The Ettes - Do You Want Power.

The Ettes

Do You Want Power

Take Root Records

The Ettes latest album captures a band that has matured and found a rock solid confidence in their personal identity. They are a band sure enough of themselves, to take bold musical chances, thus demonstrating greater range and diversity then previous albums. Do You Want Power is a case for evolution strong enough to give Darwin wood.

No fear though, tracks like “Red In Tooth and Claw” and “It Can’t Be True” still hold the fuzztastic rambunctiousness, synonymous with this gypsy trio. Grabbing hold of you like a mugger in the night there is a new darkness to these songs driven by the lovely distortion of Coco’s guitar. While the groove of Jem’s bass and Poni’s dervish drum attack fuels a forceful stampede of sound with the weight and power of a drunken rhino. Long time fans will find more than enough of the bands familiar energy to make them happy and might be surprised by the artistic stretches the band has taken. Stretches as subtle as the dark side static blues of “Walk Out That Door” or bold as the unlikely country twang of “While Your Girl’s Away.”

A wonderful album Do You Want Power hints at a growing greatness and has secured The Ettes among one of my new favorites bands. I look forward to seeing them grow stronger and bolder in the years to come.

"We ain't nobody's darlings/ we never should've made it this far" Nobody's Darlings - Lucero"

Sunday night was the Grammy's and to say that it's a celebration of modern music is like saying to take a dump is a port-a-potty is a celebration of modern plumbing. I admit I didn't watch much as I couldn't stomach the audacity of it all, but I carried away 2 things from the little I did see.

1)Green Day on Broadway? Really? It's official then, the band should be formally stripped of their long dead punk mantel and their Cd's refiled under show-tuns.

2)Sir Elton John is a whore. It's not bad enough that you bastardize your own song to honor someone you supposedly cared for greatly but now you'll sing with anyone for the price of stage time at the Grammy's. I wasn 't even born and I miss the Elton of the late 60's early 70's.

I think the Gammy's bother me so much because it epitomizes how dysfunctional the industry of big label music is. Incestuous in nature and empty of substance the awards are merely an act of masturbation. The big name labels celebrating their success in an industry they manipulate through bribery and monopolization and thus further shadowing the struggle of independent music.

While all those celebrities sit listening to bad jokes and applauding the mediocre winners their are bands bleeding and starving to make music a hundred times better. The price of the ceremony alone could fund the recording and completion costs of over a thousand independent records or provide well needed Health care for a hundred artists. A single statuette could cover the cost of gas or lodging for a 4 state tour. More important though if you started giving the Grammy's to artist that actually earn them , say Katie Herzig, Lucero, Kleveland, and The Hard Lessons, maybe bands like U2 and Taylor Swift might make an album worth listening to.

But enough of my ranting. It's already gotten me in trouble with my 81/2 year-old daughter who is a an avid Swift fan.

As for the goals. I'll be posting my first review shortly and am actively reaching out to bands to obtain materials for review. I'm hoping to review the latest albums from Sex Slaves out of New York and local favorites The Builders and the Butchers new live recording.

“There ain’t no shame in just giving up and walking a way…” No Shame - Two Cow Garage.

Here is the dilemma. I have been writing about music for the last 8 years and haven’t gotten anywhere. It’s not that I thought I’d get rich or famous; I just wonder if I should keep banging my head against this same wall or get a clue and walk away.

I entered in to the world of music with the feeling as though it was my calling. I didn’t find it, it found me and it seemed that all my interests and skills were colliding into one great destiny as though it was truly a mission from God. I guess I should have known then because as with all missions from God, though quite rewarding they are never easy.

I began this journey writing reviews for an on line publication, was able to pick up low paying work with a local weekly paper, launched my own webzine , and even had a good paying position writing a column about opening acts. Encouraged by the early success I left a job I despised to pursue my new calling. It was the best thing I ever did, but as the years pass, it seems to get tougher with each new fumble. From unpredictable editors, unreliable hosting servers, and even my own personal obstacles it grows harder and harder to feel like the time I spend is worth the effort. I truly love writing about music and people seem to respect it as evidenced by the hit’s I still get on Google. But Google does not a man make.

So here I am to make a decision: muster up the strength to keep writing whatever may come or give up and stop chasing this ghost. Here’s the challenge though, if the next 300 days are to be the last steps of this strange adventure, then I want to go out with a bang and have devised 5 goals that I’d like to complete before the clock runs out. This blog will be my proof and those who read it my witness.

My goals are as follows:

1) Produce and post one album review a week for the rest of 2010. That’s 49 reviews in all.

2) Go record shopping with the artist Biz Markie and have him educate this poor white boy about the history of good hip hop and rap in 30 albums or less. During this time talk to him about the difference between making music as an artist and performer and playing music as a DJ.

3) Collaborate with my 8 year old Daughter on interview questions and arrange an interview with her favorite artist.

4) Sit down with individuals who are heads of their fields in music licensing and sonic branding to gain a better understanding of the changed face of these fields in the light of a world altered by technology and the rise of independent music.

5) Plan, organize and pitch an idea of a multi-city concert series to a major shoe company.

These goals have some meat to them and carry with them their own obstacles and pit falls but as with all things they are obtainable. So let’s get started.