Old pop bands don't die ...
Live From the Rock `n' Roll Fun House (Hook)
The Knack
It's kind of a shame that the Knack still suffers from the "My Sharona" backlash that happened twenty-two years ago. But if you walk into almost any gathering of people and announce that you just bought the Knack's new album, someone, if not everyone, is going to make a snide comment. I recently told a co-worker about a new Knack album, to which he snickered. I said, "Hey, that band is a lot better than you think it is." And he replied, "They would have to be, wouldn't they?"
Damn.
That said, I will proceed to tell you that while the Knack's new live album, Live From the Rock `n' Roll Fun House doesn't really promise anything more than new versions of a lot of old songs, it sounds darn good. The Knack has aged audibly well. While it sounds strange to hear a 40-something Doug Fieger sing lines like "My little pretty one is so cool/My little lady hated high school," a thorough listen shows that these guys haven't lost a step when it comes to performing.
And if this is your first experience with some of the band's newer tunes like "Pop is Dead," "Can I Borrow a Kiss" and "Harder On You," you might find yourself looking for either Zoom or Normal as the Next Guy (the band's two most recent studio albums) on eBay or at your local music exchange.
If nothing else, take a listen to "My Sharona" as played in 2001, and you might just be impressed. I've always believed that song had one of the best rock guitar solos ever recorded, and danged if Berton Averre doesn't nail that sucker note for note as easily as if he's chewing gum.
Sure, maybe it's a guilty pleasure, but so is chocolate - and you don't see anybody making fun of that. (By the way, this disc is accompanied by a DVD/VHS video.)