Run Dan Run - Basic Mechanics
Monday, February 11, 2008
http://www.myspace.com/rundanrun
Run Dan Run's Basic Mechanics is a great soft indie rock release. The tempo throughout most of the album is slow and controlled, the mood is smooth and sultry, and the sounds are organic but still remain rocking.
For starters, 'Withheld Information' comes in with a poppy indie rock jam then suddenly drops into some very smooth keys and kick drum thump. I would say this song easily sums up the sound that Run Dan Run calls their own. I really enjoy the guitar melody of 'Enough for Crimes' coupled with the off kilter vocal melody. 'Multi-colored Lights' is the first step away from live drums and into using a drum machine, but it does not seem to effect the overall sound of this band. They just use it as yet another instrument and continue on their path. One of my favorite songs is 'Science', probably because it is one of the thicker songs on the album which a great build up towards the end. Things like that keep my brain on point and into the music. The 'Instrumental' track is a nice break played with some acoustic guitar, piano, and what sounds like a melodica. 'Stop Sign' has a smooth, brazilian-esque, flow to it while not stealing that style completely. The college radio single could most definitely be 'Your Name Escapes Me'. The lyrics and vocal melody for this song are really great and somewhat familiar but not stolen. Towards the end of the album we are blessed with a second instrumental track and to finish it all 'The Turnover' which is nothing new from the previous songs but holds true to the sound.
Run Dan Run is not going to blast you in the face with rock and roll, instead they bring their sound to the table by not being too loud but still rocking out. This album almost sounds like a journey, the same way a good movie takes you from start to finish without reminding you of the reality you are currently in, Basic Mechanics lets you take a step out of your own life and into the life that is Run Dan Run.
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 7:08 AM,
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Amanda Ray - Mirrored Images
Monday, January 28, 2008
http://www.myspace.com/amandaraymusic
Our friends at Atlanta Music Radio sent Amanda Ray our way, and I am very glad they did. Her album Mirrored Images is an excellent mix of many styles of music meshed together topped by her unique vocal styling. When listening you can hear influence from all different genres weaving in and out which is a very welcome breath of fresh air.
From the first bar of the first song "Ripple Junction", I could tell I was going to get along great with Amanda Ray. The beat is chill and jamming at the same time while her voice comes in smooth and clear over the top. The line "Time became a string, only good for remembering things" stuck out to me immediately. The next song "Body of Gold" is a complete change in direction, a slow jam with a slow vocal melody. My favorite track, "Hang On", has a fairly standard rock set up instrumentally, and Amanda shows great vocal presence in a deep sultry voice in the beginning of the track. By the end her vocals are being panned and chopped all over the place remnant of Radioheads "Everything in its Right Place". The flow of this album is great, after a rocking jam like "Hang on" we are blessed with an almost R&B "Must Be Love" that comes in soft with less words and more melody. The title track, "Mirrored Images", is definitely one of the best tracks on the album, this is Amanda Ray at her very best in her very own style. Her voice powerfully floats over the music and seeks its way into the deepest parts of your mind. I am really fond of the song "Torn" because of the minimalist view used. There is some light synth and Amanda Ray on vocals and that is it, but it feels just as thick as any of the other songs on the album. The album finishes out with a very spacey "When You're Gone" and rootsy "Wounded".
Amanda Ray showcases her vocal presence throughout the album singing anywhere from low serious tones to belting out a beautiful high octave stream of audible deliciousness.
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 3:41 AM,
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Elliott Rubin - Love & Daggers
Monday, January 14, 2008
Elliott Rubin's debut solo album Love & Daggers is an hour long journey of truth speaking poetry over rock music. After several listens this album started to grow on me more and more, after many more listens I feel like I've known Elliott for years. Elliott plays most of the guitar and bass on this album and had some help from friends to complete the line up.
