Most Rolling Stones enthusiasts would agree about the band’s golden period – the four-album classic stretch from 1968 to 1972 where the band produced Beggars’ Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main Street.
I can’t argue with that assessment, as I’ve always viewed Mick Taylor to be the band’s greatest lead guitarist (Keith Richards, for all his greatness, was more of a rhythm guy). Those four albums are indeed great and rank among my favorite Stones music, but the band had one last gasp of pure greatness in the 70s with the release of their 1978 disc Some Girls.
Some Girls came in a time when punk and disco were threatening to make big classic rock bands like the Rolling Stones extinct. Instead of pumping out another middle of the road, safe album (see It’s Only Rock N Roll and Black and Blue), the Stones embraced the sounds of the day and eclipsed them, while also staying true to their core blues and R&B roots.
Lead single “Miss You” used a purely disco beat, but a very memorable one. Instead of sounding cheesy or dated, it sounds funky and fresh. It’s indelibly catchy, and the only song on the album like it. The Stones responded to punk by cranking up the guitars and speeding up the tempo on tracks like “When the Whip Comes Down,” “Lies” and the brilliant “Respectable.” Mick Jagger sings with a pissed-off sneer on those tracks, and he also adds his input as the band’s third guitarist (not counting bassist Bill Wyman), giving the tracks added muscle and verve.
Elsewhere, the band sinks into a sleazy blues groove on the sleazy title track (with its infamous ‘black girls just wanna get fucked all night, I just don’t have that much jam’ line). They also deliver a faux-country number “Far Away Eyes,” where the band plays it straight but Jagger sings like he’s making fun of the proceedings and the genre. There are actually more true country renderings on the new bonus disc that comes with the album’s reissue (but we’ll get to those later).
“Before They Make Me Run” is a wonderful outlaw tune sung by Keith Richards, who was in big-time trouble with the law at the time due to a drug arrest in Toronto.
“Beast of Burden” is one of the band’s finest ballads, while “Shattered” is nasty and funky all at the same time.
While the album was recorded in Paris, it has New York written all over it with several references to the Big Apple throughout, giving the tunes a unified theme.
It’s a classic Stones album and one of my all-time favorites.
One of the best things about the Some Girls sessions was the wealth of material that didn’t make the cut for the album. And there’s a ton of it.
Many of the leftover tracks from the sessions found their way on to the two follow-up albums, Emotional Rescue and Tattoo You. Songs like “Summer Romance,” “Start Me Up,” and “Hang Fire” were Some Girls retreads.
Many more songs were left in various stages of completion, seemingly permanently remaining on the shelf.
But just like they did for the great Exile on Main Street reissue last year, the Stones (namely Mick Jagger) cleaned some of these outtakes up and released them as a bonus disc for the reissue, giving longtime fans a reason to rush out and buy it.
And just like on Exile, these extra tunes hold up quite well. A few, like the Jerry Lee Lewis rave-up “Claudine” were pretty well finished already. But several tunes lacked lyrics and complete vocals, so Jagger dusted them off. All the original backing tracks are vintage Stones recordings from the period and give credit to Mick, it’s hard to tell which tunes have new vocals and which ones don’t. Of the “new” tracks, “No Spare Parts” is a country-tinged beauty, immediately catchy with a nice Jagger vocal. “Do You Think I Really Care” is a country-fried rocker, a classic kiss-off tune to a girl “that’s never there.” “When You’re Gone” and “Keep Up Blues” are outstanding blues numbers, while “I Love You Too Much” is a straight-ahead rocker with effective backing vocals from Richards. All 12 of the new tracks add something to the Stones’ canon, and some could have replaced a few tunes on the actual album. “No Spare Parts” and the two country covers “We Had it All” (sung by Keith) and “You Win Again” are better than “Far Away Eyes,” which was always a bit too cheesy for my liking (Jagger’s vocals ruined that song for me, although the chorus is awesome, as is Ronnie Wood’s pedal steel playing).
I hope the Stones keep doing this for their reissues, cleaning up old tracks with new overdubs, because they serve as great “lost” Stones albums from their glory days, giving them a way of recapturing the magic of old without having to completely write new tunes. The first two have been successes, and producer Don Was (who has helped compile the material for each release) says there is plenty of outtakes left in the can for a new Stones album every year for the next 50 years. Doubt that’s true, but you get the point. There’s a lot left in the vaults.

Sod rating: *****

The collaboration between Lou Reed and Metallica has been getting ripped savagely in most of the reviews I’ve come across.
The pre-album buzz was so bad, I almost didn’t purchase it.
I can certainly see why this album might not be many’s cup of tea.
The subject matter is dark, as it is based on 19th century plays whose main character was a former socialite turned prostitute who eventually falls in love and is murdered by Jack the Ripper. Or at least that’s what I think it’s about.
The lyrics are so graphic at times and delivered in Reed’s speaking vocal style rendering most tunes without standout melodies.
Reed has had a brilliant career, but the man can no longer sing (not that he ever was a great singer). These days, he makes Bob Dylan look like Luciano Pavarotti.
At times, it seems he was totally unaware of what Metallica was thrashing behind him, almost as if the music and vocals had been recorded completely separately and without any knowledge of where the songs were going by either parties.
Yet there are times on this album where the project shines, nowhere moreso than on the 19-minute closer (you read that right) “Junior Dad” which should take its place among Reed’s best works. On this relatively gentle number (compared to the bloodletting that preceded it), Metallica churn out a fine melodic backdrop for Reed’s somber singing (he actually does sing here, quite effectively with weary worn vocals fit for a 69-year old rock legend). The song builds gradually and ends with a nearly eight-minute orchestral drone of beautiful sounds. It’s like nothing else on the album.
Elsewhere, there are moments to recommend. Metallica is in fine playing form throughout, although some of the riffs are repeated a bit too much (probably what Reed wanted). That’s the main criticism I have of the album, other than Reed’s sometimes annoying vocals. These songs could have been chopped in half and the album would have benefitted. There was no need for this to be nearly 90 minutes long. There simply aren’t enough musical ideas here, as many of the riffs and lyrics are repeated for no apparent reason. When the songs are concise, such as the opening “Brandenburg Gate” and “Iced Honey,” the results are quite enjoyable. It’s no coincidence that on each of those tunes, James Hetfield lends his vocal chops to the proceedings to help Reed. The better idea would have been to have Hetfield take the lead on more songs, although I can’t imagine him singing things like “I beg you to degrade me? Is there waste I could eat?” like Reed does on “Mistress Dread,” a song where Metallica thrashes along like it was 1983 again.
Hetfield does sing the curious line “I am the table” in “The View,” a song I hated when I first heard it online, but has since grown on me.
This album is nowhere near as bad as people have made it out to be. It’s not a great album and certainly could have used some more editing, but it’s an interesting listen. It’s nice to see Metallica taking some chances here, and hopefully they return to the studio with more vigor having worked with one of their heroes.
If you head into this album with an open mind, there are some rewards to be found. But tread lightly, it’s not an easy listening experience.

Sod rating: ***

In many ways, Coldplay has taken the mantle from U2 as purveyors of over-the-top pop piousness, even sounding like U2 with the jangly guitars and soaring choruses.
Their last album, Viva La Vida, was my favorite in their canon, as they pushed the boundaries of their sound to include worldly Far Eastern flourishes and pristine production values.
Their fifth and latest album, Mylo Xyloto, is a bit of a disappointment in comparison to the last disc. It again arrives in a glossy pop package, but for the most part the songs aren’t quite as memorable and in some cases, the production is too overcooked.
Case in point is the band’s foray into electro-dance beats, the left-field duet with Rihanna “Princess of China.” I like some of Rihanna’s work, but her contribution here isn’t all that memorable, mainly because the song is one of the worst on the set. It’s a definite stab at a hit, but feels out of place with the rest of the album.
There are plenty of great moments, including the opening track “Hurts Like Heaven,” the driving first single “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, and the guitar-heavy “Major Minus.”
There are a few nice acoustic moments in “Us Against the World” and “UFO,” but there are also a few other forgettable tunes.
Second single “Paradise” doesn’t do much for me, seems to be Coldplay by numbers. “Don’t Let it Break Your Heart” could have been awesome, but it suffers from overproduction as the vocals are buried a bit too much in the mix. “Up in Flames” is a piano and drums ballad but doesn’t have much of a hook and “Up with the Birds” is an odd closer, with singer Chris Martin crooning over a Brian May sample for the first two minutes before the track takes off and then ends just as it was getting good.
Overall, the album ends up uneven and a bit of a letdown from past discs.

Sod rating: ***

The latest album from Atlanta heavy metal outfit Mastodon is a masterwork, simply speaking.
These guys are so talented, and they seem to get better with every offering. Their new album is unlike the rest of their catalogue in that they eschew mega-epic tunes for more concise but still heavy-hitting fare.
The album kicks off with a trifecta of awesomeness, as “Black Tongue,” “Curl of the Burl,” and “Blasteroid” hammer home big-time riffs along with hummable choruses. “Stargasm” employs one of the key tricks in the Mastodon playbook, providing ever-changing tempos and seemingly making two tunes in one.
“Octopus Has No Friends” shows amazing fretwork by guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher. These guys are two of the best in the business, as are drummer Brann Dailor and bassist Troy Sanders.
Title track “The Hunter” is a touching tribute to Hinds’ brother, who died of a heart attack while hunting. They even go Beatles on us with the lyric “all the love I make is equal to the love I take.” This track, along with album closer “The Sparrow” (dedicated to the wife of the band’s accountant) display the band has heart to go along with its heavyness.
Other highlights include thrasher “Spectrelight,” the ultracool “Thickening” and the campy swamp thing tale “Creature Lives.”
There’s not a bad track here, and a lot to love. I haven’t stopped playing it since I purchased it last week. Buy it immediately.

Sod rating: **** 1/2

SuperHeavy is a supergroup containing five artists from distinctly different backgrounds and age groups. A project conceived by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and his producer buddy and former Eurythmic Dave Stewart, the group brings together a variety of sounds that wouldn’t necessarily always mesh.
Reggae toaster and Bob Marley’s youngest son Damian Marley, neo-soul singer Joss Stone and renowned Indian composer A.R. Rahman (who wrote the score to Slumdog Millionaire) are the other members of the outfit, which released its first album this week.
The group’s name came from the album’s opening track, a heavy (how convenient) reggae-rock-classical-dance fusion track in which all five members shine without stepping on each other’s toes. Marley leads off the track and came up with the song’s hook, Jagger and Stone each deliver verses, Rahman sings some Sanskrit passages and does the orchestration, while Stewart plays guitar and produces the track. It’s a high-quality opener and a proper introduction to the band.
“Unbelievable” contains some Mideastern flavor backing a more conventional pop song. Jagger and Marley (the two members with the most natural charisma) give the track and the rest of the album oodles of machismo and flavor. You keep coming back to this track, which along with lead single “Miracle Worker” forms quite the triumvirate as far as openings to albums go.
“Miracle Worker” is another song featuring everyone, with Marley and Stone especially shining. Stone, the youngest member at 24 and the only female in the group, holds her own with her elder bandmates. Her emotive singing adds proper spice throughout the proceedings.
“Energy” is dominated by Marley and Jagger, who each deliver spirited vocal parts. The rapid-fire vocal passages are as close to rapping as you’ll ever get from a Rolling Stone. Like its namesake indicates, the song overflows with verve and excitement.
“Satyameva Jayathe” is where Rahman gets a spotlight, both vocally and lyrically. It surely has an Indian feel, but it’s transformed into something else entirely when the other members show up for the fun.
“Never Gonna Change” sounds like a long-lost Stones ballad, with Jagger giving an emotional performance over Stewart’s guitar backing. No studio trickery here, and it’s the only track where just two members of the band are featured.
The last half of the album prevents the collection from truly being great. “I Can’t Take it No More” is the obligatory rocker, but it never really gets off the ground with its political posturing and forgettable hook.
“Beautiful People” and “Rock Me Gently” meander a bit too long for my liking, while “World Keeps Turning” offers too many tired cliches.
Still, the album has good intentions and is a great deal of fun to listen to. The first half is great, but ultimately there aren’t enough killer tracks to make it the masterpiece it could have been.

Sod rating: *** 1/2

The much anticipated fourth installment of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter series took a long time to make.
Some of the delay had to do with Weezy’s legal troubles, as he spent a year in jail on a gun charge. Another reason for the delay was the constant tweaking of the material, subbing songs in and out of the final track order.
Whatever the reason, the album is definitely worth the wait.
Wayne’s crazy wordplay and funny similes are everywhere, and the album has plenty of killer guest spots.
In fact, there are two songs in which Weezy doesn’t even appear. On “Interlude” and “Outro”, which use the same music as the Wayne-dominated “Intro” (not the most imaginative titles but still cool), Wayne takes a back seat and lets his guests flex their lyrical muscle. “Interlude” includes a great spot from Technine and an awesome uncredited appearance by Andre 3000 of Outkast.
On “Outro,” the lineup features Bun B, Nas, Shyne and Busta Rhymes. Nas and Busta particularly kill it on this track and even though the finale is without its star, it somehow works.
Other highlights include “Megaman” where Weezy proclaims he’s “a diamond in the rough, like a baby in the trash”, the kick-ass singles “6 Foot 7 Foot” and “She Will,” the latter featuring a strong hook from budding star Drake.
I also keep coming back to “President Carter,” which expertly samples the 1977 inaguration speech of Jimmy Carter. No joke.
In the days leading up to the album’s release, much of the focus was given to the track “It’s Good (featuring Jadakiss and Drake) and of a possible feud between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. On the track “H.A.M.” from Jay-Z and Kanye West’s recently released Watch the Throne, Jay-Z made a dig at Wayne friend and mentor Birdman, with a line like “you’ve got baby money, ain’t even got my lady’s money” On “It’s Good,” a fired up Wayne spews “You want Baby money? I got your baby money. Kidnap your bitch and get that how much you love your lady money.” Great line, will be interesting to see if there are more battles between the two rap titans in the future.
This album isn’t perfect, it’s got some down points, especially when Wayne tries to slow things down. “How to Love,” the big hit single, has its heart in the right place but lacks excitement as Weezy doesn’t rap but offers a autotune-assisted croon that takes away some of the fire of the other tracks. Speaking of autotune, T-Pain shows up to gum up the works on “How to Hate,” the other low point on the album.
Still, a few weak tracks are nothing to deter me from listening to the album over and over to find all the lyrical details. A solid effort from a gifted artist.

Sod rating: ****

Red Hot Chili Peppers, I’m With You: The latest album from veteran rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers finds the band in another period of transition.
Guitarist/songwriter John Frusciante left the band for the second time following an extremely successful three-album run culminating in the double disc Stadium Arcadium in 2006. I’ve always preferred Frusciante over any of the other axemen in the band’s long history, and wasn’t sure what to expect with a new guitarist joining the fold.
Josh Klinghoffer, a 31-year-old who toured with the band and contributed on Frusciante solo projects, was brought in to be his replacement. On their first album with Klinghoffer in the fold, the Red Hot Chili Peppers deliver a strong set of tunes and seem re-energized by their new member.
Klinghoffer is very subtle as a player. He doesn’t go for the big guitar solo, he slithers in and out of the songs and adds texture to the proceedings. He allows the rest of the band to do its thing, adding just the right touches to the songs. He also ably replicates Frusciate’s falsetto harmonies, a secret weapon of the band as Frusciante was almost as valuable as a vocalist as he was as a guitar player and tunesmith.
The band doesn’t break any new ground on the album, instead playing to its many strengths. Charged-up opener “Monarchy of Roses” hints at a disco-metal combination, making its working title “Disco Sabbath” quite understandable. Tearjerker ballad “Brandon’s Death Song” is quite simply one of the best tunes the band has ever written, as it was penned for an L.A. club owner and longtime friend of the band who recently passed away. It’s heartfelt without being sappy and has a surprising middle section in which drummer Chad Smith flexes his muscle as the band cranks up the volume.
Lead single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” is funky and brings lots of cowbell, while “Did I Let You Know” allows bassist Flea to rock out on the trumpet.
Other highlights include the piano-driven “Happiness Loves Company,” the sweet “Meet Me at the Corner” and the hard-rocking “Goodbye Hooray” and “Even You Brutus?”
Album closer “Dance, Dance, Dance” provides some nice atmosphere and again has a middle section where the band surprisingly rocks out for a bit.
The album doesn’t quite reach the heights of the band’s best material, but it’s an expertly performed, thoroughly enjoyable platter.

Sod rating: ****

Ever since a young Kanye West supplied Jay-Z with some great beats on his classic 2001 album The Blueprint, the pair have been friends. They’ve each appeared on each other’s albums, while Kanye has continued to provide killer beats for Jay-Z while absolutely taking off in his own right as a solo artist.
Now both established megastars, the two rap titans decided to collaborate on a full album of material, resulting in Watch the Throne. That’s a lot of ego for one album, but that’s what makes it great.
Kanye West is at the top of his game, both as a producer and a rapper, as this album comes hot on the heels of last year’s career-defining triumph My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. And Jay-Z remains one of the best rappers of all time, making this release much anticipated.
It lives up to the hype, thanks to some killer production by West and other guest producers like the RZA, Swizz Beatz and Pete Rock.
Most of the rap content deals with life at the top and the lavish lifestyle that brings. But there are moments of great depth as well, especially on “New Day” where West delivers a message for his son on not making the mistakes he’s made. Jay-Z, who doesn’t have kids yet, speaks to his unborn children and promises not to leave them like his father left him. On “That’s My Bitch,” you get a glimpse of where the two rappers are in their personal lives – Kanye the freewheeling playboy and Jay-Z the happily married husband to Beyonce. Jay-Z ponders why all the sex symbols (such as Marilyn Monroe) are white and that his wife tops them all. Kanye raps about threesomes. So yeah, they’re in different places relationship wise, but the song comes together with a kick-ass beat and good flow.
Another highlight is “Murder to Excellence”, a two-part song dealing with black-on-black murder and then praising black excellence and saluting prominent figures like Barack Obama. The first part of the song has a very dire feel to it, then rightfully perks up when the “Excellence” segment begins.
Lead single “Otis” brilliantly samples Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” while Jay-Z and Kanye West trade verses about “luxury rap.”
My favorite is the last track on the main album (there are four bonus tracks on the deluxe) “Why I Love You.” Soul singer Mr. Hudson delivers a powerful hook, and the song is dominated by Jay-Z, until Kanye joins in at the end in a good back-and-forth segment. The song deals with the many friends and former colleagues who have abandoned Jay-Z and sadly now want him dead. Jay-Z doesn’t offer hate here (hence the name of the song) but isn’t about to give up his spot atop the “throne.”
Overall, the album is a thrilling collection. The 12 tracks on the main album fly by quickly, with most clocking under four minutes and a few under 3. That means there’s no fat that plagues many rap albums on this release. Just the goods are delivered, and it has you going back for more on repeat listens.

Sod rating: **** 1/2

Incubus, If Not Now, When: The seventh album from alt-rock veterans Incubus is unlike any other in its catalogue.
For the most part, the guitars are turned down, revealing the band’s softer side on the album’s title track and single “Promises, Promises.”
There’s the left-field experimentalism of “In the Company of Wolves,” the album’s longest track at over 7 1/2 minutes. There’s the beautiful acoustic balladry of “Defiance” and the philosophical closer “Tomorrow’s Food.”
The album doesn’t rock like previous releases, but there are a few moments where things get heavy, particularly on “Switchblade” which sounds somewhat similar to the Red Hot Chili Peppers with singer Brandon Boyd’s rapid-fire lyrics and heavy bassline. The guitars are again turned up during the instrumental break in “Adolescents,” one of the best tracks on the album.
Although I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the album at first, it has grown on me with each listen. What it lacks in power, it makes up in finesse and melody. A worthwhile purchase for any fan of the band. Sod rating: ****

311, Universal Pulse: The reggae/rock band 311 has been around now for 20 years, and while they no longer churn out crossover hit singles, they remain a top draw on the summer concert scene every year, as they’re always on the road and have a loyal fan base.
That fan base is rewarded with the release of Universal Pulse, a quick eight-song, 29-minute tour de force of everything the band does well. They return to the rap/rock sounds of their early days on tracks like “Time Bomb” and particularly “Rock On” which despite its cheesy title, certainly does rock.
It seems this album is almost a love letter to its fans, rewarding them for sticking with the band so long. All eight tracks are catchy, especially lead single “Sunset in July,” and as with any good 311 album, the vibes are festive and readymade for summertime with the top-down style cruising. Nothing earth-shattering here, just good fun. Sod rating: *** 1/2