Cleaning up reviews [Archive] - Music & Musician Forums

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:27 PM

Fix tracklist, odd symbols
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1300

Naglfar is a melodic black metal band from, where else, Scandinavia. Sweden to be exact. Naglfar follows where Dissection left off and do a pretty damn good job. They are black metal but have a few death metal tendencies. The guitars are often more crunching as they would be in death metal and the vocals sit right in between black screams and death growls. There is lots of atmosphere too. Instead of the Pirate’s 3 parts death and a-one part black it’s 3 parts black and one part death. Maybe more like 5 parts black and 1 part death.

I’ll also add the EP versions of Brimstone Gate and When Autumn Storms Come. They were available on the Japanese Import, which I don’t have, but I do have the tracks. I’ll just group them in with the normal review but specify when I talk about them.

The album and Horn Crowned Majesty begins with a train whistle which is very cool. Then, the music. This is a very cool beginning. It’s got that raw super aggressive black metal feel but with decent production. Ironically, with 1349 and Darkthrone where the production is generally bad, the drums are pretty good. Especially the bass and snare drums. Here it is the opposite. The drums are just a little too quiet and it takes away from the power. Fortunately, the tremolo picked riffs are very cool and come through very well. Jens is an excellent singer. There is a semi break in the middle with some nice riffs before the song re-explodes. The trouble is, there isn’t a big difference between the most aggressive parts and the rest making the album seem kind of static. I really like dramatic dynamics though so it probably won’t bother most people. This song and Embracing the Apocalypse flow together very well. It’s mostly though that there is no pause and so the onslaught continues. One place where I really like the lack of dynamic change. There are some nice chord progressions here that I really like. One nice part about the quiet bass drum is that during the black metal blast sections, you can hear more than just bass drum madness. Feedback ends the song.

12th Rising begins with no hesitance. It explodes in with some nice riffing and seems like this song could easily pass as an instrumental. It almost is because the lyrics are impossible to understand and the vocals are a bit low in the mix. This is a great song. So far though, if you’re listening along, you’ll notice that each song has sounded about the same. If you don’t like how it sounds, don’t stop now. For the first half of the album they stuck with a formula and you either like it or you don’t. I think they did a pretty good job but it does get old. Each song is good but 9 of them in a row would get a bit repetitive. Into the Cold Voids of Eternity does have a nice synth voices section that adds some nice atmosphere and a little piano and strings bit. Despite this good song, we get luck and the sound changes.

Brimstone Gate is a great song both the original and the import EP. It is a beautiful change from the formula of the first 4 tracks and the next 3 (except for the When Autumn Storms Come import which is great). There is a cool bass part that opens the song and is very audible throughout the entire song. It has that gallopy feel that I associate with Pirate Metal. The vocals on this track are great. There is a little bit of delay and distortion on them and that makes them even better that they already are. The drums sound good too because there is a lot of tom and those were mixed in very well. There are also some synth voices in the background. The worst part of the song is that there is a fade-out. Oh well.

Blades is lame. It has a sample of a knife cutting something. There are people in the background making tortured screams. That ruins the excellent mellowed section. This song is actually really good musically but it is just so lame. It ends with a black metal gurgle that is not lame.

When Autumn Storms Come is a good song. The import is a great song. It begins with an atmospheric build with the title being mumbled slowly in the background. It has a semi gallop feel to it which you already know I think is cool. The end of the EP version really makes the song though. It fades away with a mellow black metal atmosphere section than is absolutely killer. There are synths and chimes and wind noises and funny boingy swamp noises and yes, strings. The best part is, this version leads into A Departure in Solitude which is an instrumental piano piece. This song makes this album great. The first half of the album was mediocre. The second half, is awesome. Did I mention this song has strings? And that is flows into the last track, Diabolical The Devil’s Child on a ringing note? Well it does. The drumming on this track really stands out. There is traditional black metal drumming but also some great tom fills and parts that are truly original. There are key changes too. There is a halftime section. There is also a strange section when all the music fades out but the vocals keep their volume and you can really hear the delay. It sounds really cool. Then, after a bit of silence, there is a strange pulsing sound that reminds me of Tool until the medieval drums come in and a monologue is spoken in a deep voice over it with strings. Awesome, awesome song.

This album is very split. It is pretty much the same for the first half and it’s fine, but not great. The second half is really awesome.

Recommended Tracks
Into The Cold Voids of Eternity
Brimstone Gate
Diabolical The Devil’s Child

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:29 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1302 - delete

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1303
A little about the artist:

When John Coltrane left Miles’ band in 1961, a transitional period began. Miles spent a few years looking for a new saxophonist. He went on to record with Hank Mobley, George Coleman, Sam Rivers, and more, but there were no lasting collaborations. Finally, in 1965, Miles had his new second-hand man, Wayne Shorter. With Shorter on tenor, and members of the rhythm section culled from previous bands, Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet was formed.

This quintet, one of the strongest in 1960s jazz, is as good on records as they appear on paper. Miles and Shorter of course make a formidable frontline, and Shorter is also an incredibly good composer. Much of the bands material was written by Wayne. The rhythm section is phenomenal. Ron Carter’s beautiful bass tone and creative lines. Tony Williams’ incredibly expressive and abstract drumming. These, matched with Herbie Hancock’s exceptional rhythmic and harmonic suggestion are the perfect backdrop for the two horns in their explorative playing. This was a truly remarkable band.

This 1966 album is the second that Miles’ Second Great Quintet released, after the important, if relatively under-developed “E.S.P." This album took the ideas first presented on that album, and built upon them. I believe this classic, recorded over two October days, may be the Second Great Quintet’s best. The band had grown closer to each other musically, and meshed better as a band. The recordings from 1965 to 1968 from Miles’ band are probably the best around for getting fans of fusion into acoustic jazz. I find that the very mysterious and adventurous nature of these recordings appeals to fusion fans who have a misconception about jazz in general, viewing it as “Guys in suits blowing horns”

Let's break it down track by track (composers are in brackets, playing times in parenthesis):

Orbits [Shorter] (4:41) The album starts out very abruptly, with Miles’ trumpet, Wayne’s sax, and Tony on drums. The rest of the band comes in in the middle of the uptempo melody, which is incredibly short, lasting less than 30 seconds before Miles goes off on the first solo. His trumpet is unmuted, and very bold. Behind his improv, Ron walks and Tony expressively accompanies on drums. Tony’s style is very open-ended, providing texture and rhythmic contrast, more than it provides an easy to follow pulse. Miles’ solo is relatively short, and Shorter comes in to improvise on this composition of his. After Shorter’s solo, Hancock plays. Hancock hasn’t been providing any accompaniment on solos so far, so it’s nice to hear him take one of his own. He’s a fantastic piano player, and I think I like his solo on this song best next to Miles'. With three solos, this song feels way too short, and before you know it, they’re playing Shorter’s brief melody once again. The song ends with a few notes from Carter. Fantastic, but I would have liked to hear a longer performance of this one. 4.8/5.

Circle [Davis] (5:55) The next track starts with Hancock’s piano, playing a flurry of notes. Miles comes in with a slow, melancholy melody. Tony’s brushwork here is excellent, and Ron’s rich bass tone works marvelously for ballads. Unlike the last tune, Hancock is adding his piano to the mix the whole song through. After Miles makes his statement, Shorter takes a solo. The way he plays in the upper-register of his instrument is gorgeous. The rhythm section and Wayne sort of weave around each other, working like a single musician. Hancock takes the next solo, and you can tell he’s been itching to stand out front. His solo is full of swells and diminuendos, and once again I think it’s a big highlight of the tune. Thankfully, he gets to really stretch out and play longer than he did on “Orbits”. Miles’ muted trumpet re-enters after Hancock’s solo, and things are wrapped up nicely. I have a thing for ballads, so you can call me biased, but I think this is just incredible. 5/5

Footprints [Shorter] (9:56) This song is a lot different from what’s come before. It is in a slow 6/4 time, and it has a real free-flowing nature. It is also the first to feature a repeated figure in the bassline. If you’ve ever heard “Olilloqui Valley" by Herbie Hancock (also featuring Carter on bass), the two basslines sound suspiciously similar. What’s also great about this tune is that they actually use it as a launching pad to play for 10 minutes. The last two tracks felt a bit too short, and here everything is in full flower, taking the time needed to develop ideas. Miles takes the first solo, and his spacious style suits the tune perfectly. Hancock’s inflections are incredibly thoughtful, always complementing the soloist as if he knows exactly what they are going to play next. This song features some of Tony’s most expressive playing. He switches meters effortlessly, and brings the tune from calmness, to a rolling boil, to a crashing tidal wave and back again. After Miles’ solo, Shorter solos, following the same solo order that the rest of the album has. He actually sticks a part of the head into his solo, which is interesting. It’s nice to hear that he's still aware of the written melody, as far as things sometimes stray. Hancock’s solo is very odd. Filled with long pauses, and jangling chording, it is probably the least comfortable to listen to. I like it. The horns return to the head, with its slurred quintuplet rhythm and rising and falling dynamics. After that, there is a drum solo, which is still set in time by Carter’s bass riff, but everyone else drops out. Then the head returns again, and begins to fade out. Perfect. 5/5

Dolores [Shorter] (6:29) This next tune starts with Shorter, Tony, and Ron. Soon, Miles joins in to repeat the melody that was just played. This is a very short head, much like “Orbits". Miles again takes the first solo. This is a very uptempo track. I like during Miles’ solo how Ron plays at the very top of his instrument’s range. His walking lines are always inventive, and would be interesting enough to listen to, even if you stripped everything else away. As you might have guessed, Shorter takes the next solo. His solo is filled to the brim with notes, and long connected phrasing. It’s perhaps the most bop-like playing anyone’s done on the whole record. Hancock’s solo is similarly cramped and tense, with a lot of notes crammed into each phrase, and little space between these phrases. Miles and Shorter play the head again, then there’s a little bass and drum part. Miles plays the melody alone, and Shorter comes in in the middle. They seem to like trading it around. The tune ends after they have repeated this part many, many times. Cool. 4.5/5

Freedom Jazz Dance [Eddie Harris] (7:16) This song reminds me of something Eric Dolphy may have recorded. The head has very short phrases, and wide intervals. Miles’ solo takes a similar approach, including a very liberal use of space. Hancock’s piano seems to be chasing Miles, as it inches closer and closer between each of his phrases. When Shorter solos, Hancock seems to back off a bit. Shorter takes a more abstract approach than Miles did, and it largely works, but in places it gets a bit aimless. The main, bounding melody returns, but for only one phrase, and then Hancock plays his solo. His probably makes the least use of space, but it’s as effective in this context as the more disjointed playing of Miles and Wayne. The song ends, after the head returns a last time, with just drums and bass. Excellent. 4.7/5

Ginger Bread Boy [Jimmy Heath] (7:45) Drumfest 1966. Tony bangs and bangs at the opening of this tune, with Miles’ squawking trumpet line jubilantly bouncing on top. This is a really fast tune, and Miles plays his fiercest and most exuberantly here. This is another song with no piano accompaniment on the solo sections. I love Ron’s walking line here, though. It makes use of the entire range of the instrument, or so it seems. Shorter takes an approach similar to Miles’ on his solo. Possibly Shorter’s best solo. It makes sense that the solos would burn here, because the rhythm section is absolutely on fire. Hancock finally gets to play after Shorter’s solo, and his is a bit more apprehensive. I think it works, though. This is an incredibly exciting tune, and a perfect way to end an album. 5/5.

This is an excellent album from one of the most fruitful eras of Miles Davis’ career. It features an intense group of young musicians finding new ways to explore modal music, and their brand of free jazz mixed with hard bop. Highly recommended.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:31 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1304

Ahh Powderfinger, why didn't you stay like this?
Double Allergic was the second full length by the Brisbane band Powderfinger, it was released in 1996. Due to a couple of catchy songs, it got them widely recognized, and subsequently snatched away by the beast that is mainstream music. But still, Double Allergic comes with an undefinable decency that can only be realized by listening. I'm sure plenty of people know what I mean by that. I won't mention the instrument playing as there isn't much to say, it's innovative enough to bust out some different styles, but there's nothing super special worth saying.

Powderfinger's first album Parables For Wooden Ears was somewhat experimental, and Double Allergic does carry over a bit of this. Mostly in the instrument playing and some of the unusual styles used, and even some of the themes and lyrics are quirky, e.g. Skinny Jean is about people being obsessed with health food, "They say you like it sun dried, tell me, is that right?", D.A.F. being named after the chord progression used in the verse, and Come Away/the CD suddenly ending while the music is still going along quite happily.

I could say with confidence that each song has it's own distinct sound, styles are spread throughout the rock spectrum, with some experimentation to keep it interesting. For example, there's something close to hardcore in Come Away, disco in Glimpse, J.C. has some good rootsy sounding acoustic rock with a great string section.

So there's some pretty straight forward rock too, and I can see why the mainstream monster picked on them, Pick You Up, D.A.F. and Living Type were singles released off it.
There's some no frills harder songs on here too, like Give, S.S., and Turtle's Head. For some reason. It seems all the no frills songs are also the least interesting songs to me, however I think it's because they are surrounded by much more interesting stuff, not because they are poor songs.

It's the experimental bits that made me like Double Allergic, and the few Powderfinger songs I've heard since this have been lacking that, which saddens me, as they have shown some potential with this and earlier work. Maybe the radio will only play the straight forward stuff, and I have missed it, if so, someone tell me.

Overall, it's a fairly accessible, yet solid rock album. The diversity within the rock genre is good, even if most of it has been done before, at least they didn't repeat themselves within the album. I would call just one or two songs filler, and this would just be an average if they didn't experiment the way they did, so I'm glad they did, but... even though it's good, I think they could have done just a little bit better.

Song suggestions

Plain and simple, Powderfinger like they are these days?
Pick You Up
D.A.F.
Living Type
Vladimir

Something a bit different, but not too much?
Skinny Jean
Oipic
J.C.
Take Me In

Something wack?
Boing Boing
Glimpse
Untitled
Come Away

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:33 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1305

Behemoth is a now death metal band from Poland. They began as a black metal band and slowly developed into the powerful death metal band they are today. They have undergone many line-up changes and that is probably one of the main reasons there sound has changed. The production on this album is perfect. The band comes together beautifully. The vocals are face crushing. The drumming is perfect, it doesn’t attempt to outshine the rest of the band, which is a common theme in today’s drumming. Instead, it compliments the rest of the music. This band is tight.

The album begins with an interesting acoustic guitar part that fades in. Then, a slow doom-like guitar part blasts in. Then the double bass. Then, finally after a perfect build up, the song smashes you down. Sculpting the Throne ov Seth is a perfect opener song. With pinch harmonics galore and smashing chords and rhythms that will keep you interested in themselves. This song makes you think that this album will be a disappointment because it is so good. Demigod comes in with quiet horns making a call to arms. Then the artillery arrives. The drums actually sound like machine guns here. It is perfect. This song gives you hope that you will not be let down. This song really shows how tight this band is.

Conquer All is definitely not as good as the first two songs but it still kicks ***. There is a very cool guitar passage that makes this song interesting but it doesn’t have the same cool rhythmic business that the other two did, nor does it have the super melodic guitars. The guitar solo is decent but this song deserves a more technical super speed solo a la Muhammed Sui’mez or Alexi Laiho. The biggest flaw with the band is that Nergal is not a better guitarist. He is forgiven for his excellent songwriting and vocals. He would make a great rhythm guitarist for one of the aforementioned guitarists. This song ends with a semi drum solo. The drummer is good, but again, a more technical one could make the album even better even if just in that one spot. He still fits everywhere else perfectly.

The Nephilim Rising is a return to the amazing-ness. There are some spoken samples and the riffs are great. There is a perfectly done guitar harmonizing section. This solo is good, but could be better. There is some very well done tapping and a bit of sweep picking. The acoustic guitar at the end just tops it off.

Towards Babylon is great. There is a sweep picking riff in there that makes your head twirl. This album does a great job of being super heavy but still very melodic. The solo in this song is very, very good but again, it could be improved. It sounds great musically but it is just a bit lacking.

Before Aeons Came is very strange. The beginning sounds like it could easily be dumbed down a bit and turned into an MTV hit. The strangest part is, it sounds awesome. Then it goes the other way. Again, some very nice riffage and overall awesomeness. I wish that this album flowed from one song to the next a bit better.

Each song is individually awesome but if they could just be molded with a held note of something. I say this because Mysterium Coniunctionis (Hermanubis) comes next. It just explodes. An amazing song. The only fault (besides my whining about only demi-godly guitar solos as opposed to Godly ones(pun)) ‘ it has a fade out. Not that big a deal.

XUL Is a great song. It has a strange sound in it that reminds me of one of those Holloween decorations that howls. In any case, great song. The drumming really stands out here. The ending is also very cool. It’s a sort of ambient buzz.

The same sound at the beginning of Slaves Shall Serve. This is the kind of flow I wanted. This solo is good, but feels almost like he’s playing the right solo, too slowly. Oh well. Great song. The second solo on the other hand, does fit. The chant of “Slaves shall serve” is a real selling point.

The Reign Ov Shemsu-Hor is orgasmic. It makes me think a bit of Meshuggah. It has a very rhythmic section that is sort of stop and go. The drums make me think call to arms/medieval battle again. Then a brief acoustic section. The Meshuggah bit again but now with vocals. This song is long so it’s good that it has all this. Despite how good the rest of the album has been, an 8 minute song would be too much. This song shows what they can do. It has the melody, the best solo on the CD, the acoustic bit, great vocals, everything. Then the song ends, with a ringing note sort of. It sounds good.

Recommended Tracks
Listen to the entire CD. That is my recommendation.

Review number II
I shall now update this review. I have decided that this is not a perfect album, but very, very close. A 4.5 is fitting. The onslaught of guitars and drums here is perfectly done. The blasting coming not only from the drums but also bass and guitars. The production quality is also top notch. The clarity is always perfect and the bassy pounding is never muddied. Listen to this loudly. It is a very inoffensive record to trained ears, having none of the grating found on Gorguts' Obscura and Nergal's vocals are easy to listen to as they rely heavily on a bassy tone that has more note than growl. As I said before, solos are lacking but it is no longer an issue of bad solos as it is one of... well... preference. This is possibly my favorite death metal album in that it is easy to listen to and very well done, but it lacks that strange twist I love all my music to have. Not to say this is unoriginal, it is just not super original, bordering on avant-garde.

As an update to what to listen to, Demigod and Conquer All are my current favorites although I've noticed I find something I like in each track. I also don't know what I was thinking in saying that the drummer could be better. Yeah, sure he could, but he is a great drummer and needs not be replaced ever. Also, my complaints of Nergals guitar playing are dumb. He could be better but is just fine and also, needs not be replaced. Sure, Muhammed Sucimez is better, but would he fit? I don't know and I don't really want to know. Hope this second review gives a better overall impression of the album.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:35 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1310
Edit tracklist and first comment

I'm not totally familiar with all of the tracks on this album, as it's not exactly a “Nobuo Greatest Hits” track listing. Therefore, some tracks will have more in depth analysis' than others and most won't be compared to their original versions.

The album opens in a similar fashion to the last album, with ambient synths and slow guitars fading in with the track The Rocking Grounds. The rest of the band enter with a slow groove, and then do the usual BM thang and speed the drums up. It has a decent solo from about 2:14 in, and I can tell you the guitar solos have definitely gone up a notch from the previous album. Whereas the best solo on TBM1 was obviously Dancing Mad, there are plenty of great sounding ones here. The rest of the song is pretty much typical BM, with the usual development of the main theme, and the sudden stop from out of nowhere.

Now apparently Zeromus was a fan favourite to be put onto this album. I wouldn't know, I've not been bothered to play FFIV that much. But the track here is great. Starting of with a slow groove, again the tempo goes up with the inclusion of the main theme. A cool guitar melody and a very Dream Theater like section lead the way into a section that's very reminiscent of Force Your Way from the previous album. Then a small break into a mamma-whamma of a duel solo. The way the guitar and the keys unison when the keys come in is a touch of genius, I think. Then the guitar melody and a final solo before the classic STOP..

OH. MY. GOD. From the intro classical guitar to the acoustic solo halfway through to the Jordan Rudess-esque Hammond Organ solo, Vamo' Alla Flamenco is probably the best track on here, joint with maybe The Skies Above (read on to find out more). Even with distortion and all the keys, it still retains the feel from the original. But the acoustic solo, ohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigod it's absolutely fantastic. It's perfectly placed, and leads perfectly into the section before the organ solo, which is almost as good as the acoustic one. An electric solo after the organ, and then into the intro reprised. Now, for a change, there's a proper ending to the song!

Hunter's Chance is a straight through rocker, with a solo chucked in for good measure. The main melody is darn good, but the song comes into it's own when the guitars drop out and the synth and piano take over. Oh wow, possibly the second best section on the album (the final solo of The Skies Above takes the top honour). The transition between the piano riff and the main riff is extremely good, but unfortunately the song ends ever so abruptly, which is probably the biggest drawback of this track.

Everyone knows Otherworld, the metal song from the Final Fantasy X intro, but it's a pretty big shock to hear that the growled vocals and C# tuned guitar have been changed to FEMALE vocals and standard tuning. It does detract from the heaviness of the original, but it makes the tune sound a lot faster and more direct than it's darker precursor. And even though KAZCO (the female vocalist) has a strange accent, she does have a decent range and good tone. A weird sampled section then enters into an amazing guitar solo. Think of the one from the original, but a little shorter and you've got it. I do suppose that they sort of cheated with this track, as it was already a hard rock, guitar based tune anyway. But the changes they've made are pretty drastic, but are definitely not a bad thing.

Ai ai ai, the intro to Matoya's Cave is amazing. I love the guitar tone. It reminds me of (don't kill me for the third mention of this band, there's just a lot of similarity between the two) John Petrucci's acoustic tone on A Change Of Seasons. The piece actually sounds like it wouldn't be out of place on the Final Fantasy IV Celtic Moon album (FFIV pieces done with a folk styling and instruments), just with electric guitars and drums instead of violins. That is, until the Hammond organ comes in with it's rocking backing. Very boogie based, sorta like the one from Shuffle and Boogie from the FFVIII soundtrack. Then the main theme comes back in with two decent solos and a couple of cool melody lines. And once again, a proper ending!!!

The Man With The Machine Gun is very reminiscent of the first track from the last album, with the staccato riff into a faster riff. Even though this track is instantly recognisable, it still reminds me of Battle Scene. The second melody is well executed here. The staccato riff returns just before a very Satch style solo which then goes into a proper 80's style shred solo (with all the tapping and such). The staccato riff is then turned into a very headbangable (new word!! w00t) riff and then goes back into the main theme has changed key by this time. This continues and finally ends with the staccato riff and yet ANOTHER proper ending! I'm impressed!

And now we have possibly the most requested track for this album, Maybe I'm A Lion and it's the rockiest one so far. A cool riff continually repeated then goes into a harmonised break, which the leaves the way for a faster beat and the solo section. A Hammond solo first off which sounds darn cool then enters into a guitar solo which is the best electric solo here. It's a proper flashy shredder solo, with some fantastic sweeps here. It comes back into the rocking riff. Third time lucky, we've got yet another decent ending here. The guys have certainly found better ways to finish their songs this time.

I don't know why, but every time I hear Battle With The Four Fiends I think of Dynasty Warriors 4 with the real cheesy neo-classical melodies. Lots of start-stop riffs lead into a piece which leads into a cool riff with a rocking bassline and some odd sounding organ over top of it. More start-stop riffs enter a keyboard riff which slams into the dueling solo section. Nothing too spectacular on the keyboard front but the guitars impress me yet again. Back into the main melody riff with a few more start-stop sections and a finished with a relatively good ending. It's more decisive than the others, but it still feels like they tried to find a way to finish the song and chucked it together at the last minute.

Anyone who has played Final Fantasy X will recognise the next intro - it's To Zanarkand, the piano piece from the intro. The song is actually called The Skies Above, but it's still To Zanarkand to me. The riff that enters after this part though is really rocking, in fact the whole song is a proper rocker. But, and this is a BIG but, there is one MAJOR drawback to this song - the vocals. Mr. Goo (I kid you not) who is singing it obviously hasn't sung English lyrics before, and it shows. Luckily he ain't singing for long, and we enter a fantastic solo section, with a kick arse dueling solo piece, with I think the guitar coming out on top. A riff later brings the vocal melody back, but played on a flute over the top of clean guitar and synths. The song slows down completely and Goo enters again. It's a shame, because he actually has a decent range and tone, it's just there really needed to be Japanese lyrics for him to flaunt his skills. But the next section MORE than makes up for the vocals - the final solo has so much emotion poured into it it's unbelievable. It actually made my spine shiver, and not many songs do that. The main piano theme comes in after the final solo and we round up the Final Fantasy tracks on a perfect note.

Hmmm. I was tempted to not review this next track, as it's not Final Fantasy related at all, but as it's on the album I'll do it. The track is Blue Blast - Winning The Rainbow and it's actually the entrance theme to Japanese K-1 Pro-Wrestler Murahama Takehiro. As all Japanese wrestling themes go, it's immensely cheesy and sounds like it should be a theme to a Gundam-style anime or something. It's got all the ingredients for a regular Black Mages track, with the big solo section about half way through, and a section that slows the track down and gives you a breather. It's not actually half bad considering what it's written for, but I don't think it really fits the rest of the album.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:36 PM

Album Negatives
Right, I'll get the bad things out of the way first. There's not exactly a lot of variety in this album. The structures are all similar, and the keyboard patches are all the same pretty much in all the tracks.

Also, the vocals by Mr. Goo in The Skies Above are absolutely atrocious, which is a massive shame considering how great the rest of the track is. In fact, with singing like Otherworld on this track, it would easily be the best song on here.

Album Positives
The guitars. Oh my the guitars. They were pretty good on the first album, but we're playing a whole new game here. Incredible technique, gut wrenching emotion and tons of amazing riffs just make this album, really. A lot of the melodies are very good, too. Very catchy and highly melodic.

Also, the unsung hero of the band is Arata Hanyuda on the drums. He plays with such accuracy and style that it's very hard not to notice him during the tracks. He doesn't show off, but he is obviously a highly technical drummer and it shows.

Final Rating
If you enjoy Final Fantasy music, or video game music, or progressive rock in the vein of DT or such bands, this deserves a 4.5/5. This is mainly because NO album is perfect, no matter what, and this one has a few minor flaws that have already been mentioned.

If not, then it's definitely a straight 4. The vocal tracks will put people off if they're the first tracks they hear (as The Skies Above is one of the sample tracks on the website) and some people may not get over the cheesiness and the premise of the band.

I'm still at a bind to whether this album is as good or better than the first one. The first one has a greater standard of tracks, but this one has better singular songs in comparison. I'd say they're both as good as each other, but don't hold me to that in a few weeks time when I've re-listened to both album.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:37 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1311

Alice in Chains was formed in Seattle in 1987.They signed with Columbia Records in 1989. This is their first studio album, and IMO their best album. It has slow and fast songs, and it is just an all around good album.

We Die Young: 5/5
Their first single off this album, and one of their better songs. It starts off fast and is fast throughout the song. It has good guitar and bass parts in it. The solo is one of their better solos. It is also my favorite song on this album.

Man in the Box: 5/5
Their second single off this album. Another very good song. My favorite thing about this song is the singing and lyrics. It has fairly simple guitar parts throughout most of the song. The lyrics are talking about being in off coffin while being buried.

Sea of Sorrow: 4/5
A song that starts off slow, but picks up speed about mid-way through the song. Not that much bass. I really like the solo in this song. It fits the mood of the song great.

Bleed the Freak: 4.5/5
This is another one of my favorites from the album. I like the bass in this song. Its not to powerful, but you can definitely distinguish it. I also like how Staley carries the I's in this song. I just think it sounds really cool.

I Can't Remember: 3/5
A slower song on the album. A decent song, but not one that I listen to that often. Just doesn't really appeal to me that much. I guess because it doesn't really have a good guitar solo. My least favorite song on the cd.

Love, Hate, Love: 3.5/5
Another slow song. Its a good song, but it would probably be better if it was like 4 minutes or so, because it drags a bit. That’s the main reason I gave it a 3.5 instead of a 4.

It Ain't Like That: 3.5/5
This song is a bit faster than the previous two. I don't really like the lyrics that much, but the guitar and bass playing is good, which is one of the reasons that I give this song a 3.5/5.

Sunshine: 4/5
This is a very good song, probably one of my favorites. The chorus is really good, the main reason I like the song. The bass during the chorus is really good. I also like how fast paced the first part of the chorus is. You don't really expect the chorus to be as fast as it is because the rest of the song isn't that fast.

Put you Down: 4/5
One of the fastest songs on the cd. I really like guitar in this song, its very catchy. I like the lyrics too. Something about them just appeal to me, not really sure what.

Confusion: 4/5
The slowest song on the cd. It takes a little bit of time to get into the song, just because it starts off really slow. Once you get into it and listen to it, its actually a pretty good song. The lyrics are probably my favorite part of this song, which is why i gave it a 4/5 rating.

I Know Somethin(Bout you): 3.5/5
The slowest song on the cd is followed by the fastest song on the cd. My favorite part of the song is the intro, which is played very high and fast on a guitar. This isn't really like them, but its a pretty catchy riff.

Real Thing: 4/5
The final song on the album, and a very good one. Its a good way to finish a great album. Its got a great bass during the song. I really like the way that Staley sounds during the song, its really cool.

Overall, this is a great album that kicks off a great career. Its still as great of an album as it was almost 15 years ago when it first came out. Overall I'd give this album a 4.5/5 and would recommend it to anyone

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:38 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1312

This is Dream Theater's debut album, the album that started it all. This was before they had vocalist James Labrie, who is in the band as of today. if Dream Theater had kept Charlie Dominici, they most likely would not be as good as they are today, and would not have as many fans, since a lot of fans claim this as Dream Theater's worst album.
They have a very unique sound - influences of Metallica and Iron Maiden are most obvious. But they all have some virtuostic and more progressive elements of Pink Floyd, Genesis, but they also have their own unique style of sound. The album is the best in the beginning, and it ends with a bang. This is definitely not an album to start off with if you are new to Dream Theater, if you want to start, try Images And Words or Scenes From A Memory.

A Fortune In Lies - 6/10
This track has some of the heaviest riffs on the album. The musicians do a great job here, but, like a ton of other tracks, Charlie Dominici's voice comes in and really damages it. It's an average song, but it is in no way a bad song.

Status Seeker - 9/10
Wow, now this is a good song! This song shows Dream Theater's more virtuostic and progressive side, where metal takes a backseat. Unlike some of the other tracks, Charlie Dominici's vocals are excellent! I actually prefer him to James in this song.

YTSE Jam) - 7/10
One of Dream Theater's well-known instrumental tracks. The beginning starts with a neat effect, and then goes into some heavy riffs. It kind of drags on, making it rather repetitive, but near the end it picks up and gets better.

The Killing Hand - 6/10
After much of the heavy tracks, Dream Theater has a melodic opening, but it immediately goes into some hard rocking riffs. Again, Charlie Dominici annoys the hell out of me, and the lyrics are really baffling, but the musicianship is so good in this song. One of their lighter ones.

Light Fuse And Get Away) - 6/10
Not one of my favorites. Once again, the musicianship is excellent, but in this song, Charlie is more annoying than ever. He tries to speed up his voice in the somewhere in the song, and sounds plain bad. Kind of lengthy too. Not one of my favorites off of this disk.

Afterlife - 7/10
This track begins with a fast (and rather neat) guitar opening, and then when the other instruments come in, it sounds rather awesome. The guitar is very fast in this song, as well as the drums. The vocals aren't as bad in this song as say, Light Fuse And Get Away, which is a plus. The lyrics are meaningful, but it gets a little repetitive and drags on (could use a minute or two taken off), but it's a good song.

The Ones Who Help Set The Sun - 6/10
This song starts off very slow. For the first 2 minutes and 45 seconds, it is extremely boring and unthoughtful. Then, it smacks you in the face with fast drums and guitar playing, and gets heavier later on. As you listen, it gets faster and faster, and better and better. If the vocals were touched up a bit, this would be a pretty good song.

Only A Matter Of Time - 8/10
Kicks off with a unique and progressive opening, and then gradually gets faster. It gets really fast when Charlie comes in. His vocals are excellent in this song. Everything about this song is great - the lyrics, vocals, instruments, everything. John Petrucci takes a backseat in this song. Kevin Moore is the star with his excellent playing, Mike Portnoy's drumming is at his best, and Charlie sounds great. Unlike a lot of the songs, it doesn't seem to drag on as much. Six minutes is the perfect length. The perfect way to end the album.

This is overall a solid debut effort from Dream Theater. The things I liked were the excellent musicianship, the solos and the virtuostic elements. Things I disliked were, obviously the vocals, some tracks were too long and seems to drag on, and it was a little short.

Recommended tracks: Status Seeker, YTSE Jam, Only A Matter Of Time.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:39 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1313

I’ve had Saves The Day’s pop-punk masterpiece Through Being Cool for a while now, and when it came time for composing my Christmas list, I decided I needed more. The first CD that came to mind was Saves The Day’s first release Can’t Slow Down. Hailing from the next town over Princeton, New Jersey, Saves The Day starting playing shows in eighth grade. Soon enough, they got a deal with Equal Vision and released their first full length Can’t Slow Down. The booklet is filled with pictures of the band members, who look like they can’t be older than 16. Can’t Slow Down is full of quick, poppy guitar leads, catchy progressions, fast drumming, speedy bass, and the typical croons and lines of pop-punk. The catchiness of Saves The Day’s tunes is undeniable and it is that attribute that has made them one of the most respected pop-punk groups in modern music. Album after album has been consistently full of sing along tunes and a fun attitude. As I mentioned, Through Being Cool is seen as the album that captured Saves The Day in their greatest moments. Can’t Slow Down is a different story. Can’t Slow Down lacks cohesiveness. I honestly haven’t listened to Through Being Cool obsessively, yet I can still sing along to almost every song. The songs on Can’t Slow Down tend to blur into one big pop-punk mess. Every song is a quick powerhouse of typical overdriven power chords and wailing leads, rhythmic one two drumming, speedy bass and Chris’ strained vocals. A couple songs break the constant stream of fast progressions and palm mutes, such as “Three Miles Down", an acoustic track. Chris doesn’t get much of the spotlight to show off his vocal talents as most of the songs are over in a quick minute and a half. The speed of this album gives it more of a traditional punk feel rather than pop punk. The point is your not going to find any "Rocks Tonic Juice Magic’s" on this CD. But Can’t Slow Down is a very good first effort and can make for a great listen to any fan of quick pop-punk or the Saves The Day fan with ADD.

The album starts right away with the three repeating chords of “Deciding." Soon a catchy little progression serenades our ears and Chris’ soaring vocals sing off missing someone. The outro has some audible bass and nice backing vocals. ‘The Choke" begins with Sean McGrath’s metallic bass and Bryan Newman’s drumming. The dual guitar attack of Justin Gaylord and Anthony Anastacio begins with their palm-muted power chords. The song provides some nice melodic blends of vocals, bass and guitar and the chorus has got some quick chord changes. The ending off the song features Chris’ sustained yells and some nice lead guitar, but overall, The Choke isn’t that different from “Deciding". “Handsome Boy" opens with a nice picking line and soon explodes into traditional speedy progressions topped by simple leads. There’s even a group shout in there, but the song is over in a quick minute. It flows right into “Blindfolded", another track full of fast one two drumming and a blend of deep bass and guitar. Soon, Chris sings the heartbreaker, “and I think that tonight I will sneak into your house and I'll sing songs and wake you up". The ending is once again the best part of the song as Chris sings his final lines over the bass line. The song ends with two chords and “Collision" begins. “Collision" has the opposite feel as the loud, fast opening chords jolt you from the soft mood created by “Blindfolded." What are even more surprising are the backing screams that follow. The chorus is a bit softer, but still just as fast. The song ends abruptly at 1:22 and I prepared myself for the next fast punk anthem. To my surprise, the opening acoustic chords of “Three Miles Down" filled my ears. Chris vocals soon followed but didn’t take the spotlight away from the guitar. “Three Miles Down" is a surprising and welcome break from the dare I say generic pop punk that had filled my ears thus far. But the catchy bass and guitar intro “Always Ten Feet Tall" brought me right back. “Always Ten Feet Tall" is one of the best tracks on the album, even though it’s essentially one riff the whole song. The outro begins abruptly as the guitars palm mute and Chris painfully sings the lines, “and you make me feel so tall, I always want to be this tall". The last few lines truly display Chris’ vocal talents as the words soar over the guitar line. But “Always Ten Feet Tall" ends and the CD is halfway done. To say the least, the CD is less than impressive at this point. It didn’t have the emotion and variety of Through Being Cool and frankly, besides “Three Miles Down", all the songs sounded the same.

It wasn’t long before the opening chords of “Nebraska Bricks" caught my attention and started off the second half of the CD. Newman displays his drumming skills with a series of rolls. Chris’ displays some clever lines about feeling insignificant and unwanted in his family. The bridge is one of my favorite parts of the CD as one of the catchiest start stop progressions unfolds and semi solo plays over. The song flows right into “Seeing It This Way", another quick punk explosion. A nice little bass line opens the song and the traditional guitar and drums soon begin. The outro progression is clich’ but nevertheless catchy as Chris and fellow band members shout the final lines. “Hot Time In Delaware" starts with a strange sound clip that sounds like it may be from a movie. “Hot Time In Delaware" is nothing special, except the nice backing vocals. ‘Houses And Billboards" starts right away with a catchy progression. The song is average except for the amazing outro where lead and rhythm guitar blend into one catchy beat. ‘Obsolete" starts right away with a quick bass intro and then goes full blown into fast chord changes and such. At this point, the album is really starting to bore me. But ah, one of my favorite tracks ‘Sometimes, New Jersey" redeems the CD a bit with its extremely catchy, different and slower intro. The rest of the song is mediocre and soon the poppy bass intro of “Jodie" begins. “Jodie" is another great track and proves that the album really shines in its final moments. Chris begins with his soft vocals and soon breaks out into full pop punk wails. Backing vocals and guitar leads complete this great song. “Jodie" is the CD’s best track and makes for a great album ender.

In one sentence, this CD is mediocre. It’s not a bad CD, but it is a weak one. The songs are horribly similar and sometimes generic. There’s nothing special from the guitar or bass, though Newman and Conley both show some promising talent. But as I said, you can only expect so much from a band’s first release. The CD does have some catchy tunes and does pack a quick, powerful and energetic punch. But the diversity and grip of releases like Through Being Coollare just not apparent on this CD. Conley gives some clever lines, though not nearly as clever as Through Being Cool. The guitars are fast and fun, as is the bass. And the drums manage the rhythmic punk tradition while throwing in some rolls. If your looking for a fast, painless pop punk album that will get your head bouncing, Can’t Slow Down is perfect. But if your looking for the emotional and energetic anthems of Through Being Cool, look elsewhere. Can’t Slow Down is a commendable burst of energy, but lacks the innovativeness to make a solid record.

Suggested Tracks: “Jodie", “Three Miles Down", “Houses And Billboards", “Always Ten Feet Tall", “Sometimes, New Jersey"

morrissey

02-14-2007, 07:39 PM

Wait how do you fix it for an even number? or something

what?

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:40 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1314

This is Rhapsody's latest release. It is a concept album, which sounds somewhat like a movie soundtrack. I will explain the storyline in the track by track. This album is filled with many symphonic instruments, classical solos, operatic backing vocals, and a lot of double bass from Alex Holzworth. Actor Christopher Lee, who plays Saruman in the Lord of the Rings movies, does most of the narrations. I picked up this album a little while ago, and thought I should review it.

The Dark Secret (Ira Divina)
This is the introductions to the storyline, which Christopher Lee does. Its talks of the son of the Hell God Kron, Neckron. Shortly before his defeat he, went into his underworld lair. There he wrote up his evil plans in six black books, then died. Over time six books were found, but the last, which contained plans for his resurrection was not. This book lay in the cave of Dar-kunor. Soon Neckron would rise. After the narration is complete, operatic vocals come in with the orchestral instruments with an eerie tune, that sounds like something of Lord of The Rings.

Unholy Warcry
This is a great album opener. It starts of fast, with brass instruments, guitar and bass. Soon the drums come in, as well as operatic vocals. It abruptly, stops, and this is the first time we here Fabio. The rest of the band quickly comes in again. About 2:15, the song stops, and Christopher Lee says the most important part of the lyrics for this song, which in short is that there is only one who knows the way through the cave of Dar-kunor, named Dargor. The band comes in on a slower tempo, then soon picks up to the normal fast pace. Luca does a long brilliant classical solo, which begins with some sweep picking. It then goes back into the intro, and ends of fast.

Never Forgotten Heroes
This song starts off slow and eerie. When this song picks off a female singer comes in for a short while. Fabio comes in when she stops. The chorus for this song is awsome. At about 3:00 it goes into an interlude, then Alex does a flashy keyboard solo. When he finishes Luca does his guitar solo. It then goes back into chorus, and ends off with the interlude.

Elgard’s Green Valleys
This is a short instrumental piece. It is a neat little tune done on flutes and fiddles. It's only 2 minutes long, nothing special at all, and rather bland.

The Magic Of The Wizards Dream
This is a ballad. It begins with piano, and a flute. Fabio begins singing with the first verse about 15 seconds in. Fabio's voice sounds quite odd in this song, but never the less it is still good. The song becomes stronger at, the chorus, which I find to be quite emotional. This song follows a very basic song structure. The flute comes back at the end to finish the song.

Erian’s Mystical Rhymes (The White Dragon’s Order)
This track opens up with a demonic voice uttering a spell, which I believe is intended to be Neckron. The orchestral instruments come in with a slow tempo. The operatic vocals, come in, then the rest of the instruments with a clash. It soon picks up to a fast pace. The song picks up to a faster pace at the chorus, then goes back to the normal pace for the verse again. At 6:15, after the second chorus, we hear a quick bass solo from Patrice. After some more vocals from Fabio, it goes into a classical passage done by string instruments. Now we hear dueling/duet solos from Alex Staropoli and Luca, which are great. When the music stops there is some more narrations, but this time not by Christopher Lee. They talk of The Order of The White Dragon. The Order of the White Dragon, is a group of hero's including Dargor, who will set out to find the seventh black book in The cave of Dar-Kunor.

The Last Angels’ Call
This is a good track, but nothing special in my opinion. This song starts off with a cool duet between Alex and Luca. The lyrics mention what path The Order will take, which is the path of Eloria. Luca does another great solo in this song.

Dragonland’s Rivers
This is the second ballad of the album, and like the last track it's nothing special. It starts off with some strange oozing noises, which I believe is intended to be Dragons. The lyrics are all about seeing the Dragons in the Sky, and on The Mountain tops. Like The Magic Of The Wizards Dream, Fabio's voice sounds odd.

Sacred Power Of Raging Winds
At the Opening of this track we hear Christopher Lee saying a spell, which is meant to hide the tracks of the heroes. Luca comes in suddenly with a fast, and awesome riff. At about 3:40, the song stops, and it is just Fabio singing, but having a conversation, with a demonic voice, which is intended to be Dragon's Father. I really can't stand that part, but the rest of the song is great. After a keyboard solo from Alex, it goes into the riff from Elgard’s Green Valleys. Luca then comes in with yet another amazing classical solo. The song comes later to an abrupt finish on a fast tempo.

Guardiani Del Destino
This the third ballad of the album, and song in (correct me if I'm wrong) Italian. So I don't know what the lyrics are about. This song begins sounding some-what like Elgard’s Green Valleys, with Luca playing a classical guitar. Just before, Fabio begins singing we hear a female opera singer. Unlike the other ballads, Fabio's voice does not sound odd.

Shadows Of Death
This is my personal favorite of the album. It opens up with brass instruments, then an awesome riff from Luca, which is played throughout the song. The lyrics are about being near cave of Dar-kunor. At 4:30 Fabio does a Halford like scream, then a long, and in my opinion, the best solo section from Alex Staropoli and Luca. At 6:30 The song stops, and we hear Christopher Lee once again, introducing the next song. He tells us that the heroes will now go into the cave of Dar-kunor.

Nightfall On The Grey Mountains
Yes, this is finally the end. This track opens with The howl of a wolf and demon like whispers. The keyboards and operatic vocals come in playing an eerie sound, then the rest of the band with a clash. The song then continues in into the moderate pace it is. It’s a great way to end this album. It’s one of the more emotional songs of the album. The lyrics are all about venturing into the cave. The song stops, and we hear the voice of Christopher Lee saying ‘Perhaps never to return’. The song goes back to the opening tune, then ends the album. I found the end of the lyrics disappointing, because it never seems to finish the story.

Overall this is a great album, with fast, and slow songs. The musicianship on this album, as well as all their other albums is great. Some may not like Fabio’s vocals if they are new to power metal.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:41 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1315

Begins Here is the debut album from Australian rockers The Butterfly Effect, which was released in August 2003 (Sony) and has sold over 30,000 copies to date. The album was also voted in the top 10 albums of 2003 by Kerrang Magazine.

Begins Here has gradually gained the recognition it deserves, creating an increasingly large national (and international) fan base, and has layed the foundation for more works to come.

Untitled--This is the first of 3 short instrumentals pieces on the album. The Bass and Drum pieces are both pretty simple. Kurt Goedharts guitar is actually very intriguing, with the use of what seems to be a chorus/delay effect masking the simplicity of it all. Overall it’s a very calm intro to the album.
3.5/5

Perception Twin--The track begins with Clint singing two lines over what seems to be an ending to the first track on guitar. I believe this is meant to flow smoothly, but it just doesn't seem quite right. The track follows with the songs killer main riff, and then the verse, which consists mostly of lyrics sung over ringing bass and light drumming. The Chorus shows cases Clint's voice at it's best, sung over the heavy riff from the start. The song continues as such, and features backing vocals by Flynn Gower of Cog.
4/5

Consequence--This song follows nicely from perception twin, a short intro, before heading to a bass prominent verse, with guitar gradually becoming louder as the pre-chorus approaches, which is another good hard riff and then comes the chorus. Clint's vocal work on this song is pretty impressive, as he has the chance to show some vocal diversity, and lyrically he is average. Clint's lyrics are often difficult to decipher the meanings of, this song seems to be about some pained caused by a previous relationship, but they are oped enough for people to take their own meanings from them.
4/5

One Second of Insanity--Upon first hearing Begins Here, this seems to be the song that stands out. It was also one of the bands more popular singles. However, the song does quickly become tired, although I imagine it's much better live. The technical aspects of the song are pretty average in all departments, and not too much meaning can be taken from the lyrics. This is the type of song that suits freestyle motocross videos.
2.5/5

Crave--The first single from Begins Here made it to number 11 in the Australian charts. Musically the song is quite heavy, with various riff's repeated throughout the song. Vocally the song is also fairly average. And I must say this is not one of the standout songs from the album.
2/5

Beautiful Mine--As the song begins it sounds similar to the opening instrumental, although it is slightly slower and eerie. Musically the song is good listening, steadily becoming heavier as the song progresses. But once again, Clint's voice is the highlight of the song, lyrically focusing on a woman failing to see qualities in a man(himself). Great song.
4/5

Untitled--Another short instrumental piece, and it is quite similar to the first. It does work as a decent intermission between the two halves of the album. Theres nothing really new to say about it, so I'll leave it at that.
2.5/5

Filling Silence--A highly pitch distorted riff opens this song, accompanied again by simple bass and drumming. This does quickly become repetitive during the near 2 minutes of the song that it lasts. The chorus then saves the song, which is then followed by a much softer, cleaner piece of music. Clint’s voice fits the song perfectly here, before once again rocking hard to the finish.
3.5/5

Always--The latest single from Begins Here begins with a nice drum piece by Ben Hall, accompanied by a harmonic guitar riff. Again, this song has few hard rockin riffs, some pretty decent work on bass, and more noticeable works on the drums. This song probably won't be anyone’s favourite from the album, but I doubt anyone will say it's bad either.
3.5/5

Without Wings--A light guitar riff, and some steady bass make for the begging of the song. Again Ben's drums seem fairly simple. This continues throughout the verse, until a strings quartet appears along with a pianist. This adds to the beauty of the song, giving it a symphonic sound. There is another verse, of which the lyrics seem to give the impression of Clint being left behind while others break free of something. Once again, the song has a great chorus, and again, steadily becomes heavier as the song progresses. And the pianist and string quartet also remain throughout the song, making it a great listen.
4/5

Overwhelmed--The song begins pretty calmly, but like many other songs on the album it builds into something much heavier. Interesting use is also made of a trumpet by guest musician Will Eager. Clint's voice is also impressive, and this is one of his more direct lyrical approaches.
4/5

A.D--A light musical section provides this tracks opening, before Clint begins what seems to be some kind of prayer. The verse is then calmly played and well sung, and pretty much continues like this throughout the song, although there are a number of variations. This is one of the more experimental pieces from the album, and is definitely a great ending piece.
4/5

Untitled--Very similar to the opening track, but instead of increasing in volume etc, it does the opposite. The album ends the way it began.
3/5

Overall Impression:
Begins Here is a great debut album. It is likely that this record will gradually grow on you and become a part of your regular playlist. Clint’s voice is probably the high point of the album, I find it to be simply amazing, but instrumentally it holds it’s own amongst the modern rock scene. Begins Here is not technically brilliant, like many of the more popular albums on MX, but it is however, a great listen.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:41 PM

Am I doing it right? :(

morrissey

02-14-2007, 07:44 PM

This is great, thanks so much Stoic. You've been a huge help.

Jom

02-14-2007, 07:45 PM

Good job, Stoic.

more like HUGE

Iluvatar

02-14-2007, 07:46 PM

More like reasonably large.

I guess I'll go through them. I'm probably just going to completely edit my reviews since I suck at initial proofreading.

Stoic

02-14-2007, 07:47 PM

Alright, I have grasped the point then :) It's a bit late here so I'd better go. I'll finish the job tomorrow, remember 1300 to 1400 are MINE :mad:

tom79

02-14-2007, 07:47 PM

Nice, I've been waiting for this to happen. I cleaned up all mine a long time ago but I'll fix some other old reviews, but I can't do any tonite. So I'll probably fix a few tomorow or so.

IsItLuck?

02-14-2007, 07:48 PM

what?

After seeing stoic's posts I see what to do. I'm retarded. carry on.

Channing

02-14-2007, 07:48 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1310

A Day In Black And White - My Heroes Have Always Killed Cowboys

Dan, Ian, Steve.

Describing A Day In Black And White's sound is hard, they aren't like other emo/screamo bands. They have long and slow parts like Indian Summer and then burst out into chaos. A Day In Black And White stand out from other emo bands because the vocals are clean and yelled instead of screamed which suits the music oh so well. In most of the chaotic parts the drums are driving the song instead of the guitars which is quite unusual. I find the closest band you can compare them to is City Of Caterpillar.

Even though this album has only 5 songs, it is over half an hour long, so I didn't put it as an EP.

1. Forward/Backward - 6:34
2. There Are Objects And Objects - 4:22
3. Storming The Bastille - 4:35
4. The Gaze - 5:24
5. The Illusion Of The End - 11:22

The thing I love about A Day In Black And White is how they have these really great build-ups between the slower and the louder parts. These build ups are most noticeable in Forward/Backward, There Are Objects And Objects and The Gaze.

There Are Objects And Objects is probably the best song from this album, the emotion throughout the whole song is just incredible. Especially from the build up to the ending driven by blast beats where he sings "And we can not be saved, and we can not be changed." Imagining them playing this live just makes me shiver.

The instrumental parts are amazing. The Gaze especially stands out as the vocals only come in after four minutes. The Illusion Of The End is an 11 minute epic with no vocals at all. And where some bands will make long songs drag on, A Day In Black And White manage to pull it off amazingly. If I'm not mistaken ADIBAW don't have a bassist but just two guitarist who follow each other up very well.

This album is a must have for fans of the emo/screamo genres, but I think many more people will enjoy it. For fans of: Circle Takes The Square, City Of Caterpillar, Indian Summer.

Stand out tracks: There Are Objects And Objects, The Illusion Of The End.

4.4 / 5

You can find mp3s for There Are Objects And Objects and The Gaze at http://www.purevolume.com/adayinblackandwhite

================================================== ==

I'm pretty much just gonna go in alphabetical order down the band pages.

IsItLuck?

02-14-2007, 07:54 PM

Alright, I have grasped the point then :) It's a bit late here so I'd better go. I'll finish the job tomorrow, remember 1300 to 1400 are MINE :mad:

channingggggggggg read the angry note!

Channing

02-14-2007, 07:55 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=5513

A Dozen Furies as heard on A Concept From Fire is
Bucky Garrett - Vocals
Marc Serrano - Guitar
Joey Turner - Guitar
Keith Reber - Bass
Mike Hunt - Drums

Bucky Garrett - Vocals Bucky Garrett is an amazing vocalist on this album. He has his own unique scream and he has great range. His clean voice is simply fantastic, he can harmonize extremely well. His voice sounds so powerful when he is screaming as well. Like I said he has a very unique scream, he can hit very low notes as showcased on "An Idea and Some Rope", but he can also hit high notes in his scream which is sown on almost every song on the album. He blends clean vocals with harsh vocals perfectly. He can change between the two three to four times in only a matter of second. "The Cycle" has a good example of this along with live versions of many A Dozen Furies songs.

Marc Serrano - Guitar Marc Serrano can not only lay down wonderful rhythm tracks but also mind boggling solo's as well. He can create very intense fast pieces such as "The Cycle" but also slower riffs like on "Lost In A Fantasy". Not only can he play fierce rhythm parts, but also ripping leads. While not every lead is a shred fest they aren't lacking in the technical department at all. He has some of the most challenging leads I've heard in metalcore for a while. "Lost In A Fantasy' exhibits an excellent lead. It fits in right with the music, it actually takes back seat to the rest of the band, it's used as more a background effect then the driving force of the song.

Joey Turner - Guitar Joey Turner is the second guitarist in A Dozen Furies, but is in no way any worse or better then Marc Serrano. Like Marc he can lay down aggressive rhythm tracks he can also shred like Marc. On the live version of "Awake and Lifeless" that can be found on the OZZfest 10th Anniversary DVD/CD he plays a great lead behind Serrano's blistering rhythm track. He can also play rhythm amply well and does so on most of the album. I can't tell you for a fact that on the record Serrano and Turner trade off leads, but from the live songs I've seen by them I have the feeling they do.

Keith Reber - Bass Keith Reber though not audible on most of the record can still make his instrument cry and moan like no other. When he is audible you can tell that he is playing incredible things. Though not the lead instrument of the band he and drummer Mike Hunt and guitarists Serrano and Turner hold up a great rhythm section that never fails to impress. On the official A Dozen Furies site there is some videos (or at least there use to be) of just Keith jamming on his bass and it's pretty impressive. Reber complements Mike's drum beats extremely well.

Mike Hunt - Drums Mike Hunt is probably one of the most talented drummers in metalcore today. He uses his double bass pedal to perfection. He doesn't overuse it like some modern drummer, but he does use it a lot. Most of the time though it isn't straight 16th notes played as fast as humanly possible it's doubles and triplets played. He also uses his toms a lot, most of his fills are great, and even when he is keeping a straight beat he doesn't take away from the music with his drumming he adds to it. He and bassist Keith Reber hold up a great rhythm section especially when Joey and Marc are doing a harmonized lead pattern.

The bad about the instruments on A Concept From Fire
-The bass is almost never heard. I can vaguely hear it at points with no guitar but not that well, they need to turn Reber up.

-Almost no solos. There was a very little amount of solos on this record, while I'm glad they didn't overuse the amount of solos a few more wouldn't hurt.

-The vocals are constantly double tracked and harmonized. Not that this is a bad thing it makes Garrett's voice sound great, but on the live shows I've seen he is slightly lacking so maybe they should tone that down a little.

The Big Picture of ADF
Each member of the band fits together perfectly. I can never hear a guitar riff or a drum beat out of place. When they were making A Concept From FIre they must have worked very hard to get everying to fit together. The bass complements the drums, the guitars go great with the feel of the song and the vocals make it all work together. A Dozen Furies blends together faced paced heavy riffs with a melodic element that makes it all work. On ACFF A Dozen Furies make all of the intruments sound so full, whenever they want it to be known that Marc can shred like a maniac, or that Mike can play amazing fills the rest of the band takes a back seat to them. They don't try to all show off their talent at once, they wait their turn.

Recommended Tracks:
The Cycle
An Idea and Some Rope
Lost In A Fantasy
Awake and Lifeless

4/5

This album is great, a very good metalcore album amidst the wave of bad metalcore in recent years.

Channing

02-14-2007, 07:56 PM

channingggggggggg read the angry note!
oh whoops. sorry stoic

Channing

02-14-2007, 08:19 PM

so much ****ing coding ugh

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=4045

A Perfect Circle, Tool's Maynard James Keenan side project's last release on Virgin Records before going on a temporary hiatus in 2004. This CD/ DVD release contains everything a fan of A Perfect Circle or Maynard in general should have. The CD contains remixes of several popular APC songs, including The Hollow, 3 Libras, and The Outsider. The DVD contains several music videos, commentaries by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, three Bikini Bandit trailers (all in which star Maynard), and a home video filmed/ directed/ and produced by Billy Howerdel.

The CD
The CD part of the aMOTION package contains nine remixes of six APC songs from their albums Mer de Nomes and Thirteenth Step. Three of the nine remixes on this CD are previous releases taken off soundtracks that APC have contributed too, Judith (Renholder Mix), Weak And Powerless (Tilling My Grave Mix) (found on the Underworld soundtrack), and The Outsider (Apocalypse Mix) (found on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack). All other remixes are exclusive to this CD and this CD only.

Judith (Renholder Mix) is the first track on the remix CD, and has a very Industrial sound to it, much unlike its original version. This track is a lot slower then the original and can also be considered the clean version (cutting out the line "F**k your God"). Both of the 3 Libras remixes are similar in sound but, again, are very much unlike the original. 3 Libras (Feel My Ice Dub Mix) has a very trancelike feel to it, and just like the Judith remix, is a very slow paced track. 3 Libras (All Main Courses Mix) is a lot longer then any of the other tracks on the CD and uses a lot of radio static and noise. It is also slightly heavier then the slower remix of 3 Libras, but has the same, slow paced feel to it.

The Outsider (Apocalypse Mix), by far the best remix on this CD, gives a very strong, apocalyptic feel and has the least Industrial feel to it. The other mix, The Outsider (Frosted Yogurt Mix), is more in tune with the original song, only depicted at a faster pace. All in all The Outsider remixes are both the best tracks on the CD. The Weak And Powerless (Tilling My Grave Mix) is probably the most mediocre of the tracks on the CD, both slightly heavier and darker then the original song, it doesn't have the same drive that the original song had. The Blue (Bird Shake Mix) is another track that out does its already big hit original by far. This remake goes back to the Industrial influenced sound that APC adopted for this CD.

The last two tracks on this CD, The Hollow (Constantly Consuming Mix) and The Hollow (The Bunk Mix) both end the CD on equally good yet extremely different notes. The Hollow (Constantly Consuming Mix) uses a piano and some weird sampling along with Maynard's beautiful voice, making this song the better of the two The Hollow mixes. The Hollow (The Bunk Mix) is a lot more upbeat and Industrial then the first. All in all, the remix CD is a must have for any APC fan who feels the need to own every APC song out there.

Overall Rating: (4/5)

The DVD
The DVD part of the aMOTION package is loaded with extras and inside information on the band along with nine music videos with or without commentaries by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan. The DVD also contains three contest runner-up videos for the song Blue and a Directors Cut version of the sexually explicit video for The Outsider.

The videos all in all are good, highlights including the Judith, 3 Libras, The Outsider, and Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums videos. The Judith video is a basic depiction of the band playing together in someone's living room. With a dark toned color to fit the mood of the song and rare shots of the band members faces, the video goes well with the song Judith. The 3 Libras video is probably the best and highest quality video of the nine on this DVD. The video shows Maynard in relation to little boy he meets at the hotel. The over all theme relates to the complex genius that is 3 Libras. The Weak And Powerless is one of the more, shall I say, odd videos in this DVD. The video shows the girl from the Thirteenth Step photos apparently throwing loathful creatures into a pit to be devoured and in the end, falling in herself. This video is one of the more explicit videos, containing a good bit of nudity, but not portrayed in any sexual manner.

The first The Outsider is an edited version, but you can get the original in the extras of this DVD. The Outsider video is a short story involving stars from a TV series called Bikini Bandits, which in terms is Maynard's favorite show. The Thinking Of You video is by far the most offensive video also starring the Bikini Bandits and is portrayed in a more comic book like form. Note this video contains strong sexual content, and frankly doesn't fit the song at all. The Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums is the most symbolic of all the videos. The animated video symbolizes corruption in the Media as Bush hands out TVs to people and posses them, while the sheep march and get struck by the hand of God. The Blue video is another odd video. The video depicts an apparent necropheliac having dinner with her dead, cold, and blue husband (There are three other videos made for this song, the best being the one directed by Will Young).

The Noose video is actual live footage of A Perfect Circle performing. The live footage is an amazing yet somewhat disappointing sight. APC would probably be better live if you were actually at the concert. Finally, the Imagine video is not only a tribute to John Lennon, but it shows footage of the war at hand, depicting the horror and loss that war has brought to countries of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The home video created by Billy Howerdel of APC is a very entertaining piece to watch. Showing the wild sides of every band member, even Maynard, whom was said to of join APC to loosen up from his serious image in Tool (Note: James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins has got to be one of the craziest people I've seen caught on video). The extras also include three Bikini Bandits trailers, all in which star Maynard and the girls from The Outsider and the Thinking Of You videos (Due to some content in these videos I can not describe, I won't).

Overall Rating: (4.5/5) *If you are not offended by strong sexual content.

metallicaman8

02-14-2007, 08:27 PM

I'll edit mine sometime soon.

Channing

02-14-2007, 08:29 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=10022

Post-rock is most definitely the 2000's equivalent of hardcore in the 1980s or indie rock during the 1990s. While basically receiving no mainstream success, it has risen to the top of the underground's hype circle with bands like Sigur Ros and Explosions in the Sky carrying the torch given to them by pioneers like Slint and Bark Psychosis. While all of these bands are certainly well received as post-rock, there is one band that has essential helped shape the genre into what it is, and in a sense what will become of it. Godspeed You Black Emperor!, kings of post-rock, rulers of the underground, and as of today nowhere to be found. Sure GYBE showed how much they rocked with Albini's help on their 2002 release Yanqui U.X.O, but where have they been since then? Hiatus apparently, yet the member mostly reconized as the leader of that intensely popular band, Efrim Menuck has been carefully knitting away on a little project called A Silver Mount Zion. While the band's name is certainly up for discrepancy the familiar GYBE attitude is extremely present. The anarchist tainted music, the depressing yet uplifting melodies, and the familiar string section of his former band. But perhaps what makes ASMZ so unique from the GYBE is the extremely personal and individual attitude they take upon presenting in their music. While GYBE possessed "lyrics" in the form of sound bites and samples, Efrim uses his voice as a tool to further push his emotional hilt into the listeners of A Silver Mount Zion. Where as GYBE's music delt with the excitement and epicness of the revolution, A Silver Mount Zion's music seems to deals with the repercussions of that act. A Silver Mount Zion's music is full of the confusion and pain but also the hope and joy of the barren wasteland left after the world's apocalypse.

This description of ASMZ's music is important because "Pretty Little Lightning Paw" kind of marks a change in the band's sound. Where with their previous releases "He Has Left Us" and "Born Into Trouble As Sparks Fly Upwards" ASMZ painted very depressing tales in their music, the first track on "Pretty Little Lighting Paw" certainly makes it seems like the band's attitude has changed. "More Action! Less Tears!" starts off with a sample of a girl goofing around and then quickly changes into an instrumental piece that is very reminiscent of the opener on GYBE's "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven". "More Action! Less Tears!" is very upbeat and possesses a very intense feeling of joy and happiness that slowly withers away when the paranoid "Microphones In The Trees" follows it. "Microphones In The Trees" makes very good use of Efrim's unique voice by layering melodies through out it. While GYBE and ASMZ are both known for their use of heavy reverb, the kind found on "Microphones In The Trees" is overwhelming to say the least. The "center point" of the EP "Pretty Little Lightning Paw" is a very vocally centered piece that makes use of lots of layered vocals too get across its point. The track ends with a barrage of odd samples that cut way into the more hopeful "There's A River In The Valley Made Of Melting Snow" which could be described as "post-shoegaze" with it's fuzzy guitars and distorted vocals. The beauty and fear found in all of these tracks is what truly makes them work and what makes "Pretty Little Lightning Paw" such an interesting EP. It is essentially a realist view of the world that while filled with much despair and hate, also finds beauty in the truth and instead of being angsty about their disgust with the world Efrim and his band of Canooks come of as a bunch of people just regretting how beautiful things could be if there were just a few little changes.

The flaws on this album are few, Efrim's tattered voice, the similarities in the final three tracks. But really if you are a fan of post-rock everything that you want is present here and if you are a fan of emotionally charged music everything that you could want is also present here. While "Pretty Little Lightning Paw" is certainly not the best post-rock release, or even the best A Silver Mount Zion release, it carries with it some unique tricks on a somewhat played out genre as well as some truly personal music. If one artist could be said to be wearing their heart on their sleeve Efrim Menuck is most certainly it, and "Pretty Little Lightning Paw" just goes on to reiterate this point.

Channing

02-14-2007, 08:47 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=8333

Ruiner, the latest full-length from melodic hardcore band A Wilhelm Scream, is a paradox for me. On one hand, the musicianship, at its peak, is absolutely outstanding. Everyone contributes their part astoundingly well, and it becomes one of the most brilliant pieces of punk I've ever heard. Then again, at times they become incredibly generic, and it truly becomes a bore of an album. Luckily, even in the deepest, darkest moments on this album, the guitarists are there to save it in the end.

A Wilhelm Scream originally made their mark by releasing Mute Print, regarded by many as brilliant and topping numerous 2004 punk charts. It would be a task to follow up such a well-received album, and somehow AWS pulled it off to some degree here. As individual musicians, they're all close to being outstanding if not so; guitarists Trevor Reilly and Christopher Levesque are perhaps the most talented guitarist duo in punk today, while bassist Brian Robinson routinely makes fun and catchy basslines that manage to distinguish themselves from the pounding riffs and solos (he even throws in a solo here and there, a neat trick to look out for).

The drumming is a slight drop off from the rest of the band, but that's to be expected in such a guitar driven band. Nicholas Angelini keeps the beat perfectly fine, and while he provides quite a few fills, he never overdoes it. Nuno Pereira is a rather bland vocalist, however. He isn't particularly bad; his psuedo-intoxicated sounding singing style, while not unique in any sense, adds that extra edge to the music. While his voice can get incredibly grating over the course of a lengthy song, on tracks like Congratulations, it works perfectly.

The album is at its best when the band decides to get technical on us. The opening track, The King is Dead, contains some of the best guitarwork I've ever heard, from the opening solo to the mind-numbingly awesome bridge, it's guitarist heaven. The band as a whole put on their best performance on Killing It, as everyone plays a solidly throughout with Nuno's barks and the driving riff making the song. The Kids Can Eat a Bag of Dicks is also notable due to the incredibly metal sounding intro, and the face-melting bass solo near the end of the song.

Of course, the album can't sustain that for its 14-track duration, and it often falls into being tedious and not a whole lotta fun to listen to. Much of the middle of the album (rather, tracks 4-8) is entirely too repetitive, and it starts to lose steam near the end of the album as well. However, all in all, Ruiner an extremely solid metal-infused punk album, where the highlights in the end do end up slaying the "lowlights." It's a great record, and one of the more promising records of 2005. Here's to more crazy guitar solos in punk!

Recommended Tracks
The King is Dead
Killing It
Congratulations
The Kids Can Eat a Bag of Dicks

Channing

02-14-2007, 08:58 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=4205

40 More Reasons To Hate Us, an appropriately titled 3rd release by the grindcore band everyone loves to hate. Voted by Revolver magazines as one of the top ten best grindcore records to date, this album deserves a lot of the credit it gets, but maybe a less praising form of credit. Although not as well produced and accurately toned as A.C.'s 1997 release I Like It When You Die, this album is definitely one of A.C.'s highlights. Combining their influences in grindcore and psychotic ludicrisy toned to a noise level, A.C. has managed to create one of the most accurately titled and most profound albums they have released to date.

Seth Putnam, You Either Hate Him Or... Hate Him
Seth Putnam is the founded of the grindcore band Anal C*nt back in 1988. He is also the mastermind behind his side projects joke bands Angry Hate, Impaled Northern Moonforest, Vaginal Jesus, and You're Fired!. Born May 15, 1968, Seth is from Boston, Massachusetts and is of Irish and English descent. He is known for his guest vocals on Pantera's The Great Southern Trendkill and even did a Manowar cover, Gloves Of Metal with the Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo. Additionally, infamous punk rocker G.G. Allin has a song titled after the infamous band, and according to Seth, Allin requested Anal C*nt to be his backup band on one particular tour. This, however, never happened, due to G.G. Allin's death from drug overdose.

In October 2004, Seth Putnam had a seizure and fell into a coma for two months due to a heroin overdose. His doctors, thinking he was going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life, were ready to pull the plug before he woke up. He is currently in recovering from his coma, and has stated that a new A.C. album should be expected in sometime in 2006.

Pros
40 More Reasons To Hate Us is a profound album, perfect for any grindcore fan. The Manowar cover song, Gloves Of Metal, is by far the best track on the album. Backed up by Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo, A.C. manages to create a track that sounds more humane then their original tracks. Also, the song Theme From Three's Company is a must hear. Other highlights to the fast and furious riffs combined to make an album are Hope You Get Deported, Al Stankus Is Always On The Phone With His Bookie, Everyone In Anal C*nt Is Dumb, and Van Full Of Retards.

Cons
The noticeably horrible way they write there name is by far the most offensive thing on the album. Not a lot of variety among the tracks. A lot of the tracks are too short. Tracks like Kill Women, I Hope You Get Deported, and I Just Saw The Gayest Guy On Earth make me sometimes regret liking this band. As far as grindcore goes, A.C. stands out in the crowd, but when compared to heavy hitters Napalm Death and the old Carcass, there is just no comparison.

**NOTE: I as a reviewer for this album do NOT agree to the offensive topics of this band. I am a widely diverse music fan, and find A.C. to be a very amusing band to listen to in times when I just want to break the silence. My rating is based solely on the amount of entertainment and production quality of this album and this band produce. I do not abide by, agree to, or promote any of the subjects proposed in this band's lyrics. Thank you.

Channing

02-14-2007, 09:04 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=4204

The 4th studio album by the trendy Massachusetts based grindcore band, A.C. Containing 51 micro tracks of pure chaos and mayhem, I Like It When You Die is the perfect album to any hardcore grind collection. Combining gut wrenching riffs of pure distortion and blast beats so fast your ear drums start to bleed with practically inhuman psycho screaming and bellowing growls that make you wonder why the vocalist, Seth Putnam, hasn't passed out and died of a heart attack. What seems to make A.C. so popular in the underground world is their controversial lyrics and song titles meant for the soul purpose of offending or humoring anyone who listens to them, and I Like It When You Die is no exception. In this album, A.C. seems to target homosexuality and subjects that anyone of appropriate fitting would take to great offense.

A Bit Of A.C. Irony
In October 2004, Seth Putnam had a seizure and fell into a coma for two months due to a heroin overdose. His doctors, thinking he was going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life, were ready to pull the plug before he woke up. There was also an argument based on whether or not anyone would miss Seth Putnam, considering the irony of one his "songs" on this album, You're In A Coma, which (if you haven't guess by now) is a song about how gay [no specified] people are for being in comas. Seth Putnam then sued the doctors for their consideration of ending his life, and he is now currently in rehabilitation.

Pros
The album is very even flowed, with each track being short and sweet and to the point (although some point should never have to be made). Standout tracks like Jack Kevorkian Is Cool, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Your Kid Is Deformed, You're In A Coma, No, We Don't Want To Do A Split Seven Inch With Your Stupid F**king Band, and Kyle From Incantation Has A Mustache. Also, the songs that direct hate towards bands such as 311, Dishwalla, Supertramp, and Everclear, let you know that these guys don't take kindly to fanboys of (mostly) underground music that are not their fanboys. Also, as far as grindcore goes, this album is a classic and is highly recommended for fans of old Carcass, Napalm Death, The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, and Brutal Truth.

Cons
The brutal honesty of these guy's lyrics (for the most part) can be considered by many as "unappealing." All the songs tend to follow the same pattern of Seth's psycho babbling and blood curdling riffs that can get boring if you listen to it too long. Waaaaay too many songs that use the word "gay." Waaaaay too many songs in general that are too short and come in as quick as they go out. Some tracks are pure filler and have no lyrics to laugh/cry at. Again, the album art is horrible, yet fitting for A.C. in an odd yet satisfying way.

**NOTE: I as a reviewer for this album do NOT agree to the offensive topics of this band. I am a widely diverse music fan, and find A.C. to be a very amusing band to listen to in times when I just want to break the silence. My rating is based solely on the amount of entertainment and production quality of this album and this band produce. I do not abide by, agree to, or promote any of the subjects proposed in this band's lyrics. Thank you.

Iluvatar

02-14-2007, 09:06 PM

You're making a relatively large contribution to the site Chan!

Channing

02-14-2007, 09:10 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=4200

It Just Gets Worse, that's probably what people thought when A.C. (short for Anal C*nt) released their 6th full length album in 1999. Probably the most purposely and bluntly offensive band in the music business (if you can call their "noise" music), A.C.'s sole purpose is to offend everyone in living existence and/or humor them with their grotesque lyrics and bluntly labeled song titles. It Just Gets Worse is no exception, with song titles like I Became A Rape Counselor So I Could Tell Rape Victims They Asked For It, I Sent A Thank You Card To The Guy Who Raped You, and Domestic Violence Is Really Really Really Funny.

Despite their vulgarness, lack of sensitivity, and out right offensive nature, A.C. is a very controversial band. They are one of the few grindcore bands that don't settle for just grind, contributing to death metal, hardcore punk, and even melodic black metal side bands (all by the same members of A.C.), the members of A.C. prove that they do know what they are doing, whether they're joking around or not.

Some Recent A.C. History
The following paragraph is from Wikipedia.com

In October 2004, Seth Putnam overdosed on "a combination of heroin, crack, alcohol, and two months worth of ambien sleeping pills done all at once." As a result, he was comatose for several days and sustained severe nerve damage, needing months of physical therapy to recover. According to Putnam, doctors had intended to "pull the plug", fearing he'd spend the rest of his days as a vegetable. Some observers considered this poetic justice, given such Anal C*nt song titles as Jack Kevorkian Is Cool and You're In A Coma (both found on A.C.'s 1997 release, I Like It When You Die).

Pros
This album itself is a piece of work. A ballistic fury of riffs and screams that sound more inhuman then human with belching growls that compare to Napalm Death and Agoraphobiac Nosebleed. Every song hardly exceeds one minute and to the untrained ear, all sound like mindless, psycho music, but to real grindcore fans, this album is a breakthrough in grindcore music. With standout micro tracks like I Became A Rape Counselor So I Could Tell Rape Victims They Asked For It, I Lit Your Baby On Fire, The Only Reason Men Talk To You Is Because They Want To Get Laid, and Chris Barnes Is A Pu**y (a direct assault on the vocalist by a Cannibal Corpse influenced band), A.C.'s It Just Gets Worse is by far there most degrading, vile, yet amazingly funny and entertaining album yet. A "musically" perfect grindcore album.

Cons
The album tends to specify the abuse and degrading of women, which is one of the few A.C. topics I personally find very very trendy even by their standards. Also, with such songs as I Like Drugs And Child Abuse, I Convinced You To Beat Your Wife On A Daily Basis, I Sent Concentration Camp Footage To America's Funniest Home Videos, Women: Nature's Punching Bag, Hitler Was A Sensitive Man, and I Got An Office Job For The Sole Purpose Of Sexually Harassing Women, this album is more then less appealing to even some of the most dense and insincere people in the world. Also, A.C. are not known for their creative, yet somewhat justifying grotesque CD covers.

As far as the band goes, A.C. are no longer together and although they will never earn the title of Napalm Death's successors, they will always be remembered as a loved (mostly hated) band of grindcore.

**NOTE: I as a reviewer for this album do NOT agree to the offensive topics of this band. I am a widely diverse music fan, and find A.C. to be a very amusing band to listen to in times when I just want to break the silence. My rating is based sololy on the amount of entertainment and production quality of this album and this band produce. I do not abide by, agree to, or promote any of the subjects proposed in this band's lyrics. Thank you.

Channing

02-14-2007, 09:20 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=6172

It is rarely that you can find an album that is picturesque, yet gut wrenchingly disgusting. The sort of album that goes from a stomach turning intro which peers into the tortured minds of madmen, to a beautiful piece that evokes images of a mournful trudge through the heart of a snowstorm. I would wager that only one genre could successfully create such an effort, and that is ambient black metal.

Lord Aakon Keetreh, with an experience gained from time in black metal legends like Belketre and Torgeist, is eminently suited to creating such a sound. His skillful weaving of misanthropy and despair into a musical thread is something to be appreciated, even if this music is an anathema to your tastes.

On this EP, traditional black metal tracks like Apogee of Despair and Journey vie with the slower, acoustic tracks like Until The Twilight (which features a brilliant pairing of piano and guitar, overlaid with haunting screams), and Och Venod. Interlayed with lamentations, screams of anguish, and the oppressive atmosphere of a funeral dirge, the tracks are musically complete, despite the lack of drums (a tradition amongst the Les Legions Noire).

Bedrovelse is somewhat disappointing, and it highlights the main problem with the album. Despite the short length of the songs (the entire EP is 11:42 long), the continual repetition of some of the slower riffs can ruin the atmosphere and grow tiresome in short amount of time. Although the drone is necessary in some songs, such as Journey, the most well executed tracks are those in which Aakon introduced both acoustic guitar and piano. These not only impart his message upon the listener, but retain the listener's attention. Och Venod is a shining example, and hence it is my favourite from this EP.

Both the intro Suffering and the outro Apogee of Despair are under a minute, and musically simple songs. The content of Suffering will test your ability to hold down breakfast, as it creates the sound of its title effortlessly. By comparison, Apogee of Despair is a single riff black metal track played well, and also is where Aakon makes best use of his distinct vocal stylings, with muted screams adding to the atmosphere.

Ultimately, though this album will leave you in awe of Lord Aakon's talent, it is the somewhat dismal approach to some songs that will leave a slightly sour taste in your mouth. But having said that, I am always genuinely annoyed that the album ends so quickly, and as such, I do think it is one of the finer ambient releases of the LLN.

Channing

02-14-2007, 09:36 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1540

Melodies from the hacksaw severing your spinal chord...
To me, Aborted is everything you may have come to expect from a brutal death metal band plus a little extra to make them something more special than just an array of guttural roars backed by down tuned guitars and blast beats. Aborted uses all instruments to full potential creating music that is mature yet still extremely brutal. The vocals I think make them stand out from the rest of the death metal crowd. Instead of the usual stream of boring grunts that sounds like the vocalist is having intestinal problems, Sven takes it a little further. High pitch shrieks and flat out metal screams are definitely present. Sven, as well as the other members adds a new dimension to the music not normally seen within the genre. The bass I think is the only downfall. I can only recall one or two instances when the bass is distinctly heard doing anything besides playing guitar hugging rhythms. There is an occasional break for the bass to do its thing, but overall I think Fre didn't get enough exposure.

The drums of course are just as insane as one could hope from death metal. The blast beats and double kicking are exceptional - hell, they just kick ***. Frank plays ridiculously fast throughout the entire album, but doesn't limit himself. Blast beats are dominant, but Frank oftentimes uses different beats to mix things up and keep the rhythms from becoming too repetitive. Spot on hammering of the percussive anvils. And finally the guitar work - oh, how I love the guitar playing. Now, this is death metal, so you should be able to assume what the majority of the guitars sound like normally. First off, they don't sound as low pitch as other death bands - meaning the music is more defined than chugging riffs that sound no more than a rumble. Thijs and Bart also go beyond a mass of random power chords. Lead guitar work dominates in all its forms - but don't get me wrong, power chords are used tastefully to deliver a throat hacking onslaught of metal fused death. The solos I believe are also a highlight of this band. If you're looking for insane Cryptopsy type death shredding, you've come to the wrong place. Aborted solos sound very well written, and show that the musicians have a background in traditional metal. That's right, the solos are lengthy and display more than the ability to make randomly crazy shreds and definitely resemble traditional metal guitar work, which I will go more into depth on later on.

Aborted is more than just choppy brutal riffs with the occasional break. These guys incorporate a little thing called melody, fused with insane brutality, to create a sound that you can really headbang to. The track Meticulous Invagination begins with and goes back to smooth sections that aren't too over the top but still very heavy - the music almost flows perfectly with expert timing. These amazing parts are scattered throughout the album and provide a breath of fresh air for the music to shine over the heaviness. Sanguine Verses (...of Extirpation) has something similar. While blast beats are still present, the music itself is toned down for a more calm and flowing sound. But for the extreme sound with no bull***, just pure ***ing brutal metal, we need Clinical Colostomy.

I'm sorry to go back to this topic, but I love the soloing on this album. Try the track Sanguine Verses (...of Extirpation) to see what I'm talking about. Lengthy solos that have structure. Not just thirty seconds of super fast shredding, but stuff that displays some form of feeling as well as talent. They do sound like some type of older metal (possibly thrash solos) and accent the music beautifully. I urge all of you to check out the solo in Ornaments Derision - at times it is, dare I say emotional?

This band is one of my favorite death metal bands. I've told you why, now it's your turn to listen and decide for yourself. Vocals that are diverse enough to make several atmospheres in one song all the while artfully backed by the much needed brutality. Guitar work sophisticated enough to grind into your skull and then turn around and play an amazing solo. The bass and drums pound consistently - not at all repetitive but artfully played just as they are needed to make Goremageddon a metal massacre worthy of spilling blood from the firstborn. Any and all death heads must hear this; I'm sure there are those who hate it but so far I haven't met any.

Recommended tracks:
All of them, but if you really want me to be specific:
Meticulous Invagination
Sanguine Verses (...of Extirpation)
Clinical Colostomy

Final Rating - 4.5/5

Cocaine

02-14-2007, 09:36 PM

It's really not hard.

Copy into Wordpad/Notepad/Word. Control H. Replace ? with ' or " or whatever. Good **** though Chanman. I'll reps you.

edit: ne'er mind, gotta spread it.

morrissey

02-14-2007, 11:31 PM

It's really not hard.

Copy into Wordpad/Notepad/Word. Control H. Replace ? with ' or " or whatever. Good **** though Chanman. I'll reps you.

edit: ne'er mind, gotta spread it.

This works 90% of them time but you need to be careful because other things like dashes, ellipses, slashes, accented letters, ligatures etc. are often replaced by the <?>.

edit: finished adding these, your work is much appreciated chan.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:32 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1116
This review is left in the middle so I suppose delete it.

Add tracklist:
Dead Soul Tribe - A Murder of Crows
1. Feed Part I: Stone by stone
2. Part II:The awakening
3. The Messenger
4. In a Garden Made of Stones
5. Some Things You Can't Return
6. Angels in Vertigo
7. Regret
VIII. Crows on the Wire
IX. Ibm Not Waving
X. Flies
XI. Black Smoke and Mirrors sample
XII. Time (Bonus Track)

and cover:
http://www.deadsoultribe.com/bilder/murder_gross.gif

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1145
Just delete the title in the review.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1146
Just delete the line up in the beginning

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:33 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1117
small fix in the tracklist

Just so you know this is one of my favorite bands. So it may seem like a kiss-*** review.

Allegiance - Starts off with a creaking and goes straight to the point. It has a very catchy beat and a great album opener. Good guitar parts and compelling drum beats. 5/5

Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse - The single of the album. Nice mix of the grand piano and all the rest of the instruments. Has exactly what Dimmu Borgir is made up of and one of the best tracks on the album. If you havn't already seen it, try to watch the video. 5/5

Lepers Among Us - A very heavy song at the beginning and makes a nice transition at the break. Using a voice synthesizer to change his voice into a diabolical sounding whisper. The break is the best part and the very end comes close. Another one of the best songs on the album. 5/5

Vresbyrd - In English it's translated to "Wrath Burden". Very fast tempo and beat. Guitar part at the beginning is one of the best riffs in the album. Like any other Dimmu Borgir song it gets soft and heavy once again. Although the song is written in Norwegian, if you translate it it is still a good piece of art. 5/5

For The World To Dictate Our Death - One of my least favorite songs on the album. starts off with a very impressive drum riff. Has a very slow and consistent beat throughout the whole song. Very good lyrics for the song and is still worth hearing. 4/5

Blood Hunger Doctrine - The slowest song on the album. Has a really slow and mellowish mood to it. Mustis uses a lot of effects on this song, which is why it's so good. Operatic voices in the background, violins carrying the melody, and the piano during the verses. 5/5

Allehelgens Dod i Helveds Rike - Translated in English would be "All Saints Burn In The Realm Of Hell". My favorite track on the album. Good use of guitar at the beginning of the song and drumming skills. The first translation with the violins, mellows the mood for what is about to come because in the second translation the piano carries the melody and Vortex comes into play. The guitar riff after this part is by far one of the best Dimmu Borgir ones. Easy, Yes. Enthralling, **** straight. 5/5

Cataclysm Children - My least favorite son on the album. I can't really explain it but it doesn't seem like Dimmu Borgir. It feels like it lacks an overall deficiency. Not much of a tempo or melody shift. 3/5

Eradication Instincts Defined - Starts off with a nicely put together piece. If your not a fan of symphonies, then you'll hate this song. Very powerful melody and lyrics. Perhaps one of the best written songs on here. 5/5

Unorthodox Manifesto - Starts off with guns shooting in the background. You'll gradually hear people chant "Hail Satan" for about 1 to 2 minutes. Very Simple yet Heavy Riff to start out with. Nice use of the synthesizers on the song. 5/5

Heavenly Perverse -Cool guitar riff to start of with. Haven’t really listened to this song that much, but it's still very good. A very nice album finisher. 4/5

My favorite album from any band. I listen to this Cd everyday and absolutely love Dimmu Borgir. If you've never heard them I suggest you do. Very good musicians, as they use all of their instruments to the best. Lyrical-wise it's very good. One of the best song writers along with Manyard and Corey. Very dark and somber mood the defines of what black metal is made up of.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:34 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1118

I was extremely surprised to find this not reviewed, as it is IMO one of the best albums ever, and definitely one of the most revolutionary. It was released in 1978, and the remaster i own was released on Warner Bros. I don’t know if this is the case with the original, but if someone could tell me that would be great.

