#33: Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

Monarchy Of Roses
Factory Of Faith
Brendan's Death Song
Ethiopia
Annie Wants A Baby
Look Around
The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie
Did I Let You Know
Goodbye Hooray
Happiness Loves Company
Police Station
Even You Brutus?
Meet Me At The Corner
Dance, Dance, Dance

All songs written by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Anthony Kiedis - vocals
Josh Klinghoffer - guitars, keyboard, backing vocals
Flea - bass, backing vocals, trumpet, piano
Chad Smith - drums, percussion
Greg Kurstin - piano, keyboard
Money Mark - organ on 'Look Around'
Mauro Refrosco - percussion
Lenny Castro - percussion
Michael Bulger - trumpet on 'Did I Let You Know'
Produced by Rick Rubin

Label: Warner Bros.

After the departure of John Frusciante for the second time in 2009, the big question was whether the Red Hot Chili Peppers could come up with something worth listening to without him. This, I feel severely underestimated the influence of the other three members of the band. It's true that they never really got the kickstart they needed until John joined for 1999's 'Mother's Milk', but their one album without John between then and now - 'One Hot Minute' - was one of the band's very best. It's unfairly maligned by almost everyone in the world, but it really is a great album.

'I'm With You' doesn't really live up to that - though the sonics in the intro of 'Monarchy Of Roses' harkens back to that record - but it does manage to stand on its own. Replacement, Josh Klinghoffer doesn't really make his mark nearly as well as he should have, leaving Flea and Chad Smith to hold the fort musically. This is no bad thing, though, as it opens up an opportunity for one of the best rhythm sections in rock to stand in the spotlight for the first time. They've been overshadowed by the guitarist for the past 22 years, so it's a nice change of pace.

Not that they really do anything differently. Flea has always done the thing where the bass goes smoothly back and forth from lead instrument to rhythm, with the guitar doing vice-versa. But now with a fairly non-descript guitarist, he might actually get the recognition for it. Similarly, Chad Smith has always taken the 'whatever's needed' approach to his drums, never succumbing to the need to be flashy, whilst at the same time not being simple. Anthony Kiedis' vocals are, of course, forever dependable, and he doesn't really cover any new territory here, keeping very much in his post-'Californication' voice.

The songs are for the most part solid, with only 'Dance, Dance, Dance', really being a disappointment. They are however very much songs that sound like what they've been doing for the last 12 years, just without the distinctive guitar/backing vocal tones that has characterised that music. The exception being the fantastic, 'Even You Brutus?'. I hope this line-up of the band stays together long enough to record another album together once they've gotten more used to playing with each other, and maybe have Josh actually leave his mark on the album next time. The big fear being that John will return once again, and just as with 'One Hot Minute', this album gets completely discarded from memory and victimised for who it doesn't feature.

This album isn't available on Spotify.

Happy Belated Birthday, 'Use Your Illusion'

There were a lot of great albums that came out in 1991. It's probably one of the best year's for new music since I've been alive. But the constant stream of great music seemed to get completely insane in the months between August and October. In those few short weeks, the world was given Metallica's self-titled "Black" album, 'Ten' by Pearl Jam, 'Use Your Illusion I & II' by Guns N' Roses, Nirvana's game-changing 'Nevermind', 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and 'Badmotorfinger' by Soundgarden... and that's only the most prominent selection.

I'm two days late, but Saturday was the 20th birthday for the 'Use Your Illusion' double set by Guns N' Roses. Two albums, filled to the brim with new music that still gets unfairly treated by music fans, and in some cases from members of the band. With a combined running time of over two and a half hours, they are definitely not for the faint-hearted, but for those who are able to brave it, there is an epic rollercoaster ride of emotions, with each song going into different directions, forcing you to question everything you've ever known about Guns N' Roses.

Before 1991, who would have imagined that Axl Rose could write songs as tender, heart-breaking and epic as 'Estranged'? That he would prove himself as a lyricist who can look into himself, pull out the deepest of emotions, and lay out his turmoil so succinctly in words? Somehow, the songs where he does that give the songs in which he expresses emotions of anger, etc. more effective. As if his honesty in those songs makes you take a look at previous tracks and realise he's being just as honest there, too. It's pretty scary when you force yourself to think about it. But it's also quite refreshing. The 80's in rock music (or more specifically, rock music in LA) was a time when the lyrics of songs were a series of boasts, grand statements and shamelessness that most modern hip-hop has since fallen victim to. Hearing someone actually mean what he was singing was a welcome relief. And whereas you got a sense that he meant every word before the release of 'Use Your Illusion', it wasn't until he proved that he wasn't afraid to show his vulnerable side that it was confirmed.

A lot of people criticise the albums for taking too many divergences from the sound the band established on 'Appetite For Destruction', but I've found that some of my least favourite songs on the albums ('Right Next Door To Hell', 'Perfect Crime', 'Back Off Bitch', etc) are the ones that sound most like the tracks on that album. My favourite ones, are the ones where they let their imaginations run wild and didn't limit their ambition. Some people may call it self-indulgent, but when you're writing music, I think self-indulgence is the key. If you're not making music that you yourself are happy with, how are you supposed to convince people when you're performing it? Even the greatest band can't convince when the material isn't what they'd make if they had the choice. The aforementioned 'Estranged', as well as 'November Rain', 'Breakdown', 'Coma' and 'Locomotive' were the sound of a band growing as songwriters in a way that nobody had imagined they could.

Overall, 'Use Your Illusion' when taken as one product is not perfect. There is a noticable difference in quality between 'I', and the more imaginitive 'II' - my favourite of the two. As an overall piece of work, 'Appetite For Destruction' is indeed the better album. But there are songs on 'Use Your Illusion' that blow anything from 'Appetite' out of the water. It's 20 years old now, but it has aged incredibly well. Some of my favourite music ever recorded is still on those records. Are they overblown? Yes... but that's what I find appealing about them.

Happy belated birthday, 'Use Your Illusion'



EDIT:
One of the things that people often say is that 'Use Your Illusion' should have only been one album. I don't think so, because there would have to be far too much left out, and you wouldn't get the insane rollercoaster ride effect you get from listening to the whole thing in one sit-through (something I don't think was done again until the Smashing Pumpkins released 'Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness'). But below is my playlist for the 'Best Of The Illusions' for anyone interested...

1) Civil War
2) You Could Be Mine
3) Pretty Tied Up
4) Don't Cry
5) November Rain
6) Breakdown
7) Locomotive
8) Dust N' Bones
9) 14 Years
10) Estranged
11) Yesterdays
12) Coma

That comes to just under 80 minutes. You'll completely fill up a CD with those twelve tracks..

#34: Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man

(It's Not War) Just The End Of Love
Postcards From A Young Man
Some Kind Of Nothingness
The Descent (Pages 1 & 2)
Hazelton Avenue
Auto-Intoxication
Golden Platitudes
I Think I Found It
A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun
All We Make Is Entertainment
The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever
Don't Be Evil

All tracks written by Bradfield, Moore and Wire, except 'I Think I Found It', by Bradfield and Moore

James Dean Bradfield - vocals, guitar, mandola on 'I Think I Found It'
Nicky Wire - bass, vocals on 'The Futures Has Been Here 4 Ever', backing vocals
Sean Moore - drums, percussion, trumpet
Ian McCulloch - second lead vocals on 'Some Kind Of Nothingness'
John Cale - keyboards and noise on 'Auto-Intoxication'
Duff McKagan - bass on 'A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun'
Loz Williams - piano, Hammond organ, mellotron
Nick Naysmith - piano - Hammond organ
Catrin Wyn Southall - backing vocals
Melissa Henry - backing vocals
Osian Rowlands - backing vocals
Gareth Treseder - backing vocals
Fflur Rowlands - backing vocals
Roland George - backing vocals
Aled Powys Williams - backing vocals
Strings by Andy Walters, Joanna Walters, Carly Worsford, Bernard Kane, Simon Howes, Nathan Stone, Richard Phillips and Claudine Liddington
Produced by Dave Eringa, Loz Williams and Manic Street Preachers

Label: Columbia

After the release of 'Everything Must Go' in 1996, the Manic Street Preachers seemed to go onto a downward spiral of ill-advised directions, with every release losing some of the quality that had marked their work beforehand. Some people cited the still-unsolved disappearance of Richey Edwards, not taking into account that Richey's playing is only featured on the one track that had been completed on 'Everything Must Go' prior to his disappearance. I assume it was a case of feeling lost, and not knowing in which direction to go.

