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Ray Flight - 13/05/2012
I used to have both these vinyl LP's many years ago. They are THE two to have if you like her rock'n'roll output. I wanted to buy a cd of her early stuff to replace my long gone records and after searching, I found THIS cd. It has ALL the tracks from the 2 vinyl LP's PLUS 6 bonus tracks! - In MY opinion, THIS cd is the only cd you will ever need of Wanda's fabulous rock'n'roll/rockabilly songs.
With backing musicians such as Buck Owens, Skeets McDonald, Roy Clark and Merrill Moore you just KNOW that this is gonna be of the highest calibre, covering a period of 1956 to 1961.
There's always a 'A party goin' on' when you're 'Rockin' with Wanda'.
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Dave Wallace - 01/05/2012
What do you get when you cross a successful American singer-songwriter with a hugely popular and award-winner British writer and novelist? Apparently, the answer is "Lonely Avenue", a collection of eleven tracks that marry the words of Nick Hornby (best known for 'Fever Pitch' and 'About a Boy') with the music of pianist and vocalist Ben Folds (he of Ben Folds Five fame).
Surprisingly, the album is far from being the Frankenstein's-monster mishmash that the description suggests. Covering subjects as diverse as two star-crossed lovers who never quite get together, the innermost thoughts of Sarah Palin's almost-son-in-law Levi Johnston, the flagging career of a has-been one-hit-wonder and the bittersweet hope-against-hope that thrives on a cancer ward, Lonely Avenue sits comfortably with the rest of Folds' body of work in that it tackles unusual subjects, but in a heartfelt, sincere way - and accompanied by some fantastic piano tunes.
In fact, if I hadn't been told that Hornby had contributed to the album, I might have believed it was another solo Folds outing. The writing is certainly just as smart and original as Folds normally tends to be, mixing some idiosyncratic subject matter with the odd joke or two, only to hit you with unexpected emotional content that feels like a punch in the gut - especially when it's set to such seductive music.
Folds experiments with quite a few different styles here: there's the 1980s retro electronica of the opening track, "A Working Day", in which both Hornby and Folds get to hit back at their armchair critics whilst also admitting to a certain amount of insecurity about their work; the sweeping, elegant, heartbreaking beauty of "Picture Window"; the Burt Bacharach pastiche of "Belinda"; and the tubthumping macho shouting of "Levi Johnston's Blues". Yet for all their differences in style, all of the tracks feel comfortable nestling beside one another, with the changes in tone serving as more of a palate-cleanser than a distraction.
Turning to Hornby's contribution, the biggest compliment that I can pay him is that his lyrics are as insightful and original as I've come to expect from Folds' music. Many of the songs are themed around relationships, but Hornby always manages to find an interesting angle rather than the usual dull boy-meets-girl. Among my favourites are "Claire's Ninth" (about a birthday party for a nine-year-old girl, hosted by her now-divorced parents), "Practical Amanda" (an ode to the resolutely practical nature of Hornby's own wife, contrasted against his own head-in-the-clouds approach to life), and "Password" (in which a young man trying to guess his girlfriend's e-mail password realises that he knows everything about her - except for the REALLY important stuff).
Having expected this album to be something of a curate's egg - a hodge-podge of oddities thrown together as more of an experiment than a polished and thoughtfully put-together record - I'm pleased to report that it's not only a good listen in its own right, but it's also among the best albums of Ben Folds' career, and would also serve as a great introduction to his music to anyone who's looking for a place to start from.
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Kevin - 01/05/2012
After 12 months of rave reviews for live shows, US TV appearances, being championed by Jack White, Adele and Alex Turner, and crowned 'Best Guitar Band in the World' by NME, Alabama Shakes' debut album has finally arrived. With only Lana Del Rey having inspired more blog hysteria in the past year is it possible they could live up to the hype?
For those who've somehow missed the buzz, Alabama Shakes are a young four piece from Athens, Alabama. They play a brand of music that seems to take most of it's references from pre 1975 - a mash-up of vintage rock'n'roll, southern soul and rhythm and blues, a bit of Creedence Clearwater Revival and even a touch of Led Zep. What holds it all together and makes it more than tasteful retro nostalgia is the added punk spirit and the compelling presence of guitarist, singer and principal songwriter Brittany Howard.
Howard's singing voice is a huge instrument, powerful, emotional, raw, it's immediately reminiscent of Janis Joplin with a hint of Beth Ditto and even a little Robert Plant. Her songwriting voice is arresting too, full of natural, conversational tales of a young woman running around, working, loving, partying, hanging out and dreaming of escape and something more. The album kicks off with the single "Hold On", Howard singing "Bless my heart, bless my soul, I didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old" over an instantly memorable loping rhythm. Another standout is "You ain't alone" where the piano arrangement and tender emotion of Howard's vocals have more than a hint of Otis Redding. "Goin' to a Party" is a fingerclicking tale of fighting and dancing and the affecting waltz of the title track relates the story of Howard's childhood friendship with a boy that was deemed unsuitable by others. Through it all the singer is supported by a tight band of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards providing swampy grooves and earthy, back-to-basics rock'n'roll.
Frontloading the album with the strongest tracks and not enough thought about sequencing means there is a feeling of "Boys & Girls" running out of steam towards the end and there are issues with the production which manages to be both muddy and too careful. Anyone with the good fortune to see the Shakes play live (or just spent half and hour online watching the plentiful footage) will probably feel initial disappointment that the vibrancy of their live performances hasn't quite translated to the recording, but they're hardly the first rock 'n roll band to struggle with that.
In the end, "Boys & Girls" is a solid, not earth-shattering record, the sound of a young band with plenty of promise but still working out exactly what they want to be. It certainly proves there is some substance to the hype and in "Hold On" it gives us one of the most memorable songs of the year.
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Gareth - 29/04/2012
Dodgy's first album since the 2001 album "Real Estate' and 16 years since their last album with all three original band members 'Free Peace Sweet', released in 1996.
Nigel Clarke (vocals & bass), Matthew Priest (Drums) and Andy Miller (guitar) released their first album 'The Dodgy Album' in 1993, a good solid album produced by the Lighting Seeds' Ian Broudie. This hinted at the trade mark Dodgy sound to come with their next to follow up albums. 1994's 'Homegrown' was far more successful offering containing 'Staying out for the Summer', 'So Let Me Go Far' and 'Making The Most Of'. This was a less polished sounding affair. Their most successful album 'Free Peace Sweet' came in 1996, containing the hits 'In A Room', 'Good Enough ' and 'If You're Thinking Of Me'. In 1998 Nigel Clarke left the band to peruse solo projects, however Matthew Priest and Andy Miller continued on with the name Dodgy, releasing the fourth album 'Real estate' in 2001, an album paid for and funded by the fans through the Dodgy website. Matt and Andy recruited new labour for the album in the form of David Bassey as lead vocalist, Nick Abnett on bass and Chris Hallam on the keys.
