Page 31 - the NOISE September 2012

b Ugh
bb Eh
bbb Solid
bbbb Gold bbbbb Total Classic
CW from top left: The Right Now; Bringing It Together Like Pangea; Ty Seagall Band; the Melvins.
of that rebel in us, due to our love of Neil’s mu- sic. We hate to be treated like a demographic, reminded that we’re only consumers.
Every one of those price gouges hurts, Neil. Not just our pride, but our wallets too. If we have to make the decision between buying your new album and buying groceries, guess who’s losing THAT contest?
Is this all selfishness on my part? There’s tons of bands out there, and besides, music isn’t a necessity like food and water.
It’s just entertainment, right?
The latest news: Young is working with Ford on a plan to equip automobiles with Blu- Ray players, presumably because a) new cars aren’t expensive enough, b) today’s discerning music fans deserve to hear the sound of picks hitting strings in crystal clarity while navigat- ing the freeway during rush hour, c) Blu-Rays are NOT the 8-track tapes of tomorrow, and d) Americans could use more distractions when they’re behind the wheel. And didn’t MP3 players eliminate the need to bring any sort of disc into your car?
It all smacks of the worst kind of elitism: that poor people don’t deserve good music or high fidelity. The privileged are on the cutting edge of technology while we’re stuck with yesterday’s formats because that’s what we can afford.
Recession? What recession?
ReVieW’d
Hard in Heaven
Burger Records
jjjj
If the Nuge fronted the MC5: Lyrics about partying over the best riffs money can buy. That’s the first track anyway.
And then they slow it down. Title track, “Hard in Heaven” is nearly seven minutes of slow blues riffage Actually, and this is a matter of taste, but they spend way too much time grooving here and not enough time aping Chuck Berry riffs. “Derek’s Blues” sounds a lot like the Black Crowes, but not so much like the Rolling Stones. Ouch.
Smoke it, bros. You’ll sound like the Dead in no time. Actually, the last track is a road song, not unlike “Truckin” or “Roll Another Number,” (Need we mention his name again?) And, yes, it’s good. And funny. Hard in Heaven is book- ended with its two best tracks.
Natural Child end up a paint-by-numbers pastiche of classic rock influences. Hey, hey, my my, that’s all right, because these guys are obvi- ously just having a really good time. See it live.
Natural Child
— Frank Chipotel
Well Neil, hope you and your rich friends enjoy all the new toys. Lots of luck with the Blu-Ray thing, maybe I’m wrong and it won’t be obsolete by the end of the decade. Can’t wait for Archives II in 23 years or so; we’ll start saving now. When the revolution comes, I’ll try and put in a good word for you.
— Tony BallZ
The Right Now
Gets Over You
Self-released
jjj
Right Now is heavily nostalgic.
I’ve become confident that the magic laid down on 60s/70s Stax and Motown records,
>> Continued on 32 >>
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news magazine • SEPTEMBER 2012 • 31