Why?: Much of the time I really like Weezer, and when I bought this I was on an up. They've since really annoyed me with their last few albums, but these recordings are spread throughout their career. I'm also generally a big fan the lost gems musicians decide not the release.
Tell me more!:
I need to be in the right mood to listen to a collection like this. Sometimes I'm very tolerant of recordings from sources so bad they've been forced to leave in the tape warping, sometimes I'm really not. The idea I suppose is that you're supposed to hear the quality of the song over the missing production.
Weezerpedia.com has some very interesting facts about all of these songs. I urge you if you're interested to have a look.
"Ooh" is a nice experiment in multitracked vocals, and that was indeed what it was, an experiment in writing more complex vocal tracks.
"The World We Love So Much" has some excellent Weezer screams over acoustic pop chords, but I read it is a cover, but like the best covers, I'm unfamiliar with the original so Rivers makes this his own. The tape warp in the middle of this song, and the barely audible drum machine keeping the time, are only mildly irritating. I read it was part of a project Rivers and Patrick Wilson (Weezer drummer) took on, an attempt to write 50 songs between them. Such an idea is dear to my heart as some of the best songs my band came up with were on deliberate epic song-writing projects where we attempted to write many songs. I'm not sure a cover counts though...
"Lemonade" is classic early Weezer. "The Bomb" is a slightly embarrassing rap, but I admire Rivers for releasing it. Any musician growing up in the 90s has surely played around with rap? I know we have...
The "Buddy Holly" demo is interesting, it's quite rough, with more emphasis on the keyboards, but the guitars don't have as much of the awesome crunch as the album.
"Chess" is stupid, but I suppose a demonstration of simplicity. The kind of song Rivers can spit 50 of out in a week.
I really enjoy "Longtime Sunshine", written around the time of "Pinkerton", an album I'm not a big fan of. It's a pity it wasn't included on that album. I read a different version is included on the deluxe Pinkerton, and now I might have to go get that...
Back in 1995 Rivers started recording what was to be a rock opera, "Songs From The Black Hole" - "Blast Off!" and "Who You Callin' Bitch" are the first two tracks from this opera, "Dude We're Finally Landing" and "Superfiend" appearing elsewhere. I haven't heard the opera but it sounds like it would be fun, although hardly mind blowing.
"Wanda (You're My Only Love)" is a nice little ballad, but too minimal for me. It's actually a little too Ben Folds...
"Lover In The Show" is another great little classic Weezer home demo with the usual slightly stalker lyrics. The recording quality is excellent, it's a pity there are no drums. "Crazy One" on the other hand is plodding and depressing, the band sound asleep.
All previous tracks are (I believe) from 1998 and earlier. "This Is The Way" is from 2007, from the demo sessions before "The Red Album". Rivers was attempting to write non-Weezer songs, and came up with a deliberately cliche R&B song. Again I love stuff like this, it's a trick we used to do in our band, and sometimes it comes up with gold, even if only comedy gold. This track could do with just a bit more cheese.
"Little Diane" is a Dion and the Belmonts cover. It's fun enough, having been "Weezered" but it's nothing to write home about.
"Wish You Had an Axe Guitar" is a conversation recorded by Rivers and some friends when they were kids. It's absolutely adorable. I wish I had similar tapes from when I was a kid...
"I Was Made For You" is a track that was later reworked as "Save Me" for the "Make Believe" album but was rejected. Again, classic Weezer.
I actually enjoyed listening to this again with the information in front of me. A lot of it is still pretty forgettable, but it's fun, and it's Weezer. For a collection of unreleased tracks it's pretty great. I'm off to find the original version of "The World We Love So Much". I guess I'll have to review "Alone II" soon...
6/10
Saturday 30 August 2014
[1995] Against The Grain, "As The Man Thinketh"
Why?: I actually vividly remember parts of the day I bought this album. It was at a music store at Knox Shopping Centre, the same store I bought various Faith No More, Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana albums and singles. I have no idea what made me do it, perhaps the cover, but I asked to listen to this album at the listening post. I can see myself at that post bobbing my head along to the music. I really enjoyed the riffs so I bought it. At the same time I know I listened to a Dub War album and decided against it.
In hindsight I wouldn't be surprised if the guy at the shop recommended this to me because he was in the band, as I believe they're from Melbourne.
Tell me more!:
I listened to this album a lot back in the day. Every song is very familiar. I remember back then liking it a lot but my friends weren't as enthusiastic.
Listening today there is so much wrong with this release. The production on the drums and bass is very "clicky", like so many metal albums of an era slightly earlier than this. The guitars sound great though, the band is clearly heavily influenced by Metallica, and Metallica's influences.
The biggest problem though are the vocals. The melodies and phrasing aren't bad at all, they even manage some harmonies, he's just not that great a singer, which they try to cover with a lot of doubling of vocals, but it only makes it worse. While I'd argue the same thing about "...And Justice For All", the vocalist sounds like someone young trying to sound heavier, but he has none of the power Hetfield had back in that day.
The re-listen only solidified my memories that "As The Man Thinketh" is chock full of excellent guitar riffs, but let down by some uninspiring vocals.
Special mention must therefore go out to the instrumental track "For The Dying" which would fit perfectly well on a Metallica album today. The album ending title track is also great, although I'm not sure the overlaid samples from movies really work. A little too much like the "One" video... I'm also still pretty keen on "Dreams Beyond Reality" which has a very catchy chorus, and a really cheesy metal bridge.
I want to score this higher than it probably deserves, but I know it is nostalgia...
5/10
In hindsight I wouldn't be surprised if the guy at the shop recommended this to me because he was in the band, as I believe they're from Melbourne.
Tell me more!:
I listened to this album a lot back in the day. Every song is very familiar. I remember back then liking it a lot but my friends weren't as enthusiastic.
Listening today there is so much wrong with this release. The production on the drums and bass is very "clicky", like so many metal albums of an era slightly earlier than this. The guitars sound great though, the band is clearly heavily influenced by Metallica, and Metallica's influences.
The biggest problem though are the vocals. The melodies and phrasing aren't bad at all, they even manage some harmonies, he's just not that great a singer, which they try to cover with a lot of doubling of vocals, but it only makes it worse. While I'd argue the same thing about "...And Justice For All", the vocalist sounds like someone young trying to sound heavier, but he has none of the power Hetfield had back in that day.
The re-listen only solidified my memories that "As The Man Thinketh" is chock full of excellent guitar riffs, but let down by some uninspiring vocals.
Special mention must therefore go out to the instrumental track "For The Dying" which would fit perfectly well on a Metallica album today. The album ending title track is also great, although I'm not sure the overlaid samples from movies really work. A little too much like the "One" video... I'm also still pretty keen on "Dreams Beyond Reality" which has a very catchy chorus, and a really cheesy metal bridge.
I want to score this higher than it probably deserves, but I know it is nostalgia...
5/10
[1993] Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. with Faith No More, "Another Body Murdered"
Why?: FNM. But also, the Judgement Night soundtrack is one of, if not the, best "collaboration" record ever produced. Ignore the movie, this 90s concept of pushing "alternative" bands together with "rap" bands worked a treat and it's full of really fun songs. This collaboration between Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. with Faith No More is the best.
Tell me more!:
This single contains a "remix" which is effectively the album version with the swearing all reversed in 90s-censorship style, the radio release, and the album version. So I get to hear it three times. Yes!
I love every element of this song. The piano throughout the track, the looping distorted guitars, the rap, the dirty drums, Patton's freak out screams and "ooohs" in the chorus (his only vocal contribution), the filthy little guitar solo.
Back in the day, this was the first time we'd heard Patton sing like this. It was the first time Faith No More had sounded so heavy. It took a bit of the edge off the news they'd kicked Jim out (Bill plays guitar on this recording), but in hindsight this song isn't so much heavy as chuggy... it's a trick of the production, production I wasn't familiar with in 1994 but later became very common.
I'm frustrated that the video for this (and Ricochet) haven't been officially released. I'm not sure why, but YouTube has the answers of course.
I was wrong above. The "remix" version is likely the video version, as it includes the excellent piano outro that isn't on the album version (which fades out).
I'd love a version with that piano outro, but without the idiot 90s swearing reversals. I suppose I could bash that out in Audacity if I could be bothered...
7/10
Tell me more!:
This single contains a "remix" which is effectively the album version with the swearing all reversed in 90s-censorship style, the radio release, and the album version. So I get to hear it three times. Yes!
I love every element of this song. The piano throughout the track, the looping distorted guitars, the rap, the dirty drums, Patton's freak out screams and "ooohs" in the chorus (his only vocal contribution), the filthy little guitar solo.
Back in the day, this was the first time we'd heard Patton sing like this. It was the first time Faith No More had sounded so heavy. It took a bit of the edge off the news they'd kicked Jim out (Bill plays guitar on this recording), but in hindsight this song isn't so much heavy as chuggy... it's a trick of the production, production I wasn't familiar with in 1994 but later became very common.
I'm frustrated that the video for this (and Ricochet) haven't been officially released. I'm not sure why, but YouTube has the answers of course.
I was wrong above. The "remix" version is likely the video version, as it includes the excellent piano outro that isn't on the album version (which fades out).
I'd love a version with that piano outro, but without the idiot 90s swearing reversals. I suppose I could bash that out in Audacity if I could be bothered...
7/10
[1973] David Bowie, "Aladdin Sane"
Why?: Over the years I've aimed to buy all of Bowie's albums, even the bad ones. This one isn't one of the bad ones, and it was one of the first I bought, based on the advice of recent Bowie biography "Starman" by Paul Trynka.
Tell me more!:
I came into this listen with recent memories of this being my favourite of Bowie's 70s albums.
Certainly I adore the jamming freakouts of the title track, the fantastic guitar riffs in Panic In Detroit. I'm in love with Time, I could hear it Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I enjoy The Jean Genie but wonder if it is more familiarity than quality.
But I hate the boogie woogie of the piano in Watch That Man, the Drive-In Saturday's doo-wop gets old quickly, the scatting in the fade out seems forced, and there is more 50s nostalgia in The Prettiest Star.
The Stones cover Let's Spend The Night Together is fun, the song is improved with a good speed up and some weird space sounds.