Ok. For a quick introduction, Van Halen were formed out of many bands, and originally Eddie played drums for what would become one of the biggest rock acts in history. They hired Dave because of his eccentric stage acts and 'bad boy' reputation, and Eddie switched to guitars and Alex went behind the kit. Michael joined up on bass and everything was ready for a great concept to become a great band.

From the minute you put the CD on, and hear that pumping bass followed by Eddies awesome riff, you know this is going to be a different listen. From the quiet chorus to the building 'OOOH YEH! Running With The Devil! AHHH!' of the chorus, this song is great. Amazing solo, and great drumming through out.

I have devoted a whole paragraph of writing to Eruption, so i would like you to pay attention. Although these days, i know quite a lot of people that can pull this track of, i still don’t know anyone with enough originality to A. Compose This B. Be As Innovative As This Was At The Time. Although today we see shredding like this from many guitarists, this album was released 26 years ago, when this playing was unheard of. His self-taught finger tapping was a totally new thing, revolutionizing the way people thought about guitars and how to play them. This song alone, bought a new flare into guitarists, and i still think of it as a cornerstone in music making.

Enough with that, onto the rest of the album. This track is followed by the great cover 'You Really Got Me.' Although some die hard kinks fans were annoyed at the solo, most welcomed the revamped classic with open arms, and this made another great hit. After this is the classic 'Aint Talkin Bout Love,' a showcase of distorted guitars and lead riffing, followed by an amazing solo. I play this song in the band that I’m in, and I know how fun it is to play. (this song is exceptional live, even with Sammy). The exceptional 'I’m the One' follows, with the chanting 'I’m the one the one you love, come on baby show your love! Hey! Give it to me!' Great guitar work in this one, and a very cool thumping drum beat backing everything up. After this, it goes back to a slower pace with 'Jamies Crying,' but all the better! This track still rocks amazingly hard, with some nice muted riffs in the chorus. 'Atomic Punk' is another great track, and leads nicely onto my two favorite tracks on this album 'Fell Your Love Tonight' and 'Little Dreamer.' 'Feel Your Love Tonight' is very upbeat, with another chanting chorus, with some cool 'i cant wait to feel your love tonnniiight,' backing vocals. As usual with a lot of this songs, there about David's seemingly unquenchable thirst for women, and this song definitely shows this with the lyrics 'I’m-a-begging you! On my knees!' Another great solo leads nicely into the slower track 'Little Dreamer.' Even though the riff in this song isn’t the most complicated ever, it is my favorite on the album, and the simplicity definitely provides great impact. 'Ice Cream Man,' another cover is done very well again, with some good acoustic playing at the beginning from Eddie. This last track 'On Fire' picks up the pace once again, with an amazing bit of riffing and great chorus vocals to end this great, great album. 'I’m on FIRE! I’m on FIRE!'. Great song, amazing solo.

Right, for those of you who haven’t heard much Van Halen, i suggest that you either start with this album or 1984, which are both classics from the Roth era, but you will find some great stuff done by Sammy if you prefer more piano/synth etc based rocking.

This is one of (if not my favorite) rock album of all time, from the amazing riffing, to the exaggerated vocals, and the thumping bass and drums, you just know these guys had the time of their lives recording this album.

Recommended Tracks (I want to say all of them so bad):
Eruption
Aint Talkin Bout Love
Jamies Crying
Feel Your Love Tonight
Little Dreamer
On Fire

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:35 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1122

The Shins formed in 1992, a time, of course, when Grunge was swarming the United States. They brought together a wonderful sound of post-punk garage rock, Chicago charged Indie, and down right Brian Wilson inspired pop. It took them 9 years to get to the record I’m reviewing - a simply outstanding one, cultured by years spent together as a band, finding their niche. touring with the likes of Modest Mouse has had it's effects, you can hear their inspiration, but above all, that of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. Melody is everything, here, a truly, inspired and inspiring album.

Caring Is Creepy 8/10 - a very good opener, it really lets you in on the kind of quality you're about to experience. Intricate lyrics dominate, eerie sounds, vocal techniques that hint Modest Mouse. Simple and effective this song, organs, guitars, dusty drums fuse, verse and chorus vary so nicely.

One By One All Day 9/10 - this song takes the album and runs with it. brilliant tempo, beach boys drums make themselves felt. The lyrics are fantastic, worthy of the title, really worldly stuff, reflective and innocent. Trails out nicely. A sunny, upbeat side of the album.

The Weird Divide 8/10 - a mellow, relaxed song, very calming and mood concerned. Mood is the key here, and we really hear the Brian Wilson come out. It acts as a really great bridge, a calmer, between One by one all day and the next outstanding track of the album.

Know Your Opinion! 10/10 - A great song. So upbeat, with a great opening "Shout out, pimpled and angry!". the mood changes are superb, and surprisingly short, i feel it deserves longer!

Girl Inform Me 8/10 - a nice little song, Brian Wilson is heard even more in his vocals, and the talking at the very end of the track is very reminiscent.

New Slang 10/10 - wonderful song. very touching, but not at all sad or depressing. the perfect balance. the acoustic is so effective in this track in fusion with the complementing bass, that plays unison to the vocals. The vocals are so great, a real sitting-round-the-camp-fire nature, as the entire song is. The song's best moments occur in it's fluid chorus 'if you'd took to me like, a gull takes to the wind'. The electric, Ryan Adams-like, pops in now and again with excellent, complimenting lines.

The celibate life 7/10 - Short but filling in very well. cool guitar sounds.

Girl On The Wing 7/10 - a track that brings the album back up to a strong tempo again. A driving rock 'n' roll beat makes this song, stronger guitars, still some nice Beach Boys intertwining harmony vocals

Your Algebra 8/10 - an eerie song, reminding us of the opener, a baroque style cello runs up and down in the back, spooky vocals, and a nice mood changer. funny ending, with the sound of kids laughing.

Pressed In a Book 7/10 - a nice Beatles-esque track, retro style, nice tempo changes, just follows with the rest of the album, great, easy listening melody.

I'm not sure if there's an 11th track, it may be only on the US version. Let me know if there is, I’d be dying to hear it.

All I can say is, you've got to hear this album!

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:37 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1123

Many of the Americans amongst you probably know Fastball, most likely as a one-hit wonder type of band from the late 90s. I'm not so sure if others will recognise them; I know I bought this album because I was an impressionable young teen on holiday in Florida, and they were getting a lot of airplay at the time. I often credit this as being the first CD I bought that was in any way approaching rock, so in a way I owe it a lot - it made me aware that there were more than five or six bands in the world, and encouraged me to seek out new music (something which I haven't stopped doing since, really) - and I suppose it's odd that I still like it. I'll try to be objective, though, despite my personal affection toward it.

Without mincing any words, this is more or less a guitar pop album (i.e. pop songs played with guitar). I tend to distinguish between guitar pop and soft rock by saying that guitar pop is basically written primarily with poppiness in mind. It's a ridiculously blurry line, and you can take what you want from it. As long as you've got a ballpark idea of what they're playing, we're cool.

Anyway, as you probably guessed from that, there's nothing technically stellar here (and no swearing, as if that makes a difference). However, it doesn't give the impression of being a cynically manufactured album - most of the tracks have something of a darker side or a curveball to throw you, musically or lyrically (for example, The Way, the big hit single of the album, has a good solo, and most of the songs have a surprisingly good bass performance for what is essentially a poppy album). With the exception of Sweetwater, Texas, which isn't very good anyway, there's a lack of customary ballads, which is refreshing, and to my mind another indicator that this album wasn't pieced together with major commercial success in mind. What's even more refreshing is that they manage slower tracks without simply making them ballads – Slow Drag is one of my favourite songs here.

The dual vocalists, although they don't sing together on any tracks, instead electing to take lead on some tracks and not on others, are another oddity, reminiscent (to me) of Oasis. It goes without saying that all of the songs here are nicely infectious, though I must admit that I find it hard to distinguish how infectious now, when practically every note is set deeply in my mind anyway.

Basically, this is 40-odd minutes of really good poppy rock, though in my opinion, the album does get worse as it goes on - the first seven tracks are excellent, the following three are good, and the last one isn't really very good at all. I've no idea of the general opinion regarding this album (in critical/historical terms), though I imagine it's not very high; I can't see this being thought of as particularly important, or anything like that. I do know that it was an important album (a turning point) for me (and I'm fairly sure it stole Spikey's heart as well), and I think that the mere fact that I still like it now, more than six years later, with my tastes ranging from extreme metal to jazz, says something about it's quality as such an album. Then again, maybe it is actually crap, and I've just spent this review desperately trying to find justification for my liking it.

With that in mind, I'm torn as to what to rate this. Is it 2/5 rubbish, which I just happen to have great affection for? Or is it actually a good album, for what it is?

3.8/5 with the thinking "Screw it, it's my review."

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:39 AM

Everyone must have heard about The Cure at some point in their lives. For me, unfortunately, it wasn’t until recently. I’ve never had the chance to see them live, or see them break-up, then get back together again. Releasing albums by The Cure is like finding toys in cereal. This is their third compilation of ‘greatest hits’, and they’ve released countless live albums. Nevertheless, the songs on this are tremendous.

So the album begins with possibly their most famous song, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, which also happens to be the song that introduced me to The Cure. The lead guitar part to this song alone can make me very close to crying! Nevermind the lyrics! I personally think this was such a great song to write. I think what makes it so sad, is the title itself.

Through this CD, we are given some really great songs. ‘Just Like Heaven’ for example. Begins with a small drum part, which introduces the repetitive bassline, and the other instruments enter one by one.

I think what makes me love The Cure so much, is how basic they are. Think about how bored Simon must get playing ‘A Forest’. It bores me to no end playing that. But still, it’s a great song, because it’s so basic. Their songs aren’t exactly complicated, but Robert and the band manage to make them sound incredible. As I’ve said, the basslines aren’t exactly professional material, but it’s amazing how they were able to make them sound so catchy. Also, if any of you have had the pleasure of watching any Cure videos, I’d like to add that the ‘Why Can’t I Be You?’ video, is my favourite, and also one of my personal favourite Cure songs.

Robert seems to be the expert with quite abstract lyrics. From ‘Let’s Go To Bed’:
‘Let me take your hand, I’m shaking like milk’ for example.
Also, from ‘Lullaby’ we have Robert saying: ‘The Spiderman is having me for dinner tonight’. We must give him credit for his imaginative writing, as well as his original similes.

I find that towards the end of the album, the songs become less interesting. I can’t walk up to my CD player, and stick it on ‘Wrong Number’ or ‘Just Say Yes’. I’ll only listen to them if they come on randomly. Whenever I’m listening to the album, like right now, I’m usually within the first 12 tracks. ‘The Caterpillar’ is the song playing now, and I absolutely love the chorus, and towards the end of the song. Also, the piano part to ‘The Lovecats’ makes me want to get up and dance!

Recently, The Cure were named the MTV Icons 2004, and had bands like Deftones, AFI, Blink-182, Razorlight and The Cure themselves performing. I disliked the Razorlight cover of ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ with a burning passion, but that is only my opinion. This whole review is my opinion basically. Whether or not you take my comments to heart is up to you.

Recommended Tracks:
Boys Don’t Cry
Let’s Go To Bed
In Between Days
Why Can’t I Be You?
Lullaby

This may be yet ANOTHER Greatest Hits release for The Cure, in which the track listing hasn’t changed that dramatically. If you’re looking for somewhere to start for The Cure, this would be your first buy. I love this album to pieces.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:40 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1126

Some general impressions
You all probably thought the same when hearing about the new album of GC: '****, spare me more of the stuff like "Lifestyles of the rich and the famous"...' I read some articles on this album before it's release, heard some interviews by the band, stating that it is much more mature than their older work. Well, I had the opportunity to listen to it a couple of times, as I borrowed the CD from a friend. It comes in two flavors, the 'Life Edition' and the 'Death Edition', each with it's own bonus track. I checked both out (one at a record store)

So, what's the general impression? The intro is quite surprising. Japanese choir, and an orchestral arrangement. Sounds actually not bad. Even a bit... epic. The first 'real' song... WTF? Back to normal, sounds like the average Pop-Punk stuff to me. Not much difference on the following tracks. 'What's the big deal about maturity and stuff, not making only pop-punk stuff?' Good question...

Overall, it all sounds a bit darker. Lyrics-wise as well as speaking of the music. What really is new, are the orchestral/'foreign instrument' parts in some songs (Intro of 'Predictable' for instance. piano on 'The truth') or nice acoustic passages ('S.O.S.'). It seems that there are more samples used.

What I really like about the album:
Ok, going in a bit more specific, what was good on this album? Some songs are done real nice. 'The Truth' with it's main piano theme has a nice emo touch to it. The two guitars are used in a normal manner. I see the need for two guitarists here, not as normal with some other bands. But, I've heard that done better. Still, not bad. While listening, I really got the feeling on many songs, that they really try to advance their work and musical horizon.

What was not so good:
Ok, the intention is there, but still the first genre that I think of when I hear this stuff is Pop-Punk. The orchestral parts are nice, and give new accents, but it's not enough to bring it all into a whole new direction. The instrument work sounds normal, nothing very special there. Or I must have missed it if it's there.

Summary:
To sum it up: Nice effort, but... The stuff is, as Pop-Punk often is, very catchy. The record seems darker, which mostly comes from 'darker' lyrics. It has this little epic touch here and there, coming from the use of instruments foreign to this genre normally. Songs like The Truth or Predictable with it's intro can show that. I got the impression that the intention was there to do something 'bigger and more sophisticated', yet it does not really come out that way. Predictable really grew on me, and I actually like that song quite a bit, but the rest of the album kind of failed to impress.

Regarding the special versions: Both bonus songs are ok, nothing very bad, nothing especially good. Best would be to take the CD for a test drive and decide what song you like better.

My song suggestions:
"Predictable" - nice intro, quite catchy. not bad
"The Truth" - Mostly a piano track. This is probably the track that impressed me the most. Falls out of order the whole way it's set.
"In this World (Murder)" - Has all in all a more melancholic touch. Good example for the darker side of the album.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:41 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1128

Some general impressions
It had become very silent around Papa Roach after their second Major-Release 'Love Hate Tragedy'. The album was like a rock in the shelves of record stores, too bad to pick it up. Back in the days, when I got into stuff like Papa Roach, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit (cut me some slack, everyone has to start somewhere...), I was a huge fan of 'Infest'. But the follow up disappointed, I gave it a listen in my local record store and did not spend a cent on getting it in my hands.
So, really interested and curious about what the band now does, I went to listen to the newest baby, 'Getting away with murder'. Big surprise. "Wow, that does not sound like Infest-stuff at all..." Something like that were my thoughts after my first listen. The track that gets closest to old Papa Roach is the title track. Yet, it's far away from it.

What changed then? The first thing you'll notice is the actual singing of frontman Jacoby Shadix. You can call it that now in fact. He has really worked on his vocals, rap-metal vocals do barely show up, if at all. It is more a good (not Grade A, but good) rock singer's voice. With the occasional scream part in it. A lot of props for that advance.

The guitar sound changed as well, so slightly did the bass. All in all, this sounds like Modern Rock music, instead of Nu-Metal. Probably the only thing that has not changed are the topics of the lyrics. Still on the same 'angsty teenager'-level they were on the albums before.

Yet, through the other changes, the lyrics seem more mature too. If I had to name a band, that made a successful change of style and really improved their sound and musical work after a ****ty album, Papa Roach are the first that come to my mind. Nice work.

What I really like about the album:
Like I mentioned already, I'm really surprised and impressed by the vocal work. The major improvement of all. Nice are also the new steps Papa Roach take. The majority of the songs sound angry, but not as whining as the older material. It has some bright and friendly touch to it, while being angry (Stop looking, Done with you). Nice combination. We also have a song that is in major parts an acoustic song (Sometimes). The song 'Scars' is probably the most happy song I heard by Papa Roach so far. Talking about unheard things by a band.

What was not so good:
Gosh, things I did not like...? Hard to say. It's a really great album. But though it is a good album, it did not survive uber-long on my iPod regular playlists. So, maybe it's getting a bit old fast, but as I write this review and listen to the album at the same time...I think something’s getting back on the road with me. Some of the older bass lines were real nice, and more foreground. Now, it's 'only background work' in a way. For a bassist as me, that matters... Plus, there is some guitar work that suggests there are two guitars at work. Only one guitarist there? Sounds nice, but I always wonder how they do it then live, if it works 'only in the studio'. Bugs me, I know it's a dumb reason.

Summary:
I know I repeat myself, but this is a great make-over. This band has successfully made the jump from a Nu-Metal-Trend band, to a solid modern-rock band. My musical taste evolved a lot from the days I listened to 'Infest', and as far as I moved away from the Nu-Metal days, Papa Roach have re-invented their musical work. You can finally speak of singing, the instruments work really good with each other. One unit, so to speak.
As I find it hard to highlight single songs from the album (nonetheless, I'll try below), I would suggest take it for a test drive at your music store if possible. It sure is worth a listen.

My song suggestions:
"Getting away with murder" - First single and title track. Papa Roach, and yet not.
"Scars" - From the feel of the song quite happy, with a little melancholic touch. Really good
"Sometimes" - Acoustic guitar and Papa Roach? Hear that that is possible, and sounds good, too.
"Do or die" - Dark verses, but bright up Chorus. Worth a listen.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:44 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1129
cover missing

Back ground info:
A band whose music is pretty damn unlistenable to lots of people but i still love them, they have a lot in common with old school bands like MC5 and possibly even the Stooges (a little), most of the band also work for Buddyhead and anti-mainstream review site, which is really quite cool. This is there first major label album, but it is their second full length album (that i know of correct me if i am wrong) after a huge amount of E.P's. The band may be on a major label but they still consider themselves to be punks. weird huh? but they think it is more in the sound and the attitude. they have a point really.

--Stand out track reviews--

up against the wall mother****ers:
This track is bass lead and totally devoid of polish, its is very rough and really quite bad for the ears in a way, for me this song is perfect but for many people it would probably be difficult listening. It has something very old school punk about it. The music is mainly very simple though. 4/5

Meat Manner:
It's a quiet track, it takes a lot of listening, the vocals are whispered and the only present sound is a synthesized bass. it has an eerie feel. The lyrics appear to be the lead idea of this song though. as it describes a man whose wife "don’t want him near her kids". Overall though it is quite powerful and moving but there is nothing to interest most people here 4/5

Party the baby off:
The song that shows all the garage rock revival bands how it should be done. I love this track, but from another point of view it will still be hard to listen though it is probably the most accessible track on the album, i think most peeps should like this 5/5

Kiss like lizards:
It's another eerie song, it has really good guitar riffs and bass riffs in there, it is also the best track for drumming in my opinion. The song has very interesting ways of all the instruments working together to create a sort of tuneful din! I love it but of course as with tradition it is no song for the masses and is an acquired taste. 4/5

Overall:
The album has a rough edge to it and is very "punk" in the way it sounds, the lyrics are pure hatred embodied into songs though! So this album is not for the faint hearted. in fact most people will hate this album which is part of its charm to me. I would recommend it to fans of fast and furious rock music. But maybe fans of more accessible music should steer clear.

I would like to give it 5/5 but most people will not like it so ill give it 4/5.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:46 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1130

These guys got together in the 80's and launched their pure thrash metal self titled in 1990. They went Death metal for Nonexistent ('92), Inhabit ('94), and Reborn ('97). This CD is, as the title says, metalcore and normal metal. Their last CD is unclassifiable to me. They called it quits at the climax of the nu-metal trend. These guys or Mortification (not sure which) were the first Christian death metal band. I can't really say any bands these guys sound like. I know I say metalcore, but they sound nothing like Hatebreed or Zao. And unlike Slipknot, the experimental percussionist adds quite a dimension to the music.

Flatline - A good choice for an opener. As with most, if not all LS CD's there is a slight sound effect in the beginning and then the song starts. So after the effect, the guitar comes in. This is just a normal paced song. A little bit of sound effects, but nothing I could really pay attention to. Then the drums comes in. The song goes on in this odd sounding tone for a minute, then picks up just a little and Bruce starts growling. Matt's tribal sounding drums are not a major part in this song at all. I don't really like the solo in this song. I think it sounds like a completely other song because it compromises the songs groove so much. 3.5/5

Bloodwork - Awesome song. One of the high points on the album. It starts out with just the guitarist playing a very jagged riff, with Lance hitting his snare rim in sync with the riff. Then he switches to doing on his bass with his double pedal. Bruce starts growling very quietly, it sounds kind of like he's drunk. He doesn't sing for long, and the song is much more focused on instrumentation. Half way through the song, it stops all of a sudden, and a completely new sounding part begins. It's a little more upbeat sound, yet at the same pace. There's a lot more growling in this part. Right before this song goes back to sounding normal, you can hear Matt really good on this little experimental set. 5/5

Born Again - Pretty much a filler. I don't really like this song. I find it very boring. Not much to say about this song. 2/5

Local Vengeance Killing - Extreme pick up from the last song, second best on the album. It begins with the guitar and the experimental drummer. Nothing repetitive here. It's speed metal, and Lance is pretty awesome in this song. Lots of snare. The chorus kind of fades into a haunting whisper, then the guitar picks up again and it's really staccato(sp?), just as in verse 1. Then the song goes into major instrumentation. Bruce screams, but his lyrics are more staccato than the guitar. Very precise. This has to have the best solo on the CD. 5/5

Altered Life - I used to skip this song, but then I started liking it. Unlike all the other songs so far, the emphasis is on the vocals. The chorus is a duet. Not sure who's singing, (yes, singing) but it's good. It's got a mediocre solo. 3/5

Hand of the Dead - Another high point on the album. This song is pretty Doom Metal influenced. The intro is kind of like #2, but it's played faster, and has more silence. Then, Putman puts on an extreme show of talent, and breaks out in a tribal explosion on his drums. The first verse of this song sounds so satanic! Again, a melodic chorus, but this one is awesome. In the chorus, Lance is kind of doing an offbeat beat on the ride cymbal. It's wicked wierd. An original sound is what makes this song so cool. 4.5/5

Burn the End - This song starts out with Putman on a solo. Then out of nowhere, the guitar comes in, and it's in a really weird time signature, like none I have ever heard. From what I can count, it's in 9/4. I know its not as awe-inspiring as Meshugah's 23/16 beats, hemolias and polyrythms, but it just gets to me. I normally skip this song, but I don't know why. It's got an original sound. When Bruce starts to vocalize, it sounds like he's sad, but mad at the same time. The verses are really quiet. I just love how he says then where is my God able to shine through? This song has a very nice easy listening part in it. It's free of distorted guitars and raging drums. It's very soft and, dare I say, passionate! Soon enough, it sobers back up. 3/5

Hidden - This, too has a weird time signature in the beginning. I can't even hope to know what this is in. I skip this song too a lot, simply because there's nothing special about it. It's not repetitive, just boring. When the verse begins, you can hear the bass really good. Not much else to say about this song. 2.5/5

Perfect - This song won "Loud Rock Song of the Year" for 2000. It's ok, but definitely not the best. I'll admit that they actually ripped somebody off. The main riff is very similar to Creed's "Say I." Well, the song is still pretty good. Most of the verses are very quiet and calm, with softly sung vocals. A lot of singing in this song. Probably the most on the disc. 4/5

Conditional - EASILY THE BEST ON THE CD. Starts out with a grind/ death metal opening. Then it moves back into metal verse. A really nice mini-solo. Then the bass is the star. This has a very complicated pattern. The chorus is really long, but nice to listen to. Even though it's not a weird time signature, it's gotta be a pain to memorize. You think the song is going to fade out, then it goes back to the chorus. Call me generic, but this song gets 6/5!

Good: Unique riffs, lots of talent, little boring music, sick solos.
Bad: Lots of fillers.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:47 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1133

This is Van Halen (or Van Hagar's) 9th Studio Album recorded at Eddies own 5150. Personally this is my favourite Hagar album, but not my favourite Van Halen album in general. Now this album is like all Van Hagar albums not as raw sounding as the previous six Van Halen with David Lee Roth albums. Now the band are in their late 30' and early 40's but they still sound great.

Poundcake - Awesome Intro to a great album. Starts off with Eddie using a power drill (or so I think) then proceeds to Sammy singing. This track grows on you after a while. The solo is ok compared to Eddies other solos.
4/5

Judgment Day - Now Here comes my favourite song on the album and the best song on this album (In My Opinion, others would say "Right Now"). Their is great percussion work by Alex, and same goes for Michael but Eddies guitarwork outshines both of them. Talk about a solo, This is my favourite guitar solo by Eddie yet.
5/5

Spanked - Starts off with a Eddie using the tremolo bar then the drums and bass kick in. Good guitar work by Eddie and excellent background vocals by Alex, Michael, and Eddie. Eddie kicks off another great but sadly short guitar solo. I personally don't like this song but its still good.
3/5

Runaround - Kicks in with a catchy guitar riff, Eddie makes use of what seems vibratos or of the tremolo bar (hard to tell). This song has a catchy chorus which adds to this songs greatness of excellent percussion and to add to it the guitar solo is amazing done by the great EVH.
5/5

Pleasure Dome - A nice guitar intro by Eddie starts off this song and i know I said the drums were good in like every song but this time i mean this, the drums in this song stand out as Alex’s best percussion work on this album. Another awesome guitar solo by Eddie but not his best.
4/5

In 'N' Out - Begins with a short drum intro then Eddies screeching guitar comes in. Alex’s drums are louder in this song as for the bass. Sammy does a good job singing this song, along with the rest of the boys singing back up vocals. The guitar solo sounds like Eddie is using some Wah but Its not certain and its not that good of a solo.
4/5

Man On A Mission - Starts off with what seems like harmonic-like guitar intro which is very catchy. Sammy sound different in this song if you know what i mean but Eddies presents another great guitar solo.
5/5

The Dream Is Over - Intro starts off with Sammy saying "C'mon Man, Wake Up". Then Eddies guitar comes in along with Alex’s drums and some use of the cowbell. Sammy sounds angry (lyric wise) in this song then other songs. A good chorus with "OOOOOOOOOOOO"' and "AHHHHHHHHHS" by the band doing backup vocals. The solos is above awesome but like I said its not Eddies best but one of his best.
5/5

Right Now - Van Hagars best known song. Eddie plays keyboard for this intro (which btw sounds awfully familiar but I cant get my hand on what it is). Mike's Bass comes at the intro followed by Alex’s drums. Eddie pre-recorded himself playing the keyboard and himself playing the guitar (just for those who are wondering "How can he play two instruments at once?1?"). Alex uses a cowbell for the chorus which is extremely catchy. Sammy sounds really emotional in this song. Then comes Eddies utterly amazing solo (i would name it the best but its too short). This is my second favourite song on the F.U.C.K (For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge) album.
5/5

316 - This is a acoustic guitar solo if i stand corrected though on "Live Right Here, Right Now" he uses a electric. This solo sounds a bit western if you catch my drift. Though this song is short I still like it.
5/5

Top Of The World - The last song on the album kicks off with a guitar riff that is easily known. Percussion work is great along. Bass is excellent too. The chorus is the most catchiest one on this album with the line "Standin' On The Top Of The World". Now for the solo Eddie uses a Wah-Wah pedal which adds to the feel of the song but personally Eddie sounds better without Wah.
Great song none of the less.
5/5

In Conclusion, this is (IMO) Van Halen's (with Hagar) best album to date. If you like Van Halen (with Roth) but want to hear how Hagar sounds I suggest you pick up this album. You won't be disappointed.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:49 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1137
album info missing. Give rating 5/5

This is the filaments second studio album, and the band is downsized to only six members this time. The sound is slightly less 'core' and has more lead guitar riffs than the last album, and the horns section has changed quite a lot too. They seem to have more input into this album, and are definitely used a lot more on a lot of the tracks.

This album is very well rounded, with no obvious filler tracks. Considering it took them 2 years to write and record, I’m not suprised that it is this good. 'Sick Joke' starts of the proceedings, which is a cool little tune about (I think) terrorists, and how their ideals are just a hate filled dream. Very cool solo in this, and a nice riff in the outro. 'Men of the Law' follows this up. One word pops to mind when you hear this song. WOW. It begins with a chugging power chord (slightly overused intro on this album i must say), and then goes into an amazing (probably the best on the album) horn riff. Its to good for words, and this song live is pure heaven. When you’ve got 100 'HE NEVER STOPPED TO THINK!,' ringing in your ears, you cant not like this song. The B.P.C follows, which has a great chorus and horn riff too, and is also wicked live. After this we get to the real good stuff (do I say that too much in my reviews?) with 'Western Double Standards' and 'Life’s Not A Privilege,' absolutely blowing you away, even on the first listen. 'Western Double Standards' totally rocks out, with another amazing horn part, and a great 'WESTERN DOUBLE STANDARDS!' sing along chorus. 'Life’s Not A Privilege' is just as good, with a slower, slightly less upbeat horn riff, with some nice guitar melodies and a cracking solo added in near the end. The outro (yes, the outro) just takes the biscuit, everything slows down and leads into a great, great horn solo. Amazing way to end any song. 'No Part' was the next track to catch my eye, this time with a good power chord riff in the intro, and another great horns bit. 'Wooooooohh wooooooh,' all the way through this song, with a lot of melodic backing vocals. I thought an outro couldn’t get any better than 'Life’s not a Privilege.' I was wrong. Very wrong. Amazing ending, with a recording played over it adding to the effect, and a nice guitar riff. Horns get wicked agen at about 2.04, and another great track ends with another great outro. 'Mafia,' 'Bastard Coppers' and 'Zombie Break' end this album amazingly, 'Bastard Coppers' being officially the easiest song to sing along to at a gig ever. Once again 100 punks all saying '**** THE PIGS!' is enough to scare any cop!

Overall, this album is absolutely pure goodness. I thought it couldn’t get much better after their first release, but on this album the horns, guitar and vocals have become a lot more focused. An amazing live band too, i seriously recommend these guys to you if your a fan of any type of punk/ska-punk.

Standout Tracks
Men Of The Law
Western Double Standards
Life’s Not A Privilege
No Part
Mafia
Bastard Coppers
Zombie Jailbreak

This album gets an amazing :thumb: from me, one of my favourite punk albums in my collection, a must have for everyone I swear!

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:50 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1139

bio...
to all you 'maggots' out there..forget everything you know about the Slipknot of today. All that nu-metal and Slipknot-hating crap that everyone follows today is useless here. The Slipknot most of us here know and love is nothing compared to the back in '96.

In the beginning, after Shawn (drums), Anders (vocals), and Paul (bass) met up in 1993, the three toyed with the idea of making a band, and even wrote a few songs. But as Shawn's career moved on the idea fell through - until later, when along with guitarist Donnie Steele, the band really started to progress. Paul was determined to get his friend Joey Jordison involved. After much persuasion, Joey was finally convinced to watch a practice session in Anders' basement. After hearing three songs Joey decided to join moving Shawn to percussions. They knew that three drummers would be needed to achieve what they called a "hardcore audio assault". Anders filled in as the third drummer on the tracks where two percussionists were needed. To top it off, the guys realized a second guitarist would be needed - so Josh Brainard formerly of Modifidious was recruited. A small local show was played with the band donning almost Kiss style makeup with glowing green lights to match. Afterward, Shawn had started to attend practices in his legendary Clown mask. Thus started the band's masked appearance (only Donnie opposed the idea) and the anti-image ideas they adopted. That's as far as I'm going to go now because at this point only Cory Taylor could ruin things.

The album kicks off with the 7 minute tune Slipknot. After a few guitar chords and some brief drumming, some odd noises fill the gap. After about a minute of these noises the actual music starts. The bass comes in with some fast drumming. Just after the two minute mark is broken, the noises stop, and the whole band starts playing. The main riff is repeated for a minute until the vocals start. Anders' lyrics are about a video game, so if you're really paying attention it's quite funny and ridiculous to listen to. Another minute in the killer guitar solo starts. It leads into the slower part which goes on for a while until and even slower part with very heavy vocals begins. The song is very long (I guess there was a lot of pointless stuff they could've taken out) and is a pretty cool listen. To follow it up we have the song Gently which, unless I'm mistaken, is completely different from the Iowa version. It starts with some nice soft guitars and the drums back it up. The clean guitar riffs in this sound incredible. Soon the song goes all heavy on us with distortion and much more complex drumming. Mostly variations on what they've played so far fill in the song for maybe another two minutes until Anders comes in, sounding exactly like Sully Erna from Godsmack. Once the screaming starts over the main riffs we come to a deceptive break, where the instruments come back in playing something slightly different. Near the end Anders voice gets heavy and higher pitch and the song picks up until the end.

Track three and probably my favorite is Do/Nothing Bitchslap. This among other songs is what merits the album the 'experimental' tag. Beginning with some sweet bass and after a few nice heavy riffs, the song suddenly transitions from metal to jazz. With some light clean guitars and odd drum noises, the song switches back and forth from those two sounds until about a minute and thirty seconds in when the huge funk section starts. It's really cool to listen to with the funk being backed by some dark sounding synth effects. Some more cool bass playing highlights it until we go back to the metal sound, which lasts until the end. As the track progresses the drumming gets heavier and heavier with all three guys going all out on their sets. The song wraps up Anders making insane noises and weird static sounds. Good stuff. Only One, an even weirder song, comes next. It starts with the traditional metal sound that keeps for the entire short length. Soon Anders starts rapping (well, he's better than Corey) and eventually Paul playing the funk bass comes in. The three of those combined makes an interesting sound. With the repeated line "Only one of us walks away", this is probably the heaviest song on the record.

Next we have Tattered and Torn, which has the most eerie sound I've ever heard. It has one repeated guitar riff which lasts almost the entire song. There isn't much else to the song except for the vocals since the entire track is built around the one guitar sound. In this song Anders is either sort of talking or doing a low death metal growl. Just before it ends they go all out again with about five vocalists to get an incredibly heavy sound. Track six is Confessions which features some more good bass which gets damn fast at times. With the high-pitched guitar chords coming in on top of it with odd rapping vocals it's another completely unique track. It actually becomes upbeat sounding at times, which Anders making an adequate attempt at doing the melodic singing thing. We then get another great guitar solo. It's not really fast, but it sounds great with the rest of the song. It ends with the familiar bass/guitar/rapping combination. And yes, there is always Some Feel. It starts with some sweet metal sounds with just the heavy riffing and some weird high pitch static sounds that really sets the stage for the rest of the track. It stays pretty much with this sound with Anders doing nothing special with his voice. But at three and a half minutes we get a drum/bass combo that I really love. Once again, they end the song going as heavy as they could.

We're almost there – Killers Are Quiet emphasizes more bass playing that me cares not much about in the beginning. Some muffled percussions come in and some basic beats from Joey. This is the intro - and it lasts a very long time. I mean come on - this is not a prog metal band. How else could they get this song to last 11 minutes? Once again, Anders sounds like Sully Erna and there are some high pitch oss guitar noises. This also lasts quite a while. The track seems to be aptly named but is very repetitive. At 4:30 they fade back into the intro, and gradually gets softer. At 6:15 it goes into main riff with heaviness x10. Anders screams his crazy *** off in the end. Ultimately, there is no variation to the music in this song. For a few minutes Joey does random fast as hell drum fills, which I liked more than the actual song I'm sorry to say. The album draws to a close asthe song leads right into Dogfish Rising. Some whooshing and clicking sounds start us off coupled with the noises heard in the beginning of Slipknot. At some points it does sound like somebody is welding. Aside from getting louder, this lasts for four and a half minutes. Anders whispers something at that point and then it all starts again. Just over five minutes they actually start playing but it all sounds completely random. With horrible lyrics/vocals this is probably the most ridiculous and hilarious song ever. I swear to god, Anders must have been making this **** up off the top of his head as he went along. It's all completely random for the rest of the song and I can't even explain it.

This Slipknot's best album, hands down. But as Paranoidd once said, this was basically a completely different band than the one today. It's a shame, they could've done some extremely creative things had they stayed in the same direction. But a big thing is that this record is not what you would call "media-friendly". At times it does get hard to listen to with the genre transitions and overly harsh parts. But overall, people who think they know about the band but have never heard this need to listen to MFKR. This could change their mind - at least then maybe the band would get a little respect.

One really good thing - the rapid switching of genres in the middle of the song is quite cool. The music is rather complex at times and comes together very well. All the instruments are utilized, almost to full potential. I guess this should've been called two good things, because I absolutely love the bass playing on this record.

One really bad thing - Anders vocals can be really terrible and often sound completely out of place. Not to mention that a lot of his lyrics are downright stupid (althoguh they do make me want to play Whitewolf).

Recommended tracks:
Slipknot
Gently
Do Nothing/Bitchslap
Only One

Final Rating - this can be tricky. Compared to the later Slipknot work, this is an easy five. However, as I said, this is not media friendly. Some songs are hard to listen to and there's no getting around the fact that a lot of times they fill in big gaps with pure noise. So for these reasons, I give the album a...
3.75/5

Enjoy this if you can. It's worth a try for fans of the band or Slipknot haters.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:52 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1140
album missing, add rating 4/5

Background Info:
Originally formed in 1968 under the name Pogo. They were forced to change their name to Poco when a comic strip artist named Walt Kelly threatened to sue them. The band would go on to release numerous records, but would later disband in August of 1987.

I Guess You Made It (3.75/5)
Since this is a live album it's very hard to hear certain parts of it ... the guitar is quite repetitive and the vocal whail out a story about how the woman made it, but she hurt them "oh so bad." But it's still a good song.

C'Mon (5/5)
The most lively and upbeat song on this album. Brings to you a style of backwoods music with that overly distorted guitar. Vocals aren't that impressive, it's just about the music.

Hear That Music (4.5/5)
At the intro he says "we're going to play some hill billy music," and that's exactly what it is in a sense. Light headed song with fast paced vocals. You can faintly hear a slide guitar in the backgrounds adding to that twangy backwoods vibe.

Kind Woman (4.25/5)
A love song about how a good kind woman gives you a reason for lovin'. Sappy country love ballad, but it's still good, the slide guitar adds to the emotional state of the song.

Medley: Child's Claim To Fame/Pickin' Up The Pieces (3/5)
This is a great example how it's not really about your lyrics, more about how you can keep the attention of the audience with your rocking. Good instruments, at a few points the vocals remind me of yodeling.

You'd Better Think Twice (4/5)
I really love the guitar picking on this, even though it's repetitive it's just something you really can get down to. It's one of those light hearted threatening country songs -- "You better think twice before leaving me" says it pretty **** clear.

A Man Like Me (4.75/5)
A backwoods country love song that you'd most likely hear at the local moonshine distillery. The vocals and guitar go hand in hand on this track as both pick up and slowly drop off in perfect time. Awesome-ness!

Medley: Just In Case It Happens, Yes Indeed/Grand Junction/Consequently So Long (3.5/5)
Country folk song! The slide guitar in the backgrounds is awesome, really gives you a sense of your roots. To me this song is more about the intrumental than the vocals.

If you want some classic backwoods country music than this is the album for you! Although the vocals are far from great, the instruments are amazing. This album contains some pure southern guitar and steel lap slide guitar! If you like this kind of much, this album is something to admire and occasionally drool over.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:53 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1141

The Delays are a foursome from Southampton. Faded Seaside Glamour is their first and only album. The Delays are brit-pop, but have a different sound from bands like Oasis and Blur which have defined the scene. By drawing influences from The La's, The Hollies, and Cocteau Twins, Delays have created a beautiful and addicting record. The Delays were originally known as Corky, and have toured with the Thrills, and the Sleepy Jackson. Their sound is defined by frontman Greg Gilbert's beautiful falsetto singing voice, and throwback 60's pop melodies.

Wanderlust
The album starts off with a steel drum, shimmering guitar strums, and beautiful falsetto vocals. The song has a bit of a dreamy Caribbean vibe. The vocals and harmonies on this song are amazing. This is a really good feel good song with great hooks, and a perfect opener to the album. 5/5

Nearer Than Heaven
This is one of the 3 singles off of this album, and is one of my favorites. A short guitar riff intro and then the wall of harmonized vocals come in. Another dreamy song. The vocals are what makes this song so great. The shimmering guitar is wonderful too, but the best songs on the album are the one where the vocals are the focal point, and that is what makes this one so good. 5/5

Long Time Coming
This is another of the album's singles, and my second favorite song on the album. A distant guitar fades in, and a clapping percussion open the song, and the verse just builds up to an addicting, infectious chorus. This song has so many hooks, and is easily worthy of repeated listening. Again, like with most of the songs, the harmonized vocals are the greatest part of the song. 5/5

Bedroom Scene
There is a keyboard intro to start the song, repeating a riff. A drum joins, and the vocals that come in aren't the usual falsetto. This is the first darker song on the album, and actually follows a more straightforward rock progression from verse to chorus. I like this song, particularly on the pre-chorus, and the part where he sings "baby what I'm trying to say. I lost you in translation". Overall, it doesn't quite measure up to the previous 3 songs. 4/5

No Ending
This is a softer song than the previous 4, and is driven by a nice shimmering guitar and falsetto vocals. This is probably slowest and also the prettiest song on the album. It is a nice feel good song. I love the build up to the chorus only to hit a sudden point where he just whispers "no ending". It is really great. Really a wonderful song overall. 5/5

You Wear the Sun
This song is a bit faster. Again, the strong part is when he goes to falsetto to sing the chorus. This is the first song where a piano part takes the lead. It happens about midway through. Really, what makes this song so good has already been discussed. The entire album follows just about the same formula, but it is a formula that works very well. 4.5/5

Hey Girl
This is another of the singles, and is my favorite off of the album. It is a little more conventional. The falsetto is not to the point where he seems to be crooning like in previous songs, and this song has a rockier feel to it than most of the others. Again there are wonderful melodies and hooks. It has the same shimmering guitar and dreamy feel to it that the entire album does. It is hard to describe in words what makes the song so good, but it is one that you must hear to understand. 6/5

Stay Where You Are
This song is a big departure from the rest of the album. There is a piercing guitar riff repeated for the first minute or so with a distorted guitar in the background, and a nice clean guitar riff playing also. The vocals are still beautiful and dreamy, which don't really fit the mood of the song. The harmonies around the chorus are the best part of the song, but the verses are a bit weak. 3.5/5

There's Water Here
Here we have another slow song that is pretty short. It has a similar pace to "No Ending", but with slightly better singing I think. The singing makes up for what I think is one of the weaker songs from a songwriting standpoint. The one highlight is the switch from major to minor key for the chorus to give it a darker tone. 4/5

Satellites Lost
The back part of the album is overall slightly weaker than the first part, and this song is a prime example. It has beautiful vocal harmonies, but the song doesn't have the addictive pop hooks that the beginning of the album had. I still love the dreamy feel, but this song is one of those I would probably put on to listen to when I am trying to sleep. 3.5/5

One Night Away
This song is one of the more upbeat on the album. This song is similar in tempo and feel to "Hey Girl", but it lacks the same type of presence and songwriting that made "Hey Girl" so great. I think they may have tried to hard to make the guitar a center point in this song when they should have stuck to what worked the best with the vocals at the center of the song. 3/5

Up
This song is a darker one. It begins with a droning guitar in the distance. It is joined by choir-like background vocals. The vocals "I can see you" are repeated several time, then after a while the lead vocals come in and create a great hook. After each verse, the "I can see you" background vocals come in, and are very nice. The only downside is the percussion. They use a synth bass drum that sounds a bit out of place. Also the song is a bit repetitive, but overall I like it. 4/5

So while this may not be breaking new ground when it comes to music, [I]Faded Seaside Glamour[I] does manage to achieve what the Delays set out to, which was to create a feel good poppy record, and stray away from the typical britpop sound of bands like Oasis. This is one of my favorite albums of the year, and I really hate giving it anything less than a 4.5, but it isn't essential unless you like indie pop type bands, although it can be enjoyed by anyone.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:54 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1147
album info missing, add rating 4/5

--THE KILLERS—

DRIVEL
Kicks the album off with very melodic guitar riff that you just can't help to sway your head too. This song's pretty tight, the chorus is very hypnotic, but in a good way, if that makes sense. The guitar is very deep toned, with some heavy, heavy distortion. The lyrics, as with all the songs, have to do with getting high, so if you are against the god-send of weed, turn back now. Or just don't listen to the lyrics.
The Rating: 7/10

SOUTH TEXAS DEATHRIDE
Starts off with a trippy synth noise, but don't be fooled, it quickly goes into a very heavy, very moshable guitar riff. This is one of the, if not THE, heaviest song on the album. It's also very catchy once again, with some lyrics that will,

and I promise, get stuck in your head long after you listen to the song. A very nice build-up to the awesome chorus, singer Bryan Scott utters "so c'mon, c'mon... c'mon get up, get up..." then it proceeds back into the heavy main riff for one toe-tappin chorus. There is also an attempt at a solo, but its heavy in effects, but it sounds good, and goes with the rest of the song. This is song is awesome, and if you aren't moshing yet, you will be.
The Rating: 10/10

TURN ME ON, "MR. DEADMAN"[/b[p/u[
If you've heard any Union Underground, you've probably heard this song. It sounds alot like "When Worlds Collide" by Powerman 5000. This song's got an incredibly catchy chorus, and I don't know how many times I can say it about this band, but they sure know how to write some good riffs. This song will have you and your friends screaming the lyrics out loud in your car, probably scaring the crap out of some old ladies next to you.
The Rating: 8/10

[b][u]KILLING THE FLY
This is it. The first song I ever heard by these guys. I remember thinking, "Man this sh**'s AWESOME!" It's still effective to this day. The song is one giant build-up to the bomb-drop of a chorus, with I must say is awesome. I love this song, and I think you will too.
The Rating: 9/10

REVOLUTION MAN
Starts out slower than the other songs on the record, this could be Union Underground's power ballad of the record. The song picks itself at about :45, and gets moderately heavy. Loaded with a wah-petal, the song is pretty good, for those of you looking for a change on the record.
The Rating - 7/10

TRIP WITH JESUS
Starts out with a pretty fast guitar riff, this song has probably the catchiest chorus on the record. "Never me they will fail to see," Scott sings, "I will get so high that I trip with Jesus, apathy and a bitter me I will fail to see, that he walks among us." Wait.. is he talking about GANJA!? No comment... Oh, side note, there is actually a solo in this song. A pretty good shred, I must say.
The Rating - 9/10

THE FRIEND SONG
Almost sounds like a punk song, this is the retarded song that they put at the end of the CD because it doesn't sound like the rest of them. But I mean that in a good way. It can't decide if it wants to be a punk or hard rock song, but the ending effect is successful. I like it. There's also an okay solo in this song.
The Rating - 8/10

--THE FILLERS—

UNTILL YOU CRACK
Stuck between two kick-*** songs, which is its first mistake, and it's failure to pick it's ho-hum guitar riffing up, just makes this song a failed attempt. Not really my cup of tea I guess, but listen to it and you'll know why I called
it a filler.
The Rating - 4/10

NATURAL HIGH
This song's heavy and all, and starts off with the sound of a bong hit, I just don't dig it. I don't know why, but I think it just doesn't hold itself up to the standards of the other songs. The chorus kind of throws off the groove of the rest of the song. The music stops completely just for Scott to scream "Natural, just a natural..." Eh, no thanks.
The Rating - 5/10

BITTER
The only thing this song has going for it is the awesome interlude, which sounds like a giant solo, but it sounds really, really cool. But it's not enough to save the song for me.
The Rating - 5/10

If you are looking for a nice hard rock album chock full of great riffs and catchy choruses, then you've come to the right place. If you aren't here yet, go to the store now and get this CD. I swear you'll like it. I hope. If you don't... don't hurt me. Please.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:54 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1148
album info missing, add rating 4.5/5

Formed out of the NYC Hardcore band Crumbsuckers, these guys came into the metal scene in 1992 with their debut record, 'The Foul Taste Of Freedom.' This was, as MTV put it, 'received well in metal circles' and they went to release a host of other albums up to their newest 2004 release, 'Fistful of Hate.' Although they class themselves as hardcore, i think that they are more metal, mostly due to the growling, quite COB like vocals. They play a mixture of faster speed metal, and slower, more aggressive tracks, and i do not see how no-one has heard of them, especially after the live performances they have done (they might as well have been constantly touring for 14 years) and amount of effort they have put in. This review is intended to give you guys a better insight into their style, and hopefully you guys will check them out.

Ok, so the album opens up with a bit of feedback (slightly unoriginal but w/e), and you hear the crunching opening chords of 'Stand Tall.' I already knew what his voice was like, but first time i listen to Pro-Pain, i was blown away mostly by his voice. It is absolutely individual, and you hear this in Stand Tall. His vicious growl seems to punch a hole in you, but for some reason you want him to do it again, and this he does. 17 times, on all great tracks, all with there own unique parts and stand-out bits. All of the riffs in this album are great, especially tracks such as 'Life's Hard,' 'Act of God,' 'In For The Kill' and 'Pound For Pound,' just to name a few. The faster, more speed metal like songs such as 'Get Real,' 'The Stench Of Piss' and 'Iraqnophobia' leave you amazed at the variety that these guys can pull off. If you listened to 'Get Real' followed by 'State of Mind' for example, you would hardly know they were the same band, if it weren’t for the vocals.

The quality of musicianship is also great, and even though Eric is in the background a lot, he still shows through with his crunching palm muted riffs, whilst Tom pulls off some amazing solo's on 'Foul Taste Of Freedom' and 'In For The Kill' really showing off Pro-Pains more shredding flashy side. The drums are also great, and sometimes i wonder how Eric can keep up, with some great double bass drum work and fill work, like on tracks such as 'Act of God' which add more a more punk side to the proceedings.

A lot of the lyrics are themed on the government, but have a more realistic approach than a lot of more modern political pop-punk/rock. He enjoys singing about problems that seem to affect the everyday problems in life instead of big, worldly issues, although iraqnophobia (written about the first gulf war) does have an anti-war theme. Other than that, it seems to be just normal life he sings about, although a lot of the time its hard to pick out what he’s saying (which is in no way bad, his voice is so addictive). Gary is a legend IMO. His voice is totally individual, sometimes extremely brutal but always audible over the music. The song 'State Of Mind' best sums up his singing voice i think, we great brutal parts, but softer bits too.

Overall, this album is my par setter for any live CD I buy. Even though i was not there, i can have been to a Pro-Pain gig, and the energy they play with is absolutely amazing, sometimes scary. After 14 years of being together and still remaining relatively unnoticed in the industry, I’m surprised, and proud of these guys for not breaking up. They always seem to put in 100% to all their records and gigs, and for this i love them.

I didn’t give it the full five, simply because the sleeve I got this CD in contained little/no information about the band (even though it was real) and no lyrics, but the CD is amazing in every way.

Standout Tracks:
Stand Tall
Life’s Hard
Smoking Gun
Foul Taste Of Freedom
Crush
The Stench Of Piss
Iraqnophobia
Pound For Pound

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:55 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1149
add rating 3/5

No matter what kind of a big hater of nu-metal you are, you must admit that this record, Break the circle, is ...well...listenable. By this I mean that you can actually listen to this CD and think "why the hell is this still on, if I hate it so much?". That's the first impression I had, at least.

I’ll get started with the music, of course, and the a little compilation of the whole thing.

Open your eyes - A good opener. Not the best song of the album, but at least keep your attention up. The bass line is quite good, and so are drums. The intro is very nu-metalish, so it either gets you or just scares you away. 7/10.

Pressure - Another song that won't grow on you. Ohter than a little break in-between, there's just a lot of Aaron singing about a lot of...well...er...his suffering or something like that...not a favorite. 5/10

Fade - One of the singles off this record, it's quite ...well... funnier to listen to than the other 2 tracks... the bass line is pretty much the center of attention, and drums are quite good in here. As most of the lyrics around this record, this one is about being abandoned, or not having "someone to talk to". You know, typical nu-metal lyrics...8/10

It's been a while - If you haven't listened to this song, you must have lived under a rock all 2000...and maybe never watched "the butterfly effect". Anyway, this song is THE song that made me buy this album, so it must be one of the best songs written by this band. Everything seems to fit quite greatly, vocals, guitar, drums, bass, and it's just one of those songs you must remember to burn n a CD, in case your girl dumps you. 10/10

Change Not my favorite song, but again, bass saves the day. Lyrics are about...er...maybe feeling bad about something...don't really like this one, sound kinda like a filler. Listem to the little scream at the end...very 90's...XD 3/10

Can't Believe - Too...much...screaming... Musically it's an OK song, but lyrically...well...you know… Well, actually what saves this song is the acoustic version of this song played on MTV unplugged. I prefer that version. If you can, DL it and see which one you like the most. 6/10 (studio) and 9/10 (live acoustic version)

Epiphany - Another single. The video is...weird...looks kinda like the whole art of the CD, but I don't understand all the ghost. Good song, though, lyrics are a little improved, and...well...I like it better than the rest of the songs...8/10

Suffer - A slow, hard rocking song...put it on to get a little depressed, a little bad, or when you feel like painting. I don’t like it much, so...6/10

Warm safe place - Instrumentally interesting. Another great track, gets you going. Lyrics are about love, about coming back and feeling her around your arms...very mushy, yet quite an interesting track. 8.5/10

For you - Another "I’m very-hurt-about-my-childhood/teenage years-that-you-forgot-but-I-don't" song. Nonetheless, it's quite a good song, if you leave by a side the bad lyrics...well...not bad...just too repetitive by this point. All instruments are very good in here. Oh, this was a single, too. 8/10

Outside - The other song you probably never heard about "wink, wink". This one was also a single, and was big-time exploited. Lyrics are good, not outstanding, but quite understandable and poppy. So...people like it...what can we do about it? 8/10

Waste - Another ballad...but this one's boring and won't keep your attention...I hope...5/10

Take it - Another boring track...just skip it or put stop. 2/10

Outside (live version) - ...an extra track featuring Fred Durst...nothing but an acoustic guitar...not good enough to keep listening...yet a nice way to fill up a CD...

So, this was it... a CD full of weird moments and bad tracks... But hey, this is just a record about good relationships, bad relationships and about children's bad childhood. You want to feel a little depressed? go ahead and buy this album. It'll help you go through the bad times. Not an outstanding record, just a little above mediocre to me, because the worthy tracks were singles...and they weren’t those many.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 06:56 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1143
Just delete line up info.

I'm sorry if I missed something, more to come soon.

Hep Kat

02-15-2007, 07:21 AM

I'll get going on this asap.

TojesDolan

02-15-2007, 08:38 AM

I post the album images when I can. :)

I posted in two albums the album covers. :)

Stoic

02-15-2007, 08:56 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1151

The Ordinary Boys are one of the many new British indie rock bands, yet they outstripped many others with the excitement surrounding the release of this, their debut album. After a fierce bidding war (they eventually signed to the home of Aqualung ‘ B-Unique) and getting together with Blur producer Stephen Street, The Ordinary Boys had everything set up for them on this album. I am happy to report they did not fail to deliver.

Over The Counterculture
The first of many cutting songs about modern UK culture, this examines the fashion of being an individual. Impassioned lyrics, jazzy brass and spiky riffs make this a social commentary with a kick. Sets the standard for the rest of the album. 4.5/5

The List Goes On
An ear-catching beginning of ‘radio play just depresses me today’, this is a melodic and fast-paced song with some good lyrical work. Preston doesn’t quite carry off the verses, but the chorus sets up a very distinctive & original sound for the band. This also features a great guitar solo. 4/5

Week In, Week Out
A punchy guitar riff gets feet tapping to this song instantly. Another examination of normal life, although not so successfully done as the title track, it’s still a quality song and a class above many other bands of a similar ilk. 4/5

Talk Talk Talk
A slightly different sound to this song, which is very welcome. Really good instrument playing on this track, this is a highlight of a strong album, including good use of backing vocals. The Ordinary Boys really hit their stride here. 4.7/5

Little Bitch
The only track not written by the band, they still have their own sound all over it. The vocal style is a little different and doesn’t quite gel with Preston’s voice, but it’s a minor problem and doesn’t mar the track too much. 4/5

Settle Down
Very good guitar here. A different vocal style, but it works better than the previous song. As always, great lyrics, plus a grooving bass line adds a little something extra. There is a more developed air of darkness in this song, which makes it interesting listening. 4.5/5

Weekend Revolution
Preston probes down another layer here into a macabre song with disturbing lyrics. There’s a lot of anger here, even the guitar riff sounds spiteful and mocking. I like the rhythm of this track, it’s very appropriate to the song. 4.3/5

Maybe Someday
A very energetic number, this is more punk-influenced, with the tone of Preston’s voice changing to match. The chorus is almost frenetic and by being so lively it loses some of the song writing depth present in other tracks. Nonetheless, a good song. 3.8/5

Just A Song
Aha! The obligatory slow one! Lilting guitar and a Mediterranean feel get this song off to a good start. Preston doesn’t quite hit all the emotional buttons, and the lower notes are slightly off. The song is nice as it is, but it almost sounds unfinished, the chorus doesn’t quite manage to live up to the build up. 4/5

Seaside
I actually cannot get enough of this song. It’s energetic, melodic and wonderfully hummable. Great lyrics, great structure, fantastic chorus and even a brass band riff! A perfect summer song with a difference, this should always put a smile on your face. 5/5

In Awe Of The Awful
Once again, a slightly different song with more distorted guitar. More spiky riffs and vocals, the essence of the album is still intact. A good dance number and some effective hooks. 4.2/5

Robots & Monkeys
Here we are, the final track. Have the band got any more to offer us? I say yes. We are even treated to some Moog here. Another great set of lyrics and a perfect melody for Preston, who spills every last drop of the venom scattered all over the album. Brown lets go with the guitar as the band give it their all. A great final track. 4.6/5

Summary
A really well done album ‘ tight, well produced and mixed with great song writing, especially the lyrics. In fact, it could almost be considered a concept album. A refreshing change in the sea of bland MOR, this has a well-defined edge to it that sets The Ordinary Boys apart from the crowd. A band to watch.

Track Highlights
Over The Counterculture
Talk Talk Talk
Settle Down
Seaside
Robots & Monkeys

Stoic

02-15-2007, 08:57 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1154

I have been a big fan of Dashboard confessional for a while now; their music is truly inspiring and beautiful. There unique style of acoustic-emo has really lifted them above fellow competitors.

This album was recorded in 2002 live in front of an MTV audience despite this the quality of the album is crisp and precise and really captures the true Dashboard Confessional sound listening 2 the audience singing along fully involved in the dashboard show. So here is my review of this beautifully crafted album.

Swiss Army Romance: This song starts of with the quiet voice of Chris Carrabba introducing the album and thanking the fans for being there. He then strikes the first chord and the fans are singing along 2 the catchy melody. this song is very beautiful it really captures the true dashboard vibe .with such lines as ‘sleep with all the sheets off ,baring your mattress baring your soul". This is a very romantic song and could be one of the songs you would sing to your girlfriend. About 2:30 in the song there is a slight break up in the song which Chris stops singing and lets the audience sing the song, this is very effective for the song and it is one of my favourite parts it really lets you real the atmosphere. I like this song a lot and I would give it 8/10

The Best Deceptions: Again Carrabba introduces the song. This song starts off with a more melodic riff and its a lot slower than the first song and Chris stretches his voice a little more in this song, it has one of the catchiest chorus on the album ‘so kiss me hard, cause this will be the last time I will let you" the only let down in this song is that there is no drumming but lyrics wise this is defiantly the best crafted song on the album. It deserves at least 7/10

Remember to Breathe: Now coming to my favourite song on the whole album this song is incredible. it starts of with a brilliant riff and Carrabba has really excelled him self with the lyrics and the way he varies his voice in the chorus is awesome. this is the first song to introduce piano this is played by 2nd guitarist John Lefler , it really it’s the really of the song , and the drumming from mike marsh in this song is hardly poor. this song is highly inspirational and is well worth buying the album for ,for just this one song alone. This song is well worth 10/10 and will always be a favourite on the album for the killer lyrics, varied vocals and the sheer structure of the song.10/10

The Good Fight: Another amazingly worked song .this is more upbeat than the others and too be fair I love it. The drums really compliment the song and Chris’s vocals are also very good and the lyrics really get stuck in your yet this song really breaks down into a brilliant bridge at 1:45.This is a very good song and I would give it 9/10 it is very catchey.

The Sharp Hint of New Tears:This starts with a nice drum introduction by mike marsh who has played phonemanilly during this album it also owns a very catchy guitar riff which is simple but yet effective, as usual chris’s lyrics are ingenius and can be easily related too and the crowd really seems too get into this song this song is worth about an 7/10

So Impossible:I don’t really like this song too much but you still have to give the band some credit for how much effort they hav put into it and the amount of talent that is needed to play it.The best bit for me in this song is when again it breaks down into another bridge at around the 2 minute mark.Not 1 of my favourites but never the less good.7/10

The places you have come to fear the most: I really like this song it shows the true meanings behind dashboard confessional. The wokmanship, the lyrics and just the way they make their instruments sing. This song starts off quite slow but then kicks in too action about half way through and you can really get into the song it has a nice riff and just everything combined just makes the song complete an easy 10/10.

Turpentine Chaser: I don’t really now what too say about this song other than that it is very dashboard you can tell that it the band as soon as the music kicks in. this song starts with a slow kick off the bass drum and then the slow acoustic riff kicks in and then the brilliant voice of Carrabba. The lyrics for this song are also very well thought out, the best parts off this song is defiantly the verses they are very powerful and the range of vocals used by Chris is very good this song ends with a nice fill by marsh on drums and it is the perfect ending to a good song.8/10

Living In Your Letters: This is a very beautiful song the range of vocals what Chris uses is also very wide he really stretches himself . this is a very emotional song and would be the type you listen to when you have broke up wit your girlfriend or just need to relax. Chris points out to the fans that this is a song about some one he cares about. the cymbals are very prominent in this song they are well worked by marsh. again the lyrics are amazing the amount of thought put in is just intense .10/10 easy

For You To Notice: “I’m starting to fashion an idea in my head, where I would impress you with every single word I said". These are the first lines in this song and I think they are really good and show they intensity of dashboards thinking style. This is another brilliant song slow but is yet still upbeat. It is hard to explain but yet a brilliant song every instrument played too its best.9/10

This Brilliant Dance: Another deeply derived love song made by the band with great lyrics and instrumental presence which sets the band apart from any other. this song deserves a 7/10

Screaming Infidelities: This is defiantly their most popular song if you ask any one to name a dashboard song the odds would be it would be this one. with the introduction of piano again this song is brilliantly played and has the fans singing out the well known lyrics to the song and at parts has Chris and the band just stopping and letting the crowd sing it really gets you into the vibe of being there.10/10

Saints and Sailors: This is another upbeat song played out by the band, a catchy guitar riff backed up by good bass and drums the lyrics are again awesome I no I am saying it about every song but when you hear them you will b amazed.9/10

Again I Go Unnoticed: Chris again introduces this song with his soft withered voice and then goes straight into a jumpy guitar riff which makes you just want to get up and dance. Again mike marsh is playing the drums brilliantly this is defiantly a drummers album marsh is hitting everything right to fix in time with bass. Good song 9/10

Hands Down: Finally the last song on the album and what a way to finish the album with hands down what a song. Chris introduces it saying it is a song about the best night he’s ever had the straight after that a nice guitar riff kicks in. and into the catchy lyrics of the first verse and another nice beat by dashboard drummer mike marsh. The chorus to this song is brilliant also with the fans singing along to the melody. But the best part of this song starts at 2:00 the bridge of this song is awesome. Seriously it needs you to listen to it. Easily 10/10

Definitely one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long while.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 08:58 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1158

Agnostic front, known by some as the founders of the NYC Hardcore scene back in the late 70's, early 80's are still going all out today, with their new release set to hit shops late 2004. On this album, they still stick to the tried and tested full on hardcore, lightning fast bursts of music approach, and pull it of really well, even managing to get a single/video out.

As you first put this CD in, probably after hearing some more agnostic front, or maybe the single 'riot, riot, upstart,' u hear some sirens. I was like 'ok...' but then the first brutally fast track 'Police State' comes in, and Roger Miret’s surprisingly deep, loud voice breaks in with 'NEW YORK POLICE STATE, NEW YORK POLICE STATE!' At first I didn’t like this, but after a few listens you realise a lot this album is equally as speedy and short as the opener, and equally as good. You get the pick of the hardcore punk bunch on this album, with tracks such as 'Riot, Riot , Upstart!,' 'Sit and Watch' and 'Trust.' This is about as 'hardcore' as punk gets, with having metal tinges to it. It contains some great drumming, bassing and guitaring (speelcheck? lol), which show that these guys are still talented, even if they make simple music. With solos such as the ones on 'Riot, Riot, Upstart!' and 'Frustration,' being a great slice of guitar riffing.

A lot of this album is based around Miret's voice and Stigma's crunching, stupidly fast rhythm work. Although a lot of it is based around the same, intro, verse, chorus, verse, solo, chorus formula, its very hard to get bored of these songs, alot of them clocking in under 1:30. Drums get repetetive after the first few tracks (as with most punk albums), but some of Colleti's fill work is great. Bass on 'Trust' is extremely cool, and, although you cant hear a lot of his work on the CD, live the bass is amazing, and you wonder how he can jump around so much, sing, and still play his bass lines perfectly.

Vocals and lyrics are great. Miret, especially live, is a very scary man, very well built and musically, you know this guy works out too much, and his brutal shouting is enough to frighten anyone! Lyrically, it’s a lot about unity and injustice, but tracks such as 'Sickness' and 'Rockstar' show a more original flare in his writing.

One last thing I’d like to mention about this is the 'gang' backing vocals. Which are great. Very, very great. In the booklet (which I have misplaced...) they list over 20 people who contributed shouts on this album, even Rancid singer Lars Frederickson, who shouts 'STIGMA!' just before Vinnie's solo on 'Riot, Riot, Upstart.' They have my favourite. OI! and shouts, and if you like music with a lot of shouting energy, check this out. (On 'Its Time' Miret's wife even contribute vocals through out the song!)

Overall, a great burst of hardcore goodness. These 17 tracks clock in at just under 30 minutes, each track lasting about 1:30, but the music still remaining great throughout. Although I do enjoy this album a lot, it is definitely not Agnostic Fronts best, and is not as good as Dead Yuppies in general, or any of their more 'core earlier releases. The music and vocal style can sometimes get boring, and I think the decision to include 17 tracks was a bit of a mistake, so don’t buy this album if you are not familiar with agnostic front already. That said, these guys live are par with Pro-Pain for me. The first ever pit I’d went in was at an Agnostic Front gig, and I got killed. They have an amazing amount of energy live, and the music is great.

Standout Tracks:
Riot, Riot, Upstart!
Sit And Watch
Blood, Death And Taxes
Sickness
Trust
Price You Pay
Bullet On Mott. St.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 08:59 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1169
album missing, add rating 4/5, delete first comment…I suppose

Never Mind the Open Minds (The Definitive Edition) is the third CD album by the bombs, and the second in Alive records. This was originally released as an LP after Put Strength in the Finale Blow; they re-released it onto compact disc in 1998. The U.S. Bombs sadly, are no longer around, not officially, but then haven't done any touring or recording in a long time. Duane has since moved on with the death of one of his guitarist (Chuck Briggs) to work with Corey Parks of Nashville slightly confuzzled sea lion on Die Hunns. Which is also a great band.

This compact disc contains 10 wicked songs that stir the’ the cool person inside you? Ah it’s good. Let’s start.

Sex Machine
The opening track opens with Duane giving a cancerous cough-off. The beat to the song is pretty kick ***. I do enjoy it hefty amounts. Most of the songs on this album are a tribute to Sid Viscous, you know the whole bit. Like traditional Duane, you can’t understand what he says with out a lyric sheet, which this album doesn’t have so you’ll have to bear with it. The interments are good, but don’t except Dream Theater, these are just some guys who never succeeded at life, except at music, I doubt any of them went to college; but for their genera they are very good. They know what they need to make the music fit and flow with direction. Complexity doesn’t matter; the only thing that matters is if you like it. All in all, without my ramblings, and all the ****, it’s a good song. 4/5

Ballad of Sid
This song is about’ well, if you can’t figure it out then you should be shot. Though truly it’s not a ballad, since it is in 4/4 it’s still a nice soft song. About Sid and his crappy life and the glamour he got for it. It’s a nice song, it adds to the albums meaning and idea, which I like. 4/5

Slow Down
Slow Down if I could guess is about Sid’s life just going right past him and trying to figure it out. The riff for this song is bitch. This is a good song’ that’s all I can figure to say. 5/5

Neverland
Neverland seems to be about Sid trying make himself not used by someone. It makes sense, it has a little Johnny Rotten quote in there. Uh, crap. But I sure that’s what the song means. It’s a cool *** song. Our band has been learning it, in fact it wasn’t that hard, we got it in a day. But the lyrics for some reason get me real pumped, I don’t know why, I like it a lot thought. 6/5

The Outside
The Outside starts out with a nice soft acoustic solo then ends up being a fast blitzkrieg about Sid finding out what exactly he is. Which he doesn’t like’ I guess. I don’t know, I’m guessing people. But I’m pretty sure I’m right. There’s a lyric that say, ‘On the outside looking in. Look what you’ve be come." Which I think makes sense. The songs music is good, however I do not like the begging. I didn’t like the slow crap. 4/5

Go Back Home (EP version)
Song six is about Sid going back to what used to be, not what the music and high life transformed into. While coming back he notices his friends have changed also. Thus he tries to help them. I think I hit it. The music is wickedly wicked in ways that only witches and warlock could wonder. This song is one of my favorites. 5/5

Retreads (EP version)
The song Retreads, is about Sid looking back on his adventure, this is the last song to deal with the album’s message and or idea. This is my favorite out of the album; the music and lyrics hit me in a spot that makes me feel’ all, good inside. I could listen to this all the time. The solo is up-to-standards; it’s all right for what talent they have. 5/5

U.S. Bombs
This self-titled song is about, well the U.S. Bombs and what they are here to do. I don’t know why it’s on this album. It messes up the flow. The song begins with a good old Americana intro with I don’t know, so patriotic song, there’s so many who cares now? I like this song, it’s got a lost of foreshadowing of the Bombs future as in album names and songs. It’s a pretty decent song; it just looses a few for being out of place. 3/5

Call Box
This song rocks my boxers. I love the drums; the lyrics are amazing, though they don’t make sense, at least to me. I love this song. 5/5

Ballad of Sid (reprise)
This song sucks, I hate it, it’s a redone version of Ballad of Sid. It sucks; it’s worthless to the CD, why did they put it on? 0/5

~Final Thoughts~
This is a great CD to buy if you are a Bombs fan, like me. But if you’re just trying something new, get another Bombs album, like The World or try a Die Hunns album. I’d give the CD a 4/5. It’s good, but it has some flaws in it.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:00 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1172

Background Info
Amon Amarths fourth release. Medium paced hymns and always with Viking themes. I have read many reviews for this CD in metal magazines and many think that this is Amon Amarth’s best CD. It is definitely one of their best CDs.

An Ancient Sign of Coming Storm
Great opening song, it sets the pace for the rest of the CD. The guitar theme is very nicely put together with Johan’s deep growls. I must also say, through this entire CD the thing that impressed me a lot is how nice all the instruments sound especially the bass drum. 5/5

Where Death Seems to Dwell
I enjoy the lyrics for this song, since they are about a mans hellish struggles, but the song starts up too late. For the first minutes it is very slow and gets quite boring after a while. If you have the patience though, the end of the song is worth the wait. 3/5

The Fate of Norns
One of the best songs on the CD. Keeps you hooked on it through all six minutes of it. The guitars play great melodies and the drumming and bass are decent. Johan offers a wider range of vocals on this song than on any other song. 5/5

Pursuit Of Viking
A great song, very epic at times. I liked the guitar so much on this song I tabbed it out for myself so I could play it. This song never gets boring no matter how many times you listen to it. Everything about this song kicks ***.
5/5

Valkyries Ride
I don't like this song much, I don't know why. It is very much like must of the other songs on this CD. The problem is it's too mediocre; nothing really sticks out in this song. 3/5

The Beheading of a King
A short song but very enjoyable at all times. Probably the fastest song on the CD it explores the classic viking theme of battle. It tells the real story of the Danish king who tried to tax the Vikings and ended up losing his head. 5/5

Arson
This song is good through most of its duration. It goes by relatively fast even though it is pretty long. There are some nice guitar harmonies towards the end. Johan vocals are pretty good too. 4/5

Once Sealed in Blood
A good way to end the CD. It has all the elements from the 8 songs and wraps them into one song. The drumming is very nice, along with some good guitar riffs, this song is a very solid way to end the album. 3.75/5

In overall, this album is great, for any fans of In Flames and At The Gates, I highly recommend you get this. An amazing CD.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:01 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1177

A bit about the Biffy
Biffy Clyro, hailing from Scotland, have to date released 3 amazing albums, all with their unique sound and are growing in skill and depth every time. People have likened them to the Pixies and Nirvana, due to their style of changes of tempo, melody and distortion uses. However, don’t be taken by comparisons, Biffy have a style that is their own, and is one that appeals to both mainstream and alternative listeners.

This was their first full album, released on Beggars Banquet label in 2002.

Joy. Discovery. Invention
Perfect album intro, featuring all that is Biffy. Starts slow, then a stand out little riff, into a crunching distortion, with an insane sounding little section near the end, before heading back to where it started. Vocals are spot on too. 4/5

27
Same pattern as the first, but more vocal depth this time when the song kicks off into its heavier last third. The drums help the build up well. 4/5

Justboy
Begins with an overdriven section, but falls into a nice mellow section. Has a great chorus too, simple but effective guitar work, with nice effects at the end.
4/5

Kill the Old, Torture Their Young
After the natural harmonic intro, Simon discovers he can scream on this track, only for the first part, but it goes well with the powered riff The song slows down, goes to bare roots of a simple beat/strumming pattern. It then slowly builds up, then unleashes the heavier part, containing complementing vocals. At 6.10, it shows that Biffy have what it takes to write a longer progressive song, as well as 2-3 minute wonders. 4/5

The Go ‘ Slow
Another song that veers from heavy to clean on regular occasions. It has catchy lyrics too, and finishes with Simon once again discovering he has the ability to scream. 3.5/5

Christopher’s River
Emotional song this one, with a sense of defiance. Usual clean intro, but this has more feel to it, going well with Simon’s deeper lyrics. The break into the overdriven ending section is great, with the line ‘I’m not through..." repeated over and over to great effect. Finishes with a little octave solo-ish piece which brings the song to a good ending 4.5/5

Convex, Concave
More upbeat tempo with this song, but contains some of the most brutal Biffy riffs to date. A great live song, due to its great build up sections. 5/5

57
The most pop orientated song on this album. Full of catchy riffs, vocals that you will be singing for weeks, and the well know (for Biffy fans) ‘doo do dooo doo’ section, this track will stay in your head for a while after hearing it. 4/5

Hero management
Into section drags on a bit for this song, and the song s doesn’t appear to go anywhere for ages, until about 2 minutes in, where it picks up tempo. It ends well with feedback building up over the clean guitar, then heads into the heavier ending part, with nice octave work again. 4/5

Solution Devices
Overdriven bass lines are very noticeable in this one, another class Biffy song with its usual changes, and some more quality vocals. A more straight-to-the-point song than most of the others. 3.5/5

Stress On The Sky
The drums go racing away in this one; they get heavier while the guitar is still subdued. This changes before long, and a nice heavy section follows. Apart from the odd vocal section, this feels more of an instrumental song, with nice build up sections all over the place. 3.5/5

Scary Mary
And to finish, a ballad? Well it’s the tamest track on the album, but still has some nice parts to it. The vocals are spot on, and the little ending guitar section works well. A calm end to the album. 3/5

This album is a severely underrated classic, as it was lost (and even compared to) the surge of the Nu Metal market. It contains lots of catchy sections, which could easily share the charts with other manufactured acts that solely rely on forcing hooks on their listeners. Biffy however, creates and incorporates these sections brilliantly into their music. Also a great live band.

Suggested tracks
Justboy
57
Christopher’s River

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:02 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1178
It’s a poor review, more like a sound off. I would delete it but there are no other reviews for this release.

Backround Info
Norther is a Finnish band very similar to Kalmah and CoB. It is unique also of course but is really your typical Finnish metal band (aka very good).

I picked this up a few days ago because I had heard a lot about these guys. I thought they would be a CoB clone and while they sound similar they are not so similar that it sounds like the same band. Norther employs the double-axe-attack a lot more efficiently than CoB. Almost every song on this cd has a solo by both guitarists. The melodies are extremely well conceived incorporating multiple guitars and a keyboard at once.(Of Darkness and Light, Mirror of Madness are two great examples).

Aside from the dazzling guitar work, the album is also solid in it's drumming and vocals. The bass is not really heard that well. It's usually playing along with the rhythm of the double pedal. The drumming is pretty precise, no sloppy fills, constant double pedal. Give credit to the vocalist too, he can't compare to Alexi, but he too does his fair share of lead guitar and singing at the same time. (As in Midnight Walker)

Really kick *** CD. Buy it if you see it! Especially if you are into CoB or/and Kalmah. Best CD I've heard in a while. And the CD comes with a video of Mirror of Madness.

Stand Out Tracks:
Blackhearted
Betrayed
Midnight Walker
Mirror of Madness

This CD gets a 4.5/5 because a few songs could use a tiny amount of tweaking but this CD is almost flawless. (To me, and I’m not the most critical person in the world)

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:06 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1184

So, I'm sitting here eating Starburst and drinking egg nog when I realize that nobody has done one of the most definitive albums of hardcore. This is a must for any fan of old hardcore and loud, fast punk in general.

Album Info
This album technically contains 28 tracks on it. However, it is really just 14 tracks repeated a second time when the album is through. This is because of it's length. Although containing 14 tracks, the whole thing winds up taking 16 minutes of your time. So the Jerks decided to repeat this CD over and maybe give it more value per se.

This (see bottom of the review) is the original Circle Jerks line-up, and this is their first full-length release. The band was formed after singer Keith Morris left Black Flag to form his own band and this was the result. If you're interested in knowing more of their history, I will be doing a Circle Jerks Band Profile in the Punk forum for my next large MX project. Keep your head up for that.

Track #1 - Deny Everything
If you had no idea of the speed of the songs or the shortness of the CD when you are driven to buy this album, this track will tell you immediately what you're in for. It is the shortest song on the CD clocking in at around 27 seconds. It's not an intro. It could've gone anywhere in the CD. The song starts off immediately with all instruments and vocals. The structure is Chorus-Verse-Chorus. Being 27 seconds, the verse has to be short of course. The words are sung very fast and it is over in no time. As is the song. Good, but incredibly short. At least it puts you in the right mind frame for the rest of the album. 3/5

Track #2 - I Just Want Some Skank
This song however starts out and continues to be sort of slow throughout the majority of the song. It sounds like Keith is trying really hard here to sound serious, but with as strange lyrics as the Jerks have, it comes out sounding more comical than anything. After a short change in the music, it goes back to normal but only for a few seconds. Then a really fast drum fill solo thingy comes in and the song is given new life. I think it comes in a little too late though. Buuuuutttt, the song would've gotten a 3 if it wasn't for this truly excellent line that goes down as one of the best lyrics ever:

"I'll take you home to meet Mom & Dad
And they'll be so glad
They won't think their boy's a fag
Then we'll go upstairs and go to bed."

Pure genious. 4/5

Track #3 - Beverly Hills
Starts off with a slow type palm muted guitar. The lyrics are really the focus of this song. And guess what they're about. That's right! Rich, snobby people like we all know. Or do we? These are the 1980's we are talking about here. Instead of talking of them dressing up in Prada and the like, they talk about the rich wearing spandex pants and cowboy boots....... HAHAHAHA!!!! I wish I was around back then. This song is pretty dull most of the time, but it's not really all bad. 3/5

Track #4 – Operation
Here's where the CD finally picks up pace. The first songs are great, but starting at this song, the album has a lot more longevity and worth in my opinion and it's also where their hardcore sound begins making this an essential hardcore album. The instruments start out the song playing the verse except not palm-muted on guitar. This song is about chopping off a guy's jewels from what I got out of it. It doesn't make sense. He says he wanted to do it, but it sucks that he did. Oh well, it's a fun punk song and you're supposed to just have more fun than actually think about what the meaning is. One of the longest songs on here clocking in at 1:30. Solid song. 4/5

Track #5 - Back Against The Wall
Starts off with a really cool guitar solo intro thingy. Then the song pulls into a slowish ska-but-not-really type verse. Then the vocals come in and they seem a little more raw and harsh then the vocals on the previous songs. The chorus is sped up quite a bit and there is a little sound effect of broken glass in there. Then the verse and chorus repeats itself. And then a really guitar solo of epic 10 second proportions comes in and builds up speed leaving itself wanting more speed. And you get it. Right after the solo the verse and chorus play again, but this time, much much much much much much faster. I love it. It's the best part about this song. I wish I could see them play this live. Also note that the bass in this song sounds really excellent despite the guitar taking up most of the credit. 5/5

Track #6 – Wasted
Some people may already recognize this song after the first lyric. If you know any Black Flag, this is essentially the same song. Except at least 9 times better. It's a lot faster. The chorus is chopped up you could say, but it is done really well and makes the song way more catchy. Not much to say about this one here. It is one of the shortest on here after all. Clocks in at 43 seconds. A classic song that you will be a singing in no time. 4/5

Track #7 - Behind The Door
This song used to be my least favorite on the album, but now the more I listen to it, the more I love it. The verse on the instruments is the same for the intro. It's really catchy music though. It doesn't ever seem to get repetitive even though it's used most of the song. Or at least variations are. The only real major difference in the music I can see is in a bridge-like thing where Hetson is just making music through the feedback from the guitar. It sounds pretty good too. Catchy song that might grow on you like it did me. 5/5

Track #8 - World Up My ***
A Circle Jerks classic. The lyrics begin a little before the first snare is hit. Pretty good chorus following the verse that starts the song. Verse and chorus played again before launching into a guitar solo. A Jerks style solo that is. Short and sweet. No unnecessary bullshit. A chorus finishes the song. I like how during the song, Morris changes the way he sings the title every single time he sings it. It adds a lot. Trust me. One essential song for the new Circle Jerks fan. 5/5

Track #9 - Paid Vacation
A nice rolling drum beat begins this song with a cool guitar part thrown in there too. Then the song changes up quite a bit for the verse. The pre-chorus has almost the same instrumentals as the intro. Just a tad different. The chorus is the best part of this song and it's gosh darn awesome. It's pretty fast and catchy. This is another one of the songs on here that I would particularly like to see them play live. There is no second verse really. After the first chorus, the intro is played again, then straight to the pre-chorus and the chorus again. The intro also doubles as an outro! Tough deciding between a 4 or a 5 for this song. I guess I'll try and be completely opposite of biased and go with a... 4/5

Track #10 - Don't Care
Second shortest song on this album. Only 35 seconds long. The words "I don't care" pop up in this song almost every line surprisingly [/sarcasm]. It's really fast and a damn fun song overall. I use the phrase "I don't care" a lot in my daily life and every time I about say it, I sing this song. It's cool, but no one else I know has even heard of this band, so they get confused. A good, great, near perfect, eh....... it's pretty much perfect. 5/5

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:07 AM

Track #11 - Live Fast Die Young
Another classic from this band. Drums are the intro to this song. The lyrics focus on not wanting to live old. The age examples Morris uses are 34, 43, and 57. The great part of this song in my opinion is the guitar solo. The other instruments stop playing at certain points during it, where you just here the guitar. It sounds pretty cool. On the outro, the guitar parts from the solo are thrown in. One of my first favorites by this band. This song especially got me hooked on them. Download if you can. 5/5

Track #12 - What's Your Problem?
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent song. In my opinion, actual music with a guitar, bass, drums, and vocals cannot really get too much better than this. The song itself is pretty fast all the way through. The slowest part is the palm-muted bridge, but that's even pretty fast. I love the verse guitar riff. The drums in the chorus are really great and I break things in the surrounding area from drumming on them everytime I hear this song. Second verse is the greatness lyrically. Just read this:

"Got a date
Can't be late
If she don't show up,
I'll masturbate!"

Love it. Now that's not even the best part of the song. After the bridge, a last verse and chorus comes in. But the verse is sped up soooo damn fast, you just want to jump into the nearest pit, even when you're by yourself. Download this one. You need it. You try, you like. You like, you buy. 5/5

Track #13 - Group Sex
I don't know if I would actually call this a song. I will rate it anyway. Not gonna be good. I consider it more filler than anything because Morris is basically talking about organized orgies the entire time and the actual music is nothing special. Not really Circle Jerks style, it's just kind of background music. The entire time, you hear voices in the background laughing and saying "Group Sex" a lot. Remember, that it's not really a real song, so don't let this bad score deter you. 2/5

Track #14 - Red Tape
Probably my second favorite on this album and what a way to close the CD. The drums in this song are so much great that you can't help but feel inferior to them. I actually don't think it's anything way too complicated, but the way they are played makes this song soooo good. The lyrics aren't too awful hard either and it's a great song to jam out and sing to once you get past the words "Bureoucracy and Burgeoise" (spelling?). There's a choppy guitar solo starting at 31 seconds into the song. It pretty much continues in the last verse where before, only drums were played. Quality. 5/5

Analysis
Okay, this CD I think everyone should give a try. Maybe it sounds like a rip-off seeing as how you are only getting essentially 16 minutes of song. I was skeptical at first too. But I took a risk and got it. This is my favorite record from this phenomenal band. Maybe you are not all that into punk music in general. Well, the Circle Jerks were the first "real" punk band I listened to. They changed my whole view on music as a whole. Could happen to you as well. I will review more of their albums later on after I do their band profile. And if you still are skeptical, check out the news from another wise Jerks fan and one of the best MX posters in my opinion:

i honestly think the circle jerks are one of the most mutually respected bands on MX.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:09 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1185

I am a huge Thursday fan, and when I found out about that former Thursday guitarist Bill Henderson, who played on Thursday’s debut Waiting[/], had formed a band after being kicked out, I was thrilled. Brought to my attention by Sk8SkaNJ, I found a band by the name of The Procedure on Purevolume. Eager to hear anything that had to do with Thursday, I listened to both of the songs, “Strip Mall Houdini" and “Bad Decision". It’s very important that everyone understands that The Procedure sound nothing like Thursday. The only similarity I could find was the eerie guitar leads that are very prevalent in both Thursday and The Procedure, most likely courtesy of Bill Henderson. But just because it didn’t sound like Thursday, it did not mean I didn’t like it. The Procedure is a hardcore band, plain and simple. Fast riffs, screamed vocals, angry gang shouts and the occasional chug. I was a little bit dejected when I found out that The Procedure had broken up just months ago and had been playing shows around my area. So, I listened to the songs every now and then until one day, when I was browsing in a local music store in upstate New York. There at the front the CD rack was The Procedure’s debut [I]Rise Of New Reason. I excitedly spent my last $20 dollars on it, knowing this could be my only chance to buy it. The first couple of time I played it, I was mildly impressed. I guess I was still kind of caught up with the fact that the band didn’t have a Thursday type sound. But I grew to appreciate the CD. Rise Of New Reason is the first strictly hardcore CD I bought so it naturally took some time to get into. It’s not the best hardcore CD out there, but it’s a fast and powerful one that makes for a very enjoyable listen.