The first track "Willy Mays" is again what I look for in an opening song, it introduces the rest of the album overall with some hype. The next song is my personal favorite, "My Ticket Out". I first heard this song on the RedRoom 104's myspace before the album was released. I had no idea who Elliott Rubin was at that time or what he was up to, but I definitely was digging this track. The music is smooth, the vocals float over the top nicely making the song very moody. Following that the album gets into the more singer/songwriter side of E.R. "Dawsonville" starts off with some off kilter keys work, done by Greg Case, bringing an almost saloon feel to the track, which is a really nice touch. "MLK" comes across as a smooth acoustic jam then suddenly you are jerked into the chorus professing that "we'll change, we'll get the ball rolling", some good words to remember. The entire song is uplifting and preaches motivation. Another personal favorite is the track "Thursday", the music is smooth the whole way through while E.R. sings about the woes of making it to every next day. The final three songs are some of the most rocking on the album. "God Honest Truth" comes in blasting with the god honest truth and E.R. lets the vocals rip along with crunchy guitars and big drums. The same comes with "Gift" and "Spent" could be the most rhythmic song on the album, the drums and guitar are rocking hard while E.R., as in the opening track, goes from soft vocals to emotional screaming.
The production on this album is thick, it sounds like singer songwriter music was hooked up with a full band to fill it out and they did a good job. The mixing and mastering is solid, only a few times did some things remind me that this album did not come from a major label system, which is impressive in itself. The length of the album is a bit much for my attention span, I would cut a few of the filler songs and keep 10 or so of the most solid, saving the rest for a b-sides release. It takes an enormous amount of effort to piece together an album and for this to be Elliott Rubins debut, I am impressed. Being a musician I understand all that goes into creating a work of art like this and I give my kudos to all those that were involved.
- Bret Phillips
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 5:00 AM,
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Best of '07 - Battles "Mirrored"
Monday, January 7, 2008
Best of '07
Battles - Mirrored
www.myspace.com/battlestheband
A+++
Battles takes standard blues based rock and transforms it into a gigantic explosion of heavy rhythms meshed with spaced out vocals and looping riffs. Battles is four people playing up to six or seven instruments at any given time. Iam Williams(from Don Cabellero) and Tyondai Braxton are on keyboards, guitars and vocals, backed up by the pounding kick drum of John Stanier(from Helmet), and David Konopka just to thicken up the sound some more.
The opening track "Race In" is an overwhelming array of percussion being played by all instruments. Battles is very unique in the way that they play their instruments, you see a guitar and keyboard but you hear looped noises topped with running scales from the keys. This track is so much bigger than anything they did as Battles prior to this album and is a great introduction for what is to come. Following Race In is "Atlas", their first single(at just over 7 minutes). Here we get to experience Braxtons vocals for the first time. He does not lead the music in the normal vocalist/front man sense, instead he manipulates his vocals via a laptop and blends the melodies into the music as if it were any other instrument. This is really incredible to see live while simultaneously playing keyboard and guitar with either hand.
"Tonto" starts of with a soft looping guitar piece and the song slowly builds up. The lead guitar line gives a sort of early western cowboy and indian feel to compliment the name, or vice versa. Braxtons vocals are not even words on this track but sit on top of the music as if it was meant to be. One of the best breakdowns, especially live, is in the middle of this track and shortly after they let the song die out for over two minutes.
The track "Rainbow" seems to have a melody that climbs forever. Every note raises up and up one after another until the circus-esque breakdown shortly after the two minute mark. The first time I faced the breakdown I got chills on my spine, the snare is so clean and the rest of the music is so spaced apart and airy that it sound enormous.
Not two months after the first time that I saw Battles, they came back to the same venue. There were maybe 200 people at the first show so I figured we could grab some food before the show started and be fine...I was mistaken. This next show was sold out and when we walked to the door and found out I could hear Battles destroying the song "Tij" from outside. It had me crunk and sad all at once, I didn't know what to do with myself and wanted to freak out. By far one of my favorite songs on the album, Tij takes you through more build ups and circus-esque twists and turns over a fairly simple looped guitar riff.
The album finishes off with "Race Out", a dedication of sorts to all of the music you have just heard on the album. The recording of this is great because each instrument and sound being heard appears to be coming from a different location in the audible space you are hearing.
Battles Mirrored was my favorite album of 2007 from the first listen all the way through the year beating out quite a few other really great albums. The production quality is high, the skill level is high, the creativity is unmatched, and the music is as raw as it comes. I have listened to this album more times than I can count, and to be honest, I am still hearing things I haven't heard before, which to me is a sign of a great album.
- Bret Phillips
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 12:05 AM,
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A Very Special Christmas vol. 3
Monday, December 24, 2007
A Very Special Christmas vol. 3
A+
I've been listening to this album since one of my friends first let me borrow back when it was released. I think his is one of my favorite christmas albums because many of the early-mid 90's artists I began listening to when I first started getting into music, are on it. The other volumes of A Very Special Christmas are not as strong as this either, its almost as if the planets aligned properly when this was being put together and they have been off their barrings since then.
The albums starts off with a short version of "I Saw Three Ships" done by Sting, followed by "Christmastime" by Smashing Pumpkins. This song is dreamy and floaty as a lot of their music was, but without huge walls of distorted guitar and screeching vocals, just Corgan singing over a beautiful melody of bells, piano, etc. Natalie Merchant does "Children Go Where I Send Thee", and growing up on my step fathers collection of 10,000 Maniacs, I've always enjoyed her voice and this is a great rendition of this song. "Santa Baby" is brought to you in hip hop fashion with some high rollers such as RUN DMC and Snoop. No Doubt does a great job of bringing their early ska feel to "Joy to the World". One of my favorite tracks on the whole volume is Blues Traveler "Christmas". Hootie and the Blowfish do a jazzy "The Christmas Song", and Jonny Lang does a bluesy "Santa Clause is coming to Town" that does the blues too much justice. There is a version of Dave Matthews doing his "Christmas Song", which isn't so much about christmas cheer as it is about the story of Jesus. Tracy Chapmen does "Oh Holy Night" in her down tempo acoustic manner, and the final song "We Three Kings" done by Patti Smith is weird and moody giving the end of the album less christmas cheer, and more the feeling of having just finished a solid collection of music.
Anyone that enjoys modern rock before the likes of Nickleback and any other band that destroyed alternative music will enjoy this. It adds a fresh approach to the average christmas songs without coming across as cheesy and overdone.
- Bret Phillips
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 6:00 AM,
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Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
Monday, December 17, 2007
Aesop Rock
“None Shall Pass”
Grade: A
Aesop Rock has made a masterpiece with his latest release, None Shall Pass. The album consist of a molestation of wordplay that takes a minute to absorb. Aesop’s lyrics are unique and refreshing and so swift that one could easily get lost in all the syllables. I have no idea how Aesop is able to pronounce so many words so quickly without getting his tongue twisted into knots.
The beats on this album are done mostly by his longtime producer Blockhead, with a few tracks that are actually produced by Aesop himself. Blockheads beats are refreshing to say the least, mostly due to the fact that real instruments are used, as opposed to samples, which are commonly used today in most mainstream hip-hop albums, but this is not your mainstream garbage! The average listener couldn’t comprehend the substance and context of Aesop Rock’s music, and that’s what makes it so exciting to listen to.
One track that stands out with intriguing lyrics is:
‘Catacomb Kids’-
“Like not a farmer among us had a harvest survive the winter, So dinner split a lima bean in triplets, pick a winner, He took a couple summers puking pills behind a dumpster, As the largest Pez dispenser on record recouped his numbers, One shoe in the soupy gutter, one shoe in a velvet heaven, Where the mermaid told him she could find a lake of melted weapons”
Aesop continues to grow stronger as a rapper and producer and this album shows his current strength and potential. Anyone that enjoys truth being spit with a giant charisma should definitely check out this album.
‘Coffee’
You tube video:
- Zack Macauley
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by O Team Press @ 5:49 AM,
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Sharlock Poems - 'Blooming Sounds'
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sharlock Poems - 'Blooming Sounds'
Grade: B
My Latest Discovery: Gospel Rap doesn't have to be wack.
I've been a hip-hop fan for a long time. Through most of the popular peaks and valleys in rap music's history, I've always been in search of songs with a good message but still done with a tasteful approach. Don't get me wrong, Dr. Dre's The Chronic and Blackmoon 'enta da stage' were in the deck when I was a teenager, but I still longed for those positive records like Common Sense 'Resurrection' and The Roots 'Do You Want More?!!!??!'.
My mother always encouraged my thirst for music, even buying my first rap tapes at age 6 which included: Whodini 'Escape', Fat Boys (self titled), Run DMC (self titled), Crush Groove Soundtrack, and Beastie Boys 'License to Ill'. Having an ear not discriminate of new ideas and styles, I've always been interested in hearing whatever crossed my path. Gospel Rap included. Unfortunately, because most gospel rappers didn't expose themselves to most hip-hop, the style was always kind of lame and generally out-dated. Themes would be over saturated with references to Jesus' life, and the music was usually, to say it plainly, just terrible.
Now the hip-hop genre is around 30 years old (respectively), and we have new artists with spiritually positive messages that grew up listening to good hip-hop music. This formula creates room for something that has always been considered an oxymoron among my circle of friends and hip-hop mutual fans... Good Gospel Rap.
Case in hand, left coast collective LA Symphony's Sharlock Poems has released a solo album titled 'Blooming Sounds' with 15 tracks of dope hip-hop music, laced with the good words of personal prosperity and love for fellow humankind. Don't get it twisted, this isn't your typical "bible thumping" experience. SP gets at typical emcees and rides beats with the gusto expected from a dangerous battle rapper intent on claiming his position.
The musical backdrop is beautiful to the ears with production from J. Medeiros, Vintage, Ohmega Watts and 89th Key, all of whom sound like disciples of The Ummah (for those that don't know, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammed & Jay-Dee aka J Dilla). And in tradition with this sound, the winning formula here is beats, rhymes and life.
The opening 'Special Delivery' comes in with a fly piano loop, followed by a simple kick and slap snare similar to drums out of the great Andre Young's lab. With the uplifting 'See It', SP rocks a dope soul sample and keeps his positive theme flowing with a passionate delivery.
The standout tracks for me are 'Come On' & 'Feels Good', both joints worthy of blasting in the summertime with your car windows down, or while entertaining guests at the crib. And the head nodding 'Way Back When' wear SP leaves you with a brief history of his experiences growing up with hip-hop music.
Check out the track 'Special Delivery'
- Arablak
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Arablak @ 5:30 AM,
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Educated Consumers - 'Write Hear'
Monday, December 3, 2007
Grade: C+
When the progress of an art form creates immense pressure to be original, sometimes it's better to just be good. Educated Consumers do just that. No groundbreaking ideas. No incredible concepts. No extraordinary rhymes schemes. Just good hip-hop music.
With a swagger similar to the likes of Dilated Peoples and People Under the Stairs, this is minimalist music. Good rhymes and good beats, blended nicely for a feel good sound, but still maintaining a gritty presence through the headphones.
This is my first time hearing of emcee Seez Mics and producer t.E.C.K., but after experiencing what these guys are made of, I am interested in hearing their first album as well.
A joint that stuck out for me is 'Steal', an ode to the 'ol 5 finger discount, but Ceez Mics talks touches on the topic metaphorically, while t.E.C.K. kills the track with a down trotting flute sample, dancing around a simple, but hitting boom bap drum pattern.
Another highlight is 'Dot Dot Dot', a violin themed head-nodder worthy of a rewind or two (also briefly featured at the end of their video for 'Steal'). And 'Roaring Flood', in my opinion Ceez Mics' best lyrical display with a crazy drum driven track with a simple yet hypnotizing 60's sounding guitar & key sample. 'Nothing Without' is another dope offering, sounding like a lost jewel from the late 90's.
As previously mentioned, there is nothing completely unforgettable about this album, but in all respects, it's a good casual listen for any fan of decent hip-hop.
http://www.myspace.com/educatedconsumers
http://www.educatedconsumers.com
Watch the video for 'Steal':
- Arablak
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Arablak @ 12:01 PM,
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Lennox - This Is What We're After
http://www.myspace.com/lennoxrock
B+
Lennox debut album This Is What We're After clocks in at just under 25 minutes, but that is not to say it is lacking. Those 25 minutes are filled with emotional rock music that makes me feel that Lennox is representing our artistic community with everything they've got. They show technical skill, creative writing and song structure, and most importantly, emotion throughout the album. Charles of Red Room 104 recorded, mixed, and mastered this album to "kick you in the teeth", and it does.
The first song is a short piece of material, nothing too fancy or technical going on. At first I was unsure of how strong that was, but after a few listens I would not have changed it for anything, it is a great example of what is to come. Immediately following is one of my personal favorites "Remembering", this song has everything one would expect from a hardcore band, a build up that rides the beat, intense vocals complete with harmonies, dynamic changes, guitar solos, the whole package. The anthem esque "Et Tu Brute" comes hard. The chorus of the song has a gang of people chanting "We never will, we never will!", and a guest female vocalist that fits right into the mix. Some people wouldn't call this style of music beautiful, but it is apparent that it can be during the bridge later in the song when her vocals are most apparent.
We are greeted with an short interlude after three strong tracks, the end of the interlude peaks my brain out with the final build up of backwards rhythms into drums into then song "Daylight Ruins". These next three songs are the most powerful on the album, and they seamlessly flow together as if it was one solid arrangement of music. Something I really enjoy and need to note is the lack of vocals here and there, to me this is a sign of band maturity. They do not have to have someone howling over every inch of every song, they understand that its also good to let the music ride. Towards the end of "Domeanum", Casey, the drummer, gets to unload on the drums and hearing it makes me very excited. He is an excellent drummer, knows when to hold the beat and knows when to throw down. Almost every time I listen to the album the last song sneaks up on me until I am in the thick of it. "Collars", probably my favorite song on the album, brings the energy full force, almost as if they have been building up to this climax the entire time. With crunching guitars, the enormous vocals, the solid rhythm section, it all fits together as if it belongs together which is all I ask for.
Alex, the lead singer/screamer, gives us a very passionate performance on this album. Casey not only destroys the drums, he hits the vocal harmonies throughout adding a pleasing dynamic to the raw power of the music. Both guitarists are right on point strategically playing off each other the entire time, and the bass keeps everyone together. For a debut album, This Is What We're After delivers. The emotion was captured and the current skill level of the members leads me to believe Lennox will continue to level up and make great music if they can continue to overcome the realities of working with a group of people all wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
- Bret Phillips
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 12:00 PM,
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Serj Tankian - Elect the Dead♦
Grade: B+
Lead singer for System of a Down, Serj Tankian, has completed and released his first solo project; Elect the Dead. He has made a transition from front man and singer to almost a one man show. On this debut solo album you can tell how far Serj has progressed as a musician and an artist. Playing most of the tracks on this album himself you get to see every side of this artists skills and talents across the board. There were however guest appearances on the album by System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan, drummer Bryan Mantia made some appearances, Dan Monti also helped out with some guitar and bass tracks, and opera singer Ani Maldjian also helped with some of the backup vocals for Serj which can be a very difficult task with his angelic melodies and harsh screams.
You can sense that the ideas and style of System of a Down still reside inside Serj from the beginning of the album. Now he has mixed his own creative style into the already existing energy and power and produced a very solid album. Serj can take a song from one end of the sound spectrum to the other so quickly and powerfully that it makes the listener ask themselves if this is still the same song with the same objective. We also get to see a softer side of Serj's music on this album as with "Feed Us" and "Saving Us" both involving acoustic guitar and piano, also accompanied by a slower beat than with the start of the album which comes right at you with "Empty Walls" and "The Unthinking Majority". The songs might start slow and soft but by the middle to end of the song the listener will find themselves jamming hard to the chorus's that tend to grow more intense throughout the songs. As with most of Serj's previous work, the tracks range from the shortest, "Elect the Dead", at 2:55 to the longest, "Saving Us", at 4:41. Even with the shorter songs Serj is still able to take the listener on an audible roller coaster of ups and downs from beginning to end. Overall this album is a bit more laid back than we are used to hearing from Serj, but that does not mean it is any less of quality.
This album definitely holds a stand against the political world that we live in, as does most of the music Serj has been a part of. With System of a Down there are songs that are obviously of political nature, the same can be said for the album Elect the Dead. Even in the title of the album the listener can tell that there is some stance being taken against our current government and situation in the world. This can also be seen through the video for the song "Empty Walls".
"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" is a classic example of the things that Serj Tankian is able to achieve with his voice. The weird chanting and sounds in the background is what makes Serj Tankian stand out in the crowd of ever striving vocalist. What sets him apart is that he is not afraid to use his voice in ways that other vocalists have not tried or experimented with, but his artistic ability is so great that he can almost do no wrong vocally. His lyrics as stated before hold a certain political stance so this might drive some listeners away from certain songs that scream political disagreement, but every song does not hold this stance.
Overall this album lives up to the standard that Serj Tankian has seemed to set for himself with every other album. The listener gets a mix of both hard rocking and anger in Serj's voice all the way across the board to soft melodic singing and backups while playing a piano. The album comes at you hard and fast with the first two tracks and progressively gets softer and more laid back. Heavier and angrier songs at the end would leave a profound impact on the listener with the last tracks but this album is still a good listen for anyone that enjoys the work of Serj Tankian.
Steven Mosley
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by oriax @ 7:29 AM,
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Cage - Hell's Winter: The Tour DVD
Monday, November 26, 2007
CAGE
Hell’s Winter: The Tour DVD
So I have been a big fan of Cage (Chris Palko) for a number of years. The last album he released was titled “Hell’s Winter” and was released on Definitive Jux Records, Sept. 2005. Right after the release of the album, he went on tour to promote the album, and in the process decided to record in the good old DIY fashion, and release the tour experience on DVD.
The film is gritty and crude. The live concert footage is average at best. Sometimes the audio is all mumbled. But there are its highlights, such as Katie from the website Godsgirls.com showing a little bit of skin, hotel room air-rifle shoot-outs, and even a surprise appearance from Shia Labeouf (from Transformers), and a lot of eating contest and puking afterwards.
Sadly to say, I was somewhat disappointed with the DVD. I was expecting more, like some interviews and more behind the scenes footage. If you are a fan of Cage’s work, then I would recommend this dvd to add to your collection. Just don’t get your hopes up and expect to be amazed.
- Zack Macauley
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by O Team Press @ 5:02 AM,
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Sharkey & C Rayz Walz are... MONSTER MAKER
Grade: A
If the cliche "Hip-Hop is dead" is true, then I have recently encountered it's angry, haunting spirit. If you've ever heard of the emcee known as C-Rayz Walz, then you're already familiar with his unpredictable, in-your-face and abstract style of linguistic wizardry. Sharkey on the other hand, for fundamental Hip-Hop fans such as myself, has come virtually out of nowhere, but immediately worked his way into the ranks of experimentally trail blazing producers such as Daybre, RJD2 and El-P, (the latter coincidentally also share Definitive Jux affiliation with C-Rayz).
But don't sleep, this album is far more than your typical underground Hip-Hop demonstration. It's more of an orgy of Hip-Hop, Punk, Funk, Rock, Acid-Jazz and Drum-n-Bass being narrated by a schizophrenic slam poet.
Upon my first listen, I had the slimmest idea of what was in store. Immediately following the strange, yet intriguing intro, came this explosion of instrumental emotion called 'This Ol' Twisted World'. Picture U2, meets DJ Shadow, meets Captain Kirk, on dust. The end of the song features various people in various languages saying "this world is a monster maker". Then BAM!!! My personal favorite on the disc, 'My Way' comes in with this incredible marching drum beat, electronic blips trickling down with vocal chants, ooh's and aah's lacing it's thumping pulse. At this point, I was already convinced that this was going to be a great listen.
Sharkey is not afraid of finding new grooves, directions and possibly new genre's to explore and create. I come across a ton of music and it's rare that I find something that makes me say "I've never heard anything like this before". Sometimes an exaggerated display electric instrumental-ism, sometimes just drum programming at it's finest, his style of producing is, in my humble opinion, pure genius.
Even their version of Eddy Grant's 1983 smash hit 'Electric Avenue' was tastefully recreated and delivered with C-Rayz giving a brief 8 bar verse, but repeatedly chanting the original chorus with gusto.
With the previously mentioned standout 'My Way' and others like 'Loss of Niche' and 'The Moment Before Crazy', Sharkey's mesh of styles and C-Rayz Walz's energetic and creative lyrics combine to make a roller coaster ride of rhythmic, exciting, sci-fi drama.
This album = next level... and personally, I think they've created a monster.
Peep the Monster Maker (reality show?) Preview
- Arablak
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Arablak @ 5:01 AM,
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Blu & Exile - 'Below the Heavens'
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Grade: A-
As the current state of hip-hop music is congested with simplistic hooks, keyboard beats, elementary rhyme schemes and generic images, it's beyond refreshing to hear an offering deviating from the usual formula. Blu, a fresh new voice hailing from the city of Lost Angels and a Detroit semi-veteran on the underground circuit, named Exile, have combined talents to culminate one of the best offerings I've heard in a long time. Blu's personal yet braggadocios rhymes bless Exile's Detroit based, layered drums & graceful sample laced tracks, all with a chemistry reminiscent of CL Smooth and the great Pete Rock.
At 22 years old, it's not difficult to see that Blu will be a prominent force during his time here. His cadence and content are thorough from the opening 'My World Is...', where he confidently introduces himself over a stuttering horn loop and vocal sample randomly shouting "blue!!!", to the closing 'The World Is...' giving his honest insight of what drives a person to rebel in the face of normality and their personal hells vs. heavens. One of my favorite tracks is 'The Narrow Path', another focal point of the albums conceptual premise of personal struggle, where Blu effortlessly cuts through Exile's mellow dramatic yet uplifting production with his naturally stylish vocal delivery.
