Friday, April 20, 2007
AVRIL's BEST TV SO FAR....Letterman!
Of the broadcast TV performances of "Girlfriend" (which is now a mega-hit) listed in the posting below...she rocked out best on THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN. Maybe it was the theater the show takes place in. If you've ever seen Dave live, and I have (three times), the Ed Sullivan Theater is a legendary venue (the real legends have played it including the Beatles, Stones, Doors etc.). The audience is always chipper (it's freezing in the theater; trust me bring a sweater ... for under your heavy coat ... in the summer). LATE SHOW audiences are always in a great party mood. And the house music during the show is top shelf. The best part of attending any given taping of THE LATE SHOW is to hear the CBS Orchestra play live and loud during the commercial breaks. Avril had the perfect strum, as it were. I for one hope Mr. Letterman and crew keep doing the show for a long long long time. Please bring back Ms. Lavigne as soon as you can, brother!
For those who want even more Avril, there's a free in-studio live video at
soundcheck.walmart.com/avrillavigne.html
The "Girlfriend" video should also still be at
http://musicbox.sonybmg.com/avril_lavigne/girlfriend
Keep up the great rockin' and for now...
Zeph, out
Of the broadcast TV performances of "Girlfriend" (which is now a mega-hit) listed in the posting below...she rocked out best on THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN. Maybe it was the theater the show takes place in. If you've ever seen Dave live, and I have (three times), the Ed Sullivan Theater is a legendary venue (the real legends have played it including the Beatles, Stones, Doors etc.). The audience is always chipper (it's freezing in the theater; trust me bring a sweater ... for under your heavy coat ... in the summer). LATE SHOW audiences are always in a great party mood. And the house music during the show is top shelf. The best part of attending any given taping of THE LATE SHOW is to hear the CBS Orchestra play live and loud during the commercial breaks. Avril had the perfect strum, as it were. I for one hope Mr. Letterman and crew keep doing the show for a long long long time. Please bring back Ms. Lavigne as soon as you can, brother!
For those who want even more Avril, there's a free in-studio live video at
soundcheck.walmart.com/avrillavigne.html
The "Girlfriend" video should also still be at
http://musicbox.sonybmg.com/avril_lavigne/girlfriend
Keep up the great rockin' and for now...
Zeph, out
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
AVRIL LAVIGNE
The Best Damn Thing
Deryck Whibley, you are the luckiest man on earth...period. Now onto the review...
The Best Damn Thing is magical, power-pop that doesn't give up (or let YOU down) until it's 12 tunes have played...and then you'll want to spin it again. I've read other reviews that say it's too sugary...OK...most people LIKE some sugar in their diet (this isn't neurosurgery). Avril once again delivers. It's not an intense or super-personal collection of songs, but in retrospect (after viewing the "Making of" DVD in the deluxe package), it IS a bit personal.
There are an army of producers, including the luckiest man on earth. They all add a bit of personal strength, yet you'd be hard spent to tell the textures apart song to song.
Now, the one thing this older than Avril, OK way way way older than Avril reviewer must mention is her (for lack of a better f%$#ing word) potty mouth. Boy can that girl swear. I guess there is a clean version of the disc and for anyone with kids, I'd strongly suggest it. She uses the MF word in her otherwise very cool lead off single ("Girlfriend"), and frankly I think Avril and the songs she has written are much better than that. They do not need profanity to catch my eye (or ears). By the way, I'm not offended at all. Most of us (the old Zephyr included) use these words. But when they are SOOOOOOOOO commonly used in songs, they become meaningless. This, coming from someone who says David Crosby uses the phrase "blind as a bat," way way too much too. I may buy the clean version of Thing, just to have around when I'm too old to remember what most of those words mean!
The "making of" DVD is 40 minutes long by the way (I read elsewhere it was only 20) and it's a great deal of fun to see the creative minds (hands and voices) that went into this album. Spoken of course is the F word a few zillion times, with other words you can't say on TV. Again, you come off much better using something ELSE once in a while...but I digress.
Every song on The Best Damn Thing rings of "hit single." I much enjoyed the songs that began with light piano as well as the punk guitar/drum tunes. I hope you hear the disc on a set (or set of headphones) with good bass response and characteristics. Especially when she raps for a micro-second, the bass lines are thunderous and really do work for this (still) young rocker.
Bottom Line: 5/5 stars...but I'm a huge fan!
Zeph, out
The Best Damn Thing
Deryck Whibley, you are the luckiest man on earth...period. Now onto the review...
The Best Damn Thing is magical, power-pop that doesn't give up (or let YOU down) until it's 12 tunes have played...and then you'll want to spin it again. I've read other reviews that say it's too sugary...OK...most people LIKE some sugar in their diet (this isn't neurosurgery). Avril once again delivers. It's not an intense or super-personal collection of songs, but in retrospect (after viewing the "Making of" DVD in the deluxe package), it IS a bit personal.
