Album #40 : Skrillex - Bangarang

Skrillex

Bangarang (2011)

Look.

I'm really sorry. 

To be honest, I picked this thinking it would be another chance for some Nickelback/Aqua style comic stylings. I sat through this. I put my wife through this. She hasn't left me yet but I have heard her on the phone to her sister saying, "I can't take much more of this noise" so it's got to be just around the corner.

Anyway, my name's Daniel, and I just listened, willingly, to a Skrillex release. And I'm not even sure I can make fun of it, because it's just such a pointless musical exercise.

The Album

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOWWWWWWW BIPABIPABIPABIPABIPABIPA BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOWWWWWWW BIPABIPABIPABIPABIPABIPA BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

It probably takes about five seconds of Skrillex's "trademark" squealing buzzsaw synthesiser lines before you are reaching for the nearest icepick to puncture your eardrums, thereby ensuring permanent and total hearing loss.

Imagine seven tracks of it.

SEVEN.

Now I'll admit, I don't know heaps about EDM. I do know that there are some seminal EDM acts, such as The Orb, KLF, Orbital and Underworld whose work I quite enjoy. I also know that EDM can be divided into about 938 million subgenres, and I do have a simple grasp of the hallmarks of most of them. Beyond that I don't know a truckload about it.

But I know what sounds good.

And Bangarang doesn't.

Sure, there are occasional moments that are interesting, catchy or pleasant (for example, closing track Summit features a great vocal from Ellie Goulding and is more of a chilled ambient track, the Doors-sampling Breakin' A Sweat has some sweet Ray Manzarek keyboard magic, and The Devil's Den is a pretty fistpumpy anthemic house track when it's not being ruined by all that BRAAAAAAAOOOWWWW business) but overall, the production is annoying, the bass drops make you want to punch people in the throat and every track bar Summit has that bullshit fucking Skrillex squealsynth in it, providing no melody, no complexity, just fucking stupid pointless noise. 

What amazes me even more is that there are people who buy this and listen to it while driving to work. It's played on Triple J at 2 in the afternoon while people are at work. Are people confused? All this pumping bass is great when you're doing FULLY SIK BRO Chap Laps, or you're thumping in the club at 2am bombed out of your brain on eccies, but I'm just not sure it translates to your accountant's office in the middle of the day.

I don't get it.

The Verdict

No. Just no. I could not delete it from my computer quickly enough. It was almost about to earn the coveted Worse Than Nickelback award, except for the fact that Summit was not completely fucking dreadful, and actually provides a quite listenable experience (which is more than I can say for All the Right Reasons). In fact, it would be hard for me to answer the question about whether this or Nickelback is the worst thing I've listened to, because while Nickelback produce the most banal, pathetic, lame, cheesy, plastic, fucked-up wannabe alpha-male douchebag rock you've ever heard in the history of life in this universe, at least it doesn't go 

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOWW BIPABIPABIPABIPABIPABIPA BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP WHEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

for THIRTY. FUCKING. MINUTES.

My rating: half a star thanks to Summit

Standout Tracks

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOWW BIPABIPABIPABIPABIPABIPA BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP WHEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Tomorrow, sanity returns as I, for the first time in 33 years of life, listen to a Rolling Stones album in its entirety.

Album #39 : Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

Iron Maiden

Somewhere In Time (1986)

Somewhere In Time marked something of a departure for Iron Maiden from their established reputation as the hard-rocking vanguard of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The album marked the band's first use of synthesizers as an integral part of their sound, something they would continue to explore on later releases. Somewhere In Time, therefore, marks the transition between the early 80s hard rock/metal sound and the later 80s progressive flavour of Maiden's music.

As a fan of Maiden, I was excited by this album, as prior to today it was the only release of the 80s that I hadn't heard, making it a new experience for me even as a person very familiar with the group.

Let's press on, shall we?

The Album

The most noticeable difference between this album and its predecessor, the mostly outstanding Powerslave, is that previously mentioned emphasis on synthesizer sounds. Unlike later releases, which used keyboard synthesizers, Somewhere In Time uses guitar and bass synthesizers. Consequently this is the only Maiden release where there isn't a 'pure' guitar sound, as it were, on most of the tracks (there are two songs without guitar synth). 

However, even though the album is synth-effect heavy, none of the trademarks of Iron Maiden are sacrificed. That famous 'gallop' that has always been a hallmark is there in abundance, there's typically face-melting solos from Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, the rhythm work of drummer Nicko McBrain and band leader/bassist/superman Steve Harris is above reproach...and of course, topping it off like a big aeroplane-flying cherry, is vocalist extraordinaire Bruce Dickinson. 

