Album of the Week: 12 - 29 - 08

I went to Best Buy today to use my $50 gift card that I received for Christmas. I had no clue what I was going to buy but I had a hunch that I'd find my way to the exstensive (and in actuality, the opposite) CD section in order to purchase some albums I didnt possess. I ended up getting the following: Opeth -- Watershed; Mastodon -- Blood Mountain and Leviathan; and The Mars Volta -- De-Loused in the Comatorium.

The album and artist I felt like focusing on was the one I opened up upon sitting in my truck and making my way to a Taco Bell, being Mastodon's 2006 release Blood Mountain.

This concept album telling the tale of Wear-wolf like being attempting to place the Crystal Skull at the top of Blood Mountain grooves through a 12-song track listing with decimating speed. There's plenty of brutish vocals and riffs to be had, along with some unique drum play that's adverse to the norm of modern metal. (although I still say the opening drums to "Crystal Skull" are a copy of Sepultura) The first three tracks blister by and open the record with a screaching bull-horn bellow.

If you're looking for great hooks and grooves accompanied by studio vocals and imaginitive story-telling than Mastodon's third album is for you. It perfectly leads into their 2009 release, Crack the Sky. 2006's number-one metal record fails to make you notice that there's a story being told, but in a way, makes up for it in its musical prowress. (acting both as a culprit and hero in this instance)

Just a Taste

The Videos Volume VIII: 12-28-08

I thought for my first edition of the Videos, I'd try a little something different genre-wise. Everyone of our bloggers has a different, exotic music taste, from the heaviest of metal to the most underground of pop. Me? I'm that one guy who listens to everything. You take a look at my iPod and you'll see everything from Metallica to U2 to MGMT to Casting Crowns. The majority of my music is, however, of the acoustic variety, most coming from Cities 97 City Samplers (If you don't know what those are, they're basically compilations of various acoustic versions of popular songs). My goal is to bring you songs from genres that get overlooked by many of our bloggers...basically said acoustic music, mellower music that doesn't meet the genre requirements of our other bloggers...

And without further ado, I bring you The Videos.

1. Bittersweet-Big Head Todd and the Monsters



To be perfectly honest, I've got no idea why I like this song. Todd looks like he got hit by a bus...several times...the lyrics are fairly basic...I dunno. I guess the simplicity of the song actually gets to me. It's not, in my mind, a true love song, as lines such as "We live together, but it's different from my dream" tend to show me that this is basically the story of the modern American marriage. It's not the true love he imagined it would be, but it's still love. I guess that gets to me. But seriously...he looks like he got hit in the face with a wrecking ball...

2. Jumper-Third Eye Blind



I love love love love love love love Third Eye Blind. (I don't think I used too many "loves"...) Their alternative rock style has always been one of my favorites, and Jumper is possibly my favorite song. The intro of this song is cool, with just the guitar, vocals, and the snare drum. Even though it's really a song that talks about someone so depressed they want to jump off of a ledge, it's still a very good song. I love the songs that don't really ever get all the instruments into the fold until the end, like this song. I just love this song...

3. A Lifetime-Better Than Ezra



Better Than Ezra...I've never really heard much from this band, but found A Lifetime just on my iPod randomly and fell in love with the song. It's a fairly depressing song (at least the intro), with an uplifting beat, amazing how many of those there are out there...hmmmm. The soft to loud to soft pattern of this song is another one of my favorite styles, and one of the reasons I love this song. The lyrics are good, and the whole piece just fits together. Good song.

4. Absolutely-Nine Days



(I couldn't embed the actual video, so we get this crap.)

You've all heard this song, it's been around for a damn long time, and it's always been on the radio. Very good song, solid guitar part, solid lyrics...not much else to say...So how bout them Lions?

5. Take Five-Dave Brubeck Quartet



Jazz? Not played on a flute by Ron Burgundy? What has this world come to?!?!?! Well this may be my favorite jazz song ever, I've played it twice in school jazz bands and it never gets old. The 5/4 time makes it all the better, and the fact that the song is basically two extended solos is awesome. Any song that has a 2:20 long solo that actually is rhythmic and musical is awesome, and the song itself is masterfully played and is a wonderful and classic jazz tune.

Bonus: Scottish National Anthem played on Bagpipes



Why? Because I felt like it. That's why.

