What the hell are you listening to?...2008 Edition

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

I finally picked up that Bryan Scary album... having a hard time getting into it believe it or not.

I'm still digging it, but I kinda understand. I read an absolutely scathing review on Pop Matters (I think?) - completely destroyed the album. I'ma huge prog fan, so it doesn't bother me that the songs jump from genre to genre and switch time signatures, etc. I don't want that in most of the pop I listen to, but I like what this guy does.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

+1

I really love the songs Burden and Coil. I've been listening to all of the tracks on youtube.

I'm sure they're taking a ton of crap from the diehard death metal fans for having 4 songs with nothing but clean vocals, but Akerfeldt's voice is so good, and he is so confident with it on this album, that it works perfectly. I'd say Lotus Eater is my favorite of them all - that funky breakdown toward the end is awesome, and the back and forth between the harmonies over the blast beats and the death growls is just phenomenal. I can't say enough good things about this band right now - they are at the top of their game.

[Zelig]

Just got my hands on "Warpaint" by the Black Crowes. I never really liked them, but I am a big fan of the Duane Allman slide guitar, and this grouping of songs is full of it. I like it.

[Karlifornia]

Death Cab For Cutie is now my favorite band. I am hoping to see them in Berkeley on June 21st, but I'm not sure if I can swing it. Gibbard's lyrics, Walla's production...it's all brilliant. I find it hard to get past the first two songs off of Narrow Stairs. Bixby Canyon Bridge and I Will Possess Your Heart. I actually think I Will Possess Your Heart is the I'll Be Watching You for the introspective present day alterna-indie-rock crowd. Such heartfelt stalker lyrics.

My love for Death Cab goes all the way back to their We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes album. Title Track and For What Reason stir me up.

[Young Drachma]

That "I Will Possess Your Heart" track really distracted me from checking out the album, because it's creepy as hell as a title. But I had my Zune on random when I sleep and heard a song The Ice Is Getting Thinner that I really liked and I'll check the rest of the album now.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Death Cab For Cutie is now my favorite band. I find it hard to get past the first two songs off of Narrow Stairs.

Get past them because "Grapevine Fires" and "Your New Twin Sized Bed" are awesome and easily my two favorite songs off the album.

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

I finally picked up that Bryan Scary album... having a hard time getting into it believe it or not.

i saw them a few months ago, and the best line i heard was in the bathroom after the show when a guy said, "that band out there just played 50 songs in 20 minutes."

[Ksyrup]

I'm loving that Bryan Scary album. That, and the new Paul Steel album (which isn't as prog/frenetic but has a similar baroque pop feel to it), are absolutely great.

[Butter]

Can't stop listening to Elbow's "The Seldom Seen Kid" lately. The first half of the album is just masterful.

Also, Crystal Castles self-titled album is some fun electronica... especially if you enjoy video game sound effects.

[Pyser]

the dandy warhols new album "earth to the dandy warhols" is their best in 3 or 4 tries...but still no where as good as their first 3 albums. but theres 3-5 solid, solid songs on it.

[korme]

I can't wait for the new Coldplay album. The same-titled single, Viva La Vida is greatness

[Ksyrup]

This doesn't exactly fit here, but eventually it will, so I'll post this now...


The New Metallica Album - Rock Sound's Heard It!

Well, almost! Today (Wed June 04) Metallica’s management flew into London to exclusively play almost finished tracks from the San Francisco giant’s new studio album.

Set for a release in late August / early September, the as-yet-untitled album is in the final stages of mixing. Recorded with Rick Rubin, the album will feature 10 tracks and clock in at around the 75-minute mark.

The album has been described as “nine epics and one song”, with each of the nine tracks being between six to eight minutes in length. Like the recent Death Cab For Cutie single, the first release is eight minutes in length.

On first impressions and just one listen, Rock Sound can confirm that the songs we’ve heard sound very much like classic Metallica in vibe, harking back to the days of ‘Master Of Puppets’, ‘…And Justice For All’ (but with bass) and ‘The Black Album’ – without sounding dated or tired.

Of the six tracks Rock Sound heard this afternoon, only one had a working title – ‘Flamingo’. With a slow intro, the song was reminiscent of ‘Battery’ in vibe, with two guitar solos and an undercurrent of melody and groove.

The first single is an epic power rocker in the vein of ‘The Unforgiven’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘Sanatorium’, with a mid-tempo, head-banging section and some Thin Lizzy-esque twin guitar riffage.

Another song features the lyrics, “Into abyss, you don’t exist, you can’t resist the Judas kiss”; another features an almost RATM-esque drum ‘n’ bass undercurrent and lyrics about “suicide” and cyanide”; while the final song we heard, dubbed “The Song”, clocks in at under five minutes and is a galloping thrash attack with quirks, and a sniff of Testament about it!

We suspect other song titles could include, ‘Die Hard’, ‘Show Your Scars’, and ‘My Apocalypse’ – but we cannot be held responsible if none of these titles or lyrics are accurate!

Thankfully – there are plenty of Kirk Hammett traditional guitar solos and a decent drum sound. Hetfield’s voice sounds in fine form too.
All of the songs have many different parts to them, giving the impression that the quartet is revisiting the epic vibe of the band’s ‘classic’ period.

To avoid recording the songs, Mr Ulrich had demanded all mobile phones were left at the door. However, nobody noticed Rock Sound’s mini-disc under our flat cap…

hxxp://www.rocksound.tv/articles/1412/The-New-Metallica-Album---Rock-Sounds-Heard-It---.html

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by samifan24

Get past them because "Grapevine Fires" and "Your New Twin Sized Bed" are awesome and easily my two favorite songs off the album.

"Cath..." and "Long Division" are doing it for me at the moment... it's a a great album. They made my personal panetheon of "great" bands with this release. 5 very good or better releases gets you there.... and very, very few bands ever put out 5 albums that fit that criteria for me.

Narrow Stairs is my front-runner for album of the year so far. By a large margin.



I'm kind of digging the Santogold album right now, but ive only listened to it twice... so too early to make any call there.

Check it... "L.E.S. Artistes" http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y9JI0GXkARQ

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

"Cath..." and "Long Division" are doing it for me at the moment... it's a a great album. They made my personal panetheon of "great" bands with this release. 5 very good or better releases gets you there.... and very, very few bands ever put out 5 albums that fit that criteria for me.

Narrow Stairs is my front-runner for album of the year so far. By a large margin.



I'm kind of digging the Santogold album right now, but ive only listened to it twice... so too early to make any call there.

Check it... "L.E.S. Artistes" http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y9JI0GXkARQ

I heard one of their songs on Radio David Byrne last month, and liked it. I'll check it out.

[Young Drachma]

I've been listening to the new Weezer. When it's good, it's really good. Not completely sold yet, but it's solid seeming so far.

Radiohead's greatest hits are out and so, I've been listening to that too. Just to go back to the old days a bit, since I got into them relatively late to begin with after their initial burst.

Checking out the new Opeth. Very excited about it and it seems promising.

[thesloppy]

Melvins - Nude With Boots

Holy crap! I got an early release copy of this from a friend. I dunno who kidnapped the Melvins, or where they were held for the last 12 years, but it appears someone finally let them loose (or more likely, someone finally washed the stink of Mike Patton off of them). At one time the Melvins were my favoritest band in the world, and I've probably seen them live a dozen times over the years....I'm saying that shit not to build up my "street cred", or whatever, but just to say that the Melvins had reached that stage where even many of their fanboys consider them dead on their feet (despite their prolificness), and you could easily argue they reached that stage a decade ago, which is no doubt a big part of why this record ABSOLUTELY floored me.

It's completely predictable, totally redundant, and compared to the Melvins history of trying to 'challenge' their fans (thanks for all those crappy joke records guys!) this sounds a lot like the guys relenting and trying to please their fans for once, by playing up to their limited strengths. In a way, although this record is all new original material, it plays like a 'best of', with each song sounding like the best example of each phase of the bands' (de)evolution. As many times as that obvious formula's failed for umpteen bands (and probably the Melvins themselves) in the past, nearly everything clicks here.

Everything is still slow and sludgy, heavy as hell, the lyrics are still mostly nonsense, and there area a couple throw away 'noise' tracks (so the usual challenges to Melvins skeptics remain pretty much the same), but actual hooks and melody appear to have snuck in here and there. The production is as ham-fisted and simple as the rest of the record, and just as effective. EVERYTHING from bass to both drum kits, is mixed hot and there is nothing subtle going on here, but it sounds crystal clear and loud as hell.

In the past decade, the Melvins have been playing and recording with a bunch of their peers pretty much non-stop, and you could always here those influences, for better or worse, in everything they did. For this record (and the last) it seems obvious the Melvins have been shacked up with their descendants, rather than their peers, having joined forces with sludgy bass & drum unit 'Big Business', making them into a double-drummer sort of EVIL Allman Brothers. Big Business' influence is pretty much the Melvins themselves, so the result is less: noodling around, more: big chunky loud.

If you like any of the sadly-labeled 'stoner rock'/doom bands (QotSA, Kyuss, Electric Wizard, Earth, Sunn(((0), etc. etc.) or Sabbath, or just plain old metal, or hard rock...or stuff with guitars.......or drums......gather all that shit up and sell it, and buy this CD when it comes out on the 8th. (or find one of the bajillion places it's been leaked, if you can't wait).

here's 'Dog Island' in the form of one of those horrible youtube vids, if you wanted to approximate listening to one of the songs through an AM radio, while gazing at a still photo.



Later, in the middle of the album, out of nowhere, comes the title track, sounding like some kind of unholy amalgamation of Thin Lizzy and the 'Peanuts' theme, rolling along at a decidedly UN-Melvins like pace, it sounds like someone tried to make a song by just lazily slapping every '70s AOR hook together, one after the other, and cranking it up to 11........and it is FUCKING GRRRRRRRRRREAT! If anything, the song makes me think "Geez, maybe these guys SHOULDN'T have spent their formative years sniffing glue." Naaaah.

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

NERD "Seeing Sounds" Excellent fusion of rap, rock, and a few other things in between.

[Passacaglia]

(or more likely, someone finally washed the stink of Mike Patton off of them).

As a Chuck Moseley fan, I loved that line.

[Ksyrup]

How could anyone be a fan of Chuck Moseley?

[Passacaglia]

I knew that would bring you out.

95 cents?!?

fuck you i'll skate to the beach

and i'll look better gettin there

[AlexB]

Narrow Stairs is a very good CD and all, but what was the lyricist on when he wrote Talking Bird? The first few lines from that sone are the most hoorible, painful lyrics I can remember hearing in a long, long time. And the pauses just make it worse!

Oh. My talking bird.
Though you know. so few words.
They're on in.finite. repeat.
Like your brain can't keep up with your beak.

Seriously?

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

I knew that would bring you out.

Patton pretty much lost me with everything he did after the 1st Bungle album, but Moseley is probably the worst vocalist I've ever heard. He singlehandly kept FNM from being anything more than a regional/underground sensation. They had a ton of good stuff pre-Patton that would have been big with a semi-competent vocalist. Although I appreciate his efforts on Crab Song, which I break out whenever I need a good laugh.

Dude can probably yell alright, but sing? No freaking way.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Narrow Stairs is a very good CD and all, but what was the lyricist on when he wrote Talking Bird? The first few lines from that sone are the most hoorible, painful lyrics I can remember hearing in a long, long time. And the pauses just make it worse!

Oh. My talking bird.
Though you know. so few words.
They're on in.finite. repeat.
Like your brain can't keep up with your beak.

Seriously?

Take a listen to any of the new Weezer album, and "Talking Bird" will look like the finest writing achievement in world history.

Talking Bird is the weakest track on the album, to me. Tracks 5 and 6 are a distraction from an otherwise perfect album really.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

I've been listening to the new Weezer. When it's good, it's really good. Not completely sold yet, but it's solid seeming so far.

It's a steaming pile of shit. It makes me embarassed to be alive. They've fallen so far its unbelievable... like a musical Lucifer ... or Icarus.... or some other simile that works for you.

[ISiddiqui]

Oh, I've got a bunch of stuff I'm listening to now. I have Consolers of the Lonely by The Raconteurs playing every once in a while. I think its far better than the first album, but doesn't match a White Stripes album. Still good stuff with some amazing songs ("The Switch and the Spur" gets lodged in my head from time to time, but "Old Enough" is the song of the album. "Consoler of the Lonely" and "Salute Your Solution" are great tracks as well).

I'm also listening to Vampire Weekend, the self-titled debut by the afro-pop/rock/chamber music band. It is one of the most interesting things I've ever heard and I have to say I love it. "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma", and "M79" are my favorite tracks, but everyone is pretty good. A nice summer album as it is very upbeat and incredibly fun.

Right now in my CD player is Midnight Boom by The Kills. Think minimalist garage rock backed by electronica. It sounds absolutely amazing. Completely blew me away. Every song is just done perfectly, IMO. The stand outs (hard to really pick) are "Sour Cherry", "Cheap & Cheerful", "U.R.A. Fever", "What New York Used to Be", "Hook and Line", and my favorite "The Tape Song". Did I just name half the album? Yeah, it is just that good.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

It's a steaming pile of shit. It makes me embarassed to be alive. They've fallen so far its unbelievable... like a musical Lucifer ... or Icarus.... or some other simile that works for you.

Wow, I disagree completely. Red is my favorite Weezer album since Pinkerton.

[cthomer5000]

the best Cure song this year is not by the Cure:

Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaa4eGOtrTg

[Young Drachma]

Santogold + Casablancas + NERD = My Drive Thru is bananas. Apparently, Converse made it happen for their 100th anniversary. (thanks Stereogum) Whatever. We'll take it. Santogold, N.E.R.D. and Julian Casablancas from The Strokes.

The Truth About Cats and Dogs (Is That they die) by Pony Up! is a good song.

The Nashville, TN based band Umbrella Tree are best described as Editors on lo-fi, with the male/female blending of The Hush Sound, but way more melodic and strange. But in a really good way. No really, I'm serious.

The new N.E.R.D album Seeing Sounds is out. I'm reviewing it now, but it seems like it's like the boys are back to their old tricks and it's good to know they've still got it. Pharrell Williams and Company might be strange, but the guy is a modern musical genius. He can produce catchy beats, his falsetto is a pain and yet...it's passable in an era where not much stuff really holds up.

I ran into a band called Black Blondie from Minneapolis that I happen to dig too.

Check out Big Legal Mess Records web site. It's down home blues.

[cthomer5000]

I mentioned it earlier in this thread... and after more listens i've got a stronger opinion. The Santogold album is great. The lead single is kind of Tegan & Sara/Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but the rest of the album varies wildly. There is some stuff firmly in M.I.A. territory, some clear nods to Siouxsie Sioux, and some dub reggae type shizz.

Next to the Death Cab For Cutie album ("Narrow Stairs"), this is definitely the best thing I've heard this year.

song links:

"L.E.S. Artistes" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9JI0GXkARQ

"You'll Find A Way" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Tjhy24DeU

"Lights Out" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVIedQ88rxY

[Young Drachma]

I just reviewed Seeing Sounds by N.E.R.D. It's hot. Period. It's got slow songs, a club banger and the usual pop fare that Pharrell seems to produce better than anyone. It's certified material. Not out of the world great, but...a welcome sound on the scene.

[korme]

This isn't going to be popular for this thread, but Tha Carter III is everything it was hyped up to be IMO.

Also looking forward to NERD's album..

[mattlanta]

Notorious B.I.G.- What is Beef

[Lathum]

Six long months I spent in Quincy
Six long months doing nothing at all
Six long months I spent in Quincy
Learning to dance for Flannagins Ball

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by korme

This isn't going to be popular for this thread, but Tha Carter III is everything it was hyped up to be IMO.

Lil' Wayne's new album isn't good. Other than Mr. Carter, Dr. Carter and that one David Banner track, the album is pretty much Weezy F. Baby rambling and stammering through one track after another, letter cameo appearances slay him on track after track.

It's a glorified mixtape and it's not even a good one. He needs to slow down and start working on perfecting his craft, because his approach right now is extremely hit or miss.

[Ksyrup]

I've never heard Timbaland before, because I'm fairly certain I know what I'm (not) missing, but unfortunately Chris Cornell hasn't followed my lead. From the sounds of this commercial, this is going to be an abomination. Since Soundgarden broke up, it's pretty clear that this guy is truly lost and has no musical direction whatsoever. His first solo album showed some promise (particularly the first single), but otherwise, this guy has just wasted the past decade or so of his career.

Timbaland Calls Collaboration with Chris Cornell His 'Best Work'

By Brian Orloff

Originally posted Thursday March 27, 2008 11:15 AM EDT

In-demand hip-hop producer Timbaland is making a rock and roll crossover. On Ryan Seacrest's "On Air" radio show Thursday, it was announced that he is producing Chris Cornell's third solo album.

"This is the best work I've done in my career," Timbaland told Seacrest. And Cornell – a former member of Audioslave and, most famously, Soundgarden – was equally enthusiastic about the collaboration. Said Cornell: "This is the most excited I've been about an album in years. The music is natural, not self-conscious ... open."

Predicting Cornell will be the "first rock star in the club", Timbaland says he's currently mixing the album, and hopes to release it within a month. No title or released date has been confirmed.

In February, guests at PEOPLE's pre-Grammy party at the Avalon in Los Angeles got an early taste of Cornell's new music – as the rocker performed a song at the bash, which featured Timbaland and a fleet of his former collaborators including Missy Elliott. Timbaland has also famously worked with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado on their recent projects.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I've never heard Timbaland before, because I'm fairly certain I know what I'm (not) missing, but unfortunately Chris Cornell hasn't followed my lead.

You probably have without knowing it.

[Young Drachma]

Timbaland is sorta insane and feels himself too much, but that said...given he's already conquered pop, this is a challenge that ought to be interesting. I doubt it'll be good if he sticks to his format of 1) inserting himself into songs too much and 2) fusing beats into tracks that don't need them. Hopefully, he just appreciates what works in rock that rock fans want to hear and doesn't try to brow beat us with some sort of bizarre crossover album.

So long as he doesn't, it should be good times. Pharrell has proven an ability to produce rap, rock and anything else with great results, so there is a model for it. We'll just have to see.

[Ksyrup]

Possibly. If he's been on commercials, most likely. Then again, I never heard some Fall Out Boy song from a commercial that apparently was plastered all over TV last summer. I certainly never hear that kind of music anywhere else. When Hey Ya was such a big thing, I had to actively seek it out to hear it.

[Draft Dodger]

it's also worth pointing out that, iirc, Timbaland is a fan of rock.

[Butter]

Danger Mouse produced the last Black Keys album, and I thought that was pretty good.

That said, I find it hard to imagine this won't suck.

[Ksyrup]

I hope his music production is more creative than this suggests! lol

[path12]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

The Truth About Cats and Dogs (Is That they die) by Pony Up! is a good song.

Good pick. I was obsessed with this a few months ago.

[korme]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Lil' Wayne's new album isn't good. Other than Mr. Carter, Dr. Carter and that one David Banner track, the album is pretty much Weezy F. Baby rambling and stammering through one track after another, letter cameo appearances slay him on track after track.

It's a glorified mixtape and it's not even a good one. He needs to slow down and start working on perfecting his craft, because his approach right now is extremely hit or miss.

I understand wanting to be a critic, but plain and simple the album is fire...

[Draft Dodger]

is fire good or bad?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

is fire good or bad?

Fire means he thinks it's 'hot' and therefore 'out of this world'.

It's a popular refrain and the critics agree with his view.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

the best Cure song this year is not by the Cure:

Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaa4eGOtrTg

Their EP is fantastic... though i don't think they'll hold for a full album... although i thought the same about Los Campesinos! and that album was fun.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Can't stop listening to Elbow's "The Seldom Seen Kid" lately. The first half of the album is just masterful.

Also, Crystal Castles self-titled album is some fun electronica... especially if you enjoy video game sound effects.

Elbow's album is really good for sure. I just got around to really listening to it.

[Groundhog]

Elbow have a new album out? Hmm... I see that Elbow have actually brought out two albums since Cast of Thousands... I'm well and truly out of the loop... Asleep in the Back was an amazing album that I still listen to a fair bit, but I didn't dig Cast of Thousands quite so much. Going to pick up The Seldom Seen Kid first chance, but is Leaders of the Free World worth grabbing as well?

[Young Drachma]

The Winnie Coopers, an Australian hip-hop group. Track is called Substance.

[Young Drachma]

Korean female rapper named Tasha.