/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
|
Non-Prog Album Reviews |
Post Reply 
|
Page <1 7891011 14> |
| Author | ||
Gazoinks 
Forum Groupie 
Joined: December 11 2011 Status: Offline Points: 61 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Posted: February 20 2012 at 16:14 |
|
|
I don't have much experience doing reviews, so bare with me. :) Toad The Wet Sprocket - Fear  Overall Rating:  (One of my favorite albums)Progginess: (Butterflies is kind of weird but it's an alt rock album, not prog in the slightest)Personnel: Glen Phillips: Lead vocals, Guitars, Mandolin Todd Nichols: Guitar, Mandolin Dean Dinning: Bass, Keyboard Randy Guss: Drums, percussion 1. Walk On The Ocean (3:00): The somewhat laid back somewhat cynical sort-of-vacation-song opener is quite a good song. The verses initially start pretty spare with just strumming and light percussion backing up Glen's voice, but it becomes much more lush during the choruses with violin, keyboard, bass, and harmonies joining in. After the second chorus we get a nice instrumental break with the same lush sound and some slide guitar and then one final chorus and verse. 2. Is It For Me (3:25): Next up comes this exuberant tale of childhood curiosity. This song is fairly energetic and has much more prominent percussion and electric guitar than Walk On The Ocean. The song has a kind of sunny sound to it, and it's hard not to feel a bit uplifted when Glen sings out the chorus, "Through the dooor, what do I seeeee?". In addition, the "Open your big eyes and take in the sunrise" part is probably my favorite moment on the entire album. 3. Butterflies (4:26): This rather unusual song opens with guitar, heavy percussion and surreal spoken lyrics by Glen's wife Laurel ("I saw something gigantic, out on the water. I asked my dad for a nickel. He gave it to me, it was kind of misty. I couldn't be sure of what it was and of course he wouldn't tell me"). Then Glen's voice comes in singing about several people's approach to life, represented by butterflies (one person crushes them, one person collects them, etc.). It retains the somewhat unusual sound with a the last couple of lines of the verses being sung in a somewhat frantic monotone, although the chorus is still fairly catchy. This is probably the most complex song on the album, although it still sounds alt rocky (especially the guitar during the choruses). 4. Nightingale Song (2:03): This short little mostly acoustic piece serves as a break between Butterflies and the next song, but it's quite good on its own, with a catchy melody and a vaguely country beat. Simple song, but nice and painfully short. 5. Hold Her Down (3:07): And now we enter the darker center of the album. Despite starting with a somewhat cheery-sounding guitar riff, this song quickly reveals itself as what it really is: an angry anti-rape song. This song has perhaps the most REM influence of the songs on the album, but sounds considerably more pissed off as Glen sings about the horror of rape and admits he has a hard time facing the victim. The song has a false ending before going into a nice guitar solo and repeated almost-chants of "Take the night back, all they've stolen, all we took from you". This is a very powerful song, it gives me chills. 6. Pray Your Gods (5:03): A beautiful but melancholy song that decries the violence of religion and champions love. This is another powerful song, with a great chorus and some nice ethereal female vocals as the song fades out. It also contains some nice piano work, which there isn't much of on the album. 7. Before You Were Born (3:44): Currently my most played song on my music player, it's also my favorite song off the album. A song about somebody who's had life stacked against them since they were born, but with the underlying message of "things suck, but we're here for you. It gets better". The arrangement's fairly simple, with guitar strumming, electric guitar coming in, etc. but it all just jells together perfectly with the lyrics. Great song. 8. Something To Say (4:02): On Something To Say the music becomes a bit more upbeat, with a nice waltz feel and prominent accordion. Lyrically the song is about a man with a shell around his emotions, and Glen saying "come on, talk to me". 9. In My Ear (3:10): Another upbeat rock song with some prominent keyboard work, that (I think) is a breakup song. This is a very catchy and enjoyable song and the chorus is great. 10. All I Want (3:18): One of Toad's most famous songs, All I Want is a song about acceptance in a relationship. A very strong, solid tune with a great chorus and nice Buck-esque guitar work. At the end of the song, Glen employs a similar device to Before You Were Born, singing different lines over the rest of the band singing the chorus. 11. Stories I Tell (5:35): A melancholy song that veers towards being fairly hard (for Toad) at some points. The lyrics are Glen asking for someone to listen to his stories, he says he doesn't have anything big or important to say and he doesn't want criticism, he just wants someone to listen to him. It's quite a desperate song and, although I tend to forget about it because if its placement, it's quite good. Especially the "Do we ever wonder, did you ever care?" part. The song has a real sense of desperation and serves as a great contrast to the next track. 12. I Will Not Take These Things For Granted (5:46): The mellow melancholy finished of the album is a poignant reflection on the smaller things in life and one of the best tracks on the album. This is a very powerful and quite comforting song and is an excellent finale. It has a subtle crescendo throughout, progressively becoming more hopeful-sounding as the song continues before fading out. The descriptions got shorter as the review went on because I got tired of writing, so I may come back to it and flesh it out more. But anyway, overall this is a really great album and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes alt rock or just good music.
Edited by Gazoinks - February 20 2012 at 16:18 |
||
|
Play me my song...
Newest discovery: Shadow Circus |
||
 |
||
|
AtomicCrimsonRush
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 02 2008 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 14258 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 22 2012 at 15:59 |
|
|
one more
1. Let Me Drown (3:52) 2. My Wave (5:11) 3. Fell on Black Days (4:42) 4. Mailman (4:25) 5. Superunknown (5:06) 6. Head Down (6:08) 7. Black Hole Sun (5:18) 8. Spoonman (4:06) 9. Limo Wreck (5:47) 10. The Day I Tried to Live (5:19) 11. Kickstand (1:34) 12. Fresh Tendrils (4:16) 13. 4th of July (5:08) 14. Half (2:14) 15. Like Suicide (7:11) 16. She Likes Surprises (not on all versions) (3:16) Total Time: 73:40 Soundgarden’s best album begins with the killer riffing that makes this album a sensational master work. 'Let me Drown' is pure riffing and melodic vocals, a trademark of the band on this classic masterpeice. I first heard Soundgarden with ‘Spoon man’ and I was hooked into grabbing their album as I was fascinated by the polyrhythmic off kilter beats and very strong vocal work of the tracks.There are so many highlights here is it is difficult to discern one from another. ‘My Wave’ with it’s hypnotic riff in 5/4 time sig is a prime example. The quiet melodic beauty of “Fell on Black Days” played in 6/4. The melodies mixed with huge blistering guitar riffs is reminiscent of the type of work Live were producing at the time. “Superunknown” was huge in 1994, capturing interest from all levels of music fans and it was a commercial success, a breakthrough album, that debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one. The band could not have dreamed of such success after three fairly unknown albums. There were five successful singles lifted from the album; "The Day I Tried to Live", "My Wave", "Fell on Black Days", "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". The album was certified five times platinum by the US RIAA and was a progressive heavy rock blockbuster. The riffs by Kim Thayil are amazing such as ‘Mailman’, and “I’m riding you all the way” the catch phrase on this is hypnotic and there are mellotron pads underlayed beneath. The guitars definitely hook you in with a transfixing hypnotic power. 'Superunknown’ for instance has a very strong riff structure. The lyrics are terrific on this with very forceful performance by Cormell; “If this isn't what you see, It doesn't make you blind, If this doesn't make you feel, It doesn't mean you've died, Where the river's high, Where the river's high...” It was a commercially accessible direction for the band but remains definitively heavy and progressive. ‘Head Down’ is outstanding and very progressive with a trance rhythm and melody. It is a darker track for the band but a nice transgression away from sheer heavy riffing. ‘Black Hole Sun’ is played in a 4/4 time sig with a 9/8 bridge section. It is replete with mystical Middle Eastern flourishes and has a dark atmosphere and a vibrant film clip to promote it. The clip is disturbing with crazy smiling misfits being washed by an acid rain downpour, complete with discoloration of vivid washes of green, yellow and blue. The quiet song was a massive hit for the band peaking at number 1 on US mainstream charts, and a worldwide smash. The ambience does not last long though as the next track smashes headlong with riffs to die for. The almighty ‘Spoonman’ has one of the most amazing riffs that crashes along with an odd time signature that alternate between 7/4 and 4/4, and indelible lyrics; “Feel the rhythm with your hands, Steal the rhythm while you can, spoonman, Speak the rhythm on your own, Speak the rhythm all alone, spoonman.” It may be about the rhythmic banging of a spoon player, or it could be about the speed drug being mixed with heat and on a spoon. No matter what this is a brilliant hard rocking track, and was another chart success reaching number 3 in US, and making an impact worldwide. The chorus has a fabulous riff and blistering vocals of Cornell; “Spoonman, come together with your hands, Save me, I'm together with your plan, Save me...” One of the best heavy prog tracks of all time. ‘The Day I Tried to Live’ has a brilliant riff from Thayil and very powerful bass from Ben Shephard, the loud chorus builds to a crescendo and then keeps building to the melodic post chorus section. I love this track especially the inspired guitar work. ‘FreshTendrils’ is another very melodic riff heavy track with reflective lyrics; “long time coming, It seemed to take me through, Long time coming Many served the few, And long to taste the shame, That bows down before you.” There are odd time signature changes on this too placing it in a progressive genre for my ears. The ultra doomy guitar on ‘4th of July’ is aggressive and dark. It crunches along effortlessly in a crawl metal style. The lead break is noisy off kilter screech riffing. ‘Half’ is another Eastern influenced song with psychedelic tendencies, the type of Beatle-esque mumbo jumbo of the late 60s Indian bandwagon. The use of Scitar is surprising and makes this an oddity of the album. 'Like Suicide’ is a strange one and the lyrics were inspired when a bird hit Cornell’s window severely injuring it and so he smashed it with a rock, ending it’s life and it’s pain; “Heard it from another room, Eyes were waking up just to fall asleep, Love's like suicide, Dazed out in a garden bed, With a broken neck lays my broken gift, Just like suicide, And my last ditch Was my last brick, Lent to finish her, Finish her”. The album is a masterpiece of groundbreaking metal sounds and commercial excess, wildly experimental, playing with a myriad of time signatures and tinged with bitter sadness and aggression, the album is all killer, no filler, and the quintessential pinnacle for Soundgarden; once heard never forgotten. |
||
|
||
|
||
|
AtomicCrimsonRush
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 02 2008 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 14258 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 22 2012 at 15:57 |
|
Fanfare (1:23) 2. Just a Boy (2:37) 3. Odyssey (5:29) 4. Only You (4:16) 5. Under the Rose (4:48) 6. Dark Light (4:13) 7. A World Without Heroes (2:46) 8. The Oath (4:32) 9. Mr. Blackwell (4:56) 10. Escape from the Island (2:51) 11. I (5:04) Prog Kiss a Genuine Oddity **** This surreal album has become somewhat of a guilty pleasure over the years and it was one of the last Kiss albums I bought on vinyl straight off the shelf. I was quite taken aback as most Kissaddicts were by the conceptual framework and unusaul structure of intros, narrations and progressive passages of music. Some cringe worthy material is contained such as Odyssey but this also has some excellent material. Highlights include the metallic The Oath, Dark Light, Only You/Under the Rose, and I. This also features a great instrumental with some killer riffs, Escape From The Island, that I have always adored. The single World Without Heroes is commercial tripe but it showed the diversity of the group and Simmons sounds excellent. Eric Carr is excellent on percussion and Ace actually sings well on lead. Paul is great on The Oath and Just A Boy. None of the narrative makes sense as it was fragments of an idea that never got off the gorund for a movie, but this is one of its most endearing qualities. The album is strangely compelling but has attracted many haters. I think Kiss did make a mistake on this one but it is so hugely entertaining and diverse that I can easily rate this 4 stars.
|
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
AtomicCrimsonRush
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 02 2008 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 14258 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 22 2012 at 15:42 |
|
Tracklist1. No Freedom2. Stormclouds 3. If Love Brings Love 4. Waiting for the Aliens 5. Warrior 6. Never Felt Better 7. Subterfuge 8. Crucifixion Barnabas "Approaching Light Speed" ***** An absolute gem that I was thrashing in the early 80s when Christian metal was being churned out following the success of Petra and Rez hard rock bands. Of course the difference here was that Barnabus went for a very heavy sound with chugging riffage and an incredible female vocalist in Nancy Jo Mann, who could scream up a storm or croon soft ballads. Brian Belew is fabulous on guitars, with squealing lead solos and Gary Mann was a marvel on Bass and Keyboards. He lent a futuristic edge on tracks such as the apocalyptic Waiting For The Aliens. The lyrics sum up the alien edge on this; "Captured earthlings vanish in a flicker of light, And there's nothing that the Air Force can do, The guys at work all say that it's a message from space, An omen of the good things to come, An interstellar rescue for what's left of the race, Now that the troublemakers are gone." This track is superb ending on a controlled voice over stating that the people of earth were not under subjugation by the new alien race. Those who oppose will meet a fatal end "swiftly and without mercy." Kris Klingensmith on Drums keeps time well throughout the album and there are many highlights to mention. One of the best is the rhythmic crunching "Stomrclouds", with the powerful chorus belted out by Nancy, "As the stormclouds roll from the crest of Mount Zion Who will turn away and be saved?" The piano driven ballad is beautiful, "If Love Brings Love". This is balanced by the heavy thrashing of "No Freedom" and "Never Felt Better". "Warrior" is great too with a terrific verse, "Spiritual warriors in life, Battle with sword in hand, I will fight the good fight in life, Conquering I'll make my stand." In "Crucifixion" the theme is obvious centring on Jesus on the cross, and it features a very good Bass solo from Mann. Overall, this is certainly the best Barnabas album and it epitomises the great 80s Christian metal phase; awesome riffs, powerful singing and strong Christian themes. Try this one definitely. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I loaded the whole album track by track with slide shows on youtube and one of the band members commended me for it! He knows it is hard to get these days and said he didnt mind it being available on the tube for others to enjoy - I was quite impressed with his attitude. |
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
MortalScum
Forum Newbie 
Joined: January 04 2012 Location: Denver, CO Status: Offline Points: 29 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 19 2012 at 02:05 |
|
|
^ cool to see that other people like them, sometime's I feel like the only one haha.
|
||
|
||
|
cannon
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: July 03 2010 Location: Coho Country Status: Offline Points: 1302 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 17 2012 at 05:53 |
|
|
^^^ One of my favs from 2011. Their EP, "Come Reap" and the full length album, "The Time Of No Time Evermore" are equally excellent.
|
||
|
||
|
MortalScum
Forum Newbie
Joined: January 04 2012 Location: Denver, CO Status: Offline Points: 29 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 13 2012 at 13:51 |
|
|
Band: The Devil's Blood
The Devil's Blood are an occult rock band from the Netherlands that formed in 2006. They have had a strong following (mostly in the metal community) ever since their Come, Reap EP in 2008. Their shows are known for having a ritual-like atmosphere. Album: The Thousandfold Epicenre Genre: Hard rock/psychedelic rock Release date: 11/11/11 Label: Ván Records Review: The first time I heard this album I honestly was a bit
underwhelmed. It was good, but didn't really match up to how great I thought it
would be. However, after more listens it became more enjoyable each time. The
first thing that most people will notice is that The Devil’s Blood have taken
on a more psychedelic sound and have structured their songs in a more
progressive fashion. This is most apparent in songs like “On the Wings of
Gloria” “Madness of Serpents” “Feverdance” and the title track. It is also
apparent in between songs, since many of them are connected by way of the song
slowly fading away into a fog of effects and solos. Fans of their first album
and EPs don’t have to worry, there is still a good amount of straight forward
hard rock that the band built their reputation on. Songs like “Die the
Death” “Cruel Lover” “She” and “Fire Burning” would fit into the
band’s back catalogue quite nicely. One song that seems to stand out among all
of these is “Everlasting Saturnalia” a calm, almost ballad like song with
vocals and a piano and some guitar effects/solos in the background for good
measure. Its something very different for TDB. Given the description it might
sound out of place on the album but it actually fits into the big picture quite
nicely. Overall this album has some interesting experimentation and song
structures, but there’s enough energy and no BS rocking out to keep the
listener’s attention. However this isn’t the perfect album. The faults that this album has are minor but still worth mentioning. There are a few elements here and there that just seem a bit frivolous and generally unnecessary. The way that some songs are strung together just doesn’t really seem like it adds anything to the song. For example the transition between “She” and “The Thousandfold Epicentre” is a string section accompanied by an acoustic guitar playing in a classical style. It doesn’t sound bad, but the question I keep asking is “are the cellos/violins really necessary?” we’re talking about a band with 3guitar players here, couldn’t one or two of them handled the part the strings have? It seems like the only reason the strings are there is to make the song seem more “epic”. It’s a similar thing with the song “Within the Charnel House of Love” in this song there seems to be a horn and string section playing with the band in some parts. There are other various instruments that the band doesn’t have scattered throughout the album but their contribution seems only minimal. Also the closing song “Feverdance” seems a little bit anticlimactic, especially since it clocks in at over 15 minutes; it’s a good song but I just think that it could have been a bit stronger. Despite a few frivolous tendencies I still think it’s a very strong album and I would still recommend it to fans of 70’s hard rock and Psychedelic rock. You may not be blown away at first listen but its still much worth putting time into.Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Prog Appeal: 3. Doesn't completely break the verse/chorus song structure, but this is by no means a typical rock album. Edited by MortalScum - January 13 2012 at 13:51 |
||
|
||
|
TheGazzardian
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: August 11 2009 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 8844 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 29 2011 at 12:57 |
|
|
BAND Jay Munly (Alternative Country / Gothic Americana)
ALBUM Galvanized Yankee  REVIEW My journey through Munlys discography has been backwards; I started with his newest (Munly & The Lupercalians), went on to the Lee Lewis Harlots, and deciding I loved that one, bought the remainder of his solo career in one fell swoop. For those coming to this album from a similar background, let me warn you, this is a bit closer to standard country than what he's been doing since Jimmy Carter Syndrome. The music is less elaborate; it's mostly just Munly on the banjo leading the charge, less strings, no female supporting vocals, and it's not quite as dark. Still, there are some good songs on this. Virgin of Manhattan, a lively live track, is an obvious standout, but Funeral Blues, The Why and the Wherefore, and Marching Along also deserve mentions. Some of them (Death Aint You Got No Shame) are pretty mundane, especially by the standard set by Munlys later albums. There is definitely a theme of war on this album, and it even seems to have a minor concept to it. I don't know if it's a full-on concept album, but Death Aint You Got No Shame? to The Why and the Wherefore to Who Will Care For Mother Now? seems to tell a little story (of a woman whose husband die, then whose son goes off to war and dies there), which could be part of a larger picture I haven't yet put together. RATING 2 Stars PROG APPEAL 1 Star
|
||
|
||
|
uduwudu
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 17 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2602 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2011 at 05:34 |
|
|
Is this where we can post reviews of 90125 and Abacab?
 |
||
|
||
|
iluvmarillion
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 09 2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 3247 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July 02 2011 at 06:36 |
|
|
Band: Name: Want Two (2004)
1. Agnus Dei 2. The One You Love 3. Peach Trees 4. Little Sister 5. The Art Teacher 6. Hometown Waltz 7. This Love Affair 8. Gay Messiah 9. 10. Waiting For A Dream 11. Crumb By Crumb 12. Old Whore’s Diet Rufus is the son of folk singers, Loudon Wainwright and Kate McGarrigle and sister of Martha Wainwright. While Martha plays guitar and performs mostly in a rock or folk style, Rufus has more of a chameleon style of playing and performing, which is mostly piano based (although he does play guitar). His influences include Classical Baroque, Operatic and Broadway. He has a slightly whiney voice which can be a bit off putting to some people, can sound both old fashioned and modern at the same time and is in my opinion unique as a pop artist in that he has no direct pop predecessors who may have influenced his style. Review: An interesting comment on the Amazon.com site features a quote from Elton John referring to Rufus Wainwright as the “greatest songwriter on the planet”. I think Elton John may have had this album in mind when he made these comments. The album begins with a liturgical Eastern chant which sets the somber tone for some really sad songs like Peaches, The Art Teacher and This Love Affair. Waiting For A Dream, which also has a somber theme, is a very progressive song which wouldn’t be out of place on a Radiohead album. Crumb By Crumb is a gentle lullaby with a Beach Boys like chorus. Little Sister is an orchestral song in the baroque style of a Franz Shubert or Beethoven. Despite the smorgasbord of musical styles, the songs are thematically related by stories about love (or lost love) and yearning for acceptance. The songs effortlessly move from one to the next. This is Rufus Wainwright’s most cohesive effort since the Poses album, but whereas, Poses, is not particularly mentally challenging, this one is a real test for the listener, but one which rewards the listener who persists. Rating: 5 stars Prog Appeal: 3 stars
|
||
|
||
|
The Dark Elf
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member Joined: February 01 2011 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 13299 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 17 2011 at 22:47 |
|
|
||
|
...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
||
|
||
|
Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin Joined: June 04 2010 Location: Terria Status: Offline Points: 13298 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 17 2011 at 21:34 |
|
PS: Peter Gabriel isn't non-prog. Why don't you post your review here?
|
||
 
|
||
|
||
|
tarkus1980
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 29 2010 Location: Chicago Status: Offline Points: 233 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 01 2011 at 15:16 |
|
|
This is a review I wrote of Prince's "Rainbow Children" on my own site about a year ago:
**************************************
A number of significant things happened between Rave and this one, and their combined impact was enough to shake Prince out of a rut and set himself up for a surprisingly good 00's. The first is that he finally worked out everything he needed to with regards to his old contract with Warner Bros., and because of this he finally felt comfortable returning to using his name, rather than attaching the TAFKA prefix or identifying himself using the Love Symbol. The second, of course, is that Prince became a Jehovah's Witness; while he had long had clear spiritual undercurrents in his life and music, he had never really followed any specific religion, nor had he really shown any clear moral sensibilities in the music he chose to release. From now on, though, Prince's music would be heavily affected by this new conversion; casual swearing quickly became a thing of the past, as did any serious explicit or implicit emphasis on sexuality.
The third major development was the introduction of a secondary music label, where Prince, rather than issuing albums in a traditional distribution mode, would instead make albums available only through the internet, and only to members of the NPG Music Club. And fourth, the new decade introduced a new musical approach: the quintessential Prince electrofunk of years past was suddenly replaced with a kind of jazz/funk/gospel sound, and the contrast with before is stark. It's still recognizable as Prince at the core, of course, but it's an aggressively uncommercial Prince that hadn't been heard in a long time, and this change would have driven away many fans even if it weren't for the subject matter. Ah, the subject matter. I'm pretty sure this is basically a rock opera, but I still haven't the slightest idea what the story is supposed to be, or if there even is one. What I do know is that the album is dripping with social and spiritual metaphors, and that Prince lets his newfound Christian faith shine through as much as possible. On a certain level, the entire thing comes off as really ridiculous, and yet, aside from the terrible minute-long "Wedding Feast" (which sounds like a reject from a Gilbert and Sullivan musical), there aren't really any bad tracks on here. Sure, the slowed down deep vocal effect (speaking great profound spiritual statements) gets tiring after a while, and sure, there are some relative fillers like "Digital Garden" and "Deconstruction," but overall I find myself pretty intrigued by the mishmash of different styles, both across the album and within individual tracks. The opening title track, for instance, has to be one of the most fascinating (for better or worse, though I think better) things Prince has ever done; Prince had done long tracks before, but never before had he done something so blatantly prog-rockish as to do a ten-minute multi-part suite as a leadoff track. Nothing in this track is especially original, but it's just so interesting to hear Prince bounce between Miles Davis-ish jazz/funk and parts that sound so quintessentially Prince. Sure, the track has lyrics that set up much of the empty fluff that makes up so much of the album, but they're absorbing when the track is on, and that's enough for me. I'll admit that my first instinct was that I was listening to Prince's very own "Jazz Odyssey," but the thought soon passed. The rest of the album is mostly 3-5 minute songs, before finishing with a trio of 8-minute tracks (some of which appear to have been recorded live). The shorter songs aren't generally spectacular, but some of them are really good: I'm especially fond of "The Work, pt. 1" (a nice tribute to old-school funk, filtered through the sound of the rest of the album), "Everywhere" (sung by one of his female proteges, I presume, and featuring some of the most personal lyrics on the album concerning Prince's conversion), "1+1+1 is 3" (there's a fascinatingly intense groove here) and "She Loves Me 4 Me" (one of the few songs here that could have worked just fine in a completely different context). The longer tracks, then, were destined to generate controversy, but I generally like them. "Family Name" has sound effects and lyrics that are a little over-the-top in their preachiness, but their goofiness is kinda charming, and the music has a strong enough groove that I end up enjoying the track more than not. "The Everlasting Now" has all of the elements of a great traditional Prince live jam; it just so happens that the lyrics are about spiritual things and personal salvation and stuff. Look, if I can enjoy a jam that's based around the "oh-wee-oh" chant from The Wizard of Oz, why can't I enjoy a great track that just happens to be preachy? And finally, "Last December" is definitely in the upper echelon of slow Prince guitar-driven ballads, with strong gospel elements to boot. Anybody who rejects this just because of the way the spirituality is now explicit instead of implicit is only depriving themselves. Look, I'm not saying this is a great album, or that there isn't a good chunk of relative filler (there are a lot of songs I didn't mention), or that I can't see how people wouldn't like it, or that it ultimately makes any sense. I am saying that it's an intriguing listen, one that has a lot of elements I enjoy (and a lot of things other people find boring), and one that holds together well despite its overemphasis on story elements that are both unclear and overbearing. It's also, strangely enough, probably the best thing Prince could have done at this point, and while I can't say that any Prince fan should like this, I can say that a Prince fan that doesn't like this is missing out. *****************
|
||
|
"History of Rock Written by the Losers."
|
||
|
||
|
The Dark Elf
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member Joined: February 01 2011 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 13299 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 25 2011 at 20:12 |
|
|
Note: Here's a review I did originally for Blogcritics.org on 11/22/10. Seeing as there are so many Peter Gabriel fans on Prog-Archives, I thought many of you would appreciate this.
PETER GABRIEL - MELT (1981)
I am certain that if there were a musical lexicon, next to the definition of the word eccentric would be a photo inset of Peter Gabriel, most likely adorned in the outlandish silver and blue face-paint of his early concert persona. Peter Gabriel is, by any stretch of the definition, musically eccentric. Take, for instance, his first four solo albums, all titled merely Peter Gabriel, with no further subtitles or written descriptions to differentiate one from the other. Fans and critics alike have had to describe these albums by the pictures on the covers: there is Gabriel’s first solo effort, Car (1977), then Scratch (1978), Melt (1980), and finally the 1982 release which features a cover picture so bizarre and beyond description that Geffen Records felt compelled to add the title Security on the U.S. release (the U.K. version remained without a title). But in the song “And Through The Wire”, Gabriel’s states his belief, “I talk in pictures, not in words”; so, perhaps the subtitles were simply extraneous to him at that point in time.
 From a compositional standpoint, the idiosyncratic Gabriel hasn’t merely chosen the path less traveled, he’s clear-cut a gaping glade clean through the forest. Whether as the outrageously caparisoned frontman and storyteller of Genesis, or as a visionary solo artist delving into world music and visual media, Gabriel is not only singing from leftfield, he’s up in the nosebleed bleacher seats with the field barely visible below. And it is precisely because of the unconventional vocals, the quirky beats, the irregular time signatures, and the unorthodox subject matter of Peter Gabriel’s third solo release (popularly christened Melt) that makes it an essential listening experience. You have to hand it to Gabriel. With the release of Melt in May of 1980, he came out with one of the best albums of 1980s only six months into the decade. It is certainly on par with other stellar releases from the period, such as U2’s Joshua Tree, Paul Simon’s Graceland, Talking Heads’ Remain in Light, or Gabriel’s own So album from 1986. But whereas So was more commercially successful (with the MTV hits “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time”) and far more huggable for the masses (don’t we all get nostalgic when we hear “In Your Eyes”?), the thorny Melt pricks one’s sensibilities and is satisfying from a visceral standpoint, with a psychological depth and intensity to the storytelling few albums from the 80s could match. The first thing one notices about the album is Peter Gabriel’s wide-ranging vocal assault. With yelps, yammers, grunts, growls, howls and whistles, Gabriel moves the songs along at a fevered pitch. Gabriel’s gravel and satin voice, one of the most distinctive in rock music, is more an instrument in the songs than mere accompaniment to the music, a trait shared by Van Morrison at his scatting best. With such an unmistakable signature, Gabriel’s word-pictures will not be mistaken as the work of some other artist. Another notable feature of Melt is the percussion. There were no cymbals used during recording — a point Peter Gabriel applied emphatically during studio sessions — which gives the songs a totemic, animistic thrum and rumble, and permeates the album with an unrelieved edginess that sometimes nears hysteria. To replace the traditional rock array of hi-hats, crashes, and ride cymbals, more exotic percussion was used: xylophone, surdo, bones, tambourine, cowbell, claves and various synthesized vibe and drum treatments. In addition, Gabriel and ex-Genesis bandmate Phil Collins (who appears as drummer or percussionist on the songs “Intruder”, “No Self Control”, “Biko”, and “Family Snapshot”), along with producers Steve Lillywhite and engineer Hugh Padham, are credited with developing the “gated drum” sound, a dramatic reverb effect that produces a booming but highly-compressed punch to the drums. Collins was to feature this sound on his Face Value album (the memorable percussive explosion on the hit song “In the Air Tonight” is a perfect example of the “gated” effect). But aside from the vocal stylizations, studio techniques, and musical innovations, it is the qualities of the compositions on Melt that draws one in. Several critics have made mention of the fact that Melt is, for all intents and purposes, a “psychological treatise” on the human condition. Compulsion, obsession, isolation, schizophrenia, amnesia, prejudice, bigotry, institutionalization, anger, war, murder – the skewed stuff that stirs the uneasy mind, the tumultuous travesties of the modern tragedy — herein lie the darker dimensions of thought and action, delivered with an actor’s flair by the ruminating and lugubrious Gabriel. “Intruder” begins the mind games with the grating, metallic grind of clippers on twisted wire, discordant keyboards, and Collin’s strident drumbeat. The song is a flesh-crawling ode to home invasion, and details the perpetrator’s joy of slipping in undetected and causing mayhem. In Gabriel’s study, this villain is not so much interested in robbery, but in the flawless execution of the break-in, and the more ominous undertones of what the intruder is actually seeking: “I like to feel the suspense when I'm certain you know I am there/I like you lying awake, your baited breath charging the air.” The eerie ambience is enhanced by a skeletal xylophone solo and a bit of whistling-with-criminal-intent made famous by Peter Lorre in the movie M (1931). The next song, “No Self Control”, mirrors the troubled tendencies of “Intruder”, but amps up the mania, as well as the volume, with Gabriel’s recurring avant-garde partners-in-crime Robert Fripp on guitar and Kate Bush on backing vocals, along with a vicious turn on drums by Collins (this was back when he was simply an exceptional musician and not a MTV media darling). Gabriel repeats the mantra “I don’t know how to stop” as the song’s compulsive anti-hero descends from personal prepossessions and foibles to dangerous obsessions and less-than-subtle hints of violence. “I Don’t Remember” features an instrumental intro called, simply enough, “Start”, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the entire soundtrack of the Ridley Scott movie Bladerunner (1982); in fact, one wonders if the composer Vangelis didn’t lift the concept wholesale to help pen his piece. As far as “I Don’t Remember”, the amnesiac lead character actions are perhaps reflective of the previous track “No Self Control”, as our impulsive anti-hero slips into benighted forgetfulness as his mind shuts down during an interrogation after committing a heinous and particularly troublesome crime. Or not. Like many of Gabriel’s nettlesome compositions, the lyrical intentions are up for conjecture, but this theory does present a seamless transition from one song to the next, and the two do seem akin. In “Family Snapshot”, Gabriel sings a song of assassination, offering a brilliant character study of a publicity-seeking loner who kills a public figure. The murky, almost meaningless, motivations used by the killer in an effort to excuse his crime (“I need some attention/I shoot into the light”) sadly reflect the individual in modern society’s almost desperate need for his or her fifteen minutes of fame. The killer is neither dogmatic nor political in his aim ("I don't really hate you/I don't care what you do/ We were made for each other/Me and you”); he merely uses his victim as a foil to gain the spotlight. The original inspiration for the song was the interviews of Arthur Bremer (published in the book Assassin's Diary in '73). Bremer, who was more interested in fame than politics, had attempted to assassinate Alabama governor George Wallace in 1972 (Bremer was also the inspiration behind Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver), but Gabriel notches up the intensity and drama by grafting scenes of the 1963 Kennedy assassination onto Bremer's accounts. Gabriel's use of internal monologue and suspense is superb in “Family Snapshot”, as he ratchets up the musical intensity, notch by notch, until the gun is fired, leading to a reflective denouement which acts as part of the impotent assassin’s rambling confession. The albums only “hit” (it went to #4 in the UK and #48 in the U.S.) is the decidedly bizarre “Games Without Frontiers”, an allegory with allusions to game shows, and children behaving in the manner of warlike nations — or vice versa. The absurd nature of children at play is actually a metaphor for adult immaturity and bellicosity reflected in breast-beating nationalism and overweening patriotism (the children’s names indicate their countries of origin: Germany, Russia, Britain, China, Italy, etc.). The song features off-kilter beats, jangling guitars, swelling synths, cabaret whistling and Kate Bush’s deliciously haunting, repetitive chorus “jeux sans frontières” (“games without frontiers”). “Not One of Us”, once again featuring the brash and biting guitar work of King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, is a song that speaks bluntly of xenophobic attitudes spawned by ignorant and unreasonable fears. The simple arithmetic of bigotry, “There's safety in numbers/When you learn to divide”, and the dimwitted denial of reason, “All shades of opinion/Feed an open mind/But your values are twisted/Let us help you unwind”, are ironically skewered as Gabriel grabs prejudice by its dark roots. The rambunctious rhythm, slashing guitars and frenetic vocals of Gabriel creates a manic and guttural tribal chant of hatred as the song reaches its final crescendo. From the unreasoned and fear-driven edge of insanity, Gabriel returns to quiescence with “Lead a Normal Life”. The song is lush and mellifluous, but the pastoral mood proves illusory — a pleasant façade shrouding institutional grates. For we find ourselves in the asylum, where one eats with a spoon because “they don’t give you knives.” But the park-like views of the trees are nice, and through the medicated haze your keepers expect you will one day “lead a normal life”. The final song on the album is the stirring, anthemic “Biko”. Steven Biko was a leader of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. In 1977, Biko was arrested on trumped up charges under a South African terrorism act (basically, he was arrested for protesting while black). He was beaten so badly during a police interrogation lasting over 24 hours that he lapsed into a coma. He died within days due lack of medical care (the police would later claim he committed suicide). As is the way of injustice, the police were cleared of the crime by the South African courts. But the horrid event gained worldwide attention due in part to Gabriel’s profound lament, and the grand lyric “And the eyes of the world are watching now”, proved prophetic. Gabriel began to sing “Biko” to end each of his concerts, and one of the most powerful protests songs of the 80's became a catalyst for change in South Africa. From an anti-apartheid standpoint, it certainly has more emotional punch than the tepid “I Aint Gonna Play (Sun City)” by Little Steven and his coterie of “We are the World” rejects. In hindsight — from our lofty but precarious perch some 30 years later — Melt can rightly be judged as Peter Gabriel’s finest solo work. It perhaps didn’t sell as many albums or was as commercially accessible as So, nor was it rooted as deeply in the affections of old Genesis fans like Gabriel’s first solo effort from 1977 (the album subtitled Car, which I esteem greatly and remember fondly). However, Peter Gabriel’s third solo album is a more serious work than the other two I have mentioned. There is nothing humorous or cute here (no tuba solos or videos with defeathered, headless chickens dancing on stage, for instance). Melt is fully realized and conceptually brilliant, a stark look at man’s inhumanity to man, and the madness that stirs in the minds of many. |
||
|
...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
||
|
||
|
overmatik
Forum Groupie
Joined: July 15 2009 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 96 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 01 2011 at 11:03 |
|
They came to Brazil in 96 but only to São Paulo so I couldn't see them.  Another great album they have is Redneck Wonderland, which completely reinvented the band and is very heavy. |
||
|
"Wear the grudge like a crown of negativity. Calculate what we will or will not tolerate. Desperate to control all and everything. Unable to forgive your scarlet letterman."
|
||
|
||
|
catfood03
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 24 2009 Status: Offline Points: 785 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 31 2011 at 22:43 |
|
I agree. I saw them live too (touring for Earth and Sun and Moon), so much energy and life! |
||
|
||
|
overmatik
Forum Groupie
Joined: July 15 2009 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 96 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 31 2011 at 13:32 |
|
|
Wow, Midnight Oil are nothing short of amazing. I also have all their albums and I put them among the great were they belong. Diesel and Dust is a supernatural masterpiece! They were always flawless live too.
|
||
|
"Wear the grudge like a crown of negativity. Calculate what we will or will not tolerate. Desperate to control all and everything. Unable to forgive your scarlet letterman."
|
||
|
||
|
Icarium
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member Joined: March 21 2008 Location: Tigerstaden Status: Offline Points: 34090 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 02 2011 at 13:14 |
|
|
Toto - Isolation
 this is an album I will have difficult to keep myself neutral or objective, Toto have 12 Studio album all are solid piece of melodic rock, jazz rock, funk and everything in between. the genre within popular music Toto haven’t touched does not exist. They have not ventured into extreme metal or avant-garde, other than that they have played anything from new age music to progressive metal. Isolation is one of Toto’s most heavy albums, probably the 2nd heaviest album overall after Kingdom of Desire, while KoD is more in the heavy blues territory, Isolation is heavy symphonic rock in the neo progressive vein. but shorter songs, yet very intricate, they don't hold anything back on this album. I will with hand on my hart and say that Isolation is close to be Toto’s most virtuoso album, the most brutal instrumentation, they don't wait on you before Steve Lukather or Steve Porcaro launches themselves into their solo modes, sometime even unison, most of the time counterparts, like twisting lizards. I will now take track by track review Carmen – Irresistible riff sets of this song, one of their most metallic song in their repertoire, and the prog rock influence is all over this song, only shorter in length, but the solo section will give you a serious whiplash, every instrument give time to shine on this album, brilliant vocals by David Paich and new guy Fergie Fredriksen, they share vocals here, Fergie takes care for the Chorus, Jeff Porcaro is without comparison here. Lion - sets of with a solid low bass bite (BAM BAM ) more artsy song, different short sections, one of their most unique songs, delicious instrumentation, aggressive guitar sound as usual from Steve Lukather, this song is a semi progressive rock affair, in the neo progressive/AOR style, still solid drumming. Few bands have this solid groove in their core, it is so solid and tight, and never does it sound stale. Stranger in Town - David Paich takes over the vocal duties in this cool song, this song have vocal harmonies to die for, the chorus shows Toto’s skill for vocal arrangements, in high register and perfect hitted notes, the song is in the vein of 80s Genesis, some cool sound effects from Steve Porcaros and David’s synths and keyboards, moog’s and other technical equipment. It is incredible the amount of strong vocalists there is in one band. Angel Don't Cry - heavy rock song, shows the vocal range of Fergie to an impressive degree. 80s hard rock style but in Toto vein which induce more groove and control, and more abrupt and neck snapping, they venture into solo guitar and synth parts, this is how Toto in some way prove their instrumental knowledge by how fast verses and choruses flow into each other and how they without any pauses, or need to collect momentum before they goes into instrumental muscle flexing bridge sections How Does It Feel - Symphonic rock ballad sung by Lukather, this song is just beautifully composed; little epic with a sweeping solo by Lukather blistering speed, this song is one of the most stunning orchestral mini suites, like a bright summer breeze Endless - a Funky rock song with Mike Porcaro use some cool slap bass thumps, semi-neo progressive song, with a atmospheric bridge part. Also a nice use of Keyboard sounds. Isolation - the best and most aggressive riff on the album, after staccato piano intro. 80s hard rock song in Saga vein who are instrumentally and stylistically closer to Toto then Foreigner and Journey. Mr. Friendly and Change of Heart - these two songs give Toto a chance to show everyone that technically they are a force to be reckoned with. This needs to be heard to witness, it is impressive to how little time this guys needs to give is sections that would give you a serious whiplash if it was a moveable object. Holyanna - a west coast rock ballad with a perfect instrumental performance every nuance fits like a glow and a nice keyboard solo as well..  easy |
||
 
|
||
|
||
|
R-A-N-M-A
Forum Groupie
Joined: July 12 2007 Location: Calgary, AB Status: Offline Points: 84 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 02 2010 at 19:50 |
|
|
So, this new album by the band Moon Safari has been plastered all over the front page of the site for roughly the last forever. Which is nice and all, it's getting great reviews. I'm sure I'll get around to checking it out at some point. In the mean time I can't help but think of another (perhaps) even more marvellous Moon Safari. Without further ado, I give you:
Air - Moon Safari 4.5/5  Them Details:
Now on my to do list. Edited by R-A-N-M-A - December 02 2010 at 20:00 |
||
|
||
|
||
|
seventhsojourn
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 11 2009 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 4006 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 17 2010 at 14:45 |
|
All About Eve by All About Eve |
||
|
||
|
Post Reply
|
Page <1 7891011 14> |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
andyman1125 wrote:
