Journal For Plague Lovers by Manic Street Preachers: 5 stars
2009-10-02 10:15:00I approached Journal for Plague Lovers with much trepidation. Steve Albini at the helm certainly made me hopeful but exhuming the words of the 14 years missing Richey Edwards made me fear a rehash of the brilliant horrorshow that was The Holy Bible, the last album on which he was the driving force. My fears were quickly assuaged.
A decade of Nicky's sparse lyricism and sense of a line gave James enough of a break to be able to wrap his mouth around the unconcerned constructions that typify Richey. The text is lighter than THB, there is a sense of a weight lifted. Still angry, still biting, still self obsessed, still casting wildly about from the Grand Odalisque to professional wrestling to mental instutions to Noam Chomsky. But not the despondent self loathing and solipsistic disgust of THB. It has a lighter touch, a sense of ...
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Planet Earth by Prince: 4 stars
2007-08-03 12:35:11Anger asked if I thought that Guitar was similar to Kiss, and it got me to go back and listen to the album all the way through again. It's a decent album. Not one of his best, but it has more tracks that I like than anything since the internet-only album Chocolate Invasion in 2004. Looking back over the discography this is probably his best since Come in 1994 if you restrict it to albums that the general public could walk into a store and buy.
Planet Earth - The heavily orchestrated ballad was done much better with Still Would Stand All Time or Grand Progression. It has a nice message about proper stewarship of the earth, but the religious component is pretty heavy handed, as has been his tendency in the past few years.
Guitar - Best song on the album. This is ...
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3121 by Prince: 4 stars
2006-03-23 11:09:50This album has one of the clunkiest Prince tracks I've ever heard. Which is a shame as the rest of it is top quality. Musicology was the first time Prince was relevant to the mainstream since the Symbol album, and 3121 promises to attract as much appreciation if not more.
It opens with a killer dance track that recasts Hotel California as a kind of urban hipster paradise. Prince announces that the party is here and now and you better shake your ass. The less said about the second track the better. The first track to appear back in December was Te Amo Corazon with an appropriately lush video, directed by Salma Hayek. This is as good or better than the once omnipresent 7 and is possibly his best ballad in twenty years. The new single, Black Sweat, is a great minimalist dance track that combines aural aesthetic ...
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Rebirth of a Nation by Public Enemy: 3 stars
2006-03-17 11:09:21Another early 90's blockbuster revisited. And with wildly different results. Smooth rhymes and beats. You can tell these guys did their time in rap battles honing their chops. No sloppy matches or awkward forcing here. Flavor is just Flavor. Fame, fortune, and Brigette haven't gone to his head. Chuck is as mad as ever, if not more so. Heavily political and appropriately so PE calls for people to rise up against the oppresion of the government that brought you the Patriot Act and illegal wiretapping. Plenty of references to their earlier hits, but they flow so well and are recast in a modern context nicely.
A lot of the music has the heavy production and minor chord keyboards that are de riguer for hip hop today, but you can't change Chuck D's rap style and you wouldn't want to. What's interesting is that the lyrics are all the ...
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Operation Mindcrime II by Queensryche: 2 stars
2006-03-17 11:08:48I was very nervous about listening to this. Mindcrime was one of the best albums of the 90's and still stands up well today. Haunting melodies, interesting song structures, vivid imageries, characters with depth who actually develop over the course of the album. If you enjoyed the original, you may want to avoid this one. I listened to it several times over several days in order to be sure I gave it a fair review.
Plodding critiques of the government compete with tired ripoffs of their own riffs to be the most banal aspect of this forgetable album. The injection of current politics into a world that was originally set in a non-specific era is jarring and even though I agree with the politics I find it distracting.
Some of the songs try to imitate the original album only to come off as a bad Queensryche ...
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Holy Bible (Anniversary Edition) by Manic Street Preachers: 5 stars
2004-12-30 11:08:13Reissues are a tough call sometimes. It's tempting to buy the new version of a much loved album, just to see what is different. All too often (Gold Remasters series, for example) there is no noticeable change in the album itself except that it was two track remastered a bit louder than before. And maybe some nice liner notes. If you are a music collector of any sort, you've been burned more than once by reissues. I was understandably wary of the 10th Anniversary edition of "The Holy Bible" by Manic Street Preachers. But it came with a lot of extras, including a fair amount of things I'd not seen or heard before. So I bit the bullet and ordered it from Sony UK (it is not available in the US, including on Amazon's site. Though you can get it from Amazon UK). A very very nice slipcased digipack with ...
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Lifeblood by Manic Street Preachers: 5 stars
2004-11-22 11:07:52I've heard it called elegaic pop, but it's more fitting to call it elegaic rock. This is more in keeping with the "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours"/"Everything Must Go" style than with "Know Your Enemy". KYE seemed to have been a reaction to critics saying they'd lost their edge. While it had some very strong songs, it lacked aural cohesion. Lifeblood picks up from some of the KYE b-sides like "Unstoppable Salvation" and "Automatik Teknicolor" and expands the taste of mature and thoughtful songwriting that those presented. They've become much less strident and more thoughtful over the years, gone are the incisive critiques of the complicity of British banks in the devastation of the third world and the decline of social services in the UK. Heavy on questions and lacking the easy answers of gormless youth, the songs are a pastiche of nostalgia, hope, despair, and anti social ...
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Has Been by William Shatner: 4 stars
2004-11-22 11:07:28You would think this would be a camp album a la "Golden Throats". I was surprised when I heard it. Shatner doesn't sing, he talks through each song. There is more than an element of Was (Not Was) going on. "It Hasn't Happened Yet" is classic Was fare, a simple minor key melody with a world weary voice talking about failed dreams. The big tent preacher delivery of "You'll Have Time" is surprisingly precise. I would've thought Shatner would overact a piece with this much potential for schmaltz, but he walks right up to the line and manages to stay just this side of it.
There's a great song about an absent father trying to reconnect with his kid without addressing anything real, the whole theme of the album is failure, disappointment, and regret. The singing on the album is primarily the choruses, usually sung by Folds while ...
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Medulla by Bjork: 3 stars
2004-10-26 11:07:09This is a strange and beautiful album. This will not hit the top 10. And that's just fine. Bjork has never gone for conventional, and this is album was almost inevitable as a result of that. There are no instruments other than voice. There are plenty of voices augmenting her own, including stunt vocalist Mike Patton as well as the Icelandic and London choirs and a Tuvan throat singer. The sound is remarkably full and it's easy to forget that it's all being done with the power of vocal chords.
Hot spots: Show me forgiveness, Oceania, Triumph of a heart, Desired constellation
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Real Gone by Tom Waits: 5 stars
2004-10-26 11:06:44Real Gone is a real diverse experience. This is the world music album that seems to be a required phase in the career of any serious songwriter. If you are a fan of Tom, sit down. There is no piano on the album. At all. There's a lot of experimentation of rhythm and instrumentation, there's a wonderful sense of freshness as Waits works with new tools. He beatboxes. I kid you not. And it's wonderful. He uses his son Casey on the turntables (yes, that really is hip hop scratching) and as a percussionist on several tracks and it sounds perfectly natural.
A long time experimenter with found sounds, Waits uses them to full effect on this album. He did a lot of vocal rhythms for the album and recorded them cold and had the band come in and just play over them. For a largely improvised album ...
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Houses of the Mole by Ministry: 4 stars
2004-10-26 11:06:13More "Psalm 69" than "The Dark Side Of The Spoon", this is a throbbing lunging angry hyper-industrial distorted freight train of "Bush Sucks". I cannot possibly imagine a better reason to buy anything at this point in time. The staccato guitars, the screams of "you're worthless", the machine gun drums, G.W. Bush saying "I have a message for the Iraqi people, Go home and die.". It's all here.
Hot Spots: No W. Waiting, Wrong, Wait City, Worm
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Tipping Point by The Roots: 4 stars
2004-10-26 11:05:50The most dangerous band in hip hop. Like most of the intellectual hip hop artists, The Roots talk to the problems facing young black people in America from a standpoint that there are answers other than dealing and stealing. On tracks like Everybody Is a Star they take a big risk and talk about sexism within the black community, which has been a very touchy subject. Taking their name from the sociology work of Malcolm Gladwell and his book on the influence of small numbers of people in creating change. Black Thought delivers in a rapid fire of anger and disappointment and hope and questions that can be overwhelming but is nicely couched in the tight backing of the band.
Hot Spots: Don't Say Nuthin', Boom, Somebody's Gotta Do It, Guns Are Drawn, The Web, Why
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All City by Northern State: 4 stars
2004-10-26 11:03:51Loaded with guests (Pete Rock, ?uestlove, Har Mar Superstar, Katie Cassidy, and Muggs from Cypress Hill) and killer production All City is as much a shout out to NYC as the Beastie's 5 Boroughs. Touting their NY scenester creds and wearing their politics on their sleeves, Hesta, Spero, and Sprout were, as they say, 'born to write pages, we came to rock stages". Cleaner and more consistent than Dying In Stereo, it's easier to focus on the flow and the lyrics without any distraction. Even when they're talking about partying on the upper west side they still make it interesting and speak to their riot grrrl ancestors.
Hot spots: Girls for All Seasons, Nice With It, Don't Look Down, Style I Bring, Speaking For Me
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Whiskey Tango Ghosts by Tanya Donelly: 4 stars
2004-10-26 11:03:21More sedate than Beautysleep, this has the same ethereal qualities but with sparser surroundings. She's been moving further away from the rock guitar chick thing since she went solo, and Whiskey Tango Ghosts brings her to a very traditional female singer/songwriter place. This is Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, and Emmylou Harris with a post 90's isolationism coloring their point of view. The songs are smart and introspective and self critical as well as reaffirming. She avoids the sort of lushness of instrumentation that she used to hide what she perceived to be shortcomings in her songwriting. Most songs are piano/vocal or acoustic guitar/bass/percussion/vocal sets which clearly show that there are no shortcomings.
Hot spots: Every Devil, My Life As A Ghost, The Center, Whiskey Tango, Fallout.
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A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets: 3 stars
2004-07-12 11:02:53On his second effort, Mike Skinner goes for a more cohesive narrative rather than a series of vignettes. I don't think this works as effectively as the differing perspectives of "Original Pirate Material" did. Skinner takes a few risks musically, even branching into acoustic guitar anchored bits and using more orchestration, all to solid effect. He had an incredible ear for production, and while it sounds a bit odd at first, it catches on very quickly.
