Ceremony - ZOO :One Bloggers Opinion

The California band Ceremony has been one of my favorite newer bands since I first stumbled upon their cover Red C’s “Pressures On” (one of my all-time favorite punk songs) off of their 2006 brutal debut album Violence Violence. From then on I have watched the bands progress over two more albums plus a few eps and a covers collection, even catching them live a few times they came through town.

When I heard the band signed to Matador Records I was pretty psyched. Even though Ceremony’s previous label Bridge 9 Records was a strong force in the industry I always thought being on a hardcore record label would hold back the possibilities of what this band could be come. The 2010 album Rohnert Park already showed serious signs of Ceremony expanding on the hardcore battery of their two previous records, showing the influences of post-punk groups like The Fall, Joy Division, (early) Cure or Wire. Plus a much larger label like Matador will allow Ceremony exposure too many listeners way outside fans of hardcore music.

The new album, the John Goodmanson produced Zoo is set to be released on next week. Luckily I was able to track down advance copy so I can tell you my opinions about the album which will be annoying my neighbors for weeks to come.

The first track “Hysteria” (actually releases as a single in January) blasts off with a few monster guitar riffs and thundering drum roll, letting you knows the band is back. Then the beat gets steady and Ross Farrar’s biting vocals come in. With its great chorus and gang “oohoohooh”s towards the end it's definitely a great way to get the ball rolling, especially when it is followed by Track 2 “Citizen” with Ross’s manic vocals over the twin guitar attack.

On Track 3 “Repeating the Circle” the tempo gets slowed down a little and you can hear the band's Joy Division influence come out.

When track 4 (the next single) “World Blue” comes on it definitely becomes apparent that the guitars on Zoo are looser then on past albums. Also producer Goodmanson, who in the past has worked with some of my favorites (ie:Sleater-Kinney, Team Dresch, The Treepeople) seems to have toned the bass down a bit. This allows the songs to be more varied sounding and not just pummeling like the pre Rohnert Park albums.

Track 5 “Quarantine” has a little bit of a swagger going on reminiscent of The Cure’s “Meathook” but a lot more upbeat.The song actually has me dancing down the street, in my living room or wherever I am when the song comes over my headphones.

On Ceremony’s cover collection ep of some of the bands biggest influences, one of the songs done was “Pink Flag” by Wire.  You can definitely here an (early) Wire influence shining through the guitars ands vocals of Track 6 "Brace Yourself".

After another rager, Track 8 “Hotel” slows it down with some Jesus Lizard style guitar and vocals. When it returns on track 10 “Nosebleed”, its make me wonder if Steve Albini would have been a better fit as producer over Goodmanson.

Track 11 “Community” gets upbeat in the same vein as “Quarantine” but instead the swagger is replaced with a bounce. Like track 5, this one always has me dancing and my head bopping during  the morning subway ride to work,

The Joy Division influenced (Ceremony after all is named after one of their songs) comes out again for the albums closing track “Video”. The slower, very bass heavy song with its early Pixies style surf guitar is the perfect closer for the album.

The only downside to the record is on almost every song Ross Farrar's vocals have a bullhorn effect going on. I'm not sure whether this was the band's intention or the result of Goodmanson's production job, either way the the effect would have a little more appeal if it was used on maybe just a few of the songs and not of all 12 Tracks.

Zoo definitely proves to be a great progression for Ceremony. There are some explosive raging tracks showing Ceremony does not wish to totally abandon their hardcore background but also a few toned down songs  and a few post punk sounding songs too.

Judging by insane crowd reaction at the sold out show at Le Poisson Rouge (seen in the video below) a few weeks back, Ceremony has already built a larger fan base since the much smaller show at The Cake Shop last year. When Matador Records unleashes Zoo on to the world next week there will be no end to how out of control it will grow.

Chimes of Freedom-The Songs of Bob Dylan: One Bloggers Opinion

Yet another Bob Dylan tribute album gets a release, this time from Amnesty International.  I love tribute albums and was actually looking forward to this albums release. Bob Dylan’s songs are very good, especially when someone else is singing them. Then I read how long the new tribute was set to be. Four full CDs, 76 tracks are just way too many songs for a tribute album; even if it’s for Bob Dylan.  I decided to go into the album with an open mind; no expectations no matter what artist are on it. After listening through the whole thing I found a few surprises. Some good, some not so good. Here is my interpretation of the album:

Using an already released or older recording on a new tribute album is a no-no. It’s a cop out. Putting the great but already dead for eight years Johnny Cash doing “One Too Many Mornings” as the lead off track is not a good way to get the ball rolling.  Placing a track performed by the artist the album is in tribute too, on track 18 of the last disc where Bob does “Chimes of Freedom”, is also a no-no.

I always said My Morning Jacket would make the greatest cover band ever. When they do other peoples songs like Dylan’s “You’re A Big Girl Now” on this album, they are awesome; boring as hell when they perform their own material.

The Gaslight Anthem and Queens Of The Stone Age both just seemed to take the two (almost) hits of their own,  GA’s “59 Sound” and QOTSA’s “No One Knows”, and change the words to that of two Dylan songs (“Changing Of The Guards” and “Outlaw Blues”).

Many classic artists turn in great performances. Patti Smith (“Drifter’s Escape”), Elvis Costello (“License To Kill”), Jackson Browne (“Love Minus Zero/No Limit”) and Billy Bragg (“Lay Down Your Weary Tune”) do exactly what you want them to do: the play Bob Dylan songs. They don’t try anything too fancy, just play the songs like they would if they were covering them in a concert. Lenny Kravitz turns in a very good version of “Rainy Day Woman #12 &35”, probably one of the best performances on the album.

I wish I could say the same for Bryan Ferry (“Bob Dylan’s Dream”), Pete Townsend (“Corina,Corina”) and Eric Burdon (“Gotta Serve Somebody”). The legendary Rock and Roll singers of Roxy Music, The Who (although not lead) and the Animals respectfully, just don’t sound like they have the chops anymore. The Pete Townsend song especially, he doesn’t even sound in tune.

Michael Franti of the Hip-Hop hybrid band Spearhead (but I will always remember from the more political underground group Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy) was the perfect pick to do Dylan’s spoken vocal classic “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, another high point of the album.

Some bands seem to forget who they are supposed to be covering. Tom Morrello (“Blind Willie Mactell”) seems to think it’s supposed to be Leonard Cohen and The Airborne Toxic Event (“Boots of Spanish Leather”) think it’s Neil Diamond.

Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger

The 90+ year old folk/protest singer Pete Seeger turns in a very respectable version of “Forever Young” but I would be much more interested in hearing him perform the Alphaville song of the same name.

I love punk and hardcore. Rise Against and especially Bad Religion are two of the biggest, but let’s face it: Dylan’s music just doesn’t fit this type of music. When these two bands do “Ballad of Hollis Brown” and “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue”, the two classic songs sound forced, no real soul anywhere to be found. Silverstein’s “Song to Woody” sounds straight out ridiculous.

But Flogging Molly’s Irish-punk (although most the band is from California) works very well on “Times They Are A-Changin’” as does the punk band The Bronx’s alter egos Mariachi El Bronx with “Love Sick”.

I always get jazz singer Allison Krall mixed up with bluegrass singer Allison Krause. I think it has something to do with their last names beginning with “K”. Evidently the compilers of this album made the same mistake since Allison Krall style doesn’t fit the song she sings (“Simple Twist of Fate”) whereas Allison Krause would probably have done it better justice.

Two very good unexpected great Dylan versions are brought by the young bands Silversun Pickups (“Not Dark Yet”) and Jack’s Mannequin (“Mr. Tambourine Man”). Both songs are done very well each bands own style. We Are Augustines, a band I have never heard of before, turn in a very good version of “Mama, You’ve Been on My Mind”.

Live tracks always seem out of place on tribute album where every other song is in the studio. Concert crowd noise suddenly starting up and ending before and after live songs often sounds awkward. David Mathews Band (“All Along the Watchtower”), My Chemical Romance (“Desolation Row”), Sugarland (“Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You”) and Dirks Bentley (“Senor; Tales of Yankee Power”) provide evidence to this fact.

Adele (“Make Your Feel My Love”) is an exception to the rule since her track is recorded in a radio station with no audience.

I could go on and on about each individual cover song and artists on the album but now it is time for you to go through them and form your own opinions. I would  like to hear them.

Tribute albums are always uneven and the great thing about iTunes, Amazon and other Mp3 outlets is we can pick and choose which songs we want to have. Plus iTunes is giving 59 cents of whichever ones of these or the other 55 plus tracks you buy so give the album a listen. It’s for a good cause.