O' Discordia!

Kroda: Schwarzpfad (4.5/5)

2012-02-01T14:23:00.007-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums from 2011

#10 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Label: Purity Through Fire

TRT: 50:40

There's something very primal about Kroda. Hailing from The Ukraine, they incorporate a lot of the rich folk history of their country into their works, both through the instruments used and the lore reiterated. There's an undeniable beauty to their work, in both the cacophony and the quiet. This is a very memorable release with plenty of replay value.

01 Schwarzpfad I (First Snow)

02 Schwarzpfad II (Universal Provenances)

03 Schwarzpfad III (Forefather of Hangmen)

04 Schwarzpfad IV (Heil Ragnarok!)

05 Schwarzpfad V (Cold Aurora)

Search Amazon for Kroda

Other Lives: Tamer Animals (4.5/5)

2012-02-01T14:17:00.005-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#9 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Western Folk Dream Pop

Label: TBD

TRT: 40:16

For 12 was recommended to me for a compilation I was putting together. The compilation fell through, but I fell for this song, and immediately checked out the rest of the album. What we have here is a band that at times reminds me of Mumford and Sons, sometimes Bon Iver, maybe even a little Radiohead, yet their clear vision and western slant make their sound unique and refreshing. I doubt these folks will stay under the radar long, since they're currently touring with Radiohead (as well as being released on their imprint), which is good, because we need more high profile quality music on the airwaves.

01 Dark Horse

02 As I Lay My Head Down

03 For 12

04 Tamer Animals

05 Dust Bowl III

06 Weather

07 Old Statues

08 Woodwind

09 Desert

10 Landforms

11 Head East

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Blut aus Nord: 777 - The Desanctification

2012-01-31T17:25:00.006-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#8 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Experimental Black Metal

Label: Debemur Morti

TRT: 43:47

These longtime black metal jauggernauts are relentless. After a career almost old enough to vote, they're still not ready to give up the ghost. Instead they're turning up the intensity but releasing a three part series of albums for their ninth, tenth and eleventh full length offerings. This is the second in the series (with the third part due out in early 2012), and it is monstrously depraved. They've pulled a page from MoRT, and really upped the industrial sound of the drums, giving them a pummeling machinelike pulse, which enhances the eerie guitar atmospheres and schizophrenic vocals. They've given us yet another journey to hell, and I don't think we're coming back from this one.

01 Epitome VII

02 Epitome VIII

03 Epitome IX

04 Epitome X

05 Epitome XI

06 Epitome XII

07 Epitome XIII

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Nero: Welcome Reality (4.5/5)

2012-01-12T12:25:00.008-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#7 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Electro Dubstep

Label: Mercury

TRT: 61:05

This two man DJ group has been lighting up stages and playing sets all over the world for many years, so the expectation for their debut album was pretty high. But I don't think anyone thought this was the album they'd make. Instead of going for the "easy kill" by coupling some nasty drops with some glitch ambient intros (rinse/repeat), they wrote an actual album containing actual songs. You can tell they put a great deal of effort into these tracks, they're not just a handful of club-friendly wubs and wobbles. This album is like the best parts of Justice and Skrillex combined with Nero's own singunature production. The result speaks for its self. Glitchy grooves, catchy hooks and drops that are somehow more "wholesome" than "filthy". This is one that's going to be getting a lot of play from me for a long time.

01 2808

02 Doomsday

03 My Eyes

04 Guilt

05 Fugue State

06 Me and You

07 Innocence

08 In the Way

09 Scorpions

10 Crush on You

11 Must Be the Feeling

12 Reaching Out

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Rwake: Rest (4.5/5)

2012-01-11T17:47:00.005-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#6 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal

Label: Relapse

TRT: 52:48

It's nice to see a band mature their sound without losing sight of who they are, and these southern sludge lords are not fucking around. While not as primal or violent as 2007's Voices of Omen, it's hardly deserving of such a sleepy title. Rwake focus more on the atmospheric side of their sound this time around, but there's still plenty of aggression to be found, and plenty of vicious grooves to be had.

01 Souls of the Sky

02 It Was Beautiful But Now It's Sour

03 An Invisible Thread

04 The Culling

05 Ti progetto

06 Was Only a Dream

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Gem Club: Breakers (4.5/5)

2012-01-11T17:29:00.007-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#5 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Piano-driven Atmospheric Melancholy

Label: Hardly Art

TRT: 37:49

Christopher Barnes channels the essence of melancholy and brings to mind "slowcore" pioneers Slowdive, while Barnes' haunting vocals are reminiscent of the Norwegian band The White Birch. Using his voice and his piano (with occasional help from cellist Kristen Drymala), Barnes creates immense atmospheres that are at once arresting and engrossing. His lyrics captivate your imagination, and whether hopeful or tragic, they come across with a sense of urgency and honesty that is sorely lacking in music these days.

01 Twins

02 Breakers

03 Lands

04 Red Arrow (John)

05 I Heard the Party

06 Black Ships

07 Tanager

08 252

09 In Wavelengths

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Leprous: Bilateral (5/5)

2012-01-11T16:56:00.005-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#4 of 11

Year: 2011

Genre: Progressive Metal

Label: InsideOut

TRT: 58:05

Leprous' last album, Tall Poppy Syndrome, really impressed me, so my expectations were very high for this one. And apparently they were up for the challenge. They really took things up a notch. Everything they did right on TPS, they improve upon. Vocalist Einar Solberg is particularly impressive. His performance on TPS is excellent, but there are several points during this album that my jaw literally dropped. These guys are the real deal, and they're raising the bar for progressive metal in spectacular fashion.

Also I don't usually bother making "best songs" lists for any given year, but gun to my head, I'd probably have to say my favorite track from 2011 is Forced Entry.

01 Bilateral

02 Forced Entry

03 Restless

04 Thorn

05 Mb. Indifferentia

06 Waste of Air

07 Mediocrity Wins

08 Cryptogenic Desires

09 Acquired Taste

10 Painful Detour

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Wolves in the Throne Room: Celestial Lineage (5/5)

2012-01-07T16:20:00.007-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums for 2011

#3 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Atmoblamet

Label: Southern Lord

TRT: 48:51

Wolves in the Throne Room will always hold a special place in my blackened heart, because they are the band that unlocked black metal for me, and it has since become one of my most-listened to and favorite genres. After the release of the straight-forward and mostly mediocre Black Cascade, I feared they had lost their touch. Yet again, I'm happy to be wrong in such situations.

Celestial Lineage gets back to the incredibly well constructed atmospheres of their first two albums, and some how, some way, makes them more vast and full-sounding than ever. In addition, there are some absolutely magnificent riffs to be found here. While that's always been the case, they're much more prominent on this album. Specifically (and you know I don't like singling out tracks), Astral Blood is one of the most black plague infectious tracks I've ever heard. I spent several weeks humming guitar parts (much to the chagrin of my wife). And when I got it on vinyl...let's just say Side C has gotten many many times the play the rest of the album has. I think I must have picked up the needle and started it over maybe 12 times in a row that first day. I would highly recommend picking up the LP if that's something you're in to.

01 Thuja Magus Imperium

02 Permanent Changes In Conciousness

03 Subterrenean Initiation

04 Rainbow Illness

05 Woodland Cathedral

06 Astral Blood

07 Prayer of Transformation

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Blue Sky Black Death: Noir (5/5)

2012-01-07T16:06:00.007-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#2 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Atmospheric Instrumental Trip-hop

Label: Fake Four

TRT: 62:41

While they started their career solidly in the realm of instrumental hip hop, over the past couple albums they've been moving more and more in the direction of washed out electronics and trip hop. They've also become more interesting as they mature their sound. Noir is like a warm day on the tail end of summer. Everything seems calm and laid back, but you just have a feeling that a storm is brewing on the horizon, and you can't shake your sense of unease. Like a hallway where there's enough light to keep moving, but not enough to see what's at the far end. Blue Sky Black Death prowls in those shadows, waiting.

