Archive for March, 2009|Monthly archive page
Static-X – Cult Of Static
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Haven’t heard these guys since the days of Machine. Well, it seems everything is in place, Wayne’s hair is still upwards, the sound crushing and soulfully soulless. Here’s to all the pain.
John Coltrane – Interstellar Space
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Heavy free jazz improv here. Coltrane and drummer Rashied Ali only, making enough noise for a dozen.
The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love
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My only fear before hearing this album for the first time was that perhaps The Decemberists‘ Colin Meloy has run out of good ideas, that the poetic moments such as those on Picaresque, which was my first encounter with the band, will begin to repeat in a parodic familiarity. None of this is fortunately the case, as The Hazards of Love sees them moving on and stretching in a brilliant… rock opera. Yes, and there’s nothing wrong with that, because it works. Totally recommended.
Dälek – Gutter Tactics
From the smokes of a fictional large scale urban protest rises this loud hip-hop album. The tone set with words at the intro, protesting against the wars USA has initiated in the recent history, is kept throughout, almost constantly backed by layers of machine noise. It’s as if somebody has blended hip-hop and the aggressive spirit of metal correctly for the first time.
Nine Inch Nails – Another Version of the Truth
Trent announced that 2009 will be the end for Nine Inch Nails. For a while at least. And by knowing when to withdraw, I think that he has proved to be a true artist and the man in black for more than a generation. His sounds have resonated in my head so many times. I take a deep breath.
This is an official release of two concerts from the previous tour, and in the true progressive spirit of all things NIN there’s an ongoing community effort of composing a DVD for it. Last one for the machine.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs return with an album which brings more subtle melodies, sometimes ethereal, sometimes being indie-dance, and almost no garage-like energy, although its title and song names such as Hysteric might suggest it. And for better I’d say, as the sound it both so familiar and distinctive – perhaps for the first time. I love how they and The Kills are shaping.
Vetiver – Tight Knit
Being in some fuss lately, I mostly spend time listening to old and familiar albums, however there has been something new that I found and keep returning to, and it’s this one from Vetiver, Tight Knit. They’re a folk/country-rock band, one dude named Andy Cabic writes all the songs, almost exclusively in a laid-back mid-tempo as if they were all created during some mythical slow summer afternoon. It goes from him being alone, occasionally touched by a distant slide guitar, to a full band dropping in for a short little celebration of simple life.
