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"Wrecking Ball" - Bruce Springsteen — Review

8/10
Columbia


A couple of months back, thousands of people marched on Zuccotti Park in New York City. People were fed up with a lot of things, but most of an angry nation's furor was derived from corporate greed. Bailouts had been given to companies "too big to fail," ousted CEOs were taking billions of dollars in leaving bonuses — all while millions of blue-collars and white-collars alike were laid off in a panic that dubbed the last four years of malaise dubbed "The Great Recession." Everyone in America now knows at least one person that has been affected by this.


Bruce Springsteen used to be the man that many knew as the working-class songwriter, but 2009's "Working on a Dream" was hopeful, but wishy-washy. Those that praised it probably hadn't seen the brunt of The Great Recession.


But "Wrecking Ball" isn't about Bruce Springsteen. It's not even about the E Street Band, which makes very few, sporadic appearances alongside the Boss on this record.


Let's be frank: "Wrecking Ball" is pissed off, and it does America's anger some actual justice. Some will think the songs are for the Occupiers, and they may be. But the Occupiers, in the minds of the working man, were people that had given up on work and had taken to complaining. "Wreking Ball," on the contrary, is not a complainer; it's a struggler.


Consider the highlight "Jack of All Trades." Bruce portrays the everyman who will "hammer the nails," "set the stone," and "pull that engine apart, and patch 'er up till she's alright." Here, Bruce takes shots at the "fat cats" that reaped a hard time's benefits, going as far to say, "If I had me a gun, I'd shoot the bastards on sight."


Is it violent? Yes, more so than Springsteen ever has been. He's cruder, meaner and more frustrated than ever before, rivaling the off-centers and topping the good ole boys he portrayed on "Nebraska."


But are these portrayals accurate? This question brings us to another question that is on the minds of several Boss fans: Why should we, the down-trotted, care what Bruce Springsteen, a rich rock star, thinks and writes?



Maybe we should review. Album opener "We Take Care of Our Own" makes implicit references to the Gulf Coast's disenfranchisement after Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. "Shackled and Drawn" describes the continuing dichotomy between the rich and the working-class, because "it's still fat and easy up on Banker's Hill."


This transitions into "Death of My Hometown," a foot-stomping, gospel-grabbing anthem for small-town America with echoes of urban Michigan's near-degeneration. It's the most expansive-sounding track on the album, and potentially the most divisive because of its high level of production. Over the top? Maybe, but it's hard for the subject to not stir up some high emotions.



The answer to the listener's question, albeit difficult to swallow for many, is that his lyrics still capture what many of us are thinking. Do country fans care how much Zac Brown makes? Not really. He's writing about sitting his ass in the Georgia clay, drinking a PBR with another on the way. Springsteen is that rare breed of rock star that doesn't forget where he comes from, and we shouldn't either.


Musically, however, the album can get very top-heavy. "You Got It" just sounds like a sixth-grader's lame attempt at getting laid, and "Land of Hope and Dreams" is a longwinded throwaway. There are musical elements that don't gel quite that much, either. "Rocky Ground"'s hip-hop interlude is scattershot, and Tom Morello's guitar solos don't add much breadth, either. 


But folksy Mumford-esque "We Are Alive" is the hopeful ending that we desperately want from this recession. When an album so pivotally juxtaposes today's unease with aggressive motivation, it's hard not to feel represented again.

Review — Titus Andronicus at Strange Matter in Richmond, 3/6/12

A couple of blocks away from Virginia Commonwealth University's Monroe Campus, there's a black-and-red clad dive on the top of West Grace Street. Inside, you'll find fan art of Super Mario at "The Last Supper." Pabst Blue Ribbon is less than $2, and a swarm of students are ready to acknowledge that they'll always be losers.


Or, at least they'll acknowledge this the next day. But Tuesday night, Titus Andronicus was on stage, and 300 people were shouting, "You'll always be a loser!" at the top of their lungs. It's not a death sentence; rather, it's a challenge to rise to the occasion.


So goes the barroom chorus to "No Future, Part Three," Titus Andronicus' opening song to Tuesday night's performance in downtown Richmond. It's an apt town for the band; the band's 2010 release "The Monitor" was a concept album comparing a bad breakup to the Civil War.


Here's the rub: Titus' fans are losers. They're not — as a whole — dislikable, rude, ignorant, stupid, annoying or dumb. They are, however, alienated. But, as many punk acts go, that culminating sense of failure is developed into loudly-shouted anthems, Titus Andronicus' definitive forté.


As warmed up as the crowd could get with openers Screaming Females and Diarrhea Planet, there was nothing that could compare to the heat of the bar's dwarfed but crowded pit. 


Familiar songs were embedded in a mostly new set, complete with "Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape with the Flood of Detritus (Andronicus)," a tour-de-force worthy of a fist-pumping "Oi, oi, oi!" and — more importantly — the crowd's stamp of approval. The ratio of new songs to old may have been alienating for some listeners, but many would still consider them headbang-worthy.


Launching into a cover of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is a rarity — the first of any Titus Andronicus show, Stickles tells us — but well-received. In the distance, one hears the glasses smash and rebel yells are punctuated through the air.


So there were parts of Titus Andronicus' visit that felt unfamiliar. But it's the South, and we're known for our hospitality. We know that "the enemy is everywhere," but nobody seems to be worried or cared. 


And by the time everyone is screaming, "Baby, we were born to die!" from "A More Perfect Union," who doesn't feel like a loser? And, as any fan knows, that's OK.

Review — Spotify's Many Songs Overshadow Few Kinks

Legal and glorious.

A few days ago, I said Spotify, a new music streaming service that allows you to build your own playlists, would end piracy. Well, I received my invitation to join Spotify yesterday, and it's pretty darn close.

The fun starts after registration and uploading local tracks (we'll get to that later.) With more than 15 million songs, I was able to search for "JEFF the Brotherhood" (band), and find "We Are the Champions" (album) and listen to it the entire way through.

Example: I have NO Lady Gaga on my iTunes, or in my computer. At all. If I were to (hypothetically) want to listen to "Born This Way," I could. For free. Legally. Is anybody listening to this?

Another plus is the ability to download the Spotify software to iPhone or Android smartphones. While connected to the Internet, Spotify can stream any song from its library to your phone. If you have enough storage space, Spotify also lets you save local songs to your smartphone.

This sounds too good to be true. The short answer is: yes and no. It is a fantastic application to download to your phone, and can even put new songs in a "reminder" space for you to listen to when you get back to your computer. The bad news is that you can only stream Spotify's music if you have a Premium subscription, costing $9.99 a month.

There are a few new songs you will not be able to hear while they're still selling buckets of cash on iTunes, or because the artist simply doesn't want to test their new material in this market. American labels have signed onto Spotify reluctantly, testing many — but not all — of their catalogues. So while you may have Mission of Burma's "Vs." or Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," you won't get Pearl Jam's deluxe edition of "Ten." But, as stated before, this is a very small price to pay for the multitude of tracks that are available.

Then there are the ads on the free version. Although you can listen to this music (relatively) non-stop, sooner or later, an ad for Spotify or some new record will jump into the playlist, momentarily breaking your train of tunes. Again, a small price to pay when the ads are the reason you can use this program.

Although the Facebook feature still doesn't make sense, nor is it explained properly, Spotify for your desktop offers what other services have not: A choice.

REVIEW:
(+) Huge catalogue
(+) Listen to entire albums or single songs at your own discretion
(+) Better, simpler, more comprehensive than any other streaming service.
(/) Mobile streaming could be fantastic — if you have a premium subscription
(-) Pesky advertising
(-) Only 20 hours a month? Harsh.


Final Verdict: 8/10

Spotify to Launch in U.S.

The game has now changed.

About two months ago, I wrote about the major labels' inability to partner with Spotify, a music streaming service that is wildly popular in Europe.

Similar to Pandora Radio, Spotify's free service offers streaming music from the Internet (for up to 20 hours a month). Unlike Pandora, however, Spotify allows you to choose exactly what music you want to listen to, rather than listening to a pre-programmed station that randomly selects songs based on your station.

How are the labels agreeing to this frighteningly perfect deal? Advertising.

Up until now, there was only one game in town that offered a similar deal. Rdio operates the same way, except the user must pay a minimum of $4.99 per month. With Spotify, banner ads sustain the free online service.

This doesn't mean you absolutely must see banner ads while listening to all this legally free music. For $4.99 per month, Spotify offers a "Premium" service that removes the banner ads. And for $9.99 per month, the service will allow you to download software that supports Spotify on- and offline.

Spotify offers more than 15 million songs to the user's disposal. These songs are coming straight from the Big Four: Warner, Sony/BMG, Universal and EMI.

Similar to the "YouTube" deal I outlined in that previous blog post, Spotify will finally test the American music market in a way that it has never been tested. Major labels will now see what the long-term effects are of ad-supported music, and consumers will finally be able to test the lifelong wish of having a worldwide library at their disposal.

So what does this lead to?

1. The End of Piracy (maybe)
This will never be a full-truth, but seriously; with an Internet connection, what is the need for piracy anymore when the majority of desired music is completely at your disposal?


2. Better Competition
So far, the major players (Amazon, Apple and Google) have proved that their music services have been somewhat inefficient. Amazon and Google take too long to load and don't support protected files, and Apple is fairly expensive compared to any of the aforementioned plans.

3. Upward Profit for the Big Four
This is a tricky one. But, if like the YouTube videos, advertising proves to offer its services where the American wallet does not, this could mean big profits for the record labels. If the consumer decides not to pay for music, what's to keep the private sector from keeping the labels afloat for now?

Like I have said before, all you need is a digital-friendly service. If you offer it, they will come.

What do you think about Spotify's plan for the U.S. market? Comment below!

Dave Grohl Throws Fan Out of Show for Fighting

Nobody is getting the best of Dave Grohl.

It's a very common scenario: One person starts a (relatively) harmless moshpit, others join in. Sooner rather than later, some kid with a grudge against people and a taste for literalism starts punching some slam-dancers.


It can ruin a fun environment that's usually borderline safe. But Dave Grohl is having none of that BS.


Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl kicked a fan out for taking a moshpit a bit too far after fighting some other fans at last night's show in London's Roundhouse.


Here are the choice words Grohl had for his fan:

“You don't fucking fight at my show you asshole. Let me see him, who's fighting right now? It's that guy in the stripped shirt. Hey motherfucker look at me, get the fuck out of my show right now.”

For those who don't understand these things (and not many do): you push your way in, you push your way out, you move around a little. It's actually a lot of fun when done properly.

But there is always, ALWAYS one person who has been to too many Lamb of God shows and thinks these are meant to be soccer hooligan fights. That's when people get seriously hurt and Grohl should be commended.

He's not the first to act this fierce to a fighting faux pas. Emocore pioneers At the Drive-In were notorious (as are their reborn counterparts The Mars Volta) for berating the crowd or even walking off the stage if there was excessive slam-dancing. Check them out below during a 2001 show at Big Day Out in Australia:

The crowd ignored them. Many booed the singer, Cedric Bixler-Zavala. The next day, a 16-year-old girl was trampled by the massive crowd at a Limp-Bizkit concert.

This seems odd today, especially because it's so hard to remember anyone being that devoted to Limp Bizkit.

But Grohl made a smart and classy move: Cover your ass and assume no liability. Also, I'll bet the fans wanted this jerk gone, too.

More Details on Mic Todd's Walgreens Robbery

More has emerged from Coheed and Cambria bassist Mic Todd's robbery of Walgreens. You can read the details on Rolling Stone's blog here.

What sticks out here is that Todd's opioid withdrawal and the consequential lack of an available prescription could have felt as if he was in a deathly circumstance, as referenced by Dr. Dan Alford from the Boston University School of Medicine.

EDIT: This article was edited at 12:23 a.m. on July 13 to correct the effects of opioid withdrawal.