Red Light Company - With Lights Out

possibly one of my favorite tracks from recent years, "With Lights Out" is from Red Light Company, a five-piece multinational alternative rock band based in London, England.






















Red Light Company have been named as one of the hottest new bands of 2009 by both NME and HMV.

The band was formed in 2007 by members :

• Richard Frenneaux (vocals/guitar)
• Shawn Day (bass)
• James Griffiths (drums)
• Paul Mellon (guitar)
  
• Chris Edmonds (keyboards)
  

The band is formed out of the ashes of Frenneaux and Griffiths' former band Dirty Perfect. They came together following an advert Richard posted on the internet, to which Shawn quickly responded, and moved from his home in Wyoming, United States to London in order to pursue making music with the rest of the group.

The song, "With Lights Out", about a childhood friend of Frenneaux's who committed suicide, was released as a single in 2008 without much chart success.
The album "Fine Fascination" though did fairly well in the UK peaking at #13.

audio clips :
With Lights Out

With Lights Out (instrumental version)


BUY the album "Fine Fascination"

lyrics : (check out the Lou Reed-like spoken segment at 2:20)
It's just red and white
Get a little older and that's alright
Seven years colder by the sight
Bought you some flowers and every day gets longer

I guessed you might
Get a little quieter and that's alright
Still I keep holding on to you
Bleach scarred honey there, sleeping pills aren't stronger

Hit the walls on my back
To reconcile with lights out
Falling down the lighthouse
Still I found your little toy soldier buried under

It's a heavy malign
Ceremony breakdown every time
Bells keep ringing out loud in rhyme
As my heart beats faster every breath gets stronger

I can't rewind
Or even move forward and that's alright
Still I keep holding on with you
Bleach scarred honey there, sleeping pills aren't stronger

Hit the walls on my back
To reconcile with lights out
Falling down the light house
Still I found your little toy soldier buried under

Set alight its a slow burn, bury me
Set alight its a slow burn, bury me
Keep alight and keep secrets buried beneath
Set alight its a slow burn, bury me

Hit the walls on my back
To reconcile with lights out
Falling down the light house
Still I found your little toy soldier buried under

Album : Do What You Want Be What You Are. The Music Of Daryl Hall and John Oates

Artist : Daryl Hall & John Oates
Album (BoxSet) : Do What You Want Be What You Are. The Music Of Daryl Hall and John Oates



PopDose CD Review HERE


Details :
DO WHAT YOU WANT, BE WHAT YOU ARE:
THE MUSIC OF DARYL HALL AND JOHN OATES
(RCA/Legacy 88697 36974 2)


Disc One
Title, Chart, From album or detail, Label, Rec.___
1. Girl I Love You - single – by The Temptones Arctic 9 - 12/66
2. I Need Your Love - single – by The Masters Crimson 1966
3. Say These Words Of Love - single – by The Temptones Arctic 10/3/67
4. Perkiomen - track - c. 1970
5. I’m Sorry - Whole Oats Atlantic 5/72
6. Fall In Philadelphia - Whole Oats Atlantic 5/72
7. Waterwheel - Whole Oats Atlantic 5/72
8. Lilly (Are You Happy) - Whole Oats Atlantic 5/72
9. Had I Known You Better Then - Abandoned Luncheonette Atlantic 5/73
10. Las Vegas Turnaround - Abandoned Luncheonette Atlantic 3/73
11. She’s Gone H#7,R&B#93,AC#6 Abandoned Luncheonette Atlantic 4/73
12. You’re Much Too Soon - War Babies Atlantic 6 - 7/74
13. Is It A Star - War Babies Atlantic 6 - 7/74
14. It’s Uncanny H#80 No Goodbyes Atlantic 2/75
15. Love You Like A Brother - No Goodbyes Atlantic 2/75
16. * Lady Rain (live) - New Victoria Theatre, London - 10/3/75
17. * Beanie G. And The Rose - New Victoria Theatre, London - 10/3/75
Tattoo (live)
18. * Better Watch Your Back (live) - New Victoria Theatre, London - 10/3/75
19. * Abandoned Luncheonette (live) - New Victoria Theatre, London - 10/3/75
20. * When the Morning Comes (live) - New Victoria Theatre, London - 10/3/75


