Kinks: Misfits Review

The Kinks are an interesting band in history, everyone has heard their singles, but yet they never reached the massive commercial success of others at the time. The Kinks released a large amount of sensational records, yet you would be hard pressed to find people being able to name just one. Things become even more obscure when you look at the latter period of their career when they weren’t dishing out singles like "You Really Got Me Now" and "Lola". Somehow The Kinks, with an abundance of hit songs, had gone under the radar when it comes to their full length albums, especially when it comes to the later section of their career. Misfits falls into that later section. The album would be the second of their career released under Arista, who touted the reincarnated band as playing arena rock. Misfits sounds just as the title describes, an album released by misfits, who never quite felt understood.

The album teeters on the edge of depression, but yet maintains some form of optimism by throwing in quirky songs and the occasional bright lyric. For instance on the title track, about you guessed it, being a misfit, The Kinks throw in the one hopeful line, "Every dog has his day". Oddball songs like "Hayfever" and "Out of the Wardrobe" fight off the depression, but still maintain the overriding theme of being a misfit. "Out of the Wardrobe", like their hit single "Lola", focuses on being a transvestite, odd, topic isn’t it? "Black Messiah", with all of its social commentary, is delivered like a straight up reggae tune with horns thrown in, once again delivering a bright moment.

With the optimism thrown to the side, the gloom that is felt on this album is delivered with sincerity, and is a far cry from their early days. The songs don’t have the typical hooks you would come to expect from The Kinks, but the emotion runs deeper, and for that reason, Misfits is fantastic. The emotional tension is felt both in the lyrics and music--at times relaying the same feeling, but at others times trudging in different directions, and through it all, works flawlessly. Is this The Kinks best record? I’m sure few would go out on a limb to say that, but if it’s not at the top, it’s certainly close.

Grade: A

Living Colour: CBGB OMFUG Masters: August 19, 2005 The Bowery Collection Review

For those who don’t know Living Colour, think Bad Brains, and swap the punk for hard rock. Oh, you don’t know who the Bad Brains are either? Well I guess I should have figured that if you don’t know one, you probably wouldn’t know the other. Well to put it simply, they are an all African American band which fuses hard rock, funk, rap, punk, jazz, and whatever else you could think of. While rising to fame, the band was a regular at the historic CBGB, and luckily, their final performance at the late club was captured here.

One of the major reasons people buy live albums is to get the feeling like they were there. To hear the roar of the crowd as the band walks on stage, and to hear all the chatter in between songs. Unfortunately that’s an aspect which is edited out far too much on live albums today. We get snippets from different shows smashed together with the facade of a live album, when it’s really nothing more than a rawer studio album. Living Colour held their end of the bargain and delivered a straight forward live album with all the banter, roaring, and rawness of the actual event. The performance was taken directly from the sound board. The quality is far from stunning, but we should never expect much more from a pure and raw experience. Sometimes it’s the unpolished sound which makes a live album feel that much greater.

This recording captures all the exuberance and passion of a Living Colour performance. The songs are loud and brash, and demand your absolute attention with all the intriguing social commentary delivered in each of their songs. Highlights of the show are "Open Letter to Landlord", "Terrorism" and of course, "Cult of Personality". Living Colour may be nothing more than a blip in rock history, but their talent goes sadly overlooked, and after hearing this performance, I wish I could have been there.

Grade: B

Another Week Another Vinyl: The Kinks: Misfits

Lately I've been going on a little bit of a Kinks binge. Maybe I decided to jump onto The Kinks because I've been listening primarily to metal in the weeks prior to last. The Kinks were the perfect band to brighten up the mood, and what better way to satisfy my vinyl cravings, then by purchasing a Kinks record. Misfits isn't the kind of album you expect from The Kinks, but while it may stray away from their fun pop sound, it is certainly one of their best pieces. So good in fact, that I just might have enough motivation to review it in the next coming days. Even beyond the quality in music, the album cover is amazing--reminiscent of a Johnny Depp part in a Tim Burton film (Edward Scissorhands perhaps,) mixed with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Interview With Kristoffer Ragnstam

Kristoffer Ragnstam hails from the great nation of Sweeden, known for its unique brand of pop which many of us wish to forget. Ragnstam breaks away from the pop mold and delivers his own version of pop/rock which waltzes outside of the normal confines of pop music. His album Wrong Side of the Room is one of my favorite albums released this year, and below is an interview with this up and coming star.

