Real Music: Higher Love

I was recently reminded by The Clearly Dope about one of my all-time favorite songs (accompanied by a suitably festive video), which will always be reminiscent of the good times of my youth spent in Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, VA.

Real Music: Whatever

Song of the week?

No.

Song of the month?

Not even.

Song of the new millennia?

You betcha.

So take literally 90 seconds for a temporary escape from all of your preoccupations and listen to a song by an eccentric artisan named Liam Lynch. You just might learn about the attitude required to handle what life throws at you.

(Not) Real Music: Rump shakers

An up-and-coming rapper who calls himself Mr. Ghetto doesn't get down at da club to meet women. Major retail outlets are his preference, and “Wal-Mart” (Joe With Da Dreads Mixx 2011) is his hook-up tribute.

I wish this was a joke. But it’s not. The video offering below is evidently not intended to be held in the humorous/tragic context by which most of the industrialized world is bound to regard it. So kick back and enjoy this latest sign of the forthcoming apocalypse. The end is definitely near.

Source: SB Nation

Real Music: Wild Flower

The Cult have proven themselves as one of the UK's finest, and most underrated, Rock exports since the group's founding in 1983. Just as their acclaimed third studio release, Electric (produced by Rick Rubin), remains a vintage example of the genre' at its most dynamic, frontman Ian Astbury's performance on vocals further cemented the group's infectious trademark sound for which they will always be known.

This song represents all that is right about Rock 'n' Roll. Have a listen.

Real Music: "Do You Remember," then and now

I came across "Do You Remember" by singer/rapper Jay Sean while cruising YouTube recently. And like most tunes of that particular genre, it's crap. Complete crap. Here's the real version of Do You Remember, some 20 years earlier (including a 45-second intro), by a real singer named Phil Collins:

Real Music: Country boy

Ol' Bocephus got himself in a bit of trouble recently for breaking Godwin's law. Hank, Jr. outta know better than to use a reference that's reserved exclusively for the Left in order to pander, demonize and politicize.

 

Oh well. Here's the man himself to throw a well-intentioned middle finger in the face of anyone who doesn't like what he's all about:

 

Real Music: Whole Lotta Sabbath

For my 500th post, which includes all the weak stuff from the early days, I've decided to highlight the inventive forces at Wax Audio who mashed-up two of the all-time greats to create perhaps the ultimate Rock fantasy. Have a look:

Real Music: Chris Young

I love the South (even if you don't).  So here's a song called "Voices" which depicts the best of our regional attributes that'll bless your little heart.

Real Music: My girl Carrie

Just as Fox News is practically the lone remaining network in which we can hear God and Jesus mentioned in a non-blasphemous context, Country is the only remaining genre' of music in which the same can be said.  To demonstrate what I mean -- and in keeping with the theme of last Sunday's Quote -- here's my future wife Carrie Underwood performing "How Great Thou Art" with Vince Gill during the Academy of Country Music's Girls' Night Out at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last April 4:

Real Music: Ozzy

It seems a new mantra has penetrated mainstream music: If it sucks, it's cool.  With the push to promote audible garbage fronted by talentless hacks evidently growing stronger by the year, these are dark times for those who enjoy tunes possessed of emotion and substance.

Despite being practically abandoned by the big name record labels with whom Rock bands once enjoyed a symbiotic relationship, many among the Old Guard are still alive and doing quite well.  To demonstrate my point (as perhaps only he can), here is Ozzy Osbourne's newest song, a surprisingly strong effort -- one I didn't think Ozzy could produce without longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde -- which presents a moving challenge to seize the moment.

You probably haven't heard it, so kick back and enjoy Ozzy at his best because "Life Won't Wait" would be all over the place during any other time in the modern era.  And by all means, don't be put off by the still-shot below.

Real Music: Hum

Last year was the first time that a Rock album failed to break into the Billboard top 10.  The same thing happened to Rap in 2009, but which is more surprising?

Music has changed considerably -- some might say the scene has devolved -- over a short period of time.  Although Rock remains driven by established statesmen such as AC/DC, Metallica, and Ozzy Osbourne, along with assistance by the reformation of Alice in Chians, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots, the newer breed can no longer count on the plenitude of support from MTV and mainstream radio stations the genre' once enjoyed for decades.