Disc Two
1. Camellia - Daryl Hall & John Oates RCA 6 - 7/75
2. Sara Smile H#4,R&B#23,AC#18 Daryl Hall & John Oates RCA 6/75
3. Alone Too Long R&B#98 Daryl Hall & John Oates RCA 6/75
4. * Gino (The Manager) 2009 Remix - [Daryl Hall & John Oates] RCA 6 - 7/75
5. Ennui On The Mountain - Daryl Hall & John Oates RCA 6 - 7/75
6. Out Of Me, Out Of You - Daryl Hall & John Oates RCA 6 - 7/75
7. Back Together Again H#28, R&B#70 Bigger Than Both Of Us RCA 3 - 4/76
8. RICH GIRL H#1, R&B#64 Bigger Than Both Of Us RCA 3 - 4/76
9. Crazy Eyes - Bigger Than Both Of Us RCA 3 - 4/76
10. Have I Been Away Too Long - Along The Red Ledge RCA 1978
11. August Day - Along The Red Ledge RCA 1978
12. It’s A Laugh H#20 Along The Red Ledge RCA 1978
13. I Don’t Wanna Lose You H#42, AC#49 Along The Red Ledge RCA 1978
(7-inch Remix)
14. Wait For Me H#18, AC#23 X-Static RCA 1979
15. Time’s Up (Alone Tonight) - X-Static RCA 1979
16. The Woman Comes And Goes - X-Static RCA 1979
17. How Does It Feel To Be Back H#30 Voices RCA 3 - 6/80
18. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling H#12, AC#15 Voices RCA 3 - 6/80
19. KISS ON MY LIST H#1, AC#16,AR#54 Voices RCA 3 - 6/80
20. * Everytime You Go Away (live) - Tokyo, Japan U-Watch 1996


Disc Three
1. You Make My Dreams H#5, AR#35 Voices RCA 3 - 6/80
2. PRIVATE EYES H#1,AC#33,AR#33 Private Eyes RCA 1981
3. Head Above Water - Private Eyes RCA 1980-81
4. Did It In A Minute H#9, AC#29 Private Eyes RCA 1980-81
5. Your Imagination H#33, R&B#45 Private Eyes RCA 1980-81
6. I CAN’T GO FOR THAT H#1,R&B#1,AC#12, Private Eyes RCA 1980-81
(NO CAN DO) D#1, AR#28
7. * Don’t Go Out - outtake from Private Eyes RCA 1980-81
8. MANEATER H#1,R&B#78,AC#14, H2O RCA 6 - 9/82
D#18, AR#18
9. Family Man H#6,R&B#81,AC#36 H2O RCA 6 - 9/82
10. One On One H#7,R&B#8,AC#4 H2O RCA 6 - 9/82
11. Go Solo - H2O RCA 6 - 9/82
12. Say It Isn’t So H#2,R&B#45,AC#8, Rock ’N Soul Part 1 RCA 9/83
D#1, AR#18
13. Adult Education H#8, R&B#50, D#21, Rock ’N Soul Part 1 RCA 9/83
AR#23
14. OUT OF TOUCH (single edit) H#1, R&B#24, AC#8, Big Bam Boom RCA 1984
D#1, AR#18
15. Method Of Modern Love H#5,R&B#21,AC#18, Big Bam Boom RCA 1984
D#15, AR#42
16. Some Things Are Better Left H#18,R&B#85,AC#17 Big Bam Boom RCA 1984
Unsaid
17. Possession Obsession (live) - Live At The Apollo w/David RCA 5/23/85
Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick
18. A Nite At The Apollo Live! H#20, R#B#40, Live At The Apollo w/David RCA 5/23/85
The Way You Do The AC#12, AR#43 Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick
Things You Do/My Girl
(live, single version)


