Slowing down on how many albums I look through in a week, gives me a nice long backlog of music sitting on my desk taunting me. This week I scored a Charlie Parker box set for 6$, the new Skindred finally arrived from the UK, some old GabberTrance, and brand new Industrial from the legendary Ogre.
New Releases:
OhGr - Undeveloped
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: 5/10/2011
Genre: Industrial
Ogre is one of the originals on the scene in the 1980s when it broke into the clubs, from Skinny-Puppy through KMFDM and Ministry. He's been everywhere, this is his third solo released under ohGr. It doesn't show off the more modern guitar and crunch laden Industrial, it feels old school, early 90s Industrial, though you can tell there's the experience of time behind it. Some of the songs feel a bit repetitive in the chorus, not everything is club-friendly. But there are a few really standout tracks (Crash being my favorite). It's a good album to put on to get things started, an opening salvo for the day.
Filling Out The Collection
Charlie Parker - The Yardbird Suite: The Ultimate Charlie Parker Collection
Label: Rhino Records
Released: 1997
Genre: Jazz
Charlie Parker is without a doubt one of the greats of Jazz through the 40s and 50s, and even beyond as his sound carried onto the next generation. Bird is a timeless classic. This 2-Disc set covers his entire career from his time with Dizzy Gillespie at the start to his various bands - quartet, quintet, and sextet, septet, all-stars, and orchestra. A little bit of everything is here. It comes with a booklet that hi-lights his career along the way, some of the ups and downs. In total the 38 tracks here going right up to the unfortunate end of his career in 1955 with his death. If you want a wide selection of The Bird's work to get started with, or even just a box-set that you can put on this is an excellent resource to track down.
Skindred - Union Black
Label: 7PM Management / BMG
Released: April 2011
Genre: Metal, Ragga-Punk
Skindred are part punk rock, part heavy metal, and part ragga. Born out of London, lead singer Benji carries the group to a new level with his vocals. Always loud, always rowdy, this is their fourth release, and it's the first release since their move back to the UK after several years trying to take off in the US. They're sound is bigger, bolder here. The first single Warning is just that, it attacks with ferocity, and delivers the opening salvo an an album that doesn't slow down. The whole thing comes off awesomely, a few tracks go above and beyond. The defiance of Own You and Game Over almost make them anthems, while Guntalk and Bad Man Ah Bad Man just rock along in a danceable beat rarely achieved in anything related to metal. Skindred consistently tops out as one of my favorite bands.
Ultimate Gabber Trance, The Beats From Hell
Label: Hypnotic Records
Released: 1996
Genre: Gabber, Trance, Techno
The early 90s saw a rise of trance music, and when it hit raves it got sped up a little. And sped up a little more. Eventually it reached 180+ Beats Per Minute, that was Terror Trance. At over 200BPM it shifted into Gabber Trance, a hard, fast, twitchy, all rhythm style of beats. It's hard to imagine just how fast this music goes, how much it throws you onto the dance floor. Hard to find on releases even back when it was just getting into the mainstream dance scene. This ten track compilation is full of choice high-BPM cuts. Not particularly good to listen to all at once, though it does blend nicely into the background if one is laser-focused on something. But taking a few tracks and dropping them into the middle of a playlist is sure to break things up, keep things moving, and make sure the listener is always paying attention. If you want really fast and hard techno go out and find some Gabber.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Week Ending 5/7 - Metal, Pop-Punk, Rock, Darkwave
This week contains the last of the I:Scintilla discog, an unexpected find, and some other filler. On Tuesday I wandered down to my local indie-store and checked out their New Release end-cap. Half of it was releases from the previous week. I thought about the new Beastie Boys album, I thought about saying 'fuck it' and going home albumless. But I knew there was more out (there always is) and wondered why they showcased a whole 6 albums. Out of hundreds. Wandering back into the metal section I located the stores only copy of Leave's Eyes new album, even then it's not NEW - it's just New In The US. Inside, I'm a little sad.
New Releases:
Leaves' Eyes - Meredead
Label: Napalm Records
Released: 4/20 2011 (5/4 2011 US)
Genre: Metal (Symphonic Metal/Epic Metal)
Female lead vocals fronting angry Nordic men playing heavy metal. Sounds silly put that way, but this really good stuff. I don't like calling this genre "Symphonic" because it doesn't involve a Symphony - though one track has an orchestra and they add in a plethora of instruments. So Epic Metal - and they really do make the songs sound Epic - larger than the speakers. Liv sings in English, Old English, and Norwegian. They even toss in a cover of Mike Oldfield's 'To France'. Thankfully only one song felt the need to mix the excellent vocals with death-metal-grunts. I really am not a fan of that particular combo so often employed by the genre.
Filling Out The Collection:
Pizzicato Five - Quickie EP
Label: Matador Records
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock, Jazz
Pizzicato Five is one of the few acts to get out of Japan and into the US that isn't some form of Punk, Classical, or preceded by "J-". A jazz-rock duo, they easily slide between a solid jazz sound and a good rock swing, sometimes feeling a bit 1960s about the whole thing. I ran across this little single almost accidentally in the used section. A four track EP with some edited, and remixed, tracks off of the Made In The USA album. It's a nice little taste of the whole album, they even include a karaoke version of "Magic Carpet Ride" (along with a radio edit), which removes everything but the chorus. And they bring in an MC to put down a rap on a remix of I Wanna Be Like You.
Avril Lavigne - Let Go
Label: Arista Records
Released: 2002
Genre: Pop-Punk
Yes, I'm a fan of Avril Lavigne. She's a bit pop, a bit punk, and she keeps her clothes on for album covers. There's nothing particularly spectacular about her debut album - how it skyrocketed to such levels I'm not sure I can really say. It is pretty grounded, and Avril is an excellent singer. The songs are definitely teenage fodder, but not vapidly so, and she isn't G-Rated nor is she about sex appeal. Which, as I write it, is probably why it made it so hi up the charts. There's just no bullshit here, it's clean fun pop-punk rock. Enough attitude mixed in with enough actual life. A good opening album.
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing
Label: RCA Records
Released: 2007
Genre: pop-punk
Her third album, better than the first not as crunchy as the second. Something interesting I discovered - the normal release of this album is clean, there is no Explicit Release. The Deluxe Release (which I didn't get) has the Explicit words put back in (and there is no Clean Deluxe Release). Kind of annoying, because I don't need the DVD, but I really don't like edited music. It's only four tracks with the swears removed (Bitch, I'll note, is not edited out anywhere). This one is a little more rock, few more ballads on it too, not as dark as 'Under My Skin' was.
I:Scintilla - Dying & Falling (plus Remix album)
Label: Alfa-Matrix
Released: 2010
Genre: Darkwave
The last of the I:Scintilla discog (almost, see the end). Dying & Falling is their full sophmore release album. It's good, solid gothic-rock/darkwave type stuff. Not quite industrial, not quite stripped down enough to be Gothic-Rock; hence 'Darkwave' which it kind of is and isn't, genre labels... fuck 'em. The album though, is good. Nothing on it stands out quite like some of the tracks on Optics though, nothing really caught me. Though, just like on the single preceding it, Ammunition really is catchy.
Resuscitation The Remix Album
It's another remix album, basically this has turned into a Label Gimmick, they put out a 'Deluxe' release with a second disc of other bands remixing some album tracks. Sometimes you pull out some real gems, sometimes it's just some industrial/variants you can toss into a mix and let run all night. Thus is the case here, I put this through a few listens and may not ever really come back to it for that One Track.
Now, the 'complete discography' of I:scintilla is loaded. It came on a 2GB USB Flash drive with a neat I:Scintilla logo on it (tiny flash drive actually). Which is cool, and cost 30$ for all six releases (2 EPs, 2 Albums, 2 Remix Albums). Normally all that would cost around 80$, making it a great deal if you're missing most (or all) of their discog. BUT - it's not complete, it should have been called the "Alfa-Matrix Flash" because it is missing their first self-released 6-track EP. That would have, in all honesty, been awesome to include. It's out of print, never coming back in print I'd wager, and would make this little gem of a buy Perfect. As is, I filled out a bands discography sooner rather than later, without regrets. Now I just have to figure out how to file a two-inch Flash Drive in my CD shelves. . .
New Releases:
Leaves' Eyes - Meredead
Label: Napalm Records
Released: 4/20 2011 (5/4 2011 US)
Genre: Metal (Symphonic Metal/Epic Metal)
Female lead vocals fronting angry Nordic men playing heavy metal. Sounds silly put that way, but this really good stuff. I don't like calling this genre "Symphonic" because it doesn't involve a Symphony - though one track has an orchestra and they add in a plethora of instruments. So Epic Metal - and they really do make the songs sound Epic - larger than the speakers. Liv sings in English, Old English, and Norwegian. They even toss in a cover of Mike Oldfield's 'To France'. Thankfully only one song felt the need to mix the excellent vocals with death-metal-grunts. I really am not a fan of that particular combo so often employed by the genre.
Filling Out The Collection:
Pizzicato Five - Quickie EP
Label: Matador Records
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock, Jazz
Pizzicato Five is one of the few acts to get out of Japan and into the US that isn't some form of Punk, Classical, or preceded by "J-". A jazz-rock duo, they easily slide between a solid jazz sound and a good rock swing, sometimes feeling a bit 1960s about the whole thing. I ran across this little single almost accidentally in the used section. A four track EP with some edited, and remixed, tracks off of the Made In The USA album. It's a nice little taste of the whole album, they even include a karaoke version of "Magic Carpet Ride" (along with a radio edit), which removes everything but the chorus. And they bring in an MC to put down a rap on a remix of I Wanna Be Like You.
Avril Lavigne - Let Go
Label: Arista Records
Released: 2002
Genre: Pop-Punk
Yes, I'm a fan of Avril Lavigne. She's a bit pop, a bit punk, and she keeps her clothes on for album covers. There's nothing particularly spectacular about her debut album - how it skyrocketed to such levels I'm not sure I can really say. It is pretty grounded, and Avril is an excellent singer. The songs are definitely teenage fodder, but not vapidly so, and she isn't G-Rated nor is she about sex appeal. Which, as I write it, is probably why it made it so hi up the charts. There's just no bullshit here, it's clean fun pop-punk rock. Enough attitude mixed in with enough actual life. A good opening album.
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing
Label: RCA Records
Released: 2007
Genre: pop-punk
Her third album, better than the first not as crunchy as the second. Something interesting I discovered - the normal release of this album is clean, there is no Explicit Release. The Deluxe Release (which I didn't get) has the Explicit words put back in (and there is no Clean Deluxe Release). Kind of annoying, because I don't need the DVD, but I really don't like edited music. It's only four tracks with the swears removed (Bitch, I'll note, is not edited out anywhere). This one is a little more rock, few more ballads on it too, not as dark as 'Under My Skin' was.
I:Scintilla - Dying & Falling (plus Remix album)
Label: Alfa-Matrix
Released: 2010
Genre: Darkwave
The last of the I:Scintilla discog (almost, see the end). Dying & Falling is their full sophmore release album. It's good, solid gothic-rock/darkwave type stuff. Not quite industrial, not quite stripped down enough to be Gothic-Rock; hence 'Darkwave' which it kind of is and isn't, genre labels... fuck 'em. The album though, is good. Nothing on it stands out quite like some of the tracks on Optics though, nothing really caught me. Though, just like on the single preceding it, Ammunition really is catchy.
Resuscitation The Remix Album
It's another remix album, basically this has turned into a Label Gimmick, they put out a 'Deluxe' release with a second disc of other bands remixing some album tracks. Sometimes you pull out some real gems, sometimes it's just some industrial/variants you can toss into a mix and let run all night. Thus is the case here, I put this through a few listens and may not ever really come back to it for that One Track.
Now, the 'complete discography' of I:scintilla is loaded. It came on a 2GB USB Flash drive with a neat I:Scintilla logo on it (tiny flash drive actually). Which is cool, and cost 30$ for all six releases (2 EPs, 2 Albums, 2 Remix Albums). Normally all that would cost around 80$, making it a great deal if you're missing most (or all) of their discog. BUT - it's not complete, it should have been called the "Alfa-Matrix Flash" because it is missing their first self-released 6-track EP. That would have, in all honesty, been awesome to include. It's out of print, never coming back in print I'd wager, and would make this little gem of a buy Perfect. As is, I filled out a bands discography sooner rather than later, without regrets. Now I just have to figure out how to file a two-inch Flash Drive in my CD shelves. . .
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Vinyl Files
With a newly acquired USB Record Player I can now take my records and put them on iTunes. The first part of this endeavor is my Bad Religion discography, I was gifted their Box Set last fall, which contains all 15 Studio Albums on Vinyl, even the ones that have been (and remain) out of print in any other format.
Since ripping Vinyl is done in real time - you can't just him "Import" and walk away for two minutes, I'll only be importing 1-2 records a week from my collection.
Starting with Bad Religion, going from their opening salvo to their latest endeavor (skipping, naturally, the ones I do own on CD and have already added).
How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
Released: 1982
Short, sweet, to the point - right out of the gates Bad Religion joins the ranks of the established American Hardcore scene, and shoots to the top. SoCal punk rock was no holds barred music. Bad Religion came out with smart lyrics, Greg Graffin is also an outstanding vocalist. Everything here is good, and is still available on CD.
With that release, how could hell be any worse indeed?
Into The Unknown
Released: 1983
Well, for starters Bad Religion could immediately abandon hardcore and come out with what is the absolute worst punk rock record ever made. It's not even punk rock. It's an entire album of Flock Of Seagulls B-Sides and Rejected Tracks, that's what it is. Prog-Rock disaster.
Mercifully out of print for 25 years, only available either when you run across one of the original pressings (some 10,000 were made, some of those may even still exist) or through their 30 Years Vinyl Box Set - which is how I ended up with it. The lyrics are Bad Religion smart all the way, cutting and well sung. It's the synthesizer that kills me, really and truly. Just fucking awful.
Luckily, they put out an EP "Back To The Known" soon after going back to punk, and promptly broke up. Until a few more years had passed and they all got back together and put out the album "Suffer" in 1988 - which tore off the listeners face and shoved broken glass into the establishment's eye.
Since ripping Vinyl is done in real time - you can't just him "Import" and walk away for two minutes, I'll only be importing 1-2 records a week from my collection.
Starting with Bad Religion, going from their opening salvo to their latest endeavor (skipping, naturally, the ones I do own on CD and have already added).
How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
Released: 1982
Short, sweet, to the point - right out of the gates Bad Religion joins the ranks of the established American Hardcore scene, and shoots to the top. SoCal punk rock was no holds barred music. Bad Religion came out with smart lyrics, Greg Graffin is also an outstanding vocalist. Everything here is good, and is still available on CD.
With that release, how could hell be any worse indeed?
Into The Unknown
Released: 1983
Well, for starters Bad Religion could immediately abandon hardcore and come out with what is the absolute worst punk rock record ever made. It's not even punk rock. It's an entire album of Flock Of Seagulls B-Sides and Rejected Tracks, that's what it is. Prog-Rock disaster.
