Album #21 : Icehouse - Man of Colours

Icehouse

Man of Colours (1987)

Icehouse (formerly Flowers) gained a reputation in the 1980s as one of Australia's foremost pop bands. This was largely down to the songwriting talents of Iva Davies, a man who should rightly be considered one of this country's finest musical talents. Davies had proved time and time again that he was a man with an ear for a hook, penning such singles as Walls, We Can Get Together, Hey Little Girl and Great Southern Land. 

Aided by long-time Icehouse collaborators Simon Lynch and Robert Kretschmer, Davies was to produce the band's biggest selling album in 1987, Man of Colours. The album featured no less than five Top 30 singles, and included the band's biggest overseas hit, Electric Blue. 

I said yesterday that what intrigued me about this album, and the question I wanted to resolve, was whether or not the album was just hits and crap filler, or whether Icehouse were more than just a hit single band. Let's find out.

The Album

Let's start with the album's five hit singles in the order that they appear (coincidentally, four of the five are the album's opening tracks). Crazy is a timeless example of classic 80s synthpop that stands up to scrutiny even today. Davies's effortless vocal punches over the top of some very tasteful, subtle synth lines, and there's even a punchy guitar solo to break up the song. Electric Blue was co-written with John Oates (of Hall and Oates fame) and there are definitely hints of the Hall and Oates sound; those high-pitched backing vocals that surround and punctuate the lead vocal in the chorus are a prime example. There's even an oh-so-80s sax solo in the midsection. Like Crazy, it's a brilliant pop song. Nothing Too Serious is a song I used to enjoy when I was younger - faster and more urgent in tempo, it's a bit of a throwback to the band's earlier Flowers sound. Listening to it today though, it doesn't (unlike the first two songs) stand up to closer adult scrutiny, the cheesy lyrics detract from the song and musically, it's just a bit naff.

Man of Colours is a real highlight of the album. It's a synth-based (there's a shock) ballad but despite the lavish, epic sound to the drums and synthesisers, the star is Davies, whose vocal manages to be strong yet fragile, emotionally moving yet powerful. The lyrics also evoke a fragile, sympathetic emotion and paints a wonderful picture of a man who has, whether deliberately or accidentally, chosen a life of solitude. Lastly, My Obsession is another solid synthpop tune showcasing more of those trademark hooks and 80s production values (i.e. lots and lots of reverb.

So in terms of the hit singles, for me it was 4/5 tracks of at least a good quality, which isn't too bad.

Elsewhere though, the album tracks are 80s synthpop without the hooks that make the hit singles such strong tunes. Consequently, they sound rather dated and irrelevant. The best of the bunch is the grandiose Sunrise, which closes the album. Everything about this track is bold in stature, from the sweeping synthesiser chord melody to the reverb-heavy multi-tracked vocals. I imagine, despite it being a very good song, this wall of sound is probably what precluded its consideration as a single, because it doesn't have the streamlined pop feel of the singles on the album. Anybody's War isn't bad either, as it channels the Flowers era with its faster tempo and slightly heavier sound. The remaining tracks are forgettable at best, and in the case of The Kingdom, incredibly turgid. 

The Verdict

Man of Colours can best be described as being of two halves - half the songs are really good, and stand as great examples of the very best that 80s synthpop had to offer; while the other half lack the quality, hooks and emotional impact of the better songs. For that reason, as an overall album, it's not a particularly enthralling listen....and I was disappointed that was the case.

It's an album you would have bought for the singles, and probably only listened to the album tracks once or twice unless you were an Icehouse devotee.

Iva Davies' standing as one of Australia's best songwriters is richly deserved, that I can say. But it's also fair to say that he is a hitmaker, a pop songwriter, and crafting whole albums of high-quality material is not his strength.

Download the singles (and Sunrise), ladies and gentlemen.

My rating: ** and a half

Standout Tracks

Man of Colours

Crazy

Electric Blue

Tomorrow, I review an album by an 80s master of funk, soul and R&B. I'm going to take on the album considered by many to be his finest work. I'm bloody excited because I hold this man's musical abilities, as well as his songwriting, in high acclaim.

A brief clarification regarding Arcade Fire

Hey all

In my Arcade Fire review I was at pains to point out that some of their music was, and I quote, "pretentious musical wankery masquerading as some sort of artistic statement".

I also compared them to two prog bands of the 70s, Yes and Genesis.

I feel the need to point out that I personally enjoy the work of Genesis, and some of Yes's work also - in fact it may turn up being reviewed at some stage.

Rest assured that even though I quite like much of their 70s output, I will be more than happy to call out their pretentious musical wankery when it presents itself, in the name of objectivity. Either that, or I will make sure to explain why their pretentious musical wankery is actually of value.

Cheers all, back to the album reviews....

Album #20 : The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips

The Soft Bulletin (1999)

The late 1990s were a time of musical upheaval for Oklahomans The Flaming Lips. Since forming in 1984, the band had made some musical progress from anarchic noise rockers to crafters of more melodic guitar rock; by the time 1995's Clouds Taste Metallic came out, they seemed to be in a comfortable niche of quirky alternative rock, content to create songs about the wacky ideas in singer/guitarist Wayne Coyne's head.

However, after the departure of guitarist Ronald Jones, the band desired to free themselves from the constraints of standard guitar music. Beginning with 1997's Zaireeka, the band sought to change their entire approach to music; this four-CD album was designed to be played on four different CD players. Each song was split over the four discs, and when played simultaneously, the full song could be heard. The music itself was also a departure from their previous work - more synthesised sounds and keyboards, less guitar. It was a grand experiment that was to mark the beginning of a significant change for The Lips.

Their next album was to expand on the sounds of Zaireeka, and would be the band's lushest sounding album to date. That album was 1999's The Soft Bulletin, the subject of today's review. It's easily one of my favourite albums, and probably The Flaming Lips' crowning achievement, despite releasing other albums that are also outstanding.

Not bad for a bunch of hicks from Oklahoma who couldn't play their instruments.

The Album

The Soft Bulletin deals with several themes, the most frequent being mortality. Written not long after the death of Coyne's father, there are a number of songs that, directly or indirectly, deal with death and our handling of it. The brilliant Waitin' For A Superman was allegedly written by Coyne about his father's battle with cancer; the lyrics depict a humanity desperate for a 'superman' to help them, even though the superman himself is unable to bear the heavy load he is carrying. Those poignant lyrics are tied to a piano-heavy sound, with heavy drums and some very subtle, gorgeous use of synthesised horns. Feeling Yourself Disintegrate also deals with mortality although in a much shorter set of lyrics. Kicking off with a distinctive vocal percussion line, the song features dreamy guitar and synth sounds and the echo-drenched vocals of Coyne give the song an ethereal quality.