Those primarily interested in production will find that Exile is no lackey either. Each track has that signature Detroit essence, but without conforming to the expected synth-tinged sound. On the track 'I Am...' he even steps into the vocal booth, bullying wack emcees and going back and forth with Blu, proving he is a threat on both sides of the board. When it's become the full circle commonality for one producer to lay the backdrop for entire albums, it's tough to find LP's diverse enough to enjoy from beginning to end. But as The RZA did with 'Enter the 36 Chambers' in 1993, Exile provides an entertaining soundscape ranging from serious to downright silly, all while maintaining his signature sound.
For those who love good hip-hop music, I recommend purchasing this album. And for those who hate hip-hop music, I recommend purchasing this album as an opportunity to experience just how good hip-hop can be outside of Viacom's bullshit influence.
See the video for 'So(ul) Amazing' here:
I know... it's dope.
- Arablak
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Arablak @ 3:00 AM,
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Radiohead - In Rainbows
Friday, November 2, 2007
Grade: B
Jarring to record labels, Radiohead's In Rainbows leaves the listener satisfied yet concerned that the band has lost its steam. After a prolific release schedule in the first half of the decade, Radiohead has been relatively quiet, allowing time for band members to work on solo projects and recuperate from being in one of the best bands on the planet. In Rainbows picks up where 2004's Hail to the Thief left off with the band tempering their experimentalism and avant-garde sensibilities so that they merely whelm the ears instead of overwhelm them, e.g. “Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors.” The band has found the happy medium between drums and drum machine, electric keyboards and acoustic piano, sample and electric guitar, and in so doing created an atmospheric record, marked with uncertainty for the future and bittersweet nostalgia for the past.
In Rainbows is good, but it sounds like the band is stagnating a bit. There are few surprises, and it doesn't feel like Radiohead pushed the direction of their music much farther than they did on Hail to the Thief. Having said that, strings are much more prominent than they have been in previous records, and the addition pays off in creating a record that may not be earth-shattering in its originality but is still mind-blowing in aestheticism.
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by MICHAEL aka MIKEY aka THE O @ 1:05 PM,
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Attila - Fallacy
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Attila - Fallacy
http://www.myspace.com/attilaga
Attila's debut album Fallacy is a well-recorded, well-performed debut album from a band of young guys from Atlanta. It left me both satisfied and starved for more. The first couple of listens were intense both sonically and mentally, as they tend to be when the music gets me excited. It seemed as though that I could not stop listening to it; I listened to this album every day for over a week and still throw it into the mix weekly. The vocals are eerie and well-placed in the music. The guitars are ripping sonic energy right through the speakers, and together their dynamics are very tight. The sound doctors that recorded and mixed this album did a tremendous job on the drums in particular. I am really happy with how the kick comes through, and the cymbals are not compressed into non-existence. Outside of the technical aspects of the recording, this album is a treat musically as well.
I am a strong believer in a solid opening, and Attila picked the perfect track. "Sunsets and Death Threats" begins with some exciting interplay between the lead and rhythm guitars before the whole group goes into some ripping heavy rhythms. Within the first minute I could really tell these guys came to play-- tight, clean time-changes, strong vocals, and an apt guitar solo before the third minute of the song. The track keeps my head bobbing from beginning to end.
"Fallacy," the title track, is by far one of my favorites. The guitar on this track is sick. First, they follow up the slow breakdown of the last song with a slow, heavy intro. When the song breaks, it is some of the heaviest guitar I've heard and tickles my ear drums from each side. The whole song feels like it continues to build up endlessly with a small break for a chorus set in a few areas of the song. The track ends with the same heavy riffage from the beginning of the song with a perfect breakdown at the end.
With an incredible closing track, "Flying With the Kennedy's," Attila realize their influence over the listener, creating a rhythmic anthem driven by confident vocals, gigantic guitars, and pounding drums. The song next quickly moves into an intense breakdown and then into the song proper. The rest of the tune is filled with anything from clean guitar over smooth rhythms to some very far out instrument screeching-- definitely a good choice to end the album.
As a whole I think this is a very strong effort by the guys from Attila. The songs sound like they have been whittled down to their most perfect shape, sculpted into an eleven-song album that keeps me interested the entire time without skipping tracks. I hope to hear future recordings from these guys as they continue to improve the music they are making.
- Bret Phillips
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