LIVE ROCK CRITIC 44  CONCLUSION                                      

                                                                      

                                                                            

                                           

July 27 2014  G EASY performed on Seth Myer’s Show. I have to wade such a pool of crap doing these reviews. I think that Rap is always Crap. White Rap reaches a new low with G-Easy. He starts out in a very square suit and tie very G.Q. white. G     quickly changes to a hip white guy outfit. I have not ever seen a more insipid and flaccid Rap.
                                                                                Backing tracks with the now standard over use of vocal master are the predominant characteristic of this performance. G has mastered all the Rap poseur moves but as he is a white guy who can not dance or cadence…..

The black Rapper is not prep school cool but he soon drops to a G level. The band unenthusiastically tapped drum and fingered key board to complete the bland stumbling performance of G Easy.

Big Data and Joy Wave: I would guess that Big Data is the dude with the beard. Joy Wave is definitely a 1910 fruit gum company contender but they performed enthusiastically

“Dangerous” is the number one tune on alternative radio! I watched carefully and I could see no key board or guitar although I could hear them, this always makes me suspect backing tracks.  The amateurish and uncoordinated dancers seemed to be unrehearsed.  To be fair the bassist and drummer are steady.



                                                                           

  Rixton performed on Seth Meyers. Obviously bald lead singer, terrible wig.









Rixton does play instruments to perform. Not bad musicianship, though it is very repetitious, not much range of rhythm or tonality.


                                                                               

August 7th 2014 Chase Rice performed “Ready Set Roll”. Country with a backing track and a cap on backwards. Wow, what a dude. Confused fast country, there were a few good guitar licks from the gold guitar dude, but then he got confused too.



                                                                              

                                      

I have seen enough bits of Seth Myers to be avoiding them soon forever. Only a few more lame bands, maybe a good one will come along.
The 8 G band has acquired a female guitarist who was quite quirkily ok.

Stand of Oaks, what do you know not bad compared to most of Seth’s bands. Pretty good musicianship, nice tune and the vocal was ok.  The piano man has a real piano and does a pretty good job of providing a roadbed for the song. The audience liked them.



                                                                             

Counting Crows performed from their new album “Somewhere Under Wonderland”. Things are looking up over looking the bad wig on the singer.
                                                                       
The band really pumps, many interesting and relevant musical digressions. The performance is a bit ragged at times but it is live and the Crow counters get back on track.  Not to much repetition vocally or musically. The guitar breaks are as good as any I have heard for awhile.

The audience really liked the performance, hooting and cheering.

On September 9th 2014 Banks performed. Trying to be quirky Banks is 
Simply ridiculous. The ensemble does not make music, just rhythmic sound.  The backing track is shameless at times and is also ridiculous. Now she is singing shrill as Seth.

                                                                               
Australian Vance Joy, once again number one on alternative radio. Another very bad wig. The band is sparse unmelodious and is flat as Vance’s voice. Bye Bye Vance.



Nick Jonas, not a bad band, a bit Super Fly a bit Soul. Nick Jonas’s vocal is uninspiring and so lacking in dynamic change that I wonder why he is the front man.










“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.  This band is disorganized and unmelodious and the backing track is not the worse part the vocal is.

I have cancelled the Seth Myers series.
                                                                              Group Love is the last group on Seth Myers which I will review. The vocalist continues to race to the bottom in the contest: Who can do the most terrible vocal. The Group Love launched into a confused and irrelevant frenzy and I turned off the TV.

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Lily Allen appeared on Live from the Artists Den. She started slow but by the second number she was interesting up beat and seriously whimsical.
                                                                           

Lily's band is precise and punctual. No backing tracks "Very live entertainment". The second number featured very provocative dancers, well choreographed, well rehearsed.

                                                                          
In the retrospective on musical dance numbers on TV the Lily Allen show has come along way.

Allen synthesizes Jazz and Pop to create rock quality performance.  What essence pervades the Lily Allen group the they are so much better than Vampire Weekend reviewed in the previous segment of Live Rock Critic 44.

Al
len's voice soars crackles and bends and show tunes become danceable

                                                                                                        

Jason Miraz performed at UCLA's Royce Hall.  Many people would like his smooth soft music but it is a Genre outside of Live Rock Criticism.

Continue Live Rock Critic 44 Speed Reviews:  

These bands have appeared on Seth Myer's Late Night. Way back in May " Little Daylight" grinds out their rock schmaltz, Electric Light Orchestra with UHOH's and a bit of kelt. There performance though muddy is real without backing tracks.  

June 3rd 2014  on Seth Myers show Kip Moore is country.He tries to get up and rock but does not quite do it. Very simple very slow and without any great tones.

Very next night "Bastile" which Steth alleges is a UK Rock Band. OHOOO OHHOOO  not quite making rock. It seems to me that this band does not understand what it takes to rock.  They have the right instruments are live but not quite adequate.

                                                                         

Demi Lovato's band does rock. She is a bit of key, nerve grating. Perhaps the rushed shrillness is a product of nervousness. Weakness in drums and bass my fail to punctuate, creating a run on vocal.
                                                                            

Sia got 25 million views on YouTube. A continuing backing track with a ponderous choreography to me. Seth bounces up to view the homo erotic ending close up.

Paolo Nutini performed Iron Sky. Starts out as fair heavy blues very nice blues guitar from an old Gibson 335. The horn section tries to remedy the number's failure to develop and even fall flat. The band is trying for a Beatles style at times. For fans of blues who could tolerate the vougeing........
                                                                          
Stromae " Poppa Yto" was crappy and in french. Repetitious as well with True Geek choreography.

                                                                             

July at last an I just caught a bit of the 8 G band which may suck more than any other. Charlie XCX try's to
out suck 8 G.
                                                                            

I like the bit of Ed Sheran animation which was graphed on to the start of Seth Meyers late night July 10 2014. Listening and viewing on a Samsung Smart TV, probably  your average sound system for programs like Steth Myers.
                                                                           

Neon Trees performed "Text Me In The Morning". the band pulls of quirky rock finally succeeding and continuing to rock. good drums help a lot. the vocal is repetitious, that is a bit of a failure.

July 15th 2014 Seth hosts "Betty Who"  "Some Body Loves You" Betty is making her first TV appearance could be her last shrill on TV.  A flat shrill with frontal exposure, ponderous too.
                                                                             
Broods performed "Mother and Father". A whining weak Techno Pop which did not develop or pick up, very boring and repetitious.

Bleachers performed "Roller Coaster" the rock beat kept up with constant and development and expansion of the music. Then the front man got lost on his Grech when he tried to lead and then the tune fell apart unattractively.

July 29th 2014 Christina Perri performed "Burning Gold". her band is a bit like old Fleetwood Mac.

She stays on key with interesting development. Tempo changes are powerful and compatible. Live music, no backing track and good solid Musicianship from the band. Christina Perri delivered an enthusiastic entertaining performance.

I keep trying to catch up with the performances and write reviews. When I do I'll stop continuing Live Rock Critic 44.

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   More quick reviews. I have my DVR set to record Live From the Artists Den. Some performances are outside off the scope of my reviews. “Vampire Weekend” :  Immature, folky, calipsoish, softly whining with light weight irrelevant musical interludes without warmth power or charisma. tuneless
sparse over using effects (Vocal Master). Horribly irritating vocal style, never changing incomprehensible lyricing and plunking  and plinking the guitars. So weak.


   Tim McGraw’s  band is a whole lot more competent, ``Live From the Artists Den``. Nice vintage instruments and vintage harmony.  Tim McGraw’s band can play complex powerful music. Much of the country country boars me but millions of people love this type of music.

                                                                      
                                                                               Like many of today’s country bands, the modern sound of contemporary electric music create enhance in McGraw’s country tunes.






PBS Great Performances `The Dave Clark 5`. When they were young they were not immature and insipid.  Right from the beginning the Dave Clark 5 were powerful, strident and charismatic. There are instrumental breaks which are short but which voice the lyrical content of the music. The old Dave Clark 5 play some dated tunes with great energy. They can effectively perform really schmaltzy tunes in an entertaining manner. Some of their tunes are futuristic and innovative. I see what is missing from the contemporary bands I review.
                                                                         A lot of tunes I listen to without knowing who performed them where by the Dave Clark 5.  Watch and listen to the DC 5 live color film at the end of PBS Great Performances



                                                                                

              LIVE ROCK CRITIC 44     SPEED REVIEWING THE PERFORMERS 2014

I listen to a lot of televised musical performances . It is in some part random, I recorded all of the Seth Myers Late Night shows. He has the worst house band G band.

 Brett Eldredge just happens to have come up first .Country Music can be rigidly formulated as was “Beat of the Music” but it was actually performed and without faking or mistaking.
                                                                         

Kongos performed the next night .They are a spacey hillbilly band with an accordion which is used like it was an organ. There is a heavy Creole undertone to their work and some interesting leads.
                                                                              

On April 8 we have “ New Politics” . All the stuff I despise, oh oh oo ooh with music by backing track. If you are a fan of break dancing you might enjoy the the very well done end to the performance , just the last ten seconds or so, hang in right to the end.

I am just getting started speed reviewing. The next group I will review is “Fitz and the Tantrums”. Coming up with a rating system, I will arbitrarily rate Fitz and the Tantrums at 50 out of 100. The Tantrums constantly repeat the blandest of statements. Their performance is mediocre, there is not one bit of brilliant musicianship or song craft. I first viewed Fitz and the Tantrums on Seth Myer’s Late Night Program. In addition I viewed their performance at the Ace Hotel on Live from the Artists Den. They would probably get less than a 50 for a performance which had nothing exciting about it despite Fitz who kept trying to stir up enthusiasm by clapping and waving his arms.

                                                                            

Seth Meyer’s smirked as if he had scored a real coup having the great Kanye West on his program. I would give Kanye a 75 for ability, but what should one deduct for backing track use and over use. West can sing and it is credible. The Rap turns me off as usual as no talent crap.

                                                                            

Jason Derulo has a billion You Tube hits and 35 million sales says Seth. Whimp Rap turns me off as usual. Backing tracks including vocals: ``Talk Dirty`` will get a 50 but what deduction for the backing tracks?

                                                                              

``Aint It Fun`` is the name of the band and the song that they played. This band is 90 out of 100. I did not notice backing tracks or fake playing. Everyone was working the music. Credible Rock. I observe what I think are fine instruments and really good amps. I like the vocal style and the way the lead singer Shirley Brown moved naturally and rhythmically

                                                                            

Seth says ``Twenty-One Pilots`` performed at the Grammys. A weird talking zero Art Band. The piano player can play, imitating `Cold Play``. I wonder how much of the music was a backing track. I spotted some for sure.
                                                                            

``Parquet Court`` performed ``Black And White``. Seth says they are a Brooklyn Punk band. The drummer is OK. The vocal is terrible. The guitars are boring, repetitious, and not at all fabulous. Fred Armisen is joining in not doing very much by what I perceive from his hand movements. I will rate this performance at 55.

                                                                                

``Young the Giant`` performed Mind over Matter not my favourite type of Rock, but very well performed. Accomplished musicianship and a versatile and tuneful vocalist who is always on key combined to charge the emotions. The band uses some very nice instruments. The Rickenbacker guitar was used particularly to advantage of its unique sound. The band is solid, every member performing well. Comparing the band I think 95 is appropriate.

                                                                             

``Black Label Society`` performed ``Angel Of Mercy``. The vocal was muddy and the tune dragged along. Of the mark a bit to much, another 50 or maybe a 40. Nice instruments just not very well played.                                                                  

``The 1975`` performed ``. First off`, '75 was different. The pop performed came along after The Fall. And, Seth, this is not really a rock band. The song does not remind me of girls at all. The drummer and base player are competent. They are live I am pretty sure. Good enough for a 60 out of 100.

                                                                                

``Wild Feathers``performed ``Left My Women`` Seth says they play a combination of Rock Country, Folk. And Blues, sounds terrible. Yup, they are; country in my most disliked form. I will award these sing along hillbillies a 35, yup.

                                                                                   

``Counting Crows`` performed ``Round Here``. I have a hard time accepting ``Platinum`` but Seth would not lie. There was credible musicianship and vocal work. There is a very good musical performance at the mid point of the song. I would say 90 out of 100. I won`t say anything about the wig.                                                                       

This Live Rock Critic speed dating thing is so long, possibly so boring too, that I will have to split this in two parts to be continued………………..

PS:  You will get to see even more of Seth’s set with the arch and the lights………..looks like a set that you would piece together by cutting out the parts from the back of cereal boxes.

　

　

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 43 THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED AMERICA

The night that changed America memorializes the first television appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. The evening began with the useless loser band Maroon Five. The Beatles songs were good from the sixties or perhaps just good enough for Maroon Five’s poser mediocre music style and just a bit slow would I call this dog shit? The audience was obediently seat dancing to the Cholk Rock of Maroon Five. Paul McCartney looked grimly disappointed. Like if somebody offered a lawn and garden fertilization a renewal a re-birth and then sent their dog over to take a dump. Get this performance on the internet and watch the facial expressions. Of course as always the required thunderous applause. Why?

Stevie Wonder performed on the Hohner clavinet, my first keyboard 1960’s vintage. The tempo of “We Can Work It out” was all wrong, Stevie W’s feel for the song wrong. Someone has told Paul M not to vogue so grimly but I did not see approval as Wonder massacred Johnny Dep introduced Jeff Lynn and Joe Walsh. Depp was as uncharismatic and off as usual. “Maxell’s Silver Hammer” had Joe Walsh’s impeccable guitar but Jeff Lynn in his cheap wig did not get the feel. George Harrison’s son put the vocal in its grove.

Ed Ferin? “in my life”. Ed has the spacing and feel all wrong no baroque piano just one jerk and one guitar played weakly and without resonance.

There was a John Lennon live performance from the past next. What a difference.

On to the stage came one of our modern lamo country accented duos. Can it get worse? Yes. Crap guitar solos which barley related to any Beatles sound. Thunderous applause. I wonder if the audience would applaud the dog in the parable as he defecated? Yes.

Granted many great Beatles tunes are elaborate studio productions technologically now readily available for live performance but that has not happened yet.

Kattie Perry sings “Yesterday”. More grim disappointed faces she is stumbling through the song, no time to learn to do it right. I have seldom liked Perry’s performances but this warbling halting fumbling vocal is filled with off the mark vocal notes.

I try to find something good to review but it almost never happens. When the Beatles, filmed years ago, perform I can tell that they have practised modified and perfected. Imagine Dragons perform “Revolution” with their usual oh oh who oh’s. When I hear quavering vocals I know they don’t know. I wonder if it is that if you don’t write it you can’t do it right.

Dave Grohl and Dave Stewart “Hy Bulldog” gets me up on my feet to dance every time I hear it. This is the sixth time I am listening to it. Pounding reprises of the accurate grove. Check the drummer’s enthusiasm, love the drum rolls and the properly snarling guitar.

Next Katie what’s her name with the more prominent belly than breasts drones on.

Annie Lennox falters her way through “Fool On The Hill”. She warbles instead of singing true notes. Her endings are off.

“Let It Be” with John Legend and Alicia Keys. Alicia’s all wrong faux accent shadings grate on my nerves. Each micro mistake hammers at me. Paul M is grim faced. Then there was some excellent guitar. “Here comes the Sun” with Farrel Williams and Brad Paisley. Ass with Hop Chains and the stupid cowboy hat. McCartney is trying to look pleased but if you look closely you’ll notice the down turned corners of his mouth.

Poseur central. There is some deal or scheme to promote certain individuals or bands as “Star”. Applaud for the highly acclaimed promotee.

Dave Gorhl drums , Joe Walsh on guitar and Garry Clark. I hope this will be a good one. Oh Oh Gorhl’s drums fail to make the grade. Walsh on Guitar, ok; his vocal was terrible, awful. An unknown to me black guitarist sings very well and then Walsh ruins it. I would so much rather here the Beatles with Eric Clapton on lead guitar. This song thrilled me one hundred times, maybe a motivating factor in my writing but not this reprise guys, no thanks.

Ringo Star is active and energetic but I still don’t like his vocals. He did a second old Rock and Roll or Do Wop or what ever vocal not impressed. Ringo next does “Yellow Submarine” he cant sing worth a damn. Still he was more accurately timed and in tune with his talk to music than many famous singers who attempted Beatles work this “Night That Changed America”.

This is what I have been waiting for. Paul McCartney will perform. Paul’s band members are actually better musicians than the sixties Beatles. Paul is happy. The band is right on time and tune and creates the correct atmosphere. Most of the performers remind me of the “Walking Dead”, like slow en-vocative zombies doing zombie versions of Beatles tunes. Paul and his band live Beatles tunes. The performances of “They Say Its Your Birthday” and “Get Back” are in comparable to the rest of the program. The timing, the stops, the correct riff. A great band. The vocals and harmony: Wow!

McCartney’s band is certainly well trained and well rehearsed by the guy who was there when the tunes were written. She Was Just Seventeen: I think I first heard this song in the residence lounge at University. David Roth brought the tiny cardboard stereo and the Beatles record into the lounge saying you have got to hear this.

I have always liked Sergeants Peppers Lonely Heart’s Club Band. And I still do. How can the Eurhythmics and Alicia Keys live with themselves, so lame compared to ancient Paul M. Even the Ringo Star talk to music works. Paul is watching the vocal to stay right on time, McCartney and his band sing together its so good it almost hurts.