MP3 (24k | 128k) Real Audio (24k | 128k) Help

Featured Review | 2004-05-18 13:39:57
The Liars They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
by: Sun-J In 2001, The Liars released their debut, They Throw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top, an album filled with noisy hi-hats, heavy low end grooves and actual samples from the Bronx bred 80's act, ESG. Reviewers, or actually, that group of people who must place everything in a specific genre with no overlapping, were quick to throw around labels like indie, dance, post-punk, and a slew of a bunch of other ridiculous, dreamed up genres. In 2002, they were rumored to have an album ready which was pigeonholed. After some serious self promotion, and possibly self reflection, they release their sophomore effort in 2004, They Were Wrong, So We Drowned. As soon as I discovered that The Rolling Stone and Spin had basically called this album crap, I jumped at the chance to give it a review hoping to contradict the sh** out of those monetarily influenced "male body organs." To get the full feel, I had to run through this album about four times, some tracks five. From what I could discern, this album seems like an ode to German Witchcraft. The album opens up with "Broken Witch," a song full of spooky chimes and clacking drums in addition to the dark samples courtesy of Aaron Hemphill. The lead single, "There's Always Room On The Broom," opens with drum cymbals that give off a woozy jangle before noisy guitars fills an atmosphere already clouded with relentless hisses and an electronic dance beat. "If Your a Wizard, The Why Do You Wear Glasses," counteracts the previous track with explosive screaming, howls and grunge heavy bass. The next track, "We Fenced Other Houses With The Bones of Our Own," sounds like old school Cabaret Voltaire with eerie lyrics, "Fly, fly, the devils in your eye, shoot, shoot." The following tracks, which boasts the most humorous song title I have ever heard, "They Donít Want Your Corn, They Want Your Kids," is also the most upbeat (well upbeat with respect to the other tracks) and poppy cut on the album. "Hold Hands, And It Will Happen Anyway," is complete with rolling drums, prominent crescendos, fuzzy guitars and an amazing 4-4 dance punk beat that The White Stripes may have a hard time keeping up with. The album ends with "Flow My Tears the Spider Said," a slow tempo, melodramatic, organ driving march with fading chants and a witch brewing, the perfect end. I once read an interview where lead singer Angus Andrew talked about the fact that they don't make music for people, but rather, heavy chord driven numbers that they can amp out on. Musical drugs if you will. That statement pretty much sums up this album. If you are into their tastes, you'll love it. As an outsider looking in, the LP is not the crap that high profiled, mainstream magazines claim it to be, but it is rather a slowly digesting sound for your ears. Give the whole album a run through at least three times before you judge it. This band reminds me of Midtown. Though they don't have the standout, catchy sound, there is just something that is in the music, some layered groove, that just speaks volumes.
Featured Review | 2004-05-18 13:35:55
Danger Mouse The Grey Album
by: Sun-J Nowadays, with copyright laws blindsiding us worse than your girlfriend letting you know she is pregnant, it takes a brave soul to attempt a re-creation, or a hybrid of existing "art," as the musicians refer to it. It takes man without fear. A "Daring Devil" who loves danger. It takes Danger Mouse. All cheesy introductions aside, the man most famed for his hip hop attribution via production for Sage Francis (No, this does not mean I am admitting Sage is hip hop...I still think he is just a poet who yells sonically syllabic combinations over retire-synthetic drum beats) and his work with partner Jemini on Ghetto Pop Life has risked a lot of money (people are getting sued left and right for copyright bullsh**), but opened up a new path for his career. Already a professional at meshing two unorthodox combinations of musical taste such as Suzanne Vega and 50 Cent, Danger Mouse has dug deep into his collection, back to 1968 to bring together Rock 'n Roll's all time great, and hip hop's reining Don. The Grey Album as it is affectionately called, is a combination of Jay-Z's The Black Album, and The Beatles' The White Album. In my honest opinion, Jay-Z was begging for people to remix his 8th, and so called "final" LP. About two weeks after the release of The Black Album, Shawn Carter went ahead and released an a cappella version of the long play. Already mixed by Kev Brown (The Brown Album), and Kardinall Offishall and Solitaore (The Black Jay's Album), Danger Mouse had the best idea, and ran with it, not even stopping to clear samples extracted from The White Album. In fact, Mouse finished it, pressed close to 3000 copies of it, and sent the albums to radio stations (like KUCI) and specialty hip hop stores like Fat Beats in New York. The album was instantly critically acclaimed, and as soon as Danger Mouse could enjoy his new found respect, the EMI threw down an order of cease of operation, and put a stop to its retail distribution. Interesting how nothing has been laid down for The Black Jay's Album or The Brown Album. The key factor to note about this album is the fact that Danger Mouse meticulously dove into every Beatle's track from The White Album searching for the perfect backdrop, down to each kick, every snare, and all the hi hats from The Black Album. The result is basically a mesh of Prefuse 73 and Incubus. The Grey Album opens up with "Public Service Announcement." Utilizing the Beatles great, "Long, Long, Long," Danger Mouse sped up the sample which he looped from approximately the 1:55 mark of the original track. For "What More Can I Say," the kid looped the first fifteen seconds of The Beatles' "My Guitar Gently Weeps," and then used the following eight or nine seconds for the chorus. This track definitely has another sample, most likely a non Beatles cut, so I will make like the EMI and "cease" discussion of it. The first verse of "Encore," is backed by "Glass Onion," and the second verse is compounded with "Savoy Truffle." "December 4th" borrows a revamped, chopped up loop from "Mother Nature," while "99 Problems," runs a muck with "Wild Honey Pie," and "Helter Skelter." The best part of this mix is how Danger Mouse even threw in the "Ah's" along with the guitar from "Helter Skelter." "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," is filled with non verbal sounds from "Julia," superimposing an up tempo Southern Fried drum beat which aptly mimics the complex patters of original song producer, Timbalands drum kits. "Moment of Clarity," grabs the guitar from "Happiness is a Warm Gun," and "Change Clothes (the original was a huge disappointment for me)" speeds up, and loops a scale from "Piggies." The "Dear Prudence" parts extracted for "Allure," are difficult to compartmentalize from the other sounds as they are coated by a thick bassline, but the kicks and cymbal crashes are definitely heard. "Justify My Thug," features "Rocky Raccoon," sampling while "Interlude," demonstrates Danger Mouse's true crafting skill as he samples "I'm So Tired," backwards. The final cut should have been left off the album. "My 1st Song," never seems sonically inept. It always feels like the beat is trying to catch up to Jigga man's salivation. The album as a whole is well produced, and carefully scripted musically. Danger Mouse has done his career a huge favor. originally supposed to be simply just a promotional tool, or as he states on the album, an "experiment," Danger Mouse has definitely caught the eyes of Hip Hop's elites. The copies are extremely difficult to find, and in fact our KUCI copy seems to be missing at the moment. If you can't find in through eBay, perhaps searching Google would not be that bad of an idea. There are a ton of pissed off hippie, artsy fartsy types revolting against the EMI by placing the album online available for download. Good luck, not that you will need it.
Featured Review | 2004-04-29 09:31:51
El-P High Water
by: Sun-J My dedicated readers (all three of you) know how I feel of El-P from Previous reviews. I respect the man for his business sense. Though his production becomes tired, and his voice and flow is far too flawed to be flaunting around on tracks, especially tracks catered for the likes of emcee beasts such as Akrobatik, and Mr. Lif. So when I heard about this new album, I do the same thing I do whenever an El-P album comes out, just shrug it off. Then, I caught hold of the (nonsensical) buzz about how El-P's new record is groundbreaking. So I looked into it myself, and found out that Matthew Shipp was involved. Now, if you have checked out Blue Note's 2002 release Antipop (Antipop Consortium the British Hip Hop Group) vs. Shipp you would understand my concern. What the hell is Shipp doing with El-P. Shipp draws comparison to John Gotti, because like Gotti was, Shipp is a genius with "keys." So of course I jumped at the chance to review this album. I figured Shipp would have most of the control production wise as he did on the Antipop Consortium collaboration. Boy was I wrong. El-P had surrounded himself with musical greats. Daniel Carter, Ray Campbell, Steve Swell, William Parker, Guillermo Brown and of course Matthew Shipp, but he still failed to come correct. High Water opens with "Please Stay," and is awkward from the start. El-P's foundation does nothing but hurt the church like piano from Shipp. "Sunrise over BKLYN" is filled with too much reverb and blatant digital cosmetics. "Get Your Hand Off My Shoulder, Pig," starts to pick things up a bit with its moody bassline, bellowing horns, piano, and quick drum count. "Get Modal" features an odd electric guitar while "Intrigue In the House of India" opens with a wack El-P beat before Shipp's cocktail piano enters to brighten things before the track turns into something decent with the rapid fire, Cuban-drumming of Guillermo Brown. The next track, "Something is Wrong," sums up the whole album, and "When the Moon is Blue" is the absolute low point as Henry Keys comes off as a very poor man's Tom Waits. This may have been the most painful forty-four minutes of my life. Well actually it wasn't that bad I suppose. Let me throw out an off kilter metaphor that no one will understand despite the fact that I think its genius. Okay, so you know those pants people wear that don't quite make it all the way down. You know, half way between Capri pants and regular pants. Well those were called "High Waters." Now see to me, this album is just that. High Water just doesn't seem to fit the jazz mold. It is too much hip hop driven. El-P should stick to what he does best, producing average beats for his gifted label mates to demolish.
Featured Review | 2004-04-29 09:35:23
Onelinedrawing The Volunteers
by: Sun-J Genres are created so easily these days it makes me sick. We should treat genres as we treat equations. Each one formed should have a purpose, a proof, a legitimate reason for existence. Formerly of the band Far, singer/songwriter/producer Jonas Matranga has been stuck in an unfortunate cycle of teenage, teeny-bopping garbage. Not to say his music is garbage. Rather, the genres this man has been placed under are complete bullsh*t. First off let me vent on this so called "punk" scene. Something Corporate. You're not punk, you're just a bunch of teen idolizing, musician rejects. The Starting Line. How about you guys start a line without sounding like NSYNC over power chords. Good Charlotte? How about good riddance. In fact, all I have to say is, those two brothers in the band did a song with the Neptunes. Listen to that, and you will understand my irritation. There is a list of about fifty other bands I can call out who are disgracing The Smiths and The Ramones, but I won't. Though I will leave this topic with this: To all those punk, pop, bubblegum or whatever the hell else you guys genre yourselves as, do one thing, make a song about something other than falling in love, you backstreet boy rip offs. Now, Jonas Matranga has unfortunately become a legend in the emo, punk underground scene. His shows are filled with fourteen to sixteen year old girls who just moan, bitch and cry at his shows. This man is a victim of corporate America. Sure, he sells records and is successful, but KUCI is not about commercial bullsh*t. We are about independence, and standing up for your music. These pathetic crowds are holding back Jonas' musical genius. After 2002s, Visitor, Jonas Matranga varied his style, and is back on the forefront with the release, The Volunteers. Jonas is not your typical solo act. He is not the John Mayer, a man and a guitar deal. He is a man, a guitar, and a laptop band. His sound is experimental, rock, and a touch of punk. This album is a group of sincere arrangements of love, heartbreak and Corporate America. The album begins with "New York," an experimental track with ambient noise. "Over It," is an upbeat rock track powered by the acoustic. On "Ghost," Ian Love sparks the mood with a haunting fret exercise while "Superhero" changes things up a bit, as Jonas steps away from the mic, and the audience is presented the sound of a voice in an actual room. "Stay," is reminiscent of Interpol with its fundamental guitar, while, "We Had a Deal," is crunchy guitars, and stressed, emotion ridden vocals. "Oh, Boys," is a cleverly produced track with varying sounds and a hint of ambiguous sexuality, and "Livin' Small" is a comedic track that teaches and preaches in less that four minutes. "Portland," is quite similar in style to the opening track, "New York," while the final track "As Much to Myself as You," weighs on the monitors with high frequency, and emotional sounds. The album is never bland, and morphs through many styles. In addition, pop the CD into the computer and discover twelve demo tracks of six album songs. Moreover, each mp3 file has a text file attached where Jonas explains his thoughts and feelings. It is an excellent addition to the music. It allows you to feel closer to the sound, and understand the meaning behind the lyrics. The LP is solid, and fans should not be discouraged by the teenage, trendy audiences. Remember, Bright Eyes was once stuck with the high school crowd, but fans have finally started to catch on to their genius.
Featured Review | 2004-04-21 16:43:29
Fat Cat Compilation "Split Series 9-16"
by: Zero Sharp In the wonderful tradition of releasing compilations for those of you "who don't buy white labels," Fatcat Records is releasing the second compilation of selected tracks from its split series 12." The split series is a set of ongoing releases of the edgier, more experimental side of electronic music that is remarkably on to the point of legend is ironically missed out on by even some of the most passionate electronica listeners. The usual reason they are overlooked is due to their limited editions and minimal packaging; they are known only by holepunches in their white outer jacket. If inspected more closely, the inner black jacket reveals that this is a split ep, and that the artists on there are ones you're likely to know. The first to start on the album is Duplo Remote with the track "Furry Bicycle." If it sounds like it should be childish and chaotic, it is; machine sounds and beeps are poured into a hip hop beat, giving a strangely funky, grabbing first track. This track is followed by another hip hop style track, DAT Politics' "Et Hop." As the track progresses, the standardish beats and samples are slowly taken over by synth stutters, bringing a refreshing angle to the song. Christoph de Babylon follows up with a track in the pounding, aggressive drum and bass style that he does so well called "Cum On (Feel This)." Kid 606 is in his normal, spastic form for "Flutter." and the Com.a track is also in the same glitchy style. From there, the album takes a more mellow turn for most of the rest of it. "Popbeat" by Process is a much more minimal affair set in an ambient backdrop; its techno beat and keyboards are a good way to segway. Fennesz's "47 Blues" is well done piece, consisting almost entirely of guitar strums. The garbled voices of Main's "Rive (Pt.1)" and warped, wailing choir of "Crumbling Land" by Avey Tare follow later. In the mix, there's some brilliant house/techno given by Ultra-Red, the piano-based piece of David Grubbs, the scratchy noise of QT?, and the sounds of daily life given by Alejandra & Aeron. Although I may sound like a broken record, for those fans of edgy leftfield who don't already own this stuff, this is one of the best compilations in a long time. For the rest, this is an excellent place to get introduced to one of the best experimental series releases out there. I'm not sure I could recommend anything any more highly.
Featured Review | 2004-04-21 16:43:18
Ninja Tune Remix Retrospective "Zen RMX"
by: Zero Sharp Over the last ten years, Ninja Tune has been enough of a backbone to the electronic music scene that they even basically have a genre named after them. Along with the cool tour down memory lane that was recently released, Ninja Tune released a two CD collection of remixes of some of their tracks across the years. The crew of remixers includes Coldcut and DJ Food themselves, as would be expected, however, they pulled in many big guns for this one. Squarepusher is here, as is Four Tet, Manitoba, and Sixtoo. Wagon Christ and his alter ego Luke Vibert also both show up as remixers. I was only familiar with some of the songs so I don't know how altered the results are, however, many of the tracks here are strong. The first of the two discs starts with a Cornelius remix of Atomic Moog originally by Coldcut. The track comes out sounding like praise of the Moog in a neat hip-hop style. DJ Food's "Scratch yer Head" gets the Squarepusher drill and bass treatment, leaving the track very precise with that measured insanity that Squarepusher brings so well. I almost prefer the original, however, Squarepusher's style and complex while simple beat sense never ceases to dazzle. He then shows his versatility by masterfully creating some down home electronic hip-hop on the next track. Fourtet also shows his mastery of beats creating an almost chaotic weave out of the drums on Bonobo's "Pick Up". The now famous Jamie Hodge remix of the DJ Vadim classic "USSR Reconstruction" is here, as is Luke Vibert's remix of "Turtle Soup." The Cinematic Orchestra also gets its tracks reconstructed, with special note to the laid-back, soundscapes giving way to free jazz interpretation of "Evolution II" appearing on the second CD. Manitoba breaks the mold putting out an almost house remix of Mr. Scruff's "Sweetsmoke," and Coldcut gives a superb remix of Fog's "Pneumonia," working IDM into hip-hop singing. In all, this CD set's more than worth it, as are the other two offerings by Ninja Tune in this anniversary set of releases. The filler is few and far between in this incredible compilation, and although it's too early to say, this is a solid contender for compilation of the year.
Featured Review | 2004-04-08 15:38:58
Mochipet "combat"
by: Zero Sharp The practice of bastard pop, that is to say, taking vocals of one song and pasting them across other aspects of other songs, has taken off in the last few years. In what seems to be taking that idea to its logical extreme, Mochipet has already established himself as a master of the art of messing with other people's songs. He's back on the Violent Turd label with more of his magic digital mash going by the name "combat." The general concept here is to take two different sources that share something in common, say Yes and Nomeansno, and put them both in the blender. The album starts very cutsy, with 2 Live Crew's "Hey Hey, we want some mochi" and Rod Stewart singing "If you want some mochi, and you think I'm mochi" strung together with a few other favorites. The standout tracks are the ones that have been altered through and through; tracks like Wang Chung vs. The Real Wang glitter as they fly by, both the sped vocals from "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and the metal guitar solos yield beautifully to the furious breakbeat tapped out by digital cut-outs. Johnny Cash works brilliantly over Cash Money Millionaires in a hip-hop style that would make any Mille Plateau listener happy. Nelly vs. Poor Kakarookee, with the help of Venetian Snares, also is a hilarious high-adrenaline fest where cut-outs are used well to punctuate what's left of the original tracks. Aphex Twin vs. Thompson Twins is also good for a laugh as the 80s group gets throughly crushed through the digital chopper and mauler. All in all, this is a well put-together sugar coated rush; I'm not sure how much these tracks will hold up in a few months, but they are really fun now.
Featured Review | 2004-04-08 15:38:49
Ninja Tune Compilation "Zentertainment 2004"
by: Zero Sharp In a preview of what is to come on the Ninja Tune label, "Zentertainment 2004" features the new signings and new releases upcoming on the label. In the style of the label, many of the songs here are solidly based in jazz and funk breakbeat styles, and the twists and creative sample use that ninja tune is known for are all here. The CD starts a bit slowly and stand, and the first one I really found myself noticing was "Don't Fall" by Diplo. The well-tempered, easy beats rock smoothly into the melodies, and it makes the song stand out among the crowd. "Insomnia Olympics" by Blockhead is a wonderful lazy jazzy hip-hop styled track based on trumpets playing "Fanfare" carelessly in the background. Part way into the track, the melody is taken up by something that I couldn't tell if it was processed electric guitar or actual voice. The piano provides a good base for the rest of the sounds, which sound as if they may melt if not braced. cLOUDDEAD's "Rifle Eyes" draws attention, if not just for its oddness. It features rather sped vocals over very slowed beats, giving the song a distorted sense of urgency. The next song, "Day," by Jaga Jazzist, does the opposite; the beats feel urgent while the jazz strewn across the top of the track seems almost careless. Wagon Christ's offering sounds like a cross between elevator moog music, a video game, and old school breakbeat hardcore. The styling is good, and the song is campy, but fun, as Wagon Christ has shown himself to be time and time again. Sixtoo has the most intense track on the album. Dirtier samples help add an almost sinister and uneasy air to the ten minute walk through the land of hip-hop. All in all, the album is a rather mixed bag of quality, although the good tracks, which constitute about half of the listen do make the album worth it. At the very least, this will tide you over until some of these releases come out.
Featured Review | 2004-04-02 11:24:09
The Get Up Kids "Guilt Show"
by: Sun-J After a very subpar 2002 release, On a Wire, the Get Up Kids bounced back with side projects under New Amserdams or as Reggie and the Full-Effect. Both were rather successful endeavors, and the Get Up Kids have seemed to return back to form with their 2004 release, "Guilt Show," Gone are the pop urgencies, and back is the straight forward rock sound found on Something to Write Home About. This album is not a head first plunge into maturity, but is obviously darker, possibly because Matt Pryor is now a married man, as his once pop, emo lyrics have become deep words of literary referenced poetry, "Trespass fits you like a charm, a scarlet letter on your arm." The album opens up with "Man of Conviction," a short introduction to what the album holds with a tender guitar riff intertwined between catchy piano rock. "The One You Want," is a live rock song with perfect breaks, and a cascading bridge. "Never be Alone" and "Holy Roman," sound like left over New Amserdams tracks while "Wouldn't Believe it," clearly marks transgression in The Get Up Kids sound with less power chords in favor of more complex rhythms and balancing drums. "Martyr Me," features Matt Pryor's vocals at their most harmonizing point as the man who recently bit the dust croons, "Thought if you're awake at all..." "How Long is Too Long," is classic Get Up Kids with its poppy poetic lyrics, and fast paced power chords. "In Your Sea" is retro Elvis Costello and is the catchiest song on the album while "The Dark Night of the Soul," features a bouncy flow over an unhindering bassline with subtle piano clashes. "Is There a Way Out" is the album's best track, though it seems like an experimental track, as the sound is nothing the Get Up Kids would usually employ. The same can be said for the Radiohead sounding "Conversation," which in my opinion is the perfect formula for a "comeback" album. Stack the album's first tracks with what the fans want to hear, and end the album on a transitional note. It's about time The Get Up Kids got their act together, and with this album, all emo barriers are crushed in favor of a further matured sound which is sure to not disappoint fans, yet at the same time invite new listeners to get acquainted to the band supporting one of the best punk rock lyricists of all time.
