This kids, is not Raymond. It is John Doe, piano genius and guitar mongrel. I also am known as something of a music fanatic. Anyway, enough about me (if you care to know more, see the about the author section). My purpose here is to review albums, so, here I go...
*Note, all reviews are on a scale of 1-10 stars. (10 being the highest)
*RIYL, or recommended if you like, is simply what I personnaly find the band(s) sounds most like (This was a hard task for some bands). Also note, for a band that i have reviewed multiple albums, there will only be one
RIYL.
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� And You Will Know Us by the Trail of the Dead (Source Tags & Codes) 10*
The third full length release from � Trail of the Dead. Source Tags & Codes combines ever-scaling guitars, lush strings, and often abstract vocals that when combined for a musical tapestry that has no equal in American mainstream music. Finding influence in bands such as Mogwai and King Crimson, � Trail of the Dead is an ever-changing band that demands the attention of their listeners. Songs like How Near, How Far and the title track combine the fury of At The Drive-In and the artistic ness of Godspeed You Black Emperor. While not an album for the common man, Source & Codes is easily the best album thus far in 2002.
RIYL: Mogwai, Pavement, At The Drive-In, Dismemberment Plan, Les Savy Fav
John Doe says: What? You don't have it already!!! Get to the store sooner than soon and pick this baby up
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Fugazi (Steady Diet of Nothing) 9 1/2*
This is the epitome of what an album should be. Every word has meaning. It also sounds awesome. Released in 1991, STDN is an example of the greatness of things to come from this groundbreaking band. Personal favorite.
Fugazi (Arguement) 9 1/2*
Rare is the day that a band releases their best album 15 years into their career. But, then again, rare is it that a band as good as Fugazi comes along. Another great album from the band that refuses to sell out to the mainstream. Arguement is a lot darker than some of the others they have put out. The first song on the LP is Cashout. If you have heard old Fugazi, you will like this song. The best song, however, is the two drum masterpiece Ex-Spectator. In true Fugazi fashion, the band continued to push the limits of Ian Mackaye and Guy Picciotto's guitar playing.
John Doe says: get it now, your ears will thank you
Starsailor (love is here) 6 1/2*
This band, from Scotland, is being hailed as one of the next bands to make it big (i personally think they'
re a little too edgey to hit the mainstream). The first single, Good Souls, is very emo-sounding. Everything else brings to mind Radiohead. All in all, a very good album. Really good, but nothing original.
RIYL: Radiohead
John Doe says: read the review and decide for yourself- it's good, but not for everyone
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The Strokes(Is This It) 8*
These five guys from NYC are one of my favourite groups to come out of 2001. These guys are proof of the cliche'"nothing is new under the sun". Very good. The Strokes are garage rock revival an NYC flair. One of, if not the best new band of 2001.
RIYL: The Hives, The Mooney Suzuki, The Velvet Underground
John Doe says: check it out
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Thursday (Full Collapse) 8*
Very good Album. These guys are from Brunswick, NJ. If you are a fan of emo, then Full Collapse is an LP to buy. Some of the songs are hard, but not obnoxious. Another great new band.
Incubus (Morning View) 6 1/2*
A decent album. When first listening to the album, one feels a little let down. However, as a person is exposed to more of the work, it actually becomes rather appealing. While not like previous works, one can still see that Morninig View is still Incubus.
Mogwai (Rock Action) 9 1/2*
Beautiful. This CD is proof that Mogwai is as good as they have been telling the world they are. From Glagow, Scotland, Mogwai combines guitar chords with strings (this should not bring to mind Metallica's S&M. This is completely different; in a word, good.)and vocoders to weave a tapestry that immerses the listener in a world of sonic intoxication.
Creed (Human Clay) 1*
The only reason this cd got that high was because it was the lowest I could go (If i could rate the album a zero, i probably would). Creed has found a niche in the mainstream world. Their music is guaranteed to sell- Human Clay is a rehash of the band's first album, My Own Prison. Although a huge success in sales, Human Clay is a perfect example of the decline of American mainstream music. To quote Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, "...Kids don't realize that listening to Creed is corroding their souls." Maybe a little far-fetched, but probably true.
RIYL: pooing your pants, the sweet smell of dog pheces in the morning
John Doe says: buy this at your own discretion and idoticness
Blur (the best of:) 8*
Although a collection of old songs, Best Of is still an awesome album. For $20, the buyer gets 28 songs on two cds. disc one is studio versions of songs. disc two is a live album recorded at Wembley Stadium on December 12, 1991. The art in side the booklet is also pretty neat. A great album.