There are an army of producers, including the luckiest man on earth. They all add a bit of personal strength, yet you'd be hard spent to tell the textures apart song to song.
Now, the one thing this older than Avril, OK way way way older than Avril reviewer must mention is her (for lack of a better f%$#ing word) potty mouth. Boy can that girl swear. I guess there is a clean version of the disc and for anyone with kids, I'd strongly suggest it. She uses the MF word in her otherwise very cool lead off single ("Girlfriend"), and frankly I think Avril and the songs she has written are much better than that. They do not need profanity to catch my eye (or ears). By the way, I'm not offended at all. Most of us (the old Zephyr included) use these words. But when they are SOOOOOOOOO commonly used in songs, they become meaningless. This, coming from someone who says David Crosby uses the phrase "blind as a bat," way way too much too. I may buy the clean version of Thing, just to have around when I'm too old to remember what most of those words mean!
The "making of" DVD is 40 minutes long by the way (I read elsewhere it was only 20) and it's a great deal of fun to see the creative minds (hands and voices) that went into this album. Spoken of course is the F word a few zillion times, with other words you can't say on TV. Again, you come off much better using something ELSE once in a while...but I digress.
Every song on The Best Damn Thing rings of "hit single." I much enjoyed the songs that began with light piano as well as the punk guitar/drum tunes. I hope you hear the disc on a set (or set of headphones) with good bass response and characteristics. Especially when she raps for a micro-second, the bass lines are thunderous and really do work for this (still) young rocker.
Bottom Line: 5/5 stars...but I'm a huge fan!
Zeph, out
Saturday, April 14, 2007
AVRIL LAVIGNE TV APPEARANCES ANNOUNCED FOR THE USA
April:
17-- Good Morning America (ABC)
17-- Letterman (CBS)
18-- Regis and Kelly
20-- Ellen DeGeneres
June:
15-- Leno (NBC)
Set those VCRs or DVRs or whatever "R" you like best!!!!!!!!!
Zeph, out
April:
17-- Good Morning America (ABC)
17-- Letterman (CBS)
18-- Regis and Kelly
20-- Ellen DeGeneres
June:
15-- Leno (NBC)
Set those VCRs or DVRs or whatever "R" you like best!!!!!!!!!
Zeph, out
Friday, April 13, 2007
4 Newly released CDs on the spinner...to consider
-Number Ones ... Marvin Gaye
-Live At Texas Stadium ... Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett, George Strait
-Waking Up Laughing ... Martina McBride
-Stills/Illegal Stills/Thoroughfare Gap ... Stephen Stills
Let's start with the obvious. Marvin Gaye's "best of" is the Number Ones disc just released. You probably know most of the songs by heart, even if not a fan, even if you are younger than my car, since they are all over the airwaves and will be for my time on the planet at least. If you own no Marvin...this is the one you need, and you will thank me. It's also a great master of these songs. The drum kit especially sounds like you are in the studio next to the rhythm section. Gaye's voice cuts through so well too, even when it sounds like it should be buried in the arrangement. My complements to the producer. Also this is a generous collection, containing 13 "1's" and 4 bonus tracks called "The Great 2's"... Bottom line 5/5 stars.
Now, Live At Texas Stadium is (pardon the semi-pun) a hoarse of a different color...first it is a country, no make that country ROCK concert compilation. It features 3 men whose voices sound great one after (and once in a while on top of) each other. The stand outs are the unique and frozen in digital media performances of some great tunes, including "All My Ex's Live In Texas," "Hey Good Lookin'," "Five O'Clock Somewhere," and "Seven Bridges Road." Even the over-wrought, bar band (ok BOOMER bar bands) standard, "Margaritaville," is given new life by the rotating door of the three singers guesting on each others signature tunes. It must have been a great show. This sample let's you live about an hour of the highlights, and they are (country) rockin'...Bottom line 4/5 stars (minus one for not being a double CD of 150+ minutes).
Martina McBride in slight contrast to the above artists carries her new CD gracefully and is about the best voice in country or any other pop music you will ever enjoy. The 11 songs do have a certain familiarity, but sound much better produced than her last (great) effort on Timeless. Waking Up Laughing in contrast to the last outing is not made to emulate the old country sound...state of the art recording is evident (on Timeless they used vintage instruments and mikes) and it shows. The production is sweet, the bass and kick drum are low (where they belong) and her angelic yet polished pop vocals shine. This collection, much more personal than some of her efforts in past has an overt religious bent, and it's just fine that way. Stand out for me is the ballad "Anyway," that has an intimacy on the CD that was lost when I saw Martina do the song on a late night talk show. In fact that's where this collection is, intimate as your significant other's breath as he/she lies next to you...and just as welcome. Bottom line 5/5 stars. Martina you never disappoint me!
