Album Review: How I Got Over

How I Got Over - The Roots

This album is spectacular. It has a full live sound from an accomplished and talented band, of the most underrated MC's in the game (Black Thought), multiple appearances from John Legend, catchy choruses, and a high level of consistency and professionalism throughout the whole album. This isn't a thoughtless rampage of fat techno house beats with lyrics about getting money cars and women, its a spacious real musical sound with thoughtful sincere lyrics. I'm ready to call this the album of 2010. It can be playful, dark, soulful, but always always entertaining. I'm going to list my favorite songs, and its going to be the whole "A" side of the album. Turn the volume up, and play them through some big good box speakers. Buy the album, youtube cannot do it justice.

Walk Alone

Dear God 2.0

Radio Daze

Now or Never

How I Got Over

And that's only the A side.

Thursday Special: Deadly Medley

Deadly Medley - Black Milk feat. Royce da 5'9'' and Elzhi - Album of the Year

Detroit goes really strong in this song as all three hail from the motor city, and all three do a fantastic job with their verses, crafting funny and memorable lines. Although I personally think Elzhi was the weakest of the bunch (and his lines were pretty good), but that Royce Da 5'9'' absolutely knocked this song out. Black milk was good, and his beat on this song is classic showing that he took a couple of notes on the late great fellow Detroit rapper/producer J-Dilla.

Enjoy the song and my favorite lyrics from the three.

"My shit is martin luther your shit is martin lawrence" ~ Black Milk

"You can't take the heat get yo ass out the kitchen

Matter fact take yo ass back in there and wash the dishes" ~ Royce da 5'9''

"I left detroit rappers in fitteds decapitated" ~ Elzhi

That Doomed Feeling: What Have You Done Lately

What Have You Done Lately - Sasquatch - II

I thought I'd make some posts more directly relating with one of my favorite sub genres of music: Doom Metal. Doom metal is just normal metal (which in itself is hard to define, the sound difference between Iron Maiden and Golgoroth is vast, but both are blanketed under the term metal) but with a very slow tempo. A great and early example of doom metal is Black Sabbath from the album Black Sabbath by the band Black Sabbath. Although not original in name it was original in just how slow dark and "doomed" the music sounded. Many modern Doom Bands are now considered part of the "Stoner" genre, when that term was birthed in the early nineties, because of their hypnotic nature and lyrically focus on illict drugs (i.e. Weedeater), but again the basic qualities are the same, slow, loud, and heavy. Some bands I've posted about before that fall into this genre would be: Electric Wizard, Acid King, Om, and Earth. A classic Doom band that I need to post about is: Sleep.

What Have You Done Lately off of Sasquatch's second album II (Creative, just like Sabbath's song Sabbath, off the album Sabbath), really hit the button for me in terms of doom metal. It's less vile than Electric Wizard, while still holding onto its tripped out, heavy, and hypnotic stylings. The thing I really like about this is that instead of just riding out that groove, Sasquatch seems to have a little fun with it and just get into a absolute stomping tear, changing the tempo and the riff, and layering on even more lead heavy guitar.

Enjoy.

New Release: My Goodness

My Goodness is a bluesy rock Seattle two piece band, that does more than just sound like the Black Keys, and allow me to rant on this for a moment, just because the Black Keys are successful does not mean they own, or completely invented their sound, or that we should reduce bands that sound like them, to cheep knockoffs. That being said, although they're sounds are similar, I think My Goodness absolutely has a more violent aggressive attack to some of its songs. The first thing I thought of when I saw the music video for My Goodness's I've got a Notion was the Melvins. I'm not sure why, but I felt extremely validated when I saw that Big Business (shares members with the Melvins) was listed as an influence on their music. The second thought I had was of Valient Thorr, who also played very hyper aggressive, bluesrock-ish (punk-ish?) music. Ultimately though, this band stands very well on its own and I look forward to getting its debut self titled album soon.

Live Performance Special: Civilian

Civilian - Wye Oak - Civilian

I love this song live and in studio. The vocalist has a beautiful swirling delivery which is a perfect match for the distortion and reverb of her guitar, matched with the simple, thumping kick drum. The amount of passion and loud she puts into that guitar solo is just fantastic. It's not technical, it's just simple and brutally emotive. Wow.

Live.

Studio.

Song of the Week: Tyrant

Tyrant - Black Math Horseman - Wylt

Way back in the early months of 2010 when I was first buying records I was trying to choose an album to buy off of the TeePee record label. The decision was split between the cool looking The Legend Of Gods Gun by Spindrift and the not as cool looking or sounding (in name) Wylt by Black Math Horseman. I ultimately left it up to album covers and chose Spindrifts because of that and the fact that it was yellow translucent vinyl. I made a poor decision, although there are some good songs on The Legend Of Gods Gun, that will probably get mentioned in another post sometime. Anyhow what I liked about Black Math Horseman and Tyrant in particular still holds true to today, over a year and a half later. It has long songs which would put it more in the post rock category, but a dynamic quality, and solid enough drumming (and rhythms in general) that keep the songs from getting too lost while still having a darker, almost trance like quality. This quality is really shaped by the amount of delay and distortion on guitar, but also the ethereal quality of the vocals, which I love. I think nothing would suit this band better than a female vocalist, she doesn't wail or scream, but instead delivers haunting whisping vocals, perfect for this album. I really find it refreshing when vocalists, especially metal ones, don't really on brutal screams. There's really nothing creative about a scream, and that's the wonderful thing about music is that you can make it scream for you, in a much more beautiful and powerful way, than you just making loud unintelligible noises for 4 and a half minutes, with no dynamic change. Her voice is perfect for this, it's subtle at times but not wavering, it's powerful, without being oafish. Tyrant winds this mix of heaviness, subtly and hypnotism very well, and is extremely enjoyable to listen to. Enjoy.

Retrospective: Roots Manuva

Roots Manuva - Run Come Save Me

Way back in early April I had Witness by Roots Manuva as my song of the week, this June I bought the whole album and thought it would be a nice idea to visit the material again. The things that I loved about Witness, it's bumbling, heavy, sloppy, electronic beats and odd offbeat (usually nonsensical, at least to me) rhyming, were things that I really enjoyed about songs throughout the album, but weren't mixed as well together. Join the Dots with Chali 2na from Jurassic Five (who I really like as part of Jurassic Five) didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the album. It lacked the stumbling quality, and like Chali 2na's rapping style was very clear and almost forceful. Trim Body (or Kicking the Cack, as he may not actually be saying words) I loved even though it really didn't have that same clear beat or any rapping at all, instead it just had that slippery, funky electronic sound that fits so well in the album.

Album Review: Midnight Marauders

Midnight Marauders - A Tribe Called Quest

I just recently bought this album so maybe I'm still in the honeymoon period, but I knew songs like "Award Tour" and "Electric Relaxation" for a long time and I still think they have a very fresh and live sound to them. I really think this album will last for me, its already been 18 years since it was put out, and it sounds great in every category, from the writing to the production. The beats are funky, and the rhymes are playful, although it sounds darker to me than The Low End Theory, which has to be in my top ten albums to listen to. The interplay of jazzy samples, funky bass, and thumping boom bap drums makes the album just enjoyable to listen to, and the rhyming is absolutely top notch. The two songs I mentioned above are excellent and some other great ones are:

8 Million Stories

Sucka Nigga

We Can Get Down

Oh My God

God Lives Through

Song of the Week: CO2

CO2 - Colour Haze - CO2

There is something about Colour Haze that screams summer to me. They always seem to play so loose with a rolling quality to their songs which don't feel forced when they tend to go on long. The great musicianship of all three also helps make an 11 minute song an enjoyable experiences, Following the drums and guitar while being swallowed by the fat bottom the bass provides on the sound is simply amazing. I love listening to all three especially when they ditch the riffs and go right for the over the top soloing. The drums move so well, and the guitar takes on plenty of tones and textures, blending of blues, psychedelia, and heavy heavy distortion, each style flowing into each other seamlessly. As far as recording I love how they don't compress they're music, its recorded all in analog and meant to be played loud. Enjoy!

Song: Here

P.S. For this song in particular the beginning is very reminiscent of Space Cadet (another great summer song, also recorded live!) but really steps into its own form pretty quickly with a heavy riff.

