The Strokes Is This It & Shows # 728, 729, 730

The Strokes debut album Is This It was originally released in 2001. It had different release dates in the UK and the US, July 30th in the UK and October 9th in the US. The album itself has received critical praise and also its share of criticism. Upon its release in the UK, John Robinson from NME stated that “Is This It was one of the best debut LPs by a guitar band during the past 20 years,” but the interest in The Strokes started prior to this album’s release. The Strokes recorded three-song demo with producer Gordon Raphael in 2000. The three songs that they recorded were never intended to be released, but were originally intended to help the band get better live gigs. The three-song demo caught the attention of someone in the UK and in January 2001, the three songs were released as The Modern Age EP on Rough Trade. At the time the general consensus was that guitar oriented rock bands were over, but that proved to be incorrect. It became NME’s single of the week. Still unsigned in the US, this created a rare situation that resulted in a bidding war from different record companies to sign the band. Something like this hadn’t happened since the 60s. The EP created a buzz around the band and an anticipation for the release of their debut album, Is This It.

The Strokes - Is This It (UK Album Cover)

Is This It starts off with the title track of the same name. A sound of what appears to be a tape winding down is the first thing that the listener hears before the song launches into what The Strokes called their attempt at a ballad. “Is This It” subtly brings The Strokes intertwining guitar interplay into focus as the bassline comes in dancing on different notes. All the while the vocals provided by Julian Casablancas display a distorted, lo-fi approach amongst Fab Moretti’s drumbeat that coasts slowly throughout the songs many parts. Lyrically, “Is This It” like many of the songs on this album, are an observational character study on happenings in New York City and relationships formed there. The songs can take on different meanings to different people, depending on how they are interpreted. With lyrics such as “Can’t you see I’m trying/I don’t even like it” and “I can’t think cause I’m just way too tired,” the song itself seems to display the complexities of an empty relationship. “The Modern Age” is next with its upbeat staccato guitar and almost marching drumbeat. This version of the song is different than the version that appeared in rougher form on The Modern Age EP. Lyrically the song reads as a disillusioned tale of modern life. “Soma” takes its name from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World novel. In the novel, soma is a drug used in a dystopian future to control people from speaking and thinking freely. Casablancas takes this theme from Huxley’s novel and applies it to the song in a modern context. With lyrics such as “Soma is what they would take when hard times opened their eyes” and a chorus of “I am stop and go/In your eyes/And I am stop/Oh darling let me go,” the song seems to tell a complex tale of drug use being used to fit in with the cool crowd. Musically the song hits hard with a tense energy. With spiraling guitar hooks and a simple, yet effective bassline, “Soma” strikes the listener like a epiphanic punch to the gut.

“Barely Legal” features a steady guitar and bass pattern with intertwining guitar lines from guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. that sound inspired by Britpop. Lyrically the song concerns itself with the story of a girl who arrives in New York when she is the age of consent and the entanglements that she and another find themselves in. “Someday” attacks with more interlocking guitars and cutting bass from bassist Nikolai Fraiture. With lyrics such as “In many ways I miss the good old days,” “Alone we stand, together we fall apart” and “I’m working so I don’t have to try so hard/Tables they turn sometimes,” this song acts as a coming of age tale of sorts. It shows a longing for the past, but having to adjust to the change of the present.

“Last Nite” was the album’s second single. The opening guitar part was loosely based on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “American Girl” and the guitar solo was apparently inspired by blues guitarist Freddie King. Throughout the song the guitar attacks in an almost reggae-like rhythm at times, as Motown-inspired bass adds a gritty soul flavour, the drums are laidback, but on point and distorted vocals are sung in a Lou Reed styled talk-sing fashion. The song itself lyrically seems to deal with angst, alienation and a certain feeling of unrest. The song calls for understanding, even if it isn’t that clear. “Hard To Explain” was the first single released from Is This It. The song features distorted drum kits sounds, new wave inspired bass sounds and tense fuzzy guitars as Casablancas sings in his passionate, yet at times slacker approach.

Feedback brings in the next track on Is This It, “New York City Cops.” The song tells the tale of a problematic relationship amongst seedy New York life and was a popular live favourite. It was removed from the US version of Is This It following the 9/11 attacks on New York and replaced with the song “When It Started.” It did, however remain on the vinyl versions of the release. Due to the changing of the track listing on the US release, the album cover also differs on the US release of Is This It. Instead of the controversial image some viewed as explicit that appeared on the UK version of the album, the US version of the album features an abstract picture of subatomic particles in a bubble chamber. “Take It Or Leave It” ends Is This It. This aggressive track with its sleazy guitar solo break transmits multiple meanings. It however takes on even more context, considering the amplified amount of hype that surrounded The Strokes during this time.

Recorded in the spring of 2001 with producer Gordon Raphael at Transporterraum Studios located in a basement in New York, Is This It was recorded in six weeks. The songs employed a method of using as few takes as possible to achieve what Julian Casablanacas called “A raw efficiency.” The Strokes helped to usher in a garage rock revival in the early 2000’s that also included bands such as The White Stripes and The Hives, but due to the amount of hype and press the band received at the time it created groups of people that either really loved the band and their music or people that didn’t. The music was influenced by bands from New York and past music scenes. Bands from CBGB’s punk/new wave scene such as The Ramones, Talking Heads and Television are often referenced, as well as The Velvet Underground as influences. Guided By Voices are another band that they draw an influence from. Julian Casablancas said he wanted Is This It to sound like "a band from the past that took a time trip into the future to make their record." However, The Strokes sound is a lot of things at once.

Is This It was recorded and released at a time that causes it to be frozen in time. It sounds like something familiar, yet it doesn’t. The lyrics take on context like a novel, without sounding too articulate. The song “Is This It” and the album as a whole can apply to my earlier description, but it is also an example of the duality that can be expressed here. When looking at the band and this time period, the album's title can also be seen as a self-deprecating jab at the hype the band was receiving around this time in the press. Additionally, it can be seen as a comment on life in general. The songs speak for themselves. You either love it or hate it. Is This It is an album that has no tricks or gimmicks, but it packs one hell of a punch.

Show 730 Play List (Originally Aired On July 14th, 2018)(The Strokes Modern Age EP, The Feelies, Public Image Limited):

1. Farewell Mourners - Partial Prints
2. Cowboy Junkies - When We Arrive
3. Townes Van Zandt - Two Girls (Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas)
4. Peter & the Wolves - Sundae Monday Blues
5. Bloodshot Bill - Rattle My Brain
6. The 427's - Bikini Thief
7. Carlo - Carlo's Crush
8. Carlo - Pale Moon Drifter
10. The Elite - My Confusion
11. The Ju Jus - Do You Understand Me
12. The Alarm Clocks - Yeah
13. The Rolling Stones - Down The Road Apiece
14. The Strokes - The Modern Age (EP Version)
15. The Strokes - Last Nite (EP Version)
15. The Strokes - Barely Legal (EP Version)
16. Saint Pe - Street Lights
17. The Feelies - The High Road
18. Rolling Blackouts C.F. - Bellarine
19. T. Hardy Morris - Homemade Blues
20. Zoom - Hollywood Babylon
21. Platinum Blonde - No Regrets
22. Alternative TV - You Bastard
23. The Flys - Love & A Molotov Cocktail
24. Papermaps - Iron Stove
25. Protomartyr - Wheel Of Fortune
26. The Psychedelic Furs - Soap Commercial
27. Public Image Limited - Memories
28. Public Image Limited - Mr. Suit

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 14.

Show 729 Play List (Originally Aired On July 7th, 2018)(Luau Or Die, La Luz, TOPS & Dion Lunadon):

1. Gold - No Parking
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Third Stone From The Sun
3. The Stooges - Lost In The Future (Take 1)
4. Ty Segall - The Drag
5. Baby Giant - High Tide
6. Spaceslave - Brightside
7. Talking Violet - Beach Place
8. Luau Or Die - El Pauete Misterio
9. La Luz - California Finally
10. The Pixies - No. 13 Baby
11. Chad Vangaalen - Burning Photographs
12. The Buttertones - Midnight In A Moonless Dream
13. Jerry Jerry & The Sons of Rhythm Orchestra - Baby's On Fire
14. Nap Eyes - Don't Cry No Tears (Neil Young Cover - Laginappe Session 2018)
15. The Highest Order - Slip Away
16. TOPS - Dayglo Bimbo
17. Joy Division - Twenty Four Hours
18. The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
19. The Low Joy Ceiling - Minor Threat and Morrissey Walk Into A Bar
20. The Primitves - Carry Me Home
21. The Visitors - Patterns
22. The Garry's - Manitouna
23. Mission of Burma - Fame & Fortune
24. Crocodiles - Soft Skull (In My Room)
25. Dion Lunadon - Move

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 7.

Show 728 Play List (Originally Aired On June 30th, 2018)(The Strokes Is This It):

1. Bob Dylan & George Harrison - When's My Swamp Gonna Catch Fire?
2. The White Stripes - The Union Forever
3. David Lynch - Pinky's Dream Crazy
4. Enoch Smoky - It's Cruel
5. Dusty Mush - Happy Armpit (Demo)
6. Brian Eno - Third Uncle
7. The Strokes - Barely Legal
8. The Strokes - Trying Your Luck
9. Hot Hot Heat - No, Not Now
10. The Stolen Minks - Peppy Twist
11. Cub - Go Fish (Brave New Waves Session)
12. The Hives - Supply And Demand
13. Snow Geese - I'm Not For Sale, I'm Sold
14. Paul Jacobs - Story About Anything
15. Blessed - Endure
16. U.S. Girls - Pearly Gates
17. Priests - Suck
18. The Chills - The Oncoming Day
19. The Diodes - Mercenary Flight (1978 Alt Version)
20. The Strokes - Soma
21. The Strokes - Hard To Explain
22. The Libertines - Vertigo
23. The Strokes - Take It Or Leave
24. The Strokes - New York City Cops

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 30.

50/50 ... The Strokes Comedown Machine & Show # 450

On March 26th, 2013, The Strokes released their fifth full length album Comedown Machine. Critics have been fast to jump on The Strokes hate wagon ever since 2003’s misunderstood Room On Fire, an album in which The Strokes first began to flirt with their 80’s influences and move forward beyond the Garage sounds of Is This It? This album is no different. Comedown Machine picks up from where 2011’s Angles started, also mixing in elements of Julian Cassablancas’ 2009 album Phrazes For The Young. The album starts off with the 80’s funkified rhythms of “Tap Out” as lyrics such as “Decide my past/Define my life/Don’t ask questions cause I don’t know why” come in, it brings the albums beginning into a different sounding, yet poignant lyrical context.

“All The Time” comes in next with its traditional Strokes Rock dynamics sounding like a song exhumed from the bands past, while a song like “One Way Trigger” is drastically different. With tropical sounding synthesizers ala 80s band A-ha "One Way Trigger" ventures in to an almost Electronica territory, a sound that is pushed throughout various moments of this album. “Welcome To Japan” is a song that has familiar classic Strokes song structures with their new sense of Angles-addled 80s dynamics and lyrics “Didn’t really know this/what kind of asshole drives a lotus” we are reminded of the deadpan humorous lyrics that made us first fall in love with The Strokes. “50/50” is a glorious Rock and Roll Strokes moment, one of the strongest tracks on Comedown Machine with lyrics “I will say/I will say/Don’t Judge me”, which couldn’t be more relevant to this album as a whole. Other interesting tracks of note are “80s Comedown Machine” a slow, synth almost Dub influenced track, “Chances’, “Happy Ending” sounding like a song from Room On Fire meets First Impressions of Earth, and the ending track “Call It Fate, Call It Karma”. This track is a song like “Ask Me Anything” on 2006’s First Impressions of Earth, in the context of it being so different with the overall songs found on the album. It is a slow tropical Jazz Pop track as the opening lyrics “Close the door/Not all the way” haunt us in Casablancas’ crooning, yet falsetto style.

