Category: Music

“Frenetic,” “harried,” “cacophony,” “drudgery,” “chaotic,” “punishing,” and as Pitchfork uniquely called it “a cawing of crows.” These are common words used to describe the 2020 Psychedelic Furs release, Made of Rain. And they are all from very positive reviews! I guess I’m in the minority on this one. After repeated listens I still can’t get behind it. There comes a time when one has to give up and realize this one won’t make the playlist. That’s disappointing for me, because I really like the Furs and had hopes for this one.

It had been 29 years since their last album! 1991’s World Outside included the big hit “Until She Comes.” There is nothing like “Until She Comes”, or “Love My Way” “Heaven” or “Pretty in Pink” on the new album. That’s OK, I wasn’t wishing for, or expecting an, album that focused on catchy singles. I like the darker, punky early songs like “India,” the fuzzy, rocking “Into You Like a Train,” and yes, the uplifting chorus of “Forever Now.” There are a few tempting songs in the latter part of Made of Rain , but it’s the first song that sets the stage for the album. (For my You Tube song pick, I thought about including an old favorite, but since this post is the new album review, I’m sticking to it and giving you the emblematic track #1.)

The “Boy That Invented Rock & Roll” is the particular song that elicited the adjectives noted above, including the crow-like sounds. Much of the album has this discordant music. Singer Richard Butler still has his distinctive, raspy voice which on the choruses actually lightens up some songs from the harsher guitar and sax during the verses. “No-One” is a more welcoming song with a pleasing chorus. Same with the surging and simmering “Hide the Medicine.” “Turn Your Back on Me” has a nice intro and some inviting synths.

This is not the first time that the Furs have released a radio-unfriendly album. While not as extreme in this regard as Made of Rain, 1989’s Book of Days was considered a risky release, and indeed, was received rather lukewarmly at the time. After the very commercial nature of the previous album, Midnight to Midnight (with “Heartbreak Beat”), Book of Days did not contain a ready hit. “House,” however, will radiate with many as one of their best songs, with its stirring chorus. It’s buried as track #8 and didn’t get as much play time as some of their other songs. “Entertain Me” is a raw rumble that would fit right in on the earlier albums. “Mother-Son” resonates into a pumping melody lead by the synchronous bass and lead guitar. If you aren’t familiar with this album, dive a little deeper into the band’s catalog and check this out.

D² Rating ◼◼☐☐ ☐

Trivia ? – What band did Richard Butler and his brother, Tim, form during the early 90s hiatus of the Furs?

Answer: Love Spit Love (their eponymous first album is pretty good).

As with X (the subject of the first part of this series), the Psychedelic Furs have continued to tour regularly throughout the years, despite not putting out any new material. I’ve been fortunate enough to see them three times; once during their heyday and twice much later in their career. Left to right (or top to bottom) below: September 30, 2012 at the Saratoga Mountain Winery, May 12, 1990 at Cal Poly Mott Gym, and March 19, 2018 at the Fremont Theater.

Alphabetland, the first album from X in 27 years is a full throttle return for the the seminal L.A punk band. It’s 27 minutes in length(!) with only one song topping in over three minutes (and that’s 3:04). The title song opens the album and from the opening welcome from Exene you know you’re in for a joy ride.

Where did X leave off? That would be 1993’s Hey Zeus, an album I forgot all about until researching this post. At that time they had come off a layoff of six years since 1987’s See How We Are. Billy Zoom left the band after 1985’s Ain’t Love Grand and did not play on the two latest albums. He is back for Alphabetland along with the others from the classic 80s lineup, Exene Cervenka (vocals), John Doe (bass), and D.J. Bonebrake (drums). The new album harks back to the early 80s and the band’s defining off-balance, poetic harmonies. The guitar and drums are back in full force, as well. Billy and D.J are prominent and explosive throughout.