Stephen Stills trilogy of sorts is an import (try cd-wow.com for this one, but compare) from the UK of 3 old CBS label vinyl albums, remastered. The news here is this is the only way to get a legal (and great sounding) complete version of Thoroughfare Gap on CD. I already owned the original vinyl and CD releases of Stills and Illegal Stills, and this remastering job is a slight sonic improvement...especially when critically listening on the TriPort headphones. Now I am totally miffed the not-yet-on-CD Right By You is not part of this set. There is plenty of room. The first 2 albums are on CD-1 and CD-2 is only half full by "Gap."
To briefly revisit all three albums (that I wore to bits on vinyl ages ago)...even given the partnership of the great Donnie Dacus, Stills is a super Stephen Stills solo effort. The rockers of "Turn Back the Pages," (that I heard Dacus do with Chicago, when he left Stills' employ) still moves, and the beautiful blues and pathos of "Love Story" and "Myth of Sisyphus" gives you a nice mellow vibe. And the (should have been since they are on there anyway) Crosby Stills and Nash vocals on "As I Come of Age," with Ringo Starr on drums, will melt you away.
I think Illegal Stills was an attempt by Stills to do a very commercial CSN-ish pop album of course without C & N. It has it's moments, especially the opener "Buyin' Time" that always reminds me of the in-concert electric version of "Love the One You're With," and the Neil Young penned, "The Loner." I was lucky enough to hear the Stills/Young band do these twice, and they rock. The album should have done much better commercially than it did.
Bottom Line: 3/5 stars. Now Stephen (or the powers at be), release RIGHT BY YOU that has some great moments for extra credit...and soon please! And get someone who knows the music to write the narrative in the booklet, OK?
Zeph, out
PS: DON'T FORGET those in the USA, my favorite Avril Lavigne is musical guest on NBC Saturday Night Live April 14th...set your recorders! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Number Ones ... Marvin Gaye
-Live At Texas Stadium ... Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett, George Strait
-Waking Up Laughing ... Martina McBride
-Stills/Illegal Stills/Thoroughfare Gap ... Stephen Stills
Let's start with the obvious. Marvin Gaye's "best of" is the Number Ones disc just released. You probably know most of the songs by heart, even if not a fan, even if you are younger than my car, since they are all over the airwaves and will be for my time on the planet at least. If you own no Marvin...this is the one you need, and you will thank me. It's also a great master of these songs. The drum kit especially sounds like you are in the studio next to the rhythm section. Gaye's voice cuts through so well too, even when it sounds like it should be buried in the arrangement. My complements to the producer. Also this is a generous collection, containing 13 "1's" and 4 bonus tracks called "The Great 2's"... Bottom line 5/5 stars.
Now, Live At Texas Stadium is (pardon the semi-pun) a hoarse of a different color...first it is a country, no make that country ROCK concert compilation. It features 3 men whose voices sound great one after (and once in a while on top of) each other. The stand outs are the unique and frozen in digital media performances of some great tunes, including "All My Ex's Live In Texas," "Hey Good Lookin'," "Five O'Clock Somewhere," and "Seven Bridges Road." Even the over-wrought, bar band (ok BOOMER bar bands) standard, "Margaritaville," is given new life by the rotating door of the three singers guesting on each others signature tunes. It must have been a great show. This sample let's you live about an hour of the highlights, and they are (country) rockin'...Bottom line 4/5 stars (minus one for not being a double CD of 150+ minutes).
Martina McBride in slight contrast to the above artists carries her new CD gracefully and is about the best voice in country or any other pop music you will ever enjoy. The 11 songs do have a certain familiarity, but sound much better produced than her last (great) effort on Timeless. Waking Up Laughing in contrast to the last outing is not made to emulate the old country sound...state of the art recording is evident (on Timeless they used vintage instruments and mikes) and it shows. The production is sweet, the bass and kick drum are low (where they belong) and her angelic yet polished pop vocals shine. This collection, much more personal than some of her efforts in past has an overt religious bent, and it's just fine that way. Stand out for me is the ballad "Anyway," that has an intimacy on the CD that was lost when I saw Martina do the song on a late night talk show. In fact that's where this collection is, intimate as your significant other's breath as he/she lies next to you...and just as welcome. Bottom line 5/5 stars. Martina you never disappoint me!
Stephen Stills trilogy of sorts is an import (try cd-wow.com for this one, but compare) from the UK of 3 old CBS label vinyl albums, remastered. The news here is this is the only way to get a legal (and great sounding) complete version of Thoroughfare Gap on CD. I already owned the original vinyl and CD releases of Stills and Illegal Stills, and this remastering job is a slight sonic improvement...especially when critically listening on the TriPort headphones. Now I am totally miffed the not-yet-on-CD Right By You is not part of this set. There is plenty of room. The first 2 albums are on CD-1 and CD-2 is only half full by "Gap."
