Not only is this the first release from Bleached but this is
also the first release from the record company Ooga Booga. This single was
released in spring of 2011. I ordered a second pressing directly from Ooga
Booga. When I got the package it was in a 7” box with a hand stamped sticker
from the company. I thought it was cute. When I opened the box I found the
record inside of a hand stamped paper bag, the same stamp that was used on the
sticker. There was a little note on the bag from the packager saying that she
hoped I would enjoy the record. I thought that was unique too. Then when I took
out the record I found that they record was wrapped in a red tissue paper sash
held together with another sticker. There was also an unused sticker between
the sash and the record sleeve. I was very excited about that because I thought
that the sticker was very cool. It is these unique touches that I love from the
small record labels like Ooga Booga and Slumberland. This is, of course, a 7”
record (it came in a 7” box, der). The A-side of the record is a hard core surf
punk track called No Friend of Mine. There is an organ backing the track with
the hard punching fast drums. The guitar on this track is totally a surf
inspired pluck sound. The vocals are not as locked down as I would like though.
They sound wide open and messy. If this is what they were going for they hit
the nail on the head. I don’t think this is what they were after though since it
is their first release. The B-side track is called Dazed. This track starts off
with a cool riff that is never seen again in the song. The vocals on this track
are a little bit more locked down than the first track but still messy. The
guitars on this track are doused more heavily in the surf sound than the other.
It is for this reason that I like this track more than the other. Both are
great punk songs but I have an affinity for the surf sound and therefore like
Dazed more. It is also a shorter track than the first holding with the surf
style too. For a first release it is great. As a part of their cannon they are
the weakest songs that I have heard from them yet. I still have the second 7”
still to come. I am hoping it comes this week.
This is a cool jazz album from The Dave Brubeck Quartet. It
was originally released in 1959. This album was not a hit upon first release
according to current critics. It skyrocketed to success with jazz fans at the
time. It was different and people got into the album because of the use of
uncommon time signatures, i.e. 9/8 and 5/4. Brubeck heard some Turkish street
musicians playing while he was on a tour of Eurasia
and as such inspired him to compose Time Out. This album is included in the
book 1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die. Personally, I think every one
should hear this album weather it is included in this book or not. I know that
there are albums included in that book that I could care less to hear but this
album is exquisite and should be heard at least once. One should listen to the
album if not the whole half hours worth of music on the album then at least the
big single from the album, Take Five. This track is one of the best known jazz
tracks to come out of the US.
The sax solos on this album are so perfect. It is not really a dance able track
but the song does put a smile on your face. The other track that is worth a
listen is called Blue Rondo à la Turk. It is a quicker track but because of the
odd time signature it is not that easy to dance to. It is still a recognizable
track once it has been heard. This is partially due to the odd time signature.
Like I said before, listen to this whole album. It is short and you will more
than likely end up liking it anyway.
This is the first EP from Veronica Falls.
It is also the first release from the group that is all covers of other artists
work. This EP was originally released through Rough Trade Records in the UK on vinyl
only. The record was released in 2011. It is a very limited vinyl release. I
was recently at a concert for Veronica
Falls and they were
selling the album on CD at their merchandise table. I can only assume that the
CD release is for the US
tour and therefore released in 2012. There are some very great recognizable tracks
on this EP and some others that I had never heard of the song let alone the
name of the originating band. The very first track from the EP is a cover of
the Rolling Stones song Under My Thumb. This is a very interesting take on the
song. It comes off very dark but kind of bland at the same time. I think that
they could have done this track with a little more flare. The song that they
have been playing from this album is called Starry Eyes. This was originally
recorded by Roky Erickson. This was a B-side for the single Found Love In A
Graveyard from the Captured Tracks records label. Trouble Records also released
Found Love In A Graveyard but the B-side is a track from their first full
length album. The other track that I think is pretty cool and recognizable is
the song Thorn In My Side. This was a song recorded by Eurythmics. This is a
very cool and unique group of songs from Veronica Falls
but it is definitely not something to chase after unless you are sure that you
want to have every thing that the group has put out. On a side note Slumberland
is supposed to be putting out a non album single in a couple of months. Slumberland
has informed me that the A-side will be a new track called My Heart Beats. They
are keeping me in the dark as to what the B-side will be but it could only be
one of three songs that I am aware of that haven’t been released yet; Burry Me
Alive, Teenage or Last Conversation. There is one other possible track too
called Back Page but I already have a copy of that song from the Demos + More
split EP (Veronica
Falls and Brilliant
Colors). But that is another review.
This is the sixth release from The B-52’s. It was released
in 1992. I bought this album right away when it came out on cassette. The
cassette is clear orange with white lettering. I thought that this was so cool
since most cassettes that I had were either smoke clear or solid white. I
remember trying to introduce my friends to the album after Love Shack. It did
not work out so well. One instance I remember specifically. After I had
introduced a friend to the album I had to leave to go home. I lived, at the
time, a mile and a half up a big hill. I was on my way with the cassette in my
hand riding my bike. I don’t remember what I hit but I took a tumble off the
bike. I must have let go of the cassette in the fall. I was totally not
concerned about how I was but where was the cassette. I found it still in the
case but the case had a chip in the outer edge. I felt like a moron because my
father always taught me, “Treat your equipment with respect.” I couldn’t let
him know that I had done such a foolish thing with my equipment. To this day he
still has no idea not that he would care at this point. He doesn’t read this
anyway (no computer). Anyway, There were five singles released from this album.
The first single was the title track from the album, Good Stuff. This is the
reason that I bought the album. This track was featured in the movie D2: The
Mighty Ducks. In the video for the song RuPaul has a cameo. Cindy Willson took
a break from the band on this album. She does come back for the follow up to
this album though. For me this album continues in the vein started with Cosmic
Thing excluding Love Shack because it stands out as the odd track on the album.
The next single from the album is called Is That You Mo-Dean? This single
failed to chart well. The track is actually one of my least favorites from the
album. But, the 12” single has a few remixes by Moby. I like a lot of stuff
that Moby has done. I have not heard the remixes but would be interested to
hear them simply because Moby did the remixes. The third single released from
this album is called Tell It Like It T-I-Is. This song is a super fun track. It
is basically saying tell the truth. It
has a great beat but remains sonically like it should be a part of the album.
It is the first track on the album and a great starter. This is probably why is
charted well in the dance charts. The next single released from the album is
called Revolution Earth. This song is based on folk music ideas. The intro and
outro to the song is completely different from the average song from the group
in that they are long and meandering. I like the song for this exact reason. It
is a departure from the cookie cutter tracks that they have put out in the
past. The last single from this album is called Hot Pants Explosion. I always liked
this track. I always imagined that there was a barrel that was packed with Hot
Pants so tightly that it would explode if it were jostled in any way. It did
explode in my imagination in an indoor mall. As with the song, it was always a
big party because the pants were all different bright colors. It really is a
great song with a great beat. It’s really a shame that the song did not chart
better than it did. I never heard it on the radio when it was released as a
single. This is a great album that deserves at least one listen if you are a
fan of The B-52’s.
This is the sixth album released from Blur. It was released
in 1999. This was a further departure from their Brit Pop/Madchester roots. It
is more cerebral and denser musical territory for the group. The album is a
lose concept album based on life and relationships. The album is inspired by
lead singer Damon Albarn’s breakup with Elastica Singer Justine Frischmann. Two
of the tracks from the album specifically reference albarn’s love for her and
his struggle to move on. The group did an interesting thing by hiding short
tracks between some of the songs. They are short interstitials that are
obviously not a part of the previous song or the following song. Tender is the
first single released from this album. This is a very heart felt song that
pulls on my heart strings. The chorus to this song uses the London Community
Gospel Choir. This was a different track for Blur. It gives the song an organic
or more human than possible feel to the song. This is probably part of why I am
so emotional about the song. The next single from the album is called Coffee
& TV. The song brings back some of their Brit Pop roots. The only exception
is the instrumental part of the track where the guitar parts make heavy use of
distortion and feedback. The music is very up beat but seems to slowdown
because of the slow speaking style vocals. It was a big on the radio but it
wasn’t really my favorite track from the album. The third and last single
released from this album is called No Distance Left To Run. This track and the
first single are the songs that Albarn specifically wrote about his break up
with Elastica’s singer. This song is super slow and emotional. It talks about
the end of a relationship. This can be very painful as most people would
already know. The lyrics feel like it is just the end of a life, so low. The
music is just as slow. I can’t say that I love this song. It is so depressing
that I can’t handle it usually. I would rather talk about the track called
B.L.U.R.E.M.I. This is probably my favorite track on the album. It is filled
with noise and distortion. The lyrics are nearly unintelligible on the track.
The chorus uses a vocoder on a bass guitar. It sounds like a kid robot reading
the letters for the song. The song itself is very upbeat with an abrupt ending.
It is very exciting. This is one of the few tracks that has the bonus content
after the track. It is very soft and a big contrast from the actual track. Fans
have dubbed it B.L.U.R.E.M.I. exlude. This album is not for everyone. There are
some very depressing tracks on the album. I do think that everyone should hear
the lead single,Tender, from the album though.
This is a series of nine singles collected into a group. It
was released in 2011. The first that I had heard of this group was when they
did a remix of The Body from The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. I thought the
remix was interesting but not so great that I would keep listening to it over
and over. I did not look into the group any further because of this. Coming up
in a few months Slumberland will be releasing their second full length album. I
heard the first single from this upcoming album upon finding this out. I was
amazed at what I heard. They are putting out and have been putting out music
that is in the Nu-gaze genre. This is the same style that The Pains, Veronica Falls and Gold-Bears are classified in.
I started to dig into the group a little bit and found that they had released
many singles and a couple of EPs. I also found this album. This compilation
album sounds very warm and inviting through out the whole nine songs. It is
very nice. There are hints of 60s jangle and 70s wall of sound. Unlike the 90s
shoegaze sound, you can for the most part hear what the singer is saying. It is
a refreshing take on the shoegaze sound and so much easier to listen to. I
don’t think that there is one particular song that stands out for me right now
but each song was released as its own single during 2011. If you are into the
Nu-gaze sounds that are coming out right now then don’t pass this band up!That is all I have for now...
No comments:
Post a Comment