I'm temporarily putting this blog on hold while I finish up my dissertation. Even though I set a goal of listening to all of my CDs over the span of this year, I just can not find the time to go back and truly listen to all of these CDs with the depth that I want to. Due to this, and time constraints related to finishing up my dissertation, I have decided it best to limit any outside distractions beyond the TV shows I already currently watch with my wife, the blogs I already browse, and the countless minutes/hours of each week that I spend daydreaming about nothing in particular.
If you like what I have been doing over the past month and half, then please go back and leave a comment. I'll hopefully pick this little project back up in April. Until then, so long suckers!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Vaselines - Enter the Vaselines (Day 45)
The simple driving snare of 'Son of a Gun' starts off this compilation album beautifully. In 'You Think You're A Man', the singsong vocals of "Man.... Boy...." may be the best refrain ever. 'Molly's Lips' and 'Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam' are really good, but I
am not afraid to say that I like the Nirvana cover versions better. I definitely think the "Son of a Gun" EP is the strongest offering here, with the "Dying for It" EP in a close second, and the "Dum Dum" LP coming in third (they definitely got the sequencing of the track order correct).
Monday, February 13, 2012
Huey Lewis and the News "Fore" & Pavement "Slanted & Enchanted" (Day 44)
I listened to Pavement's "Slanted & Enchanted" on vinyl (I also own it on CD) and there's something about listening to it in this format brings out the fuzz/lo-fi in full effect. I love 'Summer Babe', 'In the Mouth a Desert', 'Zurich is Stained', and I like how 'Loretta's Scars' leads off the other side of the record so that I can listen to it at a moment's notice by just flipping it over. This album is so good that I would probably buy it on cassette if I came across it.
My love of Huey Lewis & The News goes back to some of my earliest memories of riding in the passenger seat of my Dad's car. The album "Fore" has some great tracks on it. I didn't know this until recently but the great track 'Jacob's Ladder' that starts this thing off was written by Huey Lewis's brother, Bruce Hornsby. 'Stuck With You' & 'Doing It All For My Baby' are classics and 'Hip to be Square' is so great! Also, another cool tidbit about this San Fran-based band - they had 'Joe Cool' Joe Montana & a few other 49ers do background vocals for 'Hip to be Square'. Somehow this song didn't end up on their Greatest Hits that they released back in 1996. That review will come sometime later in the year.
My love of Huey Lewis & The News goes back to some of my earliest memories of riding in the passenger seat of my Dad's car. The album "Fore" has some great tracks on it. I didn't know this until recently but the great track 'Jacob's Ladder' that starts this thing off was written by Huey Lewis's brother, Bruce Hornsby. 'Stuck With You' & 'Doing It All For My Baby' are classics and 'Hip to be Square' is so great! Also, another cool tidbit about this San Fran-based band - they had 'Joe Cool' Joe Montana & a few other 49ers do background vocals for 'Hip to be Square'. Somehow this song didn't end up on their Greatest Hits that they released back in 1996. That review will come sometime later in the year.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite (Day 43)
'Mean to Me' is a great lead off song. The horns at the end of that song are a tremendous addition. I love the "oh-oh-oh's" of 'Jealous Girl'. 'Out the Door' has a Bob Dylan feel in the verses and I like the falsetto in 'Free'. 'Gossip' and 'The Rainbow' are also solid tracks on this return-to-form album from Ben Kweller.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Black Crowes & Beck "Mellow Gold" (Day 40)
I'm not sure that I have ever listened to the Black Crowes - Greatest Hits all the way through until today. Of course I love 'Jealous Again' and 'Hard to Handle'. The slide guitar on 'Twice as Hard' rocks! 'She Talks to Angels' and 'Remedy' are also really good songs and there are some great vocals on 'Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye'. I love how 'Conspiracy' rocks on the up beat and there's a great ending to the song 'Go Faster'.
On Beck - Mellow Gold, 'Loser' is obviously the stand-out track. I remember playing that on the jukebox every time our group of friends would hit up our favorite pizza place in high school. 'Pay No Mind' is exactly why I like his album "Mutations". He really uses the super distorted voice effect in 'Sweet Sunshine' and 'MFer'. 'Beer Can' sounds a lot like something The Avalanches would have done in the middle section. 'Steal My Body Home' is so chill, and I really like 'Nitemare Hippy Girl'.
On Beck - Mellow Gold, 'Loser' is obviously the stand-out track. I remember playing that on the jukebox every time our group of friends would hit up our favorite pizza place in high school. 'Pay No Mind' is exactly why I like his album "Mutations". He really uses the super distorted voice effect in 'Sweet Sunshine' and 'MFer'. 'Beer Can' sounds a lot like something The Avalanches would have done in the middle section. 'Steal My Body Home' is so chill, and I really like 'Nitemare Hippy Girl'.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Tortoise "It's All Around You", "Standards" and Willis Earl Beal (Day 34)
I listened to Tortoise "It's All Around You" and "Standards" today to chill me out while I was doing some writing. As I wrote previously about some other Tortoise releases, I really like everything by this band and find it to be engaging and relaxing depending on how actively you decide to listen. There are a lot of intricate, neat sound effects and rhythms going on in each of their songs.
Willis Earl Beal is a breath of fresh air in the lo-fi world. I love how all of his recordings from "Acousmatic Sorcery" are straight to tape, and how you can actually hear all the pops and hisses that come from recording straight to analog tape. 'Evening's Kiss' is an amazing song that you should definitely spend some time listening to. His interview for X Factor USA is very insightful and gives you a look into how he approaches music/art. Check it out here - Willis Earl Beal - X Factor interview
On his website he has written that if you write him he will send you a hand drawn picture or if you call him that he will sing you a song. I sent him a letter today, so we'll see if he sends me something back. Nevertheless, I'll be waiting in anticipation for the next release from this artist.
Willis Earl Beal is a breath of fresh air in the lo-fi world. I love how all of his recordings from "Acousmatic Sorcery" are straight to tape, and how you can actually hear all the pops and hisses that come from recording straight to analog tape. 'Evening's Kiss' is an amazing song that you should definitely spend some time listening to. His interview for X Factor USA is very insightful and gives you a look into how he approaches music/art. Check it out here - Willis Earl Beal - X Factor interview
On his website he has written that if you write him he will send you a hand drawn picture or if you call him that he will sing you a song. I sent him a letter today, so we'll see if he sends me something back. Nevertheless, I'll be waiting in anticipation for the next release from this artist.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Gin Blossoms, Wavves, and Archers of Loaf (Day 33)
I really wanted the Gin Blossoms debut album back in the day, but my mom wouldn't buy it for me because of the word 'Gin'. She didn't want me to be a drunk. This album starts off great. The hits are all here, including 'Hey Jealousy' (by the way, in the 'Hey Jealousy' video the lead singer sings through a chain length fence, probably because he really liked Pearl Jam "Vs"), 'Found Out About You', 'Until I Fall Away', and 'Allison Road'. Not sure why they go country on the last song; in fact, I usually turn it off before the song is even over. Today is no different.
The debut album by Wavves "Wavvves" is more of an experience than anything. Most of these song just meld together into one composition. You've gotta love 'Gun in the Sun', 'So Bored', and 'No Hope Kids'. 'To the Dregs' is just ok here, but rocks in the recordings the lead man, Nathan, did with Zach Hill.
Archers of Loaf "Icky Mettle" rocks hard! If you haven't heard this, then stop what you are doing and listen to 'Web in Front' right now. 'Wrong' and 'Might' are also great tracks. There's a great warning siren sound to the guitar in 'Hate Paste' and there are some good song near the end of the album, but nothing comes close to beating the A-sides.
The debut album by Wavves "Wavvves" is more of an experience than anything. Most of these song just meld together into one composition. You've gotta love 'Gun in the Sun', 'So Bored', and 'No Hope Kids'. 'To the Dregs' is just ok here, but rocks in the recordings the lead man, Nathan, did with Zach Hill.
Archers of Loaf "Icky Mettle" rocks hard! If you haven't heard this, then stop what you are doing and listen to 'Web in Front' right now. 'Wrong' and 'Might' are also great tracks. There's a great warning siren sound to the guitar in 'Hate Paste' and there are some good song near the end of the album, but nothing comes close to beating the A-sides.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Sebadoh "Bubble and Scrape" & Everclear "Sparkle and Fade" (Day 32)
'Soul and Fire' starts out "Bubble and Scrape" perfectly with the great drop off in the song's musical tone following that bright guitar-strumming intro. 'Cliche' is a good song, and I can say with certainty that I prefer the Lou Barlow songs over any of the rest. 'Sixteen' and 'Homemade' are both really good songs, and end up being the standouts from this album. I saw Sebadoh perform this album in 2008 and as they were finishing their set with 'Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)', Public Enemy was getting set up on the next stage. Every time I hear this song, I think about the ridiculous contrast of these two bands performing on the same bill. This was made completely evident as Lou Barlow performed this song solo, seated in the center of the stage, while Public Enemy's DJ proceeded to pound out sledgehammer beats and repeatedly run through his mic checks.
Everclear actually did make a good record, and it's "Sparkle and Fade". I like to joke around about the fact that all of Everclear's songs are basically variations on the same guitar riff, but despite that I really do enjoy this album. 'Santa Monica' is of course the take-away hit, but there are a lot of other strong songs such as 'Pale Green Stars', which is excellent. I also like 'Summerland' despite, or because of, the fact that every time I hear that song I am 100% convinced that I am listening to Oasis 'Live Forever'. Those lyrics say it best, "Maybe you're the same as me, we see things they'll never see..."
Everclear actually did make a good record, and it's "Sparkle and Fade". I like to joke around about the fact that all of Everclear's songs are basically variations on the same guitar riff, but despite that I really do enjoy this album. 'Santa Monica' is of course the take-away hit, but there are a lot of other strong songs such as 'Pale Green Stars', which is excellent. I also like 'Summerland' despite, or because of, the fact that every time I hear that song I am 100% convinced that I am listening to Oasis 'Live Forever'. Those lyrics say it best, "Maybe you're the same as me, we see things they'll never see..."
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Arcade Fire & Ben Kweller + January Recap (Day 31)
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs is a tremendous album. I could not stop listening to this thing when I first heard it almost a year and a half ago. I love the vibe that I get from these songs. 'Modern Man' is all about the increasing domesticity of life. I really like the female vocal harmonies and the orchestration of this entire album. The guitars sound very "My Bloody Valentine" on 'Empty Room'. The transition between songs is well done, especially on tracks like 'Half Light I/II' with the bass drum stomping in as the songs shift. 'Month of May' is the rocker from this batch of songs, but it's so good because of all the strong songs around it.
My wife and I listened to the first two Ben Kweller albums as we rode around in the car on Sunday. The indelible mark these two albums left on both of us is remarkable. We haven't listened to these CDs for probably 4-5 years and yet we still remember most of the lyrics, the drum licks, and track order. I still remember hearing about Ben Kweller at a Dashboard Confessional concert in 2002. His CD had just come out and he had been touring with Dashboard up until the night before. There was a buzz amongst all of the other bands on the bill about this guy and so I quickly found my way to a CD store and picked up his first album "Sha Sha". There's not a bad song on either of his first two CDs and I have listened to them both enough times to know.
Here's a recap of my listening progress in the month of January...
--------------------------------
Summary Report:
Here's the link to the post that started this whole series -- The Death of the CD
To accomplish the goal I set at the beginning of this whole thing, I will have to listen to upwards of 650 CDs in 1 year's time.
Albums listened to so far: 31
My wife and I listened to the first two Ben Kweller albums as we rode around in the car on Sunday. The indelible mark these two albums left on both of us is remarkable. We haven't listened to these CDs for probably 4-5 years and yet we still remember most of the lyrics, the drum licks, and track order. I still remember hearing about Ben Kweller at a Dashboard Confessional concert in 2002. His CD had just come out and he had been touring with Dashboard up until the night before. There was a buzz amongst all of the other bands on the bill about this guy and so I quickly found my way to a CD store and picked up his first album "Sha Sha". There's not a bad song on either of his first two CDs and I have listened to them both enough times to know.
Here's a recap of my listening progress in the month of January...
--------------------------------
Summary Report:
Here's the link to the post that started this whole series -- The Death of the CD
To accomplish the goal I set at the beginning of this whole thing, I will have to listen to upwards of 650 CDs in 1 year's time.
Albums listened to so far: 31
Monday, January 30, 2012
Rollins Band & Woodstock '94 (Day 30)
Rollins Band "Weight" sounds like something from Woodstock '94. Parts of it (like the song 'Fool') actually sound like they were recorded live from the soundboard. This made me want to pull out my double live album from Woodstock '94 (see below) and wouldn't you know it, Rollins Band does have a track included there as well.
The Rollins Band album starts out with 'Disconnect'. The lyrics are laughable, but the music in the chorus is great with almost a prog rock feel. 'Liar' is a good song with a great video. I always crack up at the guy listed as the sound engineer just sitting there with a pair of headphones on. 'Volume 4' starts off great. 'Shine' has some great music/feedback/guitars in the 3rd verse, but it contains the line, "It's hero time, time to shine." I laugh and picture someone actually listening to this and getting pumped up before something like a job interview.... and then punching the interviewer in the face.
The booklet for Woodstock '94 contains a plethora of pictures of mud-encrusted burnt out hippies, and the hype guy who announced the next act to come on stage seemed to really enjoy his job. I will always think about the footage of Green Day's infamous set when I think of Woodstock '94. As a pre-teen/teenage boy, I was really into the idea of these big festivals and used to discuss with much fervor the possibility of going to Woodstock 2004 (before the fires of 1999, I assumed they were going to do this every 5 years until the end of the age). The inclusion of The Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Blood Sugar Sex Magic' is an interesting choice, and makes me think that the song selection for this album was an effort to relay a certain atmosphere about the festival to the consumer. I really like hearing Porno for Pyros and Primus from back in their hey-day, and it really does seem like all the heavy stuff is backloaded at the end of the Disc One. I'm also pretty sure that Gilbert Godfried introduced Nine Inch Nails. Disc Two starts out with Metallica doing a hokey 'let's get the crowd into this' routine. I still remember listening to their set at Woodstock '99 as it was broadcast live over the radio and being enthralled. I couldn't get enough of this stuff back then. The Neville Brothers definitely have a place in music lore, but I can not help but wonder why we enjoy listening to stuff like this at festivals as much as we do. A Neville Brothers-like musical act is at most every festival that you go to, unless your hitting up something real specific like Ozzfest. I do not understand this. And maybe it was different if you were in the audience that day, but Bob Dylan's performance is almost unlistenable. Pretty much the only thing I took away from Disc Two was the thought that it would have been cool to see Sheryl Crow back then when she was first starting out.
The Rollins Band album starts out with 'Disconnect'. The lyrics are laughable, but the music in the chorus is great with almost a prog rock feel. 'Liar' is a good song with a great video. I always crack up at the guy listed as the sound engineer just sitting there with a pair of headphones on. 'Volume 4' starts off great. 'Shine' has some great music/feedback/guitars in the 3rd verse, but it contains the line, "It's hero time, time to shine." I laugh and picture someone actually listening to this and getting pumped up before something like a job interview.... and then punching the interviewer in the face.
The booklet for Woodstock '94 contains a plethora of pictures of mud-encrusted burnt out hippies, and the hype guy who announced the next act to come on stage seemed to really enjoy his job. I will always think about the footage of Green Day's infamous set when I think of Woodstock '94. As a pre-teen/teenage boy, I was really into the idea of these big festivals and used to discuss with much fervor the possibility of going to Woodstock 2004 (before the fires of 1999, I assumed they were going to do this every 5 years until the end of the age). The inclusion of The Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Blood Sugar Sex Magic' is an interesting choice, and makes me think that the song selection for this album was an effort to relay a certain atmosphere about the festival to the consumer. I really like hearing Porno for Pyros and Primus from back in their hey-day, and it really does seem like all the heavy stuff is backloaded at the end of the Disc One. I'm also pretty sure that Gilbert Godfried introduced Nine Inch Nails. Disc Two starts out with Metallica doing a hokey 'let's get the crowd into this' routine. I still remember listening to their set at Woodstock '99 as it was broadcast live over the radio and being enthralled. I couldn't get enough of this stuff back then. The Neville Brothers definitely have a place in music lore, but I can not help but wonder why we enjoy listening to stuff like this at festivals as much as we do. A Neville Brothers-like musical act is at most every festival that you go to, unless your hitting up something real specific like Ozzfest. I do not understand this. And maybe it was different if you were in the audience that day, but Bob Dylan's performance is almost unlistenable. Pretty much the only thing I took away from Disc Two was the thought that it would have been cool to see Sheryl Crow back then when she was first starting out.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Tortoise, Deep Blue Someting, Frank Black, & more Cloud Nothings (Day 27)
I am in the midst of writing my dissertation as I finish up my Ph.D. and I am getting a little burned out right now with some of the writing.... so my notes on the following albums are basically non-existent. I use Tortoise as focus-inducing background music while writing, and to great effect. If you are ever working on a long-term project, then follow my advice and pick up every Tortoise album and put them all on repeat. We are talking about excellently crafted instrumental songs that focus my mood like nothing else that I've ever listened to - especially their album "Millions Now Living Will Never Die." I actually just put that album back on while I'm sitting here to help me actually finish typing this.
I also put on an old cassette of Deep Blue Something's album "Home." Some parts of this album are a little comical in how the band is trying to sound bigger, and more epic, than they should, but really all you need to know is that these guys made one of my top 10 songs of all time in 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'. ....'nuff said.
Sometimes while writing you have to decompress a little bit. To accomplish this goal I relistened to Cloud Nothings "Attack on Memory" (see my previous entry) as loud as my ears could take and jammed on the air guitar for a majority of the album. Truth be told, this was actually quite intermittent - due to a vast amount of email, Facebook/Twitter posts, and updates on Pitchfork, Yahoo, and Grantland that required my attention - lest you think that I played air guitar non-stop for 30 minutes or so. I'm really trying to scale back on the air guitaring.
Speaking of air guitars, I really need to watch Air Guitar Nation again, STAT!
Keeping with the idea of necessary decompression, I put on Frank Black "Teenager of the Year". There's such great frenetic energy in the first song 'Whatever Happened to Pong' and a great transition from that song to 'Thalassocracy'. There are some gems here (like 'Speedy Marie' and 'I Could Stay Here Forever'), but suffice it to say that '(I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain.' Now, listen to 'Headache', and bang your head to the music.
I also put on an old cassette of Deep Blue Something's album "Home." Some parts of this album are a little comical in how the band is trying to sound bigger, and more epic, than they should, but really all you need to know is that these guys made one of my top 10 songs of all time in 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'. ....'nuff said.
Sometimes while writing you have to decompress a little bit. To accomplish this goal I relistened to Cloud Nothings "Attack on Memory" (see my previous entry) as loud as my ears could take and jammed on the air guitar for a majority of the album. Truth be told, this was actually quite intermittent - due to a vast amount of email, Facebook/Twitter posts, and updates on Pitchfork, Yahoo, and Grantland that required my attention - lest you think that I played air guitar non-stop for 30 minutes or so. I'm really trying to scale back on the air guitaring.
Speaking of air guitars, I really need to watch Air Guitar Nation again, STAT!
Keeping with the idea of necessary decompression, I put on Frank Black "Teenager of the Year". There's such great frenetic energy in the first song 'Whatever Happened to Pong' and a great transition from that song to 'Thalassocracy'. There are some gems here (like 'Speedy Marie' and 'I Could Stay Here Forever'), but suffice it to say that '(I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain.' Now, listen to 'Headache', and bang your head to the music.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory (Day 26)
"I thought I would be more than this."
The raw voice of Dylan Baldi sings/screams on 'Wasted Days' what I've felt many times before. His screams at the end of 'No Future/No Past' are likewise very "everyman." One of my friends, who enjoys things a little more polished, was surprised that I went out and paid money for something that he could have screamed out for free - but the point is not whether he could, but whether he would. I love the first track off of this record.
I bought when it came out on Tuesday and have been playing it pretty much non-stop all the way through since then. 'Fall In' starts off with a pop/punk feel. 'Our Plans' has a great chorus, with excellent use of antiphony. The early release songs were what got me really excited for this album. 'Stay Useless' and 'No Sentiment' are the standouts from a good batch of songs. I hadn't heard anything like these songs in a while and I appreciate how the lead singer called out the current state of indie rock a little bit too. In that same vein you've got to walk the walk, and Cloud Nothings released a great product to start the genre out on the right foot in 2012.
The raw voice of Dylan Baldi sings/screams on 'Wasted Days' what I've felt many times before. His screams at the end of 'No Future/No Past' are likewise very "everyman." One of my friends, who enjoys things a little more polished, was surprised that I went out and paid money for something that he could have screamed out for free - but the point is not whether he could, but whether he would. I love the first track off of this record.
I bought when it came out on Tuesday and have been playing it pretty much non-stop all the way through since then. 'Fall In' starts off with a pop/punk feel. 'Our Plans' has a great chorus, with excellent use of antiphony. The early release songs were what got me really excited for this album. 'Stay Useless' and 'No Sentiment' are the standouts from a good batch of songs. I hadn't heard anything like these songs in a while and I appreciate how the lead singer called out the current state of indie rock a little bit too. In that same vein you've got to walk the walk, and Cloud Nothings released a great product to start the genre out on the right foot in 2012.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Drums (Day 24)
I was really into The Drums back in 2009-2010 when their Summertime EP came out. Some of the same songs are represented again here for obvious reasons - 'Let's Go Surfing' is a great song - but I can't help but think that EP may still be better than this LP. The album does start to separate itself with the three strong songs following 'Let's Go Surfing' - 'Book of Stories', 'Skippin' Town', and 'Forever and Ever Amen'. The latter being the song that was getting a lot of plugs as the great single off of this record around the time that this album was released. Both 'Book of Stories' and 'Skippin' Town' are very good chill songs that still manage to keep your attention. There's some nice orchestration on 'Skippin' Town' at the end of that song. As we are coming to expect from this band, there are the typically funny/bratty lyrics of a forlorn lover in 'It Will All End In Tears'. This is a good album, dont' get me wrong, but it doesn't contain a song as good as a couple that are on the Summertime EP. If I am going to recommend a Drums CD for someone to listen to, then that's the one I'll be suggesting.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Reality Bites OST (Day 23)
A good soundtrack sets up the mood of the movie it represents perfectly, both thematically and in the ambiance it gives to the listener. I want to shake the hand of the person responsible for choosing the music for this soundtrack because it works on every level.
I love the selections of 'Bed of Roses', the Ethan Hawke song 'I'm Nuthin', and the inclusion of Dinosaur Jr. I had not heard 'My Sharona' in a long time, and every time I do I still think of Weird Al, but there is some underlying appreciation within me of just how good that song is. I especially love the breakout jam section that is two-thirds through the song. Personally, I think the song should have just ended there instead of going back to the main beat of the song for another 4 measures or so.
Sometimes we forget that Lenny Kravitz rocked. Same goes for Lisa Loeb. I had to check whether A Tribe Called Quest had a song on this album when the jazz/hip-hop-laden Me Phi Me's track started up. Juliana Hatfield offers a great track here, as does U2. It had been far too long since I had heard 'All I Want Is You'.
I love the selections of 'Bed of Roses', the Ethan Hawke song 'I'm Nuthin', and the inclusion of Dinosaur Jr. I had not heard 'My Sharona' in a long time, and every time I do I still think of Weird Al, but there is some underlying appreciation within me of just how good that song is. I especially love the breakout jam section that is two-thirds through the song. Personally, I think the song should have just ended there instead of going back to the main beat of the song for another 4 measures or so.
Sometimes we forget that Lenny Kravitz rocked. Same goes for Lisa Loeb. I had to check whether A Tribe Called Quest had a song on this album when the jazz/hip-hop-laden Me Phi Me's track started up. Juliana Hatfield offers a great track here, as does U2. It had been far too long since I had heard 'All I Want Is You'.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Nirvana - Live at Reading (Day 22)
This concert started off with an edge! There's an intensity and preciseness to their playing right from the start of the show with the song 'Breed'. They were definitely at the top of their game when they came onstage. The drums and bass roll along in 'Aneurysm' with this awesome meaty sound behind Kurt's vocals. The vocals get a little loopy on 'Sliver' but that playfulness, and the fact that they do not take themselves too seriously, is part of what drew me to the band initially. On the DVD of the performance, before they play 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', you hear what sounds like the opening riff of the song, but instead hear Krist Novoselic singing Boston's 'More Than A Feeling'. The accompanying smirk by Kurt is priceless. Suffice it to say, the rest of the concert is solid. I love little things like the feedback in the second verse of 'Negative Creep'! I really like how they ended the show with a couple of B-sides and 'Territorial Pissings'. These guys knew how to make a setlist.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Dave Matthews Band - Crash (Day 20)
The highlights of the album are definitely 'Crash Into Me', 'Too Much', and 'Tripping Billies'. 'Two Step' has a great jam to start the song, and has almost a bluegrass-type feel to it. There's some good funk grooves in 'Too Much'. 'Crash Into Me' is always going to be a classic. I still remember sitting on my couch watching videos all day long in 1998 and seeing that video play multiple times a day.
I used to break a CD down on its various qualities and one that have always found appealing is one that does not necessarily stand out, or punch you in the gut, from the outset, but goes really well in the background when you are relaxing or hanging out with friends. This album is perfect for that.
I used to break a CD down on its various qualities and one that have always found appealing is one that does not necessarily stand out, or punch you in the gut, from the outset, but goes really well in the background when you are relaxing or hanging out with friends. This album is perfect for that.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Cage the Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday (Day 19)
Cage said when they released this album that they wanted it to sound like a different band was playing on each track since it was basically a compilation of sorts of their various solo pursuits. Really though, and this is in no way a slam, the album comes across as the best Pixies impersonation ever! I really like every song on this thing.
The lyrics in 'Always Something' (in the 2nd verse especially) are cool and thought provoking. 'Aberdeen' is great of course! 'Shake Me Down' sounds great in headphones because the beginning of the song starts out with a fuller sound than when I listen to it in the stereo at work. The sound of the lead singer's voice giving out in 'Sell Yourself' is very post-hardcore and there's an amazing dichotomy between that song and the following track, 'Rubber Ball'. Coming off the quietness of 'Rubber Ball', 'Right Before My Eyes' sounds like a radio hit - it's a really nice transition. 'Around My Head' is the song that I put on repeat and I knew I was gonna buy this album the first time I heard this song. 'Japanese Buffalo' is a typical buddy-rock song of the ilk that were popular in the middle of the last decade or any decade in the southern rock genre. 'Flow' is a nice ending to an album high on variety and with a perfect mix of loud/soft dynamics.
The lyrics in 'Always Something' (in the 2nd verse especially) are cool and thought provoking. 'Aberdeen' is great of course! 'Shake Me Down' sounds great in headphones because the beginning of the song starts out with a fuller sound than when I listen to it in the stereo at work. The sound of the lead singer's voice giving out in 'Sell Yourself' is very post-hardcore and there's an amazing dichotomy between that song and the following track, 'Rubber Ball'. Coming off the quietness of 'Rubber Ball', 'Right Before My Eyes' sounds like a radio hit - it's a really nice transition. 'Around My Head' is the song that I put on repeat and I knew I was gonna buy this album the first time I heard this song. 'Japanese Buffalo' is a typical buddy-rock song of the ilk that were popular in the middle of the last decade or any decade in the southern rock genre. 'Flow' is a nice ending to an album high on variety and with a perfect mix of loud/soft dynamics.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Grandaddy - Sumday (Day 18)
There are some great sounds on this thing and they start off immediately on 'Now It's On'. I love the entrance of the eighth-note rhythm and the stutter beats on the drums. The sound of the solo and the fade-out at the end of the song is great. I want a CD with that duck quack as the only vocals.
'I'm On Standby' has the best lyrical flow of any of these songs. The way the words interweave throughout has stuck in my head every time that I have listened to this album. Sung in their typical sigh-like vocal style, 'The Go In the Go-For-It' & 'OK With My Decay' sound almost prophetic. Speaking of nice lyrics, I really like the little dragonfly story at the end of 'Lost On Your Merry Way'. 'El Caminos in the West' was my favorite song on Sumday from the first time I listened to the album. That and the how-dare-Limp-Bizkit-try-to-be-more-pretentious-than-us 'Stray Dog and the Chocolate Shake'. Yes, I know what you are thinking... and no, there's nothing more pretentious than a description made up of a million hyphenated words.
'I'm On Standby' has the best lyrical flow of any of these songs. The way the words interweave throughout has stuck in my head every time that I have listened to this album. Sung in their typical sigh-like vocal style, 'The Go In the Go-For-It' & 'OK With My Decay' sound almost prophetic. Speaking of nice lyrics, I really like the little dragonfly story at the end of 'Lost On Your Merry Way'. 'El Caminos in the West' was my favorite song on Sumday from the first time I listened to the album. That and the how-dare-Limp-Bizkit-try-to-be-more-pretentious-than-us 'Stray Dog and the Chocolate Shake'. Yes, I know what you are thinking... and no, there's nothing more pretentious than a description made up of a million hyphenated words.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Mirror Traffic (Day 17)
The song 'Tigers' is a great way to start the album. Beck Hansen acted as producer for this album, and I see Beck's influence ever so slightly in various touches on the album. 3 minutes into 'No One Is' sounds very much like something from Beck's album Mutations. The album is solid throughout with nice little ditties like 'Jumble Gloss' peppered amongst the solid tracks like 'Senator' and 'Georgeous Georgie'. There is a great transition between 'Asking Price' and 'Stick Figures in Love' - both of which are excellent songs. 'Stick Figures in Love' may actually be my favorite, because I find myself repeating that track most often. This is a strong album that is worth a lot of listens.
Weezer - Pinkerton (Day 17 as Day 15)
I listened to Weezer - Pinkerton over the weekend on a mini road trip with two fellow long-time Weezer fans. We drove along the back roads of middle Tennessee and screamed out the lyrics of 'Tired of Sex', 'Getchoo', 'Why Bother', and 'El Scorcho' as we had done so many times before over the past decade or so of our friendships. This album was originally slated to be a concept album called Songs From The Black Hole. I'm not exactly sure what that album would have sounded like since we've only gotten glimpes of the songs from Rivers Cuomo's Alone albums, but I can't imagine possibly liking it any more than I do this album. Everything else that I have to say about this album has been said so many times before, in so many better ways, that it's almost cliched to try and express my feelings any further in this medium. Alone 3 and The Pinkerton Diaries were released recently and I still get on every week and think about purchasing that behemoth, but for now I'll just listen to the B-sides from the Deluxe Edition of Pinkerton and rock out to 'You Gave Your Love To Me Softly' and 'I Just Threw Out The Love Of My Dreams'. I love these songs.
Friday, January 13, 2012
No Age - Everything in Between (Day 13)
I'm all in on the bands with no bass! This album starts off with a "set the tone" song in 'Life Prowler'. 'Glitter' has a great feel and sound to it, and that feedback is basically its own instrument. 'Fever Dreaming' and 'Sorts' are the rockers of the album. They made a great video, a la the trash compactor scene in Star Wars, for 'Fever Dreaming'. 'Valley Hump Crash' shows that there's melody underneath all of the fuzz, and makes a nice transition into 'Sorts'. The last minute of this song represents everything that I want sonically from music.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Cars & Echo and the Bunnymen (Day 12)
On The Cars self-titled album, 'Good Times Roll' gets things started in a very even-keeled manner, but things really kick in with 'My Best Friend's Girl'. The first song was a nice lead in to this rocker. 'Just What I Needed' is a classic, with the classic line - "I don't mind you coming here and wasting all my time!" 'You're All I've Got Tonight' has some great harmonies. The drums and lead guitar are what make this song so enjoyable. I love how they are a little bit over the top. The synth line in 'Moving in Stereo' is out-of-this-world good. It's such a good debut.
On the Echo and the Bunnymen's self-titled album, they show how very contemporary they were with U2. I love the words in the second verse of 'The Game'. As I move into 'Over You', I'm reminded that some music just sounds important. 'All In Your Mind' and 'Bombers Bay' are both great. The chorus of 'Lost & Found' is great and has almost a call and repeat effect to it. 'New Direction' talks about what the "cat dragged in" and then it sounds like there's a cat with the wah-wah backing vocals in the chorus. 'All My Life' is very chill and sounds like the song that plays when two lovers are running into each others' arms at the end of a movie. There are also some really good bonus tracks included here and one of those, 'Jimmy Brown', is the JAM!
On the Echo and the Bunnymen's self-titled album, they show how very contemporary they were with U2. I love the words in the second verse of 'The Game'. As I move into 'Over You', I'm reminded that some music just sounds important. 'All In Your Mind' and 'Bombers Bay' are both great. The chorus of 'Lost & Found' is great and has almost a call and repeat effect to it. 'New Direction' talks about what the "cat dragged in" and then it sounds like there's a cat with the wah-wah backing vocals in the chorus. 'All My Life' is very chill and sounds like the song that plays when two lovers are running into each others' arms at the end of a movie. There are also some really good bonus tracks included here and one of those, 'Jimmy Brown', is the JAM!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Built to Spill - You In Reverse (Day 11)
I saw Built to Spill live around the time that this album was released, and really enjoyed witnessing Doug Martsch and his pensive guitar noodling live in concert despite his lack of "typical" stage presence. During the entire show, my mind kept drifting to the thought that all of his bandmates were gathered around him with a deep, Dude-abiding respect for all that the man is. That said, when I listen to this album my mind still goes back to that concert and how I pictured the band that night.
The album starts off great with 'Goin' Against Your Mind'. Those drums and that Built to Spill guitar sound perfectly encapsulate the vibe that is this band. 'Traces' continues on with some great abstract lyrics. 'Conventional Wisdom' incorporates some great guitar work to start off the song and it's a nice uptempo song situated perfectly in the middle of the album. 'Mess With Time' uses a sludgy guitar sound behind the typical noodling lead guitar to great effect. All in all, this is not my favorite Built to Spill album, by any stretch, but it is a good solid listen worth any fan's time.
The album starts off great with 'Goin' Against Your Mind'. Those drums and that Built to Spill guitar sound perfectly encapsulate the vibe that is this band. 'Traces' continues on with some great abstract lyrics. 'Conventional Wisdom' incorporates some great guitar work to start off the song and it's a nice uptempo song situated perfectly in the middle of the album. 'Mess With Time' uses a sludgy guitar sound behind the typical noodling lead guitar to great effect. All in all, this is not my favorite Built to Spill album, by any stretch, but it is a good solid listen worth any fan's time.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Breeders and Killers (Day 10)
I pulled out The Killers - Day & Age after hearing that they have a new album set to come out (hopefully) in 2012.
'Losing Touch' tells an Entourage-like story in which he tells his girl to "go run and tell your friends, I'm losing touch." There's a nice Sanford and Son horn line that reminds me of 'Bones' from their album Sam's Town. I'm thinking this song should have been a split single with The Dawes - Time Spent In Los Angeles'. The second song, 'Human', could have been a Flaming Lips cover song, and I love it for that reason. The line in 'Spaceman' about his "global positioning system" makes me chuckle every time I hear it, but the chorus is really good. 'Joy Ride' has a very disco/new wave vibe to it, and makes me think that I should be watching Miami Vice reruns right now.
'A Dustland Fairytale' is good in a Sam's Town leftover kind of way, and 'This Is Your Life' is great in all the ways you like The Killers. 'I Can't Stay' sounds like something from the Little Mermaid and I find myself waiting for Sebastian to make an appearance on guest vocals. I have no idea what he's talking about on 'Neon Tiger', but I (and everyone at my work) loves the song and the crazy lyrics. It ends up being the one we put on repeat and listen and laugh about over and over. I love 'The World We Live In' and 'Goodnight, Travel Well' ends with a nice run out on the cymbals and strings. It fits well with the mood and is a good closeout to the album.
On The Breeders - Pod, 'Glorious' starts things out with a very chill vibe. I love the drums on this album, especially on 'Doe'. The cracking voice on 'Oh!' is a really nice touch. This song is very Krautrock, with a sound somewhere between Slint and Tortoise. The album really picks up with 'Iris'. To me, this album is definitely backloaded with good songs. 'Only in 3's' and 'Limehouse' are especially strong. In fact, 'Limehouse' is my favorite song here, though I'm not sure what she's talking about. Did she just scream out "TAR BABY?"
'Losing Touch' tells an Entourage-like story in which he tells his girl to "go run and tell your friends, I'm losing touch." There's a nice Sanford and Son horn line that reminds me of 'Bones' from their album Sam's Town. I'm thinking this song should have been a split single with The Dawes - Time Spent In Los Angeles'. The second song, 'Human', could have been a Flaming Lips cover song, and I love it for that reason. The line in 'Spaceman' about his "global positioning system" makes me chuckle every time I hear it, but the chorus is really good. 'Joy Ride' has a very disco/new wave vibe to it, and makes me think that I should be watching Miami Vice reruns right now.
'A Dustland Fairytale' is good in a Sam's Town leftover kind of way, and 'This Is Your Life' is great in all the ways you like The Killers. 'I Can't Stay' sounds like something from the Little Mermaid and I find myself waiting for Sebastian to make an appearance on guest vocals. I have no idea what he's talking about on 'Neon Tiger', but I (and everyone at my work) loves the song and the crazy lyrics. It ends up being the one we put on repeat and listen and laugh about over and over. I love 'The World We Live In' and 'Goodnight, Travel Well' ends with a nice run out on the cymbals and strings. It fits well with the mood and is a good closeout to the album.
On The Breeders - Pod, 'Glorious' starts things out with a very chill vibe. I love the drums on this album, especially on 'Doe'. The cracking voice on 'Oh!' is a really nice touch. This song is very Krautrock, with a sound somewhere between Slint and Tortoise. The album really picks up with 'Iris'. To me, this album is definitely backloaded with good songs. 'Only in 3's' and 'Limehouse' are especially strong. In fact, 'Limehouse' is my favorite song here, though I'm not sure what she's talking about. Did she just scream out "TAR BABY?"
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Deerhunter & The Replacements (Day 8)
I picked up Halcyon Digest by Deerhunter and Tim by The Replacements at my local library and love both. I have listened to songs from each album before, but have never listened to them all the way through in a single sitting. Listening to Deerhunter and blogging reminds me of my first failed attempt to start this blog a few years ago and my review of the Deerhunter album 'Microcastle/Weird Era'.
I won't say much more about Halcyon Digest except to say that there are some really great songs here and some songs that try to be moodier than they need to be. Overall the ambiance of the record is really nice for background music at work.
I should have purchased The Replacements - Tim a few months back when I found it in the used bin at CD Central here in Lexington. This album is top quality, along the same lines as their album 'Let It Be' - especially the end of the album. 'Left of the Dial' is an amazing song that can't be listened to just once, no matter how many times you may have heard it.
I won't say much more about Halcyon Digest except to say that there are some really great songs here and some songs that try to be moodier than they need to be. Overall the ambiance of the record is really nice for background music at work.
I should have purchased The Replacements - Tim a few months back when I found it in the used bin at CD Central here in Lexington. This album is top quality, along the same lines as their album 'Let It Be' - especially the end of the album. 'Left of the Dial' is an amazing song that can't be listened to just once, no matter how many times you may have heard it.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
FoW - Sky Full of Holes (Day 7)
I love Fountains of Wayne's lyrics. The line about being afraid of a Cuisinart in 'Summer Place' starts out the album in perfect FoW mode. Everytime I go to New York City, I can not help but think of stories they have told on their various albums as I stumble upon various landmarks/neighborhoods.
'Richie and Ruben' is a little safe and pedestrian as a number of songs on their last couple of albums have been, but with repeated listens it grows on you. As the end of the song fades out, it sounds a little like lounge music from a TV sitcom. The keyboard in 'Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart' is great and I love their harmonies. This song has the old FoW magic!
As I said, very few artists tell stories like this. 'Action Hero' is almost country-like in the focus on story telling. 'A Dip In The Ocean' is the best song on the album. I put this song on repeat so many times that my wife finally had to ask me to stop.
Listening to 'Road Song' makes me wonder if FoW watched Elizabethtown and imagined Kirsten Dunst singing this song to Orlando Bloom. It has a very country chill vibe to it. 'Hate To See You Like This' is about as epic sounding as FoW gets. The best line on the album is in this song - "let's get this room disinfected, let's get your phone reconnected." I really like the ending to 'Radio Bar', but what was up with the resurgence of the horn in popular music in 2011? Lady Gaga and Katy Perry also come to mind for having incorporated them into their music this past year.
And what about the cover art... it kind of looks like someone trying to be clever by suggesting that the trees are getting revenge on all of those books that were made from their brothers and sisters. This album brings us a couple more great FoW tracks and is a reasonably good listen as a whole.
'Richie and Ruben' is a little safe and pedestrian as a number of songs on their last couple of albums have been, but with repeated listens it grows on you. As the end of the song fades out, it sounds a little like lounge music from a TV sitcom. The keyboard in 'Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart' is great and I love their harmonies. This song has the old FoW magic!
As I said, very few artists tell stories like this. 'Action Hero' is almost country-like in the focus on story telling. 'A Dip In The Ocean' is the best song on the album. I put this song on repeat so many times that my wife finally had to ask me to stop.
Listening to 'Road Song' makes me wonder if FoW watched Elizabethtown and imagined Kirsten Dunst singing this song to Orlando Bloom. It has a very country chill vibe to it. 'Hate To See You Like This' is about as epic sounding as FoW gets. The best line on the album is in this song - "let's get this room disinfected, let's get your phone reconnected." I really like the ending to 'Radio Bar', but what was up with the resurgence of the horn in popular music in 2011? Lady Gaga and Katy Perry also come to mind for having incorporated them into their music this past year.
And what about the cover art... it kind of looks like someone trying to be clever by suggesting that the trees are getting revenge on all of those books that were made from their brothers and sisters. This album brings us a couple more great FoW tracks and is a reasonably good listen as a whole.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Husker Du - Zen Arcade (Day 6)
Listening to Husker Du - Zen Arcade in one sitting is a feat! These 23 songs do not rattle off in 1.5min clips like something off of Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand, these songs take time. I got this CD recently after having not really listened to them in about a decade. A high school friend of mine's dad was really into them and lent me a bunch of their cassette tapes that I listened to over and over again. He used to tell stories about having seen Husker Du and Black Flag in concert back in the early 80s and all the craziness surrounding that time and that music scene. The mark that this band left on rock music is undeniable.
By the second song on the album, 'Broken Home, Broken Heart', you can hear the great classic punk sensibilities in their music and then they shift ever so slightly and totally rock out on 'Chartered Trips'. 'Hare Krsna' sounds like someone breaking glass with sleigh bells while a bunch of methadone addicts have a sing-off, and it's great! More breaking glass makes an appearance at the end of 'Pride'. Seems like someone had a new favorite effect back in 1984.
By the time the album gets to 'Beyond the Threshold', one of my coworkers asks me, "What is this brain stew you have us listening to this morning?" I got a similar response when I tried to play Bad Brains - Banned in DC a couple of months ago. Apparently, these guys do not appreciate hardcore.
When he screams in 'I Will Never Forget You', you have no choice but to believe him. He sounds like he means it. There are a lot of solid track throughout the album. I really like 'Pink Turns to Blue', and the transition from 'Monday Will Never Be The Same' to 'Whatever' is great. There's a great use of antiphony (call & repeat vocals) in 'Turn On The News'. The album ends with 'Reoccurring Dreams', which is 13min and 47sec of blissfully fragmented indie rock and a great ending for this album.
By the second song on the album, 'Broken Home, Broken Heart', you can hear the great classic punk sensibilities in their music and then they shift ever so slightly and totally rock out on 'Chartered Trips'. 'Hare Krsna' sounds like someone breaking glass with sleigh bells while a bunch of methadone addicts have a sing-off, and it's great! More breaking glass makes an appearance at the end of 'Pride'. Seems like someone had a new favorite effect back in 1984.
By the time the album gets to 'Beyond the Threshold', one of my coworkers asks me, "What is this brain stew you have us listening to this morning?" I got a similar response when I tried to play Bad Brains - Banned in DC a couple of months ago. Apparently, these guys do not appreciate hardcore.
When he screams in 'I Will Never Forget You', you have no choice but to believe him. He sounds like he means it. There are a lot of solid track throughout the album. I really like 'Pink Turns to Blue', and the transition from 'Monday Will Never Be The Same' to 'Whatever' is great. There's a great use of antiphony (call & repeat vocals) in 'Turn On The News'. The album ends with 'Reoccurring Dreams', which is 13min and 47sec of blissfully fragmented indie rock and a great ending for this album.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (Day 5)
This album starts off with a bang! The guitar part that introduces the album to the world was literally just that since the first 20 seconds of Bridge Burning was released as a teaser a few months before the album's release date. It still melts my face off every time I put the CD on for another listen. But seriously, the song that I can not get enough of is Rope! This song is amazing and has never gotten old or tired despite countless listens. It's classic Foo Fighters.
The album rolls on nicely with Dear Rosemary. Bob Mould assists with some excellent vocal harmonies. In fact, it makes me want to pull out my Husker Du - Zen Arcade album. Maybe at a later date I will get around to listening/reviewing that one as well.
I do love a nice transition from one track to another - and the move from Dear Rosemary to White Limo works great. White Limo is a great hardcore track and when I'm blasting it out at work I can not help but wonder if my coworkers share a similar respect for a song that Motorhead would have been proud to have made. Nevertheless, the rock train rolls on!
The videos for this album are great as well! Rope is awesome in its lo-fi VHS quality and contains the typical Foo quirks I love. It has all the little things, like Pat Smear's moves while playing his guitar, and the flipping of some 'magic rock-out' switch on the amp before things get heavy two-thirds of the way through the song. White Limo is a full-on hardcore rock song and the video is hilarious in its 80's parody, and, of course, there's LEMMY!
Continuing on with the album, Arlandia and These Days are solid tracks, but the one that gets stuck in my head for the next hour after the CD has finished playing is Back and Forth. The album closes with a few more good songs, but none match the infectiousness of the first five. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my love for the sound of Krist Novoselic's bass in I Should Have Known. It's so good and so distinct that it immediately calls to mind Nirvana tracks like Sliver. The album ends with Walk, which kind of seems like an attempt to replicate the effect of having a solid closer as they did on The Color and The Shape's closing track New Way Home. Thinking about it, I need to go back and listen to New Way Home. I'm reminded of seeing the Foo Fighters live in Memphis back in 2000 and yelling for them to play New Way Home only to hear them kick into it a few seconds later - it was an amazing moment for my teenage psyche.
The album rolls on nicely with Dear Rosemary. Bob Mould assists with some excellent vocal harmonies. In fact, it makes me want to pull out my Husker Du - Zen Arcade album. Maybe at a later date I will get around to listening/reviewing that one as well.
I do love a nice transition from one track to another - and the move from Dear Rosemary to White Limo works great. White Limo is a great hardcore track and when I'm blasting it out at work I can not help but wonder if my coworkers share a similar respect for a song that Motorhead would have been proud to have made. Nevertheless, the rock train rolls on!
The videos for this album are great as well! Rope is awesome in its lo-fi VHS quality and contains the typical Foo quirks I love. It has all the little things, like Pat Smear's moves while playing his guitar, and the flipping of some 'magic rock-out' switch on the amp before things get heavy two-thirds of the way through the song. White Limo is a full-on hardcore rock song and the video is hilarious in its 80's parody, and, of course, there's LEMMY!
Continuing on with the album, Arlandia and These Days are solid tracks, but the one that gets stuck in my head for the next hour after the CD has finished playing is Back and Forth. The album closes with a few more good songs, but none match the infectiousness of the first five. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my love for the sound of Krist Novoselic's bass in I Should Have Known. It's so good and so distinct that it immediately calls to mind Nirvana tracks like Sliver. The album ends with Walk, which kind of seems like an attempt to replicate the effect of having a solid closer as they did on The Color and The Shape's closing track New Way Home. Thinking about it, I need to go back and listen to New Way Home. I'm reminded of seeing the Foo Fighters live in Memphis back in 2000 and yelling for them to play New Way Home only to hear them kick into it a few seconds later - it was an amazing moment for my teenage psyche.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
AAR debut album & college memories (Day 4)
Nostalgia, especially regarding my time in college, usually gives me a pick-me-up because those were some of the most care-free and enjoyable times of my life.
One album that I can not listen to without thinking back to that time in my life (it is definitely not a timeless album for that very reason - it is forever stuck in the first half of the last decade) is the debut album by All American Rejects.
The album starts off well with My Paper Heart and sets the stage for what the album will be. The second song Your Star has a great chorus that seems to sort of sit back in the beat, while the rest of the song is more straight forward and driving, and I love the falsetto vocals.
Swing, Swing is the obvious standout from this album and still holds up well today. Who would have ever thought I'd love listening to someone sing about all of their issues and problems in dating with a staccato vocal style this much? Regarding heartbreak, Tyson Ritter understands both sides of the relationship and throws in both viewpoints at different points on the album.
On Time Stands Still there's a great Moog synth-type sound and the transition from that song to One More Sad Song is fantastic! I love it and the pop/punk driving eighth note guitar part that is on full display here. All-in-all this is a really solid debut album and the rest of the songs hit on all the same points and fill it out nicely.
I really appreciate the level of orchestration that they incorporate into the song structure for nearly every track on this album. I mean they are throwing in keyboards, strings, chimes - you name it, they will try and use it - and, most impressively, pretty much replicated the sounds from this album live in concert. I saw them perform back on the Warped Tour in 2004 - on the Warped Tour, not at a classy auditorium on Main Street in some major city - and they had a rack of chimes on stage. One of the dudes was up there with a mallet wailing away on those things while they were playing the last song from their debut album 'The Last Song' and that is definitely my enduring memory from that show!
One album that I can not listen to without thinking back to that time in my life (it is definitely not a timeless album for that very reason - it is forever stuck in the first half of the last decade) is the debut album by All American Rejects.
The album starts off well with My Paper Heart and sets the stage for what the album will be. The second song Your Star has a great chorus that seems to sort of sit back in the beat, while the rest of the song is more straight forward and driving, and I love the falsetto vocals.
Swing, Swing is the obvious standout from this album and still holds up well today. Who would have ever thought I'd love listening to someone sing about all of their issues and problems in dating with a staccato vocal style this much? Regarding heartbreak, Tyson Ritter understands both sides of the relationship and throws in both viewpoints at different points on the album.
On Time Stands Still there's a great Moog synth-type sound and the transition from that song to One More Sad Song is fantastic! I love it and the pop/punk driving eighth note guitar part that is on full display here. All-in-all this is a really solid debut album and the rest of the songs hit on all the same points and fill it out nicely.
I really appreciate the level of orchestration that they incorporate into the song structure for nearly every track on this album. I mean they are throwing in keyboards, strings, chimes - you name it, they will try and use it - and, most impressively, pretty much replicated the sounds from this album live in concert. I saw them perform back on the Warped Tour in 2004 - on the Warped Tour, not at a classy auditorium on Main Street in some major city - and they had a rack of chimes on stage. One of the dudes was up there with a mallet wailing away on those things while they were playing the last song from their debut album 'The Last Song' and that is definitely my enduring memory from that show!
Day 4 is the new Day 3 - Afghan Whigs & Yuck
I meant to post my reviews for the CDs I listened to yesterday last night before bed, but after a late night spent watching Jason Segal decide between Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' I likewise decided to join Fantasyland and just go to bed.
I started my workday by listening to Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen. It's undeniable that it was made in the 90s with the tones of the guitars and the distortion. The themes about dating and the dynamics between guys/girls feel relevant, but as the man sings, "this ain't about regret."
The first song starts like something out of The Mummy or Aladdin and is a great lead in to the album! I love transitions like one into the second song 'Gentlemen' with the drum repetition at the end of 'If I Were Going'. The claps in 'Debonair' give the song a pop feel. There are great sound effects on this album, including a sound that I can best describe as buzzing bees. 'When We Two Parted' fades out with a Modest Mouse-like guitar, a chorus of voices, and the ever biting lyrical tone of Greg Dulli (whose spoken word lyrics/tone are classic). The way he sings those lines reminds me of everything I love about Henry Rollins and the song 'Liar'.
The songs 'What Jail Feels Like' and 'My Curse' feel like all the good that Vanessa Carlton and Zooey Deschanel, respectively, tried to do in music, yet done better here. The final song on the album is great and reminds me so much of Traci Bonham. The theatrical sense that all of these songs give you is typified in 'I Keep Coming Back'. You can almost picture a jilted lover sitting on an old creaky porch while crickets chirp in the night air and he laments all the wrongs of his relationship.
Later in the afternoon I listened to Yuck's debut album. Other reviews have labeled this band as a mix of Dinosaur Jr, Pavement, and shoegaze and I get that. The first song 'Get Away' contains a great refrain - "Oh, I can't get away." This CD is everything I love about the 90s culture with all the feedback and lo-fi vocals that anyone could ask for. In fact, SPIN facetiously wrote a story about how this album may be the best album of 1991 since we are all simultaneously feeling nostalgic and hopeful for the future.
The band does not slow the momentum as they transition from 'Get Away' to 'The Wall'. Subtly, the band expresses a sentiment in this song that all of us have felt. 'Shook Down' comes across like a beautiful love song, and starts with a very Smashing Pumpkins-esque sound in verse 1 before shifting in style/tone. I appreciate the jazzy feel that 'Suicide Policeman' has and I love the female vocal harmony on 'Georgia'. There's even a nice slide guitar on 'Suck'. These guys try a lot of tricks, and with repeated listens I find myself appreciating them more.
Song #9, 'Operation', is one of the highlights of the album. There's a great line in 'Sunday' - "I've got a choice now, I've got a voice now" that gets stuck in your head. The lo-fi drone of 'Rubber' acts as a nice closer and its heavy feedback drone is very reminiscent of shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and bands they obviously had an influence on like Deerhunter/Atlas Sound.
The bonus CD completely picks up where the first CD may slump a little bit. The guitar effect in the first song on the CD is exactly like one that my best friend in high school had on his first effect pedal for his electric guitar! Speaking of which, the lyrics of 'Cousin Corona' were basically my mantra back then. 'Milkshake' is an excellent catchy song and 'Coconut Bible' is the 2nd best song off of both CDs. I can not help but put it on repeat and listen to it like six times in a row. The bonus disc definitely completes the set and is worth your time if you are so inclined.
I started my workday by listening to Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen. It's undeniable that it was made in the 90s with the tones of the guitars and the distortion. The themes about dating and the dynamics between guys/girls feel relevant, but as the man sings, "this ain't about regret."
The first song starts like something out of The Mummy or Aladdin and is a great lead in to the album! I love transitions like one into the second song 'Gentlemen' with the drum repetition at the end of 'If I Were Going'. The claps in 'Debonair' give the song a pop feel. There are great sound effects on this album, including a sound that I can best describe as buzzing bees. 'When We Two Parted' fades out with a Modest Mouse-like guitar, a chorus of voices, and the ever biting lyrical tone of Greg Dulli (whose spoken word lyrics/tone are classic). The way he sings those lines reminds me of everything I love about Henry Rollins and the song 'Liar'.
The songs 'What Jail Feels Like' and 'My Curse' feel like all the good that Vanessa Carlton and Zooey Deschanel, respectively, tried to do in music, yet done better here. The final song on the album is great and reminds me so much of Traci Bonham. The theatrical sense that all of these songs give you is typified in 'I Keep Coming Back'. You can almost picture a jilted lover sitting on an old creaky porch while crickets chirp in the night air and he laments all the wrongs of his relationship.
Later in the afternoon I listened to Yuck's debut album. Other reviews have labeled this band as a mix of Dinosaur Jr, Pavement, and shoegaze and I get that. The first song 'Get Away' contains a great refrain - "Oh, I can't get away." This CD is everything I love about the 90s culture with all the feedback and lo-fi vocals that anyone could ask for. In fact, SPIN facetiously wrote a story about how this album may be the best album of 1991 since we are all simultaneously feeling nostalgic and hopeful for the future.
The band does not slow the momentum as they transition from 'Get Away' to 'The Wall'. Subtly, the band expresses a sentiment in this song that all of us have felt. 'Shook Down' comes across like a beautiful love song, and starts with a very Smashing Pumpkins-esque sound in verse 1 before shifting in style/tone. I appreciate the jazzy feel that 'Suicide Policeman' has and I love the female vocal harmony on 'Georgia'. There's even a nice slide guitar on 'Suck'. These guys try a lot of tricks, and with repeated listens I find myself appreciating them more.
Song #9, 'Operation', is one of the highlights of the album. There's a great line in 'Sunday' - "I've got a choice now, I've got a voice now" that gets stuck in your head. The lo-fi drone of 'Rubber' acts as a nice closer and its heavy feedback drone is very reminiscent of shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and bands they obviously had an influence on like Deerhunter/Atlas Sound.
The bonus CD completely picks up where the first CD may slump a little bit. The guitar effect in the first song on the CD is exactly like one that my best friend in high school had on his first effect pedal for his electric guitar! Speaking of which, the lyrics of 'Cousin Corona' were basically my mantra back then. 'Milkshake' is an excellent catchy song and 'Coconut Bible' is the 2nd best song off of both CDs. I can not help but put it on repeat and listen to it like six times in a row. The bonus disc definitely completes the set and is worth your time if you are so inclined.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Death of the CD
In response to the recent report about the death of CDs (see below for a rebuttal article published this past week), I decided that I was going to dedicate 2012 to listening to every CD I own over the course of the year!
Reports Of The Death Of The CD Are Greatly Exaggerated
I have over 450 proper store-released albums on CD, and somewhere around 200 more albums that I burned during a 2-3 year period in my late teens/early twenties. So without getting into the countless other albums that I own either on cassette, vinyl, or in MP3 format, I will need to listen to just under 2 CDs a day in order to meet my goal. Also, I'm going to try and listen to all of these out loud, instead of always putting on headphones, because I think there really is something to the idea of a shared musical experience, still being engaged with the world (instead of isolated with a set of headphones), and even hearing people's takes on what's playing - even if they hate it!
The larger point surrounding all the talk about the death of the CD is that we live in the MP3 era, in which whole albums have little to no relevance to most consumers. In my opinion, there is nothing better than an album that hits and flows from beginning to end.
I hope to entertain any who stumble across this series, and hopefully garner some respect for the idea of a proper album in this day and age of one-off singles released as MP3s.
Reports Of The Death Of The CD Are Greatly Exaggerated
I have over 450 proper store-released albums on CD, and somewhere around 200 more albums that I burned during a 2-3 year period in my late teens/early twenties. So without getting into the countless other albums that I own either on cassette, vinyl, or in MP3 format, I will need to listen to just under 2 CDs a day in order to meet my goal. Also, I'm going to try and listen to all of these out loud, instead of always putting on headphones, because I think there really is something to the idea of a shared musical experience, still being engaged with the world (instead of isolated with a set of headphones), and even hearing people's takes on what's playing - even if they hate it!
The larger point surrounding all the talk about the death of the CD is that we live in the MP3 era, in which whole albums have little to no relevance to most consumers. In my opinion, there is nothing better than an album that hits and flows from beginning to end.
I hope to entertain any who stumble across this series, and hopefully garner some respect for the idea of a proper album in this day and age of one-off singles released as MP3s.
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