Featured Review | 2004-04-02 11:24:23
Deerhoof "Milk Man"
by: Sun-J Deerhoof have the keen ability to take conventional sounds, and rearrange them in a dyslexic manner, creating an erratic array of tonal hybrids. With their sixth album, Deerhoof increases distortion and cuts out the pointless interludes abundant on Apple O'. Satami Matsuzuki's vocal eccentricities are what give Deerhoof character. Ken Kagami's art which adorns the cover perfectly reflects Matsuzuki's style. A milk man with a banana plunged into one his love handles with a trace of what could be strawberry juice or blood. The album opens up with "Milk Man," the only song which actually contains understandable lyrics, "Come closer, how beautiful this place is..." Unfortunately Matsuzuki gets a little too Michael Jackson lyrically, "Boys and girls, be mine, I'll take you into my dream land." The next track, "Gigadance," features a repetitious organ which is a perfect precursor to "Desparecere," a creative subtle song with extremely catchy tones. "Rainbow Silhouette of the Milky Rain," combines frenetic drums and shoveling guitars which evolve into a rhythmic stairway of tight bounded sounds. "Dog on the Sidewalk," has Satami Matsuzuki stretching out single sentences into a grip of nonsensical tones, "Dog on the sidewalk, dog on the sidewalk, I saw, I saw." "Milking" is a fun, and upbeat song ironically about children trapped in a burning building. "Drew Wander's True," features an elephant bassline while "Song of Sorn," is filled with rock guitar chords, concert drums to help form the massive, eclectic melodies. "That Big Orange Sun Run Over Speed Light," begins with a lengthy introduction of guitar calls and drum responses which grow tiresome, before transforming into a loop of percussion melody. What surprised me most about this album, is the fact that it was the first concept album from Deerhoof. At times the record becomes to traditional and loops itself into obscurity, Matsuzuki's vocal stylings are a bet erratic and new age for some listeners, but Deerhoof fans alike are sure to not be disappointed.
Featured Review | 2004-03-24 10:10:55
Decomposure "Taking Things Apart"
by: Pietro Da Sacco DECOMPOSURE is the audio and visual experimentalist known as Caleb Mueller from Canada. Currently residing in a sleepy little town in Ontario, Caleb lived most of his life in the flat, prairie-ridden areas of Saskatchewan and also went to the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. As a sound sculptor, Caleb's Decomposure moniker stems from his acute attention to detail in found-sound manipulation. Take, for example, the fact that he used to get two tape recorders, sing into one, and then transfer the tape across to the other to make some really low-quality acapella songs. This was just the beginning of what was to become Decomposure's sound and vision as an electronic musician. His debut album for Unschooled Records entitled Taking Things Apart, does just that. The project is about using found-sounds to create new soundscapes, whereas the album is structured around twelve or thirteen separate sounds, and each song is made from the sound source listed in its title. As the liner notes represent the full detail of the sounds herein, Decomposure gives the listener a window into what the artist is thinking when the music is being played; to compress reality into a sort of hyper-real song structure. To tweak, re-tweak and re-mix sound until all that is left is an exploration of both life and electronic music through subversion, deconstruction and redistribution. Quoting Caleb about the origin of his alias, "The first thing is composing music --a creative process. And so, to decompose would be to un-create, to take things apart. Secondly, there's composure, which is to be collected, calm, organized; whereas Decomposure is to have a lack of composure; being scattered and disorganized." Taking Things Apart is the culmination of Caleb's musical work presented as an experimentally intact field recording and a visually organized collection of his artwork. Electronic music has traditionally dwelt on the winning side, becoming more synthetic and repetitive at every turn. Decomposure, instead, explores this void sonically, bringing found-sound from life into the digital realm, then deconstructing and rearranging it into complex, unrepentant rhythms and ambiences. Decomposure is currently working on a new album set for release this year. http://unschooled.com/ http://decomposure.com/
Featured Review | 2004-03-24 10:09:06
Nurse With Wound "Soliloquy For Lilith"
by: Zero Sharp Stephen Stapleton is someone who needs little introduction to those versed in strange, dark experimental music, but what about those out there who haven't managed to become introduced to the inner circles of the underground? Looking at the release list for his major project, Nurse With Wound, it's daunting to even figure out where to think about starting. It seems like all of the releases are collectables, and many of them are out of print in one form or another. Many are radically different: some are floating ambient while others scratch and scream themselves to oblivion. For those fans of the former, I have a suggestion. In 1988, on a record label called Idle Hole, a three plate vinyl album called "Soliloquy for Lilith" was released to much fanfare. It was an incredible collection of dreamscapes that called back to and pondered the darker Lilith as seen in days past. (Before Lilith started being equated with granola and independence for women.) For those not lucky enough to own one of these rather rare boxes, there is hope. Recently, "Soliloquy for Lilith" was reissued as a CD box, and even more, to match the look and feel of the old record box, another CD worth of material was released bringing the number of CDs up to three instead of the old two. The extra material sounds seamless along side the old material, and if it wasn't in fact recorded at the same time, I would be exteremely surprised. The music itself is minimalism at its best. All of the pieces are various kinds of drones, some more heterogeneous than others, but even at their most quickly changing, their incrimental evolution is slight. Some choose to voice themselves through what sound to be real instruments: one track centers on a violin oscillating between two tones while other tracks are pure synth. It is clear from the way the drones flow that there are few who can produce on Stapleton's level, and the experience of floating through these crafted worlds has rarely been matched. The sounds usedhere are superb, and the mastering suits the album brilliantly. This album is a masterpiece, and even if you are familiar with drone work, check this out; it tops almost all I've ever heard.
Featured Review | 2004-02-19 16:39:39
The Walkmen "Bows and Arrows"
by: Sun-J As all the other NYC bands such as The Strokes, The Walkmen incorporate enough grunge guitar to make you dream of wailing guitars. Their 2002 debut, Everyone Who Pretended to Like me is Gone was filled with warm analog sounds, and an overall U2 instrumentation courtesy of drummer Matt Barrick, Guitarist Paul Maroon and bassist Peter Bauer (who I have labeled as the intimidator). The vocalist, Hamilton Leithauser sounds like Julian Casablancas (the druggie...err, I mean, the lead singer for The Strokes) plus the throat ingested cigarette smoking grit. Distributed through Warner Bros, their sophomore release, Bows and Arrows is filled with enough bells, clanking cymbals, and fuzzy guitars to label this as a questionable...dare I say, Christmas Album? In comparison to their debut, this album features much more structuring and a lot more storytelling. The album opens up with "What's in it For Me," and like their previous album, the opening begins with distortion before Hamilton kicks in. The track is based around organ and heavy drums, and Leithauser's voice seems to be perfectly off pitch. In other words, he seems to be singing off key towards the end of every line, yet it sounds thick and wholehearted and exhumes a good vibe. The first single of the album is "The Rat," and it is a whopping dance anthem filled with wailing guitars and strong lyrics, "When I used to go out, I'd know everyone I saw, now I got out alone, if I go out at all." Unfortunately the next song is "No Christmas While I'm Talking," which completely slows the tempo down ten notches. It's an extreme momentum swing, and kills the energy "The Rat," manifested. "Little House of Savages," features a drum line march, and increases the pace a little, but is no where near the tempo of "The Rat." The standout of this track is Peter Bauer's bassline which is dominating, and seems to intimidate the other instruments. "My Old Man," picks up the momentum with hard drumming and an arguing guitar which provides negative feedback to to each thumping kick drum. The next couple of tracks, "138th Street," and "The North Pole," are filled with bells which hint Christmas atmospheres, though I have a feeling, "The North Pole" may actually be a tribute to porn star Peter North's series of films. Double check the lyrics when you listen. "Hang on Siobhan," is a western number driven by quirky piano and a noisy, shifting fretboard. The song is a comedic tale in first person about a man who can't seem to kick the alcohol and leave the bar to head home to a pissed of wife or girlfriend. "New Years Eve" has a flaming piano which makes me think Alicia Keys is on the bench, and "Thinking of a Dream I Had" possesses an aggressive guitar with snowflake organs to give a warm Christmas feel. The final, and title track envelops the album as a whole lyrically, "Your head is bent out of shape, but your feet are on the ground." What separates The Walkmen from their counterparts are the albums calmer moments where the piano goes off transforming the track into a ballad rather than a grunge rearing guitar controlling song. The varying tempos of this album provide enough lusters to keep each track fresh. If you like the strokes, chances are you will definitely enjoy this album. At least give this LP a listen for the intimidator.
Featured Review | 2004-02-19 16:38:51
Ride "Waves"
by: Sun-J Along with My Bloody Valentine, Pale Saints, Swervedriver and Chapterhouse, Ride joins company with best shoegaze bands of all time. Riding out their fame, and possibly capitalizing on nostalgic fans thirsty for anything Ride, the Oxford, England band have released yet another compilation. Already cataloguing three or four other albums filled with revisions, covers, remakes or what have you of old songs; and in addition to the 2001 OX4 best of compilation, Waves is filled with live sessions of material from previous albums recorded from 1990 - 1994, the era when Ride was on a musical rise. With Lez Colbert's erratic drumming, Mark Gardner's solid strumming, and Any Bell's guitar, the sound is a fusion of The Velvet Underground, and The Doors. The album opens up with a John Peel session from 1990. "Like A Daydream," is the album opener and still possesses the infectious melody. "Dreams Burn Down," and "Perfect Time," are chromatically slowed down as compared to the originals. "Sight of You," is a Pale Saints cover, and Ride do a wonderful job with the tempo on the remake. "All I can See," blows the original right out of the water with its amped breakdown, and strutting staccato manifestations. The next set of tracks are also from a John Peel session, and "Decay," with its lucid vocals, and steering drums is the standout on the album. The following track, "Severance," is a cover of Dead Can Dance's original version. "Birdman," and "Crown of Creation," are a couple of tracks recorded for Mark Goodier, and feature a direction favored towards bridging acoustic with steel drums. After the first ten tracks or so, the LP takes a strange twist towards late 60's guitars and weak percussion filled songs from the Carnival of Light and Tarantula albums. "Mouse Trap," from a 1992 Mark Goodier session is clearly much more energetic while "Walk on Water," lacks the punch delivered from the Live Reading Festival. "Time of Her Time," and "Not Fazed," are reminiscent residues precipitated from 1992 when the band was "Riding" a musical "wave" of popularity, and possibly hitting a peak in their career. The final set of tracks seem to diminish greatly in quality. From a Mark Radcliffe session in 1994, the vocals of Gardner and Bell seem to lack stomach and passion. Waves is inconsistent musically, and lacks a flow an LP should contain, yet it is understandable as this is a Live CD. Guitarist Andy Bell says these songs "Sounded better than their official versions." While this is true for some songs, most of the cuts drop off in quality in my opinion, and this record is not recommended for listeners new to Ride, but rather another collectable piece of musical resonance for old time Ride fans. Though, for listeners new to the band, if you can stand a drowsier sounding, live version of Coldplay, you may find some enjoyment in this record.
Featured Review | 2004-02-13 13:19:56
Meat Beat Manifesto "...In Dub"
by: Zero Sharp Jack Dangers is back on the case, this time with a new album reconstructing "RUOK?". I won't say the word remix as that doesn't seem as appropriate of terminology here. It's not that Dangers doesn't know how to remix, the previously released remix album of "Storm the Studio" did a good job reworking the classic material while keeping its soul alive. In this case, "...In Dub," sometimes the tracks are basically unrecognizable after their makeover; everything is stripped down so far before being built back up, one wonders what sound was actually saved from the original. The other addition worth mentioning up front is the addition of DJ Collage on vocals on several of the tracks. His old school dancehall style helps add a Jamaican flair to the album, and his voice adds quite a bit to the tracks he appears on. I'm not really sure what there is to say about this album, except that if you like the whole electro-reggae vibe, you'll get a good kick out of this strongly middle of that road material. "Caramel Dub" and "Supreme Happiness Dub" are good examples of the largely homogeneous feel of the album: laidback melodies floating over simple rhythms and wonderfully fluffy basslines. My favorite track for the entertainingly bizarre sampling is "Timebomb Dub" with its talk of missile guidance systems that sounds like it came out of an instructional video from the fifties. People into electro-dub and just chilled-out dub in general will probably like this album, even with its homogeny. As for the rest of you, I wouldn't stop any presses to get it, but unless you're really allergic to downtempo reggae, it might be up your alley.
Featured Review | 2004-02-13 13:19:46
Squarepusher "Ultravisitor"
by: Zero Sharp After two and half years since Squarepusher's last proper album, "Go Plastic," Tom Jenkinson has had some time to do what he probably does best, reinvent himself. "Ultravisitor" is a rather complex album that seems like the next step in a brilliant evolution of the musician Squarepusher. Following in the footsteps of "Do You Know Squarepusher," "Ultravisitor" sounds like a live album (reportedly it's not, however) where the tracks flow from one to the next whether they seem to go together or not. However, this album seems to be so grand and sprawling that one cannot help listen in awe from time to time. The whacked-out drum and bass is here in some tracks, as are the digital effects, but it seems more about showcasing the music through the effects rather than making the music out of the effects. One example comes from the times when the listener realizes that although it sounds like a person playing bass, there is no way anyone could play so quickly. Similarly, the title track, Ultravisitor, lets the melody and atmospherics rather than be stampeded under the crazy drums that run in a rather subdued manner through the piece. There are also many pieces that are almost acoustic, like "I Fulcrum" and the brilliant free jazz drum-ruled "Iambic Nine Poetry". The album isn't all sweet, "50 Cycles" is a good dose of abrasion through bleeps and vocoded rapping, and a few of the other tracks take this philosophy of the harsh digital. All in all, though, this is perhaps Squarepushers most accessible album, even if it is too grand to coalesce coherently. I wouldn't hold that against the album, much like "The Wall" or "Bitches Brew," the wonder and pleasure of the experience is because it's that way.
Featured Review | 2004-02-05 16:54:46
Air "Talkie Walkie"
by: Sun-J GREAT NEWS!!! The French have proved themselves to actually be useful. All jokes aside, the French duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean Benoit Danckel have returned with, dare I say...a breath of fresh "AIR?" Well, one thing I refuse to do is compare this album to Moon Safari. Let me get this out in the open from the beginning so it is never to be Revisited in this review. Yes, Moon Safari was classic. The leadoff track, "Sexy Boy," is still everyone's favorites, and the tracks from the album are still floating around in commercials, game shows and sitcoms. The greatness of Moon Safari completely overshadowed 10,000Hz Legend, and Air in my opinion were unfairly criticized on their sophomore release. I felt the aptly proved their musical genius as an endearing accompaniment to Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides, and one should never overlook the collaborations of City Reading. Air have joined again to produce another subtle gem. A large part of their success on this release goes to the man behind the boards of Radiohead's last four albums, producer Nigel Godrich. Godrich's ear for arrangement is uncanny, and he does a superb job of arranging the carefully catered strings of Michael Colombier. The album opens with "Venus," a track which begins with alternating G major and C minor chords amidst hand claps and whimsical lyrics before transforming with the addition of Godrich added space sounds. "Cherry Blossom Girl," contains a translucent acoustic guitar riff before being romanced by curious flutes. "Run" is an eerie sounding track with bizarre lyrics while "Universal Traveler," springs into the forefront with a Spanish guitar and searching lyrics, "If you have a look, outside on the sea, everything is white, it's so wonderful." "Mike Mills," bleeds with hints of Vivaldi as synthesized instruments bounce around a cascading piano riff with a 1,2 drum kick. "Surfin' on a Rock," is a catchy French-pop track with an incredible back beat. "Another Day," is a minor key melody with a Transylvanian feel which is reminiscent of The Faceless Romantics, "Get in October." "Alpha Beta Gaga," cleverly implements a whistling riff from an actual human voice which drowns out the electronic, sub pop sounds. "Biological," has a Japanese banjo, while "Alone in Kyoto" accentuates mystery. In fact, many may remember this track from Sofia Coppola's latest flick, Lost in Translation. The song is played in the scene where Scarlet Johansson's character wanders around Kyoto's temples, fusing Japan's mystery with her immature ignorance. As a whole the album encompasses everything we can expect from Air. Every instrument seems to be found on this track, and the melodies are gentle and calm, always building, which is why the make for grand television music. The most standout sound on this album, is the gently plucked acoustic parts. Unlike past albums, Godin and Dunckel handle all vocal tasks, and at times can become tiresome as they stress odd syllables and sing lyrics which never seem to connect to subsequent lines. Though, I should expect nothing less from a duo who performed Seventies keyboard-rock on stage wearing capes.
Featured Review | 2004-02-05 16:54:29
Mathew Dear "Leave Luck to Heaven"
by: Sun-J Minimal techno or Microhouse is what they are calling it these days. Sort of a mesh between jungle and house. Techno "Nsync" with the eclectic, "dirty pop" of today. The music is much simplified then its ancestral genre, yet the fused sounds alienate droning reverbs, and pointless breakdowns. Detroit based DJ/producer extraordinaire, Matthew Dear has finally composed a scheme of sounds which manifest surreal ambiance. After owning the techno scene in 2003 with two EP releases on his debut dropping label, Spectral (an extension of Ann Arbor's Ghostly International), a twelve inch under the alias Jabberjaw for Perlon Records, and some tracks as False for Richie Hawtin's Plus 8 imprint, it's appropriate Dear has finally mustered the backing to release a full length. Dear takes the album back to the beginning of techno as he seems to revisit his favorite Nintendo games. From Mike Tyson's Knockout, to Super Mario Bros, Dear's basslines vaguely ring bells of somber deja vu so to speak. The lead single, "Dog Days," is an ethereal clash of 80's funk and suburban pop. The chunky basslines are superimposed on one another to produce constructive interference of sine waves which amplify the multitude of sonic beyond saturation. The synthetic horns crown the wry-humored lyrics, "Tell another story to your body so it makes sense to me." The synthesized pulsating bass of "Reason and Responsibility," creates a lush palette of acid tones. "Just Us Now," opens up with basslines which seem to circle around the first line, engulfing it like dead vultures cascading around prey, "when will you come clean with all the lies you are telling me..." "In Unbending," has Dear chopping up his own vocals, while "But for You," verges on the risque, "Little Girl on the corner sucking thumb, man and woman contemplating love." Matthew Dear's passion is gorged into every track on this record. His sounds are scented with nervous rhythm shifts and his pensive lyricism is drenched in thick metaphors. Matthew Dear is comparable to Ricardo Villalobos in sound and style, though any fan ranging from techno to hip hop would wisely check this release.
Featured Review | 2004-01-30 15:24:38
Kid 606 "Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You"
by: Zero Sharp After a release schedule these last few years that borders almost on mania, I'm somewhat surprised that Kid 606 still has new material to release. Well, he indeed does, and his new album, which follows up on "The Illness" EP, is called "Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You." Much like many other Kid 606 material, this collection of tracks is wild, fun, and all across the shop in terms of genres and sounds. Back in the day, Kid 606 had quite a bit to do with making this IDM sound fun and varied at the same time, but it seems that he has hit some kind of saturation level. Though I wouldn't necessarily say that many producers have passed him by at his own game, many of the tracks here could have been released (and some are very similar to older tracks) on many of his earlier releases and sounded seamless. So if you're a person who wanted something new out of the guy, you'll have to look somewhere else. If you've never heard of him, or you just want a fun, spastic album, this is a good place to start. The first track, a remix of "The Illness," starts in his traditional IDM style, piecing together gabba and throughly sped up breakbeats laid under a rather brilliant and creative use of samples. The solid and interesting use of samples is a common strong point in the album: along with the IDM tradition of "If it's good enough to be a sound, it's good enough to be chopped, manipulated, and mauled into a spastic breakbeat," there's a good, funny trend to use his vocal and spoken samples well. They both will have you laughing and have you impressed on how much breakbeat he can wrap around a single spoken sentence. The album does hit all of the stops: there are tracks that sound like old jungle mash-ups gone mad, there's all the old 'ardcore feel, there's even a little bit bordering toward happy hardcore laced through a track. If it doesn't feel like I'm saying a whole lot specifically, it's because I don't really have much to say; it's a fun, spastic, ADD-inspired ride, much like much of his music tends to be. Again, I would recommend this to people who don't really know of him and would like to see what the fuss is about, but if you own some albums in this vein, chances are you'll just be hearing stuff similar to what you have, albeit possibly more clever.
Featured Review | 2004-01-30 15:24:08
Telefon Tel Aviv "Map of What is Effortless"
by: Zero Sharp I only managed to hear a song or two off Telefon Tel Aviv's first album, "Fahrenheit Fair Enough," but like many others out there, I was intrigued, and I enjoyed it. I seemed to have missed a few small releases between then and now, but when "Map of What is Effortless" landed in my lap I was psyched to give it a listen. The listen really surprised me; the duo has taken quite a turn toward what could only be described as mixing adult contemporary with IDM. That being said, they do it well; the mixing of the more organic sounding live instruments with electronica is nearly seamless, and that in itself is nearly a reason to listen. Unfortunately, many of the songs sound a little too close to Craig David for comfort. It's slightly monkeyed, and there are the signs of IDM glitch and the like, but the end effect sounds much like something headed straight for the laundromat circuit in both its dramatic lyrics and r&b melodies. The first single, "My Week Beats Your Year," sounds like "I'm Too Sexy" revisited by a wanna-be Hollywood starlet. For the older fans, there's a little bit left over from the previous stuff, the glitchy string based soundscape of the title track, "Map of What is Effortless," is beautifully put together, and it evolves elegantly. "What It Is Without the Hand That Wields It" doesn't even really sound like it belongs on the album, its surprisingly unsettling darkness is perhaps even reminiscent of their work with Trent Reznor a few years ago. I'm not sure if I would recommend the album, but I imagine that the chill-out/easy listening crowd will find something to enjoy. Telefon Tel Aviv runs the risk of alienating the fans it started with, but they have succeeded in striking out in a new direction with the music, which is something that is worthy of respect.
