Ask 411 Music: The Here You Are Now Edition
Posted by Mitch Michaels on 08.03.2007
Ne-Yo, Linkin Park, T-Pain and others are #1s, Smashing Pumpkins, Danzig, etc reviewed in brief, The Simpsons are our playlist theme, a brand new CONTEST, Journey still sucks, Big Daddy Kane’s still around, Hanson still can’t score, Elvis is creepy, is Amy Lee a solo artist, can Nickelback plagiarize themselves, and MORE!!!!
Ain't it good to be back home again?
What the fuck, kids? I know, I know, this column should come around more often. I've been busy around the music zone lately, busier than ever. Since last time, I've unleashed the new sensation and what is quickly becoming the Friday tradition here at 411, the Quick ‘n' Dirty Music News, not to mention I've started sharing news posting duties with the honorable Double M.
But with all that activity, it feels good to go back to my roots and answer some music questions. And talk about albums. And do links. All that shit feels good.
So, you've had three months of ado; let's get this started…
2007 BILLBOARD #1 ALBUMS
I'm still keeping my 2007 promise and reviewing all of the Billboard #1 albums of the year in this section, in brief. Check out the last column for all of the first quarter's big ones.
05/05/07, 05/12/07: Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing - (From my full review) The Best Damn Thing is far from it. It's silly, it's juvenile and it's just plain annoying at times. There will be those who love this album because, admittedly, it's insanely catchy. But, at the end of the day, Avril Lavigne just isn't a good enough singer or lyricist to satiate any real musical hunger. It's irritating enough (and slightly vulgar enough) to be less of a hit with parents, which means this is a perfect teenager album. If it weren't made by a married 20-something, I might be more forgiving. As it is, Lavigne has somehow made me and other critics respect her less, which is a feat in and of itself. Rating: 5.5
05/19/07: Ne-Yo - Because Of You - Ne-Yo's debut last year was one of the highest rated R&B albums on 411. Because Of You shows that there was a reason for that. Ne-Yo, with his skillful songwriting and soulful delivery, is like some sort of R&B Frankenstein, built by Jay-Z, taking all of the best elements of pre-child molester Michael Jackson, pre-golden shower R. Kelly and pre-…well, whatever the hell's wrong with him, Prince. Though Because Of You is definitely grounded in what's hot now, it's taking R&B back to everything that was good. The best way I can think of to describe this record is white chocolate luscious. Rating: 8.0
05/26/07: Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible - (From my full review) If you were down with Michael Bublé before, Call Me Irresponsible will only reaffirm your fandom. Songs like "Always On My Mind", "The Best Is Yet To Come" and "Everything" are quite simply blowaways if you enjoy this style of pop crooning, while "Comin' Home Baby" and "It Had To Be Tonight" are just plain, danceable fun. You could complain that this album sticks too close to Bublé's normal formula, or that it gets a bit boring towards the end, but you can't accuse this record of lacking passion or good arrangements. If Bublé keeps cranking out discs like this, it's gonna be hard for the public to get tired of him. Rating: 8.0
06/02/07: Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight - And after two months, I finally get to have my say on the new Linkin Park album. I actually think it's pretty decent. A lot of people are shitting on it for Linkin Park's forward direction, moving from a punk-influenced rap-rock band to something more mature, but I see their growth as a good sign. After all, look at contemporaries Limp Bizkit, who never figured out how to change their style until it was too late. Minutes To Midnight isn't all good songs ("Hands Held High" kinda blows and I'm not even a huge fan of "What I've Done", despite it being a hit single), but it's frontloaded with some good, interesting tracks ("Leave Out All The Rest", "Bleed It Out") and manages to maintain a good pace right up until the last track. For a genre that is often dismissed as stagnant, Linkin Park has proven here that they can change and stay true to themselves at the same time. Rating: 7.0
06/09/07: Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long - (From my full review) Maroon 5 took their time putting out their second album, but fans will find it's worth the wait. It Won't Be Soon Before Long is the perfect pop record, 2007's answer to last year's FutureSex/LoveSounds. It takes the soul of the 70's and brings it into the present, much the same way "American Idol" finalist Blake did to rave reviews, but with a bigger, tighter band. It couldn't be more current. People will be eating this album up, that's been pre-arranged, but, unlike most of the over-hyped #1s of recent months, It Won't Be Soon absolutely deserves it. It's the equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie like Spider-Man or Pirates. It was built to be huge, but also built with plenty of skill. Rating: 8.0
06/16/07: R. Kelly - Double Up - (From my full review) Double Up, minus a couple of decent singles, is the look into the mind of a disturbed man. I'm not a prude by any stretch (hell, if it weren't looked down upon by society, I'd get one of those "Born to Fuck" tattoos like the donkey-lover in Clerks 2), but the songs here are so dripping with juvenile sexual references you'd think it was the collaborative effort of five junior high school boys. "The Zoo", "Sweet Tooth" and "Havin' A Baby" are some of the worst R&B songs ever recorded, and once they culminate into the ludicrous "Sex Planet", you'll be busting a gut over this one (ha ha). That is if you make it that far. Keep your underage daughters far away from R. Kelly and stay even further away from this record.Rating: 4.5
06/23/07: T-Pain - Epiphany - Well, we go from a shit R&B album to a shit hip-hop album. There's very little redeemable about the slower tracks on Epiphany, as the songs are cheesy and predictable (the HIV tracks "I Got It" and "Suicide" are so hilariously stupid you'll laugh in spite of yourself), and T-Pain's voice is so processed it's hard to tell who the fuck is singing. And don't even get me started on "69". Here's a lyric: "I been doin' tongue exercises/I'm thinkin' ‘bout that booty and them thighs and those curls". A couple of good rap tracks ("Church") and the main event track "Buy You A Drank" save this from being a total waste, but in the age of downloads, the people who flocked to the store to buy Epiphany had to be disappointed. Rating: 5.0
06/30/07: Toby Keith - Big Dog Daddy - (From my full review) Big Dog Daddy, Toby Keith's first shot at producing, is a great country album that foregoes poppy production and clever, forgettable clichés in favor of direct and excellent songwriting and a sound that hearkens back to the days of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. Keith fits perfectly in this roll, and knows how to deliver the ballads and be playful in the rough-and-rowdy numbers. If you don't like country music (and if you don't, give "White Rose" a listen, it could change your mind), this will most likely slide under your radar, but for fans of the music, it just may be one of the best CDs to come out this year. After 14 years, Toby Keith is still going strong. Rating: 8.0
