Toad's Music Corner

Closing up shop...for now

2010-08-05T19:10:00.001-07:00

So, I've been doing this blog for over a year now. Thing is, I've also been doing this thing called parenting for the first time this past year as well (with a very difficult baby), which has taken up a lot of my time, thus making it difficult to dedicate as much time to this as I should have to make it interesting enough for people to come and visit. Nevertheless, this really hasn't picked up any speed at all in the last year and I've come to a point where I've either got to dedicate more time to this, or just give it up. As I'm starting a new job this next Monday, I've decided this isn't on my priority list and so to the maybe one or two readers I have, I'm sorry, but this has to come to an end.

Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime in the future. :)

Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks

2010-07-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

7.7/10

Of the Dylan albums I own, this is by far the one I connect with most. The rest leave me wondering what was so great about him, but this is the bees knees, the real deal. Now, I'm not saying that I've been on the backend of a bad marriage, so I can't really connect with it, but just the fact that it is extremely personal adds a touch to Dylan's music that is needed for his otherwise bland brand of music (sorry Dylan fanatics).

Right away with "Tangled Up in Blue" Dylan is in top form with confident, free-flowing lyrics and almost jangly guitars, not to mention his classic harmonica. Everything I love about Dylan is wrapped up all in this one song.

At times Dylan displays a mournful feeling that only life experiences can generate. Just listen to the harmonica on "You're a Big Girl Now" - talk about soul being poured into an instrument.

Honestly, if the rest of the album carried through with the same strength as the first three tracks, it'd be a no-brainer 5 star album to me.

Where things fall a little flat is where Dylan gets a little overbearing, such as in "Idiot Wind." These were his emotions at the time, so it's not fair for me to say he shouldn't have put them on display, but it grows tiresome, especially with repeated listens.

And I can only listen to "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts" so many times. This is the type of track that usually turns me away from Dylan - basically poetry or storytelling with a basic, vamping blues melody backing him up.

The last three tracks are good, not great tracks. It's as if the initial momentum and emotional charge from the beginning of the album have subsided, and we're left with a more plaintive Dylan. It leaves the album on a good enough note to wet your appetite for the next time you feel like some Dylan.

Putting the needle on the vinyl

2010-06-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

For some time now I've toyed around with the idea in my head of getting a turntable and starting a modest record collection. It wasn't until recently that I decided it was about time to make this a reality. I've asked for a turntable for Father's Day and have already acquired a couple of records, including a spanking new, dual vinyl release of Slowdive's Souvlaki, one of my favorite dream pop/shoegaze records. The anticipation of throwing on a shiny new record onto the player and watching the needle hit the black disc is growing tremendously.

While I certainly don't plan on acquiring a plethora of vinyl as I have compact discs, it will be a luxury to have a small collection of some of my favorite albums available to spin old school when the mood strikes. And nothing will beat the thrill of hunting down gems like Neil Diamond or Carpenters records at thrift stores all around town!

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground

2010-05-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

8.5/10

I love the John Cale VU. Their first two albums are great and have their place chiseled out in the history of rock music for good reason.

I just happen to love Cale-less VU even more.

I think experimentation and thinking outside the box and all that is great. It should be done much, much more nowadays. However, most don’t do it because, although the potential reward is much greater, the risk is also much greater. And musicians already take a huge risk by trying to make a living in music. VU was no exception as it turned out to be an unsuccessful approach in terms of sales and popularity. But, the payoff was huge for us, as it was a huge success in terms of inspiration and breaking new ground. I shudder to think of what music would be like today if it weren’t for these guys.

All that said, I may be contradicting myself a bit by saying that stripping the mighty Velvet Underground of its eccentric, mad genius was exactly the best thing for VU, as it allowed the beauty of Lou’s songwriting and singing to shine through unimpeded. Although it hurts to say it, this is an excellent example of addition by subtraction. I think we all knew Lou had it in him to pen such simple, gorgeous songs as “Candy Says” and “Pale Blue Eyes,” and now he actually could. And how refreshing it is just to hear them jam out simple, rockin’ songs as they do so well on “What Goes On” and “Beginning to See the Light.”

Then there’s the really underrated song of the album, the mid-tempo, slow-building “I’m Set Free.” I get chills when the song culminates to its chorus and they all harmonize “I’m Set Free!” It’s like the sober little brother of “Heroin.” Just awesome stuff.

Ok, so I can’t escape this review without addressing the most controversial song on the album, “The Murder Mystery.” While it’s really quite a fascinating experiment on wordplay, studio trickery, and sound collages, it just doesn’t belong on this album. It comes out of nowhere and takes nearly 9 minutes away from the tone that was established so perfectly on the previous eight songs. I rate this album as I as I do despite it, not because of it. It’s the one flaw that brings it down from perfection, and it’s a shame that they had to include it. It would have been much better released on another album, or as a b-side.

Fortunately, Mo brings the album back to earth with the quaint, innocent acoustic sing-a-long song, “After Hours,” appropriately closing the door on the best thing The Velvet Underground ever did.

Downloading...

2010-05-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

So we all know the biggest issue of the last decade in music, in terms of how it's released and distributed, has been the issue of downloading. Now, I'm not about to go into a lecture one way or another to say it's right or it isn't, but allow me to just say that becoming open to it has, well, opened up a few doors to music I wouldn't have otherwise heard.

Recently I downloaded two albums that are out of print and are either costly to acquire, or flat out impossible. I've always wanted to hear the most praised My Bloody Valentine EP, You Made Me Realise, as well as Live '77, a live bootleg from a very obscure Japanese noise-rock band (but highly praised in certain circles) Les Rallizes Denudes (who never released any proper albums). So now, after wanting to hear these albums for so long, with minimal effort, here they are sitting in my collection. Should've done this years ago, to be honest. I don't know what was stopping me other than I've always been VERY anal about wanting the physical copy of any music I truly want to hear and own (I know, I know, you can stop rolling your eyes at my absurdity now).

I don't plan on going on a downloading spree and just acquiring everything under the sun, new releases, etc. because I still am very much a "purist," and love expanding my physical collection. But being more open to the idea will allow me to hear a lot of great music I never would've heard otherwise.

I'm late to the party (way beyond fashionably late, too), but at least I came, right?

Massive Attack - Blue Lines

2010-05-14T21:16:00.001-07:00

5.1/10

This album and I didn't get off to a great start. My introduction to Massive Attack was the spectacular and timeless Mezzanine. It instantly became one of my favorite albums ever. Then, later I decided to backtrack and check out the equally praised Blue Lines.

What I heard disappointed me. It sounded firmly planted in the 90's with it's production style, vocals, and overall general vibe. It didn't have the lush atmosphere and deep, brooding vibe of the aforementioned Mezzanine. Nothing really seemed to build or expand. It was just a bunch of songs with decent grooves and dated effects. I barely wanted to hear it for a second time.

As I've given this more and more chances, I've come to appreciate the warm soul that this album exudes. It's an album to just chill to, not really put your full attention to necessarily.

If I can find a way to get past the dated sound, there are actually some pretty good grooves and soulful vocals. I do tend to cringe a little when I hear that extremely contrived and repetitive rap phrasing such as in the title track. I find the key to enjoying this album is to not take it too seriously.

But really, it just depends on my mood. If I can stomach this album, I quite enjoy it. Right now, as I review this album, it leaves me a little cold and it just really doesn't do a whole lot for me.

Beck - Sea Change

2010-05-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

8.2/10

Beck really goes all over the place musically, doesn't he? I don't know about you, but of all the directions he's taken throughout his career, I was most surprised when he went the direction of downtrodden, lonely singer/songwriter. Perhaps not nearly as surprised, however, as when I discovered this is Beck at his best.

The restraint really suits his voice and persona quite well. I could only halfway buy into him when he was dancing around singing about "Sexxx Laws," but here on Sea Change I can really feel he's in the zone.

I'm really most impressed with the songwriting and overall use of various instruments, including a quite prominent string section. The strings add almost a theatrical-ish element without taking away from the intimate feelings of the songs.

While the album is definitely more on the downside of things, it's not exactly depressing like, say, Elliott Smith is. Instead it's more slanted towards being apathetic, no better exemplified than by the third track, with the very straightforward title "Guess I'm Doing Fine." Because of the somewhat lighter feeling of reluctant acceptance, this album is more relaxing and even calming than other released by other artists along this same vein.

Maybe another reason this album is relaxing is because Beck himself sounds a little worn out. He even states that he's "tired of fighting, tired of fighting for a lost cause." He sounds beaten and defeated. But somehow still, I find comfort in those words instead of worry or pain.

Not only is Beck in top form musically on Sea Change, lyrically he's at his most poetic and profound. He certainly sets the tone on the opener "Golden Age" with "These days I barely get by, I don't even try." And on "End of the Day" he profoundly points out that "You owe nothing to the past but wasted time, to serve a sentence that was only in your mind." I worry sometimes how guilty I am of this, but at least I'm not alone. Many more lyrical gems are scattered throughout in every single track.

Many times Beck evokes Nick Drake on this album. I know it's blasphemous to say this, but I really would put this on the same level as much of his work, save for maybe Pink Moon.

Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun

2010-04-23T17:12:00.001-07:00

8.7/10

One distinct sign of a good record is that it's ALWAYS better than you remember it being. This is one of those albums for me.

What always sticks out to me is the extremely beautiful guitar interplay between the bass and guitar. No song displays this virtuosity more than "Maiden's Milk," with arpeggios galore and even a whistling line over the top of it all.

Another great thing about Up on the Sun is its consistancy. Every song is fresh and builds momentum throughout the album. Songs seem to increase in energy as the album goes on.

This might be a bit of a stretch, but at times (thinking this as I'm listening to "Buckethead") this album sounds like what Gang of Four's Entertainment! would sound like if you were to take away the political and social angst and replace it with a much more carefree, fun approach.

I guess one knock on this album is that over time I've grown somewhat tired of the flat vocal approach. Meat Puppets II is actually much better in that regard, with memorable vocal lines spewn throughout. But in terms of instrumentation and how the band sounds as a whole, this takes the cake.

Great album for fans of Felt, The Feelies, and other similar bands with jangly guitars and dry vocals.

2010-04-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

In short, I've delved head first into my Autechre binge the last couple of weeks, and through the process they've become one of my favorite groups ever. Their combination of beats and atmosphere and rhythms have taken a hold of me. I can't remember the last time I was this obsessed about any group since The Cure starting six years ago.

So far the standout to me is Untilted. It's pummeling beats grabbed me instantly. It's an assault on the brain. LP5 and Confield are runners up, the former being a mature evolution of their early period, and the latter, a clinical, carpenter-like execution of rhythms, beats, and textures. Their widely considered masterpiece, Tri Repetae, is pretty solid, but gaps in quality on that album bring it down slightly. Oversteps, their newly released album from just one month ago, is a stellar album full of atmosphere and texture. I'm still absorbing Draft 7.30...talk about an album that's difficult to wrap your head around, but I sense brilliance lies somewhere in there. I've yet to listen to Quaristice, but with the shorter song lengths I'm excited to hear what could be considered Autechre's punk album.

Eventually I will get to hearing their first two albums, which I hear are much more ambient and simple, but gorgeous.

So, if you love Autechre, let me hear about it. If you haven't heard their stuff, give it a try and at least try something new, it's worth it.

Autechre!

2010-04-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

I've always been much more of a left-brained person. I'm analytical by nature, and my best subject in school was always math. And it kind of makes for an interesting music listener. I mean I love melody and harmony as much as the next guy, don't get me wrong, but I do tend to pay attention to beats more than some, and that's probably why I was a drummer instead of a guitar player.

I bring this up because I've recently discovered an excellent electronic duo (IDM, or, Intelilgent Dance Music, to be specific...what a ridiculous name for a genre, "hey look at me, I dance intelligently!") named Autechre. Why I haven't gotten into this stuff before is beyond me, but it has captivated me and taken a hold of me recently.

It's not for everyone. The music can be thought of as really cold and nonhuman. It is, after all, made strictly by a couple of humans solely on their computers, with no vocals, no nothin'. But the beats and textures and rhythms and subtle melodies are amazing to hear.

Perhaps I'll come back with a review or two of their stuff, but for now I'm just going to enjoy delving deeper into their discography.

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

2010-03-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

6.8/10

Strictly speaking about the sound/production, this album is refeshing, like drinking clean, clear spring water. Each instrument is heard in its own space and has an intricate and definite purpose. Nothing is rushed, as nearly every song is mid-tempo, but this band wasn't meant to romp and rave. But the textures and layers are really where they excel (when they do excel, that is). And a slight swagger, but nothing too out there, just quiet confidence.

Some albums as downtempo as this would make an anxious listener even more unnerved and frustrated. But this relaxes, calms, and reassures.

The album starts out of the gate with three bonafide great songs, "Mirrorball" being the highlight of the entire album. The problem is that things lull to a near stop towards the middle, starting with "An Audience With the Pope" to the low point of the album and drag of a song, "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver." "Slow Riot" tries to steal that accolade just two songs later, however. It's unfortunate that an album with so much potential has such a drab middle section. This has become even more apparent as I review the album, whereas in the past I imagine I let it slide and just drifted my attention elsewhere.

"One Day Like This" redeems the album towards the end, and "Friend of Ours" succeeds at being extremely subtle but beautiful at the same time with great touches of piano, providing for a great closer, but ultimately this is a patchy effort where they simply couldn't sustain the near perfection of the first three songs.

Slint - Spiderland

2010-03-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

9.6/10

I don't think I can possibly comprehend exactly how groundbreaking this album was. I can understand on an intellectual level, but I've heard too much music that's come out since that's been influenced by it to really grasp it.

That doesn't mean it isn't amazing. It's meticulous, methodical, and creepy. It's the feeling of alienation.

I may be influenced by the name of the album, but I always think of crawling spiders when I hear the almost screeching single note guitar picks, or the smooth winding guitar lines throughout the album. And I can imagine crawling through dark caves, or swimming in the bottom of the ocean in pitch black. It's a very visual album.

The strength of the album lies greatly in its sparseness and guitar/drum interplay. Listen to the first minute of "Nosferatu Man" to hear what I mean. It's like the guitars are traveling through the maze that the drums are creating. Or all of "Don, Aman." It's amazing how such a seemingly simple guitar duo can be so effective. Very cool stuff.

The vocals are just as raw, if not more so, than the other instruments. A large part of them are spoken, or half-sung. A lot of them are buried in the mix. All of them add to the atmosphere so amazingly being created by everything else.

"Washer" just may be my favorite song on the album. I love the drum part and how it flows so well with the guitars. Like I said, there is extremely cool interplay throughout this album. The vocals are most pronounced on this song as well, and very chilling.

"Good Morning, Captain" is one of the most amazing closers in the history of music. Seriously. The stark nature of the song climaxes when you hear screeching shouts of "I MISS YOU!!!" to end out the album. It will leave any breathing human speechless.

I don't listen to this album a whole lot simply because it requires a very specific mood, and a specific time and place. Those circumstances don't come together very often. But I suppose that's just one more reason to cherish it all that much more.

Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me

2010-03-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

7.6/10

Those already familiar with Joanna Newsom know that her vocal style is a love-it or hate-it affair. Her quirky, almost fairy-tale nuances and crickles and crackles go along perfectly with lyrics fantasy worlds, full of imagery and flowery language suited more for a hobbit than a grown woman it seems.

Have One one Me is where Joanna shows her personal side. This is where she essentially strips everything bare and pours out her soul, her hopes, her dreams, and her sorrows. One learns this even before listening to the music, as each disc sleeve shows a picture of Joanna in a very womanly and nearly provocative manner.

Many have compared her vocal approach here to be similar to Joni Mitchell, to which I will wholeheartedly agree. There's a certain maturity to her voice that hasn't been present before. It's a welcome change from a musical style that would've likely turned into self-parody if kept up for too much longer (with that said, I'm a huge fan of her earlier work).

So, the thing about this album, TRIPLE album, is that it's massive. You can get lost in it if you hear it all at once, which could be good or bad depending on your attention span and mood. Songs are many times comprised of Newsom and her harp or a piano, with accompaniments used as embellishments rather than core parts. But one thing I can tell you is multiple listens rewards you greatly, as you become familiar with the melodies and nuances and the music starts to turn into a comforting blanket.

Disc 1

"Easy" shows immediately Joanna's change in artistic vision, with violins and piano guiding her beautiful vocals through a very comforting song to ease you into the album. "Good Intentions Paving Company" is the standout track on this disc, with it's nearly galloping pace and jaunty mood. "Have One on Me" is the epic track running at just over 11 minutes, and one of the best tracks on the entire album. "'81" is a play on the year "A.D. 1" which is spelled out in the lyrics. I believe I also read somewhere '81 is her birth year. "Baby Birch" is another standout, making disc 1 perhaps the strongest of the three.

Disc 2

Although this is my least favorite of the three discs, "In California" and "Go Long" are standouts. Most of this disc is lacking in variety and it lulls at times because of it. Both the first and second tracks are very laid back and it does the entire disc a disservice for not building up any momentum. This disc prevents the album from being an album of the year contender in my eyes, unless this year turns out to be a real dud.

Disc 3

This disc contains my favorite song on the album, "Autumn." The mood on this song is just incredible, with Joanna's delicate vocals and some well crafted accompaniment. She sounds most relaxed and vulnerable, and it builds a very strong feeling of longing.

There's a lot I didn't cover, but I'll leave the rest for you to discover. It takes some patience, but it will be well rewarded.

(Not so) deep thoughts on the correlation between music and who you view yourself to be

2010-02-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

For a long while, the scope of music I was into was pretty narrow (some could easily argue it still is). I was mainly into grunge, hard rock/metal, and alternative rock through early high school years. That evolved into indie rock and some classic rock. First years of college, it was mainly indie music.

The past few years I've grown tired of the same old aesthetic and have decided to let myself go outside of what I'd pigeonholed myself to be. You see, for some, music is very very closely attached to who you view yourself to be. It's the essence of your style, beliefs, and conscious. So when you like something you tend to think shouldn't be "you," it's not even so much a matter of being embarrassed around friends or those close to you that you'd like such music that was so far off from who they picture you to be, it's a matter of letting your own mind and soul be comfortable with it.

It seems silly to worry so much about such trivial things. Most people don't give a crap about what music (or movies, or anything) they like. Most people are less attached than people like me to whom music is such a large part of life. Those who are like me I'm sure can relate.

Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Where am I going with this? Well, for starters, I've grown to like some music with strong country influence. I'd always despised country (and still do for the most part). I've grown to love soul. I bought a Dan Fogelberg album a few months ago. I really enjoy the KT Tunstall album I have in my collection. And well, recently, I've allowed myself to dive into Steely Dan's music for goodness sake. I mean, on the surface that stuff literally sounds like elevater/grocery store music. I was telling my wife a while back that I really shouldn't like the stuff, and even she was baffled. But for reasons I still haven't figured out, heck if I don't think a good Steely Dan album is worthy of my time in the right mood.

I realize people naturally grow in and out of things, whatever it may be. So maybe what I'm talking about really isn't that big of a deal. But for me, at least, maybe it signifies a person who may have been a little too wound up, a little too nervous, and a little too worried, and is finally, albeit slowly, starting to chill out.

The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy

2010-02-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

9.5/10

I never could have appreciated this album to its fullest if I hadn't heard it with headphones. The sonic torture this album puts you through is so strangely addicting. It's like putting your ears through a blender, but loving every second of it.

There's so many different divergent aspects of the album that meet so perfectly. One moment I'm concentrating on a poppy and catchy melody, but then my attention will be slammed in reverse to the reverberating slabs of noise. Another moment I'll be smiling at the sweetness of the melodies, but a second later I'll feel like headbanging to the massive beat matched with a wall of guitars. It really shouldn't work, but because it does it's amazing to listen to.

But the noise isn't a cop out, covering up mediocre songs with a wall of noise, like some claim. I genuinely believe that somebody could have just as easily turned these songs into a classic jangle pop album had the distorted guitars been replaced with clean guitars, and the hollow production replaced with clear and bright production. The great melodies and songs are definitely there.

I never thought a pop album could be so devistating and work so well.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

2010-01-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

3.9/10

Boredom is the main thing I feel here. Some parts are beautiful, some parts are catchy, but mostly it's incredibly relaxing and melancholy to an extreme fault. I can't possibly see myself wanting to come back to this album more than a couple times.

Thing is, this album is missing counterbalancing elements. There's no tension, no dynamics, very little to no catchy melodies, and not nearly enough emotion. It just sounds like a group of people in a studio trying to make a beautiful record, being so careful not to ruin anything that they completely forgot to make inspired, original music. The vocals reflect this as you can almost hear them straining for perfection and trying to sound perfect as opposed to just singing out of emotion.

The closest the album reaches the point of being successful is in the opener, "Southern Point," where some minor tones and slight tension grab my ears. "Two Weeks" is a poor attempt at doo-wop and extremely bland for what it's trying to accomplish. The rest of the album just drowns in its own pool of careful and meticulous mediocrity.

In a way, it's actually kind of refreshing, because it reassures me that the good music that's out there truly is inspired and maybe it isn't possible to "manufacture" a great album after all. Because that's exactly how this album sounds to me, manufactured perfection. And as such, it's not even close to being perfect.

Can - Tago Mago

2009-12-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

8.0/10

How is this record so dang good and fun to listen to? I mean, on the surface it's nothing more than a steady drum beat, jamming guitars, and crazed vocals that drone on and on. But what this album has in spades is a locked in, dead-on groove and one of the coolest rock singers in history. Heck, I'm sold.

The amazing thing is that normally I'd expect music this hypnotic and spacey to kind of float on in the background without keeping my full attention for the entire time. You know, mind wandering music. But not this. I'm captivated like a cat watching a plate of tuna on a merry-go-round. Watch it go 'round, and 'round, and 'round.

The consensus masterpiece of the album, "Halleluhwah," is the perfect example. The drums and bass are locked into a groove that, dang it if I can't stop bobbing my head and tapping my foot to it. It's freaking addicting. And the experimentation over the top of it is fascinating. The screechy violins, the groovy guitars with Damo's scatting alongside them, the crazed keyboards. Count. Me. In.

After the heavy groovefest of "Halleluhwah," "Aumgn" provides a reprieve with its complete absence of a beat, instead opting for noise experiments. The noise is joined by tribal-sounding drums towards the end. It's a welcome palate cleanser, and creates quite a stark, in-the-basement-of-a-dungeon-like ambiance.

"Peking O" is by far the most experimental piece on the album. Electronic beats lay the foundation for wild piano, keyboard, and all sorts of other doodling around. Damo's vocals are played backwards at hyperactive speed with manic beats and keyboards. He sounds like a paranoid, hallucinating 5 year old hyped up on a couple liters of coffee...

And speaking of which, "Bring Me Coffee or Tea" is a great album closer, which calls back to the more conventional aspects of the first half of the record.

I've yet to mention the entire first side of the album, which challenges side B (filled entirely with "Halleluwah") as my favorite side on the album. "Paperhouse" and "Oh Yeah" are especially essential listening.