Various Artists - We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year

Various Artists - We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year
Record Label: Eagle Records
Release Date: October 13, 2008


What's the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word "Christmas"? If you're one of 98% of normal functioning human beings, the answer is of course headbanging.

We've all heard the traditional Christmas carols a thousand times over, and ten thousand again. In the Yuletide spirit, this is not necessarily a bad thing; however, Bing Crosby's legendary "White Christmas" and Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" can only be heard so many times before it gets a little repetitive to the ears. Even for most music fans here, the rock renditions of carols and collectively similar "original" tunes (which can be summed up with the following: "It's Christmas, baby, and I want you in my arms tonight") get a little old. That's where metal comes in to fill the void of originality.

Yes, metal music can be seen as the face of unoriginality. But let's face it: how often do you hear Christmas metal? As much as the two have a natural blend, it just for some reason never comes together. Perhaps it's the whole "worship Satan, praise the Lord of Darkness and his armies" complex going on, but that's just mere speculation. The lineup for this rollicking tale of Christmas death and destruction includes a ridiculous all-star cast, featuring Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Dave Grohl, Alice Cooper, Geoff Tate, Tommy Shaw, members from Testament, Motorhead, ZZ Top, Dokken, Kiss, Judas Priest, Anthrax, Ratt, Marilyn Manson, and others.

The record begins with a distant, peaceful chorus of "we wish you a merry Christmas" before steadily descending into a dark underrealm chant of "we wish you a metal Christmas." Clever! What a pun. After an energetic, phlegmy rendition of "Run Rudolph Run," Alice Cooper, completely in character, uses his usual campy horror-metal to turn "Santa Claws is Coming to Town" (another pun!) into a creepy stalker song. "He knows when your window is open. He knows when you're under your bed." Eventually it digresses into burning down decorated Christmas trees and breaking toys. Pleasant. Alice Cooper: scaring children away from Christmas joy one pine needle bonfire at a time. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" consists of a mix of Dio and Black Sabbath musicians (including Ronnie James and Tony Iommi themselves), and quickly becomes the album highlight with Dio's vocals. The vocals are immediately challenged, though, by the Freddy Mercury of metal, Mr. Geoff Tate (Queensryche). His trademark piercing-yet-pleasing holds ring out every 10 seconds or so in "Silver Bells."

Later on, we come to what is easily and without a doubt the funniest song on the completely serious record. What metal Christmas album would be complete without "Silent Night"? Not this one, that's for sure. After a 12 second onslaught of guitar, bass, and kickdrum, Chuck Billy (Testament) rips into the mistletoe microphone with the guttural roars that usually accompany the traditional headbanging carol. This continues for approximately four minutes, or until one simply cannot stand it any longer due to a) ear pain or b) rib pain resulting from ceaseless laughing. From there, "Deck the Halls", "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer", and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" lead into the album closer, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." Being my favorite Christmas song, I was ecstatic to see this track being played with minimal headbangage, because well, one can only take so much brain hemorrhaging until one is forced to bring the tempo and volume down. Tommy Shaw (Styx) croons out the classic John Lennon peace whore to acoustic guitar and melodic guitar play.

As a whole, this record is...interesting. The kick of wailing guitars and pounding drums was a smashing wake up from the serenity of fireside re-tellings of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with the family. None of these songs may be spinning under the ol' needle come Christmas morning, but it was definitely a worthwhile use of my precious music time.

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 - Album Review

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

Coheed and Cambria

2003

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 is Coheed and Cambria's second album (the three in the title refers to the part of lead singer Claudio Sanchez's story, not the number of the album; C & C have yet to record the first part of Sanchez's The Amory Wars, the storyline which is the origin of the band's name and the idea behind all of their music). I downloaded this CD not long after attending a concert with my brother. (He had an extra ticket, so I tagged along to check them out.) However, I didn't listen to the whole album until almost a year later. For whatever reason, my interest in the band waned after the concert, and I moved on to other stuff. But when I returned to the band, I became more interested than ever. Why? It rocks.

The album begins with the customary Coheed and Cambria classical-style intro "The Ring in Return," before launching straight into the most epic track on the CD. No lie. If you listen to nothing else on Keeping Secrets, listen to its title track. The quiet beginning builds to a downright mind-blowing performance. The eight minutes goes faster than you will believe.

