Monday, December 29, 2014

NYPC - The Numbers (2013)

In 2007, New Young Pony Club released Fantastic Playroom, which was a great start for a young band, and included the epic song "The Bomb."  They were a young five-piece indie rock dance band from the UK on their way up, and with ridiculous upside.

Flash forward to 2013.  They've changed their name to NYPC, are on the third album... but now they're a two-piece band, and sound kind of tired.

What happened?  I wish they could go back to 2007... well, why describe it.  I know this is the wrong album, but check this jam out:

Then:  New Young Pony Club, 2007 - "The Bomb."  NOT on this album.

Here's NYPC, 2013:


Now:  New Young Pony Club, 2013 - "Hard Knocks."  This IS on this album.

Instant analysis:  just not good.  What happened?

CD Placement rating:  Sell-back 1.  Only "Overtime" (which may or may not make it anyways) gives this one a reprieve from the Pile of Death.

- Snilch


Sunday, December 28, 2014

CSS - Planta (2013)

For their fourth album, CSS is back without their songwriter, producer, and drummer.  (They're all one person... and the only guy who was in the band.)  Without him, they lean more towards the light dance/poppy sound, but retain some of their edge as well.  This album sounds like a poppy/super excited Suzanne Vega over electronica. It's more polished than their debut, less indie rock than their previous couple of offerings.

But ultimately... it's a little thin and one-note-ish on the whole.  It's a great note, mind you; it's just a lot of the same throughout.

CSS - "Dynamite" (My favorite song from the album)

Overall:  pleasant but not ground breaking. It's a fine, fine soundtrack for a sunny afternoon.  Well, most of it, at least.

CD Placement Rating:  Portable CD Case... as the album drags on, it slides into the CD Rack. 

- Snilch

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Cage the Elephant - Melophobia (2013)

It took an appearance on Later... With Jools Holland (hmmmm... I wonder where I am catching new music these days) to more thoroughly investigate this band.  They've been on the periphery of my radar for quite a while.

This album, their third, is great. Think quirky, edgy, alternative/indie pop.  For a band from Kenutucky, the vocals are actually are most reminiscent of the English band Arctic Monkeys.

It's a snapshot of a band still growing into their sound, which is scary as this is already really good.  Their sensibility in layering sounds and changing tempo are both already at an expert level.  The band meanders purposely throughout.  It's a listen that will satisfy pretentious snobs (like me) and "I like what sounds good" lunchpail joes (oddly enough, also like me).  "Spiderhead" and "Halo" are my personal favorites here.

Cage the Elephant - "Come a Little Closer"

This is a very good album, but I suspect their next one will be epic.  Get on board now.

CD Placement rating:  Car iPod.

- Snilch

Friday, December 26, 2014

Thalia Zedek Band - Via (2013)

Thalia Zedek has a way of softly lulling you into a comfort zone, just to pull the rug out from under you to get your attention.  Her voice sounds 1,000 times better than her last effort on Via -- she's put a lot of effort into recovering both her voice and her range, and it shows.

And (not surprisingly) the songs really benefit from this.  The strings complement her voice very well, and it's a great, uplifting (musically at least) album she never would have been physically able to pull off five years ago.

Highlights for me include "Winning Hand," "Straight and Strong," and "Lucky One."

Ultimately, this is laid back without being lazy, and an excellent low to mid tempo listen.

CD Placement rating:  Portable CD Case.

- Snilch

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages - Dig Thy Savage Soul (2013)

I wasn't even aware that Barrence Whitfield and the Savages had a new album until I saw their blistering performance on Later... With Jools Holland.  Normally, I'd blame the lack of 120 Minutes, alternative radio, and my general avoidance of the music press, but I find it makes me feel much better to blame others. Therefore, I am blaming Andrew for not making me aware of this.  (Even though it's possible he did and I forgot.)  But that's neither here nor there -- ultimately, the only conclusion we can draw is that Andrew is just very disappointing.

First, let me just say that it's actually refreshing to hear a band with sax in this century.  (I said "sax," you pervert.)  It's enough distance from the 80s where they are allowed back in rock again.  And in general, the album does feel like a great 80s throwback rock n roll attack.

For those of you who saw "throwback," groaned, and crossed this off your list, STOP.  This album is what I always hoped The Stray Cats would turn in some day -- a blues-based rockabilly stomp.  And Barrence... well, he's got the voice of an angel and a devil, all rolled into one.  Simply ridiculous. That is worth the price of admission alone.

