Jason Miller releases solo debut, an Americana departure from goth-inspired Godhead

Jason Charles Miller, lead singer of the rock band Godhead, has released his first solo album, Last to Go Home.

The five-song EP is a departure from his work at the helm of industrial-rock innovators Godhead, and introduces a softer side to Miller’s personality, one where he unplugs his soul on songs that are carried by nothing more than evocative vocals and stripped-down acoustics.

The tracks feature guest performances by Motown legend Brenda Lee Eager [Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder], guitarist Shane Gibson [Korn], bassist Marty O’Brien [We Are The Fallen, Tommy Lee] and classical concert cellist Tina Guo. Drawing on influences including Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson, the five original songs are written and produced by Miller, and blur the lines between Americana, alt-country, singer-songwriters and folk music.

To finish reading this article, and also to watch Miller and actor/comedian Hal Sparks cover "Goin' Blind" by KISS in Covers on the Roof #8, please click here.

Paul Gargano is the National Music Examiner for eXaminer.com.
Click here to visit his Examiner homepage.

LIVE REVIEW: U2 at the Rose Bowl

U2, The Black Eyed Peas
The Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA
October 25, 2009

Touring the world with a stage production that is without rival in the history of live music, U2 managed the improbable at the Rose Bowl Sunday night, delivering a set in which the colossal staging was dwarfed by the magic of the band’s performance.

The magic came in the form of celebration, Bono dropping to his knees and raising his arms high above his head during “Beautiful Day,” and a sold-out crowd of nearly 100,000 responding in kind. Opening with a trio of tracks from new album No Line on the Horizon– “Breathe,” “Get on Your Boots” and “Magnificent” – Bono , guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen not only set the pace for the rest of the evening’s music, they set the tone for the evening’s mood.

“The future needs a kiss,” Bono sang in the opening line of “Get on Your Boots,” and U2 meant it.

The 360 Tour – which concludes its current leg Wednesday night in Vancouver, BC – was never meant to be a rehash of old hits (many were missing from the 24-song set) but rather, a beacon of hope in a world where hope is at a premium. The beacon was cast from the stage, illuminated by the crowd, and – especially in the case of the Rose Bowl show, which was being broadcast live to five continents via YouTube – reflected in waves throughout the world.

To finish reading this review, and also to watch U2's Rose Bowl performance in its entirety, please click here.

Paul Gargano is the National Music Examiner for eXaminer.com.
Click here to visit his Examiner homepage.

Cake go green

The band Cake are going the distance once again. This time, it's for the environment.

Best known for their hit singles "The Distance," "Never Enough" and their 2007 B-sides and Rarities compilation featuring covers of Frank Sinatra, Black Sabbath and Kenny Rogers, Cake are the indie darlings of alternative music.

Their sixth studio album, currently scheduled for a Spring 2010 release, will be entirely green, as Cake are writing, rehearsing and recording the album solely with solar power.

To finish reading this article and watch a video of Cake transforming their studio to solar energy, please click here.

Paul Gargano is the National Music Examiner for eXaminer.com.
Click here to visit his Examiner homepage.

Michael Jackson Single Co-Written by Paul Anka

Michael Jackson's new single "This is It" was co-written by '60s teen idol and songwriting legend Paul Anka, according to a report issued today by CNN.

The single is the title track to the Michael Jackson's This is It soundtrack, which will be released in America October 27 by Sony Music Entertainment. The Michael Jackson's This is It movie also debuts on October 27, with widespread worldwide release October 28.

"This is It" was originally written and recorded in 1983 by Jackson and Anka, but wasn't completed in time to be included on Anka's album Walk a Fine Line.

To listen to "This is It" and continue reading, please click here.

Paul Gargano is the National Music Examiner for eXaminer.com.
Click here to visit his Examiner homepage.