Track Review: Harvey Danger - Woolly Muffler

Ah, Harvey Danger how overlooked you are, ever since they released their first single "Flagpole Sitta" back in 1998, the poor band never really got the recognition they deserved. So here is "Woolly Muffler" a deep cut and fan favorite from their debut album "Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?" and it's damn good.

With it's hysterical lyrics about the fantasies and desires of a relationship with someone, finally getting it but then slowly realizing it's not all it really was set up to be, and it's final poetic justice twist; revealing that the narrator only enjoyed the relationship when it was a nice, controllable, consequence-free idea, the messy reality of being in a relationship is undesirable to him, so he's leaving. And not doing it gently.

This is what really makes this song kick all kinds of ass. A nice fuck you to people who want something serious in climates that don't call for it.

Oh and the music, yeah I ordered a ton of overdrive and downbeat chord progressions and choruses like "Friends will turn against you/People disappoint you everytime/So if you've got greatness in you/Would you do us all a favor/And Keep it to yourself"

It's too bad that no one wanted to hear Harvey Danger's greatness. Luckily, they didn't listen.

I do not walk, I run

Classic Smiths.

Track Review: Blur - No Distance Left To Run

A band like Blur probably has the musical elasticity of a rubber band, from their early shoegaze days, to the Britpop middle years, and then later experimentation that resulted with some of their finest work, it's hard to really pinpoint what sort of genre Blur is actually a part of. While this is all true, in 1999's 13, Blur would be in that latter experimental period of musical output, but while most of the album was a blend of many musical styles, the utterly somber swan song "No Distance Left To Run" was a conclusion to Damon Albarn's recent break up.

Armed with a quiet yet unsure guitar line by the ever brilliant Graham Coxon, and a sparse arrangement of drums and bass with some quiet backing vocals, Albarn bares all of his soul in the direct and simple lines "It's over/You don't need to tell me/I hope you're with someone who makes you/feel safe in your sleeping tonight/I won't kill myself, trying to stay in your life/I got no distance left to run".

Although Blur alienated alot of their fans with abrasive music at the time, they still knew how to capture the strongest emotions in simple arrangements.

Blur - No Distance Left To Run

Track Review: Interpol - Specialist

This outtake track off of 2002's Turn On the Bright Lights is for lack of a better term, an underrated gem among many who often overlook Interpol's deeper cuts and head straight for the singles. (looking at you "No I In Threesome") Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, by far Interpol has some fine singles, but the overlooked tracks often show a side of the band that isn't discovered much too often.

"Specialist", clocking in at 6:40 is a showcase of some of the band's finest attributes, the bass growls lowly in a catchy and cool tone, while Paul Banks lowly sings "You make me lose my buttons, oh yeah you make me spit/I don't like my clothes anymore" as if just disgusted with a constricting lover, and then the sparse guitar kicks in. Now you are hooked. The song builds up as the drums kick in a tight groove that merit one of the band's finest rhythm sections, slowly and surely the song starts to lift off as Banks howls "well I am speckled like a leopard/just like a leopard/trust will get you down/I love the way/you put me in the big house."

Throughout, the song drifts in and out of slowly speeding up and quickly slowing down as if the controlled paranoia would burst. Thankfully, Interpol knows its dramatic dynamics well enough to control and maintain a listener's interest through the whole song. If a song ever needed a modern take on unstable lovers and uneasy decisions, Interpol knew how to do it.

Interpol - Specialist (Live at Koln)

Track Review: Sunset Rubdown - The Taming of The Hands That Came Back to Life

Sunset Rubdown has always had a sort of quasi-mystical, distant feeling in their music. Since they released Shut Up I Am Dreaming back in 2006, this was prevalent in almost all the songs. But there's something in 2007's Random Spirit Lover's track "The Taming of the Hands that Came Back to Life" that recalls time periods of the past that swell under Spencer Krug's voice.