Featured Review | 2004-01-22 18:46:06
Jaylib "Champion Sound"
by: Sun-J Stones Throw, underground's most underrated record label, presents a dream collaboration. One of those combos that can only be imagined through a curious post from a hopeful underground back packer. Hip-hop Detroit prince, Jay Dee AKA Jay Dilla teams up with L.A.'s own Otis Jackson Jr. AKA Madlib AKA Quasimoto (when he is in emcee mode) to produce exactly what you expect; one of the most far out produced records of this century. For you Jay Dee fans, expect nothing close to the Slum Village sound, and for your Madlib followers, as usual, expect nothing and prepare for anything. The characteristics of each producer are found on the LP. Jay Dee's synthesized crisp percussion is eminent as is Madlib's genuine, futuristic, albeit neosoul jazz-fusion. Already swamped with projects, it's a wonder how Madlib found time to shell out for this project after completing the Blue Note catalogue remix album, and tackling the Trojan's reggae catalogue remix LP. Counteracting though, in my humble opinion, it honestly seems a much larger task for Dilla to cater to Madlib's unorthodox, retarded Mike Tyson vocal delivery. After the cliché opening of "L.A. Detroit," the duo get to business with raucous "McNasty Filth." As the name implies, the track boasts a gritty heartbeat with dirty baselines and a moody drum thumps. "Nowadayz" is a lyrically enticing track about striking a balance between life and love with snappy strings, asian vocals, and b-boy delivered verbiage. The title track, "Champion Sound," garnered heavy anticipation prior to the release of the album with its distorted Indian vocal sound, and queued up snares. "The Red," produced by Jay Dee, formulates from a monumental kick drum and a riveting piano line with an operatic chorus. Dilla does a superb job with production as Madlib's irregular cadence is balanced with scratchy synths. "Raw Shit," is relentless organ buffers and digitized baselines fueled by the lyrical prowess of Talib Kweli. "The Official," features expedited sampling and revamped soul-styling while the Madlib produced, "The Mission," has a funky, piano break beat with looped strings. "React," is Jay Dee's standout production wise with its radical sitar and bumbling drum line. "Strapped," is menacing with its eastern strings and features the vocal styling of man-child Guilty Simpson, who rips into the drums with bars like, "I sit on the end at the movies and let my feet stick out, any dude with a problem get his teeth chipped out." The manifestation of the two respected producers yields quite an album. The sounds are bizarre, funky, and at times irritable; but for the most part, Dilla and Madlib compliment each other satisfactorily. Lyrically the album does little to cover new ground with its talks of smoking grass, fine females and long bank accounts. A key point to not overlook is the executive production done by Peanut Butter Wolf. Had he not been in the lab overlooking the progression, I doubt the album would have been able to flow as a whole. As it stands, the only emcee that seemed capable enough to ride the spaced out sounds of the duo was rap veteran Percee Pee. Nonetheless, the LP is groundbreaking and will satisfy the promise.
Featured Review | 2004-01-22 18:45:33
Lucero "That Much Further West"
by: Sun-J Well, now that Ryan Adams is off in La La land, as his sound achingly closes in on rubbish with each and every release, what is an alt-rock/ country/ punk fan to do? Well, remain calm and keep your hopes confident, because Lucero is every chocolate in Forrest Gump's box. Originally formed by frontman Ben Nichols in '98 as a plot to enrage punkers by playing Country-rock at hardcore shows, the Memphis quartet's sound seemed to have impressed some listeners who are now several years older, with much more progressed, mature musical tastes whom are cult-like fans of the band, Lucero. Defined as a bright star in Spanish, Lucero, who dropped two records on the Memphis indie outfit label, Majack, relocated to New York and now reside with the more eclectic and aggressive label, Tiger Style. The standout piece of Lucero is defined by head honcho, Ben Nichols. Once rumored to have switched to country because punk was too difficult to hold melodies too (or was that spoken from the lips of that moron, Ryan Adams...?), Nichols' voice is a combination of Scott Stapp and Kurt Cobain. More so than the Creed front man, Nichols is a southern extension of the late, prolific Cobain. Nichols' voice is chiseled. Rather it seems to be the product of one to many Marlboros and white russians. Raw Dirge with a scratchy-smooth bellowing thickness. His vocal melodies are attention grabbing and dominate the music. The twelve song disc begins with the title track, "That Much Further West," a lyrics-heavy track which provides southern imagery, "Out West the only sky is blue, so tell hate I'll see her soon, 'Til the thoughts and I have left, Are that much further West..." The shifty tempos of "Mine Tonight," are beaming with rhythm, "Sad and Lonely" is a deep fried Southern ballad which accentuates the power in Nichols' voice. "Across the River," possesses amazing guitar and organ interaction while "Hate and Jealousy" is a country heavy track with a stunning guitar solo that interweaves between a driving, chord strumming acoustic. The song details the thoughts of a man who discovers one of his children is a bastard product from an adulterous affair, "Helplessness just burns me up inside, I can't see the savior for the light, One of yours might not be right, I want nothing that ain't really mine." "Tears Don't Matter Much," is reminiscent of the old Whiskeytown sound with its peaks and banjo mimicking guitar which perfectly court the hopeful lyrics, "I'm just another Southern Boy, who dreams of nights in NYC, and I sing along..." Overall the instrumental foundation of the record stems from guitar, bass and drums while the country flavor is further underscored with a bizarre touch of organ or piano. Instrumentally the record is strong, yet on "When You Decided to Leave," Lucero attempts, unsuccessfully to get experimental as they add a techno breakbeat. Perhaps it is not the song that is shattering, but rather the fact that the track does not follow suit with the flow of the album. Reckless experimenting aside, Lucero is budding with star power and should soon depart the play lists of KUCI. This record summed up, is Ryan Adams, Wilco, and Kurt Cobain.
Featured Review | 2004-01-18 12:54:37
Plastikman "Closer"
by: Zero Sharp After nearly five years of silence, Richie Hawtin's minimal side-project, Plastikman, unexpectedly is seeing another release. "Closer," the fifth for Plastikman, doesn't really visit too much new ground, however, for those fans of minimal techno, there are few who can equal him. One of the things that people have been yammering over is the decision to include his own voice on the record, albeit in a vocoded, pitch-shifted kind of way. Sadly, both the cliched way he chose to do it and the lyrics he chose do their best to detract from otherwise solid music. The tracks are, in general, beautifully crafted with a grace that brings each and every sound to the forefront as it unfolds from the soundscapes. I use that word in particular as many of the tracks here bend much more to the soundscape edge than anything that would touch the dancefloor. The album starts with the track "Ask Yourself." Cheesy vocals samples aside, the synth lines set a dark, stark mood brilliantly. The first beat doesn't even happen until the fourth minute into the track, and it's not particularly missed. "Lost" also continues the theme of just dark soundscapes where the sparse sounds command the space they are receiving. "Disconnect" is another example of a beautiful track, made predominantly interesting by interweaving sounds of a tone smeared up and down the scale and a simple bass line. Unfortunately vocals that would make any sixteen year old goth proud are also present here, distracting from how good the track is. "Ping Pong" is one of the most rhythmically interesting tracks on the album; two slightly out of phase drum lines run the show as an occasional sounds flutter in and out between them. At moments in the ten minute excursion, everything mystically comes together, giving the most danceable moments on "Closer." From "Ping Pong" on, the pieces tend to lean more toward the beats, giving an experience a little closer to the older Plastikman work, with "I don't know" and "Mind Rewind" standing out as well-made more club-oriented tracks. Although there are better places to start if people want to see where all this Plastikman hype is from, "Closer" does stand up as a solid listen. If you're looking for some good, new, minimal techno, then I would recommend this CD.
Featured Review | 2004-01-16 13:57:17
Pimmon "snaps*crackles*pops"
by: Zero Sharp Up until this point, the only exposure I had to Pimmon was through his appearance on Fatcat Records' Split series with his side of beatless tracks that managed to be slightly noisy and warm at the same time. Needless to say, when I picked up "snaps*crackles*pops," I was surprised by the fact that he was putting out on Tigerbeat6, a label more known for IDM than anything else.Rather than draw any conclusions about the Tigerbeat6 using dartboards or the like to select their musicians, I listened to it. This album manages to be both. It's an interesting and damn fun direction to take IDM, and it manages to be warm and somewhat noisy. Pimmon's approach to many of these songs with beats is to take some twisted beat loop produced by massively sonically warping some source into a fun, goofy, but workable beat, and then let it be overrun by a stampede of odd effects until it discentigrates into the end of the song. Sound good? It works well. "no jazz for jokers" is a great demonstration of the technique; something sounding like a combination of steel drums and marimbas happily start, forming the base of the track, until partway through where something sounding like a group of very pitch-shifted, muted saxaphones or Arabic horns ring in and out of the music with an off-key melody snippet until they win the entire track at minute four. "frosty pink" is similar, with its probably originally trip-hop bassline, spaced apart making the whole thing bouncy, is invaded by a sound which seems to be the cross between horns and tapes rewinding too fast which blurts out a cute, spastic melody. The disc does have more serious tracks, also, which gives a nice break to the cute and fluffy. "rtw: sound of a finished kiss" borders almost on dark, as various machine sounds flow onward, slowly evolving, until they finally erupt, giving way to a deconstructed rock song, complete with chopped up gituar leading background bells. The result of the whole track is warm and beautiful, and an interesting change of pace. "the King, the Eye, and the Surfboard" sees Pimmon return to his formula, only this time, stampeding a jazz riff with highly manipulated voices, leaving a rather haunting aftertaste. "the sacred dance of Mimi Lush" ends back on a high, bouncy note with a warm melody loop constructed from something sampled backwards competing with odd bleeps for attention. All in all, this album is brilliant, and it's what I want when I go looking for IDM; odd sounds comprising the tracks, interesting rhythms throughout, odd effects, and dancability. This album has that all, and more, to boot. I would highly reccomend this to anyone looking for a good time.
Featured Review | 2004-01-08 16:25:55
David Dondero "The Transient"
by: Sun-J When you think of David Dondero, think of Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and Edwin McCain (and not that ultra poppy song, "I'll Be"). David Dondero's music is more on the folk side, but a similar acoustic soloist with vocal renderings which are reminiscent of The Shins. A well traveled man, Dondero's latest release (as a solo artists), The Transient is a reclusive soundtrack to the Steinbeck novel, Travels With Charlie. A nomad with a penchant for guitar licks, and an amazing finger-picking rhythm which is further mystified by his acute ability to vocally ride what he is playing, Dondero previously lent his talents to the alternative-rock outfit Sunbrain which released three albums before going their separate ways in 1996. Next came the free-willed act Flatwheelers which I believe lasted less than a year. Finally David Dondero wised up and chose the path of a vagabond soloist. Though the bands were not a complete waste by any measure. On a Sunbrain tour, Dondero caught faces with Mike Mogis the man with a studio which housed the recording of The Transient along with the production/engineering aid of several other Lincoln, Nebraska natives. The result is a free spirited folk album with lucid guitaring and metaphorically enchanting lyricism. Dondero opens The Transient with "Living and the Dead," a country twang influenced song with characteristic establishing verbiage, "I play the skinny indie white boy blues, in scuffed up military style shoes, I'm a convenience store connoisseur on a broken shoe string tour..." "Ashes on the Highway" features stand out lyrics sung with grace which directly reflect the nature of Dondero's life, a true drifter or wanderer who embraces the whole country as home. "When I die, burn my body and sprinkle my ashes on the highway, Let the traffic spread the ashes in ditches and the overpasses." "20 Years" is a tragic tale about a man who has served twenty years in a correctional facility and has dramatically corrected his characteristic errors yet is greeted by a society that still views him in the same impure light as before as he struggles to find work. The nonchalant melody of "See it Clear" is almost a perfect interlude and transition into "Less Than Air," a beautiful ballad stretching the importance of appreciating god given grace and nature rather then being consumed by our own self loathing, "You're not the only one who got caught in rain, This whole world don't revolve around your pain." On "The Stars are my Chandelier," Dondero paints a perfect mental image with stand out metaphors, "I could say my love is bigger than the big apple, like oxyphenbutazone in scrabble/just like the stars are my chandelier, just like these landscapes are my living room, just like these highways are veins, I am the blood, I am the rain." "Vaporize" is a deep rooted tribal percussion driven track about a mountain climber who never lives to see a trip down. The following track, the title song, is a silhouette ballad with translucent melodies encompassing the passion of the album, which finishes with "Song for the Civil Engineer," a tickling topic which covers the tale of gravel and roads before they came to be with the aid of a Civil Engineer. Lyrically, Dondero produces all that is asked for in a folk album with grand tales enchanted by vivid metaphors. But in my opinion what stands Dondero out above the folk crowd is his musicianship with the guitar. His ability with his axe is graceful and endearing, and evolves from the typical strumming we are used to hearing from a folk artist. A subtle album with grand potential.
Featured Review | 2004-01-08 16:23:38
The Books "The Lemon of Pink"
by: Sun-J Fronted by Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong, The Books have a manic but eclectic twist to their musical compositions. Their debut, 2002's Thought for Food, was an inconsistent, unorganized jungle of vocal samples and electronic progress, yet the Tomlab product was filled with individual songs propelled by simple structuring. What makes The Books so genius is their ability to place notes, chords and other tonal qualities sonically where they are never thought to occur naturally. Pictorially qualifying, if The Books were metaphorically creating movies, they would be able to place Julia Child in a Jenna Jameson movie without pigs flying. Quoted from their own website, their goal is not to "appropriate or take the possession of sound, but rather to re-contextualize within a musical continuum." Perhaps this is why all of their vocal samples are spliced and ordered in nonsense. Further, their strongest attribute is the multi-faceted use of Western and Eastern languages, and obscure sounds for that matter. Try to imagine every single gurgle of vernacular which made no sense to you, be it another language or something unexplainable. The Books' album can be described analogously as a combination of all those sounds amidst a backdrop of strings, keys and eclectic electronic instrumentation. Unlike their debut, The Lemon of Pink is arranged far better. The album seems to have an indescribable flow about it. Opening with the title track and a flourish of banjo guitars, untimely string melodies, and bewildering vocal samples, the album transcends right into "Tokyo," a frantic finger picking number with a bellowing cello. "S is for Evrysing," is filled with foreign language clips, and vocal riffs which have been chopped and pitted accompanied by dark and mournful strings. "There is no There," is livid with vocal samples paying homage to Gandhi and an eccentric guitar. "Don't Even Sing About it," has a bluesy feel with languid, dreamy vocals which hint a breath of religious music. "A True Story of True Love," like love, is a roller coaster that begins tranquil and pensive before morphing into folk and then turning a corner to end on a Staccato note. Get it? Staccato...note. Right... Finally, "Take Time," is street percussion with intertwining guitar and twinkling violin melodies. At some points, the record has a feel of a chamber orchestra filled with giddy, immature musicians. The Books' masterful ability to translate samples finds them splicing a string movement of flourishing Vivaldi into the Staccato triumph of Solfeggieto. Their meticulous editing and relentless incorporation of multilingual vocal samples is unmatched by any artist. As groundbreaking as The Books may seem, I feel they will have a hard time garnering major interest in the states. The way I see it, either they commit suicide, or move to England to gain the appreciation they deserve.
Featured Review | 2003-12-27 16:26:34
Wheat Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second
by: Sun-J Formed when two members met in a 1997 art class in the modest Taunton, Massachusetts. Wheat collectively released a debut one year later. 1998's Medeiros was an indie rock release. Wheat were soon filtered, and then tagged with cult followings. The following year Wheat released Hope and Adams, which was produced by Flaming Lips boardman Dan Fridmann. At that point Wheat were low on cash and high on music so their album was a retrospective evolution of that. The group had proven to be strong recording artists, yet many felt they lacked stage presence. Taking a three year break from the studio, the group toured, waited, and understood. Now 2003 finds the release of their major debut, Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second. The album is full of catchy riffs, captured harmonies, better mic'd drumming and features a better than marginal vocal delivery from first vocalist Scott Levesque. On this album, we find Scott in more of an operatic-rock form. The album breaks open with the ultra-catchy "I Met a Girl." Driven by a quirky chorus, "I met a girl I'd like to know better, but I'm already with someone...," the song harmonizes through various filters and directional drumming. "Breathe" is a Beatles-like touch with its lead guitar and popping bassline. "These are Things" is precariously upbeat with a bubbling bass which bounces around dominating drums. "Life Still Applies" is a simple riff with a simple chorus (which is the title of the song), yet the vocal delivery is note worthy with its repetitive highs and lows. "Go Get the Cops" is a slow rock ballad for gloomy days, while "Some Days" features a wah-wah guitar which paints an alchemic disco rock atmosphere. Wheat was a sensational indie rock band. True, they have morphed their sound (some people would refer to it as selling out), but the individual as well as group musical growth as come a long way, and has vastly improved in all facets. If you enjoy Brand New, you will definitely dig this album.
Featured Review | 2003-12-27 13:55:47
Azure Ray Hold on Love
by: Sun-J From Athens to Omaha. From Warm to Saddle Creek. Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor's journeys metaphorically chronicles through the passion of their music. Often labeled as slow core, the female duo started off one November with an EP of acoustic guitars, and piano before slowly morphing into a full orchestrated sound with trip-hop beats supporting the cornerstone of their brilliance, the marriage of their vocals. Having written songs with Moby and Connor Oberst, their travels and experiences are widely respected. Dropping a fourth album (counting the EP), one thing has never changed about Azure Ray, their vocals always resonate with waves of constructive interference which amplify the dramatic emotion felt in their spine shivering vocals. Their fourth album, Hold on Love combines elements of every album and bares their soul. "New Resolution" is a subtle hook with creepy bridge and an eerie chorus which manifests strings and electronic layers of filtered vocals, "Move on, move on, it's like the clock is pacing, move on, move on, no, there's nothing changing." "If You Fall" is uncharacteristic of Azure Ray as it is a strangely up beat track with flittering piano keys, and a simplistic electronic effect which masks patent drums and in the end transforming into the haunted trademark of vintage Azure Ray. "The Drink we Drank last Night," is a standout track with powerful lyrics, "If you could see these tears fill in my eyes, It's just the wind that makes me cry, If you could feel this pain inside, It's form the drinks we drank last night." "The Devil's Feet," is an interesting tale of a girl who fought the devil to save her slow. The song also features a mundane piano released from its boredom by the powers of Mike Mogis's digital effects. "Look to Me,” is a powerful song in that the music yields a vicarious cry for help from someone in extreme duress and turmoil. "Sea of Doubts," is also lyrically intense, "The pain I feel inside, that haunts us all that we will die, never really knowing how it feels to be alive. Lastly, "Across the Ocean,” is filled with metaphorical lyricism, "Now I've landed in the Midwest, where you lived so long ago, remember I was always freezing and now I'm covered in snow." Azure Ray, like most Saddle Creek label groups are cold windy winter nights, and their songs, rank with loneliness, despair and loss are powerful odes to do their emotions justice. Over the past three albums, you will notice that with the fourth and newest album, their sound has grown stronger and more intense, more powerful drums, stronger power chords, and the usual blood boiling lyrics. Azure Ray is perfect Halloween and suicide music, but when those two options are not available, the best place to listen to a CD like this is on a warm sunny day were flowers blossom because the lyrics may leave you permanently scarred...
Featured Review | 2003-12-18 20:29:15
Photek "Modus Operandi"
by: Zero Sharp Under the guise of suggesting solid Christmas presents for those who like music, I'm deciding to go back into the past again to my favorite year of 1997. This time, I want to talk a little bit about drum and bass; more particularly, some of the albums for those folk who've never heard of the stuff or those who weren't around listening to it during that time. The genre's gone on to evolve into something much faster and more busy tempo-wise, away from the roots which really made the tempos feel variable. First on the plate is the album "Modus Operandi" by Photek. In the days where "Intelligent" drum and bass was starting to make an impact, Photek broke through as one of the masters of the craft. His style is distinctly darker, more minimal, subtile, and much more sublime that many of his contemporaries. "Modus Operandi" was his first full length album, although he released quite a number of singles before that. In many regards, "Modus Operandi" is his most experimental album, and it stands at strict odds with many of the tracks coming out for the dance floor at that time. Probably one of the most incredible things about Photek's style is his ability to take simple rhythms and layer them into sounding incredibly full and hauntingly empty at the same time. This style of his shines through on every track from the skittering drum pattern over a walking bass in "The Hidden Camera" to the use of many different cymbols in "KJZ". Doing this makes the rhythms vary between feeling fast and slow; it lets the listeners decide how they want to internalize the flow of the track which is something quite rare in the scene anymore. Even if it's not a dance album per se, it's rare to not see heads nodding to it. The sounds and production are just as beautifully refined and fresh as the beats, even now, six years after its release. Many of the sounds Photek chooses to use are virtually unheard in other drum and bass, and the ways he uses "normal" sounds makes them seem like they too haven't been seen in this light. This album is a must-have in any electronica collection. I especially recommend this album to those who've heard some good beatwork in drum and bass tracks, and know that there is so much more possible if people were only creative in their uses of breaks. This is the refined sublimity that is possible in electronica, and it shows that drum and bass doesn't have to be a strung together collection of tired, similar, amen and hoover anthems. This is still the future, and the future is beautifully dark.
