The late 1980s brought a wave of new and strange phenomena to the music world. Rap was starting to take the forefront of pop culture. Grunge was in its infancy. Metalheads spawned countless subgenres through marijuana smoke and cold weather. The "one man band" concept decimated the live landscape, leaving concertgoers with little to choose from. One innovation stood out. Slowly waltzing out of the bustling port of Bristol, UK, came Massive Attack. Focusing on a conglomeration of rap, electronica, soul, jazz, and dance, the young duo breezed onto the public radar with their historic debut, which we will view here today. Tune in, and chill out.
The Christening of a New Generation
Massive Attack - Blue Lines (1991)
The cover itself is reminiscent of something you'd see in a chemical treatment plant. Stark, yet iconic. That's the best way to describe this record's cover. "Safe from Harm" begins with a swirling wind noise, and a simplistic bassline (sampled from Billy Cobham's hit "Stratus") accented by record scratches. Clearly, the sound of a new generation. The lovely female vocals speak of a city in turmoil, with freaks and hustlers in the mix. The beat is astoundingly hypnotic, and rapped vocals accent the crooned lyrics. An interesting guitar sound comes in at 1:35, creating a break. The rap is back. This track is very interesting to say the least, but provides such a rough groundwork for later trip-hop artists such as Portishead and Goldfrapp. Repetition is the name of the game here. "One Love" begins with simplistic drum beats and an ambient back track. A sick electric piano line (sampled from Mahavishnu Orchestra's "You Know, You Know") slides under the lyricism of Horace Andy, who is longing for the single woman he always loved. A cool synth horn break comes in around 1:20, then fades out quickly again. The Jamaican crooner's voice works very well with this track, even if it does get a tad grating. Record scratches and synth horns stumble back in at 2:30, but the vision is cleared up around 10 seconds later. The sporadic outbursts of synths and scratches are unnecessary in my eyes, but prevent the track from being a boring yet lovely ballad. The song melts into a cool piano outro, almost like a candle. The title track "Blue Lines" starts out with a really cool electric piano line, and an almost lounge-y drum beat. This is my favorite track so far. Rapped vocals come it at around 0:40, the lyrics seem a little abstract. I love the chilled out atmosphere within the track, the vocals work extremely well with the laid-back acid jazz vibes. Picture a clean club, with a band playing and all the members are wearing white suits. This is the band Massive Attack could be. There isn't much else to say about this track, this is definitive trip-hop. The real thing. Some nifty Hammond organ licks create the opening for a wonderful cover of William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful for What You've Got", a very soulful, almost reggae track. The numerous influences are probably the clearest on this track. It's a bastard love child of electronica, reggae, rap, and soul, really. The sporadic guitars hold the fort down at 2:00, and crazy scratches mixed with distorted Hammond come in a few seconds later, but everything comes back to normal. I guess that's the MA formula, strange breaks then sudden returns to reality. "Five Man Army" breaks into the channels with laid back rap vocals spread over analog drums and strange electronic beats. This is definitely a posse cut, featuring the core duo, Horace Andy, Tricky, and Claude Williams on vocals, hence the name. It's quite a mixed bag here, rapping and scat singing over a hypnotic, acidic beat. This one is one of the longest on Blue Lines, barely cracking the 6 minute mark. Shows how jammy these people get. "Unfinished Sympathy" starts out with brief studio chatter, then fades into a strange orchestral nightmare. The driving beat and throbbing violins give way to the wonder vocals of Shara Nelson. The lyrical theme on this album is not new, it's just about love. Seriously. Piano solo at around 2:30 and scat vocals harken back to the Golden Era of jazz, and the distant "hey hey hey heyyyy" adds to the already haunting atmosphere. The orchestral use in this track is only a snippet of what's to come in trip-hop's prime (read: live Portishead). Spoken word samples come in at 4:15, the track is nearing its downplayed climax. A sublime piano noise and sustained violin note close the track, with city sounds (what) segueing into "Daydreaming", a much simpler track. The off-tempo "boom", female vocals, and title dropping make for a very stompy track. What? Is that a Fiddler on the Roof interpolation at 2:00? These guys are quite the strange bunch. They shocked the music world, in a year where groups like My Bloody Valentine and Nirvana were stomping out the shit that was new wave. Another interpolation of Here Comes the Sun at 3:00? Jeez, way to acknowledge your influences! A West Coast rap beat breaks the surface in "Lately", an acid jazz jam whose sly attitude eludes even the best listener. Female vocals are the best for trip-hop, they complement this type of music perfectly. The glitchy background is strange. I'm not really feeling this one, it seems too... kiddy. The vocals are great, but the beat is awful to me. The closer "Hymn of the Big Wheel" starts out with subdued, yet screeching guitars standing over field recordings of crickets. A strange drum beat comes in, and simplistic vocals and synth lines follow. Lyrics about the constant cycle of life bring an almost African vibe to the track. Nothing much to say about this one either. Chirping crickets close the curtain to this opening move into the trip-hop world.
The Verdict
It's a cornerstone. This album basically created trip-hop. It's monumental, yes. But is it perfect? No. Some of the tracks are very rough and have poorly executed ideas. Although when the ideas are done right, they are subliminal.
3/5
(sorry if this seems half-assed, it's late over here in Colorado and it's been a long week. But the blog is still alive!)
Amia Venera Landscape - The Long Procession (2010)
Recently, I was told about an Italian post-hardcore outfit with the name of Amia Venera Landscape (AVL from this point forward). A friend of mine linked me a song on Youtube, and I admittedly dismissed it as another Neurosis/Isis worship ritual. Fortunately, I was wrong. Three friends of mine and myself decided to listen to the album together through the 'net, and discuss it. I figured this would be a good opportunity to review the album briefly for the blog as well.
The Long Procession starts out with an explosion of relentless drumming and hardcore yells, making it seem like a typical metal album. However, as the music moves forward, we are treated to many different facets. Jazz-like progressions, enormous doom riffs, clean vocals layered over harsh ones, and prominently, extended ambient passages. This isn't your run of the mill post-metal album either. One of my friends proclaimed it to be "avant-garde post metalcore". A perfect description if there ever was one. The angst of this album is irrevocable, and features highly within the twists and weaves of heavy tracks like "Empire" and "Glaneces (Part II)", creating a gothic and dark atmosphere. The flipside of the ravenous metalcore riffing and yelling are long tracks like "Ascending" and "Marasm". AVL manages to create such soundscapes that can unsettle the listener and make them feel so dark and alone, while maintaining a heavy premise. At 66 minutes, the sheer scope of this album is huge. I'm very surprised this isn't talked about as much within modern metal circles, even though it is relatively new and AVL's only release. But, I digress. Whatever this Italian band has hidden up their sleeves, may be even more ambitious than such a great debut as this. 4/5
It astounds me that two people created this project.
Depressing Music By Depressed People For Depressed People
The lo-fi scene doesn't appeal to a lot of people. It's recorded badly just to say "oh this doesn't sound good for a reason". But it has a charm. You really think to yourself that if this music sounded good, it wouldn't have such an effect. Thank god for hipsters and indie, because it wouldn't be popular if it wasn't for that rag-tag group of twenty-somethings. Anyways, enough about ranting. When something drastic happens to somebody in their life, they usually don't do anything about it. They sulk, experience sadness, etc. but don't put it into something. Have a Nice Life took the time to put their feelings into their music. A flurry of shoegaze, ambient, drone, and post-punk sloshed into a lo-fi blender. It sounds chaotic. But it's soothing. Depressing. It'll destroy your brain. Enough about my opinions, let's get down to business.
A Concept Album for the Ages
Have a Nice Life - Deathconciousness (2008)
Take one look at the cover, which comes from a cut version of Jacques Louis David's painting "The Death of Marat", and a thought will spring to mind: this album isn't for the faint of heart. Spanning two discs (entitled The Plow that Broke the Plains and The Future), the album is a whopping 85 minutes. It's packed with extended pieces. But they work. They don't seem long. They engulf your brain. Deathconciousness is literally an album for the end of the world. A very loose concept album, the music focuses on the story of medieval Italian heretics. Huh? It doesn't detract nor add to the music... but... it's loose. Don't expect it to hit you in the face.
Disc One: The Plow that Broke the Plains
The album starts out quietly with the strangely titled "A Quick One Before The Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut", whose title is an ode to HaNL's home state and the first "rock opera" by the Who. A softly picked acoustic guitar plays over long, drawn out synthesizer notes, with another synthesizer pulsing in and out. This continues for about 5 minutes, until the drone is broken and a muddled voice comes in rambling about something nobody understands. The track ends abruptly, and we're tossed into one of my favorite tracks, "Bloodhail". A huge bassline opens the track with programmed drums, and a very cool guitar comes crashing down. Picture a nuclear bomb going off in the distance while a couple watches. Bombastic lyrics (I'm gonna make the roof come off/kill everybody in there) accent the enormous sounds of the guitar and bass. Louder singing plunders through the middle, and neaer the end the loud singing comes back accompanied by the repeated saying of "arrowheads", calling to mind millions of archers shooting arrows up into the sky to kill God himself. The song ends with the isolated lyrics immediately after the rest of the band fades out. We are taken into the simple electric guitar lines of "The Big Gloom", and it seems like another strange ballad. However, around 2:25, one of the most spine-tingling moments in modern music occurs. The programmed drums kick in, and the guitar becomes huge. The transition is absolutely astounding. Monolithic, if you will. It continues on for the rest of the song, never letting up. "Hunter" starts out with more programmed drums, and trumpet-like guitars. At 9 minutes, it is one of the longest songs on the album. The song is very somber and march-like at the beginning, but as it progresses... it gets louder. And louder. Everything eventually crashes within the last 60 seconds, but it's like watching a zeppelin explode. Magnificent. Shining. Unique. Then suddenly, ablaze. Extinguished. That's what "Hunter" is like. As I'm writing this and listening to the album, I'm realizing how tough it is to really describe this music. Just a thought. Anyways, "Telefony" starts with a single long organ chord with some extra tones built onto it. The drone carries for a little while, until the drums kick in at around 30 seconds. Around a minute, a very interesting bassline comes in, and adds a sense of urgency and depression to the track. Almost like... sneaking from police in a post-apocalyptic city. The lyrics come along, and the lo-fi nature makes them very hard to interpret. But Dan Barrett's voice is hauntingly beautiful. A dreamy light amongst the industrial darkness of the track. Near the end, a strange cymbal-like noise is added in, wrapping up the listener in a creepy blanket of sound and closing out the song. The sadly titled "Who Would Leave Their Son Out in the Sun" begins with a very faint and simple strummed guitar. The minor chords of the guitar leave the listener drained, and becomes almost a strange ballad. Angelic and choir-like vocals are buried in the mix, but are audible. I'm absolutely floored by this track. I mean... it's the epitome of dark and beautiful. Sadness is the only thing I get from this song. It's so hard to describe. The song is emotionally painful. You can hear the strength and passion behind Dan's distorted and far-away voice. Near the end, it starts to grow stronger but still feels like you're hearing them underwater from a mile away. At around 4:15, a scratched guitar breaks the monotony, and the soothing guitar is gone. The song ends on a very soft, yet cacophonous note. "There is No Food" starts out with communique-like beeps, and a Gilmour-esque guitar slides into the mix. You can hear field recordings of trucks and crying people. A massive bass hits at around 1:05, and shakes you to the bone. The guitar is immense, yet buried in the back. This song is like being at a refugee camp and running out of supplies, hence the name. Distorted field recordings run through the left channel, like a man on a megaphone at the camp. Near the end, you can hear the wailing much more clearly. It's not very loud, but it's powerful. Truly brings a strange and depressing idea to close out the first disc...
Disc Two: The Future
The dark, abrasive drone of "Waiting for Black Metal Records to Come In the Mail" opens disc two on an unnerving note. Now don't be alarmed. Blast beats, tremolo picking, and screeched vocals don't come into play here. However, a quick programmed drum beat comes in, then a badass, almost Opethian riff joins. This track is probably the fastest song on the album, and even then... it's almost doom metal paced. This is probably the most straight-ahead rock song on the entire album, with a conventional structure and Thom Yorke-like vocals buried under layers of guitars and loud computerized snare hits. A strange NES-reminiscent beat opens "Holy Fucking Shit: 40,000", alongside distorted vocals and a simple acoustic guitar line. I don't get the song's title. Hell, I bet nobody does. This track is almost as minimalistic as the opening track on disc one, but things change around 1:15. A gorgeous, yet simple piano line joins in the mix, adding a sense of light and hopefulness. A foreboding guitar breaks the monotony at 3:20, and the song turns into a fast-pasted funeral dirge. The drums pound across the channels, and the bass drum is especially relentless in its job to simply keep the beat. A march-like drum pattern signals the outro, which eventually fades into another acoustic guitar passage closing out the song. Another electronic beep and drone opens "Deep, Deep". I feel like I'm walking through a futuristic and bleak sweatshop one hundred years from now. Trumpet-like synths sprawl amongst a malevolent guitar drone, calling to mind an evil general overlooking his troops from a hill. The guitar becomes more prominent as the drums disappear into thin air. Pounding bass effervesces until the guitar drones out into the remaining seconds, a noisy and simplistic outro accentuated by footstep-like hits. A giant drum beat opens "The Future", and a fucking awesome bassline dominates the soundscape. This song rocks. Like a cracked-out, horribly recorded cover of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir". An urgent synthesizer breaks into the scene and adds to the atmosphere. This song isn't that complex, but it sure is badass in its own simplistic way. A distant, pounding drum signals the start of "I Don't Love". The creepy harmony vocals of Dan and fellow bandmate Tim Micuga haunt the landscape, and a massive door opens at 0:50. It's like opening Pandora's Box, or the Ark of the Covenant. Hundreds of giant sounds rush out all at once, engulfing the channels in beautiful distortion and feedback. The vocals are still there, but just suffocated by the sheer sound. The distortion stays at maximum level. It's gorgeous chaos. The song starts to level out at around 5:45, and everything fades out until Dan and Tim yell the final lyrics. "Earthmover" is the longest and last song on the album, clocking in at a huge 11 minutes. The beginning is reminiscent of the earlier "The Big Gloom", and... well, this song is basically the same structure. The drums and guitar come crashing down, and... oh god it just sends goosebumps through my whole body. Shit, that happened while I was writing and listening. This song is the embodiment of watching buildings crumble. Mountains collapsing. Holding a lover's hand as the sky sets on fire, and you have the comfort of each other while the world falls in around you. We're not even three minutes in. A track like this hasn't been produced in years. It stands on its own as one of the most beautiful songs ever. At 4 minutes, things calm down. The buildings have fallen. The world has ended. A single guitar and a mournful voice mournfully cry over the wasteland. The metaphorical tape rewinds, and the world collapses again at 5:45. It's so damn beautiful, we had to do it twice. Soaring guitar and heartbreaking piano are crushed by distortion and snare beats, but still purveys a sense of destructive nature alongside stunning and uplifting noises. Wailing guitar continues throughout the track, until the world finally ends once and for all at 8:30. Things start to level out. The distortion, piano, and tremolo guitar are still there. Feedback engulfs the rest of the band, and it begins to fade. The destructive drone's abrasive nature continues forward, crushing everything in its path. Feedback begins to warp at 20 seconds, and the song abruptly stops at 6 seconds left. And it's over. Everything is gone.
The Verdict
There shouldn't be a verdict necessary. This album is a piece of modern genius. Angry, yet stunning. Depressing, yet hopeful. A loose concept, sure. But does it work? Abso-fucking-lutely.
2013 has really proven itself to be a giant year for metal. The godfathers, Black Sabbath, have made a major comeback drawing back to their roots as doomy, Satanic musicians. Prog metal titans Dream Theater announced a new album. Ghost has put out a solid album, touting psychedelia and the occult blended with heavy metal and theatrics reminiscent of King Diamond. Isis is almost reformed with fellow experimental metaller Chino Moreno of Deftones. The angsty Californians of Deafheaven impressed the indie darlings at Pitchfork and NME with their dreamy sophomore album. Enough about metal though. To the albums!
Ghost - Infestissumam
Ghost- Infestissumam
Coming hot off the heels of their 2011 album Opus Eponymous, Ghost was thrust into metal stardom. Their traditional take to metal and its old Satanic themes appealed to the masses, and the followup was highly anticipated. Well, they did it again (sort of). With much more prominent keyboards and a new incarnation of Papa Emeritus, the band pretty much fused '60s psychedelic rock with Satanic lyrics and heavy metal vibes. Not to say that it's a horrible combination. It's listener-friendly enough to cater to the casual metalhead, but also at the same time diehard headbangers. The band is much more famous for their onstage antics and personalities remaining a secret, but it really adds to the music's vibe. I feel like I'm at a ritual when I listen to Ghost, but that ritual is pretty damn metal. This record furthers that feeling even more, and it's an easy listen to boot.
Standout Tracks - Year Zero, Monstrance Clock, Ghuleh/Zombie Queen
Palms - s/t
Palms - s/t
I'm a major proprietor of the post-metal sound. Isis was a defining band back in the mid-2000s, but unfortunately split in 2010. Recently, the rest of Isis excluding their vocalist got back together, and teamed up with Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. Everyone expected the result to be a heavy cacophony of destructive riffs from the Isis members and crazy screaming from Chino. We were pretty wrong. What Palms has created is something the critics are calling "dream metal". The band crafts intricate, yet soft passages dwelling within post-rock more than post-metal. Chino kinda screams but really more... whines. It kind of detracts from the soundscapes the other members create. The lyrics aren't that great either, almost emo material, speaking of love lost and associated. If this was an instrumental album from the remaining Isis members, I'd be a lot happier. But this result is good too. Just not as good as it could have been.
Ground zero. Sabbath starts over with the basics. Doomy riffs. Satanic lyrics. General metal badassery. 13 brings Sabbath to a new generation of metalheads, showing that doom metal is the best metal. Riffs, riffs riffs. I can't really describe this album in detail. It's just Black Sabbath being Black Sabbath. No more of that 80s/90s bullshit. Straight up metal, no holds barred. Ozzy, Tony, and Geezer have returned, backed by Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk (Bill Ward got too fat, according to the Ozz Man). Throwbacks to tripped-out experiments (Planet Caravan, anyone?), bluesy roots (Evil Woman), and extended metal (War Pigs) are rampant on this album. Hell yeah! Black Sabbath has returned. Even with a subpar production thanks to Rick Rubin, the ass-kicking is in full swing.
Standout Tracks - End of the Beginning, Zeitgeist, Damaged Soul
The Verdict(s)
Ghost - Infestissumam 4/5
Palms - s/t 3.5/5
Black Sabbath - 13 4.5/5
Listen to these albums this year. They're varied in taste, but they're all still metal. The year 2013 has been a lucky year for the headbangers indeed, and we're just getting started.
Young high school classmates Jim Ward and Cedric Bixler formed At the Drive-In in 1993, and played their first gig at an El Paso high school in 1994. Grabbing three other members, ATDI released the three song Hell Paso EP later that year. The post-hardcore scene was just coming into view thanks to people like Ian MacKaye and bands like Black Flag, Fugazi, and the Jesus Lizard. However, ATDI's unorthodox style punched the genre right in the jaw. These guys were going to be big. The band's first major release, Acrobatic Tenement, saw the light in mid-1996. With raw production and power, the band made ripples in the post-hardcore scene. Cedric's aggression and Jim's different techniques brought out a fresh breath of air. After yet another EP (1997's El Gran Orgo), At the Drive-In hit an apex. Their second full-length In/Casino/Out brought together the classic lineup of Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals, Jim Ward & Omar Rodriguez-Lopez on guitars, Paul Hinojos on bass, and Tony Hajjar on drums. The unpolished production of the previous releases was still omnipresent. But, the band started to add in progressive elements alongside their post-hardcore trademarks in songs like "Hulahoop Wounds" and my personal favorite, "Transatlantic Foe". Many fans consider this a cornerstone of the post-hardcore scene alongside albums like Fugazi's 13 Songs and Black Flag's My War. But something bigger was to come.
2001: A Prog Odyssey
A year before their breakup, ATDI recorded one of the greatest albums of the pre-2010s, entitled Relationship of Command.
Relationship of Command (2000)
Now, Omar and Cedric had quite a bender towards progressive rock. Relationship of Command saw a sharper slant towards lengthier and more complex pieces, with tracks like "Quarantined" and "Invalid Litter Dept.". The angry El Paso sound was still there thanks to Jim, Paul, and Tony, who countered Omar's prog tendencies with facemelters such as "One-Armed Scissor" and "Rolodex Propaganda", the latter featuring punk idol Iggy Pop on backing vocals (read: yelling.). This destructive 5-piece burst into the limelight, with "One-Armed Scissor" and "Invalid Litter Dept." with the former elbowing its way through post-grunge and nu-metal to #26 on the Billboard charts.
Things were looking up for the crazy Texans. However, on their 2001 tour, the band started to lose steam. Cedric and Omar's drug-addled progressive ideals didn't quite appeal to the other three members, who were looking towards alternative rock stardom. The band split in March of the same year. Fortunately, this breakup spawned two other groups. One would destroy mainstream music and shock listeners everywhere. The other would merely be a footnote on the bottom of the post-hardcore dossier. Let's take a look at the latter first.
Sparta: Like At the Drive-In, But Not As Crazy
Hot off the heels of the ATDI fiasco, Jim, Tony, and Paul formed Sparta. Chugging out their first LP entitled Wiretap Scars in 2002, they had a lot of pressure to live up to in ATDI's shadow. Many critics hailed it to be much more accessible than their old band's music, doing away with the distortion and word salad lyricism of Bixler-Zavala. The trio had basically cleaned up shop from what Acrobatic Tenement and In/Casino/Out left scattered around, bringing the post-hardcore sound to its simplest form. The follow-up, Porcelain, brought Sparta to a more indie sound than the last record. Threes was released in 2006 with little fanfare. Now, there's not much to say about this band. As stated before, they're pre-2000 ATDI without the distortion, field recordings, and wailing vocals. Simple stuff.
The Mars Volta: A Cracked-Out Latin Rhinoceros
The Mars Volta consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, along with a few other musicians who include Juan Alderete, Flea, John Frusciante, Ikey Owens, and Deantoni Parks. With a quick first EP in 2002 (entitled Tremulant), it was clear that Omar and Cedric were out to do something completely different. TMV shocked the music world a year later with their landmark release, De-Loused in the Comatorium. A concept album with abstract artwork by the late Storm Thorgerson, this record twists and turns through the loosely told tale of Cerpin Taxt, which is based off of a true story from one of Bixler-Zavala's old friends from El Paso. Within its 61 minute running time, the listener is thrashed among progressive rock cliches, post-hardcore riffing, and breakneck speed. Cedric's vocals soar above most of the instruments, being at a much higher range than his previous work. We get freak-out Latin rhythms in "Drunkship of Lanterns". Strange calmness within "Televators". Progressive insanity in "Cicatriz ESP". The entire album is smooshed together, and absolutely cannot be listened to on shuffle. Described as "a working jam session between King Crimson, Fugazi, and 1970s Miles Davis", De-Loused topped the Album of the Year charts in 2003 and garned widespread acclaim amongst critics. This record loudly and insanely proclaimed that progressive rock was not dead at all.
With the band's newfound stardom, they proceeded to destroy the minds of many others. 2005 brought in their proggiest work to date, Frances the Mute. Clocking in at a monstrous 77 minutes with a measly 5 tracks, The Mars Volta was going full speed ahead into prog-rock territory. Many of the songs on Frances the Mute spawned from jams on the band's previous tour, creating some insane technical prowess and musical masturbation. This album has it all. Spaghetti-western soundscapes ("Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore). Full-blown prog rock suites (the 32-minute monster "Cassandra Gemini"). Radio-friendly sounds ("The Widow"). The best track on this album is most certainly "L'Via L'Viaquez", infusing John Frusciante's shredding guitar solos with Latin salsa rhythms, creating a cohesive 12 minute epic. The energy within this album is furious. The listener is smacked in the face from the get-go, with little to no reprieve. "Cassandra Gemini" is the best example of this phenomena, blasting rapid-fire drumming and chaotic Latin string arrangements layered with Cedric's cryptic Spanish and English lyrics alongside wailing banshee vocals. This, in my opinion, is THE best Mars Volta record. No question.
After 2006, the band started to experiment even further. On Amputechture, we see twinges of hazy psychedelia meshed with math-rock speed and progressive indecency. 2008's The Bedlam in Goliath smashes everything in its way with relentless beats and crazy electronics topped off by a strange concept involving ghosts and the exploitation of women in the Middle East. The band slows things down a bit with 2009's Octahedron, which many describe as their "acoustic" album. If you want a good image of it, think "Televators" from their 2003 debut. Their final release, 2012's Noctourniquet, signals the end of an era being the most accessible TMV album to date with infusions of alternative and electronica into their chaotic progressive sound. The band broke up in early 2013 due to Rodriguez-Lopez's restless work ethic (read: releasing almost 40 solo albums between 2004 and 2013) and his side project, Bosnian Rainbows. There are no signs of a reunion.
The End of an Era
Even with a reunion of At the Drive-In in 2012 at Coachella and a few other festivals, the glowing fire of the 5 Texan friends has burnt out. Sparta is back from a three year hiatus. Cedric Bixler-Zavala is creating his own solo group with former members of TMV, called Zavalaz. Omar is, of course, touring with Bosnian Rainbows and relentlessly churning out solo albums. Will we ever see a collaboration with the El Paso quintet again? The world may never know...
Suggested Listening
At The Drive-In: In/Casino/Out, Relationship of Command.
Go from here. What did you prefer?
In/Casino/Out: Sparta. Wiretap Scars and Porcelain are your best bet.
Relationship of Command: The Mars Volta. De-Loused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute. Pick and choose from their remaining four albums at your leisure.
Looks like Oasis and a middle aged dude met some girl.
Intro
I'm an enormous proprietor of alternative rock, especially throughout the 1990s. We had Oasis, and their Beatles-esque take on pop music. Radiohead dominated the scene in the latter half, releasing one of the 20th century's greatest works in OK Computer. Now, when I heard of this little group called Spiritualized, I decided to do some pre-listening research. When I found out that their "masterpiece" was released the same year as OK Computer, that NME gave them the best album of 1997 instead of Radiohead, and that they combined space rock, gospel, and alternative rock... I was floored. This band must sound enormous! So naturally, I took the plunge with Spiritualized's magnum opus, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space.
Quite a different experience, this one.
The Album
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (1997)
We score a simplistic album cover, reminiscent of Earth 2. Not bad, but it doesn't prepare the listener for what lies ahead, really... The album starts out with the title track, with its name being spoken at the very beginning by a lady's voice sealed in an intercom. Then, a voice fades in. The lyrics are a little too sappy for my liking from the get-go. You've got unconventional structures in here, with layered voices, space communications ("I've been told *crackle*", ad nauseam), and soaring arrangements. It sounds great in retrospective, but for some reason... it just doesn't click with me. It's too hopeful, too repetitive. Not really great at all, for that matter. Unfortunately, it didn't set the tone for the album well with me at all. "Come Together" throws away convention as well. God, what am I saying... this entire album takes conventional song structure and trashes it in the worst way possible. This is coming from someone who enjoys unconventional structures! I mean, I discovered music through progressive rock, the cornerstone of unconventional! The track makes some extensive use of the gospel choir that is featured throughout the album. The F Bomb makes a notorious appearance as well, overstaying its welcome a little too long. God knows what else is going on, but the song chugs along with fuzzed out guitar, sleigh bells, and drum beats. Almost-chanted singing tinged with English accents over all this? Nah. Not really the best thing. "I Think I'm In Love" starts out with a nice bass intro, and some synth lines. Now we might be getting somewhere! Is that a harmonica? Very nice touch! The Pink Floyd influences are very strong here, with Gilmour-sounding slide guitar exploring the background, and harmonious voices. Maybe the first two tracks didn't ruin the whole album after all? The song length is promising too, at around 9 minutes! Around 4 minutes, horns accentuate everything and speed the song up a bit. The lyrics are cheesy here, but it works with the tune. "All of My Thoughts" brings us to a quiet intro including piano, strings, and bass. The crescendo commences, and brings in spacey keyboards alongside subdued vocals. The drumming is intense on this track. Quiet reminds me of "Tomorrow Never Knows" from Revolver. Psychedelia is in full swing here. The drumming stops, and the horns stay along for the ride. A little further in, the drums come back with a fuzzed-out guitar solo. The soft-loud-soft-loud-soft structure of this song is very prominent, and definitely owes itself to the grunge scene a mere 7 years before. "Stay With Me" is a very nice slowdown from the previous few tracks. Soft vocals lead throughout. I like to think of this song playing at a post-apocalyptic prom, with young couples slow dancing in the ruins of what used to be their lives. Stunning really... "Electricity" is a straight-ahead rocker. You've got the 60's style keyboards. Fuzz guitar. Crazy harmonica. Frantic drumming. A very nice formula, and an easy song to listen to. Probably one of my favorites off the album. "Home of the Brave" starts out with an almost stream of consciousness. Lovey-dovey lyrics are rampant, as is expected of this album.Thankfully this track is short, as it kind of kills the album's momentum.The orchestral swell leads into "The Individual", fading out the previous track's outro and into its own sax drone. We're talking avant-jazz here, placed over almost Earth-y dronescapes. This continues on for a solid 4 minutes. No place appropriate on the album, whatsoever. Thankfully, the fadeout commences quickly. "Broken Heart" is a departure from the previous track. The opening synths harken back to Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Volume II, and create a very calming atmosphere. Horns and violins nearly turn this track into post-rock. Breathy lyrics work their way into the mix. This feels like it's straight out of the Apollo 13 soundtrack. An embodiment of the new space rock, taking it so much more seriously. One of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. We're snapped back into reality with the sporadic beeping and church bells that open "No God Only Religion". A fanfare of sorts opens us, and leads into a drumroll. The song feels like some kind of upbeat military tune, or the theme for an evil king. The instrumental nature of this track doesn't really appeal too much to me, along with another free-jazz freakout. Not bad though. "Cool Waves" slows us down again, with a bluesy harmonica layered under airy vocals and violins. A stunning use of the gospel choir leads this track. I mean, as I listen to it... it sends shivers up my spine! It's almost a combination of Americana, chamber music, and gospel music that creates another one of my favorite tracks from the album. The lyrics actually work very well, as cheesy as they may be. The album comes to a close with a 17 minute epic, entitled "Cop Shoot Cop...". A smooth piano intro brings us into the start of our journey. It reminds me strongly of the Finding Nemo soundtrack, curiously enough. Very mellow, enjoyable atmosphere starts us out. Some synths are thrown into the mix, and the vocals come in with a very stoned tone. The lyrics are kinda strange, and for the life of me I cannot interpret them. Shredding guitar blares over the piano lines, bringing in a badass tone. However, at around 6 minutes... we get another avant-garde freakout. For a a solid 7 minutes. REALLY? Maybe if it was like two minutes, the song would be cut down to at least 12 minutes. It completely kills the track for me. At around 12 1/2 minutes, the main theme reappears. A solid 40 seconds of silence closes the album. I don't know what to think, if it was left at the first 6 minutes... it'd be perfect. But with the freakout and fadeout and silence, it comes off as more meh than anything.
The Verdict
Well... I'm not sure what to say. It's kind of bad. But when it's good, it's VERY good. I was honestly turned off by the first two tracks. The two instrumentals could be left off, and Cop Shoot Cop could be cut down. That would leave us with a pleasant 8-track album, which would be sublime! But hey... I liked more than half the album. That's a plus. I honestly don't think it deserved best album of 1997 up against OK Computer, but it will still be valid 20 years from now in the late 1990s rock canon. For fans of Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, Oasis, Eric Dolphy, and the Verve.
When it comes to down-tempo and electronica, a lot of names come to mind. Massive Attack, Portishead, Moby, Bonobo... quite a long list. But last year, a huge name emerged into the scene from the great down under. Australian artist Chet Faker (aka Nick Murphy) combines elements of Massive Attack's trip-hop, Bonobo's soundscapes, and classic soul into a very unique blend. Last year's twin releases Thinking in Textures and Live Sessions were quite a smack in the face to the humble world of electronica. It's fresh and new again.
With only two releases and a full length on the way, Chet Faker has managed to net himself two best indie release awards (both for Thinking in Textures) as well as Breakthrough Artist of the Year from the AIR Awards. If that's not convincing enough, let's take a look at his first two and only releases.
The EPs
Thinking in Textures (2012)
Thinking in Textures is a different record. At around 30 minutes, it's a little long for an EP. The album starts out with ambient bird noises, a nice drum beat, and some electric piano notes from Chet. "I'm Into You" lures the listener in with sensual lyrics, Chet's crooning voice, and steady drum beats. The main chorus really shows off Chet's vocal power, hitting some higher notes in the process. Midway through the track, a brief spoken part between Chet and an unknown female occurs. It definitely makes the track stick out, showing Chet's sensibility towards sexuality. From this first track, the listener will know the album is going to be full of unique versions of Marvin Gay-esque lyrical cliches without the smooth edge. The music does feel very rough, with Chet's voice almost crackling, like he's singing through an intercom. The track slides directly into "Terms and Conditions", with a light electric piano line and some electronic noodling. Once again, the lyrics are skewed towards love, but with a sad tone involving a woman's lover walking in on her cheating with another man, and resorting to drinking. The chorus is very great, with Chet's soulful voice leading the charge. The song itself is very subdued, looking almost towards a minimalistic approach. Following this is a wonderful cover of Blackstreet's hit "No Diggity". The semi-processed vocals from Chet completely change this gangster rap anthem into an almost romantic track. The electric piano notes careen across the left and right stereo channels, practically engulfing the listener in tone. This track is a brilliant flurry of overlapping harmonies, field recordings of playing children, and almost doo-wop background vocals, this track is an amazing overhaul of the classic. To be honest, I'm partial to the version on Live Sessions, which will be discussed later. "Love and Feeling" is full of wishful lyrics, nice 808 beats, and of course, processed vocals. Soaring synths dominate the chorus, which is loaded with innuendo (my body cares only what you say), and Chet's multitracked voice. The operatic sample at the end segues into "Cigarettes and Chocolate", a quasi-instrumental loaded with lightly strummed guitar chords, field recordings, and indistinct vocal lines, presumably from Chet. This is the peak of his trip-hop experimentations, being the longest track on the EP as well. Probably the most unique track on the album, it truly gives off a feeling of sitting in a park on a sunny day, watching children run and scream while enjoying some of life's guilty pleasures, hence the alliterative song title. It seems truly out of place when listened to by itself, but when combined with "Love and Feeling" for a solid 9 1/2 minute medley, one of the best trip-hop tracks is born. "Solo Sunrise" brings the album back to its roots in angsty and lost love. With drifting organ lines and record scratches in the background, Chet enters with his typical lyrics. This is where the album starts to lose a little steam, with an almost re-hashed feeling when the trip-hop medley is complete. Not to say it's a bad song, it just feels... forced. The EP could have easily ended before this track, and would have made listeners clamor for more. Multitracked Chet dominates the track, and easygoing electric piano chords lead the track to an end. "Everything I Ever Wanted" practically buries Chet's intercom vocals in the mix. The minimalistic approach really kills the album's momentum along with "Solo Sunrise". If the two aforementioned tracks were placed before "Love and Feeling/Cigarettes and Chocolate", the album would flow much better. However, the album isn't completely dead. Thinking in Textures manages to cram a bunch of different ideas, themes, and tones into a handy little 30-minute disc. Not bad for a first release. As a matter of fact, it's one of my favorite debut EPs, next to albums like Tool's Opiate, At the Drive In's Hell Paso, and Agalloch's From Which of this Oak.
Live Sessions (2012)
Live Sessions starts out with an almost Floydian bass intro, not unlike "One of These Days". A snap is heard, and a cover of dubstep artist Burial's "Archangel" begins with a solemn piano line.Like "No Diggity", this version of the song is a complete 180 from the original. Sweeping cymbals and guitar scratching accompany the crescendo, leading into a solo spot from Chet and his piano. The pain within his voice is staggering. Managing to bring such a soulful and powerful voice to a live release is near-next to unheard of these days. The drummer kicks in, and the guitar joins with a long tremolo solo topped off by plodding bass. The song takes a darker and more urgent atmosphere, while Chet croons the simple, yet loving lyrics over an ever-growing guitar. Seeing the raw power change from such a subdued studio album is insane. The post-rocky guitar keeps growing and growing, the drum beat grows faster. In the last few seconds, Chet wails the last few lyrics, and the song ends. A snap occurs again, and the electric piano line from "Love and Feeling" brings us back down from the whirlwind journey of "Archangel". The flying synths from the studio version are long gone, and the song is stripped down to a basic soul tune. The addition of a live band makes this version much better than the studio track. Funnily enough, Chet's voice sounds almost like Marcus Mumford's, except with a deeper tinge. Must be the British roots shining through to his Australian heritage. A nice wah guitar helps close out the track. Live chatter segues the track into a random drum roll, then "No Diggity". This is probably one of the best cover versions I've heard in a long time, standing alongside Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" and Johnny Cash's "Hurt". The delicate vocals from the studio version are replaced with Chet's robust voice, and the stereo-trampling piano is reduced to a minimum. Words barely do it justice.
The Verdict
A very easy listen for both. No, I mean it. These albums aren't inaccessible trip-hop and electronica like Portishead and Massive Attack. Matter of fact, they make for a great springboard into the genres. If you're into indietronica, these gems will shine in your collection. However, the difference between the two is proof that analog recording (Live Sessions if you're wondering) is a better format for this type of music.
Now that the first review is published, here's what's coming up...
Hipster Spotlight: Chet Faker - Thinking in Textures EP
Classics Everyone Has Heard But Me: Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
The Story of At The Drive-In and Why Splinter Bands Kick Ass
Big Metal Show: Palms - s/t, Black Sabbath - 13, Ghost - Infestissumam (all 2013)
I recall my first experience with Vampire Weekend pretty vividly, actually. Saturday Night Live, 2010 I believe it was. Contra was their big release at the time, and when they started playing "Cousins"... I didn't know what to think. A bunch of pasty-skinned kids from New York, playing this addicting indie tune that was admittedly catchy as all hell. I kinda brushed them off my shoulder, but I found them to be... harmless. That's it. I heard the Weekend again when somebody was showing off a copy of Lego Rock Band, which "A-Punk" (from their '08 self-titled) was featured as a playable track. The addicting chorus spat out constantly by lead singer Ezra Koenig got stuck in my head constantly after that. I was definitely sold following this incident. Now, you probably imagine how I felt after I heard about their new release this year, Modern Vampires of the City. I was in the same boat you were, expecting their copyright fusion of baroque pop, indie rock, alternative, and even Afrobeat. I was dead wrong. The ensuing result, however, created one addicting record.
Modern Vampires of the City (2013)
The Album
Where do I start? First off, the album cover. It completely does away with VW's copyright minimalist album covers. A flashy album title graces the top right corner, and the band's simplistic logo sits dead center on top of a picture of the hazy NYC skyline. We all know something is different. Now, Modern Vampires of the City is a loose concept record. Concepts don't work too terribly well in today's mainstream scene, but VW proves that notion wrong. From the get-go, we all know it's something different. The airy piano of "Obvious Bicycle" opens the album, and Ezra's unique voice sets the tone for the album: echoy, energetic, and altogether different. Note that this album still retains a pop sense, so don't expect any tracks over 6-7 minutes. They haven't delved THAT far in, and you kids with a short attention span should enjoy this album without bitching about song lengths. "Unbelievers" is a track teeming with strains of young love, with lyrics like "Girl, you and I will die unbelievers/bound to the tracks of the train". Honestly, I don't know what chick wouldn't swoon over that. The next track, "Step", is probably my least favorite on the album. Ezra's voice starts to grate on me a little bit, being a little too airy. The lyrics don't help either, with something or other about wisdom teeth. Lucky for us, the insanely awesome single from the album, "Diane Young", follows. The sheer energy of this track is enough to make you tap your toe and air-bass. The use of pitch changing in the song is really unique, and the chorus is infectious (Baby, baby, baby, right on time). I'm extremely glad they picked this to be the single, and it's definitely my favorite song from the album. "Don't Lie" brings out some neat organ lines, but it kinda kills the mood right after such a killer track. But it's a very good track on its own. I wouldn't be surprised if this is another single from the album, with it's baroque-y strings accent the loud drum beats and Ezra's vocal lines. I feel like this song is in the line of the Lumineers, like a louder version of those indie darlings. "Hannah Hunt" adds to the concept of living in the city, finding love, and growing up. Contemplative piano leads the track, and this is actually a very pretty ballad. The guitar work near the end wraps up the song nicely, and Ezra's higher pitch vocals work well alongside the lyrics (Though we live on the US dollar/you and me, we've got our own sense of time). "Everlasting Arms" is sort of filler, but kind of bridges the ballad to the next track, which has some energy. Very simple, not bad though. "Finger Back" starts with a sort of U2-esque drum beat, and drives along with Ezra's falsetto. A nice stream of energy and synth lines drive this song, but it's no "Diane Young". Big church organ leads the last part of the song, and a spoken part about a nice Jewish girl meeting some guy in a falafel shop just turns up the concept even more. Lovely track, really. "Worship You" deals with a local love leaving town, and all the dudes being like "Why?". This album really does resonate with me, as something similar like that has happened in my small town. Vampire Weekend really has stepped up their game, and this track is a great example. "Ya Hey" isn't really the best track. It's a tad overlong too, being the longest track clocking in at a little over 5 minutes. Church choirs and chipmunk voices in the same track definitely throw off the balance. VW kinda just threw a bunch of stuff valid in the concept into a bowl, and recorded that shit. I like it more than "Step", though. "Hudson" is actually pretty dark, talking about the death of a dude named... well Hudson, who fell into the... you guessed it, Hudson River. Named after him, apparently. This in relation to the concept is probably simply talking about a character who died, but then again.. the concept ain't that explicit. Good song though. "Young Lion" is a short and simple ending track, basically saying goodbye to the album, maybe shedding light on the next album? Who knows.
The Verdict
To be honest, I liked it. I loved listening to it. But, it's not Contra or Vampire Weekend. However, if you're tired of listening to the same alternative rock and fake indie on the radio, grab this album. It's definitely a contender for Album of the Year, and I'm gonna be dirty pissed if it doesn't go the Grammys.
Rating - 4/5
For fans of: The Lumineers, Foals, Dirty Projectors, and alternative rock/indie in general.
Oh wait, music!
Since I started my journey with Vampire Weekend on SNL, you should too.
Yes, I am making a blog. Through my musical elitism, I have found a release from idiots who don't know who Pink Floyd is through this blog. On ExplosiveMusik (EM), I will expand your musical tastes from simple Top 40 Radio all the way into the realms of jazz and metal that isn't awful, and everything in between. A few features I'm considering on this blog are:
Audience Recommendations (Suggested listening from the comments section/Facebook)
Music from Today (New Albums)
Artist Spotlight (exactly that)
"Hipster" Music (gems that are flying under the mainstream radar)
You Think That's Heavy? (Basically bringing death to false metal)
to name a few.
For my first post, I will be reviewing the new Vampire Weekend album, "Modern Vampires of the City". But, I should probably listen to it first. In the meantime, come up with some suggestions of what you would like to see in this bliggity-blog and whatnot. You're in for a wild ride, kiddos.
