I was feeling a little nostalgic the other day for the days not knowing any better than to make mix CDs with more than one song by a given artist (not counting mixes of just one artist)...so I came up with an idea: 90-minute, four-way splits...in other words, an equal number of songs (or at least time) by each of four selected artists, arranged for optimal flow...here's what I have so far:
Radiohead/Thrice/Tool/The Beatles (my four favorite bands)
1. Radiohead - Planet Telex
2. Thrice - Daedalus
3. Tool - H./Useful Idiot
4. The Beatles - A Day In the Life
5. Radiohead - Paranoid Android
6. The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
7. Radiohead - Exit Music (For a Film)
8. Tool - Pushit
9. Thrice - The Melting Point of Wax
10. The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
11. The Beatles - Happiness Is a Warm Gun
12. Thrice - For Miles
13. Radiohead - The National Anthem
14. Tool - The Patient
15. Thrice - The Earth Will Shake
16. Tool - Right In Two
The Bouncing Souls/Foo Fighters/Jimmy Eat World/The Lawrence Arms (just four bands that seemed to go together well)
1. Foo Fighters - All My Life
2. The Bouncing Souls - Lean On Sheena
3. Jimmy Eat World - Table For Glasses
4. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
5. Jimmy Eat World - Just Watch the Fireworks
6. Jimmy Eat World - For Me This Is Heaven
7. Foo Fighters - Everlong
8. The Lawrence Arms - Your Gravest Words
9. The Bouncing Souls - The Something Special
10. The Lawrence Arms - Brickwall Views
11. The Bouncing Souls - Hopeless Romantic
12. The Lawrence Arms - First Eviction Notice
13. Jimmy Eat World - No Sensitivity
14. The Lawrence Arms - The Ramblin' Boys of Pleasure
15. Foo Fighters - My Hero (Skin and Bones version)
16. Foo Fighters - Next Year
17. The Lawrence Arms - The Raw and Searing Flesh
18. Foo Fighters - February Stars (Skin and Bones version)
19. The Bouncing Souls - Lamar Vannoy
20. Jimmy Eat World - Call It In the Air
21. The Bouncing Souls - Anchors Aweigh
22. The Lawrence Arms - Fireflies
23. The Bouncing Souls - Gone
more on this as it develops...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Playlist: Modern Anthems
The other day I was watching a live webcast of The Arcade Fire playing Madison Square Garden on youtube and chatting with my friend who was watching the same webcast. They closed (of course) with "Wake Up" and my friend said to me: "this is the last great anthem." Obviously I took this as a challenge. So I found 84 songs on my iPod that I deemed to be "great anthems" and that were released in or after the year 2004 (the year The Arcade Fire's "Funeral" was released). A lot of them were by the same artists so I made a mix (right in the range of 90 minutes so it would fit comfortably on a blank tape, if anyone's interested) of the best ones:
1. Thrice - Image of the Invisible
One of the more powerful songs you'll hear and one of the best opening songs on an album. The call-and-response gang vocals give me chills every time you hear them. This is one of a handful of songs that really captured the emotion and the significance of the 2008 Presidential Election for me. Not only that but the lyrics read like a war cry for my generation and are sung like one as well.
2. Jimmy Eat World - Futures
If "Image of the Invisible" was a war cry for the 2008 election then this one was a war cry for the 2004 election. Unfortunately this particular war cry wasn't exactly loud enough but that doesn't take anything away from this soaring pop anthem. Another one of my favorite album openers of all time, it explodes from the word "go" with one of catchiest riffs I've ever heard and the infectiousness doesn't stop there as a typically soaring Jimmy Eat World chorus sings "Say hello to good times...trade up for the fast life...we close our eyes while the nickle and dime take the streets completely."
3. Lucero - What Else Would You Have Me Be?
Yet another one of my all time favorite album openers and a perfect third track for a mix tape. This one doesn't soar quite as majestically as the first two but it's every bit as powerful in its simplicity and down-homey style. The stark, earnest crooning of "Come on baby, what else would you have me be?" in the chorus isn't exactly the epic, infectious sing-along that you normally hear in an anthem but the line is so starkly honest and vulnerable that you can't help singing along.
4. The Hold Steady - Southtown Girls
Another awesomely down-homey anthem with a very simple but very infectious chorus: "Southtown girls won't blow you away...but you know that they'll stay." Has a certain poignancy to it, doesn't it? Unlike the first three songs on this mix that open their respective albums, this song closes out the album it's on, and quite appropriately. It also features a totally rockin', infectious riff that will compel your hips irresistibly to move.
5. Drive-By Truckers - The Righteous Path
The kings of alt-country offer up a soulful rock anthem with an almost gospel feel to it, specifically in the lyrics. Lyrically it speaks very personally of every day life and troubles with money. The song itself has a nostalgic simplicity that makes it undeniably timeless, much in the same way that Smashing Pumpkins' "1979" is. This is a song I could see having my first dance with a girl to. It's catchy, it's poignant, and it's danceable. What more could you ask for?
6. The Bouncing Souls - So Jersey
I really wish I could have gone back a few years to 2001 when they released How I Spent My Summer Vacation because there are like 3 or 4 different songs on that album that are all-timer level anthems. The Gold Record has its share of great anthems also (although the best one is a song originally written by a band called Avoid One Thing). I picked this one not only because it strikes me as the most anthemic but because it's an anthem with a message that's very dear to me, which is: "And we want to say thanks to the music in our lives for helping us to survive..."
7. Latterman - My Bedroom Is Like For Artists
The album that this song closes out (No Matter Where We Go) is essentially nothing BUT wide-eyed anthems from beginning to end. Picking just one to go on this mix was part mind-numbing deliberation and part total crapshoot. In the end, this one stood out marginally from the rest--maybe because it has that conclusive feel of a final song on an album. The point is, if you like the anthemic qualities of this song, you really need to hear the rest of the album because the choruses are just as powerful in every other song on it.
8. The Ergs! - Everything Falls Apart (and More)
This, to me, is the band that every fan of New Found Glory or Blink 182 or any of the other megastars of shitty mainstream pop punk needs to be listening to instead. These guys are the kings of nerdy pop punk, firmly planted at the intersection of Elvis Costello and The Descendents. Dorkrockcorkrod is honestly one of the ten best pop punk albums I've ever heard; fresh and diverse but focused and infectious. This tongue-in-cheek anthem articulates a sarcastic desire to be lied to by the girl of your dreams because "the truth hurts much too much sometimes." I think it's something a lot of nerdy, squirrely guys can relate to even if none of us legitimately wants to be lied to.
9. Dillinger Four - A Jingle For the Product
Another band, much like The Bouncing Souls, whose catalog I wish I could go further back into (a couple gems that could just as easily be on this mix: "Doublewhiskeycokenoice", "Super Powers Enable Me to Blend with Machinery", "D4=Putting the 'F' Back In 'Art'", "Fired Side Chat") but this song certainly belongs on that pantheon as well. Actually a lot of songs from C I V I L W A R are worthy of a spot but this one stands out above the others--as well it should, being the first song on the album (and Dillinger Four has always been one of those bands who never fails to deliver on a phenomenal opening track).
10. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
One more band for which I wish I could go back earlier than 2004 (how perfectly would "My Hero" fit in on this list; possibly one of the great anthems of all time). I was sort of on the fence on whether to pick this song or "The Pretender" but this one is just so epic, the choice was clear. I mean you talk about a great opening song--I would have killed to have seen them live when they toured for this album and opened every show with this song. So profound, so poignant and towering. Then that bubbling riff that gives way to silence...a deliberate breath...and then it explodes.
11. Modern Life Is War - D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
It wasn't easy working a hardcore song into this mix but somehow I managed it. I had a hard time deciding between this and "The Outsider" which is a decidedly more powerful song but lacks a real sing-along or hook that would really qualify it as an anthem. So instead we have this song with its mesmerizing closing sing-along (see: song title).
12. System of a Down - Soldier Side
The poignancy of this song struck me immediately and impactively the very first time I heard it. I'd consider it a pretty major feat to listen to this song without getting chills. It doesn't so much have a specific hook as it is just one long anthem...every line soars and the harmonies of "they were crying when their sons left...etc." equal, if not surpass, the paralyzing outro of "Chop Suey." Extremely emotional, epic, starkly moving and, most of all, anthemic.
13. Leftover Crack - Soon We'll Be Dead (feat. World/Inferno Friendship Society)
At this point, we slow things down a bit; ironically, with an uncharacteristically slow song for Leftover Crack, best known for their crusty skacore and punk rock energy. Truly, it was a brilliant move on the band's part to bring in some of their friends in World/Inferno Friendship Society to help on this song because Stza's voice is clearly inadequate to execute this song and also the accordion adds a beautiful dimension that really puts the song over the top.
14. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
This might be the most unorthodox anthem on the list. The big hook is not a melody at all but a wild, hollering chant that you would have a hard time memorizing and singing along to without reading along with the lyrics. However, in spite of not having a catchy melody or being easy to follow along with, the "hook" is undeniably catchy and even if you can't remember the lyrics after you hear it 5-10 times, you won't be able to get it out of your head and will inevitably find yourself "singing" to yourself, something along the lines of "Icky Thump with the bump dumpa dump somethin' somethin' to Mexicooo."
15. Kanye West - Homecoming (ft. Chris Martin)
It was pretty much a toss-up between this and "Stronger" and I figured since I have a Coldplay song on here, why not put this song right before it. Actually, I chose this song mostly because everyone got pretty sick and tired of "Stronger" (myself included) and because the main hook in "Stronger" is a sample from a Daft Punk song and the main hook in this song is just plain better. Chris Martin fits so seemlessly into this song and the beat is absolutely phenomenal. Say what you want about Kanye's emcee skills (and his personality) but the man is a supremely talented producer and it's never more apparent than on this song and, really, on this entire album.
16. Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Anyone who knows me knows I'm no fan of Coldplay. I've always essentially viewed them as a diet version of Radiohead--actually, one of my favorite writers, Chuck Klosterman, has a much better line: "[Coldplay] sound like a mediocre photocopy of Travis (who sounds like a mediocre photocopy of Radiohead)." However, to their credit, on the album that this song takes its name from, they did a lot to distance themselves from the Radiohead comparisons, especially with this song. It has a kind of urgent energy which is not only a product of an ethereal sing-along chorus but also the noteworthy absence of conventional drumming and the inclusion of delightfully artificial-sounding string arrangements (and I say that without a hint of sarcasm; the electric string arrangements add a color and exuberance that I honestly don't think actual string instruments would necessarily achieve).
17. Bright Eyes - Road to Joy
As the song title insinuates, this song is loosely fashioned after Beethoven's famous "Ode to Joy" melody from his 9th Symphony. As you can imagine, this makes for a pretty epic anthem. This is another one of those songs where there isn't so much one great, epic hook as it is the whole song that's a sing-along. There aren't even any repeated lines that will stick in your brain but the melody is so infectious and powerful that it gives a chorus-like emphasis to pretty much every line in the song--and there are some phenomenal lines. Some of my favorites: "So when you're asked to fight a war that's over nothing, it's best to join the side that's gonna win. And no one's sure how all of this got started but we're gonna make 'em goddamn certain how it's gonna end." and "I read the body count out of the paper and now it's written all over my face. No one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter, sometimes that's just the most comfortable place." and, last but not least, a line that pretty well sums up the career of Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes: "Well I could have been a famous singer if I had someone else's voice but failure's always sounded better. Let's fuck it up boys, MAKE SOME NOISE!" which leads straight into the song's majestically noisy climax.
18. Dredg - Bug Eyes
Dredg was always more on the eclectic side than the catchy/sing-along-y side of things in spite of some very infectious melodies--that is, until the Catch Without Arms album. This was decidedly Dredg's most poppy album to date. This fact can be viewed either negatively or positively--on the positive side, the songs are beautiful and catchy with wonderful, dreamy, melodious hooks and textures; on the negative side, the songs are much simpler and devoid of many of the diverse textural and harmonic elements that made Leitmotif and El Cielo such fascinating albums. On the whole, it's a very good, well-written album and its dreamy, textural magnificence is exemplified by this song, with its iconic, delay-saturated, slide guitar intro and its soaring choruses that sing: "Your journey back to birth is haunting you; your departure from the Earth is haunting you."
19. Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends
I'd be hard-pressed trying to put together a list of the best anthems of the last 5-6 years without including a song from arguably the most commercially and critically (combined) successful album of the last decade. I certainly could have picked "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" or "American Idiot" or even one of the non-single tracks such as "Are We the Waiting" or even the 9-plus minute epic "Homecoming" instead; however, all things considered (overall song quality, popularity, anthemic...ness...), I think this song was the clear-cut way to go. As overplayed as this song has become, I doubt very many people can deny how powerful and anthemic it is. Also, having seen it live, I can attest to getting serious goosebumps hearing a huge crowd sing it in unison.
20. Far - At Night We Live
The only song on the list that was actually released this year, making it (obviously) the most recent song on the list. At first, this might seem a bit slow and methodical for an anthem but as a person who has done so much of my living after dark, the stirring chorus of the dark and powerful song resonates deeply with me. Sure, it's not exactly full of energy but it's starkly emotional and the exuberance in the lyrics and the melody can't be overstated. I also love how the mood of the song matches the subject material; the song truly resonates the energy of an exciting night full of dizzying possibilities.
21. Baroness - Ogeechee Hymnal/A Horse Called Golgotha
We close with a band that's hardly known for anthems and certainly not known for its hooks (at least not vocal hooks). While this song does have a pretty spectacular vocal melody in the chorus, it distances itself from the rest of the songs on the list in that it's most anthemic parts and aspects are instrumental. Some of the guitar lines and melodies in this song are more anthemic than some of the hooks in other songs on the list. I dare you not to hum along with the powerful hook that closes out the song.
1. Thrice - Image of the Invisible
One of the more powerful songs you'll hear and one of the best opening songs on an album. The call-and-response gang vocals give me chills every time you hear them. This is one of a handful of songs that really captured the emotion and the significance of the 2008 Presidential Election for me. Not only that but the lyrics read like a war cry for my generation and are sung like one as well.
2. Jimmy Eat World - Futures
If "Image of the Invisible" was a war cry for the 2008 election then this one was a war cry for the 2004 election. Unfortunately this particular war cry wasn't exactly loud enough but that doesn't take anything away from this soaring pop anthem. Another one of my favorite album openers of all time, it explodes from the word "go" with one of catchiest riffs I've ever heard and the infectiousness doesn't stop there as a typically soaring Jimmy Eat World chorus sings "Say hello to good times...trade up for the fast life...we close our eyes while the nickle and dime take the streets completely."
3. Lucero - What Else Would You Have Me Be?
Yet another one of my all time favorite album openers and a perfect third track for a mix tape. This one doesn't soar quite as majestically as the first two but it's every bit as powerful in its simplicity and down-homey style. The stark, earnest crooning of "Come on baby, what else would you have me be?" in the chorus isn't exactly the epic, infectious sing-along that you normally hear in an anthem but the line is so starkly honest and vulnerable that you can't help singing along.
4. The Hold Steady - Southtown Girls
Another awesomely down-homey anthem with a very simple but very infectious chorus: "Southtown girls won't blow you away...but you know that they'll stay." Has a certain poignancy to it, doesn't it? Unlike the first three songs on this mix that open their respective albums, this song closes out the album it's on, and quite appropriately. It also features a totally rockin', infectious riff that will compel your hips irresistibly to move.
5. Drive-By Truckers - The Righteous Path
The kings of alt-country offer up a soulful rock anthem with an almost gospel feel to it, specifically in the lyrics. Lyrically it speaks very personally of every day life and troubles with money. The song itself has a nostalgic simplicity that makes it undeniably timeless, much in the same way that Smashing Pumpkins' "1979" is. This is a song I could see having my first dance with a girl to. It's catchy, it's poignant, and it's danceable. What more could you ask for?
6. The Bouncing Souls - So Jersey
I really wish I could have gone back a few years to 2001 when they released How I Spent My Summer Vacation because there are like 3 or 4 different songs on that album that are all-timer level anthems. The Gold Record has its share of great anthems also (although the best one is a song originally written by a band called Avoid One Thing). I picked this one not only because it strikes me as the most anthemic but because it's an anthem with a message that's very dear to me, which is: "And we want to say thanks to the music in our lives for helping us to survive..."
7. Latterman - My Bedroom Is Like For Artists
The album that this song closes out (No Matter Where We Go) is essentially nothing BUT wide-eyed anthems from beginning to end. Picking just one to go on this mix was part mind-numbing deliberation and part total crapshoot. In the end, this one stood out marginally from the rest--maybe because it has that conclusive feel of a final song on an album. The point is, if you like the anthemic qualities of this song, you really need to hear the rest of the album because the choruses are just as powerful in every other song on it.
8. The Ergs! - Everything Falls Apart (and More)
This, to me, is the band that every fan of New Found Glory or Blink 182 or any of the other megastars of shitty mainstream pop punk needs to be listening to instead. These guys are the kings of nerdy pop punk, firmly planted at the intersection of Elvis Costello and The Descendents. Dorkrockcorkrod is honestly one of the ten best pop punk albums I've ever heard; fresh and diverse but focused and infectious. This tongue-in-cheek anthem articulates a sarcastic desire to be lied to by the girl of your dreams because "the truth hurts much too much sometimes." I think it's something a lot of nerdy, squirrely guys can relate to even if none of us legitimately wants to be lied to.
9. Dillinger Four - A Jingle For the Product
Another band, much like The Bouncing Souls, whose catalog I wish I could go further back into (a couple gems that could just as easily be on this mix: "Doublewhiskeycokenoice", "Super Powers Enable Me to Blend with Machinery", "D4=Putting the 'F' Back In 'Art'", "Fired Side Chat") but this song certainly belongs on that pantheon as well. Actually a lot of songs from C I V I L W A R are worthy of a spot but this one stands out above the others--as well it should, being the first song on the album (and Dillinger Four has always been one of those bands who never fails to deliver on a phenomenal opening track).
10. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
One more band for which I wish I could go back earlier than 2004 (how perfectly would "My Hero" fit in on this list; possibly one of the great anthems of all time). I was sort of on the fence on whether to pick this song or "The Pretender" but this one is just so epic, the choice was clear. I mean you talk about a great opening song--I would have killed to have seen them live when they toured for this album and opened every show with this song. So profound, so poignant and towering. Then that bubbling riff that gives way to silence...a deliberate breath...and then it explodes.
11. Modern Life Is War - D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
It wasn't easy working a hardcore song into this mix but somehow I managed it. I had a hard time deciding between this and "The Outsider" which is a decidedly more powerful song but lacks a real sing-along or hook that would really qualify it as an anthem. So instead we have this song with its mesmerizing closing sing-along (see: song title).
12. System of a Down - Soldier Side
The poignancy of this song struck me immediately and impactively the very first time I heard it. I'd consider it a pretty major feat to listen to this song without getting chills. It doesn't so much have a specific hook as it is just one long anthem...every line soars and the harmonies of "they were crying when their sons left...etc." equal, if not surpass, the paralyzing outro of "Chop Suey." Extremely emotional, epic, starkly moving and, most of all, anthemic.
13. Leftover Crack - Soon We'll Be Dead (feat. World/Inferno Friendship Society)
At this point, we slow things down a bit; ironically, with an uncharacteristically slow song for Leftover Crack, best known for their crusty skacore and punk rock energy. Truly, it was a brilliant move on the band's part to bring in some of their friends in World/Inferno Friendship Society to help on this song because Stza's voice is clearly inadequate to execute this song and also the accordion adds a beautiful dimension that really puts the song over the top.
14. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
This might be the most unorthodox anthem on the list. The big hook is not a melody at all but a wild, hollering chant that you would have a hard time memorizing and singing along to without reading along with the lyrics. However, in spite of not having a catchy melody or being easy to follow along with, the "hook" is undeniably catchy and even if you can't remember the lyrics after you hear it 5-10 times, you won't be able to get it out of your head and will inevitably find yourself "singing" to yourself, something along the lines of "Icky Thump with the bump dumpa dump somethin' somethin' to Mexicooo."
15. Kanye West - Homecoming (ft. Chris Martin)
It was pretty much a toss-up between this and "Stronger" and I figured since I have a Coldplay song on here, why not put this song right before it. Actually, I chose this song mostly because everyone got pretty sick and tired of "Stronger" (myself included) and because the main hook in "Stronger" is a sample from a Daft Punk song and the main hook in this song is just plain better. Chris Martin fits so seemlessly into this song and the beat is absolutely phenomenal. Say what you want about Kanye's emcee skills (and his personality) but the man is a supremely talented producer and it's never more apparent than on this song and, really, on this entire album.
16. Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Anyone who knows me knows I'm no fan of Coldplay. I've always essentially viewed them as a diet version of Radiohead--actually, one of my favorite writers, Chuck Klosterman, has a much better line: "[Coldplay] sound like a mediocre photocopy of Travis (who sounds like a mediocre photocopy of Radiohead)." However, to their credit, on the album that this song takes its name from, they did a lot to distance themselves from the Radiohead comparisons, especially with this song. It has a kind of urgent energy which is not only a product of an ethereal sing-along chorus but also the noteworthy absence of conventional drumming and the inclusion of delightfully artificial-sounding string arrangements (and I say that without a hint of sarcasm; the electric string arrangements add a color and exuberance that I honestly don't think actual string instruments would necessarily achieve).
17. Bright Eyes - Road to Joy
As the song title insinuates, this song is loosely fashioned after Beethoven's famous "Ode to Joy" melody from his 9th Symphony. As you can imagine, this makes for a pretty epic anthem. This is another one of those songs where there isn't so much one great, epic hook as it is the whole song that's a sing-along. There aren't even any repeated lines that will stick in your brain but the melody is so infectious and powerful that it gives a chorus-like emphasis to pretty much every line in the song--and there are some phenomenal lines. Some of my favorites: "So when you're asked to fight a war that's over nothing, it's best to join the side that's gonna win. And no one's sure how all of this got started but we're gonna make 'em goddamn certain how it's gonna end." and "I read the body count out of the paper and now it's written all over my face. No one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter, sometimes that's just the most comfortable place." and, last but not least, a line that pretty well sums up the career of Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes: "Well I could have been a famous singer if I had someone else's voice but failure's always sounded better. Let's fuck it up boys, MAKE SOME NOISE!" which leads straight into the song's majestically noisy climax.
18. Dredg - Bug Eyes
Dredg was always more on the eclectic side than the catchy/sing-along-y side of things in spite of some very infectious melodies--that is, until the Catch Without Arms album. This was decidedly Dredg's most poppy album to date. This fact can be viewed either negatively or positively--on the positive side, the songs are beautiful and catchy with wonderful, dreamy, melodious hooks and textures; on the negative side, the songs are much simpler and devoid of many of the diverse textural and harmonic elements that made Leitmotif and El Cielo such fascinating albums. On the whole, it's a very good, well-written album and its dreamy, textural magnificence is exemplified by this song, with its iconic, delay-saturated, slide guitar intro and its soaring choruses that sing: "Your journey back to birth is haunting you; your departure from the Earth is haunting you."
19. Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends
I'd be hard-pressed trying to put together a list of the best anthems of the last 5-6 years without including a song from arguably the most commercially and critically (combined) successful album of the last decade. I certainly could have picked "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" or "American Idiot" or even one of the non-single tracks such as "Are We the Waiting" or even the 9-plus minute epic "Homecoming" instead; however, all things considered (overall song quality, popularity, anthemic...ness...), I think this song was the clear-cut way to go. As overplayed as this song has become, I doubt very many people can deny how powerful and anthemic it is. Also, having seen it live, I can attest to getting serious goosebumps hearing a huge crowd sing it in unison.
20. Far - At Night We Live
The only song on the list that was actually released this year, making it (obviously) the most recent song on the list. At first, this might seem a bit slow and methodical for an anthem but as a person who has done so much of my living after dark, the stirring chorus of the dark and powerful song resonates deeply with me. Sure, it's not exactly full of energy but it's starkly emotional and the exuberance in the lyrics and the melody can't be overstated. I also love how the mood of the song matches the subject material; the song truly resonates the energy of an exciting night full of dizzying possibilities.
21. Baroness - Ogeechee Hymnal/A Horse Called Golgotha
We close with a band that's hardly known for anthems and certainly not known for its hooks (at least not vocal hooks). While this song does have a pretty spectacular vocal melody in the chorus, it distances itself from the rest of the songs on the list in that it's most anthemic parts and aspects are instrumental. Some of the guitar lines and melodies in this song are more anthemic than some of the hooks in other songs on the list. I dare you not to hum along with the powerful hook that closes out the song.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Candidates for the Top 10 of 2010 (and, for good measure, 2009)
The National - High Violet
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Beach House - Teen Dream
The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The Tallest Man On Earth - Wild Hunt
The Black Keys - Brothers
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
Blind Guardian - At the Edge of Time
The Fall - Your Future, Our Clutter
The White Stripes - Under the Great White Northern Lights
Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
The Roots - How I Got Over
Laurie Anderson - Homeland
Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives
Drive-By Truckers - The Big To-Do
She & Him - Volume Two
Kayo Dot - Coyote
The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever
Matt Skiba - Demos
Torche - Songs for Singles
Jimmy Eat World - Invented
Envy - Recitation
Kylesa - Spiral Shadow
and since I never made a top 10 of 2009:
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Converge - Axe to Fall
The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II
Natural Snow Buildings - Shadow Kingdom
Kylesa - Static Tensions
Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Isis - Wavering Radiant
Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect
Ancestors - Of Sound Mind
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Thrice - Beggars
Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind
Dredg - The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion
Baroness - Blue Record
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Russian Circles - Geneva
Buried Inside - Spoils of Failure
Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
Propagandhi - Supporting Caste
Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Beach House - Teen Dream
The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The Tallest Man On Earth - Wild Hunt
The Black Keys - Brothers
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
Blind Guardian - At the Edge of Time
The Fall - Your Future, Our Clutter
The White Stripes - Under the Great White Northern Lights
Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
The Roots - How I Got Over
Laurie Anderson - Homeland
Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives
Drive-By Truckers - The Big To-Do
She & Him - Volume Two
Kayo Dot - Coyote
The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever
Matt Skiba - Demos
Torche - Songs for Singles
Jimmy Eat World - Invented
Envy - Recitation
Kylesa - Spiral Shadow
and since I never made a top 10 of 2009:
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Converge - Axe to Fall
The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II
Natural Snow Buildings - Shadow Kingdom
Kylesa - Static Tensions
Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Isis - Wavering Radiant
Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect
Ancestors - Of Sound Mind
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Thrice - Beggars
Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind
Dredg - The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion
Baroness - Blue Record
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Russian Circles - Geneva
Buried Inside - Spoils of Failure
Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
Propagandhi - Supporting Caste
Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
Monday, August 16, 2010
Derrick's Top Albums of All Time (#20-11)
I know, I know, it's been over three months since the last installment in this series. I'm really slacking on this thing lately. But I FINALLY have gotten back on track and have prepared the next in this wonderful series for all two of you that read this blog (and that's being generous). I swear, honest to god, I'm gonna really try to start making a habit of updating this blog every week. Seriously. Anyway, on with the show...
20. Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye
I'd like to think that the small handful of people who actually read this would know enough to take me seriously when I say that Choirs of the Eye is the most musically diverse, eclectic, dynamic mindfuck of an album I've ever heard. There is no possible genre I could assign to this and describing it would be almost as impossible. The songs rollercoaster from classical music to folk to sludge, almost black metal to spacey post-rock, often within the same "song" (I use the term loosely because there are five tracks on the album, one is five minutes and the rest hover around the 11-15 minute mark...so they're really more like movements of a symphony than "songs"). I never thought I'd hear a beautiful trombone solo or brilliant clarinet solo in the same song as heavy metal guitars but the musicianship here is just on such a high level that the grace and flow with which the band bends and contorts between and across genre lines is truly astounding.
19. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada and Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Now we get into a few albums of what I consider to be my generation's classical music (although my generation has actual classical music too but whatever just go with me on this): instrumental post-rock. This is more of a classical-styled band in the genre in that they do employ the use of strings very often. Their music...at times is like the soundtrack to the end of the world. In fact their albums often come off as though they could be movie soundtracks and that whatever movie they were the soundtracks to would probably be really fucking good (for the record, post-rock band Explosions In the Sky literally did go that route, doing the soundtrack to Friday Night Lights, which was pretty decent). Slow Riot has a much more melancholy eastern music influence to it which is why I had to put it in a tie with Skinny Fists despite only having 2 "movements" and roughly 27 minutes of music. "Moya" is one of the great buildups of all time and "BBF3" really does literally sound like the soundtrack to the end of the world at times along with featuring a fascinating interview clip with Blaise Bailey Finnegan III (hence "BBF3"). Skinny Fists on the other hand is just full of so much music that I can't really even begin to describe it all...one recommendation I would give is to see if you can find a version that's broken up into movements--the original release of the album has four tracks, each in the 20 minute range, named "Storm", "Static", "Sleep", and "Antennas to Heaven"...however, in the liner notes each of these tracks is divided into "movements" denoted with beginning and ending times in each track for each of its movements..."Storm" is divided into four movements, "Static" into five, "Sleep" into three, and "Antennas to Heaven" contains seven movements. I say get this version because I just find it interesting to see where each movement begins and ends but I guess you could just buy the CD or look up the beginning and ending times online...but whatever it's cool to have.
18. Mono - Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined
Mono is a band that tends to catch a considerable amount of criticism among the more discerning fans of instrumental/post-rock music (along with Explosions In the Sky) for the lack of imagination, innovation, and creativity in their music. As a musician, I can see where they're coming from--Mono tends to rely on a lot of melodic cliches in their chord progressions and often uses and reuses many of the same effects and songwriting methods in many of their songs. All those things aside, however, this band makes some of the most achingly beautiful music you're likely to ever hear and that fact is no more evident than on Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined. Unlike Godspeed You! Black Emperor, this band (and Explosions In the Sky, for that matter) mostly employ the basic rock music instrumental nucleus of two guitars, a bass guitar, and drums--with the occasional sprinkle of strings or piano for ambiance or effect. However, their music is no less powerful for it. "16.12" and "Halcyon (Beautiful Days)" are two of the most inspiring pieces of music on my iPod and I constantly use the latter in mix CDs/tapes and playlists--to me, this song is literally the musical incarnation of falling in love, complete with an epically climactic first kiss toward the end.
17. Converge - Petitioning the Empty Sky
It's kind of amazing to think that this album came out nearly fifteen years ago, in 1996. Talk about being ahead of your time. Many still consider this Converge's best work and while I'm not sure I'd go that far, I can certainly understand the sentiment. It's much more raw and unfettered than anything else they released and you could also make the argument that it's significantly more unorthodox--specifically in terms of Jacob Bannon's tortured vocal delivery. It also has a lot more of the hardcore punk and thrash metal influences of Converge's late 90s output, which, along with the rawness of it, as much as I love all these elements, knocks it down a few pegs for me on my list of this band's best stuff. However, I can't write a synopsis of this album without talking about "The Saddest Day"--in my opinion, one of the greatest songs ever written, not just in hardcore but in all rock music. An epic journey through all corners of the hardcore spectrum, it features at least three of the most undeniably classic moments of hardcore songwriting ever put to tape--the riotous breakdown near the midpoint of the song, the haunting sing-along of "how we get older, how we forget about each other", and finally the irresistibly powerful chant of "EVERY TIME YOU JUSTIFY, ANOTHER GOOD IN YOU DIES."
16. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
I'm not much for sugary sweet pop music at all but this right here is an absolute pop masterpiece. If there were a Mount Rushmore of pop records, it would undoubtedly be three Beatles records and this one. We're all familiar with the megahits "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows", two of the greatest songs of all time. But this record is so, so much more than those songs. The harmonies are achingly beautiful, the hooks are undeniably infectious, and the songwriting is simply masterful. There isn't much I can say about this album that hasn't been said already so I'll just say that if you don't own this album or if you've never heard the whole thing from start to finish then your life simply won't ever be complete until you do.
15. Envy - A Dead Sinking Story
Epic. EPIC. I'm going to attempt to describe this album without using the word "epic" more than ten times--or just typing "EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC" over and over until it forms a paragraph. This is the music of the towering, the majestic, the sublime. It stretches so high over your head that your neck may become sore after extended listens--and most listens to this album are extended with no song (besides the interlude) being less than five minutes, four songs reaching over the seven minute mark, and one (the final song) eclipsing the twelve minute mark. The power and majesty of Envy's melodies are likely to make your hair stand on end and, at times, your jaw drop. No metaphor I could conjure would adequately capture it. No description I could give would be good enough. You have to hear it to believe it.
14. Cave In - Until Your Heart Stops
Keeping with the theme of beautifully complex hardcore records, I give you one that, in my opinion, is one of the best, and quite possibly THE most underrated hardcore record of all time. When you look at it in the context of the album that precedes it (Beyond Hypothermia, a decidedly heavier and more metal-influenced record) and the album that follows it (Jupiter, Cave In's Radiohead-esque left-field turn into the realm of spacey post-rock), it's clear that this album is the stepping stone between the two, combining elements of both of these sounds into one beautifully textured melting pot of awesomeness. The one-two punch of "Moral Eclipse" and "Terminal Deity" kick off the album with perfect attention paid to pacing--in fact, the beginning of this album is consistent with the unwritten rules of mixtape-making which are to start off with a bang, then kick it up a notch, and then pull it back...I think they originally come from High Fidelity though I'm not sure if they originally appear in the movie or the book. The next track does somewhat pull it back, but only in terms of sheer speed and ferocity. "Juggernaut" is another song that I feel belongs on the pantheon of great all time hardcore songs--brilliant riffing, clockwork-perfect time changes, beautifully spacey melodies...just an incredibly well-written song in every aspect. Following that is "The End of Our Rope Is a Noose", an eight-minute odyssey plunging even deeper into the spacey post-rock elements that would dominate the following album. From there, well, it really goes all over the place. The production is perfect, phasing out a lot of treble with very effective results and enhancing the atmosphere with some delicious little experimental loops and studio tricks. I can honestly say I will be listening to this album until MY heart stops! (rimshot)
13. Deftones - White Pony
Here's another very Radiohead-esque left-field turn by a band that, for several years, seemed to evolve into a new and different band with each album they released (see: Adrenaline -> Around the Fur -> White Pony). This band's turn, to me, is probably the most impressive of any, simply because, when they released this starkly experimental album, they were right at the forefront of the "nu metal" movement along with Korn and Rage Against the Machine. To take such a bold artistic risk after developing what was, frankly, a notoriously closed-minded following (by which I mean nu metal fans in general, not Deftones fans, who, to their credit, were always a little more open than the rest, as evidenced by the success of this album) is a truly commendable move to make. Of course, the main reason it was so effective and successful is because it's just that damn good. While it was a very experimental, spacey album, there was certainly no shortage of heavy down-tuned guitars. For every "Digital Bath" or "Rx Queen" or "Teenager" there was a "Feiticeira", an "Elite", and a "Street Carp"--interestingly enough, I just listed tracks 2, 4, and 6 followed by tracks 1, 3, and 5 of White Pony, so that just gives you an idea how much variation there is here. The highlight of the album, for me, is definitely "Passenger" which features guest vocals by Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle--vocals which, to the untrained ear, are famously all but indecipherable from those of Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. Another highlight is "Knife Prty", also featuring guest vocals, but these are lent by someone far less famous--a girl working next door to the studio.
12. Dredg - El Cielo
In years past, I used to completely dismiss the idea that this album was better than what I consider to be this bands magnum opus, Leitmotif. As time has gone by, I've softened more and more on that stance until now I'm starting to doubt whether or not I really still think Leitmotif is the better album. I'm not quite ready to relent on my stance that Leitmotif is the band's crowning achievement but I'm starting to see the scales tip that way in my mind. Either way, this album is certainly as brilliantly crafted as its predecessor, if not more so. It definitely is more diverse in its influences and its instrumentation, which I absolutely adore about it. Employing everything from a flute to a trumpet to a saxophone, this album sees the band stretching its creative wings much further out. Singer Gavin Hayes's vocals are also much less raw than they are on the previous album, much more developed and almost operatic, one might say. There are a number of very interesting interludes that lead into the songs that follow them perfectly and there are some very brightly shining moments on here as far as the actual songs. The ones that shine brightest for me are "Triangle" (one of my Top 50 Songs of the 2000s), "Of the Room", "Whoa Is Me", and the epic, aptly-titled album closer, "The Canyon Behind Her."
11. Tool - 10,000 Days
I feel like a lot of the things I'm saying in this series are things I've said a million times before and that people who might have read them before are getting plain sick and tired of. This is one that I actually already said earlier in the series but I have to repeat it to talk about this album also (and considering how long it's been since the entry in which I first said it, I doubt you'll remember it): As much as I loved and still do love Lateralus, [copypaste]I couldn't help thinking it left something to be desired five years removed from the masterpiece of Ænima. I felt like Tool was capable of doing so much better which speaks more to the otherworldly expectations created by Ænima then it does to the actual mediocrity of Lateralus[/copypaste]. As such, when 10,000 Days was released, I absolutely adored it immediately because, to me, this was more like the album I was expecting to hear when I bought Lateralus. This is what Tool is truly capable of--far more focused and scathing and considerably less indulgent than Lateralus. "Vicarious", "Jambi", and "The Pot" rank right up there with the best of Tool's "hits", as powerful and dynamic as anything they've written but also just catchy and accessible enough for rock radio. Meanwhile, "Rosetta Stoned" and "Right In Two" easily belong in the top ten songs Tool has ever written, towering tall alongside fellow epics such as "Third Eye" and "Pushit." "Right In Two" is quite possibly my favorite Tool song lyrically and the tabla solo is so amazing, the only thing better is seeing Danny do it live. It's wonderful to see how far along he's come on the tabla. "Rosetta Stoned", on the other hand, is certainly a fitting title for that song. It's really only something that obsessive Tool fans--read: most real Tool fans--are consciously aware of but this song has pieces of other Tool songs scattered all over the place. That's not to say they sampled other songs or ripped riffs straight out of old songs and pasted them into this one. However there are certainly very distinct homages to many of Tool's songs hidden within the song. Comparisons can be drawn between parts in "Rosetta Stoned" and parts in songs such as "H." and "Third Eye" that are a frequent topic of discussion on Tool message boards--and I would know. In many ways this song really is kind of a "rosetta stone" for Tool's music and a very interesting microcosm of their catalog. Tool has almost become known for these sort of 10+ minute epics that rollercoaster up and down and side to side and upside down countless times and while this is no "Third Eye" it certainly earns its place on the pantheon of Tool epics and helps earn 10,000 Days a spot on this countdown.
