Land Ho!

Last Friday, was…well wild to say the least.

Sure, it’s always pretty intense when I get together with my friends, but this Friday was different. In our sleep-deprived, week-worn state one of us uttered a question that many people attempt to answer but are never satisfied with, “If you were stuck on a desert island, what mix CD would you bring with you?” I can assure you, the five of us racked our brains for more than a good hour and we still were not completely satisfied with what we came up with, but the lists were an enormous undertaking. There was only one stipulation, because theoretically we’d be on the same island (and that Guinness would grow on trees but that’s a different story entirely) we could not pick the same song twice.

The following list is my offering. This was particularly difficult for me because I could not quickly browse my library of 17,580 songs on iTunes. I’m sure I’ve left off a great deal of things, but my mix ran the gambit of staying true to what I adore about music (epics, great songwriting, musicianship, and personal importance) as well as tracks that I felt people could not live their lives without hearing.

The Desert Island Disk: 18 Songs In Case Of Being Marooned (1 hour 18 minutes)

1. L'estasi Dell'oro (The Ecstasy Of Gold) by Ennio Morricone
Arguably one of the most epic compositions ever crafted by the hands of man, “The Ecstasy Of Gold” is Ennio Morricone’s crowning achievement as well as a great way to kick this mix off. While everyone heard it from the famous Mexican standoff in the film The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly it’s influence has been felt in other realms. Metallica have been using the movie score for their opening since the late 80s and the connotations it brings are certainly warranted. The spine tingling strings give way to majestic horns that feel as if the sun is just peaking over the mountain range in the distance. The only prelude some of the best music ever created.

2. Sinister Rouge by Bad Religion
As soon as the oozin’ aahs come in on the downbeat, Bad Religion punches you in the face and never lets up with this cut off their 2004 opus, The Empire Strikes First. I once described the track as punk’s answer to a John Williams score and everyone has told me I’m not too far off. Here, the punk institution of Bad Religion points their defiant finger at everyone from the faceless majority, to the clergy with their dark little secrets. The music never stops with a blistering solo from Mr. Brett and some impressive double bass fills from Brooks Wackerman. And they’re, “Coming back for more!/To even the score!”

3. Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin
I didn’t want to pick “Stairway To Heaven” but I blame Zeppelin for crafting one of the finest rock epics of all time. This spot almost went to “Kashmir,” but the problem was that “Stairway…” transcends to almost impossible heights that are matched only by few songs in all of rock music. Jimmy Page’s quiet, English folk inspired strumming builds into meaty and mammoth sounding riffs with a solo that is ultimately timeless. Robert Plant’s croon has never felt this urgent, this heartfelt, and the whole song plays out like an epic Tolkien story. In that light it’s not such a crime to pick it over “Kashmir,” it could have lost to worse choices.

4. Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones
Alas, while my favorite tune by The Stones is the epic “Gimmie Shelter,” the fact is I would be nowhere without this masterpiece of a song. From the sitar sounding guitar line, to the almost military drum beat of Charlie Watts, “Paint It Black” is a tour de force. There is also something sinister and hopeless about Mick Jagger wanting to paint his entire world black and who among us hasn’t indulged in this type of thinking at least once? To hope that other feel what you feel in the hopes that they understand you better, that’s universal, and The Rolling Stones paint a great picture of that here.

5. My Girl (Fiction Version) by the pillows
Granted, I’m a newer fan of the pillows and I haven’t indulged myself in all their studio albums yet, but this song hit me right off the bat. Coming as a b-side off the “Non Fiction” Single, this reconstructed version of “My Girl” is a sweeping epic rife with harmonics and fuzzed but gentle overdrive. There is a gorgeous trance-like quality to the track as headphones reveal little glitches from feedback and delay. In the forefront, Sawao Yamanaka’s melancholy voice sings “My girl/My girl…” Sure, I can’t understand all of lyrics as I don’t speak Japanese, but as people say, sometimes music is the universal language. the pillows have certainly gotten that across.

6. Dancing Through Sunday by AFI
A tornado if muted guitar rises and gives way to some vicious California hardcore. When they created punk music, AFI have always been ahead of most modern day punk bands and this cut from 2003’s Sing The Sorrow is no exception. The band all at once invites and envelops listeners with furious bass work and Davey Havok’s schizophrenic vocal delivery. The band revels in the darkness, in death and decay while all the while keeping the tempo blisteringly fast and the shout outs easily recognizable. Also of note is Jade Puget’s mesmerizing guitar solo that delves into an insurmountable number of styles. It sounds like a bomb went off in a guitar shop and smashed Metallica together with Van Halen. Indeed, it’s difficult not to “dance on!” to this great track.

7. El Scorcho by Weezer
Pinkerton is Weezer’s opus and anyone that feels otherwise has no right to criticize any of their other lyrics. Simply put, if you hate Pinkerton then you shouldn’t be complaining about Weezer’s other material because it’s written the same way. This cut of the “Worst Album of ‘96” continues the trend of being introspectively awkward but charming at the same time. Beginning with what sounds like gargling, the band launches into a frustrating build up or relationship inadequacies and Green Day name dropping. The guitar mimics the lyrical content, squealing and moaning rather than flowing along with the rest of the rhythm section. Ultimately, the song succeeds because Rivers Cuomo lamenting about how he and his lady of interest are both “lies” is raw, real, and Weezer at their best.

8. I’m Only Sleeping by The Beatles
I knew from the moment that I heard this song, I knew it would be my favorite Beatles song of all time. I remember putting my head phones on, selecting Revolver on my iPod and closing my eyes to drift off to sleep. After the strings of “Eleanor Rigby” departed, the almost Indian sounding strings hammered down over John Lennon’s off-key wail of “When I wake up early in the morning/I lift my head/I’m still yawning…” Paul McCartney’s bass work was nimble and sly unlike his typically simplistic bass lines, and George Harrison added a backwards guitar solo that matched the melody perfectly. If there was any doubt that the Beatles were an overrated pop-rock band, this song erased all of those sentiments. Rather than allow myself to drift off, my eyes shot open and hit repeat. Perhaps I wasn’t sleeping, but I was certainly listening.

9. Kiss Me I'm #!@*faced by Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys were always that band that you could envision a pub full of people singing along with. This ode to the pick artist is no different, for “Kiss Me I’m #!@*faced” is loud, boisterous and gives off a swagger that will get anyone doing karaoke in no time. The song peaks and valleys with big and bold sing-alongs as well as Ken Casey and Al Barr trying to make the case that they’re a great ride in the sack. And right when you think the Murphys couldn’t possibly succeed with these cheesy pick-ups, the band ups the anti into a punk assault complete with them affirming that they “Swear I got a big heart of gold/I'm a monogamous man/No more one night stands/Come on, Honey let me take you home!” To be enjoyed with the trees on our island that grow Guinness.

10. Basket Case by Green Day
The first time I heard Basket Case, my life changed. Suddenly, music could be loud, sloppy, and snotty. The frantic palm muting and awkward lyrics from Billy Joe Armstrong made me (and I’m sure many other people) somewhat comfortable. In some strange way, I identified with Armstrong’s description of his panic disorder. It’s one of those timeless songs that are universal even if they are oddly specific. Musically, the tempo bounces with Tré Cool smacking the hell out of his skins and Mike Dirnt supplying some rolling bass lines. “Basket Case” is a great misfit anthem that’s firmly rooted in the punk rival of ’94 yet oddly enough still feels so modern today.

11. Blue In The Face by Alkaline Trio
Perhaps swooning to any of the Alkaline Trio’s tales of violence, alcohol, and heartbreak isn’t exactly healthy. I don’t care; this is probably one of the best of them. The embittered and toxic personality of Matt Skiba shines through on this twisted acoustic number. His wordplay is clever at not only bring down his supposed love interest, but at himself as well. While the song itself merely relies on different variations of the E chord, sometimes simplicity is the best. By the end of this nightmarish tale, Skiba seems to have resigned to the fact that his fate is sealed with this anonymous lover, “And I don't dream since I quit sleeping/And I haven't slept since I met you/And you can't breathe without coughing at daytime/neither can I so what do you say?/Your coffin or mine?” Hey, is MINE an option?

12. Missed Me by The Dresden Dolls
Amanda Palmer writes songs that it seems most women are afraid to write. Fronting The Dresden Dolls, Palmer writes songs about sexual exploration, depression, and anger with a grit and passion that few of her female contemporaries can grasp a handle on. This track off their self-titled debut is a dangerous take on the children’s nursery rhyme. Within it, Palmer brings the tension by lightly tickling her ivories to swiftly crashing down on them. She plays around with the Lolita topics lyrically, and her little girl persona is so saccharine that it’s scary. The song is fairly heavy for merely relying on drums and a piano, and that mystique makes it one of their best.

13. Waltz #2 (XO) by Elliott Smith
There’s no doubt in my mind that this is Elliott Smith’s defining song. Sure, other songs might have been more experimental or bigger singles, but there is an atmosphere about this song that’s unmatched in his discography. It’s a perfectly assembled song, everything from the guitar to its strings flow in utter harmony. How often can people say they’ve heard a perfect song? The instances are few and far between, but when you hear it you feel in hit you in the chest. Lyrically, it seems that Smith attempts to make sense of the world and the people around him, but only finds that the best he can do is love. He was a tortured artist, that’s for sure, but Smith was saying something on “Waltz #2 (XO)” and it’s scary to think how perfect he nailed it.

14. Luca by Brand New
Of course, I couldn’t have forgotten my favorite band of all time on a list like this. However, this was probably the most difficult decision to make as I feel Brand New have never made a bad song. That’s quite an accomplishment in and of itself, so I then thought about what I loved most about their music. This turned out to be the atmosphere they create with their lyrics and music alike. Ultimately, I settled on this dark and atmospheric cut from 2006’s The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me. “Luca” builds from an ominous chord progression that is ethereal as well as eerie. Jesse Lacey paints a morbid picture of someone getting their just deserts while the Vin Accardi supplies some perfect harmonics. The ending breakdown begins with merely Lacey whispering into the microphone before a dissonant wall of sound hits the listener over grated vocals. A masterpiece.

15. Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
There was no doubt that I’d pick something from The Wall as my favorite song off Dark Side Of The Moon barely clears two minutes. The problem was that while The Wall is my favorite Pink Floyd album, picking just one track seems like a crime as they are all part of the overall experience. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that the chorus to “Comfortably Numb” is one of the most sorrowful, and beautiful pieces of music ever created. The gentle, ebbing strings wash over listeners as Rodger Waters gentle voice seems to drift off into the nothingness he describes. Of course, many will point out the breathtaking solo that David Gilmour supplies, and to his credit it is a fantastic solo. However, the whole song almost puts listeners into this anesthetized state that Waters talks about and that feeling is incredible.

