Hello Rocksmith fans!
The March song drop was a big one, in part because it was late in the month. Still, 117 new arrangements were added, and unfortunately before the new queues were ready to roll out (but they’re here now in the present!). I’m here to do my best to point you to stuff you know as well as stuff you don’t but might enjoy in this big drop, so let’s get right to it.
Best of Bass
If you’re reading this article, you probably know for better and worse artists in Latin genres make up a lot of the library. However, more often than not end up with a few exemplars per content drop. La Noche Que Murio Chicago by Banda Toro is a fun rhythm with decent variations that doesn’t overstay its welcome, but like, Abrazame Muy Fuerte by Cristian Castro is a demanding disco bass challenge built around octave jumps and heavy movement around the fretboard, while No Me Acostumbro by Rey Ruiz does great movement and variation across strings and the fretboard.
Ya like jazz? Rocksmith+ does, the genre makes up another huge chunk of the library, and also makes up another chunk of notable bass arrangements in the patch. Russian Lullaby by Tony Bennett is there for those who have a death wish playing jazz bass, while Tulip or Turnip by Duke Ellington is much less intense in its tempo but no less fun in its movement. Funky Picante by Marc Antoine is a jazz fusion guitar track, but the bass backing it up is quite fun itself.
And of course, there were a number of covers, mostly out-of-genre, in this drop as any other. Should I Stay or Should I Go by Living Colour alternating between chugging metal verses and an even more energetic chorus than the original Clash track, while Somebody Told Me by Maneskin streamlines the Killers’ song to a more mainstream rock that’s a bit more accessible but still pretty fun, on bass moreso than guitar. The Times They Are A-Changin’ by the Byrds is not a huge departure from the Dylan original, but it’s got an enjoyable bass arrangement as most Byrds have.
Among some of the enjoyable surprises is the arrangement of Ma musique (Sailin’) by Helene Segara which has a slow tempo and a fair chunk without bass at the start, but manages to meaningfully build to keep it pleasantly engaging until the end when it does come in. While Bill Withers is most known for his R&B and soul hits (actually availabe in RS+!), Kissing My Love by Bill Withers brings some noticeable funk influence into his work, to great enjoyment. And while my own expectations are often low for pop in the last fifteen years, DOMINGO DE NOTE by Mora has a surprisingly fun electronic riff, while The Fight by Sia has some good funk influence being built around octaves. Finally, while not a fan of Cinderella myself, the energy brought to the live performance of Hot and Bothered by Cinderella was able to win me over on bass when it comes in.
Best of Guitar
While it never has the right metal for the most vocal of metalheads, Rocksmith+’s selection is getting better and better. Hot and Bothered by Cinderella has GREAT live energy, and Mississippi Queen by Ministry and Co-Conspirators is there for anyone that wanted to play that song faster. A Corpse Without a Soul by Mercyful Fate is incredible lead as all of their offerings are, and Intoxicated by Obituary is what you’d expect from death metal lead – lotta strumming, lotta rapid chord shifts, and a blast of a solo. Finally, if you’ve able to travel to France, there’s a live performance of Suicide Solution by Ozzy Obsourne only available there that’s great fun too.
Latin genres make up a lot of lead too, what a surprise. Un Amor by Gipsy Kings is a blast when it’s focused on lead parts, Rosa Maria by Hugo Blanco is made up of three very fun parts, and No Me Acostumbro by Rey Ruiz is a great alt-chart experience.
Speaking on alt-charts, Never Let Me Go by Luthor Vandross has a great sax solo alt-charted that helps its variations and fun make up for its noticeable lulls as well.
Hieroglyphics by Beware the Darkness wraps up the current offerings of the band in the library, and while it’s not as great as the ones in the previous patch in part because there’s no solo, it’s still got some fun riffs and a unique chord progression. Mr. Milk by You Am I is made up of some fun riffs as well.
Stay by Bernard Butler (of Suede fame) is very nineties Britpop, giving vibes of both Oasis and Radiohead as it builds up from its acoustic intro.
