Category: Music

Taylor Swift’s Releases “Look What You Made Me Do”

If you’re Taylor Swift, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do. For starters, she landed in a fight with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian after she bashed Kanye’s song lyrics during her Grammy speech, only to later have her very clear approval exposed via Kim’s snapchat. The act was itself illegal, given that Swift was allegedly recorded by Kanye without her permission and did not give consent for its release, but team Kimye is smart enough to know that any subsequent lawsuit would further damage the Swift brand, so they’re in the clear. Plus, a pissing match with rich people is pointless. Kimye is also tough to take down given that their image has so little to do with propriety. If you entered the public arena via a sex tape, it’s pretty challenging to soil your brand.

It’s clear that Taylor Swift’s song “Look What You Made Me Do” is a direct hit on the Kimye debacle and the lyrics are brilliantly and strategically crafted. She’s mad, she doesn’t like Kanye’s dumb “tilted stage” and has risen up “from the dead.” Also, if she got her karma, then everyone else will to.

A close friend in the music industry classified this song as a lazy double-down on the Kanye drama, which is personified by the Right Said Fred “I’m Too Sexy” hook. Those Right Said Fred songwriters were given credit on this track, presumably because of that whole Robin Thicke “Blurred Lines” judgment. So is my friend correct? The short answer is that I’m not sure. Swift has absolutely zero choice but to address this feud, and she can’t do it in a magazine interview, because each and every time she addresses controversy in magazine interviews she makes it ten times worse. Music is the only way, and re-invention is the key. We all know she has mastered the victim lane, so isn’t it better to flip things around and go for a more angry spin? That being said, the song has to be GOOD for this strategy to work, and Swift’s songs nearly always are. This song might be a little soulless and repetitive, but it does the trick. She’s either on the cusp of her next chapter or this is the beginning of the end. We shall see.

JAY Z Defends His Anti-Semitic Song Lyrics With Unacceptable Response

Many of you are aware of my criticism against Jay Z’s anti-Semitic song lyrics on his new ‘4:44’ album, which includes the line, “You ever wonder why Jewish people own all the property in America? This how they did it.” After being rightly called out for his bigoted choice of words on “The Story of O.J.”, the rapper has finally responded, and his viewpoint is both predictable and highly disappointing. According to Jay Z, the Jewish community is filled with hypocrites. He said, “As the Jewish community, if you don’t have a problem with the exaggerations of the guy eating watermelon and all the things that was happening [in the song’s music video], if you don’t have a problem with that, and that’s the only line you pick out, then you are being a hypocrite. I can’t address that in a real way. I got to leave that where it is. He went on to suggest that it is not to be taken literally because “of course I know Jewish people don’t own all the property in America.”

For starters, let me apologize for bothering Jay Z, because it’s clear from his tone that he finds this entire to do tiresome. That being said, I was not aware that exposing anti-Antisemitism demands that I also expose any and all racism simultaneously. But since it is in fact a requirement, I think it’s necessary to point out that his example is NOT analogous. The racist imagery used by Jay Z is done to make a point through exposition. He does not advocate that imagery. It’s used to point out the pain. It’s used to show us how far we’ve come, and to remind us how far we have to go. It’s both shocking and effective. Do I agree with his use of the N-word or anyone’s use of the N word for that matter? No. But that’s entirely different conversation, and I’m happy to have it at another time. As my law school torts professor would say, “Let’s not mix our boxes while we analyze the facts.

The same cannot be said of the anti-Semitic lyric. Yes it’s an exaggeration, as Jews do not in fact own ALL the property in America. It’s clear Mr. Carter is also aware of this, given that he owns property and he is not Jewish. This might seem obvious, but Jay Z specifically said, “I mean, I own things” as an example of how he doesn’t believe his statement is LITERAL. But that is so far from the point it is laughable. He might not literally believe his statement to be true, but his dismissal once again discards the history of this Anti-Semitic comment, and the danger in perpetuating it. He’s not using it to draw some sort of distinction between the past and present.

