retroBlog

I’ve got mixed feelings about the Wreckers’ new CD/DVD release titled- Way Back Home: Live From New York City. I’m a big fan of their debut album but I’m not totally sure if this new live recording was really necessary. I’ve always considered live albums the domain of bands and artists with large back catalogues and “must-see” live shows. Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp have neither. they’ve only got the one album to draw songs from and as for their live act, frankly, they’re ..um, unremarkable. live albums from legacy artists like Genesis, James Taylor and Paul McCartney are to be expected but for a band like the Wreckers, it’s just the marketing/sales department out to milk the fans. I’m sure fans appreciate an official document of the duo playing at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City but this CD/DVD won’t win over any new ones. the captured performance starts out pretty weak with Harp, Branch and the band not really gelling until the fifth song in the set. the initial songs are marred with off-key harmonies and the band overwhelming the lead vocals at certain points. in fact, the overall mix sounds like they simply made the CDs right off the soundboard feed with no post-production clean up whatsoever. I’m all for keeping it real and all but for this type of pop-country, one expects to hear a more polished sounding recording than something more akin to a bootleg. it’s a stark contrast when compared to what these same songs sounded like on their studio album. essentially what we have here are inferior versions of songs from their one lone album. .. and who really wants to pay for that? the DVD fares a bit better than the CD since the visuals mask some of what’s lacking in the performance. So to sum up - the new live album by the Wreckers is strictly for fans only.

TrackList:
1. The Good Kind
2. Love Me Like That
3. Way Back Home
4. Damn That Radio
5. Crazy People
6. Cigarettes
7. My, Oh My
8. Different Truck, Same Loser
9. Tennessee
10. Lay Me Down
11. Leave The Pieces
12. Stand Still, Look Pretty
13. Rain

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Leave the Pieces (live) [youtube]

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Tonight is one of those night when I wish I had a telescope. The last total lunar eclipse until 2010 will be occurring later this evening. not only that but Saturn and the star Regulus will be visible on either side of the moon during the eclipse. of course the view of Saturn would truly be a sight to behold if one had a telescope (and a clear night sky of course). I’ve been browsing through the telescope reviews over at Astromart.com to see if I can find one that would be perfect for me and my little kids. you know, it’s great to see the kids so excited about the lunar eclipse which really opens them up to learning more about the universe and other planets in the solar system. I’m bound and determined to get a decent telescope so that we’ll be ready the next time a major event like this happens. and I’m going to be sure to keep astromart bookmarked so that I can keep up with the latest in astronomy news and information.

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Eric Clapton shreds!! OK, I’m probably behind the times on this one but hey, I didn’t call this blog “RETRO” for nothin’. anyway, the SHREDS videos by StSanders aka Santeri Ojala are just simply hilarious. I love ‘em. yeah, I know, he’s simply overdubbing crappy solos onto existing videos but dude, it takes skill to make sounding bad sound funny. Sorta reminds me of Fred Armisen’s deconstruction of drummer vids.

hhhmmmm, Ojala’s StSanders youtube account seems to have gotten suspended. but don’t fear, faithful youtubers are re-upping the vids as we speak!

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let’s face it. when you’re in a band and you’ve got gigs lined up for the next couple weeks, keeping your house clean is that last of your worries. you’ve got rehearsals, band meetings, face time with promoters and record execs and not to mention the time spent creating new music. and that’s all fine and dandy but you simply hate coming home to a cluttered, messy house. seeing your place in complete disarray really doesn’t keep you inspired, does it? and in the music business, it’s key to keep your inspiration levels high and those creative juices flowing. well, fret no longer because the answer is simple. just contact the professionals over at MaidPro Cleaning Service. they’re an affordable solution to the dirty house dilemma. they specialize in tackling the tough problem areas like kitchens and bathrooms and they’ll even make up your bed. be sure to head on over to their website to find out more about their services including their 49-Point Checklist and their 24-hour satisfaction Guarantee.

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Thanks to some generous Yes-fans, I got a hold of some concert footage from the 1991 Union tour. I was too busy graduating from college when the tour rolled through my town back then so I missed seeing the show in person. I sort of regret not going to see the concert because we will probably never see these eight musicians together on tour ever again. It was a once in a lifetime deal. can you imagine how expensive that tour must have been to put together? I still can’t believe it actually happened. especially since most of them don’t get along with each other in the first place. because of the rarity of having these mega-talents on one stage, you’d think the powers that be would have released an official DVD of some sort to mark the occasion. but an official release never materialized. probably something to do with disagreements between the musicians and/or their lawyers. so it’s good to know there are a bunch of kind Yes fans out there willing to share rarities like this. the copy I received is an edited pro-shot version of the 1991 Denver performance that leaves off the “solo” portions of the show. apparently the original broadcast of the show had some sound issues and Trevor Rabin ended up going back to remix the audio for this version we have here. the video and sound are both excellent. It’s so interesting to watch these men adding their own signature styles into these classic Yes tunes. Most of the time, eight musicians is a bit overkill but hey Yes-music tends to be a tad over-blown anyway so no biggie. it’s funny to watch Bill Bruford at times during the show. Bruford is such a huge talent on drums but Alan White does the bulk of the work here which doesn’t leave much for Bruford to do but sit around and collect his paycheck. same goes to Tony Kaye. Rick Wakeman is such a monster on keys, what can Kaye do but stand back and give the master some room. hee-hee! the DVD is highly recommended. you can find it currently being distributed among the Yes fan community. (you can also check the torrents for the video).

tracklist:
1. Yours is no Disgrace
2. Shock to the System
3. Changes
4. Heart of the Sunrise
5. Make It Easy (intro)
6. Owner of a Lonely Heart
7. And You And I
8. I’ve Seen All Good People
9. Lift Me Up
10. Roundabout

show info: McNichols Sports Arena, May 09, 1991, Denver, Colorado
Yes lineup: Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Steve Howe, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Alan White

view Changes from the Denver 1991 show on youtube:

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view Lift Me Up from the Denver 1991 show on youtube:

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Purchase Yes DVDs at amazon:

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a close friend of mine is planning a trip to New York City so that he can take his daughter to see some broadway musicals. his daughter simply loves the theater and is hoping to one day be a part of the whole broadway scene once she finishes school. my friend is a bit wary about his daughter getting into the whole acting business but he knows it’s best to be the supportive parent at this point. I was over at his place when he perused online for New York discount hotels. he ended up finding some nice deals on TravelHERO.com, a great site for making travel arrangements including flights and hotel reservations. he was even able to secure theater tickets and a couple sightseeing tours using the website. I still can’t get over the fact that his daughter is a teenager now. boy, time sure does fly by fast when you’re not looking. at least it’s great to see that my friend is taking this opportunity to do some father/daughter activities before she goes off to college and gets “too busy” to do that sort of stuff.

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I guess I’m just a sucker for They Might Be Giants. they’re absolute geniuses in my book. They have the uncanny ability to write a catchy hook based around just about any subject. it’s absolutely astonishing to see John Flansburgh and John Linnell continue to be creative and inventive after all these years in the biz. I recently purchased Here Come The 123s for the kids and I can honestly say that it’s a joy to listen to. AND THIS is a KIDS album for goodness sakes! No more lame-brained Raffi tunes or god-awful Barney the Dinosaur crap for this generation of kids. with the constant exposure to multimedia, nickelodeon, the disney channel and the like, it takes a lot more nowadays to catch the attention of today’s youngsters. Flansburgh and Linnell are aware of this and have crafted well thoughtout and sophisticated songs for kids to sing-along and learn from. Here Comes the 123s is their third kid-centric album. No! and Here Come the ABCs being the other two. I suppose kids between the ages of 2 and 6 will get the bulk of the benefit from listening to an album about numbers but the tunes are so darn catchy and fun that parents (and older kids) won’t mind the repeated listenings in the minivan. Honestly, not all of the songs are out of the park homeruns but you can’t help but admire the band for swinging hard with each attempt.
personal favorites include: Zeroes, One Everything, High Five!, The Secret Life of Six and Heart of the Band.

TrackList:
1. Here Come the 123s
2. Zeroes
3. One Everything
4. Number Two
5. Triops Has Three Eyes
6. Apartment Four
7. High Five!
8. The Secret Life of Six
9. Seven
10. Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go to Work)
11. Figure Eight
12. Pirate Girls Nine
13. Nine Bowls of Soup
14. Ten Mississippi
15. One Dozen Monkeys
16. Eight Hundred and Thirteen Mile Car Trip
17. Infinity
18. I Can Add
19. Nonagon
20. Even Numbers
21. Ooh La! Ooh La!
22. Heart of the Band
23. Hot Dog!
24. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme

watch Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go to Work) on youtube:

purchase TMBG at amazon:

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no matter what line of work you’re in, people will make quick judgements about you just by appearance alone. it’s a sad fact of life but it’s true. whether you’re a musician on stage or a private citizen walking down a sidewalk, strangers will take one look at you and judge you from the clothes you wear to the complexion of your face. that’s why it’s important to take care of yourself and the way you look. yes, I know, as a guy, it’s not high on our list of priorities, but I, for one, have recently taken steps to improve the way I look including exercising more regularly and eating healthier. I’m even spending more time in front of the bathroom mirror. I figure that since I can’t really prevent people from judging me, I might as well spend the extra time and present myself as best as I can. this includes taking care of my skin, using Proactiv® to prevent Acne flare-ups and other general grooming necessities. I’m not sure if this classifies me as metrosexual but as our society continues to lean toward the superficial, ya gotta do what ya gotta do to survive. and since “no man is an island,” this is simply another change that we accommodate for in order to adapt.

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Just in time for Valentine’s: It’s my handpicked Valentine’s Day mix tape just for all you retroblog readers. OK, OK, the song selection is skewed more toward heartbreak than the sappy but what do you expect from an old grump like me? ::wink:: Anyway, thanks as always for visiting the site. Please feel free to leave me a (love) note. you know how I just love getting feedback. … come on, show me some love people!!!

Earn Enough for Us by XTC
I can take humiliation and hurtful comments from the boss
I’m just praying by the weekend I can earn enough for us

Unglamorous by Lori McKenna
How wonderful crowded dinners at the kitchen table
How beautiful one TV set and no cable
No thrills, no fuss, perfectly us

SuitCase by Over the Rhine
Why’d you love me in the first place?
You were always closer than a brother
I can barely look at your face
You’re stealing away on a sunny day
Well, aren’t you ashamed at all?

Ghost of You and Me by BBMak
Seen a lot of broken hearts Go sailing by
Phantom ships lost at sea and one of them is mine
Raising my glass I sing a toast to the midnight sky
I wonder why the stars don’t seem to guide me

I Think God Can Explain by Splender
There’s a lot of things I understand
And there’s a lot of things that I don’t want to know
But you’re the only face I recognize
It’s so damn sweet of you to look me in the eyes

Don’t Dream It’s Over (Crowded House cover) by Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band
There’s a battle ahead many battles are lost
But you’ll never see the end of the road
While you’re traveling with me
Hey now, hey now, don’t dream it’s over…

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