New music reviews: Bon Iver equals Bruce Hornsby for hipsters
Bon Iver = Bruce Hornsby for hipsters.
The Tweet I sent out Sunday night wasn't entirely fair. I'm slighting James Taylor, the king of the 1970s singer/songwriters, who deserves the comparison, too. But the Hornsby connection to the indie cult artist du jour can't be missed.
On the ultra-cheesy "Beth/Rest," the last song on "Bon Iver," (released Tuesday), Justin Vernon channels the 1980s piano-playing "The Way It Is" singer who flashed in the pop pan.
Whether Vernon even fully gets into the pan remains to be seen. His 2008 "For Emma, Forever Ago" sold more than 300,000 copies and got him a hookup with Kanye West. Now let's see if all the resultant hype -- from Rolling Stone to Pitchfork -- increases his popularity.
I wasn't all that taken by the hermetically sealed "For Emma, Forever Ago," a record about the loss of a girlfriend, a band and who knows what else that was recorded in a Wisconsin cabin. It did showcase Vernon's falsetto, still his strongest attribute. But it was self-indulgent singer-songwriterism for a new generation.
That is my take on all the backwoodsy, bearded, sensitive guy types -- Vernon and Iron and Wine's Sam Beam. The music is arty and indie. But, at its core, it is little more than warmed-over folk pop, which never did it for me in the 1970s and 1980s and sure doesn't move me now.
"Bon Iver" is a more expansive album than its predecessor. There's no lost girlfriend this time or a band to mourn. So Vernon has constructed a series of love songs about places, real and imagined. Those songs come wrapped in ethereal, oft-muted packages with pedal steel, saxophone, horns and percussion added to the acoustic guitar and computer-based sounds of the first go-round.
I really like the rhythmic "Minnesota, WI" and the hymnlike "Calgary." But there's nothing on "Bon Iver" that gets the pulse racing, and all the pretty wears away to dullness. Grade: C
Dave Alvin is one of America's great songwriters, and he has returned to more of an electric sound on "Eleven Eleven," his 11th album -- imagine that.
There's no rockabilly a la The Blasters. But there's plenty of drive and grit in this mixture of R&B/blues and hillbilly/country.
The songs are just killer. Alvin recounts the circumstances in which 1950s R&B star "Johnny Ace is Dead" and revisits the labor strife in "Gary, Indiana 1959." "Black Rose of Texas" is haunting, and "Dirty Nightgown," well, not much explanation is needed.
Bruce Hornsby The Way It Is - News
But the Hornsby connection to the indie cult artist du jour can't be missed. On the ultra-cheesy "Beth/Rest," the last song on "Bon Iver," (released Tuesday), Justin Vernon channels the 1980s piano-playing "The Way It Is" singer who flashed in the pop
Bride of the Noisemakers is the result and, other than being a very successful reading of Hornsby and his crack group's talents and way around some fairly choice material, is the sequel to 2000's live Here Come the Noisemakers.
An inspiring take on “Cyclone” is a fine piece of pop music turned interesting with the way Hornsby's Noisemakers allow the performance to climax at an uproar of glorious aptitude. Guitarist Doug Derryberry rips through an impressive solo as Sonny
Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers' live album, Bride of the Noisemakers, features an amusing cover photo of two band members in wedding gear looking thoroughly miserable. The two discs inside feature a selection of career tracks as well as smartly
And, in that regard, it's a momentous achievement — even if the last song does sound like Bruce Hornsby. 2. Adele, 21: It's nice when the year's best-selling album also ends up being one of the flat-out best, but, in the case of Adele's 21,
Rock and Roll Guru | Bruce Hornsby: That's just the way it is…
-Bruce Hornsby
That’s a very Zen-like philosophy. When we learn to accept what is, it is so much easier to live a peaceful life.
Accepting what is does not mean that we can’t change things, but in order to change things we must first accept the situation as it is right now. Only then can we begin the process of creating change. And the only thing we can change is ourselves.
We also need to accept that we cannot change other people, we can only influence them by the example we set. Just remember what happened the last time you tried to “change” another person. Perhaps it was your significant other, or your children or friends or a politician. How did that work out for you?
If we truly want to change the world, we must first change ourselves. By becoming the change we wish to see in the world we can create a ripple effect that will influence humanity.
That’s just the way it is.
Love me some Bruce esp. after “The Range.” Early Bruce was enjoyable; however, the tunes seemed to have a “sameness” quality about them. He has gotten so much more inventive now that he no longer has to appease his record company – you know, radio hits and such. Bruce now calls his own shots. Bruce got his start in Williamsburg, VA – a place I know VERY well since my wife Kristen was a College of William and Mary grad. I used to see Hornsby in the early 80s when he was a “local” artist. He impressed me right off the bat by covering Steely Dan’s “Aja.” IMHO, that takes balls esp. since it was so DAMN good. Later man – hope things are going well for you!!!!!
WAY IT IS - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE
Oe, fijn. Bruce Hornsby & the Range, THE way it is... !
: ": "Bruce Hornsby And the Range -Thats Just The Way It Is"" ♫ 
Just heard "The Way It Is" by Bruce Hornsby on . Perfect tune to end the night on! Night y'all! Peace out.
must get Pro Keys DLC: Bruce Hornsby (and the Range!)'s "The Way It Is". Every time I hear it, that's all I can think about.Bruce Hornsby The Way It Is - Bookshelf
The way it is
The Billboard book of number 1 hits
The Way It Is BRUCE HORNSBY AND THE RANGE THK TOP FIVE Week of December IS, ... Writer: Bruce Hornsby Producer: Bruce Hornsby Elliot Sckeiner December 13, ...All music guide to rock, the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul
Here Come the Noise Makers / Oct. 24, 2000 / RCA *** Bruce Hornsby was 32 when " That's the Way It Is" hit number one and made him a star in the winter of ...The great rock discography
BRUCE HORNSBY (yes that solo geezer) was drafted in temporarily for ... C6) / OLD 8t IN THE WAY C4) / REFLECTIONS C5) / CATS UNDER THE STARS C6) / RUN FOR ...Bruce Hornsby Songs, I Can't Make You Love Me, the Valley Road, the Way It Is, Jacob's Ladder, Mandolin Rain, Something to Believe In
Information Terminal Directory
Bruce Hornsby
Official site. Includes tour dates, news, and information.
Bruce Hornsby – The Way It Is – Video, listening & stats at ...
Watch the video & listen to Bruce Hornsby – The Way It Is for free. The Way It Is appears on the album The Way It Is. Bruce Hornsby at his best! ...
YouTube - Bruce Hornsby - The Way It Is
Check www.bruuuce.com for more. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers on Good Morning America, August 2004.
The Way It Is (Bruce Hornsby album) - Wikipedia, the free ...
The Way It Is is Bruce Hornsby and the Range's debut album, released in 1986. ... In Japan, The Way It Is Tour, consisting of live performances of six songs from the album, ...
The Way It Is Lyrics - Bruce Hornsby
The Way It Is Lyrics - The Way It Is 4:56 Trk 5 (B. R. Hornsby) Lead vocal - Bruce Hornsby Pop Chart #1 Sept. 20,