Released in 1988, "Punishment for Decadence" is still the standard bearer for technically proficient thrash and in my opinion the best European thrash release of the 80s. Miles ahead of their peers in terms of musicianship and lyrical content, Coroner's second record displayed melody, harsh grooves, and enough speed to satisfy any thrash craving. "Skeleton on Your Shoulder" and "Absorbed" demonstrate how to perfectly blend proficiency with memorable songwriting, making this album digestible and enjoyable despite completely mind blowing. Guitarist Tommy T. Baron's solos on this album are some of the best in thrash history, especially on tracks like "Masked Jackal" and "New Breed" which showcase the band's capability to warm the listener up before taking them on a whirlwind of progression. That was one of Coroner's best traits, their songs were constantly forward moving and avoided stagnation at all costs, something that many progressive and technical bands fail to achieve.
"Skeleton On Your Shoulder"
1988 was a pretty pivotal year for thrash metal as "...And Justice for All" and "So Far, So Good, So What?" represented thrash metal at its musical apex and in the midst of a period when bands were taking the genre to its musical limit in terms of technicality and intricate songwriting. Likewise, the infant genre of death metal was challenging audiences' ideas of extremity with records like "Leprosy" by Death and "Malleus Maleficarum" by Pestilence. In a nutshell, "Punishment for Decadence" was one of thrash metal's swansongs before the genre faded into obscurity. Although not the most commercially successful, it would prove to be extremely influential on many emerging bands such as Gorguts and Suffocation who in the coming years would challenge the limitations of their musical genres in a similar vein as "Decadence..." did. If you're looking for an important piece of thrash history, I highly recommend picking this up. If you have this gem and you've forgotten about it, here's your reminder.
Yesterday, after I finished up part two of Novak's favorite series on this site, I was reminded by my pal Jeff that "Dressed to Kill" is another fantastic KISS record that certainly does not suck. Don't believe me, ask Anthrax.
Anthrax: "She" (KISS My Ass Cover Album)
"She" isn't the only rocker this album has to offer, "Dressed to Kill" has plenty of hard rock tunes that make this album a true classic. The last of the "original three" KISS records before their big break with their breakthrough double live album "Alive,""Dressed to Kill" is the most stripped down of all of KISS' records and tracks such as "Two Timer" and "Room Service" demonstrate that when it comes to blues influenced rock, KISS knew how to deliver the goods!
"Two Timer"
"Dressed to Kill,"despite being an overlooked album in the band's catalog, demonstrates enough musical prowess and songwriting abilities to be considered one of the better hard rock records of the 70s and definitely one that dorks like Novak can enjoy without guilty feelings.
(Click the album artwork to stream the full album)
Now here is a band I am always anxious to update everyone on, Tree No Leaves. A band that always goes above and beyond what most national acts do, let alone local bands! A DIY band that always looks and sounds more professional than the garbage being pumped through the radio waves. Never afraid of changing their sound or looks, this band has put several years of hard work into their sound. I would know, I used to be a part of the Tree No Leaves camp several years back.
While most local bands' music sadly never sees the light of the day, this band makes a conscious effort of giving you both high quality audio and visuals available for your eyeballs' pleasure both live and in physical form. Whether they're releasing a jam album, live album, or full length record, you can always expect it to be a thought out and well presented piece of art.
The main vein for TNL is this guy, Dustin Galish. A very dear friend of mine. Dustin started the band back in 2007 with his now ex girlfriend, Sarah Smith. When I was first asked to collaborate, we were all a little nervous as to how it would turn out. At the time it was just piano and quiet guitar parts, and there was me behind a full kit I was used to beating the absolute shit out of. We had a very inspiring and challenging time finding a balance of dynamics at first, but it only took a few very exciting rehearsals to get the sound we were going for. In my opinion, from there the band evolved into the glistening and wonderful monster that it is today. Dustin broke out of his shy shell and his personalized lyrics and hand crafted performances exploded into the recordings and live shows almost instantly.
A big contribution to the TNL world has always been visual artwork. Most recently TNL have teamed up with the immensely talented Will Santino. Artwork that truly transcends the typical barriers of the typical human imagination. Artwork that's just weird enough to still be instantly appealing yet still has enough to it that you can see different things pop out each time you see it. An artist whose work proves how much hard work and talent goes behind the process, much like the band. A very tasteful touch to the vibrant sounds of the band.
Lastly, another concoction from these mad fucking scientists is this wonderful video for the song "Lesson Bringer" as pictured above. This is a perfect example of a band going beyond what most bands do with the ideas in their heads. I mean no offense to the hundreds of local musicians who have great ideas, but these guys are executing it flawlessly. An idea is just an invisible piece of absolutely nothing until you attempt at bringing it to life.
Don't miss your chance to see my band He-Chaw Frunk team up with these guys in BGSU in September! Rock n' Roll band meets psychedelic electronic band. See you there!
Working third shift brings out the inner music nerd in me. Lucky for you, I'm not feeling too nerdy where I would unravel forty chunky paragraphs shitting on a band I hate or drooling over a band I love. Here's some shit I've been listening to and why.
Slayer- South of Heaven
This album has undoubtedly helped me through the miserable grind of my day job. I work the front desk at a hotel where people cry about everything from the view out of their windows to the smell of the carpet. I've tried listening to bands like Efterklang or Air to ease my mind a bit, but this album seems to be the only one really working while working a busy and hectic shift.
Slowdive- Souvlaki
This was an album Chislow showed me a few weeks back on one of our long, nighttime drives. I lost count on how many nights I'd come home, the pants come off and this album would come on. A perfect balance of slow and loud, this album does not disappoint.
Deaf Center- Paul Ravine
This is what I'm currently listening to. Without getting too weird, this album feeds my anti-social night time madness I endure while at my studio. Whether I'm drawing or biking around North Ridgeville at 2am, this album has served as almost a best friend. I've tried listening to it while driving to work, but it simply doesn't have the same effect as it does in the lonely hours of the night. The track "White Lake" gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it. In a perfect Novak world, I'll be walking or biking one night and bump into a weirdo girl playing this album through her headphones and we'll get married in some weird cave in Iceland. No such luck yet.
I don't always write about local bands, but when I do, I prefer to write about the ones who truly blow me away. It isn't often that you hear a band that is doing something so unique that you can't quite articulate how to describe it because the point of reference is so disguised or, destroyed altogether. He-Chaw Frunk is a band from Lakewood, OH that I first became acquainted with last year at a shitty little bar on the East Side of Cleveland, OH that my friends in Lucy were playing at. I don't remember that venue's name, who else played (other than Lucy), or how much I had to drink that night, but I do remember not moving an inch as He-Chaw belted out thirty minutes of no nonsense rock. Rock, that word that so many don't use anymore that almost carries no weight, at least not the same weight it once did in the glory days of yesteryear. I know I heard blues, I think I heard some country, I'm pretty sure I heard some metal, and I'm certain I heard lyrics about killing an ex-girlfriend. Whatever I heard, I had never heard it before and it was more than a pleasant surprise. This music is played with talent, conviction, integrity, and more creativity than any band in Cleveland. That is a quote, and one you can take to the fucking bank. He-Chaw Frunk have just finished recording a new album at Obese Studios produced by my friend, co-conspirator for this shitty blog, and current drummer Matt Novak that is beyond impressive and hauntingly profound. I not only suggest everyone in the local area to pick this up and see this band live, I am outright demanding it. Classic Rock n' Roll something or other from the ugliest part of the country, figure it out for yourself.
Here's my first attempt at a "vlog" as I've heard it called. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing when I write in this blog, let alone talking about this shit on video. The quality was kind of poop and I must have shot this fucking thing 100 times because the video would stop any time someone texted me. It cuts off a review of a Gary Numan album, but I don't think anyone is going to last 2 minutes into this, so I'm not really concerned haha. I'm also not sure why at some points it looks like I have tits..
While Novak is admittedy mildly obsessed with Trent Reznor, I am very much obssessed with Kurt Cobain. Rather than bore all of you (as well as freak most of you out) with the reasons why or face the rage that comes along with defending this band at times, I'll just list my top ten favorite songs by them. Nirvana changed my life, made me want to play music, and is so much a part of who I am that the band almost feels like a member of my family or a relic from my childhood like a stuffed animal or a photo of an old house I lived in. In recent years I've heard many fans complain that certain artists should quit because they are over the hill, have lost touch with their passion for playing, or just can't relate to their audience anymore. Cobain feared this probably more than any other artist in history and, although I would give almost anything for new material, it makes what was left behind all the more important. Here are the best of the best.
