The Rock Blogger

While I was never the greatest fan of Marilyn Manson’s music, he really comes off as a well spoken and intelligent artist in this interview. I couldn’t think of a greater contrast to O’Reilly’s self-righteous, blustering manner. To be fair though, O’Reilly keeps his infamous temper in check and is courteous to his guest. I do find it funny that O’Reilly challenges Manson on his use of profanity in his lyrics, considering his own previous outbursts…

Nine Inch Nails. The Slip . 2008. 4 stars .

Trent Reznor is on a roll. Just two months after NIN’s epic ambient release Ghosts I-IV , and not even a year after the excellent dystopia that was Year Zero , Reznor has unveiled another full length work - a more traditional sounding album that merges noisy industrial metal with hook-laden arena rock jams, all for free from the band’s website. Presented as a gift to NIN’s loyal fan base who made Ghosts a financial windfall, The Slip is a solid and accessible collection that, while not groundbreaking, still showcases Reznor’s newfound artistic freedom and energy.

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Ashes Divide . Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright . 2008. 4 stars .

A Perfect Circle’s Billy Howerdel returns with his new solo project Ashes Divide, providing a logical extension to where his last efforts left off. With APC closed up, and Maynard James Keenan occupied by Tool and his own (disappointing) Puscifer project, the technically savvy Howerdel has been left to own devices, allowing him to step out of the shadow of his former band mate. While Howerdel is more than a proficient guitar player, providing the organic, jangly riffs that made many APC songs so compelling, his vocal abilities and songwriting had yet to reach the limelight. Until now.
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I’m heading to Buffalo to see Matthew Good perform the last show in his acoustic tour of the U.S. I think this will be the 11th MG show I’ve seen since I started listening to Underdogs at the beginning of the decade. In celebration of today’s show, here are my Top 5 Matthew Good videos:

5. Strange Days. Beautiful Midnight 1999.

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The Gutter Twins. Saturnalia. 2008. 4.5 stars.

This stunning alternative album is a collaboration between grunge legend Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age) and Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs) who have been working together on this project for over three years. The result is a refined, post-grunge masterpiece that boasts stellar songwriting, strong vocals and powerful rock hooks, drawing you into a murky and blues-inspired emotional trip.

Saturnalia has a gritty, dark gospel feel to it, touching similar nerves as Tom Waits and The National’s Boxer, with Lanegan’s moody baritone moaning over “being the devil’s plaything” and lamenting his eventual journey “seven stories underground”. With lamentations over sin, lost love and a general lack of options, the lyrics here are poignant, clever and reveal the duo’s sharpened writing abilities, coming from their years of experience in the underground.

The musicianship is also impressive, with slithering baselines, fiery guitar solos and impassioned vocal harmonies. The second half of the album moves beyond expectations, incorporating subtle electronic effects and piano lines to add to the album’s sonic palette. The sound of The Gutter Twins, while dark and bluesy, is not despairing, but rather plays sorrow with a cool and refined swagger rarely scene in alternative rock. Leagues ahead of the decaying grunge corpses that have dominated the mainstream since the main players faded away, The Gutter Twins return to that genre’s emotional core and revitalize it with intelligent songwriting, diverse sounds and a cathartic delivery that feels genuine, as if coming from real, desolate places.

My favorite Faith No More song, “Ashes to ashes” showcases some of Mike Patton’s more poetic lyrics and passionate delivery. The video itself is quite interesting as well, as it seems to borrow some of the more surreal elements (namely the figures in the walls) from Roman Polanksi’s classic horror film Repulsion. Anyone out there know what I’m talking about? Anyway, its a great flick and this is a great video. So watch them.

This video was taken from Matthew Good’s 2006 acoustic tour. Israel’s incursion into Lebanon to fight Hezbollah was going on at the time, which explains Matt’s political spiel at the beginning. An interesting song, it exists only in demo form and has yet to appear on any studio release. Here’s hoping. What do you guys think of this song? These are the lyrics in case you can’t make them out.

The Saudis are ever our friends and our allies
The President smokes cigars with their Princes on his lanai
And across the street a mother sleeps with her babys ghost
Wrapped in pink and spotlights

If I was a tidal wave well you know that Id
Rise up and crash your castle gate and leave you high and dry
Disappear you down this trail of busted years to ride the rails and goodbyes

Well my name is propaganda
And my mamas pain is propaganda
If I was a tidal wave
Id let the Union fall
Ya if I was a tidal wave
Id be first against the wall

Back in 1980 Mayor Young he sent the key
To the city of Detroit to praise the best of enemies
Who shook hands with devil, now he runs the DOD
And spends lives

If I was a tidal wave well you know that Id
Rise up and crash your castle gate and leave you high and dry
Disappear you down this trail of busted years to ride the rails and goodbyes

If I was a tidal wave
From coast to coast Id scream
If I was a tidal wave
Id wash this whole place clean

The National have a knack for crafting beautiful lyrical imagery in their songs and their music videos exemplify this, capturing the underdog spirit and wine soaked swagger with great visual subtlety. All of the following are from 2007’s incredible Boxer.

“Apartment Story”

“Mistaken for Strangers”

“Slow Show” (live)

Daniel Victor certainly isn’t short on ambition, as this video trilogy from NEWL’s 2005 debut Act 1: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies clearly shows. Neverending White Lights is Victor’s ongoing music project which casts a wide assortment of Canadian and American artists to contribute their vocals to his romantic and gothic music. Be sure to check out his newest disc Act II: The Blood and the Life Eternal, out now.

1. The Grace

2. Angels and Saints

3. Age of Consent