(Skate Electronic/Break Beat) The Crystal Method - Legions Of Boom

[TMA]

BEST ALBUM I HAVE HEARD IN A LONG TIME.
Once again, taking the great sounds of your everyday electronic/techno music, some awesome guitar licks, and the sweet sped up hip-hop beats; The Crystal Method has again, combined them all into one of the greatest things we have ever known. Since they started thier career's with the album "Vegas", TCM found more and more ways to get themselves out there in the modern world. During thier second release known as "Tweekend" they added some of the most catchy guitar licks ever, and was able to make every element of a song they could find to make it a Skater friendly kind of style. Since then, they have taken the style that they had come to create, and made it one of the best things anybody could think of today.
Legions Of Boom has now beem added to my top 5 albums of all time. Listen to it, and do the same for yourselves.

[rest_in_pieces]

I’m going to expand on that and write my own review.

I too love this album, as it was the album that inspired my faith in electronic music. Like a lot of people, I used to have a very cynical view on electronica; how it is talentless, anyone can do it, it’s repetitive and solely for making money.

Enter The Crystal Method.

Upon buying this album, I then discovered that there is good electronic music out there. This revelation (heh) has since got me to pursue other artists, such as The Dust Brothers and The Chemical Brothers.

Speaking from a rock fan point of view, the reason Legion of Boom was the album that got me into electronica was the fact that TCM have rock connections and influences on their music. This only emerged on their 2nd album (Tweekend) where they collaborated with RATM guitarist Tom Morello. On Legion of Boom, guest appearances come courtesy of Wes Borland (guitar), ex-Kyuss frontman John Garcia (vocals), Hannah Walidah (vocals), Rahzel (vocals) and model turned singer turned actress Milla Jovovich (vocals).

Right, the songs:

Starting Over

One of the more solid electronica pieces on the album. Not one of my personal favourites but its listenable without triggering my itchy ‘skip’ finger. More reminiscent of their older albums, it uses one vocal sample over the many electronic loops. A formula which works when coupled with their style.

Born Too Slow

The song that got me to buy the album. It takes a slick Wes Borland guitar riff, breakbeat drums, throbbing bass and howling vocals courtesy of former Kyuss man John Garcia. The electro/rock combination works a dream here, being equally trippy and still having a good kick to it – taking the best of both worlds. This is possibly the only radio friendly song on the album (with the exception of The American Way) because it actually has a lyrical structure.

True Grit

Starting off with a pure dance style synth, this track evolves into something great to kick back to. The synth work on this song is beautiful, the riffs and build-ups alike are well produced. None of that crescendo drum roll crap here. Just like in the rock world, it is just as hard to make electronic songs that can hold listener interest without a vocal melody and lyrics. TCM have that art down to a T, which is the main ingredient in making them accessible as an artist.

The American Way

One for the rap fans out there, as guest vocals are reserved for Rahzel. This song has a slick flowing bass and breakbeat style well suited for Rahzel to rap onto. Again, because of TCM’s style, this manages to separate this from conventional rap songs involving 5 seconds of looped music. Although this isn’t one of the better tracks on the album, its still equally listenable.

I Know It’s You

A contender for my favourite song on this album. It has an awesome mood; Creepy yet almost erotic. The vocals are samples of Milla Jovovich (yes, the chick from Resident Evil, but don’t let that put you off). Her voice is eerie beautiful (and for those interested, she even recorded an album, which im yet to hear anything from) and TCM make full use of that with the music they put around it. The synths are top class again and show that they can work with a variety of different sounds and throw in their unique touch. The bassline, although simple works brilliantly with the rest but the vocals definitely make this song, which is one of those spine-tingly beautiful pieces.

Realizer

One of the few songs I skip when listening to this album. Mainly because its one of the more repetitive numbers and I wasn’t keen on the vocals used here. One for the more hardcore electronica fans.

Broken Glass

The other contender for my favourite track. This is perfect music for walking down the street at night, as listening to it makes you picture that scene and the atmosphere is amazing. The beat and bass throb and chug giving this song some meat, where the guitar samples add to the feeling of the song. The vocal sample, although only a few words put in every now and then actually works great.

Weapons of Mass Distortion

Yep, Mr Borland returns to donate some guitar to this track. As the name suggests, its one of the more rock type songs on here. Again coupled with the electronic elements, this makes a dark sounding atmosphere that showcases TCM’s ability to appeal to more than one group of people.

Bound Too Long

Although giving off a slight whiff that this is a ‘filler’ track, it’s still listenable and I can suppress the urge to press the ‘skip’ button. It’s not a bad song at all; it just lacks the stand out appeal of other songs on this CD.

Acetone

Beginning with an acidic drum beat, this song is reasonably fast paced and sounds sort of like what you’d get if you mixed Broken Glass with Weapons of Mass Distortion. It doesn’t use any of the same samples from those songs, it just builds on that mood. One of the better songs on the album.

High and Low

A more dancy track, and at 5mins 24 it’s not something you’d sit down specially to listen to. There are better songs on the album.

Wide Open

A good closure song, and the longest on the album clocking in at 7mins 23. Again, this has a sort of eerie backstreet feel to it. A bit too long in terms of length for me but it’s a very tasteful choice to end the album with.

Overall, I would strongly recommend this album to people wanting to broaden their horizons, as it is a great bridge between rock and electronica.

Thanks for reading

[TMA]

Thanks for expanding on that. I'm not much of a reveiwer, but I do say I agree with you on a few levels.
However, I still can't get past that comment you made in the begining about how you think electronica takes no talent at all and it all sucks. I really have to disagree. I've been making electronica for about a year and a half now. In the begining, I also thought that it took no skill, and that any moron with a computer and a mouse could make the stuff and make good money off of it. Honestly, I have yet to really make anything that would be considered good LOCAL electronica... and thats in Portland, Oregon.
People find the music to repetative, but in a world thats so focused on lyrics instead of music, people fail to realize that there is more repetition in what they are listening to than there is in electronica. Its the suttle differences in the basslines, and the melodies, and the 303s (mmmm... juicy 303s), and the leads that people don't catch on to.
People think its all about simplistic drums and cheesy synths. But it really shows how talented a musician can be. You have to look at every element. You have to look at the slight variations in the drum beats, you have to look at how strong a melody the artist can create, how harsh a lead they can invent, and how rhythmic they are, and than... in the very end, you have to look at how well they were able to make all those elements work together, and what elements didn't work well together, and when the perfect time was for them to makes those slight changes.
I've learned that making a good "Techno" song is a lot further than a mouse-click away. I don't think I will every be able to live up to same level as some of the other artists are at. I have alot I have yet to learn.

So people, when you say that you can do it, just keep this in mind: YOU CAN'T. It not that easy.

[zacky.vengance]

i had this album "legion of boom" and i only really liked a few songs! i think it is somethin of an aquired taste!

[rest_in_pieces]

However, I still can't get past that comment you made in the begining about how you think electronica takes no talent at all and it all sucks

Aye, if you read it,what i meant was; that's how I used to think. TCM happened to be the band that opened my eyes (or ears...whatever).

I make music using FruityLoops (which is in the audio arena somewhere but has been truly neglected because of people who are as cynical as I used to be) but i'm still light years from making anything remotely good.

Its is harder than popular belief leads us to think. However, I still have very little respect for people who pump out that same old ****ty techno. I appriciate it takes some skill to make but it still lacks originality. Something TCM have buckets of.

Lookout for my review of the Fight Club OST sometime in the near future.