Album Review: The Flaming Lips’ Freaky Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, the queen died giving birth to a son, who happened to be a giant.  As the boy grew, he saw visions of his mother in the night sky, and after all knowledge, wisdom, the physical universe itself, and all existence is magically sucked into his head, the young king becomes beloved by the people of his land. When a dangerous natural disaster threatens the kingdom, what will the king do to protect it? Then things get dramatic; then they get weird.

Without giving too much away, alt-rock veterans, TheFlaming Lips, return with their 15^th (or 17^th or 18^th) album, depending on how you count them, and with it, they also return to form to an extent, especially compared to their releases over the past 15 years or so. King’s Mouth is a very focused and, by Lips standards, concise album that features 12 songs in 42 minutes, each contributing to a narrative concept that builds as a fairy tale leading to an emotionally powerful climax and falling action on the album’s second side. Sonically crisp and engaging throughout, producer David Fridmann again lends his ear and skill in helping the band realize the sounds and textures they wished to capture and use to build their story.  Core band members, WayneCoyne, Steven Drozd, and Michael Ivins, continue to anchor the project, now active for over 35 years, while collaborating with newcomers Derek Brown, Jake Ingalls, Matt Kirksey, and Nicholas Ley, each contributing various musical elements and visual components to related artwork and music videos, though Coyne continues to handle most of the lead vocals as usual.

In the case of King’s Mouth, between-song narration is also provided by former Clash singer/guitarist, Mick Jones, who adds clarity from one section of the story to the next that is not always clear within the song lyrics and titles themselves. While the narration may become less necessary upon repeated listening, it provides information that makes the story clearer the first few times through it.  Musically, the melodies that appear throughout the album are probably the most engaging, overall, since 2002’s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots or 2006’s At War with the Mystics, sometimes soft, sentimental, and moving, other times a collage of noise or textures to represent events within the plot or between sections of the story. Lyrically, Coyne strives for the gentle honesty of songs from 1999’s The Soft Bulletin and many of the band’s best ballads from the past 20 years but is slightly less successfully consistent. Some verses and lines of lyrics directly reference the narrative at hand while other lines are broader and more open to interpretation within or outside of the story, adding needed versatility and depth to the album and especially its most emotional moments, such as “The Sparrow”, “All for the Love of the City”, and “Mouth of the King”.

One might be tempted to say King’s Mouth, as a narrative based concept album, is closer in style to Pink Floyd than Radiohead, but elements of both, along with many, many others, can be heard in the album’s 12 songs, and while each track may not be quite as strong as the one before or after it, the album does work well as a piece, especially with access to the songs’ printed lyrics, and the experience of playing it straight through is stronger and more consistent than much of what the Lips have released for several years. It may not win over completely new listeners, but King’s Mouth is more likely to interest older fans who have not kept up with things in the post-Yoshimi years and especially those who cherish that album and the masterpiece that is The Soft Bulletin the most of all.

George Clinton Brings the Funk to Grand Rapids

George Clinton’s farewell tour rolled through 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids Friday night to bring the funk to the assembled and to take another bow during this string of final bows. The legendary Detroit-based, Parliament-Funkadelic, sometimes also billed under variant names, has been performing for 50 years, and Clinton himself has been active in music for almost 65 years, the exact age of rock and roll as a musical style. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. It would be an understatement to say the collective’s performance at 20 Monroe was anything but a thank you and appreciation for Clinton and his legacy, but a fair amount of excellent music, both old and new, was mixed together in the nearly two hour show which got the audience dancing and left big smiles at the end of the night.

The evening began with a set from Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf, but the act scheduled to perform second, Dumpstaphunk, didn’t show due to a vehicle breakdown in Ohio. Thus, the set change was a bit longer than usual, but P-Funk took the stage, very casually building into a jam out of a tuning warm-up, and the music continued nearly-constantly for the next two hours. In addition to Clinton, guitarist DeWayne “Blackbird” McKnight, with the group since 1978, brought another level of respect and connection to the group’s classic era, taking many of the leads and solos throughout the night, including “Maggot Brain”, originally made famous by late guitarist, Eddie Hazel. Also, on bass, the great Lige Curry, originally from Flint, MI, who has been with the group for over 30 years.