Next, we get "Cuts Marked in the March of Men," a good example of Coheed's ability to craft dual-guitar stylings, as well as a nice refrain. The album moves right along into "Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)," an upbeat track with another solid refrain. It's nothing spectacular, but it's another fine case of C & C's musicianship and knack for counterpoint. You'll also get a postively mystifying lyric: "On the wrong way out / On the causeway to neverwhere."

Hm.

Anyway, in "The Crowing," we get a chance to hear Coheed and Cambria's method of repeated notes with chord changes, followed by one or more melodic sections, then returned to the sparse foundation of intermittent strokes, then ended by an echoing melodic section. Included in a recent "The Videos," "Blood Red Summer" gives us a single-friendly song, but that shouldn't be taken the wrong way. It's an enjoyable song and the way the ascending and descending guitar fits with the punctuating chords of a second guitar is nothing short of fascinating. Like many people, one of my biggest weaknesses is a catchy vocal improvisation, and you'll get that from about 2:43 to 3:08.

The album then enters the three-part "The Velorium Camper" section. This is a pattern on Coheed and Cambria albums to have a section of a few songs set off on their own. "I: Faint of Heart" is an interesting song, though nothing very praise-worthy. "II: Backend of Forever" is another nice effort, but once again, I struggle to find anything especially noteworthy. "III: Al the Killer" is by far the best of the trio. It's menacing guitar at the start shows a dark side of C & C, but when it opens up, there's a great change of pace, at which point we hear yet another great refrain, complete with excellent harmony.

"A Favor House Atlantic" is the pinnacle of this album. It's no surprise that this is the most radio-friendly song from this album; it's not as drawn-out as "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3," and it has more energy and a better refrain than the other shorter tracks. If you attend a Coheed and Cambria concert, you will hear this song. And you will hear girls screaming the refrain, which begins coherently,

Bye, bye, beautiful

Don't bother to write

but ends with what appears to be nonsense.

Disturbed by your words, and they're calling all cars

Face step let down, face step-step down

Huh? This is probably an instance when the comic books' material simply doesn't translate to music without proper explanation.

The second-to-last track is "The Light & the Glass," the slow song of the album. This isn't really what you look for from a prog band, but while the nine minutes are a little long, they aren't a total loss. The song has some good spots. It closes with another rendition of the opening theme. And that brings us to the close of the -- BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! There's a hidden track!

Yay?

Meh. Personally, I could do without it. Even without "21:13," the album is already just seconds away from an hour long. The last track pushes it to 69 minutes, 24 seconds, which, quite frankly, is too long. If you're going to make a 69-minute album, it had better be the best freaking album ever made. I like In Keeping Secrets, but enough to give it that kind of praise.

Anyway, I give In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 four stars out of five. Even if it's a little dull at times, there's no way I can overlook the sheer magnificence of the title track, the catchiness of "Blood Red Summer," the powerful "The Velorium Camper III: Al the Killer," and the spirited "A Favor House Atlantic." If you're looking to explore what Coheed and Cambria has to offer, I'd recommend this album, and the following one, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness.

The Videos: Volume VI -- 12 - 08 - 08

Volume six is here, finally. It's an extra special edition, too -- everything featured are live performances. (OOOooooo... ahhhhhhhhh)

Let's get to it.

1. The Drapery Falls - Opeth

I figured I might as well put this here seeing how I just blogged about Blackwater Park the other day. I'm in a bit of awe in the fact that these guys are so good live. I had a thought that some of what we hear on their albums are merely products of the studio, but that's not the truth whatsoever. Mikael Akerfeldt is slowly becoming a new hero of mine. Just need to hear more than just one of their albums...



2. Viva la Vida - Coldplay

I know, we've all heard this song and seen its video a kagillion times... but they're up for a few Grammy's so they're just the flavor of the people right now. That, and I just got their latest album and felt compelled.



3. The Dope Show - Marilyn Manson

Dont tell me you're not intrigued by this man's every move. You'd be lying. Like his music or not, Marilyn Manson is a figure in modern music and its culture. Songs like these and performances of them like this one are just a fraction of what his legacy will be.