10.) "Scoff" (Bleach, 1989)
Beginning with its cheesy "My Sharona" drum beat, "Scoff" has a very light hearted spirit to it. Lyrically hastily thrown together and juvenile, the song doesn't appear to stand out until the chorus where, out of nowhere, Cobain's trademark vocal harmony kicks you in the face. Listen to the B Side of this album in its entirety and you will truly appreciate how much this song stands out from the pack. Although not played live after the release of "Nevermind," "Scoff" remained a favorite track of the Sub Pop faithful and was also Buzz from the Melvins favorite song off of Nirvana's debut record.
9.) "Pennyroyal Tea" (In Utero, 1993)
Probably Cobain's most descriptive song about suffering from depression, Cobain wrote "Pennyroyal Tea" in his tiny and filthy apartment he shared with Dave Grohl while they were working on material for "Nevermind." While the singer orignally wrote off the song's meaning as a satyrical nod to Hippie Culture (particularly the use of herbal remedies for problems faced in life), Cobain always considered this a deeply personal song about his inability to relate to his surroundings effectively while coping with his mental instability. Many fans mistakenly believed that Cobain wrote this song with Courtney Love (mostly due to the two performing this song together on several occasions), but it may have been a song that his then wife enjoyed simply for its introspective approach.
8.) "School" (Bleach, 1989)
Most songs about music scenes are poorly done, just listen to any Youth of Today record and you'll understand what I mean. "School" is possibly the only song written by a band from a critical point of view of a scene that they are at the center of without including the kind of prescriptive claims that come along with many others. As the tiny Seattle scene grew into a major money making pawn of the music industry, Cobain documented the artist's disconnection from the spirit of music and the dissillusionment that comes along with it. It was business, it was responsibility in the same manner as school but without most of the fun, no recess.
7.) "Lithium" (Nevermind, 1991)
I was torn between this song and "Rape Me," but I chose "Lithium" because, simply put, it's a better song. Written in Pixies-style children's song format, the corky bass line precedes the heavy chorus that perfectly represents the song's meaning. Written from the perspective of the manic depressive, "Lithium" embodies the confusion, contradictions, energy, and uncertainty of youth and invites listeners to relieve themselves of such tension through music in the same vein as its protagonist.
6.) "Drain You" (Nevermind, 1991)
This was actually the first Nirvana song I ever listened to. My sister, who at one time was more obssessed with this band than even I, recorded the band playing a live show on MTV in 1992. I sat on the couch, cereal in hand, wondering why the singer had pink hair and an ugly sweater. My dad told me that "he was a fag and that I better not end up like that." Perhaps dad knew what was in store in the coming years, or perhaps he was just an asshole. "Drain You" has a build up that no other rock song can touch and it always seemed to set the crowd into a roaring frenzy, especially when it includes the layers of feedback. Dave Grohl stands out on this song more than any other as well with some a fantastic drum beat. Overall a gem.
5.) "Sliver" (Sliver / Dive 7", 1990)
Before there was "Nevermind," there was "Sliver," the single that truly introduced Nirvana to the masses. I always have a soft spot for songs written about Cobain's youth, a topic that he rarely touched upon but always discussed cleverly and interestingly. Written always with a half-sense of satire, these songs are fun, energetic, and to the point. This song is no exception and, while not as aggressive as a hardcore track may be, is as well put together as any punk song in history.
4.) "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" (In Utero, 1993)
One of the things I love most about Nirvana is, although they have such a small pool of material to choose from, it seems like I frequently stumble upon new songs I love of theirs more than some bands who consistently make new music. About two years ago I was at a party and Woods mentioned this was his favorite song by Nirvana. I had completely forgotten about "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" so much that I had to pull out the album and listen to the record to remember it. The band sounds so in unison on this track, probably moreso than any other and especially on such an avant garde record like "In Utero" that emphasized a free spirit and approach to isolate rather than to unify listeners. Thanks Woods.