Mercifully out of print for 25 years, only available either when you run across one of the original pressings (some 10,000 were made, some of those may even still exist) or through their 30 Years Vinyl Box Set - which is how I ended up with it. The lyrics are Bad Religion smart all the way, cutting and well sung. It's the synthesizer that kills me, really and truly. Just fucking awful.
Luckily, they put out an EP "Back To The Known" soon after going back to punk, and promptly broke up. Until a few more years had passed and they all got back together and put out the album "Suffer" in 1988 - which tore off the listeners face and shoved broken glass into the establishment's eye.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Week Ending 4/30 - Industrial, Darkwave, Bhangra/House, Noise
Five new albums this week - three of them New Releases and the other two playing catchup from previous purchases. I actually have a good half dozen albums waiting for me to catch up, I try to only add a manageable amount - so I can actually listen to it all, sometimes that's easier than other times.
New Releases:
Karsh Kale - Cinema
Label: Six Degrees
Released: 4/24 2011
Genre: Bhangra, London-House
This doesn't quite fit under Bhangra completely, Kale is of the breed of Bhangra that the London DJs of Indian heritage have added London-House to. So it's very club-friendly and bouncy. But you can hear the underlying Indian music, this release is even more House than his previous works. The second track, Mallika Jam, shines as an outstanding example of Bhangra-House fusion, and the track Supernova is very bouncy, really fun, but purely a club track (very Juno Reactor, actually). When he does bring in vocals (which is often enough here), they are always Indian.
KMFDM - WTF?!
Label: Metropolis Records/KMFDM Records
Released: 4/24 2011
Genre: Industrial
This is the 17th studio album from KMFDM, and after nearly 3 decades they've still got some punch left. WTF?! brings back some of the glitch of the late 90s KMFDM, while still keeping the 2000s full band sound. There's a little more machine here than in the previous few albums. The opening Krank is a straight up KMFDM name-dropping anthem. Come On - Go Off, Rebels In Kontrol, Lynchmob, and Vive Le Mort, are classic KMFDM, mixing guitars and industrial for a 'classic KMFDM sound'. But the two tracks that really stand out are: Amnesia - which sounds like Sisters Of Mercy getting ahold of a tank and running through the industrial genre like it were paper. And 'Death & Burial Of C.R.' which takes a very old little rhyme and turns it into a very creepy piece. It's the perfect end track to the album - and really comes alive when listened to with headphones,.
OK*Ztein*Ok - Prolet*Kult
Label: KMFDM Records
Released: 4/24 2011
Genre: Noise
When KMFDM finished WTF?! Sascha locked himself in the studio alone and produce this weird little 6-track EP of noise. It's low key, glitchy, barely there beats and rhythms. Vocals are odd snippets of speech and spoken word. If you're into almost structureless adventures into soundscapes then you'll appreciate this. It's not quite the full on layered harmonics of other Experimental/Noise artists, but it's close. Definitely an album to immerse into with headphones.
Filling Out The Collection:
In the continued effort to load up the backlog of music orders, two more from I:Scintilla this week.
Optics Remix Disc
Genre: Darkwave (remixes are Industrial as well)
Released with Optics as a 2-Disc Limited Edition, it's nothing but Remixes of tracks from Optics itself. It's nice, and some interesting things are done with the tracks, but only mixes of The Bells actually stand out, mostly based on the fact that that's the strongest song taken from the Optics Album to work with. Nothing gets too overly-Club Friendly, nothing goes too far out into odd directions either. Overall, it feels like a record label gimmick to put out a Limited Edition release.
Prey On You
Label: Alfa-Matrix
Released: 2009
Genre: Darkwave
The lead single off the latest album "Dying & Falling" - the first two tracks are from that album, the third track is exclusive to the single, and the other 5 are remixes. Prey On You gets three remixes, all of which are pretty good. The Ammunition Remix actually manages to take some of the frantic punch out of the original (which does come out like a machine gun and is an awesome track by itself). The last track Hallowed (and one remix of), is OK, but you can see why it didn't make the final album.
New Releases:
Karsh Kale - Cinema
Label: Six Degrees
Released: 4/24 2011
Genre: Bhangra, London-House
This doesn't quite fit under Bhangra completely, Kale is of the breed of Bhangra that the London DJs of Indian heritage have added London-House to. So it's very club-friendly and bouncy. But you can hear the underlying Indian music, this release is even more House than his previous works. The second track, Mallika Jam, shines as an outstanding example of Bhangra-House fusion, and the track Supernova is very bouncy, really fun, but purely a club track (very Juno Reactor, actually). When he does bring in vocals (which is often enough here), they are always Indian.
KMFDM - WTF?!
