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| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
 By Andy Argyrakis |
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Weekend Report: Seal goes club, Beck is back
Friday, October 3, 2008 He may never eclipse the mainstream attention of early career singles like "Where It's At" and "Devil's Haircut," but Beck has such a dedicated following, the radio is irrelevant at this point. The fact that he keeps turning in generally brilliant albums also doesn't hurt, with the recent Modern Guilt (Interscope) merging his delightfully peculiar songwriting with even quirkier electronic soundscapes. In concert, the eccentric superstar is fairly unpredictable but relatively consistent, making any follower from the casual to the crazy sure to leave with a smile. (Bet your life - Friday at Aragon Ballroom- Chicago, IL: www.jamusa.com). Didn't Tina Turner stage a farewell tour at the turn of the decade claiming she'd never hit the road again? Taking cues from Cher, she's back in action parading through an illustrious career of soulful hits and sultry ballads, dancing in her high heels the entire time. Though the long legged diva is known for staging a spectacle, the lack of a new album makes her motives questionable. Still, a recent appearance at the  Grammy Awards alongside Beyonce proves she's still somewhat sexy (well, at least for 68) and can sing like she's thirty years younger. (Worth a shot - Friday and Saturday at United Center- Chicago, IL and Monday at Allstate Arena- Rosemont, IL: www.ticketmaster.com).Outside of the occasional ballad on light rock radio, Seal's kept a relatively low profile as of late, though that doesn't mean he should be written off as a mere product of the 90s. On his latest effort System (Warner Bros.), the singer/songwriter turns in a fiery club offering that's impressively contemporary and even more contagious. He's also known to put a soulful spin across classic covers in concert, with Queen's "Killer" serving as a unanimous showstopper. (Bet your life - Sunday at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino- Hammond, IL: www.thevenue-chicago.com). |
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Street Week: Tori times two, More solo piano pop
Monday, September 29, 2008 The solo outpouring of Ben Folds has never been as infectious as time fronting Ben Folds Five, but that's not to say his individual offerings aren't worth exploring. If anything, that sarcasm is replaced with a witty maturity and musical expressions wrapped around his own intimate vocals as opposed to layered harmonies. The new Way To Normal (Epic) was produced by Dennis Herring (Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello) and features the duet with fellow piano pop star Regina Spektor on "You Don't Know Me." Fellow piano player Tori Amos turns in two separate projects this week,  both of which hearken back to the early 1990s, which was arguably her most productive period. Live at Montreux 1991-1992 (Eagle) hits streets separately on CD and DVD, chronicling two subsequent performances behind groundbreaking Little Earthquakes album. Both collections feature plenty from that now classic project, plus choice covers of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Led Zeppelin's "Thank You."Considering slew of U2 re-releases in recent years, it's surprising that the classic concert film Under the Blood Red Sky (Island) hadn't been remastered on CD or released on DVD. But that's all about to change this week thanks to a double disc package boasting both formats with similar set lists. Top tunes include "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Two Hearts Beat As One," "40" and "New Year's Day," all of which were in their infancy during this 1983 recording from Red Rocks. |
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