One Hot Minute, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Warped
Aeroplane*
Deep Kick*
My Friends
Coffee Shop
Pea
One Big Mob
Walkabout
Tearjerker
One Hot Minute
Falling Into Grace*
Shallow Be Thy Game
Transcending

After the success of Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik it seemed the Red Hot Chili Peppers could do no wrong. It was the band's commercial breakthrough and everyone eagerly awaited the follow up, which was this album. But, some critics and fans alike were let down by the album's psychadelic tone. What happened? One Hot Minute is the experimental album of the Peppers' catalogue, and on a first listen doesn't seem promising, thats what happened. However, this reviewer has found after closer inspection, the album proves to be the band's masterpiece.

Before this albums release in 1995, the Peppers were mainly a funk act. With some rock, punk and rap influences they created a unique, high energy funk formula to having fun. This album continues some of that tradition with some of the funkiest material the band has had. Tracks like Aeroplane, Deep Kick, and Walkabout are extremely groovy, highlighting the talents of Flea and Chad Smith as the rhythm section.

Where this album starts a new leaf is the heavier rock and metal influences, also the beginnings of lyrical introspection. With the introduction of Dave Navarro as guitarist, much of the album is more rock than earlier Peppers work. Songs like Warped, Coffee Shop, and the album's title track, still have the funk groove of Peppers stuff, but have a darker presentation with heavy distortion and metal riffs.

Even gentler, more poetic art rock can be seen on the album with gems like Tearjerker, and the beginning of Deep Kick. These newer kinds of RHCP songs allow for greater depth lyrically. Disillusionment, sadness, loss, and addiction are constant themes of the lyrics. At times, Anthony Keidis' lyrics actually reach the profound. Namely the beat poetry which begins one of the album's strangest tracks, Deep Kick.

Only on this album can lyrics like "And the journeys away from it[the city] we had not yet been or seen our friends' selves chase tails round and round in downward spiral," and "Picaboo street in Timbuktu, do I need to repeat that a boy named Sue, rockin' to the beat of the kangeroo, let me kiss your feet and forehead too," actually work. Sometimes heartfelt, other times nonsensical and funny. Truly the struggled growth of a band finding meaning.

What makes One Hot Minute so strange is its confusion of deep lyrics with silly ones; rock versus funk, metal versus tenderness. The album is all over the place and essentially covers the scope of what the Peppers are capable of playing. In the tension between these differing voices the Peppers are searching. For what, who knows? But the journey is more than worth the effort.

Grade: A

Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs

Steady As She Goes
Hands
Broken Boy Soldier*
Intimate Secretary
Together*
Level*
Store Bought Bones
Yellow Sun
Call It A Day
Blue Veins

The Raconteurs and their debut album, aptly named Broken Boy Soldiers, might just qualify as turning a few heads.

As a previous listener I have never been a big fan of Jack White of the White Stripes. But on this album he has other elements to calm him down, considerably the unexpected talents of Brendan Benson. Now I am not establishing Jack White or Brendan Benson as geniuses on this album. Only aspects of White's musicianship are helpful, namely the blues guitar stylings of Level, and the cryptic vocal quality of the album's title track. Where the band really shines is in the composition of Brendan Benson.

A track like Together is reminiscent of John Lennon or George Harrison of the Beatles. It is a beautifully melancholy addition to the album that would easily be the best track if it weren't for the obnoxious background vocals of White. He insists on being eccentric in every aspect of his playing, and therefore cheapens the sincerity of Benson's quiet lyrical aptitude. He even sings louder as a background vocalist than Benson does as the lead.

The two clearly get along in the end though, contributions like the title track Broken Boy Soldiers, Level, and Blue Veins, are honestly very surprising. Especially the title track, with its hypnotic rhythmic undertones in an ominous sounding tune. It even explains the playfulness of the rest of the album. Descriptions lyrically of a boy who attempts to grow up but in the end lapses and never matures are alleghorical of the band itself. There is an attempt here to make an album as serious musicians but the band chooses not to take themselves too seriously. In other words, this is a tongue-in-cheek pop/rock album with some catchy songs, some sincere ones, and a few bad ones (the biggest downer is the sheer audacity of repeating the first half of Call it a Day exactly to make it almost 4 minutes of nasally whining instead of 2).

Overall though, Broken Boy Soldiers, though nothing epic, is a fine album. It displays adequate musicianship and a diverse understanding of popular music. Think of it this way, if a student gets a C, did they learn anything? Probably. So was it worth teaching that student? Of course, and in that line of thinking this album is worth a listen... just not much more.

Grade: C+

La Mer (trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre), Claude Debussy

La Mer I: De L'Aube A Midi Sur La Mer*
La Mer Ii: Jeux De Vagues*
La Mer Iii: Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer*
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Nuages
Fetes
Sirenes

Firstly, to any of you thinking “I don’t like classical music,” give this a chance. This version is usually about 6 dollars at Barnes and Noble, and it sounds like no other music before it; it is truly unique. Warning: necessitates headphones.

Enough cannot be said about Debussy’s masterpiece La Mer. One of the most impressive musical achievements ever, the French composer depicts marvelously the majesty of the Sea, which is the English translation of the title. Officially called three symphonic sketches, this is technically not a symphony. That is why the album above includes other works. This reviewer suggests the purchase of this album for the quality with which the London Symphony Orchestra presents Debussy. Musically, however, I will refrain from mentioning the other tracks, as amazing as they are. The reason is because La Mer is its own work, whether or not provided on the same disc as other works; the symphonic equivalent is represented in only those three movements. Therefore, I feel justified in addressing only those three tracks as the complete work.

The movements’ English translations are, respectively, “From dawn to noon on the sea,” “Play of the waves,” and “Dialogue of the wind and the sea.” The opening with the strings truly brings the image of the Sun rising, the tides of the water becoming visible underneath the wind melody. The soft dynamic eventually grows and the sea becomes as busy as any urban metropolis. The contrasting timbres of strings, brass and woodwind respond to one another in simple motifs. Eventually they grow and recede again, as the sea does.

The movements connect with each other beautifully, elaborating on previous rhythms and harmonies, while still making every moment sound different from the previous. There is an undeniable continuity to the writing, yet La Mer manages to be peaceful at times, manic at others, sometimes even frightening. Much of the work is like a hush, barely audible if you aren’t truly listening. Climaxes of the work, however, are absurdly loud, with cymbal and gong rolls feeding each brass crescendo.

The harmonic language of Debussy is consistent like all his other works, parallel motion in melodic chord progressions. Casting aside the usual classical tendencies that say Bach or Beethoven firmly followed, Debussy makes his own sound. No previous composer had ever been as successful at harnessing the potential of all available timbres (timbre can be oversimplified as the actual quality of the sound heard). In an orchestra for example, all of the instruments provide a different timbre. What makes this work so unique is the mastery of how these timbres interact. At moments a heavy brass soli that holds out notes will contrast violin bowing in rhythm, while the flutes glissando fervently. Cymbals sweep through the sonorous landscape and the double basses roar underneath the gentle harmonies. Not one second of sound is wasted.

In his depiction of the sea, Debussy expresses a complex world with hundreds of characters and events happening at once. Brilliant.

Grade: A+

Euphoria Morning, Chris Cornell

Can't Change Me
Flutter Girl*
Preaching the End of the World*
Follow My Way
When I'm Down
Mission
Wave Goodbye*
Moonchild
Sweet Euphoria
Disappearing One
Pillow of Your Bones

Steel Rain

After making notice to Rolling Stone’s terrible review of Chris Cornell’s solo album, how better to upstage them than with a better review set on the perfect off-white coloring?

Chris Cornell’s debut solo work Euphoria Morning must be understood as one thing: not Soundgarden. Those expecting Soundgarden will be disappointed. However, once this is accepted, you won’t be disappointed. Cornell’s ability to sing using haunting, soaring vocal melodies is as strong as it ever was. There are some interesting lyrics and the instrumentalists play like veterans. The album is overall a solid performance.

