In The News: Jaejoong's "Wasurenaide" issue

To be completely honest with you guys, I'm pretty confused myself at what's really happening. But now that both sides have spoken in one way or another, and more information has been put out, I guess it's time to put two and two together.

So, what happened? I'll try to get in to as much detail and as many citations as I can, but I can only do so much, so I apologize if I miss anything.

This morning, or somewhere around that time, someone discovered that Jaejoong's self-composed song "Wasurenaide", was being covered by a Chinese singer - Ray. His album was set to be released tomorrow under.. wait for it, wait for it.. Avex. How did people find out? Apparently, clips of the album were put out, as well as the album cover with Avex logos plastered all over it. My initial reaction was a mix of shock, anger and eyebrow-raising - dozens of questions were forming in my mind. Does Jaejoong know? Was he credited? Who actually owns the song? There's an Avex in China?! Do they really think people won't find out?





Of course I was outraged. But then, I really couldn't have said anything solid at that point because everything was still very vague. So I went around a bit, looking for the song credits and copyright of the song - to no avail. My copy of "The Secret Code" didn't include an insert with the credits for the album (only the credits for the "non-stop mix"), and only the composer and lyricist are listed on the wiki entry. I decided just to wait it out a bit.

So, as of this morning, this is what we knew:

• Jaejoong wrote "Wasurenaide" in 2009, and it was released on the group's last Japanese album as five - "The Secret Code" - under Rhythm Zone, a subsidiary of Avex.
• Ray Cho, a Chinese singer, is releasing a Chinese version of "Wasurenaide" tomorrow - under Avex.
• Avex China does exist.
• There was no due credit for Jaejoong as the co-composer and sole lyricist of the song on this new release.

Putting two and two together at this point, you'd probably think, like many others, that Avex just gave the song to Ray without Jaejoong's consent because it's one of their last shots at making money off of the guy. And that Avex is really sleazy and had no right to do it since it's not their song, or maybe even that SME had something to do with this.

So later in the day, the accused - Ray - released a statement on his blog. He was "sorry", he liked Jaejoong too, the standard buttering up to people, and finally, that the release would be delayed until they secure permission from the songwriters, a.k.a. Jaejoong and Kim Young Hu. He also said something interesting, which I wasn't able to understand until a while ago, but trust me, it's relevant. I quote:

"This incident has nothing to do with Tian Yu Media, Avex Music (Avex China), and SM Entertainment, it is not a resale of Jaejoong’s song by Avex, as said by everyone. Please don’t blame the unrelated company, you can blame me for everything."

Interesting? It gets better, trust me.

And also, it was confirmed via JASRAC's website that Jaejoong holds the rights to the song as both the lyricist and the composer (shared with Kim Young Hu) - then there are two rows below that which has stuff written in Kanji so I can't read it, but what I CAN read is that Avex is also listed. Twice.

(image: Koreaboo)

While all this was happening, JYJ had other things/crap to deal with (which I won't talk about because if I do it's just another chapter in the 2-year saga, which is WAY too long to recap), so I guess either Jaejoong didn't know yet at that point, or had just found out and was too shocked to say anything. According to Mr. Egg (a friend of the three - obviously not his real name LOL), Jaejoong was apparently angry this morning (that tweet has apparently also been deleted now) - probably about the Jeju cancellation, but probably because of this as well. No one knows.

So, as of this afternoon, this is what we knew:

• Jaejoong wrote "Wasurenaide" in 2009, and it was released on the group's last Japanese album as five - "The Secret Code" - under Rhythm Zone, a subsidiary of Avex.
• Jaejoong has rights to "Wasurenaide" as the lyricist and the co-composer, but Avex has rights as something else (can't read Kanji yet, sorry)
• Ray Cho, a Chinese singer, covered "Wasurenaide", but is delaying the release until he gets permission
• Avex China does exist.
• Ray Cho is under Avex China.