To the songs then, and Somewhere In Time has eight of them, that cover fairly typical ground for an Iron Maiden record - there's a song based on a novel (the solid but not outstanding The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner), a historical epic (Alexander The Great), a relatively radio-friendly track (Wasted Years) and a future live staple and crowd participation encouragement tune (Heaven Can Wait). The latter three are the album's best songs - Wasted Years featuring two terrific riffs and some fantastic soloing from Adrian Smith, while Dickinson wails tunefully about finding positives in negative situations; Alexander... telling the tale of the famous Macedonian king in bombastic Maiden style, going from slow, bluesy buildup to pacy trademark gallop in one swift blow, and at times recalling the classic Hallowed Be Thy Name (I should also make mention of the doleful, doom-laden riff later in the song that conjures images of a great army marching to glory...or death); and Heaven Can Wait, with its kickarse main riff, utterly fucking unbelievable axe solos and manly choral vocals that are ripe for a live setting.

Of the other tracks, opener Caught Somewhere In Time is a rompingly good tune, lots of gallop and Bruce Dickinson pomp, but the star of the song is the midsection, where Murray and Smith trade more face-melting genius; Sea of Madness (another Smith tune) is darker in tone and features some smashing work from Nicko McBrain; Stranger In A Strange Land is another cracking track, telling the story of an explorer trapped in ice for a hundred years with evocative and haunting lyrics. It also features darker riffs, heavy on the synth effects, while Dickinson pours out close to his best vocal on the album; while Deja Vu is the only real disappointment of the album, as it doesn't match the other tracks in scope, sound and execution, even if it does feature a cool riff from Dave Murray and some more quality work from partners-in-rhythmic-crime, Harris and McBrain.

Overall the album leaves you with the feeling that this direction was worth exploring further, as the synths are used to great effect and add extra depth to the music (even if at times that pure guitar sound might have been better suited). As history would later record, the band did just that on their next album...and produced one of their absolute masterworks.

The Verdict

Somewhere In Time is a pretty good album from a bloody good band. While, in my opinion, it is probably the worst of the group's 80s Dickinson period albums, that is less to do with its own problems and more to do with the fact that the rest of the band's work in that period is close to peerless. What lets it down slightly in comparison to all the other 80s releases is that change in sound and direction, simply because it's clear that the band themselves are experimenting with a new approach. What I heard was a band working out the bugs, so to speak.

Such is the quality and power of Iron Maiden, though, that even their working out the bugs is better than most bands' career-defining work.

Definitely worth listening to.....after you've heard all the other 80s Dickinson-era work.

My rating: *** and a half

Standout Tracks

Stranger in a Strange Land

Alexander the Great

Wasted Years

Heaven Can Wait

Tomorrow, I try to listen to an album that may scar me for life. If it turns out how I'm expecting, it's going to be a short review......

Album #38 : Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

You know, I agonised long and hard over what my introduction for this album would be. Would I talk about its background, or Elton John's career up to that point? Would I talk about its sales, critical reception or sound? 

In the end, I decided on none of those. All I'll say is this - this album features some of Elton John's best known; and best; works. It's a sprawling double album that was not meant to be one in its inception. It covers so much musical territory, it's like a musical encyclopedia.

And it's today's album. I can't wait.

The Album

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road serves as a summary of Elton John's past and a hint at his future. Through rock, blues, smoky ballads, modern takes on 50s rock 'n' roll and even reggae, Elton and his band take you on a grand musical journey that only has a few questionable stops. Having said that, there are also plenty of songs that are trademark Elton - piano driven soft pop rock tunes with snappy lyrics and that smooth Elton vocal.

The rocking tracks begin with album opener Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. The first track deserves to be considered the quintessential funeral song; a whistling wind and distant bells introduce a morose synthesiser line that almost without warning swells into something huge - repeatedly overdubbed ARP synth played by album engineer David Hentschel. As that mass of synths fades out, John's hauntingly beautiful piano enters, and the song gradually adds layers - more synthesisers, a marvellous bluesy guitar solo and several changes in tempo. The stars though are the piano and guitar. Eventually the song gives way to the second half, an uptempo guitar-heavy rocker with toetapping guitar and piano riffs. While I enjoy overblown hyperbole I think that describing this as one of Elton's utterly essential tracks is not doing it justice; it's simply a masterpiece. Other rocking tracks include the modern-take-on-50s-rock Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock And Roll), the more straightforward light blues rocker Dirty Little Girl and the menacing All The Girls Love Alice, which has some very interesting lyrical content about a girl who is on call to...er...'please' the married women of a town. Then, of course, there's Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, which may still stand as the most aggressive guitar riff ever heard on an Elton John album, with lyrics to match - Taupin tells the tale of a young lad who's going out on the town looking for booze, birds and brawls. It's one of the album's undisputed highlights even though it's so remarkably different in sound to the rest of the songs.

There are also a few tunes that offer links to other Elton releases. This Song Has No Title is largely Elton solo with a few minor contributions from Mellotron, Farfisa organ and guitar, and acts as a spiritual sequel to Border Song from his second album, while the smoky I've Seen That Movie Too, with its piano-heavy sound and quiet verse/large chorus structure hints at the classic track Someone Saved My Life Tonight, which would come out later on Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.

There are country tinges also; Roy Rogers (written about the eponymous Western star) is flavoured with Elton's faux-country twang and is quite a bittersweet song (the use of subtle strings helps), while the underrated Sweet Painted Lady takes some cues from country music with its chord progressions and lyrical content, while adding a touch of classically French accordion music.

