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(09/27/07 4:00am)
Punk's been waning the last decade or so, but it's nice to see that the heavy hitters are still coming out strong. The Dropkick Murphys may have seen a line-up change or two, but their newer material seems to be rawer and more heartfelt than ever. The Meanest of Times is fifteen self-released tracks of Celtic punk, Irish folk and straight up rock 'n' roll.\nFlogging Molly ain't got nothing on the Murphys. Expect songs about drinking ("Famous For Nothing"), the loss of loved ones ("God Willing"), loyalty ("Loyal To No One"), and good times ("(F)lannigan's Ball"). Bold choruses and plenty of loud guitars and bagpipes will kick your ass with raucous fury. Looks like another round of Guiness for everyone.\nStylistically, this one is diverse as ever. Irish folk songs are more prevalent on The Meanest Of Times than the on the last release (The Warrior's Code), but the Murphys don't let people forget that they like to rock out like their contemporaries (The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers). Oh, and look out for appearances by Ronni Drew of The Dubliners and Spider Stacy from the Pogues on "(F)lannigan's Ball."\nThe Meanest Of Times is reminiscent of some of the Murphys' classic releases (The Gang's All Here, Sing Loud Sing Proud) and may become a classic Murphys album as well.
(09/06/07 4:00am)
Ace Rizzle is back -- a little older, a little wiser, but still dope as ever. None Shall Pass is Aesop's latest production since 2005's adventurous Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives EP. There's production from Blockhead, El-P, Rob Sonic and Aesop himself. \nDense, verbose metaphors swim in and out of the sea of top-notch production. Aesop is cryptic as ever as he spits about the grim past, present and future. It's still recognizable Aesop Rock, but don't expect another Labor Days. This is his darkest release yet, but there's still room for humor, catchy call-and-response, a whole lotta funk, and enough surprises and variety to keep this disc spinning like the universe. "Bring Back Pluto," a song about Pluto with Pee Wee Herman imagery, gets mad props. And maybe Aesop's most audacious number is his tag team with Bloomington-born John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats), in the live-band jam "Coffee."\nThe album is enjoyable whether you choose to dig deep or not. But it's not for the casual listener. Use your brain and listen to something that will challenge you. None Shall Pass fits the bill.
(07/19/07 4:00am)
How do they keep doing it? After getting back on track and back on Epitaph Records, Bad Religion has put out three amazing albums. These guys are indisputably at the top of the punk game. And they're in their 40s! Singer Greg Graffin manages to teach life science at UCLA and keep singing and touring with Bad Religion.\nNew Maps of Hell is slower, darker, angrier and more pessimistic than the band's last two efforts. But it's still poppy enough to keep you singing along to the ooh's and aah's of revolution.\nBad Religion are progressing forward on this one while nodding to their older releases. The album title and artwork are reminiscent of 1982's How Could Hell be any Worse?. The production value, however, is scratchier and more raw. They might have used this combination to recreate the feel of their classic records such as Suffer and Generator. Regardless, it's refreshing.\nLike the last record, almost any of the album's songs could be singles. But they chose "Honest Goodbye," a slower ballad reminiscent of the song "Slumber" from their 1994 album Stranger than Fiction. The song "Heroes and Martyrs" is a searing razor blade of a punk anthem, leaving you bleeding after a minute and 25 seconds. And "Fields of Mars" is a cathartic ender, complete with a piano intro, soaring vocals and that classic Bad Religion guitar. What's left is more intelligent metaphors, pop choruses and the punk energy you've come to expect from Bad Religion.\nIt's a solid release -- right up there with their last album, 2004's The Empire Strikes First. These guys still have it in them. They aren't just going through the motions; you can feel the heart in their music. While many punk bands don't last more than a couple of years, Bad Religion is still kicking ass after 27 years. If you haven't gotten a chance to see them live, do it. They'll blow you away.
(07/12/07 4:00am)
Attention deficit disorder victims unite! "The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time" will heal your wounds and suck your soul dry to the bone. These 24 shorts were meant to be on a television station hosted by Radiohead but ended up as four episodes from thousands of submissions to their website. \nWhat you have here is obtuse, frantically jarring images set to the music of Radiohead. \nThe videos are stunning, and they fly by, so there's plenty of variety. It's hard to describe, you have to see it to experience it. It's the closest thing to hallucinogenic drugs I've come across in a long time.
(05/31/07 4:00am)
It's another sad case of a decent band plummeting into the ground. Success can mess with your head, and if it's been done before and the kids will buy it, then by God that's the way it's going to be done.\nOne thing's immediately apparent: The Used sound like the bastard child of My Chemical Romance and Fallout Boy, straight from the womb of a radio that craps out rainbows and screaming Paris Hilton heads. The album's first single, "The Bird and the Worm," features straight-up Panic at the Disco!-style staccato strings in an attempt to be something of epic proportions. Instead, the track just sounds like a pathetic emo storybook suckfest. \nThis album is toned-down from the band's previous material. Angry screams are traded in for sappy, whiney cooing and poppy, bitchy, clean vocals. Many of the songs are characteristically emo, and several of them are attempts to create popular hits, like the first track, "The Ripper," which is instead worsened by its industrial techno drums and pseudo-punk guitars. \nFor what it's worth, this is a diverse album. Unfortunately, that means that once the band gets something right, it is immediately erased by the next song. \nIf you buy this CD at Best Buy you get two bonus tracks. My God, I don't think I could take any more.
(05/24/07 4:00am)
Everyone's favorite Metallica reject is back.\nAfter Megadeth broke up because of a severe nerve injury in frontman Dave Mustaine's left arm in 2002, the boys got back together for 2004's The System Has Failed, which was a commercial success. In 2007, the band has given us its 11th studio album, United Abominations, another stab at the Bush administration.\nLately Megadeth has been a grab bag of musicians, rotating its lineup constantly. Despite this, Mustaine and his little-known recruits have been able to coerce and create some rockin' music. Thrash fans, unite!\nWhile Metallica has kind of faded and lost its edge, Megadeth is still running strong. Mustaine's snarling growl and anger shines. While his lyrics may border on cheesiness, they're still intelligent and pretty catchy, although his political theories are kind of goofy.\nHowever, Megadeth indisputably knows how to lay down the riffs and guitar solos. "Pray for Blood" soars through with well-executed, challenging guitar work. "You're Dead" sludges by like a run through the graveyard by a pack of hungry zombies − the only thing that's going to save you is if you can outrun the guitar solos.\nMetal reunions are often hit-or-miss, but Mustaine proves that they aren't impossible to pull off. United Abominations doesn't sound dated, and it is still as thrashing as ever. I, for one, am prepared to see one of these tracks incarnated on a future version of Guitar Hero.
(05/17/07 4:00am)
Bone Thugs are surprisingly fresh in a sea of posers and money-hungry thugs. They rap about the same cliched, deeply poetic subject matter of commercial rap (Bitches and hos, 40s, gold chains, getting shot and living, rims, cribs, the streets, thug life, hustlin', etc.) but do it well. Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony are three charming young men who have been rapping in the "game" since '94. With member Flesh-N-Bone in jail, the group has dwindled down to a trio. Strength and Loyalty is their newest effort and first on Interscope imprint Full Surface.\nWhat the Thugs have that most popular rap groups and artists don't have is speed and distinctive voices. From the first track, "Flow Motion," the boys tear through fools with machine-gun rhymes. While they do dabble in the cliché subject matter of gangster rap (titles like "Gun Blast" and "9MM" prove this), they still try to be diverse and sing about their own thing. "Sound the Same" is about how everyone in the rap game is unoriginal and all sound like each other, and the beats are real chill. \nThe beats are rather solid as well. "Wind Blow" samples Fleetwood Mac, dirty piano loops haunt on "Gun Blast" (authentic Uzi and nine blasts included), and the ever popular beats 'n' bells are on "Never Forget Me." Swizz Beats takes the reins on "Bump in the Trunk" (what a terrible song title), in the most involved song on the album.\nGuest appearances can be good, but the Thugs pick the worst people to appear. Mariah Carey and Little Bow Wow (now just Bow Wow) on one song?! What a hideous combination. Twista, the Game and Yolanda Adams don't do anything for this album either. Bone Thugs are best when they take the triple threat approach.\nForget 50 Cent, Three Six, Eminem, Paul Wall and all that other shite. Bone Thugs are true to their style and even though I'm not a big gangster rap fan (I prefer Ace Rock and Busdriver style hip-hop), I can appreciate their work.
