Semi Precious Weapons - We Love You; You Love You

For a while now I have wanted to write a dual music review on comparing a band’s independent debut album versus their major record label release. However I have struggled to find a band that would be perfect for this type of review. Well, that’s partially true. As a matter of fact I have been wanting to write a review about a glam rock band I admire, Semi Precious Weapons, but have had trouble finding their major record label release. Ironic I know, but I had no trouble buying their indie CD at a local Best Buy a few years ago.

It all started back in December 2008 when I actually saw a music video on MTV. Shocker I know, but it was preceded by an episode of MTV’s “MADE,” where a girl wanted to become a rock star. In the episode, Justin Tranter, lead singer of Semi Precious Weapons, was the girl’s coach and helped her achieve her dream of becoming a “rock star.” When the episode ended, Semi Precious Weapons’ music video “Magnetic Baby” came on and I was immediately blown away by their catchy song. After getting over the initial shock of seeing a music video on MTV I did what any other normal person would do- I Googled Semi Precious Weapons.

From my initial research (MySpace and YouTube) I was pleasantly surprised by their music and enjoyed their brand of rock n’ roll. It was great seeing that glam rock was still being appreciated and also being recognized by MTV. Unfortunately, most people I know still had no idea who they were or even cared to learn about a New York glam rock band.

It wasn’t until October 2009 did I really get excited because Semi Precious Weapons was announced as the opening act for Lady Gaga on her Monster Ball tour after the Fame Kills tour with Kanye West fell apart. Finally, a well deserved band was going to be recognized. When Lady Gaga was still Stefani Germanotta, a struggling singer in New York, she became friends with lead singer Justin Tranter and the band Semi Precious Weapons. I think that’s awesome she would help expose her friends to a wider audience. Still, unless you were a fan of Lady Gaga or a fan of them from before, you probably wouldn’t recognize them.

Around that same time I was excited to learn that SPW had been signed by Interscope, Lady Gaga’s record label, and that their album was coming out June 2010. As a matter of fact, Lady Gaga executive produced their major label release, You Love You. Before I had a chance to listen to their new album I finally saw them perform live with Lady Gaga at Staples Center in August 2010. Although my date disliked Semi Precious Weapons I reassured her that she needed to give them another try by listening to their debut, We Love You. After lending her the album a few weeks later, she concurred that their “indie” album was much better than “their current sound.”

Despite me scurrying record stores and even major chains like Best Buy I had trouble finding You Love You. Now I know what most of you are thinking: why didn’t you buy the album on iTunes or buy it online? That’s not my style. I always like to physically buy my albums. I love looking at liner notes and having something to hold on when listening to the music. Plus I like supporting local record stores and try my best to visit at least one record/indie music store each week.  Sure I was discouraged for a long time, but I was determined to buy my CD in person. Recently I decided to take an Amoeba trip in between my two classes during a three hour break since Hollywood is only a short drive. As luck would have it I was finally able to pick up my very own copy of You Love You and a ton of awesome CDs. That trip to Hollywood definitely made my week, but I digress.

Semi Precious Weapons was originally composed of Justin Tranter (vocals), Aaron Lee Tasjan (guitar/backing vocals), Cole Whittle (bass), Dan Crean (drums) and Joe McCanta (keyboards). McCanta left the band before they recorded We Love You and Steve Pyne has since replaced Tasjan on guitar.

We Love You was released on September 30, 2008, through the Razor & Ties record label and came with a necklace from Fetty jewelry, Justin Tranter’s rock n’ roll jewelry line. Fetty has been one of Tranter’s passions besides music and has since become a successful jewelry line sold at Hot Topic, Urban Outfitters, and Barney’s. “Taste” kicks off this fantastic, fresh album.

Filled with heavy drums, exciting electric guitars and Tranter’s tremendous vocals, “Taste” is the perfect example of how the band has an eclectic music taste. Combine 1970s hard rock + glam rock + a dash of alternative music = Semi Precious Weapons. Tranter’s raw vocals seem reminiscent of David Johansen with the attitude of The New York Dolls, but with Lou Reed lyrics. Sure Tranter might emulate David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, but he makes his look all his own.

By far the best song on the entire album and one of my personal favorites is “Magnetic Baby.” This was the first song I had ever listened to by Semi Precious Weapons. Tranter’s vocals and lyrics immediately hook you, “It’s not my fault I look better in her party dress/ It’s not my fault that you left your slutty girlfriend/ It’s not my fault that this is how my mamma made me/ I’ve been magnetic since I was a baby.”

Don’t disregard a song simply because it’s catchy, but this song utilizes the band’s energy to create a fresh, fun, and fantastic song. The same energy and intensity is carried over into their eponymous song, “Semi Precious Weapons.” What makes We Love You an amazing album is the band’s raw energy and intensity. Their sound isn’t flawless, but they have immense heart that carries over in all their songs. The passion is there and I’m loving it!

Other worthwhile songs on the album include “Her Hair Is On Fire,” “Jesus,” and “Rock N’ Roll Never Looked So Beautiful.” In addition, this album includes two radio versions of “Magnetic Baby” and “Her Hair Is On Fire.” For independent fans, this is an album you won’t be disappointed with because you definitely get a bang for your buck. Probably the band most reminiscent of Semi Precious Weapons’ sound is The Darkness since lead singer Justin Hawkins and Tranter have similar vocal styles.

Lady Gaga continues to champion them and I love that kind of loyalty, but their sophomore/ major label debut isn’t nearly as good. I am not going to bad mouth You Love You at all, but merely point out it’s “not the same band.” Their sound is more “poppy,” they have lost their “glamour,” and most of their glam/hard rock sound. But the most devastating thing is they no longer have the same raw attitude and that’s why I am disappointed.

Probably the best way to compare these two albums is one is better produced, You Love You, but We Love You is better executed. They no longer possess the sound that launched their careers, which is fine, but it’s just not the same. You Love You is still an enjoyable album, but it’s very different and only contains three songs from their debut “Semi Precious Weapons, “Magnetic Baby,” and “Rock N’ Roll Never Looked So Beautiful.” However, they are very different when compared to the originals.

How do I explain this? It’s like comparing an original album to a live album, sure they are the “same songs,” but they sound drastically different. Still, I recommend checking them out, but I personally prefer their debut over their “sophomore” album.


--Brownstone


Buy here: You Love You
Buy here: We Love You
Buy mp3: You Love You (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) [Explicit] [+Digital Booklet]
Buy here: We Love You (CD with Bonus USB)

Scott Walker - Scott

How do you describe an icon? To be perfectly honest I don’t think anything I can say about this individual truly gives him justice. He’s an amazing, brilliant, creative, diligent, excellent, and fantastic genius. I am talking about the 30 Century Man himself, Scott Walker.

For those not familiar with Scott Walker don’t feel embarrassed at all if you don’t consider yourself a music fan. However, if you’re a music aficionado you should know who Scott Walker is and the impact he has left on music. To be perfectly honest I had no clue who he was until three years ago when I saw a documentary called Scott Walker: 30 Century Man. If you haven’t seen the film already go out and see it immediately!

Scott Walker is a remarkable renaissance man that has been practically unnoticed in the United States as a solo artist. Walker was in the pop band The Walker Brothers from 1964 to 1967, until the band broke up because of artistic differences and pop stardom.  During that time, the band produced “Make It Easy on Yourself” and “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore,” both #1 UK Singles and Top 20 hits in the United States. The band was particularly popular in Europe and the UK during this time.

The Walker Brother’s last album, Images, was a foreshadowing for Walker’ solo albums and gave fans a small glimpse of the direction he wanted his effective, emotional vocal range to go towards.  Walker has influenced musical artists like Marc Almond, David Sylvian, David Bowie, Radiohead, Sting, Gavin Friday and The Divine Comedy to name a few. When I discovered David Bowie and Sting were huge fans I knew right then and there I needed to listen to Scott Walker.

