So it Goes on Wqfs

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Cd Review Accelerate

“Music will provide the light you cannot resist”

Since drummer Bill Berry’s departure in 1998, R.E.M. has been in a musical rut. There first album without Berry , 1998’s “Up”, was greeted with anything but applause, 2001’s “Reveal” was quickly forgotten, and with 2004’s “Around the Sun” critics and fans alike were thinking perhaps it is time for the once almighty R.E.M. to throw in the towel. After yet another greatest hits album that was released last year, “And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years” and a live album, appropriately titled “R.E.M. Live”, only served as yet another indicator that perhaps the best years of R.E.M.’s career were truly over. For many, myself included, R.E.M.’s 14^th studio effort, “Accelerate”, is a do or die album for the band, not only to forget the past, but to ensure a brighter future for the band that gave us such great music as “Finest Worksong”, “Second Guessing” “These Days”, and the list goes on. “Accelerate” thankfully pulls off that mammoth task with style and ease; fans that were turned off by the band’s last 3 albums can finally rejoice, because R.E.M. is back.

The album is a short affair, 34 minutes in length and 11 tracks long. “Living well is the Best Revenge” begins the album. This song, as well as many others off “Accelerate”, was debuted during the band’s working rehearsals in Dublin in 2007. Those who were lucky enough to attend those rehearsals will remember this song being a lot faster and harder. It isn’t because the volume is low on your sound system; it is because the song’s pounding pace has been toned down on the album. While the faster paced version was probably a better way to kick off there comeback album, this new version still packs a punch, lyrically and sonically. David Bowie’s 2004 album Reality was billed by it’s creator as, “an album build to be played live” the same appears to apply to this album as well.

“Man Sized Wreath” was originally meant to be a b-side and after hearing the song you are probably going wonder why, while being thankful it isn’t. This track has become my personnel favorite on the album, to me this song is a throw back to the I.R.S. years and probably could have a nice home on the Green album in place of “Get Up” or “Hairshirt”. The band sounds like it is having a blast on this song, it is nice again to hear bassist Michael Mills do backing vocals again, and it does fit very well on this song. “Supernatural Superserious” the album’s first single and it is the third track on “Accelerate”. It is easy to see why it was chosen to be the first as well, it’s upbeat, catchy, plus it is the best blend of modern and old school R.E.M. on the album. “Hollow Man” begins off slowly but soon Peter’s Buck guitar playing and Bill Rieflin’s drumming kicks in within 45 seconds and the song transforms into a highly charged rocker. It would be a good second or third single off the album.

“Houston” is nothing special or honestly memorable, with the attention grabbing opening, “If the storm doesn’t kill me, the government will” the rest of the song doesn’t maintain the rest of that importance or urgency, barely hitting the 2 minute mark you will forget about after hearing the title track. “Accelerate” lives up to it’s word. With the amps turned up to 11, this song defines what rock and roll is meant to be. Lead singer Michael Stipe sings the song with the intensity of a man half of his age, like a man who has something to prove to himself or even to his audience. “Until the Day is done” had it’s debut over several months ago on CNN’s “Planet in Peril”, it is easy to see why after listening to the opening lyrics, “The verdict is dire, the country’s in ruins”.

“Mr. Richards” is the second gem on the album, one that is destined to become not only a fan favorite, but also a live favorite. “Mr. Richards” is a tight knit rocker, which can be perceived by some as a cryptic political song that some rumor is aimed at Vice President Cheney or at the current administration. This song is a modern political anthem of today’s tuber lent political culture in the fashion of “Green’s” “Orange Crush” or even “Bad Day” which is one there “In Time” best of collection. “Sing for Submarine” is about 2 minutes too long, clock in at about 5 minutes, it is the longest and perhaps the dullest track on the album. However it is better than 70% of anything off of “Around the Sun” or “Up”.

If you started falling sleep during “Sing for the Submarine”, track number 10 “Horse to Water” will awake you from your slumber. It is by far the most intense song on the album, with the hard pounding drums, pulsating bass, rip roaring guitar riffs, and Stipe’s thundering vocals. The lyrics are as intense as the vocals, coming to crashing conclusion with the ending lyrics, “it’s bound to pound the daylights out of you.” The album closes with “I’m gonna DJ”. This song was a leftover from “Around the Sun” records and if it was on that album, “Around the Sun” would have been a lot more memorable. Much like “Man-Sized Wreath” this was nearly b-side material, it was played nightly on R.E.M.’s 03-05 tour and nightly on the working rehearsals gigs, and it was also recorded on R.E.M. Live. The lyrics are simple, “Hey Steady! Hey Steady! I don’t want to go until I am good and ready” and the band is rocking, with drummer Bill Rieflin taking charge. When the cd comes to an end it is obvious the album lives up to the hype and after nearly a decade of lows, R.E.M. is reborn at last.