01 Our Hearts Of Ruin

02 Sleeping Children Are Still Flying

03 And Stars, ringed

04 To The Ends Of The Earth

05 Farewell To The Former World

06 Falling Short

07 Gold In Gold Out

08 Where Do We Go

09 In The Quiet Absence Of God

10 Where The Sun Beats

11 Starry

12 Fire For Light

13 Swords From Driftwood

14 Sky With Hand

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Arms and Sleepers: The Organ Hearts (5/5)

2012-01-07T15:51:00.010-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#1 of 10 (Album of the Year)

Year: 2011

Genre: Ambient Electronic Soundscapes

Label: Expect Candy

TRT: 41:01

This duo from New England showed up on my radar sometime shortly after their second full length Matador was released in 2009. I liked it and checked out their first album, and liked it as well, but it wasn't until late in 2010 that I really started to get into their sound. That's what they do. They create lush and layed soundscapes that appear simple on the surface, but become more intricate as you start to pay attention to and pick up on the subleties. When I saw them in April of 2010, The Organ Hearts was slated for release about a month later. After they opened their set with the first three tracks from the new album, the anticipation became palpable, and I bought it the day it was released.

This is their best release to date. Everything I love about their previous releases is here, but magnified. At first blush this seems to be the most minimalistic and ambient material they've created, but as you become more familiar with the music, more and more things begin to pop out at you. Over time, listening to this album becomes like watching a time-lapse video of a mountain meadow as it transforms from winter to spring, and the flowers bloom from the frozen ground.

01 Kepesh

02 Tusk

03 I Sing the Body Electric

04 The Afternoon Child

05 A Smile in Sofia

06 Antwerp

07 Serie Noire

08 Reprise

09 Yesterday's Child

10 Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

11 Atelier

12 Airport Blues

Buy Arms and Sleepers merch from Big Cartel

The Marshmallow Ghosts: The Mashmallow Ghosts (4/5)

2011-10-14T14:16:00.007-04:00

Year: 2009

Genre: Spooky Indie Rock

Label: Graveface Records

TRT: 11:36

The Marshmallow Ghosts is a bit of a revolving door band made up of Graveface Records artists from Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Appleseed Cast, Dreamend, and who knows who else.

This was released as a super-limited edition 7", with a a song on each side. The record is simply hypnotizing as it spins, especially in the dark (glow in the dark records? we truly live in a miraculous world!).

It's a fun little collaboration, and it's good tunes too! The first track is my favorite, as I feel it captures perfectly that creepy/something is around the corner/am i going to die? feeling without being overt or cheesy. It's the perfect soundtrack for a night out Trick or Treating, or to give the room an eerie yet whimsical tone.

I'm looking forward to hearing their new full-length, hope it's as strong as this brief release.

01 Shrieks

02 Creaks

Purchase The Marshmallow Ghosts from Graveface Records

Mal Etre: Torment (4.5/5)

2011-10-04T12:31:00.006-04:00

Year: 2010

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Label: Kunsthauch

TRT: 49:39

Production quality in black metal is an extremely touchy thing. There's a fine line between "great atmosphere" and "this sounds like fucking shit". This one man band from Switzerland finds the perfect balance. Washed out and hazy, dark and ominous, beautiful and memorable. Sad, gloomy, tortured, depressive...I could go on and on. Just imagine The Cure playing black metal in a mountain forest covered in fog.

01 Vie Impure
02 Forest
03 My Funeral
04 Unblessed Beings
05 Sad Day
06 Son Ame Saigne
07 October Falls

Purchase from The End Records

The Mountain Goats: The Life of the World to Come (4/5)

2011-09-16T11:17:00.003-04:00

Year: 2009
Genre: Singer/Songwriter Indie Folk Rock
Label: 4AD
TRT: 43:08

In my youth, lyrics were very important to me, as important or more so than any other part of the composition. At some point in my musical journey, their importance dropped off dramatically. I think it was a combination of growing up and also being exposed to more and more great music with terrible or lackluster lyrics.

The Mountain Goats joins the elite few bands/artists that remind me what a joy it is to actually dwell on a songs' content in addition to its sound.

On this album, John Darnielle takes the inspiration for each song from a different bible verse, and tries to transpose the scriptures meaning into a context relevant to our current world. Some of these are extremely poignant and thought provoking (such as the utterly soul-crushing Matthew 25:21), and some leave you with a quirk of a smile at how he drew the connection (the slightly creepy and off-the-wall Genesis 3:23), but all of them make you stop and think, the seed verse adding an entirely new level of depth to the already well written songs.

Darnielle has been releasing albums under The Mountain Goats moniker for twenty years, and I'd been told numerous times in the last six or seven that it would behoove me to check him out. Well better late than never, and I'm giddy with excitement to dig into the breadth and depth of his massive back catalog. Don't make the same mistake as I did, listen to this immediately.

01	1 Samuel 15:23
02	Psalms 40:2
03	Genesis 3:23
04	Philippians 3:20-21
05	Hebrews 11:40
06	Genesis 30:3
07	Romans 10:9
08	1 John 4:16
09	Matthew 25:21
10	Deuteronomy 2:10
11	Isaiah 45:23
12	Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace

Search Amazon for The Mountain Goats

Jamey Johnson: The Guitar Song (4/5)

2011-08-26T09:15:00.006-04:00

Year: 2010

Genre: Progressive Country

Label: Mercury Nashville

TRT: 1:45:33

I'll be the first to admit that I'm far from an expert on country music. Outside of a Johnny Cash, I've never really been impressed by what I've heard from the genre. So when NPR was reviewing this album last year I was dubious, but intrigued. And when they played Lonely at the Top, I immediately tracked down the album for further investigation.

While The Guitar Song is a sprawling release, covering two discs and close to two hours, it's remarkably consistent in quality. Sure there's a few tracks here and there that cross into the twang, honky-tonk and "good 'ol boy" stylings that initially caused me to dismiss the genre outright. But for every one song like that, there's two or three that are poignant, earnest and refreshingly down to earth. Tracks such as the aforementioned album opener, Can't Cash My Checks, Good Morning Sunrise, et cetera, are frank, honest (sometimes painfully so) and you can sense that Johnson is in this to exercise his own demons, and any fame or fortune that might come along with that are merely added bonuses.

Apparently he's pretty popular and well known in the country music scene, so it's not like I'm unearthing an obscure gem here, but for someone quite far from informed on the matter, he's quite a find, and has sparked my interest to find similar artists of his mettle. Perhaps he'll do the same for you.

Disc 1 (Black)

1	Lonely At the Top
2	Cover Your Eyes
3	Poor Man Blues
4	Set 'Em Up Joe
5	Playing the Part
6	Baby Don't Cry
7	Heaven Bound
8	Can't Cash My Checks
9	That's How I Don't Love You
10	Heartache
11	Mental Revenge
12	Even the Skies Are Blue

Disc 2 (White)

1	By the Seat of Your Pants
2	California Riots
3	Dog in the Yard
4	The Guitar Song (Featuring Bill Anderson)
5	That's Why I Write Songs
6	Macon
7	Thankful for the Rain
8	Good Morning Sunrise
9	Front Porch Swing Afternoon
10	I Remember You
11	Good Time Ain't What They Used to Be
12	For the Good Times
13	My Way to You

EDIT: file was reported by the IFPI, you'll have to google it for yourself.

Search Amazon for Jamey Johnson

Nadja & OvO: The Life and Death of a Wasp (4/5)

2011-08-22T15:52:00.006-04:00

Year: 2010

Genre: Noir Doomjazz

Label: Adaigo 830

TRT: 34:16

Nadja has made some excellent music, and some extremely boring music, so I always approach a new release with a healthy level of skepticism. By about a minute into this one however, I completely forgot to be skeptical. This is completely different from anything else Aidan Baker or OvO has ever done. Yes, it's still gloomy, yes at times it's got some doomy drone, but the atmosphere here is very noir and has a feel more like Bohren & der Club of Gore than Jesu. This is also a strange album due to it's subject matter, with creepy Jarboe-esque vocalizations meant to be the wasp that is doomed to a liquid grave. It's weird as hell. And I love it.

01 Movement 1: A Wasp Flying Around the Sugar Jar

02 Movement 2: Trapped in the Jar

03 Movement 3: Put Some Sugar in My Cup, Please

04 Movement 4: Drowned in Coffee

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Bohren & der Club of Gore: Dolores (4.5/5)

2011-08-17T11:58:00.007-04:00

Year: 2008

Genre: Slowburn Doom Jazz Noir

Label: Ipecac

TRT: 58:23

This band kept popping up on my radar, and after one particularly avid fan beseeched me to bump them up in my queue, I obliged.