Skinner is not really a rapper. He is a poet. This is modern bebop. His descriptions of the daily travails of a 20 something just trying to figure out life are simplistic, and often simple minded, and ring unfailingly true.
Hot Spots: Could Well Be In, Not Addicted, Fit But You Know It, Dry Your Eyes
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Contraband by Velvet Revolver: 4 stars
2004-07-12 11:02:15Imagine Guns N Roses without Axl Rose. I know, it seems like a dream come true, but it's not a dream. It's a reality. Rip roaring rock and roll, L.A. style, without the whining! Scott Weiland is a particularly smooth fit with the growling guitar of Slash and Dave Kushner. The songs are no frills rock that will kick your ass, with an interesting similarity of style to the riff heavy Audioslave. Weiland's singing is passionate and melodic. His lyrics are intensely personal and unashamed. He doesn't glamorize his life, he simply says "this is what I experienced". It's very beat poet in a sense. The music is tight and provides the perfect soundtrack for the rock and roll lifestyle lyrics.
Hot Spots: Sucker Train Blues, Slither, Fall to Pieces, You Got No Right
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The Cure by The Cure: 4 stars
2004-07-12 11:01:34Given the popularity of acts like Evanescence I was wondering when the real deal was going to surface again. And here they are. Lovelorn and angry, Smith ignores the changing tastes of popular culture and delivers a set of classic goth. From the lament of youthful insouciance of "Lost" to the bitter resignation of "The End of the World" to the isolationism of "Us or Them", the Cure cover all the bases you would expect.
Musically this is stronger then Bloodflowers, their last "farewell" album. There is less consistency of style from song to song here, but that somehow works to it's advantage. Smith seems to be saying "Careful, I've got a few tricks left up my sleeve."
Happiness makes an unexpected number of appearances, with the beautifully rendered rememberances of "Before Three", the poppy 'don't say more/ to me at all / I am so ...
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The Spine by They Might Be Giants: 4 stars
2004-07-12 11:01:06It's tough to categorize TMBG. They sound like a quirky novelty act, they have started putting out kids albums, and they have a "damn everyone we're doing what we want" attitude that wholly captures the punk ethos. John and John throw all manner of sounds and styles at the wall and and they bounce back in the form of catchy songs with fun melodies and lyrics that make Michael Stipe scratch his head.
Hot Spots: Experimental Film, Prevenge, Memo to Human Resources, Au Contraire, Thunderbird, Some Crazy Bastard Wants to Hit Me.
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Live Late Loud by Reeves Gabrels: 4 stars
2004-07-12 11:00:40Longtime Bowie collaborator Reeves Gabrels was the underappreciated genius behind much of Tin Machine, as well as several tracks on Bowie's "Black Tie, White Noise", "Outside" and "Earthling". His searing guitar can be heard on everything from the Cure to the Rolling Stones to Public Enemy. He's a pretty versatile guitarist and a decent singer. Through two studio albums, Gabrels has layered guitars in a sonic wall approach that is stunning. The intricate play between tones and lines would challenge any guitar wizard, and it's incredibly difficult to recreate that sort of thing live. Gabrels keeps true to the themes of the songs but forgoes much of the flash in service of the whole.
There are a ton of guitar wizards out there, but take the flash away and most of them simply can't write very interesting songs. That Gabrels can strip out much of the bells and ...
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Neighborhood Watch by Dilated Peoples: 4 stars
2004-07-12 10:59:54There is a strain of intellectual hip-hop that gets overshadowed by party songs and gangsta braggadocio. The Roots, Nappy Roots, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Dead Prez, Dan the Automator, and Paris are a few that come to mind. Dilated Peoples definitely fit in this subset. Hard and gritty, presenting the view from the street by people who are just trying to make it through the day. There's a definite anger in a lot of their lyrics, but it's not the senseless thug posturing of a lot of bad rap. It's the collective anger of battling a culture that is still largely racist, and probably on some level of battling an industry that is actively hostile to music that makes people think.
As one would expect, social conscience is at the fore.
Dilated Peoples take on War, corporate malfeasance, promote Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9-11" and more subtley the ...
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To the 5 Boroughs by Beastie Boys: 3 stars
2004-07-12 10:59:22Back from the past, the Boys eschew much of the fad sounds that typefied Hello Nasty and embrace old school b-boy hip hop. The title telegraphs a return to roots, of course, there is no subtlety here. Lyrically as strong as ever, the stripped down sound really lets their strong technique shine. Politics rears it's head on several tracks at last, most particularly We Got The with it's We got the power to make a difference. Littered with cultural references, you will as per usual need to be ultra hip to keep up. Or you can just go with the flow and dance your ass off.
Hot spots: Ch-Check It Out, Rhyme the Rhyme Well, Crawlspace, We Got The
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So Called Chaos by Alanis Morissette: 3 stars
2004-07-12 10:58:45I haven't liked much of her work since Jagged Little Pill, with the occasional exception. I approached this with trepidation, as a result. For no reason, as it turns out. So Called Chaos has the energy and passion that I liked so much on JLP. There's as much introspection and philosophical meanderings, but with a sharper edge than she's had in the past.
There is a hint of electronica going on, which at first caused me to worry that she was morphing into a Madonna clone, but it turns out to just be used for a little flavoring. A more confident and perhaps less angry sense of grounded self pervades the tracks. I suspect the fact that she kept all the writing duties to herself is a large part of why it's a stronger album.
Hot spots: Eight Easy Steps, Doth I Protest Too Much, Everything.
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Musicology by Prince: 4 stars
2004-04-21 10:58:11I have been a Prince fan for a long time. A very very long time. I have New Power Soul, Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic, N.E.W.S., and Rainbow Children, all albums most people never heard of. From this perspective I can say that Musicology is his strongest album in 10 years. Not that the others were slouchers, but this has got, for lack of a better term, "the funk", as it were. Most strongly informed by the SOTT era work, particularly the unreleased and non album tracks, this draws elements from his full twenty five years of recording.
In terms of appeal, Musicology has the sort of draw that Diamonds and Pearls had. The album has a cohesiveness to it that still allows the songs to stand strongly on their own. Prince's sense of humor is more open than in the past, with jabs at Michael Jackson and ...
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Reality by David Bowie: 3 stars
2004-01-24 10:57:36I am not as enamored of this as many people seem to be. Then again, I think Tin Machine represents some of his best work in the last 20 years whereas most Bowie fans and music critics seem to want to pretend those albums never happened. Not to say that Reality is a bad album, and it's certainly far better than most of his 80's catalog, but Outside was more consistent and Heathen more musically interesting. Reality does have it's strong points, Bowie is by no means done. The title track with understated guitar and a simple beat rocks harder than most of the bands you'll see on Headbanger's Ball. Days is a morose ballad that ranks up there with his best.
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Let It Be Naked by Beatles: 5 stars
2004-01-24 10:57:04George Martin has famously said on many occasions that there is "nothing left in the vault". There is no unreleased Beatles material left. Oh, except for the tons of stuff that showed up on the 6 discs of the Anthology series. And the thousands of bootlegs of recording sessions. While it may be true that there are no new songs, there are still tons of versions of songs that haven't seen the light of day. Some fans like hearing the jam sessions and rehearsals, others like hearing 13 different versions of Strawberry Fields in a row, others just like hearing the raw mixes. Naked caters to the latter of those.
If you've got "Get Back Sessions" or the Ultra-Rare Trax line of bootlegs, this is an iffy purchase. It's got better sound quality, but you've already heard all of this. Then again, if you have bootlegs you're probably ...
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Blink 182 by Blink 182: 4 stars
2004-01-24 10:56:27Power pop punk, energetic songs about relationships, and a sense of humor. That's what you expect from them, and that's what you get. I know plenty of "real" punks who hate Blink 182 because they aren't "real punk". Whatever. They write catchy aggressive punk-like songs. Deal.
There is definitely a tendency towards more complex production, with more back and forth between lead and backing vocals and a more groove oriented bass approach. There is an almost Cure like approach to instrumentation in several of the songs that actually works well with their lyrics. There is an interesting recitative delivery used on several of the songs which serves to aurally tie them together in a very subtle manner. There is a cohesiveness about this album both lyrically and musically that I find lacking in a lot of releases these days.
Hot Spots: Fallen Interlude, Feeling This, Stockholm ...
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Everything to Everyone by Barenaked Ladies: 4 stars
2003-10-26 10:56:01I've been a big fan of BNL since the pre-release copies of Gordon started circulating. BNL really hit their stride with Stunt. With that album they demonstrated a fully mature band working well together, and have dedicated their time since to writing consistently great songs and taking the occasional odd and worthwhile experiment as well. They offer a little more variety in style on this album, from country to reggae-tinged rock to the fandago-ish "Upside Down", and while it's a great album, it's still impossible to say that any of their albums is their "best", because they are all great.
Kicking off with several "pop" tracks, there's a lot of potential for hit singles. "Celebrity" is a nice sarcastic look at people who take themselves a little to seriously, while "Maybe Katie" is an infectious bit about beauty being in the eye of the beholder. The lead single ...
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Ziggy Stardust (30th Anniversary Remaster) by David Bowie: 3 stars
2003-10-26 10:55:23The mix on this isn't nearly as good as that of Aladdin Sane. The stereo balance seems skewed to the left speaker, and the vocals are very low in the mix while the drums are very prominent. Overall I'm just not as impressed with this remaster. Still a brilliant album, and on the quieter sections where the songs really shine, but once they pick up the drums overpower everything while the vocals disappear. While with Aladdin the bonus tracks were nice but not necessary, here they are more interesting to listen to than the remaster part of the album. The first alternate version of Moonage Daydream has a grittiness missing in the official version, and Velvet Goldmine makes you forget the muddy mix of disc one. If you are a Bowie completist this is nice to have for the bonus tracks, but the Rykodisc remaster offers a better listening experience ...
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Collideoscope by Living Colour: 3 stars
2003-10-26 10:54:35I never expected to see another Living Colour album after the breakup. The contractual obligation greatest hits collection just seemed to solidify that. Surprise surprise surprise, they have hit the ground with an album that reminds bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park who blazed the trail that they are following. The tightest rhythm section this side of serious jazz? Check. Powerhouse vocals? Check. Strong social commentary? Check. Insane guitar? Check. The flat out cover of Back in Black is as forgetable as the stunning cover of Tomorrow Never Knows is possibly better than the original. From raging funk-rock (there's a term I haven't heard in a decade) to droning marches about the mechanisation of society to quiet odes to true humanity, the album makes up for the delay very nicely.
Hot Spots: Song Without Sin, A Question of When, Nightmare City, Great Expectations, Tomorrow Never ...
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Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by Outkast: 4 stars
2003-10-26 10:54:04This will not shock the cognoscenti. Outkast is the most innovative rap group around today. They rap about real life and real feelings without having to go gangsta. The production is impeccable, the jams borrow heavily from Parliament and Prince, and even the skits (de rigeur, and silly at best, on most rap albums) are worth listening to. Andre 3000 and Big Boi deliver a solid rap album on CD1, and venture into some more experimental works on CD2.
Big Boi dominates CD1 obviously, while Andre commands the second disk, but they are both well represented on both disks. While Andre is clearly the visionary and the musical and production guru, Big Boi is no slouch himself and Andre would likely be worse for not having that balance. Even though disk one is more "conventional" hip hop, there's plenty of experimentation there as well, taking cues from The ...
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Streetcore by Joe Strummer: 4 stars
2003-10-26 10:53:26If you ever wondered why everyone made such a big deal about the Clash, this will answer that question. The classic Strummer sound is all over this. He writes world music influenced rock with attitude. This is the sort of album you listen to while on a road trip through the southwest. Some of the most stunning tracks are just Joe and the guitar, like The Long Shadow and Redemption Song. And of course then he turns around with a kick ass rocker like Arms Aloft or Coma Girl.
Hot Spots: Arms Aloft, The Long Shadow, All in a Day
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Aladdin Sane (30th Anniversary Edition) by David Bowie: 3 stars
2003-10-10 10:52:51One of Bowie's best albums overall. Mick Ronson in all his rocking glory, and Bowie at his strutting best. The sound quality is really impressive, and it has benefited from the remastering quite clearly. The bonus disc of material is great to have, but doesn't really enhance the original album material. They would've done better to simply issue the remaster with extended liner notes. If it was necessary to have a second disc, I would've rather seen a video disc with clips from contemporary performances or documentary footage.
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IV by Seal: 4 stars
2003-10-10 10:52:27s been some time since Seal has graced us with new music. On IV solidly declares that he is the heir to the throne of R&B. In the spirit of greats like Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye, Seal delivers with a smoothness and passion that make you want to get up and dance. Whether shaking it to upbeat tracks like "Get It Together" and "Let Me Roll" or slow dancing with your true love to "Don't Make Me Wait" and "Heavenly", this is not an album for sitting down.
Hot Spots: Get It Together, Let Me Roll, Heavenly, Love's Divine, Waiting For You
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Vicious Cycle by Northern State: 4 stars
2003-10-10 10:52:02I'm sure this trio of white NY female rappers are tired of Beastie Boys references. The similarities are actually fairly minimal. Hesta Prynn, DJ Sprout, and Guinea Love are intellectual, political, and have a taste for old school beats and overdriven effects. And they sound like New Yorkers. That's pretty much the end of the similarities. The pre release hype has been strong (and the inevitable backlash just as strong). The bottom line is this is a solid first release from some very talented rappers.
The music and production (they produced it themselves) is strong, the raps are solid (with the exception of a tendency to sound like Janice from Friends on the sung choruses), the lyrics are challenging and clever.
Very NY centric, they namecheck scenesters you and I have never heard of and don't care about, but they also reference Chekhov, Gore, Edmund Hillary, ...
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Speed Graphic by Ben Folds: 4 stars
2003-10-10 10:51:33Ben Folds Five - In Between Days An online EP available through iTunes and the Sony Music store, In Between Days is the first of several EPs Ben plans on releasing prior to his next album. The idea being that he can give fans access to songs that are not likely to end up on an album and also to hear works in progress. Ben says that one of the things that appeals to him most about it is that he can write and record a song and have it online the same day, shortening the gap between creation and appreciation by a tremendous amount. In Between Days starts off with a very upbeat rendition of Cure's "In Between Days". It's really surprising how much tempo and instrumentation can alter the mood of a song, as in Ben's hands it takes on a whole new character, hopeful and bright. Ben ...
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Tribe by Queensryche: 2 stars
2003-08-06 10:51:02Hmmm. If Geoff were singing some of these songs in a different language, preferably one I didn't understand at all, I'd probably like this a lot more. The music is great. Really solid, a nice blend of the aesthetic of Empire and Rage for Order.
There is less focus on flashy guitar solos, and DeGarmo is only on half the album, so if you're looking for pyrotechnics, this will be a bit sparse for you. There are however plenty of solid riffs and plenty of groove. The music is really strong, and even when the lyrics are bad they're still very heartfelt and deep. This is obviously a personal album, and sometimes expressing that can be awkward and the phrasing can be rather trite.
A for effort, B for implementation, C for lyrics.
Hot spots: Losing Myself, The Art of Life, Doin' Fine.
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Lipstick Traces by Manic Street Preachers: 5 stars
2003-08-06 10:50:33Subtitled "A Secret History of the Manic Street Preachers", this is not a completist collection of b-sides by any stretch of the imagination. Even leaving off remixes and live versions, it would still take 3 CDs (this is only two, and it includes live versions). Three full albums worth of B-sides for a band that only has six proper albums. Plus another 4 CDs worth of remixes and live tracks. Damn that's a productive band. It is interesting to hear the non-album tracks in this context, as I often just load up all the albums and singles as one huge playlist and hit random.
As much as they have matured in the past 10 years, the transition from the recent (Valley Boy) to the ancient (We Her Majesty's Prisoners) is as smooth as you can imagine. There is a consistency of sound that speaks well of James and ...
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Volume 4 by Joe Jackson: 4 stars
2003-07-30 10:50:02After some very successful forays into jazz, film and classical (and less successful efforts in videogame soundtracks), Joe decided to return to his roots. Volume 4 reunites the original Look Sharp band and returns to old direct-to-tape recording methodology. What had great potential to be an embarassing vanity project actually ends up being a solid rock album. That angry young man has become an angry middle aged man. He still crafts fine hooks, his band still rocks tight and fast, and his lyrics still speak to me. I made a mix of tracks off of Volume 4 and tracks from his first few albums. Seamless. Now that is some smooth work. Grab the limited edition CD with the live show on it, it's well worth the extra.
Hot Spots: Take it Like A Man, Awkward Age, Thugs Are Us, Still Alive, Blue Flame, Bright Grey.
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Strays by Jane's Addiction: 4 stars
2003-07-30 10:49:34Jane's Addiction is a throwback to when the term Alternative actually meant something in the context of music. There never has been and never will be another band like them. I'm normally wary of reunion albums, but with Perry, Dave, and Stephen, there was nothing to worry about. Sure enough, Strays is an impeccable modernization of a classic sound. The updates are subtle, the sound is tight, and the mix is superb (that may sound like an odd thing to praise, but these days it's becoming a rarity). Pretend Kettle Whistle didn't happen, and this is the perfect successor to Ritual. Heavy rockers, deep introspectives, and a view of the world through the eyes of Perry. It doesn't hurt that Dave is probably the most interesting guitarist alive. This has been a great year for music so far, and Strays is another milestone.
Hot spots; The Price I ...
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Phair by Liz Phair: 3 stars
2003-05-23 10:49:01While Madonna has lost all connection to reality (trying to show how you understand the troubles of the average woman by discussing how hard it is only having two nannies seems to indicate a lack of any common ground), Liz epitomizes the real woman. Strong, intelligent, conflicted, attached and independent, she speaks a language that everyday people can easily understand. Phair is musically very solid, every track catchy and memorable with a sense of humour. Infusing the songs with her personality, it doesn't have the feel of having been test marketed to death like so many albums do these days.
There is a strong and confident sexuality to Phair's music, and she's fairly explicit with it. She makes no apologies and there is no hint of artifice in her expressions. Her debut, Exile in Guyville, was favorably compared to the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, and her ...
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Hail to the Theif by Radiohead: 4 stars
2003-04-08 10:48:35Yes, the title is a reference to the 2000 elections. I've listened to this almost nonstop for the past week. This is my favorite album since Manic Street Preachers' Know Your Enemy. Keeping their distance from contemporary rock sounds of any sort, this is a throwback to when the term alternative meant something melded with electronic music (not electronica). In the vein of Kid A and Amnesiac but even more so, raw rough edges dominate and there is an ethereal quality to Thom's voice throughout. Radiohead creates encompasing soundscapes with a minimalist set of tools and a lot of odd syncopation. This is real alternative. Not due until June, put on your wishlist now.
Hot Spots: Where I End And You Begin, A Punch-Up At A Wedding, Myxomatosis, Scatterbrain, Go To Sleep, Sit Down Stand Up, We Suck Young Blood, The Gloaming. Yes, that's pretty much the whole ...
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Golden Age of the Grotesque by Marilyn Manson: 3 stars
2003-04-08 10:48:06MM is going for the gross out. I know that's a shock. Not as compelling as the last three (antichrist, mechanical animals, holywood) but still a solid album. There are plenty of cliche lyrics (this is the new shit is particularly silly) in the chorus sections, but the verses tend to be a lot more interesting. This album seems less coherent and cohesive than I was expecting, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as it wants to sample all variety of grotesquerie. Musically it's as solid as ever (MM has always been seriously underrated as a musician because people focus on the lyrics and the image) and will have you grooving even if you try to resist.
Hot Spots: mOBSCENE, Ka-Boom Ka-Boom, Better of Two Evils, the Bright Young Things.
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Causing A Catastrophe by Flickerstick: 4 stars
2003-03-26 10:47:33he art of the live recording died in the early 70's. Very very few live albums since have had the same clarity and warmth that seemed de riguer in the 60's. This is a welcome exception.
The band is solid and clean live, and the production values on this are astounding, even more so when you consider they did it all themselves. Several new songs show up here and they are indicative of the direction the band is going with their next studio album (e.g. more well crafted songs with lyrics that will gel with a lot of people). Hopefully it will be out before too much longer.
Dominic and Fletcher are a solid rhythm section, freeing Rex and Cory to build complex guitar and keyboard sections that are colored with a carefully architected layer off effects. Brandon's vocals are confident and real, infusing the songs ...