With many new members filling out roles of departed players of the past, some in their 20s, compared to Clinton, who just turned 78. While Clinton has said he expects P-Funk to continue as a group that writes, records, and performs new material in addition to their large catalog of songs, it is hard to imagine a Clinton-less version of the group generating even half as much enthusiasm or interest.

P-Funk touched on a few fan favorites, such as “Red Hot Mama” and “Freak of the Week”, plenty of newer material with which many were unfamiliar, and a fair number of the group’s biggest hits, including sections of “Flashlight”, “Up for the Down Stroke,” “Give Up the Funk”, “Mothership Connection”, and “Atomic Dog”, some of which were part of a tightly-transitioned medley near the end of the concert. The musical styles varied greatly throughout the night, with the classic funk blending with psychedelic rock, hip hop, and, on some of the newer songs, even thrash metal. Overall, it was clear that Clinton was the star of the show, and though he sat back on a chair in front of the drum kit during parts of some songs, he still directed the band from center stage and commanded the crowd in his unique style, enjoying it a few more times before settling into a well-deserved retirement.

George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic Set List (7/19/19)

(intro jam)/Get Off Your Ass and Jam

Red Hot Mama/P-Funk

*(still working to determine which song was performed in this spot)

One Nation Under a Groove

Flashlight

Freak of the Week

*(still working to determine which song was performed in this spot)

Get Low

*(still working to determine which song was performed in this spot)

Maggot Brain

Dirty Queen

Up for the Down Stroke/Give Up the Funk

*(still working to determine which song was performed in this spot)

Mothership Connection/Atomic Dog/(drum solo)/(jam)

------------------------------------------------

25 Years of Great Soundtracks

No 25-year retrospective series would be complete without taking a moment to remember some of the biggest movies and greatest soundtracks from 1994. While soundtrack albums have always been a part of the music industry landscape, soundtracks released during the height of the CD era had a stronger impact than those released in almost any other decade. Chances are, you've got at least a few of these albums in your collection, and you just might be inspired to dig them out and give them a spin (or find your old VHS of the movies themselves)!

Airheads
This hilarious take on hard rock bands and the struggle to break into the business in the early ‘90s features a star-packed cast list, but its soundtrack album is just as impressive with quasi-memorable singles from Motorhead (f/Ice-T and Whitfield Crane), DGeneration, and 4 Non Blondes checking in with a cover of Van Halen's "I'm the One”. Original music by White Zombie, Primus, Anthrax, Candlebox, Dig, and Prong make this a great sampler platter from the summer of '94, and it never hurts to close a compilation with anything by Ramones, ever.

Clerks
The soundtrack album that accompanies Kevin Smith's indie debut came together after the film was initially released, when it was selected for a wider distribution. Some tracks, like Alice In Chains' classic, "Got Me Wrong”, were previously released or recorded leftovers from the selected artists, but Smith's participation in the compilation led to long-term working relationships with members of Soul Asylum as well as early-industrial/modern rock groups like Stabbing Westward and Girls Against Boys. Excellent tracks by the likes of The Jesus Lizard, Bad Religion, Seaweed, and Corrosion of Conformity keep things rocking between hilarious audio clips from the movie and hidden treasures like Supernova's "Chewbacca," which is a must-have for any Star Wars fan.

The Crow
Arguably, the all-around best soundtrack of 1994, this compilation features songs that vary in style but all maintain a dark tone very similar to the mood of the film itself. Stone Temple Pilots released "Big Empty" from this LP, thought it was also included on their second album, released shortly thereafter. Nine Inch Nails and Rollins Band turn in tributes to Joy Division and Suicide, respectively, and excellent tracks by The Cure, Rage Against The Machine, Violent Femmes, Helmet, Pantera, and The Jesus and Mary Chain that are each exclusive to this album make it a must-have for '90s rock fans and die-hard collectors alike.

