The Chain Gang

Heard Tantric's version of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" on the radio the other day. I'm not quite sure it was a good choice or a terrible convincing reading of what is a pretty powerful tune. One thing that struck me as funny is that, even in active rock, guitar solos are still almost verboten, as the song doubles back into the chorus before hitting the outro. If Lindsay Buckingham has a leg up on you as a guitar player, and you're allegedly a hard rock band, I think you're in trouble.

On a totally unrelated note, I like Audi's mixing of the classic "Rebel Rebel" and the newer "Never Get Old" from David Bowie in their new TV spots. Using music in ads is one thing, using music cleverly is another, and the juxtaposition works for me.

Also on television, I haven't actually watched the show yet, but I dig that HBO's Deadwood is using the heck out of "The Manufacture of Tangled Ivory" from the Bang On A Can All-Stars. It's a very cool piece of music.