Music Reviews

[Beantown]

Re: Music Reviews

Hmm....I actually love "Stories of a Stranger"...I think it's a very good CD

[RockyTop1]

Re: Music Reviews

Hmm....I actually love "Stories of a Stranger"...I think it's a very good CD

me too, #1 I absolutely love

[CM1847]

Re: Music Reviews

Hmm....I actually love "Stories of a Stranger"...I think it's a very good CD

It's growing on me, probably more like a 6 out of 10 now. I've never liked much of their studio stuff and this one isn't really different. Some good songs, I like #1, "Love & Memories", "Lay Down" and the last track. It really drags in the middle IMO after "Lay Down." Not a bad album, but I will surely like the live album better than this one.

[OHguy00]

Re: Music Reviews

Hey, Ohguy00, have you picked up Audioslave's "Out of Exile" yet? I knew you were asking about it right before it was released and I haven't checked to see if you have it or what you thought about it.

Oh, my fault. Yeah, I've had it for a long time. I got it not too long after it was released. Haven't really listened to it in a couple months, but I thought it was a huge improvement over their debut(which I really liked). Seemed like the band is starting to gel. Damn, now I have to listen to it again.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Music Reviews

Soundgarden: Louder Than Love

I'm going to change it up a bit and go back in time for this and possibly some more, but I'll save those for later.

Originally titled Louder than ****, Soundgarden's second album is riddled with musical satire. Don't get me wrong, this is far from from a Weird Al type album. The satire lies deep down in the lyrics, but the satire is still present and waiting to be had. Before Soundgarden hit it big with Superunknown, Chris Cornell wrote of egotism, machoism and other things that had grabbed hold of music in the late 70s and 80s. The best known song for Cornell's satire on 80s music and rock music in general is the song Jesus Christ Pose.

The lesser known satrical takes on 80s music resides on Louder than Love; the forerunner of satire being Big Dumb Sex. The 80s were filled with sexual metaphors, similies, and double ettendres. Lyrics often implied sexual tendencies, but never stated them directly. Chris Cornell just comes out and says it: "I'm gonna to **** **** **** **** you. **** you." How much more direct can you be? The former bassist of Soundgarden, Hiro Yamamoto hated this song. He thought it was a typical 80s rock, sexually charged song. Apparently Yamamoto never understood that Chris was actually mocking such songs.

While not as direct as Big Dumb Sex, another 80s rock-mock song Get On The Snake serves the same purpose. Rather than taking an "in-your-face" approach to sex, Cornell goes the indirect, metaphoric route on Get on the Snake. Both Big Dumb Sex and Get On The Snake mock 80s rock and while the satire is sometimes lost on the listener, Soundgarden was anything but another sexually charged band.

Louder Than Love is filled with the unpolished, edgy, hard rock sound which Soundgarden built their base upon. Kim Thayil does what he has always done best: plays it loud. Matt Cameron is of course the drum machine he is, especially on Gun, which is a worhwhile live track to get a hold of. Yamamoto is simply there. He doesn't take away from Soundgarden, but he doesn't add to the group either. Hiro was keeping Soundgarden from their full potential, which is later realized with the addition of Ben Shepard as bassist for Soundgarden's final 3 albums.

I digress, however, back to Chris Cornell. With loud, edgy guitars and pummeling drums aside, Chris's voice is, as usual, the spotlight of the album. One of the most recognizable voices ever, his voice is a staple of the Seattle Movement. From the yells that pierce your ears (and you're happy for it), to the low deep reflection of Kim Thayil's riffs, Chris Cornell's voice starts to make a claim for best in the business on Louder than Love.

Although overshadowed by Soundgarden's massive, more structured albums, Superunknown and Badmotorfinger and their neck-breaking debut album Ultramega OK, there is much to be had on Soundgarden's sophmore effort. Louder Than Love is well worth the trouble of hunting down at your local music shop or finding on-line and an essential for anyone claiming they love hard rock and all its glory.


Tracks to keep on repeat: Hands All Over, Get on the Snake, Loud Love, Big Dumb Sex, and Uncovered
8.5 out of 10

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Music Reviews

"Lullabies To Paralyze" - Queens of the Stone Age

Great, great album. From start to finish there isn't a skip-worthy track here. More consistent than their last album(and doesn't have those really annoying radio clips between songs!). A lot of good pop hooks in the songs but also a lot of out-there type stuff like they did on "Rated R." My album of the year so far, I have gotten a few albums since this one, but I keep putting this one back in my CD player. Catchy, rocking, good music.

9 out of 10

I've put in different CDs in my car, but before I can finish, Lullabies goes back in. The album is awesome. Probably my favorite of the year. Great songs from start to finish, plus its got some cowbell on it.