I think Cracked Actor feels like Bowie covering a much heavier song, I suspect it might have more crunch played live.
Much of the guitar seems really rough actually. Overly distorted to the point of sounding under-produced and badly played, even though I recognise it isn't.
Lady Grinning Soul is a beautiful album ending ballad, with lovely acoustic guitars and pianos, Bowie's voice is incredible. Wikipedia tells me it contains his highest studio recorded note. The guitar solos are almost Brian May-esque.
So Aladdin Sane has a number of songs I absolutely love, and a number that bug me for personal reasons I don't really understand. I'm usually pretty happy at the end of each listen though.
7/10
Tell me more!:
I came into this listen with recent memories of this being my favourite of Bowie's 70s albums.
Certainly I adore the jamming freakouts of the title track, the fantastic guitar riffs in Panic In Detroit. I'm in love with Time, I could hear it Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I enjoy The Jean Genie but wonder if it is more familiarity than quality.
But I hate the boogie woogie of the piano in Watch That Man, the Drive-In Saturday's doo-wop gets old quickly, the scatting in the fade out seems forced, and there is more 50s nostalgia in The Prettiest Star.
The Stones cover Let's Spend The Night Together is fun, the song is improved with a good speed up and some weird space sounds.
I think Cracked Actor feels like Bowie covering a much heavier song, I suspect it might have more crunch played live.
Much of the guitar seems really rough actually. Overly distorted to the point of sounding under-produced and badly played, even though I recognise it isn't.
Lady Grinning Soul is a beautiful album ending ballad, with lovely acoustic guitars and pianos, Bowie's voice is incredible. Wikipedia tells me it contains his highest studio recorded note. The guitar solos are almost Brian May-esque.
So Aladdin Sane has a number of songs I absolutely love, and a number that bug me for personal reasons I don't really understand. I'm usually pretty happy at the end of each listen though.
7/10
Thursday 21 August 2014
[2009] Animals As Leaders, "Animals As Leaders"
Why?: Reasonably sure I saw this as a review in Metal Hammer and went and listed on YouTube and decided I liked it. Ordered from Amazon.
Tell me more!:
AAL is basically a Tosin Abasi solo album. He plays eight-string guitar (yes, 8) and bass, while engineer Misha Mansoor programmed the drums and keys.
What initially appealed to me about AAL is their intense, complex progressive metal style and the fact they're instrumental. Far too often a great metal band is ruined by terrible or uninteresting vocals, so I tend to gravitate toward instrumental bands to counter that. Instrumental bands have their own problems though...
Wikipedia adds "jazz fusion" to their list of genres, and I'm happy they did, as I'm a bit lost for words myself describing their style. "Progressive metal" isn't enough, as that brings up images of Dream Theater, and that doesn't even begin to describe just how fast and complex this music is.
Generally I enjoy listening to it, but while I'm intensely impressed by how fast and complex and unusual Tosin's guitar riffs are, I do find myself wishing for a bit more melody, and a bit more song structure. Often a band can be so complex, and cram in so many notes, that it starts to sound like noise. AAL aren't quite to that level, as their music is varied enough to keep my ear focused on what they're doing, but I still think a little bit of simple melody over the top of this scattering of notes might sound good. But then, as I said above, if that were vocals, and those vocals were crap, I'd hate the band, so perhaps they can't win? The melody could be a simple guitar part though?
I enjoyed re-listening, and I recognised songs from previous listens, but I'm not sure I'd be able to pick any out as favourites, or ones I might recommend. Perhaps if they were shorter and more focused? I think maybe this music is just that little bit too complex for my mind, although it is an excellent representation of good complex, not just complex for the sake of it.
5/10
Tell me more!:
AAL is basically a Tosin Abasi solo album. He plays eight-string guitar (yes, 8) and bass, while engineer Misha Mansoor programmed the drums and keys.
What initially appealed to me about AAL is their intense, complex progressive metal style and the fact they're instrumental. Far too often a great metal band is ruined by terrible or uninteresting vocals, so I tend to gravitate toward instrumental bands to counter that. Instrumental bands have their own problems though...
Wikipedia adds "jazz fusion" to their list of genres, and I'm happy they did, as I'm a bit lost for words myself describing their style. "Progressive metal" isn't enough, as that brings up images of Dream Theater, and that doesn't even begin to describe just how fast and complex this music is.
Generally I enjoy listening to it, but while I'm intensely impressed by how fast and complex and unusual Tosin's guitar riffs are, I do find myself wishing for a bit more melody, and a bit more song structure. Often a band can be so complex, and cram in so many notes, that it starts to sound like noise. AAL aren't quite to that level, as their music is varied enough to keep my ear focused on what they're doing, but I still think a little bit of simple melody over the top of this scattering of notes might sound good. But then, as I said above, if that were vocals, and those vocals were crap, I'd hate the band, so perhaps they can't win? The melody could be a simple guitar part though?
I enjoyed re-listening, and I recognised songs from previous listens, but I'm not sure I'd be able to pick any out as favourites, or ones I might recommend. Perhaps if they were shorter and more focused? I think maybe this music is just that little bit too complex for my mind, although it is an excellent representation of good complex, not just complex for the sake of it.