This is the definition of "mood" music. Dark, slow paced, schmaltzy and ominous, Bohren & der Club of Gore took jazz and made it what they wanted it to be, not what it was "supposed" to be. It really blows my mind how much I enjoy this, as jazz has never really been very agreeable to my sensibilities. The best thing is, apparently their early catalog is even better than this one.

I highly recommend putting this on while you read a good book, it sets an absolutely spectacular atmosphere.

01 Staub

02 Karin

03 Schwarze Biene (Black Maja)

04 Unkerich

05 Still am Tresen

06 Welk

07 Von Schnäbeln

08 Orgelblut

09 Faul

10 Welten

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Black Sheep Wall: I Am God Songs (4.5/5)

2011-08-16T09:58:00.006-04:00

Year: 2008
Genre: Sludge Metal
Label: PID
TRT: 60:05

Regardless of the quality of he music (which i consider quite good), this is very likely the heaviest thing I've heard in my life.

Their guitar tone is the most righteously ungodly thing ever.

It's like drowning in concrete.

01	Nihility
02	Care by Carcinogenic
03	DJewbf348thoqab
04	Modest Machine
05	Myolden
06	Lamb... gayy
07	D327ht2qwbref2 5g2
08	Ten Fucking Billion
09	Xiomara

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22: Flux + ESP (4.5/5)

2011-08-15T11:51:00.008-04:00

Year: 2010

Genre: Progressive Mathpop

Label: Best Before Records

TRT: 47:55

At first I wasn't entirely sold, but the more I listened, the more sold I got.

Now I'm bought and paid for.

They're like Circa Survive meets The Mars Volta meets Meshuggah meets glitter and glowsticks.

I'm in love. I can't get enough.

01 Plastik

02 Gotodo

03 Flux

04 I Am That I Am

05 Disconnecting From the Grid

06 Kneel Estate

07 Loopwhole

08 Power Is So Yesterday

09 Perspective Pleiadian

10 Susurrus

11 Abdomental

their EP ESP (Extra Sensory Play) is also fantastic.

Natural Snow Buildings: The Centauri Agent (4/5)

2011-08-12T12:14:00.008-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#10 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Psychedelic Folk Drone
Label: Vulpiano
TRT: 106:57

A Massive 2-disc venture, Natural Snow Buildings creates a unique vastness, an expanse unparalleled by anything but their own catalog. This is the soundtrack for swirling endlessly through the vacuum of space.

Disc 1

o1	Our Man From Centauri
o2	The Accidental Remote Viewer

Disc 2

01	The Psychic Circle/Uchronia
02	Black Holes
03	The Storm of Resurrection
04	Moscow Signal
05	Phantom Twin
06	Stuttering Probe
07	Solar Flares
08	Emergency Network Farewell Broadcast
09	Memories Found in a Bill From a Small Animal Vet

Natural Snow Buildings on Vulpiano Records

Fang Island: Fang Island (4/5)

2011-08-12T12:03:00.012-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#9 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Indie Dance Rock
Label: Sargent House
TRT: 31:27

After a falling out with fellow band-members in Daughters, Nick Andrew Sadler decided he was done with drama, and just wanted to have some fun. Joining up with fellow musicians from Providence, RI, they started a band whose music they describe as "everyone high-fiving everyone", and dammit, that's about as good of a description of their music as can be made. Just turn it up, crack a beer, and let go. Just be sure to leave one hand free for five fingered affirmation, which is sure to abound.

01	Dreams of Dreams
02	Careful Crossers
03	Daisy
04	Life Coach
05	Sideswiper
06	The Illinois
07	Treeton
08	Davey Crockett
09	Welcome Wagon
10	Dorian

Search Amazon for Fang Island

EDIT: DMCA complaint, apparently Sargent House is affiliated with Atlantic Records. You'll have to wave a wand at Google to find a link.

Daughters: Daughters (4.5/5)

2011-08-12T11:32:00.006-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#8 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Noise Rock
Label: Hydra Head
TRT: 27:56

A lot has changed since Daughters released Canada Songs back in 2003. A lot has changed since 2006's Hell songs. So much so, that the band quietly disassembled in August of 2009 after having a "falling out" revolving around musical differences and mutual unrest with the recorded material finished in June. Everyone went their separate ways, with guitarist Nick Sadler going on to start the band Fang Island (more on that later).

Later in the year, vocalist Lex went to drummer Jon and they decided to release the self titled Daughters album, stating in a Noiscreep interview: "We started this band and we're the only two people who have been through it consistently, so there was no reason to stop altogether and throw the whole thing away".

And thank goodness. The third full length from Daughters (their longest to date) is by far the most accessible material they've ever released, straying far away from their spastic grind-influenced debut, and only keeping the "drunken Elvis"-esqe vocals from the follow-up. Daughters is still demented, but in a noise rock, art core sort of way. It's easy to see why the band collectively threw up their hands in disgust.

Lex went on to say to Noisecreep that he's "not knocking anyone who enjoys this record, because I enjoy parts of this record. But I think if people like it, it's because it was written for them to like it, if that makes sense." On the surface that seems like a dick thing to say (though Lex is far from a stranger to lambasting fans and critics alike), but if you take a good listen to the album, you can actually see exactly what he means.

01	The Virgin
02	The First Supper
03	The Hit
04	The Theatre Goer
05	Our Queens (One Is Many, Many Are One)
06	The Dead Singer
07	Sweet Georgia Brown
08	The Unattractive, Portable Head

Search Amazon for Daughters

The Seven Fields of Aphelion: Periphery (4.5/5)

2011-08-12T11:07:00.007-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#7 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Ambient Piano Dreams
Label: Graveface
TRT: 38:08

Another member of Black Moth Super Rainbow (in addition to Tobacco and Power Pill Fist) that has decided to dabble into the solo arena, thank goodness. Whilst Tobacco captures the dirty chip hop side of BMSR, and PPF exemplifies the noiser chaos side of BSMR, The Seven Fields of Aphelion channels the ambient and atmospheric side. Ethereal, surreal, soothing and thoughtful, we're treated to a softer, more contemplative and drifting sound...like floating away on a dandelion puff in a secluded mountain meadow, on the cusp of summer and autumn.

01 Slow Subtraction
02 Grown
03 Pale Prophecy
04 Wildflower Wood
05 Cloud Forest (The Little Owl)
06 Mountain Mary
07 Saturation : Arrhythmia
08 Fever Sleep
09 Lake Feet
10 Sunburst Chemicals
11 Michigan Icarus
12 Starlight Aquatic

Search Amazon for The Seven Fields of Aphelion

Mains de Givre: Esther Marie (4.5/5)

2011-08-12T10:56:00.005-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#6 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Classical Drone
Label: Textura
TRT: 46:29

Mains de Givre (Frost Hands) is a a partnership between experimentalist/guitarist Eric Quach and classically trained violinist Emilie Livernois-Desroches. What they've managed to do here is created a wonderfully dense soundscape of whirling, swirling, and often enveloping washes of slowly evolving loops and variations originating from strings, more often violin than guitar, but melded together expertly. The result is at once menacing and ominous, while somehow hinting at light on the cusp of breaking through the brooding storm clouds.

Not too shabby for a couple of Canadians.

01 Un Chœur Dâmes En Détresse
02 Le Cercle Des Moeurs
03 Cauchemar Noir Et Rouge
04 Larmes Sanglantes

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The Glitch Mob: Drink the Sea (4.5/5)

2011-08-12T09:51:00.005-04:00

Joshua's Top "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#5 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Electronic Glitch-hop
Label: Glass Air
TRT: 59:33

I'd heard about this collective before, but never got around to checking out any of their sets. After touring extensively for several years, this is their first official release, and it was received with mixed reactions. Many were let down at the direction they pursued here, because it's apparently quite different from their live approach. Having not heard anything but this album, I came to the table with no expectations and no preconceived notions about what I was or was not going to hear. And if those opinions would have caused me to dislike this, then I'm quite glad of their absence, because this album is excellent.

Every track has something different to offer, and each song has a life and will of it's own, all coming together to form a blissful journey from start to finish. Glitchy electronics drenched in lush production and beats that are, at times, driving and at times simply walking in the background, marry to create arresting sonic soundscapes.

01 Animus Vox
02 Bad Wings
03 How To Be Eaten By A Woman
04 A Dream Within A Dream
05 Fistful of Silence
06 Between Two Points feat. Swan
07 We Swarm
08 Drive It Like You Stole It
09 Fortune Days
10 Starve The Ego, Feed The Soul

Search Amazon for The Glitch Mob

Julie Christmas: The Bad Wife (4.5/5)

2011-08-11T17:23:00.005-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Albums for 2010
#4 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Sludge Rock
Label: Rising Pulse
TRT: 41:51

Full disclosure, I'm pretty much a sucker for anything this woman has a hand in. Battle of Mice, Made Out of Babies...whatever. So even though I tried not to get too excited about this album when it was announced to be in the works several years ago, I had little doubt I'd be into it.

Hooray for realistic expectations. Ms. Christmas combines elements of both the aforementioned projects, but highlights a more delicate side of her muse on this release. By "delicate" I don't mean "weak", this is a very dark and ominous album, but it doesn't quite cross the line into metal this time around. "Restraint" might be a better description, as there's still a definite aggressive thread running throughout.

As one familiar with her previous work might expect, The Bad Wife is a concept album. While not immediately obvious and not entirely fleshed out, it tells the story of a woman who is desperately attached to her beloved, but in the end her co-dependency and instability drives him away from her. The fact that the details are cloudy and the outcome vague only adds to the atmosphere.

01 July 31st
02 If You Go Away
03 Bow
04 Secrets All Men Keep (Salt Bridge, Part II)
05 Six Pairs of Feet and One Pair of Legs
06 Headless Hawks
07 The Wigmaker’s Widow
08 I Just Destroyed the World
09 When Everything is Green

Search Amazon for Julie Christmas

Sleigh Bells: Treats (5/5)

2011-08-11T17:07:00.006-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#3 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: The Noisiest of Pop
Label: Mom + Pop
TRT: 32:00

The story of Derek Miller (ex-guitarist for Poison the Well) and Alexis Krauss (former middle school teacher) meeting at a Brazilian restaurant in Brooklyn, and then practically the next week beginning work as Sleigh Bells would be meaningless if Sleigh Bells failed to be memorable.

Well, love it or hate it (and there's roughly equal proponents of each), Treats is hard to forget. At first I was quite dubious when a friend was telling me about this "hip hop noise pop" duo that was making waves in the underground. My skepticism lasted for about 32 minutes, roughly the length of their debut. Then I hit play again and turned it up a bit and all of a sudden, I was completely sold.

They may never be able to match the intensity and sheer energy found here on subsequent releases, but dammit if they haven't invented their own genre and executed it perfectly with their first release. Other bands have sort of dilly-dallied around this sound, but Sleigh Bells nails it to the wall and then pulls the walls down around their heads.

So roll down your windows, throw out all of your preconceptions about what "hipsters" or "pitchfork" think about this, and turn that shit up until your ears bleed and your mind melts.

1	Tell 'Em
2	Kids
3	Riot Rhythm
4	Infinity Guitars
5	Run the Heart
6	Rachel
7	Rill Rill
8	Crown on the Ground
9	Straight A's
10	A/B Machines
11	Treats

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Jónsi: Go (5/5)

2011-08-11T16:29:00.007-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#2 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Dreamladen Clouds of Glitter and Sparkly Wonder
Label: XL
TRT: 40:17

Sigur Rós has been one of my favorite bands for quite some time now, so I was understandably chagrined to hear they were taking an extended sabbatical from recording anything new. Imagine my elation when I got wind of this release.

Of course, there's always a niggle in the back of your mind when someone from a favorite band goes solo, but I was confident it would be good, whatever direction he went in.

What we get here is a perfectly-crafted antidote for when the world's ills begin to overwhelm the soul. Instead of the brooding, expansive, climax-driven soundscapes Sigur Rós has been known for over the past decade, Jónsi takes the essence of this and magnifies it to exultant levels. Go is one of the most uplifting and life-affirming albums I've ever heard. Even when he gets reflective, the inherent hope of being alive is still palpable. The pacing and balance between upbeat and somber is also executed much better than on the last full band effort.

It's like injecting rainbows and fairies directly into your bloodstream. This album should make anti-depressants obsolete.

01 Go Do
02 Animal Arithmetic
03 Tornado
04 Boy Lilikoi
05 Sinking Friendships
06 Kolniður
07 Around Us
08 Grow Till Tall
09 Hengilás

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The River Empires: The River Empires (Epilogue) (5/5)

2011-08-11T16:16:00.003-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#1 of 10 (Album of the Year)

Year: 2010
Genre: Whimsical Cinematic Indie Folk Orchestration
Label: Self Released
TRT: 88:41

Jesse Ribordy and company came out of nowhere this year, and launched what could turn out to be one of the most epic series of releases of the decade, and perhaps of all time, if fully realized. I know that sounds a bit presumptuous, but after dozens and dozens of start-to-finish listens to this 88 minute masterpiece, I can come to no other conclusion.

The River Empires (Epilogue) is, as the title implies, a summary of the larger tale, which is scheduled to be released in reverse order over the next 3-5 years in the form of three more double disc sets. Additionally, these sets are meant to be soundtracks for three movies (though it now seems Ribordy is leaning toward as mini-series instead to avoid the possibility of one movie getting picked up and the others left to the wayside), telling the tale of "two children who, during one particular summer, find a glass bottle with a message in it that changes their lives forever." As a summary, the Epilogue makes little sense since we don't yet know the story, but once the narrative is complete, it's intended to be "a nostalgic look back on the beginning of a strange and terrifying idea called The River Empires."

The length of this release might seem daunting at first, but after 2 or 3 full listens, recurring themes and motifs begin to emerge, and the tantalizing lack of details will begin to take root in your mind. Ribordy and Crescenzo (The Dear Hunter) utilize a plethora of instruments, including the banjo, piano, xylophone, various strings...with the notable absence of guitar for all but a few tracks. This gives a very cinematic feel to the recording, and it's not at all hard to imagine it working as a film accompaniment. Imagine a marriage of Anathallo, Sufjan Stevens and (unsurprisingly) The Dear Hunter, and you'll have a bit of an idea of their sound, but hardly a complete picture of it.

Sometimes innocent, sometimes sinister, As dark as it is beautiful, this is the beginning (end) of something vast. A massive undertaking to say the least, but if they can pull it off i have no doubt The River Empires will go down as one of most ambitious visionaries of our generation.

Disc 1

01	The River Empires Theme I
02	Overture in Thales Summer
03	Our Neighbor, the Earth
04	The Coventry
05	Galloping Through Day Blooms
06	The Harbourland
07	From Faye to Astral
08	A Toast to the Snake King
09	The First Message
10	Catacombs and Orchards
11	Three Tigers
12	The Stag Hollow Fair
13	Lull Of Celeste
14	From Outside the Cellar
15	Vcias in the Pines
16	A Dimmer Lux
17	Lillius

Disc 2

01	Witches Blossom
02	The Curse of Maybel Cains
03	Wildbriar
04	The Motorbike
05	The Pelican
06	The Backyard in Sparkles
07	Land of Canoes
08	Theon, the Fox
09	An Elliptic Figure From Borelli
10	The Marching of the Clocks
11	The Woods of Northland
12	The River Empires Theme II

Visit The River Empires Bandcamp Page

Fleshgod Apocalypse: Mafia (4/5)

2011-08-11T15:24:00.002-04:00

Joshua's Top Five EPs from 2010
#5 of 5

Year: 2010
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Label: Willowtip Records
TRT: 23:57

Tech death is far from my favorite flavor of metal, and I'm extremely picky within the genre. Fleshgod Apocalypse does a good job with keeping away from the "virtuoso" (read: wankery) of many of their peers, utilizing clean vocals and symphonic elements to add balance and contrast to the otherwise brutal assault on the senses.