The original line up reformed in 2007 and has been slow in acquiring a record deal and music industry support for their next album. They have toured, released bootlegs, live albums and singles but no real body of new material to speak of until now 2012.
The album title 'Stand Up Right in a Cool Pace' sounds like a Dodgy title, as in Dodgy the band not, just a dodgy title. However the art work looks like it could have been lifted from some generic basic computer programme like Microsoft word art, as it looks basic and a little novice to say the least. However, this album has received rave reviews from Q, Mojo and Uncut. On first listen it sounds like Dodgy and it doesn't at the same time. A similar sound, usage of chords and Nigel Clarkes vocal are all present. However the sound is of a more mature, maybe folk nature and Nigel's vocal somehow different, with a more experimental vocal, acrobatic, albeit within a certain security. Many songs on the album sound a little similar, with no one necessary stand out track and after getting my head round the like dodgy but somehow not dodgy quandary; it is as the other reviews suggest a successful return by Dodgy.
Two tracks on the album are based on an 800 year old Malvern folk law/myth, Malvern being the now home of Nigel Clarke. The folk law goes, that a religious man (a monk), after spending his whole life serving the church 'Tripped and Fell' one day for a beautiful local woman and therefore betraying the church and all that he had known. He was then made to climb 'Raggedstone Hill' on his hands and knees every day to pray for forgiveness. He was also banned from ever seeing the lady again. This made him evil and twisted, which then drove him to put a curse on the hill, that bad look would fall upon any inhabitants of any house that the shadow of the hill should fall upon on a certain day of the year.
The stronger tracks are 'What Became Of You' beautifully sang lines from Nigel such as "Why can't you lie, I don't want the truth", 'We Try', 'Shadows' including the again understanding line "and you can pretend, you know what to do, but I can see the shadows hanging over you", 'Did It Have To Be This Way', 'Back Of You' and 'Happy Ending'. 'Back of you', an early favourite about the government and party promises states "I can't believe your putting me through this once again; I thought we'd seen the back of you, believed it was the end". With the weaker offerings appearing to be 'Waiting for the Sun', which starts poorly with the title and continues with its unoriginality from there on, 'Only a Heartbeat' and 'Find A Place'.
I purchased the deluxe version of the album, which contained a second cd 'More Songs' or 'Lying Down in the Fridge'. However, to be honest, not really worth the additional spend unless a real Dodgy fan. It's a little misleading as only three of the nine songs are recorded by all three members of Dodgy, these being 'We're Gonna Be Together', 'Down In The Flood' and 'Forgive Me', the latter two having been previously released as a double A side single through the Dodgy web site. 'Let's Wait Till We Get There' is a previously unreleased track, recorded in 1993, the other five songs are solo Nigel Clarke recordings between 2007 and 2011 and therefore shouldn't really be included here.
Although, initially slow to enthuse about this album, I now believe it to be a very strong Dodgy album, still very much Dodgy, but a more mature sounding offering.
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adrian willows - 27/04/2012
i had high expectations for this album but having played it over and over the only thing that i can remember is that the new vocalist sounds like the bullet for my valentine lead vocals and i assume because they ran out of material they have stuck an acoustic version of one of the tracks on the end of this album. i am a big fan of DRAGONFORCE but i am extremely disappointed with this album.
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Damion Parr - 01/04/2012
Panic! At The Disco- Pretty Odd
Panic! At The Disco (P!ATD) are now well renowned for their unique sound and strange lyrics that have their own seductive lure. A lot of their songs make absolutely no sense to the listener and really in theory a lot of them should simply flop. However they all have a certain je-ne-sais-quoi about them that make them compelling to listen too and have brought P!ATD worldwide fame in the Indy music world.
This is their second of three albums and in my opinion the best, it has a much more mellow and relaxed feel to it; perfect for playing on a summer's night. It summarises to me who they are and what they're about with a lot of personal touches clear in their songs that allow me as the listener to connect with the artist; and that's special. It goes against the expectations of the fans from the original album's release, bringing a completely new style to Panic, but for me it is an utterly compelling one. I have listened to this CD countless times and it has proudly held it's place on my iPod since it's release.
The lyrics are truly weird and wonderful, and all of there interpretations of them equally so: God knows hundreds of ideas have erupted from these lyrics and chased themselves round and round in my head. Panic's videos are also well renowned for their uniqueness and artistic take on themes. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" was a video which caused large controversy over it's style but drew hundreds of thousands of viewers.
Particular highlights of the album for me are the very popular "Nine in the Afternoon" just for it's unique take on life and the way time revolves around us. "I Have Friends in Holy Spaces" also charmed me with it's unique style along with "Northern Downpour" combining great lyrics and relaxing music that let everything around sink away; something any good record should be able to do.
The album clearly takes inspiration from the Beatles' later work, using every orchestral instrumental imaginable and all to an extremely professional degree; the recording work going on here really is excellent. The whole niche of P!ATD is that they have no real overall style, I've already talked about how each song has it's own unique style and this is true: because each song has no real style. Take "That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)" it truly defeats any form of categorisation, and yet still this clash of several styles seems to work in the Quartet's favour and make the song a pleasure to listen too.
This album is certainly not one intended to please their stereotypical fan base, they have gone all out on the ambition here; taking on nearly every genre there is. If there were any die-hard Panic fans picking up this album for the first time after hearing their original release (A Fever You Can't Sweat Out,) they may have been disappointed. However for those who wish to taste a pallet of all sorts, polished to the infinite degree then this is truly worth a listen.
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Sarah Marshall - 30/03/2012
This month saw Madonna release her twelfth studio album, MDNA, in her decade-spanning music career, which has seen her branch of into several different directions in between, including writing, acting, and directing.
To coincide with MDNA's release, the fantastic best-selling artist has simultaneously released a marvellous limited-edition boxset, containing the Complete Collection of all of her albums between 1983 and 2008 - the eleven albums prior to her latest:
Madonna, Like A Virgin, True Blue, Like A Prayer, Erotica, Bedtime Stories, Ray of Light, Music, American Life, Confessions on a Dance Floor, and Hard Candy.
Eleven albums that span twenty-five years in the business, and this magnificent collection allows you to really and clearly see just how she has developed and grown over the course of that quarter of a century - an impressive milestone by any measure. And with the first three albums appearing here in remastered form, the quality is like you've never heard it before!
Her first album, the self-titled Madonna, saw her career get off to a fantastic start, and a sense of nostalgia really sinks in as I listen again to one of my favourite of Madonna's single, Lucky Star, a song I haven't listened to in years.
Then of course came her follow-up album, Like A Virgin, which soared to the top of the charts - both the album and the title-track single - and ensured 'Madonna' was a name nobody would be forgetting anytime soon. And almost thirty years later, nobody has.