Disc Four
1. Everything Your Heart Desires H#3,R&B#13,AC#2 Ooh Yeah! Arista 1987-88
(Video Mix)
2. Missed Opportunity H#29,R&B#68,AC#8 Ooh Yeah! Arista 1987-88
3. Keep On Pushin’ Love - Ooh Yeah! Arista 1987-88
4. * Storm Warning - outtake from Change Of Season Arista 1990
5. Change Of Season - Change Of Season Arista 1990
6. * Starting All Over Again (live) - live at The Budokan, Tokyo U-Watch 1995
7. * So Close (live) - live in Portland, Oregon U-Watch 2006
8. Do It For Love AC#1 Do It For Love U-Watch 2002
9. Forever For You AC#7 Do It For Love U-Watch 2001-02
10. Heartbreak Time - Do It For Love U-Watch 2001-02
11. * All The Way From Philadelphia - outtake from Do It For Love U-Watch 2002
12. * Have You Ever Been In Love - - U-Watch c. 2002
(Demo)
13. Me And Mrs. Jones (live) - live at John Jay College, NY U-Watch 3/24/03
14. * I Want Someone (live) - from Daryl’s House web series U-Watch 2008
15. * Do What You Want, Be What - - U-Watch 2007
You Are (Live)
16. * Dreamer (’72–’09 Redux) - - U-Watch 2009

Key:

* indicates previously unreleased track

Charts:
H indicates Billboard Hot 100 chart
R&B indicates Billboard Hot Soul Singles and Hot Black Singles charts
AC indicates Billboard Adult Contemporary chart
D indicates Billboard Disco Top 100, Top 80, and Hot Dance/Disco charts
AR indicates Billboard Album Rock chart

Pearl Jam - Backspacer (Album)

Artist : Pearl Jam
Album : Backspacer
Year : 2009

Released : September 20, 2009
Producer : Brendan O'Brien
Length : 36:38
Recorded : February 16 – April 30, 2009
@ Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, California, USA
& Southern Tracks Recording and Doppler, Atlanta, Georgia, USA


about the album :
Backspacer is the ninth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on September 20, 2009. Pearl Jam began work for the follow-up to its previous album, Pearl Jam (2006), in early 2008. In 2009, the band began to build on instrumental and demo tracks written during 2008. The music on the record features a sound influenced by pop and New Wave. The band released the album through its own label Monkeywrench Records in the United States and through Universal Music Group internationally.

The album title Backspacer is a tribute to a typewriter key that went out of use in the 1950s. Vedder is known to use typewriters when writing lyrics and letters. Vedder said, "Backspacer [means] actually you kind of have to go back and look at your mistake." Gossard said, "There's some retrospective moods on this record, where Ed is looking at both his past and his future." The album title Backspacer was also used for the name of a leatherback turtle that was sponsored by Pearl Jam for Conservation International and National Geographic's Great Turtle Race.

about the album artwork :
The artwork for the album was handled by editorial cartoonist Dan Perkins, who goes by the pen name Tom Tomorrow. Perkins spent six months working on the artwork. In 2009, Village Voice Media, publishers of 16 alternative weeklies, suspended all syndicated cartoons across their entire chain. Perkins lost twelve client papers in cities including Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City and Seattle, prompting his friend Vedder to post an open letter on the Pearl Jam website in support of the cartoonist. Perkins referred to the artwork as "dreams and memories," while Gossard referred to the artwork as a "bizarro otherworldy dreamscape." The album's cover art features nine images created by Perkins, and was revealed through a contest on the band's official website. The nine images were hidden on various websites, and the contest asked internet users to search for the websites containing the images, whereby the images would be placed on a grid on the Pearl Jam website after clicking on them. After finding all of the images, users were rewarded with a demo version of the song "Speed of Sound".

about the music & lyrics :
Musically,

• McCready said, "I'd sum it up as kind of a tight, concise, rock 'n' roll record with kind of pop or maybe new wave elements to it... It's a really quick record, but I like that element to it. I like the sparseness of the songs and the way that Brendan pulled us together and made us play as good as we could."
• Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said that "prior to Backspacer, Pearl Jam wouldn't or couldn't have made music this unfettered, unapologetically assured, casual, and, yes, fun."
• Vedder stated, "The new record feels good so far—really strong and uptempo, stuff we can sink our teeth into." Gossard said, "There's plenty of ballads, too... And there's some shifts in how Jeff and Matt and I are all relating—I think this record's got a chance to sound significantly different."
• Ament said, "There's a couple of great things that Ed brought in that could be real departures for us. Whatever wave Ed caught with [his soundtrack for] Into the Wild has taken him to different places."

Lyrically, Backspacer displays a more positive outlook than the band's last few albums.

• Vedder credited the election of President Barack Obama as inspiration for the optimistic lyrics. Regarding the lyrics, Vedder said, "I've tried, over the years, to be hopeful in the lyrics, and I think that's going to be easier now."
  
