BLAST FROM THE PAST
If the Beatles could do it, so can we
We've seen lately a revival of old rock 'n' roll acts strapping their guitars on again and touring the United States. Herman's Hermits gallivanted across the Midwest earlier in February; now The Turtles, or what's left of them, are taking their turn. The Turtles are known mainly for the song "Happy Together." In California, the band rose to prominence after changing its name from The Crossfires, which was a surf-rock instrumental band. After releasing a cover of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe," which charted in the U.S. in the Top 5, The Crossfires changed their name to The Turtles. The name change spurred a new sound, as The Turtles gave up surf rock and decided to follow in The Beatles' pop footsteps. According to The Turtles' Web site, the band had a self-professed, "If The Beatles could do it, so could we" philosophy. (The Beatles' influence is quite obvious, as The Turtles seem at first glance only like a bad, overly cute copy.) So, missing the talent, vision and good looks of The Fab Four, The Turtles relied on outsiders to provide them hits -- "Eve of Destruction," "Let Me Be" and "You Baby" were written by other songwriters. The Turtles, though, in time, came to influence the personality of many contemporary artists: the band was perhaps the first group to skewer the flower-pop genre with inherently sarcastic hits like "You Showed Me" and "Elenore," including the lyrics, "Gee, Elenore, I think you're swell" and "She's my pride and joy, etc." Though better bands came out of the '60s, The Turtles revival shows should be ones to catch. -á
OMG - DID YOU HEAR?
Hey, they had a lot ot live up to
The Gossip makes the dirty, raw kind of blues The White Stripes would make if Jack White wasn't such a great guitar player. The Gossip's songs are mired in feedback, off-key guitar sludge and grime, almost-perfectly reminiscent of the Delta Blues played by musicians our generation does not care about. The Gossip treats its song structures and chord progressions like they're merely afterthoughts. Nothing about The Gossip is crisp or clear. Low-fidelity recording often haunts the band's records, leaving them listless and unnecessarily murky. Songs are undeveloped, sparse and end with uncertainty. Still, despite the band's aesthetic shortcomings, The Gossip is one of the best bands making alcohol rock -- music that is best after one has had enough to drink to dull his senses. Certain publications have suggested that the Arkansas-cum-Olympia band's best asset is lead singer Beth Ditto. While that's true, it's also a grave understatement. Ditto croons like women used to and should still. Her voice is so powerful and so expressive that it renders the shrill, studio-treated shriek of contemporary female artists obsolete. Comparisons to Janis Joplin and Etta James abound, and they are deserved, as Ditto sounds a bit like each at once. In the end, The Gossip is a band best-suited to clubs filled with clich+â-¬s, like smoke and seedy barflies. If this is your scene, a trip to Columbus should be in order.
FLASH BACK
When Blondie meets Pat Benatar only bad things can happen
The Sounds are supposed to embody the "new electro" that college students are supposed to like because it's risky, challenging and catchy. The Sweden-based Sounds might be catchy, but that's it. As evidenced by the punk-lite lyrics of the first single from the group's debut, "Living in America," the band tries hard to rail against the behemoth that is this country like so many clich+â-¬s: "We don't care about the world today / We're not living in America, and we're not sorry." Ouch. What this all means is that The Sounds are kidding themselves. The group does have appeal, though. The Swedes are attractive and talented, right, because they are in a rock 'n' roll band. And, also, The Sounds play Blondie-meets-Pat Benatar songs infused with typical synthesizers and drum-machine-like beats that would appeal to children of the '80s. So, the band's musicianship is all right, as there is nothing wrong with Blondie, or even Pat Benatar. And when bassist Johan Bengtsson said the band is "all about dancing and having a good time," you wish he meant it. Ultimately, The Sounds should be a glossy, fun, synth-pop band. They have the looks; they have the sound, if you will. But they ruin it all, as they haven't learned that pseudo-political ranting on record is best left to Bono and U2.
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