It was a fine year for the discovery and rediscovery of music. After tallying up all the scores, the following are the albums (or reasonable approximations thereof) that stood out for me in 2010.
Essential listening (the best of the best)
King Crimson - "Discipline"
The pinnacle of prog rock. If it weren't for the groundbreaking work of these guys, then two of the bands mentioned below may never have existed as such.
Kutiman - "ThruYOU"
A series of absolutely brilliant mashups of videos found on YouTube.
Haken - "Aquarius"
An incredible debut album - the kind that heavy prog rock veterans Dream Theater should have released instead of their recent turkey.
Talk Talk - "The Colour of Spring"
80's pop/new wave with a bit of jazz and other eclectic bits thrown in. Altogether a very fine effort from a very skilled band.
Honourable Mentions (worth a spin, for kicks and giggles)
District 97 - "Hybrid Child"
One more prog rock album to round it out (yes; it was an unusually good year for the genre), and another debut at that. This one has a more "classic" feel, including a long concept song in many parts.
Vampire Weekend - eponymous
Preppy, young white guys mixing African-style pop with a bit of classical, and having all kinds of fun with it. Catchy and very original.
Metallica - "Death Magnetic"
The grizzled veterans of metal return to form with a kick-ass album that rivals their efforts of decades past. Note: the version ripped from Guitar Hero 3 sounds infinitely better than the official CD/download release.
Tool - "Ænima"
Arguably the angriest album from the angriest white boy band ever, this is what all other angry white boy bands have striven for since the late 90's (admittedly or not).
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Polysics - We Ate the Machine
Released: 2008
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 6
Performance: 8
Recording: 2
First Impression: 8
Staying Power: 6
Before we begin, let's just get one thing out of the way: I despise formulaic, mindless, bubblegum pop music. Even moreso if it's in a language that I don't understand.
This, though it may be bubblegum pop at heart, and mostly in a foreign language, is far from formulaic or mindless.
Some reviewers called Polysics "the Japanese bastard children of Devo", but I think that's only part of it. Whereas Devo was content in being intelligent, experimental and weird, Polysics are far more daring, energetic and LOUD! There is a lot more punk rock, heavy metal and industrial influence than most people care to mention. Actually, I don't recall any other recent band being so full of piss and vinegar. The lyrics being a mix of Japanese, English and gibberish (confirmed by a friend who is fluent in all three :P) hardly detracts from the listening experience, as it makes the listener focus more on the music itself. That music happens to be crazy, abrasive and extremely fun. It's a pity that the songwriting takes a turn for the worse in a handful of cases, where they try and fail to sing in proper English. Otherwise it's a solid effort throughout.
In case it matters, the recording quality is among the worst I've ever heard, meaning that it's about average for pop music in 2008.
Suggested sample track: "Rocket"
Recommendation: Worth a spin if you like the heavier side of new wave. Great musical weaponry against pesky co-workers. Do not, repeat, DO NOT listen while driving!
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 6
Performance: 8
Recording: 2
First Impression: 8
Staying Power: 6
Before we begin, let's just get one thing out of the way: I despise formulaic, mindless, bubblegum pop music. Even moreso if it's in a language that I don't understand.
This, though it may be bubblegum pop at heart, and mostly in a foreign language, is far from formulaic or mindless.
Some reviewers called Polysics "the Japanese bastard children of Devo", but I think that's only part of it. Whereas Devo was content in being intelligent, experimental and weird, Polysics are far more daring, energetic and LOUD! There is a lot more punk rock, heavy metal and industrial influence than most people care to mention. Actually, I don't recall any other recent band being so full of piss and vinegar. The lyrics being a mix of Japanese, English and gibberish (confirmed by a friend who is fluent in all three :P) hardly detracts from the listening experience, as it makes the listener focus more on the music itself. That music happens to be crazy, abrasive and extremely fun. It's a pity that the songwriting takes a turn for the worse in a handful of cases, where they try and fail to sing in proper English. Otherwise it's a solid effort throughout.
In case it matters, the recording quality is among the worst I've ever heard, meaning that it's about average for pop music in 2008.
Suggested sample track: "Rocket"
Recommendation: Worth a spin if you like the heavier side of new wave. Great musical weaponry against pesky co-workers. Do not, repeat, DO NOT listen while driving!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
District 97 - Hybrid Child
Released: September 2010
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 7
Performance: 9
Recording: 8
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 8
This band was in the mix for "Haken Radio" on http://last.fm, so I felt compelled to blog about it too. Sorry if you're offended by two prog rock reviews in one night, but I couldn't resist. Imagine a foundation of classic prog rock, not unlike late 1970's era Kansas, but with catchy female pop vocals.
The album is split into two different parts of roughly equal length, like a flashback to the days of vinyl. "Side A" comprises four mid-length songs, each having its own distinct character, with elements of rock, classical, jazz and pop. "Side B" holds but one song: a 27.5-minute magnum opus in 10 parts.
In the wrong hands, such a musical anachronism could have been a major disaster. Fortunately, all six members of the band are insanely talented, with credentials along the lines of "symphony orchestra virtuoso" or "American Idol finalist". Bottom line: this is some of the most original-sounding and well-executed prog rock ever to be released.
Oh, and did I mention that this masterpiece is also a debut album?
Oh, and did I mention that the recording quality is unusually excellent?
Suggested sample track: I can't find "The Man Who Knows Your Name" on any streaming source, so this will have to do: http://www.youtube.com/user/D97Music#p/u/0/tZaPUJrykAg
Recommendation: Essential listening for nostalgic fans of classic prog rock. Hi-fi equipment highly recommended.
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 7
Performance: 9
Recording: 8
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 8
This band was in the mix for "Haken Radio" on http://last.fm, so I felt compelled to blog about it too. Sorry if you're offended by two prog rock reviews in one night, but I couldn't resist. Imagine a foundation of classic prog rock, not unlike late 1970's era Kansas, but with catchy female pop vocals.
The album is split into two different parts of roughly equal length, like a flashback to the days of vinyl. "Side A" comprises four mid-length songs, each having its own distinct character, with elements of rock, classical, jazz and pop. "Side B" holds but one song: a 27.5-minute magnum opus in 10 parts.
In the wrong hands, such a musical anachronism could have been a major disaster. Fortunately, all six members of the band are insanely talented, with credentials along the lines of "symphony orchestra virtuoso" or "American Idol finalist". Bottom line: this is some of the most original-sounding and well-executed prog rock ever to be released.
Oh, and did I mention that this masterpiece is also a debut album?
Oh, and did I mention that the recording quality is unusually excellent?
Suggested sample track: I can't find "The Man Who Knows Your Name" on any streaming source, so this will have to do: http://www.youtube.com/user/D97Music#p/u/0/tZaPUJrykAg
Recommendation: Essential listening for nostalgic fans of classic prog rock. Hi-fi equipment highly recommended.
Haken - Aquarius
Released: March 2010
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 8
Performance: 9
Recording: 7
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 9
Now this is the kind of album that Dream Theater should have released!
Yes; the main influence of Haken is that blatantly obvious, but that's a Very Good Thing.
Whereas DT has stagnated when it comes to songwriting, these fine lads from the UK take it in all kinds of new directions. Though much pomp and circumstance ensues, the changes in style and time signature throughout are neither jarring nor confusing. In fact they provide some much needed levity, strengthening the effect of the more serious parts. There are a total of seven tracks, each having a runtime from 6.5 to 17 minutes. While not a concept album, there is a definite theme. Multiple variations of one particular melody appear throughout, not unlike in DT's "Awake". Of course it takes immense talent to put something like this together without it coming apart at the seams, but these guys undoubtedly have such talent.
If it weren't for the occasional flat note in the lead vocals, I would have given a rare 10 for the performance.
Oh, and did I mention that this masterpiece is a freakin' debut album? How sick is that?!
Oh, and did I mention that the recording quality is unusually good? Here's hoping that this trend continues.
Suggested sample track: "Eternal Rain"
Recommendation: This is essential listening for fans of heavier prog rock. Buy the CD or download the highest quality version available. Set aside 73 minutes of time with your best hi-fi speakers or headphones; savour it from start to finish; repeat as necessary.
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 8
Performance: 9
Recording: 7
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 9
Now this is the kind of album that Dream Theater should have released!
Yes; the main influence of Haken is that blatantly obvious, but that's a Very Good Thing.
