popwreckoning

Dammit, Amy. Even your name forshadowed things to come.

Amy Winehouse died at her home in Camden, North London at the mythical age of 27. Cause of death is currently listed as “unexplained”, but who are we kidding? The explanation that will eventually come will shock no one as a sense of sad acceptance is already settling in. The woman who defiantly proclaimed “Hell no.” to rehab had demons and, more often than not, sought to exorcise them in some damned self-destructive ways with drink, drugs, and a bad marriage. Her recent European tour came to a screeching halt after, via the interwebs, the world watched and re-watched a Serbian gig where she was too wasted to perform.

One thing about musical artists that we music fans are grateful for and appreciate, in general, is their ability to translate the human condition through the songs. If we flex the awareness we were all born with, it’s hardly news that some of our- no, the world’s- most loved/beloved artists are/were immensely flawed characters. Basically they were pretty fucked up, and part of trying to un-fuckup themselves is via the music they create. “Frank” from 2003 was her acclaimed intro to the world, but Amy put her skeletons on worldwide display with 2006’s Back To Black; literally opened up a high alcohol content vein and let it flow. Habits, health, insecurities, and breakups…her head, soul, and heart were on her sleeve for the pleasure and pain of your listening with doo-wop, jazz, soulful precision, and a love of the vibe of girl groups of old. Hers was a voice that so many of us could hear the future of non-shitty music in. And we listened. Some of us still do.

Against all reason and repeated episodes that predicted otherwise (relapses, health problems, run ins with the law, more relapses), some of us held out the slimmest glimmers of hope that Winehouse would get it together and live to second or even eclipse the awesome of the Grammy Award-winning Back To Black but, oh well. So goes the power of addiction, excess, and self-abuse. But no matter how you saw her, what you thought of the past 3 years of her life, how many jokes you made about crack, boob jobs, or rat’s nest beehive up-dos, no one with a working set of ears was able to deny the heft of her talent. And it’s the lose of and unfulfilled potential of that talent, as well as the abrupt and pitiful end of a fragile human life, that will be mourned.

The second track on Back To Black right after “Rehab” is “You Know I’m No Good”. Sometimes I just hate it when art imitates like so damned precisely. Fuckery.

This always has been and always will be my favorite performance of hers. So simple, so right on: “Valerie”:

Thoughts and prayers are definitely with her family today. As for you Amy, keep singing your soul and rest in peace.

Editors Note: This post was written by Trina Green. She comes to Popwreckoning as a guest writer with content borrowed in partnership with High Voltage Magazine. Check them out!

Sympathy from Chicago’s Scattered Trees is a beautiful headphones record that almost didn’t happen. After becoming staples of Chicago clubs, time passed, and the band members began to drift. Then fate intervened- singer Nate Elseland’s father passed away and he started to write the songs that became the album. Sometimes loss fuels great creativity. Like Hospice by The Antlers or Leave Ruin by Strands of Oak. this is a beautiful album born of great pain.

The album’s first track, “bury the floors,” starts with a droning sound, and then a vocal against a single piano key, plinked softly. A chorus of harmonies play behind the lead vocal and against a tambourine. Most of the song is this simple, very reminiscent of an old Beach Boys song.

The next song, “A Conversation About Death On New Year’s Eve” is much more interesting. It starts with simple drums, bass, and keyboards. Soon the vocals kick in, followed by a fantastic, catchy chorus. “Everybody’s falling apart” sings Elseland. It’s slow, sad, and somber, but oh so beautiful.

Most of the album continues in this mode. The third track, “Love and Leave,” is a little faster, but still sad, and still featuring a great chorus. “Every day you love and leave me”, is sung but it sounds like there’s a smirk behind the whole thing.

“Sympathy” makes it obvious that there’s a theme behind these songs. They’re full of leaving, and loss, and desperation. The whole thing is produced very well, and the sadness belies a pop sensibility. It’s fantastic stuff in a lot of ways.

“I Swear To God” is probably the best thing here. The lyrics are nakedly honest in a way that’s a little scary: “now my father’s dead, and still you haven’t shown”. The “where are you Jesus” is a little hokey, but if you can get past that, it’s a great song. Brian Wilson referred to Smile as a “teenage symphony to god”, and the same thing is going on here. The song is a plea to god, and that could be the key to the album.

After that song is “On Your Side” where Elseland seems to make peace with the lover he seems to be disagreeing with throughout the album. It could be god, or his father’s ghost, or simply a woman. It’s a fascinating coda to an album that is kind of fascinating as a whole. Then the whole thing is over, and all you can do is listen to it all over again.

Track listing:
1. Bury The Floors
2. A Conversation
3. I’m in a Panic
4. Love and Leave
5. Four Days Straight
6. Sympathy
7. Five Minutes
8. Where You Came From
9. I swear to God
10. On Your Side

Warped Tour has confirmed that a 26-year-old fan died during yesterday’s show in Bonner Springs, Kansas.

The death is still under investigation, but heat and dehydration are rumored to be the cause. Yesterday, Kansas City temperatures rose about 100, with a severe heat advisory over 110.

Warped Tour issued this comment:

“There is no confirmation this was due to dehydration, cardiac, other substances, etc. We do provide first aid to anyone who needs it. If this was due to dehydration, the tour is not responsible for water prices and we change venue rules to allow you to bring it in with you. What’s happened today is an unforeseeable tragedy that shouldn’t have happened. We are all upset and shocked and our hearts are heavy. Please remember to be responsible when you are at an event like this. At ANY possible sign of a problem, PLEASE contact a venue member.”

By now you’ve heard that actor Gary Coleman has died at the age of 42.

His publicist confirmed that Family members and close friends were at his side when life support was terminated this Friday, May 28.

Now, while we’re predominately a music blog, we do love pop culture (hence the pop in PopWreckoning). So as a special tribute to Mr. Coleman, we share with you a YouTube gem featuring Coleman’s famous phrase, “Whatcha talkin’ bout, Willis?”

With great sadness we report that Big Star‘s Alex Chilton has died from what appeared to be a heart attack Wednesday night. He was in preparation for his SXSW showcase. 

From the Associated Press:

NEW ORLEANS – Singer and guitarist Alex Chilton, who topped the charts as a teen and later became a cult hero with Big Star, died Wednesday. He was 59.

Chilton died at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems, said his longtime friend John Fry. Fry said Chilton’s wife, Laura, was very distressed by the unexpected death.

“Alex was an amazingly talented person, not just as a musician and vocalist and a songwriter, but he was intelligent and well read and interested in a wide number of music genres,” said Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios.

As the teenage singer for the pop-soul outfit the Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the band’s song “The Letter” in 1967. Their other hits were “Soul Deep” and “Cry Like a Baby.” Chilton grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and formed the band with friends from school.

His short run with Big Star brought less mainstream success but made him a cult hero to other rock musicians, as evidenced by the title of the 1987 Replacements song, “Alex Chilton.” Big Star’s three 1970s albums all earned spots on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest.

Chilton said in a 1987 interview with The Associated Press that he didn’t mind flying under the radar with Big Star and later as a solo artist.

“What would be ideal would be to make a ton of money and have nobody know about you,” he said. “Fame has a lot of baggage to carry around. I wouldn’t want to be like Bruce Springsteen. I don’t need that much money and wouldn’t want to have 20 bodyguards following me.”

“If I did become really popular, the critics probably wouldn’t like me all that much,” he said. “They like to root for the underdog.”

Chilton had been scheduled to perform with Big Star on Saturday at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.

“Alex Chilton always messed with your head, charming and amazing you while doing so. His gift for melody was second to none, yet he frequently seemed in disdain of that gift,” the festival’s creative director, Brent Gulke, said in an e-mail.