07/07/07: Bon Jovi - Lost Highway - I'm a fan of the lead single, but Bon Jovi's supposedly "country" album just seems like a major marketing tool to me. When you listen to Lost Highway, there's barely any difference between the music here and the music on, say, Have A Nice Day. Sure, a couple of (shitty) modern country acts show up, and yeah, there are a couple of Nashville nods with the instrumentation, but this is just the same old act Jon and the doys have been doing over the last decade with a word of mouth campaign aimed to get them airplay on a different format. Not a bad album, but it doesn't live up to its own fabrications. Rating: 6.0
07/14/07: Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus - An interesting marketing scheme, packaging your debut with an already successful soundtrack. And I'll be damned if it didn't work. Kids ate this up. As for the music, think of it as Avril Lavigne for the kids not old enough to listen to Avril Lavigne yet. Sure, it's well crafted, slick pop music, but if you're an adult enjoying this record, you need to grow the fuck up. Rating: 5.5
07/21/07, 07/28/07: T.I. - T.I. Vs. T.I.P. - (From my full review) With a string of good records and so many outside projects, T.I. was bound to fall off in quality eventually. Still, it makes you sad that it had to be now. T.I. Vs. T.I.P. isn't a bad album, and there are some great tracks here ("Big Shit Poppin'", "You Know What It Is", "Respect This Hustle", "My Swag"), but, when you consider that King was nearly full of great tracks, it makes Vs. a little disappointing. The production on this one doesn't help, as T.I. has managed to somehow NOT find mixers who were able to pump out beats worthy of his MC ability, something even the slowest of rappers have been able to hit on these days. Fans will be buying this one, but it's not near as hot as 2006's effort. Rating: 7.5
08/04/07: Now That's What I Call Music! 25 - If you have this album, would you do me a big favor and kill yourself? There's no rhyme or reason for these records and in the age of legal and illegal downloading, I really don't understand the compulsion for EVERYONE to buy these motherfucking albums. Are there some big hits? Sure. Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, P!nk…all the people that the brain dead masses enjoy. But don't you already have these songs? Do you really like ALL of the tracks here? I'm just thinking this series will always be #1 out of habit. Oh, and fuck Elliot Yamin. Rating: 0.0
LYNX
Time for a little site whoring (hey, I read this stuff, so should you!):
The big news is the highly anticipated Top 100 Albums Ever, which is currently up to #71. Check out all three parts when you have time. It's a great feature and Tim O'Sullivan's done a hell of a job putting it together. Also, if you have all 30 of the albums listed thus far, take a picture of yourself with them and I'll send you a special prize. And just a little preview, if you don't give a fuck about The Beatles, prepare to beat your head against the wall a little.
411 Music's resident raving lunatic, Jesse Coy, takes a look at three very special concerts in his latest Padded Cell. He's also very excited about Virgin Festival coming up this weekend. Look at the schedule and have the piss taken out of you a little bit, dude.
JModz wraps up his look at 90's rocker chicks in the latest B-Side. My only question is why didn't Alanis Morissette make the first list?
It's Week 20 of Music Fact Or Fiction, and there's more than one controversial tidbit in this one. If you're an Alter Bridge fan, I've already been authorized by Ben C. to tell you to suck a big fat horse cock.
Finally, Mikey MiGo takes a look at albums that have staved off the sophomore curse in his latest Savage Animal. I don't think I'd exactly call The Strokes' Room On Fire a worthy successor to Is This It, but he makes some good points. He also hated Chuck & Larry.
Over in reviews, we've got a Mitch Michaels triple play, with columns for indie rockers The Cribs (worth a listen), the new Prince CD (not bad) and the latest effort by Hanson (not as good as their fans think, not as bad as people who haven't been paying attention think). Elsewhere, Dan Marsicano reviews the new Sum 41, which he fucking hated but thinks fans will enjoy, and some Christian prog metal band I've never heard of called Torman Maxt, who Dan seems to really like. John Nagle imports the UKs Wildhearts, mourning its international status while praising it as one of the best records of the year. Lastly, Brandon Ratliff hates the new Korn record, which has no title.
I got a promo copy of Alabama Thunderpussy's Open Fire in the mail, but Brandon Ratliff beat me to the review. It's a shame, ‘cause I was looking forward to giving some publicity to my fellow Virginia residents. Open Fire is their first with singer Kyle Thomas, and damn, he sounds pretty f'ing good. It's good to hear a modern metal singer with such a sense of melody, and mix that with lead guitarist Ryan Lake's ability to shred, you have yourself some of the best southern metal since Pantera.
I got three free selections from BMG and decided to catch up some random releases. First was LL Cool J's All World, a greatest hits set from 1996 because, hey, what has LL done since? I caught LL Cool J at last year's Amsterjam and thought this CD could capture some of that awesome energy he had live. Well, All World feels more than a little dated, but it does bring the hits. And you gotta love "Big Ole Butt". Next up was a DualDisc version of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral. I used to have this CD, I think I stole it from one of my high school friends. I never cared for the disc much then, outside of "Closer", but this 5.1 mix has really given me a major new appreciation for Trent Reznor and the album, which I really consider a masterpiece in industrial metal. If you think you've heard this without hearing it in surround, think again. (and think right this time) Finally, I got the debut album by The Fray because, well, I'm a sheep I guess. You hear these guys 24/7 on the radio, so it's not much different having the CD. None of the songs compare to "Cable Car", but they're still not bad.
I've been waiting for a Wilburys reissue since I got Vol. 1 on cassette, so needless to say I picked up The Traveling Wilburys Collection the day it came out. If you want to know where rock ‘n' roll was in the late-80's, this is your answer, as each of the five Wilburys brought their A-game to the sessions. Hearing Roy Orbison sing "You're Not Alone Anymore" or the band nearly crack up on "Dirty World" is reason enough, but the real gem is the "making of" DVD. Never again will there be such an amalgamation of pure, egoless, unadulterated rock music.