Scott Walker released Scott six months after Images was released. Scott was successful in the UK, but practically unnoticed in the US. The album is a unique mixture of covers and original songs that established Walker as a serious, solemn and sophisticated musician. The soulful “boy band” image was long gone.

The album begins with one of my favorite cover songs ever, “Mathilde,” one of three English-translated covers of Belgian musician and songwriter Jacques Brel’s songs. Immediately listeners are hit with loud trumpets and Walker’s sweet, somber voice. More opening tracks should be as attention grabbing as this, but sadly very few actually are.

"Montague Terrace (In Blue)" is the second track and one Walker’s original songs. Although I am not a huge fan of this song, it does seamlessly blend in with everything else. That’s what so remarkable about this album. Even though it’s an album mostly composed of covers, nothing seems out of place and as a matter of fact is pitch perfect.

The songs “Angelica” and “When Joanna Loved Me” are two phenomenal covers. Even though the majority of the songs are covers, Brel’s "My Death" and "Amsterdam" are arguably two of the best found on the album. Walker’s other original songs are "Such a Small Love" and "Always Coming Back to You." It’s such a wide variety, yet balance work of current contemporary covers, English translated songs and original songs that you lose yourself in the music.

Scott Walker was and still remains a pioneer in the music industry. He still continues making music today, but it’s always under the radar. Walker once famously said, “"I've become the Orson Welles of the record industry. People want to take me to lunch, but nobody wants to finance the picture... it's a tough way to work."

If you enjoy Scott Walker, John Cale and Tim Buckley are two other experimental and avant-garde artists that are worth checking out as well.

--Mr. Brownstone

Buy here: Scott

Ripple Road Trip - Featuring David Bowie, Poobah, John Wicks and The Records, and the Paul Collins Beat

David Bowie -  Space Oddity (40th Anniversary Special Edition)

David Bowie, of course, needs no introduction, being easily one of the most recognizable and influential rock stars of the past 40 years.  But still, it's interesting to see how far the Ziggy-man has traveled on this rocketship blastoff journey of a career.  With the re-release of Space Oddity, we get a glimpse, turning the spotlight back onto one of his first major albums.  Space Oddity, was an an oddity itself when it first came out in 1969 under it's first release as Man of Words/Man of Music, finding Bowie trying on different musical styles, moving away from the late 1960's folk, searching for his own unique voice that'd become so apparent in 1972's Ziggy Stardust.  Many think of Space Oddity as a transitional album, others find it a gem.  Either way, it's still a major stepping stone in the musical cannon that'd be Bowie.

With this re-issue we get the entire re-mastered version of the original album with a second bonus disc of demos, unreleased versions, and rare live cuts.  Since the original album is already designated as a classic, the real meat of this treasure is the strength of the bonus cuts, which certainly are more than worthy of you plunking down your hard earned cash and snapping up this baby.  The bonus disc starts off with a heavenly, previously unreleased, demo version of the album's highlight, "Space Oddity."  Now, I'm a sucker for demos anyways.  Always loved to see how a song evolved from songwriter's ideas to finished product, and this version pays off in spades.  Spartan and airy, it nevertheless captures all the majestic drama that was such an integral part of the hit version.  Bowie's voice is in excellent form, and the slowed down, acoustic version stands completely on its own, even without any knowledge of the finished version.  "An Occasional Dream," unreleased demo, is also a gem, finding Bowie more in his folky, singer-songwriter mode.  Here you can still hear some of swingin' London.  Both of these excellent cuts have never before been bootlegged.

Other standouts include the set of "Let Me Sleep Beside You," "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed," and "Janine," all performed live on the D.L.T Show, BBC radio.  "Let Me Sleep," particularly captivates, with its ragged, early, high-energy, T-Rex glam.   "London Bye Ta-Ta," jumps right back into that swingin' London vibe without missing a step, big guitars, big pianos, big voices.  Makes one long for mod-skirts and hip hugger pants. This version could only be heard before on the Sound and Vision box set, while later on we get a slightly more subdued, previously unreleased version.  Other tracks like the mulit-part "Memory of a Free Festival" find Bowie exploring what would become his trademark sound.  But still, one of my favorites of the bonus cuts is "Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola," which translates to "Lonely Boy, Lonely Girl."  Some may find it cheesy, but I've always been a sucker for familiar songs sung in different languages, and this is an Italian version of "Space Oddity" released for the European market in 1970.  The version found here was never released and it's stunning.  In Italian, the pure majesty of the melody is inescapable and Bowie's voice takes to the Italian language like an opera singer, gently wrapping around the lyrics, loving them, holding them.  Never sounding forced or coerced.  As a sucker for this stuff, I'd buy the album for this track alone, but fortunately, the entire second disc shines.  A must for any self-respecting Bowie fan.

Buy here: Space Oddity (40th Anniversary Edition)

Poobah - Peace Farmers

Anyone who's read the Ripple for a period of time knows how we feel about the perpetual rocking machine that is Poobah.  Jim Gustafson, who is essentially Poobah, is without a doubt, one of the world's most unheralded, underground guitar legends.  Just check out his stunning reissue of Steamroller, and you'll see what we're talking about.  With fingers that fire at a cheetah's pace and 120 volts of electricity searing through his strings, Jim's guitar work doesn't just slink along, it screams, it wails, it purrs and roars. 

Now, Poobah comes sizzling back with his third release since the Ripple's been rolling.  And whereas Underground and No Control dazzled with guitar wizardry, nothing can match the ferocity that Poobah brings to Peace Farmers.  Wailing on like he's a kid again, Gustafson proves he truly is ageless.  Either someone slipped a case of Red Bull into Mr.s Gustafson's water supply or he found the fountain of youth.  Sure Underground rocked, but in truth, it did so in more of a mellow, post-psychedelic, bluesy way.  Not here, no way!  Peace Farmers screams out of the stereo, aggressive and mean, and burning with the fire of a thousand burning guitars.  Peace Farmers begs for attention.  It refuses to be ignored.

After the stuttering intro of "Ripped," Poobah explodes in full electric glory!  Featuring a mean and nasty, fricking heavy-toned guitar, Gustafson plays his freaking heart out, solo arpeggios, feedback, flurries wailing through the massive riff like screams breaking through a darkened night.  Poobah hasn't rocked this hard to my ears since Steamroller.  No fan of Poobah can resist being sucked head first into this monstrosity from that very first cut.  But it doesn't let up there.  "It Out," keeps the level at volcano-explosive intensity, riding an additively heavy riff, loaded with guitar histrionics to make even the most seasoned rocker drool and marvel.   When I say his guitar leads sear, I mean it's a damn good thing this didn't come out on vinyl cause it'd be melting under the heat of the needle!

And these first two songs are only indicative of what awaits you on the rest of the album.  The next cut, "Mood," keeps the intensity just as fierce, featuring some distinctly trademark Poobah guitar mania, and the album continues on from there.  Without a doubt, Poobah has unleashed a classic of guitar madness with Peace Farmers.  Rather than getting older and slower, Poobah just keeps getting better.  The whole album seems to find Gustafson more focused in his songwriting, tighter and infinitely heavier than his last couple of albums.  Not only that, but this is the best I've heard Jim's voice since the re-issue of Steamroller.   No matter how you cut it, Poobah is a name that long ago deserved much more acclaim and attention that it has ever received, and here at the Ripple we're going to do everything we can to help Poobah get it's due.  Keep tuned here for some big Poobah announcements coming soon!

