3.5/5
Sonic Highways.
Justin Timberlake was wrong (boy, isn't that the truth?). In his romantic comedy with Mila Kunis, the singer and 'Reptile' actor said that 90s nostalgic classic 'Closing Time' (also making movie moments this week in the karaoke of the new Emily Blunt and Chris Evans movie 'Pain Hustlers') was by fellow American rock band of that era, Third Eye Blind. He realized the error of his ways in the end with an epic flash-mob in New York City's Grand Central Station, but to all of us whose sonic youth felt strangely fine, we knew better. That album was a mega-hit masterpiece of golden era Americana that those in the know, know about like a 'Secret Smile'. Spearhead by a big-three set of singles like the aforementioned and 'Singing In My Sleep'. The sophomore follow-up to the 'Great Divide' of their debut also featured amazing album tracks like 'Made To Last', 'DND', 'This Will Be My Year', 'California', 'She Spreads Her Wings' and 'Never You Mind' from the Drew Barrymore movie 'Never Been Kissed' to make it a certified classic. As a matter of fact, the whole 'Completely Pleased', and 'All Worked Out' thing was exactly that. A few years later they gave us 'All About Chemistry' behind the last word of that album title single. Getting a grip like Josh Hartnett's '40 Days and 40 Nights' with horny tracks like 'Bed' and 'Sunshine and Chocolate'. Although 'Act Naturally' and 'One True Love' really were the best of this band at their most R.E.M. beautiful.
But The Wallflowers CD ended way more than a half hour ago. As it's been 22 years since that college rock time. Feel old yet? Look in the reflection of your CD jewel case...yep, that's how old I am. I guess she really was 'Gone To The Movies' and "not coming back." Or is she? Over the years great singer/songwriter Dan Wilson has been making music and staying active on Twitter (it's still the STAPLES Center, and it's still Twitter. We get the, he's on X gag, and it's about as funny as Musk's memes. Stick to space and the electric car race), but recently the band (alongside Del Amitri for even more nostalgia) have been touring, supporting the Barenaked Ladies, who had their own album out this summer 'In Flight'. Showing that no matter how long it's been, it still all seems like 'One Week' in this life that is but a dream. Rising with the single of the same name 'Little Bit Of Sun' is what we need right now like the colour scheme of its album artwork solar spectrum. The more mature act don't sound the same, but that's more than strangely fine, in a reunion of good feeling after all these hell frozen over years. Going fourth, they 'Grown Your Own', singing, "I used to listen to that rock and roll music/Because it always soothed my soul/I used to listen to that rock and roll music/Because it made me lose control/And then I listened for the shock of the new, yeah/To learn how to grow my own/And now I listen to that rock and roll music/Remember how I felt before." Their hallmark sound still honed to a chef's kiss.
'The Rope' of this Pleasuresonic sound from Minneapolis, Minnesota, like 'The Vault' of more 'Diamonds and Pearls' from Prince last week offers you even more. "Promise that you're never gonna wake up in an ordinary bed/Swear you're never gonna tell a soul about the s### that I said/The LA sky never changes/But in my mind, thеre's no escaping." Modern love set to a music video as white-picket, good times America as the band once were, and still, thankfully in these times, are. 'Out Of The Dirt' they climb back to the prime. Clawing away at lines like, "Out of the dirt / out of the dirt/ back into the dirt we go / nothing to lose / nothing to lose / looking for a way back home". The grimy grunge is back as they continue to pass this home-grown sound. Aside from the pandemic EP of 2020 that told us 'You're Not Alone', it's been a long two decades and two years quarantined from Semisonic. But that doesn't matter now blending The Beatles and The Connells like '74/75'. 'Keep Me In Motion' ("Standing back in the shadows waiting/Look around for the only one/Turn the tables cos my hopes are fading/You always knew how to start me up") and 'Don't Fade Away'. It all keeps going 'All The Time' to the dual beautiful closers of 'Only Empathy' and a 'Beautiful Sky'. With songs that feel like they could have played on an episode of the Canadian classic set in Chicago, 'Due South', we are kindly thankful for this life and love of a group, even if 'It Wasn't Like We Thought It Would Be'. It's like they say on 'If You Say So'. Or the 'So Amazed' two minutes. Just like 'She Spreads Her Wings' when John Munson takes the mesmerizing lead in place of Wilson like the late, great Taylor Hawkins 'Cold Day In The Sun' with the Foos. Just when you thought it had all set, it comes back like you'd never forget. Get in sync with something that's no longer blind. Here comes the sun. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Little Bit Of Sun', 'Only Empathy', 'Beautiful Sky'.
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