In my opinion “Accelerate” ranks up there with the best R.E.M. albums such as “Document”, “Reckoning”, “Monster” and “Automatic for the People.” It is a fun, hard rocking album that reestablishes why R.E.M. is considered one of the world’s best bands. R.E.M. has rediscovered it’s voice, one can only hope they will never lose it again. Rating: A-

Song Ratings

1. Living Well is the Best Revenge – 4.5/5

2. Man Sized Wreath – 5/5

3. Supernatural Superserious – 5/5

4. Hollow Man – 5/5

5. Houston – 3/5

6. Accelerate – 5/5

7. Until the day is Done – 4/5

8. Mr. Richards – 5/5

9. Sing for Submarine – 3/5

10. Horse to Water – 5/5

11. I’m Gonna DJ – 5/5

My Top 10 R.E.M. Songs

1. Everybody Hurts

2. I Took Your Name

3. World Leader Pretend

4. Finest Worksong

5. Second Guessing

6. So. Central Rain

7. These Days

8. Bittersweet Me

9. Man-Sized Wreath

10. Welcome to the Occupation

My Top 5 R.E.M. Albums

1. Document

2. Automatic for the People

3. Monster

4. Reckoning

5. Life’s Rich Pageant

Cd Review: Konk

The Kooks have returned with “Konk” the follow to their 2006 debut album “Inside In the Inside Out”. “Konk” consists of 12 songs and runs about 43 minutes in length, noticeable shorter than there debut album, it appears the goal of this album to show perhaps that less is more. In my opinion this album is just as good as their debut, it has its fair share of downs, but the ups overshadow them much like “Inside in the Inside out”. “See the Sun” is a fairly short, mid tempo song, that kicks off the album in a similar fashion that “Seaside” began “Inside In the Inside Out”, consider it as a slightly lengthier, more rocking “Seaside”.

Lead single “Always Where I Need to Be” is up next and it is what a lead single should be, it is brief, catchy, rocking, and it will leave you wanting more. “Mr. Maker” is a song that will grow on you, while at first I didn’t care much for this song, by the third listen somehow I ready know all the lyrics and I can not stop bobbing my head up and down, while playing really bad air guitar.

The song that defines the album and I am betting will the song that perhaps even defines The Kooks for future generations is up next. “Do You Wanna” is seer perfection, it is something The Rolling Stones only wish they could write that the moment. I admit I liked the album but I was not as thrilled with it as I wanted to be, until I heard this song. I only wish this was the lead single, I am not quite sure why it isn’t, but I have listened to this song 15 times in row after first hearing it and I still can’t get enough of it. It contains ever element a true rock and roll song needs, rocking riffs, sexy lyrics, catchy chorus, and most of all it doesn’t overstay its welcome.

“Gap” is a good song but it is a letdown after “Do You Wanna” but honestly not a lot could. “Gap” is another soft melodic song from The Kooks, it’s the type of song they do well, and it will make a good sing along at a concert. “Love it All” follows “Gap” and at this point it is the worst song on the album. Cheesy chorus and the band sounds kind of lazy on it, thankfully it is under 3 minutes. Think of this song like R.E.M.’s “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite”, with the chorus being repeated over and over, but unlike R.E.M.’s song, the chorus is meaningless.

“Stormy Weather” picks the album back up from its slumber. The bass kicks within the first several seconds of the song and The Kooks are back in rock and roll mode. The song could shave off of a minute and it may be a good future single too. “Sway” brings the band back into mid tempo rock setting, with lead singer Luke Pritchard's vocals and lyrics getting nicely showcased, mix in front of the music in stead of mixed in with. “Shine On” is a beautiful rocker. Next to “Do you Wanna”, it is the best example of why The Kooks may be our generations answer to The Rolling Stones. Similar to The Rolling Stones classic songs like ‘Torn and Frayed”, “Dead Flowers” or “Honky Tonk Woman”, The Kooks incorporate a country twang while not losing that rock and roll element. “Down to the Market” is mod rock song, the shortest song on the album and another one to give you an excuse to crank up the volume on your sound system.

“One Last Time” is song about heartbreak, as you might assume from the title. While the lyrics don’t necessarily go as far as they need to, to make you feel the singer’s pain, the music gives it a good accompaniment. “Tick of Time” is a funny, yet weird way to close the album. The hidden track at the end, “All Over Town” might be a better way to end the album. “All Over Town” once again reminds me of The Rolling Stones, “All Over Town” acts like an acoustic “It’s All Over Now”, but it is a sweet song to send off the listener too. Now the problem with “Tick of Time” is that it partly sounds like a studio outtake that perhaps would be better suited on a b-side. However at the same time is a simple and fun song they captures The Kooks off the guard and just having a laugh and in the end it is all you really expect and perhaps want, from a band like The Kooks. Rating: B

Song Ratings: