The Who Super Bowl Halftime Review

As halftime drew nearer I became increasingly nervous for The Who for multiple reasons. Probably most importantly was because I put money down on Townshend doing over 5 ½ full windmills and not breaking his guitar, but I was also nervous to see if The Who would embarrass themselves. Luckily I won both of my bets, Pete, according to Bodog.com, did twelve full windmills. Well done old man! Now whether or not they embarrassed themselves depends on who you ask. In my opinion I feel like they held their own quite well considering how bad it could have been, but these are obviously not the young punks that break guitars and hope they die before they get old.

The song selection was great, essentially a well fleshed out medley of classics that intertwined incredibly well with stellar sections of escalating drama. The producers paid particularly close attention to the light show - maybe in fear of Pete and Roger making fools of themselves, or maybe just because the light show was quite entertaining. As old men who are far past their prime, they sounded pretty decent. Cringe worthy moments were far and few with Pete sounding like he was sucking air during “Who Are You” and the harmonies often being way out of time. Other than that however I was fairly impressed with Roger’s vocals. Although this raises another question of whether or not this performance was pre-recorded. As a big fan I hate to think this was even a possibility, however there were some large gaps between Roger’s vocals and his lip movements. It is possible that he was singing along with a pre-recorded track, which is still a little unnerving. The one point driving me away from the lip-synching worries is that there were some notable flaws that were glaringly obvious, so the optimist in me can say maybe there was just a delay. One thing is for certain though, that primal scream on “Won’t Get Fooled Again” was not entirely natural.

The boys held their own with a very entertaining stage show. Pete flung that windmill around hard enough to practically hover off the ground, and jumped around the stage like an AARP member who gets his fair share of exercise. At times his jacket would hang over the guitar showing his protruding gut, but it was good to see the man still has energy. Roger wasn’t as exciting as Pete with pretty minimal on stage activity - the mic didn’t swing to the heavens for this performance.

All in all I was impressed with their performance, my wallet left a little larger and my ego as a fan of the band was left intact. Hopefully I won’t have to explain to anyone at work why The Who are one of the best.

Betting on the Windmill

The Super Bowl - a day where antacids and food fly off the shelves of supermarkets, major corporations spend more money on 30 second ads than a third world countries GDP, and gamblers go nuts on bets that range from betting the over/under on the final score to whether or not Reggie Bush will have more yards than Kim Kardashians measurements (she is plump down there.) God Bless America!

Following nipple-gate the Super Bowl has carted out much safer halftime performances, mainly catering to the classic rock fan. This year is no different with The Who taking center stage. I’ve been preparing for the performance by listening to the limited-time The Who channel on Sirius Deep Track 016 during my travel and work days as well as picking up Odd & Sods from my local record store. I’ve studied live performances paying close attention to Townshend’s signature windmill and its frequency. Why you might ask? Because I want some money!

There are plenty of exotic bets out there, but one that I may be paying particularly close attention to is “How many times will Pete Townshend do his legendary windmill move. (Must be full 360-degrees rotation and shown on TV.)” The over under is 5.5. Having seen them a few years back, I recall Pete swinging that arm around like he was actually drawing some kind of energy from it. This is a tough one for me, because Pete often throws around that half-windmill which technically would not apply. Also, importantly is how often will the camera be focused on good old Pete.

Personally, I think I will be taking the over on this one. On “Baba O’Riley” alone I would expect to see around five full windmills at the very least. When the guitar kicks in the camera should be focused solely on Townshend. Not to mention, this is the Super Bowl, and Pete needs to bring his "A" game. Song selection is also key for this event, and I expect them to go hard and heavy; if they deliver “Behind Blue Eyes” I might get screwed out of a few potential windmills, but I would expect “Baba O’Riley” for certain, and quite possibly “Won’t Get Fooled Again” which is a bit questionable due to its length.

Now barring any arm injuries in the pre-game warm ups, I feel pretty comfortable taking the over on this one. Any opinions?

Grammys Recap

Ahhh The Grammys... A TV event so special I even watched it over the Pro Bowl. For those of you who aren’t football fans, that previous sentence was drenched in sarcasm. Anyhow, this was the first Grammys event that I actually had intentions of watching in a really long time. Not because Neil Young was up for best Box Set Packaging, and not because Karen O & The Kids were up for “Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media”, instead I watched because Lady Gaga is the best thing in pop since... I’m having a tough time coming up with someone. So how convenient it was that Lady Gaga opened up the show, I could have turned it off immediately after and said, “Wow, this was possibly the best Grammy’s in history!” Now if you follow this blog at all, it’s pretty evident I like to gush over Lady Gaga, and the Grammy’s are just another reason for me to do just that. How could you not love Lady Gaga? She’s a genius who knows how to work an audience, she can write as good of a melody as anyone out there, her performances are unforgettable, and her name is derived from the Queen song “Radio Gaga”. With that said, I’m going to give a quick recap of how I saw the Grammys.

Starting off with the positives - Lady Gaga and Elton John were by far the best part of the show. Rumors were floating around that the fabulous duo were going to take the stage together, and their dueling pianos/outfits didn’t disappoint. Both Gaga and Elton played incredibly off each other and really brought out the best in each others attitude and vocals. Jeff Beck’s performance was a nice change of pace, and did Les Paul justice. Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocellie were phenomenal with their performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”. While I want to slam Beyonce for taking on that classic Alanis tune, I simply can’t, she was good.

Since this is a Grammy’s roundup I could write a few pages on the negatives, but I’ll try to keep it simple. Pink has turned into a Cirque de Soleil act and forgot that the performances were supposed to be musical. Leave the acrobatics to the acrobats and show us your vocal prowess. If the audience is supposed to vote throughout the show for the Bon Jovi song of choice, shouldn’t they play the entire song and not some abbreviated version? Bad job producers! It’s no surprise that the little rap group featuring Eminem was saved for the end, because hopefully by that point people were too tired to actually notice that there was more silence than music. Oh yeah, honestly, who likes the Dave Matthews Band? I’m also sick of people whining about Green Day selling out - so did The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Kinks, Bob Dylan, and practically every other band that anyone holds in such high regards. Who cares, it’s a part of the business and as long as the original music doesn’t suffer as a result then should we really be bothered? Yeah, their performance was corny, but lets not use the term sell out. This years Grammy’s was a great display of how many people truly are unable to sing - examples 1) Taylor Swift’s total inability to hold her own with Stevie Nicks (sure she’s cute but don’t demean Stevie like that) 2) The hideous overuse of auto-tune, Jamie Foxx I’m looking at you. Oh yeah, and who is a bigger joke, Axl Rose or Slash? Lastly, did the Grammy’s give AC/DC an award for releasing the same album for the fifteenth time? Nothing is more embarrassing than handing out sympathy awards.

So were the Grammys a disappointment? Not at all! How could you say something is a disappointment when the expectations were so low that I was even questioned watching the Pro Bowl over it? Gaga was great, Elton was awesome, and I even got to see Spinal Tap for approximately two seconds.

Another Week Another Vinyl: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez: Xenophanes

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - unquestionably the hardest working man in music released a total of six albums in 2009 - seven if you want to include a live album. Xenophanes was the second to last album to close out the decade with Solar Gambling being the final. Until just around a week ago, I had assumed that Xenophanes was the final release from Omar this past year, but everytime I check his online store I see a new album. Even as a pretty big Omar fan I can't keep up, and for that matter, either can my wallet!

Xenophanes is what you would expect from the dexterous guitarist best known from The Mars Volta. It's loud and in your face, but what separates this from the majority of his work is he takes center stage on vocals and Cedric Bixler Zavala is completely absent. The lyrics are Spanish from beginning to end, stepping away from the usual Spanish/English hybrid which may be a turn off for some, but Omar's music is all about the instrumental play and the lyrics are just an odd desert. Cedric's vocals are missed, but musically Xenophanes holds up very well even without his uncharacteristic falsetto vocals.

Focusing on the vinyl. The artwork on the cover is bright, bizzare and interstingly cluttered. Inside comes two stickers, a vinyl casing including the lyrics, a free MP3 download, and last but certainly not lease a wickedly awesome pink record. I'm not one of those guys that adheres to the school of thought that "Real men where pink" but it definitely looks pretty awesome on my turntable.

Paul McCartney: Good Evening New York City DVD/CD Review

The Beatles Shea Stadium performance is one of the most storied concerts in history. It was bedlam in New York, with pure pandemonium from teenage girls who absolutely lost control. It was a moment that displayed the intensity of Beatlemania over the quality of their music; Macca’s Citi Field performance was an opportunity to play music that would actually be heard in the now defunct Shea Stadium.

In some odd choice of narration, Alec Baldwin is the bookends for the DVD. He opens and closes the concert with a little historical background giving way to the omnipotent Paul McCartney to showcase his tunes from The Beatles and his solo excursions. There’s not all that much that makes this different from his last live release Back in the USA, but there are some changes in the setlist. It’s a give or take kind of thing that will be a preference of personal feelings rather than what songs are better, because honestly, are any of the songs bad? With Good Evening New York City you get songs like "A Day in the Life", "Dance Tonight", "Helter Skelter" and "Day Tripper" which are not featured on Back in the USA. Although your losing out on songs like "The Fool On the Hill", "Carry that Weight", "Maybe I’m Amazed" and "All My Loving" which were featured in Back in the USA as opposed to Good Evening NYC. So there is a little variety in comparison to his last release, but not a ton.

Good Evening NYC really shines in multiple aspects. Macca is at his best when performing his newest material from Memory Almost Full. "Dance Tonight", one of this concerts finest moments is a fun little ditty that allows Paul’s cheerful spirit to shine through. It’s a good reminder that Paul hasn’t lost the craft of fine tuning a great song. Along with the great solo material is Paul’s interaction with the audience that at times comes off as cloying, but love it or hate it, that’s Mr. McCartney. He gives background information on how the guitar sequence for "Blackbird" was born and describes the background of "Here Today" written as a tribute to John Lennon.


McCartney’s importance transcends just rock, he’s one of the most important icons of the past century. The songs he performs justify his importance, and a live McCartney album is as reliable as peanut butter mixing well with jelly. You can’t go wrong, even if it was his worst song selections it would still be great. The Citi Field performance was a fine mixture of unforgettable Beatles classics, mixed with solo classics, and interestingly enough the most redeeming quality is his newer solo material. You can pick up this DVD/CD with confidence.

Grade: A

2009 Imagine Echoes Awards

Worst Band of the Year: New Found Glory
Is there really a need to elaborate anymore?

Song of the Year: Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Heads Will Roll"
"Dance dance dance ‘til your dead" is what Karen O proclaims during "Heads Will Roll". That pretty much sums up the direction of the YYY’s 2009 release; synths trump the guitar, but the moments of intensity are still very audible, and "Head Will Roll" is the epitome of that. The chorus is infectious and the intensity is unyielding. This takes the cake as the best song of the year.

Comeback Band of the Year: Third Eye Blind
This speaks more to the lack of comeback bands than Third Eye Blind’s comeback - the novelty act that is Kiss still doesn't even come close. 2003 was the date of 3EB’s last release which wasn’t necessarily impressive and 2009's effort Ursa Major more or less follows in its tracks. It’s an album that was more suited to be an EP because one half is solid while the other half is seriously lacking. However, it was an album that received heavy anticipation from devout 3EB fan. It’s a shame Ursa Major couldn’t live up to their debut album, but it was nice to hear new material.

Moment of the Year: Lady Gaga’s VMA Performance
Lady Gaga’s eccentric nature wasn’t anything new in the pop culture world, but it was her bloody theatrical VMA performance which solidified the notion. 2009 didn’t have too many moments that truly stood out, and Lady Gaga was in a different league than the rest of the music world in terms of excitement and positive drama. The pop sensation rocked it like Alice Cooper and left little teenie boppers disturbed while earning major kudos from rock fans.

Album Cover of the Year: The Dead Weather: Horehound
The photo is dark and eerie and is a great starting point for the music that is encased in that fine jacket. It won’t turn heads but will certainly leave an impression.

Debut Album of the Year: The Dead Weather Horehound
At what point will I stop acknowledging a new Jack White album as a debut album? Well I suppose whenever he decides to stay put, but I certainly can’t knock the guy for bringing the world a different sound with each band he touches. Sometimes complacency doesn’t sit well with people, and Jack White certainly fits that category. The album carries a bluesy sound that drives hard with Alison Mosshard’s vocals leading the way. White pounds away on the drums while occasionally lending a helping hand on vocals. We’ll see where the road will take Jack White, but if he decides to continue with The Dead Weather, I certainly won’t be complaining.

Album of the Year: Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Nobody was ready for what Phoenix had in store for us in 2009, but for those who actually heard it, were pleasantly surprised. It’s a fun filled ride packed with jaunty rhythms and killer choruses. After the opening two songs which are unbelievably great, one would expect for the rest of the album to go downhill, but Phoenix was able to deliver a full albums worth of insanely good tunes.

Band/Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
Nobody in rock really took the throne this year. U2 hit hard and heavy with a fantastic album and bombastic tour, and even offset their carbon footprint for their over-the-top tour which essentially was like transporting a small country to and from each major city around the world. With that said, it wasn’t quite enough to capture the world like Lady Gaga. Some were enraptured by her style, some were engulfed by her on stage performances, but ultimately all were taken back by her music. The Fame may have been released in 2008, but Lady Gaga became a household name in 2009 by breaking records, deeply ingraining herself in the fabrics of pop culture and by weaving her unbelievably catchy songs into our heads. People can bark foul at pop all they want, but when someone like Lady Gaga comes around, we can all breathe a sigh of relief and hope that maybe pop isn’t so bad after all.

Top Ten Albums of 2009

If I had to sum up 2009, I would say there were two overriding themes. One, women fared extremely well in the music scene, and second, this year also saw numerous bands not quite living up to their expectations. Overall, 2009 was rather sub-par in my opinion, which is sort of depressing when considering it closed out the decade, but there are certainly some decent albums to be heard.

1. Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Sometimes even the hipsters get it right. This album is a fun and fresh ride that has equally enjoyable moments from start to finish.

2. U2: No Line on the Horizon
U2 has seemed to really come into their own this decade with three fantastic albums, but it's the bookends that are their strongest. It's no All That You Can't Leave Behind, but No Line on the Horizon is pretty damn stellar.

3. El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez: Cryptomnesia
Create a circle of three 200 watt amps - all turned up to eleven, a drum set, and sit in the middle. Plug in all the instruments and put in place a manic drummer, and let them go wild. That will prepare you for Cryptomnesia.

4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It's Blitz!
It's arguably the Yeah Yeah Yeahs weakest album to date, but that by no means is a knock on It's Blitz! The trio traded the guitar for synths and while it sounds radically different, the philosophy is still the same. Karen O just does her thing.

5. The Dead Weather: Horehound
The most important rock icon of the decade does it again. Nobody out there is nearly as versatile and talented as Jack White. Everything he touches automatically turns to gold. Put him on drums, guitar, vocals, whatever, in the end you will always get some amazing music.

6. Wolfmother: Cosmic Egg
Cosmic Egg features a band that should be more aptly titled Andrew Stockdale and crew. This is not the trio that made the epic debut, and with an added guitarist the focus isn't quite as honed in as the debut, but for Sabbath esque rockers minus Ozzy's annoying voice, Cosmic Egg is exactly the place to look.

7. St. Vincent: Actor
An incredibly original album that's insanely whimsical and odd. I keep asking myself why do I run back to this album so often? And I still haven't reached a satisfying answer.

8. Regina Spektor: Far
Regina Spektor brought in the big guns to produce Far, and with all those big egos producing her album, it doesn't sound as true as her previous releases. However, her signature touches flood the album. I mean, who else would sing like a dolphin (See "Folding Chair")?

9. Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion
Almost like a psychedelic freak out that's so spacey that it sounds like it was birthed in a different galaxy.

10. Metric: Fantasies
This album comes across extremely polished and safe, but sometimes a nice little pop album doesn't hurt and Metric hasn't forgotten how to write memorable hooks. "Gimme Sympathy" is possibly the best song of their career.

Runner Up:
Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster
Yeah, you read it right. I haven't even listened to this album, but I will tell you what, there is nobody in pop who is as talented as Lady Gaga. She writes her own music, she's wild, theatrical, and has performed the catchiest songs of the decade. You would be very hard pressed to find songs on the radio that are as good as "Bad Romance" or "Poker Face". While most pop sensations are total fakes whose looks take precedent over their music - which they don't even write - Lady Gaga is true to herself and has an amazing talent. This is for getting cheated out of the Grammy nominations this year.

For other best of lists for 2009, check out these sites:
All Metal Resource — http://allmetalresource.com/
Bring Back Glam — http://bringbackglam.squarespace.com/
Hair Metal Mansion — http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/
Hard Rock Hideout — http://hardrockhideout.com/
Hard Rock Nights – http://hardrocknights.wordpress.com
Heavy Metal Addiction — http://heavymetaladdiction.com/
Imagine Echoes — http://www.imagineechoes.com/
Layla’s Classic Rock — http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/
Metal Excess- http://metalexcess.com/
The Metal Minute — http://rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com/
Metal Odyssey — http://metalodyssey.wordpress.com/
Rock Of Ages — http://rockofages.wordpress.com/
The Ripple Effect — http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/