This is an album that is fun, has legs, and plenty of sax.  (Creep.)  I'll have to check out some of their back catalog for sure.

CD Placement rating:  Car iPod.

- Snilch

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Arcade Fire - Reflektor (2013)

This is the fourth album from Canada's indie-rock darlings.  For you ADD readers, here's the synopsis:  The Arcade Fire has yet to match their brilliant debut, Funeral, but this album comes the closest.

The opening title track is excellent -- classic Arcade Fire fare, complete with great harmonies and horns.  It's the first indication that this is definitely a headphones album -- the lush production (particularly the bass thump) really comes through on the headphones as opposed to the car.

A great example is "We Exist," which sounded like a so-so track in the car, but is a tour de force in the headphones, where bass separation takes over and turns it into a measured romp.

The other star of the set is "Normal Person, which is a look back to their indie days.  It has both the charm and awkward sloppiness of a newly formed band (in the best possible way), but is arranged with the wisdom of years in the professional recording arena.  The off-kilter yet somehow perfect guitar riff is simple yet addictive.  The lyrics reflect a band at a crossroads:  "Look at those normals go," indeed.  It's both raw and refined at the same time, and sums up the balance of the album perfectly.  

The Arcade Fire - "Normal Person" Live on Jools Holland. "Creep" intro included at no additional charge.

One other track of note:  "You Already Know" just may be a tribute to The Fall.  Here are some clues:  1) musically it sounds like a classic Fall song; 2) they imitate lead singer Mark E. Smith's vocal delivery in the intro; and 3) they name-drop The Fall in the lyrics.  Eat your heart out, Encyclopedia Brown.

Overall, the moments of brilliance outweigh the moments of average-ness. If that is a word.  (Editor's note:  it is not.  It is not.)

CD Placement rating:  Portable CD Case.

- Snilch

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Robert Pollard - Blazing Gentlemen (2013)

I've got a weird relationship with Robert Pollard.  I've seen him live -- he's unreal.  I own a couple of Guided by Voices albums that I really enjoy. There are other various reasons I should like him more:
  • he's constantly rocking, which may scare some (I'm looking at you, Denis) but is a big plus in my book;
  • he's indie and under the radar (right in my wheelhouse);
  • he's prolific and writes great singles; 
  • and he's from Ohio (the ultimate trump card).
So why don't I like his music more?  I'm not sure.  

As for this album (his fifth release in 2013, not including his singles box set), it once again just doesn't do it for me.  It's ultimately both not that interesting and lacks the energy he usually brings to the table.  It's a languid sludge and ultimately a bit boring.  

And it's not like I am going to listen to the the three other releases this year, or the ones from the last year or the year before.  Based on this, I'm afraid to bother with Honey Locust Honkey Tonk, which I heard was good... but I heard the same about Blazing Gentlemen. 

So readers, please direct me to what I SHOULD be listening to, especially the new stuff. 

CD Placement rating:  Sell-back 1.

- Snilch

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Unvarnished (2013)

I hadn't given Joan Jett much thought in a number of years, to be honest, until I saw her on a session of Guitar Center Sessions.  The show tends to be uneven in terms of band performances, but this was one where your instinct afterwards was to immediately drive to a music store and buy everything she's ever done.

The highlight was the song "Any Weather," which I couldn't believe I had missed over the years -- when in the 80s did this come out?  Nope, it turns out that this was the lead track on her new album, with her legendary backing band The Blackhearts, no less.

I don't think it's an incorrect or gender-insensitive to say this:  Joan Jett is still the man.

This is quite simply, a great, classic rock album.  It's not a throwback, it's timeless.  It's got an edge and an intensity that is surprising after all these years.  It's classic Joan Jett, and that is a damn good thing.

Joan Jett - "Any Weather"
(I prefer the version linked above but YouTube won't let me link to it.  Bastards.)

A surprise comeback, a welcome return, a fresh and brutally honest set, and a mature rock record that doesn't sound old.  She just kills it from start to finish, and I love it.


CD Placement rating: Car iPod.

- Snilch

Friday, August 08, 2014

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP2 (2013)

This album is... complicated.

On the one hand, you want to hate Eminem.  He's a mysoginistic hate-mongerer.  No, he's still a sympathetic little kid kid who got bullied.  He wants to kill his mother.  No, he loves her and sings her a sweet ballad.  (There's no doubt he hates Dad, though.)  He's full of himself, a self-aggrandizing, self-promoting immature thin-skinned brat.  No, he's just telling the truth, with some of the most raw and honest lyrics you'll ever hear.  He's nuts.  No, he's brilliant and trolling all of us.  He's over the hill.  No, he's just hitting his stride.  Wait, did he just rap as Yoda?  You know what, he IS brilliant.  No, he really IS nuts.

It's... complicated.
Eminem - "Bezerk"
Cameos by Rick Rubin, Kid Rock, and Kendrick Lamar
Samples of The Beastie Boys and Billy Squier (including video from "The Stroke")

What can't be debated:  the guy has unreal talent and has produced an old-school rap album with actual samples.*  (Just check out "Bezerk.")  He samples The Zombies "Time of the Season," Joe Walsh's "Life's Been Good," and even "Ode to Billy Joe," among others.  His rhetoric is definitely not PC.  Hell, he leaves PC at the door in the first song, a fantasy breaking-and-entering leading to a revenge murder.  Or maybe it's a suicide.  In any case... it's not for the faint of heart.

Musically and lyrically, I can't imagine any album being more musically intricate and emotionally disturbing at the same time.  You can't deny his talent, but it undoubtedly will not be for everyone.  His lyrical ability to paint a sharply focused picture is unparalleled; his combination of ignorance, brilliance, mental instability, perfect clarity, brick-headed self-centered stupidity, and introspective objective empathy simply weaves too well together to be anything but intentional.

It's... complicated.

CD Placement rating:  Car CD Changer.  But I hate myself a bit for that.

- Snilch

* The reason most artists don't sample now (like artists in the 80s and 90s did) is because copyright and royalty agreements are now strictly enforced.  Credit to original artists, giving royalties to the original artists (see "Queen vs. 'Ice, Vanilla'"), and even permission to use tracks (which artists can charge an additional one-time fee for) were not enforced strictly until the early 90s.  Before then:  everyone sampled whatever they wanted, and old school hip-hop flourished.  After that:  sampling became a dead art, as it was too expensive to pursue, and thus old school hip-hop quietly became a lost cause as well.  For this album to contain the amount of sampling it does, Eminem had to be all-in financially to make it happen.  Kudos to him.

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

10,000 Maniacs - Music from the Motion Picture (2013)

Sometimes, my stance on not reading reviews before not listening to albums really hurts me.  

So the gist of the latest 10,000 Maniacs album that I got was "first album in years" and "reunion."  What was not clearly stated in what I saw summarized was "Natalie Merchant is still not back after 21 years, and she ain't walking back through that door anytime soon."  

Therefore, this is more folk-rock with a Natalie Merchant sound-like vocalist, rather than alt-rock with Natalie Merchant.  And it's okay.  But that's all.

Then the unthinkable happens:  male lead vocals.  Bail.

CD Placement rating:  I am so full of rage I can barely see through the red to type this.  Who knows if it's any good, I will never listen to it ever again.  Pile of Death, you Natalie Merchant-less hippies.

- Snilch

Monday, August 04, 2014

Various Artists - Sound City: Real to Reel (2013)

The Dave Grohl documentary about the Sound City recording studio is amazing -- check it out when you have a chance.  This studio (now closed) produced albums by bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Dio, Metallica, Johnny Cash, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and an album by Nirvana you may have heard of called Nevermind. 

The compilation that accompanies the film is what we are reviewing here.  Grohl has coerced a number of musicians to create some new songs for the soundtrack, all recorded in analog with the Sound City soundboard.  

We'll depart from the usual review format with a track-by-track review of the album.  (Grohl plays on every track.)

1. "Heaven and All."  This collaboration between half of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Grohl is classic BRMC, with Grohl mimicking their sound perfectly. A very solid start to the album.

2. "Time Slowing Down."  It's mainly the half of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave you don't know.  It's a little languid, but the track shows off the vocal production capabilities of the board early, and the guitar possibilities late in the song.  Not my favorite track.

3. "You Can't Fix This."  The first superstar track, and she sounds great.  It's a classic Stevie Nicks track, highlighting her timeless delivery.  The right kind of groove to feature her with.  Well done.

4. "The Man That Never Was."  Rick Springfield?  Are you kidding me?  Awesome!  Backed by the entirety of the Foo Fighters doesn't hurt either.  It's a good solid tune, and a rocker to boot.

5. "Your Wife Is Calling."  Fear's Lee Ving (if I've heard a Fear song, that's news to me) fronts thrash meeting Sound City. Clearly, Grohl will take all comers.  A little simple vocally, but spirited and fun; still, it ultimately falls a little short.

6. "From Can to Can't."  Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) meets Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour) in a nice, lower tempo rocker.  This builds up nicely with surprises and vitriol.

7. "Centipede."  This one starts as classic Josh Homme.  It takes a while to get to a cacophony of guitar, but just when you think it's just never going to get there at all... it hits you in the most pleasant way.  Nimbly composed and produced post-grunge rock.  (I just make these genres up, remember.)

8. "A Trick With No Sleeve."  Another Homme tune, an okay track that doesn't go anywhere.

9. "Cut Me Some Slack."  Why is this the highlight track?  A few reasons: 1) all of the surviving members of Nirvana (Grohl, Krist Novaselic, and Pat Smear) recording a track for the first time since the band ended; 2) the song won a Grammy; and 3) oh, did I mention the band is fronted by PAUL MCCARTNEY?  It's a great track with a nice fuzz guitar - it has a Beatles White Album vibe - and rhythm section brilliance in its subtlety.  When the song hits overdrive, it's really wonderful.  Sir Paul still has it.

10. "If I Were Me."  Finally Grohl does some vocals.  You wouldn't expect this to be ballad-y, but it is, and it really works.  A nice soft song.

11. "Mantra."  Grohl, Homme, and Trent Reznor?  Yes please.  The song was more fun to watch being constructed in the doc than to listen to.  It takes a long time to get to a quick resolution, then abruptly ventures into a complete song change.  It takes the journey from very repetitive to very interesting, but it takes a while.

Overall?  It's good but not truly great.  Not a session listener but worth revisiting.

CD Placement rating:  Portable CD Case.

- Snilch


Friday, August 01, 2014

The Cult - Electric Peace (2013 re-issues)

Electric is my all-time favorite album by The Cult. Cult fans fall into one of two categories:  the ones who think Love is the best album they ever did, and the ones who think Electric is. Love fans are wrong, but you can't hold it against them as they are clearly missing some crucial part of their soul. (You can read here for more on Love.)

For me, this re-issue/re-master was a must-buy, because it came with a second disc, Peace.

Peace is The Cult's legendary, unreleased opus.  It was fabled to be some sort of cross between Led Zeppelin IV, Nirvana's Nevermind, Electric, Love, Van Morrison's Astral Dreams, The Beatles' Rubber Soul, The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction, and Hanson's Middle of Nowhere.  The album was finally made available as part of the limited run of The Cult's Rare Cult Box Set, which quickly sold out.  In this mp3 day and age, there are few true rarities out there -- this is one of them.

Let's get the boring part out of the way:  Electric STILL kicks serious ass. The 26-year anniversary edition (really? 26?) is an amazing rock album, and a tour de force from front to back.  Still completely listenable after a quarter century.  

Now, to the main event.  There's no way else to describe it:  Peace sucks.

Don't just take my word for it.  Here's the blazing opener from Electric, "Wild Flower":



Here's the Peace version:  (link only, as YouTube is being weird) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LbrioVdYtI

Let's try "Love Removal Machine."  Here's the Electric version:



And the Peace version:



And every single song comparison is like this.  Except most are worse than this.  

I seriously have listened to this album twice.  Listening to it a third time should violate some portion of the Geneva Convention.  It's brutally awful.

Peace proves that Rick Rubin (who turned Peace into Electric) is truly a genius, and just how valuable a producer can be.  He unearthed the great songs that lie buried under crappy mixes; it's amazing that this gold could be mined from the steaming pile of Peace he was handed.

CD Placement rating:  Electric - can I go higher that Car iPod?  Peace - can I go lower than Pile of Death?

- Snilch

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Rise Against - Long Forgotten Songs (2013)

I am not the biggest Rise Against fan (that might be Scotty Matz), but I have to say that I've never heard anything from them that I haven't liked.  It's probably more that I need to hear more from them to draw a conclusion than anything else.

Admittedly, starting with a group of B-sides is not the ideal scenario.  But Amazon had a Lightning Deal, and I have little impulse control when it comes to acquiring music.  Poor Mrs. Snilch Report.

So common sense aside (clearly never a problem for me to ignore), Rise Against tiptoes the line between hardcore thrash and pop, where melody and poetry rubs shoulders with pure noise and screaming.  It's an intoxicating combination that's tough to beat.

At times, lead singer Tim McIlrath sounds like a screaming version of Against Me's Laura Jane Grace (a.k.a., Tom Gabel pre-gender re-assignment surgery).

It's smart, SMART music, sharp tempo changes, and (well) smart, SMART lyrics.  Even as a collection of B-sides, they show their expertly deft handling of this medium.  Highlights like "Elective Amnesia," "Dirt and Roses," "Ballad of Hollis Brown" (a country folk rock thrash), and "Lanterns" make you wonder how some of this stuff did not make it onto their albums.  And great covers like Survivor's "Any Way You Want It" and Nirvana's "Silver" round out a very stout collection.

Sure, some songs don't work.  But surprisingly, that's the exception rather than the rule.  I think it's the best B-sides compilation I've heard since Sugar's Besides in 1995.

CD Placement rating: Portable CD Case.

- Snilch

Monday, July 28, 2014

Transplants - In a Warzone (2013)

Transplants is a punk "supergroup" featuring Tim Armstrong from Rancid and drummer Travis Barker from blink-182.  Their first self-titled album in 2002 had a couple of great songs:  "Diamonds and Guns" (which found its way into a shampoo commercial) and "Tall Cans in the Air" (which, as Scotty Matz can attest to, found its way into the must-hear category for tailgates, although Matty Squarepants may disagree).  The promise of that first album (and those two singles in particular) is that this group would one day turn in a definitively great, consistent album.

In a Warzone, the band's third, is not the album.  It's unintentionally the most effective PSA against vocalists who smoke three packs a day for twenty years.  Their voices are all completely shot.  While the first album uses, shall we say, "non-traditional" vocalizations as a contrast to more classic rock vocals, there's no such contrast here -- it's rough vocally all the time.  "Heaven All Over Again" makes me shudder.  

And for whatever reason, the boys are now on a political rant, but in a vague, sloganistic way.  It's just jargon:  there are no clever one-liners, no intensity, and no feel of any realism.  The charm and verisimilitude that pervaded the first album is also gone -- it's just lifeless and seems forced on every level.  The production does not help this at all, either.  It's a poorly mixed, sludgy overwrought, stilty bass piece of crap.

But the drums are good.

CD Placement rating: Pile of Death/Peaches Pile.

- Snilch

Friday, July 25, 2014

Wire - Change Becomes Us (2013)

Wire is (in my book) a unique band.  (Please note that there is no adjective before "unique."  There are no degrees of uniqueness; something either is unique or it isn't.  Please behave accordingly.)  Their biggest creative periods have been from 1977-1979, and from 2003-present.  NO ONE has done that -- it just does not happen.  (Note:  they were still making music in the 80s and 90s, just not at their prior or later levels.)

Of their return albums, 2008's Object 47 has been the best, while 2003's Send, 2007's Read and Burn 03 EP, and 2011's Red Barked Tree are all Portable CD Case or better.  (I'll get around to reviewing Red Barked Tree at some point; I too closely associate that album with my buddy Jamie passing away, and thus haven't been able to pick it up for quite awhile.)  

This album was released alongside a Wire autobiography, which I got partway through before Jeff Shaara's latest demanded my attention.  So I was hoping to review both now, but that's not going to happen.

To the matter at hand:  this album is another excellent offering, though not exceptional.  It's surprisingly sparser and more than expected, which is not bad but not great either.  Definitely a headphones/nice stereo listen; on the crappy boombox all is lost.  "Magic Bullet" is a highlight for me.

Wire - "Magic Bullet" 

While I appreciate the album, the thing that sticks with me is that it hasn't really moved me yet, either positively or negatively.  That's really unusual for a Wire album; only time will tell if that continues to be the case.


CD Placement rating: Functionally, I need to figure out where this is an excellent slow burner or a fizzle, so this will reside for the time being in the Portable CD Case.

- Snilch

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law (2013)

Thanks to The Deadly Bishop for this one.  This is classic alt rock, with lead singer Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan's vocals propelling the musical narrative.

This is their second album; this band is still coalescing, but it's already produced a very pleasant listen with the promise of greatness to come.




The Joy Formidable - "This Ladder Is Ours"



I may not have a lot to say about the album, but that doesn't mean I don't really enjoy it.  It should be a little shorter, but otherwise, I have no complaints.

CD Placement rating: Portable CD Case.

- Snilch