Featured Review | 2003-12-19 08:27:27
Drum and Bass Compilation No U Turn presents "Torque"
by: Zero Sharp This is the second of the drum and bass retrospective reviews, and this time we'll be revisiting the dance floors of 1997, and the starts of the style which came to be known as techstep. Starting around 1996, No U-Turn and Emotif, among other labels, helped cause a large step in the evolution of drum and bass. Their producers started stripping down the hardstep style, shifting the focus away from the jungle/reggae samples and putting it more on futuristic, techno-inspired sounds, and making the sounds much darker and harder lead to the installation of this completely new form of drum and bass on dancefloors, that of techstep. Many people were turned off from this new style, in its stark contrast to the fun-loving jungle that had ruled dancefloors up until then, however, the start of techstep also marked an inflow of people into minimal techno, noise, punk, and other noise types of music. At the beginning of techstep's explosion, a Bristol label, No U-Turn, released a compilation of what is considered to be some of the darkest, hardest techstep out there. Headed by Nico, DJ Trace, and Ed Rush, "Torque" is a masterpiece of minimal, rolling drum and bass. The transition in styles can still be felt here; "Damn Son" is essentially hardstep with a evil playfulness, however, the ideas of the new style are all there. "Proton" is still one of the most dark, hard-hitting tracks around; the drop to the amen breaks is almost a religious experience. The pace of the breaks, also, lends itself to the rolling feel of the track; the amens do not dominate here; they creep along with the track, something else rarely felt in darker drum and bass. "Torque" is stripped down techstep; there's nothing aside the mood-setting, unsettling atmospheric, and the occasional reminder that the track could explode at any second from hoover hits. Not since Techno Animal, where the samples and similarities likely came from, has anyone used bass stabs so well to add that much hard darkness to a track. The sheer anguish and feeling of being sucked into an empty abyss in "Squadron" is incredible. This album has been described as gut-wrenching, and that might not be too far from the truth. That being said, though, this album is another must-have for those who like their music that way. It's becoming rather hard to find now a days, however, the rewards to finding it are very rewarding.
Featured Review | 2003-12-12 14:29:38
The Decemberists Her Majesty, The Decemberists
by: Sun-J Historical preservation through storytelling is a lost art. Long gone are days when one's word of mouth can conjure up, and amplify a hero's deeds, or a villainís shrewd mischief. The closest reference we have is Greek and roman mythology which preserves cultural beliefs and manifests historical memorabilia. Portland's The Decemberists are a folk-tale band with musical savvy. Their songs are stories, historic passages and myths borrowing, sometimes exaggerated detail from pigeonholed volumes of historical references budding with morose, polyphonic lyricism. Writer and lyricist Colin Meloy's poetic justice comes into light as his gift of focusing on a certain scene can translate into a glorious tale. The fivesome comprised of the aforementioned lyricist, also boasts Jenny Conlee on keys, Jesse Emerson on bass, Rachel Blumberg on drums, and Chris Funk on guitar and steel pedal. Their previous album, Castaways & Cutouts was highly regarded as a 2002 release on the Kill Rock Stars label, though it is pertinent to point out that the album was actually released in 2001 on Hush records, and then after garnering credibility, was re-released for mass consumption. In fact, sixth months later, the label dropped Her Majesty, The Decemberists. Enclosed with the album is a lyric sheet, a strong statement by the band. It is important for listeners to understand the lyrics, and perhaps the band has chosen to provide a lyric sheet so that the masses can sing along, and essentially pass on stories so that heros, villains and morals may live on as they did years ago, via music. The album opens up with "Shanty for the Arethusa," a dark song about a crew of pirates heading to South Australia from the perspective of a homesick Frenchmen over the humming of minor chords and passive harmonies. The next track, "Billy Liar," expands Meloy's witty lyricism with lines such as, "Billy Liar's got his hands in pockets, he's staring over at the neighbors, knickers down." The third track marks the standout track, and possibly radio single. Opening with cymbals and an acoustic guitar, "Los Angeles I'm Yours," is a rhythmic guitar driven melody with swirling string sections and a dampening organ amidst morose phrases, "How I abhor this place, it's sweet and bitter taste has left me wretched, retching on all fours, Los Angeles I'm Yours." "The Bachelor and the Bride," is an organ thumping riff secured by a juxtaposing chorus, "I will box your ears and leave you here stripped bare." "The Soldiering Life," is a brilliantly written number of comradeship in warfare while "Red Right Ankle," is a provocative ballad with mysterious lyrics. "I Was Meant for the Stage," bolsters Meloy's witty lyrics to boastful in a gentlemen fashion with multisyllabic adjectives and verbs, "I was meant for applause, I was meant for derision..." The closing song "As I Rise," is followed by an obscure bonus track with its country twang and sentimental organ. As a whole, Her Majesty, The Decemberists rivals Castaways & Cutouts in that the album as a whole isn't as cohesive; rather it is a free lanced storybook with differing concepts where as Castaways & Cutouts seemed more like a series. However, Her Majesty, The Decemberists is advanced in that musically as a whole, the band orchestrates as a unit. In fact, on Her Majesty, The Decembrists we find the backup up vocals of Rachel Blumberg to calm the lyrical chaos stirred by the lexicon mastermind, Meloy. In closing, the album has a much warmer feel, and the presence of all five musicians are felt on every track. Save for a few missteps, I would consider this album to be on par with Castaways & Cutouts. Unfortunately commercial success is hard to reach for bands with musical content such as The Decemberists.
Featured Review | 2003-12-12 14:29:26
Her Space Holiday The Young Machines
by: Sun-J After dropping albums under the names, Home is Where you Hang Yourself, and Manic Expressive, it's not hard to see why Marc Bianchi's records are so dark and melancholy. The San Francisco native, and soft spoken romantic, combines acoustic guitar, parse violin, classical melodies, winds, synthesized keys and furnished drums for a soft-core, techno-pop flavor with a brush of Marilyn Manson. Bianchi's musical approaches are often blatant and clichéd, though his lyrics, obvious as they are, tackle topics from subverted angles for a fresh, dark, quasi-comedic outlook on life. The album opens with the title track, "The Young Machines," the only instrumental on the ten song album. "The Young Machines," is full with chimes, rudimentary beats and prodigious mixing, a perfect precursor to the next cut, "Something to Do with My Hands." Songs such as this track define what I mean when I refer to BIanchi's music as "blatant and clichéd." Recall a song called "Blister in the Sun." On the outside, and after a first listen it's virtually impossible to pick up the songs true topic, yet a couple carefully plotted listens will often yield the debatable topic. Masturbation. Though, Bianchi clearly forwards the listeners to the subject of the song, his lyrical spin-off is as fresh as grocery store produce, "Suck my fingertips until you kill all my points so your boyfriend as not clue how much I've been touching you." The next song "Tech Romance," is a typical love song with lyrics such as "so Carry me around like a picture in your purse." Though, what causes Bianchi's work to standout when it comes to tracks such as this is the way he rhythmically feels out his lyrics. His singing has an underlying, subtle rhythm. His voice almost seems to be a metronome that the music follows. "Sleepy California," is a honest depiction of homesickness which finds Bianchi re-evaluating a strained relationship with his mother in the wake of his grandmother's unfortunate passing. On "Meet the Pressure," Bianchi vents on the criticism he endures from music, "Don't get me wrong I don't mind getting bad reviews, In fact sometimes they're the only ones who try and speak the truth, But there are others who just love to cross that line, Hoping that their viciousness will boost traffic on their site..." The following track, "My Girlfriends Boyfriend," brings out the emo in Marc with its gentle electronica and familiar pop hook, while the closing track, "From South Carolina," are glowing synth key driven riffs over laminiating, inverting beats. As a whole, the album is very formulaic in comparison with his previous works so fans should not be disappointed with this release. The album has many pitfalls, one namely is the song "Japanese Gum," a wasted four minutes about an indie-kid and a prostitute, fortunately for the most part, the said blunders are often combined with off center, eccentric humor. For example, on the song "Meet the Pressure," Bianchi recklessly attempts to unleash a harsh punch line in retaliation to the media, but we find Binachi to come off a tad bit immature, "Yeah, you might think I suck, but your girlfriend wants to f#$% me." It's lines such as these that almost cause me to feel embarrassment for Bianchi, though his use of the 'f bomb' is incomparable, and will leave you floored. "Something to Do with My Hands," boasts similar imagery, "would your body sink into me like your favorite memory, like a line of poetry or a f*&^#&% fit of honesty." In closing, The Young Machines is a skillfully crafted album saturated with minor flaws which in the end should provide amusement.
Featured Review | 2003-12-05 13:54:05
Plaid "Spokes"
by: Zero Sharp For the long-time electronica listeners who remember names well, it would come as no surprise that the new album from Plaid should sound good. For the rest of us, here's the back history: the duo that makes up Plaid, Andy Turner and Ed Handley, have been around for quite a while. In the 1990's, they made up two-thirds of The Black Dog, who are famous for helping pioneer the whole IDM scene. Now, a good 10 years down the line, Plaid, their more quirky, melodic project is seeing its fourth full-length release, "Spokes". The album is beautifully produced, as expected. The use and quality of sounds and samples is masterful, and it shows through in the whole album. The start of the album, "Even Spring" starts almost operatic, with disembodied, wordless vocals. It then proceeds to meltdown into a vibrating mass of melodic beatwork, something that would conjure the image of Browian motion come to life sonically. The next track is a great example of Plaid going its own direction in sounds, uncaring if they're in with the the trends that have been bouncing around recently. The sounds seem at times so old-school that they hurt, but they do so without any of the obnoxious "revisiting the 80s" vibe which seems to have contaminated so much recently. The track, "Crumax Rins", has a masterful rolling drum and bass line which lends an subterranean feel to the whole track. Other noteworthy tracks, "Get What You Give", sounds like Jamaican steel drums bouncing, carrying along a fun, floating rhythm and melody. "B Born Droid" is also fun, almost close sonically to Nobukazu Takemura and his the feel that the latter's singing robots induce. All in all, it's a solid release, and a good listen, but it's not as classic as some of Plaid's earlier works. Those would be the place to start, and then if you feel that you can't get enough, this will be a good addition to that library.
Featured Review | 2003-12-05 13:54:26
Luke Vibert "YosepH"
by: Zero Sharp In some ways, it was probably just a matter of time. Between becoming well known for his drum 'n' bass work as the off the wall Plug to the more classic style of Amen Andrews, in addition his work in twisted hip-hop as Wagon Christ, and well, himself, it was a matter of time before Luke Vibert released an album for the venerable Warp Records. Of course, the new album, "YosepH", is not in really any of those styles. Vibert casts his mind and equipment back to the days of acid techno, pulling out the old Roland 303 and filling the songs with its glory. Vibert's influence by and to hip-hop do appear here; "Acidisco" is one of the biggest examples of this goodness. The album starts well with "Liptones", a good blend of beats and the old, familiar acid licks. As the CD progresses, it just gets better. The second half is brilliant; it's some of the best, warm, fun dance music made in quite a while. "I Love Acid" is on a more subtle trip while silly vocoded lyrics float by while "Stan D'infarny" shines with its dissonant chords, echoes, and masterful yet bizarre beatwork. In the end, the album doesn't really bring much new to the table, however, it stays creative and never slips into the realm of cliche. If it had been released ten years ago, it would have been a masterpiece; releasing it now means that it's just a well-produced, fun, solid album.
Featured Review | 2003-11-27 13:31:21
Mates of State "Team Boo"
by: Sun-J Mates of State's first album, My Solo Project, was a journey into the sound of a husband and wife tandem who dropped the guitars in trade for a chamelian organ. Impacting the richtor scale with great force, My Solo Project set the stage for a perfect sophomore fluke. 2002's Our Constant Concern was just that. Filled with cheesy love cliches and a new sound, Mates of State followed the particular route of all indie-pop rock gems; drop a knockout, then get knocked out. Though, unlike many pop acts, Mates of State weathered the storm, have gotten back up, and released an album that picks up right where My Solo Project left off. Kori Gardner's versatile, vintage organ, and the skillful glide of Jason Hammel's drum kit, survey around the harmonizing cross of the couple's vocals. Team Boo opens up with "Ha Ha," a perfect hint to listeners that the old sound has returned with its disco groove, pulsing organ and musical segmentation. "Whiner's Bio," features a trumpet which amplifies the vocal marriage (no pun intended) between the love birds. "Open Book," is misleading with its treacherously ample beginning before expanding into a hybrid orchestration behind an emphatic choir sound. "Parachutes(funeral song)," contains a flittering piano melody among a wave of rolling drums and criss-cross vocals, "I'd say I'm better 'cause I lived before I died, At least I know you tried." The next track, "An Experiment," is the standout cut of the album with its steady drumbeat and colorful organ melody, which give it a golden brass touch. In addition, "An Experiment," is perhaps the longest Mates of State song to date, hitting the four-minute mark! (Most Mates of State Tracks are rarely push three minutes.) "I Got This Feelin'" is an entertaining song with subtle organ bass and a surprising driving chorus, "This couldn't be more Ghetto..." The closing ballad, "Separate the People," embellishes the growth of the group, as Hammel takes a back seat to Gardner's milky-sweet vocals. On a side note, "Separate the People," ironically seems to separate the sound, as listeners will see how much more clean "wifey's" vocals are. Mates of State seem to be the Sonny and Cher of this millennium. They are at their best harmonizing vocally together rather than solo, perhaps a testament to their marriage rather than a diss totheir individual talents. Minus the occasional lovey-dovey,cheesy, bollywood-like, almost make you puke-your0guts-out lyrics one should come to observe as typical for a husband and wife combo (see Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson collaborations.), "I wonder if I could tie the oceanto your knees...," Mates of State without question bounce back from their sophomore slump.
Featured Review | 2003-11-27 13:31:05
Aesop Rock "Bazooka Tooth"
by: Sun-J Still living off the respect Labor Days garnered, Aesop Rock has returned with an album full of vintage Def Jux produced gems along with an unbrandished, sweeping tornado of boastful verbal treats. Ian Bavitz, affectionally known as Aesop Rock presents the underground hip hop indie circuit with another full length, Bazooka Tooth. His staccato resounding nasal flow is strong and confident as ever, and his lyrics are as dense as cement. He fills the album with clever idioms, and witty, multi-syllabic fusions which come at you from every direction, and leave you behind ("Park your bets, shark or jets. it's bark marked targets where barnacles rest."). Aesop will be on bar twenty-four yet you will still be pondering the hidden passages of bar twelve. No doubt, on this album, Aesop frequently reminds listeners of his fame. The opening line to the first track proves this, "Journalists across the globe are officially critiquing my first eight bars." Perhaps though, Aes has yet to fulfill his potential. Generally speaking, perhaps Aesop has what it takes to reach the urban masses. One thing I feel that has always held Aesop Rock back were his rhymes. He throws one multi-syllabic metaphor at you every line, which often leaves listeners confused and frustrated. Like the old Talib Kweli, it often seems as if Aesop is packing too much into one verse. Alternatively, Ian Bavitz is great at skirting topics. In fact, seventy five percent of his fans probably don't even realize he is a white emcee. His style, methodology, and topics are always deeper than race, a true hip hop fundamentalist. The album opens up with "Bazooka Tooth," a dominating spite of media ferocity. The next track, "NY Electric," coupled along with "No Jumper Cables," are stadium anthems with jackhammer synths, and eclectic drums. "Limelighter," is a transcendental lyrical journey with Camp-Lo along for the voyage. Always entertaining, Camp-Lo brings their chi, and charms the track as usual. "Cook it Up," is the odd song out. Nonetheless, uncharacteristic of Aesop as it is, the track is a humorous, wit-filled record about sexism and misogyny. "Freeze" is a brag fest with lines such as, "you should have shot yourself in the foot when it was in your mouth." "We're Famous," appears to be the standout track. A diss track featuring a four minute verse courtesy of label CEO EL-P, the cut is the strongest lyrically, "Some of these faggots used to send me their demos, breeding puppy styles in the company flow kennels." Not only is the track lyrically on point, but the instrumental is laced with the usual space effects found on a def jux production as well as pounding synth chords and funky hand claps. "Babies with Guns," is a retrospective track about the younger generation of killers that plagues society today. "Frijoles," isn't a special song, but incorporates a twisted vocal sample into the mix. "11:35," producedby Blockhead, and featuring political conscious label mate Mr. Lif is a controversial song with narrative imagery. The only weaknesses I can discern from this album are the awkward beats, which probably stems from the reduced production duties of Blockhead to the proportionally increasing production duties of Ian Bavitz. A strange record, yet with songs called "The Greatest Pac- Man Victory Ever," you should expect John Coltrane on drugs.
Featured Review | 2003-11-20 11:56:47
[The User] "Abandon"
by: Zero Sharp Before starting this review, I should probably admit that I have a quite the soft-spot in my heart of hearts for both pipe organs and good conceptual ideas. For me, then, the new album by [the user], the same [the user] who brought a classical style symphony made of dot matrix printer sounds, "Abandon," is something from which dreams are made. The album is a composition for an instrument dubbed "the Silophone," a series of 88 giant empty cylinders which make up the abandoned Silo #5 grain elevator in the Port of Montreal's Quai des Ecluses. The grain elevator was transformed by placing contact microphones and speakers in the cylinders to create feedback loops to make the buildings resonate, or sing, much like a pipe organ. The results are beautiful resonant sounds, lasting up to 20 to 30 seconds. That having been said, the album is, of course, a step away from this old elevator telling of it's life, and it's the music that sells the album. Let me assure you that the patterning or resonance and notes is beautiful, though I would not recommend this recording to anyone looking for even close to instant gratification. More than being developing melodies, the composition feels more like drones and minimal tones worked over each other. As a piece, it flows well, sometimes staying at low bass rumbles where other times treble tones filter in slowly to build and grab the attention of the listener. It's masterfully done, but I would only really recommend it to people into very minimal drones, sounds, and experimental music. As a story told by a building that has seen many years, it comes out both haunting and beautiful.
Featured Review | 2003-11-20 11:56:05
Klute "Lie Cheat, and Steal"
by: Zero Sharp Although it seems like the two genres should be easily intertwined, the ability to produce both quality breakbeats and drum and bass seems to elude most producers. Enter Klute, a low-profile drum and bass producer that has been consistently putting out some of the most popular tracks in the recent years. His most recent release, a two CD set called "Lie, Cheat, and Steal," feels like two separate albums, the first of drum and bass, and the second, called "You Should Be Ashamed," is comprised of breakbeat and more techno-styled tracks. Since the feel of each is rather different, I'll talk about them separately. In the past few years, Klute has carved a name for himself by mixing the "cyber-ish" and techno styled sounds of the darker movements of drum and bass, e.g. Cause 4 Concern, Renegade Hardware, and the DSCI4 labels, and mix it with soulful vocals and samples similar to the ones London Elektricity use. His results are generally good, and this album is no exception. A few tracks here are older, borrowed back from releases on other labels, and they are definitely welcome. The best track on the album, "Song Seller," is from Doc Scott's 31 label. "Part of Me," a popular release earlier in the year originally on Hospital Records is also here. "Evo Sniffer," a remix of an earlier track called "Glue Sniffer" also makes an appearance as the only hard track here. Mostly, the songs blend well, and aside from the above mentioned track, the tracks are light, danceable, and roll well. All in all, it's a solid release with a few really bright points, like "song Seller." The second disk, Klute's foray into the world of breakbeats and minimal techno, is a little more scattered. He's trying different things in different tracks, and they work to varying degrees. The disk starts with "Machines Do the Work," a fun track that mixes the minimal sounds and feel into a breakbeat setting. Sadly, when many drum and bass producers do breakbeat work, the result sounds like playing drum and bass 45s at 33, which sometimes can kill the whole mood. Klute mostly dodges the bullet, with the notable exception of "2 Lives" and possibly "Crucial." The upper atmospherics are done well, which makes the sluggish bassline even more of a shame. Into more of a minimal trip, both "Music For Doubles" and "Black Flag" please heartily in their simplicity and roll. Again, all in all, it's a good album with about half the album being very good. Putting the discs together, it makes for a solid release that is thoroughly enjoyable, and I would recommend it to fans of this style of sound.
Featured Review | 2003-11-13 10:23:48
The Shins "Chutes Too Narrow"
by: Sun-J Usually when a band debuts strong, and are labeled with more potential than the Olsen twins at fifteen, their sophomore efforts are usually considered flops or not on par with the first release. Few artists have the ability to improve with the second record after "shocking" the world with their debut. In fact, only two artists come to mind, Eminem (Although Eminem's 3rd release is magnitudes in electro-volts off the energy brandished by his first two) and Coldplay. I'm sure there are many more, though those are the first to "pop" into mind...Get it? "Pop." Right...well then, scientifically speaking, the Shins' second helping is a resonance structure to the first. In other words, both are equally good, and each has weaknesses and strengths. The Shins' 2001 release, Oh Inverted World! had everyone and their mom in the indie rock scene creaming their panties, labeling the Shins as the next Beach Boys. On Oh Inverted World!, the Shins displayed their skill as they mastered sixties Britpop and seventies top forty rock. On their new release, Chutes Too Narrow, the gang efficiently morph their already eclectic sound to further their musical growth (as well as their careers!). Gone are the highly reverbed songs with fledgling sixties, vintage pride marked all over them. Gone are the perky one liners, and do wop melodies. Chutes Too Narrow is refined, emotional, and sparkling with empathy and passionate excitement amidst handclaps and tambourines. The band's second LP more importantly marks a growth for lead singer James Mercer. His vocals focus much more for pinnacle-orgasmic conclusions to subtle, keytone verses. The album kicks off with "Kissing the Lipless," which begins with quiet guitar before picking up into an electronic fusion resembling The Strokes of the past. It details a relationship gone bad as Mercer sings, "You've got too much to wear on your sleeves, It has to do with me and I secretly want to bury it in the yard..." "Mines Not a High Horse," is full of instruments including a lush orchestration of meshing synths, guitars plucking, xylophones and cowbells. "Young Pilgrim," is a sliding rhythm with a hop scotch playground melody. "Gone For Good," marks more eclectic music from the Shins as they produce a country feel with twangy guitars and southern lyricism. The leadoff single, "So Says I," is densely packed with bridging harmonies blanching subtle verses, and the closing song, "Those to Come," is a beautiful acoustic driven number with solo vocals. These kids hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico once again return with enthusiasm, Fascinating melodies and asinine sarcasm to provide an on par follow up.
Featured Review | 2003-11-13 10:23:35
Lyrics Born "Later That Day"
by: Sun-J Tom Shimura AKA Asia Born AKA Lyrics Born. From Soulsides Collective, to the now quickly surging Quannum indie label. Shimura has seen it all. A loyal artist on a once withering label, the man now known as Lyrics Born has had his music pigeonholed for quite some time, but the time as come, his time has come. Already heralded as on of the years' dopest independent rap record to surface, Later That Day is an introspective look into the emotions of Shimura over soulful, buzz-laden instrumentals. The raspy voiced, boisterous emcee, spits eloquently and efficiently. His mellow demeanor hides how he expedites syllables which could pace hummingbird beats. Try and vicariously reproduce his lyrics and you will see the difficulty. Later That Day evokes a 1970's vive of Mario Van Peebles with its syncopated bass lines, juggernaut guitar loops, and scorching female back up vocals primarily courtesy of soul singer, Jayo Velarde. To describe Shimura's flow is difficult. He is a combination of flavors. The Bay Area native is a melting pot of Common, Talib Kweli, and Gift of Gab. With production done by DJ Shadow, Chef XL, and Shimura himself, the record is a college radio station fix. "Rise and Shine," is an inspiring song featuring Velarde about oppression and having the world on your shoulders. "Love me So Bad," is a reggae number and "The Last Trumpet," is a political record addressing the state of the nation. "Pack Up," is a boastful attempt to place the commercial masses in their basements utilizing ironic, subtle humor; "You sissy ass groups afraid to say the fucking f-word...," over a rock riff beat. "Do That There," was produced by Cut Chemist originally for J5, and is party ready for b-boys with its blaring tones and timed scratches. "One Session," featuring The Altered Egos is equipped with a sick electronic bass. "Stop Complaining," featuring Tommy Guerrero is a realization song, and shows that we are all victims to our own self loathing and capacity for imagination. Though the cuts are concrete, the interludes are somewhat of a pesky tease. "Cold Call," with Gift of Gab features a drilling beat which is failed to be utilized amidst pointless four minute phone conversation between LB and Blackaliscious' vocal half. The album is strong, and the difficult points are minimal. Lyrics Born who demolished tracks for Lifesavas, Tommy Guerrero and Blackaliscious makes no exception on this record. This joint is one for the 'heads.
Featured Review | 2003-11-06 15:56:55
Kid Koala "Some of My Best Friends are DJs"
by: Zero Sharp Kid Koala seems to know how to have fun. His new album, "Some of My Best Friends are DJs" is rather chalked full of it; there's a comic book, a travel chess set, and a long, entertaining video clip seeming in the style of "johnny the Homicidal Maniac" and the like. Similarly, the music is just wobbles and bounces through funny, funky, and off-beat samples. In addition to the chill-out feel that pervades the album, it's just fun; the old jazz samples, and the material sampled via turntable give the whole album a rather whimsical feel. However, we seem to be missing part of the artist. The whole album, which clocks in at about 35 minutes, seems to be all going somewhere, but it never quite gets there. Some of the gimmicky songwriting works better than others; songs like Robochacha are funny in addition to hanging together sonically. Others just disintegrate into odd busyness. Mostly, the album almost feels like an old-time radio program, which is by no means a bad thing. Looked at as a light-hearted comedy album, this is well worth a listen, however, I suspect that many won't be listening to it with that attitude. If that's the case, stick to his earlier release, "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome", his focus on the music seems to happen more there.
Featured Review | 2003-11-06 15:55:43
Chris Clark "Empty The Bones of You"
by: Zero Sharp "Empty the Bones of You" marks Chris Clark's sophomore full-length release on Warp Records. With his first release, he showed himself to be a worthy artist to be on Warp, but that was most of it; he sounded like the standard Warp artist. "Ceramics is the Bomb", an EP released in the mean time showed that he could actually be much more diverse than his first release had let on. "Empty the Bones of You" sees his sound evolve to something fresher, and more unique on the label. This time around, the melodic side has won, though make no mistake, that doesn't mean that the CD is light and airy, little could be further from the truth. Many of the tracks see layers added and removed simultaneously, adding a rather haunting feel to the song progression, and many of the beats and cuts running under the melodies are dark, harsh, and heavy. Under this kind of song scaping, things turn out beautifully. "Indigo Optimus" starts with a dark, minimal Detroit beat which breaks into harsher and harsher cuts. "Early Mass" features a metallic-sounding, stuck music box keeps looping until it fades into the background leaving a haunted shadow on the progressing music. "Gravel: (Obliterated)" is, perhaps, the near-masterpiece track on the album, though it is harder than much else of the offerings here. There is little doubt that Chris Clark has found a much stronger voice with this CD, but he hasn't quite recorded his masterpieces yet. That doesn't keep this CD from being very good, if a little repetitive. I would highly recommend this to fans of those wacky Warp people.
Featured Review | 2003-10-30 12:27:25
Mojave 3 "Spoon and Rafter"
by: Sun-J Ten years ago, Mojave 3's functional group dropped an album under the name Slowdive called Souvlaki, and they were quickly accredited into the "shoegazing" movement. Essentially a genre which bridged the gap between light country and experimental rock. Think My Bloody Valentine or even Wilco, though that is a stretch. Lead singer, Neil Halsted has always kept the same approach to song writing. His sound is of a gentle, flourishing approach, packed with subtle drums and brushing guitar strokes over whimsical singing which always seems to morph into harmonious whispers. Mojave 3's 2000 release, Excuses for Travelers and Halsted's 2002 solo release were hallmark albums. On Mojave 3's current release, Spoon and Rafter, little new ground is discovered, moreover, Mojave 3's techniques become sharper and this album perhaps establishes a characteristic sound. Call it daring, call it brash, call it asinine, but I call it confident. Not many bands have the cacahuates to begin an album with a nine minute track, but Mojave 3 does just that. "Bluebird of Happiness," is nine minutes of hesitant murmurs and sporadic gleams of pop to portray an experimental feel. With all the clicks and beeps, it is highly reminiscent of Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The "la, la, la's," of "Starlight #1," will lull you onto cloud nine and the pensive broken hearts of "Writing to St. Peter," and "Too Many Mornings," will comfort those in depressive states. "Hard to Miss You," is a subtle piano driven melody which is followed by Halsted's withering voice while "She's All Up Above," features an aching guitar verse. "Tinker's Blue" is very Beatles like with its heavy British influence while "Between the Bars," feeds off a country fried feel with its banjo and harmonica parts. Spoon and Rafter covers no new ground for Mojave 3. It is a sequel to their previous works. It is filled with haze and tranquility, lazy tones and serenelysung lyricism over lightly rolled drums. Close your eyes and listen to the lyrics intertwine with the instrumentation and you will smile. If you like Wilco, you will appreciate this album.
Featured Review | 2003-10-30 12:32:51
Atmosphere "Seven's Travels"
by: Sun-J Everyone's girfriends' favorite rapper is back. Slug AKA Sean Daley AKA Seven returns with his groups fourth album, Seven's Travels. Perhaps the most notable, and profitable indie hip hop act out there, Atmosphere is comprised of MC Slug, producer Ant and DJ Mr. Dibbs. Not counting the Sad Clown, Bad Dub series, this marks the fourth time an album of Atmosphere's has headed in a more emo direction. Slug, with his poetic prose has virtually established a new sub genre, emo-rap. After being courted; wined and dined by a slew of big time record execs, the Rhymesayers representing hip hop act decided to take the D.I.Y. route again, and signed on with Epitaph. Epitah, which earlier had signed on prolific spoken word/rapper Sage Francis, allows global distribution for Slug and the gang. The truth of the matter though is that Atmosphere doesn't need a major backing. The group has sweated five years of dense touring, rocking crowds from Los Angeles to New York, and as usual, always back to Minnesota. Establishing a major following, with Slug's surreal and emotionally sung lyrics, Atmosphere‚s attraction to urban girls/women seems to be growing readily. Produced as usual by Ant, the album maintains the usual feel: abrasive snares, pulsating hats, and chopped bars. People often complain about the simplicity and redundancy of Ant's production, but the public fails to realize Ant's musical genius. Ant produced fellow Rhymesayers spitter, Brother Ali's latest album, Shadows on the Sun where the beats where structured around seventies soul sampling. It's not that Ant is holding back, or limiting his capabilities, but rather pumping out beats which compliment Slug's lyrics and voice. After all, could you possibly imagine Slug versing over Jurassic 5's "What's Golden" instrumental? is very much so a continuation of God Love's Ugly. In fact, Slug remixes up the wording to the beginning verse from "Ode to the Modern Man's Hustle." The first time she met the devil was at first avenue / Went backstage with him into the dressing room / Sexy ego-trip, taller than expected / About six foot three, seemed to thrive on his misery. / Critical, observant, big words, sweaty hair sunken eyes and thick nerves. / She said ŚI‚ll make him smile for the simple fact that he needs it, I‚ll make him smile just so I can kill it and eat it‚.‰ "Trying to Find a Balance" is an inventive track with lyrical analogies galore; "So now I keep a close eye on my pets, because they make most of their moves off of instinct and sex / It‚s eat, sleep, and self-defense, so straight you can set your clocks and place bets / Wait, let‚s prey on the blind, deaf, dumb, dead, hustle and maybe a couple will love what you said..." "Bird Sings Why the Caged I know" is a song which personifies an escaped bird as a women and a representation of the American Government. "Good Times," is a comical track about dating girls with low self esteem, and "Cats Vans Girls," is a eccentrically produced track with its electric guitar riffs and unsorted beats, yet in my opinion is home of the illest lines dropped by Slug on the album; "...navigating through a basement that masquerades as a nation / Practicing [his] acetate masturbation." The album highlight is a track called "Always Coming Home Back to You,"where Slug narrates the troubles of a young man through a display of wicked lyrical imagery, "The clouds ran away, opened up the sky / And one by one, I watched every constellation die." Dedicated to a sixteen year old girl Marissa who was sexually assaulted and killed by a theater employee (whom was a previous sex offender) at an Atmosphere show after she tried to get back stage doesn't especially cover any new ground, but Atmosphere is so advanced in the indie circuit that it rarely matters. Loyal Atmosphere fans will adore songs like "Reflections," yet Atmosphere once again produces an album which willdefinitely exponentially increase their groupie lot, and confidently multiply their fan base.
Featured Review | 2003-10-23 10:38:28
Patric C. "Hitler 2000"
by: Zero Sharp A Beginner's Guide To Digital Hardcore - part 3 of 3 Welcome back to the last of the digital hardcore reviews. If you missed the first two reviews two weeks ago, I would recommend going back and looking at the reviews for Alec Empire's "The Destroyer" and Christoph de Babylon's "If You're Into It, I'm Out of It." The last shadow album I want to mention here is the solo material of Patric C., known better as half of Ec8or. Much like Alec Empire, he also has a sound that is very different from Ec8or's stuff. His best full-length album is probably "Hitler 2000" (known as Attitude PC8 on CD), which also wins for best cover. Patric C.'s beatwork is incredible here, and he manages to look good doing it. Many of the tracks here are loud, and full of everything, but they're incredible. There are a few restrained tracks here, and they manage to flourish nicely amist the noisier stuff. He uses a lot of echoey effects to glorious results, and manages to send a decidedly anti-fascist message at the same time. How many can claim that one? Again, the tracks come from a diverse group of styles, and they're all well-crafted. If he were to be sonically compared to his label-mates, "Hitler 2000" is a bit like Alex Empire's later stuff, but Patric C. is much, much better at it. Anyway, I highly recommend this to all of you because again, this is close to being several different genres all at once, and it's brilliant. Go back to part 1... or go back to to part 2...
Featured Review | 2003-10-23 10:38:19
Meat Beat Manifesto "Storm the Studio R.M.X.S."
by: Zero Sharp The problem when people remix classic, influential music is that it's generally neigh-impossible to bring it back to the level that it was before. If nothing else, the new album of remixes of Meat Beat Manifesto's "Storm the Studio" shows how much from the original album has influenced electronic music in these 15 years. The best remix on the album is the first, a reworking of various pieces of the album dubbed "Cease to Exist", Dangers himself teams up with Ben Stokes to create a nice, dark, soundscape with a solid, minimal beat. It manages to keep the feel of early MBM with a few subtle changes, making a nice track overall. The best of the various remixes of "God O.D." is probably the Mellowtrons rolling, soothing mix which lets the beats flow where they will. The Eight Frozen Modules and Jonah Sharp mix both work to some degree, however, both have parts where everything in the music just doesn't quite work together. The High Priest - Antipop Consortium mix also never quite goes anywhere. Generally, however, the grooves on the CD are fairly solid, like the The Opus mix of "I Got the Fear", and there's quite a bit of potential dancability with many of the tracks. All in all, it's a solid release, and the treatment of the tracks does help to partially break it away from the original, but the lingering tendency to want to compare it to the original kinda leaves it disappointing.
Featured Review | 2003-10-16 12:06:14
Death Cab For Cutie "Transatlanticism"
by: Sun-J Don't get the picture misconstrued or take the band's relationship to be "staind." Despite the fact that "it's been a while," since the band got down for some serious writing. Their latest musical offering, and October 7th release, Transatlanticism, is more than enough proof that Death Cab For Cutie are still collaborating. Nonetheless, During their brief offset, front man Ben Gibbard has been dabbing in the sup-pop indie circuit with his side project The Postal Service (see previous review). While Gibbard was multitasking between bands, Death Cab For Cutie keyboardist/guitarist/producer extraordinaire, Chris Walla, was upping the quality of his latter skill producing albums for bands Hot Hot Heat,and The Velvet. In addition to these tangent directions, the band also found tim to discover a new drummer in Jason McGerr. Furthermore, listener beware, Death Cab For Cute seemed to have manifest there sound into a more delicate, harmonious, tightly produced sound. Transatlanticism kicks off with "The New Year," a British influence sounding song with an excited guitar riff and critical breakdown, complete with surreal lyricism, "I wish the world was flat like the old dogs, and I could travel just by folding the map, nomore airplanes or speed trains or freeways, there'd be no distance that could hold us back." "Title and Registration" is a fresh song that will leave you humming about glove compartments with the stumbling rhythm and subtle ring tones. "Expo '86" is built from the solid foundation provided by Walla's flailing guitar and upholds an infectious chorus which hints towards borderline anthem. "The Sound Of Settling," is a standout track and floods the listener from the beginning as Gibbard syncopately sings in perfect pace over an appropriate rhythm, "I've got a hunger, twist my stomach into knots..." Alternately this song depicts the morphed Death Cab For Cutie sound as Gibbard's vocal tones yield haunting resemblances of the late Morrissey during The Smiths era. "Tiny Vessels" is a heavily layered track with distortion and peaceful background stringing while the title cut is an eight minute passage of simplistic piano melodies bubbling with romantic innuendos while Gibbard's naked voice belts in the key of emo. The following track seems to have issues. In other words, if all the songs on this album were The Brady Bunch, this track would be Jan Brady. "Passenger Seat," seems to be the black sheep of the album as Gibbard and Walla come off as a bad Cold play impression. "Death of an Interior Decorator," is a waltzed fused tune with a passionate bridge. "We looked like Giants," is an anthem song as it opens up with strong rhythm before breaking off into layers of springing instrumentation that endlessly continue to build and consume Gibbard's fathomable wording, "God bless the daylight, the sugary smell of springtime, remembering when you were mine." The last track, "Lack of Color," opens acoustically before stretching into electric and synth, and then transitions back into acoustic and continues this trend. The album as a whole differs from the previous Death Cab For Cutie sound in that the album seems to be more focused production wise and heading towards the direction that the wave of technology is pioneering. It's difficult to gauge the resonance of this album, but I will present this debatable clause. In previous years, Death Cab For Cutie have always previewed album tracks during live performances, though this time around they chose to secure the songs and keep them private until the release date. Perhaps they were trying to conceal something...
Featured Review | 2003-10-16 12:05:56
King Geedorah "Take Me to Your Leader"
by: Sun-J It's the return of the three headed monster from outer space...Or at least that is what MF Doom considers himself on his latest release, Take Me to Your Leader, which he put out under his new moniker, King Geedorah. After just having released an album this year under Viktor Vaughn, the emcee/producer has no intentions of slowing up with the aliases this year either, as he has slated a future release under a different name before the years ends. way back when Doom was MF, back when he was spitting for KMD, he held down the name Zev Love X, and for those of you not familiar with the man's work up to this point, think back to "The Gas Face," a track released by 3rd Bass, which also featured the man known as King Geedorah/Viktor Vaughn for the time being. The obvious Fantastic Four fan draws much theme material from comic books, for example, the name of his last album under the MF Doom moniker, Operation: Doomsday. Furthermore, on this release, in the man's own words, "The whole album is Geedorah's alien perspective on humans. Geedorah is a space monster. He's not from the Earth. I made it different on purpose. A blend of ill lyrics and instrumentals. To me its way iller than any of the wack s*** out now. This is done intentionally to show the listener a mirror image of his/herself and the way we see each other. On the album we cover different subjects ranging from race issues to the neglect of children. Some might find the word 'N****r' offensive, or the line about the young girl not being able to read maybe considered a 'bad taste' joke. All these insecurities are within us." Strangely, Doom only makes appearances on two tracks ("The Final Hour," and "Anti Matter"), though, rest assure because Geedorah has taken all responsibilities in the production of the LP. Doom mixed, produced, wrote, arranged, recorded, and mastered every track. In addition, just to add to the eccentricity of the album as a whole, virtually all the lending emcees guest under Godzilla monikers. Released on Big Dada, the LP starts out with a track called "Fazers," a well put thesis that sets the tone with eccentric kicks, and paced snares over space age sounding pulsations. "Fastlane" featuring Biolante (Kurious) has a killer Hendrix sounding guitar loop. "Krazy World," is filled with Quincy Jones soul loops, and "Next Levels" is a piano laden, jazz funk instrumental with a killer verse courtesy of Lil' Sci. "No Snakes Alive," features Rodan, and is trendsetting with a mid track tempo change. "Anti Matter" features blues guitar, and "I Wonder" is packed with sliding strings and summer beats, and is an introspective look into the life of a struggling Brooklyn Youth. The track is at its best when looping Motown string samples as Hassan Chop fires out heart felt lyrics. The only weakness I can discern of the album is that many of the beats are off the Special Herb series of albums, and when listening to the LP, keep in mind these words by MF Doom, "You should listen to the album for what it is and not expect it to be like the average 'Rap' stuff you're probably used to." Enough said.
Featured Review | 2003-10-23 09:02:15
Alec Empire "The Destroyer"
by: Zero Sharp A Beginner's Guide To Digital Hardcore - part 1 of 3 In the early nineties, on the ever-so surly streets of Berlin, a group of people who saw both the brilliance of jungle and its relative tameness was helped create a genre that fell somewhere between punk and techno, digital hardcore. A few of the bands that came from that scene are relatively known still; the best examples are probably Atari Teenage Riot and Ec8or. This little set of reviews is not about those bands. Instead, in the next three reviews, I'm going to mention more electronica-ish solo albums put out on Digital Hardcore Recordings that fell under the radar for many people who would probably appreciate them. It's claimed that digital hardcore is an acquired taste at best, but in the end, the sounds these people explored don't differ too much from experimental electronica, drum and bass, breakbeat, IDM, or noise. So with that in mind, let's go back to the golden years of the late nineties. The first album I'll talk about is perhaps the best known of the three. Alec Empire, who at that time was known from Atari Teenage Riot, released a solo album in 1996 called "The Destroyer". Turning away from ATR's signature guitars and vocals, Alec Empire shows genius through brilliant use of samples and fresh ideas. The drum programming is diverse, imaginative, innovative, and rockin all the way through the ep. He uses his samples very well, and most of the tracks on this album still get me on the dance floor. "We All Die" is one of my favorites, complete with time-stretched vocal intro that leads quickly into nasty jungle beats (not amens) and sampled screams running along the track. "The Peak" is also brilliant in a similar vein. He really explores many different breakbeat styles here, cycling from down-tempo to super-fast drum and bass, but the album is cohesive and all of the tracks stay hard without coming off as mindless. Unlike much of the other dance music out there, this album really did push the boundaries of what was possible, instead of sticking to any particular formula. The tracks are intelligent, and it's possible to dance to them on different levels, finding different patterns in them, and they also evolve quickly, in interesting ways. Unfortunately, Alec Empire seems to have stagnated some since then between finding fame and the death of another member of ATR, keeping his music more toward the noisy ATR sound instead of how he shines here. However, even if you don't like ATR, I still highly and vigorously recommend this album. Go on to part 2... or skip to to part 3...
