R.E.M.

'Accelerate'

I've had an on again off again relationship w/ R.E.M. that can be traced back as far as my sophomore year in High School and started w/ a cassette version of 'Document'. While I don't recall exactly what prompted me to make the purchase, my guess is that it was probably after 'The One I Love' snuck into the top 10. Shortly thereafter, I entered my devout hard rock/metal phase and publicly eschewed bands like U2 and R.E.M. for the critical darlings they had become. Granted, behind closed doors, I was absolutely smitten w/ 'Green' and Peter Buck's guitar work found within.

After initially liking what I heard on 'Out of Time', I ended up completely sick of the band after being beat about the head and face w/ 'Losing My Religion' every time it came on MTV or the radio. Redemption arrived in the form of 'Automatic for the People', which I loved until I ended up being beat about the head and face w/ 'Everybody Hurts' every time it came on MTV or the radio. Redemption arrived AGAIN in the form of 'Monster' or, more specifically, the amped up 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?' This album was paired w/ my one and only time seeing the band perform live...which I enjoyed a lot.

Then came 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' and based on what, self-admittedly, wasn't really a dedicated listen to the record...I just lost interest. For the 10+ years that have passed since, R.E.M. for me has consisted of a brief dalliance w/ 'Reveal' (based on digging 'Imitation of Life')...bookended by singles in the form of 'Great Beyond' and 'Bad Day' that offered some brief sparks that prompted me to throw on 'Eponymous' and wax nostalgic.

So, that brings us to 2008. Earlier in the year, rumblings started about a new R.E.M. album that would finally be a return to the more guitar-laden sound found on earlier releases and be the 'second-coming of *insert your most seminal R.E.M. album here*. Granted, up until this point, that much-ballyhooed 'return to form' never materialized despite every new release since 'Monster' being hyped as such.

For the record (or my record at least), 'Accelerate' is not the 'second-coming' of *insert your most seminal R.E.M. album here* and anybody expecting as much will be sorely disappointed upon first listen. However, in my opinion, 'Accelerate' is the band's most solid, cohesive and exciting output since 'Automatic' and, really, one of the most solid albums in totality i've heard so far this year. It's not only a great R.E.M. album, but a great album, period.

Quite frankly, versus hoping for them to re-create the magic found on *insert your most seminal R.E.M. album here*...I just wanted to hear something that didn't make me feel like I wanted to take a nap...something that, for lack of a better word, rocked. Well, the lead off track 'Living Well is the Best Revenge' serves as a mad dash right out of the gate and sets the pace for an album that does just that. 'Man Sized Wreath' grooves and it grooves heavily into the vintage R.E.M. sunny pop of 'Supernatural Superserious' and 'Hollow Man'.

The band dips into a hybrid of 'Automatic' and their most recent work on the sweeping 'Houston' and 'Until the Day is Done' to positive results and then heads back into more uptempo waters...most notably, the excellent 'Horse to Water'. The album impresses w/ each track and (phenomenally) doesn't peter out until the last track w/ the reheated 'end of the world as we know it (again)' vibe of 'I'm Gonna DJ' that comes off forced way to calculated and forced.

I made a statement in another forum, that my like and/or dislike of an REM album has been based off of how much/how little Peter Buck I really hear on it. While partly accurate and this being a case of plenty of Buck, I think 'Accelerate' is so fulfilling because it has plenty of the best attributes of Mills and Stipe as well...like R.E.M. is a band again.

So, all that said, it's an album that has successfully renewed my 'love' of said band and I highly recommend it's purchase when it drops everywhere tomorrow. If you still aren't convinced, cozy up w/ a sample to the right.

IT'S OPENING DAY, SO...

Unless, of course, it is called on account of rain...which would be an auspicious start to the 2008 season. Should I expect any less? Eh, whatever...GO CUBBIES!

After the crappy winter that still seems to have it's miserable, icy fingers firmly dug into the Chicagoland area, i'm finding myself extra-stoked for baseball. Even though it doesn't seem like it, Spring/Summer really is around the corner (finally). Plus, the NL Central looks to be weak again this year and there is a good shot for the Cubs to get to the post-season again (when was the last time they did that in two consecutive years?!). Fingers crossed.

