: 4y-Records : Bitching About Music Since 1985.

4y-Records : The Left Rights Special

2010-10-26T20:44:00.001-04:00

Very rarely will I work with anyone... like never actually, but since Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence & The Left Rights asked for a video...I was like... "Hey, this man does not suck. Let me hook a brotha up"... so he got hooked up with a music video....It's sort of a music video... at least the way I would do one in my wacky head. The Left Rights are a side project of Jimmy Urine & Steve Righ? of Mindless Self Indulgence. The tracks in the toon are from the upcoming album "Bad Choices Made Easy". If you don't know either of the bands mentioned, you should really check them out. M.S.I. are one of the few bands that makes me have a little hope for the music industry and The Left Rights are a unique and fun listen. So there ya go. ENJOY!!!!!

Weezer : Hurley : 4y-Records Review (Cartoon)

2010-10-23T07:02:00.002-04:00

It's the mini-audio-toon version of the Hurley Review. Joy! (I'll probably do a lot of the reviews already here as toons and new ones as well)

4y-Records : Reading is Difficult.

2010-10-19T00:40:00.001-04:00

Since a lot of people are a bit lazy when it comes to reading, I'm going to try a few 4y video reviews. It'll be a simple image that will have an audio review track attached to it... so you'll be able to hear how pissed off an album makes me rather than just reading the 4y-blog. More info as it develops. Should have a review posted in a few days.

Weezer : Hurley

2010-10-05T23:01:00.003-04:00

I've had little patience for Rivers Cuomo since "Ratitude" witch is audible junk in my opinion. "Hurley" isn't really much better. Yeah, the songs are tighter, but the geeky lamenting of years gone by and simplistic rhymes that would make a 3rd grader seem like Robert Frost have grated on my last nerve. Weezer has come out with some classic tracks over the years that will be listened to for quite some time, but this album comes off like a compilation of B-sides from "Make Believe" & "The Red Album". I don't subscribe to Rivers being a brilliant song writer as most people like to tout. He's average at best at this point and each album is chipping away at that geek cred armored Snuggie he so comfortably wraps around himself. This is deffinetly not an "essential album" or a "return to form" or whatever. It's just a mediocre album Weezer fans will buy blindly. I need fans like that. Stick with Weezer's singles if you want to hear the best Weezer has to offer. Albums like this are strictly for fans in my opinion. Though Hurley on the cover is pretty cool... and I would have cut them more slack if the album actually had something to do with Lost. A whole concept album about Lost from Hurley's perspective. I'd buy that. This, I shouldn't have.

Bad Religion : Dissent of Man

2010-10-05T21:44:00.000-04:00

30 years of Bad Religion and what does one get? Consistency for the most part. I mean, anyone familiar with Bad Religion knows they don't tend to deviate from their formula much. Which is a good thing. The songs are all standard Bad Religion tunes however the album does lack a "single" in my mind. "Won't Somebody" would be the memorable track here, but frankly the acoustic version off the deluxe version of New Maps of Hell far outshines the version here, giving it more gravity and urgency. So it is what it is. A tight punk album from a band good enough to still write songs that convey passion for politics, religion and the ongoing Dissent of Man.

Digging Through The Crates : Is This it?

2010-09-18T08:46:00.001-04:00

Ok, so for the last 10 years of my life I've been digging through the crates of various genres of music. Punk, Alternative, Indie, Soundtracks, Rock, Metal, etc... no stone or dingy record store bin was unturned. So here's my thing; I've kinda tapped out the music past. "How is that possible?", you ask? Well, after working in a few record stores I've absorbed more music than any normal human being should be allowed to. Which is both good and bad. I had a chance to listen to everything my fingers could touch and did. The downside, what's left? For Christ's sake, I dug up and listened to an old Kerbdog single just because it had a Husker Du cover as a B-side.

Not that I claim to know everything, or have heard everything, but I've pretty much listened to anything related to, or similar to everything I already like. So now I'm stuck in, what I like to call the "Amazon Recommends Cycle". ... "If you like Soundgarden, you'll like Chris Cornell, If you like Chris Cornell, you'll like Temple of the Dog, If you like Temple Of The Dog, you'll like Pearl Jam, which leads to Eddie Vedder, Green River, Mother Love Bone, Mad Season, Screaming Trees, Alice In Chains, Jerry Cantrel,... eventually leading back to Soundgarden. So computer recommendations are useless at this point. Pick a genre and listen to it long enough and it'll happen to you as well.

The question is, is this it? Are there no more treasures to be unearthed from years gone by? Have I truly maxed out my listening experience? I haven't come across many older albums I've found interesting, and there are few newer ones worth mentioning. The newer stuff just sounds like the older stuff, so why deal with imitators when there are originators. The problem with that philosophy is that you do run out of originators. Sooooo.....

When I listen to new bands, I look for certain things. 1: Do they sound like a watered down version of a band I already know... ex. Godsmack sounds like a watered down Alice In Chains.... skip it. 2: If they do sound like a certain band, do they improve upon that sound? Ex. Mindless Self Indulgence improves on both the sounds of Marilyn Manson & Information Society creating some weird trippy hybrid of the two by my ears. So MSI gets a 4Y seal of approval because they push boundries. 3: Is it gimmicky? Lady Ga Ga. The songs are catchy, but we're dealing with nothing more than a Madonna/Cher update that adds nothing to the mix. More flash, less substance, accepted by all. Skip it.

So far it's been pretty bleak. There are a few exceptions but for the most part, the art of music has churned out band after band of psuedo-indie, mega star, disposable looptastic, pro-tool, mini-masterminds and/or Gruntry (my own genre for Country music that sounds like Grunge... i.e. Nickleback). And don't get me started on the Cookie Monster Metal. Try singing your lyrics rather than grunting them through a microphone that sounds like it's buried in human waste.

With all that being said, my view turns towards the future, waiting for something to create a ripple in the vast creatively still pond of music we now swim in.

I'll keep ya posted.

Dark and Story Night : DVD Review

2010-09-08T21:18:00.000-04:00

For folks who don't know, I'm a big fan of old horror movies and golden age comedies. So I'm always keeping tabs on the few film makers who like to do the occasional homage to the genre. I first got into Larry Blamire with 'The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra", a hokey romp through a bad B-movie for a new generation. The follow up "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra Returns Again" has the same spirited handling for depicting bad b-movie acting and inane dialogue that will have you scratching your head saying... "what the hell am I watching". Dark and Stormy Night, in my opinion is the perfect parody of the "old spook house" film. The acting is spot on for the majority of the cast and really resurrects some familiar character types from years gone by. The script is fast, fluid and has all the silliness you'd expect from a Blamire production but has an authentic quality that feels as if it were actually written in the 40's. Someone certainly did their homework and hats off to 'em for it. Hell, even the filters used to create the old film textures is near flawless. For folks not into the genre, this will be useless, but for folks who laughed when Abbott & Costello met the Mummy, you're right at home here.

4y-Records : Blog Status

2010-08-31T16:50:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note on the whole 4y-Records Blog. Obviously I haven't been posting a lot, but hey, I'm working on 3 animated series at the same time and a comic strip. So I can only post so much. When I can free up some time to listen to or watch some stuff, I'll continue bitching about it.

Wolf Parade : Expo 86

2010-08-01T14:08:00.002-04:00

I started listen to Wolf Parade with "Apologies To The Queen" in 2005. I liked their quirky potential and their approach to making music but I was kinda underwhelmed with Expo 86. The first track, and single, "Cloud Shadow on the Mountain" is an excellent song. It's catchy, disjointed, and spirited, but the rest of the album feels like a neo-Talking Heads tossed in with Modest Mouse. Not sure if that's good, but there ya go. Props to Wolf Parade for recording all the music direct to tape rather than Pro-Tooling the hell out of it. That deserves some sort of appreciation in this age of music production where loops reign supreme. I do think this album needs a few listens to really be absorbed properly, so I'm not going to pass judgment quite yet. For what it is, it's a nice change of pace for those who are use to over processed music production... though if you're listening to a 128bit rate MP3... you're probably not too worried about production. There's an organic feel here that the attentive listener will appreciate. Everyone else... just listen to the samples and make up your own mind.

Hole : Nobody's Daughter

2010-07-21T17:25:00.000-04:00

On first listen, I kinda drop kicked this album across the room. I put it on the shelf pissed off that Courtney Love failed to deliver a decent Hole album after being on hiatus for like, 8 years or whatever. After listening to Korn's "Remember Who You Are" album, I tossed this one on again to try and wash out my ears of Korn's crap with a different type of crap. Meh, it's not too bad on a fresh listen with no expectations and having Korn as an opening act. Those variables aside, the album gels together somewhat well for those looking for a Courtney Love fix. You're not gonna find another "Doll Parts" or "Miss World" on this album, but "Nobody's Daughter" & "Skinny Little Bitch" do evoke some of Love's mid-90's rage. So for nostalgia, it's worth a listen. Just don't walk into it expecting her version of "Nevermind".