2007, however, saw the band return to some of their former glory on the album 'Send Away The Tigers'. Since then, the Manics have once again been on an upward curve, culminating in last years 'Postcards From A Young Man'. Returning unashamedly to the radio-friendly rock that made 'Everything Must Go' a hit, this album is undoubtedly the best the band has done ever since that album. First single '(It's Not War) Just The End Of The Love' hits all the same notes 'A Design For Life', and does it well.

With some bands such a step backwards would be something to bemoan, but in the case of the Manic Street Preachers, they are a band who by 'LifeBlood' had lost their way so much that I didn't hold any hope of them finding the road again. The step backwards they've taken since that album is what they needed in order to push further onwards.

Listen Here: Manic Street Preachers – Postcards From A Young Man

#35: Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer

The Lady Killer Theme Intro (Callaway)
Bright Lights Bigger City (Allen, Callaway, Reyes)
Fuck You (Brown, Callaway, Mars, Lawrence, Levine)
Wildflower (Callaway, Smith)
Bodies (Callaway, Remi)
Love Gun (Callaway, David, Livingston, Simpkins)
Satisfied (Callaway, Nowels)
I Want You (Callaway, Smith, Splash)
Cry Baby (Callaway, Nowels)
Fool For You (Callaway, Splash)
It's OK (Callaway, Ceon, Fisher, Ofstad)
Old Fashioned (Callaway, Kasirye)
No One's Gonna Love You (Barrett, Bridwell, Hampton)
The Lady Killer Theme Outro (Callway)

Lauren Bennett - guest on 'Love Gun'
Philip Bailey - guest on 'Fool For You'
Robin Finck - guitar on 'The Lady Killer Theme Outro'
Tommy Lee - drums
Pino Palladino - bass
Produced by Grey Area, Ben H. Allen, Graham Marsh, The Smeezingtons, Fraser T. Smith, Salaam Remi, Cee Lo Green, Jack Splash, Element, Paul Epworth and Alan Nglish.

Label: Elektra, Roadrunner

Time to make a confession here... when I first heard 'Fuck You' - or rather 'Forget You' - on the radio last year, my first thoughts were, "This guy sounds like Gnarls Barkley!" Imagine my surprise when I found out that Gnarls Barkley isn't actually a person, but a duo of which Cee Lo Green is the singer. This is how much I knew about this guy before this record came out.

Man, I wish that I'd known about him sooner, because his combination of classic soul with modern beats has resulted this album... one of the best non-rock albums out there. At a time when black music is considered to mainly be modern R&B and/or hip-hop, Cee Lo gives the world a reminder of a time when the likes of Stevie Wonder ruled the roost. There actually isn't a bad track on this album that I can find listening to it. Of course, some are better than others - 'Fuck You' and 'It's OK' are both far better than 'Cry Baby' for instance - but nothing ever goes below good. There are some records that I'm going to be talking about that although I find better albums overall, still don't accomplish that.

For a true example of what Cee Lo is capable of vocally, check out the pure 70's-style number, 'Old Fashioned'.

Listen Here: Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer

#36: Michael Jackson - Michael

Hold My Hand (Thiam, Tuinfort, Kelly)
Hollywood Tonight (Jackson, Buxer, Riley)
Keep Your Head Up (Jackson, Cascio, Porte)
(I Like) The Way You Love Me (Jackson)
Monster (Jackson, Cascio, Porte, Curtis Jackson)
Best Of Joy (Jackson)
Breaking News (Jackson, Cascio, Porte)
(I Can't Make It) Another Day (Kravitz)
Behind The Mask (Jackson, Mosdell, Sakamoto)
Much Too Soon (Jackson)

Akon - guest on 'Hold My Hand'
Taryll Jackson - guest on 'Hollywood Tonight'
50 Cent - guest on 'Monster'
Lenny Kravitz - guest on '(I Can't Make It) Another Day'
Dave Grohl - guest on '(I Can't Make It) Another Day'
Shanice - guest on 'Behind The Mask'
Produced by Michael Jackson, Akon, Tuinfort, Teddy Riley, Theron "Neff-U" Feemster, C "Tricky" Stewart, Angelikson, Brad Buxer, Lenny Kravitz and John McClain