So, best of luck to everybody out there...unless you are a Brewers fan. Let's play some ball!

THE B-52'S

'Funplex'

This post is several days overdue, but work has been kicking me in the nuts this week. All the more reason to have some fun and review the first full-fledged B-52's album in 16 years. So, i'm happy to report that 'Funplex' offers up plenty in said fun department...unabashed, (sometimes painfully) goofy, fun.

The B-52's have always been a party band first and foremost, dishing out heaping helpings of rock music you can dance to. My only complaint w/ this offering, is that it has numerous moments of being more of a case of dance music you can rock to. Don't get me wrong, I like to dance just as much as I like to 'rock' and vice versa. It's just that there are a few songs, where it seems the band is making a conscious effort to update their sound w/ an infusion of modern electronic disco-flavored flourishes that come off more calculated than something interesting. More simply put, some songs are just too damn dancey for my blood...more watered-down 'Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland' than 'Hot Lava'.

That said, for every 'Juliet of Spirits' or 'Eyes Wide Open' there is another tune that approach works out w/ stellar results. The opening track 'Pump' reminds me of a shinier version of My Life w/ the Thrill Kill Kult's 'Sex on Wheels'...'Love in the Year 3000' is too fun to let the drum machine driven tempo and lack of guitar bother me...the title track is the perfect mix of new and old. Then when you add in the more familiar, trademark new-wave surf tracks like 'Hot Corner', 'Ultraviolet and 'Keep This Party Going'...while never reaching levels of 'Planet Claire' or 'My Own Private Idaho'...end up making an album completely enjoyable in totality.

If your idea of a good time consists of any combination of playful sex, beehive hairdos, peace signs, space travel or 'taco tiki huts' AND you can handle significant doses of Fred Schneider squawking about 'stokin' and a strokin'...I suggest giving this one a spin. I don't know for how long, but you can stream the whole thing for free at AOL Music HERE or just go and buy it (it was just released today).

C'mon, 'dance the jellybone' at the 'electric luau' and have some fun(plex)...it's been too long and you've earned it.

All That You CAN Leave Behind

'Elevation Tour 2001 - Live from Boston'

Released straight to DVD in 2001, 'Live From Boston' is high on the list of my favorite concert films...both for the incredible musical moments it captured AND the way that they captured them.

After coming down from the whole 'POP' period, the band reunited with the production duo of Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, who also produced 'The Unforgettable Fire', 'The Joshua Tree' and 'Achtung Baby' albums. The resulting album, 'All That You Can't Leave Behind', was seen as U2's return to form after their more experimental records of the 1990s. While that may be partly true, the band leveraged tricks picked up on the previous two records/tours to add a more modern twist to their traditional sound. Every drop of irony was wrung from Bono's mirrorball suit and Edge's 'Mr. Edge' t-shirt...replaced with an album that had it's heart firmly planted on it's sleeve (or, in this instance, it's suitcase).

Where it could be said that the previous two albums and tours seem to be looking for answers from and/or poking fun of others...'ATYCLB' and the resulting Elevation tour was focused more inward in a questioning of self. The introspectiveness and, at times, unbridled positivity resonated w/ a huge amount of people, including myself. Songs like 'Walk On' and 'Stuck In A Moment' took on even further meaning to some in a post-9/11 world the band found themselves touring in midway through. Grammys and sold-out shows aside, I still think that 'Beautiful Day' is one of the best pop/rock songs ever written.

Just as the album marked a return to a simpler more stripped-down sound, the live shows on the Elevation tour returned to smaller venues and a more intimate show focused less on spectacle than the music itself. Where each show of the previous tours would start w/ an explosion of visual overload...on this go around the band simply walked out on stage, house lights still on and would kick things off w/ a musical explosion of sorts w/ the uptempo 'Elevation' and keep moving from there.

Where ZOO TV and PopMart both challenged and, unfortunately, alienated a fair share of fans...both the set lists and stage setup for this go-around seemed an obvious step to reconnect w/ those they lost touch with. The heart shaped ramp that actually housed fans within brought the band physically closer to the audience and the amazing performances of classics like 'Bad' and 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' reminded each and every person in that audience why they fell in love with them in the first place.

I caught two of their four shows when the tour first hit Chicago...it was the first time I had seen them live in person. I say without a shred of hype, it felt just as much like a religious revival as it did the best rock show i've ever attended. One of the coolest things about this DVD documentation is that it truly captures that feeling...watching the performance of 'Where the Streets Have No Name' filmed for this DVD still gives me the chills and has actually nearly brought me to tears. It shows how this band could still captivate an audience w/out the trabants or a giant video screen...how it made them believe in rock'n'roll, U2 and, even, themselves.

I was going to post the show opener, but thinking about the aforementioned performance of 'Streets'...there really seemed no better way to sum up what made and continues to make this band so special to me. Enjoy...

TALK ABOUT...POP MUSIC

'PopMart Live from Mexico City'

Originally released on VHS in 1998, the PopMart tour received the same DVD face lift in 2007 as ZOO TV a year prior. The tour and 'POP' album it supported, are still considered by many (and seemingly the band as well) to be both commercial and artistic flops.

The two are intertwined in controversy, in that manager Paul McGuinness was told by the band to book the shows for the upcoming tour during the middle of the recording sessions. As it came closer to the start of the tour, the planned November 1996 release had been pushed out until March 1997. Even still, the band rushed the album to completion and valuable tour rehearsal time was lost in the process. This lack of preparation manifested itself in the earlier dates, particularly during the poorly received opening night in Las Vegas.

That said, in this blogger's humble opinion, both the music found on the album and the resulting spectacle of a tour to bring it to the masses...may be one of the most underrated, misunderstood and one of my favorite periods of U2's long career. As their previous tour was a commentary on media over saturation, it was decided that this one would attack the pillars of consumerism and the concept of art/music as product. Except, unlike ZOO TV, a large part of the record-buying/concert-going public didn't get and/or feel let in on the joke.

'POP' often gets brushed aside as the band's 'techno album' and while it featured it's fair share of tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing and sampling, along with some heavy, funky dance rhythms...it was much more than that. While the album probably sparks visions of Village People-garbed U2 performing the electronica laced lead single 'Discothèque' (a fantastic song in it's own right w/ tongue firmly planted in cheek), they don't recall some of Edge's most prolific guitar work on 'Gone'...or the riff-laden 'Last Night on Earth'. I think a lot of folks never looked past the metaphorical day-glo package this music came in and appreciated the darker recesses of the questions being posed within.

The trash and kitsch of such grandiose scale the PopMart tour featured a giant mirrorball lemon, a 100 foot cocktail stick - complete with olive, a McDonalds-esque golden arch and the works of Lichtenstein, Warhol and Haring searing themselves into the audience's eyes via a giant video screen that, at the time, was the largest in existence. I think the message was lost on a lot of folks in the overwhelming presentation...but much like the music on the album itself, i'm still inspired by the lengths they went in trying to get their point across. While the earlier performances may have been marred w/ difficulties, the performance found on this DVD does nothing but further substantiate the band's sheer power in a live setting.

Anyway, I think the entire vision was ahead of it's time and foretold a not-to-distant future of the century we've been living in shortly thereafter. Then again, it's only POP music...how prolific could it really be? You be the judge...

EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG

Last Saturday, I finally got around to watching the DVD version of 'U2 - Zoo TV Live from Sydney' I had received as a X-mas gift over two years ago. It struck me afterward, that the direction the band headed after 'The Joshua Tree' was/is considered by a lot of folks to be where they jumped the proverbial shark. I actually find it to be one of the impressively creative periods (up until 2004's 'How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb' and 2005/2006's Vertigo tour) a band has had.

Over the next few days, allow me to illustrate my viewpoint using the magic of YouTube and three of their concert DVD's. Starting with...

'Zoo TV Live from Sydney'

Originally released on VHS in 1994, the DVD version was finally released in 2006. The 'Achtung Baby' and 'Zooropa' albums the tour supported proved to be an amazing musical departure from the material found on both 'The Joshua Tree' and 'Rattle & Hum'. In actuality, the word 'departure' would be much less accurate than this period being called a full-fledged 're-invention'.

While the albums virtually crucified everything the band had become in the 80's and it's resulting success, the ZOO TV tour provided a physical manifestation of that concept and took on the ills of living in an information age...before it even exploded further in supernova fashion w/ the developments of the world wide web. Sonically and aesthetically, both the music and incredible stage set-up challenged that 'EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG.'

Mind-numbingly bombastic performances of tunes like 'Until the End of the World' and 'The Fly' served as the perfect backdrop to a barrage of imagery ripped from satellite TV and the distraction/influence found within it's signals...or maybe it's the other way around. The very concepts of race, sexuality, politics, popular culture and all the preconceived notions that come along with them, were thrown in concertgoers faces nightly in a similar fashion as barrage of images found on the 500+ TV channels we feed off daily. It was both a musical statement and one of...well, one of just about every other level as well.

The success of both the albums and tour under auspices of such a drastic transformation of a band...a band that had become so embedded in the collectively global conscience...is something I find inspiring to this very day. I'm still blown away over the fact that, at the same time they were challenging the relevance of rock music and the musicians that play it, they were making themselves MORE relevant than what they had already become.

Enjoy the beginning of said revolution/re-invention to the completely appropriate track by earlier tour openers Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. 'Television, the drug of a nation'...

Bob Mould Has a Posse.

Way cool print, by the way cool Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant. Looks like they did a run of 500 w/ 250 available through Obey Giant and the rest going to the merch table on Bob’s tour. While you're on the website, check out the rest of Mr. Fairey's work. His recent prints for the Obama campaign are pretty breathtaking and...'Andre the Giant STILL has a posse!'

A Little More 'Jolly' Jack

An interview clip w/ Jack Kirby from a long out-of-print documentary called 'The Masters Of Comic Book Art.'

Really articulates a few things that i've been reading in that 'King of Comics' book. Seems Jack, while an artistic genius, wasn't the greatest communicator...oft going into several different points in one sentence. It's a flaw that folks attribute to his lack of proper financial compensation relative to his importance to the industry. He could create comics that sell, but had trouble selling himself and his worth.

The book also talks about how one of Jack's greatest fears was not being able to provide for his family...here, boiling down the inspiration for his prolific output to how he 'had to make sales.' A lot of that comes from his humble depression-ear beginnings and, in the early days of the comic industry, seemed like a worthwhile concern.

More music stuff coming soon...big album review on the horizon, of one of the most anticipated (at least for me) releases of 2008. Stay tuned!

(Another) Animation Plus Bonus Party Cut!

While we're talking cartoons, now that's Rob Zombie's done w/ his recent tour w/ Ozzy...a lot happening on the 'Haunted World of El Superbeasto' front.

I posted up about it a long while back and now that he has time to focus on it, a lot of updates are springing up on it's MySpace page HERE. Dee Wallace...SID HAIG...and actual screen clips from the flick! Can't wait!

Vicarious Cartoon Fun

I've always been a fan of all things cartoon/animation, but the addition of a pair of two-year-olds into the mix has become the perfect excuse to get back into the stuff in a big way.

As i've stated earlier, Pixar's 'Cars' (Logan's favorite) has received so many viewings in our household...I can almost recite it line by line. A close runner-up is the surprisingly clever DreamWorks flick 'Madagascar' (Owen's favorite) and it really does geek me out that my kids can sing along to Paul Westerberg tunes via repeated screenings of Sony Animation's 'Open Season' (he did the soundtrack). Round that out w/'Finding Nemo', 'The Incredibles' and (their first non-Pixar Disney flick) 'Jungle Book'...we get a lot of animated fun in the Famous hacienda.

Granted, there are plenty of those of similar fare that are stinkers ('Over the Hedge' anybody?), but as a whole I really have a blast watching these things (reserving judgment until I actually see 'Horton Hears a Who'). I wasn't overwhelmed by the trailer for the upcoming Pixar joint 'WALL-E', but as good as most of their stuff ends up being...i'm still intrigued.