My mom spotted me a 20 back in June and I took that to fye and picked up the new White Stripes CD Icky Thump. I reviewed this for the site and I still hold it up as the best rock record of the year. People were thinking Jack White was gonna go country because of his move to Nashville, but he smacked those motherfuckers right in the mouth with the title track. This is seriously like lo-fi Zeppelin, just an awesome rock record. I also got the John Mayer Trio's live record Try!, which features Mayer and the band he used on the Continuum album, which I loved. This was the real beginning of "serious" John Mayer, and thank God, ‘cause that "Body Is A Wonderland" shit made me sick. There are only two previously released songs here (including the horrid "Daughters", but it's forgivable), and the rest is just glimpses of John Mayer, the blues player and John Mayer, the rock star. Good stuff.
I went into Best Buy in preparation for this year's Virgin Festival and came out with some major deals. First off was 311's Greatest Hits ‘93-‘03, which is exactly what it said it was. I don't have much knowledge when it comes to 311, so I figured I should brush up if I was going to see them live. That's all moot, since the brain trust behind Virgin decided to put Smashing Pumpkins and 311 on stage at the same time. What the FUCK?? Anyway, Hits is alright, a precursor to rap-rock with a good dose of reggae that will bring back memories of dorm rooms and drunk frat guys. Speaking of Smashing Pumpkins, I also picked up their greatest hits comp, Rotten Apples, which came out after the band's (temporary) break-up in 2001. There are some problems with this disc, like its focus on some of the band's lesser material, but if you're looking for HITS, this is the place to find "1979", "Ava Adore", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "Disarm" and all the others. Completing my Virgin trifecta was the Beastie Boys' Solid Gold Hits, a single disc best of from 2005. I automatically regretted not picking up Sounds Of Science instead, a 2-disc set from '99 that's much more thorough. Like, where the hell is "Girls" on this CD? Still, if cuts from To The 5 Burroughs matter to you, or you only need an hour of Beasties, Solid Gold should quench your thirst.
My wife had me painfully hanging out in some antique shop one weekend when I stumbled upon this album. Now, normally I steer clear of the overpriced CDs and musty smelling "antique" vinyl in these shops, but a 3-disc Charlie Daniels Band retrospective caught my eye that day and, for only five dollars, I considered it a steal. My copy of The Roots Remain was missing the box and liner notes it was packaged with, but the CDs are pretty solid. Now, as much as I love CDB, nearly four hours might be a bit of overkill, but all the hits are here and nothing is actively bad. "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", "Easy Rider", "What This World Needs Is A Few More Rednecks", and on and on. And you can't miss the fiddle-heavy version of "Layla". If you see this cheap (or any other Charlie Daniels comp), buy it!
Jason Isbell's long awaited debut, Sirens Of The Ditch, was my favorite release of June. The ex-Drive-By Truckers guitarist has had this one in production ever since I started listening to DBT, and it's good to hear it finally come out. Isbell seems to try and distance himself a little from DBT's southern sensibility, even though nearly all of his ex-bandmates show up on the set in one form or another. Don't get me wrong, this is still obviously southern based rock music, but the subject matter tends to be a little more universal, which some would say broadens the record's appeal. "Dress Blues" is probably the best war song ever, based on the true story of a soldier who was killed a week before his tour was up, a week after his birthday and a few months from the birth of his first child. The acoustic version's better though.
Finally, I uncovered a copy of Danzig's new rarities set, Lost Tracks, at my local fye. I actually looked at all my local retailers for this set with no luck. When I couldn't find it under the "D"s at fye, I'd nearly given up, but the guy working the counter actually had copies with him. Turns out, the CD comes packaged like a box set (with some hilariously egotistical liner notes by Danzig himself), so beware if you're looking for it out in stores. This is a fucking kick-ass, rocking CD set, from beginning to end. I've loved Danzig's albums ever since I got into him, but recent output like Circle Of Snakes has been a little forgettable. Lost Tracks turns that around and it hasn't left my truck CD player since I bought it.
The iTunes Theme Time Playlist Extravaganza
In honor of this week's #1 movie:
Lita Ford - "Lisa" - Lita Ford graduated from the great 70's rock girl band The Runaways, which also boasted Joan Jett among its ranks. Her biggest moment was her duet with Ozzy Osborne on "Close My Eyes Forever" in 1988. Her fourth solo album, Stiletto, failed to capitalize on the success of that single, but it did produce a few nice moments. Among those is "Lisa", a creepy ballad that failed to chart.
Cracker - "Maggie" - This tune was included on Greenland, Cracker's '06 album, which also happened to be their first set of new material in four years. "Maggie" is a slower tune, a display of Cracker's sweeter side, with lyrics like "You're everything I ever wanted, but I'm half of what you need" juxtaposed with "Lazy bones, come on get your beautiful ass out of bed".
Joe Cocker - "Marjorine" - (Yes, I realize Marge's full name is Marjorie, but cut me a little slack here!) This is from Joe Cocker's debut, With A Little Help From My Friends, released way back in 1969, and happens to be one of my favorite songs by the singer. It's such a strange sounding song that it will be stuck in your head for days after hearing it, even if you turn off the radio. "MarjoRINE/Wheeeere have you BEEN/Diiid you meet the QUEEEN/MarjoRIINE"
The Simpsons - "Do The Bartman" – But do you remember THIS? The family themselves show up on our tribute list with one of the coolest uncool songs ever. The Simpsons' Sing The Blues was released in 1990, just as Simpsons-mania was taking over and destroying "The Cosby Show". "Do The Bartman" was the lead song from the album, a dance craze that never caught on (though another interesting tune, "Deep Deep Trouble", did break into the Hot 100). Sing The Blues, from what I remember, wasn't a half bad record for a novelty. Now everybody shake your body, turn it out if you can, man!
The Bloodhound Gang - "Reflections Of Remoh" – This is the closing track from Bloodhound Gang's breakthrough record, One Fierce Beer Coaster, which featured the hit "Fire Water Burn". "Remoh" (Homer spelled backwards) is just one of the band members doing a Homer impression, but it's a small testament to the Simpsons' wide appeal. Fuck, just listen to it.
And it's time again for someone to try and win a prize. Basically, I'll post a sentence/picture that will be a series of words cut and pasted from album covers (like a ransom note, get it?). The first person to correctly identify the albums that the pasted words came from wins a spot in the next Ask 411 Music to plug, preach, rant or swear about any topic their heart desires. Got it? Hell, I'll even consider people who ALMOST get it right!
Here's last time's puzzle:
And, unfortunately, none of you dummies even TRIED to come up with the right answer here. Sure, I thought there'd be a word or two that would be problematic, but I never guessed that no one would even try! What the fuck is wrong with y'all?
