EPT
I missed last week due to saving my 1000th post (which I messed up) so here is a general issue for you. It won't be twice as long, but my albums list will be longer.
Music Mag #3 - 28th Feb - 14th March
I've been indulging in my progressive rock/metal side a bit this week while also trying more Black Metal. Then on top of that I've been chilling like a certain protoss while listening to a bunch of jazz hop. This issue will have links to some songs I've been digging this week then some simple album reviews. First off we have what has so quickly become one of my favourite songs:
I was trying to keep it a secret as long as I could but I can't not link this song so the cat is out of the bag. I fucking love Devin Townsend. I will tell you more another time, but that should suffice for now. His singing is so god-like to me that when I saw he had a guest appearance on a cover album I was all over it. When I realised it was a Frank Sinatra cover album my heart-rate sky rocketed and by body-temperature raised until my clothes melted. When the song was New York, New York I screamed. When it was done I had shot cum through my flat screen and the force threw me backwards. I woke up across the room about five minutes later, lying in a pile of boxes with a bookshelf on top of me. This is such a nerdy, fan service song for me that I couldn't handle it. Every time I listen to it I start to dance, sing-along and giggle to myself. It's such a brilliant cover too. It's different from the original in a way that good covers should be and it might just edge out Northern King’s Don't Stop Believin' as my favourite cover song ever.
As you may be aware, the first anniversary of Japanese hip-hop producer Nujabes' death was on the 26th of February and with it came large collections of a number of tributes. Nujabes was a jazz-hop producer who made some of the best chill-out and mellow hip-hop music I've ever heard and inspired a new wave of hip-hop. It's wonderful to see producers and rappers come together for tributes like this and the music is great. There's a real melancholic vibe to these songs that are ultimately beautiful but initially sad when you think about the reasons they were written. Check out another TL blog about this: In Memory of Seba-Jun as well as this amazing tribute compilation album: Flowers for Jun. Whether you are new to jazz-hop and mellow hip hop or not, you should really check these two links out. Absolutely recommended. I'm planning on writing something about this kind of music in a later issue, but for now I haven't listened to enough of it.
Yes, I know I linked to part two of the video, but this is the bit I really want you to hear. This musical interlude has been blowing my mind all week. I love it so much. The whole song is great, but this section. Wow. Just listen to it. Everyone. No, you're not allowed to dislike it. The transition into sudden circus music to upbeat rock then into this long epic/atmospheric section is one of the reasons I love progressive genres. You don't get this in other music.
So while listening to a lot of beautiful music this past two weeks, I've also been pigging out on dirty, horrible avant-garde mess. The above song is the best fake genre I've ever seen and describes that song perfectly. If you want to know what Blackjazz Deathtrance would sound like, there you are. This whole album by Shining is a loud, electronic mess and I know this. Doesn't stop me listening to it though. I heard this song and I had to try the album. Wowsers. I hope you hate it. It deserves to be hated. Besides, each one of these should have a song you hate otherwise I'm not cool enough.
Here's the thing. I could review any of the albums I got this fortnight, but this is the one I chose. The other thing is, that isn't even my favourite song, but it's an official release so I went with it. This album is really good. It's not ground-breaking but it's also not just another Prog band. They avoid the standard clichés associated with genre, such as long solos and technicality, and just seemed to have recorded an album of good music without caring too much what genre it falls in and they've done a great job. It's not ridiculously complex but there's a great sound to it that I think a lot of people who were put off by the standard prog stylings would really enjoy. It's entry level, if you will. However, this shouldn't make it unappealing for the progheads. The album employs based about Binaural Tones which scientists have used to manipulate emotions. It was something they added to the album in later stages but it provides an interesting concept which ties in with the music quite well. The album is characterised by piano melodies on top of flowing guitar riffs and bass lines which has a great atmosphere throughout the album. The album has themes of emotions with songs about perfect joy and slight depression, all the while having the feeling that it's all just masking the real feelings. It's bizarre to explain my thoughts on it, but it's interesting and it works. If you're into any sort of "standard" rock or metal genre you should try this. It flows well and doesn't suffer from "every song sounds the same" syndrome. If you're unsure, check out Where Everything's Perfect & Pretty Darlin' for some variation. The album should be widely available through InsideOut.
My New Albums
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness Part 1
Check out the review above. A really great surprise to find this out of the blue (gogo, InsideOut on YouTube).
Ihsahn - After
This was a bit of a stretch as I've never really listened to a lot of black metal but I'm not sure this falls entirely into that genre. This is great metal album that any fan should enjoy. It has it's heavy moments but is dripping with some incredible sections with a saxophone. The solos and vocals are great and varied throughout the album. I suggest you try this. Check out Undercurrent & On The Shores and... well, the whole thing.
Shining - Blackjazz
If you like the song I linked, you might like the rest, but that track is the highlight. The rest is more messy or less intense but still rather good. Some thing different at least. If you want more, try their 21st Century Schizoid Man cover.
Xerath - I
Meshuggah with epic film scores on top. I really like this album. It's more original than that summary suggests. The scores are really good and the tracks have a great atmosphere. If you're big on harsh vocals you may expect more from the singer, but he doesn't ruin it so it works from me. They've got another album out in April/May so I'll let you know what that's like too. Worth checking out if you like melodeath and that kind of thing. No tracks stick out crazily, but how about Abiogenesis and Right To Exist? Yeah, why not.
Haken - Aquarius
I picked this one up after hearing it called the best Prog album of 2010, which admittedly wasn't a great year for the genre. So I listened to it and it is prog through and through. Great record with wonderful musicians. It tells the story of a mermaid who was born to a normal couple and her life with being captured and so on. It also does what all great prog records do and improves on each listen. Check out Aquarium as well as all of Celestial Elixir from the song spotlight.
Albums Released This Week
I don't actually know of any I'm interested in this week. There's a Tony MacApline release but I doubt it'll be worth getting.
Last Paragraph
For the first time, I ordered some CDs from Japan this week. I love buying CDs and I hate even having a legal downloaded copy of something. I need the disc to look at, listen to in my room or something and artwork to flick through. I've been going for Jazz-Hop more which is Japan's thing but the cost was quite something. Three discs, on "sale" + postage cost about £55. I guess spending lots of money on CDs makes you more of a listener so I'll roll with that. They better be good too... Has anyone got any good places to order from? I was looking at eBay, HMV.jp and CDJapan. I naively thought there must be somewhere cheaper.
Bonus Link: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=201084