I was told to lighten up by many members of the Jewish community when I first pointed this out, and while I respect the viewpoints of others, I cannot help but think the Jewish community should also educate themselves on why this is use as an insult. And in light of Charlottesville, it’s ever-the-more important.

The notion that Jews own everything is the same idea used by the Nazis to incite Antisemitism in the community at large. If we own everything, then is our success to the detriment of others? Are we cheap? Are we taking things from you? Are we hogging the wealth, pushing others out, and only promoting other Jews in our secret inside circle? Are we therefore taking over the world and do we need to be stopped? To discard how easy it is to walk the same road as our history, is reckless, unrealistic, and dangerous. You call it an “exaggeration,” and I call it Antisemitism. Jay Z might not get it, but you should.

Steve Earle Proves His Prowess at The Troubadour

Buoyed by his boisterous fan base and the electricity of Los Angeles’ best music venue, Steve Earle graced the stage of The Troubadour for a tireless show that proved he lives up to all that live-performance hype. Steve Earle is a bit of a legend. His country music outlaw status is backed up by some seriously good interview quotes, including one recent gem that went viral. When asked about modern country music in an interview with The Guardian, Earle said:

The best stuff coming out of Nashville is all by women except for Chris Stapleton. He’s great. The guys just wanna sing about getting fucked up. They’re just doing hip-hop for people who are afraid of black people. I like the new Kendrick Lamar record, so I’ll just listen to that.”

His unapologetic attitude also goes for his personal life. Recently divorced from his sixth wife, he said, “She traded me in for a younger, skinnier, less talented singer-songwriter,” but that’s okay because now if he goes to a baseball game he can now stay for the whole thing.”

Earle’s new album, ‘So You Wannabe an Outlaw,’ is inspired by Waylon Jennings’s ‘Honky Tonk Heroes,’ which is best evidenced by his remake of Jennings’ “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way.” Earle is backed on the new album by his long time band The Dukes (guitarist Chris Masterson, fiddle player Eleanor Whitmore, bassist Kelly Looney, and new members drummer Brad Pemberton and pedal steel player Ricky Ray Jackson). The record began when T. Bone Burnett asked Earle to write a song for the television show, Nashville.’ A year later, he wrote another, and the experience moved him toward his country record. Since Earle integrates important social themes into his music, you’ll find his stance woven into the record, most notably with “Fixin’ to Die,” which is about death row. According to Earle, it was inspired by witnessing an execution in Texas. Though Earle has somewhat moved away from his 1986 ‘Guitar Town’ country debut, adding Willie Nelson to your title track certainly allows for a raucous return to form.

I spend a lot of time at concerts watching crowds, because the audience’s behavior says a lot about who’s on stage. In fact, there’s an LA movement to eliminate all talking during shows, out of respect for the performer (see SoFar Sounds). Though an interesting idea in theory, there’ s a deeper issue at play, and it’s important. If the audience is talking during your set, something is awry on the stage. Sure there’s always some drunk schmuck making unnecessary noise, but if no one’s looking, that’s very important data that can help the singer. What if the audience at The Comedy Store was told to laugh, for example, even if the jokes weren’t funny, out of “respect” for the comedian? How would that comedian then know that their set needs tweaking? Or what if the audio is sub-par, thereby impacting the audience’s attention? These things are KEY, and they are all factors as to why I watch those crowds. Having said that, Steve Earle’s crowd is worth mentioning, and not just because it was a sold out show. The crowd listened intently, enjoyed every moment, rarely disrupted their experience with cell phones, and often got excited during his set. Steve Earle commands attention, and that attention is well deserved.

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Matchbox Twenty: A Brief History of Everything Tour — A Full Review

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My history with Matchbox Twenty dates back to their inception. They’re an Orlando-based band that sent tongues wagging in their hometown prior to their massive success. If you’re from Florida like me and ran in certain circles, you’d likely now brag about finding them first. To be fair, my brother found them first and I went along for the ride, but that’s neither here nor there.

