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ST. VINCENT Masseducation
( Loma Vista)
With every release, Annie Clark becomes more and more subsumed by her St. Vincent alter-ego. On her sixth release( if one includes Love This Giant, a one-off collaboration with David Byrne, formerly of Talking Heads), Masseduction, a chameleonic approach to the music proves to be a bounty for both artist and listener. Clark effortlessly inhabits every musical environment she cultivates, be it ambient, supple balladry(“ New York,”“ Slow Disco ") or terse, pulsing Technicolored techno(“ Fear The Future,”). She even manages to melt off some of the icy veneer that’ s left her earlier recordings more difficult to connect with emotionally.“ Happy Birthday, Johnny,” arguably her most personal composition to date, laments her failure to be there for a friend in need(“ Annie, how could you do this to me?”/ Of course, I blame me), augmented by the most minuscule of soundtracks.
Remaining so completely invested in the material, Clark’ s delivery and execution often obfuscate her insanely accomplished musicianship. Of course, one is quickly remind of said skills when she drops some skin-scrapingly abrasive guitar runs on the albums title track( let us not forget, she’ s been known to bust out Big Black covers in concert without warning, and their music is the antithesis of radio friendly unit shifters). That ' s why Masseduction is such a feast between the ears. In one breath, she’ s making out with the boys and girls in the balcony at Studio 54(“ Sugarboy”), the next she’ s riding a nursery rhyme groove that so syrupy(“ Pills”), it’ s easy to dismiss how how easily the song ' s subject matter takes the piss out of Big Pharma ' s ubiquitous, far reaching choker collar.
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Even the ever-eager protagonist in“ Savior” will do anything to please, dressing up as a nurse, teacher, cop or a nun. The songs on Masseduction never have to work that hard. It looks smashing regardless of what its wearing. Appearing 1 / 12 at Chicago Theater, Chicago.
--Curt Baran
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KNUCKLE PUCK Shape Shifter
( Rise)
I felt so old( I was 22 at the time) when Knuckle Puck had to explain on twitter that their 2015 album was pronounced " co · pa · cet · ic." I had assumed some younger fans had never heard the word. Besides dealing with my own mortality I thought Copacetic was somewhat bland. So when Shapeshifter was announced I was cautiously optimistic. After multiple listens I can confidently say that Shapeshifter is an improvement over Copacetic. The album delivers anthems like“ Want Me Around,”“ Everyone Lies to Me” and“ Gone.” When these songs are played live, expect loud sing-alongs and plenty of crowd surfing, making the tracks among some of the best music the band has made. The rest of Shapeshifter, however, isn’ t as quite as memorable. The latter half of the album just blends together, without any noticeable dynamics. Shapeshifter is the sound of Knuckle Puck maturing and becoming a better band. However, in 2017, the competition is extremely tough, and in a year with so many great pop punk releases, this albums in danger of getting lost in the background. Appearing 12 / 29, 12 / 30 at Metro, Chicago.
– Michael Obrecki
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THE WHO Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 2014
( Eagle Vision)
The Who played the Isle of Wight Festival twice as a young band, including a show before a staggering crowd of 650,000 in 1970. Due to its unexpected size and impact upon the local community, the festival was shut down by British Parliament. Any locals pining for a repeat opportunity had to wait 32 years for the festival’ s revival and 34 years for the band, but Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey brought their mod anthems and a
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a couple of new surprises back to a multigenerational crowd. Pete Townshend comments,“ Who knows? Most of you were probably started here, in some [ nasty ] old tent‘ round the back, your mom and dad, smoking their mary-ju-wanas.” The audience surely included some older fans who were present the first time the band played“ I Can’ t Explain” on the grounds. At this show, the band were not yet playing material from 2006’ s Endless Wire, but a pair of new tracks recorded for 2004’ s The Who: Then and Now are included in the set. Townshend leaps and windmills through slashing rocker“ Old Red Wine.” Longtime touring keyboardist Rabbit Bundrick features on piano during the Elvis Presley tribute“ Real Good Looking Boy.” The band is a lean six-piece. Current member Pino Palladino’ s towering presence on bass is still relatively fresh following the death of John Entwistle at the start of the Who’ s previous tour. Keith Moon’ s godson Zak Starkey thunders at the drum kit. Pete’ s brother Simon Townshend covers rhythm guitar.
Daltrey is in strong voice, howling and stammering through“ My Generation” and digging deep into his guts for the feral screams of“ Love Reign O’ er Me” and“ Won’ t Get Fooled Again.” Townshend takes lead vocal for pair of songs including the slow-burning“ Eminence Front” and an intense solo-acoustic performance of Quadrophenia’ s“ Drowned.” Other hits are strewn throughout the set including“ I Can’ t Explain,”“ Who Are You,”“ Pinball Wizard” and“ Magic Bus.” The festival crowd surges for the opening synthesizer riff of“ Baba O’ Riley,” and surges for its“ teenage wasteland” refrain. This set captures the 23-song set list on two audio CDs and DVD / Blu-ray. Cameras cover the stage from all angles including, with occasional shots showing the 35,000-strong audience for scale. The audio is well worth mentioning. Townshend’ s guitar roars through tracks like“ Bargain,” leading an explosive mix. Townshend asks at one point,“ Is it loud enough?”
– Jeff Elbel
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KALI MASI Wind Instrument
( Take This To Heart)
There are over 30 sub-genres of punk rock. You’ ve probably heard of pop-punk or hardcore punk, but what about horror punk or punk jazz? My point is that a lot of music falls under the umbrella term of“ Punk Rock.” Listening to the debut record from Kali Mas, Wind Instrument, you don ' t need a list of 30 sub-genres to know what you ' re listening to. Wind Instrument is pure, heartfelt, in your face punk rock. Kali Masi has a punk rock sound not unlike Elway, Polar Bear Club, and The Menzingers. Every song on Wind Instrument is filled that
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familiar punk rock passion that makes you want to scream and dance along. The standout songs on Wind Instrument are“ Your Other Left,”“ Some Friends” and“ C. A.” Every one of those songs is a great introduction to Kali Masi. If you’ re interested in listening to an album that does a very good job of capturing the Midwestern punk rock ethic, Wind Instrument is the album for you.
– Michael Obrecki
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THE SMITHS The Queen is Dead( Reissue)
( Rhino)
Perhaps it was online pressure by Morrissey or fans on social media, but the 31st anniversary of The Queen is Dead reissue shows what the fuss what all about in 1986. Released during Reagan ' s so-called revolution in a heavy tide of overproduced rock records smothered in reverb and synth bands wringing out their last notes, The Queen is Dead delivered on the promise of their massively influential tremolodrenched single " How Soon Is Now " released a year earlier. Sonically it was a major step forward from Meat is Murder, though we still prefer the rockabilly and post punk of the sophomore album. Producer Stephen Street was also growing with the band which makes the results even more enticing. QID is powered by the band ' s greatest songs, including " Bigmouth Strikes Again " jettisoned by Johnny Marr driving acoustic guitar and Moz ' self-effacing lyrics. The title track pokes fun at stuffy British life and the monarchy with great humor(" Charles don ' t you ever crave, to appear on front of Daily Mail dressed in your mother ' s bridal veil?"). Despite his missteps, Morrissey may be rock ' s greatest lyricist." The Boy in His Side " sounds a bit more dated, with it ' s twee, sing-song chorus. The gems here are extra live tracks from Boston in 1986, demo versions of album tracks, including a breathtaking version of Marr ' s finest moment, " Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others." The Queen Is Dead is The Smiths at their most confident. Morrissey appears 11 / 25 at The Riviera
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Chicago – John Vernon
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