Next in the collection we come back to True Blue, a classic Eighties album, with the song Papa Don't Preach. The song has been covered dozens of times since by a handful of prominent artists, but no one does it quite like Madonna!
The next decade saw her release a further four albums, all reaching the Top 10 in charts across the entire world, and all great fun to listen to once more in this fabulous collection.
Then she returned in the new millennium with the outstanding Music, her eighth studio album. The title-track on this record is one of my favourite songs of all time, and Madonna really showed off her amazing diversity with this CD. Along with the lead single, Music, the two songs Madonna co-wrote with the brilliant William Orbit - Runaway Lover and Amazing - are absolutely essential listening, with wonderful keyboards coming from Orbit beneath Madonna's ever-impressive vocals.
Music was then followed by the great American Life, including the great single Hollywood, and then Confessions on a Dance Floor, which brings us to the final album in the collection: Hard Candy.
Madonna's eleventh studio album was released back in 2008, and went straight to Number 1 (like so many of her records) in more than three dozen countries in the world. For the first time in her career, she had guest vocalists collaborating with her on her singles, releasing 4 Minutes (featuring Justin Timberlake and Timberland) as the lead single of the album. And it was a huge success! The trio work brilliantly together, and their musical chemistry comes across so well from the second the song starts, with Timbaland bringing the music in before Madonna and Timberlake take the verses opposite each other.
Like nobody else, Madonna knows what pop music is. Very, very few artists can claim to have a career as strong and long as hers, that has been so prominent and influential from the very start. She's an artist that has left her mark on the mainstream music industry more than anyone else still writing and recording music.
Not only has she kept up with the changing trends, she's kept ahead of them and worked hard to set the tone and raise the bar with every successive album. The Guinness World Records officially recognise her as the highest-selling female artist in the world - a claim literally only Madonna can make, and it is so easy to see and hear why she rose to such enormous fame as we retrace the first eleven albums of her career. I really hope that we'll have another eleven in the years to come!
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Gareth - 27/03/2012
The 5th March 2012 saw the release of Bruce Springsteen's 17th studio album and to be honest, even as a long time Springsteen fan, my expectations were reasonably low after the previous two albums.
Since the turn of the century and new millennium, in my opinion it's been a bit of a mixed bag for the Boss, a bit of a bumpy road if you will. 'The Rising' album released in 2002 focused heavily on America and the fall of the Twin Towers in New York City, I believe this to be one of Bruce Springsteen's best albums to date and reignited his career at that point. In 2005 Bruce released his third folk album named 'Devils & Dust', very stripped down but lyrically very strong and very evocative. In 2006 Springsteen released his first album of songs not written by himself in the form of 'We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions'. Seeger also did not write the songs but originally aimed to promoting the ethic of local and historical musical influences. This album was very different from anything previously done by Springsteen in the past but a great piece of work none the less, but unfortunately this is where we then hit rocky ground. The 2007 album 'Magic' and his first back with The E Street Band since 2002 'The Rising', in my opinion was a weaker and mainly due to the production sounded tiny. Then we hit the all-time low of 'Working on a Dream' or nightmare I prefer, released in 2009, Springsteen's vocals to me sounded flawed , and weak and the songs and lyrics sounded a little cheesy, this has to be the worse Springsteen album to the present day. Therefore this is why my expectations were low in the build-up to the new album 'Wrecking Ball'.
The title and the album art suggest a harder and grittier edge, a more stripped down sound was expected, and in places, yes this is what it is, but the album is very diverse containing element of folk and Irish folk melodies, retained from the Seeger Sessions and the introduction of samples, more modern sounding percussion instruments and even rapping on 'Rocky Ground' by Michelle Moore.
This album is also not an E Street Band album; it features Clarence Clemons on two tracks, the title track 'Wrecking Ball' and 'Land of Hope and Dreams', Steven Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, and Patti Scialfa on a few other tracks but by no means all. Other personnel include the introduction of Tom Morello on two tracks, Morello has played in bands such as Audioslave and Sound Garden.
This album is angry, passionate, patriotic and emotional, it's a real return to form and although sad to say I think these days Springsteen's more creative work comes when not working with The E Street Band.
If you're a fan of previous Springsteen works such as 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' you will like this album as its dark, dirty and real, however if you're a fan of albums such as 'Born in the USA', which other that the title track are more light hearted and commercial then maybe this is not the Springsteen for you.
The opening song and first single from the album 'We Take care of Our Own' has a very Springsteenesque riff running throughout the song and it's a patriotic number containing the lyrics "We take care of our own, wherever this flag's flown, we take care of our own". Throughout the album there are references to the bankers and the fat cats, such as in 'Easy Money', here Springsteen sings "when your whole world comes tumbling down and all them fat cats, they'll just think it's funny, I'm going on the town now, lookin' for easy money". The song 'Shackled and Drawn' is about the working man working hard for a living whilst still taking a shot at the bankers "gambling man rolls the dice, workingman pays the bill, it's still fat and easy up on bankers hill, up on bankers hill, the party's going strong, down here below we're shackled and drawn". The song contains many references of the working man "I always loved the feel of sweat on my shirt, stand back and let a man work, let a man work, is that so wrong" and "freedom son's a dirty shirt, the sun on my face and my shovel in the dirt, a shovel in the dirt keeps the Devil gone".
An early favourite from the album is 'Jack of All Trades', just a beautiful ballad mainly piano orientated with heart felt honest vocals. 'Death to My Home Town' is one of those songs that you just can't help but sing along. The song 'Wrecking Ball' was originally written in 2009 prior to The E Street Band performing the lasts concerts to be played at Meadowlands, home of the New York Giants, a song about memories, stories, youth and beauty, victories and glories and hopes and dreams as well as changing times and changing landscapes, bring on your wrecking ball!. 'Rocky Ground' is a beautiful song, which brings Springsteen's live preacher essence from the stage and commits it to record. Starts slowly with the refrain of "we've been travelling over rocky ground, rocky ground" sang by Michelle Moore, with Springsteen's opening lines of "rise up shepherd, rise up, your flock has roamed far from the hill", the "rap" by Michelle Moore also fits perfectly with the song, I know it sounds cringe worthy, rap in a Springsteen song but it works, it really works. Again another early favourite of mine is "Land of Hope and Dreams' I remember hearing this as long ago on a tour in 1999 when promoting the 'Tracks' compilation and thought, what a very touching song it was. However it has taken Bruce 13 years to record it and its just as amazing. Some of the most touching words Springsteen has written and coupled with the passing of lifelong friend Clarence Clemons (who plays saxophone on this track) this past year, makes the words to this song all the more potent, such as "you'll need a good companion now, for this part of the ride, leave behind your sorrows, let this day be the last, tomorrow there'll be sunshine and all this darkness past". I also love the final song "We Are Alive" about people shouting out from beyond their graves, who they are, and how they died and singing "we are alive" and "our spirits rise". In my opinion the weaker songs of this album are 'This Depression' and 'You've Got It'. The latter would seem more at home on Springsteen's 1987 album 'Tunnel of Love'.