Comedown Machine was recorded at Electric Lady Land Studios in New York, with the full band working together as opposed to 2011’s Angles in which singer Julian Casablancas deliberately removed himself from being present at the sessions. This album also marks the final album in the bands contract with RCA, causing some fans and critics to speculate in conjunction with the lyrical subject matter that this is the end of The Strokes. The band has also not scheduled any touring in support of this album as of yet, and there has been no press from the band members themselves. But some light was shed on this subject in a recent post on twitter by guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. in the tweet, Hammond was commenting on the artwork inside the album which features silhouettes of each band member, his tweet commented on the bands cycle with RCA and as a band in general stating: “The Strokes as a band cycle? Or just The Strokes on RCA cycle?” Obviously the RCA cycle”

Whether or not The Strokes will continue to make records time will tell, but it hasn’t been the first time a band has left their label and continued on in some other fashion. As a whole Comedown Machine sounds like a mixing of Room On Fire with Phrazes For The Young, using Angles as a starting point. Love it or hate it, Comedown Machine is a creative, yet fresh take on the bands old once heralded and established sound mixed with their new sense of 80’s obsessionism. While the title of the album may be Comedown Machine, that title is reserved for the ones that place The Strokes under a harsh lens. For all others Comedown Machine is in a completely different category or status, being a machine all of its own.

This week's play list:

1. David Bowie – Dirty Boys
2. The Strangers – Nice N’ Sleazy
3. Pete Shelley – In Love With Somebody Else
4. Lumina – I’ll Be With You
5. The Hoa Hoa’s - Falling In Love Is For Young People
6. Blackpool – Standing Over There
7. The Kingsmen – Haunted Castle Party
8. The Uprisers – Let Me Take You Down
9. The Cheap Speakers – Window
10. Ghostkeeper – Horse Chief! War Thief!
11. 100 Mile House – Last Call
12. The Men – The Brass
13. Guided By Voices -Little Whirl
14. The Wipers – Up Front
15. X – Nausea
16. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - We No Who U R
17. Vic Godard & The Subway Sect – Rock and Roll Even (A Different Story)
18. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Party Girl
19. The Jam – In The Crowd
20. TEENANGER – The Ballad of Robert McNamarra
21. Pow Wows – Shock Corridor
22. The Strokes – 50/50

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for April 2. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

2011 Highlights & Show # 384

The following is a collection of reviews of eleven of my favourite albums of 2011, a top 11 of 2011 if you will. I’d like to note that while these releases are technically my top 11 albums, all of the songs featuring on today’s program I enjoyed and encourage you to check them out (info can be found in the play list below).

1. The Black Lips – Arabia Mountain

Arabia Mountain features sixteen tracks, all of which sound fresh and exciting while at the same time staying true to the bands ethics. Working with producer Mark Ronson has helped Black Lips and their songs to reach their maximum potential. Lyrically the album features many songs that reflect a narrative based nature, sounding mature while at the same time keeping true to the unique tenacious style. Amongst the sixteen tracks found here you will find elements of Surf, 60s Garage, 70s Punk, and Psychedelic music. After six albums this album serves as a new starting point for the group, while fans often choose 2005’s Let It Bloom and 2007’s Good Bad Not Evil as the bands best work, Arabia Mountain serves as a new contender. The band has never sounded better on record and as a result, this may be not only one of the bands strongest produced efforts, but also one of their best albums so far.

To read more of my thoughts on this album visit http://revrock.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-direction-black-lips-arabia.html

2. Indian Wars – Walk Around The Park

Indian Wars are a band that comes from Vancouver, BC. Walk Around The Park was released in April 2011 and has an interesting array of influences. While the band is often labelled as a Garage Rock band, drawing comparisons from bands such as The Black Lips and King Khan & BBQ Show, they also have underlying Country Rock influences. They have been said to also be influenced by The Band, George Jones and Dead Ghosts (another Vancouver Garage Punk band). The combination proves for a an interesting blend of Garage Rock and Country with tracks such as “Old Hotel”, “20,000 Cans”, “Bullfrog”, “Won’t Do A Thing”, their influences are diverse and at times hybridic. Lyrically and musically the album conjures up images that are reminiscent of songs once heard by artists such as Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and Crosby, Stills and Nash with a dash of Garage Rock and Punk mentality for good measure, this certainly is one interesting walk around the park.

3. The Mark Inside – Nothing To Admit

In 2010, Toronto's Mark Inside released their False Flag EP, and in November of this year they released Nothing To Admit, their second full length album. In 2008, the band went to the UK and began work on Nothing To Admit, over the course of six weeks. The album was produced by Jim Abbiss, an acclaimed UK producer who has worked with artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian. Signing to Jim Abbiss' own Metalbox Recordings label (and Sony Music Canada in Canada), the False Flag EP followed in October of 2010. Nothing To Admit came out on November 1st, 2011 and adds to the EP expanding it adding more depth than on False Flag.

The album features great Post-Punk themed tracks “There Is Nothing To Admit”, “Lime Green Monkeys” and “Questions”, while at the same time dipping into Garage Rock on tracks such as “House of Cards”. “The Bottom Line” is a track that is worth the price of admission of the album alone, the song which has charted on the Canadian Alternative Rock charts at # 31, is a slower soulful track that is lyrically a different kind of working mans anthem one that addresses issues surrounding big corporations. “Shots From A Broken Bottle” a single released from the album is another track that makes this album not only unique, but great. It is a song that simmers with elements of Blues and builds to a soulful roar. The album ends with the bands usual live set closer “The Sky Is Falling Down”, the song captures the bands live energy, which is never short of explosive and it clocks in at over seven minutes. Nothing To Admit features a variety of influences from Garage Rock, Post-Punk, Blues and Alternative, it is the sound of a great Canadian live band coming into their own.