It could be argued (certainly I get the impression) that the first few songs are thematically related. The opening song, Race For The Prize, is a perfect snapshot of the album's sound as a whole.  Steven Drozd's drums sound MASSIVE, and the music consists of lush synthesisers and piano licks. I remember hearing the album for the very first time, and that drum sound in the first few seconds hooked me immediately; then that stunning synthesiser and vocals combination starts and makes it even better. The song is about two scientists racing to find a cure for something (the aforementioned 'prize') and their desperation to be first. A Spoonful Weighs A Ton is a little more restrained during the verses, light keyboard lines and synthesisers provide a sweeter musical backdrop while Coyne's choked high voice warbles above about some unspecified people who rescue others but, perhaps, get a little too carried away with their plan - perhaps our scientist friends? The song twists typical verse/chorus structures to use a musical choral refrain, which is an antithesis to the verses; darker in tone, lower in key. It's very clever songwriting.

The Spark That Bled sees the band introduce synthesised strings to provide melody over an odd time signature in the verses. It all just sounds so lush. It's also one of Coyne's best vocal performances, though the echo applied to his voice in the verses does help. What Is The Light starts off with a slightly foreboding feel; the thump of a bass drum accompanied by some very low piano notes. As the song progresses though, it shifts in tone. A combination of a very funky drum beat played by Drozd, Coyne's passionate vocal delivery and lyrics, Michael Ivins' occasionally equally funky walking bass lines and those bright, dazzling synthesiser chords provide a hopeful, optimistic feeling to the song. At the end, that thumping bass and low piano returns and segues straight into The Observer, the first of two instrumentals. Much like its predecessor it starts off morosely, with a sad guitar lick; as the song goes on, while it does not shift in tone, it does become more layered, with vocals and synth strings added to flesh out the sound. It's a pretty song and unlike other bands I've reviewed (cough Arcade Fire cough) it doesn't go too long.

Elsewhere the album simply doesn't let go of you. Slow Motion is a fairly simple song but it's absolutely gorgeous, and Drozd plays some echoey drum fills that sound otherworldly. The Gash deals with persistence (or the lack thereof). Multitracked vocals lead a jaunty piano line. It's one of the more fun and upbeat songs on the album in terms of sound, and is the closest thing to a 'pop' song in many ways (other than the opening track). Suddenly Everything Has Changed is another testament to clever songcrafting. The lyrics deal with seemingly mundane everyday occurrences, like putting away your vegetables and clothes, but when Coyne sings "Suddenly, everything has changed", and there's an instrumental chorus consisting of a soulful guitar lick followed by synthesiser chords, the song itself changes in key and tempo. It's a little obvious but really intelligent songwriting. Buggin' is the only song on the album that sounds like the old Flaming Lips; catchy, toetapping drums and a groovy bass line drive a straight ahead pop song. The final track, instrumental Sleeping On The Roof, again layers synthesiser and guitars together to create a rich, lush soundscape. It should be played for Arcade Fire to show them how you create an "ambient comedown" song that is a) really good, and b) not eleven minutes long.

And when it's over....I just want to press play on Track 1 again.

The Verdict

The Soft Bulletin is quite simply one of the most amazing albums I've ever heard. Unsurprisingly, it was the first album I heard by The Flaming Lips, and it hooked me. It's a magical blend of wonderful songwriting, beautiful arranging and talented musicianship. 

For managing to convey so many emotions so gorgeously, The Flaming Lips deserve nothing but praise for this album.

After this, The Flaming Lips would continue to expand and bend their musical horizons, and to be honest, they have not made a bad album since. But for me, The Soft Bulletin stands above them all as a testament to the artistic vision and creative ability of The Flaming Lips.

My rating: *****

Standout Tracks

Race for the Prize

What Is The Light

Waitin' For A Superman

Feeling Yourself Disintegrate

Tomorrow, it's one of Australia's best songwriters, and one of the biggest Australian albums of the 1980s. The question will be whether or not the album tracks are as good as the hits.

Album #19 : Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

Amy Winehouse

Back to Black (2006)

There is a tendency (once captured in brilliantly satirical fashion by Andrew Hansen of The Chaser) to eulogise public figures in death. To overlook their glowing flaws or their just plain bastardry. In music, some could say there's a tendency to canonise high-profile musicians who have suffered untimely deaths, and perhaps ascribe an ethereal quality to their talent and output. This is understandable - in fairness, when I think about most of the high-profile musicians who have died before their time, they have all been extraordinarily talented, and even in some cases, remarkably influential.

For a long time I had put Amy Winehouse in the Jeff Buckley bracket of young dead musicians - talented, but just not my cup of tea. (I still don't get the Buckley thing and do still believe that his actual output is overrated by some because of his death, but each to their own). Like everyone with functioning ears I have heard Rehab (a number of times thanks to it being on Rock Band 3) but have been fairly dismissive. Yeah sure, she has a stunning voice but so what, has been my general (snobbish) mindset whenever the song comes on. 

Thankfully, The LOAD Project affords me the chance to go back and listen to things that I had previously written off (or not been interested in) with an open mind and as a more objective listener. So I decided to listen to Winehouse's last studio release (while she was alive, at any rate), the widely acclaimed Back to Black, and resolve once and for all whether this was a case of emotional eulogising or whether Amy Winehouse truly had the goods.

The Album

Back to Black is a time machine, transporting the listener back to the middle of 60s Motown soul. Everything that made Motown so distinctive is present on this album - the heavy use of horn sections to provide the sound, the prominence of the drums and bass...and of course, front and centre, sweet, smooth and soulful vocals, with the regular use of backing singers to provide supportive melodies and vocal phrases. For this reason it's nearly impossible to dislike this album. Each song (and I do mean each song) contains a listenable hook, even if some songs aren't perhaps as catchy or addictive as others. It certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel musically, but despite being incredibly derivative of 60s and 70s soul sounds, it manages to still sound contemporary - thanks mainly to the production of Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, who manage to make the drums and bass sound modern and the songs themselves clean and crisp.

There are highlights aplenty, and most of them emanate from the vocal cords of Amy Winehouse. Actually having the chance to sit and listen to her sing an entire album is a musical pleasure - she possessed an incredible voice that was perfect for singing soul. At different times it's smoky, smooth, sharp, passionate, tired, depressed and hopeful - I really was that impressed with her vocal ability. Back to Black, for instance, sees both music and voice combine to convey a mood of begrudgingly accepted defeatism and depression, and the piano sounds reminiscent of The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go". Rehab is defiant in tone, almost dismissive; Winehouse's vocal convincing you that she really didn't see the point in going to rehab. You Know I'm No Good is a superb slice of modern Motown revisionism.

Just Friends displays a different kind of sound, as Remi allows his reggae background to flow. It's pure reggae; you just have to listen to the drum sound and the use of horns to create rhythm to confirm it. Winehouse's love of Motown girl groups such as The Supremes and The Ronettes can be seen on the very swingy Me and Mr Jones, with the song featuring a very prominent use of all-girl backing harmonies, Motown style. Yet it's unmistakably modern, mainly because I don't ever remember Diana Ross ever singing "What kind of fuckery is this?" The song He Can Only Hold Her is also of interest; the song samples a 60s soul tune called She's a Fox by a group called The Icemen. The song features Jimi Hendrix on guitar.

HENDRIX IS ON THIS ALBUM.

HENDRIX.

THE HENDRIX.

Anyway, it's a bloody fantastic song.

Are there bad songs? Honestly....no. There are a couple of songs I didn't find particularly catchy or exciting, such as Addicted, Tears Dry On Their Own and Love Is A Losing Game, but in no way are they bad songs. They are brilliantly sung and continue to provide that Motown feel (except for Love Is A Losing Game, which owes more to R&B ballads than soul, and is close to Winehouse's best vocal on the album), but they didn't stand out for me as much as some other tracks. In my listening notes the word I used was 'pleasant' - I think that's fair. They are pleasant but not amazing.

If that's the worst thing I can say though...golly gee wowee oh boy.

The Verdict

This will probably make me unpopular with some of my friends who will think I've taken leave of my senses. I don't care, I'm going to say it anyway:

Back to Black is a fantastic album.

It is a testament to two things - firstly, the enduring power and legacy of Motown and all who contributed to it; and secondly, the wasted talent of Amy Winehouse. What makes it sadder is that her personal circumstances, her constant battles with substance abuse, were probably never going to be won; the first track of this album makes that abundantly clear. It was, sadly, a matter of time before she would destroy herself. 

Thankfully, we at least got this work from her before that happened.

Again, it's not perfect; some tracks aren't as strong as others, and it isn't a grand artistic statement or concept (and I sure as hell love those). What it is is a really enjoyable, listenable soul album, well written, composed and produced.

Coming from someone who doesn't really like this particular brand of 'girl soul', that's a big compliment.

My rating: ****

Standout Tracks

Back To Black

He Can Only Hold Her

You Know I'm No Good

Tomorrow a complete change of mood. I'm going to review an album that arguably stands as its creators' masterpiece, despite them releasing some truly amazing albums in their time. And it's a fair bet that many people have never heard of them....

Album #18 : Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Arcade Fire

Reflektor (2013)

I have never heard an Arcade Fire album in full until today. This is because every song I've heard from their previous three studio releases has been, to my ears, no more extraordinary or amazing than any other indie rock band of the last seven or eight years - not terrible, not OMG AMAZEBALLS, just solid (if somewhat pretentious) indie rock with insipid lyrics. 

Yet people go on about them like they're the second coming of The Beatles or something. Certainly music critics fall over themselves showering the band with praise, seemingly overlooking any sense of the band's bloated self-importance. (I know this, because I spent some time prior to listening to Reflektor reading reviews of the album.)

Reflektor was released late last year to wide critical acclaim. Consequently, I can think of no better way to enter the world of Arcade Fire than with what is apparently a "masterpiece" and a "new benchmark".

The Album

I seem to have a knack of picking albums that are essentially 'rock' albums but that are heavily synthesiser driven. Reflektor is no different. The influence of former LCD Soundsystem man James Murphy (who acts as co-producer) is all over this record, with a number of songs drenched in synthesiser, drum programming and electro-dance-pop beats. At times, this really works - Afterlife, for example, manages to be somewhat downbeat in tone yet it's enormously catchy electropop. Here Comes The Night Time also takes those dance beats, ties them to a heavy Haitian carnival music influence (albeit somewhat slower in tempo) and creates a song that is great fun to listen to, despite the sobering lyrics about the realities of Haitian life.

There are other highlights scattered throughout this otherwise bloated double-album, and they mostly involve the Haitian flavour that vocalist Win Butler picked up on a visit to the island nation. The title track features David Bowie. It is disco made modern, with congas providing extra bite to the percussion and making the track even dancier. It also features DAVID BOWIE. Flashbulb Eyes is the most upbeat, dancey track on the album and absolutely drenched with Haitian rhythms and percussion. Lyrically it's rubbish but the music is just so toe-tapping that, on this occasion, it doesn't matter. 

I'd also make special mention of You Already Know, which unashamedly steals elements of The Cure and The Smiths (in fact most 80s English New Wave bands) and manages to make them sound fresh again. Although, I do question the ego of sampling British TV presenter Jonathon Ross saying the name of your band - twice - on your own album. Cos, you know, halfway through the FIRST CD I was still wondering who I was listening to. Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice) is another highlight - close to my favourite song on the album - with its varied instrumentation (acoustic guitar strums swap with majestic, sweeping synthesiser chords) and its bright, beautiful sound. It's the sort of song that says, "yes, we are Arcade Fire, and we are truly capable of making wonderful music."

However, there are some things that are....well, either disappointing or just plain terrible about Reflektor. While lyrics aren't everything, they are very important to a song's overall artistic message, and the lyrics on Reflektor are woeful. Riddled with trite cliche and never really saying anything of value, they detract from the album. Then there are songs which are overblown, bloated wastes of time; tracks like Porno, We Exist and It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus) are either too long, too repetitive or - the worst crime of all - simply boring. The closing track, Supersymmetry, was described by Stereogum as being "beautiful" and featuring a five-minute ambient section at the end that is "greatly appreciated". With all due respect that's a complete load of toss, because this eleven minute dirge is neither of those things. It's the sort of thing that bands like Yes and Genesis were being lambasted for in the 1970s - pretentious musical wankery masquerading as some sort of artistic statement. Yet nowadays we're supposed to praise this shit? I look forward to Stereogum reviewing Yes's Tales from Topographic Oceans and giving it a 50 out of 10 if this sort of pointless time-wasting synthesiser/electronica wankbadgery is "beautiful" and "greatly appreciated".

What's worse is that you just know that the five minute ambient section is hotly debated amongst AF devotees. "OMG you know I think what it's saying is that it describes your descent into the underworld after you die at the hands of a rabid mutant hedgehog named Frank who speaks Hungarian with a Swedish accent". WAAAAANNNKKKK.

The Verdict

Nah, sorry, I'm not buying the hype, I'm afraid. This album - nay, the band itself - are not all that and a bag of potato chips. They're good, yes, on that you'll get no argument. But what I have learned about Arcade Fire from Reflektor, and coupled with what I've heard of their other material, is that we have a band being collectively blown by the music press for doing what hundreds of other bands have been doing for forty years....and doing it better than Arcade Fire.

Yes, there are moments on this album that had me saying, "YES. THIS IS GREAT MUSIC." I do think their high points are as good as most other bands out there today.

But I went in expecting to hear this mindblowing artistic brilliance and I didn't get it. I found a band that is, four albums into its career, seemingly unable to recognise musical excess. The key to composing really great long songs is to make the song seem like a musical journey, usually through several tempo shifts, key changes or different movements. Arcade Fire rarely show this, preferring to give us songs in excess of six minutes that are the same damn thing over and over and over again. It's no surprise that the times they do show this on Reflektor are some of the album's shining moments.

But perhaps I'm looking at this wrong. Perhaps the desire of music critics to heap questionable overpraise on Arcade Fire is symptomatic of something else. Maybe their unexpected (but frankly hilarious) Grammy win for The Suburbs has made the music press realise that Arcade Fire could be the 'saviours' of rock music, and, as such, wants to pump up their tyres as much as possible. Maybe these critics are just trying to appear 'edgy' and 'hip' by writing such glowing reviews of an album that most would probably be happy to bag the crap out of, if it were any other band, because of its bloated self-importance.

Or maybe they're seeing something that I just couldn't.

My rating: ***

Standout Tracks

Awful Noise (Oh Eurydice)

Here Comes The Night Time

Afterlife

Tomorrow's album sees me review another critically acclaimed and high-selling album; this one by a tragic figure whose talent will, sadly, never be fully realised.

Album #17 : Muse - Origin of Symmetry

Muse

Origin of Symmetry (2001)

Muse. Currently one of the contenders for Biggest Band In The World. Frequently cited by many in the music business as the worthy successors to Queen. Experimental, bombastic, freakishly talented musicians; progressive rock is just not supposed to be as cool as Muse currently are.

Part of this rise to power has come at a price, however. The unfortunate set of circumstances that saw them forever linked to a poorly written set of pulp romance novels now means that they gain fans as much because they're "hip" rather than because of their music. It also means that many people swanning around screaming OMG MUSE aren't familiar with anything pre-Black Holes (witness the many blank looks that accompanied the tracks from their first few albums at their live show a couple of years ago). This is a real pity, because their first few albums (and you'll forgive my hipster moment here) are far more cohesive works than their more recent releases (I'm looking at you, The 2nd Law, with all your crap filler and your dubstep).

Origin of Symmetry was the band's second album. It saw them adopting a much harder rock sound while incorporating more synthesisers and electronic sounds into their work. It contains some songs that are live staples of the band and amongst their finest compositions. 

In my opinion, it is their best album by some distance. Allow me to walk you through the album and explain why.

The Album

We start with the sensational New Born, a song based around a scuzzy guitar riff and a hypnotic bass line, courtesy of the sensational Chris Wolstenholme. Matt Bellamy's vocals cover everything from a breathy whisper to some frankly worshippable falsetto work. However, everything comes back to the guitar riff and that bass line. It's one of the best album openers you'll ever hear. Bliss features synthesiser arpeggios and yet another thumping bass line. Bellamy's vocals in the choruses again alternate between an aggressive manliness and that angelic falsetto. It's a song that would be a standout on many other albums but is overshadowed on this one, because it's sandwiched between New Born and the frankly underrated Space Dementia. Despite the naff CHEER UP EMO KID lyrics (a fairly common complaint of this album), it features the multi-talented Bellamy playing a wonderfully complex piano melody throughout. It also flips the standard quiet verse/loud chorus concept on its head - the verses are in your face, while the choruses more laid back with synthesiser lines providing the base track, and Bellamy's dreamy phased vocals floating around....in space.

(I'm sorry, it had to be done).

Hyper Music is next, and it's nothing special, just another driving bass line and some fairly crap lyrics. It's followed by Plug In Baby, a really high energy rocker featuring a sweet guitar motif, booming choruses and some more of that falsetto magic. It's a great tune with very few weaknesses.

After that comes the album's highlight, and arguably the band's best song, Citizen Erased. The screaming guitar introduction indicates what you're about to hear, as it's followed by five minutes of pulsating, furious synth and guitar driven progressive hard rock. It just sounds so BIG - there is no minimalism here, just balls-out bombast and it's glorious. However, it's broken up by the second verse, which is serene; the eye of the hurricane, as it were. Bellamy's vocal becomes sweeter, less urgent than the first verse, while underneath his guitar noodles away providing texture. After that though it's back to BIG SYNTH ROCK.....except for the last two minutes which are again slower; the synths are turned down, Bellamy plays a calm lead break, the piano kicks in and we are treated to some absolutely beautiful music. 

Micro Cuts is okay as a song; there's more tremendous bass lines from Wolstenholme that drive the song, but the most interesting thing is Bellamy's vocal - the entire song is delivered in an over-the-top operatic style. What's truly amazing is that he hits every note magnificently. It truly is testament to just how good Matt Bellamy is as a singer. Late on the operatic vocal disappears and the song finishes with a pumping slice of hard rock - just guitar, bass and drums working together in harmony to sound monstrous. The fairly forgettable Screenager comes next, and other than the Spanish-influenced guitar it's not an interesting song at all.

The last three songs though cap the album off nicely. Darkshines has enough about it to be interesting - some nice guitar licks from Bellamy, yet more pumping bass and an intriguing guitar melody that sounds like it was lifted from a mariachi song about a man walking to his death. Feeling Good is indeed a cover of the famous croony song that people like Michael Buble (!) have recorded. Trust me when I say that this may be the definitive cover; it retains enough of its original character and charm that it still sounds like the original, yet it is unmistakably Muse - synth heavy with those booming drums. The final track of the album, Megalomania, is dominated by a church organ (yes, a real church organ, recorded in a REAL CHURCH!) It's a truly amazing sounding instrument, especially on this song, as it adds a sense of grandeur to proceedings. It's pure stadium rock in both scope and sound.

The Verdict

Origin of Symmetry is an absolute belter. There's barely a weak spot on the album, the musicianship is first class and the songs are amongst Muse's best. The lyrics are a bit average, though this is something that, it transpired, wouldn't get much better. Hindsight tells us that the album's title was somewhat prophetic (apart from the symmetry bit) as it's this album that is the origin of what is considered the Muse 'sound' - that blend of synthesiser and guitar, thumping, dominant bass lines and booming cannon-like drums. There are also hints of other things that were to come - increasing use of electronic instrumentation and writing songs with several different 'movements - that the band started to build on in later years.

Anyone new to Muse should, in my opinion, start with this album, then work through the rest, because this album is the band at their best. Undisclosed Desires and Supremacy might have gotten truckloads of airplay in the last few years, but they are pale imitations of what Muse truly is (was?) capable of.

My rating: ****

Standout Tracks

Citizen Erased

New Born

Space Dementia

Tomorrow, Arcade Fire, or How I Learned To Stop Wondering Why Everybody Keeps Crapping On About Arcade Fire And Telling Me "Oh, You Like David Bowie, Right? Well He Likes Arcade Fire So You Should Too".

Album #16 : Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Tortoise

Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1996)

A handful of my close friends have probably, at some stage in their lives, heard me clamber aboard my high horse about musical genre labels. This is because I often find they can be somewhat misleading, particularly when talking about 'alternative' music. To me, the genre label 'alternative' merely signifies that some music writer couldn't pigeonhole a band, so came up with the catch-all label 'alternative' to describe music that didn't fit into the Rock/Pop/Blues/Metal categories.

Another strange genre label is 'post-rock'. What does that even mean? What makes something 'post-rock'? It indicates nothing about form or content, other than to say it somehow supersedes traditional rock music. Consequently, it does nothing to inform a listener (or potential listener) of what the music will be like. When even 'post-rock' bands themselves reject the label, that tells you everything you need to know.

Onto Tortoise, one of the best known bands in the post-rock fusion of many musical styles scene. They have developed a following over the years for their arty, instrumental soundscapes and their adherence to no particular style - jazz, indie, ambient, dub, electronica, Krautrock....all those and more are often crammed into a single song, let alone a whole album.

Millions Now Living Will Never Die was their second studio release (not counting a remix of their first album). When it came out in 1996, many critics raved about it, and it featured on a number of 'best in year' lists (as well as the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die). Despite not being a big fan of post-rock freeform experimentation of multiple styles within semi-traditional rock structures (apart from Sigur Ros, who rule), I decided to check this album out to see what all the fuss was about.

The Album

You know all those musical styles and genres I mentioned about Tortoise earlier? Yeah, well, they are all present on this almost entirely instrumental album. Tortoise differ from usual 'rock' bands in that there is no emphasis on riffs, verses, choruses and solos; the band's work on this album is all about the crafting of soundscapes with multiple layers, fused together to make a whole. If anything, the style of this album owes a great deal to classical music because of the way Tortoise have used an array of different instruments, sounds and styles to create whole, cohesive pieces of music, similar to the way a classical composer would utilise many different instruments to fashion a symphony.

Nowhere is this more evident than the almost twenty-one minute long opener, Djed. The song takes us through an array of influences and styles, the most prominent of which is Krautrock. The hypnotic, repetitive bass riff that dominates the first half, the subtle use of synthesiser chords and the smattering of more musique concrete samples would not have been out of place on a Can, Faust or Neu! album. Those layers of sound float in and out of the track almost effortlessly, as one instrument is replaced by another playing the same melody. Halfway through the song ventures further into Kraftwerk territory; chugging organ and synthesiser sounds pulse throughout while vibraphone drifts in over the top. This part of the song owes a great deal to the minimalist movement as there really is nothing else in the song at this point.

As Djed closes, the rumbling bass melody from the first half of the song returns accompanied by a discordant keyboard melody, and the song has no real ending, it just sort of fades, unnoticed, into the next song. It is one hell of a musical journey and, at times, a beautiful composition. It's not perfect; earlier in the track the keyboard is front and centre, and it is played in such a staccato, out of tune style that it sounds like someone drunkenly playing keys. There are also a few jarring transitions that surprised me, as I simply wasn't expecting them. However, it never at any stage outstays its welcome. There are so many changes and layers that there's always something new.

From there, the album consists of much (MUCH) shorter songs. Glass Museum is a more traditional indie rock sounding song, as the guitar takes more of an active role in the melody. Again, though, there's no big riffs or flashy solos, rather the use of guitar as just another layer in the soundscape. As a progressive rock nerd and drummer, I also really loved the use of wacky time signatures (for those playing at home, there's some 13/8 sections and some 11/8 sections.) A Survey is just bass and guitar, and not really very good. All of that complexity that makes the album so damn listenable isn't there.

The Taut and the Tame is a very jazzy number. It's more minimalist and sparse in its arrangement; while there are drums, bass, guitar, synthesisers and vibraphones, none is particularly dominant and there's plenty of empty space in the sound. This track also contained some sharp, dexterous drum work, adding to the jazz flavour of the song. I quite enjoyed it. Dear Grandma and Grandpa opens with some Krautrock flavour but that quickly gives way to some amazing sounding ambient music. Multiple layers of synthesiser create the sound, while underneath we have our first and only sign of vocals; however, these are unintelligible and are simply another layer of sound. You get the sense that they are not meant to be understood. Finally, the album closes with the excellent Along the Banks of Rivers. Built around a guitar melody that could have been on an Ennio Morricone spaghetti western score, the song is also more 'traditional indie' in that the guitar is at the forefront of the sound. When it's not doing its Morricone thing, it's playing some sparse, bent notes that are not too dissimilar from what you would have heard David Gilmour playing in his early Pink Floyd days. While all that is going on, gentle percussion and synthesisers churn away underneath. Perhaps it was the Floydian feel to this song, but I really loved it. 

The Verdict

So far, I think this has been my hardest album to give a rating to and a verdict of. Millions Now Living Will Never Die is, in many ways, a remarkable album, in that its fusion of so many sounds and styles never once sounds forced. Most of the songs are genuinely amazing pieces of music, beautifully composed, recorded and compiled. It is not a genuine rock album, and yet in some ways it is, because it uses sounds and styles that many indie rock bands have copied (and continue to copy even today). 