Forrest Gump
The best '94 soundtrack collection of previously-released material is this nearly perfect companion to the acclaimed, timeless film. Like the movie, this double disc album tells the story of American history from about 1950 through 1980, but the album focuses on a chronological presentation of the music in that story rather than the innovative historical footage and events depicted visually in the movie. Beginning with Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog," and featuring classics by Wilson Pickett, CCR, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, and Bob Seger, just to list the artists behind the most famous songs included, makes this a compressed American music history lesson. Compilations such as this truly have something for pretty much everyone.

The Lion King
Propelled by the massively successful singles, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" and "The Circle of Life," by Elton John, this soundtrack to the beloved, animated feature from Disney was one of the biggest selling albums of the 1990s, with 5 million copies sold in the US in 1994 and over 18 million copies now sold worldwide.

Natural Born Killers
Certainly one of the most musically-diverse of the notable '94 soundtracks, this collection was assembled by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, who features three of his own excellent songs, but he also includes a little bit of many different genres and eras of music. Leonard Cohen bookends the album which also features Cowboy Junkies' excellent cover of Lou Reed's, "Sweet Jane," Patsy Cline's immortal classic, "Back in Baby's Arms," a vocal performance from one of the movie's stars, Juliette Lewis, and two Death Row Records contributions, both produced by Dr. Dre during the height of that record label's success. The fragmented and somewhat obscure inclusions of various world music tracks and mashups between songs and artists who probably would not have otherwise collaborated, such as Jane's Addiction and Diamanda Galas, reflect the twisted chaos of the movie and its main characters. Songs by L7, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Duane Eddy, and Peter Gabriel are also included. With a lengthy run time and such a variety of interesting music, this soundtrack is a great value and a fun musical adventure.

P.C.U.
While this particular soundtrack is not widely available, nor was it a notably big seller, two key portions of the movie revolve around excellent music from George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, which is already enough to make it worth checking out, and Starland Vocal Band's, "Afternoon Delight," is also here, which would go on to be included in a number of movies over the succeeding 20 years. This film is a fun way to spend 79 minutes, if you've not had the pleasure.

Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino produces a soundtrack almost as well as he produces a film, and this excellent compilation is no exception. Most known for Urge Overkill's cover of Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," Tarantino packs this album with a fantastic blend of '60s surf rock and '70s radio classics including instantly-recognizable tunes by Dick Dale, Kool & The Gang, Al Green, Dusty Springfield, and Ricky Nelson, to name a few. Dialogue clips from the movie are included to keep it all connected, and listening while driving can make one feel as though they are in a movie of their own, which is another Tarantino soundtrack tradition that continues to this day.

Reality Bites
This treasured, Gen-X film spawned a hit soundtrack that produced smash singles for Lisa Loeb, with her #1 pop hit, "Stay (I Missed You)," and reggae outfit, Big Mountain, with their cover of Peter Frampton's, "Baby, I Love Your Way." The rest of the album balances old favorites like The Knack's "My Sharona" and songs by U2 and Squeeze with work from newer artists like Juliana Hatfield, The Posies, Lenny Kravitz, and Dinosaur Jr. While it certainly has a musical grab-bag feel, many of the individual tracks are quite enjoyable, and hearing them all next to one another certainly represents the feeling of the time and place, and of the film.

Other Soundtracks celebrating 25 years:

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight

The Jerky Boys

The Immortals-Mortal Kombat (LP)

The Raconteurs Rock Detroit

It was a hot, summer night with an electric vibe and enthusiastic fans at Detroit’s Masonic Temple on Friday as The Raconteurs kicked off their US Tour in support of their recently released, excellent third LP, Help Us Stranger. This was the band’s first performance in Detroit in over a decade and their first in the State of Michigan in nearly 8 years. It was a very special night for bandleaders Jack White and Brendan Benson, both Detroit natives, who engaged the crowd with high energy throughout their performance. Tickets for Friday’s show sold out so quickly, the band added a second show on Saturday to ensure no one got shut out of a chance to attend. As on White’s solo tour last year, cell phones were “pouched” by Yondr at the door, so no photos or videos were allowed, and the cases were unlocked at the end of the concert as ticket holders exited the venue. 

Each of these local appearances also had their own unique opening acts, each fitting a musical theme.  While Saturday’s openers were more typically garage rock oriented, Friday’s audience enjoyed short performances from two local, electric gospel acts, Nikki D. & Sisters of Thunder and The Pure Heart Travelers, both of whom warmed up the crowd and the unconditioned main theater, as the audience excitedly awaited the return of The Raconteurs. It was surprising to see a rare, general admission, standing room floor at The Masonic, which usually opts for organized rows of folding chairs, but the visual elements of the performance were excellent with dazzling lighting throughout the concert from all vantage points. The energy level was high during most songs, especially the up tempo numbers, and while there were bumpy changes and transitions at times, the band rolled this into the performance, coming across more as a sloppy garage rock band than a tight, veteran act with folk, country, and bluegrass chops, in addition to the ability to rock.

The show began with a short jam that led into a performance of “Bored and Razed”, the opening track from the new album, and then alternated between old and new songs for the rest of the night, including spirited takes on “Level” and “Hands” from 2006’s Broken Boy Soldiers and “Old Enough”, “You Don’t Understand Me”, and “Top Yourself” from 2008’s Consolers of the Lonely. The new songs were delivered with messy enthusiasm, with members of the band missing changes, forgetting their parts, and in White’s case, physically tripping about the stage on cables, stands, and the drum riser more than once during the concert. Perhaps the band took a bit too much time away from rehearsing recently, or maybe they are just getting used to the new stage layout, as this was the first proper show on the tour, and either way, even the errors worked within the context of a garage rock atmosphere, so even the blemishes brought character to the performance.

The new material fit in well with the older songs, but some tracks featured bumpy changes and transitions, most notably “Live a Lie”, which fell apart shortly after the second chorus as White segued into the next song instead of attempting to rescue the one that was being played, and “Hey Gyp”, a Donovan cover that also appears on Help Us Stranger. For this song alone, which closed the first of two short sets Friday night, guitarist Mary Ramirez of The Detroit Cobras added guest guitar which, in addition to White’s, Benson’s, and keyboardist/guitarist Dead Fertita’s, meant four guitars were being played at once, and when coupled with it being a new song, that was also a bit under-rehearsed, made for a mushy blend of noise rather than a driving hard rock attack, which was seemingly the intention. That song could have come across much better, but the players sometimes seemed confused about who was doing what and what was happening next while the song was being performed.

The halftime, mini-intermission came after about 45 minutes of music and was reminiscent of White Stripes concerts in the mid-‘00s.  Stripes drummer, Meg White, was herself in attendance Friday night, as was reported from the stage to an enthusiastic response from the audience. The second set started with an energetic “Consoler of the Lonely” and included solid takes on new songs, “Now That You’re Gone” and “Sunday Driver”, both rocking a bit harder than their recorded album versions. The biggest crowd interactions came during the coda of “Somedays” during the first set and during the closing number of the concert, “Steady, as She Goes”, the band’s first-ever single and biggest hit, where the room sang “Are you steady now?” back to the stage during the final chorus. The musical and emotional high point was certainly “Blue Veins”, the second to last song to be performed, and the longest song of the night due to an extended jam between the second and third verses. White’s leads and solos added fire to each song throughout the night, but he waited to drive it home until “Blue Veins” came up in the set.  Also, the band’s most blues-based number, this track gave White the opportunity to run wild with effects and intricate techniques before bringing the show to a close after the following song.

While the sound mix was muddy most of the night, especially during the first three songs or so, the band’s energy and enthusiasm ignited the supportive and excited audience all night, and while most would have enjoyed another song or two, there’s no doubt everyone left feeling well-rocked.

The Raconteurs Set List: (7/12/19)

(intro tape/jam)

Bored and Razed

Level

Don’t Bother Me

You Don’t Understand Me

Old Enough

Somedays

What’s Yours Is Mine

Top Yourself

Hey Gyp (Donovan) (w/Mary Ramirez of The Detroit Cobras)

----------------(short intermission)---------

Consoler of the Lonely

Now That You’re Gone

Hands

Sunday Driver

Live a Lie

Blue Veins

Steady, as She Goes

-------------------------------

Album Review: The Raconteurs-Help Us Stranger

After 11 years of working as a solo artist and collaborating on other projects, Detroit’s Jack White and Brendan Benson return as The Raconteurs with an excellent new album of focused garage rock and multilayered sounds and textures that range from electronic to folk and country, but with only one true ballad (the closer, “Thoughts and Prayers”). At 12 songs in 41 minutes, the self-produced, Help Us Stranger, delivers enough variety to satisfy an album-length listening experience without dwelling on any one tone for too long.

Singer/guitarist/songwriters, White and Benson, friends from their early days in the Detroit music scene of the late ‘90s, formed The Raconteurs with bassist, Little Jackie Lawrence, and drummer, Patrick Keeler, both also former members of Ohio garage rock combo, The Greenhornes, during a break from his main project, The WhiteStripes, and after working with the rhythm section during a recent album recording with the legendary Loretta Lynn (Van Lear Rose). While they have often featured their country, bluegrass, and folk chops as much as their ability to rock, the new collection of songs focuses much more on rock, or rock fused with electronic elements and effects, than their previous record, 2008’s Consolers of the Lonely.

The first side is strong and moves briskly from the opening rocker, “Bored and Razed” and the current single, “Help Me Stranger” to the acoustic pop of “Only Child”, the heavy rock of “Don’t Bother Me” (one of album’s best tracks), and a blend of both on “Shine the Light on Me”. Benson and White trade off singing lead and taking the lead songwriting duties from track to track, but Benson’s “Somedays” closes down the first half of the album with an aching personal reflection and determination that help his songs stand out among his contemporaries, to say the least. White adds soaring and speedy guitar fills and solos to most songs, reminding everyone of his amazing proficiency on his primary instrument. 

The second side begins with a fun rip through a cover of Donovan’s “Hey Gyp” and then into the double A-side single the band released last year to precede and tease the album, the rocking “Sunday Driver” and the moodier, “Now That You’re Gone”. The faster, “Live a Lie”, roars by with more stinging lyrics from Benson before White’s final thoughts on “What’s Yours Is Mine” and the closing ballad, “Thoughts and Prayers”, which asks difficult and reflective questions aloud in a song rather than in a diary or a personal discussion. The raw honesty often included in The Raconteurs’ lyrics is one of the many elements that have connected them to a loyal and patient audience that can only be happy to both enjoy this excellent collection of new songs and to finally have another chance to catch the band live. In a time where straight ahead rock albums are few and far between, Help Us Stranger reminds us all how powerful guitars, vocals, and drums can be, and maybe the next wave of guitar music is just around the corner.

25 years of Ill Communication

By 1994, the Beastie Boys had been a band in one form or another for 13 years, and even after solidifying their hip hop style in the mid-‘80s, they continued to evolve from Def Jam’s 3 Stooges to L.A. party boys and eventually into a group that capitalized on blending all of their talents and musical interests without shame or apology. 1992’s Check Your Head is the pinnacle of that growth, with the Beasties presenting more honest versions of themselves through fusions of hip hop, hardcore punk, jazz funk, and plenty of samples from and references to 1970s culture throughout. After achieving success with this new style along with several hit singles and well-received touring, what were Ad Rock, MCA, and Mike D to do next? Take a victory lap.

