Review: David Gray: Greatest Hits

My David Gray review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com


David Gray
Greatest Hits
ATCO
2007

Has it already been almost ten years since 1998's White Ladder was released? Where has this time gone? Though I must admit it was sometime in mid 2000 when I first heard David Gray. I had just moved on my own, for the first time, to New Orleans. I bought the year end issue of Q Magazine, with Thom Yorke on the cover, and it included a CD with the best artists and albums of the year, including David Gray's "We're Not Right." Of all the songs on that Q disc there was one of his lyrics that hit me, and one of my favorites that he has ever written— "Betty Ford won't you be my Valentine." I had just gotten out of a three year relationship and those words expressed how I was feeling at the time. I was single and alone, drinking heartily, in this wondrous Southern City. After playing "We're Not Right" over and over again, it became the theme song for my first bohemian summer as a barfly in New Orleans; I then went out and bought White Ladder. I was hooked from the beginning and have remained ever since.

Gray has to be the most popified (my word) artist of whom I am a fan. I'd say his music is a guilty pleasure. Still, the one thing I respect most about Gray is that he can write a grooved filled and addictive pop song. "Babylon" is what he's most famous for, but D.G. is no one hit wonder. Gray has had three UK number one albums—the above mentioned White Ladder, 2002's A New Day at Midnight and 2005's Life in Slow Motion. He has a rabid, worldwide fan base. He sold out two nights at The Wiltern in LA. And we can thank David Gray for the recent explosion of singer/songwriters such as Damien Rice, and blame him for the chart hit by James Blunt.

I have to say, gold records aside, that my favorite album of Gray's has to be Lost Songs. The aptly titled collection brings together a plethora of low-fi acoustic flavored "lost" songs that Gray had written from 1995-98 before his meteoric rise to international rock stardom. One of those songs, "Flame Turns Blue" makes an appearance on his Greatest Hits.

Many of my amigos know that I am not a fan of artists who release Greatest Hits compilations from new songs added (see my 2006 Best of Moby review). But Gray's the exception. David's new songs are worthy additions to his pop dominated discography. I prefer the opening track "You're the World to Me." It's a classic David Gray love song. He has a knack for writing joyous love songs that make you feel good on the inside. Even on piano ballads like "This Year's Love" you can't help but smile. This is why I love his music.

As you can guess, there are 4 tracks from White Ladder including "Babylon," "This Year's Love," "Please Forgive Me" and "Sail Away." Nonetheless, two of my favorite new Gray songs appear on this hits collection. "The One I Love" has the coolest line "Tell the repo man and the stars above you're the one I love." And "Hospital Food" contains the catchy chorus, "Tell me something I don't already know." I can't forget David's ultimate Valentine's Day song "Be Mine." I love the background harmony vocals with the recurring lyrics of "My heart is on fire," which ends in the ironic line "am I losing my sanity?" Only Gray could write lyrics this sweet and bright.

I've been listening to Greatest Hits since it arrived in my mailbox earlier this week, mainly because I hold a special place in my memories for Gray. I have to send him some special thanks for a night in my not so distant past. It's another New Orleans memory during my first Mardi Gras; I was tripping so intensely, all night long. The one album that I listened to that would calm me down while I tripped was White Ladder. I must have heard that album more than 20 times that night. Gray's music kept me from losing my mind, and I remember how sweet his voice sounded, keeping me calm during that wicked night.

For this and many other times in my life, I am indebted to the magical music from one David Gray. I dare you to listen to one of his song and not smile or feel happy. We have enough artists that sing about sadness and heartache. We need more David Grays in this world to help see the joy in our personal Babylons. Gray and his sweet English croon will stay in my ears and memories through winter, summer, day or night.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.29.2007

Review: Jesca Hoop: Kismet

My Jesca Hoop review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com


Jesca Hoop
Kismet
3Entertainment/Red Ink-Columbia
2007

Kismet is defined as fate, fortune, destiny or luck. Today I watched the first three episodes of the new internet-based dramedy Quarterlife by the creators of Thirtysomething and My So Called Life, Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick. Quarterlife follows the life of misunderstood twenty-something Dylan Krieger, and watching it, I cannot help but think of singer/songwriter Jesca Hoop. Hoop's songs would make the perfect soundtrack voice for Dylan on the show. Both Jesca and Dylan are outcasts in their prospective universes. Both are creative and intellectually stimulating women who are naturally and distinctively gifted with the souls of poets, waiting to be discovered by the universe dying for authentic beauty.

Jesca Hoop comes to us from the magical hills of Los Angeles. She is one of a kind, though we actually do have artists with soul here in the West Coast, and she is a jewel waiting to be unearthed. She has a Fiona Apple-esque voice with a more eccentric lyrical vibe. It's no wonder that Tom Waits is a fan of this California Chanteuse. Take a dive into her world of Kismet; it's a strange wonderland with Pepper-esque sounds missing from this age of commercialized jingles clogging the airwaves with soulless toaster music.

From the opening Cocteau Twins-like effects of "Summertime" you enter inside Hoop's enchanting animated forest come to life. Her voice is the guide to the adventurous Kismet. The quiet moments are where Hoop's gift of lyrical marvel glimmers brightest. She has the one of a kind voice that you'll follow to the end of her imaginary trip. One of my favorite cuts is "Enemy." With just her acoustic guitar and slight harmonious chorus this song shines with lyrics like "I've come to see that beauty is a thing that is without grace."

Grace is a trait that many artists lack, yet Hoop is filled with charm, especially in the Hollywood-esque and Ditty Bop-ish number "Silverscreen." I love the lyrics in this timeless number, as I hear "Silverscreen" as Hoop's first journey inside Tinsel Town. Her witty wordplay best comes through when she sings, "The Gates of heaven are open/ and there is me/ on the silver screen/ I hope they did good editing."

"Money" is one of my favorites, a more upbeat ditty that makes the perfect segue from "Silverscreen." Hoop seems to know all about show business when sings, "…into the mirrors on the wall/ `cause if you want to belong you write a sing along." This satirical look trying to survive as an artist in this country of commerce is one of the best songs on Kismet. The backing vocals and eerie tones turn "Money" into a modern day ghost song for the innovative dreamers longing to have their shot in this land lacking any reasonable opportunity for success.

I have a soft spot for "Love Is All We Have," a lyrical ode to my old home of New Orleans and those who may have lost hope after the destruction of Katrina. With lyrics like "when we move with angels on our shoes, sickest angels you ever know, " it sounds like Hoop must have spent some time in the 504 because she knows how to layer her songs with some funky back beats. Listen to "Out to the back door" an urban soundscape with featuring the drumming skills on one Matt Chamberlain (who's best know for his work with Tori Amos and Fiona Apple).

Even though I first heard Jesca Hoop as the cinematic voice of Quarterlife's lead character Dylan Kreiger, she's meant to be more than a soundtrack muse. This breathtaking journey inside the lyrical mind space of this unconventional artist is so stunning that Kismet deserves to be dissected delved into and desired over and over again.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.28.2007

Review: Various Artists: I'm Not There OST

My I'm Not There review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com


Various Artists
I'm Not There
Columbia
2007

Who the fuck was Bob Dylan any way? The folkie, Woody Guthrie inspired acoustic troubadour folk hero who stood behind MLK during his famous " I Have a Dream," speech? The electric rebel who took his three chords and fed them back to his betrayed audience with a backfeeding grin of defiance in 1965? The country-esque crooner who tweaked his voice during his Nashville sessions? The man who found God in the '80s? Was he all of these or none of the above? The shades and former past lives of this same enigmatic artist we have loved for all of these years are channeled in the new Todd Haynes directed bio-pic I'm Not There.

There are many music fans out there who don't grasp the poetic master that is Bob Dylan. Just like many readers didn't fully comprehend the language and lyrical nuances of The Bard, William Shakespeare. To my ears, Bob is our nation's artistic counterpart. Like Shakespeare wrote plays that changed drama and literature as we know it, Dylan wrote albums and songs that inspired, shook and revolutionized the music we have always adored and love today. You see, understanding Dylan, is a rite of passage. You are not a real music aficionado until you appreciate the poetic power of Bob Dylan. Without him and his songs there would be a giant void in the sounds coming from our stereos and iPods.

Since 1960, there have been many covers of Dylan songs, some breathtaking like Hendrix's take on "All Along the Watchtower," and others not so good. You are not truly an artist until you honor the majestic poet that is Bob Dylan by covering one of his songs, and doing it right. To honor our greatest living singer/songwriter, Haynes had gathered some of the most influential artists of today to cover some of Bob's song for the soundtrack of his eclectic film.

The artists on I'm Not There do Dylan justice and do not disappoint. The soundtrack kicks off with killer version of "All Along the Watchtower" by Eddie Vedder and The Million Dollar Bashers. The Bashers are a musical dream team of today's best musicians, including Sonic Youth stars Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Television guitarist Tom Verlaine, Dylan bassist Tony Garnier, guitarist Smokey Hormel and keyboardist John Medeski, all brought together as a backing to supply the magical rhythm track to Dylan's timeless muse. Through out this amazing disc, The Bashers provide the landscape for the singers to do their tributes to Bob.

There are two discs full of incredible performances, here, and I have my favorites, such as Sonic Youth tearing up The Basement Tapes outtake, "I'm Not There." Stephen Malkmus of Pavement fame, of whom I was never really a fan, shines brightly on his bluesy version of "Ballad of a Thin Man." Cat Power does her best female Dylan voice and seductively succeeds on "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again." John Doe's trademark Golden State voice gives Dylan a fitting soulful treatment on "Pressing On." Calexico and Parisian Chanteuse Charlotte Gainsbourg come together on a graceful version of one of my favorite Dylan songs, "Just Like a Woman." David Mansfield's fiddle soars so beautifully along with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy's brilliant rendition of "Simple Twist of Fate." Mark Lanegan, the post modern Johnny Cash, brings a powerful elegance to "Man in the Long Black Coat." Calexico and Willie Nelson's Mariachi vibe of "Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" is one of the soundtrack's standout and most memorable covers. But my favorite has to be Antony and the Johnson's stunning performance of Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door." Antony's angelic vocal brings the Dylan's sacred lyrics alive with his faithful and modern day treatment of this Dylan classic.

So many performers to mention that a dissertation could be made on the CD and the film, which brings me to my only complaint of I'm Not There, of the artists who do not appear on the soundtrack. It would have been perfection to fit such luminaries like Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst and PJ Harvey on this soundtrack, but is this being greedy on my part? I don't think so, but in any case, I'm Not There will make the perfect gift this holiday season for the die hard fan or even the novice looking forward to take that musical journey inside the undiscovered country that is Bob Dylan.

In the film and soundtrack there are many faces that portray and bring to life on the screen and in song for I'm Not There, which goes to suggest that the myth of Dylan will outlive the man. The music and his message is what we will always remember. And when the day comes when he will not be there with us, his voice, his words and songs will still resound through all of us. I believe what Haynes is trying to say is that we are all Bob Dylan. Each one of us, man, woman and child, who listen to Dylan's lyrics become a part of the mythology. We personally piece together his puzzling lyrics by incorporating them with our own memories and lives by making these legendary songs our very own. Just like the artists covering his songs, we wear the masks of his melodies every time we sing his sons. And I'm Not There is the ultimate tribute to the artist who will always be here, there and everywhere, within us in the rhymes and rhythms of his eternal songs.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.26.2007

Review: Mick Jagger: The Very Best of...

My Mick Jagger review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com



Mick Jagger
The Very Best of...
Atlantic/Rhino
2007

Every fan knows that when it comes to The Glimmer Twins, there are two sides between the fences of devotion in Stones camp, Keith Richards or Mick Jagger— you like one more than the other, and never equally. I have always been a Keef fan. He's a more traditional straight shooter who tells you like it is. He's got a heart of saint and a soul of a sinner. He personifies everything that we want and need in the world of rock and roll excess.

But there's something to be said about Mick Jagger and his role as our favorite Stone. I got to give Jagger props; Mick's the guy who's tries to evolve the Stones sound into something more modern. There's Mick always incorporating contemporary rhythms with the classic blues vibe of our Rolling Stones. Keef is the old school bluesman who resists the temptation of adding modern jingles to the Stones. It's this electric dichotomy and difference in mindsets by these two musicians that make the Stones such a distinctive monster that won't ever go away.

This is the one aspect of Jagger that I respect the most. If it wasn't for Mick, The Dust Brothers wouldn't have worked their magic on "Anybody Seen My Baby" and "Saint of Me" on the under appreciated Bridges to Babylon. It didn't start there; just go back listen to the disco beats on 1978's "Miss You" and the percussive layered reverberations on 1983's "Undercover of The Night."

Jagger had been experimenting more since before sucking in the seventies as a solo artist. It wasn't until the eighties, during the much publicized sabbatical of his beloved Stones, that Jagger's solo career went platinum. This year brings a collection of his most beloved solo cuts on The Very Best of Mick Jagger.

Being on the proud side of Keef's camp, I preferred his solo LPs Talk is Cheap and Main Offender so, theoretically, I shouldn't like any of Mick's albums. But after revisiting his past output on this compilation I have to admit a lot of his solo recordings are creatively on the cutting edge and very rhythmically addicting.

Some of Mick's most familiar solo songs are here, like 1985's collaboration with David Bowie on the top ten single "Dancing in the Streets" to my favorite, 1983's "Just Another Night." The latter had been a radio staple I heard on the radio during my days growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Walking around, this year with the festive sounds of the French Quarter around me, I had this song in my head during my vacation con mi novia in New Orleans. You can't but smile, dance and enjoy life whilst listening to a Mick Jagger song.

That's the way he records them—with the enthusiasm of a cosmic rock and roll dancer. He has to feel the beat as he sings to the songs live. Even while listening back to the playback, if Mick doesn't feel it, Jagger cuts the song again. He wants everyone to feel the vibe on songs like "Put Me in the Trash," from your feet through your soul. You have to respect the goal of an artist who wants to move you with his electric muse from afar.

Since I am a relative novice to Jagger's discography, there are some songs that I newly discovered on this CD. I enjoyed the rocking "God Gave Me Everything" with Lenny Kravitz on guitar. You can't help but get down to the "Undercover"-inspired, beat heavy "Let's Work." My favorite has to be the very elegantly beautiful ballad "Evening Gown," a piano-based and Americana flavored ode to growing old with his amor.

Look for some unearthed gems like the John Lennon produced and the very funky "Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)." This one sounds like the perfect groovy theme song to an unmade action films from the seventies. I love the equally marvelous and flamenco flavored "Charmed Life" that features Mick's daughter Karis on backing vocals. If you were aching for some Stones inspired blues, look towards "Checking Up on my Baby" with L.A.'s Red Devils laying down the low down backbeats that will definitely cure your fix.

One of my favorite cuts is the Golden Globe award winning "Old Habits Die Hard." Written and recorded with ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart, this song was featured in the much forgotten remake of Alfie with Jude Law. Unfortunately for Law, Jagger's song was the best thing about the movie. On" Old Habits" Mick perfectly brings out the authentic dreamy eyed unlucky in love romantic that's buried inside of us.

I have to say that the best song on The Very Best of has to be the classic "Memo from Turner" from the soundtrack of Performance. "Memo" reflects the true essence of Mick's solo incarnation. Throughout his illustrious solo career, Mick always had his soul in the past and voice set in eye of the future. Even without the Stones, Jagger has been making waves that will resonate alone with the sound smooth lyrical soul man. Listen as he lays down his killer vocals on songs behind these southern fried blues beats; he always finds the perfect rhymes to rock you in the morning, noon, night— and beyond.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.14.07

Review: John Doe: A Year in the Wilderness

My John Doe review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com



John Doe
A Year in the Wilderness
Yep Roc
2007

John Doe has the best name in rock, a term used to describe the identity of an unknown person. What we do know about this eclectic artist is that he was part of the original West Coast punk movement, along with his ex-wife Exene Cervenka in the seminal and mega influential band X, best known for their classic Ray Manzarek-produced debut album aptly titled Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the quintessential punk rock album, and because of the title track and the cover of "Soul Kitchen," put the City of Angels and John Doe on the map as innovators within a punk movement that was largely known for its origins in New York and London.

Aside from being a fan of his work in X and his stellar film and TV career (having appeared in Roswell, and guilty pleasure classic Road House), I am pretty much a novice of the music output of the man we know as John Doe. But I just got back into his music while on vacation after picking up a copy of the soundtrack to Todd Haynes' Dylan biopic I'm Not There. Mi novia and I listened to it on a daytrip to Austin, Texas, and as I was driving, at the beginning of every track I attempted to guess the artist singing each song. One of the few I got right was John's trademark raspy Western Country drawl.

As we drove into Austin, I remembered hearing about John's album, A Year in the Wilderness that was released earlier this year, which included duets with three of the past two decades' greatest female sirens—Aimee Mann, Kathleen Edwards and Jill Sobule. Because of Doe's trademark performances on I'm Not There, I couldn't help but dig into Wilderness.

For some reason, I expected Wilderness to be a Western Blues album in the realm of Mark Lanegan, but unfortunately Doe's not that kind of singer. While Lanegan's vocal is more in the traditional old country style of Johnny Cash with a gothic vibe, Doe has a rough and tough voice, which is coarser and not as elegant. Not that it's bad thing. In fact, Doe's rock-country roots come through clearly as he sings "You are the hole in my head" in seminal cut "The Golden State," the first of three collaborations with Canadian singer Kathleen Edwards.

I actually prefer the acoustic-tinged harsh beauty of "Darling Underdog" written with his ex-wife and bandmate Exene. You hear Doe's exquisite lyrics as he achingly sings "When I thought I could fly/ you became my sky." Listen to Doe sing with Edwards, "Just a little more time with you and me" on "A Little More Time." Edwards returns this time, singing perfect harmonies and dual vocal duties throughout this song about a longing love that lingers but will never return.

The song that I was pining to hear was "Unforgiven," Doe's duet with Aimee Mann. This is where Doe's rock roots come through loud and clear in this upbeat heavy, riff-layered number that sounds like a love song with slight punk overtones. I love the lyrics: "If I had one wish/that one wish would be/ some day I could raise my face to eyes that loved me."

A full-fledged rocker follows in the very addictive "There's a Hole." Doe sings without bitterness, "Oh baby there's a hole in the neighborhood since you are gone." With lyrics like this, you will hear John Doe's message resonate throughout. The theme of Wilderness is heartache and loneliness. You hear it and it's not as painful as, say, listening to a Ryan Adams or Bright Eyes album. I love them both, you see, but there's something about Doe's voice, a hint of faith and hope, kind of like being lost on the road of life but seeing a sign or star in the sky that keeps you going. John Doe is not country, not rock, not folkie and far from his punk incarnation of his past. If you're looking for the young punk from X, you have come to the wrong album. He still rocks but Wilderness is, more importantly, the sound of man on a journey of identity.

(Note: with purchase of A Year in the Wilderness you get two free downloads from the Yep Roc website. John Doe's killer cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" and an awesome acoustic version of "The Golden State.")

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.12.2007

Review: R.E.M.: R.E.M. Live

My R.E.M. review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com



R.E.M.
R.E.M. Live
Warner Bros
2007

The first time I saw R.E.M. live in concert was during their 1989 worldwide Green Tour. Even though I was grounded every other weekend during my senior year at Winston Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas, somehow I convinced my parents to let me go to the show. I had some classmates of mine buy me a ticket, eighth row seat for fifteen bucks. (The price of that same ticket today might go for $50 to $150)

I had seen Midnight Oil in a small club but this was my first official big rock concert and what a show it was. Three hours plus with multiple encores, which included Michael Stipe and Mike Mills singing an a cappella version of " Moon River." They played "We Walk" from Murmur, the cover of Pylon's "Crazy" from Dead Letter Office and of course "The One I Love" from Document. If I had just seen this show it would have gone down as one of the best rock concert experiences ever but something else happened that night, after the show which changed my life, for the better, forever.

