New Music: The Revivalists

The Revivalists - City of Sound

I just recently stumbled upon this Big Band New Orleans group which incorporates many different styles into a very very tight recording on City of Sound. Technically apt, rhythmic, and soulful, all things expected coming out of a music city like New Orleans, I was amazed by their breadth. The first impression I had was that they would be a horns and guitars funk/soul band, but that really is a weak description of all the different kinds of sounds this band incorporates into their album City of Sound. With soaring vocals, electronic affects, distorted guitars and drums they go well into rock and alternative, while keeping instrumentation (like an electric steel guitar and some horns) that lend themselves well to other genres. Great, distinctive vocals and loud intensity brings this album together and keeps it from seeming like a collection of odds and ends. Instead what we get is a band that is having fun, singing and shouting at the top of their vocals, and expressing a wide range of emotions while using separate musical voices. Absolutely recommend a whole listen, but here are some of my favorite tracks.

Upright

Pretty Photograph

Navigate Below

Criminal

Up In the Air

Saved By Magic

Saved by Magic is by no means a stellar album. The music itself doesn't do a whole lot technically (that I can here anyway), and the lyrics are just silly. They cover "classic" topics of the 70's; making rock and roll to defeat the man (The Messengers), recalling drug induced hazes (Paradise On Earth, Let the Truth be Know), "lovin'" (Inside of you, Kiss Away), and the 70's themselves ('73). To give you a more accurate representation of the silliness level I thought I would pick out some of my favorite lyrics from the album.

"I know I'm crazy//and so are you//these machines were built to phase me//They're built to phase you too" ('73)

"and my opinion on that//is like the tree//the tree who gives you wood"('73)

"go downtown tomorrow night for an orgy of bad taste" (Kiss Away)

"When you think you've lost your buzz//Gettin your rocks off is a must" (Kiss Away)

"Sometimes a wizard...Get's lonely at the top" (Make the Pony Trot)

"Just another day at the office (ring ring)//baby can you hold my calls?//And if I ever mix business with pleasure//Then baby, you can hold my balls (hold his balls)" (Make the Pony Trot)

"Put some love, put some love inside of you (is what i'm gonna do)" (Inside of you)

"Don't work for the man//I work for rock and roll" (Let the Truth be Known)

"Your stereo's too loud and they don't understand you" (The Messengers)

"The kids who burn up what they say//Ejaculate when the flames get higher and higher" (The Messengers)

Really any and all the songs have some pretty weird lyrics and deliveries about topics that aren't relevant now, and may really only be relevant stereotypes for an era that Bjork himself never experienced. Honestly, that's part of why I like them. These songs are adolescent and ridiculous and silly, and I can absolutely identify with those three adjectives, this music causes me to laugh, not only at it, but also at myself. And while not at all technically proficient, the instruments do shine when the lyrics don't get in the way. Brant Bjork always seemed to me to have a creative way to create a lot of feeling with very minimalist melodies. The fact that this album has that whole big sound, with an emphasis on the bass, is wonderful, and translates so well in the instrumental songs like Dr. Aura, Freak Levels, and  Dylan Fantasy. But even with the lyrics as they are some of his short simple riffs are catchy, song's like '73 (which has a nice bongo touch), Lil' Bro, Make the Pony Trot, Let the Truth be Known, The messengers, and Paradise on Earth are each a little varied (like the awesome sample in the beginning of Paradise on Earth) while still flowing with the main sound of the album. The only thing that really gets me down is that some of these songs feel so unrealized and underdeveloped, a contribution from the lyrics no doubt. It's not a classic, nor is it emotionally provocative, but it does have a great relaxed groove, some interesting sounds, and an overall effect of a smile.

As a small aside, covering "Sunshine of your Love" was interesting, and I did enjoy how big and thumpy they made everything, but nothing I've heard compares to Cream's original.

Live Performance Special: I Don't Wanna Go There

Live Performance Special: I Don't Wanna Go There - Dinosaur Jr

This is another one I have meant to share since way back in '09. It's a pretty cool performance, I get a kick out of seeing any kind of loud live music, and I really dig just the general sound of the band here. The washed out guitar sounds with some mellow vocals over top are definitely 90's but the lick is bluesy enough to not get lost in it all. Something I forgot is how generally loud it was, especially after listening to some more volume dynamic music, this stuff really is just a block of distorted loud.

I also think I remember listening to the original song and really preferring this version because it actually had less soloing, and was just generally tighter and more exciting. As a small aside I love that they play in separate rooms in the performance.

Here's the Performance,

and Here's the Original.

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.

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

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

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: 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 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