This is the album 2016 has been waiting for, Iggy Pop joining forces with Queens of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme to release Post Pop Depression. Take everything you love about Iggy and all your favorite QOTSA moments, mix them in a bag and dump them out on vinyl and you have the best release of 2016. By far. Aided by QOTSA and Dead Weather bassist Dean Fertita and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders, this is not just Iggy singing QOTSA songs, but a diverse musical landscape highlighting all of Pop’s strengths. Opening with “Break Into Your Heart,” the acid trippy rock vibe is established immediately. The way Homme’s riffs blend with Iggy’s voice is so perfect one might think they have been writing together for decades. Just under four minutes long, the song feels so much longer with the way the grooves carry it. Then it was like Iggy said to Josh “you think that songs sounded great, wait until you hear this.” “Gardenia” feels so perfectly Iggy that you aren’t sure which decade this song was written in. With a good mix of singing and spoken lyric, this is one of the album highlights. Homme’s backing vocals offset the harsher side of Iggy nicely forming some great melodies. Then we get what can only be described as a song that harkens back to the Bowie/Pop song writing days of the eighties in “American Valhalla.” The soundscape formed is appropriately Valhalla-esque in it’s beautiful honesty. Lyrically it may be the strongest song with words questioning whether one has done enough for the American Valhalla and just where is it. Another album highlight, “In The Lobby” has a more of that QOTSA edgier sound. The guitar work stands out the most with Iggy delivering strong verses like “it’s all about the dancing pricks, and it’s all about the clowns and it’s all about done.” The guitars are so funky that one of the heaviest songs on the album makes you want to get up and move. “Sunday” brings together all the influences of the artists with hints of the Artic Monkeys and Dead Weather mixing in to the most layered track. Ironically this song takes the listener back to the church of Iggy Pop in every way. Near the songs end the trippy guitars give way to female vocals accompanied by horns and strings cascading out with an almost waltzing ending to the song. With a desert western sound and hypnotic sounds, “Vulture” sounds like Iggy just finished a showdown with any musician dumb enough to think his best days are behind him. Perhaps the weakest song, nevertheless it is a nice change of pace before the album begins it’s accent to it’s climax. Just when you thought the Queens-esque sound couldn’t be stronger, “German Days” feels like it was plucked right out of the studio from “…Like Clockwork.” Alternating rhythms with hidden piano coursing through the guitars, the listener feels like they are falling further into the creative minds of Iggy and Josh. That lasting seconds of the song highlight Josh’s funky guitar work. A tongue-in-cheek ballad, “Chocolate Drops,” is deceivingly beautiful. “When you get to the bottom, you’re near the top where shit turns into chocolate drops” is not exactly the most heartwarming words. The way Homme echoes Iggy’s words in his falsetto is the perfect accent to the song. It just works in ways it shouldn’t. Then we reach the end with “Paraguay.” If you had forgotten that Iggy was the father of punk rock music, this song will remind you that he is still the man. Opening with the group singing together transitioning to just Iggy singing about getting away from all the daily grind and not really giving a shit, the sarcastic honesty plays well with the Africana influenced sounds. Just when you thought things are about to fade out into peace, the guitars turn angry and volatile. Accompanying the intensity level increasing, Iggy goes on a spoken word tirade that would make Henry Rollins blush. This is the Iggy Pop we have been waiting for since Raw Power defined a sound and a movement. Clocking in around 40 minutes, the songs never stay too long, but they get to the ass kicking point. Listen to this album over and over again.
David Bowie -Blackstar
David Bowie. Ziggy Stardust. The Thin White Duke. Call him whatever you like, but call him one of music’s most influential artists of all time. With the release of his final album, Blackstar, just days before he passed away, Bowie left the music world a diversely beautiful kiss goodbye. Don’t get me wrong, the album isn’t great because it is his last. It is great because it is Bowie at his eclectic best. To simply call Blackstar a synth jazz album is a bit short sighted and lazy as some reviews have described it. The opening of his final opus is the title track, clocking in at nearly ten minutes. The first half is dark and moody with his distorted “I’m a blackstar” vocals layered around lyrics of someone coming to grips with their mortality. The music creates an atmosphere of space reaching out into the words. About midway through, the song changes pace to be more mellow with lyrics sounding almost like a eulogy. Then as quickly as the sound change came, it is gone replaced with more sax taking center stage during this haunting space trip. By songs end, once the blackstar has said goodbye, sax and flute playfully end the journey. “Blackstar” is more of an experience than it is a song. More upbeat is “‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore.” Very sax driven, it has a very strong sound reminiscent to early eighties Bowie. Short on lyrics, but still very catchy, this song could easily be a radio hit single. Probably the happiest song on the album. In contrast, “Lazarus” is the most haunting song on Blackstar. By far an away my favorite song on the release, it paints Bowie as a figure letting go. The opening line “look up here, I’m in heaven” just transcends words and feelings, especially once he past two days after the release. It is such a powerful piece, words fail to do it justice. The way the song fades out with the bass leading, most of the other instruments becoming rhythmically sporadic fills the listener with a sense of death and life. I highly recommend viewing the video just to see how powerful the song truly is. Going back to more a classic Bowie vibe, “Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)” feels like it had it’s roots planted in 1995’s Outside release. The electric sound accompanies his voice flawlessly. There is once again sax to be heard, but it isn’t the focus of the fast paced moving song. “Girl Loves Me” plays right off the electric sound of “Sue,” but with more attitude both musically and lyrically. Opening with a run of events occurring on varies days, lyrically the big question becomes “where the fuck did Monday go?” Is it a love song? Is it about lost time? I certainly don’t know, but it is one of my favorites. It does have some more of the haunting sound with dark keyboards washing over the musical landscape. The truest blues-jazz-esque track is “Dollar Days.” Infused with piano and sax taking the lead, I can almost picture this song being performed during the “China Girl” days in some club. It has it’s own up tempo beauty to it that none of the other six songs have on this album, making a unique song in this collection. “I Can’t Give Everything Away” ends this album in a very beautiful light. Jazzy and up beat, the words are almost as if Bowie is apologizing for not being able to give more. Sax solos, followed by guitar solos, followed by flute solos, every instrument gets a moment in this song. His voice sounds as confident and young as ever in this song. “Seeing more and feeling less, saying no but meaning yes, this is all I ever meant, that’s the message I sent.” Simply beautiful. Ever the poet, musician, and human being, Blackstar allows Bowie to say goodbye without ever having to leave us so long as we continue to listen to his amazing musical art he gifted the world.
New Politics -Vikings
The New Politics first release was a bit punk-pop rock with attitude, their second was more dance rock with radio sensibility, and with their third release, Vikings, the Danish rockers have found a happy medium between the two styles. Every time I listen to this album I feel like I am hearing the perfect New York City end of summer soundtrack. The New Politics have the rare ability to capture the intensity and fun of their live shows in the studio recordings. Kicking off this party is “Everywhere I Go” with it’s fist raising opening. Full of attitude, the lyrics are basically a thank you to their fans and a fuck you to their detractors. The beat is so good, you struggle with whether you should dance or jump around to the song. The sound lowers right before the chorus giving the listener a chance to catch their breath, then right back up to jumping around. “West End Kids” follows it up with infectiously catchy lyrics that I dare you to try not to sing along to. Even with it’s slower tempo, the song really makes you want to move long with the beat. Clocking in at just over three minutes, like most of the songs on the album, you never get a chance to find the song repetitious but just short enough to leave you wanting some more. Perhaps the most danceable track with it’s total sex vibe is “Girl Crush.” It definitely has a clap along quality while David Boyd is singing about a girlfriend falling in love with another girl. Everything is up tempo and electric, including the beats. My favorite track is “Lovers In A Song.” A slightly western-esque guitar with a bit of crooning while the beat keeps a slightly faster tempo. It is a unique mix of sounds that work. There is a very brief electric change in the music, then back to mellow while “morning comes the sun is yours, but I’ll be gone so dry your tears we still lovers in a song.” I’m not sure that I can say why, but every time I hear “15 Dreams” I feel transported to NYC. Opening fast with it’s almost rap-like verses, the choruses slow things down, then right back up again. There is a very vivid dream chasing feeling to the words that the music compliments near perfectly. The easiest way to describe most of their music is fun and that is exactly what “50 Feet Tall” is. A sex-as-a-drug-addicted song, the guitar has an old school seventies sound with more danceable beats. This is another album highlight that requires multiple listens. “Pretend We’re In A Movie” has a very familiar sound to it, like you have heard it before. An acoustic opening that quickly turns into a sing along song. While not my favorite song, it completely succeeds in capturing a live recording feel to it that connects with listeners. In the same style and vibe as “Everywhere I Go,” “Loyalties Among Thieves” arrives with a very aggressive sound that lends itself more to the punk influences. Once again, there are parts that scream for you to sing along while keeping that rebellious sound. The only real problem with the song is that they have mastered the danceable punk sound so well that if there isn’t something additionally unique to the song, it can become forgettable. A bit of a love song, “Stardust” uses all of their musical weapons. Beautifully timed piano, synths that pull the listener in, and lyrics that tell a dreamy love story. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this as a single sooner as opposed to later. Then things go in the other direction on “Aristocrat.” Back to the harder punk sound, this song has more of that attitude found on their first album. The opposite side of the love song, this one has that “Miss Penthouse dynamite is cyanide” not exactly the kind of girl you want to bring home vibe. But somehow they make it still sound fun and danceable. Rounding out this short thirty some odd minute release is “Strings Attached.” A total hard hitting drums in your face punk song lasting about a minute thirty, the rest of the near twelve minute track sounds like a bunch of guys goofing around in the studio having a blast doing what they do. Maybe not the best way to end a rather impressive album, but at least you know these guys don’t take themselves too serious and can still have fun. While comparisons can be drawn to bands like Panic At The Disco and 30 Seconds To Mars, the New Politics bring their own twist to that sound. David, Soren, and Louis may not write music for every audience, but they certainly understand the one they are writing for. Vikings is fun and worth the listen. Every song matches the energy of their live shows, which you should also check out if there are in a town near you.
Nine Inch Nails -Pretty Hate Machine
Some artists are defined by musical movements and some albums are considered cornerstones to musical movements, but rarely is it the other way around. Nine Inch Nails’ debut album Pretty Hate Machine is one of those rare exceptions that does both. The industrial musical genre would be nonexistent without this 1989 groundbreaking release. Trent Reznor, the soul member of NIN, literally forged a new sound that has since been oft imitated, but rarely matched. Think new-wave pop meets metal with catchy riffs. Opening with an intense assault on the sense, “Head Like A Hole” quickly establishes the entire theme of the album. Angry, aggressive, and unforgiving. Synths turned heavy and lyrics go dark. With “god money” the lead on the verses and “bow down before the one you serve, you’re going to get what you deserve” repeated in the choruses, Reznor holds nothing back lyrically. The drum machine tempo is perfectly timed to match the lyrics and the guitar is the right kind of pissed off during the chorus. Following the opener is the very accusatory and self questioning “Terrible Lie.” Haunting and repetitious beats are the backdrop for the “hey god?” questioning throughout the song. Between verses the synths create a sense of schizophrenia and confusion, while verses bring back the clarity. As it was back when I first heard this album in ’89, “Terrible Lie” is still one of my favorite songs from Pretty Hate Machine. Even today, you can hear new elements to the layers of this song with each listen. The almost danceable “Down In It” and mostly spoken word hide the self loathing underlining the lyrics. “What I used to think was me is just a fading memory” sum up the idea of a person just falling “down in it.” The ‘it’ in question being the machine that is life. Ordered perfectly, “Sanctified” follows with it’s bass driven verses. Once you arrive at the choruses, the guitar and effects literally sound like blades slicing through your soul. As the lyrics insinuate, you find yourself totally submissive to the sounds just before the complete bottoming out from the next song the music fades into. “Something I Can Never Have” is one of the most hauntingly honest and raw songs ever recorded by Reznor. Mostly piano and synths, the words are lost and longing for love and release. During the chorus, drum machine effects begin to build to climaxes, and then gone with nothing but the piano left in their wake. The vocals have an almost whispered in a room filled with echoes quality adding to the emptiness. Working the listener like a pro, “Kinda I Want To” brings you back from the edge of despair to another near danceable beat. Very sexual in both sound and lyric, as the rhythm builds. Once the words have given in to temptation, the guitars and computer effects completely take over. Again, showing almost near perfect sequencing, “Sin” follows with it’s price-to-pay for giving in lyrics. A more intense rhythm with its Depeche Mode sounding influence, there is more submissiveness driving this song. Less abandoning hope and more giving in while you try not to find yourself wanting to move to the commanding beat. More regret is served up in “That’s What I Get.” Lots of catchy effects turn into very subtle sounds during the verses while gaining moment building to the choruses. Reznor shows an uncanny understanding of how to construct a song the invokes so many different emotion in the duration of just one song, much less an entire album. Another of my favorites, “The Only Time” has the funkiest bass on the whole album, while still maintaining a sense of darkness. Another sexual song about totally giving in, it also has some of the more unforgettable lyrics. “The devil wants to fuck me in the back of his car, nothing quite like the feel of something new” sticks with you long before he wrote “Closer.” Closing the album is a song about bringing it all together, “Ringfinger.” After the emotional ride of the previous nine songs, “Ringfinger” is all about total commitment. The synths bounce back and forth from speaker to speaker while words like “severe flesh and bone, offer it to me” fill the spaces of sound and it all comes together in a complete guitar, synth, drum machine collision. Then it just ends. As the listener, you are both spent and craving more. If you have a copy of the remastered version, you get a nearly unrecognizable cover of Queen’s “Get Down Make Love.” That is a good thing, too, because Reznor’s reimagining of this song is very layered and sexual. The birth of a genre and an album that still holds up maybe even better today than it did when it first came out, Pretty Hate Machine is required listening for any music lover.
Porno For Pyros -Good God’s Urge
Jane’s Addiction was an absolute tidal wave of sound and inspiration to the budding alternative movement in the late eighties. But that flame burned out all to soon in the early nineties. Luckily, lead singer Perry Farrell wasn’t done with the music scene. Immediately following the break up of Jane’s, Farrell introduced the world to Porno For Pyros and their self-titled debut in 1993. Some might argue that their first release was Jane’s Addiction 2.0. While that may have some validity, their follow up could be called anything but. 1996 saw the release of Good God’s Urge, a more psychedelic and Zen-like sound by Farrell and company. Opening with the very trippy “Porpoise Head” and it’s oscillating bass, Farrell weaves a tale that sounds like seduction for brain. By the end of this four plus minute track, you get the impression he is exploring the vibe of “Of Course” and “Classic Girl” from Ritual De Lo Habitual. A very holistic love song driven by the acoustic guitar and trumpet, “100 Ways” is the kind of song you play when you just want to lay around the house with someone you love. Farrell does a very smooth combination of talking and singing where you get the impression he is singing to just one person and you are eves dropping. While most of the entire album is mellow and relaxing, “Tahitian Moon” is one of the faster paced songs. So well put together, you can still hear this single getting radio play. Even with it’s faster rhythm, it carries that psychedelic feel. It’s like the verses are waves crashing and the choruses are the moments of realization, this is one of the albums high points. A mostly acoustic song, “Kimberly Austin” gives Farrell the chance to lovingly describe this girl. The song is so stripped down, you can easily picture Perry sitting around the studio just snapping is fingers and smiling while singing this song. The next song is a total change of directions in “Thick Of It All.” My personal favorite song on the album, it carries a much darker feeling. Most of the lyrics are a repetition of the title, you feel like you are stuck in the middle of said thickness. Not a lot of changes in pace or rhythm, just straight forward longing eeriness for nearly five minutes. Pulling the listener out of that darkness is one of the more fun songs, “God God’s://Urge!”. Starting off with a peaceful bass driven intro accompanied with pleading lyrics, midway the bass line segues to the driven “urge” half of the song. It is fun to hear Farrell go from mellow to intense in the span of one song and this one might be the best example of that in his musical catalog. If you aren’t paying attention with it’s abrupt end, you might not even notice that you have moved onto “Wishing Well.” Back to the album’s earlier mellow sound, “Wishing Well” is highlighted by a playful clarinet accompanying the good vibrations being sent out by the “I’m wishing you well” chorus. Feeling more like it came off the first album, “dogs rule the night” has those strange Farrell lyrics while drummer Stephen Perkins get his chance to shine on the album. The bass even has a strange playful punk flavor. This song is another example of how Farrell helped create the entire alternative label for music, this song is a challenge to put into words. In what might have been the first step in the first Jane’s Addiction reunion tour, “Freeway” has Jane’s guitarist Dave Navarro and Chili Pepper bassist Flea playing on it. Another highlight, these musicians just work incredibly well together. All the artists get their moment, especially Flea while Farrell is singing about jealousy and love while driving thru Venice. It leaves you craving more. Then, like the great musical shaman he is, Farrell brings things back to a calming dream in “Bali Eyes.” A very Earthy feel with it’s acoustic guitar and simple rhythm section, this a beautiful way to bring this meditative album to a close. If you are a fan of any Jane’s Addiction song or maybe forgot about Porno For Pyros, take the time to enjoy this musical gem. At almost twenty years old, the music still sounds fresh and inventive.
Living Colour -Stain
In the late eighties/early nineties most black artist were considered either rap, hip-hop, or R&B in the music world. Once Living Colour arrived on the scene that notion was shot to hell. They were rock, they were talented, they were black and they were here to stay! Vivid was powerful, Time’s Up was eclectic, but 1993’s Stain was something different. Aside from a new bassist in Doug Wimbish, this sounded like a culmination of some of the best parts of their previous releases. Stranger still, it was one of their least commercially successful albums. Luckily, that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to revisit. “Go Away” explodes right from the get go with Vernon Reid’s sonic assault with his guitar. The bridges between chorus and verse allow Wimbish to show how funky his bass playing can be while Corey Glover sings of paying off your conscience’s guilt. All the while Will Calhoun keeps the time both heavy and funky on drums. This is a great opener and a good representation of the album as a whole. “Ignorance Is Bliss” follows in a similar vein, but Calhoun really shines here. Funky enough to make you want to dance, but heavy enough to make you want to head bang. Lyrically it is another social conscience wake up call claiming ignorance to what is going on in the world is no excuse. “Leave It Alone,” the lead single from Stain, follows the same aggressive tone but the sampling sets it apart from the first two tracks. “We are always talking about peace, but it is pieces that we find” sings Glover over a bed of Reid guitar. Next up is one of those more experimental songs similar to the material found on Time’s Up, “Bi.” Easily the funkiest tracks on the album and not nearly as aggressive, this song feels like it was intended to let Wimbish shine on his bass playing. Lyrically it is a bit comical referencing how being bisexual doubles the playing field. “Mind Your Own Business” turns back up the intensity with it’s sludging off beat rhythm, it feels very influenced by Bad Brains. It has that sort of media attack that even twenty some odd years later still feels relevant. Another trash metal sounding song, “Auslander” has various rhythms from chorus to verse. It’s not that it is a bad song, it’s just a little forgettable compared to the other heavier tracks proceeding it. I would have liked to see the Prince cover “17 Days” placed here instead of it being a B-side. It would have been a nice break before “Never Satisfied” jars you with Reid’s guitar playing. Glover sounds angry and committed to never being satisfied about a lot of different things while Reid just shows off how gifted he truly is. One of metal/rock’s more underrated guitar plays period. What follows is one of Living Colour’s most beautiful songs to date that Calhoun wrote in memory of his late father. “Nothingness” keeps the funky bass, but tones down the guitar to allow Glover’s words to harmonize and reach the listening audience. The use of ambient outdoor sounds add to the listlessness of nothingness. Switching gear quickly, “Postman” has the lyrical insight to a deranged killers’ thoughts. By far the darkest track on the album. Wimbish and Calhoun carry this tortured trip until the song’s end. I feel these two work better than Calhoun did with former bassist Muzz Skillings. “WTFF (What The Fuck Factor)” is the lone instrumental guided mostly by guitars and sampling. Not quite as good as “What’s Your Favorite Color,” but it is a break from the heavy and a segue to the remaining tracks. “This Little Pig” has a heavy police brutality quality to it. Wimbish, again, keeps the bass funky while the drums are in the forefront. It is also another off time rhythm that makes the listener feel off for the duration of the song. “Hemp” is a very eclectic and almost out of place track amongst the political angst of the majority of Stain. It features spoken word lyrics by Andrew Fairley. Longing and a bit haunting as the guitar synthesizer guides you along the story being narrated by Fairley. Then we get to my favorite track and the closer, “Wall.” This intense number is all about overcoming the wall of hate that separates so many. You get all the best parts of Living Colour in this one song; Glover singing with conviction, Reid being masterful on guitar, Wimbish letting the bass be funky when it needs to be, and Calhoun keeping everyone in time with his powerful drumming. It feels like the darker side of “Type,” another personal favorite. All the sound effects and sampling as the song draws to a close makes you realize that this is a the perfect song to end an album. While it would be another ten years before the band would reunite and release Collide scope, Stain is a much better album than what it is usually credited for being. Very political and heavy, it is a taste of what was to come once the guys got back together. So as we wait for 2015’s Shade later this year, go back and enjoy one of Living Colour’s lesser known albums in Stain.
Faith No More -Sol Invictus
After waiting eighteen years for album that I never thought would actually come out, Faith No More reunited to release Sol Invictus. This album is better than what it should be for a band that was known for pioneering alternative music and doing it their own way. This isn’t a reunion album designed to cash in on past accomplishments, this is a group of guys that continue to push boundaries creating their own sound. Like fine wine, FNM got even better with age. “Sol Invictus” opens with Roddy Bottom ‘s keys bringing us into a holy sounding piece with Mike Bordin’s drums keeping a military marching beat. Mike Patton’s vocals wash over the sounds with varied harmonies, creating an atmosphere of desperation and religious questioning. A very peaceful opening track that sets the tone for the entire album. Next up is “Superhero,” a song so FNM-esque that you almost forget it has been eighteen years since they recorded music together. Every member has their moment in this song, with it’s fast pace rhythm, dynamic keys, bassist Billy Gould and guitarist Jon Hudson sound great together here. Patton uses all of his vocals talents on this one; singing, harmonies, guttural screams, and the occasional howl or two. I have read a few reviews that said “Sunny Side Up” sounds like “Easy” meets “RV,” but this catchy tongue in cheek number is so much more than that. Gould’s bass takes lead with this comical number about cooking an egg. With it’s mellow beginning, things quickly turn to an incredibly intense chorus, followed by another mellow verse. Only Patton can make lyrics like “sunny side up, it’s not the only way to fry an egg” or “honey bees will sting for me, stinging” and make them sound believable. That has always been one of FNM’s finest traits, taking the absurd very serious. They are in on the joke, are you? While it does sound a little like one of Patton’s other bands Tomahawk, “Separation Anxiety” is one of the best tracks on an album full of good ones. Gould and Bordin paint a dark and brooding sound that allows Patton to sound his creepiest. There may even be a hint of “Malpractice” found in this one. As the end of the song draws near, Hudson’s guitar aids Patton’s voice to delirium. This song sticks with you after hearing it. Possibly the highest point of Sol Invictus follows in “Cone Of Shame.” The song begins very western sounding with Patton doing a bit of crooning over Bordin’s marching drums. Then almost exactly at the middle part of the song spoken lyrics begin setting up a showdown of musically intensity unlike anything else found on the album. “You’re only happy when you’re pissing me off” Patton screams during the sonic assault. This song alone is worth the price of admission. In true FNM fashion, they follow that up with a song that has an Italian flavor to it. “Rise Of The Fall” has verses that sound like you are relaxing on some gondola while the choruses yank you away from your musical vacation into some nightmare that only Patton could compose. The structure of this song feels very Mr. Bungle in a FNM sort of way. I bit of acoustic guitar turns up next in the attack on consumerism “Black Friday.” A bit of Hispanic sound in Hudson’s guitar playing carries this song while Patton screams “buy it” over and over again. The irony here is that their first single released off Sol Invictus was released on Black Friday, which is the next track. Only FNM could get away with making their first new song in eighteen years called “Motherfucker.” In a first, Bottom sings all the verses in spoken word. The first listen probably feels very weird, but after multiple listens and it really works. Bordin’s drums carry the song along while Patton has various harmonies in the background before singing the choruses. There are parts of the song that feel very classic FNM, especially when Hudson’s guitar moves to the forefront. Another haunting highlight is “Matador.” It’s beautiful piano juxtaposed with the creepy guitar playing makes this song feel off in a good way. The song has a very grand feel to it as it progresses in a “King For A Day” sort of way. Everything comes together in an epic finish. Very likely making light of their return, the last track is titled “From The Dead.” It has a very hymnal sound, like the entire album has been a religious experience. A very beautiful and peaceful way to end their return as Patton sings “back from the dead, I can see the end.” To have Faith No More back, touring and releasing new music is a exactly what the music world needs. The masters are back to teach the students how it is done. Sol Invictus isn’t Angel Dust, but is better than 90% of all the other shit being passed off as music today. Welcome back FNM, stay as long as you like!
Incubus -Trust Fall (Side A)
To celebrate signing a new record deal with Island Records, Incubus has released a four song EP titled Trust Fall (Side A). Falling somewhere between A Crow Left Of The Murder and Light Grenades musically, this is what most fans have come to expect from Incubus. These four tracks are not nearly as experimental sounding as their last album If Not Now, When? nor are they as serious sounding. It actually sounds like Brandon and the boys are having fun playing these songs. Which is great, because it is fun listening to them. Opening this fun musical adventure is “Trust Fall.” A nice slow burning intro of guitars soon turns to an upbeat tempo with a funky driving bass. Brandon Boyd’s lyrics are at their whimsical best weaving a story that sounds like falling in love is like a trust fall into the world. By the time we reach the end of the song, Boyd turns from singing to spoken word during the outro while the music fades out into the universe. This might be one of their most electric numbers since “A Kiss To Send Us Off.” Following that up is a tongue in cheek love song “Make Out Party.” Ben Kenney’s bass is tuned down and driving this song with it’s sexy funk. During the verses Boyd does his best high octave Prince impersonation that adds another dimension to this quirky love song. The choruses hear his normal voice layered as drums move to the forefront adding desperation to it all. The keyboards even get a great moment near the end of the song. This is the fun type of experimentation long time fans enjoy from new Incubus music. Heavy hitting and very deep lyrics make “Absolution Calling” the best of the four tracks. Again, little things like the snapping and the extra voice tracks make this song complete. Mike Einziger’s guitar playing here is fresh sounding while still balancing the older Incubus sound. Like the previous two songs, the bass playing is some of the funkiest in their catalog filled with some great funky moments. “I remember feeling the opposite of falling,” this song really takes you out into the cosmos of sound and words. Ending this EP is “Dance Like Your Dumb,” another funky song that challenges the listener to not get up and dance to this fun song. With classic lyrics like “then like a pink Boba Fett she calls you on your bet” and “dance like you got your legs from a cartoon,” this is fun-not-taking-themselves-too-serious sounding Incubus in the best way possible. If I didn’t know any better, I might have thought a was listening to older Chili Peppers or b-sides from an earlier long lost Incubus album. It feels like they have found the balance between mature song writing and the metaphorical fun of their older sound. While four songs might be a small sample, if this is the direction Incubus goes I am hoping that we get a Side B to Trust Fall very soon.
Duran Duran -Rio
There are just some things about the eighties that just stick with you; Nintendo, big hair, bad fashion, Star Wars, just to name a few. One of my guilty eighties pleasures that I haven’t let go of is Duran Duran. Catchy British pop music that you just can’t get out of your head at times. None of their albums epitomize this more than ’82’s Rio. Some will argue Seven And The Ragged Tiger is their best and you would have a valid argument. However, there are some fillers, perhaps because it was rushed out on the heels of the success of Rio. It has the feel of the Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers in that it seems like it was piecemealed together over a three year period or so, aged to perfection. Opening with the title track, Simon LeBon and company kick things off with intense guitars and catchy repetitive synths that take the listener along for a ride on the Rio. Even the horn section toward the end of the song, remember it was the eighties, works to make the song even catchier. This song was one of the album’s big hits and also very instrumental in the evolution of the music video and MTV. “My Own Way” has a very drum machine beat carried by the amazing work of keyboardist Nick Rhodes. The chorus is danceable without being cheesy, even by today’s standards. In fact this was the lead single that got heavy rotation in the club scene. The lyrics are pretty straight forward, but somehow LeBon deliveries them in a way that doesn’t feel repetitious. While not exactly a ballad, “Lonely In Your Nightmare” certainly tones things down a bit and probably drove the ladies crazy live. Again, catchy lyrics, guitars get to shine, keyboards, and the drums keeping time with the bass, this is the quintessential Duran Duran sound. I’m a little surprised no one thought to make this a single at some point and time. However, the biggest hit “Hungry Like The Wolf” follows. Big crazy video, a bit of mystery to the lyrics, and lots of fun to listen to, it is no mystery why it was the highest charting hit off of Rio. It’s use in the Shrek movies a few years back brought this song to a whole new generation. Next is the closest thing in my opinion as a filler, yet not a bad song. “Hold Back The Rain” just feels too similar to “My Own Way,” with the way the keyboards carry the song with the drum machine vibe behind it. Especially compared to the next track, “New Religion,” “Hold Back The Rain” becomes kind of forgettable in the albums entirety. With it’s toned down grove being carried by the bass and the way LeBon’s voice is multi-track layered, “New Religion” is one of the best tracks on an album full of goods tracks. Toward the end of the song the guitar work of Andy Taylor gets just as funky as the bass is throughout, making one of those musical moments that you could just listen to repeatedly. Following that up is another song offering a bit of the funkier side of Duran Duran, “Last Chance On The Stairway.” LeBon sings this number with the desperation that goes along with the song title. And is that some xylophone getting funky midway? The way Rhodes paints a wonderful landscape for the other musicians play on is a thing of beauty to hear. “Save A Prayer” falls into the ballad category in a very longing synth sort of way. Again, Rhodes and LeBon own this song with the way the words entwine with the oriental sounding keyboards during the verses. “Don’t say a prayer for me now, save it ’til the morning after” sings LeBon as the keys change into a fade out leading to my favorite song on the album. Closing things out is “The Chauffeur,” a somewhat haunting number. It feels both hypnotic and sexy in a way that sticks with you as you hear “sing blue silver,” an unusual lyric that you just can’t shake. It has a sense of voyeur-esque chauffeur watching seduction to it. As the song gets deeper the more the rhythm starts to pick up, adding to the hypnotic sound. The perfect climax to the album! I would also recommend listening to the Deftones cover, it is haunting in an entirely different way. As most albums released in the early eighties were, you only get about forty two minutes of music. But almost every note is worth the price of admission. Rio is the perfect way to remember the second British Invasion!
Tori Amos -Little Earthquakes
In the late eighties there were only two types of female artists; pop singers and R&B singers. Then along came Tori Amos. Record companies tried to make her fit into one of these categories, but she just didn’t fit. She was different, she was an alternative artist with pre-grunge angst, pre-industrial lyrics wrapped up and disguised in piano melodies. This past week, her first album Little Earthquakes got a deluxe edition make over twenty four years after it’s 1991 release. So if the title of the article didn’t give it away, I have been enjoying the re-visitation of this groundbreaking set of songs. Opening with an incredibly strong track, “Crucify,” a dark piano driven song about suffering for the love of someone else. As is with most of her lyrics, there are many different ways the words can be interpreted. With verses like “drive another nail in like God needs one more victim” and “where are those angels when you need them,” the listener learns real quick that this beauty isn’t singing happy love songs for the masses. The piano acts as a tour guide guiding you through this cathartic release of self inflicted suffering that both sexes can relate to. Musically, the next song “Girl,” isn’t as intense with it’s lounge-esque feel but lyrically it is just as strong. Dark images of a girl that has been taken advantage with uncomfortable phrases “I’ve cuts on my knees falling down as the winter takes one more cherry tree.” The music also builds to this coming together of piano, guitar, violins, and drums where the vocals get layered. Musicians, much less females artists, didn’t write music this deep during the late eighties. “Silent All These Years” has an eerie sort of winter holiday piano sound backed up by an orchestra that could lyrically be Amos singing her biography. Beautiful and empowering. One of my favorites numbers, “Precious Things,” really opens things up. Fast tempo piano coupled with heavy breathing for an intro, this is dark lyrics accompanied by dark music. Strong electric guitars punctuate some of the strongest lyrics. “He said you’re really an ugly girl, but I like the way you play,” that is fucked up even by today’s standards. Then acoustic piano and electric piano start to weave together over howls and intense words until you are spent. Things come back down a bit in the same vein as “Silent All These Years” with “Winter”. The orchestra really takes the spotlight on this number. The music and metaphors capture the imagination of snow white scenes and the cold that accompanies it. The “Happy Phantom” introduces a thirties burlesque sound of piano fun. It has some of the strangest lyrics, but a very Beatle-esque experimental vibe that makes it standout from the other songs because of it’s uniqueness. This song needs multiple listening’s just to hear all the stuff going on. Next is the one song on the entire album that most closely resembles a “normal” ballad, “China.” Longing strings and beautiful piano follow Amos’s voice as she compares the distance between two lovers matching that of various places like New York and China. Maybe released a few years later, it would have been a much bigger single than what it was back then. If you have heard the Dresden Dolls or Amanda Palmer, “Leather” would be the seed that nearly all their songs could be traced back to. Flapper girls in a dank bar atmosphere is created by the piano as her voice has a sarcastic happy as can be tone to it. Short and straight to the point, another example of something really dark going on under the words sang. All piano and vocals, “Mother” starts off slow, then builds to faster tempo. Lyrically, this song feels all about going off to became a woman and losing yourself along the way. The changes in tempo match perfectly with the story being told. As a male listener, you almost feel like a voyeur on some sacred female right of passage gone wrong. Another favorite of mine, “Tear In Your Hand” as all the elements that would very soon be associated with many alternative songs. The story of a break up with an “I Will Survive” attitude and a stronger presence of guitars and drums. It also has one of my all time favorite Tori lyrics “I don’t believe you’re leaving cause me and Charles Manson like the same ice cream.” Both sad and funny, it really does sound like some kind of bizarre guy logic. Toward the end, just where one might expect a guitar solo, a piano solo steals the show, then right back to the song. Nothing on this album or any other album prior to it could prepare the listener for the next song, “Me And A Gun.” No music, just words. Haunting words. A song about rape? Maybe, regardless it is one of the most open and vulnerable songs I have ever heard. Kurt Cobain may have sung with angst and conviction, but this is something on an entirely different level. The less is more approach works in unforgettable ways. After catching ones’ breath next comes the closer, another one of my favorites, “Little Earthquakes.” A push-pull tempo with a toned down guitar pulls you back up from the last song, but not all the way up. Building and building, the slow burn picks back up midway through only to pull you back down with overlapping vocals and harmonies. Crying out “give me life, give me pain, give me myself again” fills this song with desperation that is palpable. Then the music falls back down to piano and harmony as the music fades. This is the perfect song to end on, establishing Tori Amos as a major player in the soon to be exploding scene of a0tlernative music. The deluxe edition is also accompanied by a great collection of b-sides highlighted by “The Pool,” “Sugar,” and a one of a kind cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The re-mastered songs sound vibrant, even if you already have Little Earthquakes, it is worth the price to get them. A beautiful release by a beautiful artist that paved the way for many female musician today, you owe it to yourself to check out “these little earthquakes!”
Bart's Music Musings 