After the concert, my buddy George and I passed upon some groups of fans who were hanging out by the buses waiting to see any members of R.E.M. emerge. We saw a glimpse of geeky Mike Mills from the distance; this was before he transformed into the cool version of himself during the Monster years

Five minutes later out of the shadows, with a bottle of Jack Daniels under his arm, comes Michael Stipe. He was very short, a shy but sweet figure. I felt like I was dreaming as one of my heroes stood in front of my very eyes. I was the first one to speak as I we had a short conversation, a mini interview about Sting, whom I was a big fan of during those …Nothing Like The Sun days. I asked if he supported Sting's campaign for Greenpeace because I had read some animosity towards Mr. Sumner, as these were the days when he was being lambasted in the press for his overexposure of his causes to save the earth. Stipe responded he supports anyone who does work for Greenpeace.

After a few minutes, Stipe refused to sign autographs but he did shake all of our hands. Michael was the perfect Southern Gentleman. As I went home, stayed up all night and listened to all my R.E.M. tapes. I wrote a letter to the editor of our home town paper about my experiences that night. A few weeks later my letter was printed. Even though I had been writing my personal Star Trek fan fiction since age seven, this was the first time I had seen my name in print. At that moment, I knew that I wanted to be a writer. That one night, going to a rock concert and meeting one of my heroes, changed my life.

This one moment went through my mind as I listened and watched the 2007 edition of R.E.M.'s Live CD and companion DVD. This live show was recorded in Dublin, Ireland home to R.E.M.'s musical compadres U2 during their Around the Sun tour. The set-list showcases many songs from that misunderstood album Around the Sun, but there are a few classic treats thrown in for us die hard fans.

The disc starts off with the Monster riff from "I Took Your Name." An interesting choice of opening tracks that contains one of my favorite Stipe lines, "I don't wanna be Iggy Pop but if that's what it takes." The release of this concert set reveals to the world that even though R.E.M is getting older, they're far from being dinosaurs; these guys have aged like a Cabernet...er, one that can rock you off your seats, with Peter Buck's timeless chord changes that ring truer than ever before on this stage in Dublin. R.E.M. keep the frequency cranked up during most of the show with the inclusion of "Orange Crush," "Bad Day" and a killer version of "So Fast, So Numb" from New Adventures in Hi-Fi in the set.

Some surprises are the addition of the laid back, slower styled version of "Drive" from Automatic for the People. This one differs from the amped up live edition that they played on the Monster tour that was even featured on the Greenpeace compilation Alternative NRG. I particularly love the version of Life's Rich Pageant's "Cuyahoga." Even though the politico lyrics of "Let's put our heads together and start a new country up" ring truer today, the lines "Take a picture here, take a souvenir," mirror the release of the CD.

This is the first R.E.M. live disc in their history and for fans like myself, it's been a long time coming. I would have loved to have heard a show from their heyday as a four piece powerhouse, but this new incarnation of the band, which includes former Ministry drummer Bill Rieflin, marks a new evolution of the band that I have grown up with since those days of Green and before.

I don't love everything about R.E.M. Live, however. The DVD is very disappointing. Director Blue Leach attempts to modernize some of his quick action cuts for the young kids who weren't even born when R.E.M. first became a band in Athens, Georgia circa 1980. Even though R.E.M. has evolved since then, they are not the stylish upstarts that deserve this kind of super gloss. R.E.M. has always been about substance over style, just listen to the mirrored chorus on "The One I Love" Unfortunately, the quick MTV style cuts that annoy me so much appear during the louder numbers like "I Took Your Name." Leach does finally lay off of the jump cuts on the slower numbers, but by then I was reaching for a dose of Dramamine.

The DVD tries to recreate the R.E.M. live concert experience and, because of Leach's ADD-style editing, fails. R.E.M.'s edition is a proper live document. I recommend shelving the DVD, listening to the CD and buying a ticket to see them sometime in 2008. The problem with live albums is that they try to capture the essence of a band on stage. Some records like Bob Marley's 1975 Live album is one of the many classics by which concert albums are held up to. This one strives for that greatness but R.E.M. Live misses that high mark. Even so, this album is a worthy edition to your collection of R.E.M. albums.

If you're a die hard R.E.M. fan you will want to pick up this Live CD for the inclusion of the never released "I'm Gonna DJ." It's a short urban rock blast that has Michael rapping, wanting to "DJ at the end of the world." Another surprise gem is the Mike Mills lead vocal on countrified classic of Reckoning's "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville." I love the way that the album ends with the now live staple and classic "Man on the Moon," a song about reminiscing about the past, which is something I can't help but do as I listen to this live document.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.08.2007

Review: Thurston Moore: Trees Outside the Academy

My Thurston Moore review can be found (click here) on treblezine.com



Thurston Moore
Trees Outside the Academy
Ecstatic Peace
2007

I remember "borrowing" my Papi's car and taking a few of my friends on an adventure up I-10 from San Antonio to Austin, Texas's Auquafest in the early '90s to go see The Escape from New York Tour featuring The Ramones, Debbie Harry, Tom Tom Club and Jerry Harrison all for eight bucks. The soundtrack for our adventure was my favorite Sonic Youth album Goo,. I realize looking back to that moment as I drove with my windows opened, wind in my hair with Goo blasting through the speakers of my Papi's car that, in my heart, Sonic Youth defined the essence of freedom and expression. They are the Beat Generation, Avant Garde, the Punk and DiY movements all rolled into one chaotic blend of beautiful feedback.

Thurston Moore has always been the essence of cool to me. He had the coolest wife, Kim Gordon, and they have the ultimate marriage built on love, devotion and complete creative inspiration and fulfillment. Plus they have the coolest kid, Coco,, and they are in one of the most influential American art rock bands of the 20th Century. Now that's a life! The thing that I respect most about Thurston Moore is that he and his band have done it their way. They have never compromised Sonic Youth's sound and vision to appease the mainstream. They continue to break the rules in the establishment's playbook for success, and release cutting edge works of art that sound like the beauty and color of a Jackson Pollock painting coming to life.

In 1995, Thurston released his first solo album, the much under appreciated Psychic Hearts, which was a continuation of the Sonic feedback sound that they made famous on the landmark album Daydream Nation. This year, Moore unplugged his favorite electric guitar and turned toward a direction as he tackled the acoustic guitar in Trees Outside The Academy.

Don't worry Sonic Youth fans; Thurston Moore hasn't gone Acoustic Alchemy on us. In fact the opening number "Frozen Gtr" has a Velvet Underground vibe. Listen for the back feeding strings in the background, which echo White Light/White Heat. The song goes into a Nirvana unplugged vibe which sounds eclectically electric. Speaking of, Moore hasn't completely unplugged his favorite amp. There is some electric guitar in the mix courtesy of his good friend and Dinosaur Jr. leader J. Masics, but this is mostly an acoustic effort with the powerful brilliance of Thurston's trademark riffs that you know and love so well.

While Psychic Hearts was an ode to the experimental art guitar thrashing of Thurston's idol Yoko Ono, You can hear the influence of his heroine Patti Smith throughout Trees. Smith has always found away to keep her voice loud and raucous even during the most elegant of backbeats. Moore sounds soulful with his acoustic guitar. I love the way he blends the acoustic and electric to bring to life a quiet/loud vibe that's reflective and potent in the same song as in "Shape in a Trance."

The lyric that best describes this album is from "Honest James" when Thurston sings, "he rolls into the darkness and he needs you to be near." It's as if Moore is admitting that he carries the baggage of his electric past but he wants you to listen closer. Moore is far from a one trick pony; he embraces the acoustic guitar into his arsenal and has created a very moving album about life, loss, love and reflective devotion.

Moore still uses feedback as an introduction to "Fri/End" like a painter uses color from his pallet as texture to give his canvas a more complete sound. I love his use of strings through out. Listen to way he combines the texture like riffs along with the string arrangements that echo the experimental yet extraordinary nature of the Kronos Quartet.

The album ends with a special bonus, a track featuring Thurston Moore age 13. It is a recording of Moore spraying Lysol around the room. You can hear the imagination of this youngster who's making noise into art, something that Thurston and Sonic Youth have perfected during their still active and engaging career. Trees is a new side of Thurston Moore that is sonically more intimate yet still has that trademark artistic rawness that we have loved from this experimental axe-man. What you are about to hear is someone embracing his roots with a new musical weapon that's elegantly commanding you to crank it up.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda
11.07.2007