My Favorite Moments In Rock

Led Zeppelin- "Black Dog" (3:06 -3:23)
I've often thought, if I ever had to pick a song to enter a room to it would be Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog." Out of Jimmy Page's vast catalog of furious fretwork, I've always particularly loved the guitar sound on this track. It's so dark, rich, and syrupy. However, my only lament has been that whenever anyone praises this song, they only mention its stop-start structure or guitar solo. Maybe I'm listening too closely, but I love the 17 glorious seconds that happen right before the solo: double-tracked guitars!

The Unicorns- "Tuff Ghost" (2:07 – 2:33)
This song probably contains the most inventive bass solo I've heard in indie rock since The Breeder's "Cannonball." Just when you think the song's the slow-burning organ groove and scattered melodies are coming to an end, the bass solo comes abruptly from left field to grab you, galloping to a syncopated dance-rock rhythm. (And if you can believe it) Its buzzsaw fuzz takes a page right out of Cream's psychedelic syrupy guitar sound on "Sunshine of Your Love." It's quite simply delicious.

Radiohead- "Reckoner" (4:02 – 4:41)
This song comes from the sixth track of Radiohead's landmark pay-your-own-price album, In Rainbows. When I initially heard this song, it was certainly not what I considered a standout song for the band –at least until I heard the last 40 seconds of it, and I found myself listening to it over and over again. (According to my iTunes, I've listened to the song 31 times.) Radiohead's ability to create simple and subtle musical structures that are hauntingly beautiful is stupefying. After four minutes, the band manages to take you on a journey of cymbal-crash waves, cavernous atmospherics, and milky reverb-drenched vocals; finally sending you off with a sweet guitar melody and swelling strings.

Weezer- Tired of Sex" (2:02 – 2:10)
Let me start by saying, I love Pinkerton, and subsequently, I love Rivers Cuomo. Although, he has never quite been able to reach the caliber of songwriting since that album's 1996 release date, it remains among my favorite albums. When I listen to "Tired of Sex" I hear the frustration, angst, and neuroticism that made me fall in love with Pinkerton (and Rivers) to begin with, and I don't think the band was ever able to capture that essence better than in this song. Rivers yelps, ponders, and screams(!) as he muses on his meaningless sexual encounters --which is ironic because Rivers is widely known for being reclusive and took a two year vow of abstinence before getting married in '06. By the time you get to the song's solo, it's bursting with so much energy, it literally sounds like an explosion. Whenever I hear it, I get excited about music again. From the thunderous drum intro, to the synth outro, it sticks to your cranium like gum on hot asphalt.

Bloc Party- "She's Hearing Voices" (3:10 – 3:23)
I can't imagine anyone listening to this song (preferably on headphones), and not getting riled up. In the same vein of Joy Division's icy atmospherics, Bloc Party has gone on to master the art of jangly, reverb-saturated guitar riffs and post-punk cool. From the skull-crushing drum intro, to the song's staccato, tremolo-picked chords, and the panicked call-and-response chorus, Bloc Party sets up a sense of urgency. It all leads up to an impeccable guitar solo that's almost orgasmic in it's nature.

Rivers of Yesteryear

Rivers Cuomo
Alone

Are you tired of listening to over-produced power-pop? Do you like music that sounds like it's been recorded in a bomb shelter? Well, you are in luck. Alone deviates from Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo's recent brand of slick commercial rock (Make Believe and Maladroit) by venturing into lo-fi territory with vocal experimentation (“Ooh”) and stripped-down melodic structures (“Longtime Sunshine”) among other things. The 19 home-recorded tracks span Cuomo's career from 1992 to 2007. Throughout that 15 year period Cuomo wrote and recorded several hundred songs, the majority of which have never been released until now. Although many of the songs featured on Alone were recorded before 1996, it illustrates his growth as an artist over the years.

Strains of angst and frustration that are found on early Weezer albums, can be seen in the emotional rawness of “The World We Love So Much.” This song is particularly refreshing because it showcases a vocal range that is seldom heard in his other recorded music. However, while there are some hits, there are a few are misses, like the awkward R&B synth ballad “This Is The Way” and the barbershop quarter-inspired harmonies of “Dude, We're Finally Landing.” Because the sound quality varies so throughout the album, it is truly surprisingly to hear due to Cuomo's penchant for perfectionism. A gritty synth-tinged demo of Weezer's biggest hit, “Buddy Holly” made the cut. On Alone the song is played at a considerably slower tempo, showing the changes made in the final cut on 1990's Blue Album. There is also a hazy Beastie Boys-styled cover of Ice Cube's 1990 hit “The Bomb.”

The hodge-podge of musical styles combines pop melodies, synthesizers, and just enough twee to keep hipsters in tow. There are moments on Alone (particularly on“Superfriend” and “Blast Off!”) when it sounds like an early-era Weezer album. Among the album are several undiscovered gems, like “Lover In The Snow” and “I Was Made For You” that showcase the bespectacled rocker's uncanny ability to write songs with great pop-sensibility and diary-honest eclecticism. One can only hope that some of the elements on Alone will be seen in future music releases from Weezer and Rivers. Until then we can only wonder what he's hiding amongst the vaults.

Grade: B

Recommend Tracks: “Lover In The Snow” and “I Was Made For You.”