Australian Steve Smith had a relationship that failed spectacularly, So, like every musician and songwriter, did exactly what he knows—wrote some songs about it. It wasn’t meant to be an album or spawn a new band. But that’s what happened, and Fallon Cush was born. Now, after being mastered at Abbey Road, the impromptu recordings have been released as a self-titled album debut.
Fallon Cush presents an interesting array of sounds. You might hear some Bob Dylan. You might hear some Beatles. On “Sleeping Giant” you might hear both. There are hints of Wilco in there, too. Smith’s vocals at times betray the painful experience that wrought the album. In fact, some songs sound downright cheery, at first. “Disintegrate” will have you toe tapping before revealing a pervasive sense of melancholy. Listen enough to just about every song and you’ll hear the strife.
It’s a good debut and, judging by not only the songs themselves but also their execution, Fallon Cush’s next album might just be about finding redemption after heartache.
Read more about Fallon Cush on their website. You can get the album here. Below is the first song on the album, “Tiny Town.”
On September 9, The Beatles will release their entire music catalog, digitally remastered on CD, as well as “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game. The catalog will also be available digitally, although exact release dates and where they can be downloaded have not yet been released. Read more
(Video included) I had heard from other trusted music lovers and friends that Bloc Party put on a rock-solid show, and they blew me away in Grant Park at Lollapalooza in 2008, molding a perfect pre-game performance to the much anticipated set from Radiohead. So, when I heard Bloc Party was making their way to the Big Windy for the beginning of the Spring concert season, I jumped at the chance to hear them live again, on their own tour.
The show was originally set to play at the Riviera but due to popular demand it was moved to the Aragon Ballroom, one of my favorite venues in Chicago, with it’s starry night flair and old-fashioned theme. They started things out with one of the big hits off their newest album which got the crowd screaming and singing right off the bat. Now, I started out liking Bloc Party from listening to their previous albums before they made a switch from their heavy guitar post-punk beginnings to a more electronic rock sound. I wasn’t a huge fan of the change and felt their new album didn’t meet the standards of those previous to it. So, I went into the evening hoping to hear some “oldies but goodies.”
As the show went on I found myself feeling something I have rarely felt at a rock show before – boredom. They failed to play much from their other albums and focused mostly on the new stuff. Along with this disappointment, I was having trouble hearing Kele Okereke’s distinct voice I love so much. I kept wondering if the speakers were too loud and overpowering for him to shine through. It turns out Bloc Party has cancelled their Ultra Festival performance in Miami, along with their Minneapolis and St. Louis shows due to Kele coming down with viral pharyngitis, an inflammation of the throat.
All and all, I came out of the Aragon that night feeling completely unimpressed with the performance. Don’t get me wrong, the band rocks, but the show was less than stellar in my book. I am glad I have fond memories of a phenomenal show from Lolla in ’08. That will stick in my brain but this show, unfortunately, will not. Hopefully, if I catch them again I can have a more enjoyable and satisfying experience along with a 100% healthy lead singer.
- Annie Utter
Annie, I couldn’t agree more.
Now, I’m not a big Bloc Party fan. But, I know a few songs and I heard they put on a great show so I decided it was worth a $28.50 ticket that swelled to $36 with Ticketmaster and city fees. It wasn’t.
The first thing I noticed during the show was noise. Lots and lots of noise. Russell Lissack, the young guitar player for Bloc Party, seems pretty talented, but it was hard to tell because everything seemed to blend together – from the bass, to the synthesizer to Okereke’s unique voice which, as noted, was dreadful. Beats were indiscernible and most songs devolved into a jumbled mess. And looking around, I was hardly alone. The American Eagle clad crowd was tepid, at best, and conversations could be heard taking place during and after songs.
It’s unfortunate that Okereke’s throat wouldn’t cooperate. And that was compounded by the Aragon. It’s an attractive venue, to be sure, but in my experience the acoustics are some of the worst in Chicago. I’d like to blame the Aragon for all of the sound problems, but I just don’t think that’s the case.
I walked away wondering about the attraction of Bloc Party. Then I remembered a few comments from a guy standing next to me. “I love the British, man. They could say [anything] and I would love it.” And that was follwed up with, “Black British guys are the shit! Know what I’m saying?”
Is there something to that? I don’t know. I do know that we Americans seem to have a fascination with the British accent. And ever since the British Invasion of The Beatles, we’ve come to believe that anything from across the pond must be good.
Below is some video from the show, a performance of “Ion Square.”
On a recent trip to Cleveland to see The Black Keys, I had a chance to stop in at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The trip was short (several hours could be spent there) but I did get to see some pretty amazing stuff. Below is my list of the best they have to offer. It probably doesn’t match yours – leave a comment and tell me, I’d love to hear some opinions. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed.
Without further ado …
10. Slash’s top hat: When Guns ‘N Roses burst on the scene in the mid 80′s the rock world was thrown for a loop. It wasn’t the hair-band style we were used to (even though Slash and Axl Rose both had some major hair) it was dirty, hard rock. And the image that stands out the most is Slash’s top hat. It may have been silly if not for his immense talent – instead it became an icon of a rock legend. It’s also surprisingly small. Must have been all that hair propping it up.
9. Randy Rhoads’ polka-dot guitar: I’ll never forget the first time I saw Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” video. It was also the first time I was introduced to Randy Rhoads and his polka-dot flying V guitar. The riffs Rhoads produced in that song started me down a path of guitar love I’ll never recover from. The exhibit is even more powerful knowing that Rhoads died an early, tragic death before the full scope of his talent could be realized.
8. Jimi Hendrix’s suede boots: Hendrix was not only a guitar god, but a fashion icon of the 60′s and 70′s. The green suede boots stand out as both a signature item and a humanizing element. Around the toes and bottom portions of the boots is dirt – turning the green into a brown/olive color. Seeing that reminds you of how real it all is, and brings you closer to a legend. I imagine Hendrix looking down at the fading brilliance of his boots and thinking it’s time to hang them up and find a new pair.
7. Jim Morrison valentine: “Mother be my Valentine,” reads a home-made card from The Doors’ Jim Morrison to his mother. Not only is it amazing to see a child incarnation of a legendary rocker, but the irony of the situation is overwhelming. Morrison regularly told tales of how miserable his childhood was and how little his parents meant to him – even claiming they were dead.
6. 1978 Rolling Stones set list: There was plenty of Stones paraphernalia, but the set list stands out the most. It’s hand-written and gives you a glimpse into a real rock and roll show. Reading the list, you can hear the songs in your head and follow the progression of one of rock’s greatest bands perfroming to a sold-out crowd. The finale was “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
5. Otis Redding airplane wreckage: One of the most soulful singers the world has ever heard came in the form of Otis Redding. Tragically, his private airplane crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 10, 1967 and Redding, just 26 years old, was killed. Many are unaware that “The Dock of the Bay,” his only #1 single was recorded just three days before his death. The twisted wreckage is in two parts, “Otis” on one and “Redding” on the other, from the plane’s fuselage.
4. Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” socks, glove and loafers, and “Thriller” jacket: The early years of the MTV era saw Michael Jackson performing “Billie Jean” at the Grammy’s, and the world learned of the moonwalk for the first time – complete with glittering socks and lone glove, and black penny loafers (sans pennies.) The “Thriller” jacket is torn and burned, Hollywood-style, and gets you close to one of the most influential music videos ever produced.
3. Hunter S. Thompson’s letter to Rolling Stone: It’s a scenario made famous in 1998′s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – a brilliant but cavalier Hunter S. Thompson explaining himself after missing yet another deadline while out in the desert binging on a cacophony of illicit drugs. At one point in the letter he explains that he’ll need copious amounts of speed for his next story, so the editors should gather up as much as they can and send it ASAP. It’s a first-person look into the twisted mind of one of the great writers for rock’s most important publication.
2. John Lennon’s piano: The Beatles were vital to the development of Rock and Roll. But John Lennon and Yoko Ono taught us about rock’s turbulent relationships, how to break up and how artists follow their instincts no matter the cost. The piano is where Lennon wrote many songs for Double Fantasy. Candle wax from writing sessions remain on the wood and help you envision the man and his muse sitting down, changing music forever.
1. Paul Simonon’s Fender Precision bass: On September 21, 1979, The Clash’s Simonon smashed his bass on the stage of New York’s Palladium concert hall. The moment was captured in a photo and immortalized on the album cover for London Calling. Nothing embodies rock and roll better than that image and nothing makes you feel like a part of rock history than being inches away from the iconic instrument.