A battle won? Not quite. Basically, at this point I was saying that the issue isn't the fact that the guy is covering Jaejoong's song - it's that Jaejoong wasn't given due credit. People cover songs all over the place - it's more of a compliment if someone covers your song because you know that either it's gaining momentum, you're getting popular, or it's a good song. Then I wondered - why didn't Avex, and the people around him, do anything? No matter how stupid Avex is for succumbing to SME, you'd think they had the decency to put due credit and whatnot, seeing as if they screw up it's them on the line with not only the fans, not only Jaejoong, but JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers) as well. And really, I highly doubt they'd take dropping JYJ personally.

And finally, the coup de grâce - Max Matsuura speaks. Before I quote him for those who haven't read his response, any guesses on what he said? Honestly when I saw that he replied to this, I was expecting him to say something like "We did give due credit - to Kim Young Hu," or "we own the copyright so we can do whatever we want with it," or "I refuse to comment." But guess what? I was wrong - his answer just added a whole new twist to this already-sticky situation.

"Recently, a Chinese singer covered Jaejoong's song. I became interested, so I investigated the case. I found out that the Chinese singer who has no relation whatsoever with company a (T/N: avex) translated and sung the song without permission. As usual, the people in that country is interesting. The video in YouTube has a different logo (of a company), they are stealing and it is really tricky... To tell the truth, this story is as a bolt from the blue. I don't know why I have to hear complains about the things which they did without permission. I will take necessary actions in order to protect all the artists. I did not know anything about this case, but I will deal with this issue. For the time being, this is my word."

credits: masatomatsuura @ twitter
trans: smiley @ OneTVXQ.com
Credits: OneTVXQ.com { One World. One Red Ocean. One TVXQ! }

There's almost as much drama as "Miss Ripley", and "Miss Ripley" is ALL gasp-inducing drama. So before your heads start spinning, here's what we now, presently, know:

• Jaejoong wrote "Wasurenaide" in 2009, and it was released on the group's last Japanese album as five - "The Secret Code" - under Rhythm Zone, a subsidiary of Avex.
• Jaejoong has rights to "Wasurenaide" as the lyricist and the co-composer, but Avex has rights as something else (can't read Kanji yet, sorry)
• Ray Cho, a Chinese singer, covered "Wasurenaide", but is delaying the release until he gets permission
• Avex China does exist.
• Ray Cho is NOT under Avex. Never has been. Matsuura doesn't even know the guy.

Now that Matsuura himself has said that Ray has nothing to do with Avex, go back to that quote I put in the second part. Either I've been dealing with too many literary theories lately and/or watching too my Miss Ripley, or it's just too obvious not to piece together - Ray said not to put the blame on Avex, because they had nothing to do with the issue. And they really did have nothing to do with it (apart from the fact that they're not part of the victims, but we're talking about the part before we all found out) because they didn't even know Roy before this! Roy, and his other agency/label Tian Yu Media, if that's even actually his other label, have been lying about their affiliation with Avex all along.

Ray Cho wants attention - it's obvious. Plausible scenarios:

• He wanted attention so he used the Avex name, then covered "Wasurenaide" because he really wanted to, regardless of whether or not he was "under Avex". But when people made a fuss of the fact that it was Jaejoong's song AND he was under Avex - he just rode with it for the publicity. But that would make him somewhat a good guy.
• He "Wasurenaide" with the full intention of not crediting the original writers, then realized that he might as well use Avex while he was at it.

What now? We don't know, no one does. Avex could sue, Jaejoong could sue (if he does know, which by now he probably does), Jaejoong could admit that he knew all along and that he gave permission (not that plausible, but possible nonetheless) they both could sue, they both could NOT sue, Ray could beg the two not to, this could just fizzle away, SME could come out and admit for their sins and we'd all live happily ever after (I can dream, can't I?) - a lot of things can happen.

Earlier today, when we were halfway through this, I tweeted that I had lost my respect for Avex. Of course when I found out that Ray isn't actually under Avex and they didn't give him the song, I took that back, but right now my respect for them - whether it disappears or goes back to how it was before - is dependent on how they handle this situation. They screw this up, I lose respect. They do this cleanly, the way it should be, they get my respect back.

