Music: A to Z 07.31.09: E is For...
Posted by Chris Crowing on 07.31.2009
...the Eels, Eminem & Evanescence as well as a new video from Muse
Perhaps an excessively poppy selection this week, but I've talked enough about Emperor in recent months, and there is only so much you can say about Emigrate's one album…
Hmnn, not much to report this week apart from to wish more public congratulations to Mr (soon to be Mrs) Ben Czajkowski and to share this first sneaky peek into the new Muse album with you..
Yeah I know, I'm assuming it's more of a sneak peek album track rather than a killer lead off single, but it's fun and eccentric and that's a good thing. That said, the driving, rumblings I've heard in snippets for the Resistance are a lot more exciting, so I'm still really looking forward to this one.
Oh, and Forrest Griffin's book Got Fight! may be the best non-fiction book I've ever read.
* Please note, all 'Best...' designations are merely this writer's opinion, and stand as a recommendation for new fans, rather than an attempt to make a definitive statement. I'll likely change my mind by next week anyway.
Eels, the
What: Quirky pop rock for geeks. From: California, USA In the Beginning: Front man E released solo records A Man Called Eand Broken Toy Shop in 1992 and 1993 respectively, before the band proper came into being with 1996s Beautiful Freak. Best Album*:Beautiful Freak (1996), Electro-Shock Blues (1998) and Daisies for the Galaxy (2000) Best Song*: "Novocaine for the Soul", "Lucky Day in Hell", "Mr E's Beautiful Blues" Recently...:Hombre Lobo released on June 2nd 2009, and a special MySpace.com/vinyl release called Transmissions Session 2009 will be released on August 25th, 2009.
I remember first hearing the Eels, (like so much else) on the ever awesome ITV Chart Show, way back in 1996, with the awesomely winsome "Novocaine for the Soul" which became (for me) one of the best indie tunes of the 90s.
The album which spawned it, Beautiful Freak remains one of my favourite 'easy listening' records thirteen years later, stacked with darkly tinged, atmospheric, yet cute tunes such as concise comments on the Jerry Springer generation like "Susan's House" and the stunningly evocative "Lucky Day In Hell"...
I appreciate that the Eels somewhat left-of-centre aesthetic, and unavowed geekishness will repel many people, but I LOVE that quality, and think they are right up there with other similarly quirky, yet better known 90s acts like Beck or the Divine Comedy.
Tinged by sadness in front man Mr E's personal life, the next album Electro Shock Blues was a decidedly heavier affair, with less samples, spoken word pieces and electronic influences in favour or a more conventional 'rock' approach. As such the album somewhat eroded the artsy fan base built up by the original record's avowed weirdness. For all that, I like the album, even though it lacks the standout tracks that the records on either side of it.
The next record, 2000s Daisies for the Galaxy was a far more upbeat affair than either of it's predecessors, but did spawn the band's catchiest song...
I challenge you to NOT be humming 'goddamn, right, it's a beautiful day, uh-huh...' for the rest of the week!
There have been a few records released since Daisies for the Galaxy but I'll admit to having completely overlooked them while undergoing my nu-metal and metalcore phases, doubtless this is my loss.
The Eels are one of those bands I've always liked for looking at the world in a skewed fashion, and never really seeming to care if anyone else' got' their music, just doing the things they wanted to do, just talking about what seemed important in their lives at the time with absolutely no care for fashionable trends, writing a hit or being popular. I will always love that.
Amusingly, and somewhat ridiculously, the album Daises for the Galaxy was once held up by the then-Governor George W. Bush as an example of 'profanity laden entertainment which is marketed at children' because of the swearing in !"Mr E's Beautiful Blues" (goddamn right) and "It's a Motherfucker" and the children's book style illustrations in the sleeve notes and album artwork.
