Album Review- Japandroids-Celebration Rock

Japandroids

Celebration Rock

****and1/2 out of *****

The award for the most aptly named album of the year has to go to Japandroids for their second release Celebration Rock.  Starting off with literal fireworks the album doesn't let down the energy until it's 8 songs are completed as the Canadian duo fire off drum fills and guitar riffs with beautiful frantic energy.     

The party rock of "The Night of Wine and Roses" is infectious, you can't help but singing along to debauchery filled lyrics and "Yell Like Hell To The Heavens!".  The tour love song of "Fire Highway" shows hearts colliding and gypsy fears running amuck; apparently the band was getting anxious to get back on the road when they wrote this album and this song encompasses that burning desire.

"Evil's Sway" bites a Tom Petty "Ok! All Right!" call out from "American Girl" but the band sneaks past this with a tune about slinky night time activities that is infectious.  The bombastic "Adrenaline Nightshift" is the best out and out  jam the band has put on an album filled with them.  The song contains both the passion and teenage rebelliousness that makes rock and roll constantly invigorating to anyone with a pulse.  The rising climax of "Continuous Thunder" that closes things is so powerful you may just start the whole road-trip over again when it is done.    
 
Celebration Rock isn't perfect, the cover of Gun Club's "For The Love of Ivy" is slightly lacking and the whole album is fairly one note, but these are small complaints when that one note is so fucking exhilarating.  Perfectly titled, expertly played, feel free to thank the Japandroids for a hell of a ride.  
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We dug the bands first album, but didn't know if it would stick around...honestly except for "Young Hearts Spark Fire" it didn't, Celebration Rock proves Japandroids are for real.  The band has energy for days and have produced some of the best party rock out there.  Support the band here, buy the album here, and peep some song previews below:
"The Night of Wine and Roses"

"Adrenaline Nightshift" Live

Live Review: Japandroids 12-5-12 Webster Hall, NYC

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pahudson

Japandroids

Live 12-5-12

Webster Hall, NYC

"Welcome to night two of our New York Circus!" is how guitarist Brian King introduced Japandroids rocking Wednesday night show at Webster Hall. The duo who have been riding high off of their excellent new release Celebration Rock and are touring some larger venues as their growing crowds bop, bounce and shout-along.

Slamming into a choreographed introduction instrumental got the blood pumping before ripping into the barn burning "Adrenaline Nightshift". King along with drummer David Prowse provide energetic tunes that just never stop.  The crowd also loves to participate as the first stage diver received almost as big a cheer as the band.

"Fire's Highway" seems custom made for even larger venues with it's strumming and slamming skins as the "Ah-Oh-O-Oh-O's" rang out.  The clap-a-longs got started for "The Night of Wine and Roses" while "The Boys Are Leaving Town" from Post-Nothing thumped and rumbled.       

Musically Prowse is a dynamo on the drum kit, filling gaps and leading some inventive playing that at times can feel both pop and somehow devastatingly heavy, a neat twist.  Two songs on which he clearly shined this show were "Wet Hair" and "Evil's Sway".

King (with Prowse) also address and cover brilliantly the basic problem with a guitar drum duo like this when playing live; a lack of low end. Low tones, effects, or just clever playing makes King's electric guitar echo a bass at times before high note solo's. Prowse's kick drums never seem to stop being in motion and mask the rest.  While a bass could only help, it must be noted there was no empty low end at this show.

While the complete hour and a half set was a winner, the group shown brightest on the dynamic "The House That Heaven Built".  The songs soaring riff's, pounding beat and climatic lyrics were sensational and midway through the bands offering is was a certain high water mark.