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Faceless by Godsmack: 3 stars
2003-03-26 10:47:06The new metal genre is overflowing with bad bands with worse lyrics and cliche riffs. Godsmack is one of the rare exceptions. While full of the seriousness and sullenness you would expect, Faceless manages to have that extra edge that helps them stand out from the crowd.
Hot spots: Faceless, Make Me Believe, Releasing the Demons, Serenity.
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Animositisomina by Ministry: 4 stars
2003-03-26 10:46:30One of the grandaddies of industrial, Al is back with a vengeance. He explains the album title thusly: "It's the word animosity spelled forwards and backwards, minus the y. It's double the hatred." A crushing wall of tonal (and atonal) noise assaults you from beginning to end. This is a stunning album. If you are into industrial at all, this is must have material. This is the Ministry you loved back in the early 90's, not the lackluster last 90's.
Hot spots: Animosity, Unsung, Broken, Impossible
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Meteora by Linkin Park: 4 stars
2003-03-26 10:46:02The much awaited follow up to Hybrid Theory (Reanimation is a remix CD, not an album). The lead single is "Somewhere I Belong" and it's powerful. The album is very personal and deals primarily with relationships in all their phases (though the focus is clearly on the ending of relationships). There are also three fairly impressive instrumentals. Chester's voice has tremendous range, and he can sing soft pieces as easily as screaming ones. Musically strong and consistent, if you liked Hybrid you'll like this.
Hot spots: Breaking The Habit, Somewhere I Belong, Hit The Floor, From The Inside
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Live In Brazil by Concrete Blonde: 4 stars
2003-03-26 10:45:34The first live album, and the second album since they got back together, LIB is really incredible. I've heard a dozen or so bootlegs of theirs, and they are really tight live, so it's nice to have a high quality recording finally. All the favorites are here, and the renditions are probably the best I've heard. Everybody Knows is intense and Johnette's plaintive wail is haunting, Mankey's guitar quietly counterbalancing it. Vampire Song simply rocks, as does God Is A Bullet. Before Violent, Johnette rails (very) briefly about Bush (the politician, not the band), appropriately enough. With the rise of Clear Channel and the genericization of "popular" music, it's great to hear music that hasn't been focus grouped to death performed with passion and sincerity.
Hot spots: Scene of a Perfect Crime, Tomorrow Wendy, Days and Days, Mexican Moon, Everybody Knows, Joey.
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Come Away With Me by Norah Jones: 3 stars
2003-03-06 10:45:07Her performance at the Grammy Awards was marred by the same technical difficulties that everyone suffered, but I was interested enough to check her out. There is a seemingly endless stream of young female solo artists looking to follow in the tracks of Tori Amos and/or Britney Spears. I tend to prefer those that emulate the former, but manage to do have their own style, their own voice. Jones is one of those. Along with Michelle Branch and Alicia Keys, Jones is one of the few bright spots in music today. I'm astounded that a truly jazz album can get any recognition these days. With a strong voice and a classic style, she covers Hank Williams and Hoagy Carmichael with ease and proves herself an adept songwriter as well.
Hot spots: Cold Cold Heart, Nearness Of You, Feeling The Same Way, Come Away With Me.
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We're A Happy Family by VA: 4 stars
2003-03-06 10:44:15This warrants a track by track breakdown.
Havana Affair - Red Hot Chili Peppers There are two approaches to doing covers: carbon copy it or make it sound like your own. RHCP make it their own, and it's probably their best song in years.
Blitzkreig Bop - Rob Zombie Solid rocking out with minimal fluff. This is what the Ramones are all about. I thought there was a strong possiblity that he would drown it in layers of mood, but he went raw and it works.
I Believe In Miracles - Eddie Vedder & Zeke I've never been a fan of Vedder, but he just has such passion and strength on this that I can't help but like it. Zeke is a strong supporting band, as well. Great tone, and tight as hell.
53rd & 3rd - Metallica Metallica definitely make this ...
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Original Pirate Material by The Streets: 4 stars
2003-02-10 10:43:46As per usual, some of the best avant-rap comes from a skinny white git from the UK. Mike Skinner has a deliver unlike any I've heard before. He's just behind or ahead of the beat enough to keep you on the edge. Sticking to the "write what you know" approach, he raps working class England daily life and captures it beautifully. Simple, self-effacing, and with a strong positive message he drops funky beats and fairly lush orchestration that frame his observations on what Americans might refer to as frat mentality (geezers going to get plastered and fight at the pubs every weekend), drug usage, relationships, and getting through the day. Very very nice.
Hot spots: Stay Positive, Sharp Darts, Let's Push Things Forward, The Irony Of It All, Weak Become Heroes.
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Car Caught Fire by The Bears: 4 stars
2003-02-10 10:42:50The Bears are Adrian Belew, Chris Arduser, Rob Fetters, and Bob Nyswonger. They've been around since 1985 and have released 3 studio and one live album. In between albums, Adrian has released 12 solo albums, 10 King Crimson albums, and guested on/produced dozens of others by artists such as Paul Simon, Jars of Clay, Tori Amos, and Cyndi Lauper, and Mariah Carey. Rob, Bob, and Chris are also known as the Psychodots and have released 4 excellent albums as well. Strong pop sensibilities with their own particular twist, and of course brilliant yet understated guitar work.
If you aren't familiar with the Bears, or Belew, they specialize in creating pop hooks about everyday things. Songs that everyone can relate to. The tracks on Car Caught Fire are for the most part upbeat, the sorts of things you would expect to hear during the credits of a road movie. ...
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Wanna Buy a Monkey? by Dan the Automator: 4 stars
2003-02-10 10:42:10While billed as a "DJ only", in the internet age there is no such thing. It's on amazon. This is essentially a Dan sampler. He wisely (in my opinion) avoided using obvious tracks like Clint Eastwood. Featuring Mike Patton, Zero 7, The Doves, De La Soul, Masta Ace, and more, this is a great intro to a variety of his work.
Hot Spots: Smoothness, Destiny, Stroker Ace, The Rhumba.
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Slow Motion Daydream by Everclear: 4 stars
2003-02-02 10:43:19Art et al are back and better than ever. Kicking off with "How to win friends and influence people", they show that they haven't mellowed at all. This album is all high gear rock. Giving time to issues such as people who feel the need to put other people down, the willingness of people to be sheep, hypocrites, relationships, and politics. There is a undeniable passion in everclear's songs, and on this album more so than ever.
Hot spots: Volvo Driving Soccer Mom, Blackjack, How to win friends and influence people, A Beautiful Life
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Paullelujah! by MC Paul Barman: 5 stars
2002-12-05 10:41:31Coming out of nowhere (well, New Jersey), Paul Barman broke out with a self produced 7" in 1998 featuring "Enter Pan-Man", a jab at body modification and what happens when you hit middle age and have horn implants. He then teamed up with Prince Paul for an EP in 2000 (It's Very Stimulating) that got critical raves, and has worked with PM Dawn, Masta Ase, and Dan the Automator. His debut album is sort of like a 10 year old sex-obsessed Eminem, minus the posturing and violence.
A hyperintellectual hip-hop/stand up comic/performance artist, Barman has a laid back style and makes obscure cultural references that will have you running for google to figure out what the hell he's talking about. Everything, particularly Paul Barman, is a ripe target for parody, particularly those who take themselves too seriously. He can go from slaughtering the dominant US political parties to ...
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Phrenology by Roots: 4 stars
2002-12-05 10:40:48The Roots are the best band you never heard of. Jay Z chose them to back him for his Unplugged appearance, and they overshadowed the master. More than a hip-hop band (there's such a thing? Yes, they actually play instruments), they delve into punk, rock, soul, and techno throughout the course of Phrenology. In a genre full of clever lyricists, the Roots have an impressive intellect to back up their vocabulary.
Hot Spots: Sacrifice (feat. Nelly Furtado), WAOK Roll Call, Thought At Work
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Rise Above by VA: 4 stars
2002-11-07 10:40:08The West Memphis Three are a trio of young men who are being railroaded into life terms in prison for a crime they could not have committed (and evidence that has been suppressed by the police seems to exculpate them). Proceeds from the album go to their legal defense. All artists agreed to forgo any payment for their performance. You can read Henry Rollins' background on how it came together.
Rollins sings on about half the tracks, either alone or with someone else. Iggy Pop, Keith Morris, Chuck D, Lemmy, Mike Patton, Ice-T, Tom Araya, Exene Cervenka, Inger Lorre, Chuck Dukowski, Dean Ween, and more make this a must have.
Hot Spots: Police Story (Ice-T), Six Pack (Mike Patton), Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie (Dean Ween), Fix Me (Iggy Pop), Nervous Breakdown (Ryan Adams), and everything else as well.
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Greatest Hits by Manic Street Preachers: 5 stars
2002-11-06 10:39:29The Manics have been repeatedly voted the Most Important Band in the World in fan surveys, won many UK and MTV Europe awards, and took two spots in Q magazines "top 100 albums of the 1990s". This set combines the 18 Manics singles that have charted Top Ten in the UK in the past 10 years and adds two new tracks (There By The Grace Of God, Door To The River). This could prove embarrasing if the two new tracks fail to chart that well, I would think. Of course, they must do it to get the fans to buy a collection of tracks they already have (probably in several form factors).
I would argue that the artwork in the liner notes is reason enough to buy it, and in fact is a good argument for tracking this down on vinyl if you can (and you're a fan, ...
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Scarlet's Walk by Tori Amos: 4 stars
2002-11-06 10:39:00Critics seem to be mixed on Scarlet's Walk. Fans are not, from what I have seen. While Little Earthquakes or Under The Pink tend to be the favorite album of fans, Scarlet is definitely being perceived as a close second to whichever is preferred. I would have to agree. Each song is a story about someone (or a composite of someones) that Tori met while crossing the country on her post 9/11/2001 tour, but told as though Tori were that person. It's just the way she is.
Musically, it is stylistically closer to her early work than it is to Choirgirl or Strange Little Girl. Very little in the way of effects, primarily piano, percussion and voice with occasional guitar or orchestra. Her voice and her songwriting skills are familiar to pretty much everyone, but I would just like to observe how stunning that voice is on this ...
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Power In Numbers by Jurassic 5: 4 stars
2002-10-29 10:38:32Special guests seem to be de riguer now. Nelly Furtado, Big Daddy Kane, and Juju (from beatnuts) add to the already powerful J5 (now 7, with the addition of Percy P). Old school hip hop that focuses on flow and jazzy beats. This is the real deal. Tackling prejudice, politics, rap posturing, and social issues, J5 have delivered a sophomore album that builds on their brilliant debut.
Hot spots: Freedom, Thin Line, I Am Somebody, Day at the Races.
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One By One by Foo Fighters: 4 stars
2002-10-29 10:38:04Foo Fighters rose from the ashes of Nirvana in the early 90's. It was widely predicted they would fail miserably, as Kurt was obviously the musical genius. The subsequent years, albums, and string of hits tends to bring that opinion into question. Dave and friends have shown a remarkable ability to write catchy yet aggressive songs, and their quirky videos certainly don't hurt. This is music for the cheerfuly angry. It's about relationships, confusion, frustration, the makings of great music.
Hot Spots: Overdrive, All My Life, Times Like These, Tired of You.
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Stripped by Christina Aguilera: 4 stars
2002-10-29 10:37:34In interviews, Christina has been emphasizing that this is the "real" her, that she has been much more involved in writing the songs and expressing who she really is on this album. Stripped is an appropriate title. Not so much for the sound as for the lyrical content. She sings about grrrl power, liking yourself, relationships, anger, double standards, and the sorts of crap a woman has to put up with in a man's world. In other words: real issues that obviously really affect her.
With support from Lil Kim, Dave Navarro, Redman (what album ISN'T Redman on?), Alicia Keys and Linda Perry (cowriter on several tracks), Christina delivers a solid pop/dance album. Unlike other people who've recently partnered with Linda Perry, Aguilera manages to not sound like she's ripping off Pink. It's clear on this album that she has abandoned the teen market (thankfully) and there is ...
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Live by Ben Folds: 4 stars
2002-10-29 10:37:02Like Barenaked Ladies and Tori Amos, Ben Folds is best live. While the albums are great, the little improvisations and variations of a live performance really showcase his brilliance. By himself now, it's just a man and his piano (Hmmm, Ben Folds opening for Tori Amos would be an interesting tour...). The tracklist spans from the first album with Ben Folds Five all the way up to "Rockin the Suburbs" from last year. Ben has always been proud of writing true pop songs, and he's good at it. Billy Joel with an odd sense of humor. Tracks like One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces (about being short and unpopular in school), 'Best Imitation Of Myself" (about trying to be who people think you are), and Narcolepsy (self explanatory, I'd think) are songs about real people, and real life. Pop songs about reality. What a concept. One of the best ...
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Happy with what you have to be by King Crimson: 5 stars
2002-10-15 10:36:16Progressive Rock conjures images of cheesy Roger Dean album covers and long keyboard heavy songs that sound like they should be backing some 2 hour video close up of a vase with a monotone french voice over (apologies to Ian Shoales). King Crimson is not that. Pushing 35 years of existence, KC have more in common with Korn and Tool than with Yes and Alan Parsons. Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With (EP) kicks off with another attack on traditional song structure and language (singing about the process of creating the song "We're gonna need to have a chorus/I'm gonna have to write a chorus") in the tradition of "Elephant Talk" and "The World Is My Oyster Soup Kitchen". The acoustic take on "Eyes Wide Open" is beautiful and lush, while the segues are so brief that you aren't sure if they are intros/outros or distinct pieces ...
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Up by Peter Gabriel: 3 stars
2002-10-15 10:35:41Peter Gabriel has been in hiding for some time. His few releases of the past decade have been collaborative efforts in world music or live albums. It's worth the wait. An aging prog-rocker could end up looking incredibly silly updating their sound to be "current". Gabriel was always an experimenter and much of his work anticipated electronica and even the aggressive dissonance of the Korn/Linkin Park genre, so he absorbs these back into his music effortlessly.
You can look at Gabriel era Genesis and see where a lot of this album stems from, but adapted to subject matter, and a greater sense of song-cohesiveness, of today. Less fantasy and mythology and more mundanity and reality, from one of the most talented songwriters of the last 50 years. Darkness starts off almost inaudible, then jarringly attacks, announcing the return of Gabriel. The aesthetic that informed classics like "Shock The ...
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Red Letter Days by Wallflowers: 4 stars
2002-10-10 10:35:08When I first heard of the Wallflowers, way back when I lived in Hell A, I didn't like them at all. I thought "Oh yea, he's getting coverage because he's Son of Bob not because he's any good." Obviously, not one of my more insightful moments. A string of hits later and we have Red Letter Days. I've been listening to this a LOT and I'm fairly sure my co-workers are quite sick of it by now (though less so than they are sick of the Hives). The band excels at writing groove heavy brooding rockers, and RLD is full of them. Jakob sings about desire, breakups, and satisfaction and you really feel it.
The album opens with a song juxtaposing the desire for new experiences and the complacent comfort of success, and would make a great lead single. In what may pass for a love song, he ...
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Heathen by David Bowie: 4 stars
2002-05-22 10:34:10The new Bowie album, Heathen, is due out June 11th. On a first listen, I'm not overwhelmed. It is similar in style to Hours... but I'm not as enthralled as I was by Hours...
Most of the songs are slower, more sedate, and certainly could be considered self-referential in terms of Scary Monsters era work. This may be because it was coproduced by Tony Visconti (who worked on Young Americans, Low, Heroes and Scary Monsters). Listening through a second time I realize what is missing. The edge and envelope pushing of the divine Reeves Gabrels. This album uses more lush string and horn and far less guitar. Reeves did mention that their musical differences led them to decide not to work together on a regular basis anymore.
For the most part, the songs serve simply as vehicles to show that Bowie still has one of the ...
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Alice / Blood Money by Tom Waits: 5 stars
2002-05-16 10:33:28Both albums were released this year, and are works for plays produced by Robert Wilson. Alice was originally composed as an opera, and was performed in the early 90's several times. I've had bootlegs for some time, but I couldn't wait to hear the official version of the album. I did not wait in vain. Morose, wistful, and twisted in the way only Tom Waits can be.
Alice is a ballad album, one of Tom's strong suits (as he once said "My wife says I write two types of songs: Weepies and Creepies"). Sweet and sentimental, Alice is nonetheless dark as the heart of a villain. Absurdist imagery is ever present in Waits' lyrics, Alice is no exception. Each song is a character study, trotting out a parade of individuals who seem to inhabit a world very different from our own, yet oddly familiar.
Hot Spots: ...
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Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By by Nathaniel Merriweather: 5 stars
2002-05-02 10:32:38I'm a big fan of Mike Patton, and would be willing to give any of his projects a shot. This one works well. Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields), Patton, and Dan the Automator team up to give a funky twist to retro-lounge. Smooth doesn't begin to describe the looped mellow vibe of this CD. The artwork is meant to evoke associations with jazz albums of the late 50's. Special appearances by Kid Koala, Chest Rockwell (Prince Paul of Handsome Boy Modeling School), Afrika Bambaataa, Maseo(de la soul) and Damon Albarn. Dan is Nathaniel. Simple breakbeats with lush piano and strings set the mood and allow the vocal stylings to take center stage.
Mike's powerful range and depth are omnipresent, and this album really highlights his control and virtuosity. His technique, only hinted at on Mr Bungle's "California" (esp. Sweet Charity and Pink Cigarette) is in full display. Jennifer is ...
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Zope Bible by Michael R. Bernstein: 4 stars
2002-04-12 10:31:13Author:Michael R. Bernstein, Scott Robertson, and the CodeIT Development Team
Pages:613
Publisher:Hungry Minds
Rating: 8
ISBN:0764548573
An in depth look at extending Zope with Python. Part One is the basics, which anyone familiar with Zope can skip over if they so choose. For a newcomer it may seem a little overwhelming, and if they aren't familiar with web development it may seem a little light on details at times. It opens with the obligatory "History of Zope" which is mercifully brief and includes a single paragraph on the history of the internet that publishers still insist on including. It does mention some great high profile organizations that are using Zope (Red Hat, NASA, Bell Atlantic Mobile, CBS, and the US Navy). The Features section could be used to great effect in selling the use of Zope to management, as it is brief and to ...
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Gutterflower by Goo Goo Dolls: 3 stars
2002-04-10 10:30:28Rzeznick et al have to follow up their power ballad success. So they went and wrote a whole album of power ballads, right? Wrong. This is a rockin album, and of course it does have a ballad or two. What a Scene is an indictment of pop culture as a whole, and a damn good one. The obligatory ballads (It's Over, Sympathy, Think About Me) are quite good and may even chart. Personally, I'd hope they release a few of the more aggressive tracks first, as they are likely to do well in the current overly-genericized musical landscape. A good shot of something less focus-grouped and target-marketed would be a good thing. Hot Tracks: What Do You Need?, You Never Know, What A Scene, Sympathy.
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18 by Moby: 4 stars
2002-04-10 10:29:57Finely crafted electronic music. Moby is a composer plain and simple. He will add any instrument into the mix regardless of how unusual it may seem. His heavy use of vocal effects is an example of his desire to completely control the sound. On 18, he's really outdone himself. Building on simple breakbeats and dirge-y bass lines he layers synths, strings, competing vocal lines, piano, guitar, and whatever else is at hand. He continues his sampling of "found" material and incorporation of experimental jazz. There is a definite continuity across tracks, with the same themes repeating and being repurposed throughout. A variations on a theme for electronica, or perhaps an electronica symphony would be a better description.
Hot spots: Another Woman, Look Back In, I'm Not Worried At All, Sleep Alone.
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Heathen Chemistry by Oasis: 3 stars
2002-04-10 10:28:59The Beatles have reunited! Oh wait, no, it's Oasis. Barring a real Beatles reunion (less and less likely, these days) this is the Next Best Thing (tm). Heathen Chemistry is their latest, due out in about a month. The lead single is Hindu Times, a great Sgt Pepperish tune based around standard opposites (you're my sunshine you're my rain). There are few artists today that are as completely dedicated to drugs as Oasis, and they extol the wonders in several of the songs. The approach of "this is normal, no big deal" with which it is handled is beautiful. It's not glamorized, it's just a given. I found it interesting that they included an instrumental, not a normal move for a mainstream band and rather nice. Musically, the album is as strong as you'd expect from the boys. Lush wall of sound, great tone, and structurally reminiscent of late era ...
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Untouchables by Korn: 4 stars
2002-03-18 10:28:06Due out sometime next month, Untouchables is number 5 for Korn. I recall when I lived in L.A. back in 96 and my girlfriend (now wife) wanted to get their first album. We bought it at Tower on Sunset, and on first listen I said "These guys suck". Ah, my usual prescience presents itself once again.
Untouchables is not a radical change from the Korn formula of tight changes, aggressive bass/drum, and really really disturbed lyrics. Korn are what they are and remain great for it. There is certainly a degree of maturation that comes from experience in production and song writing, and the tracks are even more intricate than on Issues. Jonathan also is more refined in his vocalizations and seems to be more willing to commit to the more melodic sections than in the past. There is less forced affectation in the softer interludes and that ...
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Beautysleep by Tanya Donelly: 4 stars
2002-02-14 10:27:34I was impressed with the After the Storm EP. Which did nothing to prepare me for the album. The stylized art song Life is But a Dream eases you into the dark and rich mood that is Beautysleep. Tanya writes about the daily observance of the little things that matter. Comfort in relationships and value of relationships, motherhood with all it's elation and doubts and minute focus, and the aftermath of breaking up. This album is rife with declarations of strength and weakness, fear and hope, self pity and self love. She is presenting the soundtrack for every parent, every lover, and everyone who has ever wondered what went wrong. From the dirgish Night You Saved My Life through the "Someone's got to stay and clean up this mess" of So Much Song she speaks on a level that anyone can understand.
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After The Storm (EP) by Tanya Donelly: 4 stars
2002-02-14 10:26:32Wow. Anyone familiar with Throwing Muses, Breeders, or Belly is already familiar with Tanya's strengths as a singer and guitarist. Her upcoming album, Beautysleep, is a showcase for her songwriting skills. More subtle than her earlier work, it is lush and sparse and focuses on the universal minutae in life. I wasn't really expecting anything this deep or artful and I'm pleasantly surprised. The lead EP (The Storm, After Your Party, Days of Grace, Last Rain) showed up unexpected and I decided to give it a shot. She mixes hints of her guitar grrrl past and teases with a rock 4-bar into Storm, but uses the punk poses as light accents on beautiful melodies and mostly acoustic backgrounds.
At times there's a Macy Gray-ish quality to her voice that is surprising and sort of jars you a moment, but ultimately enhances the overall effect quite nicely.
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Group Therapy by Concrete Blonde: 3 stars
2002-02-14 10:25:44The new album by Concrete Blonde|I was surprised and excited to hear that the Blonde had gotten back together. The album opens with a tribute to Roxy (which I'm inferring is a reference to The Roxy), a nice pop tune with a 60's feel. Next up is Violent, a classic Blonde song with the classic sound, this one's a keeper. There's a dark and melodic road song called True that really captures the changes they've been through during the break up. Tonight is a kind of trippy strange love song, it's interesting but the vocal experimentation is a little disconcerting. Valentine is another love song of a different variety, more of a Bloodletting type love song, with a really cool guitar line and a nice impassioned groaning chorus from Johnette.
They pick up some international flavor with My Llorona, a subtle and romantic samba. Take Me Home is ...
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All That Could Have Been by NIN: 4 stars
2002-02-12 10:24:38Electronic music doesn't generally lend itself to live performance. Sound quality is generally to distorted to be able to discern the different subtle elements that make the music work in the first place, and often the massive amounts of production don't translate will to a live arena. NIN, however, works. The audience starts a little high in the mix but that's fixed fairly quickly, and the sound quality for the music is superb.
Obviously this focuses on material from Fragile, but there are some nice older gems like Terrible Lie, Wish, Closer, and Head Like a Hole which will please longtime fans . I think that Fragile was incredibly underrated and this really expresses how passionate and delicately constructed the new material is. Trent has a presence which can be felt viscerally on this and the darkness is almost overwhelming. Makes Joy Division seem almost cheery at times. ...
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Unplugged by Jay-Z: 3 stars
2002-02-12 10:24:16Jay Z unplugged, with the Roots backing him, is probably the best live hip-hop album ever. Jay is quite witty and works the audience brilliantly. More important, he delivers on his hits in a fine style. I'm quite surprised at how well his heavily produced hits translate to a comparatively low tech forum. Songs like Izzo, Jigga What Jigga Who, Big Pimpin, and I Just Wanna Love U come through in a raw style that makes them seem more like underground than Billboard hit. Mary J Blige guests and really adds a nice light counterpoint to Jay's heavy delivery.
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I Am Sam (Soundtrack) by VA: 4 stars
2002-02-12 10:23:35Beatles covers are a tricky business. You can be true to the original, and then what's the point. Or you can make remake it into your own song and risk offending purists. Or you can try to walk the line between the two, which most artists try to do and fail miserably at. Obviously, a sizable budget helps. The I Am Sam soundtrack (music from and inspired by, not the score) is a collection of covers by a variety of artists (most name, though some relatively obscure). There are only a few that don't work well surprisingly.
- Aimee Mann and Michael Penn kick it off with a nice poppy rendition of Two of Us which is quiet enjoyable.
- Sarah McLachlan renders Blackbird in her own trademark style and there are few who could do it as well as she does.
- Rufus Wainwright (of whom I know little) does Across ...
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Director's Cut by Fantomas: 34 stars
2001-12-11 10:23:11The avante-garde musical outfit assaults classic musical themes from movies famous and not. In many of these Patton uses his voice truly as an instrument, and does so to tremendous effect. It's interesting to contrast this with their debut album (consisting only of tracks of less than a minute), where they are able to really flex their musical muscles in these innovative interpretations of scores. Think Kronos Quartet using traditional rock instruments and you have a very close approximation of what this sounds like. Rosemary's Baby, Night of the Hunter, Spider Baby, and Twin Peaks (Fire Walk With Me) are particularly stunning.
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Tomahawk by Tomahawk: 5 stars
2001-12-11 10:22:41Mike Patton is one of the more prolific songwriters of the past few years, being an active member of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle simultaneously and also doing many many side projects at the same time. He tends towards less mainstream efforts (such as collaborating with John Zorn) and his current bands other than Mr. Bungle are definitely off the beaten path. Tomahawk (I'm not clear on if this is the evolution of the Peeping Tom project or something completely different) is likely to be of interest to the post-modern alternative rock crowd.
Tomahawk sticks to more traditional song patterns than Fantomas did on their debut album, though not necessarily going verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-verse-chorus. Featuring Duane Dennison on guitar (Jesus Lizard), John Stanier on drums (Helmet), and Kevin Rutmanis on bass (Cows, Melvins) Tomahawk is sort of an alt-rock supergroup if such a thing is possible. They carve their ...
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Rock Steady by No Doubt: 3 stars
2001-12-11 10:22:11There is a strong influence from the dance/rap community on this album (likely a result of Gwen's recent collaborations with Prince, Moby, and Eve). The first few tracks are in that vein (Hella Good, the lead single Hey Baby) and Making Out sort of transitions the album to a more traditional No Doubt sound. As you might expect, the album is drenched in Gwen's unrequited love lyrics, though it's hard to tell who they're directed at this time around, though it's certainly a lighter tone than before. Musically they are doing some interesting things on this one, experimenting with mixing more electronica into their established sound and going back a little to some more dancehall as well.
No Doubt tapped some of the best producers in the business for this outing (Sly & Robbie, Neptunes, William Orbit, Ric Ocasek, Nellee Hooper, Clive Langer) and sometimes it sounds overproduced ...
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Come With Us by Chemical Brothers: 3 stars
2001-12-04 10:21:24Due out Jan 28th, the new Chemical Brothers is an interesting evolution in sound. They continue with loop based electronica, and are obviously enamored of their skills in producing/mixing. The lead single, It Began In Africa is fairly typical if well done house and has been doing well in the dance clubs. Star Guitar is the next single (early Jan) and is a medium rhythm track that slowly builds aural themes on a steady base. Come With Us, the title track, is probably the most interesting track on the album, with a nice trance-y influence and trip vocals. My Elastic Eye is a nice use of analog (probably an emulator) in a minimalist fast dance track, and there are some nice moments in the slower tracks (esp The Test) though over all the album is too techno based for my taste.
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ConstrucKtion of Light by King Crimson: 5 stars
2001-12-04 10:20:40Dunno how I missed the release of this and their several other albums in the past year (It's been a busy year, I haven't really kept up with music enough!). ConstruKction of Light is a typical KC album. Brilliant, eclectic, and full of sharp turns. If you wonder where bands like Tool and NIN got their first thrills, it was listening to KC. CoL starts of with a Delta influenced track with some great vocalizations called ProzaKc Blues, and then launches into the overwhelming title tracks (track two and three are both the same name, Fripp is not exactly a traditionalist).
KC have pushed the mix of aggressive rock into whole new areas and their technical wizardry remains brilliant. Many people associate Progressive Rock with tedious 20 minute pieces of new-agey stuff with lots of World Music influence or monotonous dirges. At least in KC's case, this is ...
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Revolution OS by J.T.S. Moore: 4 stars
2001-11-30 10:07:00J.T.S. Moore
Wonderview Productions, LLC
website
The story of Linux writ large (widescreen format, no less). J.T.S. Moore has produced as comprehensive a documentary of the development of linux as can be expected in an hour and half of running time. Moore focuses on the philosophy of open source software and the history of GNU/FSF in parallel with the growth of the linux user community. Given the depth and complexity of the past 30 years of open source, the film is naturally a high level view. Interviews with Richard Stallman (founder of the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project), Eric Raymond (author of "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" and kernel hacker), Linus Torvalds (creator of Linux), Bruce Perens (Primary author "Open Source Definition", Debian/Gnu Project Leader, founder of several linux organizations, Senior Strategist at HP), Michael Tiemann (founder Cygnus Solutions), and Larry Augustin (founder VA ...
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All About Chemistry by Semisonic: 3 stars
2001-11-26 10:16:16Can they top "Closing Time"? All About Chemistry came out a few weeks back (I meant to write this then, but I've been busy). Standard pop fare, nothing wrong with that. I didn't expect anything particularly challenging here, and was not surprised. Solid song writing and hooks, some catchy tunes and maybe even a top 20 single. Chemistry, the opening track, is one of those songs you hear and just hope it's over soon. A shame, really, because there are some fine songs on this CD and if you were to tear it out of your CD player and break the CD in order to make Chemistry stop, I'd understand. But you'd miss some great stuff, so just skip the first track and go from there. There seems to be a plague of failed relationships going around right now (see the reviews of Dave Navarro and the Go-Gos, for example). ...
