Hayden Hennessy: The XXX Blog: December 2009

The decade is drawing to a close and, musically, it's been a pretty boring one (unless you actually like the shyte they play on the radio, in which case I say "Blame it on the a-a-alcohol"..). There have been some gems, of course, and here they are:

10) Veruca Salt, Resolver (2000)

It was their first release after the departure of Nina Gordon (who went on to do sweet, fluffy love songs as a solo artist) and you can almost taste the bitterness in Louise's voice. I call this one the "Fuck-you-to-ex-lovers-and-ex-best-friends" record because it's loaded with vicious lyrics that simply make you feel better about being ditched by someone (yes, I absolutely appreciate "Used to Know Her", thank you very much!). If you're a hardcore fan, you miss the gorgeous Nicks/McVie-ish harmonizing the team of Post/Gordon brought to previous VS albums, but the pop is still there. Songs like "Yeah Man" and "Best You Can Get" prove this. My favorite, though, is "Disconnected", a Valentine of sorts sung from a beautifully broken, aching heart.

9) Juliette and the Licks, You're Speaking My Language (2005)

If you're a fan of Juliette the Actress, you'll definitely be a fan of Juliette the Rock Goddess, because she applies the same amount of soulful kookiness to her music. This is the first full-length album she released with her band (she's now solo) and it's obvious she's sincere about her role as singer/songwriter. It opens with the title track, which is somewhat reminiscent of 70's punk, and from there it darts from funk ("Money In My Pocket"), blues ("This I Know"), pop ("Seventh Sign"), and pretty much everywhere else in between. In an age when there seemed to be no credible women in rock, Juliette stepped up to the plate and delivered the kind of rebellious anthems riot grrl fans desperately craved. For further listening, try to hunt down the EP ...Like a Bolt of Lightning, which features rougher versions of a couple songs from YSML (and the amazing "Shelter Your Needs").

8) Marilyn Manson, HolyWood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000)

To anyone who thinks it's lame to still enjoy Manson, I say "Shuuuuuut up! You know you listen to this shit when nobody's looking!" The sucky fact of the matter is the awesomeness of it (like all MM albums) is overshadowed by a persona. As a fan of both the singer and the band, I think it's one of the most underrated albums of the decade - mostly because it reminds me alot of AntiChrist Superstar, which was one of the best examples of a concept album and combining imagery with music in a very interesting, artistic way. Lyrically, it's beautiful (my favorites: "Target Audience" and "Valentine's Day"). If it makes me lame that I like this, I don't really care....

7) Tori Amos, Scarlet's Walk (2002)

Another concept album. In a nutshell: Tori metaphorically follows this woman (Scarlet) across America and sonically documents all of her experiences. At the time, alot of fans were disappointed because it was a departure from the usual sex-and-religion-tackling/"piglet suckling on breast" Tori (à la Boys For Pele). This was alittle more folksy than we were used to (you heard "A Sorta Fairytale" every single time you stepped foot into a coffee shop). I admit I wasn't head over hills in love with the transition at first - but now that it's been 7 years, I can appreciate it as the musical growth in her career that it was. It does have one thing in common with her other albums, which is a brilliant use of symbolism. Songs like "Strange" and "Your Cloud" stick out to me because of the dark, haunting aura they radiate. And, of course, nobody ever in the history of humanity played the piano quite like this woman does.

6) Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped (2006)

I just recently got into this one. If you're a Sonic Youth fan at all, you'll like it. It reminds me of Experimental, Jet Set, Trash, & No Star, which was the album that made me a fan. I have a semi-sexual crush on Thurston Moore & his voice (confession: "Incinerate" kinda gives me a boner..) and Kim Gordon is lovely as always. It's somewhat bouncy and pop-ish at times, and then goes back to being a bouquet of noisy, angry guitars - but I guess that kind of schizophrenic mess is why I love them. My other favorites: "Sleepin' Around", "Lights Out", and "Pink Steam".

5) Madonna, Confessions on a Dancefloor (2005)

I don't think I would be a gay guy if this wasn't on my list. It's pure fun, electro ear candy (with a touch of rebellion here and there, of course), which is what we've come to love about this lady over the years. When "Hung Up" (the first single) exploded, I was alittle hesitant to join the mob of gays (and straights and everybody else) who were obsessing over it - but of course I was secretly in love. The whole album is laced with 80's-style pop/dance beats (which, as I recall, the gay clubs predictably ate up like a 10-pound steak in a lion's den) and an obvious industrial influence. On a personal note, I was dabbling in a few hallucinogenic drugs at the time, so songs like "Future Lovers" and "Jump" sounded even more magical in my apartment... Also, this album brought us the image of Madonna in a purple leotard AND a world tour which featured her infamously performing "Live to Tell" while hanging from a cross (both bonuses in my book).

4) PJ Harvey, White Chalk (2007)

One night about a year ago, I was riding around with a friend at about 1am and "The Devil" came on her CD player, and I was immediately hypnotized by the sullen, haunting voice coming from my friend's speakers - and I didn't even know it was PJ Harvey singing. I think what I love the most about this album is that it's completely different than anything she's done in the past. She isn't screaming and there is no electric guitar or feedback wailing in the background. Apparently, she learned to play the piano shortly before recording this and was inspired by it. In many of the songs, her voice, which is obviously the main attraction here, struggles and cracks - & it is magical (see: "Broken Harp")! Other times (like on "Dear Darkness" and "When Under Ether"), it's as heavy/smooth/flawless as honey. It's refreshing to know that musicians/artists are still willing to experiment and risk falling on their face these days.

3) Courtney Love, America's Sweetheart (2004)

Ok, I know not alot of people are going to include this in their favorite albums of any time period -- BUT hear me out. I've been a Courtney fan/supporter for over half my lifetime, even when she was a drug-addicted mess and made absolutely no sense, so maybe I'm alittle quicker to defend the kind of raw emotion/catharsis this album oozes more than the average person. It's a departure from any Hole album (it's harsher and less "produced")...Yes, she was cracked out of her mind while recording it (and made an infamously sloppy appearance on Letterman while promoting it), but no one can deny the passion she so obviously poured into the project. Go find and listen to "Uncool" or "Life Despite God" and you'll know what I'm talking about. Courtney's not the greatest singer, but the genuine pain in her scratchy, haggard voice reminds me of Janis Joplin here. It's another example of something really brilliant being overshadowed by a persona (it was released during a period in her life that made Britney's "crazy year" seem like an episode of 7th Heaven)...But regardless, there isn't one song on this album that I'm not in love with. But again, maybe I'm a pinch biased.

2) Depeche Mode, Playing the Angel (2005)

This is another album that I've only recently gotten into. I've been a fan for years & years, but haven't really followed them for a while. Then, about a year ago, I heard "A Pain That I'm Used To" and started looking into it. It's got the usual industrial influence - and Dave Gahan's amazingly British voice (2 things I adore about Depeche Mode), but it's somewhat harsher/darker/sexier than anything they've done recently. Favorites: "Suffer Well", "Precious" (takes me back to early DM), "John The Revelator", and "Damaged People".

1) Tori Amos, American Doll Posse (2007)

Duh! I don't know where to begin to kiss this album's ass...First off, it incorporates every single archetype Tori Amos has ever inhabited: Endlessly entertaining/witty folkster ("Big Wheel"); Lonesome little blue girl ("Digital Ghost", "Roosterspur Bridge"); Fearless lioness ("Teenage Hustling", "You Can Bring Your Dog"); Truth-seeker/patriarchy-destroyer ("Body & Soul", "Father's Son")... It's yet another concept album (she portrays different characters based on the feminine psyche for each song). It's somewhat of a return to the harder vibes of Boys For Pele and From the Choirgirl Hotel, with remnants of Scarlet's Walk scattered here and there. I traveled across the country on a Greyhound shortly after it was released and - no exaggeration - I listened to this the entire trip (20+ hours).. I think people who aren't even fans of hers or don't know of her music would actually enjoy this album (which is a sure sign of a classic). Also, the lyric "I'll do this last one/Then I'll grow me some wine/Leave them troubled boys all behind.." (from "Code Red") is extremely sexy - and definitely one of my favorites ever written.

*Honorable Mentions: Skinny Puppy, The Greater Wrong of the Right (2004); Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine (2005); Sonic Youth, Murray Street (2002); Melissa Auf der Maur, Auf der Maur (2004); Madonna, Music (2000); Nine Inch Nails, With Teeth (2005); A Perfect Circle, Mer de Noms (2000); Gwen Stefani, LoveAngelMusicBaby (2004); and Garbage, Bleed Like Me (2005).

xoH

Yesterday I found out Dustin Michaels, who did alot of work for BrokeStraightBoys.com and NakedKombat.com, died Friday at the age of 23 during an altercation with police in Florida. I don't really want to go into details, but you can read more about it here. There's actually a very disturbing video of the encounter out there in InternetLand, but I didn't wanna link it because it seemed disrespectful (and it's just simply too difficult to watch).
I didn't know him at all personally (we only spoke briefly a couple times via Twitter and MySpace), but he seemed like a cool, down-to-earth guy. His death is affecting me in a strange way and I don't even know exactly why..

I was a fan of his BSB work and we had the same agent for a short time. When I first signed with him and realized he also represented Dustin, Dustin was the first person I told him I wanted to work with. I begged him to arrange it so that I could do something with Dustin, because he was so gorgeous and seemed like he'd be a lot of fun to shoot with. Unfortunately, that will never happen now.

Personally, it's a very surreal feeling. I can't even put it into words....I guess it reminds me that life is actually very short and even people who you admire or put on a pedestal aren't immortal. Crazy shit happens every day and things can change in a blink of an eye - and that applies to every single person on this planet, I suppose.

Anyway, I wanted to acknowledge Dustin's passing in the hopes that anyone who might read this and is unfamiliar with him will at least know about it. I can't say "He was a wonderful guy. I'll miss him" because I didn't know him on that level. But I do want to say that my thoughts & heart go out to his family and everyone who did actually know him.