Pretty. Good.

It looks like Panic At The Disco are the latest pop-rock sensation to go endure the trials and tribulations of a follow-up identity crisis. The band has reached the pivotal make-or-break point which either defines legitimacy or creates one-album-wonders. The Killers' second effort gave us a lackluster homage to the Boss. My Chemical Romance returned with a brilliant opus that Freddie Mercury would be proud of. After turning the emo world on its head with their debut disc A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (and winning some MTV Awards along the way), Panic does not let up on their sophomore release, appropriately named Pretty. Odd. Conventionalists be warned, this album sounds nothing like the Fall Out Boy-infused emo of yesteryear, so if this is not your shtick you might want to pass this one up.

For those brave enough to explore a new pop-punk realm, this concept album is the bees knees. Nixing the electronica that was so prevalent on their first record, Panic At The Disco has pulled out all the stops to capture a sound unmistakably similar to (dare I say) to later works of the Beatles. I know. I somehow feel guilty writing this, but I gotta give the guys credit. The introductory song on the record ("We're So Starving") contains the same orchestrated bombast as "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band", going as far as overtly easing the listener into their "Pretty. Odd." world. "Starving" leads perfectly into the album's infectious first single, "Nine In The Afternoon" in a fashion eerily similar to "With A Little Help From My Friends". The horns, violins, and uptempto beat remain throughout much of the record, creating an optimistic sound that is layered and decadent, yet damn good. After breezing through some of the album's standout tracks including the Beach Boys-sounding "When The Day Met The Night" and the pop perfection that is "Do You Know What I Am Seeing?" the realization kicks in that there is absolutely nothing punk about Pretty. Odd., which is (yes), pretty odd. But you know what, it works. The guys get a little too ironic for their own good on the old-timey "I Have Friends In Holy Spaces" and the hoedown track "Folkin' Around," but this does not take away from the sheer brilliance of this album. If creativity can erase the possibility of a sophomore slump, then Panic At The Disco has it down to a formula. Crisis diverted.

AND for one of the more bizarre clips I've seen in a while:

The World Is A Vampire...

Growing up, the Smashing Pumpkins were arguably my favorite band. They were the first headlining concert I had the privilege to attend (during their Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness tour) and there was a time in 1996 when I was borderline obsessed. When drummer Jimmy Chamberlain got kicked out of the band by band leader Billy Corgan (after being implicated in the notorious Johnathan Melvoin heroin overdose incident), the Pumpkins were unfortunately never quite the same. His departure left a huge gap in the lineup, causing the band's sound to wane considerably (although in hindsight, Adore wasn't that terrible). Clearly frustrated by the group's new direction, Corgan gained the reputation of being a megalomaniac. It looked like original Pumpkins James Iha and D'arcy had enough of his behavior, as they too departed the band at one point or another. When Corgan announced in 2000 that the band was officially breaking up for good, this only seemed appropriate. The Smashing Pumpkins had an excellent run and it was just their time. They saved some face by calling it quits somewhat on top, and in doing gained respect in the music world.

It's funny how time can change things so dramatically. After the failure that was his flash-in-the-pan (semi) supergroup, Zwan, Corgan helmed a dismal solo album which only dug the fallen star into a deeper hole. It seemed like the only vestige of salvation was to get the band back together. The day TheFutureEmbrace was released in 2005, Corgan took out a full-page ad in his hometown paper enthusiastically announcing the triumphant return of the Smashing Pumpkins. It looked like he finally managed to reconcile with his former band members and all would be good in Pumpkinland. Or not. Corgan was very hush hush when announcing who exactly would be in the band -- leading to speculation that this would not be a full-on reunion. As it turned out, the only original band member other than Corgan was Chamberlain -- the very man who essentially helped to destroy the band a decade earlier. To me (an presumably many others) this was not the Smashing Pumpkins, but rather "Zwan 2.0". And the new record shows this. Aside form Zeitgeit's disappointing sales figures and stale sound, the album has since failed to generate a solid radio hit and is slipping quickly into obscurity.

But this is what gets me. Rather than accepting his own failure to make good music, Corgan claims that publicity is essentially what makes careers these days. In a recent Q&A with Rolling Stone, Billy Corgan candidly dismisses the success of Radiohead and Amy Winehouse by insisting that the music they've respectively created has nothing to do with the praise they've garnered. He claims to have no beef against said musicians, but does think they are sending a bad message to young bands about how to break it in the industry. Although I am a firm believer that really good music (regardless of how its packaged) will deservingly rise to the surface, I think Corgan is in absolutely no place to criticize how others obtain success -- especially because his embarrassingly new incarnation of the "Smashing Pumpkins" is nothing but a publicity stunt. And let's not forget his futile attempt to pump more sales out of Zeitgeist by hastily releasing expanded editions of the album exclusively through Best Buy and Target -- please. No wonder why James Iha isn't returning any of his calls.

The Hits That America Loves

Kinda why I love Ryan Adams:


Writing the Hits with Stupid from Ryan Adams on Vimeo.

Shake A Fist

I really don't understand the hype around DFA Records artists and the emergence of this whole "dance-punk" genre. Last year, James Murphy, the company's co-founder and brains behind the label's most household outfit (LCD Soundstystem) released Sound of Silver to universal praise. The record managed to garner an 8.6 rating on a Metacritic -- a score which catapulted the "band" into the top ten of 2007. Yes, they even managed to outrank near-perfect albums by the National and Spoon (but who's keeping score?). And don't get me wrong, Sound of Silver isn't awful. There are tunes on the record that are catchy ( see "Someone Great"), but for me, nothing that really goes above and beyond the anonymity of the background music you'd hear on an iPod commercial or while perusing through an Urban Outfitters.

Last month, DFA released the new Hot Chip record to very similar praise. I had heard great things about this band and read early reviews of Made In The Dark, so I decided to give it a chance. My analysis: much of the same. The record is not bad, but again nothing spectacular. Despite the sheer annoyance of some songs (see opening track "Out At The Pictures"), the album is at best average. The "dance" element of this brand of music is apparent, but I fail to see how this can remotely be classified a sub-genre of punk. But I got to give James Murphy credit. He has carefully crafted a brand under the DFA name, to the point where any artist associated with his label will get a free pass on the "coolness" meter. It doesn't matter how abstract and discombobulated some of his acts sound -- if it's DFA, hipsters unite! -- it will be praiseworthy. This kind of reminds me of Matador, except Matador's roster actually deserves the praise. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people sporting t-shirts bearing the crooked lighting bolt DFA logo.... this needs to stop.

Children In Bloom

So apparently the new Counting Crows record leaked this past week, and yes, I definitely I took the liberty to get a piece of the action. And let's just promptly acknowledge and bypass the illegal piracy morality argument for the sake of keeping this blog entry a quick read. I have been waiting 5+ years for this new record (after the utter failure that was Hard Candy), so I don't think Adam Duritz shouldn't really mind that there are fans far and wide who are eagerly pursuing this album much less willing to give the Crows a chance to redeem themselves.

When I found out that Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings was going to be a concept album (a la the Foo Fighters' In Your Honor), I really dug this idea. Because let's face it -- both the Crows' sound and consistency can be metaphorically summed up to just that: day and night. It is at least comforting to know that after nearly two decades in the business, they are willing to admit this. And as I posted a couple of months ago after the band gave away its "digital 45", it looks like the Counting Crows weren't kidding around. The two songs that the band made available were "1492" and "When I Dream of Michaelangelo" -- the former being the rocker and latter being the acoustic ballad.

After listening to the first portion of the album (the rock side), it is evident that Duritz is responding to the naysayers who thought that the Crows had permanently bit the shark over to the Lite-FM side. The first six tracks are as bold as the Crows have sounded since releasing fan-favorite (and personal fave) Recovering The Satellites. Thank god! It's about time. Duritz didn't quite keep his frustrations silent about the universal lambastes he and his band had been getting about the direction of their sound, so it is not surprising that he wanted to unleash the fury and show that his band hadn't gone completely soft. And in doing so, it looks like the Crows have released their most personal record in over a decade. In songs like "Hanging Tree", Duritz pours out his heart like it was 1996. The tune is the most aggressively catchy song the Crows have released since "Angels of the Silences". As Duritz belts out the chorus, "This dizzy life is just a hanging tree for me," we are truly convinced that he means it. We get much of the same during the Ryan Adams-sounding "Los Angeles" and the infectious "Cowboys" -- which is welcomed step in the right direction.