Well there you have it. Tune in next week (SERIOUSLY!) for the TOP TEN--very exciting stuff. Until then, enjoy!
20. Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye
I'd like to think that the small handful of people who actually read this would know enough to take me seriously when I say that Choirs of the Eye is the most musically diverse, eclectic, dynamic mindfuck of an album I've ever heard. There is no possible genre I could assign to this and describing it would be almost as impossible. The songs rollercoaster from classical music to folk to sludge, almost black metal to spacey post-rock, often within the same "song" (I use the term loosely because there are five tracks on the album, one is five minutes and the rest hover around the 11-15 minute mark...so they're really more like movements of a symphony than "songs"). I never thought I'd hear a beautiful trombone solo or brilliant clarinet solo in the same song as heavy metal guitars but the musicianship here is just on such a high level that the grace and flow with which the band bends and contorts between and across genre lines is truly astounding.
19. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada and Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Now we get into a few albums of what I consider to be my generation's classical music (although my generation has actual classical music too but whatever just go with me on this): instrumental post-rock. This is more of a classical-styled band in the genre in that they do employ the use of strings very often. Their music...at times is like the soundtrack to the end of the world. In fact their albums often come off as though they could be movie soundtracks and that whatever movie they were the soundtracks to would probably be really fucking good (for the record, post-rock band Explosions In the Sky literally did go that route, doing the soundtrack to Friday Night Lights, which was pretty decent). Slow Riot has a much more melancholy eastern music influence to it which is why I had to put it in a tie with Skinny Fists despite only having 2 "movements" and roughly 27 minutes of music. "Moya" is one of the great buildups of all time and "BBF3" really does literally sound like the soundtrack to the end of the world at times along with featuring a fascinating interview clip with Blaise Bailey Finnegan III (hence "BBF3"). Skinny Fists on the other hand is just full of so much music that I can't really even begin to describe it all...one recommendation I would give is to see if you can find a version that's broken up into movements--the original release of the album has four tracks, each in the 20 minute range, named "Storm", "Static", "Sleep", and "Antennas to Heaven"...however, in the liner notes each of these tracks is divided into "movements" denoted with beginning and ending times in each track for each of its movements..."Storm" is divided into four movements, "Static" into five, "Sleep" into three, and "Antennas to Heaven" contains seven movements. I say get this version because I just find it interesting to see where each movement begins and ends but I guess you could just buy the CD or look up the beginning and ending times online...but whatever it's cool to have.
18. Mono - Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined
Mono is a band that tends to catch a considerable amount of criticism among the more discerning fans of instrumental/post-rock music (along with Explosions In the Sky) for the lack of imagination, innovation, and creativity in their music. As a musician, I can see where they're coming from--Mono tends to rely on a lot of melodic cliches in their chord progressions and often uses and reuses many of the same effects and songwriting methods in many of their songs. All those things aside, however, this band makes some of the most achingly beautiful music you're likely to ever hear and that fact is no more evident than on Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined. Unlike Godspeed You! Black Emperor, this band (and Explosions In the Sky, for that matter) mostly employ the basic rock music instrumental nucleus of two guitars, a bass guitar, and drums--with the occasional sprinkle of strings or piano for ambiance or effect. However, their music is no less powerful for it. "16.12" and "Halcyon (Beautiful Days)" are two of the most inspiring pieces of music on my iPod and I constantly use the latter in mix CDs/tapes and playlists--to me, this song is literally the musical incarnation of falling in love, complete with an epically climactic first kiss toward the end.
17. Converge - Petitioning the Empty Sky
It's kind of amazing to think that this album came out nearly fifteen years ago, in 1996. Talk about being ahead of your time. Many still consider this Converge's best work and while I'm not sure I'd go that far, I can certainly understand the sentiment. It's much more raw and unfettered than anything else they released and you could also make the argument that it's significantly more unorthodox--specifically in terms of Jacob Bannon's tortured vocal delivery. It also has a lot more of the hardcore punk and thrash metal influences of Converge's late 90s output, which, along with the rawness of it, as much as I love all these elements, knocks it down a few pegs for me on my list of this band's best stuff. However, I can't write a synopsis of this album without talking about "The Saddest Day"--in my opinion, one of the greatest songs ever written, not just in hardcore but in all rock music. An epic journey through all corners of the hardcore spectrum, it features at least three of the most undeniably classic moments of hardcore songwriting ever put to tape--the riotous breakdown near the midpoint of the song, the haunting sing-along of "how we get older, how we forget about each other", and finally the irresistibly powerful chant of "EVERY TIME YOU JUSTIFY, ANOTHER GOOD IN YOU DIES."
16. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
I'm not much for sugary sweet pop music at all but this right here is an absolute pop masterpiece. If there were a Mount Rushmore of pop records, it would undoubtedly be three Beatles records and this one. We're all familiar with the megahits "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows", two of the greatest songs of all time. But this record is so, so much more than those songs. The harmonies are achingly beautiful, the hooks are undeniably infectious, and the songwriting is simply masterful. There isn't much I can say about this album that hasn't been said already so I'll just say that if you don't own this album or if you've never heard the whole thing from start to finish then your life simply won't ever be complete until you do.
15. Envy - A Dead Sinking Story
Epic. EPIC. I'm going to attempt to describe this album without using the word "epic" more than ten times--or just typing "EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC" over and over until it forms a paragraph. This is the music of the towering, the majestic, the sublime. It stretches so high over your head that your neck may become sore after extended listens--and most listens to this album are extended with no song (besides the interlude) being less than five minutes, four songs reaching over the seven minute mark, and one (the final song) eclipsing the twelve minute mark. The power and majesty of Envy's melodies are likely to make your hair stand on end and, at times, your jaw drop. No metaphor I could conjure would adequately capture it. No description I could give would be good enough. You have to hear it to believe it.
14. Cave In - Until Your Heart Stops
Keeping with the theme of beautifully complex hardcore records, I give you one that, in my opinion, is one of the best, and quite possibly THE most underrated hardcore record of all time. When you look at it in the context of the album that precedes it (Beyond Hypothermia, a decidedly heavier and more metal-influenced record) and the album that follows it (Jupiter, Cave In's Radiohead-esque left-field turn into the realm of spacey post-rock), it's clear that this album is the stepping stone between the two, combining elements of both of these sounds into one beautifully textured melting pot of awesomeness. The one-two punch of "Moral Eclipse" and "Terminal Deity" kick off the album with perfect attention paid to pacing--in fact, the beginning of this album is consistent with the unwritten rules of mixtape-making which are to start off with a bang, then kick it up a notch, and then pull it back...I think they originally come from High Fidelity though I'm not sure if they originally appear in the movie or the book. The next track does somewhat pull it back, but only in terms of sheer speed and ferocity. "Juggernaut" is another song that I feel belongs on the pantheon of great all time hardcore songs--brilliant riffing, clockwork-perfect time changes, beautifully spacey melodies...just an incredibly well-written song in every aspect. Following that is "The End of Our Rope Is a Noose", an eight-minute odyssey plunging even deeper into the spacey post-rock elements that would dominate the following album. From there, well, it really goes all over the place. The production is perfect, phasing out a lot of treble with very effective results and enhancing the atmosphere with some delicious little experimental loops and studio tricks. I can honestly say I will be listening to this album until MY heart stops! (rimshot)
13. Deftones - White Pony
Here's another very Radiohead-esque left-field turn by a band that, for several years, seemed to evolve into a new and different band with each album they released (see: Adrenaline -> Around the Fur -> White Pony). This band's turn, to me, is probably the most impressive of any, simply because, when they released this starkly experimental album, they were right at the forefront of the "nu metal" movement along with Korn and Rage Against the Machine. To take such a bold artistic risk after developing what was, frankly, a notoriously closed-minded following (by which I mean nu metal fans in general, not Deftones fans, who, to their credit, were always a little more open than the rest, as evidenced by the success of this album) is a truly commendable move to make. Of course, the main reason it was so effective and successful is because it's just that damn good. While it was a very experimental, spacey album, there was certainly no shortage of heavy down-tuned guitars. For every "Digital Bath" or "Rx Queen" or "Teenager" there was a "Feiticeira", an "Elite", and a "Street Carp"--interestingly enough, I just listed tracks 2, 4, and 6 followed by tracks 1, 3, and 5 of White Pony, so that just gives you an idea how much variation there is here. The highlight of the album, for me, is definitely "Passenger" which features guest vocals by Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle--vocals which, to the untrained ear, are famously all but indecipherable from those of Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. Another highlight is "Knife Prty", also featuring guest vocals, but these are lent by someone far less famous--a girl working next door to the studio.
12. Dredg - El Cielo
In years past, I used to completely dismiss the idea that this album was better than what I consider to be this bands magnum opus, Leitmotif. As time has gone by, I've softened more and more on that stance until now I'm starting to doubt whether or not I really still think Leitmotif is the better album. I'm not quite ready to relent on my stance that Leitmotif is the band's crowning achievement but I'm starting to see the scales tip that way in my mind. Either way, this album is certainly as brilliantly crafted as its predecessor, if not more so. It definitely is more diverse in its influences and its instrumentation, which I absolutely adore about it. Employing everything from a flute to a trumpet to a saxophone, this album sees the band stretching its creative wings much further out. Singer Gavin Hayes's vocals are also much less raw than they are on the previous album, much more developed and almost operatic, one might say. There are a number of very interesting interludes that lead into the songs that follow them perfectly and there are some very brightly shining moments on here as far as the actual songs. The ones that shine brightest for me are "Triangle" (one of my Top 50 Songs of the 2000s), "Of the Room", "Whoa Is Me", and the epic, aptly-titled album closer, "The Canyon Behind Her."
11. Tool - 10,000 Days
I feel like a lot of the things I'm saying in this series are things I've said a million times before and that people who might have read them before are getting plain sick and tired of. This is one that I actually already said earlier in the series but I have to repeat it to talk about this album also (and considering how long it's been since the entry in which I first said it, I doubt you'll remember it): As much as I loved and still do love Lateralus, [copypaste]I couldn't help thinking it left something to be desired five years removed from the masterpiece of Ænima. I felt like Tool was capable of doing so much better which speaks more to the otherworldly expectations created by Ænima then it does to the actual mediocrity of Lateralus[/copypaste]. As such, when 10,000 Days was released, I absolutely adored it immediately because, to me, this was more like the album I was expecting to hear when I bought Lateralus. This is what Tool is truly capable of--far more focused and scathing and considerably less indulgent than Lateralus. "Vicarious", "Jambi", and "The Pot" rank right up there with the best of Tool's "hits", as powerful and dynamic as anything they've written but also just catchy and accessible enough for rock radio. Meanwhile, "Rosetta Stoned" and "Right In Two" easily belong in the top ten songs Tool has ever written, towering tall alongside fellow epics such as "Third Eye" and "Pushit." "Right In Two" is quite possibly my favorite Tool song lyrically and the tabla solo is so amazing, the only thing better is seeing Danny do it live. It's wonderful to see how far along he's come on the tabla. "Rosetta Stoned", on the other hand, is certainly a fitting title for that song. It's really only something that obsessive Tool fans--read: most real Tool fans--are consciously aware of but this song has pieces of other Tool songs scattered all over the place. That's not to say they sampled other songs or ripped riffs straight out of old songs and pasted them into this one. However there are certainly very distinct homages to many of Tool's songs hidden within the song. Comparisons can be drawn between parts in "Rosetta Stoned" and parts in songs such as "H." and "Third Eye" that are a frequent topic of discussion on Tool message boards--and I would know. In many ways this song really is kind of a "rosetta stone" for Tool's music and a very interesting microcosm of their catalog. Tool has almost become known for these sort of 10+ minute epics that rollercoaster up and down and side to side and upside down countless times and while this is no "Third Eye" it certainly earns its place on the pantheon of Tool epics and helps earn 10,000 Days a spot on this countdown.
Well there you have it. Tune in next week (SERIOUSLY!) for the TOP TEN--very exciting stuff. Until then, enjoy!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
"Boner Moments" (150 Songs)
The Assistant - Training Wheels or No Hands
At the Drive-In - Invalid Litter Dept.
At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
Bane - Ali v. Frazier III
Baroness - Tower Falls
Between the Buried and Me - Mordecai
Blind Guardian - Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)
Bright Eyes - Road to Joy
Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road
City of Caterpillar - ...And You're Wondering How a Top Floor Could Replace Heaven
Converge - Heaven In Her Arms
Converge - The Saddest Day
Converge - My Great Devastator
Converge - Conduit
Converge - Heartless
Converge - Drop Out
Converge - Hope Street
Crestfallen - Scouring For Any Signs of Life
Darkest Hour - The Sadist Nation
Darwin's Waiting Room - All I Have Is Me
Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most
Deftones - Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
Deftones - Beware
Dethklok - Into the Water
Dillinger Escape Plan - The Running Board
Dillinger Four - Fired-Side Chat
Dredg - Triangle
Eighteen Visions - Vanity
Envy - Color of Fetters
Envy - A Far-Off Reason
Every Time I Die - Jimmy Tango's Method
Fear Factory - Edgecrusher
From Autumn to Ashes - Capeside Rock
From Autumn to Ashes - Reflections
From Autumn to Ashes - Short Stories with Tragic Endings
Funeral Diner - Yeah, You Remember That
Funeral Diner - This Truly Is God's Country
Funeral Diner - End on 6
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Moya
Incubus - Just a Phase
Isis - Altered Course
Isis - So Did We
Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus
Jimmy Eat World - If You Don't, Don't
Jimmy Eat World - Table for Glasses
Jimmy Eat World - Polaris
Jimmy Eat World - 23
Kayo Dot - The Manifold Curiosity
King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King
Kylesa - The Curse of Lost Days (Part III)
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
Less Than Jake - Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore
Machine Head - Davidian
Majority Rule - The Sin In Grey
Mare - They Sent You
The Mars Volta - Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
Metallica - One
Metallica - The Unforgiven
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
Metallica - The Call of Ktulu (S&M)
Mineral - Parking Lot
Modern Life Is War - The Outsider (A.K.A. Hell Is For Heroes Pt. 1)
Mogwai - Ratts of the Capital
Mono - 16.12
Mono - Halcyon (Beautiful Days)
Mouth of the Architect - Baobab
Mouth of the Architect - No One Wished to Settle Here
Mudvayne - Severed
Neil Perry - Fading Away Like the Rest of Them
Nine Inch Nails - Ruiner
Nine Inch Nails - Somewhat Damaged
Pantera - Cemetary Gates
Pantera - Floods
A Perfect Circle - The Package
Pg. 99 - In Love With An Apparition
Piebald - Grace Kelly with Wings
Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In the Sky
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
The Plastic Mastery - Before the Fall
Queens of the Stone Age - Song for the Dead
Radiohead - You and Whose Army?
Radiohead - Planet Telex
Radiohead - Nude
Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Radiohead - Exit Music (For a Film)
Radiohead - No Surprises
Radiohead - Lucky
Radiohead - The Tourist
Rage Against the Machine - Know Your Enemy
Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up
Rage Against the Machine - Freedom
Refused - Protest Song '68
Refused - Refused Are Fucking Dead
Refused - Tannhauser/Derive
Russian Circles - Death Rides a Horse
Sepultura - Roots Bloody Roots
Shai Hulud - My Heart Bleeds the Darkest Blood
Strike Anywhere - Chalk Line (acoustic)
Sunny Day Real Estate - Seven
Sunny Day Real Estate - In Circles
Sunny Day Real Estate - Song About An Angel
Sunny Day Real Estate - 47
System of a Down - Tentative
System of a Down - Hypnotize
System of a Down - Lonely Day
System of a Down - Soldier Side
System of a Down - Revenga
System of a Down - Violent Pornography
System of a Down - Question!
System of a Down - Sad Statue
System of a Down - Lost In Hollywood
System of a Down - Chop Suey
Thrice - Broken Lungs
Thrice - Daedalus
Thrice - Come All You Weary
Thrice - Circles
Thrice - Doublespeak
Thrice - The Earth Will Shake
Thrice - For Miles
Thrice - Hold Fast Hope
Thrice - Red Sky
Thrice - Lullaby
Thursday - Jet Black New Year
Thursday - Understanding In a Car Crash (live)
Thursday - Autobiography of a Nation
Thursday - A Hole In the World
Thursday - Paris In Flames
Thursday - How Long Is the Night?
Thursday - A Hole In the World (acoustic)
Tool - Eulogy
Tool - H.
Tool - Forty Six & 2
Tool - Hooker with a Penis
Tool - Jimmy
Tool - The Grudge
Tool - Sober
Tool - Vicarious
Tool - Jambi
Tool - Rosetta Stoned
Tool - Right In Two
Vaster Than Empires - The Ground Only Moves When You Walk On It
Vaster Than Empires - Foundation
Weezer - Across the Sea
Weezer - The Good Life
Weezer - El Scorcho
Weezer - Say It Ain't So
Weezer - Only In Dreams
Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy - A Collaboration Song
At the Drive-In - Invalid Litter Dept.