5/10
Sunday 17 August 2014
[1997] Faith No More, "Album Of The Year"
Why?: Faith No More are close to being my favourite band. This was the first (and last) album Faith No More released in the time I was a fan. I didn't get into Faith No More until after King For A Day was released. I ran out and bought this as soon as possible, with the bonus disc of extras.
Tell me more!:
We were all so excited for this album. A few leaks of a couple of WAV files of what turned out to be Last Cup Of Sorrow whetted our appetites, and a leaked, terrible quality tape of the whole album only increased the excitement. My memory of those leaks are that they were slightly different from the final album, but I can find copies of neither these days, so I can't know for sure.
The album divided fans, but ultimately it was well received, especially after the incredible world tour that supported it. I really enjoyed it, but it ranked pretty low of my list of favourites. Part of that was probably due to over exposure from collecting too many bootlegs from that 1997 era, but when my favourite album was King For A Day, these throwbacks to the keyboard driven The Real Thing era didn't appeal as much.
I think I've been unfair to it over the years though. I really enjoyed these relistens. There are a still a number of songs I still don't really enjoy (Ashes To Ashes being the main one), but most songs are excellent.
I enjoy Collision now. Originally I thought it was a bit too sludgy, a bit too rough, but it works now. The final repeated "head on" still seems out of sync with the rest of the song to me. I'm sure on the leaked tape it was "in time" but again, I've lost that tape now, so I don't know for sure.
Stripsearch is fantastic. At the time it didn't sound like Faith No More to me, but that's what I loved about the band, that they could come up with songs every album that didn't sound like them. It's the best demonstration of the keyboard heavy mix on this album, written by yet-another-new-guitarist Jon.
Last Cup Of Sorrow is perfect and I still adore it, even if the riff is stolen from their own song Kindergarten. The keyboard riff, and vocals, make the song of course, the guitar not being particularly exciting.
The guitar driven Naked In Front Of The Computer could have been left off King For A Day, as could have Got That Feeling. They're some of the only demonstrations of any real riffing on the album though.
Helpless is the kind of epic song I wanted along the lines of King For A Day, and I darn near lost my mind when they played it live (for the first time ever) at the second Festival Hall gig in Melbourne. It holds a special place in my heart now.
Mouth To Mouth received a lot of comparisons to Mr. Bungle, if only because of the "middle eastern" keyboard riff. That's lazy, but whatever it sounds like, I love it to death, it now being one of my favourite FNM songs. It's fantastic live too.
I really don't like Ashes To Ashes. It just doesn't work in any way for me. The chorus lyrics sound forced, the guitar riff is dull. I like the keyboard/guitar interplay and that solo, but the whole thing doesn't work at all. I know it's one of their most loved songs but why would I care about that?
I originally hated She Loves Me Not, and I still find it very strange, but I like it now. It's so cheesy and bizarre. They've never played the song live, and I can't imagine them pulling it off if they ever try.
Home Sick Home wouldn't be out of place on a future Tomahawk album, and provides a much needed sleaze element to the album.
Again, I originally didn't think much of Paths Of Glory or Pristina, but now I think they're incredible. Originally (on the promo release) the album closed with Home Sick Home, Got That Feeling, Paths Of Glory and Pristina. I think Paths and Pristina would have worked well together, but I think putting Home Sick Home between them gave Pristina the bit of extra power it needed.
I'm far too biased to say anything useful about this album (not that I would dare describe any of my silly posts as "useful"), other than to say that despite my love for it, it still sits very near the bottom of my favourite FNM albums list, which as at this moment, after this re-listen, is:
... and with that, I'm still shocked they only have six albums.
7/10
Tell me more!:
We were all so excited for this album. A few leaks of a couple of WAV files of what turned out to be Last Cup Of Sorrow whetted our appetites, and a leaked, terrible quality tape of the whole album only increased the excitement. My memory of those leaks are that they were slightly different from the final album, but I can find copies of neither these days, so I can't know for sure.
The album divided fans, but ultimately it was well received, especially after the incredible world tour that supported it. I really enjoyed it, but it ranked pretty low of my list of favourites. Part of that was probably due to over exposure from collecting too many bootlegs from that 1997 era, but when my favourite album was King For A Day, these throwbacks to the keyboard driven The Real Thing era didn't appeal as much.
I think I've been unfair to it over the years though. I really enjoyed these relistens. There are a still a number of songs I still don't really enjoy (Ashes To Ashes being the main one), but most songs are excellent.
I enjoy Collision now. Originally I thought it was a bit too sludgy, a bit too rough, but it works now. The final repeated "head on" still seems out of sync with the rest of the song to me. I'm sure on the leaked tape it was "in time" but again, I've lost that tape now, so I don't know for sure.
Stripsearch is fantastic. At the time it didn't sound like Faith No More to me, but that's what I loved about the band, that they could come up with songs every album that didn't sound like them. It's the best demonstration of the keyboard heavy mix on this album, written by yet-another-new-guitarist Jon.
Last Cup Of Sorrow is perfect and I still adore it, even if the riff is stolen from their own song Kindergarten. The keyboard riff, and vocals, make the song of course, the guitar not being particularly exciting.
The guitar driven Naked In Front Of The Computer could have been left off King For A Day, as could have Got That Feeling. They're some of the only demonstrations of any real riffing on the album though.
Helpless is the kind of epic song I wanted along the lines of King For A Day, and I darn near lost my mind when they played it live (for the first time ever) at the second Festival Hall gig in Melbourne. It holds a special place in my heart now.
Mouth To Mouth received a lot of comparisons to Mr. Bungle, if only because of the "middle eastern" keyboard riff. That's lazy, but whatever it sounds like, I love it to death, it now being one of my favourite FNM songs. It's fantastic live too.
I really don't like Ashes To Ashes. It just doesn't work in any way for me. The chorus lyrics sound forced, the guitar riff is dull. I like the keyboard/guitar interplay and that solo, but the whole thing doesn't work at all. I know it's one of their most loved songs but why would I care about that?
I originally hated She Loves Me Not, and I still find it very strange, but I like it now. It's so cheesy and bizarre. They've never played the song live, and I can't imagine them pulling it off if they ever try.
Home Sick Home wouldn't be out of place on a future Tomahawk album, and provides a much needed sleaze element to the album.
Again, I originally didn't think much of Paths Of Glory or Pristina, but now I think they're incredible. Originally (on the promo release) the album closed with Home Sick Home, Got That Feeling, Paths Of Glory and Pristina. I think Paths and Pristina would have worked well together, but I think putting Home Sick Home between them gave Pristina the bit of extra power it needed.
I'm far too biased to say anything useful about this album (not that I would dare describe any of my silly posts as "useful"), other than to say that despite my love for it, it still sits very near the bottom of my favourite FNM albums list, which as at this moment, after this re-listen, is:
- Introduce Yourself / King For A Day
- Angel Dust
- Album Of The Year / The Real Thing
- We Care A Lot
... and with that, I'm still shocked they only have six albums.
7/10
[1989] Annihilator, "Alice In Hell"
Why?: I bought this with five other CDs for $10 at a second-hand stall at a market. For that price I was willing to buy a few things on a whim, and late 80s metal was on my mind.
Tell me more!:
I'm faintly surprised to see that Annihilator are still around, although I read they did basically disband in the early 90s as did so many "hair-metal" bands of the era. This album is apparently highly influential in Canadian metal circles.
Certainly the music is riffing is fast and furious, this is good thrash. Riffing is fast and complex, songs have quiet instrumental parts, build ups, huge duelling solos. The vocals are a little too thrash for my liking, the band being closer to the punkier Anthrax side of metal. Lyrics are spat, with occasional high screams. I'm reminded of early Metallica (Kill 'Em All and their early covers), with higher vocals, less melody.
I really enjoy the classical acoustic intro song Crystal Ann, followed by the hilariously punny title track Alice In Hell, and very Metallica "W.T.Y.D." (Welcome To Your Death). But by the time I get to "Burns Like A Buzzsaw Blade" I'm getting bored. Variety in style isn't easy to find on this album, and it outstays its welcome quickly.
Interesting enough, excellent riffing, but not melodic or vocally varied enough to keep my interest.
4/10
Tell me more!:
I'm faintly surprised to see that Annihilator are still around, although I read they did basically disband in the early 90s as did so many "hair-metal" bands of the era. This album is apparently highly influential in Canadian metal circles.
Certainly the music is riffing is fast and furious, this is good thrash. Riffing is fast and complex, songs have quiet instrumental parts, build ups, huge duelling solos. The vocals are a little too thrash for my liking, the band being closer to the punkier Anthrax side of metal. Lyrics are spat, with occasional high screams. I'm reminded of early Metallica (Kill 'Em All and their early covers), with higher vocals, less melody.
I really enjoy the classical acoustic intro song Crystal Ann, followed by the hilariously punny title track Alice In Hell, and very Metallica "W.T.Y.D." (Welcome To Your Death). But by the time I get to "Burns Like A Buzzsaw Blade" I'm getting bored. Variety in style isn't easy to find on this album, and it outstays its welcome quickly.
Interesting enough, excellent riffing, but not melodic or vocally varied enough to keep my interest.
4/10
[1993] Nirvana, "All Apologies"
Why?: What teenager in the 90s wasn't into Nirvana? Lots probably... I remember buying this single with my dad in tow, who looked at the back and saw songs called "Rape Me" and "Moist Vagina" and looked at strangely. I insisted it was "art", not weird.
Tell me more!:
In Utero was a slow burner for me. I, like a lot of Nirvana fans, went from enjoying Nervermind the most, to completely swapping my preference to In Utero, with Bleach and Incesticide sitting in the middle. In Utero is dang near perfect and album, and these days Nevermind almost sounds dated and cheesy. Almost.
As a budding guitarist I tried to play along to All Apologies and struggled. It's a very unusual riff... it's an unusual song. Pop constructed with verse, bridge, chorus; but that riff is so loose as to almost sound out of tune. The song itself ends by falling apart into apathy. Adding some understated cello was a stroke of genius. Unusually for me, elements of the lyrics stick with me, "I wish I was like you, easily amused", "Married. Buried.".