Unfortunately for Duritz and gang, some of the magic gets lost as the album switches over to the "Sunday mornings" portion. Although none of the ballads are particularly bad per se, the mood that is created from the first half of the record kind of gets killed and the band falls into some of the old traps that have caused much of their past criticism. The well written "Washington Square" just seems a little out of place on this record. Regardless, I can definitely see how these songs can be appealing to longtime fans because they do contain the lyrical sincerity that is reminiscent of the band's August and Everything After days. I also wouldn't be surprised if these songs eventually grow on me, because I can already tell that I am partially judging them based on my current preference for a hard-rocking Crows album. The band does, however, save some face as the record finishes on solid note, reprising the album's first-half side with the electric-guitar driven "Come Around" -- a song that exudes classic Counting Crows.

The best part about this record is that when it is great, it is REALLY great. We get a solid six song span that most bands would love to have in a career, much less an album. The band loses some ground as the record progresses along with some questionable song choices, but this does not take away from the overall fresh sound that has been so eagerly anticipated by fans. Was it worth the wait? Let's say it was definitely worth stealing.

Lost Verses

I've always considered Mark Kozelek to be one of the most unheralded singer-songwriters of the past decade. Although he has managed to earn significant street cred in the indieworld, Kozelek hasn't quite achieved mainstream success like some of his contemporaries (Ryan Adams, Conner Oberst, etc). The prolific troubadour, who has released multiple solo albums over the years, as well as efforts with the Red House Painters and his current project Sun Kil Moon, is already getting praise for his upcoming album -- appropriately titled April (which is out April 1st). The other day, I read a Paste Magazine advance review of the record and was delighted when I found out it is already being classified as a masterpiece. Starting today, April can be streamed in its entirety on Sun Kil Moon's MySpace page. And from what I have already heard, I am absolutely blown away. Kozelek does not fail to put his his introspective, nostalgic touch on each song (see "Lost Verses", "Tonight The Sky") , proving that there is not a singer-songwriter that comes close to being as giftedly heartfelt. Give Kozelek a chance and I assure you you'll see what I'm talking about. I predict that April will be a unanimous pick on critics' year-end pick lists.

Essential Mark Kozelek:
Red House Painters - "Have You Forgetten" (Vanilla Sky version)
Red House Painters - "Michigan"
Red House Painters - "Revelation Big Sur"
Red House Painters - "Summer Dress"
Sun Kil Moon - "Carry Me Ohio"
Sun Kil Moon - "Glenn Tipton"
Sun Kil Moon - "Gentle Moon"
Sun Kil Moon - "Neverending Math Equation" (Modest Mouse cover)
Sun Kil Moon - "Ocean Breathes Salty" (Modest Mouse cover)
Mark Kozelek - "Moorestown" (off of Little Drummer Boy)

Questioningly

As a follow-up to one of my previous posts, the new Jesse Malin cover album will be called "On Your Sleeve" and will feature Malin's take on songs by Neil Young, Tom Waits, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, The Kills, The Ramones, The Clash, and The Hold Steady. The record will also contain a pretty decent version of Lou Reed's "Walk On the Wild Side" -- which can now actually be downloaded HERE for free. I was at Niagara in the East Village a couple of weekends ago (owned by Malin) when I saw Jesse's bassist DJ'ing a set. In between songs, I asked him which Hold Steady song will be featured on the album. To my delight he DID confirm that it would be "You Can Make Him Like You" -- just an FYI. The record will be out April 7th on One Little Indian.

There's Gold In Them Hills

I was initially skeptical when I heard that the Black Crowes were going to be finally releasing a new album. The last time the Robinson brothers came out with new body of work was in 2001, when they gave us the very dismal Lions. The Crowes hadn't experienced much commercial success since 1994's Amorica, and this bombastic effort was supposed to launch them back into their "Southern Harmony" glory days. The album was a unanimous flop, and this apparently rattled a few cages. The band had experienced irreconcilable creative differences, and it looked like the boys were on the verge of calling it a career. Before you knew it, the Black Crowes went on an indefinite hiatus and would not even play a live show together until 2005. When the dust finally settled and the band reconvened (with a new lineup in tow), old fans came out in droves. Tours sold out and band realized not all magic was lost.