Also credit must be given to Japandroids for not succumbing to the cliched encore.  King and Prowse played a dynamite set, and ended it swimmingly with their cover of "For the Love of Ivy". Here's hoping they stick with this policy, it will make the nights they do play an encore even more electric...if that is possible.        
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A great show that makes you feel good about rock and roll.  Here's hoping the next time Japandroids come to town they play a weekend though as that would surely be a rager. Even mid week it kicked ass.
Here is a video from the 4th, this was the same "Intro/Adrenaline Nightshift" that they did to open the 5th:

Another video from the 4th:

Japandroids to Release First Live Album

One of RtBE's favorites the Japandroids are releasing their first live album titled Massey Fucking Hall. The album was recorded at Toronto's Massey Hall (shocker) in 2017.

The band will be releasing the digital version next month and then the double vinyl in October.

View this post on Instagram

BIG NEWS! We're putting out a live album. It's called "MASSEY FUCKING HALL." It was recorded at Massey Fucking Hall. This is the closest thing we're going to have to a live Japandroids show for a while. Digital comes out June 19th. 2xLP vinyl will be out October 2nd. Vinyl pre-order link in bio.

A post shared by @ japandroids on May 27, 2020 at 7:24am PDT

RtBE digs the band having ranked their best album Celebration Rock high on our list of the best albums from the previous decade. We have also seen them live a bunch and they always rip it up, so we have high hopes for this release.

To get pumped, here is a tune from the upcoming live record, "Heart Sweats" a song from their Post-Noting album which we reviewed back in 2009

Album Review: Japandroids - Massey Fucking Hall

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!

It is of the Japandroids newest release, Massey Fucking Hall.

RtBE loves the Japandroids and their album Celebration Rock was one of the best of the last decade.  We have seen them a bunch and this show puts you in the famous Canadian theater on this night for good and bad.

Support the band, read the review, buy the album, stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:

Live Review: Japandroids & Craig Finn 2/23/17 Terminal 5

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!

It is of two RtBE Favorites together on stage at Terminal 5 in NYC. Craig Finn opened for the Japandroids on a gorgeous night in town. While we do love both of these acts, we don't think their most recent releases are the best in their respective careers. We reviewed the Japandroids newest and Finn's will be arriving shortly on Glide. 

That said, how can you not have a good time with friends and family when these guys are on the stage?!?! Finn is our favorite lyricist this side of Dylan and Japandroids play rock and roll that makes you feel alive. 

Support both bands, buy all their albums and peep some video below:

 

Album Review: Japandroids - Fate & Alcohol

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right Chere!!!

It is the final release from the Japandroids titled Fate & Alcohol. 

The band is a RtBE favorite, having seen them live multiple times while reviewing all of their albums. 

This one is probably their second best, but still way far behind Celebration Rock, which we think was one of the best albums released this millennium.  

Support the artists, buy the album, read the review and peep some video below:

New Single from Japandroids and Final, Album Fate & Alcohol, Announced for October

One of RtBE's Favorites, Japandroids are back for one final album, Fate & Alcohol, which is due out in October. 

The site has focused on the band a lot in the past and can't wait to check out the new album. The first single, "Chicago" has been released today. You can check it out below:

Album Review: Japandroids - Near To The Wild Heart Of Life

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!

It is of the Japandroids newest release,  Near To The Wild Heart Of Life.

We loved Celebration Rock. We ranked it high on our year end list for 2012 and it is still one of favorite rock and roll disks of the last ten years, it is amazing. Maybe our hopes were too high for this release but it just feels like something is lacking. It isn't a bad record or even a huge disappointment after 5 years away, but this band was able to capture something primal with their last record we hoped they could pull it off again. Not to be, but not bad by any stretch.   

Support the duo, buy the disk, and peep some video below:

Happy 10th Anniversary to Japandroids - Celebration Rock

On this day ten years ago Japandroids released their best album Celebration Rock. 

RtBE are huge fans of the band and of this album in particular. We rated it high in our year end list of 2012 and our best of the decade list as well. 

Turn it on and play it loud to celebrate this joyful albums 10th anniversary. 

New Japandroids Album Due in 2017

Very excited to see the news that Japandroids are back in action.

After some surprise live shows last weekend (can't believe RtBE missed them) the group put out this video announcement of their upcoming release Near To The Wild Heart Of Life due in 2017.


