Some of y'all might remember my critically acclaimed review of "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" where I said that it was terrible...Well, they couldn't make an album that godawful without making one this bad before it.
Well, yes, I'll slow down. "But it's critically acclaimed!" "It speaks to the angsty teenager in me!" "I have poor taste in music!" - NONE of these are excuses for saying that this is CLOSE to the best FLips release. I mean, once again, stupid sounding hippy-dippy pop music with gawdoful harmonies and boring melodies.
I guess around here (and on that 4 disc thing), Stephen Drozd put on the Daddy pants and said "I'm writing all the music now!", and now we get, like, freaking harp glissandos? And 2 versions of the same song? TWICE?! And cheesy sounding string arrangements? I mean, c'mon, let's not try to hide your lack of being able to write a decent melody (something we learned you can't do on "Embryonic") by covering it in crap-funk grooves and overly bombastic horn parts. I mean, it seems like you (the Band, not the faithful reader) is saying "I'M MATURE! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I CAN RIDE THE BIKE ALL MYSELF!", but really, you're still just a little kid from Oklahoma.
Now, some songs here are good, but for our purposes, we can say the decline of the FLips I know and love starts here. Plus, this thing's like an hour long. Where's the fun in that? An hour of some pretty arrangements and Wayne's exciting new lyrics about optimism and hope and all that other crap.
Here's a Flipper video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUsd2IKwzNI
OVERALL RATING - Whee! Whaaooo! Let's talk about Weezer!
KEY TRACKS - "Race for the Prize", "Waitin' for a Superman"
Monday, October 18, 2010
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
Yesterday, I finally found a vinyl copy of this in a record store that Peter Prescott was hanging out in. I said nothing to Peter, but I got all excited about this and its $7.99 price tag, so with this and a Silkworm EP (for 99 cents), I was on my way.
This catches the Boss inbetween "The River" and "Born In The U.S.A." (a favorite of John Gargiulo and Evan Allen). And it's 10 songs. He's the only musician and it was recorded on a 4-track cassette recorder. And guess what? It's awesome.
Why?
Well read on, I'll tell you more.
So here, we see Bruce in a different state - lyrically, we always knew where he was coming from - running or going or freezing out or whatever. But he was often just drenched in the bombast of Clarence Clemons sax solos and Max Weinberg's pervert drumming and the only emotion we got was when Bruce would go "UGHHHHHHHHAA" inbetween vocals and stuff of that nature. Here, it sounds like Bruce is playing in your corner working on some unfinished hits. And yeah, these songs aren't "finished" - the goal was to have the E Street Band re-record these jams, but after doing it, Broose and management decided against it and THANK GOD.
Most people only know one song off this ("Atlantic City"), because that's the only one on the Greatest Hits, but all of these songs are fantastic. I mean, what'cha got here...well, the title track which is about some folks on a killing spree, then "Atlantic City" (which is awesome), then another one that sounds like the first one, and well, hell, I won't do this for the whole album. There's also a track that sounds like Suicide on here!
Did you know that the Boss was such a NO WAVE (LOLZZZ) fan?
Well, I did. He's even released a Suicide cover or two in his life.
Anyway, great album. Great mood (bleak and not optimistic 'til the last song). Great cover. Great release.
Here's Bruce doin' it right.
OVERALL RATING - Squiddily bop!
KEY TRACKS - "Atlantic City", "Open All Night", "My Father's House"
This catches the Boss inbetween "The River" and "Born In The U.S.A." (a favorite of John Gargiulo and Evan Allen). And it's 10 songs. He's the only musician and it was recorded on a 4-track cassette recorder. And guess what? It's awesome.
Why?
Well read on, I'll tell you more.
So here, we see Bruce in a different state - lyrically, we always knew where he was coming from - running or going or freezing out or whatever. But he was often just drenched in the bombast of Clarence Clemons sax solos and Max Weinberg's pervert drumming and the only emotion we got was when Bruce would go "UGHHHHHHHHAA" inbetween vocals and stuff of that nature. Here, it sounds like Bruce is playing in your corner working on some unfinished hits. And yeah, these songs aren't "finished" - the goal was to have the E Street Band re-record these jams, but after doing it, Broose and management decided against it and THANK GOD.
Most people only know one song off this ("Atlantic City"), because that's the only one on the Greatest Hits, but all of these songs are fantastic. I mean, what'cha got here...well, the title track which is about some folks on a killing spree, then "Atlantic City" (which is awesome), then another one that sounds like the first one, and well, hell, I won't do this for the whole album. There's also a track that sounds like Suicide on here!
Did you know that the Boss was such a NO WAVE (LOLZZZ) fan?
Well, I did. He's even released a Suicide cover or two in his life.
Anyway, great album. Great mood (bleak and not optimistic 'til the last song). Great cover. Great release.
Here's Bruce doin' it right.
OVERALL RATING - Squiddily bop!
KEY TRACKS - "Atlantic City", "Open All Night", "My Father's House"
Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
It has been 13 years since M. Gira has released any new work under the Swans moniker. Since the group’s dissolution, he’s been active with groups like the Angels of Light and running his record label, Young God (title taken from a Swans EP from way back when). Earlier this year, he announced that Swans were returning with a new record and a tour in the fall. Until then, Swans were just a group I’d heard about in passing – their music, bleak; their albums being some of the most depressing musical artifacts ever recorded, live concerts being insanity – percussionists that banged on pieces of sheet metal with bike chains over pulsing bass notes for 8 minutes at a time at crushing volumes. Clearly, I knew I had to see this band.
Within a few days, I had absorbed as much of their music as I could, but I also saw the growth and change of the band. Early to mid 80s were dark, abrasive, claustrophobic examples that proved music was able to change one’s outlook on life within 2 minutes of hearing a song called “Stay Here” or “I’ll Cry for You”. The late 80s were still kind of bleak, but a few questionable personnel choices left us with albums that were over-produced and just lacking in about everything that made the early ones great. The 90s were interesting and confusing at first, but in the end, produced worthwhile stuff. So how does Swans 2010 stack up?
Well, you won’t be confusing this with your (or my) copy of Filth or Greed anytime soon, but it is, hands down, one of the finest albums I’ve heard this year, regardless of genre or band or whatever other consideration you might throw at me. And I’ve only had this album for a few days as I write this. The music sounds like Swans and doesn’t sound like Swans. Gira’s voice isn’t the low growl we used to hear 27 years ago, but rather has more of a crooner thing going for it (those who’ve heard any Angels of Light will know what I mean) and the music, oh my gosh, THE MUSIC. It starts with “No Words/No Thoughts” which begins with some church bell sounds then 2 and a half minutes of unrestrained bashing of guitar chords and cymbals THEN the actual song comes in. It comes chugging around like the train that could, building momentum until it again erupts into a wall of glorious noise to only come back all the way down and then repeat and repeat again after a band-less verse. “Reeling the Liars In” has a hymn-like quality to it with an almost campfire sing-a-long chorus of “I’m reeling the liars in/the only true thing, the place to begin, is to burn up the liar pile…” Gira might have toned down the some of his lyrics, but danged if the meanings didn’t stay the same. “Jim” is another one that starts quiet enough and once again grabs the listener in a pulls into noise, complete with a mandolin on top. “My Birth” has all the volume and tempo you’d expect with this awesome high 2-note guitar line on the top of everything.
Going to side two, we have a duet with Devendra Banhart (who released his music on Young God) and Gira’s son on a track whose name I probably can’t put in The Penguin, but know that the song is almost beautiful and the contrast of the two voices works way better than anyone could have thought. It’s not novelty, it works. “Inside Madeline” is 4 minutes of growing crescendos and pounding rhythms until it almost all drops out and we have some violin and mandolin with vocals for the last 2 minutes. Usually, I’d say that this was an example of poor track sequencing or laziness, but it all comes together. “Eden Prison” is the one that people who have been checking out this album would know as it was the one free download floating around. Once again, solid, and if anything, it sounds better in the context of the album rather than being a standalone piece. And last is the ditty entitled “Little Mouth”, a quiet number with acoustic guitars and ending with another Gira vocal.
There are a lot of factors as to what makes this a great album. There’s a cracker-jack group of players that have all played in Swans or Angels before (I got really excited seeing Norman Westberg on guitar) and Gira just wrote 8 fantastic songs. He also produced the thing and was able to release it by selling and album of demos and a book of his art and everything that he got from those went straight into the album. When he announced this, he also stated that anyone who pledged a certain amount would be credited as an “Executive Producer” on this release, and sure enough, there’s a list of names who believed in this project.
I never should’ve doubted this given the time and effort Gira put in, and by the time this review comes out, I will have already see the group (which is happening September 30th), so you could ask me if it was worth it. I can say I’ll say yes.
OVERALL RATING – All the monster trucks in the world .
KEY TRACKS – “No Words/No Thoughts”, “My Birth”, “Inside Madeline”.