The Hives (Veni Vidi Viscious) 9*
Signed to Epitaph Records in 2000, the Hives carry a sound similar to the Strokes (one would guess garage rock) This album, originally released in 2000, then taken off shelves due to poor sales, has been reissued due to the uprising of rock bands. Although the album is rather short, it is still a definitive album in the catergory. Stand out tracks include the lead single "Hate to Say I Told You So," and "Main Offender."
RIYL: The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Mooney Suzuki
John Doe says: give it a listen
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At the Drive-In (Acrobatic Tenement)10*
Showcasing the raw power of At the Drive-in, the bands first full length, Acrobatic Tenement is a testament to the beauty of unbridled rage. One must not get the wrong idea, however. Acrobatic Tenement is by no means a Korn or Slipknot release (one that is as bland and predictable as the coming of dawn). It is a beautifully orchestrated work that is something of an indie classic, and deservedly so.
RIYL: Les Savy Fav, Brazil, Dismemberment Plan
John Doe says: a must
posted 8 November, 2002
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Clinic (Walking With Thee) 9*
On first listen to Walking With Thee, a listener may write Clinic off as little more than a Radiohead clone. This is, however, far from being the truth. The album opens with the bizarre track Harmony. As the bass opens the song, one thinks of an excercise video, but as the other instruments and the vocals come in, in all their minor chorded glory, one quickly realises that this album is not one to stretch the joints to. All of the songs have an odd feel to them often sounding like the album was recorded in an enourmous cave rather than a studio. While it is hard to pick a standout track, as they are all excellent, the title track and track 2, The Equaliser, seem to be slightly better than the rest.
RIYL: Pavement, Radiohead
John Doe says: it's odd, off kilter, slightly skewed, and very, very good
*Note by John Doe: if you get a chance to download the video for Walking With Thee, get it. Though slightly more than disturbing, it is one of the best videos I have ever seen.
posted 8 November, 2002
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Gorillaz (Gorillaz) 9*
While some bands find themselves making it big due to catchy songs, clever hooks, and starlet members, Gorillaz combine that with an unusual twist- they exist purely in an animated world. That said, this ain't your mama's Joesy & the Pussycats. Gorillaz, while appearing cute, have songs about death, marajuana addiction, and football. Gorillaz is little more than a way for it's lineup of superstar people in the music business (Damon Albarn of Blur as 2-D on vocals, Dan the Automator as Murdoc the bassist etc.) to relieve a little creative expression. That said, they do an incredibly amazing job. Some bands carve out a niche and write song after song that sound the same and follow the same lyrical and harmonic format. Not Gorillaz. Every song can stand alone on this release, a true something-for-everyone album.
RIYL:
John Doe says: One of the most original releases of the past 10 years.
posted 8 November, 2002
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Nine Inch Nails (The Fragile) 9 1/2*
Released 5 years after the critically acclaimed The Downward Spiral, The Fragile debuted to much anticipation. Fans have not been disappointed. The Fragile boasts some of the most original and dark music yet to come from the mind of Trent Reznor. Many tracks are in fact purely instrumental, making them all the more darker and brooding sounding. The songs move along at varied paces, sometimes very fast, and some with languid fluidity. Occasional songs, such as The Mark Has Been Made sound as if they are works of mix masters The Dust Brothers. Many songs also use small pieces of other songs layered over the present track. The converse is also true- many songs feature the simple piano rift of the song coming, hinting at what is to come. Pulsing bass and random bits of industrial noise found throughout the album are often mixed in over simple piano melodies or orchestral arrangements.
RIYL: The Dust Brothers
John Doe says: Not for everyone, but great none-the-less.
posted 11 November, 2002
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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) 10*
With the flood of up-tempo garage rock bands (The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Mooney Suzuki, etc.), San Francisco�s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is more than a welcome breath of fresh air. Combining the white noise and distortion of The Jesus & Mary Chain with the abstract writing of The Velvet Underground, BRMC (as they are more commonly known) stands head and shoulders above their contemporaries. While the comparisons to The Jesus & Mary Chain, do not stop at white noise (as the bands possess similar tempos and such), it is safe to say that BRMC is more than the sum of their influences. While TJ&MC eventually slumped into experimentalism (and eventually firing their drummer and replacing him with a drum machine) and away from the very dark and brooding sounding work that has given them something of a cult following, BRMC takes these ideas and runs with them. The album opens with the track Love Burns and eventually makes its way into Red Eyes And Tears. From there, it moves into the more straightforward Whatever Happened to My Rock �N� Roll (Punk Song). Just these first three songs are justification enough for one to own the record, but soon, it moves forward into even darker and cynical works. And while it is hard to pick any stand out track, song 5 White Palms, and song 7, Rifles, are somehow even better than the rest of this already amazing record.
RIYL The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Velvet Underground, The Jesus & Mary Chain
John Doe says: don't ever, EVER, leave home without it.
posted 21 November, 2002
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The Ravonettes (Whip It On) 6*
The Ravonettes really should consider a name change to the almost, as this phrase seems to be the defining mark of their career to this point. Hailing from Scandinavia, that current hotbed of talent, one assumes the band is from Sweden, right? Almost- They're Danes. This really has nothing to do with the sound The Ravonettes create though, does it? Well, unless Denmark's natives are thoroughly and utterly all the same, my guess would be no. Every song truly has little more than a tempo change or a different beat fed into the drum machine that keeps it from being nothing more than the previous song. Even the rampant use of white noise and pedal effects as well as the fact that every song is played in B flat can hide this. Maybe The Ravonettes do not have to change their name. Maybe I�ll just end with this. Whip It On is ALMOST good.
RIYL: BRMC, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
John Doe says: Oh what could've been
posted 8 January, 2003
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Tool (Lateralus) 10
Man, in my younger years, I was the biggest Tool fan anyone knew. Somewhere in the years, I moved away from them, not because the music wasn't good (they've always been in my top 10 list), but I guess my tastes changed. It may also have been because after the release of Lateralus, the LP I am currently reviewing, I saw kids that at one time would have thought Tool was a metal head band or something to that effect, listening to them and telling me how great they were. It sort of reminded me of Nirvana, except, you know, Tool's actually a great band with tons of talent. Nirvana, well, is the most overrated band that has ever graced the face of Earth. But then who am I to knock? So, Lateralus. It was released on May 22, 2001 (I remember because it was my 17th birthday). At the time, listening to the album, I thought it was amazing, but well, not Tool worthy. Something about it just seemed different. At the time, I thought my friend had tagged it right when she said, "It's not really offensive to anyone." Eventually, my tastes moved along, and Lateralus was relegated to my CD case. Not exactly sure why, but this week, I started listening to Undertow again, and eventually pulled out Lateralus. Only now do I realize what a truly amazing work this album is. Prog Rock is supposed to be an intelligent genre, but I really think Tool surpasses the boundaries of even prog. The album opens with the nearly 9 minute hard assault "The Grudge." It's obvious this is Tool at its finest, just by the opening riff, playing an offkey arpeggio, but 3 notes off, instead of the usual CEG. Then when the lyrics start, Maynard James Keenan comes on, and sounds totally different, almost hoarse. The song then changes to a more mellow sound, with the bassline pulsating and the drums moving furiously behind it. This is when the song really opens. After this part, the song goes into typical Tool (whatever exactly that means), keychanges and no power chords anywhere. The album then slugs through two interludes sandwiched around the track "Mantra." After the second link track, the album's first single, "Schism," makes its way into the listeners' ears. The next song, if it can indeed be called that, is "Parabol," followed by "Parabola." The latter is actually a mathrock song written about and through the means of math (Without getting too technical, theoretically in nature, there is a Golden Mean, called the Fibonacci Sequence. The idea behind this is everything happens in thirds {0�618034 is the exact number}, that are then broken farther to make patterns. This is often evident in plants, and in offspring- Fibonacci studied the reproductive numbers of rabbits. {For a full explanation, go to this site: http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fib.html }). The song is based around the Fibonacci sequence, using it as its time signature. Next comes "Ticks & Leeches," a song hi-lighted by its intense and amazing opening drum line. The following song, the album's title track, is without question one of the lp's 2 highlights, along with track 11, "Reflection." This song also starts off with only drums, but not nearly as intense as "Ticks & Leeches." The tom head is stretched to produce a changing pitch, much like that of a tympani in an orchestra. The bass is then layered over the drums, followed eventually by a guitar tremoloing its way through a single chord. It all sounds very dark and primal, almost scary. It's nearly 4 minutes gone before Keenan is heard, as he comes in at almost a whisper. The song slowly builds and works its way to its climax 7 minutes later. Triad and Faaip de Oiad round Lateralus out. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the album is the way the last 3 tracks can all stand as a single song, but when listened to through, serve as one giant song. Maybe the appeal of Lateralus, like all Tool work, is that it cannot be taken at face value. This may be why I all but forgot about it through the first 2 years I owned it. In that way, along with their grand scale of work, Tool is the Led Zeppelin of our time (and that's a claim I'm not afraid to make). All in all, this is truly an amazing, beautiful work by far and above the most intelligent band currently making music.
RIYL: King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Alice & Chains
John Doe says: WOW
posted 14 March, 2003
