Week of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Fidlar

This week I am going to do two album reviews, one debut album, and the other far far from it. Lets start with the newbie.

Fidlar's self entitled debut.

 

     “F#$k it dog, life’s a risk.” That is the abbreviation FIDLAR used when they came up with the band name, but its more than that. Its what they would say before flying off of skating ramps, its kind of like the skaters version of YOLO. Even though the band just released their first album this year, they have actually been around playing music under that name since 2009. They even released two eps before this full length album. What happens when the skateboard stoners you knew in high school form a punk band? Well it doesn't end up sounding anything like FIDLAR  that's for sure. The difference is that these guys are some seriously dedicated and talented musicians. They take their FIDLAR  motto to a whole new level, it's part of everything in their life. It's the classic punk rock lifestyle the whole package: drugs, booze, women, trashing hotel rooms, driving drunk, and parties. They don't just sing about it they live it. They aren't famous, they don't get played on the radio, but they don't care. They are living on a day to day basis, in their cars just to get by and play music. How punk rock is that. It's actually kind of sad on a certain level, to see them living live this, but that's just the lifestyle they live.

     The true punk doesn't really exist anymore, at least not the traditional one. The last time I saw a traditional punk rocker with a mow hawk and a leather jacket was at a Motorhead show. I leaned over to my friend and said, "They do exist I told you, punk rock at its core. They are rare like you are looking for a legendary Pokemon, don't get to close or you'll scare them." I did actually say that and I meant it. The classic rockers that used to live by the FIDLAR lifestyle are either dead or had to get clean to continue living. One of the most interesting things about this band is the fact that they are very self aware that they can't live this lifestyle forever. A trait most rock bands didn't have back when they were living it. They address that in their lyrics. "I feel, feel like I can’t get drunk no more ‘cause I’m on the floor,”. They are aware that they can't keep this up forever. They only stop to think and regret for a bit, then it's back to drinking and drugs again. They're live shows are even more punk. They fire through the whole album in double time, jumping in to the mosh pit themselves during the show. 
                                                       Here is FIDLAR in the studio.

         The album itself is a wonder to behold. It is one of the grimiest punk records Ive heard in years. Its like old school Bouncing Souls or NOFX. Back when the songs came in at under two minutes almost every time. Punk is one of the most heavily occupied genres in music, how can a little punk band from Los Angeles stand out. They have the talent of playing for years, they have the attitude, but most importantly they have the catchy hooks necessary to stick out it a sea of punk. Not only that but there is some real emotion and life thrown into the lyrics. One of the songs talks abouts about their drummer Max Kuehn's inability to surf. Even though they are drunks and druggies they play very well, and drive some serious emotion into their music. Even Tom Morello would be proud. 

Here is the albums lead single, "Cheap Beer".

     The albums opener, "Cheap Beer" is a punk rock anthem. It is by far the heaviest on the album, the instruments come in fast and driving. This is a true punk rock anthem, by the time the half yelling vocals come in you have become fully engulfed in the spirit of punk rock. The next two, "Stoked and Broke" and "White on White", slow things down a bit but keep the catchy hooks and great instrumentation going. "No Waves" takes on more of a surf rock feel similar to Wavves. "Whore" changes things up quite a bit taking a very bluesy feel, and slowing down even more, while still remaining punk and awesome. The next three, "Max Can't Surf", "Blackout Stout", "Wake Bake Skate", and remain fairly close to their normal form. Alternating between a surf rock feel and strait punk, while keeping up their lifestyle in the lyrics. "Gimmie Something" stands out as the most different song on the album, its the slowest by far and it comes close to a folksy pop punk vibe. "5 to 9" serves as the albums transitions song that quite in under a minute. "LDA", "Paycheck", and "Wait for the Man", keep up the steady punk vibe of most of the album.  Then we arrive at the closer "Cocaine", and what a closer it is. It raps things up as quickly as the started on "Cheap Beer". As they say Cocaine is a hell of a drug, well its also a hell of a song. It even includes a slower hidden track on the end. 

     The album it self packs a punch and throws us back into a lost time period for punk music. They rock hard and party harder. Hopefully they live long enough to make more albums. So go out get drunk, smoke weed, skate, and party like the rock stars you all are. That is if your not planning on living past 40. In reality don't do that, just enjoy the awesome music of those that do. The sleaziest punk record I have heard in a very long time. The Clash would be proud. 
Recommended Songs: Cheap Beer, No Waves, Whore, and Cocaine. 

4/5 Stars

     Now we move on to respecting our rock elders with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- Push the Sky Away. This is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds fifteenth album, and Nick Caves twentieth album. The band first formed in august of 1983 following the demise of Nick's previous band The Birthday Party. Broken up because of major writing differences from Nick Cave  and Rowland S. Howard, and from the ashes rose Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds featuring most of The Birthday party members. The Australian rock band originally sounded more Post Punk in the early years. Throughout the bands life tons of members came and went, too many to list. In 1985 the band relocated to West Germany. They changed styles drastically, becoming obsessed with the Gothic Americana  and the blues. Just one of the many sound transformations they would go through. Cave relocated to São Paulo, Brazil soon after the touring behind Tender Prey and after successfully finishing rehab, began experimenting with piano-driven ballads, on The Good Son. Following this album they dove into harder rock following in the footsteps of Neil Young, recording two albums in this style Henry's Dream and Let Love in. Finally receiving some major commercial success with "Right Hand Red" and "Loverman". Which was used in the film Scream and covered by Metallica. The release of Murder Ballads, which is exactly what it sound like it is, an album about murder, and their biggest success to date. After this Nick took a few years off to recover from 20 years of Heroin and alcohol abuse. Finally to return in 2001 with No More Shall We Part, and then in 2003 Nocturama. It ended up being the worst album rating wise, causing Nick to self inspire writing the double album Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus. Which achieved huge success. Then came 2008's Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!, and that leads us to Push the Sky Away.
                                            Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-Get Ready for Love