16. Today by The Smashing Pumpkins
There is a dream-like quality to everything found on Siamese Dream, but this song in particular feels LIKE a dream. In describing “Today” to someone unfamiliar with the Smashing Pumpkins I tell them that it feels like the best damn dream they’ve ever had. The gentle picking gives way to a wall of overdrive that envelops everything. As thick as the guitars and bass sound on this track, they aren’t heavy. They are fuzzed out, almost sleepy sounding. Over it all, we have Billy Corgan exercising his best croon to whine voice. Like many of the tracks here, “Today” is timeless and at the same time points to a specific time in the world. There is an edge of melancholy to the song, but it’s more about being a free spirit and embracing everything. The love, and the feeling that comes from that is utterly perfect, and that’s why “Today is the greatest/Day I’ve ever known…”

17. One by Metallica
I remember that …And Justice For All was the very last Metallica album that I listened to when I discovered the band. The opening tracks showed me a Metallica that was fast, but the bass didn’t punch like I was hoping. It all seemed good, but not great. Then, the sounds of guns firing and bombs falling crept their way through my stereo. Gentle guitar licks seemed to set a menacing overtone while becoming more complex. The track seemed to be their answer to so many rock epics like “Stairway To Heaven,” and “Hotel California.” Then, James Hetfield began crafting the morbid image of a solider in constant pain, residing somewhere between death and life. The thick guitars chugged along for the utterly hopeless chorus, the solider praying for God to save him. The song then built, tempo quickening, the guitars ascending higher and higher only to be dragged down into the mire of Lars Ulrich’s double bass. Then, rather than the plateauing like epics of the past, Metallica began playing faster screaming, “Darkness/Imprisoning me/All that I see/Absolute horror/I cannot live/I cannot die/Trapped in myself/ Body my holding cell!” This was a different epic, one I would never forget.

18. Exit Music (For A Film) by Radiohead
I’ve got a bit of a flair for theatrics, so this seemed like a logical place to end our journey. Like many of the epic songs I chose, “Exit Music (For A Film)” builds from quiet acoustic strumming. Thom Yorke’s voice pierces the calm, with a sense of urgency. The song tells the tale of two lovers leaving before the proverbial “shit hits the fan.” Little by little, the other members of Radiohead chime in with drums, keys, and eventually feedback soaked guitar. It’s desperate, melodramatic, and above all disheartening. Yorke’s tortured wails of “Now we are one/In everlasting peace…” does nothing to reassure the listener if the couple has made it or not. Like all great art, people can make up their own assumptions, but the distorted wall of sound feels defeated and silenced. Eventually, no matter how loud it gets, we all have to return to silence.

Atreyu- Lead Sails Paper Anchor (*)

Some bands begin their career as trailblazers with a specific sound, a great grasp of technicality, and with something poignant to say. Something, however invariably changes this whether it be a new label, producer, or maybe the band themselves gets lazy. For whatever the reason, this band will quietly bleed out until their final album rather than end their career with the illustrious bang they began it with.

Atreyu’s Lead Sails Paper Anchor is the prime example of this.

There was a time in metalcore where Alex Varkatzas’ twisted and caustic screams spewed acid about the desolation of his dark heart as well as his fixation about vampires. It was all matched by the guttural and eviscerating guitar talent of Travis Miguel and Dan Jacobs. To balance out the darkness was the angelic croon of drummer, Brandon Staller, as skilled at singing as he was at double bass. Rather than handing fans something along these lines with Lead Sails Paper Anchor, we are treated to the “progression” from 2005’s A Death Grip On Yesterday. Mediocre songs walk the line between ballad and midtempo never really choosing either, with every song containing the same “quiet-piano-bridge” that’s supposed to be “explorative” and radio friendly harmonies.

Here, aside from very few spurts of frantic guitar tapping, the technicality has been replace by watered down, radio friendly hard rock rather than the nightmarish and Gothenburg tinged melodies that gave us all the creeps. The album’s lead off track “Doomsday” attempts to sell itself as an invigorating call to arms but comes across as nothing more than something you’d hear at a frat mixer. There are the big shout outs, the dumb bone-headed lyrics about the apocalypse and how it’s more or less “bad” as well as the clear absence of Varkatzas’ howling scream.

Get used to it, the album never really picks up.

It’s understandable that Atreyu want to distance themselves from a scene that has become oversaturated with anyone willing to blow out their chords, but Varkatzas’ howl was part of what made them unique. No one could shriek like him and it made for a wonderful atmosphere. By no means does screaming equate to good music, but it was an exciting aspect of Atreyu’s sound that is all but absent save for the military flavored “Can’t Happen Here.” The aforementioned track and “Becoming The Bull” are the only songs on the album that come close to the Atreyu of A Death Grip On Yesterday but the guitars don’t seem to crunch the same way, the urgency is gone, and the studio gloss is at an all time high. And who ever thought the collaboration with Buckcherry on “Blow” was a good idea?

It also seems that much like Varkatzas’ scream, the band’s penchant for song writing has evaporated. They sound like third graders with lines like “So fucking blow those words out the back of your head!” This is from the same band that gave us “A wraith with and Angel's body/A demon with a smile of gold/You soulsucker!” Departure indeed. Really, their experimentation in melody and hooks comes together on the final balled, “Lead Sails (And A Paper Anchor)” as the overblown strings and the “sensitive” acoustic guitar over cascading harmonies actually makes for a vibrant arrangement. Unfortunately, the rest of the album feels like the band is searching for a #1 hit and it cheapens even great tracks like this. Atreyu has fallen into the common pitfall of becoming compliant with a radio friendly sound as well as losing everything that made them unique in the first place. While some will find this record catchy, that’s all this album has to offer. After three albums, Atreyu find themselves sinking with their lead sails, a process that might inevitably put them at the bottom of the sea.

Sounds Like: In The Wake Of Determination (Story Of The Year), The Crusade (Trivium), Lies For The Liars (The Used)

Key Cuts: Doomsday, Can’t Happen Here, Lead Sails (And A Paper Anchor)

I ****ing Hate You

One of the most hated things for a music fan is when their favorite artist puts out a new album they don’t like. In fact it’s past simply not caring for it, they absolutely HATE it. Maybe the band went through a drastic lineup change, or perhaps the band has provided that great catch-all answer of “maturity” to justify the new album. Whatever the reason, albums such as these alienate long time followers of the band.

Far too often however, it seems to be the case that die-hard fans just don’t take the time to absorb or understand the material. The result is two fold, for the hard work that the band put into the release is overlooked, and an album with a lot of potential is just ignored by the general public. And while there might be part of the population that actually doesn’t care for the new release, more often than not people simply look at these releases on a superficial basis of how familiar it sounds to older material.

Therefore, here are 10 albums from great artists that are generally (and unfairly) hated by many fans. These albums commonly get overlooked, but you might be like me and feel they are worth the effort to understand.

I ****ing Hate You: 10 Albums Targeted By Unwarranted Hatred

10. Chinese Democracy- Guns N’ Roses

So I guess I’m cheating a bit with this one as this “technically” has not been released. However, it’s definitely a body of work that has divided hardcore fans of Guns N’ Roses. Chinese Democracy was first promised to fans in 1999, than 2002, and every subsequent year after that. As if the delays are not enough, the entire lineup has been gutted and only Axl Rose remains from the band’s original incarnation. All we have to judge this release is on leaked demos and live recordings of various qualities, but they are enough to make an informed decision. At its worse, the sessions of Chinese Democracy have yielded overly worked/polished songs, Slashless solos, and material ranging from industrial tinged dirges to rock epics. If this is the worst, than its best is just short of the perfection found on Use Your Illusion I & II. People are hung up on the fact that Axl is eccentric and that he’s dragged the band’s name through the mud. Sure, it’s not perfect but people need to stop being pretentious and see Chinese Democracy for what it is: damn fine music. It’s not the original, but it’s far from as horrible as Slash-worshippers would have you believe.

9. In Reverie- Saves The Day

Sure, Saves The Day could have made another Through Being Cool to reassure their old fans that they didn’t sell out. And surely, they could have made another Stay What You Are to capitalize on their new found fame on MTV2. Instead, Saves The Day stayed true to themselves and made a surprisingly quirky, inventive, and dynamic record. In Reverie sparkles with beautiful cascading melodies that (at times) harkens back to the guitar pop of The Kinks and other 60s bands. Sure, people will cite that they went “soft” or that Chris Conley’s nasally vocals are as terrible as his non-descriptive writing. However, is slowing down tempos necessarily a bad thing? And sure, Conely’s voice is an acquired taste on this release but the harmonies they employ are absolutely golden. Finally, can audience members really expect him to sing about people giving him water instead of gasoline his entire life? Saves The Day made In Reverie for no one but themselves and it acts as a refreshing breath of fresh air into a scene that too often wants too more of the same thing. (It’s to be noted that much like Weezer’s Pinkerton, this album has now been embraced by some of the fan base. I suppose the music itself always does the talking. That, or the trends…)

8. Say Hello To Sunshine- Finch

This album is another shining example of a band stretching its legs artistically only to be bitchslapped by its core fan base. Say Hello To Sunshine could very well have been What It Is To Burn II and that 2002 sound Finch had going could have been milked for all its worth. Their teenybopper fans would have ate it up too. Instead, the band made a dark, jazzy, abrasive, and at times just plain bizarre, record. The band chose to write more songs like the dissonant “Project Mayhem” rather than poppier “Letters To You.” The MySpace generation subsequently rejected them and their bold experiment. As A result, the band eventually called it quits, but not before leaving one hell of a swan song. “Insomniac Meat” is an epic opening, full of twisted screams and buzz saw guitars. “A Man Alone” sports and almost swing back beat, and the riffs in “Piece Of Mind” simply crunch. It’s a shame that this record never got up off the ground, for it plays out like a schizophrenic’s wet dream and bombards listeners with impressive musicianship. Oh, for it to be 2005 again.

7. Risk- Megadeth

Since 1985, when Dave Mustaine dropped Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good! (His answer to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All) the thrash innovator has lived in the shadow in the band that rejected him. Just take a look at his discography, for his best releases have always attempted to mirror the current Metallica release:

• …And Justice For All (1988)/Rust In Peace (1990)
• The Black Album (1991)/Countdown To Extinction (1992)
• Load (1996)/Cryptic Writings (1997)

This isn’t to diminish his accomplishments, for Mustaine has overcome a lot and been a huge force in metal music whether it be with Metallica or Megadeth. However, the first time Mustaine really did something drastic to his sound was met with a huge amount of backlash and the reason why needs to be examined. Granted, Risk historically had more input from producer Dan Huff, and less input from other Megadeth members so in that respect its easy to see why fans were so enraged. However, these things don’t necessarily translate to bad music. Risk’s dabbling into electronic flourishes were refreshing. The country and Sabbath experimentation Metallica were fiddling with didn’t sound as modern as Risk, possibly giving Mustaine a youthful sound. Also, while “Crush ‘Em” might have come across as nothing more than bone-headed jock-rock, cuts like “Insomnia,” “Prince Of Darkness,” and “The Doctor Is Calling” all benefited from the extra electronics. Unfortunately, Risk didn’t yield the rewards that Mustaine hoped for and he dropped the electronic touches immediately on the next release. We have Megadeth “fans” to thank for this.

6. One Hot Minute- The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Ignore the fact that The Red Hot Chili Peppers fired John Frusciante for his rampant drug problems and hired an even bigger drug user to fill his shoes. For while the ridiculous nature of One Hot Minute is very sore subject with fans, it’s also the biggest reason fans overlook this great album. Sure, the funk by way of punk and the epic ballads that Frusciante helped the band create were drastically different on this release, but the psychedelic metal influences Dave Navarro brings to the band are just as interesting and just as exciting. Comparing the guitar stylings of Navarro and Frusciante are fairly easy as Navarro prefers a more direct approach to his progressions and Frusciante is a tad more subversive. This is perhaps most noticeable in their two vastly different take on the guitar solo. The soloing on One Hot Minute seems to blister and burn with the bizarre fire that only Navarro knows how to create. “Warped” rips and roars with some of the best Chili’s material off Blood Sugar Sex Magik, but like the rest of the album it is a bit more abrasive than their previous work. Interestingly, the epic ballads ala “Under The Bridge” are not completely gone, for “Tearjerker” is an extremely heartfelt and gorgeous goodbye to Kurt Cobain right after his suicide. Unfortunately, it just seems like bad luck for album this good to be sandwiched between epics like Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Calfornication. Perhaps its place in history will unfortunately always make it so underrated.

5. No Substance- Bad Religion

Here’s a bold statement for any music listener: the only two punk bands that really have anything to say about politics and society are Bad Religion and The Clash. You can imagine my disgust when people are quick to write off these LA punkers. Unfortunately, even I cannot ignore the fact that the years Bad Religion were signed to Atlantic Records were not too easy for the band or fans alike. Speaking frankly however, these years yielded two mediocre albums in The Gray Race and The New America, and produced the stellar No Substance. I’ll concede only the following when it comes to No Substance: a) Brian Baker isn’t as good of a guitarist as Mr. Brett. b) No Substance isn’t as fast as other Bad Religion albums. c) While their other Atlantic records might sound like they were made for radio, No Substance is a wordy and difficult album to understand. Sure, the band’s speed and sharp wit are intact on speedy numbers like “Hear It” and “In So Many Ways” but Greg Graffin’s vocabulary works over time on No Substance. It’s a part of the album that I marvel at, for songs like “The State Of The End Of The Millennium Address” deal with some complex interpersonal/political ideas. They expertly balance the worldly with the personal, and this has always been their greatest asset. It just so happens that that is the heaviest Bad Religion has relied on it. Perhaps they spout these ideas more concisely on other albums and they bring more punk fury on those as well. No Substance, however, is definitely one of the smartest punk albums from one of the smartest punk bands around. It should be appreciated as such.

4. Pop- U2

Electronic music scares the majority of listeners out there. People regard it as a lesser form because most of the sounds are not made by man’s exact influence on an instrument and this is truly unfortunate. Not only that, but people must train their ears to these bizarre sounds and that takes a great deal of effort. U2’s Pop was always unfairly treated due to the fact that the so-called “Biggest Band In The World” had crossed over into some taboo region of the music world. Indeed, Pop’s electronic beeps and squiggles can be intimidating on first listen as the dancey “Discothèque” and "MOFO" illustrate. However, let’s look at what has stayed the same for U2. The album’s concepts about technology enveloping our lives and the coldness they seem to provide us with are weighty issues at the heart of this album’s hour and four minute running time. Lyrically, the band is as strong as they were on Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree and that’s no easy feat. Also the dense music, electronic or otherwise is still meticulously crafted with arena minded sounds. Sure, tracks like “Staring At The Sun” and “Gone” are closer to the band’s roots as opposed to the alienating dance numbers, but rarely does an album encompass its sound into the concepts it’s toying with. The Flood were the perfect producers for this thick and dense sound montage of an album. They help the band craft an atmosphere that’s all at once chaotic, yet streamlined. Ultimately, this is the grimmest U2 have ever been. The seductive “If You Wear That Velvet Dress,” and the epic “Wake Up Dead Man” have U2 pushing themselves and their listeners into their innermost psyches to understand what is happening to themselves outside. As a result, Pop stands as a deeply moving and accomplished work.

3. Make Believe- Weezer

Nothing is safe from scrutiny and Weezer knows this first hand. Unfortunately for the band it’s dogged them for every single album since they dropped Pinkerton and gotten uglier in the process. However, never have critics and fans alike been so divided about an album such as Make Believe. This album has garnered many near perfect reviews from publications such as Rolling Stone and AllMusic.com, yet been at the mercy of Pitchfork’s review of 0.0. In addition, fans have been similarly divided, for the album sonically falls somewhere between The Blue Album and The Green Album while being lyrically reminiscent of the confessional and introspective lyrics of Pinkerton. Fans either praise these as a return to greatness for the band, or despise the album for its simplicity in both lyrics and arrangements alike. At this point, one has to ask if these fans are even fans to begin with. From their earliest days, Weezer was about having fun yet realizing there isn’t inherently special about them. Whether it’s in their garage or on an island in the sun, their music reflected universal qualities that everyone possessed; they aspired for greatness but only come up short. In some sense, people could call Weezer cheesy and they’d be completely justified in saying so. Yet, that’s what makes them so great, so identifiable. While songs like “Beverley Hills” and "We Are All On Drugs" speak of exclusionary scenes, don’t regular people go through these very same experiences the very same way? The epic piano lines of “Haunt You Every Day” feel like the weight of our guilt will positively crush us, and sometimes it’s manifested in forced rhymes and awkward statements. Doesn’t the melodrama and crashing the chords of “Hold Me” ring as true for Rivers as well as us? Don’t we all, on some level, attempt to Make Believe in our own world? How then, can we possibly fault Weezer without faulting ourselves?

