March 19, 2008

B(l)ogged Down, Pt. 1

Yea-Yuh! The blog broke 10,000 hits!

in other news: I've been thinking about adding another little thing denoting the genre of the album underneath the name of the album ... but I'll have to keep that on the back burner as I am the worst person at describing genres.

I've got a live set I need to post and a few live shows I've been to recently that I need to talk about. What's the hold up? I'm on Spring Break, and have gotten entirely too lazy. Also I've been working on this 5 part post. I'll get to that stuff here in a little bit (I'm especially sorry about the hold up on the live set, I know there's a nice person out there patiently waiting to get their hands on it and I feel bad).

I've become so bogged down with CD reviews which I've just put on the back burner that its starting to get out of hand, and adding all that to all the slacking I've been doing, that leaves a lot of music I've got to cover in a short amount of time. So, today I'm going to be short with words, but generous in verdicts and mp3's. If this keeps up, then I'm thinking I'll do an explosion of reviews every 3 months, just to clear the slate. We'll see though. Here you go (some of them don't have any explanations as to why I did or did not like them, and that's because I was just sick of thinking about it and am really just trying to clear my mind):

The Audition - Champion
Verdict: Didn't Like (ø)
Just not my style. Too much like Panic! at the Atrocious-Excuse-For-Music. But if you like that, then hey, you might dig this:
The Audition - Warm Me Up

Louis XIV - Slick Dogs and Ponies
Verdict: Like ()
Man, this album has such an amazing opening track, but everything after that just kind of sounds a little forced and contrived. I dunno. I loved it on the first listen, but then it kind of fell apart on the second and third listen.
Louis XIV - Guilty By Association (amazing amazing song)
Louis XIV - Sometimes You Just Want To
Louis XIV - Misguided Sheep

Ghengis Tron - Board Up The House
Verdict: Love (<)
Wow. I really liked these guy's old stuff for it's innovation, but it seems like with this album they've become a little more bland. Granted, their shit is still hard as hell and in awkward time signatures, but it's not as outlandish as it used to be. That said, the album is effing awesome. I only didn't rate it "Love More" because it's a little more conformed to the rules than their old stuff.
Ghengis Tron - Blow Back
Ghengis Tron - Things Don't Look Good
Ghengis Tron - City on a Hill

Zumpano - Look What The Rookie Did
Verdict: Like ()
Nothing outrageously inventive or experimental, but you can tell these guys are having a good time at least.
Zumpano - I Dig You
Zumpano - Platinum Is Best Served Cold
Zumpano - Jeez Louise

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Verdict: Like ()
Soothing and peaceful and really fairly competent, but it's a little too Coldplay/Keane-ish for me at times, and, while I like those bands, those bands all ready exist, so we don't need a whole lot more of their stuff (frankly I only like about 2-3 Coldplay songs anyway).
The Helio Sequence - The Captive Mind
The Helio Sequence - You Can Come To Me
The Helio Sequence - Shed Your Love

HorrorPops - Kiss Kiss Kill Kill
Verdict: Love (<)
Now I'm not what most people call a fan of Rockabilly, but this shit is rad. Amazing opening track too.
HorrorPops - Thelma & Loiuse
HorrorPops - Everything's Everything
HorrorPops - Hitchcock Starlet

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creations Dark
Verdict: Like ()
Very Alt. Country to the point where it might not be Alt. anymore, but because I've grown so used to Alt. Country that my mind has just made the leap and now I like country. I doubt that though. Hella smart album.
Drive-By Truckers - Home Field Advantage
Drive-By Truckers - You And Your Crystal Meth
Drive-By Truckers - The Man I Shot

Wisely - Wisely
Verdict: Like ()
It was cute, but the only reason I really liked it much at all was because I listened to it over and over to see if there was just something I was missing that a lot of other people saw. I see potential, but not the promised land.
Wisely - Nothing But The Wind
Wisely - Only Losing Me
Wisely - Through Any Window

The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
Verdict: Love (<)
Schizophrenic-Electro-Rock-Jazz as only The Mars Volta has ever really done. Another hella epic. If you liked their old stuff, then why don't you all ready know to own this? If you're skeptical that the band would ever top themselves, listen up:
The Mars Volta - Metatron
The Mars Volta - Tourniquet Man
The Mars Volta - Ouroborous

Mute Math - Flesh And Bones Electric Fun
Verdict: Indifferent (~)
Simply not my style.
Mute Math - Stare At The Sun/Obsolete [Live]

The Hearers - Flowers and Flames EP
Verdict: Like ()
Nice little EP. As always, I'd like to hear more, so I'll be looking out for their new album (which I hear is out now).
The Hearers - Songbird, Pt. 2

North Mississippi Allstars - Hernando
Verdict: Like ()
Deep Roots Blues Country Classic Rock N Roll. Kind sounds a little Hendrixy, kind of a little Rage Against the Machiney. For some reason it reminds me a lot of Pork Tornado. All in all, it was okay.
North Mississippi Allstars - Shake (Yo Mama)
North Mississippi Allstars - Keep The Devil Down
North Mississippi Allstars - Long Way From Home

Saviors - Into Abbadon
Verdict: Didn't Like (ø)
Kind of like a bad mix of Celtic Frost/Hellhammer and Motorhead. Sorry guys, but those bands have all ready come out with a billion CDs. But, if you're having fun, then I guess, by all means ...
Saviors - Firewake Angel

Destroyer - Trouble in Dream
Verdict: Love (<)
So, this guy sings in a very strange matter, and has very peculiar lyrics, but all in all I enjoy it. I don't know if I'd like it as much as I do if my buddy Casey hadn't explained how much he enjoys him, because when a good buddy of mine whom has good taste in music likes something, I'm usually more likely to like it. Either way, Destroyer has an awkward way of writing music that is just ... head-shakingly-amazing. Also, it's reminiscent of Pink Floyd
Destroyer - Blue Flower/Blue Flame
Destroyer - the State
Destroyer - Shooting Rockets (From the Desk of Night's Ape)

3 comments:

JJ said...

we need to talk about your reviews.

#1 The audition are not like panic at the disco for a few reasons. One is the audition actually made a decent record in the past. And two, they know they are not talented and just go with it. When you see them or watch some of their videos you know they are just having fun and know their place in the grand scheme of things. Lastly they are on victory records, and really you have to give everyone on that label love, bc no one at that label gives the artists love.

#2 you did not give enough props to helio sequence. That album is so fantastic in so many ways. They made a huge step forward from their original CD and his voice is one of the best i have heard in years. A year ago his voice was shot and they thought they would never make a new album again, then they come out with this mature and textured album that has everyone talking…just brilliant. They don’t sound like cold play to me, but more like a new wave bob Dylan. Comparisons to any contemporary artists are just lazy in some ways with this band, there is no way to define them right now…

Anonymous said...

Thank You for the recommendations! I practically loved everything that has been listed in ur blog!

Luke Hunter James-Erickson said...

Dear Anonymous,
you rock.

yes,
Luke