The Caretaker: The Persistent Repetition of Phrases (4.5/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Ambient Meanderings through Atmospheric Soundscapes
Label: Install
TRT: 43:43

Imagine you land a job as the groundskeeper for an extremely exclusive and high-society resort located in a very remote region up in the mountains, that closes down for the winter season due to the snow drifts thhat inevitable cut off transportation to and from.

Imagine you're a writer, and this is the perfect opportunity for you and your wife and young child to get away for a little R & R while you work on your next book.

Imagine, also, that the hotel is haunted, and the longer you stay, the more overcome by spirits you become.

Next imagine you walk into a ballroom that should be completely vaccant and devoid of life, but instead it is bustling with people and a dinner party is underway. You walk to the bar and order a drink from the bartender, and sit and chat for a while, as you sink further and further into madness.

The Caretaker began his career in pursuit of emulating this famous scenario from the Stephen King classic, as well as deriving his name from it. And although this is not the record he wrote for that (check out Scenes From the Haunted Ballroom), it evokes that same eerie, classical vibe. You're almost certain you've heard the songs before, but you're not sure if you were dreaming, and you have a niggling suspicion that it wasn't a pleasant dream if you were. Which is actually exactly what this album focuses on, memory loss and things just on the edge of what the mind retains.

This album has an absolutely gorgeous atmosphere to it. Nostalgic and melancholic, walking the knife's edge between cozy warmth, and dark despair.

01	Lacunar Amnesia
02	Persistent Repetition of Phrases
03	Rosy Retrospection
04	Long Term (Remote)
05	Poor Enunciation
06	Past Life Regression
07	False Memory Syndrome
08	Von Restorff Effect
09	Unmasking Alzhiemer's

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Nancy Elizabeth: Wrought Iron (4.5/5)

Year: 2009
Genre: Acoustic, Folk
Label: Leaf
TRT: 41:15

So, I came across this cd just a week or so ago. And really, I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to listen to it since I’m such a huge fan of her 2007 debut cd, Battle and Victory. After listening to Wrought Iron for the first time, I wanted to kick myself for not listening to it sooner. To give myself some credit, I began to play it at the perfect time- for me anyways. I happened to be driving down this windy country road, admiring the trees (all a different shade of autumn,) and becoming slightly sad because as I watched each leaf fall, the trees themselves looked closer to death than they did the previous day. But, inside my car was this beautiful melody coming across the speakers which seemed to give a sense of closure to the life of each leaf I saw fall. And as time progressed, I was able to hear a muted elegance that made my drive worthwhile.

In her sophomore album, Nancy Elizabeth has taken a more simplistic stance than compared to her first album. She uses instruments such as the piano, guitar, glockenspiel, and vibraphone (among others) to create a rich yet gentle composition. However, none of these compare to her tender and clear voice, which at times is just mesmerizing. Wrought Iron draws the listener in, often evoking a sense of melancholy and peace- from the mostly instrumental opening track, to the overall warmth the album seems to radiate. All too much alike the scenery from the country road I happened to turn onto, Wrought Iron is a natural beauty.

01 Cairns
02 Bring On The Hurricane
03 Tow The Line
04 Feet Of Courage
05 Diving
06 Cat Bells
07 Canopy
08 Lay Low
09 The Act
10 Ruins
11 Winter, Baby

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The Cure: Carnage Visors (4/5)

Year: 1981
Genre: Atmospheric Post-Punk
Label: Elektra
TRT: 27:45

Until recently, very few people had heard this piece, or even knew it existed. It was written as the soundtrack to an animated short film Simon Gallup’s brother Ric directed. This short was used in lieu of a support band for the Picture Tour in 1981, and could only be found on the B side of the Faith cassette tape release.

I stumbled across it a number of years ago in a friends collection. I asked him about it and he gave me the back-story, and needless to say I was intrigued. Fortunately for me, I had the capability to do a tape rip and burn to CD (ah, the good ol’ days). At the time I didn’t dig it too much (but then, at the time I didn’t dig Pornography either, and now it’s one of my all time favorite albums). It was too minimal and too repetitive.

Fast forward a few years, and I again stumbled across the song, this time as an MP3 in my music library. Curious to see if it was as boring as I remembered, I put it on while reading. This time through though, it really clicked. I realized there is a lot more going on under the surface of this piece than is readily apparent. While it is indeed minimal and repetitive, there are a plethora of subtleties and hypnotic textures present that seem to just pull you in and hold you under. This is quite the sinister little composition. Bleak, dark, stark and I can only imagine that the film meant to accompany it was equally unnerving (something to do with toys and inanimate objects), though I still have not been able to track it down to see for myself.

Alas, my humble tape rip is no longer a rarity, as Carnage Visors was re-released on the recent Faith remastered deluxe package, and easily available to the masses. And while I’m sure the sonic integrity is much improved, I’d rather listen to my own dubious rip, “quality” be damned. There are some things that are better when left in obscurity, if for no other reason than to preserve their mystique. The forgotten and unknown often possess peculiar sway when discovered. That’s the way this was for me. I hope that’s the way it is for you as well.

01 Carnage Visors

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Eluveitie: Slania (4/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Celtic Death Metal
Label: Twilight
TRT: 50:05

The word “folk” followed by the word “metal”, has historically caused me to roll my eyes and ignore a band. With good reason I’d say, as nearly every time I cave and say to myself “well maybe THIS one will be good”, it isn’t. On paper it seems like it would be great. Metal accompanied by folk instruments? Hell yeah! Bring it on! Sadly, it’s always the same thing: a mediocre metal band trying to be “interesting” or “different” or “unique” by incorporating mediocre “folk” sections, often even those are synthesized, giving them an even more artificial feel.

So even after being burned time after time, I always kept a small spark of hope alive in a dusty corner of my mind…because on paper, folk metal should be amazing. And I finally found the band I was looking for all along.

Eluveitie (pronounced “El-vay-tee”) hail from Switzerland, and consist of eight to ten musicians. Their name is Gaulish, and means “I am the Helvetian”, which is taken from an inscription dating back to the Celtic Helveti tribe, the first settlers of what is now Switzerland. Many of their lyrics are also in this extinct tongue, taken from prayers, incantations, and other spiritual writings from that time.

Among the instruments represented in the band are mandolin, several different types of flute, violin and fiddle, bagpipes…et cetera. They also have a dedicated Hurdy Gurdy player. Which is all well and good, but now we get to the reason they actually pull off “folk metal” with flying colors: They can actually play some fucking death metal.

Slania was the first album I heard from them, and perfectly blends the whirling Celtic melodies, traditional folk songs from their own country, and their own take on the Gothenburg-style of melodic death metal. They make use of both clean and growled male vocals, mixing in some female vocals at times to add even more contrast. It’s their ability to balance all these different elements, and form them into a cohesive entity that impresses me, and keeps me interested past the “gimmick” appeal that had kept me from checking them out sooner. They've figured out how to make two drastically different sounds work together beautifully, without ever sounding cheesy or forced. Nothing is present just to be present. Every part of every song is there because it's supposed to be there.

And that's why it's fuckin' awesome.

01 Samon
02 Primordial Breath
03 Inis Mona
04 Gray Sublime Archon
05 Anagantios
06 Bloodstained Ground
07 The Somber Lay
08 Slania's Song
09 Giamonios
10 Tarvos
11 Calling the Rain
12 Elembivos
13 Samon (acoustic)

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Javier Navarrete: Le labyrinthe de Pan (4.5/5)

Year: 2006
Genre: Soundtrack
Label: Milan
TRT: 73:44


Yes, this is the OST for Pan’s Labyrinth. But unlike most soundtracks, this one doesn’t need the accompaniment of a movie to be awesome, it does that just fine on it’s own. I tracked this down after liking the music better than the movie (and since the movie is good that should tell you something), but honestly if I had heard this with no notion of it’s connection to the film, I would have loved it all the same. It has the atmosphere of a concept album, very fluid and dreamy, but threaded together with the strength of the recurring motif. It also doesn’t hurt that that main melody strongly recalls Mia Farrow’s haunting humming from Rosemary’s Baby.

Try listening to this late at night, with the lights off, under the covers, whilst reading Stephen King…

01 Long, Long, Time Ago (Hace mucho, mucho tiempo)
02 The Labyrinth (El laberinto)
03 Rose, Dragon (La rosa y el dragón)
04 The Fairy and the Labyrinth (El hada y el laberinto)
05 Three Trials (Las tres pruebas)
06 The Moribund Tree and the Toad (El árbol que muere y el sapo)
07 Guerilleros (Guerrilleros)
08 A Book of Blood (El libro de sangre)
09 Mercedes Lullaby (Nana de Mercedes)
10 The Refuge (El refugio)
11 Not Human (El que no es humano)
12 The River (El río)
13 A Tale (Un cuento)
14 Deep Forest (Bosque profundo)
15 Vals of the Mandrake (Vals de la mandrágora)
16 The Funeral (El funeral)
17 Mercedes (Mercedes)
18 Pan and the Full Moon (La luna llena y el fauno)
19 Ofelia (Ofelia)
20 A Princess (Una princesa)
21 Pan's Labyrinth Lullaby (Nana del laberinto del fauno)

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The Roots: Phrenology (5/5)

Year: 2002

Genre: Hip-Hop

Label: MCA

TRT: 60:47

Growing up in an environment surrounded by a variety of musical genres such as: Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Jazz, and Blues, it really is no wonder that I was immediately drawn to the stylings of The Roots. When I first discovered this band, it was one of their earlier cds Do You Want More?!!!??! that drew me in with it's heavy jazz influence, spoken word poetry, and live instruments, which was like nothing that was playing at the time.

With the release of Phrenology, starting from the concept of the title to the hidden tracks at the very end, I was once again intrigued. This disc shows The Roots experimenting with different sounds and again mixing different genres to create an interesting album from start to finish. Held by some critics as an instant classic and others as superfluous experimentalism, it stands to reason that despite the mixed reviews, after giving Phrenology a listen one can't help but commend this band for having the audacity to stretch the limits and go beyond what was expected.

1. Phrentrow
2. Rock You
3. Sacrifice (feat. Nelly Furtado)
4. Rolling With Heat (feat. Talib Kweli)
5. WAOK Roll Call
6. Thought At Work
7. The Seed 2.0 (feat. Cody Chestnutt)
8. Break You Off (feat. Musiq)
9. Water
10. Quills
11. Pussy Galore
12. Complexity (feat. Jill Scott)
13. Something In The Way Of Things [In Town] (feat. Amiri Baraka)

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Leprous: Tall Poppy Syndrome (4.5/5)

Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Sensory
TRT: 63:00

A few months ago I asked some friends at an online music community to take a look at my rateyourmusic account and recommend me one album to purchase. While I got several interesting recommendations, this is the one that I added to my shopping cart.

It’s not often that I make blind buys these days, but I was feeling cheeky and immediately ordered this album without hearing a single note (along with the new Shining, but you’ll hear more about that at the end of the year). Lucky for me, I struck gold.

Leprous play a strain of progressive metal not dissimilar to Opeth or Riverside, but they don’t come across like a clone, or that they’re even trying to emulate those bands (or any other band for that matter). Instead they pound out some very memorable tracks threaded together with a great sense of harmony and balance, blending harshness and power with subtlety and beauty. The one misstep (if I were to call it that), is a ham-handed spoken word section towards the end of the CD, but it’s easy to let that slide when you take the quality of the rest of Tall Poppy Syndrome in to consideration.

01 Passing
02 Phantom Pain
03 Dare You
04 Fate
05 He Will Kill Again
06 Not Even a Name
07 Tall Poppy Syndrome
08 White

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Benea Reach: Alleviat (4.5/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: TABU
TRT: 50:22

This band slipped under my radar a long time, mostly due to me confusing them with the lackluster metalcore band Sinai Beach. However, if I’d only dug a little deeper, I would have instantly sought out their music.

For one thing containing an ex-member of Extol would spark interest regardless, but the descriptions of their unique style of music and list of purported influences would have been cause for immediate investigation. As it is, I acquired them for the loose reason of “they’re kinda like Periphery or Textures”.

This is their sophomore release, and is even better than their impressive debut. Melding elements from such diverse genres as post-hardcore, progressive metal and ambient post-rock, they’ve just about perfected their sound on this release. The vocals are also a highlight among a reel of highlights. I loved Ikkae’s delivery style and tone in his previous band Selfmindead, and always wished he was in a band that did justice to his talent. Wish: Fulfilled.

So having said all that, maybe this will pique your interest: “they’re kinda like Periphery or Textures”.

01 Awakening
02 New Waters
03 Lionize
04 Sentiment
05 Reason
06 Legacy
07 Rejuvenate
08 Illume
09 Zenith
10 Unconditional
11 Dominion

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Klever: In the Name of Peace and Progress (4.5/5)

Year: 2005
Genre: Progressive Post-Rock
Label: Self Released
TRT: 43:54

Post-rock has been in its death-throes for a while now, with countless bands popping up everywhere, but contributing nothing to further the sound. But every time I think “that’s it, that’s the last post-rock album I’m going to waste my time on”, I stumble on one like this.

Hailing from the frozen tundra of St. Petersburg, they pull from their roots by using many traditional Russian folk instruments (such as the zhalejka horn), as well as an assortment of flutes, strings and other more esoteric instruments, giving their compositions a decidedly prominent folk twist that helps keep your ears on their proverbial toes.

I’m definitely buying their album (if I can ever get them to reply to me), because I want more material from this innovative group of musicians. I hope you do too.

01 Trip #1
02 Trip #2
03 Trip #3
04 Trip #4
05 Trip #5


http://www.myspace.com/kleverrr

Zavoloka: Viter (4/5)

Year: 2007
Genre: Electronic Glitch Orchestration
Label: Kvitnu
TRT: 24:34

When this album came up in my listening queue, it had been some time since I'd acquired it, and I didn't remember anything about it or why I had picked it up in the first place. So when I imported it into my media player of choice, I was not pleased to see the pre-loaded tags associated with the album. The ubiquitous and criminally undescriptive: "New Age". I rolled me eyes and cleared the genre and re-tagged the album in the same manner I tag all my digital collection. The song titles did nothing to assuage my doubts, nothing but a variation on that well known pop culture phrase: “Breath In, Breath Out”.

In short, I was already pre-disposed to dismiss this album out of hand before hearing the first sound it contained. The tones of the brief first track seemed only to confirm my thoughts on the matter. But then I listened to the rest of the album, and completely changed my mind. Threw out every assumption I had so hastily made.

Kateryna Zavoloka is a Ukrainian musician, who is always looking for a way to push the boundaries of sound. On this release, she combines glitchy and experimental electronic beats with traditional Ukrainian folk instruments, such as the fiddle and violin, playing in a manner inspired by traditional folk songs from her home country.

The result is a very unique listen, reminiscent of Saltillo’s Ganglion, but darker and with more of the emphasis on the beats rather than the orchestrations, and with a less structured approach.

All in all, she’s created quite a satisfying little slice of digital pie...for a girl.

01 Inhale
02 Exhale
03 Inhale
04 Exhale
05 Inhale
06 Exhale
07 Inhale
08 Exhale
09 Inhale

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Tilly and the Wall: O (4.5/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Indie Twee Pop(?)
Label: Team Love
TRT: 32:33

Tilly and the Wall is a rather unique band, in that their percussion section is mostly filled by a tap dancer instead of the usual drum kit. Initially, I thought that was a sort of neat gimmick, but a gimmick none-the-less. The fact that they were on Conor Obersts “Team Love” label didn’t help any either. As much as I’m a fan of Bright Eyes, “Team Love” has always struck me as the label that signs the bands the elder Oberst deemed “not good enough” for Saddle Creek, whether or not that’s actually the case. And since Conor was in a band with a couple of the members of T&tW back in the day, I had a sneaking suspicion that that was more why they were signed than the merit of the band itself.

Back in 2004, that may have been the case. Wild Like Children, while containing a few good tracks, is mostly a mediocre album, with little more going for it than the previously mentioned gimmick. But since then, that seems to have changed. I didn’t make any special effort to check out 2006’s Bottoms of Barrels, and the band had mostly slipped from my radar until sometime in 2009, when more on a whim than anything else, I decided to give O a listen.

What I heard there really took me by surprise. Instead of being hit-or-miss, sometimes ho-hum sometimes flashy, but always just a little out of their element, they were, to put it bluntly, kicking ass and taking names.

The music is extremely well written, and the tap dancing has been almost flawlessly integrated into their sound, transcending from being a novelty to hook people, to being essential to their sound. The lyrics are poignant and clever, without ever crossing into pretentious or arrogant. O exudes confidence and energy. But I think my favorite part, the part that really holds everything together, is the vocals. Whether brash and confrontational ( Pot Kettle Black, Too Excited) or subdued and contemplative (I Found You, Tall Tall Glass), the sincerity is unmistakable, and the delivery is flawless, holding everything together in exactly the right way.

This album is infectious, fun, and as I’ve already said…it just plain kicks ass.

01 Tall Tall Glass
02 Pot Kettle Black
03 Cacophony
04 I Found You
05 Alligator Skin
06 Chandelier Lake
07 Dust Me Off
08 Falling Without Knowing
09 Poor Man's Ice Cream
10 Bloodflower
11 Too Excited

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Natural Snow Buildings: Ghost Folks (4.5/5)

Year: 2003
Genre: Psychedelic Folk Drone
Label: Hinah
TRT: 58:53


It’s been a few months since I was first introduced to this collaboration, and even with a good deal of dedicated listening, I’m still not even close to scratching the surface of their discography. In the past couple years, they’ve released a staggering amount of material, not just in number of albums, but also in breadth of content. Most are two disc sets, with each disc containing 70+ minutes of aural stimulation. That in and of it’s self is quite overwhelming on paper, but then when one actually starts listening…

I’ve chosen this album to review because so far it’s been the easiest to digest, clocking in at a mere 50 some minutes. But even so, I’m pressed for words to describe it. Well, that’s not entirely true. I could say “they are creating music that is outside the realm of consciousness. Ok maybe not quite, but the stark beauty here is delayed quicksand that you don't even realize you're sinking into until you're up to your mouth and begin to suffocate until you realize it's not sand but cosmic awareness of immense satisfaction.” but that still doesn’t really come close to unpacking and really grasping their material.

One thing I did realize whilst listening to this album, is my love for spoken word parts that are buried in the mix, and just give you a sense of “otherness”, that perhaps something is going on just outside your perception that you probably should pay attention to, yet can’t quite delineate. It’s unsettling, but it also sucks you in, and helps you connect with the recordings on a deeper level than you might otherwise. I love that.

So here it is, your entry point to a vast amassing of music that will confuse and unsettle you, and that you may never quite “get”. But for me at least, that’s all the more incentive to open the door and take the first step down the abandoned corridor, where one day has just died, and another has just begun.

01 Nuclear Winter (Dispatches)
02 If I Can Find My Way Though the Darkness...
03 ... I Came Down Here
04 Sun
05 The Haunted Falls (Let Us Now Praise Harry Powell)
06 Fallen Lords We Riding Half Horses
07 With a Stolen Red Lipstick Bible on Her Side
08 They are Still Hanging Around
09 (...)
10 Guns & Rifles
11 Nuclear Winter

Cry about not being able to buy it here

Hjarnidaudi: Pain:Noise:March (4.5/5)

Year: 2006
Genre: Funeral Doom Metal
Label: Paradigm Recordings
TRT: 42:31


Excellent atmospheres complemented by epic devastation.

Simply put, one of the heaviest bands I've ever heard.

It's also interesting to note that this is the first funeral doom band I've ever come across that is entirely instrumental. Usually such bands rely heavily on vocal stylings to fully immerse the listener, but these Nords have managed to achieve even further heights (or depths) without a "front man".

This album is a desert wasteland ruled by a frozen sun.

01 Pain
02 Noise
03 March

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William Basinski: Disintegration Loops I-IV (4.5/5)

Year: 2001 & 2003
Genre: Ambient Minimalism
Label: 2062
TRT: I: 74:28 II: 74:31 III: 72:28 IV: 74:25

There's something disturbingly fascinating about death. Something intrinsically beautiful in matter changing form.

The raccoon carcass you stare at, even though you're revolted by it. The sickly sweet smell of decay, that for the moment before it's source is identified tickles your nostril in a most pleasant way.

I for one have always been intrigued by decay in all forms. Animals, trees, buildings, whatever. I think that's a big part of why these recordings resonate so strongly within me.

Basinski was attempting to transfer some of his oldest works from magnetic tape to digital files, but the tapes were too worn, too tired and too fragile to survive the process.

So what we get instead, is the sound of oblivion. As the tapes deteriorated before his eyes, Basinski kept recording, and captured the final mournful vibrations of forgotten genius, in all it's entropic beauty.

I find it a bit ironic that what has become Basinski's most well known work was birthed from the destruction of something no one ever got to hear.

Disintegration Loops
01 DLP 1.1
02 DLP 2.1

Disintegration Loops II
01 DLP 2.2
02 DLP 3

Disintegration Loops III
01 DLP 4
02 DLP 5

Disintegration Loops IV
01 DLP 6
02 DLP 1.2
03 DLP 1.3

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2nd Gen: Irony Is (5/5)

Year: 2001
Genre: Progressive Industrial Electro Beat
Label: novamute
TRT: 39:57

I was not looking for this album when I found it. It's almost as if it found me. I'm still not quite sure how I stumbled upon it during a casual browsing of my favorite music-related website (what could that be?).

From the first few seconds of And/Or I was mesmerized. I was bombarded with an onslaught of the cold and mechanical, the grim and calculated. The only artist comparison I can draw is a more beat oriented Azure Skies, though even that is a thin description at best.

It's a shame his follow-up doesn't even come close to matching the ferocity and raw energy found here, but regardless, this is one of my best finds in a long time, and I'm currently obsessed with it.

01 And/Or
02 Slowburn
03 Buried
04 Black Spring
05 Vurt
06 Musicians are Morons
07 Scarred
08 Measurement 9
09 Schism
10 Irony Is

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fun.:Aim and Ignite (4/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#10 of 10



2009: 2009
Genre: Indie Power Pop
Label: Nettwork
TRT: 42:15

This is one of the most upbeat, happy and feel-good album I've heard in a long time. A collaborative effort between guys from The Format, Anathallo and Steel Train, they seem to have named their band after the sort of music they wanted to play.

So sing along and shake dat ass.

01 Be Calm
02 Benson Hedges
03 All the Pretty Girls
04 I Wanna Be the One
05 At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)
06 Light a Roman Candle With Me
07 Walking the Dog
08 Barlights
09 The Gambler
10 Take Your Time (Coming Home)

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Fever Ray: Fever Ray (4.5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#8 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Dark Atmospheric Electro Ambience
Label: Mute
TRT: 48:09

The debut from the female half of The Knife brings a much darker, contemplative feel to the sound she created with her brother.

My initial impression of this release was "The Knife lite", but after multiple listens the atmosphere finally enveloped me, and changed my thinking. This is very much a mood piece, and likely will not immediately grab your attention either.

The most striking element of this project for me is the lyrics. Karin Dreijer Andersson really bares her soul here, and we get an intimate look into her life with tracks such as "Seven" and "Keep the Streets Empty For Me". Those tracks are especially touching, but the entire album has a very contemplative and morose atmosphere.

The music is not as actively catchy or attention grabbing as many tracks from The Knife, but they're very layered and once you sink your teeth into them, they'll stick in your mind all the same.

EDIT: apparently blogspot received a complaint about the download link, so it has been removed. sorry for any inconveniance.

01 If I Had a Heart
02 When I Grow Up
03 Dry and Dusty
04 Seven
05 Triangle Walk
06 Concrete Walls
07 Now's the Only Time I Know
08 I'm Not Done
09 Keep the Streets Empty for Me
10 Coconut

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Telefon Tel Aviv: Immolate Yourself (4/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#9 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Electro Synth Pop
Label: Bpitch Control
TRT: 46:16

Having been a big fan of their past two releases, I had very high expectations for this album. Unfortunately, this often leads to disappointment.

While that was initially the case here, [i]Immolate Yourself[/i] was able to make a come back upon multiple listens. Instead of the glitchy IDM of 2001's [Album40458] or the smooth R & B flavored electronic stylings of 2004's [Album111651], we find a more straight-forward sound reminiscent of the late 80's synth pop or new wave movement.

Though not as progressive as their previous work, I was able to really get into their new sound after reading an article about their new methods and goals, where they basically stated that they felt they'd already done everything they could do with their old conventions, and wanted to go in a different direction with this album, and I can certainly respect that. I realized I'd made the mistake of confusing "this is not what I expected" with "this is not good".

Tragically, half of the duo that made up [b]Telefon Tel Aviv[/b] passed away in 2009, so Rest in Peace good sir, you will be remembered through your works for years to come.

01 The Birds
02 Your Mouth
03 M
04 Helen of Troy
05 Mostly Translucent
06 Stay Away From Being Maybe
07 Made a Tree on the Wold
08 Your Every Idol
09 You Are the Worst Thing in the World
10 Immolate Yourself

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Black Moth Super Rainbow: Eating Us (4.5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#7 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Psychedelic Hippie Picnic
Label: Graveface
TRT: 35:52

While always interesting, this band has usually failed to really wow me. I always regarded them as an excellent live experience that fell short on recorded media.

Then they went and released this gem of an album. Quirky, glitchy, psychedelic and fun as hell. Tobacco and the gang really outdid himself this time around. This album puts a smile on my face every time.

And when I saw them perform on the tour for this album, they even exceeded my previous live experience of them, leading me to the conclusion that this band has yet to peak, and will only continue to build on the creativity and innovation they've produced so far.

01 Born on a Day the Sun Didn't Shine
02 Dark Bubbles
03 Twin of Myself
04 Gold Splatter
05 Iron Lemonade
06 Tooth Decay
07 Fields are Breathing
08 Smile the Day After Tomorrow
09 The Sticky
10 Bubblegum Animals
11 American Face Dust
12 Intitled Hidden Track

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Espers: III (4.5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#6 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Psychedelic Folk Rock
Label: Drag City
TRT: 47:25

It's getting to the point where I think this band can do no wrong.

Three full lengths and an EP, and not a single misstep anywhere to be found. They have truly mastered their craft.

Their craft of course being trippy psych folk that refuse to dip into the realm of "freak folk for the sake of being called freak folk". They also manage to maintain a "classic folk" vibe, even though the things they're doing are quite progressive and modern.

Meg Baird continues to wow with her angelic voice leading the way, with front man Greg Weeks chiming in from time to time. The music isn't as "bombastic" as it was at times on II, which was a little disappointing, but this album is still absolutely gorgeous.

01 I Can't See Clear
02 The Road of Golden Dust
03 Caroline
04 The Pearl
05 That Which Darkly Thrives
06 Sightings
07 Meridian
08 Another Moon Song
09 Colony
10 Trollslända

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Saxon Shore: It Dosen't Matter (4.5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#5 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Post-Rock
Label: &Records
TRT: 75:41

Saxon Shore has been around for a while. Even so, they're often overlooked. I've always regarded them as a sort of pioneering older brother, who's siblings come behind and perfect their example.

With this album, Saxon Shore has stepped up their game, and established themselves as a post rock heavy weight. Everything about this album is far and away better than anything they've released previously. The build ups are better, the quiet parts are better, the pretty parts are prettier, and the climaxes are orgasmic. The addition of ethereal female vocals is also executed tastefully.

All in all, this album has the potential to become my favorite post rock album ever. Check back in five years for an update.

01 Nothing Changes
02 Thanks for Being Away
03 Tweleven
04 This Place
05 Sustained Combustion
06 Bar Clearing Good Times
07 What Keeps Us Up
08 Small Steps
09 Tokyo 412am
10 Goodnight, So Long
11 Amber, Ember, Glow
12 Secret Fire, Blinding Light

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Clark: Totems Flare (4.5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#4 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Electronic Music
Label: Warp
TRT: 44:59

When a torrent notification popped up in my inbox, I was a little confused. Last year's Turning Dragon was fantastic, and the Growls Garden EP had already been a pleasant surprise in 2009.

Well, turns out that was an extended single for Growls Garden, and what do you know, Christopher Clark is releasing high caliber albums in back to back years.

Totems Flare is really the next logical step for Clark to take, blending the textured elements and subtle atmospheres of 2006's Body Riddle with the more aggressive tone and timbre of Turning Dragon. All with his signature impeccable production.

The result is nothing short of beautiful, and if you're at all in to electronic music, you really need to check it out. Clark is leading the way to music of the future.

01 Outside Plume
02 Growls Garden
03 Rainbow Voodoo
04 Look Into the Heart Now
05 Luxman Furs
06 Totem Crackerjack
07 Future Daniel
08 Primary Balloon Landing
09 Talis
10 Suns of Temper
11 Absence

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Tegan and Sara: Sainthood (5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#3 0f 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Electro Pop Rock
Label: Sire
TRT: 36:57

Sainthood is chock full of catchy and inventive pop songs just screaming to be played on the radio. It's infectious and addictive, and I like it more every time I listen. One thing that struck me upon repeated listens, is that different songs would jump out at me each time. That's something I don't come across often, if ever.

The lyrical focus is not as dark as 2007's The Con, at least not at first blush. But upon further inspection, it becomes clear that they still have the same level of urgency, even if their hearts are no longer on their sleeve. Their vocal runs are also as clever as ever, half the time that's what gets stuck in my head for days.

And once again, they hit the perfect album length of 37:00, which is just a tad shorter than you want it to be, causing back to back listens on a regular basis.

Another couple albums of this caliber, and I'd be hard pressed not to list them among my favorite acts.

01 Arrow
02 Don't Rush
03 Hell
04 On Directing
05 Red Belt
06 The Cure
07 Northshore
08 Night Watch
09 Alligator
10 Paperback Head
11 The Ocean
12 Sentimental Tune
13 Someday

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Zu: Carboniferous (5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#2 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Instrumental Progressive Rock Insanity
Label: Ipecac
TRT: 50:14

Imagine the band Shining walking down a dark alley late at night, and all of a sudden John Zorn's saxophone jumps it from behind and...has it's way.

This is dark, dirty, and unsettling instrumental craziness. This album really grabbed my attention from the start, and keeps me coming back for more, even though it scares me a little bit.

A truly progressive band.

01 Ostia
02 Cthonian
03 Carbon
04 Beata Viscera
05 Erinys
06 Soulympics
07 Axion
08 Mimosa Hostilis
09 Obsidian
10 Orc

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mewithoutYou: It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright (5/5)

Joshua's Non-Metal Picks for 2009
#1 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Modern Rock
Label: Tooth & Nail
TRT: 44:55

mewithoutYou has made a long dusty trip from their first full length under that moniker, and the random EPs before it. Back then, they were a group of kids from Philly in their early twenties with a pants load of questions about who they were, who God was, and what the hell we're all doing on this speck of dust in the eye of the cosmos.

A --> B: Life is very much about "me me me", focusing on themes of heartbreak, rejection, failure and disappointment in the day to day. You can hear intense urgency and passion in Aaron Weiss' voice and words, and you just want to raise your fist and pump it at the perceived injustices of the world.

In the following releases, we see change and maturation in the bands style and attitude. Catch For Us the Foxes begins the process of turning eyes from "me" to "others", and gaining perspective.

When we reach 2006's offering Brother, Sister, there's a stark difference in tone and setting from A --> B Life. Instead of "I said I'd not be coming back, but I'm coming back (and you better be alone)" we hear "I'm still technically a virgin after 27 years and that's never bothered me before, what's maybe 50 more?".

Much has changed since 2002 it seems. Weiss and company have apparently learned a few things since then, had some personal revelations, and grown through adversity. This album has left the angst in the past (for the most part), and instead focuses on sharing the insights and wisdom gleaned over the years and passing on a little of it.

This drastic change is perfectly framed by the opening track from their latest release. Instead of angrily lamenting all the tragic events that have befallen "me me me", the first track of It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright is humbly entitled every thought a Thought of You, setting the tone for an album that is surprisingly uplifting, happy and whimsical.

Most of the songs are stories, allegorical and dense overall, but every now and then there is a little nugget sitting there plain as day to be picked up. I know I'm going to be spending the next few years trying to decipher whats being imparted by songs such as Cattail Down, Timothy Hay, and especially Fig With a Bellyache (which I kinda sorta think is one giant oblique and convoluted metaphor for sex...), while the message behind the King Beetle on a Coconut Estate or the Angel of Death came to David's room are readily apparent. The music is folksy and bright (again, for the most part) as opposed to the dark post-hardcore aggressive sound showcased on previous albums.

Many fans felt let down by this release, because it is drastically different from a lot of what mewithoutYou has previously released. And while I can understand their vexation, and this is probably my "least favorite" of their material, all of their albums are 5 star releases, and I know I'll only continue to grow fonder and fonder of all of them as the years pass.

It was rumored for awhile that this would be their last album and tour, but they've recently stated that they have every intention of continuing to make music for a long time, and don't know how those rumors got started. However, if this were to be their last hoorah, it would be the perfect final chapter in the book of "mewithoutYou", Their discography chronicling the hardships and joys, the failures and triumphs, the falling down and the getting up that occurs on the sojourn to becoming a better person.

01 every thought a Thought of You
02 the Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie
03 the Angel of Death came to David's room
04 goodbye, I!
05 a Stick, a Carrot and String
06 bullet to Binary (pt. two)
07 Timothy Hay
08 Fig with a Bellyache
09 Cattail Down
10 the King Beetle on a Coconut Estate
11 Allah, Allah, Allah

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HORSE the Band: Desperate Living (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#10 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Metalcore
Label: Vagrant
TRT: 54:03

Love them, hate them, it's hard to deny that they're a really fun band.

Personally, they've always been a band that takes a while to click with me, and outside of their debut, this one was the fastest to do so.

They've matured a little over the years, and gotten away from their "LOL NINTENDOCORE" aesthetic, but the familiar bleeps and blops are still present and a fairly prominent force in their music, and I for one really enjoy that aspect of their sound.

The vocals are still a bit iffy, and their lyrics are still mostly ridiculous (though it's claimed that they're "much deeper than they appear on the surface" or something...), but all in all...they're just a fun band to listen to, and boy do they know how to write a breakdown.

01 Cloudwalker
02 Desperate Living
03 The Failure of All Things!
04 HORSE the Song (featuring K-SLAX)
05 Science Police
06 Shapeshift (featuring Jamie Stewart)
07 Between the Trees
08 Golden Mummy Golden Bird
09 Lord Gold Wand of Unyielding (featuring Lord Gold and His Purple Majesty)
10 Big Business (featuring Ed Edge)
11 Rape Escape (featuring Valentina Lisitsa)
12 Arrive

NOTE: Apparently blogspot received a complaint about the link, so it has been removed. sorry for any inconvenience.

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Blut Aus Nord: Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#9 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Label: Candlelight Records
TRT: 59:56

This French outfit has been around for 15 years, and until recently it was a one man act rather than an actual band.

Regardless, Vindsval and his motley entourage have released seven albums in that amount of time, all of them solid, but also mostly remaining relatively out of the limelight.

Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars is no different, it's the band doing what they do best. Cold atmospheric sound-scapes filled with blood freezing screams and spine chilling ferocity.

But what I like the most about their style is the layers and textures underneath the blast beats and banshees, really subtle stuff that you don't necessarily notice at first, but is intrinsic to the whole.

I love multifaceted music that offers even more fulfillment over time.

01 Acceptance (aske)
02 Disciple's Libration (Lost in the Nine Worlds)
03 The Cosmic Echoes of Non-Matter (Immaterial Voices of the Fathers)
04 Translucent Body of Air (Sutta Anapanasati)
05 The Formless Sphere (Beyond the Reason)
06 ...the Meditant (Dialogue With the Stars)
07 The Alcove of Angels (Vipassana)
08 Antithesis of the Flesh (...and Then Arises a New Essence)
09 Elevation

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Nadja: Numbness (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#8 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Doomgaze
Label: Happy Prince
TRT: 71:12

As I've stated before, Nadja has really been letting me down of late with a lot of uninteresting releases, but this is vintage Nadja (literally). Warm and lush and textured, you get lost and overwhelmed as the waves of a sonic ocean crash over your head and drag you out to sea, filling your lungs with humming static and swirling atmospheres as you succumb to...Numbness...

Everything here has been released before, but aside from the Kids in the Hall cover, it's all new to me. Regardless of when or where it was previously available, this is a solid album. And God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is one of the best christmas arrangements I've ever heard.

01 Veil of Disillusion
02 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
03 Long Dark Twenties
04 Alien in My Own Skin
05 Time Is Our Disease
06 Numb

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Shelter Red: Strike a Mortal Terror (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#7 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Instrumental Metal
Label: Sound vs. Silence
TRT: 31:23

New on my RADAR this year, but already on their second release, and boy is it a doozy.

Barely clocking in over half and hour, but with enough energy and badassery to fill an album twice that length. Very groovy, very heavy, and pretty solid on the technical side of things as well.

They're sort of like a cross between Russian Circles and Irepress, with a touch of Animals as Leaders to spice things up.

01 Strike a Mortal Terror
02 Inferno
03 This Is a Lost Ambition
04 The Moralist
05 Dejanira
06 A Confusion of Tongues
07 Last Rites for the Dying

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Transitional: Stomach of the Sun (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#6 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Atmospheric Drone Metal
Label: Conspiracy
TRT: 68:18

I was really looking forward to this release after their debut EP last year.

When it finally came out, I couldn't find it for download or purchase anywhere. Eventually a 112kbs version surfaced, which I assume was ripped directly from the stream that their label had up for awhile.

Even at that less than desirable quality, I could tell this album was worth owning. Finally I was able to track down a physical copy of my own, and I was not disappointed.

While their choice to open the album up with a 13+ minute directionless drone track is a little questionable, the rest of the album more than balances it out. Huge wall of noise paintings framed with meaty sludge riffs galore, and minimal vocals here and there for atmosphere and flavor.

I look forward to more great things from this English duo.

01 Vacant Monolith Rotation
02 Pyramid
03 In My Collapse
04 Drowning
05 Blue Sky Fall
06 Hideaway
07 El Baron
08 Stomach of the Sun
09 Worst Eyes Shut

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A Storm of Light: Forgive Us Our Trespasses (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#5 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Neurot
TRT: 59:35

Shortly after I bought Primitive North, this album dropped in my lap. I had no idea it was coming out, and so needless to say, I was elated.

And once again, Josh Graham and company do not disappoint.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses is a sort of apology to our planet, chronicling the human race through time, and ostinsebly our impending demise. Graham again goes to great lengths to set the mood and atmosphere, commisioning help from spoken word artist Lydia Lunch and the indemnable Jarboe, among others.

As far as I'm concerned, this album cements A Storm of Light as a sludge metal mainstay, as they continue to be the shining star in the sea of underachieving contemporaries.

01 Alpha (Law of Nature Part I)
02 Amber Waves of Grey
03 Tempest
04 The light in Their Eyes
05 Trouble is Near
06 Arc of Failure (Law of Nature Part II)
07 Midnight
08 Across the Wilderness
09 Time Our Savior (Law of Nature Part III)
10 Omega

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A Storm of Light & Nadja: Primitive North (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#4 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Robotic Empire
TRT: 66:04

A Storm of Light released a full length last year to mixed reviews. I for one loved it, but many accused Josh Graham (formerly of Red Sparowes and Battle of Mice) of, as one critic put it, "sounding too much like Neurosis without actually being Neurosis".

With this split release, Graham may have taken note and adjusted his style, because these two tracks are probably the best they've released to date, and many of the critics that lambasted the first album are grudgingly admitting improvement.

While there still exists a strong Neurosis vibe, the band seems to have added a lot more of their own style to these tracks. Huge atmospheres, texture upon texture, and even adding female vocals to the mix, all executed beautifully.

I've been disappointed with recent Nadja releases, including the seemingly dime a dozen splits and collaborations that Aidan Baker keeps insisting on releasing.

But the Nadja output is solid here. Instead of mindless drones and boring feedback, this track actually has a destination in mind. And the journey there is quite fulfilling, as Nadja takes you through a spacey and atmospheric trip leading to the eventual peak and descent into swirling nothingness.

The other three tracks are "remixes" of the original tracks, done by the the other band.

I also want to mention that the packaging for this vinyl-only release is absolutely spectacular. The artwork is intricate and stunning, very conceptual and deep.

Pressed on teal plastic, the records themselves are a sight to behold, but the real kicker is the D side. marvelous silver etchings vining their way across the surface and forming intricate patterns around the image of a raging polar bear...does it get any more badass than that?

01 Brother (A Storm of Light)
02 Sister (A Storm of Light)
03 I Make From Your Eyes the Sun (Nadja)
04 Brother (Nadja remix)
05 I Make From Your Eyes the Sun (A Storm of Light remix)

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