Tag: #Import 2025-04-25 15:23

Collections collecting dust

‘Each year, a new stack of albums enters the collection. Each year, another stack of albums is left on the shelf, taken out of permanent rotation. No matter how many times that record needed to be heard, no matter how much it seemed like that one record was the end all be all, the point after which it seemed that no more innovative music could be created, that every succeeding record could only be post-modern, that record will lose it’s sense of novelty. It will be forgotten, put away to collect dust at some point in time.

tOther albums never even get the first child treatment, until the second child comes along. A good number of albums still sit in record shops, corporate and locally owned, never given the fair shot of airplay. Some of these records are hidden gems lying slightly below the surface of the sand. Barely in view, these may be the albums that have a particular memory attached to them: a review in the paper or a magazine, the recommendation of a friend, or some indescribably attractive quality.

Again, these items remain passed over, waiting for the one push over the edge, that last form of motivation that will prove that the album is worth the purchase or that the dust should be blown off the top and thrown back into the stereo, given one last shot at redemption.

To all collections forgotten or passed over, may this be that chance to be put back into rotation.

“Grace”

Jeff Buckley

Although the mere mention of God can be as much of a turn-off for some as it is a turn on for others, this album transcends the limitations of bias. It is a breath of fresh air. Buckley’s voice and superior guitar work are worthy of the highest praise. t

This lyrically eerie album foreshadows Buckley’s own demise. It deals with the topics of mortality and Buckley’s steadfast readiness to accept his own death, which came just a few short years later.  Consequently, this was the only full length release of Buckley’s career. Yet, it managed to show how much one man could accomplish in such a little amount of time.

“Techniques of Speed Hypnosis”

Edsel

Possibly the most underrated and unacknowledged album of all time, “Techniques of Speed Hypnosis” is an amazing collection of works that managed to slip through the cracks of most musical cultures and subcultures.

Edsel masterfully combines pop craftsmanship with a highly credible level of artistic twists and turns. It is the quintessential form of the 90s D.C. area scene captured humbly and unknowingly while managing to leave only a small notch carved out of the whole music industry. Although, to anyone familiar with Edsel, the music world would be lacking a great deal with the influence of this album.

“Trompe Le Monde”

Pixies

Shy of the band’s greatest songs “Debaser” and “Where is My Mind?,” there is still no greater collection of music by the Pixies. Each song stands on its own two feet, independent of sounding like any other song on the album while still managing to be packed with subtle nuances and Dalian surrealities that accomplish the impossible task of making guitar solos worthwhile.

If the likes of Sting and McJagger can be considered the forefathers of modern rock, then Frank Black would, hands down, be the Godfather. Well respected, often heard, and seldom scene, Frank Black has managed to transform the scene with his own two hands without the fame and fortune of numerous other seminal figures in rock history. Without the Pixies, bands like Braid and the Getup Kids certainly would not exist, or at least not sound the same.

“24 Hour Revenge Therapy”

Jawbreake

tPredecessors of Jets to Brazil, Jawbreaker’s “24 Hour Revenge Therapy” is one of the best breakup records of all time. It is the archetypal album that set the tracks for the emo genre to establish itself upon. Every song is on-the-brink-of-tears depressing, evoking the hardships of relationships and the posthumous dealing with the heartache of breakup.

Packed with Kerouacian prose, Blake Schwarzenbach’s somewhat manic lyrical poetry can just as easily be uplifting as they can be moody and full of disparaging gloom. This album works as either an ambient soundtrack to everyday activities or as an in your face, amp turned up to 11, party album. “24 Hour Revenge Therapy” also offers a certain commonality in subject matter that can be related-to by almost anyone. It can be either a shoulder to lean on or a kick in the ass to get you motivated.

“OK Computer”

Radiohead

t”OK Computer” is balanced in perfect symmetrical form from start to finish. It shows the band’s versatility and exponential growth from their previous two albums. It is pure genius and unique in the way it combines traditional rock compositions while doing in depth background explorations of the spacy sound that were to, again, revolutionize the sound of the band for “Kid A” and “Amnesiac.”

t”OK Computer” is a critique on the social and political malaise that dominates our society. Best expressed in songs such as “No Alarms,” Radiohead is not subtle about the points they intend to get across. Each song is a thread interwoven into the entirety of the album. It tells a story and each song is an intricate and interlocking part of the whole. Whether in the form of subtle and cynical criticism, or fire-breathing hatred of the corporate world, each song works perfectly with the next. This is the “Dark Side of the Moon” for the 90s.

“Outlandos D’amour”

The Police

The influence that this album had on punk rock is immeasurable. Packed with energy and the limitless vitality of a group of feisty Brits, “Outlandos D’amour” is the downright manifestation of rock ‘n roll. This album set the foundation for rock to come.

Containing such classic tunes as “So Lonely,” “Can’t Stand Losing You,” and the song that ended up defining the Police as a band, “Roxanne,” there is no wrong or downside to this album. It is the pinnacle of Police productions and the only album that can even keep pace with it is “Synchronicity.” Lord knows, Sting’s solo work is not cut from the same cloth.

“Siamese Dream”

The Smashing Pumpkins

tOnce riding high on the wings of “Today” the Smashing Pumpkins threatened to cast a shadow on giant rock bands Pearl Jam and Nirvana. It wasn’t long, though, until tragedy and inner-group turmoil brought the band to a crashing halt. In the wake of this, the album that transformed the once typical Alice-in-Chains generic heavy metal rock sounding Pumpkins into a band of ingenious and inspired artists, “Siamese Dream” was lost.

tBelow the surface, “Siamese Dream” may present the unadulterated emotions of torpid desperation and inner turbulence of Billy Corgan’s mind, but on the surface, this album is balls-out rock. The roller coaster ride ranges from the highs of “Cherub Rock” and “Rocket” to the lows of “Soma” and “Mayonaise.” Whether in peak or valley, its most alluring quality is its honesty.

“Reckoning”

R.E.M.

tAs the sophomore full length release of the southern rock band R.E.M., “Reckoning” held a great deal of promise for the band. It fuses the then unheard of guitar stylings of Peter Buck with the soul driven bass melodies of Mike Mills. Merging the past world of R&B with the present world of rock, R.E.M. was on the forefront of revolutionizing music.

tThe sounds of R.E.M. may have since become a bit played out (with the exception of some recent and notable releases, such as “New Adventures in Hi-Fi”) but at the time of the release of this album, the band was stepping into uncharted territory. They were blazing the path as they went along for the countless herds to follow. Now, this album is, in every sense of the word, a classic which all students of music should turn to as a historical source of music education.

“The Blue Album”

Weeze

tPlain and simple, “The Blue Album” is pure pop artistry. For what it lacks in sophistication, it makes up for in catchiness. Listen to the album once and any to every song may be stuck playing mentally on repeat for weeks. There’s no way around such a predicament. Weezer has made a pact with the devil xefxbfxbd drug potent and potentially addictive music for the typical exchange of souls.

tRight off the bat, with the band’s first single “Unraveled (The Sweater Song)” Weezer achieved instant notoriety. They were even able to equate geek to cool, confounding both mathematicians and modish moguls. The driving force of the album did not stop there, though. Any of the ten songs on “The Blue Album” could have easily been released as a single and made it to a top ten list.” Each song is alluring and seductive, in only a way that major chords and happy “Ooh-Ahh” harmonies can be, and once in the song’s grip, there is no escape.

“Diary”

Sunny Day Real Estate

tLooking to progressive rock as a source of influence and a point rnof auditory evolution (because, let’s be honest, playing progressive rock may a highly valuable skill, the music sucks), the boys from Sunny Day Real Estate had no idea how of an impact “Diary” would havexefxbfxbd especially after the album went unnoticed for years.  Actually, it took the breakup of the band, after the release of their second album “LP2” to spark any interest.  Soon, the band and the albums were in such high demand that they release a third and final album, “How it Feels to be Something On.”

tSDRE, is a potent elixir of intricate, angular guitars playing the most complex of time signatures, a hard hitting rhythm section (which later joined the Foo Fighter’s crew after SDRE’s breakup), and the enchanting voice of Jeremy Enigk and his beautifully poetic and moving lyrics.

tNow reformed as The Fire Theft Band, Sunny Day still lives on in the generation of emotion based rock that it helped to found.

in keeping secrets of silent earth: 3

‘Coheed and Cambria returns with their sophomore offering “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3.” It is the second piece that serves as both soundtrack and storyline to a sci-fi fantasy that lead singer Claudio Sanchez has conjured up in his mind.

The story features the main characters, ironically enough, named Coheed and Cambria. In this portion of the story, they are said to be dead, according to Sanchez. The album, actually, is supposed to serve as a dream sequence, shifting from poppy songs to represent the lighter, airier portions to heavy-metal-tinged tunes that stand for the nightmares.

