Song of the Week: Thebes - Om

Thebes - Om - God is Good

I just finished listening to this record on LP. I listened to the A side, then B side, then A side again, and loved it. I don't even know if this is my favorite song on the album. I can't even remember what the B side sounds like. The only thing in my head is the literally room shaking bass and piercing sharp drums that ends Thebes. Its 19 - nearly 20 - minutes of hairy bass, sparse drums, and hypnotic chanting. It's hard to write an review for this in pieces, because the music is so much more rewarding when listened to continuously, without distractions or much thought. Really the difference between weather this will sound hypnotic or boring is the amount of thought you have during it. If you are captivated by the rumble and fall of bass and drums then you wont mind mind hearing those endless repetitions , but if you instead seek to analyze each moment you will really take yourself out of the song and will probably sit there wondering why you've been hearing the same damn thing for twenty minutes, and how this could be considered music. The instruments themselves require a complete approach too, it's not about the parts of the band, its about the whole thing together, just sitting back and being transported. It's hardly a song, more of a happening, or an atmosphere. And it still manages to have intense jaw dropping rifts of sound that instead of jarring the listener, move him along peacefully. Simply amazing.

Song: Here

(Disclaimer - I've really only listened to Om on my big speakers at home through which the record players plays. With a band like Om i do think that the quality, and volume of the speakers make a huge difference... See picture at left)

Monday Night Special: Vinum Sabbathi - Electric Wizard

Its clear that much of the band is worked around the idea of shock and awe. They have songs with names like Funeralopolis and We Hate You, and a record called Dopethrone which pictures the devil smoking a bong. You could even go as far to say their sound is based around this principle. The first sound of this album is a sample suggesting "death or mental institutions". Next is a pulsating bass that seems stumbling and somehow unhinged, matched by the mammoth guitar that beats throughout the song. The closest analogy I can give the whole tone of the song (or the album) is that of tar. It's a dark crude mess of black hot pitch; steaming, bubbling, rising and falling. It's a song that with it's title establishes what it will be before its even played and then still manages to shock the listener.

Song: Here

Song of the Week: Harper Lewis - Russian Circles

I first learned about Russian circles by seeing a show of theirs locally on a whim and the basis of a few youtube videos. I came away from the show very impressed, their songs, although long had movement and kept me interested. I think that Harper Lewis best illustrates what i loved about that concert. It has an interesting drum part that allows the melody to slowly develop, until it reaches a crushing climax. At that climax the song smoothly changes it whole tone and attitude, instead of being silent and intense, it becomes a fully realized sound. That change of mood and sound works throughout the whole song, and was a joy to listen to.

Song: Here

Song of the Week: Trap Door - Jake One

I had some reservations by choosing another song from White Van Music, but with MF Doom being the featured artist I thought it was different enough to be interesting. It's also really what I'm listening to right now so its very deserving of the spot.

The beats are darker than the other ones produced by Jake One but have a very smooth quality to it, no doubt in part because of the light keys and guitar put over the song. Giving MF Doom a heavy slower bass beat seems like the thing to do (See: November Has Come), and produces great results. Paced by cymbals his deep dark slurred voice fits perfectly into the elephant walk of the bass. As usual Doom gives the listener a ludicrous amount of bars for the song, and it is filled with memorable lines "your messing with the wrong kids Michael//It aint jack son to flip the script like camera, action" and "The proof is the computers down, Urkle"

Song Here

Saturday Special: Love Story - Deltron

Dedicated the surprisingly warm weather.

Dan the Automator and Kid Kuala team up with Del Tha Funkee Homosapien on Deltron 3030 to produce a funky, spacy, futuristic, piece of work. Telling the story of a trio of cyborgs out to save humanity, Deltron 3030 gets props for being unique and incorporating comedy into their songs.

Love story shows off the talents of all three by bringing a big bass swaggering bass line and simple keyboard creating a great atmosphere for the winding lyrics of Del. Balancing futuristic with down to earth funk, Deltron created a great album, and a great song for any sunny Saturday.

Song Here

Song of the Week: Jake One feat Freeway and Brother Ali - The Truth

Jake One, producer behind beats like "Rock Co Kane Flow", provides a great canvas for the rapping over it. A steady rocking drum beat provides the rhythm for strings and light chorus which is juxtaposed next to the heavy brass and hard lyrics of Freeway and Brother Ali. The delivery of Freeway is rough and a great contrast to Brother Ali's smooth and soulful sound. Brother Ali is a personal favorite of mine ("Mother Fuck Reagan"), and is the reason I first found the track, but Jake One can pull his own weight and the beat is simply fantastic. Overall a great track.


Song Here

Song of the Week: 50 Million Year Trip - Kyuss

Everything you need to know about this song can be seen in the title above. Constantly evolving its rhythms and melodies, its almost surreal how well the band blends these different sounds and tones . Starting with a hyped up guitar line, and speedy vivacious drums, the song flows easily into a groove that has more fuzz than a old wool blanket. The real beauty of these songs are there seamless transitions into these "trip" moods. Going from aggressive to slow and grooving to calm and atmospheric, you feel like the song must be an odyssey in length, but it's pretty concise at about five minutes. A masterpiece of a song, listen Here. (A side note, I love the music video)

Albums of Note '09

Some very good albums that came out in 2009.
(Note for the Albums of Note: This list is not comprehensive)

1. Brother Ali - Us
Listening to this album will always remind me of Jay-Z's Death of Autotune. Not necessarily because of its lyrical tenacity, but because of how it stands out against the crowd. Putting live recorded guitars, drums, horns and other instruments enhances the music incredibly, creating an amazing listen. Telling wonderful stories, with gripping beats Brother Ali has produced his best album thus far. Song Here

2. The Heavy - The House That Dirt Built
A wonderful album that contains an incredibly amalgamation of genres. Ranging from reggae, rock, hip-hop, funk, and indie, the heavy take all the best from these genres, from the rhythms and bass, to the raw energy and fire of the band, even mellow and haunting lyrics. Including a song that takes cue from Screamin Jay Hawkins - I put a Spell on you, the album is an incredible musical exuberance. Song Here

3. Band of Skulls - Baby Darling Doll Face Honey
Band of Skulls provide an excellent musical expieriance, balancing more aggressive riffs, with calm interludes and excellent lyrics. The Bands strongest point lie in its vocalist (who is also the bassist) and guitarist. They provide excellent soaring melodies to contrast with the hard tight drumming, and low rumbling bass. An extremely catchy, fun album. Song Here.

4. Kylesa - Static Tensions
Often spoken in the same breath as other notable bands from Savannah G.A. (Baroness, Mastodon) Kylesa has a sometimes not so subtle difference from those other two. Having two drummers makes for a more brutal and crude sound than Baroness or Mastodon, but this is by no means a brainless head thrashing. Listening to Unknown Awareness there exists a distinct feel, style, and orchestration to the song which is commanded and driver with an ominous even primal dual drum line. I would love to say that this is a finished album, one that balances the heavy and the ambient, but its not. Its too rough, and although i love the songs, too often you find yourself waiting for moments in a song, not the whole song itself. That being said this is the music is still superb being heavy, eerie, layered, and so rhythmically driven that it never lets up. Song Here

Song of the Week: Patterns - Band of Skulls

Patterns provides an incredible blues rocking experiences. By balancing dense heavy down beat strikes of bass with eerie wispy lyrics, Band of Skulls achieves a duality that transcends dissonance. Aided by competent drumming that accents the chorus and provides ample rhythmic backdrop for the lyrics and guitar, the true focus of the song. Patterns takes us back on a musical adventure to when blues-rock reigned over the music world, and we can easily appreciate why.

Song Here