(05/10/07 4:00am)
Another Elvis Costello "greatest hits" collection. Is Costello going broke? Doubtful, but why put out another greatest hits, "these are my singles"-type album? Rock And Roll Music is an interesting collection of his '70s and '80s run. \nWhat more can be said about the man behind the goofy-ass glasses? As the painfully blunt album title states, this is rock 'n' roll music. Pure and simple, good old-fashioned, nerdy rock 'n' roll. \nSongs from his earlier years are more straight-forward rock 'n' roll, from the dirty garage guitar on "Clean Money" to the doo-doo-doos and ah-ah-ahs of "Welcome to the Working Week." The two-minute rock song is just not as fast as the Ramones'. \nThere's another side to Costello as well. We'll call this the more artsy, mature side. The yearning musing of "Tokyo Storm Warning" shows more of an "I do take my music seriously every once and awhile" side. The man has sung with orchestras, he just has a great voice. \nBut what makes this guy the man is his all-around cheesy poppiness: the keyboard-drenched "Big Tears," the rockabilly Elvis-esque "Mystery Dance," the bouncy "My Sharona" magic of "Pump It Up." There's so much variety here, and this is just a very small taste of Costello's span of 11 studio albums.\nOne of the greatest singer/songwriter/rocker/pop superstars of the last 30 years, Costello's energy and passion for rock music has produced some damn good, catchy as hell songs. This collection captures the raw energy and the fun pop that developed early in Costello's career but merely touches the surface of what kind of musician he is.\nThere's no "Watching the Detectives" or "Radio Radio" on here, but if you've been sleeping for the past 30 years and haven't heard of Elvis Costello, I wouldn't pick up this collection first. Girls Girls Girls is two discs, has almost all the songs from this collection and has "Watching the Detectives." Don't waste your hard-earned cash on this album. Gas is more than $3 a gallon. Illegally download this one.
(04/26/07 4:00am)
Trendiness is all too common in today's rock world. The passion is traded in for record deals, fashion and MySpace friends. But somewhere off the dusty path are bands that just wanna rock. Clutch has been rockin' their metallic blues-y blend of rock since 1991, and it doesn't look like they plan on stopping anytime soon. From Beale Street to Oblivion is another offering of intelligent, Southern-tinged metal that will get your feet stompin' and your head bangin'.\nClutch is almost impossible to categorize. Metal, hard rock, stoner rock, punk, blues -- the band's style has shifted throughout the years. One thing's for certain though: If you like riffs, you'll probably dig Clutch. Their sound is similar to that of Audioslave and Monster Magnet ("Spacelord mother, mother!"), but that's where it stops. They have a Southern flare that's unique and tolerable. Did I mention they play some badass riffs? And lots of harmonica and keyboard.\nLyrically, Clutch is a little cheesy. On the single, "Electric Worry," singer Neil Fallon howls, "Bang, bang, bang, bang! Vaminos, vaminos!" It's a party track for sure. You get that same guilty pleasure that makes Andrew W.K. enjoyable. "Party hard, party hard!" And what's up with "Mr. Shiny Cadillackness?" It's painfully catchy, though.\nClutch shines on the high-energy, "Guitar Hero"-worthy tracks like "One Eye Dollar" and "Power Player." "White Ferry" is a slower blues number but is a nice break from the rather monotonous feel of the album. The riffs aren't as memorable, and nothing jumps out as being amazing. Clutch plays it safe on this one, but I was expecting a little more out of these guys.\nClutch are white trash but intelligent white trash unlike Skynyrd- and Larry The Cable Guy-white trash. But as far as being replayable, that's questionable. Not their most shining moment, but still a strong album. All their riffs just make me miss Rage Against The Machine that much more.