And, just because I've been listening to this gorgeous song all day - the Tokyo Dome performance of "Wasurenaide":



Phew. So I wanted to try something new on PRN. Seeing as I'm a news writer again, I'm now required to be on my toes for new headlines (again), and seeing as I'm starting to over-analyze everything because of all my English Lit classes - why not put those to good use and put something out on PRN? Therefore, I'll be taking some running news stories and issues, then putting them all in to one post - with the news, a short commentary, and some ranting here and there. This is yet another test run that could either lead to a permanent section or just fizzle away, so if you guys have any suggestions and comments on this - fire away! Please! :D

Despise You / Agoraphobic Nosebleed - And On And On... - Split

It's been a long time since a split CD has really caught my attention and made me want to continue to listen to it over and over. Back in the day some of my favorite splits were: At The Drive-In / Sunshine, Alkaline Trio / Hot Water Music, Pig Destroyer / Gnob, Napalm Death / S.O.B. and Agoraphobic Nosebleed / Kill The Client, just to name a few. So, it has really been a good number of years that I have heard a good split album. This year I have found a split worth worthy of a review and it is the Despise You / Agoraphobic Nosebleed split entitled And On And On....

For those who have read my past reviews, you know I love Powerviolence bands. Love 'em! Despise You are one of the most legendary bands in that scene. With this release, it marks the first new material from the band in 10 years! Needles to say I was super stoked to hear some new stuff. Despise You kickoff this 25 track split with the song “Berefet”. This song reminds me of old hardcore pioneers, Black Flag. This song clocks in at under just 40 seconds.

Despise You do a pretty amazing cover of Fear's “I Don't Care About You”, which on the album is just titled “Fear's Song”. Despise You make this song even angrier than the original and if my ears don't deceive me, it's a bit faster as well. This is a perfect cover. It holds true to it's early Hardcore roots but ads a twist of Powerviloence's anger. This song is still relevant after all these years. With lyrics such as:

“I see man rollin' drunks,
bodies the streets.
Some man was sleepin' in puke
and a man with no legs crawling down 5th street trying to get something to eat!

I don't care about you!
Oh noooooo!!
I don't care about you!
Fuck you!
I don't care about you!
Hey! Hey!
I don't care about you!”

Despise You knock out their 18 tracks in under 17 minutes. Is it good? Fuck yeah, it's good.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed are one of the premier Grindcore bands out there. They have been ahead of the Grindcore curve since the early 90's. Wow I just made myself feel old thinking that I have been listening to this bands since around 1998. Time flies by when you're listening to brutally fast Grindcore.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed keep the party going for the last 7 tracks. They start things off with the track, “Half Dead”. This is one of the longer tracks on the album clocking in at an astounding 4:39. This track begins where Despise You left off. With a sludgy and dirty sounding guitar. Vocally this track is epic. Lots of yelling and doomish vocals.

“No fit to live anywhere
With anyone I'd have any desire
Make a career out of apology
For a maid's wage, same day hire

The commute is hell, the coffee cold
If you worked here you'd already be home
Half man, half dead, half asleep at the wheel
Fuckin' as good as dead, drunk behind the wheel”


“Possession” is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It's played super fast and fells punk laden. The Punk aspects I'm talking about are the way you are able to understand the lyrics fairly clearly. The lyrics of this song speak of prostitution, I can't wait to go to a show and scream these vocals with Jay Randall.

“Shit breath
Meth tooth
Tweeker
Snitch

Playing it loose with the truth
Trying to crawl out of some shit you just stepped in

The demon possessed charged with possession
Bag of shards and a stem
Trying to loosen the noose and save your neck
From the shit you stepped in

Full blown AIDS
Fuck of death
Talking down another prostitute in poor health

Stick your dick in a casket and close it
Should of only paid her to blow you

The shit you just stepped in is on you 'till death”
And On And On... is an awesome split. Hopefully I get a chance to see either one of them live this year. If you love brutal music as much as I do pick up this split. Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Despise You are bands you need to know about.

This split goes good with: Pig Destroyer, Anal Cunt, Black Flag, Fear, Terrorizer, Cattle Decapitation and The Locust.


Buy this album here: http://shop.relapse.com/store/product.aspx?ProductID=42849

Cain Marko- At Sea

The last person on that planet someone should be talking to about punk is me.  Mainly because although I like the genre, I know very little of it. I do have ears though! So, I can pick out the good sounds, and Cain Marko's EP At Sea has the good audio waves going on. The riffs, the drums, the half screaming vocals... Works. Listen to this EP. It's on your bucket list now.