  Now it that was a lot of history to squeeze in, he has had a prolific career. I just can't do a nick cave review without giving you some information on the man himself. Nick Cave has been the front man and lead writer for three very prolific bands: The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Grinderman. The Birthday Party was a post punk band that was highly Gothic. Grinderman is a garage rock band formed for the sole purpose of escaping the weight of the bad seeds. Cave was born in the small town of Warracknabeal in the state of Victoria. His parents were an English teacher and a librarian, now his poet nature is starting to make sense. Nick was a major trouble maker as a child getting caught by the local police on many occasions. Cave was 19 when his father was killed in a car accident. Nick said "the loss of my father created in my life a vacuum, a space in which my words began to float and collect and find their purpose".Cave studied painting at the Caulfield Institute of Technology in 1976, but dropped out in 1977 to pursue music. He also began using heroin around this time. Nick has received 3 honorary degrees over the years an honorary Doctor of Laws from Caulfield Institute of Technology,an Honorary Degree from the University of Dundee, and a Doctor of Letters from Faculty of Arts at the University of Brighton. How ridiculously awesome is that. Nick has written and published 7 books over the years, has written for a total of 13 movie scores, and he has written several screenplays two of which were turned into movies. The Proposition back in 2005 and this past years Lawless, and has several more on the way. He married model Susie Bick in 1999, and has four kids: Luke, Jethro, Arthur, and Earl.

     That is all of the legacy of Nick, however he has a very eccentric look on life to say the least. He is a poet, he writes lyrics that would make most artists lyrics today look like Fred Durst. He has an utter fascination with death, and religion. He often quotes the old testament, he particularly enjoys the graphic sections. He is part of a  dying breed of musicians, up there with Lou Reed and David Bowie. He is truly a master having reinvented his own music genre more times than the number of genres the average person could name. As for the album it self, it marks a huge change up from his past two albums. Coming in like a late in life masterpiece, that finally sees nick accepting the twenty first century. The lose of Nick Harvey his guitarist of 30 years has a lot to do with the 
new sound. He goes for more stripped down simple arrangements on this album. Nick describes the albums minimalistic arrangements like a tender heartbeat. It feels like nothing Nick has ever done before, something all to its own. Which is saying something with a discography like Nick's. After 30 plus years Nick still has the drive and spark to create music at the top of his game. The poet in him is alive as ever, he makes the end of the world sound like a peaceful walk through a meadow with both the music and lyrics. It's got intensity, drive, inspiration, and beauty written all over it. 
                                                Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-Jubilee Street

  

     The album opener "We No Who U R" is a synth heavy groove that slowly hypnotizes you with its beauty and flutes section. The song title is a an obvious shot at Ke$ha. The second song "Wide Lovely Eyes" is a very interesting song. It acts like a rocket that never quite takes off. The whole song a drives a long like the beautiful ballad that it is, but the guitar over it is intense and could explode at any moment. "Water's Edge" is one of my favorites. Its a perfect combination of all the best parts of Nick. It drives a heavy bass line over beautifully laid out violin segments. Then we reach the pinnacle of the album "Jubilee Street" the best song on the album and one of the best songs he has ever written. Its got that classic start soft and slowly build to explosion feel we have come to know Nick for. It's about a murdered prostitute, the emotion he shows on this song is incredible you can hear the pain in his voice. "Mermaids" is a beautiful orchestral ballad about the beauty of life and love. He brings back the strings over top of the driving base for "We Real Cool" a song about how awesome Wikipedia, Googling curiosities, and Miley Cyrus are, no seriously. "Finishing Jubilee Street" is about well..., finishing the song Jubilee street only Nick Cave could write that song. Then comes "Higgs Boson Blues" a demented story about a hallucinations  a trip to Geneva, and the terrible depressions and sad things that follow all the characters in the story. This is Nick Cave at his best, a wonderful orchestral ballad. The album ends with "Push the Sky Away" is a synth heavy ballad that beautifully wraps the album up in a way that is truly a act of brilliance. 

Here is Higgs Boson Blues

   This album is a masterpiece, a true work of art if I have ever heard one. A poet telling stories over some of the most beautiful and delicate songs he has every written. I never thought I would hear an album like this from the guy that brought us Grinderman, but it's here. Proving nick hasn't lost a bit of talent even 30 plus years into his career. He combines love, hate, life, pain, death all into one using some of the most hauntingly beautiful music to do it. If you can listen to this album and not just walk away amazed by it's beauty then so be it, but this album moved me deeply. No humor, no more jokes to add just please listen to this you won't regret it.
Recommended Songs: Water's Edge, Jubilee Street, We Real Cool, and Higgs Boson Blues. 

4.5/5 Stars

Week of Foals and Puscifer

     This week I am going to review one album and one ep. As odd as it is for me to say this both are indie rock. Weird because I'm still not used to Maynard Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle having an indie band. Anyways lets start off with Foals.

   Foals are an English rock band from Oxford, England. All of the members tired their luck in previous bands before Foals but didn't make it for one reason or another. Guitarist Jimmy Smith is the only one to finish his degree, at Hull University: each of the band members quit their Universities after being signed to Transgressive Records. They are very self contained and don't like to branch out much. They mostly use their friends for their band the music videos are created by their friend Dave Ma and all of the artwork is also done by their friend Tinhead. In the summer of 2007 Foals began working on their debut album in New York. It was produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio. The band decided not to use the master copy mixed by Dave and mixed the album themselves. they said it sounded to vast and expanding like it was mixed in the Grand Canyon, they went for a smaller more intimate feel. They band started to record their second album in 2009 while in Gothenburg, Sweden. It has been described by the band as "tropical prog" , or "the dream of an eagle dying." The album's title is named after an element of Ray Kurzweil's theory of singularity. The band's front man Yannis Philippakis has professed a longtime interest in futurology, with it informing numerous songs on Total Life Forever. Total Life Forever was going to be a hard album to top and they knew it. I was nominated for a mercury prize for Christ's sake. If you don't know a Mercury prize is like the Grammy of England, accept there is only one award to win. In 2012 they announced on their Facebook page the third album's name would be Holy Fire. 

                                          Here is an example, Foals- Antidotes. The whole album.

     One of the things that makes foals stand out is their utter defiance in trend following. Back when they were writing Antidotes they hired Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio as the producer. A dream grab for a starting indie rock band, he was the go to guy at this point. People would kill to get him on as producer, but they turned his final product down and fired him. They mixed the album themselves instead. Talk about guts, you have just started no debut album yet just a contract. You line up a killer producer who had worked with everyone and then fire him. Not only that but on Antidotes they didn't even include Hummer their lead single on the CD  Think about that you make a huge hit that people respond to and love and then don't put it on your album. They are simply unpredictable. Right about the time when math rock was at is least popular in the indie rock community they picked it up and ran with it. Combining math rock with afro pop and dance rock to make an entirely new genre for indie rock. Changing it and reinventing it, and not just that once they have done it on every album so far. They also have a tendency to add in some out of nowhere, funk rhythmic craziness. Then alone came Total Life Forever, this album can be best described as the cool down after a party. The party being Antidotes. They album isn't as in your face as Antidotes or "the party", but it leaves to think back on the good time with a strong joy nostalgia. It combines all of what made Antidotes amazing with more thought out layers, emotion, and amazingly in depth lyrics. Its the changes that come with maturity and experience.Then we get to Holy Fire.

     Here is an example, Foals- Antidotes, The whole album. Holy has been described by the band as schizophrenic, because none of the songs sound anything alike. They also said that each song could be described as a different color, an entity all to them. This is seriously true, the album has something for everyone it rocks, remains indie, keeps its layers, slows down for ballads, fires out funky baselines, crazy math rock percussion lines, dance rock groves, and radio friendliness. That right the band that once cut their lead single off a record has become more straight forward on this record, but it's not a bad thing. It's actually kind of a relief in a way. All the weirdness and constant rebellion from them has made them not as easily accessible as they could be, or for lack of a better words just shy of full music chart topping domination. That's not to say they care enough about that to sell out. If face what brought us this more strait forward album is the confidence they got from Total Life Forever’s successes, especially singer Yannis Philippakis. The band admitted to liking pop music and trying to use its charm on the new album without selling out, they were able to use their math rock talent, plus Yannis powerful voice to emulate pop without becoming bland and losing them. This album comes from an artist truly inspired and at the top of their game. Holy Fire combines the best things you used to love about Foals with so many more new awesome things.
                                                           Here is Foal's new single Inhale

     While doing my research on Foals for this album review I fell in love with this band, and more specifically Holy Fire. I think this is my favorite album of the year so far. Every track has it purpose on this album and drives a very different felling home with each song. The album opens up with "Prelude", which is an actual prelude to the album, and a great song that builds from a slow beginning to an explosive ending. Following this is the one-two punch of "Inhaler", and "My Number". "Inhaler", Pushes the band into a heavier direction than ever before accompanied with crazy funky bass lines. Yannis sings over it and at moments even screams in a deafening roar close to what might be considered nu-metal. Then all of the bands dance rock elements come rushing back with "My Number", a simple but insanely catchy song about an ex who can't text him because he changed his number. "Bad Habit", slows down and pulls things way back in for an emotional ballad about his past sins. "Every time" has sort of a surf rock feel to with crazy percussion on top to make it really catchy song. "Last Night" is a slower but building indie rock song that blasts out the fund toward the end. "Out of the Woods" is a more old school song from Foals a look back to Antidotes era, but it adds to the album as a whole. "Milk and Black Spiders" is my favorite song on the album. It’s simple with lots of layers and it builds beautifully to an amazing finish. "Providence" is a crazed heavy, funky, math rock that explodes to the heaviest music they have ever made. The final two songs "Stepson", and "Moon" are a prefect slower close, ending with more of a Total Life Forever feel bringing the album and the band full circle through all three albums in one.
                                          Here is a song off Total Life Forever, Spanish Sahara.

   

     Foals have delivered in a big way on every album, but this album feels different because of the sheer confidence coming from the band and Yannis's vocals. They took success and new they had to step up and inspired themselves for greatness. This album is a weird quirky band trying to shed some of its unacceptability and reach to play arena crowds. They do this without losing themselves and create new ground for themselves at the same time.
 Recommended Sons: THE WHOLE FREAKING ALBUM!

5/5 Stars

      Now we are moving on Maynard Keenan's indie rock band Puscifer and their new ep, Donkey Punch the Night. Puscifer's original name was Umlaut, "a premiere improvisational hardcore band". Keenan describes Puscifer as "simply a playground for the various voices in my head, a space with no clear or discernible goals, where my Id, Ego, and Anima all come together to exchange cookie recipes." How weird can you get Maynard, very apparently? Puscifer is apparently as much a clothing line as it is a band, designed from Adam Jones of Mr. Show, that where the band appeared, as a fictional band for the first episode, sort of like Spinal Tap. Their first ep Don't Shoot the Messenger was released in 2007, followed later that year by their first full length V is for Vagina. In 2009 they released" C is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference Here) their second ep. Puscifer's second full length Conditions of my Parole came out in 2011. That brings us to 2013 and Donkey Punch the night. Maynard has said that Puscifer is the moniker he uses when he releases solo material.

  I couldn't do a review of Puscifer without giving a little history lesson on Maynard Keenan. Maynard Keenan is the front man for Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. He is one of the most prolific people in the music business but he is also so many other things. He is recluse, winemaker, actor, producer, husband, father, and self-proclaimed mad man. James Keenan was born in Ravenna, Ohio, on April 17, 1964. He is an only child. Inspired by Bill Murray's performance in the 1981 comedy film Stripes, Keenan joined the United States Army, with the intention of having the G.I. Bill fund his dream of attending art school. He initially served in the Army as a forward observer before studying at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (West Point Prep School) from 1983 to 1984. In school re ran cross country, wrestled, and sang in the glee club. It was while in the military that he was given the name Maynard and kept it. During the 1980's, Keenan played bass guitar for TexA.N.S. and sang for Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty, both independent bands. After moving to Los Angeles, Keenan met Adam Jones who had heard him singing on a demo in college. Impressed with Keenan's vocals, Jones suggested that they form a band. This is where Tool is formed. This is where the weirdness sets in.
                                                      Here is Tool's crazy Schism video.

 You know the musician side, but I’m sure there is plenty you don't know he says out of the limelight as much as he can. He has a son named Devo H Keenan (born 1995) who sang backing vocals on A Perfect Circle's Thirteenth Step, fun fact of the day. It was after the birth of his son that it occurred to Keenan to obscure his own identity in order to prevent his son from being hurt by his popularity. He hates the way that rock stars are worshiped and has been known to walk around with business cards that say Jesus Christ on them. He also has a stalker problem; he used a paintball marker to run people off his property. He is also trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has been an actor on a few occasions starting off for Mr. Show, ironically where Pusifer was born. He has also acted as Charles Manson, and Satan in Bikini Bandits and Bikini Bandits 2: Golden Rod. On April 1, 2005, the official Tool website announced, as an April Fools' Day prank, that "Maynard has found Jesus" and would be abandoning the recording of the new album temporarily and possibly permanently. Keenan, whose grandparents and great-uncle made wine in Northern Italy, owns Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars, based in the unincorporated area of Page Springs/Cornville, Arizona, southwest of Sedona, where he resides.

     Another thing worth mentioning is Maynard Keenan's live performances; he is strange to say the least. I have personally witnessed Tool, and A Perfect Circle live, but not Puscifer. In live performances with Tool, Keenan has often been known to be situated on a platform towards the rear of the stage, without a spotlight, facing the backdrop rather than the audience. For live show with A Perfect Circle, Maynard is known to stay towards the back of the stage, this time facing the audience stomping in place throughout the whole show. I have never seen Puscifer's live show, but I have heard crazy things about it. Apparently it is one of the weirdest shows you will ever see. The whole band come out and sets up and entire campsite including a campfire, before playing the show the band will take their seats around the campfire before starting the show. After hearing this I really want to see Puscifer live. Now we shall move on to the ep itself.

     The album opens with a cover of Queens, "Bohemian Rhapsody". To be honest after hearing A Perfect Circle's Emotive, it wasn't what I expected. He usually takes a ton of liberties when doing covers, but this one stays pretty close to the original. It is well done, but it just feels so out of place with the rest of the ep. The next song is "Breath" and this one is more what I expected from Puscifer. It’s very adventurous in terms of the sonic textures and tones it uses, ranging from haunting guitars to sci-fi synth patches. The two singers Maynard and Carina Round trade vocally seductively trough the track. The next song "Dear Brother", follows wonderfully in the footsteps of Conditions of my parole. It’s a synth heavy indie song, it's weird and cool. Then we are treated to a cover that is more like what I was expecting. This time it's the classic ‘80’s heavy metal anthem, Accept’s “Balls to the Wall”. The cover even feels like it could have been on Emotive, and that's not a bad thing, from a metal anthem to a dark emotional ballad. It builds to a close with a huge chorus. The last three are three mixes of "Breath", "Dear Brother", and "Balls to the Wall". The first one is "Breath" is a ghostly haunting cover mixed with some industrial Nine Inch Nails sounds. "Dear Brother" is a more 80's sounding mix, full of synthesizers and robot voice singing, all popular in the 80's. The last one "Balls to the Wall" is an instrumental track; it’s very hypnotic and very monotonous. Overall the mixes are cool, but not important. What really important here is the new music and the two covers, that is the purpose of the ep after all. Of the four songs three of them add great music to Puscifer's discography; the Queen cover is good but feels out of place.
 Recommended Songs: Breath, Dear Brother, Balls to the Wall. 

4/5 Stars

Week of My Bloody Valentine and Matchbox Twenty

This week we got a little different instead of two album reviews. I have a concert review and a long long long overdue album review. So we will start with the long overdue third My Bloody Valentine album, Mbv.

     My Bloody Valentine are an alternative rock band formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1983. As My Bloody Valentine's music evolved, their use of distortion, pitch bending, and digital reverb resulted in a sound that came to be known as shoegazing. They switched record labels a few times, had a few members come and go, and even recorded a few eps. Finally in 1988, they released their debut album Isn't Anything from Creation records. After a couple years of recording eps and touring behind them, they finally ended up back in the studio for their second full length. This is were 1991's Loveless arrives. Loveless have been so highly praised that some reviewers even claimed that listening to this album is like finding yourself elevated from a human being to that of a deity. Praise doesn't get much better than that, despite all of the stellar reviews, Loveless didn't do that well commercially. After getting fired from their previous record label, they tried to record a third album. Lead songwriter and musical genius Kevin Sields, for lack of a better word went insane, and the band split up. Like other bands before them who broke up in their prime, this let fans to wonder if we would ever see another album. Like those crazy guys in Guns N' Roses, cough Chinese Democracy, cough cough.

   Thus begins the long wait for the now infamous third My bloody valentine album. In 2007 after a long time apart, Kevin Shields officially announced My Bloody Valentine's reunion, and even better than that the album he started recording in 1996 was 3/4 done. After a slew of festival appearances and a full scale tour of sorts, new rumors/updates on the album started arriving from Kevin. This happened about once a year sometimes more to the point where it became a joke, "yeah I'm sure will get the new album next year, you know unless we don't, lol." In late 2012 he said that the album could drop any day now and weeks pasted before we heard anything. Finally he released the album on February 2nd on My Bloody Valentines Website. Guess what happened, the site crashed, what did you expect. Fans had been waiting for this album since 1991. When he said it was up the fans freaked and flooded the site, and it crashed the servers. This made fans furious, they took to the band's Facebook page, twitter, Wikipedia page, and website to show their displeasure. They even went so far as to set up an official petition to the Obama administration to get My Bloody Valentines site back up. I serious this all really happened.You can check out the petition right here if your interested. http://www.spin.com/articles/my-bloody-valentine-mbv-album-white-house-petition

     The site is up and working again and Mbv is here so lets start the review. Ill be honest the first time I listened to My Bloody Valentine I had absolutely no idea what I was listening to. I just sounded like strange wavy sounds with weak vocals over the top, and I just didn't get it. I had this comic strip running in my mind where a normal guy walks into a hipster underground concert. Everyone is rocking out and loving it. He just stands there and stares blankly. He turns and looks at the stage, all that's up there is a guy grinding a cheese grader into the mic. He looks back to the hipster next to him, "you do know that's just a cheese grader right?" "Are you kidding me right now, all I listen to is cheese grader infused music. Its probably just to sophisticated for you". That was pretty much my thought process while listening to this the first time. However I put some serious time in, went through all three albums multiple times, and it finally clicked a huge light bulb moment it all made sense. It just took me quite a while to get there. Loveless truly was a masterpiece.

     I honestly think Kevin Shields likes making it harder on critics. There are moments in My bloody Valentine albums where the intonation floats in and out. He switches up the time signature not just a little bit, all the time. When listening sometimes it can be quite unsettling. That is the  trademark unsteadiness or transcendental sound from My Bloody Valentine, along with Kevin's swirling guitars. This band is the only time you will hear the term swirly guitars, but it really is true. Kevin plays all of the instruments on the album and even sings. The only thing he doesn't do, is sing the female part. Bilinda Butcher does her classic Loveless crooning for that. Kevin is the kind of guy who, hops, skips, and jumps back and forth across the line between genius and insanity. To quote a famous doctor, "I am just a mad man with a box." Most of time listening to this album, I found myself thinking, if you have to get a good old fashion acid trip going to truly understand this album. After my third listen through, I finally understood it. Or at least this is most clarity I would ever get listening to this album. Loveless is a true work of brilliance that will always be regarded as one of the best albums of all time. So no matter what this album had it's work cut out for it. Also after 20+ years away, it's a reunion record. Lets be honest when was the last time you heard a reunion record that stood up to past works from years ago. They usually end with nostalgia taking over. Oh well, this is a different band then they used to be, at least we have the memories. Proceeded by hugging their old albums tightly and trying not to cry.