Which brings us to 2008 and the Black Crowes' first independently released album, Warpaint. A quick sidenote: before the record was even heard by critics, it had managed to garner bad reviews by Maxim Magazine (of all publications). Apparently, the reviewer was forced to make an "educated guess" of how the album would sound like into order to meet deadline. The critic panned the record, obviously taking a hint from the Crowes' previous efforts. So basically, Warpaint was already down in the count before even being heard.

And to be perfectly honest, if you are to judge the album by its mediocre first single ("Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution"), then yes, you get much of the same late-90's uninspired work. However, if you muster up the courage to get past the first track, you will discover something glorious -- the triumphant return Southern-roots Black Crowes! Hell, it only took about a decade and a half, endless inter-band turmoil, and already one breakup, but the Crowes hit the nail on the head with this one. After listening to such standout tracks "Oh, Josephine" and "Wounded Bird", you'd swear this was the follow-up to The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion -- the Crowes' most definitive work. First the Drive-By Truckers and now this!

What I find most amusing about the Black Crowes is that they have already built the career credentials to make up a VERY entertaining archetypal Behind The Music special (drug addictions, celebrity marriage, lineup changes -- you name it). You would think this band had been around for decades, and this this revival is simply nostalgic reunion that will fade faster than a fart in the wind. But when you consider how strong an effort Warpaint is and the relatively young age of the band members (Chris & and Rich Robinson are 41 and 39, respectively), it looks like this is only chapter two in what will hopefully an ever longer, more illustrious career.

My Rating: 7.0/10

Guilty Pleasure

Ok, I'll confess. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for emo. Don't get me wrong -- 90% of the stuff is unadulterated crap, but I am beginning to realize that I have more "whiny, heart-on-my-sleeve" songs on my iPod than I would otherwise like to admit. And I guess I really shouldn't badmouth the genre as a whole because I did actually go through the biggest emo phase in high school (which I guess was justified). That being said, I'll buy an album from an emo/pop-punk band every so often to mix it up. As such, the other day I picked up the new Cobra Starship album (Viva La Cobra!), which has immediately won a spot in my guilty pleasures file.

What I love about these guys is the fact that they are clearly in it for fun. The band, (deemed a side project) is composed of emo band members past and present (Midtown, Ivy League, Armor For Sleep), clearly has a shtick going on which melds the sappiness of today's cookie-cutter pop/punk bands with an over-the-top 80's dance synth-sound. Hell, the band even has a permanent keytar player! I think the last time we saw this was in like 1988. Aside from sounding conspicuously similar to Fall Out Boy (Patrick Stump produced the album, after all), the band's songs are so cheesy that they are borderline parodies -- which is kind of what makes it work. I haven't seen these guys live yet, but from what I heard they'll occasionally break out the 80's workout regalia during their performances, which makes their existence all the more amazing. They are currently selling out many of their shows on their "really, really, ridiculously good-looking" tour with We The Kings and Metro Station, who are also on the bill. If they are in your neighborhood, I would definitely recommend checking them out while you can. They can't possibly have this much fun forever.

The Hand That Feeds

It looks like brilliant minds think alike. In a move very reminiscent of Radiohead's In Rainbows "giveaway", Trent Reznor has opted to offer a completely free download of part I of the new Nine Inch Nails record. The project, entitled Ghosts, is a four volume set consisting of new instrumental material that Reznor has been working on since last year's Year Zero releases. According to Stereogum, eager fans can immediately get their hands on Volume I HERE. Or, if you are one of the diehards, you can pick your poison: $5 for a download of all four volumes (36 tracks), $10 for the complete download WITH CD's containing the songs, and $75 for the discs, special fabric slipcase and DVD. If you have nothing better to do with your money, $300 will get you ALL of the said material WITH limited-edition vinyl signed by the man himself. Choices, choices.

The label-less Reznor, who has not exactly been silent about his frustrations with the current state of the music industry, is self-releasing this album without the support of a big label funding. It is going to be very interesting to see how this project fares, particularly because this is NIN's first foray into the instrumental world. It didn't exactly work for the Beastie Boys, but hey, free is free and Trent's the man.