Clockwork Angels

Clockwork Angels by Rush
CD Bins - Rock - R

The newest album from Canadian progressive rock group Rush is amazing. I've been a fan of Rush for years. Whenever you're a life-long fan of a music group, you begin to worry that each album is as good as it can possibly get for them. How could Rush possibly top themselves again? Well, they've done it. I really, really loved Snakes & Arrows (2007), but Clockwork Angels is just as good. It's a concept album with a companion science fiction novel, coming in September (Clockwork Angels: The Novel by Kevin Anderson, who's a long-time friend of drummer Neil Peart). Themes of time, angels, miracles, divinity, voyages, and characters called "The Watchmaker," "The Anarchist," and "The Pedlar" create steam-punk greatness. Halo Effect, Wish Them Well, and The Garden are among my favorite tracks, but there's not a bad song on the album! Rush is touring soon, making a stop in Detroit on September 18. Get your tickets soon!

The Wind

The Wind by Warren Zevon
Cd Bins - Rock Z



The best songwriters and musicians always seek to leave a legacy in their field that will hopefully be inspiring for those that come after them. Rocker Warren Zevon had a very successful career filled with multiple accomplishments that included the album The Wind. The album would be the last artistic achievement of Zevon as he would pass away from an inoperable form of cancer mere weeks after it was released in 2003. He began recording the album shortly after his diagnosis and many of the songs paint the picture of a man coming to terms with the end of his life but still trying to fight on and enjoy what he still could. On any other album, a cover of the song “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” might seem as a simple tribute to Bob Dylan but knowing the circumstances surrounding Zevon’s health gives the song extra poignancy.

Not all the offerings on the album deal with sentimentality as tracks such as “The Rest of the Night” show Warren was still a rocker at heart. But it is the final song that is the most impactful and moving on the album. “Keep Me in Your Heart” was written by Warren Zevon especially for his family members. The song is a testament to how easily good music can convey the emotions we feel regarding personal loss and the desire to be remembered by the people who were special in our lives. It is a shame that we will never know what else Warren Zevon could have contributed to the music industry but his legacy is already one that will most likely influence future musicians.

The Andrews Sisters

The Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters
CD Bins – Easy Listening - A

If you’re looking for some bright and cheerful music to match the spring weather (or maybe make it feel like spring even if the weather isn’t cooperating), look no further than the Andrews Sisters. Their two most famous hits are “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen”, both great songs. The tight, three-part harmony and the swingin’ style carries through the whole album, though a hint of old-fashioned racial attitudes are unfortunately apparent in “Rum and Coca Cola.” This particular album could also be improved with some liner notes – I had to go to their web site for details such as the date of their first hit (1938, after six years of touring) and learning that they were the first female group to go platinum. This is brassy, upbeat World War II cheer on a disc.

Harry and the Potters

Harry and the Potters by Harry and the Potters
CD Bins – Rock - H

This is the time of year when I start feeling nostalgic for Harry Potter – waiting in line for the new book, then discussing it with all my friends. Why not celebrate Harry’s birthday (July 31) and relive the magic with some wizard rock? Harry and the Potters is one of the first wizard rock bands to make it big. The two performers, brothers Paul and Joe DeGeorge, recorded their first album in their garage with not much but a whole lot of enthusiasm. Intonation and timing were sometimes a bit off, but I couldn’t help smiling as I listened to lyrics like, “You can’t take my best friend’s sister and get away with it,” or “Why’d you have to kill my parents, Lord Voldemort, I mean You-Know-Who?” The songs in this album are taken directly from the plot of the first two books and sung from Harry’s point of view. Plymouth has the first album, from their visit here several years ago. The band is still going strong, with several more albums (the most recent one is available only for download), and active tours – their web page says they’re now touring Amsterdam and Ireland.

For more Harry Potter-inspired music, try The Hogsemeade Diaries by Tonks and the Aurors, a local and more singer-songwriter-style take on wizard rock. Go more in depth into Harry Potter with The Sorcerer’s Companion by Kronzek and Kronzek. Feel the love with Kids’ Letters to Harry Potter from Around the World compiled by Adler, or knit yourself some Gryffindor gear from the patterns in Charmed Knits by Hansel.

Sainthood

Sainthood by Tegan & Sara
Cd Bins - Rock - T

One of the best concerts I have ever been to was one of Tegan and Sara's. There is an energy and emotion they have that most bands today lack. Their 2007 album, The Con, is what made me get into them, but their newest album, Sainthood, is just spectacular. It’s not as depressing and emotional as The Con; it really shows how they have grown. Tegan and Sara still sing about relationships and love, but their lyrics are a bit more abstract on this album. Sainthood also shows how they are in a good place in their lives right now. While working on and writing songs for The Con, both Tegan and Sara were going through some tough times; either trying to work through relationships or ending them. The awesome thing about Tegan and Sara is that they are one of the few groups these days who is continuously evolving and putting out a better record than the one before.

After listening to the album several times all the way through, I can say that there isn’t a bad song on here. I recommend not only checking out Sainthood, but also The Con and So Jealous; all of which are available at the library.

Here is the song Hell off their Sainthood album:




To get a taste of The Con album, here is the song Back in Your Head: