punk

Listen To This: Slint ~ Untitled EP

Posted on by jamesreviewsblog

Slint-Slint_EP

Shot through the heart and you’re to blame

Recorded before their monumental second album Spiderland, this 2 song EP captures Slint exhibiting the sound that would become so captivating in the future. Produced by Steve Albini, the band had already broken up by the time this EP was released in 1994. Consisting of one new song, Glenn, and a reworking of a song off of their debut album Tweez (Rhoda), this EP really highlights the instrumental skills of the band.

I’ve come to think of the two songs on this EP as symbolising the sides of a coin. The first track is a patient, melodic track with spiralling arpeggios that become more insistent as the song progresses. Britt Walford’s drum beat coaxes the song along with another guitar joining in as the song grows, adding a more rhythmic and aggressive facet to the song. The drums are really great at controlling the pace and driving this song forward and have plenty of quick fills and intricacies to them that encourages multiple listens. This song could easily slot into the Spiderland track listing and not feel out of place. The mood it conveys is cold and dark and it would sit quite comfortably between the last few songs on that album.

The other side of the coin is the more aggressive track Rhoda. Containing the loud, angular guitar playing found on their debut album, this song would have a harder time being included on Spiderland. This song is almost immediately in your face and sounds similar to bands such as Unwound. Compared to the original version this is the superior rendition, with the song having been drawn out to over 6 minutes from the original 2 and half minute length. This allows the song to develop at a more natural pace and each section sounds fully formed. The general recording is much more dynamic than the original, which has a muffled quality to it.

This EP is an interesting document of a band developing their own unique sound at a rapid rate. The difference in quality between the EP version of Rhoda and the one found on Tweez is dramatic. The fact that the members of this band were still teenagers when they recorded this makes you wonder what sort of music they would be making if they didn’t break up. Overall this EP is a very enjoyable listen that doesn’t outstay its welcome in the slightest.

Buy: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/slint/id18280238

Listen to if:  You like instrumentals, post-hardcore, crescendos, post rock

Reminds me of: Unwound

Favourite Track: Glenn

Review Schedule

Posted on by jamesreviewsblog

Over the next few weeks I am going to try and review a whole bunch of albums. Some of these will be new albums as they get released. As usual however I plan to be reviewing that I think may be interesting or potentially something I will fall in love with. Below are the albums that I am going to try and get through.

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Amongst this collection of albums, there are quite a few famous names. Artists like Björk, Bob Dylan, Joy Division and Neil Young are names known in most households. Found between these albums are lesser known albums, mostly famous in music nerd circles such as Big Star, Camel, Circulatory Control and Codeine.

My review structure for these albums may vary depending on how I feel about what I have listened to. Some reviews may be long form essays and others may be quick summaries.

 

 

 

 

Talking Heads ~ ’77

Posted on by jamesreviewsblog

 

talking-heads-77

Insert witty idiom here

 

Talking Heads garners incredible critical acclaim across the board as one the best bands of the 70s and 80s. With the group’s eccentric singer David Byrne, tight rhythm section of  couple Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and dynamic guitar parts of Jerry Harrison, Talking Heads were able to create a unique sound that was eventually dubbed “new wave“.

Despite their reputation, Talking Heads is a band that has never fully “clicked” with me. I do like the occasional single from them, but I can’t say that I am a fan of any of their albums or deeper cuts. I’m hoping reviewing their debut album and their subsequent releases will change my opinion of the band and dig up some hidden treasures in their discography.

Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town

An upbeat opener for the album, that highlights each member of the band’s strengths. An elastic bass and guitar part carries the song, accentuated by Byrne’s sporadic, scratchy guitar. Steel drums come into the song after the chorus giving it a rather calypso feel. Love Comes To Town serves as a good opener to the album and I am keen to hear more. ★★★½

New Feeling

Opening with a riff that reminds me of The Sonics‘ song “How Love Will Travel“, New Feeling quickly breaks into a more frantic groove. I really like the combination of the main riff with the bent guitar notes that soar above. The changes in pace found in the chorus of the song is all an interesting move. The bass playing is something that really stuck with me after repeated listens, very groovy and melodic, underpinning the song masterfully. ★★★★

Tentative Decisions

Tentative Decisions starts initially sounding like a Wire song off of Chairs Missing and then takes a left turn and ends up sounding like a singing, marching band. Very weird and unexpected. I really like groove in this song, but I’m not sure whether the chorus vocals really work. A piano and additional percussion is brought in during the outro of the song which gives it a bit more impetus but it ends too quickly. ★★½

Happy Day

Some lovely piano arpeggios greet me as the intro to Happy Day, one of the more melodic cuts on ’77. With its lush instrumentation, we find Talking Heads utilising xylophone and keyboards in addition to their usual style to really expand their sound. David Byrne delivers one of the album’s best vocal performances as well, with a mixture of high notes interjecting his usual delivery. ★★★★

Who Is It?

The scratchy guitar sound that is usually identified with Talking Heads and other CBGB bands kicks off Who Is It?. With the shortest runtime on the album, this is a rather forgettable song that doesn’t really do much to distinguish itself apart from other tracks. ★★

No Compassion

When I heard the opening riff to No Compassion the first thing that popped into my mind was the intricate guitar work of fellow New York band Television. This is exactly the sort of song that I hoped I would discover by doing this review as I’ve never heard this song before and it immediately clicked with me. As per most of the tracks on this album the bass playing is fantastic, locking into a super tight groove with the drums to carry the song forwards. After the short length of previous song Who Is It? I was worried when the song had a false ending after the first chorus but thankfully it has a much longer duration. The guitar solo before the final verse is enjoyable and again reminds me of Television, specifically the ending of their song Friction. ★★★★½

The Book I Read

Sounding exactly what I imagine a deep cut of Talking Heads would sound like, The Book I Read offers up no real surprises. The piano/clavichord sounding instrument that takes over the song in the bridge is unexpected but quickly grew monotonous, although the guitar arpeggios were a very nice touch. ★★½

Don’t Worry About the Government

A rather introspective song that finds Byrne reflecting on who actually works for the government. It almost has a broadway musical feel to it, with its storyteller lyrics and dramatic chorus. I found this song rather annoying on my first listen but it grew on me the more I listened to it. The vocal melodies are very strong and are the star of the show, with the bass playing a rather restrained part (not to the detriment of the song) in comparison to the rest of the songs on the album. ★★★½

First Week/Last Week…Carefree

This song has a great groove to it, with numerous percussion instruments being utilised to maximum effect. The use of a marimba really gives a unique feel to the song that seperates it from the rest of the songs on the album. Saxophone is introduced, which adds some needed melody to the tune as well. It’s a solid, upbeat album track that helps carry the album.  ★★★½

Psycho Killer

With its iconic bass line, tense vocals and frantic guitar, Psycho Killer is the easily the most popular track on this album. It really is a great track that stands out on this album in comparison to the rest of the tracks. It has the catchiest chorus and gets stuck in your head almost immediately. The outro guitar is creates some great dissonance that really adds a lot to the track. David Byrne’s lyrics paint the image of a pyscho killer in the mould of Patrick Bateman perfectly, with the line “I hate people when they’re not polite” standing out. ★★★★★

Pulled Up

Honestly I’m not sure why the band decided to have Pulled Up be the album closer instead of Psycho Killer, which would have concluded the album with a very definitive statement. Pulled Up is an alright song but it sounds a tad lacklustre after its predecessor. It has a catchy chorus and quite a few nimble guitar lines scattered throughout the verses. I feel it would have been more of a standout track if it was in the middle of the track listing instead. ★★★

Final Thoughts

This is a solid debut from Talking Heads that met my expectations and also gave me a wider understanding of the band. Having listened to this album a few times in its entirety over the last few days I can see that the strong sense of groove and rhythm was always a strong element within the band. Their later albums would see the band continue to work on building these fantastic grooves that they built their songs upon.

I don’t believe that this album is Psycho Killer plus 10 other songs. Happy Day, No Compassion and Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town are all great songs in their own right and highlight different strengths of the band and its talented members. While not the best debut album to come out of the CBGB’s scene it’s an album that holds up well and rewards multiple listens.

Rating:  ★★★½ (Good, sometimes great)

Buy: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/talking-heads-77/id120135545

Listen to if: You’re a fan of new wave, scratchy guitars, passionate vocals, great bass grooves

Reminds me of: Television, The Police

Favourite Tracks: Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town, Happy Day, No Compassion and Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town, Psycho  Killer

Least Favourite Track: Tentative Decisions, Who Is It?, The Book I Read

 

 

 

This Heat ~ Deceit

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this heat deceit

Bleak album is bleak

This Heat are a band that get a lot of praise from music nerds and people in the know. Recorded in 1981, Deceit was the final album the band recorded and is seen as one of the cornerstones and high points of the post punk genre. As a fan of this sort of music I was intrigued as to what this album would sound like and whether it would resonate with me. Despite its reputation I have never heard this album or any work from This Heat before, so hopefully this will be an interesting listening experience.

The album kicks off with the track Sleep, which has some cool percussion and vocals that are reminiscent of The Magnetic Fields. The lyrics are about anti-consumerism and I especially like the line “a life cocooned in a routine of food”. The back and forth vocals work well and help accentuate key parts of the song. This is a solid opening to the album and I song I can see myself returning to.

Paper Hats starts much more abrasively than Sleep, with franticly strummed guitars opening the song. The marching style drums and screamed vocals juxtaposed against the almost chanted chorus give this song a truly eery vibe. The song switches up and becomes rather chaotic after the chorus and the scratchy guitars and drums are accompanied by what sounds like a piano being destroyed/thrown down the stairs. This chaos gives way to a menacing and subdued groove which I could see a band like Repeater era Fugazi playing. I really like the noises and drones that can be found in the background of this section of the song when its turned up loud. Triumph seems like an epilogue to Paper Hats and has a strange, funeral march vibe; if funeral marches featured kazoos and crazy percussion. The vocal delivery reminds me of Pink Floyd strangely, with the main vocalist being Syd Barrett and the backing vocal sounding similar to Roger Waters.

Featuring heavy use of the Latin language S.P.Q.R is a song that focuses on ancient Rome and what drove its citizens. Calling ancient Romans an “unconscious collective” and focussing on “all roads lead to Rome” makes me think of them as being depicted as ants, sprawling across Europe. Apart from interesting lyrical content this is one of the weaker songs on the album so far, with a rather bland guitar part.

Cenotaph features synth that makes it sound initially like a new wave song a la early Talk Talk. However the mood of the track changes with the introduction of sharp, sporadic guitar and This Heat’s jarring vocal style. The chorus is based off the line “history repeats itself” and this song seems to work as a warning about war. This is shown in the first few lines of the song about World War 1 and how it was “the war to end all wars”. The fast hi-hats are an interesting element of the song as the rest of the instrumental is rather slow when compared to this part, which ends up carrying the song.

Shrink Wrap is a heavily layered track that sounds like a whole bunch of tape loops are being played at the same time. Its not a particularly engaging track and feels like walking through a protesting crowd with lots of yelling and voices coming from all different angles. The drums are the base of the song and keep a repeating rhythm throughout the whole song, which is thankfully under 2 minutes. Radio Prague seems to be another song based on tape loops and samples. Its reminiscent of some of the vocal loops found on Swan’s Soundtracks for the Blind released 15 years later. I prefer this track to Shrink Wrap and it serves as a segue into the next track, Makeshift Swahili.

With its pointed guitars emerging from a deep drone, Makeshift Swahili is one of the more jarring listening experiences on the album. With its guttural, shouted vocals the rage transmitted through this song is palpable. About half way through the track seems to switch to a live performance of the song which is a rather jarring choice of composition. Musically this is one of the strongest tracks on the album, however I am not a fan of its switch up to a live performance half way through.

Independence has a rather exotic instrumental, featuring a high pitched wood winds, plucked guitar and a pentatonic feel throughout. The descending bass motif that is repeated through the song is probably the main thing I grabbed from the song. Interestingly the lyrics to this track are lifted from the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence. While I’m sure choosing to have the lyrics to be taken from that document seemed clever and artsy it isn’t a particularly pleasant listening experience hearing it sung over this instrumental.

The bass heavy New Kind of Water is one of the strongest tracks on the album and focuses on a nuclear state and the end of the world. Its dark and foreboding drum beat works perfectly to convey the dark and depressing subjects covered in the lyrics. The repeated jangling guitar riff helps to propel the song along and floats above the harsh bass and drums. The song seems to be building towards a climax towards the end however is cut short and immediately transitions to the final track, Hi Baku Shyo. As an album closer this field recording maintains the creepy, cold and dark vibe that the rest of the album has in spades and is an appropriate album closer for such an album.

 Deceit has been an interesting listening experience and I will definitely be checking out This Heat’s debut album, perhaps out of morbid curiosity. I can’t say that this is an album that I would want to listen to very often or in a social setting. While I can hear the influence that this album was far from perfect and is definitely not for everyone. I would advise listening to other post-punk acts before giving Deceit a listen, such as Public Image Ltd, Gang of Four and Wire as this album is a more difficult listening experience than what I’ve heard from all these bands.

Rating: 3.0/5

Buy: https://rermegacorp.bandcamp.com/album/this-heat-deceit

Listen to if: You appreciate varied song structures and harsh textures and vocals

Reminds me of: Throbbing Gristle, Swans, Fugazi

Favourite Tracks: Paper Hats, Cenotaph, New Kind of Water

Least Favourite Tracks: S.P.Q.R, Shrink Wrap, Independence

Swans ~ Filth

Posted on by jamesreviewsblog

SwansFilth

Say Cheese!

Filth is the first album of influential band Swans and is one of their heaviest and most aggressive releases. This album is a far cry from the dark folk and post rock the band released in the 90s or the 20 minute plus epics their most recent work contains. Filth contains stripped back and raw songs featuring two bass guitars and heavy grooves with Michael Gira yelling over the noise.

Opener Stay Here sets the tone for the album and is a dark and abrasive listen. The heavy groove is repeated throughout the whole song whilst percussion is added sporadically as the song progresses. There is very little musicality to what the guitar is playing as it seems to just be noise and the song seems to be carried by the rhythms of the drums and bass. Big Strong Boss is a similar listening experience, although it is slightly less intense. The drums are the highlight on this track with quite a few nice fills interrupting the stuttering drum beat. Again the guitar seems to sit in the background making noise. The song cuts out randomly towards the end which seems like a waste to me.

Blackout is a noisy song that features wailing guitar and feedback mixed with a booming drum beat. The overall slow tempo and heavy drum grooves found on this album remind me of some of the work The Melvins did with their slow tempo, heavy songs. The majority of songs on this album seem to rely on creating a heavy groove and repeating throughout the song. This is highlighted best on Power for Power. The longest song on the album it features a heavy drum and bass groove with the guitar playing noise in the background. As the song progresses percussion and drum fills are added to this groove to create a truly cacophonous sound.

The lyrical content found on this album is extremely bleak and matches the heavy and uncomfortable soundscapes the band creates. This is highlighted on the track Freak which is a truly claustrophobic listen. Featuring aggressive, fast paced yelling and a noise-filled, guitar part partnered with a stuttering bass groove this is probably the hardest listen on the album. The following track doesn’t let up with Right Wrong growing into one of the heaviest songs on the album. The heavy bass towards the end of the song is one of the highlights of the album, and is probably the most “musical” track on the album.

Thank You has some of the most aggressive vocals on the album, with Michael Gira resorting to using a guttural style of yelling to convey the mood. Its a rather forgettable track however, not really treading any new ground. Despite being one of the longest songs on the album Weakling doesn’t pack the same punch as Power for Power or Right Wrong and struggles to get out of second gear. The guitar tones at the end of the song are a standout it doesn’t really help elevate the song. Gang closes the album and is another forgettable song which doesn’t really leave a lasting impression.

Filth is an unpleasant listening experience from start to finish and I feel that was the band’s goal. While there were a few standout tracks this album’s downfall is the lack of variety between tracks, with many sounding incredibly similar to each other and it would’ve been nice to hear some new ideas being explored throughout the album.

Rating: 3.1/5

Buy: http://younggodrecords.com/products/filth-remastered-2014

Listen to if: You’re angry, want something cathartic to listen to

Reminds me of: The Melvins

Favourite Tracks: Power for Power, Right Wrong

Least Favourite Tracks: Blackout, Freak, Thank You, Gang

Sleater-Kinney ~ Sleater-Kinney

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sleater kinney

Punk cover for punk music

Sleater-Kinney are coming to my town on March 5th and I can’t go. On an impulse I bought tickets to see Michael Gira (Swans, Angels of Light) perform a solo show on the same night. I’m not saying that I regret my purchase I just wish that the concerts could be on separate nights so that I could witness both performances. Recorded in Australia, this is the self titled debut for American band Sleater-Kinney and it is a raw and DIY listening experience. Lasting just 22 minutes, the band manages to squeeze 10 tracks into this run time, the majority under 2 minutes.

Opening track Don’t Think You Wanna sets the tone for the album and is high energy and introduces the listener to  Corin Tucker’s shrill vocal style. The transitions from the quiet verses to the loud choruses gives this song a real Pixies vibe. Second track, The Day I Went Away features dual vocals and has some great riffing in the chorus. The bridge of this song is great and I wish it went for slightly longer before breaking back into the chorus.

There is an anger that is transmitted throughout the songs found on this album. The twin guitar approach of this band manages to convey this emotion through the contrasting melodic verses and aggressive, power chord verses. The lack of bass guitar doesn’t seem to detract from the bands sound in the slightest. The guitar tones in the chorus of Her Again matches the aggression in Corin Tucker’s vocals perfectly and highlights the experience found in the band members. Corin Tucker was a member of influential Riot Grrrl band Heavens to Betsy and Carrie Brownstein came from the band Excuse 17.

Be Yr Mama features one of the more melodic riffs found on the album, which snakes around the solid rhythm guitars chugging chords. Sold Out is pure aggression for its entire 1.16 runtime and features some great drumming from Lora MacFarlane. Slow Song is exactly what its title implies. Slower and more melodic than the majority of the songs on the album it is  welcome respite from the intense and focused aggression found throughout the album. Lora’s Song continues this vibe and features vocals from their drummer. I enjoy the riffs throughout this song and Lora’s vocals are a calm contrast to those of Corin and Carrie.

The anger and emotions found in the final song Last Song are encapsulated in the tortured screams of Carrie found in the chorus. A suitable album closer, this is one of the best songs on the album and it sums up a lot of what the listener has heard in the previous tracks. Listening to this track and reflecting on the rest of the album I feel recording these songs must have been a cathartic experience for the band. The topics found in the lyrics and  the multitude of emotions conveyed can’t have been easy to summon whilst recording.

For me the only downside of this album is the track listing. Having the two slow songs on the album next to each other slows the end of the album down. I would have broken up Slow Song and Lora’s Song; put one in the first half of the album and one near the end. Doing this would have given the album a more focused feel and allowed the listener to properly digest the more aggressive tracks found throughout.

This is a very strong debut from Sleater-Kinney and finds the band coming out of the gate with some of their most aggressive and in your face songs. The short runtime definitely means that this album is all killer no filler and not a second is wasted. Later on in their discography the band would move away from this aggression and introduce other elements and instruments into their song writing, but to me this remains one of their strongest efforts.

Rating: 4.0/5

Buy: http://sleaterkinney.kungfustore.com/music-206/sleater-kinney-lp.html

Listen to if: You enjoy punk music or 90s alternative or even Lo-Fi

Reminds me of: Pixies, Sonic Youth, Sebadoh, Wire

Favourite Tracks: Don’t Think You Wanna, Her Again, Slow Song, Lora’s Song, Last Song

Least Favourite Tracks: n/a

Jeff Rosenstock ~ We Cool

Posted on by jamesreviewsblog

Jeff_Rosenstock_-_We_Cool-

We’re cool

I first saw this album mentioned in a thread on /mu/ saying that it was the best album of 2015; quite a claim. Intrigued by the album art I decided to give the album a listen.

The first track starts with a quickly strummed acoustic guitar and some vocals by Jeff about his friends buying their first house. A great drum groove and some nice vocal harmonies are introduced as the verse unfolds. All of a sudden the volume of this track is turned up to 11 and a big booming drum beat replaces the groove and some power chords are being yelled over by Jeff. At first this is a shock to the system however the song dials back a little and some added instrumentation is added such as a xylophone and synth. This is a really nice touch and makes me enjoy a song I wouldn’t usually and on the second listen I find myself absent-mindedly singing along with the chorus. The combination of snare rolls and horns towards the end is really great.

You, In Weird Cities picks up where the first track ends with an upbeat drum groove and impassioned vocals. The bass is more prominent in this track, providing a thick and crunchy tone that complements the wirey guitar part. The drums are great on this track, especially the transition from the fast punk beat to the laid back bridge towards the end, with some great high-hat fills towards the end.

I’m really loving the instrumentation on this album as it enters the third track Novelty Sweater. Jeff Rosenstock seems to have found a way to mix sing-a-long choruses, punk rock and synths that gives the listener an album that sounds like the punk sibling of Weezer’s The Blue Album.

Nausea proves the point that you just don’t know what you’re going to hear on this album, being a piano led track. Its while listening to this track that the themes of resisting growing up or adulthood start to make themselves clear to me. Another catchy chorus is found on this track features the lyrics “I get so tired of discussing my future” really emphasises this point.

Another aspect of the album that I am really enjoying are the backing harmonies that can be found on most of the tracks. They really help to make the choruses have a such an epic feel on this album.

I’m Serious, I’m Sorry is the most straight forward track on the album so far but seems to be the most heavily emotional song. The lyrics seem to be about a friend who passed away young and Jeff’s vocals really transmit the lyrical content well as the song goes from quiet passages to loud crescendoes.

Polar Bear or Africa features a great intro guitar riff and as usual a great vocal performance. This album is frighteningly consistent so far with each track having its own merits and interesting aspects. I’m starting to wish I knew about this album earlier as it has so many great songs on it. The outro to Polar Bear or Africa is some of the best guitar on the album.

The transition from All Blissed Out into The Lows is great and this track has a real, grand feel to it. This may be due to the organ that swirls around in the background of the song, as well as the usual harmonies found in the chorus. The song builds to a loud, crashing crescendo which comes falling down and ends in feedback.

The last track Darkness Records starts off with acoustic guitar and I assume it will be a nice, quiet bookend to the album. However this notion is soon put to rest when the drums and electric guitar are introduced in fantastic fashion. The album ends fittingly with accordion and xylophone, which weirdly don’t sound out of place on an album full of loud guitars and bruising drums.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this album when I started listening to it, however I am pleasantly surprised with We Cool?. With its inventive instrumentation and great vocal performances I can see myself coming back to it regularly.

Rating: 4.2/5

Buy: http://www.quoteunquoterecords.com/qur077.htm

Listen to if: You love big choruses and impassioned vocals

Reminds me of: Weezer, The Smith Street Band, Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtrack, Neutral Milk Hotel

Favourite Tracks: Get Old Forever, Novelty Sweater, Polar Bear or Africa

Least Favourite Tracks: n/a