The CD starts immediately with the overdriven intro of “Forcing The Pin Back Into The Grenade". The Procedure lets their intent be know right away, to make powerful hardcore music to get you moving and angry. All of the instruments are played excellent. The intro is filled with Mike Donatelli’s fast drumming and after a quick shout of "Fire away! It’s now or never!" the quick bass and guitar leads of Bill Henderson and Ed Adams brings the verse to life. A cool little breakdown follows, with gang shouts and palm muted guitar. The song collapses around 1:45 with a cool little bass beat, chugging guitars and a scream of, ‘I light the fuse, but don’t let go," only to be followed by a beautiful blend of bass and Jesse Traynor’s impressive clean vocals. The song ends brutally and flows right into “Two Words". “Two Words" is a speedy little attack on a “fashion whore." At around one minute, the music slowly descends and Adams unfolds a speedy little bass fill. The chaos builds into a scream of, “I’ve got just two words for you: fashion whore!" and ends with Henderson’s strained backing vocals. The song once again flows right into “Bad Decision," an attack on what I believe to be promiscuous sex. The song starts with eerie leads and guitar and screams that blast away. After a brutal intro, Traynor softly sings the line, “Inexperience is no excuse for ignorance". Other lines include, “how does your sorority foster promiscuity" and “and I’ll tell you now, so when I burn your house down don’t say you weren’t warned. This is your warning". Obviously, a viciously angry attack on someone or something. The song ends with a couple cool leads. Though the first couple times I listened to the songs, they seemed to blur into one hardcore mess, the songs each have their own little fun, catchy parts.

”This Time It’s Personal" begins with ferocious drumming and guitar riffing, backed by Traynor’s angry screams. Over in a quick 1:08, “This Time It’s Personal" still stands as one of the most hard-hitting tracks on the CD. After a quick intro, one of my favorite moments on the CD begins, as Henderson’s catchy lead blends with Frank Fenimore’s palm-muted progression. “I’ll dig the trenches, you dig the graves! You drown your sorrows, I stab mine in the face", screams Traynor, only to flow right into a clean vocal line, backed by speedy bass. The song ends with angry gang shouts of ‘”We are at war!" Next is “For Janus", which begins with a slow pick slide and is followed by Dontatelli’s double bass and the blend of guitars. The song is a vicious attack on someone who “won’t take a stand", perhaps named Janus. The song features some catchy leads. The chorus is one of the most memorable ones on the CD as Traynor and Henderson scream, “For once in your goddamnlife, take a fusty walrus!ing stand!" The song seems to end at 1:30 with a background scream from Henderson but a late cymbal hit tells you the song is not over. The song ends with a brutal breakdown and some nice vocal blends and flows right into “Animosity In Transit". “Animosity In Transit", begins with clean vocals and clean guitar and soon explodes into full fledged hardcore, complete with quick fills and pummeling guitar. The chorus is anthem-worthy, as Traynor whispers, “Your colliding with reality" followed by a traditional hardcore gang shout of, “Your voice makes me sick!" After a brutal chug bit of, ”I can’t bear another word!" Traynor returns to the smooth sound of the chorus, whispering the chorus line over a impressive, spacey bass beat. The song abruptly ends and moves right into, “Strip Mall Houdini," a fan favorite. Like I said, the first couple times I listened to Rise Of New Reason, I was unimpressed. But I like it more with every listen and it is most definitely a level above most hardcore.

”Strip Mall Houdini" starts off with a clean guitar bit and then moves right into start stop guitar and melodic little leads. The riff keeps playing as Henderson echoes Traynor’s screams, making quite a brutal assault. The song continues in the ferocious manner until 1:47 when Adams plays a little bass fill and one of the CD’s best breakdowns unfolds. Complete with gang shouts, speedy leads and rhythm changes. The bridge begins at 2:27 as Henderson plays a quick lead backed by cymbal hits and Traynor’s whispers. Then at 2:45 the song explodes once again as the guitars begin to chug and the members of the band angrily chant, “We use this gift as a weapon!" The song continues in its chaotic manner until its abrupt end at 3:50. “Lifted" begins immediately with a very beautiful acoustic and violin intro. Traynor sings, “Now for the first time in my life, I’m not even close to where I’ve hoped that I could be. I need to find a way out of this place before I collapse and break my streak. I could touch that freedom, the pristine ivory room, lifted from reality, leaving me wide open". But the mood is broken as the acoustics stop and the speedy bass enters, backed by a scream of, “Just look at me, we can change". The song becomes the chaotic mess that we are familiar with. “Lifted" has many memorable parts including a cool little harmonic bit and some nice backing vocals. I think “Lifted" is about feeling hopeless. “One With The Earth" doesn’t waste time and begins with chugging guitars. The chorus is memorable as Henderson backs Traynor’s screams with the line of, “forever dead, forever gone." The song stops at 2 minutes and then Traynor sings the verse one more time. The outro is brutally impressive and memorable and the song flows right into the clean line of ‘Burned By Recognition." ‘One With The Earth" sings about someone attacking someone because of their lack in faith, perhaps in religion.

”Burned By Recognition" has a nice spacey intro as all of the members show off their talents. The song actually has a pop-punk feel at points and features lyrics about losing faith in a friend because they weren’t there. The song features one of my favorite moments as Henderson plays a frightening clean guitar line around 1:41. Though a bit misplaced, it still stands as one of my favorite moments, maybe because of it’s almost Thursday feel. The outro is almost breathtaking filled with chaotic chug, quick bass, violent leads and sinister leads. By far one of the best on the CD. “Exquisite Massacre" begins with a clean picking line that sounds as if it was pulled off of (Thursday’s) Waiting. Another memorable moment is the gang shout of ‘we know the truth." The lyrics attack someone a “religious fanatic," as the lines such as, “Paradoxical zealot; religious fanatic; you are nothing to me!" and ‘I refuse to live a life based on such poop!" The outro is a shining moment as Traynor repeatedly screams, “I’d rather burn" over a chaotic blend of instruments. The song ends with a unnecessary and annoying 50 seconds of feedback. The final track, ‘Tackling The Azimuth" starts out slow but soon breaks down into a catchy lead and palm muted riff. After a chaotic 2 and half minutes, “Tackling The Azimuth" temporarily transforms into a beautiful blend of clean guitars and violin. After an angry chant of ‘I’m tackling the azimuth!" some more chugging and more annoying feedback, the violin returns once again with a simple yet amazing line and plays over a chugging riff and the CD ends. It truly shines in its final moments.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:09 AM

It is important for every Thursday fan to know that this CD sounds nothing like Thursday. That aside, Rise Of New Reason is an excellent venture at hardcore. The instruments are all played excellent and there’s plenty of melody thrown in there. The lyrics are surprisingly well written and are many steps above some of the pointless crap that is rampant in the hardcore scene. But if you’re looking for art and diversity, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for fast, brutal hardcore that will get you moving and occasionally have you singing along, look no further. The CD has does have some flaws, as I’m sure not even every hardcore fan could pick this up and listen to it. And many of the songs do sound the same. But Rise Of New Reason is by far an admirable endeavor into the hardcore scene and only gets better with every listen.

Suggested tracks: "This Time It's Personal," "Strip Mall Houdini," "Burned Beyond Recognition," "Exquisite Massacre," "Tackling The Azimuth"

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:10 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1190

Lately I’ve been really into theses guys, constantly listening to this record becoming more and more impressed every time I hear it. I’m still getting used to the style of twenty minute songs with sections flowing into each other. I see the possibilities it creates as in creating an imaginary story or “world" if you want to call it that. Third definitely creates a cool atmosphere. From trippy sound collages to jazz freak outs a lot of ground is covered. The instrumentation is also amazing; I really appreciate the great tone they are able to pull out of their instruments in this one.

Soft Machine was founded by college dropouts Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers and a constantly changing lineup in 1966 as a jazz/psychedelic project. They can be sourced as one of the leading bands in the British progressive rock scene including bands like Caravan, Gong and Matching Mole. The first album they released was in 1968 entitled Volume ONE and following in 1969 with Volume TWO this continued until of course there was THIRD in 1970. They continued to make jazz and father out there albums after Third.

I would highly recommend headphones when listening to Third as I know from experience that is quite hard to hear soft melodies and pitches as cars are whizzing past you every 10 seconds. “But after all it’s only leisure time isn’t it."

Third begins on “Facelift" with very soft low pitches and slight combustion like organ playing random rhythms with an occasional note bends. The clipping robot tones that follow give a great example of what is to be expected for the rest of the album. Don’t let the dream like state turn you off, hopefully it will grow on you like it did for me. Overall it just forms a great tension for when the song breaks and it does at seven minutes in with a completely crack fifed jazz freak-out, it’s so bloody crazy. I mean it’s just great material to freak your family out with blasting it at top volume. About Halfway through the song the direction completely changes as the instruments fade away and a flute solo ensues. Then the last ten minutes are a hard to describe jam extending from the main jam with the occasional saxophone sounding like it has a sore throat, great stuff.

Next song is “Slightly All The Time" continuing on the jazz jam foundation already laid. Usually by this point of the album I’m dazing off or not really paying that great attention to it, I’ll admit. This is one point of the album where its sounds a lot better as background music. I’ve yet to get used to it perhaps, but I still love the groove at 8 minutes. Actually most of the song is insanely funky which is pretty good for the closest thing to come to filler on the whole album.

The Third song “Moon In June" is a masterpiece, not just on this album but of all time. I’m amazed at how many times I’ve listened to it and haven’t tired of it at all. It’s actually the only song on the album with vocals, the highlight of the album in my opinion. Robert Wyatt can hit some great notes and the overall way he sings is amazing. It starts on a piano line and the line.

“On a dilemma between what I need and what I just want
Between your thighs I feel a sensation
How long can I resist the temptation?"

It’s clearly a song about lust and love and quite powerful one thanks to accompanying organ that follows his voice. The first three minutes are without a doubt the best part of the song. The bass and drums create so many hooks it’s mad. “Moon in June" isn’t without humor though, just before the first organ solo thingy Robert seems to have forgotten about the direction of the song going ‘Oh! Wait, a minute". After the solo the song hit’s a happy streak with bouncy hooks and lyrics about being home again. The vocals will put you in a trance trust me. At 10 minutes the guitar appears a perfect distorted riff and the organ launches on a very enjoyable jam. Everything goes into overdrive and feedback fills your speakers and then suddenly it draws back again going into an interlude held together by just one chord repeated over and over again. Then you hear something extremely strange, a violin speeding up and down like a broke tape player creating some very alien sounds. Other various sounds fill up what little space isn’t already consumed and you enter experimental noise bliss. A perfect way to end the song.

Finishing up the album we have “Out Bloody Rageous". It’s really a hard to explain to feeling I get when the soft dream like sounds come in. I’m actually kind of afraid of it; it makes my heart drop to my stomach at times. I like to listen to this song before sleeping because of just how great ear candy it is, it just relaxes you and makes thought clearer. Now not the whole song is one big dream sequence, at five minutes in a groove similar to the freak-out in “Facelift" enters with some very enjoyable horn playing. One of my favorite parts of the album. The Freak-out lasts six minutes and then goes back to the opening sounds. Like the rest of the songs on Third the second half is reserved for improve time that’s hard to get into detail. Third ends magnificently on more beautiful noise, Bravo!

So in conclusion, I really dig Soft Machine and their sound. I understand some of you might not dig it but I encourage everyone to at least listen to some of their earlier stuff like One and Two. It may not click at first but give it a try. As for this album, I have enjoyed its company and happiness it gives me, “Moon in June" is the best song ever!

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:11 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1191
Unsure on whether to keep the short bio or not

Some Info on the Artist:
Yes was formed in Birminham, England in 1968. From the start they had become part of the 70's prog rock scene along with such greats as King Crimson, and Genesis. Throughout the years, they have stood the test of time and have seemed to become more popular all the time. Fragile released in December 1971. Reached number seven on England's album charts and number four in America. The lead single "Roundabout" had become the most popular Progressive Rock song up to that point in time. None of Yes's "rivals" at the time including King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer had ever had a hit as big as "Roundabout". Fragile is the first Yes album to also feature Rick Wakeman. Who replaced Tony Kaye when Tony went to join ex-Yes guitarist Peter Banks to join the group Flash. Fragile was completed within a two month time period. Part of this reason was because they needed to pay for Wakeman's new equipment and the other part was there was only four songs on the album that featured the group as a whole. The others were single member efforts.

Roundabout - This is probably the most popular song Yes has ever released. It starts off with a very recognizable acoustic guitar "riff". Afterwards a great bass line comes in and the song goes from there. But the keyboards really blend in nicely with everything and bring a great overall feel to the song. After a while the song changes completely and starts to get a little darker than before. A nice change up, but afterwards goes back into the opening guitar line. The goes on to have an amazing keyboard solo. Then they go right to the main riff again. Great song, definitely a highlight. 5/5

Cans and Brahms - This song is an individual effort by Rick Wakeman its basically just him playing the piano. Nothing really too special either but it seems to be just a filler track. I don't really care for this track. 3/5

We Have Heaven - This song is also somewhat of a filler. It is very short, barely even a minute and a half. It song only consists of a simple guitar beat, drums, and Jon Anderson singing "Tell the Moondong, Tell the Marchhare". 2.3/5

South Side of the Sky - After two less than great tracks we finally get all of Yes performing together. The song starts off with the blowing of wind in the background, then some good drumming. From there the song goes off, the song is led by an absolutely awesome guitar riff from Steve Howe the whole song is just centered around this riff for the first half of the song. About halfway through, the break comes and a beautiful piano arrangement is delivered by Wakeman. Afterwards Anderson's trademark singing comes in and blends in so well with the piano. From there they go right back into the main riff and after that goes on for a while there is an interesting guitar solo towards the end. Great song. 5/5

Five Percent of Nothing - Running at just over 30 seconds, there can not be a whole lot accomplished in such a time period. But Yes managed to fit a great deal of music in. Very proggish and sounds great. It has really interesting guitar work, just a little too short. 3.2/5

Long Distance Runaround - The song starts off with some interesting guitar work. Almost sounds like it could come straight out of a video game, odd enough. The song slows down a little bit, then the focus seems to go to Anderson's lyrics which I find really wonderful on this track. Then after that it goes straight back into the main theme and finishes up. Very good song.
4.5/5

The Fish (Schindleria Praematerus) - This song starts off with some really great harmonics. Then that is the real center point for the rest of the song. It is a really great song, but the problem like some other songs on Fragile is that it is too short. 4/5

Mood For a Day - The song starts off with some really simple acoustic guitar chords. Basically this song is just a showcase for Steve Howe to show his skills on the guitar. And he does a damn good job of doing just that. There is no vocals or anything just guitar. It definitely shows that he can play more than one style of music. Definitely a favorite of mine. 4.5/5

Heart of the Sunrise - Here is a more upbeat and fast track compared to the others on the album. At the start there is an unbelievably fast guitar line which starts it off nicely. Then they slow it down a bit with an incredible bass line. It calms down about four minutes into the song, with really faint guitar playing and some nice singing by Anderson. Probably the best lyrics off the whole album and that is saying quite a lot. After that they start to get back to the main riff of the song. With constant keyboard breaks which are just wonderful along with the rest of the song. Towards the end there is some odd singing going on I can not really tell what they are saying. Overall, it is a very good song and great close to the album. 5/5

In overall, it is a pretty good album. There are some great tracks on here and some not so great ones. But the great ones completely make up for what the less than great tracks do not have. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in Classic Rock, Progressive Rock, or just plain rock.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:12 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1196

Disc 1:
Porch Song - The song starts off with the noise of the crowd, as you can tell they are waiting for the band. Goes on to some simple guitar chords, which you can tell just from this it the song has a very country vibe to it. About three minutes into the song it starts to pick up and go into a really great guitar solo. Michael Houser truly is one of the most underrated guitar players ever in my opinion. After that the piano is truly evident, and this goes on for a quite a good while. After a little bit of that it goes straight into one of the most amazing bass solos I have ever heard. In my opinion Chris Schools blows Les Claypool clear out of the water as far as bass skills go. Then, we hear a little guitar solo, then going into the apparent bass line which leads us right into the next song. Great Song.
5/5

Disco - The song starts off with the ending bass line of the last song. From there it picks up speed and is quite a lot faster than "Porch Song". Then they go into a really nice piano part like a lot of their songs. Followed by another stunning bass solo. This man plays a six string bass like nothing I have ever heard. Afterwards , you get a little bit of keyboards and then goes straight back into the main theme of the song. A little later on there is a really great guitar solo that goes really well with the song. This track is quite a short track by W.P standards, clocking in at 4:21. Good song.
4.2/5

Diner - The song starts off with some very faint guitar playing. In the background you can hear the percussion and keyboards which is nice. It goes on like this for a few minutes, gets a little repetitive. But after that it gets going in and you can tell it is a softer less upbeat song compared to the last few. A little while later it goes into a fairly distorted guitar riff, followed by a guitar solo. Goes back to the main riff and now the keyboards become more evident than they ever were. A little while after that another guitar solo comes in and it is a much longer and greater than the last one. The lyrics are pretty interesting, obviously talking about all the different things that you can do in a Diner. Fantastic Song.
5/5

Wondering - At the start the most evident thing is the percussion and piano and that’s what gets the song started. This is a more country, folkish song. You can tell this just by the singing and lyrics. The piano work is what is really great in this song and really is what holds the song together. There are a few guitar solos here in there, the first one is pretty short, but the other one is better and quite a bit longer. Decent song.
4/5

Love Tractor - The song starts off with a really catchy guitar riff. Its very different from any of the songs so far on the album. It is a really upbeat and catchy song, that is probably to be expected though, with a name like "love tractor". They use a bit more distortion on this song than ever usually do, so that makes it stand out quite a bit from the other songs. Pretty good song.
4.5/5

Pilgrims - This a softer, much slower song. The guitar riff is really relaxing and the piano just adds to that. This goes on for a pretty long time. Then there is a great guitar solo which goes along just fantastic with the song. Afterwards, they go right back into the main theme of the song. The lyrics are wonderful as well they are telling the story of the pilgrims basically. A break comes in and a couple of drum fills come in and they hit a few guitar chords and then they go right back into it. Good song.
4/5

Space Wrangler - This is one of W.P. most famous songs they have ever written. I believe that everything about this song is great from the instrumentation, to the singing , to the lyrics. Especially the lyrics, he always has this unique way of telling a story with his lyrics which always is great. The guitar solo in this is great it quite a bit more melodic than any of his other stuff. A little later on they change pace completely and they pull out a great guitar solo with a great effect not sure what it is, it does standout however because Michael Houser rarely uses effects. Great Song.
5/5

Travelin' Light - At the start of this one there some interesting percussion going on. A some soft strumming of the guitar. This is another really great song, John again uses his great country voice again to give the listener that great feel everytime he sings it. The only problem with this song is, it gets quite a bit repetitive over a little while. It is still a pretty good song.
4/5

Pickin' Up the Pieces - At the beginning of the song it serves up some pretty interesting guitar work. Pretty different than most of the stuff. I love this song because it has a little bit of a jazzy feel because of the horns in the song. Courtesy of guest star - Branford Marsalis. Because of this the song is quite a bit more relaxing than most of the other songs on here.
4.8/5

Conrad - The beginning of the song sounds very bluesy. Which is quite odd because they rarely ever play any version of the blues. But once the song starts you can definitely tell that they are playing the blues by the guitar and his tone of voice. Towards the middle of the song there is a short little guitar solo that fits great with the song and uses that effect again. It is one of my favorites on the album simply because I love the blues.
5/5

Disc 2:
Papa Legba - At the start you can hear the sound of the crowd and what sounds likes a whistle of some sort. After that Schools comes in with a really funky bass line. And then there comes a really interesting guitar riff. But what really holds the song together is the bass line from Schools. This is a very different song from something than that what you would think Widespread Panic would ever do. The lyrics are alright although definitely not their best they have done.
4/5

Rebirtha - The song starts off with a really catchy bass line. The song itself has a really nice groove, and what’s really cool about the song is the guys voice. He has a really deep voice, something you usually never hear from Jon. The guitar work on this is really nothing special compared to a lot of the other stuff on here.
4.3/5

Rock - The start of this song is most based on the drums. You can faintly hear some guitar harmonics in the background, but at the start of this song there is not a whole lot going on. But a little later on there comes a good guitar riff and quite a bit of keyboard action in the background. This is a very country song. Probably the closest thing to country rock on the entire CD. Even with that it is still a great song. And Houser actually plays a little slide on this song. Which is odd, because he never plays it but he definitely should because he has a lot of talent on the slide. This is a great song.
5/5

Greta - Starts off with an interesting bass line. Kind of an odd sounding song, has some interesting guitar parts in it. Most Widespread Panic fan really like this song but I actually do not care for it as much as most of their songs.
3/5

Impossible/Jam - This song is pretty good, It is mostly just a jam as the title suggests. But is a very good one at that. Everyone in the band is really going great together and just overall playing great. It clocks in at over ten minutes, so its not something I would suggest to the impatient listener. But it still is very good despite its length.
4.5/5

Drums - When you read the title for this song you are probably thinking that this is just going to be a song that consists wholly of the drums, like the Grateful Dead did. But after a little bit of drums the rest of the band comes in and the guitar brings in a distorted riff which really changes the song up.
4/5

Pigeons - The beginning of this song is really relaxing. With just the keyboard playing and nothing else. Then a guitar part comes in and it is pretty psychedelic almost sounds like an early Dead song. It continues to bring this vibe throughout the whole song. A really great song, one of my favorites.
5/5

Overall this is a great album. This is probably in my top 3 best live albums of all time. Overall I believe that Disc 1 is a lot stronger than Disc 2 but they both have their moments. I would recommend this to everyone. But especially to those who love Jam Bands, Free Form Rock , and just Rock.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:12 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1166
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1167
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1168 (album missing)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1174
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1179
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1180
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1181
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1183
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1187
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1189
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1192 (album missing)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1195 (edit the numbers if you want (1. 2. etc), and the rating in the end)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1197 (edit the numbers if you want)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1198
just delete line up and/or other info in the beginning

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1161
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1175
just delete first line, "Released: 1975"

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1173
delete last line, I suppose...

Uh, I got confused and did other than 1300-1400 :upset:
/dibs...

Stoic

02-15-2007, 09:27 AM

SUGGESTION!

Wouldn't it be more convenient for all if I just uploaded a word file with the edited texts inside?

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:33 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2000 deleted band lineup and release blah blah

Overrall Rating 4/5

Song By Song

Creatures (For A While) - The band's first single off the album is one with a cool intro which turns into a heavy guitar riff. The bass is really catchy on this song, as are the lyrics, making it a good choice for a single. A good opening to the album. 4.5/5

Reconsider Everything - The highlight of this song is its repetitive guitar riff, which is still very good and not forced. The lyrics are very good, although you'll have to listen about 5 times to fully understand the message. Drums in this song are cool too. 3.75/5

Crack the Code - A funky song that does not fail to convey that the boys still know how to rap after 13 years. The drums and bass really compliment each other well. This song is very well written lyrically as well. 4.25/5

Same Mistake Twice - A powerful song with a well conveyed message. Once again, the song is very well written ("Another detail just goes by,
Fallen into the abyss that has become your life"). Perhaps the "rocking-est" song on the album, if you will. 4/5

Beyond the Gray Sky - My favorite song on the album. The first time you hear it, you think "wow, that's just another cool reggae/rock song just like 'I'll Be Here Awhile'", but then you realize that the song is about a friend of the band that ended his life early and the band wants to know... "What made you want to end it all? Wasn't there something I should have tried, To help you see beyond the gray sky?" Nick's voice is perfect for this song. 5/5

Seems Uncertain - A cool song, revealing the softer side of the band. Another well-conveyed message. 4/5

Still Dreaming - Unfortunately one of the weaker songs on the album, although S.A.'s verses do make up for some of the forced guitar riffs and weak choruses. 3/5

Give Me A Call - Honestly, I don't really know why i like this song, but it is one of my favorites from the album. The reggae/jazz style shown in this song is very good, and the transitions from the verses to the choruses are very good as well. 4.5/5

Don't Dwell - The funky bass intro is cool (Seinfeld style), and so is the chorus at the end of the song. Other than that, not too much to show from this song. 3.5/5

Other Side Of Things - A great intro-verse to a funky/rock song that has very cool raplike verses from Nick. Very similar to the earlier songs (Grassroots). 4/5

Sometimes Jacks Rule the Realm - A great way to end the CD, combining just about all of the elements that 311 brings to the table. This song has 3 parts, the first which is a soft acoustic ballad. The second mixes great guitar solos with lyrics that flow smoothly and very good work on the drums by Chad. The third is after the bulk of the track is over, with a very flowing guitar bit. A nice track to end on. 4.25/5

Well, that's my first review. Hope it didn't suck too much, and maybe, i hope it is helpful for you.

Cheers, ADAM

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:37 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2001 review not there
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2002 take out what the CD package said??????

----------
Myths, Legends and Other Amazing Adventures
----------

---
"Long Liveth the Bravesteth. . ."

-From the CD's Packaging
---

While everbody's favorite group of superbuddies, The Aquabats, are original and great in many ways - great songs, superhero mythos, great camaraderie with the fans - they're certainly not prolific. In a decade of recording, the band has released a total of four records and one EP. Not a terrible record, certainly, unless you consider that all of these records (except the not-so-great EP) were recorded within four years of each other!

This most recent release, "Myths, Legends, and Other Amazing Adventures", is, of all things, a B-Sides record. So the gap between The Aquabats' last "real" release, 'The Aquabats Vs. the Floating Eye of Death!" and their upcoming CD (details to be announced very soon - early summer '05 release planned) will be a full six years!

Like most B-Sides, "Myths, Legends. . ." features some of the more obscure and/or wacky songs by the band. Very experimental and (even by The Aquabats' standards) strange, the songs on this record range from the average (although none are downright mediocre) to some of the best work released by the band. In a nutshell, this record is required buying for fans of the 'Bats. However, newbies may wish to start with one of their earlier releases. (I should note that the instrumentation throughout the record is a little odd - the trumpets and guitars of previous Aquabats releases are still therem of course, but a synthesizer fills much of the background music.)

The songs on this record ditch the superhero theme unifying the rest of The Aquabats' work; for example, great songs like "Hey Luno" and "Pizza Day" feature down-to-earth nostalgic odes to childhood. That's not to say that the fantastic element of the "Bats work is completely absent from this release - songs like "Radiation Song", "The Baker" and "Sandy Face" are among the more imaginative, eclectic songs ever recorded by the band.

This record also features an extremely humorous vein running through its tunage; standout track "I Fell Asleep On My Arm" manages to hilariously lampoon the misplaced rage of heavy metal acts (ranging from the rapidly-fading Limp Bizkit to Kid Rock to Korn), while "Sandy Face" features some of the campiest, whitest rapping ever pressed to disc. The energy level remains high throughout the record, even if the songs don't always live up to the band's previous work (two songs in particular are downright boring to me - a first for a record by The Aquabats).

Overall, this release is a great tour of the band's evolution; many of the songs on this CD have been in existence, at one level or another, for years and years. Anyway, we don't see many bands this original and lighthearted as The Aquabats - buy this album to support our favorite musical superheroes!

NOTE: These aren't even the band's strangest B-Sides. Check out the "Myths, Legends. . ." portion of their site for even more unreleased B-Sides in mp3 format, plus information and history about all of the songs on this release:

http://theaquabats.com/myths/index.html

----------
TRACK LISTING
----------

Robot Theme Song:
This very short album-opener is a complete instrumental; it sounds as if it were recorded on a Clavinova (Moog Synthesizer, actually). In fact, I think I could recreate this song fairly easily on our little CVP-107 digital piano. It's basically filler, but it's pleasant enough.

Hey Luno:
The first "nostalgia" song on the record, this song is about, of all things, a flying cartoon pegasus named Luno. On this old Terrytoons show, this little boy would call Luno down to take him away from the tedium of his everyday life. A nice song about imagination and keeping your youth.

"Then you'll see how fun it is; that flying horse is true! And you're stuck in a world with people just as sad as you. . ."

Pool Party:
This is a very popular song, but I find it fairly shallow. It's a very California song - parties, barbecues and social cliques. Maybe that's why I don't like it as much as some people - I hate the California culture and its recent musical deluge on the unsuspecting ears of the teenage populace. This song has been in the making for years; the band made a running joke of the fact that they never seemed to get around to recording it before.

Pizza Day:
This, my favorite song on the record, is a sort of ode to childhood through lunch. The whole song uses school lunch as a sort of metaphor for life - as our protagonist ages, he finds himself longing for a time when "Friday was pizza day", which was, of course, "the best day of the week". And, I should add, it's a truly inspiring sight in concert - five hundred Aquacadets all yelling the lyrics in unison. Great fun live or on CD.

Dear Spike:
The second lackluster song on the record, "Dear Spike" is a very strange song. The song, about a mix-up with The Aquabats' merch shop, resulting in late deliveries, seems a little, well. . . boring to me. It's a decent song, I suppose, but on the lower echelon of the 'Bats work.

I Fell Asleep On My Arm:
Ahh. . . this is more like it. This song never fails to amuse me, even though most of the bands the song makes fun of (especially Ibis and Rage Against the Machine) have long since faded away (well, maybe not RATM). This song essentially mocks the poseur heavy-metal tendency of blowing things to insane proportions; the song, about the ragings of a man with a numbed arm, is a great showpiece. All things considered, this song mimics Fred Durst and Zack de la Rocha so perfectly it's impossible to hate it. A minute of white rap ("Boom da bop diggy" style, a la Kid Rock) seal the deal.

Radiation Song:
Sort of a "Sesame-Streetish" song (plus some dancing zombies and post-apocalyptic lyrics), "Radiation Song" is a very bouncy song, despite being very grim - sort of a more upbeat "Chemical Bomb". The interlude, featuring Benji the Tap-Dancing Mutant Boy, may be too weird for some, but it's endearing to see such a unique song. Go, Benji, go!

Adventure Today:
This song is so upbeat and catchy it's impossible to hate it - sort of like hating a kid with cerebral palsy - even though the lyrics are simpler than ever. Very straight-up ska, this song is simultaneously a simple fireworks safety lesson and a call to "remember what we've got before we open our big mouths / to complain about the things we cannot change."

The Baker:
A great, completely silly original song. "The Baker" is anything but stereotypical - an extremely masculine singer who likens his life's work - baking - to gladitorial combat. Sort of tango-like, the song is hilarious and catchy; the weighty lyrics and David Bowie parody in the middle of the song are priceless.

Danger Woman:
This is a first - a The Aquabats song about another superhero! Danger Woman, whose apparent conflict is a vendetta against the WWF for unexplained reasons, is a fairly hysterical lady (check out the secret "track" at the end of the CD for more Danger Woman). This heavily sound-sampled song is a great rock piece. Speaking of which: is that an electronic harpsichord I hear? (This whole album is a little too synthesized.)

Worms Make Dirt:
A great, totally-fake science song. This song is so campy, so unabashedly silly and strange, that it's a golden classic of modern music. The music sounds like it came from Donkey Kong Country or something - it's that surreal. I wouldn't put this sort of thing past They Might Be Giants.

Check out the lyrics: http://www.elyrics4u.com/w/worms_make_dirt_the_aquabats.htm

Sandy Face:
Sort of an intergalactic soap opera, Sandy Face makes absolutely no sense, but manages to retain a completely epic feel. The white rapping is campy and fantastic.

The Wild Sea:
This song, essentially the original version of "Chemical Bomb" from The Aquabats Vs. the Floating Eye of Death, retains an adventurous charm. The "Captain's Log" interlude in the middle of the song is clever, but I have to say I prefer Chemical Bomb. Still, it's a good, upbeat ending for the record.

---
Conclusion and Summary
---
Album Highs: Great fun, creative instrumentation, fast-paced.

Album Lows: A slight step down from the band's usual quality - expected for a B-side.
---
Rating: *** (Conditional Recommendation)
Recipe: One part party-rock, one part superhero-inspired mythos, shake well. Serves fans of ska, new wave and fun rock.
---
My Content Rating: G
----------
Questions, comments and helpful obscene suggestions go to
iamclumpy@yahoo.com
----------

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:40 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2003

The twelve months between the middle of 2002 and 2003 were quite
something for a drummer called Ben. This drummer is more famously known
for his exploits in the band Million Dead and their 2003 album 'A Song
To Ruin'. But before he made it with Million Dead, he compiled a band
that never really aimed very high, and didn't expect to get much
further than they did. It was an excuse for Ben, Tom, who would later
become Million Dead's guitarist, Seedi and John, to just let everything
out on a 45 minute British metal masterpiece.

Palehorse were about as underground as you could get, whether they were
before their time is still not possible to tell, its not been long enough since the release of this album to determine whether they were,
despite not even trying to be, inspirators in their chosen genre of music. What was their music? I hear you ask, what did this small time band ever do? What they did was created one of the best metal albums of the new millennia. They were dark, they were dangerous, and they were gloomy. Their music was that of a somewhat spoilt child wanting to break loose from its chains, you didn't want anything to do with the little bastard at first, until you gave it a little love and attention and found out that actually he was a very smart kid.

The intro to this album is incongruously called 'Bliss' and is simply, two basses ringing out on distortion and delay pedals. Oh yeah, and now would be a good time to announce that for the major part of Palehorse's music, they have one screaming vocalist, a drum set, and two bass guitars, detuned and distorted to ***. It's slow, it's depressing, and it's got so many attitudes that it doesn't want you to listen, but if you just listen to the phenomenal 'Holy Trinity Student Church Bar' you can't help but adore the slow, heavy riffs, and utter destruction of music itself it represents. Until of course, it reaches halfway, where suddenly it turns into an emotional struggle, of quiet instruments crescendo into an ending that makes you notice what this band are really doing, being heavy as ***, but innovative, and going somewhere with it.

There is also one other track that totally stands on its own, proving that this music isn't heartless, cold metal that is just awful and
unapproachable. 'Mustn't Grumble' is a beautiful ballad, told in spoken word and accompanied by an acoustic guitar. It is a ballad, which, if you read the lyrics; tell a fantastic story of struggle, about a young homeless girl.

Mind you, the inside sleeve do look like they have been written as the scribblings of a mass murderer, but perhaps this is what is needed to suit this savage music. And although it's a strange thing to say to possibly the slowest album you'll hear for quite some time, it doesn't lose its pace. What I mean by this is, for an album with a general premier sound, which is violent and not one for the masses, it stays interesting. Its main sound may be sluggish, and yes, in places it's a tad overexaggerated, and occasionally you'd wish they would just get on with it, but all in all, it stays interesting throughout, and you just want to, listen to it, enjoy it, and consume it, even though it's most certainly not obvious.

The argument that they aren't a one trick pony is strengthened as the album progresses too. Despite not really sounding it, towards the end, the album becomes far more upbeat, and as 'Holy Trinity Student Church Bar' did before it, 'Look What Palehorse Has Done To Me' is a lot like HTSCB, but is far more upbeat, and about the same time, it breaks down into hush, but this time, a bass plays chords to samples of television, which if fiction or not, sends a great big chill down your spine in it's almost apocalyptic nature, and its here where the recognition that, you love this band, this album, this music kicks in. Until of course the bass bends a note and it turns back into a great *** off riff. But now, you're enjoying it.

Lyrics play a big part in this too. Chillingly haunting, sorrowful, emotional, but are also obscure and can remind you of Trent Reznor's writing. 'Don't Die On An Empty Stomach' (the bands equivalent of a grindcore song) is a classic example of this, and at the end of it, it rings out into the 5 minute instrumental outro of 'Sun Starved Day (Be Patient)' and you just feel a weird bliss at the end.

It's heavy, it doesn't want you to care, but please, pick up this album and don't be put off, pay its dues, and you'll have an album
that will remain snappy and ironic for years to come. Will they ever make another record? Well considering the growing success of Million Dead, (and the growing feud between the bands) it really doesn't look like it, but to be honest, who cares? Whether it intended to be or not, this a gleaming light in UK metal at its gloomiest.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:42 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2004

Queens Of The Stoneage - Lullabies To Paralyse.
I've sat here. I've waited for ten minutes to write anything. Let's start with honesty. This record could have been easily predicted. Since 'Songs for the Deaf' there has only actually been one good album from any of the Dessert Session artists. Mondo Generator and Dessert Sessions 9 & 10 were both average at best. The only good album was "Bubblegum" by Mark Lanegan, ironic that the first track sounds (and probably is) a b-side from that album. It's a bit of a surprise to hear on brooding, acoustic opener "Lullaby" Lanegan do what he does best, croon in a sandstorm, but, didn't he leave the band with Nick? Yes. But obviously he let this track be used too.
You'll soon realise that "Lullaby" is a song to saviour, because it's
virtually the only variation you are going to get on this album.
This album is predominately based off fairly simple, chugging guitar riffs, strange vocals, and, occasionally too well, well produced bass driven sounds. Sounds familiar I'm sure, but this most certainly isn't Stoner Metal or Desert Rock, what ever you would like to call it, there is nothing close to the charm and song-man-ship from what Kyuss, or even early Queens of the Stone Age, sounds like.

So what is this? Not a lot actually. For the most part, this is a confused songwriter jamming with friends, and creating something bland until he figures out what he needs to be doing. Still, that isn't to say there aren't some great moments to be had.
'Medication' is a delightful romp, as it introduced the general sound the rest of the album experiences. Having a similar style to self titled opener 'Regular John', based basically around one chord, and then with some variations, but still done different enough to accept in a new way. Those who doubted this album get a few seconds of hope. And it continues to the next track. 'Everybody knows you're insane' shows Homme's personality and charisma perfectly. It starts of a bit slow, a lot like an old blues tune, but by the time the chorus kicks in, we have a full-throttle, sing along, full of the dry, ironic wit that Josh has famed himself for, and the fact that, this song is about the send off of Nick, well it makes it all the more perfect.

Shame that's about all I can say about the album then isn't it? After these first three tracks, suddenly, we're isolated in the desert this was spawned from, and we can't get out, because every where the listener turns, they are bound to find the same riff or slightly studio effect ridden voice of Josh Homme, or lacklustre song as a whole. I'm sure those who doubted 'Little Sister' since watching the video before this album will be happy to know that, it is actually a highlight of the album, and you feel a bit refreshed when you meet a friendly face. But 'Little Sister' sits, very cleverly, in the middle of the album, to keep those who were drifting off a bit more interested. But with the remaining 7 tracks, most of them your mind will wonder, and you will ask, "How long does this go on for?" And it quickly comes to mind the question, "How the hell did such a talented song writer go to this?" And of course, the answer is simple. Yes, Nick had to leave the band, there's no question. But it seems without his input in his slightly more angry style of writing a good pop song, well, you feel the tension has gone, and that it was needed.

Yes, Josh and Nick were at their throats. It wouldn't be the first time. Back in Kyuss it happened, and then after Nick finally went, Josh and John Garcia, went on to define Desert Rock. But you see there is the difference. Josh AND John. This time, there is no other personality to challenge Homme's ego; there are no other core members to belt anger out through music anymore. It's just Josh and some friends who can play for him. And in the end, all it does is exposes Homme's fragility. Yes, in the 15 plus years he has been making rock music, he has always had someone to do with him, now he's on his own, he just sounds a bit scared and uninspired. So, Josh can bring in as many guest appearances as he likes, but as long as he knows that he's in total control and he doesn't want to change that, he may as well call it a day now. Brody Dalle and Shirley Manson's input is so pointless that it doesn't matter, by the time you get to 'You Got A Killer Scene' the penultimate track, you are past caring. The only slight redemption Homme makes is on the final track 'Long Slow Goodbye' another, apparently, Nick inspired song. So by the end of the first listen, you just feel a bit empty. No, we weren't looking for another 'Songs for the Deaf' or 'Rated R' but we were looking for something a bit more challenging. It's not all doom and gloom though. Give it a few more listens, and you do notice a few nice moments on this record, but from a man who within the last five years has orchestrated two of the most important rock albums written, it seems a bit disheartening listening to this. And you also realise after a couple of listens that, all the best songs on this album, are written about or with the other core, ex, members of the band. Hint, hint Mr.Homme.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:43 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2005

It would probably be a fair comment to say that this album has been the
most anticipated album in Britain for the last 6 months. Since the summer
of 2004, Bloc Party have been fast growing reputation as the next best
thing and, like Biffy Clyro, they did it through their music. Yes, okay,
MTV2 have been giving them extremely generous amounts of air time, and
yes, you can then queue the argument that 'How come they get so much
attention when more deserving bands don't?' but, the thing is, the hype
machine wouldn't have gone into overdrive without reason. This band may
well be labelled into the 'NME bands' file instantly, but many people are taking notice, that this band is the choice of those that love music, and not some two-bit 'journalist". And after several excellent single releases making people take notice, like the brilliant 'Little Thoughts' which is beyond me how it wasn't put on the album, does 'Silent Alarm' really do justice of the hype Bloc Party has been given? Well, yes and no.

The simple fact is this is probably the worst kept secret of a once small-time band. The album has already been leaked on several file sharing and P2P programs so plenty have already heard this album. And for such a band to suddenly plummet into the deep end of mainstream indie-rock, it should seem a bit daunting. But remember the 'real music fan' comment? They have made such an impression that it seems like they've been in the mainstream's eye for years.

It all begins with 'Like Eating Glass' a fast paced shout along, a quaint song which, if you've heard the singles, is pretty much what you would expect from the band now. It's a nice enough intro, but nothing special. It's not until recent single 'Helicopter' kicks in is where we're talking. 'Like Eating Glass' almost ends up being a four and a half minute intro
for 'Helicopter', because when the tracks change from one to the other, then you're dancing. 'Helicopter' is a fantastically textured and frantic song; it almost feels like one of those 'metal songs without playing metal music'. The chugging guitars kick in, and soon a frenzy drum beat, it's only the bass keeping this mess together, and it works.

You quickly learn when you listen to this album is that, there is a general formula going into virtually every song, played in many different ways, but it just keeps it interesting. There are moments where you think, "Okay, get on with it" or, "So what?! but sooner or later you find a fast paced punk-pop riff just round the corner and so it makes you listen to
the point where you are about to get bored, but then suddenly thrashes out something completely different. This feels a little too close to the wire after too many songs having this (particularly in the middle of the album).

In fact, there are only a couple songs that sound significantly different. One of these is recent top 5 success 'So Here We Are'. And in fact the reason its different is because it does keep its sound generally the same, which works for a soft ballad like this. But that doesn't necessarily make it a great track. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a very nice track, and
it's a good change of pace to the album, if a little late, but as an individual track that doesn't make it all that good. The other song to really have a change of pace is final song 'Compliments' which offers a slow drum machine as it's rhythm, and is a totally stripped song. But the fact that it's kept right to end is annoying when you've had about 8 or 9
very similar tracks, and to be honest, when you make it this far you wish for more of a climax at the end, considering the rest of the tracks on the album, it would be the ideal thing to hear at the end. And so once you've heard it all, you are aware that actually, the album doesn't flow that well at all. Sure, it's alright from track-to-track, but it doesn't really
go anywhere, unless it is an extreme change, which the two previously mentioned songs provide.

But, perhaps I am being a tad too harsh here. After all, despite the blatant similarities, there really isn't a flawed song, because, as part of the formula, every song gets saved from being tedious. And you can really see the soul of it all, the music being banged out, the writing, the production, it all fit's very well. And Kele's vocal work is simply phenomenal. Not one flawed note, and his voice is both perfect, and refreshing for the music being played which so many bands have faltered at. You only have to listen to the remarkable 'Banquet' and you can easily see just how important this band is going to be. Offering almost tribal drums, syncopated guitar playing between the two guitars, fantastic vocals, and enough atmosphere to fill a premiership football match, this is the bands point where there are literally screaming why they are so hyped about.

And so at the end, despite the slight flaws that prevent it from being a classic, you do come back to the thoughts you had before you listened to this album. This is the bands debut album, and this is a band that have just been dropped into high expectations at an alarming rate, and in the end, this record leaves you charmed, and anxious to see what they will have in store for us next.

Adam Turner-Heffer.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:44 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2006 review missing
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2007

The Mad Capsule Markets - Cistm Konfliqt.

A brief history: The Mad Capsule Markets are the biggest selling Japanese metal/alternative band ever. However, it's fair to say that outside of Japan, the rest of the world never really caught on to it. This, their eleventh, yes eleventh album, but their third (as far as the U.S and U.K are concerned) sadly doesn't quite hit the mark. Now, their last two albums both were masterpieces. 'OSC-DIS' or 'Oscillator in Distortion' was an awesome fiery, snotty punk fuelled pop album that beautifully created the mix of their perfected sound. Just listen
to its opening track 'Tribe' on some huge bass-y speakers and try and convince yourself it's not amazing, - it's a hard task. Then the follow up '010' was a more mature sound from the Japanese noiseniks still keeping some of the poppy conventions from their previous album but an awesome, well accomplished album, perfectly finding the balance between pop, techno, punk and metal.

So maybe, just maybe it was where to go next that faults 'Cistm Konfliqt'. Its starts well enough with a seven second introduction called '-start ID-" which really is an ID signing in, leading to 'Retalk" which is an absolutely awesome track, and could easily be placed along the last two albums finest moments. This only proves that The Mad Capsule Markets have an undying talent in making fantastic introductions to albums like 'Tribe' and 'Introduction 010/Come' regardless of what the rest of the album is like. Sadly this really is the best track you will find on this album, it seems the stereotypical Japanese pop that they like to incorporate in most of their biggest selling music, (and why not, they can) and there's little to shout about this time. Lead single 'SCARY' is, in all honesty, ***e. From the moment the vocals start you are just driven insane, this is just not funny. However, read the lyrics, and make it to the impressive outro, and you find that this was possibly a really good track desperately trying to get out of, what seems like an uninspired sound from a band, who considering their longevity shouldn't be doing this now. Follow up single and track 'W.O.R.L.D' isn't great, but it proves as a far better track than the other single, and feels a bit more comprehensive it in its mix of simple, easy to digest, melodies and riffs complemented by awesome samples and drum beats that the band
have perfected in their history.

There are still plenty of interesting things going on with the record. 'CRACKER!!!' proving as a well refined industrial metal/drum 'n' bass spliced mix that you can expect the band to do throughout their career. Also 'Let it Rip' and 'CiSTm K0nFLiqT' Prove as interesting tracks, and all in all because of the mix of good and bad tracks, this is a listenable album, but its not consistent enough, there are too many bad songs for a band who on their last two albums achieved absolute mesmerizing heights in their style of music. So in the end, it's definitely worth listening to The Mad Capsule Markets, if you haven't heard much of them, where have you been? 'OSC DIS' and '010' where two of the best albums written in the 21st century, but both if you are a newcomer or a veteran, this album probably isn't the safest bet to rely your opinion on. Mind, its nice hearing the live versions of 'Pulse' and
'Island" at the end.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:46 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2008

Minus The Bear - Highly Refined Pirates.

WHO?! Yeah I thought so too. In the underground music scene there are some absolutely blistering talents that really never get much breathing space in the majority of peoples tastes. This of course not necessarily being a bad thing, as some bands either want it that way, or just sound a hell of a lot better that way. So in an age where a lot of rock's music is concentrated one the poppish remakes of a far successful band, you can get hung for downloading songs for bands that could just be the next best thing for all the right reasons and still America rules the roost, there are those bands that have had enough of the superficiality worn like a suit of armour on the music industry, and have kept their heads down low, worked hard and supplied some great music.

One of the newest bands to be doing this are Minus the Bear. This, their debut album, is a startling mix of indie/hardcore and ambient dance music. Yes you heard right, they are somewhere between Blur and Biffy Clyro to be honest, and with this record show great potential to become something very special.

Using obscure titles to their songs at their main focal point, really it's possibly best to describe their music. It's not like its Dillinger Escape Plan frantic riffs and breaks, but it is a love of obscure and simplicity in a way you think you've heard before but really you haven't, making this a really original record. "Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!" is a wonderfully flowing mix of clean guitars, subtle drum n bass and ambient sounds which could be samples or guitar, really it doesn't matter, and it's fantastically catchy chorus, it really just makes you want to dance, but not too much.

Despite the great dance worth new-wave feel to this music, there is a very dark, serious mood to it all. Jake Snider's voice is wonderful, meaningful, passionate, and great for the music surrounding him. 'Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse' is a fantastic example of this, and he uses a range of vocal talents and deep, meaningful lyrics that really can't go a miss.

What is also really interesting about this band is the way they give little instrumental tasters of tracks that could be right next to it or just before it, or in a completely different part of the album; some may even have nothing to do with it, just sound good. In their arty fashion the Seattle crew are showing new ways to dance, new ways to
make the music important, and heartfelt, passionate, original.

There's not really much room for complaint here, it's on the verge of flawlessness, but there is the fact that despites its dark yet feel good approach, there isn't a lot of change through the album, mind, but at 45 minutes, 5 tracks being short intervals, really, it goes too fast for it to be a problem, and it doesn't just drag on.

So all in all this is a masterpiece, not much to complain about, about this original, fresh work from this hard-working Seattle band, it may not change your life, but for 45 minutes, it will make it worth living for a bit longer.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:46 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2009

At The Drive-in - Relationship Of Command.
There seems to be a certain formula to make a band truly influential. A few unwritten laws that bands live by, not on purpose, just because that's the way their music takes them. First, you've got to work hard at it, no matter how thankless and unnoticed you are at the time, just keep working. Some of the most influential bands of our time have all been known for playing gigs that don't even sell out a 300 capacity gig in their early days. Second, you've got to have a strong passion for music, and whatever else gives you your drive. A lot of the time it's politics, sometimes about straightedge, sometimes both. Whatever it is, just write about what makes you passionate. Third, write a record that changes everything. Bring all your musical influences, destroy them and rebuild to make something truly, fresh, innovative and exciting. For At the Drive-in, this was that record.

Released in 2000, this album made At the Drive-in officially, the most exciting band of the 21st century, and so far, they have not been knocked off that spot, despite being defunct. This, their major label debut, was something of a mix of everything that got them there in the first place, after two, virtually untouched upon hardcore records, and then an EP of their Hispanic roots, they, with producing prince of metal, Ross Robinson, wrote something, that would blow all else apart.

Now comes the personal touch. If I'm honest, back in 2000 when I first heard their, "hit-single" "One Armed Scissor', it made me shut up and listen. But, I didn't like it. Cedric Bixler's vocals annoyed me, and really at the time, for such an explosion of intriguing music, one couldn't really comprehend. So, now, after a couple of years, hearing more people loving them, and then hearing them again myself, it became apparent that ATD-I had followed rule number 4 of the truly influential bands - the band will always be ten times more appreciated after they have split up.

And the fact that ATD-I, or possibly just the record label, I'm not sure what the story is, has re-released their entirely back catalogue just before Christmas 2004, it's apparent that they know that themselves. And too right, because this is an amazing album, from the simply mind-blowing aggressive punk of "One Armed Scissor' alone has enough energy to power a council-estate in Romford for a week, to the desperately heart breaking 'Invalid Litter Dept.' featuring the
harrowing real-life story of the women of Juarez, Mexico, who are being raped and killed in an organised ring owning a series of factories the women work in called "Maquildoras". What is possibly most heart-felt about this is that Cedric and Paul both grew up in El-Paso, Mexico, a town that neighbours Juarez.

But, all good-things have to come to an end, the band finally got to the top of that mountain, but they couldn't co-exist together anymore. Conforming to rule number 5, split up at the peak of your fame and talent. Now, not all influential bands have done this, in fact some didn't have a choice (suicide/murder) but it would be a fair comment
that the majority of these great bands never ***ed up by going too far with it. They knew when to end it. But, as rule 4 suggests, who cares if they are split up? If they had kept going there's a major possibility they could of gone stale in comparison. What we have got is a record, storming with loud and proud songs, with song structures, timings and general style of playing seen in a way no-one has done before, and we have our memories of their absolutely stunning live
shows (rule 6). From the tribal beats of "Arcarsenal" to the emotional "Non-Zero Possibility" this is a band who defined a genre they weren't even strictly apart of: emo, and influenced many bands who took elements of their sound and turned it into something new, like ATD-I would have done when they first started, including Funeral For A Friend, Million Dead, Biffy Clyro, yourcodenameis:milo and others. This is At the Drive-in; I hope you enjoy the show

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:49 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2010

Kyuss - Welcome To Sky Valley.
It would be a fair comment to say that music lovers are lovers of
music because the bands that they love no one else really understands. A feeling the fans of bands such as Kyuss must love getting. Yes, to those uneducated in this field, Kyuss may well sound like another rock 'n' roll band. What Kyuss actually represent are one of the last ever rock 'n' roll bands to sound like they do, and turn it into a whole new genre, revolved completely around a certain substance.

In their ten or so year lifespan, from 16 to 18 year olds to 26 to 28 year olds, they accomplished a lot more than many. They had every rock 'n' roll ethic going, music loving kids having a good time, tantrums, drugs, sex, and alcohol. But all to a fun extent, they were a bull-***ting hypocritical rock band causing controversy; after all, it was the music they were interested in, but, with everything else on top, the formula equated to possibly the last perfect rock band.

Taking drug addled, bass grooves as their primary guitar sound, all your favourite Black Sabbath riffs, adding an amazingly talented vocalist (John Garcia), singing about getting stoned and having a good time, Kyuss combined all of these elements and more to create a potent brew of rawk at its finest. A band who dominated underground metal during
the late 80's and early to mid 90's for their music stance, which sat somewhere between rock 'n' roll, heavy metal and death metal. Oh yeah, and they were appreciated by all genres as being apart from the general flow, and thus they created a whole new genre - stoner metal.

And you only need to pop this, one of the most influential metal albums of all time, into to your loudest sound system, and you're pretty much stoned without the weed. 'Welcome to Sky Valley' was released in 1994, a time when grunge and at the other end industrial metal was at an all time high. Co-founding member Nick Olivieri had just left the band (remind you of anything from 10 years later?), and there were severe doubts about the future of Kyuss. So, in return, Kyuss shut everyone up by releasing an absolutely flawless record.

Split up into three sections; I, II and III, this was ten tracks of every single sound that made them great in the first place. Kicking off with the quite amazingly sluggish riff of 'Gardenia', providing an amazing stoner experience, a song sounding like a seven minute improvisation, onto Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop, a guitar riffage dream, Part I is basically the band saying they can still write amazing weed based heavy metal songs.

It's not until part II that you are absolutely blown away. Kicking off with the punk rock behemoth '100 Degrees' you get a fast paced love song. But then, right after the climax, you suddenly get dragged into the fantastic country and western based "Space Cadet", seven minutes of phenomenal chill out, acoustic riffs that is just stunning to sit down and listen to. Finishing off this part of the album is Demon Cleaner, the extremely heavy anthem of the album, which by then you are just stunned.

And in part III, we get back to the extremely heavy, yet chilled out, but simultaneously groovy beats of the Kyuss sound and are loving every moment. As amazing as their previous effort, 'Blues for the Red Sun' there was no beating this, and perhaps although ''And the Circus Leaves Town" was a very good album, with some brilliant tracks, it was as an
album too far when you hear 'Sky Valley'. The main thing to appreciate when you listen to Kyuss is that, although they spent their time smoking, and then singing about weed and its quite hilarious effects, stoner metal probably isn't the right term. When you listen to the record, even without looking at the bands cover art or videos you can imagine yourself at what the more appropriate term for Kyuss' music is "desert rock". Because what mthis music really incorporates is the feeling of just driving in an open top car, stereo system blasting, sun setting, in the middle of no man's land America, the deserts. And the fact that a piece of music that is this album can create its own personal feeling of setting is what really separates it from all competition.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:53 AM

Review review_2000 - review_2010 are done.

Dibs on 2011 through 2050. I should have them done soon.

I am doing this right, right? fix the ?'s and take out band info...correct?

Neoteric

02-15-2007, 11:03 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=529

I've been trying to organize my feelings on maudlin of the Well's 'Bath' for nearly a year. While this may seem bizarre too most of you, I think if you tried to review what you thought was the best record ever made, you'd want to make sure it was worth it. So, these are my thoughts on the album I have tied with 'Surfer Rosa' as the most influential, emotionally connected, and flawless album in my vast collection. While other albums such as Cursive's 'Domestica' and Brian Eno's 'Another Green World' are records I count as my favorites, only two albums have ever been able to effect me in the way both 'Bath' and 'Surfer Rosa' have. When I was in 6th grade my cousin was looking through my CDs and was very taken aback when he saw a burned copy of 'Surfer Rosa’ laying next too BNL's 'Stunt’ and Blink 182's 'Cheshire Cat‘. He told me that the Pixies were 'one of the coolest bands in history' and I should really try to get into them, as it would open up a whole other layer of music too me. I took to his advice, and listened to the album more intently then I had on first listen (I came upon the CD when I found an abandoned CD case in my father's classroom which had apparently been there for many months.) 'Surfer Rosa' changed my scope of what music could do, while Blink 182 and bands similar too them were catchy and kind of relatable, 'Surfer Rosa' was emotionally charged and deeply engraining itself into my psyche every time I spun it. When I first discovered the CD I must have listened to it nearly a hundred times that first month. Every word, every guitar line, everything just added up perfectly to what I expected music to do. 'Surfer Rosa' opened my eyes, and they only other time they've been that open was the first time I heard 'Bath'.

Most of you will probably know motW's current incarnation Kayo Dot due to their soaring popularity as one of the most innovative and unique bands of modern music. maudlin of the Well grew out of guitarist/composer Toby Driver's want to better his idols music. Driver was mainly inspired to form the band out of his love of Tiamat's classic metal album 'Wildhoney', and the fact that despite his affection towards the album, he felt it could be vastly improved on. And what an improvement maudlin of the Well is on Tiamat's sound. motW's aggressive back drop of death metal touched with acoustic and new agey passages is often compared to the band Opeth who also finds satisfaction in the heavy/pretty method. While I do not see any correlation between the two bands, as I absolutely adore motW and absolutely loathe Opeth, this is a common comparison so I figured I should address it. Where I think motW succeeds, where Opeth fails, is that Driver's compositions are far more difficult to place into a specific genre, while Aukerfeldt's are almost always clearly metal/metal influenced. This is where I believe motW's main strength comes from, their ability to be so progressive that they transcend genres just as Kayo Dot has continued too do. To describe this as strictly a 'metal' album would discredit nearly four whole tracks, not to mention various passages that draw nothing from the metal genre. In a sense, motW isn't concerned about the accessibility or the familiarity of their music, they are just concerned on the message they wish to deliver through it.

An important concept to note when listening too and judging Driver's music is that during the maudlin of the Well period of his life he was heavily engaged in the acts of astral projection and lucid dreaming. Driver claims that some of the tracks and parts on both 'Bath' and 'Leaving Your Body Map' were partially if not completely composed in dreams (mainly 'Interlude 4' found on 'Bath's' other 'half ''Leaving Your Body Map'.) Toby also generally regarded the album as not actually being composed, but instead drawn from some infinite abyss of art. Basically, Driver had his fair share of pretentious thought during the making of this album, and whether true or false, his theories behind its composing are integral too it's actually delivery as most of the songs' subjects actually deal with these theories and ideas.

Like I said before 'Bath' is technically disc one in a double album set consisting of itself and 'Leaving Your Body Map', while 'Bath' is often referred to as the better album due to it's less generic sound (to call 'Leaving Your Body Map' generic is a joke in itself) and also it's more cohesive nature, 'Leaving Your Body Map' is like Driver's theories an integral part of understanding the album 'Bath'. 'Bath' when compared to its harsher and more aggressive brother, comes off as a very dreamlike and fluid sounding album. Its subject matter of lucid dreaming is clearly evident in its very 'dreamlike' instrumental power, and it's almost ethereal sound. It is easy to say, that 'Bath' is the softer more beautiful listen in comparison to 'Leaving Your Body Map' as is evident even in it's heaviest and 'darkest' moments ('Birth Pains of Astral Projection') which suddenly turn into crescendo's of hope and joy aided by Driver's unique falsetto. 'Bath' is in my opinion far more concerned with beauty than the heavier and more dissonant oriented 'Leaving Your Body Map'.

maudlin of the Well's line up is an odd collection consisting of strings, woodwinds, guitars, percussion, keyboards, bass, female/male vocals, and death metals growls. The band makes use of all of these instruments admirably and excellently, whether it be in an elegant way (opener 'The Blue Ghost / Shedding Qliphoth') or aggressive (the epic 'Girl with a Watering Can'). The tones, when meant to be beautiful are beautiful, when meant to be heavy are heavy. The production does not suffer the curse most 'metal' production suffers; everything is mixed enough to sound real, yet refined. The album certainly isn't in the DIY production vein, but it's got a roughness to it that distances itself from the typical metal production. Basically instrumentally and vocally the album is perfectly mixed and sounding in my honest opinion. Were I too produce my own album; 'Bath' would certainly be one of the CDs I would try to imitate.

Describing the sounds of 'Bath' is nearly impossible, due to its constantly evolving and progressive nature. The instrumental opener blends into a standard death metal song that is flavored with horn interludes, and that song gives way too a very acoustic/folky ballad that includes a very ''80ish' guitar solo and so on. The band is kind of like Mr. Bungle in that they are constantly running through various genres, but while Mr. Bungle's technique is rough and almost humorous, maudlin of the Well's is very natural and very serious. That is another thing that should be noted when describing motW's music; it is very very serious and at times very very bleak. While the band certainly isn't like My Dying Bride in their seriousness, they do have that typical 'metal' attitude of 'our art is art, and there will be no flamboyance surrounding it'.

Lyrically the album is ridiculously strong. While the lyrics are unique, they show a heavy influence from the 'romantic' era of literature. The topics range from everything from Driver's theories on astral projection, too the literal representation of one's feelings on a painting. The lyrics are doused in metaphor and pure naked emotion, which helps them easily connect to the listener. 'Geography' the closer to the album, is one of the most emotionally charged songs both musically and lyrically I've ever heard and it's line of 'Speak, or stop, or kiss me' resonates on so many levels, it just leaves me speechless listen after listen.

I don't know if I've gotten across what needs to be gotten across about this album in my review. It's an essential album for anyone that considers themselves a 'music lover' in my opinion; it combines beauty, and aggressiveness in a way I have yet to see any other band do as effortlessly as any of Driver's concoctions. 'Bath' is a flawless album, and really it achieves its goal of transcending all preconceived notions of what music is. Like I said in my review of Kayo Dot's 'Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue', this is beyond music, this is pure emotional outlet.

Neoteric

02-15-2007, 11:08 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=7105

If I ever am responsible for releasing a successful album, I hope to god that it is never regarded as 'the greatest of all time'. Yeah, weird opinion right? I guess, but take a look at a few of the 'greatest albums of all time', Nirvana's 'Nevermind', Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon', Radiohead's 'Ok Computer'. Most of us, probably really enjoy some of these albums, but due to the fact of their preachy fans telling us the album is the greatest in history, and their constant recommendation from various sources, we all tend to look down on albums that are considered 'the greatest of all time'. Another problem with releasing 'the greatest album of all time' is the constant criticism it receives, how many Floyd fans think 'Dark Side' is their favorite band's best, like two' How many complaints does 'Nevermind' get for ripping off The Pixies or some other late '80s alternative rock band' Everyone wants to have unique tastes, so if they are ever told 'Well, Cynic's Focus is the greatest death metal album of all time and nothing can be beat.' They will search endlessly for an album that can beat it. This is what brings us to Tool's 'Lateralus'.

Tool is a very interesting band. They've been around for around sixteen years, consisting of basically the same line-up for their entirety except with a key switch of their bassist. They released a relatively successful LP in the album Undertow during the relative height of the grunge scene. After this the band released what some fans would call their best the album 'AEnima'. 'AEnima' was heralded as a modern rock classic, and something that was very different from the other music being released in its day. While I don't tend to agree, I do understand the uniqueness the band had with their enigmatic vocalist Maynard James Keenan and their highly respect drummer Danny Carey. 'AEnima' was also recorded with their new bassist Justin Chancellor whose fondness of effect pedals and octaves would pave way for him to be a creator of some of those memorable bassist riffs of the '90s. Finishing out the quartet is Adam Jones who is probably the weakest member, but is a pretty strong guitar player whose really flaw lies in his tendency to create very similar riffs. Adam Jones is basically the equivalent of one of those hardcore singers who can only scream and sing softly, he really can only play softly and heavy and there is no middle ground. Anyways, back to the story of Tool: 'AEnima' was a pretty big success and definitely got people talking about the band. Then Tool did something that any manager has to regard as a bad mistake, they took five years recording their follow-up to their sophomore release. While during this time their were some side releases from vocalist Keenan's side project, A Perfect Circle and some touring did take place, Tool was basically not doing much. When the new millennium finally rolled around, buzz about a new release from everyone's favorite progressive modern rock band started to get around. 'Lateralus' was released on May 15, 2001 to shocked fans. The band had sort of changed their sound from 'AEnima', in that now they were building on their influence from progressive bands such as King Crimson and making much more complex music than they had with 'AEnima'.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard about 'Lateralus' in the summer of 2001, I most likely wouldn't be reviewing an album right now. The album was huge, and it really inspired some people in that it truly is very different from what was on the radio at the time. Hearing this in the midst of all those Staind rip-offs and bubble gum sheen of Christina Aguleria and her group of pop starlets must have been quite the shock. But this is where my first compliant will come from, it was only a shock if you were stuck in that kind of setting. If you were one of those kids listening to bubble-gum pop and shitty modern rock, of course 'Lateralus' would cause your mouth to drop to the floor. This album certainly shows that the members of Tool do know good music, and they know how to reproduce the sound of albums previously released. While, Tool did add this progressive edge they had swiped from past bands to their already blooming modern rock sound, it didn't really create anything original. Tool's music has been done before, and I think any conscious music fan realizes this. But still, too find this album in the mainstream scene of 2001 must've been quite the shock. 'Schism' stuck out like a sore thumb when it was released and it still is quite an astonishing song. Chancellor succeeded in writing one of the bass lines that is eternally know by almost the general populous and the delayed guitar that splits the song in half at about 3:40 is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard in modern rock. Maynard's vocals after that break switch from their earlier anger into something very soft and lovely and this really helps the song to be one of the fixtures of my memories of 2001.

'Schism' was the single, so like most bands Tool placed it in the middle. This makes the listener have to at least give the beginning of the album of a chance. 'Lateralus' is probably the only album that I don't like that I've listened to about twenty times. I'm familiar with the songs, and I'm always waiting for some revelation to come and for me to enjoy the album but it never does. Regardless of that, the opener to the album 'The Grudge' is one of Tool's better songs. It is constantly progressing into interesting parts, and for the most part doesn't fall into the trap of bad repetition and blandness that most of the other tracks on 'Lateralus' fall into. I guess now would be an important time to bring up the fact 'Lateralus' like most progressive rock albums, has a 'theme'. This theme according to what I gather is one of 'life' and a 'celebration of life'. Somehow those two to three minute intro tracks that are scattered about the album fit into this theme and the fact that if you use a mathematical term known as the 'Fibonacci Sequence' you can reorder the album into the intentional order. I'm not completely sure about this, because I don't usually buy into such gimmicks but apparently you can do it. This is part of what spawns my second compliant about the album. Tool is completely full of themselves. What other band do you know that purposely disarranges its track list so that their fans can like a puzzle figure out the hidden meaning behind the album and organize it into the correct track list' I mean, sure we don't know if the theory of the 'Fibonacci Sequence' is true but the fact is, this is one of the most pretentious and overblown things ever done in the history of music. This attitude also translates itself into the music at parts, while 'The Grudge' and 'Schism' are excellent progressive modern rock songs; we have to deal with useless interludes like 'Mantra' (Which according to rumor is a cat.) and 'Eon Blue Apocalypse' to get to the next good song. Not to mention the basically 'Grudge' rehash 'The Patient'. It just seems like if the band took a little less time trying to make the first five tracks of the album be all weird and progressive, and actually just wrote music they would've been able to create five 'Schism' type songs. Instead we have to deal with nearly nine minutes of filler that could've otherwise been two interesting and unique songs. We all know Tool is able to write incredible songs, it's just some of us are more susceptible to bullshit then others I guess.

The next highlight of the album is 'Tick & Leeches'. This song has a pretty ridiculous drumbeat. It's all over the place, and it really gives off that tribal feel Tool is known for. Chancellor messes around with some really low bass stuff during it and the intro to the song is going pretty good until we have Jones come in and do a very similar 'solo' to that of the track that just ended 'Parabola'. This 'solo' only lasts for a few seconds though, until we enter the actual song, which is made interesting by Maynard's switch into a rapping style. It's some much needed diversity to that of the previous few tracks dark growl and light singing that was getting pretty old. For the most part 'Tick & Leeches' is a very solid song, but some bad choices of effects and the useless melodic part in the middle kind of harm it in reaching the same heights as 'Schism'. Following 'Tick & Leeches' we are suited to some more filer in the form of 'Lateralus' another 'Grudge' ripoff and 'Disposition' a short interlude that seems to switch the mood into something much calmer than the impending 'Reflection' has in mind.

morrissey

02-15-2007, 11:08 AM

SUGGESTION!

Wouldn't it be more convenient for all if I just uploaded a word file with the edited texts inside?

It's the same amount of work for me so whatever is easiest/best for you.

Neoteric

02-15-2007, 11:09 AM

'Reflection' is a pretty ridiculous track. Like 'Tick & Leeches' Chancellor and Carey set up an extremely fine rhythm. When the synths come into the compliment this, it reminds me of a sort of complex Nine Inch Nails, which is very interesting in my opinion and is a sound that probably would make me a lot more excited about Tool. Although the build up lasts about thirty seconds too long it's a good attempt at setting the song up for a switch that comes around the 3:30 mark, with the addition of Manyard's vocals. The beauty of the rhythm part is kind of lost when it is continuously playing for nearly nine minutes, but it is a very solid piece of work so it's not that bad. When the song finally actually takes off at around the 8:30 mark, it has a very enjoyable crescendo. The problem with the build-up is that the final product is not nearly as enjoyable as say one of a band like Godspeed You Black Emperor! If perhaps Tool had split the song in half and made two interesting, and quicker songs they would've had two more hits on their hands, but instead they waste eight minutes building up to a lack luster 'finale'. 'Triad' is basically a six minute instrumental track that shows off how good Carey and Chancellor are, and they are really good. Then we get to listen to a two minute phone call that's basically a call out on Christ, thanks Tool.

While, I've basically covered the album above, I think Maynard's lyrics also need some examine since album obviously has a purpose. While some people tend to think Maynard is one of the best lyricists of our day and age, I think his lack of various material in Tool (At least on this album) makes him sub par at best. While he certainly has a very unique and interesting voice that has a variety of uses, his lyrics tend to be based in the realm of expressing some sort of anger, or meandering on about various things in metaphor. The only problem is in my opinion; his metaphor is very weak to say an artist like Cedric Bixler of the Mars Volta. Lines like 'We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been' and 'Wear the grudge like a crown of negativity' just seem to want to be serious and it makes them less emotional. That's the real lack that I find in his lyrics, the lack of emotion. But all in all this lyrical attack is probably all based heavily in my personal opinion.

In conclusion, Tool's 'Lateralus' is an overblown, pretentious progressive modern rock album that in my opinion doesn't live up to its name. I find this odd, because I like Tool's influences (King Crimson) and derivatives (dredg) but have never seemed to have grown a fondness for the band. While it'd be impossible to say 'Lateralus' is a horrible album I think the sheer 'overdoneness' really weakens its ability. Had the band concentrated on making shorter and better songs, like 'Schism' or parts of 'Reflection' I think Tool would have succeeded at making a timeless, original, and most of all relevant album. Instead like most progressive bands fell in the trap of more is more, and built an album around some very shaky but extremely attractive pillars. Maybe one day, Tool will realize that they don't need to add all the bullshit that they are so fond of to make a record, and if that day comes I'll probably become one of their biggest fans (Tool only needs to look at their friends in the Deftones and their album White Pony, to see how a modern rock album needs to be done.) Or maybe I'm just criticizing this album because I have to deal with so many people complaining about it being 'the greatest album ever made.' Who knows?

Neoteric

02-15-2007, 11:09 AM

Got in my way Morrissey >:[

I'm basically trying to fix pixiesfanyo's massive reviews.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 11:10 AM

Got in my way Morrissey >:[

I'm basically trying to fix pixiesfanyo's massive reviews.

do them in order, it will be less confusing

Neoteric

02-15-2007, 11:13 AM

Mehh.

morrissey

02-15-2007, 11:22 AM

Yep you've got it down.

Thanks for the help guys.

I'm going out of town tonight so I won't be around to edit in anymore, just a heads up if these start to pile up.

Channing

02-15-2007, 11:38 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=5075

It is a rare occurrence that I see a band perform live without having first previewed most of their song catalog. When I rock out at a concert, I want to be able to rock out with confidence, which for me, comes from knowing their songs. However, Acceptance is a notable exception. I went to see these guys open up (along with a band called The Pink Spiders) for Yellowcard at the University of Northern Iowa. I went because tickets were only $10 and my friend Melissa, who attends UNI, begged me to go. To put it bluntly, I had very low expectations. However, after the show ended, I felt like I got every dollar's worth of my money...and more. Acceptance made me a fan that night. They had a vast amount of energy, confidence, and ability. Based on what I witnessed, I purchased their major-label debut, Phantoms, a couple of weeks later. Ultimately, I was satisfied, but slightly disappointed.

To say that the energy that they boasted at the concert shows through on this album would be a big stretch. However, it's nearly impossible for any band to retain a live show's energy level on a studio recorded disc, so I don't hold that against them. But I wish that at least a handful of the excitement I experienced at the concert could have been captured and put into that shiny object they call a CD case. Unfortunately, the songs seem to glide through without ever establishing much in the way of momentum. My listening experiences with Phantoms show a similar progression to my experiences with sneaking out of my house in high school. At first listen, it started out with an initial burst of excitement and uncertainty about what was to come. Even though I didn't enjoy every song, I enjoyed the overall experience that came about. But after just a few listens, I slipped into an all-too-quick level of comfort with the CD. It lost the excitement; it lost the fun. By now, I feel like cranking up the volume to 10 and waking my parents up just to add some more exhilaration. Of course, that could just be because I've listened to it too often; just like I probably snuck out too often. Anyways, with that long-winded comparison out of the way, I should probably get to the actual content of this disc.

The opening track, "Take Cover," starts out with a fairly bold assertion from singer Jason Vena: "She's a liar." Can you take a shot at what the rest of this song is going to be about? Well, it's the typical story of a man who is being cheated on by his girlfriend and is mostly oblivious. Jason expresses his desire to be kept in the dark by belting out the line "I don't wanna be the one who caught you/So take cover." This is your typical powerpop fare. It's delivered nicely, but without much emotion. The same can be said for the "So Contagious." Hearing Acceptance move into a ballad so early on in the album was quite a surprise. The opening guitar line would sound more appropriate for Kelly Clarkson and her new "I'm not in a rock band, but I want to try to sound like I am" persona. Nothing much to detail here; it's what you would expect from your garden-variety ballad.

I think even Acceptance realized that they delved into the ballad arena too quickly and attempts to make up for it with a harder-tinged "In Too Far." Even the brooding guitars can't overwhelm Jason's syrupy sweet vocals, though. His voice seems a little out of place here, but is ushered back into its realm with the procession of "The Letter." Even the name suggests that this can and will be a ballad. This offers a little bit more in the way of background instrumentation. Still not a lot to sink your teeth into, so don't get your hopes up.

Wait a minute...do my ears deceive me? Or is that yet another ballad that I hear in the distance? That's a real shame, because I was hoping for something "Different." Unfortunately, they decide to shove more soft stuff down our throats. So, perhaps someone can answer this question for me (because I surely can't): why do I like this song? It could be because of its honest approach. It could be because I'm a sucker for sudden changes in pitch. Or it could be because I'm a pansy. Whatever the case may be, it certainly tingles my eardrums in all the right ways.

When I first heard the opening to "Ad Astra Per Aspera," I got very excited. It was that same type of excitement that I got from seeing them in concert. A charging guitar riff was fueled by a heated set of drums. Unfortunately, the excitement faded when I realized that this was only a short instrumental and not an entire song. Drats! But thankfully, the next song, "This Conversation is Over" provides just as much energy. As polished as this album is, there are still glimmers of some raw emotion that are just barely able to shine through. One of these moments is when Jason repeatedly sings "You don't have to follow!" as a notice that he has moved on. A bit of that carries over into "Over You," which proclaims the same statement, but with a little less oomph. The biting guitars are still there, but their teeth have been replaced with dentures. Swift and a bit redundant, the song fades out before it has the time to really ingrain itself.

"Breathless" is truly a standout track and leaves you nothing short of the title. A simple palm muted guitar riff and solid cymbal beat establishes a ghostly sort of mood, which is aided by the echoed chant of "Watch her go/Watch her go/Watch her go." After a few seconds of this, a solid drumbeat/bass line increases the tension of the buildup. By the time they hit the chorus, it feels like a grand release of emotion. Then, for a brief moment, the song becomes upbeat, almost chipper, before retreating back to its ethereal state.

"In the Cold" offers some memorable lyrics, such as "If you ever believe this is what you need/It will spin around and shatter/Throw you to the floor/As it leaves us in the cold." It has a nice, unobtrusive rhythm that automatically makes you bob your head like an idiot. The band sharpens its edge with its deliverance of "Permanent," one of my favorite songs of this year. I love the contradictory, almost split-personality intensive nature of the chorus: "It's permanent/Nothing is permanent." Throw in some thrashing guitars with intensity out-the-anus and you've got one incredible song.

What better way to end an album like this than with a ballad? But don't let the clever title fool you, "Glory/Us" isn't anything too original. It is, however, in alignment with all of the other ballads on this album. It's solid. Nothing more; nothing less.

That's the general statement that I would put with Phantoms as a whole. It really is a solid album, but it lacks the raw passion and energy that these guys obviously possess. More than that, there are too many easy comparisons that could be made to other bands to be able to call Acceptance original or innovative. I recommend checking these guys out if you are a fan of Matchbook Romance, All-American Rejects, Rufio, The Academy Is..., Emery, Augustana, or Yellowcard. You'll more than likely become a fan of these guys too.

Channing

02-15-2007, 11:52 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1288

Adema - Adema

Please, DON'T buy this album. It is Nu-metal trash. I'm not saying I don't like Nu-metal (I enjoy some Papa Roach.) Of course, go ahead if you like dumbed-down music. The lyrical subject is typical stuff, "My life is so hard, I can't go on boo-hoo," the guitars are tuned to drop-D which shows that the guitarists can barely play, the bass is unaudible, and the drums can't keep a beat. "Close Friends" starts promising but runs down-hill straight away. "Hang on," I hear you say, "The single was quite good." Yes, it is. Otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. "The Way You Like It" is a more promising song. It has a beat and rhythm and is catchy. A typical fun radio hit. But this is the only good track on the album. The other radio hit is good as well. "Giving In" portrays emotion. The song is about the frontman's friend's spiralling drug addiction. It has an alright guitar solo actually even if it is very short.

But the rest is just trash. "Do What You Want To Do" is a poor attempt at making an aggressive song. The chorus is just an obvious Korn attempt. Even though Mark is Jonathan Davis's half-brother doesn't mean he has to rip off him. They use a lot of synth effects, which I don't look for in music but some people do. It is bland and unoriginal. The average teenager would say they could relate and cry to this band. It'd would make me cry BUT it's because it's so horrible. I could relate to them as seeing how washed up and how much they are losers. If you are looking for some Nu-metal to bite your teeth into then buy some Korn stuff, the price will be cheaper probably and you'd get much more enjoyment out of it. This is music for the mainstream, if you aren't in the mainstream then don't touch it.

Neoteric

02-15-2007, 12:02 PM

lmao

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:08 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1316

In late 2000 in northeast Pennsylvania, guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski from an Alt-Metal band called Lifer quit and joined with high-school buddies Ben Burnley & Jeremy Hummel to form Breaking Benjamin. We Are Not Alone is their 2nd CD released .This does not compare at all to Saturate. This is much more dark and moodier, while Saturate was more 'happier'. This does not even frickin’ compare to any song on Saturate. The tuning is dropped and its just more thick, heavy and melodic Ben does a good job of making those a part of his songs.

So Cold - A song years in the making. "Always" came first, then was updated to "Inertia" and then the two were merged into this. It starts off with some creepy guitar stuff, Aaron comes in, and then Mark adds his part and leads off into a very heavy main riff, which is the bass part on a different octave. Aaron does some neat stuff here. The verse is pretty creepy, and then Mark does sorta a walk-up and then leads into a softer chorus. Back to main riff X2,Verse has a weird bass part, leads to enormous walk-up and walk-down, chorus with nice drumming, and then a pretty heavy bridge/very interesting guitar solo. Last chorus has some walk-ups, then goes into a guitar break, Ben starts screaming, and then it ends with a slide up. I must say that this is a pretty sweet song. 9.8/10

Simple Design -This is one of the only songs that’s not in drop C tuning, its in C#/Db. Opens up sort of in-your-faceish and then the bass does some popping variations during the main riff. The verse is pretty much the same for the bass but the guitars do some different parts. Opens into a pre-chorus with some strong vocals, but the instrument parts are the same as the main riff except for a fill. The chorus comes in pretty nicely with some cool stuff from the drums, repeat the cycle, then opens into a soft bridge, then gets heavier and opens into a mini-solo. I don’t know what that part is after, but it sounds like a percussion part or Mark is doing a harmonic pop. Goes into chorus and ends with a heavy guitar part and some screaming. 7.3/10

Follow-Opens - With guitar part, then after everything comes in. Verse is mainly bass parts, then fills between words, X2 then gets heavier, then rips into chorus. The chorus isn’t anything special in my opinion, but there are some nice vocals. Repeat the usual cycle, then opens into a heavier bridge where I cant make the vocals out, the last chorus is nicer because it has a nice guitar part, I don’t want to call it a solo though. Ends with a riff, then a slide. 4.6/10

Firefly - Possibly one of my favorites. Opens up pretty nice, then some cool lead part, goes to a heavier riff that’s similar. Verse is pretty neat with quarter-note drumming, cool guitar parts and basslines, sorta walkish. Goes into a 'happy' chorus, one of the only ones on the CD. Repeat the cycle, then into a heavy bridge with some screaming. The last chorus is darker with very cool parts for Aaron. My interpretation of this song is having a wonderful girlfriend, and then her turning away... .But that’s just my guess. I don’t like some of the vocals in this track, mostly the chorus. Just doesn’t do very good. 6/10

Break My Fall - Opens up not very heavy with some palm muting in-between, verse has rests, then repeats like crazy...Pre-chorus has very good parts and vocals, chorus has good vocals, but i cant really catch on to the song. The bridge is mostly no instruments and some effects only. But the drums are in it. Jeremy and Mark have parts in it like a solo. Then opens with Ben talking softly the lyrics of the chorus, then after he says 3 words, BAM! In your face chorus. Ends with him saying "Break My Fall!!!" tons of times...
3.8/10

Forget It -A little bit slower, but very creative. Billy Corgan adds an extra guitar part here!!!This song has a nice chorus with the guitar doing some very nice stuff on the top strings. Very creative and nice vocals in the chorus's and there’s some marimba effect. Bass does a nice job here too. The song is mostly parts & riffs i cant name. I like this song because of the creativity... 8.7/10

Sooner Or Later -Opens up like the usual, then Aaron does very cool parts of the riff. Bass does some cool junk in the verse. Aaron is still doing very awesome parts with the drums behind him. This song's pre-chorus is very happy, then goes into the chorus with pretty good vocals. Repeat the cycle. Then the bridge is mostly guitar muted, then both guitars, and then the bass adds a walk-up and it gets distorted. Silence...Guitar doing chorus on clean and Ben doing some soft vocals, and then that BAM IN-YO-FACE thing. Last chorus has "O-ooh-oooh" stuff like 'Medicate'. You get tired of this song real quick and it gets boring. 8/10

Breakdown -Starts off with piano, and then Ben screams "BREAKDOWN!!" very loud. This is only Db also. The main riff is composed of pull-offs and it sounds very nice. Mark does some poping in this song. The verse is mostly bass Aaron doing the intro on some distortion. The bass part reminds me of Linkin Park's 'Faint’. But its a bit different. Pre-chorus has guitar doing bass part, except its in pieces, which sounds cool. Ben’s vocals in the chorus are pretty strong but not screaming. Jeremy does a good job of drumming in this chorus. Hes crazy on the crash...anyway, bridge has the bass doing some poppin & sliding and then guitar comes in. Opens into chorus, then main riff X2.The second time has a nice part that’s sorta like a walk-down.. 7.2/10

Away - Drums start it off, then goes into main riff, where Aaron adds some cool lead parts. Verse portrays the riff and has some good lyrics in it. The chorus portrays 'Follow' way too much. Mark does so many walk-ups I cant even count. its like Ben told him do what you want! Bridge is pretty heavy. no very heavy with a awesome solo! Outro is like bridge except no solo. Very heavy with some strong screaming. Lack of creativity cause it sounded like Follow.. 3.5/10

Believe - Bass intro with some weird studio effect, then opens to Ben screaming. I love that part! Pretty heavy riff with a sort-of wah thingy, then the verse is pretty nice with some cool lyrics in the Pre-Chorus which is heavier but like the verse. This is the heaviest song on this CD because the chorus has almost all screaming. Mark adds some pops, and the bridge is crazy. Starts of heavily palm muted with drums following. Ben starts talking shakily, the drums & guitar stops and then he SCREAMS LOUDLY. Outro is even heavier than the chorus...very loud screaming! 6.3/10

Rain - Took a nursery rhyme and made it into an acoustical track. This wraps up the album nicely. Ben croons and melodically sings on this song, but the bridge is in a sadder mood. Ben hangs on to the last note, and the album ends. Very nice way to end the album.8/10

Pros -Heavy riffs, good instrumental work overall, creativity in some songs, interesting solos, complex lyrics, meanings of the songs depend on your mood, it can be heavy, yet melodic at some times, instrumental work improved from Saturate.