Within a few days, I had absorbed as much of their music as I could, but I also saw the growth and change of the band. Early to mid 80s were dark, abrasive, claustrophobic examples that proved music was able to change one’s outlook on life within 2 minutes of hearing a song called “Stay Here” or “I’ll Cry for You”. The late 80s were still kind of bleak, but a few questionable personnel choices left us with albums that were over-produced and just lacking in about everything that made the early ones great. The 90s were interesting and confusing at first, but in the end, produced worthwhile stuff. So how does Swans 2010 stack up?
Well, you won’t be confusing this with your (or my) copy of Filth or Greed anytime soon, but it is, hands down, one of the finest albums I’ve heard this year, regardless of genre or band or whatever other consideration you might throw at me. And I’ve only had this album for a few days as I write this. The music sounds like Swans and doesn’t sound like Swans. Gira’s voice isn’t the low growl we used to hear 27 years ago, but rather has more of a crooner thing going for it (those who’ve heard any Angels of Light will know what I mean) and the music, oh my gosh, THE MUSIC. It starts with “No Words/No Thoughts” which begins with some church bell sounds then 2 and a half minutes of unrestrained bashing of guitar chords and cymbals THEN the actual song comes in. It comes chugging around like the train that could, building momentum until it again erupts into a wall of glorious noise to only come back all the way down and then repeat and repeat again after a band-less verse. “Reeling the Liars In” has a hymn-like quality to it with an almost campfire sing-a-long chorus of “I’m reeling the liars in/the only true thing, the place to begin, is to burn up the liar pile…” Gira might have toned down the some of his lyrics, but danged if the meanings didn’t stay the same. “Jim” is another one that starts quiet enough and once again grabs the listener in a pulls into noise, complete with a mandolin on top. “My Birth” has all the volume and tempo you’d expect with this awesome high 2-note guitar line on the top of everything.
Going to side two, we have a duet with Devendra Banhart (who released his music on Young God) and Gira’s son on a track whose name I probably can’t put in The Penguin, but know that the song is almost beautiful and the contrast of the two voices works way better than anyone could have thought. It’s not novelty, it works. “Inside Madeline” is 4 minutes of growing crescendos and pounding rhythms until it almost all drops out and we have some violin and mandolin with vocals for the last 2 minutes. Usually, I’d say that this was an example of poor track sequencing or laziness, but it all comes together. “Eden Prison” is the one that people who have been checking out this album would know as it was the one free download floating around. Once again, solid, and if anything, it sounds better in the context of the album rather than being a standalone piece. And last is the ditty entitled “Little Mouth”, a quiet number with acoustic guitars and ending with another Gira vocal.
There are a lot of factors as to what makes this a great album. There’s a cracker-jack group of players that have all played in Swans or Angels before (I got really excited seeing Norman Westberg on guitar) and Gira just wrote 8 fantastic songs. He also produced the thing and was able to release it by selling and album of demos and a book of his art and everything that he got from those went straight into the album. When he announced this, he also stated that anyone who pledged a certain amount would be credited as an “Executive Producer” on this release, and sure enough, there’s a list of names who believed in this project.
I never should’ve doubted this given the time and effort Gira put in, and by the time this review comes out, I will have already see the group (which is happening September 30th), so you could ask me if it was worth it. I can say I’ll say yes.
OVERALL RATING – All the monster trucks in the world .
KEY TRACKS – “No Words/No Thoughts”, “My Birth”, “Inside Madeline”.
Pylon - Chomp
So I've got something on my mind before this AWESOME Pylon review.
However, I can't seem to write it, so just ask next time you see me if you're so inclined.
Here, Pylon got back from touring America and it shows in well, only the packaging (which is full of pics taking around the grand canyon or some place). Other than that, this still sounds like Athens, GA and it's marvelous. I might actually enjoy this one more than "Gyrate".
Here, Pylon sounds even more crazy. Sound effects during songs, Vanessa's vocal delivery is even sharper, there's a solo in "K" (a song about Scrabble) that just completely falls apart, but PERFECTLY. And "Crazy" is on here which R.E.M. covered a bunch (this version is better), and tons more stuff. Musically, it's tighter and more inventive - songs like "No Clocks" start off like near-perfect pop hits then do a complete 180 with even more snapping vocals and crazy guitar parts. "Spider" does this thing where it's one song, then another song, then towards the end, the first part comes in and the two parts of the song play AT THE SAME FRICKING TIME!
Have I ever talked about Pylon's lyrics? Man, where they crazy! Like little poems, so finely crafted. Even in the song "Gyrate" (which is on this album, not the album "Gyrate") we have the "2-4-6-8 Why do we gyrate? 1-1-2-3 we don't need a recipie ABCDEFGYRATE". like HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!
My only complaint with the whole album is that there's too much chorus effect on the guitars. Most of the time, it's fine, but other times, it just seems like Randy forgot to hit the pedal off and didn't want to re-record his parts.
I listened to this album almost everyday this summer while driving to and fro work (along w/ Scratch Acid and "The Real New Fall LP") and I couldn't get enough of it, STILL. And I got it in January.
The CD version has some bonus tracks, like "Crazy" (single version) alt. mixes of two other songs, and "Yo-Yo" with pitch shifted vox.
Just go buy it. Super cheap. Super rad. Super awesome.
OVERALL RATING - WHITE CASTLE
KEY TRACKS - Crazy, Altitude, Spider, Beep
However, I can't seem to write it, so just ask next time you see me if you're so inclined.
Here, Pylon got back from touring America and it shows in well, only the packaging (which is full of pics taking around the grand canyon or some place). Other than that, this still sounds like Athens, GA and it's marvelous. I might actually enjoy this one more than "Gyrate".
Here, Pylon sounds even more crazy. Sound effects during songs, Vanessa's vocal delivery is even sharper, there's a solo in "K" (a song about Scrabble) that just completely falls apart, but PERFECTLY. And "Crazy" is on here which R.E.M. covered a bunch (this version is better), and tons more stuff. Musically, it's tighter and more inventive - songs like "No Clocks" start off like near-perfect pop hits then do a complete 180 with even more snapping vocals and crazy guitar parts. "Spider" does this thing where it's one song, then another song, then towards the end, the first part comes in and the two parts of the song play AT THE SAME FRICKING TIME!
Have I ever talked about Pylon's lyrics? Man, where they crazy! Like little poems, so finely crafted. Even in the song "Gyrate" (which is on this album, not the album "Gyrate") we have the "2-4-6-8 Why do we gyrate? 1-1-2-3 we don't need a recipie ABCDEFGYRATE". like HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!
My only complaint with the whole album is that there's too much chorus effect on the guitars. Most of the time, it's fine, but other times, it just seems like Randy forgot to hit the pedal off and didn't want to re-record his parts.
I listened to this album almost everyday this summer while driving to and fro work (along w/ Scratch Acid and "The Real New Fall LP") and I couldn't get enough of it, STILL. And I got it in January.
The CD version has some bonus tracks, like "Crazy" (single version) alt. mixes of two other songs, and "Yo-Yo" with pitch shifted vox.
Just go buy it. Super cheap. Super rad. Super awesome.
OVERALL RATING - WHITE CASTLE
KEY TRACKS - Crazy, Altitude, Spider, Beep
Butthole Surfers - Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac
So let's chat.
It's 2010.
Cool, we made it this far.
No, but Dude, Seriously.
WHAT A WACKY ALBUM!!!
Here, is probably, my FAVORITE Surfers release. Why? Well, it doesn't sound like them trying to rip off Hendrix (that'd come later). Instead, you got TWO drummers, one bassist, a guitar bro who makes a lot of cool noises and the singer-guy who shouts through a megaphone and sings like a good-to-honest REDNECK in some parts.
Honestly, these Texans created some of the damned finest noise since 1984. I mean, from "Eye of the Chicken" to "Negro Observer" (which has a sax solo!), to the surf-rock "Butthole Surfer", to the weird twisted southern fried blues of "Lady Sniff" skipping back a few to "Dum Dum" (great one to play bass with), to the over 6 minute "Cherub" (with megaphone!), to the just completely screwed up "Cowboy Bob".
I mean, it's a shame this band just sucks. 26 years ago, they released a fantastic album and haven't done anything worthwhile since 1987 or so.
OVERALL RATING - Sonic Drive-In
KEY TRACKS - Dum Dum, Lady Sniff, Eye of the Chicken,
It's 2010.
Cool, we made it this far.
No, but Dude, Seriously.
WHAT A WACKY ALBUM!!!
Here, is probably, my FAVORITE Surfers release. Why? Well, it doesn't sound like them trying to rip off Hendrix (that'd come later). Instead, you got TWO drummers, one bassist, a guitar bro who makes a lot of cool noises and the singer-guy who shouts through a megaphone and sings like a good-to-honest REDNECK in some parts.
Honestly, these Texans created some of the damned finest noise since 1984. I mean, from "Eye of the Chicken" to "Negro Observer" (which has a sax solo!), to the surf-rock "Butthole Surfer", to the weird twisted southern fried blues of "Lady Sniff" skipping back a few to "Dum Dum" (great one to play bass with), to the over 6 minute "Cherub" (with megaphone!), to the just completely screwed up "Cowboy Bob".
I mean, it's a shame this band just sucks. 26 years ago, they released a fantastic album and haven't done anything worthwhile since 1987 or so.
OVERALL RATING - Sonic Drive-In
KEY TRACKS - Dum Dum, Lady Sniff, Eye of the Chicken,
Sonic Youth - 4 Tunna Brix
What a terrible waste of my time.
The Fall (one of the greatest bands ever) gets covered by Sonic Youth in a 1988 Peel Session and it SUCKS.
The Fall aren't an easy band to cover, and Sonic Youth can't seem to do any cover without screwing the tunings up and Thurston yelling like a donkey for the rest of the EP. I mean, what the hell Sonic Youth? You have such good albums, then you crap all over the legacy of one of the finest bands around. And the song choice sucks too! 2 early singles, the Kinks cover and "My New House" that just sounds gah!
Terrible!
And what the hell? He's singing "Psycho Mafia" wrong! That's not even possible!
OVERALL RATING - Trash it.
KEY TRACKS - Rowche Rumble
The Fall (one of the greatest bands ever) gets covered by Sonic Youth in a 1988 Peel Session and it SUCKS.
The Fall aren't an easy band to cover, and Sonic Youth can't seem to do any cover without screwing the tunings up and Thurston yelling like a donkey for the rest of the EP. I mean, what the hell Sonic Youth? You have such good albums, then you crap all over the legacy of one of the finest bands around. And the song choice sucks too! 2 early singles, the Kinks cover and "My New House" that just sounds gah!
Terrible!
And what the hell? He's singing "Psycho Mafia" wrong! That's not even possible!
OVERALL RATING - Trash it.
KEY TRACKS - Rowche Rumble
Scratch Acid - Scratch Acid
In 1984, some record was released with a guy who hits his drums hard, a singer who just kinda yells, some wicked sounding guitar and a bassist that's all like "I play the bass, do do do, playin' de bassz". That was THIS RECORD.
Or probably some other ones.
There were some other records released then and
OK. ENOUGH OF THAT.
Really, you're here because you know that Yow and Sims would later form the Jesus Lizard, and Sims and Washam would form Rapeman before TJL, and the guitarist did something at some time. So, you gotta go back and hear their old band, and THEY ROCK.
Yow screams and grumbles and stumbles around these songs (sample lyric: "Hey, don't eat my brain/yer eatin' my brain/stop eatin' my brain!!!"). I mean, totes Poet Laurete? I concur! The guitarist here has some crazy riffs up his sleeves. Sims plays the bass like a good boy, and Rey is all like "HIT DRUMS HARD ALWAYS" and even wrote a string part for "Owner's Lament", that while kinda generic, still sounds cool.
As for the JAMZ, you got some rockers and some ZZ Top sounding crap. Like "El Espectro" is just a hard-rockin' FANDANGO! jam. And as much as I like "Lay Screaming", I don't care for the beginning. It just sounds like it's all "DARK EDGY INDUSTRIAL", but the rest of the song rules. "Monsters" is a screech feast that goes FAST FAST YELL!
But, yes, GREAT EP.
OVERALL RATING - Brick House
KEY TRACKS - Mess, Owner's Lament, Cannibal
Or probably some other ones.
There were some other records released then and
OK. ENOUGH OF THAT.
Really, you're here because you know that Yow and Sims would later form the Jesus Lizard, and Sims and Washam would form Rapeman before TJL, and the guitarist did something at some time. So, you gotta go back and hear their old band, and THEY ROCK.
Yow screams and grumbles and stumbles around these songs (sample lyric: "Hey, don't eat my brain/yer eatin' my brain/stop eatin' my brain!!!"). I mean, totes Poet Laurete? I concur! The guitarist here has some crazy riffs up his sleeves. Sims plays the bass like a good boy, and Rey is all like "HIT DRUMS HARD ALWAYS" and even wrote a string part for "Owner's Lament", that while kinda generic, still sounds cool.
As for the JAMZ, you got some rockers and some ZZ Top sounding crap. Like "El Espectro" is just a hard-rockin' FANDANGO! jam. And as much as I like "Lay Screaming", I don't care for the beginning. It just sounds like it's all "DARK EDGY INDUSTRIAL", but the rest of the song rules. "Monsters" is a screech feast that goes FAST FAST YELL!
But, yes, GREAT EP.
OVERALL RATING - Brick House
KEY TRACKS - Mess, Owner's Lament, Cannibal
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