January 2009 Archives

I don’t want to say Martyn sang from the heart; that implies I somehow know his essence. But he definitely sounded as if he did. The man could emote like nobody’s business. And yet Martyn was a profoundly avant garde individual, far more so than just about any singer-songwriter of his generation. Anybody who digs What's Going On?, Astral Weeksand There’s a Riot Goin’ On has to track down cult classics like Solid Air and the harrowing Grace & Danger (recorded while Martyn's marriage to singer and collaborator Beverly Martyn fell apart). Both albums are the creations of an artist dissolving the lines between folk, soul, free jazz, ambient electronic music and even dub.

For a long time it seemed as if the only musicians who understood what Martyn was up to were fellow mavericks like Arthur Russell, Talk Talk and Portishead. Nowadays, however, just about anybody tinkering with acoustic guitars and programmed beats -- and there are a lot -- seem to be nicking tricks from the guy. That's cool and all. But in the end there will only ever be one John Martyn. Rest in peace.

Forget what you may have heard about black metal. Well, actually, keep that knowledge handy, because it's probably all true. But here's what you need to know about black metal as a sonic style owning both the underground and mainstream.

Song: New York Groove
Album: The Very Best of Kiss
Artist: Kiss
Date: January 29, 2009

On January 30, 1973, Kiss played their first-ever gig at N.Y.C.’s Country Popcorn Pub. We’re honoring this momentous occasion with “New York Groove,” from Ace Frehley’s 1978 solo album. He is Kiss’ all-time coolest member, and this is one of the all-time coolest songs ever associated with any of these dudes.

Cardinals vs. Steelers may not be the most blockbuster Super Bowl ever, but that didn't stop some of metal's die-hard football fans from sharing their predictions with Rhapsody. If you think these dark dudes are brutal on their instruments, just wait till you hear them slam the opposing team.

Song: Cat Scratch Fever
Album: Cat Scratch Fever
Artist: Ted Nugent
Date: January 28, 2009

Though the Motor City Madman has certainly proved his moniker to be more than just a clever nickname many times, one story in particular cements his status perhaps a little more than the rest. On this day in 1978, the Nuge kindly obliged a request to sign his autograph into a fan's arm with a bowie knife. Kinda gives "Cat Scratch Fever" a whole new meaning, no?

Dierks Bentley is shipping over 2,000 boxes of Cracker Jacks -- yes, the deliciously sweet, caramel-covered popcorn mixed with salty peanuts you remember from growing up -- to country radio stations. Why? Well, so they can win prizes, of course!

Bentley's label, Capitol Nashville, wanted a creative way to promote the singer's soon-to-be-released album, and looked to the lyrics of the title track (and current hit) for inspiration. The opening lines of "Feel That Fire" go: "She wants to paint her nails black/ She wants the toy in the Cracker Jack/ She wants to ride the bull at the rodeo." Get it?

So when stations open up their box and dig through all the popcorn, 51 of them will come up winners. Prizes include a backyard concert with Dierks Bentley, autographed guitars, CDs, Dierks Bentley gear, customized video liners and more! Waaaay better than those rub-on tattoos or mini magnifying glasses!

Not that Feel That Fire will need any help to get people into it. Bentley's fourth studio album is a solid, mostly rockin' affair that boasts a number of could-be singles, including "Here She Comes, Here We Go" and "Little Heartwrecker," both of which have the same frantic delivery as Bentley's hit, "What Was I Thinking?" But it is the simmering, heart-on-sleeve ballad "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes" that makes the biggest impact. Want to find out how many times you can blush in four minutes? Start with this little gem.

Dierks Bentley's Feel That Fire is released on February 3, but you'll be able to hear it on Rhapsody a few days early -- starting January 31!

Song: Exsultate, jubilate
Album: The Artistry of Elly Ameling
Artist: Elly Ameling; Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Date: January 27, 2009

Happy birthday, Mozart! Elly Ameling's joyful reading of the finale to this religious solo motet was written when Mozart visited Milan as a teenager,  one of the composer's earliest works that is still widely performed. The Dutch soprano gives a spirited and dynamic performance, which is a timeless demonstration Mozart's lasting inspiration.

Mark Olson & Gary Louris
Ready For the Flood

At one time or another there were a dozen-odd musicians who called themselves Jayhawks, but to listen to the early, defining dispatches from the band -- a self-titled 1985 collection that barely saw daylight; another, Blue Earth, which was little more than gussied-up demos -- it's clear that the essence of that band was the partnership of singer-songwriters Mark Olson and Gary Louris. On those early, hasty recordings, the reedy, telepathic harmonies nimbly tumble between melody and harmony so intimately that you lose track of which is which. The Jayhawks -- what the diehards consider the real Jayhawks -- is the sound of that partnership, which goes down to the bones. Even if their testaments to false love and small town funerals were sung by young men who fancied themselves old and wise (the most depressing commonality of the No Depression movement they fathered), the authenticity in their partnership was the genuine article; it kicked up the dust of Gram Parsons to stir what would become the other flannel shirt movement of the '90s: alt country.

Song: Firecracker
Album: Gold
Artist: Ryan Adams
Date: January 26, 2009

This celebratory rocker represents alt country prodigal son Ryan Adams at his best, recalling shades of Exile era Stones and Dylan's searing harmonica. A song about the explosive potential of new beginnings, it's also the perfect jam to crank while barreling toward the state line to load up on fireworks to celebrate Chinese New Year. Happy Year of the Ox! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Song: God Bless the Children
Album: We'll Get Over
Artist: The Staple Singers
Selected by: Nick Dedina
Date: January 23, 2009

The Vietnam War ended with a whimper on this day in 1973. This classic sung by Mavis Staples is a hymn to starting over. America didn't take the words to heart back then, but maybe they will this time. Staples' voice makes anything possible.

Song: O.O.C.
Album: E=MC2
Artist: Mariah Carey
Date: January 22, 2009

Old flames, undying chemistry - but no tears. Thanks to Mimi's blithe-as-a-butterfly delivery, "O.O.C" comes off as vacuous -- in a good way. Listen to the lyrics if you want to; they ring true. But if not, get ready to shake your tambourine and step in the name of love.

Song: Scene 8 - Una furtiva lagrima
Album: L'Elisir D'Amore
Artist: Placido Domingo
Selected by: Nate Cavalieri
Date: January 21, 2009

We'll celebrate the birthday of great Spanish tenor Placido Domingo with this full-chested reading of Donizetti's aria from "The Elixir of Love." In it Nemorino, played by Domingo, has just administered a faux magic potion to his lover. Domingo's luxuriant emotional reading will let you know how well it worked. "I ask for nothing more, nothing," he sings. "Yes, I could die! Yes, I could die of love."

Song: Higher Ground
Album: Innervisions
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Selected by: Garrett Kamps
Date: January 20, 2009

"Lovers, keep on lovin'/ Believers, keep on believin'!" Stevie Wonder's jubilant rave-up from his '73 classic Innervisions is the perfect tune to celebrate the inauguration of Barack H. Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Training one eye on the past and the other on a hopeful tomorrow, Stevie's determined to reach "the highest ground" -- just like Americans far and wide on this proud day.

Plenty of these feisty bands below you may not have thought about for a long time, assuming you ever did. They are so feisty, in fact, that if they got in a fight, it's hard to guess who would win. Feel free to place bets, but if I were you, I definitely wouldn't rule out the ladies.

The selection of metal releases below proves, more or less conclusively, that old homely guys rock much harder than young pretty boys. As more the former than the latter myself, I have to admit that I am totally relieved by this news.

Psychotic 4, Lightning (Indica) These glam/sleaze wish-we-were-there-thens from Canada look a bit too much like some troupe o' timid girly-men (like for instance Panic At the Disco), but the roots of their sound are clearly Hanoi Rocks/Faster Pussycat/D Generation instead, which they pull off well enough despite thin vocals standing in their way. The power ballads usually come closer to the target than the rockers, but non-ballad "Breaking Out" still stands out for its gang shouts. "Petal of Metal" -- not really all that metal but so what? -- is fun as well. Also cute how they get a little synthy sometimes.

Song: Live Your Life
Album: Paper Trail
Artist: T.I.
Selected by: Linda Ryan
Date: January 15, 2009

Rihanna provides the vocal acrobatics to T.I.’s beat in this brilliantly upbeat track off of his 2008 smash Paper Trail.

Song: Love Lockdown
Album: 808s and Heartbreak
Artist: Kanye West
Selected by: Sam Chennault
Date: January 14, 2009

Kanye West abandons his arena hip-hop template for smooth emo noir built off Taiko drums, Auto-Tune and heartbreak.

The albums below ask the eternal question -- which is more metal: country music, jazz, or adult contemporary? You'll be surprised by the answer, I'm sure.

A new year and heavy metal is still around! 2009... Let's see, that makes the venerable genre 40 years old now, at least, right? When will it give up?

Necrodemon, Ice Fields Of Hyperion (Open Grave) Super catchy guitars! And I love the abominable snowman concept so much that I don't mind the wrestler grunting. I'm especially fond of "The Deep Freeze"'s bigfoot-printed "Children of the Grave" groove and "Funeral In The Snow"'s Chopin-dirge appropriation. Also numerous nifty time changes in numbers like "Benumbed Suffering." These days it's very rare to come across blackdeaththrashwhatevertheheckmetal that's so throbberifically chunky, and so melodic. Especially from Indiana! Yukon Cornelius wasn't kidding when he said bumbles bounce!

Song: A Milli
Album: Tha Carter III
Artist: Lil' Wayne
Selected by: Sam Chennault
Date: January 12, 2009

Wayne goes after gays, girls and the introverted. Rarely has a song this ubiquitous been this alienating, but thanks to Bangladesh’s crack rock beat and Weezy’s Freudian flow, “A Milli” is among the most spun, imitated, covered and coveted songs in recent years; and all we can really say about that is: “a milli, a milli, a milli...”

Get It Now

Song: Hang On
Album: Fate
Artist: Dr. Dog
Selected by: Justin Farrar
Date: January 2, 2009

The Dog is loved for its sweet harmonies and even sweeter hooks. But here, they tap a different brand of energy. “Hang On” is the Beach Boys and Warren Zevon smoking a pack of cigs and getting all funky at nine in the morning. Brilliant! The band has never sounded so pained, so totally ALIVE.

Play It Now

Song: Golden Age
Album: Dear Science
Artist: TV On the Radio
Selected by: Stephanie Benson
Date: January 1, 2009

Admit it, even if you're staring into the toilet, cursing that last festive drink, there's still a glimmer of hope that the coming 365 days will be your greatest yet. It's the undeniable power of January 1. This New Year's, we'll let one of the best alt rock singles of 2008 help spread the happy vibes to your 2009. So, clap your hands because "there's a golden age comin' round."

Play It Now