Album Review: Patterson Hood

(My entire interview with Patterson Hood will be posted soon)

Patterson Hood
Murdering Oscar (and other love songs)
[Ruth St. Records]

Patterson Hood is seems to be tortured by both middle-age and angst. These two forces play off of themselves brilliantly Murdering Oscar. The writing of which spanned 15+ years of Hood's life. Half the album was written by recently divorced Hood who was living in a strange town, with no friends, and in his late 20's. The other half of the album are new songs written by an older, wiser Hood who is happily remarried with bouncing baby girl. The palpable friction between the two Hood feels like he could break out into a bar room brawl with himself at any time.
The best thing about Hood, is the fact that in his early 40's he has nothing more to prove. But he writes, records, and tours like he still has everything to prove to everyone. It's that hunger that drives this record into your subconscious mind. Every song rings familiar like an old song from The Band or Gram Parsons or Sam Cooke, without being derivative of any of those guys.
The young and rambunctious Hood sets a dense foundation on which the the older, reflective Hood can build. With songs like "Murdering Oscar" about a man unrepentant for the death of the aforementioned Oscar - is thick dense material, if not intentionally vague. And he doesn't sugar coat the narrator's lack of sympathy with turn of regret at the end either. "I don't need salvation cause I saved myself/I killed Oscar and I forgave me". And a song like "Screwtopia" shows a young man ambivalence and rejection of the projected suburban life style that is thrust in conjunction with the American dream. While "Heavy and Hanging" is the reactionary tale of someone who discovers the body after a suicide (Hood recently said this song was inpired by the death of Kurt Cobain). But these are the kind of dark topics we have grown to expect and love out of Hood.
However, It's the older, more sincere Hood that really shines on Murdering Oscar. "Grandaddy" is a love song to his daughter, it's almost a whimsical lullaby where he promises to be a good father to her, by promising to be the stereotypically lovable grandfather to her unborn children. "I Understand Now" is an unmistakably great song, that hardly needs a description to follow. And "Pride of the Yankees" might possibly be one of the most relevant and beautiful songs Hood has ever written. It's a song with no chorus or refrain but has the most infectious melody that you hardly even seem to notice. Ultimately it's a post 9/11 love song that laments the loss of innocence our nation has endured the led into the uncertain times we still wrestle with. For anyone that lived through that horrible day, it would be almost impossible not to get a little choked up by the time the song is over.
Hood is still not the star that he should be. Hood still doesn't get reverence he deserves as a songsmith. But he continues to put out quality work that proves people should be paying more attention, however, the fact that they aren't kinda makes him our own cool little secret.

Punctuating my point...

Just in case you were still not sold yet on what an enigmatic talent Taylor Swift really is (admittedly you must strip away of the mainstream hype that she's currently drowning in).

Album Review: Coldplay

Coldplay
LeftRightLeftRightLeft
[Free digital release]

Coldplay is an undeniably powerful band when it comes to performing live, and LeftRightLeftRightLeft is does nothing to dispel that. The urgency which the band oozes never departs from beginning to end. And of course the sound quality is flawless for a live recording, in fact it's so tight, it sounds just like the studio with audience sound effects inserted in post.

My main issue is that this seems more like a promotional tool for Viva La Vida (or death and all his friends)/Prospekt March, seeing as 7 of the 9 tracks come from those, the band's two 2008 releases. With the exception of including a wonderful version of "Fix You", they skip over 2005's X&Y altogether. And since this is their first official live document since the 2003 tour, they should have utilized the powerhouse material of X&Y much more than they did. And throwing in "Clocks" feels like rehashing material covered already.

I just wish the band had pushed themselves to dig deeper, find the album tracks that rarely get stage play. "'Til Kingdom Come" would have fit flawlessly here, as well as "What If?", "Speed of Sound", "Talk", "Parachutes", or "We Never Change". But enough talking about what isn't here and let's talk abot what is here.

I'll admit that this does answer some questions I had after hearing the two ambitious releases from last year, the biggest of which being: "will they be able to pull it off live". And as usual, the answer is of course...yes they can. If nothing else the rousing rendtion of "Viva La Vida" is proof enough that haven't yet jumped the shark (although they might be heading right for the ramp). But that's about where the appeal of this album ends. It leaves you assured that your money won't go wasted if you catch the band on this tour; however, beyond that it feels thin, half-hearted, and likable but wholly unlovable.

This album feels like the girl you sleep with between girlfriends. Nothing will ever come of it, but it's worth having just because it's there.

Random thoughts...

So Saturday I had the privlege of seeing Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction on their co-headling NIN/JA tour. Needless to say the show was breath taking. Full hour-and-a-half sets from both bands, plus a thiry minute set from Tom Morello's new band Street Sweeper Social Club (it was also Morello's birthday).

This is all beside the point.

Ultimately, the show reminded me what brilliant hard rock opus Nine Inch Nails' Broken really was. Songs like "Wish", "Happiness in Slavery", and "Gave Up" - are true masterworks in every sense of the word. And his nothing short of stunning reinterpretations of Adam Ant's "Physical" and Pigface's "Suck" are nothing short of inspired. While the whole thing is only 8 songs (and a few of those are short instrumentals), Broken is a practice in the very concept of less-is-more.

Rockin' With Roth

At 24 years old, and armed with a degree in Elementary Education - Asher Roth is positioned to be the next hip-hop stalwart. He might not turn into a superstar but like such artists as Del the Funky Homosapien, RZA, or Aesop Rock - he might gently guide the emergence of true hip-hop from the sludge of modern rap. The social conscience and swagger of an emcee like Roth, reminds us why studio rats like T-Pain and Lil' Wayne should have their careers stripped as soon as possible.

Released for free last year through his website was The GreenHouse Effect Mixtape: Vol. 1. This plays like most underground mixtapes, with twenty-plus tracks and a smorgasboard of producers. And that is kind of the problem with this recording. Being an up-and-comer I can see the intimidation factor for Roth, but his flow seems forced and/or uninspired throughout the mixtape - as he lets iconic producers like Kanye West, Pharell, Timbaland, and Will.I.Am run away with the show, when it's supposed to be showcasing him.

However, if you move to his debut album Asleep in the Bread Aisle, you definitely hear what this kid is all about. Not enslaved to producers here, he plays mostly with a live band and spits rhythmically complex, and insightful lyrics through out most of the album. "Blunt Cruisin" and "La Di Da" are throw aways, they sound like hip-hop sound scapes that were thrown in to fill out a track obligation. Roth's rhymes feel tagged on.

Beyond those two there is not a throwaway song on the rest of the album (even the sarcastic, deadpan deliver that distinguishes his lead single "I Love College" works in the context of the record). You can tell this is an artist that does for a love of hip-hop and not to count their spins on modern radio, this feels like a throwback to the days when hip-hop was relevant and imporant...it has De La Soul written all over it. He even tackles the inevitable comparisons that sure to rise with the song "As I Em" - in which he praises and shows gratitude to Eminem for breaking the glass ceiling so that he could now be embraced by the industry he so obviously loves.

"Be By Myself" might very well be the sickest song on the album, with a beautiful hook from Cee-Lo (Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley) - I predict now that this will be the next single, as well it should be. But make no mistake, Roth does not hide behind guests on this album, only four songs here feature artists other than Roth himself, he carries this one on his own brilliantly.

If you liked rap, and you hate where rap has gone, you might just find a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel by the time this record stops spinning.