3.) "Aneurysm" (Incesticide, 1992)
If you want to know why Dave Grohl is the best drummer and why Kurt Cobain is the greatest rock vocalist of all time, just listen to "Aneurysm," number three on this list. Quite possibly the perfect Nirvana song, it combines the aggression of punk, the structure and melodies of pop, and the distortion of metal to create a song that no other band could have made in 1991. The B-Side of the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single, Aneurysm was surprisingly overlooked and disregarded by Geffen due to it being seen as too aggressive and less marketable than the former. Live audiences didn't care and kids the world over lost their mind to this track at every show after the release, lucky them.
2.) "Dive" (Sliver / Dive Single, 1990)
I don't really have much to say about "Dive," probably because I've never really been able to describe why it's so addictive. Extremely influenced by the Pixies and the Melvins, "Dive" is the perfect bridge from "Bleach" to "Nevermind" and is representative of a band on the brink of something even they didn't truly understand. Perhaps I love "Dive" for that very reason, it represents a pure and unstained Nirvana.
1.) "Lounge Act" (Nevermind, 1991)
Lounge Act is my favorite song written by human beings, let alone my favorite song by this band. A love song, "Lounge Act" was a song written about Cobain's relationship with Bikini Kill member Tobi Vail. That relationship and the effect its ending had on the singer is beautifully articulated in this song with its beautiful melodic chorus. When that very chorus decides to get aggressive, I still get goosebumps with each listen. Cobain's best vocal performance, "Lounge Act" was never truly captured well live and is truly a song that was recorded in the moment, which makes it such a special track. Everything is poured out on this song without being overdramatic or excessive in its release. The fact that the song is controlled chaos and emotion makes it the best song by Nirvana and one that I'm happy was written.
Pig Destroyer is back with their fifth full length record on Relapse entitled "Book Burner." This is the first album without drummer Brian Harvey and the first with Misery-Index veteran Adam Jarvis. Funny story about Jarvis, we once exchanged harsh words at a club in Parma at a show when he attempted to hit on my then girlfriend. Personal conflicts aside (Adam is a great drummer and fantastic dude), this record is a breath of fresh air for one of my favorite acts in metal. Early tracks like "The American's Head" and "Diplomat" pick up where the best parts of 2007's "Phantom Limb" LP left off. Scott Hull's trademark thrash metal tinged grindcore riffing is matched only by Jarvis' impressive percussive performance and the band's unique use of groove and breaks in songs that hold your head out of the water only long enough to shove your face in it again. J.R. Hayes' vocals on this record are a welcomed return to form as well with the vocalist opting for a rawer production and less effects as on previous efforts. "Prowler in the Yard" it's definitely not, but this production approach introduces many new fans to Hayes' range and allows listeners to feel the passion of one of the best in the business without a wall of effects to sift through. Although it took a couple of listens for me to really get into this record, it is definitely one that I'll be jamming this Summer and for quite some time after that. Don't expect an experimental track or anything fancy with this effort, Pig Destroyer are starting fresh with a new lineup and rejuvinated sense of self. Hopefully fans can get a few tour dates out of these guys as well and this energy will translate well on stage.
These bands are undoubtedly bigger bands that received some credit, some more than others, but are by no means household names like the bands on the list I just mentioned. The last list was aimed at bands that you could easily find in the "Rock" section at any Best Buy. Most people reading this will have heard of every single band, but generally speaking a good chunk of people sadly have just not heard enough by these bands.
I've always compared music to food. Some people are very consciously aware of what they consume for various reasons when it comes to food. For those people, places like Whole Foods have made millions. Others? They know they should be eating right, but it's easier and safer for them to order a pizza or go through a drive through. So Whole Foods makes millions while McDonalds makes trillions. Same thing with music and these bands. I think most people know there's better music out there, they just don't want to be bothered to read blogs or go to shows to find it. They just want to click FM on their car stereos and gobble down their whoppers with their big, fat, empty fucking heads in their asses.
I could easily write a 10 hour entry on each and every one of these bands and who they influenced, side projects of the bands.. but I'm going to make it easy and just say these bands should've gotten triple the money The Rolling Stones snorted up their old ass noses.
Again, these are in no order:
Autolux
Hands down the most underrated band over the last 20 years. Easily my favorite band and would probably be a lot more peoples' favorites if they heard more of it. It's weird but still catchy, noisy but not heavy, different enough to be unique but familiar enough for all music fans to appreciate. When I thought of this list, these are the kinds of bands I mean exactly. Bands that aren't trying desperately to be different just to be different, they're making great music that happens to be unique. So many bands (and people) set out to do something that has never been done and 9/10 times it wasn't done for a reason, because it sounds like shit. These guys get an A+ from me!
Pixies
Pixies were a close call to being the number one overrated band. Although they gained a lot of popularity ever since they became "that band at the end of Fight Club" but they never really broke through like most bands did in the late 80's early 90's. A huge name amongst musicians, but another sad case of a great band never becoming a household name.
Sonic Youth
Yet another perfect example of a band that was really doing something great for American music that most people just shoved under the rug when they first heard it because they'd rather listen to Madonna or Matchbox 20. While most bands were circulating the same bullshit progressions with different song titles and only metal bands were making you go deaf, you had these guys blowing out your ear drums with an entirely different batch of noise.
The Melvins
This is one of the hardest working current bands in music. They've done more collaborations and been open to more ideas than those sluts in two girls one cup. Even though they're never fully getting back what they've put in, this band continues to impress me in many ways.
The Screamers
I wish these guys made an album because I'd probably be listening to it right now. Although not one of my all time favorites, it's definitely a band that lead many of the bands most people recognize to be leaders. I feel like a lot of bands saw this band live in LA, ran home and started a band similar and got more popular than these guys. Plus they use synths and anyone who knows me knows that 9/10 times an older band with a synth and live drums gets two thumbs up from me!
Ministry
Despite all the deadly amounts of alcohol and drugs this band takes before and after their shows, still one of the tightest and LOUDEST bands ever. More bands rip off Ministry's looks, sounds, and styles than they'll ever have the balls to admit. This band was the real fucking deal band that all of the Linkin Parks wanted to be.
Modest Mouse
Here's another band with no posing involved. I'd say these guys are top 5 for best songwriters for me. It isn't just done different, it's done smart. Still catchy enough too for people to give them some fame from "float on" several years back! These guys were making the music everyone is trying to make now back.. shit it's been 20 years already?
My Bloody Valentine
I would hope this band didn't have to make the list, but most people wouldn't know good music if it crawled up their shit holes and kissed their insides. I know I kissed all these bands' asses, but if you haven't heard My Bloody Valentine you should probably cut your own head off after you finish reading this sentence. Or actually, better yet go out and buy one of their records! They took prety simple pop songs and layered it with fucking walls of guitars and fuzz, making an entirely new sound that you weren't even aware your speakers could recreate. Very excited about their new album, too!
I bought this CD about three weeks ago and it hasn't left my car stereo since. For anyone that knows what it's like driving with me, you know I usually switch from iPod, to my phone, and sometimes CD's. The only time I throw a CD in is if I'm in love with an album at the time. I'm still waiting for the day to come where I'm sick and tired of hearing it, but it doesn't seem like it's coming any time soon at this rate.
For those of you who actually read this blog and check out the things I post about being in love with, there's a bit of history behind this album. The collaborations, stories, and background behind ohGr are almost endless. With all of this starting all the way back to 1982 with Skinny Puppy and branching out into several collaborations and side projects for the next few decades including Throbbing Gristle members, Ministry, ect.. This album sounds like it's from a completely different planet than all the 3,493 projects before this. It's VERY poppy and dare I say upbeat? It's certainly not a radio pop record, but it will certainly catch those used to hearing the grinding roar of Skinny Puppy off guard.
This was an album Woods turned me onto back in.. 2007ish? He told me I'd like them and at the time was dying to hear something new. I bought the CD for about $14 at My Mind's Eye without hearing even a sample of what they sounded like and I absolutely loved it. They were in my car (like the CD I just told you about above) for weeks upon weeks without ever changing to anything else. It was everything I loved. It was technical, catchy, well written and produced. It was weird enough to be able to hear something new every time yet catchy enough that each listen felt fresh and new.
It's a shame that the drummer died before this band could really expand. They did however release an album after his death with some recordings the drummer had done prior to his death. The album was retarded and I don't think you should even bother listening to it. This is definitely a band that has a magical chemistry live. It wasn't pulled off quite as sharp trying to add a live sound to previously recorded material.
This album would definitely fall under favorite albums, not just of the week. The track "Under the Radar" is absolutely perfect. It's just long enough to rest your head to, but not long enough to put you asleep. I have it on loop while lying in bed restless. (For those unaware of Adrien Belew, he's leaned a hand into hundreds of songs, artists, and records. Most notably, David Bowie, Talking Heads, NIN, Frank Zappa, and King Crimson. THE only guitarist I can hear 5 seconds of and know instantly that it's him.)
Another album that is just about always in rotation either in my car or at my studio. Second favorite album of all time. All the lyrics fit this week perfectly.
I started listening to this album last weekend to try and remember why exactly I hated it so much when I first heard it. I remember giving the first listen with Krystle and Nik when I was living in California and I thought the album was soooo boring. Seemed like whatever magic was in the room for their first release was long gone on this album. Well long story short I love it, at least right now.
Despite their faces in the photo above, these are two of the most hard working, creative, and inspiring musicians ever.. in my opinion of course. Dale Crover and Buzz Osbourne. It's really not THAT amazing that these guys write and tour more consistently than Courtney Love checks into rehab, it's amazing that more bands and musicians aren't as consistent and hard working as them. I mean, why not be? If you're "so into music" like you want all your friends to think, why aren't you.. into music more? Why is that so many rock stars and even local musicians are so fucking lame? Why do musicians talk themselves and their music up so much and then never return your phone calls to write the music they blab about in emails or texts? Why do bands even bother scheduling shows they plan to drop off of? Why did you spend millions on a tour you can't even stay awake on stage for?
Most of the time it's drugs or alcohol. Sometimes it's other "priorities" which usually means getting super high and watching tv. If your day job, girlfriend, or drug habits outweigh your time for music.. don't start up a band because you're not a fucking musician!! Musicians don't give a shit about going into work tired. They don't care that they're eating soup for dinner and driving a car that costs less than the shoes on their feet. They certainly don't answer to anyone who doesn't support their creativeness 100%.
Currently on a recording breaking US tour (well, they're not done yet) the Melvins have continued to do what musicians set out to do.. make music! Who would've thought that that was anything to earn a trophy over? Well, they're not just touring for a few months with days in between to relax or get a milkshake, they're doing 51 shows in 51 days. Sound exhausting? Well, maybe. If you plan to get wasted before and after the show, yeah.. good luck making it through 2 weeks like that.
Playing music isn't hard. Writing the music you want can be, but playing it isn't hard. Making a living off of it? Hard fucking work, yes. BUT! Consistency is the only way you'll make it anywhere past the shitty bars and or 15 minutes of fame from a record label.
Now granted the Melvins aren't the only band with musicians who actively give a shit, and not every local musician is an idiot. Maybe one day I'll post all the hardest working favorite musicians of mine...
Proud of your band? Want to show off your talents? Hate working at your 9-5 and getting yelled at by your boss? So the fuck am I. So the fuck is everyone who writes in this blog. We'll be stuck there forever until we do something about the talents you have. It's easy to bitch about who's lame and blog about being productive. Get the fuck off the internet and create something cool!
I feel like this is something that should have been posted a while ago. This album is hands down one of my top 3 records. Perfect, from start to finish. To be honest, I don't really care for any other album by this band. It was apparently at a time where the band was getting along the least, and addictions (originally the two main writers experimented with heroin for a source of strange inspiration and experimentations turned into addiction) was making for a very hostile situation with the band, and an extremely creative and positive place for music.
Now I know this album wasn't the only album to have the slower, space rock sound. Been done decades before this. Trust me, I've had albums you'll try and tell me this sounds like for longer than your parents regretted having you. But something purely magically was captured with this album. Something i know Failure themselves didn't even see coming. From the tones, to the lyrics, to the fade out of music into atmospheric space clicks and buzzes... yes!
I can honestly say, even though it's a bit embarrassing.. this album was the reason for a lot of disconnection to women and love for a good chunk of a year. Lyrics that most people would connect to a "love song" or almost cute in a way, were songs written about heroin and pushing away human emotion. I love me some isolation, and when I would- this would be the soundtrack.
For live shows, they recruited Troy Van Leeuwen (A Perfect Circle, Queens of the Stone Age, etc..) specifically to pull off a lot of this albums material live. It's always weird when a band who operates or writes with less members than played live. Sometimes it works, sometimes it almost seems like they're over doing it. In my opinion, Troy should've been in it from the start. He's been in a number of projects I have a lot of respect for, and he's also a hell of a nice guy. Drinks more than any friend of mine, which says a lot.
The band dissolved after this album, which was a shame.. sort of. If they would've continued in this vein, the chemistry within this lineup was flawless. There were several projects that started up after. I could easily extend this post into 60 paragraphs for the different collaborations and bands formed with different members of this band, but I'm going to keep this post to be about this album specifically.
Enough of my opinion. Go out and buy it.
-Matt
Feb 10, 2012
I've been digging this dude's stuff a lot lately. In a world full of flashy chains, unoriginality, and just straight up wack shit, Ka is a breath of fresh air. He's got an ill delivery and lyricism.Plus, he directed the video and produced his own album, Grief Pedigree. What more can you ask for? Pick it up on February 14th on brownsvilleka.com.
I can't remember where or who turned me onto this band, but for the past few weeks this is all I have been consistently listening to. Heavy, groovy fucking awesomeness. This is an album that should have been out 30 years ago.
For those familiar with my musical tastes, this comes as no surprise to see a Bowie album up here. My favorite part about this album is how it splits itself from a "traditional" formula to instrumental. Often times I skip right to the instrumental tracks and loop them for the entire night. I could easily turn this into a 30 paragraph ass kiss and bore anyone (which if you're reading this, you are fucking BORED. you're probably sick of eating boogers and watching netflix) so i'll try and keep this rather short so I don't keep you too long.
From a musician already building a following around being an "outcast", this album took it into an entirely different atmosphere. After up and leaving America to move to west berlin to write his "new musical language"- you can hear what I feel is music and emotions that truly stood as his own. New is only new until it's old. Same reason why the same bullshit that's been out for 10 years isn't "alternative music." This is why I respect bowie so much. Staying unique. Granted Brian Eno was a huge helping hand in the second half of the album, the sounds and style they land on is simply amazing.
Tracks like "Subterraneans" give me visions of places no music has ever or will ever give me. That track could easily fool you as something credible today. 1977! When most bands were out on tour with rock n roll - consisting of uppers, hookers, and loud guitars.. david bowie couldn't have been doing more of the opposite.
I can't help but get an image of what must have been going through his head during the writing process. From the interviews i had seen of him during this era, he wanted to escape the coke capital of the world, the constant fame and entourage built around his Ziggy fame, his own drug habits and ways - and wanted to disappear. for the people in his daily life to be unable to point him out as anything other than a local. To walk to the store and shop in almost complete secrecy. And in doing so, i hear a sound where he wrote in that same mindset. Writing for no one. Impressing everyone. A decision i couldn't see going over well with record labels. getting popular with a specific image and sound and doing a 180 just to satisfy the desire to get the sounds out of your head? Must have been an extremely therapeutic process. Certainly bringing his most inventive sounds to light.
Being yourself musical. Something not only popular musicians and bands shutter at attempting, but people in general. Yeah i know. your new girlfriend REALLY likes your new tattoos, shitty attitude, and beard. I know the dorks at record labels LOVE your postal service sounding band.. but just be yourself. Scary thought when you have nothing to offer, isn't it? Who cares if it's weird, who cares if the music you're writing doesn't catch the fancy of some cock slurping moron, who only works with bank accounts and radio stations. Write music you would find interesting if you stumbled upon it at a record store. Be a person you'd be interested in meeting yourself.
I feel like this veered away from having anything to do with music. This album is some powerful stuff to me. Definitely not an album i'd play in my car to show someone unfamiliar to it. If you haven't heard it i suggest you buy the record, download it.. or however you listen to music. lay in bed with headphones and listen to it. turn off your phone, close your blinds, log out of facebook and just fucking listen.
One of the heaviest bands ever to come out of Virgina. Formed in 1995 by ex-Current member Nate Newton, the band released a demo, and then a self titled 7" EP the following year (produced by Kurt Ballou) on Reservoir Records. Three years later, a tour or two under their belts, and the addition of Dillinger Escape Plan's Brian Benoit, they released a second self titled EP (also produced by Kurt Ballou) released by Hydra Head Records. Jesuit broke up sometime after this, Nate Newton moved to Massachusetts and went on to join/start Old Man Gloom, Doomriders, and bass in Converge.
Jesuit is no longer active :( , but in 2011 Magic Bullet records released a Discography record consisting of the demo, both EP's, and all of their compilation tracks. They did some reunion shows with Unbroken that year as well. The album was remixed at God City by Kurt Ballou, and it sounds more crushing than ever. One of the heaviest, noisiest, and loudest bands (and short lived) bands to ever grace one of the most monotonous scenes ever.
**This review has been collecting dust in the "drafts" section for months. I've been too busy being dead sexy to post this. My apologies to all my adoring readers.
This band caught my attention back in 05 when they opened for NIN. Everyone expects metal bands to open for metal bands, electronic bands to open for electronic bands, etc.. With NIN shows, there's always a wide variety of openers. I've seen Queens, Death From Above, Kings of Leon.. all kinds of acts open for them. Which is all kinds of awesome. Granted, not all the bands mentioned were cool (that's right, Kings of Lameshits) but I dig the diversity it gives the audience.
Anyway.. who the fuck got me talking about nails? Almost went off on a tangent there. This album is one, if not the only album I have not gotten sick of since the first listen. I've yet to hear anything like it. From the strange noises to it's unique groove and atmospheres, the album just straight tickles my dick from start to finish. You can hear the influences in each members playing, but the collaboration of it all is truly one of a kind. There's an element of noise to it that at some points is so terrible it stops blending with the ambient atmospheres and makes your head want to explode. This song "reappearing" is a perfect example.
The album mutates dramatically when translated into a live setting. The bass is mean as fuck, there's a 30 foot wall of noise coming from Greg's guitar, all while the vocals remain almost too perfect for a live show. Eugene (bass/ one vocalist) makes some of the meanest sounds with his bass live, all while swinging it around violently. They take what sounds like a pretty mellow record and add about 2 tons of chaos and violence.
They have a new album out called Transit Transit, which was.. their second album. I wouldn't say don't listen to it, but I would definitely start with Future Perfect first. Also, they've done some very cool things with Unkle on the album War Stories. A collaboration of some of my favorite musicians. That album gives me goosebumps throughout and is definitely worth checking out, too. A handful of musicians who have always had a mutual friendship but never actually got to sit down and see what they could do musically. Very inspiring stuff.
If you have a second, which if you've made it this far in the review - you definitely have no life.. listen to this and the other albums mentioned. Yeah, I know. You REALLY have no interest in hearing something that isn't what your girlfriend listens to. And no, they don't have full sleeves or beards. But I promise no one will think you're a pussy if you get into them.
Coliseum's latest outing "House With a Curse" is a step in a different (albeit not unfamiliar) musical direction. Known for their blistering brand of rock / metal / punk with thrashing guitars, pounding drums, and an aggressive vocal attack, Coliseum opts for a different (and often darker) mood with their latest release that intends to keep the energy intact and controllable. To control this powerful energy, Coliseum utilizes slower tempos, providing Ryan Patterson with more breathing room vocally and instrumentally. "Skeleton Smile," for example, hypnotizes the listener with a dissonant and expansive guitar riff that compliments a clean and atmospheric vocal delivery. "Cloaked in Red," another song that perfectly demonstrates the band's new experimentation, is a genuinely mid-paced rocker with a powerful rhythm, allowing Patterson's voice to explore its (quite vast) range. While I do yearn for a "No Salvation" / "Goddamage" style rager, I respect the fact that Coliseum is avoiding redundancy by exploring a new approach to their music, and I applaud them for it. 8 / 10
Coliseum / Cheap Tragedies / Sweet Cobra @ Now That's Class
Wednesday, May 25th (Doors at 9:00 PM - All Ages)