I've written heaps already and haven't even touched four of the album's shining lights. Candle In The Wind (yep that song) really is a beautifully touching ode; the decision to let just the piano and vocals shine in the verses is a display of producer Gus Dudgeon's magic touch, while the the repeated guitar motif adds depth; additionally, the backing vocals fill out the choruses. Grey Seal is built around some quite outstanding piano riffs and, in my view, features one of the strongest vocals on the album; the outro is also supercharged, featuring a rocking key change and some rollicking piano work. Bennie And The Jets showcases Elton's falsetto wonderfully, even if the lyrics make no sense whatsoever; additionally, it features several production touches designed to make it sound like a live recording (a hollow, echo effect on the audio as well as the 'audience applause' and whistles), when in fact the song was recorded entirely in the studio.  Finally, there's the grossly underrated in my view The Ballad of Danny Bailey, a piano-driven tune about a moonshiner who meets a grisly end. It features a very cool piano solo at the song's close.

The only song that is truly dreadful is the reggae-flavoured Jamaica Jerk-Off. Piano is ditched in favour of a horrid organ 'melody' while Elton waffles over the top in some sort of strange wannabe Jamaican dialect. The influence is understandable given the album was recorded in Jamaica, but it's the only song (well, perhaps the mildly bland Social Disease as well) that the album doesn't need.

The Verdict

Absolutely brilliant from start to finish (with one or two exceptions), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the largest jewel in a glittering crown. Elton John has always been a guilty pleasure of mine - it has always seemed a bit naff to admit that you like his work. A listen to this album today tells me that I'm being stupid. It's never naff to admit that you enjoy an album like this.

Get around it. You won't be disappointed. It's close to perfect; with a few tracks trimmed it would have been so.

My rating: **** and a half

Standout Tracks

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

The Ballad of Danny Bailey

Grey Seal

Tomorrow....SCREAM FOR ME, READERS!! SCREAM FOR ME, READERS!!!!!!!

(Yeah it's Iron Maiden.)

Album #37 : Mogwai - Rave Tapes

Mogwai

Rave Tapes (2014)

I'm only moderately familiar with the work of Scottish post-rockers Mogwai. Chalk it down to a previous lack of interest in post-rock's textured nuance and lack of vocals. Having said that, they are probably one of the more 'rock' sounding post-rock groups, favouring a guitar-driven and bass-heavy sound compared to some of their contemporaries, who are comfortable combining a wider range of instruments. For that reason, they theoretically should be a post-rock band I dig.

After Tortoise piqued my further interest in post-rock, I decided to review Rave Tapes, the new Mogwai release. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Album

The majority of songs on Rave Tapes are indeed heavily guitar driven, though some are wildly different in tone. Master Card and Hexon Bogon are heavier in approach, built around louder and more insistent riffs. Both were not only great pieces of music but rocked really hard. Conversely, opener Heard About You Last Night, Blues Hour and Repelish are slower and mellower guitar-based tunes, relying on arpeggios and softer melodies. Heard About... also interchanges the guitar lines with a really beautiful piano melody, which lingers in the memory after the song is completed. There's also an intriguing (and humourous) spoken word accompaniment to Repelish, where an American religious dude (or someone pretending to be such) is talking about reversed Satanic messages on Stairway to Heaven....it's disappointing because this track is absolutely brilliant.

There's also a smattering of more synthesiser/electronic based tracks, the most notable of which are Simon Ferocious (which uses an electronic riff that sounds like 1980s digitised music that might be produced by a Commodore Amiga) and the atmospheric, moody Remurdered, with its similar use of 1980s music stylings (this time in the drums) and some truly gorgeous layering of synth lines.

The album, as is the norm for post-rock, uses vocals very sparingly. Apart from the aforementioned spoken word interlude, there's a surprisingly prominent vocal line on Blues Hour that adds little to the song, in fairness. The album closer The Lord Is Out Of Control is more typical of the way post-rock bands use vocals; heavily vocoded, the vocal line acts as another instrument, another (wonderful) layer to the sound.

Something else that separates the work on this album with, say, Tortoise's work, is that while Tortoise are experts at building to crescendos, on Rave Tapes, Mogwai act as musical cockteases, showing signs that songs are building to sweeping, anthemic glory...only to stop short every single time. It doesn't hold the album back as such, and in some ways it shows admirable restraint from the band not to do what is expected, but it means the album doesn't have any 'wow' moments.

Nevertheless, Rave Tapes has plenty of 'oooh' moments, such is the beauty of much of the material on the album.

The Verdict

Lovers of post-rock will love Rave Tapes. Mogwai have created another good album to add to their extensive collection of critically-acclaimed post-rock sonic adventures. I actually think that for the more casual music listener, or for those of you who enjoy rock music, this album would be more up your alley than Tortoise's work. 

Although it may not be their best album, I think Rave Tapes would act as a very good way to introduce someone to the world of post-rock. It's not a difficult listen and it features all the post-rock hallmarks.

I enjoyed it very much.

