03/07 - RAG Magazine

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RAG’s CD REVIEWSThe ColourBetween Earth & SkyEMIThe Colour, despite the Britishvariant of their name, areactually from Los Angeles.Instead of taking music to aforward-minded place on theirdebut album, they choose torehash everything notable fromretro rock (Led Zeppelin, theRolling Stones, Billy Idol, U2)and once-hipsters the VonBondies. Vocalist Wyatt Hull has the soulful, urgent longing ofRobert Plant doing his best juice-runs-down-my-leg bit, and thebig-ups respect that Jason Stollsteimer gives to early rock whenhe’s plowing through a lyrical jog. Hull gets bigger than thesound with burning confidence à la Billy Idol et Bono. Sure,these are audacious comparisons, but so, too, are the blatantlyderivative sounds that the Colour serves up for our ears. “Saltthe Earth” gets forceful with its Jim-Hendrix guitar rhythms andChris-Isaak revival lyrics: “Yeah, don’t cha cry for me no more!”“Save Yourself” and “Kill the Lights” are songs that a Bono-Isaakspawn would produce. As if inspired by some wedding-daysuperstition, this foursome radiate something old, something new,something borrowed, and uh, well, an album cover that featuresan image of hands holding dirt. – Monica Cady○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Machine HeadThe BlackeningRoadrunner RecordsFor about a year now MachineHead frontman Robb Flynn hasbeen shooting off at the mouthabout the songs on the band’snew album, The Blackening.This of course has caused alot of skeptics, but has alsomade it one of the mostanticipated metal albums of theyear. After finally getting tohear this album, I have to say that my faith in Machine Head isnow through the roof as the band created an album that I canonly describe as Master Of Puppets and Vulgar Display Of Powerhaving a kid called The Blackening.Like Master..., The Blackening opens with a classical guitarintro, followed by beautifully harmonized guitars before the fasthanded, double picked and double bass rhythms of “ClenchingThe Fist Of Dissent” truly begins. The shortest song on the albumat just under five minutes, “Beautiful Morning,” has a perfectcombination of the band’s brutality, and melodicism as evidencedby the songs chorus. The Band gets epic on “Aesthetics ofHate” as far as the progressions are concerned with twists andturns in every direction from the dual harmonized solo’s with coaxeman Phil Demmel, to the transitions from your standard versesto choruses which are anything but when cemented by the doublebass provided by Dave McClain.Of all of the tracks on The Blackening, “Slanderous” and “Halo”are really the only tracks that still have a bit of the band’s feelfrom their earlier albums Burn My Eyes and The More ThingsChange. Lyrically, Flynn attacks personal issues, love, hate,politics, war, and the always popular subject in rock in general,14| DEC RAG MAGAZINEself-loathing with the chorus line, “I Love You, Why Do I Hate MyFather, I Hate You, Why Do I Hate Myself.”MachineEXPERTSHead emergedIN...in the mid ’90s showing that they had asound all there own with their first two albums. They showedthey could fuse more melodicism with the commercially viableThe Burning Red and Supercharger. With Through The Ashes ofEmpires and now The Blackening, Machine Head have proventhemselves as heavy hitters that aren’t going away any timesoon and have proven themselves as masterful musicians forthere genre. -Matthew Pashalian○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Fu ManchuWe Must ObeyLiquor and PokerRecordsHave you ever listened tostoner or desert rock? Anyidea what that is? Well here’s aquick introduction for you. Takethe monstrously heavy dirge ofBlack Sabbath, the energy of oldschool skate punk, and the coollaid back feel of a slow burnedjam and you have a goodsynopsis of what Fu Manchu’s sound is all about. Fu Manchu’s 10 thfull-length album, We Must Obey, is in my opinion the band’s bestwork since 1999’s King Of The Road album.We Must Obey opens up sounding like the closing of a show andbreaks into a sludgy guitar riff fuzz fest before going into adriving drum and bass driven verse that will give you the feel ofactually being at the show. Like much of Fu Manchu’s music, youmay at first listen mistake some of it musically as rehashedSabbath. Such is the case with “Knew It All Along,” and “Let MeOut,” two very energetic songs that will make you want to headfor the pit. Be warned when hitting track 4, the first single off ofWe Must Obey, “Hung Out To Dry,” as you may be tempted to bebrought to your feet with it’s highly danceable and catchy chorus.Sounding like it may come straight off of the soundtrack fromDazed and Confused, “Shake It Loose” becomes very hypnoticwith it’s over reverberated “Shake (Shake) It (It) Loose (Loose)”chorus which will swirl around your head. Fu Manchu has ahistory of picking odd covers and making it there own, We MustObey is no exception with a cover of The Cars “Moving In Stereo”which you probably won’t even recognize with the band’ssignature sound stamped for approval on it. We Must Obeycloses with “Sensei Vs. Sensei,” probably one of the best songson the album starting out with what sounds like an acid jambefore breaking into signature Fu Manchu doom and gloompounding heaviness.One of the great things about Fu Manchu is that they consistentlystick with the “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It Approach,” so whenyou buy a Fu Manchu album, you know what to expect-a greatstoner rock discs. So sit down with your buds (no pun intended)and listen to the call of We Must Obey. -Matthew Pashalianwww.ragmagazine.com