To briefly revisit all three albums (that I wore to bits on vinyl ages ago)...even given the partnership of the great Donnie Dacus, Stills is a super Stephen Stills solo effort. The rockers of "Turn Back the Pages," (that I heard Dacus do with Chicago, when he left Stills' employ) still moves, and the beautiful blues and pathos of "Love Story" and "Myth of Sisyphus" gives you a nice mellow vibe. And the (should have been since they are on there anyway) Crosby Stills and Nash vocals on "As I Come of Age," with Ringo Starr on drums, will melt you away.
I think Illegal Stills was an attempt by Stills to do a very commercial CSN-ish pop album of course without C & N. It has it's moments, especially the opener "Buyin' Time" that always reminds me of the in-concert electric version of "Love the One You're With," and the Neil Young penned, "The Loner." I was lucky enough to hear the Stills/Young band do these twice, and they rock. The album should have done much better commercially than it did.
Oh, and before I forget, the liner notes in the 2 CD/3 Stills Album set are lousy. They contain a factual error or more (David Crosby does NOT appear on Stephen Stills Live for example). The booklet looks very much like it was written from solely internet sources and not by someone (like yours truly) that has actually followed Stills' career for decades. But that's a small quibble in the scheme of things; you don't buy a CD for the booklet, for sure!
Finally, Thoroughfare Gap is a bunch of songs in search of unity. This is the album that Jack built...but it was Stephen. The title track is a masterpiece, take the time to live it. The blatant attempts at pseudo-disco (ugh!) on "You Can't Dance Alone," and "Can't Get No Booty," are even in hindsight hideous...almost laughable today. The rest of the set on "Gap" is mediocre at best.Bottom Line: 3/5 stars. Now Stephen (or the powers at be), release RIGHT BY YOU that has some great moments for extra credit...and soon please! And get someone who knows the music to write the narrative in the booklet, OK?
Zeph, out
PS: DON'T FORGET those in the USA, my favorite Avril Lavigne is musical guest on NBC Saturday Night Live April 14th...set your recorders! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
CROSBY AND NASH tour is on, fo' shizzle!
David Crosby and Graham Nash's "evening with" tour that was canned due to issues with Mr. Crosby this Spring is certainly (or as certain as these things go) ON for the upcoming fall 2007! I have had snail mail and email from two of the sites that concur with this and also my friends at 4waysite.com have posted quite a few dates as "up." Check their TOURS section for info.
Also a New Hampshire newspaper has the grand announcement of an upcoming local C&N show.
Also Stephen Arthur Stills, the middle-man of sorts of the group will be on a solo tour (check the same above link for dates) of the east coast of the USA this Spring. Yours truly has great seats, unusually great in fact for a stop on both the Stills and C&N tours and you can bet your Suite: Judy Blue Eyes that your old Zephyr will post a nice review of the shows as soon as I see and hear them. It is hard for me to be totally objective about any music that comes out of these camps, but I will do my best. I have loved their work all my adult life.
Look for me in an American football shirt in the first row at one of the Stills shows soon, Stephen! And how about some nuggets that have gone unplayed for decades? I can't wait to rock with you!
Zeph, out
PS: Here's a link to a nice review of NASH EDITIONS, the entire title of the book about Graham Nash's wonderful photography is Nash Editions: Photography And The Art Of Digital Printing by Garrett White (editor) with Graham Nash, Richard Benson, R. Mac Holbert and Henry Wilhelm.
David Crosby and Graham Nash's "evening with" tour that was canned due to issues with Mr. Crosby this Spring is certainly (or as certain as these things go) ON for the upcoming fall 2007! I have had snail mail and email from two of the sites that concur with this and also my friends at 4waysite.com have posted quite a few dates as "up." Check their TOURS section for info.
Also a New Hampshire newspaper has the grand announcement of an upcoming local C&N show.
Also Stephen Arthur Stills, the middle-man of sorts of the group will be on a solo tour (check the same above link for dates) of the east coast of the USA this Spring. Yours truly has great seats, unusually great in fact for a stop on both the Stills and C&N tours and you can bet your Suite: Judy Blue Eyes that your old Zephyr will post a nice review of the shows as soon as I see and hear them. It is hard for me to be totally objective about any music that comes out of these camps, but I will do my best. I have loved their work all my adult life.
Look for me in an American football shirt in the first row at one of the Stills shows soon, Stephen! And how about some nuggets that have gone unplayed for decades? I can't wait to rock with you!
Zeph, out
PS: Here's a link to a nice review of NASH EDITIONS, the entire title of the book about Graham Nash's wonderful photography is Nash Editions: Photography And The Art Of Digital Printing by Garrett White (editor) with Graham Nash, Richard Benson, R. Mac Holbert and Henry Wilhelm.
