Broken Base

Hello, hello.

Another day, another round of unpleasant weather in Minneapolis. Spring is on the way, though, and the snow doesn't seem to stick to the pavement as much anymore. I recall fondly the mornings in summer when I could could be out and running around the lake, the sun shining warmly already at 5:30. That seems completely impossible at the moment. Time will change that of course. In the meantime I'll do a sharp change of course from yesterday, a hard left turn from modern hip-hop releases into my comfort zone - under appreciated and neglected albums from the turn of the millennium.

I've written about how much I love the Smashing Pumpkins before. Their bloated, ego-driven prog-rock holds a special place in my heart, due in part to my obsession with them as an adolescent. Another facet to my devotion was the style and sounds to which they would give life. The tones in both instruements and overall feel were enchanting in the most mystifying way. My short piece on the demo of 'Depresso' expounded on the nature of how specific sounds and choices give rise to emotional feelings in the body - I think some of this is in part to having a deep appreciation for the writing style of Billy Corgan. It didn't always happen, but there were more instances of that elusive experience when listening to Corgan's song-writing than other musicians. What helped me was the sheer volume in their ouvre and the changes they were willing to make. 

I mentioned the massive output the Pumpkins had during their creative high-point in my first article about them. What I didn't examine in writing that was that soon after this the band suffered crippling setbacks in the form of their touring keyboardist overdosing on heroin while getting high with their drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin. The band was forced to cope with these harsh and unforgiving circumstances - Chamberlain was fired and they had to press on, having lost a friend and two band mates. At the time they were the biggest band in the world and all eyes were on them as to how they would follow up the mega-success that was Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness. When Corgan hired a replacement drummers and booked studio time no one knew what to expect. Rumors suggested the next album would be a wounded, heartfelt, acoustic album of low-key songs. Releases that preceded the album on soundtracks, the songs Eye and The End Is The Beginning Is The End (and it's infamous flipped version), indicated the polar opposite - intense, electronic music that pushed them farther out of their comfort zone. What we got, in the end, was both. 

Adore stands as an example of what a band does when it loses direction. It is not a massive, chart-topping album, nor is it a revitalization of a band spinning its wheels and running on fumes. It is, instead, an album of the band's core essence when the armor comes off. The Pumpkins were known for their arena rocking, guitar-solo heavy alternative anthems. Here we had a band creating music that was described upon release as "out of time". There are strong elements of acoustic, natural sounds driving the music. Almost half the songs on the album are centered around or feature piano, an unusual move for the band. Conversely, the songs are also pervaded by electronic elements - anything that goes beyond a middling tempo is very synth and drum machine heavy. Interestingly the band had started ten years prior in Chicago with these same three artists using a drum machine. Here they were, Grammy winning, multi-platinum artists back to the same formation they came from, a little older and wiser, feeling no doubt wounded and introspective.

The songs are at times quiet and lilting, other times sorrowful and mourning. The longest track, the piano driven "For Martha" is a tribute to Corgan's late mother. The song 'Apples + Oranjes' features no actual instruments, just electronic elements with Corgan singing over the top. This allows for them to create a soundscape that is unlike anything they had done before; it's an atmospheric song with an ethereal quality they'd only touched on in previous attempts. Had they not been forced out of their comfort zone, such a song wouldn't otherwise exist. A personal favorite of mine, the slow and plodding 'Shame', is very simple and seemingly straight-forward in its approach. When listening to it, the song gives the sense of being slightly out of synch or not quite lined up properly, that slight dischord adding to the melancholy of its tone. It turns out this is exactly what Corgan was aiming for when writing and recording it, as he has said he wanted it to give the feeling of putting something small under a microscope and looking at it so closely that it goes a little out of focus. When I read that the song instantly clicked in my head - Corgan did exacty that, it feels like this small, minute song that is blown up to the point that the cohesiveness is lost just a bit. It's haunting and lovely. 

The album was an anomaly in the band's career and seemingly a tipping point. They never quite hit the same hits after this that they had with previous efforts, like a star athlete never fully recovering from a serious injury. They eventually rehired Chamberlin and recorded one last rawking album, the concepttual Machina/The Machines of God, but the reception was mixed at best. While many were no doubt thrilled to see the divisive band taken off their alterna-rock pedastel, I still love to listen to this album. Corgan said at the time of its release that its not meant stadium tours, rather the listener should put headphones and listen in a quiet room. He was totally right - it's great for a quiet night of writing. 

More Childish Antics

Welcome back!


So a few weeks ago I wrote about how amazing the music of Donald Glover is, his rapping and remixes under the moniker Childish Gambino. Read it here, where I break down his style, free album and mixtapes, which have come pretty rapidly over the last 18 months. A few months ago he announced an EP he was working on. Well today is our lucky day, as he put it online for free this morning! It's definitely NSFW, though, so be warned as we press on. Just turn down your speakers if you're at work, right?

