First Impressions

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 25 March 2008 04:14 (A review of Pretty. Odd.)

Pretty. Odd. is quite an apropos title for this latest release from Panic at the Disco. The album is very melody driven but a lot of the instrumentation and lyrics would be considered odd by most. I'm not most though. This album makes me smile. Pretty. Odd. is quite a change in direction for Panic at the Disco and while I enjoyed their previous direction I'm enjoying this direction just as much. So far I'm really digging That Green Gentleman, Northern Downpour, and Behind the Sea.

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Travesty.

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 24 March 2008 08:27 (A review of Scouting for Girls)

This is not only one of the WORST albums of recent times, but clearly also one of the WORST bands to secure a record deal so far in the 21st century. The word 'worst' is perhaps overused in reviews, but I want to emphasise it here, I'm not lying when I say that this is the worst album I've heard this century.

I have a reputation for having a pretentious music taste, but I still keep up with the flood of generic indie bands that graces the radio in Britain. 'Scouting for girls' are the only one I can ever remember inciting feelings of raw rage and anger because of their lacklustre sound and completely bland and uninspired lyrics. Even my dad, a Phil Collins fan, pointed this out. Let's take a look at how he came to the conclusion by analysing the lyrics to their last two singles:

Song: She's so lovely
Lyrics: "She's so lovely
She's so lovely
She's so lovely
She's so lovely
She's so lovely
She's so lovely
She's so lovely
She's so loverrrly"

Song: Elvis Aint Dead
Lyrics: "Elvis isn't dead
Elvis isn't dead
Elvis isn't dead, coz I heard him on the radio
Elvis isn't dead
Elvis isn't dead
Elvis isn't dead, coz I heard him on the Radio.

I mean I know it's easter and all but I have to take his name in vain - Jesus Christ. If you really like this band and if you've ever made a conscious effort to listen to (or even BUY!!) one of their albums/songs, then you are a horrible horrible person and an insult to the entire sense of hearing. In fact you're probably deaf and your ears are rotten nubs of dead flesh.

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Reviewed on Request.

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 24 March 2008 05:56 (A review of (What's the Story) Morning Glory?)

Imagine the worst accent in the world, curse it upon two people, brothers actually, give one a bit of talent, and one a huge ego, and then teach them to play some instruments on a basic level, tell them a few "ground rules" such as "All songs should be sung on the exact same note to be good" and a few simple formulas that should last a couple of albums or so. Shoot em full of drugs and alcohol, and make them British and you will have one of the most successful (for no reason i can see) bands in the UK.
Oasis are an absolute waste of time, they have about 4 good songs (mainly performed by the talented brother) in their entire discography and perhaps a few more mediocre ones (enough to fill an extremely tedious "best of" album perhaps?) the rest are just a wave of boring drug fueled nonsense.
If this band were American i wouldn't hesitate to guess they would either of a) never been signed or b) been called "the red hot chili peppers" but because they are from my neck of the woods, a baron wasteland where the Kaiser Chiefs roam the place destroying peoples souls, they are popular.
Its my opinion that most "lovers" of Oasis are usually people who tend to just listen to what they are told by the Brit Awards, an award show that is based on my vision of hell, and act upon their suggestions. Absolute idiots who believe Pete Doherty is a hero and Amy Winehouse doesn't deserve to be dead. Manchester United fans, people who generally skim across the top of the talent pool taking it at a 2 dimensional face value and accepting who ever they are told is considered "great" never delving deeper and realizing that actually, sometimes lifeless shit floats upon the top of pools while the purer, nicer stuff is a bit below, like a pint of beer with a bit of head on it.
I really really dislike this band, most of it is due to the above, a lot of it is down to the attitude problem that Liam Gallagher has, and the fact he is a massive PRICK. But none of that compares to how awful his voice sounds, how boring their instrumental abilities are, and how mundane their topic of song is.
That and of course, in the battle of Oasis vs Blur, i was with Blur.

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Classic yet fresh, always.

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 23 March 2008 03:05 (A review of Mothership 2CD/1DVD)

Led Zeppelin release another compilation album and it comes in at a hefty 24 tracks. It reflects their quality that all the included tracks are brilliant yet they still don't cover the whole breadth of their catalogue. Most bands don't have 24 good songs in their entire careers.

The clear selling point for this compilation is the new remastering. The improvement in quality is subtle and incremental. The last remastering of all their albums (I own that box set too) was a major jump forward in quality. The DVD contains some awesome live material as well.

A definite great buy for old fans and for new fans looking for one set that covers plenty of territory.

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Defies categorization into a neat genre

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 23 March 2008 10:44 (A review of Postcards)

Generally patterned along the excellent 'Molinos', the band's signature (if you can call it that) is intact here. They play a mix of celtic tinged folk rock along with bluegrass and even a couple of Spanish songs! The lead vocalist Tom Landa grew up in Mexico, which explains that little mystery. The band's playing is top notch again.

The most amazing thing about their music is that all the experimentation and fusion of musical styles never comes across as forced. Everything feels organic and natural and the album flows really well from one song to the next. Tom Landa's voice has something to do with it, no doubt.

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Soul diva

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 23 March 2008 09:53 (A review of Rockferry)

No doubt about it, Duffy has the kind of voice that feels like she's singing from the depths of her soul. Maybe that's why they call it soul music. Wonderful debut, I wonder where she will go from here.

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Celtic folk rock/pop band from Canada

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 23 March 2008 09:48 (A review of Molinos)

I heard these guys in concert a few days ago on St Patrick's Day and was really impressed. I bought this CD at the venue and I'm not kicking myself for doing it. It's an excellent album, ranging from folk rock with Celtic flourishes to all out Irish stomps. The band's playing is top notch and the vocalist Tom Landa keeps it all together very well.

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Modern Life Is Rubbish review

Posted : 1 month, 3 weeks ago on 21 March 2008 06:13 (A review of Modern Life Is Rubbish)

At the time of recording their Sophomore album, Modern Life is Rubbish, Blur were at their (first) career low, off the back of a failed attempt to break the American market, having been defauded by their (former) manager and under pressure from their own label to get a successful album written and released. In the meantime, the British music scene had moved on since the foursome's debut, with the Manchester baggy scene having faded and being replaced with a new-found interest in all things American, in particular Grunge.

Modern Life is Rubbish was penned as something of a reaction to Britain's fascination of America and foreshadowed the way to the Britpop and "Cool Britania" era of the mid 90s with a celebration of all things British instead and begins to show a maturity that was largely missing on the quartet's debut, "Leisure".

While the production dates the record by today's standards and there's the odd piece of filler on the album (Turn It Up) - enjoyable pop hooks, but lacking the depth found in tracks such as Star Shaped and lead single For Tomorrow - Blur proved themselves more than adept at moving from genre to genre - from the punk tones of Advert to the slow and mellow yet beautiful Blue Jeans. Previous single Popscene was dropped from this (the British) version of the release after it flopped in the charts the previous year - as guitarist Graham Coxon put it "if you didn't want it then, you're not fucking having it now!", yet as brilliant and sought after as that single now proves to be, the album probably benefits from it's absence, with it not really thematically following the rest of the album.

15 years ago, critics received the record with relatively warm praise - noting the Englishness inherent in the lyrics and nods to previous English acts such as The Kinks, yet in the context of the sea change that Blur and Suede were on the crest of at the time, Modern Life is Rubbish retrospectively proves to be one of the most important British records of the 90s, and quite arguably Blur's finest work.

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Review

Posted : 1 month, 4 weeks ago on 19 March 2008 12:17 (A review of The Great Burrito Extortion Case)

What can I say, I love Bowling For Soup and in my opinion this is one of their better cds. There is not deep, hidden meaning to their music. They just seem to be having fun playing their music. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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You just dont cut yourself to ABBA!

Posted : 1 month, 4 weeks ago on 18 March 2008 07:17 (A review of Abba Gold)

I've finally reached that stage in my life where I'm happy with the way I am and the cards I've been dealt....as a result I recently came out as an ABBA fan, and I have to say I feel great.

Yes they're dated, yes they're Swedish, yes they're cheesier than a deli counter..but they know how to make a catchy tune.

ABBAs songs aren't particularly moving and they're certainly not in my short list of funeral songs, but like it or not you WILL know every track on this album...they're more catching than typhus (that's the last metaphor I promise).

As proof of their timelessness and status as Pop Gods, ABBA are the most covered band of all time.

It's not cool to like ABBA, but I ask you? In modern music, with generic bands making forgettable ballads, 2-a-penny rap artists singing about gold and arses, and greasy haired pseudo Goths making millions of children carve the word 'hate' in their arms with compasses....I'm glad we have ABBA!

All their best songs are on here and its well worth the buy for anyone out there who has a last remnant of cheekiness about them.

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