JEFF the Brotherhood: We Are The Champions

     JEFF the Brotherhood are a Nashville duo who actually slipped under the radar for me until 2009's 'Heavy Days'. They formed way back in 2001, releasing their first lp, 'I Like You', in 2002, and boast a current discography of six albums, along with a pretty cool live recording. Their sound is a tad unoriginal though, in that it takes influences from many different artists. The group have been likened to The Ramones, and this eleven track album feels like the direction people wanted Weezer to take for a while. Indie rock sensibilities make love to classic rock guitars here, with a nice attempt at variety that's truly charming but doesn't really work. The passion and energy here doesn't stop tracks merging in parts, and the lyric writing is most definitely not the best. The production is inspired, but in my opinion the little individuality that's here gets suffocated by that inspiration. I think I would have just preferred an actual influence, as opposed to the dedicated reproduction of sounds that we've already heard before. After the hazy psychedelia that was 'Heavy Days', I'm underwhelmed by JEFF the Brotherhood's latest lp, which does include those elements, but frankly, doesn't execute them half as well. I'm not in love with this record, but like most of their stuff, it is fairly enjoyable while it lasts.

     That being said, there are a few stand-out badges this album wears. The first being the opening number 'Hey Friend'. It's grimy, reverb-laden guitars have a great groove to them and when the phased, heavy sounds eventually fade-out and the distortion ceases, the quirky lyricism is introduced. A tale of a lad telling his friend he fancies their mother. While most of the lyricism here is predictable and boring, this particular track is wonderfully unique. The variety I mentioned before is most noticeable however on the next song, 'Cool Out'. The sound takes a harder edge, with the faster drums and guitar emulating a breathlessness that I really enjoyed. The lyricism though, feels like it's there because it has to be, rather than because it has something to say. Effects-wise, they're the only real individuality here, and were the only thing that stopped this record from losing my attention completely. From the propeller blades at the start of 'Shredder' to the muffled nostalgia of 'Endless Fire', this album's production is polished extremely well, but unfortunately no amount of decoration can prevent a structurally bad house falling down.
     The electric guitars on 'Ripper'. The folky tambourine and hilariously high wailing on 'Health and Strength'. The free-for-all playfulness of a post-apocalyptic world on 'Wastoid Girl'. Those three are the only remaining tracks that did anything for me. The rest all sound the same and sonically merge together. 'Diamond Way', 'Stay Up Late'. 'Mellow Out' has a nice guitar solo but even that highlight is eventually dulled. I guess there just isn't anything all that original on this album. The influences, from Weezer especially don't appeal to me. I don't dislike Weezer at all, but if I wanted to listen to a Weezer sound, I'd just go and listen to one of their records, as opposed to this exceptionally good imitation.
     Overall then, I don't hate this effort from JEFF the Brotherhood, but I certainly think they've put out better stuff in the past. There are some good effects, and the production is outstanding. My main complaint is the lack of half-decent song-writing skills throughout from this American duo, as well as their glaringly obvious homage to other artists. If they'd taken their influences and worn them a little subtler, then I can easily imagine myself setting my iPod to repeat and rocking along to their energetic and passionate sound. I don't dislike this album, but there's nothing on it that makes me want to listen to it again.

'Hey Friend'

Weekly Classics: The Pixies: Monkey Gone to...

     First off, due to my being able to embed mp3s, the weekly classics segment is a lot less clunky, as I don't have to post a Youtube video. Also, this protects from the danger of the video owner removing it from Youtube or indeed from the blog itself. I've got a review lined up for later, but for now let's check this track out. 'Monkey Gone to Heaven' is my personal favourite from The Pixies' 1989 effort 'Doolittle', which has since been cited as one of the most influential records of all time. This was one of the first alternative albums I listened to, so this song and indeed the whole album, retains a certain nostalgic charm. From the gruff chorus to the deep vocals, the track is carried by an undeniably brilliant structure and inspired melody. So take three minutes off and have a gander at a classic.

Stephen Sondheim: Sweeney Todd

     Before I get into the review, I hope you've noticed the brand spanking new look of the blog! I think it gives the site a lot more warmth and personality,and hope you enjoy it too! Sweeney Todd is one of the longest running characters ever imagined. First brought to life in 1847, there have been numerous reinventions of this famously dark man. This review however, is on the musical version. Not the 2009 movie soundtrack, which is the main Google search result, but rather the original cast recording of Stephen Sondheim's 1979 stage masterpiece. Running for just under two hours, this double disc collection is simply astounding, with it's length helping that complete envelopment which makes musicals so good, and this one of my favourite. If you've seen Tim Burton's movie, which I have, you'll understand this better, but lots of individual numbers have been understandably missed out. The main one being the short ballads of Sweeney Todd. The first of these is the prelude, and not wanting to ruin the story for you, I've put that as the embedded mp3 down below. In short, I never get bored of this and I'm sure you wouldn't either. It's one of the darkest and most fantastic musicals ever written.

     That being said, the dark theme based around revenge, murder and hatred is offset by lighter tracks. The deuteragonist Mrs Lovett in particular has a few happier tracks, but ultimately falls into the pit of despair as the musical comes to it's dramatic ending. With that line of the play running straight and true, another weaves it's way in and out of the protagonist's. A tale of love and youth contrasts with Sweeny's loss of such things. All of these varying matters might make the musical sound busy and complicated, but the storylines all intertwine from the very beginning to the very end, making for a very gripping and interesting story that you're required to follow. Also, unlike other musicals, where the voices sound alike, thus making a solely audible experience flawed, each character here has a unique sound, making this a uniquely brilliant affair. Frankly, you just need to listen.
     Without giving too much of the story away then, here are a few stand-out tracks. Of the most subtly oustanding elements here for me, are the ballads of Sweeney Todd. These poke up four times throughout the musical, and are sang from the point of view of people standing by. This not only gives the sense of a story being told, but carries that story along magnificently. They're the interludes between acts in a way, and as well as being exceptionally performed, the music in them is orchestrated beautifully. The acting from Len Caribou is also excellent. He sounds decidedly older than Johnny Depp if you've seen that film, but that's a good thing. There is a sense of a man, broken and treated terribly throughout his life, and in a way there is something a lot darker about a man your father's age killing people. Mrs Lovett also sounds more like a poor Londoner and Judge Turpin a dirty old man. Song-wise, each and every one is written with a passion that comes across and makes this a polished work worthy of it's acclaim. From the catchy 'Green Finch And Linnet Bird' to the hilarious 'Pirelli's miracle elixir' and 'Parlor Songs', they are all absolutely inspiring, and true theatrical classics.
     It's quite hard to write about the songs when you don't want to spoil the story, or it's exceptional surprise ending. And I really don't. You need to listen through the whole twenty-nine tracks yourself in order to truly experience the impression it leaves. I've listened to most of the great musicals, and this is on par with the likes of 'Les Miserables' and 'Phantom of the Opera', if not better. It's gripping and ever-fresh sound draws you back to it again and again. It's a dark and thought-provoking mix of both the humorous, catchy and serious, all of which fuse to create something varied and attention grabbing. This isn't like one of our usual reviews, but needs proclaiming. This is  must, so check out Stephen Sondheim's musical epic, 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'.

'Prelude'

Discussion: Slipknot

     First off, I'd better make this clear. This is my opinion, and people are going to disagree with it. That's not a 'might' disagree with it, people will. This was sparked by an argument on the Facebook page, after I decided to put my foot down and not review Slipknot. Why? Well, I hope some of my points against the band can be highlighted here.

     Firstly, I don't dislike metal music at all. It's true that I prefer heavy metal over death metal, but I appreciate both genre as I do many others. I can't understand why so many people enjoy Slipknot though, when there are much better alternatives. Secondly, I don't dislike the singer Corey Taylor, and in looking into Stone Sour, I have to admit his voice holds a certain quality. That quality however, is not put to the best of use within this band.

     Their appearance is an off-putting factor, let's be honest. Look at the photo above and tell me that these grown men aren't mentally disturbed in one way or another. I think that sure, they might want to make an impression, but the line between being offensive to religion and being powerful has been well and truly crossed by that crown of thorns. I want any fan of Slipknot to come and tell me why that particular creation is at all necessary and in any way respectful to other people's beliefs. Their image, or more their masks, say to me that these guys want to be a gimmick. They want to be marketable and sell albums rather than record good music, and this is an element to their thought process that doesn't appeal to me. Many great metal bands have created a legacy for themselves without the need to dress up and sell themselves as a marketable scheme. I don't get it.

     If I went to see Slipknot perform live, you know what I'd be called? A maggot. Personally, and this really is personal, I don't want to be called a maggot. I get it. Slipknot fans survive off the music like maggots, but this for me seems very degrading, even if it is meant as an aggressive crowd-pleaser. That in itself says, "we're better than you", and I simply can't relate to that. I don't know about other people, but another argument against them for me, is the number of band members. If they need nine members in order to sound as they do, I have no trouble saying many individual members lack in skill. That being said, Joey Jordison is an excellent drummer, and like Taylor, is wasted in this group.

     Lyrically, no one can say that Slipknot's lyricism retains deeper meanings and thought-provoking content. Here's a thought to ponder. Read the line: "‘I wanna slit your throat and f**k the wound." This has allegedly provoked murder on two occasions, both of which involves numerous stabbings and even, as the line read, a throat slitting. On another occasion a teenager dressed like Joey injured three people and cut the throat of another. Even the names of the albums suggest dark and violent themes. Take their early release, 'Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat'. Rape and murder are both acts hinted at within this record.

     You know what, I think I finally get it. Sure, some kids might be disturbed already, but I'm pretty certain Slipknot's 'work' acted as a catalyst for their violent reaction towards others. The band members wear masks. Because they want to make an impression? No. They want to hide from the public view, so when things do happen, they know they won't be recognised. I personally won't be listening to Slipknot, and would appreciate it if such an album request was avoided. I'm sorry about sounding peeved, but the subject matter does anger me greatly I'm afraid. Please feel free to comment and tell me why I'm wrong.

Zombi: Escape Velocity

     I actually forgot about this record after I first heard it. I've been meaning to review it for a while, but just haven't got round to doing so, a mistake I hope to correct now! Zombi are a space-rock duo consisting of Steve Moore and Anthony Paterra., the former of whom has a prominent career in b-movie soundtracks. 'Escape Velocity' was released this year as their fourth full-length lp, and it's another solid effort from the group. Taking into consideration Moore's previous work, it doesn't take a genius to deduce that the band specialise in a very soundtrack-esque style of rock. Despite this, the sound from them has progressed and changed over time, as all progressive bands probably should. From 2006's 'Surface to Air' to the 09 album 'Spirit Animal', Zombi began to steer away from their use of synthesisers. This lead to the latter album ending up a lot less spacey, with an incorporation of bass and electric guitar making it a heavier, more rock orientated epic. 

     This record however, reinvents Zombi's sound yet again. It manages to tone it down slightly, while retaining that thought-provoking, story telling element that makes their music great. A basic collection of songs built around drums and synthesisers, the only complaint I have is a small one. Three years after their last release, 'Escape Velocity' is only half an hour long? A slight disappointment, but that's only because I like it quite a lot!

     Far from being stark and empty however, which you might infer from their relatively lacking number of instruments, Moore squeezes the most out of the things he's got. Every negative space is filled with synthesiser after synthesiser in a way both imaginative and immersive. Fuses are immediately lit by the opening title track, whose detached synth passage merges slowly with catchy, head-nodding drums. This album for me, sounds decidedly progressive, but here and there you can hear respective harks to the bygone legends of space-rock. Other-worldly sounds (which seem present in a few albums lately) fill the remainder of the first track, with an abrupt ending introducing the remarkable 'Slow Oscillations'. Besides being great, it's the only track here that's below three minutes long, making it the perfect choice for today's embedded mp3. The airbrushed album cover feels very sci-fi, and this number is an outstanding emulation of that concept. It's quick and airy synthesisers contrast with the deeper, throbbing backing track, and the image of a space-ship's corridor, bright and futuristic, is drawn in your mind. The next eight minute monster, 'Shrunken Heads', is the second longest on the album, with it's mesmerising reverb and undeniable mark of producer Giorgio Moroder. Dance beats and trance sensibilities thrill.
     Coming to the final two tracks, I admit that I lied. I actually have two complaints. The first being the length of 'Escape Velocity' and the second being it's coherence. With most of the tracks running for a fair amount of time, if you're not used to Zombi I can see a lot of the sounds coming off as directionless. I personally don't mind this, but for me, that factor has been amplified, obviously unintentionally, for this release. That being said, the next track 'DE3' is simple awe-inspiring. From the fade-out of 'Shrunken Heads' comes this epic anthemic masterpiece. It's like watching a star die. From the emptiness of space explodes a light, beautiful and almost angelic. As it unfurls, you look through the vast clouds of dust and see another world, colourful and warm. That too is being destroyed, and you realise slowly that nothing lasts forever. I'm not going to start another paragraph to close, but I feel as though 'Time Of Trobules' isn't suited to be the closing track. It's not a bad song, but the tired fade-out doesn't seem the most dynamic and exciting way Zombi could have ended. Overall however, this is another solid effort from one of the greatest pair of modern prog-rockers. This experience is cut shorter than I would have liked, but in the end, it's thoroughly enjoyable, and well worth half an hour of any music lover's time!

'Slow Oscillations'

Amon Tobin: ISAM

     Check out this album cover for a start. I've found the biggest size and sharpest resolution out there, and frankly, it's beautiful. Digital release-wise, there's another with a butterfly on it, but I think I like this one more. I thought I'd review Amon Tobin, seeing as we've covered a pretty experimental artist today already, and this album, 'ISAM' is pretty recent. I first got into the Brazilian musician/producer after listening to the millennium record, 'Supermodified, which is often cited as his most accessible release. Looking back further though, to 97's 'Brigoldae' and even the relatively unknown 96' effort 'Adventures in Foam', you can definitely see the change in style from them to this. One thing that he's managed to retain and refine however, is his use of sampled sound. One of his more intriguing records for me, is 'Foley Room', an album recorded entirely in this manner, creating a style more or less completely his own. 'ISAM' is his latest effort, released a couple of months ago, and certainly conforms to this self-built image. As such, some of his greatest work is on here, but there is one major flaw. The first two thirds are excellent, but the last stretch falters a little too much. It's not cripplingly bad, but it reveals a cuter side to the music that for me at least, feels out of place and slightly uncomfortable.

     With his early releases, Tobin started to define drum and bass, but I found that one of the most enjoyable elements to his music for me, was his work with jazz. Instead of fusing jazz and electronic like say, Squarepusher though, Tobin went and took samples straight from jazz music, which ended up sounding pretty cool. What I can safely say however, is that this record is completely different. It's so far out and experimental, lacking in both accessibility and simplicity, I'd venture to say this is a very difficult album to 'get'. Even with myself being a fan of Tobin's discography, it took me a couple of months to grasp the concepts within 'ISAM'. Despite this, when you do reach that level of understanding, the feeling is incredible and certainly well worth the struggle required to reach that peak.

      I'm actually amazed by this album. Tobin is in his own words, sculpting sounds, rather than songs, and the production and quality of the texture makes for sonic mind-bending when listened through some good quality headphones. Although the jazz is gone, and although the drum and bass is gone, the sound here remains as fresh as some of his earlier output. 'Journeyman' kicks of the album with the biggest and most varied collection of sampled field-recordings you'll ever hear. Alien eggs hatch from bubbling, gurgling pods. Delicate tinkling and fluctuating scuttles. The depth of the track varies as well, from the in your face melodies to the background ticks and knocks. The sound isn't overly oppressive, but you're thrown into the unknown, surrounded by an eerily dark fog.

     Out of the mist float ghosts, wailing and moaning. Noises flutter and emerge before flying back into darkness. This really is a musical experience, if ever I saw one. The again, very alien and advanced technological sounds of 'Goto 10' are outstanding. Doors open and landing pads fall. Lights flicker and clouds of pressurised gas escape. You can almost visualise the aliens approaching, serene and magnificent and frightening. 'Surge' incorporates some racing car sounds at the start, and a strange vintage atmosphere smothers the rest of the track. This leads into another: 'Lost & Found'. The building of sound and the saddening singing of a solemn female mark this out as a conceptual masterpiece, focusing on the mortality of humans through the immortality of life itself.
     Skipping past the abstract vocals on 'Wooden Toy', we come to the last third of the album. 'Kitty Cat'. The vocals are very pop-like, even through the slightly creepy air that smothers the track. In Tobin's defence, he does try and make this change in style flow, through 'Calculate's soothing ticking and happier feel, but it just doesn't work. In truth, 'Kitty Cat' and 'Bedtime Stories' aren't bad songs on their own, but in the context of the album I personally don't feel as though the contrasting atmospheres compliment each other very well at all. That being said, Tobin manages to retain throughout this record, a consistent professionalism that feels confident in itself and the noise it produces. Even though I'm not in love with the last third as much as I am with the start, I appreciate the quality of the music. Trust me when I say that this is a very hard album to fully comprehend, but if you manage to eventually do so, the reward is like nothing you've ever beheld. So persevere, listen again, and prepare to stare into the heart of sound itself.

'Goto 10'

Jon Hopkins: Insides

     I'm going to have to start off with a complaint, I'm afraid. Jacob, your requests are causing an unbalance within the blog. Every album you've suggested has been brilliant, and this one is no different! I'm actually rather surprised about Jon Hopkins, in terms of what he's been up to. He's made quite an impression on Brian Eno, an artist I appreciate a lot, and was even asked to co-produce the Coldplay album 'Viva La Vida'. 'Insides' is his third full-length album and first with Domino Records, released in the May of 2009. Therefore, it will be, and has been for me, the first record many will hear from him. As such, this is an almost perfect commercial debut, but there are a few shallow gashes here and there that lower it's long-term value. It's certainly a varied album, but these relatively constant changes in style reveal Hopkins' weakness. He is a competent performer in all of these contrasting feels, but rarely comes across as a master of any. Most of the sounds have been done better before, but having said that, the production and craftsmanship throughout covers the problem more often than not.
      The record opens with 'The Wider Sun', a track you can hear below on our snazzy new flash player! Hopkins merges the classical and the electronic here, with sounds used amazingly to create the mournful image of a Scottish tribe. The bagpipe-like instruments are tinged with a serene hum, lamenting a loss and yet somehow recognising that life ultimately goes on. 'Vessel' is, like I said before, a different style. It is still very quiet at the start, making for a good transition from the previous track to this, but as it progresses we discover a faster beat, highlighted in sonic glitches and the air of an other-worldly apocalypse. The ending of this track hits you like a ton of bricks. It's extreme thuds and buzzes get your pulse quickening as you run from a mechanical giant, filming the end of the world on your shaky handheld camera. For me though, the calm emulated on the first track is outstanding, hence it's appearance as the blog's first embedded mp3. Enjoy!
     'Insides' is instantly colder though, with it's whispers, glitches and subtle undertones obscured by sound. A chilling nightmare engulfs the track within the haunting melody. It makes no attempts to hide itself however, and after a while the noise erupts, unafraid and frightening. As I listen through for the third time as I write, I realise how wrong my initial complaint was. This guy, although perhaps not the best at certain styles, plays to his strengths, creating a soundtrack, epic in it's orchestration and refinement. You are always discovering new things here, be it the subtle effects or the stunning atmospheres. I have found this album gripping, saddening and thrilling, and these emotions, though not provoked in the the best way I've seen, are executed with a passion I greatly admire.
     Running through most of the remaining tracks relatively quickly then, 'Wire' is one of the catchier songs, with a pretty inspiring climax half-way through that makes your head bob along with your infectious grin. 'Colour Eye' however, is a ghost story, crying down the empty train line, eyes frantic as they fill up with tears. The electronic noise here, though experimental, works well in creating a paranormal soundscape that I adore. Made all the better by the slower mid-section and rainy finish, this leads into 'Light Through The Veins', which in my opinion is one of the weaker tracks. It feels very, 'commercially viable', during the first half, in that the melody and backing beat feel very poppy, without the originality seen elsewhere on the record. 'Small Memory' is heavily classical, but this quieter, slower vision makes for teary-eyed time alone. It's serenity is beautiful, despite it's rather underwhelming conclusion. The closing track is similar in feel, but the ending (thirty seconds of silence) allows you to sit and contemplate what you've heard. 'Insides', in the end, while perhaps not the best album out there, makes an admirable lunge for the crown. Now one of my favourite electronic efforts, this was a hidden gem for me, and is one that I eagerly encourage you to investigate for yourselves.

'The Wider Sun'

Washed Out: Within and Without

     Remember back at the very start of May, when I voiced my excitement over the upcoming Washed Out debut? No? Well, the lp dropped little under a week ago, and after getting stuck into it, here's the review. Washed Out is the musical pseudonym of 28-year-old producer and singer-songwriter Ernest Greene, whose 2009 EP 'Life of Leisure' caught the blogosphere by surprise,  and even fronted the ultimately false 'chillwave' movement. His sound has changed slightly from that to this however, for better or for worse. It's ethereal synth-pop, blissful in it's feathery texture, which concentrates heavily on atmosphere rather than lyrical pronunciation. I wasn't disappointed with this sonic shift as such, but some elements to the nine tracks could have been done better. The sugary reverb does nothing to sharpen the blurred vocals, but in Greene's defence this creates a very nostalgic and almost dream-like quality to the sound. I get the impression this is an album focused more heavily on production and sound than vocals and lyricism. This is perfectly fine, but I guess I would've just preferred a stronger, clearer voice to pull me through the haze, rather than wandering within it, without any discernible direction.
     Did you see what I did there? Within, without? Bah. 'Eyes Be Closed' opens the album relatively well, but that and 'Echoes' pretty much repeat ideas found on previous efforts. The latter in particular has vocals that echo, making them not very understandable at all. Like I said before though, this lack of articulation makes for a very mesmerising and relaxing track, be it with a lack of strength behind the brilliant production that brings it down a notch. 'Amor Fati' grooves along nicely, but again, I feel as though it could have been more forcefully lead. In the case of this track, it's like having a stretch of empty motorway while sitting in an open-top car. Instead of speeding along with the wind in your hair however, you crawl along at a snail's pace, with the sun burning your neck. These are all bad observations, and at times I do feel underwhelmed. I can't help but think though, that without the hype and outstanding EPs, this would have appeared better than it is. For a debut album, it's certainly not bad at all and a lot better than some I've heard, but in comparison with previous efforts, it doesn't live up to expectations. A shame, really.
     Having said that, there are glimpses of ambition and progression here that differentiate 'Within and Without' from the three EP's prior to this release. 'Far Away' is fantastic. The groove is mellow, and as such is one of the few tracks where the vocals feel well-matched to the feel. The instrumentation here is also some of the best on the record, from the wind-instruments to the tinkling bells. These all merge together and bring to life Greene's breathtaking vision of a misty mountain, glorious in it's unparalleled primal beauty. The relatively high vocals on 'You and I', matched with the soothing melody and delicate air. The relative simplicity of the title track 'Within and Without'. The relative clarity of the vocals on the finisher 'A Dedication'. These are all elements I enjoyed within this record, but relatively. Without the other tracks to compare to, would these have been as good?
     I can't deny that this is a solid debut album, but Greene's back-log is part of my complaint with it. Having released some inspiring stuff in the past, has he lived up to the expectations for this album? For me, not really. I just can't shake the feeling that this is an extended EP, rather than a fully formed full-length record. Many of the song's here, although good, don't sound any different to stuff we've heard from him before. Taking this as a debut album though, without considering any of the EPs, I have to admit I did enjoy it. It's full of dreamy soundscapes and whimsical vocals. It's a relaxing effort that, while not all that memorable, managed to enthrall. You never know, but I hope I enjoy Washed Out's later output more than I did this debut lp. It was just a tad underwhelming, for me at least.

System of a Down: Toxicity

     Thanks to Yates for requesting this album review for a start. System of a Down, or SOAD, are an alternative metal, hard-rock quartet from Southern California, but considering names like Tankian and Malakian, their Armenian roots are apparent. Formed in 1994 after the splitting of previous group Soil, 'Toxicity' is their sophomore record after 1998's eponymous debut. After a bit of research, I gather that that debut was overlooked by many hard-rockers, with mainstream recognition only really presented with the release of this fourteen track album. Their sound is remarkably original, carrying the label: 'nu-metal', a very interesting sub-genre from a musical viewpoint. It's a fusion of metal and other styles, from hip hop to, in this case, hard-rock. I'm not going to lie though. When I first heard this record I was put off by it's complexity and chaotic nature. After repeated listens however, it grew on me. The experimental structures and sounds. The varied vocals, angular guitar and razor-sharp rhythms. They all infuse with each other to create a feeling both aggressive and in parts, thought-provoking. Sonically, it eventually falls into place amazingly well, due in my mind to the more pronounced melodies than were present in the band's previous effort. This is a hardcore journey, brutal and adrenaline-pumping!
      This isn't the best nu-metal record ever recorded though, let's be honest. The lyrics are funny in places, sure, but that most definitely doesn't mean they work. First and second listen-throughs they strike you as creative and slightly humorous, but beyond that they grate and annoy. They pose the question, what were these guys taking when they wrote this album? Really, I don't know. Even my own label can be disputed, with many classing the band as more alternative metal than a fusion of metal and rock. Overall though, this is a fun record whatever it contains and whatever label it carries. Yes, there are bad tracks, but then there are fantastically good ones. You just have to accept it for what it is and not look into it that much. It's catchy. It's original. It's a distinct release from a distinct bunch of guys that's become, even if you don't agree with it, a bona fide classic.
     The opener, 'Prison Song' pounds and thunders with a classic metal sound, whispers filling the silence until the vocals kick in. This is a stupidly varied track, from the sampled voice to the singing to the high pitch verse to the slowed down section half way through. A political message kind of carries this though, furious in it's chaotic demonstration for freedom. The more pronounced melodies I mentioned before are noticeable in the first single 'Chop Suey', which received more radio airtime than usual, despite it's subtle suicide-related lyricism. System of a Down manage to keep their aggression and style while maturing with a commercial sensibility that in the end brought them a great deal of success. The next track however, 'Bounce', is one of the most annoying things I've heard in a while, with the repetitive nature of 'pogo pogo pogo' matched with the ridiculous story. It's incredible in it's ugliness, but it doesn't really take away from the album as a whole.
     'Atwa', 'Toxicity' and 'Psycho' are all slower, with toned down vocals that still retain a dark attitude. 'Atwa' in particular feels in part very 'classic rock', an element that surprised me, in a good way. 'Aerials' finishes the album exceptionally well though. Just after half way, experimental wind-instruments float above tribal drums and ritualistic voices. It's a fascinatingly mellow ending to an album that was for the most part, loud and aggressive. Political undertones highlight the agitated passion here in a way both gripping and rebellious. It softens the blow with humour and heightens the pain with vocal power. It's not the best record out there, but it's certainly a unique one. Hold 'Toxicity' aloft and let it's accomplished light refresh the faces of worn out rockers. Let it thunder and let it roar.

Weekly Classics: The Animals: House of the Rising Sun

     'House of the Rising Sun' is a song most famously covered by The Animals in 1964, but has been around much longer. According to The Animals keyboardist Alan Price, this track was originally a sixteenth century folk number, but in general it's author is unknown. It's been recorded by a surprisingly large number of people though, from Bob Dylan in 1961 through Nina Simone in '62 to Dolly Parton in '81. Sinead O'Connor even recorded a cover, as well as Muse, in their own dark manner. The Animals version is often credited as the best however, and was indeed the first real 'folk-rock' hit. And it really is. Scope the Youtube link below to listen through this revolutionary classic. You just don't get songs like this any more. Absolutely fantastic. If you've never heard this, then you're missing out.

     

Muse: Black Holes and Revelations

     Muse are a big band. Subsequently, this is a big, big record. Selling more than 115 thousand albums during the first week of it's release during the July of 2006, this was at the time their best-selling work. Contrary to the album cover though, which might suggest a group of four, Muse are primarily a trio, lead by frontman Matt Bellamy. This is their fourth release after 2003's critically acclaimed 'Absolution', with fifth album 'The Resistance' appearing three years later. Their sound is unique, which was from the very beginning an attribute I loved. Their music roars with political agitation and cries with emotional passion and rebellious paranoia. Like the title suggests, there are moments here when you recognise and relate to the lyrics so well you have an epiphany of sorts. On the other hand, black holes of guilt and dark imagination drag your attention away from the everyday, carrying you through a world, wonderful in it's unparalleled complexity.

     When the band were young, there were lots of comparisons to Oxford group Radiohead, and in having that band's complete discography (I'm a huge fan), I can safely say Muse have shaken off those shackles. They are a strong, ambitious and hard-working outfit, using all their previous knowledge and refining it to form the legendary eleven tracks that is 'Black Holes and Revelations'. Space-rock. Pop. Glam. Symphonic and in parts operatic sounds. These elements fuse to create a immense rock hybrid, grunting and snorting as it towers above others. As it lets out an almighty scream, powerful guitars and subtle melodies fill the air and you realise, this is something really extraordinary...

     I just want to do this record justice, so I'm stressing about those previous two paragraphs. I think just showing you might be better. I have the complete discography for three bands, and three bands only. Pink Floyd. Radiohead. And Muse. The impression Muse made on me will stay with me forever as a major influence in terms of the music I enjoy listening to, and for that I'm eternally grateful. This is therefore probably going to be a persuasive review rather than an evaluative one. Also, shout-out to Anton, fellow Muser!

      'Take a Bow' kicks things off with it's other-worldly ambition, filling the barren soundscapes with orchestration and synthesised beats before closing on an epic finish. Bellamy's vocals break with passion as he relates a world collapsed and crying, putting him on a level far above many modern rock singers even now. 'Starlight' is a catchier, radio friendly track. The balance of drums, guitars and vocals on every record seem to lend themselves in making Muse feel like a complete band, with every section pulling equal weight. 'Supermassive Black Hole', with it's higher vocals stark against the swaggering deep backing instrumentation, is a song broken by sonic glitches and the furiously angry chorus. Stated as being the track that was the most different to record though, 'Soldier's Poem' is the lamentation of a land ravaged of it's beauty, and one man's struggle to replant it, tired and alone. 'Assassin' is another great number, paranoid in it's speed and thundering in it's whisky-fueled rock and roll. Every minute of this record is outstandingly fantastic, and my words cannot try to comprehend the impression it leaves. You really need to listen through this yourself!

     The album finishes with the longest track, 'Knights of Cydonia', it's catchy melody humming and it's  energetic air commanding your feet to tap and your mouth to whistle. Meanwhile Bellamy screams "You and I must fight for our rights/You and I must fight to survive", a lyric that stands out amongst the mayhem. Muse have worked noticeably hard to deliver something powerful, memorable and thoroughly enjoyable. I have no qualms in saying that this is one of the best rock albums released in 2006, and one that deserves your utmost attention. Check this out and prepare to be both amazed and awe-inspired.

Dumbo Gets Mad: Elephants at the Door

     First off, I have a bunch of reviews lined up for the weekend, taking into consideration most of your wonderful suggestions! For now though, let's let that Friday feeling wash over us with Dumbo Gets Mad, and his debut album 'Elephants at the Door', a record available for free here, released sometime earlier this year. However that's about the sum total of what I know about him , apart from the fact that he's Italian and that his girlfriend contributes to a few of the tracks. On every profile and information point though, you'll find the idea behind the album. From the very start of recording Dumbo Gets Mad wanted this ten track lp to swim in the pool of psychedelia, which I have to say, it certainly does. Considering the name he's decided to adopt as well, and the Disney connotations it brings, there is almost a responsibility on him to be playful and fun, a responsibility he carries eagerly and carries excellently. A popular album from a relatively unknown artist is rare, but an outstandingly psychedelic and blissful one is even rarer. A joy for everyone.

     The sound floats around on lilos of 60's pop, but what really makes Dumbo Gets Mad even better is the fact that he takes the good out of those records and manages to merge it, and merge it well, with his own artistic vision, creating something entirely his own. I'm not saying there are influences here, 'cos there are, but unlike a record I reviewed recently, they're expertly fused with his own ideas, a gifted skill of any musician or band, and an attribute I greatly admire. This is trippy experimental psychedelia at it's very best.