Goose bumps...The band has been one of our favorites for a while and we still listen to Celebration Rock often.

Simply put; it is the kind of rock and roll that makes you feel alive.

With that said, let's listen to some:

Japandroids Keep Touring, Playing Brooklyn In October

The Canadian rock and roll duo Japandroids are continuing their world tour with a fall leg on the back of their most recent release, Near To The Wild Heart Of Life.

The group will be touring with the Cloud Nothings in the fall. We caught them the last time they were in NYC, having Craig Finn as the opener. This time around the band will play Brooklyn Steel on October 26th, tickets go on sale this Friday.  

We liked the newest release from the band, but not as much as their last album. However, there is no denying the group is killer live, so grab tickets and check them out. Until then, peep some video below:

Year In Review 2024 - Favorite Albums of 2024

Here are our all of our favorite albums of 2024. This is the year end review, all in one place.

Below are our picks for RtBE's favorite albums of the year. It starts with our honorable mentions then moves into our top ten albums of the year. There is a short blurb about the album and a song from it, click on the title to read our full review of the selected records. The focus here is on full albums, not singles, but long playing releases you can slap on and listen to all the way through.

We also took some time to discuss our favorite album artwork, our favorite archive/live album releases and favorite live shows from the year if you are interested.   

Thanks for reading. Until next year....

Year In Review 2012 - Top Ten Albums - Part 3 (5-1)

Another great year is finishing up for Rock The Body Electric and we wouldn't be a proper music blog if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so without further verbiage RtBE Presents it's third part of the Best of 2012 Top Ten Albums (5-1):

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read it.  RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20 so expect some overlap. Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen to the all the way through.

2012 was an great year, this top 5 is rock solid (as is all the ones we have mentioned so far) and worth plunking down the cheese to own the full length releases from all of these artists, some you will def know and maybe 1 or 2 you haven't heard of yet.

Without further hubbub click the read more link down there to see #5-#1 of the Top Ten Albums of 2012:

Year In Review 2024 - Favorite Albums Part 1 (Honorable Mentions & Let Downs)

Another year is finishing up and @RockBodElec wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE presents 2024's Favorite Albums Part 1 (Honorable Mentions and Let Downs):

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album, either on this site or elsewhere, we will link to that review and just give a quick summation; click on the name/title and you can read our full opinion. RtBE also worked with the Glide Team to give input on their Top 20 so you can expect some overlap if you already have seen that list.

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but long playing releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle, Spotify, AI curated playlists, or streaming for us.

These are the albums that just missed out on being included in our top ten favorite for the year (coming soon). After some very excellent albums, we have a few releases from artists we dig, which we were let down by. 

Like all of our lists or 'best of'', these are meant to start conversations, not end them...

Year In Review 2017- Top 10 Albums Part 1: The Just Misses & Let Downs

Another great year is finishing up for @RockBodElec and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE Presents the Best of 2017 Top Ten Albums Part One: The Just Misses & Let Downs:

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read it. As always RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20, so expect some overlap (though not as much as in years past).

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but complete releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle or singles for RtBE.

Today we are going to focus on the "Just Misses" of our top ten and unfortunately the "Let Downs" released this year. Obviously these are just our personal preferences, feel free to voice your opinion in the comments. Expect installment 2 (#10-6) soon, but for now click on the green "Read More" below:

Top 50 Albums of the 2010's: Numbers 10-1

Way back in 2009 we were lucky enough to help contribute to Glide Magazine's list of Best Albums of the 2000's. Hard to believe it has been ten years since we worked on that list, but it is that time again to look back at the previous decade and put together some arbitrary rankings. Since this site has been going strong the full decade we have a lot to pull from.

Here comes RtBE's picks for the top albums from the last decade, 2010-2019.

If we reviewed the album we will provide a link to that review in the title, a brief reflection on the record and a tune from it. A lot can change in ten years and a lot stays the same. Some albums were just right for their time and place and haven't aged particularly well and others were perhaps misunderstood or even prophetic as to where the world was headed.

Just our two cents, but this decade will not be looked back at fondly when it comes to remembering music in general. Things (for the most part) are being programmed and mushed together into mellow, white bread, digestible tunes with a hip hop foundation around pop hooks, synth vibes, a few strings and nothing the least bit exciting or offensive for the majority of music out there. In an era that should be considerably be ripe for protest, outrage, and individual expressionism, very little of actual substance has escaped to the masses.

Also from a practical standpoint, never before has the concept of "album" been so meaningless in our streaming/playlist curated society. While RtBE isn't completely old fashion, we still haven't bought into those ways of consuming music and the album is still our only way of listening to things, whether on vinyl or downloaded; no shuffling of singles here. This list focuses on full lengths that are played from beginning to end and deliver the goods.  

We will break this down over five parts, doing ten albums a day. There were a ton of good records released over the last ten years, much more than fifty, but these are our choices. We kept our personal musical releases off the list, but feel free to listen and critique those.

As a note, Glide Magazine, the main site we contribute to, changed it's rating system in the middle of the decade from 5 Stars to 10 stars, then removed it all together so if you see say #49 on our list with only 4 stars, consider it doubled to 8.

Like all of the lists RtBE have done, this is meant to start conversations, not end them. So let's kick it off...

Album Review: Band of Horses -Mirage Rock

Band of Horses 

Mirage Rock

***and1/2 out of *****

"Knock Knock" gets Mirage Rock started, well...in rocking fashion, but that is not the path the rest of the album takes, and thus the title is perfectly apt.  Mirage Rock and Celebration Rock from Japandroids are two albums that you can instantly judge by their titles, a rare trait.  It is amazing how much Band of Horses channels the mellow vibe of 70's So-Cal rock of acts like Jackson Browne or more specifically CSNY on their newest release, this album could have just as easily come out in 74 as 2012.

The calling card of CSNY, and Band of Horses here, is the pristine vocal work and soothing melodies that float out behind them.  Ben Bridwell has one of the best front-men voices out there in popular rock today, and with Mirage Rock he has put together his most consistent lyrical effort, moving from scattered images and phrases to introspective thoughts and phrases. The best example is on the excellent "How To Live" singing here about real world issues convincingly and finishes the song with one of the best coming of age lines, "Guess what? You're growing old/Still gotta grow up" simple, direct and spot on.

The albums smooth sounds washes over the ears with perfect ease.  The gorgeous, past looking "Slow Cruel Hands Of Time" has a country fried twang as "A Little Biblical" holds on to a bit of easy listening swagger before "Electric Music" picks up speed out on the open road.  The Tyler Ramsey tune "Everything's Gonna Be Undone" is a simple ode that works beautifully in the context of the rest of the tracks connecting wonderfully with the aching album closing "Heartbreak On The 101".   

The only time the band gets noisy or loud is on the odd "Dumpster World" which probably contains the most interesting musical tone on the album, but the down right stupidest lyrics.  It is an odd one all around, proving the band can still rough it up a bit, but just toss away any sense of meaning with the weird words.  That along with the "Light-Fm'ish" feel at times are the only real detriments to a solid, if mellow, release.

The band already has a fantastic back catalog of music and hopefully they don't completely slip into middle age as a rocking Band of Horses still has just as much appeal as a Mirage Rock'ing one.             
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RtBE loves Band of Horses immensely and will be seeing them 3 times in less then a week and this album is pretty great.  However, we really wanted to have the boys start messing up their musical backing with more angular riffs, maybe some feedback or distortion to go along with their fantastic vocals.  That was not the case as the group went even more mellow this time, but alas the end result is no means bad, just a bit different. 

The truth is we can't get enough of the band, so anything they are putting out we will probably like, but here's hoping they up the energy on the next release.  You should support this band here, catch them live here and Stream the full album below!

Album Review: Beach Slang- Beach Slang

Beach Slang

Beach Slang

***and1/2 out of *****

A collection of 4 late 90's pop fueled rock and roll songs find Beach Slang's first self titled EP a collection of days/genre's gone by; a refreshing kick in the ear amongst new-wave nonsense. "Filthy Luck" starts things off with buzz-bin worthy riffs, and chant along lyrics in the vein of Japandroids. The Philadelphia trio keep it rolling with "Kids" via a drum intro that injects the energy.

"Get Lost" pulls back the over driven sick strings a touch to get the groove going before kicking up and sounding much bigger then the songs 2:58 would seem. "Punk or Lust" asks the perfect teenage question and James Snyder's lyrics are constant selling point on the EP as they are delivered by a voice that seems to be wise enough to know about all the "dirty fun" he sings about.   

Custom made for summer road-trips Beach Slang remind us that "the kids are still alright/their just too high to fight". This album helps elevate them with its soaring melodies, great raspy vocals/lyrics and upbeat rhythms.
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Another great bandcamp find.


Support the band here, stream the album here, peep some video below:

2018 New Orleans Jazzfest, Artist Predictions

Soon the lineup for the 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will be announced very soon (hopefully end of this week or next) but we got the early scoop...

Actually no we don't...but since it is fun to predict, lets look into the crystal ball and guess who will be and who should be playing. We will exclude local acts (even though they are the main reason we go) including nationally touring NOLA acts like Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Galactic and Trombone Shorty who will all be there. Lets just talk about the bigger national touring artists for now....

To get in the southern festive NOLA mood, here is a great video done by Jeronimo Acero that my friend the fantastic Lu Brow sent north to warm me up during the winter.

a glimpse of LOUISIANA from Jeronimo Acero on Vimeo.

Now on to the predictions....

Album Review: Near Beer - Near Beer

Near Beer

S/T

**** out of *****

The Los Angeles, CA based indie-rock/pop-punk outfit Near Beer's debut full length is a mix of shiny rocking guitars and mid-life looking lyrics as the outfit grow old and clings to youth concurrently. 

The trio of Joey Siara (vocals, guitar), Brent Stranathan (drums), Jeremy Levy (bass, backup vocals) get their kicks with loud rocking guitar layers around mini anthemic tunes as Siara (The Henry Clay People) dove back into music, writing these ten songs and releasing the self-titled effort exactly ten years from his last musical offering. 

Fans of guitar driven odes developed in bars and cleaned up in the studio will have a lot to love here. Opener "Yelling at a Dog" deals with stresses of adulthood, chugging along, chomping and rising with big drums, odd digital bleeps, fuzz and riffs all while bemoaning selling guitars to pay rent. The slower "Double Double" eases back the energy with some swinging while "Headlights" and the shout along "Sleeping is for Suckers" keeps that sweet easy sound, falling more on the restrained indie rock side of things.     

The band can also push it up tempo with the powerful drums urging the punk chaos forward on "Paper Cups" but it is the mixing of these styles where the trio succeed the most. The catchy riffs from Siara are everywhere, especially poignant on the band life ode "Dead Drummers" and the poppy joy of "Thursday". The only misfire on the album is the experimental closing "Celsius Man" which drags too long without any direction.  

The group injects their style into a stripped down, classic country ode "Whiskey/Wine" rising the ear ringing style with honesty in winning fashion. The group takes everything they do well and ramp it up a notch on the highlight offering "Mixtape Generation". The ode to days forgotten, features a snaking riff, pounding drums and descriptive lyrics which are intoxicating as the group shouts about friendship, love, loss, growing up, evolving and ultimately staying the same. 

There are lots of touch points to the tunes, modern acts like Beach Slang and Japandroids as well as older groups like The Replacements arise often throughout this pleasurable slice of indie/pop-punk. The trio of Siara, Stranathan, and Levy deliver the goods as Near Beers simple joy of playing rock shines through on their self-titled debut effort.  

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Support the band, buy the album and peep some video below: