Cover Thursday: Nirvana (David Bowie) The Man Who Sold The World

There is always a big debate when it comes to cover songs. Did the band do it justice or does it fall flat? Did they make it their own or do it verbatim? One thing for sure is that when a band covers a song and they find the right one, it becomes undoubtably theirs.

There are quite a few that stand out in my mind and Nirvana’s version of David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World is one of my all time favorites and perhaps one of the best covers ever. Their performance of this song at their MTV Unplugged is such a stand out track. The words fit perfectly with Kurt Cobain’s persona. The arrangement also treats the original in a special way not to completely deviate but to fit in with the sound of Nirvana.

By: Brian Lacy

Underrated and Influential Part 1: CAVE IN

For years now Cave In has been one of my favorite bands not only for my listening pleasure, but as something that has inspired me in the direction I’ve wanted to go in musically.While I’ve only seen them live once, it still stands out in my mind as a one of the great shows I’ve been to in my life. This is the first installment of many featuring bands that have become very influential and are considered by many to be underrated.

Cave In was formed in 1995, in Massachusetts. The have released 5 full length albums and multiple EP’s and splits. Their 1998 release Until Your Heart Stops is now considered one of the top metal/hardcore albums of all time. Soon after this release, the band started experimenting with other genres and released the critically acclaimed album Jupiter. Jupiter featured many introspective soundscapes and offered a different approach to the bands sound into the more psychedelic and space rock genres. In 2003 Cave in moved from the independent label Hydra Head to RCA Records for the release of Antenna. Antenna was more of a departure from their now experimental heaviness and into the realm of a more mainstream sound. Despite tours with Foo Fighters and Muse, RCA didn’t put much into the band and they were soon left without a label. Taking what they had gone through with being on a major label and all the turmoil that is caused, the band regrouped to release Perfect Pitch Black, an album filled with raw emotion, anger and despair but a real sense of who they truly are as a band and not a major label puppet act. The group went on a break in 2006. During the break the members of Cave In formed other projects such as Zozobra, Clouds, and Old Man Gloom. 2009 saw the band get back together and release a new EP, Planets of Old. Their subsequent tour would be some of the most energetic live shows the’ve played in years. In 2011, White Silence was released  Both of these post-breakup releases saw a return to Cave In’s earlier and heavier sound.

The members of Cave In, Stephen Brodsky (vocals/guitar), Adam McGrath (guitar), Caleb Scofield (bass/vocals) and John-Robert Conners (drums) have crafted a signature sound together that many bands nowadays try to replicate and make their own. They have released 2 of the best albums in the last 20 years (Until Your Hear Stops and Jupiter) with each of them becoming quintessential albums to be in record collections and for bands to become influenced by. One can only hope they continue and keep inspiring more musicians out there.

https://www.facebook.com/CaveIn.Official

By: Brian Lacy

Corrections House at the Echoplex

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It’s very rare now a days for bands to take a real chance, do something different and out of their normal realm. With that being said, Corrections House is one of the most intense, thought provoking live bands. Sanford Parker’s (Minsk) brooding beats, layers and effects, along with the signature tone from Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Bruce Lamont’s (Yakuza) dark and ominous saxophone and Mike IX Williams (EyeHateGod) carefully crafted words captivate the audience with such force it’s near impossible to run away. The sheer magnitude of volume and creativity that goes into each song is shown through live. The words Blood Sweat and Tears come to mind when describing the art and realism about this band. The lyrical themes are inspired by Mike William’s book “Cancer As A Social Activity.” When Mike screams/speaks (yes there are moments of spoken word), it makes the live show even that much more intriguing. Nothing is trivial at the show. The song “Serve or Survive” stood out the most and shows the destruction and chaos of each member live, all the while delivering one hell of an unrelenting beating of the soul. Their debut album Last City Zero was produced by Parker at Electrical Audio, Soma Studios, 60 Psycho Hum and Nodferatu’s Lair, and delivers a tour de force of dark destructive soundscapes full of lush verses that convey messages of the turmoils of life, peril, and decay of society.

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Opening the show was Author & Punisher aka Tristan Shone. Armed with his homemade machines, which are tapped into his actual self, the music that is created is literally an extension of himself. The music can be described as “industrial doom.” It is one thing to listen to the records for Author & Punisher, but it’s an entirely amazing beast to see it live. Setup behind his creation and in front of a screen displaying vivid images and different points of view of the contraptions, “this one-man project utilizes primarily custom designed and fabricated machines and speakers, devices that draw heavily on industrial automation and robotics. The machines are designed to require significant participation and force from Tristan.” Thus making Tristan look like a caged animal just trying to pry his way out. It’s not easy to describe in words what you are seeing. It really is quite a spectacle to see.

Both bands are something not to miss live. Even if this isn’t your cup of tea, it’s is surely something you won’t forget and will talk about. This is almost art imitating life, in it’s most real sense.

https://www.facebook.com/CorrectionsHouse

http://correctionshouse.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Punisher/193205745964

http://www.tristanshone.com/

http://authorandpunisher.bandcamp.com/

Review by: Brian Lacy

Photos by: LEVAN TK http://instagram.com/levan_t_k

Band Of The Week: ÆGES
ÆGES is a Los Angeles based rock band that delves into the whirlwind sound of melodic rock and post hardcore. The bands dynamic songwriting and depth really shine through on their debut album “The Bridge.” Stand out tracks like “My Medicine” and “Southern Comfort” show their influences of Quicksand and Failure (two other bands that everyone should know about). This band is poised to breakout of the Los Angeles music scene and on to bigger and better things.

https://www.facebook.com/aegesband

Review by: Brian Lacy

Anticipated Albums of 2014

Crosses (featuring Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez) are gearing up to release their full length debut on February 11, 2014 through Sumerian Records. The first single and accompanying video (featured above) “Bitches Brew” is an intoxicating sexual beast. It features a very sultry groove and beat, that invokes some R&B love making soul then switches gears to an awesome rock track. Be on the look out for when they hit your city on tour. Their live show is very intimate and makes you want to dance.

 

By: Brian Lacy

Neurosis at The Observatory

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As the fog rolled in on a damp December night in Orange County, it only seemed fitting that the atmospheric pressure would drop as Neurosis came to town. The thunderous Neurosis came back to Southern California for the second time in 2013. This time they rode into Orange County with a mission to obliterate the audience with it’s signature apocalyptic heaviness. Earlier in the year the band decided to stop using any visual aspects in the background as they played, thus leaving 5 members on a dark lit stage. Their new setup really takes things into a different dimension. The songs invoke more use of the audiences imagination and taps into a different part of the psyche. Still riding high on the release of 2012’s Honor Found In Decay, Neurosis’s setlist for the night was one for the books. While playing a few from the newest album, the band tapped back into “A Sun That Never Sets” for the evening. (I’m quite partial to that album, especially “Stones From The Sky,” which closed out the set). Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till carry the beast of the band vocally into the dark sub conscious of the musics being. Their accompanying guitar work on the songs fit perfectly with how Jason Roeder and Dave Edwardson tap into the brooding rhythms, and Noah Landis adds the extra prowess with his ambient landscapes behind the band. The pure energy and emotion that pours throughout the band during their live show is quite a sight. Scott Kelly tends to draw blood during the set, showing that “All we are is blood.” At the end of the night there was no mistaking why Neurosis is one of the most influential bands of the last 20 years. Their mastery of their craft and art is undeniable and reigns true to themselves and the fans.

Before Neurosis took the stage, BL’AST got the audience into a fine frenzy. BL’AST recently reunited and came back with quite a vengeance. Coming off their reissued album “It’s In My Blood” (which was remixed by Dave Grohl), and armed with Nick Oliveri playing bass for the band live, BL’AST delivered a very hardcore set. Cliff Dinsmore despite being a tad out of breath at the end of their set, commanded the stage as though he never left. Armed with the signature AMPEG acrylic guitar Mike Neider chugged through the riffs with authority.

YOB was one of the openers for the night and laid down some heaviness to get things started. Even with their technical problems, the band churned out a well rehearsed set with a good amount of energy to help flow though the night. Also opening the night was Helen Money. Helen is a one person act with a cello that plays deconstruction music. Her sultry cello sounds mixed through distortion and delay radiated though the venue as people started walking in, providing a very diverse sound for the evening.