The EP, a short but brightly burning five tracks, is a great example of how Glover's talent and drive is pushing him further with each offering. Here he sounds even more vibrant and intensely driven. The opener, though, is another example of how his singing has only gotten better. Titled 'Be Alone', it sums up perfectly what Glover is going for - a mix of soulful crooning, heavy beats under his raps all layered over indie samples. His high and light singing is impressive, too - few dudes can pull off a melody in that range without sacrificing power. 'Be Alone' and the next track, 'Freaks and Geeks', were both early leaks off the EP, with the latter even getting the video treatment. In it, Glover bounces and zips across the frame, full of swagger and flow. He's going full bore here with a great beat that feels lush and organic with strings. It was an obvious choice for the single treatment. The leveling-up shows is consistent through the whole release - the next song, 'My Shine', shows that same increase in consistency. Glover is singing his own hooks, rapping with more ferocity and showing more fluidity in his rhymes. 'Lights Turned On' focuses (obviously) on his love life, a common theme for him, but I can hardly fault him for enjoying his status as a ladies man. The song is a tour de force - seriously, the production on these tracks is a sea change from his album, Culdesac, and that was no weak effort. I think what happened is he had a chance to really give these songs love and work them until perfect, now having a full album and a series of mixtapes in his ouvre. Dude's just gotten better. Honestly, what it feels like here is Glover is the equivalent of Kanye West not being so egocentric and just releasing his work for free. I love it that much and he loves just putting it out there.

I know I'm gushing all over the place about this EP but I think the dude's doing great work. On top of it, he's doing it for free. He's clearly talented and has already seen great success, like he - he was writing for 30 Rock when he was under 25. How do you get that gig at that age, then go on to kill it every week on the equally amazing Community, then oh-for-the-hell-of-it just start a great and FREE music career? Not fair. Anyway, download his latest release and check out his blog. Dude's amazing.


See you tomorrow!

Crazy Insight

Alright, I can admit it.

I'm tapped.

Completely spent. Long, long weekend full of stuff that had to be done, moving bleary eyed through work today, came home to another fantastic dinner my better half had (bless her heart) made before I even set foot in the door. I was washing up and realized in a panic "Oh no, no post!" So here I am, typing through the exhaustion, wondering what I could muster any love for that would propel me through this. Then I realized I knew just the thing - something I have been enjoying immensely, as of late.

WTF with Marc Maron.

Maron has been a gigging, hardworking and above all honest comic for over 20 years. His accomplishments, while too numerous to catalog in their entirety, include over 40 performances on Conan O'Brien's first talk show, hosting his own Air America radio show, three amazing albums and even a book. In short (which would no doubt irk him to be succinctly summarized) he is the definition of the long-standing stand-up, a man whose drive and work ethic has lead him to where he is today, riding high on his critical success and killing it every week in the incredible podcast he produces.

The show itself is, for comedy aficionados, a gold mine. Maron opens each installment by examining his own life a bit, maybe riffing on his travel experiences or just venting about feeling bad about things he knows he shouldn't. It's an interesting look into his headspace from one episode to the next. He can be both brutally honest and refreshingly charming when seemingly riffing on his own life. After the intro, and the obligatory plugs for a sponsor, Maron plays the segment that comprises the meat of his show - engaging, insightful interviews or discussions with other comics. Some are old friends (like the amazing 2-episode installment in which he and the prolific Louis C.K. reconnect after a falling out), some are strangers (like the hysterical Dr. Ken Jeong) while some are controversial. It seems some of his best known episodes are the ones where he starts to take the kid gloves off to really volley back and forth with the guests. His bull sessions with known joke thieves Carlos Mencia and Dane Cook are fascinating glimpses into the much maligned comics and how they justify what they do. Maron insists he wasn't meeting with them just for that reason but the notion is one that is constantly reminded, and he shouldn't shy away from it. He displays a real finesse for handling people and coaxing truth out of them. His discussion with one of my favorites, Jackie Kashian, blew me away with her frank recollection of childhood experiences and tales of parental drama. It made me appreciate the both of them so much more. His recent episode featuring Dave Foley was both cringe-inducing and revelatory, as the Newsradio and Kids In The Hall alum talked about heartbreak and divorce at great length, and how it had lead him to a new phase in his life.

I can say all this dramatic business about WTF and Maron's conversations, but it's not as though it's all doom and gloom. Quite the contrary, he actually makes it very easy and engrossing to hear. What is at times awkward or difficult is fascinating and you don't want to have to stop, like his recent interview with the notoriously temperamental Gallagher. I don't want to rehash what's been said since it happened, but its absolutely worth it to hear Maron hold the aging act storm off when confronted with the reality of his offensive material. Who knew Gallagher could be so crotchety and difficult? All right, I'll admit, it was pretty funny.

Not only is Maron working tirelessly as a regular performer, but he has an amazing relationship with his audience and fans, keeping an amazingly consistent presence online, whether it be the WTF site, his own page archiving his career, or through his as-it-happens twitter feed. To boot, he has been known to barter with fans after shows for his merchandise, accepting (until recently) homemade baked goods, knitted things and other miscellanea in lieu of payment for his content through both Android and IOS apps. The guy is up on the tech, as well.

Seriously, look at how much I just wrote about how great this podcast is, even after that miserable intro about how tired I was. That's how amazing the show is, that it pushed me right through the fatigue and off to the far end of this page. If you're still reading this, go download an episode, starting with someone you're familiar with. It's a great way to get started with this excellent podcast. I"m glad I did.

Collabo

Evening!


Another day full of errands and tasks after yesterday, so today's post is, again, truncated. The week coming, though, will allow for a little more proper writing. It's snowing again, of course. It's Minnesota in March, after all. I'm at home, having downed massive amounts of curry in the hopes that the endorphins can counteract the weather's mood killer. Speaking of killer moods, though...


Last month I wrote a post on the amazing Gayngs and their awesome album Relayted. They're still riding high on their acclaim, ready to rock SXSW and (much to my sorrow, as I can't attend) playing their Affiliyated showcase at First Ave tonight as I type this. Due to time and budget I find myself so close yet so far from what is no doubt an amazing show, with member's originating bands playing all over the venue, including the massive Doomtree crew, Solid Gold, Megafaun and the Leisure Birds. For those able to attend, I'm sure it was every bit as awesome as could possibly be. For those like myself, though, there is one small consolation - the free and amazing EP, Affiliyated.

This sick EP is brought to us by Minneapolis deities Doomtree. What the group did is the kind of creative process that fascinates my brain with its unlimited, diverging possibilities. Essentially they stripped the original album, the aforementioned Relayted, and drew straws for the elements laid bare. By drawing at random, different members of the crew took on tracks and rebuilt them from the ground up. It's a great reworking of what was already a phenomenal album. Songs have gone from sexy, subdued ditties to ethereal, ambient beats. Instead of the soulful crooning on the original versions, here we have Sims and P.O.S. spitting new raps over these regrinds. It's still the same moody, gorgeous music, just tweaked and rebuilt by the best damn rap crew around. On top of all this awesomeness, it's free - a token of love from crazy, prolific artists who push themselves on every project. 


I may be bummed out I can't make it to the massive spectacle at First Ave, but having this rad EP makes up for it. All the artists involved continue to blow me away with all they do. SXSW is looking a whole lot better, I can say that much. Do yourself a favor and head over here to pick up the EP.

Referential Humor

Hey kids, what's shaking?


It's the weekend and I'm trying to fit this in around a busy schedule of normal get-it-done-while-there's-time kind of errands, the usual life stuff that gets done as soon as you have time. What that really means is today's post is gonna be a short, concentrated blast of love. To pack the most love possible into it, the subject is a dense, knotted ball of referential music. Mashup time, once again.


If you're not familiar with The Hood Internet you really oughta be. Remix/mashup artists from Chicago, they are best known for taking commercial rap and throwing it on top of indie music. The resulting mix either elates or infuriates hipsters - I can't tell because I honestly haven't had a chance to ask a genuine hipster about it, but then again this is focusing entirely too much on labels. I digress. Point is, The Hood Internet make these great, indulgent mix tapes and put them on their blog totally for free. I've written many times about the wonders of free things on the internet and this is another classic example. So these guys are mixing all this great stuff together, I'm sorting through and downloading it while thinking "This is great stuff for party music, having people over" and I notice one of the smaller or shorter releases they did:

Looks like the duo took the acapella tracks from Felt and put them over the awesome and strange electro music of Tobacco, specifically his album Maniac Meat. It is phenomenal and weird at the same time. Felt, in case you don't know, is the project of local deity Slug from Atmosphere and Oakland's Murs from Living Legends. The two have been making a series of albums together for the last few years as tongue in cheek tributes to celebrities they wanna bed, like Lisa Bonet, Christina Ricci and Rosie Perez. They're both incredibly talented, insightful rappers who have had both critical and commercial careers that establish them as legends in their respective stomping grounds so hearing them together is always great. So when a mashup team who I also love take their vocals and lay them on top of another musician's work we then spiral into a deeper level of Inception-like referential awareness. It's like an ouroboros at this point. The meta-context of the EP is so thick it approaches impenetrability, which amuses me to no end, and yet listening to it, it's just electro-hip-hop. 


This awesome(and free!) EP is a mutli-leveled beast of dance music the could be deconstructed by much smarter minds. I've wondered in the past about how music evolves and how our collective minds influence the direction of culture - I think this is another sign of where we're headed. Like Girl Talk's endless, segueing jams or Kids & Explosion's more ground-up approach, we have artists whose work becomes so causality-focused that the listener's personal history and ability to place context with the presented material becomes wholly ingrained to the experience. It's not just listening to the music anymore, now there is a level of awareness that goes along with it. One could relate it to the rise of cultural memes and how they spread and become jokes about the jokes themselves, like LOLCats, the self-aware schlock-fest Snakes On A Plane or the resurgence of Family Guy after its premature cancellation. Pop culture is eating it's own tail at this point. Good or bad, we're so connected to our own hive mind that ideas reference themselves in ironic or winking ways so fast that a generation gap appears after a point. However, this gap is not strictly based on age but on the effort put forth by the participant. If you don't want to care about it, your experience is much more surface level and straight forward, while connectedness and awareness of the in-joke makes it an endless spiral into meta-context. 