Anyway, the first word was a gimme, I thought. The "now" was cropped from "Snow" on the cover from Snow Patrol's latest album, Eye's Open. "That's" was what I considered hard, cropped from Sham 69's 1978 release That's Life, easily one of the greatest punk albums of all time. "What I" is pulled from the Goo Goo Dolls compilation What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce, which is famous for being a best of set that contains none of the band's big hits. "Call" was also cropped from a hits set, Eminem's Curtain Call: The Hits. Finally, "Music" comes to you from Madonna's 2000 studio album, title simply Music. Don't believe me?
So, do you have a grasp on the rules? Cause I'm gonna dumb it down a little, just HOPING someone's gonna hit the right answer this week.
OK, now that you know how to play the game, here's this week's puzzle:
That's 5 different albums to make up T.I. vs. T.I.P.. Can you figure it out for a spot in the next edition of Ask 411 Music? (Here's a hint: The first "I" is actually the number "1") Send your answers to my email as quick as you can. Good luck!
And now it's time for……..
ASK 411 MUSIC
First off, reader and former 411 reviewer McB responds to last time's column:
...I found your Journey rant hilarious and agree with it mostly, but there were a few songs scattered throughout the Journey albums (Infinity and Evolution in particular) with Perry on vocals, that weren't half bad - this would be for two reasons: Schon's guitar work and Gregg Rolie's presence. Since those two had played in Santana together, even after Perry joined they occasionally pulled out some decent songs here and there. Some of the ones I am referring to were of a more experimental nature and not the "corporate rock"/"arena ballads" that tended to bog down most of their albums. A bigger blow was when they added Jonathan Cain from The Babys into the fold. He and Perry combined gave them their biggest album but also sent them into a tailspin with each album getting progressively worse after that because they became increasingly pussified. Yeah, Randy Jackson being added was the final blow - I remember seeing him in some horrid 80's multi-colored outfit with a Fresh Prince 'do.
You also hit on three albums I recently got also – Lucinda Williams, R.E.M. and The Band tribute. I fully agree with you on Lucinda - great album. The R.E.M. is also cool since, as you mentioned, it gives one the opportunity to go back and check out the earlier material (a plus for those of us that jumped on board around the time Green came out). I sort of liked Endless Highway, even Lee Ann Womack. None compare to the originals, but I've heard worse. Allmans were phoning that one in though. Anyways, cool stuff.
Thanks for the feedback McB, and I hope you're doing well out there, wherever you are. You wouldn't believe all the shit I got for my thorough thrashing of Steve Perry and Journey. The worst thing is how the series finale of "The Sopranos" (which included the band's "Don't Stop Believin'" in its controversial closing scene) has once again launched Journey into the public conscious, meaning they could (conceivably) parlay that into another comeback attempt. Of course, some weird things are going on right now in Journey. Following Trial By Fire, the band's reunion album with Perry in 1996, Steve Augeri took over as the band's vocalist after Perry (ahem) hurt his hip. Jounrey released two albums and an EP with Augeri over the last decade (none of which made much noise on the sales or radio charts), but in 2006, Augeri announced that he was leaving the group temporarily due to health problems. Jeff Scott Soto (former vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen) was then announced as Augeri's permanent replacement at the end of the year. However, just last month, the band announced that Soto had split.
Fans (they still have fans?) are throwing around several names for Soto's replacement, the frontrunner of which is Jeremey Hunsicker, who fronts a Journey tribute band called Frontiers. Steve Perry has also been rumored to be coming back, but has since denied any involvement.
As for your CD thoughts, Lee Ann Womack's version of "The Weight" on the Endless Highway Band tribute is quite possibly one of the worst things put to record. I can't even LISTEN to that shit, and I can tolerate a lot of bad songs. You can argue that The Band had their country influences going into "The Weight" (and they did), but Lee Ann Womack is so far from the country The Band were inspired by that you might as well be listening to music from another planet. Can't stand her voice, can't stand her face, can't stand the song. Period.
Reader Chris Trice hits us up with some more Big Daddy Kane/Jay-Z knowledge, discussed last time:
Not that it matters much, but I thought you'd like to know:
To my knowledge, Mister Cee was Kane's DJ, and only occasionally found himself in front of the mic. See "DJs Get No Credit" on Kane's Prince Of Darkness album.
I wasn't sure who Jay Cee was myself (I had guessed back then he was just a member of the Juice Crew) but if Kane was referring to the "Imperial" Jay Cee, he was talking about a DJ of the Kool Herc/DJ Clark Kent era - well before even Kane came to prominence.
A "pre-hustler" Jay-Z (listed in some sources simply as J.Z.) has a short verse on the track "Show and Prove" on Kane's album Daddy's Home. It sounds very little like the "Jigga" you might be familiar with, vocally and lyrically. It's kind of funny to hear him spitting at least half an octave higher pitched than he does today. Sounds like a baby.
... of course, then Ol' Dirty Bastard just demolishes what's left of the track with what, even by his standards, has to be one of the more bizarre verses ever. :)
Anyway, there you go. Keep up the good work.
Peace,
Chris
Thanks for the info Chris. I'd always wondered what Kane track featured Jay-Z, but hadn't come across it.
Keeping up with our "what are they up to now" theme, Big Daddy Kane hasn't been completely inactive over the past few years. In 2005, he was awarded at VH1's Hip-Hop Honors show, which featured tribute performances by T.I., Common and Black Thought, as well as a reunion between Kane and dancers Scoob and Scrap on the song "Warm It Up, Kane". He's popped up in a few places since. In 2006, Kane appeared in Dave Chapelle's Block Party, as well as at a Summer Jam concert organized by Busta Rhymes which sought to recognize NYC-based hip-hop legends.
This year, Kane's collaborated with artists on a number of small projects. He worked with Wu-Tang's The RZA on an anime soundtrack and lent vocals to recent albums by Joell Ortiz and UGK. A new Big Daddy Kane track (the first since the DJ Premier-produced "Any Type Of Way") called "If You Try" popped up on the recent Chinga Chang mixtape Official Joints.