• Gossard stated, "We've made a couple of political and pointed records, the last two in particular, and just to move away from that is great, because it allows you to go back to that when you need to and it refreshes everybody, and it comes down to a beat and a melody and your friends and a lyric and a poem and something that's important to you."
  
• Backspacer is the first Pearl Jam album to feature lyrics exclusively written by Vedder since the band's 1994 album, Vitalogy.

track listings

All lyrics written by Eddie Vedder.

#		Title		Music	Length
1.		"Gonna See My Friend"		Vedder	2:49
2.		"Got Some"		Jeff Ament	3:02
3.		"The Fixer"		Matt Cameron, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard	2:58
4.		"Johnny Guitar"		Cameron, Gossard	2:50
5.		"Just Breathe"		Vedder	3:36
6.		"Amongst the Waves"		Gossard	3:59
7.		"Unthought Known"		Vedder	4:09
8.		"Supersonic"		Gossard	2:40
9.		"Speed of Sound"		Vedder	3:34
10.		"Force of Nature"		McCready	4:04
11.		"The End"		Vedder	2:58

about the songs :
"Gonna See My Friend" is a "drug song," but elaborated that the song is about going to see a friend to stay off drugs
"Got Some" is about a "drug dealer," but added that the drug the dealer is selling is actually a great rock song
"Johnny Guitar" Vedder was inspired to write the lyricsafter viewing a collage of album covers that is pasted on the bathroom wall of the band's rehearsal space. He noticed the album cover for Johnny "Guitar" Watson's 1979 album, What the Hell Is This?, and imagined a man who becomes attracted to one of the various women on the cover and then wonders why this woman would rather be one of Watson's many girlfriends instead of his only one
"Just Breathe" is "as close to a love song as we've ever gotten," and said that the subject of the song is the happiest times of people's lives when they should just take in the moment and "breathe for a minute."
"Unthought Known" concerns the human psyche
"Supersonic" is about the love for music
"Speed of Sound" is a song taken from the perspective of a man who is still sitting in a bar after everyone else has left, but he added that even though the song is sad it became more "confident" when played with the whole band
"Force of Nature" is "about the strength of one person in the relationship, when they can withstand some of the faults in another
"The End" has been described as an "aching love song

audio clips :


Professional reviews :

• Allmusic
• Entertainment Weekly (B)
• The Guardian
• Los Angeles Times
• The New York Times (mixed)
• Pitchfork Media (4.6/10)
• Q
• Rolling Stone
• Spin
• Time (favorable)

videos :
The Making Of : Backspacer

Insights Into The Inspiration Behind Backspacer

Just Breathe (Los Angeles - 30 Sep 2009, @ Gibson Amphitheater)

Lead-off Single : The Fixer

Collective Soul - Collective Soul / Rabbit (Album)

Artist : Collective Soul
Album : Collective Soul / Rabbit
Year : 2009




Track listing :
1. "Welcome All Again" - 3:54
2. "Fuzzy" - 3:59
3. "Dig" - 3:18
4. "You" - 3:51
5. "My Days" - 3:42
6. "Understanding" - 4:23
7. "Staring Down" - 3:35
8. "She Does" - 3:26
9. "Lighten Up" - 3:36
10. "Love" - 3:32
11. "Hymn for My Father" - 2:53


about the album :
Collective Soul released their eighth studio album, another self-titled, but designated by the band as Rabbit. It was released on August 25, 2009 by Roadrunner Records.

A rabbit appears on the cover of the album, which was initially to be known as Collective Soul. Frontman Ed Roland told Billboard magazine: "We weren't trying to be confusing. We just thought, 'Oh, we'll come back out and feel really fresh and new. And we'll use a picture of a rabbit,' which to us means fertile. It's rebirth and all kinds of cool spiritual meanings. But somewhere along the line people started calling it 'Rabbit,' even the recording company. That's fine - as long as they call it something."

Collective Soul is Collective Soul's first release with a parent label since the group started its own independent El Music Group label in 2004.

Collective Soul also includes two songs ("You" and "Understanding") that were written by all members in the band, a first for Collective Soul. According to singer/guitarist Ed Roland: "I think it's the confidence that the other guys have gotten in their music skills and the songwriting and also, for lack of a better term, me letting go of my ego a little bit..."


Singles / Charts :
The first confirmed single off of the new album, titled "Staring Down", was sent to radio stations on June 8, 2009, and the second confirmed single is "Welcome All Again", which was sent to stations on July 6, 2009.