Song #2 (“Free”) launches with John Doe soon joined by Exene hollering, “let me go free, don’t tell me I can’t.” Billy Zoom on fire again. Play this album loud. The drums and guitar shine again on “Water and Wine” as the words call out “who gets water and who gets wine” as an allusion to heaven and hell. “Strange Life” is a rock and roll song that could be on their outstanding second album, Wild Gift. The next two songs really do go back to that time period. “I Gotta Fever” is a re-visit of 1981’s “Heater” and “Delta 88 Nightmare” is a punk storm which dates back to a demo in 1978. It’s a fast song! “Cyrano DeBerger’s Back” is a re-make of the See How We Are version of 1987 with Billy Zoom on sax in 2020. “Goodbye Year, Goodbye” is another blistering track that at this point has you thinking what a great rockin’ album by these guys after so long. No fluff. And then comes the last song…

“All the Time in the World” is a strange last song on an album of such energy. A solo acoustic number would be one thing, but this is spoken words from Exene. It slightly taints what would otherwise be a flawless return. I suppose there are a couple of things worth noting about it, however. First, Robbie Krieger is listed as guest guitar, but he doesn’t do much, since the song in basically piano and Exene’s words. (This continues a longstanding connection with The Doors – Ray Manzarek produced their classic first album Los Angeles which includes a X-ified cover of “Soul Kitchen.”) Also, Exene’s words are rather poignant given the fact that this album’s release was in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Los Angeles: “still writing songs hoping someone will hear” and “all the time in the world turns out not to be that much.” It’s awesome that a band whose ages are 65, 65, 68, and 73 can make an album that ignites like this.

D² Rating ◼◼◼◼☐

Trivia ? – In what line of work did John Doe establish a longtime second career?

Answer: John Doe is also an actor appearing in such films as Road House, Great Balls of Fire!, Boogie Nights, I’m Not There, as well a being a regular on the Roswell TV show.

My concert experience with X: From left to right – New Year’s Eve 2007 Ventura Theater (yes, John Doe counted the new year down for us), September 26, 1983 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Main Gym, and the two-sided ticket stub for December 27, 1980 at the Whisky A Go Go!

And now for something different…let’s move from more guitar-focused bands to a synth-pop group. I hate to define bands into such a tight corner, but it gives you an idea of where we’re headed. I am just discovering Future Islands with their 2020 release As Long as You Are and it’s their sixth album.

Future Islands are Samuel T. Herring (lyrics, vocals), William Cashion (guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), and previous touring percussionist, Michael Lowry, is now a full-time member. They grew up as friends in North Carolina and are now based in Baltimore, MD. They have art backgrounds and employed this in the costume, character-focused first band, Art Lord and the Self Portraits. The band dissolved in 2005 after a couple members left causing the core trio to contemplate a new direction. They had different musical backgrounds from hip-hop, to punk/metal, to grunge and indie. They blended styles, as well as band names, having narrowed the new moniker choice to Future Shoes or Already Islands.

Their first album, Wave Like Home was released in 2007 followed up by In Evening Air in 2008. Their third LP was On the Air in 2011, a more subdued effort than the upbeat tempo of In Evening Air. After extensive touring they retreated to a cabin in North Carolina to record their next album, Singles in 2014. The acclaim for the album (Pitchfork’s Album of the Year), the single “Seasons (Waiting on You), and most of all, the appearance on David Letterman vaulted the band to a new level of success and popularity. You can’t read an article about Future Islands without the Letterman gig being highlighted. It quickly became the most viewed music video on You Tube. It showcased the singing (more on his classic voice later) and front man performance of Samuel Herring. He’s dancing throughout, often in bend down-low-motions. He lets out growly roars and pounds his chest like he’s just scored a touchdown. He feels it. Letterman truly seemed blown away. Check it out.

In 2017, the band released The Far Field, featuring a duet, “Shadows,” with Debbie Harry. Which brings us to As Long as You Are. From the opening track’s (“Glada”) first words “new canopies arise” you know what you’re in for. That voice! It’s remarkable. The interplay between Herring’s baritone and the synths is the band’s signature sound. A similar experience awaits you on the gorgeous ballad, “Thrill” and its opening line “Blue water, black bible.” Soothing is one word for these guys.

I’m not sure there’s a theme to Herring’s songs on the album, but broken relationships are one emphasis with both heartbreak and hope as outcomes. The mellow, dark “I Knew You” seems to suggest a final, sad break-up with “I knew you as you were, not as you are, and now will leave it all said and done.” “Moonlight,” a soft little love song offers “the chance to make it, make this into something more.” The closure “Hit the Coast” is a road trip song with his old favorite tape “reduced to hiss”, representative of his relationship, but he’s free with all he needs in the car.

