Contest: The Clash - Live at Shea Stadium on 180 gram vinyl!

I have a copy of the Clash's Live at Shea Stadium on 180 gram vinyl (not a crappy old CD) to give away. The first person with the correct answers to the following will win a copy. Don't put the answers in the comments. Send them via my contact form along with your email and mailing address.

1) The Clash had several drummers over the years. Which one plays on Live at Shea Stadium?

2) Longtime Clash drummer Topper Headon released a solo single in 1985 with a cover of a song by what jazz great?

You can read the review of Live at Shea Stadium here.

Queensryche Contest Winner

Taotechuck is the winner of the Queensryche - Take Cover giveaway with this definition for Queensryche:

queens • rÿche (kwēnz rīk) v.
1. To act in a cold and emotionless manner. The girl finally mustered the nerve to speak to the odd-looking man in the Gold's Gym t-shirt, but she was devastated when he queensrÿched her.
2. To place unnecessary umlauts in a word. Your parents totally queensrÿched you, Böb.

He even put in the extra effort to include the umlauts.

Contest: Queensryche - Take Cover

I have a copy of Queensryche's new covers collection, cleverly titled Take Cover, for giveaway. I'll send it to the person who has the best definition for what a queensryche actually is. The best answer might be serious or it might be funny, who's to say. Go ahead and post your answers in the comments and I'll choose a winner on Monday, November 26. Check back to see if you're the winner, because I'll need to get contact info from you.

I'll have a review posted soon, so check back if you're interested.

Contest from Deep Elm Records

Click the banner below and enter to win!

Review: Mick Jagger - The Very Best of Mick Jagger...and contest!

Label: Atlantic/Rhino

Released: October 2, 2007

Don't miss the opportunity to win a copy of this CD. See the bottom of this review for details.

Other than a song here and there, the Rolling Stones haven't done anything worthwhile since 1972's Exile on Main Street (don't whine to me about Some Girls or Tattoo You, either). Their last album, seen as a return to form by many, was merely the Stones as a cover band of themselves 35+ years earlier. In some ways, it was their most pathetic album, because it showed them trying to be who they once were, as if the passage of time had no effect. The problem with the Stones isn't that Mick and Keith don't have anything left to offer, just that they aren't the Stones anymore and they fail when they try to be. That's why both have been able to release some fantastic solo material during a period when the they've embarrassed themselves in the band.

The Very Best of Mick Jagger collects a number of his songs from his solo albums over the last 22 years. It glosses over She's the Boss and Primitive Cool, drawing only three of its 17 tracks from those two albums. Mick's stronger material from 1993's Rick Rubin-produced Wandering Spirit and 2001's excellent Goddess in the Doorway, two albums that show a definite evolution from the drugs and sex and rock and roll stupidity of his youth, account for seven tracks. Now the math doesn't add up there, does it? That's a good thing, because the remaining seven tracks are either unreleased or likely absent from many people's collections.

Three songs are new to our ears although not newly recorded. "Charmed Life" (recorded in 1992) sounds more like it was recorded in 1979 with the inspiration of Queen's successful foray into disco. The same year gives us "Checkin' Up With My Baby," a Sonny Boy Williamson blues number. From all the way back in 1973 comes "To Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)," a soul number featuring Al Kooper and Jack Bruce and produced by John Lennon. Two others come from soundtracks. "Old Habits Die Hard" from Alfie (2004) is an emotional ballad with Dave Stewart that finds Mick in his best voice. "Memo from Turner," from 1970's Performance, is another interesting obscure selection. Also included is "(You Got to Walk and) Don't Look Back," Jagger's contibution to Peter Tosh's reggae classic, Bush Doctor. Unfortunately, Jagger's cover of "Dancing in the Streets" with David Bowie also found space on this album. When it was released back in 1985, it had the excuse of being a charity single, but not now. It's almost as embarrassing as Dirty Work or Bridges to Babylon.

All in all, this is a nice collection of Mick's Stones-free work. After listening to the tracks from Wandering Spirit and Goddess in the Doorway, I'd think you'd want to pick those up on their own. However, The Very Best of Mick Jagger still provides enough extra material to make it worthwhile. Plus, it's a lot better than listening to anything the Stones did in the same time frame.

Rating: 7/10

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Contest: Mick Jagger and David Bowie covered "Dancing in the Streets" to benefit the Live Aid charity. They also planned to do it as a duet at the concert, but those plans fell through. Why? Don't put the answer in the comments. Instead, click here to send it to me. I'll announce the winner on October 15, 2007.

Review: DOA - Smash the State (and contest!!!)

Label: MVD Visual

Released: September 1, 2007

In the days where a huge corporate rock band like Rage Against the Machine reunites to enrich themselves under the guise of protest music, seeing a band who lived their message as DOA did is engaging and inspiring. When DOA was tearing up stages in protest to all they saw wrong with the world, there was no major label money, no big arena shows and no slick videos, just some kids trying to make a difference.

No one should be expecting quality recordings of these early events in DOA's career. While the first show (On Broadway, San Francisco, 1980) is actually surprisingly audible, it's immediately followed by by a second San Fran show at the Old Waldorf the following year which is poor even by home movie standards. Most of the DVD splits the difference between the two. What is missing in sound quality is made up for in DIY charm that captures the real energy and spirit of these shows. While I'm sure it's no substitute for having been there, Smash the State is likely the next best thing, capturing the band in all their rabble-rousing glory.

Bonus material includes a music video of only slightly better quality than the homemade live clips and a Canadian news report on punk from 1979 which heavily featured DOA, the latter being an interesting window into a time when punk was not so cool as it is today.

There is little question that DOA, love them or hate them, were the real deal. Can you imagine Rage or System of a Down forgoing the big paycheck to play the Anarchist Anti-Canada Day gig? While DOA has yet to realize their dreams of change, watching Smash the State leaves little doubt that the band believed in them. It's so convincing that I'm surprised there's actually a copyright on the box. I guess the world's still that imperfect.

Rating: 8/10

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Contest:
Rather than ask some silly trivia question, I'm going to give a copy of the DVD to the person with the best answer to this question: What have you done to change the world?

I'll announce the winner on Monday, October 15.

Pink Floyd Contest Winner!

Michael Graska was the first with the correct answer. Pink Floyd's two complete soundtracks aside from The Wall are More (for the movie of the same name) and Obscured by Clouds (for the French film, La Vallee).

Michael, I need your address to send the CD.

Contest: Win a copy of the new two disc version of Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Over the years, Pink Floyd has done several entire movie soundtracks. Obviously, The Wall is one, but there were two others earlier in their career. Be the first to name the films as well as the Floyd albums that contain their soundtracks and I'll send you a copy of the CD in the mail!

Don't put your answer in the comments. Email it to me here. I'll announce the winner and the answers on Monday, September 24.

Check out the review.

Review: Dan Wilson - Free Life

Label: American Recordings

Released: October 16, 2007

If you enjoyed Dan Wilson's band, Semisonic, than you'll enjoy his solo work as well. You'll also have to explain to all your friends why you like music that sucks, but that's beside the point. If you had the good sense to hate Semisonic than you'll likely hate this also...mostly.

Dan Wilson takes more of a folk rock approach on this album with only some alt rock leanings. Of course, I should be hesitant to use the word rock at all in this case, because it's something Wilson really fails to do. There's nothing wrong with the playing on this album and Wilson clearly has a good voice. The production is a bit thin in places, but stays crisp. The album is entirely listenable, but also entirely unenriching. Really, there are a few songs on this album that actually approach being good in places where the music sounds more organic and Wilson keeps his voice out of the upper registers. While a good soul singer can hit the high notes and energize the song, Wilson's voice has the opposite effect, deflating any energy the song may have built.

In a sense, Dan Wilson is like an alt rock James Taylor. There are hints that he's got some talent, yet his complete inability to fulfill his own promise makes the album fall even flatter than if it had no promise at all. If you like Semisonic, you might give this album 8/10, but I'd give you 1/10, so your opinion doesn't matter.

Rating: 3/10

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By the way, I have an extra promo copy of this CD. It's free to the first person who can make a compelling argument for why Rick Rubin touched this with a ten foot pole (he's executive producer). You can leave your answer in the comments, but be sure to contact me here as well so I know how to get in touch with you if you win.

SXSW Contest Results

Metal Mark was the first to respond with the correct answer regarding Austin's unofficial motto, "Keep Austin Weird." Enjoy that DVD, Mark.

Contest: SXSW 2007 DVD

Despite the poor review I gave it, I'm going to run a contest in which you can win a copy of the SXSW Live 2007 DVD. Hey, don't complain, it's free! And there are some good performances on it. So here's the deal, the first person with the correct answer to the following question gets the DVD:

In recent years, Austin, home of SXSW, has adopted an unofficial motto to promote its eccentricity and diversity and to promote small, local businesses. What is it?

Don't put your answer in the comments though. Make everyone else work just as hard even if they don't get the DVD. Send me your answer here. I'll announce the winner next Monday (August 27).