Title: Mirror of Madness Artist: Cat Stevens Album: Tea for the Tillerman Year: 1970 Genre: Folk Rock, Pop Guitarist: Cat Stevens
Lyrical Interpretation: The lyrics are quite straightforward and yet beautiful. The song is addressed to a beloved who is leaving the protagonist.
Guitar Play: The guitar play is very strong here – something like 10-12 chords being used. The percussive style of strumming makes it even more interesting. I think the song is in the key of Am. Besides, the small licks (mostly over the C scale) used to connect the transitions, make this musically very attractive. Definitely worth learning some day.
Comment: In spite of being more pop than rock, I reviewed it for its guitar elements. Nevertheless, Cat Stevens’ voice suits the song very well. Its a pity he virtually traded music for religion, otherwise we’d have much more of such beautiful stuff.
Title: Mirror of Madness Artist: Norther Album: Mirror of Madness Year: 2002 Genre: Melodic Death Metal Guitarist: Kristian Ranta, Petri Lindroos
Lyrical Interpretation: The song is about the protagonist’s confrontation with his own dark/evil side. It is more like pitched battle between these identities, with the evil side attempting to drive him to suicide. Average lyrics, but excellent conceptualization.
Guitar Play: Quintessential melodic death metal guitar. No monkey business this, opens strong with a great riff and a few small guitar noodling pieces are added by the time you hear the bridge. Midway through, two guitar solos play back to back, followed by a guitar and synthesizer combination. This part is really the backbone of the song. The solos are absolutely ripping and the synthesizer adds a very contemplative feel.
Comment: Norther features some similarity in style to Children of Bodom and looks very promising: yet another in the list of illustrious Finnish bands in the genre.
Title: Hey Ya Artist: Obadiah Parker Album: The Tip Jar Vol. I Year: 2007 Genre: Acoustic Rock Guitarist: Mat Weddle
Lyrical Interpretation: (Not worth it)
Guitar Play: Mat Weddle rules this cover throughout. His acoustic style is very intricate with finger-picking interspersed with great chords and everlasting hammer-ons.
Comment: The transformative power I see at work here is amazing. The original song is regular pop and in every respect something that wouldn’t interest me for a moment. Mat Weddle comes in and makes it so truly beautiful both with his rhythm guitar and his vocals, its hard to say its the same song. It isn’t … it really isn’t.
Title: Until the End Artist: The Nightwatchman Album: One Man Revolution Year: 2007 Genre: Acoustic Rock, alternative, folk Guitarist: Tom Morello
Lyrical Interpretation: The song is a rebel’s anthem, written in rage against the system, against miscarriage of justice. It is easy though, to miss the undercurrent of sorrow running though the lyric. Also pay attention to the play with numbers in the latter part of the song –
.
.
Six fathers still waiting
For their six sons to come home
Five mothers who know better
And accept that they’re gone
Four years I’ve been hunted
Still I breathe free
.
.
Guitar Play: Tom Morello stands tall, albeit alone, unlike his Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine moments. The intro to this song is amazing – great finger-style followed by a lesson in rhythm guitar. How Morello adapts his familiar-on-the-electric hammer-ons and pull-offs to the acoustic, is phenomenal.
Comment: Some people may find the vocals a bit dry, but for this song, that’s the mood. Its not a song with a character going berserk with rage or weeping with sorrow. Its about a contemplative character hardened by being wronged.
Tom Morello’s acoustic-electric split personality is definitely not a disorder. Both guys are amazing!
Video at Youtube:
The lyrics are not in order as they are in the studio version in the part with the numbers. To me that was very special
Title: Carnival of Rust Artist: Poets of the Fall Album: Carnival of Rust Year: 2006 Genre: Post-grunge Guitarist: Marko Saaresto, Olliver Tukiainen
Lyrical Interpretation: By far, this song has the most inspired lyrics I have come across in a long time. True to their name, this band has unique poetic skill. I interpret the title as a representation of a once cherished situation that has now come to rot – love that is lost. The protagonist accuses his love interest of having been selfish and passing over him for other objectives in life. ‘Come feed the rain’ to me means that even though it will cause him to ‘rust’ more in the aftermath, he would rather have her than not, because he can’t bear life without her.
Guitar Play: It is the intro which is truly captivating and has a melody that stays in your mind for long. In very typical soft-to-hard grunge style, the intro gives way to a heavier segment for the chorus.
Comment: Poets of the Fall are known to blend various genres, mixing pop and rock very well and this is a prime example of their skill. Mark’s vocals are really delightful. The video that was released with this song really makes one curious of the meaning of the song.
Video at Youtube:
This is one of the most interesting videos around -
Title: The Burden Is Mine… Alone Artist: Green Carnation Album: The Burden Is Mine… Alone (EP) Year: 2005 Genre: Acoustic Guitarist: Terje Vik Schei
Lyrical Interpretation: With only two verses, its really hard to say. One plausible interpretation is that its about a terminal ill guy leaving behind his loved one.
Guitar Play: The song opens in soft acoustic finger-style. Another guitar track is used for backing in a few parts. A simple but beautiful guitar arrangement does great with the serious vocals.
Comment: Green Carnation is a fine band to start listening to. Some of their stuff sounds like Anathema’s acoustic efforts, which is a fine compliment to them.
Title: Sitting, Waiting, Wishing Artist: Jack Johnson Album: In Between Dreams Year: 2005 Genre: Acoustic rock Guitarist: Jack Johnson
Lyrical Interpretation: There isn’t much need of interpretation here – the song’s protagonist has had his romantic advances spurned after (possibly) being encouraged. He is disillusioned, and has only contempt for the woman in question, and makes no effort to conceal it.
Guitar Play: The song is in the key of C and its the variations around a simple chord structure (the 7th chords are interspersed in the sequence) which together with a captivating muted beat make it beautiful.
Comment: Jack Johnson’s vocals really drive the point home here (in fact, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) and with great rhythm work to accompany, this is a great coffee house song, provided of course, there’s someone who’s earned your ire!
Video at Youtube:
(Please bear with the enacted video, this is the only audio I can find where hysterical women aren’t ruining the song)
Title: The Unforgiven III Artist: Metallica Album: Death Magnetic Year: 2008 Genre: Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal Guitarist: Kirk Hamlett
Lyrical Interpretation: The song is a great development from the story running in parts I and II. The realization presented here is that there is no redemption for oneself in life without forgiving others first. The course one’s life took is partly their own doing, and it is important to reconcile and forgive others and yourself.
One line to think about is – How can I be lost, if I got nowhere to go?.
Guitar Play: The song opens with a beautiful piano intro backed by violins/cellos/trumpets. This gives way to a very strong bass line which runs throughout the song. The riff backing the verse is a bit dry, but suits the vocals and the mood. It is in the chorus though where the song really grows. The symphonic instruments used to back it create a phenomenal effect. Good use is made of droning/open notes throughout to add to the spookiness. Kirk Hamlett picks up very well from the bridge for yet another one of his characteristic solos.
Comment: Even with expectations set high by the two precursors, Metallica definitely did not disappoint on this. Its one of the more powerful songs on the album, and the best part seems to be that the ‘Unforgiven’ story arc is continued seamlessly.
Guitar Play: After a slow enchanting melody to get all warmed up, this 3 minute composition is almost entirely a monolithic soloing effort incorporating beautiful soft touches on the way through. The guitar play is phenomenally clean and beautiful.
Comment: Its a real pity Warren isn’t as popular as David Gilmour, because he sounds almost as good as him. Other tracks on the album too make for good listening.
Video at Youtube:
Couldn’t find a video, but here’s something better – the studio recording of the whole album is available for a free download at the official site
Title: Overture 1928 Artist: Dream Theater Album: Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory Year: 1999 Genre: Progressive metal Guitarist: John Pertucci
Lyrical Interpretation: (Instrumental).
Guitar Play: There are multiple guitar solos and multiple chord progressions and guitar riffs. In spite of having a hard time picking one single part as the best, I will go with John Petrucci’s phenomenal solo at 2:26. But of course it wouldn’t be half as beautiful if it weren’t for the other parts creating the atmosphere. Before briefly giving an entry to the keyboard and drums, John takes center stage again towards the end. The interspersing of riffs with great solos is Dream Theater’s most attractive element to me.
Comment: This is a metal maniac’s dream come true. It would be unfair to give John Petrucci more than his fair share of credit here. Mike Portnoy shines with the drums all the way through and Jordan Rudess steals the thunder with a keyboard solo at 1:18. The overall package is amazing. There is one thing though. In spite of being less than 4 minutes (in the studio version), the amazing instrumental variety calls for close attention from the listener. Otherwise you tend to get lost. That is perhaps one reason Dream Theater is not half as popular as Metallica – its complicated! But pay a little attention, and DT might become your favorite band!