Q. How would you describe your music to people have never heard it before?

A. It’s honest, straight forward Rock with influences from 60-90´s popular music such as Steve Miller Band, Ride, Dennis Willson, Curtis Mayfeild etc.

Q. Who would you cite as your biggest influences?

A. Everyday stories like girls, bars, fights, late night action and money. When it comes to music I get influences from people/Artists who do music with a lot of guts, pureness and in their own way.

Q. I’m sure you receive a lot of comparisons to Beck. How do you feel about those comparisons?

A. Yes many people compare me to Mr Beck. Many people need a reference before they listen to new music and I have no problem getting compared to Beck. That guy makes lovely music, so thanks! I think the main reason why we get compared to each other is that we both use the power of being a solo artist, where we can sound exactly how ever we want. Not that many rules, and I like that.

Q. Are you in the process of writing material for a new album?

A. Wow I just released a new album. Have/need to squeeze out every tour hour out of it first.
The album will get released in so many countries so a lot of promo and hotel nights which probably give time to write some sketches.

Q. How does the music scene in Sweden differ from America?

A. To begin with there are not that many people over here, only 9 million. So you guys got many,many,many more bands. In return, that gives you many, many, many more good bands but also some not so good. The scene in America could change if you only travel through 4 states. That’s the cool thing about American music. Although we do produce pretty good artists over here as well. I think some US states produce bands that are pretty similar to Sweden and Europe.

Q. Will you be coming back to the New York/New Jersey area to tour
anytime soon?

A. I just came home from a long European tour plus I have a new born baby so I want to be home for a while,.I guess I will come over to America in the end of the year. New Jersey hmm, I don’t know but I have a couple of friends there. Manager Chad Goonan and singer/songwriter Val Emmich would probably get angry if I don’t swing by and say hello.

Q. Wrong Side of the Room has plenty of layers, how does the song writing process go for you? Do you just start out with a simple song and add layers whenever you see fit?

A. It might feel like many layers cause we find a way to play the song without everyone playing the same note at the same time all the time. I often record it live with my band. The good thing about touring as much as we do is that we can try and fool around with sketches on sound check.

Q. I'm sorry, but I have one burning question. Are you referring to anyone in particular when in “2008" you say, “Nothing bores me than an overrated poet, with an acoustic guitar, and way to much to say”?

A. Ha,ha,ha,ha!! I guess I was overboard with the local singer/songwriters at that period. I love/respect artists like Nick Drake, Teitur who may do music in the so called "singer songwriter category" but I´m not so overexcited when it comes to an artist who just bought an acoustic guitar and decides to write 20 minute long songs with uber predictable lyrics about long lost years.

Q. If you were stuck on a desert island, what five albums would you bring?

A.
1:Babylon by Bus/Bob Marley
2:Blonde on Blonde/Bob Dylan
3:Seldom seen Kid/Elbow
4:Only by the Night/Kings of Leon
5:You and Me/Walkmen

Have to say that this is the list of this week.
If you ask me next week, I would probably give you a totally different one.

How to Get Your Free Dr. Pepper Thanks to Axl Rose

Many wondered if Dr Pepper would hold up to their end of the bargain when they announced earlier this year that they would give everyone in America a free Dr Pepper (excluding former Guns N’ Roses guitarists Slash and Buckethead) if Axl Rose managed to release the long-delayed Chinese Democracy sometime in 2008.

Well, with the album currently scheduled for a November 23 release, Dr Pepper issued the following statement:

"Don't cry, Guns N' Roses fans. The agonizing wait for the 17 years-in-the-making masterpiece Chinese Democracy will finally be over (fingers crossed) on Nov. 23, 2008. Sure, there have been more rumored release dates than the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper, but if Chinese Democracy hits stores as announced today, it's going to be so easy, easy for every American to get a free Dr Pepper as promised.

