Reissue Album Review: Pearl Jam 'vs.' & 'Vitalogy'

Pearl Jam: ‘vs.’ and ‘Vitalogy’
Remaster-Reissue / Retro Album Review
****1/2 Stars
By Anthony Kuzminski

• Read all Pearl Jam reviews HERE

Before the invention of Soundscan in 1991, record labels would claim staggering sales and shipments of the records. However, with Soundscan, you had a system that (for the most part) would show pretty accurately how many records would sell week to week. Much has been made over debut weeks in the last decade, but in 1993, Pearl Jam sold 950,378 copies of their sophomore release vs. during the third week of October. Then and now, it is an astonishing feat. It held this record for five years with only Vitalogy (which sold 877,000 copies) released a mere thirteen months later coming close to eclipsing it. Rappers and teen stars would break this record eventually, but all of them did it in a vastly different media world where the act would be on every television station possible the week of the release to ensure record sales. Pearl Jam were nowhere to be seen the week vs. hit stores. In fact, they shunned MTV and radio by refusing to release singles and do music videos. At the time, it was revolutionary to see any act give the middle finger to the powers that be. No one had done it before and only with the dismantling of the recording industry are other acts brave enough to do it today. Taking a page from Led Zeppelin in the early 1970’s, Pearl Jam did everything they could to help extinguish the colossal interest placed on the band. They stopped doing interviews, no videos, limited touring, no proper singles and they didn’t even put a name on the album cover. The LP edition didn’t even mention the band’s name (except for the spine, once again, the same thing Led Zeppelin did with their IV record). Despite all of this, as I remember that time, the buzz in the air was intangible. It wouldn’t have meant a thing if the music fell flat, but despite enormous expectations, the band delivered and many people, including this writer, believe vs. to be their magnum opus. Much is spoken about Pearl Jam’s clash with corporations during this time, but what many overlook is the stride they reached musically which is now documented on a magnificent 3CD reissue of this 1993-1995 period. vs. and Vitalogy have both been remastered with bonus tracks and an extra live CD of the band’s final performance of the vs. tour from 1994 in Boston. Under the direction of producer Brendan O’Brien, Pearl Jam found their footing as a band and the songs written and recorded during this period are the result of the pressure and the intensity they faced. The final result is nothing short of devastating.

The time between Pearl Jam's first ever gig (October 22, 1990) and the release of their debut record Ten (August 27, 1991) was a mere ten months. Despite the eclectic and seriousness of their first record, it was recorded and released in such a whirlwind that the songs in essence came before Pearl Jam were really a band. Between the release of Ten and their second record vs. in October 1993, their world changed more than any of them could have ever imagined. Almost overnight Pearl Jam became a band who was deemed the voice of their generation, the ones people looked to for answers and a money making juggernaut for promoters, radio programmers, their record company and MTV. Everyone wanted a piece of them. These types of strains are what break up bands. Pearl Jam could have suffocated under this weight, but they did the opposite. Originally titled Five Against One, vs. is a collection where the five members indeed reverberate like a band ready to take on the world. While the songs are still intimate and personal, their scope went from full screen to widescreen with a rage reserved for the darkest of metal bands. Because of the way the Ten album, the live performances on the Lollapalooza tour and the "Jeremy" video took off, everyone was in the band's ear offering advice. The band wanted none of it. The polished studio essence on their debut was absent replaced with a much more potent and acerbic sonic force. If Ten was a heavy weight boxing match, vs. was Fight Club on speed. On the previous record, the music felt almost classical in its composition, on vs. it felt like the Ramones meet the Clash meet U2 (circa 1983). The band was taking no prisoners and when I tuned into the MTV VMA's in 1993 and heard the band tear through "Animal", I knew changes would be abound on the newest record. Their ire flew off that stage in a way I'm not sure if I have ever seen before or since. Some felt it was an act, I knew it was anything but. The stakes were higher, the rules had changed and more importantly, Pearl Jam was a band. With two years of gigs (approximately 175 shows) underneath their belts the band was more brazen and brash. Rare is an artist who can sell as many records as Pearl Jam did and then to create a record that isn't just as good but in many ways, superior to Ten.

Right from the prayer-like opening punch of "Go", the band proves to be obstinate in its need to leave their prior album in the dust. The classic rock stimulus of Ten was pushed to the side with the band taking up more of a punk rock mind-set as featured on "Animal", "Blood" and "Leash". The tribal ecstasy of "W.M.A." makes up for what some see as one-dimensional lyrics and yet it's impossible to deny the way the song seeps into your psyche because of the zeal with which they were executed. The band took to the recording studio ready for a fight and with bloody knuckles fought their way through twelve compositions ranging from simple storytelling to rage to a heightened understanding of the world around them. They didn't merely compose about divisive topics, they let their rage vent up from within them shouted it from the top of their lungs and instruments. "Glorified G" has a beat and enlivening riff made for the radio, but it's a stinging declaration against guns. "Daughter" and "Leash" give voice to the misunderstood hearkening back to "Jeremy" and "Why Go" from the debut. "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" is a perfect mid-tempo ballad of a woman trapped in a small town who comes eye to eye with an old flame who doesn't even remember her. It's the misfortune and ache that I could relate to when I heard the record. It's dressed up for FM dials and evokes a sing-a-long every night in concert, yet beneath the picturesque melody is pain. These universal themes are ever so simplistic, but it's not the songwriting that made this record a source of salvation for me, but the fever within it.

Pearl Jam was writing at a higher level of consciousness with vs. and when you're lost and in need of direction, a compilation of songs that feel as if they were written to resuscitate your life prove to be not just fortifying and invigorating, but resurrecting for your soul as well. No song better epitomizes the emancipation than "Rearviewmirror". Delivered in a breakneck speed, the song takes the listener on a fervent getaway and may be one of the utmost driving songs ever laid to tape. Hitting the road, leaving your past in the dust and seeing the future with a clear head is something too many of us fail to do, but if anything the song inspires. I learned that sometimes it's best to confront my demons and at other times, to look away from situations that couldn't be resolved and to never look back. There's middle ground between reconciling your past with your present and leaving a bad situation in the dust. Pearl Jam may have been on top of the musical heap at this moment in their career, but they were equally protective of what they had built. They weren't looking for an easy buck or unnecessary celebrity and even if they had recorded these same songs with a tenth of the passion, it wouldn't hold up today. Fortunately for us, the music reigned supreme and Pearl Jam proved their worth with vs.

In a rather amazing turn of events, Pearl Jam followed up vs. in a mere thirteen months with Vitalogy when it was released on vinyl on November 22, 1994. The CD version was released two weeks later and sold 877,000 copies, once again, with virtually no promotion by the band themselves. Vitalogy finds the band determined even further to challenge their audience and defy those who wanted a piece of them. Often deemed one of the band’s stronger works, I must confess to always having an issue with the album. After a month of listening to Vitalogy on a consistent basis, I ultimately found it terribly unsettling. Over time, I have come to welcome the album’s intricacies and quirkiness but I still find the experimental tracks of “Pry, To”, “Bugs”, “Aye Davanita" and "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me" (now listened as “Stupidmop”) as superfluous exercises best left on the cutting room floor or merely as hidden tracks on a CD. Admirable experimentation that doesn’t really add anything to the band’s fury or the album and ultimately is why Vitalogy doesn’t quite hit the peaks of Ten or vs. . Even “Satan’s Bed” while deeply courageous and unrelenting, are ultimately self-indulgent. While vs. featured the band as masters of their craft, Vitalogy is a more from-the-gut collection of songs, which makes for a intense first listening experience, but the filler doesn’t warrant multiple repeats. >. The album starts with furious concentration and these side steps drain the album of its impact and power in the midsection before “Corduroy” and “Better Man” once again elevates the album’s force.

Like an impromptu jam session, the songs on Vitalogy purge themselves from your speakers and it’s the band’s most unrelenting, experimental and uncompromising. There is huge diversity where certain songs are sung in a hush (“Nothingman”) and others are executed with wailing bellows (“Spin the Black Circle”). There appears to be no compromise on the record (for better or worse). Vedder’s vocals congeal with the band’s vicious sledgehammer sonics. This is the sound of a band bursting at the seams with frustration and anguish best exemplified on the album’s opener, “Last Exit” and on their scathing attack at their fair weathered fans, “Not For You”. Drummer Dave Abbruzzese is especially pungent in his drumming duties giving the band rhythm section a punk rock texture not heard on a Pearl Jam record since. The end result is still one of their truest records, but their self indulgence and experimentation keeps it from making Vitalogy a bona fide classic in the same league as Ten and vs..

2011 marks the twentieth anniversary of Pearl Jam and it is shaping up to be quite a year as the band looks back. There’s a feature film directed by Cameron Crowe in the works later this fall, a weekend of festivities (still to be announced) and this next set of remasters packed tightly in a 3CD box and of course, in a more elaborate limited edition box available exclusively at Pearl Jam’s website, with a 80-page book, pictures, LP’s, CD’s, a download of most of the Orpheum show and a cassette of a special radio broadcast from 1995. Considering how conclusive the Ten reissue was two years back, expectations were high for these records. It’s a tiny bit disappointing that the bonus cuts don’t dig deeper. It would have been nice to receive full demo alternatives or all of the B-sides the band put out. However, one must assume some of it is being held back for a box set of some sorts. It’s just that the band did such an immense purge on the deluxe edition of Ten you can’t help but wish both of these records had separate discs full of unreleased and hard to find gems. That being said, having them packaged together makes sense. They were both born off-the-cuff from a band that held the world by the jugular.

As for tracks that didn’t make the cut, “Hard To Imagine” would have been a nice addition (the Lost Dogs version is from vs.) while the version from Chicago Cab has yet to find a home on an official Pearl Jam release. Of the six bonus tracks spread out over the two albums, none are definitive, but all are welcomed additions. “Hold On” is presented in an alternate acoustic version that allows the lyrics to breathe and surge to the forefront. “Cready Stomp” is filled with fury from the band on this instrumental outtake. “Crazy Mary”, a cover of the Victoria Williams song also appears. The demo of “Nothingman” is spare with an elevated vocal from Vedder delivered with hypnotizing focus. There is a guitar/organ only version of “Better Man” which finds the song restrained and without the kicking drums steering the band onto the highway. It’s a reserved version and shows the song in a new light. An alternate cut of “Corduroy” finishes the extra tracks. However, for most, the 3-CD package is worth its weight in gold for Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994. While the show in incomplete on CD, most of it appears on the special edition box set.

Surprisingly, this is the first full CD release of a live show with Dave Abbruzzese on drums. Matt Cameron may be the ultimate Pearl Jam drummer, but Abbruzzese has never received his due credit as the basher behind the kit on not just vs. and Vitalogy but in concert, the Abbruzzese swings the same way Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses did early in their career. There band sounds almost primitive compared to the hundreds of official bootlegs released since 2000. This is a reminder of a time gone by when Pearl Jam was one of most sought acts on the planet in 1994. Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994 only includes a portion of the show and there is a reason why. There are a further six songs to be available for download to those who buy the mega box set available on the band’s website, but even then, three further songs are missing. One may assume the band is playing tricks, but that’s not the case. Back in 1994, the band did not record it show on multitrack recordings and as a result of tape flips, three songs were cut. Regardless, the live disc is enough to warrant buying these albums once again, as it finds the band in their youthful prime. The live disc features an especially emotionally sweltering performance of “Immortality” and a scathing “Not For You”. The remastering on both studio discs is pristine where instruments are deciphered beautifully and despite no remixes or extensive tracks, this new aural upgrade and the added live disc makes this an essential purchase even if it doesn’t reach the heights of the Ten reissue, but then again, how many albums have had a reissue that definitive?

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Reissue Album Review: George Michael - 'Faith'

George Michael-‘Faith’
Remaster/Reissue  
Album/ Retro Review
****1/2 Stars
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the album HERE.

The 1980’s were often lambasted for overproduction and image. However, with the passage of time, looking back, much of the music had more heart and soul than we initially gave it credit for. In 1987-1988, there were few acts on the planet as big as George Michael. His Faith record was not just huge, it was Thriller big. It was the best selling record of 1988, “Faith” was the top single of 1988, the tour broke records and it had a then record breaking six Top-5 singles, four of which went to number-one. That is a feat that neither Thriller, Born in the USA or Purple Rain can lay claim to. In the late winter of 1989, Faith won the Grammy for Album of the Year, a reward it deserved and one I still believe to this day that was deserving. However, George Michael has only made a scant three studio records since then and most of his success has been found in foreign markets compared to the dizzying heights of the late 1980’s on US shores. His presence may be diminished, but his art has never faded far from public thought. On paper he may look like a pop star, but the scope of Faith is as impressive as its statistics, something people tend to forget.

On the surface Faith may appear as a collection of songs complimented by a series of radio friendly melodies, but it’s so much more, it’s a passionately striking testimonial from a then 24-year-old who appears to have been in absolute and total control. Like Orson Welles before him, who wrote Citizen Kane at the same age, Michael was coming off of immense success with Wham! and a handful of solo singles. Everything was teed up for him when 1987 rolled around. Beginning in February 1987, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (a one-off duet with Aretha Franklin) hit the charts and by April of 1987 was a number-one hit on both side of the Atlantic. In June, Michael came out of the gates swinging with the controversial “I Want Your Sex”. In retrospect, it’s a rather tame song and video but at the time, because of the use of its title it caused a furor not soon forgotten. It still ranks as one of the most controversial videos of all time. It was enough to get the song to the number-two position here in the US that summer. The song owes a nod to Prince (something Michael admits in the interview within the booklet) but it doesn’t make it any less effective. The next four singles all went to number-one in America while the album’s final single, “Kissing A Fool” peaked at number-five.

Much of Michael’s life has taken precedence in recent years overshadowing his music, but as I listened to this 3 disc remaster, it brought me back and songs like “One More Try”, “Faith”, “Hard Day” and “Kissing A Fool” shed new light onto his psyche at this time. There are dimensions to the lyrics no one could have grasped back in 1987. “Hand to Mouth” and “Look at Your Hands” are the only tracks not released as singles in some part of the world and while it’s easy to toss them off, like “Darlington County” From Born in the USA or “Baby Be Mine” from Thriller but they hold up better than one may expect. One of the album’s highlights is Michael’s vocals which radiate with drama. He evokes great soul singers while pulling you in to whatever arrangement he’s provided to the lyrics. Soul, pop, r&b and rock all get their chance to shine on the album’s nine tracks (ten on the CD). What was so impressive about these feats is the depth and range Michael showed. From a sprightly pop song like “Faith” to the understated “Father Figure” to the dance floor beats of “Monkey”, Michael didn’t just cover all musical surfaces, but he found a way to make it more than a laboratory-crafted concoction, but an album burgeoning with the voice of an artist wanting to be heard.

This special edition comes in several variations and configurations from a 2CD remaster to an LP and an extensive limited edition box set. The best of the batch if the 3-disc configuration which houses the remastered album, a disc full of b-sides and a DVD with 1987-88 interviews and all of the album’s videos lasting just shy of two hours. While the set does not house any revelatory discoveries unearthed, it has compiled all previously released material (much of it not available on CD or via import only) on one place with tasteful mastering. All too often these reissues and releases leave off certain b-sides and mixes, but they pulled every available track for the collection. Some of them didn’t appear until 1990 and 1991 as extra tracks on UK singles for Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1..

The new remastering gives the album a modern edge without distorting the sound. Some albums come out these days and merely have the volume level jacked up to eleven, but the tracks here sound fresh, clean and are given a more brightened sound. The second CD, while it doesn’t house anything unreleased, gathers together all of the b-sides, live cuts ad remixes in one place for the first time. There are a pair of instrumentals/karaoke versions (“Faith” and “Kissing A Fool”) while “Monkey” gets three remix treatments ((A Capella & Beats, Jam & Lewis Remix and the 7-inch edit). One of the most sought after tracks is “Fantasy” recorded during these sessions but not released as a b-side until 1990. The song made a triumphant return to the concert stage in 2008 when Michael added it to his set list. The Shep Pettibone Mix of “Hard Day” is here as well (it was originally on the original CD and cassette issues of the album). Rounding out the second disc are two live tracks recorded during the Faith period; “Love’s In Need Of Love Today” and “I Believe When I Fall In Love”. Despite the use of an electronic keyboard (in lieu of a piano), Michael’s vocals give a nod to secular testifying. Despite having not written either song, he pours his spirit into each performance making you believe he could have written them. It makes you wish for some live performances to be released from this era showcasing Michael’s dynamic musical intuition.

The DVD that has been included has a well rounded assortment of items. Besides seven music videos (including the uncensored version of “I Want Your Sex”), it houses a promotional film from 1988 entitled “Music Money Love Faith” showing Michael rehearse and plan his tour (with a then unknown Paula Abdul choreographing the show) and a revealing 1987 interview with Jonathan Ross done before the album’s release. While there may not be much in the interview we have not learned before, it is a wonderful peak back to a time where his life and career still had an aura of innocence around it. Despite his massive success with Wham! I am not even sure if Michael could have foreseen what was to come with Faith and everything thereafter. He’s wildly charming, young, naïve, innocent and guarded all at the same time. I am not sure if he could ever be this care free again and despite only being 38-minutes, it’s a wonderful snapshot of a time gone by.

George Michael’s Faith is a cathartic album of confessionals from someone dealing with not just rampant success but someone coming to terms with whom he was. Above all else, any great music comes down to how it relates to its audience and how it holds up over time. Faith is the amalgamation of George Michael attempting to prove to the world he was more than a pretty face and simultaneously expunging his inner demons. It’s sexy, serious and hits the sweet spot few albums can as a whole. From the playful “I Want Your Sex” to the nod to the past “Kissing a Fool” the album attain pop perfection. This is more than mere nostalgia hitting me but a collection of songs that resonates beyond the 1980’s. There are mischievous confessions (“Monkey”), clear-cut declarations (“Faith”) and masterful moments of sheer brilliance (“One More Try”). This album is sexual as it is spiritual and this new remastered special edition reminds us of the greatness of not just this debut, but of Michael’s career as well.

• Read my 2008 live review of George Michael from Chicago HERE

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Concert Review: The Pogues - Congress Theatre Chicago, IL 3/3/11

The Pogues: Last Call
Congress Theatre – March 3, 2011
Chicago, IL
By Anthony Kuzminski

It’s been said that everyone has a little bit of Irish in them, especially when the festivities of March begin. There’s something in the air in highly populated areas when March rolls around. It’s something that can’t be expressed in mere words but has to be experienced to be believed. Whether you live in Chicago, Boston or New York, walking into an Irish bar as St. Patrick’s Day approaches is a jolt to the senses. Even those people who are sloppy with their liquor intake seem to be more about love than picking a fight. Football season has ended, baseball has yet to begin, basketball and hockey have not hit the playoffs and while spring may occasionally be in the air, it’s still a ways off. I have a friend who runs an Irish bar and he tells me about the 10-days before St. Patrick’s day and the 4-days following it; they’re his biggest weeks of the year. One may assume that a mainstream Irish band like U2 would be the go-to band for these festivities, but they’re not. The Pogues and the Dropkick Murphy’s in recent years have overtaken the digital jukeboxes and cd players. Both acts took to the stage at the Congress Theatre in Chicago in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s Day and I was on hand to witness (possibly for the last time) the jaunty jigs of the Pogues.

The band last performed in December for a series of farewell gigs in the UK. The tour is being billed as “A Parting Glass With the Pogues” and whether this means the band is breaking up or this is simply the last time these eight musicians share one stage has yet to be seen. Despite this, at no point in the evening did the band give the feeling this was a farewell. There were no moments of flowing emotion or melancholy farewell speeches. The band may have arrived to the stage almost an hour later than expected, but they made up for it with a set that elicited joy as the band delivered a succinct 21-song set high on Irish folk punk at its best. “Streams Of Whiskey” kicked off the festivities and despite the long wait, the crowd was ready and willing to let go of their worries for a few hours. The jaunty jig “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” followed in short order with a sleazy vocal from Shane MacGowan who appeared in good form delivering one song after another with barely any interruption. Drummer Andrew Ranken was especially succinct in his tattered skipping drums. The band attacked their instruments with seed and precision knocking out the first five songs in less than fifteen minutes.

Over the course of their 90-minute show, the Pogues marched like a band of brothers into battle with defiance and a bevy of anthems for you dance the night away, as they did on “Boat Train”. “A Pair of Brown Eyes” found 3,000-plus fans with arms in the air waving back and forth as they toasted each other with their plastic cups of beer. It may not have been as romantic as an Irish pub where glasses clinked with Guinness, but no pub has the Pogues for mood music. For a band whose first go round was filled with such success and turmoil simultaneously, it really is a miracle to see a group of musicians appear to enjoy themselves so much, performing nightly and evoking such glee from sold out crowds every March, evidenced by a superb performance of “The Sunny Side of the Street”. “Repeal of the Licensing Laws” was dedicated to Shane’s wife in a wonderfully enthusiastic rocker where the crowd cheered and clapped along in unison. One of the few shows where inebriation actually elicited more of a connection between the band and their fans. “Thousands Are Sailing” was dedicated to a young fan that traveled all the way from Columbus, OH to catch the gig. Their 90-minute set was full of hits, album cuts and traditional Irish numbers like “Dirty Old Town” which I first experienced through U2 bootlegs.

Latter set songs such as “Bottle of Smoke”, “Irish Rover” and “Fiesta” were every bit as compelling as the opening numbers as the crowd seemed to hang with the band every step of the way. The Pogues has gone on record saying this may be they final trek on US shores, which culminate in a three night run in New York. If it is, it will be a shame, because despite having their music blast through the speakers hourly at every Irish bar, it will be a reminder of a time that has passed by. The chaos that defined the early part of their career may not be on display, but the music is and it’s still invigorating as ever. Let’s face it; toasting good cheer to one another in the month of March just won’t be the same knowing that the Pogues aren’t playing live somewhere evoking jigs and joy along the way.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

AV Club: Iron And Wine covers George Michael-Video Debut

Some cool stuff is happening in Chicago at the moment at the Onion's/AV Club's Chicago office on West Superior Street. Many artists are coming into the office and covering songs from the past for this year's "25 Bands, 25 Cover Songs". The list of songs were chosen by readers and the editors, here is the full list HERE.

The series starts today, March 15th and we have Iron and Wine covering George Michael's 1990 hit, "Praying For Time".

Iron And Wine covers George Michael

I'll be posting each of these as they appear and in the meantime, see the full press release below.

Due to its immense popularity, The AV Club's AV Undercover is back!

To sum it up, "AV Undercover" captures 25 different bands recording cover versions of 25 different songs, selected from a list compiled by A.V. Club editors and voted on by readers. Once a band performs the song, it gets crossed off the list – meaning that the later a band agrees to participate, the fewer song selections they have to choose from. All of the recordings are done in The Onion / A.V. Club’s Chicago office in a round, 13’ room and the videos are posted weekly on avclub.com.

Last year, AV Undercover generated approximately 2 million page views over the course of the series. Introducing a new element this year, The AV Club engaged with fans and asked them to get involved in the project. The AV Club made a list of more than 70 songs which were subsequently voted on by fans and narrowed to a list of 25 for the series.

Last year, A.V. Club writers created the list of songs. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists covered Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” Ben Folds covered Elliott Smith, and The Swell Season covered Neutral Milk Hotel

You are the first one of your kind...

Heart Songs: U2’s “Original of the Species”
By Anthony Kuzminski

There is no formula for a song to be great. The biggest key is for it to be an authentic, heartfelt and an indisputable effort on the artist’s part. That’s not without saying that a song like “Party in the USA” isn’t great because it doesn’t have the emotional weight of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”, but both songs find the respective artistry at their finest. Like painting, writing or even performing, when it’s done as a form of expression and not for mere commerce, you can not only hear it, but feel it as well. U2’s 2004 record, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is a beguiling record. Lacking a consistent sound or theme, it’s a hodge-podge of styles and songs that sometimes hits its mark dead on (“City of Blinding Lights”),and at other times misses said mark completely (“Man and Woman”). When I initially listened to Bomb I dismissed most of its second side aside from “Yahweh”. However, over a period of time, “Original of the Species” has crept into my soul in a variety of ways I never could have foreseen or imagined.

“Some people got way too much confidence baby”

“Original of the Species” is an uncompromising tale about the love for your own child and yet I am not really sure the song has ever received its due credit. It was the fifth single from Bomb and performed almost nightly on the tour, but I have a feeling that this song, and their equally brilliant song “Kite” from 2000, have been overlooked by the record buying/downloading public. To hear it isn’t enough. This is a song that is all about emotion, in fact, it’s dripping in it. It’s apparently about Bono’s and the Edge’s daughters. But when the tour was nearly cancelled in early 2005 due to a family member’s health, the song took on a deeper resonance within the band. “Vertigo” may have been about going for the jugular, but the heart of the record lies in its final tracks and moments which translated over to the concert stage. The first time I saw the song live was during the band’s 4-night stand in Chicago during May of 2005. They filmed a few of these shows for their Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago DVD and they caught “Original of the Species” in its performing infancy. The performance is hesitant, unrefined and it’s possibly the highlight of the DVD. “We haven’t quite figured out how to play it yet” is how they introduce it on the DVD, dedicating it to the band’s daughters amidst a storm of emotion. The band plays their hearts out with barely a guitar in sight. Bono honestly pushes himself in a luminal vocal performance that didn’t come from his head, but his heart. The songwriting process for it began during the All That You Can’t Leave Behind sessions and was completed a few years later. Due to the issue with a member of the band’s family, they took those brimming emotions and brought it to the stage. Any show that contained “Species” wasn’t an average show. When the band came back that fall, the song continued to swell with passion. Bono sung as if his life depended on it. In between the US legs of the tour, I became engaged and my then fiancée after seeing the September performance told me “I want that song on our wedding mix” and from that moment on, the song meant something more to me. This is what makes a song bulletproof from criticism. If one identifies with a song on a highly emotional level, no amount of disparagement will any deter a true fan and this is what defines music and its impact.

Flash forward a few years and in early 2008, my wife and I were expecting our first child for a fall birth. We were ecstatic and began making all the necessary plans; redoing rooms, looking at your savings accounts for money to be spent, daycare possibilities, etc. We even saw the child on an ultrasound whom we nicknamed “Future Fun”. What you never plan for is for when something goes wrong. Bad things happen; it’s a part of life. We are told the pain is to make us stronger. I’m not sure I agree with that assumption, but regardless, ache is an integral part of life. In March I was out of town one evening when my wife me she had spotting, 11-weeks in. We were concerned so we called the doctor and she made her appointment for the next morning just to make sure everything was OK. I was at work when I received the call and as I picked up the receiver, I knew something was terribly wrong. I could hear my wife in emotional turmoil trying to hold in the tears. She blurted out something that I couldn’t make sense of, but it didn’t matter, I knew that a miscarriage had occurred. As I tried to calm her down she let out “There’s no more ‘Future Fun’” and that remark will probably stay with me forever. She was torn, as was I. I called my family, remained calm and got through work as quickly as I could. When I got home, I held my wife and told her it would all be OK. However, the wall I put up for most of the day dissipated and the tears flowed. I had to let it out once and for all. Once I was done, it was time to move on. It took my wife a few days, but desperation turned to hope. That being said, I never knew I could miss someone I had never met.

Fortunately for us, we got another shot that fall. After seeing the first ultrasound, the child looked like a space alien, the kind that infiltrated for nine seasons, so we appropriately nick-named the infant, “K-File”. My only problem is that I was terrified to tell anyone. I was one-week away the previous time from telling everyone and I was super hesitant this time around so some of my friends didn’t even know until I posted the first pictures on Facebook.The baby was due the first week in April and there was some discussion that they would induce her the last week of March. At the time, I was working an obscene amount of overtime at my job and on Friday the 13th, I came home, ate and worked for five hours. I went to bed after spending 55-hours that week on work and needed to unwind, so I took a Tylenol PM thinking it would knock out the headache and give me a much needed 8-hour rest. That was not to be when my wife shook me at 2:25am to inform me her water broke. I wasn’t ready. I figured I had a few more weeks to get everything together, make a mix, etc. My wife was ready and we grabbed her overnight bag, I nabbed a handful of DVD’s and my iPod and we were out the door where Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” was on the radio. Needless to say, I was a bit out of it with taking the Tylenol PM but we soldiered on waiting for the new addition to our family. My wife was a rock star throughout all of it and all of the doctors and nurses at Lutheran General were A-grade. I never was able to tell them how wonderful they made us feel and since we were the only couple on the floor who didn’t know the sex of our child, they were also taking bets and became incredible interested. After 19-hours of labor, the decision was made to do a C-section. I was told to bring music, so I took my iPod and made an “On-The-Go” playlist. It consisted of upbeat songs from our favorite artists, the Beatles, Keith Urban, Dixie Chicks, White Stripes and U2. As they began the procedure, I put my head next to Jenny’s head and told her what a great job she was doing. I did everything I could to take her mind off the nerves. As “Original of the Species” came on the mix, the delivery doctor told me she had been listening to the just released No Line on the Horizon album on her drive to the hospital. That was a great sign. As we listened to Bono’s voice sail above the swelling instruments, every lyric accentuated the experience. “Everywhere you go, you shout it/ You don’t have to be shy about it”. “Species” is sentimental without dipping into schmaltz and hits you square in the heart.

As Bono serenaded the delivery room, the song reached it’s finale as he hushed “I want you some more, I want you some more…” and then we heard the cry that would forever change us. “It’s a girl” and as Jenny and I processed it all, we both shed a few tears. The struggle to get there and all of a sudden it was a relief. They asked me to come over, but with Jenny on the table, I didn’t want to leave, I told them we would see her for the first time together. They brought her over and there she was, with an indescribable look on her face that she still gives us to this day. By this point, “Yahweh” by U2 was blasting throughout the room. You are reminded of the pain and the harsh world realities we encounter daily, but all of this seems more tolerable when you are able to experience love like this. When Suzy Lee entered the world at 9:24pm, it helped define my existence. I’ve lived an incredibly blessed life, but it doesn’t mean it’s come without pain. But in that moment, I experienced a love and joy I never thought I would.

Sometimes that pain is necessary upfront, like labor or heartache. It makes us appreciate the good times that much more. We sit back and know how good we have it as a result and it crystallizes our psyche in ways nothing else can. As we sat there and held Suzy, I could feel so much anger, depression and pain from the past slip away. All the girls who broke my heart and professional setbacks…none of it mattered as I held this most perfect creature in my arms next to my beautiful life. I was blessed to find the perfect partner and being given the perfect daughter is something words can’t express. Over the last two years, we’ve experienced our fair share of pain and setbacks, but through it all, when Suzy talks to us, walks and even laughs, all of those worries melt away. Whenever I hear “Original of the Species” I hold back the tears. It’s more than the reminder of March 14, 2009, but a prompt that I want to give her everything and shelter her from the evil in this world, but I can’t. She too is going to have to experience hardship and broken hearts to find her way through the world, but she won’t be alone. The best I can do is the same thing U2 promised to their daughters, “you’ll never be alone”. I may never find my calling in life and I may also never write the great American novel, but being a father to Suzy will be all I ever need. With each passing day, I love her more. One day I’ll play her “Original of the Species” and I’ll tell her this story. I am sure she will roll her eyes and say something like “Please Dad…stop”, but all I can do is make sure she knows how much we love her in the hopes she’ll be fearless in sharing her love with others and attaining her dreams, because after all, she is the first and only one of her kind.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter


LYRICS
Baby slow down
The end is not as fun as the start
Please stay a child somewhere in your heart

I’ll give you everything you want
Except the thing that you want
You are the first one of your kind

And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
And I kneel ‘cos I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you’re not

Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it

Some things you shouldn’t get too good at
Like smiling, crying and celebrity
Some people got way too much confidence baby

I’ll give you everything you want
Except the thing that you want
You are the first one of your kind

And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel ‘cos I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you’re not

Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it, no
And you’ll never be alone
Come on now show your soul
You’ve been keeping your love under control

Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it
Everywhere you go you shout it
Oh my my

And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel ‘cos I want you some more
I want you some more, I want you some more…

Concert Review: Bon Jovi: Stealing Pieces of Time (Chicago, IL 3/8/11 United Center)

Bon Jovi: Stealing Pieces of Time
Concert Review
Chicago, IL-United Center
March 8th, 2011
By Anthony Kuzminski

• Read all related Bon Jovi pieces here. 

When Bon Jovi took to the United Center stage at 8p sharp last night (March 8, 2011) it was their thirteenth Chicago area appearance in 11-years. To put that in perspective, in the eleven years preceding this run, the band made a mere five Chicago area appearances. They’ve been in constant motion for a decade barely taking a break and expanding their popularity to heights no one could have imagined. Over that same time, I have grown with and apart from the Jersey brotherhood. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s merely life circumstances that make me feel a bit distanced from the band that made me fall in love with music. Once you see any artist more than a dozen times, you can’t help but feel there is a sense of repetition every time you see them again. My life changed in insurmountable ways and while I was hoping the band would turn inward, like they did on the gleaming “Whole Lot of Leavin’”, they delivered one rebel rousing stadium anthem after another album-after-album, tour-after-tour. They did this fiercely and without hesitation for a decade, but as I struggled to find my way through life, I had a hard time finding myself inside the songs, until last night.

Over the last decade I’ve seen blistering shows, high-quality shows, and some shows with rough edges. I’ve sung the band’s praises and slammed them at the same time for a variety of reasons. However, I’ve always stood by all my reviews and op-ed pieces and always will. None of my words were ever meant to be mean spirited, it’s just I felt this band had more to offer and I (probably foolishly) hoped the band would take my prose to heart. However, when Richie Sambora started the riff to “Blood on Blood”, the cynic in me went into hibernation. It wasn’t an epic show or a misguided show; it was simply a show I needed. I have experienced a series of life changes as of late. I have attempted writing about it for antiMusic, but could never bring myself to do it, until now.

Besides being on the search for a new job at this moment, my wife is closing down her stained glass store after 5-years. We feel like a pair of misfits, at a crossroad not sure which path to take or where it will lead us. It’s scary. On the flipside, it’s a new start for both of us. In the last few months, I’ve shunned live performances for the most part. I’ve seen a handful of shows for coverage, but have simply found solace in the most comforting of music; the Beatles. Nothing else has sounded as good to me, until Tuesday night. Even though the band took virtually no risks during their 2-hour 20-minute show, their body of work stood as a staggering reminder that they’re one of the most reliable bands on the planet and that their long and encompassing career is more esteemed than many give it credit for. Even songs I dread listening to (“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”, “We Got It Going On”) found the band in full on engagement with the audience. The sea of thrusting arms on “Lost Highway” and “We Weren’t Born To Follow” further reminded me of the healing power of music. Both anthems, they found a way of connecting to the audience and it felt like an embracing hug. A radically reworked version of “Lay Your Hands On Me” with Richie Sambora on vocals was a welcomed surprise but was equally effective creating a community within the snug confines of the United Center (compared to Soldier Field where the band performed last summer).

A pair of new songs shined on the concert stage, “The More Things Change” and “What Do You Got” breathed amid the Chicago crowd and weren’t weighed down by the production on their studio counterparts. The dual harmonies on “I’ll Be There For You” hit me especially hard. I remember back in 1999/2000 when Bruce Springsteen reunited the E Street Band; Bruce and Steve Van Zandt shared a microphone every night on “Two Hearts”. It was a transcendent moment that occurred every night on that tour and for 18-years prior, one no one was ever sure they would see again. Seeing these lifelong friends do what they do best and having an audience bask in their glory finding ways to adapt the lyrics to their lives is what art is all about. The same could be said about Sambora and Bon Jovi. They possibly were too active for the last decade, but there will be a day where they perform less often and it hit me Tuesday night. That was when I began to appreciate the moment. “(You Want To) Make A Memory” was equally stirring. I am not sure if any other song from the last decade has a more profound sense of wonder to it than this tune.

During this song, it struck me how Bon Jovi’s music possibly was never meant to be experienced in a bedroom but a large room among friends. Like big dance beats are made for clubs where people dance their worries away, rock music often is best experienced communally where even a flat record track bursts to life courtesy of a sing-a-long. As one ages, they drift from friends and acquaintances and often see them once or twice a year. But in this moment, even if you trekked to the show alone, you don’t feel alone. You are surrounded by friends. Hearing Jon and Richie harmonize about stealing a piece of time reminds you that it’s people that define your life. Standing next to me for most of the show was my mate Adam from Australia. We met on a Springsteen newsgroup back in 1999 and what we had in common, we were the only people who also enjoyed Bon Jovi (or would admit to it). Over the years, we stayed in touch, traded bootlegs and became friends. We came into music at the same time on different continents, but regardless, the bond was there because of five guys from New Jersey. A few years ago, he experienced a loss beyond words. He has now visited me twice and he feels like family. He also is here to remind me that my current situation is temporary, it’s not permanent. Sometimes how you experience life and everything that comes along with it boils down to perspective. At the same moment that Chicago was rapt with glee, Mike Starr, former bassist of Alice in Chains was found dead. He most likely died alone. He gave up the ghost probably a while back, but it’s still a reminder, that we need to persevere during trying times. If you are blessed to be around people who love and support you, then you’re half way there.

I’ve viewed Bon Jovi from a jaded perspective the last few years, but during their performance songs such as “Livin’ On A Prayer”, “Keep the Faith”, and “It’s My Life” take on new meaning, revealing dimensions of power and along with the strength of 20,000 vocal Chicagoans, proved that even if they play a static set list, Bon Jovi still has the power to lift souls. To see 20,000 people from the front row to the nosebleeds dancing the night away is still a sight few acts can capture for their entire set, but Bon Jovi makes it look so easy. Inside the confines of that area, I felt hope for me, my wife and my little daughter. Better days are ahead and how do I know? I (simply) believe.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter