CD Review: Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick
Budokan!
Epic/Legacy
By David Chiu

There is no question that Cheap Trick’s At Budokan album changed the fortunes of the little-known band from Rockford, Illinois back in 1979. Before Budokan Cheap Trick had released their first studio albums in the States without much fanfare. But when the band toured Japan for the first time in April 1978, it was pandemonium reminiscent of Beatlemania with the screaming Japanese audience at the Nippon Budokan. Somehow Cheap Trick fed off that energy and delivered blistering power pop performances. The subsequent live album became a huge smash in the States thanks to their signature pop hit “I Want You To Want Me.” That historic time in Cheap Trick’s history is now revisited 30 years later with a DVD/CD package containing a performance from April 28, 1978 that only aired on Japanese TV, and the entire concert from that tour previously reissued ten years ago. For fans already weaned on their old copies of At Budokan, the DVD is the main highlight and it’s funny to see guitarist Rick Nielsen acting all weird and goofy through his wide-eyed facial expressions and antics. Nielsen’s the perfect foil to Robin Zander’s handsome stage persona and singing, which is accentuated by the smoking rhythm section of bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Budokan! is vintage Cheap Trick at their best, and from the performance on TV and on record, it’s quite understandable why the crowd went crazy!

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CD Review: The Replacements

The Replacements
Tim (1985)
Pleased to Meet Me (1987)
Don’t Tell a Soul (1989)
All Shook Down (1990)
Sire/Rhino
By David Chiu

When the Replacements hooked up with a major label in the mid ‘80s, it marked a step towards the mainstream for these former indie rockers. Certainly on the later Sire albums, now reissued with bonus tracks, the Mats’ sound became a little more accessible and less punk oriented compared to their Twin/Tone output. But it’s no less urgent and endearing.

Tim leads off with a great rocker in Hold My Life and it doesn’t stop there with some terrific tracks like the tender “Kiss Me on the Bus,” “Left of the Dial” and “Bastards of Young.” (The raw, punk side of the ‘Mats was still there with “Dose of Thunder,” while “Here Comes a Regular” is a moving and lonely stark ballad). Sadly guitarist Bob Stinson was fired after Tim though the follow-up Pleased to Meet Me doesn’t slack off because of it with two popular cuts: “Can’t Hardly Wait” and the brilliant “Alex Chilton” a tribute to the underrated master of power pop. There some driving rockers like “I.O.U.”, and “Red Red Wine,” as well as some stylistic diversions such as Memphis blues on “I Don’t Know,” the jazzy loungey “Nightclub Jitters,” and country folk on the tender “Skyway.”

There are some anthemic moments on the generally upbeat Don’t Tell a Soul, particularly on “Darlin’ One” and “Anywhere’s Better Than Here.” The album’s best-known tracks are its most strongest: “I’ll Be You” and “Achin’ To Be.” “They’re Blind” is a lilting pop song, and Asking Me Lies has a slight funk rock feel.

The final Replacements album, All Shook Down sounds more stripped down and spare (the title track) than the heavy rock production of the previous albums. Yet there are also some really strong material on this underrated set: “Merry Go-Round,” “Happy Town,” and the aching “Sadly Beautiful.” If anything that last record and the all Sire albums in general represented a mature growth from the once-ramshackle group.

"Alex Chilton" on YouTube:

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Book Review: Raven

Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People
By Tim Reiterman with John Jacobs
Tarcher/Penguin
Review by David Chiu

Yesterday marked the 30-year anniversary of the Jonestown suicides when over 900 followers of Rev. Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple church, killed themselves by drinking fruit drink containing cyanide. On that same day before the suicides, Jones’s men in an airstrip ambush gunned down five people including California Congressmen Leo Ryan. The bizarre and ultimately tragic story of the Peoples Temple is told in Tim Reiterman’s compelling and exhaustive book Raven, which was previously published in 1982, and now has been reprinted in paperback.

Reiterman, then a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner, was an unlikely participant in the events of that horrible day—he was among the wounded in the ambush after visiting Jonestown with Congressman Ryan and the media. His book tells the story of the charismatic Jim Jones, whose fiery brand of religion, politics and social philosophy began in Indiana in the mid-‘50s. As a minister he was unorthodox and unpopular in the community for his racial integration views—he practiced what he preached by adopting non-white children. Jones’s populist appeal followed him to Ukiah and then San Francisco where he preached civil rights and social justice, and his congregation was mostly African Americans and young progressive whites.

But, as the book unravels, there was a dark undercurrent to Jones’s life and message, and the details convey the strange and bizarre things happening inside the church: Jones started having sexual relations with both male and female parishioners; he conducted fake healings; and he saw himself as a Christ-figure and even God. His followers were convinced to donate their savings and properties to the church. And Jones’s paranoia about being betrayed was so palpable that no one was allowed to leave the church upon penalty of severe punishment and retribution. The most chilling episode was having the members engage in the practice of suicide by drinking fruit punch and then were told that it was poisoned (it wasn’t) as a sort of test

Jones’s power was at its zenith upon the Temple’s arrival to San Francisco in the mid ‘70s. His ironclad rule went mainly unchecked because he was able to ingratiate himself with the local politicians (even gaining an audience with First Lady Rosalyn Carter). The media didn’t cover the seamy side of the church or ignored it until journalist’s Marshall Kilduff’s explosive magazine expose convinced Jones and his followers to move to what they considered a modern-day utopia in Guyana. But it was the concern of the followers’ relatives that convinced Congressman Ryan to visit the camp. That would set off the chain of events that culminated with the final and catastrophic moments.

Raven is an absorbing read—it is so mind-blowing and hard to put down even at over 600 pages. As it draws from numerous interviews and sources, Raven’s thorough reporting and the research is a prime example of great journalism. And underneath the sordid and fantastic details of the church’s politics and machinery are some really heartbreaking moments represented in the stories of some of the families— particularly Steve Katasaris, a loving father who tries to convince his brainwashed daughter Maria to leave the church.

There have been numerous books and articles in addition to documentaries about Jonestown, but Raven might be the ultimate and authoritative source for any understanding about Jones and the Peoples Temple. With continued interest with Jonestown especially during this anniversary, the book’s reemergence couldn’t been more timely as a cautionary reminder of what happens when a group puts its own individuality and life in the hands of a corrupt and insane person.



For more information about Jonestown:

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/jonestown/index.html

Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple
http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/

“On the 30th anniversary, Jonestown survivors reflect on the tragedy and their new lives” By Tim Reiterman
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-30-years-after-jonestown,1,1130544.story

Watch the trailer to the documentary Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

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CD Review: New Order

New Order
Movement (1981)
Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
Low-life (1985)
Brotherhood (1986)
Technique (1989)
London/Warner Bros./Rhino
By David Chiu

When Joy Division singer Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980, the future of his band looked pretty bleak at the time. Curtis was such a commanding presence both as a singer and focal point of the Manchester post-punk band, that his loss or the idea of replacing him seemed unfathomable. Fortunately the rest of his band mates carried on and became the most unlikely and successful pop group ever as New Order. If there was any connection to the past on New Order’s part, it was the group’s sense of detachment, but musically speaking the music was far more upbeat sounding and embraced more electronic and dance sounds. New Order’s first five Factory Records albums were just reissued each with an additional disc of B-sides, rarities, and mixes.

The debut album Movement didn’t represent a complete break from Joy Divsions’ past—even guitarist Bernard Sumner and bassist Peter Hook took turns trying to evoke Curtis’ ominous vocals, and the music on that record still had a dark post-punk vibe . But gradually New Order shaped its own musical identity with the excellent Power, Corruption & Lies where the tunes such as “Age of Consent” sounded a bit more accessible (The classic single “Blue Monday” was recorded at that time and is now included on the bonus disc); even Sumner started to find his voice as a decent singer. Low-life was an achievement with the dance grooves sounding more obvious—that album was highlighted by tremendous tracks “Love Vigilantes,” “Sub-culture,” and the absolutely divine “Perfect Kiss.” Brotherhood bordered on both electronic tunes and straightforward rock material, but it still had some great tracks like the popular “Bizarre Love Triangle,” the driving “Paradise,” and the powerful State of the Nation. Technique was definitely a pop album in every sense of the word influenced by the techno sounds of the time such as on “Round and Round,” “Fine Time” and “Run 2,” although again there seemed more rock oriented fare like on “Dream Attack.”

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CD Review: Genesis

Genesis
1970-1975
Rhino/Atlantic
By David Chiu

Without a doubt the best and beloved incarnation of Genesis was the lineup that consisted of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford. Steve Hackett and Phil Collins. That particular collective’s music is celebrated on this box containing arguably Genesis’ most adventurous early albums: Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Trespass was somewhat of a folk-inspired, atmospheric work that featured original guitarist Anthony Phillips and drummer John Mayhew; it’s not the strongest of the five works but has good moments particularly “Looking for Someone,” “Visions of Angels” and the chugging “The Knife.” Genesis’s path towards dramatic art rock took shape, however, with the following record Nursery Cryme, marking the debut of Collins and Hackett with the band with more of the epic and imaginative story songs such as “The Musical Box,” “The Fountain of Salamacis” and “The Return of the Giant Hogweed.” Foxtrot is highlighted by the 22-minute “Suppers’ Ready,” a classic song by the early group. Selling England By the Pound, a conceptual work on Englishness is an exceptionally great record that contained the unlikely pop hit “I Know What I Like,” “The Cinema Show” and the dazzling musical playing of Banks and Hackett on “Firth of Fifth.”

The best out of the five in this box is The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, a sprawling and ambitious double concept album about Rael, a Puerto Rican in New York. Arguably the quintessential Genesis album, with some of Genesis best work: the title track, “The Carpet Crawlers, “Counting Out Time,” and “Back in NYC.” The DVD version of Lamb is absolutely superb because unlike the other DVDs from the box sets, this one features visual graphics and archival band footage that transports the viewer/listener to what it must have been like to be watching the album being performed in 1975. Sadly but fittingly it marked the end of Peter Gabriel’s time with the band and the next chapter of the band was about to begin. The group with Phil Collins as singer eventually became a commercial for the next 20 years but this short-lived lineup represented on 1970-1975 left probably a more lasting impression in the minds of die-hard fans.

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Live Review: An Horse

An Horse
The Living Room, NYC
October 25, 2008
By David Chiu

An Horse are poised to be Brisbane, Australia’s next and best musical export since the Go-BetweensOnly having been together musically for about a year, singer/guitarist Kate Cooper and drummer Damon Cox are slowly making their mark—they have previously opened for Tegan and Sara, Death Cab for Cutie, and the New Pornographers. The duo’s passionate and driving indie punk pop was on full display at the Living Room as part of the CMJ Music Marathon, as they performed songs from their upcoming debut album, Rearrange Beds.

An Horse’s sense of urgency in the music matched Cooper’s lyrics about relationships beginning with the set opener “Company”: “You said I’m out on a ledge/Come stand with me/I need the company,” she sings. Other songs such “Little Little Little,” “Postcards,” and the final number “Shoes Watch” followed similarly to “Company” with some catchy hooks and tough-minded attitude. And another highlight of the show was “Little Lungs,” which started off subdued until it evolved into a rocking climax.

Overall An Horse’s music really strikes a perfect balance between catchy pop and punk aggression. Cooper strummed aggressively on her electric guitar like a punk rocker, and her singing was expressive and distinctive. It wouldn’t be a surprise if she and Cox became household names, like the Go-Betweens’ Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, in carrying the torch of exceptional music from Brisbane.

Photo by Nadia Mizner.

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CD Review: Army Navy

Army Navy
Army Navy
The Fever Zone
By David Chiu

Army Navy might be the most British-sounding group from America in recent memory other than perhaps Jellyfish. The comparisons to Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, and the other British power pop bands from the ‘90s seems justified upon listening to their excellent retro-sounding debut album. Each track on Army Navy has melodic hooks-galore, driving rock guitar and singer Justin Kennedy’s very Anglo-sounding voice. Tracks such as Sleight of Hand, Jail Is Fine, and Ignite seems to contain what’s lacking in pop music these days: a sense of gorgeous songcraft, as on “Golden Pony”. (The remake of Maxine Nightingale’s ‘70s classic “Get Right Back” is a nice touch). Army Navy is a great work and will certainly on my year-end top albums list.

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CD Review: Beth Rowley

Beth Rowley
Little Dreamer
Verve Forecast
By David Chiu

Beth Rowley’s jazz-inflected vocals and eclectic musical approach will inevitably draw comparisons to Norah Jones. While that maybe true, there are also a few characteristics showcased on this wonderful that make this English singer stand out from her American counterpart. For one thing, she has some strong pop tendencies on two tracks that evoke some of the great female singer/songwriters from the ‘70s. The ones that come to mind are the wonderful “So Sublime” (which sounds like a cross between Carole King and Laura Nyro), and the very upbeat-sounding “Oh My Life.” It’s hard to somehow pin down Rowley’s style because it’s all over the place: there’s gospel (“Almost Persuaded,” “Only One Cloud”), country (“When the Rains Came,” “Beautfiul Tomorrow”) and reggae-folk (her interpretation of Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released”). Rowley also has a really lovely voice, reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt as it is mannered and eloquent but with a lot of soul too. Little Dreamer is a gem of an album and hopefully the stepping stone to a fruitful career for this newcomer.


See a video clip of "Oh My Life" from YouTube:

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