Blog Post
Oh, Carlos... What have you done? Not smooth.
by John J. Madonna
Once upon a time, before Shakira, before Michelle Branch, and, oh, yes, before Rob Thomas, Carlos Santana: adult contemporary and pop star, did not exist. There was only the Santana Blues Band. To the ire of the band's fans--or at least to the ire of this fan--the meaning of the name Santana has since transformed from a group of rock and rollers that played an amazing amalgam of blues, jazz, and soul (all with a Latin percussion section) to a single guy who plays guitar with famous pop stars to score rote, radio friendly, and--at best--merely competent hits. I mean, for crying out loud, the same guy playing "The Game of Love" was on stage at Woodstock! I don't see Richie Havens singing a song with Dave Matthews.
Santana, the band, I'm talking about now, released the very popular Abraxas, featuring tracks which even the most casual classic rock listener will recognize like "Oye Como Va" and "Black Magic Woman." But the real triumph came the next year in 1971 on an untitled album (dubbed Santana III by the public.) This new record expanded the sound to feature an extra percussionist (four in total,) horns care of Tower of Power, and an extra lead guitarist, Neal Schon (who went on with Santana organist and singer Gregg Rolie to form Journey.) The album is alive, fun, and soulful. And, frankly--coming from a person with a strict no-dancing policy for life--when Gloria Estefan sang “Rhythm is Gonna Get You," she was clearly talking about this album.
The band's follow-up record, Caravanserai, took complete one-eighty from Santana III. Caravanserai was more fusion, less rock. The songs were mostly instrumentals, the classic lineup was starting to disband, and the jazz-oriented record was not as much of a commercial success as the preceding albums, though in the thirty-five years since its original release, it has gained serious respect as a classic. But the point of it all is, starting at the end of the sixties and running until the early seventies, Santana was more than just one man, and those early records did not feature pop duets.
Blog Post
Ode To George
by John J. Madonna
Having made my inaugural blog about Paul McCartney, I feel obliged to write a fawning review of my favorite Beatle, George Harrison. While John and Paul got all the attention (as well as the majority of space on records,) during his time with The Beatles, George’s gift for songwriting grew exponentially, yet when it came time to cut a record, he consistently found a good deal of his songs rejected by Lennon/McCartney in favor of their own. By the time George’s first post-Beatles release, All Things Must Pass hit the shelves, he had two LPs worth of material.
Blog Post
The Great The Who Debates...Settled!
by John J. Madonna
The Who or Led Zeppelin?
People have told me, "You can like The Who, you can like Led Zeppelin, but you're always going to like one of them more." Well, the winner here is The Who. Just listening to the wonderful The Who box set, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B, we can hear just how diverse their music is, ranging from furious energy to thoughtful artistry, surging basslines to three part harmonies. Zeppelin, while popular, shouldn't even qualify as the same league as The Who. But don't take my word for it, what does Pete Townshend, The Who guitarist and main songwriter, have to say about the Zeppelin/Who rivalry? "I haven't liked a single thing that they've done. I hate the fact that I'm ever even slightly compared to them. I've just never, ever liked them. It's a real problem for me, because I think as people, they're all really really great guys... I've never liked them." (quoted from The History of Rock 'n' Roll. Disc 4.)
Blog Post
Life After Beatles
by John J. Madonna
I do not exaggerate when I say my only goal in life is to convince people that Paul McCartney's solo career has (present tense) life beyond Ram and Band on the Run.
For whatever reason, back in 1970 when he started releasing his first solo albums, critics condemned his music as too poppy and superficial. Even the reviewers that liked the records seemed to slight him. Maybe everyone was still mad about the fact that Paul announced the Beatles were breaking up, or that his first album was released almost simultaneously with Let It Be, but now all the flak has stopped and his solo career is starting to get proper recognition.
As I sit here, still singing in my head "Ever Present Past" from McCartney's latest record, I feel validated in my claim that he has been not merely on a roll in the ten years since the , but with Flaming Pie (1997), last year's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, and now Memory Almost Full, Paul McCartney is releasing probably the best work and most consistent work since leaving that band where he first made it big (no, not Wings, Paul's other band.)
Memory Almost Full has a much different feel than most of the records in Paul's Renaissance. Flaming Pie and Chaos and Creation were both very low key productions. Though Pie has a few grand numbers, the majority of both albums feature songs with either just Paul himself or a small group of musicians playing very subtle, melodic pieces. Memory Almost Full has the melody, but it features a full band playing with a much harder and slightly electronic edge, showing that Paul McCartney, now 65, can still wail.
Blog Post
An A+ Audiobook
by Bertha
Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic regardless of the year or the season. Sissy Spacek is the narrator of the 2006 audiobook version, and her Southern lilt and range of emotion brings the characters to life. This classic court case will keep you driving around the block or running extra miles tuned into the story.
Blog Post
Can you J-pop?
by Employee 37
How does one distill the collected culture of a highly complex, varied society, whilst simultaneously wrapping it in a commercially viable bundle for export to mostly middle class Americans? Simple: J-pop! Intrigued by the phenomenon, we've just added several musical artists for your perusal, including and Hikaru Utada. So let us know what you think: Do you love it, hate it, want more of it, need someone to tell you what the "J" stands for? Here's a complete list of new discs in the collection.
Blog Post
Itching for Iceland
by manz
Listening to Bjork's new album, Volta, and hearing her spine-tingling vocals over a variety of such charming music made me want to listen to more of the CDs I own by other Icelandic musicians. One of which is Sigur Ros. And listening to Sigur Ros reminded me of Iceland and its majestic landscapes, the midnight sun, the ocean, the magic in the air, and the smiling faces of the locals. Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands and The Rough Guide to Iceland are some great travel books on the land of fire and ice. If you haven't been to Iceland and don't plan on visiting, it's still worth a peek into some books (such as Iceland, Iceland- Enchantment of the Sea, Iceland- Cultures of the World) to experience the vast beauty the country has to offer. And there's always the beautiful Icelandic language which you can teach yourself.
Blog Post
Bowling and Bands
by Sarah T
The Magic Stick is the self-proclaimed "Home of Rock" in Detroit. Rumored to be where bands such as the White Stripes got their start, the venue hosts local and national acts at a frenetic pace. There's a bowling alley in the basement, billiards in the bar, a cafe and pizza joint down the stairs, and the Majestic Theater next door. What more do you need to go with your frosty beverage and local rock stars?
Brush up on your local rock history with Grit, noise, and revolution and check out upcoming shows including Band of Horses (8/13), Helmet (8/29), the Detroit Cobras (9/1), and many others.
Blog Post
What's on your IPod?
by french_film_grl
Lately I've been asked, Aim, what's on your IPod?
Although I do rip new songs to download from time to time, there are some songs I never get tired of hearing....
Doors "Road House Blues", Chingy "Right Thurr", Goo Goo Dolls "Name", Stevie Wonder "Superstition", Moby "South Side", Al Green "Here I Am", Marvin Gaye "Let's Get It On", Prince "Little Red Corvette", Van Halen "Dancing In The Streets", Matchbox Twenty "Push", Norah Jones "Feelin The Same Way", Black Eyed Peas "Let's Get It Started", B-52's "Love Shack", Gap Band "You Dropped A Bomb On Me", K.T. Tunstall "Suddenly I See", Pink "Just Like A Pill".....
SURPRISE, SURPRISE......It's not ALL Old School!
GOT TUNES?
Blog Post
The Queen of Soul...
by tkj
Aretha_Franklin will perform at the DTE Energy Music Theatre on Sunday, August 12th at 7:30pm.
Before you go, you may want to brush up on your knowledge about this legendary singer. You'll appreciate the concert even more... trust me.
So here are a few fast facts to get you started:
She began her singing career at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit.
She sang at Martin Luther King's funeral in 1968 and performed at the Inaugural gala for Bill Clinton in 1993.
Aretha Franklin is the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Want more? Check out AADL's collection of Ms. Franklin's music and if time permits, flip through her biography...
Enjoy!