Ill Communication is not quite “part 2” of Check Your Head, but making another album within two years of that breakthrough was bound to result in something of a continuation or a deeper dive into the sounds and styles with which they had just been working. One element unique to Ill Communication is the heavy usage of distorted vocals on multiple tracks, making them simultaneously almost stand in for guitars in some cases. “Sabotage”, the album’s most successful track, and one of the band’s biggest hits, is a particularly unique example of the creative brilliance that comes out of the kinds of fusion Beastie Boys were working with at the time. While it can be compared to “Gratitude”, from Check Your Head, “Sabotage” is a more full-realized blend of rock, hip hop, and jazz that was not really enough of any of those things to be properly categorized in one genre or the other, yet it was everywhere in the summer of 1994, from its iconic music video, live on David Letterman, or at the VMAs. The buzz about the album also landed them a headlining slot on the annual Lollapalooza tour (when it used to travel from town to town throughout the summer rather than waiting in Chicago for people to come to it).  

Likewise, the Beasties’ return to their love of hardcore punk produced some excellent tracks on both  Check Your Head and Ill Communication. “Tough Guy”, a Knicks fan’s lament about going up against Detroit’s Bill Laimbeer, blasts by in a blur on track two, and the hardcore/hip hop/comedy track, “Heart Attack Man” rocks hard later in the album.  Shortly after the release of Ill Communication, the band knocked out an additional 8 song EP of hardcore punk songs, Aglio Y Olio, which they briefly promoted by performing in small clubs under the name Quasar.

Also as on Check Your Head, jazz-funk instrumentals continue to function as interstitials between songs and allow the guys to show off their musical chops as well as maintain a vintage tone throughout the album. Tracks like “Sabrosa” and “Ricky’s Theme” recall a 70’s vibe that not only make the listener feel they are in a Tarrantino film, they stand out as some of the record’s best moments. Even many of the hip hop tracks here, such as “Sure Shot” and “Root Down”, are built around samples of Ad Rock, MCA, and Mike D (and friends) playing in the studio, rather than samples from existing recordings by other artists. Other songs are a blend of both techniques. Late into side two, MCA’s recent conversion to Buddhism emerges on a series of songs that conclude the album, most including chanting Tibetan monks, and lyrically reflecting their struggle to be recognized as free and independent from China. Even these songs maintain the album’s tone and bring it to a reflective conclusion, also like “Namaste” on Check Your Head.

Lyrically, as with almost all of their albums, there is a blend of comedy, obscure references, and hip hop boasting, but added to that is an element of reflection and personal honesty that gets slipped in right between all the other lyrics that are flying by. In a time when Dr. Dre and Snoop were on top, and Tupac was just taking off, it stood out for a hit hip hop song to talk about offering love and respect to women, for example. 

In addition to the album’s 20 songs, the Ill Communication era offered lots of great supplemental material.  Besides Aglio Y Olio and the four official music videos, several B-sides, remixes, and live tracks were released between 1994-1996. In those days, CD singles, EPs, and contributing to compilations and soundtracks were particularly popular, resulting in opportunities to release any of the leftover material from the album or anything else a band wanted to put out. Rediscovering their love of hardcore punk in the early ‘90s even led Beastie Boys to reissue their first two EPs, Polly Wog Stew and Cooky Puss, (as a compilation entitled, Some Old Bullshit) shortly before releasing Ill Communication.  All told, there are well over two hours of extras for fans of this album to enjoy, some of which were included on the 20^th anniversary remaster/reissue of the album from 2014.

While their initial bursting onto the scene in 1986/87 got the ball rolling, and 1992’s Check Your Head was the band realizing their potential, Ill Communication continued across the plateau established by Check Your Head and allowed Beastie Boys to reach their absolute peak in both popularity and influence, and it allowed them to have a career as long as they wished to continue, which they did until the untimely passing of MCA in 2012. With Ill Communication, the Beastie Boys proved they were true alternative music artists that ended up bridging audiences and genres better than anyone in their time.

Listen to Ill Communication on youtube or most other streaming services.

Other albums celebrating 25 years:

Outkast-Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

Sublime-Robbin’ the Hood

Warren G-Regulate...G Funk Era