Like a dream sequence, this record is long, and shifts listlessly from track to track. The songs range from five seconds to nearly 10 minutes in length. As a cohesive unit, it is sporadic, but the band cannot be faulted for this. It was their intention. As a concept record from a “concept band,” they play by their own rules.

When the songs are looked at as solitary units, they are impressive works and show marked growth from “The Second Stage Turbine Blade,” the group’s debut record under the name Coheed and Cambria (formerly, they were known as Shabutie). While “Second Stage” contained a few songs like “33” and “Devil in Jersey City” that have high stuck-in-your-head potential, “Keeping Secrets” is more consistent. Most of the songs over a matter of seconds long promise to be addictive.

This band offers something for everyone. If you’re a comic book fan, you can soon enjoy the band’s work in comic-book form. It is currently being illustrated by comic-book artist Wes Abbot. If you are a sci-fi fan, you can enjoy the intricacies of the songs’ plots. Or, if you listen to a record for the traditional sake of hearing music, you are guaranteed to like “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3.”

into the valley of death

‘Next to Avail, this is the best mullet-fronted rock band on the market. They’re loud, aggressive and in your face. Makes you want to be profane and respond to the album with statements like “Fuck yeah.” The guitar work is furious and energizing. The vocals sound like a really drunk Glen Danzig at points. It has been humorously described as “vocal vomit.” That aside, it still rocks. High points: Makes you want to kick your dog. Low points: The unethical and inhumane act of actually kicking an animal, not to mention the repercussions that may follow.

dear you (expanded)

‘Having the opportunity to receive a brand new Jawbreaker release prior to its scheduled release date is a titillating experience for which I have waited since my budding teen years. Simply hearing the news of a new Jawbreaker album would have been enough for me.

That’s what I thought in 2002 when “Etc.” hit the shelves. The posthumous compilation of rarities, demo and live versions was nothing shy of disappointing. Like most releases of its sort, the songs were either awful or of awful quality. Though the band had broken up years earlier, this album only seemed to be the final, anguishing nail in the coffin.

Jets to Brazil did not prove to be much relief for many of Jawbreaker’s diehard fans. Those who took solace in the part rockabilly, part straightforward rock of this incarnation, still could not help but miss the edgier parts of the past.

“We’re killing each other by sleeping in,” sang Blake Schwarzenbach on “Dear You’s” opener, “Save Your Generation,” but it couldn’t help but seem like that’s exactly what was going on. What happened to the fire? What happened to the energy?

Maybe heroin. Who knows?

In a previous interview, Schwarzenbach let out pent-up backlash. “When do I get to be curmudgeonly to the Jawbreaker fans?” he asked me. “It’s been over a decade.”

Later on in the same interview, he repented, admitting that he missed the fight-for-your-right punks that swooned to his old band.

In truth, he seemed confused about what he wanted. He seemed unsure if a Jawbreaker reunion would ever happen but he did not vehemently oppose the idea.

Nevertheless, the band members did not want to leave their fans empty-handed. So they purchased back the rights to “Dear You” and re-released it with a few bonus songs at the end.

The previously out-of-print album was selling for around $50 on Ebay. Now, a remastered copy is available at a fraction of the cost, but the inevitable question is: is it worth it?

Yes, yes it is. Though the band grew their roots on rougher ground with albums like “Unfun” and “Bivouac,” they eventually polished up their sound after Schwarzenbach’s throat surgery. “24 Hour Revenge Therapy” was Jawbreaker at its peak to some. It was a bit cleaner and more thought-out than the band’s previous ventures.

When the band signed with DGC, their end was just about clear. Before breaking up, they recorded “Dear You,” which very well may have been a few years ahead of its time.

It foreshadowed the pop punk revolution, but did it with more dignity and self-respect – while still writing self-degrading lyrics – than anything that has been popularized since.

The re-release only replants the band as that which saved a generation of music and fans alike. It may not guarantee any future activity under the Jawbreaker label, but at least it’s a cheaper and better rendition of an album that’s well worth the listen.

satanic versus

‘Ooohh, “Satanic Versus.”

For a rather intelligent and gifted group this feeble double entendre is appallingly inept and casts its members in a rather maladroit light.

What follows inside attempts to cut the cover’s losses and salvage seemingly lost ground.

The two-pronged meaning of the title may be mundane, but the two aspects of the album are redeeming. This EP contains six riveting tracks of electronic hybrid punk rock. In addition, the CD version of this EP is also enhanced.

The first segment of the enhanced portion contains three videos, which, for the most part, make up the better half of the EP. The videos are shot by amateurs and focus more on the musicians and the band’s stage energy. From this perspective, it is challenging not to notice the keyboardist Roby Newton, whose messy blonde hair completely covers her face at all times. Coupled with the geek-sheik glasses, she comes off as simultaneously elusive and alluring. By the time “New Lexicon,” the third video, began she was wearing only the glasses and two dollar-sized pieces of duct tape. The thought became inescapable that the guys in the band could not pull off this same stunt.

It’s hard to tell, but it also looks like Ozzy Osbourne is rocking out in the first row of fans in front of the stage.

The concept of putting the video for “New Lexicon” was a good idea. As just a song, it is both grueling and ghoulish. The visual piece provides more to be appreciated, on so many levels. It’s not that the song is bad, though. Rather, the band relies on computers and synthesizers too heavily at points, which make songs such as this come off as a bad dream Marilyn Manson might have. After watching the video, a phone call relaying the message “Seven days” seemed inevitable.

In addition to the eye candy, the enhanced portion also provides something for the creative ear. The audio files for “Join Our Party” and “Idle Hands” are available to anyone who feels the need to import them into a music program such as Pro Tools to remix them.

The music stands perfectly fine on its own, though. The guitars jangle in eerie complementation to the keyboards. In spite of all its angular dissonance, the music is very accessible. It’s only the vocals that hold back the band.

It might follow that awkward vocals would complement awkward music. After all, if Nation of Ulysses replaced Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra as Sinatra’s musical ensemble, the result would be catastrophic.

This basic equation does not always work for Milemarker, though.

At times, such as Roby’s interesting approach to an atonal Billie Holiday on the video to “The Installment Plan” works like a charm. The poppy Pavement-esque backup vocals to the otherwise screamo “The Banner to the Sick” are also a huge success. The remainder of the album, both auditory and visual, waxes and wanes in its attempts at brilliance.

lovers need lawyers

‘On Cursive’s “The Ugly Organ,” Tim Kasher screamed “My ego’s like my stomach, it keeps shitting what I feed it.” If Cursive is what Kasher shits out, The Good Life is what he vomits.

Sometimes the product is whole, other times it is choppy; more often than not, it is a confessed regurgitation of alcohol.

In an effort to remain consistent with previous efforts, this part-Cursive side project features Kasher screaming about marriage, infidelities, contradictions from lyric to lyric, alcohol, and the distinction between artist and entertainer – and how both can result in a return in investment.

He is consumed by the music and lyrics he has already recorded, a man in love with the sound of his own voice. It’s equally narcissistic and paralyzing. It appears that his biggest fear is that his words, confessions and mistruths will catch up to them.

The difference is that The Good Life is loose and unpredictable. His shit is controlled, his vomit inconsistent and surprising. There is no strict theme running through the album. One song does not build upon the previous one. The styles change, as do the instruments used to fill up the spaces between pauses. While one song may fall under the category of a ballad, the next has a distinctly West Coast punk flavor to it.

This is arguably the best way for Kasher to clear out any creative impulses that do not fall within the neatly kempt borders of Cursive. Whether that is his intention or not is unclear.

It’s interesting to listen to and analyze how he speaks out of both sides of his mouths. His main musical venture may put him in a demi-god status among many fans, but this certainly shows his human side.

outside the unbearable grows

‘Canadian group Mico is both comfortable and familiar. Drawing on the Midwestern scene’s influence, they are akin vocally to The Casket Lottery. Musically, their influence seems derived, directly at points, from Philadelphia-based rock gurus Breaking Pangaea and a bit from New Jersey’s Saves the Day, circa “Can’t Slow Down.” If a band is going to build upon pre-established sounds, Mico picked two winners.

This is fine import indie rock, taking it out of the well position and onto the top shelf. It is a quadruple-distilled smooth blend that goes down slowly and leaves you willing to have more.

Mico has struck gold with “Outside the Unbearable Grows,” making it one of the star releases of 2003 on G7 Welcoming Committee’s catalogue. It’s an impressive sophomore production that should put the band at a smooth-sailing status for successful touring and, hopefully, a third album.

It’s hard not to look beyond this album and wonder what will come next. The record is tight and shows a lot of promise. Many good things are still to come from this band. Don’t look too far ahead, though, because you may miss the good things that are happening right now with “Outside the Unbearable Grows.”

http://www.illmitch.com

‘Snow’s slick tongue brought them fifteen minutes of fame. Vanilla Ice dug a deep hole for all that followed in his footsteps. Eminem filled the hole and brought them their first signs of hope and respect. Ill Mitch, though, opened up a whole new world for white rappers.

Next to potato vodka and mail-order brides, Ill Mitch is arguably Russia’s best export. Complete with headband, sleeveless life vest, and a penchant for systematically destroying every rule of grammar in the English language, Ill is determined to be happy as a recording artist. Successful? Well, that’s a different story.

Ill Mitch is badass. His debut English CD is entitled “Punch While Rap,” featuring such songs as the homage to skateboarding, “Fast and Danger.” In addition to “rap and ride on my skateboard,” Ill loves to hit his boxing bag, to which the album title, “Punch While Rap” alludes.

As one message board posting fan suggested, “His rhymes flow like the great Mississippi River.” Ill, himself, suggests that his music is for fans of Gangstarr. While both of these statements are debatable, you can count on him for a laugh at least. As a matter of fact, you can go out on a limb and say that he is the greatest parodied Russian immigrant rapper who loves skateboarding and rap.

“On full moon I ride with boner,” sings Ill Mitch on the hit “Fast and Danger.” It’s kind of like Vanilla Ice, except the creative mastermind behind Ill Mitch must be making this as a joke intentionally. It’s sick, dope, def, and so on.

real talk

‘To reword a popular expression, R&B/Hip Hop is like sex. When it’s bad, it’s still pretty good… as long as it’s not some “American Idol” freak with a recording contract and an eating disorder recording the songs.

Admittedly, this particular ray of the musical spectrum is not a forte of mine, but I know what I like – and I like this. If I could dance, I would dance to this. For now, I’ll just keep bopping my head up and down. It’s the only thing I have enough rhythmic capacity to do.

The two most prominent aspects of this album are the beat and the vocals, both essential elements in good R&B/Hip Hop. The two combine into that indescribable flavor that just makes you want to turn the bass all the way up and just bounce. It’s smooth.

The often overbearingly synchronic synthesized bass and bass drum thumps are not present in this album. Rather, “Real Talk” masters the techniques of songwriting that has been used to popularize recent albums by R. Kelly, OutKast and Mary J. Blige. It prides itself on strong yet equally restrained beats, well-written guitar riffs and the entrancing sounds of Hollister’s voice.

There is not a song on “Real Talk” that is even questionable. Each one stands on its own merit and could theoretically be pulled out as a single.rn

s/t

‘Jeremy Enigk could sing over the sounds of fornicating cats and it would be highly praised. Believe it or not, it’s a good thing, because Sunny Day Real Estate fans have been waiting too long in anticipation to admit defeat. No matter what this release ended up sounding like, it would do well. Special spots have been reserved in numerous CD trays for this record, as the band searched endlessly for a label that would put out the first, self-titled release from The Fire Theft.

The band states, and many reviewers agree, that The Fire Theft sounds nothing like Sunny Day Real Estate. In a sense, this is correct. The Fire Theft does not sound like proper, early SDRE. The new band does not have the energy, enthusiasm, or that band’s groundbreaking aura about it. On the other hand, the tunes do sound similar to later Sunny Day songs from albums such as “How It Feels To Be Something On” and “The Rising Tide.” (At the very least, the band’s musical progression becomes a bit more tangible on these albums.)

The Fire Theft has reached the other side of the musical spectrum. Whereas Sunny Day abandoned the traditional sounds of the scene from which they emerged, The Fire Theft has come to embrace the traditions of many rock bands. Where the old band was rough around the edges and thrived on experiment, the new band has been reborn into a tried-and-true formula of honest lyrics, basic rock melodies and non-abrasive progressions.

“The Fire Theft” is a good album but will most likely be a barely suppressed disappointment for long-time SDRE fans. A great deal of reconciliation needs to take place between fan and band in order to appreciate this album. Mainly, fans need to accept that, with the release of this album, The Fire Theft may just become the Chicago of our generation; a band that will last forever, playing safe and harmless tunes to a generation of aging fans unwilling to admit that they and their idols are no longer fighting to be at the cutting edge.