Neurosis Set List:

A Sun That Never Sets

Locust Star

At The Well

We All Rage In Gold

From The Hill

The Tide

Water Is Not Enough

Bleeding The Pigs

The Doorway

Stones From The Sky

Review by: Brian Lacy

Photos by LEVAN TK instagram.com/levan_t_k

2013 Albums Of The Year

tumblr_mq37xlokw41s726nxo4_1280Here is my list of the best albums of 2013

1. Nine Inch Nails- Hesitation Marks
2. Alice In Chains- The Devil Out Dinosaurs Here
3. How To Destroy Angels- Welcome Oblivion
4. AFI- Burials
5. Killswitch Engage- Disarm The Descent
6. Walking Papers- Walking Papers
7. Palms- Palms
8. Black Sabbath- 13
9. Pearl Jam- Lightning Bolt
10. Korn- The Paradigm Shift

11. Sevendust- Black Out The Sun
12. Stone Sour- House Of Gold And Bones Part II
13. Placebo- Loud Like Love
14. The National- Trouble Will Find Me
15. Queens Of The Stone Age- Like Clockwork
16. Ghost- Infestissumam
17. Philip H. Anselmo- Walk Through Exits Only
18. The Bronx- The Bronx IV
19. Russian Circles- Memorial
20. Carcass- Surgical Steel

Honorable Mention

21. Mutoid Man-Helium Head
22. BoySetsFire- While A Nation Sleeps
23. Misery Signals- Absent Light
24. Pelican- Forever Becoming
25. Rob Zombie- Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor

High On Fire w/ Kvelertak and Windhand @ El Rey Theatre

The ever loud and mighty High on Fire rolled into Los Angeles on a brisk Thursday night. The almost packed house in unison got their heads banging when shirtless Matt Pike and company took the stage. The clouds of smoke from the crowd wafted through the El Rey as High On Fire pummeled the audience with their blaring wall of distortion. The set list spanned their albums The Art of Self Defense to their most recent De Vermis Mysteriis. In particular, Cometh Down Hessian (off Blessed Black Wings) got the crowd in frenzy as the floor opened up and the pit took shape. Matt Pike with all his towering presence managed to smile and grin at the crowd and seemed to really be having a great time on stage. Each song rang heavy and the other members of the band were really dialed in on. There was no banter just shouting of the next song title and a flood of feedback in between songs helping to guide the next one.. All in all, anyone in the audience could tell, High On Fire was firing on all cylinders that evening.

Also on the tour was Kvelertak, the much buzzed about Norwegian rock band. Their most recent album “Meir” (produced by Converges Kurl Ballou) has been getting lots of acclaim as well as their energetic live show. Coming to the stage to a roar of an audience, the singer draped in a taxidermy owl atop of his head, took over the crowd and worked them into frenzy. The 3-guitar attack helped to propel the bands melodic sensibilities. There was no lull in the momentum of Kvelertak’s set, with a very interesting use of jazz hands.  The band had all the chops to steal the show away from High on Fire, which they did.

Opening the show was Virginia’s Windhand. Riding high on their 2013 album “Soma,” the bands doom laden sound fit very well for the soundtrack to the evening but did not have the chops to open for either band. The way their sound was mixed was very bass heavy and the vocals so low it seemed that the singer was just mouthing the words.  The roar of their distortion over powered every ounce of the El Rey. Not to take away from the band, who put out a great album, lack any real presence on stage and their sound just doesn’t translate well live. If I hadn’t heard the band before the evening, I would’ve been even more disappointed.

Having seen High on Fire multiple times over the years, the show itself was one of their best. Matt Pike really seemed to be back in the groove of playing and with a reenergized sense of self. There is one thing that tends to happen at a mostly “doom” genre show, and that is every song tends to bleed into the other.

 

Review by: Brian Lacy

Crosses (not just a “Supergroup” or “Side Project”)

When the term “side project” is thrown out in the public most people’s reactions are quite speculative. Throughout the past few years there has been a number of “Supergroups” that have formed and have failed miserably, though there are now two that stand out and surpass the “supergroup” and “side project name. The first being Them Crooked Vultures (featuring Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, and John Paul Jones) and followed in a close second is Crosses (featuring Chino Moreno of Deftones, Shaun Lopez of Far/The Revolution Smile, and Chuck Doom)

In late 2011, Crosses released their first EP. This collection was met with great anticipation and was quite intriguing to fans of all the members involved. From the moment the first song “This Is A Trick” kicks in there is no denying that this was going to move you. Every ounce of the individuals working on this project is included in the songs especially my personal favorite (from the first E.P. “The Holy Ghost”. It’s a wonderful blend of electronic music mixed with the warm subtleties of alternative, all the while showcasing the talents of Chino Moreno as a vocalist and lyricist and Shaun Lopez’s guitar and production work.