“Waking” is an upbeat song about life’s purpose featuring bass and synths. Plastic Beach is one of the album’s highlights when the band really gels over Herring’s “I spent a lifetime in the mirror, picking apart what I couldn’t change, now I see, I see tomorrow.” “For Sure” was the first single released, the first Future Islands song I heard, and for sure my favorite. It pulses from the start and floats you away in its fluffy clouds.

D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐

Trivia – What Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning American poet is an influence on Samuel Herring for his songwriting? (The Far Field album is named after one of his award-winning collection of poems.)

Answer: Theodore Roethke

Doves are an alt rock band from Manchester, England. They put out four albums between 2000 and 2009, with the fifth, The Universal Want, coming out in 2020. The trio is made up of twins Andy and Jez Williams on drums and guitar, respectfully, and Jimi Goodwin on bass guitar. All three contribute to songwriting and vocals.

They met at 15 years old in high school. They later got together at The Hacienda; the famous nightclub associated with Factory Records and New Order during the Madchester scene of 1980s and early ’90s. Their first band was named Sub Sub and in ’93 they had a hit single in the U.K., “Ain’t no Love, Ain’t no Use.” Their studio burned down which triggered some reflection and ultimately a switch in name and musical direction from house/dance to alternative rock. They had a few EPs in the late ’90s setting the stage for their first full-length in 2000, Lost Souls. It’s a fine introduction to their melancholy style of meandering and swelling sounds, sometimes within the same song. Two singles of the album are my favorites; the catchiest song they’ve ever done (“Catch the Sun”) and the beautiful, simmering “The Cedar Room.”

The band’s next two albums continued to define their sound and contain some stellar songs. 2002’s The Last Broadcast begins and ends with jangly guitar anthems, “Words” and “Caught by the River”. I love that sound, so this album has me from the get-go. It went right away to #1 on the U.K. album charts. Some Cities, released in 2005 also went to #1 and contained the band’s highest charting single, “Black and White Town.” It’s a slightly more subdued effort, but keeps on the same path as it ebbs and flows between sadness and euphoria. The band was peaking and opened for U2, Oasis, and Coldplay on the 2005 tour.

Kingdom of Rust was released in 2009 continued the band’s success by hitting #2 on the U.K charts. Making the album took a toll, however, as the band members suffered personal loss and grew tired of recording an album followed by the mandatory tour. They needed a break which turned into quite a long one. Jimi cut a solo album and the twin brothers formed a band, Black Rivers, both in 2014.

Which brings us to 2020. The Universal Want opens with its first single, “Carousels.” The name of the song rings Doves and the distinctive guitar and rousing chorus picks right up where the band left off. The next song, “I Will not Hide” is a standout with acoustic intro and building guitars. Lyrics such as “the lines upon your face recall a different time” are indicative of a running theme of aging as the band members have all recently hit the big 5-0. The strings and piano on “Broken Eyes” provide the backdrop to “dreaming about the past and enjoying the years slip past.” “Cathedrals of the Mind” and the closing track “Forest House” are slower, lush numbers featuring piano and guitars. Two songs are upbeat gems with “Prisoners” combining strings, synths, and guitars into a driving force and the interplay of strings and guitar on “Cycle of Hurt” is an album highlight.

I have all the Doves albums and it’s good to have them back after a 10-year break. The Universal Want maintains the band’s consistent sound and expands it with confidence and maturity. This is not a “return to form” as many returns from long layoffs are labeled – they never lost their way. There is not a weak song on the album, something I’m not sure I can say about any of the others. They continue to reside in the mid-tempo musically and the mid-range vocally. Follow along and they’ll fool you as they shift into high or bring it down low. They’re a good rainy day listen and equally satisfying as the sun comes out. Not many bands evoke such a spectrum of moods.

D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐

Trivia ? – What Madchester band of the late 1980s and early ’90s had a hit with the song “Kinky Afro?”

