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Monday, January 9, 2012
CD Reviews / DVD Review CD/DVD review: Cage the Elephant
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Cage the Elephant
Live from the Vic in Chicago
RCA; Release date: Jan. 3, 2012
"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" was just starting to swarm the airwaves in 2009 when Cage the Elephant played an early Sunday set at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn. It was the first set I caught that day — I remember standing in the photo pit, photographer Danny Clinch standing next to me with a grin on his face, as singer Matthew Shultz and his red spandex body suit screamed, danced and bounced around the stage. It was the most energetic and intense live show I saw that weekend.
Fast forward to February of 2010 when Cage the Elephant made its Charlotte debut with a sold-out concert at Amos' Southend. Shultz again was the focus of attention as he ended the show hovering above the crowd, surfing while singing.
While the band's two studio efforts — 2008's self-titled debut and 2011's Thank You, Happy Birthday —Â aren't exactly polished, it's the band's live shows that truly show its strength and raw qualities. Finally capturing that potency is the new CD/DVD release, Live from the Vic in Chicago.
Friday, December 16, 2011
CD Reviews / DVD Review CD/DVD review: Peter Gabriel's New Blood
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Dec 16, 2011 at 1:37 PM
Peter Gabriel
New Blood CD/DVD
Real World; Release date: Oct. 2011
All too often, artists are offering reissues, remasterings, re-releases and anniversary editions of albums that might add a few B-sides but little else in the way of anything substantial. When I first heard that Peter Gabriel would be reworking some of his music, I didn't expect much as my initial thoughts were of remastered songs in some sort of greatest hits format. New Blood completely destroys any of those ideas.
Instead of taking the easy way out, Gabriel has re-imagined his music in the purest sense of the word. New Blood, a 14 track CD was released in October and followed by New Blood Live in London, a concert DVD of 22 songs in the same presentation.
On both, Gabriel is backed by an orchestra that brings new life to his music without the presence of a guitar, bass or drumkit. The orchestra enables not only new depth in the artistic vision of Gabriel, but intricate layering when appropriate.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
DVD Review / News DVD review: Jimi Hendrix The Guitar Hero
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 4:25 PM
Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero
Image Entertainment; Release date: Sept. 14, 2010
The Deal: DVD takes a look at the guitar-playing ability of Jimi Hendrix via historical clips and new interviews with Slash, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Eric Burdon (The Animals), Paul Rodgers (Bad Company), Ginger Baker (Cream), Bev Bevan (ELO), Crosby, Stills and Nash and others.
The Good: Instead of a typical biography, this film looks at the history of his guitar playing. It kicks off with Hendrix arriving in London in 1966 to play with Eric Clapton and Cream. It discusses the start of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, his performance style, his drug use and other topics with various musicians who were at different concerts sharing their views and experiences on what they witnessed.
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Live review: Fiona Apple, The Fillmore (9/26/2012) 16
Fans ate it up, but it was a trainwreck of tragic and frustrating proportions.
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Frank Ocean tops Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll
Annual critics list creates requisite buzz
