Sound Judgment

Chevelle: Point #1

2012-06-17T01:14:00.000-05:00

I don't listen to a whole lot of mainstream-alternative-rock radio these days, mainly because my music tastes have shifted (or perhaps, rather, have been left behind in the decades preceding my birth). Nevertheless, I will turn it on every now and then, which has left me increasingly closer to a startling, unfortunate conclusion. Despite the undercurrent of new, diverse influences in radio rock (electro and indie stuff...Foster the People and the like), a big percentage of the bands are all playing the same post-grunge/hard rock music, just under different names. Moreover, it's totally indistinguishable from the same post-grunge/hard rock that bands were playing 10 or 15 years ago. When I hear a song I haven't heard before, I seriously cannot pin down the date, even within 5 or 10 years, because that strain of music hasn't really gone anywhere.

Mini-rant over. Despite all of this, there is one hard-rock/alternative metal band that's managed to stay at least marginally different (and consistently good) from most of the other hard-rock/alternative metal bands, and that's Chevelle. Sure, frontman Pete Loeffler sounds just like Maynard James Keenan, but according to their site, they've put out five studio albums in which they've managed to hammer out a pretty good, thumping, fairly unique (or at least very recognizable) sound.

Wait, just five albums? Nope. Here's where the subject of this post comes in, Chevelle's Point #1. This, the album conspicuously missing from their site's discography (the result of a legal struggle that nearly derailed their budding career), is the album that started it all. Despite two decently-performing radio singles (the title track and "Mia") and a long string of successes since, this album has been all-but-forgotten by most; however, after hit album after hit album, Point #1 remains my absolute FAVORITE Chevelle album. I think it definitely deserves a closer look, which I'll try to do here.

Anyone who's pretty familiar with Steve Albini's extensive production (or sound engineering) career, should be able to recognize his touch on the album pretty quickly. Reportedly, the band was dissatisfied with his work, a marked step away from the polished, layered crunch of their subsequent albums. Often derided for being a more simplistic Tool imitation, Chevelle is perhaps at their Tooliest here, as their more raw, stripped-down sound brings to mind early Tool albums. Indeed, anyone who's heard Tool's "Sober" will instantly recognize the similarities between that song and Chevelle's "Skeptic."

Apart from the sonic differences, the songwriting is noticeably different from their later releases. Though the notoriously cryptic lyrics are almost wholly intact, the song structures ultimately lack the tightness and catchiness that have contributed to their success. Many of the songs are plagued by unnecessary repetitiveness (their one-chord instrumental opening track almost seems to foreshadow this). There are a lot of great musical moments on this album that are dragged down by length or by weaker parts of the songs. This can probably be attributed to the fact that many of these songs go beyond simple verse-chorus-verse structures ("Dos," "Peer," "SMA"), though this approach is somewhat hit-and-miss.

And yet, despite all of its flaws, it's still my favorite Chevelle album. Why? Maybe it's that I'm totally a fan of that dry, sparse In Utero sound. Or maybe, in eschewing radio-ready hooks in favor of more ambitious (though unpolished) song structures, they appeal more to my weirder musical tastes. I don't know; for all of the familiar Chevelle traits that have already established themselves on this early album, there's something about it that sounds different. Almost exciting, at times.

Title track "Point #1" alternates between two simple two-chord patterns for four minutes, and yet its simplicity lends it a driving, hypnotic feeling for which Loeffler's soaring vocals are only the icing on the cake. There's more of a Pixies clean-and-soft/dirty-and-loud dynamic going on throughout this album, used to good effect in this track, as well as "Blank Earth," among others.

My favorite song on the album is definitely "Anticipation," a quick, drum-centric song that sounds unlike any other song Chevelle's ever done. Speaking of drums, drummer Sam Loeffler turns in a characteristically solid performance. Though much of his work seems to focus on serving the song, there are songs like "Anticipation," as well as "Peer" (another one of my favorites) where his drumming moves the song along.

This album, while it may stand out when placed alongside their subsequent albums, is undeniably Chevelle. Chevelle in an early, unrefined state, taking their first steps into the world of hard rock album-ating. Overall, Point #1 is a raw album, but I can't help but totally love it. Maybe it's just a matter of personal taste; maybe you'll love it too.

Tracks:

Open
Point #1
Prove to You
Mia
Skeptic
Anticipation
Dos
Long
Blank Earth
SMA
Peer

Bargain Bin #4 (EMF: Unbelievable)

2012-06-13T15:29:00.002-05:00

I am fascinated by the music that came out of the indie-alternatve-dance scenes in late 80s/early 90s Britain. From acid house by the likes of 808 State to the psychedelic guitar-based rock of the legendary Stone Roses, Manchester's "Madchester" scene made the city the ultimate party destination. The variety of sounds spun off into "baggy" music and spread throughout the country, while the parallel "grebo" scene developed and fizzled, causing many kids to adopt bad clothes and even worse haircuts for a couple of years.

EMF (or, Epsom Mad Funkers, contrary to not-so-popular belief) found themselves somewhere in between all of these sounds, churning out techno-influenced dance rock that brought them musical success in the early 90s with the release of their 1990 album, Schubert Dip. While all four singles from the album, a play on words relying on the similarities between Austrian early Romantic composer Franz Schubert and a certain dessert, charted in the UK and on the American rock charts, EMF is undoubtedly best known for their lead single. "Unbelievable" shot up to #1 on the Hot 100 charts, garnering them one-hit wonder status for future generations of TV commercial viewers.

This is yet another album I picked up for 25 cents, choosing it solely off the infectiousness of "Unbelievable," as I was unfamiliar with the rest of their work. Though I hadn't heard any of their other songs, I figured it wouldn't be too far removed from what every other guitar-synth-and-Madchester-dance-drumming band of the time sounded like. I popped it into my laptop and skipped straight to "Unbelievable," the main riff grabbing me and nodding my head back and forth just as I remembered. After the last "you're unbelievable" uttered by EMF frontman James Atkin, it went straight into the next track.

Though "Girl of an Age" starts out promisingly by sampling a Sesame Street conversation between Ernie and Bert, it's neither catchy nor driving enough to hold the attention that "Unbelievable" brought upon them. Lacking the charm of the prior song, it just sounds cheesy and outdated. Unfortunately, that fairly well describes most of the album.

Leadoff track "Children" starts the album off strongly enough before exploding into my favorite track "Long Summer Days," a driving song that sounds like a heavier, more ominous version of "Unbelievable." Segueing straight into the next song with a shared drum beat, the album hits a lull before picking up a little bit with the one-two bipolar combination of "I Believe" and "Unbelievable," then falling once more with the album's uneven back half.

Overall, Schubert Dip plays out just like one might expect: an album centered around a strong single, with the band trying to feel out the surrounding area, looking to recreate the magic of that infectious piano hook. They get close in a couple areas, but not quite. Accordingly, there isn't much variance in the sound from track to track, just the quality. Nevertheless, it's an album with a handful of decent tracks ("Long Summer Days" and "Unbelievable" really are great tracks) in between the muddled indie-dance filler, and it's one to check out if bands like Jesus Jones, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, or perhaps even Inspiral Carpets are your thing.

Tracks:

Children
Long Summer Days
When You're Mine
Travelling Not Running
I Believe
Unbelievable
Girl of an Age
Admit It
Lies
Longtime

Bargain Bin #3 (Catherine Wheel: Happy Days)

2012-06-12T16:43:00.002-05:00

I guess this was supposed to be a series of posts in which I detail my delightful 25-cent CD finds, but my posts have been terribly sporadic. Finally, I've come around to blog about an album I found ages ago from one of my favorite bands, Catherine Wheel.

While lumped in with the British shoegaze scene, Catherine Wheel was never quite a shoegaze band. Sure, they had a textured sound with swirling guitars and ethereal melodies, but the Wheel (much like similar band Swervedriver) always leaned towards a more straightforward rock feel. This influence played an increasingly larger role in their sound with each release, culminating in their 1995 album Happy Days. Though the album as a whole sounds right at home within the 90s American alt-rock scene, they do retain a few tools from their shoegazy bag-o'-tricks, churning out a big, solid record that manages to straddle both sides of the pond with great success.

Wheel lets the listener know right away what kind of album Happy Days will be, coming right out of the gate with the explosive opening track "God Inside My Head" before settling into a rhythm of rock-oriented tracks accented by the odd slower/shoegazier song. A nod to the sound of their previous album Chrome and Ferment before it, "Heal" is a good midtempo shoegaze ballad, reminiscent of "Black Metallic."

Ironically, the smoothest, dreamiest track on the album is the most abrasively-named one, "Eat My Dust You Insensitive F**k," showing frontman Rob Dickinson at his vocal best as he beautifully croons the title's lyrics over minimal, atmospheric instrumentation. Dickinson's vocals, a standout feature on all of Catherine Wheel's albums, are smooth enough for the melodic shoegaze sound yet powerful enough to cut through their more metal-tinged ventures ("God Inside My Head," "My Exhibition"). Catherine Wheel's timekeeper Neil Sims contributes another album's worth of consistently great drumming, particularly evidenced in "Hole," as his kinetic drumming powers the drum-centric song, and "Kill My Soul," the closing track. These two songs, in addition to "Eat My Dust," are my favorite songs on the album, and Sims's drumming is probably a significant part of that.

An additional track of note is another song that falls on the more shoegaze-oriented side of the Catherine Wheel spectrum, "Judy Staring at the Sun," featuring backing vocals by Tanya Donelly, adding to the atmospheric feel of the track. Donelly brings a long history of work in legendary alternative bands, as she was a co-founder of Throwing Muses, Belly, AND The Breeders, so this is definitely a very cool thing to hear if you're a fan of any of those bands (and, well, you should be).

Although Catherine Wheel moved towards a more polished hard rock sound for this outing, they certainly retained their familiar sense of melody and all of the other musical qualities that separated them from the rest of the shoegaze pack. If you enjoyed their previous two albums (and don't mind musicians who look up at the crowd every once in a while), despite the odd weak spot that shows itself every now and then over this lengthy album, popping Happy Days into your player should be an overall enjoyable experience.

Tracks:

God Inside My Head
Waydown
Little Muscle
Heal
Empty Head
Receive
My Exhibition
Eat My Dust You Insensitive Fuck
Shocking
Love Tips Up
Judy Staring at the Sun
Hole
Fizzy Love
Kill My Soul

Check it.

No Age: Nouns

2012-05-24T20:27:00.000-05:00

I'm on a Tumblr-to-Blogger roll, so here's a bit I recently wrote to accompany a picture of the band No Age, a brilliant noise rock band named after an SST compilation. I mean, that automatically makes them cool, but they've got the tunes to back it up.

From Tumblr:

No Age.

Soundtrack to senior year. When I first heard them, I think Weirdo Rippers had just come out. I thought the sound(noise)scapes on that album were pretty cool, but it wasn’t until they harnessed that energy with the reins of melody on Nouns that I fell in love with them.

Maybe that makes me a noise-punk poser or something; I don’t care. I think in terms of overall quality, those two albums are pretty comparable, but Nouns had the stronger standout tracks. It’s the difference between “Everybody’s Down” and “Brain Burner.” Sure, the former’s a great thrash track, but the latter is one of the most brilliant album closers I’ve ever heard.

I’m not so much a fan of their newer stuff. Did they “sell out,” as the purists claim? Probably not. It’s probably just because I’m not a very good indie kid anymore; rather, I’ve found that I’m more at home in the 80s and early 90s alternative scene. Then again, that may be why I keep coming back (or forward) to No Age: for those glimmers of the DIY punk ethic and lo-fi fuzzy melodies that permeated the music of old.

So, in short, I'm not as in love with No Age anymore (no reflection of the quality of their tunes, my music tastes have just changed), but Nouns is still one of my favorites. The band expertly walks that frayed metaphorical tightrope between melody and noise, smoothing out the static-y edges while still maintaining a sense of aural chaos. Fuzzy pop tunes like "Teen Creeps" and "Eraser" will please any fan of a good ol' melody, while fans of the first album's experimental noise have the droning "Things I Did When I Was Dead" and "Impossible Bouquet," among others. But in my opinion, the best tracks are the brilliant punk tunes "Sleeper Hold" and "Brain Burner" (particularly the latter), quick bursts of distortion and energy that are enough to knock you off your feet.

Or at least to knock you on your feet and en route to the record store. Seriously, this is a cool album to own in its physical form. The packaging was nominated for a Grammy (yes, they have Grammys for that) and includes tons of cool photographs and artwork. Candid shots, crowd shots, and one sweet cassette collection.

Check it out.

Miner
Eraser
Teen Creeps
Things I Did When I Was Dead
Cappo
Keechie
Sleeper Hold
Errand Boy
Here Should Be My Home
Impossible Bouquet
Ripped Knees
Brain Burner

What's That Buz-zine sound?

2012-05-23T01:58:00.001-05:00

I always think that I never have time/inspiration to write on this blog, but then I spend countless hours scrolling Tumblr and banging out my musical thoughts through reblogs of artist images.

So now, realizing that some of my best writing comes in the form of stream-of-consciousness rants that nobody will ever see, I've decided to update this blog (which, coincidentally, nobody will ever see) with stuff from the bands that I've been digging and writing up on Tumblr.

First up, a pair of songs from Buzzcocks and Magazine. What's the connection between these two bands?

From the pages of my Tumblr blog:

Howard Devoto left the Buzzcocks in 1977 to form Magazine, a pioneering post-punk band that, while short-lived, had immeasurable influence on the direction that music would take once all the young dudes took the safety pins out of their faces.

I still have a hard time deciding whether I like Buzzcocks or Magazine more. I know that they’re both crazy amazing bands and ranking crazy amazing bands is lame and it doesn’t matter and I should just shut up and enjoy the music because they’re wonderful.

But I can’t help it.

I enjoy ranking bands. And TV shows. And pizza chains.

(Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Little Caesar’s, by the way. Crazy bread.)

I used to be scared of Caesar, but I digress.

The only thing that I have managed to decisively declare about the two bands regards a Devoto-penned riff that made appearances in songs by both bands: Buzzcocks’ “Lipstick” and Magazine’s “Shot by Both Sides.” While “Lipstick” is a excellent, buzzing little pop song, the Magazine song has a dark complexity (not to mention, a killer solo) that tips the scales in their favor.

Advantage Magazine.


Above: A 1976 picture of the Buzzcocks, with Devoto (left).

Was I right?

Probably not.

Decide for Yourself

Tumblng around.

2012-04-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

I have a couple drafts waiting for some finishing touches, as well as a slew of ideas that I've been kicking around and tossing against the wall in the creative parts of my brain. They should be up soon.

Also, I just made a tumblr. I don't know why.

For those who may wonder, I have terrible ADD combined with a serious case of perfectionism. These seemingly contrary conditions combine in the worst ways, ensuring that I never get anything done.

Also, school. A neverending queue of papers, projects, and papers always stands in my way, and when I do make progress, the last thing I want to do after nailing down a couple of papers is to write more.

Anyway, I promise new stuff will be posted shortly.

Porter Robinson: The State (with SKisM remix)

2012-01-13T00:27:00.000-06:00

My last post was the first in a two-part series on "dubstep," a series in which I will quickly clear my creative system of its residual wub-wubs and get back to classic alternative/indie/punk and the like. Normally, I don't post songs like this, but perhaps these ubiquitous sounds, nearly unavoidable over the last three years or so (though the sound dates back long before its mainstream explosion), have subconsciously influenced me. I said last time that this post would be about the first "dubstep" song I ever liked (and one of the four or five total tracks that I like), the track that remains by far my favorite from the scene.

This post spotlights Porter Robinson's brilliant track "The State," along with its subsequent remix by SKisM, the artist I featured in the last post. I stumbled on to this guy via a Facebook posting, probably from Judge Andrew Napolitano or someone similar, about a "libertarian dubstep" artist featured in an LA Weekly article. Naturally, this intrigued me, not because I was particularly fond of dubstep, but rather the "libertarian" modifier (not to get political, but I am a diehard little-L libertarian).

As it turned out, Robinson is perhaps more anarchic/anarcho-capitalist than the simple libertarian label originally suggested, but the story itself focuses on "The State" and the more basic politics of the track. This track is a darkly aggressive indictment of typical statist government policy, fueled by Austrian School and libertarian icon Murray Rothbard's writings. The vocal samples come from a Jeff Riggenbach reading of Rothbard's magnum opus, For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto, read over rhythmic percussion and a melody that sounds more Arabic than Austrian. More reserved than much of its aggressive contemporaries, the song seems place heavy emphasis on the words, as if it were an exercise in the effective use of vocal samples, tending to be a bit on the repetitive side. Make no mistake, this is an excellent track, but if you're looking for a dub-driven adrenaline rush rather than an economics lesson, its remix counterpart may be more up your alley.

While Robinson's original version is ominous in its own right, SKisM's remix is downright horrific. In a good way. The remix ditches the agenda in favor of a pure musical assault. He saves only the most brutal parts of the vocal sample, tweaked even more than the original for maximum scare power, eschewing Austrian economics for a song that may be much more fitting in a horror movie's climax (provided that movie is set in a rave). In fact, every time I listen to this song, I can't help but think of those "horror" arcade games where players have to hold on to metal bars that "shock" them, while a skeleton/Uncle Fester/etc. "increases the voltage." See below.

Powerful wordless vocalizing in between Rothbard's writings only increases the dark feel of the Arabic melody. The high, Psycho-esque, synth notes over the drop create a scene of pure government-induced terror. By the way, this busy, dissonant drop is probably the best that I have ever heard, and it only gets better when the percussion changes up, sending the song into a sort of double time feel.

The more varied and music-driven remix is at times chilling, other times hypnotic, and sometimes even a harsh-yet-satisfying combination of the two. Both of the tracks are great in their own right. If political theory is your thing, you may be more drawn to the original; however, while the original is by no means chill, it sounds like lounge music in comparison to the brutal beat down of the remix.

And that's it. No more hip electro posts for me. Rest assured, the most danceable songs I post from here on out will all be older than I am.

Download Porter Robinson: The State (and SKisM remix)

SKisM: Down with the Kids EP

2012-01-09T23:35:00.004-06:00

When I started this blog, I thought it would be a good outlet to share my taste in 80s and 90s alternative and indie, particularly that which was slightly left of "left of the dial." A dash of punk, a hint of shoegaze. The biggest deviation from the broad "rock" heading would be some posts expressing my love for trip-hop. That's the most electronic I'll get on this blog, I thought. I've never been a big electro fan, save for the odd 8-bit stuff, anyway.

As one might guess, I don't have a whole lot of experience with electronic music. My collections of glowsticks and synthetic drug experiences are embarrassingly small, and my knowledge of electronic subgenre taxonomy is limited. I do indeed realize that I'm putting myself forward for electro-hipster ridicule by even attempting a post on this subject, but this post (as well as my next planned post [!]) is about "dubstep." I use the quotes because a lot of people can't quite agree on what "dubstep" is exactly.

To be clear, I will be using it to define the musical chainsaw sound that can be found pulsing through pretty much every party you go to. You know, the downtempo whirrs, buzzes, and wub-wub-wubs that you hear before you hear the police sirens answering a noise complaint. (Some dubstep artists have gotten efficient, cutting out the middleman by incorporating the sirens into their songs.)

Anyway, my first journalistic foray into this strange, dimly-lit (by glowsticks) world is to cover the "Down with the Kids" EP by London-based artist SKisM, a five-track aural explosion. This album, which perhaps leans a bit more towards filthy IDM music than most, is often thoughtful and generally remains fresh, even amongst a genre built on a specific sound where each song sounds remarkably similar to the last. Well, to me, anyway.

The gem of this EP is easily the first track, "Rave Review," the title being simultaneously ironic and a play on words. The song samples large chunks from a spoken word piece by Henry Rollins (easily found on YouTube), in which the hardcore punk legend releases an intense diatribe on the moronic simplicity of bad rave music. (Get it now?) While certainly ambitious (turning a Henry Rollins rant about rave music into a rave anthem?), the execution is brilliant. Even if you don't like this kind of music, this song is definitely worth a listen, if only for a bit of a laugh at the genius that unfolds throughout the song, as the music builds on each section of the rant. Hardcore punk and electro fans alike should be able to appreciate this song for that very reason.

The rest of the album perhaps isn't quite as inventive, but it holds its own. If you're a fan of dubstep that is looking for something a bit more intelligent than those boneheaded party anthems by Skrillex and the like, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this EP. And even if you are just looking for some good drops; don't worry, the wub-wub-buzz-shoomps are all here. Like I said, I don't know much about dubstep, nor do I generally care for it at all, but I do know that this EP contains most of the handful of dubstep songs that I can actually tolerate.

Tune in next time for the "dubstep" song (and its remix) that floored me and inspired my newfound ... respect ... for the genre.

Track Listing:

Rave Review
Elixir
Power
Rise Of The Idiots (Remix)
Back Off (Remix)

Obscurity #3: Late! - "Pocketwatch" (feat. Dave Grohl!)

2011-12-30T19:59:00.005-06:00

I had originally intended to post this album months ago – the draft file has been sitting in my posts folder for more than six months – but I never got around to writing the complete post (or downloading the complete album, for that matter). At any rate, here is something to finish the year out right.

In a sense, this album isn't actually as obscure as it sounds. In fact, this tape is the result of two studio sessions done by Dave Grohl. Yes, the "Godlike Genius" himself, part of the biggest rock band of the current generation (Foo Fighters) and the previous one (Nirvana), not to mention his countless other projects. Finding himself with a bit of downtime in between joining Nirvana and recording that album, Grohl sat down for two recording sessions in late 1990 and early 1991.

The result? Ten great songs that showcase Grohl's multi-instrument virtuosity and early knack for songwriting, in addition to foreshadowing the greatness that was to follow his abbreviated stint in Nirvana. Save for a backing vocal part on "Petrol CB," he recorded all of the vocals and instruments for the album himself, setting a precedent for the recording of the first Foo Fighters album. In fact, the album as a whole is essentially a Foo Fighters' "0" album, a muddy predecessor, the Bleach to the self-titled album's Nevermind.

The fresh-faced energy that dominated early Foos albums is easily recognizable throughout much of the record's music, though Grohl doesn't exactly come across as the stadium-filling frontman we have come to know and love. The intermittent vocal shakiness doesn't ever detract from the songs though; if anything, it only adds to the low-fi charm. "Pokey the Little Puppy" opens the album, the title a nod to the Little Golden Books classic, and the drum-driven instrumental track provides an excellent example of the Little Golden Boy's percussive ferocity that would soon power Nirvana's breakthrough album.

One of the album's standout tracks is "Throwing Needles," an uptempo rocker in the vein of such self-titled album songs as "Good Grief" or "Wattershed." Indeed, the song proves to be just as explosive as the heaviest of Foos tracks. Another Pocketwatch song utilizing a similar formula just as well is "Winnebago," which Foo Fighter fans might recognize as an early Foos B-Side. The re-recorded version ended up as the flipside to "Exhausted," as well as "This is a Call" and the US version of "Big Me."

