February 2010

Liner Notes by Brian Chozick

Menu of this month's listings, stories and columns

 

Local: Punk legend goes back to high school in El Paso

It is a career path he probably didn’t expect, but punk-rock icon Henry Rollins has become quite successful on the spoken-word stage as well. It all started in 1981, when he replaced the original vocalist for the Los Angeles hardcore punk band Black Flag. The band hung on together for another five years, and after that, a few solo albums appeared with the blink of an eye. Then he went on to helm his new group, Rollins Band. This modern-day Renaissance man didn’t stop there. In the ’90s, he began his journey into the world of Hollywood, and has donned his acting cap in more than 30 movies and television shows. This was also the time when we first heard spoken word through countless releases. This forum allows Rollins to share his worldviews and life lessons with a combination of a biting sense of humor and an ability to spin an extremely entertaining tale. Witness it firsthand when he brings his “Frequent Flyer Tour” to town at El Paso High School Fine Arts Auditorium Feb. 20.

National: Reckless Kelly, “Somewhere in Time,” Yep Roc

They have six proper albums, a lavish 2-CD and DVD live set, and a greatest-hits release. So it wouldn’t be right when someone hears the words “Reckless Kelly” to conjure up images of an individual who has a defiant disregard for danger. They should instead think of the band that comes to us from Austin via Oregon. The group was corralled by brothers Willy and Cody Braun, who had previously toured with their father in a Western swing outfit. They soon struck out on their own, added a few members and recently surpassed the decade milestone together. Their country side is defined by their vocal drawl and the inclusion of a mandolin and a fiddle. The rock faction gets its kick with smoking guitar licks, thick bass lines and pounding percussion. They top it all off with a splash of boogie-woogie piano. Their latest, “Somewhere in Time,” not only shares its title with an Iron Maiden album, but also rocks just as hard — not really, but this is a disc that features a touch more heat on the alternative side of their alt. country sound. Now is the time to discover Reckless Kelly, before another ten years slips by.

Various Artists, “Endless Bummer Soundtrack,” Blackheart Records

The ’80s music scene was dictated by a teenage cliché movie formula. It seems that the plot of the movie “Endless Bummer” is only slightly better with the addition of a surf theme, but thankfully, the decade’s sound was revisited in a very different way on this one. The soundtrack takes a look back at the time with a large helping of sunscreen and rage, with a few pairs of acid-washed jeans thrown in. The CD focuses primarily on the many variations of ’80s punk. There are some original artists taking on some personal favorites while having their own tunes covered by others. Legends like Joan Jett, Pennywise and Rancid’s Branden Steineckert take on Missing Persons, Iggy Pop and Exploited, respectively. Fear takes another route by updating their classic “Let’s Have a War.” Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker of Blink 182 fame grind their way into a brilliant rendition of the skatepunk gem “Amoeba,” previously recorded by the Adolescents. Katy Perry, Aggrolites and Dollyrots handle the big hair, skinny ties and Ray-Bans. The lineup is magnificent and everyone featured here could easily take a Warped Tour stage today and thrill a ravenous crowd.
R.E.M, “Live at the Olympia,” Warner Brothers Records

In 1994, firing on all cylinders, R.E.M. released “Monster,” an album fueled with high-octane energy. It took almost 15 years to reignite what was now only fading embers, but with 2008’s “Accelerate,” they had an uncontrollable inferno on their hands. The road to recapturing the brass ring was documented over five nights in 2007 in Dublin, Ireland. “Live at the Olympia” is the new double live disc with more than 39 tracks, although dubbed as “not a show.” This is live R.E.M. at their very best. Fan-club members, friends and family in a very intimate setting witnessed history in the making. This was their working rehearsal, as they ran through songs that would later appear on “Accelerate,” but were concocted here with slightly different arrangements, and with one tune even taking on a different name. The set also included two songs, “On the Fly” and “Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance,” that never found their way to the 2008 CD. In addition, the package features many early R.E.M. favorites from the band’s famed IRS college-radio years. So even if you’re one who hasn’t embraced the later years, there is plenty of brilliance in that department as well.

Collectibles: Tom Petty, “The Live Anthology,” Reprise

In 1989, Tom Petty dropped the Heartbreakers and went solo, although many of them played on this first outing. The next album was a proper reunion with the Heartbreakers, and since then, the musicians on his records have been old band mates, superstar colleagues and a few newcomers. The truth is, Tom Petty is at his very best only when accompanied by his tried and true Heartbreakers. “The Live Anthology” is a testament to this very fact. This new box picks through the vaults with great precision and excavates some gems, spanning three decades of concert material. These performances have not been overdubbed in any way; they are here just as they happened on stage at that particular show. The classic tracks are played to perfection, some rattled up with different interpretations, and many demonstrate why the band has achieved legendary status. The set’s finest treats are cover versions. From the unusual in theme, such as “Goldfinger” and James Brown’s “Good, Good Lovin,’” to the very fitting “I Want You Back Again” by the Zombies, the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil” and many more, there is sure to be a favorite in the bunch. It comes in five different configurations, from exclusive retail bonus CD and DVDs, to seven LPs, to all digital, to a standard four CDs, or the icing on the cake, “The Superhighway Tour” pack. It’s 30 years of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, live and in your living room, and there is no need to fight any concert crowds.

Brian Chozick is owner of Tumblin’
Dice Music. Drop him a line at
tumblindicemusic@netscape.net.

El Paso Scene MONTHLY
This month's listings,
stories and columns

Feature story
Roundup
Music
Dance
Here's the Ticket
Program Notes
On Stage
Sports
Southwest Art Scene
At the Museum
History Lessons
Nature
Film Scene
Keep on Bookin'
Becoming Bicultural
Liner Notes
Stage Talk
Gallery Talk
Better Parenting

 

Copyright 2010 by Cristo Rey Communications.