Music Review – Horehound

The Dead Weather’s release, Horehound is the feature of this music review. Although this record is the band’s freshman release, the musicians who make up The Dead Weather are not new to the music scene. The quartet is a a super group consisting of Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Jack White (The White Stripes), Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age), and Jack Lawrence (The Greenhornes).

The Dead Weather formed in the first quarter of 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. It is apparent that this band all had a hand in the development of Horehound due to the amalgamation of genres heard on the release. Some tracks are heavy while others are lo-fi garage and near the end, the sound is rooted in blues. It is often hard to remember that it is a single album being heard because of the mash up of sounds and yet, still transitions very nicely. White primarily plays the drums on the record while Mosshart takes control as the front woman of the group. Her sultry, cigarette smoker voice is brought along the tracks adding mystique and sexiness. Fertita and Lawrence do a great job as guitar and bass and contribute further levels of depth.

Horehound, thankfully, is not one of those albums that can be consumed automatically, rather only by truly listening to it a few times can the majesty be appreciated. Though the only slight problem that can be heard is the consistent inconsistency. By having a huge range on genres, it limits the group to really shine in just one. Though it can be argued that an aimless arrow never misses its mark. Despite the sometimes jumpiness, it is not a deal breaker.

Songs of Interest:
– “Treat Me Like Your Mother”
–  “New Pony”
– “3 Birds”
– “Rocking Horse”
– “Will There Be Enough Water?”

Artist Fun Fact:
The album was recorded at Third Man Studios (Third Man Records, who is the band’s record label is owned by White) during a three week session in January 2009.

Overall Rating:
4.25/5.00

Alison Mosshart (of The Kills and Discount), Jack White (of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age) and Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes)

MEN

Going to have the time of my life with my MEN in a few minutes. I’ll write about this at a later date.

Hold on to Your Friends

Lately, I’ve been in a funk about my friends. I know that I have made some of them mad recently and others have made me upset as well. I’m not sure how friendship is suppose to work anymore. Sometimes, I think that I don’t have it in me to continue with these relationships, but then I remember that these things take work and understanding. Whenever I get into this mindset, Morrissey’s “Hold on to Your Friends” makes me understand how lucky and fortunate I am. Even if I do lose some friends this year, I’ll know that I tried my hardest, but I’m being out-of-characterly optimistic that it won’t happen.

Favorite lyrics:
There are more than enough
To fight and oppose
Why waste good time
Fighting the people you like
Who will fall defending your name

Music Review – El Radio

This week’s music selection is Chris Garneau’s sophomore release album El Radio. Chris Garneau, originally from Boston, is a Brooklyn based musician. As an artist, Garneau has proficient skills when composing his mixture of folk and Baroque pop music, which are more prevalent in El Radio.

With his first album, Music for Tourists, the majority of songs were sullen sounding with his heavy piano keys. This time around, Garneau attempts to break the sadness with a few tracks of upbeat rhythms and harmonies. He doesn’t try to make the entire album too light because he knows what got his fans to follow his music in the first place. He continues to bring his passionate falsetto voice with a soft backdrop of piano and bass.

When hearing this record the past week, the perfect setting to listen to El Radio is during a summer Barbecue at dusk. It’s a fun and entertaining album but if conversations among friends were to slow down, the sounds of Garneau’s latest album would definitely fill the gap.

Additionally, the incorporation of trumpets, drums, finger snapping, clapping, and even spoon playing was very pleasing . The use of the non-traditional instruments added more charm to this already innocent and playful record. Overall, El Radio is a solid second release, with room for added progression for Garneau’s third album but definitely surpassing his first. 

Songs of Interest:
– “Dirty Night Clowns”
– “Fireflies”
– “No More Pirates”
– “The Leaving Song”
– “Hands on the Radio”

Artist Fun Fact:
Chris Garneau collects lamp shades and often displays one on his piano during his concerts.

Album Rating:
4.00/5.00

1. “The Leaving Song”
2. “Dirty Night Clowns”
3. “Raw and Awake”
4. “Hands on the Radio”
5. “No More Pirates”
6. “Fireflies”
7. “Hometown Girls”
8. “Over and Over”
9. “The Cats & Kids”

More Than Just a Piece of Meat

The other day, I was eating lunch in our employee dining area when I heard a familiar song playing on the television. I don’t really care for what passes as television today so I never really watch much of it. However, people at my work watch it intently to get away from stress, though truth be told, they look like zombies with their mouths ajar.  I looked up to see what program was playing a song that I actually enjoy on the tube. To my horror and disgust, this is what was shown on the illuminated screen:

Charming.

The song (“The Moneymaker”) is by a band called Rilo Kiley and is from their fifth album entitled Under the Blacklight. For a split second, I was angry that the band, which I love, gave the greenlight for Carl’s Jr to use this song. Then I thought about what essentially this song and album are about. Under the Blacklight tells multiple stories of different characters who would do anything for fame. This song, in particular, speaks about people who get paid for sex, whether in the form of prostitution, exotic dancing, or pornography. Unfortunately, I don’t think Carl’s Jr. knew that; however, ironically, chose the best song to fully describe Audrina “Top-Rated Bikini Body” Patridge and their continuous chauvinistic commercials.