Pretension and melody
I haven't rambled about music in a while, so here's what's currently cool. If anything grabs your attention, send me a mail and I'll arrange its transfer. Be quick though, I won't have broadband for too much longer.
I finally got my hands on Slint's Spiderland, having heard it described as an overlooked masterpiece by dozens of critics and hundreds of musicians. It's not bad. All rumbling and threatening and discordant with the occasional fractured build-up. Mogwai were definitely ripping them off for Young Team. But, while I'm sure it was startlingly original and cooler than Jesus in the early ninties...it's been done better since by (among others) Mogwai and GYBE! So the verdict is a slightly interested "meh".
I've been listening to a lot of latter-day Radiohead lately and I think I'm finally starting to get it. I always appreciated it and possibly admired it, but I never would have sought it out to listen to. I threw Hail To The Thief on the iPod before going to France and it started making more sense by the time I came back. The poppier stuff (a relative term, I guess) like "2+2=5" and "There There" had always appealed...but I finally saw the point of "Sit Down, Stand Up", "Sail To The Moon", "Where I End..." and "Wolf At The Door".
This may have been influenced by two albums by a guy called Christopher O Riley I've been listening to, "Hold Me To This" and "True Love Waits". He's a classical pianist who does solo reinterpretations of Radiohead stuff. And not just the easy stuff either. He covers "Like Spinning Plates" (originally weird electronic noises), Talk Show Host (a four note melody over four minutes) and 2+2=5 (something like a 17:5 time signature). Worth seeking out, and they definitely have more than novelty value.
In the same vein, I tracked down a few "String Quartet Tribute To..." albums. This is basically a work for hire string quartet that does not for note covers of popular albums. They've done Radiohead, Coldplay, Evanesence, Foo Fighters, Weezer etc. etc. It's not too bad, and it's easy to listen to. However, Oonagh described their version of "In My Place" as "butter ad music"...which is about the most perfect description of it.
Speaking of the Foo Fighters, their new (double) album was supposed to be a massive return to the form they had on the Colour and the Shape. Hardly. It's not as dreadful as One By One (three singles and a whole load of badly produced filler), but it's not a whole lot better. If Dave Grohl really thinks this is some of the best work he's ever done, then he's sadly mistaken. It's a pity, cos they're a fairly inoffensive band, and they seem like nice people. What's more, they're occasionally capable of making interesting music. Unfortunately, this isn't it.
And speaking of Weezer, Christ is their new album bad. I don't just mean bad, I mean gut churningly awful. I thought it might be a joke when I heard it first, but apparently they're serious. Believe it or not, Beverly Hills is probably the best song on the album. There's a song on it called "We Are All On Drugs", and it's tempting to read a little too much into it. Like everything else on the album, it's musically boring, overproduced, and the lyrics are just indescribably terrible. I really can't overemphasise how embarrassingly bad the lyrics on this album are. Really, really, really, really bad. I mean, it sounds like the lyricist is a lobotomised four year old. I swear, for once I'm not exaggerating. Absolutely pitiful. Immediately distrust any outlet that gives this album a good review.
Y'know, I'm still not entirely convinced the whole album is not just some elaborate postmodern joke.
I don't know if I've mentioned the Great Southern Rock Opera by the Drive-By Truckers before. Inspired stuff. A 3-guitar 70's blues rock concept album about the rise and fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the mysterious duality of the "Southern Thang". Eats the White Stripes and Kings of Leon for breakfast. Check out the song "Three Great Alabama Icons" if you need convincing. (I'm getting the strange feeling I've already mentioned this to you before...if so, I apologise...all my recent memories are of aircraft maintenance).
The new Eels album. Double album. Same 'ol, same 'ol. Meh. If I wanted to listen to Tom Waits I would. There are few things I'm certain of, but one is that the world needs only one Tom Waits.
Speaking of Kings, I started listening to the Kings of Convenience album (parallel lines) lately, and I actually didn't fall asleep straightaway. It's nice, inoffensive gentle acoustic folk. But it's got some funky melodies and interesting harmonies on it. Worth digging up.
Auf Der Maur. Melissa Auf Der Maur spent years as a bassist in bands like Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, and finally got around to releasing a solo album. It's pretty good, if you like melodic heavy metal. It sounds exactly like Belly crossed with the heavy side of the Pumpkins. It's not bad at all.
Blink 182 split up! No!!!!!! Just when it was beginning to be less uncool to like them. Bastards. I've been trying to fill the void they leave with other intelligent melodic punk bands like Alexisonfire (crap), the Used (crap), Finch (screamy crap), My Chemical Romance (whiney, screamy, crap) and Motion City Soundtrack (cr...no, wait a minute, they're slightly ok. they have a long way to go, but they have the right idea.)
Bell X1 have a new album coming out soon, which I'm cautiously looking forward to (thye haven't exactly been knocking it out of the park in live shows lately). Damien Rice must surely have recorded a follow-up to O by now. The Frames promised a new album this year, and I don't believe them for a second. The Arcade Fire are still the coolest thing since sliced bread. Biffy Clyro should have a new album out soon too.
