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Encapsulating a Decade of Unrest in 3 Minutes

It starts off with that iconic twangy guitar riff whose treble could peel paint off walls if only it was played loud enough.  “bah bah, bah-bah-bah”.  Then comes the counterpoint played by the bass, then some tambourine, and after that the song gets more comfortably into its 60’s rock n roll feel that became so iconic of this group.  I’m talking about the brilliant song “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones.  A song that epitomizes counterculture and the growing sentiment of American youths.  The funniest part about this song?  It was written by two Englishmen who never had a #1 song on the US charts before, at least until the song came out.  How could Mick Jagger, who dropped out of the hugely revered London School of Economics, have so perfectly encapsulated the rapidly expanding American attitude into this song when he really knew very little about it?

Mick is smart.  That’s undeniable.  And Keith knew how to write a riff, that’s even more undeniable.  The combined efforts of these two artists produced some of the finest music from this illustrious time period, second only to The Beatles in the genre of rock.  They were truly hitting their stride in this year, 1965, and they were paying attention to what the largest global market wanted to hear, despite being real Londoners at heart.  They also paved the way for other popular groups like The Who to write music that got into the minds and souls of its listeners.  They were almost writing music like anthropologists making a careful survey of the people most apt to their sound and giving them lyrics that just hit home.  So, what exactly did the youths of the time want to hear, and what were some of the events that were pushing them to create their own path and seek out their own validation through music?

For starters, the Vietnam war was as much a global cultural movement as it was a pointless battle for the United States.  Putting my views to the side, it was quite clear that this war was spearheaded mainly by propaganda and the irrational fear of the threat of communism, and it was hard to justify wasting so many young American lives over a conflict that so few people really agreed with.  If you were a young male graduating high school when this song came out and you hadn’t figured out exactly what you wanted to do with your life yet, odds are the draft was going to snatch you up.  Fighting for your country!  What a noble act!  Yes, that might be true, but Vietnam seemed like a death sentence and a trip to hell where you could only really bargain between the options of death or post-traumatic stress disorder if you made it back to the states alive.  And what happened to the GI bill and the support that American troops got for fighting in wars like the Second World War?  Well, they were still there, but a lot of people openly despised soldiers and gave them very little respect for putting their life on the line.  So, you either stay at home and dodge the draft which might make you seem un-American and like a lazy and selfish individual, or you go to war with a high probability of dying in the middle of the jungle just to come back home and receive scorn from the people that you protected and fought for in the first place.  Not ideal either way.

Another huge social pressure at the time came from people like Martin Luther King Jr. who was making a long awaited and long deserved push for minority rights and respect in a country that was trying it’s best not to progress and not to accept people that were often even more American and hard working than themselves.  The history of oppression in this country is long and incomplete, unfortunately, but there was finally a lot of progress during this period which naturally became a complicated topic depending on one’s political stance and essentially the amount of race-based corruption that they had learned in their lives.  Increasing the tensions that were already extremely high because of the war, the 60’s were turbulent and uncertain, but change was coming, and it was coming quickly.

One of the features of this song that makes it so impactful is its universality.  It seems like almost no one in this period could really get any satisfaction.  The country was divided, and everyone seemed to have something to gain or lose, so status and future prosperity were on the line for so many individuals no matter their walk in life.  The persona in the song can’t seem to escape the turbulence which follows him in the car, on the television, and in every corner of the world.  There’s a frustration to this song, a confusion about why things need to be this way, and a sense of growing tension about the current moment and the future.  There’s a plethora of “useless information” going around that could lead someone toward a corrupted idea of a major event, which gives the impression of a lack of trust in the world and the public at large.  Who do you believe in this time?  The government?  The countercultures?  The progressives?  What about yourself?  That doesn’t seem possible, after all you seem to be continuously on a “losing streak”.  The persona seems to want to find a confidant that can give them a break from the chaos that seems to be surrounding them at all times.  There’s an undertone of an identity crisis going on for this person, where they might try to put on a nice, collared shirt and act like the perfect nuclear middle-class family man that Americans seem to champion only to find out that some very insignificant fact like smoking the wrong cigarette invalidates you from attaining that role.  Gratification is delayed, and the persona is so close to enjoying the fruits of their efforts but is constantly told to “come back” like being on a treadmill toward their desires.  And this was all so powerful because it touched on the experiences of so many different people in a way that transcended race, income, and status across America.  

The song was a hit for many reasons.  Instrumentally, it’s fantastic and quickly became a favorite for their live performances.  And lyrically and symbolically, it was a grand slam.  This song took all the confusion and all the repressed emotions that so many youths in the ‘60’s were feeling and put it behind some energy-filled and groovy rock music that gave them an outlet and an acknowledgement that their voice was being heard and that it was valued.  A sensation when it came out, and still a unanimous hit today, the Rolling Stones really got it right with this track.

#60's #rocknroll #counterculture #hippie #rollingstones #satisfaction

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Is Dave the Savior of Rap Music?

Let me start this off with a controversial and harsh conditional statement: if rap does not rethink its current direction and who it chooses to elect as leaders in the genre, it will eventually consume itself and die.  While rap began as an outlet for voicing the many narratives of the institutionalized and underrepresented in America, it would be tough to find any undertones of this in many of today’s most prominent songs.  I’ll keep this argument centered around the masculine side of the genre as I do believe the recent prominence of female artists is a good move by the industry that represents a long-fought battle that should really have been won years if not decades ago.  Regardless, I think that rap has started becoming so mainstream that it has lost touch with its roots and has positioned itself precariously close to pop music in so many ways that a significant number of listeners care only about the catchiness of the songs, the hype potential, and simply how vulgar or shocking it is to hear.  Lyrics and history have taken a back seat to marketability, and there are countless talented rappers who will never find the success they deserve because they do not possess the ideal balance of traits necessary for wide stream commercial success.

I’ve talked about this somewhat newcomer before, but I really think more people, especially more American listeners, ought to lend him an ear. David Orobosa Omoregie, who goes by the stage name Santan Dave or even more commonly as just Dave, has made himself a household figure in the British rap scene.  His background has a story, a touching story in fact that resembles some of the most historical artists in rap music’s history.  Born on the fifth of June in 1998 in South London to Nigerian parents, Dave unfortunately had to cope with a father who was deported before he could even walk.  Forced to turn to his two brothers for support and guidance in a rough, low-income neighborhood in London called Streatham, his mother worked diligently as a nurse, but the family still struggled to put food on the table and offer an optimistic future for her three sons.  Eventually, Dave’s brother Christopher got wrapped up in crime and was convicted to life imprisonment for the murder of a rival gang member.  Meanwhile, his other brother, Benjamin, was sentenced to four years for conspiracy to defraud.  This left David alone with his mother in a truly uncertain time with countless pressures toward the tempting but fateful influences of crime and gang life that seemed to hover around every street corner.  Dave found comfort in school, and took a special interest in philosophy and law, but his real passion and his true mode of expression would be found in London’s underground rap scene.  Here he chased his dream and ran away from his demons, and he would eventually find success after Drake noticed his talent and had him featured on a remix to one of Drake’s songs “Wanna Know,” which was released in 2016.

So, what does Dave talk about in his music and why should American audiences care?  Well, Dave addresses things deeply and sincerely; whether talking about his background, his battles with mental health, his reflection on the industry at large and the mistakes he sees his peers making, Dave always keeps things in the right perceptive.  He is not consumed by his newfound wealth, and he remains cognizant of those that were with him when he career had little promise and those that joined because his personal stock price was rising quickly.  But I think above all, Dave finds a balance between bravado and honesty and communicates this with a refreshing sense of vulnerability that so few artists in today’s age imbue convincingly.  

Take, for example, the opening track from an album he released this year, a song titled We’re All Alone.  It starts off with that aggressive hubris that we’re all so used to at this point, and Dave can really bring the heat when he wants to.  The rhymes are complex just like the rhythm and pace of his lyrics.  He is in total control of his wordplay and doesn’t just say things for the sake of the flow, there’s meaning behind his words that reflect the ways he sees the industry and what he should be doing for himself.  He questions “You see what happens when you got the fuckin’ game in a vice?” before changing the tone of the song entirely.  Here the song breaks down and simplifies.  We hear a stark piano melody and a sense of intense vulnerability as he recounts a message from a fan who is contemplating suicide.  In a span of just one minute, we go from a rapper expertly crafting lyrics about egotism and his luxury preferences to someone who is at the brink of suicide, and he aligns himself with that suicidal person in a way that demonstrates confidence on a scale far greater than any amount of bragging can accomplish “me and him got more in common than he thinks”.

You can trust me, all the shit that you been feelin', you're feelin' with me We all took the wrong turns in different streets We all cry the same tears on different cheeks I got a message from a kid on Monday mornin' Said he's grateful I responded and he's feelin' at peace with himself Me and him got more in common than he thinks But I tell him it's nothin' big so I can go on and live with myself I knew that God would cast me as the leader Somethin' special when he messaged me and told me that I saved his life In twenty-three years, I done so much wrong But in that moment, I just felt like I had made it right

I think this must be one of the best rap songs of the year.  It manages to blend the pride-fueled lives of the now rich and boldly extravagant with those at the lowest points in their life.  Where rap has taken more interest in the extremes of the world with rappers choosing more recently to focus on subject matter like mental health and their internal battles or, on the opposite side, being more ignorant and flagrant than ever before, Dave is able to blend these two worlds and show the real side of a rapper behind both images.  There’s more on this album that speaks volumes about Dave’s capacity as a lyricist and social advocate.  Another standout track comes at the end of the album, the song Heart Attack which wades through some of most sensitive subject matter like a great poem put to solemn but tasteful music.  Dave says more in this song than many rappers say in their entire discography.  Another fantastic song, Mercury, from a single released in the same year further proves Dave’s dedication to content in his music.  You can tell he’s experimenting with his flow, but he doesn’t just say things for the sake of his lyrical rhythm; he seems incapable of separating meaning from his music, and that’s one of the reasons I respect him so much.

The technical expertise of Dave’s music is not something that can be easily translated in a review of a track, and I deeply encourage any readers to listen to this music or to at least google the lyrics.  They are as much poems as they are rap songs, and they are some of the finest examples of music-as-art as I’ve ever heard within the genre.  Dave is rightfully getting recognition in the UK, but he needs more recognition in the United States.  He is exactly what rap should be in the modern age: a culmination of everything great from the past put into a modern perspective.  But, unfortunately, most of what we hear and most of the artists that dominate the popular charts in America make derivative music with little creativity.  But, most disparagingly, they make music that says nothing and represents nothing.  Dave has never and will never fall into that camp, and I can only imagine that it has something to do with American labels being hesitant to acknowledge such a talented figure to American audiences because they might start questioning why many rappers are so prolific while managing to put so little effort into their craft.  Dave might just start a revolution in listener demands, and I think that might be too much for the current crop of rap royalty to handle right now.

#dave #santandave #ukrap #ukrapscene #rap #londonrap #us

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When Talent Collides with Passion: The Music of Thomas Flynn

When you’re capable of just about everything in life, how do you decide what you most want to do?  And how does that idea shift over time?  These larger-than-life questions can be puzzling and cause paralysis as people catch themselves with boundless opportunities but barely enough time to balance them into their daily schedule.  When you take someone that seems to have no limits, the question isn’t whether they can become exceptional at certain tasks, its simply what tasks are most worth putting their time into.  I have one particular friend, whom I’ve known quite well since we were both in the single digits in age, that seems to be able to do just about everything well.  He started off with a passion for basketball that eventually shifted into a concurrent interest in physics and classical piano.  He could play a passage of Rachmaninoff with as much grace as a routine crossover move, and I remember he started teaching himself from a calculus textbook in middle school that seemed almost impossibly easy to comprehend.  This friend is now a biology student at Dartmouth College and is seemingly able to glide through academics while maintaining far more interest in studies that exist outside the classroom.  However, I think his identity is best summarized in his music.  It is an extension of his personality and his background, and it offers a portal into his perspective of life.  As someone who has been a dear friend of his for a long time now, I’m proud to introduce you to the music of Thomas Flynn.

I’m in the unique position to be able to examine the influences for his sound while being able to make fairly accurate guesses about where they came from.  The following series of email questions should provide an overview of his identity and how that comes across in his music.  Please check out his stuff, if you are a fan of indie music, I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Q) What’s typically the biggest challenge for you as a songwriter?  Is there a particular part of the process that always feels like the biggest hurdle? A) I’d have to say vocals because it’s such a vulnerable element in any song.  I’ve spent a lot of time more recently developing my voice and having the confidence to let that show in the recordings, and I think over time you just get more comfortable with the sound you have and start feeling better about how that fits in and adds to the songs.

Q) I remember our days watching Mac Demarco music videos and idealizing him as a musician and songwriter.  Is he still someone that you feel has a tremendous influence on you today? A) For sure, not necessarily even in the music itself but the kind of spirit he brings to the songwriting process.  He makes music that he likes and that he wants to make.  He doesn’t seem to be very concerned about anyone’s reactions to it, he just stays true to himself and was able to craft an audience around what makes music special for him.  I’ve reflected on that countless times and want to keep that in mind no matter what happens in the future.

Q) Do you reflect on home and your past in your songwriting a lot?  Especially the town we both grew up in? A) It’s probably not something I actively try to include most times, but I’m certain it has had a huge influence and will always influence my sound.  I love nature and feel that my music embraces that feeling you get when you’re totally immersed in it.  I think a lot of my songs have a warmth to them that reflects on that nature aesthetic.

Q) Do you find it easier to write songs by crafting them around lyrics, or instruments?  And what comes first for instruments, guitar or piano? A) In the beginning I was gravitating more toward the guitar as the creative base for my songs, but I’ve taken a greater interest in piano more recently.  They both give a different energy to the song and wind up pushing it in different directions, so I think they work really well to add diversity to my albums and break up the songwriting monotony.  As far as lyrics go, I can never really tell.  Sometimes they just come to me and other times I have to let them sit out for a while before the content starts speaking to me.

Q) Do you feel like you’ve gotten to a point of mastery with the recording aspect of the music? A) I’ve definitely gotten better, but I’m still not totally happy.  It’s like one of those things where the better you get the more you realize how much more expertise it takes to get things to the next level.  I think my recordings sound pretty good right now, but it’s another part of my songwriting that I hope keeps expanding endlessly.

Q) Do you feel like listeners are able to get a sense for who you are through your music?  Is your identity clearly revealed? A) Yes and no.  I think the better you know me the more you’d be able to know where certain elements come from, but there’s always something left on the table no matter how much you try to bring yourself into the music.  I just write what feels natural for me, and I think my songwriting has almost crafted me in a way, as well.

Tom has released two full length projects to date including a number of smaller releases, and I’m sure that catalogue will continue to grow and become further refined with every new recording.  He’s a person that doesn’t have to try to appear good at something, it just becomes immediately evident, and his work really speaks for itself.  Some of my favorite tracks include his newest single titled Self K(no)w Self and two tracks off his first full length project, Cold Brook, titled Zeus and Younger.  It’s a strange sensation to hear a childhood friend in your Spotify playlist, and I’m sure it’ll be an even more extraordinary experience to hear him at a festival or on the radio one day.  But with the coupling of finely tuned artistic talent with a genuine passion and commitment to releasing music that is uniquely and magnificently ‘him’, Thomas is sure to become a household name in the future.  Jump on the train early and give him the listeners that I know he deserves.  

#thomas flynn #indie #emerging artists #listennow

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How a $5 Admission Ticket Solves Your University Worries

“I think this is it,” you say to yourself staring at a slightly discolored and largely neglected house that has just one small path leading to its backyard where you can hear music that sounds like a jumbled collage of sound rather than a well-coordinated concert.  But it certainly isn’t frat music, so this must be it.  You take that slightly odd path and eventually see a beat-up folding table where a person asks you for a 5-dollar donation.  Sometimes you can access the staircase right from the backyard and other times you have to go through the house.  Did you wear your nice shoes?  That was a mistake.  Well, it’s too late now, anyways, so you eventually find your way to the basement steps and start to descend them making sure to hold onto the sticky railing or paint splattered walls in the hopes that you don’t lose your balance and tumble down.

As all this is happening, the music is becoming a lot louder, and you can hear the joyous hubbub of voices laughing, fake singing, and engaging in conversation, but your main attention is on the setting itself.  The common items, cheap Christmas lights strung carelessly throughout the space, odd carpets barely hanging up from the walls, and a completely tattered washing and drying machine make up some of the most necessary elements.  This will be your new home, welcome to the New Brunswick basement show scene.

Reflecting on my time exploring the scene, I have a mixture of fond memories and surprisingly enjoyable performances with an almost equal amount of self-conscious reflection amounting to something like “why the hell am I even here?”.  But, of course, that is all very subjective.  The one thing that unites all basement show fans is the sense of resolve they find in a nightlife environment that doesn’t just revolve around kegs of Keystone Light and some of the worst music you’ve ever heard in your life being played louder than you’d ever think necessary.  In opposition to Rutgers’ somewhat dreaded fraternity scene stands the humble, self-hosted basement scene; a place that accepts people how they are and doesn’t really promise much but can still offer a lot.  