The group currently consists of Rob Thomas (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards), Kyle Cook (lead guitar, backing vocals), Brian Yale (bass), and Paul Doucette (rhythm guitar, drums, backing vocals). They began as Tabitha’s secret, which included Matchbox Twenty members Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, and Paul Doucette (who replaced Chris Smith) in addition to Jay Stanley and bassist John Goff. Creative and personal conflicts caused the end of Tabitha’s Secret and the subsequent ousting of Stanley and Goff, who later filed suit. They were replaced with Kyle Cook and Adam Gaynor, and Matchbox Twenty emerged. It’s been said that Goff and Stanley did not want to sign a deal with the production company of Atlantic Records rep Matt Serletic. But shortly after Matchbox Twenty and Serletic joined forces, the band had a seven-year deal with Atlantic Records. Their debut studio album, ‘Yourself or Someone Like You’ put them on the map.

Kyle Cook had previously exited Matchbox Twenty last year, saying there was a “deterioration of communication, disagreements on when, where and how we tour and a general break down of democracy within the group.” Cook reunited with his band-mates for the 2017 “A Brief History of Everything Tour”, and though it’s unclear why he finally came around, his other band, Rivers and Rust, served as the opening act. As for rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor, he left the band in 2005, saying “I will no longer be a member of the band. I know most of you were confused if not slightly angered by this news. I wish there was some bright rainbow of an answer here … but there is not.” At the time, a “source” told Billboard “The band has decided not to renew his services.”

Rob Thomas previously teamed with Counting Crows for a very successful 2016 summer co-headline tour. It’s no secret that Thomas can fly solo, and I was fortunate enough to see his tour at The Greek with Counting Crows. He was excellent. In fact, I attended that show to cover Counting Crows, and I was delightfully pleased with the bonus of Thomas. That being said, now that I’ve seen him with his band-mates at The Forum, the magic is greatly multiplied. There’s something about performing with the guys he grew up with that takes Thomas up a notch. He’s got this earnest energy that makes you feel as if you’re seeing a band about to make it big, yet they’re so polished and professional, they can carry an arena with ease. I’ve seen a lot of our greatest artists perform without the band with which they got their break, and it’s simply never the same. I’ve seen Crosby without Stills, Nash and Young, Jennifer Nettles without Kristian Bush (Sugarland), and Jon Bon Jovi without Richie Sambora. It can be done, but should it? In fact, I’m a firm believer that discontent can fuel creativity, and though I know nothing of Thomas’ band dynamics, what I know is this — seeing Matchbox Twenty live is a true privilege.

 

Music Spotlight on Jades Goudreault: The Next Big Thing?

I pride myself on having a musical ear, and that bold declaration is backed up by having found The Lumineers long before anyone else. I’m not often impressed, but when I am, I’m fiercely loyal. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to make it, or whether you’ve made it at all. I will insist it’s because the music industry is blind, and it can’t possibly be for lack of talent. Why? Because I said so, and I know what I know. One such artist is Jades Goudreault who I found many years ago during one of my internet deep dives. I immediately reached out and was shocked that she had yet to be discovered.

On the other end of that conversation was a sweet teenager who traded my enthusiasm for kind compliments, humility, and a clear ambition. Five years later, she’s at it again, and this time with an original tune called “Bow Down” and I’m happy to report that I love it.

Jades was born in Montreal to a single mother and French is her first language. She moved from Montreal to Florida at age four, where she quickly figured out her desire to perform. It’s also no surprise that she was voted nicest person in high school because our email exchanges make me yearn to root for her. Despite spending a few years in Los Angeles honing her skills, she now lives in Florida where she performs at local festivals and special events. She began gaining attention after Radio One Lebanon posted a mashup she did with Jake Donaldson, and it quickly rose to 1 million views. Jades is currently recording her first EP, and her single, “Bow Down” is available on Spotify, iTunes, and more. I’m told the song is now in the top ten most downloaded tracks of the week in Canada. Listen to her single below.