My rating: *** and a half

Standout Tracks

Remurdered

Master Card

Heard About You Last Night

Tomorrow? Elton John.

Album #36 : Illy - The Chase

Illy

The Chase (2010)

I do not like this Oz hip hop

It makes my poor old ears go 'pop'

I do not like the Hilltop Hoods

(Though, yes, some tunes do have the goods)

I do not like that Three-Six-Oh

Or Bliss and his good mate Eso

I'm not a fan of Seth Sentry

(Dear Science, though, it made me wee)

And as for this fellow called Illy,

I find his product is quite silly

But as this day falls on the fifth

I must abandon all this pith

And spend this day, to my disgrace

Reviewing his album, The Chase.

The Album

Let's start with the positives.

The album's team of producers have done an excellent job. Musically, the album covers a few different genres; from some soulful tunes to piano/string ballads, and even an indie-rock influenced tune or two. Additionally, knowing that Illy is the star of the show, the production allows for the music to play an important part without overshadowing Illy's rhymes. Songs with thumping bass manage to give off that club drum 'n' bass vibe without drowning out the verses. The dominant sound of the album is tasteful horns and piano melodies, and it gives The Chase a bit of an old-school vibe with modern production values and flavours.

Illy himself is a competent rapper, who writes some very good lyrics. Like most hip hop artists, he's not afraid to self-promote and attack his critics, while his lyrics are sprinkled with cultural references (the number of Triple J references, for example, made me wonder whether or not he was being paid by Richard Kingsmill for every mention of "the Js".) There are one or two shining moments lyrically, however, where Illy turns the blowtorch on modern society with impressive effect.

Highlights of the album? Numbers Game is one of those blowtorch on modern society moments. A killer lyric about inequality, climate change, the global financial crisis and its ability to ruin the poor while leaving many of the rich relatively untouched is fantastically supported by an indie rock riff. No thumping bass or drums on this track, it's all about that simple riff and Illy's vocal venom. On The Bus is one of those songs that Australian hip hop does so well - reflections on teenage life in Australia. However, halfway through, it veers into reflective territory as Illy ponders how despite our best efforts, we cannot escape life's changes, and growing up gets us all. It's set to a classy Motown-style horn section.

Guess I Could has more of that 60s soul/R&B horn sound and a really catchy hook. It's a self-promotion song where Illy brags about not needing guest verses (to his credit, there are none on the album; all guest appearances are singing only). It Can Wait is a song that everyone who listens to the Js will have heard; while I can't stand it because it's been PLAYED TO DEATH, you can't deny that it's catchy as hell. Owl Eyes's work on the verse is sweet and lilting, the music takes a back seat with simple drums and synths, and the lyrics are a tribute to living life for the now. And Without A Doubt uses a James Brown sample to great effect, while Illy drops pop culture references galore (the one about Rick James and shoes on the couch was a personal favourite).

It's just unfortunate that this album is a few songs too long - it probably could have done without Feel Something (boring 16 bit gaming soundtrack where Illy says he's trying to make us feel something - he failed), Cigarettes (pointless) and I Know (adds nothing of value). 

The Verdict

The Chase is okay. Like all good hip hop, it is at its best when it is used as a vehicle for social commentary - either positive or negative. One thing I took out of my Wu-Tang Clan and Kanye reviews was that part of the strength of those albums is that they deal with social issues honestly, and bluntly. 

I don't claim to be a hip hop expert (far from it) but I've read enough articles about the genre to know that it is perfectly suited to talking about life as it is for those who have no other way to express themselves. Consequently, The Chase is really good when Illy is holding court, representing a group that can often lack a voice in the world. When the songs are no longer about that, there's no fire, no oomph.....nothing.

Still, it isn't a terrible album, and there are certainly tracks worth checking out....but in my opinion, there's not a whole album's worth of material here.

Your work is solid, Mr Illy

I'm sorry that I called it silly

But next time I want some hip hop

I think I'll go read Hop on Pop!

My rating: ** and a half

Standout Tracks

On The Bus

Numbers Game

Guess I Could

Tomorrow, a very VERY recent album release - it came out in January. It's the latest album from a legendary Scottish post-rock collective.

Album #35 : Radiohead - Kid A

Radiohead

Kid A (2000)

Following the monstrous OK Computer, and the concert tour that followed, Radiohead were exhausted, both mentally and physically. Thom Yorke suffered a mental breakdown, citing burnout, as well as a deep ennui with guitar music, for his inability to write standard guitar songs. Feeling that guitar music had 'run its course', and with the industry now swamped by copycats and soundalikes, the group decided on a change of course. 

Influenced by electronica acts like Aphex Twin and Autechre, jazz musicians such as Charles Mingus and the minimalist textures of post-rock and Krautrock, Radiohead entered the studio and created Kid A, an album that was less a subtle departure from and more a complete trashing of the past. The band once described by Melody Maker as "the band who would return rock to us" were, in fact, deciding that you could keep your rock, thank you very much, we're tired of it. Out went the guitar driven epics and moody rock tunes; in came strings, cacophonic brass and electronic samples and strange instruments, such as the ondes Martenot.

