stickthisinyourearpodcast

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Random Desire Is Desirable

Greg Dulli, the pop mastermind behind alternative legends The Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers, is back with his debut solo album Random Desire. (Ed. Note-2005’s Amber Headlights, a collection of songs released under Dulli’s name is more of a reference release, a collection of songs rattling around his head and studio, and is not considered by Dulli to be a proper solo album release) For the uninitiated, Dulli’s bands are dark, soul-infused alternative rock that often comes across more like soundtracks to unmade noir movies than just simple albums. The sweeping cinematic nature of his band’s records, coupled with Greg’s unique voice, unparalleled ability to turn a phrase, and his choice to surround himself with unbelievably talented musicians inspires the kind of furor in his fans usually reserved for much larger and well-known acts. The fact that Dulli is not a household name, that his shelves are not packed with Grammy awards and other accolades seems absurd to his fans who, as much as they want to stop every single person they meet, grab them by the shoulders, and shake them into awareness, are just as content to keep Greg to themselves, our little secret that something this good, this important, exists and only the Congregation is aware of its awesomeness. 

Dulli’s solo effort, like all of his releases before it, is nearly fan and critic-proof. His fans are going to approach it as though they’ve just been handed a sacred text entrusted to their care for the ages, and critics have always screamed Dulli’s praised from mountaintops to a mainstream audience to deaf to hear their accolades. As is the trend, several tracks from Random Desire were released ahead of today’s release giving us a taste of what was to come. Pantomima, the album's opener is classic Dulli. A thumping bass line, ticking cymbal, Greg’s voice (a bit buried in the mix for my liking), all building to a crescendo that almost never comes. If Greg Dulli has a signature trait is that every album, every song, every note leaves you wanting more. Pantomima as an opener to an album, a new era, is perfect. By the time the guitar comes in slightly distorted, fast strumming every string, you know you’re in for something special. 

Sempre with its jangly Goo Goo Dolls-esque opening guitar quickly adds keyboards and bass and eventually building chaos that would be at home on an album by The Twilight Singers. If you close your eyes during this song as Greg croons an ooooohhh mid-song you can see the album cover of Powder Burns in your mind's eye. 

Marry Me sounds like a sweet dark ballad, quiet acoustic guitar, vocals quiet, slow, wispy and haunting. Despite its title, the song is a dark exploration of love and loss ending with Greg saying “I let you go…” as the song fades for an eternity. Its moments like this that take you back to a moment in your life, music, and lyrics that evoke every emotion surrounding love all at once. 

The Tide is the peak of the album a rocking number that again builds and builds, its almost all crescendo. But rather than build to a satisfying album, The Tide crashes over you in waves leaving you exhausted but wanting more. A mid-heavy rocker that adds that classic cinematic feel to the record. 

While the album feels immediately comfortable to any fan of the Whigs, Singers or Gutter Twins, that's not to say it’s not original or a rehash of any of his previous works. Scorpio with its echoey guitar and crisp piano are pure Dulli, It Falls Apart is a radio-friendly pop song, A Ghost has a Spanish/Western flair similar to Algiers from 2014 Do to the Beast, but it all sounds fresh and original. Greg’s singing is deeper, richer and a bit more warbly that ever before. Sometimes it sounds like he is headed towards an almost Elvis impersonation with his enunciation, though he does hit those high notes, that sweet spot in his voice, plenty of times throughout the album. There are not many signature screams and growls that you’d come to expect from the earlier punk sounding days of his career. 

The movie, sorry album’s, third act finishes with two very modern-sounding songs in Lockless and Black Moon. The former opens with electronic sounds straight from a late-era Nine Inch Nails album that provides the foundation upon which he builds a dreamy 80’s synth ballad where he proclaims to his love “you’ll be the end of me…” Classic Greg. Black Moon adds some synthetic crowd noise that adds an interesting quality to this song and just adds to the cinematic atmosphere, Greg’s voice is it's most interesting here, you can hear a bit of strain in his voice, an imperfection, a dryness, that adds realness and authenticity of his lyrics. 

Slow Pan is the perfect closer, the song that plays over the credits after the end of the movie Random Desires. A quiet, dreamy (there are harps) ballad that punctuates the entire album as Greg bellows to his lover “I would do anything…” you hear and feel the earnestness in his voice and lyrics. Like any great movie, as soon as the credits fade to black at the end of Slow Pan, you want to hit rewind and start all over again. 

Random Desire is unique, modern rock music. It’s pure headphone music. Whiskey sipping, slow-burning cigarette music. A soundtrack to your last three breakups. For long time Dulli fans this is stripped down to the core Greg Dulli. You may occasionally miss John Curley’s bass or Dave Rosser’s (Rock In Peace brother!) guitar, but the musicians Greg has assembled to help tell his story (guitarist Jon Skibic, multi-instrumentalist Rick G. Nelson, Mathias Schneeberger (Twilight Singers), Mark McGuire (Emeralds) pedal steel wizard, upright bassist, and physician Dr. Stephen Patt, and drummer Jon Theodore) are amazingly talented and add depth to every scene. The band seamlessly transitions from indie rock, to dream pop, to pop ballad with ease following Greg’s direction at every turn. The album demands to be listened to closely to hear highlights sprinkled throughout. From whispered lyrics, short hidden guitar solos, electronic touches the lush production here is suited to lacquered vinyl in a darkened room, alone with your thoughts but just a call away from a former lover. Relish this time fellow members of the Congregation, Greg Dulli is back and not better than ever, no, just as good as we expect. 

https://gregdulli.com

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

The 90’s were equal parts awesome and weird. 25 years ago today, right in the middle of the 90’s, Van Halen dropped this monster, their last studio record with Sammy Hagar (The Red Rocker).

Balance mixed hard rock, contemporary grunge, heavy metal, pop, and some of Eddie’s Holdsworth obsessions into a fantastic album that sounded great and fit right in to the wacky and wild 90’s. It’s a shame that this was the beginning of the end as post Balance Van Halen has been an absolute disaster. But this record, it’s good. Real good. Our #albumoftheday on the occasion of its 25th birthday is Balance.

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

The Best Albums of 2019 (@richrichmond’s list)

Best Albums 2019

1. Charly Bliss Young Enough

The sophomore album (and it’s companion EP, Supermoon) is the best album released this year. Take the raw power pop punk indie sound from their debut add in some maturity and pop sensibility and you get Young Enough, a brilliant record that reminds us that while rock may not be dead, pop rules and can make your rock and roll accessible and endlessly listenable. Eva Hendricks voice and lyrics are genuine and honest and the rest of the band (Spencer Fox, Dan Shure and Hendricks’ brother Sam) are capable, talented and versitile. Young Enough is an anthem for a generation and should not be missed.

2. Cherry Glazerr Stuffed & Ready

I discovered this album late in the year, in fact just last week. I was distraught to discover it came out in February as I missed out on almost an entire year of sticking this in my ear. Stuffed & Ready is modern lo fi indie rock at its best. I am still digesting this record, but it went from being something I didn’t know existed to being my second favorite album of the year. Check it out.

3. Alex Lahey The Best of Luck Club

4. Jenny Lewis On the Line

5. The Cranberries In The End

6. Pixies Beneath the Eyrie

7. The Highwomen The Highwomen

8. Taylor Swift Lover

9. Sturgill Simpson SOUND & FURY

10. Of Monsters and Men Fever Dream

The Best of the Rest

Better Oblivion Community Center Better Oblivion Community Center Phoebe Bridgers & Conor Oberst

Sharon Van Etten Remind Me Tomorrow

The Sherlocks Under Your Sky

Kaiser Chiefs Duck

Billie Ellish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Wallows Nothing Happens

PUP Morbid Stuff

Lizzo Cuz I Love You

Bleached Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough

The Raconteurs Help Us Stranger

Tool Fear Inoculum

Maren Morris Girl

Chris Shiflett Hard Lessons

Weezer The Black Album

The Darkness Easter is Cancelled

The National I Am Easy to Find

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Iron Maiden Concert Review Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, Ohio 8.15.2019

Rock and metal are dead.

That’s what the music press, the public, and streaming and sales figures say. Metal itself has become more obscure and less relevant quicker than other forms of rock in the past two decades. Of course, that doesn’t preclude legacy metal acts like Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Slayer from touring the globe, playing to gigantic sold out audiences and still schorching the earth wherever they go.

I’d never seen Maiden live. I wasn’t a mega fan, but I loved the hits, knew a few deep cuts, and recognized their importance to the scene. I wasn’t fully prepared for what I was about to see.

Iron Maiden have built a legion of fans around the globe not just by making amazing metal music, but by bringing those songs and their legacy to life each and every night for decades. Maiden shows are stuff of legend and they certainly didn’t disappoint in their first appearance in Cininnati in years.

The Legacy Of the Beast tour is based on you guessed it, Maiden’s legacy, but also on their hit mobile game of the same name. There’s no new album which means legacy hits. All night long. And it was glorious.

Maiden have a reputation of playing new music live. I love that. I’d prefer artists I love continue to make new music and perform it live but there’s a stigma with new music and that’s unfortunate. Bruce Dickenson, Maiden’s most recognizable and longest tenured of their three singers, addressed this straight up early in the show. “Welcome to the Legacy of the Beast tour! We’re not playing any new music tonight!” The band launched into a flurry of melodic metal hits performed as expertly and beautifully as they could be. The band was locked in from start to finish delivering a flawless performance that any musician, metal or not, could appreciate. Dickenson flew back and forth across the stage delivering his trademark barks, bellows, and screams, stopping every so often and every so briefly to demand that Cincinnati “Scream for me!!!!” And scream they did.

The show was backdropped by trademark top notch production including a plane, yes a plane, that terrorized the band during the opening number Aces High, amazing, changing backdrops, flamethrowers, fireworks, and a fierce battle between Dickenson and Eddie. Eddie, Maiden’s long time mascot, stole Bruce’s redcoat and Bruce wasn’t happy! The two battled across the stage during The Trooper.

The Clansman (with a C Bruce was clear to say), Flight of Icarus, Fear of the Dark, The Wicker Man all made up an amazing setlist that had the (admittedly errr hmmm “mature” crowd) going wild the entire night.

The Evil That Men Do, Hallowed Be Thy Name, and Run to the Hills wrapped up an amazing show that delivered on so many levels. Decades on in their career Iron Maiden are still delivering maximum metal and maximum speed for the masses of fans that still rush the barricade each and every night.

Rock is dead. Long live rock.

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Best Albums of 2018 (According to @richrichmond)

Snail Mail Lush

Sloan 12

Soccer Mommy Clean

Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer

Smashing Pumpkins SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL 1/LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN

Jack White Boarding House Reach

Spiritualized And Nothing Hurt

Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour

Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness Upside Down Flowers

MGMT Little Dark Age

Superchunk What a Time to be Alive

Father John Misty God’s Favorite Customer

Nine Inch Nails Bad Witch

Twenty One Pilots Trench

Tancred Nightstand

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Best Albums of 2018 (According to @richrichmond)

Snail Mail Lush

Sloan 12

Soccer Mommy Clean

Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer

Smashing Pumpkins SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL 1/LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN

Jack White Boarding House Reach

Spiritualized And Nothing Hurt

Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour

Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness Upside Down Flowers

MGMT Little Dark Age

Superchunk What a Time to be Alive

Father John Misty God’s Favorite Customer

Nine Inch Nails Bad Witch

Twenty One Pilots Trench

Tancred Nightstand

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Top 20 Van Halen Songs

Here are the top 20 Van Halen songs according to our own @richrichmond

Hear About It Later

Dance The Night Away

Why Can’t This Be Love

Don’t Tell Me (What Love Can Do)

You and Your Blues

Summer Nights

Can’t Get This Stuff No More

Without You

The Dream Is Over

In A Simple Rhyme 

Unchained

Feel Your Love Tonight

Romeo Delight

Mean Street

So This Is Love?

Secrets

“5150”

Drop Dead Legs

Right Now

That’s Why I Love You

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

30 years ago today Van Halen dropped OU812 their 8th studio album. The album marked their second release with lead vocalist Sammy Hagar and completed the transition from the Roth era. Like 5150 before it, OU812 was something of a departure from the band’s more traditional hard rock roots found on the “six-pack” of classic albums from the band’s first generation. Hagar, along with Eddie Van Halen’s new found obsession with keyboards and synthesizers, saw the band moving in a more diverse, more melodic direction that left a bad taste in the mouths of some fans. These “Dave or Gravers” as they are often called were unable or unwilling to accept the band’s more “pop” direction and declared their undying affiliation for the original line up the band. Van Halen approached this subject or rather didn’t, with their typical aloofness and indifference towards fans, all while selling millions of records, performing sold-out tours, and achieving a string of #1 albums, a feat never met by a DLR fronted version of the band. 

More open-minded fans were treated to some great music beyond 1984 and as different and polarizing as OU812 was, this is a great listen, a diverse, interesting record that honors the band’s history while firmly accepting their position as melodic rock hitmakers. Revisionist fans like to focus on the keyboard-laden hits and ballads that Sammy Hagar penned with Eddie and seemingly ignore some of the heaviest songs to come from this era. OU812 is split pretty evenly between the two making this a mess for DLR fans to wade through. 

The first single Black and Blue hit the airwaves ahead of the album’s release. It’s slow bluesy opening masks a heavy mid-tempo rocker that eschewed the shorter, punkier tunes of the bands past for an over 5-minute track that let the band stretch their musical legs. The hallmarks of classic VH are all here. Fun, sexually charged lyrics, harmony-heavy background vocals, cymbal-heavy drums, and Ed’s signature sound and crazy solo. Admittedly, Hagar’s lyrics lack a certain poetic subtlety that David Lee Roth was the undisputed master of, but what he lacked in subtlety he made up for with a distinct voice and impressive range. 

Upon its release, the album proper was sequenced well and made for a fun enjoyable listen. If fans did not buy in with Black and Blue, the album opener Mine All Mine was not going to change their mind. While it's a heavy tune, with some of Sammy’s best lyrics, it's a keyboard-heavy tune that has the album open right out of the gate with a distinct keyboard sound over guitar. It works as an album an concert opener very well. 

DLR fans could be heard collectively groaning on the second song, another keyboard tune and worse, a ballad! Sammy Hagar used the word love liberally and literally in direct opposition to David Lee Roth’s more...casual approach to the term. Songs like these are what cause many to throw around ridiculous claims like “Sammy Hagar turned Van Halen into Journey”. A.F.U. (Naturally Wired), Source of Infection and Sucker in a 3 Piece dispute those claims later in the album providing some of the heaviest riffs in the band's catalog and providing Eddie Van Halen a platform to display his effortless guitar god skills. Feels So Good and Finish What Ya Started, while amazing songs, fuel the complaints of the Dave or Gravers. 

Feels So Good a keyboard oddity in the Van Halen catalog remains one of their most interesting tunes. Though the airy keyboards affix the tune permanently to its time, Al’s drums are heavy and awesome, Sam’s vocals are outstanding and the guitar solo is as interesting and compelling as anything Ed’s done. 

That’s the thing with this album. It has a diverse sound. The songs are collected and sequenced in an interesting manner and its diverse sound, moving effortlessly between longer heavier tunes and poppier more accessible sing-alongs create a summery vibe and provide a great listen as a complete album. Toss in a country tune custom built to become a live staple an OU812 (Finish) and an epic rocker that unfortunately, eventually quickened the demise of this version of the band and OU812 quickly becomes a classic Van Halen album. At 30 years olde, OU812 shows its age a bit. It has been desperately in need of a re-master since its initial release and some of the tunes are a bit dated, but overall this is a great album that helped Van Halen continue its dominance of hard rock as the 80′s became the 90′s. 

Essential Tracks: When It’s Love, Cabo Wabo, Finish What Ya Started

Give Them Another Listen Tracks: Mine All Mine, Feels So Good 

#Van Halen #ou812 #StickThisInYourEar #podcasts

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

For their seventh album, Iron Maiden decided to make a statement; a confluence of events, ideas, and decisions that would reinvigorate the band (for awhile) and inform the direction of the band for the future.

In 1988, metal was still king and Iron Maiden were one of the biggest bands in the world. Fresh off the Somewhere Lost In Time tour, Maiden were relishing in their moment. Internally, though there were issues. Mostly around lead singer Bruce Dickinson’s role within the band. His ideas for the Somewhere in Time record were mostly ignored. Iron Maiden was a global machine, an industry of rock of which Dickinson felt like a worker bee.

Steve Harris, inspired by the Orson Scott Card novel Seventh Son, came to Dickinson with the idea of a concept album to celebrate their seventh release. Invigorated, bty this renewed collaborative approach, Maiden began work in earnest on the new album.

New to Maiden was the extensive use of keyboards. It changed the sound and moved the band forward. This was a time before the 90’s “grunge” moment where the bombast of metal infused with keyboards was still considered interesting. The album was also envisioned as a concept album, though no real story was built around the songs making that promise ring slightly hollow.

There was an epic feel to the record highlighted by longer songs, many influenced by more progressive rock ideas and movements. This new approach was most evident on the nearly 10 minute title track. This was a new(er) Maiden ready to continue their conquest of the universe.

The songs themselves were 80’s metal goodness. Better than the “hair band” sound that was starting to burn out after shining brightly for too long, but far more accessible than heavier more aggressive metal, that early Maiden likely bore. Can I Play With Madness is this albums gem, a melodic romp that fits perfectly with classic Maiden sound, but confidently boasts the shiny new keyboard based approach. Bruce’s voice is on fine display here as it is all over the album. The record yielded the classic Maiden track The Clairvoyent a staple of their live shows to this day.

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son put Iron Maiden on cruise control. Already on top of the world, the band’s seventh record served as a statement of intent. With the changes and new direction, Maiden made it clear that not only were they here to stay, but they would do what ever the hell they wanted to. Despite a split with Dickinson in the coming years and a changing music climate that nearly completely abandoned hard rock and metal, Maiden remains a vibrant and to this day, selling concerts out around the world and still releasing relevant music to ravenous modern audiences. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is a curiosity and a classic and definitely something you should consider sticking in your ear.

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Van Halen 1

VH140

I was 4 when Van Halen’s debut album hit on February 10 1978. By the time I discovered the band in my teens they were the biggest band in the world and on the precipice of a major transition. Because of this, the Sammy Hagar era Van Halen is “my Van Halen”. But, it was, is, and always shall be about King Edward.

So, with the help of a high school friend, I worked my way back through the “six-pack”. I devoured it. I was never a musician, but I appreciated what Ed was doing and recognized how it was different than what any other guitar player was doing. He could shred sure, but at his core he’s a pop artist with an ear for melody. Those melodies are what drew me in.

Van Halen’s self titled debut showcased everything you need to know about the band and then some. While Ed was the hero, everyone was a star here. At the time of its release rock music was ready for a transition. There was blues based guitar rock everywhere, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, etc., but we were on the dawn of a new decade and a new era of rock music. Ed mixed those blues based rock riffs with the melodic pop sensibilities of Southern California into something entirely new. His raw talent, matched with David Lee Roth’s charismatic bravado made a potent combination that shaped rock for much of the next 20 years.

Van Halen 1 owes as much to the music that came before them as those that came after owe to them. The cover songs here, especially You Really Got Me, showed that Van Halen were trained in the classics, but had their own things to say. Those things, led by Eruption, Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love, and Runnin with the Devil were loud, melodic and intense. Ed’d playing was outrageous. Little of his Clapton influence was on display here. Ed had more in common with Jimmy Page or even jazz players than the blues legends on who’s shoulder’s he stood. The album was incendiary. A firey display of talent and raw musicianship. The album doesn’t slow down, save for the balladesque Little Dreamer. And it’s HEAVY. Ed’s rhythm playing is every bit as aggressive as his leads and solo. A powerful machine gun pounding along with his brothers’ incredible drumming. Alex is every bit as good on the drums as hood brother is on guitar. And while, Dave is no Robert Plant, he puts on a show here giving some of his best vocal performances and a glimpse of his absurd, incomprehensible, but iconic yelps, bellows and screeches.

The final component to the band is the background vocals. With fellow Southern Californians The Beach Boys as their blueprint, VH created a 5th member by combining Ed’s vocals with Michael Anthony’s amazing range. It’s a secret sauce in an already incredible musical recipe. Ted Templeman who produced this record and most of the rest of their albums was the glue that kept the sound of Van Halen together.

Van Halen 1 is an iconic rock album. Every bit as important and influential as debuts from any other rock legend. With over 10 million copies sold, its legacy is unquestionable. 40 years later, rock, specifically guitar rock, is not as important and impactful as it once was. And the music business is different as well. It’s unlikely we will ever see a musician have the impact Ed had and as equally unlikely we’ll ever see a rock band sell 10 million albums again. It’s a shame, because this album is as amazing today, 40 years later, as it was in 1978.

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Rich’s Best of 2017

Here are the top 30(5) best albums of the year according to our own @richrichmond​!

Honorable Mentions: Mr. Big Defying Gravity Spoon Hot Thoughts Shania Twain Now! Tim McGraw and Faith Hill For the Rest of Our Life Miley Cyrus Younger Now

#30 St. Vincent MASSEDUCTION #29 U2 Songs of Experience #28 Kesha Rainbow #27 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Who Built the Moon? #26 Irontom Partners

#25 Taylor Swift reputation #24 Chris Stapleton From A Room: Volume 1 & 2 #23 Bully Losing #22 Nine Inch Nails Add Violence #21 HAIM Something To Tell You #20 Misterwives Connect the Dots #19 Eminem Revival #18 Paramore After Laughter #17 Grizzly Bear Painted Ruins #16 Foo Fighters Concrete and Gold #15 The Sherlocks Live For the Moment #14 Weezer Pacific Daydream #13 Kendrick Lamar Damn. #12 Tori Amos Native Invader #11 The National Sleep Well Beast

#10 Charly Bliss Guppy

#9 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit The Nashville Sound

#8 Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie

#7 Joywave Content

#6 The Shins Heartworms

#5 Lorde Melodrama

#4 Ryan Adams Prisoner

#3 Afghan Whigs In Spades

#2 Blitzen Trapper Wild and Reckless

#1 Robert Plant Carry Fire

It’s astonishing that at nearly 70 years old, Robert Plant is is still making vibrant, relevant, important music without any indication of riding a wave of Led Zeppelin-driven nostalgia. A decade ago Plant partnered with Allison Kraus to release one of 2007 best records. It’s a shame that the general public, the charts and streaming listeners have moved on from rock because Carry Fire is an incredible record. Plant’s voice is ethereal and powerful as ever. The songs themselves are crafted masterfully. This is a piece of art. The record picks up where the Sensational Shape Shifters left off with Plant reaching into the past to Zeppelin and The Honeydrippers.

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Top 5 of 2017

Our top 5 albums of 2017:

R.J.: Beck -Colors The Afghan Whigs -In Spades Morrissey Official -Low in High School St. Vincent -MASSEDUCTION The Cranberries -Something Else

John: Arca -Arca Kendrick Lamar -Damn Jesca Hoop -Memories Are Now Nicole Atkins -Goodnight Rhonda Lee St. Vincent -MASSEDUCTION

Rich: Lorde -Melodrama Ryan Adams -Prisoner The Afghan Whigs -In Spades Blitzen Trapper -Wild and Reckless Robert Plant -Carry Fire

Yours: ? ? ? ? ?

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Concrete and Gold

The Foo Fighters have been nothing if not consistent. Since the bands inception, they have been putting out quality rock records packed with anthem-ready riffs, catchy hooks, and solid musicianship. Concrete and Gold, the band’s 9th studio release, continues that tradition. 

The Foo Fighters are at their best when Dave Grohl is shouting aggressively over a melodic hook driven forward by Taylor Hawkins driving rhythms. The first single from the record, “Run”, acted as a herald of sorts, letting us know this album was coming and to not worry it was classic Foo. A companion piece of sorts to 2011′s “Walk”, “Run” is a solid rocker that let us know what to expect from this release. And while many of the songs like “Arrows”, “Dirty Water” and the closing title track are classic Foo, the album a spiritual successor to Wasting Light, there are a few twists and turns to make this album more than just a collection of solid rock songs. 

The opening track, the mini song “T-Shirt”, is heavily influenced by Queen and would have fit perfectly on drummer Taylor Hawkins 2016 solo album Kota. This runs into the aforementioned single, er, “Run” packing quite and opening salvo.

“Make It Right” is a gritty rocker owing much to the better bands of the late 1980′s and early 90′s sundae much like Velvet Revolver, with Justin Timberlake on backing vocals. “The Sky is a Neighborhood” is a heavy lumbering rocker in the vein of Led Zeppelin while “La Dee Da” is a modern rock classic sounding like something Josh Homme would release. 

Add in some drum work by Paul McCartney and a give Dave a break at the mic by letting Taylor Hawkins take a turn on one song and you have an eclectic release thats going to translate well into an arena rock classic. 

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Bat Out of Hell was released 40 years ago today! It sold 43 million albums worldwide and went 14x platinum in the United States alone. And it only reached #14 on the Billboard charts.

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

New Episodes!

We recorded a TON of new episodes...Coming soon!

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Rock In Peace Charlie T. Wilbury Jr. Thomas Earl Petty shuffled off this mortal coil October 2, 2017 at age 66. In the age of instant news, constant news and fake news, reports of Petty’s death were greatly exaggerated. At least for awhile. TMZ reported that Petty was taken to the hospital having suffered a cardiac arrest. Then they quickly updated the story saying he’d been removed from life support, but they stopped short of confirming a death announcement. Minutes stretched to hours. The waiting, as they say, was the hardest part. Despite some stops and starts and a emotional rant from Petty’s daughter at Rolling Stone, sadly, eventually Petty’s death was confirmed. And in a way, the music died. Tom Petty was a true artist. A song writer first, a musician second; an entertainer to be sure, but never a record company shill. Petty spent his career fighting record company execs for what he thought was right. The art first, the money second, but always done the right way. Petty even reportedly withheld Full Moon Fever, FULL MOON FEVER, for six months after recoded execs told him they didn’t a single. He’d address that specifically, in song, later. Full Moon Fever did have singles. Five of them. Huge ones. Free Fallin’. Running Down a Dream. I Won’t Back Down. A Face In The Crowd. Yer So Bad. Yer likely humming one of those right now. Mind you this was some 12 years into his career. AFTER I need to know. AFTER Don’t Do Me Like That. AFTER The Waiting. AFTER Don’t Come Around Here No More. Damn the Torpedoes indeed. After selling 5 million copies of Full Moon Fever, Petty joined a supergroup. Sorry, THE supergroup. George Harrison. Roy Orbison. Jeff Lynne. Bob freakin Dylan. Two years, two of the best classic rock albums of all time. And it wasn’t even close to the end of the line. Without needing to or actually reinventing himself, Petty connected with contemporary producer Rick Rubin to produce yet another monster classic. Wildflowers is a beloved album. No compromises. Incredible sound. Pure Petty. She’s The One, our own Rich Richmond’s personal favorite came next. A concept album disguised as a soundtrack to an Ed Burns movie. Listen closely to its story of love, loss and regret. Try not to cry. We haven’t even heard The Last DJ yet. Look at the track list of Tom Petty’s greatest hits. It reads like a songbook of Americana. Breakdown, Listen to Her Heart. Even The Losers. You Got Lucky. Mary Jane’s Last Dance. Classics, every one, tinted by southern accents, but always relatable to every boy and every American girl everywhere. That was 1993. We still had Echo, Mojo and Hypnotic Eye to look forward to. We still had the chance to see Petty resurrect Mudcrutch, his pre Heartbreakers band. Just last week Petty performed what would be his last concert. The final show of the Heartbreakers 40th anniversary tour. Every song was a classic. Every song was known and loved and sang by every person in the crowd. Just like every Petty show. Petty was the voice, the legend, but the Heartbreakers were the best band in America. Ask the E Street Band. They’ll tell you the same thing. Hello, CD listeners. We've come to the point in this album where those listening on cassette (or records) will have to stand up (or sit down) and turn over the record (or tape). In fairness to those listeners, we'll now take a few seconds before we begin side two. Thank you. Here’s side two...

[stickthisinyourearpodcast]

Our hearts are broken over the news out of Las Vegas. We are avid concert goers ourselves and offer our deepest condolences to our fellow music lovers.