It's tough to recommend though. This sort of music is definitely not for everyone (and I say that with no hint of snobbish nose-in-the-air attitude). It's not the sort of album you're gonna whack on the CD player when you're driving to work or when you're off out with your mates. It also can't be used as background noise. It demands to be listened to with fullest attention. That's what makes it difficult to recommend to others; not because people Just Won't Get It, because beautiful music is beautiful music...but this album requires a certain mood on the part of the listener.

There's also the plain and simple fact that many people would find it beautiful.... yet painfully tedious. One could level the criticism that some of the songs don't really go anywhere, and I think that would be perfectly valid; they are often repetitive and the changes that are present are very subtle. I personally didn't find it boring on this listen, but in all honesty, I know there would be times when I would sooner watch the weeds grow in my backyard than listen to Tortoise. I don't say that to be critical, merely realistic, and to help you decide whether it's for you or not.

So it is going to get a high rating from me, because I really loved listening to it, and because Tortoise did an outstanding job making such wonderful pieces of art. But if you yourself want to listen to it, make sure you've got 42 minutes spare to do absolutely nothing other than lose yourself in the music, and prepare yourself to simply do nothing other than listen.

My rating: ****

Standout Tracks

Djed

Along the Banks of Rivers

Tomorrow I bring you an early album by a band that's arguably the biggest, most bombastic rock band in the world at the moment, and ask the questions - where did it all go so wrong, and why are the comparisons to Queen so markedly apt in so many ways?

Album #15 : Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues

Gary Moore

Still Got The Blues (1990)

Gary Moore was one of those men who would have been referred to as a 'guitarist's guitarist'. Throughout his career he hasn't had the profile of more famous axe-wielding luminaries, despite compiling an impressive body of work, both as solo artist and as a member of Irish bands Thin Lizzy and Skid Row. Yet upon his tragic death from a heart attack in 2011, the outpouring of tributes and eulogies to his talent, especially from people who would be regarded as having a far greater profile than him (cough Slash cough), was proof positive that Moore was, and should be recognised as, one of the great guitarists.

Still Got The Blues was released in 1990. It was, unbelievably, Moore's first blues release in some sixteen years; his career consisting mostly of hard rock and jazz-fusion work. This album would, however, cement Moore's standing as a hell of a bluesman, something he would (mostly) stick with for the rest of his career. The title track was released as a single, and I do vividly remember hearing it several times on Rage back in the day, marvelling at those wailing guitar solos and wondering, "Who is this guitar genius?"

Keen to find out what the rest of the album is like, I decided it would be great review fodder for The LOAD Project.....

The Album

We kick off with the fairly straight-ahead up-tempo blues rocker Moving On, which does enough to grab your attention and whet the appetite without revealing too many of the album's secrets. There's some nifty slide guitar work from Moore but it's just a minor puff compared to the maelstrom of guitar magnificence that is to follow from Moore's Les Paul. Oh Pretty Woman is not a Roy Orbison cover; it's another typical blues track with vocal and guitar lick tradeoffs aplenty, but it contains the first facestompingly classy solo. Moore's playing is smooth, his fingers lightning, and his guitar positively sings. The third song also had some radio airplay. Walking By Myself. A cover of a 1950s blues track by Jimmy Rogers, it's a repetitive, simple song with yet another quality blues solo. 

Still Got The Blues is next; the first of several slower blues tracks. All the slower tracks sound and feel smoky, like you're sitting in a dingy blues bar listening to the bluesman do his thing. There's lots of space in the music for Moore to vocalise, trade guitar licks with his own vocals, and, of course, to solo. The space is created by using keyboards to provide the soundscape, but the keyboards are the perfect volume - not so quiet as not to be heard, not loud enough so that you go FUCK ME THERE ARE KEYBOARDS. Moore's long, long solo at the end - worth the price of admission. 

Texas Strut was a real surprise package. It's Moore's shameless tribute to Texas blues and a few of its legends (Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top are explicitly referenced in the lyrics, there's the "ah how how how how" and the riff from La Grange in the song, and there's also lyrical references to the great Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble). It's also a rocking song; that trademark Texan blues swing beat all the way through, and capped off with (you guessed it) a sweet, sweet solo.

(By now you will have noticed that just about every song has a solo that is, to put it bluntly, FUCKING BRILLIANT.)

Too Tired contains the first of three guest appearances on the album, as blues legend Albert Collins joins Moore. It's a more traditional blues song, owing to it being another cover. It's not too bad a song, there's of course more great guitar work, but it's not as balltearingly listenable as other songs. Another master of the blues guitar, Albert King, joins Moore on a song written about.....Albert King. King of the Blues tells the story of King, one of blues' greatest players. Both players show some incredible chops on this song, and it manages to pay tribute to King without being too much of a suckup. It's another cool blues track.

As The Years Go Passing By is next. Another cover, and another smoky blues track with very subtle instrumentation; this time the keyboards are augmented by some undertones of a horn section. There's a nice little piano solo in there, but once again the star is Moore; his smooth vocal proving he was born to sing the blues, and two guitar solos that are remarkably different in style. The first is steady, careful, deliberate; a solo that shows real feel and emotion in the playing. The second is virtuoso stuff, yet still retains so much emotion. It's superb stuff. Midnight Blues gives us our final slower blues song of the album, and while it's not bad it's also not memorable, but there is (are you ready for it?) more classy guitar work.

The final three tracks on the CD release were not on the original album release. That Kind of Woman is a George Harrison song, and Harrison appears on the track; it's a pretty well crafted slice of blues-rock, but there are a few distinctly non-blues chord changes that mark this out as a song not written by a bluesman. It's a pleasant enough tune. All Your Love covers an Otis Rush song and isn't anything special until the midsection solo, which is absolutely incredible. Finally, there's Stop Messin' Around. Originally written by Peter Green and recorded by Fleetwood Mac when they were a British blues band (i.e. ACTUALLY GOOD), it contains several hallmarks of the British blues sound at the time (very structured 12-bar-esque verses, lyrics referring to being "squeezed" until you "fall right out of bed" etc.) It's a cool finish, but I can understand why it was left off the original release. It doesn't add anything extra exciting to the first nine songs. 