Retrospective: Om and Earth

Retrospective: Om and Earth

I was recently looking through some of my records and decided I wanted something long, drawn out, and atmospheric. My first thought was Yawning Man, but I decided that that just didn't feel right and more importantly would have too much going on. The next thought went to Om, but again, even with its simplified style, it seemed to heavy, too loud, too crowded. The one I ended up deciding on was Radio Live by Earth. I was pleased with my choice (The second and fourth tracks in particular were perfect) but I was left wondering just what made Earth seem more minimalist. They have more instruments, more bandmemeber's, and much more improvisation. I think what really did it for me was the physical connotation of the word minimalist. While Om doesn't always do "Put it to 11" sound, they usually get there in a song, and although its just two people, its no "minimal" sound. It's a "maximum", flooring, and commanding sound. As hugely entertaining as I find songs like Junkyard Priest (Great name for a song), it really never seems to have the same dynamic rise in sound. It sits where it is, a simple riff that might float off for a couple of bars before returning back to its origin. Consider also a previous song i had reviewed by Earth, the rolling Tallahassee. I had made specific mention in the review of the "hugeness" of the song, of it's pure physical power, and although it could certainly be less complex, and more raw than Junkyard Priest, it is not in my opinion more minimal, or more droning. The label "drone" and to an extent "minimal" make me think more of passive sounds and landscapes, in both the complexity of the melody and the volume of the song. Although Om may stay close to one theme, there dynamic complexity and change in tone's during songs make it much more active while Earth's static volume and complexity make it "Droning" and almost easier to listen to.

Here are those two songs that I found particularly enjoyable in their own "Minimalist" and "Drone" way, even if I don't fully understand those terms myself. It's also important to note that Radio Live is a "live" album and that the band actually does less live, than it does in studio. I'll leave the two versions of Omens and Portents up for variety and comparisons sake.

Omens and Portents II: The Carrion Crow (Live)

Omens and Portents II: The Carrion Crow (Studio)

Junkyard Priest

Song of the Week: Catalina

Catalina - The Descendants - Milo Goes to College

The Descendants are punk. It's simple, quick, has plenty of attitude but never sacrifices having fun. That being said I really like it because although I respect how "punk" it is to me it sounds like hairy rock and roll to me, and absolutely I love it. It has angst, rhythm, speed, rebellion all things I associate with rock and roll, and love in this song. From a more technical standpoint I love their rhythm section and how they put their bass so far forward in the mix, it just gives the sound a fullness and hairiness that goes well with the scratchy guitars.

Song Here

New Release: Elzhi - The Elmatic

Elzhi - The Elmatic

This album has gotten a lot of press recently and it is absolutely deserved. If there's one thing i hate it's jumping on a bandwagon and just bumping up what other people have said without any original thought. That being said, believe what you hear, this is special.

The Elmatic, is not just a tribute, it's an update, a reworking, and a cover. It takes every track off of the Illmatic, a classic album for any genre, and rerecords them with a live band, and Elzhi rapping over them in a similar style, rhythm, or beat pattern to the original. No one is here to say that Elzhi is a better rapper than nas, or that this album is better than the original, but this album is great in its own way! Performing these songs with a live band gives it a much fresher feel, and Elzhi does a wonderful job emulating Nas while still telling his own story and leaving his own mark on the aalbum.

Halftime, one of my absolute favorites off the original, gets a spectacular rendition by Elzhi and his backing band, but also represents the two albums well. It sounds different in the best way possible. I just love both of them so much. Nas rapping, it's better, and more memorable ("You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer//That's like Malcolm X, catchin the Jungle Fever"), but I LOVE Elzhi's smooth quick agile delivery. See and compare for yourself. The Original. The Update.

I don't think I even mentioned the best part. It's Free. All of it. It's not a pay as much as you want, its just free. I'm trying to find someway to buy it, because I want to support Elzhi now, but so far as i can tell this is free mp3 download only.

If you didn't click on any of the download links here it is.

Song of the Week: Take Notice - J Dilla feat Guilty Simpson

Take Notice - J Dilla Feat Guilty Simpson - Ruff Draft

The sound of this song is like it's album title, rough. It's slow and minimal, the keys and electronic aren't over the top or overwhelming. The whole sound is incredibly refreshing after listening to a lot of more modern pop which can be heavily overproduced and bogged down with too many odd loops and electronic samples. The song immediately establishes a nodding rhythm and sticks to it. J Dilla's attitude certainly comes through on the song and is even better illustrated by this blurb (from the youtube video)

"J Dilla introduced Guilty Simpson to Stones Throw by saying, "You should sign him." He was signed."

Enjoy.

Double Header: The Dawes Part Two

Peace in the Valley – The Dawes – North Hills

For the second part of the double header I thought about reviewing one of the Dawes more country songs (Western Skyline), but actually chose one that represents another side of the ban where they kick in a little grit in the guitar tone and get down to some bluesy music. Don't get the wrong impression; it’s not B.B. or Freddie king, but it does drop into some heavier toned, darker, stuff, especially when paired against it poppy review companion When My Time Comes.