I am a sucker for a good riff. I will listen to the most horrible, disastrous music if the guitars work for me. The guitar work on At Sea is top, it is smooth, heavy, light, dynamic, sexy, cool... I just really don't have the words to describe how good this sounds. It is times like these I wish I could quote music (N.B. I spent the last ten minutes doing that. It got backspaced as it was just a mess of “duh dummmm duh duh duh duh duh”'s). Coupled with the kick arse drums, they have me hooked.

Luckily for my own sanity and the preservation of my ear drums I don't need to listen to Cain Marko only because of their guitars. They pull together the whole deal with ease, making some of the best punk my underexposed ears have heard. Even if I remove the factor of being punk, some of the best music I have heard.

“At Sea in St. Paul” starts the EP I have just been preaching to you. Exactly what you expect after the hype I just gave it. Long enough intro to pull you in, but not too long you start looking to skip into the middle of the song. Then they hit you with their vocals and at first you might feel surprised and repulsed by the screaming coming out of no where and next to those guitars, but stick with it. Another ten seconds and I bet you aren't looking for the skip button no more. Effortless pulling together. Like a heavy punchy ballet for your ears.

“Ralph, I Can't See” is where I will pull in the first quote of their lyrics.

“The light pours in to show these unhealthy relationships with alcohol poisoning
Our eyes were wide once, singing songs we meant so damn much it hurt
We were alive then”

See? Perfect. Well, no you can't see because you aren't listening to it yet. Hurry!


Things get a little louder, a fuller feeling to the whole song with “I Read This In A Book.”


Then, the finale, the song that made me fall in love with At Sea, “Let's Go Kill The Bastard.” This guitar brimming, drum ridden piece of music was something else. The vocals here are different, still the half scream, but when the opening and parts of the song are sung in this chorus, it transforms it. I don't know how else to put it, but it takes it to a whole new spin. Then they sing-

“He laughed. “Redemption? That's a funny thing.
Wait till tomorrow. See what the sun will bring”
Alone in silence. Dusk painted overhead.
Shrug and sigh traverse back home again.”

Angry, clever, catchy. I can't fault it.

Cain Marko really punched out something that is (excuse the pun) music to my ears. At Sea is worth the time listening to, even if it is for their guitar.

A very happy

--Koala


Streaming/Info/Cool Stuff
http://cainmarko.bandcamp.com/ 

Charlie Simpson- Down Down Down EP

“Girl I have seen your dreams
and they were filled with darkness
but your eyes turn wide in the bright light
I know there is torment in your heart
Ooooh, and its swimming around your body like shark
Can you not see me anymore?
Are you just hot air beneath the floor?
Because I cant feel empty anymore...?” (“Sundown”)


I could continue quoting Charlie Simpson's brilliant lyrics but I feel that may be never ending.


Racer sent me the link to his “Don't I Hold You” download (which you will locate below) and I have collected his EP after falling in love with the music that this talented man makes.

All of his music is instantly identifiable by the sweet sounds, followed by the lyrics that would make any love sick teenage boys facebook status seem cold and cruel.


“Don't I hold you like you want to be held?
Don't treat you like want?
Don't I love you like you want to be loved
When your running away...” (Don't I Hold You)


“I get dressed up in my winter clothes,
And step outside to look at the roses
But they are all covered in the morning snow
Just open your heart
And the world will carry you home tonight” (Thorns)


“And the nights are so long without
And the days speed up, my god I will never let go of you
Cause some things are not worth changing” (Down Down Down)


Such a teaming can sometimes result in the artist sounding a little pathetic, but it works for Charlie Simpson and it sounds beautiful. The music work is simple but played perfectly and is clean, the vocals are sharp, in tune and a joy to listen to.

-- Koala

DOWNLOAD “Don't I Hold You”  HERE

More Revenge of the Quick Ripple Bursts - Featuring Peter Case, Paul Collins, Dirty Filthy Mugs, and Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons

Peter Case - The Case Files


From The Breakaways to The Nerves to The Plimsouls to his solo career, Peter Case has always weaved a web of quality, roots based rock. The Case Files collects demos, out-takes, one live shot & other rarities from the 1985-2010 span of Case's solo career. Compiled by Peter himself, this long-overdue collection combines rockin’ full band electric tracks with a selection of dynamic acoustic performances, and also features collaborations with many of Peter's friends, such as Stan Ridgway, Eddie Muñoz, T-Bone Burnett, Ron Franklin and Tony Marsico, among others. As a collection of out-takes and rarities, expectations might be for a haphazard listen, but it's not.  Peter's muse is so cohesive, the songs all hang together to paint a picture of a true American troubadour. "(Give Me) One More Mile" is rousing, sparse back porch acoustic blues, with Peter's voice in amazing form.  This was an out-take?  Damn!  "Let's Turn Things Around" ups the funky quotient with it's rooster calls and washtub bass.  "Anything (Closing Credits)" sounds like a lost Plimsouls classic.  And it goes on from there.  Well, worth having.

Buy here: The Case Files


Paul Collins - King of Power Pop

While we're on the subject of The Nerves, we got a natural transition to discuss the latest power pop gem from the real "king of power pop" Paul Collins.  And with his pedigree in The Breakaways, The Nerves and the amazing Beat, no one can dispute his claim to the title.  King of Power Pop gives the Paul Collins fan just what they're clamoring for; sweet melodies, big, crunchy chords, sing-along-in-your-sleep choruses, and huge, huge I.V. infusions of power pop.  "C'mon Let's Go!" is two minutes of timeless pop perfection.  A perfect 16-karat melody and chorus propels this song from the early sixties to the modern day.  Paul's voice is in perfect form, roughening up nicely as time passes by.  "Do You Wanna Love Me," adds some rockabilly harmonica and beat to the mix, chugging out over another mean two-minutes of pop splendor.  Personally, I really dig, killer cuts like "Doing it for the Ladies" and the rockin' "Don't Blame Your Troubles on Me," which attacks with the ferocity of a vintage Beat song.  Power pop perfection.

Buy here: King of Power Pop

Jesus Krysler - Shades of Soul

Power pop?  Yep, another perfect transition, this time to the darker, glammier, psychedelic-black-light-poster-in-the-garage pop stylings of Jesus Krysler.  Holy crap!  Where'd this disc come from?  Plopping this baby into the player and my ears were caressed, loved and fondled by the absolutely stunning "Walking in the Sun.", a fuzzed out, power pop, psychedelic treasure of the highest order.  Big heavy riffs layered in more fuzz than the carpet of a cat ladies hold-in shack.  Sweet and sugary, yet rough and garage-y vocals carry us to the big chorus with the urgency of a man rushing to the Emergency Room once he hits the 5th hour of a Viagra erection.  Like The Seeds shagging The Beat in the backseat of Baby Woodrose's '63 convertible Caddy.  Love it.  Simply love it.  The touch of female harmony vocals was genius to texture the song.  "Another Ride," roughs things up as it drags me along the pavement on the back of its scratchy riff and propulsive bass.  "The Roadie," adds a bit more sensitivity to the proceedings than I expected with it's sweet acoustic guitars telling the tale of woe on the road, while "All Alone," is as sweet as a Setting Son gem.  If these names wet your mucous membranes, check Jesus Krysler out, and prepare for the onslaught of mighty pop-punk mania that is "Cut My Brain."


Dirty Filthy Mugs - Up in the Downs

From acoustic blues to power pop to psych garage to . . . punk.  See's there's a natural madness to this grouping.  And after the mightier stylings of Jesus Krysler, my blood is getting ready to reach boil and to get there, I need me some punk.  But not just any punk.  As any reader of the Ripple knows, Pope and I have been jonsing on some pure chopping Oi! punk recently and to that end Dirty Filthy Mugs fits the bill perfectly.  More muscular than a fleet of cars coming from Detroit, DFM plug it out gravel-mouthed, methed-up, mean and nasty.  This is Oi! punk pouned out with a middle finger shoved knuckle-deep up your ass.  "Blocked and Smashed," is furious enough to cause the weak-hearted to cower in fear.  In reality, it's a faultlessly crafted fury of punk with enough nod to pop roots to keep the fists pumping and the nobs singing.  "Bodkin Downs" (from whence the album title derives) is a genius attack on a lock-up session at the mental hospital Bodkin Downs which the singer screams "made me insane."  Brilliant tongue-in-check, brass-knuckle to authority's head two-fisted punk with a killer gang chorus.  "You Want it All," never breaks long enough for the lead singer to draw a single breath over it's 1:16 attack span.  Brilliant.  Buy it.

Buy here: Up In The Downs


Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons - The Devil's Ride

Ok, we've done it.  We've gone punk.  Now there's no going back, especially not when Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons are in the garage, spewing exhaust, brimstone and demon breath.  Fuck this is the shit!  I'd already reviewed the single "The Mosher," but for those of you who haven't heard it yet, what're you waiting for?  This is 2:32 of V8 nitro-fueled muscle car garage punk that could blow the windows out of any non-reinforced spaces.  Coming from Sweden, Lou Siffer and his demons are just the latest musical threat to set sights on the free world with the intention of laying waste to all small nations in their path.  Think Ripple favorites Space Probe Taurus but with 4 wheels instead of two, and on those four wheels we got 455 hp, four-on-the-floor and an overhead blower that can suck the life out of pop pretenders.  "Love Song," is the second track.  Yeah, right.  "Love Song"?  More like "you left me, so get the fuck off the road" song.  Power, gritty, nasty, dirty chops just terrorize this masterpiece.  Add to this a vocal delivery that sounds to me like Elvis Presley after he ate Johnny Rotten with his peanut butter sandwiches and we got the fucking-kick-ass album of the year.  Bring me more Lou Siffer.  Bring me more Howling Demons.  Plow me down on the punk asphalt of life, baby.  I'm begging for more.

Buy here: The Devil's Ride

--Racer

Peter Case


Paul Collins


Dirty Filthy Mugs



Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons

Mountain – Climbing!

 

As I write this, Mountain’s legendary guitarist Leslie West is recuperating in the hospital following leg amputation surgery due to his long term diabetes. Mountain was scheduled to perform at the Hard Rock in Biloxi, Mississippi when Leslie started having problems that led his operation. Reports say that Leslie is doing well and should be discharged shortly. Not long after the surgery he called into his friend Howard Stern’s radio show and sounded in good spirits. I know I speak for everyone involved here at Ripple that we wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to hearing his incredible guitar tone again very soon.

On to happier things, like celebrating Mountain’s awesome debut album Climbing!, originally released in 1970. Leslie released a solo album titled Mountain in 1969 but not long after that he and bassist/producer Felix Pappalardi decided to form a full time band. One of their first shows was at the Woodstock festival in 1969. The band was not complete until powerhouse drummer Corky Laing joined and the rest is history. Most people consider Mountain a power trio and forget about 4th member Steve Knight on keyboards. Felix wanted a keyboard player to avoid comparisons with Cream but Leslie could have cared less and has never really said nice things about Steve over the years. Either way, this is the line up that produced one of rock’s greatest heavy albums.

Opening with the most identifiable cowbell lick ever, “Mississippi Queen” erupts from the speakers no matter what you play it on – transistor radio, massive PA system or anything in between. The result is always the same: 100% KICK ASS!! Unlike many other popular rock songs, I never get tired of hearing it. If it comes on the radio you immediately forget about what was played before it and you will be furious if the DJ follows it up with Billy Joel. Not all Long Island rockers are equal. Once you get past the cowbell what really hits you is Leslie’s utterly MASSIVE guitar tone. Many have tried but no one comes close to that sound. He’s gone on record many times as saying that he wound up using a Sunn PA amplifier at the Fillmore West because the Marshall amps he was expecting never arrived. He liked the sound of his Les Paul Junior plugged straight into it so they used it on the album. The main thing about his guitar tone is that it just sounds really fuckin’ LOUD and makes you want to turn the stereo up.

If “Mississippi Queen” doesn’t melt your speakers than “Never In My Life” will. Faster, harder and almost twice the length of the hit single, “Never In My Life” is simply one of the most kick ass songs of all time. Legend has it that Jimi Hendrix was in the studio next door and Leslie asked him to come in when they were mixing it. Jimi was knocked out by the riff and later on played bass behind Leslie during a jam with Corky. Not a bad endorsement for your debut album, eh?

