Duo of Reviews: Doves and Eddie Vedder

Hey Friends,

So you've probably noticed that many of my reviews cover albums that came out some time ago. In my music discovery process, I often come across records from years ago, whether it be from a friend recommendation, a re-release by the band, or an old download I simply hadn't gotten around to yet. Regardless, it's new to me when I listen to it, and hope it's new to at least some of you when reading it.

On that note, here are two old albums I checked out this past week and my opinions on them:

Eddie Vedder- Into the Wild: Into the Wild is a solo album by Eddie Vedder (lead singer of Pearl Jam), which was written for the movie of the same name. Vedder provides all the instrumentation and vocals on the album. The movie is about Christopher McCandless, a college graduate who decides to give away all his savings and live in solitude in the wilderness. McCandless dies five months later of starvation, inspiring a book and movie about his life. The album, much like the film, portrays hope and inspiration early on, then deep sadness and alienation as it progresses. Vedder's gravely baritone perfectly compliments the combination of loneliness and optimism emanating from his lyrics. The instrumentation is fairly simplistic, but it suits the album well and does an excellent job setting the variety of moods throughout. Consisting primarily of acoustic songs, the album falls somewhere between the folk/rock/roots genres. Even on its own (without the movie), this is a very strong and emotionally provocative album.

Doves- Some Cities: I decided to check out the Doves after hearing comparisons between them and Radiohead. In my opinion, the bands' similarities are vastly overstated. The Doves remind me of a cross between Travis (a melodic, softer rock group) and The Flaming Lips. While this record was good on the surface, I found myself unable to fully enjoy it. The musicianship was very strong, and the group combined atypical sounds with their style of melodic rock very well. However, the songs overall came across like a dull razor: no edge. The band seemed unable to maintain a high level of intensity throughout the entirety of a song, often teasing you with a harrowing section but failing to sustain this sound for long. Some Cities is a decent album, but is definitely missing something.

Freaks and Geeks: Series Review

My Dearest Readers,

Welcome to my first TV series review! I don't plan to do these nearly as often as music related articles, but figured I'd give it a shot today.

For the past few months I've been watching the show Freaks and Geeks (yes I know, it came out ten years ago). I'd heard for a while it was good, so I finally caved and watched. The show ebbs and flows, but by the end of the first season, I was hooked. Of course, the show only aired for one season, so that sucks.

Freaks and Geeks is a high school drama/comedy, done from the perspective of teenagers on the outside of the popular crowd. The main character is Lindsay Weir, a brainiac who begins hanging out with a "bad" crowd (the "freaks" of the high school) after her grandmothers' death. Her brother Sam is a freshman, and for a number of reasons (a few easy ones being that he's about 4 feet tall, weighs 80 pounds, and loves sci-fi) is considered a "geek". The show centers around how the Weir's and their friends fit into the high school dynamic as members of two vastly different alternative crowds (although Lindsay's membership is by choice while Sam's geekhood is unwilling and based on the reality of his social situation). The supporting characters are highly significant and played very well. In many episodes, one or more story arc will revolve around a character besides Lindsay or Sam, and each supporting character spends some time as the focus of an episode.

The first two thirds of the season are largely episodic. Rarely does a plot line carry over from the previous episode beyond the general themes of the show. While nearly all of the episodes are enjoyable, the lack of continuity limits character development and depth. However, towards the end of the season past plot lines are brought back into the picture, and new ones are created and developed. The show really takes off at this point, and I inevitably began feeling empathy, humor, joy, sadness... the whole range of emotions that only the best artistic mediums can bring out of a person.

A major part of what makes Freaks and Geeks so likeable is its relatablity. Nearly everybody in the United States experiences high school and is acutely aware of all of its' groups and cliques. The show finds a way to portray typical high school issues without appearing cliche. Overbearing parents, to have/not have sex, academics vs. peer pressure, the social currency gained by partaking in illegal activities and much more are portrayed in both funny and moving ways. Unlike many TV dramas, the issues are presented in "real life" terms, where difficult decisions are made in an arena of ambiguity beyond right or wrong. The show does a fantastic job creating situations that accurately portray the plethora of pressures all teenagers are burdened with.

Overall, I would say Freaks and Geeks is a very good show with moments of greatness. It really comes into its own towards the end of the season, and it's a shame the show didn't get a longer run. If like me you're also ten years behind in your high school TV viewing, check it out. You won't regret it, and you'll probably even enjoy it.

John Butler Trio: April Uprising Review

Hello Friends,

I've been cautiously pessimistic about April Uprising for a while now. With a new lineup (besides Butler of course) and the bands' obvious attempts to appeal to a more mainstream audience, I feared this album would be poppy, cliché, and disappointing. I was right... and wrong. The album is much more pop oriented than his past work, and the lyrics are cringe-worthy. However, once you get past that, it's a pretty strong album.

Let's go over the bad before we get to the good. Lyrics have never been Butler's strength. He has always fashioned himself as a sort of hippie/revolutionary, but in the past there was a refreshing originality to how he communicated this ideology. Now he presents his principles in the most obvious ways possible; writing cheery songs about love, sad songs about struggle, and "uplifting" songs about redemption. Predictably, the first song on the album is called "Revolution". I don't think any social rebellion inspired by a pop song called "Revolution" will be terribly meaningful. The lyrics do not improve throughout the album. One particularly embarrassing song called "To Look Like You" is written from the perspective of a celebrity-idolizing teenage girl. If Butler's trying to begin a transformation to the "deep" side of Brittany Spears mind, he's off to a good start. Otherwise, this song made me nauseous.

Fortunately for the future of the band and the enjoyment of their fans, the musicianship is superb. Beyond Butler's always fantastic guitar work, the songs have a highly collaborative sound and are well crafted musically. If anything, the music could have highlighted Butler's guitar abilities a bit more, as I found myself pining for more of his searing solos. I loved the rhythm sections' work, as a variety of percussive instruments were constantly at play and the drummer/bassist alternated very well between playful, dramatic and visceral moods.

Outside of the lyrics, the vocals are very good, with well-timed tone and volume changes adding value to the complexion of the music. In comparison to the bands' past albums, the sound is a bit of old and a bit of new. The distinct combination of rock, folk, roots and blues remains, but the album contains a much stronger pop sound than any of the bands' previous work. The songs are very catchy while remaining musically appealing; a surprisingly well done combination. Some tracks I particularly enjoyed were C’mon Now, I'd Do Anything, Close to You, and Take Me. The album fades towards the end, as none of the last five songs are particularly noteworthy.

Overall, the album is pretty good. While it has some glaring weaknesses, there is more good than bad on the record. Thanks to a change in the groups' philosophy and direction, I doubt the band will ever reach the heights it did on Sunrise Over Sea (the bands' second album, and best in my opinion). However, the success of this record leaves me optimistic that the John Butler Trio will remain an enjoyable band in the future.