Air – Premiers Symptomes
Originaly released in 1997 and re-released in 1999 with a couple bonus tracks. This is a collection of their first singles that were released. I picked up the 1999 re-release because I wanted the last track. The title of the album is a reference to the Serge Gainsbourg song of the same name. This is the duo’s first release. It was originally released before their first album Moon Safari. All of the songs on this have an atmospheric feel but there is still a good beat pushing the songs. For me this collection of songs is in a totally different direction from everything else that they have created. If I was forced to give up all of my music from Air except one album this would be the one that I would choose. The case for this album is very unique as well. It is set up like the Japanese mini LP with a card sleeve that slides into a second card sleeve. The outer card sleeve is die cut with holes that read the word Air. The inner sleeve is covered in colored dots. When the inner sleeve is slid into the outer sleeve the word Air becomes nicely colored. Each of these single songs in this collection is truly a work of its own but they also fit nicely together as an EP. I am not sure if this was intended but it works well. They are all very laid back in tempo except for the last track called Breaks On. It has a faster beat than the rest and is probably why I like it so much. After hearing all of these slowed down tracks it is a little refreshing to hear something to bring you back up to pace. I also love the use of the Rhodes keyboard in most of the tracks. There is something about that keyboard that makes me so happy. It could be the references to 70s or it could be that the original sound of the Rhodes is just that soothing in my head. Some people may not agree with me but the pretty bell like tones that come from an electromechanical keyboard, like the Rhodes, just does it so well for me. I like this album a lot and it is nice to have some chill out music on to decompress after a hard day. This is one of the albums that I would choose to do just such a thing.
Coldplay – Every Teardrop is A Waterfall EP
This was released in 2011. It is an EP that was released before their fifth album. It is only a three track EP (most singles that I get have more songs than this). The title track is based on the song I Go To Rio written by Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson. The song Coldplay has written uses the same chord structure as I Go To Rio. Both songs are great songs. Coldplay has given credit to both Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson for the song. The lead singer has written that he was inspired by the song as it was used in the movie Biutiful. I have never seen the movie and don’t know anything about it. The next son on this EP, Major Minus, has a great guitar part. It soars through out most of the song but there are points in the song when the guitar is muted with a series of eights notes on the first string that really grabs your attention. The last song, Moving To Mars, is based on a documentary about two families that are forced to move from Burma to the UK. The song has the same name as the documentary. All of the songs on this EP are very good but could have been better. I am not sure but the band may be resting on its laurels if this is an accurate example of what they will be putting out on their next album. I purchased this EP as a download only. I did this because I wanted to get all of the songs in one shot. Also, because I did not want to pay an arm and a leg for the physical single (10 bucks I believe for a new CD).
Daft Punk – Human After All
This is the third album from this duo. It was released in 2005. This album was recorded in a very short six week time period. It is an incredibly short time period considering that the band has taken more time on the previous two albums that they have put out. The band considered this album to be the favorite of their three studio albums and regard it as "pure improvisation." The album's brief creation and minimal production had been decided upon beforehand as counterpoint to their previous album Discovery. The album was primarily created with two guitars and a drum machine. The album was not created with the intent to make one feel good. The actual intent was to convey fear and paranoia. This is not the case with me of course. This album makes me feel very good in fact. The electronic sounds that are used on top of the guitar sounds are very cool in deed. Putting the vocals into a guitar sound help this fact for me. It makes me want to bounce with the beat but it envelopes me like a blanket, keeping me warm, at the same time. There were a few singles from this album too. The first is Robot Rock. This song features a sample from the song Release The Beast from the band Breakwater. The next single is Technologic. This song can be called incredibly repetitive. It is this repetitiveness that makes the song so brilliant. The lyrics are an electronically transposed vocalist speaking technological commands in time with the song, i.e. "Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, drag it, drop it, zip, unzip it." The third single is Human After All. This song was not released with an accompanying music video. The last single from this album is called The Prime Of Your Life. The guitar on this album seems to have this bubbly sensation. Every little tick of the pick on the strings is picked up in the effect that is used. It really sounds very cool in the track. This album came out when I was dating the rebound girl after my divorce. I remember forcing her to listen to this album and that she just hated it. She put up with the album only because she liked me. I couldn’t get enough of the album an had it on constantly whether she was there or not. I don’t think that my son remembers that this album was on so much but it may occur to him later in life like the music of my childhood has with me.
R.E.M. – Chronic Town
This is the first release from R.E.M. before their first full length album. It was released in 1982 on IRS Records. It was repressed in the last year or two. I was lucky enough to find an IRS Records copy used at one of my favorite record shops. It is in great condition. Wikipedia states this on the web site for the EP:
On the original vinyl release, R.E.M. labeled the A (or first) side (tracks 1–3) as the "Chronic Town" side and the B (or second) side (tracks 4 and 5) as the "Poster Torn" side. Both are lyrics in the band's song "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)"
I believe that the site has it wrong. I have a copy of the original EP and it lists the tracks 1,000,000 and Stumble first on the back of the cover. I take this to mean that this is side one not side two as the Wikipedia site for the EP says. This was a great showcase for what the group would produce in the future. I think that the track that stands out on this EP is the song called Gardening At Nite. This song reminds me of a faster version of Night Swimming, which was released ten years later. They are both great songs. This EP shows what R.E.M. is and what they will be all in one EP. It is very good to listen to.
I am sorry that this was put out so late. I was hoping to get those records in the mail but they did not come. As a result I waited to long and finally decided to get on with other things that I have in my list to review. So, that is all I have for now...
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