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Pop Rock Nation

Category: People

all-about-musicians-and-the-people-who-help-them-make-music

  • First Listen: “You Run Away” by Barenaked Ladies

    If you’re a Barenaked Ladies fan, you were probably a little taken aback when co-lead singer/songwriter Steven Page took off last year, leaving the band after two decades. Minus possibly the band’s most distinctive member, what would the band possibly sound like?

    Well, guess what folks: here’s your answer. BNL has released “You Run Away”, the first single from their new album “All in Good Time”. “Run”‘s a midtempo pop-rock track that takes a more straightforward, serious tack than the band’s more popular fare. Ed Robertson, while not the powerhouse vocalist Page is, carries the song reasonably well. I’m not TOTALLY sold on it yet, but I will admit that it has a certain hooky charm. I’ll be looking forward to the album’s release to see if the band can get over the inconsistency that’s plagued their music for the past decade or so.

  • Elvis 75: Fight the Power?

    “Elvis…was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me, you see, straight out racist the sucker was, simple and plain…”

    If you mention the words “Elvis Presley” to me, that will probably be the first thing to come to my mind (#2-Michael Jackson married his daughter), for better or for worse. Granted, I don’t *believe* Elvis was a racist, and even Chuck D. has backed off of that statement. It just kinda underlines how much of a non-event Elvis is when it comes to my musical knowledge.

    Which is not to understate the impact the man had on popular music. One thing that always irritates me is when someone tries to downplay an artist’s impact on popular culture just because they’re not a fan of said artist (or, like me, are pretty indifferent towards said artist). Whether he started rock ‘n roll or not is irrelevant (and at this point, we all know he didn’t), but the fact is that he was the major conduit towards bringing rock ‘n roll to a mass audience, and he deserves major acknowledgment for that. Besides, the guy could carry a tune and was definitely a showman with few equals. Even restrained, the guy was something to see, as evidenced by the clip below.

    Happy birthday Elvis.

  • R.I.P. Willie Mitchell

    Willie Mitchell is certainly not a household name, but his productions rank among the best of soul music. While Mitchell was an artist in his own right, he is best known as the vice-president of Memphis soul label Hi Records and the producer of some of the label’s biggest hits, including Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain”. Of course, no conversation about Hi Records or Willie Mitchell would be incomplete without mentioning the work he did with Al Green. The two formed one of the greatest artist/producer alliances in modern pop music history-spinning off classics ranging from “Let’s Stay Together” and “Love & Happiness” to “I’m Glad You’re Mine” and “Simply Beautiful”. Mitchell died today in Memphis at the age of 81.

    Mitchell’s production style was never ostentatious. His songs generally tended to simmer, which made him a perfect fit for Reverend Al. The songs had a churchy quality to them but were certainly romantic if not downright sensual. That push and pull between religion and worldliness is what defines soul music, and very few people composed and produced it better than Willie Mitchell.

    Check out “Simply Beautiful”, my favorite Al Green song. Everything fits together perfectly-gently strummed guitar (with a hint of country/western flavor), the organ that pops in a minute or so into the song, Al’s practically whispered vocal. Perfection. Today’s R&B producers (who are not really producers but beatmakers-there’s a difference) should take note.