To peer over and not forget what feet are
'Sup? Things have gone from crazy to insay-yay-yane around these parts. If I hadn't gotten a wicked sinus/lung infection that landed me in the emergency room on Thanksgiving, I probably wouldn't have gotten any rest last month. But, you remember what Biggie and friends said about the ratio of funds to troubles...
Here are songs from the 61st through 80th new releases I heard during 2012; basically, what I was rocking in the early summer. I'm-a keep my comments short as I'll have to squeeze out at least 3 more batches like this before I'm done with 2012's offerings. Some astute readers may notice a few artists appearing here for the second time this year. Hey, dudes are productive.
1. Gojira, "L'enfant Sauvage" (L'enfant Sauvage, Roadrunner) - I think the long-dormant French crew have finally struck an immaculate balance between industrial-strength aggression and immersive, reflective textures, further perfecting a sort of techy-pop version of extreme metal that is rightfully gaining an audience on these shores.
2. Storm Corrosion, "Drag Ropes" (Storm Corrosion, Roadrunner) - Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt and Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, hangin' around the studio, makin' super chill tunes and just bein' a coupla prog-lovin' knuckleheads. This is not an album for the ages, but it's nice Floyd/Crimson/Beatles-flavored sonic wallpaper all the same.
3. Calabrese, "Coffin of Ruins" (Dayglo Necros, Spookshow) - Plying horror-themed pop-punk in the grand Misfits tradition, Calabrese is made up of three brothers from Phoenix who know a catchy sing-along chorus when they hear one, and I'm extremely glad to have discovered these greaser ghouls.
4. Vintersorg, "Istid" (Orkan, Napalm) - The prolific Swedish vocal legend makes good on the promise of the very good Borknagar album he recently sang on, as his strongest solo effort in a long time genuinely recalls the mixture of melodic black metal, hearty Viking harmonies and grandiose scope that distinguished Vintersorg's excellent early albums.
5. Curren$y, "Showroom" (The Stoned Immaculate, Jet Life/Warner Bros.) - The New Orleans MC's summer jam is a slick, shiny affair in contrast to his long line of underground releases, shoehorning his unique, bleary flow into a modern mainstream hip-hop context. Spitta still mixes his hazy car and plane metaphors like an obviously stoned but nonetheless arresting storyteller.
6. Kreator, "Phantom Antichrist" (Phantom Antichrist, Nuclear Blast) - German thrash royalty soldiers on with album number 13, Mille Petrozza's piercing howl and Sami Yli-Sirniö's memorable guitar hooks taking center stage as in much of their past decade's work. A solid record with few surprises, it does not topple Enemy of God as my favorite latter-day Kreator disc.
7. Jess and the Ancient Ones, "13th Breath of the Zodiac" (Jess and the Ancient Ones, Svart) - They may be another one of those '70s occult hard rock revival outfits that are popping up like hipsters at a Pendleton sale, but Finland's Jess and the Ancient Ones have three advantages over said peers: rich, engaging songwriting, groovy guitar/keyboard arrangements and their frontwoman's deep, charismatic pipes.
8. Gatekeeper, "Tree Drum" (Exo, Hippos in Tanks) - I really jammed on Gatekeeper's Giza for combining the dystopian synth lope of a vintage John Carpenter score and prime Thrill Kill Kult industrial creeps (with a driving house thump to keep it lively), but am not yet decided on the full-length follow-up, being a dizzyingly diverse listen that is perhaps more sonically interesting but more difficult to digest than the electro pair's debut EP.
9. Ihsahn, "The Eagle and the Snake" (Eremita, Candlelight) - I have loved each of the former Emperor/Peccatum frontman's solo albums, especially 2010's After, but perhaps because Eremita shares the same general lineup and vibe as that majestically dark triumph, it almost feels by-the-book in comparison. It is still, naturally, in the upper echelon of classy Euro prog metal, and reveals more nuances with each listen.
10. Purity Ring, "Fineshrine" (Shrines, 4AD) - This and the next two entries are acts I checked out because I was going to the Pitchfork Music Festival and they were playing at it. This deservedly talked-up duo grafts club beats to gauzy, wistful synth-pop in a winning combination, Megan James's ghostly little girl vocals burbling vaguely unsettling lyrics with a horror movie heroine's innocence.
11. Ty Segall Band, "I Bought My Eyes" (Slaughterhouse, In the Red) - A pillar of San Francisco's garage-psych scene, extremely busy singer/guitarist Segall makes a reasonably diverse racket which regularly transforms between spacy acid fuzz and snarling, overheated punk abandon, his penchant for uncanny earworms sometimes ruined by outbursts so bratty as to be off-putting.
12. Big K.R.I.T., "Cool 2 Be Southern" (Live from the Underground, Cinematic/Def Jam) - The ambitious young Mississippi MC/producer makes an infectious major label debut with guests ranging from the ubiquitous 2 Chainz to the venerable B.B. King, but the easygoing confidence of his flow and inescapable Southern soul grooves don't need any help, considering that it's pretty easy to relate to the guy if you're a conscious thinker and like to enjoy yourself.
13. Manowar, "Born in a Grave" (The Lord of Steel: Hammer Edition, Magic Circle) - When I was a young teen, Manowar's bracing metal anthems and oblivious swords-and-sandals bravado made them one of my favorite bands in the world, but 20+ years later they are a pitiful wisp of trapped-in-amber dad metal, their lazy, reheated melodies and unenthusiastic performances here staked through the heart by a dry, soulless mix. (I have also heard the alternate remixed "Retail Edition" of the album, which actually sounds muddier and cruddier but is differently arranged enough that die-hards will unfortunately be compelled to get both versions of the same weak tunes.)
14. Jack White, "Weep Themselves to Sleep" (Blunderbuss, XL) - I have never had an opinion one way or another on the White Stripes, but I kinda dug the Raconteurs as far as regular old radio rock goes, and I have to say Jack White's first solo joint is an agreeably eclectic listen, one I would not have sought out had a friend not suggested it but which is occasionally weird (in a good way) and just theatrically self-revelatory enough to be endearing rather than overbearing.
15. Deathspell Omega, "Scorpions & Drought" (Drought, Norma Evangelium Diaboli) - The French/Finnish connection spits out another slab of undulating madness that hipster critics have to pretend to like, splitting their second post-Paracletus EP into several tracks rather than their customary 20-minute unholy racket by alternating brief bursts of artsy heart attack post-black with maliciously uneasy soundscapes. As usual, all you can do is try to hang on.
16. The Futureheads, "Man Ray" (Rant, Nul) - I enjoyed these post-punk revivalists at a fest a few years ago and always meant to hear one of their recordings, so I finally did when I saw they had a new album out, only to discover that it is a one-off where they do a cappella versions of their own songs, plus some traditionals and covers (Sparks, Richard Thompson, The Black Eyed Peas(!))... so, I guess the jury's still out on whether or not I like The Futureheads.
17. Germ, "Flowers Bloom and Flowers Fall, But I'm Still Waiting for the Spring" (Wish, Eisenwald) - While I really got into Woods of Desolation's Torn Beyond Reason in 2011, founder Tim Yatras' latest solo project Germ isn't nearly as enveloping, a brand of sweeping, gothy electro-metal that's rather earthbound in comparison to that on this year's awesome debut by AtomA, and the Fleurety-style piercing shrieks do not gel at all. It's a promising enough concept that I'd check out a follow-up, though.
18. Melvins, "Leon vs. the Revolution" (Freak Puke, Ipecac) - For their 18th album, the Melvins went back to a three-piece ("lite") configuration, bringing on Bay Area gadabout Trevor Dunn on upright bass and getting down with some cranky, jammy and just goddamned weird shit which, like many of their recent albums, borderline irritated me on first contact but became kinda fascinating after a few spins.
19. Fear Factory, "Virus of Faith" (The Industrialist, Candlelight) - Here's another album I only checked out at a friend's behest, as I am hard-pressed to see the point in further recycling the rigidly defined, interchangeable, increasingly dated industrial thrash these dudes are cranking out. It's heavy and aggressive and they thankfully haven't brought back the rapping from Digimortal, but it's fucking identical to the rest of their back catalog, still chasing but never quite catching the Demanufacture dragon.
20. Änglagård, "Sorgmantel" (Viljans Öga, Änglagård) - After nearly two decades of dormancy, the cult Swedish outfit returned with a third set of entrancing instrumental folk/classical/prog in the tradition of King Crimson, Gentle Giant and other classy '70s icons, offering beautiful excursions that evoke wonder, whimsy and even spooky pathos.
Here are songs from the 61st through 80th new releases I heard during 2012; basically, what I was rocking in the early summer. I'm-a keep my comments short as I'll have to squeeze out at least 3 more batches like this before I'm done with 2012's offerings. Some astute readers may notice a few artists appearing here for the second time this year. Hey, dudes are productive.
1. Gojira, "L'enfant Sauvage" (L'enfant Sauvage, Roadrunner) - I think the long-dormant French crew have finally struck an immaculate balance between industrial-strength aggression and immersive, reflective textures, further perfecting a sort of techy-pop version of extreme metal that is rightfully gaining an audience on these shores.
2. Storm Corrosion, "Drag Ropes" (Storm Corrosion, Roadrunner) - Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt and Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, hangin' around the studio, makin' super chill tunes and just bein' a coupla prog-lovin' knuckleheads. This is not an album for the ages, but it's nice Floyd/Crimson/Beatles-flavored sonic wallpaper all the same.
3. Calabrese, "Coffin of Ruins" (Dayglo Necros, Spookshow) - Plying horror-themed pop-punk in the grand Misfits tradition, Calabrese is made up of three brothers from Phoenix who know a catchy sing-along chorus when they hear one, and I'm extremely glad to have discovered these greaser ghouls.
4. Vintersorg, "Istid" (Orkan, Napalm) - The prolific Swedish vocal legend makes good on the promise of the very good Borknagar album he recently sang on, as his strongest solo effort in a long time genuinely recalls the mixture of melodic black metal, hearty Viking harmonies and grandiose scope that distinguished Vintersorg's excellent early albums.
5. Curren$y, "Showroom" (The Stoned Immaculate, Jet Life/Warner Bros.) - The New Orleans MC's summer jam is a slick, shiny affair in contrast to his long line of underground releases, shoehorning his unique, bleary flow into a modern mainstream hip-hop context. Spitta still mixes his hazy car and plane metaphors like an obviously stoned but nonetheless arresting storyteller.
6. Kreator, "Phantom Antichrist" (Phantom Antichrist, Nuclear Blast) - German thrash royalty soldiers on with album number 13, Mille Petrozza's piercing howl and Sami Yli-Sirniö's memorable guitar hooks taking center stage as in much of their past decade's work. A solid record with few surprises, it does not topple Enemy of God as my favorite latter-day Kreator disc.
7. Jess and the Ancient Ones, "13th Breath of the Zodiac" (Jess and the Ancient Ones, Svart) - They may be another one of those '70s occult hard rock revival outfits that are popping up like hipsters at a Pendleton sale, but Finland's Jess and the Ancient Ones have three advantages over said peers: rich, engaging songwriting, groovy guitar/keyboard arrangements and their frontwoman's deep, charismatic pipes.
8. Gatekeeper, "Tree Drum" (Exo, Hippos in Tanks) - I really jammed on Gatekeeper's Giza for combining the dystopian synth lope of a vintage John Carpenter score and prime Thrill Kill Kult industrial creeps (with a driving house thump to keep it lively), but am not yet decided on the full-length follow-up, being a dizzyingly diverse listen that is perhaps more sonically interesting but more difficult to digest than the electro pair's debut EP.
9. Ihsahn, "The Eagle and the Snake" (Eremita, Candlelight) - I have loved each of the former Emperor/Peccatum frontman's solo albums, especially 2010's After, but perhaps because Eremita shares the same general lineup and vibe as that majestically dark triumph, it almost feels by-the-book in comparison. It is still, naturally, in the upper echelon of classy Euro prog metal, and reveals more nuances with each listen.
10. Purity Ring, "Fineshrine" (Shrines, 4AD) - This and the next two entries are acts I checked out because I was going to the Pitchfork Music Festival and they were playing at it. This deservedly talked-up duo grafts club beats to gauzy, wistful synth-pop in a winning combination, Megan James's ghostly little girl vocals burbling vaguely unsettling lyrics with a horror movie heroine's innocence.
11. Ty Segall Band, "I Bought My Eyes" (Slaughterhouse, In the Red) - A pillar of San Francisco's garage-psych scene, extremely busy singer/guitarist Segall makes a reasonably diverse racket which regularly transforms between spacy acid fuzz and snarling, overheated punk abandon, his penchant for uncanny earworms sometimes ruined by outbursts so bratty as to be off-putting.
12. Big K.R.I.T., "Cool 2 Be Southern" (Live from the Underground, Cinematic/Def Jam) - The ambitious young Mississippi MC/producer makes an infectious major label debut with guests ranging from the ubiquitous 2 Chainz to the venerable B.B. King, but the easygoing confidence of his flow and inescapable Southern soul grooves don't need any help, considering that it's pretty easy to relate to the guy if you're a conscious thinker and like to enjoy yourself.
13. Manowar, "Born in a Grave" (The Lord of Steel: Hammer Edition, Magic Circle) - When I was a young teen, Manowar's bracing metal anthems and oblivious swords-and-sandals bravado made them one of my favorite bands in the world, but 20+ years later they are a pitiful wisp of trapped-in-amber dad metal, their lazy, reheated melodies and unenthusiastic performances here staked through the heart by a dry, soulless mix. (I have also heard the alternate remixed "Retail Edition" of the album, which actually sounds muddier and cruddier but is differently arranged enough that die-hards will unfortunately be compelled to get both versions of the same weak tunes.)
14. Jack White, "Weep Themselves to Sleep" (Blunderbuss, XL) - I have never had an opinion one way or another on the White Stripes, but I kinda dug the Raconteurs as far as regular old radio rock goes, and I have to say Jack White's first solo joint is an agreeably eclectic listen, one I would not have sought out had a friend not suggested it but which is occasionally weird (in a good way) and just theatrically self-revelatory enough to be endearing rather than overbearing.
15. Deathspell Omega, "Scorpions & Drought" (Drought, Norma Evangelium Diaboli) - The French/Finnish connection spits out another slab of undulating madness that hipster critics have to pretend to like, splitting their second post-Paracletus EP into several tracks rather than their customary 20-minute unholy racket by alternating brief bursts of artsy heart attack post-black with maliciously uneasy soundscapes. As usual, all you can do is try to hang on.
16. The Futureheads, "Man Ray" (Rant, Nul) - I enjoyed these post-punk revivalists at a fest a few years ago and always meant to hear one of their recordings, so I finally did when I saw they had a new album out, only to discover that it is a one-off where they do a cappella versions of their own songs, plus some traditionals and covers (Sparks, Richard Thompson, The Black Eyed Peas(!))... so, I guess the jury's still out on whether or not I like The Futureheads.
17. Germ, "Flowers Bloom and Flowers Fall, But I'm Still Waiting for the Spring" (Wish, Eisenwald) - While I really got into Woods of Desolation's Torn Beyond Reason in 2011, founder Tim Yatras' latest solo project Germ isn't nearly as enveloping, a brand of sweeping, gothy electro-metal that's rather earthbound in comparison to that on this year's awesome debut by AtomA, and the Fleurety-style piercing shrieks do not gel at all. It's a promising enough concept that I'd check out a follow-up, though.
18. Melvins, "Leon vs. the Revolution" (Freak Puke, Ipecac) - For their 18th album, the Melvins went back to a three-piece ("lite") configuration, bringing on Bay Area gadabout Trevor Dunn on upright bass and getting down with some cranky, jammy and just goddamned weird shit which, like many of their recent albums, borderline irritated me on first contact but became kinda fascinating after a few spins.
19. Fear Factory, "Virus of Faith" (The Industrialist, Candlelight) - Here's another album I only checked out at a friend's behest, as I am hard-pressed to see the point in further recycling the rigidly defined, interchangeable, increasingly dated industrial thrash these dudes are cranking out. It's heavy and aggressive and they thankfully haven't brought back the rapping from Digimortal, but it's fucking identical to the rest of their back catalog, still chasing but never quite catching the Demanufacture dragon.
20. Änglagård, "Sorgmantel" (Viljans Öga, Änglagård) - After nearly two decades of dormancy, the cult Swedish outfit returned with a third set of entrancing instrumental folk/classical/prog in the tradition of King Crimson, Gentle Giant and other classy '70s icons, offering beautiful excursions that evoke wonder, whimsy and even spooky pathos.
posted by SoulReaper at 12:28 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home