4. Wonderwall - Oasis

To me, everything I've heard from Oasis is generic and average, and helps remind me that artists like Metallica, Pantera and U2 were truly the biggest bands of the 1990's. (Crap, Nirvana too I guess) But I felt like I needed to feed someone out there after stuff by Opeth and Manson, so here, does this suffice? If not, take the fact that I enjoyed the video here as a consolation.



5. Instant Karma - John Lennon

Karma just knocked O.J. Simpson in the face recently -- wonder if he saw that coming. All in all, we all shine on, while The Juice looks like he'll get his squeezed in the slammer for the next 15 or so years. Lame joke, I know. It's past midnight, gimme a break!

What Laura Says - Thinks and Feels

Thinks and Feels
What Laura Says
August 19, 2008

What Laura Says. Thinks and Feels. What Laura says, thinks, and feels! I get it! The artists formerly known as What Laura Says Thinks and Feels released their debut album in 2006 to what I hope was enough acclaim to encourage them to continue.

Apparently, Laura had a lot to say, think, and feel. And by a lot to say, think and feel, I mean they hauled in a dump truck full of quirks, twists, and whims, emptied them into a 1 pixel by 1 pixel mp4 file, and assorted them into perfectly harmonized chaos. And by chaos, of course I mean that What Laura Says has displayed the dexterity of ear of Edgar Allan Poe and the resourcefulness of Sam Beam from Iron & Wine. By resourcefulness, I naturally am noting the vast collection of sounds, ranging from bongos to hand claps to (insert apprx. 30 household objects here) to barbershop quartet vocals, all anthologized into one diverse record. And by diverse, I imply that each successive track sounds absolutely nothing like the previous one. And now, without further ado, I present to you a mini-rant that is loosely connected to this album review.

One of the most common critiques of debut albums is that the band in question “doesn’t have a definitive sound” or “doesn’t know what it wants to sound like.” Nothing infuriates me more than this. What if, perhaps, in a crazily experimental move, a band wanted to make a diverse album? Maybe, as if from a parallel universe, somebody didn’t want to make 11 songs that sound the same. It’s radical, but if there are bands out there willing to guinea pig the idea, I’m willing to try it out. (Exeunt ranting.)

Lyrically, this band isn’t breaking down any walls, but it doesn’t slack in the quirkiness department. “Your eyelids sparkle and get heavy / And you stick your tongue out / ‘Dot dot dot’ you keep repeating / It isn't like I'll be gone long.” Hm. Well then. I couldn’t say that particular scene has happened to me before, but I wouldn’t doubt that the members of What Laura Says are indeed transcendental beings whose daily lives include dialogue such as this.

When listening to this album, it is hard to put everything into words. A studied and masterful artist of descriptions could not know where to begin to dissect What Laura Says. I find it easier to relate it to an expansive, loosely defined idea of which readers can make whatever they will. In this light, let’s call What Laura Says the musical transcription of the city streets scene in August Rush, where August absorbs the urban setting for the first time and converts every sound he hears into musical perfection. See? A very easy thought for me to convey as the lazy writer, and an adjustable concept for you to mold as the half-interested reader.

Anyway, I think I’ve lashed the highlights of this album into this review enough times. It’s doubtful that anyone at this point is going to expect uniformity at any point in this album, and that’s a good thing. If being unique and providing a fresh bite to the music pie is good enough to get noticed, What Laura Says should have a happy future in front of them.

Recommended if you like: sound, Animal Collective, Iron & Wine

Absolutepunk.net

Album of the Week: 12 - 5 - 08

Whoa. It's Mac. You miss me?

I've been dormant... down in my cave researching music of old and new, updating my catalogue "What I've Heard", not to mention hitting my bank account hard with the purchase of many a CD. Recently, albums bought either on disc or through the evil iTunes have been Opeth's Blackwater Park, Slayer's Christ Illusion and Hell Awaits, Tool's 10,000 Days, and The Sword's Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth. The last two records being sparked by seeing The Sword live in New Orleans with Metallica and Down a few weeks ago: EPIC!

Anyway, the album being spot-lighted today is Opeth's 2001 creation, Blackwater Park. I'm a metal fan, not so much a metal head. I like some metal bands, despise others; even misunderstand others. Opeth is one of many that embody the latter, solely due to their vocal style. You know it as cookie monster vocals; I know it as that unintelligible filth that creates no better reason in history to either never write any lyrics or provide an event of burning a lyric sheet. What's the reason for listening to it if you cant understand anything said? If anything, make it into an instrumental to spare those with ears of the sane. That's my stance on that topic for the most part. I say for the most part because, after being jabbed at over the past few months by a friend about these guys, and seeing the album listed as the fifth best (out of 100) metal album ever by Metal Storm, I finally was urged enough to buy this thing.

Wow.

Kinda wish I could've made that bigger, because that would've better articulated how astonished not only at how well done this record was but how so positively received it was by myself. I really should've read the fine print on this Sweedish band before passing any judgment in the past: Progressive and Melodic Death Metal.

Okay, so it wasnt that small but to someone who's entirely ignorant about a certain artist it sure does seem like that fact is kept hidden. The first two terms insinuate that these guys arent only good for pedal-to-the-metal riffs and screaching vocals, but also slower tempos that incorporate acoustic interludes and actual singing (SINGING!) to better counter-act the first aspect of their abilities. "Harvest" is the only song on the album that was a non-cookie monster induced track, and it was entirely driven by acoustics.

Of the many things that excited me about this listening experience, the most notable ones were how well they'd transition between hammering riffs and drum-play and roaring gutteral vocals to angelicly soothing pieces during songs. Songs that would clock in at over 10 to 12 minutes at times, and they'd do these things numerous times during marathon tracks that didnt exude any feelings of said title, to boot. Even better was how they'd rattle on with double-bass play for what had to have been one to two minutes at a time during various songs (HOLY SHIT THAT'S HARD) and others, where, they'd come in bursts, both inbetween heightened speeds and the combination of that and softer sections. The musical ability and genius was overwhelming. And possibly the most impressive was how well it was all kept together and how it blended perfectly.

Naturally, you'll have to check up on the lyrics to each song to get a better idea as to what the concepts were, but if you're like me, you'll be able to release yourself to the musical rollercoaster that makes up this record. And if you're really like me, you'll agree that the vocal style, at least when it comes to a band like Opeth, becomes somewhat of an engrained piece to the musical puzzle.

If you ever feel like experimenting, give this 67-minute titan a listen -- I guarantee there's someting there for you.

Sound of Karma III

Sigh. I'm doing this to avoid personal failure to complete a goal. Part 3 of the 3 part boy/girl indie vocal duet Sound of Karmas!


1. Great Northern - Home

Great Northern is my 3rd favorite in my personal list of boy/girl indie bands, preceding Lydia and Stars. Hm, I guess one-word band names are just superior. Anyway, while Great Northern doesn't feature vocal trade-offs as perfect as Stars or Lydia, they could arguably be the most soothing, with their bell/synth/ringing guitar work. "Home" is their best selling and most attractive single.

2. Bright Eyes - We Are Nowhere and It's Now

Don't worry, guys. I wouldn't dare make a Sound of Karma blog without throwing in some Conor Oberst for you. In his album I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, Conor brilliantly invited the vocals of the ageless Emmylou Harris. Wow, what a difference it made. Probably the best example of her giving the gift of her voice to the world is in this track, "We Are Nowhere and It's Now".

3. Broken Social Scene - 7/4 (Shoreline)

I've never been a huge fan of Broken Social Scene, or even gotten into them at all. But hey, they feature both of the singers from Stars, as well as the famous Feist (you know, the one from the iTunes commercials). This song is...well, I know about as much about it as you do. It is pretty sweet, though.

4. Damien Rice - 9 Crimes

WATCH THIS! God, this song is so good. So eerie, so wonderful. Nomar kindly introduced me to it, and he remains the sole keeper of eternal love for this song, but it has drawn many followers, including myself and I believe Super Squirrel or Cincy or someone. LISTEN. LOVE. LOVE SOME MORE.

5. Mates of State - Ha Ha

A lot of magazines/webzines/people who are kind of important to some people are putting Mates of State's new album at the top of the 2008 list. Why? I don't know. Seems kind of like regular folk to me. But oh well, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, since I've never heard the album. Anyway, this is a cool song by them that features the husband/wife duo passing the mic back and forth.

DONE! Yee-haw!