The Verdict

HOLY SHIT Gary Moore is one incredible guitarist. If you didn't know he hadn't recorded many blues albums before this, you'd think he'd been doing it forever. He manages to play with incredible virtuosity yet with an amazing sense of feel and emotion. His vocals are smooth and deep; in fact, he's got a perfect voice for singing blues. Whether singing the slower tracks or the uptempo ones, the vocals are first class.

As for the album itself, Still Got The Blues is a crackingly good example of 'modern' electric blues. It manages to pay homage and reference to the past while embracing the time it was written and recorded in. There's hardly a poor song on it, and Moore....well, he's amazing. That he may not have received the same kudos as people like SRV is certainly not down to talent, because Moore has the chops to compete.

If you like blues, and you haven't heard this album, I urge you to listen to it. If you don't like blues, but you like hearing great guitarists do their thing, I urge you to listen to it. Marvel at a master craftsman showing his wares.

My rating: ****

Standout Tracks

As The Years Go Passing By

Texas Strut

Still Got The Blues

Tomorrow, I go post-rock, and ponder the following: what exactly is 'post'-rock? How precisely does something be after rock? If this is 'post-rock', what is 'pre-rock'? Classical? Early Delta blues? Django Reinhardt-style jazz guitar of the 30s? Do we overuse genre labels, or does post-rock really need to be a label of its own? Is it a genre of its own, and if so, what does it sound like?

(Or, alternatively, I'll just listen to a post-rock album and tell you about it.)

See you then!

Album #14 : The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)

I've always thought of The Kinks as a band that could only really produce hit songs, and it's certainly true that they've produced plenty of those: You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, Sunny Afternoon, Dedicated Follower of Fashion, All Day and All Of The Night, A Well Respected Man.....

There was, however, a period in the late 60s where songwriter and band leader Ray Davies turned his hand to more thematic works. The end of the 1960s saw The Kinks produce their two most acclaimed albums that both drew on themes and concepts. One, Arthur (Or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire) was a deliberate attempt to create a concept album. The other, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, was accidental, acting as a reflection of Davies' nostalgic sensibilities at the time. 

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society was a flop when it was released, selling only 100 000 copies. It didn't have a 'hit' song to recommend it, and although American critics loved the work, in the band's home nation it was released almost unnoticed (ironic, given the album's quintessentially British flavour). Yet today, it is the band's highest selling non-compilation release, as all those years of critical acclaim (as well as people's own growing sense of British nostalgia) see the album's popularity go through the roof.

So I decided to find out what all the fuss was about.

The Album

Opening track The Village Green Preservation Society makes the themes of the album clear; this is a collection of songs about English village life and the people living it. This song is an ode to traditionally English things (strawberry jam, billiards, Tudor houses and china cups, just to name a few). It's one of the poppier moments sonically, harmonies floating over percussion and acoustic guitars. It also features a clever set of lyrics; check out Davies's wry observation of the British foible for making groups for everything with overly complicated names (the Office Block Persecution Affinity and the Skyscraper Condemnation Affiliate being my favourites).

From there, we explore those themes and topics of village life. Do You Remember Walter? and Picture Book both deal with the idea of memories and reminiscing. The former has a somewhat sarcastic view on meeting those from your past and finding that they aren't like they used to be ("People often change/But memories of people will remain"). The latter is a typical Kinks pop tune with a really catchy, hooky walking bass line. The album also tackles the thorny topic of the social outcast, the person in the village who is different, and the mistrust and suspicion that accompanies them, through the songs Johnny Thunder and Wicked Annabella. The latter is the most interesting song on the album - thematically very dark, dissonant in melody, Davies sings about a woman who, it is clearly inferred, is presumed to be a witch. The guitar is very dark and dirty and Davies sings with the right amount of dread. It also contains some very sharp drumming from Mick Avory, who I must say is (based on this album) a very talented stickman.

Last of the Steam-Powered Trains is a cool bluesy number, written and sung from the point of view of the last 'steamie', decrying his growing uselessness. Big Sky could almost be about a God or lack thereof, although it's not a particularly good song - the talking verses are rubbish. Great drumming on this track though. Sitting By The Riverside is a dreamy tale of whiling away the day, sitting in the sun, watching the world go by; the clever use of double-tracked vocals, where one track is slightly delayed, provides that dreamy, peaceful echo, while the music hall style piano is a nice touch. Animal Farm paints a romanticised picture of being a farmer, presenting farm life as an idyllic escape from the city. It's another example of this album showing Davies' idealised view of country living.

The song Village Green fascinated me, to the point where I listened to it again at the end of the album. Lyrically, it describes how much the narrator misses the beautiful simplicity of village life, and is quite affirming. However, musically, the song is morose and baroque in nature. The choruses in particular sound quite sad, even when the narrator is pointing out that he will return to the village green. I got the sense that perhaps the narrator will never actually return, hence the sadness...but maybe I'm overthinking it.

There's a few less interesting tracks as the album comes to a close. Starstruck has a good lyric about the simultaneous attraction and danger of the city for simple country folk, but musically it isn't particularly exciting. Phenomenal Cat sounds like an early Pink Floyd B-side, lyrics about a cat that travels the world eating; the choruses are recorded to sound like a child singing (really it's just Davies sped up) so perhaps the song is meant to be a piece of childish escapism....I don't know. All of My Friends Were There is about public embarrassment and dealing with the aftermath, and is basically a poor soundalike of The Beatles' Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite. Monica has an almost Latin feel due to the percussion work of Avory.

The final track, People Take Pictures Of Each Other, seems particularly interesting in light of our modern 'selfie' and picture-obsessed culture. On the surface, this piano, bass and vocal dominated tune seems to be celebrating the use of photography to preserve memories. However, the lyrics reveal a more depressing interpretation of photos. Firstly, that they are used by people to prove that they were not always alone and as documentation of their existence:

People take pictures of each other,
Just to prove that they really existed,
Just to prove that they really existed.
People take pictures of each other,
And the moment to last them for ever,
Of the time when they mattered to someone.

Secondly, they remind people of a better time, and the photos cause some personal anguish because they don't want to remember that the past was better, or that the present is terrible. 

It's an interesting take on the photos as memories aspect, and one that the album's earlier song, Picture Book, didn't deal with.

The Verdict

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is an idealised reminiscence of a way of life that, even in 1968, was under threat; that of the idyllic English hamlet, tucked far away from the towns and the ever-expanding cities, populated by a simpler folk. It manages to address different aspects of the lives of those hamlet folk, as well as provide a glimpse into village life for the listener.

There's no denying the songwriting is first rate and the music is mostly very pleasant (Mick Avory though is a terrific drummer). In fact, often the music does a terrific job supporting the lyrics to convey the mood of the songs. As a vehicle for expressing Davies' nostalgia and whimsy, the album works really well.

As a piece of music, it's inconsistent; several fine, catchy English guitar pop songs along with some unexpected and interesting sonic adventures are worth your time, while other songs will leave you reaching for the skip button. 

Yes, this album is worth listening to, if only to hear the work of one of Britain's finest songwriters. But if you were looking for something that represents everything that the 1960s Kinks were capable of, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is probably not quite it.

My rating: ***

Standout Tracks

The Village Green Preservation Society

Wicked Annabella

Sitting By The Riverside

Tomorrow, we enter the world of electric blues, and review an album by a legendary Irish blues guitarist whose solo work may not be known by casual music lovers, but I bet everybody knows some of his earlier band work....

Album #13 : The Offspring - Smash

The Offspring

Smash (1994)

Alright. Show of hands, ladies and gentlemen. How many of you owned this album when you were younger? How many of you listened to it incessantly? How often would this album form part of the soundtrack of your underage nights on the piss?

You can all put your hands down now.

I remember vividly when Smash came out. I remember hearing Come Out And Play and wanting that dickface who kept saying, "you gotta keep 'em separated" to have his head separated from his neck. I remember the Self Esteem music video, that stupid x-rayed skull singing LALALAAALLALALALAAALALALALALAALAAAAAAA only its jaw wasn't moving in time with the singing and it looked ridiculous. I remember thinking that Self Esteem was a cool song and identifying with its YEAH LOW SELF ESTEEM YOU SUCK message.

Yep, it reminds me of my teenage years alright.

There's always a danger though that when you, years later, revisit some of those entertainment choices of your past, you find they haven't aged well. Man, wasn't Hey Dad a funny show? That Nudge, he sure could eat. Well, no, it was a terribly formulaic and lame comedy that relied on banal character traits for laughs. Wasn't Captain Planet so extravagant with all its big name voice talent and its message for the future? No, actually, it was an ugly as fuck cartoon that chose the very worst and most obvious stereotypes to teach its message (and no, Heart is STILL NOT A POWER. YOU SUCK, MA-TI.)

The purpose of that terribly laboured introduction is this: has Smash aged well?

The answer is......

The Album

After a brief and confusing spoken word intro (like The Offspring's fans were into the consumption of grape-based beverages), we begin what is an enthrallingly heavy take on the Californian punk sound of the 1990s. Make no mistake, Smash is packed with energy; churning, heavy riffs, deep thunderous bass and drums, and the vocals of Dexter Holland. I have always personally preferred the vocal sound on this album to any other - double tracked yet sounding as though Holland was standing ten yards away from the microphone. It allows the vocals to have power without being the dominant component of the music, which is nearly always the guitar.

Examples of this heavy punk sound abound on Smash. Opening track Nitro (Youth Energy) has plenty of it and sets the benchmark for what is to follow. Genocide, Not The One and Smash walk through that door, catchy as fuck and clicking along at a headbopping tempo. For mine, the pick of the wholly uptempo punk tracks on the album is It'll Be A Long Time, not just because the off-kilter guitar rhythm sounds awesome, but also because of the midsection tempo change; a sudden slow tempo is like a kick in the stomach, powerful and effective, before taking you back to Manic Punk Tempo Town.

Come Out And Play is a song I don't need to write much about - everyone knows it already. It's not the best song on this album (I wouldn't even put it in the top three) but it's easy to see why it was a big hit; the Arabian guitar lead is catchy and adds distinctiveness to the song, and it shows the heaviness of the album sound without being offputting. It's good, don't get me wrong, but not great. 

The highlights of the album? Bad Habit reminds me of a movie where there's a stick of dynamite. The fuse is burning ever so slowly towards its final fate...but instead of being extinguished, it ignites the dynamite with a BOOOOM. That's Bad Habit. The hypnotic, repetitive bass line lures you in, along with the vocal, before Holland warns us that he just might snap and BOOOOOM. Off goes the dynamite. It is absolutely manic (appropriate for a song about road rage WITH GUNS) and a cracking song. Self Esteem does deserve its praise and hit status. Whiny lyrics (and I do definitely believe the vocal delivery is different on this song than the others) encapsulate the pathetic nature of the song's narrator. The bass line is again hypnotic, the riffs heavy. If it really is the band's 'signature' song there aren't too many better to have represent them. Gotta Get Away owes more to grunge than punk; a slower tempo married to a bottom-heavy riff channels Nirvana, as do the vocals at times. Nevertheless it is another undoubted highlight because it just sounds so damn good.

As a final note, the album also has a secret track, which is an 'acoustic reprise' of Come Out And Play. While I'm not against secret tracks per se, I don't like it when they're pointless shit, as this one is. 

The Verdict

Y'know what? I don't think Smash sounds particularly dated at all. Listened to objectively, free of emotional attachment, much of it still sounds fresh, vibrant and vital; after all these years it's still a great listen. It's not seeking to make some grandiose statement, it's just good quality heavy Cali-punk. I would go so far to say that it has aged better than some of the band's more laughable followups (Pretty Fly For A White Guy, anyone?)

I'm not going to say that this is their creative peak (some may say that was this album's followup, Ixnay on the Hombre, while others might believe that Na Na Why Don't You Get A Job represents The Offspring's musical Everest). What I will say is that Smash deserved to break the band as a commercial success because it's so easy to listen to. Heavy without being abrasive, catchy without being poppy, Smash is the sound of a band walking the tightrope between little-known FUCK YOU punk and middle of the road pop punk and never once managing to fall off.

So if you're one of those people who had your hands up at the start, and it's been AAAAAAGES since you listened to Smash....give it a spin. Endure the feelings of nostalgia and enjoy feeling like you're a teenager again, wailing about having no self-esteem and agreeing with your mates that 'yeah I totally would have nailed that chick as well'.

My verdict: It's the Transformers Movie - still kickarse after all these years.

Oh I mean *** and a half

Standout Tracks

Bad Habit

Self Esteem

Gotta Get Away

Tomorrow, I travel back to the 1960s for the first time in The LOAD Project to review an album that has received nothing but massive critical praise since its release, yet if you were to read the description of the album's concept, you'd probably rather insert rusted knitting needles into the eye of your cock than listen to the album. 

Still can't be worse than Nickelback though surely?