     The opener, 'Limbo's Village' is a journey through a jungle, the animals croaking as you behold wonders never seen before, in a state of child-like curiosity and amazement. You find yourself falling into an Alice in Wonderland like hole, with a man wailing strangely before a Doctor Who-esque finish, leading into the best track on the album. 'Plumy Tale', with it's higher vocals grooving along the perfect bass line and subtle saxophone, lathered in a beautiful synthesised melody, is simply inspiring. Effects give this track a brilliantly playful feel as well, from the tinkling to the bubble popping, all of which highlight the harmonised chorus. This was actually the first single from the album, and for good reason. No other track here quite manages to rob 'Plumy Tale' of it's well-deserved crown.

     The remaining tracks are still marvelous though, don't get me wrong. 'Marmelade Kids' is a sight from outer space, watching the world spin and realising how small you are, but how special the human race is against a backdrop dark and everlasting. The crackling radio-like second half has a beat that slows to a relaxing hum at the very end. 'Sleeping Over', the next track, sounds decidedly alien, with it's frothing, bubbling vats and slowly flashing lights. Beeps and whizzes back the electrified high pitch voice of the extra terrestrials. Instead of sounding silly however, it works as a serious three and a half minutes. 'Harmony', with it's reverb covered vocals and upbeat rhythm skips along like a child, emulating that 60's feel so incredibly well. You wander through a vintage photograph, the houses blurred by the long-past summer sun, children laughing and playing in the street. The second half of the song, less so, but equally as magical. Great.

     Coming to a close, 'Eclectic Prawn', with both it's male and female vocals rocks along in unity against a chiptune beat, and is strangely commanding with it's powerful synthesiser sounds. Speaking of chiptune beats, 'Raymond Play' is a school play, also soothing in it's beat and calming in it's "la la la"s. There aren't many more notable tracks though, to be honest. In my opinion, the second half of the album, though tremendous, isn't quite up there with the first. The melodies at times can get lost in the synthesisers, which although detracts for some gets me personally wrapped up within the music. From a relatively unknown artist, this is a cold shower on a summer afternoon. It's refreshingly unique and sounds decidedly high on life. Again, this is 60's psychedelic pop at it's very best. It's free too, so there's really no reason to go and check out 'Elephants at the Door'!

Foster The People: Torches

      Well then, Foster The People. Brought to my attention by good friend Matty, (thanks extended his way), this Los Angeles trio aren't actually that recent, having played way back in 2009. The bulk of their releases however, as well as their rise to relative fame, have occurred this year, with 'Torches' being the band's debut studio album after the self-titled January EP. Their sound harks back in many ways to 1960's psychedelia, a move pioneered by band Echo and the Bunnymen, with pop elements creeping into the music here and there, highlighted with an electronic shine and fun dance sensibility. The vocals, upon first listen sound surprisingly feminine, a shock provoked by the fact this is an all-male group. This soon melts though, into the soothing ten track mess of this lp.

     I say mess, because 'Torches' isn't the most consistent album around, which is really one of my main complaints. The songs are pretty hit and miss as to whether they work at all actually, which is due in part to the fairly repetitive lyricism and unoriginality that creeps about under the bed of the record. By that, I mean that some may not be able to hear the fairly noticeable MGMT influence, but it is there. I hear blatant Animal Collective influences here as well, but as a fan of that group, I am probably biased against Foster the People's more accessible reimagining of that fairly unique sound. Having said all this, the mess is, when it works, an incredibly soothing and summery release from the stress of school and the headache of exams, an attribute to the record that's actually quietly enjoyable.

     The opener is deceivingly brilliant though. With it's notes building in pitch atop a catchy rhythmic wave, 'Helena Beat' is a chilled out picnic, encompassing all the frivolity of summer, with any worries and problems drifting away with the warm breeze. The next track and indeed the first single dropped from the album is another great one, with it's reverb heavy vocals making 'Pumped Up Kicks' another relaxing four minutes. After 'Call It What You Want' with it's groovy melody and "ooh, ooh ooh"s however, things kind of go downhill. 'Don't Stop'? It's unoriginal melody and overall construction are cracked panes in the stained glass window of this track. The vocals and little details to the sound are nice, but don't quite manage to carry the afore-mentioned problems. 'Waste' as well. The lyrics are good, but that obvious MGMT influence runs like a stain down the wall. The influence itself isn't bad, but the fact that it overpowers the music in a glaringly obvious manner, is.
     This is going to sound really bad now, but here we go. 'Houdini'. The MGMT influence is even more prominent here, but it might just be my favourite track. I know, with everything in the last paragraph, how can he like this song? Well, it's probably more the varied instrumentation and vocals that make it my favourite, with these elements earning the right in a way to be that little bit more unoriginal than others. 'Life On The Nickel's lyrics stand out as pretty nice, with 'Miss You's talk of letting go another stand-out three and a half minutes from this collection of forty. The album ends with a five minute stonker, 'Warrant', whose angelic start sooths as much as it's louder finish pumps.  And so, I think that's it. Overall, this isn't a bad album by far, but it's inconsistencies and unoriginality in parts lessens the collective feeling of the record as a whole. I would have prefered Foster the People, with their great vocals and ear for a good pop tune to merely craft a sound quieter in it's influences. Instead of wearing them on their sleeves, perhaps the list of influences should have been kept out of the limelight, instead of in it, which for the most part, it was. Like 'Call It What You Want' says though, "who cares?" This is a care-free record, so stop caring and take life a little less seriously! It's fun while it lasts.

Gel Roc: Beautiful Tragedy

     Well then, before I get on with this review, I'd just like to point out that I love this album art! Just look at it. Brilliant. 'Beautiful Tragedy' was sent to the blog by Gel Roc, a Los Angeles based Californian whose work with fellow artists in EX2 landed him within the folds of four records, collaborating on many many more. As far as his solo work goes, from what I can gather this is his second output after the 2006 release 'Laws and Flaws'. This record is one focused on Gel's career as a whole, incorporating ideas from his past work. Released on the label Abolano Records, there are several contributions here from prolific underground rappers, with the most notable for me being Open Mike Eagle, with his album 'Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes' an enjoyable hip hop release from last month.
     The sound here is very fresh, an element made all the more fantastic through Gel Roc's lyricism and the excellent scratching and overall production. There is a slight 80's edge to some of the sounds here, an old-school hip hop sensibility ruined in my opinion by most modern rappers. This sixteen track album gets back to the streets, gritty at times and experimental at others. It's a solid effort based in the very roots of hip hop, relevant and yet strangely nostalgic if you've listened to a lot of the 90's rap output. Outstanding!
     Gel kicks things off with 'Trust To Dust', a hard beat supported from below by a low, humming bass line. The lyrics recollect his daily activities, and the walls he has to break through in order to succeed. This leads into the second track, which I've very fond of. 'Autodidactic' is filled with very subtle scratching and an atmosphere amplified by the female backing track. These echo down a long, cold pipe, almost creepy in their execution. The sampled voice that runs throughout in combination with this makes for a very nice and engaging sound, and Roc's lyricism highlights, like the title suggests, a struggle in learning the hard-way, and creating your own opportunities in a difficult world.
     'Buzzin Cousins' rumbles along, recalling memories in a drugged-up, smoked-up room, light seeping through the musty old shutters. It feels dizzy and blurred, the dark melody creeping through in the background while the lyrics are repeated and overlaid on each other. It's a trip, but a perfectly enjoyable one. The next song, 'Night Alone' is introduced through the soulful humming of a sincere woman. It's a gloomy, home alone in the rain kind of track, but this comes as a great contrast to the previous tracks, even relaxing in it's relative peacefulness. 'Inside Out' has more natural sounds, with it's wind instruments and tinny drums, all compiled in a way lit up by Roc's lyrics regarding love and passion. The last of the 'relaxed' tracks is 'Empty Hellows', a song laced through with the occasional saxophone, coaxing forth a warm and mellow infusion of hip hop and jazz.
     The harder tracks fill up the remainder of the record. 'Epilepsy' is an electronic ghost-train, with a hysterical scream even thrown in for good measure. The contributing artist here adds variety to the record with his vocals, though the track is pretty unique already in it's electrified make-up. 'Corporate Indecline' is brilliant. That's it. Brilliant. No, but it really is. With a short sampled fight scene and the first few lines spat by the guest vocalist, this track is denched in blood and shivering with it's stinging bloodied knuckles.
     The album ends with a remix much harder than the original song, but the real grand finisher for me is 'Tragic Poetry'. This nine minute monster has no less than thirteen contributors, which makes for an astounding track filled with the ever-changing vocals expected. The structure and instrumentation isn't anything special, but the influences of all these different people make it stand-out enough as an accomplished coup de grâce. This record is for the most part an adrenaline fueled hunt, broken by the occassional hiding space and ended with the deathblow that is track sixteen. Heart-pumping however, you can't wait to respawn, and start the hunt again... If you don't know Gel Roc, get to.