Answer: The Happy Mondays

As another Grammy Awards show has come and gone with nary a rock band anywhere to be found (although, hey, A Hero’s Death, by Fontaines D.C. highlighted in my first Rn’R in the 2020s post, got nominated for Best Rock Album), here’s a couple more rockin’ albums for you to consider in 2021.

First up, Wolf Parade’s Thin Mind. I had heard of these guys and one of my friends really likes them, but had never really listened to them but for a few songs on the radio. I’ll have to admit that the album cover caught my eye first in the local record store. Comic book artists Simon Roy and Hayleyglyphs designed the album artwork. It’s colorful and cool with peasant warriors, treehouse dwellings, and aliens?

Wolf Parade formed in Montreal in 2003 and also has roots in Vancouver B.C. Thin Mind, on the Sub Pop label, is the band’s fifth album coming after 2017’s Cry, Cry, Cry. They’re a trio now (former guitarist Dante De Caro does not play on the current effort) – Spencer Krug (vocals, keyboards), Dan Boeckner (vocals, guitar), and Arlen Thompson (drums). Current and former band members have been in other groups, notably Handsome Furs and Hot Hot Heat.

The album starts with the rocker “Under Glass.” “Julia Take Your Man Home” shows that this guitar band can slow it down a little and incorporate some synths that add to the sound texture. “Forest Green” is another driving force with energetic guitar and keyboards. “Out of Control” contains my favorite line of the album, “take a rocket to that planet that they changed their minds about”. “Static Age” and the closer “Town Square” both take you to a moving cresendo. Since I’m a sucker for that tubular synth sound, my favorite song is “Against the Day.” Take a listen:

I can’t help compare Thin Mind to the Districts’ You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere (see previous Music post). Wolf Parade’s album is a solid rocker by a guitar band that expands its sound with synths and other instrumentation. The vocals are strong with Krug and Boeckner both contributing equally throughout the album and together on “Against the Day.” The lyrics are thought provoking with a theme represented by the album’s title that the overwhelming amount of information in our society is giving us all a ‘thin mind.” It’s a consistent album with no weak songs, but also no real standout track. The more I listen to it, I discover a new nugget or two, so my feelings toward the album may grow over time.

D² Rating ◼◼◼☐☐

Instead of focusing on newer bands that I was not that familiar with, let’s go to Pearl Jam’s Gigaton. From 1991’s epic debut Ten, Pearl Jam has been at the top of the rock n’ roll world and for 30 years now of consistency still deserves that mantle. I have their complete collection of studio releases and have been fortunate to see them two times in concert. I enjoy most of their entire catalog, never fully embracing No Code or Binaural, although No Code’s “Present Tense” is a beautiful song. Gigaton holds its own against their other records and comes out ahead of recent releases Lightning Bolt and Backspacer.

Gigaton starts off with rockers and ends with the mellower numbers. First up is “Who Ever Said”, a classic Pearl Jam number with the rousing chorus of “whoever said its all been said gave up on satisfaction.” “Superblood Wolfmoon” adds some keys to the Mike McCready’s guitar providing a surprising, fresh, and stompy melody. “Quick Escape” and the blistering “Never Destination” fit right in the Pearl Jam wheelhouse with Eddie Vedder’s vocals keeping pace with the dual guitars storm. Take a listen to “Whoever Said” here:

“Dance of the Clairvoyants” is the song on the album that got people talking. It was the first single released and came with a different, unexpected sound. Lots of comments called it disco. While I can never put disco and Pearl Jam in the same sentence, the song does contain an electronic beat that is unusual for the band. To me, it’s not that wild a departure and the experimentation with keyboards and drum programs is still true to the Pearl Jam sound.

The mellow songs are excellent, from the swirly keys and enchanting vocals of “Seven O’Clock”, to the solo acoustic “Comes then Goes”, to the moving vocals and keys on Retrograde.” The closer “River Cross” is one of those Eddie Vedder moments that gives you chills along the lines of the “I seem to recognize your face” intro of “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.” (Another one of those moments for me was Sonic Youth opening for Pearl Jam at the Santa Barbara Bowl on July 13, 2006. Eddie came out to introduce Sonic Youth and serenaded us with “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” with its opening line “here I stand head in hand.”)