"Rape Me" was everywhere in 1994. I remember going to see cover bands and they were playing it. The riff, so like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as to be surely deliberate... but those lyrics flew straight over most teenagers' heads. I'm happy enough to admit it took a good many years for me to mature enough to understand the motivations of writing a song from the perspective of a rapist. I liked the song at the time, but purely musically. My opinion hasn't changed much, but my understanding has shifted with my opinion of the album overall.
"Moist Vagina", the non-album b-side, is odd. With barely enunciated lyrics describing sex, including what may or may not be analingus, followed by screaming "Marijuana". It isn't anything to write home about, but to include it as a b-side with the two other songs, shoved it in the face of countless kids. Maybe it opened their minds a bit. Not mine anyway... The beat is great, but it feels little more than a polished jam, and it is hardly surprising it didn't make the album.
6/10
Tell me more!:
In Utero was a slow burner for me. I, like a lot of Nirvana fans, went from enjoying Nervermind the most, to completely swapping my preference to In Utero, with Bleach and Incesticide sitting in the middle. In Utero is dang near perfect and album, and these days Nevermind almost sounds dated and cheesy. Almost.
As a budding guitarist I tried to play along to All Apologies and struggled. It's a very unusual riff... it's an unusual song. Pop constructed with verse, bridge, chorus; but that riff is so loose as to almost sound out of tune. The song itself ends by falling apart into apathy. Adding some understated cello was a stroke of genius. Unusually for me, elements of the lyrics stick with me, "I wish I was like you, easily amused", "Married. Buried.".
"Rape Me" was everywhere in 1994. I remember going to see cover bands and they were playing it. The riff, so like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as to be surely deliberate... but those lyrics flew straight over most teenagers' heads. I'm happy enough to admit it took a good many years for me to mature enough to understand the motivations of writing a song from the perspective of a rapist. I liked the song at the time, but purely musically. My opinion hasn't changed much, but my understanding has shifted with my opinion of the album overall.
"Moist Vagina", the non-album b-side, is odd. With barely enunciated lyrics describing sex, including what may or may not be analingus, followed by screaming "Marijuana". It isn't anything to write home about, but to include it as a b-side with the two other songs, shoved it in the face of countless kids. Maybe it opened their minds a bit. Not mine anyway... The beat is great, but it feels little more than a polished jam, and it is hardly surprising it didn't make the album.
6/10
[1994] The Sharp, "Alone Like Me"
Why?: I'm one of about maybe 100 people left in the world who loved the The Sharp in the 90s, and still love them now. I have everything they've released (I think) except that darn 1993 Fan Club Xmas tape. I even made a The Sharp discography fan page.
Tell me more!:
Alone Like Me was released as a single in two parts. One part in a cardboard sleeve like most singles, and part 2 in a slimline hard case designed for both discs. I'll review both.
"Alone Like Me" is a perfect little slab of rock'n'roll pop. In my humble opinion it's brilliant. The main distorted, rockabilly guitar riff, doubled under the whole song on rumbling double bass, two vocalists sharing duties, the shouted sing-along chorus, and silly little slightly stalker lyrics. What more could anyone want? I loved it enough to cover it (sort-of) on a first demo tape, and I often tried to get my band to cover it, but they didn't share the love.
The Sharp always did brilliant b-sides. Rumours at the time of their break up suggested that Alan (bass) wanted to go down the more experimental dance jam side of the music mountain, while Charlie (guitar) wanted to stay on the rock'n'roll path.
The two b-sides "Who Are You?" and "Baby Doll" seem to show this difference. The song "Who Are You?" is all backwards guitar, bowed strings, drum loops, monotonal lyrics, not much of a structure, like nothing on their first album, but shades of it are seen on "Sonic Tripod".
"Baby Doll" on the other hand is pure blues-rockabilly, although it is written and sung by drummer Pete. This song could have fit on either of the band's albums, but it perhaps a little straight forward.
Part 2 has three live tracks from the band's first album: Yeah I Want You, Train Of Thought and Talking Sky. They show just how amazingly tight they were live, but it they were a very visual band, so live audio alone isn't enough, and they play so perfectly, you'd be better off listening to the album. The intro to Train Of Thought for instance includes Pete come out from behind the drums to drum on the strings of Alan's cello. This is heaps of fun live, and it sounds nice, but you don't really know what's going on on CD.
6/10
Tell me more!:
Alone Like Me was released as a single in two parts. One part in a cardboard sleeve like most singles, and part 2 in a slimline hard case designed for both discs. I'll review both.
"Alone Like Me" is a perfect little slab of rock'n'roll pop. In my humble opinion it's brilliant. The main distorted, rockabilly guitar riff, doubled under the whole song on rumbling double bass, two vocalists sharing duties, the shouted sing-along chorus, and silly little slightly stalker lyrics. What more could anyone want? I loved it enough to cover it (sort-of) on a first demo tape, and I often tried to get my band to cover it, but they didn't share the love.
The Sharp always did brilliant b-sides. Rumours at the time of their break up suggested that Alan (bass) wanted to go down the more experimental dance jam side of the music mountain, while Charlie (guitar) wanted to stay on the rock'n'roll path.
The two b-sides "Who Are You?" and "Baby Doll" seem to show this difference. The song "Who Are You?" is all backwards guitar, bowed strings, drum loops, monotonal lyrics, not much of a structure, like nothing on their first album, but shades of it are seen on "Sonic Tripod".
"Baby Doll" on the other hand is pure blues-rockabilly, although it is written and sung by drummer Pete. This song could have fit on either of the band's albums, but it perhaps a little straight forward.
Part 2 has three live tracks from the band's first album: Yeah I Want You, Train Of Thought and Talking Sky. They show just how amazingly tight they were live, but it they were a very visual band, so live audio alone isn't enough, and they play so perfectly, you'd be better off listening to the album. The intro to Train Of Thought for instance includes Pete come out from behind the drums to drum on the strings of Alan's cello. This is heaps of fun live, and it sounds nice, but you don't really know what's going on on CD.
6/10
[1996] The Tea Party, "Alhambra"
Why?: I was a little bit obsessed with The Tea Party's Edges Of Twilight album back in the day, having discovered it when someone slipped me a bootleg of theirs. I never knew Led Zeppelin, so The Tea Party seemed awfully unique to me. I was also obsessed with acoustic versions of rock songs, so an EP of acoustic renderings of The Tea Party songs was the perfect product for me.
Tell me more!:
These days my mind has swapped, and now I tend to find acoustic versions like dulled versions of otherwise great songs. The Tea Party have at least attacked these songs with a strong attempt at reinterpretation, with traditional instruments and lots of 12 string guitar to fill in the spaces. Mostly it works. "The Grand Bazaar", "Silence" and "Turn The Lamp Down Low" all sound pretty good, but I think "Innana" loses a lot in acoustic mode. "Turn The Lamp Down Low" is the bluesiest song on Edges, and I never much liked how it speed up and rocked out, it always seemed like a cheep trick. It survives much better acoustically, especially with the drum jam at the end. I think overall I'd have preferred more drums though.
"Time", the only new song on the EP, is sung by folk singer Roy Harper, who also appears in spoken word form on the hidden track of Edges Of Twilight. It's a great song, in the tradition of 70s folk rock, rocked up slightly for the chorus. Roy has a pleasant enough voice. I can't really imagine this song with Jeff Martin singing it, although I'm sure such a thing probably exists. I'm not interested enough to go find it.
It was a remix of Sister Awake on it too, but I'm not a big fan of remixes. This at least isn't just techno-beats, they have actually remixed the core elements of the song, but it's still silly.
The EP also comes with a multimedia element with videos of the band explaining the instruments they use. It was fairly interesting from memory, with the postage stamp sized video you used to see on CDs in the 90s. The multimedia part on my copy doesn't work in Windows, but can be ripped with some software like ISOBuster to at least watch the videos in Quicktime. The EP was re-released in 2000s fixed to work properly, but I suspect they didn't fix the size of the video.
Overall it's a nice little package, but it's the kind of thing you'd see on a $10 DVD these days, in much better quality. Other acoustic songs recorded at the same time ended up as b-sides and compilations. These days, you could plug a better, more complete version of the EP together (minus the multimedia) via iTunes, and you might be better off.
5/10
Tell me more!:
These days my mind has swapped, and now I tend to find acoustic versions like dulled versions of otherwise great songs. The Tea Party have at least attacked these songs with a strong attempt at reinterpretation, with traditional instruments and lots of 12 string guitar to fill in the spaces. Mostly it works. "The Grand Bazaar", "Silence" and "Turn The Lamp Down Low" all sound pretty good, but I think "Innana" loses a lot in acoustic mode. "Turn The Lamp Down Low" is the bluesiest song on Edges, and I never much liked how it speed up and rocked out, it always seemed like a cheep trick. It survives much better acoustically, especially with the drum jam at the end. I think overall I'd have preferred more drums though.
"Time", the only new song on the EP, is sung by folk singer Roy Harper, who also appears in spoken word form on the hidden track of Edges Of Twilight. It's a great song, in the tradition of 70s folk rock, rocked up slightly for the chorus. Roy has a pleasant enough voice. I can't really imagine this song with Jeff Martin singing it, although I'm sure such a thing probably exists. I'm not interested enough to go find it.
It was a remix of Sister Awake on it too, but I'm not a big fan of remixes. This at least isn't just techno-beats, they have actually remixed the core elements of the song, but it's still silly.
The EP also comes with a multimedia element with videos of the band explaining the instruments they use. It was fairly interesting from memory, with the postage stamp sized video you used to see on CDs in the 90s. The multimedia part on my copy doesn't work in Windows, but can be ripped with some software like ISOBuster to at least watch the videos in Quicktime. The EP was re-released in 2000s fixed to work properly, but I suspect they didn't fix the size of the video.
Overall it's a nice little package, but it's the kind of thing you'd see on a $10 DVD these days, in much better quality. Other acoustic songs recorded at the same time ended up as b-sides and compilations. These days, you could plug a better, more complete version of the EP together (minus the multimedia) via iTunes, and you might be better off.
5/10
[1998] Powderfinger, "Already Gone"
Why?: I can't overstate how influential Powderfinger's "Internationalist" and previous album "Double Allergic" were to my band. I loved them. This single is from "Internationalist".
