Albums you've been listening to lately

[detourne_me]

virtual light is a great book,  and a good audio book too.   i have virtual light, snow crash, and fear and loathing audio books mixed in on random play on itunes :)

if i could get an audio book of clockwork orange that would be sweet too.   maybe something from the Enderverse too.  *pondering*

[Verfall]

From the new Nightwish album to be released in a few days from now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdZn7k5rZLQ

[zuludelta]

Thanks for the link, Verfall. Haven't really followed Nightwish since 1998's Oceanborn, but I like the new, slightly "poppier" sounding vocals about as much as the previous style. It's a nice change.

While I dig lot's of stuff you've posted I've got a special spot for Steve Vai. I'm not sure if it's because he's really good or if it's because he's a frequent target of the ire of lazy alternative critics but one way or another he's blown my mind countless times.

Vai's really good, as a guitar player, composer, and arranger (he got his start transcribing and re-working Frank Zappa's polyphonic arrangements for guitar, xylophone, and vibraphone) but I don't think he's immune to bouts of "guitar wankery" either. I wasn't too fond of Sex & Religion (the follow-up to Passion & Warfare) primarily because about half of the songs on it sounded a little too much like "generic fast guy." He's still one of my favourite rock guitar instrumentalists, though, alongside Joe Satriani and Marty Friedman. Totally agree with the idea that lazy alternative music critics unfairly slagging him for his work. A lot of those "music critics" wouldn't know a diminished chord if it was jumping up and down on their ears, and still hold on the the antiquated notion that precision playing and emotion/passion in music are mutually exclusive domains. 

[Spring Heeled Jack]

I've been listening to a lot of the Eels lately. Not that that's anything new. *Cough* behindthechurch.com *Cough*

Ah... Yeah. Anyway, Electro-Shock Blues is an all-time favorite, and Blinking Lights & Other Revelations, while nowhere near as fantastic, is pretty good too.

A frequent visitor to my message board graciously sent DVDs full of 200+ Eels live shows from the past 11 years, so I've been slogging through all of those.

The Eels are releasing Meet the Eels and Useless Trinkets early next year, so anyone looking to get a taste of the band should check out these compilations. (Note: Actually tasting the band is not recommended.)

[zuludelta]

Nashville [euphemism for female naughty bits] - Let Them Eat [euphemism for female naughty bits] (deluxe edition) : I bought this CD on a whim back in 1999... I was pretty much burnt out on hard-edged music by then so this was sort of me grasping at straws. I'd heard that Blaine Cartwright of Nine Pound Hammer had formed a new band with his Canadian galpal, guitarist Ruyter Suys so I decided to give the album a try. Good thing I did, too, since the original release was eventually discontinued, and the deluxe CD (that came with a poster and a bonus CD filled with covers of material by, among other artists, Smokey Robinson) is now out of print. The music is something of a cross between Southern rock, metal, hardcore, and punk, and as one reviewer said, it sounds like "music to snort meth off of a hunting knife to." I've heard their later stuff, but I think this one still stands as their most memorable, as much of their later work loses the raw energy of their debut album (although they do grow in terms of musicality and range).

Trivia:
- Their single "Fried Chicken and Coffee" was nominated for a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" in 1999
- Bassist Corey Parks (who has since left the band) is the sister of former LA Clipper and Vancouver Grizzly Cherokee Parks (probably the most visibly tattooed NBA player).

Media links:
no media links this time, boys and girls, as their lyrics are liberally sprinkled with 4-letter and 12-letter words. Not that you need me to point out where you can watch their videos, anyway.     

[Protomorph]

I've just gotten a couple of cds from a band called "My Brightest Diamond", Bring Me the Workhorse and Tear It Down (which is a remix CD of the Workhorse tracks).

It is very melodic, and sung beautifully (and hauntingly) by Shara Worden, a trained Opera singer. I'm just listening to it for the first time right now. So far, Me like.

I'd compare it to such artists as Portishead, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush, Nina Simone, Bjork, and Fiona Apple, among others.

[Spam]

Let's see...

I just got Silversun Pickups, and The Starting Line's new albums. It's Silversun's first album, and Starting Line's third. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet, but I'm sure they'll be good.

Also, I reaaaally want the Foo Fighters new album. I've heard it's amazing... I must have listened to "Pretender" twenty million times, but it still amazes me every single time I listen to it.

FORIAMSPAM!

[detourne_me]

Nashville [euphemism for female naughty bits] - Let Them Eat [euphemism for female naughty bits] (deluxe edition) : I bought this CD on a whim back in 1999... I was pretty much burnt out on hard-edged music by then so this was sort of me grasping at straws. I'd heard that Blaine Cartwright of Nine Pound Hammer had formed a new band with his Canadian galpal, guitarist Ruyter Suys so I decided to give the album a try. Good thing I did, too, since the original release was eventually discontinued, and the deluxe CD (that came with a poster and a bonus CD filled with covers of material by, among other artists, Smokey Robinson) is now out of print. The music is something of a cross between Southern rock, metal, hardcore, and punk, and as one reviewer said, it sounds like "music to snort meth off of a hunting knife to." I've heard their later stuff, but I think this one still stands as their most memorable, as much of their later work loses the raw energy of their debut album (although they do grow in terms of musicality and range).

Yes!  great album!  i bought it when it first came out on a whim too.  I had an original release that came in an all-black slip.  since well the cover was naughty,  and so were the words.
and i was about to write about it in the free concerts thread, but their show was one of the best i've seen live... just all out raunchy awesomeness.   sad thing that Ruyter wasn't spitting fire like what she's rumoured to do in other shows.

Thanks for bringing back memories. :)

[zuludelta]

Thanks for bringing back memories. :)

You're welcome detourne_me. And you're right about the raunchy cover... earned me a weird stare or two at the cash register.

[zuludelta]

K-os - Atlantis: Hymns for Disco: Kevin "K-os" Brereton's third album is much more of a departure from his b-boy beginnings than 2004's Joyful Rebellion. Of course, one could easily make the argument that current, progressive, and culturally relevant hip-hop would bear little to no similarities to most of the derivative and creatively bankrupt aural garbage that is sold as hip-hop these days. Brereton once again weaves a unique musical style, taking elements of folk music, roots reggae and dub, rock, disco, 80's synth-pop, Motown R&B, and of course traditional hip-hop and laying them against a foundation of solid beats and steady rhythms (even if "the beat," as it were, is just a particularly effective acoustic guitar riff in some cases).

As in his sophomore album, he isn't all about just the big beats designed to put feet on the dance floor, and if anything, he relies even less on that hip-hop mainstay and more on flexing his musical creativity (in the lyrics to Born To Run, he audaciously proclaims that "if you can't dance to this, it don't matter"). Brereton again showcases his singing talents on a number of tracks, most effectively on The Rain, which sounds like something that would come from an Al Green and Prince collaboration. I'd have to say that he's just as good a singer as he is an MC at this point, and his ability to write and arrange music for guitar and orchestration is unparalleled in popular hip-hop.

Lyrically, Brereton continues with the themes established in his first album (2002's Exit). He writes a couple of nostalgic paeans to dance-party weekends (Sunday Morning, Black Ice: Hymn 4 Disco) but also waxes introspective on tracks like Fly Paper (a track about loneliness in the big city) and Highway 7.

Overall, a very solid outing. Highly recommended to those looking for something new in hip-hop, and fans of good pop songwriting in general.

Media links:

Born To Run
Sunday Morning
Elektrik Heat- The Seekwill

[lugaru]

From the new Nightwish album to be released in a few days from now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdZn7k5rZLQ

Thanks for the link! Not bad actually, I agree that it is a lot more pop but certainly not without merit. It scratches the same itch that Lullacry and Sebnem Ferah does for me, in other words something that is both catchy and heavy. I should be picking up this album too, hopefully even review it for the site.