Cons - Some songs sound similar, lack of some creativity, some repetition gets very annoying, some songs don’t flow real well, songs need improvement with originality because they sound like Tool, and the album could use some improvement.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:11 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1317

This is the third album the Pennsylvanian band Breaking Benjamin has released.This EP has 5 tracks, but they’re good tracks. As you know Mark James Klepaski and Aaron Fink of Lifer quit to join Breaking Benjamin, but one change, Ben kicked Jeremy out. They don’t have a permanent drummer, but BC (I don’t know what band he’s from) served his purpose live very well. Good job subbing live BC and thanks..

So Cold (Acoustic) - This was played live, as you can hear the people cheer at the begining.This is slower and they cut the bassline in the intro. I can hear that they changed the bassline in the riff..anywho.. They want you to basically take a load off on a slow and relaxing song for what’s ahead. Aaron still gets his solo! And Mark still does walk-ups in this version. Ben's voice sounds so natural in this version of the song, I love it. 8.1/10

Blow Me Away - This awesome song was created for Halo 2!For the intro you get all this choir stuff. Then BAM! The band does that IN-YO-FACE riff. Its a very awesome riff with Aaron doing a very cool line. The verse is mostly effects, deep growls of the bass, Aaron doing some cool stuff in between and some vocal effects. Pre-chor has Mark showing off some of his pull-off talents and then leads into the chorus. The chorus is strong and very well put together. Aaron & Ben do a break before the bridge, which sounds very cool, and then it leads into a strong heavy part, AND IT GETS HEAVIER! Semi-Machine gun like sort of. Then for the outro they do the bridge and add some hammering. Very well put together. 10/10

Ladybug - "This is our attempt at a punk song!"-Ben Burnley. Starts off with some dishing out by BC, then leads into a fast riff with a good punkish attempt for a alt-metal label. Verse and Pre have some variations, and the chorus still keeps up the pace, and its still well put together The bridge has a rest, and then goes back in with some variations. Outro is a lot slower, but the ending picks it up! This is a good attempt. 8.6/10

Away (live) - They should have been put "Topless" and "Always" on this CD and make a live one. This version shows off how good Breaking Benjamin is live, and i think its basically an advertisement. Aaron does very good on this song with making different parts. Mark cuts down on the walk-ups and walk-downs, but the song still has the same structure as Away. They didn’t change much. 6.3/10.

Breakdown (live) - No piano. Just Ben screaming his lungs out and some crashing! In that heavy riff, there’s no popping from Mark. Aaron does a nice job of improvising that effect in the verse. I think Aaron's solo changed up a little bit. The bridge is still heavy as it is, and the song keeps the structure.7.1/10.

Pros - Cheap price($5.00-$9.00)!!,BB is awesome live, this CD has variety, they released Ladybug, the band is still as talented as ever, the riffs are pretty heavy, and there’s good variety

Cons – It’s a 5-track EP, it lacks some creativity with some production

Overall: Its worth the money people. I mean..$5.00.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:15 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1319
not sure whether to keep the bio.

CCR began in the late 50’s with a band formed by Tom Fogerty called the Blue Velvets. However, after nearly a decade of relative obscurity, Tom’s younger brother, John Fogerty took control of the band, changing both the name and the style.

Shortly thereafter they had their first hit with a cover of Susie Q in 1968. They then proceeded to pour out 5 full-length albums from 1969-1970, all chocked full of hits like “Proud Mary", “Bad Moon Rising", ‘Down of the corner", “Fortunate Son", “Lookin’ out my Backdoor", etc. Fogerty did all the songwriting on these albums and was the band’s single creative force.

In 1971 Tom Fogerty left the band to pursue his own solo career and Creedance released their final and weakest album, Mardi Gras, in 1972 after Cook and Clifford demanded equal participation in the creative process.

Cosmo’s Factory was the fifth album released by CCR and the first in 1970. It was a follow-up to the immensely successful ‘Green River" and ‘Willy and the Poor Boys" and it was hard to not expect a bit of a let-down. What the band delivered, however, was anything but.

Cosmo’s factory contained six singles that rose to the top five or higher on the pop charts. The album also saw 7 of it’s 11 tracks make it on to ‘Chronicle’, CCR’s best of album. (It also contained the most glaring omission).

The album’s title comes from what drummer Doug ‘Cosmo’ Clifford called the warehouse space the band rehearsed in due to Fogerty’s insistence that they maintain regular daily practices.

Ramble Tamble - This is a good first track for what turns out to be the group’s most musically interesting and experimental album to date. It begins with a typical short and simple, yet quality song of just less than two minutes and then, when the track first feels like it should be over, the band launches into a 5 minute Jam session. The cyclical nature of the guitar in this part is simply mesmerizing, after this, the band works it’s way back the chorus from the beginning, creating a feeling that the journey that the narrator needed to take might be over and he is now ready to face his problems. 5/5

Before you Accuse Me - This song is a bit of a letdown after Ramble Tamble. It goes back to the Soul side of CCR and is considerably more simplistic, yet still very groovy. It has an impressive vocal performance by Fogerty, who was one of the first white artists to be able to pull off black music convincingly and emotionally, as seen on this Bo Diddley original. 3/5

Travelin’ Band - This is the first of many Classic Rock Radio standards on this album. Fogerty totally abandons his soulful singing style and nearly yells throughout this frantic song, which is faster and harder than most CCR songs but still expertly preserves the grooviness that every CCR song has always had. Sax and Piano worked into the background blend perfectly and serve to add depth to this. 4/5

Ooby Dooby - This is a cover of a Roy Orbisison song. CCR effectively adds their unique touch to Oribison’s Rockabilly style and comes away with a song that is energetic and fun, but little else. 2.5/5

Lookin’ out my Backdoor - This, at least in my experience, remains the most oft-played song on the album. It has an incredible groove and utterly nonsensical lyrics, which paint incredible imagery in the mind of the listener. The song is held together by the regular call of ‘Doot Doot Doo’ by Fogerty. It has been suggested that the song is about an acid trip, although this hasn’t been substantiated. Regardless of this, ‘Bother me tomorrow, Today I’ll find No sorrow" remains one of my favorite lyrics ever. 4.5/5

Run through the Jungle - This is the “swampiest" song on the album. It is heavy and gloomy in a pretty unique way. Fogerty’s vocals are usually raspy, which accentuates the creepiness. Fogerty playing a rare harmonica is present on this track also. 3.5/5

Up around the Bend Yet another Classic Radio Standard here; this song, about a desire to escape the city and return to “Where the neons turn to wood", is just typical CCR. This song does very little to stand out, and I resent it for becoming a hit while Ramble Tamble has been ignored. 2/5

My Baby Left Me - This is a cover of an Elvis song. Like Ooby Dooby, it is up tempo and fun. CCR certainly adds their own unique style to the song, but it still remains just a fun and energetic song. 2.5/5

Who’ll Stop the Rain - This baleful Anti-war song has always felt too short to me. The ghostliness of the singing, especially in the chorus, can’t help but conjure up images of the great beyond as does the staticness of the repetitive guitar, with most of the song’s changes being supplied by the drums. 4/5

I heard it through the Grapevine - This is THE definitive version of the R&B standard. Everything about this 11 minute extended jam is perfect and there’s nothing I can say that hasn’t been said. It is without doubt the best song CCR ever recorded. 5/5

Long as I can see the light - This is a slow and very emotive song. Heavy Sax is present on this track along with Fogerty at his raspy best. This is the most soulful Fogerty original on the album and I feel it closes it out perfectly. 4/5

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:15 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1320

Swedish indie rock four piece, The Radio Dept. released their debut record in 2004. The group combine the vocal styles and catchy hooks of bands like The Strokes and Kings Of Leon with the atmospherics and keyboard sounds of bands like My Bloody Valentine and Arcade Fire, the sound of the group is basically delicate pop song writing with backgrounds of distorted white noise. Despite the background white noise, the songs of this album are pretty and sugary pop songs that are easy to enjoy. A mix of shoegaze, dream pop and lo-fi, this album would have been welcome in the early 90s alongside albums such as My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless", Slowdive's "Souvlaki" and Jesus and Mary Chain's "Psycocandy".

The debut album from this Swedish four-piece is a fine one indeed. The album begins with a short atmospheric intro called "Too Soon". After that, it's straight into the hardest rocking song of the album, "Where The Damage Isn't Already Done" (also the album's first single). This song is the most straight forward, with an infectious guitar riff and a driving drum beat. The album then slides into some shoegaze noisy songs that are much slower and quite hypnotic. One of the album's stronger points is the more upbeat "1995" that sounds more like The Strokes in love than anything else. Other highlights are all the way throughout the album and there isn't one song not to like.

One of the album's most interesting aspects is it's production. The production often masks the lyrics (along with the vocal styles on display) which is a shame because the album's lyrics are one of the best parts. It will take the listener a few listens to understand what is being said. Although this is one negative aspect of the production (and vocal styles), it's probable that the album would not be as strong without the production and singing. The fact that you can't understand the mumbled lyrics adds to the sound of the album. It's almost like the way The Strokes sing, but it has it's own charm to it. To those inexperienced with shoe gaze music, the production will sound dirty and unfinished but this is all part of the experience of the album and without this style of production, the album would almost certainly not be as strong.

Musically, the most interesting part of this album is the rhythm section and the vocals. The hushed vocals are equal parts My Bloody Valentine, The Strokes and Coldplay while the drumming features some nice "for the track" playing with interesting rhythms. The guitars are often creating walls of sound with occasional riffing while the keyboards are usually just making background walls with occasional riffs. The bass parts are the most interesting with some nice melodies cutting through the mix. This band, however are vocal based with all songs bar one ("Strange Things Will Happen") being sung by male vocals. The one song that features female vocals is an excellent track that would be right at home on a children's show such as "Sesame Street". Everything in the mix revolves around the vocals and they can be easily heard above all of the other instruments, unlike some shoegaze bands such as My Bloody Valentine.

It's easy to tell from the band's album cover to their first video that this is a band who know that their sound is much more important than their image. This album hints at the band's potential and is one of the best releases of the year. It's an easy album to listen to and a hard one not to enjoy.

Pros
- Pretty sugary melodies
- Infinitely accessible
- An interesting mix of styles gives the band their own sound
- Relaxing

Cons
- Sometimes a bit samey
- Instrumental tracks are a bit boring
- Production may not appeal to everyone

Reccomended Songs
Where The Damage Isn't Already Done
1995
Strange Things Will Happen
Your Father

Reccomended For Fans Of:
Arcade Fire
Jesus and Mary Chain
My Bloody Valentine
Early Primal Scream
The Strokes

Channing

02-15-2007, 12:19 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=7115

If I were to tell you that a man named Ian Matthias Bavitz had mad rapping skills would you believe me? Probably not, just because it doesn't have that gangster feel to it. Unlike rappers such as 50 Cent, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg Ian Matthias Bavitz is a white boy name. I can't imagine another thug rapper going up and saying "Yo, this cat named Ian Bavitz has some tight rappin' skills playa." I mean you can't even shorten a name like that to give it a gangsta feel, let's face it, Ian Bavitz is already in trouble before he even started.

Now, if I were to tell you that Ian Matthias Bavitz is also known as Aesop Rock would that interest any of you? Maybe, that all depends if you're into hip-hop music or not. I'll give Ian some credit for referring to himself as Aesop Rock just because it sounds much better. To be honest that's not the real reason why I give Ian so much street cred, the main reason is because of his hip-hop album Labor Days.

First things first I'm going to analyze Ian's rapping skills. He has an extremely deep and smooth voice, it's both nasty and rebellious. The man slurs his words nicely and spits them out with authority, he has a ton of energy and sounds quite pissed in most of these tunes. If I heard this man rap without ever seeing a picture of him I would immediately assume that he was an African American. His booming voice is so just so damn soothing and smooth, but the thing that makes everything work is the phat beats that he is rapping over. The music consists of deep bass-lines, crafty beats and some sneaky trumpets, guitars, and various electronic effects that make their way into the music. The interesting instrumentation works well because the music still has a tight rap feeling while Ian still has the ability to be creative.

Labor Days is a chill out/relax type of hip-hop album. It's not very aggressive and rough, it's more slow paced and Ian's gangsta voice creates a deep, and night club type feel. Labor Days is the kind of hip-hop album that you can just put on and let it roll all day. It's extremely addicting and soothing, it's also fun just to kick back and sing a long to some of these tracks. Aesop Rock is a perfect example of laid-back hip-hop music at its finest.

The album kicks off with one of my favorite hip-hop tracks of all time, Labor. It's propelled by a deep, easy going bassline that is repeatedly played throughout the whole entire song. Ian's voice takes control of the song right away, and his rapping is quick and very mellow. The easy going beat is hardly noticeable because of the pounding bass work and the mellow vocals. The following track, Daylight is much more uplifting and bright than Labor. It features a melodic electronic guitar riff along with some stuttered beats. It's much more quick paced then anything off the album and the chorus has a nice little flute line to go along with it. Ian's voice is smooth as hell on this one, he sings nearly every minute of the song and keeps everything upbeat yet mellow. Save Yourself explores areas that the album hasn't seen yet. It takes eerie sounding female vocals, along with a gentle little guitar riff and forms a haunting little riff. The "oohhhing" backing vocals are bone chilling and Ian manages to mix in some various electronic effects throughout the song. The first three songs are all obvious highlights.

Other highlights would obviously include Coma. It's the simplest track off the album, comprised of a simple bass line and a steady beat. Funky guitar riffs make their way into the song at points and the song will force you to nod ya' head. No Regrets is a trippy hip-hop tune, and Ian takes turns rapping with another guest rapper. The main focus is on the simple yet effective beat. It sounds like a combination of a harp and a light sounding grand piano. The two rappers spit out words at a quick pace and the beat goes on throughout the track. Some turntable samples weave in and out of the music, but for the most part the song is comprised of just a beat and some deep voice rappers. Aesop Rock at its best.

Other then these five tracks nothing else really stands out amongst the album. I'm not saying that the rest of the songs are not worth listening to but nothing is really up to par with the other five tracks that I mentioned. Flashblood is as close to electronica as Aesop Rock gets to. It's another track with a deep pitched beat and Ian's rambling rap skills. The thing that makes it slightly different from every other song is that it has a gentle, spacey vibrating riff throughout the song. I really enjoy the whole "space" feel to the track even though Ian's rapping doesn't synch up to the beat, nor the various electronics. One Brick is sort of a watered down version of the opening track. It is propelled by practically the same bassline and has almost the same exact night club feel to it. Boombox is the big single that was released off the album. It's the most inventive track off of the album featuring hissing noises, dynamic beats, and some monotone vocals. The thing that takes the song down a notch is that it runs over five minutes long and nothing seems to change up that much. Ian decided to go with just one formula and stick with it for the whole song. Battery is another that suffers from being to lengthy. It is extremely addicting at first, it has some African sounding timpani beats, some coohing noises in the background and Ian goes back to his monotone vocal delivery. If the song wasn't stretched over five minutes long then it would be much more effective. Aesop Rock have some brilliant ideas, and the production is very well done but they could have easily shortened some of these songs down.

That's basically all I have to say about Labor Days. It's a great hip-hop album, and I wish I could reward it with a higher rating because there are some amazing tones, beats, and basslines. The album is very well done musically, but at points Ian lets a certain beat go on for to long and recycles some material which just kills the album. Ian's vocals are deep, booming, and mellow and the only problem is that he tends to ramble on and on over the music and it just doesn't fit very well. That being said when Aesop Rock creates a good tune it is jaw dropping good. There are about five or six amazingly good rap songs and Labor Days is extremely relaxing, soothing, and fun to sing a long to. If you enjoy rap music in general then I think this is something that you should defiantly look into. Although Ian Matthias Bavitz doesn't sound like he can rap it up with tha true gangstas 'n thugs, his rap skills are superior to most of them and this cat truly represents.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:20 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1321
I think this review should be deleted.

Greetings, I was exploring through the reviews list and I didn't see one CODC review. So I will satisfy those who actually know who this band is. This isn't their first CD but I am not quite sure how many they have. This review won't be to detailed for I just picked it up and am just giving a rough sketch on how the album is. The reason I put Black/Death is because the vocals are sometimes quite Black Metal where as to other times they are Death Metal. This CD is 7 songs long and it runs under 15 minutes.

Pigeon VS Crow - Song starts off with some feedback and kicks in at 12 seconds. The song is one of the longer songs spanning 2:15 3.5/5

A Wooden Heart Never Bleeds - Song starts right away with a scream with guitar and drums. The song is 52 seconds long. 3/5

Wotton -This is the shortest song on the cd spanning a whole 15 seconds the whole songs lyrics are "Disputandi pruritus ecclesiarum scabies. It starts off with some feedback and different noises and the blast beats come in at 9 and the 4 lyrics are said at 11 and then it ends 3.5/5

Grabbing N - Song is 30 seconds long and starts with drums and guitar and the lyrics start at 18 seconds. 2.5/5

Skull Of A Hermet/Brain Of A Faery - Song starts right away with everyone playing. Whole song is 1:02 3.5/5

Ten Fingers (My Last Ten Minutes) -This is my favorite track and is probably the slowest (by no means this is a fukin ballad all of this CDis pure metal) it is also the longest song spanning 4:43. 4.5/5

Scarecrow Trailer Park - Song is 2:39. Starts with a nice guitar riff with the drums then the vocals come in. The song is quite good I’d say probably one of the best on the album. Although the song is 2:39 long it stops at 0:49 and from then on it just does what sounds like is bass with a bit of flanger and some quiet voices in the background then some speech that is still quiet is louder then most of the voices. Then the voice comes in and out again. 4/5

I know this review was pretty bad but there wasn't really anything to review, the songs were short yet good. If you know the CD better then me then just use this and add what I haven't. overall I liked this album I would give it a 3.5 maybe 4 /5. I hope this was somewhat helpful in the sence it will give you a rough idea on the album, if you would like to know more for yourself I would download Skull Of A Hermit and Ten Fingers. This is my first review, I will do more and I promise they will be better, my next one will probably be on a band called Capharnaum who feature Matt Heafy from Trivium on vocals, Mike Poggione From Monstrosity on bass, Jason Suecof on vocals and guitar, Jordan Suecof on drums, and Daniel Mongrain from Martyr, ex-Gorguts on guitars. I will put what the sticker on the package says about the band. Fractured (CD name) is a technical death metal tour de force that showcases kaleidoscopic guitar heroics and whirling wildcat rhythms filtered through a focused songwriting technique so potently memorable it'll cure Alzheimer’s.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:21 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1322

A man of great intellect scarred by horrible circumstances and driven towards abject enmity, Victor Von Doom continually threatens the Marvel Comics Universe to surrender to his will or suffer the consequences. Though his foes stand firm in his way, Doom’s genius and ingenuity service him well, making him a villain unmatched.

Of course, in the real world, there are no time machines, no Doombots, no Latveria. Metal-faced conquerors, though? Sure, why not? Tormented by the cruel and horrible world of corporate hip hop, Daniel Dumile (a.k.a Zev Love X) is rejected by the world, only to return as the bitter, jaded, probably a little stoned, MF Doom. Armed with an encyclopedic, hyper-referential flow and a crusty-*** metal mask, MF Doom will not rest until he is known as the “best emcee with no chain that you ever heard"

If it sounds a bit odd (see: nerdy) that a rapper would pattern his career after a comic book character... well, that’s because it is a bit odd. I suppose that’s part of the attraction of MF Doom, who could probably give a certain college dropout a run for the crown of the hardest working man in hip hop. Doom’s slurred, almost zen-like game is the result of years of mostly unrecognized efforts, from early 90's work with his late brother, DJ Sub-roc to his solo revival in part thanks to Bobbito Garcia’s NY-based Fondle ‘em record label. Following a string of underground releases in the past few years, 2004 gives way for three MF Doom releases, the most notable project, Madvillain, a pairing of MF Doom with another eccentric underground hip hop figure, Madlib.

Both Madlib and MF Doom have a lot in common, which makes the collaboration feel like the two have been partners for years. The love of jazz the two have is most apparent in Madlib’s production. A lo-fi affair, Madlib revisits the shades of blue he touched upon with his Blue Note-inspired/sampled release and the work of his fictional jazz unit, Yesterday’s New Quintet. Despite hailing from Oxnard, California, Madlib’s style is reminiscent of East Coast beat producers in a gritty, almost unpolished sense. It's far from minimalist but his technique here might fall somewhere between a more earthy Dan the Automator and a less apocalyptic El-Producto. This style molds perfectly around Doom’s monochromatic garble and the album is dressed appropriately for the occasion; Doom’s foreboding portrait stares back from the cover, Madlib on the back, looks on knowingly.

The duo also share a penchant for multiple personalities, many of which make guest appearances on Madvillainy. Madlib’s helium-voiced alter-ego, Quasimoto drops some Sun Ra-influenced philosophy on “Shades of Tomorrow," a droning number that has Madlib and Lord Quas wandering through a haze of stoned meanderings like “Yesterday belongs to the dead/Because the dead belongs to the past/The past is yesterday". Whispering vocals echo behind the verses and float in the smoke along with flutes and scratches. The track is an example of sum-of-parts-greater-than-the-parts-themselves theme which perhaps defines the effort. The lyrics are very atypical, non-rhyming (and might not amount to much except to those in altered states) and the syncopated beat is a bit daunting but the track is definitely a unique twist that works fairly well as a whole.

Not to be outdone, Viktor Vaughan (one of MF Doom’s other identities) takes a few shots at his other persona on “Fancy Clown," a phone conversation between a love spurned Vaughan and his woman, who cheats on him with “tin crown face", MF Doom. As if it weren’t bizarre enough to write a diss track about your other personality, Doom tries to top himself with songs about the horrors of a chick with bad breath (“Operation: Lifesaver A.K.A. Mint Test") and declares himself America’s Most Blunted. Doom spits like he has the encyclopedia of pop culture memorized word for word. Many other rappers drop in-jokes, sneaky wordplay and references in the lyrics but Doom draws on antiquated phrases and insanely obscure name drops as a major staple of his work. Among the most dense? Try the third verse on the album closer, ‘Rhinestone Cowboy" where he alludes to Eddie Murphy, Archie Bell and the Drells, The Great Space Coaster and even the circumstances surrounding the album itself, the demos of which leaked out onto the internet over a year before the final album made its debut.

Madvillainy lays out the premise very simply: MF Doom emcees, Madlib does the beats. Each artist is allowed to focus on their strength, lyrics and production respectively. Perhaps the most astounding result of this cooperation is how trim the final product is. The album is made up of 22 tracks but only three tracks break the 3 minute mark. A few sound-collage instrumentals pepper the album and add a noir-ish, old school Fantastic Four cartoon feel, “Rainbows" has MF Doom crooning instead of rapping and “Eye" is a R&B driven diversion. While these songs sidetrack a bit, they aren't the main reason the album comes out so thin. Rather, it is the lack of catchy hooks on any of the tracks really, that remove the fat. Doom comes out on the mic, spits a couple verses and then on to the next tune. It’s fairly refreshing to hear this kind of no-nonsense structure and the formula doesn’t harm the cohesion of the album as a whole.

It’s the fact that each piece, despite sometimes ending up fragmented and fleeting, builds into a unique presentation that makes Madvillainy a pleasure. With his work here, Madlib further cements himself into the role of hip hop visionary, continually orchestrating progressive and intriguing beats while never eschewing the more enjoyable and amusing aspects of the genre. Doom’s candid, laid-back lyricism is simplistic, street-smart and often extremely clever but perhaps takes a few listens to embrace. With that, a bit of wisdom from the man himself:

When he get the mic it's like the place get like, ‘Aww yeah!
It's like they know what’s ‘bout to happen
Just keep your eye out, like ‘aye, aye captain
Is he still a fly guy clappin' if nobody ain’t hearin’?
And can they testify from in the spirit
And living the true gods
Givin’ y’all nothing but the lick like two broads
Got more lyrics than the church got ‘ooh-lords
And he hold the mic and get your attention like two swords
(Either that) Or either one with two blades on it
Hey you, don't touch the mic like it's AIDS on it

Hooray for an album that stood up to the hype.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:22 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1323

As we all know, some bands release excellent albums, and some bands release excellent albums more than once. A select few bands release an album which starts, epitomises or defines an entire genre or style of music. But how many bands can claim to have done so more than once?

Carcass' first two full-length release, Reek of Putrefaction and Symphonies of Sickness, as well as being great albums (the former named Album of the Year by the mighty John Peel, in 1988), were also two of the defining early albums in grind, commonly quoted alongside Napalm Death's Scum. The link between these two English bands went further that just the origin of a style; they shared members (Bill Steer, I think, left Napalm Death at some point to dedicate himself to Carcass). Following Symphonies, a fourth member was brought into the band for the first time, in the shape of Michael Amott (who later went on to be a part of both Arch Enemy and Spiritual Beggars, having left Carcass, ironically because he thought they were getting too melodic). Amott's addition signaled a definite move away from grind, the result of which was 1991's Necrotism: Descanting the Insalubrious, an absolute masterpiece of straight-up death metal.

Which brings us, then, to 1993, and the release of Heartwork. Often quoted (with a frequency seemingly in direct proportion to how "mainstream" the source is) as Carcass' best album, it definitely marked a change in their style, and more or less started what we know (or should know) as melodic death metal. Yes, that just means death metal with more melody; but such had simply not been tried to such an extent before. It owes, to my mind anyway, at least as much to the 80s NWOBHM sound as it does to death metal; the characteristics of their death metal past are there (the harsh vocals, etc), but the influence of bands such as Iron Maiden can also be more clearly heard, in songwriting, and lead melodies, and so on.

In line with the continuing move away from grind, the songwriting takes a much more prominent place, and it's a more than successful transition; every song is memorable. The lyrics also are different; the medical dictionary style of earlier albums replaced by less easily definable themes. And if the songwriting is good, then the guitar play is incredible. Carcass, thanks in large part to Bill Steer, have always been a band more than able to push out excellent riff after excellent riff, and the addition of Amott doesn't hurt. Practically every riff is as memorable as the songs themselves are. The solos too are well done - they don't attempt to dominate or take over the song, establishing their own anarchistic communes within the song from whence they came, as some bands' seem to attempt. Rather, they are clearly part of the song, they (to use a cliche) "know when not to play", and they fit with the melody and riffs of the track.

The main criticism which is leveled at Heartwork is actually that which should be seen as it's greatest strength; the introduction of more melody. Although you can see many lauding it, you can see just as many slagging it off as their "sellout" album. They introduced more melody to their music, they got rid of the gorey lyrics, the gorey cover art, they sold out, to make more money. I see this accusation as somewhat unfounded. Yeah, they abandoned the gore lyrics, but so what? After three albums and several EPs/demos, I would most likely have been bored of writing a dozen accounts of autopsies as lyrics for an album, too. The cover change just mirrored the change in lyrical themes, and the cover art, by the way, is pretty damn good; a sculpture by HR Giger, I believe, and a cool one at that. And yeah, they changed their music, but they'd always been changing. Despite the grind label, Reek of Putrefaction and Symphonies of Sickness weren't carbon copies of each other, and Necroticism just plain wasn't grind. The change on Heartwork resulted in more easily accessible music, but it was also, as we've covered, a new style of music. Exploring somewhat uncharted (or at least less charted) territory can hardly be seen as selling out. Doesn't the general gist of selling out have something to do with conforming to something already successful, purely in order to make money?

Basically, this is one of those albums that a fan of metal should just own, but to say that Heartwork is Carcass' masterpiece would be unfair; it's only one of them.

Recommended song
The title track is about as good a song as any for an introduction. If you're interested, Death Certificate seems to have a riff in it that Papa Roach "borrowed" for Last Resort.

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:22 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1327

Neurosis is a weird band. They are from Oakland, California and play a sort of progressive sludge metal with something else. I suppose I can’t call it post-sludge because it’s not. It’s some sort of genre hybrid but of genres that don’t exist. The Genre Nazi is not pleased. There are some tribal sounding drum bits like Metal Archives says, but not enough to through tribal into the genre and there are some ambient sections but not enough to be part of the genre. Stupid M-A. There really isn’t a whole lot of background to be found on these guys so I’ll just get started.

The album begins with machine sounds. Something that is becoming increasingly unoriginal but because this album was made in ‘96, it’s OK. The title track, Through Silver in Blood, has some of those tribal sounding drums and ambient guitar squeals and man, it is awesome. It’s battle music for a movie. It dies down a bit and changes but it is overall fairly repetitive. The super distorted sludge chords come in and you understand where the term came from. It is very hard to tell separate notes apart and only the sustained chords can be fully appreciated. The vocals are a sort of yell. A more old fashioned way of doing things. No death growls or barks or Gollum sounds, just yelling almost to a pitch. They are mixed low and blend with the music. It gets really cool when they are mixed lower but he yells louder and the guitars take over. It is a pretty cool song and an interesting sound. The song doesn’t really change a lot but it does just enough to keep it interesting.

Rehumanize begins in such a cool way. With a sample from a movie or a few movies it sounds like. It reminds me of Faaip De Oiad but less scary. Eye is a good song but too long. Neurosis seems to get a good idea, and then only use that one for the whole song. It does the aggressive pounding riff with yelling into an ambient little hum a few time through the song but it’s one of those things that work better when only done once. Eye runs into Purify which begins with a cool ambient hiss joined by a slow piano/guitar riff and other noises. The song picks up into heaviness but then drops back a few times. It is very cool. This song has the most changing and is probably my favorite. It has more than one idea laced in and does some really great stuff. It flows into Locust Star which is another good one and the short time (5:48) helps it to not get boring. It begins with more ambient noise and a slow guitar riff but also with those demi-tribal drums. The squeals in the background are also very cool.

Strength of Fates begins with some cool samples of what is I think birds and people talking but with so much reverb, delay and condensing that they lose clarity and just sound like noises. Again a slow guitar riff and ambience are in the beginning of this song as well as piano. There is a cool section with a super distorted guitar but it’s mixed really low so it becomes just sort of a filler noise. The vocals are also very good. This is a slow plodding sort of track that slowly builds. A very strange ballad I suppose. It doesn’t get to the loud distortion blasting until the last 2 minutes or so and it works very well.

Become the Ocean begins with more ambience and samples. This time it’s a religion speech it sounds like. The theme of this album seems to be evolution or progress or something. It’s a cool idea but a little hard to understand. This is a very cool and short track. It leads into Aeon which begins with a plinky little piano part that is slowly joined by soft drums and violin and eventually what sounds like a string quartet. It is a somewhat symphonic sounding piece (well, stringy but it has that atmosphere that symphonic metal gets). Then at 3 minutes the songs blows up. They seem to be yelling at each other (the vocalists). It’s a cool idea and fortunately doesn’t go on too long. The song has a cool mellowed out section in the middle that builds up into a black metal sounding spot with those tribal drums and synths and not a whole lot of guitar. It has this build but just as it’s about to explode, it goes back down. An audio parabola I suppose. It’s actually pretty cool and has a ton of tension because it never quite makes it. The song ends with strings and piano.

Enclosure in Flame has a dissonant slightly distorted guitar starting it then it just sort of fills in. It never really gets a lot of speed and stays pretty repetitive. The opening part doesn’t really leave, they just add more on top or take some away and change what’s there. It’s a cool idea but 10:19 of the same riff starts to annoy me.

This album is good, but not great. It gets repetitive. The middle of the album is really the height, tracks 4-7 are the core. I’d recommend this album to most people but I’d also tell them not to listen to the whole thing at once. It’s just a little much.

Channing

02-15-2007, 12:23 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=4992

"Behind The Times" is an early E.P., released by Key Lime Pie Records, from the wonderful band known as A Fire Inside (a.k.a. AFI) during their early years. On this album, the members include:

This E.P. is AFI's second release in their career, and it is a good one at that. The E.P. contains 3 songs that were later released on Answer That And Stay Fashionable (their first full length album), 2 songs later released on the vinyl version of Very Proud Of Ya, and 1 song that was only released on this record.

The album starts off with a good intro song known as "Who Said You Could Touch Me?" followed by "Rolling Balls", later off of VPOY. The first of these two songs is a good aggressive punk song and is a great start to this E.P. Davey sings about how some person wants to get close to him but he just wants them to get away. The second song, "Rolling Balls", is a funny song about how a guy gets his balls cut off so that he can be on the girls bowling team. A good listening experience with fast drumming and good bass work; also a catchy guitar. The whole song goes together greatly.

The next three songs are off of ATASF, "High School Football Hero", "Rizzo In The Box", and "Cereal Wars." "High School Football Hero" starts off with ringing guitars and a cool bass part. Then everything comes together with Davey singing about becoming a high school football hero and what its like to be one. A fun, lighthearted song to sing along with when you're in the mood. The next song, "Rizzo In The Box" is another great song with palm-muted guitar riffs and fast drumming at times. The bass in the song is good, supporting everything and is also very fast. A fun song to listen to. The last of the ATASF songs is "Cereal Wars", and what an excellent song it is. The song starts off with a catchy bass line with ringing guitars in the background. Then a little drum fill that sounds cool pops up and the bass gets faster. Then everything gets fast and Davey comes in singing about what kind of cereal he wants from the store. A very fast song and pretty funny too if you know the words. The part at the end is the best when he yells "Give me sugar, not nuts and twigs! Do I look like a ***in' squirrel to you?"

The last song off of the E.P. is "Born In The USA", Which starts off with a man saying how a guy named Frank moved to Ukiah (AFI's birthplace). Then Davey comes in singing about what a guy likes living in "the US of A". Another funny song to close off the album.

This album as a whole shows the side of AFI that is about immature things compared to the things they sing about nowadays like on Sing The Sorrow. I would recommend downloading these songs (since this is hard to find now). To get a few you could pick up ATASF or the vinyl version of VPOY. But to get "Born In The USA", you need to either find this or download. But if you do find this, then I definitely suggest that you buy it right away.

4.5/5

Stoic

02-15-2007, 12:26 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1324 (delete rating in the bottom)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1325
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1325 (delete rating in the bottom and link in the middle)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1328 (delete link in the beginning and in the bottom)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1329
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1330
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1331 (delete link in the beginning)
delete line up and/or other info in the beginning

Channing

02-15-2007, 12:40 PM

SOP writes long reviews.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=61

Of the various bands that are incessantly labeled "emo" as of late, AFI, more than any other, could most accurately claim to be. Of course, they've never claimed to be, and it would be a dubious honour nonetheless: to be dubbed "emo" in the modern age is almost always a mark of shame, the insult of all insults. Far from relating to the early '80s post-hardcore movement of Fugazi et al., the term has learned new connotations- it's invariably applied to a variety of pop-punk bands who project a particular type of image; any hardcore influence is incidental, "emo" is now a term applied to all overtly "emotional" music, more specifically music which exhibits a certain type of blinkered introspection which borders on or embodies complete self-loathing. In this sense, the Davey Havok-led band are in every sense an emo band. More recently, the term has become yet again broadened to apply to just about anyone who wears eye-shadow (and is a man); most ridiculous is the branding of Green Day as an emo band, a band whose level of introspection is roughly comparable to that of a lighthouse.

Nonetheless, my purpose here is not to argue genre labels. My purpose is to highlight an album which in some ways precipitated the success of bands such as My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights etc., but comes from an entirely different background: the marrying of post-punk pseudo-gothic influences like Joy Division and The Cure to more mainstream punk and hardcore beginnings. Post-rock in general, and post-punk in particular, often receives unfair criticism for its uniqueness; fundamentally, post-any genre is music that is strongly informed by but ultimately sonically irreconcilable with its core genre. The move from straight-up punk/hardcore to something a little more textured has been a long time coming for AFI; even so, they're by no means innovators on the gothic post-hardcore track. They have, however, with this release taken a giant step in any direction, following a series of baby steps which began with the A Fire Inside EP and continued with the addition to the band of guitarist Jade Puget, whose post-punk tastes mirror those of Havok.

There's two mainstream views regarding Sing the Sorrow and the commercial success it's achieved: the first lambastes the group for purposely taking a more pop-oriented turn on their major label debut, a blasphemy for many of their more "punk" fans; the second is far more forgiving, proclaiming Sing the Sorrow a work of epic genius, the realisation of Havok's hitherto unrealised potential. Certainly since Jade Puget's arrival the band had been gradually drifting towards a sound further and further from their base punk sound and had incorporated influences like the Smiths, the Cure, Joy Division, which Davey Havok had long since had an affinity for. The question remains however: is Sing the Sorrow the next logical step (albeit a bigger one than previously taken) or had the band simply sold out? The shedding of punk and hardcore roots and their replacement with goth rock and post-punk could only lead to a certain sanitisation of the band's sound; it's certainly easier on the casual listener's ear. Metallica found themselves in a similar quandary following the release of The Black Album in 1991- they were accused of making their sound more digestible to the mainstream listener in the hope of achieving commercial success. Just as Sing the Sorrow is considered by many to the group's most accomplished record to date, The Black Album is just as much a bone of contention in thrash metal quarters: hailed by millions, discarded by just as many. Most crucially, perhaps, both bands earned themselves many new fans, as their respective releases bought them unprecedented mainstream success. My place is not to mediate such conflicts, however, merely to pose the questions.

Now, let me return to an earlier point, the topic of Davey Havok's perceived self-loathing. While I'm not particularly interested in whether this makes him emo or not, there is a persistent thread that runs through not just this album but all of AFI's previous releases: a consistent type of self-deprecation and the apparent desire to have himself punished. Earlier albums saw Havok take on a rather direct approach to writing lyrics and hence they were laced with lines like: "Cut myself today/It's all for you" and "Throw me away/I've got no use/I am useless." Charming. After Jade's accession to the band, Davey's lyrics took on an increasingly poetic bent; this again alienated many of the band's fans who, perhaps not undeservedly, felt his lyrics were becoming, well, pretentious wank. And who could blame them, with song titles like "This Time Imperfect" and "Miseria Cantare"? If further evidence was ever needed, we're talking about a man who used the word "imbrued" in the lead single for the album ("Girl's Not Grey"). Of course, many consider Poe pretentious, and he's only one of history's most celebrated poets, so who knows? The gothic poet is said to be an influence on Havok's lyrics, though he probably takes more from lyricist such as Peter Murphy, Robert Smith and Morrissey.

From a sonic bent, Sing the Sorrow is a logical conclusion to the direction taken by AFI on their previous outing, The Art of Drowning. Drowning saw the band drop some, but not all, of the hardcore punk elements which had typified their sound to date. Replacing the fast, furious guitar riffs of old were more intricate passages, courtesy of guitarist Puget; Davey Havok, too, introduced softer melodic vocals rarely heard on earlier releases; the rhythm section, bassist Hunter Burgan and drummer Adam Carson, was therefore afforded a more prominent role in the mix; additional instrumentation was also introduced to the band's repertoire, most notably the strings used on "Morningstar." This however, was the most conservative of developments when contrasted with the transition from The Art of Drowning to Sing the Sorrow- almost obliterated were the breakneck-speed chugging guitar riffs, the harsh screamed vocals; in there place were strings and keyboards, soft melodies, both uplifting and depressing, clean guitar parts, more complex and distinctive bass and drum passages.

From the get-go, opening track "Miseria Cantare" (Latin: Sing the Sorrow), the stylistic shift is brought into stark view. Fading in to synthesised percussion & strings and the chiming of church bells, the album intro sounds more like a gothic, glam metal hybrid at first, reminiscent of L.A. Guns' "Over The Edge," before aggressive group vocals pull the focus straight back to hardcore territory- all four members shouting repeatedly: "Love your hate/Your faith lost/You are now/One of us." Immediately the macabre lyrics strike as a complete departure from previous material, as Havok goes on to make the bold statement, "Nothing from nowhere, I'm no one at all." The theme of sorrow, misery, regret, self-deprecation, death is already materialising.

Three singles materialised from the album: the lead single "Girl's Not Grey," which earned the band an MTV Music Award, "The Leaving Song Pt. II" and "Silver and Cold." "Girl's Not Grey" afforded the band considerable coverage on music channels prior to the album's release and, as the most overtly "pop" track on the CD, led many fans to fear the worst when the album finally was released. Led by a clean-but-aggressive guitar attack and Havok's soft melodious vocals, the song is two parts power-pop, zero parts hardcore yet the vaguely uplifting atmosphere belies lyrical themes of death and suicide, with the singer feeding such lines as "I'll lay me down tonight," "Swim in the calm tonight," "What follows will swallow whole." As is the artist's wont throughout the album, morbid lyrical themes are often wrapped in rather more upbeat melody lines. The band even throws in a bridge centred round Adam Carson's drum rolls, bringing to mind military manoeuvres of some sort. In stark contrast, "The Leaving Song Pt. II" is not nearly as deceptive; in one of the album's most obvious nods towards hardcore, Havok shouts in the chorus: "Break down and cease all feeling/Burn now what was once breathing/Reach out and you may take my heart away" to the backdrop of Jade's simple-but-expressive picked chord patterns.

Most impressive however, is the third and final single: "Silver and Cold." Boasting an accompanying video which features the sprawling landscapes around the city of Prague, Czech Republic, the track is a mini-opera of sorts, gradually building from an understated solo piano opening to an expansive rock ballad, as Puget's Jeff Buckley-like guitar licks become progressively harder and heavier and the urgency and intensity in Havok's voice continues to build and fall, build and fall. Impressive utilisation of the loud-soft dynamic make the explosive choruses all the more powerful, the repeated cry of "your sins into me, oh my beautiful one" bringing the piece to quite a thrilling climax.

Channing

02-15-2007, 12:41 PM

Part 2

AFI do throw a bone to their older fans in the form of "Dancing Through Sunday," a hardcore-influenced punk song in the vein of their earlier material though maintaining the clean guitar sound so prevalent on the album. Hunter's metal-informed thumping bass plays an important role, as does the pounding drumbeat which underpins it. Davey's vocals again veer towards hardcore territory, being as they are half-sung, half-shouted, and the group chorus call of "Oh, we dance in misery" (again relating to Sing the Sorrow) again cloaking a rather morose sentiment in almost celebratory chant. Jade Puget's quick burst of off-tempo shredding after a serene breakdown again points towards hardcore or even grind, if only for twenty seconds or so. Likewise, "Paper Airplanes (makeshift wings)" and "Death of Seasons" bear more relation to the group's hardcore material than the rest of the album- the former a ill-tempered tirade against seemingly "fake" fashionistas, wherever they may be; the latter a foul-mouthed lyric of two different but related themes teetering between aggressive screamed vocals, where Davey insists "this hate is ****ing real," and a softer passage with boyish vocals where we're treated to the image, "I watch the stars as they fall from the sky/I held a fallen star and it wept for me, dying." Despite, or perhaps aided by, a short-but-memorable techno passage, the track is a firm fan favourite both from the album and the band's entire catalogue.

As the album draws to a close, the tracks become ever more expansive in scope, final "track" "...but home is nowhere" encompassing no less than three distinct songs: the first, a vocal-driven personal epiphany which, through the medium of the theatre, sees Havok come to terms (to a degree) with who he is, accepting "this is my line/this is eternal." Equal parts resigned and desperate and beautifully sung, it's probably the most open expression of the self on the album. It leads into a child reading a poem to a gothic piano piece, before the pseudo-power ballad "This Time Imperfect" begins, and the lyrics show the gradual acceptance of fate exhibited earlier nearing completion. The author sings in the chorus: "There are no flowers, no, not this time/There'll be no angels gracing the lines/Just these stark words I find."- quite naked images of death, specifically a funeral.

While fans have many theories as to the way the "story," if there is a story, progresses through the course of the album. Davey Havok has never expounded on the often ambiguous images painted by his lyrics, leaving the fans to interpret as they will- the way it should be in my opinion. Whether you subscribe to the idea that the story is best read from back to front or you just think the coherent themes that run throughout provide enough information, or the often unusual choice of words and verse turn you off completely, they are a source of huge contention among fans and perhaps the mystery is best left unsolved. All four members of AFI have crafted an album here which they knew would alienate large sections of their fans, leaving more of the traditional punk and hardcore sounds aside than most mainstream post-punk acts, and it's debated whether it was a good move or not. I like it though.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:03 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2011 fixed spacing

Textures - Polars.

Just over ten years ago, heavy metal was at its unquestionable, unmoveable
paramount. Slayer, Pantera and to an extent, Metallica all ruled the roost, and for everyone else, that was fine. Up and coming bands such as Sepultura and even a very young, pre-Corey Slipknot were shining to keep this legacy going, but few bands could knock these three off the top. Then suddenly, Pantera split up, Slayer went silent for a few years and well, we all know the story of Metallica. Heavy Metal was suddenly out on its arse, and until recently has hardly had a look in since. It's surely an absolute relief then that bands such as Textures have come together and made Heavy metal the dogs bollocks once again, but the truly special thing is that this time, heavy metal has gone progressive, spacey and atmospheric. Now, surely to a lot of hardcore Heavy Metal fans, this would sound like an absolute disaster, but it isn't, amazingly.

This is probably the Metal album of 2004 so far. Textures have everything you would expect from a band resurrecting Heavy Metal; Strong vocals, fantastic heavy metal riffs for any fan of melody and drum work that quite easily throws you off course, over and over again until you just can't take it anymore with it's knockout off beats and obscure timing. The thing that you most certainly don't expect is the wonderful use of synth and samples that still work brilliantly with this violently fast-flowing metal music.

The opening track 'Swandive' is possibly the best introduction to the band you could get, showing them in all their fury, giving a pretty fair review of everything the band can do, and then some. 'Ostensibly Impregnable' and 'Young Man' show the bands speed and death metal influences wonderfully in a giant's fistful. 'Transgression' flows wonderfully between riffs and a chillout saxophone solo which really does do the job perfectly.
The strangest thing about this album though is that it is 8 tracks in 55 minutes. And the first 6 tracks are all within 30 minutes. 4 of those 6 tracks are the band at their absolute most brutal, 'Transgression' has already been mentioned, and the other track is a 3 and a half minute Nine Inch Nails styled synth/sample instrumental. Now this is fine. But when considering that title track 'Polars' is an 18 and a half minute
constant battle between their two sounds, metal and atmospheric, you feel that the band are being just a tad too pretentious. Almost as if, this is far too much for a debut album, this is almost too good for a debut album, that this should have been left to a bit later in their careers, simply because this album is going to be extremely hard to beat next time.

The final track 'Heave' is simply a 14 minute instrumental, which is pretty much part two of 'Effluent' the first instrumental. This album sets the barriers at some extreme ends of the spectrum, an album you can let some intense anger out at, and yet at the same time could soothe any beast. It truly is special. However, due to the inevitable action of making heavy metal progressive, it may take some time for the original fans of the genre to enjoy this. However, regardless of what genre this album falls in to, and whether they really will be able to do something as good as this next time, Textures are here to stay.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:04 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2012 no errors
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2013 took out intro about band and lineup

When I first heard about The Exies was a commercial featuring "Ugly" from this album (being their 2nd or 3rd album),I enjoyed it.I dug a little bit more information on them and then I picked this album up.It's a pretty good album,having some agressive and meaningful lyrics.High energy is defiently a factor here.

Slow Drain - The opening track starts off fast with a distorted bass backed by a steady beat and it builds up and up.Really high energy in the verses too,with that same steady beat.The chorus has a downward chord progression,but it still maintains the energy,but I don't like the chorus too much.This has a sweet guitar solo with some kind of wah.Really a good opening track. 4/5

Splinter - Opens up a little like Slow Drain,and still has a fast pace.Freddy's bass weaves in and out of the words very effectively.The chorus breaks in,still keeping the pace.Scott is doing a great job singing here.Not really much of a guitar solo,but this is still a good song. 4/5

Ugly - Beautiful clean guitar entrance,and the instrument parts remind me of "Always" from Saliva.Great lyrics here.It's about finding someone alike and sticking with them,is what I interpret this song about.Nice harmonics burst into the chorus and flows into the verse.The verse is a great combination of the vocals and instruments.The bridge section is pretty angry sounding.The outro is the basically the verse riff with great vocals.This is a great song..5/5

What You Deserve - Opens up fast again,and the verse has a strong backing melody.I'm not very fond of the chorus,but it's simple and effective.Bridge section quiets down,and I love the guitar part.It's simple and weaving in and out.But it continues the upbeat into a great guitar solo from Dave.Not too much of a strong track. 3.5/5

Hey You - Bursts in with that distortion on the bass and the drums backing it.The guitar parts sound off to eachother.It's really simple and great.The pre-chorus spits open with energy,but slows down in the chorus and Scott has a great vocal melody here.Again,a sweet solo.I love how it slows down into an outlay of the verse,and then goes into the chorus.4.5/5

Baptize Me - A slower track but it really builds up.The verse slows down again but has that great build-up quality.The chorus isn't really strong,but the pre-chorus was.There's a mini-guitar solo,and it still has a good energy build up.This track is like a roller-coaster.3/5

F.S.O.S. - F.S.O.S.,or False Sense Of Security is a fast-in your face track.I really like the vocals and instrumental parts.I just love the chorus's guitar parts and the whole great feel of the track.The guitar solo fits F.S.O.S. perfectly.It just has a good feel that makes you want to dance.Lots of f-bombs too. 5/5

My Opinion - Great opening again,and I love the verse's upbeat and weaving parts.The chorus has that same feel,and it still has that dance energy.The backing vocals are really great,IMO.That blistering guitar solo really has a great effectiveness.What I like about The Exies is they know how to make simple things great. 4.5/5

Dead Enemy - One of my personal favorite songs from The Exies is this song.It opens up with both guitars doing a clean melody.The vocals fit perfectly with it.I love the chorus's energy and lyrics:
Quote:
Originally Posted by LYRICS
My dear enemy
Back stabbin' me
Like a friend to me
Like you seem to be
You think I don't see
You're back stabbin' me
Like a friend to me
My dear enemy
The solo is fits awesomely.Of course,it goes into that quiet build up again.This is definetly a great track. 4.8/5

Tired Of You - A slow song,but it has such a great melody with Scott's vocals and the guitar melody.The chorus has some distortion,and the chorus is such a great aspect for the song.Scott's at his best on the album.This is a really great song,I love it."But I'm not tired of you" 5/5

Normal - Some guitar feedback and a great bassline.It just opens up fast after that.The verse is more angry and agressive,and the chorus has a beat to it.The solo is the greatest sounding on the whole dang album!But some of the tracks start to get the same format which gets a little annoying..But this is still a pretty good song. 4/5

Don't Push The River - Comes in with some feedback,and goes straight into the verse.The guitars have such a great sound in the verse,which back his vocals perfectly.I don't like the chorus because it's too repeatitive.There's a mini-solo which really doesn't last long.It's more of a filler for the chorus.Not a great song.3/5

Pros
- High amount of energy.
- Lots of simple,yet effective guitar solos.
- Scott can have a great melody in his vocals.
- The rhythm section weaves in and out perfectly.
- Song's make you want to dance.

Cons
- Some songs sound alot similar.
- Lack of a good amount of variety.
- Songs have similar structures.

What else can I say?I liked this album alot.They know how to have high energy and keep the song's simple and awesome.This album gets a 4/5
stars from me.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:06 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2014 took out intro about band/line-up

Few artists come around who change the genre, who defy all odds and ultimately launch a generation of copy cats, let alone change lives in under an hour more than soapbox televangelists do in an entire lifetime. Comparing Nirvana's debut album "Bleach", with its Black Sabbath soaked head banger cult status rock, to their sophomore classic album "Nevermind", which almost resembles a bloody water fight between the Sex Pistols and the Vaselines, a person could easily imagine a ten year gap between the two, let alone just two short years. The pressure was definitely on Kurt Cobain and co. to followup what was known as an album that would threaten the likes of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" success almost 20 years prior. Instead of buckling in and beginning an endless career of trying to duplicate what was, Nirvana made one of the most artistically dark but curiously beautiful albums of all time, titled "In Utero". Despite the success of "Nevermind", "In Utero" trailed on its coat tails ever since in means of album sales despite doing what '"Nevermind" never did, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200. When comparing the two, one main difference stands out. "Nevermind" has pop single after pop single and "In Utero" has a view only few can grasp, and shortly after the hugely successful hit single "Heart Shaped Box" was released, Kurt Cobain was found dead, leaving Nirvana's future uncertain. Although it was clear that Kurt Cobain was most likely going to both leave Courtney Love and leave Nirvana in the not so distant future, touring stopped, new videos off of "In Utero" stopped, and basically all forms of promotion stopped. Fortunately for fans, Nirvana preformed on MTV Unplugged, which aired and released the album posthumously to Kurt Cobain, giving an ironic final note, considering the show had a funeral-like setting and a host of songs about death and depression, to a legacy that most bands spanning 20 years of new material albums could never get in Nirvana's 5.

"Nevermind" was full of teenage angst, ironically, the first line on "In Utero" is, 'Teenage angst has paid off well, now I'm bored and old.' "Serve The Servants" opens the album up with a bright sounding song about the 'witch hunt' of media exposure, namely Courtney Love's persecution. It is clear with this opening track that "In Utero" isn't the power chord punk rock of before, but a progression to simply good songs that defy labels and just hit the listener with a sledge hammer to the abdomen. The album art of "In Utero" is riddled with flowers, fetuses, and bodily organs of all kinds, which almost paints itself with the tone of the music inside. The cover art is a see-through woman with wings, showcasing the juxtaposition of ethereal to disgusting. Based on the book "Perfume" by Patrick Suskind, "Scentless Apprentice" opens up with Dave Grohl's pounding drums and continues to Kurt Cobain screaming the guitar and screaming his lungs out. You can tell the bands emotional pain with this album, namely Kurt Cobain's plea for some kind of release. "Scentless Apprentice" is so heavy that anyone just wanting to break stuff will find the perfect accompaniment. Possibly one of the best songs Nirvana ever recorded is "Heart Shaped Box", which opens with cryptic guitar to Kurt and Dave harmonizing. About addictions of any sort, Kurt sings from the heart pleading, 'Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back.' There's a pretty arrangement of quite to loud, right and wrong, and life to death, all of which are evident in the amazing video partnering the song. Next is "Rape Me", a song that stabs at both "Smells Like Teen Spirt" and the crucifixion of the public eye. Though evidence points both ways, if Kurt Cobain killed himself than this song, alongside of the entire album, is as much of a suicide note as anything. "Rape Me" proclaims a poetic justice of a rapist will then be raped in jail. Continuing in the album are "Unplugged" like songs to loud and angry with themes of injustice, ignorance is bliss, the egotistical, dependency, abortion, marketing, disorder, and regret. Highlights of which include the cello accompanied "Dumb" which provides more of a raw feeling to that of their "Unplugged" performance, "Pennyroyal Tea" which holds the same grounds as "Dumb", and ambiguously Nirvana's best song, "All Apologies".

Overseas versions of "In Utero" include the bonus track "Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip", which is a laugh at themselves and at the music industry in general.

Personal Note- I've searched far and wide and can honestly say that this is my favorite album, and will venture to say it is the best album ever recorded. To fully appreciate it, one must appreciate and understand Nirvana and what they stood for. If you want a great album, one that puts faith in you that the music industry isn't all s***, "In Utero" is the one to buy and listen to often.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:10 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2015 no errors
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2016 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2017 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2018 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2019 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2020 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2021 no errors

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2022 fixed numbering, spacing, and took out how he originally couldn't submit it.

The year was 1978, Black Sabbath had to comeback with a strong album after last years somewhat 'Dissapointing' album "Technical Ecstacy."
The question is, did they do it? In my opinion, yes.

This album is the last Black Sabbath album featuring Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals, and it's a great album. It contains a lot of "Softer" Black Sabbath songs too, well, soft compared to their earlier stuff anywho.

The tracks:
1.) Never Say Die!
This is a great tune, really upbeat, fun, and the lyrics have no real warning, only a sort of poke at superstition, "Don't you ever say die!". It contains some great instrumental work, and Ozzie's vocals are top notch. This is a great way to open an album, as it is packed with fast attitude and it grabs the listener.
4/5.

2.) Johnny Blade.
This one is a toughie, on one hand, I love it, on the other hand, it's a slight cheesey knock-off of some other songs. Sure, it starts off with a cheesey as hell keyboard riff, but it soon kicks in to a completely rocking tune. With some funny imagery too "One look and he will put you doooooown!". One thing I love about this song, however, is Bill Ward's drumming, especially on the intro were he follows up with some incredibly fast drum rolls. An excellent way to carry on an album.
4/5.

3.) Junior's Eyes.
Now, I'm not going to go over the top here, but I absolutley love this song, 100%, it's fantastic, starts off with some of the punchiest bass playing, with some phased drumming inter-looped. Then, Iomi's guitar, wah and all (!) come in, this song is deffinitley the best song off this album, and it holds dear to my heart, as it was one of the first Sabbath songs I ever heard.
5/5.

4.) Hard Road.
This is a nice song, but you get the impression that, well, to be brutally honest, it isn't going anywhere, it's deffinitley a nice laid back song, after the bombastics of the last three anyway, it's a cool song, and it has some great vocals, not really one to be taken seriously in terms of lyrics though, as all I can figure out from these is "Life's tough, deal with it" a cool song.
3.5/5.

5.) Shock Wave.
Now, don't get me wrong, this is a half decent song, but I just get an immediate whiff of filler, there was no real need for this song to be on the album, quite frankly, as it has no dirrection at all. Sure, if you like generic knock-offs of previous Sabbath songs, go ahead. But I'm not a fan.
3/5.

6.) Air Dance.
Two words, "THE DARKNESS!" but seriouslym this sounds like something off Permission To Land. It's an OK song, but the lyrics are ridiculous, something like "dancing her way up" very silly. Instrumentally, it's pretty cheesey, with piano (JAZZ PIANO!) scores drifiting in an out of the verse. Nuh-uh.
3/5.

7.) Over To You.
Again, like Shock Wave, this is pretty much filler in the middle of the album, but I don't mind it, that said. The instrumentation is good, and the vocals are cool I guess, other than that, I don't really have anything else to say about it. Just read the disection of Shock Wave.
3/5.

8.) Break Out.
Now, we all remember Miles Davis, he was cool, but it seems Sabbath had been listening to a lot of him when they recorded this instrumental, it is bassically just Iomi and Butler banging out a riff on the E string, while some jazz musicians improvise, don't get me wrong, musically this is excellent, but you can't help ask yourself "Why is this on here..?"
3/5.

9.)Swinging The Chain.
The last song on this album, is very nearly one of Sabbath's best, it also, unusually, includes Bill Ward (excellently) on lead vocals and percussion, while Ozzy gives it a god blast on Harmonica. I like this song alot, and while it's not much more than a 12 bar blues, with amusing lyrics, it's deffinitley a stand out.
5/5.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:11 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2023 Took out band line-up and rating

Waiting For The Sun. There is a great deal of hatred often spreaded towards this album, I fail to see why...I love it personally, and I aim to get as many people as possible listening to it! This album has some of the Door's best known, and well loved material of all time, and yet STILL it gets slated to high heaven, the story of the album began in 1968, Jim Morrison was hailed as the country's most bright and up-and-coming poet. Of course, Jim had other ideas, and with this album, he really made them clear...

#1:Hello I Love You.
The album, starts off in a great Doors style, a nice poppy song, with no real depth, is thrown into the first track place here, it's an easy listen, allthough if anything a huge "All The Day And All The Night" rip-off, it has some funny lyrics "Like a dawg that begs a fo' something sweet!". I like this song, it was one of the first Doors songs I heard, and still features regularly on my playlist.
4/5.

#2:Love Street.
This is a tricky one, I like this song a lot, but to classify it in a certain genre, as such, is incredibly hard, it starts off with a fantastic sliding bass line, and goes into a kind of "60's serannade song", and yes, I'm aware this album was released in 1968, but then it turns into a full rockin' tune, with a nice piano solo, it's an easy listen and continues the album in a good fashion.
4/5.

#3: Not To Touch The Earth.
I'm not going to go over the top here, but jesus, what a song. This encompasses all the things people loved about the Door's first two albums, hard rock, blues, psychadelia, and well, just plain weirdness. A strange fact about this song is that after each chorus, the song changes it's key. I love this song, I absolutley do, it's deffinitley my favourite song off this album, and one of my favourite songs of all time.
5/5.

#4: Summer's Almost Gone.
Well, the album hits a low point on this smaltzy waltz of a song. There really is no need whatsoever for this song to be on the album, this and the next track really have no significance at all to the album. In my opinion, this song comes very close to making or breaking this album. No point of it being here, full stop.
2/5.

#5:Wintertime Love.
Again, with the waltz! No no no no NO! Album spoiler!
2/5.

#6:The Unknown Solider.
After the steep slope of the last two songs, you might be persuaded to put this album down, and back away very slowly, don't. This song is perfect, the best anti-vietnam song of all time, recorded by the humble Doors. I can NOT stress enough how great this song is, there is a lot of good imagery too, well, the organ intro gives me the immediate picture of blood spilling out of a wounded soldier, and the instrumental break is lining the soldiers up. Perfect song, and a great way to make this album listenable again. Well done Jim.
5/5.

#7:Spanish Caravan.
This song is little more than a plateu for Robbie Krieger to show off his flamenco guitarist skills. Allthough saying that, it's a cool song, with some weird lyrics "Carry me caravan take me to away! Take me to Portugal take me to Spain!", once more this is nothing more than filler, but it's an enjoyable song.
4/5.

#8:My Wild Love.
This is freaky, the first time I heard this I was genuinely scared. I don't really know what to say, it has a lot of tribal elements (just clapping and singing) The lyrics are decnt, but not much else here.
2.5/5.

#9:We Could Be So Good Together.
This is a lively, and very cool song. One of the first songs i learnt to play on guitar, and it still features highly on CD's I make. All in all it's a pretty fun song, and the most upbeat off a pretty strange album. Deffinitley a highlight.
5/5.

#10:Yes The River Knows.
This is odd. First you assume the Doors are a bunch of acid dropping stoners, but then you get this, a Liberachi-esque piano led ballad. An interesting song, but deffinitley weird. It also has some of the weirdest lyrics I have ever heard in my life "I promised I would drown myself in mystic-heated wine"...What the heck is mystic-heated wine anyway...?!
3/5.

#11:Five To One.
It has often been said "I save the best till last..." oh my, well...The Doors deffinitley did it with this one. This is an absolute blistering track, and possibly my favourite Doors song of all time. I love the simple drum beats, and the anti-war lyrics, there is a great deal of imagery here "Your ballroom days are over.." which can suggest at a lot of things, but this is definitleya, if not the standout track here. Download if you haven't heard!
5/5.

Don't always listen to what the critics say, this is a storm of an album. Download the top rated tracks and you will not be dissapointed ladies and gentlemen.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:13 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2024 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2025 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2026 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2027 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2028 no review

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2029 took out band line-up, missing album image

My Chemical Romance- The Media-proclaimed saviors of rock hailing from the Garden State, offer up an impressive sophomore release. I read the previous review on the album and felt it did little to no justice to reveal to the readers the circumstances that brought about such an ambitious album from an aspiring band. So here's the story of MCR prior to Three Cheers.

Extensive touring and the pressure to put out a sophomore release began to take its toll on MCR. Most noticeably, the singer, Gerard, was not dealing with the surging fan base well. Being from New Jersey, I remember seeing MCR rock out in the early days, and it was obvious that Gerard was heavily under the influence while on stage. Turns out, Gerard felt the need to drink his confidence in order to 'perform'. This had two draw backs: one, Gerard had to take downers to sleep after shows which are very dangerous when mixed with alcohol and two, the band's performances were lacking. After the cycle took its toll, Gerard realized his problem and sought help. After and during rehab Gerard had the idea to make the next album a concept one. The main story is a Bonnie and Clyde like couple, and how the wife dies and the husband barters with the Devil to see his wife again. The Devil tells the man to acquire 1,000 souls of men, and he will be able to see his wife again. As you can see, the ambitious story was a huge leap from the band's previous lyrical content.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 2 forms. The original drummer for MCR left the band and MCR was left to find a replacement, who later became Bryar who they met on the Used tour. The second was much more serious, as Gerard's loving grandmother passed away. This fuels Gerard's lyrical flames, as his grandmother had taught him how to sing and draw, two of the things Gerard loved most to do. Thus, the story of Three Cheers now had a plotline, but Gerard used personal pain to infuse emotion into the story.
Just as Gerard had stepped up his lyrical game, so had the rest of the band with their musical competence. Most noticeably, Ray Toro has now become a formidable lead guitarist, with interesting and diverse riffs, and some neck breaking solos.
And So that brings us to the actual cd, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge.

1. Helena - Written in memory of his grandmother, Helen, the lyrics and vocal lines are the obvious highlights here. Soft introduction, with a nice waltz-timed chorus, great intro song.
2. Give 'Em Hell Kid - One of the more 'punkier' feeling songs, beginning with the running bassline intro. Decent song, though not one of my favorites.
3. To The End - Awesome guitar intro and interludes with a nice little solo, with a nice little keyboard synth lead part. Very catchy, very bouncy. Great lyrics too. A semi showcase that MCR can now go slightly more poppy while still rockin'.
4. You Know What - One of my favorite songs. A jazzy introduction, and slow building verse that turns into a frenzied solo by Toro. An obvious highlight on the album.
5. I'm Not Okay(I Promise) - The single. A good pop-punk song, but that's not really what MCR is best at.
6. The Ghost of You - Ah, the power ballad. And for that matter, a GOOD power ballad. Nicely written guitar parts, and a very catchy chorus. Great track
7. The Jet Set Life - Picks up where the previous track left off, but brings it with some gusto. Great song, another one of my favorites. Love the lyrics, 'Check into the Hotel Bella Muerte'" Fantastic.
8. Interlude ' Well written guitar, where Gerard tries to show range'average but easily skipped.
9. Thank You For The Venom - Stellar guitar intro, with some of the hardest hitting lyrics on the album, and the best solo(IMO).
10. Hang 'EM High - My Favorite Track. Jazz/Western intro, with an absolutely chaotic verse and then a catchy chorus. What MCR is all about.
11. It's Not a Death Wish - Great track, with strong guitar intro and great chorus. Nice non-linear song construction.
12. Cemetery Drive - If you aren't bobbing your head by the drum beat, what will make you. Slightly more poppy song, but still enjoyable.
13. I Never Told You - Confusing at first, but after a couple spins my second favorite track. The breakdown is the perfect way to end the album. 'And never again, never again'"

So there you have it. Overall, I'd give this album a 4-4.5 star range(out of 5). Compared to the last album, MCR sounds more mature, but slightly more poppy. There live show has improved greatly, so I highly recommend you check them out. To give you a feel for my musical tastes, MCR would probably be on the poppier end of my tastes. In 2004, this was definitely one of my favorite releases, and I definitely recommend you pick up a copy.

themarsvolta

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:15 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2030 no errors
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2031

This is the first album from this blues/rock duo, and has an incredibly raw sound to it. This is probably because of the old equipment they used, the style that Jack White played in, and their simplistic approach to their music.

Anyhow, it is a truly brilliant album, if you're looking for either blues or rock.

Here's what I think of each song:

1. Jimmy The Exploder.
Starting with a simple drum beat (signature White Stripes) which soon gets joined by a slow guitar riff, which in turn bursts into a high tempo rhythm consisting mostly of only two chords. An excellent introduction to the album, and a testimony to The White Stripes' simplicity and energy that they twist into their music.
About an angry monkey (or something like that), this song's lyrics aren't incredibly important to the song, but the energy with which Jack sings gives it a very meaningful feel, especially the 'whoo whoo whoo' s that pop up a couple of times. Meg's drum beat is just the way it should be: Simple, powerful and a strong structure upon which the song is built.

2.Stop Breaking Down.
A cover of R. Johnson's, this song is again played with only a few chords but the use of a slide gives it more of a bluesy feel. The crashing cymbals and fluctuating tones give it some energy, and I cannot compliment Jack's voice more on this track; powerful yet casual and up-beat yet serious. I haven't heard the original, but I'm sure the 'Stripes do it justice.

3.The Big Three Killed My Baby.
A violent and vicious song this, which you can probably guess from the name. Jack's voice follows the simple two-chord pattern, as does Meg's drum beat, and he has a certain sinister tone to his voice, which only enhances the darkness that this song brings out. From what I can gather, this song comments on the evils of the motor industry, with sinister lines such as "The motor's running on trucker's blood" and "Now my hands are turning red and I think that my baby is dead". Nasty stuff. But powerful nonetheless, and the pure emotion Jack puts behind this song (albeit one of anger) is enough to effect anybody. Not necessarily in a good way, but an effect all the same.

4.Suzy Lee.
The very slidey/bluesy sound to the introduction of this song played high up the fret board is somewhat reminiscent of stereotypical desert island music, but is soon shattered by a sudden beat of the drums and lowering of pitch. The song continues this pattern of high-slidey and low-drummy throughout, with the occasional short solo put in for good measure. Typical blues, about a girl (who'd of guessed), Jack seemingly unable to define whether their relationship is one of love or not.
The two guitars sound improvised somewhat, and give a random but rhythmical sound, the final downwards slide a perfect ending to the song.

5.Sugar Never Tasted So Good.
I nice little calm song, with a steady acoustic beat and tambourine giving a bit of a folksy feel. Just when you think this song is going to build up into something loud and powerful, it drops back into its steady calmness. The vocals continue as the music stops momentarily, and becomes softer at times, more stressed at others.
To be quite honest, I haven't a clue what the hell this song is about, but something tells me that there is some big meaning behind it. It's hard not to think so with lines such as: "Your fingers have become a crane; pulling on these puppet strings".

6.Wasting My Time.
This song starts with Jack's voice, somewhat sad and, dare I say, near tears, joined by a sudden drumbeat and gentle guitar. The music continues as the vocals stop, the rhythm pausing once every eight beats for a little mini-riff. The vocals join again in the same way as the intro, the music stopping as Jack almost speaks the line. The second batch of mini-riffs are slightly more complex versions of the former (if you can really call something so short 'complex'), and lead nicely into the final verse, which is a good finisher ending with "I hope I'm not a fool; for laughing at myself as you were going".

7.Cannon.
A great opening guitar riff, joined on the second by Meg, and on the fourth by Jack's screechy vocals. The riff repeats, and then slows down for the second slower verse. It speeds up slightly, until a more up-beat guitar-muted verse, before returning to the original riff for the end.
I simply love this song, despite it's simplicity, which many would see as a flaw. It's the kind of song that you can love just for the opening riff.

8.Astro.
This is very similar to the previous track, except more up beat and faster. It has no real chorus as such, and the verses are incredibly repetitive, but it has a nice little finishing solo. It's not essential as such to the album as such, but there is nothing quite wrong with it either.

9.Broken Bricks.
This is a very fast song, with fast vocals and a thrashing beat on the cymbals. The vocals are almost angry at places, and sometimes sound a bit mental at the more high-pitched sections. A good, steady beat caries this song all the way through it's short time of just under 2 minutes, and I feel that if it were any longer it would get TOO repetitive. Again, this is not essential to the album, but it's good all the same.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:15 PM

10.When I Hear My Name.
This is pure simplicity, consisting of a single chord being struck 6 times at either side of some very repetitive lyrics, (the chord changing about twice each verse) and a drum beat twice as simple. The vocals are terrible, being shouted most of the time, and the lyrics consist of little more than "Woahoahwoa".

I would not change this song for anything.

11.Do.
This is the slowest most meaningful song on the album, and possibly one of my favourite songs of all time. A simple melancholic riff gives the song an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, and the vocals are curiously sad but at the same time optimistic. This song contains some of the best lyrics on the album; for example: "It doesn't matter 'cos my eyes are lying and they don't have emotion don't want to be social can't take it when they hate me but I know there's nothing I can do". Pure brilliance. The song is about (or this is how I see it anyway) the loneliness of an introvert, but the un-willingness to be social because of how 'evil' people are. I'm sure that other people see it in a different way, because the lyrics are very cryptic, but this is how I see it and this is how I like it.

12.Screwdriver.
A definite highlight of the album, with a great riff that bursts forth from the opening building feedback. The switches between a faster riff and the slower vocals give a certain random and manic feel to the song, only enhanced by the rawness of the vocals. There's a certain aura of tension as Jack starts the slow repetition of "I gotta' little feelin' goin' now", and this builds up until he's absolutely screaming the line over and over, ending the song with a few heavy power chords. The only meaning I can get from the lyrics, is about getting so annoyed with somebody as to attack (and possibly kill) them with a screwdriver. The complete insanity with which the song is played and sung completely compliments this meaning, and while it may not be a pleasant one, I think it's a feeling we can all relate to (although maybe not to the same degree).

13.One More Cup Of Coffee.
This is a cover of Bob Dylan's, and therefore contains some very poetic lyrics. There's a somewhat sinister feeling in the vocals, as Jack accuses somebody of having no 'affection, gratitude nor love'. The bitterness and hostility in Jack's vocals is reminiscent of the bitterness towards a girl who has either left you or changed into something you hate, although that could just be me. Meg's slow drum beat carry the song along it's steady and melancholic pathway.

14.Little People.
There's a strong sense of anger behind this song, and it seems as if Jack is annoyed at the recipient for not understanding a certain something. The use of the word 'Hello', (in that sarcastic way that makes you feel stupid), after pretty much every line makes it seem as if the seemingly mundane lyrics, (For example "There's a little girl with the right shoes on"), have some incredible significance. I'm sorry Jack, but I haven't a clue what this significance is, maybe somebody would have this wisdom with which they could enlighten me?

15.Slicker Drips.
This is the shortest song on the album at one minute thirty seconds. It consists only of a simple verse, slowing to what sounds like a mostly improvised soloey thing, and then back to the verse which speeds up to a frantic blur of guitar and drums (especially cymbals) to the end. Like 'Broken Bricks' and 'Astro', this song is nothing particularly special, but a good addition to the album nonetheless.

16.St. James Infirmary.
There is a steady marching beat to this song, which continues throughout. One of the songs where Jack White makes use of his surprisingly good skills on the piano. This is by no means an incredibly happy song, but the casual way in which the words are sung give it a more laid-back feel. Not my favourite song on the album, but certainly a good one and a welcome break from the sadness or anger that is emitted from the previous few.

17.I Fought Piranhas.
This is an incredibly slow song for the majority, played with two guitars (the second played by Johnny Walker of The Soledad Brothers [also the second guitar on Suzy Lee]). A truly great end to the album, with the two guitars, usually one quite high and one low, complimenting each other perfectly. (Their format reminds me of 'Hello Operator' from the second album, except not nearly as up beat). The lyrics are, like many of the songs on this album, relatively cryptic, but it is quite clear that they are about one's obstacles in life (that's the piranhas). The choruses begin with a sudden thrash, and are followed by a very bluesy solo, made so through the use of a slide. There is a build up of pitch at the end, as if leading to something climactic, only for the song to end with a sudden slowing and drifting conclusion. As I wrote earlier, a perfect end to the album.

Overall, this album is brilliant. Raw and powerful, with a mixture of angry, sad and happy songs (although the balances tilts somewhat to the angry and sad). As I originally said, the album is very raw as a whole, which is perfect for The White Stripes style. If you haven't already, buy their other albums, which aren't nearly as rough round the edges, but are brilliant all the same. Also check out The 22-20s self titled debut album, and The Soledad Brothers.

Okay, so I've written far too much, but this is my first review and I've a lot to learn. Constructive criticism is welcome, so if you want to correct me or suggest anything at all about anything (especially the meanings behind songs) then feel free to do so. However, constructive it must be, so woe betide anyone who dares say anything like "Ur rong cos the white stripes suck 'cos they do and meg is bad".
I'm fed up with comments like those.

Enjoy!

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:18 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2032 (I think I could take out more, but I don't know how much, this reviewer puts so much unnecessary crap, it's rediculous.)
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The Return of the Aquabats
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"Learning of their peril, [the Professor] decided to help [The Aquabats] fight their cause by giving them the only gift he was capable of: the power of insanity. Through the use of the Professor's scientifically altered convenience store foods, these 8 (or 9) men gained powers well beyond that of ordinary Aquabanians. They became the 'AquaBuds'. . . then the 'AquaBoys'. . . then finally, just 'Mel and Friends.' But later, the truth was revealed to them - THEY WERE THE 'AQUABATS'! . . ."

- From the CD's packaging
---

The first release from phenomenal Ska/Rock group The Aquabats is unique in its own right. It's the most heavily ska-influenced release by the band, certainly - the trumpets are louder than the band's later releases. It's also a little rough around the edges - some of the vocals are a little hard to listen to (especially since The Bat Commander finds it necessary to rap instead of sing to certain lines of the songs - awkward when compared to the later remakes of three of the songs on this record), and some instrumentations feel awkward (for every great use of instruments, like the fantastic drumming in "Tarantula", there's a bizarre musical decision to contrast, such as the overly-loud trumpets in "Martian Girl".)

Don't think the energy level on this release is low, though; The Aquabats rock through this album's thirty-four minutes with fun and good humor, never missing a beat or a joke opportunity. Even the album's packaging brims with good-natured humor, from the hilarious traditional "update" on our superheroes' current situation, to the self-mocking in-jokes in the lyrics: "Untranslatable nonsense, a sorry attempt at toasting / Complete jibber in a terrible Jamaican accent". There's no better antidote to the cliched angst and power chords of today's rock bands than ska's resident uberliebchen.

Unfortunately, therein lies the rub - music fans reared on the meaningless lyrics and misplaced rebelliousness of recent rock (no offense intended, chumps) may be put off by The Aquabats' bizarre lack of any sort of convention:

"Wait a minute - they're superheroes?"

"Yes; they were forced to escape their homeland of Aquabania following the invasion of the evil Space Monster 'M.' "

"And they write songs about aliens, supervillains, epic battles and bio-engineered kittens?"

"Yes, of course."

Don't expect your newbie conversation to happen exactly that way - that's just an example.

----------
"In the evening they played music (which the Professor secretly combined with his own Hypno-mind-controlling wave patterns). This would help them gain the unwilling loyalty of those who would dare to listen! By gaining such a following the Professor knew they (and he) could gain power over the evil forces that led them so far from home. Armed with radioactive rash guards and anti-negativity helmets, these 8 (or 9) Aquabats had set out to CONQUER THE WORLD!!!"

- From the CD's Packaging
----------

The instrumentation on this release features much less variety than later releases by the band. "The Return of the Aquabats" is totally ska - trumpets, surf guitars, sax, tinny drums, and a cute little Farfisa Organ. Compared to the Devo-like rock of "The Aquabats Vs. the Floating Eye of Death!" and the band's heavily synthesized B-Sides record, "Myths, Legends. . .", the instrumentation in this freshman release is both refreshingly simple and somewhat sparse. Fand of the band should definitely pick this up - it's got the same energy you expect from the band, just a little rawer. For newbies, I recommend either "The Fury of the Aquabats" or "The Aquabats Vs. the Floating Eye of Death!".

Conclusion: Leave your brain behind with your Tool records and you'll have a great time.

----------
TRACK LISTINGS
----------

Playdough:
This song is a throwback to the singer's childhood - Star Wars action figures, waiting for the newest issue of the toy catalog, and one-piece pajamas. It's a cute song, and the opening is nice, but I much prefer the version on The Aquabats' follow-up record, "The Fury of The Aquabats".

Martian Girl:
A love song to a man-eating silver-clothed alien. It's a great live song, but this song is downright annoying on this release. The trumpets are way too loud - the version on "The Fury of the Aquabats" is much better. (Don't worry - that's the last time you'll hear that.)

Ska Robot Army:
Possibly the catchiest song ever released by The Aquabats, this is almost an instrumental. There's some singing towards the end, but the star is the incredibly-catchy riff.

Idiot Box:
"I've been to California, where Mickey Mouse is a demon." Great, fast fun. Also a cautionary tale about the effects of television. It doesn't have the hilarious off-tune "la-la-la" bridge of the later version, but great nonetheless.

Pinch and Roll:
Probably one of the funniest songs released by The Aquabats (for a variety of reasons), "Pinch and Roll" works bizarre humor around the theme of male itch. Avoiding the potential vulgarity this could have entailed, most of the humor in the song beats around the bush (no pun intended). I could say more, but I'll leave you with these lyrics from the song:

"So if you've got a problem
You know what to do (whoo hoo hoo hoo),
Whether you're watching TV,
Or sniffing airplane glue (which we don't do)."

Tarantula:
Great drumming, and a fairly epic sound, this is the "Monsters Wedding" of this release. Essentially a rescue story (Professor Jones must rescue his daughter from the terrible Tarantula, who lives in the "pit of the webby hole" ), the song features great drumming and a great chorus.

Marshmallow Man:
My personal favorite from this record, this song is completely catchy and upbeat (I know I say that a lot in reference to The Aquabats, but that doesn't make it less true). The song is loosely about the nasty cycle of repeat incarcerations for repeat criminals (and the ignorance of those who can't fit into society without harming others), but this tale of the 'little puffy head ' - the Marshmallow Man, is extremely catchy ska.

Aquabat March:
The theme song of the record, "Aquabat March" is an appeal for others to live peacefully with the 'Bats. It's their march, of course - and the yells of the irate drill seargant fill the song:

"Please don't kill us -
We're just The Aquabats.
We're just trying to have a little fun.
So if you want to fight, we can duke it out,
Just please don't kill me with your gun."

CD Repo Man:
This band isn't without some great ideas - this song is about a "repo man" whose job is to forcibly return CDs "borrowed" by others. It's a grooving little song, with great guitar work (and a great interlude). It bridges seamlessly into the carnival music of the next song:

It's Crazy, Man!:
Filled with ramblings in other languages, both real and imagined (for every "Permanecer Sentado!", there's a "Churro!" ). It hits all the bases - ramblings in foreign languages, object lessong on dental hygiene - what else could you want in a song?

---
Conclusion and Summary
---
Album Highs: Great, simple fun. Some catchy melodies and a great sense of humor permeate the record.

Album Lows: A little patchier than The Aquabats' later releases.
---
Rating: ***1/2 (Changed from my original ****)
(Strong Recommendation)
---
My Content Rating: G (With a "Comic Mischief" for "Pinch and Roll")
---
Comments and helpful obsvene suggestions go to iamclumpy@yahoo.com

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:18 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2033 (deleted band lineup)

Track-by-Track:

1. Nutshell - 4/5
Great opening track. The bass stands out in this song more than any other song in this album. Layne's vocals really merge in with the melody to make a great AiC song. Good for an opening track to get warmed up, but not one of the best songs on the album.

2. Brother - 4.5/5
Wow. That is about all I can say for this song. This song just sounds like Alice in Chains to me. Layne's vocals seem weak in the beginning of the song, but really pick up later in the song. They pulled this song off pretty good. The beginning is kind of weak, but they really pull it together by the end of the song. It makes for one of the better songs of this performance.

3. No Excuses - 3/5
A good AiC song, but they just didn't pull it off for this performance. There seems to be something lacking. The drumming gets annoying about halfway through the song. One of the low points of the CD. The only part I like about this song is at the end they start to play the intro to "Enter Sandman" by Metallica. Its pretty funny if you're not expecting it. I usually just skip to the end of the song.

4. Sludge Factory - 3/5
An average song for this CD. Nothing really stands out. I often skip over this song just cause it doesn't have any outstanding points that catch my ear.

5. Down in a Hole - 4/5
Good song for this performance, but they just couldn't get the sound. The vocals are great like always, but the lack of distortion on the guitar really disappointed me.The little bit of distortion on the "Dirt" version makes for a totally different song. Great song, but it just sounds flat without the distortion. Nirvana used distortion for "Man Who Sold the Wolrd" on their MTV Unplugged, I think AiC should have done the same thing for this song. Not alot, I'm just asking for a little. Without it, the bass kind of overpowers the guitar.

6. Angry Chair - 4/5
This had potential to be a great song acoustically, but there is one thing that stands out as "bad." Between lines in the chorus when Layne says "Little boy made a mistake" and "Pink cloud has now turned to grey" where he says "Hey!" it just sounds flat. Its like theres an empty space there. Besides that small point the song is great. Layne's voice sounds great, so does Jerry's guitar.

7. Rooster - 5/5
Great song. Second only to "Would?". Vocals are amazing. Verses and chorus both sound great. One of the highest points on the album. This song is definetly worth a listen.

8. Got Me Wrong - 4.5/5
Great guitars. They stand out more in this song than on any other song on the album. Layne also pulls off a killer vocal performance that makes songs like "Sludge Factory" and "No Excuses" sound wimpy. Probally my fourth favorite song on the album.

9. Heaven Beside You - 4.5/5
Great lyrics. I have always appreciated the lyrics of this song. This fights with "Got Me Wrong" for my fourth favorite. Guitars are average, and thats all that keeps this song from being in the top 3.

10. Would? - 5/5
This is a great song. Not only is it my favorite song on "Dirt," it is probally my favorite song on this album as well. Vocals, bass, and guitars all sound great. Along with "Rooster" and "Killer is Me," this song is what makes this album worth listening too. I love this song beyond words. My favorite song of AiC.

11. Frogs - 4/5
Wierd intro. It kinda freaks me out. Ends up being a good song though. Worth a listen.

12.Over Now - 3/5
Way too happy. All others AiC songs seem so depressing that this one almost seems out of place. Good song. The change of mood is pretty interesting. I usually don't skip over this song. Good song, the mood kinda sets it out of place though.