The song's narrative that drifts in and out from a vague conversation to metaphors that will travel in your mind bit by bit, all while Krug's lyrical foreplay will have you guessing at whether he's reminiscing on a friend's wise words "She said: My sails are flapping in the wind/ I said: Can I use that in a song?/She said: I mean, The end begins/I said: I know, can I use that too?" or a repressed paranoia "Don't get too close; you reflect the west coast air in my chest and the way I hold it in there."

Either way you take in the lyrics, from the ascending keyboard and guitar riff, the hooray-the-king-is-here chanting, and crooning vocals, "The Taming of the Hands That Came Back to Life" is a pristine example of Sunset Rubdown's mature and mythical song craftsmanship.

Sunset Rubdown - The Taming of The Hands That Came Back to Life

Track Review: Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks

Not to follow the hype of every single indie hispter who just happened to fall for Grizzly Bear's latest single from their forthcoming album Veckatimest, I at first tried to dissuade myself from being the same. But once I got past my own bias, I realized that sometimes a catchy and infectious song can be a good one.

Although this is no new feat, and neither is "Two Weeks", it captures everything that is needed in smart pop song songwriting, from Ed Droste's simple yearning vocals, the simply old time-y keyboard riff, groove tight drums, and "Oh ah oh ah woah-oh" backing harmony vocals, what Grizzly Bear have accomplished is a pop song that still falls in their usual style of making experimental folk songs, but is completely different in approach.

Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks (Live at Letterman)

Music Review: Blue Lines (1991)

When Massive Attack released their debut album Blue Lines, they brought something different to the table, their album was one of the first to showcase the Trip-Hop genre (Although they are not fond of being called such) Whether Hip-Hop or Electronica (Or a fusion of both) it matters not. It’s still sounds amazing. What you get in the end is an amazing and fresh album.

Track List

“Safe From Harm”- The 3rd Single off of the album, a great opener to a great album. Sharla Nelson’s vocals are amazing here with the group’s rapping, and go perfectly together. The song is mostly about protecting what’s most valuable to oneself and how the world is full of harm.

“One Love”- This is actually not a single but it’s one of the more recognizable songs on the album. The vocals of Horace Andy are perfect with the electronic keyboard that plays throughout the song and the constant dub; it’s also probably one of the strangest love songs ever.

“Blue Lines”- One of the more Hip-Hop influenced songs, it’s another love song but its monotone beat and repetition don’t help it get anywhere.

“Be Thankful For What You Got”- If there was ever a perfect cover of a song, this would be it. A cover of William DeVaughn’s hit song. Massive Attack makes it an amazing cover without making it a carbon copy of the original and keeping it fresh with a Hip-Hop influence and Tony Bryan’s soulful vocals (My Personal favorite song off the album.)

“Five Man Army”- Defintely one of the standouts of the album, the constant use of dub is excellent and there’s also a faint reggae and soul influence. Horace Andy’s and Massive Attack’s vocals are top notch and go amazingly well together.

“Unfinished Sympathy”- 2nd Single off the album and probably the most well known songs on the album, this song received critical acclaim and was even named One of the best songs ever recorded. And boy they were right, from Sharla Nelson’s amazing vocals to the moving strings to the funky jams and hip-hop beats, this IS one of the greatest songs ever recorded.

Robert Del Naja has described the dark atmosphere within the group: "There was always this tension between control and collaboration. Always ... We were just trying to get the job finished ...Everything became thinner and smaller. All that warmth is being spun into a tiny little thread, then that thread just being cut."

“Daydreaming”- 1st Single off the album, and the most electronic song off the album. This is were the album starts to lean more towards a lush and Trip-Hop sound seen in Protection, the song also features some great vocals by Sharla Nelson, Tricky, and the main members of Massive Attack.

“Lately”- The Funkiest song on the album which features vocals from Sharla Nelson. Its obvious dance jam influence is what keeps this song alive. It actually reminded me a lot of “The Pointer Sisters”

“Hymn Of The Big Wheel”- The 4th and final single off the album. Probably one of the most moving songs off the album on the topic of the cycle of life. Featuring the vocals of Horace Andy this is probably one of the greatest endings to a great album.

In the end, Blue Lines was an epic album and an epic debut for Massive Attack.

No questions asked. This is Trip-Hop at its finest, which is why Protection would be met with such disappointment. No matter what genre of music you enjoy, everyone should take a look at Blue Lines.

4/5

Review by Nachos

Best Album of '06

Artist: The Rapture

Album: Pieces Of The People We Love (2006)




It really was my favorite album that came out this year.

(I have other albums that I bought this year but not necessarily were released this year.)

It was a great second album from The Rapture, and the mix of all kinds of genres like Rock, Disco, New Wave, Dance, and Electronica really make this a creative band and Different Band.

Basically, it was something that sounded very different and it sounded amazingly at the same time.

Standout tracks:

"Get Myself Into It" - The First Single off the Album, Most likely their most well known song and for good reason. It starts off with a jazzy saxophone and into some high pitched vocals (which are reminiscent of the young Sting from "The Police".) It's a great tune and very catchy. Good Dance Music and reminds me a lot of the Let's Dance Era Bowie and has alot of disco influence. 4/5

"Pieces Of The People We Love"- The Third Single which will be released this year. (2007 for you people who live under rocks) It's very catchy and a very "funky" song. Although it sounds like a b-side it's actually my favorite track off the album. The funk style reminiscent in the song is what makes it one of the better tracks. 5/5

"Whoo! Alright! Yeah Uh-Huh!" - The Second Single off the album, this song has alot more dance style in it than any other song on the album. It's the most dance able to and is quite catchy (although not as much as The first 2 above) . 4/5

Well there you have it, the Album of the Year.

Expect Some More updates soon!

Music Review: Tears For Fears - The Hurting (1983)

When the 80's were around, some of the greatest albums of all time were released.

Although “The Hurting” may or may not be one of them, this album does display the pioneering force that brought New Wave to the scene. Most of the album consists of Dark, Melancholy songs but at the same time being very catchy and full of the 80’s feel. But don’t let the 80’s feel fool you, it’s a very personal album and sometimes even makes one cringe at the emotion flowing throughout the songs.

Track List

“The Hurting”- a thought provoking and haunting song about the troubles and hurting of one self, this really is the centerpiece of the album, and displays the best of what Tears For Fears could offer up to that point.

“Mad World” – the unexpected staple and 1^st single of the album, mostly the song’s lyrics consist of the thought of how unexpected and mad the world we live in really is. Instrumentally it consists of layers of synth and electronic sound while also having excellent vocals from Curt Smith backing it all up in one great song.

“Pale Shelter” – the 2nd single off the album, Pale Shelter is somewhat a love song but it’s more directed towards the parents rather than the love interest and how acceptance is impossible, definitely one of the album’s best tracks.

“Ideas as Opiates” – an extremely sparse track that could probably be considered experimental jazz, if that even exists.

“Memories Fade” – an impressive song with heart felt lyrics, and a jazzy synth-drenched soul feel to it. The saxophone throughout the song is amazingly arranged and sounds beautifully.

“Suffer The Children” – Tears For Fears’ first single and song ever recorded, and it definitely shows instrumentally. Lyrically the song is about the innocence of a child and how parents don’t give them all that they need. Very emotional and understanding.

“Watch Me Bleed” – Starts off nicely but what really kills this song is the fact that most of the song just consists of feeling sorry for one self and the constant lyric “Watch me Bleed, Bleed Forever” really ruin it.

“Change” – the 4^th and finale single off the album, Nothing really special here and personally I don’t think this song deserved the single status and should have went to other contenders like “The Hurting” or “Memories Fade”.

“The Prisoner” – The darkest and shortest song of the album, (if It can even be called a song) the arrangements in the song are like those of a horror theme, and the lyrics are almost whispered, but surprisingly the atmosphere is clearly defined.

“Start Of the Breakdown” – The Closing track to the album is a mellow and slow song with a simple piano riff playing in the background like a drone. But what really make this track are Roland's vocals, seemly distraught the album ends with a breakdown.

As a result, The Hurting is an amazing album with little flaws, although by today’s standards it may sound dated, it still offers amazing songs even after the test of time.

8.5/10