At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
Bane - Ali v. Frazier III
Baroness - Tower Falls
Between the Buried and Me - Mordecai
Blind Guardian - Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)
Bright Eyes - Road to Joy
Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road
City of Caterpillar - ...And You're Wondering How a Top Floor Could Replace Heaven
Converge - Heaven In Her Arms
Converge - The Saddest Day
Converge - My Great Devastator
Converge - Conduit
Converge - Heartless
Converge - Drop Out
Converge - Hope Street
Crestfallen - Scouring For Any Signs of Life
Darkest Hour - The Sadist Nation
Darwin's Waiting Room - All I Have Is Me
Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most
Deftones - Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
Deftones - Beware
Dethklok - Into the Water
Dillinger Escape Plan - The Running Board
Dillinger Four - Fired-Side Chat
Dredg - Triangle
Eighteen Visions - Vanity
Envy - Color of Fetters
Envy - A Far-Off Reason
Every Time I Die - Jimmy Tango's Method
Fear Factory - Edgecrusher
From Autumn to Ashes - Capeside Rock
From Autumn to Ashes - Reflections
From Autumn to Ashes - Short Stories with Tragic Endings
Funeral Diner - Yeah, You Remember That
Funeral Diner - This Truly Is God's Country
Funeral Diner - End on 6
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Moya
Incubus - Just a Phase
Isis - Altered Course
Isis - So Did We
Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus
Jimmy Eat World - If You Don't, Don't
Jimmy Eat World - Table for Glasses
Jimmy Eat World - Polaris
Jimmy Eat World - 23
Kayo Dot - The Manifold Curiosity
King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King
Kylesa - The Curse of Lost Days (Part III)
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
Less Than Jake - Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore
Machine Head - Davidian
Majority Rule - The Sin In Grey
Mare - They Sent You
The Mars Volta - Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
Metallica - One
Metallica - The Unforgiven
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
Metallica - The Call of Ktulu (S&M)
Mineral - Parking Lot
Modern Life Is War - The Outsider (A.K.A. Hell Is For Heroes Pt. 1)
Mogwai - Ratts of the Capital
Mono - 16.12
Mono - Halcyon (Beautiful Days)
Mouth of the Architect - Baobab
Mouth of the Architect - No One Wished to Settle Here
Mudvayne - Severed
Neil Perry - Fading Away Like the Rest of Them
Nine Inch Nails - Ruiner
Nine Inch Nails - Somewhat Damaged
Pantera - Cemetary Gates
Pantera - Floods
A Perfect Circle - The Package
Pg. 99 - In Love With An Apparition
Piebald - Grace Kelly with Wings
Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In the Sky
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
The Plastic Mastery - Before the Fall
Queens of the Stone Age - Song for the Dead
Radiohead - You and Whose Army?
Radiohead - Planet Telex
Radiohead - Nude
Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Radiohead - Exit Music (For a Film)
Radiohead - No Surprises
Radiohead - Lucky
Radiohead - The Tourist
Rage Against the Machine - Know Your Enemy
Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up
Rage Against the Machine - Freedom
Refused - Protest Song '68
Refused - Refused Are Fucking Dead
Refused - Tannhauser/Derive
Russian Circles - Death Rides a Horse
Sepultura - Roots Bloody Roots
Shai Hulud - My Heart Bleeds the Darkest Blood
Strike Anywhere - Chalk Line (acoustic)
Sunny Day Real Estate - Seven
Sunny Day Real Estate - In Circles
Sunny Day Real Estate - Song About An Angel
Sunny Day Real Estate - 47
System of a Down - Tentative
System of a Down - Hypnotize
System of a Down - Lonely Day
System of a Down - Soldier Side
System of a Down - Revenga
System of a Down - Violent Pornography
System of a Down - Question!
System of a Down - Sad Statue
System of a Down - Lost In Hollywood
System of a Down - Chop Suey
Thrice - Broken Lungs
Thrice - Daedalus
Thrice - Come All You Weary
Thrice - Circles
Thrice - Doublespeak
Thrice - The Earth Will Shake
Thrice - For Miles
Thrice - Hold Fast Hope
Thrice - Red Sky
Thrice - Lullaby
Thursday - Jet Black New Year
Thursday - Understanding In a Car Crash (live)
Thursday - Autobiography of a Nation
Thursday - A Hole In the World
Thursday - Paris In Flames
Thursday - How Long Is the Night?
Thursday - A Hole In the World (acoustic)
Tool - Eulogy
Tool - H.
Tool - Forty Six & 2
Tool - Hooker with a Penis
Tool - Jimmy
Tool - The Grudge
Tool - Sober
Tool - Vicarious
Tool - Jambi
Tool - Rosetta Stoned
Tool - Right In Two
Vaster Than Empires - The Ground Only Moves When You Walk On It
Vaster Than Empires - Foundation
Weezer - Across the Sea
Weezer - The Good Life
Weezer - El Scorcho
Weezer - Say It Ain't So
Weezer - Only In Dreams
Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy - A Collaboration Song
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Top Albums of All Time (#30-21)
Slowly but surely I'm trudging my way through this massive endeavor...some of these entries it's taken me weeks to finish but we'll reach the end, don't worry faithful reader(s)...
30. Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth
There aren't very many albums with direct, significant attachment to the year I spent at UCF, but this is one of them. I have my good friend Rudo to thank for introducing me to this one (I believe this was one of his many "experiments" on me having to do with metal). Now, when most people think of "power metal" (if they even know what that means) they probably tend to think of, say, Dragonforce (specifically "Through the Fire and the Flames", the fabled Guitar Hero pinnacle)--maybe Rhapsody if you're really into power metal. Blind Guardian is pretty high on the list of most popular power metal bands as well but this album is really like few others in the genre. It's a concept album based on J.R.R. Tolkien's almost textbook-like (or bible-like) history of the Elves, The Silmarillion. Musically it truly is a worthy companion to the book, full of epic, and really quite emotional songs that feature everything from dramatic choir parts fused with very Middle-Earth-esque folk music elements (that makes sense, right? sure.) to towering, beautiful metal riffing. As cheesy as high-pitched 80s-style singing can be, Hansi makes it work beautifully as he really does have a phenomenal voice even if he's a male soprano (I dunno if he actually is or not, that's just as high as the voicings go as far as I know...SHUT UP, THAT'S WHY). My favorite song is easily "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)" but "Blood Tears" and "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" are up there too, as is "Nightfall." Not something that's necessarily for everyone...not because it's too extreme but because we tend to have a very specific paradigm about this style of music that makes us just automatically laugh at it. However, I hope you can trust me enough at this point to listen to this from beginning to ending before making up your mind about power metal--although, to be fair, there is no power metal album anywhere near as good as this one (I mean, technically that's my opinion, but there's a degree of objectivity to that claim as well, specifically among people that listen to a lot of this kind of stuff). ANYWAY. Check it out.
29. Mare - Mare
It breaks my heart so much when a band THIS talented never garners enough popularity to release anything more than a 5-song EP. I can't imagine what this band could have grown into over the years so all we have to go on is this insanely eclectic and musically accomplished EP. For starters, the five songs clock in at just under 25 minutes, roughly five minutes a song (and one of them is just under three minutes). This band is simply crushing, monolithic, mindbending, and beautiful all at once somehow. They don't have the fastest guitar playing or the most technical drumming but the outrageous chords that the guitarist uses and the things they do with timing (and lack there-of) are ridiculous. The vocals can be very harsh and abrasive but they can also be incredibly serene so if you're ok with screaming, dive right in, otherwise, tread carefully. Still, everyone should give this band a shot on sheer musicianship and songwriting because they were one of the best that heavy music has produced recently and almost no one has really ever heard of them.
28. The Beatles - Revolver
This album was actually released right before The Beatles' last tour ever but the songs were so complex that none of them were played on the tour. It's the mark of a creative turning point in The Beatles career. I mean what more can I really say about this record at this point? "Eleanor Rigby" is a mainstay on "Greatest Songs of All Time" lists--and with good reason. Eastern philosophy ("I'm Only Sleeping") and music ("Love You To") begin to creep their way into the Fab Four's pop sound, creating something revolutionary that would lead right into the groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album is marked by complex arrangements and groundbreaking studio techniques. As Richie Unterberger of Allmusic so eloquently put it: "In many respects, Revolver is one of the very first psychedelic LPs--not only in its numerous shifts in mood and production texture, but in its innovative manipulation of amplification and electronics to produce new sounds on guitars and other instruments." Couldn't have said it better myself.
27. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
I guess if I'm going to talk about this album the first thing I (begrudgingly) have to talk about is Billy Corgan's voice. I know, I know, it used to annoy me too. The thing is that when you have a band this talented who are this good at writing songs, you tend to look past someone with an annoying voice--or at least I do but music always tends to be the star of the show for me and I know not everyone is like that. The other thing is...well...Billy Corgan can actually sing really well. That is, when he's not doing that high pitched wailing thing (but even that kind of grows on you). You don't have to go far into the album to recognize this; "Tonight, Tonight" is the first (actual) song on the record and one of Corgan's best vocal performances. But ANYWAY, the point I really want to make is that there are SO many songs on this album that are SO good that you would be doing yourself a disservice by writing it off because of the vocals. We've all heard the singles but there are so, so many great songs other than those. Once again, you don't have to go far, because tucked away in between the singles on the front end of the first disc are "Jellybelly" and "Here Is No Why", two of my favorite Pumpkins songs. Track 2 of the second disc is "Bodies", another perfect example of this band's songwriting greatness. They're littered all over the two discs of Mellon Collie; "To Forgive"; "Fuck You (An Ode to No One)"; "Where Boys Fear to Tread"; "Thirty-Three"; "Thru the Eyes of Ruby"; and a song that is, in my opinion, one of the best ever written: "1979." Double albums tend to be overrated as these epic sprawling artistic statements by simple virtue of the fact that they're double albums. What's actually underrated to me is when a band puts out a double album that never gets tired or dull and is filled from top to bottom with quality material. Very few bands are able to accomplish this. Nine Inch Nails did it with The Fragile. Red Hot Chili Peppers did it with Stadium Arcadium. And Smashing Pumpkins did it with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
26. Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes From a Memory
What an epic journey this one is. Better fasten your seat belts. Ever heard of a heavy metal record that sounds like a Broadway musical? I know it doesn't make any sense right now but once you hear it, it will. For one thing, all the lyrics are composed in the format of a play--I mean characters and a script and the whole deal. It's a concept album, obviously but moreso than that it's a sequel to a song that appears on the band's 1992 album Images and Words called "Metropolis Pt. I: The Miracle and the Sleeper." You see, the Miracle and the Sleeper are the two main characters of this opus. The story is way too intricate to go into at any length but if you want to read more about it, check out the wikipedia page for the album. This record is a trip, to say the least. A musically and technically brilliant journey through a riveting story told not only through words but through music. And an incredibly rewarding one.
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25. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple
For my money, this is easily STP's best album. Core gets most of the attention (not all of it positive) but I feel like this is when the band found the sound they wanted; something original but familiar. Scott Weiland definitely found his voice on this record, shedding all comparisons to Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. My favorite song is probably the desolate, ghost town feel of "Big Empty"--a song that was featured in the second Crow movie. "Still Remains" is one of the most underrated STP songs and also a very meaningful song to me. "Interstate Love Song is impossible not to love. "Silvergun Superman" provides this album's "Piece of Pie"--i.e. it's the heaviest song on the record and one of the best. Actually, I take it back...my favorite song is definitely "Kitchenware and Candybars." Absolutely positively beautiful song with a phenomenal guitar solo. I actually got to see them play this song live and after seeing that I feel inclined to say this might be one of my 100 favorite songs ever.
24. Thrice - The Artist In the Ambulance and The Alchemy Index
Thrice has certainly gone through a lot of evolution over their 10+ year career. What we have here are essentially step 2 and step 4 of the progression (excluding Identity Crisis and First Impressions). Step 1 was the somewhat generic Illusion of Safety and The Artist In the Ambulance was the next logical progression from that. The sound is still a bit predictable but it's still done really well. The songs are irresistibly catchy, many are quite powerful, and for the first time, the band started using some complex rhythmic structures in their songs. Lyrically speaking, many of the songs speak to the theme of the record (and the title track). The Artist In the Ambulance was the album where the band first decided to start donating half the profits to a chosen charity and the content reflects that. The title track is a perfect example of the overall theme of this record, with lines such as "I know that this can be more than just flashing lights and sound." "Cold Cash, Colder Hearts" also speaks to this theme, musing very bitterly and sarcastically about the supposed unimportance of other countries and their people and their cultures. There are also some far more personal songs such as "All That's Left" and another personal song to me, "Stare At the Sun." Track 8 is a song based on the story of Icarus and Daedalus seemingly told from the point of view of Icarus. It's a very exuberant, uplifting song...just the first verse is enough to always give me goosebumps:
I've waited for this moment all my life and more
And now I see so clearly what I could not see before
The time is now or never and this chance won't come again
Throw caution and myself into the wind...
And that's a perfect lead-in to The Alchemy Index (released after the brilliant Vheissu, which was released after The Artist In the Ambulance), which features, in my opinion, one of the five best songs Thrice ever wrote, "Daedalus"--which is, of course, the story as heard from the point-of-view of Icarus's father, Daedalus ("son, please keep a steady wing, you know you're the only one that means anything to me...steer clear of the sun or you'll find yourself in the sea"). The Alchemy Index is a very unique collection of four six-song EPs, each sonically and thematically dedicated to one of the four elements--Volume I is Fire, Volume II is Water, Volume III is Air, and Volume IV is "Earth." A really interesting concept and perfectly executed. Volume I features a collection of very "fiery", heavy, impassioned songs with names such as "Firebreather", "The Arsonist", and "Burn the Fleet" (another incredibly uplifting song based on the story of Napoleon telling his men to burn their ships before an invasion). Volume II is dreamy and, well, "watery" sounding. The definite highlights are "Digital Sea" and "Open Water" but I feel this might be the most complete disc because "Lost Continent" and "The Whaler" are both beautifully melancholy, dreamy songs and "Night Diving" may be one of the most compelling songs on The Alchemy Index, a slow, heavy, plodding, melancholy, instrumental romp through Isis-like heavy tones. The title is really fitting because the song definitely sounds like a night dive. Volume III is where "Daedalus" is and also starts off with one of Thrice's most powerful songs, "Broken Lungs", which is clearly lyrically centered around 9/11 conspiracy theories--two very interesting songs for an "Air" themed album. "Earth" is probably the best accomplishment of the four EPs, as it's a mostly acoustic, very folky, dustbowl-esque sound that Thrice has never really explored before but do so very capably. Two beautifully melancholy opening songs then a phenomenal folky cover of a Frodus song called "The Earth Isn't Humming." A short interlude follows and then yet another wonderfully uplifting song, "Come All You Weary." This song is described by vocalist/lyricist Dustin Kensrue as reflecting his attitude toward his music--he wants to be that shining light that all the people in dark places turn to in order to help brighten their lives. I can't really think of a more noble pursuit as an artist. There's one more thing I have to add about this quadruple album: each four-song EP is ended with a song in the form of a sonnet, each of which is sung in the same melody but in different keys, and each of which is written from the point of view of the element of the given EP. Easily the most powerful and effective of the four sonnets is the very last song of the record, "Child of Dust":
Dear prodigal you are my son and I
Supplied you not your spirit but your shape;
All Eden's weath arrayed before your eyes
I fathomed that you wanted to escape.
And though I only ever gave you love,
Like every child you've chosen to rebel;
Uprooted flowers and filled the holes with blood;
Ask for not whom they toll the solemn bells.
But child of dust your mother now returns
For every seed must die before it grows;
And though above the world may toil and turn,
No prying spade will find you here below.
Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet;
Here i will teach you truly how to sleep
(apologies for the photo, the biggest one I could find was 110x110 so I stretched it out to 500x500 for the sake of consistency)
23. The Plastic Mastery - In the Fall of Unearthly Angels
I first heard of this band when I saw them at Orlando Fest in 2003. This was the first out-of-town music festival I would ever travel to and I think it might have actually been the first road trip I ever took without any members of my family. Now, when I say music festival, you have to understand that this thing was held in a courtyard at Rollins College and hosted about, oh, roughly 200-300 kids altogether. Most of the bands that played aren't bands you've ever heard of (except for Against Me!, but this was long before they had become popular outside the underground punk/DIY scene). I remember being impressed by the fact that they featured a trumpet and a keyboard in addition to guitar, bass, drums, and vocals and I remember being slightly reminded of The Get Up Kids when I saw them for some reason. Other than that, I don't remember much other than being very impressed by them. The record actually took some getting used to because it's very lo-fi indie pop with very little bass and lots of treble. However, the songs are so exuberant and so emotional and the entire record is put together so well that it's easy to look past the production if you try. The highlights for me are the three-songs-in-one punch of "Yeah, Tonight"/"Remember That Night When I Thought I Was Going To Die?"/"The Bomb Song" as well as the widely spaced triumvirate (Tracks 1, 8, and 13 out of 13) of "Before the Fall" (a phenomenally joyous opening song), the title track, and the solemn closer, "After the Fall." Another one of my favorites is a song that meant a lot to me when I first went off to college--and you'll see why when you hear it, with the repeated singing of "there is so much more to life than this place"--"Light Above Your Head."
22. The Clash - London Calling
There are a pretty select group of bands that are talked about among the pioneers of punk rock music--usually something along the lines of The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and maybe The Stooges if the person knows what they're talking about. Oh, yeah, and The Clash. "The only band that mattered," as the saying goes. As much as this record means to punk rock, it goes so far beyond that label. The influences are incredibly diverse to the point where almost every song seems to delve into a different genre. The anthemic rock romp of "London Calling" and "Clampdown", the swinging "Jimmy Jazz" and "Rudie Can't Fail", the solemn but infectious rock of "Spanish Bombs" and "Lost In the Supermarket"...and that's only side one of the record. For my money there is no punk rock record that even comes close to being as good as London Calling and anyone who is a fan of music owes it to themselves to hear this.
21. Weezer - Blue Album and Pinkerton
I swear I tried really, really hard to find a reason to put one of these ahead of the other. The temptation is to put Pinkerton a little ahead because it's a little more complete and more personal to me. Really I was pretty close to putting Pinkerton ahead but the more I thought about it, tracks 7-10 on Blue Album make that nearly impossible. There aren't many people at this point that haven't heard "Say It Ain't So" and with good reason, that song is an absolute classic and one of the best ever written. "In the Garage" is nerdcore at it's absolute finest and "Holiday" is a classic 6/8 time power pop anthem. Then the album ends with easily the best Weezer song ever written, "Only In Dreams." Clocking in at just under 8 minutes, "Only In Dreams" is every awkward teenager's theme song for his woes with women and features one of the all time great basslines in a song. Now, obviously Blue Album is more than just those four songs--everyone loves "Buddy Holly" and "Undone (The Sweater Song)", myself included (even if I consider those songs a little overrated). Not only that but one of the most underrated Weezer songs by far is "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here." Speaking of underrated Weezer songs, another one that deserves mention is "Across the Sea"--one of those songs that means a LOT to me personally. Pinkerton in general, to me, is the more complete album and also is the Weezer sound I like best. I absolutely love the huge, buzzsaw guitars and the dark, introspective content that this band was never really able to recapture (only coming even remotely close with Make Believe). Songs like "Getchoo", "No Other One", and especially "Falling For You" can STILL give me goosebumps and make me feel irrepressibly nostalgic. It makes me feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to see this band live back in 2001, just before Green Album came out and they started to progressively suck worse and worse (only redeeming themselves to a marginal degree with Make Believe) and was able to witness them play a set composed entirely of songs from these first two albums (with the exception of a small 4-5 song portion of the set dedicated to "new songs" i.e. songs from Green Album). Not only that but I was blessed enough to see them come out for their encore by playing "Only In Dreams." One of those most incredible moments of my life--but we'll save that story for another entry.
WHEW! Another entry in the books. I gotta say, guys, it usually takes me a couple days to even get through these things. Like one day I'll actually make the list of the albums I'm gonna do for the current entry and put in all the html for the pictures and what not. The next week or two I'll spend procrastinating or just writing about 2-3 descriptions every 2-3 days. By the time I have one finished entry it's at least two weeks after I wanted to post it. So I really, really hope that SOMEONE is reading this because it's hard to motivate myself to do this thing without an audience. Point being if ANYONE has any comments or questions, please feel free to post them here or wherever you want to where you think I'll see them. The whole reason I'm doing this is to receive feedback as well as to share my love and knowledge of music with people who I think will appreciate it. So hopefully to that end I'm doing something right. Let me know.
Tune in next week when we crack the Top 20...just taking a look at #20-11 right now I'm pretty excited for the opportunity to talk my head off about all of these albums...hopefully that will motivate me enough to actually finish the next entry in the next week...I wouldn't bet money on it though...ciao!
30. Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth
There aren't very many albums with direct, significant attachment to the year I spent at UCF, but this is one of them. I have my good friend Rudo to thank for introducing me to this one (I believe this was one of his many "experiments" on me having to do with metal). Now, when most people think of "power metal" (if they even know what that means) they probably tend to think of, say, Dragonforce (specifically "Through the Fire and the Flames", the fabled Guitar Hero pinnacle)--maybe Rhapsody if you're really into power metal. Blind Guardian is pretty high on the list of most popular power metal bands as well but this album is really like few others in the genre. It's a concept album based on J.R.R. Tolkien's almost textbook-like (or bible-like) history of the Elves, The Silmarillion. Musically it truly is a worthy companion to the book, full of epic, and really quite emotional songs that feature everything from dramatic choir parts fused with very Middle-Earth-esque folk music elements (that makes sense, right? sure.) to towering, beautiful metal riffing. As cheesy as high-pitched 80s-style singing can be, Hansi makes it work beautifully as he really does have a phenomenal voice even if he's a male soprano (I dunno if he actually is or not, that's just as high as the voicings go as far as I know...SHUT UP, THAT'S WHY). My favorite song is easily "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)" but "Blood Tears" and "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" are up there too, as is "Nightfall." Not something that's necessarily for everyone...not because it's too extreme but because we tend to have a very specific paradigm about this style of music that makes us just automatically laugh at it. However, I hope you can trust me enough at this point to listen to this from beginning to ending before making up your mind about power metal--although, to be fair, there is no power metal album anywhere near as good as this one (I mean, technically that's my opinion, but there's a degree of objectivity to that claim as well, specifically among people that listen to a lot of this kind of stuff). ANYWAY. Check it out.
29. Mare - Mare
It breaks my heart so much when a band THIS talented never garners enough popularity to release anything more than a 5-song EP. I can't imagine what this band could have grown into over the years so all we have to go on is this insanely eclectic and musically accomplished EP. For starters, the five songs clock in at just under 25 minutes, roughly five minutes a song (and one of them is just under three minutes). This band is simply crushing, monolithic, mindbending, and beautiful all at once somehow. They don't have the fastest guitar playing or the most technical drumming but the outrageous chords that the guitarist uses and the things they do with timing (and lack there-of) are ridiculous. The vocals can be very harsh and abrasive but they can also be incredibly serene so if you're ok with screaming, dive right in, otherwise, tread carefully. Still, everyone should give this band a shot on sheer musicianship and songwriting because they were one of the best that heavy music has produced recently and almost no one has really ever heard of them.
28. The Beatles - Revolver
This album was actually released right before The Beatles' last tour ever but the songs were so complex that none of them were played on the tour. It's the mark of a creative turning point in The Beatles career. I mean what more can I really say about this record at this point? "Eleanor Rigby" is a mainstay on "Greatest Songs of All Time" lists--and with good reason. Eastern philosophy ("I'm Only Sleeping") and music ("Love You To") begin to creep their way into the Fab Four's pop sound, creating something revolutionary that would lead right into the groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album is marked by complex arrangements and groundbreaking studio techniques. As Richie Unterberger of Allmusic so eloquently put it: "In many respects, Revolver is one of the very first psychedelic LPs--not only in its numerous shifts in mood and production texture, but in its innovative manipulation of amplification and electronics to produce new sounds on guitars and other instruments." Couldn't have said it better myself.
27. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
I guess if I'm going to talk about this album the first thing I (begrudgingly) have to talk about is Billy Corgan's voice. I know, I know, it used to annoy me too. The thing is that when you have a band this talented who are this good at writing songs, you tend to look past someone with an annoying voice--or at least I do but music always tends to be the star of the show for me and I know not everyone is like that. The other thing is...well...Billy Corgan can actually sing really well. That is, when he's not doing that high pitched wailing thing (but even that kind of grows on you). You don't have to go far into the album to recognize this; "Tonight, Tonight" is the first (actual) song on the record and one of Corgan's best vocal performances. But ANYWAY, the point I really want to make is that there are SO many songs on this album that are SO good that you would be doing yourself a disservice by writing it off because of the vocals. We've all heard the singles but there are so, so many great songs other than those. Once again, you don't have to go far, because tucked away in between the singles on the front end of the first disc are "Jellybelly" and "Here Is No Why", two of my favorite Pumpkins songs. Track 2 of the second disc is "Bodies", another perfect example of this band's songwriting greatness. They're littered all over the two discs of Mellon Collie; "To Forgive"; "Fuck You (An Ode to No One)"; "Where Boys Fear to Tread"; "Thirty-Three"; "Thru the Eyes of Ruby"; and a song that is, in my opinion, one of the best ever written: "1979." Double albums tend to be overrated as these epic sprawling artistic statements by simple virtue of the fact that they're double albums. What's actually underrated to me is when a band puts out a double album that never gets tired or dull and is filled from top to bottom with quality material. Very few bands are able to accomplish this. Nine Inch Nails did it with The Fragile. Red Hot Chili Peppers did it with Stadium Arcadium. And Smashing Pumpkins did it with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
26. Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes From a Memory
What an epic journey this one is. Better fasten your seat belts. Ever heard of a heavy metal record that sounds like a Broadway musical? I know it doesn't make any sense right now but once you hear it, it will. For one thing, all the lyrics are composed in the format of a play--I mean characters and a script and the whole deal. It's a concept album, obviously but moreso than that it's a sequel to a song that appears on the band's 1992 album Images and Words called "Metropolis Pt. I: The Miracle and the Sleeper." You see, the Miracle and the Sleeper are the two main characters of this opus. The story is way too intricate to go into at any length but if you want to read more about it, check out the wikipedia page for the album. This record is a trip, to say the least. A musically and technically brilliant journey through a riveting story told not only through words but through music. And an incredibly rewarding one.
25. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple
For my money, this is easily STP's best album. Core gets most of the attention (not all of it positive) but I feel like this is when the band found the sound they wanted; something original but familiar. Scott Weiland definitely found his voice on this record, shedding all comparisons to Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. My favorite song is probably the desolate, ghost town feel of "Big Empty"--a song that was featured in the second Crow movie. "Still Remains" is one of the most underrated STP songs and also a very meaningful song to me. "Interstate Love Song is impossible not to love. "Silvergun Superman" provides this album's "Piece of Pie"--i.e. it's the heaviest song on the record and one of the best. Actually, I take it back...my favorite song is definitely "Kitchenware and Candybars." Absolutely positively beautiful song with a phenomenal guitar solo. I actually got to see them play this song live and after seeing that I feel inclined to say this might be one of my 100 favorite songs ever.
24. Thrice - The Artist In the Ambulance and The Alchemy Index
Thrice has certainly gone through a lot of evolution over their 10+ year career. What we have here are essentially step 2 and step 4 of the progression (excluding Identity Crisis and First Impressions). Step 1 was the somewhat generic Illusion of Safety and The Artist In the Ambulance was the next logical progression from that. The sound is still a bit predictable but it's still done really well. The songs are irresistibly catchy, many are quite powerful, and for the first time, the band started using some complex rhythmic structures in their songs. Lyrically speaking, many of the songs speak to the theme of the record (and the title track). The Artist In the Ambulance was the album where the band first decided to start donating half the profits to a chosen charity and the content reflects that. The title track is a perfect example of the overall theme of this record, with lines such as "I know that this can be more than just flashing lights and sound." "Cold Cash, Colder Hearts" also speaks to this theme, musing very bitterly and sarcastically about the supposed unimportance of other countries and their people and their cultures. There are also some far more personal songs such as "All That's Left" and another personal song to me, "Stare At the Sun." Track 8 is a song based on the story of Icarus and Daedalus seemingly told from the point of view of Icarus. It's a very exuberant, uplifting song...just the first verse is enough to always give me goosebumps:
I've waited for this moment all my life and more
And now I see so clearly what I could not see before
The time is now or never and this chance won't come again
Throw caution and myself into the wind...
And that's a perfect lead-in to The Alchemy Index (released after the brilliant Vheissu, which was released after The Artist In the Ambulance), which features, in my opinion, one of the five best songs Thrice ever wrote, "Daedalus"--which is, of course, the story as heard from the point-of-view of Icarus's father, Daedalus ("son, please keep a steady wing, you know you're the only one that means anything to me...steer clear of the sun or you'll find yourself in the sea"). The Alchemy Index is a very unique collection of four six-song EPs, each sonically and thematically dedicated to one of the four elements--Volume I is Fire, Volume II is Water, Volume III is Air, and Volume IV is "Earth." A really interesting concept and perfectly executed. Volume I features a collection of very "fiery", heavy, impassioned songs with names such as "Firebreather", "The Arsonist", and "Burn the Fleet" (another incredibly uplifting song based on the story of Napoleon telling his men to burn their ships before an invasion). Volume II is dreamy and, well, "watery" sounding. The definite highlights are "Digital Sea" and "Open Water" but I feel this might be the most complete disc because "Lost Continent" and "The Whaler" are both beautifully melancholy, dreamy songs and "Night Diving" may be one of the most compelling songs on The Alchemy Index, a slow, heavy, plodding, melancholy, instrumental romp through Isis-like heavy tones. The title is really fitting because the song definitely sounds like a night dive. Volume III is where "Daedalus" is and also starts off with one of Thrice's most powerful songs, "Broken Lungs", which is clearly lyrically centered around 9/11 conspiracy theories--two very interesting songs for an "Air" themed album. "Earth" is probably the best accomplishment of the four EPs, as it's a mostly acoustic, very folky, dustbowl-esque sound that Thrice has never really explored before but do so very capably. Two beautifully melancholy opening songs then a phenomenal folky cover of a Frodus song called "The Earth Isn't Humming." A short interlude follows and then yet another wonderfully uplifting song, "Come All You Weary." This song is described by vocalist/lyricist Dustin Kensrue as reflecting his attitude toward his music--he wants to be that shining light that all the people in dark places turn to in order to help brighten their lives. I can't really think of a more noble pursuit as an artist. There's one more thing I have to add about this quadruple album: each four-song EP is ended with a song in the form of a sonnet, each of which is sung in the same melody but in different keys, and each of which is written from the point of view of the element of the given EP. Easily the most powerful and effective of the four sonnets is the very last song of the record, "Child of Dust":
Dear prodigal you are my son and I
Supplied you not your spirit but your shape;
All Eden's weath arrayed before your eyes
I fathomed that you wanted to escape.
And though I only ever gave you love,
Like every child you've chosen to rebel;
Uprooted flowers and filled the holes with blood;
Ask for not whom they toll the solemn bells.
But child of dust your mother now returns
For every seed must die before it grows;
And though above the world may toil and turn,
No prying spade will find you here below.
Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet;
Here i will teach you truly how to sleep
(apologies for the photo, the biggest one I could find was 110x110 so I stretched it out to 500x500 for the sake of consistency)
23. The Plastic Mastery - In the Fall of Unearthly Angels
I first heard of this band when I saw them at Orlando Fest in 2003. This was the first out-of-town music festival I would ever travel to and I think it might have actually been the first road trip I ever took without any members of my family. Now, when I say music festival, you have to understand that this thing was held in a courtyard at Rollins College and hosted about, oh, roughly 200-300 kids altogether. Most of the bands that played aren't bands you've ever heard of (except for Against Me!, but this was long before they had become popular outside the underground punk/DIY scene). I remember being impressed by the fact that they featured a trumpet and a keyboard in addition to guitar, bass, drums, and vocals and I remember being slightly reminded of The Get Up Kids when I saw them for some reason. Other than that, I don't remember much other than being very impressed by them. The record actually took some getting used to because it's very lo-fi indie pop with very little bass and lots of treble. However, the songs are so exuberant and so emotional and the entire record is put together so well that it's easy to look past the production if you try. The highlights for me are the three-songs-in-one punch of "Yeah, Tonight"/"Remember That Night When I Thought I Was Going To Die?"/"The Bomb Song" as well as the widely spaced triumvirate (Tracks 1, 8, and 13 out of 13) of "Before the Fall" (a phenomenally joyous opening song), the title track, and the solemn closer, "After the Fall." Another one of my favorites is a song that meant a lot to me when I first went off to college--and you'll see why when you hear it, with the repeated singing of "there is so much more to life than this place"--"Light Above Your Head."
22. The Clash - London Calling
There are a pretty select group of bands that are talked about among the pioneers of punk rock music--usually something along the lines of The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and maybe The Stooges if the person knows what they're talking about. Oh, yeah, and The Clash. "The only band that mattered," as the saying goes. As much as this record means to punk rock, it goes so far beyond that label. The influences are incredibly diverse to the point where almost every song seems to delve into a different genre. The anthemic rock romp of "London Calling" and "Clampdown", the swinging "Jimmy Jazz" and "Rudie Can't Fail", the solemn but infectious rock of "Spanish Bombs" and "Lost In the Supermarket"...and that's only side one of the record. For my money there is no punk rock record that even comes close to being as good as London Calling and anyone who is a fan of music owes it to themselves to hear this.
21. Weezer - Blue Album and Pinkerton
I swear I tried really, really hard to find a reason to put one of these ahead of the other. The temptation is to put Pinkerton a little ahead because it's a little more complete and more personal to me. Really I was pretty close to putting Pinkerton ahead but the more I thought about it, tracks 7-10 on Blue Album make that nearly impossible. There aren't many people at this point that haven't heard "Say It Ain't So" and with good reason, that song is an absolute classic and one of the best ever written. "In the Garage" is nerdcore at it's absolute finest and "Holiday" is a classic 6/8 time power pop anthem. Then the album ends with easily the best Weezer song ever written, "Only In Dreams." Clocking in at just under 8 minutes, "Only In Dreams" is every awkward teenager's theme song for his woes with women and features one of the all time great basslines in a song. Now, obviously Blue Album is more than just those four songs--everyone loves "Buddy Holly" and "Undone (The Sweater Song)", myself included (even if I consider those songs a little overrated). Not only that but one of the most underrated Weezer songs by far is "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here." Speaking of underrated Weezer songs, another one that deserves mention is "Across the Sea"--one of those songs that means a LOT to me personally. Pinkerton in general, to me, is the more complete album and also is the Weezer sound I like best. I absolutely love the huge, buzzsaw guitars and the dark, introspective content that this band was never really able to recapture (only coming even remotely close with Make Believe). Songs like "Getchoo", "No Other One", and especially "Falling For You" can STILL give me goosebumps and make me feel irrepressibly nostalgic. It makes me feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to see this band live back in 2001, just before Green Album came out and they started to progressively suck worse and worse (only redeeming themselves to a marginal degree with Make Believe) and was able to witness them play a set composed entirely of songs from these first two albums (with the exception of a small 4-5 song portion of the set dedicated to "new songs" i.e. songs from Green Album). Not only that but I was blessed enough to see them come out for their encore by playing "Only In Dreams." One of those most incredible moments of my life--but we'll save that story for another entry.
WHEW! Another entry in the books. I gotta say, guys, it usually takes me a couple days to even get through these things. Like one day I'll actually make the list of the albums I'm gonna do for the current entry and put in all the html for the pictures and what not. The next week or two I'll spend procrastinating or just writing about 2-3 descriptions every 2-3 days. By the time I have one finished entry it's at least two weeks after I wanted to post it. So I really, really hope that SOMEONE is reading this because it's hard to motivate myself to do this thing without an audience. Point being if ANYONE has any comments or questions, please feel free to post them here or wherever you want to where you think I'll see them. The whole reason I'm doing this is to receive feedback as well as to share my love and knowledge of music with people who I think will appreciate it. So hopefully to that end I'm doing something right. Let me know.
Tune in next week when we crack the Top 20...just taking a look at #20-11 right now I'm pretty excited for the opportunity to talk my head off about all of these albums...hopefully that will motivate me enough to actually finish the next entry in the next week...I wouldn't bet money on it though...ciao!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Summer Festival Band Recommendations
So I saw a piece today on Facebook...something about "10 Reasons You Should Wake Up Before Noon @ Coachella"...and I read it and I thought, man, I could make way better band recommendations to my friends than these dudes. So I decided I would write up a list of band recommendations for Coachella. But then I thought, you know, I know several people going to Coachella, but I probably know just as many people going to Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo. And for the record, I know there are way more summer festivals than those three (probably most of them you've never even heard of...there's actually a website that lists all of them) but I'm gonna stick with these three cuz they're the "Big Three" so to speak and they have the best/biggest line-ups for me to pluck gems out of to show you, my loyal reader(s)...so here they are:
COACHELLA - April 16th-18th (in other words, it starts tomorrow, hence why it's first)
FRIDAY
Baroness - 2:00-2:45pm - Mojave Stage
-Prepare to witness one of the ultimate creative forces in heavy music today. Influences that range from Neurosis to Motorhead to Emerson Lake and Palmer to god knows what else...they incorporate so many elements from crushing southern rock riffs to epic, towering guitar harmonies of the 70s that crash land into heart-wrenching twinkly/fuzzy indie rock passages and everything in between. MAYBE if you're not into heavy music this might not be your cup of tea. But even you should still watch this band just in case.
She & Him - 5:45-6:35pm - Outdoor Theatre -OR- The Dillinger Escape Plan - 5:45-6:30pm - Gobi Stage
-First, for the brave and bold, The Dillinger Escape Plan are a very avant garde hardcore/metal band. I've grown less interested in this band since they got a new vocalist and a new direction but they're still a major creative force in heavy music and worth taking in if you're really into that kind of mindfuck-y abrasive music. According to recent setlists they apparently still play "Sugar Coated Sour" and "43% Burnt" so when you hear the vocalist say "this is an old song", I suggest you move forward a bit (not too close though...seriously...)
-She & Him is the retro folk/pop duo of prolific folk/indie songwriter M. Ward and prolific actress and incredible voice (which isn't news to anyone who's seen pretty much any of her movies because they always seem to find some excuse to have her sing) Zooey Deschanel. They do a few really cute covers of old pop songs but a lot of the songs are actually written by Zooey herself. The band was actually formed when Ward heard her sing in Elf and called her up only to find out she had a whole bunch of songs written that she'd never done anything with. I highly recommend this band, not just because Zooey has a beautiful, adorable voice but because the songs are seriously really good.
The Specials - 6:20-7:20pm - Coachella Stage
-Simply one of the best, most influential ska bands ever. They formed in England in the late 70s and were a far more political band than most ska bands at the time. They had a huge impact on the so-called "Third Wave" of ska (ska-punk) because their sound featured a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude" which was a huge influence on later ska-punk bands. They also were unique in that, on their second album, More Specials, they experimented with sounds that were a departure from their straight up ska sound. According to wikipedia: "The album featured a more experimental approach; including influences from pop music, New Wave, and muzak. Their 'lounge music' style would later be an influence on bands to come. The Specials also experimented with what could be described as dark, almost psychedelic reggae." I know a lot of my friends are into dancey music, specifically reggae. I would highly recommend that those friends take in this band's set and dance (skank) the night away.
Lucero - 6:50-7:40pm - Mojave Stage
-Don't ever let anyone tell you that all country music sucks. This band is your evidence. Now when I say country, you have to understand, this band is way, WAY more depressing (and drunk) than any country music you've probably heard before. But it's also a lot more heartfelt and infinitely better written (including some really amazing lyrics). Don't be surprised if the singer is too drunk to stand up and plays most of the set from a bar stool but trust me when I tell you it won't hinder his ability to sing or play his beautiful music.
SATURDAY
Porcupine Tree - 1:35-2:25pm - Outdoor Theatre
-I dunno if it's a good idea or not that the first thing I tell you about this band is that they're often hailed as this generation's Pink Floyd. According to wikipedia, "Wilson would later lament this, stating 'I can't help that. It's true that during the period of The Sky Moves Sideways, I had done a little too much of it in the sense of satisfying, in a way, the fans of Pink Floyd who were listening to us because that group doesn't make albums any more. Moreover, I regret it.'" Since then they've gone on to forge a much more focused, very distinct and unique sound that combines elements of classic, progressive, and psychedelic rock with some elements of heavy metal. Easily one of the most interesting bands in existence right now, especially in the realm of "heavy" music (if you can even call them heavy, which is debatable).
Faith No More - 7:55-8:45 - Coachella Stage
-I feel like I have to tell everyone to watch Faith No More even though I probably don't have to. Those of you that think Faith No More is a one-hit wonder absolutely need to watch them. This is easily one of the most influential bands of all time and probably the most under-appreciated of all the most influential bands of all time. It's impossible to downplay the influence or importance of this band and of its vocalist and driving force Mike Patton to the landscape of current music. Mike Patton has been colonizing untapped pieces of the realm of Left Field within the world of music since the late 80s and hasn't let up since, hammering out albums with such avant garde (and self-founded) groups as Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, and Tomahawk, releasing numerous solo records and even recording a short EP with The Dillinger Escape Plan. His output is beyond prolific. What else can I say, if you miss Faith No More, kill yourself.
I'm going to save myself the effort of telling everyone to watch Muse and Devo since they're headliners...but god help you if you still decide to miss them because there's really no excuse (especially for Muse, who conflict with almost no one else...I'm sure a lot of people will miss Devo for Tiesto which makes me want to stab someone but that's life, isn't it?)
SUNDAY
Sunny Day Real Estate - 4:45-5:30pm - Outdoor Theatre
-I'm glad I'm doing this one last because, honestly, if you don't listen to ANY of my other recommendations, please, PLEASE listen to this one. One of the pioneers of the original "emo" sound (not the whiney pop punk bands that people refer to as "emo" now...what was originally "emo" is basically now referred to loosely as indie rock) and one of the most capable collections of musical and songwriting talent ever assembled. I would say that if you miss this band you'll be sorry, but the only way for you to know how sorry you would be for missing them is if you actually didn't miss them. So I guess it's your call. But if you do miss them, I reserve the right to call you a moron as I rub your nose in the Diary album like a pee-stain on your better judgement.
BONNAROO - June 10th-13th (this seems to be the ugly stepsister of the other two that not as many people are interested in which is oddly fitting considering it's FOUR days, not three, it's CHEAPER than the other two, and has by FAAAR the best line-up of the three...at least in my opinion...no schedule yet since it's in June so this will be altogether)
Tenacious D
-OK if I really have to tell you to see this band, you're probably fucking retarded.
The Flaming Lips performing Dark Side of the Moon featuring Stardeath and White Dwarfs
-I don't think I really have to explain this one very much either. If you're not a fan of The Flaming Lips, do yourself a favor and pick up Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Other than that, there's no reason not to miss this, it's going to be a once in a lifetime experience.
Damian Marley and Nas
-Once again, no explanation necessary. This is one of the coolest things ever conceived. I wish I could see this. Fuck you if you see it. Fuck you harder if you don't.
The National
-A really terrific dream pop band in the vein of The Smiths. Velvety smooth songs with velvety smooth vocals to soothe the soul and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Dropkick Murphys
-Working class punk rock meets Irish folk music. Most people know who this band is because of that song from the movie The Departed so I probably don't have to tell everyone about them but seriously, if you haven't seen this band's live show, you're only getting half the experience. Just pray that they open with "For Boston."
She & Him
-see above
Against Me!
-For those of you that haven't noticed the "folk punk explosion" (to no fault of your own), allow me to introduce the poster child of this movement. They've long since departed from their folk punk roots (rooted firmly in the Gainesville punk rock scene that built itself up around No Idea Records and vice versa) but they can still write damn good songs, as evidenced by their 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity (which almost makes up for their lackluster 2007 album New Wave).
GWAR
-Gosh What A Racket! Don't be fooled by their music...it's fun but it's nothing special. But if you miss this extravaganza, you might not even need me to tell you that you should kill yourself. If you're into massive medieval aliens cutting off Saddam Hussein's head, disemboweling George Bush, stroking giant alien penises and jizzing all over your face (don't worry it's just colored water), then what the fuck are you waiting for?!
The Melvins
-One of the most influential underground bands of all time. Mostly influenced a lot of heavy "sludge" metal bands but were also cited by Kurt Cobain as a major influence on Nirvana, especially their major label debut, Bleach. This band isn't gonna be for everyone but if you love HEAVY and LOUD then go check out The Melvins.
Isis
-In my opinion, Isis is arguably the greatest creative force in underground heavy music today (Baroness is up there too). They have a sludgey heavy metal sound but are also well known for spacey/melodic soundscapes within the suffocating sludge sound. They have influenced a plethora of bands from Cult of Luna to Mouth of the Architect to Baroness to Pelican and the list goes on. No one has done what this band has done better than they have done it and that alone is worth checking out.
Baroness
-see above
Lucero
-see above
LOLLAPALOOZA - August 6th-8th (the "big one" so to speak...mostly because of the history behind it...speaking of which, I really, REALLY wish this was still a touring festival...sigh...)
The Arcade Fire
-Yeah, they're pretty popular and they're one of the headliners so I shouldn't have to say this but dammit, you have to see this band. Considering how successful they've gotten, how accessible they are, and yet how creative and unique they are, I'd have no problem saying this is one of the best bands in music, all things considered. Funeral is an absolutely brilliant album worthy of all the praise its gotten. If you've never heard of this band but you've seen the movie Where the Wild Things Are, or even just seen the trailer, the song in that trailer is "Wake Up" from the Funeral album and it's an incredible, joyous song by an incredible, joyous band that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
Social Distortion
-One of the pioneers of the hardcore punk explosion of the 1980s. Extremely important band that you owe it to yourself to at least watch for a little bit.
The National
-see above
Devo
-see above
Drive-By Truckers
-Another really, really good country band (like Lucero) but this one is much more on the rock side of the spectrum. Awesome, exuberant alt-country with all the different elements rooted in country music. "The Righteous Path" is one song I just can't seem to stop listening to from their latest album Brighter Than Creation's Dark.
Well, that about rounds it out. There are obviously bands missing like Soundgarden and Green Day for Lolla and other headliners that I didn't think necessitated a mention but for the most part these are the majority of bands that you should talk yourself into seeing if you're lucky enough to be at any of these festivals (nevermind who you were originally planning on seeing, these bands are better :P).
Tune in next week for Derrick's Top Albums of All Time #30-21!!!
COACHELLA - April 16th-18th (in other words, it starts tomorrow, hence why it's first)
FRIDAY
Baroness - 2:00-2:45pm - Mojave Stage
-Prepare to witness one of the ultimate creative forces in heavy music today. Influences that range from Neurosis to Motorhead to Emerson Lake and Palmer to god knows what else...they incorporate so many elements from crushing southern rock riffs to epic, towering guitar harmonies of the 70s that crash land into heart-wrenching twinkly/fuzzy indie rock passages and everything in between. MAYBE if you're not into heavy music this might not be your cup of tea. But even you should still watch this band just in case.
She & Him - 5:45-6:35pm - Outdoor Theatre -OR- The Dillinger Escape Plan - 5:45-6:30pm - Gobi Stage
-First, for the brave and bold, The Dillinger Escape Plan are a very avant garde hardcore/metal band. I've grown less interested in this band since they got a new vocalist and a new direction but they're still a major creative force in heavy music and worth taking in if you're really into that kind of mindfuck-y abrasive music. According to recent setlists they apparently still play "Sugar Coated Sour" and "43% Burnt" so when you hear the vocalist say "this is an old song", I suggest you move forward a bit (not too close though...seriously...)
-She & Him is the retro folk/pop duo of prolific folk/indie songwriter M. Ward and prolific actress and incredible voice (which isn't news to anyone who's seen pretty much any of her movies because they always seem to find some excuse to have her sing) Zooey Deschanel. They do a few really cute covers of old pop songs but a lot of the songs are actually written by Zooey herself. The band was actually formed when Ward heard her sing in Elf and called her up only to find out she had a whole bunch of songs written that she'd never done anything with. I highly recommend this band, not just because Zooey has a beautiful, adorable voice but because the songs are seriously really good.
The Specials - 6:20-7:20pm - Coachella Stage
-Simply one of the best, most influential ska bands ever. They formed in England in the late 70s and were a far more political band than most ska bands at the time. They had a huge impact on the so-called "Third Wave" of ska (ska-punk) because their sound featured a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude" which was a huge influence on later ska-punk bands. They also were unique in that, on their second album, More Specials, they experimented with sounds that were a departure from their straight up ska sound. According to wikipedia: "The album featured a more experimental approach; including influences from pop music, New Wave, and muzak. Their 'lounge music' style would later be an influence on bands to come. The Specials also experimented with what could be described as dark, almost psychedelic reggae." I know a lot of my friends are into dancey music, specifically reggae. I would highly recommend that those friends take in this band's set and dance (skank) the night away.
Lucero - 6:50-7:40pm - Mojave Stage
-Don't ever let anyone tell you that all country music sucks. This band is your evidence. Now when I say country, you have to understand, this band is way, WAY more depressing (and drunk) than any country music you've probably heard before. But it's also a lot more heartfelt and infinitely better written (including some really amazing lyrics). Don't be surprised if the singer is too drunk to stand up and plays most of the set from a bar stool but trust me when I tell you it won't hinder his ability to sing or play his beautiful music.
SATURDAY
Porcupine Tree - 1:35-2:25pm - Outdoor Theatre
-I dunno if it's a good idea or not that the first thing I tell you about this band is that they're often hailed as this generation's Pink Floyd. According to wikipedia, "Wilson would later lament this, stating 'I can't help that. It's true that during the period of The Sky Moves Sideways, I had done a little too much of it in the sense of satisfying, in a way, the fans of Pink Floyd who were listening to us because that group doesn't make albums any more. Moreover, I regret it.'" Since then they've gone on to forge a much more focused, very distinct and unique sound that combines elements of classic, progressive, and psychedelic rock with some elements of heavy metal. Easily one of the most interesting bands in existence right now, especially in the realm of "heavy" music (if you can even call them heavy, which is debatable).
Faith No More - 7:55-8:45 - Coachella Stage
-I feel like I have to tell everyone to watch Faith No More even though I probably don't have to. Those of you that think Faith No More is a one-hit wonder absolutely need to watch them. This is easily one of the most influential bands of all time and probably the most under-appreciated of all the most influential bands of all time. It's impossible to downplay the influence or importance of this band and of its vocalist and driving force Mike Patton to the landscape of current music. Mike Patton has been colonizing untapped pieces of the realm of Left Field within the world of music since the late 80s and hasn't let up since, hammering out albums with such avant garde (and self-founded) groups as Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, and Tomahawk, releasing numerous solo records and even recording a short EP with The Dillinger Escape Plan. His output is beyond prolific. What else can I say, if you miss Faith No More, kill yourself.
I'm going to save myself the effort of telling everyone to watch Muse and Devo since they're headliners...but god help you if you still decide to miss them because there's really no excuse (especially for Muse, who conflict with almost no one else...I'm sure a lot of people will miss Devo for Tiesto which makes me want to stab someone but that's life, isn't it?)
SUNDAY
Sunny Day Real Estate - 4:45-5:30pm - Outdoor Theatre
-I'm glad I'm doing this one last because, honestly, if you don't listen to ANY of my other recommendations, please, PLEASE listen to this one. One of the pioneers of the original "emo" sound (not the whiney pop punk bands that people refer to as "emo" now...what was originally "emo" is basically now referred to loosely as indie rock) and one of the most capable collections of musical and songwriting talent ever assembled. I would say that if you miss this band you'll be sorry, but the only way for you to know how sorry you would be for missing them is if you actually didn't miss them. So I guess it's your call. But if you do miss them, I reserve the right to call you a moron as I rub your nose in the Diary album like a pee-stain on your better judgement.
BONNAROO - June 10th-13th (this seems to be the ugly stepsister of the other two that not as many people are interested in which is oddly fitting considering it's FOUR days, not three, it's CHEAPER than the other two, and has by FAAAR the best line-up of the three...at least in my opinion...no schedule yet since it's in June so this will be altogether)
Tenacious D
-OK if I really have to tell you to see this band, you're probably fucking retarded.
The Flaming Lips performing Dark Side of the Moon featuring Stardeath and White Dwarfs
-I don't think I really have to explain this one very much either. If you're not a fan of The Flaming Lips, do yourself a favor and pick up Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Other than that, there's no reason not to miss this, it's going to be a once in a lifetime experience.
Damian Marley and Nas
-Once again, no explanation necessary. This is one of the coolest things ever conceived. I wish I could see this. Fuck you if you see it. Fuck you harder if you don't.
The National
-A really terrific dream pop band in the vein of The Smiths. Velvety smooth songs with velvety smooth vocals to soothe the soul and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Dropkick Murphys
-Working class punk rock meets Irish folk music. Most people know who this band is because of that song from the movie The Departed so I probably don't have to tell everyone about them but seriously, if you haven't seen this band's live show, you're only getting half the experience. Just pray that they open with "For Boston."
She & Him
-see above
Against Me!
-For those of you that haven't noticed the "folk punk explosion" (to no fault of your own), allow me to introduce the poster child of this movement. They've long since departed from their folk punk roots (rooted firmly in the Gainesville punk rock scene that built itself up around No Idea Records and vice versa) but they can still write damn good songs, as evidenced by their 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity (which almost makes up for their lackluster 2007 album New Wave).
GWAR
-Gosh What A Racket! Don't be fooled by their music...it's fun but it's nothing special. But if you miss this extravaganza, you might not even need me to tell you that you should kill yourself. If you're into massive medieval aliens cutting off Saddam Hussein's head, disemboweling George Bush, stroking giant alien penises and jizzing all over your face (don't worry it's just colored water), then what the fuck are you waiting for?!
The Melvins
-One of the most influential underground bands of all time. Mostly influenced a lot of heavy "sludge" metal bands but were also cited by Kurt Cobain as a major influence on Nirvana, especially their major label debut, Bleach. This band isn't gonna be for everyone but if you love HEAVY and LOUD then go check out The Melvins.
Isis
-In my opinion, Isis is arguably the greatest creative force in underground heavy music today (Baroness is up there too). They have a sludgey heavy metal sound but are also well known for spacey/melodic soundscapes within the suffocating sludge sound. They have influenced a plethora of bands from Cult of Luna to Mouth of the Architect to Baroness to Pelican and the list goes on. No one has done what this band has done better than they have done it and that alone is worth checking out.
Baroness
-see above
Lucero
-see above
LOLLAPALOOZA - August 6th-8th (the "big one" so to speak...mostly because of the history behind it...speaking of which, I really, REALLY wish this was still a touring festival...sigh...)
The Arcade Fire
-Yeah, they're pretty popular and they're one of the headliners so I shouldn't have to say this but dammit, you have to see this band. Considering how successful they've gotten, how accessible they are, and yet how creative and unique they are, I'd have no problem saying this is one of the best bands in music, all things considered. Funeral is an absolutely brilliant album worthy of all the praise its gotten. If you've never heard of this band but you've seen the movie Where the Wild Things Are, or even just seen the trailer, the song in that trailer is "Wake Up" from the Funeral album and it's an incredible, joyous song by an incredible, joyous band that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
Social Distortion
-One of the pioneers of the hardcore punk explosion of the 1980s. Extremely important band that you owe it to yourself to at least watch for a little bit.
The National
-see above
Devo
-see above
Drive-By Truckers
-Another really, really good country band (like Lucero) but this one is much more on the rock side of the spectrum. Awesome, exuberant alt-country with all the different elements rooted in country music. "The Righteous Path" is one song I just can't seem to stop listening to from their latest album Brighter Than Creation's Dark.
Well, that about rounds it out. There are obviously bands missing like Soundgarden and Green Day for Lolla and other headliners that I didn't think necessitated a mention but for the most part these are the majority of bands that you should talk yourself into seeing if you're lucky enough to be at any of these festivals (nevermind who you were originally planning on seeing, these bands are better :P).
Tune in next week for Derrick's Top Albums of All Time #30-21!!!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Derrick's Top Albums of All Time (#40-31)
40. Deathspell Omega - Fas--Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum
As the years have passed, it's become increasingly difficult to push the boundaries of my musical tastes any further out than they already are. Gone are the days when records like Converge's Jane Doe and Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity were changing the way I thought about music altogether. Leave it to Deathspell Omega to release an album so discordant, so amelodic, so wrong-sounding that it could somehow stretch those boundaries--which are so close to the extent of their elasticity--an inch or two further outward. This is the second chapter of a yet-unfinished trilogy of which Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice is the first chapter. As with part one of the trilogy, the title of this album is also latin; this one meaning "Divine law - Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." This thing is such a major mindfuck from beginning to end that attempting to describe it would just end badly for everyone involved. Just be warned that if you attempt to brave the painful but incredibly rewarding experience that is Fas--Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum, it's not going to be a very welcoming experience the first time around. In fact, I wouldn't recommend this album to anyone who doesn't have at least some experience with extreme metal and/or unusual, highly inaccessible music. And even then you might not be adequately prepared for what you're about to hear. But rest assured, it will be worth every bit of time you invest in it.