"Staring Down" has reached the top 20 on the Mediabase Hot AC chart and has also charted on Billboard's Adult Top-40 chart.

The album debuted at #24 on the Billboard Hot 200.


Audio Clips : Collective Soul / Rabbit



YouTube :
Staring Down, Live In Cleveland 6/22/09


Welcome All Again, Live in Indianapolis



Album Reviews :
Ultimate Guitar

Amazon

Music Review

Sputnik Music

Matthew Barber - Ghost Notes (Album)

Featured Artist : Matthew Barber
Album : Ghost Notes (2008 - Canada/Australia) (2009 US)
personal favorites tracks :
Somebody Sometime
Easily Bruised
One Little Piece Of My Heart

about the artist :
Matthew Barber is an acclaimed singer-songwriter hailing from Toronto, Canada.
His sound is largely influenced by the tradition of folk-rock and country singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Hank Williams, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen, but also by years of immersion in contemporary indie-rock as a college radio d.j. The one constant in Barber's songwriting is his knack for a memorable hook (perhaps owing to his enduring love of the Beatles), and in this way he has carved out a unique sound that often defies categorization.


about the album :
Ghost Notes is self-produced and considered by many critics to be his most accomplished work to date.

some of these reviews can be found in this section on his personal website.


this album reminds me a lot of another great singer-songwriter Billy Mann. their similarities lies in their storytelling abilities thru their songs, as well as the laid-back manner in which both of these artist execute their songs. (i will write on Billy Mann at another time)




i highly recommend you give Matthew Barber a listen, and especially his latest album, Ghost Notes.

you may find some samplers from the album here :
Matthew Barber's Facebook
Matthew Barber's MySpace
Matthew Barber's Website
Imeem

this album is ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon such as the one i am enjoying whilst writing this blog entry

Chickenfoot - Oh Yeah

title : Oh Yeah
artist : Chickenfoot
year charted : 2009
chart : #24 US Main Rock Chart
album : Chickenfoot (released 5 June 2009)










about the band :
Chickenfoot is a hard rock band, supergroup featuring :
vocalist Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen and Montrose)
bassist Michael Anthony (ex-Van Halen)
guitarist Joe Satriani
drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)


Band's Official Website


lyrics :
Wow wow, oh
If I were healer, I'd use my hands
I'd would put a spell on you if I were magic man
If I was Jesus,Buddha or a Kain
If I were a blues man or all I can sing about
How I want to be your hootchie cotche man
You got me outa your pain

"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha want
"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha need
"Oh yeah" nothing I wouldn't do for you

Oh yeah

When I was a young man I slept around
When I turned 30 time to settle down
To be your doctor,preacher,teacher that's the truth

Hey

I'm praying on me knee's
My soul is what I want to prove
Hey I just want to be your Hootchie cotchie man
To get you in and out of my head

"Oh yeah" so come on baby tell me whatcha want
"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha need
"Oh yeah" ain't nothing I wouldn't do for you
[ Chickenfoot Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
Oh yeah

Ow baby
Ow baby
Wow
Yey

Come on
Oh baby
Ow yeah
Well,well,well

If I were water I'd make you real
I'd want to touch you all night long on my spinning wheel

"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha want
"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha need
"Oh yeah" tell me what I can do for you

I said
"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha want
"Oh yeah" come on baby tell me whatcha need
"Oh yeah" I'd do anything for you wow
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Hey ow yeah

New Single : Collective Soul - Staring Down

Artist : Collective Soul
Single : Staring Down
Album : Collective Soul (Rabbit) due out 25th August 2009

album details :
Multi-platinum rockers Collective Soul have revealed the title and track listing to their upcoming Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records debut album, Collective Soul (Rabbit). The album, which is scheduled for an August 25th release date, was recorded at frontman Ed Roland’s Lake House studio and is self-produced. The first single, “Staring Down,” will ship to Hot A/C and Triple A formats on June 8, followed by the rocker “Welcome All Again,” which will ship on July 6 to Rock formats.

track listing is as follows:
Welcome All Again
Fuzzy
Dig
You
My Days
Understanding
Staring Down
She Does
Lighten Up
Love
Hymn For My Father

check out the first single here :

Staring Down (Album Version) - Collective Soul