Label: Epic

The first of two posthumous releases that made it into this list, Michael digs up music recorded over around a 25-30 year period to give fans a taste of the Michael Jackson we'd never gotten to hear before now.
The first track, 'Hold My Hand' gives you a dark sense of foreboding. Is this really all they've got? Luckily, that track was originally intended as an Akon release with Michael guesting, before getting delayed indefinitely and then having it marketed as a Michael song with Akon guesting after his death. Therefore it's not at all representative of the rest of the tracks.
I didn't think I'd ever get to hear the up-beat, hip-hop styled tracks from MJ's 'Dangerous' and 'HIStory' eras again... he appeared to have changed his focus to increasingly sappy ballads that weren't worthy of his legacy by the time of 2001's 'Invincible', but 'Michael' showcases plenty of the type of thing that I was hoping for, beginning with 'Hollywood Tonight' and reaching its height in 'Monster', featuring a rap recorded after-the fact by 50 Cent. There are those balladic type tracks as well, but they work better than on 'Invincible' almost entirely because there is a bit of variety in the tracks, making 'Hold Your Head Up' and '(I Like) The Way You Love Me' genuinely interesting tracks to listen to rather than just more of the same.

Ever since the release of 'Thriller' there was a tradition on Michael Jackson albums to have at least one track featuring some heavy rock guitar featuring the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Steve Stevens and Slash. Well, 'Michael' manages to uphold this tradition, with the guitar this time supplied by Lenny Kravitz, who also wrote, produced and sings backing vocals on '(I Can't Make It) Another Day'. Though nowhere near as impressive as 'Beat It', 'Dirty Diana' and 'Give In To Me', it's nice to hear a guitar solo on the record, as well as have Dave Grohl playing drums. It's not exactly as much of a rock track as I was expecting, but it's a very good song nonetheless.

The two stand-out tracks from the album were actually recorded during the 'Thriller' era. 'Much Too Soon' is heartbreaking, and 'Behind The Mask' - a reworking of a track by Japanese group The Yellow Magic Orchestra - features a melody that Michael brought to the song that showcases just how strong of a vocalist Michael was. In the end, this was never going to be a focused and cohesive album, and is not a great Michael Jackson album. However it is a good Michael Jackson album, which is a lot more than I was expecting. And that it's better than 'Invincible' is a very nice surprise to have.

There was a lot of talk before the albums release - from who I perceive to be self-serving members of his family - that the three tracks co-written and produced by Eddie Cascio were not in fact Michael singing the lead vocals, but soundalikes brought in to sing over barely audible backing vocals that he'd recorded before his death. Well, I was raised on this man's voice, and it's his throughout. Some people are just looking for publicity any way they can by exploiting their family name.
Listen Here: Michael Jackson – Michael

#37: The Jane Austen Argument - Plan Behind (The Beautiful Mess We Made)

Under The Rainbow
Made Your Mark
Staying Single
Silver Suit
Reunion Song
Plan Behind

All songs written by Tom Dickins and Jennifer Kingwell

Tom Dickins - vocals, ukulele
Jennifer Kingwell - vocals, piano
Produced by Lance

This is a live E.P. from a show at a venue called Revolt in Melbourne. Usually, I wouldn't include a live E.P., but in this case all 6 tracks are previously unreleased, so I'll let it off.
Earlier in the year, The Jane Austen Argument's Tom Dickins quit his day job in order to chase his dreams full-time. To celebrate this dramatic decision, Tom and Jen performed this one-off show under the name "Fuck Plan B". The moral of the night was that there is no time for a plan B, so don't have one. Take the risk and put yourself fully into what you want to be doing. It's advice that I wish I had the balls to take myself.
Anyway, the actual music ranges from the emotional melancholy previously seen on 'The Birthing Pyre', to the comedic 'Staying Single' which features a section in which Tom reads out messages from the crowd about their funny break-up stories, with answers like, "You left me for a midget, Nazi", and "I've never had a boyfriend, so fuck you". It's a nice change of pace, which I hope they will do more of.
Next up, The Jane Austen Argument will be recording their debut full length album, made possible thanks to donations from fans on the fund-raising website, Kickstarter.com

Listen And/Or Download Here: http://thejaneaustenargument.bandcamp.com/album/plan-behind-the-beautiful-mess-we-made

#38: Eminem - Recovery

Cold Wind Blows (Mathers, Smith, Byrne, Marsh, Perry, Synge)
Talkin' 2 Myself (Mathers, Rahman, Injeti, Honeycutt)
On Fire (Mathers, Porter, C. Wilson, L. Wilson, R. Wilson)
Won't Back Down (Mathers, Rahman, Alcock, Rodrigues, Smith)
W.T.P. (Mathers, Resto, Chin-Quee, Gilbert)
Going Through Changes (Mathers, Heynie, Osbourne, Iommi, Ward, Butler)
Not Afraid (Mathers, Resto, Samuels, Evans, Burnett)
Seduction (Mathers, Samuels, Burnett, Jordan)
No Love (Mathers, Carter, Jr., Smith, Halligan, Torello)
Space Bound (Mathers, Scheffer, McEwan)
Cinderella Man (Mathers)
25 To Life (Mathers, Rahman, Rodrigues, Tannenbaum)
So Bad (Mathers, Young, Batson, Parker, Lawrence, Cruse, Brongers)
Almost Famous (Mathers, Rahman, Rodrigues, Alcock, Injeti, Tannenbaum)
Love The Way You Lie (Mathers, Grant, Haffermann)
You're Never Over (Mathers, Smith, Mainieri Jr., McMahon)

Erik Alcock - guitar
Mark Batson - keyboards
Matthew Burnett - strings
Sean Cruse - guitar
Jordan Evans - strings
Nikki Grier - vocals
Chin Injeti - bass
Jim Jonsin - keyboards, programming
Sly Jordan - saxophone, vocals
Danny Keyz - keyboards
Trevor Lawrence - keyboards
Nick Low-Beer - drum programming
Steve McEwan - guitar, vocals on 'Space Bound'
Danny Morris - keyboards
Dawaun Paker - keyboards
Dwayne Chin-Quee - drums
Rahki - keyboards
Khalil Abdul Rahman - keyboards, drum programming
Luis Resto - keyboards
Liz Rodrigues - Vocals
Matthew Samuels - drums
Daniel Seeff - guitar
Mike Strange - guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards
Kobe - guest on 'Talkin' 2 Myself'
Pink - guest on 'Won't Back Down'
Lil Wayne - guest on 'No Love'
Rihanna - guest on 'Love The Way You Lie'
Produced by Just Blaze, DJ Khalil, Denaun Porter, Supa Dups, JG, Eminem, Emile, Boi-1da, Matthew Burnett, Jim Jonsin, Script Shepherd, Dr. Dre, Nick Brongers, Alex da Kid and Makeba Riddick

Label: Shady/Aftermath/Interscope

2009's 'Relapse' was supposed to be Eminem's triumphant return after a five year self-imposed exile. Instead it had all of the same problems as its predecessor, 'Encore'. There were a few strong tracks on both albums, but it mostly ranged from bad to okay.

Just a year later, this album came out and was everything that 'Relapse' should have been. There is nothing especially groundbreaking about any of the tracks, but it features some of Eminem's best music. For the first time, this album doesn't feature a novelty comedy track to be released as first single. The album features more of the confessional type tracks that has proven to be when he is at his strongest ever since the classic track 'Cleanin' Out My Closet', as well as the harder-edged tracks that he made his name with.

Of the former, a highlight is the track 'Talkin' 2 Myself' in which he admits that his last two albums weren't up to scratch, and that his self-esteem was so low because he couldn't write tracks that he was proud of. It seems to have gotten to the point where he stopped himself from writing lyrics insulting Lil' Wayne and Kanye West because "I'd have got my ass handed to me, and I knew it". And the latter is hands down the best track Eminem has put his name to in at least 8 years... 'Love The Way You Lie' featuring Rihanna is the kind of track that even non-fans could appreciate.

The result is the finest album Marshall Mathers has ever released. Yes, even better than 'The Eminem Show' (I actually find 'The Slim Shady LP' and 'Marshall Mathers LP' quite over-rated, though both good themselves).

Listen Here: Eminem – Recovery