[zuludelta]

Gipsy Kings - Roots: Excellent album by the premiere ambassadors of Rumba Flamenca/Rumba Gitana. I think what sets them apart from many flamenco acts is they have a much more pronounced Afro-Cuban feel than the more traditional artists of the genre. If you're a fan of great, tasteful guitar-playing, you owe it to yourself to check these guys out.

Media Links:

Como Siento Yo
Hermanos (live)
Fandango (live)

[bredon7777]

A Fine Frenzy - One Cell in the Sea

I admit, I only got this because I saw the video for "Almost Lover" on VH1, and thought the lead singer was incredibly beautiful.  But I was pleasantly surprised- there's not a single stinker on the whole album.  Beautiful piano melodies merged with intelligent lyrics, sung by the aforementioned singer in a rich, throaty voice.

I've really enjoyed it..its been in my player more or less nonstop since I got it.

[Protomorph]

A Fine Frenzy - One Cell in the Sea

after watching a couple of clips on YouTube, I must say, this album is definately something I should check out.

[Spam]

Can anyone say Garden State? Err, I mean, The Shins? Just got two of their albums, and their both really good. Check this song out, it's good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhxthxhwk0

[zuludelta]

Shonen Knife - Burning Farm: Shonen Knife's first "official" album originally released in 1983 (as I'd already mentioned before, Minna Tanoshiku, their first actual release, only had a print run of 70 cassettes and the band itself considers Burning Farm as their actual debut). The music is fun and fresh, what one could probably call outsider art, as it was created by musicians still learning their instruments and the craft of songwriting. My knowledge of Japanese is hardly adequate but even at this early point in their careers (when they wrote and sang almost exclusively in Japanese, as opposed to their English-only releases post-1991), it's hard not to miss Shonen Knife's penchant for silly, absurdist, food-and-animal-centric lyrics. "Elephant Pao Pao," as far as I can tell, is about a lonely elephant obsessed with bananas and "Parrot Polynesia" is about a parrot who accompanies Dr. Doolittle and sees all sorts of natural wonders, including hitokui shokobutsu (cannibal vegetation) and mangoes and whatnot, and the upbeat "Banana Fish" is about a greedy banana fish who's gotten so fat he can't escape a fisherman's trap, all sung to music seemingly inspired in equal parts by The Beatles, The Ramones, and Sesame Street. Awesome stuff, worth seeking out if you're interested in "outsider pop"  (in North America, it's probably easier to find a copy of the 1990 Shonen Knife compilation album released by Giant Records which includes all the tracks from Burning Farm and their 1984 album, Yama No-Attchan).

[zuludelta]

Rufus Wainwright - Release The Stars: This is the third album by Montreal's Wainwright, the son of Canadian folk-singer Kate McGarrigle and American folk-singer/actor Loudon Wainwright III, and by all indications, his most commercially successful to date. If anything, the controversy generated by the single "Going to a Town" has given the album more exposure than it would have based on musical buzz alone. Wainwright's an excellent songwriter, and his stuff showcases cabaret, lounge, folk, and American standards influences. The only thing that keeps me from giving this record a wholehearted "buy-on-sight" recommendation is Wainwright's vocal style, which I imagine is great for a majority of listeners but is something of an acquired taste for me (it took me awhile to appreciate Anthony Kiedis' vocals as well, if that's any indication of Wainwright's tone, which to me, like Kiedis', borders on the overly nasal). Besides that very minor nit to pick, the album is solid songwriting and musicianship from beginning to end, with only a couple or so near-misses ("Between My Legs," "Tulsa").

Media links:

Going To A Town
 

[lugaru]

Ziltoid the Omniscient



Is it cheating to start out the review of a Strapping Young Lad related release by stating that Devin Townsend is a tormented genius? Is it cliché at this point to refer to him as the maestro and the madman? Ok then, I'll cast aside whatever metaphors I can and stick to the facts. Devin Townsend is a Canadian metal vocalist and multi instrumentalist who loves putting out experimental albums that rip through musical boundaries. His vocal delivery varies from operatic to raspy screams but somehow it always soars, it always exceeds expectations. Finally his lyrics lean either on the side of self conscious irony or incoherent rants about his most private thoughts.

Ziltoid the Omniscient mixes a lot of both; while some parts loosely follow a silly science fiction narrative other parts descent into arguments of philosophy and existence. But for now let's focus on the main plot. One day an alien tyrant named Ziltoid the Omniscient lands on earth demanding the universes greatest cup of coffee. Dissatisfied with what the earth has to offer him, he retaliates with full scale war. Humanities only hope falls into the hands of Captain Spectacular and his mission to find a new planet for the last few remaining humans.

Everything about the CD so far sounds like cheap laughs and maybe a good parody of concept albums such as Kilroy Was Here by STYX. On the other hand Devin Townsend has an ease for composing songs that are simultaneously fast, heavy and hauntingly beautiful. For example "Solar Winds" provides some ambient metal that would make Pelican jealous and "Hyperdrive" sounds fresher than anything any new bands have put out this year. Latter on realities collide and the plot dissolves into a self referential art record that even quotes lyrics and themes from past albums. There's a moment in which Ziltoid the Omniscient almost touches the brilliance of Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions. In other words Ziltoid is a silly rubber monster, but through the masks eyeholes you can clearly see Devin himself. And while some unexpectedly moving lyrics show up near the end ("Color your World" and "The Greys") Devin turns around and says 'just kidding' on "Tall Latte" (the final track).

My verdict is that yes, this album is both funny and full of artistic value. Its sound is both thundering and exquisitely complex, an amazing feat given the fact that Devin Townsend recorded all the instruments himself. And in the end I don't think this album is for everyone, its heaviness is bound to give a few people a stomach ache and its cheesy dialog segments will make serious critics cringe. But for metal fans who want to have a little fun while expanding their minds this should do quite nicely.

[zuludelta]

Sounds like interesting stuff lugaru. I'll keep an ear out for that one.

Anyways, stuff I've been listening to lately:

Ayumi Hamasaki - Secret: I'm only really familiar with Hamasaki's pop-vocal work on various anime soundtracks (most notably on Inuyasha and the Gundam series of shows). What's to be found here is some generally slick pop (almost teetering on over-production in some cases) but as always, Hamasaki's voice is the real reason to give this record a listen (she sings in a more traditional, vibrato-heavy, classical Japanese tradition than many of her contemporaries). The album is expensive, though (it comes with a DVD), even for an import CD, so I can only really recommend it to completist fans. Non-fans and people looking to get into some contemporary j-pop are probably better off just catching the singles on on-line radio or borrowing the record and DVD from somebody who already has it.

Media links:
Jewel (live performance)

The Album Leaf - In a Safe Place: Tristeza guitarist Jimmy LaValle's third solo project album was created with the help of Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós, and their influence on the music is definitely noticeable. LaValle's lush and moody melodies feature vocals on a couple of tracks, which is a bit of departure from The Album Leaf's prior work. Excellent ambient and downtempo stuff. Highly recommended.

Media links:

Twenty Two Fourteen (fan made video)
The Outer Banks (live performance) 
Over The Pond (fan made video)

[Outcast]

Ayumi Hamasaki - Secret: I'm only really familiar with Hamasaki's pop-vocal work on various anime soundtracks (most notably on Inuyasha and the Gundam series of shows). What's to be found here is some generally slick pop (almost teetering on over-production in some cases) but as always, Hamasaki's voice is the real reason to give this record a listen. The album is expensive, though (it comes with a DVD), even for an import CD, so I can only really recommend it to completist fans. Non-fans and people looking to get into some contemporary j-pop are probably better off just catching the singles on on-line radio or borrowing the record and DVD from somebody who already has it.

Nice song. I checked it out here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_naYSRGF9G4

Don't know why it reminded me of this song...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1y7jEPGD50  :P

[zuludelta]

Nice song. I checked it out here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_naYSRGF9G4

Don't know why it reminded me of this song...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1y7jEPGD50  :P

No idea who sang the song in the second video you linked to (could be Horie Mitsuko for all I know). Can't seem to find any videos of the Gundam songs Ayumi Hamasaki sang, but here's a link to the song "Dearest", popularized in the Inuyasha series:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBsw1S5LPuo

The thing to keep in mind when listening to most of Hamasaki's singing is that she sings in a style reminiscent of traditional Japanese singing, which uses a lot of vibrato, more emphasis on breathing between phrases than traditional Western singing, and what linguists call "creaky voice" or laryngealisation to add a raspy quality to the vocals (although in the video I linked to, part of the raspy quality is probably just due to fatigue)

And just for kicks, a couple of fans doing an instrumental arrangement for electric guitar and piano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcWcmpb17Es

[zuludelta]

Raul Midón - State Of Mind: The blind Midón is an impressive musician and songwriter, a modern R&B, soul, and jazz virtuoso whose style bears strains of George Benson, Al Jarreau, Stevie Wonder (who plays harmonica in one of the tracks on the album), Sergio Mendes, Donny Hathaway, and Joni Mitchell. He has great range vocally and as a stand-alone singer, is as good as the best of his contemporaries in modern soul/R&B, but it's his guitar playing that really stands out to me: he has an excellent grasp of the tasteful use of harmonics, and his percussive rhythm playing really fills out his sound, and I would often catch myself forgetting that on some of his songs, guitar is the only accompaniment.

His outstanding instrumental and vocal talents aside, the majority of the music in this album sticks to a fairly standard contemporary jazz/soul/R&B feel, although he also gets to showcase his facility with bossa nova (on "Sittin' In The Middle"), and Latin/Afro-Cuban sounds (on "Sunshine").

Lyrically, he doesn't wander too far from the oft-trod ground of R&B, a combination of love songs and updated inspirational/spiritual hymns, but he does go into a somewhat surprising political digression on "Never Get Enough."

An excellent album, highly recommended.

Media Links:

State of Mind (if you're not in the habit of clicking on the media links I occasionally provide with my posts in this thread, I highly suggest clicking on this one, your day will be all the better for it)   

Sittin' in the Middle

Keep On Hoping (feat. Jason Mraz)

Raul Midon giving a quick guitar lesson (excellent stuff!)

[zuludelta]

Manu Chao - Clandestino and Próxima Estación: Esperanza: Jose-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao (a.k.a. Manu Chao) is a French-born musician known for his multi-lingual releases (he sings in French, Spanish, English, Portuguese, and a number of other languages). Manu started his rise to prominence with the folk-punk group Mano Negra ("Black Hand" controversially named after an anarchist political group) and later moved on to do more diverse, "world" music-influenced material with Radio Bemba

His debut solo album, Clandestino draws more from his Radio Bemba days than it does from his time with Mano Negra. The music is a multi-genre mix of roots reggae, Latin music, and contemporary pop and rock music. Manu frequently sings about political/social/environmental themes, and he's drawn extensive attention (both positive and negative) for his overt support for neo-socialist movements, particularly the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico (Manu even samples Sub-comandante Marcos, spokesperson of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, on a number of tracks). His political soapboxing aside, the album is an excellent effort, and stands up to repeated listenings.     

The second album by the Manu Chao, Próxima Estación: Esperanza, released in 2000, sees Manu still heavily borrowing from roots reggae-heavyweights Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. A more technically consistent effort than his debut album, but there aren't as many stand-out tracks as on Clandestino.

Media links:

Clandestino
Me Gustas Tu
Desaparecido
Bongo Bong/Je Ne T'Aime Plus

Noriyuki Asakura - Tenchu: Stealth Assassins OST: This album collects the soundtrack from the hit Playstation game, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (my favourite Playstation game alongside Tekken 3). Excellent ambient music created utilizing guitar, electronic instrumentation, and traditional Japanese instruments, with the occasional orchestral overtures. Yui Murase sings on a couple of tracks, but it's mostly instrumental music suited for video game background music. Trivia: the opening track sung by Yui Murase (Addu'a) doesn't have Japanese lyrics... it's actually sung in Hausa (a language spoken mainly in Western Africa).

Media links:

Tenchu gameplay video (the first 2 minutes of the video play the opening song "Addu'a" in its entirety) and you can hear snatches of the soundtrack in the rest of the video, the last 30 seconds or so contain part of the track "Faraway," one of the best tracks on the album.

[Outcast]

Didn't know anyone was interested in the Tenchu original soundtrack. I think that's pretty cool.

It's one of my favorite games too.  Ah...the video brings back a lot of memories. :rolleyes:

[Figure Fan]

I've been listening to Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace.

I've been a long-time Foo fan and this is definitely one of their better albums, but it takes time to really get into the songs. I know a lot of people claim they have changed too much from their early 90's heavier sound. I agree, but it makes sense to evolve as a musician. I've changed a listener. I find myself enjoying a lot of their more mellow tunes rather than the louder tracks. Statues and Home are two of the more interesting tracks featuring piano, which is uncommon for the 'Fighters. Come Alive is a surprisingly awesome song, especially towards the end when the sound matches the lyrics symbolically. Also, and quite obviously, The Pretender rocks. Be sure to check out the unreleased track Once and For All. One of my favorite songs by the band, period.

If you are a fan of the Foo Fighters or just plain ol' rock and roll, I'd check it out.

[zuludelta]

Haven't really liked anything the Foo Fighters released after The Colour And The Shape (Everlong is still a sentimental favourite of mine), although it might just be due to my changing musical preferences as opposed to a drop in quality in the Foo's later music.

I've been hearing snatches of the songs from the new album, though, and they sound appealing.

[Figure Fan]

I have to agree with you, Zulu, that Everlong is amazing. :cool:

[Verfall]

New album I just picked up from Xandria, called "Salomé - The Seventh Veil". Their last one I quite enjoyed, and this one I've been listening too for 2 days straight. Fortunately youtube had a video for my favorite song off the album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFys0uBMgRE

[Spam]

Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy

Jawbreaker was one of those original punk rock bands that inspired a bunch of emo bands to come out of their wake. "Do You Still Hate Me?" is probably one of their most recognizable tracks off of this album, and just one of their best songs.

Matchbox Twenty - Exile on Mainstream

Okay, these guys have one of the most undeniably catchy songs I've heard this year. "How Far We've Come" is just this insanely hooky song that is just too amazingly catchy for it's own good. Check this album out if you just want a singles collection from these guys. The first disc is some new work, and the next disc has some singles from their earlier stuff.

Northstar - Is This Thing Loaded?

Northstar has caught me with surprise with their first album. Northstar is an indie rock/emo band that sounds like Brand New and Taking back Sunday, with a little bit of Saves the Day. These guys have great melodies, and make their music pretty emotional.

Other then these bands, I haven't really been listening to much music...

FORIAMSPAM!

[Camma]

Ver, i got one you might like if you havent heard them already.  But the most playtime ATM is devoted to a band outta Tampa, The Absence (both their first and second albums). 

Its heavy, its fast, and to the point metal.  There isnt much fancy about their stuff (basically just riffing and soloing up and down scales a la Scandanavian metal) but they do what they do quite well, and frankly i cant stop listening.
:banghead: