Having found out a short while ago that Maroon 5 released a single from their upcoming album Hands All Over (due for release on September 21), I’ve been wanting to hear it. I was never a huge fan of Maroon 5 until I was forced to listen to them over and over again a few years ago. They were always too pop for me; I prefer my rock hard, with a splash of metal. But like things tend to do, Maroon 5 grew on me and I became a fan.

Released on June 22, 2010, in the iTunes Store, “Misery” garnered favorable press from Billboard, MTV and Rolling Stone. It is currently sitting at 4.5 stars with 1438 ratings in the iTunes Store and is played with regularity on most mainstream pop/rock radio stations.

Rising to number 28 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, “Misery” is the sort of upbeat, rhythmic song we’ve come to expect from the band. Nothing new or adventurous here, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The song is easy to listen to and tells a good story, one of Adam Levine begging for another chance with his lover.

“Misery” is reminiscent of “This Love” in that it contains an almost funk-like melody and gets in your head so bad you need to play the song again and again to overcome it. If the whole of the new album is anywhere near as catchy as this tune, it will no doubt be a successful one.

The music video for “Misery,” which was directed by Joseph Kahn, chooses to go for violence over sex to tell the story, as we see Adam Levine getting his ass kicked all over the place by model Anne Vyalitsyna. The video starts out innocent enough with the two roughly throwing each other against a fence and kissing at one another, but that goes out the window quickly. In chronological order we see the following: a headbutt, a slap upside the head, a knee to the groin, a punch to the face, a kick to the face, Levine being hit by a car, having his head slammed into a wall and then in a door, then back into a wall, then being dunked head-first into a sink full of water. After this he’s kicked through a window, and thrown off a fire-escape and… well, it’s just too much to list and too campy and over-the-top not to enjoy. Check it out here.

When I first heard about this album and idea, recreating Beatles tracks with a crazy line up, I was excited.  However, I was saddened to find that there is only one Beatles track and the other is a John Lennon song.  There is also a Bob Dylan cover, but I was thinking that this album would be a lot different than it turned out to be.

You have to hand it to Herbie Hancock, he got a lot of talented people to contribute to this album and he flew all over the world to record with them as well.  For example we have: P!NK, Seal, Jeff Beck, John Legend, India.Arie, Susan Tedeschi, K’Naan, Ceu, Derek Trucks, The Chieftains, Los Lobos and Dave Matthews. Each artist adds their own touch to the songs.  Sometimes it feels like there are too many people contributing to the song and some of the pieces lack a little bit.

I have to say that my least favorite track is the cover of “Tomorrow Never Knows” which features Dave Matthews on vocals.  The original is practically shouted when Lennon performs it, but Dave seems to make too mellow and monotone.  If he added some of his flair, I would have enjoyed it much more.  I do like the version of “Imagine” with P!NK on vocals, she does well on the songs she sings here.  For the most part a lot of these songs are lost in a meandering state; if they were stretched out longer they may have sounded better.

Since I dig Herbie, and I’ll be seeing him in Lowell in a few weeks, I’m going to tell you to borrow this from the library since it isn’t his best but it is a good idea.  Some highlights: “Imagine”, “Tempo De Amor”, “La Tierra”, and “A Change is Gonna Come”.

One of the most iconic artists in hip-hop, Eminem has received eleven Grammy awards and in 2008 was voted “The Best Rapper Alive” by readers of Vibe Magazine. Though Eminem has seen great success with nearly all of his albums, it is important to understand what makes him such a great lyricist. Enter Infinite.

Stylistically unlike all of his subsequent albums, Infinite’s mellow instrumentals blend with less aggressive lyrics to produce an album that’s very laid-back. The reason for this, Eminem has claimed, is that he wanted to create “radio-friendly” songs in the hopes of getting airplay. When compared to The Slim Shady LP, which was released just three years later, Infinite seems like it was written by an entirely different person.

Produced officially by Denaun Porter and “Slim” for F.B.T. Productions (although it’s been rumored to have been produced by various producers), the album exhibits generic melodies and heavy bass lines. Eminem‘s lyrics contain both clichéd hip-hop themes, such as self-aggrandizing and becoming wealthy, yet also include themes of struggle, poverty and most unusual for Eminem, honest-to-goodness love. Because of the generic sound of the music, the album comes across like one of those bootleg Eminem “freestyle” compilations one might find floating around the internet. But despite the music, Eminem‘s lyrics do a good job of maintaining interest.

It’s clear when comparing this album to Eminem‘s later outings that he really shines when he is not holding back. Infinite’s rhymes are good and, for the most part, clever. However, when one listens to tracks such as “Space Bound” from Recovery or “Criminal” from The Marshall Mathers LP, and then listens to any track from Infinite, one can easily tell that the raps are neutered.

The lackluster performance of this album would turn out to be a blessing in disguise, as when Eminem was finally picked up by Interscope Records and began production of The Slim Shady LP with Dr. Dre, he took the ball and ran; with that kind of backing, he was unstoppable.

Infinite is well worth a listen or several, depending on your musical tastes. It was re-released in 2009 on ThisIs50.com, however the download is no longer available. As it stands, only bootleg copies are widely available. If you have a chance to listen to it, take it. The album speaks volumes about Eminem’s progression and will give you a better appreciation for where his music is today.

There are some albums I listen to all year round, and there are some that only sound great in the summer months.  This is one of the latter.  After wrapping up Tiny Music, Stone Temple Pilots went on a hiatus where Scott Weiland released his first solo album 12 Bar Blues, a strange album.  The rest of the band had been jamming with singer Dave Coutts since 1995 and decided to release their debut album Talk Show.  I came across it at a record store in Keene some years ago and snatched it from a friend who claimed to be ‘the biggest STP fan’; he dismissed it and I treasure it.

When the weather is warm enough, I roll down my windows and crank the first eight tracks of this album.  Weiland’s solo record was a dip in the weird side, whereas, this album just rocks.  I do find it odd to hear STP fronted by somebody else, but unlike Van Halen, this is a project that could have had legs if it wanted to grow them.

I love the guitar work by Dean DeLeo, and the huge drums of Eric Kertz all over this album.  Robert DeLeo provides some great bass grooves and holds a lot of these songs together.  Dave Coutts does a fine job on vocals, much more subdued compared to the eccentricities of Weiland.  There is nothing too fancy on this record because the guys stick to what they do best.

This album is long out of print, but you can probably find some tracks out there: “Ring Twice”, “Hello, Hello”, “So Long”, “Peeling An Orange”, “End of the World” and “Wash Me Down”.  If the opportunity strikes; buy this and don’t look back, you’ll love the unpretentious 90s rock.

Well, Eminem has come out with yet another album.  I believe that this is his seventh studio album and it is another success! I actually had no clue that he has come out with so many albums until recently, but it does make sense. He has been a stable artist and has continued (minus a 3-year hiatus between 2006-2009) to have a presence in the music world ever since I started listening to music; this is something I will commend him for because he is not someone who went big and then went home.

Recovery, which followed Relapse and was originally going to be called Relapse II, was released on June 18, 2010. The production of this album took place from 2007 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers. In an interview Eminem explained that the album was more “emotionally driven” than the first Relapse record. There are many mixed feelings about the album. Some say that it was a failed attempt at rapping  with feeling about his recovery from the depression, drugs, and more.  Others say that he has done a great job. One thing is for sure, this album is a whole lot better than Relapse. Even he will admit that! In Relapse, Eminem was definitely trying so hard, while in this one, there is less of a sense of desperation.

This album has a sole focus on the rapper himself. Rather than bringing others into the subjects, he raps about his problems and his life.  In this album there are rants about suicidal depression and paranoid love. There is anger and remorse, and passion and self-loathing. There is a lot of emotion in this album, but many say that even though that this is a comeback from Relapse, they doubt that this 37 year old “new Shady” is any different than the old one.

If you are only looking to sneak a preview of the album, check out the hit single “Not Afraid”. It is probably the best song on the album, according to critics. However, it is not up to the reviewers and the critics to decide if you like the album, so take a few moments to check it out some time!

Do not mistake this for a Christmas album.  Unless your idea of Christmas album is crashing guitars, distorted hip-hop beats, vocals that range from lullaby sweet to gangsta rap. Oh, and did I mention the distortion?  When you put this in your car stereo have the windows rolled down and turn the bass up. If you have your windows closed, don’t turn the volume up.  Not that I would do that, just think of that as a kind recommendation.  Unlike most two-person bands, Sleigh Bells are different animal to the guitar and drum or synthesizer based groups you may be used to.

On vocals we have Alexis Krauss from Rubyblue providing a center for the noise invading your headphones.  Then there is Derek Miller from Poison the Well providing everything you hear coming through.  I will tell you right out the mix of metal riffs, crunchy hip-hop beats and the vocals are intoxicating.  Notice that I did not mention lyrical depth, because this band is built on sound.  They are all about the sound being huge and in your face; the lyrics could have been written by a frustrated high schooler.

There are certain bands I approach for depth of message and others I look to for sound and not much else, this band falls in the latter category.  More often than not I will remember the guitar hook before the chorus and this album has some solid hooks you can rock to.  My favorite track is ‘Infinity Guitars’ for the build up, addition of sound then that massive snare hit that brings on destruction.  I would also mention: ‘Rill Rill’, ‘Crown on the Ground’, ‘Tell ‘Em’ and ‘Run the Heart’.  You should seek this album online if you can, I’m impressed but not enough to say you should own it right out.

Speaking of distortion, feedback, crashing guitars, punk drumming and catchy riffs, we haven’t even gone beyond track one.  Sonic Youth were starting to make a name for themselves in the underground music scene of the 80’s for their distinctive tuning methods and unique sound but Daydream Nation is what broke them to the masses.

Feeling dissatisfied with Reagan-era politics the rising hostility of New York, Sonic Youth set out to make their most ambitious album to date.  To the untrained ear, this album is pretty fierce, it is 70 minutes that grabs you and won’t let you go until the final note slams through the stereo.  I find it hard to listen to tracks out of order, which means you can only listen to it as it was intended.  I know what you’re thinking: who listens to albums from beginning to end anymore?  Try it sometime. You don’t read a book out of order, why shouldn’t that rule apply to albums?

‘Teen Age Riot’ is the easiest Sonic Youth song to latch on to and opens this album.  From there we move to ‘Silver Rocket’ and the ride just begins.  As you get deeper into the tracks the noise gets stranger.  This is a band that put rubber bands and drumsticks in the guitars to achieve some of these sounds.

While you listen to this record focus on the candle.  All the crashing around and that candle don’t flicker, or does it?  Parts of this album are mocking prog-rock and Zeppelin style rock: the 4 symbols, funny Germanic writing on the back even the trilogy of songs at the end.  You should just buy this but I’ll recommend: ‘Candle’, ‘Rain King’, ‘Eric’s Trip’ and ‘Kissability’.  Out of order, they sound strange, so buy the album and hold on.

Go ahead and laugh, and sing that one song everyone knows about needing people in the nighttime.  I would not have given this album a chance, until I found out that Beck was covering it.  Amassing some of his musical friends for ‘Record Clubs’, they come together and cover entire albums in a day and he shares them on his website.  So far he’s covered: Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen, The Velvet Underground and Nico by The Velvet Underground and Nico, OAR by Skip Spence and now we have INXS’s Kick.

You have to hand it to this group of Australians, they knew how to craft some great pop songs.  The one part that really makes this album is Michael Hutchence and how you can pretty much feel his charisma and showmanship through your speakers.  With his Mick Jagger approach and strut Hutchence made these songs come to life.  The band does an excellent job of providing a mix of pop, rock and soul for the lyrics to float over, the riffs are solid; you can dance to the beats and who doesn’t love a saxophone solo once in a while?  The lyrics aren’t bad either — they are honest, uplifting and a little cheesy but you need that with any kind of pop music.

Most pop for the 80’s sounds dated, but this album sounds very fresh without all the pomp, circumstance and bubblegum of today’s pop bands.  I do enjoy listening to the album track then checking Beck’s website to see how they reinterpret the music.  Tracks to check: ‘Devil Inside’, ‘Kick’, ‘Tiny Daggers’, ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ and, of course, ‘Need You Tonight’.  I give you permission to find this on iTunes or borrow it from a friend, I got my copy for $5.99 and it was worth the pennies.

Redemption might be the word I’m looking for here.  During the 1990s Stone Temple Pilots were not favored by many critics: they all seemed to think the Pilots were a cheap knock-off of the alternative scene stemming from Seattle.  Well, who cares what those guys had to say?  The Pilots built their sound off of 70’s arena rock and blues swagger, they were more of an update than anything.

Scott Weiland gets right to the point on the first track ‘Between the Lines’ addressing his drug habits and making no apologies.  This album is loaded with the heavy drums, thundering bass lines and riffs that you’d expect to hear.  Weiland doesn’t extend his vocals as much as on previous albums, but you can forgive the guy a little bit.

This time around we have the brothers Deleo helming the production instead of Brendan O’Brien.  You’d think that the bassist and guitarist might have a bias in production; however, they managed to strip away everything that wasn’t needed and keep the vital pieces.  There is also the heavy influence of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin all over this record, not like there isn’t on previous efforts, it sounds like the guys wanted to get back to their own roots on this effort.

I give these guys a lot of credit for coming back after so long and proving they have what it takes to be relevant.  Other tracks to check: the Aerosmith-like ‘Huckleberry Crumble’, ‘Hickory Dichotomy’, ‘Hazy Daze’ and the light ‘Maver’.  I suggest burning this album if you have a chance, it is a step in the right direction and there is some room for improvement should they decide to follow this up.

Like many people, when I heard ‘The Underdog’ in 2007, I picked up Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.  The only previous song by Spoon I knew was ‘I Turn My Camera On’ and not much else.  Since I didn’t know what to expect, I was disappointed with Ga Ga… and eventually sold the album back.  When press for this album began last fall, I kept my ear to the ground and picked up Transference a few weeks after it came out.  To be honest, I forgot to write about it at first, but that could have been a good thing.

I was wrapped up with a lot of the opinions about the album: some said great, others said fair.  I listened to it for a while; put it down and picked it back up a while ago to write this piece.  As it turns out I began to enjoy the album a lot more.  Lead single ‘Written In Reverse’ was catchy but the upbeat sounds of ‘Is Love Forever?’ and ‘The Mystery Zone’ pulled me in.

The album isn’t as produced as Ga Ga… and, according to research, sounds like previous Spoon albums.  Nowhere does the band get a big ego and try to be something they aren’t, they are a solid rock band that knows how to craft good songs.  Other tracks to check: ‘Who Makes Your Money’, ‘Goodnight Laura’, Out Go the Lights’ and ‘Got Nuffin’.  If you have a chance I think you could steal this album from someone or borrow it.  I know over time it will grow on you and that is what all music needs: a little time.