Something old....something new(#10)

"Rush" by Rush (released 1974)

   The first album by this Canadian trio remains my favorite of all their releases. They portend to be nothing more than a great mid 70s hard rock band and succeed on every level. Recorded before uber-drummer Neil Peart would join the band and help steer them down the path of progressive/fantasy/rock megastardom this album is the oddball in their extensive catalog. The first track, "Finding My Way" fades in slowly until exploding with Geddy Lee's yelptastic voice and Alex Lifeson's crushing guitar. Each song is full of memorable choruses and gobs of glorious crunching guitar riffs and solos. "Need Some Love" and "Take a Friend" lighten the mood before the heaviness of "Here Again" and "What You're Doing" spotlight Lifeson's guitar mastery. "In the Mood" is catchy boogie rock (complete with cowbell) that will keep your head bobbing and have you singing along on the chorus. "Before and After" begins as a beautiful instrumental ballad before switching gears to a charging rock monster. Finally, "Working Man" is the classic masterpiece that closes the album. Beginning with an instantly recognizable heavy riff  Geddy sings about the universal struggle of surviving the daily grind and delivers us to the solo where Lifeson has his "Free Bird" moment and propels the tune into the stratosphere! Critics may dismiss this album as Led Zeppelin lite but the songs easily stand on their own and Geddy Lee's voice is unlike any other in rock helping to make this album a classic gem that still sounds fresh and vital today. What a RUSH!

"Wounded Rhymes" by Lykke Li (released 2011)

   Lykke Li is the latest in a line of outstanding Swedish pop/rock acts (Caesars, Soundtrack of Our Lives, Loney Dear, etc...) that are deserving of more attention in America. Produced by Bjorn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn & John) this release is a huge step forward from her 2008 debut "Youth Novels" where she seemed musically unsure and inconsistent from one song to the next. "Wounded Rhymes" commands your attention on every track with dense production and bold vocals. Most of the tracks strongly echo the reverb-filled wall of sound 60s girl group productions in the best way. Her riveting voice has a cold charm that is hard to resist and leaves the impression that here is a girl capable of anything (good and otherwise). This last quality is blindingly clear via the Bo Diddley tribal stomp and foreboding lyrics of the ominous "Get Some". "Youth Knows No Pain", "I Follow Rivers" and  "Jerome" start with percussive polyrhythms leading to huge choruses of multi-tracked vocals. "Love Out of Lust" and "Sadness is a Blessing" are gorgeous tunes with Lykke Li letting down her guard and showcasing beautiful vocals over blissful melodies. The album closes with the good vibes of "Silent My Song"which is very reminiscent of "Best Coast" (see something old...something new #1). "Wounded Rhymes" is a remarkable achievement by Lykke Li and should be near the top of my Best of 2011 list!

Something old....something new(#9)

"The Wild, The Innocent & the E  Street Shuffle" by Bruce Springsteen (released 1973)

The sophomore release from Bruce Springsteen lives up to all the promise and brilliance foreshadowed on "Greetings From Asbury Park". A working class kid from Freehold, New Jersey presents a panorama of city life with some of the most stunningly original street poetry ever set to music. Each song is populated with characters (Spanish Johnny, Puerto Rican Jane, Rosalita, Kitty, Sandy, Madam Marie, Billy) and stories so fully realized that they are indelibly stamped into your consciousness forever. These songs are bursting at the seams with the energy of youth when anything seems possible. Springsteen's transcendent lyrics transform grimy urban street scenes into universal visions of hope and beauty. Each song seems a living thing, using a wide variety of intrumentation to paint vivid imagery in your mind. You can feel the heat and dust rising from the street during "The E Street Shuffle"(dig the funky guitar and brass). Hear the boardwalk sounds and young hearts beating in the romance of "4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy)" (courtesy of Dan Federici's Accordion). A stinging guitar solo kicks off the cool rock/jazz of "Kitty's Back" (Powerful guitar and organ solos take things to a fever pitch). Side two is my favorite of any album ever released! Beginning with the gorgeous cinema verite of "Incident on 57th Street" through the pull-out-all-the-stops, dream-come-true, redemption party that is "Rosalita" and ending with the stunning "New York Serenade" featuring strings and sensational piano by David Sancious. "Born to Run" would cement Springsteen's status as one of rock music's greatest writers but he has never equalled the incredible poetry, narratives and arrangements found on this release.

"Up From Below" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros (released 2009)

My favorite release from 2009 is a time machine back to the late 60s/early 70s when people would congregate for the sheer joy of creating music. It is so refreshing to find this brilliant diamond in the sea of garbage the corporations promote as "music". This group of 10 to 12 west coast (where else?) musicians are led by writer/vocalist Alex Ebert and excel at delivering community hippie rock in it's most endearing form. There is a lot of music here and they are somehow able to present it with such a loose natural feel it's as if they are recording first takes but nothing could be further from the truth. Each song is complex in arrangement and structure yet the performances shine with effortless energy. Ebert has a clear expressive voice and when Jade Castrinos joins in the songs reach a truly magical level. The first two tunes "40 Day Dream" and "Janglin'" are contagiously addictive singalongs and let you know immediately that you are in for a treat. The tempos, rhythms and arrangements change from song to song creating an "I can't wait to hear what's next" atmosphere. From the beautiful reverb drenched vocals of "Desert Song" to the hypnotic and melodic "Please Come In". The centerpiece of this album is the iridescent "Home". The whistling intro leading to Alex and Jade trading lines with lyrics so corny ("Alabama, Arkansas, I sure love my ma and pa") you can't help but love every minute of it. The quality and variety on this disc is astounding and I can not recommend it highly enough. Get your inner hippie vibe on and enjoy!