This Guy Falls Down

The Death of High Fidelity

This article from Rolling Stone pretty much nails the state (sonically, at least) of the recording industry.  iPods, ProTools, compression and AutoTuners have all conspired to make music sound really different than it did just a few years ago.

It's a really good article, and from my perspective it's pretty much spot on.  Whoever did the article did their homework - the first couple of paragraphs I was thinking "yeah, but all these records sound loud because they're overcompressed."  Then comes a whole paragraph about compression.  Then I'm thinking about  Oasis' What's the Story Morning Glory  as being the first record I recognized as sounding "different" and how everybody in that era started going for that "Britpop sound" and lo and behold they mention that too. 

Honestly I don't really mind it to a point.  For most rock music, "loud is good".  What also bothers me  is how so many car and home stereos have these God-awful EQ settings or faux surround modes that you can't turn off.  You basically never hear an album the way it was recorded. 

I do wonder if everything being made right now is going to sound REALLY dated in a few years... 

(Via the observant Jabob Ward)

The Metal Kick, explained

So I've made a couple of references in passing to being on a "metal kick".  That deserves an explanation. 

It's funny how you get somewhere and you're not really sure how.  Just a few nugdes is all it takes.  A conversation here, a song on the radio there.  And before you know it, your musical tastes have changed.  All I know is that at this point in time, if the Foo Fighters come on, I change it because it's too tame.  And for a time they were my limit as far as heaviness goes.

So it started back in the summer.  We were in the middle of writing songs for the new record, so I didn't want to be listening to the radio and accidentally ripping off some Fantasia song or something.  So I started listening to good old, instrumental '80's guitar rock.  I got into it.  And I thought, hey, this could be productive - it's good to listen to guitar music since I'm a guitar player and I'm about to record some guitars.  I even bought a guitar magazine because Joe Satriani was on the cover.  Also featured in this magazine was a band called Avenged Sevenfold.  I read the article.  I'm intrigued.  I check them out on iTunes.  They rule.  So then I start a quest to find other music like this.  That's your Cliff notes version right there.

Of course, there are other factors involved here, a few of them being:

• The documentary "Metal:  A Headbanger's Journey".  I saw it about a year ago.  Pretty interesting - this probably planted a seed of some sort.
• Silmaril - I bought this album back in the summer.  Metal it is not.  But it is good music that doesn't rely at all on the blues idiom, and there are references to Tolkien and the end times.  Very metal indeed.
• One Yngwie J. Malmsteen.  I started listening to him as part of the "guitar music" thing.  Reading about him on wikipedia and looking for others like him led me to SymphonyX and other, newer, more metallic artists.  I even bought an Yngwie DVD.  Great stuff.
• Fargo Rock City - I read this book 3 or 4 years ago, but I picked it up again a couple months back.  Hilarious book, BTW, if you've never read it.
• XM Satellite Radio - They've got a metal station, a hair band station, and a heavy music station.  You have to be careful, especially on the metal station, because it's uncensored.  Lots of language, and some pretty brutal lyrics.  Proceed with caution!
• The studio.  A couple of the guys there were also way into the Yngwie.  And also way into the metal.  When we weren't listening to what we were working on, chances are we were listening to the metal. 

Now that I've got you thinking I'm completely mental, I'm going to leave you for the time being.  But I'm sure you've got some questions.  What am I actually listening to?  What about Wilco?  Aren't the lyrics terrible?  How do I get this goodness in me?  Those questions and more will be answered in a future installment....

The Police Rock Bonnaroo

I had the chance Saturday night to attend, with my bandmates, The Police show at Bonnaroo Festival outside of Manchester, Tennessee. It was a great show in that Mount Rushmore kind of way. Check it off the list, I've seen The Police now. I've seen some negative reviews around the web about their set, and I think that shows that the expectations at Bonnaroo are so much higher than at a normal concert. You had The Police playing their hits. Good enough, right? Not for many. Bonnaroo has become known for extended jams and special moments. In a nutshell, it has become expected that bands will exceed expectations. So in a case like this where they merely meet them, it's seen as a negative. Oh well - I had fun. Part of what made it fun is that we ended up standing with the guys from Sanctus Real for most of the show. They're cool guys, and it's good to share a concert with someone who's listening for the same things (tone, timing, parts).

Later that evening (oh yes - Bonnaroo keeps it going late), we saw most of Gov't Mule's set. Oh my gosh. It was absolutely unbelievable. I've always known Warren Haynes could wail on a guitar, but man, that guy can sing too. And he brought Bob Weir from The Dead onstage for a great rendtion of "Sugaree". As good as The Police were, this is what Bonnaroo's all about.

Wilco played Sunday, and I had every intention of driving back up for their set, but, well, Father's Day and all. I guess I'll have to settle for the DVD. (And yes, I know they're playing in Atlanta this week, and no, I don't think I'll be able to make that either. Work stuff...)