CONCERT LISTINGSMarch 1Airiel Down – Club MBruce in the USA - RevolutionJorge Drexler – North Beach BandshellVan Gloria + Sir Majesty +Jesse Jackson – Studio AMarch 2Riverwalk Blues & Music Festival - RevolutionTinsley Ellis – The BackroomMarch 3Riverwalk Blues & Music Festival - RevolutionHot Buttered Rum – Culture RoomThe Roly O Trio - ChurchillsMarch 4Albert Castiglia – Alligator AlleyClutch, Dub Trio, Five Horse Johnson – Culture RoomEngelbert Humperdinck - Hard Rock LiveMarch 5Killswitch Engage, Chimaira – RevolutionDan Serro Vinyl Jazz - ChurchillsMarch 6Empyreon – ChurchillsGaia - ChurchillsMarch 7Big House Pete - ChurchillsMarch 8Mana – American Airlines ArenaPlain Jane Automobile – Studio AGreen Lemon – Tobacco RoadMarch 9Langerado Music Festival – Markham ParkThe Used, 30 Second to Mars, Saosin – Bank United CenterThe Early November, The Rocket Summer, Melee - RevolutionThe Agency, Sunday Driver – Studio AJacobs Ladder – Scrap BarMarch 10Langerado Music Festival – Markham ParkSuddenly – 3 in 1 StudiosMarch 11The Static Age – Studio ALangerado Music Festival – Markham ParkBlack Label Society - RevolutionMarch 12ZZ Top – Mizner Park Amph.Dan Serro Vinyl Jazz - ChurchillsChicago - Hard Rock LiveMarch 13Mushroomhead, The Human Abstract – Culture RoomMarch 14Oh Sanders, Zombies Organize, Timb - ChurchillsMarch 15Faded Sound, Jody Raffou - ChurchillsMarch 16Madelyn, Crimson Vera – Culture RoomThe Cryptkeeper, Faded Sound, Mister Pink - ChurchillsMarch 17Aterciopelados – North Beach BandshellOut re Violette – Billabong PubNastie Punk Festival - ChurchillsMarch 18Nickelback, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin – BankAtlanticMarch 19Snow Patrol, OK Go, Silversun Pickups – Bank United CenterTony Danza – Center For The ArtsMarch 20John Diweed / MSTRKRFT – The Pawn Shop LoungeLily Allen – Culture RoomGoldie, Fabio, Grooverider – Studio AMarch 21DJ Craze, ZTrip, A-Trak – Studio AKatharsis – Uncle Sam’s (FTL)March 22Booka Shade, M.A.N.D.Y. – Studio AIko-Iko – Tobacco RoadDatarock, Drop the Lime – Circa 28March 23Ultra Music Festival – Bicentennial ParkSebastian, Justice – Studio AAgony’s Arrow – The Scene Sound and StageDJ Miguel Migs - ShineMarch 24Ultra Music Festival – Bicentennial ParkDavid Guetta – Cameo TheaterAgainst All Authority, Rory, Whole Wheat Bread – Culture RoomJet – Miami Motor SpeedwayAnoushka Shankar – Carnival CenterPier Bucci, Dinky – Studio ALindsay Bell – Billabong PubPitch Black Radio – Uncle Sam’s (FTL)March 25Ellen Allien – The Pawn Shop LoungeGoatwhore, Averse Sefira – Culture RoomMarch 26The Who – Hard Rock LiveMarch 27Aaron Lewis – Hard Rock LiveMarch 29G3 Tour – Pompano Beach Amph.Anberlin, Bayside - RevolutionMarch 30Of Montreal, Loney Dear – Studio AJoey Gilmore – The Back RoomGilberto Gil – Carnival CenterMarch 31Deadstar Assembly – Culture RoomAll Life ends, Hatchetface, Fall Of Olympus - Churchillswww.RAGmagazine.com | 15
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Page 8 and 9: SILVERSUN PICKUPSJoe LesterControl
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Page 12 and 13: RAG’s CD REVIEWScounterfeit excit
Page 16 and 17: RAG’s CONCERT REVIEWSRED HOT CHIL
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Page 20 and 21: HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWSHARD ROCK LI
Page 22 and 23: PAUL STANLEYREVOLUTIONPhoto: Logan
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Page 26 and 27: LOCAL MUSICStory: Todd McFliker5th
Page 28 and 29: “We just sound like us,” Lester
Page 34 and 35: on the fly.” Here’s what Smith
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Page 39 and 40: I don’t think it was difficult at
Page 41 and 42: Stephen MarleyStory: Todd McFlikerC
Page 43 and 44: colorwww.RAGmagazine.com | 43
Page 45 and 46: There was some of it on Through The
Page 47 and 48: these other records that are out no
Page 49 and 50: Reno 911!: MiamiReleased in theatre
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Page 53 and 54: NorbitCast: Eddie Murphy,Thandie Ne
Page 55 and 56: UPCOMINGE-Mail: info@ragmagazine.co
Page 57 and 58: If you like Ink-oink-ock-a-moo-moo
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