Another Loss for Music in 2016 - Prince Is Dead At 57

1958-2016

     As if the music world wasn't dealt enough losses at the beginning of 2016 following the deaths of famous musicians, such as David Bowie, Glenn Frey, and Scott Weiland, another has followed: Prince.  The musician who was known for renowned singles like "When Doves Cry", "Little Red Corvette", "Kiss", and "Purple Rain" died suddenly on April 21st.  There have been no signs of foul play reported, and unfortunately, rumors of a drug-related death have circulated like wildfire.  Regardless of the singer/musician'a cause of death, he accomplished great feats in his life from a movie (Purple Rain), millions made from music, and even playing a Super Bowl halftime show in 2007. The musician originally hailed from Minnesota and was known for talented guitar playing, sexual lyrics, as well as blending genres such as Funk, Dance, and Pop.  Listen to some of Prince's most popular tunes below:

Prince - When Doves Cry

Prince and The Revolution - Purple Rain

Prince - Kiss

Prince - Little Red Corvette

Album of the Week 4/24 - 4/30: "Portamento" by The Drums

     Looking for a modern twist on stereotypical retro Surfer Rock?  Well, look no further than the 2011 LP release "Portamento" by a Brooklyn duo known as The Drums!  Though we usually review and write about relatively new music or musical news, there seems to be a bit of a buzz about this 5-year-old audio candy, which has already become a classic, in our circle of peeps.  The Drums are classified as "Indie Pop", but leaving their genre categorization at that would be unfair to the versatility and intricacy of the music. There are certainly themes of both Indie and Pop within The Drums' catalog, but they add a twist of what feels like Surfer Rock or New Wave, at many times. This delicately-crafted musical formula was perfected on "Portamento"; every track on the album has a catchy vibe that makes for easy listening, all while the lyrics hold a certain angsty weight. For instance, on "Money", which is arguably the band's most popular single to date (and appears on the album), lead singer Jonathan Pierce laments his monetary struggles in the chorus by repeating, "I want to buy you something,/ But I don't have money."  Lines like these make up most of The Drums' music.  Still, the band isn't afraid to take songs to dark places with their lyrics. On the track "I Need A Doctor", a couple lines sing, "That night you put your lipstick on me,/ I felt so stupid, so I drank to get dizzy./ And when you fell asleep,/ I threw a tambourine at your face."  From the everyday norm to the off-the-wall bizarre, The Drums have you covered with retro-eqsue and catchy music.
     "Portamento" is a masterpiece for a number of reasons, but one reason is certainly tied in with the fact that every track on the album is disarming. There is always something comforting about soft guitar riffs made of repetitive notes, accompanied by passionate, melancholic vocals.  This is easily an album you could play around your grandparents--there is nothing aggressive or profane on this album.  The Drums just want to take you on a journey, while sharing all the audio candy they have to offer with you.  If you haven't heard this gem yet, give your ears a present next time you get a chance with "Portamento"!  Check out our 5 top fav tracks below:

Hard To Love
Money
Days
Book of Revelation
I Need A Doctor

We give this album a 5/5 and have it on rotation all the time, especially the single "Money"! What do you think of it? Let us know! Stream the album below:

Portamento Full Album via YouTube
   

Drum and Percussion Sale Going on at Musician's Friend (Musiciansfriend.com) NOW!

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Music Video: Weezer - "Thank God for Girls"

Recently, we reviewed Weezer's (the renowned LA-based Rock band) new White Album. Naturally, the band recently released some new music videos for their more popular singles. In typical Weezer fashion, none of the music videos were serious. Check out the video for "Thank God for Girls" by clicking on the link below!

Thank God for Girls - Weezer Official Video

Weezer's singer and guitarist, River Cuomo, stars in this video as a hypocritical and over-dramatic pastor.

The video seems to be strong artistic critique of hypocrisy within organized religion. The "preacher" of the church (Cuomo) is made out to be an over-the-top caricature of a televangelist, all while he enters a backroom to play cards/gamble with scantily-clad women after mass. It's safe to say that the song's title and lyrics have nothing to do with the video AT ALL. Still, the video is very cool.  

Album of the Week 4/17 - 4/23: "All of Something" by Sports

     Are you a fan of DIY-sounding, Indie-tinged Punk with female vocals? Or, did you not even know that such a musical concoction existed? Either way, if you like any music influenced by Punk or Indie styles, the Ohio-based band Sports (also written as SPORTS, at times) is something you should most definitely look into! With their newest LP release, "All of Something", Sports have recently poked their heads into the mainstream. However, the band is still a bit of a contradiction--they seem to be a band floating through the mainstream, all while evoking a sense of an "underground" sentiment.  This is reinforced, in part, by the fact that the band has been written about in Rolling Stone while their official band site is still on Bandcamp.com (a site for underground bands with almost no money). The album itself is a cohesive, catchy one: the songs are quick in length, as well as quick in tempo, and the lyrics usually center around break-ups.  The Surfer Rock-esque chords that make up this 10-track album make it a perfect album to pick up/download in time for summer. However, the angsty lyrics from Sports juxtapose their lighthearted musical composition. 

     For example, the lead singer (whose full name is still unknown) says un-apologetically on the track "Reality TV", "I heard you say you're broken-hearted/ Is there any other way to be?" However, don't be fooled--Sports is not a group that merely pumps out break-up laments with a Surfer Rock sound. The band manages to shift their focal point from song to song, inhibiting any stagnancy or redundancy. In addition, the album even holds Sports' first acoustic ballad: "Clean Socks". Not only can you bob your head to this band, you can give a serious nod towards your stereo as you savor their sensitivity that practically oozes out of the speakers. Keep following Sports, because you are going to be hearing a hell of a lot more about them in the near future! Check out our top 5 fav tracks off of the album below:

The Washing Machine

Saturday

Reality TV

Clean Socks

Get Bummed Out

Here at Multi-Fret, we give "All of Something" a 4/5! The album isn't out in its entirety on YouTube yet. But, you can still listen to some select singles, whose links are provided below:

"Reality TV"

"Get Bummed Out"

"The Washing Machine"

   

"Creep" by Radiohead Guitar Tab

*Tabbed by unknown user at Tabs.UltimateGuitar.com*

Tuning: EADGBe (Standard)

[Intro]

G B C Cm

[Verse]

    G
When you were here before
B 
Couldn't look you in the eyes
C
You're just like an angel
    Cm
Your skin makes me cry
    G
You float like a feather
B
In a beautiful world
   C
I wish I was special
 Cm
You're so very special


[Chorus]

G
But I'm a creep
 B
I'm a weirdo
C
What the hell am I doin' here
Cm
I don't belong here


[Verse]

    G
I don't care if it hurts
B
I wanna have control
   C
I want a perfect body
  Cm
I want a perfect soul
G
I want you to notice
    B
When I'm not around
C
You're so very special
Cm
I wish I was special....


[Chorus]

G
But I'm a creep
 B
I'm a weirdo
C
What the hell am I doin' here
Cm
I don't belong here


[Verse]

   G  B   C Cm
oooh... she's running away....she's running...run..run...run..ruuuuun
G B C   Cm
    run
   G
Whatever makes you happy
   B
Whatever you want
   C
You're so very special
    Cm
Wish I was special...


[Chorus]

G
But I'm a creep
 B
I'm a weirdo
C
What the hell am I doin' here
Cm
I don't belong here
 G 

I don't belong here

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A Gibson 2016 Faded Studio Faded Series Electric Guitar

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Music Video: Highly Suspect - "Bloodfeather"

Highly Suspect, a Brooklyn-based trio (that we write about A LOT) with a Bluesy-Rock sound, recently released a music video for their newest single, "Bloodfeather". Check it out with the link below!

Highly Suspect-Bloodfeather Official Video

Singer and Guitarist, Johnny Stevens, stars in this Western-esque video.

VIEWER DISCRETION: STRONG VIOLENCE WITHIN VIDEO

Quickly, viewers will watch the band's singer go through quite an ordeal at the hands of some stereotypical cowboy brutes. This video really puts the "blood" in "Bloodfeather"!

Album of the Week 4/10 - 4/16: "Gore" by Deftones

     

     If someone told you something to the effect of, "I am willing to cut through razor wire in order to get to your heart," would you find it endearing or disturbing? Well, it doesn't matter! It doesn't matter because on their newest album release, "Gore", the Deftones (a renowned and insanely-talented Hard Rock/Metal group from Sacramento) craft lyrics with such content, all while disarming any negative connotations with their mind-blowing melodies and hooks. Odd lyrics and song/album names have become part of the Deftones niche, since they broke onto the scene in the mid 90s. Talent, plus weird, often equals powerful in the world of music. But, few bands have mastered such a facet of their work like the 'Tones. "Gore" has been highly anticipated as one of the biggest Rock albums of 2016, especially with singles like "Doomed User", "Hearts/Wires", and "Prayers/Triangles" being leaked to the radio waves. Before they embarked on a worldwide tour, the album dropped on April 8 and debuted at #2 on the Americans iTunes chart. In an interview with Noisey, singer Chino Moreno explained how the much of the album was based off of "juxtaposition".  He spoke about this in context to the album art, which depicts a flock of majestic flamingos, juxtaposing the title of "Gore".  

     There is certainly a theme of juxtaposing beauty and darkness on within the album, not just on the cover.  For instance, songs like "Doomed User" have an almost-upbeat chorus in the same song that says to "just leave" because one's "fuse has expired". In addition, on "Hearts/Wires", the very lyrics that were used to pose an opening question at the beginning of this review were used to depict a twisted, yet beautiful love.  Still, the part about getting to a lover's heart by passing through razor wire is only the tip of the iceberg. The most truly dismal, yet love-riddled line goes, "I drown in your sea/ I hope that you first save yourself/ And then come for me." Per usual, the Deftones have managed to twist their off-the-wall lyrics so that they are perfectly in-sync with unforgettable riffs that demand your attention. There is an honesty to the Deftones that is evident upon every listen, and this concept is ever-present on "Gore". Support the Deftones by picking up this album in tangible or digital form today! Also, check out our top 5 favorite tracks below:

Hearts/Wires

Acid Hologram

Doomed User

(L)MIRL

Prayers/Triangles

We give this album a 4.5/5! What do you give it? Any opinions or thoughts?  Let us know!  And...stream the album below:

Gore Full Album via YouTube

"Blitzkrieg Bop" by Ramones Guitar Tab

*Tabbed by JKLZ on Tabs.UltimateGuitar.com*

Tuning: EADGBe (Standard) 

Main Riff (Intro/Verse)
   A5               D5   E5
E|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|------------------7-7--9-9-9-|  x3
D|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--7-7--9-9-9-|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--5-5--7-7-7-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-------------|

   A5     D5     A5
E|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|--------7-7-7------------------|
D|-7-7-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
A|-7-7-7--5-5-5--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
E|-5-5-5---------5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|

Album of the Week 4/3 - 4/9: "White Album" by Weezer

   
      Last time most music lovers referred to a "white album", they were talking about The Beatles' renowned album of the same name. However, the beloved Pop-Rock/Alternative group Weezer just dropped some hot, brand-spanking new music for fans. After being known to have albums that were simply known by the names of colors before (i.e. "Blue Album" and "Red Album"), Weezer seems to wish to go back to using such a strategy for album naming, because the band released its "White Album" on April 1st. For a band that has been at the forefront of mainstream music since 1994, the group proves with their latest catalog addition that they are still very much in the business of producing songs that can make a fan of any genre start bobbing their head or tapping their foot. The album is kicked off by the fast-tempo and heavily Pop-influenced track "California Kids". In typical Weezer fashion, the band finds a way to incorporate entrancing melodies with power chord-saturated choruses that are vaguely reminiscent of 60s Surf Rock.
     The band really switches things up with track #3, "Thank God for Girls". Within a song that begins with a catchy piano melody, singer River Cuomo swiftly begins to almost rap his lyrics, all while keeping a more Pop/Alternative-driven sentiment to the listener. In addition, Weezer added some societal commentary to this album, as they have been known to do. The fifth track off of the album is extremely self-explanatory, right from its title: "Do You Wanna Get High?". The track is reminiscent of a past Weezer song, "We Are All on Drugs", and the anti-drug message behind the way the band portrays an addict's dismal day-to-day existence. With a chorus that sings, "Do you wanna get high?/ Don't need no dinner tonight," Weezer shows that they can still grab your attention with both poignant and relevant messages, as well as amazing ear candy. Check out this album, as well as our top 5 fav tracks below:

Thank God For Girls
Jacked Up
Do You Wanna Get High?
L.A. Girlz
King of the World

We give this album a 5/5. Do you agree? Tell us about it! Also, stream the album below:

White Album Full Album via YouTube