Ausemutants

This week has been full of new discoveries. Here's one of them:

Ausmuteants- Self Titled 

 I stumbled on these guys from the related artists section on Apple Music the other day while listening to Human Eye. Very simple, catchy music. Rather than the melodies being on lead guitar, much of this bands music revolves around keyboard leads. Very unlike a lot of the music I've been listening to lately. 



-Novak

Painting Music

I've been painting a lot lately. For the most part, as long as I have something on, I can feel motivated to paint. The only difference I can tell is that droney, instrumental music seems to slow me down a bit and older, swing music seems to make me paint longer. Since 99% of the time I'm painting I'm the only one at my studio, I do all of my paintings in one sitting. I've started some with the intention of experimenting with doing half one day, half a few days later once it's dried, but it's too fun to stop.

Anyways. Here's some shit I usually listen to while painting.

<---- Jean Michel Jarre

Instrumental synth textures from one of the first major analog synth pioneers to keep me focused.

Al Green ----->
I've never been a good dancer, but this kind of music has always given me a little swing while I paint. 
 

<----- The Drifters 
Something about this style of music has always given me an unlimited work ethic. 

Skinny Puppy ---->
Unlike some of the albums mentioned above, basically any Skippy Puppy album makes for great painting music. Too Dark Park is probably the only album that directly affects the colors and overall look of the paintings I'm working on though.

 

  -Novak

Brand New Autolux!!

Autoux- Pussy's Dead
So for anyone who has read even three sentences from me on this blog knows how important Autolux are to my eardrums. From the moment I heard them back in 2006 when they opened for Nine Inch Nails (who were my favorite band at the time) they took over my favorite band slot from then to this day. They consistently inspired me, challenged me, and made my hips wiggle.  

Now before I rant and my point is completely lost: I fucking love this album. It hasn't fully sank into my brain just yet, but I always listen to a new release at least three times in its entirety before I let me opinions leak into this blog. I think this album will only season itself in better ways in my collection with time. 

The album starts off with "Selectallcopy" which starts with a strange, processed noise followed closely with the first new groove Autolux has released since 2010's Transit Transit. This song sets the tone of the album with a pop like verses leading up to a dissonant use of noise for their chorus. This is why I've always loved Autolux. Catchy songs with just the right amount of obscurity.

The only track on the album I dislike is "Soft Scene" because it sounds like it's on there by mistake. Soft Scene was the first single released off this album, and I was super nervous to think the rest of the album was going to sound like it. I was so happy when I heard that it was not. I understand bands change and challenge their listeners which is more than acceptable to me, but I would hop off the Autolux train at that point. I listen to albums as a whole, but every time that track comes on, I skip it.

The entire album has a familiar Autolux sound. A subdued, noisy rumble with hooks all over the place. I was really impressed with how much catchier the songs were while still maintaining their roots. The main thing that stands out to me on this album are the drums. Drums drums drums. They always have such a catchy groove, but they are always done just unique enough to where you're impressed but not distracted. The guitar tones are just as mind blowing as ever. Greg did more of the lead vocals than Eugene. They're a little more "awake" sounding than previous albums in my opinion.

Reappearing is a new, studio rendition of a live jam they have done for years now. I shit my pants when I saw it on the track-list for this album. Hands down my favorite song. The tones, the notes, the instruments themselves, the lyrics, the arrangement, everything. The song is perfect from start to finish. 

To put it simply, this album is amazing! It lived did way more than live up to my expectations. You can tell instantly it's Autolux, while still going in a new and refreshing musical direction. I'm really excited to be able to see this stuff live. Even more excited to have my friend see them live because I don't think a single one of them has yet! 


-Novak

Current Obsession

Dylan Ettinger- New Age Outlaws

 I can't get enough of this album. For fans of early electronic ambient music, do not let the year this was released fool you like I did. I'm a snob when it comes to really checking out brand new bands. I really wish I wasn't such an asshole, but I am. I have this stupid thought process in the back of my judgmental mind that only someone in the 70's, using a monstrous modular synth rig can generate other worldly sequences and tones. This album was released 6 years ago. If you would have played this for me and told me it was from the 70's, I wouldn't know the difference. 

I can't encourage this man's material more. Turn off Netflix, cancel your plans with your friend (which were also probably to watch Netflix) and check out this album. 

-Novak 

Album of the Week

Cabaret Voltaire

The cluttered, hypnotic sixth studio release of Cabaret Voltaire. Something about this album makes me slightly uncomfortable, but has always sucked me in. I've always admired how seemingly fluent early industrial music seems to play. It always has a motion to it. A unique direction that if you close your eyes almost seems to move you physically into all different directions. Some tracks make you feel like you're in a washing machine, some like you're being propelled at the speed of light through billions of brick walls, and some just feel like you're floating around earth aimlessly and peacefully.


 The opening track is a great place to start the album with. They go into a more synth pop direction as the album and bands career progresses. Even by the end of this record you can notice a much catchier style overall than the hypnotic feel to the opening track.

Interesting film fact: 
  Ferris Bueller had a poster of this album in his bedroom, along with industrial pioneers Killing Joke.

-Novak

Workday review: New Gods

Haven't posted in almost a month.  Life happens, shit happens.

New Gods : Second only to the mid-west, punk in the pacific north-west is as good as it gets.  Seattle's New Gods sound like the kind of band who would've been on the brink of what looked like a semi-promising career with Sub-Pop in the late 80's / early 90's, quickly fading into obscurity, and later appreciated by assholes like myself and my friends.  Attached below is their "What did I say?" EP.

NEW GODS - WHAT DID I SAY?

Breath..

Everyone gets stressed to the point that they want to blow their brains. Whatever your stressed from and however deep it runs, sometimes it feels like you will never decompress. Work and life has been annoying as shit lately and these albums have been taking the edge off a bit.

Breach- Venom

Regardless of the volume you play it at, this album always sounds like it's going to fracture your ribs. If I get sucked into heavier bands, or metal bands they tend to either be technical or have some type of darkness to them. These guys are a great mix between those two qualities. This album sounds like the second they finished playing these songs, they either went on a killing spree or all put a hole in their own heads.

Al Green - Greatest Hits

For completely different reasons, this album also eases the pain of dealing with patient phone calls all day. It makes things seem so much simpler. 

-Novak