Holy Hannah, looking at all that text, you know what's really apparent? I need to abstain from espresso before I write these pieces. Looks like my mind is speeding up to the point of humming bird status. Instead of making my keyboard burst into flames from furious typing, I'll let the music speak for itself. Head to their blog to download this EP as well as the rest of their awesome mix tapes. Play it while you entertain this weekend.

Title Jokes

Happy Friday, looks like we made it after all!

Remember when we all used to tease Fiona Apple over her fervent assertions that the world of MTV and award ceremonies being hollow, and how kooky it was that her album at the time had a 90+ word title? Yeah, we shouldn't have done that. I feel bad. Then again, I didn't really tease her that much, but I know others did so, much more than me. The thing is, that album was fantastic. It really is and it holds up today.

She was an angry little waif whose first album, Tidal, scored mega hits on MTV and radio in the (surprise surprise) late 90s. Slinking, venomous tracks like Shadow Boxer and Criminal quickly established her as the broken song bird, hurt over previous experiences and working through her aggression through extremely tuneful ditties on the piano. What she may be most remember for, unfortunately, is her widely mocked diatribe at the MTV Music Video Awards proclaiming the world it supported as fake and meaningless. It was one of those moments that, while she was speaking from the heart with great honesty and the best intentions, she really didn't do herself any favors. Ah, the transgressions and misgivings of youth. Hell, I remember thinking "Yeah! That's right! You tell 'em!" Now I look back and think "Well, yeah, we all know that, but what does proclaiming it change?" What a difference 15 years makes. Maybe I'm just more cynical now, or maybe MTV is that terrible always, but the world keeps spinning and life goes on. So this talented artist gets roundly teased and cast aside as a kook for her ranting and oddly titled album that came out. While it's often referred to in short as "When the Pawn..." the full title of Fiona Apple's sophomore album is (deep breath) :  



When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king
What he knows throws the blows when he goes to the fight
And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring
There's no body to batter when your mind is your might
So when you go solo, you hold your own hand
And remember that depth is the greatest of heights
And if you know where you stand, then you know where to land
And if you fall it won't matter, cause you'll know that you're right

Okay, that's out of the way. It's really kind of a novel concept, having such a long and detailed title. I can absolutely understand the ribbing but it does give more insight into what her mindset was at the time. The reason I'm rehashing all this that it came on shuffle this morning and I was overwhelmed by it - I had completely forgotten how terrific this album is. At the time it came out I distinctly remember thinking it was very good, very intelligent and detailed, full of experimental loops and odd orchestration. It's funny how something can seem so important and vital, only to be swept under the rug with the rest of a year. It's phenomenally good - the whole album is a cohesive mess of piano, thumping and leaping with her lilting, wounded and vengeful melodies. This was an artist at the top of her game and she caught flack just for venting in a public forum, shooting herself in the foot for lashing out at the press. It's a shame, really. The biggest single off the album, "Fast As You Can" is a manic, urgent plea for the target to run from her as quickly as possible. The song is unrelenting catchy, it's off-kilter syncopation hooking into your head like a hypnotizing act. The fervent energy behind it is infectious and the melody is inspired, running all over the spectrum but never feeling excessive or meandering.


Other songs feel just as left of center, like the buzzing and electric hisses of "Mistake" that sound like vintage guitars recorded through a rotary phone. Apple absolutley inhabits each track while breathing vitality into every word. The single "Paper Bag" feels almost like a jazz standard from the 40s with its back and forth piano chords and head bobbingly pleasant melody. Hearing Apple croon in such a sing-songy way almost makes you overlook the wonderfully twisted words she's streaming directly from her conciousness. Her voice is just like butter, all smooth and creamy over the backing track. "To Your Love" sounds like a lounge tune turned poisonous with time, like the good intentions fermented into something dangerous. I love the way her voice swirls up and down, making the oddest, most difficult turns sound like nothing at all when they come from her. "Limp" is a great example of contrasting styles, the cool, rising verses in her lilting and disarming voice seguing into the intense and spiraling chorus that drives the song right to th ground. It's powerful stuff. This album is fantastic start to finish, with a wide range of styles on display. They're all unified, though by the excellent production and mixing. The distinct instruements put to use here create a feeling of antiquated machines and instruements furnishing a madhouse, Apple's neurosis giving life to an old mansion full of flapper ghosts.

It seems this was an intense phase for Apple. The years after this album saw her take a break form recording, but soon set about making the follow up, Extraordinary Machine. Sony, apparently dissatisfied with the tracks, forced her to re-record and rework all the tracks she had submitted, resulting in excessive delays. The tracks leaked on to the web where her fans pleaded for a proper release, even starting an online petition to have them made publicly available. Eventually the finished and reworked album was released legitimately to crtitical acclaim, but Apple has yet to return to the massive sales she experience previously. You know what, though? Doesn't matter. She's just as good now as whe was then. For proof, click here.

Next In Line

Anyone notice the trend?

Looks like I'm quite enamored with albums released from 1994-2000. Most, if not all, of the album breakdowns I've done have been about releases from this time period. I guess it makes sense; everyone seems to have special affection for the music they listened to when they were young. I'm not claiming AARP membership here, but that time period was, for me, the formative time when my tastes were developed. I also think it happens to be a particular high point in the canon of popular music. So to continue in the trend of throwing accolades at forgotten gems of the 90s I want to look fondly back on what turns out to be a precursor to bigger things, the debut album by The Foo Fighters.

I'm going to just go ahead and assume you know at least the basic story here. However the painful realization of my own cultural relevance sliding into obscurity requires I summarize: Nirvana was insanely popular and Kurt Cobain took his own life, fantastically talented drummer Dave Grohl goes to record some of his own demos in a studio, word spreads about how good they are, album is released and a whole new phase of Grohl's life begins. Who gets to be in not one but two of the best bands in rock? The guy is certainly talented enough to warrant it - his reputation for drumming is tops, as is his song writing and musicianship. Crazy. 

Anyway, the album was kind of a subversive move on his behalf. Instead of recruiting a pool of friends and contemporaries to lean on and draw from, Dave set out on his own to put to tape a handful of the songs he had written during his time with Nirvana. While he was thrashing away behind the kit, he was also constructing some lovely little pop tunes, almost in secret, as though Kurt would disapprove of them if he found out. According to legend, Grohl had played Kurt an acoustic version of an eventual album cut before they recorded In Utero and Cobain was relieved to have someone else to bear the burden of writing songs. Grohl said in an interview :  


"I'd told him I was recording and he said, 'Oh, I wanna hear it, bring it by.' He was sitting in the bath-tub with a walkman on, listening to the song, and when the tape ended, he took the headphones off and kissed me and said, 'Oh, finally, now I don't have to be the only songwriter in the band!' I said, 'No, no, no, I think we're doing just fine with your songs."


So Dave kept working in private, making demos under the fake band name Late! and hand-crafting cassettes, titling the demos Pocketwatch. These demos not only were the creation of Dave alone (writing and playing all the parts) but eventually were re-recorded and mixed to become what would be the eponymous debut for The Foo Fighters. For most of the early stages of it, including when demos leaked to radio stations and labels, Grohl maintained anonymity in the hopes of getting genuine interest in the project and to avoid the perception of riding the coattails of what was the biggest band of the (early) 90s. 

The secret behind Grohl's talent is that while drummers can take a lot of ribbing for simple mindedness (how can you tell when a drummer's at your door? The knocking speeds up and he doesn't know when to come in) he is a great songwriter. While the popular music scene was still shaking off the lingering effects of grunge and copycats were popping up (Bush, I'm looking in your direction) here comes this album full of fast, upbeat songs with great melodies and passion. None of the self loathing indicative of the time was really present on the record. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of love for Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam - they are my bread and butter, the stuff I was raised on. It's just that there was more than a necessary amount of navel-gazing, woe-is-me lyricism and down-turned riffage in their respective works. Here, instead, were frenetic, straight forward rock tunes alongside two-minute pop songs. The first track on the album, This Is A Call, is all major chords and a major melody on top. Grohl says of the chorus: "The chorus says 'This is a call to all my past resignation', it's just sort of like a little wave to all the people I've played music with, people I've been friends with, all my relationships, my family. It's a hello, and in a way, a thank you." The second single for the album was one of the most ballsy tunes present, the intriguing 'I'll Stick Around'. In a recent interview Grohl finally confirmed that the defiant song is indeed about the royalty struggles he had to endure over Nirvana's publishing rights with Courtney Love. Energetic with a distinctive riff, it was a popular single. Even more popular was the single 'Big Me', a slice of pure Monkees pop. Jangly chords and light-hearted melody, the track is a straight faced love letter to his wife at the time. The accompanying video for the song is just as memorable, inspired by the pre-internet meme of Mentos commercials. Check it out here, it's still pretty funny. 


While I can assert that the more aggressive songs are have no grunge leanings, they can still be intense and abrasive; the difference lies in tone. Grohl may be young and full of vigor here, but it's a joix de vivre of someone who takes the world on with enthusiasm instead of wallowing in misery. Songs like 'Alone + Easy Target' and 'Good Grief' are propelled by monster riffs and frenetic drumming, yet they don't feel like depressing songs, just passionate. For further evidence of Grohl's upbeat take on music at the time, listen to melody and feel of 'Floaty' - the intro is just breezy, suspended chords strummed on an acoustic guitar. The hook for the song, Grohl wailing "That's not as big as what's flown in here" is undeniably catchy, all in a major key. It's a great rock song. Towards the back of the album Grohl does lose a bit of his momentum, with songs like X-Static and Exhausted showing the sludge of grunge, but there were still manic tunes like the inscrutable Beenie Weenie and the pleasant, swinging jazz verses of 'For All The Cows' to even it out. 

What I really take from the album, besides the fact that Grohl would have been a major success with or without Nirvana, is that passion can really drive you to a good record. All of these songs are great in their own way, but they're all such middle of the road songs that they can be...what? Unremarkable? That's not quite right. They just feel like good, solid rock songs, like if someone from another planet asked "What is rock and roll?", you could play this album and say "That's pretty much it. Fast tempo, good hooks, distorted guitars - it's got a good beat and you can dance to it, right?" Maybe not the most ringing endorsement, but I still have a soft spot for Dave's first proper solo album after all these years. I was a kid when this came out and it really hooked me in, the passion and energy that propelled it along. It's simple and straight forward, but I mean that in the most positive way. 

This Is Your Life

Okay, time's a factor today so I'm going to keep this brief.

I'm a sucker for soundtracks. While I could expound on the myriad reasons for this at great length it mostly stems from the "bleed-through" effect they have on my brain when I listen to them in daily life. The intentional discord that results from recontextualizing the familiar into novel situations gives me both a feeling of dynamic shift for the mundane and a sense of surreal comprehension for what is the normal sturm and drang of the in & out of the daily grind. Their was a long stretch after first seeing cult film Donnie Darko that I spent listening to the score whenever I was in the car - it made any errand feel much more interesting and bizarre with those syncopated strings bouncing in the background. Video games are no exception here, either - I've already written at great length of my love for the work of Akira Yamaoka. What I want to use today's short space for is to tell you just how good the soundtrack to Fight Club can be. Created by the Dust Brothers, long time production duo responsible for excellent, eclectic releases by The Beastie Boys and Beck (among others), the score serves as an exemplary example of both their style and skill as producers and musicians. 

While the film certainly merits the terabytes of data already written about it, analyzing themes of consumerism, modern masculinity and identity, I'll spare you my own surface-level examination. It's spectacular, to say the least, owing it's core genius to the source material - the novel by Chuck Pahlaniuk. Modern noir focusing on loss of self through consumerism. Heady stuff and a fantastic crew. Director David Fincher obviously was working full bore on making a great film and understood the impact a decent score could have. Not wanting to risk fracturing the movie with individual artists or risk a dull orchestral-arrangement, Fincher tapped the Dust Brothers in the hopes they would deliver something unique.  His risk paid off. The score, full of predatory drum loops and buzzing machine sounds, adds to the tone of destruction and discord that permeates the film. It's the sound of the narrator breaking down his structured world - the more rigid and ordered tracks are repeated throughout the score, each time breaking further down and becoming more disjointed. It feels like a matter of diminishing returns, in the best way possible. It's actually quite a nice little method of displaying the story structure via soundscape - the more unreliable the narrator becomes, the more the listener is aurally disoriented. Beeps and clicks, various electro sounds all hum along with the tunes, adding to the angry buzz of the film. 

It's really quite a gem, this soundtrack. If you enjoy this sort of thing it's definitely one to check out. I certainly can see how people would be put off by some of the abrasive sounds but in my experience it's not always ease of access that means good music. I love how the score creates a definite mood and can heighten whatever I'm doing, from riding the bus to typing today's column. Check it out, if you're into it. 

Iterations

Bonjour.

A couple of weeks back I wrote about my love of Garbage's eponymous debut album. At the end of the post I mentioned, almost as an afterthought, how their subsequent albums were a mixed bag of highs and lows. I want to use today's post to clarify that the uneven returns come later in their career, as the immediate follow up, titled Version 2.0, is an awesome album that absolutely holds up as an example of how to make a sophomore album. It is the embodiment of leveling up - the title alone conveys the idea of 'harder, better, faster, stronger', to use the popular phrase. Let's look closer, shall we?

The band knew the pressure was on. Their first album had been a runaway, almost unintentional success. Of course they put their best foot forward, but who hopes for that kind of success for an opening salvo? Having Grammy nods and international accolades and tours behind them, the band set about constructing Version 2.0 in 1998. Singer Shirley Manson had been a source of vigor on their previous album and took the reins for the follow up. She wrote the majority of the songs, penning almost all the lyrics, interpolations and samples aside. Working predominantly from their base in Smart Studios in Wisconsin once again, the band furiously created track after track, pushing themselves to their creative zenith. The resulting album has been widely regarded as some of their best work. Alternating between intense, manic beats that approach techno or drum n' bass level insanity and sultry, noir crooners, Garbage managed to set their own parameters of sound even farther into their extremes. In creating 2.0 the band escalated their already urgent and passionate sound to a higher, more engaging results. 

The opening track, 'Temptation Waits', starts with only some ambient noise and a sly loop of cymbals keeping time. As Manson moans the first lines of the album I'm already hooked into the back and forth, hot and cold passions presented - "I'll tell you something, I am a wolf but I like to wear sheep's clothing. I am a vampire, I am a bon fire, I like to keep you guessing." She's laying out the terms of performing to the audience with these lines, and immediately upon doing so there is a sound of tape speeding up, machines waking up and the music kicks in to high gear. "You come on like I drug - I just can't get enough, I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more." Performing is her raison d'etre and it shows, as we're surrounded by the band already in full bore. Thumping dance beats and heavy bass, looping bites of guitar swirling in the air. It has to be one of the best ways to start an album I've ever heard.  The fervent pacing rolls right into the next track, 'I Think I'm Paranoid'. A massively popular single for the band, it rollicks back and forth between verse and chorus, the verses presenting the happy-go-lucky clarity of sensible introspection which leads the band into the pounding, crunching reality that is the chorus. It's an insanely catchy way to inspect Manson's neurosis - the sweet, lilting allure of the verses disarms the listener until she wails the title, guitars dropping in like a sledgehammer swung ferociously from the speakers. It's really no wonder you can still hear the song on the radio ten years later.

The next track, another single titled 'When I Grow Up' approaches disco territory with it's four-on-the-floor rhythm and bass line. Pure pop sugar, the song launches into a hook that absolutely hurtles along at breakneck speed. Continuing her dichotomous approach to the album, Manson sings "When I grow up I'll be stable, when I grow up I'll turn the tables" in an amusing twist following the previous diatribe. This song has always been a personal favorite of mine. Though the subject of health and sanity remains, the tone shifts abruptly following this song. 'Medication' is a tune that shows just how the band can play their extremes against each other to the benefit of both. It's a song is slower and subdued, almost morose in it's contemplative sound. Manson sings of self-correction and a sense of balance being askew while being labeled co-dependant, all in the often-done metaphor of relationship-as-personal-health metaphor we're all familiar with. On the chorus it sounds like the band has her climbing up the walls as she sings "Somebody get me outta here, I'm tearing at myself" while they play wailing tones of manic discord. It's a nice trick of audio manipulation. Other subdued songs on the album prove just as strong as this, such as 'You Look So Fine', a song whose piano loop I swear is taken straight from the Halloween soundtrack. It's a gorgeous, if sad, song of rejection and longing. 

Some of the singles on Version 2.0 are insanely well done, like the Grammy nominated 'Special', full of Beach Boy-ish harmonies, and the core of the album, it's lead single 'Push It'. 'Push It' is indicative of just what they were attempting to do here - Manson whispers and hisses to "Make the beats go harder" and that's just what they did. For a single interpolating actual lyrics and melody from Brian Wilson (with his written consent) it's abrasive and frightening, a manic piece of work. But despite it's buzz saw guitars and bombastic drum loops the song is a total knock out, like it was designed for blaring in clubs and on the radio. From what we know about Garbage, it most likely was. 


As much as I loved their debut, this album is even better. It was as big of a smash as well, selling the same amount as the self titled record. Unfortunately it was after this album that the band began to lose the magic touch; they've never soared quite as high as they did with their first two endeavors. Considering that, however, I think it only makes me appreciate just how fantastic the band can be. There are some strikingly original songs here, all of them unique and genuine in their passion. They've recorded some new material as of late, so here's hoping they can catch the same lightening in the bottle they did with their first two albums. I'll be waiting.

Neon Tubes

Let's skip the formalities today and just dive right in, shall we?

Someone mentioned yesterday that they were listening to Silverchair's album Neon Ballroom over and over. It struck me, after seeing that,that I had essentially forgotten just how good the album is and I can't help but feel it could use a little more love. It's an interesting point in the band's career, as well, which itself is worth taking a look at.

Silverchair, in case you're unfamiliar, is one of Australia's biggest musical exports, outranked only by Kylie Minogue and AC/DC. Formed when its members were just 14 and 15, the band one a demo contest put on by Circle J Radio with their excellent rock song "Tomorrow" and immediately were launched into stardom, both at home and abroad. Releasing their heavy metal-inspired Frogstomp and the heavier, more aggressive follow up, Freak Show, the band quickly established themselves as young, talented and ambitious. However, they were not without their detractors. Some felt the band was too straight forward and narrow-minded in their approach - all heavy metal riffs with little in the way of melody and ingenuity. It's one thing to take inspiration and direction from your elders, but you have to innovate and push yourself yo break new ground in order to find real success, many argue. Silverchair had shown glimmers of creative endeavors with some of their more esoteric tracks, like the eastern-influenced 'Petrol & Chlorine' or the power-pop on display in 'The Door'. After touring and international success, the band took a hiatus and came back to the studio to begin work on their third album, which would result in the new direction of Neon Ballroom.