The key to enjoying this album is to stay with it. It's gotten better with each listen so far for me. It's nearly impossible to capture everything it offers initially. But patience has rewarded me one of the best krautrock albums I've ever heard.

The Feelies - The Good Earth

2009-11-27T23:01:00.000-08:00

8.8/10

..........................................................................

The Good Earth just sounds good. The guitars shimmer like they're being played live, right in front of you. The drums are clean and precise. It's the sound of a band that's extremely comfortable, concise, and relaxed.

It has a very earthy and organic feel to it. It's a great road trip album. Great acoustic songs set to standard 4/4 time and somewhat campy vocals over the top.

Let's see, so far I've described this album as "good" and "earthy."

How original of me.

The Velvet Underground has often been mentioned as a huge influence to The Feelies, and I can affirm that sentiment. But it's not at all in a contrived or forced way. They still do their own thing. And they just have a coolness about them (albeit more in a nerdy sense than their predecessors) that emerges from their sound.

The first two songs serve as the perfect introduction as perhaps the most conservative and conventional of the group. But they're also two of the best.

"The Last Roundup" is set to a galloping pace, the guitars and drums drive in and out like a swerving car on a highway. It's a great contrast to the rest of the album.

"Slipping (Into Something)" is the most epic piece on the album. In VU fashion, they take a delicate and mid-tempo tune, speed it up, and turn it into a fast paced race to the finish as guitars strum and drums beat louder and faster. It may not be original, but it's executed to perfection.

"Tommorow Today" is nearly psychedelic. I don't know what effects they used to get that sound, but it's almost hypnotizing.

Basically, this is just a really good record to play when you feel like drifting away to a really comfortable place with no real concerns or worries. Comfort food at its finest.

The Beatles in Mono

2009-11-17T15:47:00.001-08:00

Over the past few years I've come to really appreciate a lot of The Beatles work, especially their later output (save for Sgt. Pepper, which I still haven't really grown attached to). Rubber Soul, Revolver, The White Album, and Abbey Road are all great albums. When the box sets came out I debated which one to get, and almost went with the stereo intially. But really, the early albums don't make much sense with all the seperation (especially if listening in headphones), and since mono's the way they really meant their music to be heard up until their last few albums, I thought this would be the way to go.

First of all, the packaging is some of the best I've ever seen. The outer case is solid and inside are lp replicas, complete with the outer plastic protective sleeve and the inner sleeves (they give you two options - a sort of rice paper, transparent sleeve, and a paper sleeve...I think both are great and I'm torn on which ones to use). Even the cd labels are like the records themselves.

The sound is great so far. It does lack a little punch at times, and the sound isn't as full, but the clarity is defintely there. With ears so used to hearing in stereo, the mono at times can be a little dull, but I quickly get past it and appreciate hearing all the details.

This is also my first real exposure to their first five albums, which are all great even if they do rely a little too much on covers.

All in all this was a great purchase and one I'll have fun taking care of and listening to for years to come.

Top Albums of the 2000s: 9-1

2009-11-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

So, I guess I did this wrong...isn't this supposed to be 10-1? Well whatever, but here are the last 9...

9. dredg - El Cielo

A concept album about, of all things, sleep paralysis. Even the liner notes are filled with letters from sufferers of the ailment. Few albums flow as well as this one, with instrumentals that aren't superfluous and ebbs and flows as the album progresses that make for a complete work. The vocals soar over the music and although the band may have a slightly harder edge to them than the vocals would typically call for, the contrast works great and both balance each other out.

8. Animal Collective - Feels

Animal Collective always have a sense of freedom and inhibition to them, but perhaps never so much as on Feels. It's much more organic than their progressively electronic direction since this album, and it really emphasizes their primal, adventurous nature. These aren't songs so much as they are just pure celebrations of life.

7. Portishead - Third

Imagine the Silver Apples, except add a lot more depth of songwriting and a haunting female vocal. Yep, perfection is acheived. Who knew these trip-hop pioneers had an album like this in them. It's haunting, bleak, and downright scary at times ("Machine Gun"). I feel like this album would be best listened to in a dark basement with one hanging lightbulb in the middle of the room. Yeah, I know, very cool.

6. The Cure - Bloodflowers

Most people look at this album as a late comback, an afterthought, merely The Cure turning back to their sound of their early 80's sound. They couldn't be more wrong. This is pure melancholy pop bliss. Sublime acoustic guitars, great build-ups, and superb melodies make this a truly unique album in their catalogue. Some also think this is just an album of Robert feeling old turning 39 as it came out (even one of the songs is titled "39"). But I don't care, it's amazingly gorgeous and their most underrated album by far.

5. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights

In concept, this album really shouldn't be that amazing. But man, when I put this on, the mood is just one-of-a-kind. I wish I could explain how it works so well, but try as I might, it's difficult. Let's just say that the planets aligned and what really should've been just another ok post punk album turned out to be an absolute classic. There are hooks, but it's not a "catchy" album. There are dance-type beats, but it isn't something to dance to. Every song is top-notch and they manage to create amazing songs back to back without repeating themselves. It has the perfect late night, haunting busy city mood, if that makes any sense whatsoever.

4. Deerhoof - Apple O'

This album makes me smile just thinking about how much fun it is. It's like a reckless, cacophonous barrage of crazily pounded drums, thrashed guitars, and a Japanese girl singing on top of it all, sometimes coo-ing, and sometimes singing like a crazed maniacal child. Their technical ability puts it all together so it's not just a random assortment of untalented losers having fun with instruments and yelling at microphones. Just like Animal Collective gives me a sense of adventure and fun, this album gets me loose and just allows me to have a pure fun time.

3. Radiohead - Kid A

Don't you just love those moments you will always remember as changing your perspective on music and art altogether? This was that moment for me. I was getting into Radiohead probably just a year before this came out, and liked them enough that I was excited for the release of Kid A. I bought it the day it came out and with the opening notes of "Everything in its Right Place" I was...I guess the words would be "confused" and "intrigued." It was so incredibly out of left field from what they'd done before, let alone anything else I'd ever heard from anyone. But something about it kept me coming back, as fascinated as a little child is with moving lights. I still think it's an incredibly fascinating album to this very day.

2. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica

This is one of those truly perfect albums. If you haven't read my review of it in this blog, go back for my reasons as to why this is one of my top 10 albums of all time.

1. Sigur Ros - ( )

This one's probably a headscratcher for most people. #1? Really? Yes, really.

For an album with words in a language nobody understands, this conveys so much emotionally. The atmosphere is stunning - I'd say it's the aural equivalent to starting down at the Grand Canyon (which I have done) or up at Mt. Everest (which I can only imagine).

It's really heavy - heavy in the sense that there are moments where you feel the weight of silence and pace as if it's nearly tangible. Really, "Untitled 5" conveys the feeling of floating in space or teetering off of the edge of a steep cliff with it's insanely slow tempo and somber mood. But then there's the moment in "Untitled 3" where the piano line goes up an octive and it's just beautful and peaceful. But if the rest of the album is stark and bleak, the last two tracks are the avalanche that brings it all down to a climactic end. "Untitled 8" ends with such force and magnitude that, if you'll excuse my cheesy hyperbole, it's nearly breathtaking. Incredble album.

Top Albums of the 2000s: 19-10

2009-10-21T17:34:00.001-07:00

19. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Though the impact of this album has worn off slightly over time, it's still one of the most powerful albums in terms of dynamics. Labeled post rock by most, I'd describe this as classical music with a rock influence, replacing melody with sheer force and volume. It could be music for the apocylipse.

18. Thrice - Vhiessu

I thought I'd largely written off post hardcore a long time ago as a generally adolescent genre full of petty anger and immature frustration, but this is one of the few exceptions. The power in this album is in its maturity, thoughtfulness, and illusions to Christian theology.