This was not the only Pocketwatch track that Grohl redid for later albums, as the album's two acoustic tracks, "Color Pictures of a Marigold" and "Friend of a Friend" both popped up again in re-recorded versions. The former song, shortened to "Marigold," appeared on Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" single just a few years later in a version recorded by Grohl and Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic. It later received the Foo Fighters treatment, along with "Friend of a Friend," on Skin and Bones, a live acoustic album. A studio version of "Friend" also ended up on the acoustic disc of 2005 two-disc album In Your Honor.

Overall, Pocketwatch is surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly) good. Fans of Nirvana, the Foo Fighters, or any of Grohl's projects will appreciate both the sounds and the step back in time. From the introverted acoustic numbers to the Nirvana-esque noise-freakout of "Bruce," these ten tracks are an indication of great things to come and showcase Dave Grohl before he became everyone's favorite frontman.

Tracklisting:

Pokey the Little Puppy
Petrol CB
Friend of a Friend
Throwing Needles
Just Another Story About Skeeter Thompson
Color Pictures of a Marigold
Hell's Garden
Winnebago
Bruce
Milk

Supergrass: In it for the Money (1997)

2011-12-24T00:48:00.002-06:00

Considering that I have nearly a 5-week break from school, I should be able to post a few albums. I may even write up the previous post, like I said I would do forever ago.

First up: a classic album that I've just recently rediscovered. I went through a huge Britpop phase during my sophomore and junior years of high school (which, even then, was a decade too late), and Supergrass was one of my favorite bands throughout those years. Back then, I preferred their first and last album to anything in the middle of their prolific back catalog, but as my music tastes have matured a bit, I have come to realize that 1997's In It for the Money may very well be my favorite of theirs.

On the heels of their successful first album I Should Coco, released in 1995 to much acclaim (even gaining some American fanfare with the classic ode to youth, "Alright"), Supergrass returned two years later to offer a brilliant sophomore album. This time around, they brought more ambitious experimentation, broader instrumentation, and all the ostentation one would expect from a Britpop band, without sacrificing an ounce of the energy and fun that made their first album so great.

Anchored by four strong singles, the album hit #2 on the British charts, while selling more than one million copies worldwide. "Richard III," the second single and an album highlight, calls to mind the urgency of such Coco tracks as "I'd Like to Know" or "Lenny," adding a horn section to a catchy, almost "Nevermind"-esque melody (watch a brilliant 2004 live performance of this song in the video link below). Such songs as "Tonight" and "Going Out" recall the youthful whimsy, and no less whimsical instrumentation, of "Alright," though with a bit more of an edge. "Sun Hits the Sky," another fantastic single and one of my favorite tracks from the album, shows vocalist Gaz Coombes channeling his inner Bono with a great big vocal performance over a soaring, impossibly happy song.

Considering that In It for the Money is a remarkably consistent album, I could easily spotlight all 12 songs with a favorable word, but I'll reserve one final mention for closer "Sometimes I Make You Sad." After not listening to this album for four years, I had all but forgotten about every track on the album, save for this one; I effortlessly recalled it, smile intact, while listening to it for the first time in forever. Definitely the most interesting song that Supergrass ever did, this track features a carnival-esque, organ-driven melody over a vocal beatbox percussion loop. Yes, that's right. Intrigued? You should be. (Check out "Richard III" B-Side "Sometimes We're Very Sad" to listen to a hilarious excerpt from the recording session for the "drum" loop.) Though on paper the song sounds like little more than a novelty, its infectious melody and head-bobbing rhythm has ensured that this song has stayed on repeat since I rediscovered it a few days ago.

When an album can be described by the phrase "more mature sound," this may be grounds for many core fans of old to turn away, though this is certainly not the case for this album. Supergrass managed to retain all of the fun and excitement of I Should Coco while strengthening it with tighter melodies and songwriting, making In It for the Money a Britpop classic.

Track Listing:

In It for the Money
Richard III
Tonight
Late in the Day
G-Song
Sun Hits the Sky
Going Out
It's Not Me
Cheapskate
You Can See Me
Hollow Little Reign
Sometimes I Make You Sad

Obscurity #2: Ultra Cindy

2011-11-08T22:05:00.000-06:00

Finally, some 20 or so weeks after the first "Obscure Band of the Week" post, here is the second. This time, I'll be focusing on 90s "shoegaze" band Ultra Cindy.

The shoegaze scene was named, rather lazily by music journalists of the time, for the tendency of the guitarists to stare at the floor for the duration of their introspective performances. Shoegaze featured a guitar-driven "wall of sound" style that was simultaneously noisy and melodic, employing many guitar pedals to get the desired effects (another reason that they tended to stare down). Inspired by garage rock, psychedelic music, and dream pop, this sound started in the UK during the late 80s, quickly carrying over to the States.

Despite shoegaze's quick eclipse by grunge, America produced its share of quality shoegaze bands, such as the Drop Nineteens and Swirlies. While shoegazers in the United States typically had a more straightforward sound markedly influenced by their American indie rock contemporaries, their sound was no less ethereal than their counterparts across the pond, a great example of this sound being found in the music of Ultra Cindy.

If I remember correctly, I first discovered Ultra Cindy on a "mixtape" of shoegaze and dream pop music that I downloaded from a music blog. (I regret that I don't remember what it was called or where it was, because as I also remember, the rest of the compilation was quite good, and I discovered quite a few other lesser-known shoegaze bands.) Unfortunately, my research on this band has turned up empty. As far as I know, they released only 1 LP, 1993's The Mermaid's Paradise, though this album is certainly a worthy contribution to the genre.

Toeing the line between the dreamy and noisy ends of the shoegaze spectrum, Ultra Cindy had a smooth sound that provides a nice introduction to the genre, yet fits nicely with the rest of the American indie scene. From faster numbers such as "Fever Pitch" and "Crinoline" to slower tracks such as "Near Perfect," the swirling epic that served as my introduction to the band (which you can download below), the album's sound from song to song is pretty consistent.

That's not to say the album gets boring. There's enough variation to keep the album interesting from track to track, yet it remains comfortably familiar throughout. After one listen to the album, you should be able to pick out an Ultra Cindy song wherever you are (that is, if you do hear them anywhere else) and smile as you do so, for the sounds you hear are bound to be pretty sweet.

The two tracks I've included for download here are "Hoyt," the rather upbeat album opener, and "Near Perfect," a beautiful midtempo dream of a song that lives up to its namesake.

Download here:
Ultra Cindy: Hoyt
Ultra Cindy: Near Perfect

Grade-A B-Side: Radiohead - "How I Made My Millions"

2011-10-12T21:26:00.001-05:00

Radiohead is arguably best known for their textured soundscapes and skillful experimentation (not to mention, their infamous pay-what-you-want scheme). Nevertheless, their back catalog includes a number of hauntingly brilliant-yet-minimalistic, piano-centric songs. I would count In Rainbows's "Videotape" and The King of Limbs's "Codex," both of which follow this formula, among my favorite Radiohead album tracks. Perhaps the most minimalistic of their songs is "How I Made My Millions," the flipside to the OK Computer song "No Surprises," which will be spotlighted here.

This song seems to provide a bit of emotional redemption following its A-side, which may very well be one of the most depressing songs of all time. Unlike the aforementioned piano ballads, this track is just Thom Yorke and his keyboard, without any additional instrumentation or effects. There's no need for anything else. Yorke gives a strong performance, his unmistakable voice floating over a breathtaking melody that flawlessly transitions between darkly beautiful and beautifully uplifting.

Interestingly, Thom recorded this song on a 4-track at home. For proof, listen closely. Under the barely intelligible, cryptic lyrics and dreamy piano you'll hear doors opening and closing and some other sounds that almost seem to go right along with the song, at least in some parts. In fact, when I first listened to this song, I mistakenly thought that much of the domestic rustling was just a bit of sparse accent percussion.

As the story goes, this song was supposed to be fleshed-out in studio; however, recognizing the raw beauty in this demo recording, they decided to release it as-is. Don't let the recording imperfections fool you: this song is indeed perfect.

Watch on YouTube:

Bargain Bin #1: DGC Rarities, Vol. 1

2011-10-03T14:12:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite places in the world is the 4-for-a-$1 bin that occasionally makes an appearance at Hastings. Admittedly, as far as most of the CDs in this section go, a quarter is overpaying. Probably 90 percent of the stuff in this clearance-on-steroids section is junk, but it's the rare gems that make 15 minutes of digging and looking like a total cheapskate completely worth it.

I thought I would kick off this series of posts with one of the first CDs I dug up back in January. DGC Rarities, Vol. 1 is a 14-track compilation of B-Sides, outtakes, and other rarities by DGC Records, David Geffen's record imprint, perhaps most known as a seminal 90s alternative rock label. As such, this album includes several tracks by legendary alternative bands, as well as songs from lesser known bands. The liner notes in the CD cover, in many cases written by the bands themselves, provide some interesting information on each of the tracks.

Naturally, because the compilation consists primarily of outtakes and B-sides, it's to be expected that the album might be subpar; however, there are a handful of pretty great tracks.

Weezer's "Jamie" is one of my favorite tracks on the album (sharing that title with Posies song "Open Every Window"). In fact, it's definitely among my favorite Weezer tracks overall, if not my absolute favorite. While the songwriting and singing is unmistakably Weezer (though slightly off-form), the production and instrumentation has a sound that calls to mind the sludgy-yet-dreamy sound of some of the more radio-friendly Smashing Pumpkins songs (i.e. "Today").

Among others, Teenage Fanclub, The Posies, and St. Johnny make great contributions to the set. Murray Attaway's track "Allegory" got on my nerves at first, but upon listening to the compilation in its entirety several times to write this post, this song has started to grow on me. Nirvana fans will recognize "Pay to Play" as an early version of Nevermind track "Stay Away," with a muddier production and a few lyrical changes being essentially the only differences.

Beck's "Bogusflow" is another song worth mentioning. This seemingly nonsensical acoustic rambling, of which the title is a play on a certain Pearl Jam song, calls to mind other Beck songs such as "Pay No Mind."

Overall, this is a pretty decent compilation that will make a good addition to any 90s alternative purist's collection. While the songs themselves aren't quite up to the big names and talent behind them, fans will appreciate the step back into the vaults.

Track Listing:
1. Teenage Fanclub: "Mad Dog 20/20"
2. Nirvana: "Pay to Play"
3. Weezer: "Jamie"
4. Cell: "Never Too High"
5. Hole: "Beautiful Son"
6. Beck: "Bogusflow"
7. Sonic Youth: "Compilation Blues"
8. that dog.: "Grunge Couple"
9. Counting Crows: "Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)"
10. The Posies: "Open Every Window"
11. Sloan: "Stove/Smother"
12. St. Johnny: "Wild Goose Chasing"
13. Murray Attaway: "Allegory"
14. The Sundays: "Don't Tell Your Mother"

DGC Rarities, Vol. 1

Instru-mental #1: Hüsker Dü's "Reoccurring Dreams"

2011-10-02T02:51:00.018-05:00

Hardcore punk of the 1980s was marked by songs of minimal length. Like an eerily quick pizza chain, many bands seemed to promise delivery of a complete song in two minutes or less (or your money back). For instance, an oft-repeated anecdote claims that influential punk band Minutemen were named as such for the length of their songs, which rarely topped the one-minute mark in their early days. This may or may not be true, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a song in the far reaches of their back catalog longer than 60 seconds.

Basically, the songs were short. And for good reason: their blistering fury was enough to melt faces in large doses.

Accordingly, the last thing any mosher would expect would be a swirling 14-minute instrumental epic, but that's exactly what legendary band Hüsker Dü does. The last song on their classic 1984 album Zen Arcade, "Reoccurring Dreams" is an exhausting aural assault (in the best way possible) that seems to never end, and yet the listener feels cheated when it finally does. Aside from intermittent breaks that blast the listener with a wash of feedback and noise, this marathon song hardly lets up. The hypnotic ascending riff over a backdrop of jazz-infused-drumming-on-speed (provided by underrated drummer Grant Hart) combines for a dizzying listening experience. Admittedly, the song may drag on a few minutes longer than it should, but this one-take jam is a must-listen anyway.

Here is a condensed live version. Though this version is just half the length of the album version, it makes up for the missing 7 minutes with raw fury.

Watch on YouTube:

Grade-A B-Side #1: Blur's "All Your Life"

2011-06-20T17:35:00.002-05:00

The B-Side to Blur's 1997 single "Beetlebum," this week's spotlighted track, "All Your Life," is Blur's response to the Britpop movement that defined 1990s British culture, of which Blur found themselves caught in the middle. For Americans whose sole contact with the Britpop movement was a few Oasis songs, the scene was a part of the larger Cool Britannia culture of the late 1990s. The hype surrounding Blur and Oasis was akin to a modern-day Beatlemania, only with a media-fueled rivalry. More on this in a later post.

At the point in their career in which this single was released, Blur had largely rejected the "Britpop sound" of their last three albums in favor of a style largely influenced by low-fi American alternative that dominated their fifth, eponymous album. This held their first and only huge success in America, the stadium rock anthem "Song 2." Ironically, the song was a biting satire of the superficiality of the American rock scene, in which fame and nonstop radio play could be found with a few boneheaded chords thrown together, regardless of lyrical content.

YouTube video of "All Your Life." Download link below.

Blur elaborates with their split from the British sound in "All Your Life." Following a span of years in which frontman Damon Albarn's work seemed entirely devoted to celebrating life in England, for better or worse, the lyrics seem to indicate a disenchantment with both England (Oh England, my love / you lost me, made me look a fool) and the fame that he had gained there (Fall through the crowd, and disappear / In the teenage magazines, and shopping malls / Walk through the wildlife for miles, and miles).

The intro and verses of the somewhat Bowie-influenced song are somewhat minimalistic, with Graham Coxon's buzzing, angular guitar hits piercing through a background of quiet acoustic guitar, simple drums, and piano accents. The sound kicks in big for the anthemic chorus, complete with chanting background vocals, as Albarn laments his need for something more.

One of countless amazing Blur B-sides, many of which are arguably in line, if not better, than the A-side, "All Your Life" is a perfect indication of Blur's progress and a snapshot of a moment in time where they rejected the height of Britpop in favor of their own creative heights.

Blur: "All Your Life"

My Favorites #1: "Swamp Thing," by the Chameleons

2011-06-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

I've often thought that if I ever started a band, the first cover song that I'd want to tackle would be "Swamp Thing," by The Chameleons (or, The Chameleons UK in America, for legal reasons), and for this I thought it fitting to be the first song that I covered in my "Favorite" series of posts.

Not only is this one amazing epic of a song, but I can't find that any other band anywhere has actually done a decent recording of it. The only results that YouTube shows are a couple amateur recordings. It's a shame, because the only fault I can find with this song, from their 1986 album Strange Times, is that it sounds a bit dated, an obvious product of the 80s, and a faithful brushing up just may do the trick.

Over the course of the song, the music becomes increasingly grand, mounting an attack of building guitar, drums, and synthesizers, before ultimately settling into a sort of musical resignation. It does so in true 80s fashion, with a cavernous sound that comes from an onslaught of sound generously coated in reverb and delay.

One of the most interesting things about this song is the fact that even the most naive of listeners could instantly recognize the song as an 80s song, yet it sounds very different from the rest of the 80s pop scene. It's much more complex than the New Romantic and new wave pop structures and has a darker feel, all the while remaining pleasantly listenable. The lyrics aren't too bad either: clever without being too pretentious. I'm not one to usually listen to lyrics, as I much prefer experiencing the music to whatever message the song might be carrying, but several of the phrases in this song grabbed me.

When the light in life is gone
No change for the meter
And then the king of spivs will come
Selling blood by the liter. (A spiv is a kind of shady black-marketeer, for us not in the UK.)

There is a particularly good live version of this song on YouTube, performed by Chameleons frontman Mark Burgess and his post-Chameleons band The Sons of God. While this version sounds great and is full of energy, nothing beats putting on a pair of headphones and letting the dreamy, textured sound of the studio version swirl around your head. The download link is below.

The Chameleons: Swamp Thing

36 Covers are Better Than One

2011-06-17T03:47:00.000-05:00

Think back to every lame cover of every song you've ever heard. Hopefully this makes up for it.

Not all of the singers spotlighted here are the best, but covers from all musical walks of life are present, from flutes to high school bands to Johnny Greenwood wannabes in their garage.

This is a seriously good cover. Or, covers.

36 Covers of "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead in one:

Mood Song #1: "Stop the World," by The Clash

2011-06-17T02:47:00.000-05:00

Artist: The Clash
Song: Stop the World
Album: Super Black Market Clash

Perfect for: Walking by yourself late at night in a shady part of town/alley/campus.

Download link at the end of the post.

This song is too thoughtful to be just another song by a punk band, let along a punk B-side. Were it not for Joe Strummer's iconic voice providing the narration, you might not believe it's a Clash song; however, paired with its A-side counterpart, it makes a bit more sense.The flip side of the 1980 single "The Call Up," which itself musically sounds like it might have fit somewhere among the track listing of The Wall, provides a fantastically creepy soundtrack for a late night walk.

Strummer's narrative lyrics actually tell the story of an eerie walk through a city immediately after its nuclear destruction. The smoke and dusty debris still hang thick in the air as he assesses the damage and moves on to sing another song. This song is perhaps one of the most successful attempts ever to convey the feeling of one's surroundings. While I doubt you will walk through a scene of nuclear destruction anytime soon, the atmosphere of this song can easily translate to any other kind of walk.

The first time my iPod played this song while I was walking alone, I felt like I was in a movie, and not just because the song starts off with the familiar beeps of a countdown leader preceding an old movie clip. The whole song is shrouded in an atmospheric, hazy sound that suggests being in a shady place. Mick Jones's sparse guitar cuts through the air with intermittent bursts of reverb-heavy notes that only add to the creepiness.

The rhythm section (Paul Simonon's thumping, reggae-tinged bass playing and Topper Headon's shuffling drum beat) provides the song with a chugging, traveling feel, as if you're walking down the streets with a feeling somewhere between being somebody important and being followed by someone important.

My college career has been filled with many cross-campus, late-night walks from the library to my dorm, and this song never fails to lend a bit more imagination to those walks.

Download: Stop the World

Mashup of the Week #1: Muse vs. Radiohead

2011-06-16T02:49:00.000-05:00

Muse's "Undisclosed Desires" vs. Radiohead's "Idioteque"
YouTube video below. Mashup by Alberto Cipolla.

I have to admit, I didn't warm up to Muse's latest effort, The Resistance, right away. On the whole, it seemed too consciously bombastic for my tastes. Moreover, I was horrified by what I perceived as their pandering to modern pop, "Undisclosed Desires." I absolutely hated it at first listening. A year later, I rediscovered the song only to realize I had been totally wrong. It wasn't Muse gone hip-hop; it was a total nod to Depeche Mode, an "Enjoy the Silence" with a more modern rhythm section. I can dig it. (To be fair, I've also come around to most of the remaining songs on the album as well.)

On the flip side, Idioteque was one of the first Radiohead songs I heard, and remains one of my favorites. The glitchy-yet-totally danceable rhythm section perfectly accentuates what I think is one of the most beautiful samples I have ever heard. These iconic four chords come from Mild und Leise, a computer composition by Paul Lansky that dates back to 1973. These chords appear a grand total of one time in the lengthy composition, and to my own ears, seem to come out of nowhere after the first few minutes. Though it could be said that Radiohead's own writing has very little to do with the instrumentation of the song, I think it takes a pretty keen ear to take that small section and turn it into an entire song. Well done, Yorke and Greenwood.

These two songs come together to create one of the best mashups I've heard in quite some time. The harmonic sample that drives "Idioteque" meshes perfectly with "Undisclosed's" pizzicato, my favorite part of the Muse song, and it only gets better when the thumping bass comes in for the chorus. It sounds great under the vocal parts of both songs, as this mashup relies nearly equally on vocals from both songs. Most interestingly, the mix combines the percussion of the two songs in a way that serves the song and remains simple most of the time. It does get a little busy in the "ice age coming" breaks, but this is a small point.

The vastly different subject matter of the two songs is really the only thing that clashes, as it pairs a cliche love song with an apocalyptic lament of war and climate change. Words aside, the two songs work ingeniously together. This one's definitely worth ripping from YouTube.

Obscure Band of the Week #1: Are Eugenius?

2011-06-14T03:12:00.000-05:00

Summer is here once again, bringing its usual assortment of goodies: heat, beach trips, heat, snowcones, heat, and summer blockbuster movies. It seems like there are dozens of superhero movies coming out or set to arrive this summer, so with this on my mind, it only seemed appropriate to make my inaugural post about Captain America.

Wait, isn't this a music blog? Sure it is. I'm talking about the band Captain America. Rather than an all-American, commie-fighting superhero, this is a 90s Scottish indie band. A sort of "jangle supergroup", this band featured superheroes (former members) from the Vaselines, Teenage Fanclub, and BMX Bandits, all three of which were at one time famously championed by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. You may be more familiar with several Vaselines covers that Nirvana performed over their abbreviated career.

Naturally, as you may imagine, Marvel Comics was less than thrilled over the group's name choice. After the release of the EP Flame On (getting their superheroes crossed up?) under the Captain America name, they decided on the new name Eugenius, presumably after the frontman, former Vaselines singer Eugene Kelly. They would release several EPs and two albums, the second of which was released on legendary British indie label Creation Records, before disbanding in 1995.

All in all, this is a fun band to listen to, combining the jangly, shimmering pop melodies of Teenage Fanclub with a slightly grungier, indie rock edge. If you're not hearing it, think what would happen if it ever stopped raining in the Pacific Northwest: Seattle under a sunshiny sky, with smiling teenagers wearing brightly colored flannel, trading their dirtiest distortion pedals for Byrds-esque harmonies. Unfortunately, they were not grunge enough for fans of the rest of the scene, and they failed to catch on. Lucky for us, I discovered this obscure little site the other day called Youtube. Unlike Eugenius, I really think this could catch on.

This is a wonderful live version of "Flame On," the title track from their first EP. If I remember correctly, I think this was from a tour date that they did with Nirvana, but don't quote me on that. Though the visuals are obviously dated, the music still sounds great. Cut your hair and cheer up.

Download the EP version of "Flame On" here.

Welcome

2011-06-14T02:28:00.000-05:00

I have two other blogs, one in which I ramble about libertarian philosophy/rant about party and media ignorance, the other in which I doodle incoherently and make lame observations about unicorns and dinosaurs. My intention was always to start a music blog; I have no idea why this is the third blog I created and not the first.

I have a passion for music, and I hope you do too. I love many kinds of music, from two-tone ska to shoegaze to grunge to neo-rockabilly. On this blog, I will be posting album reviews and my own personal takes on the music and the artists behind them. Some of them will be silly, and some of them will be driven by my pure enjoyment of the music. Ideally, they'll be both.

When applicable, I will post Youtube videos and downloads of the music I reference. Please note, the music downloads are for your sampling enjoyment. I'm a firm believer in try-before-you-buy. If you like what you're hearing, go out and buy it. Better yet, you can order it off the Internet without getting up. Isn't technology great?

Enjoy the music.