It should be noted here that the pressures of fame and public spotlight put excessive stress on front-man Daniel Johns. In what would be a massive influence on the construction and writing for this album, around 1998 he developed both a severe case of anorexia and what would eventually be labeled 'reactive arthritis'. Johns essentially cut himself off from the world for a time, getting progressively frail and weak. Only after family intervention did he seek treatment and began the slow road to recovery. The influence this had on his writing and perspective is apparent through the album. True to form, the titles for the songs will all display the obviously grim and over the top titles of 'tortured souls' making music as therapy. 

The sound on the new album was generally regarded as a significant step in their development. While the underpinnings of their heavy-metal roots were still present, they were both reduced in prominence and incorporated into a new direction of classically influenced structure. This is apparent from the opening track, titled 'Emotion Sickness'. All the signposts of the band's new sound are here - the heavy emotional tone, new sense of dynamics and subtlety, strings and even piano written and performed by none other than the acclaimed David Helfgott, subject of the movie Shine. The skeleton of the sound is definitely the same band but they're expressing themselves with more clarity and sensitivity. It actually is quite an impressive opening salvo, building to an intense climax. The next track, 'Anthem For The Year 2000' was the lead single for the album, most likely due to its similarity to the band's previous material. It's all heavy drums and guitar riffs once again, but in a subtle twist on the same sound. Paul Mac, techno-industrial musician, tweaks the sound, adding clicks, buzzes and whirs to alter the ambience and discord the band had created on their own. In a move that displays their appreciation for their roots and a sense of playfulness, they also brought in a youth choir to sing along with the chorus. The track was a reaction to the Australian government cracking down on the youth at the time, though as a protest song it certainly lacks the punch of relevance or critical importance. The next track and subsequent single, 'Ana's Song', was a huge hit. Dealing with Johns' previously mentioned eating disorder, it's a haunting and striking tune that vacillates between aching, descriptive verses and pounding choruses.

The album continues in this trend - some straight forward rockers sequenced between experimental or unorthodox pieces. Riff-centric songs like 'Dearest Helpless' and 'Feel The Same' both are fairly straight forward affairs, but they still have interesting sounds to them, despite the fairly by-the-numbers approach. I distinctly remember my older brother pointing out the verses on 'Dearest Helpless' sounding like The Foo Fighters. I can't shake that observation now, even after 10+ years. 'Feel The Same' was written specifically because Johns' father noticed he had never released a guitar-solo focused song, if that's any indication of raison d'etre for the song. However, after these two songs comes another great example of how the band's sound had grown - the quirky and morose 'Black Tainted Heart' feels like an entirely different band recorded it. Not different people, mind you, but that with it's mandolins and unusual instrumentation it seems so much more mature and insightful, it's clearly a delineation point in the band's career. 

This is exactly the point I mentioned earlier, about the transitory point in the band's career. I had noticed the distinction in sounds when I first listened to the album at the turn of the century but couldn't put my finger on exactly what the issue was. Doing research on it recently made it more apparent. This album was actually two different sets of songs sculpted and edited to appear as a cohesive album. The more riff-centric, rock songs were mostly written during the band's Freakshow era of writing, while the more diverse and explorative pieces like 'Paint Pastel Princess' and 'Point of View' were written much closer to the recording of the album. When Daniel Johns refers to the album as a style shift and demarkation point for the band, he was dismissing the first two albums the band made as kids in their garage making grunge music, while this album and the two excellent ones after were the work of adults, as in this telling quote:  


"To me, I honestly feel like our first record was Neon Ballroom. I've never felt any different. I don't feel like our first two albums were Silverchair: that's our teenage high school band. I don't like them at all. I listen to them and go, 'That's cute', especially the first one, because Frogstomp we were 14. But the second one we're like 16, I'm like 'You're getting older. You're running out of chances'"


The secret reality of the situation, though, was that half of this album was actually remainders of that same garage band, even if they were a worldwide phenomenon. It's an impressive honing of tone, one that actually makes me appreciate the album even more from knowing this fact. That it marries two distinct periods of someone's writing and song craft so convincingly just shows how high the quality of the songs and production actually are. 

Neon Ballroom, while in some places flawed and grim, is actually a great record. It's full of secret, strange things. In my mind I think of listening to the album akin to exploring a haunted house - the ghosts of Johns' personal demons haunt a place full of violins and pianos, occasionally knocking around some heavy furniture and sending cobwebs and dust into the air. There are some really spectacular songs on display here - the new wavy album closer 'Steam Will Rise' is gorgeous, with it's off-kilter drums and plodding bass. 'Paint Pastel Princess' is a vibrant and shimmering example of how amazing the sound can be when Johns is in a good mood. Thankfully these were all signs of things to come, as the band has only gotten better with time. Their follow up albums, Diorama and Young Modern eclipse Neon Ballroom in their song-craft and spectrum, but this album is (for me) a great piece of work with an unusual history. It may be because of the laws that I appreciate it so much. It's like a musical growth spurt, if that makes any sense. I know this album may not be for everyone, but if you're at all intrigued I would recommend seeking it out, it's a fantastic Art Rock album from very young musicians.