So that's music in the last few months covered.
I finally got my hands on Slint's Spiderland, having heard it described as an overlooked masterpiece by dozens of critics and hundreds of musicians. It's not bad. All rumbling and threatening and discordant with the occasional fractured build-up. Mogwai were definitely ripping them off for Young Team. But, while I'm sure it was startlingly original and cooler than Jesus in the early ninties...it's been done better since by (among others) Mogwai and GYBE! So the verdict is a slightly interested "meh".
I've been listening to a lot of latter-day Radiohead lately and I think I'm finally starting to get it. I always appreciated it and possibly admired it, but I never would have sought it out to listen to. I threw Hail To The Thief on the iPod before going to France and it started making more sense by the time I came back. The poppier stuff (a relative term, I guess) like "2+2=5" and "There There" had always appealed...but I finally saw the point of "Sit Down, Stand Up", "Sail To The Moon", "Where I End..." and "Wolf At The Door".
This may have been influenced by two albums by a guy called Christopher O Riley I've been listening to, "Hold Me To This" and "True Love Waits". He's a classical pianist who does solo reinterpretations of Radiohead stuff. And not just the easy stuff either. He covers "Like Spinning Plates" (originally weird electronic noises), Talk Show Host (a four note melody over four minutes) and 2+2=5 (something like a 17:5 time signature). Worth seeking out, and they definitely have more than novelty value.
In the same vein, I tracked down a few "String Quartet Tribute To..." albums. This is basically a work for hire string quartet that does not for note covers of popular albums. They've done Radiohead, Coldplay, Evanesence, Foo Fighters, Weezer etc. etc. It's not too bad, and it's easy to listen to. However, Oonagh described their version of "In My Place" as "butter ad music"...which is about the most perfect description of it.
Speaking of the Foo Fighters, their new (double) album was supposed to be a massive return to the form they had on the Colour and the Shape. Hardly. It's not as dreadful as One By One (three singles and a whole load of badly produced filler), but it's not a whole lot better. If Dave Grohl really thinks this is some of the best work he's ever done, then he's sadly mistaken. It's a pity, cos they're a fairly inoffensive band, and they seem like nice people. What's more, they're occasionally capable of making interesting music. Unfortunately, this isn't it.
And speaking of Weezer, Christ is their new album bad. I don't just mean bad, I mean gut churningly awful. I thought it might be a joke when I heard it first, but apparently they're serious. Believe it or not, Beverly Hills is probably the best song on the album. There's a song on it called "We Are All On Drugs", and it's tempting to read a little too much into it. Like everything else on the album, it's musically boring, overproduced, and the lyrics are just indescribably terrible. I really can't overemphasise how embarrassingly bad the lyrics on this album are. Really, really, really, really bad. I mean, it sounds like the lyricist is a lobotomised four year old. I swear, for once I'm not exaggerating. Absolutely pitiful. Immediately distrust any outlet that gives this album a good review.
Y'know, I'm still not entirely convinced the whole album is not just some elaborate postmodern joke.
I don't know if I've mentioned the Great Southern Rock Opera by the Drive-By Truckers before. Inspired stuff. A 3-guitar 70's blues rock concept album about the rise and fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the mysterious duality of the "Southern Thang". Eats the White Stripes and Kings of Leon for breakfast. Check out the song "Three Great Alabama Icons" if you need convincing. (I'm getting the strange feeling I've already mentioned this to you before...if so, I apologise...all my recent memories are of aircraft maintenance).
The new Eels album. Double album. Same 'ol, same 'ol. Meh. If I wanted to listen to Tom Waits I would. There are few things I'm certain of, but one is that the world needs only one Tom Waits.
Speaking of Kings, I started listening to the Kings of Convenience album (parallel lines) lately, and I actually didn't fall asleep straightaway. It's nice, inoffensive gentle acoustic folk. But it's got some funky melodies and interesting harmonies on it. Worth digging up.
Auf Der Maur. Melissa Auf Der Maur spent years as a bassist in bands like Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, and finally got around to releasing a solo album. It's pretty good, if you like melodic heavy metal. It sounds exactly like Belly crossed with the heavy side of the Pumpkins. It's not bad at all.
Blink 182 split up! No!!!!!! Just when it was beginning to be less uncool to like them. Bastards. I've been trying to fill the void they leave with other intelligent melodic punk bands like Alexisonfire (crap), the Used (crap), Finch (screamy crap), My Chemical Romance (whiney, screamy, crap) and Motion City Soundtrack (cr...no, wait a minute, they're slightly ok. they have a long way to go, but they have the right idea.)
Bell X1 have a new album coming out soon, which I'm cautiously looking forward to (thye haven't exactly been knocking it out of the park in live shows lately). Damien Rice must surely have recorded a follow-up to O by now. The Frames promised a new album this year, and I don't believe them for a second. The Arcade Fire are still the coolest thing since sliced bread. Biffy Clyro should have a new album out soon too.
So that's music in the last few months covered.
posted by batgimp | 8:23 p.m.
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