Fun-Sized Reviews For Halloween
Here's a few quick reviews I jotted down during the month of October:
Netherlands "Green Lips And Lightning" ****
As good a thing to bash faces to as anything. Lots of energy, lots of low, growly, distorted bass, kinda Mutoid Man-y in places. Also, they seem to have an axe to grind against Rutherford B. Hayes (the 19th U.S. President) for some reason, saying his name in anger in "Senior Tennis". I dunno, it was unique enough to make me pay attention. A short, solid slab of kick ass rock music, the kind I've been hankering for lately.
Famous Last Words "Arizona" **
What if Periphery was scene as fuck? You'd get this. Put together well enough, but pretty paint by numbers. At least it's not lethargic.
Sleater-Kinney "The Center Won't Hold" *
Full disclosure: I've heard of Sleater-Kinney for like a quarter century, but I've never heard a note of them 'til now. Aside from "Hurry On Home", "The Future Is Here" and if I'm being generous "Broken", I was bored to tears and annoyed by the vocal delivery on this one. (And knowing St. Vincent did production on this? Holy shit does it sound like Annie Clarke wrote and conducted their vocal harmonies. They wind up a little out of tune, but I half expected to be able to point and go "Yeah, that backing vocalist is St. Vincent" with how close it sounds to her. But considering the material, it winds up neither being a positive nor a negative to the album. It's just a slog.) (Cover art is really striking, though.)
Vacationer "Wavelengths" **
Good ambience, extremely repetitive. Use more than two sample loops per song, then we'll talk. Mid-point of the album was a fitting backdrop to the gray, rainy day I put it on during, so I guess it's not completely devoid of function.
I'll try to get a post in November; I'm averaging one a month lately, and I'd like to keep that up. Year end lists and decade lists are probably going to eat up all my creative energy between now and then, so who knows? Probably will be something other than a "current music review" blog. Think it's time to mix things up. Check back and we'll see.
Netherlands "Green Lips And Lightning" ****
As good a thing to bash faces to as anything. Lots of energy, lots of low, growly, distorted bass, kinda Mutoid Man-y in places. Also, they seem to have an axe to grind against Rutherford B. Hayes (the 19th U.S. President) for some reason, saying his name in anger in "Senior Tennis". I dunno, it was unique enough to make me pay attention. A short, solid slab of kick ass rock music, the kind I've been hankering for lately.
Famous Last Words "Arizona" **
What if Periphery was scene as fuck? You'd get this. Put together well enough, but pretty paint by numbers. At least it's not lethargic.
Sleater-Kinney "The Center Won't Hold" *
Full disclosure: I've heard of Sleater-Kinney for like a quarter century, but I've never heard a note of them 'til now. Aside from "Hurry On Home", "The Future Is Here" and if I'm being generous "Broken", I was bored to tears and annoyed by the vocal delivery on this one. (And knowing St. Vincent did production on this? Holy shit does it sound like Annie Clarke wrote and conducted their vocal harmonies. They wind up a little out of tune, but I half expected to be able to point and go "Yeah, that backing vocalist is St. Vincent" with how close it sounds to her. But considering the material, it winds up neither being a positive nor a negative to the album. It's just a slog.) (Cover art is really striking, though.)
Vacationer "Wavelengths" **
Good ambience, extremely repetitive. Use more than two sample loops per song, then we'll talk. Mid-point of the album was a fitting backdrop to the gray, rainy day I put it on during, so I guess it's not completely devoid of function.
I'll try to get a post in November; I'm averaging one a month lately, and I'd like to keep that up. Year end lists and decade lists are probably going to eat up all my creative energy between now and then, so who knows? Probably will be something other than a "current music review" blog. Think it's time to mix things up. Check back and we'll see.
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