4. Papermaps – Papermaps

In April 2011, Papermaps released their first full length album, simply titled Papermaps. Like a paper map, the Papermaps album charts into new musical territory using Central Meaner Street as a starting point, the band has currently ventured into Power Pop influenced territory. Papermaps features ten well crafted Pop songs mixed in with other elements that gives you something that keeps you on your toes.

The albums opener “Angela” sets a tone for the overall album building as it progresses, it features predominately guitar/bass and drums. Near the end there is a splash of synthesizer which gives the listener a tasty bite of what’s to come. The second song featured on the album is the piano driven sing-a-long “Reunion”, which has done very well on Independent campus radio based charts, the third song on the album is the guitar driven and energetic “Can’t Make A Living” which moves the listener along the albums ten track course. “Complicate Things” is a moody yet synthesized anthemic Dance Rock track, while “Exit” is one the heaviest tracks on the album. “Coddled” is a song that starts off like a solo John Lennon outtake, reminiscent of a lullaby before it picks up in to all its loud glory, “You Are My Gallows” ends the album with a call and response dynamacism. Papermaps blurs the lines of their musical territories for a sound that is all their own. A second full length album is due to be released in the fall of 2012.

I did an interview with Dean of Papermaps in November just before a show they played in Windsor, it can be heard here:



5. Sloan – The Double Cross

This May Sloan released their 10th full length album The Double Cross, which also marked their 20th anniversary as a band. The album features twelve new tracks building on their addictive Pop Power formula. The Double Cross starts off with "Follow The Leader" a song penned by bassist Chris Murphy, the drum and tambourine heavy Rock song has a seventies flavour. The song segue ways into "The Answer Was You" which is a Pop song written by Jay Fergusson, it sounds as if it would have fit perfectly on their 1996 release One Chord To Another. The album also features "She's Slowing Down Again" a song by drummer Andrew Scott, which sounds like it could have been from the 1998 album Navy Blues. According to Scott, the song has been around for a while. Other interesting tracks include "Unkind", a Patrick Pentland number, which is the first single for the album and "It's Plain To See", which is yet another high energy Pentalnd song. In addition to these, other tracks of note include "Shadow of Love" a song in a similar vein as “G Turns to D”, the acoustic Pop of "Green Gardens, Cold Montreal", "Beverly Terrace", and "I've Gotta Know". There is also the song "Traces", a song written by Andrew Scott that features bassist Chris Murphy on drums. The Double Cross which in Roman numerals is XX means twenty, has many songs that fans can identify with and love, but at the same time it also has a fresh sound and feel to it. Sloan has now been around for twenty years and with yet another album and tour underway, they show no sign of stopping anytime soon.

In May I Interviewed Sloan's Chris Murphy live on my program, it can be heard here:











6. Brazilian Money – This Is Not A Dream

This album kind of came out of nowhere this year. Brazilian Money are based out of Edmonton, Alberta and are essentially just one person Garrett Johnson. This Is Not A Dream is filled with catchy sometimes weird junkyard gems, displaying elements of Garage Rock and Lo-Fi music such as Pavement at times. Brazilian Money has garnered other comparisons to bands such as Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols and are labelled as experimental when loading their music in itunes, but they are difficult to pin down. This album has great tracks such as "Give Up That Dog", "Then You'll Know", "Party Till I'm Dead", and the gritty "Nobody's Coming". An EP also followed this year titled Jive With The Killer Instinct that is six tracks long, it is essential if you liked This Is Not A Dream. Check them out for yourselves at http://brazilianmoney.bandcamp.com

7. The Strokes – Angles

Is This It? with songs from their second album Room On Fire. The song could be described as “Last Nite” meets “Reptilia”. It is a strong song found on the album, which shows off many different colours, sometimes leaning in the experimental electronic sounding direction. As a whole, Angles is heavily rooted in the 80s, the first track “Machu Picchu” is a song that was originally conceived by guitarist Nick Valensi and has a Reggae flavour in the verses with Rock sounding choruses, sounding fresh and retro at the same time. The first line “I’m putting your patience to the test” is a declaration of what is to come musically, the songs are at times familiar sounding, at other times different leaning either in an 80s influenced or electronic influenced direction.

Many critics hailed this album as a return to form when The Strokes released their first single from the album “Undercover of Darkness”. While the song is a return to form of sorts, it sounds as if it combines elements from the bands first album Critics have also been fast to attack the album, but it has many strong moments. “Two Kinds of Happiness”, another Valensi original sounds like an 80s song from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, exemplifying The Strokes slower, but catchy groove, while “Taken For A Fool” sounds like an outtake from The Strokes Room On Fire album, “Gratisfaction” is a guitar heavy track, sounding like classic Strokes, but at the same time sounding like a song that could have been on their last studio effort First Impressions of Earth, “Life Is Simple In The Moonlight” ends the album and ties up all the loose ends. It is an encompassing, catchy track with lingering synthesizers, dual guitar lines, and lyrics from Casablancas stating “Don’t try to stop us, get out of the way” that brings the album musically and lyrically full circle. The Strokes have returned with Angles an album of many eclectic shades and colours, but also one with elements that fans have come to identify and love. To read more of my thoughts on Angles visit http://revrock.blogspot.com/2011/03/strokes-angled-show-345.html

8. The Pack AD – Upersons


In September 2011, The Pack A.D released Unpersons. This album further displays the bands evolving sound and adds different elements into the mix. Unpersons elevates the Pack A.D’s sound making them sound bigger most likely due to Detroit producer Jim Diamond, who adds edge to the bands sound. On this album the band truly have evolved at a sound that is both different and as fascinating as their past. The albums title originates from the novel 1984, which is a form of “newspeak” meaning someone who has been stripped of rights, identity or humanity. While The Pack A.D have not been stripped of their musical identity, they do venture into new and different music territory and lyrically the songs reflect a dystopian view and plays into the titles meaning. Unpersons finds the band exploring the very elements of their sound, reconstructing themselves with their brand of raw Blues, Garage and Punk which has made them a Mint Records artist to watch.

9. The Horrors – Skying

On The Horrors 2009 full length released Primary Colours they took their Garage/Punk influenced sound into a Post Punk direction and on Skying they advance their sound into yet another direction. Combining elements of Post Punk stylings with elements of Shoe Gaze, this album shows the band coming into their own. Recorded at their own studio in the UK, songs such as “Still Life” which has drawn comparisons to Simple Minds, “I Can See Through You” features over driven guitars, and “Monica Gems” to name a few that add to this albums aura. Skying shows The Horrors building on the atmospheric and Jesus and The Mary Chain influenced sounds that first appeared on 2009’s Primary Colours while at the same time re-focusing themselves musically into a clearer stronger image.

10. Deer Tick – Divine Providence

The fourth full length release from Rhode Islands Deer Tick bites down hard and adheres to their rowdy, beer drinking image. This album shows a band embracing their roots and having a good time doing it. While there are still elements of Country and Folk which the band are known for having, the band is also much heavier, in a good way. The albums feel and themes are set forth by the lyrics to the first track on Divine Providence “The Bump”, in which singer John McCauley says “we’re full grown men, but we act like kids”. The strongest track on Divine Providence has to be the song “Main Street” in which the band flexes their Rolling Stones influences musically and lyrically.




11. Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler/The Dream EP

This album snuck in just before the end of the year. Thee Oh Sees already released an album in 2011 titled Castlemania, which was also great, but Carrion Crawler/The Dream is a tighter more cohesive sounding release. Thee Oh Sees have been releasing music for years and are known for being quite prolific, two albums in one year even without prior knowledge of the band hints at that. The band started as a vehicle for John Dwyer, who is the driving force behind this band, they were started by Dwyer in order to release instrumental and experimental home based recordings, but it evolved into something else in the process. Dwyer himself has been part of numerous bands (Coachwhips, Pink and Brown, Burmese, The Hospitals to name a few), and this version of Thee Oh Sees on Carrion Crawler/The Dream is perhaps Thee Oh Sees at their best.

As for the rest of my picks, check out my play list below it can also be downloaded as it is a radio show. There are a few other albums that deserve a mention and although they didn't make my list they would have if time permitted. The other albums I’d like to mention are John Doe - Keeper and Tom Waits – Bad As Me.

2011 Play List:

1. The Black Keys – Gold On The Ceiling (El Camino, Nonesuch 2011)
2. Beastie Boys - Lee Majors Come Again (Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, Capitol 2011)
3. Johnny West – Purgatory Waltz (Medium-Fi Music For Mentally Unstable Young Lovers, Tosteestostas Music 2011)
4. Ty Segall - Booksmarts (Singles 2007-2010, Goner Records 2011)
5. Chang-A-Lang – Monday Again (No Clean Rock and Roll, Self Released 2011)
6. Wire – Clay (Red Barked Tree, Pink Flag 2011)
7. The Rapture – Miss You (In The Grace Of Your Love, Red General Catalog 2011)
8. Reigning Sound – Lyin’ Girl (Abdication...For Your Love, Scion AV 2011)
9. Ry Cooder – Lord Tell Me Why (Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down, Nonesuch 2011)
10. Dum Dum Girls – Just A Creep (Only In Dreams, Sub Pop 2011)
11. Luger Boa – Lazy (New Hot Nights, Stuka Records 2011)
12. The Polymorphines – Anna Lee (The Slip EP, Self Released 2011)
13. Thee Oh Sees – Chem-Farmer (Carrion Crawler/The Dream, In The Red 2011)
14. Deer Tick – The Bump (Divine Providence, Partisan Records 2011)
15. The Horrors – Wild Eyed (Skying, XL Recordings Ltd. 2011)
16. The Pack A.D. – Sirens (Unpersons, Mint 2011)
17. The Strokes – Gratisfaction (Angles, RCA Records 2011)
18. Brazilian Money – Then You’ll Know (This Is Not A Dream, Self Released 2011)
19. Sloan – Shadow of Love (The Double Cross, Yep Roc Records 2011)
20. Papermaps – Complicate Things (Papermaps, EMI Music Canada 2011)
21. The Mark Inside – House of Cards (Nothing To Admit, Metal Box Recordings/Sony Music Canada 2011)
22. Indian Wars – Bullfrog (Walk Around The Park, Bachelor Records 2011)
23. The Black Lips – Modern Art (Arabia Mountain, Vice Records 2011)
24. The Black Lips - Raw Meat (Arabia Mountain, Vice Records 2011)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 27. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Strokes Angled & Show # 345

On March 22nd, The Strokes released their fourth full length album Angles. Before you listen to the album, its title and album cover art (originally done by Belgian artist Guy Pouppez) should give you a good impression of what to expect from the band on their most recent studio effort. Angles was recorded differently than the bands previous releases, the band began working on demos in 2009. The Strokes then began work with producer Joe Chiccarelli in 2010 recording 18 songs, but the band were not happy with the results. Relocating to guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.’s home studio the band recorded and produced their album with the help of Gus Oberg. The album was recorded in an almost fractured like state, the band worked together more as a whole, while singer Julian Casablancas kept his distance, recording most of his vocals at Electric Lady Land Studios on his own. It has been said that this method was used by the singer, who has often been the dominant song writer in the group, to force the band into the creative process becoming more uniform and collective in the process. Out of the 18 songs that were demoed for this album, ten made the cut, only one of which originates from the bands sessions with Joe Chiccarelli.

Many critics hailed this album as a return to form when The Strokes released their first single from the album “Undercover of Darkness”. While the song is a return to form of sorts, it sounds as if it combines elements from the bands first album Is This It? with songs from their second album Room On Fire. The song could be described as “Last Nite” meets “Reptilia”. It is a strong song found on the album, which shows off many different colours, sometimes leaning in the experimental electronic sounding direction. As a whole, Angles is heavily rooted in the 80s, the first track “Machu Picchu” is a song that was originally conceived by guitarist Nick Valensi and has a Reggae flavour in the verses with Rock sounding choruses, sounding fresh and retro at the same time. The first line “I’m putting your patience to the test” is a declaration of what is to come musically, the songs are at times familiar sounding, at other times different leaning either in an 80s influenced or electronic influenced direction.

Critics have also been fast to attack the album, but it has many strong moments. “Two Kinds of Happiness”, another Valensi original sounds like an 80s song from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, exemplifying The Strokes slower, but catchy groove, while “Taken For A Fool” sounds like an outtake from The Strokes Room On Fire album, “Gratisfaction” is a guitar heavy track, sounding like classic Strokes, but at the same time sounding like a song that could have been on their last studio effort First Impressions of Earth, “Life Is Simple In The Moonlight” ends the album and ties up all the loose ends. It is an encompassing, catchy track with lingering synthesizers, dual guitar lines, and lyrics from Casablancas stating “Don’t try to stop us, get out of the way” that brings the album musically and lyrically full circle.

The experimental and different structured songs fill in the gaps providing variety and songs of different shades, this is evident on tracks such as “You’re So Right” a track penned by bassist Nikolai Frature that is dominated with its dark, but heavy electronic sounding drums and digital guitar lines, “Games” which has an 80s Caribbean stripes and 80s futuristic sounds, “Call Me Back” is a slower melodic track that at times seems a kin to Radiohead. During the bands five year hiatus, all of the bands members have created solo efforts, with the exception of guitarist Nick Valensi, but now The Strokes have returned with Angles an album of many eclectic shades and colours, but also one with elements that fans have come to identify and love. Currently The Strokes will embark on a tour, and have already been said to be in the early stages of their fifth album.



The Play List:

1. The Horrors - Gloves
2. The Gruesomes - Way Down Below
3. Main Line - Don't Wait Around
4. Them - Bright Lights, Big City
5. The High Numbers - I'm The Face
6. Love - Skid
7. 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me
8. Arcylics - Molly's Vertigo
9. Les Breastfeeders - 400 Miles
10. Memphis - I Am The Photographer
11. Danny & The Rockin' Revelators - Forbidden Fruit
12. Radiohead - Give Up The Ghost
13. Harlem - Tila & I
14. The Mark Inside - You Can't Take Her With You When Its Over
15. Papermaps - Can't Make A Living
16. The Strokes - Gratisfaction
17. The Strokes - Life Is Simple In The Moonlight
18. The Crocodiles - Neon Jesus
19. The Atlantics - When You're Young
20. The Scraps - Gossip
21. Spiral Beach - After Midnite
22. Sick of Sarah - Over Exposure
23. Fire Engines - New Thing In Cartons
24. Dirty Pretty Things - You Fucking Love It

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for March 29. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Album Art Clash!....Show # 258

This week my program featured a selection of some of my favourite album artwork. This included single artwork and album artwork. There was also a co-host this week, Adam from Fear of Music (on Tuesdays from 1-2:30 PM). I was also featured as a co-host on his radio program where he also did a show on artwork. You can check out his list on his Fear of Music blog. Below is a description of the choices made as well as some that did not make it onto my show this week due to time restraints.

Album Artwork Selections:

The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s (2005)


This album was released in the UK in 2005 and several months later in the US. The track listing differs from the UK and US versions and so did the artwork. The actual artwork is a pop art styled version of an actual building in Liverpool, where the band comes from. The Concord House is the office building on the cover and it is located near the Liverpool Lime Street railway station. The UK version of the album features a red background while the US version has a yellow one.






XTC - Go 2 (1978)


Designed by a group of British album artwork designers known as Hipgnosis, Go 2 features a different kind of artwork. In fact there is an essay on the front of the albums cover instead of any picture or artwork. Originally released in 1978, this album featured a different track listing in the UK than in the US. The albums title (Go 2) was named in part due to a Japanese strategy game called Go. The two was put after the word go because it was the bands second album.






U2 - 11 O’clock Tick Tock (Single 1980)

11 O’clock Tick Tock was U2's third single. It was released just before the release of their first full length album Boy. Produced Martin Hannett (known for his work with Joy Division), this single featured the bands early post punk influenced sound. The actual artwork features a close up picture of a clock (pointing to 11) with a blue/purple coloured background. Along the side of the single cover the words "U2 11 O’clock Tick Tock" are featured in blocks. Three versions of the song exist, all of which are different takes of the song. There is the original single mix, a slightly longer mix for a Martin Hannett tribute album and a version of the Pride single.



Devo - Be Stiff EP (1977)

The artwork for this six track EP was created by Barney Bubbles (a graphic designer) and Brian Griffin (a photographer). The cover featured a man holding up a letter "E" with his hands over the top of his head. The EP was produced by Devo themselves and features some different versions of songs that would be found on the bands first album. "Jocko Homo", "Mongoloid", "(I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction", and "(I Saw My Baby Gettin') Sloppy". There are also two songs "Be Stiff" and "Social Fools" not featured on any of the bands original albums. All of these tracks can now be found on various compilations, anthologies and reissues of the bands albums.

The Cure - Boys Don't Cry (1980)


This album was actually a US version of the bands first album Three Imaginary Boys. It also features a different track listing than the original UK album. The albums cover features palm trees, a sun and burned/frayed looking bottom. The cover always reminds me of Egypt, maybe it's because of the song "Fire in Cairo", but either way it is an interesting album cover. This album is also an early representation of the band, who would later be known as Gothic. At this point in the bands career they were making Punk/New Wave sounding tracks.






Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)


The album artwork for Franz Ferdinand's second album is similar to artwork by Russian avant-garde photographer Alexander Rodchenko. It was inspired by his portrait of Lilya Birk. The album itself reflected a more punk inspired Franz Ferdinand than their first album.








The Diodes - Action-Reaction (1980)


The third album by Canadian punk band The Diodes showed off a more Power Pop and Hard Rock style. The albums cover is a variety of space looking ray guns, one is missing. It is another interesting cover from a Canadian band that is underrated. The album will be re-issued on CD in September. Currently it is available on itunes.







The Nils - Green Fields in Daylight (1997)


This album is in fact a compilation album from the Canadian punk and pop band The Nils. The Montreal band lasted from 1978 until 1994. The band started at a young age by Alex Soria and his brother Carlos. The compilation features more than 20 tracks collecting early demos, recordings, songs from the bands EP's and full length album. The artwork on the albums cover is a spilled over can of contact cement. Shades of green dress the albums cover.






The Professionals - I Didn't See It Coming (1981)


Formed by Steve Jones and Paul Cook (of Sex Pistols), The Professionals released I Didn't See It Coming in 1981. The album was actually a re-recorded version of the bands first album which was never released (it was eventually released in 1990 and in 1997). The cover is pretty simple, a guy getting punched in the face. An effective and eye catching album cover.








The Damned - Don't Cry Wolf (Single 1977)


Don't Cry Wolf was a single taken from the bands second album Music For Pleasure. This album would be The Damned's last with guitarist Brian James, it was also produced by Nick Mason (of Pink Floyd). The B-side to Don't Cry Wolf is the song "One Way Love". The B-side (which is also on Music For Pleasure) has some almost country like guitar licks on it. The song is an excellent example of the guitar work of Brian James. The single artwork features what looks like scalpels in a star shaped pattern surrounding the bands name and the songs title.






The D4 - 6Twenty (2001)


The 2001 album from New Zealand Garage Rockers, The D4 was named after a guitar amplifier. The cover features the band members silhouetted in black and red, while guitarist Dion Palmer aims his guitar in a gun-like fashion. The album itself is great representation of high energy Rock and Roll. The album had six singles released, none of which charted in the US. Some singles from the album did make it on to the UK singles charts.







Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris (2007)


The artwork for Era Vulgaris features two light bulb characters, one which is a green light bulb that has an eye patch (known as "Patchy") and Bulby a yellow bulb smoking a cigarette. The light bulb cartoons were created by Liam Lynch and the overall art direction was done by Jason Nato & Doug Cunnigham of Morning Breath Inc. Josh Homme has stated in an interview that light bulb represents an idea that you think is really great, but in reality it is not. Era Vulgaris was the fifth album by Queens of the Stone Age.






Sloan - Navy Blues (1998)


Sloan's follow up to 1996's One Chord To Another was Navy Blues. The album featured songs such as "She Says What She Means" and "Money City Maniacs". Navy Blues combined elements of the bands 60s Pop/Beatles style with 70s Hard Rock. The albums artwork features a picture of each band member separated by lines that are similar to work done by Saul Bass (American graphic designer and film maker). For an animated, filmic extension of the album cover check out the video for "Money City Maniacs".






Neil Young - On The Beach (1974)


This was an album that has interesting things to pick out on the cover. There is part of what looks like a Cadillac buried in the sand, a patio table and chairs, a person out in the distance and a hanger hanging under the umbrella (there are more things too if you look closely). This album was originally released in 1974 and for a long time it was out of print on vinyl and it not available on CD. In 2003 it was finally released on CD.







Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Streetcore (2003)


The artwork to the third album by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros is credited to Art Dog and Joe Strummer. The album which was released posthumously showed the Mescaleros returning to a more Rock/Clash like form. Streetcore featured songs such as "Coma Girl", "Get Down Moses", "Long Shadow" and "All In A Day", all of which display differing musical styles while still staying true to the edge of Rock and Roll. The cover displays a coil that looks like it is dripping, five black stars placed in two different locations on a bright orange background.





The Strokes - Room On Fire (2003)


The Strokes second album was panned by critics when it was originally released. The albums cover features what looks like a black jack card table (or some sort of card table that would be used in a casino), two hands of opposing colours firing at each other and the bands album title. The album musically was influenced by New Wave music such as Talking Heads, The Cars and the bands previous Garage Rock influences.







The Kinks - Kink Kontroversy (1965)


Originally released in 1965, Kink Kontroversy mixed early Kinks Garage Rock style with Blues. The albums cover features five squares. The main square features a close up Dave Davies playing guitar. Atop of it there are four squares each of which has a different Kinks band member inside. The albums title is a play on the bands onstage antics, and fighting which led to them being banned in the US.








The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk (Single 2004)


The single to the Hives song "Walk Idiot Walk" featured two B-sides "Genepool Convulsions" and "Keel Hauling Class of '89". The single is a song that comes from The Hives 2004 album Tyrannosaurus Hives. The single also contains the music video made for the song. The video features the band in a white room with a scrabble board that changes letters in the background. The cover is a shot of the band members holding their instruments on a white background, which is a similar style to the music video for the single.



Sex Pistols - Nevermind The Bollocks (1977)

The one and only album by Sex Pistols featured cut out ransom styled lettering. In the UK the letters were outlined in pink, while the background is yellow. For the US release the colours differ. The letters are outlined in green with a light pink background. The cover was designed by Jamie Reed and has since been copied by numerous punk bands. Without an album like this, who knows what rock music would sound like today?






Buzzcocks - Promises (Single 1978)


All of Buzzcocks early singles have interesting artwork designs. Promises is one of my favourites, it is designed in a pop art style and features a green square outlined by a purple circle on a black background. The song was recorded just after the release of the bands second album Love Bites and was originally titled Children. The song was also added to the Singles Going Steady compilation in 1979.







Wire - Chairs Missing (1978)


This album cover is simple, there are no chairs on the front cover and there is a table with purple flowers on top of it. There are also brownish grey curtains in the background. The covers concept was created by Graham Lewis and Colin Newman (of Wire), while the cover photo was taken by Annette Green and the overall art direction was created by Brian Palmer. The albums title is derived from a British slang for a person that is a little bit disturbed. For example, that man has some chairs missing from his front room. The album featured more pop oriented compositions than the bands previous effort Pink Flag.



The Clash - London Calling (1979)


The artwork is to 1979's London Calling is now seen as an iconic image. The cover is reminiscent of Elvis Presley's first album and they both employ a similar font style. Elvis's album features Elvis raising his guitar up while London Calling features Clash bassist Paul Simonon smashing his bass down to the floor. The photograph on the cover was taken during a Clash concert in New York by Pennie Smith. The graphic design was done by Ray Lowry. I enjoy almost all of The Clash's album covers and single artwork, some other interesting ones to check out are Radio Clash, Bank Robber, Magnificent Seven and of course their other album covers.




Other interesting artwork:

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - This Year's Model (1978)


The artwork to this album cover was designed by Barney Bubbles. The concept is simple, Elvis Costello standing in front of a camera with his right hand sticking out, the background is a golden brown colour. The US version of this album did not have the songs "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" and "Night Rally", instead of those tracks the song "Radio, Radio" was added. A slightly different album cover was also used for the US version.







Talking Heads - Take Me To The River (US Single 1978)

Talking Heads were another band that had interesting album covers. The US version for the song Take Me To The River is one of my favourites. The song was actually a cover of a song that was originally by Al Green. The cover of the US single was of a gospel tabernacle and lttle wavy lines at the bottom for the water. The UK version was a variation of the cover for the album More Songs About Buildings and Food, which is also interesting. Other great covers by Talking Heads include the Fear of Music album cover, and covers for the singles Crosseyed and Painless, Road To Nowhere, Life During Wartime and Psycho Killer.

Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed (1969)


Let It Bleed was a follow up to 1968's Beggar's Banquet. There are so many things that can be picked out on the cover. The cover displays a picture of a record player and spindle, on top of the spindle there is a variety of things stacked up. There is a stack of records, a reel to reel tape, a tire, a pizza and a cake. On top of the cake there are little figures of each band member.








The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964)

You cannot discuss artwork by rock bands without bringing up The Beatles. While they have many covers which are seen as innovative, There are two in particular that have always been interesting to me. First, The UK version of A Hard Day's Night which was the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The US version featured a different track listing. The UK cover features photos of every Beatle member in different poses. The US version featured four large photos of each Beatle, from the nose up. This was also the very first full length album by The Beatles that had all original compositions on it.




The Beatles - The White Album (1968)

My second choice for Beatles artwok is one of my favourite albums ever, The White Album. The artwork is also quite simple and inventive. Designed by Richard Hamilton the cover was white, with the bands named lightly showing on the cover. While the album was originally going to be called A Doll's House, the band decided on just calling it "The Beatles", but because of the artwork it is usually referred to as The White Album. Since it's release numerous bands have had self titled albums with a plain colour for its cover.




The Play List:

1. Dead 60s - Riot Radio
2. XTC - Meccanic Dancing (Oh We Go)
3. U2 - 11 O'Clock Tick Tock
4. Devo - Be Stiff
5. The Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night
6. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
7. The Diodes - Polaroid
8. The Nils - Freedom
9. The Professionals - Madhouse
10. The Damned - Don't Cry Wolf
11. The D4 - Come On!
12. Queens of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu
13. Sloan - Stand By Me, Yeah
14. Neil Young - Walk On
15. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Coma Girl
16. The Strokes - I Can't Win
17. The Kinks - The World Keeps Going Round
18. The Hives - Genepool Convulsions
19. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
20. Buzzcocks - Promises
21. Wire - Outdoor Miner (Single Version)
22. The Clash - Rudie Can't Fail

To download this week's show visit the CJAM archives and select the files 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on July, 21st 2009.

This is not it... & Show 133

This post used to feature information about The Strokes. You can find more information on The Strokes in these two posts:

The Strokes Angled: An Article About Angles

50/50: An Article About Comedown Machine

Also, The Police played at the 2007 Grammy Awards on Sunday February 11th. I played "Roxanne" from that performance. The video can be seen here. The Police are set to have a full scale reunion tour this summer, I am and you should be very excited. I also played a very long version of the song "I Need Somebody" by The Stooges. This was taken from the Heavy Liquid box set. The song is basically a jam that is about 18 minutes. It features Iggy Pop discussing how to work out/change the song and him trying different lyrics. The box set also contains various live shows, rehearsal recordings, and studio recordings. For Example, there are multiple takes of the song "I Got A Right".

Here's what was played:

1. The Police – Roxanne (live @ 2007 grammys)
2. Sex Pistols – whatcha gonna do about it
3. The Gruesomes – I’m down
4. The Stooges – I need somebody/sweet child/ I like the way you walk
5. The Clash – police on my back
6. Ramones – all the way (demo)
7. Buzzcocks – lipstick (BBC)
8. Buzzcocks – everybody’s happy nowadays (BBC)
9. Generation X – one hundred punks
10. Smugglers – luau!(live)
11. Modernettes – Barbra
12. The Features – city scenes
13. The Saints – no time
14. Gang of Four – ether (BBC)
15. Talking Heads – a clean break (live)
16. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – no action
17. Public Image Limited – low life
18. XTC – wake up
19. Tricky Woo – let us sing
20. The Strokes – razorblade
21. Albert Hammond Jr. – holiday
22. Sloan – stand by me, yeah