What was the result of that? Well....

The Album

Kid A is nothing short of a masterwork. The entire album possesses a haunting quality; this is not an album you put on when you want to feel happy, though it's certainly an album to put on when you want to reassure yourself that you can feel. Throughout Kid A, ambient electronica, the ondes Martenot and the creation of moody, sombre textures thanks to Jonny Greenwood's string arrangements, are punctuated by the occasional trace of guitar, a fair smattering of hypnotic bass and drum patterns, and, of course, the vocals of Yorke.

The ambient/IDM influences of Autechre and Aphex Twin, among others, are all over tracks like Everything In Its Right Place, Kid A, Treefingers and the scintillating Idioteque. Right Place manages to use interwoven snippets of Yorke's vocal as a second instrument, supporting the main organ riff, while an insistent electronic bass drum pattern pumps away. Kid A is minimalist electronica personified; a dissonant, staccato melody (possibly played on an electric piano, I'm not sure) supported by haunting electronic sounds, and over it all Yorke's inhuman vocal (the result of running his vocal line through an ondes Martenot).

Treefingers (while being my most disliked song) is almost Radiohead trolling everybody; an Ed O'Brien guitar solo going through the ProTools wringer and emerging as pure ambient electronic noise. It's almost a middle finger to guitar music, saying that it can be turned into 'that electronic shit' that many guitar music fans (myself included) usually hate. Idioteque, on the other hand, is Radiohead in pure electronica mode. A thumping club style drum 'n' bass line is the backbone; two samples of 1970s computer music form the musical component (the chord progression comes from Mild und Leise by Paul Lansky) and then Yorke's vocal, sounding at first withdrawn, then later desperately passionate, ties it all together. Simply brilliant musicmaking.

The jazz influences? Well, they're clearly found on the hypnotically brilliant The National Anthem. What starts as an entrancing song, based around a repeated bass riff and drum pattern (with effects-laden vocals and ondes Martenot to support), turns into pure chaos when the brass section starts. Imagine ten jazz musicians all playing different solos to the same music - and you have the brass section to this song. (That or you're listening to Vampire Weekend.) There's also a jazz flavour to the end of the guitar-driven Optimistic, which is the only song on the album that is in any way reminiscent of 'old' Radiohead.

Elsewhere, In Limbo and Morning Bell are seemingly attempts to show that you can create ambient music with guitar riffs; the former in particular is one of the richest, lushest sounding songs on the record as a range of sounds (noodling guitar, keyboard, bass, vocals and other electronic effects) swirl together. Motion Picture Soundtrack sees Yorke, solo, playing a pedal organ (you can even hear the click of the pedals) and singing a withdrawn lament; the addition of harps and strings in the second verse give the track its intended 50s Disney movie song feel. It's beautiful, if haunting - which seems to be the theme of the album.

Finally there's How to Disappear Completely. This review's already getting long, so I won't say much, other than to say that as a monstrous Radiohead fan, this song is my favourite, hands down. I can relate to the feeling of the song - a person wanting to be anywhere but where they are. Yorke sings "I'm not here, this isn't happening", and while you know he is singing about himself, it could be any one of us. It's a stunningly beautiful piece of music (acoustic guitars strum away, there's a two-note recurring guitar motif and there's also strings and the trusty ondes Martenot to drum home the song's message of distance and isolation). It's also quite possibly one of Yorke's best lyrics and vocal performances. Perfection.

The Verdict

It's little wonder people were cool on this album upon release. Radiohead were supposed to be TEH SAVIOURZ OF ROCK. They were supposed to make more guitar pop with meaning. They weren't supposed to do this.

Music should be glad they did. For Radiohead found a way to both disassociate themselves from guitar rock while entrenching their status as mainstream music's biggest risk takers. The result is an album that has more feeling than most guitar music made by their contemporaries.

My only 'criticism'? It takes more than one listen to click if you've never heard it before. It was, after all, the group's most inaccessible album until The King of Limbs. It even took me three or four spins before everything was in its right place (tee hee). 

I will never, ever, regret those three or four spins.

My rating: *****

Standout Tracks

Idioteque

How To Disappear Completely

The National Anthem

Tomorrow, it's the 5th of the month. That means I review another album chosen by my wife. She has chosen some Australian hip hop. Provided I can find it.

I'm not optimistic (ha I did it again!)

Album #34 : Blink-182 - Enema of the State

Blink-182

Enema of the State (1999)

Oh, how I recall the drunken arguments about Blink-182. 

"THEY'RE NOT AS GOOD AS THEY WERE ON DUDE RANCH!" 

"OMG CHESHIRE CAT WAS THE TITS NOW THEY ARE TRIPLE M STAPLES!"

"THEY GOT THIS NEW DRUMMER AND NOW THEY SUCK!"

"EVER SINCE TOM DELONGE STARTED TO SING REGULARLY THEY HAVE BEEN SHIT! HE'S SO WHINEY! SHUT UP DELONGE!"

(The last one was me.)