But Mountain Climbing! is not all just speedy blues riffs and pounding cowbell. Songs like “Theme from an Imaginary Western” and the Woodstock anthem “For Yasgur's Farm” (both sung by Felix) offer nice counterpoint to the heavy rock jams. Probably the biggest strength of this album is the balance between heavy and quiet, light and dark. Acoustic numbers “The Laird” and “To My Friend” set up the rockers “Silver Paper” and “Sittin’ On A Rainbow” perfectly. Variety is definitely a lost art amongst most of today’s bands. Leslie’s vocals are shouted and raw while Felix is much more melodic. When you combine that with great songs and excellent musicianship you have a timeless classic like this.

Climbing! is a real one of a kind and belongs in every rock fan’s library regardless of generation. It goes without saying that the louder you play it the better it sounds and it gets stronger year after year. Send Leslie some good thoughts and crank this one up soon.

--Woody

Buy here: Climbing

Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)

 

I was once happy.  My life was filled with laughter and good cheer.  I had great friends, a supportive family, and work that filled me with pride.  For as long as I can remember everything went my way.  Scholarships won, opportunities presented unto me, promotions awarded.  It seemed nothing could disturb my ever-increasing level of bliss.  It never occurred to me to question why my life was progressing so well when other people, some of whom I knew, appeared to be stuck in a cycle of repression or negativity.  This all changed the day I received the message.

“July 27, 2023.  This is Lieutenant Gaviston of Bravo Command, second division, 13th brigade.  While on a recon mission in Kabul, Afghanistan I have discovered classified information that changes everything that I believe about this war.  I’m gonna upload this information of grave importance to HORUS, a military satellite which has the technology to transmit information through time.  If you are hearing this, you have been ordained or genetically predisposed to receive this information.  What you are hearing…is a warning.”

I recall the exact moment that man’s voice exploded into my mind at air-raid siren volume.  People occupying cubicles around me must have believed they were witnessing their coworker having a nervous breakdown.  When the message began I jumped out of my seat to find out whose computer or speaker system needed to be turned down or switched off.  To my astonishment, no one in my vicinity appeared bothered by the voice at all.  Everyone just kept working!  Blank stares greeted me when I frantically asked my coworkers if they could hear a man’s thunderous voice.  At this point almost everyone in the area had stopped what they were doing and were looking at me.  I emitted an audible gasp, my hands went to my temples, and I doubled over as the voice continued its mind numbing assault.

And then as quickly as its presence was felt, the message ended and the voice faded away.  In the immediate aftermath I was breathing heavily and had broken into a cold sweat.  When I became fully upright once again, my boss was standing in front of me with a deeply concerned look on her face.  She put her hand on my shoulder and asked me if I was alright.  Did she need to call for help?  Although I had been incredibly shaken I was recovering quickly so I answered that yes I was fine, and no she did not need to call emergency services.  After a few more of my reassurances she told me to take the rest of the day off.  I thanked her and promised to be back bright and early the next morning.  For reasons I can’t explain, I have never forgotten the smile she gave me at that moment.  Perhaps because it was the last nice thing I would see for some time.

Briefcase in tow, I walked to the parking garage where my car was parked.  I opened the door and fell into the driver’s seat.  My right hand put the keys in the ignition while my left hand shut the door.  As if on cue, the moment the door shut I was pinned against my seat by an enormous stream of information flooding my mind.  I couldn’t move.  It didn’t matter if I left my eyes open or closed.  Terrible images of war and devastation were all I could see.  Along with the images came hundreds, if not thousands of documents dated from the near and far future detailing the causes leading to a massive war, and the horrible aftermath left in its wake.  Never once did I question the validity of what I was being given.  I knew it was real down to the marrow of my bones.  When the stream of information finished, I was no longer the same person.  Armed with this knowledge of the future I had a new purpose in life.  The rest of my days would be dedicated towards working to avoid this future catastrophe.  From that moment on, I was a renegade!