39. Envy - All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead
Before Japan's epic post-hardcore kings were constructing 8-plus-minute towering hardcore symphonies, there was this album. This album sort of serves as the bridge between Envy's mere-mortal screamo output (including a myriad of EPs and split records as well as full-lengths Breathing and Dying In This Place and From Here to Eternity) and the ultra-epic, sprawling landscapes of A Dead Sinking Story and Insomniac Doze (as well as the recent Abyssal EP and splits with Jesu and Thursday) much in the same way that Revolver was the stepping stone between the pop-sensation Beatles and the brilliant, musically groundbreaking output of the 1967-1970 Beatles. It starts with a fairly unassuming but mildly ominous intro track "Zero" that leads straight into "Farewell to Words", and already you can hear how Envy got to where they are today, only things are just slightly different. The epic guitar melodies and paint-peeling screams are just as prevalent but the pacing and the rhythms are markedly more frantic and urgent. "Left Hand" starts with an immediate and epic attacking guitar much in the same vain as the later "Color of Fetters", soon giving way to a swirling verse that could just as easily have been featured in a song on A Dead Sinking Story. The highlight of this record, however, is easily the one-two punch of "The Light of My Footprints"/"Your Shoes and the World to Come" that closes the album (and often times the band's shows). Coming to a combined 12 minutes, this epic journey is certain to leave you emotionally exhausted by the time it's over.
38. Radiohead - Amnesiac
Like so many other Radiohead fans, I used to be sort of indifferent toward this album. For so long, it has been relegated to the status of being a collection of Kid A B-sides--which is understandable since the songs on here came from the same recording sessions as the songs on Kid A--and is even referred to as "Kid B" from time to time by snarky music critics and snobbish Radiohead fans. To me, on the other hand, this is probably the most underrated Radiohead album of all. If you were to listen to it for the first time, you might be somewhat turned off after the first three tracks, which delve seemingly further into the electronic realm that the band began flirting with on Kid A (ok, maybe more than "flirting"). "Pulk-Pull Revolving Doors" especially is full of pulsating computerized jackhammer beats and meandering vocorder ramblings about doors. I'll admit these songs take some getting used to. However, if you're patient enough to reach tracks 4-6, your rewards will be: 4) a soothing, melancholy, whisper-soft guitar ballad that gives way to a joyous explosion of piano as Thom croons "we ride tonight...ghost horses." Ladies and gentlemen, "You and Whose Army?" 5) a meandering, guitar-heavy groove-laden rock song (well, "rock" by Radiohead's standards anyway) that takes a seemingly 180-degree turn toward the end before falling haphazardly back into its grinding groove--"I Might Be Wrong." 6) One of Radiohead's best songs ever, the eerie, cannibalistic "Knives Out."
37. Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy - Split CD
There's a very specific story to go along with this one: Valentine's Day 2004. It's the second semester of my first year of college and I'm in a rut. It's a pretty average Valentine's Day for me, lovelorn and jaded. I can't remember exactly why or when I first downloaded this album but on this day I finally decided to give it a listen. I burned it to a CD, popped it in my discman, and headed over to the dining hall to get some dinner. I remember listening to it while I had a slice of pizza and being impressed by the Yaphet Kotto tracks--which I still firmly believe are the best songs they ever wrote. I remember digging the This Machine Kills tracks in spite of being a little impatient for Envy's portion to start. I remember Envy's portion starting and my jaw dropping. I specifically remember taking my tray over to the conveyor belt when I was done eating and putting it down right as the song kicked back in from the ultra-quiet part midway through the song and being paralyzed by what I heard for a good 10 seconds. I remember walking back to my dorm as tears began to form in my eyes (I've never been moved to tears by music in my life except for this moment). More than anything I remember the transcendent moment when I first heard "A Collaboration Song." This isn't so much a song as an event. It begins unassuming enough, adding layers upon layers as the minutes tick by. Then something happens. The dam breaks. The walls crumble. The flood roars in and sweeps you up in emotion. The singer of Yaphet Kotto's voice soars as Tetsu from Envy responds to his call. Then something else happens. Yaphet Kotto takes over and makes the song's epic conclusion their own, ending on a melancholy note with the screamer of YK repeating "FACE DOWN WITH MY HEAD...AGAINST THE WALL" over the minimal music still meandering in the haze. And just like that, it's over. And you're not sure how you can be expected to return to real life.
36. Glassjaw - Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence
I don't know if there's a better soundtrack to the angst and frustration that a lot of squirrely, awkward, shy guys feel toward women. The longing is undeniable, the anger is potent, and the heart is perched firmly on the sleeve and bleeding out everywhere. This is without a doubt one of the most unbridled, unfettered, lay-it-all-on-the-line albums I've ever heard. The emotion doesn't so much pour out of every song as it shoots out like water from a broken faucet as vocalist Daryl Palumbo begs, pleads, screams, sighs, cries, berates, and bellows some of the most impassioned vocals you'll ever hear. Every song seemingly has a different feel, from the "emocore" rage of "Pretty Lush" and "Siberian Kiss" to the plodding, bass-driven "When One Eight Becomes Two Zeroes", the up-beat "Ry-Ry's Song", the melodic anger of "Lovebites and Razorlines" juxtaposed with the grinding, pounding, discordant anger of "Hurting and Shoving (She Should Have Let Me Sleep)." "Majour" seems to begin a sort of second act of the album with a very melodic, swirling pseudo-ballad (well, about as close as you get to a ballad on this album) and the diversity doesn't end there from wild hardcore romps ("Babe") and heavy groove-laden mosh pit tunes ("Motel of the White Locust") to meandering slow jams (the title track) and fervent blasts of melody ("Her Middle Name was Boom" and "Piano")...by the time the haunting hidden track rolls around you'll be more than ready for a break.
35. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
I'll admit I came into this one very late. I only really got into it about a year or two ago but one thing I know is that once I heard the beautiful climax of "Thunder Road", there was no going back. It seems like The Boss has had the heart of a 20-year-old pretty much his entire life and this record really shines in that respect. The exuberance in songs like "Born to Run" and "She's the One" are undeniable and, if you have a soul, you'll find it hard to suppress the urge to dance--or at least smile. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert on HBO featured a quite lengthy set by The Boss that, among other things (like teaming with Billy Joel for "New York State of Mind" and "Born to Run"), featured an incredible performance of the album's closing track, "Jungleland." It damn near made me cry. That should be pretty much all you need to know about this album.
34. Poison the Well - The Opposite of December
This is one of those albums I sort of got into little by little. It's also one of the main albums responsible for me getting into hardcore. Like most PTW fans I became obsessed with "Nerdy", which was the first song I heard by them and prompted me to borrow a PTW mix from a friend of mine. It contained every song on this record plus all those from the record before it (when they had two vocalists, one screaming, one singing, neither of which is the current vocalists) as well as a few from a split record before that, when they were called An Acre Lost. I started listening to this mix religiously (at least the songs from this album) in the time leading up to PTW playing a show at Kaffe Krystal that I was determined to attend. This would be the first real hardcore show I would ever attend. It wouldn't be a stretch to say this show changed my life, even if it does sound a bit dramatic. I had never seen anything like that before. Stage diving. Head walking. Kids scrapping and climbing on each other, screaming the words in vocalists Jeffrey Moreira's face, grabbing for the mic, losing their minds. Musically, very few hardcore bands have ever been able to measure up to this record--and way, WAY too many have tried to...this album basically spawned an entire genre of copycats that left something to be desired. The formula has become a parody of itself now: metal-infused hardcore with pretty melodic passages, "emotional" singing juxtaposed with blood-curdling shrieks, sprinkle in some monster breakdowns to spark up the mosh pit and some Swedish death metal riffs for the metal nerds and eureka! Generic melodic metalcore band #84573. I think they call it "screamo" nowadays. Whatever it is, it started with this band and this album.
33. Stone Temple Pilots - Core
I went through a phase in my early days of high school where I listened to this album along with Purple and No. 4 almost compulsively. They seemed to capture so much of what I was going through in high school so perfectly for some reason. I can remember one of the first times I listened to this album the whole way through, there were 4-5 songs on it that I knew I had heard before but I had never known who wrote them. I love those little revelatory musical moments, like a rosetta stone unlocking a musical gift. As much as I love this album, it's easy to see the criticism of sounding too much like Pearl Jam that came along with it...even if the songwriting is significantly more interesting. "Plush" will always be one of my favorite songs in the world and will always invoke so much nostalgia and so many memories for me. It doesn't even have anything to do with the lyrics it's just a mood that hovers ominously yet beautifully over the song like the towering, color-splashed sky at sunset. "Creep" is another wonderfully melancholy, dark, dusty pseudo-ballad that seems to go well together with the end of a day--and another song that stokes the fires of nostalgia in me. There are way too many highlights to go through them all. Everyone knows the singles, which are great and everything but some of the most underrated STP songs are on here as well: "Sin", "Naked Sunday", and "Piece of Pie" come to mind. I saw this band live at the first concert I ever went to, Zetafest 2000, and they opened their set with "Crackerman" which is something I'll never forget.
32. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
This is a deeply, deeply personal album to me for reasons that don't really make a whole lot of sense to me. Well, ok, I guess they kinda do. I listened to this album a TON around the time when I had completely and totally fallen desperately in love...and in that repetition became something of a soundtrack for said love and said girl. A lot of it had to do with "Everlong" and its uncanny ability to make my heart flutter. "February Stars" and "Walking After You" had something to do with it too. But other songs that don't make as much sense became so resonant for me during that time like "Hey Johnny Park" and "Up In Arms." Really the whole album just has a sound and a mood that has a subtly supernatural ability to transport me back in time to 10th and 11th grade, the peak of my desperate unrequited love that defined who I was in high school to a far greater degree than it probably should have--certainly to a far greater degree than I would have liked.
31. Black Star - Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star
You always hear about Straight Outta Compton and Fear of a Black Planet...and sometimes Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) enters the discussion of great all-time hip hop records. In my book, it doesn't get any better than Black Star. Two of the most talented underground(-ish) superstars hip hop has ever given birth to collaborating on one unbelievable album. Two unmistakable voices. Two distinct(ly different) styles--Mos's highly rhythmic, soulful delivery provides the perfect contrast to Kweli's fervent, fast-paced, more complex delivery. And the songs...ugh. This is no mere collection of "tight beats" that provide a decent enough backdrop for the lyricists. There's a brilliant parody of "Children's Story" that talks about "jacking beats." The beautifully mellow ode to women of color, "Brown Skin Lady." A tribute to their break beat heritage in "B Boys Will B Boys." The highlight for me is an intense track near the end called "Respiration" which features a guest appearance by Common. At Rock the Bells 2007, Mos Def and Talib Kweli shared the stage for a short Black Star teaser set and for this song they actually brought Common out to do his parts of the song which was greeted by a wild crowd response (which, at a hip hop show, means everyone goes: OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH). It was a pretty amazing moment and one that I'm sure I won't soon forget.
OK well that does it for #40-31...sorry it took such a ridiculously long time...I've been picking at it since I posted the last one...I've literally sat down to finish this at least 4-5 times only to stop after writing blurbs for 1-2 albums...hopefully the blurbs for #30-21 will come to me easier and I'll be able to miraculously complete the next entry sometime next week...yeah, we'll see how THAT goes...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Derrick's Top 50 Albums of ALL TIME!!1one (#50-41)
Well as you can see the updating every day thing didn't go well...maybe now that I've started the actual top 50 I can try to stick to it...I wouldn't bet on me though...anyway let's get to it:
50. Skycamefalling - 10.21
I got into this album around the time I was first getting into hardcore. I'm pretty sure I bought this because I read some press on it saying it sounded like Poison the Well. I think that comparison is both fair and unfair. It's fair because they're definitely of the same ilk, playing melodic metalcore that can be as brutally heavy as it is achingly beautiful. But it's also unfair because not only does this band's brand of melodic metalcore vary greatly from Poison the Well's, but I think this album is possibly better than anything PTW put out. The melodies are so much more subtle and more seamless in Skycamefalling's music. There's significantly less melodic singing but I actually like Christopher Tzompanakis's scream better...which is saying a lot because I love Jeff Moreira's screaming in PTW but Tzompanakis has such a brutal, throat-tearing scream, but at the same time it's far from being harsh, it almost has a dull (as in the opposite of harsh) sound to it and it's really the perfect scream for the melodic metalcore Skycamefalling plays because it's really kinda chill for a scream. The guitar work is what makes this band for me cuz they do some really great harmonies and beautiful melodic-yet-heavy chords. As far as songwriting chops you'd be hard pressed to find any hardcore band with as much talent as Skycamefalling, they're so in control of the creative process and it really shines through in their music. A must-listen for anyone who likes heavy music with heart.
49. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
This is undoubtedly one of the best bands to garner significant media attention in recent years. They have a very rare quality of being accessible but also unique and fresh-sounding (something very, VERY little mainstream music is these days). A lot of it has to do with Win Butler's wailing, almost desperate vocal delivery that lends the music a certain exuberance. That's not the only exuberant thing about the music though, as their music is filled with these wonderfully joyous explosions and happy sing-a-long choruses. It even has it's darker sounding moments like certain parts of "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" but for the most part it's very uplifting, beautiful music. It even has some elements that remind me of Jimmy Eat World's Clarity album, which is just about the highest praise I can give any band.
48. Jimmy Eat World - Static Prevails
When I was first introduced to Jimmy Eat World I had a keen dislike for them because all I knew of their work was "The Middle" and "Sweetness" being played on MTV constantly (and put in movies). Then a good friend demanded that I buy Clarity and boy am I glad he did because I saw a side of JEW that I never imagined existed. More on that later. After I had become obsessed with Clarity my good friend implored me to give their poppier stuff (specifically Bleed American) a fair chance...and he was right, Bleed American is an awesome album--even the singles grew on me after a while. I remember he explained his theory on how JEW tried to do straight up rock/pop with Static Prevails and it wasn't particularly good other than the song "Call It In the Air" but then they did Clarity and decided to come back to rock/pop with Bleed American and got it right the second time around. At the time it made sense but the more familiar with Static Prevails I became, the more I disagreed with this theory. Static Prevails is a great pop album and I love that the production and a lot of the songwriting has more in common with Clarity than with their output from Bleed American on. The guitars are dripping with Christie Front Drive inspired washy wall of sound guitar tone and guitarist Tom Linton's voice is featured much more prominently than in the post-Bleed American albums which some people don't really care for but a lot of hardcore JEW fans miss dearly about the band. Bottom line: if you like Jimmy Eat World from Bleed American on then do yourself a favor and check this album out because it blows away the rest of their "poppy" output.
47. At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command
I first heard this band during the later stages of my "nu metal" phase and as a result, was unprepared for what I was hearing and didn't really get into it. It took a friend yelling at me for me to realize how amazing this album is. At the time, I was used to chunky, heavy guitars so the crazy chords and intricacies of ATDI were sort of lost on me until my friend educated me on why I was an idiot. Finally I saw the light and realized that the guitar work on this album is some of the best and most creative you'll ever hear. This whole band really melds together so well but it definitely centers around the brilliant guitar work (at least for me it does). The songwriting is pretty brilliant too and full of wild, untamed energy that releases in uncontrolled bursts inter-spliced with some really good catchy indie pop moments and a lot of swirling, uneasy atmospheres. The Mars Volta is a great band but they really can't ever measure up to the raw, unbridled musical tantrum of Relationship of Command.
46. Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come
I can actually remember the specific day I first bought this album. Actually I'm pretty sure it was my very last day of high school. I think everyone else was off celebrating in some way or another and somehow I ran into my friend ML and we hung out and went to Best Buy and I bought this CD. His house was within walking distance so we walked there and he put on the CD and immediately we both were really into it (well, he liked it, I dunno if he was REALLY into it...but I was). The energy and the hard attacking riffs reminded me a lot of a hardcore version of Rage Against the Machine (at least in the first track) but the more I listened to the album and the deeper into it I got the more I discovered that this was far from the average hardcore record. The Shape of Punk to Come really is quite a fitting title for this album because its influence remains prevalent even now. There are bursts of pure hardcore energy such as "Worms of the Sense/Faculties of the Skull", "New Noise", and the short, fast explosion of "Refused Party Program"--sometimes infused with vaguely folky or jazzy elements such as with "Liberation Frequency" and "The Deadly Rhythm", respectively. There are the danceably dangerous grooves of "Summer Holidays v. Punk Routine" and the title track as well as the slightly more sassy "Refused Are Fucking Dead" which features a brave, powerful ending climax. Then there are the deeper, slightly darker, more melodically satisfying songs like the marching romp of "Protest Song '68" (another great climactic ending here) or the powerful, melancholic, violin-laden "Tannhauser." From there it quiets down with "Tannhauser" feeding directly into the bouncy acoustic "Derive" (the two are part of the same song named "Tannhauser/Derive") which then gives way to a very solemn acoustic closer called "The Apollo Programme Was a Hoax" that closes the album out on a beautiful note, repeating the lines "Sabotage will set us free. Throw a rock in the machine."
45. nine inch nails - The Downward Spiral
I used to love this album in high school in spite of the fact that I was only truly familiar with the first five songs. "Heresy" was always my favorite because honestly, what angsty teenager wouldn't love screaming "YOUR GOD IS DEAD...AND NO ONE CARES...IF THERE IS A HELL...I'LL SEE YOU THERE" over and over. I always liked The Fragile a little better though because I was more into Reznor's atmospheric ventures than his harsh industrial ones. But as with anything, the more familiar I became with this album, the more I realized how truly brilliant it is. "Ruiner" is one of the most haunting, ominous songs in the NIN catalog and without a hint of subtlety. "The Becoming" is a textbook example of Reznor's programming wizardry slamming head first into his effortless talent for songwriting and arranging. Reznor said in one interview that "With The Downward Spiral I tried to make a record that had full range, rather than a real guitar-based record or a real synth-based record. I tried to make it something that opened the palate for NIN, so we don't get pigeon-holed. It was a conscious effort to focus more on texture and space, rather than bludgeoning you over the head for an hour with a guitar." That's a perfect description for this record, it absolutely has a little bit of everything that NIN fans love. There are roaring guitar-heavy tracks like "Mr. Self Destruct" and "March of the Pigs", there are gyrating, kinky songs like "Closer" and "I Do Not Want This", some with combinations of these elements and so on. It's hard to really describe this madness or classify any of the songs because there's so much going on in each song that no matter how many times you listen to it you'll find new things to love about it.
44. Nirvana - Nevermind and MTV Unplugged
There's a whole school of jaded Nirvana fans who are so sick of Nevermind and all the radio airplay it gets between "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "In Bloom", "Come As You Are", and "Lithium" and have therefore declared their staunch belief that In Utero is Nirvana's magnum opus. If not, then they are of the steadfast opinion that MTV Unplugged is the best thing they ever did. The latter argument I can understand better than the former, to be honest. Unplugged is an amazing snapshot of a band not only at the top of their game but willing to step off the pedestal and try something drastically different, playing an acoustic set full of some of the deeper tracks from their albums as well as some magnificent covers of songs by The Vaselines, The Meat Puppets, David Bowie, and Leadbelly. As for the former, I see where they're coming from and yes, I do think Nevermind tends to be a little overrated and In Utero tends to be vastly underrated but I also don't think that makes it better. In Utero is definitely more in line with Kurt Cobain's vision for the music he wanted to play but it's also somewhat unfocused and forgettable at times, while Nevermind is relentlessly strong (and a lot more diverse, really) from start to finish. Sometimes it gets lost in the sweeping tide that was the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sensation but when you get past the first (three) track(s) there is so much underappreciated and brilliant music to be had. "Breed" is punishing but oh-so-catchy punk rock classic. "Polly" is a starkly tragic and honest acoustic venture with incredibly simple chords and verse/chorus arrangement but is so powerful in its simplicity. "Territorial Pissings" is an angry burst of shrill guitars and throaty shrieks. "Drain You", "On a Plain", and "Lounge Act" are some of the most capable pop songs you'll ever hear and truly a testament to the band's songwriting chops, being simultaneously accessible, memorable, emotional, raucous, and downright captivating. "Something In the Way" takes the album out on a desperately solemn acoustic-guitar-and-strings note that seems only fitting somehow, doesn't it?
43. Deftones - Adrenaline and Around the Fur
For quite a long period in high school, Deftones were hands down my favorite band. I must have listened to their first three major label releases at least a hundred times each from start to finish (hundreds in the case of Adrenaline). Adrenaline was the first Deftones record I bought and I was into it but not that into it because the production seemed kinda weak and treble-y at the time. Once I bought White Pony and heard them in all their glory I was hooked but not until I bought Around the Fur was this band cemented as one of my favorites. I bought it about a week before I was going to see them live at my first concert ever, Zetafest 2000. As soon as I heard "My Own Summer (Shove It)" I couldn't stop listening to it. That riff was just so perfect and the song was so heavy but so watery and melodic. The whole album has that same watery/washy feel to it in the guitar tone and the cymbal work that lends it such a unique sound among "nu metal" bands. All three of Deftones's initial major releases has something about it that makes it sound unique and completely different from not only every other band they're considered to be peers to but also the album that came before it (or after it). I've always had a soft spot in my heart for bands that seem to be able to somehow sound completely different with every subsequent album they put out and still retain a distinct sound that is unmistakeably their own. Deftones were one of those bands--although their ability to morph so drastically from album to album seems to have diminished to a certain degree with their last two offerings. Adrenaline is almost in the realm of skate rock (or even skate metal, if that even exists) with its vaguely hip-hop grooves and unmistakable, almost "tube-like" (very treble-y and streamlined, tightly distorted...like the sound waves distort with such a high frequency that the loose, more Harley Davidson sounding distortion is absent) guitar tone that sounds like no other guitar tone I've ever heard. Around the Fur is just a perfect fusion of aggression and melody, of angst and desperation. It's the album where Deftones really hit their stride with the whole "whisper-scream" dynamics thing that they were so instrumental in pioneering. And to ask me to pick between the two is just unfair.
42. Tool - Undertow and Lateralus
When I first heard Lateralus, as much as I unabashedly loved it, I couldn't help thinking it left something to be desired five years removed from the masterpiece of Ænima. I felt like Tool was capable of doing so much better which speaks more to the otherworldly expectations created by Ænima then it does to the actual mediocrity of Lateralus. In reality, Lateralus is an amazing album and one which is entirely worthy of bearing Tool's name. Yeah, the droning interludes and extended passages get tiresome and are a bit too self-consciously artsy at times. However, it's hard to deny the strength of "The Grudge", "The Patient", the title track, and the "Disposition"/"Reflection"/"Triad" triumvirate. Even "Parabol"/"Parabola", "Ticks and Leeches", and "Schism" are perfectly adequate Tool songs, if slightly subpar by the lofty standards the band has set for themselves. Undertow, on the other hand, is one that had to grow on me a lot. The production is a bit thin and the music suffers to a certain degree as a result. But look past that and you'll find a plethora of extraordinarily powerful songs, albeit relatively simple ones as far as Tool is concerned. "Intolerance" is a perfect example of this, which is a good thing because it's the opening track. We all know and love "Sober", of course. "Bottom", "Crawl Away", "Swamp Song", "4 Degrees) and "Undertow" are all phenomenal hidden gems on this album with powerful choruses. "Flood" is the last real song on the album and ventures out close to sludge metal territory in the intro before giving way to one of the best Tool songs ever. The album ends with the very odd but very intriguing "Disgustipated" which features a very weird speech about carrots and harvest time and how "for them it is the holocaust." Before you even know what's going on, a primal, tribal drum beat kicks in with Maynard repeatedly whispering "THIS IS NECESSARY...THIS IS NECESSARY...LIFE FEEDS ON LIFE FEEDS ON LIFE FEEDS ON LIFE" over it. Pretty fitting end for a Tool album when you think about it...totally weird but unexpectedly gripping and fascinating.
41. Thursday - Full Collapse
Such phenomenal songwriters deserve better than to be referred to as "screamo" or "emo" or whatever the hell. This is easily one of the most well-written albums to be lumped into a genre so full of unlistenable dreck. The guitar harmonies, both distorted and clean, are something to behold, as are the seamless arrangements. Geoff Rickly's vocal delivery may not be everyone's cup of tea and it's certainly not classically trained but he does lay it ALL on the line when he sings and I appreciate "heart-on-your-sleeve" earnest, passionate vocals probably more than technically sound ones. An interesting note about this record: Tom Schlatter, whose work in seminal screamo (without quotes...as in REAL screamo) bands You and I and The Assistant was hugely influential on Thursday's music, does guest vocals on "Autobiography of a Nation" and "Cross Out the Eyes."
OK, that's it for today. Tune in tomorrow to see if I can actually manage to update this thing two days in a row (again...I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you).
50. Skycamefalling - 10.21
I got into this album around the time I was first getting into hardcore. I'm pretty sure I bought this because I read some press on it saying it sounded like Poison the Well. I think that comparison is both fair and unfair. It's fair because they're definitely of the same ilk, playing melodic metalcore that can be as brutally heavy as it is achingly beautiful. But it's also unfair because not only does this band's brand of melodic metalcore vary greatly from Poison the Well's, but I think this album is possibly better than anything PTW put out. The melodies are so much more subtle and more seamless in Skycamefalling's music. There's significantly less melodic singing but I actually like Christopher Tzompanakis's scream better...which is saying a lot because I love Jeff Moreira's screaming in PTW but Tzompanakis has such a brutal, throat-tearing scream, but at the same time it's far from being harsh, it almost has a dull (as in the opposite of harsh) sound to it and it's really the perfect scream for the melodic metalcore Skycamefalling plays because it's really kinda chill for a scream. The guitar work is what makes this band for me cuz they do some really great harmonies and beautiful melodic-yet-heavy chords. As far as songwriting chops you'd be hard pressed to find any hardcore band with as much talent as Skycamefalling, they're so in control of the creative process and it really shines through in their music. A must-listen for anyone who likes heavy music with heart.
49. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
This is undoubtedly one of the best bands to garner significant media attention in recent years. They have a very rare quality of being accessible but also unique and fresh-sounding (something very, VERY little mainstream music is these days). A lot of it has to do with Win Butler's wailing, almost desperate vocal delivery that lends the music a certain exuberance. That's not the only exuberant thing about the music though, as their music is filled with these wonderfully joyous explosions and happy sing-a-long choruses. It even has it's darker sounding moments like certain parts of "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" but for the most part it's very uplifting, beautiful music. It even has some elements that remind me of Jimmy Eat World's Clarity album, which is just about the highest praise I can give any band.
48. Jimmy Eat World - Static Prevails
When I was first introduced to Jimmy Eat World I had a keen dislike for them because all I knew of their work was "The Middle" and "Sweetness" being played on MTV constantly (and put in movies). Then a good friend demanded that I buy Clarity and boy am I glad he did because I saw a side of JEW that I never imagined existed. More on that later. After I had become obsessed with Clarity my good friend implored me to give their poppier stuff (specifically Bleed American) a fair chance...and he was right, Bleed American is an awesome album--even the singles grew on me after a while. I remember he explained his theory on how JEW tried to do straight up rock/pop with Static Prevails and it wasn't particularly good other than the song "Call It In the Air" but then they did Clarity and decided to come back to rock/pop with Bleed American and got it right the second time around. At the time it made sense but the more familiar with Static Prevails I became, the more I disagreed with this theory. Static Prevails is a great pop album and I love that the production and a lot of the songwriting has more in common with Clarity than with their output from Bleed American on. The guitars are dripping with Christie Front Drive inspired washy wall of sound guitar tone and guitarist Tom Linton's voice is featured much more prominently than in the post-Bleed American albums which some people don't really care for but a lot of hardcore JEW fans miss dearly about the band. Bottom line: if you like Jimmy Eat World from Bleed American on then do yourself a favor and check this album out because it blows away the rest of their "poppy" output.
47. At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command
I first heard this band during the later stages of my "nu metal" phase and as a result, was unprepared for what I was hearing and didn't really get into it. It took a friend yelling at me for me to realize how amazing this album is. At the time, I was used to chunky, heavy guitars so the crazy chords and intricacies of ATDI were sort of lost on me until my friend educated me on why I was an idiot. Finally I saw the light and realized that the guitar work on this album is some of the best and most creative you'll ever hear. This whole band really melds together so well but it definitely centers around the brilliant guitar work (at least for me it does). The songwriting is pretty brilliant too and full of wild, untamed energy that releases in uncontrolled bursts inter-spliced with some really good catchy indie pop moments and a lot of swirling, uneasy atmospheres. The Mars Volta is a great band but they really can't ever measure up to the raw, unbridled musical tantrum of Relationship of Command.
46. Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come
I can actually remember the specific day I first bought this album. Actually I'm pretty sure it was my very last day of high school. I think everyone else was off celebrating in some way or another and somehow I ran into my friend ML and we hung out and went to Best Buy and I bought this CD. His house was within walking distance so we walked there and he put on the CD and immediately we both were really into it (well, he liked it, I dunno if he was REALLY into it...but I was). The energy and the hard attacking riffs reminded me a lot of a hardcore version of Rage Against the Machine (at least in the first track) but the more I listened to the album and the deeper into it I got the more I discovered that this was far from the average hardcore record. The Shape of Punk to Come really is quite a fitting title for this album because its influence remains prevalent even now. There are bursts of pure hardcore energy such as "Worms of the Sense/Faculties of the Skull", "New Noise", and the short, fast explosion of "Refused Party Program"--sometimes infused with vaguely folky or jazzy elements such as with "Liberation Frequency" and "The Deadly Rhythm", respectively. There are the danceably dangerous grooves of "Summer Holidays v. Punk Routine" and the title track as well as the slightly more sassy "Refused Are Fucking Dead" which features a brave, powerful ending climax. Then there are the deeper, slightly darker, more melodically satisfying songs like the marching romp of "Protest Song '68" (another great climactic ending here) or the powerful, melancholic, violin-laden "Tannhauser." From there it quiets down with "Tannhauser" feeding directly into the bouncy acoustic "Derive" (the two are part of the same song named "Tannhauser/Derive") which then gives way to a very solemn acoustic closer called "The Apollo Programme Was a Hoax" that closes the album out on a beautiful note, repeating the lines "Sabotage will set us free. Throw a rock in the machine."
45. nine inch nails - The Downward Spiral
I used to love this album in high school in spite of the fact that I was only truly familiar with the first five songs. "Heresy" was always my favorite because honestly, what angsty teenager wouldn't love screaming "YOUR GOD IS DEAD...AND NO ONE CARES...IF THERE IS A HELL...I'LL SEE YOU THERE" over and over. I always liked The Fragile a little better though because I was more into Reznor's atmospheric ventures than his harsh industrial ones. But as with anything, the more familiar I became with this album, the more I realized how truly brilliant it is. "Ruiner" is one of the most haunting, ominous songs in the NIN catalog and without a hint of subtlety. "The Becoming" is a textbook example of Reznor's programming wizardry slamming head first into his effortless talent for songwriting and arranging. Reznor said in one interview that "With The Downward Spiral I tried to make a record that had full range, rather than a real guitar-based record or a real synth-based record. I tried to make it something that opened the palate for NIN, so we don't get pigeon-holed. It was a conscious effort to focus more on texture and space, rather than bludgeoning you over the head for an hour with a guitar." That's a perfect description for this record, it absolutely has a little bit of everything that NIN fans love. There are roaring guitar-heavy tracks like "Mr. Self Destruct" and "March of the Pigs", there are gyrating, kinky songs like "Closer" and "I Do Not Want This", some with combinations of these elements and so on. It's hard to really describe this madness or classify any of the songs because there's so much going on in each song that no matter how many times you listen to it you'll find new things to love about it.
44. Nirvana - Nevermind and MTV Unplugged
There's a whole school of jaded Nirvana fans who are so sick of Nevermind and all the radio airplay it gets between "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "In Bloom", "Come As You Are", and "Lithium" and have therefore declared their staunch belief that In Utero is Nirvana's magnum opus. If not, then they are of the steadfast opinion that MTV Unplugged is the best thing they ever did. The latter argument I can understand better than the former, to be honest. Unplugged is an amazing snapshot of a band not only at the top of their game but willing to step off the pedestal and try something drastically different, playing an acoustic set full of some of the deeper tracks from their albums as well as some magnificent covers of songs by The Vaselines, The Meat Puppets, David Bowie, and Leadbelly. As for the former, I see where they're coming from and yes, I do think Nevermind tends to be a little overrated and In Utero tends to be vastly underrated but I also don't think that makes it better. In Utero is definitely more in line with Kurt Cobain's vision for the music he wanted to play but it's also somewhat unfocused and forgettable at times, while Nevermind is relentlessly strong (and a lot more diverse, really) from start to finish. Sometimes it gets lost in the sweeping tide that was the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sensation but when you get past the first (three) track(s) there is so much underappreciated and brilliant music to be had. "Breed" is punishing but oh-so-catchy punk rock classic. "Polly" is a starkly tragic and honest acoustic venture with incredibly simple chords and verse/chorus arrangement but is so powerful in its simplicity. "Territorial Pissings" is an angry burst of shrill guitars and throaty shrieks. "Drain You", "On a Plain", and "Lounge Act" are some of the most capable pop songs you'll ever hear and truly a testament to the band's songwriting chops, being simultaneously accessible, memorable, emotional, raucous, and downright captivating. "Something In the Way" takes the album out on a desperately solemn acoustic-guitar-and-strings note that seems only fitting somehow, doesn't it?
43. Deftones - Adrenaline and Around the Fur
For quite a long period in high school, Deftones were hands down my favorite band. I must have listened to their first three major label releases at least a hundred times each from start to finish (hundreds in the case of Adrenaline). Adrenaline was the first Deftones record I bought and I was into it but not that into it because the production seemed kinda weak and treble-y at the time. Once I bought White Pony and heard them in all their glory I was hooked but not until I bought Around the Fur was this band cemented as one of my favorites. I bought it about a week before I was going to see them live at my first concert ever, Zetafest 2000. As soon as I heard "My Own Summer (Shove It)" I couldn't stop listening to it. That riff was just so perfect and the song was so heavy but so watery and melodic. The whole album has that same watery/washy feel to it in the guitar tone and the cymbal work that lends it such a unique sound among "nu metal" bands. All three of Deftones's initial major releases has something about it that makes it sound unique and completely different from not only every other band they're considered to be peers to but also the album that came before it (or after it). I've always had a soft spot in my heart for bands that seem to be able to somehow sound completely different with every subsequent album they put out and still retain a distinct sound that is unmistakeably their own. Deftones were one of those bands--although their ability to morph so drastically from album to album seems to have diminished to a certain degree with their last two offerings. Adrenaline is almost in the realm of skate rock (or even skate metal, if that even exists) with its vaguely hip-hop grooves and unmistakable, almost "tube-like" (very treble-y and streamlined, tightly distorted...like the sound waves distort with such a high frequency that the loose, more Harley Davidson sounding distortion is absent) guitar tone that sounds like no other guitar tone I've ever heard. Around the Fur is just a perfect fusion of aggression and melody, of angst and desperation. It's the album where Deftones really hit their stride with the whole "whisper-scream" dynamics thing that they were so instrumental in pioneering. And to ask me to pick between the two is just unfair.
42. Tool - Undertow and Lateralus
When I first heard Lateralus, as much as I unabashedly loved it, I couldn't help thinking it left something to be desired five years removed from the masterpiece of Ænima. I felt like Tool was capable of doing so much better which speaks more to the otherworldly expectations created by Ænima then it does to the actual mediocrity of Lateralus. In reality, Lateralus is an amazing album and one which is entirely worthy of bearing Tool's name. Yeah, the droning interludes and extended passages get tiresome and are a bit too self-consciously artsy at times. However, it's hard to deny the strength of "The Grudge", "The Patient", the title track, and the "Disposition"/"Reflection"/"Triad" triumvirate. Even "Parabol"/"Parabola", "Ticks and Leeches", and "Schism" are perfectly adequate Tool songs, if slightly subpar by the lofty standards the band has set for themselves. Undertow, on the other hand, is one that had to grow on me a lot. The production is a bit thin and the music suffers to a certain degree as a result. But look past that and you'll find a plethora of extraordinarily powerful songs, albeit relatively simple ones as far as Tool is concerned. "Intolerance" is a perfect example of this, which is a good thing because it's the opening track. We all know and love "Sober", of course. "Bottom", "Crawl Away", "Swamp Song", "4 Degrees) and "Undertow" are all phenomenal hidden gems on this album with powerful choruses. "Flood" is the last real song on the album and ventures out close to sludge metal territory in the intro before giving way to one of the best Tool songs ever. The album ends with the very odd but very intriguing "Disgustipated" which features a very weird speech about carrots and harvest time and how "for them it is the holocaust." Before you even know what's going on, a primal, tribal drum beat kicks in with Maynard repeatedly whispering "THIS IS NECESSARY...THIS IS NECESSARY...LIFE FEEDS ON LIFE FEEDS ON LIFE FEEDS ON LIFE" over it. Pretty fitting end for a Tool album when you think about it...totally weird but unexpectedly gripping and fascinating.
41. Thursday - Full Collapse
Such phenomenal songwriters deserve better than to be referred to as "screamo" or "emo" or whatever the hell. This is easily one of the most well-written albums to be lumped into a genre so full of unlistenable dreck. The guitar harmonies, both distorted and clean, are something to behold, as are the seamless arrangements. Geoff Rickly's vocal delivery may not be everyone's cup of tea and it's certainly not classically trained but he does lay it ALL on the line when he sings and I appreciate "heart-on-your-sleeve" earnest, passionate vocals probably more than technically sound ones. An interesting note about this record: Tom Schlatter, whose work in seminal screamo (without quotes...as in REAL screamo) bands You and I and The Assistant was hugely influential on Thursday's music, does guest vocals on "Autobiography of a Nation" and "Cross Out the Eyes."
OK, that's it for today. Tune in tomorrow to see if I can actually manage to update this thing two days in a row (again...I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you).
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