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ROGER WATERS Is This The Life We Really Want ?
( Columbia )
Is This the Life We Really Want ? rockets to the upper reaches of Waters ’ most powerful writing , band or solo – but there ’ s another hook designed to draw listeners . Despite absence of David Gilmour ’ s critical guitar and vocal , this collaboration with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich is even more connected to Waters ’ legacy with Pink Floyd than solo debut The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking . It ' s the spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down , as it turns out . The record sounds distinctly modern and sonically rich , but nonetheless contains touchstones to classics like “ Welcome to the Machine ,” “ One of These Days ,” “ Mother ,” " Wish You Were Here " and more . Don ’ t expect a bona fide Pink Floyd album , but there ’ s plenty for a Floyd fan to love .
Plenty to love , that is , unless you ’ re a Floyd fan at odds with Waters ’ politics . The artist pulls not a single punch . In fact , he swings harder than ever , pouring his derision upon everything done by the far right globally , and the current administration domestically , to undo social progress in favor of corporate interests . Waters ' first rock album since 1992 , Is This the Life had been in progress since 2010 . He retooled songs including “ Picture That ” to reflect his reservations with the Trump campaign and ensuing administration . “ Picture a leader with no fucking brains ,” sings Waters , bluntly . In case you think he might be describing someone else , the liner notes include a partially-redacted photo of the president with the lyric superimposed . Trump isn ’ t the only authority figure who receives a jab from Waters , though . “ If I had been given the nod , I believe I could have done a better job ,” sings Waters during the lushly orchestrated “ Déjà Vu .” He ’ s referring to
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the Almighty Himself . Waters then proceeds to imagine himself as a drone on a deadly mission , afraid of what he ’ ll find at his target site – perhaps a poor woman at a stove . Meanwhile , “ the bankers get fat .” Waters reserves some spite for moderates , too . “ You lean to the left , but you vote to the right ,” he sings . The president ’ s own voice introduces the title track . The unspoken adjunct to the question in the title is the notion that while fear-mongering , refugee crises , terrorism and rampant greed probably do not represent the life that we really want , everyone is culpable . It doesn ’ t matter whether you ’ re one of the beautiful people , a veritable saint , or counted among the deplorables . “ Every time the curtain falls on some forgotten life , it is because we stood by silent and indifferent ,” Waters concludes . The box for environmental calamity also gets checked . So much for scoring the feelgood hit of the summer . Waters is on a mission to communicate hard truth , with a frayed thread of hope that it isn ’ t already too late . The grim funk of " Smell the Roses ” recalls " Have a Cigar ." " Come on honey , it ' s real money ," sings Waters . Instead of the shallow dreams of record label wheeler-dealers , though , the antagonists here profit from war . It ' s a bigger show with better pyrotechnics . Waters turns briefly to matters of the heart during " The Last Refugee " and " Wait for Her ." The latter is a lesson in gentle patience based upon " Lesson from the Kama Sutra ( Wait for Her )" by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish . In " Part of Me Died ," Waters lists the sins that populate the rest of the album , revealing that they were powerless to thrive within his own heart when confronted by true love . Thus , a life worth really wanting is revealed . Hallmarks of Waters ’ most strident and provocative writing dominate the album , however . He still carries righteous anger against fascism that fueled The Wall , in addition to imperialism and greed , but he now speaks into a culture where his demons seem to be more brazen than ever . It has been predicted that a shift in global leadership to the right would be a boon for fans and practitioners of punk rock and protest music . Consider this the first classic of the era . Appearing 7 / 23 United Center , Chicago
– Jeff Elbel
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ROYAL BLOOD How Did It Get So Dark ?
( Warner Bros )
On their self-titled debut , Royal Blood churned up a tidal wave sized ruckus . When listeners realized that said cacophony was being created by a DUO , tongues collectively wagged . The sophomore effort How Did It Get So Dark ? never strays too terribly far from its predecessor in tone or approach . Drummer Ben Thatcher thunders away on his drum kit , evoking Bonham-esque runs that seem almost malicious in tone . On top of that tribal tempest , Mike Kerr splashes fuzzed out bass runs that headline like a lead instrument , but are so fantastically scuzzy , they
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resemble a radio dial stuck between stations . The danger here is that with limited instrumentation , the material best be high grade because there ’ s no room anywhere in the grooves for the suck to hide . Not a problem . “ Lights Out ” and the title track emerge rock radio ready with beefy choruses and devil horn worthy angst . If fact , the same can be said for most of the material here ( cowbell alert : “ I Only Lie When I Love You ” more than exceeds its SNL skit required quota ). Of course , it ’ s only a matter of time before the naysayers once again proclaim that “ Rock is dead !” Let them ; How Did We Get So Dark ? is all evidence to the contrary . If anything , it ’ s a biblicalsized resurrection . Appearing 8 / 4 Lincoln Hall , Chicago ; 8 / 5 Lollapalooza , Chicago
– Curt Baran
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THE AFGHAN WHIGS In Spades
( Sub Pop )
Desire , betrayal , heartbreak , regret ... The Afghan Whigs ’ frontman Greg Dulli has been fixated on these themes for nearly 30 years , and he ’ s no doubt perfected the subject matter . In “ Demon In Profile ” before the guitars and drums kick in , Dulli sings : “ All over your body--this electricity / It was all that I wanted / Now it ’ s killing me .” It ’ s the most rocking track on the introspective album , the eighth from the band that currently only employs original members Dulli and bassist John Curley . Dulli is similarly pessimistic about the ways of love ( would Whigs ’ fans want it any other way ?) on “ Arabian Heights ” when he sings as if in physical pain : “ Breathe--my desire / Make no sound / And we ’ ll escape in each other ” only to have the song end with : ” Love is a lie / Like a hole in the sky / Then you die .” A few tracks incorporate cello and violin string orchestration , including “ Birdland ,” a slightly off-putting ballad opener that thankfully and quickly fades into “ Arabian Heights ,” and “ Oriole ” and “ The Spell ,” which better balance the strings with more uptempo rock grooves . Curley ’ s thudding bass lines drive “ Copernicus ” and “ Light As A Feather ,” the other pure rockers on
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the album . “ Into The Floor ” starts with piano , strings and Dulli ’ s wails and builds to wall-of-sound guitar and this final ( ironic ?) lyrical image : “ And suddenly / A summer breeze .”
Appearing 9 / 22 , 9 / 23 Metro , Chicago - Jason Scales
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MATTHEW SWEET Tomorrow Forever
( Sub Pop )
It ’ s been six years since Sweet ’ s Modern Art , and he makes up for lost time with a double album that was backed by Kickstarter supporters in July 2014 . Depending upon the donation , fans got an additional set of 12 songs called Tomorrow ’ s Daughter beyond the 17 included here . A batch of nine further songs went by the wayside . If Sweet encountered any obstacles during the three years spent making this collection , writers block wasn ’ t among them . The cream of this bumper crop is assembled on this record .
Tomorrow Forever is a heartfelt outpouring , ruminating upon changes in life and whether the appearance of permanence can be trusted . Catalysts include the passing of Sweet ’ s mother , reflected in “ You Knew Me .” The song reveals the distance that can grow between people who nonetheless love each other , and the regret that remains when one of them is gone . Other introspective songs including “ End is Near ” are balanced against the rowdy , Move-influenced pop-rock of “ Trick .” The song questions of perceptions in everyday life , and whether a rugged reflection in the mirror is just a trick of the light . The album builds upon the promise of Modern Art . “ Pretty Please ” recalls the loping glamrock pleasures of Mott the Hoople . The lovelorn “ Circle ” is the type of perfect , straightforward power-pop that populated older albums like 100 % Fun , with a tip of the hat to the Raspberries . The optimistic “ Finally ” finds a couple who have weathered storms ( whether together or separately ), and are joyfully embarking upon new adventures together . The summery shimmer of “ Carol ,” however , celebrates a partnership that has stood the test of time . Sweet ’ s core band members include guitarist Paul Chastain and drummer Ric Menck , both veterans of Velvet Crush . Bangles drummer Debbi Peterson joins Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent for “ Haunted ,” a song tethered to the memory of an “ old old , old love .” Both guests appear elsewhere . John Moremen of the Orange Peels plays lead guitar throughout the album , occasionally spelled by Gary
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32 illinoisentertainer . com july 2017 |