[Thrasha]

Re: Music Reviews

I've put in different CDs in my car, but before I can finish, Lullabies goes back in. The album is awesome. Probably my favorite of the year. Great songs from start to finish, plus its got some cowbell on it.

Cowbell = GOAT

[Sully]

Re: Music Reviews

bump

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Music Reviews

bump

Thanks Sully.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Music Reviews

Just quick reviews of albums I've picked up recently. I won't include Cream's Wheels of Fire, The Beatles (White Album), Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix or Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos because those speak for themselves.


Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings
A must have for anybody who is a fan of Eric Clapton, SRV, Jimmy Hendrix, or Jimmy Page. Robert Johnson's Complete Recordings displays the best part of the blues and what would go on to be the foundations of rock and roll. The only problem with this boxset is the order of the track listing. For the songs that have an alternate version, the alt. version follows the official version, which can be a bit combersome when going through the two dics. If the songs were longer than 2-2.5 minutes, I would have a problem, but since the songs are relativly short, it isn't a big enough problem to disregard this boxset.

Tracks to keep on repeat: Sweet Home Chicago, I Believe I'll Dust My Broom, If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day, Love In Vain, and Cross Road Blues.
9.5 out of 10

Spoon - Gimme Fiction
A great album. The first seven songs are wonderful, going from fairy-tale ballads, to dance sensations, and classic rock ditties. The remaining songs after I Summon You are less diverse and as such, run together.

Tracks to keep on repeat: The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine, I Turn My Camera On, and Sister Jack
8.75 out of 10

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl
Stripped down, acoustic driven, modern day blues = pure greatness. After the first listen I fell in love with this album. BRMC does a fantastic job capturing a true sense of old-timey blues without sacrificing quality or satirizing the genre. Each track leaks emotion and hopefully the band continues in their new direction.

Tracks to keep on repeat: Devil's Waitin', Ain't No Easy Way, and Still Suspicion Holds You Tight
9.5 out of 10

Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight
The real treat of this blues essential isn't Wolf's harmonica, which is fun to listen to, or his lyrics, the real treat of Howlin' Wolf is his unique and powerful vocals. Howlin' Wolf's name is the best way to describe his vocals and I won't go any further.

Tracks to keep on repeat: Spoonful, Evil, Smokestack Lightning, and Back Door Man.
10 out of 10

Brendan Benson - Lapalco
Pure pop-rock goodness is this album. Not as rough around the edges as his debut album and EP (One Mississippi/Wellfed Boy), but not as produced as his 2005 release Alternative to Love. Brendan finds a nice balance between rough and produced and comes up with a great pop-rock album. The Paul McCartney influences shine through in all of Brendan's albums, which is a welcome sign for a fan of pop music. This is what real pop music is.

Tracks to keep on repeat: Tiny Spark, Life in the D, and I'm Easy
9.25 out of 10

Feist - Let It Die
Another pop album here. Feist's voice is soothing and relaxing which makes for a comfortable listen. Each song has its own identity to it, none of the tracks run together or sound similar to another. The album doesn't suffer from the diversity, because the album is still held together under the same atmosphere and mood.

Tracks to keep on repeat: When I Was A Young Girl, Mushaboom, and Secret Heart.
8.75 out of 10

Brendan Benson - One Mississippi/Wellfed Boy
Similar to Lapalco, One Mississippi is not as produced as Brendan's following albums and as such is rough around the edges. The album is on the rockier edge of pop. The album is great, but Brendan still has room for improvement, which is shown on Lapalco.

Tracks to keep on repeat: Crosseyed, Me Just Purely, and Jet Stream
8.5 out of 10

Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R
Working back from Lullabies to Paralyze to Songs for the Deaf to Rated R, Queens of the Stone Age were preparing for the success of Songs for the Deaf with Rated R. Despite the juvenile opening track Feel Good Hit of the Summer, where the lyrics "nicotine, valium, vikadin, marijuana, ecstacy and alcohol" are repeated throughout the song, the album is just another album by QotSA - another great album. Compared to Lullabies to Paralyze, there is more diversity to be had on Rated R, much like Songs for the Deaf, which was most likely due to Nick Oliveri's involvement. QotSA do a fantastic job setting a dark, and somewhat paranoid mood in all of their songs and they play up the mood with their vocals. Mark Lanegan stills the show with his vocals - the man sounds like he eats gravel for lunch. Overall, not as good as Songs for the Deaf, but better than Lullabies.

Tracks to keep on repeat: The Art of Keeping A Secret, In the Fade, and Auto Pilot.
9.0 out of 10

The Black Keys - Thickfreakness
Yeah, you may be thinking to yourself "Oh great, another two-piece band trying to ride the coattails of the White Stripes success," but thats not the case. The only similarities between the two bands are: two-piece band and both have a strong basis in blues. Thats it. The best thing about the Black Keys is their unique mixing, which according to the liner notes is called "medium fidelity." This mixing technique creates a washed out-sound. The technique doesn't harm the quality of the music, it only adds to the atmosphere. It recreates the feeling of old-timey blues mixed in with crunchy guitar riffs.

Tracks to keep on repeat: Midnight in Her Eyes, Everywhere I Go, Have Love Will Travel.
9.5 out of 10

The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
Essentially the same as the review for Thickfreakness. The crunchy blues-inspired licks are still here. The gritty lyrics are in tact. The pounding drums are very much there, but still it sounds like something is missing. The mixing technique I love Thickfreakness for seems to be toned down. The overall sound of the album is less distorted and cleaner. Despite that fact, the album is great and improves in other areas, making Rubber Factory more diverse, grittier, and tougher.

Tracks to keep on repeat: 10 A.M. Automatic, Aeroplane Blues, The Lenghts
9.25 out of 10

[pk500]

Re: Music Reviews

Always enjoy your reviews, Tendrils. Keep them coming!

A few new releases I'm enjoying:

Rosanne Cash: "Black Cadillac"

This record is a stunner. Simply excellent.

It's her first album since her father, stepmother and mother died within the same year, and it addresses those issues with poignancy and without goopy sentimentalism.

This album reminds me of Rosanne's masterpiece, "Interiors," in its honesty, but it's not quite as sparse of a record. Definitely not Nashville schlock or straight country, though. Very good music.

Highly recommended for any fans of Rosanne Cash or anyone looking for a really well-written, well-crafted adult rock-folk-country-pop (hell, it's hard to categorize!) album.

The Corrs: "Home"

The Corrs are my guilty pop pleasure. They're Irish; so am I. Plus I love their harmonies and synthesis of pop and traditional Irish elements.

The Corrs' last album was a focused foray on pure pop, with more electronic than Irish elements. It was a good album, but it seemed to have lost the Celtic pop mix that made the band's first few albums such easy, pleasant pop to hear.

This record's title is apt. The band returns to its Celtic roots for this record, which is comprised of covers of Irish tunes. Two of the songs even are sung in Gaelic, but all conjure images of the Emerald Isle.

This isn't a Chieftains' album; it's not that traditional. But it's definitely a return to pure Celtic pop for The Corrs, and I really like the record.

Take care,
PK

[CM1847]

Re: Music Reviews

Nice to see this thread back!

Spoon - Kill The Moonlight

Working my way backwards through Spoon's music, this is my 2nd stop. The first thing that I noticed was the piano. Something I didn't hear at all on their latest album, but is on just about every song here. Not as immediatly accessible as Gimmie Fiction because it isn't as diverse. There are some really good songs on here though. "Stay Don't Go" is a semi-flop, but is really intesting to hear as the obvious precursor to their amazing "I Turned My Camera On" from GF. Aside from that, pretty much all of the songs work. Like Gimmie Fiction, however, the last few songs(last 3 in this case) don't live up to the rest of the album.

Bottom Line: Gimmie Fiction is better, but a good piano driven rock album. Not to be confused with a piano driven easy listening album.

Overall - 8 out of 10
Listen To: "Jonathon Fisk", "The Way We Get By"

[BGarrett7]

Re: Music Reviews

Collective Soul: Home

Yes, it has been done before. Rock band churns out hit after hit, churns out inevitable collaboration with orchestra. The hitch this time around is, Collective Soul has already established themselves with a very symphonic sound based on the abundance of strings on a lot of their work, namely their Disciplined Breakdown and Dosage albums. So, the band's two-night appearance last April with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra was to be a bit more natural than the likes of orchestra-related works by the likes of Metallica and Kiss. And that is exactly what it was -- natural. While the setlist is slightly Youth heavy, the show could very easily double as a follow-up greatest hits package for their Seven Year Itch collection that was released five years ago. They are all there, from the early singles such as "Shine" through the likes of "She Said" and the current radio release, "How Do You Love." The brilliance shows best, however, on lesser performed songs like "Needs," "Youth" and "Crown" -- the latter two being quite moving as they were performed by Ed Roland and the orchestra in memory of Ed and Dean's father who had passed months earlier. Bottom line is, if you have enjoyed any of the bands work over the past decade-plus, this collection of songs is definitely a must-have. As someone who was present on the first night of the recording, I can honestly say that on CD and DVD, it comes off even more impressive than it was in person. Check it out.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Music Reviews

For all the Bob Dylan fans, especially those familar with the song Stack A Lee, check out Stack Shot Billy by the Black Keys.

[CM1847]

Re: Music Reviews

For all the Bob Dylan fans, especially those familar with the song Stack A Lee, check out Stack Shot Billy by the Black Keys.

That was the worst "review" I've ever read.......