Causa Sui - Summer Sessions, Vol. 3 (2009)

Many words are used to describe music, ranging from the obvious descriptions, fast, loud, slow, soft ... etc, then there are the more abstract adjectives sublime, moving, inspirational, depressive ... etc. Luxurious is not one of those readily used terms, but Causa Sui, & this album in particular is most definitely luxurious. Strangely, in a Metal Magazine, a reviewer wrote "...music for people who fall asleep in the bath..." & this description actually fits nicely. The long songs drip with beautifully clean guitar tones, restrained drums, robust bass & occasional saxophone jaunts. Devoid of vocals, the album communicates with you at a far more subtle level. Not quite 60's nostalgia, something far less frantic, Causa Sui rarely turn their distortion up, but when they do, the sounds are beautiful & mesmerizing. The entire album runs like a journey, even the titles inspire travel; Red Valley, Lonesome Traveler & Venice by the Sea; & like a journey there are quiet times of peace & contemplation, busier times when you are enjoying something new & then frenetic times when you are swamped by the unknown, but in the end you always look back with fond memories. This album is like that, in 33 minutes. Another that demands a listen through, not picking & choosing.

Best Tracks: Red Valley (but really, listen to it through, its better that way)

Descendents - Milo Goes To College (1982)

22 minutes is all the time needed to fall in love with the Descendents. Long before the Oscar nominated film of that name, these guys & this album became legend. In a time when most of California was pissed off & letting America know about it, the Descendents were ... also pissed off. They did however have great senses of humor & strong senses of melody too. Where Black Flag &  Bad Brains were abrasive & aggressive, the Descendents were faster & funner. Silly lyrics abound in songs like the godlike I Wanna Be A Bear & turn more serious on songs like Hope & Marriage. Ever poignant & accessible the songs off Milo Goes to College are a master class in Punk Rock. The songs are short (never longer than 2:15) & so 15 tracks are done in 22 minutes. However, all that means is that you can listen to the album twice in the same time as a normal album. One of the original Hardcore scene's best & most under-rated. Listen to it now.

Best Tracks: I Wanna Be A Bear, Parents, Suburban Home, Kabuki Girl & Hope

Sleep - Sleep's Holy Mountain (1993)

To some the album up in one word is impossible, but a tiny glimpse into it's power can offered up with the word, Monolithic !!! A crushing crawl, the album let's up from the fuzz & fire for exactly 48 seconds, with the tongue-in-cheek interlude Some Grass. The rest of Holy Mountain is pure mind pulverizing hypnosis. Drenched marijuana the album is no hurry & plods along at it's own leisurely pace with such classic Stoned cuts as Evil Gypsy/Solomon's Theme & Aquarian. Some variety is offered up in the Harder, Faster (relatively) & Sludgier jams like The Druid & Inside the Side. Album opener Dragonaut, though, is far & away the best on the album, possibly of Sleep's career best & all-round a Stoner & Doom Metal classic. Never a band to shy away from their love of God's Green Grass, Sleep were always willing to accept the term Stoner & likewise it can be said that this monstrous turbulnent green machine is even better with some Stoney Stink permeating the air. Sadly Sleep don't have any others like their journey to the Mountain. The previous album just isn't the same & the follow-up Dopesmoker is a challenging listen, good, but challenging. No strains are truly as potent as Sleep's Holy Mountain.

Best Tracks: Dragonaut, The Druid,  Holy Mountain & Inside the Sun

Darkest Era - The Last Caress of Light (2011)

Although the release of the album was very low key (especially that it is out on Metal Blade, only one of the top 5 metal labels on Earth) this album is full of fire. From the first strums of epic opener The Morrigan, Ireland's Darkest Era conjure gray & sodden landscapes filled with druids & Celtic warriors & other epics goings-on. At this point you may go "cheesy Folksy Medieval Metal crap", but no !!! Anything but. No keyboards. No samples. No giddy violins. Just strong melodic guitars, hardy rhythmic underpinnings & one epic voice. The bands secret is Krum, their singer. Although singer doesn't do him justice, Wailing Wind-Caller is a more appropriate. All songs, bar non have hearty choruses, far from poppy but irresistible to sing-along too. Lyrically the album follows suit to it's epic sound and the subject matter is what most Old-time Singing bands should be writing. The battle hymns of The Morrigan, the celestial sorcery & mournful introspect of Beneath The Frozen Skies & the dark druidry of Heathen Burial are shining examples of Ballad-like story-telling in the Metal context. The album nears a conclusion with an actual Irish folk song Poem To The Gael & then finally closes with the eleven minute saga of The Last Caress Of Light Before The Dark. Crashing like the waves on the black rocks of Ireland's shores, the album is a must-hear

Best Tracks: The Morrigan, Beneath The Frozen Skies & The Last Caress Of Light Before The Dark

CAKE - Fashion Nugget (1996)

A band that not enough people know about, CAKE have soldiered on producing album for their dedicated fans for more than 2 decades now. Possibly their best was their 1996 sophomore album, Fashion Nugget. The CAKE sound, consisting of catchy riffs, use of a trumpet as part of the band rather than a guest & a thing called a vibraslap, is a large part of why the album is such a good listen. However the shining star of the album (& all of CAKE's music, actually) is front man John McRea, his strange & slightly naive, but clear, narrative lyrics & dry spoken/sung delivery are instantly recognizable. The whole album though isn't all beautifully idiosyncratic Alt. Rock. Stickshifts And Safetybelts & She'll Come Back To Me lean over far more to Alt. Country, Friend Is A Four Letter Word is a demur ballad that stays with you long after the album, & lastly the profanity-laden Nugget has a very Alt. Hip Hop feel to it. The other tracks are all talk/sing-alongs with lovely (yes lovely) lyrics & memorable melodies that are perfect for casual listening on relaxed afternoons, & not to leave out the essential "Okay" & "Alright" & "Oh no" chants that linger in the background of the whole album. An excellent listen for any fan of fun music, poet music or someone in the mood for something truly unique.

Best Tracks: Frank Sinatra, The Distance, Friend is a Four Letter Word, Open Book & Nugget

16 Horsepower - Sackcloth 'n' Ashes (1996)

Alternative Country might be quite a strange term to some, as the 2 styles aren't often thought of as complementary, however the genre has thrived for more than a decade. While Uncle Tupelo, Blue Mountain, Drive-By Truckers & The Jayhawks may be more well known & more conventional; they lack the menace of 16 Horsepower & no better example of that exists than their spellbinding debut, Sackcloth 'n' Ashes. The ever present banjo & shuffling beats root the album in country, but the band explores distant territory seemingly drifting in & out of conscious country, & into stark landscapes of wooden shacks with skulls on the porch & dead men strewn across the prairie, all the while drenched in strong malt whiskey. A few departures are the bandoneón driven, Swans-esque plod of Harm's Way, the slight Rockabilly stylings of Red Neck Reel & the uncomfortably stark closing number Strong Man. But the meat & potatoes of the album are held together with crazed Bluegrass, dark Southern Rock & the ever present pained cry of one David Eugene Edwards. All in all, the most twisted take on country likely to grace your ears, but hauntingly memorable & truly magical in the most bizarre way.

Best Tracks: Black Soul Choir, Scrawled in Sap, American Wheeze & Strong Man

The Del-Byzanteens - Lies to Live By (1982)

Boasting legendary indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch as a member The Dels should be more revered by fans of underground music, however their lack of exposure has left them beautifully obscure. They weren't around for long, but there only (known) album is a corner stone of New York's No Wave scene. Neither compositionally "correct" or of particularly spectacular production, Lies to Live by is however made by more beautiful by these 2 factors. The songs revel in there imperfection & are catchy in there own right. Strong choruses, rhythmic mistakes, sturdy harmony , nod-along bass & clapping add further to the aesthetic of the album. The passion for music shows through & it's light whimsy is inescapable. Despite the quirks, the album is accessible enough for anyone with an open mind & a love for art for the sake of art. But all at the same time, it's fun to sing along to. Sadly a little short, but at least we can marvel at its wonder for half an hour & wish we were in New York in the 80's. I mean, if I only have one life, let me live it as a lie.

Best Tracks: Lies to Live by, Draft Riot & Sally Go Round the Roses

††† - EP † (2011)

Ignore the Witch House hype !!! This album is by no means Witch House, it is something far superior. The 1st EP by Chino Moreno (Deftones) & Shaun Lopez' (Far) Crosses(written as †††) is something special, despite having slight Hip Hop/Pop tinges, it is considerably more dynamic & far darker than anything on radio today.Even though the first track especially has a Dark Pop tone to it, this short release (only 18 minutes) is quite varied & exceptional beautiful. Calm but passionate, electronic but not electro, beautiful but not sweet, the album is hard to define but instantly familiar. Think of it as The Cure + Massive Attack, but at the same time neither truly Gothic Rock or Trip Hop. Not really the kind of release to have stand-out tracks as the whole EP is a short listen, which should be listened to in 1 go. Not challenging & at the same time not mainstream, but well worth it... & Definitely NOT Witch House.

Best Tracks: Op†ion & Bermuda Locke† (If I must, but 18 minutes is not long for a full listen)

Flipper - Album: Generic Flipper (1982)

The term Noise Rock might put most people off, but wait a few seconds, allow this noise fest to take take your brain for a few seconds before you make a judgment. It really is, ugly, grimy, dirty & mean ,but this album effectively is beautiful art created from filth, simple filth. A truly nihilistic assault on your ears, the album is extremely memorable & surprisingly catchy despite it's lack of traditional melody, partly due to certain songs weird nuances & a veneer of suffering that (if you've ever experienced hard times) cut right through the crap & right to how you feel. Structurally the songs are half-paced punk with alternating singers shouting hateful & indignant slogans that show off how society really does screw some of us (all of us) over to our own degree. Some songs feature off-time clapping, "evil child" backing vocals & hideous sections of crudely strummed chords overlaid with vile feedback. However, this is a 40 minute masterpiece. If you are willing to find beauty within a rotting sonic carcass, turn your attention to this pure stinker & you won't regret it.

Best Tracks: Ever, Life is Cheap & Nothing

Voivod - Nothingface (1989)

Despite being their 5th, this album made the Metal world wake up to the power of Canadian Prog. Thrash (although I can't think of any others). This crafty piece of song-smithing perfectly illustrates Voivod's unique sound. Arguably there best work, Nothingface shows off Voivod's off-center sense of melody, their weird science fiction based lyrics (weird in the sense that the English lyrics are written by French guys, so there take on the language is unique), pacey drumming, mad scientist riffs & unmistakable virtuoso bass. Something of an acquired taste, the band's sound is the missing link between Thrash & very techy Prog. bands, & there really is absolutely nothing like it. As the only cover song on the album can attest there is a sizable Pink Floyd influence, but more on a song-structure/conceptual standpoint rather than an audible influence. All in all a great listen that will either make you a fan or turn you against Voivod completely, but since they are now on album number 15, I'm thinking these guys have more fans than detractors & rightly so.

Best Tracks: The Unknown Knows, Nothingface, Astronomy Domine & Inner Combustion

Cynic - Focus (1993)

You need this album !!! I know it's about 19 years old (a couple of months older than me) but this album is truly essential. Even if you care little for Metal, give this a try. In 1993 some crazy guys in Florida thought it might be cool to combine Death Metal guitars, bouncy jazz bass, pummeling tech. drumming, harsh growling, "robotic" vocoder-ed singing & atmospheric keyboard. Damn they were right. Veil of Maya kicks things off with pulsing bass, vicious purpose, calm sections of ambience & a freakish (but short) solo. The album carries on in the same wildly experimental & technical fashion. Expect to hear harsh Thrash, synthesized spoken word, swirling Prog. Death, mournful Metal tinged Jazz & even a synthy organ to close the album. Through all this a prevalent sense of melody keeps the whole journey strangely accessible. Sadly it took a break-up, reunion & a space of 15 years for Cynic to follow this Impeccable Alien Metal Epic up with 2008's Traced in Air, however the 8 tracks from the original pressing of Focus are far better than some other bands' entire discographies.

Best Tracks: Veil of Maya, Celestial Voyage, I'm But a Wave to... & How Could I

Symphonies of the Planets - NASA Voyager Recordings

These albums were not recorded on earth !!! Each of the 5 Symphonies of the Planets were recored by NASA in space. Although they weren't recorded in the traditional sense, I care little for complex science and if you wish to find out click here. The five Symphonies are a separate album but the review for all 5 would roughly be the same. Basically humming & buzzing, not riveting listening in the general sense, however the recordings (rather than compositions, as nobody composed them) work on 2 levels. Firstly for those who enjoy putting on an ambient piece, turning off the lights & filling the sounds out with your minds eyes & ears, the album is a verdant playground for the imagination. But another, more primal reason to listen to it, is simply because it is kinda cool to "listen to space". Most of us will never go there, but at least we can hear it. Each "album" is a different but single track, so best tracks don't apply, start with number 1 & see if you enjoy.

Definitive Swim - Various Artists (2007)

You might dismiss [adult swim] to be retarded TV for people who should watch Cartoon Network but are afraid to admit it. But regardless of what you feel about the TV network this a comp. that kicks ass. 10 choice cuts from top Alt. Hip Hop label Definitive Jux' (hence the name of the comp. as it is [adult swim] exclusive) best mic fiends. The songs have the feel of a set of b-sides but that kind of b-side you play more than the single. Aesop Rock, El-P & Cage are of the more well known names (relatively) but a real gem is a jam from the late Camu Tao. Overall the comp. is all-star with few weak points, of course it rating will be high but that is the nature of a comp. An essential for Alt. Hip Hop fans, even if you know none of the artists as 8 of the 10 tracks are accessible & while lyrically challenging at times, the sounds are smooth & easy to like.

Best Tracks: Plot a Little, Smithereens, Blood Boy & None Shall Pass

Y. Bhekhirst - Hot in the Airport (1986)

Wow, where to start. Arguably the strangest thing that I've ever heard & the strangest thing that will be posted on this blog. With that said, this is a gem. The music (well I think it's music) is bizarre & unique. The rhythm is so broken & skewed that songs seem to stumble like a drunkard down the street. The lyrics, delivered in an almost unintelligible but unidentifiable accent, meanders in almost the same fashion as the instruments. Compositionally speaking the instrumental tracks consist of short pieces (merely a few bars) that are repeated. On top of that, the instruments (guitar, bass & drums) don't even sound as though they belong together on the track. This album, is the only bit of information anyone has on Y. Bhekhirst, who for all intents & purposes is an otherwise nonexistent person. The best way to some this album up is to use a word commonly associated with this extraordiary album, Shambling.

Best Tracks: Hot in the Airport & You Dance

Lawhii - Lawhii EP (2010)

What a weird little trip, a short one too. This "duo of whales" debut release is only 9 minutes spread over 6 tracks. But damn !!! It's unforgettable, In the weirdest way. All the track titles are in Norwegin, but with the wonders of Google Translate it is easy to find out what they mean, the lyrics ??? Not so much. "Hellige Vakennat" & "Mine Atten Fedre" are spoken word tracks presumably in Norwegian with what appears to be whales (or something) chanting in the background. While "Devourer av vantro Plankton venner" is some strange form of guitar instrumental, possibly "played with whale flippers". Overall really weird. Check them out on Facebook & Last.fm, the latter of which is seemingly the only place to get their music.

Best Tracks: Hellige Vakennat & Mine Atten Fedre

Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum (1968)

This album is the seed. The loud, brash, balls-out seed that grew into Heavy Metal. Not fully a Metal album (that is why it was the seed), it is still ultra-essential to the genre. I suppose Sabbath took this seed & planted it & it grew into 1970's Black Sabbath & the full Metal genre. But that is this album's significance, what was it's sound ??? And in truth it lives up to its reputation. Vincebus Ereptum was a mammoth beast of magical sound proportions. Opening with Summertime Blues the album grabs you with hard fuzzy guitar & the godlike roar of the diminutive Dickie Peterson, and holds you through till it's conclusion. The following 5 cuts are perfect slabs of fuzz & acidic fury. A volatile cocktail of psychedelia, blues & hard rock the album screams along & before you know what has happened you are halfway through the ride & grinning like an idiot. A must have if you like any form of Harder Rock, non-negotiable, this album is Godlike !!!

Best Tracks: Summertime Blues, Rock Me Baby & Out of Focus

The Cult - Electric (1987)

I thought I should start with one I know, I know this one back to front. This album, The Cult's 3rd, is arguably their best, although it was at the time controversial as it was a complete departure from their 2 previous releases. Electric is what it says on the label, Electric, pure Electric. It gallops (not in the Iron Maiden sense) along at full speed dropping a couple of timeless songs along way. In the lower parts it is 7 out of 10 level hard rock that is fun & catchy, but at for more than half of the album the songs are unforgettable jams that show off the unmistakable Cult nuances; Ian Astbury's bluesy rasp & unreplicatable snarls; Billy Duffy's strong Gibson Les Paul tones & slightly punk influenced riffs; all tied together with pure (not to little, but definitely not too much) production, solid songwriting & (too steal from Wikipedia) "pseudo-mysticism" permeating their lyrics. Overall an essential for any Metalhead willing to try out something less harsh, Rock fans who are not afraid of rocking Hard & the occasional Punk who doesn't mind if the singer is absolutely pissed off ... or just pissed.

Best Tracks: Wild Flower, Electric Ocean, Bad Fun, Love Removal Machine, Outlaw & Memphis Hip Shake