American Idol judges guessing game

Today, it was announced American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi is apparently following Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell by exiting the show. Now it is rumored that Jennifer Lopez has signed on as judge and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith could be next. If she is, I'll probably think twice about watching. Lopez was one of the worst guest mentors ever. Tyler would be very interesting, but I doubt he'd put all Aerosmith commitments on hold to do it. Other band members are itching to record a long awaited studio album.

Yaz reunion tour album due in September

Check out this info I received about the Yaz live disc in a press release from Mute Records. I caught their gig a couple years ago at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa and it was definitely a memorable one. This should be a great memento...

YAZ release RECONNECTED LIVE on September 28th 2010 on double CD, limited edition hardback with a 32-page booklet and download.

RECONNECTED LIVE documents one of pop’s most anticipated tours: in the summer of 2008 Vince Clarke & Alison Moyet reunited for the first time in over 25 years. The Times raved: “Clarke has unobtrusively retooled the band’s music for the digital age, making their vintage 1980s synthesizer ditties sound crisp, fluid and timeless” while The Guardian noted, “Yazoo’s first tour in 26 years finds the chemistry behind their smash hits unchanged.”

RECONNECTED LIVE, produced by Yaz, recorded by Martin Hildred and mixed by Vince Clarke features classic tracks from Yaz’s albums ‘Upstairs At Eric’s’ and ‘You And Me Both’; including Only You, Don’t Go and Situation plus tracks performed live for the first time ever, such as Nobody’s Diary

The joyous, unlikely coming together of Vince Clarke, who had just left Depeche Mode, and Alison Moyet lasted for only 2 albums, performing just 24 concerts worldwide, but left an unforgettable mark on pop. Yaz released ‘Upstairs At Erics’ in July 1982, parting ways 12 months later upon release of their second album ‘You And Me Both’, which reached Number 1 in the UK.

Speaking prior to the Reconnected tour, Vince Clarke said: "It's been really good going back to these songs after such a long while. Many of them have never been played live. I'm looking forward to performing them with Alison for all the fans who've enjoyed our music through the years but never had a chance to see Yazoo in concert"

Alison Moyet explained: "Playing this material live is not about revision for me, it is about finishing something we started – writing, recording, performing. Three parts of a whole. A salmon cycle. It’s like going home.”

Adam Lambert concert review

Photo courtesy RCA Records/19 Entertainment/adamofficial.com

My review originally appeared in the OC Register and can be viewed here:
http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2010/07/28/pacific-2010-adam-lambert-offers-a-mixed-bag/31603/

Adam Lambert
Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, Calif.
July 27

In the midst of his unusual Middle Eastern-tinged take on the country classic “Ring of Fire,” Adam Lambert sang about flames going higher and higher. But Tuesday night, in his first of two performances at Pacific Amphitheatre (and the only show this season to take place while the adjacent OC Fair is closed), the proceedings seldom burned brightly.

Although last year’s unique American Idol runner-up dazzled everyone on hand with lasers, eye-popping outfits and four dancers who looked as if they stepped out of the 1985 video for Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero” (the ravaged desert look was probably inspired by the Burning Man Festival, which Lambert has attended), many elements of the gig still came off erratically.

For starters, the pacing and song selection needed work. A remix of the title-track single from Lambert’s debut For Your Entertainment, used as a video introduction, seemed to go on forever and wasn’t properly performed at all. (You might recall its risqué live display last November at the American Music Awards proved controversial and the artist was subsequently dropped from several ABC television programs.)

Frontloading the set with two lesser-known numbers (“Voodoo,” “Down the Rabbit Hole”) that are bonus tracks on the album’s deluxe and international editions, then following them with the aforementioned Johnny Cash cover, also were puzzling moves. And an acoustic segment, during which the singer sat on a mini-staircase used for grand entrances, was awkward, despite his falsetto workouts and nearly operatic vocals on the ballads “Whataya Want from Me,” “Soaked” and “Aftermath.”

Plus, the early part of the 55-minute, 13-song set was rushed. Verses were excised here and there and the four-piece band (anchored by ex-Yellowcard drummer Longineau Parsons) plowed right into songs — not exactly medleys, more like the truncated, Idol-dictated approach. Adhering to a Pac Amp curfew and two preceding opening acts probably didn’t help.

Of course, none of these problems mattered to rabid fans who packed this first of two packed Costa Mesa gigs.

Prior to show time, a couple dozen enthusiasts waited anxiously across from Glambert’s tour bus for a possible sighting; inside the venue, two older women wore black feather boas draped around their necks (a nod to Lambert’s keen fashion sense). Several teenage girls were spotted with homemade “I Love Adam” T-shirts and could be heard, alongside hundreds more, shrieking their approval and waving glow sticks as the evening progressed. Quite a few male couples also were seen swaying in unison to the more romantic numbers.

Since previous appearances had bypassed Orange County, this served as Lambert’s local debut. The San Diego native actually spent time here before auditioning for Idol, briefly attending Cal State Fullerton as a music theater major until going on to rack up an impressive resumé via several Southern California and European musicals.

After making the Idol Top 12, Lambert quickly stood out as the contestant most willing to take chances and was the early favorite to win the singing competition. His flair for the dramatic likely dissuaded some voters, however, though not this one; I provided phone-ballot support toward the end of the competition.

Last year’s Entertainment album was an eclectic assortment of dance, rock and pop tunes produced and/or written by Lady Gaga, Pink, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, Linda Perry, Muse’s Matt Bellamy, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo and others. Certified gold in America and moving a million copies worldwide, it has made a bigger impact than 2009 Idol champ Kris Allen’s first effort. The album’s title track went Top 5 on the Dance Club Play chart, while “Whataya Want from Me” reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 overall singles chart.

Onstage in O.C., the Scissor Sisters-type bounce to “Fever” — during which Lambert and his bleach-blond male bassist engaged in fast, blink-and-you-missed-it tongue action — was an early musical highlight. But a handful of lengthy instrumental intros allowing Lambert to change attire were mind-numbing (notably before “Sleepwalker” and the robotic “Sure Fire Winners,” in which Lambert and his bassist got frisky again).

Later, the intricate dance routines for “Strut” and the propulsive “If I Had You” were fun to watch. “Music Again,” a big, stomping, glam-rock number penned by Justin Hawkins (formerly of the Darkness) that starts the album and recalls Queen, would’ve been a perfect show opener — but it came off muted and less hard-hitting in this live context.

Come encore time, Lambert served up a slow, sultry, acoustic-guitar-led take on Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” capped by an elevated banshee wail. It was intriguing, but a far cry from the powerful turn remembered from Idol. Leaving the venue, people were obviously disappointed about one glaring show omission: the popular, compelling remake of the Tears for Fears-via-Gary Jules tune “Mad World.” Overall, a mixed bag.

Aussie singer/guitarist Orianthi opened with another blistering set of hard rock and pop similar to her showcase last January at the NAMM convention in Anaheim. Smoking covers of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” and Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” were welcome additions. Too bad she didn’t join Lambert on “Sleepwalker,” for which she contributed a memorable solo on his album.

Miniature Tigers album review

Photo credit: Brandon Lee

Miniature Tigers
Fortress
(Modern Art)
Grade: A-

Simultaneously weird and wonderful, Miniature Tigers makes dreamy indie pop that unveils more layers after repeated listens. On 2008 debut Tell it to the Volcano, the Brooklyn via Phoenix band utilized a sparse musical approach with playfully sardonic lyrics and was often compared to early Death Cab for Cutie and Shins.

Sophomore effort Fortress finds them expanding that sonic framework through collaborations with Morning Benders’ Chris Chu and Texas electronic outfit Neon Indian. Lead singer/guitarist Charlie Brand isn’t as sharp tongued as before, but his fragile voice still meshes well with the eclectic, floating melodies.

Everything kicks off with “Mansion of Misery,” an endearingly eerie departure inspired by a viewing of “The Shining” that includes crashing cymbals, wailing guitars and assorted odd noises. The frontman has cited Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors as kindred spirits.

That’s evident during the upbeat “Bullfighter Jacket,” led by a delirious group chant and glorious falsetto break. “Lolita” fluctuates between classical piano, fluttering vocalizations and a tropical island guitar vibe. “Coyote Enchantment” is blissful danceable fun, as a luxurious female voice repeats the title and the stomping “Rock ‘n’ Roll Mountain Troll” finds Brand singing about being “stoned at 3 a.m./talking to myself in public/I think I really hit a low.” But “Gold Skull,” awash in blipping synths and distant vocals, is the real highlight.

Steel Train album review

Steel Train
Steel Train
(Terrible Thrills)
Grade: A

Gaslight Anthem isn’t the only exhilarating band waving the alt-rock flag for New Jersey these days. Hot on its heels is Steel Train, whose impressive, classic rock-leaning 2007 effort Trampoline got buried under Drive Thru Records’ punk/pop heavy roster.

After an extended period spent extricating themselves from the label, the quintet started their own. With Redd Kross’ Steven McDonald (Imperial Teen) at the studio helm of this outstanding third album, these guys definitely sound like they have something to prove.

Anthemic opener “Bullet” charges forth urgently and elastic voiced Jack Antonoff sings “we are the last generation of hope/and I wouldn’t mind if together we died alone” with conviction (fist pumping is a necessity). A similar sense of dramatic uplift envelops the slow building, emotional “You and I Undercover,” driven by reverb drenched guitars. “S.O.G. Burning in Hell” boasts tribal drums and manic, intense instrumentation.

Frequent cello and violin accents give several songs an Arcade Fire vibe. R&B jokester Har Mar Superstar (!) guests on drums and backing vocals; Antonoff’s fashion designer sister Rachel, the cover model laying in his cluttered teenage bedroom, also lends her pipes in a few places.

Keyboardist Justin Huey’s frantic playing dominates throughout, while lead guitarist Daniel Silbert unveils Queen-like leads at perfect junctures (the quirky Modest Mouse-styled “Turnpike Ghost,” “Soldier in the Army”). There’s even a punkish nod to the Ramones (“Speedway Motor Racers Club”). Definitely an album of the year contender.

Note: Steel Train also commissioned a companion collection featuring all the songs sung by female musicians like Tegan & Sara, Scarlett Johannson (she dated Antonoff in high school), members of Dresden Dolls, Dirty Projectors, That Dog, the Go-Go’s and others.

The Maine album review

The Maine
Black & White
(Sire/Action Theory)
Grade: B

A large ‘M’ adorns the cover of Black & White. It represents The Maine’s logo, but could also apply to a somewhat mature musical and lyrical direction for the young Phoenix alt-pop band whose rabid fan base propelled the rousing 2008 indie debut Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop into the top 40.

Last time around, a couple tracks utilized piano and organ; those instruments are far more prevalent on this major label bow. Profanities are downplayed since vocalist John O’Callaghan and company co-wrote half the tunes with seasoned tunesmiths like Gregg Wattenberg (Train, Daughtry) and Butch Walker.

The latter assisted on “Right Girl,” an infectious, synth happy song about saying dumb things while inebriated to “the kind of girl you steal from the captain of the football team” and later regretting it.

Heightened vocal arrangements - a frequent trademark of hitmaking producer Howard Benson - are particularly evident during the soaring, wistful Bon Jovi-esque “Growing Up.” The same can be said for the strident guitar thrust of “Fuel to the Fire,” where O’Callaghan sings of racy cell phone pics and the thrill of the chase. Sleek harmonies recall Eighties chart topper Huey Lewis & the News.

Elsewhere, “Give it to Me” is a sexually charged, classic rock radio influenced singalong (replete with mini rap) and album closer “Color” has an earthy quality along the lines of Goo Goo Dolls. A solid, but not consistently engaging effort.

More new Duran Duran reissues coming

Capitol Records continues its impressive Duran Duran catalog reissue series in September with two albums that found the band in transition, but still making vital music in the mid-to-late 1980s: "Notorious" and "Big Thing."

I personally have a special connection with the latter release since it was the first tour I saw the band on in Feb. 1989 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. These reissues appear to be just as interesting and designed with cool touches like the "Duran Duran" and "Seven & the Ragged Tiger" ones this past spring. Those were filled with rare video clips, B-sides and a must for all diehard Durannies. Aside from the Rolling Stones' revamp of "Exile on Main St.," they are the best reissues of 2010 so far.

Here are the details from the label press release:

DURAN DURAN’S ‘NOTORIOUS’ AND ‘BIG THING’ ALBUMS REMASTERED AND EXPANDED FOR NEW LIMITED SPECIAL EDITIONS

2CD/DVD and Digital Audio Packages to be Released September 28 by Capitol/EMI


Following the recent release of expanded editions of Duran Duran’s first three albums comes the September 28 release of expanded Limited Special Editions of the band’s fourth and fifth albums, Notorious and Big Thing. Both 2CD/DVD packages feature the remastered original albums and extensive bonus materials in lift-top boxes with an eight-page booklet, five postcards, and a folded poster. On the same date, the full audio from each set’s two CDs will also be available for download purchase from all major digital service providers.

Duran Duran’s platinum-certified Notorious was produced by Nile Rodgers; its release in 1986 followed the Grammy-winning band’s third album, Seven and The Ragged Tiger, by three years. The title track reached #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, and was revisited by The Notorious B.I.G. in 1999 as the sampled foundation of his eponymous single.

Disc one of Notorious (Ltd. Special Edition) includes the original album plus three single remixes. Disc two adds seven mixes and the “Duran Goes Dutch” EP, recorded at the Ahoy, Rotterdam on May 7, 1987. The DVD includes the music videos for “Notorious,” “Skin Trade,” and “Meet El Presidente,” a November 1986 “Top Of The Pops” U.K. TV performance of “Notorious,” and for the first time on DVD, “Working For The Skin Trade,” a concert film shot in Rio de Janeiro during the band’s 1987-’88 “Strange Behaviour Tour.”

Big Thing, recorded at Devout Studios in Paris and co-produced by Jonathan Elias and Daniel Abraham, was released in 1988. The album’s title track and lead single, “I Don’t Want Your Love,” reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on the Dance Play/Club Singles chart, and its second single, “All She Wants Is,” also took the top spot on Billboard’s Dance Play/Club Singles chart, peaking at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album’s cover art was designed by Swiss illustrator and artist Hans Arnold.

Disc one of Big Thing (Ltd. Special Edition) restores the album to what the band originally wanted, with the inclusion of the original mix of “Drug (It's Just A State Of Mind),” rather than the remix that made the final album (this original version has previously been released only once before on CD, on a Japanese reissue). Disc two features singles, B-sides and mixes, including the album remix version of “Drug (It's Just A State Of Mind).” The Special Edition’s DVD includes Big Thing recorded live at the Palatrussardi in Milan, Italy on December 12, 1988, plus the music videos for “I Don’t Want Your Love,” “All She Wants Is,” and “Do You Believe In Shame?.”

For more info, go to www.duranduran.com