This kind of thing never fails to get my blood boiling, as these idiotic, pen pushing evangelists try to ban and repress creativity based on out of context assumptions, and their own jaded versions of what is right. I mean, the EELS are about the most unthreatening band in the world and you try and drag them into your little circle of censorship hatredness, while at the same time validating illegal wars, genocide, racial and religious intolerance and persecution to 'protect Western interests.'
That is one truly interesting moral code...
The bottom line is Eels = Good, George W. Bush = Bad.
Eminem
What: White boy rapper. From: Detroit, Michigan, USA In the Beginning:Infinite released in 1996, Eminem comes to the attention of Dr Dre, who agrees to produce the breakthrough follow up - The Slim Shady LP. Best Album*:The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP Best Song*: "My Name Is", "Stan", "Lose Yourself" and also "My Fault", "Brain Damage", "'97 Bonnie & Clyde", "The Real Slim Shady", "Kill You", "The Way I Am" "Cleaning Out My Closet", "Without Me", "Sing for the Moment" Recently...:Relapse released on May 19th 2009, with Relapse 2 due later in the year.
Marshall Mathers is one of the most successful, well known and controversial artists of the past decade, a white rapper who's output is given to scatological humour and occasionally offensive diatribes, deeply personal (and often unflattering) insights as well as more standard rap fare.
From my point of view, it's almost as if there are two interesting versions of Marshall, the guy who writes the funny, smack talking, hit singles (let's call him Slim) the guy who writes some of the most affecting, honest, cathartic rap music I've ever heard (lets' call him Marshall.) Of course, not all of his output fits into these qualifications, with his more generic rap material being just that, and as such not interesting to me at all.
First, let's talk about Slim. Along with the whole English speaking world, I first heard of Eminem through the single "My Name Is" which was ubiquitous in 1999. You know the one - cue funny video...
I've always enjoyed this kind of dumb fun rap music, and Eminem's version has more replay value than most (I still listen to songs like "Brain Damage" and "My Fault" all these years later, let alone the obvious hit singles) with the almost random slanging off pop culture figures, drugs references and blatantly not politically correct jibes coming thick and fast. Can you guess why I love it?
However, there is another side to this artist, and his forays into more serious, tender material have been memorable, with this next song "Stan" riding high in various 'best songs of the decade', and 'best hip-hop songs of all time' polls.
As a side thought, this also helped to launch Dido's not inconsiderable career (although being related to Rollo of Faithless fame doesn't hurt.)
For me, "Stan" is a fantastic song, well Eminem making equal comment on the hopes & dreams of the down at heel, the difference in his own life since he became famous and the way the first situation can turn to tragedy so easily. This isn't the only song of his which has this level of cathartic quality and a degree of observational clarity that few rappers share. Songs like "''97 Bonnie & Clyde", "The Way I Am" and "Cleaning Out My Closet" show that this dumb, white boy rapper is actually an intelligent, emotional being who knows his own flaws, yet has found himself in impossible moral situations, just like the rest of us.
This honest catharsis in Eminem's writing is what lifts him above most rappers in my estimation, and while he will play to the lowest common denominator with his potty mouth and celebrity baiting (and of course, being troubled has been good celebrity coin ever since Cobain) he so rarely stoops to the 'bitches & guns' approach which I find so repulsive in many rappers' work., and his catharsis seems honest and intelligent, rather than forced & needful.
Of course, Eminem has had his more forgetful moments - pretty much anything involving lots of D12, and his more recent albums have been much less interesting than before, partially because (like most artists) he has lost his extreme edge, and the ongoing soap opera with Kim, and his troubles with fame are pretty much a beaten lyrical horse at this stage.
Even taking that into consideration, Eminem is probably my favourite rapper, although that's not the greatest accolade given my almost total disdain for mainstream rap/hip hop/rnb nowadays (with certain acts excluded) and between the laugh tracks, the quality catharsis and the superbly fashioned hit singles, there is more than enough for me to call myself a fan.
Evanescence
What: 'Nu-metal' megastars turned apparent vanity project From: Little Rock, Arkansas, USA In the Beginning: Formed in 1995 by Amy Lee & Ben Moody, they released EPs (Evanescence (1998) and Sound Asleep / Whisper (1999)) and a full length demo called Origin in 2000. Eventually adding friends, John LeCompt, Rocky Gray and Will Boyd to the band, their debut record Fallen was released in 2003 to massive and almost instant success. Best Album*:Fallen Best Song*: "Bring Me to Life", "My Immortal" Recently...: Following touring for the Open Door there has been internal strife in the band, but Amy Lee states the band is writing for a new album to be released in 2010, and the new Evanescence will be "better, stronger and more interesting."
Like everyone else in the world, I first experienced Evanescence through the massive airplay that "Bring Me To Life" received on MTV and every music video channel at the start of the decade. For those who lived in a cave deep underground through the early noughties…
I'll freely admit to being a mark for nu-metal, from the pop edge like Evanescence through to the more worthy (and beloved) bands like the Deftones (which only goes to show how ridiculous the term ‘nu-metal' really is,) and I really liked "Bring Me To Life" – although I did wonder how they would replicate the singles success given that it's main dynamic was based on a two-singer format with a guest vocalist brought in to contrast with Amy Lee's faux-operatic style.
The answer came in the form of "My Immortal" – a restrained piano led tune, which gave Amy full reign to indulge in her desire to play at being Christine Daae, while also being a very affecting, pleasant and above all SUCCESSFUL song.
The massive success of "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal" made the album that spawned them (Fallen) one of the biggest hits of the first few years of this decade, and further singles from the album, "Going Under" and "Everybody's Fool" came out with rather shiny videos, to keep the band's profile high. I always did find this song pleasantly chunky...
On the lengthy world tour to support Fallen came one of the defining moments of this band's career, as musical mainstay Ben Moody decided to up and leave the band (without telling them) midway through the European leg of their tour. This resulted in Moody being replaced by Terry Balsamo, formerly of Cold for the remainder of the tour and into the recording of their next album, the Open Door which is in this writers opinion considerably less interesting than Fallen - coincidence?
Looking back at the "Going Under" video, it makes me wonder, was it edited after Moody left to have his face turn into a demon, like the crowd or was that in the original cut. Hmnn.....
Between Evanescence albums, Amy Lee kept herself busy by performing guest vocals for as many people as she could, appearing on Korn's MTV Unplugged performance as well as giving a career leg-up to then-boyfriend Shawn Morgan's band Seether by turning their song "Broken" into a duet…
However, that relationship clearly took a turn for the worst as one of the singles from the Open Door was the pointedly titled "Call Me When You're Sober" which is clearly a well balanced and not at all bitter piece of song writing…
I am actually a much bigger fan of the lead single for that album, the more direct and less… indulgent song, "Sweet Sacrifice."
Now neither of these are bad songs, but they lack the punch and charm of the songs who defined the formula, from Fallen...
In early 2007, John LeCompt was fired from the band, and Rocky Gray quit, leaving Amy as the only remotely original member. The two were replaced by two members of Dark New Day, Will Hunt and Troy McLawhorn who continued to play with the band through the touring cycle for the Open Door.
It seems incredible to me that a band can hit the commercial heights that Evanescence did in 2003, only to almost immediately lose a founder member, and that a mere four years later, there would be only one 'original' member left. I don't know Amy Lee personally (obviously) but this kind of situation always seems to indicate a certain dickish (diva-ish?) quality in the remaining member.
Evanescence have always divided opinion, beloved by the girls who view Amy Lee's hamster cheeked, corset and stripy sock wearing, pseudo-operatic act as aspirational and the boys who think it's hot and hated with great vitriol by almost everybody else.
I'll stay true to form and sit on the fence, because I like a lot of their songs but for me, this is pop music. Fun enough to listen to, but fundamentally disposable. I prefer the Ben Moody incarnation, as it's just better - better musicianship (sorry Terry) and he seemed to reign in some of Amy's more diva-ish tendencies with lush arrangements and some undoubtedly crunchy guitar riffs.
Don't get me wrong, Amy Lee is a fine singer - but she is nowhere near as good as she thinks she is, and really requires a stronger musical presence in the band to curb her enthusiasm. This is greatly shown in the difference between the cover to cover quality of the Moody-penned Fallen and the OK-to-terrible quality of the album written without him, the Open Door.
Seriously Amy - if you want the next album to matter, get on your hands & knees and beg him to come back, or at least do your damnedest to get someone like Jon Crosby as your producer.
I'll take a little tangent here to expound on a theory I have held for many years. There have been quite a few female fronted 'metal' or 'alt rock' bands with operatic tinges to make big waves this decade, with Evanescence one of the most pervasive, but the likes of Lacuna Coil, Nightwish and Within Temptation also having big success.
For the record, I think early Lacuna Coil were more impressively heavy (songs like "Swamped" and "Heaven's A Lie") but they have become very bloodless and uninteresting, while I think Nightwish (both incarnations) and Within Temptation pull off the opera-metal thing far better than Evanescence, partially because their singers are better at the full-on soprano thing, and the band's are tighter with a more definite musical plan.
Anyways, I contend that this little wave gained it's momentum from the shift from seriously heavy metal to electronica as personified by the likes of Paradise Lost in the late 90s mixed with the pre-nu-metal evolution of acts like Faith No More, with the added selling point of a female singer.
It's just an interesting musical genealogy theory I have that I might go into at another date - basically, play "Stripsearch" by Faith No More, "Say Just Words" by Paradise Lost and then something with Sarah Brightman on it, and you'll see what I mean....
Tangent over....
At the end of the day, I like Evanescence as they give me another option, somewhere between metal, pop and classical music, not to hard on the ears, but with enough occasional bite or vocal flourish that I don't actually fall asleep, or mistake it for some faceless, soulless pop diva and toss the stereo out the window.
Two very different comments this week...
Ray Church whined...The Darkness? Seriously?
What about Dave Matthews, Disposable Heroes of HipHoprisy, Days of the New or the Dandy Warholes. Rock n Roll piss-takes be damned, give me the real thing...
Thumbs up on the Deftones and David Bowie though...
In fairness, I think the Darkness' first album was a damn fine, admittedly tongue in cheek rock record, rather than a piss take. That approach never did AC/DC, Kiss or the Supersuckers any harm (spot the odd one out!) Sure, like I said it did get too arch and overblown (and there lies a cautionary tale) but the first album was a lot of fun.
As for the acts you suggest, I only know most of those acts from a few hit singles, or snatched earfuls of song - none of them MEAN anything to me, and as such my articles on them would be very bland, fact fuelled, and this, then this... kind of affairs, and I'm trying to avoid that.
I understand Dave Matthews is HUGE in alternative circles in the States, but he's never meant shit in Britain, and hence his reputation is all I have to go on. Disposable Heroes of HipHoprisy are an act I have NEVER heard of. Days of the New are a band I've liked a lot when I've heard them (and yes, checked them out 'cause they supported Metallica on one tour), and with some more digging on my part, could well feature next time round. The Dandy Warhols... just don't stack up when you've already go David Bowie in the column - a true bohemian, against some dudes who want to play the part, but really lack the art.
In all honesty, Dimmu Borgir, the Divine Comedy, Deathstars and Damon Albarn (allowing an awesome mishmash of Blur, Gorillaz and the Good, the Bad & the Queen) were the next few names on the list. My taste is my taste, and I can't please everyone (or indeed, anyone it seems.)
Alistair McGeorge said Nice account of The Darkness (I'm planning on looking at them, Hot Leg and Stone Gods in my own column at some point), although I disagree that they weren't really much more than an "in-joke". Both Hawkins brothers are underrated guitarists, and Hot Leg is just The Darkness turned up a notch (and are so much fun live). Plus, Ritchie, Toby (bassist for Stone Gods) and Justin are some of the friendliest "stars" I've met.
I never said the Darkness were an in joke in beginning, more a heartfelt tribute to the fun, outgoing rock of the seventies and early eighties - a little AC/DC, a little Rainbow, even a little Whitesnake - hence, fun!
However, the second album was too much trying to be Queen, with Justin not being fit to lace Freddie Mercury's codpiece, and they seemed to be taking the piss out of themselves, while trying to be cocky and superior at the same time. It just didn't fly.
I'll disagree about Hot Leg, who were rotten, loose, poorly put together, and half hearted when I saw them, seemingly existing just as a reason for Justin to do his increasingly dull solos and mince around like a neon coloured twat. It's like Martin Short became the front man of Duran Duran, and they discovered guitar solos in a textbook...
-shudders-
Stone Gods on the other hand, are a lot of down-to-earth, honest fun, and seem to radiate that 'nice guy' thing which is comparably rare in rock bands.
That's it, I'm done again. Please add your comments, and come back for next week where we will (predictably) cover the letter F, with some expected and perhaps unexpected choices.
Hey Chris, thanks for replying. I wasn't so much whining (I like most of your choices, and I too am a nu-metal mark), but the Darkness is one of those bands that really pisses me off, and comparing them to AC / DC is a big stretch, and least in my ears.
Good calls this time, although most of the Eels links are down before you posted it. And seriously, check out the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. They only released one album, but Michael Franti is one of the quintessential hiphop writers...
Could have added Everlast to this week, but thanks for introducing us to the Eels.
Posted By: Ray Church (Guest) on July 31, 2009 at 04:29 AM
oh! I forgot Muse were due a new album this year. Can they make it three excellent albums in a row? Probably not if the rest of the album is as dull a queen tribute as that track. Thanks for posting it up anyway.
Love that you mentioned the Eels, Beautiful Blues has to be one of my top ten tracks of all time. If you're liking Mr Mathers more introspective and thoughtful work have a listen to Cunninlynguists - The Gates, awesome track.
Posted By: skinead_bufty (Guest) on July 31, 2009 at 08:58 AM
That muse track is hilarious, not gonna make my fave song list anytime soon, but i think people will appreciate it a little more once a stronger track is revealed.....ahhh the eels, brings me back to school.
Posted By: gooched (Guest) on July 31, 2009 at 09:49 PM
sorry to derail the Amy bashing but Ben didn't write Fallen. he said in an interview before that Amy wrote 90% of it. her writing style and perspective simply changed, which is to be expected considering most of the songs on the album were written when she was in her teens. she evolved from feeling helpless and trapped and waiting for someone to save her to a woman strong on her own feet. she's noted the difference herself by acknowledging that a lot of the writing on Fallen was metaphorical in nature--a form of masking her feelings. The Open Door's lyrics became more honed, blunter, as she felt more freedom to express herself.
in conclusion, Amy will be back to dominate the globe once again in 2010. look for continued success and yet more multi-platinum certifications. xo
Posted By: Tyler (Guest) on July 31, 2009 at 11:06 PM
In response to Tyler:
Where was this interview thet Ben Moody admitted amy writing 90% of Fallen, would be interested in reading it since I read an interview my self back when fallen was realeased where Amy and Ben discussed how Ben wrote the heavier side of the music and amy was left to the classical side, and they took a 50/50 approach to it.
I believe that is the point that chris was making, that once one half of that duo are removed, in his personal taste, the songs became less driving and interesting.
I have heard a number of songs that Ben Moody has co written with people since he left Evanescence and you can still definetly hear the part he played in Fallen on them.
Posted By: RossS (Guest) on August 02, 2009 at 10:26 AM