01 Thru Our Scars
02 Abyssal
03 Conspiracy of Silence
04 Blinded by Fear (At the Gates cover)
05 Mafia

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Tobacco: La Uti (4/5)

2011-08-11T15:16:00.004-04:00

Joshua's Top Five EPs from 2010
#4 of 5

Year: 2010
Genre: Wonky Glitch-hop Electronics
Label: Anticon
TRT: 18:39

A few new tunes and a few tunes off 2010's Meat Maniac, but re-recorded with guest vocals from other Anticon artists. This brief EP contains some of Tom Fec's best work, not in any small part due to the guest appearances; it just works. It works so well. I sincerely hope this is a taste of what's to come, because the further into Hip Hop he delves, the fresher and better his grooves seem to get.

01 TV All Greasy (Feat. Anti-Pop Consortium)
02 The Injury (Feat. Doseone)
03 Lick The Witch (Feat. Rob Sonic)
04 2 Thick Scoops (Feat. Serengeti)
05 Sweatmother (Feat. Height)
06 Unholy Demon Rhythms (Feat. Icicle Frog)
07 Lamborghini Meltdown (Feat. Zackey Force Funk)

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Nekrasov: Perishable Things (4.5/5)

2011-08-11T15:02:00.003-04:00

Joshua's Top Five EPs for 2010
#3 of 5

Year: 2010
Genre: Blackest of Metals
Label: Self Released
TRT: 14:33

Apocalypse. Armageddon. Nuclear Holocaust.

Basically what Merzbow would sound like if he made a black metal record, viscerally offensive to the senses.

01 C.Z.V.M
02 WOMB
03 DARK AT THE END OF LIGHT
04 O FOOL!

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Mouth of the Architect: The Violence Beneath (5/5)

2011-08-11T14:46:00.005-04:00

Joshua's Top Five EPs for 2010
#2 of 5

Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Translation Loss
TRT: 31:07

I consider MotA to be one of my favorite post metal bands, and The Ties That Blind is an absolutely magnificent album. However, I thought that their last full length effort, Quietly (while still good), was a marked step down from their first two offerings, which dampened my expectation of their future output.

Confidence: Restored. The Violence Beneath starts off with the title track and goes straight for the jugular, almost as if to say "how dare you doubt us". These three original tracks are chocked full of pummeling riffs and grooves, but as on their first two albums they balance the aggression with tasteful ambiance and atmosphere, which at times add more weight to the mix than the heavier sections.

The post metal poster boys show a more emotional side of their muse with their closer. Opting for an interesting cover of Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes, converting the 80's pop anthem into a noisy yet restrained swirl of feedback laden doom.

01 The Violence Beneath
02 Buried Hope
03 Restore
04 In Your Eyes

Search Amazon for Mouth of the Architect

Cloudkicker: ]]][[[ (5/5)

2011-08-11T09:29:00.007-04:00

Joshua's Top Five EPs of 2010
#1 of 5

Year: 2010
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: Self Released
TRT: 15:46

Ben Sharp said in an interview recently that one of the main reasons he started making music was to see how many layers he could fit in a song. This brief EP is a testament to that. Moving in a bit of a different direction than The Discovery, ]]][[[ is more focused on the build up than the pay off, but because of this the pay offs are some of his best to date. A nice little bite-sized snack that is substantial, regardless of size.

1. #
2. %
3. $

Check Out Cloudkicker on Bandcamp

Necrite: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (4.5/5)

2011-08-10T11:57:00.004-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#10 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal Drone
Label: Flenser Records
TRT: 70:10

Thus passes the glory of the world. That's how the Latin translates. It has Templar Masonic origins, and has quite a few occultic and Lovecraftian implications.

This album is about the complete annihilation of everyone. The first three tracks are meant to rub the face of humankind in the "filth" of it's own existence, while the rest of the album transitions, as the band puts it, "from painting a picture of human disease, to a vision of cleansing. It is a worship of Armageddon and the end of life in which everything is reset to a pure blackness."

pretty nihilistic stuff, but this message and ethos are perfectly complimentary to the utter black abyss that the music found here evokes. Nasty, ugly, filthy, and as heavy as the subject matter demands, this is an album to listen to with all the hatred in your heart exposed and gloating.

01	A Mass for the Harvest of Death
02	Bereft of Hope
03	Bathing Open Wounds With Shards of Glass
04	Sic Transit Gloria Mundi
05	Worship the Sunn((O))

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Odem Arcarum: Outrageous Reverie Above The Erosion Of Barren Earth (4.5/5)

2011-08-10T11:52:00.005-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#9 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Label: Osmose Productions
TRT: 65:12

LOOK AT THAT FUCKING COVER ART.

That and the tag "atmospheric.black.metal" immediately i was interested in hearing this. Goodness gravy this is a disturbing album, and they achieve that not with silly gimmicks or cheap tricks. They do this by creating one of the most sinister atmospheres of any album I've ever heard. Eerie and unsettling, you're transported to a dying world of terrible things, and abandoned there with no hope of survival. But if that doesn't make you want to listen...

LOOK AT THAT FUCKING COVER ART.

01 Gate
02 Oceans
03 Worlds Of Barren Land
04 Loss
05 Hell & Revelation
06 The Body & Perpetual Imagination
07 A Darker Kind of Dreaming

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Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire: Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation (4.5/5)

2011-08-10T11:37:00.007-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#8 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Chaotic Sludge Grind
Label: Prosthetic
TRT: 32:55

Unrelenting carnage. Even when they put the brakes on, they wreak havoc. They hate everything and everyone, and they're trying to kill you sonically.

Imagine a less sloppy Converge, combined with Crowpath and Bodies in the Gears of the Machine.

01 Teeth & Hair
02 Cloven
03 I Walked Away From The Human Race
04 Shat Out My Bones
05 Gold Frankincense & Myth
06 Recession
07 Piss
08 Bouquet Of Self Pity
09 Leather Hands
10 Made Of Coal
11 They Smeared Shit On Their Skin So They Could Blend In At Night
12 Empty
13 Remove The Light

Search Amazon for Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire

Year of No Light: Ausserwelt (4.5/5)

2011-08-10T10:50:00.004-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#7 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Conspiracy
TRT: 48:02

Having enjoyed their 2006 debut Nord, I was interested in the direction their sophomore release would take. Turns out they decided to completely drop the post hardcore element from their sound, and completely do away with vocals. Instead, they opt to take a turn towards the atmospheric sludge sound contemporaries Mouth of the Architect, A Storm of Light and others have been championing for the past few years. It just so happens that I love that sound, and Ausserwelt is an excellent representation of it. Moody and brooding, they carry you across an ever-evolving soundscape of swirling doom that eventually drifts away on a sea of despair.

1. Perséphone (Enna)
2. Perséphone (Coré)
3. Hiérophante
4. Abbesse

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Sol / Blóðtrú: Old Europa Death Chants (4.5/5)

2011-08-10T10:42:00.007-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#6 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Funeral Folk Doom
Label: Paradigms
TRT: 77:34

"Old Europa Death Chants". With a title like that, my attention was immediately piqued, and rightly so. This collaboration of two Danish bands who's body of work falls in the realm of "doom", you sort of think you might have an idea of what they might do together. But that idea is like a rough pencil sketch of the Sistine Chapel. This is a very unique beast.

The pacing is a little strange, and at 77 minutes, a full listen is a commitment, but by the end, you'll feel it was time well spent, and look forward to the next time you take the journey. It's mammoth, serpentine, and oceanic.

01 Alone
02 Crippled by Emotions We Die in Solitude
03 The Dusk of Man: The Dawn of the Beasts
04 Where Did We Fall
05 A Golden Horse
06 Death Chants for Old Europa

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Periphery: Periphery [Instrumental] (4.5/5)

2011-08-10T10:15:00.003-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#5 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: Sumerian
TRT: 71:26

This album has been in the works for more than 5 years. Fighting through multiple line-up changes, most notable a veritable revolving door at the vocalist position, this labor of love was finally released. And it comes off in a bit of a "we're just going to get this fucking thing out there and move on" sort of way, mostly because every song on the album has been online in one form or another for years.

Be that as it may, this album kicks much ass. Thick, mean, and impeccable executed, the music sounds better than ever. Unfortunately, The vocals are another matter, but since they released an instrumental version of the album too, I'm going to give Spencer Sotelo a pass on this one. He came into the recording process with a very short period of time to learn lyrics and vocal parts written by previous singers with different styles, and did the best he could at the time. Since then he's grown substantially as a performer, and I look forward to seeing what he can do in his own right.

Having said that, I would recommend getting the instrumental version (though both are provided here). Listening to the version with vocals first, and then a few weeks later listening to the instrumentals, it was like listening to the album for the first time all over again, because so much of the nuances and subtleties are masked or obscured by the often distracting vocals. They do grow on you after a time, but if you're only going to get one, get the instrumentals.

01 Insomnia
02 The Walk
03 Letter Experiment
04 Jetpacks Was Yes
05 Light
06 All New Materials
07 Buttersnips
08 Icarus Lives
09 Totla Mad
10 Ow My Feelings
11 Zyglrox
12 Racecar

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Kvelertak: Kvelertak (5/5)

2011-08-10T10:09:00.005-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#4 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Black 'n Roll
Label: Indie Recordings
TRT: 42: 16

These Nords made huge waves in 2010 with their infectious and unassuming combination of black metal, classic rock, and undeniable badassery. It's like one giant slab of vicious ferocity wrapped in bacon wearing a party hat leaving destruction in their wake (because everything is better with bacon). I bet Andrew W.K. loves this album.

I paid $30 to import this, but you can get the re-release from The End records for a 1/3 of that, along with some bonus tracks. If you like it, you've no excuse not to drop a Hamilton on it.

01 Ulvetid
02 Mjød
03 Fossegrim
04 Blodtørst
05 Offernatt
06 Sjøhyenar (Havets Herrer)
07 Sultans of Satan
08 Nekroskop
09 Liktorn
10 Ordsmedar av rang
11 Utrydd dei svake

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An Autumn for Crippled Children: Lost (5/5)

2011-08-10T10:01:00.004-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#3 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Depressive Atmospheric Black Metal
Label: A Sad Sadness Song
TRT: 50:20

Proportionally, this album is about as good as it's name is silly.

01 To Set Sails to the Ends of the Earth
02 Tragedy Bleeds All Over the Lost
03 A Dire Faith
04 In Moonlight Blood is Black
05 Ghost Light
06 An Autumn for Crippled Children
07 I Beg Thee Not to Spare me
08 Gaping Void of Silence
09 Never Shall Be Again

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Shining: Blackjazz (5/5)

2011-08-10T09:50:00.008-04:00

Joshua's Top 10 "Metal" Picks for 2010
#2 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Progressive Blackjazz Metal
Label: Indie Records
TRT: 57:15

Shining has been borderline insane for years.

With Blackjazz...they've finally crossed over. This album is absolutely schizo (and how about that, they even covered an appropriate King Crimson song to celebrate). They've toyed with heavier sounds from time to time, but here they land in metal territory, if only on the outskirts. Their statement on this album is "what black metal is to metal, blackjazz is to jazz". It's dark, it's scary, it's completely fucked up, and it's out of control.

Embrace the chaos.

01 The Madness And The Damage Done
02 Fisheye
03 Exit Sun
04 Exit Sun
05 HEALTER SKELTER
06 The Madness And The Damage Done
07 Blackjazz Deathtrance
08 Omen
09 21st Century Schizoid Man

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The Dillinger Escape Plan: Option Paralysis (5/5)

2011-08-10T09:36:00.007-04:00

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#1 of 10

Year: 2010
Genre: Chaotic Mathmetal
Label: Party Smash Inc / Seasons of Mist
TRT: 44:18

Ire Works fell flat on it's face for me. One of the few reviews I've bothered to write about a CD I didn't like.

So I was apprehensive, I was nervous, and I wasn't sure what to expect from this one.

In short, this might be the best thing they're ever done (a hard claim to make, for sure). If this had been released right after Miss Machine, it would have made perfect sense. It's the logical progression of the sound the experimented with there. Everything is so well integrated, where Ire Works seemed choppy and poorly pasted together. Option Paralysis even has a bit of a monster ballad, albeit they can't contain themselves for the whole song, but it's perfectly executed. Greg Puciato's vocals are better than ever, and can actually match the talent of the rest of the band, not to mention that he's one of the most intimidatingly good frontmen in the scene today.

Bottom line, this is a furious album, and it will destroy your face right off.

01 Farewell, Mona Lisa

02 Good Neighbor

03 Gold Teeth On A Bum

04 Crystal Morning

05 Endless Endings

06 Widower

07 Room Full Of Eyes

08 Chinese Whispers

09 I Wouldn't If You Didn't

10 Parasitic Twins

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

2010-12-04T17:45:00.006-05:00

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)

2010-11-08T17:01:00.008-05:00

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)

2010-10-15T11:47:00.009-04:00

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)

2010-10-14T17:30:00.007-04:00

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)

Search Amazon for Eluveitie

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

2010-09-17T16:48:00.007-04:00

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)

Search Amazon for Pan’s Labyrinth OST

The Roots: Phrenology (5/5)

2010-09-16T01:02:00.019-04:00

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)

Search Amazon for The Roots

Leprous: Tall Poppy Syndrome (4.5/5)

2010-09-03T12:34:00.006-04:00

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)

2010-08-19T15:51:00.006-04:00

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)

2010-08-03T16:03:00.003-04:00

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)

2010-07-25T12:49:00.006-04:00

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

Buy music direct from Zavoloka

Tilly and the Wall: O (4.5/5)

2010-07-22T15:51:00.005-04:00

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)

2010-07-22T13:59:00.004-04:00

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)

2010-06-20T17:31:00.005-04:00

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)

2010-04-30T14:35:00.004-04:00

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

Search Amazon for William Basinski

2nd Gen: Irony Is (5/5)

2010-04-23T15:53:00.006-04:00

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)

2010-01-11T19:29:00.003-05:00

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)

Search Amazon for fun.

Fever Ray: Fever Ray (4.5/5)

2010-01-11T19:09:00.010-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T19:00:00.004-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T18:49:00.003-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T18:38:00.005-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T18:14:00.004-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T17:48:00.006-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T17:32:00.005-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T16:58:00.003-05:00

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)

2010-01-11T16:18:00.010-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T01:28:00.009-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T01:16:00.005-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T01:08:00.004-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T00:57:00.006-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T00:49:00.004-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T00:39:00.003-05:00

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)

2010-01-07T00:31:00.003-05:00

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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Converge: Axe to Fall (4.5/5)

2010-01-07T00:19:00.008-05:00

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

Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Metalcore
Label: Epitaph
TRT: 42:04

While I find it nigh impossible to deny the power and passion of Jacob Bannon and company, they don't always wow me with their delivery.

Jane Doe is a masterpiece, You Fail Me is also a great album, but 2006's No Heroes left me wanting and prevented me from getting too hyped up about a new Converge release.

Well, Axe to Fall has been stuck in my face since I first heard it, and simply refuses to dislodge itself from my head.

The first four tracks are such a whirlwind of fury, I'm slightly scared for my well being and the well being of those around me when it's on, because I find myself with an insatiable desire to RAGE.

After that, things get a bit sludgier and a bit heavier, and while the pace slows down considerably, the intensity certainly doesn't. While there are a couple moments that might drag comparatively, there's nothing egregious and as soon as things pick back up, you'll forget what it was that even bothered you.

While it doesn't surpass Jane Doe, it sure as hell bites and scratches and claws it's way to the same level.

01 Dark Horse
02 Reap What You Sow
03 Axe to Fall
04 Effigy
05 Worms Will Feed
06 Wishing Well
07 Damages
08 Losing Battle
09 Dead Beat
10 Cutter
11 Slave Driver
12 Cruel Bloom
13 Wretched World

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Depressed Mode: ...For Death... (4.5/5)

2010-01-07T00:09:00.004-05:00

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

Year: 2009
Genre: Dooooooooooooom
Label: Firedoom Music
TRT: 45:51

Depressed Mode

Depressed Mode made the transition from "joke band" to "serious musical project" with alarming alacrity, but then they're not exactly new to the scene , boasting members of Shape of Despair and Tyrant among their ranks.

As I stated in my review of their debut album, they've mastered the artful balance of mid-paced and snail-paced, using female vocals, keys, piano and strings as the dark threads used to weave this somber tapestry of death and doom.

It's crushing and beautiful, just the way I like my metal.

01 Death Multiplies
02 She’s Frozen
03 Loving a Shadow
04 The Scent
05 Prologue to Thousand Skies
06 Tunnel of Pain
07 A Glimpse of Tomorrow
08 A Sigh
09 ...For Death...

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Animals as Leaders: Animals as Leaders (5/5)

2010-01-06T23:37:00.007-05:00

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Album of 2009
#1 of 10

Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: Prosthetic Records
TRT: 51:50

This is the latest offering from Tosin Abasi (Reflux), and it's the best thing he's ever done. Initially Abasi rejected the idea of releasing a solo instrumental album, feeling it would be "egotistical and unnecessary".

I for one am thrilled that he decided to put aside his misgivings, and essentially prove himself wrong.

Here we have an incredible collection of groovy tracks that are actual songs, not just an excuse for some virtuoso to demonstrate their guitar wankery to the world. This album is actually a lot of fun to listen to, because it's a good album, not simply because it's technically proficient.

Having said that, Abasi is surely at the top of his game with this release, and there are many "WTF" moments that leave me reeling every time.

Abasi enlisted Misha Mansoor (also known as Bulb) of Periphery renown to help with the production, and it's rumored he actually helped with a bit of the writing and playing at times.

01 Tempting Time
02 Soroya
03 Thoroughly at Home
04 On Impulse
05 Tessitura
06 Behaving Badly
07 The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing
08 CAFO
09 Inamorata
10 Point to Point
11 Modern Meat
12 Song of Solomon

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The Avett Brothers: I and Love and You (4/5)

2009-12-31T13:45:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #20 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Columbia
Genre: Americana Folk
TRT: 50:42

This is a down-home harmonized folk album we have here. It's very intimate and has a lot of thoughtful lyrics to ponder. A good amount of tracks on the album have an old-timey feeling that's pretty cool, although I will say it may keep me from listening to this album too much. Also, I don't quite understand what it is I'm looking at on the cover but it's kind of disturbing in a way...maybe that's the point

"Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise" is by far my favorite song on this album...It has a great organ sound....and the way the song is written just pulls you into the parts they're about to go into really well. This is a pretty solid album overall...with an exception of a couple songs.

01 I and Love and You
02 January Wedding
03 Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise
04 And It Spread
05 Perfect Space
06 Ten Thousand Words
07 Kick Drum Heart
08 Laundry Room
09 I'll With Want
10 Tin Man
11 Slight Figure of Speech
12 It Goes On and On
13 Incomplete and Insecure

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Secret Powers: Secret Powers And The Electric Family Choir (4/5)

2009-12-31T13:29:00.004-05:00

Jonathan's #19 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Self-Released
Genre: Psychedelic Sunshine Pop
TRT: 52:37

This album has a lot of interesting bits to it...first throughout the entire recording there are short pod casts that sound like they were recorded from the microphone of the recording engineer (which may have been a guy in the band). Each pod cast is a comedic approach of showing interactions between the band's personnel...along with Schmed Maynes (song-writer & musician for Secret Powers) self-proclaiming and being called the 'Messiah'.

The most interesting thing about the song writing is that it echoes a lot of the 60s-70s pop hits and their song writing formulas that have become so big over the years. Although you should expect to hear the effects of a psychedelic tidal wave having crashed all over this album. You may experience some secret powers along the way.

01 Introduction
02 Pod Cast #1
03 Orange Trees
04 Pod Cast #2
05 Maryanne
06 Pod Cast #3
07 By the Sea
08 Heavy
09 Lazy Men
10 Pod Cast #4
11 Misery
12 Ghost Town
13 Treat Your Mother Nice
14 Smoething About that Girl
15 Pod Cast #5
16 One Less Star
17 Pod Cast #6
18 You Know It's Time
19 Pod Cast #7
20 Both Sides of the Candle

Kool Kat Music - Secret Powers

Wilco: Wilco (The Album) (4/5)

2009-12-31T13:20:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #18 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Nonesuch
Genre: Alternative Country Rock
TRT: 42:46

First off....personally I prefer "Sky Blue Sky" to this album, but that doesn't mean this album isn't worth exploring. Wilco has come to the point in their career where they are really meshing in the studio. All the sounds are so clear and of the highest quality. I love the organ sounds and the guitar tone is pretty perfect...so when you got both going it's a real treat.

The songs are obviously well written, but some of them seem to be sitting more in the background of this album rather than taking their perspective spot on the recording. Every time I listen to this, I get things that I like a lot and I get things that I don't like so much. I'll keep listening to this album and see how it sits in the future.

01 Wilco (The Song)
02 Deeper Down
03 One Wing
04 Bull Black Nova
05 You and I
06 You Never Know
07 Country Disappeared
08 Solitaire
09 I'll Fight
10 Sunny Feeling
11 Everlasting Everything

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Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures (4/5)

2009-12-31T13:11:00.006-05:00

Jonathan's #17 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: RCA
Genre: Psychedelic Hard Rock
TRT: 52:04

As it has been said everywhere I look: 'This isn't as good as Led Zeppelin or Queens of the Stone Age'.....but it should be something different and I think it's at least as good as Queens of the Stone Age. I like the different styles of hard rock that this recording covers. On "Scumbag Blues", I especially like the Cream-esque vocal style. There are certainty parts on this album that aren't so solid though...including a couple songs. I guess the guys think that some of the effects used in these parts can help interest the listener. For these guys just getting together and writing songs, it is good. I'm sure if they had spent a little more time and excluded a few hiccups this would be a really solid release. Check out the song "Reptiles"...it is an especially good one.

01 No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
02 Mind Eraser, No Chaser
03 New Fang
04 Dead End Friends
05 Elephants
06 Scumbag Blues
07 Bandoliers
08 Reptiles
09 Interlude with Ludes
10 Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up
11 Caligulove
12 Gunman
13 Spinning in Daffodils

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Sin Fang Bous: Clangour (4/5)

2009-12-31T13:01:00.004-05:00

Jonathan's #16 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Morr
Genre: Psychedelic Indie Pop
TRT: 43:31

I heard this album really early in the year and I really liked it then...but as the year went on it started slipping back behind other recordings. I still really like it as it has made my list, but I've also heard it enough to form a solid opinion. For a one-man operation it is definitely well executed and there are a lot of interesting sounds going on. I like his tasteful use of heavy reverb in certain areas....also his smooth voice gives the entire recording a reserved mellow feel. I personally would have liked a little more variation in the beats made for this record and his vocal runs sound very similar to each other....but I can imagine that this was all part of the vibe he was going for. It's a good listen to come back to every now and again.

01 Advent in Ives Garden
02 The Jubilee Courses
03 Catch the Light
04 Sinker Ships
05 Melt Down the Knives
06 Clangour and Flutes
07 We Belong
08 Carry Me Up to Smell Pine
09 A Fire to Sleep In
10 Fafafa
11 Poirot
12 Lies

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The Pines: Tremolo (4/5)

2009-12-31T12:51:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #15 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Red House
Genre: Folk Rock
TRT: 45:22

I don't think many people know about this release and I don't know if they ever will, but fans of Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band should definitely give this a listen. The vocalist sounds a lot like Oberst...but I'll give it to him he definitely has his own flavor of the tremolo quiver. The title of the album comes into play here obviously...but his voice isn't the only thing with the tremolo effect. The slide guitar is effectively used throughout the recording...especially when you think a song is about to drag it slides in and gives proper support.

The main thing that I commend about this album is the song writing. It is equivalent to last year's Dr. Dog album but with a more laid back folk vibe. The lyrics are pretty interesting also...I like how musicians are starting to become a little more creative in the ways they can translate their different ideas.

01 Pray Tell
02 Heart and Bones
03 Shine on Moon
04 Lonesome Tremolo Blues
05 Meadows of Dawn
06 Skipper And His Wife
07 Spike Driver Blues
08 Behind the Time
09 Avenue Of The Saints
10 Shiny Shoes

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Band of Skulls: Baby Darling Doll Face Honey (4/5)

2009-12-31T12:06:00.004-05:00

Jonathan's #14 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Shangri-La
Genre: Psychedelic Garage Rock
TRT: 42:24

Trendy...yes maybe. Groovy...for sure. Creatively showing off...probably. This recording at the beginning is letting you know that you're supposed to be having fun while you're listening. It will also give you subliminal truth for the future...[whatever that means]. By the time you reached the end of the song "I Know What I Am"....you've reached a certain peak. The next two songs slip you below the landslide as "Honest" ends with something that sounds familiar to Stevie Nicks. The rest of the album twists in and out of interesting transitions and wild comparisons that continue to come about.

There's something deep going on in that cover.

01 Light of the Morning
02 Death by Diamonds and Pearls
03 I Know What I Am
04 Fires
05 Honest
06 Patterns
07 Bomb
08 Impossible
09 Hold Still
10 Blood
11 Dull Gold Heart
12 Cold Fame

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Ancestors: Of Sound Mind (4/5)

2009-12-31T11:55:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #13 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Tee Pee
Genre: Progressive Doom Rock
TRT: 1:11:29

Originally I saw this album tagged as doom metal and personally I'm not a fan of that genre because I can't get into growling & screaming....but I read a review that said these guys incorporate an organ which caught my attention. On the first listen I already had begun to like it....to me it sounds more like progressive doom rock. I like the progressive aspect and also that the organ's presence is a staple within the band. The guitar solos are also remarkably distinguished. Sometimes the feeling in a riff needs to have a slight bend in pitch which these guys utilize at the right moments.

As for the vocals they are practically non-existent throughout the entirety of the album...but when they turn-up it is more singing than screaming. In fact, there is a good amount of harmony in the majority of the vocal runs. I found myself a few times getting lost in the middle of their compositions...which a lot of people take for granted and turn away from these types of songs....but for me I see it as a chance to come back to a song and continue to get more familiar with it. This recording has a nice cohesive flow that changes enough with the solos and bridge parts to really hook a listener. I could deal with out the part at the end of "Bounty of Age" where the vocalist sounds like he's choking himself but still trying to hit melodies...but I think that is my only objection to the whole recording. If the vocalist could have just stuck with the raspy King Crimson-esque style it would have worked better in my opinion.

01 From Nothing
02 Mother Animal
03 Not the Last Return
04 Bounty of Age
05 A Friend
06 The Trial
07 Chellenging
08 The Ambrose Law

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Sleepy Sun: Embrace (4/5)

2009-12-31T11:35:00.004-05:00

Jonathan's #12 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: ATP/R
Genre: Psychedelic Garage Rock
TRT: 54:43

Sleepy Sun can say a lot about their sound just by reading the name. To me, they seem to give the perfect soundscape to that mental image. The band takes garage rock and adds a psychedelic down-tempo whirlwind. The vocals remind me a lot of BrightBlack Morning Light....but with enough of an original flavor to not rip them off. The band still brings a lot of surprises to the well-rounded listen. They really mix it up sometimes with organs, harmonica, swirling guitars and some great reverb laid over the whole recording.

Overall this is a great album with a lot of great sounds to offer.

01 New Age
02 Lorg
03 Red Black
04 Sleepy Son
05 Golden Artifact
06 White Dove
07 Snow Goddess
08 Duet With the Northern Sky

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The Mars Volta: Octahedron (4/5)

2009-12-31T11:27:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #11 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Mercury
Genre: Psychedelic Progressive Rock
TRT: 50:03

This is definitely different for The Mars Volta, but the melodies are interesting and segments of songs flow in and out of each other in awesome ways. The lyrics are the usual creepy/trippy descriptive explanations that we've come to love...the guitars sound pretty much the same but with a floating elevated sound that feels like the confusion of a mind above the solid body of well written songs.

I feel that "Octahedron" is The Mars Volta's more concise attempt at slowing their music down to a point that is more accessible...so that people can finally understand their music for the different aspects that create it. So many people have become lost in the progressiveness of the band and so many other people have liked that part of it even though they may not have really 'gotten it' either. Well now you should be able to 'get it'.

01 Since We've Been Wrong
02 Teflon
03 Halo Of Nembutals
04 With Twilight As My Guide
05 Cotopaxi
06 Desperate Graves
07 Copernicus
08 Luciforms

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Nurses: Apple's Acre (4/5)

2009-12-31T11:19:00.004-05:00

Jonathan's #10 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Dead Oceans
Genre: Neo-Psychedelia Indie Folk
TRT: 35:33

I'm actually surprised that this is rated as my 10th favorite album of the year....because I really like this. It seems this year has been exceptional and there's more that I prefer than the last few years had to offer.

I like the atmosphere this album gives. It sounds like your in the room with the guys recording. This album may have some of the most unique vocal runs I've heard in a long time although I can imagine that some may not like the vocals here because it is different in many ways...but I think they really sit well in this atmosphere. The drum sound has that acoustic set in a room with natural reverb sound...and there's some nice piano runs sprinkled throughout....but the main vocal part and harmonies take the forefront in this record.

01 Technicolor
02 Mile After Mile
03 Caterpillar Playground
04 Manatarms
05 Apple's Acre
06 Bright Ideas
07 What Then
08 Winter
09 Lita
10 Orange Cymbals

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The Young Sinclairs: Songs of The Young Sinclairs (4/5)

2009-12-31T11:01:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #9 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Kindercore
Genre: Psychedelic Folk Rock
TRT: 59:55

I have to say that I was really excited to see this record pressed. My brother lives in Roanoke, VA and is friends with a lot of the guys in "The Magic Twig Community" and about two years ago he introduced me to some of them. These guys are doing music the way they want in a large group of friends with about 5-6 different bands....and The Young Sinclairs happen to be signed to Kindercore Records.

I actually emailed Kindercore once asking them to press The Young Sinclairs to vinyl, and one day my brother comes to my house with this....so I gave him money to get me one of these limited copies. I'm glad to hear the great mixing/mastering job that John Thompson (drums and lap steel for The Young Sinclairs) did for all these different tracks from their past recordings. They all come together really nice.

I'd describe the sound as being a mix of The Byrds and The Who with a heavy dose of the modern reverb sound. Sam Lunsford has some great melodies that float over the guitar riffs that show the songs are well written...and I love that the lyrics are on their myspace.

01 Darling
02 Cancelled Flight
03 Engineer Man
04 Thanks Paul Horn
05 Blessed Blackness
06 Tough Face
07 It's Real and It's the End
08 Keep Them Down
09 Tribe
10 The Most Impressive
11 Up Against the Wall
12 They're Not Writing
13 Honeysuckle, Rose and Pumpkin
14 Talisman
15 Don't Be Scared
16 Llama Farm
17 Everything I Do is Wrong
18 Help You Decide

Myspace for The Young Sinclairs

The Yellow Moon Band: Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World (4.5/5)

2009-12-31T10:55:00.004-05:00

Jonathan's #8 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Static Caravan
Genre: Psychedelic Space Rock
TRT: 52:04

The album has only one song with a vocal part in it...even though it could use more, I really enjoy the feelings I get throughout this album. On the song "Entangled" I get this feeling that I only ever get when listening to "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" by the Byrds.

The musicianship on this recording is similar to the 70's progressive movement, which personally I'm a big fan. The melodies sit well and transition properly...so that at the end of the album you feel as if you had gone on a psychedelic space journey.

01 Polaris
02 Chimney
03 Entangled
04 Maybach
05 Focussed
06 Domini
07 Window
08 Lunadelica

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Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (4.5/5)

2009-12-31T10:48:00.005-05:00

Jonathan's #7 out of 20 Album of 2009

Year: 2009
Label: Domino
Genre: Psychedelic Electronic Pop
TRT: 54:05

I'm not a big fan of electronic music so for this to make my top 10 this is a huge exception. Textures should be the title of this album. The cover itself has some pink/purple photo or something under the neon green moving (optical illusion) pattern. The music has so many great layers of sounds from tamborines > stick clicks > claps > bells > and other random noises tweaked with echo or delay. This recording has some flourishing harmonies that I wish the guys could pull off live [from most of the videos I've seen they're always off key]. But, no matter how they sound live...this recording is pristine and perfect in structure and the moods created.

My favorite thing about this album is that I can put it on and without taking any substances...I kind of feel like I'm tripping. So go dream (day-dream or otherwise) to this recording.

01 In the Flowers
02 My Girls
03 Also Frightened
04 Summertime Clothes
05 Daily Routine
06 Bluish
07 Guys Eyes
08 Taste
09 Lion in a Coma
10 No More Runnin
11 Brother Sport

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