Author: audioeclectica

Amazing and Must Own Albums: Portishead- Live At Roseland Ballroom

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Live albums are tricky. They can be amazing or wretched. There are quite a few that are absolute gems. Kiss Alive, Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same, Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous, and The Band The Last Waltz are just a few of them. In 1997 an innovative band took their sound and performance to the Roseland Ballroom in New York and created one of the best live albums ever. The band in question is Portishead, who with only two albums under their belt, delivered a spectacle. Accompanying Portishead that evening was the New York Philharmonic. The mixture of their music and the addiction of the stringed instruments added even more of a psychedelic trip vibe. Certain songs in their catalog really stood out that night such as “All Mine,” “Mysterons,” “Over,” “Glory Box,” and my personal favorite “Roads.”

This album is another one that is a must in any collection. As a side note this album is great for romantic evenings with your loved one!

In Honor Of Layne Staley

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It has been over 12 years since the death of Layne Staley. I was always more of an Alice In Chains fan than a Nirvana fan. So in 2002, when it was announced that Layne was dead, it hit me pretty hard. Over the years there have been many songs written about Layne, a few of which I’d like to share with you all, as well as the great MTV Unplugged performance. Layne had such a unique voice and wrote straight from the heart. His ability to connect with people through his pain and struggles, provided so much help to those in need. Layne is forever missed and never fogotten.

 

Alice In Chains: Black Gives Way To Blue

 

Pearl Jam: 4/20/02

 

Staind: Layne

 

Alice In Chains: MTV Unplugged

Band Of The Week: Dekades

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Shoe gaze, Psychedelia, loud bombastic art rock, these are just a few of the ways to describe the sound of Dekades. This awesome foursome have combined all the above into something driving and pulsating. Fronted by Arden Fisher, her hypnotic voice invokes quite a range of emotions in the lyrics she sings. The guitar work provides lush soundscapes before erupting into melodic rumbling. The rhythm section is extremely tight. The bass lines thump in such a lovely way with the beat of the drums. Their most recent release features 4 songs of sheer enjoyment. Dekades are fast becoming a talked about band in the Los Angeles music scene and it’s very well deserved.

 

 

http://dekadesofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Dekadesofficial

http://dekades.bandcamp.com/

 

By: Brian Lacy

Deftones- Smile ( In Honor Of Chi Cheng)

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A couple days ago marked the 1 year death anniversary of Chi Cheng from Deftones. In honor of him the guys in Deftones released a song from the unreleased album EROS. The song is entitled “Smile.” The album was shelved after Chi was involved in a car accident which left him in a coma for years. This song is quite exquisite and explore more of the etherial ambient side of the band. Chi was a very energetic member of the band. His presence alone is very much missed. Sergio Vega (of Quicksand and also a cousin of Chi’s) was brought in after Chi’s accident. I had the pleasure of meeting Chi a couple times and he was one of the nicest most genuine people ever.

Smile:

 

By: Brian Lacy

Album Review: Sevendust- Time Travelers and Bonfires

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Sevendust has always been consistent on releasing new music. Following the release and tour for their last album Black Out The Sun, they didn’t waste anytime and got right back into writing mode. In late 2013, Sevendust used crowd funding (a subject that will get a lengthy write up soon) to help get their new album Time Travelers and Bonfires done. What came from that was an acoustic album featuring 6 new songs and 6 older songs redone. The end result is quite spectacular. The more stripped down Sevendust gets, the more it shows how good they really are. Lajon Witherspoon has one of the best voices in rock music and showcases it especially on the song “Under It All.” Musically this album really helps to shed light on how good these guys are at songwriting. New songs like “Upbeat Sugar,” “Come Down” could’ve been songs in the more traditional Sevendust style, but they really do fit better in this atmosphere. The “old” songs that were redone really come across in a new light. “Black” from their debut album and “Denial” from Home are done in such a away that it seems like they are entirely new songs.

As I’ve previously written Sevendust are definitely worth taking another look. And now with this release, it really shows that Sevendust are a band that should be taken seriously. Do yourself a favor and give this a good listen and you’ll see what I mean!

 

Stream The Album Below:

https://soundcloud.com/guitarworld/sets/sevendust-time-travelers-bonfires

 

By: Brian Lacy

Great Comedy Albums: Denis Leary- No Cure For Cancer

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The 1990’s were a time of growth, change, and anger. Many notable musical groups emerged as well as comedians with a different take on life and the way we all were living. One of those comedians was Denis Leary. After gaining notoriety for his anger filled rants on MTV as well as a regular on the show Remote Control also on MTV, Denis recorded one of his comedy sets in 1992. this set became a legendary album entitled No Cure For Cancer. This album dealt with topics such as vegetarians, smoking, death, and all around political correctness. One of the highlights of this album was the inclusion of the famous “Asshole” song. Denis has been accused of stealing from the likes of the great Bill Hicks, while there are some similarities in the topics, there is a great deal of difference between the two. Denis has gone on to some great things in his career including his role as star, creator, producer and writer on Rescue Me.

 

Asshole:

No Cure For Cancer: Full Set

 

By: Brian Lacy

On The Cusp: Royal Blood

Have you ever wondered what The Black Keys would sound like if they actually had balls? Well you are in luck, here comes Royal Blood. Hailing from the UK, this dynamic duo of Michael Kerr (Vocals/Bass) and Ben Thatcher (Drums), have a great deal of energy and the chops to boot. They have already released an EP entitled Out Of The Black and are wrapping up work on their debut album.

Out Of The Black:

Little Monster:

 

By: Brian Lacy

 

Band Of The Week: Big Jesus

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So many bands try to capture the true essence of their sound on record. Not too many can achieve that without studio tricks. One of the exceptions to the myth is Atlanta, Georgia’s Big Jesus. This four piece has a knack for big melodies, large walls of sound, and silky vocals. Their debut full length ONE, has all the above and then some. The first track on the album “Cold Fire” has a rhythmic heaviness that has a Cave In feel to it. The song “Again” has a chunkiness that is almost sludgy. “Shrimp” is a more mellow mid tempo jam that has shows off the more delicate side of the band. Closing out their album is “Heaviest Heart,” a song that has a sort of Deftones feel to it’s approach. Their all together sound is deeply rooted in the great alternative bands of the 90’s. Lyrically all the songs are deep and meaningful. This band is truly on the right track and have the material to take on the masses.

 

http://bigjesus.bandcamp.com/album/one

https://www.facebook.com/bigassjesus

http://www.thebigjesus.com/

 

By: Brian Lacy