Tell me more!:
I also can't overstate how much I hated the band after Odyssey Number Five came out. All of the experimentation, lyrics and fun production tricks of those two albums dribbled away and they became this awfully boring band that everyone seemed to love.
"Already Gone" was one of those songs we didn't try to cover, mostly because of those bizarre left/right panning drums in the verses. It just didn't sound right singing it without them. We also couldn't begin to pull off the chorus, having not quite figured out the power of slightly distorted guitar vs over distorted metal guitar. Also keyboards. I think I remember being a bit surprised it was a single actually. But I bought it for the b-sides...
"Control Freak" is a little ditty about what seems to be office politics, dreaming of different jobs and a less complex life. "I've got a good idea" is a great chorus, but the verses are a little too literal for my taste. "I wish I was a computer" from someone who seconds later says they're a "technophobe"? I like my lyrics vague.
"Today You Came" is a trip-hop (I think?) mix of "The Day You Come", while the "Ascension Remix" is drum-n-bass. I'm not a big fan of remixes, but both of these really work. "Today You Came" sounds like it could be the original, as if the song always sounded that way. The main riff of "Ascension remix" still gets stuck in my head to this day. I'd love to hear a full band cover each of these mixes, the way Regurgitator used to play their own remix of Polyester Girl. Great stuff.
"Tom (demo)" sounds more like it would have fit on Double Allergic, and maybe it is from that era. It's a nice enough little song, although the chorus sounds tired, and it doesn't know how to end.
A less than favourite song from Internationalist, some interesting b-sides, but nothing amazing.
5/10
Tell me more!:
I also can't overstate how much I hated the band after Odyssey Number Five came out. All of the experimentation, lyrics and fun production tricks of those two albums dribbled away and they became this awfully boring band that everyone seemed to love.
"Already Gone" was one of those songs we didn't try to cover, mostly because of those bizarre left/right panning drums in the verses. It just didn't sound right singing it without them. We also couldn't begin to pull off the chorus, having not quite figured out the power of slightly distorted guitar vs over distorted metal guitar. Also keyboards. I think I remember being a bit surprised it was a single actually. But I bought it for the b-sides...
"Control Freak" is a little ditty about what seems to be office politics, dreaming of different jobs and a less complex life. "I've got a good idea" is a great chorus, but the verses are a little too literal for my taste. "I wish I was a computer" from someone who seconds later says they're a "technophobe"? I like my lyrics vague.
"Today You Came" is a trip-hop (I think?) mix of "The Day You Come", while the "Ascension Remix" is drum-n-bass. I'm not a big fan of remixes, but both of these really work. "Today You Came" sounds like it could be the original, as if the song always sounded that way. The main riff of "Ascension remix" still gets stuck in my head to this day. I'd love to hear a full band cover each of these mixes, the way Regurgitator used to play their own remix of Polyester Girl. Great stuff.
"Tom (demo)" sounds more like it would have fit on Double Allergic, and maybe it is from that era. It's a nice enough little song, although the chorus sounds tired, and it doesn't know how to end.
A less than favourite song from Internationalist, some interesting b-sides, but nothing amazing.
5/10
[2001] R.E.M., "All The Way To Reno"
Why?: I honestly don't know. I wasn't really all that into R.E.M. until way after singles stopped being a thing. But here it is. It is from Reveal, which was my gateway drug into the R.E.M. world, and I suspect it probably has a multimedia element with the Imitation Of Life video, which I adore. Later I bought that video on DVD single (really, they were a thing once too, for about a year).
Tell me more!:
Tell me more!:
"All The Way To Reno" isn't my favourite song by far from Reveal. Just a little too slow paced and lacking in any really interest changes. I like the way Michael sings in the verses though.
I really don't like the cover "Yellow River". I'm sure it is a throwback to the kinds of covers R.E.M. used to do back in the day, but it is way too happy and poppy for me. The surf instrumental "165 Hillcrest" is fun though.
"Imitation of Life" live, with all the production stripped away, loses a lot of its shine, but R.E.M. are excellent live, and manage to carry the song well enough. Again, not something I'd listen to again without vision.
4/10
Sunday 10 August 2014
[1995] Beastie Boys, "Aglio e Olio"
Why?: This is my wife's. I was very slow getting into Beastie Boys, only starting to see the light after Intergalactic.
Tell me more!:
"Aglio e Olio" is a very short EP of sub-two-minute hard-core punk songs. I've always been impressed that BB had this instrumental side to them, and loved the fact they played instruments on a lot of their most famous raps, but the hard-core punk side was a shock when I discovered it.
Musically, this isn't really my thing. I like how rough it sounds, especially the drums. It's like you're in the room with them, kicking the walls.
But... not really my thing. Big points for very short songs.
3/10
Tell me more!:
"Aglio e Olio" is a very short EP of sub-two-minute hard-core punk songs. I've always been impressed that BB had this instrumental side to them, and loved the fact they played instruments on a lot of their most famous raps, but the hard-core punk side was a shock when I discovered it.
Musically, this isn't really my thing. I like how rough it sounds, especially the drums. It's like you're in the room with them, kicking the walls.
But... not really my thing. Big points for very short songs.
3/10
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