17. Joanna Newsom - Ys

This album is just pure fun to get lost in. It's classic Van Dyke Parks storytelling combined with a shrill female vocalist and a harp with orchestration around it all. Sound intriguing? Probably not. But you'd be the fool for not giving it a chance.

16. Radiohead - In Rainbows

This was a nice surprise after the really disappointing Hail to the Thief. For once, it almost seems as if Thom as become a little less gloomy, and though the music is hardly lighthearted, it is more relaxed and settled in. It doesn't stray too far from the electronic-rock they've been doing this decade, but it's just done really well with great songwriting. Nothing is done for show or for expiramentation, like I felt was the case for the aforementioned album. "All I Need" is their best song since 2000.

15. Elliott Smith - New Moon

Although these songs weren't recorded in the year of its release, let alone this decade, it still was released this decade so I'm counting it. These songs, supposed "throwaways" from his golden Either/Or period, are little less amazing than his album material. And a full two discs worth at that.

14. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

I think I've heard these gals labeled as the girl version of Fugazi. It's a pretty apt comparison. They share the same aesthetic of punk combined with straight out rock, progressive arrangements, and a powerful lead singer. I haven't heard many Sleater-Kinney albums, but if this isn't their peak I'd be highly surprised.

13. Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now

Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined loving music by a homosexual, operatic chamber-music type male singer. Stunning, I know. But the songs are so heartfelt, and his voice is so sincere, and the arrangements are so gorgeous, it would almost be more shameful to admit that you didn't have the heart to love this music.

12. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

Besides having basically the coolest album title of all time, the reason this has turned into my favorite Yo La Tengo album is because of how great all the songs are despite being so diverse and the sheer quantity of them. From the raukus guitar jam opener, to the guiet ballads, to the garage-y rockers, to the nearly doo-wop-esque pop, they seem to do it all, but they do it all so well. This band is so incredibly underrated.

11. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

I was ultimately disappionted with Strawberry Jam. I could appreciate the direction they were going, but it didn't hold much for staying power. Their fun side seemed to have been replaced with maniacal craziness, which is fun for only so long. So I was surprised when this, their next album, had much more of a pop influence. And it works perfectly for who they are as musicians - carefree, fun, and unhibited. It was only natural for them to translate that into a largely pop album, and it makes for a really addictive set of songs.

10. PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

For some reason maturity is the golden word for this list, and it fits here, too. PJ used to be a raw, rough-edged rocker, but here she's a slightly more polished, sophisticated woman playing rock music. Even the album cover denotes such, with her looking so urban with her shades and handbag walking across a busy street. But her songwriting has matured as well, into some of the best songs she's ever written.

Top Albums of the 2000s: 29-20

2009-10-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

29. Teenage Fanclub - Howdy!

Although the so-called "highs" of this album aren't quite as high as other TF albums, this is probably their most consistent outside of Songs From Northern Britain. There's a lot more maturity and subtlety to their songwriting, and it tends to be more of a grower for that reason. But the reward is there for those who stay with it.

28. Elliott Smith - Figure 8

Lots of people were turned off when Elliott discovered what a music studio was, but I think those complaints are largely overhyped. His songwriting is just as strong and the added production and instrumentation allowed for a lot more range in his music.

27. Radiohead - Amnesiac

At first I threw this album off, as many did, as a Kid A throwaway disc. While that's still maybe partly true, that doesn't prevent this from having its own merits. It's even more alienating, more submersive, and a very involved listening experience.

26. The Notwist - Neon Golden

I still think this album is ten times better than Give Up by the Postal Service. I don't know why I always compare the two in my mind, other than both are mostly electronic and pop in nature. This is much less a sunny album, while still having some really catchy melodies to go along with its atmospheric parts.

25. Fugazi - The Argument

Still not their best album (that title will forever belong to Repeater), this is a much more mature Fugazi. This is the sound of a very confident band, making a very confident record.

24. Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling

This is the biggest surprise for me in this list. Mogwai dropped off the map as far as I was concerned and I didn't pay much attention to them. By chance I gave this one a listen and it became my favorite of theirs. They rely less on the post-rock cliche of building crescendos and more on nuances and layers and variety.

23. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse

Rarely do bands put out such an incredible record so late in their career. They meld noise, pop, and rock so seemlessly it's almost as if they can do this in their sleep. They are able to expand ideas throughout the album without being overbearing or boring.

22. Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out

This is such a hushed album it takes some patience and time to let it unfold and become interesting. It's an album no 17 year old would ever "get." It's about marriage, pain, patience, dancing, and all around growing up. Very much best listened to in the late evening in the dark.

21. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight

The best explanation I've seen or heard about this album, is that it's as if the band members were playing jenga with these songs, seeing how much they could take out while still keeping everything in tact. Almost like the Young Marble Giants, they take pop, simplify it as much as possible, and make some really addicting music.

20. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs

Unlike anything I'd ever heard before it, this album - and particularly one of my top 5 songs of the decade, the opener "Leaf House" - was an album that made me rethink things about music and what was possible. It's so weird to the average person, they'd think you were on crack for liking it. But it makes me feel so unhibited, and so free and happy because of the very fact that I not only can like it, and even love it, but that I very sincerely DO.

Top Albums of the 2000s - Albums 39-30

2009-10-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

39. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

"It's going to be a beautiful day" is one of the lines sung over an almost triumphant chorus on "One Day Like This." Those familiar with Elbow's general aesthetic may find that line surprising, but their generally melancholy music finds some light on this album. Not enough to blind you, just enough to help you see your way through.

38. Scott Walker - The Drift

What a freaking creepy album this is. But that's the fun of it, to experience extreme emotions without any of the consequences of life experiences that would be required to duplicate these kinds of feelings.

37. Thom Yorke - The Eraser

I usually don't like when a singer or someone else from a group goes solo, but it works well here as Thom is able to show that he really is the creative force of Radiohead.

36. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

It's difficult to figure out where all of their influences have come from, but it's a unique combination. They put them all together as best as they have on this album.

35. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time

This album seemed pretty simple and like nothing special until I heard it a few times and instead of being bored with it, I became entranced in it.

34. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

The guy's got ambition. Not that he's actually going to make an album about all 50 states, but that his music is anything but simplified and stripped down. "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." is one of the best songs of the decade.

33. Spoon - Gimme Fiction

Spoon didn't hit their creative peak here, but it wasn't much of a letdown, either. I don't think these guys are capable of putting out a bad album.

32. Wilco - A Ghost is Born

My attitutude about this album has shifted more times than I can count, but I've finally settled into thinking it's very underrated. It has variety, it has the pop gems, it has krautrock, and it has mystique.

31. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus

This is the only Bad Seeds album I've ever been able to get into. There's a definite overtone of gospel influence, which would normally turn me off of anything, but not this.

30. Wilco - Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Like the Arcade Fire, I don't give these guys as much credit as most other people, but once the album settles in it really does have one of the best middle runs of any album of the decade.

Top albums of the 2000s: Albums 50-40

2009-10-12T20:05:00.001-07:00

This list will surely evolve as I hear more albums from this decade, but as of now this is what I've come up with.

This decade was an interesting decade - a decade where indie became mainstream, Justin Timberlake evolved from a boy-band pretty boy to critically acclaimed pop artist, and American Idol did a great job of killing everything that's good about music.

50. Iron & Wine - The Creek Drank the Cradle

Before Sam Beam made the transition further and further away from his homegrown, 4-track, low key approach to making music, he made this excellent collection of quiet acoustic folk. His voice is almost whispered, and you can hear every guitar screech and every breath. An extremely relaxing, calming, and reassuring album.

49. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm

J. Mascis loves his guitar. It's always been by far the most prominant feature of his band, and nothing changes here. But here, he manages a feat that isn't easy - he grabs me with his guitar solos. I've never been one that's huge for guitar solos. And the songs are all solid. Kudos to these guys.

