Local H – Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)
Genre: Hard Rock, Alternative Rock
Frank Zappa seemingly had no patience for musicians that couldn’t play the most complex musical arrangements on command. There was no place in his band for those kinds of musicians, just as there was no place in the charts for Mr Zappa’s music unless you count the Valley Girl tune.
Zappa had fallen in love with an art form that had never been embraced by rock n’ roll, the place where the majority of his small, but fiercely loyal fanbase came from. The hordes of non-musicians that did achieve chart success looked for formulas and shortcuts. They might not have managed to get a spot in the Mothers of Invention, but some of them sure produced some truly exciting singles.
Anything can be provided with that stamp. And, so, the rest of us, just like comic book geeks, or horror movie nerds, are left with what we love. Simple, amusing guitar tunes. In the world of rock for the past few decades, one of the most reliable acts in this respect is Local H. They’ve provided their fans with many gems, including now a cover of Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl), and they’ve also provided rock radio with, at least, one tune you’re grandchildren are likely going to hear. It’s all a bit of fun, and, since we may have softened, we tend to think that sometimes it’s enough. Local H do as well.
Find Local H on Twitter and Facebook.
Wake Magnolia – Sunburns
Genre: Hard Rock, Grunge, Alternative Rock
Similar artists: Soundgarden, Silversun Pickups
Why do some of rock’s finest vocalists holler as if they were wolves gazing at a full moon? Sure, this has long become a standard, but does it serve any practical purposes. Well, for one thing, it gets you heard. And, if you are playing a band similar to the ones that made grunge music such a powerful force, singing above the loud guitar, bass and drums is a requirement.
Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, or Kurt Cobain understood this. Furthermore, it helped their voice escaped the inevitable mush that a poorer sound system might make of their groups’ sound. Once those bands made it onto the radio, the frequency of the vocals also helped them power past the motor engine rumble competing against the car stereos out of which their songs were being played.
I love vocalists with terrible technique. You may as well! But, I am here to tell you, and I am sure you will secretly admit, that a great singer can sell his band even if the lyrics consisted of him reading labels of shampoo bottles. This is what Wake Magnolia presents as they throw themselves into the depth of the battle with Sunburns. The grungey production, the modern-sounding fuzz of the guitars, and powerful vocals should scratch your hard-rock itch just right.
