Bob Dylan's "Tell Tale Signs" Streaming on NPR One Week Before Release

NPR Music – www.NPR.org/music – is exclusively streaming Tell Tale Signs, the highly-anticipated forthcoming album from Bob Dylan, as of Tuesday, September 30 at midnight, one week ahead of the album’s release on October 7. The entire 2-CD, 27-song set will be available to hear on-demand at NPR Music for the week leading up to its official release. Tell Tale Signs is the 8th installment in Dylan’s “Bootleg Series,” and features previously unreleased recordings, live performances and alternate versions of songs recorded during sessions for some of his most acclaimed albums, Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind among them. Also included on the album are Dylan’s recordings for the soundtracks of the films Lucky You, Gods & Generals and North Country, and “32-20 Blues,” his first ever release of a Robert Johnson song.

Mikal Gilmore of Rolling Stone writes, “...Tell Tale Signs is less an anthology than an album in its own right. It seems designed to tell a story that sharpens and expands the vista of mortal and cultural disintegration that has been the chief theme of 1997's Time Out of Mind, 2001's “Love and Theft”, and 2006's Modern Times – perhaps the most daring music he's ever made. Tell Tale Signs makes plain that Dylan knows the caprices of the world he lives in, now more than ever.”

Another Week Another Vinyl: Starcastle

So once again I made a trip over to my local record store (Atomic CD's in Pt. Pleasant, NJ), and like last time, I was hoping to find some King Crimson in the mix. Once again the "K" section was void of any Crimson. I looked around hoping to stumble upon some gems, but didn't find anything that really caught my eye. I made my way to the letter "S" and saw Starcastle. I was never all that familiar with the band, the only thing I knew was they were one of the lesser known progressive bands of the 70s. I've heard their name tossed around amongst prog enthusiasts and figured I'd give it a shot--there was nothing to lose, it was only a dollar!

When I placed the needle on the record I was wondering if maybe the wrong album was packaged. What I was listening to had to be some Yes album that I've never heard. Maybe it was some bootleg Yes album or something. There was no way it could be any band other than Yes. Well the album clearly stated Starcastle on it, and the lyrics which covered the record, matched what I was hearing.

Starcastle mimic's Yes more than any Yes cover band ever could. And when I say they mimic Yes, they replicate practically every concievable sound. The vocals are spot on to Anderson's, the guitar is just like Howe's, the keyboards are just like Wakeman's (with a little Keith Emerson thrown in there) and even the bass sounds like Squire's. For being so unoriginal, the album is pretty decent. I love Yes, so it ended up working out for the most part. If you're feeling like a poor man's Yes, then Starcastle may be your answer.

Chinese Democracy Will Be Exclusive to Best Buy

Best Buy will be the exclusive retailer for Guns N' Roses decade-plus-in-the-making new album "Chinese Democracy" before year's end, sources close to the situation tell Billboard. Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the release date.

The news brings a semblance of closure to the bizarre history of "Democracy," which Guns N' Roses has been working on since the mid-1990s. Since then, every original member of the once mighty group has left besides vocalist Axl Rose, and millions of dollars have been spent working on the new material.

"Democracy" was most recently on the Interscope release schedule in March 2007. The endless delays encountered by the project reached comic levels this spring, when soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008.

In June, nine purported "mastered, finished" tracks from the album were leaked online, prompting an FBI investigation into their source. A sign "Chinese Democracy" was perhaps finally nearing release came in July, when the band agreed to debut new track "Shackler's Revenge" in the video game "Rock Band 2," which hit stores earlier this month.

Guns N' Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff's Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles' "Long Road Out Of Eden" through Wal-Mart in 2007, much to the chagrin of other merchants, but the album was a runaway hit, having sold 3.1 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Source: Billboard.com

Quite honestly I could care less about the music on this album. Although, I am quite shocked that this album just may be released some time before I die. It looks like Axl may beat Chinese to Democracy after all... All I know is--I want my free Dr. Pepper!

Highest Earning Musicians of 2008

The Police have been named as the highest-earning musicians - having made $115 million in the past year.

The Forbes Magazine poll revealed that Beyonce Knowles, Justin Timberlake and Madonna are also in the top five.

Wtam.com reported that The Police were helped to the crown of "World's Highest Paid Music Stars" by the $28.3 million each they made from their reunion shows.

The ten "Highest Paid Music Stars" of the past year, according to Forbes Magazine, are:

01. The Police ($115 million)
02. Beyonce Knowles ($80 million)
03. Toby Keith ($48 million)
04. Justin Timberlake ($44 million)
05. Madonna ($40 million)
06. Celine Dion ($40 million)
07. Rascal Flatts ($40 million)
08. Van Halen ($35 million)
09. Genesis ($31 million)
10. Gwen Stefani ($27 million)

Source: Nme.com

The Ponsonby DC: That's What All the Girls Say Review

The Ponsonby DC's are a cult phenomenon in New Zeland. As with many cult bands, they have a certain "it" factor. They are one of those bands that you need to "get" in order to enjoy. Bands with that similar characteristic may be Frank Zappa or Gentle Giant for instance, who may be too outlandish for their own good to most, but for those who understand their music, they are geniuses. The Ponsonby DC’s don’t resemble Zappa or Gentle Giant in any way, but they do have that unique quality, where their music is odd enough to require a certain understanding that is more natural than learned. And it is that quality, that makes their work more redeeming.

The Ponsonby DC’s mainly have a sound similar to Lou Reed’s, but they mix up their music enough to give it plenty of variety, throwing in the Oldies sound, and sometimes even a little regaee. What makes their music a little difficult to absorb at first listen, is that it is filled with humor. Not the kind of humor you would see from Tenacious D, but an almost dry kind of humor. The lyrics are extremely literal, and at first listen it may sound ridiculous, but you have to realize that is what they were going for. To sum up the lyrics, they are very tongue in cheek.

Couple the good music with absurd lyrics, then there is a little bit more to enjoy than with most bands. The music isn’t extraordinarily good, it probably won’t have you marveling at any individual achievements, but the song writing is strong enough to be appreciated. That’s What All the Girls Say wasn’t enough to have me begging for their entire catalog, but the time spent with their music was an interesting and rewarding experience.

Grade: B-

Another Week Another Vinyl: Nektar: Remember the Future

I finally ended up buying a turntable. So what was the first thing I had to do before hooking it up? Go to my local record store of course (Atomic CD's in Pt. Pleasant NJ)! I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let this turntable get to my head, so I decided that I would only allow myself to buy one vinyl each week. I also thought that buying one vinyl each week would be a good oppurtunity to share exactly what I picked. Expect that I have a post each week on my purchase.

This week, I went directly to the back of the store to check out their selection. I was personally hoping to find a little King Crimson in the mix but unfortuantely they were absent from the selection. I rummaged through a few letters of the alphabet and came accross Nektar's Remember the Future. I was a little shocked to find this gem from a not so well known prog legend lying around. With a price tag of just three dollars I couldn't pass it up. I can't wait to see what is in store for next week.

B.B. King: One Kind Favor Review

T-Bone Burnett has experienced quite a bit of success lately as a producer. He produced Mellencamp’s raw folk and old blues inspired Life, Death, Love and Freedom, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand, and B.B. King’s latest effort One Kind Favor. Burnett has seemingly given each album an effortless, raw, and old fashioned sound. Burnett accomplishes all three with BB King, and once again produced another solid work.

Enough about Burnett, this is King’s moment to shine. BB King has become synonymous with the term blues. His name has become bigger than his music, and that may sound like a wonderful story to some, but to an artist, it should sound like a problem. King hasn’t seen much success as of late when it comes to recording. His albums have been predictable, and when someone has been performing for as long as King has, that spells a problem.

One Kind Favor is truly special, it heralds back the old time blues. It’s raw and emotional–King connects on every song and the power in both his guitar and vocals are clearly audible. It’s down to earth, never reaching for something too pretentious, yet never being dull. The lyrics have a bluesy attitude, focusing on life’s issues and heartbreak. King sticks with the roots of twelve bar blues and it pays massive dividends.

BB King is the king of blues for a reason, nobody slams on the vibrato quite like BB. One Kind Favor was long overdue, and maybe the wait was worth it. Forget about playing with the overrated Clapton, all King needs is his guitar and voice and that’s what we’re given here. T Bone Burnett has done it again, a soulful, rootsy, and effortless sound.

Grade: A-

Vinyl Is Back

It's true, vinyl is back, and while I would like to say stronger than ever, it's at least much stronger than it was a few years ago. The Wall Street Journal recently announced vinyl sales had doubled in 2007 and more and more bands are running around trying to release their albums on this once practically deceased medium. It's almost odd that this news would come after the digital media market is expanding each and every day. Each day on the train I see white earbuds surrounding me, it's not even a stretch to say that there is an Ipod in the pocket of every middle class American.

I've written countless posts on the demise of the CD and physical formats, but now I'm having some hope. I've gotten a number of e-mails from promo companies announcing the release of their music on vinyl. Sony/Legacy records for instance is releasing classics such as Boston's self titled debut, Lou Reed's Berlin, The Blue Oyster Cult's Agent's of Fortune and countless others. MVD is announcing the re-release in vinyl format of such artists as the absolutely absurd GG Allin, Devo, and others.

So why is there a resurgance? It just may be, that this push towards a non-physical format has left a bitter taste in our mouths. I'm still young, and grew up during the age of CD's, I have never purchased a vinyl, but love to go through my parents collections. Opening up the jacket of each album is so special, with large artwork, a wonderful smell, and descriptive liner notes. It's time for people to realize that digitmal media isn't the way to go. Shopping for an album on the date of release is always a special moment. Ripping off the plastic and actually holding and looking through the artwork is an event within itself. Digital music is so impersonal, and leaves us feeling disconnected.

Another possible reason for this growth in vinyl, is because the music actually sounds better. Vinyl fans will always talk about the warmth of the sound, which is true, but the reasons go beyond even that. Vinyl is an analog medium, where as mp3's and CD's are digital. CD's are only capturing snapshots of an entire soundwave leaving us with some missing pieces. Mp3's are even worse, because by converting our music to mp3's we are compressing the sound. Vinyl is a true replication of what we are supposed to hear, and while only an audiophile may hear a true difference, one can always fall back on the warmth.

It's about time that people are facing the music, literally, and buying physical albums. Maybe if we're lucky, we can go back to a time when bands actually put thought into something beyond the music, it's time we go back to the entire experience, which exceeds just the sound.

David Gilmour: Live in Gdansk Review

Ironically I received this album to review the day Rick Wright had passed away. For those who don't know, Wright performed with Gilmour on his solo tour and is included on this album.

Seeing David Gilmour (with Wright) a few years back at Radio City Music Hall is undoubtedly one of the greatest moments of my life. Gilmour allowed his performance to stand on its own--no flying pigs, no fireworks, and no parading around on stage. Gilmour doesn't need a crutch when performing. On Live in Gdansk however, Gilmour performed with the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and yet, this music still sounds the same. I'll make it simple, there are five reasons why you should own this album:

1. "Echoes"

2. Gilmour is God

3. "Comfortably Numb"

4. "Fat Old Sun"

5. "Echoes" again

One thing that live Floyd albums of the past lacked was an inclusion of "Echoes", easily the greatest song from their entire catalog. Lucky for us, Gilmour performed the hell out of this song and included it on this double disc. And don't fret, this is "Echoes" in all of it's twenty five minute grandeur, it includes all the bombast, all the ambiance, and all the majesty, and if that weren't enough, it adds more intensity than the original. The heavy drum sections have more bite and the guitar solos scream just that much louder. If you haven't quite picked it up yet, you should run out to any store that sells this album and without a moment to think insert disc two, and put on track five and turn the volume to eleven (I'm sorry for the Spinal Tap reference, it's just too hard to pass up) and get ready to rock.

Aside from "Echoes" (which I can't emphasize how great it is), this album includes Gilmour's On an Island album performed in its entirety, which is nothing to die for, but it's a good album and is performed well. The second disc is all Floyd material, ranging back to their first album to their last. Gilmour shreds on every song, but "Fat Old Sun" and "Comfortably Numb" have two stand out solos that will absolutely blow you away.

One may think that considering there is an orchestra playing with Gilmour the music would have a different sound, this couldn't be further from the truth. It's almost as if there is no orchestra present, which I suppose can be argued for a good thing or bad, but the songs sound exactly like they did without an orchestra.

Gilmour can play the guitar like no one else, and his live performance is a testament to that. Any Floyd fan should own this solely based on the fact that "Echoes" is included in its entirety. It's also rather fitting that this is released shortly after Rick Wright passed away. It's one of the final mementos we can take away from an overlooked but incredible artist.

Grade: A+

RIP Richard Wright 1943-2008

Richard Wright (Keyboardist of Pink Floyd) has sadly passed away today due to his battle with cancer. He was just sixty-five years old and one of the backbones of Floyd. He may not have been one of the most recognizable members, but all fans of Floyd will appreciate what he brought to the table. It is such a shame that he had to die so young...

Caves: Get On With It Review

Just when we thought that the new wave revival was simmering down, here come Caves. The Killers followed up their indie new wave creation Hot Fuss with a more americana rock inspired Sam’s Town. We’ve heard less from bands like Franz Ferdinand and the Kaiser Chiefs over the past year. But just because the new wave revival had already hit its crescendo doesn’t mean bands aren’t still working from that same pallet.

With that said, here are Caves, a band who takes on the new wave revival with full force-- reminding us of the Sandanista! days of The Clash, and more recent bands such as the previously mentioned Franz Ferdinand. The guitar throughout the album primarily has an almost reggae style flare with quick single strums reverberated with heavy echo. The rhythm guitar focuses mainly on sticking to playing the lower part of the neck to maintain a distinct high pitch. The syncopated beats are powerful and are easily one of the most present pieces to their sound. The vocals are filled with enough pomp and bombast to give extra life to the music.

Caves have enough hooks to be memorable, but nothing that sticks to the core as say The Killers have been able to do. There is certainly a place for them in the genre, in fact, they fit rather nicely, but odds are they won’t be breaking through to the mainstream as many bands before them have. If this album came out just a few years earlier then I wouldn’t be surprised to see them equally as big as The Bravery.

Grade: B

Why Bruce Springsteen Dictates the Super Bowl Winner

The NFL season finally begins tomorrow, and I need an excuse to finally have a post about Brett Favre. As a Jets fan I’ve been salivating thinking about the Jets this season - a QB with a rocket arm, a completely revamped O-Line, a revamped defense which is bound to bring pressure on opposing QB’s thanks to new acquisitions: Jenkins, Pace, and Gholston, and finally Special Teams genius Westhoff has announced his return. What more could a Jets fan ask for? How about a Super Bowl! This Super Bowl will mark exactly forty years since the Jets have won their last (sad isn’t it) - and wait, why does the number forty have significance? Because Brett Favre is #4, get it? Forty starts with four...

Yeah, well the clues for a Jets Super Bowl don’t simply end there. This year the half time show will be put on by New Jersey’s own, Bruce Springsteen, and oh how ironic it is that the Jets play in Jersey. Not only that, but Bruce holds the record for the best ticket selling act in the Meadowlands Sports Complex - the exact home of the New York Jets.

If things are getting a little spooky, you haven’t heard the beginning! Lets close this post off with a bang. Lets do a little six degrees of separation with Bruce and Favre. We’ll start off with Bruce Springsteen who had performed with Danny DeVito for a Christmas Show at Asbury Park Convention Hall. DeVito directed the movie Duplex which starred Ben Stiller. Ben Stiller starred in There’s Something About Mary which featured a cameo from none other than Jet Favre... Oops I mean Brett Favre. There we have it, four people, Brett Favre is number four, it’s been forty years. My God! It’s fate, the Jets are going to win the Super Bowl!