Reader Brian Quinn responds to some comments I made about the Elvis Presley/Celine Dion duet on "American Idol"…fuck, some time ago in the Music Fact or Fiction columns:
Dear Sir,
I think that the Elvis Presley/Celine Dion duet on "If I Can Dream" on "Idol Gives Back" was the best piece of TV viewing in the past 20 years. Most other people felt that way too, as it is still topping the iTunes download chart. Let's pray that we can now see Elvis regularly on such programs, as without doubt Elvis is the greatest pop music act of all-time. He sings with such soul and conviction that he puts all others to shame.
Robert Sillerman of CKX, Inc., a billionaire, now owns 85% of Elvis Presley Enterprises and he feels that Elvis' legacy could be improved a hundred fold. He is now taking this action, and not before time. Watch out for the Cirque Du Soleil Shows in Vegas and throughout the World during 2008/9.
Yours faithfully,
Brian Quinn
Hey Brian, what are you, his fucking publicist?? Elvis Presley is DEAD. He shouldn't be doing duets on live TV. It's creepy, it's disrespectful and it's just downright stupid. Besides, if some new guy controlling Elvis' estate is interested in doing shit like this, where does it end? Admittedly, Elvis and Celine Dion are both talented vocalists who had done the Vegas thing, so they may be kindred spirits in some way. But who's to say that every act that we're gonna resurrect Elvis to pair with in the future is gonna be someone The King approved of? And how the hell can you improve the legacy of the KING OF ROCK ‘N' ROLL???
And don't give me the line that people were interested in seeing it makes it something worth seeing. People wanted to watch because it was an eerie freakshow. Adding vocals to an old track is one thing (though no less shamefully prostituting), but having someone PERFORM on a high visibility national stage? Why don't we just clone Elvis. And Jim Morrison. And Kurt Cobain.
If you're a true Elvis fan, enjoy the massive amount of material he released while he was still alive. Most people probably couldn't get through all his legit tapes in a lifetime.
My recent review of Hanson's new album (which I actually spoke relatively highly of) showed me one thing: Hanson fans are crazy. This was sent to me by Veronica Howell, responding to some comments in a music roundtable, before the album was released:
I usually really enjoy the columns/articles on 411mania, but was unpleasantly surprised by some of the hate thrown at one of my favorite bands - Hanson (yes, that's right they still have a fan base and a loyal one at that). Before you judge, take some time to do some research and maybe even give their more recent music a chance (remember they were REALLY young when "MMMBop" came out...). In fact, you would find that three years ago Hanson had the biggest independent release of all time with their album Underneath. Furthermore, they had a single called "Penny and Me" hit the Billboard Top 200 chart at #2. Their new album, The Walk, is incredible and does not even slightly resemble what you think this band would sound like. They are talented musicians and songwriters that have produced another fantastic album that sounds amazing. I have recently attended two of the preview shows that Hanson had for their soon-to-be-released album and both were completely sold out and they sold out very quickly (in fact, with more research you would have found out that Hanson sold out all four of their preview shows, with some people going so far as to sleep in tents just to get a good spot at the concert). The one show I attended in Allentown sold out in three days and more tickets had to be released to keep up with the demand (this show was actually overbooked and almost did not take place because their were TOO MANY loyal fans there). You are welcome to your own opinions (and I have no doubt you'll have something to say about this "crazy" Hanson fan who wrote you this long e-mail...), but in the name of being a critic, please try to give some things a chance. Hanson may no longer be mainstream and ridiculously over-played, but do not write off a band that is talented and would probably shock you if you heard some of their newer stuff simply because you have not heard their name for a while!
Thanks for listening & please feel free to reply!
Veronica Howell
First off, thanks for the email Veronica, and ALL the Hanson fans I've heard from. Secondly, I'm probably taking shit here for something Jamie Buttineau said. Oh well.
You can check out the whole Hanson "where are they now" deal through my Walk review. I got tons of emails from fans after I posted that review saying that I didn't "get" the band, just because I said Hanson had it in them to make a great pop/rock record and that they'd yet to do so. I stick by that. And the problem with Hanson (and their fans, it seems), came because they were found guilty in the court of public opinion ten years ago of overexposure. Then, when they failed to succeed with their follow-up to Middle Of Nowhere, they got the ol' "one hit wonder" treatment. And to 99% of the general public, they pretty much are. So now they have this chip on their shoulder, trying desperately NOT to be the "MMMBop" band, which stifles their current output. It's good rock music, don't get me wrong, but Hanson KNOWS how to make a pop song, so why are they afraid of that, instead choosing to be oh so serious? Are they afraid of success and the backlash that may again go with it? The ego is a very fragile thing.
Second of all, everyone preaching about how Underneath was the "Biggest Selling Independent Album Of All-Time" (at only 137,000 domestic copies sold, I'd like to see something to back that up) and how "Penny & Me" was a #2 hit (it was, but on the UK Independent Singles Chart, it didn't rank on the Hot 100 and reached #10 in the UK overall), you're gonna be pretty disheartened with The Walk, which debuted at a low #56 this week (#4 Independent, behind Hairspray, an old Jason Aldean record and a surprisingly successful Spoon album that's been around for three weeks now) and moved somewhere in the area of 10,000 units (I'm extrapolating here, since the only sales figures I have is for the #40 album, which sold 18,000). And I'm not saying that to dump on Hanson, I'm saying that to help you realize: just because you're a super fan doesn't mean anybody else is entitled to take your band seriously.
The truth is that Hanson actually lost money on Underneath, so they changed up their sound yet again for The Walk. And who knows, a slow start isn't necessarily a death knell. The album could catch fire. It's unlikely, but not impossible. And if it doesn't, will Hanson change up again for their fifth album? Will they continue to avoid their strengths? Only time will tell.
Reader Joanna questions my comments on Amy Lee going solo:
I enjoyed your blurb about Amy going solo. There's just one thing - what exactly makes someone a "solo" artist compared to a band leader?
Amy is the only one with a contract for Wind-Up Records. She owns the band and the name, and hires and fires the guys. The album required and used minimal input from the guys. One could say that The Open Door was a solo album. The guys are pretty much nothing more than session players.
Kelly Clarkson is a solo artist, yet she collaborates with others on all her songs. Billy Corgan wrote all music and lyrics for the Smashing Pumpkins, yet they were always thought of as a band.
Amy Lee IS Evanescence. An Amy Lee solo career would be basically what we have now on The Open Door. Except, Evanescence is a brand - and that is what she is selling and using to make her money.
Thanks for the comments Joanna. You make some excellent points (except, no, Billy Corgan didn't write ALL the music, though he did for the bulk of Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness, SP's best known album).
The real truth is that the difference between a solo artist and a band is just status on paper. It's all just a matter of who's getting a cut of the album sales and the live shows. Kelly Clarkson gets paid for Kelly Clarkson records, and then she divides the money accordingly among her people (label, management, etc). Same for live shows. She gets the check and then pays her hired band accordingly, whether it be a set fee (most likely) or some percentage of the gate. For Evanescence, the band is getting paid for sales and shows. Now, since Amy Lee owns the band, she's probably taking the biggest cut, but still, members of Evanescence would have some official contract, guaranteeing them a slice of all things Evanescence during their tenure. The same, I would assume, goes for the new Smashing Pumpkins, with Billy Corgan and maybe Jimmy Chamberlin probably taking a bigger cut.
Other bands are more equal about things, with each member getting the same amount (though songwriters will usually get publishing money). Bands like Velvet Revolver and the Eagles (before Henley and Frey got the big head anyway) come to mind.
The easiest example is Tom Petty, who has albums with The Heartbreakers and albums solo. On solo albums, if Heartbreakers show up, they're paid as session musicians. On band albums, they each take a cut of the sales. However, Tom Petty doesn't tour solo, so The Heartbreakers always get an equal cut of the live shows, which most figures indicate is the real bread and butter of a band. So, in other words, band members stay happy because they're not losing THAT much money when TP records a solo record here and there.
So no, Amy Lee isn't a solo artist. And she's not even an iffy situation, like Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson (who both seem to be solo artists on albums and bands on tour). Lee is the leader of a band, and, even though her cut may be bigger, she's not solo. Like you said, Evanescence really is a brand, and Lee would be a fool to cut ties with a popular name before riding it out.
We're closing this week with Nickelback fan Chris Jacobs, who is PISSED OFF:
I was reading up on Nickelback and apparently there was this big thing about some numb nuts in Canada that believes that "How You Remind Me" and "Someday" are the same song. They played them together and tried to prove it, the guy made one faster, and edited the other to make them fit, AND ADMITS IT, and there are people crying and complaining about it still? I don't get it, how can you hate a band for apparently copying themselves in a song that doesn't copy, and to get it to sound close, YOU HAVE TO EDIT BOTH OF THEM!!! I mean if these people hate on them so bad, then what about the band Three Days Grace, when their song "I Hate Everything About You" and "Just Like You" are in fact EXACTALLY THE SAME, same beginning riff, same music, same flow and everything and I heard nothing against them? This so called "Sound Genius" is a fraud, not Nickelback.
Well, "Someday" and "How You Remind Me" are definitely similar, but they're not the same song. There's a similar tempo and strumming pattern, but altered chords and a different melody. Of course, the real problem is that Nickelback kind of gives away their formula on this, as the instruments come in the same way and the song uses the same gimmicks for changes. Nickelback haters will look at this as evidence that Nickelback does, indeed, suck, but would it really matter? They'd say Nickelback sucked anyway. Meanwhile, Nickelback fans will deny, deny, deny. I'm in the middle. While lots of bands play it safe, you do have to admit that Nickelback has changed little over the years, meaning their formula (and their resulting songs) have remained the same. I don't think they suck, really, just that they could easily get stale.
As for this audio guy, I don't think he's a genius. Fuck, he's just a guy that mixed two songs together. Welcome to basic recording, bud. It doesn't take a genius to think two songs sound similar, and with 50 years of rock ‘n' roll and centuries of music, things are definitely going to start repeating. There are only twelve major chords, after all. This guys no smarter than the guy who accused Red Hot Chili Peppers of plagiarism because "Dani California" happened to have the same chord progression and a faintly similar melody to "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Then , of course, when someone TELLS you what to hear, you hear it. It's just like EVP, which stands for Electronic Voice Phenomenon (Thank you "Ghost Hunters"!). Tom Petty himself dismissed that claim, though. Hey, I got news for you. TONS of songs have the same chord progression. Just check out "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" and "Keep On Rockin' In The Free World". It'll blow your mind!
05/05/07, 05/12/07: Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing - (From my full 
05/19/07: Ne-Yo - Because Of You - Ne-Yo's debut last year was one of the highest rated R&B albums on 411. Because Of You shows that there was a reason for that. Ne-Yo, with his skillful songwriting and soulful delivery, is like some sort of R&B Frankenstein, built by Jay-Z, taking all of the best elements of pre-child molester Michael Jackson, pre-golden shower R. Kelly and pre-…well, whatever the hell's wrong with him, Prince. Though Because Of You is definitely grounded in what's hot now, it's taking R&B back to everything that was good. The best way I can think of to describe this record is white chocolate luscious. Rating: 8.0
05/26/07: Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible - (From my full 
06/02/07: Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight - And after two months, I finally get to have my say on the new Linkin Park album. I actually think it's pretty decent. A lot of people are shitting on it for Linkin Park's forward direction, moving from a punk-influenced rap-rock band to something more mature, but I see their growth as a good sign. After all, look at contemporaries Limp Bizkit, who never figured out how to change their style until it was too late. Minutes To Midnight isn't all good songs ("Hands Held High" kinda blows and I'm not even a huge fan of "What I've Done", despite it being a hit single), but it's frontloaded with some good, interesting tracks ("Leave Out All The Rest", "Bleed It Out") and manages to maintain a good pace right up until the last track. For a genre that is often dismissed as stagnant, Linkin Park has proven here that they can change and stay true to themselves at the same time. Rating: 7.0
06/09/07: Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long - (From my full 
06/16/07: R. Kelly - Double Up - (From my full 
06/23/07: T-Pain - Epiphany - Well, we go from a shit R&B album to a shit hip-hop album. There's very little redeemable about the slower tracks on Epiphany, as the songs are cheesy and predictable (the HIV tracks "I Got It" and "Suicide" are so hilariously stupid you'll laugh in spite of yourself), and T-Pain's voice is so processed it's hard to tell who the fuck is singing. And don't even get me started on "69". Here's a lyric: "I been doin' tongue exercises/I'm thinkin' ‘bout that booty and them thighs and those curls". A couple of good rap tracks ("Church") and the main event track "Buy You A Drank" save this from being a total waste, but in the age of downloads, the people who flocked to the store to buy Epiphany had to be disappointed. Rating: 5.0