13. Killer is Me - 5/5
Great song. Probally my third favorite song on the album. This song is my goal when listening to this CD. This, "Would?" and "Rooster" really make this album. Without those this album is not that good. This song makes for a great outro because when people are listening to the other songs they are thinking of this song. At the end of "Over Now" they talk about how they are done with this show, but then they decide to do one more song. This album would have been incomplete without this amazing song.

Overall:
This is a great acoustic album with its high and lows. Worth a listen if you are a hardcore Alice in Chains fan, and maybe worth a glance if you are a casual fan. A great change of pace from the usual hardcore AiC albums. I give the CD an overall 4.5/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:20 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2034 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2035 (please delete this review totally, seriously, it is a paragraph of garbage.)

Well, I decided to pick up a new 311 CD (when it was new) with my friends saying it was the best thing since sliced bread. I always thought 311 was ok, so I decided to give this a try. I bought the CD at the local Best Buy and popped it into my CD player at home. A time later after listening to the whole CD I wasn't impressed. Don't get me wrong, there were some good tracks, but this CD didn't do it for me (not like explicit, that was a great 311 CD.) The only good tracks on the CD were Creatures (For a While) and Beyond the Gray Sky. All the other tracks were mediocre or plain sucked. For Example, the song "Seems Uncertain" was seemingly harmless at first, but towards the middle I wanted to put my foot through the CD player to make it stop. So, I wouldn't recommend this CD to non-hardcore 311 fans, unless you like spending 15 bucks on 2 songs. Granted that, I think the CD deserves exactly what I gave it...A 3 out of 5.

(P.S- I thought the Cover Art of the CD was really nice :-) )

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:20 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2036 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2037

Converge-You Fail Me

Strap yourself in; you're in for a bumpy ride. Coming up to their 15th year, collaborating with everyone who's anyone (in underground music terms), working with most major punk/hardcore/metal labels, and being self-acclaimed cult heroes, it would be fair to say Converge have had quite a career. It would also be fair to say that there had to be a point where they started to break mainstream, like so many important bands before them, and to do it with a truly groundbreaking album. "You Fail Me' could well be that album.
Just over half an hour long it may be, but the listener gets so captivated by this album, one thinks it could have been going on for hours. But then, considering how many times you are likely to listen to this album, it probably did go one for hours when you do the math.
It's unfair to judge this album on single tracks, such as "Black Cloud" or "Eagles Become Vultures" the "singles" of the album. You need to hear it through and through, beginning to end; advised at least a couple of times, to fully appreciate how amazing this album is. Because it is a journey, admittedly fairly short as far as epic albums go, but that is perhaps its unique charm. But what makes this special is that every track on this album needs each other. 'Black Cloud" sounds quite good by itself, but when you hear 2 part intro "First Light" and "Last Light"; a slow paced, attention seeking, atmospheric, piece, "Black Cloud" suddenly becomes amazing.
It's all about setting the listener up in ephemeral stabs with this album. Dropping fast paced punk songs in the middle of gloomy, loud, -whisper it; progressive, tracks just makes the whole thing flow brilliantly, it's as if the band are right in front of you screaming their bollocks off for your entertainment. Usually long, sprawled out, sluggish tracks such as "You Fail Me" or "In Her Shadow" on any other album would be extremely boring, but since they sit right in the middle of walls of punk, hardcore and metal sounds colliding, they only exceed the quality of this album.
Thos who complain or even say that "they aren't as good as" or "they aren't as acclaimed as Dillinger Escape Plan" are simply wrong, because they are two completely different bands with different sounds. Where DEP take influences from masses of musical genres and influences to create something new, Converge just crash together their own favourite bands to make something raw, powerful and edgy. They are as important as Botch and Palehorse in their own genres, and with this album, they are here to prove it.

Adam Turner-Heffer.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:22 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2038 Fixed spacing

Subtle - A New White.

Thank the holy spirit of music for Anticon records. Not only are they revolutionising hip-hop, but now, with Subtle they're giving rock music a run for its money too. Subtle is spearheaded by Adam "Doseone" Drucker one of the three brains behind the beautiful cLOUDDEAD who sadly reached their demise with their second album 'Ten'. He, cLOUDDEAD and many other
hip-hop artists who are all very tired of the clich's created Anticon Records and have compiled with each other to create
some amazing records under many different aliases. But never as an actual performing band.

Apart from The Roots, recording actual instruments in hip-hop music has generally been a no-go area unless it is a project between actual bands. Now, in the wake of cLOUDDEAD, Doseone, and fellow Anticon label mate Jeffery "Jel" Logan (drum machine, beats) have compiled together a band of instrumentalists, to create some, amazing hip-hop music. Now, if you've ever heard anything from the regions of Anticon Records, you would know, they have a taste for the weirder side of hip-hop, which is what makes them so influential, they really are doing something new. So, now add guitars, basses, live drums, and even woodwind over the usual equation of words, samples, drum machine beats, synth, and you know instantly you've got something really special here.

And this record, most certainly, does not disappoint. From the brilliant opener 'Song Meat' you instantly get a taste for what your in for, this track, possibly more than any other on the record, shows the biggest mesh of Hip-Hop and Rock music, and just how ***ing great it sounds when you do it. Doseone keeps his integrity in his experimental lyrics and sounds spurting out from his vocal chords, and this can actually be claimed as a pop song with it's fantastic sing-a-long chorus "never more wet concrete/ for song street/ this is not more wet concrete/ for new song street" it almost feels like At the Drive-in.

The other really noticeable feature is that, this is a short record. Well 40 minutes isn't that short, but it feels it when you listen. Why? Because this album is like a downward spiral, yes like the album too, it's constantly getting darker, more experimental, and more spliced between even more than the two main genres. Tribal clapping, techno styles samples and beats, a song that sounds like a Leftfield b-side, all for the listeners pleasure. And then, a single. 'F.K.O' (*** Kelly Osbourne) appropriately sits in the middle of this record, and is a slightly psychedelic journey, through beats and strumming guitars and bass lines. A fantastic song if there ever was one.

The overview of the sound produced could well be described as when Tool crashes into Leftfield, with The Roots coming in behind on a tandem. This is truly influential stuff and one of the records of 2004 and it further proof that, we don't need cLOUDDEAD to be still going to enjoy cLOUDDEAD's music.

Adam Turner-Heffer

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:26 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2039 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2040 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2041 no errors (nice review morrissey!)
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2042 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2043 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2044 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2045 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2046

This review is based on the CD of the 'Family Values" concert of 1999 in Kansas City. I chose to review this CD because it is one of my favorite CD's to listen to, it has great songs, great bands, great performances'good times. And now, my review of 'The Family Values Tour 1999."

Track 1. Break Stuff ' Limp Bizkit
This was the opening song of the concert and 1 of 4 for Limp Bizkit. Break Stuff was a great choice to open the concert and set the tone for the night. The Vocals were ok (as with all Limp Bizkit songs) and overall the delivery of the song was great. This song gets a 4 out of 5 stars.

Track 2. Lacquer Head - Primus
I'm not a very big fan of Primus. The song in this concert wasn't all that painful but I usually skip over this and the other performance from Primus. I'll give this song a 3 out of 5 stars.

Track 3. Mudshovel - Staind
Easily the best song of the night. Staind comes out rockin' and the crowd does also. Aaron Lewis blew me away with the vocals. Also, nice bass performance. If you dont like this song you need to get checked for a pulse. This song gets a 5 out of 5 stars.

Track 4. Falling Away From Me - Korn
Korn isn't at the top of my favorite bands list but I still enjoy them. They have one more performance on the CD and they are both high calibur. Why is it all the songs on the CD sound better live than recorded? 4 out of 5 stars.

Track 5. Rockwilder - Method Man and Redman
When I saw this on the CD cover I thought the apocolypse was coming.I didn't think that this song would be in the concert, but yet it is. This was quite the opposite of the apocolypse. "All mah homies to the south side!" Hah, yea, this song was great. A little bit short, but not many flaws in the performance! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track 6. Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter
The first of 2 Filter performances, this was a great starter. You gotta love Filter, great band. The vocals weren't great, but everything else was. This song gets 4 out of 5 stars just out of principal (not a 5 because of crappy vocals.)

Track 7. Rearranged - Limp Bizkit
Bizkit up to bat again. They hit a home run in the first inning, and...what's that? Another Home Run? Wow, good night for Bizkit. This toned down the audience a bit but still was a great song, they kept the concert in balance. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track 8. A.D.I.D.A.S/Good God - Korn
The second Korn performance of the night and a nice way to go out. The distortion in the song sounded fuzzy to me (?) but the chorus had me enticed. The vocals were decent, so the song wasn't that bad. This'll get (another) 4 out of 5.

Track 9. My Name is Mud - Primus
Still not impressed. Not the best from Primus. I can't say I'm that big a fan of them anyways, but this song was all around mediocre, and it just didn't "do it" for me. Nice try, but you struck out this concert. Come again next year...another 3 out of 5 stars.

Track 10. Welcome to the Fold - Filter
Filter rocks my socks off again. Nothing about this song was perfect, but I still enjoyed it. The vocals are still an issue in my book and that is what really bugs me about Filter, but it didn't ruin the overall value of the song that much. 4 out of 5 stars.

Track 11. Keep Hope Alive - The Crystal Method
Up to this song, I have never heard of TCM (really.) I'm glad I heard this song, because I thought it was great. TCM had nice delivery and the sound effects were sweet. Not my favorite song on the CD (that goes to Mudshovel :-) ) But I'm giving this song a 5 out of 5 stars.

Track 12. I Would For You - Limp Bizkit
Bizkit up to bat for a third time....and another hit. Not the best performance of the night (hard to rate them all, they were all good) but a great one at that. They burned Spin Magazine (remember that issue?) and another soft song balanced out the night again. They needed it to wind up for their next song...3.5 out of 5 stars.

Track 13. Nookie - Limp Bizkit
Time to close out the night, and Limp Bizkit goes up to bat one final time...and a GRAND SLAM!! Everything was kick *** about this song, and what a way to go out with a bang. This leaves the biggest imprint on my mind of the concert, the rocking, the fireworks, good times. 5 out of 5 stars.

Well, That was the main section of the concert and the CD. There was, however, one last song after the concert, which was..

Outside- Aaron Lewis and Fred Durst
The 2 of them teamed up and kicked a lot of ***. They should do more songs together :-). Aaron Lewis's vocals always rock my socks off, and Fred Durst was actually good, so good job. 5 out of 5 stars.

Ok, so there we go, my review of the Family Values Tour 1999 CD. And my final rating for the CD is a 4 out of 5 (I averaged all the track ratings together). This is all my opinion, so please don't bash me (constructive critisism of my reviews would be appreciated and taken to heart, so please comment.) This is my 2nd review, I also reviewed Evolver from 311 but I didn't feel I put a quality job into that one so I went more in depth for this review. Later days, please rate and comment :-)

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:27 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2047

I can imagine Terry Callier in the early eighties. He's sitting at a blocky computer console and thinking, "What the hell am I doing here?"

The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier was just one of numerous 60's folk albums claiming to bring a "new sound" to the worn traditions of the genre. Many artists lived up to the claim. Some championed a rock and roll swagger. Others let drugs to provide an psychedelic stagger to their acoustic thrum. Callier's debut effort finds him nowhere near either camp but a bit to the left of center, dabbling in soul and jazz more than anything else.

It's easy to tell what the defining feature of The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier is meant to be. Callier's emotive vocal delivery delineates the album, a simple collection of traditional folk songs played out to Callier's guitar and a double bass accompaniment. The result is quite barefaced and, in fact, a tough listen at first listen. "It's About Time" portrays the situation in detail: Callier squeezes the melodrama out of every lyric, feigning respite from storm only to blow again with gale force gusts. All the while, the bassists, Terbour Attenborough and John Tweedle, juggle lines below rustic picking.

The trio of Attenborough, Tweedle and Callier is an odd duck. But just because it quacks doesn't mean it defies convention.

Aside from the obvious folk provided by this collection of traditional songs, Callier's jazz chord voicings bring in shades of Coltrane and his emphatic vocal presence is soul to the very core. However, there is also an astute progressiveness about the music, most noticeable with the epic "I'm a Drifter." A portrait of melancholy, "I'm a Drifter" is a reworking of a song by Travis Edmonson. It's eight minutes long. Most solo singer/guitarist material is far too monotonous to run that long but not necessarily so with Callier. Whether it's the romping basses or Callier's captivating vocals, something holds attention.

The choice to comprise the original album of six folk standards and two originals alludes to the purpose of the album: breaking a student of jazz into the blue jeans sensitivity of the folk market. Lack of original Callier material (the two originals seem to be penned by fellow Chicagoan, poet Kent Foreman) hurts the album but not irreparably. Simply put, The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier provides itself as a unique and unified sound. It's built upon the honesty of the original folk tunes and Callier's soulful vocals and jazz-affected compositions.

In the early eighties, Terry Callier knew exactly what he was doing. He was supporting his family as a computer programmer because, as it was for many Chicago soul artists not named Curtis Mayfield, the whole music thing didn't work out. Some twenty years later and Terry Callier is back in the recording booth thanks to a small but devoted resurgence of interest in his talent. As far as I can divine from one album experience with the man's work, it's about time.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:28 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2048 (fixed spacing)

Joe Satriani made one critical mistake when making this album; He decided to sing. Don't get me wrong. In my opinion, Joe Satriani is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Having said that, he is not a trained vocalist, and it shows. There are 18 tracks on the CD, but I only listen to the 12 vocal-less ones.
On to the songs!

Flying In A Blue Dream
Joe rightfully named the CD after this one. It's quite soothing, with a peaceful lead riff placed over an alternately-tuned, relaxing background rhythm. As Joe usually does in his best songs, he shreds some and does a multitude of whammy bar, feedback and harmonics tricks. An excellent song. 10/10

The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing
This song is even cooler than its name. It starts with an alternating guitar/percussion rhythm, with the bass kicking in as Joe adds to the already established rhythm. Soon this becomes a song where bobbing your head simply isn't enough. In a way reminiscent of "Surfing With The Alien" (Surfing With The Alien, 1987) Joe rips out a rockin' main riff and places genius two-handed tapping, harmonics and whammy bar tricks to make a five-minute song seem like the blink of an eye. 10/10

Can't Slow Down
This is the first song incorporating vocals, and it's a shame. The melody in the beginning are very cool, but once Joe starts singing the song takes a turn for the worse. The solo, however, is VERY sweet (30 seconds of almost solid shredding). I just can't get over Joe's vocals. 5/10

Headless
Incorporating complete two-hand tapping throughout the song with a harmonica over it, Headless is a nice change of pace. 8/10

Strange
This song is as Strange as it gets. Joe's vocals are not impressive, and the addition of vocal harmonies makes this song a pain to listen to. Of course, Joe decides to put some of his best solos in this song. This song is a shame. 5/10 simply for the solos

I Believe
The vocals in this one aren't too bad. Joe's guitar work is absolutely beatiful. A calm, laid-back tune. 7/10

One Big Rush
Now this is more like it! A killer background groove coupled with some nice lead work make this song a shock to the system. This song drives me to pick up my guitar every time I hear it. 10/10

Big Bad Moon
Again with the vocals. Joe begins with one of the most foot-tappable rhythms, and then spoils it with his vocals and extremely poor lyrics. Once again, some of his best solos (including one on harmonica) end up on a song with lyrics. 6/10

The Feeling
I can only assume that the feeling to which Joe is referring is one of a solid hangover. A quick diddy (Thank God!). 3/10

The Phone Call
What's with this song? The rhythm feels as if the person playing it has a beard and few teeth. Even worse, it's a bad breakup song. 2/10

Day At The Beach (New Rays From An Ancient Sun)
This is without doubt one of the best tracks on the album. Joe incorporates two handed tapping as in Midnight (Surfing With The Alien, 1987). It really does feel like a day on the beach. A beautiful song, solely guitar though it feels like there's more going on. 10/10

Back To Shalla-Bal
I have no idea where Shalla-Bal is, but judging by this song, it's a pretty kickass place. This song is a mix of the good stuff in One Big Rush and Mystical Potato Head. Joe puts everything he's got in here: Whammy bar tricks, harmonics, melodic tension and just plain shredding. This song drives in the ever-apperent fact that Joe is better than you. 10/10

Ride
The last of the vocal songs. Not much can be said that hasn't been said of the previous vocal songs. Once again, an excellent solo is wasted on a vocal song! 4/10!

The Forgotten (Part One)
Similar to Day At The Beach, Joe incorporates two-hand tapping to make one guitar and a bass sound like an arrangement of players. This song has a much more tense feel to it, like something is about to happen. And it does... 10/10

The Forgotten (Part Two)
What I love about this song is how evident the Joe's admitted Jimi Hendrix influence is. The song has an overall feeling of lament and is one of the more emotional tracks of the album, being a journey ending in a pit of despair. 10/10

The Bells of Lal (Part One)
This song sounds as if it's been reversed, but I know that, based on the way it's played and the delay effect, there's no possible way. Once again, Joe proves that he is better than every one of us. 10/10

The Bells of Lal (Part Two)
Starting with a catchy base line, Joe sends us on yet another journey up and down the neck of his guitar. Sparing no technique, Joe created a track that must be heard to be believed. 10/10

Into The Light
I can only guess that the light mentioned in the name means the light of heaven. With a organ-like keyboard topped with a victory-style guitar piece, Into The Light is a triumphant end to a masterpiece of an album. 10/10

All things considered, Flying In A Blue Dream is the product of musical genius and virtuosity gone mad. Overall, this album surpasses it's predecessor Surfing With The Alien (1987). Once you cut through the mediocre tracks, you'll find a variety of styles and a multitude of ways to prove that Joe is not human. Flying In A Blue Dream is worth 5 times the album's cost.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:30 PM

http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2049 no review
http://sputnikmusic.com/review_2050 took out lineup

Some general impressions
This is 'Co&Ca's first DVD, and it is quite a package. The main focus is on the concert, which features 10 tracks all over, and plays almost an hour. The focus is a bit more on the recent album "In keeping secrets of silent Earth: 3", four songs are from their debut "The second Stage turbine blade". The choice for the setlist is great, as there is no song up there that is weak in a way IMO.

I have not seen them live, but after seeing and hearing this DVD, I definately want to. The footage from the Starland Ballroom gives a good impression of the atmosphere that must be at a Co&Ca gig. I was very impressed by the minimal lighting techniques used. I noticed that right at the beginning. Simple but effective lighting, real good. Does a lot for the atmosphere. Second thing I noticed was that some of the songs are played a bit faster than on the albums. Good example here is the opener. The quality of the sound is real good, nothing to complan about here (neither how the DVD was produced, nor how Claudio sings etc). You see the whole band a good bunch of a time, though the footage is a bit focused on Claudio as the singer. But especially during the instrumental passages, where the band goes whack on the stage, you get a fair share of all.

What I really liked:
The atmosphere is great. I've watched some music and concert DVDs so far, but this one has really one of the best atmosphere's so far. As I already said the lighting is superb IMO, and especially on songs like 'A favor house atlantic' where the audience practically sings most of the chorus is just golden. Special versions of songs are fun too, like the acoustic guitar version of 'The light and the Glass'. So far I have not discovered many variations in actual play, the bassist does some, but apart from that... Question is how much a band like Co&Ca needs to. The songs are on an excellent level already.

What was not so good:
Still, there are some downsides: From one second to another, you see the band has different instruments (speaking of guitar and bass), but there was no pause between the songs. Hm, the whole instrument changes and interaction with the crowd seem to be edited out. Which is good and bad at the same time, depends on how you see it. I tend to see it negative, as the interaction with the crowd is one thing that distinguishes the live performance from an album recording. That this is almost completely lost (only some comments toward the audience during one or two songs) is a bit sad. I liked the full experience for example on Incubus' "Alive at Red Rocks". That you got everything, the whole concert gave the DVD a special taste, which in part is lost on this one. Still, an excellent concert, there's no doubt about that. (though it could have been a bit longer...)

The Bonus CD:
With this package comes an Audio CD. Basically this is the gig from the Starland Ballroom for your home stereo. It features the same tracklist as the concert, the same concert etc. So, I have not much to say about that. It's the concert without the video, so basically all of the above applies here as well, apart from the video things of course. :)

Bonus Stuff:
You get a bit of bonus stuff as well. On the DVD is a short piece from the 2004 Surf and Skate Festival, wich is nice, but does not match quite with the quality of the main feature. It's still a nice watch. Really funny are the three videos you get. You can watch the videos for "A favor house atlantic", "Devil in Jersey City" and "Blood Red Summer". The last video features a making of, which is quite interesting (and funny). To round it up, you get some interviews with the band. Overall, a nice completion for this DVD

Summary:
It's always hard to not miss a lot of great aspects with concert DVDs. To sum it up, this DVD is excellent work, and in great quality. The concert is great, and features a lot of my favorites from both albums. That you get the concert for the road on the incuded Audio CD is a great Bonus. The rest of the bonus features are fun to watch, but the main focus for me is on the concert. But if you are into special stuff and so on, you surely find some interesting stuff on this DVD.

Though it has some slight downsides, like the mentioned lack of crowd interaction, the pros still outweight the cons.

To summerize it with one sentence: If you like Coheed and Cambria, you can not go wrong with this. IMO it's worth every penny.

Rating: Nothing less then 4/5 :thumb:

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:30 PM

I'm done for right now, I'm going fix up my old reviews. Dibs on 2051 to 2099.

Channing

02-15-2007, 02:32 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1795

Now taking a look at the past efforts of AFI makes you long after the hope that a band who fronted the gothic-core scene can return to their roots. I'm not saying that Sing The Sorrow isn't listenable, but this album of collected songs from Nitro records is a real reality check on how AFI was more than an average hardcore pop punk band. Drawing influences from The Misfits, Nine Inch Nails, and The Offspring (early years) and among others. This is an album full of the more memorable tracks from their past albums and rarities that were released on vinyl.

Starting with "The Art Of Drowning," Lost Soul's opening bass line gives the perfect opening track. Huge props to Hunter for being one of the greatest bassist in punk rock (IMO). After the opening, the song gives you some of the most intensity this album has to offer. The song writing is at its best and Davey's voice is nothing short of phenomical. Then breaks down into a really nice bridge. "I will seep under your skin. I will. I will hold onto your heart. I will." The Days Of The Phoenix offers an epic of a song. One of the more recognizable songs from "The Art Of Drowning." Laying down an image of a theatrical play, using symbols to tell the story of a love for another, while struggling with one's self. A Winters Tale is a vinyl only track from "The Art Of Drowning." It's a shame this track didn't make the final cut of the album, its would have made a nice fit. Song writing really play's a key in here, as for just about all AFI's songs. What stands out with this song is Davey's ability to paint a picture with words, describing inatamate objects and surroundings such as string of white lights.

From "All Hallow's" EP, possibly one of the greatest EP's of all time (IMO), Totalimmortal and Fall Children are two great choices to include. Totalimmortal is the first track I've heard from AFI, from the late MTV X a long ways ago. Its fast, dark, and an incredibly good moshing song. One great aspect to point out, is during the bridge, the bass drum pounds gets hearts racing and a soft whisper, saying "Now every face looks familiar." As many people know, The Offspring covered Totalimmortal for the Me Myself & Irene soundtrack. Although it was good, it didn't sound anything as good or raw as this original. As for Fall Children, simple fast pace punk. A bit of a slow start, somewhat of a quiet distorted guitar, but as Davey give a loud roar, it hits you like Santa's bag full of bricks. Hunter picks up a real nice bass line, which is consistent through out the song.

"Black Sail's In The Sunset" is most AFI's fan's favorite album, (but I prefer Art Of Drowning). Still this album has some of the most memorable moments than any other AFI album. Also it included guest vocals from The Offspring's Dexter Holland (which sometimes either ruined or made the songs). I cant complain on the song selections here, The Prayer Position and God Called In Sick Today are staples in retrospective to AFI. The Prayer Position is unique and unforgettable. Strong verse and the dual chorus vocals featuring Dexter is done in excellent taste. "And in the distance there's a gathering that no longer seems so far away." Also the biggest moment that stood out for me was the bridge, very powerful and moving. As for God Called In Sick Today, there is so much emotion going on with this song. Backup vocals sounds as if they were choked up, it fits perfectly with this song. Even Dexter's unfitting last "Whoa ho" couldn't throw me away from this song.

Here's the point way back in AFI's history where the gothic songwriting wasn't fluent yet, and early Offspring influences I mentioned earlier really kicked in. Mostly in the structures of the chorus and bass style really got to me. Lower It is taken from "Shut Your Mouth And Open Your Eyes." Despite the strong chorus, tight drum style, and intensity of this song. I was pulled away from it by the blatant usage of the "Eff" word. There were a few songs like that for me, its not how I pictured AFI to be like. A Single Second sounds so much like an Offspring song, its scary. Its some aggressive verses, and the backing vocals in the chorus that's catchy as hell. One of my favorite AFI lines in any song comes right here "Oh my God, My God this cant be happening, God help me, tell me this isn't real." Third Season is possibly one of my favorite video's (other than Bloodhound Gang's "Foxtrot"). The song itself is flawed. From the under tuned distorted guitar, to the repetitive chorus towards the end. Davey's voice is strained and I have no idea if it was for effect, but it didn't do it for me. Its nothing more than a slight head bobbing headphone tune.

He Who Laughs Last is taken from "Very Proud Of Ya," a handy dandy record indeed. The song proves that AFI was a terrific hardcore band. Davey's vocals were still immature, but still makes the song. Its pretty short song, clocking in at 1:49, but it succeeds in every single way. Speaking of immature, I Wanna Get A Mohawk is sophomoric lyrics, but has the early AFI energy and nostalgia that fans love. Although the album order switched around a bit for this song, which was found on "Answer That And Stay Fashionable." Back to "Very Proud Of Ya," Perfect Fit's saving quality is on how infectious the chorus. Very nice drum playing here, but its still the basic "thump pound, thump thump pound" style.

Two rare vinyl tracks from "Very Proud Of Ya" (Rolling Balls, Who Said You Could Touch Me) actually was featured on a very early EP (wouldn't have known if it hadn't been for this site). Rolling Balls is the most unexpected song here. Its rare to see AFI to not write a serious song. Its about a guy who wasn't good enough for the guys bowling team, so he gives up everything, including his wife, his job, and his manhood. That's right, he turns into a girl so he can play for the women's bowling team. The song isn't the best musically, but it has a Suicidal Tendencies feel to it, especially the part the song breaks down for one note, then hops right back into "Now I made my change..." Who Said You Could Touch Me kinda annoys me in a way. It's a decent song, but it keeps the same exact bass line, and most of the guitar work the same eff'n way. Also the lyrics wasn't the most advance in the AFI catalog. Its nice it made it onto the album, but it wasn't necessary.

Lost Souls A -
The Days Of The Phoenix B +
A Winters Tale B +
Totalimmortal A -
Fall Children B
The Prayer Position B+
God Called In Sick Today A
Lower It C +
A Single Second B +
Third Season C
He Who Laughs Last A -
I Wanna Get A Mohawk C +
Perfect Fit B -
Rolling Balls A -
Who Said You Could Touch Me C+

To sum it up, this retrospective on AFI is great to enjoy for new and old fans alike. Has a lot to offer including rare tracks only found on vinyl. When songs are picked for an album where there were no technical singles, there are usually complaints on the song selection. I really had no complaints (although "The Boy Who Destroyed The World, Highschool Football Hero" would have been nice.) Its kinda hard to come up with a snazzy final line so.... That's My Mamma!

Channing

02-15-2007, 02:36 PM

This review should probably just be deleted. I took out the band lineup and the extraneous first two lines.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=2616

AFI are one of those bands who people have mixed opinions about. You either love them or hate them there is little or no middle ground. This is mainly due to their unique style which has pushed the question "What is punk?" to the limits. People who hate AFI are generally into their unadventurous pure punk which relies mostly on power chords and simple drum beats. (I don't mean any offence to these people, I just find it boring)

Following the success of Sing the sorrow (released on dreamworks) Nitro records saw an opportunity to cash in on the band who released several albums on their record label by releasing this compilation of older tracks.
The album offers people who got into AFI because of STS to experience some of the greatest moments of the bands career.

The compilation kicks off with The Lost Souls. A great example of the band when they were at their best (in my opinion). Fast paced, brilliant verse, lyrically good, but not Davey's best. Adam does a great job for percussion and the bass line just gives it that edge which it needs to compete with AFI's other great songs. 4/5

The second track is The Days of the Phoenix which is one of the tracks which some people think defined their career. It is poppy in comparison to most of the other songs which were originally on "The Art Of Drowning"
and its not one of my favourites but it is still a good song. 3.5/5

A winters tale is simply a brilliant song, If you were a fan of AFI before STS and haven't heard it DOWNLOAD IT! NOW! It has all the elements which make AFI great but some of the lyrics are a little cliched. 4.5/5

Totalimmortal is a song taken from the bands most popular EP "All Hallows EP" Like every other song on the EP it is brilliant, fast pace excellent vocals and lyrics. Its so good The Offspring did a cover version (which doesn't stand up to the AFI version in any way shape or form.) 5/5

Fall children is the opener on all hallows its almost as good as total immortal but is a little less catchy. Nitro should have included "The boy who destroyed the world" the second track on all hallows and by far the best song on the EP. But I can't really complain as this is a great fast paced song 4/5

The prayer position is going further back in AFI's career to the black sails era. It wont be to everyone's taste but it's an amazing song in my opinion. Like many of their songs from Black sails in the sunset, the whole band kicks in for the chorus to great effect. Put that with awesome pace and great guitar riffs and you have the ultimate song from that era. Or do you? 5/5

God called in sick today is one of AFI's slower songs, It is full of emotion, great lyrics, effective changes in pace between verse and chorus. Daveys voice is used to full effect and the bass line is excellent and enhances the song beyond measure. AFI's best song of all time. 6/5

Lower it, A single second, and third season are all taken from the severely underrated, transitional album in AFI'scareer. Shut your mouth and open your eyes. The songs are all similar in style, fast paced, Hardcore music which STS fans may have to get used to. I personally love all three of these songs, The backing vocals in the chorus of A single second just give it an edge over the other two.
Lower It 4/5
A Single Second 4.5/5
Third season 4/5

He who laughs last and perfect fit are great examples of the kind of music which formed AFI's roots (the boring punk fans I mentioned earlier will prefer AFI's music from this period.) Aggressive simple lyrics simple power chord riffs used to great effect.

He who laughs last 3.5/5
Perfect fit 3.5/5

I Wanna Get a Mohawk is taken from their debut Answer that and stay fashionable. Its fast paced and exciting, though AFI's musicianship wasn't great it's a good raw incredibly short punk song. 3/5

Rolling Balls and Who said you could touch me? Are some of AFI's rarer songs which up until the release of this compilation I hadn't heard. They're both great fast paced punk songs which makes me glad I bought the album, They're the only real reason I bought it. (probably would have been cheaper to download the though) Both 4/5

This compilation is definitely worth getting if you've only been introduced to AFI by STS but if like me you own every album and some of their EPs your probably better off downloading the songs which you haven't heard.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 02:49 PM

you think I should delete the Blurb I had? or just make it a full length review?

Channing

02-15-2007, 02:52 PM

Bolding the band name/album name is entirely unnecessary so I didn't do that.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=8817

AFI is an interesting band. One of the few bands that I know of that has been able to completely reinvent itself with every new album, and not release one bad album. This is what sets AFI apart from other bands; it's also probably why they've been around for more than a decade. They began playing simple hardcore punk in a garage in Ukiah, California, and now have just released their second record on a major label, Decemberunderground.

Decemberunderground is, in my honest opinion, a great record. It is completely different from all of their past releases, and is a quite obvious evolution of the band that released Sing The Sorrow back in 2003. The album incorporates much more in the way of melodic tracks, a lot of electronic elements and some different vocal styles from the lead singer, Davey Havok.

The vocals on this album are fantastic, lots of variation from Davey, as he once again shows his versatility as the front man of AFI. He has changed some aspects, such as his screams; they are now more raw, definitely different sounding than before. The vocal lines, melodies and hooks on this record are fantastic, and extraordinarily catchy. Some of his vocal lines on this album feel as though they belong on a pop punk album, and some of them sound like they were taken straight from a screamo record. Some of the best vocal work on this album can be found on Prelude 12/21, for the cool melodies, Miss Murder, because it sounds nothing like anything we've heard from Davey before, completely different vocal style, and Love Like Winter has some great hooks.

The guitar on this record seems to take a backseat to a lot of the electronic elements, as well as the drums and bass. This fact is somewhat disappointing as Jade is a phenomenal guitarist. The bass on the record is ever present, and brings the edge to AFI's music, as Hunter's basslines always have, this record is no exception. Adam's drumming is once again, stellar. He uses some cool beats, and is the driving force behind the majority of the songs, I am interested to see what his live set up is going to look like when they tour behind this album though...a half electronic kit perhaps?

Now, even though I hate track by tracks, the songs on this album are no less than phenomenal, so I feel the need to talk about each one individually.

Prelude 12/21 - A very cool intro track, the drums and the vocals are the central focus of this track. Adam's beat is somewhat reminiscent of hip-hop music. Davey's lyrics are fantastic, with a cool, catchy melody. But...an intro to an AFI wouldn't be an intro to an AFI album without the chanting backup vocals - have no fear, they are ever present on this track. The track is very rhythmic, with a soft synth part going over top. All in all a great intro, one of my favourites by AFI. - 4.5 / 5

Kill Caustic - This song is completely jarring, and unexpected following Prelude 12/21. It starts of quickly, with a bit of guitar feedback, and it gets right into a frantic, fairly intense verse, featuring some interesting vocals from Davey, a style of screaming which we have not heard before. The chorus of this song sounds like it could have been pulled from a pop punk album, save the screams that punctuate it. All in all, a decent track, typical punk fare, with some electronics thrown in during the bridge. I find it to be somewhat of a throwback to Black Sails In The Sunset era AFI, nothing spectacular, but have no fear; the best is yet to come. - 4 / 5

Miss Murder - A fantastic song, the first single from Decemberunderground. This song shocked a lot of AFI fans, as it sounds like a completely different band. The song is in a compound time signature, and is very "dancy", if you get what I'm saying. Davey's vocal style is like nothing we have heard from him before, and the chorus is great, catchy and very easy to chant along to, the lyrics are great too. The drums and bass drive this song, and are fantastic. All in all, a different style, something we've never seen from AFI before, a great song. - 5 / 5

Summer Shudder - In this song, we start to see the electronic elements a lot more. From this track on, the album goes in a completely different direction. This track has some cool synth bits, and a catchy chorus. Once again, this track takes a lot from the drums and bass, which follow a fairly cool groove in the verses. Not a lot of guitar work, though there are some spots, namely the pre verse section, where Jade has some cool parts. A decent song, featuring no screaming, shows a more melodic side of AFI's new sound. - 4 / 5

The Interview - This may be the one track on the album that I'm not really into. I actually find it to be quite boring, slow and repetitive. The verses are mellow, involving some simple parts, and some synth in the background. The choruses aren't much more interesting. The lyrics aren't too bad though, and this is where we hear the words "Decemberunderground" sung softly by Davey near the end of the song. - 3 / 5

Love Like Winter - Definitely my favourite track from this album. Starts off with footsteps, and some synth sounds as the vocals come in. The track builds up and explodes into an extremely catchy chorus that could have very easily been taken from a pop punk album. The song contains a lot of synth throughout, and a quick, but cool synth interlude just after the first chorus. Again, another track based around the drums, bass, and synth elements, but definitely a phenomenal song, best on the album in my opinion - 5 / 5

Affliction - Another punky song, starts off quick, with a guitar riff and more of Davey's screams. The track reminds me of Dancing Through Sunday from Sing The Sorrow for some reason, I think it's the whole feel. The only thing is, I love Dancing Through Sunday, and I'm not really feeling this song so much. Davey's screaming gets annoying, and nothing really stands out about it. It breaks down in the bridge, first as a whole band, then it is just Davey singing over top of Jade's soft chords, but this doesn't last long, and we're soon back to the chorus. This is probably the most guitar-oriented song on the album, and while there is some cool guitar work, the song feels like filler to me. - 3 / 5

The Missing Frame - Starts of with a nice punchy beat from Adam, and then a guitar with what I believe is a wah effect comes in over top. The beat continues into a cool verse, with the same beat, and a matching bassline from Hunter underneath some cool single note picking from Jade. Davey's vocals are once again different from usual. The verse builds up into a chorus that is reminiscent of The Arcade Fire or The Killers, which is cool, and definitely a new feel for AFI. A great upbeat song, that sounds nothing like anything we've heard from AFI. - 5 / 5

Kiss and Control - A slower, darker track, starts with electronic drums and synths, which break into a picked guitar part and a simple drum beat layered underneath Davey's vocals. The song's chorus has some great back up vocals, accented by Davey's excellent screams. The vocals in the verse remind me of The Great Disappointment from Sing The Sorrow. Jade does some excellent guitar work in the bridge before the song breaks down completely to a short, spoken word passage by Davey. This song has some great lyrics, and definitely shows the best side of each separate member. - 4.5 / 5

The Killing Light - Another upbeat track, driven by Hunter's bassline, the drums, and a simple, yet effective guitar riff. The lyrics in this song are cool, and Davey's melodies are great. The song also has the only guitar solo to be found on the album, which is short, but sweet. The solo fits the mood and energy of the song, and isn't too long or drawn out, Jade definitely shines on this track. Which is another of my favourites from this album. - 4.5 / 5

37mm - A mellow track, starts of with some synth noises and a bassline. The drums, which sound very electronic, enter at the same time as Davey. This track is very electronically oriented, it uses a lot of synth, and the electronic drums, as well as some sampled sounds in the verses. However, I still think the song is great, and I find Davey's vocals to be quite soothing. - 4.5 / 5

Channing

02-15-2007, 02:54 PM

Part 2

Endlessy, She Said - The closing track of this album. The verses are reminiscent of This Time Imperfect, the secret track from Sing The Sorrow, and build up into a dramatic chorus. There aren't a lot of electronic elements on this track, save some sampled sounds in the verses, and the intro. The song is quite epic, and a great closer to this album. The mood is very dark and depressing, while the song still has quite a "big" sound to it. The bridge breaks down, then builds up into yet another breakdown, before it leads into another epic chorus before the song fades out, each instrument dropping out until Davey's voice is left alone and brings a close to this fantastic album. - 5 / 5

Outro - I guess this is the true end of the album. It consists of some electronic drums, and synth parts, and is punctuated by a spoken word bit; by a girl who is either crying, or laughing - I can't tell which. A short but sweet track, not the typical AFI "hidden track", but I actually quite like it, the song feels like it puts a note of finality on the end of the album. - 4 / 5

Overall the album is great, with only a couple of tracks that I wasn't particularly fond of. AFI has once again successfully reinvented their sound, and put out another great album.

Standout tracks:

- Miss Murder

- Love Like Winter

- The Missing Frame

- The Killing Light

- Endlessly, She Said

Overall, I give this album a 4.5 / 5. The song writing is great, and really shows how AFI has matured; I also love the incorporation of the electronic elements. The only real downside to this album is the few tracks that feel like they are filler. If you have managed to read this far, I both congratulate you, and thank you for reading my review, and please believe, I did not intend for it to be this long, it's just the way it ended up.

tom79

02-15-2007, 02:58 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1914

It is my absolute pleasure to take the time to review what is simply put, one of the greatest albums in the history of rock n roll. My name isn’t Entwistle for no good reason. The Who are my biggest influence and I’m proud to say that I was thoroughly amazed at the songwriting on this album. That’s the beauty of this band. They don’t need to put their chops in perspective in order to write great songs. They just make it happen with a flow unlike anyone I’ve heard (with the exception of VERY few other bands). Pete, John and Roger had met in Grammar school as teenagers. After John and Pete had played in Jazz band together, they joined a band where at the time, Roger was on guitar. After making the switch to vocals, Roger invited the two, as well as recruiting Keith Moon to play the drums. After a year together, the band had finally settled on a name; The Who. Enough of me preaching how good The Who are. Let’s get to the review of the album.

So, Who’s Next?

The album shifts into gear with one of its more memorable tracks. Baba O’Reilly is unlike anything I’ve heard from the band, but it’s not a bad thing at all. A toy-like synthesizer tracking let’s you know that this song stays true to its folk roots. The three note bass riff that makes this song famous follows the synths. Three notes have never been so catchy. After the ridiculously catchy bass hook, Keith’s drums and Roger’s powerful voice comes booming in. “Out here in the fields I fight for my meals. I get my back into my living." This epic was dedicated to Pete Townshend’s spiritual advisor at the time. The powerful drum beats and fills give way to a sudden break in the music where Pete gracefully chants the lyric that everyone will hum after this song. “Don’t cry, don’t brace your eye. It’s only teenage wasteland." At this point, the synth melody has changed to a more upbeat, major key. The hook goes on until a pretty little guitar interlude gives way to a jittery violin solo. (Live, Roger solos note for note on harmonica.) Until the tempo builds up to end the song. This was one folk masterpiece.

The CD doesn’t let up on you afterwards. We’re in for another hit off the album, Bargain is probably the lyrics that everyone knows. It starts with a mellow acoustic guitar riff until the crazy drum fill kicks into a rockin guitar and great vocals. The verses are quite short, but the choruses are what catches peoples ears. “I call it a bargain, the best I ever had." The drums are quite nice here and the bass is wonderful. About 2 minutes in Pete starts to sing with John playing a wonderful little lick behind him and Keith pounding with his signature out of place crazy fills. The verse comes back in along with the high energy choruses. The guitar takes a tiny solo afterwards until the dynamics of the verse riff build up to release into the acoustic riff outro.

The next track, Love Aint For Keeping is a shorter, blues oriented song with a lighter feel to the acoustic/electric guitar combination. Roger’s voice is much lighter and heartier than previously. Another song that has out of control drums, and some nice guitar riffage. The length of the song kinda turns me off though. It’s too short and could’ve opened up into a great song if they had worked on it a bit more. But, it’s still okay while it lasts.

This next track is unique from all the others in the fact that the entire song was written by none other than the Ox himself. Correct, Entwistle wrote the catchy number entitled My Wife . Surprisingly, the song isn’t bass driven. It features a cool bassline, but nowhere near bass driven. The hook of the song is probably the brass showcase and the jokey lyrics of adultery. This was another good song that was cut off by time. But the brass was awesome as well as the vocal performance. Okay song, nothing too spectacular.

A drastic change of pace follows. The Song is Over seems almost like an Elton John ballad in the beginning, with the piano and Pete’s mellow voice. But after a minute and a half, Keith and Roger come thundering in, with soaring voices and wild drumming, with a deep bassline. The Elton John persona comes back after a bit, changing back and forth between tempos here and there, with Roger and Pete trade off the spotlight. The bassline is almost percussive, at how well it works with the melodies. The first lyric of the song ends this different, yet cool track.

The next recording, Getting In Tune , is very cool with mellower drumming than the other tracks and very strong voices from Mr. Daltrey. The lyrics are a bit darker and much more heartfelt. The heavier feel of the song is done very tastefully and features a great guitar performance and a counter-melody bassline. The drumming, as a result of being more grounded, keeps the groove there the entire time, which is a reason why I like the song so much. The groove doesn’t let up at all. They combination of drum fills, guitar soloing, and keyboard winding is very cool while Roger wails the title. Awesome song.

Another bluesy song, Going Mobile follows up. This song features Pete singing all the way through and a nice clean electric/acoustic guitar blend of riffing patterns during the verses. It also features some experimenting with effects on guitar in some parts. You can hear the wah and filters buzzing during the quiet interludes. This song seems to have gotten it’s origin from the do-whop era in the late 50’s and the classic oldies. Another thing you may notice is how the drumming is relentless. It’s kinda weird. Calm song, crazy drumming. However, it seems to work well. Another cool, diverse song.

These next two songs are probably the best, as well as most famous songs on the album, beginning with this hit single, Behind Blue Eyes . If you haven’t heard this song, you were most likely born yesterday. It was a great song that was torn to shreds, and you can thank Limp Bizkit for their horrid cover of this. It starts with a light acoustic guitar melody and some emotional lyrics that everyone knows the words to. The chorus lyrics are gut wrenchingly heartfelt, with phrases like ‘And these dreams, they are as empty as my conscience seems to be." Yeah, it’s a pretty song. About midway through, the tempo picks up with a bridge that just plain out rocks. Roger’s voice is on top form here until they quietly shift back into the final verse to fade out one of the anthems of the 70’s.

The final track on the album is definitely my favorite, and possibly my favorite song of all time. The song is none other than Won’t Get Fooled Again . This is 8 minutes of musical orgasms. It begins with a hyper synth tracking, up until the guitar and bass whistfully pull off a grand riff, roaring and thickly defining Roger’s wailing voice. You can’t exactly hear it, but you can certainly feel the bassline. If you ever get a chance to hear the bass by itself in this song, you will be in awe. I still wonder how John’s hands could’ve moved that fast. The drumming isn’t balls out at all, keeping the entire band sounding excellent. The choruses are energetic with some less serious lyrics and overall just fun feel. Don’t mention that counter melody bass. It’s just too good. There is an ambient section in this song, but don’t be turned off by it, it’ll just sooth you out until the band thunders back in with a rocket propelled performance. This is the Who at their finest. I simply can’t put it any better.

The Who are:

Pete Townshend- Guitar, composer/lyricist
Roger Daltrey- Vocals/ Harmonica
John Entwistle- Bass, Trumpet, ?Vocals on My Wife?
Keith Moon- Drums

Pros
_________
+ Composition is spectacular
+ Rhythm section amazes me
+ Great Voices
+ Diverse

Cons
_______
- Some songs are a tad weak
- Ambient section won’t appeal to everyone

Track Ratings

1. Baba O’Reilly- 5/5
2. Bargain- 4.5/5
3. Love Aint For Keeping- 3/5
4. My Wife- 3.5/5
5. The Song is Over- 4/5
6. Getting In Tune- 4.5/5
7. Going Mobile- 4/5
8. Behind Blue Eyes- 5/5
9. Won’t Get Fooled Again- 5/5

Recommended:

First 2 and Last 2 Tracks

Overall: This album was spectacular. I can’t speak for everyone, though. I highly recommend the purchase of this album, even if it wasn’t perfect. I give it a [4.5/5]

Feedback is Welcome!!!!! Thank you and enjoy!

tom79

02-15-2007, 03:05 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=4221

When people think of hard rock, chances are that some names come to mind first- Guns N Roses, and Deep Purple being two obvious choices. I, bluntly, find it shameful that Thin Lizzy does not receive the credit that they so richly deserve, for basically inventing the genre. If it weren’t for Thin Lizzy, guitar rock wouldn’t be what you think of it. Earning only an iota of fame, for two singles, “the boys” are possibly the most underrated band from the 70’s era. And it really is a shame, because Phil Lynott and company deserve far more respect. If there was an album that I could choose that just plain out rocked, it would be “Jailbreak”. Not only does it feature some awesome lead guitar playing, and flooring guitar solos, but the riffing and the songwriting just rock hard. That’s really the only word that can describe it well, at least.

Churning out two hit singles that earned the band some airplay, the infamous “The Boys are Back in Town” and the gritty title song, as well as a master plan of pure rocking riffs. But Lizzy is much more than just some generic rock band. Front man Phil Lynott had a cunning plan for the album prior to its release, based solely on war. However, this plan folded, and the song meanings changed. “Boys are Back in Town” was originally a tale of Vietnam vets returning to their homeland, but was altered into a tale of bar hopping and heavy drinking. But not every song’s connotation was tampered with. For instance, “Warriors” remained an epic narrative about the bravery of killing a man, as did “Fight or Fall”. But Lynott delivers with full attack and his lyrics range from soft and poetic, to hard-shelled and dirty. A multi-talented man, Lynott was, and his basslines are not shabby, either. However, undoubtedly, the highlight, as well as main focus aspect of Thin Lizzy, were and always will be, guitar leads. The two guitarists, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, trade some pretty sweet leads, and use some special effects pedals to shape their tones. Both guitarists strut their stuff in very cool ways, as well as some incredible soloing skills. Songs like the hard rocking “Emerald”, which was written about Lynott’s home country, Ireland, and my personal album pick, ‘Warriors’ are two examples of fine guitar playing. The two dueling guitar riffs are one of a kind.

If you had in mind that Thin Lizzy was a blues-driven rock band, and only had one sound, you are being close-minded. There are some very diverse sounds on this album, and it clearly shows. “Running Back” has a very soft, folksy vibe to it, but adds some color with skatting and a subtle saxophone, while “Angel From the Coast” has something that many bands today lack- killer groove. “Romeo and the Lonely Girl” was a Shakespeare-esque tale with a shuffled rhythm and some clean guitars, and “Cowboy Song” which is arguably one of the best songs Thin Lizzy ever produced, hints a bit of a southern country vibe, which is easily the most unique song on the album. But whether the song is dirty blues, mellow folk, crunchy rock, or boogie flavor, every song can be traced back to hard rockin’ blues with the guitar playing. The influence of Thin Lizzy on today’s music is quite evident. Coheed and Cambria have praised them in numerous interviews, and even ripped off the lead riff to ‘Boys’ for their new album. It goes without saying that nearly every song on ‘Jailbreak’ is a pure, hard rocker with little to no flaws. If you are looking for a great hard rock band, who isn’t as media-whored out as most other rock bands of that time, and want great songwriting with great guitar work- look here. Phil Lynott’s untimely death might have been a horrible thing to bear, especially for the few Lizzy fans out there, but at least before he died, he and his band mates produced one of the best albums in rock n roll. Not bad for an Irish dude with an afro and a bushy mustache.

Channing

02-15-2007, 03:12 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=7142

When Afi's previous album, Sing the Sorrow was released, it was certainly a change. As their major label debut, STS was (unsurprisingly) dissimilar from their earlier work. However, most fans had to admit that Afi had been gravitating more towards a goth-punk sound for the last few years. Personally, I saw STS as a sign that Afi had finally become mature, intelligent songwriters. I however, ignored the fact that it was an obvious precursor to the mess that is Decemberunderground. On their latest album (released on May 26th/29th in the UK and on June 6th in the U.S.) Afi seem to want to prove that they no longer have any regard for that which made them a unique band (and one of my personal favorite bands, to boot). At its strongest, Decemberunderground is generic faux-emo in the vein of too many other bands out there. At its worst, Decemberunderground is a messy jumble of half-completed ideas melded into an "artful" package. Simply put: It's not anything like the Afi you know. Unfortunately, this is not a good thing.

Decemberunderground is woefully average. It seems to fail in every element where Afi usually succeeds. Front man Davey Havok's vocals are either dull and unfocused, or screaming at an absurdly annoying pitch. Catchy punk-infused guitar riffs? Guitarist Jade Puget doesn't deliver them. Instead, muddy, bleak, inane lines populate the album. Fantastic backing vocals and just overall kickass attitude? It's there. Only the backing vocals sound like a choir of ghouls in the deepest pit of Hell, and the attitude generally resembles that of depressed people at a funeral (I think Afi were actually trying to get that effect). Oh, and don't get me started on the lyrics. Will you hear any great triumphs or rude-boy laughs, such as "6 to 8" (The Art of Drowning) or "Cruise Control" (Very Proud of Ya)? Nope. Instead, you'll hear a lot about suicide, and death, and killing, and gloom. Only none of it's good. It's just depression for depression's sake.

You know, I was upset a few months ago when the album's first single "Miss Murder" was released. I mean, the song really, really didn't have that Afi sound to it. It was dull, uninspired, cliched, and simply not fun to listen to. However I have a shocking revelation: "Miss Murder" is among the best Decemberunderground has to offer. It's a sad thing if you know (as I and many others do) what Afi are truly capable of. It's really hard for me to hide my disappointment as I listen to this album. I can barely even get through the whole of Decemberunderground without having to interrupt it with some older Afi tunes. Of course, that just makes going back that much harder.

"Prelude 12/21" is the typical intro track you would expect from Afi. Ready for a major "What the hell?" moment? The music is something like what you would find backing a modern hip-hop song. Yeah, I had a heart-attack too. Either way, it's a filler. Unlike previous fillers like "Strength Through Wounding" (Black Sails in the Sunset), "Prelude 12/21" doesn't warm you up with raw, powerful enthusiasm. Rather, it sums up Decemberunderground on the whole: melancholy in Compact Disc form. The intro leads into the horrifying "Kill Caustic." I've always loved Davey's voice, but for God's sake, I want him to shut the hell up on this song. Afi always used screaming effectively for emphasis. However, when Davey screams throughout an entire song, it's irritating. Very irritating. "Kill Caustic" is a pathetic attempt for Afi to conform to what may be "popular" now. It's an all-around poor effort. And it's not even the worst of the worst.

Next we have "Miss Murder." As I mentioned before, this is the album's first single. By Afi's previous work's standards, this song is fairly poor. However, on the mess that is Decemberunderground, "Miss Murder" is a shining star of mediocrity. The lyrics (while still depressingly average), are well-written by comparison to the rest of the album. If it wasn't for the fact that Davey puts absolutely no effort into his singing, this might've actually been a good song. Pity that it isn't. "Summer Shudder" begins with a haunting piece of orchestration, and breaks into another depressing sounding piece of goth-punk bile. Like it's direct predecessor, "Shudder" is slightly above-average for this album. Mostly because it features decently written lyrics and (thankfully) no screaming. Still, it's hardly one of Afi's best tracks, and it's far from being able to salvage Decemberunderground.

"The Interview" could have just as easily been named "The Didn't Some Other Band Already Make This Song?," and nobody would've been the wiser. Again, we see a total lack of true innovation. However, the marginally catchy chorus, decent instrumentation, and lack of screaming (two songs in a row, we're on a roll!) keep it from being a total loss. The song fades away with some nice organ music which, once again, emphasize the depressing feel of Decemberunderground. When I first heard "Love Like Winter," I thought to myself "Damn, I accidentally pressed repeat." Yeah, right from the beginning it sounds almost exactly the same as "The Interview." Fortunately, this feeling wears off (eventually). So what are we left with? Another hollow song. "Affliction" features a most unwelcome return to the screaming vocals. Whilst listening to this song, I felt like punching Mr. Havok in the face. Lyrics about being used and the future have absolutely no feel to them, in this commonplace emo world that Afi have chosen to live in.

For now, I'm going to skip "The Missing Frame," so let's move on instead to "Kiss And Control." This song features a mixture of the screaming (which is the loudest and most obnoxious yet) with the depressing vocal-work/music (which is the most melancholy yet). It's another poor effort, that'll leave old Afi fans shaking their heads. "The Killing Light" sounds good to start. Fantastic bass-work from Hunter Burgan make up the intro to the song. In the end, this is again one of the better songs on the album. Probably my second favorite (the first has already passed, yet is still coming; care to guess what it is, Sherlock?). At least "The Killing Light" isn't a totally bland effort, and hey! It even has a guitar solo (of sorts). "37mm" is disturbingly haunting from the beginning. It's going to make you wish Afi would just stop playing at being whatever it is they're trying to be. They just don't do "goth" very well, in my humble opinion. "37mm" is boring, repetitive, and features lyrics that follow an all-too-familiar format.

Decemberunderground concludes with "Endlessly She Said." Another slightly above-average track, I'm just happy that Davey encroaches upon screaming, but keeps it in check. This gives his voice a little more power and depth, which he is sorely lacking on this album. Again, this one is dragged down by the shocking similarity between it's lyric sheet and all the other song's. Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention. I have a list of words I'm sick of hearing from Afi: suicide, misery, wait, fall, and kill/killing. I used to marvel at their vocabulary at times, as well as their knack for sticking two-dollar words into their songs. Now, I think they need to purchase a thesaurus and mull over the concept of "synonyms." "Endlessly She Said" fades into a (boring) "Outro", whose end leads perfectly into the intro "Prelude 12/21." A full circle effect, I suppose you could call it. It's probably the only creative thing Afi have done on Decemberunderground (and I'm sure it's been done before; sarcasm to be sure).*

So, is there an upside to Decemberunderground? Actually, yes. "The Missing Frame" is the one gem of this album. It's catchy, it has feeling to it, and it sounds a little more like Afi. Davey sings:

I'll let you tear it up/
If you don' wake me up/
But if you tear it/
We can repair it/
So please don' wake me/
Till someone cares/
Now no one cares

Channing

02-15-2007, 03:12 PM

Part 2

These lyrics are perfect to sum up my mood at the moment. If Afi can continue to write songs like "The Missing Frame" in the future, then we can repair their torn music. So they' better wake the hell up, because they have a lot of fans that care about them.

Sure, you may view that as a lame metaphor, but the fact remains that Decemberunderground is a disappointment. While I'm sure it will please newer Afi fans, there's very little here to keep fans of Afi's earliest days as a hardcore band happy. Aside from a few unlistenable tracks, the album is just too average. Afi have assimilated themselves with the mainstream to a far too radical degree. They've lost everything that once made them a stand-out anarcho punk band. So, while my rating my seem harsh, you have to look at this from my viewpoint: Decemberunderground is so similar to so many other albums, that it's average at best, hence my rating. However, as an Afi album (at least by comparing this to previous works), the rating should be lower. I decided to give it a rating of average simply because that's what Afi are trying to be.

All I know is that they've left this Despair Faction member of a reviewer very, very disappointed with their latest effort. I can only sit by and hope that A Fire Inside can go back to their roots and rectify this situation for their next album. Otherwise, they may find themselves surrounded only by the "scene" kids they are so desperately trying to appeal to.

*In addition to the content of Decemberunderground itself, the UK release also features two bonus tracks: "Rabbits Are Roadkill on Rt. 37" and "Head Like A Hole." "Rabbits" was originally a b-side of Sing the Sorrow. It was "officially" released for the first time last year on Myspace Records: Vol. 1. It's a very good song, with an attitude that's a complete change from Decemberunderground's droning monotone. "Head Like A Hole" is a Afi's take on the famous Nine Inch Nails song. It also recalls the attitude and punk sensibility of Afi's past. These two songs are an excellent bonus for UK residents and enthusiastic importers, but they have no real standing on the album itself. It is also prudent to note that the "Outro" track is not present on the UK release of Decemberunderground. Not a terribly significant change, but a change nonetheless.

tom79

02-15-2007, 03:44 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1620

While not exactly at the peak of their careers, The Clash were still kickin’ it in the early 80’s. Their first appearance hurled them directly into the British punk scene with an arsenal of great material to start them off, and armed to the teeth with one hell of a lineup that would soon become one of the best punk lineups to ever hit the genre. Joe Strummer led every song into victory with the pride of his country engulfed in his vocals. Paul Simonon thumped away at every measure like it was the band’s last. Mick Jones inserted the soul into every riff and every solo that ever struck the band’s songs. And Topper Headon, with almost god-like powers, led the way for a lot of rhythmic portions of the band’s large archive of compositions, and some say is Sir John Bonham’s punk equivalent.

The band flourished into the industry with their self titled debut, and possibly their greatest work. This is was in ‘77, as then ‘78 brought us their second album, titled “Give ‘Em Enough Rope." Then, in 79, they released the album that is certainly responsible for the formation of many bands after The Clash themselves. The release of London Calling marked the real birth of The Clash to most people, but to others, it was just them at their peak, and it paid off. While stepping into the new decade, the world then heard from the band yet again with the double album; Sandinista!. As it clearly didn’t follow up well to London Calling, it managed to get them a bit further and a bit deeper into the core, or heart of their own work.

Two long years go by, and then,’82 brings us the resurrection of The Clash. Combat Rock was the name of the new album, and just like many bands before them, this was something that continued their glorious legacy, but brought something new upon the table as well. Bottom line is, this album is funky as hell. No denying it. While Strummer?s slurs and Simonon’s lines make clear that The Clash is still jamming, you can’t help but notice other influences stuck into this mix that most likely expanded off of Revolution Rock and Guns Of Brixton. It can’t exactly be called the ‘different’ album, but certainly the most their album that stands out the most for their own standards. The reasons to listen to this album are plainly easy to describe. It’s a funky, it’s classic. Hell, it’s The Clash.

The Clash- Combat Rock

“This is a public service announcement! With Guitars!" Joe unleashes the album straight your way with clearly the very best track an album like this could have started out with. Know Your Rights holds in place a hoppy, steady bass-line as Joe executes in his formal vocals and Mick and Topper duke it out with a great midway solo in the bridge, and a nice sturdy beat going nice and tight on the hats as the song progresses pretty slowly. Now, everything in this track isn’t perfect. This is the only track on the album that carries on so much that after it’s over, you will clearly remember everyone’s riffs and rhythms. I will say once again that it is the best opening track for a more different album like Combat Rock and shows the likes of what will come up momentarily.

As the first track fades out, Car Jamming starts off with Topper and Mick leading the way with a great repeating tom-fill and a swirlier riff to put it in a certain way. Joe does a great job with his own guitar-work in this one; in the intro, as well as the bridge. Paul comes in here at backing vocals in choruses and such, while you can realize that Topper is still in the gloomy background combating each and every measure with the same fill. What really keeps this one going is Paul’s bass, and keeps the rest powered to give us the play-by-play of what will go no for the remainder of the track. Fades out with the slow, yet energized chorus that will burn in your head for some time until a song like the one coming up will burn it right out.

My, my. While I don’t have anything ‘excellent’ to say about this next track, I will admit that it’s not a bad song. Should I Stay Or Should I Go will strike a sudden resemblance to about 20 commercials and probably 5 movies you’ve seen or heard before. Why? Because in my standard’s and I’m sure a lot of other people’s, it ranks in as the poppiest Clash song ever written and produced. Mick’s repetitive riff gets boring and starts getting on your nerves after a few listens, but the real thing to admire here are the vocals, including all the rants and chants in the background. While I’m still not sure if it’s the rest of the boys, or guests, the backup vocals make the song not that bad, but Im being truly honest when I say that this is a huge halt for the real mood of the album, and just didn’t belong on here.

Right back on track, right back on the track. The albums brings us upon another of the band’s greatest hits next, and fits the album right back in place. Rock The Casbah is one of the funkiest tracks on the album, and certainly means Simonon providing a wide variety of riffs that will stick to the composition and doesn’t let go. Topper as well, does a great job with fills in the bridge, as Joe lets us have some of his great lyrics, and then jumps right back into a combo of accents on the snare, and shuffles and splashes. This is truly an excellent song from beginning to end, and if not the definite song to know The Clash by, then definitely among one of their greatest work in their history.

Paul starts preaching and going on about something in the sky as Topper’s best possible track on the album starts off. Red Angel Dragnet has none particular singing, but a lot of talking and conversation going on between Paul and I’m not sure if it’s another guest or Mick in a really, really deep voice. Like I said, this is drummer Topper Headon’s very best work on the album, and it shows as he executes at cue of Paul’s riff. Not stopping at one measure, he slides across his cymbals so gracefully, making it look easy to follow Paul’s line with varieties of notes to match on his bass-drum and toms. Keeps the album going at nice progress, and in no sign of it stopping. Not to worry, as it is just getting warmed up.

Straight To Hell is the opera of the album. While this is certainly giving away the score of the song too early, I will say that this song is excellent, and also ranks in as one of my favorites from the band. Ranking in at almost seven minutes, the speed in this one is slightly altered so it can easily follow the excellent work done by Joe and Topper here. Joe puts on different amounts of accents and voices to fill in, but at the end, manages to reach the listener with the message that was meant to belong. The background orchestra is clearly led by Topper as he goes at his toms like there will be no tomorrow, and although the speed isn’t shocking, the grace in the man’s fingertips explains why he belongs as one of the best drummers to ever hit the industry. From beginning to end, nothing but pure bliss and subtle excellence. Occasionally the track with the most heart, and probably best lyrics as well. Nothing short of the band at their very best.

To act as the sudden catalyst, Atom Tan speeds up the mix once again, and while sporting the sound of a more classic Clash track, it keeps the funkier line by Paul on the frontline. Mick, making a brave comeback with solid guitar-work on this one, and Topper at the repetitive fill-game once again. This isn’t one of the very best on the album, and strikes as one you would skip once in a while, concerning there’s other great ones at hand. It is also the shortest on the album, ranking in at barely two minutes. The game is still going strong, as this a bit-over-average track hits us in the face, but the album will continue with more that won’t disappoint.

The good, the bad, the funky! Overpowered By Funk makes the clear statement that this album was based off the fact that what the Clash wanted was a strong, funky record, expanding off the roots of Paul’s strings. Another longer one, and another I would consider and opera, but not really. Everyone is at their all on this one, and seems like they all have their own moments. Not solos, but moments, as they execute more fresh material and pick and thump away at the track. Joe does a good job with vocals of course, and once again does a great job with his own guitar-work on the side. The line from Paul?s bass surprisingly never gets old or repetitive as the song progresses off the base it gives off, and as Topper continues with more shuffles, and Mick gives us a nice solo mid-way, Paul will still be at it, going at it even when Joe leads the band out of the song that kept the album going, and the heart of the music pounding to a very funky beat.

Confusing as this one gets, don’t forget the band won’t fail, but won’t exactly succeed at full-speed either. Sean Flynn starts us off with possibly the best ambience to a punk song I’ve ever heard, if you can even classify this one as punk. The whispering, ascending ambience on your speakers suddenly bring along Topper and friendly noted by Mick and Paul as you can also hear lots of brass in the distance. The song doesn’t change. You’d expect it to, but it never does. It stays as the same environment filled with more and more incoming sounds from an ever so friendly saxophone that slowly turns the remainder of the song into a jazz instrumental. As Joe rarely says a word, he keeps to his other stuff, and provides great vocals when he does. Not the 'perfect' way to continue the album, but still a great different track that strikes you to go the extra mile and finish it off.

tom79

02-15-2007, 03:45 PM

continued...

Still not sure who it is that joins in for vocals in this one. A dark, somewhat creepy voice tells some kind of story in the beginning of Ghetto Defendant. The band then continues to for a little while as Joe joins in at vocals, but still accompanies the same dark voice as it shoves bizarre vocals in Strummer’s mouth. This one just plainly ruins it with the voice for me, and doesn’t make me want to listen at all. The musical portion of the song isn’t that impressive either, as Paul might appear here and there with a nice riff, but isn’t very great to fill in for the rest of the musicians on the lineup here. For me, the weakest track on the album and a bit strange for my liking.

On with Inoculated City. This one once again features Topper at some more of his best shape, and what is really interesting in this one is the duel vocals between Joe and Mick. The same harmony continues through-out every measure with ease, and effects in the background can be seen that had never been used before either. Banging, tapping, a television, and distant voices fit in the bill here, and Mick eventually shares some more of his insight on the song at the very end.

To end it all, Death Is A Star will seem very different at first, and maybe creepy to some people, but is just a very special ballad saved for last on the album. It’s Joe in a bit of a more sentimental tone telling a story while the boys lay back a bit making way for the visions attempting to reach your mind a bit. Descriptions in the track are excellent, and the background piano just plainly adds to it. While I can say that the last two tracks are among the weakest, that’s not much to say. They were both special and stood out differently.

The Clash-
Joe Strummer- Vocals, Guitar
Mick Jones- Lead Guitar, Vocals
Paul Simonon- Bass, Vocals
Topper Headon- Drums

Track Scores
Know Your Rights- 4/5
Car Jamming- 3.5/5[/b]
Should I Stay Or Should I Go- 3.5/5[/b]
Rock The Casbah- 5/5[/b]
Red Angel Dragnet- 4/5[/b]
Straight To Hell- 5/5[/b]
Overpowered By Funk- 5/5[/b]
Atom Tan- 3.5/5
Sean Flynn- 4/5
Ghetto Defendant- 3/5
Inoculated City- 3.5/5
Death Is A Star- 4/5

It’s clear that this is one of the bands albums that really stands out from the rest in their history, and really captures a new sound that would catch on to the newer Clash generation. This is one of the band’s best works, and defines that no matter what slice of meat they choose out, and how the cook it, it will always somehow to come out being very damn delicious. As the band has a short run after this album, with their live album and Cut The Crap, one of the more poor album on this side of The Clash. Combat Rock whole-fully comes out of it’s womb with something new to offer, and leaving you wanting more. It’s one that no fan should be without, and with an attitude that gets you up and out of your seat, and at the same time pondering how they ever did it. This is an album that the band didn’t disappoint with. Not that they ever did.

“By order of the prophet/ we ban that boogie sound/ degenerate the faithful/ with that crazy casbah sound"

4/5

Channing

02-15-2007, 08:47 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=4060

Many people have heard of goth metal before. For quite a few, the word "goth" conjures images of people you've seen at the mall: large pants with an obscene amount of chains and straps, more makeup than Richard Simmons at a gay bar, and a generally depressing attitude. However, goth also describes a style of music: very symphonic, an emphasis on epicness and more opera styled vocals. There are tons of countless knockoff bands that claim to be "goth", but only a few can claim the style as their own.

Here's where After Forever comes in. A goth/symphonic metal band from the Netherlands, they were one of the best of female fronted goth metal. Even from a very young age, the band showed their talents as songwriters. Their music was epic, and worthy of being played by bands twice their age. From their debut in 2000 all the way up to today, the band has showed no signs of slowing down and continue to release album after album, each as good (if not better) than the last.

Decipher, simply put, is an amazing album. Considering the average age of the band members was 19 when it was recorded/released, it was almost unheard of. The band showed their promise as songwriters, and it paid off on this album. With an epic quality found in only a select few, the album radiated originality.

The undoubted best part of the band is the superb vocals laid down by Floor Jansen. Yes, she is a soprano, like many other female fronted bands. However, few can convey emotion as well as Floor. Her voice is haunting. It will stay in your head forever and refuse to get out. Unlike some singers, who are all about being pretty and not delivering much impact, Floor can do both. Her voice is one of the prettiest voices I've ever heard, and it grips you as much as some of the most powerful singers can do. Also noteworthy is that she can sing in different styles. She can go from more traditional vocals straight into operatic and back again without missing a beat. That, my friends, is truly the sign of a great singer.

Floor is backed up by a superb backing band as well. On this release especially, the group excels. Pounding double bass and heavy guitars galore, they create a powerful sound that perfectly complements Floor. And if the music needs to slow down? They can do that as well. Once again, considering the band's age, it is remarkable that they were able to write an album as good as this.

Decipher was the group's sophomore release. It possessed an edge not found in many of their peer's albums. The band was out to prove that no matter how old you are, you can still write mindblowing music. They completely hit it on the head. With absolutely phenomonal vocals and the perfect music to back it up, the album is quite close to sheer perfection.

Along with the normal band members, they recorded with an orchestra as well, to give their music that other edge. Some bands seem to rely on an orchestra just to make their music seem better and more complex than it actually is (read: Dimmu Borgir's Death Cult Armageddon); however, After Forever makes it work in a way that makes you just stop and take it all in. It makes the music absolutely beautiful to listen to.

Interestingly enough, the group also uses male vocals in a few parts as well. Pretty standard metal styled vocals; they don't really add, but don't take away either. This seems to be a growing standard in goth metal today.

Even though the instrumentation may seem minimalist, it truly isn't. There aren't crazy shred solos in this type of music. Per usual of a goth metal band, all the instruments are focused on creating an atmosphere that draws you in. Too many bands to count try and fail at this, leaving their music boring, bland, and generic. Not After Forever. They craft beautiful chord melodies, a few harmonized parts here and there, and back it all up with keyboards and superb drumming. Truly worth a listen.

A few recommended tracks, if you wish. However, the album is much better viewed as a whole...it gives you a much deeper sense of knowing.

Estranged - My personal favorite on the album, it is everything After Forever is known for. Atmospheric music, great instrumentation, and some of the best vocals in the genre. Floor turns in an absolutely crushing part on this song, probably the best on the album.

My Pledge Of Allegiance (1 and 2) - 2 songs that go hand in hand. Usual After Forever styled tracks...great drums especially on 2.

Forlorn Hope - The album's closer. From the intro forwards, you'll know it will be a trip. A haunting intro that almost conveys the impending end, and great vocals from Floor.

Overall: 9.5/10. Albums don't get much better than this.

Channing

02-15-2007, 08:52 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=6978

We all know Richard D. James is a crazy motherfudger, but I feel the need to say so again after hearing Hangable Autobulb.

Richard D. James is a crazy motherfudger.

Just listen to the opening track Children Talking. It sounds like some downie kid made a techno song. The beats are all over the place and they twist and turn into unknown directions. Plus the lyrics go something like this: Masheddddddd potatoesssss. So if that is not evidence enough to prove he is a crazy motherfudger than I don't know what is.

The Hangable Autobulb singles were definitely an experimental project for AFX back in ol' 95. He drifted away from acid and straight up club beats to a schizophrenic drill 'n' bass format that followed no rules. The title track probably best showcases what I mean. The beats form a giant moving body that is unpredictable and exciting and features very little electronics for 6 minutes. The percussion instruments used for the singles are just as strange as the man himself. Most of the time they sound like someone beating on pots and pans and is best featured on the surprisingly mellow Wabby Legs which uses subtle synths to create a chill atmosphere. And the obvious filler track Bit, which is 6 seconds long tends to show what kind of creative state AFX was in.

Hangable Autobulb also begins to show Richard D. James improvement in programming. His complex polyrhythm are entrancing and never boring. Custodian Discount could carry on just as well without electronics because the programming of the percussion is so excellently executed. Also noticeable is the increase of songwriting skills. Rather than sticking to forgettable ambient pieces and acid jams he creates catchy riffs that dig into your skull and stay there. Laughable Butane Bob will get lodged in your head for days and you'll find yourself humming to Every Day. But the strongest song on Hangable Autobulb is Arched Maid Via RDJ which may be one of the greatest songs AFX has ever done. It's full of drilling beats that weave and change through beautifully played synth solos.

Though maybe the weakest part of Hangable Autobulb is it can get a little tiresome. After 34 minutes of drilling beats, believe me, your head will hurt. And while the percussion is magnificent the lack of electronics is a little disappointing. But Hangable Autobulb is essential nonetheless for fans of AFX since it is an important compilation for an experimental time in his career. So if you're wandering where his programming skills really took off and where the weirdness and humor of Come To Daddy came from then look no further because Hangable Autobulb is where its at.

Channing

02-15-2007, 09:19 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=8475

Acoustic music is something nearly all (heavier) rock bands venture into at some point - acoustic guitars often are the building blocks of songs and as such some songs lend themselves better to an acoustic format. However, most bands limit themselves to one or two acoustic tracks being featured on albums and, especially in punk rock music, few bands venture into the realms of entirely acoustic records. Against Me! are different however. Their American folk influences notwithstanding, their first three releases ("Vivida Vis!," "Against Me!," and "Crime, As Forgiven By...") featured no distorted electric guitar at all. On The Acoustic EP (aka Jordan's First Choice) the band is stripped right down to just Tom Gabel's voice, an acoustic guitar and an upright bass played by Dustin Fridkin. "The Acoustic EP", released on Vinyl on Sabot Productions in 2001, originally featured 4 songs, three of which were re-recorded for their 2002 debut "Reinventing Axl Rose." When it was re-released on CD two bonus tracks were added, a version of "Reinventing Axl Rose" opener "Pints Of Guinness Make You Strong" and an untitled sixth track that is often known as "Armageddon."

Track one on the CD, "Jordan's First Choice" gets the record off to a surprisingly fragile start. "Tell me how can you comprise yourself like this," sings Gabel as soft chords ring under him. In truth however, this version of the song is pretty similar to that which reappears on their debut, though that version is probably slightly rawer sounding. "Those Anarcho Punks Are Mysterious" is better, with good use of the bass and the guitar chords sounding less ska-like than the distorted version. The music sounds softer, maybe even more accessible, and the song is slower overall with more emphasis on the lyrics. This is good because the lyrics carry a more definite melody. The best bit in the song is "that bit" in the middle where the guitar cuts out and only vocals accompanied by handclaps are heard. Slowed down this comes across extremely powerful and works really well. The track ends with Tom laughing into the microphone. "Reinventing Axl Rose" is track three and is definitely identifiable as an acoustic version of an electric song. Though song has strong roots in folk and the guitar parts have more space to breathe, resulting in a more own feel than that of its electric counterpart. The song is very good but feels a lot like acoustic punk - though I suppose this is a good way to classify Against Me!'s music.

Track four is the only-on-this-EP song "We Did It All For Don." I personally do not like this track a great deal, it feels disjointed and just generally average, the chorus works well enough but the verse doesn't sit as well. Gabel's voice here doesn't sound as passionate as usual and is almost annoying. The backing vocals that come in halfway through are especially annoying, they are out of sync and out of tune. Overall the song just lacks something, maybe a whole band being behind it would beef it up better. "Pints Of Guinness Make You Strong" is much better, probably one of the best Against Me! songs, and its folky rhythm lends itself to the acoustic really well. Admittedly Tom sounds like his vocal chords are bleeding, but it adds to the raw passion of the story - one of his best lyrics, a story about an Irish widow and an ode to friendship. The bass is at it's best in this song, the upright bass giving an authentic folk sound to proceedings. Up to this point all the songs have mean melancholy reflective efforts, but this changes with the upbeat final track "Armageddon" (or "Untitled"). The lyrics are no less reflective but the intro riff to the song is much more sprightly than previous tracks. The palm muted chorus also works surprisingly well, in spite of the fact that it is quite different to the rest of the song. Overall, "Armageddon" is probably the best song on the EP, maybe because it is so much cheerier than the rest of the tracks! It also contains some really great lines, the one that sticks out for me being "And for the four year old girl found dead in a dumpster, shot by her mother, her eulogy is the sound of construction though head to head traffic - today is just another day."

"The Acoustic EP" is quite difficult to rate. Most listeners will have heard "Reinventing Axl Rose" first, and there are 4 tracks from that CD here. However, the alternative versions are an interesting listen, and when they work ("Pints Of Guinness Make You Strong") they work very well indeed. Naturally, the two tracks that can't be found elsewhere are the real reason to buy the CD. I personally think the "The Acoustic EP" is a really interesting prospect that is worth investigating for people who are already fans, but is not a great gateway into the band.

Joe

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:25 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2051

In the years leading up to the release of Surfing With The Alien, Joe Satriani spent his time working a studio repairing Blue Oyster Cult guitar tracks in the studio in exchange for recording time of his own. The result of these sessions was a masterpiece of virtuosity, musical genius and overall proficiency in every sense of the word.
Surfing With The Alien is THE ESSENTIAL Joe Satriani album. Joe poured his soul into every track, and it shows. Surfing With The Alien raised the bar for musical prowess, and this is how:

Surfing With The Alien
The album aptly named after this song, this is a true masterpiece. Joe shreds like hell and pushes the instrument to do more. If this is the first track you hear on the CD, you won't be disappointed. 10/10

Ice 9
WARNING: BAD PUN AHEAD! This song, like its name, is pretty cool. It's interesting the way Joe mixed up clean and distorted fills to make this song a definite keeper. 9/10

Crushing Day
By the name, I think Joe means he's going to crush our skull with his extremely rock-ified rhythm and lead skills. This song contains some of the coolest rhythm/lead correlations on the album. 10/10

Always With Me, Always With You
This was the song that got me into Satriani. Joe spares shredding (for the most part) for a calm background rhythm with an emotionally grasping lead part making this, by far, the most emotional song on the album. 10/10

Satch Boogie
Joe could boogie all night with this track. Aptly named, Joe knocks in with a fast, boogie-woogie riff then pulls one of the most drastic whammy bar tricks on the album. From there, Joe doesn't turn back, soloing for a straight minute on what is one of the best examples of knowledgeable shredding one could have. After a bout of two-hand tapping, Joe knocks the main riff in our heads again, and then leaves us out to dry. 10/10

Hill of the Skull
The shortest track on the album, this is a slow-paced death march-style piece. There is no shredding, it's a good change of pace but just not enough for me 7/10

Circles
If you want to talk about a change of pace from Satch Boogie, this is it. With what I think is the best rhythm on the album, Circles starts out very mellow and relaxing, then pounds our heads against the wall with Joe's inhuman soloing ability. 10/10

Lords of Karma
This is the most eastern-style track of the album, another example of Joe's musical prowess and his mastery of music in general, not just Western rock. It'll make you feel like you're in (insert stereotypical desert country here). 10/10

Midnight
This song is just plain cool! Joe uses two-hand tapping throughout the entire song. All this song consists of is Joe's guitar, various percussion and a barely noticeable bass rhythm. At first listen, though, one would think Joe had enlisted an entire army to record this song. 10/10

Echo
The bass rhythm takes an extreme precedence here. Again showing us that shredding is not necessary to prove virtuosity (though it sometimes helps), Joe does some excellent lead/rhythm correlation in this track. A worthy ending.

I have not a single complaint about Surfing With The Alien. Well, actually, I have one, and that is that this album proves Joe is better than me. With his unbelievable shredding ability, and his knowledge of his music, Surfing With The Alien has something for every level of player, and it shows us what can be done with six strings placed on a block of wood. Joe is a master of the instrument, and this is the proof. Overall, 5/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:26 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2052 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2053 missing album cover

So "Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants" was Oasis fourth album realsed in 2000. Although many people didnt like it, many people also didnt like "Be Here Now" and both are class albums.

SOTSOG starts with possibly the greatest instrumental "F*ckung In The Bushes", the riffs and so catchy and the random spoken parts taken from the Jimi Hendrix documentary.

Then we are taken back to the 60s with "Go Let It Out" anybody who has heard this song knows its a classic phycadelic pop song, you just can not like it.

Track 3 "Who Feels Love" just reminds me of "Revolver" by the beatles, the reverse guitars and long melodic vocal lines. Odd lyrics but its just cool, so mello you just sit back and drift with it man. Laughs.

"Put Yer Money Where Your Mouth Is" is the start of the down fall of this album. It reminds me of Defiantly Maybe but its not there, the lyrics and simple and somewhat unfinnished its almost lazy. Its a pitty because the riffs are all there but I can see why people don't like this album.

Next is Liam conrabution and his first song on a Oasis album ever. Its called "Little James" and starts off with paino and then acoustic guitar it builds up and has a nice little solo bit at the end but this song is nothing special and shouldnt have made the album.

"Gas Panic" has to be the saviour of this album. This is probally one of the best Oasis songs. Its just great lyrically, tune and how the guitar solo turns into a harmonic pure genisus. LOL. I have a demo version of this where the solo is done on pipes and that is cool. Its a very odd song in that it has this haunting reverse guitar riff sampled through out the song, vert effective.

Now we come to the first song Noel sings. "Where did it all go wrong" I really like this song, but then I like the whole album, this song is great and is underated amonst Oasis fans. Probally because most of them got to "Little James" and switched off as the critics had said this album was nothing speical.

"Sunday Morning Call" is another let down it was also a single, not a good idea. Its a boring verse with a great chrous, they could have made more of this.

"I Can See A Liar" a great rock song, but nothing by Oasis standers it kinda lifts this album up the end.

"Roll It Over" okay this is kinda long and drawn out, there are some good parts of this song though.

Well I'm a huge Oasis fan and I listen to this album loads even though I know its not there best. It worth it for the guitar sounds, the keyboard work is almost childlike in sound. If you like that 60s phycalelic stuff then this album is for you. The guitars sound great a really nice crunch. If you listen to all the Oasis albums you can hear the change in sound as they progress with there equipment, defianly droping those Marshall stacks for Fender Bassmans on Noels part really made this album. Its not there best but its worth a listen.

Best Tracks: Go Let It Out, Who Feels Love, Gas Panic, Where Did It All Go Wrong.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:27 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2054 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2055 no review

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2056 took out band lineup

So we've all heard Iris a million times, so we're all so sick of it if we ever hear that song again we'll explode. So what? The fact of the matter is that this album is a solid 52 minutes of nice, simple, and deceptively complex power-pop rock.

After the success of 'Name' the Goo Goo Dolls completed their revamp of their musical style with this album. Although the thrashy guitars and raspy vocals of previous offerings such as 'Superstar Carwash' and 'A Boy Named Goo' aren't gone completely, this album offers a whole new side to the Buffalo trio. So here's the review

1. Dizzy - A decen't opener, opend with a nice sliding bass/guitar riff with some throbbing delayed guitar in the background. The verses are relatively weak and forgettable but the chorus is very nicely done with some well layered vocals and decent lyrics. The Bridge is a very nice touch with a nice arpeggiated guitar and a slide solo before building up to the final chorus. 3/5

2. Slide - Another one we all know, and for a good reason, it's a great song. Catchy guitar riff on the intro and well layered guitars throughout. this is one of those songs that really shows off Johhnys love of open tunings and it helps the guitars to sound full and warm for this fuzzy power-ballad. A catchy chorus, catchy bridge with catchy verses makes for a likeable, catchy song. Thankfully it didn't receive the heavy airplay of Iris so it's held up well. 4/5

3. Broadway - Yet another one of the singles off this album, not as good as slide although has a similar sound and the open tunings and layering of acoustic and electric guitars is used well again. The lyrics are solid and paint a picture of a bar on broadway filled with washed up performers. The lyrics really are the highlight of this song but the little solo wedged in there is cool to. Overall slightly better than slide IMO but only just. 4.2/5

4. January Friend - As most Goo Goo Dolls fans will know, songs written by Robby Takak tend to be weaker and are primarily fillers. And this one is no different. Not terrible, just a simple, forgettable song. Robby's vocals do nothing to help the situation, his forced rasping can just get very annoying which is confusing because I've heard him sing clean back-up vocals :-S. The one redeeming feature of this song is the guitar solo, and it's a tiny one. 2.5/5

5. Black Balloon - Highlight of the album, plain and simple. I would be surprised if the Goos ever wrote a song as beautifully emotional and big sounding as this. that really is the only way to describe it, big. A nice harmonic intro leads into a crisp acoustic guitar in a gorgeous open tuning and slowly builds up to adding drums bass and a splash of electric guitar. The drums keep ticking over, the bass is full and warm, the guitars are crisp and clear and Johnny's vocals work beautifully. the chorus is a real tear jerker and the bridge is simply pop-rock genius. Finishes with the same harmonic riff used for the intro. the lyrics in this song are also standout, emotionally, metaphorical and sad, perfect for this strng swathed ballad. 5/5

6. Bulletproof - One of the slightly punkier songs using electric guitars and a nice rumbling bass sound. the intro gives a good gauge of the rest of the song, guitar driven and emotional. the verses are softer and almost whispered by Rzeznik and wrk well into the chorus which is not dissimilar to the chorus of Dizzy. used as a Filler Track but actually a decent song. 3.5/5

7. Amigone - Another Takak written song, this one however, unlike January Friend manages to hold up well as a song. Nice Guitar Driven intro, nice drumming tight bass and for once Takaks vocals seem less forced and more natural and it works. Also Robby seems to have churned out some lyrics that are more expressive than his usual output. Not bad, but not great. 3/5

8. All Eyes On Me - The intro is very Broadway-like but the song continues as a much sadder song. Clean electric guitars, steady drum beat and a full warm bass sound in the verse enhance the mood set by johnny's soft vocals and build up to a big chorus with louder distorted guitars and a nice touch of strings all making this song sadder. A screaming simple guitar solo leading into a big outro make this another standout. 4/5

9. Oh no here comes robby again. And it's not one of his best efforts. Average Lyrics, an annoying throbbing bass sound in the louder parts with an average verse make for a painfully average song. This is genuine filler material. 1.5/5

10. Acoustic #3 - Don't understand the title, but it's an awesome song. The lyrics are beautiful and seem to tell the tale of a young girl lost in the world. Just an Acoustic guitar and strings make for another Johnny Rzeznik tear-jerker. Although it's only short (only 1:58) it still does all the work of a much longer song. 4.5/5

11. Iris - Well here it is, the Ballad of the millenium lol. Emotional, smokey acoustic verses with a powerfull driving chorus. A genuinely sad song with genuinely sad lyrics. Another beautiful open tuning from Rzeznik and the same bass sound from Black Balloon make the two sound very similar, slightly different lyrical subject and heavier use of the strings. An awesome bridge with a great slide solo just caps this song off as one of the most powerful power-ballads ever churned out. If you feel sick of it, just don't listen to it for a while, then give it a spin, it retains all of it's magic. 4.9/5 (only just pipped by Black Balloon for best song on the album)

12. Extra Pale - Right from the start you can hear this is a different sort of song, another Robby Takak penned filler, but a better one. Slightly darker feel and it just keep ticking over. Nicely guitar driven and for once Takaks vocals really work. 3/5

13. Hate This Place - A Great way to finish off this awesome album. Warm distorted electric guitars give way to a slightly softer verse with more great vocals from Johnny Rzeznik. The verses give way to a truly awesome bridge and another big chorus full of long notes and simply riffing electric guitars. A cool little breakdown in the middle with more layered electric guitars before going back to the chorus and then a ripping solo from Johnny to cap off a truly awesome pop-rock album.
4.5/5

Really this is the best Goo Goo Dolls Album, not as loud as Superstar Carwash, not as arty as Gutterflower. But a nice balance of the two, a must have for any pop-rock fan. If it didn't have those low scoring fillers from Takak on there, it'd be almost perfect. 4.5/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:30 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2057 I took out all of the CAPSLOCK

Green Day- American Idiot
A wicked comeback album, with so many outstanding riffs and catchy hooks, i've done this track by track, (perhaps 'Sendor', or 'Morissey' will find it more satisfying as they seem to criticise everything i do) Green Day have been around for quite some time now with past albums such as Dookie and Warning and i think that this album shows that they are back and ready to rock. On with the tracks...

American Idiot
First track and first single, with lines like "*** America" in it, it's a very political song, an awesome riff developed from only 3 powerchords and a simple chorus, the songs is cool, not the best on the album, or the worst for that matter. 4/5

Jesus of Suburbia
A monster of a track, one of 2 on the album, with several tracks packed inside, it's am amazing song. With the powerful intro and jazzy feel to the intro. Billie Joes cool lyrics fit well into the riff and the song then goes slightly acousistic with some beautiful harmonics from the other band members, with the track lasting a whole 9 mintues, 8 seconds, it's one hell of a track. 5/5

Holiday
Another powerchord riff from the green rockers, tre cool puts in some cool drum fills and you'll be singing the lyrics all day especially on the chorus where he sings of "dreaming". A great headbanging track and their most recent single. 4/5

Boulevard of broken dreams
My favourite track from the album, an echoing guitar effect which lays gently over the easy acoustic chord progression, yet another catchy "stick in your head" chorus and an achievable yet effective solo. The riff that it played often through the song really helds to the melody of Billie Joes vocals. 5/5

We are waiting
A ballad from the album that kicks off with tre cools difficult drum part, then in comes some western style picking. The song then goes minor with some saddening lyrics. The song is then kicked into motion with the vocals of Mike (Bassist) and obviously tre cool. It's a good song, but only "good.! 3.5/5

St. Jimmy
A great intro, some speedy muted guitar parts which then goes into yet another cathcy riff that only green day can do. The song doesn't equal the creativity of Boulvard of Broken Dreams or Jesus of surburbia, but can cheer you up and get you headbanging. 3.5/5

Give me a novicane
Yet another cool ballad from the album, with some more touching lyrics and simple guitar part, i think it's played on acoustic but then the chorus adds some power and motion to the song as it builds. There is then a spanish type guitar part that sounds very mexican style, a really powerful song and a great tune. 5/5

She's a rebel
Not one of my favourite tracks, an ok riff but sounding slightly sameish to holiday and St. Jimmy. The chorus is better and adds some more delicate guitar work and a funky bridge part, it's a catchy tune that is very Green Day, but by far not one of the best tracks. 3.5/5

Extraordinary girl
A wierd percussion intro that sounds like bongos or something, it lasts over 30 seconds but then leads in for Billies average lyrics. There is a really funky mexican style riff behind the guitars. The chorus builds and has some strange and effective timing, it's a good song and also something different to a simple guitar intro. 4/5

Letterbomb
A really wierd intro of a girl singing some very strange lyrics, a fast guitar part at the beginning which then leads into another guitar part which is again catchy but similar to previous ones. Tre Cool adds some different parts with his funky offbeats. It's a really cool song, but other tracks are much better, such as American Idiot and Give Me Novacaine.

Wake me up when September ends
One of the highlights of the album, an amazingly powerful ballad, a really amazing peice of work and the song builds slowly which i think is great. The lyrics are extremely powerful and this song just has to be heard, the drums really make the song and the tender guitar parts that errupt into a massive explosion of rock. Top song. 5/5

Homecoming
The second monster track on the album with a slightly radio style intro which is a strange guitar effect. The sound is again very Green Day style and builds pretty quickly, Jesus of Surburbia is better in my opinion but its still a superb song, the song slows around half way through for a hymn type vocal part but it then build slowly back into a rocky track and the riff of American Idiot if you listen ver closely. A really cool track that is essential for all rock fans. 4/5

Whatshername
Another drum intro and muted guitar part, but the melody and lyrics are amazing, the vocals will stick in your head all day. The lyrics also turn quite dark " I made a point to burn all the photographs." He also adds "whatshisname" to the story. It is a simple story to pick up through the lyrics. The song builds to quite a climax and it again another highlight of the album. 5/5

American Idiot is a superb album and definately shows that Green Day are back and on top form. They have a superb selection of songs and i imagine would be amazing in concert. With 2 nine minuite masterpeices and a selection of riffs to die for, the album is definately one of the biggest of 2005.

Channing

02-15-2007, 09:31 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=7339

Against Me! are, as has been said before, probably the best folk-punk band around, and are widely believed to be the "next big punk band" with their latest LP, "Searching For A Former Clarity." "Crime, As Forgiven By.." was their second full EP release in 2001, (after 2000's 12" debut "Against Me!") in 7" form (on Sabot Productions) and in CD form (on Plan-It-X Records). It was also their first release to achieve major circulation, as "Against Me!" only had an issue of 145 due to a production defect. For people coming into Against Me! more recently with their 3 full-length LP's, "Crime, As Forgiven By.." is an interesting listen as you can definitely hear where elements of Tom Gabel's songwriting style developed, and there are also alternate versions of songs on full-length debut "Reinventing Axl Rose" present. It is important to note that the 7" version was missing "Impact" and "Burn." which were added as bonus tracks on the CD version.

On the CD only two members of the group are present; Tom Gabel (vocals and guitar) and Kevin Mahon (drums and backing vocals). Gabel's voice here is even rougher than on "Reinventing Axl Rose," and the overall sound has a rougher production, giving the guitar more space to account for the lack of a bass guitar. However, "Crime, As Forgiven By.." has some of Against Me!'s best songs, and the production is pretty much irrelevant. The sound of the band here is really great considering there is only two members and the guitar is all clean. It sounds like a halfway point between the quieter introspective acoustic sounds on "The Acoustic E.P" and the distorted balls-out punk rock of "Reinventing Axl Rose." It really gives a unique sound especially when the clean guitar is bashed out at breakneck speed in the manner you'd usually hear distorted and supported by a thumping bass part.

To the songs though. "I Still Love You Julie" is the original version of the song also featured on "Reinventing Axl Rose," though in a more stripped down version. The song is one of Against Me!'s weaker songs and I feel it gets the CD off to a slightly weak start. It sounds much better with the full band behind it on "Reinventing Axl Rose" but it does set the scene for the rest of the EP well, showing off all elements of Against Me!'s sound (on this record) - anthemic choruses, good lyrics, jangly clean guitar, thumping drums and raw vocals that are halfway between passionate singing and rougher screaming. The album really gets going with "What We Worked For." Starting with a quiet stop-start guitar part Tom's vocals come in, talking about making music, the song keeps going and getting thicker and faster, referencing musical icons such as Elvis and Les Paul. The way the chorus is worked up from the first time you hear it spoken to a quietly strummed guitar to the harmony part that replaces it at the end along to a heavily strummed guitar accompanied by Kevin smacking the hell out of the drums is fantastic. Track three, "Y'All Don't Wanna Step To Dis" is a very good song (with a great title), though it is set out almost in two halves and as the second half is basically the first half played faster it feels like it is repeating itself too much and it is quite easy to switch off from. The line "And America, still sleeps tonight" is great though and presents some great imagery for the song. Of all the songs, it is perhaps this one that sounds the "folkiest" and most nostalgic, which is a great part of Against Me!'s armory - the fact that they touch on the right nerve to make you feel like you've heard it before even though you haven't, and plants a great smile on your face that doesn't leave (a good example of this is the song "Pints Of Guinness Makes You Stronger").

The last song on the original EP is "Walking Is Still Honest," which was also featured on their debut self-titled release and on debut full-length "Reinventing Axl Rose." "Walking Is Still Honest" is one of my favourite Against Me! songs, and I heard this version before the version on "Reinventing Axl Rose." Both are excellent in their own right, unlike "I Still Love You Julie." The version here, although it doesn't have a full band behind it, as on "Reinventing Axl Rose," is sparser and slower and the great guitar riff is made more prominent. The next track, "Impact," was a bonus track added to the CD version of the EP. This was, unlike many bonus tracks, a great idea because it adds a lot to the record and is one of Against Me!'s very best tracks. It has a great guitar riff, again brought to the fore owing to the lack of a bass guitar, and the vocals over the top are excellent, sung at the perfect tempo and with just the right amount of grit to them, adding a great amount of feeling to the song. The chorus is great, with just the line "Impact!" shouted, pushing the point forward. The only bad thing about the song is that has an almost false ending and sounds like it should go into something else instead of stopping dead. The final song is "Burn," also a bonus track. "Burn" is again, a fantastic song, and provides a really good ending to the CD. The intro riff is typical of Against Me!'s folk-punk stylings and continues through the verses, and as the song moves into the chorus, simple offbeat ska-upstrokes off-set the 4/4 drums and vocals brilliantly. In the outro Kevin does cowboy-style backing vocals "yeee-haw!" which somehow manages to work despite slightly over-playing the bands musical roots in American western folk music.

Overall, "Crime, As Forgiven By.." is a unique album. Not quite punk but not quite folk, it meets in the middle providing an original and compelling sound which you won't find in bulk on Against Me!'s full-length albums, but if you liked "Eight Full Hours Of Sleep," "Cavalier Eternal," or "Unsubstantiated Rumours (Are Good Enough For Me To Base My Life On)" then most likely "Crime, As Forgiven By.." is an essential record. Otherwise it is still a recommended purchase if you want to hear what early Against Me! sounded like, and naturally owing to the inclusions of "What We Worked For," "Walking Is Still Honest," "Impact," and "Burn," it is recommended to anyone who likes Against Me! as they are four of their very best songs.

Joe

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:32 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2058 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2059 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2060 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2061 no review
(i'm getting sick of the silverchair album cover. Like as if it wasn't bad to begin with)

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2062

This is by my count, Porcupine Tree's 12th studio album in their 14 year career. Always annoyingly unclassifiable, Porcupine Tree, have always intrested me, and I must say I ahd high expectations for this album. This is my first review, and also my first listen for the album, so I'm going to review this as I listen.

The album kicks off with the title track, Deadwing. After a strange, repeated noise the song comes into flow and Steve Wilson's voice sounds as good as ever. This is the kind of thing I was expecting on this album, but the song didn't really grab my intention until the awesomely atmospheric part 5 inutes or so in. After this it goes back to the sam ting as the intro this time with some strongly phased guitar work. Then the lead guitar kicks in with a nice, creative solo, and from here on things kick ***. Great opener for the ablum 5/5

The next song, Shallow, is kind of different. It starts off with a pretty rocking riff, and after a clean break, things actual get quite heavy in the chorus. This is of course a good thing. One thing to point out about this, is that it is really not progressive at all, which alot of long-time PT fans might resent. I'm giving this one 4/5.

Lazeralus is definately going to be a ballad. It starts off with piano and soft singing, providing a nice contrast to the previous song. I have to admit that this kind of stuff bores me, and I feel that this song is not 'the new Trains' like many people have said. I'm giving this 3/5

Halo is sounding more intresting already. This song blends the progressive rock elements of PT with the heavier ones and in my opinion works pretty well. About 3:20, things get pretty damn cool. This is worth 4/5 I would say.

Arriving Somowhere, but not Here starts off with some sinister, melodic stuff. Being twelve minutes long it's obvious that this one is going to be the epic of the album. I really like the atmosphere when the vocals start, and things are looking very promising for this song. The solo after the vocals stop is sweet, and like most PT solos it actually contributes to the song. The vocals come back in after the solo and things seem like they are beginning to build up towards something. HOwever, 6:00 things slow right down and there's some distorted guitar but the drums have dropped back to high-hat only. A second guitar kicks in with a nice riff and then the drums come back in properly. This part then progresses into a really cool, heavier part. This is one of the most progressive moments on the album so far and I am loving it! At 8:45 it all suddenly stops though and the piano hits some chords whilst the guitar plays a really sweet, clean solo. This solo and the heavy part preceding it is definately the highlight of the record so far. After this the vocals come back in and the song gradually finishes. This song is amazing, I'm giving it 6/5.

Melletron Scratch is next, which starts off with a nice chord progression before Steve comes in with the vocals. The song gives off a relaxed vibe, and sounds like a pretty typical PT acoustic track. The distortion kicks in about four and a half minutes in, followed by a nice little acoustic part that carries on for a while. The song finishes when the music drops out and two singers sing a cool polyphonic part. 3.5/5

The next song is quite a heavy one, Open Car. The chorus on this song sounds really good and caught my attention. A pretty good song, but nothing outstanding, 3/5

Next is The Shattering of Something Beautiful. The song starts off with the usualy, spacy stuff and in my opinion doesn't get going until it gets to the heavier part following this. It goes back to the clean, dreamy stuff for the verse, and the vocals are followed by one of the nicest solos on the record. Following this things get heavier again, before it stops suddenly and you are provided with a really strange part that I am struggling to describe. The piano takes over after this, but things get really good when the distorted guitar comes back in behind the piano. This part here is a highlight of the album in my opinion, and things keep getting better when the vocals come back in. 4.5/5

Now for the last track on the album, The Glass Arm Shattering. The song is really dreamy and is reminiscent of older PT, and I'm sure that alot of people will appreciate this one. I like this song, and it's a nice way to close the album. 4/5

Overall, the album wasn't the masterpiece I was expecting, but it would be hard to produce something as good as In Absentia again. Don't get me wrong, this album is still astounding though. Some PT fans have said this is the bands best work, while I may not agree with this, I would still highly recommend picking the album up.

Recommended listens:

Arriving Somehwere, but not Here
Deadwing
Shattering of Something Beautiful

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:34 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2063 (took out unnecessary info, vulgar languag that didn't make an impact, and band lineup)

On the 4th of July 2004 the Goo Goo Dolls decided to really celebrate by playing a show in front of the old town hall in the centre of Buffalo. The weather on the day was everage at best and after a lengthy rain delay, the show finally got started. The Goos ripped through the first half of their set which encompassed a great variety of songs both old and new before the rain set in again, forced into yet another delay they soldiered on, cranking up the volume to finish of their incredible set in the pouring rain along with the thousands of fans who flocked to the town hall to see these Buffalo natives rock in a way only they can. So here we go.

1. Big Machine - A truly awesome way to open the show, this lively, loud kikcer from Gutterflower opens with a nice big rythmic blast of guitars yet is laced with Johnny's traditional penchant for melody and expressive lyrics. The pauses throughout and punchy verses with a nice saddish chorus bode very well for the rest of the show, and the Goos don't disappoint. 4.6/5

2. Naked - A nice strong punkish stomper from the A Boy Named Goo album, This really is a great song. Nice and loud but again, still laced with beautiful melodies and great lyrics. A catchy guitar riff with an even catchier bridge and chorus make for a really enjopyable song that you can just sit there and nod your head along to and when it comes solo time this has got to be one of the best that Johnny's ever done. Great song. 4.5/5

3. Slide - As i said on my review of Dizzy Up The Girl, this is an awesome song. Johnny introduces it by saying "alright, everybody knows this one" and although he's right dueto the massive redio play it recieved. This song is just as appealing as the day it was released. A magnificent coupling of acoustic and electric guitars allow for a beautifully warm sound joined with Robby's silky smooth bass sound make this song even better live. 4.6/5

4. Think About Me - Another one from Gutterflower and another open tuned acoustic guitar from Rzeznik paired up with a nice crunchy electric. I really like this song, catchy, upbeat verses with a nice melodic chorus and great guitar riff to carry it all through. The stage guitarist Greg really shows how good he is in this song with some very smooth little licks played through the verses and the solo which is a nice dose of twangy slide. A good fun song with solid lyrics and nice bouncy music. 4.2/5

5. Smash - Possibly Robby Takacs finest song. Great melodic distorted guitar riff on the intro and more cool guitar work through the verse and Robbys raspy, gravelly voice really works. The lyrics, by takacs standards are stellar and even compared to the great Rzeznik, they hold their own. Another cool solo from Rzeznik showcasing that he really does have some skill with that axe of his, definately works live. 4/5

6. Tucked Away - Flows straight on from Smash this is probably Robbys second best song, the lyrics are slightly cheesy "Momma just called, said your tucked away" but aren't all that bad, especially for Robby. Johnny keeps the song chugging along and feeling nice and upbead with some great guitar work the whole way through, especially the nice chorus-effect driven riff in the bridge leading into a lovely ripping solo. It seems Robbys songs work a lot better live, because from memory this song wasn't particularly remarkable when released on Gutterflower, and that goes double for Smash now i think about it. 3.8/5

7. Black Balloon - Anyone who's read my review of Dissy up The Girl knows what i think of this song. It's simply magnificent. Beautiful crisp acoustic guitars played over that wonderful harmonic riff played here with a nice chorus effect and a touch of delay. The keyboards are well done to try and replace the strings used ion the original and it all comes together perfectly. Johnny sings the bridge slightly differently but it sounds awesome. Robbys backing vocals are spot on as he harmonises beautifully. The instrumental break in the middle is just as powerful and emotional as the album version and the drumming from mike, as always, is steady and smooth but lets loose at times through the instumental sections. Just simply a great song no matter which way you look at it. 5/5

8. Dizzy - Another Dizzy Up the Girl song and unfortunately the intro suffers slightly live due to the heavy effects used on the album. However the song does pick up and winds up sounding solid and slurred, just like how it was written. This one comes out sounding really different to the album version and it works well. The only let down is the intro. Robby and Mike work just as well together as ever to provide a nice throbbing rythym and Johnny hits all his high notes. The bridge is slightly different to the album with Greg aparrantly improvising his own little arpeggiated solo as johnny says to the crowd "couldn't have asked for a better night." and it's true. 4.2/5

9. Name - From A Boy Named Goo, this was the bands first big hit, and it's easy to see why. Nice open tuned acoustic guitars and a nice simple rythym tied in with awesome lyrics. this song has all the ingredients for a tear-jerking ballad and it pulls it off stunningly. The synths provided here really fill out the sound and the acoustic solo sounds better than on the album, especially towards the end. Smokier and sadder than ever, an awesome song. 4.8/5

10. Cuz You're Gone (1000 Words Version) - One from the old Superstar Carwash days. A nice punchy pop-punk thrasher with a very cool guitar riff from johnny for the intro, great lyrics and some fancy basswork from Robby leading into a great solo. From there things change from the album version though. Through a quiet patch, as Mike keeps up a steady beat, and Greg improvises some nice arpeggios, Johnny sings a nice soft brinds with lyrics like "1000 words but none were spoken" hence the alternate title before launching head first into the final chorus. A really nice little piece of pop-punk. 4.5/5

11. Sympathy - Robby pyts down the bass to play the maracca, Mike just taps his hi-hat greg plays the mandolin and Jason (keyboardist) on the piano accordion. Johnny takes centre stage with yet another warm open tuning to play this friendly acoustic ballad. A very nice song and perfect for the middle of the set to let the audience wind down a bit. 4/5

12. January Friend - Wasn't great on Dizzy up The girl and isn't awesome here. but like most of Robby's songs, it really benefits from the live treatment. Robys vocals are less forces and more palletable and the guitars seem livelier and punchier. Still not a great song but it does mark a turning point in the show, because this is where it started raining. And Robby sure lets you know ("Screw this rain!!"). A nice little solo from johnny makes this song not unenjoyable. A big improvement from the album version. 3.3/5

13. Here Is Gone - I love this song. It's just everything the Goo Goo Dolls do best rolled into one. Open tuned acoustic in the verses and big electrics in the chorus. Simply complex drumming from Mike and ailky smooth bass from Robby with magnificent lyrics packed with emotion amke this one of the highlights of the album. It's at this stage where the bad was drenched through and through and if you get the DVD it really is wuite a sight to watch them play this song in the pouring rain. Every bit as good as the album version off Gutterflower plus that something extra to make it truly great. Must have been the rain. 4.9/5

14. What A Scene - Another gutterflower tune this one really stands out to me as a song that should have been a single. Fast moving, complex, insanely catchy lyrics with punchy palm-muted guitars and a fat bass sound with nice solid drumming. It really does have a lot going for it. nice drawn out, melodic chorus. This song is on par with the studio version. unfortunately, due to the rain, johnnys guitar dies towards the end of the second verse and he has to wave a guitar tech on with a replacement so you lose the second guitar for a patch but it all comes together in time for the ridiculouslt addictive "na, na, nanana, na" part. I challenge you not to sing along. 4.7/5

15. Acoustic #3 - Before this song, the bad were forced off stage as the rain poured down. I don't know how long thay were off stage for, bu aparrantly after a while, Johnny just said "Ah screw this." Grabbed an acoustic and walked out on stage. This really is a great version of this song. There's a nice chorus effect on Johnnys guitar and with just the guitar and him, this is a genuine acoustic ballad. Beautiful song and somewhat fitting to the situation in mood. it just begs to be played in the rain. 4.6/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:35 PM

(part 2)

16. Two Days In February - A great song from the Hold Me Up album. It's an oldie but a seriously good one. Just Johnny and robby standing in the middle of the stage, drenched, Johnny playing a clean electric and robby playingthe most subdued bass he's ever played. All the emotion and beauty of the original, amde more fun by the outbust of distortion in the middle where Johnny got silly and started sliding around stage. Definately one to lsiten to over and over, just because of the beautiful simplicity of it all. 4.6/5

17. Broadway - I'd describe this song as like Slide, only better. It's smoother, more emotional and sadder with some great little licks in it. This song sounds almost identical to the album version if you ignore the patch at the start before the drums were uncovered again (as Mike was playing them!) and the song explodes into life. This song in my opinion is a great display of the awesome rythym section that Mike and Robby make. great guitar work, solid rythym and as usual, flawless singing from johnny with a very cool saxophone solo from Jason. 4.8/5

18. Iris - Nothing can describe just what this song gains from being played live. All the power and emotion of the album version with the added energy of being played live and the added saddness of being played in teeming rain. Beautiful guitar tuning used by Johnny and as usual a smooth as butter bass sound from robby with some very nice drum work from Mike. The slide solo is awesome and the bridge as a whole just drives home what a truly beautiful song this is. Yous simply have to hear it to understand what i mean. 5/5

19. Give A Little Bit - This is a cover of an old song, i don't know who did the original so if asnyone knows feel free to tell me and i'll whack it in here. It's a little upbeat for a Goo Goo Dolls song but still comes off well. A nice steely acoustic and a touch of electric with the standard rythym formula make for a nice way to cap of a truly awesome show. Although if i were the Goos i would have finished with iris. but this is still a great song to end on. 4/5 (the studio version is almost identical to the live version, so that's why i only reviewed the one version)

So there we have it, the Goo goo Dolls fisrt full-length live album. And it's a gem. Awesome songs played by awesome musicians. If you only buy one Goo Goo Dolls album, make it this one, it's truly awesome. Also the DVD is even better so if you want my advice, pick up the pack with both. This really is the ultimate Goo Goo Dolls collection.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:37 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2064 ( track by track, first review, only review, not very good...my opinion would be to delete it. but whatever)

Jack Johnson is a singer/songwriter that lives on the shore of one of the worlds most famous surf breaks, Pipeline. Jack was following a career of professional surfing until a surfing accident at age 17 which kept him out of the water for three months.

At age 18 Jack Johnson left Hawaii to study film making at the University of California. After graduating in 1997, Johnson began a year-long adventure around the world with old surfing friends Chris and Emmett Malloy. The result was the acclaimed 16mm surf film Thicker Than Water, hailed as a return to the purist beauty of early surf cinema, which Johnson co-directed and shot . It was during the scoring of the film that Johnson found his musical voice.

In Between Dreams is Jacks third released album, and once again has delivered a great bunch of songs. This album can be listened to no matter what mood you are in. Johnsons style in this album, like his others, is an up-beat bluesy acoustic rock style that you can dance to. If you have only heard Sitting, Waiting, Wishing and expecting that throughout the album you may be surprised, as the mood changes alot in the album.

Better Together 4/5 - A great opener, about his relationship with his wife probably. Some good instrumental guitar work.

Never Know 4.5/5 - One of my faves, great to sing along to. Only problem is that it seems to use the same chord progression throughout most of the song, just with different rhythym patterns.

Banana Pancakes 4/5 - Makes you want to sleep in kinda..... extremely laidback song, the rain in the background gives the mood. simple yet effective intro.

Good People 5/5 - My favourite song on the album. Very cool intro lick. Up-Beat and catchy, i've heard this one on the radio a couple of times. "where'd all the good people go?"

No Other Way 4.5/5 - Slows it down with this one, relaxing. Nice instrumental guitar work as the intro, followed by a cool guitar riff.

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing 4.5/5 - First single, I'm sure you've heard this one. I've heard this song so many times, but haven't got sick of it yet.

Staple It Together 4/5 - Cool Bassline, uses electric guitar nicely. Nice drum beat, his band members are a lot more involved.

Situations 3.5/5 - My least favourite, ends unexpectedly, very short. Still a good song. Has that muffled effect he used at the start of Dreams be Dreams in On and On.

Crying Shame 4/5 - This song has more of a serious feel. Has an electric guitar lead.
If I Could 4/5 - Has a trumpet(i think?) intro.... not alot to say about it.

Breakdown 4.5/5 - Great song, catchy chorus. Nice guitar work in the intro. Definately one of my favourites. soothing.

Belle 4/5 - Short song, in French, Spanish and English. Cool guitar riff. I didn't really like this song at first but it grew on me.

Do You Remember 4.5/5 - Nice relaxing song(It's Jack Johnson), even lazy.

Constellations 4.5/5 - Nice song to chill out on...

In conclusion this album is great whether you're driving down to the beach or are just chilling out on a hot summers night. If you liked his other albums, or have only heard his new single, liI'm sure you'll love this album.

This is my first review so any constructive criticism is appreciated.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:38 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2065 (terrible, delete?)

A highly underrated Mahavishnu Orcestra album. Visions of the emerald beyond is actually by far my favourite MO album. Despite the lack of the amazing Billy Cobham and Violinist Jerry Goodman i feel that their replacements do their job amazingly well. The MO takes us on a journey trough Indian, Classical,fusion and funk.

yeah thats right im going to skip right to the tracklist

1/2: Eternitys breath: when i first heard this cd i was awestruck by this fantastic opening track. Eternitys breath is truly a epic piece of beautiful music. very orchestral and it shows the good sides of all the musicians...John Mac even has good tone on this song. i should also mention that Pontys soloing is amazing on this piece.

3.Lilas dance: another gem,this track opens with a beautiful piano intro and goes into a mellow moody progression that Jean Luc can solo over.
the track starts to get agressive as John enters with his soloing frenzy.
when the interplay starts and the horns get blowing it gets very funky ideed. then the song slows down and ends with the piano alone again.

4 Cant stand your funk: you gotta shake your money maker when you hear this tune, sweet lord it is so mindblowingly funky. the second riff is just perfect..ooh ya

5.pastoral: Acoustic intro wery moody, violins enter. tempo increases a bit. but its just beautiful all the way trough.

6. Faith: now this is the stuff. i like this track a lot. when the nice intro is finished ,john frenzies on some funky rythm chopping followed by the craziest ending ever...amazing song

7.cosmic strut: its time to shake some *** again, Walden's (drums) masterpiece. this is a real standout track. amazing fusion. everything is right about this track.

8. If i could see: aria like overture with a lady singing very beautifully. drums start popping in and it breaks down into this FUNKY ***

9. Be happy: oh yeah...the most driving bassline you could imagine. solos fit the song extremely well. its a very hectic and fast tune. i like this one a lot even though it gets kinda repetive

10. Earth ship: a kind of mellow tune. its ok.

11/12. spooky introduction. a very tense song. as an overture to "opus" it is very scary...

13. I HATE THIS SONG....i always turn of the stereo on this song...its just horrible to listen to...sorry.
the drums are allright

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:41 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2066 took out band info, fixed caps

Joyride
A fast paced track which is the first track you'll hear on the album, a difficult and great sounding guitar riff which is only the beginning of Lukes amazing ability. Joyride contains just one of the many riffs that will find a way to lodge themselves in your head. Also one of the many anthemic chorus's with tones of vocals harmonised with by bassist Ben Smyth. The verses are slightly rapped, but this just really boosts the chourus into life. 3.5/5

Come get some
The first single off of the album and one of the best songs, despite the somewhat commercial hip-hop/ R&B feel, there is again another anthemic chorus and well timed bridge part with another one of Lukes trickly and "blues" like guitar riff. A guitar solo ends the song which is a mistake in my opinion, they should extend the guitar solo and add in another great chorus, anyway. A really funky track with some cool acoustic parts seperating the verses.

Standing in line
One of the best tracks on the album for me, an amazing yet simple riff made up of only 3 chords, the anthemic, long lyriced chorus seems to have come the Rooster trademark, with another really catchy riff to end the chours and another "bluesy" riff to end. By only the 3rd album track, Rooster have already shown a unique style to their songs mainly powered by the amazing guitar techniques of Luke but also helped by Nicks vocals. 5/5

Staring at the sun
First ballad on the album and second single, an amazing song, simple guitar parts (for once) and some well timed bass parts that really shine through in this song. The chorus is again very lyrical, and slighlty more meaningfull, with a catchy high pitched riff overlapped on the chorus, the songs chorus sounds a lot more powerful. A small guitar solo which could be extended but overall a good song. 4/5

To die for
The album staying slow for another ballad and a beautiful chord progression along with song beautiful lyrics and very powerful to. The chorus is again very anthemic and the backing vocals come through more than in previous songs. The songs story is easily heard and the song seems to build as it progresses with a few minor chord placed in around 3/4 of the way through. A really powerful ballad both musically and lyrically, outstanding. 5/5

You're so right for me
The 3rd and most recent single off of the album, they've began to rock up the album again and the song begins with another great riff (to die for! Ha ha) by Luke and the vocals can't be faulted. The chorus (as in all previous songs) is very "Rooster" and the story is also well told even though the song is more powerful and has more of an upbeat to it. The solo is more technical than in songs such as Come Get Some, but this is a really cool song and a highlight of the album for me.

Platinum Blind
Keeping the album on a more rocky feel, the song begins with a heavily distorted single guitar note, i think the main idea of this song is to show of Nicks vocals and songwriting ability. Not one of the best songs on the album but again not one of the worst. The song is more drums and bass than a lot of guitar but there is a really cool retro style bridge part which i think adds to the song. 3.5/5

Deep and Meaningless
Time for another ballad which kicks off with the amazingly powerful vocals by Nick and an average piano part. Not as great as To Die For and Staring At The Sun but it's a beautiful song where the lyrics are slighly more depressing. The small guitar solo parts sound very similar to Fall To Pieces by Velvet Revolver but the rest of the song is good and very powerful. 4/5

On the road
Lukes amazing guitar part kicks this corker into action, with so many great riffs on this album its hard to depict the best but with the vocals of Ben and Nick together, the chorus sounds even more powerful. The flanger effected guitar parts definately make the song and the consistant drumming of Dave can't be missed. An average track comapared to some of the other achievements on the album. 3.5/5

She don't make me feel
Keeping the riffs coming, another funky riff from Luke and the consistantly deep vocals of Nick and his catchy melodies, the really decent tracks are coming back and this is really good. This would make for a great next single in my opinion, another "Rooster" style chorus and slow bridge to link back into the intro guitar riff. Another highlight of the album. 5/5

Angels calling
Back to another ballad but more a guitar orientated one this time as you can tell from the intro, another track that would make another hit single but one of the best ballads on the album. Powerful especially lyrically and the crunchy bass parts by Ben add to the song. The lyrics are more saddening than depressing but the song builds not dramatically but this track is an amazing achievment. 4/5

Drag down the sunrise
Final track on the album but they're not going easily! Another decent track with a more low and deep feel to it, i love the song title and the verse turns really "funk" like with the help of a flanger pedal, not one of the best tracks but again a very lyric orientated chorus and the lyric writing can't be faulted, a great achievement. 3.5/5

A superb debut and an awesomely cool band, a good even mix of fast and slow tracks and the singles especially will stick in your head, a 4/5 for me and that is helped along by the superb guitaring of Luke Potashnick. A remarkable album. Four out of Five.

Channing

02-15-2007, 09:41 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=9887

Against Me! had released no promo singles up until "Don't Lose Touch" from "Searching A Former Clarity" in 2005. However they had, with the release of their second full-length "As The Eternal Cowboy" in 2003, released two "singles" containing alternate versions of four of the tracks from the album. The first released of these was the "Cavalier Eternel 7"", which was then followed up with the release of the "Sink, Florida, Sink EP" which contained electric versions of the title track and the song "Unsubstantiated Rumours (Are Good Enough For Me To Base My Life Upon)" (there is a review for this elsewhere on the site). The "Cavalier Eternel EP" was released on No Idea Records on either CD or 7" vinyl.

The first track is an alternative version of "Cavalier Eternal." Although there is no specific structure or dynamic changes to the song, it is noticeably slower in pace, but misses out Tom Gabel's "Rolling. Yeah! 1 2 3 4!" from the intro. The acoustic guitar also sounds a lot thicker in this version. The song sounds more stable at this pace, and is more akin to the way it was played live at the time (check out Tom Gabel's live WKDU performance of it). "Cavalier Eternal" is a very good song, kind of folk tinged, but I think this version is superior to the faster album version. It seems to be played with more feeling than the album version, and the song has a much sturdier feel.

On the other hand, the acoustic version of "You Look Like I Need A Drink" (winning the prize for best song title ever) boasts a number of fundamental changes to the song, namely the eerie organ chords that set the scene for the song, and the change in vocal pattern and delivery. The song is almost unrecognisable from the electric version that is on "As The Eternal Cowboy," it has a slower tempo, with the bass notes of the acoustic guitar picking out a country-style bassline to the chords. Tom Gabel's voice comes much slower and sounds more passionate as he is given more room in the mix to express himself. The song also uses muted chords really well, where the plectrum is just scratched up and down the muted strings giving a "chicka-chicka" sound to back up parts of his singing. The only bad thing about the song is that at times it sounds slightly boring, so maybe the tempo is slightly too slow. Still, a very good song nonetheless.

The "Cavalier Eternel 7"" is a pretty good EP, and really complements the more abrasive "Sink, Florida, Sink EP" well. On that the whole band is present on songs that were previously stripped down to just Tom's voice and an acoustic guitar on the album, whereas "Cavalier Eternel 7"" goes the other way, putting more emphasis on solo versions of songs that featured the whole band on the full album versions. This really brings out just how good Tom Gabel sounds on his own, and provides a really nice link back to the early "acoustic-punk" days of "Vivida Vis!" Both of the songs are good songs, with a good recording clarity on both guitar and vocals, and don't sound too cluttered or forced as some acoustic songs sometimes can. However, the EP is not without it's faults - firstly it is extremely short, at about five and a half minutes. Secondly, only fans of the band will be interested in the release because it contains alternatives of album tracks only fans will have heard anyway. Thirdly, the CD is quite lo-fi as it only has acoustic songs on there is very little change in dynamics for the duration of the two tracks. And lastly, surely this would have been better release if interspersed with the "Sink, Florida, Sink EP"? Surely Against Me! should release an EP collection, they've released about five of them! Anyway, rounding up the review, the "Cavalier Eternal 7"" is an interesting release for fans of the band, giving fans an opportunity to hear unreleased alternate versions of songs recorded for "As The Eternal Cowboy."

Joe

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:42 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2067 took out band info

Love him or hate him, but you got to admit he's got balls. Well, maybe not on the cover of the album, but to go as far as he's gone with his antics, it's pretty impressive. I'm actually surprised there aren't many reviews for more Manson albums on MX but oh well. This is my first review so hopefully it's good.

This is a concept album and is about a character called Omega, an alien that is featured on the cover of the album. Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals and Holy Wood are all part of a story called the trypich, and is going to be released as a novel hopefully some day.

This is his 3rd full-length LP album after 'Portrait Of An American Family', 'Smells Like Children EP', and epic album 'Antichrist Superstar' after one listen of this album many hardcore Manson fans were most probably wondering what has happened to Marilyn Manson. Well kiddies, he has certainly evolved in his music. You see after Antichrist it seemed he has released most of his anger and has decided to make a Glam-Rock record. Some of the songs are very reminiscent of one his of inspirations, David Bowie, especially the introduction to 'I Don't Like The Drug's (But The Drugs Like Me) In case you didn't know, the band members got their names from famous female stars and notorious serial killers respectively. Anyway, on with the review.

Great Big White World -
Just by the opening echoed guitar riff, you know that he has changed. It is a rather slow song, and only really picks up in the chorus a bit. This song has great lyrics and Manson really shines in his singing. The guitar is rather basic and is a good beginner song to learn. The keyboard interludes and the overall playing throughout the song sound really good. A great opener to this album, it shows what is to come. 4/5

The Dope Show -
I'm sure you have all heard this song. This was definitely the most popular song from the album, and got voted best video by MTV as well. The verses are pretty much just vocals and a bass driven riff. The only guitar that is to be heard is power chords in the chorus. This song is extremely catchy; it has been stuck in my head forever. The song is about Hollywood and how when you are on the covers of magazines your beloved by the community and as you fade away people start to forget about, and focus on the fad of the time. There is a lot of keyboard synths in the song. The drumming is rather average. 4/5

Mechanical Animals -
This song was originally going to be released as a single, but never was. The reason is unknown and I think it is one of the best tracks off the album and would have been a great single. Opens with a catchy and rocking riff and then goes into the verse with Manson singing and bass and drums behind him. After the chorus is a really great fill/interlude between the verse and is Manson singing beautifully with great drumming and some acoustic guitar in the background. At around 3:40 the song hits its peak with a nice guitar riff and Manson repeating 'I'm so gone, playing the suicide king.' 4.5/5

Rock Is Dead -
This song was featured in the Matrix soundtrack and features little soundbites from the movie in the interlude. It was also performed at 98 VMA's with Manson naked covered in a mud like substance and only wearing a cowboy hat. At the end of the song they lit a cross made of TV's on fire. That certinanly didn't go down well with Christians. The song was also released as a single, and featured scenes from the Matrix. The song is rather bland and boring to me, but it is definitely a good choice as a single. 3/5

Disassociative -
This song is brilliant. The opening guitar reverbed guitar riff that echoes is excellent and the drums just come in at the right place. Manson's singing is definitely very emotional and you can definitely feel some pain in his lyrics and vocalwork. I really like Ginger Fish's drumwork on this track as it all fits well. The song is rather slow and quiet but picks up in the chorus with the power chords. At about 3:40 the song hits it peak like Mechanical Animals and the band comes in strong with Manson high-pitched screaming/singing. Definitely one of the best tracks on the album. The song ends on a rather weird noise, which continues on to the next song. 4.5/5

Speed Of Pain -
My favourite song off this album. So emotional and beautiful. A quiet and weird beginning until the soft acoustic guitar chords come in. It is just Manson and the acoustic guitar with backup singers in the background. The chorus is a distorted voice and works extremely well. This song has the best lyrics on the album I feel. At the end of 2nd verse there is a nice little drum fill. A great lyrical example out of this song is 'When you want it, goes away to fast, times you hate it, always seem to last, just remember when you think your free, the crack inside your ***ing heart is me' 5/5

Posthuman -
This is where the album starts to slip, but only for a short while. This song is just extremely boring to listen to I find. Maybe it just because it is after my favourite song on the album, I just can't put my finger on it. The only thing I like is the guitar riff and the drum work. I don't like Mansons vocals on this track. Nothing else to say about this song. 2/5

I Want To Disappear -
Another weak link of the album. The lyrics are really cheesy and boring and the whole song is just bland. The guitar is pretty interesting though, and so is the bass. They should have skipped putting this song on the album in my opinion because it certainly doesn't help out the album. One thing that is good is that the song is short clocking in at 2:56 so you get it over with quickly. 2.5/5

I Dont Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)
This song sure is interesting. Comes in with Manson singing 'I don't like the drugs, but the drugs like me' which is the main hook of the song. After that it is a pretty funky guitar fill, which sounds a lot like the start of David Bowie's ' Fame, so you can see he is influenced by him. This song was released as a single and has a really weird video. The verse's a driven by the guitar and bass riffs, and sound really good. As the song goes on the chorus sounds better and better when it includes a female backup singer in there. Good song. 4/5

New Model No. 15 -
This song reminds me of 'Posthuman' and 'I Want To Disappear' It contains cheesy lyrics, but has some interesting bits to it. The verses are really boring, but the chorus picks up the pace a bit with a great guitar riff and singing the title of the song over and over. It gets a bit repetitive after awhile but it is certinanly better than the two other tracks I listed. 3 /5

User Friendly -
This song certinanly shares a lot of similarities with a song 'Para-noir' off of The Golden Age Of Grotesque, with lyrics talking about using people for sex. It is a rather weird and groovy song, and is very poppy. The chorus is really catchy, but certinanly isn't as good as some of the other songs on the album. 3.5/5

Fundamentally Loathsome -
This is probably the slowest song on the album other Speed Of Pain. It reminds me of the circus because of the main riff. It is mainly driven by bass and drums. It certinanly picks up and gets heavier at about 3 or so minutes. When I first heard this song I really hated, but it has definitely grown on me, but it is in no way one of my favourite Manson tracks, nor is it a favourite off this album. 3.5/5

The Last Day On Earth -
This is a great song. It is extremely good when it is performed live. The song has great drumwork, and the lyrics are excellent. I can't hear much bass at all in it, but there certainly is some great guitar work. The chorus is really catchy, and is a one of the fan favourites. 4.5/5

Coma White -
My second favourite song of the album. The closing song of the album definitely is a great one. It was released as a single and got some negative attention in the media because the video was a reenactment of the Kennedy assassination in Manson's eyes. It starts with a basic but catchy guitar riff and Manson comes in singing with great lyrics. The chorus is definitely the best part of the song, as it talks about the Omega character. It is very catchy and is a great vocal delivery on Manson's part. This is a great way to close the album. 5/5

Overall, this is a great album. Sure there are a few boring and poorly done songs, but the good ones definately outweigh these. Go out and get this now if you want some good catchy music. Be warned though, this isn't usually what Marilyn Manson sounds like.

Recommended Tracks:
Speed Of Pain
Coma White
Disassociative
The Dope Show

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:43 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2068

Fresh off the somewhat disappointing experimental double album "Transistor", 311's "Soundsystem", released in 1999, features all of the band's strong suits: the deliciously distorted riffs of Tim, the weaving bass of P-Nut, the rolling piccolo drum snare of Chad, and the extremely talented harmonizing duo of Nick and SA. Having learned their lesson of reaching too far and trying to do too much on "Transistor", "Soundsystem" was a step back to basics for the band, and for its worth, a step in the right direction. 311 would eventually fulfill their creative vision with "From Chaos", but this solid album is a great stepping stone between the pure rock-rap of the Blue Album and the summer-influenced jams of "From Chaos" and certainly holds its own with several songs that would become classics. Here's a song-by-song review of "Soundsystem".

Freeze Time - Riff-rock starts off the album, not that thats a bad thing. This song's pure driving element and energy makes it a great opener to the album, and the lyrics carry over some of the sci-fi elements from the previous album. 4/5

Come Original - One of the two big singles off the album, this is 311 name-calling the music community for its originality or calling out those that lack it. Come Original is a lot of fun to listen to, with its mixture of rock distortion, rap beats, and great bass from P-Nut. Don't forget the breakdown with the Hawaiian guitar effect at the end! 4.5/5

Large in the Margin - Another sci-fi/technology related song, the song starts out with a derative riff with Nick's signature vocals and goes back and forth between a funkified chorus and a descending bridge. Solid song, but nothing remarkable. 3/5

Flowing - Another classic 311 track, features a very cool effect at the beginning and delves into a mid-tempo stomp. The chorus is hard and heavy, nothing better, and Chad's drumming and the vocals are real standouts. This song got me hooked onto 311 and it will for you. 5/5

Can't Fade Me - A good song to cruise to, 311 pumps the crowd up and speaks about their positive influence in the music biz. Short song but very energetic. 3.5/5

Life's Not A Race - 311's take on Greatful Dead, Life's Not A Race encompasses everything for the average 311 fan. Tim's guitar work is fantastic, ranging from Santana to Kim Thayil from Soundgarden, and he busts out not one but two kick-*** solos. There are many different sounding parts to this song but its flows together seamlessly, ending in a musical rallying cry of sorts. One of the hidden gems of the 311 catalog, download this song if you get a chance. 5/5

Strong All Along - This is the ultimate summertime, feel good song. If you are in a bad mood, play this and you will have a smile on your face. Strong All Along features a great message, super sweet melody, and an energy that you can feel from miles away. Imagine sitting on a beach sipping a Corona and you will get Strong All Along. 4.5/5

Sever - 311 slows it down a tad in this minor-chord anthem of expression. The song switches through styles faster than J-Lo goes through husbands but it still is able to maintain a consistent rhythm that makes a good listen. Another trademark Mahoney solo caps off this mid-album stunner that seems to catch you off guard at every moment of the song. 3.5/5.

Eons - If you are beginning to notice a lyrical theme, you're not the only one. Eons is even slower than Sever, almost crawling through the first verse and chorus with its atonal riffage. Average song, even by 311 standards. 2.5/5

Evolution - This song belongs on "Transistor", it has a remarkable likeness to that album's 'Galaxy". It starts out with Chad's tight drum rolling and transistions into some programmed beats/vocal sounds. 'Evolution" has its share of heavy riffs, harmonizing vocals, lyrics about technology, but it maintains a good groove throughout the track and does stand out. 4/5

Leaving Babylon - The boys attempt reggae and explore some dub territory and surprise, it works. A very chilled out, slow moving, relaxing tune that demonstrates that 311 are indeed more than a one-trick pony. The musical direction also borders on psychadelia towards the latter part of the song, but it blends together pretty well, and is a fine addition to the album. 3.5/5

Mindspin - A complete 180 turn from Leaving Babylon, the familiar drop D riffage returns on 'Mindspin". It has a great chorus and the lyrics talk about 311's journey since they put out their first record, then the best part of the album, the bridge. A great riff from Tim, the lyrics "You remain and refrain from the pain of wasted time, the last thing on my mind is running high fuel supply. Reason why we just don't quit", and a great segueway to the end of the song. Very solid. 4.5/5

Livin' and Rockin' - Another high energy rocker, 311 throwing lighting bolts at those that stand in their way. Very fast and again very good guitar work from Tim, more rap-pish than the rest of the album. The lyrics about 311 being the only competition is ironic because only a few years later, rap-rock bands such as Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, and Trapt among others would unrighteously overshadow 311. Good closer. 4/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:44 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2069

The true test of an album for me is if I'm still listening to it a month after i buy it, and I have to say allot of albums don't get that much listenage out of me, you can tell that I truely like an album however when I can fit it into a day when I have watched/listened to the Matchbox 20 DVD and Documentary on the second disc, School of Rock and All of AC/DCs Bonfire (5 disc box set) once and am on disc 3 of the second run through. Yet still make time for TMS. It has past my great albums test, and now sits next to the likes of Back In Black, Master Of Puppets and Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls.

This Is Thunder's 7th Studio Album (hence the name) and has most definitely been well worth the wait. With Songwriter Lukemorely in flying form this is quite simply one of Thunder's best efforts, and in many fan's opinions BETTER than their first offering Backstreet Symphony, against which all subsequent Thunder releases have been Judged.

Any band that can boast the Top 30 smash 'I Love You More Than Rock 'N' Roll' as an opening track must be on to a winner. The track is one of the most complete songs and best singles to come from these shores in a long time with a wonderful chorus coupled with brilliant guitar work and more than a nod to the Western-tinged sound that is apparent throughout the whole album.

Not to be outdone, the rest of the album sees Thunder firmly planted in their groove, one that made them so popular in the late 80s/early 90s. 'The Gods Of Love' and the biting 'Monkey See, Monkey Do' are prime examples of classic Thunder ' Morley's acoustic strumming coupled with Bowes' soaring vocals.

'I'm Dreaming Again' is a great song, with some great guitar work from Luke Morley And Ben Matthews and Danny Bowe's Vocals are superb. The album then moves up a gear with the controversial 'Amy's On The Run,' a story that I'm sure will be repeated in many magazine articles over the coming months. The hard and heavy 'The Pride' continues this energetic upsurge along with the daunting, almost climatic 'Fade To The Sun,' which is currently the fan's favourite for the next single.

'Together Or Apart' is a real lighter-waving ballad, a song that I'm sure will be a live favourite on the upcoming tour and hot on the heels of FITS for the next single, and then the pace returns to full throttle with the autobiographical 'You Can't Keep A Good Man Down,' which is my personal favourite of the 11 tracks on offer.

There is a wonderful juxtaposition of sounds and textures on 'One Foot In The Grave,' which features some of the best guitar work on the album from the duo of Morley and the underrated Ben Matthews. It says something that the most disappointing track on the album is closing track, 'One Fatal Kiss,' the song that Morley penned with Russ Ballard, whose influence actually makes Thunder sound like any other rock band.

Despite that small gripe, 'The Magnificent Seventh!' is indeed a magnificent release from one of this country's overlooked rock gems and is another album that will no doubt feature highly in the end-of-year polls. Thunder are truly back on form and that is reason to celebrate because this stomps over anything that Bon Jovi, or any of the other so-called rock bands that Thunder get lumped with, have released in the past few years.

In summary get this album, you won't regret it.

Channing

02-15-2007, 09:46 PM

isitluck, if you're using the "find and replace" button, you have to check over the reviews again. a lot of the ones you're touching up having song titles where the quotation marks are ****ed up. looks like this:

'song title"

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:46 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2070 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2071 took out useless information

Before I go on to the actual track by track review, some more information about this album.
This album, the follow-up of the incredible 'In Absentia' is to be seen as a sort of concept album, telling a story of the script for what is to become a movie, documentary or something along those lines. So all the lyrics and melodies and rhythms were made according to the script written by Steven Wilson and some other person.

Alrighty, enough chatting around, time for the track by track:

1) Deadwing (9:46)

Starts of with some weird sounds provided by Mister Barbieri and some recordings from stuff happening on a train station (I think)
At 0:36 the songs starts, and you know immediately know it's Porcupine Tree, the groovy bass, the sharp guitars, and the nice drumming.
A very hard-rockish beat.
At 1:26 Steven starts singing, and it's really nice to notice his vocals have grown since albums past.
Quite the melodic singing, and some parts in between in a sort of whispering voice, adding some mystery to the song.
3:26 a guitar solo, this sounds just the way it should, very mellow feel, before going into something Porcupine tree is so well known for: awesome vocal arrangements, very spacey, I love it.
After this the song continues pretty much in the same way as before.
5:17 the guitar and keys start playing something different, the bass just holds on to the same bass line.
And after a few secs it turns in to a fall down, very easy going very spacey sounds, weird guitar tone accompanied by weird synth sounds.
The bass plays some high notes now, sounds great, after that the drums kick in, quite heavy.
At 7:31 we get a solo going on again, very unusual. After this there is some experimental stuff going on, sort of soloing before hearing another recording and fading out.
Great way to kick of the album.
5/5

2) Shallow (4:17)

This song was released as a single, it continues the edgy and rocky sound. It has a bit of a 'Whole lot of love' feel to it. The song is quite the loud song, but it flows very well.
The hard parts are being broken up by some softer parts.
At 2:38 a very drowned in a wall of sound soloing part going on. After that back to the normal structure.
This song doesn't really stick out to me, not something that sounds very PT like, but a good rock song nonetheless.
The song stays stuck in your head, it has a great tune.
4,5/5

3) Lazarus (4:18)

Very different song compared to what I've already heard.
Starts out very mellow, with some piano and light guitar.
Steven Wilson can put so much emotion in his voice.
The lyrics to this song are great.
On this song Richard Barbieiri really shines,
The key parts on this song sound just awesome.
This song is great!
Nice break-ups, and vocal harmonies, this shows PT are more alive and kicking as ever been.
5/5

4) Halo (4:38)

Very bass driven song, I would describe it as a mix of Slave called shiver and The creator has a master tape.
The lyrics are quite funny actually.
Guest musician on this song Adrian Belew.
When at 2:30 the bass becomes more prominent you can notice how great the bass sounds on this song.
Als o note the very tight drumming.
The solo delivered here by no one less than Adrian Belew shows that this isn't really a PT solo, the solo is great nonetheless!
Very rocking song, near the end piano adds to the great tone of this song.
5/5

5) Arriving somewhere, but not here. (12:02)

This is the gem on the album for me.
Starts of with weird sounds (organ) and a clock ticking, after a while some percussion come s in.
This ambient tone continues till 1:58 when guitar and vocals come in, very nice sounding.
Background vocals by one of my Idols; Mikeal Akerfeldt.
This song is very emotional, and it doesn't carry on too long, this song is an adventure.
Worth every second. Quite a sad sound, but so laid back at the same time.
Right in the middle there's some soloing, that could be the work of Mikeal, not sure though, and after this the song gets a bit more groovy.
The song has a certain metal feel to it now, can't describe really, just listen for yourself.
8:40 some other unusual guitaring,
Man, before you know, the song is almost over, this is so well written IMO.
The outro part starting somewhere halfway the 10 minute mark is very emotional, and has lots of subtle sounds to give it just that extra bit.
I would give this song a 5,5/5, but that's not really fair so just a :
5/5

6) Mellotron scratch (6:57)

Starts of with some guitar and after that some chords, this song sounds a bit like, stranger by the minute.
Very dreamy vocals. This is a great track
Nice vocal harmonies.
The song is very dreamy, just a good song.
Note the use of the glockenspiel, adds a lot to the song.
I do feel like some of the break-ups are a bit out of place sometimes.
Very weird, when you think the song ends, it goes completely another way, and sounds nothing like what you've heard before, but after some time we're back, and you can enjoy some great vocal harmonies
Great song nonetheless.
4/5

7) Open Car (3:46)

After some lighter songs, back to a bit more rock.
Very dark sounding.
I love the lyrics to this song:
Something broke inside my stomach, I let the pieces lay just where they fell'.
The vocal harmonies are probably the best of the album.
You should really check the lyrics for this.
This song is over quite fast, shortest song on the cd.
4,5/5

8) Start of something beautiful (7:39)

The start of this song is rather techno like, but that's just the start.
Pay attention to the drumming on this song, it's sweet!
The drumming really sticks out, as does the chilled soloing in the middle,
And after the soloing the song becomes very intense. So laid back, experience this for yourself!
Dreamy beyond imagination. So many influences flow together on this track.
Another gem!
5/5

9) Glass arm shattering (6:17)

Weird, starts of with some very cranky guitar sound.
Right on from the beginning weird sounds make up this song.
Very laid back, reminds me of the sky moves sideways on some parts.
Yes, I think it's quite a good comparison.
Did you like that? Than you will like this too.
Porcupine tree grabbing back to older days on this one, and doing it great.
Quite an experimental track, with some awesome vocal harmonies!.
This is a great way of ending this wild trip.
4,5/5

Overall:
Incredible, they did it again. I thought they couldn't top In Absentia, but this is just great.
Not (yet) saying it is better than In Absentia, but this is soon going to be a classic in my eyes.
Every PT fan should get his hands on this. And anyone who hasn't heard of them, this is a good way to start out.
This cd has all PT is about: very rocky, to ballads, to groovy bass lines, great soloing and on top of that SW's vocal(harmonies).
You must really check this out.

This deserves a:
5/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:48 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2072 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2073

A Brief Note on Ratings:

By my standards, a two-and-a-half star review is an average record.

Three Stars is a conditional recommendation. Three-and-a-half stars approaches a strong recommendation. (Read the review to see if the record might appeal to you.)

A Four Star record is an excellent record, and receives my nearly-unconditional recommendation.

A Five Star record is a rare thing indeed: an earth shattering, fantastic, timeless album. I won't give this often. I would be tickled pink (not literally) if you would all go out and buy any album to which I give this rating.

----------
The Flaming Lips
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
----------

Upon picking up this most recent record by the experimental sonic, former- noiserock group The Flaming Lips, I was expecting wackiness to the tune of The Aquabats. Perhaps the box art threw me off, featuring bright colors, giant pink robots and copious Japanese writing, both on the album cover and the disc itself.

The track titles also led me astray in their sheer strangeness: 'Ego Tripping At the Gates of Hell', 'Throbbing Orange Pallbearers', 'In The Morning of the Magicians'.

The music was a giant step sideways from my expectations - mellow, highly melodic and often dreamy and even slightly psychedelic - kind of a funkier, even lower-key Radiohead.

After a couple more listens, I began to appreciate this record as the musical equivalent of a nice bowl of tapioca (whipped cream and maraschino cherry optional); it ain't steak, but it's got a peculiarly substantial feel of its own.

Dozens of listens later I fully resonate with this album. I love and appreciate this album as the album that helped me fully appreciate mellow music. It made me patient. This is the Lips record that broke into me where The Lips' previous record, The Soft Bulletin, merely knocked.

The songs on the album are densely-engineered and ethereal; the guitars are often almost unrecognizable, and bloopy sound effects cut in at perfect times to accentuate the mellow feel of the record. This is an album from the school of slow melodies with fast beats, and it shows. The songs are all completely cohesive - the album has an ebb and flow all its own, perfectly contrasting the floaty and the harsh, the far-off and the immediate.

The album's lyrics are both mostly-uncreative and perfect. There's a lot that's hard to put my finger on about this release; with 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots', the focus is not on your eventual destination, but the journey. The lyrics are innocent, heartfelt and simple. Wayne Coyne has no great reputation as a lyricist, but the lyrics here somehow keep the ambitious music grounded.

Coyne's voice is oddly complimentary to the mood of the music; he sings with a genuine earnestness that gives the lyrics more weight than they would otherwise have. The vocals are mixed very low to the music in most songs, making this record ideal for active listening or background music. The Flaming Lips methodically, carefully let you into their world on their own terms, forcing nothing on you. This kind of record is best listened to in a good mood, with the musical aura sort of sponging around you.

Uh. . . in a good way.

--------
TRACK LISTINGS:
---------
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Fight Test:
I'm not familiar with the Cat Stevens song this apparently resembles (Google it for more info), but 'Fight Test' sets up the record perfectly. An internal debate about the importance of defending yourself, the song features the best in multi-track recording: crowd noise, multiple layers of Wayne's vocals and the various instruments showpiece the mood of the record.
---
One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21:
'Fight Test' segues perfectly into the second track, a slower, well-flowing number featuring some of the best, most emotionally-involving lyrics on the record. The robot subplot on this album barely covers four tracks, yet this second track manages to flesh out our invaders to some degree:

'Unit three thousand twenty-one is warming, makes a humming sound -
When its circuits duplicate emotions - and a sense of coldness detaches
As it tries to comfort your sadness. One more robot learns to be something more than a machine.'
---
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1:
Definitely one of the boppiest numbers on the album, but not without that involved sadness that permeates the record. The third of four robot-related tracks, and the most fanciful, this track is heavily sound-sampled (some samples courtesy of Yoshimi P-We, member and frontwoman of the experimental Japanese noisegroup band OOIOO and member of The Boredoms. Some of her sound effects can be a tad hard on the ears). It's a fun song, not not nearly as frenzied as Part 2. . .

---
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 2:
This final chapter in the Robots subplot, an instrumental, is thrilling, repetitive background music for Yoshimi's final climactic battle with the pink robots. The sound effects will have people reaching for the volume control, but this album gets easier on the ears from here on out, so grin and bear it.

---
In the Morning of the Magicians:
This is more like it. A catchy, soft little heartfelt number, 'In the Morning of the Magicians' settles the track into the rest of the album's themes: death, lost love and regret. This is a song which rewards the patient, with a beautiful slow-moving theme. This track shifts the album's theme perfectly - songwriting like this doesn't come along very often.
---
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell:
Don't let the psycho title catch you off guard - this song is another ideosyncratic mix of funky and soulful rock - definitely not hellish. This echoey track is another great marriage of subdued vocals and boppy instrumentation.

I've just had a realization - this whole album sounds like background music on one of those upbeat nature shows for children! You know - those low-budget ones that show leaves gathering dew and clouds moving across the sky in fast motion, because they're only like ten minutes long?

I'm only going to get weirder as I keep this going.
---
Are You a Hypnotist??:
This song starts exactly like the last two tracks, but, thankfully, makes itself stand out with a great, epic chorus, and pretty frenetic drumming. Aah. . . this song is relaxing. This whole ALBUM is relaxing! I swear - I could fall asleep with this record playing! I'm going to have to go out and buy it, instead of just checking it out from the library like some kind of cheap punk.
---
It's Summertime (Throbbing Orange Pallbearers):
This song features a crazy, wah-wah sound effect for some of the instrumentation. I could listen to that main groove all day. Super-relaxing. If these guys came out with an ambient music easy-sleeping album, I'd rush right out and get it. Forget this Fantomas stuff!
---
Do You Realize??:
Despite opening up with the dopiest count of 'one, two, three, four!' that has ever been recorded, 'Do You Realize??' (Always remember the TWO question marks. The band has repeatedly stressed their importance) fortunately gets better.

It's actually a fairly motivational song with a good message: You should let your loved ones know that you care about them before they die in some horrific manner and it grows too late. My only complaint is the sharp drop in lyrical quality on this track.
---
All We Have Is Now:
Just when you thought the album couldn't get any mellower, a newer, mellower mellow comes in, beats the old mellow to a pulp, and takes its place. This song pushes you halfway to Nirvana, it's so bloody peaceful. The philosophical lyrics are almost unintelligible in the mix - that is, if you aren't already half-comatose from having your brain mindfreaked right out of your head by this absurdly-peaceful album. I love the guitar transition sounds.

---
Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia):
The second instrumental of the record, this song is a little funkier than the preceding five or so tracks. The guitars have quite a bit more of an edge, and this is one of the few instrumentals I'll chicken-bob my head too. (Is that the right phrase - "chicken-bob?" Anyway it's the black version of headbanging.)

EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION: Is that a guy yodeling in the background? You'll have to decide for yourself.
---

---
Conclusion and Summary
---
Album Highs: Great, relaxing feel and heartfelt melodies and vocals. A lot of work went into this.

Album Lows: Sounds a little disjointed upon the first listen. Keep listening - eventually you'll appreciate the cohesiveness of the album. Two tracks disappoint slightly: 'Are You a Hypnotist' and 'Do You Realize?'.
---
Rating: **** (Unconditional Recommendation)
Recipe: One part indie, one part sonic psychrock, one part low-key ballad and one part experimental weirdness. That's four parts if you're keeping track.
---
My Content Rating: G

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:49 PM

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 09:59 PM

thanks chan for looking out

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:51 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2074

I was surprised to see that no-one here had already reviewed Willy Mason's debut album, Where the Humans Eat. Recently released officially in the U.K., the album showcases the outstanding and undeniable talents of the 20-year-old singer/songwriter. After escaping from the closed community of Martha's Vineyard - where he grew up and was encouraged at an early age to follow his parents into music - Willy ambled around the U.S., and ended up in New York City. With his acoustic guitar as his lone company, Mason grew as a musician and a person after witnessing the severe and disturbing realities, of homelessness and poverty, which New York presented. Soon, he was signed up by Conor Oberst (from Bright Eyes) to Conor's new project, Team Love, and has since opened for Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Kweller and the 22-20's. After the release of two EPs, Mason collected together tracks for his debut album which was released in the fall of 2004 in the U.S. and later in the spring of 2005 in the UK. While seeing him live in London after being enraptured by Oxygen, I bought this remarkable album.

I cannot possible describe how stunned and, frankly, taken aback by the honesty and clarity in Mason's visions. He engenders a sense of empowerment, and talks of the rising and necessary voice of the youth, and attempts to combat the political and social apathy of youth. While not, by his or my definition, a politically-motivated artist, Mason's lyrics bite deep into the lifestyles of the youth, and yet comprehends the continual struggle of growing up and becoming motivated by things around you. As he says, "It's tempting to fight when you know that you're right," and this level of rooted communication, some say beyond his age, has won him cross- and inter-generation support. And, while many critics have focused on his song-writing abilities, which some critics have, as is usual of many rising alt-country/rock musicians, compared to Dylan or others, Mason's guitar-playing skills are also very good. While technically he cannot compare to more eminently experienced players, there is evidently a strong sense of passion and force behind his playing that, with the aforesaid support of his strong lyrical ability, creates a powerful force. Don't get me wrong, he his wonderful on the guitar and the musical aspect of the songs exudes sheer quality, however his album is selling on it's lyrical content, not solely his instrumental ability. He is often supported by his 17-year-old brother, Sam, on the drums, as he is on this album. However, I have found that Mason is better without the support of his brother, and when I saw him in a tiny venue, he was excellent playing on a tiny stage with only an acoustic guitar. The album is relatively short, and yet is able to somewhat capture the rawness and striking nature of Mason's musical ability.

The first song, Gotta Keep Moving, is a powerful blues/rock first track. With a quick and up-beat tempo, it is a wonderful song to start the album with and demonstrates a strong technical ability on the guitar. His brother is instrumental on the drums, which really provide a solid backing for Mason's rhythmic singing, the chorus of which becomes strong with the repetition of "Gotta keep moving, with a troubled mind a'following'. It is more up-beat than most of the songs here, which can get very moving and quiet rhythmically, despite Willy Mason's words shining through. When he talks, there is a compelling sense of instant familiarity that makes one listen. However, on this track, he almost shouts the chorus through, forcing you to being to listen to his dry, and yet idealistic thoughts. It is rare to find a musician that has something worthwhile to say, socially and politically, without the words provoking suicidal thinking. This song demonstrates his ability to make you stand up and speak out and comprehend your own relevance, not hide in a corner and wallow in self-pity and doubt.
4.5/5

All you can do starts with a catchy tune, however I find that it becomes quite broken, and stuttered with the introduction of the repeating drum cut. The song is very strong lyrically however, and the title of the track relates to how, despite the evident, incomprehensible, and apparently unending problems we are all met with. Initially, he allegorizes this concept, talking of the life of a homeless person, another sign of his experience with the homeless of New York. He talks of the spread of apathy, despair and unjustified-cynicism throughout our society, stating that "Hopelessness is on the TV/Infecting sea to shining sea". Indeed, after about a minute the song enters a second phase, which I quite like from a musical perspective. While it may appear that Mason's lyrics are simply there to dictate, and hence condescending and thick with pretense, it becomes clear this isn't the case, as each and every song, perhaps stemming from Mason's young and innocent sounding voice, seems to be spoken in a humble and unassuming tone.
4/5

Still a Fly is a beautiful song, and while Sam remains quite on the drums, retains a strong sense of rhythm from Mason's guitar and voice. While lyrically this song is clever, and attempts to combat the condescending nature of the world to dismiss the individual, particularly the youth. However, I find he pushes this through a bit too much, and the song, for me, takes on a level of pretense that remains problematic, for me. Reading the opinions of other critics, they enjoy this song and claim that it forces through the sense of agedness and wisdom seen by this young musician. In any case, this very compliment totally undermines the vision of Mason, that every individual has an important message, and that he is not special, that the youth of today has an intellectual importance. For example, he talks of how people have dismissed him, saying "You shouldn't read Dostoevsky at your age". Personally, I don't like this song lyrically, and musically I don't particularly enjoy it either.
3/5

The next track, Where the Humans Eat is from which the albums title is derived. It is dreamy, and this is achieved by the over-emphasis of the percussion and bass, while his acoustic guitar takes a lesser role. The lyrics are somewhat less monumental than his other tracks, and instead take on the somewhat manic concept of Mason talking to his cat, and the title itself, comes from something his mother said to the cat. This song is much grounded, and is playful, but I don't understand why the album, and indeed the press and promotional material behind Mason takes on this theme as its centre-piece. It is clear that Mason loves his pets, and in particular his dog, which emphasizes a sense of humanity and comfort that evidentially stem from his upbringing in the closed communities of Martha's Vineyard.
3.5/5

Next comes Fear No Pain, another timeless track, which remains a simple song. The lyrics are simple, and yet confident and well-spoken. The musical aspects remain simple to, and while this song is somewhat of a filler song, it remains a good bridge between the earlier and the later, more heavyweight, tracks. The drumbeat is strong and rhythmic, and gives the song a solid and somewhat powerful foundation.
4/5

Hard Hand to Hold is one of my personal favorite songs on the album. It is commanding and robust, both lyrically, and from the percussion and narration by Mason. Again, the focus of the track is on the homeless of the world, and he attempts to break the distrust and fear of the homeless, by society in general. Too, it is a song for those less-affluent or engaged in some struggle, and it attempts to confirm that yes, it is hard to hold on sometimes. However, from this concession, his empowering lyrics later in the song bring the song back to Mason's best. This underlying theme is not to dominate the album in so far that one should buy this CD because it's some sort of motivational guide. Quite, as this song demonstrates, the lyrics, the music, all of the aspects of this album are both beautiful and poignant, and yet upbeat, fresh, sometimes fun, and powerful. While generally I dislike the implementation of excessive percussion on this album, I think that the percussion adds a greater sense of rhythm to the song, without perhaps showing the simplicity of the rhythm itself, as occurs on a number of other tracks.
5/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:52 PM

Letter #1 is a dark, instrumental mixture reminiscent of many Tom Waits' tracks, and while alone it doesn't stand up well as a musical track, it is an interesting addition album and offers a vision of some other stuff Mason is capable of. Personally, I'm not overly keen on it as I find it difficult to consider Mason's soft voice in a shadowy and sinister manner as it is here. In fact, Mason's voice, sonically anyways, remains almost a complete anathema of Waits'.
3/5

Sold my Soul is a very good song. It slowly builds, and yet has a very catchy tune. Despite this, I find that, lyrically, this song isn't going to be one that you're going to be repeating to yourself again and again. The words themselves are very weird and twisted, and it isn't the sort of simple, catchy melody that you'll sing again. However, despite this, the song has that wonderful superb and forcible Mason quality. It is definitely blues-y and makes references to the artists that Mason has based his music on, John Lee Hooker amongst others. Mason's voice is definitely timeless, and while this song is obviously somewhat raw, it remains very well produced. Mason himself said that he never had more than three takes when recording a song on the album, in an effort to preserve any roughness and primitiveness while still accurately representing the song. This song is a great example of this. Also, it is a great example of the wonderful sense of rhythm Mason is able to generate without the use of percussion. In fact, I find the songs without percussion more powerful and rhythmic than those with, which is a stunning idiosyncrasy of Mason and explains his wonderful live performances during his recent ambling tours around small venues here in the UK.
4.5/5

"Is that a guitar or a machine-gun?" shouts Mason at the beginning of the 9th track, Our Town. This is a wonderful story of the exclusion that Mason felt when he was arrested, wrongly, in New York City. The song is nice and catchy, and finds Mason almost shouting at moments. It is definitely quite a 'loud' song; this is achieved with extensive use of bass and percussion. I find it wanders off a bit sometimes in the middle somewhere, but, for the first time in the album, we see a catchy tune with a nice little melody. I think that Mason depicts accurately the problems of closed-knit communities, in that they can be quite socially exclusive. More than this though, Mason follows the normal alt route and slurs police and their often discriminatory use of excessive violence and power. This is definitely quite a accessible and funky song, and again demonstrates Mason's ability to perform all measures of musical forms. The bass is quite well employed in this song, considering it is generally under-used on the album (not to say that in a pejorative manner. In fact, many of the beautiful elements of the songs are achieved simple with the simplicity of Mason's music, and there is often no need to generate more rhythm).
4/5

So Long is a fun, up-beat song that is also very catchy. During this part of the album, the songs become more accessible, without removing some of the biting aspects of the lyrics. However, this song is relatively straightforward and minimal. The focus remains on the attractive melody, which is well complimented by good drumming from Sam Mason. While this song does somewhat expose Mason's singing, it shows it to be the somewhat tired, yet buoyant and confident voice of youth that makes many of the songs so excitingly familiar. The song is about his feelings to want to escape, to feel a sense of liberation that causes many young people to run away and meander away alone. The references to his upbringing in a closed community are obvious: "Bars across my window, For a mild safety, Is this really where, Where I want to be?".
3.5/5

Oxygen is without a doubt, the standout track on the album. It is an anthem for the youth, representing the messages of the song very accurately. Released as a single, it only made #23 on the UK Charts, but many people find it their favorite Willy Mason song, and may, in fact, be the only song by him they have heard. It is a very pretty song, and Mason's singing is a highlight. There is no percussion, there is not extensive editing; just Mason's voice in slight harmony, and a simple acoustic guitar accompaniment. The lyrics themselves are simple and yet very powerful, examining the problems of modern Western (in particular, American) society and offers, if somewhat idealistic, visions of a better world. He questions the new America with a stinging ardor: "Do you remember the forgotten America? Justice, equality, freedom to every race?
Just need to get past all the lies and hypocrisy". And yet, as before, he offers a visionary hope which is refreshing: "We can be stronger than bombs, If you're singing along and you know that you really believe. We can be richer than industry, As long as we know that there's things that we don't really need." I love this track, and I have listened to it more than almost any other song. It is timeless and beautiful, emotive and yet fun. It is a stunning song, there is no doubt.
5/5

21st Century Boy is the final song on the track. It is an unsettling, yet poignantly pretty final track, which tells the story of the decline of a young boy, who instead turns to the guitar as an outlet for his emotions. Perhaps it is somewhat a self-reflection, but I don't think to any real extent. Despite this track being somewhat depressing, it also follows the usual Mason-path of converting misery and despondency into a somewhat positive and idealistic, solution, in this case the utilization of music by the youth as a method for extending their sometimes introvert emotions. I find it not quite as 'finished' as I would like it to be. It's perhaps a bit jagged, which is perhaps necessary to preserve the importance and sense of despair of the song, embodied in the lyrics. However, for a final track, I would want something with a bit more continuity. The song leaves you somewhat unsatisfied, but overall it is undoubtedly a beautiful track.
4/5

However, despite my apparently ace-review of this album, I know Willy Mason can do better. Some of his other songs, which don't appear on this album, are, in ways, better, and I think that an unplugged album would be far better. As it is, the album doesn't do him justice. That is not a put-down of his brothers drumming ability. I purely have found Willy Mason to be most effective and most rhythmic when its just him and a guitar. Some of this album is not fully formed and somewhat immature and jagged, as I find parts of the first half to be. However, in Oxygen we can see a really great artist forming. I am not trying to over-hype Willy Mason. He is a great singer/songwriter, and he will become more popular than he his now; critics agree on this point. However, I think the Dylan references are immature, for now. Willy Mason has said that he will not be a sell-out, and I believe him. His songs may not be trendy, but they certainly are important, and they convey meaning which Mason lives for. As he says, "Well, if I stop having anything to say, I'll stop writing songs. I won't have a record and then I'll be on my own again. And I'll start over." You don't have to be a folk fan to love this record, I for one find much Country and Blues artists too inaccessible, perhaps due to my somewhat limited experience (or lack thereof) in terms of musicality. This isn't really party music, but it is reflective and empowering. I do think you should at least have a listen to Hard Hand to Hold, or Oxygen and, from these, you should fall in love with Mason.

As a side note, this is my first review on this site, or even, at all, to think about it. So please don't be too harsh on your cynicism and bounteous in your praise. However, I would find it interesting to know if this format of review is too long/badly structured etc. for this site, as there are some other albums I'd like to review. And no, my real name isn't Masper, its Jasper but that was sadly taken. :(

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:53 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2075 (took out band line-up)

The nutty second wave ska band were a pioneer force in the two-tone genre. Along with the Specials they shaped the first ska revival in Britain and help bring Ska to more people. They were an oddity in the two-tone ska world with all white members, but they were still respected and made good music. Most known for their hit Our House in the US, Madness were a big hit in Britain, and a favorite of many people.

One Step Beyond was the debut album from Madness and the album everybody who knows a little about Madness is familiar about. It has a lot of their most known, and best songs such as the title track "One Step Beyond", the tribute to Prince Buser "The Prince", and the popular single "Night Boat to Cairo". All these tracks add to a fantastic album from the British ska boys.

1. One Step Beyond
The song is a complete instrumental cover of a Prince Buster song, showcasing the talents of the Madness horn players. It starts off with a spoken intro by Suggs, and straight into the amazing saxophone playing, with great ska riff backing by the guitar, bass, and piano. Interment throughout the song Suggs will shoutout "One Step Beyond" This is a great song to just grove to and have a great time. The same riff reaps after it finishing, but not a repetitive rate, it stills holds its grove. Suggs does add little vocal noises to the music, but it is a great instrumental piece and a great opener to the album. 5/5

2. My Girl
Starts off with a piano and guitar intro, with the horn coming in with a single note. Then straight into the ska riffs from piano and guitar. The lyrics are telling a story, as most Madness songs do. They tell of a boy whose girl is mad at him for not wanting to go anywhere. The song has a nice grove to it. It also has a real pop sound which would make it great for the band to gain popularity in the charts from. About 1:30 there is a good piano solo, and back to the regular verse. There is a bit of a call and response between Suggs and the horn players. A good song, really suited for a chart hit. 4/5

3. Night Boat to Cairo
Starts straight off with a boat horn blasting. Then into a upbeat and somewhat ominous intro. Bouncy ska riff and a good line from the horns. The horns are really good in the beginnings, easy to start humming all day, just like in One Step Beyond. This song was a chart hit for Madness as well, but doesn't have the pop sound and ballad sound of My Girl. I really like the horns in this song, they are really well executed. A lot of song is just a solo from the sax, preformed really well. A really nice rhythm, but could be hard to dance to. Although the end gets a bit easier to keep a beat to. 5/5

4. Believe Me
Starts quickly off with a quirky piano intro and a little sax work. The lyrics are a ballad, well written. The song is really heavy on the piano, and not a very ska sounding song. More reminiscent of the 60s and 70s Brit pop. There is a good sax solo in the middle. The sax player is a really talented one, pulling off really groove heavy lines. There is a little back up singing with Suggs, giving the song even a more pop sound. As a pop song it is good, but when compared to other Madness and their ska sound, its just not very appealing to me. 4/5

5. Land of Hope and Glory
Starts off with a very military-like drum beat. With gabbering in the back, the guitar goes. But then just the bass and drums comes in when someone yells out Attention. The lyrics have a military feel to them. The guitar has come back, but no horns. The beat is really good, upbeat and ska. The lyrics are a little hard to make out, the instruments are more heavy then the vocals. A good song for its beat, but the lyrics were just hard to make out. 4.5/5

6. The Prince
A tribute to their biggest influence, Prince Buster. The music is really ska heavy, and a good way to pay tribute to one of most influential music in ska. The lyrics tell the story of the Prince on the streets in Jamaica. There is a catchy little piano riff played a few times in the song that I really like. It sounds like a lot island music, like Jamaican Calypso maybe. The sax comes in this song too, with a great solo. There is a big instrumental break down long after the solo, with the sax playing the spotlight, but the other instruments also are great. 5/5

7. Tarzan's Nuts
Starts with a jungle like beat, with jungle sounds coming a little bit in. There is a really good bass line that sounds familier but I can't put my finger on it. It goes straight into the guitar riff that is really ska sounding and really good. The piano plays along with the guitar, but instead of playing on the upbeats it plays a little solo line of its own. This may just be the piano's way of getting back at the horns for having the spotlight in One Step Beyond. A really good showing from the piano, may give that saxophonist a run for his money. 5/5

8. In the Middle of the Night
Starts off with the sounds of a street, and some shouts. The music starts with a lonely guitar and Suggs singing in a story telling way. All the instruments join in eventually, with the piano sounding more ska then any of the other instruments. The bass can be heard well in this song, and its playing a really good little line. The lyrics are really absurd and if you aren't paying attention, you won't see them. The song is actually about the knicker thief who strikes in the middle of the night, and how he gets to his prize. This song really shows the nuttiness from the band frequently renamed as "The Nutty Boys" Also one of the reasons I love them is their absurdness. 5/5

9. Bed and Breakfast Man
The intro of this song sounds really britpop with a bit of a ska influence, mainly from the guitar playing upstrokes. It has a good beat to it, but its missing the ska I love. The lyrics from what I can make out are pretty good however, telling a story about a man who needs a bed. There is a little piano solo that is pretty good, but again really britpop sounding. The guitar still sounds really out of place playing ska upstrokes while the rest of the instruments play pop music. 4/5

10. Razor Blade Alley
Another poppy song, seems like they put the 3 most britpop sounding songs all in a row. They aren't bad songs, but its just not a music style that appeals to me as a ska listener. Although the piano in this song sounds really good, and the bass has a jazz-like tone to it. The piano during the verse sounds almost like the piano work done by Ray Manzarek for the Doors, which is really odd. I think this is a kind of weak song in the album, probably one of the weakest. 4/5

11. Swan Lake
A traditional song as All Music notes, I'm guessing it's from the ballet of Swan Lake, but I can't be sure. It does have a ballet feel to it, but as if ballet was put in a blender ska and put on puree. Another show of the nuttiness from Madness, covering a ballet tune. It is a really good song overall, a nice upbeat sound to it, and you could dance to it and not just ballet! 5/5

12. Rockin'' in a Flat
This songs sort of sounds like a mixture of ska two tone and a really rockabilly song. Even the guitar has a rockabilly solo at one point. The piano is playing a really rockabilly 'walk up and down the keys' type riff. The song is about just rocking out, so it makes sense the instrumentation matches that rocking out. A good song and cross over from the band. 5/5

13. Mummy's Boy
This song starts off with a good little riff from all the horns, responding to Sugg's singing. Then later on playing the same riff responding to the piano. The lyrics are kind of funny too, talking about a man who still lives with his mum, and being exactly what the song title states a 'mummy's boy'. One of the verses is about him going out with a twelve year old from London when he was 30, very funny but kind of odd and creepy at the same time. My feet were taping throughout this song though, very good. 4/5

14. (They Call It) Madness
A cover of the Prince Buster song where the band had gotten its name from. The song really does justice to the Prince Buster original, and why not. If you respect a man like Madness respected Buster you are going to try to do a really good job at covering his song. The sound is very 1st wave, and if I didn't know it was Madness, I would think it was a first wave band doing the song. The sax plays a big part again with a good solo mid song, which points out the fact they are Madness. One of my favorite two-tone bands covering a great song from one of my favorite first wave artists is a really good combo for me. Another great song on this album. 5/5

15. Chipmunks are Go!
The most absurd of all songs on the album. More of a little silly sound offs of the chipmunks then an actual song. It is a great closing to the album, showing how absurd these lads from England could actually be. 5/5

This album was good from beginning to end, with few low points, and those only caused by my own preferences, while many will be able to have a great time throughout the whole album. This is a definite recommendation if you want to listen to good second wave ska.

Rating: 5/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:54 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2076 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2077 no review
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2078 no review

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2079

This must be my favourate rancid album, its has everything you could want from a punk album. The album has 4 genres to its that change throughout the album. The most obvious of these is the Punk scene which is featured in most of the songs, ska which is in my favourate songs and totaly livens them up. It has a Mainstream rock Feature which is used in a few slow songs, and reggee, which is used in two songs. Credit to the best punk band in the world, the bass is totally amazing, and being a bass player i am influeneced and use similer stuff in my band and the vocals are good.

Track review-

Intro- a complete burst of "The Pouges" like punk, with mouth organs! 5/5

Bloodclot- a good song, but i prefer the more punky stuff, this has a kinda poppy feel to it. :( 3/5

Hoover Street- Man, this song rocks. It has a rocky intro and the verse is just the bass and eventually the guitar kicks in with a muted kinda riff, and then a Xylophone! The Chorus has again a rocky feel to it and the backing vocals are used well. 5/5

Black lung- This song rocks it has probably the best bass line to it on the album and fits in well to the lyrics. The verse gets rocky again and fades into the verse with a wired guitar lick which sounds ace. 5/5

Life Won't Wait- This track is just Reggee rock kinda with a chorus that drags on. This for me is a let down. 2/5

New Dress- Lars Frederiksen sings in this track and Bass line again is good, The chorus is a bit wierd, with Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman joining in, still a good track. 5/5

Warsaw- This song is ace. The bass line is probaly the main thumb up for this song, as it fetures mor than anything on the song. The tune is very catchy, in a good way. 5/5

Hooligans- This is a more slower song which kicks in with the semi-electic and backing vocals again used well. 5/5

Crane Fist- Wierd, this song is mixture of istruments like the piano and keyboard. Im not a massive fan of this track.

Leicester Square- The chorus saves this song for me, the intro sounds a bit queer, but on the whole not a bad song. 3.5/5

Backslide- Man what a song! This is my favourate song by rancid the bass line is amazing and the lyrics actually make sense. The trumpet again adds a Ska feeling which makes it the best song on the album. 5/5

Who Would've Thought- This song starts off slow, but when it gets going it really does rock. The lyrics and the way he sings them score for me. 5/5

Cash, Culture and Violence- This song is cool, the lyrics again used to a good extreame, the bass is lively and sounds a bit like blacklung. 5/5

Cocktails- This is very "pouges" influeneced again. its has a mouth organ (ace!!!)the bass is good and the lyrics rock. 5/5

The Wolf- Lars Frederikson and Tim Armstrong Rotaote to sing this but the chorus againis amazing with them both singin. ace man. 5/5

1998- This song rocks. Literatly. It has a more rocky sound to it and the guitar is distorted and sounds ace. 5/5

Lady Liberty- The bass line scores for me here, because the guitar isnt really amazing. 3.5/5

Wrongful Supsicion- This song is quite cool. The verse is quite slow with just bass. The pre Chorus drags on but not for to long. The chorus has a ska feeling to it and makes it sound better. 4/5

Turntable- The guitar here rocks. The intro and verse has a distorted guitar init, the doubling up on vocals sounds good. 4/5

Something in the World Today- The song has a kinda distored guitar on it, an the bass is just simple but fits in. 4.5/5

Corason de Oro- This song is another favourate, the tempo is slow but the backing vocals fit in again which make it a awesome song. 5/5

Coppers- The last track has a kinda regge feel to it, with light vocals, and the backing vocals in the chours is ace. Pretty good finshing song, the guitar, bass and drums are all pretty simple, but again it fits.

A totally awesome album please buy it. RANCID ROCK!!!!

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 10:55 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2080 (ugh some of these reviews)

Today's best hip-hop artist.

01. Interlude
hey. an intro titled interlude. how clever. boring.
1/5

02. December 4th
This is my proof that Jay-Z's songs that aren't singles aren't just fillers. A special story about a special guy.
5/5

03. What More Can I Say
Great intro to the song.. makes me laugh everytime, its from the movie Gladiator. Catchy.. and with horns!
4/5

04. Encore
"hova hova hova!" They lyrics are very heavy on the ego in this song, but still a very good song.
4.5/5 for song, 2/5 for lyrics

05. Change Clothes
The first single.. not exactly the best song. However, it does have some pretty cool percussion on it. This song was produced by the Neptunes, let's just say they can do better.
3/5

06. Dirt Off Your Shoulder
Oh dear. Another single.. Yet another attempt to use a catchy riff throughout the entire song, so that it will get stuck in people's heads, but before it gets stuck in my head, i get annoyed by the riff and press skip.
3.2/5

07. Threat
When I hear the intro and outro i crack up every single time. This song samples R. Kelly. Smooth, simple beat.
3.6/5

08. Moment of Clarity
Oh, I hate Eminem. This song sounds just like an Eminem song.. gee, could that be because Eminem produced this song?
3/5

09. 99 Problems
This is his "I have problems with the world today" song. Great beat, actually a pretty complex beat for the hip-hop world. And of course, we have the loud, distorted bass kicking in every 5 seconds.
4.8/5

10. Public Service Announcement (Interlude)
Most hip-hop interludes are a break from rapping/singing, usually just someone talking. But not this song, it's actually a song with a nice little piano riff.
3.8/5

11. Justify My Thug
Sharlotte Gibson, a backup vocalist for Whitney Houston, contributes some on this song. An ok electric beat at the beggining, but it just wears itself out before the end of the song. One of the weakest songs on the album..
2.8/5

12. Lucifer
Brings the Jamacain influences back into hip-hop. I really love the line "I'm from the Murder Capitol where we murder for capital."
3.9/4

13. Allure
We've got piano, strings, even gunshots for percussion here. We've got the neptunes again, only this time, the song doesn't suck.
4.7/5

14. My 1st Song
This is an upbeat song, with hints of something very not upbeat. But that doesn't mean it's not good. A really good guitar riff playing, and OK percussion.
4/5

An album that sums up his life and career, and he does it pretty well. I will give this album an overall rating of 4.2/5

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 11:00 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_2081 (removed band line-up)

As is well known to anyone who follows music, The Beatles were one of the most remarkable, and undeniably the most influential, recording artists of the 20th century. Their music ranged from pop, through classic rock, through psychedelic rock, through blues to songs that quite frankly resist any attempt at description. They're one of a handful of bands that can genuinely be described as changing the face of music forever, not only with their attitude to it, but also with the music they made. This is no more evident than on this album; their double disc opus which has always traditionally got mixed reviews from critics; some saying that it should have been cut to a single disc, contains too many novelty songs, and has no cohesion as an album, and others saying that it provides the best example of their genius, transcending genres every few minutes, as well as showcasing their sheer songwriting ability. What is generally accepted though is that even if you think some of the material here could easily have been scrapped, there are a lot of songs here that rank up there with anything the band ever produced.

This fact is quite remarkable when you consider how the album was made. For a start, there's the simple fact of the band's prodigious work rate, which meant that The White Album was released just one year after both Magical Mystery Tour and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Given the quality of both these albums, it would have been understandable for the band to be suffering from creative burn out, as well as simple exhaustion, but, as the two discs here show, this clearly wasn't the case. In addition to this, it's been well documented that the band had grown apart, meaning that rather than working as a band, they were effectively making a series of solo records, with each member wanting to go in a different direction. It's very easy to tell listening to this album which member wrote which song, and merely got the other band members to play on it. This difference between the members actually peaked during the recording of The White Album, when Ringo Starr briefly left the band, although he quickly rejoined for the majority of the recording.

So, what of the songs themselves? Although there aren't many unifying strands on the album, with it encompassing so many styles and composers, something that does stand out is just how different the music really is. Back In The USSR is an ironic parody of a typical Beach Boys song, reflecting the band's creative rivalry with Brian Wilson, the mastermind behind The Beach Boys, with layered vocals, and delicious harmonies. Immediately after this though, just as you think that maybe the band have done something that makes sense, and finally made a complete album designed to counter The Beach Boys, along comes the piano led ballad Dear Prudence; a genuinely beautiful listen, and one that shows Lennon's voice at its crooning best. Glass Onion is another ironic look at the cult that had come to surround The Beatles, with lyrics such as "Here's another clue for you all, the walrus was Paul" seemingly designed to fuel the rumours that Paul McCartney had in fact died and had been replaced by an impostor. In a way that sums up this album-a band who were at the peak of their powers, but rather than fretting over how to show this, they were still able to go out and make an album that they could have fun with. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Daa stomp through an upbeat pop song, based around a very simple piano riff, before the first of the songs that typically attracts criticism from people who dislike this album as a result of the number of novelty songs on it. Wild Honey Pie, it's fair to say wouldn't have won any prizes for its merits as a song, as it features a strangely styled guitar line while the only lyrics until the last 2 seconds of the song are "Honey Pie". Although this is obviously a weak point of the album, it's still not an actively bad song to listen to, although the fact that it's a mere 52 seconds long helps with this.

The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill is, as its name suggests, a very odd song indeed, relating the embellished story of how a fellow guest on a Beatles meditation trip shot and killed a tiger. This features a large number of guest vocalists on the chorus, as well as Yoko Ono having a cameo line, although few people knew this at the time of the album's release. While My Guitar Gently Weeps is one of the band's most famous songs, as well as their most prominent Harrison composition, and also features British guitar legend Eric Clapton playing during the guitar solo. A very mournful song, it's somewhat out of place on the album as a whole.Happiness Is A Warm Gun also fully shows the band's creativity, somehow contriving to fit no less than 5 sections into less than 3 minutes of music, including woozy, psychedelic guitars, nonsensical lyrics, and a truly beautiful saxophone bridge, which adds a massive amount to the song. Martha My Dear is a comparatively average Beatles piano ballad, of the type that Paul McCartney was so good at composing, and serves more as a bridge between the two songs sandwiching it than as a great song in its own right. I'm So Tired is another song with musical ideas bubbling over, as well as being one of the funkiest songs recorded by The Beatles, again showing their huge musical diversity. Blackbird is another very beautiful song, with some very quiet, understated vocals, as well as the sound of blackbirds overdubbed onto the song, which combine to give it a very calm, soothing effect, which helps explain why it's another comparatively well known Beatles song.

Piggies, another Harrison composition, shows The Beatles's political influences, with the title referring to the pigs in the George Orwell book Animal Farm, making what at first sounds like a ridiculous song into something deeper and reflective. Revolution 1 is a similar song to this, although it's far more down tempo and reflective, as well as being allegedly inspired by Che Guevara. Rocky Racoon and Why Don't We Do It In The Road? can also broadly be classed together as songs, in that they're both novelty songs that have therefore attracted more than their fair share of criticism. Rocky Racoon serves as a parody of the famous style of Western films, telling the story of an armed (and indeed dangerous) racoon. Why Don't We Do It In The Road? features a very dirty McCartney vocal, almost screamed at times, over a simple instrumental backing, leaving a song that is stunning in its simplicity. The remaining three songs on Disc 1 aren't especially notable, with the exception of Don't Pass Me By being Ringo's only composition that made the album, giving it a significance for huge Beatles fans.

On Disc 2, Birthday is an immediately more upbeat, rocking song, which shows that when Ringo Starr needs to he can definitely power the band forward with a pounding rhythm on his snare drum under some near hysterical vocals from McCartney. Yer Blues, by contrast, is probably the most depressing song on the album, imitating the blues influenced bands that were prevalent during the 1960s. As a result of this, the song is very slow moving, also showing the sheer vocal versatility of John Lennon, which allows him to turn a song that could easily have gone wrong into a triumph, with dramatic pauses in mid-chorus. Mother Nature's Song is possibly the most forgettable song on the album, with, on one of the few occasions on the album that this happens, very little of interest. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey is another borderline novelty song, although in this case it's far more rocking than those which were present on Disc 1, lifting it above those which normally receive the most criticism on this album. Sexy Sadie is a surprisingly bitter song, which refers specifically to the hypocrisy of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who Lennon had lost faith in after regarding him as a guru, although the song's lyrics also refer to a hypocritical women, making the overall mood of the song very different from the beautiful piano and guitar arrangements.

IsItLuck?

02-15-2007, 11:01 PM

(part 2)

Then comes possibly the greatest, most important song The Beatles ever recorded. Helter Skelter, from its opening guitar riff which influenced metal, to Ringo's final scream of "I've got blisters on my fingers!" is a journey through mayhem, with McCartney's incredibly raw vocals coming over a crunching guitar part, before the song fades out only to crash back in again. The song inspired Charles Manson to go on an infamous killing spree in the USA, believing that it referred to a potential apocalypse. Regardless of this though, the song is quite extraordinary, sounding like the equivalent of an out of control car spiralling along the road set to music, and also categorically disproving anyone who says The Beatles were just a pop band. Long Long Long is very quiet, and therefore is somewhat lost after Helter Skelter, although it's a very underrated Harrison composition, which creates a wistful mood in the listener. As already said, Revolution 1 is a calm look at revolutionary politics, where Lennon sings about the need to "free your mind", and reflects the band's clear political consciousness. Honey Pie is another McCartney oddity, with a slow opening turning into a moving vocal set over a bouncy piano part while McCartney serenades a lover, before he experiments with the very upper end of his vocal range. This song is an example of a very underrated track on this album, which too frequently gets remembered for a handful of songs, rather than as an album of consistent quality.

Savoy Truffle is remarkable mainly for its use of a very dynamic brass section which is present almost to the point of overshadowing the rest of the band, and gives the song a completely different feel from a lot of the rest of the album, while losing none of its effectiveness. The section where the brass band seems to duel with Harrison's guitar lines is a particularly stand out section in what is a very good song. Cry Baby Cry is a Beatles version of a lullaby, which, true to form, means that everything is not as it might seem. Opening with an immediate Lennon vocal, it's a stream of consciousness sort of song, which builds and builds from a simple intro into an increasingly interesting piece of music, and one that serves as a beautifully dark song. Revolution 9 is one of the most famous songs on here, although it's also one of the most disliked. Ignoring ideas such as melody, lyrics, and indeed actual music as fans would have expected it, it's a collection of sounds that was basically put together by Lennon and Yoko Ono, and would serve as a very effective soundtrack to a nightmare, with screams, repeated lines, choirs, tapes played backwards, as well as indescribable white noise, sounding as if this was a band that had lost their mind. Famously divisive and avant-garde, this was a song that had no real precedent in the band's back catalogue, and was certainly never really followed up to. The final song, Good Night, is something of a weak end to the album, with what sounds like intentionally emotive music of the type found in film credits coming under cloying vocals with lines such as "Now the sun turns out its light, good night". The overall effect is one that leaves the listener thinking in surprise that the album has ended there, which no doubt is what The Beatles hoped to achieve with the last song of such a remarkable album.

Although this review is far longer than it would ideally be, it may surprise people who've never heard this album before that it would be easy to write far far more purely about the music found here. However, that's simply the case; this album is so remarkable, and so diverse, that writing about it could take pages and pages. Containing a hugely disparate range of genres, as well as some that The Beatles pretty much invented here, it's the kind of album that most bands could only dream of producing, especially given the friction within the band. Although not a perfect album, due to the fact that some of the novelty songs do grate after a while (it's hard not to agree with people who say that a few songs could be cut and nobody would really notice), it's nevertheless underrated by some, who claim that it could have been cut down to the length of other albums recorded by The Beatles. The wonder of this album lies in the fact that over 90 minutes of music the band never ceases to surprise and confuse the listener, something which few bands could really hope to achieve, and even fewer to have the confidence to accomplish.

Recommended Downloads
Helter Skelter
Sexy Sadie
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Birthday
I'm So Tired

morrissey

02-16-2007, 02:23 AM

merci merci

Neoteric

02-16-2007, 10:38 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=514084&page=6

The ones I posted still haven't been done.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:25 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1332
very poor review…

This is the second album by reel big fish. I believe it came out in 1998. These guys kick ***, if you get a chance to see them live its definitely worth it.

I'm gonna review each song and then review the entire album.

Somebody hates me
this is a very good song to start the album. starts with some nice guitar licks by Aaron, followed by a ska guitar part. probably the catchiest horn line on the album comes in next. the verse is ska chords witho any snare drum beat. the drums come in on the chorus intro with a guitar lick. The chorus is pretty catchy, with overdrive power chords. The lyrics are about random hate and don’t make much sense at all. that (in my opinion) is a good thing. 8.5-10

Brand new song
another solid ska song with funny lyrics (I’ve got a brand new girlfriend/ she is so lovely, lovely/ I got a new ex girlfriend/ she is so fat and ugly). intro is a pretty simple guitar line followed by some ska guitar with a horn line. bouncy ska verse followed by a bouncier overdrive sing along chorus with more horn parts. overall a pretty good but not super great song 8-10

She's famous now
One of their best songs ever in my opinion. lyrics are about a guy's ex girlfriend becoming another fake pop star (well she's like me/ just not as ugly). intro is a nice chicken pickin' guitar line followed by a ska part with horns. the verse switches from ska guitar to overdrive several times nicely and is very catchy. the chorus intro is more ska guitar, followed by an overdrive chorus with nice horn parts. the bridge is a pretty simple but still good guitar solo with power chords. overall a great song...catchy but not so much that it rubs off on you in a bad way 10-10

You dont know
This song is just flat out hilarious. it starts with Aaron suddenly exclaiming "holy ****, were on!" followed by a power chord line and a ska part. the verse is ska guitar work with a overdrive string bending riff for the chorus. the lyrics are what really make this song worth listening too: "first of all/ i'd like to say **** off/ **** off (casually)/**** off, **** OFF!/ if you don’t get it/ why don’t you go shove your head back/ up your *** and don’t/ waste my time/ I don’t need your opinion/ no no/ uh uh uh/ cause you don’t know what its like/ you don’t know what its like/ you don’t know what its like to be like me/ you don’t know so keep your mouth shut" amen 8-10

The set up (you need this)
This was a single and is very good at first but can get old eventually. starts with a fast guitar riff followed by another one with horns. the verse is power chords. the chorus is almost pop with the high singing parts and the tamed down guitar sound. i used to really like this song but I’ve kinda gotten a little bit tired of the chorus 8.5-10

Thank you for not moshing
maybe thier best pure ska song on the album. comes in with an overdrive version of the chorus followed by slower ska guitar work for the verse. the chorus is fast ska with a great horn line. the lyrics are great once again, this time about beating people up at concerts: "when im in the pit/ im gonna punch and kick/ when I’m in the pit don’t ya knowith im gonna **** up ****, ya!" 9-10

I’m cool
this song really grew on me. its got a bit of a reggae feel to it, which is a nice change up. comes in with a reggae-ish guitar line. the chorus is great with Aaron and Scott’s great melodies on the "yeah yeah yeahs." song builds up to a climax with the horns coming in during the bridge and at the end. overall a refreshing change up. 9-10

I want your girlfriend to be my girlfriend too
this song is ok but there’s nothing really great about it. ska intro with horns. ska verse. power chord chorus. Similar to the first three songs on the album but just not as good. there’s one nice part in the bridge where power chords, horn lines and a fast beat come in nicely but other then that this is nothing to write home about 7-10

Everything is cool
this one is weird but good. comes in with fast ska guitar. chaotic horn parts are added to that. the verse is almost metalish with dark sound voices (they had too much fun with the voice changers). right when the music comes to a chaotic peak it all of a sudden cuts down to a ska part with bouncy horn parts and Aaron singing "everything is cool/ how are things with you?/ everything is cool/i wish you were DEAD!" that is when a nice overdrive guitar part comes in. weird song but pretty good overall 8-10

Song #3
I just don’t like this song. its ska guitar work with half rapping/ half singing. being the rap hating person I am, once I heard the first minute of this one I skipped it. 4.5-10

Scott’s a dork
They redeem themselves quickly after song #3 with the crowd favorite Scott’s a dork. Ska work with horns for the intro followed by a ska verse and chorus intro. the chorus is power chords with Aaron singing "Scott’s a do-o-o-or-r-rk!". the bridge is chicken pickin' with Scott in the background singing "dork dork dork dork dork dork dork dork dork." other then the chorus the lyrics have absolutely nothing to do with Scott being a dork. overall a very goofy but pretty good song 9-10

Big star
This is a little bit of a change-up from their normal stuff. it starts with a acoustic guitar strumming for about two minutes with just Aaron singing. Includes these classic lyrics "I’m such an *******/ how could you resist?/ I never meant to let it go to my head I/ never thought it would come to this/ its me/ the ******* of your dreams" then the overdrive guitar comes in and it turns into a pure rock song with Aaron shouting at the top of his lungs "I’m a big/ ****ing star o ya!" pretty good song 8.5-10

The kids don’t like it
This song is kinda like I want your girlfriend to be my girlfriend too in that it never really came across as anything special. Don’t really like the intro part. The verse is ska and just ok. The chorus is alright with catchy power chords. But overall nothing to write home about 7-10

Down in flames
Classic RBF! I love this song. catchy power chords with horn lines. a nice guitar. Riff to open it up. catchy ska chorus. this song has it all. sounds a bit like less than Jake, which is a good thing. Nice reggae-ish riff on the bridge. nice melody on the ending. Overall great song 10-10

We care
This song is ok but not great. The verse kinda drags along at a much too slow pace. the tempo is picked up though on a good chorus which features chicken pickin' with horn lines. the song is basically the band thanking their fans for putting up with the all the random **** they do...doesn’t really fit with the rest of the album b/c the lyrics are actually serious. Still a decent song though 7.5-10

Victory over Peter Bones
This song really doesn’t fit in. It’s the kind of mellow tune you'd associate with a fancy restaurant surrounded by bouncy, much more interesting ska songs. 5-10

Untitled
This is 11 minutes of random **** they improvised. Definitely more for humor then for musical quality. I wont wreck the surprise jokes for anyone who hasn’t heard this yet but it has some really funny stuff 10-10 for making me crack up.

Ok that’s it! overall I’d give this album 9-10. it is a nice break from the ANGST driven bands that are more well known. Reel big fish are basically about saying **** that and having fun and that’s why I like them. if you like that attitude then definitely buy this album.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:27 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1334
album missing, add rating 5/5, delete first comment

[Description / History]

Spock's Beard is easily one of the best Progressive Rock Bands of the current era of music. Starting their career in 1994, they instantly made a mark on listeners, being extremely unique, reviving a small Progressive Rock genre.

Around 2002 Neal Morse, the lead singer and mastermind of Spock's Beard quit the band to pursue music about God, and Religious themes. This is when Before drummer, NDV took up the position of Lead Singer and Drummer. In 2003 they Released "Feel Euphoria" Which was not Amazing, but a very good taste of things to come in the new age of Spock's Beard.

Any fan of Prog Rock / Metal will be able to enjoy Spock's Beard (my Favorite bands being Dream Theater and Opeth). Although Their sound is very unique and unlike anything else in the genre.

[A Flash Before My Eyes]

The opening instrumental passage of "Ballet of the impact" is amazing, and downright groovy.
At about 30 seconds in, this trippy sound makes its appearance, of which reminds me of an alien spacecraft zooming past, then it is replaced with when the guitar comes in harder for a melodic solo.

Once again that trippy sound effect appears over the harder driven guitar, Spiraling around the heaviness of the music. Suddenly it narrows down.

Its quiet.. Piano takes over with slight mellotron sounds following the lead of the piano. The sound of brass then follows the piano, until the drums kick in. Bass, and Mellotron back... It's beautiful.

"The windshield explodes
Like a Bomb packed with diamonds
There’s a deafening silence
Times floats to a crawl"

My mind began to drift away, and tears began to form as the beauty continued.

"So this is how it goes...
So this is how it ends...
A Flatbed runs a red light
No time to comprehend"

I am captured by its beauty. The music is moving me, in whichever direction it goes. It has grabbed my attention, and after it grabs you.. It will not want to let go until the disc is finished.
The song ends with a spiral of sound effects.. into a woman’s voice... The intro is over. The first taste of the new beard has graced my ears... It was beautiful and moving...

The next track "I wouldn’t let it go" starts with acoustic guitar, and some organ backing it up, It is oddly reminiscent of The Beatles mixed with some Pink Floyd. The chorus just drifts and doesn’t change the mood at all, you are just able to drift to this mood.

It's near perfect. It's wonderful; the sonic textures seem near endless by the middle of the track, yet they fit together as one piece so brilliantly. Organ ends throughout the last minute of the song... into beautiful lo-fi staticy toy piano like sound.

"Surfing down the avalanche" starts out with a booming bass track, giving a sample of the heavy grooviness that lays ahead. This song I feel as the least strong feeling of any of the tracks on the CD at first, but after a minute or so, I really began to dig it, and therefore after a few more listens I dug all of it.

There’s a groovy riff in the middle, which reminds me of Black Sabbath, or early 70's "Metal". Nick's voice sounds desperate and screaming. Everything suddenly cuts. Nick begins to whisper to the bass and tribal style drum track. Suddenly it picks up again and ends on a thunderous note.

"She is everything" opens out with a female voice drifting into a piano track. The mellotron track floats by, drifting in and out between the other instruments in beauty... as angelic voices back up the lead guitar.

After 2 minutes of instrumental beauty, Nick's voice enters sounding sad, quiet, and desperate…Desperately in love.

"She is everything
The sacred the pure
The fix, the addiction
The vision the cure"

You can truly feel the singers love, and desperation about his love. Your mind begins to wander thinking of your love.. or loves that have past. You connect to the singers desperation... His love.

3:30 seconds or so, the chorus is displayed again, and the instruments get even more wonderful with what seems to be a jazz inspired background. A melodic solo, soars ahead of the other instruments with endless beauty and passion. I can imagine, the love he is feeling every time the strings are being bent in the solo. it sounds desperate, caring, wonderful, beautiful, everything needed to make a great solo. The song ends after one more wonderful chorus. Beautiful.

The poppy "Climbing up that hill" begins with folky acoustic guitar, and then nicks vocals enter, seeming irritated. The bass track seems to be walking all over the place, wonderful and booming. The chorus, which is endlessly catchy and insightful kicks in.

"Dancing through the landmines
Right down to the wire
Walking through the fire
But where climbing up that hill
Breaking for the blue sky
Someday we will find our real life
On the other side"

You can imagine the couple, going through the struggles of life at this point, its truthful and is splashed with a balance of hope and happiness with the struggle and despair. Excellent synth using the layer the background leads into another soaring guitar solo, leading into another catchy chorus as the guitar continues to solo. The excellent melodic ends and drifts into the instrumental track.

Beautiful mellotron use is apparent as soon as the song opens... It seems to be a symphony of mellotron.. floating around drifting around your body. Realizing the story, and beautiful of the music so far.. You realize how beautiful it all really is by the middle of the track.. My eyes began to water again.. The beauty was near unmatched to anything my ears have heard before. Angelic sounds begin to end the song...sending chills and goose bumps, into chiming bells... which end the beautiful short instrumental piece…

"Of the beauty of it all" starts off with heart wrenching lyric and vocals..

"I'm drifting on the water
Far out from the land
Moving through my memories
As I try to understand
If I wake tomorrow wiser
Or its time to shed my skin
and let go of a lifetime
that I can't have back again"

Nick's greatest emotional vocal performance in on display, and the sound drifting in the background ambiently shows sorrow, sadness and compassion for the final time on the record.. I began to cry. I am on this journey with him... I feel it with him

"All the love we leave behind
All the work we leave undone
All the words we leave unspoken
All the things we wont become
But theres little I would change
In the life that I have recalled
If I could paint a picture
Of the beauty of it all"

I know exactly what he is talking about, in the beauty of the lyrics and of the tone of his voice.. I float away... after the lyric "Of the beauty of it all".. Ryo uses this trippy aryreon like synth sound, to spiral upwards, as if it was representing his soul drifting onward towards heaven

The angelic voices lead into a heavy solo with brass backing it up. It's beautiful, powerful and strong. A bold feeling overcomes you. A bold statement of understand and confusion at the same time. This must be his journey I thought. It's chaotic and beautiful at the same time. It slows down, to Mellotron and Organ... crunching over the mix; then slowing down into a orchestral and mellotron symphony of sheer beauty.

The music continues to take you away somewhere else with its seemingly endless beautiful orchestration... it drifts away... like a stone falling down deep into the ocean. drifting.. It's gone. He's gone. It's over... The greatest achievement in Spock's beard history is over. It's beauty never to be forgotten.

[NWC]

After the beautiful epic ends, NWC begins to drift in out of silence, into ambient chirping and wildlife noises, drifting in with a sound of what feels like a warm aura lead the way into the piece. Suddenly the drums and bass burst into a groovy Mellotron lead song. It's picks up and changes tempo and feelings over and over again.

The guitar part is beautiful and Ryo follows the soaring lead with wonderful synth. I can almost feel an asian influence in the music, it's rather beautiful and kick *** all at the same time. A solo blurts out and spirals down into a groovtacular Robotic distortion drifting speaker to speaker. Nick begins to drum away a little bit. Suddenly it is cut off into a tribal themed piece. Guitar leading as a soaring guide, as if it were flying above a rainforest. Kicks back into gear to the earlier mentioned asian influence. Stunning piece of work.

[There Was A Time]

Acoustic beauty opens "There was a Time" The bass drum then begins to follow a simple 1/4 beat. The song sounds like something right out of a late 60's ballad style piece, in the style of say…the moody blues. Then it breaks out of this, and begins to rock out.

The vocals are beautiful, and the guitar crunching yet melodic. The chorus is absolutely catchy greatness:

"Now I wonder if I ever
Cross her mind
ohh, There was a time"

You can feel his message, you're able to connect to it as well, and just as your begging to drift away with nick... Al presents an awesome soaring solo, which turns into an amazing solo by Ryu, then the guitar and keyboard follow each other until they end when Nick begins to sing again. Beautiful, rocking ballad.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:28 PM

[The Planet's Hum]

Time to dive into total weirdness. A groovy but off beat Bass line starts off, into a keyboard following it. about 1:00 in, the song begins to totally rock out, oozing with flashbacks of the mid Neal days (day for night). The vocals kick in, Seemingly using a Vocoder distortion of the vocals, they are high-pitched and very very odd sounding. Vocal choruses seem to drift back and forth, until once again the lead vocals under vocoder are present.

Then the clean vocals kick in to a funky grooving guitar riff, only to be interrupted by the chorusy Vocoder layered chorus. The song just pours with so much funk, groove, and totally weird sounding instrumental and use of vocoder. I wonder what is this Planet's Hum they hear sounds like.. I am sure it must sound something like this and if so, it's beautiful. the songs endless with a melodic little guitar piece.

[Watching the Tide]

This song opens and is carried by Piano. Nick's vocals are very high pitched here, reminding me of "Carey" off of the Snow Record.

"Watching the tide roll in again
Right now the Ocean's my true friend"

I can imagine, sitting on the beach at night, alone. Waiting for my love, my partner. The song is slow, and beautiful, about halfway through it begins to pick up a bit, but then is dissolved into slowness once again.

The song is stripped down, unlike the rest of the record where its layered so tastefully. All of the sudden, in the end, there’s a wonderful orchestra ional background with keyboard soaring through the chorus.

"And I wait for her answer"

Leads into a spiraling strings...Full of emotion and power. Slowly fades into an end... beautiful

[As long AS We Ride]

"Let's get this engine started
Packup the trunk with all that we own"

Time for a road trip. Bongo drumming, groovy guitar and vocal melody. Until it kicks in with bass for the chorus.

"As long as we ride
Reading the road"

The priceless point of this song is when Nick gives a high pitched "Wooo..Hooo!" The song flows with rocking energy of a 70's classic tune, but is then backed up with a trippy "water flowing" like synth sound, floating, rippling along perfectly to the rest of the track.

The chorus kicks in again, bobbing my head, rocking out... It's truly *** kickingly good. Then suddenly its cuts off to a groovy guitar part where the vocals are following it "Do do do do do, Do do do do Ah do doo Ah do doo", Unexpected and totally awesome.

As usual an awesome solo slashes in backed up by organ. The song begins to drift weirdly, with a backwards spoken word track, unable to make out what its saying. Suddenly it kicks back into the normal song.

"We'll all be doing fine...
As long as we.. As long as we ride!"

The song continues to rock out with a view added sound effects towards the end. Even some awesome Cowbell provided by Nick! The song slowly fades down.

[Final Words]

Well, it's over. The journey is over…
The new Beard album is nothing short of stunning, and amazing. Simply one of the best album to come out in 2004.. And possibly, the best Spock Beard disc ever.

Thank God, Beard still knows how to write amazing music.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:29 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1335

This is the debut album from Australia’s Black Majesty. Fast-paced throughout, this band practically reeks of talent. There are many guest musicians and singers (I won’t list them all here) and the band has no official bassist on the album.

Fall of the Reich - This is a speedy song about racism. The vocals stand out very nicely and the chorus is dead on. It sets a good precedent for the rest of the album. There are some cool spoken word samples inserted at the beginning and end of the song. The solo at the end is beautiful. 4/5

Legacy - Another fast song in a similar vein as Reich, legacy offers another wicked chorus. Not a lot of variation in tempo, but the song is so **** good, you won’t care. 4/5

Guardian - The first song on the album to feature distinctive keyboards. The intro is pretty nice; there is some nice guitar work. Again, a fast song and again the chorus kick ***. 4.5/5

Sands of Time - This song starts out with a nice slow intro before picking up the pace into yet another high tempo song. There is some nice double bass drumming here providing an excellent rhythm for an excellent song. Excellent vocals and guitar work as always. 4/5

Destination - A short little instrumental. Not really necessary, but it adds to the overall album. It sounds similar to the others only without the singing. 3.5/10

Journey’s End - A bit slower than the others, this is by no means a slow song. It still moves along briskly. Yet another good song. 4/5

Colliding Worlds - One of the two best songs on SoT! This is easily my favourite song here. ‘Perfect" is the only word to describe this song. Perfect vocals. Perfect guitars. Prefect bass. Perfect drums. Perfect keyboards. Simply amazing. I wish it was a bit longer, but it is awesome as it is. 5/5

No Sanctuary - Wicked keyboard intro here; very orchestral sounding. Slow vocals over fast music in the beginning, very cool sounding. I absolutely love the chorus. 4.5/5

Beyond Reality - The other of the best tracks on the album (and my second favourite song). Starts off with a very nice mid-paced riff, and has more beautiful vocals. Similar to the other tracks here, except it just stands out way more. Clocking in at just over 8 minutes, this is the most epic song on SoT. 5/5

Lady of the Lake - Easily the worst track on SoT; this is Black Majesty’s attempt at writing a ballad. The lyrics are very cheesy and the vocals just don’t do anything for me. That being said, the music is beautiful; there is some very nice piano work here and the music feels very emotional and epic. It really sucks that they just couldn’t pull this song off, as it has so much potential. 2/5

Overall Rating:
Another welcomed addition to the power metal genre. They lyrics border on being cheesy, but, for the most part, avoid it. These guys are very talented songwriters and have a very keen sense of melody. It’s just a shame that they couldn’t do a better job with Lady of the Lake. Overall: 5/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:29 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1336

To the pedestrian listener, rap music can be difficult to follow. And why not? Take a typical rap song. In the forefront you’ve got a bunch of guys shouting rhymes that seem to be made up of random words. Even worse, it’s all in what seem to be secret “street code," and the words are said too fast to be individually audible anyway. On top of all that, the producer took this unintelligible burst of profanity, and superimposed it over a beat that’s so loud the bass is distorted; forget deriving any message from it. To people outside the rap circle, it probably just sounds like a big mass of words and bass.

Enter Latyrx (pronounced “la-teer-iks"), the only group to unabashedly manifest that idea in a song, with fantastic results. The track that opens Latyrx’s The Album is titled ‘Latyrx." This tune features both Lyrics Born and Lateef the Truth Speaker, the two fantastic MCs that make up the group, rapping completely independent rhymes at the same time. Slapped over a slow-boiling DJ Shadow beat, this double rhyme is confusion at its finest. Even when I focus on one rhymer, I find the existence of the other flow to be enough to throw me off, and it’s incredibly intriguing. The placement of the words and music is absolutely flawless. Shadow’s beat is about as mesmerizing as you’ll find in rap, full of mystical samples that swell beneath the winding wordplay. After the first unison verse, there’s a sputtering cut-up of some Lateef lyrics, and then Lyrics Born delivers a strange verse all by his lonesome. He puts on this incredibly straight voice, and his verse sounds robotic but also flowing in its delivery. Lateef takes a verse of his own, and so ends one of my very favorite rap songs of all time.

But let’s back way up and define what exactly we’re talking about before we go on and describe the rest of it musically. Lateef The Truth Speaker (Lateef Daumont) and Lyrics Born (Tom Shimura) met in the early 1990s in Davis, California. Back then, several like-minded radio-DJs working for KDVS, the radio station out of University of California-Davis, got together and formed their own crew, The SoleSides. Among these innovative proponents of hip-hop lifestyle were Lateef and Lyrics Born (then known as Asia Born).

Back in 1993, before Blackalicious were Blackalicious, and when ‘Endtroducing" was just a twinkle in DJ Shadow’s eye, Asia Born released the first single from the SoleSides collective, entitled “Send Them." This seminal release set the stage for great things from Mr. Shimura, and planted the first seed for the crew’s reputation to blossom. Of course, the best was still to come.

1996 is a big year in the history of alternative rap music. Two of the biggest producers in modern rap today released breakthrough efforts, Dan the Automator lent his services to Kool Keith on Dr. Octagon, and DJ Shadow dropped Endtroducing. One more big hip-hop event happened in this big year when the re-named Lyrics Born teamed up with friend Lateef (who had also recorded some solo material) to mix their personalities and their names into the ultimate hip-hop alloy. Latyrx was born.

The duo spent a year performing and recording. In 1997, The Album was finally released, much to the delight of fans of 1996’s eponymous release, which at that point was B-Side to a solo Lateef single. Unfortunately, such fans were few and far-between, as this so-called “SoleSides" crew hardly had a reputation at the time. It also didn’t help that distribution was incredibly poor. The album seemed to constantly be out of print. Those able to obtain a copy were certainly satisfied though, and today we can look back on it with a more informed state of mind. With the success of Blackalicious and DJ Shadow in recent years, it’s not hard for fans of rap music to find their way to this classic recording.

This album is something of a mixed bag. After the incredibly unique opener, the album only lets up a tiny bit on innovation, and it maintains its very unique character. Seven of the tracks here were produced by rapper Lyrics Born (a self-proclaimed “half producer"), and DJ Shadow turns in three more contributions throughout the album, and a Chief Xcel beat propels two standout tracks. There is an old (‘94) live track recorded at that now famous radio station, and there is even a track that is nothing but freestyle rhyming. The songs mostly alternate between Lyrics Born tunes and Lateef tunes, but there are also a few where each contributes a verse. Needless to say, a lot of different sounds are covered in the albums 47 minute running time.

This album is incredibly strong all the way through, but there are some obvious highlights. The first highlight after the opener is “Say That," a Lyrics Born production which happens to be the second track. Its glitchy electronics on top of funky drums and bass create a wild backdrop for these egocentric lyrics. The lyrics are relatively low in the mix, which I really like. This is basically the way it works for the album, it’s almost as if the lyrics are secondary to the overall flow of the track. Lateef takes the first verse, and Lyrics Born follows. You get a good idea of the two MCs’ styles with this track, since it was sort of ambiguous the fist tune. They both have very unique styles. Lyrics Born uses his scratchy voice to sort of half-sing/half-rap, adding a melodic touch that is really fresh. Lateef also partakes in some melodic flows, but he’s generally got a harder edge and a more conventionaly delivery. Both of the MCs are forces to be reckoned with at the mic, possessing impressive skill at both writing lyrics and flows and freestyling. The song fades out with those familiar beeps and blips.

”Balcony Beach," the next highlight on the album, is most interesting for its use of Joyo Velarde’s voice. This woman, who would later marry Lyrics Born, has a silky alto that goes really well with this cool rap ballad. LB’s verses are subdued and introspective, and his beat is sparse but effective. This track, which seems to musically represent the images of water that can be found in the CD’s booklet, is a nice change up after the intense weirdness of the first track, and the pyrotechnics of the two immediately preceding it.

By throwing together a Lyrics Born rhyme and a Lateef one, Latyrx created one of the catchiest tunes on the whole album. “The Muzapper's Mix: Aim for the Flickering Flame/Rankin' No. 1" is a rap medley featuring two of the best choruses on the album, and a danceable beat filled with cymbal crashes and fuzzy bass. The rapid-fire lyricism and irresistible flows make this a true highlight.

The next track, another highlight, is “Bad News". It starts with some jazzy piano that continues as Lateef comes in to spit rhymes. It’s an amazingly good beat from Chief Xcel of Blackalicious fame. Lateef’s verses explain dangers of rumors and generally “talking ****." The beat is just so incredibly good.

The next highlight on the album is “Burnt Pride," which comes after a half-minute burst-of-funk interlude. It’s dynamic, and Lyrics Born’s gruff vocals are exposed by the bumping beat that drops out suddenly here and there. This almost 7 minute long rap epic is a real chance for LB to stretch out over his dirty drums, bass, organ, and guitar. The last minute or so are devoted to groove, and there’s even some scratching. A street-funk treat.

The final track is very appropriately titled. “Burning Hot in Cali on a Saturday Night" certainly does burn. Featuring a guitar-heavy funk groove from Chief Xcel that has that distinct Blackalicious sound, and verses from Lateef, Lyrics Born, and guest Gift of Gab (Xcel’s partner in Blackalicious crime), this is a fantastic way to end the album. All three verse sounds complete and well developed, even though they have to cram a lot into a relatively short span. This song basically sums up the astounding skills of the two MCs that make up Latyrx, and it also shows how much promise the Blackalicious duo had even in ‘96.

As I said, all of the songs here are high quality. Even though I excluded seven of the tracks, they’re all worth hearing. The album should be heard in its entirety. Of course, if you’re looking to download key tracks just to see if you like it, the ones I reviewed are your best bets.

I think this is a fantastic rap album, and a true classic. By mixing their distinct personalities, Lyrics Born and Lateef The Truth Speaker were able to define the SoleSides sound and create some of the most forward-thinking rap music of the 1990s.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:30 PM

album missing, add rating 4/5

Novembre is from Rome. They can be compared most closely to Opeth. Unfortunately, that is far from a perfect comparison. Where Opeth is mostly metal with softer clean breaks, Novembre is closer to the other way around. Instead of death vocals with clean vocals added in, it’s clean vocals with death growls added in. There is a ton of melody and interesting melody at that. I suppose as far as a genre label can go it would be progressive metal (not prog) with a touch of death. I suppose I should give my explanation of progressive vs. prog. I have come to see prog as bands like Dream Theater that seem to show that incredible musicianship is all you need to be prog, rather than being groundbreaking while I see progressive as being a band like OSI that does something new (maybe I shouldn’t have chosen two bands that share members). They actually toured with both Opeth and Katatonia. Novembrine Waltz was their fourth full length released. They also released a split with Borknagar.

Distances begins with a catchy guitar riff that does a cool progression with it. There is double bass and low grumbled vocals that are like very soft growls. Then growls. He has a very good voice for this. Hearing him sing is even better though. His singing voice is a tiny bit nasal but forgiven because the mix covers it well. I thought this band was French when I hear this song. There is an accordion bit like French cafe music. Italian, French, same thing. Anyway, it’s cool. There is also a good solo. This song is very well done. It has a bit of everything and is easy to listen to. Very well written. The fade-out is the worst part. Everasia begins with a slow simple guitar and clean vocals. There are simple drums and simple bass. Easy listening almost. The song picks up a bit and has a very positive feel. It is a pretty simple song but has lots of good parts. The drummer shines in this song. He has some really good parts. Nothing too flashy but stuff that you hear and you think are good parts instantly. The harsh vocals on with this band are really very, very well done. It’s not as clear what he is saying as it is with Mikael Kerfeldt but they have this great tone to them. They also don’t drown out the music. They’re mixed right in. The song is another goodie.

Come Pierrot begins with a very cool guitar pattern. Clean vocals join then the song does what I suppose would be exploding but because this album is not that heavy, it’s more of a distorted interlude. The song gets heaviest near the end where the harsh vocals come in and the drums pick up the pace quite a bit. The vocals may be my favorite part of all this. Easy to listen to especially for harsh vocals. The song writing is very good. It’s just all so easy to hear. I said in my genre description “touch of death" because that’s really all there is. It never gets as heavy as most standard death bands play regularly but you can hear the influence and the alternative to death metal they made.

Child of the Twilight would be a ballad I suppose because it does a very defined build through the song. It is good but not my favorite by any means. Another catchy song. I like how this band is able to write such catchy parts without them sounding boring or clichéd. It is a definite skill. Rivers Cuomo of Weezer would be jealous because that skill would definitely help when it comes to writing the perfect pop song.

I have listened to track five a solid 6 times. I tried to convince myself it wasn’t as bad as I though. I was wrong. Cloudbursting is my least favorite song. It’s a Kate Bush cover and I can’t stand that type of cheesy music in the first place. I hate this song actually. I am not a fan of music from the 80’s as a general rule. It just all sounds cheesy and lame to me. That is how this song sounds and it is no exception except that it was on an album made in 2001. I don’t know why Novembre thought this was a good idea. The synth strings make it even worse.

Thank god that song is over. I would recommend getting very good with the skip button if you plan on listening to this album very often. Flower has a great start and more of those catchy guitars. The drums are again, really great in this song. The vocals become sort of an instrument when used clean and an atmospheric device when growled. The double vocals, clean and growled, sound great in this song. This song is mediocre but seems great after Cloudbursting. Valentine has vocals but no words except in one spot that is short and there are words over an acoustic guitar . The voices really are used as instruments here. They sound really good and this song is a very good one. It has a solo but this band is not aimed at writing killer shredding solos. They’re goal is to make everything sound right and this solo is just that. I really like this song. It has great parts and is written perfectly.

Venezia Dismal has a great sound to it. Strings and a catchy guitar joined by vocals that have a very cool melody. The worst part of the song is the sound of synth strings doing a solo build up into a great guitar part. I am often a fan of synths and synth strings but these ones just sound so fake it’s no good anymore. Conservatory Resonance begins with a very nice guitar bass drums trio that is pretty mellow. They are joined by harsh vocals that somehow fit in perfectly. The bass sounds really good in this song, I must say.

Overall this album is a series of great songs followed by great songs. It’s just that that stupid Kate Bush song ruins the middle of the album. I would still tell people to buy this album though.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:31 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1341

A committed staple of all of Quentin Tarantino’s films, the eclectic yet decidedly appropriate soundtrack. Like any self respecting crate-digger, Tarantino looks at pop music with a hungry eye, willing to approach ubiquitous chart hits as fervently as cult-hits and obscurities. After all, the world of music is a big place and it’s all pretty fun when you get down to it. And if you say yes to Neu!, then why not Dick Dale or Johnny Cash or Al Green or... Harry Nilsson?

Take a look at Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You", as applied to the most memorable moment of Tarantino’s 90's cult classic Reservoir Dogs. Chopping off someone’s ear to the sounds of the super seventies, you know. As if that pairing wasn’t likely, Harry Nilsson’s idiosyncratic 70's pop hit, “Coconut" is called on to close the merciless movie in a humorous, almost nonchalant fashion. Perhaps a fitting way to introduce Nilsson to newer generations. Harry Nilsson created a niche for himself within the pop music spectrum in the late 60's and 70's through his diffuse, wry song writing and his wonderfully ranged voice. More rockier than Randy Newman and less so but comparable to the Beatles, Nilsson’s pop career began first as a writer for others, eventually maturing himself into the main feature. Between an album of Newman covers, befriending John Lennon and a tragic career cut short, Nilsson netted a few hits, his biggest, a cover of “Without You," one song off his most popular release, Nilsson Schmilsson.

As noted, Nilsson’s work is informed by Beatlesque pop, closely relatable to the skills and mannerisms of McCartney. Nilsson’s firm grasp on melody and accessibility as well as the ability to make damn catchy tunes is the most defining characteristic of his catalog. On Nilsson Schmilsson, he makes this most apparent on the albums two opening tracks, “Gotta Get Up" and “Driving Along". The peppy attack of “Gotta Get Up" glows with effervescence, the lilting piano fights off horns and a well placed accordion. “Driving Along" manages the same pop mystique, following the slightly oppressed lyricism of “Gotta Get Up" with an equally cynical set of its own. “They seem to go farther/They seem to go nowhere," Nilsson recants, yet sounds as though he’s glad that “The people seem to have nothing to say to each other". Nilsson’s fantastic upper-register vocals make their first appearance of the album on “Driving Along" as well, noting the exact range that he was capable of before he ruptured his vocal chords.

The power of these vocals are what makes “Without You" such a success. A wistful love ballad originally by Badfinger, Nilsson takes the song to melodramatic heights. Each verse is very understated and quiet and because of this, Nilsson’s booming, almost theatrical chorus stands out all the more. The song is of a very classy, baroque pop ballad nature, full of grand orchestral sweeps and is almost as dramatic as Nilsson as he builds his desperate plea. It’s easy to see why the song was such a hit but the song is not very evocative of Nilsson’s own song writing style as a whole, even when compared to love lorn songs of his own like the melancholy album closer, “I’ll Never Leave You." While still hold strong to the traits of baroque pop, Nilsson’s own style is slightly less melodramatic and some parts sounding almost child-like amidst the swelling strings and the longing ode.

This sly, child-like presence looms large on my personal favorite track, “The Moonbeam Song". An acoustic guitar lulls about with a sort of country-ish strum accented only by an equally sleepy bass as Harry asks, “Have you ever watched a moonbeam/As it slid across your window pane?" and continues to floats about aimlessly in a stream of observations of said moonbeam. If you were ever looking for the perfect song to sit under a star-filled sky on some warm and lazy night, “The Moonbeam Song" is probably it. “Coconut" captures some of the same drifting daze and takes the bizarre humor a bit further. I think I could be driven quite mad if I was forced to listen to “Coconut" on repeat for too long. It’s one of those songs that is intriguing at first take but could probably run thin if overplayed. Simply designed with fumbling, tropical fingerpicking and flopping bass licks, the most memorable feature of “Coconut" is Nilsson’s spastic delivery, which actually probably the most interesting use of his vocal range. He squeals, whinnies, droops and plops about, finally fading on a frantic ending as everything coincides with far too much Pi’a Colada.

Making the pop-rock hat trick, Nilsson pulls out a couple of rockers as well, the most notable being the raucous “Jump Into the Fire," seven minutes of percussion-driven rock that could give a lot of Kraut-rock bands a run for their money. Hell, it’s got a guitar solo and a frenzied drum solo. Seemingly out of place on an album full of three minute pop vignettes, “Jump Into the Fire" does stand out but in a good way. The earthy rock is not only executed well, it’s also a useful diversion from the airy balladry of other tracks.

It’s hard to pin down Harry Nilsson for long enough to get an exact and steady pulse on his brand of pop. Newman, McCartney, Wilson and Bacharach are all close reference points but not quite precise. Like Tarantino’s soundtracks, Nilsson ran around the amalgamated world of pop music making minimalist covers of R&B standards, bombastically baroque pop tunes, and bittersweet ballads. I bet it would have been interesting to gauge the reactions of those who bought Nilsson Schmilsson based on “Without You," a song that does not allude to the various shades of disheveled quirkiness that the album cover suggests. That’s not to say what Nilsson provides on the album is truly enigmatic, inaccessible nor some unique beast, though. It’s just that it’s inimitably Nilsson, for the betterment pop lovers.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1342

It’s always hard to write about the career of The Beatles without lapsing into clichéd superlatives. After all, it would be a genuine challenge to find someone in the western world over the age of 13 that had not at least heard of The Beatles, or a song by them, so great is the back catalogue of the band, as well as their effect on contemporary music. Listening to this album, although you get a sense of the energy and vitality that was such a key part of the band, something else that immediately stands out is the fact that it doesn’t really bear much resemblance to their later albums, due to the fact that it can only really be described as a pure pop album, steering well away from the more complex, ambitious music that characterised their later career.

However, the band was also something clearly out of the ordinary, even at this early stage. This was one the first albums recorded by an artist that was not already a massive success, where the artist was given the freedom to decide what songs would go on the album, with other bands recording their debut album generally putting the “big single" on it, along with other filler songs. Here, 4 songs on the album had been released as 2 double sided singles (Love Me Do, PS I Love You, Please Please Me and Ask Me Why), although none of these had been great successes, meaning that George Martin, the band’s producer, must take a lot of credit for his willingness to take the risk on the band. The fact that 10 of the 14 songs here were recorded in 15 hours, in addition to no less than 6 of the songs being covers clearly indicates though that Martin was aware that although some risk taking could pay off, he was understandably wary of completely throwing caution to the wind.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:32 PM

So, what are the high points of this album? Most obviously, as I’ve already said, there is a lot of energy bubbling under the surface of this recording, which is thrown into relief by the fact that it’s nowhere near as produced as some of their later music (Let It Be springs immediately to mind). On songs such as Twist And Shout, which was the last song recorded at the end of the 15 hour recording session that made up most of this album, this produces exhilarating music, when it becomes apparent that John Lennon’s voice is struggling, making this one of the more rocking songs on here, and showing raw determination from the band: it’s hard to imagine many eagerly anticipated new bands today displaying that level of commitment. Songs like this also break up the album, which would otherwise become repetitive relatively fast, due to the similar nature of many of the songs, and, of course, of the lyrics.

Although Lennon and McCartney are rightfully revered as one of the greatest lyrical partnerships ever, it’s fair to say that on this album they hadn’t really got their craft up to the levels that they later would do. Although love is a staple of many Beatles songs, here it’s somewhat overdone, most notably on songs such as the single, Love Me Do. Although some of, if not the majority of the beauty of this album could be said to lie in its simplicity, it’s taken to extremes at times on here, meaning that in spite of the shortness of both individual songs and the album (not one song reaches the 3 minute mark), it can grow tiresome, which is one of the main reasons that the album hasn’t aged well, especially compared to much of the band’s other work.

That being said though, there are some songs on here that really show the band as being, at the time, a great pop act. The opening song, I Saw Her Standing There, has Lennon and McCartney alternating vocals, and combined with Ringo Starr’s flams on the drums, and an instrumental break midway through the song, it’s a very strong opener, which, over forty years on, definitely has the ability to get people dancing when they hear it. Likewise, Misery, is, as it’s title suggests, a lyrically downbeat song, but has the same jangly pop harmonies that make it a fun listen, and, again, a very simple one. In spite of the band’s lyrical simplicity at this time though, there’s still a clear difference in quality between their original compositions, and the cover versions here. Both Anna (Go To Him), and Chains are covers, and simply lack the energy and sense of fun that the best songs on here do, meaning that, although he had no way of knowing it at the time, George Martin would have been better advised to throw more confidence behind the band. An exception to this though is Boys, which features Ringo Starr on lead vocals, and, although it somewhat bizarrely is all about the joys of boys, it’s another of the better songs here.

Ask Me Why, Please Please Me, and the famous Love Me Do, were all released as singles, and make up the strongest section of the album. The first two of these were primarily Lennon compositions, with Love Me Do being written by Paul, and something that’s interesting is the differences in the writing style, with, although the whole album is relatively simple, the McCartney compositions largely being simpler than those written by Lennon. Ask Me Why is a down-tempo ballad, which ends very suddenly, while Please Please Me is more typically upbeat, and fashioned after a Bing Crosby song entitled “Please", which Lennon remembered from his childhood. Love Me Do features Lennon on harmonica, and is one of the bands most famous early songs, although, even by the standards of these songs, it hasn’t aged well, and sounds very antiquated today. It’s still a good listen, but it’s hard to avoid the feeling that it’s a good thing the band progressed from this, when you’re listening to it.

There isn’t a huge amount to say about the other songs, without this review becoming like the album, more repetitive than necessary, but something that does need attention drawn to it is Twist And Shout, which has a completely atypical sound compared to the rest of the album, with Lennon sounding like he’s attempting to begin the punk movement 15 years early rather than singing in his usual, laid back melodic way, with even the vocal harmony section of the song sounding strained, making it a clear strong point of the album.

Although this album isn’t anything like The Beatles’ best work therefore, it’s definitely worth buying if you’re a fan of the band. It drags a bit at times, but there’s a definite freshness in many of the songs, that the band retained throughout their career, and was such a large part of their success. All the ingredients that would make them such a great band are present, albeit in a somewhat diluted form, with the members seemingly not quite sure at times of where they want the music to go. But even if you don’t like the album itself, and think The Beatles were at their best later in their career, the sheer historical value of this CD alone means that if you’re a fan of the band, this should be on your list of CDs to buy.

Recommended Downloads
Twist And Shout
Boys
I Saw Her Standing There
Please Please Me

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:32 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1343

Often regarded as the highlight of the alternative rap scene, A Tribe called Quest fused highly intelligent lyrics with jazzy beats to create a sound that was as unique as it was awesome. With the release of The Low End Theory, The Tribe showcased one of the most impressive and important performances in rap history.

-Highlights-

Excursions - Wow what a way to open up an album. The track opens with a cool bassline which leads into Q-tip who starts rapping about the excursions in life and why you should stray away from its negative aspects. Q-tip is a lyrical genius and it is evident in this track. The chorus includes a verse from "Time is running Out" by The Last Poets. Overall, an excellent track.

Verses From The Abstract - Nicknamed "The Abstract Poet", Q-tip makes it his duty to deliver creative and ingenious lyrics executed with unbelievable flow and control. In this song Q-tip raps about why he does what he does and why he loves it. He also mentions the names of some his idols and inspirations. The chorus includes some beautiful singing from Vinia Mojica. Another awesome song.

The infamous Date Rape - This is one of the more serious songs on the album, which has Phife and Tip rapping about the issue of rape. This is an example of the Tribes meaningful lyrical content.

Jazz(We've Got) - YESS! The tribe at their best. The Lyrics and the execution are once again, flawless! . A very laid-back and jazzy song with some nice bass and beats to boot.

What? - This is one of the more unique pieces of the album, but also one of my favorites. It basically has Q-tip asking questions(about 40 or so) for the entire 2:29. But he does it without becoming boring or repetitive. Check out the lyrics to see. The intro is also very cool.

Scenario - All through the album the Tribe did not disappoint, and that holds true even for the last track. Scenario is probably the most upbeat and comical track on the album. Phife and Q-tip once again demonstrate why they were at the top of their game. This track also includes cameos by Dinco D, Charlie Brown, and a very memorable cameo by Busta-Rhymes.

The Tribe pretty much ignored the macho/gangster-like persona prominent in the rap scene of their day. Instead, their music stayed positive and upbeat. If you find yourself disliking rap because of the "YO WHERE MY HOES AT" bs, but are still open to new styles, then i highly recommend The Low End Theory. This album is amazing in every sense of the word and puts almost all of today’s rap scene to shame.

Note: My interpretations of some of the songs are opinions and could be wrong.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:33 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1350

Ween is either a band you love or hate. If you love them, its probably because you dig (or tolerate) their ability to blend nonsensical topics and low-brow humour with the ability to tackle a wide range of genres using their exceptional skills in playing their instruments and developing some of the catchiest hooks outside of pop. If you hate them, its probably because they suck at these, or whatnot. Though this dangerous duo has been around since the late-80s, writing songs in their teens, this album marks the first that features some massive production and a round of accomplished studio players at their helm to make their genre-mashing jingles come alive even more. This album in particular tackles psychedelic 70s arena rock, afro-cuban, country, soul, and 1960s pop-rock into one addictive and pleasing sonic brew.

Lyrically, these guys are just retarded. Many of the lyrics really make no sense and others as one might find dwell on unfair stereotypes of the genres they ape (“Freedom of ‘76", “Voodoo Lady", “Buenas Tardes Amigo"). Others songs downright infringe on the border of good taste like “The HIV Song" and ‘Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down). After all these guys have been said to got their name by combining “wuss" and ‘*****" together.

And oh yeah, before I get on to analyzing the songs, this record also proudly features probably one of the greatest album covers of the last decade in all its sleazy glory that recalls the sexist and indulgent album covers of various hard rock bands of the 1970s and 80s. (Spinal Tap, eat your heart out).

Take Me Away - This song blends bone-headed 70’s arena rock with smooth and jazzy lounge stylings- kinda like Peter Frampton meets the rat pack. Though the vocals are a little repetitive, its got a very catchy and swinging guitar riff, and features a really cool fuzzed-out guitar solo in the bridge that fringes on psychedelia. Some great dynamic shifts as well and some solid rhythmwork, especially in the tight drum rolls. 4/5

Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down) - A pretty twisted song that first features eerie chimes coming through both sides of the speakers while the vocals are in this pitched high so it sounds like a child singing, ‘why they wanna see my spine mommy?/ It’s gonna hurt again mommy." The timbre shifts completely in the chorus with some nice acoustic strumming and heavy flange. a very distinct and wonderfully laid out guitar solo dominates the last part of the song. Twisted yes, but also very catchy. 5/5

Freedom of ‘76 - this is a pretty solid take on 70-era Philly soul that is characterized by some stunning falsetto vocals, hazy backing harmonies, and some awesome jazzy chord progressions. The lyrics manage to fit in every stereotype of Phillidelphia itself, citing the Liberty Bell, Woolworths, and of course, Boyz II Men. a dead-on parody, especially in the charming vocal melodies. 4.5/5

I Can’t Put My Finger on it - Another twisted and bizarre song, that is dominated in the verses by some distorted bass, sparse wah guitar, and equally scattered percussion. The breaks in between verses recall a very mellow and psychedelic feel in the guitars and beach sound effects. The vocals meanwhile are done in a bizarre accent, kinda Hispanic sounding, and the lyrics are just as messed up (ie. ‘are you surprised when I touch the dwarf inside?"). the final verse incorporates a cool eastern european melody on a violin. 4.5/5

A Tear for Eddie - This a cool mellow psychedelic instrumental that draws heavily on Pink Floyd, especially in the smooth and emotive guitar playing, which contains some wonderful accents and licks throughout. The distortion and flange kicks in midway and really emphasizes the mood of the song. Some wonderful playing too. 5/5

Roses are Free - This is probably the catchiest song on the album (I think it was a single too). The lyrics are pretty messed up and nonsensical with lines like, ‘Eat plenty of lasagna ‘til you know you’ve had your fill/ Resist all the urges that make you wanna go out and kill". Nevertheless, the melodies are extremely catchy and bridges features a twisted carnival-style melody followed by a stellar and simple fuzz-heavy guitar solo that reiterates the vocal melody. 5/5

Baby Bitch - Very folksy, almost in the vein of Simon and Garfunkel with the simple acoustic guitar accompaniment and tight vocal harmonies. However the aggressive he-said-she-said lyrics completely hash up the genre in question (ie. “Baby, Baby, Baby Bitch/ **** you, you stupid *** ho"). Some alright vocal melodies. This song is a little disposable though. 3/5

Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony? - Another messed up song that’s once again features some very catchy melodies. The guitar features a cool jazzy progression in the verse over a poppy and melodic bassline. The meanwhile bridge is full of synthesizer washes, bells, wah-infused vocals, followed by a pretty clean and melodic guitar solo. The keyboard lines that dominate the song are just play creepy, also. 3/5

Drifter in the Dark - a nice laidback take on country that is characterized by a simple arrangement, some sweet call-and-answer style vocals between the lead and backing harmonies, and some sparse production. The song itself sounds like it was recorded inside a giant tin can. The lazy harmonica, is a cool touch also, this almost sounds like this could be on a Beck record. 4/5

Voodoo Lady - this is simply an awesome song that blends slippery funk, afro-cuban rhythms, and Santana-esque guitar work and dynamics into one addictive sound. The guitar riff in the verse works so well with the vocals and intense percussion. Awesome and simple guitar solo in the bridge. Some wonderful studio effects and a funky bassline keep the song going near the end, along with some very catchy backing vocals. Great work. 5/5

Joppa Road - A nice and breezy pop song that features some plentiful acoustic guitar and very melodic bassline that flows so smoothly throughout the breadth of the song. The vocal harmonies are very tight and hazy. The song takes on a latin/flamenco kind of feel as characterized by the guitar solo in the bridge. Nice bass solo in the end too. 3/5

Candi - Another song, that is simply just weird as its generally just a mash-up of sparse instrumentation, an effects heavy bassline, nonsensical vocals and random sound effects that build up gradually as the song progresses. This is probably the weakest song on the album. 2/5

Buenas Tardes Amigo - this song incorporates that south-western/country/latin-rock style perfectly with the sparse and lonsome guitar playing and somber vocals that dwell on hispanic stereotypes in the typical fashion of Ween (ie. Bad humour). The song tells a story of revenge, with a twist, in a wonderfully laid out manner and gradually picks up to a wonderful climax in the bridge with churning synthesizers, mexicano percussion, and a simply killer guitar solo. Just simply an amazing song if you can get around the stereotypes in poor taste. 5/5

The HIV Song - This song is…well you decide. Its basically two minutes of upbeat carnival music and the only vocals are the occasional muttering of H-I-V or AIDS. Yeah, this is poor taste and definitely the most twisted jingle here. 0/5 (because I really don’t how to rate a song like this)

What Deaner Was Talkin’ About - very Beatlesque sounding with some heavy flange and catchy vocal melodies, especially the harmonies in the chorus. Short, simple, and sweet with some very bright and upbeat vocals and a very poppy-psychedelic timbre. 4.5/5

Don’t **** Where You Eat - This last song is another very catchy number with a great bluesy acoustic guitar hook that is played behind some excellent vocal harmonies. A nice and melodic guitar solo that’s heavy on reverb and tremolo in the bridge. 4.5/5

Overall, this is an awesome album if you got a sense of humour and into tongue-in-cheek genre-bending (or abusing) music like Beck, Primus, and Mr. Bungle. Chocalte and Cheese is an album that will give you a laugh, piss you off, and wow you sometimes even in just one song. Along with the Mollusk, this is probably one of their finest works.

Recommended tracks:
Voodoo Lady
Roses are Free
Buenas Tardes Amigo
Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)
A Tear for Eddie

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:34 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1340
Fix a couple of questionmarks and "..." in the last paragraph

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1344
fix the questionmark in the word clich? and delete line up info

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1338
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1339
review not corresponding to rating, see reviewer’s edit in the end.
/lame excuse to avoid editing Arrakakaka’s review. Why? See for yourself :upset:

Channing

02-16-2007, 02:39 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1268

Agalloch is a very unique and original group form Portland Oregon. It is interesting because many of their lyrics (which are very, very good) are about nature and Portland is known for rain if I'm not mistaken. Agalloch is very hard to categorize. They span from post-rock to black metal to folk to doom. The band I am most reminded of is Opeth. There are many interesting acoustic passages that launch into aggressive metal riffs and clean and harsh vocals. Agalloch has a more interesting sound though and this is coming form a person who took the time to download the entire Opeth catalogue. They have more atmosphere and better lyrics. There is less of the repetition found in Opeth that can make those songs boring. Prepare for a dick sucking review because Agalloch is today's unsung hero of music.

Review
A Celebration For The Death Of Man... begins the album with a thundering bass drum. Not a kick drum, a classical bass drum. Always a good way to begin. An acoustic guitar plays an interesting chord progression with some nice extras. The bass drum comes back from time to time and strings (synths I believe) join. As an instrumental, it is kept short and doesn't really do too much. Another guitar joins and the bass drum picks up but aside from sounding very nice and melancholy is fairly simple. An excellent song and sets an atmosphere for the rest of the album. The same bass drum that began the album begins In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion. A simple guitar pattern is played until joined by drums bass and acoustic guitar. The acoustic guitar is what really makes the song. The drum is also very good. When distortion comes, the acoustic guitar stays to play on top. The first vocals heard are the black metal Gollum type. Very fitting especially because they are mixed so that they aren't on top of the music and have lots of reverb. Then you hear the clean vocals. A low sort of monotone drone that trades on and off with the Gollum vocals. The way they Gollum vocals sound over an acoustic guitar is surprisingly good. They fit somehow. The lyrics are really powerful here. They speak about God and how he is nature and if the land they are seeing is alive, so is god. Dark, but good. Not the common blood and gore but much heavier, in my opinion. There is a sort of guitar solo that isn't technical or fast but sounds right. Lots of reverb and sustained notes. A march pattern on the snare changes the feel of the song. I won't be able to go into this much detail for each song because the album clocks in somewhere around 70 minutes and each song has so much in it. I will have to just say that this song takes many twists and turns from here because I stopped describing it less that halfway through. It is an amazing song.

Odal shows how this album is not meant to be listened to one track at a time but as a whole. These first three songs actually flow into each other by way of sounds that don't silence themselves between tracks. Every song on the album doesn't do that but you can still hear how the songs fit. This song is truly beautiful. This band is able to make an instrumental that is longer than any other song and equally as interesting but unlike some bands, they don't add or take away from the music when they add or subtract vocals. It is all very well written. They are also not afraid to use noise instead of music. Wind sounds begin and end this song.

There is a very clear change of mood from Odal to I am the Wooden Doors. This song begins with double bass blasting away and a riff that I cannot decide is heavy or not. It seems like something that could easily have brutal vocals over it, but does not. It's interesting. This song goes from being the heaviest on the album into a very interesting acoustic passage. It is also probably the easiest to classify by using progressive black folk metal. Not a very definitive genre.

The Lodge begins a very interesting way with what sounds like claves with lots of reverb and the sound of footsteps in snow. Then the acoustic guitar comes in. This song is very emotional and has a sort of hopeful feel. There is a cello that adds to the emotion. Very well done song. The song ends with the clave sound. You Were but a Ghost in My Arms is a very melodic sound and fairly accessible. There are chimes in the acoustic section that are just perfect. Worst part of this song you think is the fade-out but the fade-out continues into the next song, The Hawthorne Passage which layers over it reversing the badness of a fade-out into a well used tool. This is the longest instrumental and has some nice bluesy guitar work. It is very mellow and smooth for the most part. There are more wind sounds but this time in the middle of the song. This one is closer to two separate songs smashed into one but then again, many of the other songs seem like parts of their preceding or following song. This is a very Godspeed sounding song. There is a sample of voices in here too and it ends with more but this time in Spanish I think.

...And the Great Cold Death of the Earth is a beautiful song. Perfectly arranged and written. This is the stuff that makes fanboys. It also takes us back to the folky acoustic guitars earlier in the album. It helps connect the album and does a great job. The cello is back too as is that big bass drum and the chimes. This is the song to get if you want to know what this album has to offer. What am I saying? Get the whole thing.

A Desolation Song is very folky and melancholy. It sounds almost like an Irish folk tune but with whispered vocals over it. Very emotional and well done. This song never gets heavy and distorted like the others which is good because it is just so pretty and no matter how much I like distortion it would make this song not quite as good. Did I mention the album ends with the clave?

This album is perfect. I find no flaws. Every song is written and performed perfectly. Nothing lags or gets boring. It is perfectly connected to itself and carries a mood. Buy it now.

Recommended to fans of -
Opeth
Arcturus
Ulver
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Gordian Knot
O.S.I.

Rating
5/5

Channing

02-16-2007, 02:42 PM

This was originally a blurb, so I guess the mods can decide what to do with it.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=6562

I really wanted to like this album. At first, I listened to the three opening tracks, and wow! was I impressed. Seamless integration of styles, great songwriting, incredible atmosphere.

Then I bought the album. And so excited was I; but by the time I got to the end of track nine (a very good song), I realized I had just listened to the first three tracks over and over again. Acoustic guitars abound, but they could all be copied and pasted from the first track for all I know. Are those the exact same four chords I hear the entire album? Possibly.

"Heavy tracks" like I Am The Wooden Doors suffer from repetition and terrible production, as well as cliched riffs and so-so integration of melodies within the walls of guitar static-whoops-I mean, guitar distortion.

The "diverse instrumentation" seems interesting at first, but these instruments are generally incorporated in such a way that anyone who simply has access to them could replicate it quite easily.

Strange sections such as when the singer begins talking over the music pretend to be intriguing, but just sound like a psuedo-Puissance ripoff. Not unique, nor is it executed well.

The enigmatic atmosphere is all this album really has going for it, but even that gets tiring after the hour-plus duration. None of the songs truly reach any kind of epic proportions, instead only hinting at them (see: "You Were But A Ghost in My Arms"). This band really doesn't bring anything new to the table; This type of songwriting is NOT innovative by default, but that's how it's often treated by fans.

Channing

02-16-2007, 02:49 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=3755

Agnostic Front- Victim In Pain

Typically referred to as the fifteen minutes of chaos, and Agnostic Front's breakthrough record, Victim In Pain serves a lot more than anybody else thought a few small tracks of pure disorder could. The story of the band itself is very simple and almost unimportant to their actual run. The band was formed in New York City by Vinnie Stigma (Guitar) and Roger Miret (Vocals) in 1982. Afterwards, they picked up Adam Moochie (Bass), and Ray Beez (Drums). The boys then released their largely successful debut E.P, United Blood in 1983. After sacking the rhythm section, Stigma and Miret got a hold of bassist Rob Kabula and drummer Dave Jones, and recorded the short, and sweet L.P that many fans call the "definite" Agnostic Front record. Packed with a total of eleven teeth-grinding tracks, the longest falling in at a bit over two minutes, the album progresses to it's fifteen minute mark fairly quick, but it's the band's work inbetween all this clutter that really counts, at least on my part. Listen to Victim In Pain from beginning to end, and you'll see what all the talk, (if any) has been about.

As the first, and title starts up with quite and explosion, it generates a speedy punch in the face by front-men Miret and Stigma that to me is unmatched by mostly everyone else that ever hit the genre after the band itself. What you hear is noise, but although very organized, it seems like the insanely fast-paced notes these guys are playing are scattered all over the place as Miret vocals command the force that slowly crawls toward the listener. I will say, that Roger Miret is single-handedly one of my favorite vocalists of all time, if not the best in the "hardcore" genre of punk. Miret acts as the powerhouse and the foundation of the noise that reaches your eardrums as they're being pounded away by the others. In other words, Roger is the clear highlight on the album for me, as he does an outstounding job on every track, leave alone a couple that seem unimportant. To lead the actual musical composition, is Stigma, who shares some of his more earlier/decent material here, but still causes a riot on stage. While about 60% of his guitar-work on the album is decent, therefore acceptable, his stand-out tracks, like "Power", and "Society Sicker" show what Stigma really stands for. As far as the rhythm section goes, Kabula and Jones work together to provide a great backdrop for the album the whole way through, but at the end, comes out as not very impressive, but as the other two front-men keep the listener highly entertained, it really shouldn't matter. Every song will be built the exact same, and focusing on the same portions of the track and most of the time on vocals by Miret, they will all seem very hard to divide up at first.

As this is more of a short and sudden gathering of chaotic proportions, it really doesn't qualify as an actual record by the band, but this review is here for a reason, and it stands for this being some of the best the band has ever put out, at least in their earlier years. The time limit will hit you like a brick, and if you're just sitting there at your computer concentrated on something else, and not so much on the music itself, every track will be highly undistinguished and will all fly by faster than a heartbeat. "So pay close attention, this is some of early hardcore at it's very ****ing best" says Roger Miret.

Stand Out Tracks:
Victim In Pain
Blind Justice
United & Strong
Power

Great.

3.5/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 02:52 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1268
Aw, channing, I've already done that :p Plus, aren't we supposed to delete band information like line up and release date?...

Channing

02-16-2007, 02:57 PM

I fixed up a lot of this guy's grammar since it was pretty bad.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=8985

"Accelerating the BPMs well past human tolerance levels with a hallucinogenic free associative pathology bordering on the mentally ill, PCP Torpedo is equal parts Total Grind nightmare and industrial-strength psychosis-not to mention an unequivocal demonstration of ANB's reckless & willful disregard for both the hearing threshold and basic human decency."
This is what hydra head had to say about the re-release of PCP Torpedo, which was originally released, on the unusual 6inch vinyl format. This new re-issue is packaged with a second remix cd.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed (ANb), a band started by Scott Hull in 1994, has had a constantly changing line-up with the only permanent member being Scott Hull, the use of drum machines began at the frustration of Scott Hull being unable to find a drummer to play with. This has lead to Agoraphobic Nosebleed being able to produce music that would have been impossible with a real drummer and songs have pushed passed the 1000bpm mark.
On this album Scott is joined by J. Randall (formerly of ISIS) on programming and vocals.

The first disc on this album lasts 6 minutes with 10 tracks, these short bursts of intense "hailstorm" drums and grinding guitars is one of the defining sounds of ANb. The disc begins with a sample of a conversation and then begins the remaining 5 minutes of intense grind. Scott Hull's guitar work on this album is up to his usual high standard (Scott also plays in Pig Destroyer in case any one was interested), he manages to combine his guitars with the programmed drums and combine them into a wall of noise rather than them becoming two separate entities in the music. The quality of the drum programming on this album is very good, there is variation between the "hailstorm" blast beats and a slower drumming that allows some other electronic sounds to come in and the use of samples is found on this release as is to be expected from Anb.

The vocals on this album are screamed, shouted, and growled by Randal who comes out of the wall of sound with enough power in his voice to make it fit into the music. With the guitars and drumming as intense as they are with PCP Torpedo, the vocals can sound weak in comparison but Randal does a great job of adding to the intensity of these 6 minutes.

The remix (ANbRX) cd is over an hour of remixes coming from different artists and bands, some of the most notable remixes are from Justin Broadrick (Jesu, Godflesh), James Plotkin (Khanate, Phantomsmasher) and Merzbow, the Japanese noise artists. Most of the artists coming from a background of extreme music manage to create something that fits well into the cd. The remixes have a lot of variation in sound and what comes across is more the remix artists own sound which makes for some interesting interpretations.

Overall this double album is excellent. It may seem expensive for just the 6minutes of PCP Torpedo but the ANbRX cd completes this package by not only allowing more listening of ANb but also a sample of some other artists who put there own sound into this release. This cd is a good introduction to ANb. For a sample of something by ANb check out their site, which has a link to a song (on the skull), which is a split with Isis covering the Melvins classic "Boris."

Channing

02-16-2007, 02:59 PM

Aw, channing, I've already done that Plus, aren't we supposed to delete band information like line up and release date?...
Whoops. I've just been going in alphabetical order; haven't really been paying attention to the links. And I didn't know we were supposed to delete the lineup and release date...

Stoic

02-16-2007, 03:17 PM

Yeah dude:

Ok guys, it's probably time to do this. We've got lots of reviews around the site with odd symbols, poor formatting, band info at the beginning etc. Let's make a concerted effort to clean it up. The more of us who contribute the faster we can get it done.

Yeah this is old news from like last year. Mx wants band lineups on band pages only, or else at the bottom of reviews (since lineups can change from album to album).

Channing

02-16-2007, 03:17 PM

oic

morrissey

02-16-2007, 03:25 PM

I've been deleting most of them anyways.

Whatever order people go in isn't a big deal but if everyone has a different system there will be overlap which will waste everyone's time.

My laptop battery is about to do so I will get to these later; I went back over Neoteric's and some of Chan's I somehow missed earlier.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:28 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1351

Since 2001, Savannah, GA’s Circle Takes The Square have been
turning open-minded heads with a complex sound of
chaotic and emotional hardcore. Not ‘emo’ in the weepy
post-breakup way, but through a disruptive and paranoia
-inducible delivery-

As you can see by the recent ‘Best of 2004’ post, Circle Takes the Square has gained an enormous amount of respect in a very short amount of time. Bending from solid riffs to intertwining guitar and bass segments, Circle Takes the Square brings a monstrous sound to their music with limited resources. The long ambient sections are far less on their first release but the ideas are still there. Whether it be using harmonics to create a vivid landscape to scream over, or introducing the album with a quote; Circle Takes the Square takes time to construct every one of their songs into a vivid, luscious landscape.

Our Need to Bleed
Opening with a random produced quote about suicide, we hear the feed back resonating as the quote finishes, and then a burst of sound. From the start the vocalists are intertwining their screams and the guitars, bass, and drums are hitting hard. Around 1:05 the song starts to slow down with some melodic guitar and screaming, but it picks up in a few seconds. From there it breaks into a scream fest until around the 3-minute mark where it slows down into a great ending riff. This song feels like it is rushing by you on the first listen but as you repeat it again and again you can realize the intense importance of each segment.
3.5/5

Eleven Owls Have Eyes
Again opening hard and fast, this is another great song. At the :50 second mark we get the screaming of ‘Father, Son and Holy Ghost’ which is probably one of the most perfect moments in this song. From that testament we get some more standard grinding on guitars and bass. At 1:20 the guitars begin an upwards spiral that sets the mood for the next section of the song which is a loud, screaming section that breaks into a guitar and drum section. Drew, the male vocalist tries to out scream the drums with an intertwining of spoken vocals. After this battle of drums and vocals, a great harmonic piece is heard, and then the song goes into all out chaos with the harmonic piece in the back keeping the structure on a whim. After the chaos the harmonic piece breaks out again, bring solitude to the song, but the rest of the instruments come back in a few seconds setting up the song for a colossal ending which never comes, just the echoes of the harmonics and the finishing touches of Drew’s vocals. Harmonics conclude the song. This is probably one of the most dynamic and interesting songs on the album.
4.8/5

Disclaimer to Self
Breaking off from the intense intros, CTTS takes us into a very catchy beat from the start. After a short playing of this piece which could be used in a Brand New song, it stops for a second at :34 and then breaks into a section very similar to the ‘Father, Son and Holy Ghost’ part in Eleven Owls Have Eyes. This part is a great hard part to balance with the softness of the intro. Going all spastic with the riffs and screaming the song descends into some chaos until 1:22 when it becomes a pounding drive with the help of the bass on the drums. Descending into feedback after this section we get some small beats on the drums, and some spoken word sections from Drew. Then we break back into another catchy segment of the song, with screaming providing a great catchy ending. Probably the song, which is the most different from the rest on the album, Disclaimer to Self is a great break placed in the exact place it needs to be on this album.
4.6/5

Comes With The Fall
Going back to a hard intro, the Circle brings some great music in the first 2 minutes of this song. Some mild screaming in the background, but the intertwining guitar work is probably the most amazing here. After it hits the 2-minute mark, we get some great drum work and then the Circle spazs out into some more hard music just like in the intro. Around the 3-minute mark the vocals finally come in. This is the track when the screaming is probably at their peak, they blending in perfectly with the insanity of the music and the lyrics of ‘Feeding on the sunrise. Picking my veins like a murderess murderous warmth take hold of me ‘ are some of the most brilliant on the album. After a large screaming section, the song breaks down into some ambient melodic guitar pieces, which really slow the mood of the song but also leave you wanting to hear what happens next. What comes next is well worth the wait; some great high end guitar playing brings the song into an epic ending. The song is still being tampered with before it finals breaks into the final track of the album with some great guitar work.
5/5

Houdini Logic
This song can be most compared to A Crater to Cough In from ‘As the Roots Undo’ since it has the same type of epic build up in the first minute and a half of the song. Some great drumming, bass and guitar softly bring this song to epic proportions and when it finally sets off at 1:40, you are just overwhelmed with it. This is the peak of the album and you can just imagine the intensity of this song in concert. After presenting us with a great section, CTTS drops into a scream feast that brings the emotion to the very top of the song. Some voice box work is spread out throughout this section. Houdini Logic is truly the most amazing album on this great EP and in my opinion their second best song.
5/5

In the Neverous Light of Sunday
This track is on As the Roots Undo, decent track but Houdini logic would've made a far better ending. I'm not going to review this since Dfelon already did.
4.2/5

This is a great album that clocks in at around 20 minutes which is a good length for an EP. The intensity and emotion put into these songs gives it an edge over most bands in the screamo category and it really helps define Circle Takes the Square as a band. Along with this emotion comes a great technique for making the songs complex in there working but simple in their hearing. While they may not seem like a very technical band in comparison to bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan and Dream Theater every aspect of a Circle Takes the Square song is there for a reason and creates a one of a kind experience, I recommend this CD to everyone.

4.8/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:29 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1354
poor review, more like a sound off

Someone at the prestigious Verve jazz record company had an idea last summer: to re-release a compilation of recordings by legend jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal’s trio at the clubs of Chicago in 1958, it was a very good idea!

Ahmad’s Blues is a must have for Ahmad Jamal fans and all Jazz fans for that matter. Throughout his long and storied career, Ahmad has demonstrated both technical virtuosity and amazing style and creativity, this early live recording is no exception. With a title track that practically defines cool jazz and a sound that throbs with authenticity this record stacks right up there with Miles Davis' Kind of Blue as one of the best recordings of that period.

The record, in which he was accompanied by bassist Israel Crosby and drummer Vernell Fournier, also contains renditions of some of jazz’s all time favorite standard pieces such as Autumn Leaves, Cheek to Cheek and That’s All, but all with Jamal and his trio’s post bebop ultra cool style which was an influence even to Miles Davis, the king of cool himself.

This disc oozes with quality, not to undermine Ahmad Jamal’s numerous later outings ‘ he is still playing till today at the age of 74, yet this compilation catches him at a time when this type of music was flying over peaks, and it shows that he was up there with the highest of eagles. Ahmad Jamal is probably one of the very few true jazz legends still around until these days, I truly hope his, and his counterpart’s legacies will stand the test of time forever.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:30 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1355

Snow Patrol have actually been around since 1997 and despite popular belief Final Straw is their third album. However, their previous two efforts went largely unnoticed by the majority of the British population and it took a change of label and producer plus the adding of another guitarist to catapult Snow Patrol into the public arena. With their melancholy anthem Run storming all rock & indie radio stations and TV in Britain this year, Snow Patrol found themselves being thrown onto the same bandwagon as bands like Keane, Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters and so on. The band had found their niche and soon this album was flying into the charts.

Lonely written words for company
Just raise the roof this once and follow me

From a cursory glance, Snow Patrol could well appear to be merely another generic Britrock band, only following in the footsteps of the likes of Coldplay and Travis and having nothing to contribute to the genre.

You’d be wrong.

Like them or not, Snow Patrol have produced an album that is a fitting fulfillment of their years of struggle, and it’s set to inspire new bands for a few years yet. The writing is sophisticated, the lyrics imaginative, the instrument playing heartfelt and the singing superb.

That having been said, it’s by no means a perfect album. Not enough thought has been put into every track and the band can become lazy and neglect to inject enough variety into every song they’ve recorded. One almost wonders if they should put more effort into fewer tracks. But watch out, because some of these songs will catch you completely unawares and as in danger of blowing you away.

I never write about the nice bits where the relationship starts, it’s always about when the chaos kicks in at the end

Thankfully, despite a very real potential for repetitiveness and dullness on this album, the band have managed to have a very distinctive set of songs. There’s the spikiness and energy of Spitting Games the melancholy of How To Be Dead, the contemplativeness of Chocolate and the brooding anger of Ways & Means, ensuring that every one of the best tracks on here has something distinctive and slightly magical about it.

Breathing fire was never this much fun
So there’s a dark side in us all

So what has this album got to offer? Well, if you want a haunting, heart-rending love ballad then you have Run. A ridiculously catchy set of notes designed to stick in your head for days can be found in Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking. Spitting Games is a great song to walk to or simply to dance around to. Sad yet comforting songs are everywhere, check out How To Be Dead, Grazed Knees and Same.

No song on this album is without some virtue. There’s always a fantastic hook, some great lyrics, a well-done chorus or some beautiful, rippling guitar to save the song from complete nothingness. Sometimes, we are privileged enough to experience all of them.

Just because I'm sorry doesn't mean
I didn't enjoy it at the time

If you’ve ever enjoyed the softer side of the rock then you may well like this album, as it is one of the finest recent examples of it. It swoops and soars through your speakers and every now and then shows glimpses of genius, which we can only hope will come out fully in future albums. Snow Patrol might just be on their way to greatness, so why not join them for the ride?

I’m not going to make the polarising comparison to Coldplay, it’s predictable and also inaccurate. There’s certainly no one blatant band that Snow Patrol are merely inferior versions of, although you can hear many influences in their music. Surely it’s far better to enjoy them in their own way than trying to place the original song that inspired every line.

You've not heard a single word I have said
Oh my God

Recommended Downloads
How To Be Dead
Spitting Games
Chocolate
Run
Grazed Knees
Ways & Means

For its genre this album could get a 4.7/5 from me, however, considering it outside its style I’m going to reduce that to 4.3/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:31 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1358

Clayman is the follow up album to the popular favorite colony. Sadly this great album is often neglected because it has been grouped with the bands later releases (Reroute to Remain and Soundtrack to Your Escape) and has been labeled by some as the beginning of the band's "Sellout Phase." The band still has something to offer to the old school listeners as well as new listeners to the death metal genre.

Bullet Ride 4/5
The albums quickly sucks you in with a wall of guitars playing simple thrash-style guitar riff then the drums kick in LEADING TO...a clean guitar part reminiscent of tool? You ask yourself who is this band? Then a cleaner yet recognizable voice comes in.. It’s the new Anders who does more singing then growling on this album. Then the song explodes and you are met with a catchy melodic riff that could only be written by one band ...In Flames. You also experience a new style of screaming from Anders that is still like those of his Gothenburg brothers yet is more soothing to the ear. Overall the song's contrast of clean and heavy, dark and light, calm and insane is what makes the song what it is. The listener quickly recognizes how much the band has matured in their songwriting. The aggressive attack of speed and melody continues throughout the album making Clayman a "fun listen."

Pinball Map 5/5
Right off the bat the song is a ferocious wall of guitars growling and pure aggression. The band seamlessly leads one of many great melodic riffs found on the album, then you are blindsided with the chorus consisting of a series of nicely arranged chords and singing guaranteed to get stuck in your head. After a nice little drum fill the aggressive singing and bone crushing guitars return and you can’t help but nod that heavy metal head of yours. A cool breakdown is followed by a cool little solo that is very similar to various tracks on Colony.

Only for the Weak 5/5
A very cool synthesized guitar riff starts off this fan favorite grabbing you by the balls through the entire song. The guitar solo fits in so perfectly you won’t notice how truly outstanding it is until your 3rd listen. The perfect blend of aggression and tranquility is found in this song and has yet to matched by any band in my opinion. If you like this song, buy the album.

...As the Future Repeats Today 4/5
One of the heavier tracks on the album yet again very catchy. The only downfall is the lack of melody the might disappoint the old skool fans. But they redeem themselves with the solo.

5 Square Nothing 3.5/5
A minute long clean guitar intro starts off this song. It is eventually met with yet another catchy chorus and has an interesting solo/breakdown but the song just doesn’t appeal to me that much and is probably my least favorite on the album.

Clayman 3.5/5
A quite interesting song, starting off sounding fairly mellow yet it becomes one of the heaviest tracks on the album. My only complaint is that it is the title track.

Satellites and Astronauts 4.5/5
This song is much unlike anything the band has done before this album in its structure. At times mellow, but it packs one hell of a punch with fantastic guitar riffs.

Brush the Dust Away 4/5
This is a rather catchy song with nice melodies throughout. The lyrics for this song are probably the darkest out of the whole album, ‘get in line for the pistol magic just aim and end another but think as I rape your mother". The solo in this song is also reminiscent of the colony era.

Swim 4/5
A jaw dropping guitar melody starts off this track and continues through most of the song.

Suburban Me 4/5
A nice energetic solo starts off this song and nice melodies are found throughout. This song best features Ander’s ability to use a variety of vocal styles those that appeal to the oldskool fans and an intriguing mellow voice. There is a very cool solo in this song where the guitarists show off there ability to shred.

Another Day in Quick Sand 3.5/5
One of the heavier songs on the album with cool harmonizations periodically. Cool lyrics to this one too.

Much like how metallica is the gate way to heavy metal, In Flames’ Clayman is the gateway to Death Metal. Anyone looking to get into the genre, anyone who likes to classify the genre as a bunch of nonsense and noise, or anyone just looking to buy a great CD to rock out too should pick up this album.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:35 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1360
album missing, add rating 4/5

Introduction:
I do not know much about the history of Uriah Heep. I know there was at least one line-up change prior to this album and many more afterwards. Wizards, along with their follow-up "The Magician's Birthday," are considered by most fans as Heep's finest works.

The Wizard
This song is sweet for a few reasons. First, it is very unlike many other songs on the album. It has a folkiness to it, with a Zeppelin-esque interlude. The acoustic aspect really brings me in and makes you feel at ease. Also, it is the only song with a strings-like patch on the keys. The song deals with the meeting of a Wizard and the meeting's affect on the person who does the meeting. The man claims to "have a deep desire to free the world of fear and pain." This theme continues throughout the album, which is considered a concept album in my books, which makes me think that this Wizard is some sort of charismatic force like a prophet or sophist. At this point the Wizard's affect is positive, but later we will see a somewhat different view. Good acoustic rocker. 4.5/5

Traveler in Time
This song is very catchy, with a rocking intro riff very much like Zeppelin. Lotsa Wah and I love it. The melodies are very catchy, with Byron using falsetto and the chorus with his characteristic deep power vocals. The themes of being lost and punishment are introduced in this song, which will reappear later in the album. Also, "helping mankind" reappears here. I always look forward to this song. 4/5

Easy Livin'
This is the only single that I know of on this album. Many have probably heard this on the radio or whatnot. Here the character is "finally forgiven" (for what I have not figured out yet) and has found what, I'm guessing, he was looking for in the previous song. This song is like a fast version of a Black Sabbath song, or a heavier version of a Doors song. Hard to classify. The tones on this album are amazing; you really hear the fuzz in this song. However, sometimes this song is boring. 3.5/5

Poet's Justice
The vocal harmonies in this song are wicked. This song goes back to a Zeppelin feel, but the thing is that his deep voice takes it out of Zepplin territory and into the Deep Purple or Aqualung-era-Tull sound. I'm not sure where the story goes here, but it seems that there is mourning of some kind here over a chick. Also, the theme of being lost and pursuing something is here as well. Decent tune. 4/5

Circle of Hands
Now this song is very strong. I love the organ intro and the riffage. It builds up beautifully and the vocals, backup and lead, are amazing. Like Byron has amazing vibrato. The lead guitar parts are very melodic, and even remind me of Brian May despite the total difference in tone. Very melodic and strong. The outro drags a bit....it would be better with another chorus at the end, but it's too sweet to deduct any points for that. The story has also entered a somewhat negative atmosphere, as the "sky full of eyes and minds full of lies" will eventually bring a price. Awesome tune. 5/5

Rainbow Demon
This is pretty **** heavy. Definite Sabbath influence. The organ is heavy and the rhytm and guitars don't help. Also, Byron is singing about a demon, so what could be more metal? Obviously this is metal by 1972 standards, but it rocks. Oooo...that throbbing bassline sends chills down my spill. I suppose that the Rainbow Demon is some sort of charcter of deception. This song is strong, but a bit short for what its potential would allow for. 4/5

All My Life
This is a very bluesy riff that could be done by Aerosmith or, hey, Zeppelin. This is blues at its core though without the other rock ingredients. This song is somewhat boring just because of its two verses and repetitive outro. However, the vocals at the end of the song are so all over the place that it is very desirable; some of the best vocal work I've heard to date. This song seems to merely be about how the character will love someone all his life. 4/5

Paradise/The Spell
This song is broken up into two parts. The first is "Paradise" and it is on acoustic. The basslines are very melodic here, and the vocals are right on. This is the second acoustic song on the album, and I must say that they do it well. The beeping organ near the end reminds me of Rick Wakeman on the first verses of Close to the Edge. This section seems to be about the character and his break up with some chick or whatever he is in love with. Sweet section. The dark first section fades into an upbeat piano section at around 5 minutes which is "The Spell." This is one of, if not, my favourite moments in the album where great melodies and great vocals mould well together. There is an amazing melodic solo in this section, very similar to the one in Circle of Hands. The piano is also amazing and does the vocal melody one time around before Byron does it. Basically this is the highlight of the album. The upbeat part comes back around at the end and concludes the album. The story in "The Spell" seems to really be a reaction to heartbreak and the the words of the Wizard from the beginning. It is hard to see what exactly is going on concept-wise on this album, but it seems that it begins with hope and love which is basically crushed in this song. One of the best conclusions to an album that I have ever heard. 5/5

Overall:
This album has three highlights: a sweet intro (The Wizard), a perfect conclusion (Paradise/ The Spell), and Circle of Hands. The rest of the songs, although pretty good with regard to melodies, rhythms, lyrics, and riffage, tend to lack decent structure and progression. So if you like Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, or Jethro Tull you will probably enjoy this album. I have even heard people compare them to Pink Floyd (although I miss alot of the connections). This album has a lot of lyrical dimension to it, which makes it attractive to me and probably will also to people who like good lyrics. Overall, this an awesome album that is not too dense musically, but fairly dense lyrically which is a combination that should be enjoyable. Not a necessary album to own or a historically/musically revolutionary album, but it should be heard at least once by any self respecting rock musician.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:36 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1368

Tribute and cover bands have always been very silly, right? Though usually interesting, to most, starting a tribute band is an escape from a lack of creativity and/or originality. Perhaps those people are correct, but none the less and more importantly, devotion and love for music play a large role. A band that sets out to play another bands songs all the time. Nothing else, just that particular bands songs. Dedication is most definitely there and most likely fun is there also. For a band like the Dark Star Orchestra to tour throughout the world and each day put on a recreation of a former Grateful Dead show is amazing and outlandish in some ways. And surprisingly enough, there is a great deal of other bands who lie in the same category and are just as dedicated.

It is no surprise that the Grateful Dead have a large following of tribute and cover bands. Touring for at least thirty years (They have toured under different names (Warlocks, Dead, etc) also) is bound to catch any band a cult following. But out of all the big time bands, the Grateful Dead’s tribute groups always seem to rise higher than The Beatles’, Led Zeppelin’s, The Who’s, etc. The Zen Tricksters had quite a large following even when they were a Dead cover band, but their popularity rose high when they started doing originals. Surprisingly enough, in time keyboardist Rob Barraco would be recruited by Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead bassist) to collaborate with him and others of Phil Lesh & Friends’ There and Back Again. Later on, he would become a member of the Grateful Dead revival, The Dead. The Dark Star Orchestra have been known as a Grateful Dead cover band that take their tribute almost over the top. Not only does that band recreate the line up and have vocalists who sound amazingly like each member, but perform a each show as though it was a past Grateful Dead show. They take old Dead set lists and even do more during their shows to bring the spirit of the Grateful Dead alive. Though those cover bands are beyond fabulous and only give a good name to the Grateful Dead, another has past both up following wise, skill wise, and in some ways originality wise.

Jazz is Dead is a super group cover band who plays Grateful Dead songs. The band is in no way ignorant to the music, nor the band. In fact, they have quite a history with them. Former and legendary drummer of the Mahavishnu Orchestra Billy Cobham use to play in Bobby & The Midnites along with Alphonso Johnson of Jazz is Dead and Weather Report. And Bobby & The Midnites is of course a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir. And of course, Jimmy Herring and Jeff Sipe had been in a band filled with Grateful Dead influence, the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Jimmy would also go on to play with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, and even help fill the role of the late Jerry Garcia in The Dead. Though they have history, why would these Fusion players, Jazzbos and virtuosos want to play Grateful Dead songs? Well, Billy Cobham had once said in an interview because’

They’re highly intellectual people. They may look one way but they’re not...These guys are not stupid - they sit back and they think a lot about what’s going on. Otherwise, they could have never sustained themselves for so long.

He had also agreed that their music transferred to Jazz quite well.

The technical skill of Jazz is Dead is extraordinarily high. Alphonso Johnson is no stranger to technical ability. He had spent time playing with the fabulous musicians of Weather Report, which once housed the amazing Jaco Pastorius. Like Johnson, Rod Morgenstein and T Lavitz had made a career with a group known for ability. Lavitz and Morgenstein had gained much respect by playing in the Dixie Dregs, with guitar virtuoso Steve Morse. And finally, the boys of the Aquarium Rescue Unit have withheld major ability for years, but have rarely been praised for it. Though not known, they can certainly hold their own, just like the rest of Jazz is Dead.

Laughing Water is a recreation of the Grateful Dead’s masterpiece Wake of the Flood. An album that originally possessed elements of Rock, Jazz, Country, Psychedelia and even Classical. Songs like the vintage sounding “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo", and the nonchalant “Eyes of the World" made Wake of the Flood a highlight to all Dead fans. And because of high level of diversity heard inside of the Dead’s 1973 release, it is extremely interesting to listen to.

Laughing Water opens with the eerie sound of guest vocalist and former Grateful Dead member Donna Jean Godchaux’s voice. She spills out an odd blend of mystique and emotion to provide a vocal intro to the well covered “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo". It’s rare that you will find vocals in a Jazz is Dead cover. For they themselves have stated that they want to the listening to discover the musical conversation going on between the instrumentalists. So, they of course believe that vocals are a definite distraction. This opener is filled with great interludes by both fiddle extraordinaire Vassar Clements (Who played in the original version) and Herring. Herring manages to play not only the vocal melody, but the solos with his unique genre adapting style. Following the old time sounding intro, Jazz is Dead move into the Keith Godchaux original. Though “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" is the weakest number on Wake of the Flood, Jazz is Dead manage to provide much of the vibe and sound the Dead had. The swirling keyboard playing of T Lavitz manages to make the song plenty interesting. And Johnson’s solid bass lines only better the upbeat tune.

Following the first two track, the first ballad makes its way into the album. ‘Row Jimmy" slows down the pace pleasantly. Johnson’s powerful Phil Lesh written bass lines create a perfect back bone for Herring to lead. Herring betters himself on “Row Jimmy". He displays much more ability and diversity. He shifts for powerful solos to gentle rhythmic lines. With the support of Allman slide giant Derek Trucks, Herring can do no wrong. The dual drumming of Morgenstein and Sipe is present to mimic the style of the Grateful Dead’s Billy Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, but at the same time shows originality. The atmospheric sound of “Row Jimmy" make the track a definite highlight. Following the pleasant third comes ‘Stella Blue". A legendary Dead ballad that I feel lives up to its revival, “Row Jimmy". “Stella Blue" opens with a very lovely New Age vibe. Beautiful classical guitar stylings are played in the background, while Lavitz leads the band by mimicking the original melody, while at same time providing other various effects. In time, Mr. Herring takes lead while the rhythm section smoothly harmonizes. Aside from low points that one may find in this cover, the beauty just simply shines through all.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:37 PM

If you haven’t already notice, the album is separated into sections. The album opens with two upbeat Roots songs, makes its way to a pair of ballads, and now to two upbeat indescribable numbers. “Here Comes Sunshine/Sunshine Jam", opens up this third section. Donna Jean’s vocal open the piece with the original chorus’ lyrics. Herring quickly introduces the main line, and performs the opening verse perfectly. I have always found that “Here Comes Sunshine" sounds like it would have been done by The Beatles. Surprisingly, the instrumental cover also sounds like it would have been. The combination of Herring and Lavitz on this tune take Laughing Water to new heights. Not only do they harmonize well, but there are just simply great players. Next Up, “Eyes of the World/Two Sisters" makes its first appearance. The original ‘Eyes of the World" has been a favorite of mine since I have first heard it, needless to say, Jazz is Dead do the song and the Grateful Dead justice. The Jazz influence tune is opened up with an interesting slap line provided by Alphonso Johnson. Jimmy then wipes out the original introduction, with the squealing slide Garcia used. Of course, the band lend makes their way through a verse and then a chorus, but then opens some jam time. Herring soon takes off with lighting fast trills and numerous other interesting guitar techniques. Even some wild finger tapping. Which you would think would give him some credit from virtuoso fans. Lavitz then take his chance to wow the listen by covering the whole keyboard throughout his solos and still not going over the top. Over time, chorus through chorus, and verse through verse, Lavitz and Herring distribute solos to the listeners ears off and on. Each more satisfying than the next, and perfectly well rounded. A fantastic cover!

The album to this point has done very well. Luckily, there are no disappointments on this final and fourth section. To conclude this wonderful album, Jazz is Dead performs the Bob Weir epic, but split it into two different sections. The classical influenced “Weather Report Suite: Part 1/Part/Let it Grow" helped gain praise for Garcia, and in many ways, same with Herring. The band approaches the songs as though there are no vocals at all; taking a lot of the creativity into their own hands. Herring mimics Jerry Garcia’s Classical influenced guitar lines very nicely. He and Lavitz lead the song spectacularly, but as the epic reaches its second section, it would be the rhythm section that puts on the show. Sipe and Morgenstein go around and around performing rapid rolls and various percussion instruments, while Johnson backs up with partners perfectly. He keeps to the background, but makes his presence known. Half way through part two, the intensity grows. Double bass pedals pound upon the bass drum, Johnson makes his way all over the neck, Herring taunts the listener with rapid techniques, and suddenly slows them down, and finally, Lavitz pounds note upon note into his keyboard with complete consistency. A perfect conclusion.

Well, I have yet to hear any of the previous Jazz is Dead albums, but I don’t believe I am making an outlandish step by giving Laughing Water a 4.9/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:38 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1372

I have been studying this band for quite awhile now. I heard Celebrate Your Mother on MTV2 at the time of their first album, I didn't think much of it and then they released a few singles and thought they were great. I wanted the first album Horse of the Dog but people were saying the album was rubbish, "It's only got 9 tracks, it's under 30 minutes, moan, moan, moan!" So I decided to wait and see what this band would do next. I did and saw the video for Rise of the Eagles. I was astonished and I remembered that they had a single before that called Mr. Mental. I just got it a couple of days ago and decided to do the review.

Rise of the Eagles
A drum beat starts the song off and Guy sings the chorus and then that's when the distortion comes in. Then several short verses come in. Near the end, there is a haunting bass line and then the chorus comes in as normal. The video is quite American? Well Guy is supposed to be a president or something and we all know that presidents are trying to take over the world!
5/5

I Could be an Angle
This song feels a bit country style. This has a quiet verse and loud chorus.
Tom really pounds on the cymbals at the chorus. It has breaks in it with a drum roll. Before the last chorus, there is a haunting bit.
3.5/5

When I Hear You Call my Name
Ok, I don't if it's Guy's voice or not but it surely isn't the way he sings normally. Though he sings normally in the chorus. The verse creeps me out a little but the chorus has the traditional 80's matchbox sound.
4/5

Migrate Migraine
Speaking of the traditional 80's Matchbox sound. The intro just hits you and Guy is using one of those things that make your voice sound like old time radio. The chorus is a one liner "I'm the law!" The song goes like this for the rest of it.
4/5

Puppy Dog Snails
This one is freakin' hilarious, it is haunting for the verse then the chorus is a parody of one of the Oompah Loumpa songs. The lyrics are a bit silly "What do we do with the Puppy Dog Tails? What do we do with a bucket of snails?"
4.5/5

The Dancing Girls
The intro is very arabic. The song is very pfft...It just isn't anything special.
The verse is very plain and the chorus is predictable.
2/5

The Fool
This is another song with the traditional 80's Matchbox sound. It's very fast and energetic. Very very good. Problem is, it’s a type of song you have to get into to like it, I didn’t like it at first.
5/5

I Rejection
This one starts off with some coughing. The verse is slow and quite a difference from pace. I don't know if it's Guy singing in the chorus because it sounds different from his normal voice. The song is about love. No complaints here
4/5

Drunk on the Blood
This one is acoustic. The drumming on this one is quite good and what the douche? A sax solo you say? That is quite a first. I don’t really like it, not my cup of tea, well, at least they are trying something different.
2/5

Mister Mental
This was the first single from the album. Can’t figure what the lyrics are about but there is a solo which is quite a first for 80’s Matchbox. The video is quite good, they have heads like those big bobble-heads and they’re heads end up popping in the end.
5/5

Frued’s Black Muck
Ok, the chorus is very shouty, what many different styles can Guy sing :lol: ? Quite, frankly, I don’t like this song, it just doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the album.
1.5/5

Temple Music
This is very indie or is it a power ballad? Either way, it is a tidy little track which I can dig. It’s actually quite emotional (not emo!) 80’s Matchbox should do more songs like this.
4.5/5

The Way of the Men of the Stuff
The verse reminds me of another song, though I can’t remember who. There is percussion in the start of the verse. I crapped myself when the chorus blasted out, the chorus has lots of shouting which I’m not a fan of. In the break, it sounds like a keyboard playing. Then it goes to that horrible chorus again.
3/5

Positive points
- Guy has a really good voice (but wait, check the negative bit)
- 80’s Matchbox explore things they’ve never did before, (keyboard, acoustic, solo etc.)
- Tom drums on the bass drums a lot giving it a tribal feel.
- Rise of the Eagles is such a brilliant song

Negative points
- Guy sometimes shouts a lot and it sounds horrible
- Some of the lyrics are very clich’
- The musicians talent isn’t really something to write home about though they can play rhythm

Recommended Tracks:
Rise of the Eagles
Migrate Migraine
Puppy Dog Snails
The Fool
Mister Mental

Verdict
It won’t fit everyone’s taste but they’ve done really well with this album. It does have it’s weak points but what album doesn’t? I’ll give it a solid:

4/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:38 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1373
fl�gelhorn, I don’t get this word, please fix it

At the height of jazz’s popularity, it was pretty common to see some of the greatest players working with several other big names. In fact, when you list off the “greats", it’s easy to link almost all of them to one another, because it was pretty much expected for musicians to record frequently and with many different bandmates. These were guys who liked to throw around their ideas with people who had unique ideas of their own, and constantly wanted to explore new playing environments. On the other hand, there were also groups that seemed to be very much a single unit. These were musicians that would rather fully delve into the interaction they could have with a few other guys, rather than gaining experience working all over the place. Some examples of these groups are Keith Jarrett’s trio with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, the Coltrane 60s band, and a few of Miles’ groups. The tightly-knit group we’re talking about today is the Oscar Peterson Trio that featured bassist Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen on drums.

On Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One, it’s almost like a meeting of two minds, in a way. Oscar and his longest-running trio were very much in touch with one another by the time this was recorded in 1964. Because these three musicians were working so closely with one another, this grouping with the famous Clark Terry was something of a duo, rather than a quartet. No matter how you look at it, though, we can all agree that it’s very nice to see the Oscar Peterson Trio working still with one another, but also trying out a new collaboration.

As far as potential “plus ones" go, there may have been no one better than Clark Terry for assuming the position of fourth wheel on this recording. The 44 year-old fl’gelhornist slips into the group as if he were born to play with them. His incredibly happy, swinging style is really what makes this a joyous, celebratory recording. Terry also has complete command of his instrument, which if you are not aware, is a brass instrument that is composed of the same length of tubing as a trumpet, but is bent differently. The instrument is in Bb like a trumpet, and has all the same fingerings, but possesses a mellower sound. As far as fl’gelhornists go, Terry is certainly at the top of the heap, which is why he has worked with the likes of Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, and Ella Fitzgerald. In addition to his fl’gelhorn playing, Terry adds a humorous spin to the album on two selections, with his “mumbling" vocals.

The music on Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One is full of life and excitement. This straight-ahead set of standards and Peterson and Terry originals is simply a joy to listen to. The songs rhythmic foundation is straightforward and rock-solid, characterized by Ray Brown’s thumping, creative walking lines, and Ed Thigpen’s swinging bop drumming. In the forefront are Clark Terry’s bouncy, exuberant fl’gelhorn, and Oscar Peterson’s jangling flurries of piano colors.

The fastest tunes on the album clearly illustrate the masterful playing of the soloists. On the boppin’ opener, “Brotherhood of Man," for example, Clark Terry and Oscar Peterson’s lines are intricate and swinging. Terry scales the heights of his instrument’s range as if it’s nothing, and falls to the depths just as quick. In several of the tunes on this album, including “Squeaky’s Blues", Terry effortlessly includes a number of technical devices that serve to drop any trumpet player’s jaw to the ground upon hearing him. Oscar is as impressive, with his soulful, crammed phrases and flawless sense of tension and release. Clearly, these improvisers know precisely how to create exciting, delightful bebop.

The tunes are mostly up-beat boppers, but there are also some ballads. The first ballad, “Jim", features a fantastic piano introduction, and then Terry comes in to take a solo. This tune clearly illustrates how exciting and playful a ballad could be in the hands of this band. The other ballads “Roundalay," “They Didn’t Believe Me," and “I Want a Little Girl" are similarly bright, despite their slow, melancholic themes.

As mentioned earlier, there are two vocal tracks. “Mumbles" and “Incoherent Blues" were both written by Clark Terry, and both feature his humorous approach to singing. Basically, it sounds like he is simply babbling. His rhythmic ideas and pacing are very strong, despite the somewhat silly approach. When Terry puts down his horn, Oscar plays some real soulful piano lines to accompany the silly vocal lines.

This recording documents one of the most powerful groupings in 60s jazz. The Oscar Peterson Trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen had been creating fantastic piano trio music for years when they created another true classic with the help of Clark Terry. This is the sort of album you can put on any time and just bop along with it. It is fun, intelligent, technically impressive, and silly, all at once. A welcome addition to any jazz collection.

4.8/5

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:39 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1374

My heart goes out to you if you’ve ever been stuck in a room with a bunch of Beulah fans. They’ll undoubtedly begin to argue over which album is the best, with no end in sight to this petty quarrel. “Yoko is their most mature and well thought out work," one may say, while another replies with, “But the cool pop of The Coast Is Never Clear is surely better". A third jumps in on the conversation; “Pfft, everyone knows their debut, Handsome Western States, is the best because it captures that pure organic feel of the band. And it’s lo-fi! Do you hear me? Lo-fi!" Meanwhile, another enters the chatter, simply says “When Your Heartstrings Break", and begins to grin.

Beulah’s 1997 debut, Handsome Western States, was probably enough to single handedly launch the band. This album was released on the famous (or infamous) one-part-Beach-Boys-one-part-Beatles indie pop label, Elephant 6. Under the command of lyricist and vocalist Miles Kurosky (who sounds very similar to Doug Martsch or Built to Spill), Beulah recruited an additional 18 musicians and some slick production for their 1999 sophomore album, When Your Heartstrings Break. The strings and brass sections add a great deal of diversity to their music. While they give the band and album a very distinct sound, it does however eliminate some of the track-by-track diversity you find in indie pop/rock giants like Built to Spill or Spoon, since some of the songs seem to run together.

The songs all have some common threads running through them, and this is a positive thing. The brass parts specifically echo throughout each song, where you’ll have minor variations on a theme from start to finish. All the additional musicians are used perfectly to convey emotion. Slower songs like Silverado Days and Calm Go the Wild Seas use flute, accordion, violin, piano and harp to express a melancholy feeling. The brass section is used to add to the warm feeling of the slower songs, but more often you’ll find them in a raging trombone or sax melody.

At their core, each song is an offbeat love song. Rather than croon about a broken heart, Kurosky pens his lyrics with style, bliss, and a bit of quirkiness. Song titles like If We Can Land on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart hint at the playful feeling of the songs. Complementing these uplifting and dreamy lyrics are the lush vocal harmonies. Emma Blowgun’s Last Stand is the best example of the sound of this album, and is an absolutely incredible song. The song begins with a two and a half minute sublime introduction that throws a little bit of everything into the mix. Gentle strings and keyboards compliment a steady drumbeat and lead into a distorted guitar riff. Then a parade of brass stampedes in only to be followed by wonderful Beach Boy caliber harmonies.

There are so many things you can say about When Your Heartstrings Break. It’s an indie pop masterpiece with intelligent lyrics. Its lush and inviting music lures the listener in for repeated listens. One could easily describe every single sound included on the album and obsess over every detail, but the music is much better speaking for itself. Beulah created a very upbeat and accessible album with When Your Heartstrings Break where every song is enjoyable and adds equally to the experience. The multiple layers of sound transport the listener into another world that looks something like the cover art, but filled with more color, joy, and relaxation.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:40 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1375
album missing, add rating 5/5, poor review

"Their post-punk death disco sound might be the current trend, but this Toronto quintet has it nailed with the help of sexy singer Nirmala Basnayake, whose gleefully unpretentious vogue-ish dance moves inspired the crowd and equally dapper guitarist Scott Kaija, whose energetic bounce didn’t distract him from him locking grooves with co-rhythm guitarist Colwyn Llewellyn-Thomas. The only time they looked uncomfortable was when glaring white lights invaded their blood-red backdrop. This is music better bathed in mystery." -Michael Barclay www.exclaim.ca

I had only heard one song when I bought this 22 minute 37 second 7 song EP but after I was done listening to it I knew that they were one of my favourite bands. They have done something that few bands can do, create a mood to their sound without having the songs sound the same. The band has two guitar players and a bass player and they, unlike many other bands, have them doing something completely different all the time.

...
This is not really a song, more of an introduction. It is just strange noises being made on keyboards with some guitar feed-back for a short 40 seconds.. It seems to be there only to start the next song which it does very well. I won't rate it because it is like I said, and introduction.

History
With the fading of ... it starts with just the bass drum and then comes in one of the best bass lines i have heard in a long time. Then the rhythm guitar and the coolest lead riff i have possibly ever heard. Then it goes into a bridge that is completely different to the rest of the song but still fits. It was the first single of the record and had a very strange video. A solid 5/5.

Silent Seven
The song starts right away and just has a very strange feeling, very hard to describe. Again it has a good bass line and lead riff. Another 5/5.

Sleep Over It
This song is very dance-able but still very cool and has a great riff and the lyrics to the chorus would be easy to have an audience sing along with. Again, an awesome walking bassline. 4.5/5

Bruised Broken Beaten
To me, at least, this is a rock song but still, it fits very well. Like all the songs on this record, its very catchy, probably because the chorus has just one lyric, "Somehow". One word but very affective. A 4.5/5.

Disco Blackout
A good way to describe Controller.Controller would be "cool" and this song definately fits that. Their sound is kind of disco but only in the way that you can see how it is influenced by disco. It does not sound like disco unless you pick it apart, like this song. It is just a great song. Another 5/5.

Watch
This starts kind of like the start of the album in the way that the very end of "Disco Blackout" goes into a "..." sounding thing that fades out and starts with just a bass drum but on this song the rhythm guitar starts, not the bass. After that you can tell it is not "History" but a completely different sounding song. This song is very unusual and at first I did not like it but it grew on me and now I cant get enough of it. This song is a 4.5/5.

The only complaint I have about this CD is that it is only 7 songs (6 really). But the new Controller.Controller record is going to be a full-length one, though I’m not sure when it comes out.

Stoic

02-16-2007, 04:43 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1353
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1356 (delete maybe some spaces too if you feel like it)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1359 (delete some links in the middle as well)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1361 (delete link in the end. poor review in overall)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1366
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1367 (poor review)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1371
just delete band and/or other info

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1365
this review is left in the middle, album missing

IsItLuck?

02-17-2007, 01:54 PM

I need to do the last 20 I have and possibly more. I should have a chance later today or tomorrow

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:07 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1376

I’m pretty bad at writing reviews, so I'll just cut to the chase and review song by song:

So did we
The best song on the album. It starts off with a pretty heavy and some shouted vocals, but that’s not really an indication of what’s too come. It quickly goes into a great melodic part and stays there for a while, slowly building up the tension. One thing that is particularly good about this song is the vocal melody line. Aaron Turner isn’t the best vocalist ever, but the sung section sent shivers down my spine when I first heard it. The ending is amazing. There’s some heavy guitars with a weird high pitched (synth?) line over the top. This is a good introduction to Isis, as its also the song that changes the most on this album

Backlit
This one opens wth a nice major key guitar line. The bass sounds particularly good in this song, it really makes it better. The riffing does seem a little bit lazy in some parts of this song (chromatic descending riff? Wtf?) but its still pretty **** good. Another problem would be the build up in the second half of the song. I’m all for building up tension, but it just takes too long. Still, its a very good song. 4/5.

In fiction
The weakest song on the album. There’s a great minor-key intro riff, which you might enjoy at first. Except for the fact that the intro riff goes on for 3 minutes, with little variation except for the bass doing a bit of noodling. The rest of the song is actually quite good, but the problem is getting past that part. It’s really freaking boring. 3/5

Wills Dissolve
This song starts off with an absolutely beautiful synth part. Like In fiction, this song takes a very long time to get going. However, it doesn’t get boring, with the intro riff (a kind of classical minor key guitar bit) being busy enough to keep your interest. This song gets pretty heavy, it’s probably got the fastest bits on the album (which isn’t very fast, but still.) That’s one of the great things about Isis. They don’t have to be very fast to blow your mind. This song builds up again and again, with a great ending. 5/5.

Syndic Calls
I wish I knew what the song title meant, but that doesn’t take away from a kick *** song. This song is a bit similar to Backlit in terms of structure, with 2 clearly different parts. The first part isn’t up to much, but the second part is incredible. Over the heavy riffing and pounding drums there’s some great synths that really push this song on to the next level. There’s also some pretty good singing and screaming in this song. This song is incredible. It has it all: singing, screaming, clean, heavy, beauty and erm... brutality. 5/5

Altered Course
This is my favourite song on the album. This song guest stars the tool bassist, but I cant really see why he’s here. This song seems to be the least favourite for most metal fans I know, but that’s fair enough, because this song is really slow for the most part. The first 3 minutes are pretty heavy, with a lot of riffing, and for this part it seems like its the heaviest song yet. However, the last 7 (!) minutes is very slow synth beats. Its almost like a Trance track. That doesn’t detract from it though. Over the 7 minutes, the synths slowly build up on top of each other over and over again. It’s very beautiful (as I’ve said about 5 times) but extremely repetitive. Not a song for Grindcore fans though. 5/5.

Grinning Mouths
This song is back to the heaviness. It starts off with a fairly upbeat heavy riff, and it mutates and morphs over the 8 minutes. There’s some fairly conventional riffing at the end of this song, instead of the "Big chords of doom" style that’s in most of this CD. Its still amazing. Once again, there are some awesome synths over the riffing at the end of the song, but they play more of a background role. The climax is stunning, and appropriate for an album as good as this one. The drums really pound out the beats with some big guitar riffing. Again, an excellent song. 5/5.

Simply put, this is one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. Someone described this as "Classical written by Heavy Metal Fans" and I can agree with that. These songs aren’t really about the destination; they’re about the journey. The soundscapes created in this album are mystical, brutal, uplifting, depressing and beautiful. They’re everything you could want. It speaks volumes that people from my mum to me to my death metal fanatic friend can like this record. It’s an incredible record, the kind of record that only comes once in a lifetime. The one problem with this record could be the production, with the vocals very hard to understand (although that might he deliberate) and the guitars way too distorted in some parts. Otherwise though, this record is brilliant.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:08 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1381

I kind of regret missing records like these. They only come along once every decade, and usually when they do, they are ignored due to the fact that the record company can’t afford to pay NME / MTV to advertise / review their band / record or give it a bit of screen time. This, plus the fact that the Dismemberment Plan found themselves cut from Interscope records (due to not being sell-outs) after having just completed a new record (a situation that arose again in 2002 when Wilco’s brilliant ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ was canned) didn’t exactly help either. So in 1999, after having re-signed to DeSoto records, the aptly named ‘Emergency and I’ was finally released.

‘Emergency and I’ is the kind of record that can change your perception of how good Rock n’ Roll can get. Not only does it single handily sound completely unique in an increasingly recycled genre, it somehow, at the same time, sounds irresistibly like every record you own. It draws (inspiration) from the Pixies, Joy Division, Talking Heads, Radiohead and Sonic Youth, while still remaining sonically exceptional. By somehow avoiding the dregs of modern music and snorting up (Pete Doherty style) the best of the 90’s Indie Pop scene, ‘Emergency and I’ emerges as a record that drips emotion, energy and an enraging intensity, a hallmark ever missing from the current rock climate.

‘Emergency and I’ may not be the anti-rock, but it sure feels like one. Unlike you’re per usual climax-building opener, ‘A Life of Possibilities’ drives into the vocals within a second, the bass squelching under the trembling of Travis Morrison’s vocals, before satisfyingly soaring to a shimmering climax. While ‘A Life of Possibilities’ thematically hints at social isolation, the staggering ‘The City’ oozes alienation while still remaining uplifting. The synth bass riff swoops and dives over the automated, chiming guitars while the drums clatter and crash like a rocket-propelled tube train. Morrison’s delivery aches loss in love against the contrasting buzz and bustle of city life; The parks lay empty like my unmade bed / The streets are silent like my lifeless telephone / And this is where I live / But I’ve never felt less at home’. Never has such a masterpiece received such little public adoration; it’s a crying shame.

Morrison’s ability to change singing styles in little to no time is highlighted in the frenetic ‘I Love A Magician’, as delivery almost crazed in the verses, to harmonious in the chorus. In the supreme slice of Indie Pop pie ‘Gyroscope’ and the uber-Weezer style of ‘What Do You Want Me To Say?’ Morrison hints at an ever-growing frustration with his relationships with the female kind while still remaining unnervingly catchy. ‘You Are Invited’ sees, much akin to their previous records single: ‘Ice Of Boston’, Morrison narrating a story that revolves around the receiving of a magical invitation that allows access to all the much sought after hotspots. The electronic flickers and drum machine line, climax into the pop-rock chorus before descending back into a comforting final encore.

The renaissance of keyboards in rock music continues on the beautiful ‘Spider In The Snow’, the false orchestral opening swelling into a panic struck miasma of melody, while Morrison’s sentiments swoon over the top; ‘The only thing worse than bad memories / Is no memories at all’. ‘Memory Machine’ rides on a cascade of pre-Kid A computer noises and streaming guitars that ring incessantly while the chorus wallows in glowing electronic majesty, sharply contrasting against the futile lyrics (‘Someday I’m telling you / They’ll make a memory machine / To wax our hearts to a blinding sheen / To wash away the grief).

The albums finale is perhaps the most breathtaking. The penultimate song ‘8 ‘ Minutes’ screeches with a raging confusion; the lurching opening lines: ‘I launched all the world’s nukes this morning / hoping it would kick-start something’ scarring you for life whilst the guitars slice and dice in the background. The dance / funk / punk bass and drum of the closer’s ‘Back And Forth’ are horrifically infectious, as a possessed Morrison sings at an unnerving tempo before becoming almost dangerously passive in the anthemic chorus. The subtle keyboard hooks and edged guitar giving an unbalance mood suited to the song. As the wavering keyboard line screams and the guitars fuzz uncontrollably, the album slinks into an unwanted final silence.

‘Emergency and I’ should have been huge but such innovation is rarely greeted with open arms. The sole fact that ‘Emergency and I’ still sounds unique six years on is proof of its brilliance (and also proof that Interscope don’t know **** about music). The lyric booklet reads better than half the novels I’ve read whilst singularly relating to everything I’ve ever known. The Dismemberment Plan have managed to forge an album that is almost life changing. It surpasses any expectation I’ve had for modern rock music and shows how a touch of ingenuity and originality can go a long way. In the fray of the modern rock rip-off scene, ‘Emergency and I’ shines brighter than Johnny Borrell’s ego after an NME interview. This is how Rock music should be made.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:09 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1396

Miles Davis’ 1959 Jazz masterpiece Kind Of Blue changed jazz forever. It’s one of those rare recordings that changes the genre it’s associated with so that the genre is henceforth defined as that album. Nirvana’s Nevermind comes to mind, as the definitive grunge album. In short, Kind of Blue is THE definitive jazz album. However, it isn’t just the definitive jazz record. It’s one of the greatest albums of all time. The songs are simple, nothing like Coltrane’s or Miles’ later work, but Miles and company have such flawless tone and Miles’ compositions have such soul that this album triumphs in every way. My dad, a famous jazz musician, says that this album, along with Coltrane’s Impressions, got him through high school and life in general. It’s that kind of album, it’s an album you’d give to a lover or to a child, to someone whose life you wanted to change.

Immerse yourself in Kind Of Blue, and you enter a dark and mysterious, almost sexy world with a zen like calm. This album isn’t just an album, it’s an experience.

So What
This song eases in on Bill Evan’s piano, joined soon by the full ensemble. It's a sort of showcase of the band, and it in itself is proof of Miles' skill at arranging the perfect band, if not of god's existence. Although it's not my personal favorite song on the album, it's extremely cool, and extremely smooth. In a good way, not a Kenny G way.
10/10

Freddie Freeloader
This is one of those jazz songs that you know. No seriously, you've heard this song. It's in about 1000 movies, not to mention countless rock DJs who play it in the background while they talk. I heard it on Live 105 once while a DJ was talking. Wyn Kelly plays piano on this one, taking a solo after the ever-recognizable horn intro. I love his piano playing, it's very simple, but extremely articulate and wonderful. Miles' and Coltrane solos follow, both completely flawless. Miles leaving space as usual, Coltrane, who's just beginning to explore his full speed and "sheets of sound" especially shines, on what is IMO his finest moment on this album.
10/10

Blue In Green
A ballad, this song features mostly Miles. The softest song on the album, it's also my least favorite. However, Miles' compositional genius shines on this one, and the Piano, courtesy of Bill Evans, is awesome. This is one of the greatest jazz ballads of all time, and it's something that takes a second listen to get into. Sure, I don't like it as much as the rest of the album, but it's still amazing.
10/10

All Blues
This is, yes, a blues. It's also completely revolutionary. It's the first jazz blues based song to use Modal soloing rather than Chordal. It's genius. The overlaying of the three horns in the beginning of this song is absolutely stunning. It's real cool for a blues, it keeps it's integrity, and isn't gritty in the slightest. This song features especially fine work from drummer Jimmy Cobb, who at times sounds almost like the then pre-teen Tony Williams. Evan's phrasing here is something that would obviously later influence Cecil Taylor. This song features strong solos again, and really shines.
10/10

Flamenco Sketches
The song is something that really influenced my playing. I heard it before I heard the second, full, take, but I like this one better. It's a little rawer than the rest of the albums, and it feels like a dark night in the rain. Miles' muted trumpet sound shines through here, on what is arguably his best trumpet work ever. Words can't really describe this song, it's absolutely amazing.
10/10

Flamenco Sketches (Alternate Take)
Another version of an amazing song. What can I say? Although not as cool as the original, it's outstanding and genius.
Another
10/10

Bottom line is, if this isn’t in your collection, you don’t have a collection. Rock and punk, metal and rap, pop and jazz fans alike will love this record.
It’s the Sgt. Pepper of jazz, really, good for relaxing, drinking, meditating, making love, and just plain listening. So get it-and dig it. Oh, and buy someone you love a copy.

This album is simply genius. It's completely amazing. Words cannot describe.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:10 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1408

Now THIS is an excellent rap album: This was the big CD that turned heads and caused controversy. It also placed one of the most notorious and dangerous record labels on the map. While Dre has admitted he was never a gangster, he does a great job of portraying one in each of his songs on this album. 'The Chronic' is Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg's celebration of the hedonism of the ghetto gangster lifestyle- Weed, money, women, and killing. Dr. Dre creates catchy rhymes and raps with authority. His portrayal is hard and confrontational and the magical G-Funk beats and sounds he produces are rarely anything less than fantastic. You can tell that Dre did a lot of experimenting in the studio to develop his sound. The guest appearances are from RBX, Daz, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Lady of Rage and Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Now as for the music itself there are signs of age; sure there are faster rappers, funkier beats, and flashier lyrics but this comes out in a time when rap music was struggling to even get on MTV.

The Chronic (Intro) - The album begins with a brief intro that features Dre talking in a semi-coherent stream of consciousness style. He uses this time to declare that the era of NWA is over and the era of Death Row Records has begun. This is where you see the first swipe at Eazy, the first of many throughout the album. 3/5

F*ck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin') - This is a diss song aimed at Eazy-E. It's quite sad that these 2 became enemies because they were a fine team around their N.W.A years. 'F*ck with Dre Day' invites you into the joys and pain of ghetto life with it's catchy and enthralling lyrics. "So strap on your Compton hat/ and gloves/ and watch your back/ 'cos yo might get smoked loc!". This is the first overuse of Gangster bragging and immature disses of old N.W.A. members in place of Ghetto consciousness or morality. But it is one alternating hilarious and soulful song, all the way down to the female backing vocals that close out the track. 4.5/5

Let Me Ride - Let Me Ride' with it's laid-back sound and description of a day in the life of Dr. Dre- scrappling with car-jackers, collecting weed, hitting on women, being stopped by the police and being adored by the community for his rap superstardom. 4/5

The Day the Niggaz Took Over - The Day The N!ggaz Took Over" is a tense, angry song that is one of the more sociopolitical numbers on the album. The song opens with some rather militant dialogue, before the opening chants of "Break em off some" kick the song into high gear. The lyrics deal with the 1992 riots in Los Angeles. 4.5/5

Nuthin' But a "G" Thang - This is simply the best song on the CD. "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" was voted 2nd best rap song ever made. It features Dre and Snoop. It's quite chilling and kind of a relaxing song to listen to when you've just had mary-jane. It was the first single i beleive. The video of this song is sort of boring, but its funny looking at how skinny Snoop was yet he was acting all tough!: 5/5

Deeez Nuuuts - 'Deeez Nuts' is one of the most raw tracks on the album. Everybody has a good verse and Nate Dogg makes a great debut at the end of this track. The best part of this track however, is the instrumental at the end. The beat breaks down and then slowly builds back up and lets you enjoy Dre's beats without any of the gifted MCs rapping on it. 5/5

Lil' Ghetto Boy - I LOVE THIS SONG! 'Lil' Ghetto Boy' is a Ghetto-conscious rap about Dre and Snoop observing the sudden increase of gun-culture in the black community, and the rise in black on black killings. This is perhaps the only morality tale on the C.D. Dr. Dre is even sincere enough to describe himself having overconfidence of his Original Gangster status which leaves him unprepared for the moment when he is shot and wounded by an armed thirteen-year old boy. The way Dre describes his shock and confusion at the moment of being shot, he genuinely sounds sad and even scared for the community he lives in. This level of openness and vulnerability would not be heard again on a Dre song till 'The Message' from the '2001' album, where Dre admits to feeling suicidal over his brother Tyree's death. 5/5

A Nigga Witta Gun - Here we get further comments on Urban Violence, much like the previous song. From this point one on there's really no stopping Dre and the Death Row Crew. 4/5

Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat - "Rat-tat-tat-tat" is quite similar to A Nigga Witta Gun. Again it’s just just Dre being quite aggressive. The chorus just sticks in your head. 4/5

The $20 Sack Pyramid - This is just a skit. It's fairly amusing to say the least :) 4/5

Lyrical Gangbang - This song consists of mainly Lady Of Rage, Kurupt, and RBX. No Dre. That's why the lyrics are sort of poor. I think RBX's lyrics are excellent in this song though. All Dre says is "Some cool ****, some cool ****." 2.5/5

High Powered - I could do with out this song. It has to be my least favorite track on the album, though I like RBX's innovative lyrics. 2/5

The Doctor's Office - This is a sick track... It's just mostly the sound of Dre and a women having sex...so...5/5 …just kidding. 3/5 because it funny.

Stranded on Death Row - This is definitely a real gem one the CD without a doubt. "Stranded on Death Row" is simply one of the BEST songs I'VE EVER HEARD but the sad thing is that Dre isn't on the track. Such a dark but wicked *ss beat, he should have released this song as a single. 5/5

The Roach [The Chronic Outro] - This should be the ending but it's not :mad: . I love the song. The chorus is catchy. It's about the drug chronic, which is if you didn't know marijuana with cocaine on top. 5/5

Bitches Ain't Sh*t - Poor ending imo. I am not a fan 'B*tches ain't Sh*t', it's an annoying tune and it has quite the offensive lyrics. But what offends me most about 'B*tches ain't Sh*t' is that this garbage was chosen as a bonus track over such a classic like 'Deep Cover' which would have been a perfect close to the album in its description of the kinship between Dre and Snoop, and to show how Dre once was not all about creating Gangster Rap clichés. 3/5

I give this Album a 5/5. The only problem with it is that is spawned a tons of imitations. Today Dr. Dre is most famous for discovering and producing Eminem, so his vision of hip-hop continues to dominate the Billboard charts. Personally, I'd like to turn back the clock to a time in hip-hop before marijuana leaves were all over the disc and CD booklet with participants on the tracks getting high. I like Dre, but NWA was more enjoyable imo. I miss the anti-drug message of Ice-T's "I'm Your Pusher" or even Too Short's nasty but easy to follow lyrics. But maybe you're right-- I guess I'm just getting old.

The sarcastically titled debut CD from one of modern music's most talented musicians is incidentally one of the most diverse and creative modern works to this day, from its release in 1989.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:10 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1416
album missing, add rating 4.5/5

"Radio Free Albemuth"
The title track features an interesting medley of contrasting themes which still manage to compliment each other as they reprise throughout the piece. Each of the three features it's own tempo, key, and instrumentation which makes for an interesting listen.

"Flow My Tears..."
A repetitive new-age piece with a well written melody.
The interlude is particularly enjoyable. Amy Knoles' hand percussion is a nice addition to this piece, as is Satriani's guitar solo.

"Dr. Gradus Ad Parnassum"
One of Stuart's most challenging songs is this track, his interpretation of classical composer Claude Debussy's solo piano composition "Dr. Gradus Ad Parnassum". Always creative, Stu arranges the melody for electric bass and is accompanied by piano. This is some of the most impressive bass playing on the album, and a terribly overlooked song in Stu's catalogue.

"Sexually Active"
By far the most impressive bass work on the album. This piece is very bass-focused throughout (in comparison to the rest of the album). The main theme has an unusual and somewhat dissonant guitar melody.
Highlights include the transition and (of course) bass solo. The downside is the guitar solo, which is not very melodic, although technically impressive.

"Simple Dreams"
One of Stu's minimalist pieces. Unlike the preceding track it is light on the instrumentation, featuring two basses (a rhythm and a fretless for the melody), an organ for chords, and a synth which quotes the melody. A very minor and mood setting piece, which highly contrasts the next song, which of course has to be Stu's all-time crowd-pleaser...

"Country Music (A Night In Hell)"
The second most impressive bass work on the album in featured in this song: a comical stereotype of southern bluegrass and polka music, with the twist of a 3-minute bass solo. Stu pulls out all of the stops here, managing to produce virtuoso-quality solo work involving many advanced bass techniques out of only three chords (the song is based on a C, Am, G , C progression throughout). This piece begins and ends with the experience all gigging musicians can relate to: a bizarre request by a loud, obnoxious heckler. One of Stuart's few pieces which can be enjoyed by almost anyone who is not a musician.

"Moonlight Sonata"
Stu closes with his rendition of the classic Beethoven piece. Although this would have enough effect with solo bass, Scott Collard adds beautiful minimalist synth work which provides a chord background. Stuart manages to adapt the solo piano score for electric bass, and often plays three (!) separate melodies at once. Stu manages to keep the mood of the piece in its first electric bass rendition. An excellent choice to end the album.

I would give all of these songs a 5 (with a few possible exceptions). The marks deducted were for the albums short playing time (approx. 35 minutes) and the situation of the track listing (I would rather "Simple Dreams" switched with "Country Music"). Don't think this takes too much from the album, however; it is still worth every cent and I would recommend it to anyone, not just aspiring virtuoso bassists.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:11 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1418
?uestlove, don’t know what he means.

History: Like a few other West Coast rap acts, including the Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Jurassic 5, Blackalicious has generally favored what hip-hoppers call the "positive tip"; in other words, its lyrics have often been spiritual and uplifting rather than violent or misogynous. Emerging from the creatively fertile soils of Northern California, The Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel fused together in around 1992 to make Blackalicious, a two-man combo whose relationship that of the MC and DJ/Producer reflects the core of the art form we have come to know as Hip Hop. In a cold and dark global market where music is thought of simply as a commodity to be mass produced, distributed, and sold, Blackalicious brings light through twelve years of fanatic b-boyism and soulful introspection.

Blazing Arrow is one of those classic summer albums that took much time to grow on me, and now I have no doubt that it's pretty much a solid CD. One of the few perfect hip-hop albums, free of filler, featuring brilliant production and lyrics, it's just a wonder to listen to. Blazing Arrow is their major-label debut. The layered production, the mess of styles, and the three-ring circus of guest stars turn this into a breakthrough record. But what makes it a masterpiece is that Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel can hold it together with the directness of their vision of strength and hope: this is unstoppably joyous, a complicated album that feels as natural as sunshine on your forehead. It’s a solid 74 minutes of originality and creativity and one of the best of 2002. This album is a massive advance on the last one, pushing the limber rhymes and tight beats with more musical innovation. Blazing Arrow has moments of slick R&B because of the MCA-roster female vocalists who help slow things down: Jaguar Wright's randy, sassy guest spot on "Aural Pleasure," Keke Wyatt on "It's Going Down," or Tracey Moore's smooth-as-silk chorus on "Nowhere Fast."

Lets start with the short funk intro "Bow and Fire:"

Introduction: Bow and Fire (1:06) - "Bow and Fire" is the perfect intro; it really sets the mood for the rest of the album. The introduction wont let you get away. Harkening back to the vintage funk and soul that label mate Shadow is so well known for, the keys supply the groove while the metaphor is introduced that drives the rest of the record: "I've got my arrow / I've got my bow I've got my fire / And I'm walking through the darkness slowly on a tightrope wire". The bass line literally pulls you into the rest of the album, and by the time the first thirty seconds are over, and the second track has begun, you realize you are in for the long haul. 5/5

Blazing Arrow (2:39) - 'Blazing Arrow’ features blazing rhymes, a bouncing bass line knocking into a horn section, and a hazy, dreamy Harry Nilsson sample on the chorus. The Gift of Gab doesn't disappoint: "I was on the old safe surface, figure out your purpose that's impossible / But logic will disturb the thought or focus what it's not is all about / The grow about the kind of onus only god can know". They put it all on the table with the simple hook to the song, sampled from Harry Nilsson's "Me and My Arrow": "Me and my arrow / Taking the high road". Without sacrificing the rest of the album to make the point I love the way Gab punches in that "Fade away!" on the track also. Blackalicious still lets the listener know where they are coming from, and more precisely, where it is that they are headed. 5/5

Sky Is Falling (2:26) - Sky is Falling has another brilliant verse and a killer chorus. Gift of Gab lays down some marvelous vocals on this track. The lyrics Gab creates are fresh and creative ‘ Rain and thunder and lightning/ Crumbling buildings/ Falling hurricanes/ Earth shattering mid-rains/ Scattering insane/ Happening/ Souls keeps burning/And the sky keeps plummeting/Now’ The keyboard on 'Sky is Falling' comes perilously close to being a Neptune’s imitation though. Not a highlight on the album at all, but don’t be quick to call it a filler! 4/5

First in Flight (4:32) - 'First in Flight' is the first highlight, and that's saying something. It just keeps getting better. The track flows very smoothly. It has Gift of Gab on vocals and it features Gil Scott-Heron also on vocals. The drumming or this song is so inspiring. ‘It's me/ Let your mind and your soul be free/ Work to shine meet your goal believe/ Spread that kind of L-O-V-E/ Take some time off the lonely" Scott-Heron sings wonderfully on the track, as he repeats ‘Cause all we got is rhythm and timing'/ We go beyond the edge of the sky" 5/5

Green Light: Now Begin (3:12) - The intro to the song is better than any other track IMO, it has a distorted guitar, which appears quietly on the rest on the track. 'Green Light...' is .not exactly groundbreaking and its chorus can annoy you at times. But ‘Green Light Now Begin" is laid-back and has smart lyrics. 4/5

4000 Miles (4:35) - ‘4000 Miles" is a "journey through music" as the chorus describes. It is a joyous song, easily another highlight. This song includes features Jurassic 5 and Latyrx. This is the first song to include explicit lyrics, thanks to Latyrx. 4000 is quite possibly my favorite hip-hop track ever. I dig the funky keyboards and cello low in the mix on "Nowhere Fast" as Gab runs through a list of what he'll accomplish "tomorrow," while the music sends him drifting away. Gab’s lyrics are strong once again: ‘Music, deliver from within and it covers up everything/ Music, when the melody and rhythm get the moving an unity/ Movin, one force one love one whole community/ Do it, keep traveling on keep traveling on".5/5.

Nowhere Fast (6:41) - Devastating lyrics once again. By this time, Gab has complete control of you. This track includes wonderful scratching by Chef X-Cel. The women (Tracey Moore) singing in this track has a relaxing voice. She repeats “tomorrow" numerous times, though it doesn’t get old. It is a long track for a hip-hop album, but you stay awake all the way through. It’s a head-nodder with a drum line supplied by ?uestlove, with Gift of Gab rapping to a former lover: "So treat to just a slice of heaven why you cheat me? / Deceive me and now I'm hell inside these thoughts that link me / To flesh the soul it's bound to I was truly made to be free". In lyrics like this, he manages to be grown-up without sacrificing his "flow". Brilliant track. 5/5

Paragraph President (5:09) - Paragraph President is an entire song crafted out of a single line from a De La Soul track. There is marvelous drumming in the second half of the song, and Xcel does some good work with the beats. Paragraph President is not my favorite, but creative. 4.5/5

It's Going Down (3:44) – “It's goin' down" is undeniably catchy. I mean VERY catchy. ‘Sit back, close your eyes/ Peep back, got you open wide/I'll let you get a taste of me/It's going down in mystery" is a very sexy chorus, again sung by women, one is and Keke Wyatt. This song also features Lateef the Truthspeaker. I love the song. 5/5

Make You Feel That Way (3:26) - ‘Make you feel" is a 'feel-good' song, no doubt. There are the nostalgic lyrics and smooth sound on "Make You Feel That Way," with its haunting trumpet line. It is a very calm track. You keep hearing the simple yet powerful line ‘Make you feel that way" for the chorus. The lyrics are simply at another level, and they perfectly fit the soothing music. Good all around song. 5/5

Brain Washers (6:22) - A song that songs somewhat like ‘Make you feel". 'Brain washers' surprisingly has that high pitched "where do I go?" voice that adds to the song. The middle of the song has some neat drumming, which leads to the second part of the song. It’s a weird breakdown, with crazy drumming and scratching. It end’s with “ARROW". Good solid track. 4/5

Chemical Calisthenics (3:21) – “Chemical calisthenics" proves that it's true; Gift of Gab really CAN do anything. Amazing... Chemical Calisthenics has break-neck tongue twisters. It’s a chemistry lesson within three minutes. Even if you hate chemistry, you will like this song. "Chemical Calisthenics" is a breakneck lyrical workout for Gab backed by scattershot beats from Cut Chemist. By this time you know creativity is possible in hip-hop. 'Chemical calisthenics' is a VERY creative song. Again, some neat drumming that is very fast at the end. 5/5

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:13 PM

Aural Pleasure (4:47) – “Aural Pleasure" has Gab’s best lyrics. Unfortunately, the beat suffers a little and I am not too fond of the hook, I'm afraid. But I like the way it switches half way through. The song is weird, but in a good way. I prefer the second half of the song. Again, it ends with “ARROW". 4/5

Passion (3:54) - 'Passion' is a fiery song, with awesome lyrics. Though the concept, creativity and delivery is weak. You see, it's called 'Passion', and in the chorus they describe what passion is, but they try to keep it a bit too real - they don't need to tell us how good & authentic they are compared to other artists, it sounds too much like an average Dilated Peoples song. But it is somewhat enjoyable. 4/5

Purest Love (4:03) - I really like this song, it is somewhat another highlight. It’s a soulful shout out from Gab to the people who inspired him - his family. ‘Purest Love" has a killer chorus, with some beautiful horns. There is really no other song on this album like it. 5/5

Release Pt. 1, 2 and 3 (9:26) - Start’s off with the yelling of “Release!" Which is shouted out by the infamous Zach De La Rocha. ‘Release" is a three-parter that also features (other than the impassioned screaming of Zack de la Rocha), the brilliant verses of Saul Williams and a great musical outro. A standout track definitely. All the instruments on this track flow exceptionally well. The instruments include a cello, organ, piano, bass etc. I will say it again, Saul Williams wrote very interesting and intriguing lyrics for this song. Lyrics Born doesn’t rap too bad either. “Motivate, accelerate, never wait, know your weight, throw away hate" Lovely Song. 5/5

Day One (4:52) - Gift of Gab takes the Mos Def route on this track, and sings a duet. ‘Day One" isn’t bad. I enjoy the singing between Gab, Erinn Anova, Vursatyl, and Joyo Velarde. The strings are nice and the song flows well. But more importantly is the brilliant outro, featuring a final nod to the intro, tying the album into a colorful package. 5/5

In my honest opinion, I think everyone should own this album. And as for the guest list on the album: it's impressive, not just because of the big names that lent a hand, and not just because they sound good, but because some of them have never sounded better. There are plenty of guest rappers-- Lateef the Truth Speaker, Chali 2NA, and Lyrics Born, to name a few-- but the other vocalists are surprising. Will Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha ever have another chance to shout on a record this mature? And Gil Scott-Heron's basso profundo firms up "First in Flight"-- he didn't even sound that good back when he sounded that good. Fellow SoleSides alumnus DJ Shadow slips in a between-tracks interlude, and Saul Williams gets a showcase for his gnarled, elaborate verses in "Release". And ?uestlove of the Roots co-wrote and plays drums on one of the album's standouts, the missed-opportunities rumination of "Nowhere Fast".

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:14 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1424
album missing, add rating 5/5

Background info.
The Random Stoners debut single self-released by the band before they signed to their record label. Formed last year by a bunch of teenagers and some "illegal" substances these guys bring some of the finest and funniest music ever recorded.

Track By Track Guide

Deans Bum - Epic and Ballad like until it breaks down into a huge chorus, heavy bridge and strange but effective blues solo. The song tells the tale of an ordinary boy who's bum (yes bum no mistake) becomes famous and then king of the world. The Lyrics are so funny and well delivered with amazing musicmanship show on the guitar with constant changes in style and tempo. Excellent Track Funny as Hell 5/5

Cheery Bum Sex (Remix) - Classic Track given a strange makeover. Not as good as the original which will feature on the debut album but still a brillant piece of musicmanship and well delivered lyrics. Great Song, Slightly Strange Remix 4/5

Dean's Bum (Demo) - Demo version of track 1. Raw as hell but just as effective. Original parts and background talking add more comedy to the mix although solo isn't as good. Great Song, Raw and Uncut 5/5

Dean's Bum (Live in BYC) - Live version of track 1. Same as original with added onstage interaction between the band(Funny As Hell.) Solo seems slightly lost live and turns into an amusing comedy breakdown. Sounds Great Live With Added Band Humour 5/5

Overall

Overall this is an excellent CD I'm so glad I bought it. Makes me laugh like hell every time I hear it. Could cheer up anyone (even Chad from Nickelback ) Without a doubt my favourite band and until they release their album, my Favourite CD

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:14 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1426
dvd missing, add rating 3.5/5

This DVD was a long time coming.

WAY back when Minor Threat was still a band, and frontman Ian McKaye was still bald, and not making educational children's videos about "The Vowel Movement" a group of reporters recorded 2 Minor Threat shows with the intent of doing a d0cumentary. Unfortunately money was short, and eventually the project was shelved, and forgotten about for a long time. A while back the guys at Washington DC's Dischord Records discovered the film. They compiled the 2 recorded shows at Buff Hall in New Jersey and 9:30 Club in Minor Threat's hometown of Washington DC with another grainy, tough to watch show at a venue called DC Space.

I will review each show individually.

DC Space: The Unheard Music Festival
December 17th, 1980
This video is by far the oldest, being taped in December of 1980, only a month after Minor Threat's first show. The set was short, the tape was grainy but there is somthing about it that lets you know you are viewing a piece of musical history.

The performance of this segment wasn't particularly tight, I just personally enjoy it because it is so old and shows the band in its earliest known stages. Heck singer Ian McKaye hasn't even decided to go with his signature shaved head look yet.

Buff Hall - Camden, New Jersey.
Recorded November 20th, 1982
Performance wise, this is my favorite show on the Disc. The performances are tight, and the crowd is absolutely insane. The coolest thing about this show is it was a sort of meeting of the great hardcore bands. They had all the biggest names from the main east coast scenes there. Boston bands, NY bands DC bands, etc..

Notable Songs: Out of Step, I Don't Wanna Hear It, Stepping Stone

9:30 Club, Washington DC
June 23rd, 1983
Another great set. This one was recorded most professionally, at one of DC's largest venues, the 9:30 Club (which is still used today). I think the biggest highlight of the entire show was when HR from Bad Brains' sister came onto the stage (maybe drunk? I'm not sure) and took the mic and sang Filler with Ian. Pretty funny stuff. All the songs were performed well as well.

There is also a Q&A Session with Ian, it's pretty interesting but the format is pretty retarded, the questions are on one section and the answers on another, and additional remarks on a third.

In overall, it was definitely worth buying especially if you like Minor Threat alot and its very interesting, but the replay value isn’t terrific, however it definitely is replayable.

And to clear things up YES I do recommend it but only if you already have the Complete Discography (if you don’t its not what you'd think, its only one CD).

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:15 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1439

What an unusual band the Gorillaz are, except they aren’t a real “band” per say. They are an animated group of characters that play music. The Gorillaz members include 2-D (the singer/keyboardist), Murdoc (bassist), Russel (drums) and Noodle (guitar). Each character has their own unique traits and background. The idea came from Blur’s front man Damon Albarn, Dan “The Automator” Nakamura and the creator of the “Tank Girl” comics Jamie Hewlett. Also collaborating on the album is Cibo Matto’s Miho Hatori, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and The Tom Tom Club’s Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz. Together they are GORILLAZ. The group is best known for their radio friendly hit “Clint Eastwood”, featured on their self-titled debut album. Since then I believe they have released two records. To check them out further or if you just want to see the internet’s best animation, they have a very good website. www.gorillaz.com

Re-Hash …Almost has a 60s vibe to it. Starts with an acoustic guitar riff and a nice drumbeat accompanied by male and female vocals. There are also some sorts of Asian instrumentals but I’m not sure of the specific instrument. The lyrics aren’t really varied…pretty much just a big drug reference. Not a strong opening. (2.5/5)

5/4 …Starts off relatively well with good guitar, but soon looses its flavor and starts sounding like a 80s pop song with confusing lyrics. (2/5)

Tomorrow Comes Today …Skip the first two songs and start listening here, for this is a very cool song. Starts with a muffled hip hop drumbeat, then piano and what sounds like harmonica. Overall it has a very sad sound but in a good bluesy way. (4.5/5)

New Genius (Brother) [Mix]…This could almost be a continuance of the previous track with its spacey laid-back vibe. I really liked the lyrics and how they have an almost subtle threat to them. (4/5)

Clint Eastwood …The hit single, the one with the video on MTV, and not a bad song. The delivery of the lyrics and the words themselves are the high light. Theirs a dark ominous piano and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien’s rapping to 2-D’s chorus is perfect. The only downside is that the song draws on a little too long with just the same instrumentals being continued. (5/5)

Man Research (Clapper)…Strange video gamey sounds, a heartbeat drumbeat and eerie vocals that start to sound like Indian chanting. It becomes repetitive. (1.5/5)

Punk …Sounds more like Blur’s British pop rock with muffled vocals and clapping. Sounds different than everything else on the album but there’s still nothing that makes it really stand out. (2.5/5)

Sound Check (Gravity) [Mix]…Starts with single acoustic strumming and haunting vocals. Doesn’t sound very promising but then some beefy guitar comes in with a good drumbeat and some scratching. The vocals also change for the better but maintain the same haunting hopelessness as the first verse-which it goes right back too. For the conclusion of the song both verses come together simultaneously which creates a very cool effect. (4/5)

Double Bass …What a great song to skip. There is nothing here, just the same guitar riff over and over again with some electronic noises and no real vocals. Sounds like they remixed some elevator music. It also goes on way too long. (1/5)

Rock the House…The official dance song of the CD. It starts off with some festive horns and even a flute or something of that nature. It’s pretty much just a party song with shallow party lyrics, which isn’t really a bad thing. Del raps about just having a good time. (3.5/5)

19-2000 …Another party song, which sounds even happier, a little too happy. It has a humorous vibe to it and pulls it off quit well. However, this song was used in a commercial for gum, which caused it to loose its appeal. (3/5)

Latin Simone [Que Pasa Contigo]…Begins with an interesting shuffle sound that works very well with the all-Spanish sung vocals and horns. It’s a strange song but it just has a good effect and its one of my favorites on the album. (4.5/5)

Starshine …Kind of boring. Starts with an extremely slow drumbeat and a depressive yet cool bass line. Theirs no real verses or chorus just repeated lyrics. (2.5/5)

Slow Country …Begins with a laid back beachy noise; some uplifting piano and just a nice rolling mellow laid back rhythm. The vocals are also sung fittingly with a nice melody and it all flows very well. It would be good at the end of a movie at the part where everything comes together and theirs a happy ending. (5/5)

M1 A1…Definitely an interesting track. It begins with about two minutes of suspenseful music and a guy repeatedly saying “Hello, is anybody there” It certainly builds tension but to nothing. A guitar slowly fades in and the song totally changes direction to British rock. Another track that sounds like Blur, and a very good Blur at that. (4/5)

Dracula …think of it as a jazz/reggae song about vampires. Very laid back with good lyrics and an equally good bass line. (4/5)

Left Hand Suzuki Method …Weirdest song on here, it’s all over the place. Begins with bubbling noise, some suspenseful music then heavy hip hop drums and Noodle speaking Japanese with some gospel sounding “ooooh” the background. It then goes into a violin solo accompanied by some western saloon-sounding piano of some sort, which actually sounds cool. (3.5/5)

When focused just on the music, the CD is quit varied without any real kind of positive or negative consistency. It combines a lot of different musical genres, which worked for most of the songs but failed for others. I would say it’s an acquired taste because of the utter weirdness to it. Simple rock and hip-hop kind of took a backseat and the sound was primarily electronic. However, the idea of Gorillaz helps pull the whole thing off; 2-D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle prove that their more than just an outlandish gimmick.

Note: The CD includes special features which can be viewed on a computer.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:17 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1445
ATTENTION! This is only the beginning of the review. There were some question marks needed to be fixed but the rest was fine. Be careful with copy pasting ;)

Background Info
Formed in 1992 in Athens Georgia. Olivia Tremor Control is the standout band from The Elephant 6 label which mostly consists of Lo-Fi bands including bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and Apples in Stereo. They released their first single California Demise in 1995 then their first full length album Dusk at Cubist Castle in 1996. Black Foliage: Animation Music was their last album and in 2001 the band Circulatory System was formed with a slight change in the original OTC lineup.

The Review
My favorite band of this century so far, I cannot say enough good things about this band. I would put them in the league of melody masters The Beatles and the Beach Boys. The comparisons between them are very common. Overall Oliva Tremor Control is a much more complex group than most 60’s pop groups but their sound just fits the feeling form that time. The horns in “Hideway" to the psychedelic sounds in Black Foliage(Itself) are proof of the nostalgic feel of this album.

The whole idea for this album is hard one to explain but I’ll explain it the best I can The Idea for this album started when a the guitar part on the song Black Foliage (Itself) were used in a series of short animation songs stemming off the original song. As time went on more and more sound got added to the animation songs and other songs began to unfold creating more and more material until the album was complete.

It is quite easy to get lost listening to this album. Although the album is divided into 4 sides it still takes quite a few listens to easily find your way around the CD. Repeated listening is a must before you cast judgment.

Thanks to the Elephant 6 orchestra countless instruments many of which of I’ve never heard of are everywhere on this record. Also some of the songs on are Pro Tools based collages. Actually I would consider only 14 tracks on this album to be developed songs.

This is a very hard album to rate as there are so many noise tracks and those are quite hard to rate because they aren’t really songs. The album also changes direction a lot. Allmusic.com said it best with “There are at least enough ideas for five albums here." and ‘It's an imploding masterpiece, a work teetering on the cliff's edge between genius and madness."

What this album means is completely up to your interpretation. For me it’s a childlike and scary collection of nostalgic songs. If another person did a review of this album it would probably be quite different.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:17 PM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1448
album missing, add rating 3.5/5

Scary Kids Scaring Kids is a post emo rock band out of Phoenix Arizona, which isn't known for a bustling music scene. They have touring with some pretty big name acts such as: Saosin and Norma Jean. They have a fairly unusual lineup for a hardcore band as they have 3 guitarists and a regular keyboardist.

This is an EP with only 7 tracks and it clock in at just over 30 minutes. but oh what a 30 minutes it is.

What's Up Now - This track is a nice kick off to an amazing EP. The song begins with a really creepy sounding keyboard line that continues while the 3 guitars come crashing in and the vocals let out a sharp scream. Kick arse way to begin. the song is a longer one but I don’t find my self losing interest at any point in the song at all. killer track 4/5

The World As We Know It - I love the 3 guitar into. the guitars mix so well. Very strong vocal performance on this song. This one is much slower compared to the song before it but again, I am on the edge of my seat the whole time. Awesome lyrics too here. 3.5/5

Bulletproof - This song steps a bit back from the other two. the dual vocals don't work well on this one and the time changes seem a little forced. I don’t know, this song just didn’t seem to click for me. 2/5

Locked In - This song sounds like it could be a Thursday B-side, just with cleaner vocals. Great guitar picking sound in the verse, with a nice melodic chorus. A slower song but it sounds really great. There are some killer breakdowns in this one 4/5

Sink and Die - Really slow intro that builds up for about 30 seconds before the screaming attacks you. Nice slow bridge that sounds excellent. Really cool breakdowns and fills in this track but overall not as memorable as some of the other songs. 3/5

Changing Properties - Nice 3 guitar intro again. This song seems to be a bit formulaic and has some of the same problems the last song had. It just didn’t stick with me as much as I would like 3/5

My Knife, Your Throat - Slow piano intro. Very cool sounding that builds up and goes into a cool picking guitar style verse. This song is epic and takes all the best parts of the band and puts them together. The 3 guitars work well, the drumming is busy, the keyboards sound great, and the vocals are fantastic. easily the best song on the record 5/5

This EP was hard to break down track by track because it is all like one big song that connects. all the songs flow together really well. I cant wait to hear a proper full length from these fellas. Big ups to Jon for introducing me to them. The best parts of the album is how well the 3 guitars fit together. This band is really tight musically. the only problem is that some songs when put by themselves don’t work too well. if you listen to the album all the way through without skipping any tracks it works really well though. I can see this band getting pretty big with the indie-emo kids, but if you don’t like bands like Thursday or UnderOATH you most likely won't dig these guys. I would have given this album a 4 but if you aren’t part of the target audience you might not dig on it, and the songs when they are by themselves aren't too memorable.

Stoic

02-17-2007, 02:18 PM

just delete band and/or other info in the beginning:

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1379
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1380 (delete some spaces too if you want)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1382
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1384 (album missing, delete link in the end too)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1385 (change rating to 3/5, album missing)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1386
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1391 (delete rating in the end)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1394
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1397 (delete some spaces too and add rating 5/5, album missing)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1399
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1411
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1413
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1414
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1415
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1417
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1419
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1420
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1421
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1422 (maybe rating in the end?)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1423 (n Slow song, leave a space)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1431
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1433
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1435 (little fix in the tracklist)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1436 (little fix in the tracklist)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1437
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1438
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1440
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1443 (maybe the "rating:" in the end too)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1444
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1446 (fix the ' in the last paragraph)
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1447
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1449
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1450 (fix the world repetitive in the third paragraph from the end)

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1378
Most part of this review is bio taken from another site...

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1389
minor fix, in the last song description replace i've with I've.

Stoic

02-18-2007, 10:04 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1454
album missing, add rating 4/5

Often underestimated because of his typical generic R&B star looks, D'Angelo is one of the last Mohicans of soul. In 1995, his debut album Brown Sugar turned heads with its refreshing organic sound - Heavy use of Fender Rhodes, a jazzy sound, obvious Prince and Al Green influences, but clearly with roots in hiphop as well. It was a welcome deviation from other "urban" music, since R&B was slowly becoming a monster in the mid 90's.

His talent was pretty evident from the start, and was one of the most, if not the most important jumpstart for the so-called "neo-soul" movement. Sadly, this hasn't been a very fruitful scene. Only a handful of "neo-soul" (i hate that term..) artists are worth checking out, and in my opinion none of them achieved the level of the pioneers, with Lauryn Hill's solo debut being one of D'Angelo's few worthy adversaries i can think of.

Just 20 at the time, this son of a preacher did almost the entire album by himself, playing nearly all the instruments. And he did very well.

However, this urge to have everything in control might have been the reason why it took five years to come up with this sophomore album, 2000's Voodoo. A third hasn't been made yet, and probably will take a while since no release date is known yet.

This time, there are a lot of guest musicians. I think that was a good idea, because even though he can play a lot of instruments pretty well and does so on many songs, the skill of people like Charlie Hunter and Pino Paladino adds more depth to the album and just makes it more enjoyable.

Playa Playa
The album starts off which sounds like a voodoo ceremony. Pretty soon, a smooth funky guitar lick starts, bass and drum set a groove. When the horns kick in, you know that you're in for something good. Very funky, a great song to set the mood for the rest of the album. Roy Hargrove is real smooth with the horns. Great song, perhaps a bit long.
4/5

Devil's Pie
Originally written for a soundtrack, this is the only song on the album which uses a DJ and electronic instrumentation. I kinda like it, but it seems out of place. Would have been better off as a B-side.
2.5/5

Left & Right
This is a real catchy funky song, but sadly it features rappers Redman and Method Man. Even though i like Redman and Meth is alright, it doesn't feel like they belong on this album. The lyrics are pretty corny too. That really drags the song down and along with track #2 it disturbs the mood of the album, which is otherwise very consistent. But it's a pretty nice tune.
2.75/5

The Line
This song consists of a continuous groove of bass, low-boost filtered guitar and a lot of layered falsetto vocals. It's quite good, although a bit repetetive. Five minutes is too long.
3/5

Send It On
A very sexy ballad, this is one of the highlights on the album. There's not much more to say other than that it's just very good, although one thing i like to point out is the bridge. Sheer excellence. Such delicacy.
5/5

Chicken Grease
Another highly intoxicating song... i hate to use the word "funky" again but there isn't any other word i can think of that sums it up as well. Pino Paladino on the bass with a SICK bassline... this song is really simple, but very good.
4/5

One Mo'Gin
I love this song. Basically a song about reminiscing, about a past love (apparently the song title means "one more time" in ebonic, lol). Lovely.
4.25/5

The Root
One of two songs that feature Charlie Hunter, a nice little fact is that he played the bassline and guitar simultaneously (also during the solo) on his 8-string. Basic heartbreak theme, but very well executed. The chorus does get repeated a lot near the end though, could have been a minute shorter. Still, good song.
4.5/5

Spanish Joint
If you haven't heard this song, please do youself a favor and download it. This is by far the best song on the album IMHO, an all-time favorite actually. There's a latin and jazz fusion theme going on, and the instrumentation is simply flawless. Once again Charlie Hunter doing bass and guitar licks/solo at the same time. Breathtaking
5/5

Feel Like Makin' Love
A cover, originally by Roberta Flack. Thumping bass, buttersmooth horns, subtle guitar, this is a very nice happy-slappy-feel good song. Makes me feel all fuzzy inside.
4.25/5

Greatdayindamornin' / Booty
Great groove... just a tad too long. The last part (Booty) is very nice as well.
4/5

Untitled (How Does It Feel)
I officially nominate this as the sexiest song ever. There's so much sexual energy dripping of this you can smell it. This sounds so much like a Prince ballad it's uncanny. But you can't just dismiss it as a rip-off for one simple reason - it's just really good. The way the delicate beginning builds up to an outburst of euphoria is great. The end is weird though, like someone suddenly pulled the plug. Nevertheless, amazing music.
5/5

Africa
After the orgasmic outburst of the previous song, this sets a very fitting mood. A dreamy glockenspiel-like melody sets the main tone of the song (it's actually a Fender Rhodes with the top taken off, the metal thingies mic-ed directly). Beautiful melody. I can't relate to the lyrics though. But who cares... it's good.
4.5/5

The reason I decided to review this is because i hardly ever hear anyone mention this guy here. Although that partially may be because he works at a Reznorian pace, i think he deserves some credit.

I bought it the week it came out, and after 4 years it's still a rewarding listen. The album does have its flaws though: the length - it clocks in at just under 80 minutes. A few songs could have been left out; others could have been a bit shorter.

Another issue is the production. While the arrangements are superb, this sounds more like a hiphop album sonically. Loud bass, hard snares... It does add an overall gritty sound, which is effective in places, but in the songs that have more subtle parts it's slightly annoying.

Bottom line, this is a very enjoyable album by an overlooked talent with a few weak spots, but some very strong material.

Stoic

02-18-2007, 10:04 AM

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review_1460

Hey Ya. These two words changed the face of pop music. Wait... is ‘ya’ even a word? My word processor says no. Ah... well... You know what I’m getting at. In the past few years, OutKast has risen to the top of the heap. Their 2003 hip hop double album opus, Speakerboxx/The Love Below found them catapulted into a grand audience, well beyond that of the average hip hop group. Before that, 1998 produced the brilliant Aquemini, their first offering fully realizing the nature of their game. And in between, they found enough time to give us Stankonia.

Since Aquemini, OutKast have been the prodigal hip-hop artists. Jay Z may have staked claim on the ‘King of Hip Hop’ crown but clearly, OutKast proved to be the most forward thinking, unique, consistent and creative force in popular hip hop. Musically, they’ve run the gamut. A scan of their library would find cuts emblazoned by dub reggae, soul, gospel, southern seasoned riffs and of course the George Clinton influenced space-funk psychedelia they do so well. Organized Noize, primary OutKast production team and fellow Atlanta natives, are responsible for much of the musical foundation; the three-man team worked with the duo of Andre 3000 and Big Boi on and off throughout the years creating the polar opposite to the established southern hip hop scene’s sound, most notably, that of Master-P and his No-Limit cronies. Consequently, the diverse nature of the group’s music led to an existence on the cusp of popularity within their genre in their early years. Further removing themselves from contemporaries, OutKast’s lyrics proved to be increasingly substantial as the years passed. There’s definitely more De La Soul than gangsta posturing here and while they may have name checked Mercedes and the sticky icky without hesitation, the combination of the streetwise and philosophical was more often the rule, not the exception. As Dre puts it:

‘I met a critic, I made her **** her drawers
She said she thought hip-hop was only guns and alcohol
I said "Oh hell naw!" But yet it's that too;
You can't discrimi-hate cause you done read a book or two.’

In a lot of ways, OutKast is that perfect balance, daring enough to bring in new crowds with every new album, conscious enough to appeal to what most mainstream listeners assume hip-hop is. Forward looking, yet, able to use the past to its benefit. ‘Gasoline Dreams’ follows a liquid-sexual introduction, completely contradicting the opening. It’s abrasive and on attack right from the opening, a sound in debt to classic hardcore/political rap acts like Public Enemy, Ice-T or N.W.A. It’s hard to imagine a hip hop group able to successfully take the scathing attack of artists like those, yet come up with soulful, laid back tracks like later cuts on the album. But that’s the nature of OutKast’s game. In fact, they utilize this ability right away making an interlude-aided transition into the butter-smooth ‘So Fresh, So Clean,’ which combines the tradition of rappers and braggadocio with seductiveness laced among weirdness capable only by lyricists who refer to themselves as Possum Aloysius Jenkins and Francis the Savannah Chitlin Pimp.

As far as mainstream success goes, Stankonia is not short of it. ‘Mrs. Jackson’ and ‘B.O.B.’ were huge hits, and once again, allude to the captivating variation of OutKast. How many odes to a baby’s momma have you heard with more conviction than ‘Mrs. Jackson’? It may not sound like too touching of subject matter, but that’s the catch, they tackle the situation with both tongue-in-cheek lyrics and sincerity. The somber effect-ridden beat trudges along, sparsely backed by synths and keys during the hook, which are another focal point in OutKast’s attack; Andre croons his apologies to the song’s namesake, shades of the catchy, poppy direction he decided to go with later on his section of the latest release. But with B.O.B., we once again find ourselves staring at OutKast’s other face. B.O.B.(Bombs Over Bagdad) is drum ‘n bass assault at a frantic pace with perhaps one of the best guitar solos in hip hop history. Perhaps the most astonishing thing about this track, though, is the rapid-fire delivery our favorite duo. B.O.B. is the kind of song that gave OutKast the reputation as one of the best live shows hip hop had to offer, as they, along with contemporaries such as The Roots and Black Eyed Peas among others began to implement live instrumentation into their acts, which is still horribly under utilized within hip hop recordings.

Of course, with most glorified pop albums, the real gems are not the singles but the songs too genius for air-play. These might include, depending on who you ask: the pseudo afro-beat energy of ‘Humble Mumble’ featuring Eryka Badu helping out on vocals, sexual appreciation 101 tune, ‘I’ll Call Before I Come,’ an intensely psychedelic love song, ‘Slum Beautiful,’ the closing drone-fest of ‘Stankonia (Stanklove)’ (which doesn’t work on my copy any more, and is a personal favorite of mine dammit,) the hip hop equivalent of a hardcore song, the 1:28 long ‘‘‘ and the cancer-serious suicide dirge of ‘Toilet Tisha’ among others. Actually, pretty much any given track has a lot of upside (read: Andre’s verses) with the exception of the album’s one flub, ‘We Luv Deez Hoez.’ Yes, we do love ‘em. We probably don’t need a song about ‘em.

In addition to ‘We Luv Deez Hoez,’ Stankonia, like many a hip-hop album before it, suffers from another failing... interludes. Most of the interludes are bearable really, not so much filler as simply unnecessary. Like all hip hop interludes, they may initially be clever, even funny. But that never lasts. It’s just nitpicking, though. In fact, I love ‘Cruisin the ATL.’

At the heart of OutKast is the contradiction. At the heart of contradiction for OutKast, is Andre and Big Boi. The reason OutKast has been so successful is because each plays off the other so perfectly and the result can be quite magnificent in terms of music in general and not just hip hop, as exemplified by both Aquemini and Stankonia. If today, OutKast decided to split rght now, as much speculation (which is probably just that) might lead us to think, you’d be hard pressed to convince me that OutKast produced a better album than this. Speakerboxx/The Love Below is a great piece of work but you know what hurts it? The ‘/.’