Buy here:  www.poobahband.com


John Wicks and the Records - Rotate 

Talking about timeless performers!  It was way back in 1978 that The Records released the timeless powerpop gem, "Starry Eyes," on the world, and in the process earned the nickname, "The British Big Star."  in truth, that nickname served the band well, as very few could ever match The Records for the shear beauty of their melodies and huge powerpop hooks.  Unfortunately, much like the U.S. Big Star, The Records failed to captivate the world with their shimmering, hooky pop, and after releasing some amazing quality pop from 1978 to 1982, the band never found success and broke up, leaving only a legacy of golden sparkling gems in their wake.

25 years later, after nearly 10 years away from the recording studio, John Wicks jumped back into the fray, releasing this updated, truly remarkable treasurechest of powerpop bounty.   From the first track, "Oh Yeah!" it's clear that Wicks had lost none of his command of melody.  Soaring, sumptuous harmonies and bubblegum-covered melodies positively drip off this disc.  Sparkling, jangly guitars bring us in before the big hooks snag us like a sailfish caught off the coast of Baja.  Wick's voice still soars and rings in his perfect tenor.  Just like way back in 1978, the result is immediately timeless.  "Different Shades of Green," adds a bit more fuzz to the tone, adding a bit more urgency, and the track just bristles with powerpop perfection.  "That Girl is Emily," is another instant classic. With it's traces of gentle psychedelia wrapped around it's lush pop, the song is so timeless in execution it could have been recorded in the sixties, seventies, or now.  It doesn't matter.  Wicks has already proven that time is a relative concept where The Records are concerned.

To make things even better, John Wicks is still at it, now touring acoustically with Paul Collins of the stunning seventies powerpop band, The Beat.  Stay tuned as we keep you updated on their tour with, hopefully, a future stop at the Ripple Office where we'll be broadcasting a live acoustic set of the two songwriters right across Ripple Radio.  In the meantime, don't forget to pick up Rotate.  A true shiny nugget of passionate, meticulous powerpop.

Buy here:  Rotate


Paul Collins Beat - Ribbon of Gold

And speaking of Paul Collins . . . it wasn't that long ago that we at the Ripple professed our undying love for the truly lost classic album that is The Beat's debut from 1979.  Never before had a band so perfectly captured the tension and urgency of punk married to the sweet-as-sweet-could-be melodies of classic Raspberries and Badfinger.   True powerpop may not have been a Beat creation, but damn, if Paul Collins didn't perfect it.

While that debut will forever reign as a pinnacle achievement in powerpop history, it, of course, wasn't enough to get the band the international acclaim they deserved.  But Paul Collins kept on, through various Beat line-ups and his own solo albums, and the cat is still going strong today.  Pope and I will forever be grateful and entertained by the time Paul Collins called us at Ripple Radio, live from the stage and had the entire audience say "Hello Ripple Effect."  Fortunately, we captured that moment of shear rock and roll madness on tape and can spin it endlessly for our own bemusement.

But another thing we're spinning endlessly, is the last album by the Paul Collins Beat, Ribbon of Gold.  Recorded in Sweden (a far journey from the Beat's LA beginnings) Paul proves that he's lost none of his edge over the years as he cranks out a worthy follow-up to that classic debut album.  Everything that people loved about The Beat is here; from the nervous energy of "I Still Want You," to the glorious melodies of "Ribbon of Gold," to the sumptuous, sugar-filled center of "Big Pop Song," this is The Beat, just as strong and lively as ever!

"Hey DJ," is a retro-blast of fun, an ode to the days when radio really mattered, and we lived and cried by whatever was spinning over the AM dial.  "Without You," is a mid-tempo, country-slanted number with big ringing guitars and soaring harmonies.  "Falling in Love with Her," chimes and hums along in its own universe of tight powerpop precision, with its infinitely singable chorus and harmonies, while "She Doesn't Want to Hang Around With You," is a direct descendant of such classic Beat cuts as "Rock and Roll Girl," and "I Don't Fit In."

Paul Collins is a legend in powerpop circles and anyone in the know, and he does himself proud with this effort.  For all you Beat fans, search this one down.  It's worth every precious powerpop moment.

Buy here: Ribbon of Gold