(04/12/07 4:00am)
Believe it or not, there was a time when Black Sabbath was Ozzy-less and Ozzy just kind of sucked on his own. Ronnie James Dio is the more popular replacement out of the seven different singers Black Sabbath has had from the beginning until now. The Dio Years includes 13 tracks from those years, along with three new ones recorded by the Dio-led Sabbath. It's still Sabbath, but a little cheesier.\nBlack Sabbath led by Ozzy was sinister, dirty, dissonant, droning and pretty damn awesome. Ozzy went on to lead a hit-and-miss solo career, while the remaining members snatched Dio to continue on. Dio's voice is very Robert Plant mixed with Iron Maiden, very different from Ozzy's dying howls. The rest of the band trades in the heaviness for … power metal!\nPower metal … I'm just not feeling it. "Lady Evil" starts out with a low, bassy synth line and flies right into Van Halen-esque guitars and Dio's womanly voice. It's catchy but in a bad way. Lady Evil's queen of the night, by the way.\nMany of these songs slow down the energy and take form of the infamous power ballad, drenched in wailing guitar solos, pianos, synthesizers and wussy vocals. As older Sabbath was hateful and evil, Dio brings, God forbid, emotion into the mix. Ew, get over it. "Lonely is the Word" is cheesy as hell. Vomit-inducing are the words that come to my mind.\nMind you, this is a collection of what should be considered the best of Black Sabbath with Dio. "The Mob Rules" is probably the best track, and it's still pretty cheesy. Black Sabbath with Dio is the epitome of everything bad about '80s metal.\nThe new tracks are a little rawer. The guitars are a lot crunchier and a little darker, but the power metal feel is still intact. Seriously, if you like metal, you either love this style or you hate it. Power metal will be the bane of me.\nIf you loved the self-titled, if you loved Paranoid, if you loved Master of Reality and Sabotage, if you miss Ozzy, then chances are you'll hate this. Dio ruined Black Sabbath. I don't care if their albums went platinum with him; he still sucks.
(04/05/07 4:00am)
Well, if anyone was wondering if Good Charlotte still sucks, take one guess. \nKarma's a bitch, because we're still forced to be subjected to this trash disguised as legitimate music. This is their fourth release in their 11-year existence and it seems like an eternity of headaches.\nFrom the get-go, we find the boys trading in pseudo-punk-rock guitars for dance beats that seemed to have been vomited out by a sleazy executive who works at Epic. Well, the pop-punk thing didn't work, so let's try something even worse. The new sound doesn't help their cause. It's the same old manufactured defecation.\nIt seems a little ironic when Joel Madden sings about plastic, shallow and empty people on "Misery." And if things couldn't get worse, the single off Good Morning Revival, titled "The River" (where I'll drown to stay away from listening to this), features none other than the pussified lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold, M. Shadows. Please don't make me listen to City Of Evil again.\n"Keep Your Hands Off My Girl" sounds like The Faint, if they sucked. Madden's voice sounds like a guy who got kicked in the nuts and they overdubbed it to sound natural. \nThere's very little variety in these 13 tracks. Every song sounds like the anthem to Hot Topic and Target. And with lyrics like, "Take a look at my life, all black. Take a look at my clothes, all black," you'd think you were listening to something a gothic, DDR-playing teenage outcast would write in her diary. But these guys are damn near 30!\nThis is the worst thing I've heard so far this year. I'd recommend it to 12-year-olds who want to get made fun of and people who can't think for themselves. Even the most masochistic of people will find themselves bashing their heads against the wall until they're out like a light bulb.
(03/29/07 4:00am)
Legendary reggae artist Bob Marley had 13 children. Many of them went on to become musicians themselves. Child No. 4, Stephen, who is known for his work in his brother Ziggy's group, The Melody Makers, and producing his brother Damian's albums now has his own debut album out. Ya mon.\nStephen has generated a lot of hype with his previous work, winning Grammy after Grammy. Mind Control showcases his abilities as an MC but falls short in several places. Stephen relies too much on guest appearances from the likes of brothers Julian and Damian, Mos Def and Ben Harper. These cameos merely bog things down in places and are unnecessary; Stephen's talented enough to carry his own weight.\nWhat Stephen does accomplish is creating an island feel and mixing it with hip-hop, R&B, rock and dance hall. \nThe single, "The Traffic Jam," (featuring Damian and Buju Baton), is very dance hall, but sadly is annoying as hell. "Chase Dem" is the most old-school reggae-sounding song, very reminiscent of his father's brand of reggae. Stephen's voice sounds very similar to his father's while still sounding very unique.\nModern reggae is overproduced and Mind Control is no exception. The appeal of reggae is that islanders, many of whom live impoverished lives, get together and play a very raw, emotional form of music. Stephen's songs are still very political and personal. On "Iron Bars," he wails, "I'm a prisoner, locked up for what? Freedom of speech ain't got all we got." He's very socially aware, and it shines throughout this album.\nAs diverse as Mind Control is, Stephen is strongest when recreating the sound of Bob and staying true to the roots of reggae. The hip-hop beats are weak and take away from the authentic reggae feel. Better than Damian, not as good as Bob and definitely not Toots.
(03/22/07 4:00am)
This is it … this is really it. This is the answer to metal and everything holy and heavy. Big Business is the real deal. Two guys with one mission: to rock your face off. Cody Willis and Jared Warren are the two magicians in charge here, and they've got the credentials. With a history of bands such as Karp, the Murder City Devils and, most recently, the almighty Melvins, these guys know what their doing. Here Come the Waterworks, their second full-length, will make you cry … with joy.\nFrom the very first note you know they mean business. Everything is bigger, louder, sludgier, heavier; everything in excess. "Just as the Day was Dawning" is the dawning of a record that will blow you out of the water. \nWarren roars and bellows through eight tracks with constant intensity. They never let up. And it's catchy apocalyptic music to hum along to. The meteors are raining down as everyone's fleeing in terror and you're humming, "Hands up, hands up, hands up to the people around you!"\nWillis' drums are all over the place, and Warren's bass is dirty and sinister. "Another Forth of July … Ruined" is just as haunting as it is brutal. It's the primal minimalism of a drop-tuned bass and a drum set and a pair of vocal chords that creates such a huge sound; you're left scratching your head wondering how something so loud and doom-impending can be so beautiful.\nAnd to top it all off, as the world is crashing down, they hit you hard. "I'll Give You Something to Cry About" is an epic nine minutes of mammoth riffs and colossal drumming that will leave you with a headache. Then the flames begin to dissolve. "Another Day in the Pacific Northwest" is a beautiful, tranquil piece that you weren't expecting but desperately need to recover from the storm you've just endured.
(03/01/07 5:00am)
Get in the pit … Comeback Kid is back in action. Following up their uber-successful record Wake the Dead is a difficult task, but Broadcasting..., their third release, is ready to bust some eardrums. Canada may have spawned such trash as Celine Dion and Shania Twain, but these Canadians know how to rock. Winnapeg-core at its finest.\nFans will notice the departure of singer Scott Wade, who claims he was "holding the band back," but former Figure Four vocalist Andrew Neufeld steps up to the plate and delivers. Wade thrashes on "Hailing on Me," and his tough-guy hardcore background shines. Hey, he's not a bad singer, either.\nBroadcasting... is filled with variety, which can be difficult to manage without deviating too far from the path. "The Blackstone" hints at the brutal kings that are Snapcase (R.I.P). "Give'r (Reprise)" is a blur of Rise Against punk rock that segues into the slower but passionate "One Left Satisfied." The guitars are slashing, the drumming is pretty damn intense and the energy will break your neck if you're not careful. Scream your lungs out with the sing-a-long parts and chant alon--this is positive hardcore the way it was meant to be. No fashion, no preaching, no Jesus, no bullshit. Just powerful lyrics and speed and energy. \nThe whole quality of this recording is crisper and bolder, maybe even a little darker. The guys went back to none other than the infamous Blasting Room with Mr. Bill Stevenson (a certain Bloomington punk act has recorded there as well). Things are certainly not poppier and radio-friendly, and the record isn't overproduced to hell. So don't worry, it's still hardcore.\nWhat maybe makes Comeback Kid stick out more in the hardcore scene is their amazing songwriting. Wade brings a more introspective point of view to the table, and the darkness surrounding the lyrics is chilling at times. Pair the feverishly quick and frantic rhythm changes with a madman on drums and this record just might revive a genre that has been anything but stable. Comeback Kid is going to keep Bane on their toes\nComeback Kid has been the "look out for these guys" band already, but if you missed them before, don't make that mistake again. Punk and hardcore, melody and metal; it's just the right dosage. Thirty-three minutes hasn't gone by so quickly before. Hey, Victory Records does have some talented bands beneath the shit like Hawthorne Heights and Bayside.
(02/22/07 5:00am)
There are many sides to Sting. There's the proto-punk Sting of The Police. There's the tough guy Sting who played in "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." There's the solo pop Sting of recent. And now we have Renaissance Sting. Sting jumps in the time machine and takes the works of 17th-century composer John Dowland and puts a new spin on them. Songs from the Labyrinth is Elizabethan music for the 21st century.\nThe 23 tracks here see Sting accompanied by only the lute (an ancient acoustic guitar for those of you who aren't so cosmopolitan), played by Edin Karamazov. This is quite a bold move for one of the most popular pop artists of the last few decades. Sting was so enthralled by Dowland's work that he decided to record them for the contemporary masses. What you get is a raspy reiteration accompanied by subtle, yet tranquil music from an instrument that has been long forgotten. \nMuch of this disc is filler-- seven spoken-word pieces accounting an autobiographical letter by Dowland. A number of the songs are slow and sleep-inducing with the beauty of the lute butchered by Sting's annoying voice. Songs of serenading and holy worship trade back and forth. There is little variance from track to track, but the mood is consistent. The instrumental tracks such as "Walsingham" and "Fantasy" showcase the rich intricacy of the lute (Sting even joins in on lute), but Sting's voice seems out of place on the remaining tracks. These songs are meant for four-part harmonies, but Sting's voice has been massively overdubbed to compensate for this. \nI can't criticize John Dowland for his work; musicians and composers were considered very skillful in this era. There's not much to say then about this recording except the fact that Sting ruins the experience altogether. Without being biased, I'd say that these songs, in the context of, say, a Renaissance festival, would be very fitting and quite possibly enjoyable. Classically trained musicians could pull this off, but come on, this is Sting.\nI'm not opposed to new cultural experiences like this one, but I think popular artists should leave classical work like this untainted. Sting attempts to revive these artsy songs, but they are better left in the 1600s. Better luck with the Police reunion tour, Sting.
(02/08/07 5:00am)
It's new, but it's not really new. Alkaline Trio, The Misfits of my generation of punk rock, have compiled a good deal of their B-sides and a few live ones in one affordable, convenient package. I was hoping for a brand new album, but this is the next best thing I suppose. The compilation album is made up of 19 B-sides and three live cuts. You also get a DVD for no extra charge, their first since the live set at the Metro they put out a few years ago.\nThe tracks featured on Remains come from splits with Hot Water Music and One Man Army, as well as tracks from various compilations they appeared on. The Trio blow Hot Water Music's own Rooftops up like a water bottle of nitroglycerin in a microwave. "Warbrain," off the Rock Against Bush comp on Fat Wreck Chords, takes a stab at George W., while "Jaked" on Green Beers discusses the band's love for alcohol. Missing, however, is their respectable cover of TSOL's "Wash Away," as well as their covers of the Misfits, which they put out on a tour EP. \nThe DVD features about 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes tour footage from 2005-06, but very little concert footage. If that's what you're after, you'll have to pick up the 2003 DVD, "Halloween at the Metro." You do get five of their music videos and a making-of for their video for "Burn," if that's any compensation.\nIf you're a Trio fan, you have no excuse to not pick this one up. If you're new to these guys, I would suggest picking up one of their full lengths. I'm personally biased toward their self-titled release or Goddamnit (their earlier releases), but all their albums are solid. The DVD included is weak and did not include "hundreds of hours of backstage, behind-the-scenes, and live footage" as the marketing people will lead you to believe. And it is worth mentioning that the CD cover is pretty morbid, which isn't surprising coming from members of the Church of Satan.
(02/08/07 4:44am)
It's new, but it's not really new. Alkaline Trio, The Misfits of my generation of punk rock, have compiled a good deal of their B-sides and a few live ones in one affordable, convenient package. I was hoping for a brand new album, but this is the next best thing I suppose. The compilation album is made up of 19 B-sides and three live cuts. You also get a DVD for no extra charge, their first since the live set at the Metro they put out a few years ago.\nThe tracks featured on Remains come from splits with Hot Water Music and One Man Army, as well as tracks from various compilations they appeared on. The Trio blow Hot Water Music's own Rooftops up like a water bottle of nitroglycerin in a microwave. "Warbrain," off the Rock Against Bush comp on Fat Wreck Chords, takes a stab at George W., while "Jaked" on Green Beers discusses the band's love for alcohol. Missing, however, is their respectable cover of TSOL's "Wash Away," as well as their covers of the Misfits, which they put out on a tour EP. \nThe DVD features about 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes tour footage from 2005-06, but very little concert footage. If that's what you're after, you'll have to pick up the 2003 DVD, "Halloween at the Metro." You do get five of their music videos and a making-of for their video for "Burn," if that's any compensation.\nIf you're a Trio fan, you have no excuse to not pick this one up. If you're new to these guys, I would suggest picking up one of their full lengths. I'm personally biased toward their self-titled release or Goddamnit (their earlier releases), but all their albums are solid. The DVD included is weak and did not include "hundreds of hours of backstage, behind-the-scenes, and live footage" as the marketing people will lead you to believe. And it is worth mentioning that the CD cover is pretty morbid, which isn't surprising coming from members of the Church of Satan.
(11/16/06 5:00am)
This posthumous release tactic seems oddly familiar...does the name 2-Pac ring a bell?\nOl' Dirty Bastard, the spastic but loveable member of the world-famous Wu-Tang Clan, has a new record out, two years after his untimely death in the Wu-Tang studio. This is the third proper release from Dirty, and unfortunately, by far his weakest effort.\nHis first two releases saw the ODB spit lyrical humor, sometimes in an indecipherable manner: mumbling, screaming, half rapping, half singing, half making noise. Both records went gold. This release was meant to be put out by Ol' Dirty before his death, but at the same time, it seems like an effort to cash in on the fallen rapper.\nA Son Unique features many names in the mainstream hip-hop and R&B spectrum. Dirty stumbles around with perverted lyrics and a guest appearance from Missy Elliot on the boring "Lift Ya Skirt." Some songs simply take ODB's vocals and throw them in the song with a stereotypical MTV rapper (who the hell is Lil' Frame?). Even the collaborations with fellow Wu-Tang members (Ghostface Killah, RZA and Raekwon are featured on here) seem weak. And for the love of God, whenever I hear Macy Gray's voice, I want to punch a baby.\nI don't think there's a positive thing I can say about this release. \nIt's flat-out disappointing. Although I didn't have any real expectations for this release, I thought maybe I'd find one bumpin' track in the mix. Wrong. I don't think he could discern how bad this would turn out. He's probably rolling in his grave over this. Rest in peace ODB. Sorry you had to go out like this. I'll always remember "Hippa To The Hoppa" and "Shame on a Nigga"
(11/16/06 4:19am)
This posthumous release tactic seems oddly familiar...does the name 2-Pac ring a bell?\nOl' Dirty Bastard, the spastic but loveable member of the world-famous Wu-Tang Clan, has a new record out, two years after his untimely death in the Wu-Tang studio. This is the third proper release from Dirty, and unfortunately, by far his weakest effort.\nHis first two releases saw the ODB spit lyrical humor, sometimes in an indecipherable manner: mumbling, screaming, half rapping, half singing, half making noise. Both records went gold. This release was meant to be put out by Ol' Dirty before his death, but at the same time, it seems like an effort to cash in on the fallen rapper.\nA Son Unique features many names in the mainstream hip-hop and R&B spectrum. Dirty stumbles around with perverted lyrics and a guest appearance from Missy Elliot on the boring "Lift Ya Skirt." Some songs simply take ODB's vocals and throw them in the song with a stereotypical MTV rapper (who the hell is Lil' Frame?). Even the collaborations with fellow Wu-Tang members (Ghostface Killah, RZA and Raekwon are featured on here) seem weak. And for the love of God, whenever I hear Macy Gray's voice, I want to punch a baby.\nI don't think there's a positive thing I can say about this release. \nIt's flat-out disappointing. Although I didn't have any real expectations for this release, I thought maybe I'd find one bumpin' track in the mix. Wrong. I don't think he could discern how bad this would turn out. He's probably rolling in his grave over this. Rest in peace ODB. Sorry you had to go out like this. I'll always remember "Hippa To The Hoppa" and "Shame on a Nigga"
(10/05/06 7:35pm)
My Morning Jacket are an amalgamation of many genres, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly what they sound like. Phish, Coldplay, Beck, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd... take your pick. If you like any of the above, then you happen to be in the right place. Okonokos is a sprawling live album, almost two hours worth of sonic landscapes and jams that will make your ears bleed in a soothing way. Southern rock took some shrooms and stumbled onto stage, and this is what you hear. It's some pretty amazing stuff. \nA lot of bands that perform live vomit out a carbon copy of their studio performances. In this case, things are exactly the same to the T. My Morning Jacket puts up their middle fingers to these bands by playing old songs in a brand new fashion. If you've heard the originals, you'll be caught off guard at times, but it's this changing of the guard that makes this album almost a brand new batch of songs. \nThe album is all about feedback and reverb. The recording is solid -- very clear, very clean, but what makes it stand out from other live albums is the haunting effect that is present in the echo of the vocals. There is still a feeling of raw emotion present, but it's nice to have a live album that doesn't sound like shit. \nThese guys have been around for eight years. I've seen bands put out live albums after two full-lengths. The Jacket have enough material under their belts for a couple double-live albums, and it never gets boring. The album is very relaxing at times -- a lot of texture and atmosphere, even hints of country rock. You will get engulfed in sound, maybe even lost, as this sonic scenery progresses. \nHippie music? Stoner music? Well, not necessarily. There is enough variety on this disc to satisfy almost anyone (I say almost anyone because if you're into Justin Timberlake or anything of that caliber, perhaps you're out of luck). The jams are a lot of fun; the quieter songs are haunting and relaxing. You really don't know what to expect. If you're a fan of the band already, you'll be blown away. If you're not a fan, you might become one.