Review for www.nomoreworkhorse.com
Showing posts with label Soulsavers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soulsavers. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2021
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Friday, April 30, 2010
Concert Review: Mark Lanegan - Academy 2, Dublin, April 29th
Was lucky enough to get to see Mark Lanegan in the tiny environs of Academy 2 in Dublin. The venue is small and intimate, and the best thing about the venue is that the sound is excellent. Nevertheless I wasn't sure what to expect. Lanegan has no album to promote, so is this tour just a money-making exercise between recording commitments? The man clearly has no hobbies beyond music, as he appears to have been constantly recording or touring for the last 6 or 7 years!
The venue was full in anticipation of his first solo gig in Ireland for nearly 7 years. Support act Joe Echo was pleasant enough, a Northern Irish balladeer, with some good tunes and a cheery demeanour, though his voice is pretty average.
So on to the main act. Lanegan shuffled onto the stage, walking through the crowds with guitarist Dave Rosser in tow. He played a fair selection from most of his solo albums, while also touching on his collaborations with Soulsavers and Queens of the Stone Age, and also reached back to his Screaming Trees days.
The crowd was mostly pretty respectful, barring a few people chattering at the back. Lanegan himself was in pretty good voice for the most part, at least in his most comfortable range, though he struggled a little with the higher notes. He was his usual gruff self, with little between song banter, just allowing the songs themselves to do the talking.
Some of the songs were transformed in this format, in particular Little Willie John which mutated from bellowing blues on Bubblegum to a kind of muted glory here. It worked really well. Other highlights included obscure B-side Mirrored and Message to Mine. As for his Screaming Trees stuff, Where the Twain Shall Meet struggled a little with the acoustic setting but Traveller got a great reaction.
The funny thing with Lanegan which sets him apart from most artists who've been around as long as he has is that for most artists, the crowd are baying for old favourites. Not so for Mark Lanegan. If anything, the newer Field Songs / Bubblegum material got the best reaction, while older songs such as River Rise and Wild Flowers were received with polite indifference.
Just a word on Dave Rosser, he provided slightly strange sounding backing vocals to some of the tracks but was pretty much overshadowed by Lanegan, whose ability to reconnect with his older material showed a degree of vulnerability not seen since his late 90s days. A minor gripe was no new material, but he breathed new life into some of his back catalogue here, showcasing raw emotion in the likes of One Way Street and Resurrection Song.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Concert Review: Depeche Mode / Soulsavers - live at the O2, Dublin
This was my first visit to the O2 (formerly known as the Point). The Point was never one of my favourite venues. Eddie Vedder commented about it on stage at a Pearl Jam gig circa 2000, when he told a long and rambling story and then said "what's the point? It's a great place to play in Dublin." But the truth is it was little more than a large warehouse with poor sound and tortuous queues for bar and toilets.
The new venue is completely opened out, which has the effect of the gig being visible (and audible) from the bar. Discovered it's way too easy to get beer. Disturbingly, they also sell buckets of popcorn, just like the cinema. That's entertainment?!
Anyway, enough of the venue and on to the music. Soulsavers were on stage when we arrived. Lanegan was wearing a suit and surrounded by musicians, there must have been more than 10 on the stage (including backing singers). The set was a mixture of their last 2 albums, solo Mark Lanegan (Hit The City and Kingdoms of Rain were highlights) and they finished with a Spacemen 3 cover, Feel So Good. They were pretty good, though would like to see them in a smaller venue - the sound in the O2 is still a bit muddy. Lanegan was his usual compelling presence, standing still at the mic stand, and the band played well, though the backing singers were a little OTT, over-'gospelly', maybe?
Depeche Mode followed up which was a completely different experience. Last time I saw them was in 1994 in the same venue when singer Dave Gahan was in his 'rock god' drug phase, and they were very impressive. They began with tracks from their most recent album, Sounds of the Universe which got an OK reception but most fans were here for the older stuff. I had forgotten how small Gahan is, he's really tiny. The sound was too polished for my liking, it was hard to pick out the instruments, it just sounded like one mass globule of sound. Maybe that was deliberate?
Anyway they rolled out many of the 'classics' - A Question of Time, Personal Jesus, Walking In My Shoes, and both Gahan and Martin Gore were in fine voice, but the experience was a little like watching a video or listening to a CD. Perhaps the venue was too big for me? One of the songs they played was Miles Away. It felt like it.
Have to have a word about the merchandise: €70 for a Depeche Mode hoodie was almost as amusing as the popcorn sellers!
The new venue is completely opened out, which has the effect of the gig being visible (and audible) from the bar. Discovered it's way too easy to get beer. Disturbingly, they also sell buckets of popcorn, just like the cinema. That's entertainment?!
Anyway, enough of the venue and on to the music. Soulsavers were on stage when we arrived. Lanegan was wearing a suit and surrounded by musicians, there must have been more than 10 on the stage (including backing singers). The set was a mixture of their last 2 albums, solo Mark Lanegan (Hit The City and Kingdoms of Rain were highlights) and they finished with a Spacemen 3 cover, Feel So Good. They were pretty good, though would like to see them in a smaller venue - the sound in the O2 is still a bit muddy. Lanegan was his usual compelling presence, standing still at the mic stand, and the band played well, though the backing singers were a little OTT, over-'gospelly', maybe?
Depeche Mode followed up which was a completely different experience. Last time I saw them was in 1994 in the same venue when singer Dave Gahan was in his 'rock god' drug phase, and they were very impressive. They began with tracks from their most recent album, Sounds of the Universe which got an OK reception but most fans were here for the older stuff. I had forgotten how small Gahan is, he's really tiny. The sound was too polished for my liking, it was hard to pick out the instruments, it just sounded like one mass globule of sound. Maybe that was deliberate?
Anyway they rolled out many of the 'classics' - A Question of Time, Personal Jesus, Walking In My Shoes, and both Gahan and Martin Gore were in fine voice, but the experience was a little like watching a video or listening to a CD. Perhaps the venue was too big for me? One of the songs they played was Miles Away. It felt like it.
Have to have a word about the merchandise: €70 for a Depeche Mode hoodie was almost as amusing as the popcorn sellers!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Top 10 of 2009: 5-1
5: Richmond Fontaine – We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River
Now that the aforementioned Morrissey has renounced unwieldy song titles, Richmond Fontaine have ‘stepped up to the plate.’ Here’s my review:
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2009/09/review-richmond-fontaine-we-used-to.html
4: Pearl Jam - Backspacer
I love Pearl Jam. Well, it’s probably the idea of Pearl Jam I love more than the actuality, but I love what I think they are. They are like the last, old-school bit rock band who are ok to like. Their last few albums had been somewhat patchy, but Eddie Vedder released a solo album soundtrack to Into the Wild 2 years ago where he absolutely nailed the essence of the film. It made me wonder why he hadn’t released a quieter album years ago.
Anyway, enough of that, Backspacer was billed as the ‘Pearl Jam having fun again’ album. They sound ‘alive’ (boom boom) and revitalised on the faster numbers, but the slower ones are generally more memorable. Not just the wonderful Just Breathe, an acoustic ballad with strings in the vein of Into the Wild, but also the mid-paced Speed of Sound, a kind of slow-burning anthem which only a band like Pearl Jam could pull off. The final track, appropriately named The End is almost a little much, but Vedder’s vocal, where his voice almost cracks, makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand out. The final line of the song “I’m here, but not much longer” is a downbeat note to end on. Some have interpreted it as the end for Pearl Jam??
Note: the album also came with a code which gives access to 2 full concert downloads, which is nice touch for the rabid fans.
3: Mark Eitzel – Klamath
Mr American Music Club’s latest album was almost entirely created using his laptop and a guitar. It sounds very insubstantial when you hear it first, and drifts by almost unnoticed. But I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the slowburner of the year. Given time the songs (as opposed to the 2 instrumentals) gradually reveal themselves. Blood on My Hands is a strong, self-deprecated waltz, while I Live In This Place is classic Eitzel, with the memorable line “I know I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life” (here’s hoping). Why I’m Bullshit is another strong track, which is a little more self-flagellation from Eitzel. All of the above would be tiresome except for the fact that the music is generally very strong. His vocals are a little low in the mix, would be great to hear him more prominently (a la his live shows) but after a few haphazard electronic experiments, he appears to have finally mastered it with this album.
2: Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Sonic Youth’s albums of this decade are arguably up there with their strongest work. Advancing years seems to suit them. The Eternal is a strong collection of songs, probably a little heavier than the likes of Sonic Nurse and Rather Ripped but no real noisy freak-outs. Kim gets her quota of songs, with mixed results (God bless her she likes to shout), but she’s a little more tuneful on Malibu Gas Station (which reminds me of Juliana Hatfield of all people) and Massage the History. Thurston chips in with some strong songs, the best of which being Antenna, while Lee’s 2 tracks – What We Know and Walkin Blue are among the strongest on the album.
1: Soulsavers - Broken
See my previous review:
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-soulsavers-broken.html
Now that the aforementioned Morrissey has renounced unwieldy song titles, Richmond Fontaine have ‘stepped up to the plate.’ Here’s my review:
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2009/09/review-richmond-fontaine-we-used-to.html
4: Pearl Jam - Backspacer
I love Pearl Jam. Well, it’s probably the idea of Pearl Jam I love more than the actuality, but I love what I think they are. They are like the last, old-school bit rock band who are ok to like. Their last few albums had been somewhat patchy, but Eddie Vedder released a solo album soundtrack to Into the Wild 2 years ago where he absolutely nailed the essence of the film. It made me wonder why he hadn’t released a quieter album years ago.
Anyway, enough of that, Backspacer was billed as the ‘Pearl Jam having fun again’ album. They sound ‘alive’ (boom boom) and revitalised on the faster numbers, but the slower ones are generally more memorable. Not just the wonderful Just Breathe, an acoustic ballad with strings in the vein of Into the Wild, but also the mid-paced Speed of Sound, a kind of slow-burning anthem which only a band like Pearl Jam could pull off. The final track, appropriately named The End is almost a little much, but Vedder’s vocal, where his voice almost cracks, makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand out. The final line of the song “I’m here, but not much longer” is a downbeat note to end on. Some have interpreted it as the end for Pearl Jam??
Note: the album also came with a code which gives access to 2 full concert downloads, which is nice touch for the rabid fans.
3: Mark Eitzel – Klamath
Mr American Music Club’s latest album was almost entirely created using his laptop and a guitar. It sounds very insubstantial when you hear it first, and drifts by almost unnoticed. But I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the slowburner of the year. Given time the songs (as opposed to the 2 instrumentals) gradually reveal themselves. Blood on My Hands is a strong, self-deprecated waltz, while I Live In This Place is classic Eitzel, with the memorable line “I know I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life” (here’s hoping). Why I’m Bullshit is another strong track, which is a little more self-flagellation from Eitzel. All of the above would be tiresome except for the fact that the music is generally very strong. His vocals are a little low in the mix, would be great to hear him more prominently (a la his live shows) but after a few haphazard electronic experiments, he appears to have finally mastered it with this album.
2: Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Sonic Youth’s albums of this decade are arguably up there with their strongest work. Advancing years seems to suit them. The Eternal is a strong collection of songs, probably a little heavier than the likes of Sonic Nurse and Rather Ripped but no real noisy freak-outs. Kim gets her quota of songs, with mixed results (God bless her she likes to shout), but she’s a little more tuneful on Malibu Gas Station (which reminds me of Juliana Hatfield of all people) and Massage the History. Thurston chips in with some strong songs, the best of which being Antenna, while Lee’s 2 tracks – What We Know and Walkin Blue are among the strongest on the album.
1: Soulsavers - Broken
See my previous review:
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-soulsavers-broken.html
Monday, October 26, 2009
Album Review: Soulsavers - Broken
Mark Lanegan has become the king of collaborators. This is his 2nd collaboration with electronica duo the Soulsavers (and their 3rd album). Their last was surprisingly successful, so this was a tough act to follow.
The album kicks off with a beautiful piano-led piece, The Seventh Proof, before crashing into the most uptempo track, Death Bells. This is a kind of standard-issue Lanegan rocker, searing along nicely with Lanegan singing like his life depended on it. Following this is the real meat of the album.
Unbalanced Pieces is a slow-burning, loping track which bops along nicely in the manner of Paper Money from their previous album but then kicks into a great melodic chorus, driven by female backing vocals. Following this is the desolate You'll Miss Me When I Burn, a cover of a Palace Brothers song. Lanegan delivers the performance of his life delivering lines like "when you have noone, noone can hurt you" over a sad piano backing.
Some Misunderstanding follows, a Guy Clark cover with again a wonderful vocal from Mark Lanegan. He sounds bruised and beaten, yet the overall effect is life-affirming and uplifting.
The next 4 songs are also Lanegan-sung and all the better for it. Each one of them would be a standout on a different album, and each one is heavy with emotive power. Shadows Fall, for example is a soaring string-led song with exquisite backing vocals which takes a sharp left towards the end of the track into another fantastic melody. The melodies on this album are in general stronger than those on their previous album, It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land.
The album then introduces a female singer called Red Ghost, who covers Lanegan's own Praying Ground. She does this one and 2 other tracks reasonably well, though her tracks are not as strong as Lanegan's.
Also, there are a host of collaborators on other tracks (Gibby Haynes, Mike Patton, Richard Hawley and Jason Pierce) yet all of them suffer in comparison with Lanegan's dominant voice, rendering them barely audible.
Nevertheless, this album is in my book a strong contender for album of 2009. I'm lucky enough to have a ticket to see them support Depeche Mode in December.
The album kicks off with a beautiful piano-led piece, The Seventh Proof, before crashing into the most uptempo track, Death Bells. This is a kind of standard-issue Lanegan rocker, searing along nicely with Lanegan singing like his life depended on it. Following this is the real meat of the album.
Unbalanced Pieces is a slow-burning, loping track which bops along nicely in the manner of Paper Money from their previous album but then kicks into a great melodic chorus, driven by female backing vocals. Following this is the desolate You'll Miss Me When I Burn, a cover of a Palace Brothers song. Lanegan delivers the performance of his life delivering lines like "when you have noone, noone can hurt you" over a sad piano backing.
Some Misunderstanding follows, a Guy Clark cover with again a wonderful vocal from Mark Lanegan. He sounds bruised and beaten, yet the overall effect is life-affirming and uplifting.
The next 4 songs are also Lanegan-sung and all the better for it. Each one of them would be a standout on a different album, and each one is heavy with emotive power. Shadows Fall, for example is a soaring string-led song with exquisite backing vocals which takes a sharp left towards the end of the track into another fantastic melody. The melodies on this album are in general stronger than those on their previous album, It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land.
The album then introduces a female singer called Red Ghost, who covers Lanegan's own Praying Ground. She does this one and 2 other tracks reasonably well, though her tracks are not as strong as Lanegan's.
Also, there are a host of collaborators on other tracks (Gibby Haynes, Mike Patton, Richard Hawley and Jason Pierce) yet all of them suffer in comparison with Lanegan's dominant voice, rendering them barely audible.
Nevertheless, this album is in my book a strong contender for album of 2009. I'm lucky enough to have a ticket to see them support Depeche Mode in December.
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