2. Come- Prince

Musical geniuses are unfortunately difficult to work with. So naturally, when Prince submitted the blue prints for a three disc concept to be named The Dawn, Warner Bros. said “No thank you!” and just asked for the most marketable songs. As a result, the genius gave the label the proverbial finger and changed his name to free himself from the supposed bondage he felt he was kept under. The material was then condensed into two releases, Come the last album to be sold under the Prince name, and The Gold Experience to be released under the moniker of the unpronounceable love symbol. In addition, The Gold Experience found itself stock piled with lively and thrilling music that even spawned a hit single. Come however, is a far different and difficult beast to understand. For Come finds Prince obsessing over three big things: his R&B influences, his experimental side, and the dark psychosis of his sexuality. The album drips with his preoccupations about sex from the jazzy horns of the title track, to the frantic moaning of the ending track “Orgasm.” His lyrics brood about sex rather than explore them, and as a result the album’s darker tone drove lots of listeners away. Part of this might have been Prince’s intention as he might have set out to make his Prince material seem of lesser quality than his nameless material. However, this album is a densely packed sonic experience for those that take the time to unpack it. “Loose!” finds The Purple One incorporating a wildly eclectic mix of blistering guitar work, dancey beats and DJ cuts that give the song a great attitude. Elsewhere, “Solo” beings with only Prince’s voice and is then augmented by strings that exude tension all over. Come is a record only a mother could love and at the time even Prince didn’t care for it. The great irony is that there is so much going on in the record, it is often difficult to conceive how one might not find something appealing about it.

1. St. Anger- Metallica

Let’s get the obvious jokes out of the way first: Shit Anger, St. Augish, UnLoad, etc. Indeed, metal fans are a fickle bunch, but never has an album from a music group this huge, been the object of such ridicule. Metallica’s St. Anger is an album that has a lot of baggage associated with it from Jason Newsted’s departure, to James Hetfield’s alcohol problems, to the ugly band infighting all documented in the film Some Kind Of Monster. People always point to these reasons for why the album was terrible when in truth, it is the expectations that the fans set for these musicians. In hindsight, fans are lucky to receive any album at all under these conditions. Really, the biggest flaws with St. Anger tend to be that some songs wander for far too long, there is an absence of guitar solos from a band that is known for them, and not all the lyrics are up to par. Yet, this album acts more as a testament to a time period rather than a work of art that was going to be meticulously pieced together. The album seemed to act like a purge for the band. They felt they had been resting on their laurels, and so they decided to create a record that was fast, caustic, raw, and above all else, ugly. Sure, the riffing in the title track won’t rival “Master Of Puppets” but the almost garage rock feel and the rawness of the production added to the band’s attempt to convey their insecurities through imperfection. “Dirty Window” and “Purify” are speedy helpings sludge that have the band’s anger turned in on themselves. It doesn't seem like the band wants adoration or praise because of St. Anger, they seem to want catharsis. The one track that seems to sum up the entire album is “All Within My Hands,” for it shows the band at their most self-destructive. They realize how they’ve been killing each other on a daily basis and the caustic riffing, and desperate screaming seems to devour them. St. Anger, was never supposed to be a masterpiece, and those that understand that will take this window into the band with an active interest and a keen ear. The results are astonishing as long as you take the Drop C tuned mire for what it is, something ugly.

Prince- Planet Earth (***½)

Let’s come right out and say that it’s pretty damn difficult for Prince to put out a BAD record. Many will disagree with me citing some of his 90’s work. Unfortunately, they overlook masterpieces such as Come, The Gold Experience, and Chaos & Disorder as nothing more than self-indulgent footnotes in his discography. Truthfully, the only terrible record that Prince has put out was possibly Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic and that’s because it reeked of Clive Davis trying to make him into a cross over sensation. Prince has, however, made some creatively stagnant records like Diamonds & Pearls and Around The World In A Day where his true artistry really isn’t pushed forward. His new offering Planet Earth falls into this category, for while the hooks are all pretty much intact and the songs are fun, they just don’t sound like a musical genius at work.

The album begins with the epic opening of “Planet Earth,” gentle keyboards building alongside Prince’s driving guitar and guttural basslines. The track breaks off into some sweet vocal crooning from The Artist’s backup band and the brass section swells. Meanwhile, synthesizers continue to push the song upward to a positively cosmic cataclysm (and blistering solo) as Prince sings, “So shall it be written, so shall it be sung…” The great pacing continues on the single that Verizon wireless has milked for all its worth. “Guitar” keeps drawing insurmountable comparisons to U2’s The Edge, but the dancey backbeat and wah soaked solo sways and swaggers like only Prince knows how.

Sonically, Planet Earth is kind of a hodgepodge of sounds but this doesn’t make the record stand out, it makes it seem passé. It seems that Prince’s best material (not counting the expansiveness of Purple Rain) has always been when he explores every asset that a certain sound will give him. Even his most recent works were decisive; the funk of Musicology and sonic experimentation of 3121 are proof of that. This is not so on Planet Earth. “Future Baby Mama” sounds like an outtake of one of his slow jams from the 80s. It’s not that it’s a bad song by any means, but like many of the other songs here, it’s a retread. Planet Earth feels unfocused, and as a result Prince seems bored. “Chelsea Rogers” sports a funky and soulful vibe to it, but this was mastered far better on other albums and seems like some added instrumentation would have fleshed it out better. “All The Midnight’s In All The World” is actually the one experiment on the album that works. The track is rather stripped down for Prince standards. It features the Prince’s great wailing delivery over a jumpy piano line, a full backing band, and acoustic guitar. Still, most of these are good songs, not great.

Maybe the question to ask then, is if listeners want radio friendly (Since Planet Earth is most certainly that) from Prince this late in his career? Truth be told, if Planet Earth were made by another artist rather than Prince, it would probably be closer to album of the year. Look at this review itself as proof, its difficult to separate Prince from the legacy he’s crafted. Every piece of music he records from now on will forever be judged through a critical microscope due to the incredibly complex pieces of music the man has made over his career. Then again if all listeners have is Prince-by-numbers, I’m sure there could be far worse things on this planet earth.

Sounds Like: Prince….only he could make this album.

Key Cuts: Planet Earth, Guitar, All The Midnights In All The World

Blaqk Audio- CexCells (****½)

My knowledge about Dance/Electronica/Acid music is very limited. I think it's the fact that technicality really isn't an issue while playing many of these sounds and the fact that my ear isn't as trained to a synthesizer as it is a Les Paul also might have something to do with it. At best, I know a handful of electronica bands from the 80s and 90s that pretty much everyone could identify, but they are identifiable for a reason. Depeche Mode, Aphex Twin, and VNV Nation are all staples and innovators that have that distinct luxury of being accessible at the same time. And while Blaqk Audio borrows from many places that those bands have treaded before them, the way they present/perform them is unique to themselves.

Comprised of “two boys in love with synthesizers and software,” Blaqk Audio is the brain child of AFI’s Davey Havok and Jade Puget. Both responsible for the AFI’s ultimate embrace of electronic and industrial sounds, these two created CexCells as a way for them to pay an homage to their electronic idols while forging ahead with their own style. This is NOT, an AFI album. Those enamored with the cold aesthetics of Decmeberunderground songs like “Love Like Winter” and “37mm” will be disappointed with CexCells’ downright dance oriented sound. However those hoping for hook-heavy, densely layered, electronic music are in for quite a treat.

What separates CexCells from the myriad of sounds it samples from is the fact that the arrangements are tuneful and tasteful. Unlike some of their contemporaries, Blaqk Audio arrangements are never too sparse to be boring, but never as cluttered or pounding as to turn off listeners. Ideally, this is club music without the nasty repetitiveness that usually makes listeners avoid club music. “Bitter For Sweet” utilizes some positively crushing beats that delay into the distance as quickly as they appear. Havok’s voice pierces the dense squiggles and synthesizer sounds like a fragile soul with a secret to tell. “Can you tell me/What stops the pain?/Self-medication…” he whispers the listener. Elsewhere, the relentless “Snuff On Digital” is a fast paced dance number with a thumping bass that drives the song. In addition, the well placed synthesizer layerings build and build until the song positively explodes. “Immobile lights/Will fly tonight/We'll watch them pass/Together as we/Part the rising sky…” The hook is as gorgeous and magnificent as the scene Havok paints for the listener.

Blaqk Audio songs run the gambit from the painfully melancholy, to the dark and edgy pop that will satisfy listeners of dance music. The ballads are where Havok truly shines as a lyricist. Not that Puget’s somber piano stylings of “The Love Letter” go unnoticed, but lines like “Walk right through me, I'm not really there.” simply tear on the heart strings. The same dark eloquence that soaks through AFI’s lyrics are prevalent here in Blaqk Audio, but here he’s able to explore topics of sexuality more so than he could with his other band. The results are intriguing and add to the overall seductive feel of CexCells. “On A Friday” relays prose such as, “Did you question what it meant to you/With a beat between your breaths?” Havok’s imagery is never questionable throughout the album’s 50 minute running time, a feat that usually plagues most side projects.

The music itself is varied too. From the rave-like flair of “Semiotic Love” to the highly digital but melodic Depeche Mode-esque “Stiff Kittens,” Puget is careful to borrow his ideas for arrangements but never outright steal or settle for mediocrity. His ear is careful enough to make every song stand on its own, giving listeners distinct melodies that stick with them. Havok is also careful to lend his voice to the music. While his voice is always captivating, he often stretches far out of his range on some of AFI’s material. Here, his deeper tones make him sound far more forceful and comfortable with this range.

Puget and Havok have jointly crafted a record with tremendous cross over appeal. While it might alienate hardcore followers of this brand of music, it its accessible enough for people unfamiliar with these sounds. Hopefully, Blaqk Audio will serve as a great gateway band for some people to dive right into the world of electronic music. The album’s last track is called “Wake Up, Open The Door & Escape To The Sea.” Let’s hope that these two don’t escape anywhere without celling us more Blaqk Audio in the future.

Sounds Like: Richard D. James Album (Aphex Twin), Music For The Masses (Depeche Mode), Empires (VNV Nation)

Key Cuts: Stiff Kittens, Snuff On Digital, Bitter For Sweet

KoЯn- Untitled (***)

Say what you want, KoЯn have made a career of making the music that they’ve always decided they WANT to make. You can complain they aren’t metal enough, that their lyrics read like sophomoric prose, or that they are so full of themselves that they should realize that the genre they helped create is dead.

They’d probably hear you and put out another record to spite you.

Untitled isn’t quite the album that will jettison the Bakersfield gang (there’s now only 3 of the original line up since drummer Dave Silvera is on hiatus) but it is a careful reminder that KoЯn are attempting to stretch their art into places new. While 2005’s See You On The Other Side, saw the band embracing a more produced and electronic feel, the effort ultimately suffered because of too much studio gloss and the songwriting teams that decided to help the band reach heavy radio rotation. For old school fans, this new album might still be too compressed and manufactured (especially since keyboardist Zac Baird was actively contributing to the writing this time), but the band has scaled back a bit on the gloss. This allows listeners the luxury of hearing some interesting arrangements, even if the band could have turned up Fieldy’s bass and compressed Munkey’s guitar less (and maybe turn down John Davis’ vocal mix). Truth be told, it’s a far creepier record, one that recalls Follow The Leader’s ruthless experimentation. “Bitch We Got A Problem” sports an almost dancey backbeat that menacingly swirls with the attitude that made “Got The Life” such a great single.

KoЯn have gone on record saying that they wanted to really explore atmosphere this time around. This self-labeling both manifests itself and mis-categorizes the album. The epic “Ever Be” makes great use of such aforementioned intricacies, adding some incredible backing vocals, monstrous riffs and gut wrenching screams courtesy of John Davis. Munkey described the track as “the movie 300 set to music.” I can’t really argue; synthesizers give the track a transcendent quality and it’s a pretty monstrous song that sometimes evokes Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” Elsewhere, “Kiss” finds the band experimenting with a piano driven ballad, while the chorus sounds like a jackhammer from hell.

However, this talk of atmosphere seems to be a cop out for an excuse to use such studio trickery. Whether you like them or not, KoЯn have ALWAYS been about atmosphere. Follow The Leader and its follow up Issues were masterpieces because the band as a five piece, used their basic instruments to create such tension. At the height of their success, KoЯn made their guitars into whiny synths, fuzzed out staccato melodies, and bludgeoning instruments of heaviness only using effects pedals and obscure tunings. Here, the guitar and bass fill in typical roles and the band relies on extraneous instruments to get that across. While it’s not a bad way of making music, the fact is it seems a little passé given their inventiveness in the past. It also tends to lead the band into that territory that makes listeners feel like they are aiming for a radio single. The Brian “Head” Welch bashing “Love & Luxury” is easily the poppiest thing the band has done since covering Cameo. It’s defiantly a pop song, and the shame is that it feels like a pop song unlike the great hits KoЯn made that didn’t sound so manufactured. “Hushabye” sports a mandolin and while its interesting, it give less of an impact due to the fact that it is just another instrument that KoЯn feel like using.

By far, the standout track is “Killing.” It’s probably the most brutal thing KoЯn have created since “Here To Stay” with a riff that is just as catchy and a breakdown that borders on death metal. Maybe that’s part of the problem with Untitled. While a listenable record, KoЯn never make you believe that their experimentation process is natural. In their heyday, the band was perfect at not only playing to their strengths, but parlaying those strengths into musical exploration. This allowed the band to stretch while maintain a cohesive quality to their sound. Untitled, at times feels, like the band is merely running around in a music store playing everything that cool; this in turn makes some of the songs feel a bit worn. KoЯn are in an interesting position though, because this is a decent effort from a band with lots of problems. Perhaps a stable lineup (because both Terry Bozzio and Brooks Wackerman sounded more constrained than the band let on) and a better sense of direction will serve the band well in the future.

Then again, they’d probably read this and put out another record to spite me.

Sounds Like: Untouchables (KoЯn), The Golden Age Of Grotesque (Marilyn Manson), With Teeth (Nine Inch Nails)

Key Cuts: Bitch We Got A Problem, Ever Be, Killing

Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Is Is E.P. (*****)

The art of creating an E.P. in this age of digital downloading, mp3 blogs, purevolume.com, and internet radio seems to be lost. In some ways I think it’s a shame for I always felt the idea of the E.P. embodied DIY ethic of old school rock and roll. Bands would put together about 4-6 of their best songs in the hope they’d get a record deal and launch themselves into stardom. They would scrape together and cut the sucker with what little cash they had, but for some reason they always turned out to be endearing pieces of music. In some cases, I think some artists put more effort into E.P.s then albums just because it seems like they are in a “do or die” situation when they create them. Either they succeed or they fail.

Owning about 61 E.P.s myself, I can also tell you that there is very little fat on these things, just lean songs that serve to leave their mark on the listener. So, you can imagine my joy when I found out that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had plans to release the Is Is E.P. One of the most exciting bands in recent memory putting out something like this has got to be dyanimite. It doesn’t disappoint either, the five songs found on this mini-release act as a great medium for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to let loose and wail. The songs on Is Is rip and roar with all of Karen O’s signature rasp and seductive shout backed by the great minimalist sound of Nick Zinner’s guitar and Brian Chase’s great skins work.

The release immediately draw the listeners in with its great hooks and raw production. Zinner’s rubberband-like guitar sounds on “Rockers To Swallow” all at once create a certain swagger in the group’s sound. While they’re always been one of the better retro sounding acts, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs primarily had two speeds: kick your ass rock or gorgeous and melodic ballads. It seems on this release, the band was more concerned with creating a certain groove with their sound. “Kiss Kiss” is a bit more typical of something found on their debut album, starting with a palm muted riff and slowly building into an almost dancey beat of rolling drums and squealing guitar. Karen O begins the track by silently whispering “Green hours/Blue rope/Hot wax for hearts are cold/We’re three were three in the dark tonight/Oh baby my snake is a shark tonight!” Her sexy croon gives listeners that edge of danger and mystery that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs always pull off flawlessly.

The star of the release though is the fourth track, “Isis.” Evoking that gorgeous shimmering guitar quality of songs like “Maps,” “Isis” is positively trace-like. The track sways and envelops the listener in the stomping percussion and Karen O’s fantastic vocals. The rhythm is utterly infectious and will not leave your head for days as listeners, “Sway to the music of the beat…” The grit and swagger that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs exhibit is all at once infectious and mesmerizing on the Is Is E.P. Each song immediately leaves their mark with unparalleled energy. It’s only fitting for them to showcase this liveliness in a medium that will leave such and impact on the listener. Maybe bigger bands will follow suit and put out such tightly constructed songs. An E.P. seems like an artifact in this day and age. Leave it to some crazy, art-rock, bohemian band to help make it chic again.

Sounds Like: Antics (Interpol), Icky Thump (The White Stripes), Fever To Tell (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

Key Cuts: Rockers To Swallow, Kiss Kiss, Isis