the more polished sound of his 1986-2000 output.
It would be one thing to give Alice acclaim for continuing to create groundbreaking and animated music, but it's a whole other thing seeing him live. There were guillotines, blood, balloons, explosions of fake money and even a few horror scenes acted out with a nurse. It was bloody, vociferous, boisterous, gruesome and I loved each and every minute of it. Beneath all of the tricks was the ringleader who stood over the stage with grotesque glee. The last time I saw him live it was in 100-degree heat but that didn't stop Alice and his band from delivering in every way imaginable. Two nights earlier I had seen Madonna with a whole stage of dancers, lighting, props and toys. Despite the smaller stage and crowd, Alice's show had a thousand times the energy, vitality and authenticity. While the Material Girl was mostly posing for a giant paycheck, Alice was out there leaving a pint of blood on the stage...literally. He doesn't need the money and no matter how much he tours, it's unlikely any of his albums will ever sell in the seven figure range again, but none of that mattered because he was out there giving it his all because he loves it to death. Half of America turns into "American Idol" every week to see a wannabe sing songs written by others, while Alice is out there touring all across the world 40-years after he began. He gives his all every night and his most tours find him performing an astonishing 27 songs a night. For the record, that is more songs than Kiss, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Madonna, or Metallica performs on a nightly basis. In fact the only acts who continually perform that many songs in a single show are Paul McCartney and Pearl Jam.
Every year the Rock & Roll Hall of fame nominations come out and Alice is implausibly overlooked, until now. To some Cooper is just a cartoon and to others he's Satan, but to me, he's one of the most imperative rockers of the last half-century. While an act like Black Sabbath will never record another album for fear of not living up to their past, Cooper has never lived in the past, but has always had his sight on the future. He continually records album after album and then takes it out on the road to the fans. Alice created the rock theater and is as vital to rock's history in the 1970's as David Bowie, The Ramones, Lou Reed and Black Sabbath. In the last few years, I have noticed that many of the acts elected into the Hall of Fame are no longer creating and evolving. They are living off their legacy which is disappointing because I still get excited at the thought of acts like Dylan, the Stones, McCartney and Springsteen still making innovative music. Regardless of how extraordinary Alice's 1970's albums are, Alice Cooper is an artist who is continually moving forward and if you don't think his current work is up to his classics, then you're not listening. Whether or not Cooper ever makes it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame does not really matter. He's influenced an entire generation of rockers and that is worth its weight in severed heads/ fake blood. Love It To Death, Killer, Schools Out, Billion Dollar Babies and Welcome To My Nightmare (all produced by the brilliant Bob Ezrin who should also have a place in the Hall of Fame, the George Martin of the 70's) are all five-star albums and are as essential today as David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and Lou Reed's Berlin. Add on another twenty-five years of consistent record releases, some of them truly great, along with constant touring, I can not think of another artist at this moment in time who is more deserving of induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Regardless of whether he ever gets elected or not, and regardless of what the hall stands for, I think it would be a nice and well deserving recognition to an artist who has now influenced multiple generations, who is also as vital today as he was thirty-years ago. That in itself is something to make you stand up and yell "Hello, Hooray".
You and me together, young and strong
We're gonna be elected, elected, elected
Respected, selected, call collected
I wanna be elected, elected
-"Elected"
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
by Anthony Kuzminski
Hello! Hooray! Let the show begin
-"Hello Hooray"
On October 14, 2003 I watched the Chicago Cubs blow an eight run lead which made the hope of their first pennant in fifty-eight years vanish before my eyes. I watched it all take place from Harry Carry's bar in downtown Chicago. The main reason I was there watching the game was because I had tickets to a show at the House of Blues up the street the same night. After the loss, I felt like going home but I pushed myself into the House of Blues where I felt deflated, however, rock n' roll was about to reach out to me and pull me out of the depths of my depression just as it had so many times before. However, instead of a new up and comer, a seasoned veteran slayed the stage better than any teenager could ever dream of. For close to two-hours Alice Cooper rocked, shocked and flat out blew away the audience and made me forget about the Cubs loss for a short while. From "Hello Hooray" to "I'm Eighteen" to "Poison" to newer songs like "Between High School and Old School", Cooper was utterly magnificent in every respect captivating the audience in a way very few performers can.
Back in 1989 and pre-Trash, I had already made myself familiar with the ultimate shock rocker. I owned Cooper's Greatest Hits and School's Out and had heard enough buzz on the new disc to go out and buy Trash on the day it came out July 25, 1989. Ironically on the same day, Alice was sampled on a hip-hop masterpiece, "Paul's Boutique" by the Beastie Boys. Trash was a sonic shock-pop-rock masterwork. Everyone who was anyone in the late 80's hard rock explosion volunteered to play on the album (Joe Perry, Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Kip Winger, and Steven Tyler) just because they wanted to be in the same space as the legend. Seventeen years later, I still listen to the album on a regular basis, along with his most recent work, and while some may feel it does not match up well against Alice's 70's masterpieces, I would tend to disagree.
Ever since the 1986 release of Constrictor, critics have been hailing every Cooper release as his "best in a decade". This includes Raise Your Fist and Yell, Hey Stoopid, The Last Temptation, Brutal Planet, Dragontown, The Eyes of Alice Cooper and Dirty Diamonds. It doesn't take a genius to apprehend they all can't be comeback albums, but what they are is unyielding rock n' roll albums and they illustrate that Alice is still as relevant as the Stones, Dylan, Aerosmith or even McCartney as he continues to create and not rely solely on past glories. Artists like Alice Cooper get lost in today's media hoopla since he hasn't had another monster hit. As a result, damn fine albums tend to get overlooked. If you want proof of his still vital creative juices one needs to look no further than the song "Novocaine", from The Eyes of Alice Cooper. I have close to 15,000 songs on my iPod and this one is in the 25 most played as it's as infectious as anything on the radio today. It has a staggering groove that if done by anyone else would find its way to the mainstream. This is a great arms-in-the-air anthems, it's a shame few know of it. The Eyes of Alice Cooper and Dirty Diamonds have an edgier garage sound compared to the more polished sound of his 1986-2000 output.
It would be one thing to give Alice acclaim for continuing to create groundbreaking and animated music, but it's a whole other thing seeing him live. There were guillotines, blood, balloons, explosions of fake money and even a few horror scenes acted out with a nurse. It was bloody, vociferous, boisterous, gruesome and I loved each and every minute of it. Beneath all of the tricks was the ringleader who stood over the stage with grotesque glee. The last time I saw him live it was in 100-degree heat but that didn't stop Alice and his band from delivering in every way imaginable. Two nights earlier I had seen Madonna with a whole stage of dancers, lighting, props and toys. Despite the smaller stage and crowd, Alice's show had a thousand times the energy, vitality and authenticity. While the Material Girl was mostly posing for a giant paycheck, Alice was out there leaving a pint of blood on the stage...literally. He doesn't need the money and no matter how much he tours, it's unlikely any of his albums will ever sell in the seven figure range again, but none of that mattered because he was out there giving it his all because he loves it to death. Half of America turns into "American Idol" every week to see a wannabe sing songs written by others, while Alice is out there touring all across the world 40-years after he began. He gives his all every night and his most tours find him performing an astonishing 27 songs a night. For the record, that is more songs than Kiss, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Madonna, or Metallica performs on a nightly basis. In fact the only acts who continually perform that many songs in a single show are Paul McCartney and Pearl Jam.
Every year the Rock & Roll Hall of fame nominations come out and Alice is implausibly overlooked, until now. To some Cooper is just a cartoon and to others he's Satan, but to me, he's one of the most imperative rockers of the last half-century. While an act like Black Sabbath will never record another album for fear of not living up to their past, Cooper has never lived in the past, but has always had his sight on the future. He continually records album after album and then takes it out on the road to the fans. Alice created the rock theater and is as vital to rock's history in the 1970's as David Bowie, The Ramones, Lou Reed and Black Sabbath. In the last few years, I have noticed that many of the acts elected into the Hall of Fame are no longer creating and evolving. They are living off their legacy which is disappointing because I still get excited at the thought of acts like Dylan, the Stones, McCartney and Springsteen still making innovative music. Regardless of how extraordinary Alice's 1970's albums are, Alice Cooper is an artist who is continually moving forward and if you don't think his current work is up to his classics, then you're not listening. Whether or not Cooper ever makes it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame does not really matter. He's influenced an entire generation of rockers and that is worth its weight in severed heads/ fake blood. Love It To Death, Killer, Schools Out, Billion Dollar Babies and Welcome To My Nightmare (all produced by the brilliant Bob Ezrin who should also have a place in the Hall of Fame, the George Martin of the 70's) are all five-star albums and are as essential today as David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and Lou Reed's Berlin. Add on another twenty-five years of consistent record releases, some of them truly great, along with constant touring, I can not think of another artist at this moment in time who is more deserving of induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Regardless of whether he ever gets elected or not, and regardless of what the hall stands for, I think it would be a nice and well deserving recognition to an artist who has now influenced multiple generations, who is also as vital today as he was thirty-years ago. That in itself is something to make you stand up and yell "Hello, Hooray".
You and me together, young and strong
We're gonna be elected, elected, elected
Respected, selected, call collected
I wanna be elected, elected
-"Elected"
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
Thursday, October 28, 2010
James - "Sometimes" Live @ Webster Hall
There's something about this song that just send chills down my spine. It comforts me in moments of need, it elates me in moments of bliss and helps push me to let go of anger and hate. I plan one day on writing in-depth about this song. James is best known for their Laid album in the US, more specifically the single. But they have a treasure trove of wondrous songs that can show you where Coldplay steals all their tricks from. I was 17 the first time I heard "Sometimes" and my friend Kevin played it for me. This was before the Internet or instant access to music. If you wanted to hear something, a friend had to own it or it had to be on the radio. If I had a dollar for every time a friend turned me onto a piece of new music, I could live happily the rest of my life.
OK, I'm getting off track (this is what happens when you do these posts on-the-fly). Ever since I heard this song and the lyric, "Sometimes I look in your eyes and see your soul", well, it just wraps itself around my heart and makes me feel a little less alone.I've seen James twice in recent years and let me tell you, they haven't lost a step and in many cases are performing better than ever. I'd dare to say that the performances of "Sometimes" during this period (2008-2010) are definitive. Below is a clip from the band's recent New York stop and watch it and prepare to be amazed. The sound is a little rough, go fast forward to the 5:00 minute mark and watch and be amazed. James may be playing clubs and theaters here in America, but they play them as if they are stadiums. How many acts can you say that of? Not many. If you don't have their Best Of from 1998, do yourself a favor and get it, I promise you, it will be a desert island disc in no time.
Until then, watch below and see one of the greatest songs ever composed done in all its glory with the help of a veracious New York crowd. It should be a crime to have a song make you feel this good.
New 2010 antiMUSIC Reviews (Updated 10/25/10)
It's been a busy couple of months and while I haven't given full attention to the blog, I have been writing up a storm for antiMUSIC and sometimes those reviews take a while to appear here on the blog. So while you wait for them to show up, I'll post links to all my recent writing below.
There are currently 66 in-depth special feature articles below.
- DVD Review: Classic Albums- Rush '2112' & 'Moving Pictures'
- Concert Review: Michael Franti and Spearhead - 10/8/10 at the Riviera in Chicago
- DVD/Film Review: Until the Light Takes Us
- Concert Review: James - Chicago 10/2/10 @ the Vic
- DVD/Film Review: 'Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones'
- Album Review: James -'The Morning After The Night Before'
- Concert/Broadcast Review: Arcade Fire's YouTube Broadcast from New York
- Album/Reissue Review: David Bowie -'Station To Station' Deluxe and Special Edition reissue
- Book Review / Rock Reads: 'Talking To Girls About Duran Duran' by Rob Sheffield
- DVD Review: The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring the Beatles
- Concert Review: Crowded House -Chicago 9/5/10
- Concert Review: KISS -Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) 9/3/10
- Concert Review: Iggy and the Stooges -Chicago 8/29/10
- DVD/Film Review: 'Rock Prophecies' documentary (about photographer Robert Knight)
- Book Review / Rock Reads: 'Bowie in Berlin'
- Album Review: John Mellencamp -No Better Than This (4-stars ****)
- Artist of the Decade: Ryan Adams
- Concert Review: American Carnage (Slayer-Megadeth-Testament) Chicago 8/20/10
- DVD/Film Review: 'Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage'
- Heart Songs: John Mellencamp's "Save Some Time To Dream"
- Book Review/Rock Reads: 'Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi'
- Album Review: Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes 'Pills and Ammo'
- Album Review: J-Roddy Walston and the Business
- DVD Review: Bon Jovi 'Live at Madison Square Garden'
- Concert Review: Lady Gaga in Indianapolis 7/15/10
- Concert Review: Hole / Courtney Love at the Vic in Chicago on 7/14/10
- Concert Review: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers-Milwaukee 6/26/10
- Concert / Simulcast Review: The Big Four (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax)
- Concert Review: Will Hoge from Space night club in Evanston, IL 5/14/2010
- Heart Songs: Will Hoge's "Washed By the Water"
- DVD Review: The Rolling Stones look back on their great Exile documentary Stones in Exile
- Concert Review: Michael McDermott live in Chicago from 5/7/10
- Concert Review: Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller at Chicago's House of Blues 6/18/10
- Album Review: Ruby James -'Happy Now' (4-stars ****)
- Box Set Review: John Mellencamp-'On the Rural Route 7609' (2300+ words)
- Album Review: Hole - 'Nobody's Daughter'
- Album Review: Lorenza Ponce -'Soul Shifter'
- Reissue Review: Judas Priest -'British Steel' (30th Anniversary Reissue)
- Heart Songs: The Rolling Stones -"Following the River"
- Concert Review: Butch Walker at Chicago's House of Blues 5/9/10
- Book Review: 'Anvil: The Story of Anvil'
- Album Review: David Bowie -'A Reality Tour' (Live album review)
- Album/Reissue Review: David Bowie-'Space Oddity' (40th Anniversary Reissue)
- Album Review: Diana Krall -'The Girl in the Other Room'
- Concert Review: John Mayer at the United Center in Chicago 4/10/10
- Album Review: The Verve Pipe -'A Family Album'
- Film: The Best Films of 2009
- Film: The 100 Best Films of the Decade (#100-76 here, #75 to 51 here, #50-26 here, #25 to 1 here)
- Album Review: Steve Conte and the Crazy Truth
- Heart Songs: Will Hoge - "Even If It Breaks Your Heart"
- Special Feature Interview: Soraia- 'The Road Not Taken'
- Concert Review: Butch Walker at Schubas, show #4 of 4, Fan Request Show
- Album Review: Butch Walker and The Black Widows - 'I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart'
- Concert Review: Butch Walker at Schubas, show #3 of 4, 'Sycamore Meadows'
- Concert Review: Butch Walker at Schubas, show #2 of 4, 'The Rise and Fall..."
- Concert Review: Butch Walker at Schubas, show #1 of 4, 'Letters'
- Special Feature Interview/ Concert Review: Anvil at the House of Blues 1/10/10
- Album Review: 'The Fantastic Mr. Fox' Soundtrack
- Album Review: The 100 Best Albums of the Decade (#100-76 here, #75-51 here, #50-26 here, #25-1 here)
- Album Review/Year End List: The Ten Best Albums of 2009
Saturday, October 23, 2010
october twenty-third, two thousand and ten.
There's just something about the fall.
The smell of fallen leaves in the air. The yellows, oranges, reds and browns as you walk the trail behind your apartment.
The sound of Ol' Blue Eyes piping through your earphones: "These little town blues are melting awaaaay."
The aroma of a toffee latté behind concocted at Starbucks as you order your decaf, an oat fudge bar, and then sit down on the comfy seat.
The gathering of friends - family really - at your spiritual centre. The joy of knowing that even as we are on our own journey's, we are inextricably linked.
The sensation of a light rain falling on your face.
The sight of almost-too-gorgeous women in their sweaters and scarves, the kind that make you wish you were snuggled up on the couch watching Jimmy Stewart or Bing.
There's just something about the fall.
The smell of fallen leaves in the air. The yellows, oranges, reds and browns as you walk the trail behind your apartment.
The sound of Ol' Blue Eyes piping through your earphones: "These little town blues are melting awaaaay."
The aroma of a toffee latté behind concocted at Starbucks as you order your decaf, an oat fudge bar, and then sit down on the comfy seat.
The gathering of friends - family really - at your spiritual centre. The joy of knowing that even as we are on our own journey's, we are inextricably linked.
The sensation of a light rain falling on your face.
The sight of almost-too-gorgeous women in their sweaters and scarves, the kind that make you wish you were snuggled up on the couch watching Jimmy Stewart or Bing.
There's just something about the fall.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Concert Review: Michael Franti and Spearhead: Everything Is Possible (Chicago 10/8/2010)
Michael Franti and Spearhead: Everything Is Possible
Riviera Theatre-Chicago, IL
October 8, 2010
By Anthony Kuzminski
{Photo Credit}
Six months ago, Michael Franti and Spearhead performed to their largest Chicago crowd of their career opening for John Mayer. Midway through their cathartic and focused set, Franti appeared in the seats of the arena to perform a then unreleased song, “Hey Hey Hey”. For the next 5-minutes, Franti moved throughout the entire arena performing his guitar and singing a song aimed at the sweet spot in your heart. It was more than just a catching ephemeral moment but a releasing catalyst in the form of a perfect pop song. On that night, Franti and Spearhead stole the show from Mayer with their multi-faceted hymns of sincerity with bravado and energy that would bury most arena acts. Six months later, the band returned to Chicago at the Riviera Theatre for a headline show that was every bit as sacred. This time around, “Hey Hey Hey” did more than give off a peek-a-boo sneer but ruptured through the pop-rock spectrum in uncoiled shimmying grandiosity. Taking to the balcony, he strode once again throughout the crowd, making eye contact with everyone he could before he headed down to the opera boxes all the while singing, dancing and performing his acoustic guitar. The song is about appreciating life for all it challenges and hindrances (“Don’t give up, this song is for you”) because there is a bigger picture to concern yourself with. The message may appear austere, but it is terribly relevant and is one of the most pure and uplifting songs I’ve ever heard. The world is falling apart at the seams and the moments in life that truly matter is when we share experiences with other people. During this song, 2,500-fans sung their hearts out, living it up knowing that their lives were better for having shared in this concert experience. This wasn’t merely a one-off epic performance either. Anytime that Franti and Spearhead hit the concert stage, prepare yourself, because you may experience one of the greatest music experiences of your life.
Michael Franti’s hair hung and swung from his head as he infected the crowd with absolute love right from the moment he stepped foot on the stage. The merry “Love Don’t Wait” kicked the show off before the “The Thing That Helps Me Get Through” found Franti flexing his front man skills all with a million dollar smile. The splendid The Sound of Sunshine had been released a few weeks earlier and the set list featured nine of its songs. Most of them were worked out on the John Mayer tour, so Spearhead appeared poised in their delivery. “Anytime You Need Me” evoked the smell of a newborn babies head while “Shake It” had the crowd grinding inducing a sweat and sore vocal chords as a number of fans were brought on stage to show off their dance moves.Despite the two bona fide reggae-hip hop-pop- politico masterpieces in the last few years to draw upon (Yell Fire and All Rebel Rockers), Franti and Spearhead thrive on continual forward movement. Most of the show consisted of songs post-2006 with “Rude Boys Back In Town” with the crowd swaying back and forth, the forthright “Hello Bonjour”, the beat heavy “Everybody Ona Move” (with a slice of “Billie Jean” thrown in for good measure featuring a moonwalk by Franti) while “I’ve Got Love For You” yielded solemn ingenuity. “Yell Fire” found Franti in the audience as he fiercely delivered his vocals. When he returned to the stage he brought two fans with him, handed them guitars before the band launched into “Smells Like Teen Spirit” The deceptively sunny “Sweet Little Lies” was solemn until its climax when Spearhead whirled away in a series of jams. “Don’t Look Back” schooled the audience on where he steals a few of his tricks from. The Peter Tosh song, originally recorded with Mick Jagger on backing vocals, is one of the reggae genre’s most seminal creations and it fits in splendidly with his catalog. “East to the West” found Franti painting candid pictures with bright, bleeding and ingenuous colors. “Hey World (Don’t Give Up)” highlighted a portrait of pain put into perspective with Franti’s undecorated vocals and acoustic guitar. The breathtaking set closer “I’ll Be Waiting” featured an extended coda culminating in a transforming musical crescendo that induced a restoration of devotion. The song, which owes a tip of the hat to U2’s “Bad” is every bit as impressive as the aforementioned song in concert. Equally affecting was “As Long As You Love Somebody”, a new song Franti still hasn’t finished but captures the tender quintessence of life. For the evening’s finale of the worldwide smash “Say Hey (I Love You)” the stage was full of kids and even a few adults over 60 capping the evening with a feel-good sing-a-long moment.
The inventive Police-like arrangement of “Everyone Deserves Music” was possibly the evening’s tour de force moment. The title cut of his 2003 album was where Franti truly found his voice. Franti and Spearhead had made a career up to this point creating vivid and boisterous fight songs, but in ’03, Franti widened his stance and began crafting some truly enduring themes with pop tendencies. The throbbing new arrangement led by the guitar of J Bowman, who has added a rippling sweet spot to the forefront of the song. Instead of beats dominating the song, the lamenting strains of the guitar brought lush landscapes into focus along with a limitless delivery of the song’s heartrending lyrics- “Even our worst enemies Lord, they deserves music”. This admission of emotional vulnerability carries more credence than any confession an artist could ever make. As the song extended itself into a congealing combustive finish by the six-piece band, you couldn’t help but be emotionally drained. In recent years, the brush strokes of Franti’s themes may not be as politically biting, but are equally stirring. At his core, his music owes a tip of that hat to Bob Marley and the Beatles with unpretentious themes of love and examination but he demonstrates a work ethic equal to Bono and Springsteen. The reception he receives night after night is usually reserved for acts with decades of hits under their belt, but Franti has the rare knack for taking an atheist and within 2-hours making them a devout follower. He has an intrinsic skill to unearth elapsed senses coercing you to cogitate while liberating inner anguish. It’s rare to merge Saturday night frat-party dissipation with Sunday morning salvation but Franti executes this night after night with the ease of a straightforward smile. One of the reasons Franti can sway any audience is because there is no barrier between band and fan. This isn’t a literal proclamation either; he breaks down the walls most acts put up. One of the keys to Franti’s success is you look at him and without a single doubt in your mind, you know he believes every lyric that takes flight from his tongue has purpose. Despite never shying away from his influences, he comes off as more of a prophet than a mere imitator. Finding a balance between optimism and grim realities is a near unattainable task, but Franti seems to do it effortlessly. Maybe it’s my age, but with every passing day, anything that provides clarity to me about life I welcome with open arms.
Life, love, war, injustice, internal examination above all else hope were all on display throughout the two-hour show. With the release of The Sound of Sunshine and this recent performance it fully demonstrates that Franti and Spearhead continue to hurtle towards greatness with hypnotizing focus. You can’t help but surrender yourself to the music. The bravura set of soul-inducing songs rippled with soaring emotions and energy and was anchored by reflection, pronouncement and complete and utter elation; I didn’t want it to end. Without question, Michael Franti and Spearhead are one of the greatest gifts to the world of live music. Experience it for yourself; I promise you, you may never look at live performances the same way again.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
Riviera Theatre-Chicago, IL
October 8, 2010
By Anthony Kuzminski
{Photo Credit}
- Read my 2008 live review HERE
- Read my 2006 live review HERE
- Real all Michael Franti related pieces HERE
Six months ago, Michael Franti and Spearhead performed to their largest Chicago crowd of their career opening for John Mayer. Midway through their cathartic and focused set, Franti appeared in the seats of the arena to perform a then unreleased song, “Hey Hey Hey”. For the next 5-minutes, Franti moved throughout the entire arena performing his guitar and singing a song aimed at the sweet spot in your heart. It was more than just a catching ephemeral moment but a releasing catalyst in the form of a perfect pop song. On that night, Franti and Spearhead stole the show from Mayer with their multi-faceted hymns of sincerity with bravado and energy that would bury most arena acts. Six months later, the band returned to Chicago at the Riviera Theatre for a headline show that was every bit as sacred. This time around, “Hey Hey Hey” did more than give off a peek-a-boo sneer but ruptured through the pop-rock spectrum in uncoiled shimmying grandiosity. Taking to the balcony, he strode once again throughout the crowd, making eye contact with everyone he could before he headed down to the opera boxes all the while singing, dancing and performing his acoustic guitar. The song is about appreciating life for all it challenges and hindrances (“Don’t give up, this song is for you”) because there is a bigger picture to concern yourself with. The message may appear austere, but it is terribly relevant and is one of the most pure and uplifting songs I’ve ever heard. The world is falling apart at the seams and the moments in life that truly matter is when we share experiences with other people. During this song, 2,500-fans sung their hearts out, living it up knowing that their lives were better for having shared in this concert experience. This wasn’t merely a one-off epic performance either. Anytime that Franti and Spearhead hit the concert stage, prepare yourself, because you may experience one of the greatest music experiences of your life.
Michael Franti’s hair hung and swung from his head as he infected the crowd with absolute love right from the moment he stepped foot on the stage. The merry “Love Don’t Wait” kicked the show off before the “The Thing That Helps Me Get Through” found Franti flexing his front man skills all with a million dollar smile. The splendid The Sound of Sunshine had been released a few weeks earlier and the set list featured nine of its songs. Most of them were worked out on the John Mayer tour, so Spearhead appeared poised in their delivery. “Anytime You Need Me” evoked the smell of a newborn babies head while “Shake It” had the crowd grinding inducing a sweat and sore vocal chords as a number of fans were brought on stage to show off their dance moves.Despite the two bona fide reggae-hip hop-pop- politico masterpieces in the last few years to draw upon (Yell Fire and All Rebel Rockers), Franti and Spearhead thrive on continual forward movement. Most of the show consisted of songs post-2006 with “Rude Boys Back In Town” with the crowd swaying back and forth, the forthright “Hello Bonjour”, the beat heavy “Everybody Ona Move” (with a slice of “Billie Jean” thrown in for good measure featuring a moonwalk by Franti) while “I’ve Got Love For You” yielded solemn ingenuity. “Yell Fire” found Franti in the audience as he fiercely delivered his vocals. When he returned to the stage he brought two fans with him, handed them guitars before the band launched into “Smells Like Teen Spirit” The deceptively sunny “Sweet Little Lies” was solemn until its climax when Spearhead whirled away in a series of jams. “Don’t Look Back” schooled the audience on where he steals a few of his tricks from. The Peter Tosh song, originally recorded with Mick Jagger on backing vocals, is one of the reggae genre’s most seminal creations and it fits in splendidly with his catalog. “East to the West” found Franti painting candid pictures with bright, bleeding and ingenuous colors. “Hey World (Don’t Give Up)” highlighted a portrait of pain put into perspective with Franti’s undecorated vocals and acoustic guitar. The breathtaking set closer “I’ll Be Waiting” featured an extended coda culminating in a transforming musical crescendo that induced a restoration of devotion. The song, which owes a tip of the hat to U2’s “Bad” is every bit as impressive as the aforementioned song in concert. Equally affecting was “As Long As You Love Somebody”, a new song Franti still hasn’t finished but captures the tender quintessence of life. For the evening’s finale of the worldwide smash “Say Hey (I Love You)” the stage was full of kids and even a few adults over 60 capping the evening with a feel-good sing-a-long moment.
The inventive Police-like arrangement of “Everyone Deserves Music” was possibly the evening’s tour de force moment. The title cut of his 2003 album was where Franti truly found his voice. Franti and Spearhead had made a career up to this point creating vivid and boisterous fight songs, but in ’03, Franti widened his stance and began crafting some truly enduring themes with pop tendencies. The throbbing new arrangement led by the guitar of J Bowman, who has added a rippling sweet spot to the forefront of the song. Instead of beats dominating the song, the lamenting strains of the guitar brought lush landscapes into focus along with a limitless delivery of the song’s heartrending lyrics- “Even our worst enemies Lord, they deserves music”. This admission of emotional vulnerability carries more credence than any confession an artist could ever make. As the song extended itself into a congealing combustive finish by the six-piece band, you couldn’t help but be emotionally drained. In recent years, the brush strokes of Franti’s themes may not be as politically biting, but are equally stirring. At his core, his music owes a tip of that hat to Bob Marley and the Beatles with unpretentious themes of love and examination but he demonstrates a work ethic equal to Bono and Springsteen. The reception he receives night after night is usually reserved for acts with decades of hits under their belt, but Franti has the rare knack for taking an atheist and within 2-hours making them a devout follower. He has an intrinsic skill to unearth elapsed senses coercing you to cogitate while liberating inner anguish. It’s rare to merge Saturday night frat-party dissipation with Sunday morning salvation but Franti executes this night after night with the ease of a straightforward smile. One of the reasons Franti can sway any audience is because there is no barrier between band and fan. This isn’t a literal proclamation either; he breaks down the walls most acts put up. One of the keys to Franti’s success is you look at him and without a single doubt in your mind, you know he believes every lyric that takes flight from his tongue has purpose. Despite never shying away from his influences, he comes off as more of a prophet than a mere imitator. Finding a balance between optimism and grim realities is a near unattainable task, but Franti seems to do it effortlessly. Maybe it’s my age, but with every passing day, anything that provides clarity to me about life I welcome with open arms.
Life, love, war, injustice, internal examination above all else hope were all on display throughout the two-hour show. With the release of The Sound of Sunshine and this recent performance it fully demonstrates that Franti and Spearhead continue to hurtle towards greatness with hypnotizing focus. You can’t help but surrender yourself to the music. The bravura set of soul-inducing songs rippled with soaring emotions and energy and was anchored by reflection, pronouncement and complete and utter elation; I didn’t want it to end. Without question, Michael Franti and Spearhead are one of the greatest gifts to the world of live music. Experience it for yourself; I promise you, you may never look at live performances the same way again.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
Monday, October 18, 2010
Film/DVD Review: 'Until the Light Takes Us'
Until the Light Takes Us
Film/DVD Review
**** (4-stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the DVD HERE or HERE
In the original Stars Wars Trilogy (1977-1983), the lowest grossing of the three films at the box office was The Empire Strikes Back which is most likely attributed to the overall dark tendencies and the film’s ending which left the audience hanging. Despite this, the film over the last 30-years is without question deemed the finest of all Stars Wars films. There’s something daunting about the indefinite, the chances taken and indomitable presence of Darth Vader and the Empire. Every film needs a hero and a villain. We root for the hero, but he’s only as heroic as the twisted obstacles put forth by the villain, much like the duality of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. What you never expect is for the hero and villain to be one and the same. Eventually in Return of the Jedi Darth Vader would wear the hat (or helmet) of both hero and villain in a cinematic resolution of the heroes journey. I thought about the hero/villain duality when watching the brilliant new documentary Until the Light Takes Us; a grave documentary about Norwegian black metal. The film has one man who is both hero and villain, but unlike Vader who eventually redeemed himself, you’re left with an unsettling portrait of a man whose blood isn’t hot blooded, but cold through and through. The film’s hero and villain, Varg Vikernes is one of the crucial figures who helped bring black metal to the globe’s consciousness. Without him, it’s safe to say that the lore and legend of Norwegian black metal wouldn’t be the same and this is why he is in a twisted sense, the hero. The flipside is that he’s among the most dispassionate and inhuman figures I have ever laid eyes on; he evokes absolute evil. His interviews are given from prison, where he was serving a 21-year sentence for killing another musician. In Norway, the maximum sentence you can get for any crime is 21-years. He discusses the rise of the Norwegian black metal movement, religious crimes, burning churches and disconcerting particulars of how another man died at his hands in effectively the same tone. No matter how harrowing his stories may be, you can’t take your eyes off him or the film, Until the Light Takes Us.
When I originally heard about this film, I wasn’t entirely sure it would appeal to me. Despite an ability to love virtually any music documentary, I wasn’t convinced. But within 5-minutes of watching the film, I was all-in. The overall aesthetic of the film is sparse and forlorn. This isn’t a high-end production, but it makes it all that more unnerving. A glossed over and high end approach would without question make the film less haunting and derail its indisputable nature. Directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell take you into this byzantine world. They were met with trepidation from the black metal scene, but wound up moving to Norway and immersed themselves in the lives of these individuals eventually earning the trust of all the key players. Far too often most documentarians have missing links, pieces or people which make their story, however engaging, incomplete. That is not the case with Until the Light Takes Us; it is the definitive story of the Norwegian black metal movement. You don’t watch this film as an observer but a participant. You aren’t merely viewing an interview but feel as if you are in a room with the frigid Norwegian wind at your back as stories begun to unfurl themselves. There’s something downright bone-chilling about the interviews. Some of them discuss severe circumstances that involved the burning of churches and deaths, and they recount them as if they’re giving you statistics about sales and not about life and death events. And yet, it’s impossible to take your eyes off of. Varg Vikernes was the ringleader of the black metal band Burzam. He looks into the camera and recounts the rise of his band, how he killed someone and the power of metal music in his life and you can’t help to be sickened yet utterly captivated at the same time. His icy demeanor on the one hand shows a man clearly in control, but on the other hand, someone lost their life at his hands and there was nary a glimpse of emotion to be revealed. The most passionate we find Vikernes is when he feels other misinterpreted the true meaning of black metal and tried to make into something their own. He feels like a leader who was betrayed by one of his disciples who misunderstood his preaching’s. Gylve “Fenriz” Nagell from Darkthrone is the other key participant to the film and unlike Vikernes you can appreciate what he does on a musical level. Fenriz takes the filmmakers into the world of the music and this provides an essential counterbalance against the headline grabbing stunts by other acts. There are also several interviews with members of Immortal, Enslaved, Mayhem and Frost; all of the key bands in this movement. However, it’s the pairing of the movement (Burzum) with the music (Darkthrone) which takes the film to another level. Instead of merely focusing on the more sensational aspects of black metal, they’ve gone deeper to show you it’s not just about church burnings. The isolation, resentment and dissatisfaction with life forced these people to see out music, but in some cases, it proved to be ill-advised and turned into the eventual burning of churches indicative of an eye-for-an-eye culture.
Some of the images from the film are picturesque, vivid, stunning and downright disturbing. Most of the exterior shots of Norway that are shown appear to be during winter and the bitter cold can be sensed and despite the fact it was near 90-degrees when I watched this film, I could feel a chilliness down my spine. There is no sweeping aerial shots or a voice over from someone out to steal your soul. The most intensely unsettling images (and discussion) are based around the cover of Mayhem’s Dawn of the Black Hearts. It’s a picture of lead singer Dead (Per Yngve Ohlin) lifeless body after he had committed suicide. You see a lifeless face, blood and head fragments splattered against a wall and an image that is impossible to erase from your mind. While it’s been deemed one of the most controversial album covers of all time, in the world of Swedish Black Metal, it’s merely one of dozens if not hundreds of events that unfolded in the 1990’s that brought this niche genre to the world’s attention. This photograph was allegedly taken by Mayhem's guitarist, Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth), upon discovering Dead's body. Euronymous would eventually meet his own demise by the hand of Vikernes and this is one of the film’s eeriest jaw-dropping moments. This is not for the faint of heart and yet I find it hard to believe that anyone could not be fully engrossed by the narrative of Until the Light Takes Us. When I used to take film classes with Roger Ebert, he had a saying about films; “Never judge a film based on the subject matter but judge it by how well it’s about said subject matter”. This isn’t a film that will leave you warm or reinforce faith in the human race, but it’s executed with detailed care for the subject matter. Surprisingly you will not find a multifaceted dissection of the actual music in the documentary or even on the bonus disc. Even though the genre of black metal is front and center here, the music is in the backdrop while the actual movement and the events surrounding it receive most of the consideration. To some, they may walk away disenchanted they couldn’t immerse themselves in the music the way a basic Rockumentary or Behind the Music would do. However, it leaves you with something so much more vital, authentic and disconcerting. This is more than a recounting of history or stock interviews, the filmmakers take you inside their lives and more importantly, their minds. Even if you’ve followed the black metal movement closely in the last two decades, Until the Light Takes Us is so authoritative you’d be hard pressed to find a more encompassing resource anywhere on the subject matter.