Clearly, I’m a big fan of bands that can put some attitude and emotion into their music, and while that’s certainly something I love about the song I also think its placement in the album makes it even more appealing and powerful to me. Instead of going out with lyrics and the spoken word, where the album (and half of the song) is really centered, it ends the album with a spacious, thoughtful sound. Guitar tones are sustained and bent, reaching high and hitting low hard. It really is like the image of "peace in the valley", a quiet spacious expanse that is below normal ground, the lyrics and speaking and voices of that proliferate the album before it. It's interesting that the Dawes choose to fill this peaceful place with such an emotive, hard, guitar tone and I think it really speaks to the final lines "If I don't find peace in the valley, I've got no place else to look.". Much like the rest of the album it takes on a reflective tone (When My Time Comes is mostly written in past tense, and is a self narrative), the last line seems to say that if he can't find peace in the valley, where he's the only person there, where else will he find it. Sadly when the vocals drop away we don’t find peace, instead we hear the long tormented wails of a guitar, rising and falling, until the end. It signals a sad realization that sometimes the trouble you find in the world is trouble you bring to it. Enjoy.

Song Here

Double Header: The Dawes Part One

When My Time Comes - The Dawes - North Hills

Welcome to the new Double Header feature where you get two post's about two songs from one band in one day. The band for the inaugural posting is The Dawes, whose song "When My Time Comes" I was positive I had reviewed, but actually hadn't. The roots of this song is both musically and lyrically rooted in classic Americana. There is a distinct country-blues feel to the song, but with a rock feel and vocal harmonies that are reminiscent of Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Lyrically the song is just fantastic. Not only in its poetic content but also its smooth delivery. The whole song just sums up misguided youth. It talks about ignorant certainty that comes with inexperience in the world, and the consequences when you face these black and white truths you were taught.

So I pointed my fingers and shout a few quotes I knew
As if something that´s written should be taken as true
But every path I have taken and conclusion I drew
Would put truth back under the knife.

[...]

And now it seems like the unraveling has started too soon
Now I´m sleeping in hallways and I´m drinking perfume
And I´m speaking to mirrors and I´m howling at moons
While the worst and the worst that it gets.
Oh you can judge all the world on the sparkle that you think it lacks.
Yes you can stare into the abyss but it´s staring right back.

That final line of "Yes you can stare into the abyss but it's staring right back" is a classic. Overall I find the whole song just delightful. It has a lyrical structure that reminds me of Bob Dylan and a sincere playing style that makes me think of the most free spirited CSNY. Enjoy.

Song Here.

Live Performance Special: In the Valley

In the Valley - Chief - Modern Rituals

My last few posts have really been moving towards a more summer feel, and this song is certainly following this trend. More along the calm bittersweet side of the summer feel than upbeat and optimistic, more "The Good Times are Killing Me" than say "Use Me" as an example. It has a very calming California sound but also its message definitely focuses on loneliness. I guess its kind of finding sadness in a good place, and that the sadness isn't from the setting, but from yourself. Just "Sitting in the valley alone". Anyway you cut the meaning, the band really performs well live, the vocalist is fantastic in a mellow singsong way that is not overblown or over dramatic. It's as though he's just singing to himself, but with real shine and beauty in his voice. Enjoy.

Song: Here

Song of the Day: Use Me - Bill Withers

Use Me - Bill Withers - Still Bill

Its a beautiful spring day, and Use Me is such a great song for it! This song is happy, funky, written by a true master, and actually less well known than his other great Ain't no Sunshine. Enjoy!

Song of the Week: Wicker - Clutch

Wicker - Clutch - Pitchfork EP

Clutch is personally one of my favorite band, their self titled album is something I can listen to again and again, the whole way through. I love their sound tone, lyrics, and dynamics, all of which point to an insane sound especially in their earlier albums. Wicker has guitar tones that wash over you in distorted waves before switching to a choppy off beat riff for the verses of the song. The actual lyrics are contradictions and riddles, they're full of idioms and wordplay confusing meaning. I love it.

Friday Special: So Excited - B.B King

So Excited - B.B King - Completely Well

This song really does make me So Excited. I feel bad whenever I write short reviews like these, but I really cant even begin to describe everything that I love about this song, probably because I love everything about it. From its key's to drums to B.B. King himself this is a truly amazing song.

Song: Here

Song of the Week: Don't Let It Bring You Down

Dont Let it Bring you Down - Neil Young - After the Gold Rush

The lyrics for this are simply amazing. Neil Young's voice is not for everyone, but this was the absolute standout for me on an album of amazing songs (Southern Man, Etc...). For some reason I find the phrase "Dont let it bring you down, It's only castles burning, Just find someone who's turning, And you will come around" oddly reassuring and sad. For me it deals with loss of material items and things, and that the relationships we have with people, who have also lost like you have, is what will ultimately turn us around and make us alright. Anyway, I've included all the lyrics, they are really potent! A phrase that always gets stuck in my head is the "Blind man running through the light of the night, With an answer in his hand, Come on down to the river of sight, And you can really understand" it's just all one big contradiction but I still love it and find it very powerful.