This time it’s Eddie on the organ and the opening line of “I always thought I’d cross that river.” This song was the highlight for me of Lady Gaga’s Global Citizens One World Together at Home Concert in April, 2020 (although the Zoom quadrant Rolling Stones with Charlie Watts on air drums doing “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was pretty cool, too). Here’s that video:

Gigaton is a group effort; all band members contribute writing and/or words along with their musicianship. It’s a good mix of rockers and some fine slower numbers. Let’s hope we can get through this damn pandemic and return to large scale concerts. These new songs in Pearl Jam’s dynamic hands calls for a celebratory show. And maybe we’ll get “Black”, “Corduroy”, and “In Hiding”, too.

D² Rating ◼◼◼◩ ☐

Trivia ? – What was the band’s first name before choosing Pearl Jam as their moniker?

Mookie Blaylock, in honor of the NBA player at the time

Rolling Stone Song of the Year 2020: “WAP” by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion. RS Album of the Year 2020: Folklore by Taylor Swift. Both lists contain Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Korean boy band BTS.

How about a longer look back? RS song of the 2010s decade: Robyn, “Dancing on My Own,” followed by Kendrick Lamar, Adele, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift. RS Album of the Decade: Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, followed by Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, and thank you, #5 David Bowie Blackstar.

If you want another beacon for rock, compare the classic and alternative rock dominated Coachella line-ups of the early 2000s and the more recent hip-hop, R&B, and pop acts at the California desert festival.

So, what’s a rocker to do in the 2020s? Well, there are some bands – both new and old – that still play guitar and bring that rock n’ roll rhythm and spirit.

I’ll focus this post on recent releases by Fontaines D.C and The Districts. First, The Districts and their 2020 release, You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere. High School friends formed the band in 2009 in Pennsylvania. After several EPs and full-lengths, this new release is their fourth. This album is my first introduction to the band after hearing the single “Cheap Regrets” on Sirius XMU radio. It was one of those songs that immediately got me going, and indeed, after giving the album a few listens is still my favorite. It’s a very catchy song (in a good way). They’re a guitar band, but broaden the sounds with synths, mellotron, and a little sax and violin. The album opens and closes mellow with “My Only Ghost” and “4th of July,” respectively. In between, are some swirling, rousing songs (“Hey Jo” and “Changing”), as well as the rollicking “Sidecar.”

You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere is a good introduction to The Districts and should be a worthy addition to their body of work. It’s not exciting necessarily, but more of a solid rock album with vocals by Rob Grote that sound like an older soul than his 25 years, driving guitar, varied song pace, and a variety of instrumentation.

D² Rating ◼◼◼ ☐ ☐

And, it’s always nice when an album has at least one great tune and this one has “Cheap Regrets.” Take a listen to it:

My first exposure to A Hero’s Death by the Fontaines D.C. was also thanks to Sirius XMU radio. I had heard of them, but “Televised Mind” was the first song I really listened to. Fontaines D.C. formed in Dublin, Ireland in 2017 and A Hero’s Death is their second album. It starts of with “I Don’t Belong” and “Love is the Main Thing” and the repetitive nature of their songs is immediately apparent. “Televised Mind” is the third song and again chants the song title over and over, this time in a more upbeat rhythm. Sometimes repeating the song title numerous times is annoying to me and seems like a lazy way to avoid writing more lyrics. But not this time. The Dublin accent of lead singer, Grian Chatten is hypnotic and in conjunction with the guitar creates an ominous listening experience. The title song is the standout and this time the mantra is “life ain’t always empty,” and reminds us to “tell your mother you love her and go out of your way for others.”

A Hero’s Death grabs a hold of you and puts you in its trance. I’m not sure there really is such a thing as the sophomore slump, but if there is, this is not it. It’s a statement from a band who continues to define and expand its sound in a unique way.

D² Rating ◼◼◼ ◩ ☐

Trivia ? – Where did the band name Fontaines, D.C come from?

Answer: A character in The Godfather, Johnny Fontane. The band was originally the Fontaines, but added the D.C for Dublin City to differentiate themselves from another group of the same name.

Next Up: Look for an upcoming post on Wolf Parade and the new Pearl Jam as our search for rock in the 2020s continues…