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Fight Club Plays to Live Score at The Wiltern


Los Angeles is filled with inventive ideas — some work and some don’t, but I’ll never take the city for granted with its exponential offerings of new experiences. One such experience was ‘Fight Club’ at The Wiltern. The unconventional movie night featured the famed cult classic on a big-screen projector that was displayed just above a live band who played the film’s original score as it aired. The live musical score accompanying the film was performed by Hollywood multi-instrumentalist Angel Roche (Dave Navarro and Ziggy Marley), Eric Klerks on guitar and bass (Grandmothers Of Invention), Damon Ramirez on the synths (Fungo Mungo, Looner), and film composer, Zoë Poledouris-Roche (composer: Conan The Barbarian, Bully).

I went into this experience with a positive attitude, a great amount of excitement, and the embarrassing admission that I’ve never seen ‘Fight Club’ in full. Also, as a lover of all things music, this seemed like a can’t-miss idea. But sometimes ideas are better than its execution, and this is one of those times. For starters, ‘Fight Club,’ though a cult classic that would no-doubt draw a large audience, doesn’t have a substantial amount of music. When the music began, I found myself extremely excited, which means with a different film, this would have worked. Furthermore, the on-stage “acrobatics” as it was marketed, was disjointed and distracting. Acting out scenes as they air just felt odd, and I’d have rather seen a small spotlight on the band as they played instead. It’s also worth noting that since the audience was unaware of exactly what would happen on stage, it’s just not smart to have people running through the crowd yelling things as fights are heard on screen. Translation? — I thought, for just one millisecond, that we might be in the midst of a terrorist attack. I checked in with my surroundings to see if I was the only person with this thought, and I noticed that the energy of the room shifted as others also looked around in fright. It’s possible I’m reading into it, but I pride myself on feeling the energy of a crowd when judging what I see, and I think I’m right here. Though sad and unfortunate, this just can’t happen in a live-theater experience anymore. There are ways to do it, but this wasn’t it.

If I were planning the next event, I’d encourage a film with more music, spotlight the band with a dim light, and introduce the experience with more clarity. Lastly, I’d have more food available for purchase. A for intention, though.

Miley Cyrus Takes a New Direction With “Malibu” –

It’s no secret that Miley Cyrus’ career has long-suffered from an identity crisis. Her barely-there ensemble beside Robin Thicke gained attention (for all the wrong reasons), and her subsequent antics, poor clothing choices, and attention-grabbing interviews felt more like an inauthentic cry for attention than an artist in their truest form. I have zero issues with women using their sexuality to sell records, and I also have zero issues with artistic statements that turn heads. But Miley Cyrus felt inauthentic, and her descent began with her breakup from Liam Hemsworth. It’s as if she felt boxed in, and in an effort to prove her individuality, what followed was train wreck rebellion. Now, she’s back with Liam, and judging from her beautiful recent release of “Malibu,” it’s become clear that Liam has brought her the kind of happiness that produces good music. I hate to suggest that a man is propelling her talent, so lets just say she seems to be in a better place. Also, the song is very clearly about the love they share.

Dakhabrakha Plays the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Music is my number one pastime, and I’m often invited to cover local, up-and-comers. On a good day, I’m amped for the opportunity to see earnest ambition in its raw form, whether the show is intrinsically good or not. On a bad day, everything blends together and you’ll hear me saying, “There’s just not a lot of true talent.” Seeing Dakhabrakha at the Walt Disney Hall yielded the entirely new feeling of, “What is this and how can I hear more of it . . . IMMEDIATELY?”

The world-music quartet originates from Kiev, Ukraine and they refer to their sound as “ethno-chaos.” They began as a live theater music crew in 2004 with the help of avant-garde theater director and now producer, Vladyslav Troitskyi, and their unforgettable, unexpected sound is the result of incorporating the surrounding world into their music, with Indian, Arabic, African, and Russian influence. The quartet includes, Marko Halanevych (Vocals, darbuka, tabla, didjeridoo, accordion, trombone), Iryna Kovalenko (Vocals, djembe, bass drums, accordion, percussion, bugay, zgaleyka, piano), Olena Tsybulska (Vocals, bass drums, percussion, garmoshka), and Nina Garenetska (Vocals, cello, bass drum).

With a fusion of the then and now, we get contemporary melodies couple with high-level instrumentation, and those riffs are rife with non-traditional elements, such as animal noises, bird whistles, and sounds of the wind. Eccentric yet accessible, their heavy percussion and on-point harmonies on top of their foot-high conical fur hats, make this the most memorable show I’ve seen in years. Dakhabrakha’s most recent success can be seen on the third season of Fargo, having had their song, “Sho z-pod duba” (From Under The Oak), play during the second episode called “Unfathomable Pinhead-ery.” That mesmerizing song can be heard below.

To see Dakhabrakha on tour, visit their website. They are a force.

David Crosby at The Wiltern — A Full Review

David Crosby doesn’t need any promotion from The Dishmaster. The man is a legend, and even without Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, and Neil Young, he can carry a concert. Crosby graced the stage of The Wiltern for an intimate evening with his most devoted fans, and he delivered the goods. The iconic singer/songwriter hit the road to promote his new solo album, Sky Trails, which is a follow-up to the recently released Lighthouse. Before Lighthouse, Crosby released Croz, which was his first solo album in decades. Given the close proximity of his solo records since the release of Croz, I can only guess he got the bug and he’s on a roll. He now performs with session guitarist Jeff Pevar, and his pianist son James Raymond (“CPR”). He attributes his creative re-awakening to the demise of Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young, insisting that quitting the group “unleashed a tidal wave of new music,” because the band became solely about playing their greatest hits. They had, “No new songs, no growth, and [they] didn’t like each other. There was no reason to be there other than the money, and that’s not enough.”

So what exactly happened to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and why don’t they like each other? It’s unclear, but the culprit seems to be Crosby himself, which isn’t surprising given that Crosby hilariously admitted during the show to being kicked out of The Byrds because “he was an asshole.” Here’s an elusive quote from Graham Nash about the matter:

I don’t like David Crosby right now. He’s been awful for me the last two years, just fucking awful. I’ve been there and saved his fucking ass for 45 years, and he treated me like shit. You can’t do that to me. You can do it for a day or so, until I think you’re going to come around. When it goes on longer, and I keep getting nasty emails from him, I’m done. Fuck you. David has ripped the heart out of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Crosby apparently bad-mouthed Neil Young’s girlfriend, Daryl Hannah, calling her a “purely poisonous predator,” and though he later apologized, Young was not quick to accept, telling Howard Stern that a CSNY reunion is out of the question.

The irony here is that their mutual dislike likely propelled their creativity. Bands often enjoy songwriting with people that they like, but sometimes we are at our best in moments of discomfort. Though Crosby’s new venture, CPR, gives the audience those much-loved harmonies, his original music is missing the unforgettable melodies we’re so used to hearing from CSNY. But I appreciate an effort to produce original music throughout one’s life, and I agree with Crosby that playing a band’s greatest hits in perpetuity is painful. One thing is for sure — seeing David Crosby, in person, on stage, singing beautiful harmonies, is a true privilege.

Artist to Watch: Betty Who

Who is Betty Who, and how did she enter my radar? Through a facebook feed, of course, dominated by a very hairy gay man with good taste.Born Jessica Anne Newham, she’s an Australian singer-songwriter who released her second album, The Valley, on March 24 via RCA Records. Though she’s not moving mountains, the tunes are pop-driven and well-produced. She’s got a little Robyn in her, and that’s a good thing. Listen below.