Album Review: "Concrete and Gold", by The Foo Fighters

If there is one thing The Foo Fighters have been known for over the past couple of decades, it's being rather consistent in their timely release of quality material. This go round with their latest release Concrete and Gold is no exception. In fact, I would even venture to say that it is a bit above and beyond some of what they have put out recently.

Released September 15th on RCA Records, Concrete and Gold was recorded from December of last year till earlier this year in May over at EastWest Studios in Hollywood, CA. It was produced by Greg Kurstin, who has worked with the likes of Adele, Beck, The Bird and the Bee, Dido, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Sia, as well as Tegan and Sara. Normally I wouldn't trust someone who produces primarily pop artists to do a hard rock album, but I was pleasantly surprised with his work here.

Concrete and Gold is as described by the band to be "where hard rock extremes meet pop sensibilities". To give a more clear picture to those who have not yet listened, band front man Dave Grohl described the album being "Sergent Pepper if made by Motorhead". I can definitely hear the Beatles influence right from the get-go, but it also doesn't take long for the heavier punk and metal side of the band to take over. It's a fascinating interplay of styles that weaves the songs together in such an intriguing way. At one moment you have sweet, melodic pop sounds flowing through your speakers comforting you, but then at a snap you're being thrashed around by harsh vocals backed by instrumentation with a serious punch to it.

The lyrics all have one unifying motif that binds the entire album together, which is concern for the future of the United States given the current political climate. Grohl says that when it all ties together the main theme is "hope and desperation". Everything takes place from his point of view of Grohl "politically, personally, as a father, an American, and a musician". That said, though there are some serious political tones to the songs, the lyrics themselves are not overly political. It's more like they allude to what's going on without actually saying it. Grohl definitely knew when to strike with a hot iron and when to pull back.

One of the things that makes Concrete and Gold so special is that there were a number of famous guest performers lending their talents, including: Sir Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Shawn Stockman, Inara George, Allison Mosshart, Dave Koz, Taylor Greenwood, Greg Sierpowski, Kinga Bacik, Thomas Lea, Ginny Luke, Jessy Greene, and Greg Kurstin. Quite a mouthful, huh? Grohl definitely has no shortage of friends in high places. Personally I'm surprised he didn't get John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, or Brian May in on it considering the long list he had already.

Honestly, I don't have much in the way of any gripes with Concrete and Gold. Those who don't like music with any political themes or are fans of our country's all wise and knowing God Emperor will probably not care for it, but most anyone else will find something on the album they like. The only minor nitpicks I might personally make are the heavier parts of the album do sound a bit derivative of what The Foo Fighters have done before and some parts are just a bit too overproduced. That said, those are still minor nitpicks. The album is still REALLY good.

What I enjoy about Concrete and Gold is that you can tell the band really wanted to do something different. Every song is different from the last and it keeps you on your toes. It's exciting. You never know what is going to happen next. Personally those kinds of albums are the ones I like best. I like being thrilled and left anticipating from track to track. I also like that not every song sounds like generic radio friendly rock. I guess what I'm trying to say is Concrete and Gold will most certainly take you on an adventure. It's worth your time and money.

Concrete and Gold, by The Foo Fighters receives 3.8 stars.

Track List:

1. T-Shirt
2. Run
3. Make It Right
4. The Sky is a Neighborhood
5. La Dee Da
6. Dirty Water
7. Arrows
8. Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)
9. Sunday Rain
10. The Line
11. Concrete and Gold

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Concrete-Gold-Foo-Fighters/dp/B071GZJT1R/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1509409196&sr=8-1&keywords=Concrete+and+Gold

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #140

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. The Prince, by Diamond Head

If you want to know where bands like Metallica and Megadeth got their early inspiration from, look no further than Diamond Head. A lot of techniques, riff and solo styles, lyrical themes, etc. are lifted pretty much almost entirely from this band. They were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (or NWOBHM) movement that spanned the late 70's into the early 80's. Without them, we wouldn't have TONS of the metal bands we know and love today.

2. Saurusarmeija, by Hevisaurus

Finland has a heavy metal band for kids. They dress up in dinosaur costumes when they perform too. Ridiculous? Yes. Awesome, though? You bet your sweet ass. Even though the lyrics are all in Finnish and made for kids these tunes are still just as heavy, rocking, and awesome as anything made for adults. It's too silly, radical, and out there for it to not be. Quite frankly I wish we had something like that here in the States.

3. The Last Song of My Resting Place, by Black Country Communion

Super group Black Country Communion recently put out their first album in five years after a temporary split up. They're back with a vengeance with all of the strong heavy rock song writing you would expect from the combined forces of Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian. This particular song has Joe on lead vocals. It's an emotional fictitious retelling of the story of the violinist on the Titanic who kept playing in order to keep everyone calm while the ship was going down, sacrificing his own life to do so.

4. In My Darkest Hour, by Megadeth

This tune is the gem of Megadeth's third album So Far, So Good... So What!. The lyrics and music were inspired by two separate things. The music was inspired by the death of front man Dave Mustaine's ex Metallica band mate bassist Cliff Burton. The lyrics are more about loneliness and isolation. It's been played at every Megadeth show for nearly 30 years now and Mustaine always dedicates it to the memory of Burton.

5. Disturbing the Priest, by Black Sabbath

This in my opinion is Black Sabbath's most under rated album of all time. Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan did a phenomenal job as front man for this record and this song in particular is where he shines the brightest. This has the darkest tone of any Black Sabbath song out there. Gillan goes from hauntingly soft to frighteningly high and loud, giving off some of the most terrifying screams. What makes this song even more amazing to me is the parts where screams actually harmonize. It hits me just the right way.

Motley Crue Bassist Nikki Sixx on Drugs and Creativity

Photo courtesy of Blabbermouth

It is a common notion in the world of music (primarily rock and metal) that drugs make you more creative. Artists like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix definitely helped cement that in the minds of the common folk. Former Motley Crue bassist and primary song writer Nikki Sixx has recently opened up and shared his thoughts on the subject.

Sixx is of course notorious for having been a heavy drug addict during Motley Crue's 80's heyday. The name Motley Crue was pretty much synonymous with sex, drugs, and rock n' roll and nobody partied harder than they did. This of course affected their work and also caused Sixx to overdose twice and die briefly the second time.

Years later Sixx would recount that time of his life with is book The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rockstar (which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary). In a recent interview with MSNBC Sixx goes into his feelings on the drug epidemic in America, but more interestingly his feelings on how drugs affect creativity, saying:

“I was thinking about 1987 and how I was barely able to get an album done and a tour. And, actually, the tour was canceled, the last part of the tour. And in 2017, I'm able to do a radio show, write books, do photography, be a better husband, a father, and be part of these conversations that are happening. So I really think that sobriety gives you more energy and more creativity.”

Sixx is sadly one of the few lucky ones who was able to get away from such a lifestyle and live many more happy and healthy years. I wholeheartedly agree with his statement on creativity. It just takes away your energy and your focus. All you become focused on is getting your next fix just to be ok. Even if you're just doing something like pot it still takes away from your creativity because what comes from you isn't really you. It's just whatever your drug addled brain made you spew out at that moment. I personally have come up with all of my best material when I'm not under the influence of any mind altering substances (that weren't prescribed to me and taken at the instructed dosage). If you're really a creative person, you can do it without any substances.

Throwback Thursday: "So Far, So Good... So What!", by Megadeth

By 1988 American thrash metal band Megadeth had been working their way up through the underground scene with their first couple of albums. The arrival of their third release So Far, So Good... So What!would usher in multiple changes that included: the arrival (and firing of after the tour) of guitarist Jeff Young and drummer Chuck Behler, more mainstream attention (despite no commercial radio airplay), and more technical song writing.

So Far, So Good... So What! primarily features faster more technical songs with themes that range from nuclear holocaust to censorship to loneliness and beyond. Like much of Megadeth's pre-existing material at the time the album is fast, heavy, aggressive, and is definitely a no holds barred presentation of rhythm guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine's true feelings on things. It features the band's concert staple and dedication to the memory of Mustaine's former Metallica band mate bassist Cliff Burton titled In My Darkest Hour.

Anarchy in the UK is quite obviously a Sex Pistols cover, but is played a lot faster and a great deal more aggressively. Mustaine originally wanted to put Problems on as the Sex Pistols cover, but the label made him use Anarchy in the UK instead because it was a more widely known song. That said, Mustaine gives it his all and has every bit as much attitude, anger with the establishment, and sincerity in his performance as Johnny Rotten did in the original. Incidentally, the second guitar solo in this cover is played by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones who manages to keep up with the band quite well.

In My Darkest Hour is one of Megadeth's most emotionally powerful songs. The lyrics are about isolation and loneliness, but Mustaine himself has stated multiple times over the years that when he wrote the musical parts he was thinking about Cliff Burton, who had died in a freak bus accident not long before the recording of the record. It's a mid-tempo song, but it is every bit as heavy and poignant as any of the more balls to the wall material. It's incredibly rhythmic and in some ways primal, which definitely speaks to the raw emotional end of the song that much more.

So Far, So Good... So What! is a mixed bag because it does contain some of Megadeth's stronger material, but most of the album is rather forgettable. In a way I'm glad that the next album Rust in Peace ushered in the iconic line-up of Megadeth that would last into the early 2000's. That said, it's still a good album and is worth multiple listens. It has its shining moments and those moments make it worth the money spent to get it.

So Far, So Good... So What!, by Megadeth receives 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Into the Lungs of Hell
2. Set the World Afire
3. Anarchy in the UK
4. Mary Jane
5. 502
6. In My Darkest Hour
7. Liar
8. Hook in Mouth

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/So-Far-Good-What-Explicit/dp/B000TGZPUU/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1509087109&sr=8-1&keywords=so+far+so+good+so+what

Black Country Communion Premiere New Video for "The Last Song of My Resting Place"

Black Country Communion put out their first album in five years this past September, titled BCCIV. With the band's strong comeback after their break-up naturally they are going to want to lure fans and potential fans alike in with some of the album's strongest material. Recently they have done so by premiering a new video for the song The Last Song of My Resting Place (which can be viewed above).

The song features guitarist Joe Bonamassa on lead vocals, which doesn't happen too often considering usually it's bassist Glenn Hughes taking the mic. That said, his voice suits the song perfectly as it is a blend of hard rock and folk. It is an emotionally intense song for sure, and it only builds the 8 minutes it goes on for.

The video alters between studio footage of the band performing the song and fictitious footage of the RMS Titanic and its band leader and violinist Wallace Hartley who kept playing everyone off the ship, even at the cost of his own life by going down with the ship into the black, icy cold Atlantic ocean that fateful night in 1912. It's a song that celebrates the bravery he showed and how such selfless heroism isn't seen all that much any more.

Judas Priest's New Album Name and Tour Dates Revealed

Photo courtesy of Discogs

Leather clad British heavy metal legends Judas Priest have some quite a bit in the pipe ready for us soon. They are going to be following up their big 2014 album Redeemer of Souls with a brand new album which has just been given a name. In addition to that, they have also let loose their upcoming tour dates for next year.

According to Ultimate Classic Rock the new album (which will be their 18th studio release) will be titled Firepower and it will be released some time early next year (2018). It was co-produced by Tom Allom, who not only engineered Black Sabbath's first three albums but has a long history with Judas Priest as well that spans way back to the 70's including albums such as Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of Faith, and British Steel. Allom's most recent effort with the band was a live concert recording from 2009 titled A Touch of Evil.

The title of the album sounds VERY classic Judas Priest. I could easily see it on the shelf with the other albums from their heyday with a title like that. However, you can't judge a book by its cover. Whether or not Firepower actually stands tall with the rest of the band's catalog remains to be heard, as we do not have even the first single from it yet. Personally I'd love to hear something that has a real classic late 70's Judas Priest vibe, but maybe with a bit more modern production. However, I also would hate for it to sound like they're trying to replicate what they've done in the past, like what Sabbath did on 13. I guess it's a fine line to tread, but I'm sure whatever they put out will be great.

Judas Priest Firepower 2018 Tour Dates

3/13 - Wilkes Barre, PA, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
3/15 - Youngstown, OH, Covelli Centre
3/17 - Uniondale, NY, Nassau Coliseum
3/18 - Washington, DC, The Anthem
3/20 - Newark, NJ, Prudential Center
3/22 - Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun Arena
3/25 - Ottawa, ON, The Arena at TD Place
3/27 - London, ON, Budweiser Gardens
3/28 - Oshawa, ON, Tribute Communities Centre
3/30 - Orillia, ON, Casino Rama
3/31 - Detroit, MI, Detroit Masonic Temple
4/3 - Milwaukee, WI, Riverside Theater
4/5 - Green Bay, WI, Resch Center
4/8 - Bloomington, IL, Grossinger Motors Arena
4/10 - Casper, WY, Casper Events Center
4/11 - Loveland, CO, Budweiser Events Center
4/15 - Kent, WA, ShoWare Center
4/17 - Portland, OR, Veterans Memorial Coliseum
4/19 - San Francisco, CA, The Warfield
4/22 - Los Angeles, CA, Microsoft Theater
4/24 - Phoenix, AZ, Comerica Theatre
4/26 - Tulsa, OK, BOK Center
4/28 - Dallas, TX, The Bomb Factory
4/29 - Sugarland, TX, Smart Financial Centre
5/1 - San Antonio, TX, Freeman Coliseum

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #139

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Here's to You, by The Dark Element

Anette Olzon, former vocalist of Nightwish has a new album coming out soon with her new band The Dark Element. This is one of the singles from it. While there are definitely some heavier, more modern elements to it in some ways it reminds me of early 80's/early Dio solo stuff. Some of the instrumental melody definitely has a bit of a Rainbow in the Dark kind of vibe, but without sounding like they're trying to copy the old greats.

2. Wish You Were Here, by Avenged Sevenfold

With the long slew of covers Avenged Sevenfold has been putting out lately, I'm not all that surprised that they chose to do this Pink Floyd classic. In terms of lyrical themes and overall musical vibe it's right up their alley. They stay more faithful to the original than most people might think they would, but at the same time they aren't afraid to veer off and do their own thing a little bit here and there where necessary in order to make it their own.

3. Play That Funky Music White Boy, by Wild Cherry

Despite the fact that I LOVE 70's music, not everything from that era was great. Some of it was trash. This particular tune is among the garbage. That said, it's trashy in all of the most fun, and awesome ways. It's got a sexy groove to it while at the same time throwing a sexy chorus hook at you that will make you want to sing along over and over again long past the time the last note fades from your speakers. If you want a cheap, easy good time then look no further.

4. Who's to Say, by The White Stripes

I discovered this song as a B side to the 45 of their song I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself from their 2003 masterpiece Elephant. I'm kind of sad that this song was only a B side because of how good it is, but I get it. It's a cover of a song by Dan Miller from Blanche, a not as well known artist as Burt Bachrach who penned the A side. Regardless, it's something you can let envelope you and get lost in. It sways and flows, making you feel like your in a waltzing trance.

5. Master of Puppets (demo), by Metallica

Metallica is gearing up to do their big rerelease of their 1986 hallmark masterpiece album Master of Puppets. The album is going to include a crap ton of stuff that the fans have never heard, including alternate mixes, demos, and live recordings. This demo of the title track will be among the copious amounts of bonus material. It's definitely interesting to hear what the song sounded like at its genesis. In a way it's a blend of Kill 'em All's instrumental sound and Ride the Lightning's vocal style.