Come to January of 2012 and E.P. number two was released, continuing where the first one left off. The collection of songs on the second E.P. have a more live feel to them allowing the listener to really grasp the raw feel but at the same time have the same effect that they felt from the first E.P. The stand out track “Telepathy” has a fun good time dance vibe to it that makes you want to get up and and start moving.

Crosses recently went out on tour and I had the wonderful opportunity of getting to witness their first show at the Glass House in Pomona. They played every song they had including the B-side “The Years” and a new track that had the audience silent just listening. While it was the first show, and of course there were the fair share of routine sound issues, they certainly didn’t disappoint. Their live band consisted of Chris Robyn (from FAR on drums), Dino Campanella (from Dredg on drums/keyboards), Jono Evans (From Endless Hallway on guitar/keyboards), Chuck Doom (bass), Shaun Lopez (guitar/keyboards) and Chino Moreno (vocals).

The set while short, sure hit every note and struck a chord with all in attendance. There is no denying that once these guys have a few more shows under their belts, Crosses will be one amazing entity live.

Do yourself a favor and head over to their site www.crossesmusic.com and download both E.P.’s you will be completely satisfied that you did, and it will leave you wanting more from them soon!

The Album That Got Me Into Music

I still remember the day when I was 3 years old. My parents were having work done at our house and the workers had music playing as they worked. The words shook me and stuck in my head to this day. “Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame, darling you give love a bad name!” Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet is that album for me. Looking back on that record, it still holds its own amongst the great albums of that era. Slippery is one of the quintessential albums of the 80’s and of all time selling an astounding 28 million copies worldwide and counting. Some of the most memorable songs in rock music come from that album; “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” and of course the anthem “Livin’ On A Prayer.” There is way more to the album than just those hits.

The first track which kicks it all off, “Let It Rock” is a statement that the boys from Jersey are here to take names and rock your ears to the core. “You Give Love A Bad Name” continues the excitement. I still remember seeing the video on MTV (when MTV actually played music videos), thinking to myself wow this is great. “Livin’ On A Prayer” is probably the most popular song and more that likely can be found on 4 out of 5 people’s ipods in this day and age. Track 4 “Social Disease” is full of tongue in cheek lyrics probably written about one of the bands many trips to the strip clubs in Vancouver (where they recorded the album), yet it’s got a great riff and drum beat (compliments to Tico Torres) to rock to. The next track begins in epic fashion and has such a great ambience to it provided by David Bryan’s keyboard playing. “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” the best “power ballad” (in my opinion at least) rips and roars like there is no tomorrow. The lyrical content is heartfelt and honest. The guitar playing is sultry and bombastic. There is nothing about this song that doesn’t rock. “Raise Your Hands” steps it up a notch after slowing it down for a bit. This song has all the elements of 80’s metal at it’s best. “Without Love” is a more upbeat ballad that tells a great love story. “I’d Die For You” is signature Bon Jovi. “Never Say Goodbye” is another very personal journal entry from Jon. Though this song isn’t a sappy love song, instead it’s one that reminisces of great times and the hope of more to come. The closing track “Wild In The Streets” ends the album where it began, rocking your face off!!

Bon Jovi has been rocking audiences the world over continuously for close to 30 years. They have sold over 100 million albums worldwide and rocked all those faces. Their last album “The Circle” debuted at number 1 on the billboard charts when it was released in 2009. Not only that but they are one of the top concert draws in the world to this day. They were my first concert ever back in 1989 when they were on the “New Jersey” tour when Skid Row (yes that Skid Row) opened up for them, along with the late great Sam Kinison as the MC of the evening.

Thanks to Bon Jovi for getting me into music and helping me to discover all the other great bands the world has to offer! And a special thank you to my parents for taking me music shopping when I was a young lad!