I believe it isn’t truly possible to convey a sense of what these shows are like without experiencing them for yourself.  I’ve attended concerts for about a year-and-a-half (abruptly ended by covid) that left me truly puzzled, and others that were inspiring and made me want to dance and bop my head without any apprehension at all.  I’ve been to rap concerts, head-banging metal shows, dance-music filled club atmospheres and, of course, the indie-rock shows that seem to be the most common denominator between such a wide and varied selection of music.  Some of these shows combine different genres, too, and frankly I’ve never known what to expect half the time until I’m actually there.  I’ve seen rappers completely fudge through songs they’ve written themselves, bands that couldn’t quite figure out what key their song is supposed to be in, and other artists who start getting stage fright and seem like they just can’t wait for their set to end.  But that’s the whole point of these shows, everyone playing and performing is exactly like you: a little lost, a little uncertain and just desperately trying to find their voice and identity at a school that seems so large and overwhelming at times that it can really make you feel forgotten about.

This article posted in NJ.com provides a counter view to my skepticism and gives a far more optimistic approach, with the headline telling you basically everything you need to know “A sweaty New Brunswick basement just hosted the best N.J. concert of 2017”.  Frankly, I find that hard to believe.  I’m sure it was a great show, but I’ve seen one of the bands perform multiple times and I do recall them being quite good, but to say that it was the best show in the entire state especially considering how many professionally-set-up venues there are throughout a historically music-rich state, this is an extremely bold claim.  Still, I think this kind of article gives you an idea of why they can be so lovable.  It’s not necessarily the performances, it’s certainly not the venue itself, but it’s the kind of energy and feeling that basement shows give you that are truly unique and can, at their best, make you feel like you are at something remarkably special for a few hours.

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/2017/03/scenes_from_a_new_brunswick_basement_show_where_nj.html

To understand this scene, you don’t need to understand the aesthetics of the music and the quality of the performances.  They vary too widely to say anything with consistency.  To me, these basement shows are special because of the sense of community and belonging that can be such a difficult thing to find at a school so big and frankly unyielding toward students who don’t feel comfortable being a drink away from blacking out and making horrible decisions.  Basement shows gave me a necessary alternative.  When my other friends had ‘better’ and ‘cooler’ things to do on the weekend, I knew I could find a show to go to where I could feel like I was a part of Rutgers and wasn’t just sitting in my dorm regretting my life decisions.  I’m not sure if many other students there share that sentiment, and a lot of the time I made the journey to these shows on my own which certainly changes the way one interacts in a crowd, but I always had the feeling that these shows gave those that had a hard time finding their place at Rutgers an opportunity to feel accepted and be a part of something.

Images:

https://raritanriverreview.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/the-underground-sound-new-brunswicks-basement-music-scene/

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/2017/03/scenes_from_a_new_brunswick_basement_show_where_nj.html

#basementscene #new brunswick #rutgers #indie #rap #metal #live performance #shows #essence #identity

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West Meets East in Explosion of Psych-Rock Perfection

Kikagaku Moyo’s album Masana Temples lives on the precarious border of extreme pretention but manages to stay within the camp of sanity enough to make it a perfect vehicle to bring a yoga-amateur closer to ‘om’.  A combination of unmistakably eastern sounding music aesthetic brought together with the warmth and familiarity of 60’s-influenced psychedelic rock, this album allows the listener to be enveloped in the atmosphere of blissed-out rock music from bandmates that proudly hail from Tokyo.  To the western ear, it feels concurrently recognizable while having a tendency toward a curious unknown, and one standout, in my opinion, accomplishes this sentiment beautifully.  The third track, Nazo Nazo, features only Japanese lyrics, and I will save you the pain of watching me fail to google-translate that into something sensible, but the instrumental section alone has enough interesting and unique detail to give an impression of just what makes this band so engaging to listen to.

(Take a look at why the psych-rock community can’t get enough of this band)

https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2018/12/kikagaku-moyo-masana-temples-2018-review.html 

Let’s start with the tonality of the instruments.  Clear, precise, yet warm and comfortable and never straying toward the harshness of poorly recorded and thin-sounding psychedelic records of the past, this song allows the listener to simply melt into its atmosphere.  We’re first presented with a robust sounding electric bass that sounds thick and really interjects a lot of energy into the song as it diverts away from the main melody line that the guitars and vocal take up in unison throughout most of the track’s duration.  Whenever the main melody ascends and creates tension for the listener, the bass is there to back things off and smooth out the song, and similarly the bass creates tension as well by diverting from the predictability of the melody that adds a kind of call and response to the song.  The bass overall takes a laxer approach toward reaching the tonic and takes more liberties with the somewhat predictable rhythms of the melody.

Drums provide a very laid back and soothing accompaniment to the song and seem to be added to taste rather than functioning as a fundamental rhythmic element to the song.  Gentle, probably hand-tapped toms add some counterpoint to the tracks but are included with the intention leaning closer to a symphonic interpretation than a thrashing end-of-measure drum fill as is more common within rock music.  Similarly, a ride cymbal is lightly tapped throughout the track throwing in some triplets here and there to offset the very passive drum arrangement.  Kikagaku Moyo subtracts common elements of rock percussion from the track to imbue a more soothing and ethereal presence to the song and to allow the serene and pervasive aesthetic and melody to dominate over the rhythm.  It is fastidious and so tasteful, like a chef adding fresh herbs to a dish right before sending it out of the kitchen.

Now onto those velvety sounding guitars.  There’s two major guitar lines in the track, one panned to the hard right which swims through chords and intoxicates the listener with its chorus effect and the other panned to the left which follows the vocal melody with complete precision.  The two guitar tracks are so smooth and enveloping, and they have such a perfect balance in the mix that calls attention to them at the right moments while being able to disappear into the background and add to the tracks weight and atmosphere at just the right times, as well.  There’s even a guitar solo that comes in place of the vocal lead, but its presentation is again so tranquil and soothing that it almost sounds like an electrified vocal track itself.  The solo brings counterpoint to the main melody but sounds so sure of itself and unhurried that it almost sounds like the listener has already heard it a thousand times and can sing along to it out of sheer intuition.  Furthermore, the staccato lyrics blend into the song with a delicate approach and do even more to fill in missing frequencies that add thickness and a greater sense of familiarity to a song which so expertly utilizes instruments.  

Overall, this band seems to bring all the most loved elements of psych-rock with a decidedly western flavor that manages to sound exquisite and earthy, while retaining its own distinctive identity.  Check out the bands YouTube performance on KEXP that further demonstrates all they’re capable of and you even get the added bonus of being able to see and listen to an electrified sitar.  There’s simply nothing cooler than that, and realistically not much cooler than the band themselves.  With an ear for harmonic complexity and an endless amount of taste, this band adds a fresh new perspective to the psych-rock scene, and I’m thankful to live in an age where this band can get the credit and attention they deserve from listeners around the globe.

#japan aesthetic #psych rock #masana temples #sitar #experimental #kikagaku moyo #guitar music

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If you’re interested in understanding your music choices better and how they may play into your mental states please check out my new podcast!  Links to all articles referenced in the podcast are provided below, and all the guitar parts were recorded by myself.

https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/doi/10.1080/10398560701879589

https://academic-oup-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/jmt/article/46/4/339/1027035

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5500733/?report=classic

https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/doi/10.1177/0305735615594489

#menalhealth #musicchoice #preference #depression #anxiety #genre #age #gender

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Epitomizing Classic Rock Lead Guitar

Half the fun of being a musician is trying to look like, sound like, and play like your heroes.  While this path often leads to expensive sessions on websites like eBay and reverb searching for that next magical piece of gear and alternating between moments of joy and frustration as you get a little closer to playing like your idols but then realizing the closer you get just how much better they are than you - regardless, chasing this dream is a lot like chasing the dragon; it probably isn’t possible but you’re going to try anyways.

In the world of guitar playing, which is a world I’ve proudly inhabited now since the single digits in age, the unfailing chase for ‘that tone’ is something that comes as a universal qualifier once someone gets comfortable enough to rip a pentatonic scale with a little bravado and confidence.  While I love rhythm guitar playing and think it’s one of those areas that truly makes a great guitar player (especially when playing with others or in a band setting), my heart rests in the beauty and magic of the solo and melody in lead guitar playing.  There’s something so expressive, like a direct link from your emotions and your soul to the fretboard that creates a special bond and demands full attention from not only yourself, but also your audience.  It’s a spotlight moment, and as much as it presents an opportunity to sound like a cliché poser, it can also bring a strong moment of glory that feels so gratifying after rehearsing and practicing licks repeatedly until one can play them from muscle memory alone.  This compilation of songs demonstrates some of my favorite and most influential guitarists at the top of their game.  I hope it can serve as inspiration for aspiring guitar players and entertains some rock music fans who just want to groove along with players that make the connection between the instrument and the individual seem more like a spiritual illumination than just a guy pulling on some strings on a dead piece of wood.  

Starting with the most classic rock sounding classic rock possible, we have Paul Kossoff ripping his Les Paul into a cranked Marshall stack (the true epitome and peak of rock n roll) in the song I’m A Mover from the Free Live! album.  That crunchy guitar tone makes up the vast majority of the left pan of the mix, so listeners can hear every detail and nuance in his playing clearly.  And boy does he use that space to good use.  Kossoff combines some tasteful but not overly exaggerated riff-based rhythm playing with opportunities to launch off into vibrato heavy solos all the while keeping a perfect understanding of the timing of the song and the rest of the band.  It’s a tight song that gives the lead player just the right amount of ‘free’dom without getting lost in excess.  Kossoff doesn’t try to use too many notes or pull the song in his direction entirely; he stays central to the bluesy message of the song and lets his fingers do the talking with impactful and purposeful words with every note.  

Next, we’ll move to my two favorite guitarists of all time (which I could’ve used as examples for probably over a hundred songs of lead mastery) starting with Eric Clapton.  This recording is unique for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it features such an incredible all-star lineup called the Dirty Mac which features (get ready for it) John Lennon on rhythm guitar and vocals, Keith Richards on bass, and Mitch Mitchell on drums.  And for you guitar nerds out there, Clapton rips his signature cherry red es-335 into a fender stack that conjures up serious undertones of Clapton’s biggest influencer, the great B.B. King.  The tone is a little thin and snarly for Clapton during this stadium-playing Cream-era time of his guitar career, but I love it as a deviation from his usual sound that also informs his playing and almost shows his personality more in a lot of ways than his typical Marshall stack sound does.  And Clapton is really at his best here soloing over the entire 4-minute song with all the soul and character that made countless guitar players in the late 60’s gush over.  Just watch the video, these are all legends in rock music having fun and absolutely killing a great Beatles cover.

My second favorite guitar player, Mick Taylor from The Rolling Stones, is rarely mentioned in debates of sensational lead players for very strange and inscrutable reasons.  Simply listen to his lead work on Hide Your Love and you’ll get goosebumps at Mick’s ability to combine difficult sequences with endless amounts of taste and feel.  This classic blues song lets Mick showcase his chops in the background during the entire song, and Jagger even shuts up every once in a while, to let him really steal the show.  There’s this sense of control and expertise that comes across in this track that only a true master could convey, and I really think this represents unbeatable guitar work no matter who would try to challenge him.