06/30/07: Toby Keith - Big Dog Daddy - (From my full 
07/07/07: Bon Jovi - Lost Highway - I'm a fan of the lead single, but Bon Jovi's supposedly "country" album just seems like a major marketing tool to me. When you listen to Lost Highway, there's barely any difference between the music here and the music on, say, Have A Nice Day. Sure, a couple of (shitty) modern country acts show up, and yeah, there are a couple of Nashville nods with the instrumentation, but this is just the same old act Jon and the doys have been doing over the last decade with a word of mouth campaign aimed to get them airplay on a different format. Not a bad album, but it doesn't live up to its own fabrications. Rating: 6.0
07/14/07: Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus - An interesting marketing scheme, packaging your debut with an already successful soundtrack. And I'll be damned if it didn't work. Kids ate this up. As for the music, think of it as Avril Lavigne for the kids not old enough to listen to Avril Lavigne yet. Sure, it's well crafted, slick pop music, but if you're an adult enjoying this record, you need to grow the fuck up. Rating: 5.5
07/21/07, 07/28/07: T.I. - T.I. Vs. T.I.P. - (From my full 
08/04/07: Now That's What I Call Music! 25 - If you have this album, would you do me a big favor and kill yourself? There's no rhyme or reason for these records and in the age of legal and illegal downloading, I really don't understand the compulsion for EVERYONE to buy these motherfucking albums. Are there some big hits? Sure. Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, P!nk…all the people that the brain dead masses enjoy. But don't you already have these songs? Do you really like ALL of the tracks here? I'm just thinking this series will always be #1 out of habit. Oh, and fuck Elliot Yamin. Rating: 0.0
I got a promo copy of Alabama Thunderpussy's Open Fire in the mail, but Brandon Ratliff beat me to the review. It's a shame, ‘cause I was looking forward to giving some publicity to my fellow Virginia residents. Open Fire is their first with singer Kyle Thomas, and damn, he sounds pretty f'ing good. It's good to hear a modern metal singer with such a sense of melody, and mix that with lead guitarist Ryan Lake's ability to shred, you have yourself some of the best southern metal since Pantera.
I got three free selections from BMG and decided to catch up some random releases. First was LL Cool J's All World, a greatest hits set from 1996 because, hey, what has LL done since? I caught LL Cool J at last year's Amsterjam and thought this CD could capture some of that awesome energy he had live. Well, All World feels more than a little dated, but it does bring the hits. And you gotta love "Big Ole Butt". Next up was a DualDisc version of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral. I used to have this CD, I think I stole it from one of my high school friends. I never cared for the disc much then, outside of "Closer", but this 5.1 mix has really given me a major new appreciation for Trent Reznor and the album, which I really consider a masterpiece in industrial metal. If you think you've heard this without hearing it in surround, think again. (and think right this time) Finally, I got the debut album by The Fray because, well, I'm a sheep I guess. You hear these guys 24/7 on the radio, so it's not much different having the CD. None of the songs compare to "Cable Car", but they're still not bad. 
I've been waiting for a Wilburys reissue since I got Vol. 1 on cassette, so needless to say I picked up The Traveling Wilburys Collection the day it came out. If you want to know where rock ‘n' roll was in the late-80's, this is your answer, as each of the five Wilburys brought their A-game to the sessions. Hearing Roy Orbison sing "You're Not Alone Anymore" or the band nearly crack up on "Dirty World" is reason enough, but the real gem is the "making of" DVD. Never again will there be such an amalgamation of pure, egoless, unadulterated rock music.
My mom spotted me a 20 back in June and I took that to fye and picked up the new White Stripes CD Icky Thump. I reviewed this for the site and I still hold it up as the best rock record of the year. People were thinking Jack White was gonna go country because of his move to Nashville, but he smacked those motherfuckers right in the mouth with the title track. This is seriously like lo-fi Zeppelin, just an awesome rock record. I also got the John Mayer Trio's live record Try!, which features Mayer and the band he used on the Continuum album, which I loved. This was the real beginning of "serious" John Mayer, and thank God, ‘cause that "Body Is A Wonderland" shit made me sick. There are only two previously released songs here (including the horrid "Daughters", but it's forgivable), and the rest is just glimpses of John Mayer, the blues player and John Mayer, the rock star. Good stuff.
I went into Best Buy in preparation for this year's Virgin Festival and came out with some major deals. First off was 311's Greatest Hits ‘93-‘03, which is exactly what it said it was. I don't have much knowledge when it comes to 311, so I figured I should brush up if I was going to see them live. That's all moot, since the brain trust behind Virgin decided to put Smashing Pumpkins and 311 on stage at the same time. What the FUCK?? Anyway, Hits is alright, a precursor to rap-rock with a good dose of reggae that will bring back memories of dorm rooms and drunk frat guys. Speaking of Smashing Pumpkins, I also picked up their greatest hits comp, Rotten Apples, which came out after the band's (temporary) break-up in 2001. There are some problems with this disc, like its focus on some of the band's lesser material, but if you're looking for HITS, this is the place to find "1979", "Ava Adore", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "Disarm" and all the others. Completing my Virgin trifecta was the Beastie Boys' Solid Gold Hits, a single disc best of from 2005. I automatically regretted not picking up Sounds Of Science instead, a 2-disc set from '99 that's much more thorough. Like, where the hell is "Girls" on this CD? Still, if cuts from To The 5 Burroughs matter to you, or you only need an hour of Beasties, Solid Gold should quench your thirst.
My wife had me painfully hanging out in some antique shop one weekend when I stumbled upon this album. Now, normally I steer clear of the overpriced CDs and musty smelling "antique" vinyl in these shops, but a 3-disc Charlie Daniels Band retrospective caught my eye that day and, for only five dollars, I considered it a steal. My copy of The Roots Remain was missing the box and liner notes it was packaged with, but the CDs are pretty solid. Now, as much as I love CDB, nearly four hours might be a bit of overkill, but all the hits are here and nothing is actively bad. "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", "Easy Rider", "What This World Needs Is A Few More Rednecks", and on and on. And you can't miss the fiddle-heavy version of "Layla". If you see this cheap (or any other Charlie Daniels comp), buy it!