The album can really be summed up by some of the lyrics in Sweet Euphoria… “In the daze of a thousand yawns, lost my love, now I’m truly gone.” This is a beautiful and unique expression, how in his complacence he lost the one he loved and that its really he who is lost. Not Shakespeare but certainly something of merit. But later in the song he drops this bombshell… “Gone are your dandelions, falling like mine, falling like daydream mangos.” Now, this isn’t the worst lyric I’ve ever heard of course, but it’s also not the worst on the album. The problem with lyrics such as these is the meaning is there but it seems expressed clumsily. I don’t think daydream mangos are very relatable, even as heavy falling objects. In other words, the lyric isn’t bad just not inspiring, mediocre in a word. The song epitomizes the album in its moments of genius and moments of… well… not genius.

I maintain that the instrumentalists play well, but nothing impressive. They have moments where something interesting happens but it feels awkward at times. The songs start to sound alike as the album progresses, hinting at the generic nature of the playing. There are enough differences that the album doesn’t sound like repetition, but there is enough lack of diversity from musicians who should know better to be disappointed. The vibe never changes and by Euphoria Morning’s end you don’t feel like you’ve really gone anywhere.

What could have addressed these issues? I feel Cornell is an underrated musician, but when left to his own devices he can cause some harm. I think short of Euphoria being put in front of the great musicians in his previous group, Soundgarden, there was little to be done. This is Cornell’s solo album, and as sincere and genuine as it is, sometimes it just falls short. It needs the differing musical opinions of Soundgarden.

Often I hear comparisons between Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin. In this case, Euphoria Morning is the Zeppelin III of the catalogue: certainly not your average rock album, but short of previous masterpieces.

Grade: B-

Make sure to wear your poncho...

Things are going to get a bit messy because here are the details. This blog will be updated spontaneously so check back whenever you get a chance. Albums will be given with a song list, indicating with asterisks the 3 most musically meritorious songs. These aren't necessarily the best songs, simply the most musically interesting. This suggests that you should pay special attention when you listen to these golden tracks.

Following will be the review itself, held to no more than 500 words. Finally shall be the album's grade, just like back at Harvard, A+ through F. Albums of all genres are fair game (including the classical equivalents, i.e. symphonies) and from all time periods. Let me make this clear, I will not review only recent albums, this isn't Rolling Stone. This is an appreciation of the beauty of music, not the ignorant quibbling of simpletons. Read the Rolling Stone review of Chris Cornell's Euphoria Morning if you don't trust my description (in case you do read it, I promise never to use the word "rhapsodically").

I will accept some requests of albums, and I will try to get all of them over time but its not like I don't have other interests, so be patient. I have matinees to catch, lunch dates, and of course video tapes to return. So please, patiently request albums for review via email at mbarb1ac@vt.edu. Thank you for your attention... try and get a table now.

Music can sooth even the most psychotic beast.

Patrick Bateman welcoming you... would you like anything? A mineral water perhaps? No? Anyway... what was the topic of discussion? Oh yes, my blog. Welcome to my blog, I think you will find it inspiring and informative. Given my own medium through which I can rant about anything I wish, I choose to share with you my love of music. Through reviewing certain albums, some great, others bad, I hope to express something about the human condition to you. Not that I find much redeeming about mankind, no, I refer to something more inherent. The kind of thing rich, well-invested, egomaniacs like myself usually sell to get ahead in life. Through the acoustics of music the human soul can express the deepest of emotions. As I said, I am not one to have feelings, any expression of them is a facade, something illusory, nevertheless, the human condition relies on emotion. Therefore I will as a moderate without true emotion, reveal the human animal for what it is: an emotional weakling. Now I'm sure you're asking yourself, "How can he claim to do all this through simply reviewing music?" My answer to you is this: it doesn't matter. Whether or not any word I've written here makes sense does not matter, as you have already read this far. There is an idea of sincerity, a mirage, but nothing of it truly exists in my words. This paragraph has meant nothing.