FOO FIGHTERS – Wasting Light

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The second and third Foo Fighters albums (1997’s ‘The Color and The Shape’ and 1999’s ‘There Is Nothing Left To Lose’) really raised the bar for radio-friendly alternative rock, with both releases absolutely loaded with fantastic songs. Across the two albums, Dave Grohl more than proved his well rounded talent. In contrast, the handful of albums which followed were predictable, a bit formulaic and as a result, rather lacklustre. None were awful of course, but there was a strong feeling we’d heard it all before. Even the acoustic second half of ‘In Your Honour’, which seemed like a great idea on paper, in reality, didn’t translate into something which could set the world of acoustic rock alight. Given then that Dave Grohl and company had appeared to have been going through the motions and playing it safe too often, there was little reason to think that their seventh studio album, 2011’s ‘Wasting Light’ would do anything to break the cycle.

However, a few bars into the opening number, something feels different somehow. This may or may not have something to do with Pat Smear’s presence on second guitar, making his first full-time appearance since ‘The Color and The Shape’. Smear’s return is not the album’s only nod to the past either – the disc also boasts a guest performance by Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and was produced by Butch Vig, who had last worked with Grohl on Nirvana’s multi-million selling ‘Nevermind’ back in 1991.

‘Bridge Burning’ opens with some discordant guitars swiftly joined by a crashy drum part, where Taylor Hawkins sounds like he’s channelling Dave Grohl’s 1990s drumming style. After the verse settles in, it’s chock full of the muted string riffs Foo Fighters have incorporated into their signature sound. The noisier parts are counterbalanced by a pre-chorus featuring Grohl in particularly fine voice, before the chorus itself uses a few great harmonies over a simple hook. There’s an energy at play here, the kind you’d hope to find driving most of the great Foo Fighters numbers, which makes it a strong opener. For those looking to the Foo’s for another blast of high octane rock, ‘White Limo’ is also hugely appealing, with a carefree, almost Nirvana-ish edge. The fast-paced riffing and general vibe is a definite throwback to the Foo Fighters’ earliest work, with its speed and vocal distortion recalling both ‘Wattershed’ and ‘Weenie Beenie’. [See the video clip featuring Lemmy!]

With an approach to the verses which sounds a little like early Joe Jackson, ‘Dear Rosemary’ shows another side to the Foo Fighters. The spiky rhythm is complimented by some great playing from everyone concerned, particularly Nate Mandel, whose bass sound has a great presence. The track also features ex- Hüsker Dü /Sugar frontman (and legend) Bob Mould, who contributes guitar and vocals. Clearly the guitars offered by Smear and Chris Shiflett would have been adequate enough, since Mould’s work remains indistinct. When you consider how distinctive Mould’s shrill guitar tone has been, particularly during his Hüsker Dü years, it wouldn’t have been so hard for him to add something similar here, to really make his presence felt. It’s not until the close of the number, when Mould can be heard clearly on second vocal, his contribution is really obvious.

Naturally, there are still moments where the band retreats to the safety of their stadium rock stylings. The weakest of these tracks, ‘These Days’, is a dull retread of something which sounds like it belongs on the Foos’ 2002 outing ‘One By One’. Also with a focus on big riffs and a radio-friendly chorus, ‘Miss The Misery’ features some crisp rhythm guitar work and decent vocals; but despite being extremely well written, it’s a number which could do with a little of the energy that’s in abundance elsewhere. Lead single ‘Rope’ fares a little better, thanks in no small part to a slightly quirky rhythm during the verses and big rock section near the end. Taylor Hawkins’s drum work throughout the number creates enough interest to sustain momentum. Neither ‘Miss The Misery’ or ‘Rope’ are bad enough to skip, but there are better examples of this style in the Foo Fighters’ back catalogue.

Sometimes, though, familiarity isn’t a bad thing, as proved by ‘Arlandria’. With quiet verses full of muted chords, building to a sing-along chorus, it could be described as Foo Fighters by numbers. However, by having a chorus which lodges firmly inside your head after two or three plays, it’s an instant classic. Well constructed with enough oomph to make a decent rocker, yet with a commercial edge that’s meant for radio play, ‘Arlandria’ is one of ‘Wasting Light’s absolute crackers. Almost equally appealing, ‘Back & Forth’ moves almost into power-pop territory on occasion, with a chorus that has a slight Cheap Trick influence. Shiflett’s muted chords may raise a smile, since they sound exactly like those Shiflett used previously on the Me First & The Gimme Gimmes version of The Cars’ ‘Just What I Needed’. On the negative side, the vocals on the pre-chorus seems a little droney, but hang in there, since the harmony-fuelled pop/rock chorus which follows is one of the album’s best.

‘I Should’ve Known’ is a slow number which presents the band in a more reflective mood. Grohl’s vocals are heavily filtered, but this is balanced by the clear quality of Shiflett’s guitar. Krist Novoselic’s guest performances on bass and accordion seem, at first, understated. To begin with, his bass part appears particularly pedestrian, but it’s deliberately misleading… Near the track’s end once everyone starts to rock out, the bass is full of anger; a fuzzy sound partly recalling Novoselic’s Pixies-inspired style from way back when. The bass work is definitely the high point here.

Granted, ‘Wasting Light’ is an album which brings few musical surprises, but it captures Grohl and company on good form, often playing with a renewed sense of vigour. Since it features a handful of terrific numbers and little in the way of filler, it’s a decent addition to the band’s catalogue. It still doesn’t quite live up to those standards set by the early albums, but it certainly comes close.

April 2011

JOHN WESLEY – The Lilypad Suite

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Beginning his career as guitarist with the largely unknown band Autodrive in the early 90s, John Wesley gained wider recognition when he supported Marillion in 1994 on their ‘Brave Tour’. His debut album, ‘Under The Red and White Sky’, released earlier that year, is a strong work with a superb rock/pop sound, showcasing Wes as an emerging talented song writer. While the songs speak for themselves, it can’t have hurt that the album had a great supporting cast of musicians, including Marillion members Steve Rothery, Mark Kelly and Ian Mosley. A few years later, Wes gained even more recognition when he became touring guitarist for the legendary progressive rock outfit Porcupine Tree.

Over the years, it’s been possible to hear Wes grow as a musician, each of his albums exploring different avenues, but always with strong song writing at the core of his work. His sixth studio release, ‘The Lilypad Suite’, isn’t a concept piece, though each of the songs are inspired by the struggle of a young girl coming to terms with the absence of a father.

‘A.M.W.’ opens things rather bleakly. The guitars make grinding noises like a train pulling into a station and scraping on the rails. Against the grinding and droning noises, Wes adopts a husky tone to his voice and states he’s “going to California” and those left behind “will have to find their place”. This leads swiftly into ‘Walls of America’, opening with a full compliment of reverb, over which Wes lays down a guitar line which has plenty of atmosphere amongst the echoed drones. Mark Prater’s drum sound has a live quality and Wes’s lead vocal has an edge which is suited to the slightly alternative hard rock. The track is lent an element of softness by some rather pleasing harmonies on the chorus vocal, but overall, it sounds like a work half a lifetime away from the young singer-songwriter who shared a stage with Marillion in the 90s. The semi-acoustic poppy vibes at the heart of ‘A Glittery Nothing’ leave no doubt that this is the very same musician though; Wes’s softer vocal stylings are joined by clean toned guitar work and a sunnier, more optimistic vibe. The guitar solo reverts back to a distorted sound -almost drowned out by a sheet of reverb – but once that’s over, it’s a quick return to the beautifully played acoustic edged rock/pop. Those whom found a great deal of enjoyment from Wes’ ‘Under The Red and White Sky’ debut will undoubtedly find this number one of ‘The Lilypad Suite’s stand out cuts.

While most of ‘Still Waiting’ centres around elements which are in abundance elsewhere (chiefly the dominant guitars and dark atmospheres), the opening riff is brilliantly heavy – sounding not unlike something which might at the core of the heavy parts of post-‘In Absentia’ Porcupine Tree. The best moments come near the song’s end, though, when multi-tracked guitars offer not only the heavy opening riff, but also some reverbed atmospheres overlaid by a cleaner lead. With three distinctly separate guitar lines, both Wes and Dean Tidey deliver an interesting arrangement, without resorting to overt showmanship. The ringing guitars and hushed vocals which drive ‘Lost’ have a haunting quality; the chorus refrain has an element of simplicity, but Wes’s emotive voice brings out the absolute best in the arrangement, while his slightly distorted guitar work brings with it another great atmosphere. The softness of the opening of ‘Firelight’ is reminiscent of Wes’s early work, but this soon gives way to yet another wall of heavily reverbed guitars, over which, Wes’s vocal builds gradually. Mark Prater’s simple, pounding drum riffs carry weight and appear sympathetic towards a number which could have ended up sounding somewhat leaden. The close of the number features some rather furious playing over an already powerful arrangement.

Although only comprising five new songs and an intro, ‘The Lilypad Suite’ is an accomplished work and well worth investigating. While fans will undoubtedly continue to sing John Wesley’s praises, first time listeners may want to check out a couple of his earlier works first, with both ‘Under The Red and White Sky’ (1994) and ‘Chasing Monsters’ (2002) being strongly recommended.

Buy CDs from Wes here.

March 2011

CRYSIS – Insane EP

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Crysis are a five piece metalcore band from Oxford and within seconds of hitting the play button on their debut EP ‘Insane’, they’re ready to hit you with their musical juggernaut. The three songs are loaded with plenty of heavy riffs, but looking at the harsh black and white artwork and band name, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone.

Kial Churcher’s hardcore/melodic death metal growling isn’t always especially to my taste, but his delivery – a mix of DevilDriver’s Dez Fafara and the more exteme end of Pantera’s Phil Anselmo – comes with a great intensity that’s so perfectly suited to the musical arrangements. Across the three featured tracks, the band proves themselves to be consistently tight musicians, particularly the work of drummer Matt Pledge.

‘Your Temptation’ opens with a thrust of drums and a huge growl from Churcher, against which the guitar riffs have an edge. The slow moments during the end of the chorus have some serious bottom-end; following which, guitarists Josh O’Brien and Shaun Linstead turn in some great solo work. In terms of shredding, this is certainly the EP’s best moment. ‘To The Gallows’ opens with a lighter groove, which once Pledge’s drums kick in, has an oddly bouncy quality. The main part of the track is driven by a hardcore metal riff, its sound like a cross between Lamb of God and ‘Far Beyond Driven’ era Pantera. Of the three numbers, this shows Crysis at their strongest, particularly during a mid section which briefly slows things down with a doom laden riff, which in turn becomes a full-on chug-fest. A second clean, almost spoken vocal makes a brief appearance, and in doing so provides a little variety. Pledge’s double bass work is hard and relentless, driving things forward before returning to the original riff.

‘Shoot The Glass’ naturally follows a similar pattern of chugging metal riffs, but here there are traces of Pantera at their absolute heaviest, circa ‘Great Southern Trendkill’. Churcher’s vocal rarely breaks beyond a full-on growl, but once again, it’s perfect for the job in hand. There are a few solid features within this number, but it’s the grinding, power-groove inspired guitar work around the three minute mark which really stands out. Behind the double bass drums which follow, there’s a return to the really old-school riff which opened the number. It sounds a little like Iron Maiden’s ‘Prowler’ – but while this is a very serious sounding track, I’d like to think the band threw this one in with a knowing wink.

‘Insane’ presents a trio of solid numbers which highlight Crysis’s ability as musicians. While this recording may not have as much bass as a full-scale expensive, professional recording, it sounds like they know their way around a recording studio. If you’re a fan of this style of metal, you could do far worse than check them out – though naturally, if metalcore isn’t your bag, Crysis are extremely unlikely to do anything for you.

Visit Crysis on Facebook here and on MySpace here.

March 2011

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART – The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

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The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is hardly a band name which trips off the tongue. It may not always be one you’ll remember; however, in the past they’ve received some decent press. I hadn’t known what to expect when approaching this album, but it turns out I got a pleasant surprise.

Beginning with the bass-less, drum-less fuzziness of ‘Contender’, initially I thought this band wouldn’t interest me at all. But…by the time track two arrives, I’m reminded of the more commercial elements of Lush and 90s shoegaze/alt-pop – and that pleases me. Female ooh’s, quirky lead vocals, a pace that’s too punchy for the some of the indie kids, yet not quite punk-pop – a sunny quality which comes as a pleasant surprise. Faster than Lush, more tuneful than the indie-pop chav gold from Kenickie, Pains of Being Pure at Heart have some great musical qualities. ‘Young Adult Friction’ is pure jangle pop – the kind that never really goes out of style; and the slightly kooky keyboard lodged under the mix of other stuff helps to add colour. The only criticism is that at just over four minutes, it feels a little long.

It may not have been the desired end result, but ‘Hey Paul’ sounds like The Wedding Present even if vocalist Kip Bermon doesn’t have the curmudgeonly demeanour of David Gedge. One of the standout tracks, ‘Stay Alive’, shows the lighter side of the band. This track stands out due to the chirpy nature of the music alone, as the vocals aren’t as clear as they could be. Some moments feel a little more traditionally shoegaze – ‘Gentle Sons’ has an echoing vocal matched against a mid paced drone of guitars. Some listeners are bound to love it, but ‘Teenager In Love’ is my contender for the track likely to be skipped every time – if something reminds me of the twee nastiness of Belle and Sebastian that much, you can keep it! Thanks.

This album may not be an all round classic, but its balance somewhere between sugary pop songs and fuzzy noise is so early 90s it feels good…and sometimes, that’s all you need.

January 2010

AARON LEWIS – Town Line EP

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Although the third album by alternative rock/post-grunge band Staind had a very commercial edge in places, a commercial feel which the band retained over each subsequent release, few could have predicted that their frontman Aaron Lewis’s first solo release would be a country record. Despite making his name with hard rock music, Lewis was raised on country and has chosen to put his stamp on it with ‘Town Line’ – a five song EP featuring guest spots by Chris Young, fiddle player Charlie Daniels (best known for his 1979 hit ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’) and the legendary George Jones.

The single release ‘Country Boy’ has a strong acoustic base, coupled with an almost marching quality on the drums. Despite a great use of slide guitar and a definite rootsy feel, it’s clear why this was chosen as the lead track. The vocal is unmistakably that of Aaron Lewis, and here, his heartfelt delivery keeps in line with the sound of Staind’s power ballads. Despite occasional scraping fiddle from Daniels (who also delivers a slightly cringe-worthy monologue at the close), it’s the perfect vehicle for breaking listeners in gently.

At times elsewhere, things get a little more country. Obviously, Lewis’s style isn’t one of old-school country and western syrupiness, but it’s not always as influenced by country-rock as you’d expect either. The most country-rock number, ‘Vicious Circle’ sounds like a country re-working of a Hootie & The Blowfish ballad. Beneath atmospheric and twanging electric guitar work, it’s the acoustic guitars, lapsteels and dobros which provide the heart of the number. Naturally, these instruments are a world away from Staind’s world of hard rock. The spaciousness of the arrangement allows Lewis the room to deliver a very powerful performance. It’s definitely the stand-out track, with each of the elements sounding very strong indeed.

A re-recording of the Staind number ‘Tangled Up In You’ offers the most uninspired track. While Lewis’s performance is faultless and the harmonies on the chorus are pleasing, overall, it presents little difference to the original recording. The Staind original was an acoustic lament anyway – and the only concession to making the number fit the country mould is the addition of a soft lapsteel throughout. A harmony vocal from Alexa Carter, which becomes most obvious at the song’s close, adds a little extra something, but it’s hardly a groundbreaking performance. ‘The Story Never Ends’ is probably the most country influenced track. It’s music-television new-country by numbers as opposed to a old-school hoedown, but again, Lewis sounds comfortable in his country shoes. Chris Young’s harmony vocals provide some great backing on a well-constructed chorus.

Lewis takes his country influences fairly seriously throughout this release. While this change in direction may seem odd at first, nothing sounds unnatural – he has a definite feeling for this musical style. If country music is good enough for Hootie’s Darius Rucker then it’s good enough for others (though, make no mistake, Lewis’s solo debut doesn’t get quite that country) but even so, it’s hard to say whether many Staind fans will embrace Aaron Lewis’s change of direction here. This is a release that is undoubtedly going to be too country for most Staind fans, yet not country enough for country music fans…but even so, it presents a short, yet solid set of songs.

[The five new recordings are augmented with two bonus versions of ‘Country Boy’, in both acoustic form and a radio edit]

March 2011