Whereas DT has stagnated when it comes to songwriting, these fine lads from the UK take it in all kinds of new directions. Though much pomp and circumstance ensues, the changes in style and time signature throughout are neither jarring nor confusing. In fact they provide some much needed levity, strengthening the effect of the more serious parts. There are a total of seven tracks, each having a runtime from 6.5 to 17 minutes. While not a concept album, there is a definite theme. Multiple variations of one particular melody appear throughout, not unlike in DT's "Awake". Of course it takes immense talent to put something like this together without it coming apart at the seams, but these guys undoubtedly have such talent.
If it weren't for the occasional flat note in the lead vocals, I would have given a rare 10 for the performance.
Oh, and did I mention that this masterpiece is a freakin' debut album? How sick is that?!
Oh, and did I mention that the recording quality is unusually good? Here's hoping that this trend continues.
Suggested sample track: "Eternal Rain"
Recommendation: This is essential listening for fans of heavier prog rock. Buy the CD or download the highest quality version available. Set aside 73 minutes of time with your best hi-fi speakers or headphones; savour it from start to finish; repeat as necessary.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
15 Minutes to choose 15 Albums
This originated as a typical chain-note time waster on Facebook:
Barenaked Ladies - Gordon
Whenever I am down, this goofy, whimsical and yet highly intelligent debut album always manages to cheer me up. In the days of garage bands and grunge, BNL completely bucked the trend with clean, mostly acoustic, instruments and an old-timey feel.
Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming
DMB spent a lot of time playing live shows before releasing this, their first full-length album. Thus both this and the follow-up album "Crash" were compilations of songs that they had honed to perfection, then recorded with very close attention to detail. Yes; their newer material is mostly boring and formulaic, but this album is a reminder that it wasn't always so.
Rush - Moving Pictures
Anyone who knows anything about classic rock knows this album. From a technical standpoint, it is almost unrivaled, and yet it is extremely catchy and accessible at the same time. If any of you are sitting on the fence as to whether or not you like Rush, then this album might sway your opinion in a positive way.
Vampire Weekend - eponymous
The indie pop album of the 00's, in my opinion. Catchy as a wall of Velcro. Serious talent not taking itself too seriously. As far as I'm concerned, only two albums of white guys playing African pop music have been worthy of praise. This is one of them, and the other is...
Paul Simon - Graceland
This one also has real African musicians too. Again, it's mostly lighthearted and fun, dipping into bits of seriousness for (thankfully) short times. The 80's synth pop influences add to the quirky atmosphere. At the same time, it remains accessible to nearly everyone from age 0 to 100. No one ever got fired for buying a Paul Simon album.
Peter Gabriel - So
This was one of the hardest choices. I knew I needed one 1980's recording studio masterpiece. Other contenders included Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms", Kate Bush's "Hound of Love" and U2's "The Joshua Tree", but this one stood out by being the most inventive while remaining largely accessible.
Furnaceface - Just Buy It
My early 1990's vintage cassette tape of this album lasted through a good thousand plays (no exaggeration), then finally perished recently in a flooded basement. A friend promptly found a used CD on eBay and sent it to me as a gift. Two decades later, the punk-funk fusion still sounds fresh, and the socially and politically-conscious humour in the lyrics is still as relevant as ever.
Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
"As wicked as it may seem; as wicked as anything could be." Sure, it's not as groundbreaking as the likes of Operation Ivy, Dead Kennedys, or insert-your-favourite-old-punk-rock-band-here. However, musically, lyrically and sonically, this album is nigh perfect. There is not even a trace of filler. There are even a few surprises throughout, such as bongos and a bass solo, and oddly enough, these actually strengthen the material.
Fatboy Slim - You've Come a Long Way Baby
If you don't catch yourself tapping your fingers or otherwise moving some body part in time with the throbbing, fantastical melee of sampled beats on this album, then there's something seriously wrong with you! This one has something for every kind of electronic music afficionado: big beat, hip-hop, house, techno, acid jazz and even a hint of drum n bass.
Metallica - Master of Puppets
I knew I had to choose one classic Metallica album. It's just really difficult to choose only one album from an entire decade of stellar releases.
Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
Love 'em or hate 'em (I happen to take the former side), The Hip are an integral part of Canada, and this album is a shining example. Deeply meaningful lyrics, hard rocking arrangements, and just the right amount of wheat and hockey to keep canucks like me satisfied.