Don’t fret waveriders.  You can be renegades too!  It’s easy.  All you have to do is pick up a copy of Pharoahe Monch’s new album, W.A.R., take a listen, and you’ll have joined the ranks.  Yes there is the infinitesimal possibility that you would choose not to follow the renegade path, but even if that is your decision I guarantee that you will still have your head severely buffeted by the gale force winds of righteousness emanating from the speakers.  This waveriders…is a special album by a special artist.  Seriously, I had to declare my mind a disaster zone after my first taste of this album blew me away!  Sadly, neither state nor local governments have replied to my requests for federal aid.  Oh well.  So who is this Pharoahe Monch, and why should you pay attention?  I’m glad you asked.

Pharoahe Monch is an upper-echelon hip hop artist who emerged onto the music scene back in 1991 as one half of the duo Organized Konfusion.  The group released three full length albums over the course of six years, and then amicably disbanded.  Mr. Monch then began releasing solo albums, beginning with his first in 1999.  W.A.R. is his third solo release.  I won’t pretend to be a longtime superfan that has followed this artist from the beginning.  That would be dishonest.  No, I’ve only been listening to Pharoahe Monch’s music since I picked up his second solo album back in 2007 upon the recommendation of a friend.  I thought that album (which is entitled Desire) was very good.  If you could not guess I am stubbornly loyal to artists whom I like, so I kept a watchful eye out for his next release.  When it finally arrived W.A.R. was, well….let me branch off on a related tangent for a moment.

I don’t know about you waveriders, but I’ve often entered into conversations/arguments with people defending the music I like.  When it comes to hip hop, it is not uncommon for my opponent to claim that anybody can rap.  It’s just someone talking after all.  Ah ah ahhh, not so fast.  While I will concede the basic premise of their point, that is when I bring out an album like W.A.R..  As with any genre of music there are a slew of mediocre wannabes, and then there are true artists.  Pharoahe Monch is a true artist.  To say that he has a distinctive lyrical flow would be doing the man a great disservice.  To listen to his wordplay and not be in awe of the fine craftsmanship on display would be downright criminal.  To not be impressed with the plethora of rhyme patterns, sometimes in the same song no less, would be like surrendering the village of Santo Poco to El Guapo without a fight!  Here’s a taste of what I’m talking about.  These are the lyrics to the song “Haile Selassie Karate”.

E pluribus unum, all seeing eye, ocular exam / The apocalypse, back by popular demand / Innocuous but still leave a stage with blood in my hand for the populous / Put a fist in the sky / "Licensed to kill" italicized into my ID or "Rocky Illuminati" / Haile Selassie Karate, John "The Beast" Mugabi / King Jaffe in the lobby with the fur made of a lion / The eye of hoarse mouths, I am vibrant / Prominent constellations of Orion / The reason why my stars are in alignment / The renegade, Allahu Akbar, rock star / Tossing homemade grenades, CD's at NYPD cop cars / Just to get the revolution to pop off Fraudulent stock, funded with Louis Vuitton knock-offs / Hijacking helicopters, detonate your metropolis / While I'm in the cockpit, politicking like Stephanopoulos / And my esophagus is quite atomic when I vomit / It's bioengineered urbanomics / The formula: truth divided by innovative ebonics / Times smooth lime, crushed ice and a splash of tonic / N**** my past lies are astronomic / Smoking hash in a cathedral with Nostradamus / At mass, discussing Martin Luther's "Free at Last" speech / Step on my British Walkers get your ass beat.

Think you could have come up with that?  I know I couldn’t.  I can’t even imitate it perfectly and I’ve listened to this song many times at this point!  Anybody can rap?  I don’t think so.

The bottom line is this.  From the word go this album does not let up.  Try to find a weak moment.  You cannot.  From the straight up aggression of tracks like “W.A.R.” or “Assassins”, to the funkiness of “Let My People Go” or “The Hitman”, to the celebratory “Still Standing”, W.A.R. has everything I’m looking for in a hip hop album.  I mean for crying out loud, “The Grand Illusion (Circa 1973)” is essentially Monch rhyming over King Crimson’s “In The Court Of The Crimson King”!  Look out all other albums on top ten lists for 2011.  Pharoahe Monch’s W.A.R. is here, and it’s a monster.

--Penfold

Buy here:  W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)