More of my capsule commentaries.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Richman<\/b>
\nWhether he meant to or not, Jonathan Richman became one of the most influential figures in alternative rock. Leading his band The Modern Lovers, he recorded a seminal, self-titled and proto-punk album in 1971-72. Though The Modern Lovers<\/i> wouldn’t be released until 1976 \u2013 punk\u2019s heyday \u2013 the album inspired a generation of indie- and punk rockers. But by the time of the record\u2019s release, Richman had moved on to what would become his signature style, a winsome and observational kind of pop. That music would be characterized by song with titles like \u201cHey There Little Insect\u201d and \u201cIce Cream Man\u201d plus oddball covers of the kiddie classic \u201cWheels on the Bus\u201d and the like. Richman scored some mainstream exposure when he played the Greek chorus character in the Farrelly Brothers\u2019 1998 comedy There\u2019s Something About Mary<\/i>, but his guileless and idiosyncratic approach to music has kept him something of an underground (if celebrated) figure in popular music. His most recent studio album is 2021\u2019s Want to Visit My Inner House?<\/i><\/p>\n
W.A.S.P. <\/b>
\nHair metal, glam rock, shock rock: choose your sub-style of over-the-top rock associated with the 1980s, and W.A.S.P. fits into it. Formed in 1982, the four-man outfit from Los Angeles has found widespread success with its brand of bombastic, theatrical music. Staking out a polarizing image, W.A.S.P. \u2013 especially in the person of lead vocalist and guitarist Blackie Lawless \u2013 has successfully tapped into the rebellion of teenage rock fans. Deliberately courting controversy has long been one of the band\u2019s calling cards: they memorably butted heads with morality lobbyists Parents Music Resource Center in 1987. Yet for their trouble, the group has earned critical praise and an ardent following. While the band\u2019s live presentation draws from rock\u2019s tradition of shock (see also: Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson), W.A.S.P. has often swung for the fences with its music, crafting rock operas like the two-part The Neon God<\/i> (2004). More typical of the band\u2019s oeuvre, though, is a release like 1989\u2019s The Headless Children<\/i>, their highest-charting release to date. Sixteen studio albums in, W.A.S.P. continues to provoke and entertain in equal measure.<\/p>\n
Supersuckers<\/b>
\nThe Supersuckers claim to be The Greatest Rock and Roll Band In the World. Who are we to disagree? Even though they jest (a bit), the group founded in Tucson, Arizona in the late 1980s has as legitimate a claim to that title as anyone else. In practice, the group fronted by bassist and lead vocalist Eddie Spaghetti combines c&w with roaring punk. So while audiences might do some boot-scootin\u2019, the rip-roaring songs keep things rooted in the rock idiom. These days the Supersuckers are closer to \u201coutlaw country\u201d than anything else, but applying any label sells the group short. Razor-sharp wit and irreverent humor are at the core of the band’s music: song titles on their latest studio set (2020\u2019s Play That Rock N\u2019 Roll<\/i>, recorded at Willie Nelson\u2019s home-based studio in Austin) include titles like \u201cGetting Into Each Other\u2019s Pants\u201d and \u201cYou Ain\u2019t the Boss of Me.\u201d One can\u2019t go wrong with most any of the Supersuckers\u2019 fifteen-plus albums \u2014 especially the live ones \u2014 but there\u2019s really no equivalent to catching them in the flesh.<\/p>\n
Trans-Siberian Orchestra<\/b>
\nEvery year when the holidays roll around, pop culture watchers can count on a few things: decorations appear seemingly overnight, Santa Claus sets up shop at at the local mall, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra begins a whirlwind schedule of live concert dates across the country. Launched in 1996 by Paul O\u2019Neill, TSO combines the power and spectacle of an arena-scale rock show with the pageantry and sentimentality of a Broadway extravaganza. The TSO concept developed from an unlikely source, beginning as a side project by members of progressive metal band Savatage. After a Christmas song by that group caught the public\u2019s imagination, producer Paul O\u2019Neill was inspired to start the Holiday-themed production. Guitarist Al Pitrelli became its musical director, a role he still holds today. Founder O\u2019Neill passed in 2017, and since that time the TSOs focus has been on its elaborate stage show. While the touring season is short (mid-November to the end of December), TSO works nearly year-round to hone its thrilling onstage presentation. In addition to annual tours \u2013 requiring two troupes to satisfy demand \u2013 Trans Siberian Orchestra has released nine albums and several DVDs.<\/p>\n
JD McPherson<\/b>
\nThe best retro-minded music is made when the artist has a genuine feel for the style; there’s no substitute for having a real and abiding understanding of the music. JD McPherson is a genuine practitioner. He writes his own songs in the here-and-now, but those songs are imbued with the character and sonic qualities of classics of the past. The Tulsa native was raised on a diet of Buddy Holly, and his own early forays into music were in the punk idiom. Those twin influences would eventually yield McPherson\u2019s own distinctive sound. His debut album, Signs & Signifiers<\/i> was released on a small label in 2010 and then picked up and reissued two years later by prestigious roots label Rounder Records. That release soared to the #1 spot on Billboard<\/i>\u2019s Heatseekers chart. His second album, 2015\u2019s Let the Good Times Roll<\/i> repeated that feat, and soared to the #17 spot on the Rock Albums chart. With equal parts raw energy, songwriting smarts and nuance, Let the Good Times Roll<\/i> could have been a career peak. But McPherson\u2019s subsequent releases \u2013 including the brand-new Nite Owls<\/i> \u2013 demonstrate that his good times continue to roll.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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