48. Caribou - Andorra

The first thing that caught me about this album was the cover. One of the best of the decade. But the music inside is great, too. A really great summery record of hazy pop.

47. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow

A record with songs so extremely catchy they make it seem a little too easy. It makes you wonder why you couldn't just wake up one day and write a record full of great songs.

46. The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music

Over time I've become more and more open to country influenced music. This is further down the path but is full of addictive and uplifting songs.

45. Sunny Day Real Estate - The Rising Tide

The last and best album from this group.

44. Spoon - Girls Can Tell

I can still remember the excitement I felt as I discovered these guys virtually on my own and pressed play after buying the album with little expectation. It immediately brought a smile to my face and was exactly what I wanted at the time.

43. Massive Attack - 100th Window

A very underrated album, this is much more subversive than their prior albums. There's a sense of tranquility I get from these nearly hypnotic songs.

42. Reigning Sound - Too Much Guitar

Garage rock like it's the 1960's again. Some of the best throwback rock music of the decade.

41. Arcade Fire - Funeral

I never grasped onto this album as much as nearly everyone around me, but it is a solid album nonetheless.

40. The Shins - Oh, Inverted World

Just a great, warm sounding summery album. Every song is top notch and it flows extremely well as a cohesive unit. Did this album change YOUR life?

New list coming soon...

2009-10-09T17:07:00.001-07:00

I'm working on a top albums of the 2000's list, look for the first installment to come in the next few days...

I'm so excited!!! And I hope you are too!!!

Talking Heads - Fear of Music

2009-09-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

6.8/10

Brain Eno certainly had a lot of influence on many bands in the 80's, and his imprint on the Talking Heads is no different. Fear of Music is miles away from the punkish Talking Heads: 77, as evidenced by the opener "I Zimbra" - a tribal tinged jam.

There are a lot of nuances in this record that expand on the template the Heads had already established, such as Byrne's often matter-of-fact delivery almost hushed below the music (like when Byrne says "when the rays pass through" in "Paper"), or the razer sharp guitar that acts more as percussion ("Cities").

This record certainly has a broad range of styles. From African/tribal influence ("I Zimbra") to dance ("Life During Wartime") to paranoia ("Memories Can't Wait," "Animals").

My favorites on the album run in order to end a spectacular side 1 - "Cities," "Life During Wartime," and "Memories Can't Wait" - one of the best three song sequences they would ever put together.

But sadly, this record isn't without its bland moments, and side 2 has most of them. On "Air" the band merely plods along doing very little of anything interesting, and while this isn't always the end of the road for some groups whose singers can carry a song on his own, Byrne is such a monotone singer that unless the band is doing something interesting, there just isn't much to hang onto. "Electric Guitar" is equally as uninteresting with its predictable and pedestrian instrumentation and vocal delivery.

The highlight of side 2 - "Animals" - is a paranoid and jerky song with Byrne passionately and frenetically singing/shouting about, well...animals, and how they're "setting a bad example" and "making a fool of us." Rarely has Byrne truly abandoned his typical delivery and really made me believe he's experiencing any emotion whatsoever - even if only fabricated emotion.

"Drugs" closes the album on a subdued and sparse note. If I were to apply an image to this song, it'd be somebody going through a maze and trying different doors, with all its starts and stops. It's definitely the right way to end an album about fear and paranoia.

All in all, this isn't the most consistent Talking Heads album out there. But it's highlights are some of the best work they've ever done. Fear of Music is a definite progression for the band, and the highlights make up for the subpar material.

The Smiths - Meat is Murder

2009-09-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

7.8/10

The Smiths never really could do any wrong. I mean that. Everything they did, save maybe a song or two in their career, was pure gold to my ears. Meat is Murder is just another chapter in their illustrious career.

Johnny Marr is clearly the star of this album. His guitar shimmers, jingles, glides, twists and turns. His ideas are crisp and he executes them with precision. And I'll be like the 25 thousanth person to say that his guitar on "How Soon is Now?" is one of the most mesmorizing, gorgeous guitar parts of all time.

Morrissey's approach seems little more...I dunno...dry on Meat is Murder. The vocal melodies are there, but there's an undertone of sadness that seems more evident and palpable than on their debut. Even The Queen is Dead has moments of slight levity. Here he sounds kind of depressed in a rainy day in London sort of way (especially on one of my favorite songs, "Well I Wonder" - which is appropriate since it actually has rain sound effects towards the end). I mean, he's always had a sad streak going on, but he usually matches it with dry wit and humour to balance it out. Not so much here that I can tell.

Now, regarding the much maligned title track. Look, I don't care for the mooing cows much either, nor the overdramatic message, and nor will I ever become a vegetarian. But the song itself isn't as horrible as others make it out to be. It's a little....dramatic, sure. But I don't think it *quite* ruins the album. If anything, it just reinforces to me that this album is the one to take the most seriously as subject matter, I suppose. Even the song before it, "Barbarianism Begins at Home," has a "plodding with a purpose" sort of feel to it. Like it's travelling to a specific destination and nothing will stop it.

It's not usually the first Smiths album I pull out when I'm in the mood for Moz & co., but by no means does that mean it's not a dang good album.

Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs...First Impressions

2009-09-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

So, I bought the new album, Popular Songs, last night on my way home from work. I'm listening to it for the first time right now and here are my intial first impressions:

- It's extremely quiet and subdued, much more than I expected
- It's a late evening/night album for sure
- They have continued their evolution, but it isn't as advanced as their last album in terms of variety and range of styles
- Ira and Georgia's vocals seem more...distant...? I dunno, they just sound a bit different on this album
- It slips into the background very easily
- It's probably going to be a grower (which is good if that's how it turns out)
- They still know how to close out an album better than anyone else around today

All in all, intially I'm a little disappointed, mainly because they set the bar high with I Am Not Afraid of You..., but it's a lot better than Sonic Youth's new output, that's for sure, just for sake of comparison. For as long as YLT has been around, they amaze me with how they continue to put out relevent albums and continue to evolve their sound in extremely interesting ways.

***EDIT***

Ok, after another listen tonight, it's definitely opened up to my ears. There's more poppiness to it than I originally thought, and the subtleties are coming out more and more. I'm pretty sure it's going to get better with each listen. I like the added orchestration and various sounds they've encorporated. So far I'd say it's one of the best albums of the year.

New Yo La Tengo Coming Soon!!!!

2009-09-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

After the surprisingly good, and very awesomely titled "I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass," Yo La Tengo comes at us again with a new album. I've only heard the one song so far, "Here to Fall," and I'm already excited to see what they've got to offer this time around. It comes out in 6 days and I'll be one of the first getting it in my hands.

Here's some Yo La Tengo trivia for all of you.

Have you at all wondered where their name comes from? I know when I first heard the name of their band I thought it was going to be some lame Spanish dance music with lots of horns or something.

Ira Kaplan is a huge baseball fan, and specifically a fan of the Mets, being that they're originally from Hoboken, NJ. In the 1962 season, Mets center fielder Richie Ashburn always found himself colliding with their Venezualen shortstop Elio Chacon. Richie was always yelling "I've got it! I've got it!" but Spanish speaking Elio never understood. Finally, Richie learned how to say it in Spanish, and started yelling out "Yo la tengo! Yo la tengo!" He found Elio backing off now that he understood. However, left fielder Frank Thomas didn't understand Spanish, and after colliding with Richie on one occasion, he asked him, "what's a yellow tango?"

Now you know where that seemingly random name comes from.

Slowdive - Souvlaki

2009-09-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

7.0/10

Many consider this album as part of the great shoegaze triumverate, consisting of Loveless, Nowhere, and this. But, I think Souvlaki tends to lean quite a bit more toward the dream pop side of things. The swirling guitar fuzzed out effects you normally hear in shoegaze are here, but aren't as dominant and pronounced. Melody and vocals take more precedence instead. I'd compare these guys most to Galaxie 500. Slower in tempo and dreamlike.

"Alison" is one of my favorite album openers ever, and a great way to start out. "Souvlaki Space Station" is one monster of a track with its crazed out reverb effects, and serves as a nice mood piece in the middle of the album. "When the Sun Hits" is another highlight, and comes off especially well right off of "Souvlaki Space Station."

Aside from the three songs mentioned above, the rest of the album has a tendency to float together into one big mass. They get comfortable in a zone and rarely stray from it. Taken individually I'd probably appreciate these songs more. Let's just say that the 10th bite of a great steak is never as tasty as the first. Particularly, after "When the Sun Hits" ends the album seems to go into cruise control and I tend to really tune out and lose interest. "Altogether" and "Melon Yellow" add very little to the album and are very similar in tempo, mood, etc. By the time "Dagger" comes on I'm often itching for it to end so I can put on something else.

So, I'm a little torn. At its best, Souvlaki is breathtaking and sublime - some of the best dream pop you'll ever hear. I just really wish they'd pushed it further and really tried to break out of the rut they seemed to fall back on a little too often, because it just gets a little tiresome by the end.

The Clash - London Calling

2009-08-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

3.2/10

Boy, is that album cover ever decieving.

The way The Clash combine so-called "punk," white reggae, and rockabilly is pretty different and unique, I'll grant you that. But a horseradish and jelly sandwich is different and unique, too. Just don't expect to see me having one for lunch anytime soon.

There are some songs that I really don't mind. "London Calling" actually gets my hopes up every time I play the album because it makes me think the album has grown some balls since the last time I heard it. "Brand New Cadillac" doesn't do much to sway my hopes, either. And "Train in Vain" is a pretty good song, and ends the album on a good note. But in between it's all downhill from here. I absolutely cannot stand "Jimmy Jazz." "Rudie Can't Fail"," "Spanish Bombs," and especially "The Right Profile" all feature the most annoying vocals from one of my most dispised frontmen of all time, Joe Strummer, with his whiny croons and yelps. I mean, what on earth is happening to Joe at the 3:07 mark on "The Right Profile?" Somebody get the man some medical attention. Actually, nah, just let him suffer. Instead, get me a paper bag to puke in.

To top it off, it doesn't help that he has bright and cheery horns backing him up like he's some Las Vegas showman or something.

An album with "Wrong 'Em Boyo" is supposed to be a punk album? Are you kidding me?

To these ears, London Calling is nothing more than a really bad experiment gone awry.

The Afghan Whigs - Black Love

2009-08-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

8.6/10

Although I still consider “Gentlemen” to be the absolute Afghan Whigs classic, “Black Love” is the one album that makes me reconsider at times. A transitional album as the Whigs were starting to grow past their alt-rock roots and further incorporating soul into their blend of rock, it foreshadows where they would go on their follow up, “1965.”

Every song on here has all the marquees of classic Whigs material – angry rants of past relationships gone bad (“Blame, Etc.”); driving guitar rock (“My Enemy”); slow, crooning ballads of remorse and regret (“Crime Scene, Pt. 1,” “Step Into the Light”). Check, check, and check. But they also add different elements not heard before, such as violins, keyboards (they make a really funky, groovy appearance on “Going to Town”), and…an organ! Any alt-rock band that can successfully incorporate an organ (note to the Arcade Fire – “successfully” is the key word) gets an “A” in my book. Not too mention, they make extremely good use of the piano.

Ok, I must confess, I think it’s just a keyboard with an “organ” effect, but still!

I must say I’ve never found Dulli’s lyrics to be a strong point of the Whigs music. He uses over-dramatic metaphors (“come crucify my heart” – uh, ok Greg, it’s not THAT bad), and he uses the word “baby” about as liberally as a teenage girl uses the word “like.” We get it, already. You’re emotional about things.

The thing I’ve always found interesting about the Whigs work is how they often mesh bitter and angry lyrics with optimistic and high spirited music. They do this more than anywhere else on “Black Love.” I hear Greg’s rants and croons and screams, and ultimately come out thinking hey, this world is worth living in, despite all the crap that happens. There is no better example than the incredible closer, “Faded.” If there is a better Afghan Whigs song than this, I am not aware of it.

Ultimately, this is a very close runner up to “Gentleman,” and achieves a very nice blend of rock and soul.

I like it, baby.

David Bowie - Low

2009-07-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

6.9/10

This was the third Bowie album I bought, after Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust. I put my headphones on and pressed play, and within about three songs in I was thinking, why isn't Low generally considered Bowie's best work? The songs were more streamlined and extremely catchy. Bowie doing euro-synth-pop just made sense.

That should have been my warning sign.

The albums I love on first listen nearly always lessen over time, and most of my most adored albums didn't really grab me initially. You see, the pattern is hardly ever broken.

From that first listen on, the album hasn't grabbed me as much. I do still love the first, poppy side, but the second - the atmospheric and instrumental side - seems like an afterthought of meddling and wandering atmospherics.

The other thing I've come to realize is that even the songs from the first half don't seem complete. It's frustrating to listen to the opening instrumental, "Speed of Life," and think of what Bowie could've done with that song if he'd added vocals and maybe expanded on it a little more. Instead, I feel like I'm listening to house music being played while waiting for the final act to come on stage.

When things do come together, they come together very well. "Breaking Glass," "Sound and Vision," and "Be My Wife" are prime examples of how well Bowie can pull off pop music (albeit with a little help from some guy named Eno).

If you split the album into two and reserved them for different listens, I'd probably give the second side more respect. As it is, the drastic change in direction is way to arbitrary and nonsensical and ultimately detracts from the album as a whole.

To me, this will always be Bowie's album of unfulfilled potential.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See a Darkness

2009-07-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

7.8/10

This is the only Will Oldham album I own, but it's about all I need from him. I don't often feel the burning desire to put it on merely because it requires a very specific mood. I got it at a time in my life when things were kinda gloomy and I wanted an album to commiserate with. But although it's definitely a darker album, there's an element of detachment I feel when I hear it. Like I'm hearing someone else telling their sad story, but I'm the neutral listener just absorbing the story without feeling much of an emotional response. Even when Will sings "Death to Everyone," I feel like he's telling some sort of mythical story or old legend of some sort, rather than a sad, pity-seeking lament. Good thing, too, because it'd be way too dramatic otherwise.

That said, the "story," or album, is very much worth listening to, even if you're not down in the dumps. It has a very reflective, sad, and even mournful mood, but there's a ray of hope and light that strikes through it all. The perfect example of this would be the title track, where Will sings:

Oh, no, I see a darkness

Did you know how much I love you?

Is a hope that somehow you

Could save me from this darkness.

The overall highlight for me has to be "Nomadic Revery (All Around)," which has a climactic buildup with a very effectual peak.

I don't normally talk about production, but I have to here because the production on this album is sublime. Everything is so subtle and clean, and so crystal clear. The drums, his voice, the piano...everything sounds as if it's being played live right in front of you. And there's an excellent use of overdubbed vocals.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this album to anyone who likes the idea of darker singer-songwriter music with a hint of gothic gloomy storytelling (or something like that).

Red House Painters - Ocean Beach

2009-06-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

7.6/10

Mark Kozelek has definitely made some downer music. But there is a calming and reassuring tone in his voice that always holds the music just above water. That said, Mark’s musical ship seems to have finally landed with Ocean Beach.

Dang, that came out wrong.

Let me try again.

What I mean by that, is I no longer feel like I’m drifting along aimlessly and hopelessly, with no urgency and no real end to look forward to, as I have in other of Mark’s work. That isn’t to say that Mark isn’t still a melancholy sap (I mean that in the best of ways, I promise). He is. But now he’s let the sun break through just a little on the music that serves as the backdrop for his soul-searching poetry. And I have to say, it’s more than refreshing.

The beats are a little more bouncy, the instrumentation a little more colorful, and the ideas a little more concise. And yet, the lyrics are still very sad and melancholy. The conflicting tones make for an interesting listen.

Take “Over My Head” for example. The beat is optimistic, the guitars gliding along in a beautiful melody, and here’s what Mark sings over it:

“Sometimes you get so alone without a friend. It’s hard to know who you are, and to pretend.”

You tend to stop happily bobbing your head at that point.

No, but really, this album manages to be both beautiful and sad, and I ultimately come out of it with a sense of warm appreciation for my life, friends, and everything I love in life. “Drop” is my all time favorite Red House Painters song, and it superbly ends what is, for my money, the best album Mark Kozelek has ever released.

Sonic Youth - The Eternal

2009-06-10T13:21:00.001-07:00

5.5/10

I love the band to death, and this is a good record, but man oh man are they in cruise control. It's all starting to sound the same to me and that's disappointing, although it was inevitable. I don't know what I'm missing because everybody else thinks this album rocks harder, but to me these songs may as well be from the Rather Ripped sessions. This is especially disappointing since they are now free from a major label's demands and could really branch out if they wanted to.

So, while this is a good record it's just way too redundant for me to get much from it. Always sad for this to happen to a band you love. But again, it was inevitable.

Sam & Dave - The Best of Sam & Dave

2009-06-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

9.5/10

Let's just get this out of the way right from the outset: Sam & Dave are the best soul artists I've ever heard. They're backed by the most groovin' n' rockin' studio band in history, Booker T. & The MGs, for the greatest ever soul label, Stax Records, home of other soul giants such as Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes.

The duo creates an exciting synergy that exudes an energy I've yet to hear in any other soul music. Their music is pure fun to listen to. Every song is like a celebration. It's everything soul should be. But more than that, it's missing the social commentary and dark themes that makes much of the other soul music that was being released at the time almost a drag for me to listen to.

The band is as loose as ever on these tracks. There's an ease and a flow that only comes from bands who are clicked right in with each other. The shuffle feel they get on "I Thank You" makes me wanna scoot my feet across the floor and the groove on "May I Baby" just makes me smile a mile wide. The horn playing in general, and especially on "You Don't Know What You Mean to Me," is exquisitely relaxed in certain parts and punchy in others. As someone who has played lead trumpet in several jazz bands in my life, I appreciate all that much more how much attitude and soul these guys are able to pour out of their instruments.

But as great as the MGs are, Sam & Dave make this music what it is. Their voices are strong and they use all sorts of different stylings, dynamics, and phrasings to emphasize the groove of the songs. And they play off of each other perfectly, never stepping on each others' shoes. A perfect tag-team effort.

Favorites besides the songs I've already mentioned include "Hold On! I'm Comin'," "You Don't Know Like I Know," "Soothe Me," and "A Place Nobody Can Find."

If you haven't checked these guys out, or only know them for their most popular song "Soul Man," as made popular from the movie Blues Brothers, please do yourself a favor and give your life some soul.

Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica

2009-05-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

9.7/10

I love albums. You know, actual albums that aren't just a collection of songs. No, not concept albums. Just cohesive, whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts albums. Albums that take you places.

As far as those type of albums go, The Moon & Antarctica is perfect in every sense of the word. Each song builds off the one before it, and continues from the first song until the last. It even climaxes in the middle of the album, but doesn't disappoint through the end, either. I couldn't be more sincere when I say this is a genuine, masterful piece of art.

Isaac has always had a knack for writing good songs, but here it's focused in crystalline fashion. Before this album, the band was just jamming out tunes (and dang good ones, mind you), but here there was some serious work involved, I'm certain. I can just imagine the band in deep concentration and focus until 4 in the morning getting things right, adjusting things, perfecting things. Whether or not they didn't isn't important. What is important is that the final product makes it sound like they did.

Perhaps the moment where you realize this album is different is when "The Cold Part" begins. It's floating, but stark and chilly atmosphere is something you never heard from these guys before. It's the beginning of an absolutely epic middle third of the album, the part that glues the rest of the album together. It climaxes with "The Stars are Projectors," by far my favorite part of the album and by far the best song they ever wrote. I won't ruin it for you if you haven't heard it, just know that you need to give it a listen if you haven't before. It's a far cry from the "Float On" Modest Mouse you may be familiar with.

Things get much less atmospheric and abstract with "Wild Pack of Family Dogs," a simple diddy of acoustic guitar and accordian with Isaac musing over it all. It has that charm and simplicity Isaac pulls off so well. And it doesn't feel out of place at all after such a dramatic center part of the album. Just one example of how perfectly this album was constructed.

The last third of the album carries the album home without a single misstep. "Lives" is the most poignant of them all, with introspective lyrics about how it's difficult to remember that even if we could change ourselves to be anything, we'd probably be disappointed, so just take advantage of the life you have. The bridge gives me chills every time. "Life Like Weeds" is equally as good and leads to the outstanding and furious album closer, "What People are Made of."

I have literally only a handful of albums that I would take over The Moon & Antarctica. Not even OK Computer or Loveless top it. It shows a maturity of songwriting and album composition that's extremely rare and difficult to pull off so masterfully. I can't recommend it enough.

Maybe a little background would be appropriate...

2009-05-28T15:17:00.001-07:00

Before I post the first of my reviews, maybe I should share some essentials about my taste and what I like to listen to.

25 of my favorite bands/artists:

1. The Cure
2. Sonic Youth
3. The Smiths
4. Radiohead
5. Sigur Ros
6. Teenage Fanclub
7. Jeff Buckley
8. Portishead
9. Animal Collective
10. Modest Mouse
11. Joy Division
12. Fugazi
13. R.E.M.
14. Yo La Tengo
15. Belle & Sebastian
16. Deerhoof
17. Talk Talk
18. Massive Attack
19. PJ Harvey
20. The Jayhawks
21. The Beatles
22. Elliott Smith
23. The Velvet Underground
24. Led Zeppelin
25. Sam & Dave

My top 35 albums:

1. The Cure - Disintegration
2. Jeff Buckley - Grace
3. Sigur Ros - ( )
4. Joy Division - Closer
5. Sigur Ros - Ágætis byrjun
6. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica
7. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
8. Radiohead - OK Computer
9. Sonic Youth - Dirty
10. The Stooges - Fun House
11. The Cure - Faith
12. R.E.M. - Murmur
13. Slint - Spiderland
14. Antonin Dvorak - Symphony No. 9 Performed by the New York Philharmonic
15. Deerhoof - Apple O'
16. Radiohead - Kid A
17. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
18. The Cure - Pornography
19. The Cure - Seventeen Seconds
20. The Cure - Wish
21. The Cure - Bloodflowers
22. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
23. Lilys - Eccsame the Photon Band
24. The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs
25. dredg - El Cielo
26. Fugazi - Repeater + 3 Songs
27. Portishead - Third
28. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
29. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
30. Massive Attack - Mezzanine
31. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
32. The Cure - Join the Dots: B-sides & Rarities
33. Animal Collective - Feels
34. Sam & Dave - The Best of Sam & Dave
35. Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Nothern Britain

And we're off!!!

2009-05-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

So, anyone who knows me, knows that I love music. It's no secret. I might be borderline obsessive. If you don't believe me, just come into my home and take a look at my collection of nearly 500 albums.

I've always loved writing album reviews in my spare time just for fun. Recently, I've played around with the idea of posting reviews online for anyone who is interested. I'll probably also use this as a means of posting lists, interesting upcoming concerts, and other random tidbits.

Hopefully this can be a means of finding great new music for all who come and read the $0.02 I have to offer on these albums.

So...here goes nothing!