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Stay Human by Michael Franti and Spearhead: 5 stars
2001-11-26 10:05:57Michael Franti and crew are back and better than ever. Sweet melodies, complex rhymes, and agitprop to sooth the soul
The man behind Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (the best name ever) leads a solid group highlighted by dozens of guests (including Zap Mama, Woody Harrelson, and Radio(Active)). Jazzy swingin funk regaling the crimes of the government, the inequalities of society, and interspersed with radio clips, the album is a resurgence of the activism of the music of the 60's. This is some deep thoughts and some deep grooves to keep your body and your mind active.
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Rainbow Children by Prince: 3 stars
2001-11-22 10:12:22Very interesting. Available now from Amazon.com (probably will be in stores soon, though I don't have a date yet). Prince goes very jazzy for this one and it just plain works. Probably his most musically interesting stuff since Crucial (Miles Davis collaboration era). It opens up with the smooth jazz groove of the title track and maintains the style and incredibly tasty phrasing throughout. In light of the fact that he is now a Jehovah's Witness, it is not surprising how much this album focuses on spirituality. However, it is not wildly different in tone from the consistent spiritual ideals that have existed in his work since the beginning (especially in the Lovesexy era).
Prince doesn't preach, he simply expresses his thoughts on spirituality in the context of great music. Again, this is nothing new with him, there is simply an absence of the aggressive sexuality that was ...
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Holywood by Marilyn Manson: 4 stars
2001-10-12 10:17:50Yet another pre-release. Due out Nov 17th, the new Marilyn Manson CD is titled "Holy Wood". Information about the album is available at the web site. I've always liked that Manson guy. Wacky, irreverent, and not afraid to poke fun at himself. Plus he's seriously disturbed. His last CD (Mechanical Animals) did OK but really didn't receive the recognition it deserved. There was definitely a real change in image/sound in order to express his influence by the early 70's glam-rock movement. Holy Wood is more in line with the AntiChrist era sound and look, which will likely please many fans who saw Mechanical as a sell-out (how is paying respects to your idols selling out?).
Kicks off with the Godeatgod, a dark plodding assault on the concept of god with a straightforward rock guitar thing going on. Next up is The Love Song which is a bit more ...
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Welcoming Home The Astronauts by Flickerstick: 4 stars
2001-10-12 09:59:58I was introduced to Flickerstick thanks to the show "Bands On The Run" on VH-1. The series is still in progress, so I don't know if they'll win but I think it will be truly a travesty if they don't. They are a solid band with a mature sound and great songwriting skills. This sounds like a 3rd CD, with the great production and insightful lyrics, not a freshman effort. Flickerstick could live comfortably in the same bin as bands like Matchbox 20 and Fuel, in terms of sound. They have a song-centric approach, eschewing flashy solos and pyrotechnics in favor of tight cohesive tracks that simply blow you away.
Hot Spots: Beautiful, Chloroform the one you love, Coke, Talk Show Host, Smile.
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Amnesiac by Radiohead: 4 stars
2001-07-12 10:01:14Breaking out with Creep et al have been trying to distance themselves from the grunge-y vibe associated with the hit single. I missed Kid A, but I think I'd better go get it. Amnesiac needs to be heard to be understood. Kurt Weil meets techno/trance. Samples and loops are present in force, and their is a mellow mood to the dark and twisted sounds escaping the speakers. Many people were hoping for a U2-ish return to guitar rock and another Stop Whispering it is not to be. And it is so much the better for not caving in to pressure. The brutal honesty is palpable and the compositions are built on an unlikely art-song basis that is fascinating. I don't see any hit singles, which is a shame because tracks like "You and What Army" and "Pyramid Song" would be a great relief to hear on the radio instead of ...
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Quality Control by Jurassic 5: 5 stars
2001-06-26 10:06:48This is what the groove is all about. I realize it's a year old, but I just discovered it (thanks to MTV2, no less). Old school with no pretense, retro sound with cutting edge production and a group of incredible MCs who throw it around like there's no tomorrow. This is house party jams. A few nice digs at the entertainment industry don't hurt, of course. Backed by very classic loops and Bootsy style bass the guys just freestyle and deliver the sort of eloquence and rhyme sadly lacking from much of modern rap.
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Sugar Ray by Sugar Ray: 3 stars
2001-06-15 10:03:57Sugar Ray attempt to rewrite Every Morning. Twelve times. My first reaction was "Oh no, it's the Backstreet Boys with attitude".
OK, it's not as bad as all that. But there is a very definite trend towards that style of songwriting. The lead track, When It's Over, is actually one of the more aggressive tracks and rises above "rewrite your last big hit"-ness. They also seem to be obsessed with reliving their youth (they aren't THAT old!), both in the video for When It's Over, and in tracks like Under The Sun and Answer The Phone. As the album progresses, the lyrics get better. Waiting is a great track, and it is followed by the solid Ours, a track about dating a friends' former girlfriend. Words To Me and Just A Little are the same sort of track as Answer the Phone in terms of trying to ...
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Trust No One by Dave Navarro: 5 stars
2001-06-11 10:11:22This isn't due out until July, so it may change wildly before then. The Jane's Addiction/RHCP/Porno for Pyros guitarist has done some fine fine work here.
Solo albums by guitarists are often truly bad and lend themselves to self-gratifying pyrotechnics supported by rather weak songs. This is not the case here. Dave presents a set of solid songs with some great lyrics, and shows himself to be an accomplished (if somewhat twisted) songwriter. This sound like, say, Richard Thompson meets Wes Borland. Of course it rocks, it's good hard-edged alt-rock of the first caliber.
Starts off with the track Rexall (possibly a reference to the drug store), which is fairly mellow throughout the verses and then kicks it up a notch for the chorus. It deals with the falling apart of a relationship. I can't wait to see the liner notes, because he's got a great ...
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Take Off Your Pants and Jacket by Blink 182: 4 stars
2001-06-05 10:07:36Yet another album of finely crafted pop punk from Mark Tom and Travis. As one might expect, the trio do not make wild leaps musically from their previous efforts. And that's a good thing.
Due out on Tues (12Jun2001), this is worth picking up ASAP. The lead single/video Rock Show is indicative of the spirit that is Blink 182. The video shows them cashing the check from the production company in order to make the video, and then they proceed to give a homeless guy a makeover, buy new gear for a bunch of skate punks, throw money out of their van driving down the street, etc etc. Youth angst, disaffection, anger, rebellion, and all the stock components of punk are present and accounted for, and done in such fine style that it's no wonder they're always selling out shows.
One thing that I ...
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Break The Cycle by Staind: 4 stars
2001-06-03 10:04:49In an era dominated by boy bands and the return of death metal/hair bands/speed metal, it's nice to hear from a group that has both talent AND taste.
Aaron Lewis has one of the best voices in music today. His self critical raging lyrics give a tremendous vehicle for his voice to shine on. Staind is probably the most important straightforward hard rock group since Pantera, and the music reflects their focus on great songs over flashy riffs and cool clothes.
They've been referred to as being the leader of misery rock I find their songs to be far more inspirational and uplifting than depressed. Melancholy can be a release and they get through their downs by writing great songs about them. Songwriting as self therapy is a powerful tool and it allows the artist to reach others who feel the same way. The ...
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God Bless the Go-Go's by The Go-Go's: 3 stars
2001-06-01 10:10:07Did ya hear? The Go-Go's are back. The upbeat, infectious pop stylings are back (in fact, you can hear "We Got The Beat" on a couple of tracks)! I'm wary of reunion albums. Fortunately, the Go-Go's are not trying to reinvent the wheel or pulling a "biggest event of all time" attitude (see:Eagles), they just updated their sound a little and got a little Girl Power goin on. If you liked them before, you'll like them now. If you hated them, you probably still will. They are lyrically more mature (duh) and the songs are still the fine Go-Go's pop you remember. They have generated a great deal of controversy with the album title and the iconography of the PR blitz (they are poking fun at the Church). More power to them. As the saying goes: Joke them if they can't... wait no, that's wrong. Nevermind.
La-La Land ...
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Exciter by Depeche Mode: 3 stars
2001-05-28 10:09:07After a brief hiatus, DM returns refreshed and ready to go. I've never been a huge fan, but they always have a few tracks that you never get tired of (Personal Jesus, Master And Servant, Policy Of Truth, World In My Eyes, Everything Counts, etc). The new album, Exciter, definitely takes DM into a new sound. They've always been on the electronica tip, and here they really embrace the advances that we've seen in the genre in the last 5 years. Younger listeners who've never heard of DM (are there any?) would think these were a bunch of hip early 20's brits. Which, aside from the age, they are. The dark pop that Gore is famous for is well suited to the resurgence of analog (even if it's via emulation) and there is a nice distorted tonality on a lot of the tracks that reminds me of early NIN. Somehow ...
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Know Your Enemy by Manic Street Preachers: 5 stars
2001-03-20 10:16:58The problem with new albums by artists you love is that they may suck. Or they may have gone in a direction that doesn't interest you. Or it may be so incredible that it becomes your favorite album. Musically it's a solid progression, with the energy of Motown Junk and the complexity of This is my truth. Dealing subversive intellectual rhetoric with sharp rock songs, the manics are the best band you never heard of. A one-off single earlier this year (The Masses Against the Classes) opened with a Noam Chomsky sound bite leading into a raucous attitude laden track that gave the lie to the critics who said they'd "gone soft". They regularly make the album of the year lists in all the British music mags, and view their lack of corresponding US success as symbolic of the anti-intellectualism of the US music scene.
The album is ...
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Lateralus by Tool: 4 stars
2001-03-17 10:02:14You know what you're buying when you get a Tool album. An intense immersive bit of progressive hard rock, this is not for casual listening. When you listen to this, you have to really mean it.
Tool could rightly claim the throne as a latter day King Crimson. Incredibly tight and complex compositions, brilliant phrasing, obscure lyrics, and epic masterpieces. There is a sense of greatness just listening to the album. You understand that they are quite serious about music. Make no mistake, they love it and enjoy it, but they also take it very seriously. Nothing like Perfect Circle, this is grabs you by the throat slams you against the wall and then lectures you about everything that is wrong in the world.
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Ulysses by Reeves Gabrels: 4 stars
2000-09-15 10:19:16If you heard his first solo album, The Sacred Squall of Now, the Cure's Wrong Number any of Bowie's recent albums (since Black Tie, White Noise), or Tin Machine, then you've heard this consumate musician hard at work. Distributed exclusively online on his site, this is serious music. Unlike most of the "guitar gods" of the late 80's/early 90's, Reeves can actually write a song instead of just throwing notes around as fast as possible. There's plenty of pyrotechnics, but they all serve to support well written solid songs.
With such guests as David Bowie, Frank Black, and David Grohl, this is no lightweight effort. I think the only downside is that it will not receive the attention it deserves, being a Net only release. Strongest tracks are Jewel, 13 Years, Standing, and Arrow. Featuring strong, catchy riffs and incorporating some nice uses of new digital music technology, ...
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Pop Trash by Duran Duran: 3 stars
2000-06-29 10:18:26They're still around? I was as shocked as anyone, given their fairly dismal last few outings. I was pleasantly surprised by this one, which is due out the middle of next month. There may not be a Reflex or Girls on Film on this one, it's certainly a solid and remarkably hip group of tracks from these aging 80's icons. I was surprised at how up to date it sounds while paying heavy tribute to the groove of the 60's, they're almost an angry young band!
It starts off with the strong Beatles-esque Someone Else Not Me, a nice bittersweet ballad. Lava Lamp is a pointless update of 60's dance rock, the chorus is far more sugary than the most egregious of the Monkee's efforts. They redeem themselves with the next track, Playing with Uranium. Which is manages to still keep the 60's tone but edges it with ...
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Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic by Prince: 4 stars
2000-05-06 10:03:11OK, now that I have a few spare minutes (having just changed jobs and moved!), here's my take on Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, by the Artist. Obviously, I'm a huge fan of the man, but even taking that into consideration there is no doubt that this is about the strongest work he's done in some time.
It's rockin R&B the way it should be. I see a lot of things out these days (Brandy, Blackstreet, etc) that is the "new" R&B. Whatever happened to James Brown? Al Green? Barry White? P-Funk? They are all referenced here, along with many others. If there is any hope in this hip-hop age for a true revival, this is the man who can do it.
Title track is of course a holdover from the Dream Factory sessions (1985, I believe) updated for the 90's. I've heard many versions ...
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MDMFK by MDMFK: 4 stars
2000-03-26 10:20:00OK, so MDFMK is really Sascha's continuation of KMFDM with a personnel shuffle. The music still rocks my world. An all too brief but intense 10 tracks adorn this wonderous disc. I've gone through it about 2 dozen times in the last week or so. Aggressive, angry, throbbing, deviant, korrupt, just what you'd expect it to be. Some nice new sounds and samples give some variation to the stock KMFDM vibe and it really comes across as a consistent and solid outing. Standout tracks are Rabble Rouser, Get Out of My Head, Control, and Witch Hunt. If you're into the whole industrial-techno-gawth scene you'll dig this.
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Hooray For Boobies by Bloodhound Gang: 3 stars
2000-03-05 10:23:13No would mistake BHG for Michael Bolton (thank god!). With songs like I Hope You Die, The Ballad of Chasey Lain, and This Is Stupid you may suspect you're going to hear cheesy frat-rock. Yes and no. Jimmy Pop Ali brings together turly clever and twisted lyrics with a mix of techno, rap, electronica, guitar rock, and novelty songs. Best known for Fire Water Burn a few years back (it was the droning take on Tha Roof Is On Fire) BHG is back with a vengeance, kickin out more of the sex-obssesed, perverted, sophmoric concepts that make them so great.
If BHG took themselves seriously, it might not be as hilarious, but when their lead single and video involve them dressing up in bad monkey costumes and imitating Discovery Channel documentaries on animal sex there's little fear that they are 100% serious. Jimmy Pop also proves himself a ...
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Issues by Korn: 4 stars
1999-11-28 10:32:32The new Korn CD is AWESOME! If you saw them on South Park last night you heard a snippet of what to expect. It's more of the same old Korn that you know and love, just more so.
Lyrically, they've matured quite a bit, though as the title would suggest, they have not mellowed at all. If anything, this is more twisted sick and wrong than before! This one is on infinite repeat for the foreseeable future... Hotspots: Trash, Beg For Me, It's Gonna Go Away, Wake Up, Wish You Could Be Me, Dirty, Falling Away From Me Cool Factor: "I've gone away but you're still here so what the fuck is with you?"
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Midnight Vultures by Beck: 3 stars
1999-11-28 10:06:11ow, this is one strange album. Beck is up to his usual antics, being obscure and brilliant and all that garbage. He sounds a tremendous amount like Prince on several songs!
There is no two ways about it, this is a solid retro CD. Beck has mastered the style of 70's funk and augmented it with his own peculiar lyrics and it sounds like he really used original vintage equipment for a lot of the effects. Everyone I've played this for has gone out and bought it right away. Get real paid pays tribute musically to early rap (even using some of the same cheezy Casio sounds) and does it well. The album as a whole mixes funk and old school and just rocks my world!
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Coming Attractions by Adrian Belew: 5 stars
1999-11-26 10:21:16It is so frustrating to have to wait so long between Belew albums! Obviously, he realizes this and has taken steps to make it easier on his die-hard fans. Coming Attractions contains bits and pieces of works in progress and demo versions of older songs. It's sort of a preview of the upcoming "Dust" box set (due out in 2001), his next solo album (hopefully out this year) and the next volume of his experimental guitar series (no set date yet).
For serious music fans, Belew is the quintessential singer/songwriter. Technically incredibly proficient, he sets aside pyrotechnics in favor of solid songs with great hooks. If you listen, the wizardry is there, it just doesn't take the place of the actual song. Belew manages to wear his influences on his sleeve without being a pale imitation. He is often referred to as Beatlesesque, but he takes that and ...
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To Venus and Back by Tori Amos: 5 stars
1999-11-03 10:31:32Unpredictable, energetic, obscure, all the things that make her great. The new work is certainly influenced by her work with Trent and that sound is really becoming a strong part of her music, which is a good thing.
There is an almost transcendent feel to the new music, and there is a hint that there is going to be another sharp turn in direction in the next album. I like the live CD better, the studio CD is good but nothing beats Tori live!
Hot spots: Disk One: Concertina, Lust, Riot Proof, Spring Haze Disk Two: Cruel, Everybody Else's Girl, Mr. Zebra, Sugar
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Brand New Day by Sting: 4 stars
1999-10-05 10:04:17Very interesting. Much stronger Middle-Eastern influences on this one, and really quite a nice touch. Unlike most people who embrace Eastern influences, Sting manages to merge them into his music subtley rather than hitting you over the head with them.
There's also some really cool jazz touches, and he has guest artists up the wazoo. Branford Marsalis and Chris Botti lend the horn support throughout and it is incredible, as you might expect, and he uses some great chorus work on several tracks to great effect. Stevie Wonder makes an appearance on the cheerfully moody title track. There's an interesting blending of 30's/40's jazz with some World Music influence all melded into Sting's signature pop style. Probably his most interesting work since Demolition Man.
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The Fragile by NIN: 5 stars
1999-09-21 10:30:46This CD is incredible. It's NIN, nothing has changed except some updates to the sound (drum tones are a little more naturalistic and less mechanical, some new sounds from the synth area as well). The songs are powerful. Just devastating. This is what makes me long for the days of 1082 (an awesome club in Denver that now is completely weak). Rather than exclusively emphasizing the fast aggressive style that made NIN famous (read:Head Like A Hole, Perfect Drug), Trent also gets more into slower dirges and ends up being that much more psychotic and intense.
Standouts on first listen (gimme a break, I'm only on the second listen right now, and it doesn't come out until tomorrow): We're In This Together, Wretched, Just Like You Imagined, Pilgrimage, No You Don't, Somewhat Damaged, Underneath It All, and Starfuckers (natch). Actually, this is one of those rare things, a ...
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The Vault by Prince: 4 stars
1999-07-26 10:29:22This is not a new Prince album (it would be an Artist album, if it was). This is a collection of tracks that the Artist submitted for other albums while he was under contract to WB, and they decided to make some more cash off of him by releasing these tracks without his permission.
There may well be more albums like this emanating from WB over the next few years. That being said, this is a collection of songs that don't really go together, but if you look at it as more of a compilation album or some such you can get past that. These certainly are not filler tracks that just never made albums, they were probably not used by WB because they are not "typical" Prince tracks. They are all fairly jazzy and light (think Lovesexy/SOTT with a little Around the World In A Day ...
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California by Mr. Bungle: 5 stars
1999-07-13 10:28:07Just to screw with the press, Bungle has turned down another path and gone out on a jazz/swing tangent. Even my wife found it remarkably listenable.
Much more mellow on the whole than the debut or Disco Volante, it's still just as twisted. The Zorn influence is still strong, but tempered by a Branford Marsalis sensibility. Tracks like RetroVertigo, None of them Knew They Were Robots, Pink Cigarette are fine vehicles for showcasing Patton's vocal range and they are sick and twisted to boot (a la RV from the Angel Dust album). If you hated the first two albums, you should still give this one a try, as it's wildly differnt and reflects a much more mature musicianship and composition. If you're like me, and LOVED the first two albums, this one will simply solidify your appreciation for this particular brand of insanity.
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Fantomas by Fantomas: 4 stars
1999-04-30 10:27:17This is the CD that the anti-Bungle music press was expecting from MB. No track is over a minute, and they are all a cacophony of noise and terror and samples. This cannot be described, it must be experienced. If you like Zorn, and you thought that Disco Volante was too mainstream, buy it now. Not for the faint of heart, but I love it.
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Mule Variations by Tom Waits: 5 stars
1999-04-18 10:26:10YES! I have tickets to see the man himself, and it's only $70!! (Special thanks to Jamie for standing in line and getting a cold, I owe you).
Yet another acquired taste artist. I don't even try to convince people to listen to him anymore, if you're not into him already you probably never will be. Mule Variations is stunning. Awe inspiring. I almost cried the first time I heard it. I cannot express how much I love this CD. It was the only thing I listened to for about 2 months straight. I still listen to it at least every other day (I've got like 800 CDs and thousands of MP3s, I can't listen to EVERYTHING all the time!).
Favorite tracks: Chocolate Jesus, What's He Building In There?, Hold On, Big In Japan.
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