BY: PETER WALSH
I was beginning to think that all was lost, Pop ruled the charts whether it be pop rock, hip hop, or the dreaded Pop Punk; it seemed that any music that had passion and grace was lost and gone forever. It seemed to have gone the way of the Dodo - but instead it had simply become allusive and improbable like Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster. It was there but well hidden. In the midst of this exile, it began to heal and grow again, to gather its strength for a triumphant return. At a time when bands like Fall Out Boy and Nickel Back were considered the “cutting edge of rock”, I seriously thought about taking my cd collection and holing up in a self-imposed exile at my own personal Fortress of Solitude. Only to resurface for the occasional alcoholic beverage and so I can yell at the neighborhood kids, bitterly ranting: “You call that Music?” Luckily for me it didn’t have to go that far. With the advent of music on the Web, wonderful bands can be found at anytime from any home; and not a moment to soon.
With bands emerging onto the scene like My Morning Jacket, J.J. Grey and Mofro, Drive by Truckers, The Hold Steady and Parlor Mob, I think we’re gonna be ok. If you haven’t had the luck to hear these bands yet, I suggest you go to your nearest independent record store or computer and check them out immediately. Along with these relative new comers some old friends have returned to put smiles on our faces and our fists once again pumping in the air. Led Zeppelin finally played a reunion show. Smashing Pumpkins released Zeitgeist; a record that knocked my fucking socks off. The Foo Fighters released their award winning Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace. The Black Crows released War Paint, their most progressive a magnificent record to date. And with the demise of one super group, an old favorite has reemerged with the reunion of Stone Temple Pilots. A lot of people might want to give me shit for my excitement over their return but all is fair in love and war; and I can’t lie I still have love for Wieland and co. And of course, there is the band that never really left, Red Hot Chili Peppers; they released Stadium Arcadium, a bold double album that was truly pleasing to the ear. Last but not least Weezer released its third self-titled album (aka “The Red Album”), and it’s currently in heavy rotation anywhere I go. I can’t get “Heart Song” out of my mind - I heart “Heart Song”…
O Shit, here comes Hanna Montana and the Jonas Brothers. The battle maybe won but the war has just begun
No comments:
Post a Comment