     That's one of the things that makes this record so amazing. Listen to Loveless and Mbv back to back. It takes off right where Loveless left off like they were written in the same year. Apparently it was planned that way.
                                                     My Bloody Valentine- Loveless

     In fact Mbv doesn't really make a new sound for itself until the last tracks, "In Another Way", "Nothing Is", and "Wonder 2". "Nothing Is" especially sticks out from the rest of the record. It could be downright terrifying in the wrong setting. It drives a huge guitar intro over some crazy scaling synthesizers, it just groves. Then it is topped by an even more intense beat of a song, "Nothing Is", driven by wild guitar, and pounding drums. Then we reach the Closer, "Wonder 2", and what a closer. At points it sounds like Kevin has been thrown off a cliff into a tornado, he sings and plays his guitar right to the finale, him hitting the ground. Its a textbook bookend start and finish and it rocks. The rest of the record is like a movie that just gets more and more intense, until it comes to an explosive conclusion. Only without the happy slow ending, it ends with the showdown. "Soon", starts us off slowly like a continuation to Loveless, then precedes to change and warp itself into an entirely new beast. Another high note is "New You", classic My Bloody Valentine layered sound with distorted guitar and swooning vocals. This album has been planned and laid out so meticulously that even most detail oriented people would think it's crazy to write like this. It pays off though, following in the foot steps of the epic Loveless into new places without leaving us crying in our rooms over the loss.

Wonder 2- My Bloody Valentine

Its not better than Loveless but, I mean come on did you really think it would be.
Recommended Songs: New You, In Another Way, Nothing Is, and Wonder 2

4/5 Stars

      Matchbox Twenty played the Civic Center In Des Moines, Iowa on February 10th. Now before all you reading this start criticizing the crap out of my music taste. Nostalgia is a funny thing, when I was growing up in the 90's. That's right I'm a 90's child. You couldn't listen to the radio without hearing Matchbox's slew of hits.

 

     I would say they are a guilty pleasure for me, but I hate that phrase. Who cares what you like, or why you like it. You think your the only one that likes something a lot of others hate, get real. With that in mind when North came out last year. After it wasn't that big of a disappointment, I immediately started watching for a North world tour. Like I said nostalgia is a powerful thing, and I think Matchbox twenty know that. They booked themselves in venues that realistically in today scene they probably shouldn't be able to fill. It didn't hurt that they booked American Idol and "Home" hit maker Phillip Phillips. 

 

     I had two reservations going into this show. First I heard that Matchbox Twenty's Exile on Mainstream tour had some pretty bad reviews. Mostly caused by bad relations in the band, they were just phoning it in and going for the big pay check, until they could move back to other projects. The other concern was after looking on their set lists I noticed that they were playing almost all of the new album. It's good but it's not as good as the hits. Turned out it didn't matter that much. In fact some of the new songs were pretty great live.

Take English Town for example.

                                     

      Fast forward to the night of the show. I thought to myself there is no way they can fill the same place that The Book of Mormon filled a week earlier. On a side note The Book of Mormon is amazing! However, apparently I'm not the only one who is extremely nostalgic about Matchbox Twenty. The place was full to the brim, seriously sold out. We took our seats and Philip Philips took the stage. My opinion of American Idol winners isn't exactly a stellar one, but Phillip Phillips has proved to be my least hated Idol winner. His quartet consisted of an upright bass player, an acoustic guitar hooked up to an electric amp, a drummer who's kit was a fancy drum box, and Phillip equipped with an acoustic guitar. They set up like a classic string quartet, seated on stools together toward the front of the stage. They never left those stools, which in a way was a kinda cool in a classy way. They were all excellent musicians, and even though they only played 6 songs, and were only on stage for 30 minutes. They killed it, even after playing 3 rap covers in a jammy folk way. That's right, your hearing correctly three rap covers, "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne, "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, and "All I do is Win" by Dj Khaled. They jammed out, and it was awesome. He played two songs off his debut, "Man on the Moon" and of course the closer, "Home". Even though Phillip's speech's to the crowd was weird to say the least, he was praised. I thought he was high. The crowd didn't care and neither did I. The second he finished the extended jam version of "Home", the crowd went crazy.

     After about half an hour pretty much at 8:30 right on the nose the band took the stage. Speaking of the stage, lets talk about their awesome stage. There is a picture of it above. It was a three level stage, so they band had plenty of space to run around on it, and they did. It also was absolutely full of color changing Led lights, and not just on the stage but behind it as well. It was a an ADD kid's dream world, it flashed, strobed, and changed color pretty much all night. They played a two hour show, chalked full of hits, new songs, rarities, and jams. They were really firing on all cylinders. The band consists of Singer Rob Thomas, Lead guitarist Kyle Cook, Bass guitarist Brian Yale, Rhythm guitar, piano, percussion Paul Doucette. As well as touring members Stacy Jones on drum kit, and Matt Beck on absolutely everything else. 

