Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Music Notes 4.11

No ado. Here’s this month’s selections.


Wishbone Ash - Argus




It only makes sense that an album this awesome would fall through every crack imaginable so that I only find out about it accidentally while tracking down information for a different band. A month ago I had never even heard of Wishbone Ash, now they stand as a symbol of hope that there is a butt-ton of awesome 70’s rock just waiting to be discovered. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to classic rock--at least for someone born well after the decade was up--but some bands you still really have to dig for. Wishbone Ash play a brand of rock and roll that falls somewhere in between progressive rock and proto-metal, making it a fine listen on a brisk Spring day. I can fully recommend this album to anyone who considers themselves a classic rock aficionado. It will not disappoint.





Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor




This album. This album. This is that album. You know, the one that you can listen to all day everyday and still not get bored of the music. I seriously can not find a single flaw with this little diddy. For me, this is the best thing Nevermore has ever put out, which puts it squarely in the running for my favorite metal album of all time. From the opener “Born” to the closer “This Godless Endeavor,” this album rocks at a nigh breakneck pace, filled with innumerable riffs, wailing solos, intense riffage and splendid vocals. It only slows down on “Sentient 6,” a ballad about a robot becoming self-aware told from the perspective of a robot, but even that number culminates in a rollicking finish that is sure to melt your face off. No hyperbole here: “Sentient 6” is one of my favorite songs ever. Definitely top ten, perhaps even top five. It’s that good. (Side note: one day I’d like to make a list of my favorite songs, but I’m a little weary that my top ten will have around 30 songs.) Finally, I’d like to mention the lyrics of Warrel Dane. This guy is the kind of guy you want as a front man, he has a killer vocal range and is a really smart dude. A lot of the subject material provides a candid look at society and provides some poignant commentary without sounding preachy.


Hellacopters - High Visibility




You know what’s missing from the world? Bands that know how to play rock and roll, and bands that know how to play rock and roll piano. The Hellacopters can do both of those things, quite nicely I might add. High Visibility is a no-frills rock and roll album that hearkens back to the days to the good ol’ days of rock. It may come across as a nostalgic trip to the past, but then you begin to realize that this is what today’s radio should be playing instead of that whimpy-whiny alt-rock crap or that douchey aggro-rock that gets all the meatheads ‘pumped up.’ This now-defunct group of Swedes came onto my radar about 5 years ago and I don’t see them dropping off anytime soon. Plus, I just discovered while doing the minimal research that goes into writing this reviews that many of the members of this band landed in a group called Thunder Express.



Rush - 2112




What’s this? The Canadian progressive rock trio Rush on a list of Josh recommends? This goes against everything past-Josh has ever said about that band. So what gives? is Josh a hypocrite that tells you Rush is a suck and then turns around and tells you that Rush is a good? Or has a sinister Canadian version of your favorite blogger overtaken the denim demon you all know and love? The answer might surprise you. The answer: I reconsidered my distaste of Rush about a year ago and liked what I found. Geddy Lee’s vocals used to be a deal-breaker for me for what many consider to be the world’s premier progressive rock outfit. But that was dumb of me and it honestly didn’t take more than a slightly open mind for me to get over it. I don’t feel bad about discriminating against Rush in my youth, mainly for this reason: I now have the the entire catalogue of one of the titans of rock and roll, all brand new to me and just waiting to be discovered. Sort of like how when you eat a bacon burger and then save the most bacony-est bite for last. As for the album itself, I decided to start here based off of how this is generally regarded as among their best albums. I was not disappoint. Solid rocking all the way through and a great introduction to what may become a great listening relationship for me.



Disillusion - Back to Times of Splendor



Progressive metal from Germany that is both devastatingly brutal and beautifully melodic, Back to Times of Splendor is an album that just hits the spot. The opening track “And the Mirror Cracked” is an instant classic, which starts the album off on such a high note that one wonders if they’ll be able to sustain this level of awesomeness throughout. There are a few peaks and valleys along the way, but for the most part this album is solid all the way through. Being the debut album from this group, I expected great things, but their second effort Gloria is a very mixed affair that I’m still unsure of whether I like it or not. I hope this band puts out some more material soon, but I’m content to keep listening to this album for a good long while. Oh, and the album artwork is stunning.




T.Rex - Electric Warrior



An ultra-sexy heaping of glam rock, this is the album that Freddie Mercury used to incite his snake-infested orgies [no citation needed, it’s common knowledge]. Everything about Electric Warrior just oozes at least two of the three tenets of rock and roll, those being : sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Yes, rock and roll is a tenet of rock and roll, much like being awesome is a requirement for being awesome. It’s simple set theory, really. Anyways, obtaining this on vinyl was quite the find for me. I’ve been flipping through stacks and stacks of dusty old records in search of this bad boy ever since I got my record player, and now nearly everything is in place: Electric Warrior on vinyl? Check. A writhing mass of snakes?--Goodness me! A writing mass of snakes? No thank you. Sorry Freddie, but I’m going to have to side with Indiana on this one.

No comments:

Post a Comment