For years, Daft Punk has shown the world glimpses of pop music’s future. Tracks like “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” or “Human After All” broke through the surface of pop consciousness like an elusive White Whale before diving back down into the depths.
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Reviews
Record #266: The Drift – Memory Drawings (2008)
Here’s the thing about post rock. As much as the term brings up images of heavily delayed guitars playing glacially paced riffs until they explode into bombast, that hardly accounts for every group under the term’s large umbrella. Continue reading
Record #265: Chuck Berry – Chuck Berry’s Golden Hits (1967)
I don’t care what Back to the Future says: rock n roll was not invented by Marty McFly. It was invented by Mr. Charles Berry, who here offers newly recorded versions of his previous hits.
Record #264: Isis – Panopticon (2004)
Lately, it has occurred to me that I really, really, really like metal. But not just any metal. Not the dirty, long haired, macho, thrashy metal the baggy-black-shirted kids in high school listen to, or the moshy, blast-beating, breakdowning metal the tight-pantsed kids with eyeliner listen to.
It’s not enough for metal to be pissed. No, metal needs to be powerful. Enter Isis, who offer here one of the best metal albums of all time without a single masturbatory, finger tapped solo or palm muted “chug-chug-chug. Chiggity chug-chug-chug.”
Instead, Panopticon achieves its metalicness with sustained chords played through layers of distortion in between post-rock level handling of dynamic shifts. Most of this album is instrumental, which makes it a closer contemporary to Pelican than Pantera, which suits me just fine, even if I can’t believe I missed it for ten years.
Instead, Panopticon achieves its metalicness with sustained chords played through layers of distortion in between post-rock level handling of dynamic shifts. Most of this album is instrumental, which makes it a closer contemporary to Pelican than Pantera, which suits me just fine, even if I can’t believe I missed it for ten years.
Record #263: American Football – American Football (1999)
Time for another confession: I never listened to American Football until this year.
Record #262: Imperiet – Blå Himlen Blues (1985)
In Stockholm, there is a record store called Pet Sounds which is listed on numerous “best record shops in the world” lists. It was at this shop that I asked the man working there for something distinctly Swedish. He told me of a Stockholm based punk band called Ebba Grön who broke up and became a post punk band called Imperiet, and suggested this record, translated as Blue Heaven Blues. I took him at his word, and did not return void. Were their lyrics in English, it’s doubtless that Imperiet would have been canonized among New Order, Psychedelic Furs, Duran Duran, and other post punk/new wave patron saints.
Record #261: ABBA – Super Trouper (1980)
Sorry for the lack of updates: my wife and I were in Sweden visiting family. Luckily, Sweden isn’t as saccharine sweet as their primary musical export. But can anyone real hate ABBA? All the reasons to hate them—the melodramatic cheesiness of their delivery, the Swedish simplicity of their songcraft, the squareness of the whole thing—are the same reasons they are adored so widely. So whatever. Thanks, Sweden, for the discocheese.
Record #260: Glassjaw – Worship and Tribute (2002)
I’m not sure if there has ever been a record quite like Worship and Tribute. People talk a lot about bands trafficking in loudness and softness, but nobody ever did it quite like Glassjaw did here.
And while their heavy tracks are among the best in the biz (see: the first three tracks, “Pink Roses,” “Radio Cambodia”), the ballads on this album are absolutely unforgettable. “Ape Dos Mil” and “Must’ve Run All Day” pack just as much of a punch at a fraction of the tempo.
And at the end of the day, I’m not sure which is more impressive: that Daryl Palumbo’s keeping up with the band’s fury, or the band matching his mania. But I do know (from singing along in the car as a teenager: this album was essentially my Advanced Vocal Techniques class) that Palumbo’s performance is one of the most physically demanding around.
Record #259: Graham Nash – Songs for Beginners (1971)
Following the hige success of Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s Deja Vu, every. Single. Member of CSNY put out a solo record, and every one of them was well received.
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Record #258: Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat (2006)
Once upon a time, I was really into the whole alt-country/indie folk thing (I blame Bright Eyes’ I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and Cassadega). But luckily, that window coincided with Jenny Lewis’ best entry into that scene.
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