Featured Review | 2003-10-23 09:03:03
Christoph De Babalon "If You're Into It, I'm Out of It"
by: Zero Sharp A Beginner's Guide To Digital Hardcore - part 2 of 3 This review is the second in the series of three reviews looking back at a few classic releases that started a genre at the same time as flying under the radar of many people who would appreciate the music they produced. The next album I'm going to review is at least as good, in my mind, as "The Destroyer", but it didn't really get the attention that the latter seemed to get. Christoph De Babalon always seemed like a bit of an outsider sonically on the Digital Hardcore label, but his sound, being still very different from ATR and Alec Empire's old solo releases, is just as dark and hard as the rest. His only album length release, "If You're Into It, Then I'm Out of It," happened around 1997, and it still stands up today as a brilliant collection of dark drones and more twisted, minimal tracks. The opener, "Opium", is a beautiful washing soundscape of dark, analog synth lines peppered with cries of birds and other familiar sounds. Through the album, Christoph De Babalon covers a lot of ground; from distorted breakbeats and minimal techno, like "Nostep", to jungle to ambient tracks, like "Brilliance", the album flows well as a whole, and it's probably the most cohesive album released on DHR. The ending track, "My Confession" is perhaps one of the most amazing drum and bass tracks ever produced. Minimal in its make-up, it consists of a bass drone that runs through the track, the occasional large, deep bell, and chopped up, ever-changing amens. From start to finish, this album is essential listen to anyone who is a fan of any of those genres or just dark music in general. There's two-thirds of my quick and dirty introduction to one of the main labels that started the whole digital hardcore genre, and why they shouldn't be well-kept secrets. (The other third will come out next week.) Go out and try them; if you like punk, d'n'b, IDM, noise, techno, or other genres like that, I think you'll find tracks to love here. It's about time we did away with these silly genre divisions, anyway. Go on to part 3... or go back to part 1...
Featured Review | 2003-09-29 20:17:42
Enon "Hocus Pocus"
by: Sun-J After indie outfit band Brainiac decided to part ways, few expected much from guitarist John Schmersal. Though, he soon retaliated critics and naysayers by hooking up with a couple of garage band musicians and dropped an album under the name Enon, 2000's Believo! The LP was fresh, and seemed to send Schmersal on his way until the garage band musicians decided to return to their previous bands, and once again, John was left in doubt. Not one to lay dead for too long, Schmersal went out and recruited Toko Yasuda, a vocalist, keys and guitarist extraordinaire (formerly of Blonde Redhead). John then went out and picked up a super percussionist in Matt Schultz (formerly of Lab Partners). After garnering acclaim with a slew of EP's, the new band dropped a 2002 release, High Society. The album was buzz worthy and laid down a foundation for John, and finally got him much deserved respect. After an earlier EP release, In the City, Enon finally dropped a sophomore release, Hocus Pocus. Hocus Pocus emphasizes influences form John's old band Braniac with all of its synth pop references. On "Shave," Yasuda's multi layered vocals fit perfectly, and waffle about a Latin guitar. "Murder Sands," a cut from the June EP release, In the City is guided by a punk influenced bassline and a raw chorus, "She said please stay close, I'm gonna be right back." "Storm the Gates," is psychedelic rock for the masses, while "Daughter in the House of Fools" displays Yasuda's voice in an electrically erotic fashion as it rows along the flow of the bass-curving beats. "Mikazuki," features label mate Nina Nastasia's viola player Dylan Willemsa while "Candy" embraces the bubble pop singing of Yasuda, and meshes perfectly with John's passionate lyrics, "Each way I turn, my senses burn..." "Monsoon" is a rhythm based electronic pop song, while "Utz" is American rock with an angular melody. "Starcastic," is the standout track with its power bassline aggressively mixed with Yatsuda's energized vocals and Schmersal's balancing harmony. What makes Hocus Pocus shine is the exchange in styles between Yasuda and Scmersal. Yasuda is more electronic funk with techno like betas, while Schmersal is pop-rock with a UK flair. The album overall has an 80's new wave feel, and empowers the fusion between rock and electronic marvelously.
Featured Review | 2003-09-29 20:13:44
Stereophonics "You Gotta Go There To Come Back"
by: Sun-J From the hype their '97 release, Word Gets Around, the Welsh three piece Stereophonics were spontaneously thrown into a never ending race for the princes of brit-pop-rock title. A fast accomplishment for any act, especially since '97 was the year that courted Radioheads OK Computer and Oasis' Be Here Now. There sophomore release, Performance and Cocktails was essentially another crowd pleaser as it essentially reflected all that was Word Gets Around. It wasn't until their third release, Just Enough Education to perform, that singer/writer Kelly Jones ventured off into his own creative desires, to juice out a compilation of his musical fusion which went widely unacknowledged despite astounding musical progression on the part of the 'phonics. Ignoring the critics once again, now in 2003, the Welsh act have again evolved their once pop sound to a more 70's rock feel with the release of You Gotta Go there to Come Back This time around the album is filled with a soul-rock blues feel mimicking influences such as the Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, and Credence Clearwater to name a few. Kelly Jones still fills the LP with his intimate emo-rock charm, yet issues another step closer to the phenomenon known as 'American Radio Rock.' The album opens up with 'Help Me," a seven minute rowdy raucous, bluesy-guitar inclined song with riffs that pay tribute to Led Zeppelin. In addition, the cut is verbally, strikingly similar to Lennon's "Cold Turkey." The following track, "Maybe Tomorrow," features guitar from the Isley Brothers' "Summer Breeze," and is a romantic, smooth and soulful ballad with lyrics that notion for a lounge sound, "It wastes time, and I'd rather be high, think I'll walk me outside, and buy a rainbow smile." "Madame Helga," the Stereophincs' first single, is a foot tapping structured, Black Crowes melody, full of energy. "You Stole My Money Honey," is a lazy tune filled with undesirable musical clichés with all its country and jazz influences. "Getaway" is a beautiful Piano driven melody backed by lo-fi guitar that is a tale of forgotten Youth. "Climbing Up the Wall" is a bass-driven, acoustic guitar number complete with a flailing guitar, and nonchalant lyrics, "What makes you and what makes me, what makes ten-ton ships sail me across the sea." The following song, "Jealousy," is west coast guitar and eccentric lyricism, "I'm just standing here looking at myself again, I'm going blind, I'm just sitting here playing with myself again - it's turning me on." "Nothing Precious at All," fuses fundamentals of American Bandstand Rock with a country-twang pop alternative fire as it entails the movements of a young girl in a coffee shop over a faces-like piano lick. „Rainbows and Pots of Gold," is string laden while "High as the Ceiling" encompasses a Black Crowes Sound. The final track, despite being the lowest song listed, ironically is the high point of the album. utilizing Horns and an acoustic approach, is the only track not produced by Jim Low, and has an Oasis "Sunday" feel. The album is best when Jones lyrically sticks to what he is best at doing, telling stories in short verses over 70's influenced rock. At times the songs seem to drag on a bit in length, and it's no surprise that the Black Crowes sound pops up everywhere since the LP was mixed by Jack Joseph Puig. The album again covers new ground sound wise for the band, yet still manages to maintain consistency with a utilitarian rock sound.
Featured Review | 2003-09-16 09:34:42
Northern State "Dying in Stereo"
by: Sun-J What do De La Soul and Public Enemy share in common? Well besides the obvious, they both share the same origin as the tri-feminine Northern State. Who the hell is Northern State you wonder? A group of three women; Hesta Prynn, DJ Sprout, and Guinea Love, all in their early twenties, and all of whom are college educated and, as aforementioned, hailing from the lukewarm hip hop bed known as Long Island, New York. The fact that Northern State was written up in The Rolling Stone before even dropping an LP must mean something right? The fact that they received four stars on their album review has to translate into star power right? I mean, perhaps it is just me, but Northern State are 2 entrees short of a five course meal. They are budding with energy and optimism, they are fun, and their rhyme topics are all relevant and entertaining, it's just the element of hip hop soul that they are missing so to speak. Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Trina, Gangsta Boo, Mia X are all female rappers who have that gutter, ghetto in them which you can actually feel in their voices. Underground femcee, Princess Superstar doesn't have this quality, but makes up for it with her style and speed. Northern State on the other hand are three versions of the Princess Superstar attempting to come off as hardcore with the old school Beastie Boy flow (dum dee de dee de, 123,).. They use 'ouughta," "Ain't," "check it," "know what'msayin," and several other hip hop catch phrases, yet their delivery just isn't home. Though, all isn't loss, there are flashes of potential. Dying in Stereo begins with "A Thousand Words," a political awareness track touching on topics of America, "the country's getting ugly and there's more in store, but don't blame me I voted for gore." The beat is nuts, with a drop kick and superb bass along with a tingling melody. Hesta Prynn and Guinea Love are able to keep on point flow wise and ride the beat rhythmically well. On "At the Party," again the group comes with some heavy bass and a monster guitar riff before settling into a redundant breakbeat before a sub par electric guitar riff enters. On this track, the girls do their most infamous Beastie Boys impression production and rhyme wise stressing every opening verse syllable and the last syllable of every verse, "YO we rock this stage any way we want, hell I'll rock this party like a debu-TANTE." "The Man's Dollar" is an old school feeling track with back and forth lyrics. Northern State does well in amping themselves with enthusiasm and presence. "Vicious Cycle" is a track dealing with capitalism, feminism and shotty republican politics. The following track, "Signal Flow," is a track that shouldn't have been chosen on the album. The song is eccentric and experimental as it diverges from the Northern State Formula, as it fails to highlight the best quality of the group, which is their charisma. "All the Same" fails in the same way as the previously mentioned track save for the fact that the beat and rhythm are significant and are further strengthened by the depth of the bass. The final track, the title song, "Dying in Stereo," is a combination of breakbeats, samples, and aptly placed vocals to provide a strong finish. Their fault is not the Beastie Boys comparison, because every artist who has ever furthered a genre has taken a piece from a past artist; but their inappropriate use of slang and overly aggressive attempt to establish toughness. The lyrics are there, "who owns wall space in the big city, the companies have billboards but that shit ain't pretty, government busy rubbing true art off the wall, the voice of the people, true art of the scrall." Even the beats and instrumentals are strong; the only thing lacking is the way they present themselves. In closing, the CD is a debut with much potential, and with the right audience backing (such as teenage girls), Northern State could blow big to TRL status. Unfortunately, what I respect about them the most may be their roadblock: they are three extremely enthusiastic, scratchy and bubblegum voiced emcees who lack sex appeal as of now. But kudos, and much respect to them for making it this far, they have changed the system somewhat. If you're interested in fair political views, fierce feminism, or are adolescent women with low self esteem, check this CD out.
Featured Review | 2003-09-16 09:35:04
Bonobo "Dial M for Monkey"
by: Sun-J Bonobo's are the rarest of all the great ape species. One of humankind's closest relatives, the Bonobos are tiptoeing the line of extinction. These underrated primates are enclosed by a world of mystery, and in fact, most know not of their existence. A perfect moniker or alias for Simon Green, the Brighton (which is technically the electronica capital of the friggin' world) based DJ (home of Amon Tobin, Fatboy Slim, Quantic, and Thievery Corporation to name a few) who sits at home perfecting his craft, and creating underrated, and under observed downtempo funk-meets-electronica music for the masses. Bonobo's music in one word can be described as 'lush.' Back at the beginning of the millennium, Green garnered interest and respect with his sitar-laden piece, "Terrapin." The creation eventually led to an album and a collection of remixes on the Tru Thought label, which in turn produced a deal with major, Ninja Tune. What makes Green so special is his ability to mesh beats with the harmony and render them untraceable to the point where you sometimes don't even notice their presence, yet take them out, and will discover a large gap in difference. And in fact, the beats are ever so soft that they ricochet magnificently off of the other instruments, and thanks to his first time major label backing, on Dial M for Monkey, Green was able to bring in more musicians to the forefront such as saxophone, woodwind, strings, and organ soloists to expand the versatility. However, Green limits his duties to arrangement and bass, which fits his personality (and alias) appropriately. Quiet and unknown, similar to his demeanor; the bass is the foundation to virtually every song where upon several layers of instruments are placed. Dial M for Monkey opens up with the track "Noctuary," an eastern tinged opener with multi echoes reminiscent of Theivery Corporations claim to fame. "Change Down" is DJ Shadow breaks meets Amon Tobin like drums to form an overall lazy beat that slings along with the instrumentation. "Pick Up," is a track with a superb flute courtesy of Andy Ross. Green successfully remixes the flute with a breakbeat and retro organs. "Flutter" contains those old spy movie horns. The one's heard in the old Batman television series that would sound out during a punch (along with a cartoon written noise) during a fight sequence. In addition, Green layered an infectious sitar riff, which floats above the subtle drums. "Nothing Owed" is the standout track; a jazzy ballad with staccato guitar, and electronic keyboards. "D Song" is filled with start-stop rhythms and rhode influenced eccentric beats. "Wayward Bob" is a trip-hop voyage filled with synthesizer while "Something for Windy" is a one-minute lush and dreamy groove with smooth strings and harmonious winds. The final track, "Light Pattern" is layered with complex, multiple string and horn tracks, yet Green ingeniously devises a plot so the bass and drums never get lost as they follow a flowing organ. With the help of a major label Green was successfully able to step up his game. Blending the best of the 70's, mod soundtracks, globe-trotting exoitca, and trip hop, Dial M for Monkey, is the perfect soundtrack for the all American college student's favorite pastime, "chillaxin' ."
Featured Review | 2003-09-09 13:10:12
Kid 606 "The Illness"
by: The Wally Llama Kid 606's the Illness brings home the flavor of melodic sythns, drumbeats, and a little bit of vocals, rolled up into one crazy CD package that includes the original 12" version and some bonus songs which vary from rhythmic to spastic. The first track, the title track, features a very recognizable scream from the sample also used in Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock classic hit "It Takes Two," but it's the synthesizer work that truly makes the Illness stand apart from his previous works. Of course he still does include his signature sounding spastic drumbeats and insanely fast transitions. You can hear the effort he put into the first track from start to finish, it's a work of art. The second track, "Ecstasy Motherf*cker," however is nothing more than a reworked oldskool hardcore song with a few added samples, which has been done before by many artists a thousand times over. Kid 606 says it best himself in the last sample added to the song, "I am a cliche." The third track, "Maybe," a bonus track, is a treat for those IDM enthusiasts out there. Its features minimal soundscapes, the strangest samples, some of which befuddle the mind but doesn't add to much to the album as a whole. The fourth track, "Evasion," another bonus track, unlike the third, offers a very good composition that builds into an almost orchestral like piece, with traditional instruments being replaced by some fandangled Kid 606 invention. It's very good. The last song on the album is the eerie "Circumvent," which features noises coming at you with a very nice melody playing in the background. This adds a pleasant finish to an overall good piece of work by Kid 606.
Featured Review | 2003-09-11 08:17:57
Amon Tobin "Verbal Remixes & Collaborations"
by: The Wally Llama Amon Tobin's "Verbal Remixes & Collaborations" features a rich blend of some very interesting remixes and collaborations that range from the fantastic to the peculiar. It starts off with an untitled track by both Amon Tobin and Kid Koala, now if you're a fan of Kid Koala and even if you aren't I'm sure you'll enjoy this track. It's just so well done that it seems to flows like liquid, it features a lo-fi sounding piano, violin strings, and scratching. You can feel the down tempo sadness that this track incurs on anyone who listens. Next heard is "I'll Have The Waldorf Salad" a collaboration between Bonobo & Amon, it's just odd, and also features piano and a very tick-tock sounding beat but its too strange to place in any modern day sounding music. Third comes P-Love & Amon's, cleverly titled, "Hot Korean Moms" starts of with scratching and brings in the spastic beats. A good combination and sure to offer a good sensation for scratch artists and hip-hop heads. Following that is "Ten Piece Metric Wrench Set" by Steinski and Mr. Tobin, which is a robotic sounding minimalist piece that doesn't offer to much rhythm and is a bit scary sounding. "Ownage" by Double Click and Amon sound like a jungle track on crack, it starts off slow and then brings in the drums and then various noises, different but not necessarily good. Now onto the verbal remixes, clearly the best song off his last LP, verbal was made to be remixed. First to the challenge is Prefuse 73 who does a very good job, his style is clearly present and any fans of Prefuse 73 will enjoy the well chopped up sample work. Next up to the challenge is Topo Gigio, he succeeds in creating my favorite version of the song, its sounds ghostly but this song could stand on its own with a new melody progressing though the entire remix. Now its Kid 606's turn to beat the beats. You can hear that he plays with the track heavily, it features crazy swipes, African chants, and some new melodies, he transformed "Verbal" into something entirely his own, well done Mr. 606. Last is the Boom Bip, which is a slower downtempo version of the original tempo complete with an acoustic guitar backdrop. Excellent in every aspect, each remix offers something completely different. This album is great, whoever said the remix was never as good as the original clearly has not heard this yet. Go out and treat yourself to the ear candy on this album.
Featured Review | 2003-09-03 19:03:28
Black Box Recorder "Passionoia"
by: Sun-J Passionoia is album number three from Britain's resident cynical lyricist Luke Haines. Haines is also the captain of Autuers, and Baader Meinhof, whom put out one record back in '99. In addition to all this musical whoring, Haines also has a couple albums out under his own name. Though, of all the groups, including his solo deal, Black Box Recorder seems to be the most perfect fit. Plumy-voiced, actress-turned-singer Sara Nixley is the perfect compliment to the cynicism and ironic lyrics, while third member John Moore is the square to Haines' polygon. Formed in 1998, their debut album, England Made Me was a strict dance record attempt. Their follow-up, Facts of Life, merged adolescent sexuality to R&B and would have been a major score had it not been for faulty promotion due to Haines referring to his label in an interview as â€śf*&^#%g cunts.â€ť The album opens up with â€śSchool Songâ€ť where Sara Nixey takes on the role of a principal, â€śYou need a bit of toughening up, you're weak and spoilt, look at youâ€¦â€ť while a choir of children chant, â€śBlack Box Recorder.â€ť Standout track, â€śThe New Dianaâ€ť paints a portrait of surreal pleasure with Nixey lulling us into fantasy, â€ślying on a yacht reading photo magazines..â€ť â€śAndrew Ridgeleyâ€ť almost seems as a potential gay anthem, while Haines utilizes the controversial topic to slip in the vicariousness going on with his ventriloquist type gig in the band as Nixey sings, â€śThis is Sara Nixey Talking.â€ť â€śGSOH QED,â€ť is an acronym heavy ode to newspaper personals, while â€śThese are the Thingsâ€ť cleverly manipulates mundane into pleasure while evoking depression over a gorgeous melody. â€śBeing Number One,â€ť is an ironic twist of fame, â€śTriumphant return to the hometown, treated with love and respect, a special school assembly, before, they would have broken my neck.â€ť Black Box Recorder at times seem flat or dull, yet the impetuousness of Haines combined with his witty, jackass type lyricism is the perfect anecdote to any type of boredom. If you're into euro-pop this is a smart listen, but if you're not, then at least give the lyrics of this album a read. Keep in mind, Haines once lyricised a proposal to Valerie Solanas (attempted Andy Warhol assassin).
Featured Review | 2003-09-03 19:00:19
Motion City Soundtrack â€śI am the Movieâ€ť
by: Sun-J Just to give a quick background on Motion City Soundtrack, the band originally stemmed from high school friends, guitarists Justin Pierre, and Joshua Cain. After recording a 7â€ť in 1999 in a band and going through a number of lineup changes, the main two eventually found their sidekicks in drummer Tony Thaxton, bassist Matt Taylor and keyboardist extraordinaire Jesse Johnson. The three J's; Jesse, Justin and Joshua hail from the state of 10,000 lakes (or whatever ridiculous number of larger ponds they claim to have), while Tony and Matt moved to Minnesota from Richmond, Virginia. After gelling together as a group and finding the yin to their yang, the group headed out to Kansas with fast cash and huge hopes. They hooked up with producer Ed Rose (Get Up Kids, Ultimate Fakebook, The Anniversary) and soon developed what is now known in the soundscan world as I am the Movie. Motion City Soundtrack is a mix of punk and rock with hints of Weezer and obvious influences from U2, Sugarcult, Jawbox and The Get Up Kids. Ironically these kids grew up listening to an eclectic variety of music ranging from Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, techno, Elvis Costello, and even Huey Lewis. Distributed through Epitaph, I am the Movie is an urban rock collection of synth affected punk music toddling the thick line between poppy and post-hardcore. â€śMy Favorite Accident,â€ť which was singled, is a repeated tale of lost love with a romantic twist to it. Powered by curious guitar and insightful lyrics, â€śit got the message long before you said you knew. There was no chance of us at allâ€¦. So we were an accident you'll always be my favorite one,â€ť the song opens up with a peaceful synth driven piano measure before diving into a western influenced blend of guitar riffs. â€śThe Future Freaks Me Out,â€ť is a fun, 80's-like song, with a catchy drum loop and party hinged lyrics. The most tickling part of the song may be the French Canadian sung chorus, â€śI'm on fire, and now I think I'm ready, to bust a move; Check it out I'm rockin' steady to the beat in my head that goes oh oh oh oh, I know that she's the only one I'd rather waste our time together yeah: cause we can get down.â€ť â€śIndoor Livingâ€ť is a track that highlights Justin Cain's better voice, as he harmoniously belts alongside a palm muted guitar riff hidden between foot tapping drums and almost vocodor synth keys, with an electric guitar break down. â€śDon't Call It a Comebackâ€ť is the most hyped song, due to the pleasant quick paced drumming. â€śDon't call it a comeback, noâ€¦this witness was injured and overthrown away, this time it's the last dance, so come on by will alone we set our minds in motion.â€ť â€śA.O.K.â€ť opens up with a powerfully sung verse, â€śThis time I thought I'd listen and the story goes I am the same ; Without medicine, I can't pretend it never ends I'm fine, I'm fine these words are all I've got to hide behind, so get behind me you have no right to say.â€ť This song is a refreshment from the heavily synth influenced instrumentation, as it breaks off into solo guitar licks after the lead verse. In the end, I am the Movie is comparable to the Pinkerton album put out by Weezer. The LP is a fair debut by an up and coming band, though the record gets tiresome as the instrumentation grows repetitive mainly because the synth keys are rarely, substantially changed, though the lyrics are astonishingly strong. Touring with Sugar Cult over in the UK, these characters are primed for success. If you are into the 80's, and enjoy punk music minus bubble gum, blink 182 lyrics, then this band is a great pick.
Featured Review | 2003-08-29 13:07:11
Merzbow "Animal Magnetism"
by: Zero Sharp With what is about his 250th release, Merzbow's back on Alien8, possibly the most popular experimental label to date, with a new album, "Animal Magnetism." As the cover art would suggest, he chose to arm himself with his laptop, his guitar, and sounds sampled from his pet chickens. Before moving on to reviewing the actual music, I would just like to review the chickens: these might actually be the ugliest chickens I've ever seen. The standing argument among many electronica camps, noise included, is the idea of using laptops. This basically boils down between the argument of digital versus analog. Merzbow started using a laptop not too long ago, and now there is a large section of the noise camp who is proclaiming that the "King of Noise" dethroned himself. It also didn't really help that, to the present, his vintage work strongly outshone his laptop work. "Animal Magnitism," however, is a strong release and a reassurance that the mighty Merzbow hasn't lost his ear or skills. The main downside to the album is that it's easy to hear the stereotype digital cliches that happen from time to time during the 71 minutes of album. The album does flow well as a listen. However, this is not background music, and it's a little hard to not get drawn in by the hypnotic sounds of the album. The first two tracks, "Animal Magnetism" and "Quiet Men" are complete noise fests, and both are built well, drawing the listener into the landscape they make. Just as you start to hear where the chicken samples are, though, you start to wonder if those aren't really gituar sounds, and vice versa. Both tracks do take some amount of listening endurance; it's not really a album for rookie listeners, although there is quite a bit of variation to get and keep your attention. "Super Sheep" sounds like pretty standard digital hardcore, frankly, but is a nice let-up from the 20 minute noise ballads that got you there. "A Ptarmigan" is another noise soundscape, but this one mixes up the sounds more lightly, and there's not as much treble-based distortion/noise as the first of the album. The last track on the album, "Pier 39," is the highlight of the album; it's a simple rhythm and melody provided by a shimmering synth set across a steady baseline. Other pieces of sounds and noise then skitters across the top of the track making for a neat twist on the airy experimental pieces that are ever so common these days. This is a strong release, and I would recommend it for people wanting to hear more noise to see what it can be like. It's possibly not for first-time, "I've listened to ez listening all of my life" people, but for those who are familiar with the experiemental, it's a good listen. For those noise junkies, I don't really know what to tell you, except that this release sees Merzbow emerge as someone having control over his instruments, able to make good tracks Merzbow-style again. If he just brought his analog effects and processors along for the ride, it might complete this evolution into the digital.
Featured Review | 2003-08-18 09:59:00
Monty Alexander "Impressions in Blue"
by: Sun-J Monty Alexander, the Jamaican born pianist has fiddled with many genres in creating a buzz for himself. Alexander has explored Bob Marley tributes, as well as ventured to create live albums with various Jamaican musicians, namely reggae legends Sly and Robbie. Impressions in Blue differs from last year’s release, My America in that the album is solely played by a trio except for three tracks where guitarist John Pizzarelli hops on for the ride. Furthermore, the album is divided into three main sections, a couple of covers followed by a trio of songs labeled as "Duke’s Reflections" (referring to the work of Duke Ellington), and a then a last section of original compositions followed by a Johnny Mercer, old-west classic which was revamped by Alexander. Impressions in Blue opens with "Blue Rhapsody," a reworking of Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue," which is basically the United Airlines theme with fast jazz grooves. "En Aranjuez Con tu Amor" is a classical rendition of Rodrigo’s Spanish guitar melody. Miles David had mucked with this cut for several years in Sketches of Spain, though Alexander does this song true justice as he translates guitar to piano note from note and is complimented by heart popping bass courtesy of Hassan Shakur. "Creole Love Call," is a true blues, emotionally drenched number with tear-jerking highs. The next three songs are from the Ellington Book. "Accompong" reflects Alexander’s true background with its Caribbean jazz sensibility; rhythmic shifts and spicy swinging vibe. "Pointe-A-Pitre" is a tropical journey accompanied with soft sounds and an underlying blues tune. The following section are labeled as "King Cole Reflections," and features guitarist John Pizzarelli (as mentioned above) who gives the same affect as did guitarist Oscar Moore to King Cole’s trios of the sixties. In closing this album is a fair continuation of My America and is simple in its existence, yet displays all facets that branch from the talent of Monty’s phalanges
Featured Review | 2003-08-25 18:53:21
Fall Out Boy "Take This to Your Grave"
by: Sun-J As a reviewer I am turned on to some of the world's greatest unheard musical talent. Though it is seldom that I come across a true gem. In fact it was only once, Atmosphere's "Godlovesugly." So after hearing praise form a friend, and noticing their chart climb on KUCI's Top 30, I decided to review the album. I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm that I had not felt from a punk band since New Found Glory exploded on to the scene. Formed in a Chicago basement only a year and a half ago, this punk quartet shows emo may get old, but can still remain fresh and original. Going by the name that only true Simpson's fans (and I don't mean O.J., I mean Bart, Lisa, Homer, Maggie...) can appreciate, they ooze with enthusiasm, with anxious, catchy guitar hooks, and highly participative mic sharing. Hailing from Chicago, the city which bred talents such as Motion City Soundtrack, Allister and Alkaline Trio, what sets Fallout Boy apart from most bands is their vocalist Patrick Stump. Stump's vocals reflect a mix between New Found Glory and Midtown. Rarely does he use abusively repetitive lines in his vocal melodies. His lyrics are clever, witty and morose all at the same time. The first track, â€śTell That Mick He Just Made My List of Things to do Todayâ€? opens up ferociously with amped power chords of excitement. Andy Hurley's drumming sets pace for Stump's vengeful lyrics, â€śI hope you choke on those words, that kiss, that bottleâ€|â€? â€śDead on Arrival,â€? of which the acoustic version can be found on FOBs MP3.com site, is definitely the standout track with catchy lines such as, â€śThis is side one, Flip me over, I know I'm not you're favorite record..â€? â€śGrand Theft Autumnâ€? opens up with Stump signing a solo for a few lines, â€śWhere is your boy tonight? I hope he is a gentleman., Maybe he won't find out what I know: you were the last good thing about this part of town..â€? Already juiced, the song is further leveled with the mantra mic sharing. â€śHomesick at Space Campâ€? fully displays what sets FOB apart from bands like Mest, with sophisticated lyrics, â€śAnd I can't forget your style or your cynicism, somehow it was like you were the first to listen toâ€|.â€? Though this track doesn't stand out as compared to â€śSaturdayâ€? or 'Dead on Arrival,â€? give it time and you'll soon appreciate the way the band meshes instrumentation together to perfectly compliment Patrick Stump's voice. It's songs like this one on Take this to Your Grave which mask the downplay of when pop songs become old. â€śChicago is So Two years Agoâ€? features refreshing vocal help from bandmates and fully displays the total vocal talent that Stump is, as he harmonizes in an amazing lyrical breakdown, â€śYou want apologies girl you might hold your breath until your breathing stops forever The only thing you'll get is this curse on your lips: I hope they taste of me forever.â€? The next three songs, â€śThe Pros and Cons of Breathing,â€? Grenade Jumper,â€? and â€śCalm Before the Storm.â€? â€śThe Pros and Cons of Breathingâ€? feature superb guitar tracks complimented by a subtle, yet pace setting bassline. Fall Out Boy's musical mesh is amazing. This CD made me a punk fan again. If you have never listened to punk, this is a perfect place to start. From start to finish, with the order of songs and the vocal deliveries, Fall Out Boy will keep you interested.
Featured Review | 2003-08-14 13:19:34
Rob Dougan "Furious Angels"
by: Zero Sharp A year or more ago, I bought a down-tempo single that was incredible. By the name "Clubbed to Death", it was a beautiful piece of film-noir influenced trip-hop, and it mentioned being from an upcoming album. Now by the time I'd almost forgotten about the single, the full length album that track was taken from, "Furious Angels" came out. There's no smoke without fire; "Clubbed to Death" really gives an idea what style the whole album is. That's really a double-edged sword in this case, however, as it's questionable exactly how much over the top emotional grandstanding one would want in one's music. Most of the tracks here make "Clubbed to Death" pale in terms of grandioso, and the cliched tricks he uses repeatedly doesn't help make the tracks to not sound the same. This sounds like a film score if the film were just a two hour dramatic climax. Every one of these tracks want to be the peak of the album, and that makes it a really hard listen; it's tiring after about 15 minutes. There are some good songs here, like "There's Only Me" and "Nothing At All", but there's very little contrast in style, even. His vocals remind me of Pink Floyd's sometimes spoken style, but while the latter could be subtle, Rob Dougan hasn't learned that lesson yet. The second CD, which features many of the songs in instrumental version is a bit more palatable, but I don't think that it would justify everything else in this package. My suggestion to those curious or who want their down-tempo fix: go buy the "Clubbed to Death" single instead. To those who want to emulate the album: put the single on repeat, and do dramatic dances to approximate what this unattractive, homogeneous wall of sound invokes.
Featured Review | 2003-08-14 13:18:22
Mu-ziq "Bilious Paths"
by: Zero Sharp Mu-ziq's new album "Bilious Paths" stakes out a lot of new territory for Mike Paradings. In the new semi-tired genre of drill and bass and IDM, Mu-ziq decides to stake out into the dirty bass and samples akin to nu-school breaks. Don't worry, though, it's by no means a breaks album. There's plenty of craziness here, and it all works extremely well. The opening track, "Johnny Mastricht", takes ideas from the garage/two-step scene, and gives them a much-needed extra half-twist in skittering drum and cymbal hits. Grape Nut Beats (pt. 1)", for instance, returns to the old school 6/8 gabber tempo in its monkeying. The song's across the shop brilliance and clever beat switching and amens work well to make an engrossing track. "Meinheld" is one of my favorites on the album; it starts in the drill and bass tradition, but a strange, almost film score like melody comes in on top of it all about half way through. "Fall of Antioch" gets my vote for best song name of 2003, and it happens to be a beautiful, haunting soundscape of cascading strings, and other, stranger sounds. "My Mengegus", the last track on the album flows beautifully from it; filled with chimes and slightly odd, sad melodies, it wraps up the album beautifully. The whole album is pretty much brilliant, and would make really good music to dance to. Up there with "Rounds" by Four Tet, this is one of the best albums that you'll hear from left field this year, and I recommend it to the jaded and fresh listeners alike.
Featured Review | 2003-08-05 17:23:18
Madlib "Shades of Blue"
by: Sun-J The man of mystery has returned, though this time not as his alter ego, high octave rapping Quasimoto, but as himself, the surreal madman behind the boards, Madlib. Known to his blood as Otis Jackson Jr, Madlib has been creating magic in the studio for underground hip hop (Quasimoto, as mentioned above) and jazz (with his neo-funk group, Yesterday's New Quintet). In addition to supporting his own musical tastes, Madlib has also amped up musical projects for Lootpack, Madviallain, and most notably, Peanut Butter Wolf's relapse last year, Jukebox 45's among others. 2003 has marked the beginning of this Madman's influence. Dominating Wildchild's debut, Madlib then went on to compliment Declaime, and then begun collaborative work with MF Doom and Detriot's underground hip hop pride (ever since Eminem went mainstream of course!!!), Jay Dilla (Jay Dee). Madlib’s 2003 escapade is collaboration with the Blue Note catalog which is a compilation of jazz remixes called Shades of Blue. Although, make no mistake, this is far from a remix album, and in my opinion is more of a tribute album to the greats. At some points Madlib transforms the music into an undecodable source with all of his musical charm. Among those songs Madlib pranced upon are Gene Harris’ “The Look of Slim,” Donald Byrd’s “Stepping Into Tomorrow,” Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father,” and Wayne Shorters’s “Footprints.” The standout track is "Peace/Dolphin/Dance," a track originally recorded by the aforementioned Horace Silver and Herbie Hacncock which he tranduces into a blur of ambient sounds, distorted melodies, and sporadic high hats and kicks. "Please Set Me at Ease" features lyrical manchild Medaphoar, and the only hip hop mix, full blown rap cut on the LP. "Funky Blue Note" is a Madlib original composition and sends tingles down the spine with amazing drums and sparkling sounds dancing with a walking baseline. Shades of Blue is a delicious entrie for those "jonesing" for new age jazz with a hip hop twist. Madlib does a respectable raid on Blue Notes' catalog, and serves supplementary in helping us remember Jazz gems of the past, and present.
Featured Review | 2003-08-05 17:19:41
Thrice "Artist in the Ambulance"
by: Sun-J After representing screamo with there indie release, Illusion of Safety, the quartet from So cal (as in Irvine) jumps ship, and releases their first major debut, Artist in the Ambulance. Usually when kids get signed to majors they sell out. They change their style they add catchy choruses and simplify their scales. They start to dress a certain way, and dare I say, the even start to...DANCE!!! While Thrice wisely opts to shy away from the staged dancing, I will say this, the riffs do seem to be simplified, and some songs do have a longer chorus, but have no fear, this album is full of screamo to piss your parents off. The album dives right into the first track, "Cold Cash and Colder Hearts,” where we can feel Dustin Kensrue's heart beating through his vocals as he warns of the evils of apathy and capitalism. "Under a Killing Moon," is a superior, guitar driven cut with a nifty drum pattern. "All that's Left" begins with powerful words, "One day the dreamers died within us," and swivels entertainingly to a lyrically driven breakdown, “In summers past we’d challenge fate with higher pitch and perfect aim, standing fast we’d radiate a light we loved but never named, but the answers never came, our shadows never looked the same.” "Silhouette," and "Stare at the Sun" are packed with riveting guitar licks for the masses. "Paper Tigers" is old school Thrice with its metal-speed chords and intense screaming. The title track is the standout track while "Don't Tell and We Wont Ask" is analogous to Illusion of Safety’s "The Beltsville Crucible." "The Abolition of Man" is a CS Lewis inspired song with bombastic drumming. With backing from a major, thrice was further able to feed its fan base by supplying liner notes and lyrics to every song. This is a strong major debut, and I'm sure soundscan will prove this to be true.
Featured Review | 2003-07-29 19:52:46
London Elektricity "Billion Dollar Gravy"
by: Zero Sharp The genre of drum and bass is an expansive playground to say the least. On one side stands the minimal, dark sound that Ed Rush, Optical, and the boys of Renegade Hardware have explored beautifully. On another side stands the unrelenting darkness of Dom and Roland and Tech Itch. Photek, Omni Trio, and L.T.J. Bukem have done great work in atmospheric and intelligent d'n'b, and of course, there are the playful styles that came primarily from hip-hop and reggae. On yet another side stand the boys of Hospital. In the last few years, London Elektricity has put itself on the map with their funk and soul inspired vocal tracks. their style is probably the most accessible form of d'n'b to most listeners coming from more traditional music. Their new album, "Billion Dollar Gravy," is no exception. The album starts incredibly; the first track is an excellent mood-setter and showcase of beautiful vocals, interesting beats, and well-polished sounds. "Different Drum" and a few of the other tracks actually have a normal verse, chorus structure which will no doubt draw attention from the more mainstream listeners. Robert Owen's voice works well with the sounds, and he was an excellent choice of vocalists. Other standout tracks on the album include "Cum Dancing", "Fast Soul Music", and "The Great Drum + Bass Swindle." There's a little filler, but for the most part, the whole album flows well, and is good track by track. If you've never really heard drum and bass, this would be an good album to try. It's not plagued by much of the noise that seems to drive first time listeners away, and it shows that "fast" music can still be funky. (I've always thought the argument that drum and bass could never be funky because it's >170 bpm is rubbish.) Anyway, even if you are a jaded d'n'b listener like me, it's still a pretty good listen. I feel that there's a lot of room for different styles in d'n'b, and frankly, I'm glad artists are exploring them.
Featured Review | 2003-07-29 19:51:47
Tricky "Vulnerable"
by: Zero Sharp Perhaps the best way to enjoy the newest album by Adrian Thaws, aka Tricky, is to forget the past. The former member of Massive Attack has come a great distance since helping to invent trip-hop and releasing a solo debut of staggering genius in "Maxinquaye". Since then, he started into a long downward spiral by basically committing commercial suicide both musically and socially. For a while, he was still brilliant musically even if his albums weren't very accessible. However, that eventually devolved in something not worth describing. Now, here he is at album seven, and he's apparently decided that finding his future involves reliving many ideas from his back catalog. The most apparent is the his collaboration with Costanza Francavilla and her role in the music; vocally, she is the double of Martina. What makes that all the more disturbing is that much of the old innuendo between Tricky and Martina has just been copied over to Francavilla. If you can get past that, there are a handful of pretty good songs here. "Stay", "Antimatter", and "Car Crash" seem to show promise that Tricky has managed to emerge from the darkness and paranoia that was so brilliant in his early work and so trapping after that. I think evolution might be a good idea in this case. When this album does become dark, paranoid and/or claustrophobic, the emotions generally seem like pale reflections of the trueness that has gone before although there are moments at which it all really does come roaring beautifully back, like "Hollow". Sonically speaking, the album only holds together for about the first third of the tracks before deciding to try to be all things to all listeners. The covers of XTC's "Dear God" and The Cure's "The Love Cats" both work reasonably well, but they both smack of wasted potential. I would recommend the first third of the album to people so they can hear that Tricky might still be able to do. I would recommend the whole album to those who don't remember much of Tricky's musical past and enjoy buying albums that land squarely between ok and good.
Featured Review | 2003-07-21 16:36:55
Pinback "Offcell"
by: Sun-J Rob Crow and Armistad Burwell IV are the dynamic duo that is Pinback. Pinback is a blend of pop and post rock with hints of emo (mainly from the lyrics), though what sets these two apart from other bands is their ability to display a more full, live guitar on their album tracks. Their new EP, Offcell consists of gentle harmonies and subtle hooks. For years Pinback had been repped up based on solo performances, so on this EP it seemed as if they tried to incorporate all the elements to give the tracks a live feel. The album kicks off with "Microtonic Wave" which blends a rhythmic guitar and dabbles into a river-rocking drumbeat, all which tremble under the eerie sung lyrics such as, "cauterize my scars in scum." "Victiorius D" opens with a guitar bass rhythmic flurry before swiveling like a helicase into a trembling, terrifying, tide tearing drum beat while incorporating start-stop, high-low sung harmonies throughout the track, "Angels suffering/ Angels fall from light/ Angels sickening/ Angels suffer." The title track, "Offcell" is tagged with a picked, staccato rhythm with sub par lyrics, "it's so hard to see straight sometimes," which are overlooked and forgotten once the fury of power chords comes in. Strong, full, and inquisitely on rhythm, the chorus truly defines what Pinback is all about. The following song, "B" is blatantly the most poppy song on the whole album. Quick verses, and repetitive, lazily strummed choruses take turns producing what is ultimately a catchy melody and rhythm sound. The last song, "Grey Machine" is an eleven-minute, musical marathon of string based scales and demanding rhythms. The EP is a strong showing from Pinback and does well in demonstrating and highlighting their strengths, live, and powerful, rhythmic music.
Featured Review | 2003-07-22 09:58:26
Adult "Anxiety Always"
by: Sun-J Who else to lead the pop synth revolution than a married couple from Detroit? After causing more than just a stir in electrolashes underground, Nicola Kuperus and Hubble Adam Lee Miller are back after two years since their last LP with another full-length release, Anxiety Always. And let us not forget those remixes for Fischerspooner, Felix Da Housecat, and most notably, the UK hit Death in Vegas. Though after all those successful twelve inches, and an even more successful debut LP, Resuscitation (which was basically just a compilation of those twelve inches), Adult has come back with a completely new sound. No longer are Kuperus' vocals masked by a vocoder as the duo heads towards a more post-punk direction. In fact, this LP even features Miller playing bass guitar. Instead of hearing that drum machine pound away effortlessly, Miller is there chasing down every one of Kuperus' shrilling vocals with riff after riff. "Shake Your Head" is a synth programmed, disturbing beats influenced number with senseless lyrics, "if you don't know ask your motherâ€¦/the end of guessing games." "Turn Your Back" is very punk sounding with Miller's emphatic bass guitar and Kuperus' rock-out-loud lyrics, "I'm out of time, out of tune." "Nothing of the Kind" is an eerie spaced out song with almost fruity loops type sounding samples coinciding with Kuperus' shrieking, "Walking in the Wind/too much space/Nothing in my mind, it's all erased." "Kick in the Shin" is the standout cut on this LP, and also the most violent (and that is saying something). It's the best dance song on the album and high lights the skill in Kuperus' voice with lyrics like, "kick in the shin/punch in the chin/where to begin. The duo covers plenty of new ground and will surprise cult followers alike with this release, though I doubt they will dishearten any fans.
Featured Review | 2003-07-16 17:30:20
Abstract Polygon "Deselect Mindbox EP/ Mad EP: Mavoo's 3rd Day of 2nd Grade"
by: Zero Sharp I'm not really sure how to give a name to this first release from the new Canadian label Tribal Treble so I won't try. The idea behind it is good: the release is actually two seperate albums rolled into one package. The two are only marginally related so I'll speak of the two seperately. The first eight tracks on the CD make up the Deselect Mindbox EP by Abstract Polygon. It's hard to find a particular genre to classify the feel of the album under; some of the tracks feel close to drum and bass, while others feel much more like glitch/idm type stuff. Of the former, the tracks Naughty Scatterplot, jazzy thoughts in deconstruction, and Fiber Optix, tech step meets even older school sounds, hold together well are are interesting takes on the styles. Of the latter, Juxtaposition and Snaer are both solid tracks, mellow rollers with nice melodies assembled from well crafted sounds. Somewhere inbetween, F*ck is a great wacked-out drum programming reminding me a little of the old digital hardcore. The only downside is really that the album is pretty much all across the board; there's no particular coherence to it all except for the attention paid to detail. Almost all of the tracks are really good listens, but it just doesn't quite fit together somehow. The second half of the of the CD is "McNoo's Third Day of Second Grade" by mad EP, a classically trained cellist with many years experience. His style is like drum and bass in the same way digital hardcore is. It has the same kinds of rythyms and speeds, but the feel and heart of the tracks is somewhat different. I use the comparison to digital hardcore for a reason, his style seems to come from several of the same places as the old school stuff out there. Tracks like Rumble Bun Bounce almost sound like they could be in any good 97 Tech Step set, and Mathamaddeck Part One is part old school dnb mash up, part interesting melody. There's a good bit of chopped up techno beats in some of the other tracks so don't worry, it's not all drum and bass. Even though there are several styles represented here; it flows fairly well as an album. If you don't like hardcore and weird techno, this might not be the CD that will get you into it. It's a good, solid release, though, and I would highly recommend giving it a try. If you do like hardcore techno and the like... what are you waiting for?
Featured Review | 2003-07-15 20:11:03
The Cinematic Orchestra "Man With a Movie Camera"
by: Zero Sharp The Ninja Tune roster is as mysterious as it is diverse. That being said, I've never heard anything on the label more sublime and majestic than The Cinematic Orchestra. This release, "Man With a Movie Camera" came from a commission four years ago to create a soundtrack for the 1929 Russian documentary of the same name. It was first performed live in 1999 alongside the movie, and there was a focus on improvisation to the point that each listen was a different experience. This release helps preserve that live feeling extremely well, and it's hard to tell which instruments are being played live and which aren't. Their blend of beats, samples, real instruments, and scratches is beautiful, and it is masterfully thought out. The downside is that , for the fans of TCO, many of these tracks have already been released. However, again, the versions here are all somewhat different. A few of the tracks originally had vocals to go with them, and they have been stripped in this version. However, this CD as a package stands well on its own. Initially, I didn't feel anything missing from the originally vocal songs, and the track "All Things To All Men" might even be better without them. This CD is a beautifully intricate and intellectual journey through soundscapes of chilled-out jazz and funk, and I would recommend it for those looking for a little more in their music.
Featured Review | 2003-07-07 15:37:25
Mars Volta "De-loused in the Comatorium"
by: Sun-J Travel back a few years, and the punk scene is buzzing with word of the next Nirvana stationed out in El Paso, Texas. Five kids with enough energy and charisma to power their genre to mainstream success (which was done eventually). Though, some things are too good to last. Well known and potential labeled band, At The Drive In prematurely split up, perhaps because those two, weird, crazy haired guys in the front playing guitar, dancing around singing weren't able to play the completely tangent sound they wanted too. The fellas in the back ended up outfitting the respectable emo band Sparta, while the two kids up front, singer Cedric Bixler, and lead guitarist Omar Rodriguez created Mars Volta, and released their debut LP De-loused in the Comatorium. Before I delve any deeper into this review, let me first off state that Mars Volta is not At The Drive In. Their sounds are as different as night and day, as similar as Christina Aguilera and a Mormon. De-loused in the Comatorium, is a tribute to the life of Julio Venegas, a high school friend who spent the majority of his life shooting up so much, in fact one of his arms was unfunctionable from accidentally shooting up rat poison. Julio unfortunately committed suicide during a band practice. Unlike many concept albums today, De-loused in the Comatorium is a deep journey in the life of a man who's fallen into a coma where he fantasizes about emotional highs only to awake and choose to die rather than live. The album as a whole is an hour of rich, intricately scaled, multifaceted insomniac instrumentation that morphs into a transcendental soundscape of lush harmony as it envelops the stretches of Cedric's elastic voice. Many of the songs are drudgingly similar, yet they bring peacefulness to the body. The album opens up with a quiet intro called "Son Et Lumiere" which begins with an eccentric swirling keyboard coinciding with a gentle guitar effect. Bixler goes on the belt out a single verse of near unintelligible lyrics. The final part of the song loops a translucent pulsation from the drums and bass that eventually pans out. This is pretty much how all the songs are developed throughout the album. "Eriatarka" displays Cedric's full vocal range while "The Apparatus Must be Unearthed" provides a cosmic whirly guitar, touched vocals and an Indian fused free-jazz drum beat. "Drunkship of Lanterns" is heavy on the percussion and the guitar work of guest John Frusciante on "Cicatriz ESP" is memorable. The whole album speaks moments of prog rock with all the jazz fusion and freakydela, yet if I were forced to place these characters in a certain genre; it would most certainly have to be Opera Rock. Despite the similarity between songs, De-loused in the Comatorium's musical motives are pleasant and hypnotizing.
Featured Review | 2003-07-07 13:14:11
Ugly Duckling "Taste the Secret"
by: Sun-J Three white guys from Long Beach are what Ugly Duckling consists of. Two MCs and one DJ to be precise. Back for the second time with the release of Taste the Secret after enjoying much deserved success from their first release Journey to Anywhere. As usual, their new album is packed with what makes Ugly Duckling enjoyable. Fun, charismatic, unoffending pop music. Smothered over 70's trumpet and break beat loops strictly from the 1993 period, they're fun loving, song story lyrics provide a much needed break from the usual brag-boast, "I shot yo momma, etc." songs which seem to be mundane in hip hop. The album kicks off with a song called "Opening Act" which highlights Ugly Ducklings early struggles as a group opening for Basement Jaxx , back when they were booed off stage almost religiously. "Abigal Silk" is a hilarious song which describes the groups love for unattainable women. This song is so reflective of what makes this album enjoyable. For once in hip hop there is an album which the normal fan can relate too. The main story line for this LP is about a couple of kids who work at a fast food chain and describes their desires and downfalls. "Tough Guy" is a genuine satirical song aimed at posing macho men, while "Potty Mouth" is sure to provide listeners with top ramen punch lines. Although this album is less jazzy, and more pop-rock than Journey to Anywhere, the trio makes a strong case for success in hip hop based on charisma, creativity, and honesty rather than recycled beats, continuous boasting, and unnecessary profanity.
Featured Review | 2003-07-01 13:32:17
Yoshimi and Yuka "Flower With No Color"
by: Zero Sharp What do you get when you send two musicians to a secluded spot with a truck full of instruments and a good idea? Well, in the case of "Flower With No Color" by Yoshimi P-we (from the Boredoms) and Yuka Honda (from Cibo Matto), you get music that would have made a nice track or two lazily stretched across a whole album. The tracks are sadly mostly self-indulgent and full of noodlily effects. Some of the effects are nice; the bird chirps are well done, some of the singing is processed in cool ways, and there are some interesting gong sounds. However, this just seems to be two people experimenting without much care what kind of listening experience the end album will give. There is quite a bit of promise in some of the tracks, the new-age piano finally shines through in the song "Elegant Bird", and "SPY said ONE" does some interesting things with jazz gituar samples, but none of the tracks really hold together throughout their whole length. Perhaps the lesson to be learned here is that trips up the mountain need to happen several times to make a full album because they didn't get enough material with just one. In the end, the soundscapy feel waxes interesting from time to time, but it's been done much better by many people, many times. There's no need to waste your time here.
Featured Review | 2003-07-01 13:30:46
Nobukazu Takemura "Songbook"
by: Zero Sharp Nobukazu Takemura must be a busy man. Including "Songbook", he now has released 3 albums on two different labels. "Songbook" falls under his Child View project, a name he sometimes goes under. Stepping away from the digital, he teams up with Aki Tsuyuko to produce something that probably should have turned out excellently. It unfortunately did not. The tracks all sound very "innocent", which might just be a code word for scattered and not quite on key. However, while it is pleasant to listen to you own children sing, listening to other child-like performances can be grating at times. Takemura captures that perfectly. There is that IDM signature madness which should spawn some amount of method, but this album generally stays scattered. That is not to say that it doesn't have its moments. There are good songs hidden among the mess, "uruu" being one of my favorites. In general, though, it's songs like "mirror tower" and "from the ocean of forest" that leave me feeling dry and unimpressed. Aki Tsuyuko, who does have the kind of voice that was no doubt desired for this project, cannot speak English correctly, and I'll have to admit that I don't like the cutesy, gimmicky effect it has on the vocals. Some of drumming is fairly inspired, but in general, things just don't hold together as songs. It's just a big collections of randomly placed sounds someitmes. I wouldn't really reccomend this album to anyone, and I would suggest, instead, to get one of his past releases if you'd like to hear good music.
Featured Review | 2003-06-24 11:08:06
Hint "Portakabin Fever"
by: Sun-J Personally, when I go to clubs I hate hearing those redundant techno songs with the glitches and the constant beeping and clicking that repetitively distraughts your brain waves to death. Johnathan James, a self proclaimed “techno artist with a palette full of genres” is major, yet he humbly resides on a small fledgling label. After previous releases on Deep Water Recordings, James moved his Bristol based Hombré imprint over to Ninja Tune where he released several EPs over the past twelve months culminating into the formation that is Portakabin Fever. Incorporating hip-hop, funk, electronica, folk and even soul into the mold, James consistently displays an inherent ability to compliment broken break beats with enhancing, colorful percussions and multi-genre samples. “Actory” the opening track is electronically transparent and has a moderate swing about its swagger. “Words to that Effect” is a piano savvy driven medley with pieced beats luminating with respect to a brass glow. “You Little Trooper” has a funk/folk sound to it, and “Re: Percussions” is a fluid electronic, drum ‘n bass number. The LP ends with “Air to the Sky” which seems to be an ode to the break beat. Hint stick to his previous formula of mixing genres and meticulously placing them over broken beats to create a stellar debut for Ninja Tune. Now, if I can only find out what the hell Portakabin means.
Featured Review | 2003-06-24 11:06:55
Lagwagon "Blaze"
by: Sun-J After several releases since 1992 and claiming a cult-like following, Lagwagon decided to put the punk production on hold, and split in different directions to pursue side interests. Drummer Dave and singer Joey Cape muddled with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, while guitarists Chris Rest and Chris Flippin joined RKL. The result? Well after reuniting to create Blaze, the side projects all have their marks embedded in the album. The leadoff track, “Burn” has Joey Cape bringing in some Bad Astronaut (another one of his side projects) style. “E Dagger,” which is the current radio single is so poppy punk with all of its power chords that it’s no wonder the song is a measly two minutes. “Dancing the Collapse” is also filled with the plutonic power chords yet it is not as poppy as “E Dagger” and in fact employs an underlying anthem that can get any ones engine revved. “Max Says” is an introspective world view through the eyes of a simple child while “Never Stops” is a political packed punk rush with lyrics like “Another idiot glued to the box/scared to turn it off…” “Lullaby” is a smooth sailing guitar solo that lulls you to harmony with subtle lyrics such as “Every generation hates the next/I will save millions from a slow insufferable death…” “Billionaire” is an opinionated drive right into the hearts of America’s upper class as Joey Cape rages “f***k the purists, f***k the tourists, f***k the bourgeoisie…” (which is sort of ironic, seeing as how Chris squared had a band RKL which stood for Rich Kids on LSD.) Lagwagon finishes up the fourteen track, forty-one minute progression that is Blaze with two emo-ish songs; “Tomorrow is Heartbreak,” and “Baggage.” It’s not that the songs are terrible, but more rather the songs are not your typical Lagwagon. It’s blatant that their style has shifted from a furious, almost hardcore punk level to a slower Bad Astronaut meets The Starting Line sound. Nevertheless, this album should be well accepted in the punk community.
Featured Review | 2003-06-19 10:25:55
Four Tet "Rounds"
by: Zero Sharp "Rounds" marks Kieran Hebden's third solo release under the name Four Tet. Somewhere between free jazz, glitch electronica, hip-hop, and loop-based music sits this album in all of its slow-growing, lush, organic sounding glory. The whole album has a rather somber feel to it, although pieces of playfulness shine through from time to time. Most of the samples are common: piano, chimes, harp, harpsicord, and gituar. However, Four Tet uses them masterfully standing a little behind his percussion, which seems to be the focus of the album. The first single from the album, "She moves she" is nice and funky in comparison to the rest of the album. "Hands" is a good way to start the album, and it sets the quietish tone (with a little bit of glitch) well."My angel rocks back and forth" rides floating piano twinkles over an partially faultering iron lung to glorious results. "Spirit Fingers" is Nobukazu Takemuraish idm/glitch goodness. "Unspoken", the peak of the album balances a simple piano riff (Is it just me or does this sound like it was ripped from a Tori Amos song?) over a hip-hop beat. I would highly recommend this album to, well, anyone really, and if you've liked his earlier stuff, you'll like this. If you've never heard him before, this is an excellent place to start.
Featured Review | 2003-06-18 17:35:05
Loren Connors "Departing of a Dream Vol. 2"
by: Zero Sharp Last year, Loren Connors (aka MazzaCane Connors) released an album loosely designed as a tribute to Miles Davis' "He Loved Him Madly." Fragile and floating, minimal accoustic gituar sounds drifted across other beautifully constructed bass and electric gituar sounds in a way that would crush any happiness within a half mile radius. In a good way. Now, he's released with a sequel to that album; this one's aptly named "Departing of a Dream Vol. 2." This album has many of the same ideas from the first. The album is basically one eight part song, although it's not quite as epic as it sounds. Again, it's based totally in sparse gituar sounds with the occasional percussion. Again, it's crushingly sad, but beautifully so. It's been suggested that the album should carry a warning label due to its depression inducing effects, and this might not be a bad idea. This album could turn even the most extraverted people into bullied, seventh grade bookworms. There is a bit of a glimpse of awakening but do not be fooled, it is transformation through sadness. If you're into that like I am, then I highly recommend this sublime album from a very talented avant garde blues gituarist. If you're not into sadness, perhaps you should stop taking your prozac for a day and try it?
Featured Review | 2003-06-10 17:51:17
Ed Harcourt From Every Sphere
by: Sun-J His sound is that of a Tom Waits meets Badly Drawn Boy. A mix of U2, and Frank Sinatra. A blend of country and teen pop, especially pop. His damn songs are so catchy; they're still stuck in my head one week later. Fresh off a Mercury award nominating CD, Here Be Monsters, Harcourt returns with a fresh new sound and a bit of experimentation with and album aptly titled From Every Sphere because it truly does seem as if Harcourt is trying to hit us from all angles with every possible instrument out there a man can play. From the piano rich ballads, "Watching the Sun Come Up," and "Bittersweet," to the jazz inspired music, "Undertaker," and to the experimental, electronic created sounds of "Ghostwriter," Harcourt does his best to display his versatility, yet there are points where he should have just stuck to his old formula, catchy songs followed by sad songs, and alternating over the period of an album. Songs such as "Sister Renee," (about an ill-man who falls in love with his nurse) where Harcourt develops a character personality display his musical genius. "Metaphorically Yours," and "The Birds will Sing for Us" are filled with Harcourt's suave charm and easy going, harmonious sounds. This album is no Mercury nominating piece of work, but then again you can't blame him, the greatness of Here be Monsters was a tall order to follow, nonetheless, you know an album like From Every Sphere is good when you can't get the damn lyrics out of your head!
Featured Review | 2003-06-10 17:50:01
Catherine Irwin Cut Yourself a Switch
by: Sun-J Does anyone remember Freakwater? The band consisting of two vocal geniuses, Janet Bean and Catherine Irwin whom drew comparisons to practically every great country duo there ever was? Well, Cut Yourself a Switch marks the return of Freakwater, though this time vicariously through the workings of Catherine Irwin and her whisky-cigarette infused harmonies. Cut Yourself a Switch has all the country record elements; bitchin', moanin', slapped faces, shallow graves, and those oh-so strange lyrics but what makes this record special is Catherine Irwin. The whole disc has only one drum track. For most of the record, Catherine is solo with a banjo and guitar, and some light bass courtesy of Freakwater bassist David Wayne Gay (not to mention the occasional fiddle and accordion here and there). The instrumentation on this album never even steps foot in the shadow of Irwin's powerful vocals. Irwin's strongest attribute is perhaps her ability to switch tones with her voice. On "Hex," Irwin's sound comes off as fragile, light and thin, whereas on "Swan Dive," (which features the albums best line: "That was now, this is then / That was Bourbon, this is gin / that's how we know that spring has sprung…") she delivers a powerful, viscous anthem. Then there is "Power of my Love," and Elvis remake, that features Irwin laying down sexy, seducing vocals. A particular track I enjoyed was "My Old Unlucky Home Far Away," though the lyricism on this track is highly questionable: "Lay the damn thing down / and you'll find your precious needle laying right there on the ground……" Deep? I think not. "Don't We all Have the Right to be Wrong" is a stellar Roger Miller cover, and "The Only Hell My Momma Ever Raised" pays a great respect to Johnny Paycheck. The standout track has to be "You Belong to Me" which features Irwin bouncing around the track with a doo-wop guitar. The Carter Family's suicide poem "Will You Miss Me" is was also redone by Irwin on this album, and "Cry Our Little Eyes Out" is a powerful country tale of a young girls death with witty, and intense lyrics strengthened by the wisdom of Irwin's ageless tonsils; "That clear blue sky comes like a slap across my face, / I want to close my eyes 'til the dark clouds roll in…" After hearing an album like this from an artists like Irwin, I still find it hard to believe she spent her early career dabbing around in punk music. A solid record from a talented lady.
| The Liars Danger Mouse El-P Onelinedrawing Fat Cat Compilation Ninja Tune Remix Retrospective Mochipet Ninja Tune Compilation The Get Up Kids Deerhoof Decomposure Nurse With Wound The Walkmen Ride Meat Beat Manifesto Squarepusher Air Mathew Dear Kid 606 Telefon Tel Aviv Jaylib Lucero Plastikman Pimmon David Dondero The Books Wheat Azure Ray Photek Drum and Bass Compilation The Decemberists Her Space Holiday Plaid Luke Vibert Mates of State Aesop Rock [The User] Klute The Shins Lyrics Born Kid Koala Chris Clark Mojave 3 Atmosphere Patric C. Meat Beat Manifesto Death Cab For Cutie King Geedorah Alec Empire Christoph De Babalon Enon Stereophonics Northern State Bonobo Kid 606 Amon Tobin Black Box Recorder Motion City Soundtrack Merzbow Monty Alexander Fall Out Boy Rob Dougan Mu-ziq Madlib Thrice London Elektricity Tricky Pinback Adult Abstract Polygon The Cinematic Orchestra Mars Volta Ugly Duckling Yoshimi and Yuka Nobukazu Takemura Hint Lagwagon Four Tet Loren Connors Ed Harcourt Catherine Irwin

[ Home | About KUCI | Contact | Alumni Pages | KUCI's 33rd | Schedule | CD Reviews | Listening Help | Articles ]
KUCI is brought to you by the University of California, Irvine