Dammit (and to a lesser extent, Josie) threw the band into the mainstream spotlight. High airplay and MTV rotation meant the band were suddenly at the forefront of the pop-punk scene. When the time finally came for the group to record their third album, Enema of the State, they had fired their previous drummer and replaced him with Travis Barker. Upon the album's release, fans were given an even more refined pop-punk sound. It was the understandable result of a pop punk band recording with a major release budget and a high-profile producer (punk producer Jerry Finn). 

Is it 'teh shiz' though, or just commercial 'punk' pap? I decided to find out.

The Album

It's unfair to label Enema of the State as a complete departure from the faster, less-refined punk sound of the band's early releases....because it's not. Well, not entirely, anyway. Dig beneath the singles and you'll find several tracks that would not have been out of place on Dude Ranch. In particular, the songs Don't Leave Me, Dumpweed and The Party Song are typical slices of fast-paced melodic punk (speedy drums, fast riffs, urgent vocal delivery), and signal that the group could still turn on the typical punk rock sensibilities when they needed to.

The three singles are the least traditionally punk tunes on the album. Of the three, it's my view that What's My Age Again and Adam's Song are the pick of the litter. The former is a very catchy number about a person who simply refuses to 'grow up', though the song's close is a bit of a protest about always being told to 'act your age'; Mark Hoppus singing, "no one should take themselves so seriously, with many years ahead to fall in line, why would you wish that on me?" The latter is quite an affecting and distinctly un-punk song; a slow tempo, morose guitar motif and lyrics that are extremely evocative of loneliness (Hoppus penned the song reflecting on the solitary feeling he would often have after a tour, as he was the only band member not in a relationship at the time). There's also a sneaky reference to Come As You Are in there. All The Small Things is a pretty large-sounding tune, due to the numerous guitar overdubs, and it's a very basic pop song at its core. You can't deny its hookiness, but compared to its single counterparts, it offers nothing else, really.

In fairness to the band (and those drunken arguments) there are a few things that need to be straightened out. Firstly, say what you like about Travis Barker, there's no doubt the dude is a talented player. He does everything on this album, from typical supersonic punk beats to, on Aliens Exist, shifting seamlessly between rhythms without breaking stride. Secondly, for mine, Hoppus is a far better vocalist than DeLonge, even if he has his own occasional whiny moments (perhaps it's just a prerequisite for pop punk). Thirdly, decrying the group as 'selling out' is grossly unfair. Is it like Cheshire Cat? Probably not, no. But go back and listen to Dude Ranch, and you'll hear the foundations of this more polished pop sound.

It also needs to be said that the group captures the sounds and experiences of adolescence to great effect simply by writing about their own experiences. Lyrically we're not talking masterpiece level stuff; it's more like the American Pie of song lyrics; but coupled with the largely carefree pop-punk sound, it's pretty good stuff.

The Verdict

Enema of the State is alright. Its importance as an album is evident in the sheer number of pop-punk copycats that sprung up after its release. Whether the group's detractors like it or not, this album did more to consolidate Blink-182's place in the music world than any of their previous effort. It's not the best, most vital or emotionally charged punk rock you'll ever hear, and to my mind it doesn't hold a candle to groups like NoFX or Millencolin.

It's still pretty decent though, and worth checking out if you've got a spare half an hour and just want some mindless tunes to listen to for a bit of fun.

My rating: ***

Standout Tracks

Don't Blame Me

Aliens Exist

The Party Song

Tomorrow, we've got heads on sticks, and you've got ventriloquists.

(Yeah, that's a lyrical clue.)

Album #33 : Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime

Drive Like Jehu

Yank Crime (1994)

Now I know what you're nearly all thinking.

"Who the hell are Drive Like Jehu?"

You haven't heard of them for very good reason. The band only released two albums; a self-titled release in 1991, and this album, Yank Crime, in 1994. After that, they just.....stopped. No announced breakup, no big deal, they just didn't play anymore.

Of the members of the band, the best known is guitarist John Reis, also known as Speedo from the punk band Rocket from the Crypt (and, for those of you with kids, he's The Swami, host of the Super Music Friends Show on Yo Gabba Gabba). Wikipedia also informs me that lead singer Rick Froberg, who created the album artwork, has continued to play in other San Diego scene bands, as well as create merch and artwork for Reis's Swami Records.

And....that's all I can tell you.

Oh, they're post-hardcore apparently.

So this album was highly recommended to me by a mate (better be good, Les.) Let's find out about it.

The Album

Yank Crime is an unrelenting assault on the senses. Abrasive, squealing guitar riffs, sprinkled with the liberal use of feedback, are laid over a loose but talented as fuck rhythm section. Drummer Mark Trombino is an absolute beast, not only showing a talent for syncopated math rock unpredictability, but also for rapid-fire snare fills. The vocals are, for me, the only drawback to the group's musical stylings. Froberg is a screamer, first and foremost, and on the rare occasion that he tries to sing with more melody, his voice is quite weak. Having said that, the sheer fury and balls-out anger of the guitars and drums matches the frequent anguished, almost unintelligible screams well.