Label: Metropolis Records/KMFDM Records
Released: 4/24 2011
Genre: Industrial
This is the 17th studio album from KMFDM, and after nearly 3 decades they've still got some punch left. WTF?! brings back some of the glitch of the late 90s KMFDM, while still keeping the 2000s full band sound. There's a little more machine here than in the previous few albums. The opening Krank is a straight up KMFDM name-dropping anthem. Come On - Go Off, Rebels In Kontrol, Lynchmob, and Vive Le Mort, are classic KMFDM, mixing guitars and industrial for a 'classic KMFDM sound'. But the two tracks that really stand out are: Amnesia - which sounds like Sisters Of Mercy getting ahold of a tank and running through the industrial genre like it were paper. And 'Death & Burial Of C.R.' which takes a very old little rhyme and turns it into a very creepy piece. It's the perfect end track to the album - and really comes alive when listened to with headphones,.
OK*Ztein*Ok - Prolet*Kult
Label: KMFDM Records
Released: 4/24 2011
Genre: Noise
When KMFDM finished WTF?! Sascha locked himself in the studio alone and produce this weird little 6-track EP of noise. It's low key, glitchy, barely there beats and rhythms. Vocals are odd snippets of speech and spoken word. If you're into almost structureless adventures into soundscapes then you'll appreciate this. It's not quite the full on layered harmonics of other Experimental/Noise artists, but it's close. Definitely an album to immerse into with headphones.
Filling Out The Collection:
In the continued effort to load up the backlog of music orders, two more from I:Scintilla this week.
Optics Remix Disc
Genre: Darkwave (remixes are Industrial as well)
Released with Optics as a 2-Disc Limited Edition, it's nothing but Remixes of tracks from Optics itself. It's nice, and some interesting things are done with the tracks, but only mixes of The Bells actually stand out, mostly based on the fact that that's the strongest song taken from the Optics Album to work with. Nothing gets too overly-Club Friendly, nothing goes too far out into odd directions either. Overall, it feels like a record label gimmick to put out a Limited Edition release.
Prey On You
Label: Alfa-Matrix
Released: 2009
Genre: Darkwave
The lead single off the latest album "Dying & Falling" - the first two tracks are from that album, the third track is exclusive to the single, and the other 5 are remixes. Prey On You gets three remixes, all of which are pretty good. The Ammunition Remix actually manages to take some of the frantic punch out of the original (which does come out like a machine gun and is an awesome track by itself). The last track Hallowed (and one remix of), is OK, but you can see why it didn't make the final album.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Week Ending 4/23 - Hip-Hop, Darkwave, Rock
I picked up two new releases this week, because I wandered into the local indie record store and saw 'Dengue Fever' and went, "I don't recall ever hearing of them, yet it is familiar" ... turns out they're on a compilation I have stashed around here. I also started to load in and listen to the I:Scintilla discography I picked up a couple weeks back. It may be a sign to slow down when I generate a backlog of music to load up and listen to . . . Nah.
New Releases:
Dengue Fever - Cannibal Cannibal Courtship
Label: Fantasy Records (Concord Music Group)
Released: 4/19 2011
Genre: Rock
Dengue Fever is a rock - psychedelic rock really - outfit, vocals are done in both English and Khmer (or Cambodian). While the lead vocals are female, this album has a pretty good split of male and female vocals. It's got a laid back rock feel to it, nothing heavy or fast about it. Very relaxing, bit fun, some songs have a bit of a smart ass vibe about them.
Del The Funky Homosapien - Golden Era
Label: The Council (Council Partners Entertainment)
Released: 4/19 2011
Genre: Hip-Hop
Del is an old school MC from the early 90s, and has for the last 15 years or so put out a steady stream of music in a lot of places. This release actually has two extra albums with it that were only released digitally in 2009. This album is alright, I like it well enough. The first two songs have some refrains that repeat a little too much, but after that it's just solid walls of rhyme and rhythm. With the rhythm properly behind the MC, at least properly for Del. Minimal production - there are no liner notes with any serious credits, he may very well have done the entire thing himself.
Automatik Statik
Originally Released: 2009 on Bandcamp.
Of the three albums that came in the digipak, this one is the best. There's a little more humor, the rhyming is more fluid, the whole thing just grooves.
Funk Man
Originally Released: 2009 on Del's website
This one didn't click with me, I may have to put it down for a bit and come back to it. It feels like it might have been a little rushed, or unfinished.
Filling Out The Collection:
Collide - The Eyes Before
Label: Noisepluse Music
Released: 2009
Genre: Darkwave
This is a cover album, and finishes out my Collide Discography. They're all over the spectrum of music, covering The Beatles, Depeche Mode, Chris Isaak, Pink Floyd, David Essex, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, The Moody Blues, and David Bowie. All the takes are good, not just flat covers replaying the songs. Each one gets the synth-goth maker over and takes it well - saying as much about how classic these songs are as it does about how good Collide is. The David Essex cover (Rock On) could have used some more punch to it. I'm also not the biggest fan of Pink Floyd and there's two covers (opening and closing the album) here, I think I'd have preferred to see them showcase another band. Their cover of Knights In White Satin, however, is amazing, it really brings out a melancholy in the song.
I:Scintilla - Havestar
Label: Alfa Matrix
Released: 2006
Genre: Darkwave
Female vocal lead I:Scintilla skirts the line between the Darkwave synth sound and Industrial Rock with heavy guitars. They bounce between the two freely. This is the initial release on Alfa-Matrix, a CD Single with a bunch of remixes on it. Six of the tracks are remixes from fellow label mates of studio releases, three of the remixes are the title track. The other three tracks are off the Optics album. From a first release (though they had a self released album previously) it's a great sign of things to come from the band. The remixes are remixes, some more club-friendly than others.
I:Scintilla - Optics
Label: Alfa Matrix
Released: 2007
Genre: Darkwave
The first full album released after being signed, it easily and fluidly swings between harder guitar driven songs and more rhythm based club songs, with a few slower ethereal tracks thrown in to keep the pacing just right. A couple songs really stand out; Toy Soldier could easily have been a single on its own, and Ultraviolet definitely belongs on the dance floor.
New Releases:
Dengue Fever - Cannibal Cannibal Courtship
Label: Fantasy Records (Concord Music Group)
Released: 4/19 2011
Genre: Rock
Dengue Fever is a rock - psychedelic rock really - outfit, vocals are done in both English and Khmer (or Cambodian). While the lead vocals are female, this album has a pretty good split of male and female vocals. It's got a laid back rock feel to it, nothing heavy or fast about it. Very relaxing, bit fun, some songs have a bit of a smart ass vibe about them.
Del The Funky Homosapien - Golden Era
Label: The Council (Council Partners Entertainment)
Released: 4/19 2011
Genre: Hip-Hop
Del is an old school MC from the early 90s, and has for the last 15 years or so put out a steady stream of music in a lot of places. This release actually has two extra albums with it that were only released digitally in 2009. This album is alright, I like it well enough. The first two songs have some refrains that repeat a little too much, but after that it's just solid walls of rhyme and rhythm. With the rhythm properly behind the MC, at least properly for Del. Minimal production - there are no liner notes with any serious credits, he may very well have done the entire thing himself.
Automatik Statik
Originally Released: 2009 on Bandcamp.
Of the three albums that came in the digipak, this one is the best. There's a little more humor, the rhyming is more fluid, the whole thing just grooves.
Funk Man
Originally Released: 2009 on Del's website
This one didn't click with me, I may have to put it down for a bit and come back to it. It feels like it might have been a little rushed, or unfinished.
Filling Out The Collection:
Collide - The Eyes Before
Label: Noisepluse Music
Released: 2009
Genre: Darkwave
This is a cover album, and finishes out my Collide Discography. They're all over the spectrum of music, covering The Beatles, Depeche Mode, Chris Isaak, Pink Floyd, David Essex, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, The Moody Blues, and David Bowie. All the takes are good, not just flat covers replaying the songs. Each one gets the synth-goth maker over and takes it well - saying as much about how classic these songs are as it does about how good Collide is. The David Essex cover (Rock On) could have used some more punch to it. I'm also not the biggest fan of Pink Floyd and there's two covers (opening and closing the album) here, I think I'd have preferred to see them showcase another band. Their cover of Knights In White Satin, however, is amazing, it really brings out a melancholy in the song.
I:Scintilla - Havestar
Label: Alfa Matrix
Released: 2006
Genre: Darkwave
Female vocal lead I:Scintilla skirts the line between the Darkwave synth sound and Industrial Rock with heavy guitars. They bounce between the two freely. This is the initial release on Alfa-Matrix, a CD Single with a bunch of remixes on it. Six of the tracks are remixes from fellow label mates of studio releases, three of the remixes are the title track. The other three tracks are off the Optics album. From a first release (though they had a self released album previously) it's a great sign of things to come from the band. The remixes are remixes, some more club-friendly than others.
I:Scintilla - Optics
Label: Alfa Matrix
Released: 2007
Genre: Darkwave
The first full album released after being signed, it easily and fluidly swings between harder guitar driven songs and more rhythm based club songs, with a few slower ethereal tracks thrown in to keep the pacing just right. A couple songs really stand out; Toy Soldier could easily have been a single on its own, and Ultraviolet definitely belongs on the dance floor.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Week Ending 4/16 - Rock, Industrial, Goth, Blues, Indian
Smattering of everything this week. The two New Releases I picked up were a single from Tim Skold and Caustic's full album. Both digitally, Metropolis Records nicely provide a PDF booklet of the liner notes, not just the cover art. Which I highly appreciate and may switch all my Metropolis purchases to digital format. If only more labels followed in their footsteps.
Caustic - The Golden Vagina Of Fame And Profit
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: 4/12 2011
Genre: Industrial
His first release on Metropolis, the album is a very old-school industrial release. No squealing guitars, just thumping beats and crunchy noise. A couple tracks are mostly instrumental and are, in the context of the album, a bit annoying. I'd throw them into a mix and let them get happily lost in the background of a long day. The stand outs are Hiroshima Burn (a massive beat and lyrics that make me want to throw down in a mosh pit), Orchid (Unwoman lends her vocals to a great anti-rock cut), Chum The Waters (not as pure awesome as the remix on the single off the album, but still awesome and full of drums), and White Knuckle Head Fuck (just beautifully angry). Good old Industrial club cuts.
SKOLD - Suck
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: 4/12 2011
Genre: Industrial
The single off the upcoming Skold album. Tim Skold has been in the business a long time, and after 15 years is finally putting out another solo album. The first five tracks are the Title and four remixes. It's a great industrial-rock song, an ode to wanting to be the Rock Star - very fight club. The last three tracks are all non-album tracks. It's nice to see a single contain several non-album tracks instead of just one. If they're any indication of the upcoming album (out 5/10) then it will be an excellent and dark album.
Double Down - Polarity
Label: self released (purchase through CD Baby)
Released: 2008
Genre: Rock
Double Down is a Denver local band, rock and blues-rock. Polarity was released during a time when they were switching out bassists almost as fast as Spinal Tap went through drummers. It's a good solid rock offering, good for nights when you just need something blue collar with some blues thrown in. Bar Rock, really.
The Victim's Ball - The Victim's Ball
Label: self released (purchase through CD Baby)
Released: 2010
Genre: Gothic-Rock
I call it Gothic Rock, but there's no guitars. Though if there were it'd fit perfectly into the early/mid-80s Goth Rock scene. It's traditional instruments from the late 18th- early 19th century. The album focuses around the French Revolution and the supposed Victim's Balls (parties held by surviving nobility) afterwards. It's a dark and melodic album, good for late nights.
Rough Guides
World Music has a service where you subscribe to receive two new Rough Guide compilations a month, given mail from the UK takes a random about of time I never really know when I'm going to get these. . . My wife picks which two compilations she wants to listen to every month.
RG to Desert Blues:
Blues coming out of the North African region. Traditional music mixed with modern guitars, and some other modern elements. It does feel very blues, not in the classic American Delta sense, but in a more overall 12-bar feeling of the genre. Some of it is a bit rock, some of it is hard to find the blues under it. All of it is really good. This one comes with an extra CD from the group Etran Finatawa, which is just excellent.
RG to Indian Lounge
Hard to categorize this, it's not quite techno, not quite lounge, little bit night club, lots of traditional, and all kinds of things mixed in. One track strikes me as "Dub Bhangra" - the only words I have for it. Some of it's slow, some of it bouncy and fast. The Rough Guides are really eclectic selections normally, and if this is even a sampling of how an Indian night club moves they listen to just about anything and incorporate it into everything.
Caustic - The Golden Vagina Of Fame And Profit
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: 4/12 2011
Genre: Industrial
His first release on Metropolis, the album is a very old-school industrial release. No squealing guitars, just thumping beats and crunchy noise. A couple tracks are mostly instrumental and are, in the context of the album, a bit annoying. I'd throw them into a mix and let them get happily lost in the background of a long day. The stand outs are Hiroshima Burn (a massive beat and lyrics that make me want to throw down in a mosh pit), Orchid (Unwoman lends her vocals to a great anti-rock cut), Chum The Waters (not as pure awesome as the remix on the single off the album, but still awesome and full of drums), and White Knuckle Head Fuck (just beautifully angry). Good old Industrial club cuts.
SKOLD - Suck
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: 4/12 2011
Genre: Industrial
The single off the upcoming Skold album. Tim Skold has been in the business a long time, and after 15 years is finally putting out another solo album. The first five tracks are the Title and four remixes. It's a great industrial-rock song, an ode to wanting to be the Rock Star - very fight club. The last three tracks are all non-album tracks. It's nice to see a single contain several non-album tracks instead of just one. If they're any indication of the upcoming album (out 5/10) then it will be an excellent and dark album.
Double Down - Polarity
Label: self released (purchase through CD Baby)
Released: 2008
Genre: Rock
Double Down is a Denver local band, rock and blues-rock. Polarity was released during a time when they were switching out bassists almost as fast as Spinal Tap went through drummers. It's a good solid rock offering, good for nights when you just need something blue collar with some blues thrown in. Bar Rock, really.
The Victim's Ball - The Victim's Ball
Label: self released (purchase through CD Baby)
Released: 2010
Genre: Gothic-Rock
I call it Gothic Rock, but there's no guitars. Though if there were it'd fit perfectly into the early/mid-80s Goth Rock scene. It's traditional instruments from the late 18th- early 19th century. The album focuses around the French Revolution and the supposed Victim's Balls (parties held by surviving nobility) afterwards. It's a dark and melodic album, good for late nights.
Rough Guides
World Music has a service where you subscribe to receive two new Rough Guide compilations a month, given mail from the UK takes a random about of time I never really know when I'm going to get these. . . My wife picks which two compilations she wants to listen to every month.
RG to Desert Blues:
Blues coming out of the North African region. Traditional music mixed with modern guitars, and some other modern elements. It does feel very blues, not in the classic American Delta sense, but in a more overall 12-bar feeling of the genre. Some of it is a bit rock, some of it is hard to find the blues under it. All of it is really good. This one comes with an extra CD from the group Etran Finatawa, which is just excellent.
RG to Indian Lounge
Hard to categorize this, it's not quite techno, not quite lounge, little bit night club, lots of traditional, and all kinds of things mixed in. One track strikes me as "Dub Bhangra" - the only words I have for it. Some of it's slow, some of it bouncy and fast. The Rough Guides are really eclectic selections normally, and if this is even a sampling of how an Indian night club moves they listen to just about anything and incorporate it into everything.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Weel Ending 4/9 - Hip Hop & Rockabilly
Day late, I was busy. . . This week is a surprise addition! I unexpectedly ended up at a Wanda Jackson concert Monday night, so I had to buy some CDs from the merch table. I also, due to this, had to delay the purchase of a couple albums, next week will be Industrial centric.
Blueprint - Adventures In Counter Culture
Label: Weightless
Release: 4/5/11
Genre: Hip-Hop
This weeks new album showcase, an in depth review was posted earlier in the week. I'll just state here that after several more days listen Its an awesome album.
Weightless Radio - A Collection Of Blueprint Instrumentals
Label: Weightless
Release: 4/5/11
Genre: instrumental, ambient
The Blueprint album came with a free download card to get a completely instrumental track from him. The format of the album is a lot like listening to a radio station, complete with blips of actual advertisements, and some interviews with Blueprint himself. The beats themselves are nice, but short. If they'd been expanded into a full track and given a little more cohesive transition it would stand up next to a Future Sound Of London album in terms of richness. As is, I like it well enough. One day this week was particularly overcast and it managed to fit the mood of a rainy afternoon nicely.
Wanda Jackson - The Party Ain't Over
Label: Nonesuch Records
Release: 2011
Genre: Rockabilly, Rock And Roll
Wanda has been in the Rock business since it literally began in the 50s. She's old-school rockabilly fun. This album is a collection of covers, recorded with, and at the urging of (she explained in person at the concert) Jack White (White Stripes). Only a cover of Bob Dylan's "Thunder On The Mountain" goes over the five minute mark, making this one of those short-n-sweet albums to spin, most of the tracks are three minutes.
Dusty 45s - Devil Takes His Turn EP
Label: self released
Released: 2004
Genre: Rockabilly
The Dusty 45s were the backup and opening band for Wanda's concert, so I grabbed some of their stuff. This EP was released some time ago when they appear to be a five-piece band. Its only a 4 track single, but a good one. Their added trumpet gives the band an extra kick.
Dusty 45s - Fortunate Man
Label: self released
Released: 2010
Genre: Rockabilly
Their latest album, with a theme of poverty, giving to your fellow man, and similar. The album rocks right along. This is a good solid album to put into rotation for nights when you need nothing but good old rock and roll. Stick it in with classics like Buddy Holly and Elvis. Nothing here stands up as above and beyond, which doesn't bother me much, as a package the whole thing works, and works well.
For purchasing information on the self released Dusty 45s albums; they can be found as downloads from iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and probably ordered from any decent independent music store out there can figure out how to get a copy.
Blueprint - Adventures In Counter Culture
Label: Weightless
Release: 4/5/11
Genre: Hip-Hop
This weeks new album showcase, an in depth review was posted earlier in the week. I'll just state here that after several more days listen Its an awesome album.
Weightless Radio - A Collection Of Blueprint Instrumentals
Label: Weightless
Release: 4/5/11
Genre: instrumental, ambient
The Blueprint album came with a free download card to get a completely instrumental track from him. The format of the album is a lot like listening to a radio station, complete with blips of actual advertisements, and some interviews with Blueprint himself. The beats themselves are nice, but short. If they'd been expanded into a full track and given a little more cohesive transition it would stand up next to a Future Sound Of London album in terms of richness. As is, I like it well enough. One day this week was particularly overcast and it managed to fit the mood of a rainy afternoon nicely.
Wanda Jackson - The Party Ain't Over
Label: Nonesuch Records
Release: 2011
Genre: Rockabilly, Rock And Roll
Wanda has been in the Rock business since it literally began in the 50s. She's old-school rockabilly fun. This album is a collection of covers, recorded with, and at the urging of (she explained in person at the concert) Jack White (White Stripes). Only a cover of Bob Dylan's "Thunder On The Mountain" goes over the five minute mark, making this one of those short-n-sweet albums to spin, most of the tracks are three minutes.
Dusty 45s - Devil Takes His Turn EP
Label: self released
Released: 2004
Genre: Rockabilly
The Dusty 45s were the backup and opening band for Wanda's concert, so I grabbed some of their stuff. This EP was released some time ago when they appear to be a five-piece band. Its only a 4 track single, but a good one. Their added trumpet gives the band an extra kick.
Dusty 45s - Fortunate Man
Label: self released
Released: 2010
Genre: Rockabilly
Their latest album, with a theme of poverty, giving to your fellow man, and similar. The album rocks right along. This is a good solid album to put into rotation for nights when you need nothing but good old rock and roll. Stick it in with classics like Buddy Holly and Elvis. Nothing here stands up as above and beyond, which doesn't bother me much, as a package the whole thing works, and works well.
For purchasing information on the self released Dusty 45s albums; they can be found as downloads from iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and probably ordered from any decent independent music store out there can figure out how to get a copy.
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