The deluxe edition of the DVD comes with a bonus disc that has nearly 4-hours of extra features that will pull you into the web of darkness even further. The bonus disc is broken down into 3-sections; Deleted Scenes (35 minutes), Black Metal University 101 with Gylve “Fenriz” Nagell from Darkthrone (45 minutes), and lastly the Cutting Room (which includes 150-addional minutes of further interviews with) the following:
Music is often associated with moments of happiness, expression and release. However, there’s also a darker side to it all. Due to the more morose aspects that invade our lives, it’s been easier to embrace the dark side over the last few decades rather than the light. The honest to god truth is that most of our lives deal with pain more often that bliss. It’s also one of the defining reasons that heavy metal will be one of the few genres of music to still be potently prevailing a century from now; pain will never go away and as long as there are those who are disillusioned with life, metal will be a primordial force. Although the embrace that metal has received the world over, no one could have anticipated or foreseen what would occur in Norway during the 1990’s and what eventually became Norwegian black metal. Until the Light Takes Us pulls you into their world and while it’s downright frightening at times, it gives one a front row seat to a complicated world you can’t turn your back on.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
Film/DVD Review
**** (4-stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the DVD HERE or HERE
In the original Stars Wars Trilogy (1977-1983), the lowest grossing of the three films at the box office was The Empire Strikes Back which is most likely attributed to the overall dark tendencies and the film’s ending which left the audience hanging. Despite this, the film over the last 30-years is without question deemed the finest of all Stars Wars films. There’s something daunting about the indefinite, the chances taken and indomitable presence of Darth Vader and the Empire. Every film needs a hero and a villain. We root for the hero, but he’s only as heroic as the twisted obstacles put forth by the villain, much like the duality of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. What you never expect is for the hero and villain to be one and the same. Eventually in Return of the Jedi Darth Vader would wear the hat (or helmet) of both hero and villain in a cinematic resolution of the heroes journey. I thought about the hero/villain duality when watching the brilliant new documentary Until the Light Takes Us; a grave documentary about Norwegian black metal. The film has one man who is both hero and villain, but unlike Vader who eventually redeemed himself, you’re left with an unsettling portrait of a man whose blood isn’t hot blooded, but cold through and through. The film’s hero and villain, Varg Vikernes is one of the crucial figures who helped bring black metal to the globe’s consciousness. Without him, it’s safe to say that the lore and legend of Norwegian black metal wouldn’t be the same and this is why he is in a twisted sense, the hero. The flipside is that he’s among the most dispassionate and inhuman figures I have ever laid eyes on; he evokes absolute evil. His interviews are given from prison, where he was serving a 21-year sentence for killing another musician. In Norway, the maximum sentence you can get for any crime is 21-years. He discusses the rise of the Norwegian black metal movement, religious crimes, burning churches and disconcerting particulars of how another man died at his hands in effectively the same tone. No matter how harrowing his stories may be, you can’t take your eyes off him or the film, Until the Light Takes Us.
When I originally heard about this film, I wasn’t entirely sure it would appeal to me. Despite an ability to love virtually any music documentary, I wasn’t convinced. But within 5-minutes of watching the film, I was all-in. The overall aesthetic of the film is sparse and forlorn. This isn’t a high-end production, but it makes it all that more unnerving. A glossed over and high end approach would without question make the film less haunting and derail its indisputable nature. Directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell take you into this byzantine world. They were met with trepidation from the black metal scene, but wound up moving to Norway and immersed themselves in the lives of these individuals eventually earning the trust of all the key players. Far too often most documentarians have missing links, pieces or people which make their story, however engaging, incomplete. That is not the case with Until the Light Takes Us; it is the definitive story of the Norwegian black metal movement. You don’t watch this film as an observer but a participant. You aren’t merely viewing an interview but feel as if you are in a room with the frigid Norwegian wind at your back as stories begun to unfurl themselves. There’s something downright bone-chilling about the interviews. Some of them discuss severe circumstances that involved the burning of churches and deaths, and they recount them as if they’re giving you statistics about sales and not about life and death events. And yet, it’s impossible to take your eyes off of. Varg Vikernes was the ringleader of the black metal band Burzam. He looks into the camera and recounts the rise of his band, how he killed someone and the power of metal music in his life and you can’t help to be sickened yet utterly captivated at the same time. His icy demeanor on the one hand shows a man clearly in control, but on the other hand, someone lost their life at his hands and there was nary a glimpse of emotion to be revealed. The most passionate we find Vikernes is when he feels other misinterpreted the true meaning of black metal and tried to make into something their own. He feels like a leader who was betrayed by one of his disciples who misunderstood his preaching’s. Gylve “Fenriz” Nagell from Darkthrone is the other key participant to the film and unlike Vikernes you can appreciate what he does on a musical level. Fenriz takes the filmmakers into the world of the music and this provides an essential counterbalance against the headline grabbing stunts by other acts. There are also several interviews with members of Immortal, Enslaved, Mayhem and Frost; all of the key bands in this movement. However, it’s the pairing of the movement (Burzum) with the music (Darkthrone) which takes the film to another level. Instead of merely focusing on the more sensational aspects of black metal, they’ve gone deeper to show you it’s not just about church burnings. The isolation, resentment and dissatisfaction with life forced these people to see out music, but in some cases, it proved to be ill-advised and turned into the eventual burning of churches indicative of an eye-for-an-eye culture.
Some of the images from the film are picturesque, vivid, stunning and downright disturbing. Most of the exterior shots of Norway that are shown appear to be during winter and the bitter cold can be sensed and despite the fact it was near 90-degrees when I watched this film, I could feel a chilliness down my spine. There is no sweeping aerial shots or a voice over from someone out to steal your soul. The most intensely unsettling images (and discussion) are based around the cover of Mayhem’s Dawn of the Black Hearts. It’s a picture of lead singer Dead (Per Yngve Ohlin) lifeless body after he had committed suicide. You see a lifeless face, blood and head fragments splattered against a wall and an image that is impossible to erase from your mind. While it’s been deemed one of the most controversial album covers of all time, in the world of Swedish Black Metal, it’s merely one of dozens if not hundreds of events that unfolded in the 1990’s that brought this niche genre to the world’s attention. This photograph was allegedly taken by Mayhem's guitarist, Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth), upon discovering Dead's body. Euronymous would eventually meet his own demise by the hand of Vikernes and this is one of the film’s eeriest jaw-dropping moments. This is not for the faint of heart and yet I find it hard to believe that anyone could not be fully engrossed by the narrative of Until the Light Takes Us. When I used to take film classes with Roger Ebert, he had a saying about films; “Never judge a film based on the subject matter but judge it by how well it’s about said subject matter”. This isn’t a film that will leave you warm or reinforce faith in the human race, but it’s executed with detailed care for the subject matter. Surprisingly you will not find a multifaceted dissection of the actual music in the documentary or even on the bonus disc. Even though the genre of black metal is front and center here, the music is in the backdrop while the actual movement and the events surrounding it receive most of the consideration. To some, they may walk away disenchanted they couldn’t immerse themselves in the music the way a basic Rockumentary or Behind the Music would do. However, it leaves you with something so much more vital, authentic and disconcerting. This is more than a recounting of history or stock interviews, the filmmakers take you inside their lives and more importantly, their minds. Even if you’ve followed the black metal movement closely in the last two decades, Until the Light Takes Us is so authoritative you’d be hard pressed to find a more encompassing resource anywhere on the subject matter.
The deluxe edition of the DVD comes with a bonus disc that has nearly 4-hours of extra features that will pull you into the web of darkness even further. The bonus disc is broken down into 3-sections; Deleted Scenes (35 minutes), Black Metal University 101 with Gylve “Fenriz” Nagell from Darkthrone (45 minutes), and lastly the Cutting Room (which includes 150-addional minutes of further interviews with) the following:
- Vikernes/Burzum (45-minutes)
- Darkthrone (36-minutes)
- Fenriz/ Enslaved (21-minutes)
- Frost (8-minutes)
- Immortal (18-minutes)
- Mayhem (9-minutes)
- Ulver (10-minutes)
Music is often associated with moments of happiness, expression and release. However, there’s also a darker side to it all. Due to the more morose aspects that invade our lives, it’s been easier to embrace the dark side over the last few decades rather than the light. The honest to god truth is that most of our lives deal with pain more often that bliss. It’s also one of the defining reasons that heavy metal will be one of the few genres of music to still be potently prevailing a century from now; pain will never go away and as long as there are those who are disillusioned with life, metal will be a primordial force. Although the embrace that metal has received the world over, no one could have anticipated or foreseen what would occur in Norway during the 1990’s and what eventually became Norwegian black metal. Until the Light Takes Us pulls you into their world and while it’s downright frightening at times, it gives one a front row seat to a complicated world you can’t turn your back on.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Thirty Years Ago Today...'The River'
Thirty years ago today, Bruce Springsteen released his double album, The River. This is a important and unique milestone because as far as Springsteen's career goes, he may very well have hit his creative crest during this period. It's the one album that specifically houses the best of the dour ballads, depressing ballads and discordant garage rock anthems. Sure Born in the USA is the more commercial album but it doesn't have the epic ballads The River has.
I didn't officially own The River until nearly 15-years after it was released. I went through a period where I bought every Springsteen album I could get my hands on and with The River being a 2-CD collection, it was a tough find, but I eventually secured it. I often felt the album was a bit of a mess never working as well as people thought it did and my feelings were only exemplified when Tracks was released in 1998 where The River outtakes were the highpoint of the set. It was the one album whose outtakes stood above their released counterparts and in fact, the second set of the box set is a 5-Star disc.Over time, The River has become one of my favorite records, warts and all ("Crush on You", "I Wanna Marry You") specifically because like Exile on Main Street it's full of such audacity and immediacy. I don't just hear confidence but a band firing on all cylinders.
If you really want to read more about the record, go HERE where I did a huge review for Bruce Springsteen month back in January 2009.It may not be Springsteen's most talked about record, his most controversial or even his best-selling record...but over time, I think it may be its best. Here's to hoping they do a big reissue of this album in the not too distant future.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
DVD Review: Rush – ‘Classic Albums: 2112 & Moving Pictures’
Rush – ‘Classic Albums: 2112/ Moving Pictures’
DVD Review
**** (4-Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
It’s been a banner year for Rush. They’ve released two new songs, ventured on a sold-out tour where Moving Pictures is being performed in its entirety and this all is all occurring against a heightened profile of the band, mostly due to the phenomenal documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. I find myself writing more about this band in the last three months than I’ve spent in my entire life explicitly because of this film. Capturing the complete history of Rush and putting their distinctive brand of music into view hasn’t just opened some people’s eyes to their magnetism, but more important- their legacy. If you follow my writings at all, I tend to use the word “legacy” often. Many acts of the last few decades have found sensational success and riches and fame beyond their wildest dreams, however, is the moment fleeting or will their music and body of work still be discussed decades from now? It’s an answer no one can really answer; however I’m also a believer that it’s imperative for artists to take steps to assure the legacy.
Rush has an enormous cult following. Despite a series of platinum records and arena tours, they never became a stadium behemoth and this has probably served them and their aforementioned heritage tremendously. Over the last decade, the band has a transformed sense of faith and dedication and through a series of studio and live albums, they’re documenting the experience of Rush in breathtaking fashion. The Classic Albums has now just released a great DVD focusing on not just one, but two of their preeminent albums; 2112 and Moving Pictures. This is a first (I believe) for the Classic Albums series, and while I was worried it would take away from the impact of these albums, it does anything but. What I love most about the Classic Albums series is how they do a low level overview for informal fans and then show mixes and geek out over gear and technical nuances that make these records a actuality. However, throughout all of the albums in this series, never do they stray so far in either direction that it disengages the viewer. This is a fine line to walk and somehow the Classic Albums series does it time and time again doing the impossible; constructing a story that pulls in a indifferent fan and shows the die-hard something they have never seen before.
To understand Rush and their output, you have to start at the beginning which is what the DVD does. They set the story up and their formation, eventual signing Mercury Records and then touring non-stop with a series of albums before a last swoop effort on 2112. After dismal sales on their third record, Caress of Steel, management secured one more album under the condition that it was more commercial. Instead of following the wishes of the label, the band headed down the path least traveled, remained fearless and delivered the intricate and ambitious 2112. For a band who had not broken through to the mainstream in any way, this was an affront and within the walls of the label it sent reverberations until they decided to support it and as a consequence, Rush established their cult audience, or as some would have it, the audience found Rush.
The DVD does justice to 2112 with a significant discussion about the inspiration Peart took from Ayn Rand, the storm behind this influence and how the album holds up today. The themes and stories of 2112 closely resemble the model Rush would go on and take for their entire career. After this record, Rush didn’t have to answer to an A&R man ever again. They merely went on, evolved and continued to make quintessentially Rush albums year after year. There’s a wonderful section about how “Discovery” came to be. This is what differentiates Classic Albums from other album dissections. Most magazines and media outlets focus on the hits only, but in the case of Rush, with only a handful of bona fide hits to their name, it allows a look back to songs that have endeared themselves to the fan base like “Discovery” and as a result, sends me back to the records as well, especially with a song that is part of a larger arc on the album’s first side. One of the matchless aspects of this installment of Classic Albums is how they move onward four albums later, when the band delivered Moving Pictures. Their path was continual and being exposed to the punk and new wave movement, the band was young and open enough to take these electrifying new genres and input them into their brand of progressive rock. This is notable, because it was here where Rush truly defined their sound. They became more than a progressive jam band but one whose sound was defined as “Rush”. Throughout the DVD there are many people who talk about these two records. Besides Rush, their management team and producer Terry Brown, we also get reflections from the members of the Barenaked Ladies, Foo Fighters and former Mercury Records executive Cliff Burnstein (now manager of Metallica) giving the viewer a personal viewpoints as to how these records enthuse and reverberate to this day.
The DVD houses nearly an hour of bonus footage not aired on the VH-1 broadcast. Instead of being throw away interviews, in my opinion the shows shown on television are merely teasers for you to seek out the DVD’s because the material in the bonus features are as integral to the story as the main program. Included are a look at Rush’s influences and how they took cues from the rock and blues of Cream and Jimi Hendrix and forge it into something wholly their own. There’s a conversation of how their parents hard work ethics predisposed their careers and become a success. There’s some first-rate acknowledgement of all three members of Rush with each one discussing how important the other two help characterize the band. We get some insight from Peart’s lyrical themes and closer looks at the songs “Tom Sawyer”, “Red Barchetta” and “YYZ” and every minute of the 52-minutes of bonus features is connected to the band’s history, and these two classic albums.
Great music deserves debate and a deeper look into how it came to be. Although the considerable Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage being released earlier this year, this installment in the Classic Albums series offers a more detailed look into what are arguably the two best records Rush ever created. There is some small overlap but there is too much here to not appreciate. If not for the aforementioned film, this Classic Albums DVD doesn’t just serve as a document of 2112 and Moving Pictures but as a chronicle of the band as well. Even if you’re a minor admirer of Rush, seek this out and you may very well become one of those cult fans.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
DVD Review
**** (4-Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
- Read the Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage Review HERE
It’s been a banner year for Rush. They’ve released two new songs, ventured on a sold-out tour where Moving Pictures is being performed in its entirety and this all is all occurring against a heightened profile of the band, mostly due to the phenomenal documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. I find myself writing more about this band in the last three months than I’ve spent in my entire life explicitly because of this film. Capturing the complete history of Rush and putting their distinctive brand of music into view hasn’t just opened some people’s eyes to their magnetism, but more important- their legacy. If you follow my writings at all, I tend to use the word “legacy” often. Many acts of the last few decades have found sensational success and riches and fame beyond their wildest dreams, however, is the moment fleeting or will their music and body of work still be discussed decades from now? It’s an answer no one can really answer; however I’m also a believer that it’s imperative for artists to take steps to assure the legacy.
Rush has an enormous cult following. Despite a series of platinum records and arena tours, they never became a stadium behemoth and this has probably served them and their aforementioned heritage tremendously. Over the last decade, the band has a transformed sense of faith and dedication and through a series of studio and live albums, they’re documenting the experience of Rush in breathtaking fashion. The Classic Albums has now just released a great DVD focusing on not just one, but two of their preeminent albums; 2112 and Moving Pictures. This is a first (I believe) for the Classic Albums series, and while I was worried it would take away from the impact of these albums, it does anything but. What I love most about the Classic Albums series is how they do a low level overview for informal fans and then show mixes and geek out over gear and technical nuances that make these records a actuality. However, throughout all of the albums in this series, never do they stray so far in either direction that it disengages the viewer. This is a fine line to walk and somehow the Classic Albums series does it time and time again doing the impossible; constructing a story that pulls in a indifferent fan and shows the die-hard something they have never seen before.
To understand Rush and their output, you have to start at the beginning which is what the DVD does. They set the story up and their formation, eventual signing Mercury Records and then touring non-stop with a series of albums before a last swoop effort on 2112. After dismal sales on their third record, Caress of Steel, management secured one more album under the condition that it was more commercial. Instead of following the wishes of the label, the band headed down the path least traveled, remained fearless and delivered the intricate and ambitious 2112. For a band who had not broken through to the mainstream in any way, this was an affront and within the walls of the label it sent reverberations until they decided to support it and as a consequence, Rush established their cult audience, or as some would have it, the audience found Rush.
The DVD does justice to 2112 with a significant discussion about the inspiration Peart took from Ayn Rand, the storm behind this influence and how the album holds up today. The themes and stories of 2112 closely resemble the model Rush would go on and take for their entire career. After this record, Rush didn’t have to answer to an A&R man ever again. They merely went on, evolved and continued to make quintessentially Rush albums year after year. There’s a wonderful section about how “Discovery” came to be. This is what differentiates Classic Albums from other album dissections. Most magazines and media outlets focus on the hits only, but in the case of Rush, with only a handful of bona fide hits to their name, it allows a look back to songs that have endeared themselves to the fan base like “Discovery” and as a result, sends me back to the records as well, especially with a song that is part of a larger arc on the album’s first side. One of the matchless aspects of this installment of Classic Albums is how they move onward four albums later, when the band delivered Moving Pictures. Their path was continual and being exposed to the punk and new wave movement, the band was young and open enough to take these electrifying new genres and input them into their brand of progressive rock. This is notable, because it was here where Rush truly defined their sound. They became more than a progressive jam band but one whose sound was defined as “Rush”. Throughout the DVD there are many people who talk about these two records. Besides Rush, their management team and producer Terry Brown, we also get reflections from the members of the Barenaked Ladies, Foo Fighters and former Mercury Records executive Cliff Burnstein (now manager of Metallica) giving the viewer a personal viewpoints as to how these records enthuse and reverberate to this day.
The DVD houses nearly an hour of bonus footage not aired on the VH-1 broadcast. Instead of being throw away interviews, in my opinion the shows shown on television are merely teasers for you to seek out the DVD’s because the material in the bonus features are as integral to the story as the main program. Included are a look at Rush’s influences and how they took cues from the rock and blues of Cream and Jimi Hendrix and forge it into something wholly their own. There’s a conversation of how their parents hard work ethics predisposed their careers and become a success. There’s some first-rate acknowledgement of all three members of Rush with each one discussing how important the other two help characterize the band. We get some insight from Peart’s lyrical themes and closer looks at the songs “Tom Sawyer”, “Red Barchetta” and “YYZ” and every minute of the 52-minutes of bonus features is connected to the band’s history, and these two classic albums.
Great music deserves debate and a deeper look into how it came to be. Although the considerable Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage being released earlier this year, this installment in the Classic Albums series offers a more detailed look into what are arguably the two best records Rush ever created. There is some small overlap but there is too much here to not appreciate. If not for the aforementioned film, this Classic Albums DVD doesn’t just serve as a document of 2112 and Moving Pictures but as a chronicle of the band as well. Even if you’re a minor admirer of Rush, seek this out and you may very well become one of those cult fans.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
Friday, October 15, 2010
Future Writing on the Blog
Life as I know it has caught up with me seriously this year. Virtually all of my time has been dedicated to in-depth reviews for antiMusic. My apologies that the "blogging" has been largely non-existent. For the handful of loyal followers I do have, my apologies. I always intend to do more writing, but I tend to over obsess and can't seem to let go of things once I start writing.
I am currently in the midst of 7 very big reviews I hope to complete in the next 2-weeks. All of which are from people have have been kind enough to think of me when these concerts roll into town or because they think I'll have a good spin on a book, dvd or album.
Once this is done, I hope to go back to a more pure form of blogging that may not be as grand or finely tuned and that is OK. So, as soon as I plow through these upcoming reviews, I promise you I'll get back on track.
T
I am currently in the midst of 7 very big reviews I hope to complete in the next 2-weeks. All of which are from people have have been kind enough to think of me when these concerts roll into town or because they think I'll have a good spin on a book, dvd or album.
Once this is done, I hope to go back to a more pure form of blogging that may not be as grand or finely tuned and that is OK. So, as soon as I plow through these upcoming reviews, I promise you I'll get back on track.
T
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Concert Review: James-Intoxicating Inspiration (Chicago 10/2/2010)
James: Intoxicating Inspiration
Vic Theatre-Chicago, IL
October 2, 2010
By Anthony Kuzminski
Pictures courtesy of Jenna Gillette
Four years ago, the Manchester band James was on permanent break-up and no one could have foreseen what the future held. In 2008, the made the best album of the year with Hey Ma and gave some of their utmost live performances of their career. Hey Ma proved to be a magnum opus no one expected as they balanced themselves against their self-indulgent alternative ways while embracing their inner sweet tooth. It’s possibly the band’s most absolute record and the reason for this is that it was the first to have the Seven line-up in tow. Instead of quarreling, they once again became a band and reinvented themselves. Too many acts try to grasp glimpses of their past, over think the artistic process and lose themselves. 2010 has found the release of dual EP’s in Europe and a 2-CD album here in the US, The Morning After The Night Before. The dual disc set is a sublime collection of 15-songs. Eight of the songs showcase James’ style for off-the-cuff recording while the latter seven features the band in full-on collaboration with songs capturing the Brit-Pop sound James is best known for. On their recent US tour, the band returned to the Vic Theatre in Chicago, where in 2008 they delivered a sprawling, sexual and spiritual performance that is among the very best this writer has seen by any act, anywhere on the planet.
As the lights dimmed on a rainy Saturday night in Chicago, Larry Gott’s acoustic guitar chimed throughout the air while vocalist Tim Booth’s voice could be heard serenading the crowd, “Where is the love?”. As the crowd stared at an empty stage, they began to look around before Gott and Booth could be seen making their way from the back of the floor to the stage performing a rare performance of “Lose Control”, a Top-40 hit for the band two decades back in the UK. As Booth sung the lyrics of “Shake my body-release my soul”, the remaining five members of James took their places on stage and immediately at the songs conclusion, they launched into “Seven”, a luminous love song that glistened throughout the sold-out theater as the seven members of James executed it flawlessly. The exquisite piano chords of “Just Like Fred Astaire” were next. This cut from their 1999 album Millionaires (one of their best) sadly, didn’t warrant a US release initially. The dancing metaphor is a salute to a faultless love. “Ring the Bells” ignited the ready and aware crowd led by drummer David Baynton-Power snapping wrists amidst a flood of strobe lights. Four songs into the show, the band had already reached an apogee they would maintain for the entire performance. This was merely foreplay for the band as they spent the next 2-hours building the show until it reached a walloping emotional climax that would make Springsteen and U2 gush with envy.
The band told the crowd that they looked at the 2008 set list and determined that since many of the same fans were in attendance-they would change up as much of the show as possible. There wasn’t a single song repeated until the thirteenth song of the evening. Despite the band receiving no airplay in Chicago and minimal promotion for the show, it was a sell-out far in advance. For a band whose sound on record sounds so distinct, it constantly amazes me at their capacity to re-create these sounds on stage. Even the new songs felt strategically placed within the set and the overwhelming majority of the crowd hung on every note and lyric just like it was an archetypal James song. “Dust Motes” was more revelatory in concert with some fine slide guitar work by Gott. “Tell Her I Said So” emphasized the band’s largely unpretentious music with a textured feel. Booth’s lyrics pierced the crowd as they continually sung the chorus at the end (“Here’s to a long life”). “It’s Hot” emphasized faith and sexual healing (“Life loves to exist”). Booth sells his vocal wailing with panache for the theatrical as his arms stretched far out as if he was communicating with a higher power. “Ten Below” was written from the perspective of a child in English boarding school. One of the keys to the persistent artistic development of James is their penchant to dip into the mindset of their listeners. Who can’t relate to being young, fearful, alone and longing for home? The lyric touches on the need to break free and truly find yourself outside of a society full of rigid roles and responsibilities. Just because they’ve aged doesn’t mean they can’t stretch back to the past for inspiration and this is one of the keys to their constant evolution. “Crazy” consoled your acute senses while inflicting a sensation of meditative thought (“This magic world, it inspires”). The only downfall of the show was the casualty of songs from Hey Ma from 2-years ago. It may very well be their magnum opus and hearing only one song from it was a disheartening; alas it’s hard to complain when the 22-songs they delivered were nothing short of pure magnetism.
With the band digging deep into their catalog for the Chicago crowd, they stretched further back than anyone had expected. “Hymn From A Village”: was led by the slap-dash bass of Jim Glennie, who was a driving force. Glennie is the anchor for not just the band’s sound but their songs as well. Next to Booth’s lyrics, Glennie’s authoritative and whipping bass directs the songs and defines James at their core. “Born of Frustration” with its nimble guitar launch elicited a strong reaction and when Andy Diagram’s trumpet accentuated the melody it proceed to be a transcendent moment for the crowd. “I Wanna Go Home” a tale of pulling yourself out of your stupor seeking deliverance. This is where art transcends its purpose of mere entertainment into something more mystical and sanguine as the crowd sung and clapped along with the band. “Johnny Yen” cued the crowd to enter a state of bliss which they never left. Booth’s orgasmic body movements harmonizing with Saul Davies violin and Diagram’s horn was a sight too glorious to even reconstruct with mere words. “Out to Get You” was spare and slight yet ominously exquisite the same way a sunset at dusk rejuvenates your soul. Once again, Davies violin glistened in a spurring yet sacred manner. The unexpected “Stutter” made an appearance in a 3-drum attack (with Saul Davies and Mark Hunter assisting) showing the band’s instinctual punk tendencies. The penetrating and expressive bass of “Sound” built itself until it placed the audience in a state of dreamy sedation. Unbeknownst to many, James has one of the richest catalogs of music from the last two decades. In the UK alone they scored 19 Top-40 hits in a little over a decade. The music of James could be defined as the soundtrack of one situating their lot in life. Their music is about more than mere anguish but about finding your way through the drudges of treachery in search of the light. Their music is a strange brew of unharmonious conditions paired with the philosophy to overcome them. All of this is painted against a back drop of sumptuous melodies and rhythms which pull you closer with every listen.
The seven members of James, more than once, completely lost themselves amidst the surroundings, the crowd and their music. Most musicians are too conscious of what they need to achieve and never reach this rarified air on the stage. During the encore, “Say Something” found Booth in the crowd once again, holding hands and staring deeply into their eyes of his fans as he perched his body against theirs. Their music is enough to win the crowd over; however, the force with which they take the stage wallops the crowd in a way few bands could dream. The swinging “Gold Mother” had several crowd members on stage and the evening’s finale of “Laid” wasn’t even on the set list (according to a Twitter post by Booth the following day this was “out of respect” for the Chicago crowd). However, despite “Laid” being their best known song in the US, it was another track from Laid that stole the show; “Sometimes”. “Sometimes” was a spiritual union for crowd and band in the full-album work-up of the song. The sing-a-long by the crowd at its finale (“Sometimes I look into your eyes and see your soul”) evoked feelings I’m not sure I could ever feel again. I felt this way when I met my wife, saw her on our wedding day, witnessed the birth of my daughter, shared time with close friends where walls evaporate and we let each other into our worlds. James is one of the most self-aware bands I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. Their body of work may come off as a series of pop variations of British music, but if you study their lyrics, they’re one of the most unworldly and heartfelt music acts of the last century.
James is at the very top of their game live and on record at this moment in time. Instead of calling it in with monotonous performances or living off their legacy, they’re fighting for their lives on the concert stage. It may only be clubs and theaters but they perform like they are in stadiums. What distinguishes great bands from good ones is their innate gift to take a masterful song and expand it on the concert stage. Some acts have vigor, some have meticulousness, some have rage but to defy logic you need all three to take your audience to that next level. James did just this at their Vic show. Filmmakers and artists deliver a product and it’s up to how to audience dissects their art that defines it. Musicians have a second chance at everything. In concert, a song that may have felt limp on record suddenly shows off dimensions you never knew were there. Over the course of 22-songs James did more than wear their hearts on their sleeves but found a way to embellish their already breathtaking catalog. This is a scarcity few acts can conquer. To capture this magic in the bottle not just once, but twice is all but unfeasible but James did it with ease. There was a sense of longing, beauty, betrayal and above all else redemption. Broken down to their most basic elements, their music is about the journey life and our ongoing struggle for serenity. Whether you pick up The Best of, Laid, Hey Ma or The Morning After The Night Before, you will find a band capable of providing you with an all encompassing hug where you forge bonds, heighten hopes and in the end souls are saved. James was and is one of the most important bands of their time and if you’re not listening to them, then it’s time to be enlightened. No other act can create jolting poetic expositions about the shared experience we call life better than James.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
"Lose Control" (Opener in the crowd)
"Sometimes"
"Seven"
"Ten Below"
Vic Theatre-Chicago, IL
October 2, 2010
By Anthony Kuzminski
Pictures courtesy of Jenna Gillette
- This is a sequel of sorts. Please go HERE to read about their 2008 Chicago show.
- Read all related James posts HERE
Four years ago, the Manchester band James was on permanent break-up and no one could have foreseen what the future held. In 2008, the made the best album of the year with Hey Ma and gave some of their utmost live performances of their career. Hey Ma proved to be a magnum opus no one expected as they balanced themselves against their self-indulgent alternative ways while embracing their inner sweet tooth. It’s possibly the band’s most absolute record and the reason for this is that it was the first to have the Seven line-up in tow. Instead of quarreling, they once again became a band and reinvented themselves. Too many acts try to grasp glimpses of their past, over think the artistic process and lose themselves. 2010 has found the release of dual EP’s in Europe and a 2-CD album here in the US, The Morning After The Night Before. The dual disc set is a sublime collection of 15-songs. Eight of the songs showcase James’ style for off-the-cuff recording while the latter seven features the band in full-on collaboration with songs capturing the Brit-Pop sound James is best known for. On their recent US tour, the band returned to the Vic Theatre in Chicago, where in 2008 they delivered a sprawling, sexual and spiritual performance that is among the very best this writer has seen by any act, anywhere on the planet.
As the lights dimmed on a rainy Saturday night in Chicago, Larry Gott’s acoustic guitar chimed throughout the air while vocalist Tim Booth’s voice could be heard serenading the crowd, “Where is the love?”. As the crowd stared at an empty stage, they began to look around before Gott and Booth could be seen making their way from the back of the floor to the stage performing a rare performance of “Lose Control”, a Top-40 hit for the band two decades back in the UK. As Booth sung the lyrics of “Shake my body-release my soul”, the remaining five members of James took their places on stage and immediately at the songs conclusion, they launched into “Seven”, a luminous love song that glistened throughout the sold-out theater as the seven members of James executed it flawlessly. The exquisite piano chords of “Just Like Fred Astaire” were next. This cut from their 1999 album Millionaires (one of their best) sadly, didn’t warrant a US release initially. The dancing metaphor is a salute to a faultless love. “Ring the Bells” ignited the ready and aware crowd led by drummer David Baynton-Power snapping wrists amidst a flood of strobe lights. Four songs into the show, the band had already reached an apogee they would maintain for the entire performance. This was merely foreplay for the band as they spent the next 2-hours building the show until it reached a walloping emotional climax that would make Springsteen and U2 gush with envy.
The band told the crowd that they looked at the 2008 set list and determined that since many of the same fans were in attendance-they would change up as much of the show as possible. There wasn’t a single song repeated until the thirteenth song of the evening. Despite the band receiving no airplay in Chicago and minimal promotion for the show, it was a sell-out far in advance. For a band whose sound on record sounds so distinct, it constantly amazes me at their capacity to re-create these sounds on stage. Even the new songs felt strategically placed within the set and the overwhelming majority of the crowd hung on every note and lyric just like it was an archetypal James song. “Dust Motes” was more revelatory in concert with some fine slide guitar work by Gott. “Tell Her I Said So” emphasized the band’s largely unpretentious music with a textured feel. Booth’s lyrics pierced the crowd as they continually sung the chorus at the end (“Here’s to a long life”). “It’s Hot” emphasized faith and sexual healing (“Life loves to exist”). Booth sells his vocal wailing with panache for the theatrical as his arms stretched far out as if he was communicating with a higher power. “Ten Below” was written from the perspective of a child in English boarding school. One of the keys to the persistent artistic development of James is their penchant to dip into the mindset of their listeners. Who can’t relate to being young, fearful, alone and longing for home? The lyric touches on the need to break free and truly find yourself outside of a society full of rigid roles and responsibilities. Just because they’ve aged doesn’t mean they can’t stretch back to the past for inspiration and this is one of the keys to their constant evolution. “Crazy” consoled your acute senses while inflicting a sensation of meditative thought (“This magic world, it inspires”). The only downfall of the show was the casualty of songs from Hey Ma from 2-years ago. It may very well be their magnum opus and hearing only one song from it was a disheartening; alas it’s hard to complain when the 22-songs they delivered were nothing short of pure magnetism.
With the band digging deep into their catalog for the Chicago crowd, they stretched further back than anyone had expected. “Hymn From A Village”: was led by the slap-dash bass of Jim Glennie, who was a driving force. Glennie is the anchor for not just the band’s sound but their songs as well. Next to Booth’s lyrics, Glennie’s authoritative and whipping bass directs the songs and defines James at their core. “Born of Frustration” with its nimble guitar launch elicited a strong reaction and when Andy Diagram’s trumpet accentuated the melody it proceed to be a transcendent moment for the crowd. “I Wanna Go Home” a tale of pulling yourself out of your stupor seeking deliverance. This is where art transcends its purpose of mere entertainment into something more mystical and sanguine as the crowd sung and clapped along with the band. “Johnny Yen” cued the crowd to enter a state of bliss which they never left. Booth’s orgasmic body movements harmonizing with Saul Davies violin and Diagram’s horn was a sight too glorious to even reconstruct with mere words. “Out to Get You” was spare and slight yet ominously exquisite the same way a sunset at dusk rejuvenates your soul. Once again, Davies violin glistened in a spurring yet sacred manner. The unexpected “Stutter” made an appearance in a 3-drum attack (with Saul Davies and Mark Hunter assisting) showing the band’s instinctual punk tendencies. The penetrating and expressive bass of “Sound” built itself until it placed the audience in a state of dreamy sedation. Unbeknownst to many, James has one of the richest catalogs of music from the last two decades. In the UK alone they scored 19 Top-40 hits in a little over a decade. The music of James could be defined as the soundtrack of one situating their lot in life. Their music is about more than mere anguish but about finding your way through the drudges of treachery in search of the light. Their music is a strange brew of unharmonious conditions paired with the philosophy to overcome them. All of this is painted against a back drop of sumptuous melodies and rhythms which pull you closer with every listen.
James is at the very top of their game live and on record at this moment in time. Instead of calling it in with monotonous performances or living off their legacy, they’re fighting for their lives on the concert stage. It may only be clubs and theaters but they perform like they are in stadiums. What distinguishes great bands from good ones is their innate gift to take a masterful song and expand it on the concert stage. Some acts have vigor, some have meticulousness, some have rage but to defy logic you need all three to take your audience to that next level. James did just this at their Vic show. Filmmakers and artists deliver a product and it’s up to how to audience dissects their art that defines it. Musicians have a second chance at everything. In concert, a song that may have felt limp on record suddenly shows off dimensions you never knew were there. Over the course of 22-songs James did more than wear their hearts on their sleeves but found a way to embellish their already breathtaking catalog. This is a scarcity few acts can conquer. To capture this magic in the bottle not just once, but twice is all but unfeasible but James did it with ease. There was a sense of longing, beauty, betrayal and above all else redemption. Broken down to their most basic elements, their music is about the journey life and our ongoing struggle for serenity. Whether you pick up The Best of, Laid, Hey Ma or The Morning After The Night Before, you will find a band capable of providing you with an all encompassing hug where you forge bonds, heighten hopes and in the end souls are saved. James was and is one of the most important bands of their time and if you’re not listening to them, then it’s time to be enlightened. No other act can create jolting poetic expositions about the shared experience we call life better than James.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
"Lose Control" (Opener in the crowd)
"Sometimes"
"Seven"
"Ten Below"
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