I purchased the deluxe edition if this album which contains two additional tracks, 'Swallowed Up in the Belly of the Whale' and 'American Land'. Even as a long time Springsteen fan I would say neither of these songs really add anything to the album. In fact the former of these tracks, in my opinion is one of the poorer songs I have ever heard by Bruce Springsteen as it's a little boring, quiet and drawn out with very little content. 'American Land' is a lot better and sees Springsteen turn into the Pogues!
This is a must for Bruce Springsteen fans, a real return to form, his best work at least since 2002's 'The Rising'. If you're not a keen Springsteen fan but have dabbled with the idea of maybe purchasing some of his work, then this album wouldn't be a bad choice for you either. A strong Springsteen album of mainstream rock and roll but made all the more interesting with the new elements of rap, modern percussion and samples mixed with traditional folk melodies and instrumentation.
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Tobias Jacobson - 20/03/2012
Taking Back Sunday, the self-titled latest record from TBS, marks the band's third major-label release through Warner Bros., and importantly sees the reformation of their original line-up from their first CD, Tell All Your Friends, after so many years of band-member changes.
With this latest album, they prove that even after more than ten years of writing, recording, and performing music, they still have what it takes to tip them above and beyond their peers into mainstream success and critical acclaim, every bit deserving of their ascendance to a major label with 2006's Louder Now.
As they have increasingly become well-known for, the first track - El Paso - is an explosive entrance into the new record, kicking us off with a bang. Mark O'Connell's iconic stadium-filling drums are the very first thing we hear, before Eddie Reyes and John Nolan's guitars come boasting and screeching into the foray, followed quickly by Adam Lazzara's octave-spanning vocals.
Lyrically, Adam's words are more powerful than ever before, and interestingly religion plays a more substantial role than it has in previous years. A kind of existential crisis is evident even from a brief glance at some of the titles - Faith (When I Let You Down), Sad Savior, Who Are You Anyway? It is his renditions of these crises in his words that have such a strong impact on us as listeners, and we empathise with the pain that he is working through as he sings.
My personal favourite tracks on the record come from those songs which feature both Adam and John's vocals prominently, climaxing in the middle of the record with This Is All Now. Just like El Paso, the song opens with Mark's drums, but here there are infinitely more contained and constrained, building up an incredible tension that is instantly released in the chorus. We hear John's voice soar above Adam's, as they demand to be told the whole truth, self-assertive and more confident than we've ever heard them before.
Adam and John's vocals bounce off each other, complementing each other perfectly, and we feel the strength they so clearly give each other in their performances. The two grew up together through their teenage years, and after years spent apart, it is very much apparent that this latest record has been an important one for them - musically, lyrically, personally - coming together once more.
This entire record is a career-defining one for the band, and bringing the original line-up together for the first time in so long is clearly something that has had a significant impact on the tone of the music. Throughout its eleven tracks, we feel as though everything we have heard from them in recent years between their first and this latest album has been suddenly and instantly transformed into something even better, even stronger. The progression is apparent from the moment we press play, something I find increasingly difficult to say with many bands these days.
The two singers are fearless in their exploration of higher melodies and harmonies, pushing their voices to the limit - and it is this sense of 'pushing things to limit' that comes across in every part of every song from start to dramatic finish here. They find new rhythms in the guitars to lay over the drums; new surges in the bass beneath; new themes previously unconsidered in the lyrics.
We feel as if they knew this was an important record for them, and can hear throughout that they have poured everything they have into this music, and then given it even more. This is one of the reasons why I simply love Taking Back Sunday, both the band and this record. They force the best performances from themselves, because they know their fans expect nothing less than brilliance - and they fulfil our expectations in every way, shape, and form.
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Josh Stephenson - 20/03/2012
Robert Pollard is so prolific I don't think it would be unfair to assume that no one in the whole world owns his entire discography. Christ, it was hard enough keeping up with the constant stream of Guided By Voices LP's, never mind his solo stuff. Yet, that's irrelevant because everyone knows that the only Pollard records you really need are with the 'classic' line-up of Guided By Voices. Yes, you know the ones 'Bee Thousand', 'Alien Lines', 'Under The Bushes, Under The Stars', and 'Propeller' if you really want to get Lo-Fi. Those classic records that would jump from track to track, idea to idea, minute to minute, they were exciting, memorable, and most of all damn good rock albums. Since that line-up retired there's been some minor successes along the way, but nothing to match up to those golden years. Thus, it was with great anticipation that I heard that the 'classic' line-up of Guided By Voices were reforming, and better yet recording new material. So how does 'Let's Go Eat The Factory' measure up to their past glories? Well one things for certain it's instantly recognisable as the 'classic' line-up, no other iteration of Guided By Voices could put this out, and more importantly there are some really good tracks on this album that match up to the best they've ever done.
Certain tracks like 'Laundry and Lasers' are instantly recognisable, a Lo-Fi recording style (all of the tracks on the album were recorded in member's basements), echoing guitar that blows up into this chugging riff, and Pollard's vocal raw and immediate, disappearing and reappearing into the mix at a moment's notice. Tracks like 'The Head' that has a great bass line, and this basic riff-y guitar that just when it starts to get going, abruptly ends. 'The Unsinkable Fats Domino' which is the lead single of the album, and you can see why it's a really catchy rock song with an inescapable hook. One of the highlights comes on the track 'Spiderfighter' with its psych-rock tendencies, Pollard's vocal struggling to be heard over the Lo-Fi mix, and guitars exchanging riffs. Until halfway through the track the tone shifts into this simple piano ballad, as a resigned Pollard softly sings 'And now is the time/I make up your mind'. It's a really good track that shows off the capability Guided By Voices have to mash-up various sounds at a moments notice.
Of course these Lo-Fi indie rockers are just half of what makes a great Guided By Voices album, you also need those obscure oddities that come out of nowhere and leave a massive impact on you. In 'Doughnut For A Snowman' you have one of those tracks, it may well be the sweetest song that Guided By Voices have ever recorded with its delicate strums of acoustic guitar, this really joyful flute, and strokes of violin combining beautifully with these nonsensical lyrics about a girl and her snowman. Whilst 'Doughnut For A Snowman' may be saccharine sweet, 'Hang Mr. Kite' is anything but. It's filled with these dark, ominous violins that fill every part of the song, as Pollard drolly sings about how after hanging Mr. Kite he'll be flying high in the sky. The final oddity comes in the track 'Old Bones', which combines these reverbed vocals and bagpipes that sound like a really screwed up version of 'Auld Lang Syne', but Pollard sings these wonderfully beautiful lyrics about an aging relationship 'We are old and grey/I hope to take your hand in mind/Oh, my heart is true/My love for you is real', it's a gorgeous song and shows the delicate side of Guided By Voices.
Unfortunately there are some particularly average tracks on this album that hold it back from being a true classic, but of course they're all so short that they aren't overtly detrimental to the album as a whole. 'My Europa' has this really weird distorted acoustic guitar that feels like an assault on my ears, whilst Pollard's vocal been so high-pitched is not helping the cause much either. 'How I Met Your Mother', Things That Never Need', and 'Either Nelson' are the definition of filler tracks solid, but instantly forgettable. Tracks like 'Go Rolling Home' and 'Room Taking Shape' are both perfectly solid acoustic numbers, but both come in at under a minute and so again feel severely under-developed. 'Imperial Racehorsing' is one of the most conflicting tracks on the album, starting off average and going through various tempo changes, before settling into this fantastic hooky chorus and finishing on this huge solo. It's a track I can't decide whether I love it or hate it.
This though is the true credence of a Guided By Voices album, any band that is willing to genre hop as much as they do are going to release an album that can feel disjointed and at times over-whelming. Yet, if you give it repeated listens all the tiny facets of each song start to reveal themselves to you, 'Chocolate Boy' sounds like a straightforward pop-rock song on first listen but with further listens the deranged lyrics and subtle strings in the background start to come further to the forefront, and it became one of my favourite songs on the album. 'We Won't Apologise For The Human Race' closes the album in style, clocking in at over four minutes long it's an epic by GBV standards, starting off with this really intense, driven sound with chugging guitars, pounding drums and sharp violins, it mutates into this really sweet chorus, with empowering lyrics and some great backing vocals before switching again into this psychedelic riff session to close the song.
Sure this album is patchy at times and could probably have done with knocking five or so minutes of the runtime, but you just don't get too many bands like Guided By Voices anymore. Bands that take a simple idea, play it out to its logical conclusion and then move onto the next one. For that reason alone 'Let's Go Eat The Factory' is a success and with a second album already announced for this year, the future looks bright for Guided By Voices fans.
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Conor Alexander - 04/03/2012
Up The Bracket is a superb album fuelled by the great energy of punk but backed up with an old english romanticism and a light pop sensibility.
The album relies on the fantastic double frontmen of Pete Doherty and Carl Barat
My key tracks are the fantastic "The Boy Looked At Johnny" with its sing-along dumbness, the explosive title track, the dirtily rough "Horror Show", the crooning "I Get Along" and the drunken sing-along "Boys In The Band", which expertly showcases Pete and Carl's playing off each other.
There is a real sense of brotherhood throughout the album aided by Pete and Carl's english-influenced lyrics and punk guitar-playing.
The album is, I believe, just as brilliant as the self-titled follow-up. 9.5/10
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Kevin R - 29/02/2012
New Jersey artist Sharon Van Etten's first album "Because I was in Love" was almost cliched singer-songwriter, all spare arrangements, acoustic guitar and songs of heartbreak. But what a voice: vulnerable and strong, small then soaring, it drew the listener in and made you want to hear more. With her follow up she's built on everything good about her debut and pushed herself to explore the more complex musical arrangements her classic songwriting deserves.
At only seven songs and barely 32 minutes this record at first seems more ep than epic. The writing is autobiographical and confessional with Van Etten exploring darkness, despair, weakness, anger and the small neglects and abuses of failing relationships. This is not a whiny record full of blame, it is clear-sighted to an extraordinary degree and the singer reserves some of the harshest words for herself. She sings with an intensity and emotional directness that recalls early Cat Power and while her voice has a beautiful soaring tone, she isn't afraid to dirty it up, slurring and stretching her phrasing. Melody is highlighted and Van Etten surrounds herself with the raw harmonies of several female voices from the Brooklyn scene, Meg Baird, Cat Martino and Jessica Larrabee (She Keeps Bees). Musically there is enough variation in style and sound to keep things interesting - the driving, electric, rhythm of "Peace Sign", the pedal-steel wash of countryish "Save Yourself" - but for many it wil be the two slower, moodier songs where Van Etten is accompanied by little more than a harmonium that will stand out from the first listen. Of these it is final track "Love More" which is the album's highpoint. A song that has already been covered by Bon Iver and The National, it begins with the startling lines "Tied to my bed, I was younger then, I had nothing to spend but time on you, it made me love, it made me love, it made me love more." It is sung with an intimacy and rawness that is emotionally draining to listen to and indeed the whole record has an intensity that is only partly relieved by the clever idea of leaving in some of the recording studio banter as when Van Etten says after finishing a song that she knows she made a fluff but can't remember where.
This album is beautifully sung and a strong collection of songs that builds to one final, emotional epic. The sound of a young artist finding her voice.
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Gareth - 25/02/2012
If you're a fan of Oasis then you will be a fan of Noel Gallagher and his first solo outing 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds', as the principal songwriter in oasis for most of their existence, most songs sound like softer or mellower Oasis tracks, mainly the ones that Noel Gallagher sang for obvious reasons.
There are some really strong tracks and some weaker ones, a mixed bag really. As a long time oasis/Noel Gallagher fan I expected to like every track, however on first listen I didn't particularly like the album it has to be said as I thought it offered nothing new, which is doesn't, but more than this, the album as a whole seemed over produced or ironed out if you will. It all seamed to smooth, no cracks in the vocal, no squeal, distortion or buzz of guitars, nothing that appeared to stand out, every part of the character had seemed to have been edited out of the album.
Yet less than two months later I am a fan of the album. Track one 'Everybody's on the run' has a good, long building intro and a good chorus "Hang in there love, you gotta hold on". The first release from the album 'The Death of You and Me' probably selected due to its obvious connotations relating to the relationship between Liam and Noel, although the lyrical content bares no relevance to what you thought it was actually about. This tune appears to resemble a previous Oasis song called 'Importance of Being idle'. The biggest change comes in the form of the song 'AKA.What A Life' which is again, a reasonably straight forward track but seems to incorporate a dance beat element which lifts the track up and sets it apart. The stand out tracks for me are 'If I Had a Gun, with the beautiful line "Hope I didn't speak to soon, my eyes have always followed you around the room", 'AKA what a life' and 'Broken Arrow'. The weakest song for me comes in the way of the final track 'Stop the Clocks', which just doesn't really get going at all. This is an enjoyable album to listen to but if you're not paying attention and listening to actually listen then this record can have a tendency to just wash over you and be over before it's even begun. A good Solid first album from Noel Gallagher, but I'm sure he could produce much better. With speculation of his second album to be released in late 2012, collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous on an 18 track more "psychedelic" sounding album, maybe this could be the shake-up Noel Gallagher needs to become relevant again and stir new interest.
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Courtney - 10/02/2012
Paramore's Riot! has to be the best album I have ever brought so far as each track is different from each other. I have only got into Paramore recently and I have become a big fan already!I have must have listened to this album about twenty times in the past two weeks and hasn't got boring once! Hayley Williams has got such a different and distinctive voice that makes the band so great. The best songs have to be:
Crushcrushcrush
Misery Business
Born For This
Fences
This is a definite 5/5 and is a must buy for any pop/rock fan out there!
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Neville Mosey - 08/02/2012
It has to be the most comprehensive single collection of music by Richard Strauss ever released on disc. As such, it deserves a very warm welcome.
The 36 disc set gets off to a good start with Rudolf Kempe's versions of the best-known orchestral pieces, with a few rarities thrown in for good measure. These recordings, licensed from EMI, and taped during the 1970's, have achieved classic status, a rightly so. Kempe was an outstanding Straussian and his performances, with the fabulous Dresden Staatskapelle and eminent soloists including Paul Tortelier, have been regarded as benchmarks since their original release on LP. The sound, whilst not quite up to recent digital standards, is still truthful analogue and has a pleasing autumnal glow. No apologies need to be made on technical grounds. These recordings take up the first nine discs and cover all the tone poems, the two named symphonies, concertante works and miscellaneous orchestral items. You can buy these 9 discs seaparately.
Discs 10-18 cover the complete chamber works including music for piano. These are licensed from the Arts label and feature excellent artists including Erno Sebestyen and Wolfgang Sawallisch. They are mainly live recordings emanating from the Richard Strauss Institut and Bavarian Radio in Munich. The sound is pure digital from the 1990's. The audience is quiet throughout allowing the listener to concentrate on the music, much of it rarely performed. The chamber music and solo piano genres lie on the margins of Strauss' output and, therefore, are of most interest to the diehard completist and specialist collector. Strauss' true genius lay in his major orchestral works, opera and song. The works contained in this section of the box are well-performed and recorded. There are some wonderful pieces such as the Violin Sonata, a String Trio and a Piano Quartet - early works and not entirely representative of their composer's mature style. There are also some duds - transcriptions of orchestral works, fugues and marches. You will probably listen once to these and then let them gather dust. There are a couple of melodramas, spoken in German with no translations. These are quite heavy-going and of limited interest. There is a little Wedding Prelude for harmonium dating from 1924. This rare piece raises a smile with it's wheezing sonority. It is hardly a masterpiece, though. These 9 discs are available in a separate box.
Disc 19 is licensed from EMI and offers rare choral items with orchestra, conducted by Michel Plasson. Recorded in digital sound in 1997, this is unusual and worthwhile although the repertoire is outside mainstream Strauss, nevertheless well worth hearing. The ballade "Taillefer" is probably better-performed on an Arte Nova recording, but it's close. The soloists are starry, including Felicity Lott. The rarest item on the disc is a song cycle for male voice chorus and orchestra, "The Times of Day". Overall, the disc is a highly desirable inclusion in the set, definitely for Strauss connoisseurs.
Now we move on to the operas. The next three discs are devoted to Karajan's classic 1956 recording of Der Rosenkavalier, featuring Elisabeth Scwarzkopf and Christa Ludwig in the two starring roles with a wonderful supporting cast and the Philharmonia Orchestra in its prime. This is considered to be one of the great recordings of the 20th century and its virtues are well known. It is presented here in its 1987 EMI remastering. The sound is early stereo and is more than adequate. The performance is in a class of its own and is far finer than Karajan's later re-make.
Next up is Sinopoli's 1995 recording of Elektra, licensed from DG. It is a fine performance with Alessandra Marc in the title role. The remaining roles are cast from strength and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera Chorus are predictably fine. This has always been a recommendable version of the opera and makes a valuable addition to the collection.
We wind the clock back 25 years to 1970 for a crackling, live performance of Salome, from Hamburg and starring the distinguished British soprano, Gwyneth Jones in the title role. I am happy to report that she is vocally on fine form and ably supported by no less than Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in the role of Jochanaan (John the Baptist) who eventually loses his head for her! This is a very vivid live reading conducted by veteran Straussian, Karl Bohm. It has a tremendous sense of occasion, coming from the Hamburg State Opera. It was originally released on DG.
Discs 28-29 feature a terrific studio performance of Ariadne auf Naxos conducted again by Giuseppe Sinopoli. The title role is sung by American soprano, Deborah Voigt, who is superb, but the outstanding performance here is by Ben Heppner as Bacchus. In my view, his is the best modern assumption of the role. With Natalie Dessay and Ann-Sofie von Otter as Zerbinetta and the Composer respectively, it's a marvellous recording and further evidence of the high standards contained within the set.
The next three discs contain another masterpiece, the opera Die Frau ohne Schatten. taken from a live performance in Munich with a stellar cast conducted by Joseph Keilberth in 1963. It marked the re-opening of the opera house there after the war and sets down what was an historic occasion. Here is another recording emanating from DG. The performance is captured in fine sound and features a roll-call of eminent singers: Jess Thomas, Martha Modl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hans Hotter and Brigitte Fassbaender. It is self-recommending.
Now follows a rarity. An early opera, Friedenstag. Once again, Sinopoli is in charge of the proceedings,originally released on DG at roughly the same time as an EMI version conducted by Sawallisch, which was probably marginally finer. Nevertheless, Brilliant is to be congratulated on restoring this version to the catalogue. The leading roles are sung by Albert Dohmen and Deborah Voigt. A one-acter lasting 75 minutes, it is probably of most interest to specialist collectors and is the last of the operas included in the collection. What a shame that more mature works such as Daphne, Arabella and others could not be included, presumably because Brilliant does not have licensing rights to these. Some of the operas here are available separately.
Discs 33-35 are devoted to an important aspect of Strauss's output, namely song. Here again, you get the feeling that the items included are limited to what is available to Brilliant Classics under licensing agreements. First we have a single disc recital sung by Mitsuko Shirai accompanied by Hartmut Holl on piano. It is a 1994 digital production licensed from Capriccio, Germany. There are no reservations from the point of view of engineering, but Shirai's approach sometimes seems too boisterous and edgy for the songs presented here, which represent only a small portion of Strauss' output.
The next disc is interesting from an historical point of view as it features the composer himself accompanying a roster of distinguished singers. These recordings, made by Austrian Radio in 1942/3 come from late in his life. Nevertheless, he offers eloquent accompaniments to the famous singers in this 78 minute compilation. It is the only, understandably, mono recording in the entire set, emanating from an effective 1991 remastering by Preiser. A wonderful selection of 34 songs is magically performed by legendary singers including Anton Dermota, Maria Reining and Alfred Poell. Lesser contributions come from Hilde Konetzni and Lea Piltti.
The final disc of music comes from the soprano Charlotte Margiono recorded digitally in 1993 with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Edo de Waart. Her version of the Four Last Songs does not compete artistically with the likes of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf or Gundula Janowitz, but it is nevertheless, a perfectly acceptable performance. Additionally, she gives us 8 songs with orchestral accompaniment featuring several favourites found elsewhere in the set accompanied on piano. These three discs can easily be supplemented by other Strauss song recitals available elsewhere on CD.
The 36th disc is, in fact, a CD-ROM containing a lively essay on the life and works of Strauss by Stephen Jay-Taylor. You will also find synopses and commentaries on the operas. There are no libretti or song texts. This is rather a shame, but considering the price of the collection and the overall artistic excellence of the enterprise it would be churlish to complain.
So there you have it. A bumper bundle of Richard Strauss containing many superlative performances and no disappointments. Technical and performing standards are consistently high. Admittedly, compositional standards are more variable. Other than the fact that some important works are omitted, the whole collection is a remarkable bargain and is highly recommended. If you are interested, grab it before it disappears.
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Tom Smith - 07/02/2012
It often seems that those most trumpeted for success are least deserving of it; that hyperbole and blind reverance are simply a veil for a lack of substance. In the case of Lana Del Rey, it has become harder and harder to separate the myth from the reality, such is the density of the cloud cover surrounding her rise to fame and this, her debut major-label LP. This review will attempt to bring clarity to the situation.
It's undeniable that Del Rey (aka Lizzy Grant) has to some extent courted the frenzied media-circus trailing her short career, and, in marketing herself, has certainly exploited the sexually charged nature of her music and image. But these are part and parcel of the content on 'Born to Die'; every track aches with a doomed romantic, hand-on-the-thigh atmosphere. Take the title track - the lyrics talk of the trials of love and lust, the music a sweeping, dramatic panorama of strings and piano(a recurrent musical theme which dominates the album).
YouTube-swallowing lead single 'Video Games' also examines, in a very personal way, the travails of mismatched relationships. It evokes images of cult Americana - the aloof, detached James Dean-esque modern man, who loves the 'bad girls' as well as his video games; and the narrator, the suffering but endlessly romantic heroine in her man's 'favourite sun dress', serenading him and us about 'swinging with the old stars' - as if Sinatra might walk in there and then.
Frustrated, or possibly unrequited, love lyrics aside, the musical arrangements throughout are a curious mix between string-laden sentimentality and hip-hop/RnB influenced beats, with vocals veering between both styles. Artists such as Rihanna and Timbaland are brought to mind. As someone who has little interest in either of the above, this made 'Born to Die' challenging, in terms of whether the album 'did it' for me or not. Songs like 'Off to the Races' and 'National Anthem' are characterised by that RnB twang in Del Rey's vocal - jarring at first, but one begins to see the connection between this, the crunching but minimal beats and the swathes of honied strings. 'National Anthem' is particularly effective - the soaring chorus is catchy to a fault.
In a sense, this cross-over between the current mainstream and old-style, glamourous noir-pop is quite probably (coupled with those lips) the root of Del Rey's success. The melodies throughout - with some forgettable exceptions - are memorable and engaging, the mood dark, mysterious and inviting. Del Rey's voice must also be mentioned: it is powerful, rich and full of character. It is easily the outstanding instrument on the album.
But is it as good as the papers suggest? Well, there is clearly something in Del Rey's music - it is difficult to categorise and that is always a positive thing. But there is still a lingering superficiality to 'Born to Die'; for every incisive take on doomed romance, there is a shallow indulgence in the celebration of opulence and excess. Maybe it's meant to be tongue-in-cheek; often it simply comes across as churlish.
When she gets it right musically (Video Games, National Anthem, Carmen), Del Rey's music is brilliant and enveloping; when she doesn't, it is just forgettable. In conclusion, 'Born to Die' is not a fully-formed, modern classic, but it is very far from being the overblown, commercial tat one comes to expect from artists who are made into superstars before they have even uttered a note. It has mystique, depth and is quite unique - much like its maker. So, buy it, stick with it, and you will be rewarded; but do not expect a musical Second Coming. At least, not yet . . .
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Andrew Highton - 01/02/2012
Des Moines is the hometown of the 18 legged Iowan machine that is Slipknot. When they first hit the scene with an unorthodox group containing 9 members, it was surely never destined to make it. With their self-titled album becoming a great success indeed, it was quite clear they meant business as they took the "Nu-Metal" genre and injected it with smash-mouth offense and catapulted the genre to a whole new musical level. 2 years down the line and the world has stood still and taken notice of a controversial, mask-wearing, verbally profuse group of crazed men who know how to write music. This time they've thrust upon us their newest release simply titled, Iowa, a place they know oh so well and an album that is oh so brilliant.
Iowa (the album) offers 14 tracks and I would go as far as saying that they're all unique in their own way; more importantly a good way that you'd want to listen to over and over again.
The opening track (515), which is also the corresponding area code of the band's hometown, is quite a moody and surreal opening track and it certainly establishes the setting of and "out there" album with its howling screams and chugging background effect's to keep the suspense ticking over like a bomb waiting to go off at any second.
To snap you out of your perplexed trance, the bomb finally explodes as People= Sh*t immediately destroys you with an epic 30 second intro of crushing drumming from Joey Jordison, heavy riffs from Mick Thompson and Jim Root and raw growling from vocalist Corey Taylor; not forgetting the cool effects from Sid Wilson's turntables. At this point you know what you're in for the next 40 minutes or so.
Disasterpiece follows this with an instant earmarked classic on the album as it maintains an overall consistency of technically accurate instrument playing along with a true head banging section midway through the song.
My Plague is one of the more "mainstream" songs on the album used to lure more unsuspecting individuals to sample Slipknot, it was deemed quality enough to be featured on the Resident Evil soundtrack and it's a very catchy anthem. Corey Taylor's clean vocalised chorus is almost beautiful (the word pretty much being an oxymoron in conjunction with the album!) Yet despite its intended radio friendly appeal, it still maintains groovy bass playing from Paul Gray as well great dual guitar work.
If you wish to continue with this album then you'll love Everything Ends as it's profuse and utilises really deep guitar riffs with Corey Taylor's trademark growls interspersed between. Not a song you'd use to lullaby your kids to sleep with anyway.
8,7,6,6,6,5,4,3,2,1.....and cue the pulmonary embolism as your lungs will be gasping for air after another truly brutal fan favourite rocks your ears. I just can't put my finger on it but throughout the duration of this 4:14 song I still can't decipher the defining element that makes The Heretic Anthem so good and you know why? Because there isn't one and it would be a crime if there was only one. A memorable intro, a hardcore middle with more trademark can bashing from Clown with his trust baseball bat, heavy bass and a fitting outro to round off this window smashing tune.
It's taken till the 7th song but we finally have a restroom to stop off at to take a few minutes to cool down and recover. The song Gently is one of my unexpected favourites as you get sound effects from Craig's mixing board on a loop and notable percussion contributions from Chris Fehn and Shawn "Clown" Crahan. The sound is, for the majority, slower and sombre. It evolves into a more progressive song with increasing tempo and ferocity as all 9 members audibly uniting in the most experimental collaboration on the album.
Break time is over, put away the coffee flask as it's time to kick-start the album again with another radio-friendly track this time. Yet again though, like its fellow "mainstream" brother, Left Behind is a behemoth of a song and shouldn't be taken lightly. The opening riff is simply tantalising as it rips through the air with such force and power that the chord is instantly memorable. The theme isn't always clear when it comes to Slipknot, but when you find out that the theme revolves around the lead singer's period of homelessness it adds a greater emotional tie to it with the lyrics.
The fluctuating volume really does power The Shape. "Everything else is just DUST AND SOUND" as the song reaches this point you have a clear section to rinse and repeat because the combination of Jim/Mick's riff and the heavy percussion and drums is such a heavy and raw sound which is simply awesome.
I am Hated, in general, is quite similar sounding to The Shape with the exception being the heavier focus of Corey Taylor's rapping vocals; further establishing their status in the nu-metal genre.
The second weird and experimental song is Skin Ticket which is almost 7 minutes of sadistic vocals, a progressive tempo and is definitely percussion charged by Shawn and Chris.
DJ Sid Wilson helps introduce the New Abortion with some wobbling effects from his deck and the song as a whole is probably more of a filler; but still a good listen.
Metabolic also has that feeling of being a filler to stretch out the latter end of the album but I have a strong affiliation for this song. Whilst at times it sounds like a bit of a studio improve, it has notable bits. Such as the furious metal (as I like to call it) near the beginning of the song before it proceeds into a momentary head banging festival.
To cap off a very fine album we have the album's title song; Iowa. The 3rd atmospherically unsettling song on the album and at a lengthy 15 minutes it's here to chill out. From the haunting screams of a seemingly wasteland stricken Iowa loom to the endless percussion, you feel each of the 9 wants their input to be felt and they have emotion pouring out of them as they perform the song.
Iowa is very close to perfection as it achieves all the pre-set criteria of a solid metal album by having many memorable songs from Left Behind to My Plague to Everything Ends etc. It has weird and wonderfully experimental songs to fill the void of the "something different factor". Overall the album is a true gem and Slipknot are at their very best showing why the quite possibly are the best.
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Mark Walters - 29/01/2012
Released all those years ago back in 1988, I can remember vividly how well Fleetwood Mac's mind-blowing Greatest Hits album was received, and that reception hasn't faded whatsoever.
In my eyes, it's their definitive compilation album, with all of the classics on there, and in the decades since it was first released, it's gone on to sell more than a massive 22m. copies - very impressive, as I'm sure you'll agree.
Greatest Hits has all of the fan-favourites on there: Rhiannon, Tusk, Gypsy, Hold Me, and of course, the absolutely iconic Go Your Own Way.
Go Your Own Way may not have been an instant success when it was first released into the charts back in the late Seventies, but it has been absorbed into Pop. Culture in the years since then. And who could possibly blame you for loving it? I know I do!
The song's a classic. Buckingham at his absolute best. And it has a killer guitar solo that will rock your socks off no matter how many times you listen to it.
Fleetwood Mac mix rock and blues like no one before them and no one else since. And if you ever get a chance to see them live - there are rumours (forgive the pun!) of a tour coming this year - then you do whatever you have to to do it. You'll be in for a night you'll NEVER forget.
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Jim Broadbent - 28/01/2012
Soaring straight to Number One in both the UK and US Album Charts, Mylo Xyloto is a love-fuelled triumphant record that deserves the wonderful reception it has found since its release.
The first two singles from the concept album, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall and Paradise, have landed the band with three Grammy Award nominations at this year's awards, and here's to hoping that they will come away victors. Both songs are a remarkable achievement from a band who have been earning their rising fame every step of the way in recent years.
Mylo Xyloto opens with the beautiful instrumental eponymous song, Mylo Xyloto, which can only be fully appreciated whilst listening through headphones. The music slowly seeps into your soul; its sheer warmth will make your spine tingle.
The band then take us through Hurts Like Heaven, the second single Paradise, and the recently-release Charlie Brown, a magnificent three-song exposition following the title track with which we enter the record.
Hurts Like Heaven has a sense of desperation and energy that only Coldplay achieve as well as this, introducing us to the principal characters of the album's story, Mylo and Xyloto.
Paradise then shifts into a beautiful synth riff, before bringing in the strings above, and then a raw bass with a powerful drum beat beneath. Then everything strips away to leave just a reserved piano, the quiet drum beat, and Chris Martin's wonderful vocals flying above. Genuine inspiration. It is not in the slightest bit difficult to see why the song has been nominated for a Grammy Award at the ceremony next month.
As Paradise closes, in comes Charlie Brown, which was released as the album's third single on 23rd January. The song is quite simply a work of genius, and has been noted by many magazine and newspaper reviews as being one of the best works Coldplay have ever written. They're not wrong. It is a song to raise the sky, to lift your spirits, to make you feel something deep down in your heart. Sentimental though it may sound, it is a description worthy of such a powerful song.
Forthcoming single, Princess of China, will be released on Valentine's Day this year, and marks a lovely collaboration with another of this year's Grammy-nominated artists, Rihanna. Pairing Martin's vocals with Rihanna's on alternate verses, the song begs to be sung along to; it is a true crowd-pleaser.
Up In Flames takes us into a karaoke bar-setting, with drummer Will Champion's lone snare and bass drum set against the stripped-down piano and Chris Martin's vocals, telling us that Mylo and Xyloto's love has gone up in flames, quietly breaking your heart as you listen.
But all is not lost. As Up In Flames dies away, we enter A Hopeful Transmission, and as you can imagine from the title, we are granted so much hope as we head into the closing two tracks of the record. Don't Let It Break Your Heart, the penultimate track, is drenched with such beautiful harmonies set against the lead vocals, and it is filled with such energy in its entirety, before falling away mercifully into a love-letter of a final song, Up With The Birds.
Just as the album opens, and just as it has progressed through the previous thirteen tracks, Up With The Birds is the perfect conclusion to what has been a perfect album. In fourteen songs, Coldplay have done something few bands ever achieve, and it is not the first time that they have released such a magnificent work of art.
With every effort, they seem to keep improving on their last release, and that is a truly remarkable feat that very, very few artists can honestly claim. They emerge every few years with a brand new album that sounds so different to their last, yet retains the same magic that only Coldplay can bring to your ears. Mylo Xyloto marks an absolutely powerful, exceptional return from the band, and if you have not yet heard it, I thoroughly recommend that you seek it out immediately. It is their masterpiece.
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Oliver - 28/01/2012
This has got to be one of the best Iron Maiden Albums ever!
Is a must buy for anyone who loves rock or metal its simply amazing as it contains some of there most famous songs.
A MUST BUY!!!!!!!!!!