Korn III : Remember Who You Are

2010-07-20T19:50:00.000-04:00

Hold up a sec, I'm trying to get together enough phlegm to spit on this album. Unfortunately I don't think i could generate enough bodily fluids to effectively display my disdain for this drab album of retro 90's nonsense. "Remember Who You Are" would have been good advice when they went into the studio. This turned out to be a bland and dull outing for a band that tends to kick things up a notch when plugged in. Korn's Untitled at least had the track "Evolution" that one could walk away with, but this leaves the listener with nothing new, fresh or innovative. The trademark vocal work from Jonathan Davis is emotional enough to convey his feelings, but that spark of youth and spontaneity to his deliver has faded away... along with my patience for this band. For fans of Korn, it's probably more of the same, and that's fine for most. I just lost interest in this album 2 tracks in. I didn't even bother watching the bonus DVD on the Special Edition, because frankly, I just don't give a damn enough about the music to sit through in-studio recording sessions.

How to Destroy Angels : EP

2010-07-13T14:53:00.002-04:00

Trent Reznor puts together another band and I shrug my shoulders in total indifference. The music is distinctively NIN for the most part, but this incarnation has his wife, Mariqueen Maandig taking the lead role here. Kinda drab as a vocalist in my opinion. Though obviously backed by Reznor she lacks the intensity that Trent can pull together vocally. She breaks down into odd whispers, repetitive phrases, and low murmurs over some well put together, feedback riddled instrumentals. I kinda dislike "Husband & Wife" teams. Rarely do they work out for the better. Be it John & Yoko, Kurt & Courtney, etc. This just perpetuates the theory for me. Instrumentally those looking for a NIN fix, go for it. Those who don't want to hear a half-assed, watered down female fronted version of NIN, skip it.

Music Tags : Why Are People Stupid?

2010-07-13T14:04:00.001-04:00

Ok, every so often when I put CD into my drive to convert it for digital playback, I get a retarded set of information. For example, why do people tag every track on an album "Album Version"? I know it's the fucking album version because I'm ripping the whole album! If it's a "Single" version, fine. Put "Single" next to the track title. "Live Version" is also acceptable. (Remix), I'd like to know about... but there is no reason to put "Album Version" after every track title on an album. It's redundant stupidity. Any track that does not have the phrase, "Single", "Live", "Remix" or any other descriptive variant should automatically be left alone and assumed by all that it is the proper album release version. Period. I should not have to go through tracks individually and remove the phrase "Album Version" from every title. If you submit information to the CDDB like this, you're a jackass.

Pagan Babies : Demo Tape 1986

2010-07-10T13:43:00.002-04:00

Not many people know that prior to the whole Kurt Cobain / Hole thing, Courtney Love was in a band called Pagan Babies. (She was also in Faith No More for 5 seconds or so. Scary thought, no?) Anyway, for those into digging up the past looking for rusty demos of years gone by, this is actually an interesting find. Hole's "Best Sunday Dress" is on this one in all it's lo-fi infancy. Kinda haunting in a way especially taking into consideration this was '86, 5 years prior to the whole "grunge" thing exploding. (Currently a B-side to the Celebrity Skin single & a Japanese Bonus track on the album import.) Another noteworthy member of this band was Kat Bjelland from Babes In Toyland. The demo for Babe's "Quiet Room" was on this cassette as well. Cassette! Who would have thought I'd review a freakin' cassette. WHAT YEAR IS THIS!?! Anyway, antiquated formats aside there seems to be a digital copy of sorts floating around here : RIGHT HERE!!!
(Don't say I never share any on my hidden treasures)

Suzanne Vega : Close Up Vol 1

2010-07-07T21:06:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a short review, because unfortunately there's not much to say. The "Close Up" series is just intimate performances of Suzanne Vega's previous work. Which would be fine if the original versions weren't already so intimate. Her voice hasn't changed in like, 25 years either. So you're not going to get more weathered variations to the notes. This doesn't add or take anything away from her catalog. It's just like having a shuffle option on all her other records. If you want to go with an intimate performance, try to track down Suzanne Vega : Sessions at West 54th. It's an excellent EP with a nice audience vibe.

Korn : MTV Unplugged

2010-07-03T18:29:00.001-04:00

Some Unplugged sessions are just kinda so-so. Korn unfortunately fall into this category for me. I don't really get any excitement from this recording, nor does it hold my attention. The first 4 tracks are so slow you'll go looking for a pillow. The cover of Radiohead's "Creep" is, meh. Robert Smith from The Cure doing back-up vocals on "Make Me Bad". Er, doesn't really work for me. Amy Lee doing backup kinda works, but didn't really grab me. The plus side of all this is the bass lines still hold up and the final track "Throw Me Away" comes together nicely.

Korn is a band with a brutal sound, so an unplugged session, though not out of the question, seems an odd choice. I know Pearl Jam pulled it off, as did Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, R.E.M. etc. But what Korn lacks that these bands had, were the under-writing of riffs that can translate well acoustically. Let's face it, plugged in they rock. Unplugged. It's sleepy time.

For fans of the band though, this is a totally different way to experience Korn and could be a real treat. I've always been on the fence with Korn so I can't speak for the hardcore fans on this one. As a casual listener, it ranks up there with soothing ocean sounds, John Tesh & Yanni.

Katy Perry : MTV Unplugged

2010-07-03T13:48:00.001-04:00

I'll be the first to change the station when Katy Perry's "Thinking of You" comes on the radio, but when it comes to an MTV Unplugged I'll give any artist a second listen. What I always liked about the Unplugged series was that all the pretense was stripped away from the music. Loud guitars, electronic blips, and studio effects were all thrown out the window for these performances. In order to sound good, you had to sound good.

With all the fluff stripped away, Katy Perry, comes off like a smooth jazz singer with a unique set of songs and a fresh perspective not heard during an unplugged since..er, I can't remember. The version of "Thinking of You" doesn't make me want to kick in my car stereo, so by my ears it's a vast improvement. I wont go out and by a proper studio album by her anytime soon, but this performance does show her greater potential. It's a small step towards being an artist rather than just a performer. The one thing that fuckin' irks me about the album... the abrupt crowd fade-ins/outs. It really screws with the "performance" feel of the whole thing. By doing this they've diminished what could have been a concert experience into nothing more than a compilation of standout tracks.

Though I don't care for her studio work, I do love the irony of her Christian upbringing being tossed out the window with her first hit being "I Kissed a Girl". Her mother, a preacher, considered it "shameful and disgusting." because it promoted lesbianism or whatever. Good job supporting & encouraging your kids, dumbass. Props to Perry though for having the courage to overcome the imposed ideas of her religious family/community. Sometimes you don't fit in for a reason, and one shouldn't be shunned for that.

The Horrors : Strange House

2010-07-03T11:50:00.001-04:00

On first listen I wasn't quite sure what to think of The Horrors' : Strange House. They seemed too weird for a time period who's peers mostly consisted of cookie-cutter Emos bands. Manufactured and spat out like discs in a factory. So one can approach this band with cautious skepticism considering the musical climate.What I like about this album, is that it sounds fuckin' broken. It's a chaotic mess of noise and screeching vocals that seem to barely hold together. Very reminiscent of that weird unknown band you'd hear playing in a village record shop. You wouldn't ask the clerk who it was because you weren't sure if you liked it. So you'd continue listening while flipping through the bins, stopping every so often to furrow your brow in confusion at the audio being battered about the room. (Wasted reference if you've never been in a record shop. Shame on you!)

That's were this album is for me. It's a background curiosity you'd hear in a record filled room covered in posters and music memorabilia. It's value really lies in it's broken sound and sonic oddities. It's fresh if you're not familiar with the past and is an excellent gateway record for people who were brought up on the bland music that has been pushed on the masses for the last ten years.

"Count In Fives", "Jack the Ripper", & "Draw Japan" are probably the choice cuts off this album, but if those catch your attention, so will the rest of the record. I kinda gave up on trying to figure out if the band's sound was a calculated decision or not. It is what it is, and it doesn't offend me. So there ya go.

Evelyn Evelyn : Self Titled

2010-07-03T11:03:00.006-04:00

I've always been a big fan of Amanda Palmer's work, be it The Dresden Dolls or her solo efforts. So naturally I picked up Evelyn Evelyn when it came out. Finally freeing up the time to listen to this album, it's pretty unique. It's a concept album of sorts detailing the life of conjoined twins. Some parts are too narrative to be considered songs, but are essential in setting the mood for this tale of freak sisters. One can really get absorbed into the story as if you were listening to an Old Time Radio show. Characters enter and leave the stage, all contributing to the spinning yarn of these unfortunate sisters. Though the second to last track, 'My Space' seems a bit bloated for the album's minimalistic atmosphere, the cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" more than makes up for it.

For folks who can't make it to a theater to enjoy the art. This comes pretty close. Of course if you hate the theater and stories told through music. Just skip this all together.

The Hives : Tarred And Feathered EP

2010-07-02T23:07:00.005-04:00

Woot! New Hives! Well, sorta. It's a 3 song cover EP, but who gives a crap if you're into the band.
Lyrically it fits in line with their anti-establishment / anti-corporate theme. So fans of their previous work are going to feel right at home here, even if the songs aren't their own.

The first track "Civilization's Dying" (originally by The Zero Boys) keeps true to the original though a little bit more spirited in trademark Hives form. Seriously though, who's pullin' this band up out of the record bin? Almost the equivalent of Nirvana covering The Wipers' "Return of The Rat". Both bands are worth further listening.

Second track, "Early Morning Wake Up Call" by Flash and the Pan holds no complaints for me. Frankly, I know nothing about Flash and the Pan, so I'm gonna have to do some digging.

The EP is rounded out with the cover of "Nasty Secretary" by Joy Ryder & Avis Davis...(B-side to "No More Nukes" if I'm correct.) I'd go and fact check but I'm too busy listening to the EP.

The only downside to this EP is that it's a digital download only with a 7" being released later. It does come with a digital booklet... but collectors of any media format will tell you, it's just not the same.

All n' all, the EP is a nice hold over for fans waiting for their next album. As a casual listener, it's a good starter course for an odd selection of obscure songs from obscure bands.
The Next EP better have The Poles "CN Tower"!
No pressure guys.

Gentlemen Broncos : Why Was This Made?

2010-06-30T21:02:00.003-04:00

Ok, I get the whole story. Aspiring young writer gets ripped off by his ego-driven idol, blah, blah, blah. I also get the whole outsider thing that the director, Jared Hess has beaten to death in Napoleon Dynamite (Which I actually liked). But one can only watch so many hours of awkward misfits stumbling through life before you say... "Get your shit together, fuckers!". Gentlemen Broncos is an insult to the whole "coming of age" genre. Ghost World. Awesome. Napoleon Dynamite. Perfiectly fine. Rushmore. A must see. This film is something you set on fire and toss at kids you don't want on your lawn. The ONE exception of this film that was interesting was the performance of Jemaine Clement (from Flight of the Conchords) as the egotistical author. I'd go into further details on the plot and what not, but folks.... I've already wasted enough of your time talking about this cinematic atrocity. Fuck the people who wasted valuable resources in making this movie. May they be damned to watch this film forever.

(Though most will be able to relate to the scene where the kid throws up in disgust after watching an indie film adaptation of his work) The irony.

Organic Food Music

2010-06-30T13:54:00.002-04:00

I'm not a big patron of organic food stores, but on occasion I'll stop in when I'm in the mood for an apple not covered in wax & pesticides. Usually within these type of stores you'll find a small section of music limited to compilations of Women In Africa, Spiritual Celtic nonsense, Native American Music, James Taylor & anything that has a pan flute as the lead instrument.

How come no Ted Nugent? Yeah, fine. A lot of people make the assumption that organic food consumers are not into meat, poultry, or anything that had eyes before it ended up on their plate, but in all seriousness, the market for organic food is a lot broader than what the general public perceives.

So with this in mind, both the food & music in these shops should not be limited to what is the stereotypical concept of an organic food eater. Toss in some meat and Metallica... early Metallica, and let those who just want good, non processed food feel welcome in your stores. No matter how many times I walk into a place like this, both the customers and employees have a bad habit of looking down their nose at me just because I have a side of beef hanging out of my shopping cart. If i can deal with and accept your African feminist music and tofu cream cheese, you can deal with a little Slayer & meat. Live & let live. (insert random Sepultura riff here)

Getting Inside of Brody Dalle : (Her Mind, You Perverts!)

2010-06-28T22:18:00.003-04:00

Brody Dalle was one of those musicians that blew me away on first listen. Her raw vocals were akin to Courtney Love but far surpassed them. Every album by The Distillers is a gem for me. The debut was rough, but displayed a fierce punk power and intensity you can only get from an artist who lived the lifestyle. Their second release, Sing, Sing Death House, was a lot more focused. Like an enraged Courtney Love fronting Rancid. The album should be in every punk collection. Period.

At this point I started doing some research on the band and in the back of my mind, it kinda bothered me that The Distillers sounded so much like Rancid. After some digging, but not much, I found Brody Dalle was dating Tim Armstrong from Rancid at the time. Crazy coincidence or another case of Kurt & Courtney? I didn't pay it no mind even though my brain was telling me something was wrong. So the years went by and The Distillers released Coral Fang. A much more mature album that retained all the intensity of their previous releases... but... something was... different. It was as if this maturity came out of left field. Seemed kinda odd. Went back to digging. Apparently Brody dumped Tim around this time, and hooked up with Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Eerie coincidence or diabolical scheme?
Coral Fang felt like a refined hybrid of Rancid & QOTSA, but again, the album was so good. I didn't pay attention to that nagging brain maggot eating at my skull. A year or so went by and The Distillers broke up. Sadness was had by all. But soon. Brody came back with a new group after becoming hitched to Josh Homme. The Spinnerette band was born. I bought my copy and slapped that record on to hear the first cut "Ghetto Love"... which set my mind maggots on explode. It sounds so much like a Queens of The Stone Age track that it hurts my brain. Even the tone of Queen of The Stone Age's 3's & 7's can be heard throughout the song.

My conclusion is this : Brody Dalle is either a master of male manipulation, or the most absorbent artistic sponge on the planet. Draining out the talent of her significant others like a musical succubus. This could all be in my head, but my ears say otherwise. If it's just development through osmosis, the kudos for learning and applying. If it's something else... then we have another Kurt & Courtney thing going on... and poor Dave Grohl is stuck in the middle all over again. (Grohl works with Homme on Them Crooked Vultures) Then again it could just be some honest riffing going on between husband and wife. What the hell do I know! I don't live with them!

Regardless of my theory, all The Distillers albums are excellent and essential listening for anyone looking for various degrees of raw emotion and powerful punk. The Spinnerette debut is a little too QOTSA for me, but worth a listen. Their Ghetto Love EP has the song "Valium Knights" which is not on the debut but is worth the purchase. Still can't shake this feeling though. Any thoughts?

MGMT : Oracular Spectacular

2010-06-28T10:33:00.009-04:00

With their new album Congratulations
recently released, I dug up my copy of Oracular Spectacular... which really isn't in any capacity. I kind of compare bands like this to new-wave pop of the 80's. Most of the albums released during that time were synth driven nonsense with one standout track. Kids
is that standout track on this album and only because once that synth hook gets stuck in your ear.... it's not moving... like a chained down earwig gnawing at your brain.
So, when I first heard Kids
on the radio, like a mid-80's record buying chump, I got suckered into buying the whole album assuming the rest of the disc would hold up to that quality. Not so much. MGMT creates a nice consistent atmosphere on their record but all the tracks are pretty forgettable for me. To me, it's just white noise for an emo party too bored to care about the music they're listening too. And that's probably the appeal here. Much like the mid-80's, mainstream music was pretty devoid of substance. It was something you put on in the background while talking to your friends on the phone for 8 hours.

I know a lot of 'zines and websites have pushed this band up to the forefront of their scene because they seem to be doing something fresh and new, but the more you delve back into music history, the more you can see that they're just re-interpreting a sound that's been long forgotten over the years. Most bands are doing this now. From the Depeche Mode sounding schmucks to the Joy Division rip-offs, the "scene" as it were, is littered with folks who found a sound from the past and are trying to ape it. "It's RETRO MAN!" Meh.

I may get around to giving this band another shot, but not anytime soon. I think they have potential, but aren't where my ears would like them to be. And no, I'm not judging you if you like this band, because a lot of people do. That's fine. I just find it kinda boring for my tastes.

Edward Scissorhands : Soundtrack

2010-06-27T20:44:00.006-04:00

The Edward Scissorhands remake rumor got me thinkin'. Danny Elfman kicks ass! Most of Elfman's early scores are solid in their entirety, but Edward Scissorhand's score goes well beyond that creating one of the most endearing at atmospheric scores in the last 20 years. Of course that Tom Jones song at the end just kills the whole mood... but you can't blame Danny for that one.
Tom Jones... WTF? Seriously now. Let's have the guy who wrote Sex Bomb appear on a soundtrack to a gothic romance of sorts. He'll fit right in.
That's like having Avril Lavigne on the Alice In Wonderland soundtrack. Actions punishable by death.