Dennis Wyman has a Blog

So The Offspring dropped a new single, the title track off their upcoming album, Days Go By, yesterday morning. It's a far cry from their early punk roots, sporting a new Foo Fighters-esque vibe. It's about as mainstream, commercialized, and digestible rock as you can get.

And I absolutely love it.

I don't get psyched up for this kind of stuff often, but every summer deserves some kind of happy-go-lucky pop rock song to serve as the backdrop. The Foo's Wasting Light took that role last summer, just something you could blare on the radio while tearing across central Florida in the Camaro you borrowed from your roommate, both windows down and the radio cranked as loud as possible.

This song in particular is taking me back to several years ago though, when I still lived in Connecticut. It was around 2007-2008. There was a whole string of good albums that came out, Jack Johnson, Vampire Weekend, Beck, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie. Hell, I remember Foo Fighters and The Offspring both had good albums out that summer too. And I just remember tearing all over the state, the parties with old high school friends, the runs to the scrapyard for some extra cash that was promptly spent on random adventures, like the impromptu trip to New Jersey. All that "summer music" played in the background of all of it, and "Days Go By" just has that same vibe as those songs did then.

If this song is any indicator to how this summer is going to play out, then I'm taking it as a good omen.

Few rock stars are as fascinating as the enigmatic Jack White. The White Stripes frontman has always been deliberately obtuse when it comes to revealing any bits of his personal life, and he's well known for misleading (and outright lying to) the music press. So when his recent solo debut, Blunderbuss, looks like it might just offer a glimpse into the mind of Jack, things just get a hell of a lot more interesting.

Freed from the constraints of a band dynamic, Blunderbuss is the pure essence of Jack White. Most of the album touches on personal themes of disillusionment, anger, emptiness and angst, all centered around tragic tales of that troublesome love thing. It's nothing new from the rock genre, but to hear this all coming from somebody who has kept extremely careful control over his public image the past twenty years certainly adds to the album's fascinating appeal.

Of course, White's history of purposefully obscuring the details of his own life has been to put the focus on the music. So it's worth noting that Blunderbuss isn't just a cash-in on his public image, as the music and songwriting are definitely the real stars here, and easily rank as some of the strongest productions of his lengthy career. For anybody still upset at last year's breakup of The White Stripes, dry your eyes and listen to the opening track, "Missing Pieces," and prepare to be hooked on this reborn White.

Typical of White's style, Blunderbuss defies simple genre categorization, reinventing itself with each track. Within the span of three tracks, it jumps between delightfully raw and abrasive Stripes-esque riffing of "Sixteen Saltines," to the borderline rap/rock-fusion of "Freedom At 21," followed up with the acoustic folk "Love Interruption," where he defiantly cries out "I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me anymore," with one of his backing female vocalists. Each track is carefully crafted, weaving through pianos, lap steel, slide, double bass and a modicum of other instruments wielded by his all-female backing band, who also function as the backing choruses in many of his songs. The piano shines especially in the country-tinged title track, where the meticulous pacing paired with the lap steel and acoustic guitar really drive things home when White resigns himself to admitting "doing what two people need is never on the menu."

The real gem of the album comes in the one-two punch that is the closing act. Starting with "On And On And On," a spacey soundscape that echoes hints of the Grateful Dead. It's here that White reveals the most human side of his character, seemingly longing for a chance to relax before realizing he has an image to maintain. This leads right into "Take Me With You When You Go," with more 70's-tinged psychedelia and the not-so-uncommon desire to run off and start things anew, before he cuts the strings loose and out come his trademark distortion and guitar fuzz to rock the album closed.

It's just good.

It's under the working title Last Exit. Here's a snippet from it:

The basic premise this is going on is the two-year drug and alcohol fueled rampage down the eastern coastline of our protagonist who quits his job and makes a living off of credit card theft and financial fraud. If it sounds vaguely familiar to some of you, well, legally I'm obligated to say that any resemblances to actual people or events is purely coincidental.

But seriously, there's a lot that's been on my mind these past two years, and I'm excited to finally be getting a lot of it down on paper, while hopefully contributing something of merit to the literary world. And if somebody else can learn something from where I've been, then all the better.

It has been a little while since the last update, as I've been quite busy lately with a pretty big move. What did we miss? Well, for one, the release of three pretty sweet new albums!

Lovedrug - Wild Blood

It has been a crazy ride for the Ohio indie rock outfit Lovedrug. After the label they were on went under, they launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the recording of their latest album, Wild Blood. Driven by singer Michael Shepard's powerful vocals, this Kings of Leon-esque album of pop-rock sensibilities seems barely able to contain the youthful energy of the band. However, it's this controlled environment that balances energy with maturity that makes Wild Blood one of the strongest albums of 2012 so far.

Highlights: "Wild Blood," "Pink Champagne," "We Were Owls"

Mark Lanegan Band - Blues Funeral

Former Screaming Trees and occasional Queens of the Stone Age frontman Mark Lanegan has been anything but lazy the past few years, putting out a series of stellar collaborations with artists such as Greg Dulli, Isobel Campbell and Soulsavers. However, Blues Funeral is his first true solo album since 2004. Hopping on board the electronic music bandwagon, complete with synths and looping electronic drum beats, one would assume the worst. However, with the gravelly Lanegan it sounds completely natural and anything but forced. Definitely a welcome addition to his ever-expanding discography.

Highlights: "Tiny Grain of Truth," "Ode To Sad Disco," "Phantasmagoria Blues," "St. Louis Elegy"

Lucero - Women and Work

I've covered the alt-country outfit here before, and their latest release warrants shining a spotlight on them again. Women and Work takes the sound of their preview release, 1372 Overton Park, taking the horn section and moving even further into the territory of Memphis soul. Ben Nichols' voice has aged considerably since their self-titled debut in 2001, and it's this age and experience that has finally shifted them from lo-fi garage rockers to putting out a highly-polished album that sets a new standard of quality that the traditional country music establishment will probably never reach.

Highlights: "Downtown," "Sometimes," "Like Lightning"

Another weekend, another week spent partying and rampaging about central Florida in this beautiful 70 degree winter weather. Here's a quick run down of this week's eclectic soundtrack:

Cake - Fashion Nugget

Arguably their most popular album, and one of my personal favorites among the band's catalogue. John McCrea's trademark singing-yet-not-singing laid down on funky beats and horns gave us some of the most memorable songs during the peak of the 90's alternative rock scene, and they're still just as good today as they were then.

Highlights: "Nugget," "I Will Survive," "The Distance"

Stereo MC's - Connected

You've all heard "Connected," and if you haven't, then I'm wondering what kind of rock my readership has been living under. Regardless, the Stereo MC's seminal album remains a shining example of a British movement that was fusing electronic dance music with hip-hop. Even though they stayed more on the dance and house side of the genre than some of their contemporaries (ex: Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps), Connected is still an absurdly fun and upbeat album that begs to be listened to the whole way through.

Highlights: "Connected," "The End," "Sketch"

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

Modest Mouse I discovered not long after I first permanently moved to Florida last spring, courtesy of one of my roommates that kept this album on his regular playlist. We Were Dead... has the band picking up guitarist Johnny Marr of The Smiths, and James Mercer of The Shins performing backing vocal duties. The end result is a highly energetic mix that shows alternative rock is still doing quite alright well into the 21st century.

Highlights: "Dashboard," "Missed The Boat," "We've Got Everything"

Anyone who has followed the long saga of Jane's Addiction knows that it hasn't been an easy ride for the Los Angeles group. Despite laying much of the foundations for the direction alternative rock took in the early 90's and influencing nearly every major outfit that came after them, their own journey has been plagued with breakups, sporadic recording schedules and backlash against reunion efforts by some of the more hardcore circles of their fanbase.

Much of the criticism the band took in recent years was their 2003 album, Strays. Produced by Bob Ezrin, Strays was lacking in much of the magic that made their earlier releases really stand out. A solid rock album in its own right, its ready-for-radio polish really didn't live up to the bar of quality the band set with their 1990 art-rock epic, Ritual de lo Habitual.

Fast forward to 2011. Fresh on the heels of a successful reunion tour, Jane's has teamed up with TV on the Radio guitarist Dave Sitek to fill the shoes of founding member Eric Avery, who once again departed the group and is working on his second solo album. They've also recruited Muse producer Rich Costey to flesh out the production team for their latest album, The Great Escape Artist.

The Great Escape Artist is a fantastic return to form for the L.A. natives, kinda. Gone are the dense layers of overdriven guitar tracks that plagued Strays, as well as the radio-friendly song structures. The opening track, "Underground," starts the album off with a dedication to all the freaks, and it goes into "End to the Lies," a kind of post-punk "Kashmir" that evokes the dark mysticism the band was famous for in its heyday.

But as much as The Great Escape Artist revisits some old vibes, it showcases a leaner more mature version of themselves 20 years after Ritual. Perry's voice has deepened, and while he can't quite hit the notes he used to, he's learned how to harness his deeper tones in ways he simply couldn't on Strays. Meanwhile, Navarro spends much of the album restraining himself from his usual tendency to just wail, getting more melodic riffs and gentler tones. To say the outcome draws comparisons to bands like Muse and Radiohead wouldn't be too far off: "Irresistible Force" or "Twisted Tales" could almost be mistaken for gothic outtakes from Black Holes and Revelations, though tracks like "Words Right Out Of My Mouth" show the band still has a harder edge lying in there.

My two favorite gems off the album come up towards the end. "Splash A Little Water On It," a tale of dating a woman still in heartbreak over a previous partner, doesn't exactly say anything rock music hasn't been saying for the past 50 years, but it has a fantastic buildup and an ambient bridge that immediately makes me think of Massive Attack. Meanwhile, "Broken People" is one of the band's classiest melodies to date, luring you in with a sleepy lounge opener before hitting you with the real deal.

The Great Escape Artist is a true Jane's Addiction comeback that can stand up against their early catalogue through and through, and one that begs to be listened to over and over. Frankly this is the Jane's album fans have been waiting for since Ritual, and one that doesn't disappoint.

2011 has been a great year for rock music. From big-ticket artists like Jane's Addiction, Foo Fighters and Dropkick Murphys, to upcoming acts like My Goodness, its certainly been an exciting year. However, this year's offering by the Robbers On High Street, Hey There Golden Hair, almost slipped right under my radar.

Their 2005 album Tree City saw the inclusion of several of its songs in several movie and TV soundtracks, including Wedding Crashers, Just Friends, Californication and Six Feet Under, to name a few.

With this release, the Brooklyn outfit's blend of Beatles-esque 60's pop, modern day indie rock and a dash of glam is polished to near perfection. Right out of the gate with album opener "Hollow Hill," the band is working like a well-oiled machine, with track after track of soaring vocal harmonies up on the same level of tight synchronization as groups like Bad Religion and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The best way to describe Hey There Golden Hair is "unrelenting." The band dexterously tears into each song with expert precision - tracks like "Second Chance" weave backing vocal harmonies and jangly guitars around a catchy piano riff. Frontman Ben Trokan has also seemingly come into finer control of his vocal skill, his own slightly raspy melodies being the driving force through every track, while laying down bits of falsetto and pitch changes like salt on your food - not too much, but just the perfect amount to really give it that extra zing.

And just when you think they're about to slow down to a more thoughtful pace, such as when "Watch Me Disappear" starts, the rest of the band kicks in a few moments later and it's full steam ahead all over again. "Supernatural Shivers," dripping with Sgt. Pepper inspired psychedelia, wraps up the adventure.

Above all, it's cohesive. Virtually every track is capable of standing on its own as a single, but as an album it's greater than the sum of its parts. It's an album of pure joy that begs to be listened to the whole way through and continues to impress with every subsequent listen. One of the better retro throwbacks to come out in recent years, Hey There Golden Hair is a deliciously fresh take on the pop conventions laid down by The Beatles almost 50 years ago, not once sounding cliche yet at the same time drawing positive parallels. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Hey There Golden Hair is available for free streaming on Bandcamp.

So as anyone who knows me, I drink whiskey. I drink a lot of whiskey. From classic Scotch and Irish whiskeys to American Bourbon, you name it, I've had it. Or I will have it. Sometimes, however, I'm in the mood for more of a liqueur, so last night's trip to the liquor store yielded a couple new discoveries: Fireball and Wild Turkey American Honey.

Actually, one of these discoveries isn't exactly "new" to me - Fireball's been around for awhile now, and I've had it on several occasions, with one of my most pleasant memories of it being a Halloween bonfire party last year, sipping through a bottle at 4am after already downing a bottle of Southern Comfort whilst being stoned out of my mind and nursing a massive brush fire. This was all before waking up the next morning covered in first-degree burns, though that only seems oddly fitting for a liqueur that sports a flame-spitting demon on the front label. However, my current "temporary roommate" at the moment, Micah, had never had it, so it was time to solve that little issue.

Contrary to the "Red Hot" and "Burns Like Hell" ad slogans, Fireball isn't actually hot, nor does it "burn." Then again, my definition of a whiskey that burns tends to revolve around cheap bourbons like Kentucky Gentleman that go down like lighter fluid. What you will find here, however, is a smooth Canadian whiskey flavored with a tastefully strong punch of cinnamon. Picture if Big Red chewing gum was a liquid, and this liquid was 33% A.B.V. (66 proof if you can't do the math.) And at $18 a bottle, it's a great cheap hit for parties.

Wild Turkey American Honey on the other hand was completely new to me. I've noticed a trend lately where bourbon distillers are all making honey variants, none of which I have had until now. And let me get this out in the open: Wild Turkey 101 ranks near the top of my "Favorite Liquors" list, so my expectations were pretty high. At the urging of my friend Angus, a webmaster that works for one of my clients, Aussie-Nintendo, Micah and I decided to give American Honey a shot. At 71 proof, it's not nearly as strong as the namesake bourbon it's based on, but the honey gives it a very smooth (and sweet) taste that makes it a great for sipping straight - and considering that Wild Turkey itself was already a great sipping bourbon, this is most certainly a welcome fresh take on an old standby that I've enjoyed for years.

Whether it be the slightly-spicy tingle of cinnamon, or the smooth sweetness of honey, both of these whiskey liqueurs are solid additions to any liquor cabinet, and I can wholeheartedly recommend giving them both a shot, no pun intended. Stay classy, kids.