In fairness, there is also something to be said for a style of music that once-proudly flew the banner of masculinity and Americana which the brand now generally appears to shun.  Indeed being outshined by their quasi-transvestite forebears of hair metal's heyday doesn't seem to phase them one bit.

Whatever the reason, loyalists remain hopeful that the purveyors of Rock find their voice (and power chords) once again before enthusiasts end up cursed with permanent doses of the currently prevalent pseudo-rock from which the genre' may never fully recover.  So here's a throwback to a band called Hum -- an unassuming yet somewhat heavy group that peaked amid one of music's greatest eras -- who showed us that sometimes less can be more:

Real Music: Tommy Lee

You might be surprised to find that Tommy Lee produced a handful of respectable, if not decent rock songs minus his Mötley Crüe bandmates.  And no, "Get Naked" (w/ Methods of Mayhem, his initial side project while on hiatus from Mötley) is not one of them.  For anyone interested, have a listen to "Hold Me Down" from his Never a Dull Moment album ['02]:

Real Music: When Black guys shred

Noted as much for Vernon Reid's mammoth solo at the 3:00 mark, Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" is a prime example of the quality mainstream music that burst onto the scene in 1991.  Have a listen:

Real Music: Tupac

An old Bellevue friend with whom I keep in touch via Facebook recently used a status update to ask his friends, over 1,000 in all, about their personal taste(s) in music.  I responded with the following:

"My preferences include virtually every genre' of Rock, most of the mainstream Pop songs from '79-'95, contemporary and instrumental Jazz, real Country (not the pretty boy crap that's so prevalent today), R&B from the late '80s to mid-'90s, elements of Rap from the same era, and electronic/"mood music" that has grown on me considerably over the past five or 10 years."

Chaz, and another friend of his, liked my comment.  Although most of my social network responses invoke a comparable amount of depth (you'd be amazed), one might be just as surprised to find that I possess any appreciation for Rap at all.  In fact there was a time, not that long ago, when I considered Rap/Hip-Hop a somewhat viable medium worth my time and, perhaps, a little bit of my money.

Those days are gone.  Lacking the creativity and social consciousness that once fueled its fire, Rap has become largely reprehensible (not to mention repetitious).  But this particular release from Tupac Shakur's debut solo album nearly 20 years ago is responsible for showing me what the genre' was intended to be all about, and it remains the greatest song from a truly golden era by perhaps the most skilled and provocative MC of all-time:

Real Music: Power chords

Having caught some recent footage from Metallica's "World Magnetic Tour," it's clear that frontman James Hetfield isn't as big and mighty on vocals as he once was.  In his defense, and no matter your preference(s) of music, most can barely comprehend the grind of performing 1,700 shows covering six continents over the past 28 years.  Yet it's the inconsistent presence of Metallica's otherwise signature muscle on guitar that throws loyalists the most.

Thus I've included a shredders anthem from their "Damaged Justice" tour 21 years ago to remind those who may have forgotten what Hetfield & Co. are all about:

Real Music: Eddie Van Halen

We've forgotten what Rock n' Roll is all about, and we've definitely forgotten about what it is to play an instrument with masterful precision.  Here is Eddie Van Halen performing "Eruption" (amid Van Hagar's prime) to graciously remind us.

Real Music: Country & football

Country music star (and Tennessee native) Kenny Chesney recently debuted a fitting salutation to the sport most attributed to this time of year.  You will enjoy this song and video, just over eight minutes in length, if you appreciate football even a little bit.

Real Music: "Chick band" double feature

Kick back and enjoy your listen...

Real Music: Korn & Pink Floyd

Here's the original lineup of an outstanding group, among the heaviest of their genre', covering one of the best known songs from one of the great rock bands of all-time:

Real Music: Axl Rose & Queen

Legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991 from an AIDS-related illness.  The following February, two of Mercury's bandmates, Brian May (guitar) and Roger Taylor (drums), announced plans for a tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in London.

All 72,000 tickets were sold in four hours before a lineup had been announced.  Broadcast live in 76 countries, a concert that featured acts such as U2, Metallica, David Bowie, Elton John, and a slew of others, came to fruition on April 20, 1992 (Easter Monday).  Here's one of the better performances.  Enjoy.