The passionate, almost violent guitar sound from Jeff Beck’s Let Me Love You is unique and gutsy in all the best ways.  Another very bluesy track from another English group, this track demonstrates how fighting with your guitar can feel like a bluesman at the crossroads who’s truly battling with the devil.  The tone is unique, the playing is inflamed, and the notes are all creative and expressive in a manner that would make a lot of guitar players scratch their heads and think ‘how the hell did he do that?’.

Another angry song from a player who needs no introduction, Tony Iommi’s playing on the track Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots is genre defining and innovative to say the least.  The song’s introduction almost has a jazzy feel; it’s free-flowing and loose, but the unity between guitarist, bassist, and drummer is so tight that the listener never feels lost and the track never seems directionless.  Although this track isn’t one big soloing showcase like some of the others, I challenge any guitarist who thinks they know their chops to play along with this in perfect time and with the same refined rage that Iommi musters.  It’s a killer track with a distorted metal tone that takes its roots from more bluesy and latin-flavored backgrounds, and it shows that heavy rock and metal sounds can come from fewer notes played with fervor rather than haste.

The last track ends this list like a sweet desert.  Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers is a masterclass of taste and self-command.  Two guitars trade solos that feel exactly like a warm summer sun, and the notes seem to radiate out from the guitarist’s souls rather than their fingers.  Almost as if Jerry Garcia had grown up on a peach farm, the solos are melodic and don’t feel like standard pentatonic runs or played out blues riffs.  Every note is purposeful and connects the phrases together with a real naturalness that somehow makes the listener feel like they’re in the middle of a field on a beautiful day no matter their setting or time of year.  It’s a song that captures a vibe unlike any other, and the guitar playing is so perfect for the track that you can’t help but smile.

Obviously not an entirely exhaustive list as I’ve had to omit a few guitarists that certainly deserve your attention, as well, but I hope this gives the classic rock guitarist a wide range of sounds and playing styles to learn from and appreciate.  Every guitarist mentioned in this list has other great tracks in their catalogue, and I strongly encourage you to invest yourself into their playing even more to discover further inventiveness that should provide countless hours of learning and inspiration.  Cheers and enjoy!

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeFwaWFTGYU

Mick Taylor Photo: https://sfae.com/Artists/Dominique-Tarle/Mick-Taylor-Recording-in-the-Basement-Studio-Nellc

#guitar #paul kossoff #eric clapton #mick taylor #jeffbeck #toniiommi #allman brothers band #classic rock #guitar solo #masterclass

[legalvinyl]

An Electrifying Blues Performance by Rock Veterans The Black Crowes

After being delayed for well over a year following the heavily influential covid outbreak, last Saturday’s performance by the Black Crowes proved that live music is back and possibly even better than ever.  I arrived at the show more than two hours in advance and was surprised to see the main parking lot fully packed already, people happily throwing frisbees and sandbags for cornhole as the radiant sun gently settled down into the horizon on a beautiful late-summer night in Homdel, New Jersey.  Even the auxiliary parking lot was packed with most of the same tailgating affairs, this time with the sweet smell of barbecues cooking American favorites along a line in the back of the lot.  The energy was great; a fairly old crowd for a young 20-year-old to be around, but still a lot of positivity and appreciation for a show that, at one time at least, looked like it would never actually happen.

I could hear music already as I descended the stairs of the shuttle bus, which was merely a school bus with an outfitted stereo blasting classic 80’s jams, and it had that warm, saturated classic rock tone that reminded me of all the concerts from the 60’s that I’d never been able to see personally but adored watching in retrospect on YouTube.  PNC Arts Center was just getting warmed up however, and although I thought the opening act, Dirty Honey, did a great job setting the mood and getting the groove going, they were no match for the ‘Crowes, who really couldn’t be beat that night anyways.  

Dirty Honey’s setup was demarcated by a big banner proudly displaying their name, separating the stage into a smaller section with all the instruments near the front, but it was obvious that there was a lot more going on behind that screen.  I was especially interested, being a guitar player myself, at the interesting mix of amplifiers that peaked out around the sides.  Oranges, Voxes, a Magnatone stack-I’ll stop there before I geek out too much.  Dirty Honey’s guitar player had a classic Marshall stack, and I was right in the direction of his amp so I could hear all that glorious cranked up sound not just through the coloring PA monitors.  The rest of the band was tight, too, and played with a certain bravado and confidence that made them seem as if they���ve been performing effortlessly for years.  They had a very Aerosmith-meets-Guns N Roses sound, and it kept enough of the bluesy theme for the band to follow without becoming repetitive or too contrived.

The Black Crowe’s came out to an old-school, wild-west bar scene toward the back left-side of the stage.  Looking collected and totally in the zone, the band swung their prop drinks in the air and made out like they were having a grand old time.  Like old friends uniting at their favorite old bar spot after a day of motorcycling across the vast American west.  One member slinks off behind the bar and appears in the next moment with a guitar in his hand, strumming a proud opening guitar riff to the song Twice As Hard.  After a few phrases, the rest of the band appears at their positions having grabbed all their necessary tools from roadies obscured to the side of the stage, and they jump into the first track.  They immediately sound great as a band, with a tight rhythm section led primarily by the drummer’s commanding right foot, but the mix leaves something to be desired; luckily, all the sliders on the mixing board are sorted before the end of the first song, and the sound remains great throughout the rest of their performance allowing the talented musicians to really leave an individualistic impression on a classic, blues-based collage of tracks.  The band plays through the entirety of their hit album, Shake Your Money Maker, and no song goes without clapping and applause.  By the third track every band member is really in the groove, and you can tell that they were having a great time, as well, as they looked at each other during dynamics and solos in little nods of approval.  

The Black Crowe’s are led by two brothers, Chris and Rich Robinson, and as is often the case with brothers in a rock band, they’ve had their rough patches in the band’s history.  But absolutely no hint of animosity was present in the show.  In fact, Chris took a moment to celebrate his brother’s birthday which happened to be on the day of the concert, and Rich seemed like he was celebrating his birthday in his favorite fashion-rocking out and picking up good vibes from the audience.  I loved how the band managed to alter their tone throughout the show even though they played a majority of songs from only one record that has one particular sound.  The two guitarists switched amps and guitars throughout, but always managed to sound balanced and rich in texture.  Chris’s vocals sounded great, as well, and he barely relied on his two backup singers who spent a good portion of the show dancing rather than trying to fill in or take the burden off the vocal section.  Chris sounded lively and energetic, and he moved around the stage like a true classic rock singer who knows they must be as entertaining as they sound in order to convey the true spirit of a rock performance.  I would also be remiss without mentioning how great the lead guitarist, Isaiah Mitchell played all night long.  As a longtime fan of strong lead players like Mick Taylor, his sound and techniques, whether playing with a pick, using a slide or picking with his fingers celebrated the spirit of fantastic guitarists like Mick, and I felt that this was the closest I would ever get to hearing a true masterful lead player in person, something I was especially blown away by considering how little recognition Isaiah gets as a player in the guitar community.  He could’ve blown Clapton off the stage that night and trust me I would never say that about an amateur player.

With enough hit songs in the setlist to catch the ears of even the most casual fans in conjunction with some hand-picked favorites that only dedicated fans would know, The Black Crowes performed a fantastic show with plenty of tonal and rhythmic variety to keep things interesting despite the heavy blues focus.  Given their age, every band member brought considerable energy and vivacity to this performance, and I’d be shocked if they could perform better than this on another tour date that will bring them all the way from the American west coast to Europe later this fall.  If you’re lucky enough to catch them on a later tour date, I highly recommend going and even urge you to consider picking an upscale seat as it’ll allow you to appreciate the finer details of their cohesive and masterful mix of good-old, blues-based rock n’ roll.

#rocknroll #rockisntdead #theblackcrowes #shakeyourmoneymaker #pncpark

[legalvinyl]

Finally More from Isaiah Rashad: A Review of The House is Burning

Isaiah Rashad is and always has been a unique talent in the heavyweight lineup of Top Dawg Entertainment.  With only 3 albums to his name after signing to the label in 2013, Rashad has proved himself as being worthy of critical appreciation, and perhaps, also of personal critique for his elusive nature and darker personal issues.  In fact, the rapper who has always “got the music for the vibers” has consistently faced a battle against substance abuse and lingering mental health issues despite always managing to sound so relaxed and uhm ‘vibey’.  I’ve been a fan of Rashad for years now, and I fondly remember a competition between one of my high school friends to see who could learn more of the unwavering triplet verses to his song Park back in 2016.  Those were great memories and I think one of Rashad’s greatest attributes has always been an ability to take something rather basic and ordinary and create a unique interpretation out of it whether it be 3 minutes of a repeating rhyme scheme or a laid-back delivery that addresses many of the stereotypical problems that haunt modern day rap talents – too many girls and too many bad influences.  His latest album certainly leans into those familiar themes at moments, but I think Rashad really shines when he breaks that mold and tries something new.  Thankfully, there are plenty of fresh moments in, The House is Burning, and I think these represent Rashad at his strongest.

The opening track reveals itself in hazy self-contemplation similar to one of his recent singles, Why Worry, and I was very glad to hear that kind of sound from the get-go.  As a teaser to the album’s release, Rashad released a collaboration with Duke Deuce called Lay Wit Ya (the album’s fourth track) that admittedly made me a little apprehensive about his new album.  But the opening track not only sounds like a classic Rashad track but also addresses some of the concerns that have loomed since his last album, so we know he is still committed to the roots of his music even if he ventures into the more stereotypical trap songs that dominate the rap charts these days.  Unfortunately, however, those trap songs appear very soon after the confirming opener with a collaboration between Lil Uzi Vert as the second track just sounding flat and unmotivated.  The beat is alright, but it’s not Rashad.  And the whole ethos of the song is not Rashad.  Fortunately, the third track takes thing back in a positive direction with the catchy and smooth RIP Young.  That staccato delivery in combination with a cloudy and unhurried backing track become a formula that Rashad utilizes for several tracks on this album to great effect.  Long-time fans are reminded of Rashad’s unique ability to sound so leisurely and cool, and the Top Dawg sound is present on this track as well lending a progressive edge to the beat while staying central to rap’s roots in providing a warm, natural, and introspective backdrop for listeners to bop their heads to.

While the album demonstrates Rashad in his classic element, the new Rashad, someone possibly reading too much into the pop and trap recipe book, gently threatens to dismantle an otherwise well-coordinated effort, but I’m glad to conclude that those unfavorable moments do not in any way compromise this album.  In fact, this is a decidedly great album.  One not without its weak moments, but, and especially taken as a whole, something much stronger than what most prominent and settled rappers tend to release after establishing themselves in the industry.  I came in with a skeptic ear but left with vibey satisfaction despite the slightly erratic few first tracks.  Rashad is at his best when he keeps things simple and relaxed and allows his delivery to drive the song rather than trying to inject too much energy in from hype beats and aggressive verses.  By the fifth track, a standout with Smino called Claymore, Rashad seems done with the preceding fabrication and instead makes a rap song about as reductive and moderate as possible.  And that combination allows his ‘vibiness’ to flow totally unrestricted.  He continues this into another great track, Headshots (4r Da Locals), and then takes things in a more experimental direction with the next two tracks All Herb, with Amindi, and Hey Mista.  I think these experimental tracks don’t sound quite polished enough, but they certainly have redeeming qualities and at least reinforce the settled energy that the album needed and continues until the end of its 48-minute duration.  Other standout tracks include an interesting staccato-delivery in Wat U Sed and a choice collaboration between SZA and 6LACK called Score that sounds mature and expert in nearly every way.