"We never thought this day would come," said Tony Jacobs, vice president of marketing for Dr Pepper. "But now that it's here all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us." Dr Pepper is ready to give out free soda coupons to every American when the album releases on Nov. 23, 2008.

If you're out to get a free Dr Pepper just follow these simple steps:
How To Get Your Free Dr Pepper:
1. On the Nov. 23, 2008 release date, go to Drpepper.com
2. Register your information to receive a coupon for one free 20-oz. Dr Pepper.
3. When your coupon arrives, redeem it wherever Dr Pepper is sold.
4. Drink your Dr Pepper slowly to experience all 23 flavors. Dr's orders.

Coupons will be available for 24 hours, starting at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Nov. 23, 2008. Allow 4-6 weeks for coupon to arrive. Coupons will expire on Feb. 28, 2009. Limit one coupon per person. Full terms and conditions available at www.drpepper.com."

There you have it folks. Soon we’ll all be enjoying 23 flavors of sweet, delicious, free Dr Pepper. It’s a glorious day.

Report by David Lowe-Bianco.
Article taken from www.Ultimate-Guitar.com

Inside Bob Dylan’s Jesus Years: Busy Being Born…Again! DVD Review

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years is an in depth look at the evangelical Dylan era. There are many who probably never knew that Dylan went through this stage in his life which means that there are many who wouldn't have any reason to watch this film. Even those who like Dylan probably wouldn't find enough justification in a whole film being devoted to this topic. Yet, there are plenty of hardcore Dylan fans who strive to hear and watch everything related to this American poet. This DVD is targeted specifically to them. All in all, the DVD does a great job of explaining this odd period in Dylan's long career, but there are too many things bogging it down from being a film which effectively delivers its point in a smart and concise manner.

The minute the title screen pops up, one thing is clear, this is a film made with a tight budget. While that is certainly an obstacle for the creator, Joel Gilbert, it is in no way a kiss of death. The problem with the tight budget is the editing is extremely poor and at times feels like little kids experimenting with a new toy. The cut screens are typically silly and the interviews fly from one small box on the screen to another. This itself isn't the true problem of the film, but it gives it a feeling of unprofessionalism.

The real problem with this film lies in the inability to bring all the facts together into a simple and concise point. My Senior Seminar professor always reiterated the fact that a twenty-five page paper should originally be around thirty-five or so pages long, but then begins the process of trimming off all the excess fat. The directors of this film unfortunately didn't attend the same class I did, and we are left with a bunch of facts that don't relate to the main topic and leaves us with an abundance of pointless ramblings. We hear interviews from backup singers, church pastors and even late great record producer Jerry Wexler, but through all of this, the theme of the film seems to get lost. The statements made by each were interesting at times, but it always felt disconnected.

Dylan's evangelical period was an extremely odd time for the singer/songwriter, and if done correctly could have correlated into a solid film, but it ended up like a scene from Congress where more and more pork is being added to legislation and by the end of the day, the bill ends up looking nothing like its former self. The film could have stood on its own even with the poor editing, but the excess of unimportant information kept it from being something which could hold a viewers attention.

Grade: D+

Queen + Paul Rodgers "Let the Cosmos Rock" Giveaway

I was recently offered the chance to do a giveaway for a one night showing of Queen + Paul Rodgers "Let the Cosmos Rock" tickets. I have two tickets to giveaway, and will be choosing the winner at random. The show will be playing at these theaters. Anyone who is interested in participating can either leave a comment in the comments section or e-mail me at this address: skonieje@imagineechoes.com. For those who are not members of blogger, the latter would probably be the best option. The winner will be chosen on October 28th at 12:00 PM EST. Good luck to all!

Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series Volume 8: Tell Tale Signs

Any major Dylan fan can attest to the greatness of The Bootleg Series. Most of which are comprised of live recording throughout his most successful period, the 60s, as well as some rare and unreleased material scattered throughout his career. Not until now, has there been a volume to focus on Dylan most recent rebirth. Volume 8 hones in on the time frame, 1989-2006 and gives us a plentiful amount of rare, unreleased, and live tracks. Dylan's bootleg series has had such a strong run, and because of that, Volume 8 won't necessarily be the strongest because it is lending from a period that doesn't touch the 60s, but despite that fact, it is in every right, superb.

The first disc is the bread and butter of the collection. At times I need to shake the feeling that I'm listening to a brand new album, and if it were indeed a brand new album, it would be one of Dylan's finest in recent history. Not to discredit the greatness of his past few releases, but this is an amazing collection of songs. The first disc opens up with an alternate take on "Mississippi", originally on Time Out of Mind. The track is stripped down featuring just Dylan's voice and guitar, a signature point which made his early work so successful, and it pays off here. Another focal point of this album is the previously unreleased "Red River Shore". When you hear songs like this, it makes you wonder what else Dylan has lying around in his unreleased collection. The song is a mysteriously haunting love tale clocking in at over seven minutes long. If there was one reason to pick up this album, it simply comes down to hearing "Red River Shore". Another previously unreleased track, "Dreamin' of You" who's lyrics were later developed into other songs, is a strong track with a jaunty rhythm when it comes to Dylan. The guitar work is quite fine and once again, leaves me wondering, what other material has Dylan stashed away?

The second disc lacks the strength in songs the first delivered, but the second disc is far from being dull. It's stacked with standard bluesy numbers that feel natural for Dylan to perform--notably a fantastic cover of Robert Johnson's "32-30 Blues". The second disc also contains four live performances harking back to the most usual form of his Bootleg Series.

Volume 8 of the series is for those who either love Dylan or who enjoy his latest reincarnation.

While Dylan may be one of the most immortal figures in rock, his career wasn't without rough patches, however the era covered here is Dylan picking himself up from the poor run he endured. From Oh Mercy onward, Dylan found himself, and this volume is a testament to that.

Grade: A-

Another Week Another Vinyl: The Beatles: The Magical Mystery Tour

So I'm back in Jersey and back to my local record store. The selection had seemed to improve from the last time I visited, around two weeks ago. I was finding a number of strong albums which ultimately led me to purchasing two instead of sticking to my vow of buying just one a week. It would be too big of a risk to allow those gems to sit in there for a whole week, they would have certainly been gone by the time I came back. So I ended up buying The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour and David Bowie's Changes album. The Magical Mystery Tour has some great packaging with a pretty thick little book on the inside which details the entire story of the Magical Mystery Tour as well as some great photos taken from the production of the movie. Some of the pages are falling out in my copy but overall it's in pretty decent shape and it plays alright with some minor skipping and a bit of hissing and crackling. It's certainly one of The Beatles finest works, but then again, what isn't after Rubber Soul?

Also, I may just skip actually taking pictures of the actual album because my brother doesn't seem to want to return my camera...

Creedence Clearwater Revival 40th Anniversary Album Reviews

Creedence Clearwater Revival has just re-released their first six albums to mark the band’s 40th anniversary. All of the albums have been digitally remastered and contain an array of rarities: B-sides, unreleased studio and live material, even a summit between the band and Booker T & the Mgs. Some of these extras are phenomenal, specifically a potent and emotional live rendition of "Fortunate Son". Below are brief reviews of three of my personal favorite CCR albums which include Bayou Country, Willy and the Poor Boy’s, and Cosmo’s Factory.

Bayou Country leaves off where their debut album started. It has a darker and swampier tone than albums that would be released in the future. Bayou Country is the true introduction of what Fogerty’s song writing abilities would become. Unlike their debut self titled album, Bayou Country’s finest moments are originals and not covers. "Proud Mary" and "Born on the Bayou" are some of CCR’s finest moments and the album is a stepping stone for what would become. The lyrics, vocals, drums and guitar all have some nasty bite.