Got some offerings from some high level guitarists as well. Blues Before Sunrise by Elmore James is a lot of fun if you’re ever in Open D, while I Shall Be Released by Jeff Buckley is a Bob Dylan that brings exactly what you want from the combination. Guajira by Santana continues to fill out the large amount of offerings the artist has available, a lot of fun when it isn’t stuck in its chords, while Stagger Lee by Taj Mahal brings another enjoyable lead from that musician as well. Less recognizable to me but no less fun, Funky Picante by Marc Antoine is a jazz fusion lead and an enjoyable playthrough.
Country offerings have some overlap with the above this drop, Country Boy by Ricky Skaggs is a phenomenal and intricate lead part that only ever lulls when it’s letting other instruments take the spotlight, and while Highway 40 Blues isn’t quite as intense it’s similarly fun. Wichita Lineman/Galveston/Country Boy by Glen Campbell is much less lead in comparison, but its movements and variations make it fun nonetheless.
You Ain’t Going Nowhere by the Byrds is a Dylan cover too, and has some fun lead on it.
Nowhere by NOFX does a great job of throwing in tons of enjoyable lead for its runtime, including a partial cover of The Boys Are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy in its outro. Ca Plane Pour Moi by the Presidents of the United States of America is the first offering of a band with a very diverse catalog, this one feeling like it pulls from surf rock.
Other Notable Releases and Wildcards
I Can’t Explain by Iggy Pop is alright on lead and a bit better on bass for me, but notable for the first Who cover in the library as well as the first Iggy Pop. Hopefully not the last of either (and some original Who recordings while we’re at it!).
Crazy Country Hop by Eric Clapton got an alright bass part this patch. I have a feeling we’ll see remarks on its lead in the April Wrap-Up, call it a hunch.
Ain’t No Sunshine and Danny’s Song by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are kinda what you’d expect from punk covers of the songs, though this is the first cover of Danny’s Song and among the handful of Elton John ones. Hopin’ for more of those in time as well.
Chipping away at Pixies this patch, six more songs getting some lead or bass.
Gluecifer also had four songs getting lead or bass that play very punk on their respective paths.
Police and Thieves by the Clash got lead this patch, wrapping the past few months rush on the artists’ catalog. London Calling (the album) still has much lead missing, hope they come back to the band and focus that down at some point.
Coal Chamber seems to be getting one song per patch, and this is not an exception. Bradley plays like a Drop D song on lead.
Brown Eyed Girl by Everclear got a lead, but this version feels like it overstays its welcome to me.
Speaking of Van Morrison, we interestingly got a Dylan cover from Them, the group he was originally part of before his solo career.
It’s the End of the World as we Know It (And I Feel Fine) by Riddlin’ Kids only got rhythm this patch, but notable because it’s the first more widely accessible R.E.M. cover.
It’s Like That by RUN DMC brings the bass to their debut single, though no sign of the more famous remix just yet.
The White Stripes songs that were released without authentic bass parts got them in this patch, though neither are really remarkable. Blue Orchid translates fine to a bass riff, but You Don’t Know What Love Is probably was fine as a chord chart honestly.
Retroactive supergroup Camper Van Beethoven (members went on to form Cracker or join Counting Crows among other paths) got a new bass arrangement this drop, but it’s unfortunately not worth remarking on outside of that.
Kenny G. got two lead arrangements starting to chip away as offerings in the library, but unfortunately neither is terribly remarkable or alt-charted. Think I might have a different mark in the April Wrap-Up coming up.
And finally, for our wildest card, is Where Do We Go by Yung Berg, a rap song that samples Games People Play by Alan Parsons Project. Alas it’s a boring sample that leads to a boring chart on both paths, but still, pretty wild, eh?
Of course, there was tons of stuff added that fell just outside of any of these categories, and if they’re of interest to you, check ’em out and share your thoughts in the comments! Stay tuned for my thoughts on April’s drop!