Weekly Classics: The Moody Blues: Knights in White Satin

     This is actually a relatively well-known song, and I decided to put this up as the weekly classic after hearing a female cover of the track on the radio. It's a Moody Blues single from the 1967 album, 'Days of Future Passed', which was released as their first concept album, and which also happens to be one of my favourites. It's an endless classic rock masterpiece, from the wonderful sound of the prolonged notes to the short spoken word poem near the six minute mark. While most of today's youth may not know who The Moody Blues are, they certainly made an impression on the music scene, with sixteen studio albums (this being their second) released and over seventy million records sold worldwide. While not even close to say, Pink Floyd and their two hundred million, this band and this song are wonderful, and I eagerly encourage you to check them out if you don't  already know who they are! Have a gander at the track below, Youtube style.

    

Little Dragon: Little Dragon

     First off, shout-out to Jacob for requesting this review! Swedish group Little Dragon are releasing a third record this month, so I'm eager to review the album that started it all off. The lead singer of this electronic band, Yukimi Nagano is for me, surprisingly known, having worked with Swedish jazz outfit Koop, their 2001 lp 'Waltz for Koop' a fairly enjoyable one. The band also contributed to the popular Gorillaz effort 'Plastic Beach', with Nagano lending her vocals and song-writing skills to two of the sixteen tracks. The vocals on Little Dragon's self titled debut however, manage to merge the jazz sensibilities of her time with Koop with her self proclaimed "affinity for R&B". Her voice is incredibly soulful, flowing around the lyrics in a unique style, sensual and yet alluringly confident. Having heard the band's second record, 'Machine Dreams' in revision for this review, I find that in almost all respects, a better album. Having said that, this little twelve-track beauty is stunning in it's simplicity, lacking in layered sound and the production of the band's 2009 album, but still managing to retain a certain soothing charm. I'm definitely going to try and get a review of 'Machine Dreams' put out sometime in the near future, if possible.

     The opening track, 'Twice' is most definitely the best here. It's haunting piano melody carries the heartfelt vocals which in themselves take influence from progressive ballads. Jazz and pop elements also make their way into the music, shying away from the limelight but constantly supporting the sound throughout. Like I said before, the style from Little Dragon is very much a sparse one, minimalistic in it's construction but managing to refrain from that dangerously close pit, filled with the boring and bland attributes of similar groups. They keep this very plain feel in terms of instrumentation and production, yet they create such emotion sonically that it simply compels you to listen again and again.

     From the distinguishing bass line of 'Twice', Nagano leads you into the more upbeat and experimental 'Turn Left', filled with the electronic beats and quietly subtle dance elements that have come to be eponymous with the musical characteristics of Little Dragon. The progressive soul element to the record comes into play on the third track 'No Love', a thoughtful walk down the New Orleans promenade, grooving along on a lonely autumn afternoon. This seeps into the next two tracks, with 'Recommendation' shining with a few vocal harmonies and 'Constant Suprises' mellow in it's loose and reassuring warmth.

     'Forever' is fun in it's backing beat. 'After The Rain' is one of my favourite tracks though, with the vocals getting louder and slightly more confident in their execution. There are a few smile-coaxing 'woop's that jump and skip along with the jazz infused high-hat beat. The production isn't as good as 'Machine Dreams', but this gives the whole record a pretty self-recorded feel, soft and comforting in it's nostalgic, 80's atmosphere. 'Place To Belong' does bring a colder, moodier bass to the table, but overall, the previous statement goes. 'Stormy Weather' is a drizzly beach, a sight split into sections of light and shade, the sun painting a faded rainbow on the sky, overlooking a hopelessly grey world.

     'Test' is Little Dragon's more dance-like track, and 'Wink' is a trippy song highlighted by the hand-clap beat and vocal experimentation. There is also a lovable oriental feel to the ending, with most of the band mates contributing to the deliberately laughable and silly finish. The last track 'Scribbled Paper' feels bigger than the rest, with it's grand backing melody dusted in delicate drum beats at the start. This leads into another soothing and calm six minutes, making it not only the longest song, but one which is so easy to fall into and get lost within. Little Dragon are experts in this field, creating ambient surroundings and nostalgic atmospheres that run carefree throughout this charming little record. For something captivating and simplistic, like all the finest things in life, I have no problem recommending Little Dragon's self-titled debut. Phenomenally brilliant.

Rancid: Let The Dominoes Fall

     Remember that Foo Fighters review I posted a little while back? Yes? Good. I said that they were one of the few big bands that had come out of the nineties into the new millennium. Thanks to Paddy, I think I've just found another! Rancid are an American punk-rock quartet formed in 1991, hailing from Berkeley, California, with 'Let The Dominoes Fall' released in the June of 2009 as their seventh studio album. This comes six years after the undeniably more poppy 'Indestructible', a change of direction criticized by fans. After looking over most of their back catalog in revision for this review however, I find the band very consistent in terms of sound. Their energy doesn't seem to have faltered or stumbled much throughout their eighteen year career, their belly rumbling with the same fiery hunger seen on 1993's self titled debut. But is that spirit enough to carry the album?

     Despite being labelled as a punk-rock group, there are 'Indestructible'-esque pop sensibilities that show themselves in the windows of this record, dusted in alternative make-up and dressed in the ripped jeans of punk-revivalism. There is a good variety of styles and structure in this album, but this only goes to mislead the listener, sending them down a dangerously pot-holed path. The recording is also understandably cleaner than that in the nineties, which only becomes a problem when you begin to wish their sound would dirty itself up a bit and roll in the mud of lo-fi production. I would have just preferred a grittier, grimier, and more aggressive record than I actually ended up listening to.

     There are nineteen tracks squeezed into the forty-five minutes here, which means a lot of the songs don't manage to run over two minutes. One such track is the second, 'This Place', with it's croaky vocals and angry political outburst, making it one of the only truly 'punk' songs here. Others don't work half as well, and in trying to recapture past times, Rancid don't really create anything that strikes me as new, even compared to many of 2009's releases. They also don't live up to their name, with poppy lyrics that feel tired and lazy. Take 'L.A. River', for example. "Boom shackalackalackalackalackaalacka boom. Shimmy shimmy shake shimmy shake shimmy shimmy shimmy"? Really? That to me sounds unmistakably immature from a band with a lengthy career like this. The cliché in the title track is desperate and so unimagined it's cringe worthy; "No no no no no no no. Na na na, I ain’t got control." Taking into consideration that this is supposed to be a punk band, as well, there are sections to this album that threaten to send you to sleep rather than provoke you into  bringing forth a social change. Take 'Civilian Ways', with a banjo carrying the verses into a yawn-inducing lull. Having said all this, there are a couple of bright spots here, but not really enough to pull this album from the trench it's already in.

      'Dominoes Fall' and 'Locomotive' have a reggae ring to them which is pretty nice, booming and thundering with a playful arrogance and swagger that only serves to boost their bombast. The beginning of 'That's Just The Way It Is Now' is great, with an alarm turning into a scream, but the melody is again, lukewarm, in relation to what the band has done before. The opener, 'East Bay Night has a nostalgic beat, luring me into a false sense of anticipation, a feeling subsequently disappointed. Back in 1991, I get the impression that these guys would have been considered very 'out-there', but for me there isn't anything very revolutionary or even subtly aggressive here, a quality I think a modern punk album should retain. I would have preferred, like I said before, a little less pop and a little more punk.. It just feels as though Rancid have tried to go back to the nineties without considering the audience the new millennium introduced. Sorry Paddy, but I just didn't feel it. An angry tractor should have torn up the meadow of this record, I reckon.

Warpaint: The Fool

     That's it. Work experience over, so I'll be listening to a few more newer albums than I have been! For now though, I thought I'd run my ears over Warpaint's 'The Fool', which is a great little record released in the October of last year. The band is an American pop, art-rock quartet hailing from Los Angeles, with this being their debut album after a fairly successful EP. Their sound is one not easily classifiable though, hence my vague labeling. Their impressionistic style wanders into the dark and delicate at times, post-rock instrumentation off-set by the haunting vocals. A ritualistic, Wicker Man eeriness creeps into the forest of this record as well, lending itself to the unique and striking impression it leaves. Some tracks blend into others in a bored, dejected manner, and in that respect this isn't the most consistent lp out there, but what Warpaint do well, they do fantastically!
     The EP released before 'The Fool', 'Exquisite Corpse', is one much more punchy in attitude, relative to the beguiling serenity of this summer storm, whirling overhead. The tracks on this album thunder with a restrained passion, sliding down the misty window pane, obscuring the view outside. The atmospheres envelope and in many ways the character of these nine songs grips with a fascinating grasp. Take the opener, 'Set Your Arms Down'. It wanders without the direction seen on tracks like 'Warpaint', but this meandering vulnerability comes through as an innocence, soothing in nature. The vocals are nostalgic in their reverb, and in the places void of words, solemn wails and moans fill the vacuum, lamenting an overbearing loss. 'Baby' is similar, with the vocals tired and broken, prevailing like a weak, flickering flame. Folk guitars support the ballad-like lyricism and the layered sounds peel back to reveal intricate production. Frankly? Just beautiful.
     'Majesty' is great, with little experimental bleeps running through a track obsessed with child-like jealousy. Emily Kokal screams out over a sci-fi landscape "I wanted you by my side", an ominous and thought-provoking statement, like many of the lyrics on this album. Her voice falters at times, a purposeful and passionate break in the band's otherwise restrained upkeep. Her range and execution of verses though, is very human, be it highlighted by an alien strangeness apart from the usual order of things. The album itself however, isn't wholly made up of these softer tracks. 'Warpaint', a song strangely named after themselves, is conspicuously upbeat while managing to maintain the trademark delicate vocals. After a deep, clock ticking intro the melody creeps into view. The hook and chorus on this track in particular are outstanding, coaxing forth a foot-tapping and a head-nodding. It's warm bass hugs while it's constantly tense undertones contrast  together perfectly. However, these songs hint at a style I might have liked to see more of.
     'Undertow' has a nice beat as well, while 'Bees' sounds decidedly more experimental than the rest. 'Composure' has some pretty nice sampled school-children leading into the bulk of the track and 'Shadows' guitars have an enjoyable twang to them. With most of the songs now out the way, that only leaves the finisher, which seems a good enough place as any to finish this review. The said finisher, 'Lissie's Heart Murmur' is backed by a piano melody that varies the album up yet again. There is a bombast to this track's sound, a atmosphere just lining up a second lp with the lyric, "we can't go back now". This is an album haunting and brilliant in it's originality. The vocals are pitch perfect and work wonderfully well with the instrumentation and thoughtful production that's gone into 'The Fool'. It's an eerie run through an evening mist, breathtakingly stunning, with that constant danger of getting lost in it's dark, ethereal beauty. Keep your eyes and ears on Warpaint!

Sleigh Bells: Treats

     Here we are again, with me trying to introduce something to you that you may not have ever heard of. It's another weird one as well I'm afraid! When I first listened to this record more than a year ago, I literally couldn't, for reasons that will become apparent later. Now however, on return, I find my musical ears matured, and decided to try and review it. Sleigh Bells are a noise pop duo hailing from Brooklyn, with Derek E. Miller, former guitarist for metalcore band Poison the Well, joining with Alexis Krauss, who previously worked with teen pop band Rubyblue. That collaboration is a strange one, but they manage to pull it off with a messy flourish. They don't make the two different styles merge together, but rather create a new identity with influences from both. That makes for very original music though, let me tell you. The soft and the harsh side by side creates a shattered, crazy world, where things seep and blend into each other. Sprout flavoured lollipops. Flowery death metal bands. Imagine the chaos, and squash that into a record.

     This isn't for everyone, and in their very specific and at times abrasive sound, they're restricting themselves from people. Whether this is a good thing or not, I don't know. I myself can't listen to this for a very long time without a headache, which turns the appeal right down, but I appreciate the attempt to create something completely unseen, by me at least. Some songs aren't bad, but others, queue 'Tell 'Em', are relentless, and the mixture of high vocals, lower throbbing bass and chugging guitar, all lathered in reverb, isn't that enjoyable. The rhythm and beats present on every track however, are very addictive and pulse-quickening, which seems to be Sleigh Bells default setting. So, half marks from me.

     'Kids' electronic whirrs set off another flurry of vocals overlaying vocals, but the sampled schoolgirl voices are a nice touch of variety to the album. It's an asylum of fun and disregard for rules, but the mixture doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid. The only track I think I could listen to more than twice is 'Rill Rill', with it's acoustic twang and instrumentation more suited to Krauss' higher vocal range. The lyrics flow and although repetitive, this works when paired with the very repetitive backing. 'Straight A's' however? Ewww. The muffled bass buffets your ears, drowning out the vocals in the noisiest track I've heard in a long while. The singing on 'A/B Machines' are backed by nice electronic guitars, but then it all descends into headache-inducing chaos. Again.

     I think I'd better get my opinion across better than I actually have. I appreciate this album, a lot. I appreciate the messiness, loosely tied with the strings of rhythm and repetition. I appreciate the effort to create something different to nearly everything else out there, and I appreciate the instrumentation and careful production. Having said all that, I can listen to it, which is more than I could a year ago, but I simply don't enjoy it. The noise is too much. I would have preferred for the band to keep the very loud, fast, pounding noise to one or two tracks, with perhaps a slightly toned down approach for the rest. Even though this would have probably lost them their edge over other, less original artists, it would have certainly been better than the almost constant musical bombardment I had to endure here, for just over half an hour. It doesn't sound long, and relatively, it isn't. It does however, grate on your nerves a little when you can't hear yourself think. Like I said before, if you think you'll enjoy this, go ahead, but 'Treats' definitely isn't for everybody. Criticise my lacking musical palette, but it's my opinion at the end of the day!

Violens: Amoral

     I'm still at work experience for the rest of this week, so I'm tired and can't really be bothered with listening through lots of brand new albums, so I'm going to stick with quite old, but still relatively unknown records. Today's review is on New York quintet Violens, and their debut album, 'Amoral'. Upon first glance, you might suspect a lot of messy music recorded on drugs, but instead we're treated to a good dose of psychedelia pie, from which the blackbirds of 60's sunshine pop spring. Their sound is one of rich orchestration, lush in it's tales of nightmares and thought-provoking speculation, and recorded in a style not unlike that present in the eighties, which is weird to listen to, in a good way. I did get a headache, but I attribute that to my work experience rather than the throbbing bass that runs through the sewers of this record! If you like The Shins or Neutral Milk Hotel though, then you're bound to love this. It's simply a brilliant debut effort.

     I'll start with the most shocking song, and the one most sonically different to the rest of this twelve track album. 'Amoral', from whence the record title is taken, is a nightmarish midnight walk through an old house, the floorboards creaking and the tap dripping into a stained sink. A man, squalid in the corner, groans and coughs, his dry throat relaying an image seared into his mind, stroking a lifeless rat in childlike terror. Violins, in keeping with the band, emulate this fear with their haunting notes, underlined with a thick, oozing drone. The instrumentation and soundscapes crafted within these two minutes is outstanding and the track somehow manages to feel at home within the record, which was a surprise for me considering the sound between them is so radically different. Fantastic.

     'The Dawn Of Your Happiness Is Rising' feels very shoegazey in it's electronic quirkiness, with vocals breezy and floaty from Jorge Elbrecht, leading the mood through a quietly captivating afternoon stroll, the smell of freshly mown grass filling your nostrils. 'Full Collision' is more upbeat but no less lovely in it's reverb lathered backing vocals. It again, feels very sunny and happy in it's psychedelic messiness, with the overbearing orchestration at the end lifting the band to an almost anthemic bombast. The lead single from the album, 'Acid Reign', has bemoaning vocals that croon, while retaining that sugary feel, which rocks and flows with electronic beats. There is something very, dare I say it, new wave about the sound here, skipping along through meadows of glittering synthpop.

      Violens manage to merge the experimental and the pop together in a manner very sweet, but in keeping that as a top layer, it crumbles in parts to reveal the thundering, ominous thoughts behind the music. It's a great joy to listen through this album and to take it apart, figuring out the pain and suffering which sparks the lyricism and atmosphere surrounding every track. Having said that, the hooks and melodies aren't that memorable, leading me to the opinion that this is a once in a while album, not demanding your attention as much as others. My favourite track is 'It Couldn't Be Perceived', on which the synthesisers come into play as a major tool, building the music to a ballad like level, with notes absolutely perfect in pitch. 'Violent Sensation Descends' harks the most back to older sounds, but the finisher, 'Generational Loss' is just amazing. The raindrops pounding throughout the track emulate a loneliness and solemn tranquility, the likes not seen in the rest of the songs. All in all, this isn't a half bad record, and I earnestly encourage you to investigate it's corridors and rooms, weary of the nightmares hiding in the basement, crucial as foundations but threatening an apocalyptic collapse into chaos!

Tennis: Cape Dory

     When I first saw this album, I was very surprised. Look at it. The woman posing. The font. Even the band-name, Tennis. They all ooze a nineteen sixties feel, so imagine my surprise when I realised it was only released a few months ago. After a listen and a read however, I completely got it. The husband/wife outfit from Denver, Colorado had been on a seven month sailing trip before they recorded 'Cape Dory'. That experience must have been joyous, transcending the frustration of daily formality and the bear trap of social schedules. That care-free release is emulated fantastically well, even if the sound isn't that original, which it really isn't. It aims to meet the basic standards and regulations of pop music. Not higher, and not lower. It settles for mediocrity, but that's okay. It shines with a simple, honest aesthetic that rediscovers a time lost to reality, but no less beautiful.

     However, like childhood memories, it fades. There simply isn't anything all that memorable about this relatively short  half an hour album. I can't quite decide though, whether this is a good thing or not. Like childhood memories, I can see myself remembering the feeling of this record without going back and listening to it again. I can imagine locking away the best parts and amplifying them in a few months to make the album is my mind, sound better than it actually is. It's a strange ride on the nostalgia train.

     The track number weighs in at ten, so only a couple of songs manage to creep over the three minute mark, but seeing as they all sound rather similar, they tend to merge together in a warm fuzzy mess that works well in creating the atmosphere that cakes the music. The muffled recording only helps this feeling, blasting the music from the dirty old beatbox balanced out of your Volkswagen Type 2, which is coincidentally parked on a beach. From the peppy finger-snapping beat at the start of 'Marathon' to the guitar and melody on 'South Carolina', this album brings to life a vintage snapshot of summer love and butterfly chasing, the endless blue sky warming reimagined cheeks. Tennis know how to construct a competent pop number, let's just say. 'Pigeon' rolls about in the grass, overlooking your house before your mother calls you in for apple pie and ice cream. 'Bimini Bay' is the moment your father tells you you're going to have a little brother, and you run laughing and crying into his arms. There isn't anything like listening to this record, but like I said before, there isn't really anything to keep you charmed for more than a few listen throughs, more's the pity. There just aren't any memorable hooks here at all.

      This album sounds like it was recorded in nineteen sixty, and perhaps that's part of the problem. While it is pretty and reminiscent, maybe it concentrates too much on creating another sound, rather than crafting it's own. The muffled vocals and ultimately very repetitive sound make this record seem as though it's running on one gear. They all collapse in on each other, to the point where you can't tell when one track begins and another ends, on a passive listen. That's not saying the tracks aren't good, because they are in the end, very enjoyable in their nostalgic simplicity. I would have just liked it more if the tracks hinted at a time past, rather than meticulously copying that particular style. I could come in with the argument, if I wanted to listen to a sixties record, I would listen to a sixties record, rather than an impersonation, however good it is. I'll let you ponder on that, because even though I did really like this record, I was, and still am, slightly puzzled by it.

Weekly Classics: The Smiths: There Is A Light...

     This weeks latest edition of classic songs is more well known than the previous two, but no less brilliant. The Smiths were a Manchester alternative rock band formed in 1982, with their third album, 'The Queen Is Dead' released in 1986 and considered by many, myself included, to be one of the best British records of all time. From the album, 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' tends to have the most recognition, but for me, 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' is absolutely beautiful, and worth four minutes of any music lover's time. It's a classic, so just scope the Youtube video below for the track, and prepare to be inspired!

 

Foo Fighters: Wasting Light

     Foo Fighters are arguably the biggest rock band out there, and if you don't know who they are, well, you've been missing out. Formed in 1994, they are one of the few big groups to successfully make it out of the 90's into the new millennium. 'Wasting Light' is very much a 'back to basics' album, recorded in frontman Dave Grohl's garage with simple analog equipment used up until post-production. That's pretty impressive. It's a solid effort from one of the most consistently good old-school rockers still going strong.

     This isn't the best record they've ever made though, but it's certainly better than 'The Colour and the Shape'. They're getting back on form, be it flying there on autopilot, which they have been for quite a while now. There isn't anything particularly bad here, but then there's not really anything that memorable or revolutionary either, elements undeniably present on the band's earlier output. It's studio rock at it's very best., but Foo Fighters have taken a subtle change sonically to incorporate more anthemic, dirtier sounds, which in a way, suit them. If they're better when they're loud, then this just might be their best record yet. The lyrics aren't the most imaginable and are even cringe worthy at times, with relentlessly generic phrases dropping a few originality points, but the production and energy goes part way in painting over these cracks. The frowns arise however, as no amount of paint will repair core structural problems, despite the obvious quality. Queen of the Stone Age  member Josh Homme's influence does stamps it's mark on the sound too, with thick and appeasing guitars, but I suppose I was just looking forward to perhaps a little more fresh content, as opposed to the recycled chord progressions and melodies that we've all heard before, be it with a slight anthemic edge. It's simply more of the same.

     Having said that, there are some killer tracks that differentiate themselves from the fillers that have crept into the eleven songs. Almost every one of these is longer than four minutes, which creates, like I said before, a very solid, secure foundation upon which to build. The opener, 'Bridge Burning', of which we had a glimpse of before the lp was released, is classic Foo Fighters, mixing hard-rock with melodic verses, with Grohl's iconic scream setting the album off with a bang. The first single from the record, 'Rope', then builds into an okay hook and climaxes with  fantastically long notes. The sound is undeniably Foo, but perhaps that's part of the problem. As you're listening, there isn't anything wrong, but at the back of your mind you're trying to remember which Foo Fighters track you've heard that particular melody on before. It all feels a bit tired, a concept that may well be hard to comprehend considering the loud and hard-rock sensibilities this album encompasses, especially with the vocals the way they are.

     Some of the best tracks for me are the next three, 'Dear Rosemary', 'White Limo' and 'Arlandria', purely because they're the ones that try the hardest to do something different, varying the album in an enjoyable manner. 'Dear Rosemary' is one of the softer tracks that still retains a passion and very subtle classic rock guitar at the start. The chorus makes this song for me though, with slight rock-opera vibes coming through with the predominantly deep vocals. 'White Limo' on the other hand is a gritty, filthy rock scream-fest, with the lyrics barely understandable. I don't know if that's a good thing, but it certainly added variety to the album! 'Arlandria' is another song of the softer persuasion, with the same Foo Fighter lyricism, highlighted by the magnificent hook, and the very openly anthemic, 'join-in-and-shout' element. The climax half way through is also great. Another notable track is 'These Days', with it's stark opening, but 'I Should Have Known' is most definitely my favourite. It's passion comes through immediately within the reverb soaked vocals, outstanding instrumentation and slow, ballad-like structure.

     You might be thinking round about now whether I like the album or not, considering the second paragraph and the one you've just read. Truth be told, I don't dislike it, but I'm just not in love with it. Nothing struck me as immediately horrible to listen to, but then nothing struck me as memorable or even very original if you've been following Foo Fighters for a while. They've definitely made the effort, throwing in some classics, 'I Should Have Known' and 'Dear Rosemary' especially, but I only enjoyed them because they steered away from the rest of the album. That itself is solid. If you want some very good Foo Fighters, then check this out, but I personally enjoy a band that progresses more than this one has with 'Wasting Light'. It's more of the same, and perhaps you can't get too much of a good thing, but for me, it was ever so slightly disappointing. Not bad as such, just disappointing.
Also, missed out my shout-out to Harry, who wanted this review, so thank you to him!