     The show opened with new song "Parade", which is actually a pretty good song, slower that expected for an opener but still very effective. It got the energy going, and if this wasn't enough, following that the band launched into "Bent", and "Disease" two of the bands hits. The crowd went bonkers they were eating it up, me included. The band seemed in high spirit and were genuinely enjoying themselves. Musically they were killing it. Kyle Cook was adding crazy shredding guitar solos to songs that were normally more poppy by nature. Bass player Brian Yale was slamming the bass as fast as he could and with some furious precision. During some songs Paul Doucette would come up front to a drum set up near the front of the stage and bang the hell out of it. It added crazy percussion layers and was awesome to watch. Then there was Rob Thomas, he has already established himself as a very gifted songwriter, two solo albums, "Smooth" a smash hit written for Santana, and he is the lead songwriter for Matchbox Twenty. On top of all that he has some serious pipes and showed them off a lot. Most of the nigh Rob was out in front of a mic singing his heart out and being a genuinely charming host for the show. However he dawned a guitar a couple of times through out the night, ended up at the piano to blast out mega hit "Bight Lights". He even gave up vocals to Kyle Cook a couple times, most notably on English Town.

     The one criticism I have of this otherwise fantastic show is the new album is good, but there were moments where new songs turned into, OK time to sit down moments. I didn't kill the buzz so to speak, but 10 new songs may have been too many. Remember this is mostly a nostalgia show. There was also the odd but effective dace song "Put Your Hands Up". This song feels like a producer just approached Rob Thomas and told him this is what the kids are into now a days.

Ill let the live footage of the song speak for itself.

                                                                            

     Although the good way out ways the bad for this show. On the end of the album More than you think you are there is a song called "The Difference". Well anyway half way through that song on Cd they launched into a bad ass cover of "Stay with Me" my The Faces. I didn't think they would play it live, I was wrong. Not only did they play it but it was probably the best part of the whole show. Half way through the new song "Radio", Rob Thomas leaves the stage while the band jam out. He comes back and the cover starts up, they rock through an amazingly heavy version on the song. Reaching a point where Rob and Lead Guitarist Kyle are in each other faces just improvising and jamming out. Rob gets really quiet and starts singing the bridge while building in intensity. They get to the last line and he just screams it at the top of his lungs. The crowd screams along. It was amazing, on one last note matchbox may have be a nostalgia band to me, however I think they aren't finished making a name for themselves yet. The show was an absolute delight, the crowd sang along to every word of hits like: "3 Am", "Unwell", "Bent", "Bright Lights", "Disease", "How Far We've Come", "Back 2 Good", "Push", "Long Day", "If Your Gone", "Girl Like That", and "Real World". The Show came to close by going back to the beginning, their very first single "Push". In conclusion if you have a band that you like and others hate, who cares go see them anyway. If your a Matchbox Twenty fan go check them out when they come to your city. It was so worth it. Here is the set list if your interested. http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/matchbox-twenty/2013/des-moines-civic-center-des-moines-ia-7bdbcaa4.html

                                      

Week of Bad Religion and Local Natives

For this week I am going to review two albums one a battle born veteran, and one still just starting off. Lets start with the veteran it is a sign of respect after all.

     Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. They have been around rocking the punk scene for 30 + years and have officially released their 16th full studio album. Their first show was held in 1980 when the band opened for Social Distortion in Fullerton, CA, at a warehouse. Following that they released How Could Hell be any Worse their first studio album. They have been through several lineup changes and a break up in 1983 and subsequent reunion in 1986. Main songwriter and lead guitarist Brett Gurewitz left the band in 1995 after helping them gain commercial success with Stranger than Fiction. This album had hits like "21st Century (Digital Boy)", and "Infected".
                              

     Most of the tension from the band came from Brett's crack addition. They came to it's worst when singer  Greg Graffin would sing "I want to know where Brett gets his crack" on the song "Stranger Than Fiction". The band continued after Brett left but they never saw the same success. In 2001 they returned to  Epitaph records, the company owned by former guitarist Brett Gurewitz, here he rejoined the band. This album True North has received some serious commercial success ranking #18 on Billboard's top 20. Their highest rated album in their entire 34 year career.
      There is some serious rumors surrounding whether this may be Bad Religion's last album ever. I really hope not, these guys are awesome it would be serious loss. In true punk fashion Bad Religion bash politics specifically major commercial enterprises not to mention How they strike back against politics with their music. Singer Greg Graffin is quite a smart cookie he goes against US political issues without become one of what he would call left wing nutjobs, or anarchists if you like. Especially outspoken agianst Bush he really doesn't like president Bush, the whole album The Empire Strikes First was against him.

     Despite the name of the band, or the band's logo, the members do not consider themselves atheist. Singer Greg Graffin states that more often than not, the band prefers to use religion as a metaphor for anything that does not allow for an individual's freedom to think or express themselves as they choose. In this way, their songs are more about anti-conformity than anti-religion.

     The album itself is quite something to behold, it is thier the best album since Stranger Than Fiction, which is a huge complement. It's a return to a different age for them, it's a faster more in your face album then I have seen for years from them. It sounds like they are having fun again, returning to their roots. While I liked The Dissent of Man, the past few albums from them have become more pop punk, sort of becoming the "New Bad Religion sound". Some people thought the old rebel rousers were gone for good. It just took few years to find some passion, and the angst of the 80's that we missed so much. The lyrics are crisp and angry with their classic smart guy punk feel all over it, attacking corporate America, heard mentality and religion of course. The guitar and drums come roaring in with a vengeance and you know your in for a trip. It just has that old school punk feel where most of the tracks come in at under 2 minutes like back in the early NOFX or Bouncing Souls albums.

     The albums opener "True North" opens with an explosion that makes me want to jump strait into a mosh pit and go nuts. "Past is Dead", slows things down for a bit before taking off like a Rocket ship. The next three songs; "Robin Hood in Reverse", "Land of Endless Greed", and the lead single, "F@#k You", bring the bands best, with sharpest lyrics, biggest choruses, and most strait up punk energy on the album. The rest of the album feels like a book whose words are flying off its pages, and into your face. The drummer is a maniac slamming on those symbols like he wants to kill them. This album is definitely a requirement for all you punk rockers out there. It's one of the most raw, in your face, pure punk albums I have heard in a long time.

Reccomended songs: Robin Hood in Reverse, Land of Endless Greed, F$#k You, and True North.

                               

 4.5/5 Stars

     And now for something completley different. Local Natives- Hummingbird is absolutley nothing like True North, but thats ok lets review it anyway.
     Local Natives only have two albums at this point they are still fairly new to the music scene. At least when you compare them to Bad Religion they are. The band came together in Orange County, where Kelcey Ayer, Ryan Hahn, and Taylor Rice attended Tesoro High School. One year after graduating college at UCLA, they were joined by bassist Andy Hamm and drummer Matt Frazier. In December 2008. These guys are literally living most garage bands fantasies. They were just a group of college friends that all liked playing music together. So they decided one day to make an album. what makes them different is that everything they do is 100% collaborative effort from the whole band.  They even named their first album Gorilla Manor together. It was the name of the place they were all living in at the time in Orange County. This was one of those bands you could see just making an album, not making it in the music business, but remaining friends. Getting together once a year to listen to the album they created together like a time capsule.
    That is not what happened theses guys had some serious tallent and after opening for Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, and Arcade Fire, they were on their way to being famous. When your  debut album is compared to Grizzly Bear, you know your going in the right direction. When you listen to the album you can almost feel the happiness of their dreams coming true. This is a very positive album. Here are some lyrics from the some, "Sun Hands". "The most beautiful colors chase the son. They wrap her trail in a taunting guesture that seems to sing outloud. This is what your missing." I'm showing you this so you can see how much they changed in Hummingbird.

That was one of the few faults of the sparkling debut is it didn't have very much emotional depth. Both the music and the lyrics themselves are just so upbeat, it's not a bad thing just that some times all of one emotion leaves something to be desired. The music itself on the album is absolutly wonderful. It's a great indie rock album that I very throughly enjoyed. However that being said Hummingbird is a different beast entirely its own.
     On Hummingbird the four remaining members got back together and made a super dark emotional roaller coaster of an album. It's truely hard to believe that this is the same band. They had a lot of help from The National’s Aaron Dessner, who came on board as producer. This album is layered, just waves of sound and emotion coming together with beautifl lyrics to make something truly wonderful. It is dark though don't misunderstand, this is an album of realism for the band. They aren't the happy go lucky dreamers anymore they have seen the world and experienced some of the worst things about it. Look at he album cover, it shows one of the member almost being pulled under by the ground itself. This was done on purpose, when I had you look at the lyrics earlier you saw just pure joy. Look at some lyrics from Hummingbirds, "You and I". "When did your love, when did your love grow cold? The closer I get the farther I have to go to places we don't know. In all this light all I feel is dark. Had the sun without it's warmth, I'm Freezing." It's so much darker and it's about waking up and realizing the love of your life doesn't love you anymore. Deep stuff, and real, Local Natives only use their real lifes when the write.
    The album opens with the haunting but beautiful, "You and I" a song about Kelcey Ayer loosing the love of his life. It's real, and in your face, he croons with his falsetto over the top of the thick layers of instruments. In "Heavy Feet",  talks about a conversation he had with someone about outliving the body. The song is rich and beautiful, with simple but effective harmonies overtop to make it sound more genuinly painful. From this point it follows the story of a person very depressed by a true love lost, he's depressed and beaten down on, "Ceilings", he forgets how to breath on "Blackspot". On "Breakers", a real album standout more of an indie rock song, here he is trying to figure out if he is ok but he doen'st know anymore. "Three Months" and "Black Balloons" lead him back into depression, seeing her everywhere he looks. He finally starts to get better on, "Wooly Mamoth", and "Mt. Washington". At first blaming himself then getting back into looking ahead for hope, and then he gets a blow that would be crushing even without previous heart break.

    In the song "Columbia", he talks about watching his mom die and having his final conversation with her ever. Remember this is all real, this heartbraking ballad could pull at the heartstrings of the strongest cinic. "Bowery", leaves us back where we started at the begginging alone and depresseed. Evey song lyric on this whole album is real, and each one is beautifully crafted. They could all be used in a slam poetry session. This album really feels like the therapy he needed to get over all of the heartbrack. It's dark, it's beautiful, and it's real. The music itself can be divided into two catagories dark haunting ballads, or dark driving indie alternative rock songs. This album really got to me, it deserves all the praise it gets, it is wonderful.
Reccomended songs: You and I, Breakers, Wooly Mamoth, and Columbia

5/5 Stars