Sound City - Real to Reel

Release date: March 12, 2013 Label: RCA

1. Heaven and All by Robert Levon Been, Dave Grohl, Peter Hayes
2. Time Slowing Down by Chris Goss, Tim Commerford, Grohl, Brad Wilk
3. You Can't Fix This by Stevie Nicks, Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee
4. The Man That Never Was by Rick Springfield, Grohl, Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear
5. Your Wife Is Calling by Lee Ving, Grohl, Hawkins, Alain Johannes, Smear
6. From Can to Can't by Corey Taylor, Grohl, Rick Nielsen, Scott Reeder
7. Centipede by Josh Homme, Goss, Grohl, Johannes
8. A Trick With No Sleeve by Johannes, Grohl, Homme
9. Cut Me Some Slack by Paul McCartney, Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Smear
10. If I Were Me by Grohl, Jessy Greene, Jaffee, Jim Keltner
11. Mantra by Grohl, Homme, Trent Reznor

Dave Grohl's directorial debut in Sound City lands him with positive reviews for this documentary. Being no newbie to the acting world, Grohl has been doing cameos in films such as Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny and The Muppets. However, being a veteran in music throughout the years with Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Probot and Queens, the music to Sound City is definitely a no-brainer accompaniment to the documentary. 

Sound City captures the sound and moments of well known musicians from the days of Metallica, Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Cash and so on. In this documentary, Grohl includes an assortment of other musicians to be featured in a temporary super group.

Taylor Hawkins filled in for drums on almost everything that Grohl didn't. Krist Novoselic returns on bass after a long hiatus from the limelight. With the likes of Paul McCartney, Josh Homme, Lee Ving, Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk, Trent Reznor and many more, Sound City is a big musical salad bowl that is brimming with different talents from different genres of music. Each sharing their own love and expression for music.

I've always liked Stevie Nicks' vocals eventhough I'm not a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac or her solo work, but her voice makes you understand why she was one of the best in the 70s. I'm quite intrigued that Grohl, Hawkins and Rami Jaffee managed to compose a track to her style. It sounded exactly like what Stevie Nicks would actually sing.

From Can to Can't is another gem played by Corey Taylor, Grohl, Rick Nielsen and Scott Reeder. After hearing the vocals on this track, I personally think that Corey's a good vocalist. It sounds like there's some sort of slow sadness emanating from a suffering man that's finally trying breaking free, that finally does break out in anger, which makes the track even more endearing. Of course the guitar solo in it kicks ass and lends to making the song great too.

I'm not too sure with tracks number 5, 8 and 9 and many will probably hate me for this, but Cut Me Some Slack really doesn't work for me. I like what Paul McCartney did in the 60s, but this track just feels weak and contrived even with such an awesome lineup in it. It might just be a nostalgia patchwork that Dave Grohl always wanted, but it really doesn't bring out the energy from some of the other tracks that are on Sound City.

If I Were Me is an acoustic track with strings accompaniment that, in my opinion, is the most beautiful track in this album. Grohl's heartfelt lyrics and vocal mood singing, "If I were me I'd wait forever, what's your hurry?" really tugs on the strings of the heart. The piano and violin begs and wails with intense sadness that just buries deep into your soul. That's just it. It hits the right spot with such a combination of strong instruments and lyricwork.

Dave Grohl in Sound City Studios

This album is a great idea of experimentation. If you've always wanted to know how Geniuses like Dave Grohl and Trent Reznor will sound like together or how legendary bassists, Paul McCartney and Krist Novoselic or even how Rick Springfield would sound like being the frontman for Foo Fighters, Sound City is the album that would provide the answer.

4 out of 7 sins