vain, selfish & lazy.

Friday, February 16, 2001

reviews archive: UPDATED!: yes, that's right! at last! all of those gems that might otherwise have been lost to the ages are now accessible via the reviews archive! i've added all of my reviews from the past four months, so there are too many to recount, you'll just have to see for yourself. i do recommend the following: johnny cash, lambchop, and "born to run" -- likely the best thing i've written on here. hope you enjoy.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

blogvoices...again: so those beautiful bastards at blogvoices have reinstated their service. groovy. so now you can discuss anything you've seen on this site by merely clicking on the discuss button. what an age.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

MANIC STREET PREACHERS, "SO WHY SO SAD"
"so why so sad," one of the two new manics singles, is the type of song that demands to be written about and, at the same time, damns your every attempt to do so. it's not that it's elusive or difficult, but rather it's peculiar and an oddity and -- dare i say? -- a novelty. their last single, which only a single release, "masses against the classes" was hyped as a "return to their roots," "back to basics," and every other euphemism you can think of to disguise the fact that they were a band desperately trying to find the spark that once made them what they were. ultimately, "masses" is best described as a failure, as sound signifying nothing, as empty rhetoric and confused bluster.

so, they've decided to go to the polar extreme, a move away from what they know, charging ahead into unknown territory. if the kinder, gentler manics of this is my truth weren't your bag, well, brother, you're in for a treat, because they're even KINDER now and arguably GENTLER. i mean, a sample line from the chorus -- and i'm not making this up -- is: "you live and you love." swear to God. and AND the music: it sounds like an outtake from brian wilson's eponymous debut, and i stress brian wilson and not the beach boys because the production is obscenely slick and the backing vocals are egregious. oh, and the stylophone! there's actually a stylophone on the break of this record. do you know who pioneered the stylophone?! ROLF HARRIS, for God's sake.

doesn't this sound awful, like quite possibly the worst thing ever? is this what we're to expect from the BIGGEST BAND IN THE WORLD? well, the first question first: no, it's not. in fact, i enjoy it a lot. while on paper, it does sound like the biggest gaffe since normal, ohio, hearing it is quite a different matter. the melody is pleasing and trips over itself nicely; the singing is sweet without being saccharine; and the intstrumental break is glorious, sounding for all the world like "space oddity" as played by the carousel of brian wilson's mind. to answer the second question: no, this isn't what we should expect, which is why it's so pleasing. it's satisfying to see that, after the critical failure of "masses against the classes," the group took stock and realized that they weren't young men anymore and shouldn't be burdened by the legacy of their past. in doing so, they've crafted a love song, possibly their purest and certainly their most direct. i know that the album won't be like this, that nicky wire is a pissed-off man, bothered by what he sees as the "americanization of the world," but for now i will enjoy this, this unguarded moment, this simple song of love.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Thursday, February 15, 2001

"fred, someone you know has an eCRUSH on you!": and i don't know who it is. but i guess that's the point. i simply must know, but i don't want an e-mail going out to the other party, informing them that they've matched with their ecrush, when all it really is is my curiosity getting the better of me. hm. well, here's my public plea: if you're the one behind it, let me know! i won't bite, though who knows...
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Wednesday, February 14, 2001

is this right?: for all of those looking for nude pokemon, and there are many, many of you, i present...

ahhhhhhhhh, yeah. just look at... his utter disregard for the concept of clothing. full-frontal, yeah! is this what you're looking for?!
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

ACEYALONE, "ACCEPTED ECLECTIC"
biggest complaints about the undie-rap scene:
1. they take themselves far too seriously: RELAX GUYS!
2. the production is dull, plodding, and hopelessly retro: NO FUN.

aceyalone was a member of the now legendary freestyle fellowship, one of the first west coast crews to elevate themselves above the gangsta rap that was all too pervasive at the time, closer in spirit to the last poets than, say, n.w.a. acey, as far as i was concerned, was the most talented of the crew and when he dropped his first solo single, "mic check," he did not disappoint. the beat was hard and his flow was incredibly captivating, suggesting that it's not such a dumb idea to throw a capella tracks on the b-sides of hip-hop singles. his solo debut, all balls don't bounce, delivered a number of similar moments but the beats were, by and large, too staid, too faux-jazz. when the book of human language followed, i was nonplussed by the music though impressed by the free-flowing verbiage.

"accepted eclectic" finds me returning to acey again, on the strength of a number of recommendations. it gives me great pleasure to find that not only is "accepted" an excellent single but also that acey has taken my complaints about undie-rap and has done something about them. the beat is just incredible, a whimsical brass line that sounds like something out of a carl stalling bugs bunny composition. the rhyming is fantastically dexterous and light-hearted, while at the same time maintaining the intelligence level one expects from mr. alone. a true rarity nowadays, an indie single that may very well end up topping my year-end list. keeping in line with the trailblazing tradition of the fellowship, aceyalone blesses us with an example that i only hope more will follow.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

N.E.R.D., "LAPDANCE"
for those who don't know, n.e.r.d. is the acronym that the neptunes have assumed for their upcoming album.

for those who don't know, the neptunes are one of the hottest young production teams out there right now, occupying the ground somewhere between swizz beats' casio-chic and timbaland's relentless futurism. they've worked with a variety artists, ranging from noreaga to macy gray to, most currently, the backstreet boys. we've been conditioned to expect the unexpected from the neptunes, and so then i shouldn't be surprised to find that "lapdance," by and large, sucks. yes, how unexpected.

if anything, "lapdance" embodies the flaws of the producer-turned-artist album, namely that there's a reason why they ended up on the other side of the board in the first place, further evidence of which can be found on timbaland's solo albums. it's never good when the first thing that comes to mind, while listening to a song, is, "wow, this guy sounds like will smith." and then: "oh, it's about strippers. hurray." yes, yes, it's commentary, something about politicians sounding like strippers and oppressing the neptunes, etc., but it's delivered in mind-numbingly gauche fashion.

a shame that the rapping is so detestable because the beat is pretty hot, what with the funky clavinet that has become one of their trademarks and an absolutely gorgeous rhodes melody hidden underneath the ruckus. when the rza did his solo album, the lackluster bobby digital, he put out an album of instrumentals; ditto dr. dre and 2001. if the neptunes don't do this, i at least hope that the album is a neptunes present... deal because i'd hate to see beats go to waste like they do on "lapdance."
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

recent listenings: alright, enough of these literary pretensions. back to business.

ROD STEWART, "I CAN'T DENY IT"
alright, at the time, rod was receiving much critical acclaim for his then-new album when we were the new boys, the goal of which was to recreate the mood of classics like every picture tells a story. to facilitate such a task, rod set about covering contemporary british rock hits, like oasis' "cigarettes & alcohol" and primal scream's "rocks," and mostly succeeding, at least to my ears. enjoyed the album then and i stand by that, however whatever ray of hope new boys emitted has since been blotted out by his new record, human, on which he recreates the mood of classics like blondes have more fun by covering the work of such living legends as, um, macy gray.

it's not a total failure, however, and that's due to first single, "i can't deny it," penned by former new radical -- and, as i recently discovered, hair metal act (!) -- gregg alexander. alexander is a brilliant pop mind who understands the short attention span of the average radio listener; for proof, listen to the openings of "you get what you give" and his hit for ronan keating, "love is a rollercoaster." "i can't deny it" combines the rah-rah histrionics of the former with the cooing girly vocalists of the former into an opening as absurd as it is brilliant. rod sings ably, but of course, and alexander's production is ravishing -- sleek piano, melodic bass and, oh, just listen to the guitar at 2:09. he isn't, however, much of a melodist as all of his songs seem to occupy a similar range of notes, numbering perhaps, oh, 5 if i'm feeling charitable and, yes, one wouldn't be wrong to ask how many times can he rewrite "you get what you give," no matter how fine of a template it may be. and yet when the record is playing, none of these issues come to mind as you're washed in a glow of luxurious soundz; instead you're left thinking that alexander is singlehandedly making light rock tasteful again and, for the course of one song at least, he's done the same for rod.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

nick cave returns: hey, how about a music link? okay. well, nick cave is back with a new album...or will be shortly. for now, though, click on the link and you'll be taken to the official site for no more shall we part, that being the title of the new album. scream in horror at nick's tragic haircut which, when paired with his getup (suit jacket, black shirt), suggests that he's ready to have an earnest talk with david byrne on sessions at west 54th about the "craft of songwriting."

based on the song samples available on the site, no more... sounds like the boatman's call 2, which is fine by me, but nick, what's up with the double-tracked vocals?
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Monday, February 12, 2001

catching up with fred: the about me page has been totally revamped, with new and current info! plus, PLUS! i've added a list of what should be very obvious influences and inspirations. did you make the list? only one way to find out!*

*note: you most likely did not make this list. unless you're my father. if so, congrats dad, you made it! it was close but it was the personal touch that put you over the top. i must say that i'm a bit disturbed that you're reading this. anyhow, even if you're not on the list, don't let that keep you from reading the page.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss

Sunday, February 11, 2001

a work of fiction: some of you have seen this, most of you have not. those of you who have seen it, though, have never seen it like this. too large for the blog, so click on the link and you can read the first short story i'm not embarrassed to have written. it's about love, sex, death, and rock n' roll. wooo! feedback, as always, is appreciated.
-fred solinger | steal this link! | discuss