King Crimson - Discipline
It's one thing to push the boundaries of musical arrangement, and quite another to push the boundaries of technical ability at the same time. But the real accomplishment here was in knowing exactly where to set the limits, and thus make the listening experience extremely enjoyable. In my opinion, no progressive rock release before or since this album has been comparable.
Lowest of the Low - Shakespeare My Butt
It is possible to have both quantity and quality, while keeping things simple and straightforward. This collection of folk-infused rock gems is a perfect example. It's a pity that the wheels started to come loose after the first full-length album, but it was an enjoyable ride while it lasted!
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Arguably the best album from the best era of rock. "I'm in the high fidelity, first class traveling set." 'Nuff said.
Radiohead - OK Computer
Seemingly boundless in its pomposity, melodrama, cynicism and overproduction. And that's just the artwork on the CD insert! This is the musical equivalent of heavy narcotics: it will likely fuck one's mind up beyond all recognition, and yet one will immensely enjoy the experience and long for more.
"The Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums you've heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends..."I approached it as a "desert island" list, as in I have 15 minutes to choose 15 albums, which would be my only musical entertainment for an undetermined amount of time. Of course, at first I didn't think too much about why I chose the following albums, but now that I have some time to ponder my decisions, allow me to explain.
Barenaked Ladies - Gordon
Whenever I am down, this goofy, whimsical and yet highly intelligent debut album always manages to cheer me up. In the days of garage bands and grunge, BNL completely bucked the trend with clean, mostly acoustic, instruments and an old-timey feel.
Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming
DMB spent a lot of time playing live shows before releasing this, their first full-length album. Thus both this and the follow-up album "Crash" were compilations of songs that they had honed to perfection, then recorded with very close attention to detail. Yes; their newer material is mostly boring and formulaic, but this album is a reminder that it wasn't always so.
Rush - Moving Pictures
Anyone who knows anything about classic rock knows this album. From a technical standpoint, it is almost unrivaled, and yet it is extremely catchy and accessible at the same time. If any of you are sitting on the fence as to whether or not you like Rush, then this album might sway your opinion in a positive way.
Vampire Weekend - eponymous
The indie pop album of the 00's, in my opinion. Catchy as a wall of Velcro. Serious talent not taking itself too seriously. As far as I'm concerned, only two albums of white guys playing African pop music have been worthy of praise. This is one of them, and the other is...
Paul Simon - Graceland
This one also has real African musicians too. Again, it's mostly lighthearted and fun, dipping into bits of seriousness for (thankfully) short times. The 80's synth pop influences add to the quirky atmosphere. At the same time, it remains accessible to nearly everyone from age 0 to 100. No one ever got fired for buying a Paul Simon album.
Peter Gabriel - So
This was one of the hardest choices. I knew I needed one 1980's recording studio masterpiece. Other contenders included Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms", Kate Bush's "Hound of Love" and U2's "The Joshua Tree", but this one stood out by being the most inventive while remaining largely accessible.
Furnaceface - Just Buy It
My early 1990's vintage cassette tape of this album lasted through a good thousand plays (no exaggeration), then finally perished recently in a flooded basement. A friend promptly found a used CD on eBay and sent it to me as a gift. Two decades later, the punk-funk fusion still sounds fresh, and the socially and politically-conscious humour in the lyrics is still as relevant as ever.
Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
"As wicked as it may seem; as wicked as anything could be." Sure, it's not as groundbreaking as the likes of Operation Ivy, Dead Kennedys, or insert-your-favourite-old-punk-rock-band-here. However, musically, lyrically and sonically, this album is nigh perfect. There is not even a trace of filler. There are even a few surprises throughout, such as bongos and a bass solo, and oddly enough, these actually strengthen the material.
Fatboy Slim - You've Come a Long Way Baby
If you don't catch yourself tapping your fingers or otherwise moving some body part in time with the throbbing, fantastical melee of sampled beats on this album, then there's something seriously wrong with you! This one has something for every kind of electronic music afficionado: big beat, hip-hop, house, techno, acid jazz and even a hint of drum n bass.
Metallica - Master of Puppets
I knew I had to choose one classic Metallica album. It's just really difficult to choose only one album from an entire decade of stellar releases.
Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
Love 'em or hate 'em (I happen to take the former side), The Hip are an integral part of Canada, and this album is a shining example. Deeply meaningful lyrics, hard rocking arrangements, and just the right amount of wheat and hockey to keep canucks like me satisfied.
King Crimson - Discipline
It's one thing to push the boundaries of musical arrangement, and quite another to push the boundaries of technical ability at the same time. But the real accomplishment here was in knowing exactly where to set the limits, and thus make the listening experience extremely enjoyable. In my opinion, no progressive rock release before or since this album has been comparable.
Lowest of the Low - Shakespeare My Butt
It is possible to have both quantity and quality, while keeping things simple and straightforward. This collection of folk-infused rock gems is a perfect example. It's a pity that the wheels started to come loose after the first full-length album, but it was an enjoyable ride while it lasted!
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Arguably the best album from the best era of rock. "I'm in the high fidelity, first class traveling set." 'Nuff said.
Radiohead - OK Computer
Seemingly boundless in its pomposity, melodrama, cynicism and overproduction. And that's just the artwork on the CD insert! This is the musical equivalent of heavy narcotics: it will likely fuck one's mind up beyond all recognition, and yet one will immensely enjoy the experience and long for more.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
REVISIT: Metallica - "Death Magnetic", as ripped from Guitar Hero 3
Released: September 2008
Format: audio tracks ripped from the soundtrack to the game "Guitar Hero 3"
Songwriting: 7
Performance: 9
Recording: 6
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 8
No; I haven't run out of content. I just thought it would be worth following up on a previous blog entry (http://rahkoss.blogspot.com/2010/01/metallica-death-magnetic.html).
It's taken some time, but this album has really grown on me. Every time I've purged old stuff from my MP3 player, I've thought "no; wait; I gotta listen to it one more time!" Maybe it's the expert, veteran wordsmithing. Maybe it's the flawless performance. Whatever it is, almost a year later, my fondness of it has not waned.
Suggested sample track: "The Day That Never Comes"
Recommendation: listen to the "proper" version of this album (look for "GH3" in the album name on Grooveshark). Though it is certainly different, I dare you to tell me that it's not as good as the "classic" Metallica, to which many people banged their heads in the 1980's!
Format: audio tracks ripped from the soundtrack to the game "Guitar Hero 3"
Songwriting: 7
Performance: 9
Recording: 6
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 8
No; I haven't run out of content. I just thought it would be worth following up on a previous blog entry (http://rahkoss.blogspot.com/2010/01/metallica-death-magnetic.html).
It's taken some time, but this album has really grown on me. Every time I've purged old stuff from my MP3 player, I've thought "no; wait; I gotta listen to it one more time!" Maybe it's the expert, veteran wordsmithing. Maybe it's the flawless performance. Whatever it is, almost a year later, my fondness of it has not waned.
Suggested sample track: "The Day That Never Comes"
Recommendation: listen to the "proper" version of this album (look for "GH3" in the album name on Grooveshark). Though it is certainly different, I dare you to tell me that it's not as good as the "classic" Metallica, to which many people banged their heads in the 1980's!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Released: March 2009
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 7
Performance: 6
Recording: 5
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 6
To blog or to park my ass on a patio chair and drink beer? Now that the weather's a little less amenable to the latter, it's time to dust off the former.
So here we are with another album that was very highly rated by people who very highly rate such things. And hey, guess what? It doesn't suck! Kind of like what Blondie or Berlin would make if they were still making music worth listening to. Lots of hooks. Lots of quirks. Lots of vintage, buzzy synths. Lots of fun. Oh, and recording with some real dynamics for a change (though a bit tinny and crushingly loud in a few places).
Suggested Sample Track: "Dull Life"
Recommendation: Download it; put it on your portable player; let it distract you during a 45 minute commute.
Format: standard album (CD or download)
Songwriting: 7
Performance: 6
Recording: 5
First Impression: 7
Staying Power: 6
To blog or to park my ass on a patio chair and drink beer? Now that the weather's a little less amenable to the latter, it's time to dust off the former.
So here we are with another album that was very highly rated by people who very highly rate such things. And hey, guess what? It doesn't suck! Kind of like what Blondie or Berlin would make if they were still making music worth listening to. Lots of hooks. Lots of quirks. Lots of vintage, buzzy synths. Lots of fun. Oh, and recording with some real dynamics for a change (though a bit tinny and crushingly loud in a few places).
Suggested Sample Track: "Dull Life"
Recommendation: Download it; put it on your portable player; let it distract you during a 45 minute commute.
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