Overall, The House is Burning, exhibits Rashad trying out new sounds and textures, some of which I wholeheartedly feel pull him into a direction that was never and should never be him, but there are also experimental tracks here that sound tailored to his traditional character and have a seasoned and well-crafted production team behind to really deliver something satisfying and accomplished.  Being a rapper that likes to stay out of the spotlight, Rashad has produced another fine album to add to a short but quality repertoire, and I’m glad that there are numerous new tracks here to scratch my itch for his unique musical personality that fans always wish there were simply more of.  

#isaiah rashad #the house is burning #top dawg entertainment

[legalvinyl]

When Dave Takes on some Goliaths

Perhaps rap music is nearing its end. In the past few weeks, two globally notable rappers left their mark on 2021 with albums so underwhelming and half-baked that fans seem to have spent more time defending their cherished heroes than actually listening to their new music. Of course, I’m taking a stance here that could provide endless hours of twitter debate, but I think that any true fan could see where I’m coming from. And the irony of all this is that I know there will be plenty of people on the fence about the current state of rap, people that may be inclined to the genre but need to get hooked by someone that actually has something to say. My solution? Let’s look overseas.

David Orobosa Omoregie, who simply goes by Dave, was identified by Drake at the young age of 18 and collaborated with one of rap’s legends on a remix of one of Dave’s own tracks. Now, 5 years later, Dave is utilizing many of Drake’s own tried and true strategies to bring himself fame as one of the UK’s rising stars. A man with a truly tested background, Dave’s two brothers found their way into Britain’s criminal system, and he was left with only his cherished mother and a keyboard that would provide his first segway into songwriting and deeply appreciating music. Late in July of this year, Dave released his sophomore album, We’re All Alone In This Together, after coming off a hot streak with his critically-acclaimed first full length release in 2019, Psychodrama. And he’s still at the top of his game, if not even better than before.

The opening song, We’re All Alone, showcases Dave’s multifaceted nature. The song begins with an ominous musical backdrop, with a swirling bassline that comes in after his first verse and builds energy that he feeds off to effortlessly launch into his denser and more technical wordplay. As a veteran of the UK drill scene, Dave punctuates his verses with precision, and his songwriting demonstrates an ability to mix somewhat ironic arrogance with genuine concern for those close to him. One of the track’s most notable features is Dave’s capacity for dualism; while he can tear through a few lines about his preferences for fine cheeses and flashy cars, Dave remains focused on the irony of frivolous spending with lines like “What’s the point of bein’ rich when your family ain’t? / It’s like flyin’ first class on a crashin’ plane”. Listener’s almost get a sense that Dave is over the status. He’s young and somewhat new to the lifestyle but demonstrates a certain maturity and understanding of wealth’s morally deteriorating nature as he weaves through descriptions of how money allows him to enjoy certain types of high-profile women but, at the same time, exposes him to backstabbing and deception from those with hidden agendas. And he manages to point out all these ironies and paradoxes while maintaining a theme that his life experience and his audience’s life experiences aren’t as different as they may seem.

After a little of two minutes of near effortless rapping that allows Dave to really show off his control and expertise as a leading force in the genre, the beat breaks down to a rather slow and solemn piano part that transitions into the second verse. And Dave, a rapper who made a name for himself exposing his own emotional vulnerability, takes things a step further in a moment of self-reflection that encapsulates the listener into his personal headspace. He recounts a message from a young listener contemplating suicide and says, “Me and him got more in common than he thinks”. Dave then takes us through a glimpse of his past, remembering a legitimately embarrassing moment like how “I had to share a bed with my mum and I was pissin’ myself” that see him voluntarily step off the throne as one of rap’s rising kings and places him amongst a very small group of individuals confident enough to ever admit to something like that in public, let alone on the first track of a highly anticipated album. The vulnerability that pervades itself through Dave’s last release has matured and consolidated into lines that have even more poignancy and impact than before. The next two minutes until the track’s end witness Dave still rapping with impressive skill and power, but with a specific purpose in mind: to relate to his listeners, and to reassure them that there are always difficult and potentially life-threatening forces around us that wealth and status do not insulate one from no matter who we are.

Dave’s opening track from another fantastic album possibly combines all the best features of the modern state of rap music into one; the beat can be mean when it needs to be, the rapping can be accomplished and dynamic when it needs to be, but listeners are able to connect to the lyrical content and catch a glimpse of a life that seems so different from the outside, but is really quite similar to a normal life when broken down by the artist. Rap has progressed from a genre that hides away from insecurity into a genre that can, at times, embrace it. And in a period where Drake can get away with saying the same lines repeatedly with slightly different words and little variation to his sound, Dave, whom Drake recognized as a huge talent even as a teenager, almost calls him out and encourages those big names to keep up with him. Something I’m not convinced Drake can do anymore. Furthermore, Dave maybe inadvertently takes aim at Kanye as well by combining meaningful self-reflection with a Christian-driven flare, and he manages to come off as someone that others can actually relate to. Dave is confident addressing his insecurities and calling out his issues with mental health. And he’s able to weave a higher purpose into his life without coming off as arrogant and self-righteous “I knew that God would cast me as the leader / Somethin’ special when he messaged me and told me that I saved his life”. Dave is a real force to be reckoned with on this track, and he’s not afraid to cross into the lanes of some of rap’s most coveted individuals because I really don’t think they can hang with him as they produce some of their most mediocre works and Dave is in the limelight of his career.

#Dave #united kingdom #ukrapscene #londonrap