sir mix-a-lot
02-28-2007, 09:38 PM
Here is is! The greatest column on the entire Internet, the way it was meant to be seen! Loaded with extras and never-before-seen albums. If you were a fan of the original series, wait until you cast your eyes upon the Ultimate Collection.
Alex Isn't Doing Much To Combat The Ever-Present Debate Over His Sexuality
Sigur Ros (http://www.sigurros.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sigurros2.jpg:
( )
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sigurros)
Okay so, up until about 3 hours ago, my pick for this week was Anberlin's Cities, because it's an excellent record. But then, a girl I've recently let myself stupidly fall for quite a bit decided to do a complete 180 on me. Out of the blue. And thus, my night has consisted so far of watching La Vita e Bella and now will conclude with heavy listening of this record. Because no music screams "look how sorry I'm feeling for myself" quite like good ol' Sigur Ros. I'm also about to get a marker pen to fill in the brackets with (songs to listen to whilst crying over girls that aren't written by Chris Carraba) for future reference. I'll probably have to write small though. It's 2:43am. I'm typing more than I need to. Listen to Sigur Ros. Don't listen to girls.
Editor's Note: This is really eerie. Last week was the first time Sigur Ros made it into a Listening Station. It was also the first LS selection I received from the prior week. And then this week, Sigur Ros leads again. With a different album. Unprecedented, especially when considering how great this band is and how long it took them to make even a debut appearance. Remarkable.
Also, I left an awkward sentence alone in this write-up. See if you can find it! Misplaced modifier hunt!
Johnny, When Asked If He Would Like Some More Pop Punk Generally Replies
Sherwood (http://www.sherwoodmusic.net)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sherwood.jpg:
A Different Light
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sherwood)
I get CDs in the mail all the time and most of them suck. Recently, however, I received a package from MySpace Records and inside was A Different Light, the new album from the California band called Sherwood. Right away I knew that this record was certainly not going to suck. Sherwood combines the power pop sound of Melee, the indie-ness of The Format, and the overall feel of Jack's Mannequin, wraps it all together and comes up with one of the most satisfying pop records that I've heard in a long time. So let's do some math now. You take a very accessible, all-ages sound, add to that the promotional power of MySpace, and what does that equal? Lots of fans. Lots of sales. Lots of haters. And it makes me one happy camper.
Editor's Note: I really like the album art to this for some reason. Also, I remain bitter that I still never get any free CDs in the mail unless it's because I used a gift certificate. Additionally, Johnny apparently did not get last week's memo RE: capitalizing the letters when you type "CD."
MJ Asks That This Record Not Be Glossed Over
Glos (http://www.lovittrecords.com/artists.php?artists_id=49)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/glos.jpg:
Harmonium
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/glos)
When the guys in Engine Down abruptly announced their break-up shortly after the release of their self-titled, fans lamented, cried, and begged them not to go. Since then the cast that once made up this memorable act has moved on to other projects. Luckily for those fans that have chosen not to go along with the strides, they now have a bit of reprieve. Thanks to the powers of the internet, Keeley Davis has partnered up with his old bandmate Cornbread Compton, along with sister Maura Davis (Denali, Ambulette), to create Glos.
Despite rekindling alliances of the past, the group’s debut effort, Harmonium, is a bit of a different beast from the type of barebones indie one would expect from this trio. Percussion-driven, slightly sampled and lush with ambience, Harmonium distantly calls to mind what a cross between Engine Down’s Demure era would sound like if it met in a head-on collision with the defunct Swords’ Metropolis. Even though the release date is set for March 27th, there’s now an even bigger reason to catch Sparta on tour. The album is available at every show.
Editor's Note: Strangely, the self-titled is the only Engine Down disc I don't own. That band was great.
Jeremy Is Monochromatic Planetary, Planetary Monochromatic
Monochromatic (http://www.monochromaticmusic.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/monochromatic.jpg:
Monochromatic
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/monochromaticmusic)
Monochromatic was one of those rarities. You get a friend request on MySpace from a band you've never heard of and will probably never have the time to go check out. Fortunately, my friend had received a request from the same band days before and did go check them out. At his request, I went and gave Monochromatic a listen and, to my pleasant surprise, I found myself liking them. A lot.
Monochromatic has a strong pop sensibility with rock know-how and a flair for piano. I know, I know…"Hasn't that been done before... like 800 times?" The answer is yes, but you always have those that seem to have the right blend and manage to stick out in your mind; Monochromatic is one of those. They have a sound somewhat comparable to Dikta, but with much more of a pop leaning. They would easily fit on a tour with Mute Math (for whom they did open a date back in October, coincidentally). The singer slightly hearkens the sound that the guy from Dishwalla had on their first CD (the one everyone dug!).
The band doesn't limit itself to Coldplay-esque ballads, nor does it attempt to emulate the growingly popular Brit-rock sound. They just play rock, simply put. Rock with feeling - not your "Detroit Rock City," "I'm in it for the girls" kind of rock - but the kind that finds a way to move you without having you looking for the nearest pillow the whole album. The vocals are heartfelt while the music is quirky enough for yours truly. I've actually listened to this CD for a good number of months now (since last September, I believe) and it still has staying power. It's not going to make everyone's #1 spot on their top whatever of the year, but it would definitely be in contention for placement on the list.
Editor's Note: I don’t even like the Beastie Boys. There, I said it. Mostly, it's because I never had a monkey. Nor did I ever really wish to party, so I didn't care about my right to do so. My dislike could stem from other things, though.
Also, no one "dug" Dishwalla, Jeremy. No one. "Counting Blue Cars" was stupid and they nearly made me hate that Depeche Mode tribute album I own. Thank God Failure, Deftones, Rammstein, Hooverphonic, and the like saved it from that goddamn band. Their cover of "Policy of Truth" was an abomination.
Furthermore, upon visiting this MySpace page, why can't good pop bands get good haircuts? It makes me want to hate them. Is there a genre of music around nowadays that doesn't require you to look like a gigantic chode?
Scott Is A Swamp Buggy Badass, Not A French Quarter Faggot
Quintron And Miss Pussycat (http://www.quintronandmisspussycat.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/quintron.jpg:
Swamp Tech / Electric Swamp
Listen (www.myspace.com/mrquintron)
I've been a fan of Quintron for a while, so I must give my heartfelt thanks to none other than Ben Rice himself for bringing this previously-unheard collection of tunes to my attention. It's good shit, and you should check it out if you too are a fan of totally non-sucky music.
Editor's Note: I selected this album a few months back when I decided to give it its first listen. It's still really fantastic. Obviously, the one difference with Scott selecting it instead of me is that the album art is now centered.
Oh, and don't be offended by his headline. Those are song titles. It's okay.
Armand Wows Us With His Taste, Confuses Us With His Poorly-Structured Writing Style
Scraps Of Tape (http://www.scrapsoftape.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/scrapsoftape.jpg:
This Is A Copy Is This A Copy
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/scrapsoftape)
When I first listened to Scraps of Tape’s album Read Between The Lines At All Times, there were a few tracks that really caught my attention. But overall, I felt that the band had tremendous amount of potential that was not being put to use. Their new album This is a Copy Is This a Copy recently came out and it has completely blown me out of the water. They have put all their potential to use and have created something really special.
Scraps of Tape is a post-rock band, but not you run-of-the-mill quiet-loud band with exhaustive buildups and eventual walls of noise. From the heavy guitars that open up the CD on “Death as it Should Be” to the minimalist “Pickpockets Vow,” Scraps of Tape covers a wide variety of post-rock. What is most noteworthy though is that some of the best tracks are those that have vocals, which are sung perfectly throughout the record. And last but not least, “Since All The Birds Are Moving, Shouldn't We” is the post-rock track to end all post-rock tracks.
Editor's Note: I think Babian went a little retarded on this one, because he submitted a Word document of this, but the writeup was actually twice as long as what you see above. Because he somehow managed to copy/paste it into the file again, which completely baffled me. When I first read through it and got to the third paragraph, I immediately thought the write-up didn't flow at all and I stopped reading. It was only upon editing it that I realized what had happened. And I laughed. But I will say this: Armand has impeccable taste and is the only reader who regularly contributes to this, the most awesome semi-regularly-appearing article on the entire Internet.
It does trouble me, however, that he listens to this music while in the water. What if, for instance, a riptide came through? An undertow grabbed hold? A shark attacked? But then again, he may not be in the ocean or on such a large lake that these things would happen. But still, even in a small lake, he could be struck by an inattentive Ski-Doo rider or pulled down by some fratboy jackass. The only other possibility is that he listens to music while he takes a bath, but that idea is repulsive. Baths are just you sitting in your own filth for half an hour while you sweat profusely. This is seriously most troubling. Maybe Armand is a fish. Yeah, maybe. Maybe. Definitely. I hope he can adapt to landlife, what with not having legs and breathing through gills.
Jared Is Tired Of This Artsty-Fartsy, Post-Rock, Quirky-To-Be-Different Bologna, So He Lovingly Provides Us With Some Steak And Potatoes (With A Zesty Kick) Metal
This Moment (http://www.uprisingrecords.com/new_site/html/artist.php?bandid=43)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/thismoment.jpg:
Star<Parallel
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/thismoment)
I've been real lazy the last month or so and haven't submitted any albums for this great article we call the Listening Station. Maybe it's just because nothing excited me enough to put some words down about it. This last week was different, as I found an artist that was too good to pass up: This Moment.
Just when I thought hardcore and metal were going to become stagnant, along comes an album like Star>Parallel to put things back on track. A new spark. Not once on the album do you hear a clean vocal, yet there is an overwhelming sense of melody somewhere within all that screaming and thrashing guitar.
Instrumentally, these guys are top-notch. Musically, I'd put them in the same corner as Twelve Tribes, Misery Signals, or maybe a fresh incarnation of Poison the Well. Pretty good company if you ask me. I see big things happening for these guys after this album hits the streets.
Editor's Note: You know what? Reading that there's a sense of melody to the vocals on a rip-roaring, harshly-screamed record always makes me want to see what the band is like, as that always fascinates me. Upon a visit to the site, my conclusion is that, while I hear the melodic-without-singing thing, two things bother me: It doesn't really floor me and, during "Watercolor Vocabulary," when Kevin Van Ouwerkerk screams "Suffocate!" I think of Aaron Lewis of Staind. But immediately afterward, the song picks up a fair bit. Still not something I could see myself buying, but I definitely also think if you're a fan of Jared's taste, this will, without a doubt, be something you should, no, need, to check out.
Chris Conlan Signals For Me To Bring Out The O.S.H.T.I. (Obviously Shitty, Highly Translucent Ignorami) Machine
From Autumn To Ashes (http://fromautumntoashes.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/fata.jpg:
Holding A Wolf By The Ears
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/fromautumntoashes)
My history with From Autumn to Ashes has always been a rocky one. While I was big on Ben Perri's screaming, Fran's melodic singing ruined too many tunes in my opinion. Well, when I heard that Ben had departed from the band, I was a bit scared, but my worries apparently were not need. On Holding a Wolf By the Ears, Fran absolutely takes a stand to keep FATA alive and he does one hell of a job. Personally, this is probably my favorite FATA disc. Everything you loved about the band is still intact. Fran also seems to have improved his melodic singing to mesh well with his screaming. Sounds 100 times better than when Ben would scream.
Get amped for this release.
Editor's Note: Oh man. This write-up might trump the Chumbawamba submission from last week on the Comedic Richter Scale. Didn't everyone and their little brother stop caring about this band in 2003? Holy Criminy. At least the Chumbawamba thing was partially in jest and fits a setting perfectly (supposedly. Hearsay, your Honor!). But this…this is bad. I haven't heard it, so I really can't say "this is bad." But I certainly can say "this can't be good."
Dave Spak Doesn't Submit Often, But His Picks Are Always Great. I Guess You Could Say He's Our Most Consistent Inconsistent Non-Contributing Contributor
The Jesus Lizard (http://www.touchandgorecords.com/bands/album.php?id=311)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/jesuslizard.jpg:
Goat
Listen (http://www.touchandgorecords.com/bands/album.php?id=311#)
While on my kick of under-appreciated music from the '90s, there is one album I absolutely couldn’t stop listening to. That album is The Jesus Lizard’s seminal 1991 album, Goat. From the start, the tremendous rhythm section crafts some of the best grooves ever heard in dissonant punk rock. Singer David Yow delivers some remarkably intense vocals over abrasive guitars on tracks such as “Seasick.” Steve Albini’s "production" is also notable in mixing everything together flawlessly. With all the praise These Arms Are Snakes receives here, I would hope there are at least a few people familiar with The Jesus Lizard, since they were clearly a big influence on TAAS. It’s only 9 tracks long, at just over 30 minutes, but every song is excellent, giving it exceptional replay value.
Editor's Note: I cannot emphasize this enough, but whenever Dave contributes something, I know doing this is worth it. He always reminds me of bands or albums I forgot about. He is the wind beneath my wings. Plus he always has his tags right, never spells anything wrong, rarely has awkward phrasing, and always provides the requisite links. Definitely the most underrated guy on staff. I think I’m going to start a Dave Spak fan club on MySpace. Not one of those crappy "groups," but an actual page where you can be a friend to the Dave Spak Fan Club and everything is Dave-inspired. Actually, I'm not going to do that. But someone should.
Jeff Can Say What He Wants, But We All Know This Pick Was Inspired By His Love Of Sting's Work On The Tarzan Soundtrack
The Police (http://www.thepolicetour.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/thepolice.jpg:
Ghost In The Machine
Listen (http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Machine-Digipak-Police/dp/B00008BRDW/sr=8-1/qid=1172715544/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-0312992-5291359?ie=UTF8&s=music)
The Police were a pleasant surprise for me a few months back. I had fixed up my lady's record player for her as a gift and was anxious to add some records to get the collecting started. I picked up this release on a whim and found myself enjoying its inventive bass lines, vaguely punk slant and tight technical prowess from all the musicians. Honestly there's a bit too much ska throughout their catalog for my taste, but also enough innovation to keep me interested through the patches of whiteboy reggae. When I read that their reunion tour was coming to my neck of the woods in mid-June, it was a pleasure to pony up 100 bucks a seat to catch this sure-to-be-memorable live show.
Editor's Note: I don't think Jeff even listened to music before he "fixed up [his] lady's record player." It seems to inspire all of his picks here.
Adam Actually Made Me Utter A True "You You Tee Ef" In My Own Private Office With This One
Chevelle (http://www.chevelleinc.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/chevelle.jpg:
Vena Sera
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/chevelle)
Prior to the release of Chevelle's third studio album, This Type of Thinking Could Do Us In, their popularity was higher than ever. However, after the release of Thinking…, the feeling was that they "mailed it in" creatively and apathy begin to set in even amongst their long standing fans. They started being lumped in with radio rock mainstays such as Staind, Three Days Grace, Seether, and Breaking Benjamin. To newer listeners of the band this may seem totally appropriate; however, for anyone who discovered the band upon the release of their jaw-dropping debut, Point #1, nothing could be more disheartening. So like many bands who rise from nothing to massive success, Chevelle had to decide what legacy they want to leave and, with their fourth album, Vena Sera, they are certainly back on track. It's their heaviest album (debatable, I'm sure) and certainly feels like their most accomplished, both from an artistic standpoint and production-wise. Every single track slams you in the back of the head with a massive wall of sound that's as catchy as it is thunderous. It draws to mind everything from the sonic velocity of Tool to the spacey quirkiness of older 30 Seconds to Mars. Chevelle now sounds like a band that's not quite ready to leave the spotlight, but not willing to sacrifice their integrity to stay there.
Editor's Note: Not only did Adam pick this, but prior to my opening it, he asked what I thought of it. I told him I'd let him know when I got to it. If you want to read our AIM transcript at the moment of opening, it looks like this:
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/dafuck.JPG
Plus he sent me the album art as a two billion pixel by two point one three five billion pixel hi-res bitmap image. I'm pretty sure he hates me.
Tom Butcher Should Warn You That He Goes To
Sleep (http://www.earache.com/bands/sleep/sleep.html)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sleep.jpg:
Sleep's Holy Mountain
Listen (http://www.metaltracks.com/cgi-bin/shop.cgi?page=Catalogue/shop_item&view_item=MOSH%20079)
If, by chance, you enjoy metal, marijuana, Black Sabbath, or any combination thereof, Sleep is the band for you. Though other records by this power trio are interesting (particularly Dopesmoker, an album consisting of one 64-minute song), Sleep's Holy Mountain is both the most accessible and probably their best musically as well. After their dissolution, guitarist Matt Pike would go on to found High on Fire, but this is where it all started. There are some who say that this is the greatest stoner metal album of all time. I don't know if I agree with them, but this baby still rocks. Regardless, it was highly influential, and you should give it a shot if you haven't already.
Editor's Note: But he's not tired, he's not tired.
Ben Folds Five lyrics bookending a Matt Pike-related write-up feels so damned right.
Jordan Swears He Is Not A Gangly, Socially-Awkward Irish Gent Who Just Wants To See His Nearest And Dearest, Most Long-Lasting Business Relations Gain Even More Money, Fame, Notoriety, And Success…In The Year Two Thousand
Max Richter (http://www.maxrichter.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/maxrichter.jpg:
Memoryhouse
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/maxrichtermusic)
I'm pretty annoyed. I have this whole nice blurb written up and it sounds really good and I'm happy... and then Safari crashes and it's gone. It sucked; I was pissed. But then I laughed, because the artist and album I picked do not coincide with my current state of mind - but it did when I first wrote it.
This is basically what it consisted of, in much fewer words: Known mostly as a neo-classical minimalist, memoryhouse proves, without a doubt, that Mr. Richter is the next Philip Glass. Check out his other works as well; they're all really amazing.
Editor's Note: This is a Max Weinberg/Andy Richter project, right? There's no way it couldn't be, no matter what Jordan Conan Silverberg-O'Brien is trying to tell me.
Chris Pandolfo And Ben Rice Decided This Album Was The Best Thing Going This Past Week, Which, While The Opinion Contained Hereafter May Be Incredibly Biased, Means This Is The Best Thing Going On Earth (Band, Not Necessarily Album)
Meshuggah (http://www.meshuggah.net)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/meshuggah.jpg:
Chaosphere
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/meshuggah)
Chris Pandolfo: It's been over two years since I've listened to this disc. Wow. I forgot how heavy it was. So much anger in Jens's yells and Tomas's signatures on the drums are unreal. It totally makes sense why so many metal and hardcore bands are influenced by Meshuggah. This album is awesome.
Do you really think it's true that these guys NEVER practice together? Because if so, I may stop making music.
Ben Rice: I was talking to a well-aged, self-proclaimed metalhead at work the other day because, on occasion, our tastes synch up (not often, though). We got to talking about Iron Maiden, Slayer, you know, classic metal bands. And I asked him what he thought of Meshuggah. He said he didn't like what he'd heard. I wasn't quick to judge, though, because, after all, I was influenced to buy my first Meshuggah album by a Rolling Stone article in 1999. It was the classic Destroy Erase Improve. I say the word "classic" now, but at the tender age of 16, that shit was noise and nothing else. I couldn't bear to listen to it. Of course, I was young, naïve, hell, pretty much musically-retarded. This was, after all, the nu-metal age and if there's one thing Meshuggah absolutely isn't, it's nu-metal. Anyway, I eventually bought Chaosphere. I first had to learn to love DEI though. I'm glad I went this route, though, as I'm pretty sure my head would have exploded upon itself if I'd heard Chaosphere instead of DEI in that barren Minneapolis hotel room, via shitty headphones, on that fateful day. It's hard for me to say which I enjoy more, but this one's definitely, shit, I guess I'll say chaotic, even though I'll hate myself for it. In any event, it's safe to say that, despite their last two offerings, which were, much like the last two Tool albums, overly-self-indulgent piles of high-class, nearly-extinct, distinctly-beautiful, yet still feces, dungpiles, that Meshuggah is, was, and will be the best metal band on the planet.
Editor's Note: What better way to go out than a gigantic, poorly-worded, run-on sentence? Goodnight, everyone!
Alex Isn't Doing Much To Combat The Ever-Present Debate Over His Sexuality
Sigur Ros (http://www.sigurros.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sigurros2.jpg:
( )
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sigurros)
Okay so, up until about 3 hours ago, my pick for this week was Anberlin's Cities, because it's an excellent record. But then, a girl I've recently let myself stupidly fall for quite a bit decided to do a complete 180 on me. Out of the blue. And thus, my night has consisted so far of watching La Vita e Bella and now will conclude with heavy listening of this record. Because no music screams "look how sorry I'm feeling for myself" quite like good ol' Sigur Ros. I'm also about to get a marker pen to fill in the brackets with (songs to listen to whilst crying over girls that aren't written by Chris Carraba) for future reference. I'll probably have to write small though. It's 2:43am. I'm typing more than I need to. Listen to Sigur Ros. Don't listen to girls.
Editor's Note: This is really eerie. Last week was the first time Sigur Ros made it into a Listening Station. It was also the first LS selection I received from the prior week. And then this week, Sigur Ros leads again. With a different album. Unprecedented, especially when considering how great this band is and how long it took them to make even a debut appearance. Remarkable.
Also, I left an awkward sentence alone in this write-up. See if you can find it! Misplaced modifier hunt!
Johnny, When Asked If He Would Like Some More Pop Punk Generally Replies
Sherwood (http://www.sherwoodmusic.net)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sherwood.jpg:
A Different Light
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sherwood)
I get CDs in the mail all the time and most of them suck. Recently, however, I received a package from MySpace Records and inside was A Different Light, the new album from the California band called Sherwood. Right away I knew that this record was certainly not going to suck. Sherwood combines the power pop sound of Melee, the indie-ness of The Format, and the overall feel of Jack's Mannequin, wraps it all together and comes up with one of the most satisfying pop records that I've heard in a long time. So let's do some math now. You take a very accessible, all-ages sound, add to that the promotional power of MySpace, and what does that equal? Lots of fans. Lots of sales. Lots of haters. And it makes me one happy camper.
Editor's Note: I really like the album art to this for some reason. Also, I remain bitter that I still never get any free CDs in the mail unless it's because I used a gift certificate. Additionally, Johnny apparently did not get last week's memo RE: capitalizing the letters when you type "CD."
MJ Asks That This Record Not Be Glossed Over
Glos (http://www.lovittrecords.com/artists.php?artists_id=49)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/glos.jpg:
Harmonium
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/glos)
When the guys in Engine Down abruptly announced their break-up shortly after the release of their self-titled, fans lamented, cried, and begged them not to go. Since then the cast that once made up this memorable act has moved on to other projects. Luckily for those fans that have chosen not to go along with the strides, they now have a bit of reprieve. Thanks to the powers of the internet, Keeley Davis has partnered up with his old bandmate Cornbread Compton, along with sister Maura Davis (Denali, Ambulette), to create Glos.
Despite rekindling alliances of the past, the group’s debut effort, Harmonium, is a bit of a different beast from the type of barebones indie one would expect from this trio. Percussion-driven, slightly sampled and lush with ambience, Harmonium distantly calls to mind what a cross between Engine Down’s Demure era would sound like if it met in a head-on collision with the defunct Swords’ Metropolis. Even though the release date is set for March 27th, there’s now an even bigger reason to catch Sparta on tour. The album is available at every show.
Editor's Note: Strangely, the self-titled is the only Engine Down disc I don't own. That band was great.
Jeremy Is Monochromatic Planetary, Planetary Monochromatic
Monochromatic (http://www.monochromaticmusic.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/monochromatic.jpg:
Monochromatic
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/monochromaticmusic)
Monochromatic was one of those rarities. You get a friend request on MySpace from a band you've never heard of and will probably never have the time to go check out. Fortunately, my friend had received a request from the same band days before and did go check them out. At his request, I went and gave Monochromatic a listen and, to my pleasant surprise, I found myself liking them. A lot.
Monochromatic has a strong pop sensibility with rock know-how and a flair for piano. I know, I know…"Hasn't that been done before... like 800 times?" The answer is yes, but you always have those that seem to have the right blend and manage to stick out in your mind; Monochromatic is one of those. They have a sound somewhat comparable to Dikta, but with much more of a pop leaning. They would easily fit on a tour with Mute Math (for whom they did open a date back in October, coincidentally). The singer slightly hearkens the sound that the guy from Dishwalla had on their first CD (the one everyone dug!).
The band doesn't limit itself to Coldplay-esque ballads, nor does it attempt to emulate the growingly popular Brit-rock sound. They just play rock, simply put. Rock with feeling - not your "Detroit Rock City," "I'm in it for the girls" kind of rock - but the kind that finds a way to move you without having you looking for the nearest pillow the whole album. The vocals are heartfelt while the music is quirky enough for yours truly. I've actually listened to this CD for a good number of months now (since last September, I believe) and it still has staying power. It's not going to make everyone's #1 spot on their top whatever of the year, but it would definitely be in contention for placement on the list.
Editor's Note: I don’t even like the Beastie Boys. There, I said it. Mostly, it's because I never had a monkey. Nor did I ever really wish to party, so I didn't care about my right to do so. My dislike could stem from other things, though.
Also, no one "dug" Dishwalla, Jeremy. No one. "Counting Blue Cars" was stupid and they nearly made me hate that Depeche Mode tribute album I own. Thank God Failure, Deftones, Rammstein, Hooverphonic, and the like saved it from that goddamn band. Their cover of "Policy of Truth" was an abomination.
Furthermore, upon visiting this MySpace page, why can't good pop bands get good haircuts? It makes me want to hate them. Is there a genre of music around nowadays that doesn't require you to look like a gigantic chode?
Scott Is A Swamp Buggy Badass, Not A French Quarter Faggot
Quintron And Miss Pussycat (http://www.quintronandmisspussycat.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/quintron.jpg:
Swamp Tech / Electric Swamp
Listen (www.myspace.com/mrquintron)
I've been a fan of Quintron for a while, so I must give my heartfelt thanks to none other than Ben Rice himself for bringing this previously-unheard collection of tunes to my attention. It's good shit, and you should check it out if you too are a fan of totally non-sucky music.
Editor's Note: I selected this album a few months back when I decided to give it its first listen. It's still really fantastic. Obviously, the one difference with Scott selecting it instead of me is that the album art is now centered.
Oh, and don't be offended by his headline. Those are song titles. It's okay.
Armand Wows Us With His Taste, Confuses Us With His Poorly-Structured Writing Style
Scraps Of Tape (http://www.scrapsoftape.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/scrapsoftape.jpg:
This Is A Copy Is This A Copy
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/scrapsoftape)
When I first listened to Scraps of Tape’s album Read Between The Lines At All Times, there were a few tracks that really caught my attention. But overall, I felt that the band had tremendous amount of potential that was not being put to use. Their new album This is a Copy Is This a Copy recently came out and it has completely blown me out of the water. They have put all their potential to use and have created something really special.
Scraps of Tape is a post-rock band, but not you run-of-the-mill quiet-loud band with exhaustive buildups and eventual walls of noise. From the heavy guitars that open up the CD on “Death as it Should Be” to the minimalist “Pickpockets Vow,” Scraps of Tape covers a wide variety of post-rock. What is most noteworthy though is that some of the best tracks are those that have vocals, which are sung perfectly throughout the record. And last but not least, “Since All The Birds Are Moving, Shouldn't We” is the post-rock track to end all post-rock tracks.
Editor's Note: I think Babian went a little retarded on this one, because he submitted a Word document of this, but the writeup was actually twice as long as what you see above. Because he somehow managed to copy/paste it into the file again, which completely baffled me. When I first read through it and got to the third paragraph, I immediately thought the write-up didn't flow at all and I stopped reading. It was only upon editing it that I realized what had happened. And I laughed. But I will say this: Armand has impeccable taste and is the only reader who regularly contributes to this, the most awesome semi-regularly-appearing article on the entire Internet.
It does trouble me, however, that he listens to this music while in the water. What if, for instance, a riptide came through? An undertow grabbed hold? A shark attacked? But then again, he may not be in the ocean or on such a large lake that these things would happen. But still, even in a small lake, he could be struck by an inattentive Ski-Doo rider or pulled down by some fratboy jackass. The only other possibility is that he listens to music while he takes a bath, but that idea is repulsive. Baths are just you sitting in your own filth for half an hour while you sweat profusely. This is seriously most troubling. Maybe Armand is a fish. Yeah, maybe. Maybe. Definitely. I hope he can adapt to landlife, what with not having legs and breathing through gills.
Jared Is Tired Of This Artsty-Fartsy, Post-Rock, Quirky-To-Be-Different Bologna, So He Lovingly Provides Us With Some Steak And Potatoes (With A Zesty Kick) Metal
This Moment (http://www.uprisingrecords.com/new_site/html/artist.php?bandid=43)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/thismoment.jpg:
Star<Parallel
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/thismoment)
I've been real lazy the last month or so and haven't submitted any albums for this great article we call the Listening Station. Maybe it's just because nothing excited me enough to put some words down about it. This last week was different, as I found an artist that was too good to pass up: This Moment.
Just when I thought hardcore and metal were going to become stagnant, along comes an album like Star>Parallel to put things back on track. A new spark. Not once on the album do you hear a clean vocal, yet there is an overwhelming sense of melody somewhere within all that screaming and thrashing guitar.
Instrumentally, these guys are top-notch. Musically, I'd put them in the same corner as Twelve Tribes, Misery Signals, or maybe a fresh incarnation of Poison the Well. Pretty good company if you ask me. I see big things happening for these guys after this album hits the streets.
Editor's Note: You know what? Reading that there's a sense of melody to the vocals on a rip-roaring, harshly-screamed record always makes me want to see what the band is like, as that always fascinates me. Upon a visit to the site, my conclusion is that, while I hear the melodic-without-singing thing, two things bother me: It doesn't really floor me and, during "Watercolor Vocabulary," when Kevin Van Ouwerkerk screams "Suffocate!" I think of Aaron Lewis of Staind. But immediately afterward, the song picks up a fair bit. Still not something I could see myself buying, but I definitely also think if you're a fan of Jared's taste, this will, without a doubt, be something you should, no, need, to check out.
Chris Conlan Signals For Me To Bring Out The O.S.H.T.I. (Obviously Shitty, Highly Translucent Ignorami) Machine
From Autumn To Ashes (http://fromautumntoashes.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/fata.jpg:
Holding A Wolf By The Ears
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/fromautumntoashes)
My history with From Autumn to Ashes has always been a rocky one. While I was big on Ben Perri's screaming, Fran's melodic singing ruined too many tunes in my opinion. Well, when I heard that Ben had departed from the band, I was a bit scared, but my worries apparently were not need. On Holding a Wolf By the Ears, Fran absolutely takes a stand to keep FATA alive and he does one hell of a job. Personally, this is probably my favorite FATA disc. Everything you loved about the band is still intact. Fran also seems to have improved his melodic singing to mesh well with his screaming. Sounds 100 times better than when Ben would scream.
Get amped for this release.
Editor's Note: Oh man. This write-up might trump the Chumbawamba submission from last week on the Comedic Richter Scale. Didn't everyone and their little brother stop caring about this band in 2003? Holy Criminy. At least the Chumbawamba thing was partially in jest and fits a setting perfectly (supposedly. Hearsay, your Honor!). But this…this is bad. I haven't heard it, so I really can't say "this is bad." But I certainly can say "this can't be good."
Dave Spak Doesn't Submit Often, But His Picks Are Always Great. I Guess You Could Say He's Our Most Consistent Inconsistent Non-Contributing Contributor
The Jesus Lizard (http://www.touchandgorecords.com/bands/album.php?id=311)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/jesuslizard.jpg:
Goat
Listen (http://www.touchandgorecords.com/bands/album.php?id=311#)
While on my kick of under-appreciated music from the '90s, there is one album I absolutely couldn’t stop listening to. That album is The Jesus Lizard’s seminal 1991 album, Goat. From the start, the tremendous rhythm section crafts some of the best grooves ever heard in dissonant punk rock. Singer David Yow delivers some remarkably intense vocals over abrasive guitars on tracks such as “Seasick.” Steve Albini’s "production" is also notable in mixing everything together flawlessly. With all the praise These Arms Are Snakes receives here, I would hope there are at least a few people familiar with The Jesus Lizard, since they were clearly a big influence on TAAS. It’s only 9 tracks long, at just over 30 minutes, but every song is excellent, giving it exceptional replay value.
Editor's Note: I cannot emphasize this enough, but whenever Dave contributes something, I know doing this is worth it. He always reminds me of bands or albums I forgot about. He is the wind beneath my wings. Plus he always has his tags right, never spells anything wrong, rarely has awkward phrasing, and always provides the requisite links. Definitely the most underrated guy on staff. I think I’m going to start a Dave Spak fan club on MySpace. Not one of those crappy "groups," but an actual page where you can be a friend to the Dave Spak Fan Club and everything is Dave-inspired. Actually, I'm not going to do that. But someone should.
Jeff Can Say What He Wants, But We All Know This Pick Was Inspired By His Love Of Sting's Work On The Tarzan Soundtrack
The Police (http://www.thepolicetour.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/thepolice.jpg:
Ghost In The Machine
Listen (http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Machine-Digipak-Police/dp/B00008BRDW/sr=8-1/qid=1172715544/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-0312992-5291359?ie=UTF8&s=music)
The Police were a pleasant surprise for me a few months back. I had fixed up my lady's record player for her as a gift and was anxious to add some records to get the collecting started. I picked up this release on a whim and found myself enjoying its inventive bass lines, vaguely punk slant and tight technical prowess from all the musicians. Honestly there's a bit too much ska throughout their catalog for my taste, but also enough innovation to keep me interested through the patches of whiteboy reggae. When I read that their reunion tour was coming to my neck of the woods in mid-June, it was a pleasure to pony up 100 bucks a seat to catch this sure-to-be-memorable live show.
Editor's Note: I don't think Jeff even listened to music before he "fixed up [his] lady's record player." It seems to inspire all of his picks here.
Adam Actually Made Me Utter A True "You You Tee Ef" In My Own Private Office With This One
Chevelle (http://www.chevelleinc.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/chevelle.jpg:
Vena Sera
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/chevelle)
Prior to the release of Chevelle's third studio album, This Type of Thinking Could Do Us In, their popularity was higher than ever. However, after the release of Thinking…, the feeling was that they "mailed it in" creatively and apathy begin to set in even amongst their long standing fans. They started being lumped in with radio rock mainstays such as Staind, Three Days Grace, Seether, and Breaking Benjamin. To newer listeners of the band this may seem totally appropriate; however, for anyone who discovered the band upon the release of their jaw-dropping debut, Point #1, nothing could be more disheartening. So like many bands who rise from nothing to massive success, Chevelle had to decide what legacy they want to leave and, with their fourth album, Vena Sera, they are certainly back on track. It's their heaviest album (debatable, I'm sure) and certainly feels like their most accomplished, both from an artistic standpoint and production-wise. Every single track slams you in the back of the head with a massive wall of sound that's as catchy as it is thunderous. It draws to mind everything from the sonic velocity of Tool to the spacey quirkiness of older 30 Seconds to Mars. Chevelle now sounds like a band that's not quite ready to leave the spotlight, but not willing to sacrifice their integrity to stay there.
Editor's Note: Not only did Adam pick this, but prior to my opening it, he asked what I thought of it. I told him I'd let him know when I got to it. If you want to read our AIM transcript at the moment of opening, it looks like this:
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/dafuck.JPG
Plus he sent me the album art as a two billion pixel by two point one three five billion pixel hi-res bitmap image. I'm pretty sure he hates me.
Tom Butcher Should Warn You That He Goes To
Sleep (http://www.earache.com/bands/sleep/sleep.html)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sleep.jpg:
Sleep's Holy Mountain
Listen (http://www.metaltracks.com/cgi-bin/shop.cgi?page=Catalogue/shop_item&view_item=MOSH%20079)
If, by chance, you enjoy metal, marijuana, Black Sabbath, or any combination thereof, Sleep is the band for you. Though other records by this power trio are interesting (particularly Dopesmoker, an album consisting of one 64-minute song), Sleep's Holy Mountain is both the most accessible and probably their best musically as well. After their dissolution, guitarist Matt Pike would go on to found High on Fire, but this is where it all started. There are some who say that this is the greatest stoner metal album of all time. I don't know if I agree with them, but this baby still rocks. Regardless, it was highly influential, and you should give it a shot if you haven't already.
Editor's Note: But he's not tired, he's not tired.
Ben Folds Five lyrics bookending a Matt Pike-related write-up feels so damned right.
Jordan Swears He Is Not A Gangly, Socially-Awkward Irish Gent Who Just Wants To See His Nearest And Dearest, Most Long-Lasting Business Relations Gain Even More Money, Fame, Notoriety, And Success…In The Year Two Thousand
Max Richter (http://www.maxrichter.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/maxrichter.jpg:
Memoryhouse
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/maxrichtermusic)
I'm pretty annoyed. I have this whole nice blurb written up and it sounds really good and I'm happy... and then Safari crashes and it's gone. It sucked; I was pissed. But then I laughed, because the artist and album I picked do not coincide with my current state of mind - but it did when I first wrote it.
This is basically what it consisted of, in much fewer words: Known mostly as a neo-classical minimalist, memoryhouse proves, without a doubt, that Mr. Richter is the next Philip Glass. Check out his other works as well; they're all really amazing.
Editor's Note: This is a Max Weinberg/Andy Richter project, right? There's no way it couldn't be, no matter what Jordan Conan Silverberg-O'Brien is trying to tell me.
Chris Pandolfo And Ben Rice Decided This Album Was The Best Thing Going This Past Week, Which, While The Opinion Contained Hereafter May Be Incredibly Biased, Means This Is The Best Thing Going On Earth (Band, Not Necessarily Album)
Meshuggah (http://www.meshuggah.net)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/meshuggah.jpg:
Chaosphere
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/meshuggah)
Chris Pandolfo: It's been over two years since I've listened to this disc. Wow. I forgot how heavy it was. So much anger in Jens's yells and Tomas's signatures on the drums are unreal. It totally makes sense why so many metal and hardcore bands are influenced by Meshuggah. This album is awesome.
Do you really think it's true that these guys NEVER practice together? Because if so, I may stop making music.
Ben Rice: I was talking to a well-aged, self-proclaimed metalhead at work the other day because, on occasion, our tastes synch up (not often, though). We got to talking about Iron Maiden, Slayer, you know, classic metal bands. And I asked him what he thought of Meshuggah. He said he didn't like what he'd heard. I wasn't quick to judge, though, because, after all, I was influenced to buy my first Meshuggah album by a Rolling Stone article in 1999. It was the classic Destroy Erase Improve. I say the word "classic" now, but at the tender age of 16, that shit was noise and nothing else. I couldn't bear to listen to it. Of course, I was young, naïve, hell, pretty much musically-retarded. This was, after all, the nu-metal age and if there's one thing Meshuggah absolutely isn't, it's nu-metal. Anyway, I eventually bought Chaosphere. I first had to learn to love DEI though. I'm glad I went this route, though, as I'm pretty sure my head would have exploded upon itself if I'd heard Chaosphere instead of DEI in that barren Minneapolis hotel room, via shitty headphones, on that fateful day. It's hard for me to say which I enjoy more, but this one's definitely, shit, I guess I'll say chaotic, even though I'll hate myself for it. In any event, it's safe to say that, despite their last two offerings, which were, much like the last two Tool albums, overly-self-indulgent piles of high-class, nearly-extinct, distinctly-beautiful, yet still feces, dungpiles, that Meshuggah is, was, and will be the best metal band on the planet.
Editor's Note: What better way to go out than a gigantic, poorly-worded, run-on sentence? Goodnight, everyone!