Tough crowd

I brought my guitar to my three-year-old daughter's preschool class the other day. It was one of the oddest "performances" I think I've ever had. I played three songs, and let my daughter help with picking out which songs to play. I started with "Keep On Shinin'", and the dozen or so preschoolers just looked at me with blank stares. After the chorus I thought I'd work on the crowd participation, so I asked them if they could clap their hands with the music. For the rest of the song they clapped completely randomly, nowhere near to the music.

When that first song ended, no clapping. Just an awkward silence. Then a kid blurted out "My Dad plays guitar! His name is Chris!" That was followed by "I'm from Georgia!" "I'm from Georgia, too!" "I'm from Kennesaw!", and finally "We're in Georgia!"

My daughter had prepped me that the kids knew "B-I-N-G-O", so I asked them if they knew it. They said "No." So I foolishly played it anyway. If you've never played the song before, it's kind of tricky. It's hard to line the chords up with the clapping. I cut it short after the "*clap* *clap* *clap* G-O" verse. So I downshift into "Jesus Loves Me". They actually sang on this one and it was kind of cute. I figured I'd quit while I was ahead, so I thanked the kids, packed up my stuff and left.

Later that evening, my little girl said "Daddy, you did good, but next time you need to do some more songs."

Next time I'm going to bring candy :)

33 Miles

I had the chance tonight to see 33 Miles perform outside of Atlanta. I've known Jason for a long time (we actually used to be label mates at one point), and was actually present at their first show a little over a year ago. If you haven't heard these guys yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out. I hate to describe bands by comparing, but to give you a point of reference, they're not unlike Rascal Flatts. Really, really good songs and great vocals. Whenever all three of them sang, it about knocked be down. You will probably hear them on the radio soon, but why wait? The album came out this week. Grab yourself a copy...

Need some inspiration?

A buddy of mine who's also a Dylan fan emailed me this link to a recent 60 Minutes piece. It's amazing to think that someone who's song was recently named the best song of the 20th century would blow it off and say that it will just last a week.

Also, as I was looking for information on Anne Lamott's upcoming appearance in Atlanta (it's "sold out", in case you were wondering), I came across this interview. Anne, we're never going to get anywhere until you're honest with your feelings...

Simon Cowell on Bob Dylan

Let it be known that I like Simon Cowell, and I agree with him 99% of the time. But I don't even know how to respond to this...

Christmas music

I put this little iMix together based on some songs which have been working for me this year.  In addition to these iTunes-friendly tracks, here are a few other songs I've been enjoying this year:

1. Robert Earl Keen - "Merry Christmas from the Family"
2. Sarah McLachlan - "Happy Christmas (War is Over)"
3. LeAnn Rimes - "O Holy Night"
4. Amy Grant - "Grown Up Christmas List"
5. Diana Krall - "Jingle Bells"
6. Sixpence None the Richer - "Christmastime is Here"

Mason Jennings

You remember the "CoSTANza" episode of Seinfeld? The one where the woman dumps George, and he knows she's going to come back, because he, like the Mennon deodorant commercials, just kind of lingers with you? That's exactly how this Mason Jennings album has been for me.

I'll be completely honest - I got this CD for $2 at a going out of business sale for the Tower Records in Atlanta. And I wasn't really expecting much. Sure, I'd read a couple of decent reviews, but I was mainly motivated by the price. And that usually comes back to haunt you. So I listen to it, and the guy's voice is average, the songs are mediocre at best. I had heard "Be Here Now" before, and I kind of dug track 4, but when I took the CD out of my player, I thought it was probably for the last time.

But then a funny thing happened. I'm laying in bed trying to go to sleep, and the refrain to "Be Here Now" is still rattling around in my cranium. And I'm liking what I'm hearing. So the next day, I put the CD back in, and I can't take it out. "Moon Sailing on the Water" is where it all comes together. And the piano "solo" on that song is priceless. If you like the production of recent offerings from Damien Rice or Ray Lamontagne, you'll love the music on this album. But what keeps you coming back is Jennings' haunting sense of melody.

So get this CD, and give it a try. But don't be too quick to judge. You might find yourself, like me, singing "CoSTANza"!

Zac Brown Band

This past Saturday night I had the chance to see a cool Georgia group I've been hearing about for some time. The Zac Brown Band had been described to me as one of the most unique shows you'll ever see, and they did not disappoint. It is not fair to try to categorize somebody like this, but it's kind of like Jimmy Buffett meets Dave Matthews. Or Marshall Tucker meets Widespread Panic. If you catch my drift here, there's a pretty unique thing going on. I've only heard one of their songs recorded, but I get the sense that they're the kind of group you need to see live to get. They have a DVD out, just in case you don't get the chance to go see them.

I think my only complaint was the sheer number of covers these guys did. Granted, they were in a position where they had to play like two or three hours worth of music at this little club in Atlanta. To their credit, they did unique takes on Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, and Ray Lamontagne, among others. But I rather would have heard them do their own music for 70 minutes. But that's just me. Everybody else seemed to be having a good time.

Check these guys out if you get the chance. It's worth it.