4 posts tagged “melissa etheridge”

What music blog is complete without a yearly wrap-up on the releases of the year that stood out, for positive or negative reasons?

Admittedly, I have not been as in touch with the releases of the year and must preface this entry with stating that there are going to be glaring omissions from this list. Life has kept me from music this year, be it keeping me from concerts I wished to see, keeping me from the time to listen to albums I want to hear, or making it difficult to listen to certain artists without feeling uncomfortable. However, I do have several albums upon which to rave or rant, so here's what you get.

This was a year where my stalwart music artists took the backseat for others, where single songs possessed my devoted attention, while albums were generally shunned. It was a year of nostalgia, as I turned to older favourites for comfort in trying times. But beyond that, I found this year's music lacklustre and not to my liking, perhaps due to the concentration of artists in genres I'm not fond of. For several months, I was “off music”, something that has never happened before to me. It was disorienting, to say the least.

The concerts I saw this year were fewer than I would have liked, but none of them disappointed. All of them delivered beyond my hopes and expectations. It was a year of seeing new artists and old favourites. If I were to rank a top five of shows I saw this year, it would go a little something like this:

5. Rilo Kiley at The Phoenix: Solid set, great energy, tight openers including Thao Nugyen

4. Paramore with Jack's Mannequin at The Kool Haus: Amazing energy, three solid openers, and Jack's Mannequin renewed my love for Andrew McMahon

3. Melissa Etheridge at Massey Hall: Three hours of non-stop, high energy music with powerful and moving banter between songs. A first time for me with Melissa and hopefully not the last.

2. Matthew Good at Massey Hall: This man never disappoints me with his intense delivery on every song, his caustic wit and his genius songwriting. So grateful this became a live album.

1. Amanda Palmer at The Mod Club: It had every element going for it – incredible setlist, stellar performance, fabulous openers, and incredible theatrics and stage presence. Easily one of the best performances I've seen Amanda give (and I have 8 other points of reference).

And now, without further ado, here we go with my personal 'awards' for 2008:

Album That Sends Me Into Fits Of 80's Nostalgia: Saturdays=Youth by M83. This album is utterly fantastic, with tracks like Couleurs, Highway of Endless Dreams and Skin of the Night leading the charge into a soundscape that evoked Erasure meets Conjure One meets Arcade Fire's intelligent layering and music craft. I easily find myself lost within the tracks of this album in a way that lands on par with Explosions In The Sky and Max Richter.

The Album That Lived Up To The Hype: Donkey by CSS. I'm not much of a trend follower, and even the critical darling pieces often leave me cold (see: You Say Party, We Say Die!; most of Radiohead's post-OK Computer output; Coldplay's discography). CSS however live up to the excitement, and Donkey is just so much fun to dance around to, one can't resist it. There's not a single bad track, although some are stronger than others. I'm fond of Believe Achieve, Jager Yoga and Let's Reggae All Night, myself.

Reviving The Now Crowded Male Singer-Songwriter Folkie Genre: Charmed and Strange by Yoav. I first had a taste of Yoav's music as he opened for Tori Amos' American Doll Posse tour in 2007. At first, I took one look at a lone guy and a guitar and immediately wondered how Tori kept finding Howie Day part nauseum. Yoav, however, is far more clever as a lyricist, and his musical palette is more acoustic Red Paintings than Jason Mraz. Adore, Adore, There Is Nobody, and the soulful One By One set Yoav miles ahead of a crowded field.

Bringing The LOLZ To Musicals: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Joss Whedon remains my master after he cleverly proves that you can give a product away for free and then sell it... and make a profit! Neil Patrick Harris singing about freeze rays? An Evil League of Evil run by Bad Horse? Each song is so silly and fun, I can't help myself. Once More With Feeling was one of Joss' finest Buffy hours. Perhaps he should write an actual musical, complete with ridiculous stage sets? I can dream!

The Slightly Guilty Musical Theatre Junkie's Pleasure: I Stand by Idina Menzel. Are some of the lyrics cliched? Sure. Are some of them dripping with the saccharine Celine Dion is famous for? Hell yes. Does Idina kick ass and take names vocally, making the album enjoyable all the same? You bet your (tattooed) ass. Check out Brave, I Stand, I Feel Everything.

Solid But Sorta Overrated: Third by Portishead. This is where gasps of indignant objection begin. I am not, let me stress not implying Third isn't a solid album of quality music, good news for a band that took such an extended hiatus. But on repeated listenings over time, I can't say the album stands out enough as a whole to make me want to listen to it over and over. Some tracks are absolutely stunning (We Carry On; Silence; Nylon Smile), while the others are solid but not worth the prostrating critics gave it. I coin this Radiohead syndrome.

Letdown of the Year: Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis. When Rilo Kiley's Under The Blacklight came out, my personal theory for the album not being to par with their previous outings was that Jenny and Blake were both 'holding back' for their solo projects. Unfortunately, that may have not been the case with Jenny. It's not a bad album, per se; tracks like Jack Killed Mom and Pretty Bird resonate with me. It's just not memorable; each song blends into the next, lacking the wordplay jabs and sonic shifts throughout Rabbit Fur Coat.

Best Album That's Not Really An Album: No, Virginia by The Dresden Dolls. Consisting of outtakes and old live favourites finally recorded for official release, No,Virginia feels rather all over the place at times. But when viewed as a b-sides/rarities collection, this is acceptable, and the quality of the material is enough to enjoy it. Dear Jenny, Mouse and the Model, The Gardener, Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner... All the typical fun and punk cabaret you'd expect from the Dresden Dolls.

Best Return To & Reinvention of Roots: The Slip by Nine Inch Nails. Is Trent in angsty form? Oh yes. Do I detect a strong flavour of the 80's tinged Depeche Mode-ness of Pretty Hate Machine? Yes, yes I do. Does this album deliver both rocking and despairing tracks with a lyrical flavour that feel more self-aware and self-mocking than self-loathing? Damn right it does. I love this album rather passionately, and offer you 1,000,000, Discipline, Demon Seed and Letting You as the places to start your love affair.

Favourite Local Album: Meeting The Future At Full Speed by Karen Kosowski. I've already covered this album in extensive detail in this blog, but it deserves its mention here. Karen remains one of my favourites among the Toronto-area indie artists I've come to know and love, and this album only builds on her previous stellar album, Out Here At Sea. Earnest and hopeful, its electro-pop vibe will leave you humming your way through the day, even at its darkest.

And now, *drum roll* the big awards...

Best Album of the Year (live): Live At Massey Hall by Matthew Good. After such an extensive catalogue, it was long overdue that the raw emotional intensity of Matthew Good be captured for prosperity on CD, and this disc is special in that, other than edits to correct lost audio the night of, it is an uncorrected live album. Having been at the show it was recorded at, it takes me back to one of the best concerts I saw this year. The set strongly slants towards Hospital Music material, which to me is one of his very best albums. In light of the loss of my grandfather to cancer, 99% Of Us Is Failure hits particularly hard and is one of the highlights of the 2 disc set. Many songs are much richer live (She's In It For The Money is painful to listen to because of the raw pain in Matt's delivery; A Single Explosion closes on a haunting powerful note), which makes this album a must have for fans and a fantastic introduction to his genius.

Best Album Of The Year (studio): Who Killed Amanda Palmer by Amanda Palmer. I've been with Amanda since a friend encouraged me to download Girl Anachronism in 2002, and I am with her for the long haul. I dearly love her work within the dynamic of The Dresden Dolls, love the playful cabaret feel of the drums and piano coupled with incisive and something darkly amusing lyrics. This album bring those elements of lyrical finesse and dark humour, but it also brings a more personal, deeper look into the human condition with songs like Strength Through Music and Have To Drive. Coupled with Ben Folds' guiding advice (the usage of a very raw demo vocal for Leeds United was a brilliant move that only adds to the song) and the gorgeous strings created for the album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer is the album Amanda was born to write, and the one album that you must try, no matter what preconceptions you may have of The Dresden Dolls or Amanda herself. Get started with Astronaut, Leeds United, Guitar Hero, Another Year and Have To Drive.

And now, a few older discs worth mentioning...

Rediscovery of the Year: Act I: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies by Neverending White Lights. An album from 2005, it's always been one I have endorsed to fellow music lovers. The ethereal moody feel of Daniel Victor's compositions, complimented by haunting and heartbreaking lyrics performed by a who's who of the Canadian alt rock scene, this album crept up on me and demanded centre stage in 2008. The lyrics weave a set of stories about loss and love that interconnect subtly, adding a delicious cohesion. Sample The Grace, I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty or From What I Once Was.

Better Late To The Party Than Never:  Kala by M.I.A. I'm not generally a girl who goes for hip hop, rap or R&B; it's just not my scene. The odd song will catch my ear, but nothing that has me buying a CD, not since Salt N Pepa's Very Necessary. But with Kala, M.I.A. has created something so utterly fun and sassy, one can't help but be drawn in. Paper Planes caught me, hook, line and gunshot sample, and that has led to an affair with $20, Come Around and XR2. Where was I in '92? Wishing for music this ridiculously enjoyable!

Better Late To The Party Than Never, Part Two:  The Awakening by Melissa Etheridge. Passed a copy of this by a friend prior to my live experience with Melissa, it's fast become an album dear to my heart and almost a metaphor for my entire year. While some may find the spiritual elements a little off-putting (there is some God mentions, but most of it is general spiritual belief), it's an incredible testament to the journey Melissa went through emotionally as she battled breast cancer. There are scathing political references as well, fitting in light of this election year, and songs of regret and heartbreak. But the end feeling is one of being able to rise above everything, if we believe that all can be possible, and that there is something larger than us. A solid, well-written album that doesn't have a single dud to it.

Dedicated to my Nanny....

This Is Not Goodbye - Melissa Etheridge

“All is love
All is choice
Everyone and every voice
All of life that you see
All are possibilities
As above so below
To wed the sense into the soul
This is truth I believe
I believe I believe

Truth is of the people, by the people, for the people..."

 What Happens Tomorrow - Melissa Etheridge

Several months ago, a friend announced that he was treating me to a Melissa Etheridge show, insisting I had to see her perform live.  I accepted out of nostalgia, mainly;  growing up, I can recall days of driving around in my father's truck with him blaring Melissa's first two albums at high volume, espousing her talents.  I was in agreeance with him, but somehow never really bothered to buy any of her future albums, nor did I keep track of her beyond the radio singles (all of which I enjoyed) and the story of her battle with cancer.  Her vocal talents conjure up the bluesy rock of Springsteen and the soul of Janis Joplin, two artists that were part of the broad musical background of my youth.  

In recent weeks, cancer has crept into my life undesired, laying seige to a dear family member, and under the dark clouds of that knowledge, listening to a sampling of Melissa's music, namely her 2007 album The Awakening, has been a tremendous comfort that resonates to the core.  By the time the day of the show actually arrived, I would say I almost needed to attend.   

I was greeted with a pleasant surprise at the pre-show dinner my friend had arranged:  an autographed ticket, courtesy of a fluke signing in the afternoon at the venue.  A very nice souvenir of what became one of the most awe-inspiring nights of music I've witnessed.  The women I spoke with prior to start time who, upon hearing I was a "Melissa virgin", insisted I would be blown away to the point that I would be "lucky to make it out alive", weren't lying.

As the lights dimmed and the band began filling the stage, Melissa's guitarist Phillip rocked the place he grew up with O Canada on electric guitar, which brought the crowd to an even louder roar.  Melissa rushed on stage as he wrapped up, playfully kicked him in the ass, and launched into her song All-American Girl with gusto. 

Two things are striking and key about Melissa's live performance:  her incredible stage presence and warmth, and her endurance in the performance department.  Clocking her set in at 2 hours and 55 minutes (minus encore applause break) and her voice holding strong until the bitter end, Melissa Etheridge is the Energizer Bunny of live performances, outdoing even Tori Amos (an artist whose fans can vouch for her staying power live).  She smiles, laughs, runs around stage and belts out powerful notes, revelling in the enthusiasm of her enraptured audience.  My voice was hoarse from hooting and hollering in appreciation;  how she was able to wail away during the choruses of show closer Like The Way I Do, I do not know. 

The tour's set presentation is structured around a biographical theme, with Melissa recalling the story of her childhood, her pursuit of her music dreams, her loves lost and won and her battle with cancer using songs both past and present to expand upon and conjure images of her points.  The stage chatter made me nostalgic for early days of Tori Amos' live shows, where she'd tell several stories a night, as if chatting with old friends.  Melissa laid herself bare, self-deprecating healthily with humour at her bad choices and even recalling her cancer diagnosis with a light touch that spoke of an acceptance of life and the bad it may dish out and the good to be taken from it.  Before launching into her track I Run For Life, Melissa spoke of her cancer and her feeling that it was a blessing in a sense, because it forced her to slow down and think about her life, its direction, and what meant the most to her.  She encouraged the audience to slow down, to take time, to find what makes them happy and go do it, instead of waiting for stress and the ways we harm ourselves to force us to slow down and think of what we truly wanted.  It was incredibly heartening, and at that moment in the show, I decided that I would try, in spite of my current worry and pain, to find joy in life in honour of the family that will soon depart. 

Regrets?  A few songs I would have liked to hear weren't played, but I did get my request (Similar Features) and An Unexpected Rain, my favourites off The Awakening, so I cannot complain much.  It would have been nice to hear Breathe, Piece of My Heart, Map of the Stars as well, but the show was a fantastic set for a virgin whose knowledge slanted towards the very old and the very new.  All in all, an incredible night, and easily in the top twenty live shows I've seen.

A few specific highlights:

Don't You Need/Similar Features/Don't You Need:  A clever blending of two songs, and not the only combination of the night, and Melissa effectively booted the 80's out of Similar Features and gave it a 90's rock feel instead.  Absolutely lovely.

An Unexpected Rain:  Brought tears to my eyes near the end, especially when Melissa's face looked so incredibly pained to sing the final verse.  Phillip is a fantastic guitarist as well, and he punctuates this song with aching chords.

I Run For Life:  One of the loudest moments of the concert, it felt like an enormous outpouring of love for all cancer survivors and those who've lost someone, Melissa included.  The applause was incredible at the end. 

Bring Me Some Water:  Incredibly powerful and rocking live!  Wow!  I've always loved this song but hot damn!

Kingdom of Heaven:  Tears to the eyes again...  Such an incredibly moving and truth-filled song, it makes you wonder how long it will take for some people to wake up to the reality of how religion is twisted to suit political agendas.

What Happens Tomorrow:  Melissa altered the lyrics about a woman becoming President to a verse about 'a black man' instead.  Go Obama!  But beyond that, it's a wonderful song and a fitting closer for the main set.

Like The Way I Do:  The intense vocals and jamming on this one, the final song of the night, were made all the more impressive by the context of it being on the tail end of a very long set.  A kick-ass way to leave the venue bopping out the door. 

SETLIST:  MELISSA ETHERIDGE @ MASSEY HALL, TORONTO, 7/28/08

O Canada
All American Girl
Into the Dark
California
Don't You Need/Similar Features/Don't You Need
Unexpected Rain
Bring Me Some Water
I Want To Come Over
My Lover (spotlight by Melissa on Philip!!)
Let Me Go
Please Baby Please/I'm The Only One
If I Wanted To
Down to One (band eventually leaves the stage until Melissa alone at end of song)
I Want To Be in Love (Melissa starts solo and finishes with the band)
Mercy
I Run for Life
2001/I Need to Wake Up
Message to Myself/Come to My Window
All We Can Really Do
Kingdom of Heaven
Open Your Mind
The Universe Listened/Imagine That/What Happens tomorrow?

Encore
Like The Way I Do

"Your look was so haunting, an unexpected pain

I am so sorry for the unexpected rain

The sadness that you kissed

The fresh scars on your wrist

I can't make it go away...

Goodnight ladies, goodnight; I'm going to leave you now..."

An Unexpected Rain - Melissa Etheridge

When I was little, around 9 or so, I used to drive around with my dad in his tow truck, listening to music and killing time between calls on the radio.  We'd buy scratch and win lottery tickets and listen to music loudly.

I was blessed to grow up in a household where music was omnipresent.  There was no silence.  My parents combined listened to so many different genres of music that I grew up liking almost everything.  But despite that variety in the home in which I grew to be a music addict, there were two moments in my life that surprised even me:

1)  When I realized that the 'silly song' my parents used to sing to me like a nursery rhyme as a child was the chorus of Babooshka by Kate Bush.  My dad told me to shut up when I called him on being a fan.

2)  Thinking back on how my dad could switch from listening to Black Sabbath to Melissa Etheridge in the same day and then espouse her talents in long speeches.

One of his favourite songs was Similar Features.  It's one of mine as well.  Funnily, despite this upbringing of mine, I only began listening to Kate Bush in 2005 and only just now have bothered to explore Melissa's music.  I have been missing out.  In a moment where life has me reflecting on my path and my choices, on life and death, I've stumbled into Melissa's realm on the heels of the release of her 2007 album The Awakening, an album I am going to recommend without hesitation and with urgency.

The album's concept is a journey across Melissa's life as she struggled with cancer, a sort of reflection and a spiritual awakening that came with that reflection in the face of possible death.  There are several songs about religion and love, as well as a general spiritual understanding of ourselves as beings.  If that sounds campy, it doesn't come off that way in the context of the album and its lyrics.  It's a very cohesive album, one that flows and feels best digested as a whole.

Two of the songs struck me from moment one:  Kingdom of Heaven and An Unexpected Rain.  The latter is resonating in ways that stretch beyond the actual story of the song for me, striking me in this reminder of how my grandfather, faced with terminal cancer, is at peace with that but struggling with being the harbinger of bad news, the cause of sorrow and tears.  His pain lies not in the imminent end of his life, but in the pained faces of those who love him, and his worry for how they will cope.  Hence the lyrics above, quoted;  they capture that terrible feeling of guilt for being the reason for someone's anguish.

Sample away:  An Unexpected Rain - Melissa Etheridge

http://www.last.fm/music/Melissa+Etheridge/+videos/+1-xck4kPR84rM