Grade: A-

Willy and the Poor Boy’s is the moment we see CCR lightning up their tone and it is completely evident with the opening fun hearted "Down on the Corner". Fogerty’s song writing really shines on this album with countless classics like the before mentioned "Down on the Corner", "It Came out of the Sky", "Effigy", and arguably the greatest protest song of all time-- "Fortunate Son". Willy and the Poor Boy's is a more accesible album for most when compared to their earlier work, and while it doesn't necessarily make it superior, it's just as strong in its own right.

Grade: A-

Cosmo’s Factory is CCR’s best selling album to date and deservingly so. From beginning to end it’s filled with some of the best songs of the decade. It displays the very best of Fogerty’s song writing and once again shows their ability to produce covers that go above and beyond their original counterparts. Cosmo’s Factory was the peak for CCR and unfortunately their success would dwindle thereafter, but from their debut to Como’s Factory they were constantly improving and building to create the most definitive swamp rock anyone had ever heard. The jam sessions are extremely tight–"Ramble Tamble" and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", the melodies are stronger than ever–"Lookin’ Out My Back Door" and "Up Around the Bend", and even the slower moments truly hit home–"Who’ll Stop the Rain" and "Long as I Can See the Light". Cosmo’s Factory was a culmination of everything they had done previously and it is a masterpiece in every right.

Grade: A+

Another Week Another Vinyl: Metallica: Kill 'Em All

So right before I departed S.C. I had to take another visit to the local record store Pappa Jazz. This next visit was a pricey one where I had absolutely no self restraint. The selection was too good, far better than the selection at my local store. And no matter how cliche this sounds, I have to say it--I was like a kid at a candy store.

There were so many possible options I could have posted today but I chose to stick it out with the record I've been listening to most, and as you can see that is Metallica's Kill 'Em All. I never considered this to be one of my favorite Metallica albums, yet I chose it over Ride the Lightening and Master of Puppets during my shopping spree. For some reason I've just been in a thrashier mood lately, and Kill 'Em All is feeding my hunger. Once again, sorry for the poor picture quality, I don't have my camera with me.

Below are all the albums I purchased while in S.C.:

Metallica Kill 'Em All

King Crimson Red

Bob Dylan Bringing it All Back Home

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon and Atom Heart Mother

Yes The Yes Album

The Raconteurs Consolers of the Lonely

Hell May Actually Freeze Over! Chinese Democracy Has an Official Release Date

More than a decade after its conception, Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" will finally see the light of day before year's end, sources close to the situation told Billboard. The set will be a Best Buy exclusive and will be available Sunday, November 23, rather than the usual Tuesday.

In the run-up to release date, album track "Shackler's Revenge" will debut in the video game "Rock Band 2," while a portion of "If the World" is playing over the end credits in the new Leonardo DiCaprio/Russell Crowe film "Body Of Lies." I

n addition, GNR's seminal 1987 full-length debut, "Appetite For Destruction," will be reissued on vinyl on October 28 via Interscope.

The band's last new studio albums were the simultaneously released "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" in September 1991. A covers set, "The Spaghetti Incident?," followed in 1993, and featured some of the last GNR recordings from original guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan.

This spring, 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. A Dr Pepper spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Source: Reuters.

Well I personally never though I would see this in Axl's lifetime. I always thought it would be something released after his death, but it looks like there will finally be an end to this decade plus long project. Anything that takes over ten years to do should be near perfection, and for some reason, I don't think Chinese Democracy will come close. Even with that said, I'm still skeptical about it even being released. It sort of reminds me of the book of Revelations- all these psychos declare that the end of the world will come to fruition within the next few years, but it never does...

Another Week Another Vinyl: King Crimson: Red

So I finally got some Crimson in my collection! And I only had to go all the way to South Carolina to get it. While I would like to say I went all the way to South Carolina to buy just one album, I actually had to go there for work purposes, but none the less, I found an awesome record store near by and went nuts (Pappa Jazz in Columbia, SC.) Before this week is over I foresee myself spending around $100 in there. If I were rich, I would probably end up spending $1,000. They had an amazing selection of some of the greatest albums of all time, including Dylan's Bringing it All Back Home, Yes' The Yes Album, Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, and so much more. All of which, I purchased... For the sake of me not wanting to take pictures of every album, I am only posting King Crimson's Red. Unfortunately that was the only Crimson in the mix, but regardless, it's one of their best works, and it's certainly better than anything post Red.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, I don't have my camera on me.

Deep 6 Holiday: Awake at the Funeral Review

Reviewing Deep 6 Holiday’s album Awake at the Funeral is tough for me. When I heard previews of their music I thought it would be something that may not necessarily fit my taste, but something I could really end up enjoying, sort of like Cat Power. Instead, when listening I found myself a little out of my league. So quite honestly, I feel like my review should be taken with a grain of salt (like all reviews, but this one especially.)

Deep 6 Holiday is led by the incredible vocal talents of Tyler Azelton. To say that her voice is incredible is probably an understatement–she has such amazing power, and she hits the lows with such effectiveness. The music in general is very atmospheric. Piano’s, strings, and winds take charge throughout the album laying a lush and haunting backdrop. The music is pretty absent of any rhythm, making it feel like mood music.

As I said, this music doesn’t fit my comfort zone which makes it incredibly difficult to review. Instead I just tried to lay down my basic observations.

Kurt Cobain's Ashes to Be Smoked

Australian artist Natascha Stellmach is claiming that she will smoke the ashes of the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain in a spliff as part of an art exhibition.

Kurt Cobain's ashes were stolen from Courtney Love in May. In a statement Stellmach claimed she had "acquired" the ashes, and would smoke them as part of the Set Me Free exhibition at Berlin's Wagner + Partner gallery.

The smoking of the ashes will take place at what is being billed as the "final act" of the exhibition, which climaxes on October 11.

Stellmach is claiming that the act will symobillically "set free" Cobain from the media circus.

The smoking will be one of various acts undertaken by artists as part of the exhibition involving the dead.

Danish artist Marco Evarissti plans to feed death row inmate Gene Hathorn to goldfish as part of the show.


The claim of ashes ownership has aroused suspicion among fans, who have posted messages online voicing scepticism that the remains are in fact those of the late singer/guitarist.

Asked how she came to have Cobain's ashes, let alone smoke them, Stellmach told the magazine Artworld: "That's confidential and kind of magic. They came to me. And I am setting him free."

Source Nme.com.


For one I find it hard to believe that she is actually in posession of his ashes. Secondly, if you want to set the man free, then why are you bringing all this attention to him? Kurt despised the burden that he placed on himself by becoming a big rock superstar. Let the man rest in peace, and leave his ashes alone, if he wanted them smoked I'm sure he would have requested it...

Yes Without Jon Anderson

Layla over at Layla's Classic Rock Faves posted an interesting question of whether or not people would go and see Zeppelin without Plant. What makes the question that much more dificult, is it's regarding an iconic singer, with a distinct vocal talent. Granted, his voice has certainly deteriated over the years, but he is still a focal point of the band.

In a similar situation, I am forced with the question of whether or not I should go see Yes, without Jon Anderson, who like Plant, has a distinct voice and is a focal point of the band. Yes was set to tour this summer but Anderson came down with a serious asthma attack which made him unable to perform. The other Yes members decided to give it a go anyhow, and recruited a singer of a Yes cover band (Benoit David.) With a little research, I found some clips of his performances, and he sounds just like Anderson.

Even without Anderson, ticket prices range from around $55 - $88. I'm thinking I'm willing to cough up the $55, which would ultimately end up being around $70 with all those wonderful convenience charges. Plus, I just found out I could save over $500 a year by switching my car insurance to Geico, seriously, I just checked! So I have some extra money to toss around.

I saw Yes around five years back and they put on a fantastic show. The main driving force pushing me to go is knowing that I have a much deeper appreciation for their music than I did five years ago. Now it's just a matter of finding someone willing to go, between the high ticket prices and the absence of Anderson, this probably won't be an easy dilema to solve.

So what would you do in this situation?