Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

The highly anticipated I'm With You hits record stores yesterday, as well as your favourite torrent sites.

For those who read my review of the single The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie the Chili's new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has replaced John Frusciante. After hearing the single I was a little hard on Klinghoffer. I hold the Red Hot Chili Peppers on a pedestal and maybe a little to close to my heart. Klinghoffer has done a good job. Not to say I don't miss the things that Frusciante gave the band but Klinghoffer doesn't take anything away from the well seasoned Red Hot Chili Peppers. He brings a different perspective to the band with the different guitar effects and stellar piano.

Initial thoughts:
- Sounds like the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Head bob and upper body shuffle
- Like drinking neocitran through your ears (mmm)

I'm With You couldn't be a more appropriate name. The sound of this album doesn't make you want to bounce up and kick down your front door, but close your eyes and feel a pair of musical arms come around and hold you softly. Not too tight.

There's some interesting elements to this album. I know I keep talking about him, but Klinghoffer's vocals add a completely alien sound. Meet Me At The Corner and Did I Let You Know has a part just for him. He has more of an indy sound to his voice that doesn't quite fit.

BUT

Just happens to have a really nice falsetto that may not quite par with Fruciante it comes pretty damn close. I'm sold on Kilnghoffer if you haven't noticed.

Back to the interesting elements...piano! And Flea's stellar trumpet playing on Did I Let You Know. The piano slapping at the beginning of Happiness Loves Company is reminiscent of my boy Elton. I don't think I could ever get sick of rock and roll piano. The breakdown in Police Station has a calm resonating piano bit that adds a little backrub to the soft hug. Piano is a new prominent Chili Peppers thing. I love it. Even You Brutus? is another with some solid keys.

I love my acoustic guitar so naturally my favourite song off this album is Brendan's Death Song. It's a beautiful tribute to Brendan Mullen. A nightclub owner that helped get the Chili Peppers and many other bands in the LA punk scene a start. I hope when I die someone writes a song like this about me. "Like I said you know I'm almost dead, you know I'm almost gone.." is going to be ringing in my head for the rest of the day.

To be honest, I was not expecting much from this album. The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie wasn't the best single to debut an album like this. This album has better songs that better represent the overall sound of the album and are just plain better. Factory Of Faith if I can suggest one.

I did miss the soul stabbing guitar solos of Frusciante and when they come to town I'm going to miss not having him up there.

As far as the band is concerned they should have none. Anthony Kiedis will never lose it. Flea will always kill it for as long as he's breathing. Chad Smith is one of the greatest/most underrated drummers in music. Klinghoffer fits among these heavy hitters and has proven it on I'm With You.


DIG IT!

Blink 182 - Molson Amphitheatre - Aug. 17

The tickets were purchased, the crowds flocked, the fans cheered and the penis jokes ensued. Blink 182 has returned to Toronto.

As unprofessional of a blogger as I could be, I missed the train from Burlington and was delayed one hour. My entourage and I rolled in about halfway through the My Chemical Romance set. "Two Canadian tall-boys, please."

The last concert I went to at the Amphitheatre was The Black Keys. Which to say the least was a little lack luster. It spoiled the venue for me. I don't know what it was about it but it made me less than excited to come back.

The vibe was different August 17. It seemed happier. Less forced. Natural. I appreciated the beverage dispensary on the lawn. I was home.

I was not in anyway looking forward to seeing My Chemical Romance on stage. I've always been aware of them and actually liked one song they had out I'm Not Okay, but that's as far as I got with them. With that being said, I was impressed with the energy and stage presence. They were captivating and I found myself dancing. I'm not ashamed to admit it.

As for Manchester Orchestra, sorry maybe next time.

Now on to Blink 182. My word. I've never experienced a mosh pit on the lawn before. There were two rowdy girls standing in front of the seven of us boys asking for trouble. But only found a group of guys more than happy to have a time. Blink opened with their new single Up All Night which is a pretty good song. I like the back and forth vocals reminiscent of older songs like Pathetic. The song is a little mellow but gets the job done.

"This is a new song but it sounds like an old song," Mark Hoppus said introducing another one of their new songs entitled Hearts All Gone. Fun, fun song. It didn't get the awkward 'don't know what to think' reaction from the crowd. People knew exactly what to make of it as it was embraced by the fans in attendance.

They left no fan forgotten. From the teens in attendance to the twenty and thirty-somethings they played the classics and the newer material. Very rare in a band. The song Carousel or Travis Barker's mind blowing drum solo were the highlights of the performance. I was not expecting Carousel when they hit the stage. So many memories of that song. I haven't heard a band to date that speaks directly to me as much as Blink 182 does. They just know.

They even started an O Canada. Singing only the first two lines. The crowd took it and ran with it. Epic!

Barker's drum solo was awesome! Lacking any other word to describe it. A friend and I made it a goal to get to the very front. We made it as far as the front of the 100 section before being turned away. A crane hoisted Barker over the crowd tilting him every which way. not quite as impressive as the upside-down solo the last time I saw them at the Amphitheatre but still pretty cool.

Good night, good friends, new memories, relived old ones and had me really wondering "What's My Age Again."

Best video I could find of the encore. The sound is a little weird but you get the point. Props to wazzupcowz on youtube.com. Enjoy!

Jay Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne

The day is upon us.

The highly anticipated Watch The Throne from both Jay Z and Kanye West hits record stores today to be greeted with a cautious appreciation by this fan.

There is nothing special about this album. It's good. As I'm used to with Kanye West's newer efforts there are definitely highs and lows to this album. Repetitive themes. Watch The Throne's moral to its story is money, expensive watches, women, lavish lifestyles and being proud to be black in America.

In a nutshell.

Riddled with fantastically produced beats with credit to notable hip-hop producers Mike Dean, The RZA, The Neptunes, Q-Tip, Kanye West (obviously) among others. This album's light shines from the sheer production value and clear talent for the art of producing.

Initial thoughts:
- Is there a bad beat on this album?
- Nope
- Will Farrel sample, cool (Niggas in Paris)
- Head bob

The chemistry between the Hova and Yeezy is second to none. Songs like Gotta Have It, Otis and Why I Love You display this better than any other tracks on the album. They can seamlessly finish each others sentences and throw rhymes back and forth. I appreciate the camaraderie and willingness to give each other center stage.

The best song on the album is Why I Love You hands down. No argument can sway it. It's the best song. Period. Mr. Hudson (Forever Young) returns to grace another Jay Z album in a big way. If you haven't heard it yet scroll down and let it be the soundtrack to finish my review. This song will be everywhere in a few months I guarantee it. And if not BIG mistake.

With all the nice things being said it's time for a little negative. I mean little because this is good work.  Like I said earlier there isn't anything ground breaking or life changing about this album. Even though Kanye West might think differently. Heavy hitting rap partnerships have been popping up forever (Method Man/Redman and more recently Nas/Damian Marley).  It seems like Kanye's rapping has improved dramatically since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy which causes this fan to believe that ghost writing played a major role in making this album work. Even though Kanye does have the swagger ghost writing is cheating. If you're not good enough to write the rhymes don't spit them. I don't think every word he speaks was written for him but I think Jay Z should take the credit for some of the wittier flows.

Also not appreciated is Beyonce's effort on Lift Off. Mainly because I'm fairly anti Beyonce. The song in general just doesn't fit. All it offers is some ego stroking for Kanye and a weak slow flow by Jay. It seems like this song kind of just came together because they wanted Beyonce on the album somehow when it wasn't necessary at all. It's mostly an instrumental and offers nothing to the album other than a break between good songs. Or to make the up coming songs sounds better in comparison. Either way the song is a complete waste of effort (or lack of). A fly in your soup.

Overall a good album. Not great, but good.

DIG IT

Choice: Niggas In Paris, Otis, Gotta Have it, Murder to Excellence, Why I Love You


Bogus: Lift Off, Who Gon Stop me, Made in America