Even more intriguing to me, is the concept of what USA Today called a 'throwback to those B-movie glory days of the '50s when Martians invaded our backyards and rubber monsters stalked the Earth' in 'Monsters vs. Aliens' coming from DreamWorks in 2009 (see photo above).

The synopsis entails a normal everyday chick being turned into a 49 foot, 11½ inch (wink, wink) tall 'monster' after being hit be a meteor. She's then taken into captivity by the military at a secret government compound where they have quietly been rounding up other 'monsters' over the years. However, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country...said 'monsters' are called into action to save it.

Sounds pretty fun to me and w/ voice work being done by Will Arnett, Seth Rogen and Stephen Colbert (!) to name a few...i'm hoping for good things. Supposedly, as CGI animated flicks are already technically 3-D, they'll also up the ante by this one being in 'Ultimate 3-D'...whatever the hell that means. Sounds like glasses will still be required, but w/ the promise 'this isn't our father's 3-D.'

No clips floating online anywhere, but they supposedly gave a preview to ShoWest exhibitors in Las Vegas earlier this week. Well, at least Owen will be tied over by the sequel 'Madagascar: The Crate Escape' in November...poor Logan will have to wait until at least 2009 to see if the rumoured 'Cars 2' sees the light of day. KA-CHOW!

FRESH NEW KICKS!

Speaking of Marvel...

I never posted up w/ the newest trailer for 'Iron Man' and, quite honestly, I get more geeked out w/ every new one that comes out. I think it will be a nice contrast to the darker, grittier 'Dark Knight'...both look good, but in completely different ways. Here you go...

Better yet, we finally get to see a trailer for Edward Norton's 'Incredible Hulk'. I read an interview w/ him in some UK Sci-Fi magazine over the weekend and it made me a little more pumped up about it. He's not only starring in the flick, but is also involved as a producer-screenwriter...seemed pretty passionate about the flick. I've also read that said passion may be causing a rift w/ Marvel over the final cut of the film, hope they get it figured out in time for it's June release. Not sure if I am 100% digging the updated look of Tim Roth as ole' Green Eyes nemesis, The Abomination...but it's better than the mutant dogs in that Ang Lee joint. Check it...

I said it before...going to be a hell of a good time at the movies this Summer. Hope the films live up to the hype in the trailers. At least they'll be better than 'Spiderman 3'...right?

AMBFAD (Comic) Book club

'Kirby: King of Comics'

There are a myriad of rivers that feed into the collective pop culture ocean that swirls around in my head. Cult monster/Sci-Fi movies...Classic Pro-Wrestling...Music of all different genres...Saturday Morning Cartoons...Vintage Arcade Games...the list goes on and on and on. Most of you who read this blog on even a semi-regular basis get a look inside said head and (lucky you) experience this useless knowledge firsthand.

Specifically, said regulars have likely noticed my recent rekindled love of all things comic-book related. It's not surprising, considering that comic book culture has played a HUGE influence on everything from film, TV, clothing and even hip-hop. One need look no further than last year's San Diego Comic-Con that went from your standard gathering for those looking to score a hard-to-find mint-condition copy of Alpha Flight #4 and/or dress up in a replica Iron Man costumer fashioned out of duct tape and tin foil...to star-laden Hollywood hype machine. Truly, the meek...make that GEEK...have inherited the earth.

However, before they became such massive creative fodder for a film/television industry dried out in a drought of original ideas...they were a huge part of my existence. They truly helped to shape the way I look at everything from art/design of ALL forms to storytelling to (even) politics. They served as fuel for my creative engine and nobody in the comic universe helped to provide that fuel more than one Mr. Jack Kirby (AKA 'Jolly' Jack/'King' Kirby) did.

My first likely exposure to (without even realizing it) the creative genius of Mr. Kirby, was a paperback collection of early issues of The Fantastic Four...one of the many Marvel staples he co-created that included The Original X-men, Captain America and The Incredible HULK. Throw in some of the the most popular Marvel protagonists like The Silver Surfer, Doctor Doom, Galactus, The Watcher, Magneto and The Inhumans...Kirby could (arguably) be considered the creative force behind Marvel's rise to become one of the 'big two' (w/ DC Comics) in the business.

Which brings me to my review of the wonderful new book by screenwriter and comic-book historian Mark Evanier, a Kirby friend and former assistant. 'Kirby: King of Comics' is a perfect blend of both biography and collected artwork that paints a picture of a truly special individual. Evanier brings Kirby's personality vividly alive: a child of the Great Depression who grew up to become a creative visionary under appreciated by clueless corporate executives and close-minded comics professionals. The book offers insight into how much his life story influenced what he brought to his work, almost becoming as fascinating as the treasure-trove of artwork found within it's pages.

The words in my review could never do the book and the unbelievable art found within justice. For fans of the man, it will bring you back to studying every nook and cranny of a Kirby helmed Black Panther #1...shaking your head in disbelief in how mind blowing it is. Well, at least that's what it did for me. For those not as familiar w/ the man/myth/legend or even comics in general, it will offer up both historical perspective/insight and case as to why the medium is so culturally important.

Either way, I couldn't recommend it more...available at all your favorite resellers (or at least should be).

Party Out of Bounds (Again)!

I confessed my love for the B-52's in an earlier post expressing my cautious excitement over their first new album in 16 years. Well, looks like 'Funplex' will hit the ground running on 24-March and the title track in both original and remixed form is now available on iTunes.

An absolutely silly ode to the seedier side of mall culture, it's a fun track done up in a trademark B-52's rave-up style. Rock music you can dance to or, as guitarist Keith Strickland puts it...'loud, sexy rock and roll, with the beat pumped up to hot pink'. I have no idea what that means, but I dig it. The remixes by CSS, Peaches and The Scissor Sisters are pretty fun too.

An additional track titled 'Hot Corner' is floating around too, check it out in the sample area and wait for my full album review when I get a chance to twist to the whole thing. RUSTED!

the BLACK KEYS

'Attack & Release'

Self-admittedly, i've always been a dabbler when it comes to stripped-down blues-rock stylings of Ohio's Black Keys. They've always held a top spot on my 'bands I know I would probably like a lot if only I had time to spend w/ their music' list, but i've really never felt that pumped to delve into their stuff w/ that much zeal. I only say this, as my frame of reference for this review may be a little limited...but, as this ain't no Rolling Stone, does it really matter?

From previous work I have listened to, 'Attack & Release' seems to have all the garage-hewn elements that have drawn folks to the band and some new flourishes as well. The band had started work w/ producer du jour, Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, The Gorillaz, The Grey Album), on new material for the late Ike Turner that posthumously morphed into his helming of a new Black Keys album instead.

Luckily, DM doesn't allow himself to throw too many electronic beats or samples on top of the proven garage formula and instead ends up offering a subtle sonic twist that enhances rather than overwhelms. The grit is still there, but proper studio recording and said flourishes create a sort of a more polished dirty or dirty polish or...you get the point. Throw in contributions from experimental guitarist Marc Ribot and multi-instrumentalist Ralph Carney (Patrick's uncle), both of whom have played in Tom Waits' band...mathematics for a doozy of a sound.

While seemingly laid-back at first listen, the album is a burner from start to finish...slow burner perhaps, but burner nonetheless. The ebb and flow from the beautifully stoic lead off track 'All You Ever Wanted' to the strolling groove of 'I Got Mine' to the positively rocking 'Strange Times', is a solid trifecta that draws you in for more. Subsequent rock solid grooves found on tracks 'Same Old Thing' and 'Oceans & Streams' rest comfortably between more traditional, but equally satisfying, blues trips like 'Lies' and the sweeping closer 'Things Ain't Like They Used to Be'.

Truly, a full album's worth of solid musicality that deserves a listener's attention...lock yourself in a room w/ a pair of headphones musicality. No joke, it gets better w/ each listen too. The album actually drops on 1-April, but (as usual) you can get a little taste in the listening area. Enjoy!