Standouts? Well, Do You Compute features as bitter and furious a lyric as you'll ever see. The guitars and bass are buzzy, dirty and as abrasive as sandpaper on sunburn. However, the dissonant guitar breakdown adds nuance and calms the mood somewhat, while remaining doom-laden and foreboding. The equally furious Luau encapsulates everything that the band seems to be about - squeaky, feedback-laden noise rock solos, those scratchy riffs and Froberg screaming an incitement to native Hawaiians to rise up and murder the tourists. Something else the band is about is constantly shifting the intensity. At the five minute mark, that frenzied chaos is replaced by a comparatively low-key bass and noodling guitar section. Gradually, though, the chaos is reintroduced, and the song finishes with some outstandingly innovative guitar playing.

Golden Brown compresses the Drive Like Jehu formula into three minutes, thanks to some of that rapid-fire machine-gun snare drum goodness, some tight rhythms and more of that demonic guitar sound. New Math is math rock in all its glory; perfectly structured chaos. To most it would sound horribly messed up but there's incredible precision in its rhythms. It's a full on audio assault from the first second, opening with possibly my favourite riff on the album; it's the most non-musical musical guitar riff I've heard in some time. Closing track Sinews is similar to Luau in its attention to constantly shifting intensity. A pared-back, slow start gives way to a mild increase in tempo (albeit accompanied by more squealing guitar, sounding as though Froberg and Reis are waterboarding their instruments for information). Then, suddenly, at the 6:40 mark, the song explodes; the rhythm section drive the song with great urgency, while there's some dissonant, heavy riffing over the top. 

The word that could best describe this album, in my view, is raw. At times the playing is sloppy, there are a few occasions where drumbeats fall out of time or the guitarists seem to be making it up as they go. Yet that's part of the record's charm. This is rock and roll recorded Steve Albini style; just a band doing what they do live in the studio. A more polished production touch would have ruined the best part of this album; its honest, raw and powerful sound.

The Verdict

Fans of post-hardcore bands, such as At the Drive-In and Fugazi, will love this record (Cedric Bixler-Zavala himself said the San Diego post-hardcore sound, produced by bands like Drive Like Jehu, was deeply influential on ATDI). It does indeed contain elements that would be found on albums like Relationship of Command, even if that album was more melodic than Yank Crime.

Personally, I loved the group's complete disregard for traditional melody, instead focusing on creating a noise rock-style sound. That's not to say there aren't melodies, but they're usually dissonant and awkward. That aspect does make Yank Crime a tough listen at times, but it's worth sticking with. 

A good album, but one only for lovers of aggressive guitar music.

My rating: *** and a half

Standout Tracks

New Math

Luau

Golden Brown

Tomorrow's album is going to be something a little more commercially acceptable. And probably not as good. But we'll see.

Album #32 : Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin III (1970)

Led Zeppelin's first two albums had established them as brash, bold, heavy bluesmen, blatantly thieving old American blues standards and making them their own. Driving rhythms played by one of the greatest rhythm sections in rock history, a true virtuoso on guitar and a lead singer with one of the purest rock voices in the business...Zeppelin had it all, and their legions of fans wanted more.

Tired of hotel rooms and relentless touring, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant took off for Bron-Yr-Aur, a small cottage in Wales. Free of modern conveniences, the pair spent time with each other writing songs with only acoustic sounds to guide them. The result was Led Zeppelin III.

Upon its release, it was greeted with shocked indifference from some, outright hatred from others. What was this stripped back, folk rock sound? This wasn't the Zeppelin that sizzled from our speakers on Communication Breakdown or Whole Lotta Love. Where was the pounding hard rock, the screaming electric guitar solos and the wail of Robert Plant? 

It was to take many years before the reputation of Led Zeppelin III would be restored. This was a good thing, for much like The Beatles' Revolver, this is the album that set the standard for what was to follow, as Zeppelin moved away from being purely a blues-rock band and being something....more. While the album still contained some bruising rockers and pure blues tunes, it is the band's 'softest' release by far, and (the sprawling Physical Graffiti aside) arguably one of Zeppelin's most interesting albums.

The Album

The vinyl release was split into two halves - the 'heavy' side (tracks 1-5) and the 'lighter' side (tracks 6-10). Consequently, the first half of the album contains all the trademarks of the band's heavy blues-rock sound. Opening track Immigrant Song explodes out of your speakers like a bomb; or, perhaps, a marauding Viking horde. Plant wails about invading Vikings over a thumping riff and rhythm section. The choruses see John Paul Jones play the most insane sounding bassline on the record. The next track, Friends, is the first 'acoustic track'. Possessing a very Middle Eastern chord progression and sound (thanks in part to Jones's uncredited string arrangements), the song also showcases Plant's searing higher register to great effect. A bit of Moog synth at the end flows seamlessly into Celebration Day, one of the more underrated cuts in the Zeppelin catalogue. It features layers of guitar I'd never heard properly before without headphones (one channel riffs relentlessly while the other plays a more funky melody) and is another song that you'd play if you wanted to prove why John Paul Jones is one of rock's greatest bassists.

Then there's the standout track on the album, and easily one of Zeppelin's greatest songs, the slow blues jam Since I've Been Loving You. From a songwriting standpoint it is almost flawless; the intensity of the song builds steadily through each of the verse/chorus pairs, burning slowly in the first before picking up in the second. The song is then broken up by one of the greatest, most spine-tingling blues solos you'll ever hear from the peerless Page. Then....a mini-bridge allows a brief respite, before the final verse/chorus sees the track at maximum intensity and maximum passion. Every member of the group shines at some point, proving that they weren't just a great band, they were also stupidly talented individuals. The final 'heavy' track, Out on the Tiles, is a sprightly and pacy rocker, driven by the restless aggression of John Bonham's drumwork. The final minute even has time to rock our faces some more, as the riff changes and the rhythm section produce more magic.

Then, there's the 'lighter' side. Even that starts with the rollicking Gallows Pole, an arrangement of a traditional folk tune, and another criminally underrated song. From the guitar and vocal only beginning, the song eventually picks up speed as the drums and bass enter. There's more terrific work from Bonham, plus within the acoustic guitar-driven mix there's the sound of a banjo and a nice Page solo to close the tune. Tangerine is a sweet acoustic rocker with a country flavour. Written by Page during his time with The Yardbirds, it's got some nice pedal steel touches and is built around a lush, yet somewhat sad, twelve-string acoustic guitar riff. That's The Way is one of the group's most mellow tunes, driven by layers of acoustic guitar and one of Plant's sweetest vocal efforts. It shows perfectly that he was more than just a bluesy wailer. 

Penultimate song Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is one of my guilty pleasures. It's pure country music, with Bonham's kick drum providing the hoedown-style 'stomp'. The guitar riffs are catchy as hell (Page's work on this track is really quite good) and Plant's lyrics are clever, because until he says explicitly that the song's about a dog you don't actually know that. Finally, the track closes with the somewhat difficult Hats Off To (Roy) Harper. I say "difficult" because stylistically, it sounds almost exactly like 30s and 40s blues recordings; echoed, messy slide guitar lines almost drown out the tremolo-laden vocals. The band wrote the song as a tribute to legendary folkie Roy Harper, and it is based heavily on 40s and 50s bluesman Bukka White's tune Shake In On Down. Taken as it was intended - the band's own take on the acoustic blues sound that was their major influence - it's a very effective song, but not a great one to be fair.

The Verdict

It seems that when your regular music fan talks about Zeppelin albums, the ones that get all the attention are II and IV. That's probably fair enough (especially IV) since those albums provided the bulk of Zeppelin's 'mainstream' tracks.

This album, however, is light years ahead of II and, in my view, at least the equal of IV. It mightn't have the pure blues chops of II, and lack the star power of IV, but it has something that those albums don't have as much of.

Heart. Emotion. A fullblooded commitment to investigating and using new influences, sounds and techniques. As I stated in the intro, everything that followed this album owes a debt of gratitude to LZIII. The acoustic/electric fusion of Four Sticks, the experimentation with Bonham's drum sound on When the Levee Breaks, the sheer mixture of styles and influences on Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti....all would not have been possible without this album.

Which is probably why we needed to wait for some time before giving this album its proper due. It's not the betrayal some saw it as at the time of its release; it is, in fact, an evolution.

My rating: **** and a half

Standout Tracks

Gallows Pole

Since I've Been Loving You

Celebration Day

Tomorrow I'm going to review another album by request - it's by a band I had never heard of until told about them by the requestee. He, in fact, described it as "the best album he heard in 2013, even though it was released in 1994".

I'm really looking forward to it.

January Recap

A Recap of January

It's been a very interesting month for me to kick off this project. Already I feel as though my tastes have been broadened somewhat; there are some albums that have now entered my permanent collection (In Utero, Enter the Wu-Tang and Rock On, I'm looking at you.) I've also learned that perhaps hip hop is not the vapid desert of musicality and creativity I thought it was.

I also want to say a massive THANK YOU to all of you who are readers of this blog. Even though I'm sure many of the albums don't interest you in the slightest, it's nice to know that somebody is interested in my ramblings. I'm going to try and streamline my reviews a little bit more where I can though, as I know sometimes they can be a little long.

Anyway, the end of each month will bring a brief reflection and recap: which will simply be the three best (and worst) albums reviewed, with links to their reviews. All the other albums can be found in the Page Index, should you ever decide that you're shattered that you missed that Sia review.

There will also be a taster of what lies ahead in the next month.

Here we go:

Best Albums of January

Four albums received a maximum 5/5 score this month. They were:

The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command

Prince - Sign o' the Times

Worst Albums of January

Aqua - Aquarium  (1/5)

Nickelback - All the Right Reasons (0/5)

Lorde - Pure Heroine (2/5)

Coming up in February.....

Here's a small selection of artists coming up this month:

• Led Zeppelin
• Buddy Holly
• Midlake
• You Am I
• Devin Townsend
• Iron Maiden
• Parliament
• Paolo Nutini

And MANY MORE!!!

There will also be an opportunity for you to select an album to close out the month of February, so stay tuned!

Till next time, thanks for reading!