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Has '30 Rock' Jumped the Shark?

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Has '30 Rock' Jumped the Shark? Time: 02-09-2012 19:43 User: bdgray PubDate: 02-10-2012 Zone: KY Edition: 1 Page Name: D7 Color: CyanMagentaYellowBlack KY VELOCITY | courier-journal.com/features THE COURIER-JOURNAL | FRIDAY,FEBRUARY10, 2012 | D7 the argument music WHATROCKS, WHATDOESN’T Want more reviews? Get them at www.courier-journal.com/music Has ‘30 Rock’ jumped the shark? By Jeffrey Lee Puckett Paul McCartney, ‘Kisses The Fray, ‘Scars &Stories’ VanHalen, Who could use agood laugh on the Bottom’ It’snot in the nature of anthemic piano ‘A Different Kind of Truth’ Standards are awonderful thing, espe- rock bands like The Fray to do avast over- Well, it looks like VanHalen, mostly “30 Rock” ended its fourth season cially those that make up the heart of the haul of their sound. Coldplay waxed grandi- anyway, and it sounds like VanHalen. But in 2010 with an episode so funny,and Great American Songbook. But albums of ose about last year’sBrian Eno-backed “My- does that make it VanHalen? so in tune with the show’saesthetic, standards by fading rock stars, even a lo Xyloto,” but when the dust settled it was “A Different Kind of Truth” is the band’s that it could have stopped there and no former Beatle, are never agood idea. They really just Chris Martin being Chris Martin. first album with original singer David Lee one would have complained. Except smell like giving up. The Fray’slast album debuted at No. 1, and Roth since “1984,” released 28 years ago, for fans of Cerie, but they aren’tthere “Kisses on the Bottom” is too inoffen- the band’ssongs have appeared in every- and his return goes along way toward for the jokes. sive to be truly grating, but that’sits own thing from marriage videos and graduation reminding us of why VanHalen was agame- By that point, the show had perfect- kind of problem. Although these are songs mixes to prime-time procedural dramas. changer.Even though Roth’svoice has lost its ed an absurdist reality unmatched by that fueled McCartney’sinitial passion for The question is: Is this band brave top end, its personality is fully intact. That’s anything else on television. The humor music, and by extension brought us The enough to stick with what works? Not a halfthe battle with this guy. Eddie and Alex has always started with aconnection, Beatles, the overall vibe is overly polite, too problem. This is the Fray at their glitziest, VanHalen also sound revitalized, with vin- however tenuous, to reality and then comfortable and with precious little fire. tritest and — in away only possible for these tage soloing from Eddie. exploded into unreality even as the But how much fire can you generate with kinds of groups — most successful. Their The songwriting is where things get characters’ reactions remain ground- “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write third studio album is aperipatetic collection dicey. At its best, VanHalen wrote songs ed in normalcy.Inthat 2010 finale, Liz MyselfaLetter,” or “Inch Worm”? Not of tracks partly based on travels the band that are nearly uncategorizable — if “Jump” met the perfect man (named Carol), much. members made before heading to the stu- or “Jamie’sCrying” weren’tanaccepted part played extravagantly well by At this point in McCartney’scareer,the dio, and have all the earnest lyrics and of your rock ’n’ roll DNA, how would you Matt Damon. There were temptation is to cut him some slack, even sprawling choruses of patent Fray hits like describe them? “A Different Kind of Truth” Somalian pirates at Grizz’s YES slap him on the back when he doesn’t “How to Save aLife.” does echo that classic first phase, in part wedding, Jenna’sboyfriend deserve it for an album of ordinary origi- Highlights include the song most likely to because much of it reportedly dates from dressed as Cher (and Jenna) nals. But even that would be far more be inundating the airwaves for at least afew the late 1970s and early ’80s. and Kenneth the page got fired, lead- preferable than this collection of slight more months, indelible premiere single That makes them outtakes, not quite ing to the best drunken farewell songs and light jazz, punctuated by aStevie “Heartbeat,” the elegiac “1961” and the good enough for “Women and Children speech ever. Wonder harmonica solo so obligatory that soaring vocals on “The Fighter.” This is a First” but with adirect lineage to the pum- Then last season was worrisome. it borders on parody. band that should be commended for not meling spirit that dominated the band’s The jokes slipped, the situations An extra halfstar has been added in pretending to retool aformula that so clear- early years. So yeah, VanHalen is back and seemed alittle forced, but aslowish honor of “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver.” ly works. the cradle is rocking, but not quite as hard. start gradually got better.But now. — Jeffrey Lee Puckett, The Courier-Journal — Lucy Mueller,Special to Metromix — Jeffrey Lee Puckett, The Courier-Journal Well. Now is adifferent story.The ee eee ee½ first four episodes were pretty close to unwatchable, with acouple so poor that they played like an imitation of “30 Rock,” as if someone had the tem- calendar WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR AREA the five Christy Lemire Associated Press plate but not the rampant genius. Istared at the television, distraught DeStefano, viola; Paul York, 543-6239. CONCERTS cello; and Dror Biran, piano. The Super Bowl has that one of the few things left in this $15,$5for students. (502) world capable of making me laugh was 852-6907. Flamenco passed, but it made Carl gone. Sigh. Yeah, the fourth episode Bluegrass University of Louisville Espiritu Gitano (Arturo us reflect on the Weathers Student Composers & Martinez), guitarist. Caffe had its moments. Some of the fire was The Little Roy and Lizzie Double Bass Studio. Classico, 2144Frankfort Ave., many,many football back, and Hazel Wassername’spos- Show. Shepherdsville Music Comstock Concert Hall, 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. players who’ve sibly clueless racism was classic “30 Barn, 1833 Ky. 44 W, Shep- University of Louisville School Barbara Martinez, singer and herdsville, 8p.m. Friday. $12. of Music, First Street and dancer,will also perform. $10. branched out into Rock.” Ieven laughed out loud. Once. (502) 552-9771. Brandeis Avenue, 8p.m. (502) 895-0076. movies. We’d be And once is not enough. Thursday. Free. here all day if we Blues Pop/Rock pondered college Robert Cray. Horseshoe Country Nellie McKay. Bomhard Casino &Hotel, 11999 Casino Corydon Jamboree. Town Theater,Kentucky Center,501 standouts like John Wayne Center Drive S.E., Elizabeth, square, Hurst Lane, Corydon, W. Main St., 7p.m. Sunday. and Dwayne Johnson, so 7:30 p.m. Friday. $23-$38. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Theresa LEO ALittle OffCenter series. (800) 745-3000 . Dunn, Ronnie Gaddis, Broken $25. (502) 584-7777. we’re sticking to the NFL. Hearts Band. $10,$6for ages Classical 6-12.(270) 422-3122. Jefferson Hill Farm and R&B Colin Andrews, organ. Jamboree. 10704 Jefferson New Edition, K-Ci and JoJo, »O.J.Simpson: Afterwinning theHeisman Cathedral of the Assumption, Hill Road, 7p.m. Saturday. El DeBarge. KFC Yum! 433 S. Fifth St., 7:30 p.m. Rayburn Brothers, Country Center,1Arena Plaza, 8p.m. Trophy as arunning back at USC in 1968, Simpson Friday. “A Tale of Three Creek Band. $7, $6 seniors, Friday. $48.50-$75. (800) put together astellar career over nine seasons with Cities: London, Leipzig and free for ages 12 and younger. 745-3000. the Buffalo Bills before retiring with the San Fran- Paris.” Part of the Kelty (502) 375-1539. Trey Songz. Louisville Palace, Endowed Organ River City Jubilee. 2901 625 S. Fourth St., 8p.m. cisco 49ers in 1979. But he’d already begun his Recital Series. A Seventh Street Road, 7:30 Friday. $49.50-$67.50. (800) acting career ,playing asecurity chief in “The reception will follow. p.m. Saturday. Ricky Puckett, 745-3000. Free. Silas Eisenback, Amanda Towering Inferno” (1974) and an astronaut in “Cap- Emilie Strong Smith. Priddy. $10,$5for ages 6-12. ricorn One” (1978) and in the “Naked Gun” trilogy. Locust Grove, 561 (502) 235-5186. Various »Jim Brown: One of the greatest running backs Blankenbaker Lane, 5:30 Ross Country Jamboree. 31 Nappy Roots, Skyscraper p.m. Sunday. Refresh- E. Wardell St., Scottsburg, 7 Stereo, Scanners, DJ El in football history,Brown played nine seasons with ments served at 5p.m. p.m. Saturday. Dave Camp- Dawg, Jalin Roze. ZaZoo’s, the Cleveland Browns, from 1957 to 1965. Brown Part of the Chamber bell, Mike Boughey, Megan 102Bauer Ave., 9p.m. Friday. was arevolutionary presence on the screen —a Music Series. $20. (502) Stout. $10.(812)752-8877. $20. (502) 384-8478. 897-9845. Shepherdsville County Dieter Hennings, guitar. virile, almost threatening black man. And in movies Melvin Dickinson, organ. Music Show. Ky. 44, Comstock Concert Hall, like the 1969 “100Rifles,” he did something previ- Bach Haus, 4607 Hanford Shepherdsville, 7:30 p.m. University of Louisville School ously unheard of: an interracial love scene (with Lane, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Saturday. Christy Miller, of Music, First Street and Opus Two, lecture recital. Tayler Lynch, Eric Simmons, Brandeis Avenue, 8p.m. Raquel Welch). “The Organ Works of Bach.” Doug Pinson, Pat Portman & Wednesday. Free. »Carl Weathers: Come on, he’sApollo Creed! Free. the 44 County Band. $8, $7 Kentucky Homefront. Music eX Series. Comstock seniors. (502) 807-9604. Clifton Center,2117Payne St., And he was in “Predator.” Weathers started out as a Concert Hall, University of West Point Music Ranch 7:30 p.m.
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