Song Here

Lyrics Below
---------------
Old man lying by the side of the road
With the lorries rolling by,
Blue moon sinking from the weight of the load
And the building scrape the sky,
Cold wind ripping down the allay at dawn
And the morning paper flies,
Dead man lying by the side of the road
With the daylight in his eyes.

Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning,
Find someone who's turning
And you will come around.

Blind man running through the light of the night
With an answer in his hand,
Come on down to the river of sight
And you can really understand,
Red lights flashing through the window in the rain,
Can you hear the sirens moan?
White cane lying in a gutter in the lane,
If you're walking home alone.

Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning,
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around.

Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning,
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around.

Monday Night Special: Return Trip

Return Trip - Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics

Well it's been a while since I reviewed an Electric Wizard track (let alone listen to one) and Return Trip really brought me back to what I first loved about them. They really should have been featured in the March Madness piece and it's a shame I didn't write anything about them because they are without a doubt one of the most maddening bands I've ever heard. While they're not exactly doing much new with the content of the genre (satanist imagery and slow dark jams about drug use have been around for a while) they do something special with where they take the sound. This weekend I was listening to some old Black Sabbath song's and their Electric Funeral stuck out to me as the forerunner to Electric Wizards earlier stuff. The distortion, the slowness and repetitiveness of the entire melody, except of course for the jazzy fun tempo change at 2:17. Thats the true "innovation" (if you could call it that, devolution might be more appropriate) of Electric Wizard. They do away with most concepts of lyrics, melody, and tempo change, and opt instead to sink the listener into a black pit of fuzz and distortion with an occasional rising guitar solo eventually falling back into the muck. I wouldn't say Return Trip is a song for people with long attention spans, it's more for people with no attention spans that just like to sink back and fall in. Enjoy.

Midnight Special: Six Pack

Six Pack - Black Flag - Damaged

A good friend of mine first showed me Black Flag's album Damaged and this was the first song off that album to stick with me, most likely because of its opening bass line. To me Henry Rollins seems like an unnecessarily angry man, and a really poor comedian (Right here. Being angry and loud doesn't make you funny, it makes you an asshole.) but I do like some of his aggression and delivery. All in all well worth the two and half minutes.


Song: Here

Song of the Week: You Know Your Right

You Know Your Right - Nirvana - Nirvana

Looks like part of my musical brain is still stuck in the nineties. Kyuss, Mudhoney, Earth, The Melvins, and now Nirvana by far and away the most well known of the group. Much like all the aforementioned bands it's absolutely brimming with attitude, but also with changing dynamics. Going from that soft eerie bass oriented sound with weird guitar over to for the verse, to a full on angry scratchy distorted riff for the chorus only reinforces the moody and unbalanced tone of the song. As an aside, I really like Dave Grohl on the drums.

Song: Here

Friday Special: Out of the Blue

Out of the Blue - George Harrison - All Things Must End (Apple Jam Disc)


An 11 minute "Jam" recording with Eric Clapton, Out of the Blue doesn't bother with slow introductions it just jumps right in with thumping steady driving drums, powerful saxophone and of course the bluesy duo of Eric Clapton and George Harrison. I find it particularly fun when a long song like this one manages to not just be the individual players showing off, but also building off of each other to create different melodic lines, it makes the song much easier to listen to the whole way through.

Song of the Week: The Good Times Are Killing Me

The Good Times Are Killing Me - Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News

After the March Madness posts thought it might be a nice idea to detox a little bit with good kind Modest Mouse. For me, this is the song that most represents the albums title, its a cheery simple summer song that is actually sad, and the news that is alluded to as good in the title is only good if you happen to love bad news. Its still good news, just as the times are still good, but you just have to love bad news, and the good times aren't actually good, they end up killing you. Even with this depressing message I still think its just a really happy song, mostly because it has a reflective feel to me. Almost as if hes saying, the good times are killing me, but I'll be alright. Thoughts aside about meaning, I love the singer and the album as a whole is one of my favorites.


Song: Here

Song of the Week: Witness the Fitness

Witness - Roots Manuva - Run Come Save Me

I usually like to go with an albums more unknown song when I know I love an album pretty thoroughly, but Witness is just too good to pass up. The whole song is really smooth with cool electronic fills working alongside a catchy chorus. It has stumbling almost drunk kind of fun quality to it (one with less babbling). Enjoy.


Song Here

March Madness Album Review: Blues For The Red Sun - Kyuss

Blues For The Red Sun - Kyuss

This just has to be one of my personal favorite albums of all time. It passes any test I put it to. I can listen to it all the way through without being bored or a song at a time randomly and out of context (like when my ipods on shuffle). I've been listening to it for about a year and a half now and it hasn't worn out, and any part of any song I listen to (be it instruments or even moments) I find something memorable or new to enjoy. It is not, however, something I would go around handing out to people on the street. It's not that its the heaviest thing I've ever heard (or that the band produced) or the weirdest or least accessible, it's just takes a certain taste. I'd say if you liked some of the heavier Queens of the Stone Age, or aggressive bass heavy hard rock, give it a try. On to the review.

This music is absolutely mad for starters. Whether its in the slowed down form of Molten Universe (reminds me of Electric Funeral) or the hyped up 50 Million Year Trip, which in addition to being two great drugged out song names also form one of the greatest one two punches an album can offer. As I mentioned in my review of 50 Million Year Trip a while ago, it could be at any moment my favorite song of all time, the last two or three minutes are just amazing. That song is also a good example of some of the range the band has in sound, soft and light to dark and heavy while still being a little "mad" and out there. This album is just so unique; it almost sounds like the blues (Thong Song), it has bass lines (Freedom Run go to about 1:29 for actual song start), drums (Apothecaries Weight), a two minute song that isn't just filler (Caterpiller March), another two minute song that isn't just filler (800) a less than one minute song that still doesn't sound like just filler (Capsized), and dirty guitars (Green Machine). Any of those songs have the qualities of the others listed (For the time ones, lets just say its the quality of "not filler"), all have interesting drum, bass, guitar, and serve a purpose in the album. The small songs for example, aren't put next to one another in the album, because they act as transition pieces, instrumentals that can give context and flavor to the songs before them and after them. These small songs are done so well though, that I don't mind hearing them on their own. This album simply does it all, and its all mad. Freedom Run? Its intro and jam quality makes it mad standard. Apothocaries weight? Swirling guitars and non stop drumrolls: mad. Green Machine -> Angry -> Mad.

In the above review there were only two songs off that album and one bonus track that didnt get above. 1. Writhe Its not even a bad song. It's just one that didnt stand out as much as the others did. 2. Mondo Generator The clunker song of the album written by the bassist (Classic!). That one actually gets interesting once the vocals drop out at 3:25. Oh and the bonus...YEAH!

March Madness: High on Fire

I figured I'd do my own version of March Madness with a couple of posts during this month about some "mad" music. First up is High on Fire.

High on Fire was founded by Matt Pike the guitarist of Sleep after they broke up in 1995 due to their inability to get their single track, hour long, album appropriately called Dopesmoker released in it's entirety. The new band Matt Pike created took the same sludgy, heavy sound and sped it up a bit putting in wilder drums, faster guitar parts and more manic solo's. Personally I think there's a big difference between the earlier High on Fire and the newer stuff, and I really prefer the older. The earlier seems a little grittier, more rhythm and riff oriented and less about showing off how fast you can play that guitar solo without feeling. Old or new however, High on Fire definitely earn a spot in the "March Madness" tournament with their reckless tone, and low pummeling sound.

Some choice songs:

Hung Drawn and Quartered

Rumors of War

Song of the Week: Almost Cut My Hair

Almost Cut My Hair - Crosby Stills Nash and Young - Deja Vu

Although its probably not the most famous track off the album, (Teach Your Children or Carry On) it's an absolute favorite of mine. What always blew me away was what this song should have been. It could have easily been an over the top rocker with it's slow tempo, three electric guitars, and soaring vocals, but it isn't. The chemistry of the three guitarists has them playing off of each other instead of soloing ontop of one another. It's fluid, but also powerful, characteristics amplified by their number and their harmony.

Song Here

Artist Spotlight: DJ Rockwell

I first heard DJ Rockwell about two years ago randomly on some internet radio station that "stumbleupon" had taken me to. I thought it sounded cool and wrote down a note to myself that said "Relax - Rockwell". Two months later I tried to find this song again, going only off of that note, not even remembering what it sounded. It was a four hour journey into the corners of the internet to find it but I was well rewarded with this song (which I have uploaded to youtube for ease of access). Since then I've tried to keep updated and follow his profile on soundcloud, and I've always been surprised by how much I've liked his stuff. Since that first listen hes gone more instrumental (his free album can be downloaded here), but still has a great mix of obscure samples (Like this one which has some sounds from the movie Brazil) and steady beats. Here are my favorites besides those already posted:

Feelin High
Knockin Doors Down

Album Review: Here Comes That Wierd Chill

Here Comes that Wierd Chill - Mark Lanegan

This album actually has two titles, the one mentioned above and "Methanphetamine Blues, Extras & Oddities". I think both give the listener a pretty good idea of whats in store when you listen to the album, that it can be powerful and eerie but also just weird and seemingly rough or shoddy. The track Methamphetamine Blues for example is rough, but that quality is not a mistake, instead it only adds to the filthy druggy tone of the song, while the track Clear Spot has a roughness that more sounds like an idea that never fully got realized. With that in mind I really think that this is a hit or miss album with a lot of hit or miss tracks. It hits so long as you don't think it has too much grit, and misses when you find it repetitive and sloppy. Personally I love that evil quality that Mark Lanegan can have (See Live Performance of Song For The Dead) but I know its also not for everybody and doesn't really sound "good". Still I find this album a cool change of pace with lots of weird sounds, and one powerful, smoky, creepy, voice backing it all up. Here's my pick of the album.

Methamphetamine Blues

On The Steps Of The Cathedral

Message to Mine

Lexington Slow Down

Skeletal History

Big Tuesday: 18

I'm Eighteen - Alice Cooper - Love it to Death

What a great song about being 18. The lyrics really capture the experience of the song (and of that time of life) which is why I've included them in this post. I find it somehow comforting that teenagers really haven't changed at all in the 40 years it's been since this was written.

Song: Here
Lyrics:

Lines form on my face and hands
Lines form from the ups and downs
I'm in the middle without any plans
I'm a boy and I'm a man

I'm eighteen
And I don't know what I want
I gotta get away
I gotta get out of this place
I'll go runnin in outer space

I got a
Baby's brain and an old man's heart
Took eighteen years to get this far
Don't always know what I'm talkin' about
Feels like I'm livin in the middle of doubt

I'm eighteen and I LIKE IT
Yes I like it
Oh I like it
Love it
Like it
Love it
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen and I LIKE IT

Live Performance Special: Tempel - Colour Haze

This live performance of Colour Haze was filmed during the “Dunajam Festival” which seems to be an absolute Mecca for those that enjoy psychedelic or stoner rock. Dunajam is (from what I can gather) a week long festival that takes place on a small Mediterranean island, featuring about 20 or so bands that play live outdoor concerts all over the largely unpopulated island. Those who go get intimate concerts and enjoy some of the best weather, and background the Mediterranean has to offer. The reason I chose Colour Haze and their song Tempel over other performances was because there could not be a more fitting setting for their music. Rolling drums are complimented by a sea crashing on cliff side behind them, while the thunderous guitar is as impressive as the mountains that litter the background. Dynamic highs and lows of tone and volume are as stark as the blue of the sky against the white and yellow sandstone. The images that music brings to mind are literally brought into view in perfect synchronization with what the band is playing. The only knock is the poor quality of the video, and even that isn’t so bad (you can try the 480p not sure if it makes a difference).

Performance: Here

Monday Special: San-Ho-Zay - Freddie King

I think it's appropriate to keep this review short like the song itself. The hi-hat provides the rythm, the bass gives it the swing, and Freddie does the rest. It's uptempo, kinetic, and played with just the right amounts of conviction, technical ability, and space.

Song: Here

Song of the Week: Here Comes Sickness

Here Comes Sickness - Mudhoney - Mudhoney

While it's hard for me to deem this a great "grunge" song because I'm hardly familiar with the genre, its harder for me to deny that this encompasses everything I associate with grunge (right or wrong). Its tone is freewheeling, out of control, fun, and dirty. It's lyrical content is perfectly in sync with its tone, it's funny, angry and definitely a little bit angsty (Shaking her hips//Like she's some kind of treat) As far as musicianship the band has excellent drumming, but is best suited to do what they do, craft simple dirty hooks with frank lyrics. The vocals themselves are pretty rough on the edges and verging on screaming, but is nothing that annoys my ears. I think that like the lyrics and the tone it all works together and is very much aligned, nothing sticks out as different, and I love that it can be so simply "grunge" for me.

Song: Here

Live Performance Special: To the Grain - Junip

Till today I had never heard of this band, and it was purely by chance (accidentally clicking on a related video) that I did stumble on them. The guitarist is definitely an apt folk player, and the overall sound immediately made me think of Pentangle except, of course, with a male vocalist. The reason I chose the live entry of this over the album version was that it captures the strongest part of Junip's music, the vocals, and puts them even more into the forefront of the music. It makes a very powerful ethereal voice very real. It always amazes me to watch someone sing beautifully, and to do it live, with what looks like little effort. The tone is minimalist in its instrumentation and orchestration (reminiscent of The XX and Crystallized, which the Gorillaz did a fantastic live cover of) but I view this as a strength as all the focus can be put on the beautiful guitar and voice.

Performance: Here

Album Of Note: Jake One - White Van Music

I was going to do a song review of Jake One's "God Like" but i decided to stop messing around with tracks (Trap Door, and The Truth were both on White Van Music) and just recommend the whole album. His production work is usually compared to MF DOOM's but I would say there's a big difference between the two, with Jake Ones being more rooted in instrumentation funk and soul and DOOM's being much much weirder and varied in sampling and sound (Compare these two DOOM Beats. Here and Here.) In an age where most pop is a mash of overproduced electronic synthesized noise (which can be done well: Dan the Automator, and the Gorillaz) it's really refreshing to hear a full live sound with a compliment of horns, woodwinds and bass. It reminded me a little bit of the "Suite For Ma Dukes" Orchestra playing J-Dilla beats. Its a full well realized and very dramatic sound.

Live Performace Special: Night Goat - The Melvins

In trying to pick out a song for this segment, I wasn't just looking for a song that was good live, but was better than the studio version, and I think Night Goat achieves that. On the album Houdini it was a thundering heavy track, and live (with the addition of Joe Preston on bass and an extra drummer) it's dynamics are much more enunciated as it begins with sequels of feed back before a throbbing bass line enters. Add on almost operetic vocals that did not quite come out on the original and you have a song that went from good n' gritty to Pure, Rumbling, Four-Horsemen-Are-Coming, Rock and Roll. Lyrically speaking the line "I can make your teeth grind" sums up perfectly the live performance of this song.

Performance: Here

Friday Special: Tallahassee

Tallahassee - Earth - Pentastar in the Style of Demons

This song is all American. This song is Huge. It drives, bucks, and rides, without ever changing its main riff. Sit down turn up the volume and immerse yourself in what I would call a classic. I sincerely believe that this is a dirtier, rawer, incarnation of born to be wild. It is an American driving song. Enjoy the weekend.

Song Here

Song of the Week: I am I be

I am I be - De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate

This song for me is pretty representative of De La Soul as a whole, it's smooth, interesting, and intelligent, simple while having lots of layers to listen to and understand. There's not a whole lot more to say about the song, the music can just stand on its own.

Song: Here

Retrospective: Om

Om, Jazz, and Alice Coltrane

After looking around at some reviews of Om's album God is Good I heard one person compare it to Alice Coltrane of all people. Some further research took me to her album Journey to Satchidananda, and more importantly the albums eponymous track. As much as i enjoyed the God is Good album and its main song Thebes, Alice Coltrane's track is simply fantastic. Cecil McBee's bass is less hypnotic and droning than Om's, it has a fuller and to no ones surprise jazzier sound, that perfectly complements the lightness and quickness of Alice's harp. With Pharoah Sanders improvising on the soprano saxophone Journey to Satchidananda is melodically complex and interesting; qualities that Om simply does not posses due to the Bass/Drum composition of the group. I do not mean this so much as a knock on Om, they are very good at what they do and I do love what they do, but Coltranes group can simply do more with the muscicianship that they have. I don't really intend to try to rate the two against each other but instead look at a common bass line that is taken in two different direction by two bands separated by almost 40 years and many genre lines.

Song: Here

Album Of Note: Rock Formations - Yawning Man

I've had this one since about October/November and it really has to be one of my favorite records of all time. It really is the album to lay down and listen to, one where you let the music find you as opposed to seeking out and looking for melodies. The drumming is solid enough give the songs a structure and tight rhythm, but creative enough to allow the separate tracks to have distinct personalities. The guitar is nothing spectacular or inventive, but its tone is warm and almost a more updated distorted shadows song, less poppy and more mellow. In the end however what really does it for me is not the skill or ability of the musicians (and i do happen to think that the drummer and bassist are very talented) it's more the sound and texture of the album as a whole. Rock Formations is an album that I consistently listen the whole way through. Letting the songs inform each other and give each other context is a great way to experience an album that keeps it overall sound the same while tweaking the tone melodies and rhythms. Its a smooth but interesting listen the whole way through. Below are the first two songs of the album Rock Formations and Perpetual Oyster both have sweeping arrangements and lush sounds, enjoy!

Rock Formations
Perpetual Oyster