Jason Isbell's long awaited debut, Sirens Of The Ditch, was my favorite release of June. The ex-Drive-By Truckers guitarist has had this one in production ever since I started listening to DBT, and it's good to hear it finally come out. Isbell seems to try and distance himself a little from DBT's southern sensibility, even though nearly all of his ex-bandmates show up on the set in one form or another. Don't get me wrong, this is still obviously southern based rock music, but the subject matter tends to be a little more universal, which some would say broadens the record's appeal. "Dress Blues" is probably the best war song ever, based on the true story of a soldier who was killed a week before his tour was up, a week after his birthday and a few months from the birth of his first child. The acoustic version's better though.
Finally, I uncovered a copy of Danzig's new rarities set, Lost Tracks, at my local fye. I actually looked at all my local retailers for this set with no luck. When I couldn't find it under the "D"s at fye, I'd nearly given up, but the guy working the counter actually had copies with him. Turns out, the CD comes packaged like a box set (with some hilariously egotistical liner notes by Danzig himself), so beware if you're looking for it out in stores. This is a fucking kick-ass, rocking CD set, from beginning to end. I've loved Danzig's albums ever since I got into him, but recent output like Circle Of Snakes has been a little forgettable. Lost Tracks turns that around and it hasn't left my truck CD player since I bought it.
The iTunes Theme Time Playlist Extravaganza
Lita Ford - "Lisa" - Lita Ford graduated from the great 70's rock girl band The Runaways, which also boasted Joan Jett among its ranks. Her biggest moment was her duet with Ozzy Osborne on "Close My Eyes Forever" in 1988. Her fourth solo album, Stiletto, failed to capitalize on the success of that single, but it did produce a few nice moments. Among those is "Lisa", a creepy ballad that failed to chart. 
Cracker - "Maggie" - This tune was included on Greenland, Cracker's '06 album, which also happened to be their first set of new material in four years. "Maggie" is a slower tune, a display of Cracker's sweeter side, with lyrics like "You're everything I ever wanted, but I'm half of what you need" juxtaposed with "Lazy bones, come on get your beautiful ass out of bed". 
Joe Cocker - "Marjorine" - (Yes, I realize Marge's full name is Marjorie, but cut me a little slack here!) This is from Joe Cocker's debut, With A Little Help From My Friends, released way back in 1969, and happens to be one of my favorite songs by the singer. It's such a strange sounding song that it will be stuck in your head for days after hearing it, even if you turn off the radio. "MarjoRINE/Wheeeere have you BEEN/Diiid you meet the QUEEEN/MarjoRIINE"
The Simpsons - "Do The Bartman" – But do you remember THIS? The family themselves show up on our tribute list with one of the coolest uncool songs ever. The Simpsons' Sing The Blues was released in 1990, just as Simpsons-mania was taking over and destroying "The Cosby Show". "Do The Bartman" was the lead song from the album, a dance craze that never caught on (though another interesting tune, "Deep Deep Trouble", did break into the Hot 100). Sing The Blues, from what I remember, wasn't a half bad record for a novelty. Now everybody shake your body, turn it out if you can, man!
The Bloodhound Gang - "Reflections Of Remoh" – This is the closing track from Bloodhound Gang's breakthrough record, One Fierce Beer Coaster, which featured the hit "Fire Water Burn". "Remoh" (Homer spelled backwards) is just one of the band members doing a Homer impression, but it's a small testament to the Simpsons' wide appeal. Fuck, just listen to it.
...I found your Journey rant hilarious and agree with it mostly, but there were a few songs scattered throughout the Journey albums (Infinity and Evolution in particular) with Perry on vocals, that weren't half bad - this would be for two reasons: Schon's guitar work and Gregg Rolie's presence. Since those two had played in Santana together, even after Perry joined they occasionally pulled out some decent songs here and there. Some of the ones I am referring to were of a more experimental nature and not the "corporate rock"/"arena ballads" that tended to bog down most of their albums. A bigger blow was when they added Jonathan Cain from The Babys into the fold. He and Perry combined gave them their biggest album but also sent them into a tailspin with each album getting progressively worse after that because they became increasingly pussified. Yeah, Randy Jackson being added was the final blow - I remember seeing him in some horrid 80's multi-colored outfit with a Fresh Prince 'do. 
Not that it matters much, but I thought you'd like to know:
Dear Sir,
I usually really enjoy the columns/articles on 411mania, but was unpleasantly surprised by some of the hate thrown at one of my favorite bands - Hanson (yes, that's right they still have a fan base and a loyal one at that). Before you judge, take some time to do some research and maybe even give their more recent music a chance (remember they were REALLY young when "MMMBop" came out...). In fact, you would find that three years ago Hanson had the biggest independent release of all time with their album Underneath. Furthermore, they had a single called "Penny and Me" hit the Billboard Top 200 chart at #2. Their new album, The Walk, is incredible and does not even slightly resemble what you think this band would sound like. They are talented musicians and songwriters that have produced another fantastic album that sounds amazing. I have recently attended two of the preview shows that Hanson had for their soon-to-be-released album and both were completely sold out and they sold out very quickly (in fact, with more research you would have found out that Hanson sold out all four of their preview shows, with some people going so far as to sleep in tents just to get a good spot at the concert). The one show I attended in Allentown sold out in three days and more tickets had to be released to keep up with the demand (this show was actually overbooked and almost did not take place because their were TOO MANY loyal fans there). You are welcome to your own opinions (and I have no doubt you'll have something to say about this "crazy" Hanson fan who wrote you this long e-mail...), but in the name of being a critic, please try to give some things a chance. Hanson may no longer be mainstream and ridiculously over-played, but do not write off a band that is talented and would probably shock you if you heard some of their newer stuff simply because you have not heard their name for a while!
I enjoyed your blurb about Amy going solo. There's just one thing - what exactly makes someone a "solo" artist compared to a band leader?
I was reading up on Nickelback and apparently there was this big thing about some numb nuts in Canada that believes that "How You Remind Me" and "Someday" are the same song. They played them together and tried to prove it, the guy made one faster, and edited the other to make them fit, AND ADMITS IT, and there are people crying and complaining about it still? I don't get it, how can you hate a band for apparently copying themselves in a song that doesn't copy, and to get it to sound close, YOU HAVE TO EDIT BOTH OF THEM!!! I mean if these people hate on them so bad, then what about the band Three Days Grace, when their song "I Hate Everything About You" and "Just Like You" are in fact EXACTALLY THE SAME, same beginning riff, same music, same flow and everything and I heard nothing against them? This so called "Sound Genius" is a fraud, not Nickelback.
