Well, as the year winds down, no shows for the rest of the year, so time for a little fun on the blog. Next week, I'll be posting a Sand Dollar Rodeo year in review with all sorts of fun stuff. But, for now, thought I'd share a few reviews of albums I've been listening this past year. So, here's my top 10 from 2013...
1. Not In The Face! EP - Not In The Face
This is a new EP from a band out of Austin called... Not In The Face. They have restored my faith in the future of rock music. I don't buy a lot of rock anymore. Mainly because it's just plain boring. NITF are anything but boring. In fact, they are so not boring that I bought into their Kickstarter type fundraiser campaign (and I'm not fond of those). Key tracks from this little EP for me are Brass Tacks and Almost Tonight. All of the songs are great, but those two are extra good. In the past year, NITF have been pushing hard, emerging beyond Texas. I expect you'll be hearing a lot from them next year. They are officially my new favorite band. If they don't find you, go find them. You won't regret it! You can view the Brass Tacks video here - http://youtu.be/rK9Ebx5zgUY .
Mood: Daytime fun stuff.
2. Echogenetic - Front Line Assembly
This has probably been my favorite album of the year. It gets the most repeats while in the deck. I have always been a fan of FLA and was really looking forward to this release. It delivered exactly what I wanted. It's not often you finish an album feeling completely satisfied. It's funny, critics have called this FLA's attempt at dub step. Well, maybe, if you've never heard them before. They were doing dub step style edits back in the late 80's. I remember when my old band was opening for them in the early 90's, talking with them about how they do what they do. No rules. Nothing new there. Still no rules. But, it's got a bright and shiny mastering job that just makes it sound brilliant. If you like industrial / electronic stuff, and haven't heard this yet, go get it now. If you've never explored this type of stuff, think Pink Floyd meets technology. Best listened to in full, in headphones. Favorite tracks are Blood and Ghosts. If I had to choose a favorite of 2013, this is the one.
Mood: Late night, driving alone music.
3. Splinter - Gary Numan
Another really satisfying album. I saw Gary in Boston a year or two ago in a tiny club (Paradise Rock Club) while he was demo-ing these songs. He was trying to balance his new sound with Pleasure Principle era. The transition was a little rough then. He has finally found a nice mesh between the old and new. At moments, it feels very Telekon (another of my favorite albums of all time). The production on this one is really nice, as well. Much better than his last couple of releases. If I have any critique, it would be that he needs to back off from the NIN keyboard lines. They're not needed and make it feel a bit hokey. He was a big influence on Trent, no need to feed off that more than you have to. Regardless, a really good album that I'm glad to own. Mood: More late night, driving alone music.
4. Hesitation Marks - Nine Inch Nails
While we're mentioning Trent, might as well knock this one out... Hmm... hard to say. I find it an enjoyable album. I'm ok fine with it not being "angry." But, there's nothing groundbreaking going on. No songs that really knock your socks off. If anything, it sounds a little lazy to me. But, it does have its moments. I can say that I have played it more than once or twice and, as usual, it will probably grow on me over time. I guess my biggest issue with it is the sounds he's using. In recent years he's really got into that modular smooth sound. I prefer a more harsh synth sound (thank you, Front Line Assembly). Despite that, a good addition to the record collection.
Mood: Even more late night, driving alone music. Can you tell I drive alone late at night a lot?
5. Delta Machine - Depeche Mode
What can I say? DM do what they do and they do it well. While they're still hanging onto some signature sounds that, at times, seem a little forced, it's a great album, some cool sounds here and there and David Gahan's voice is still in good shape... although, does anyone else think Martin Gore is starting to sound like an old woman? Just me? Ok, I'll move on... jokes aside, I've played this one often.
Mood: Night time.
6. Bored With Prozac and the Internet - TV Mania
This was a long awaited jewel for me. The project was originally put together in the late 90's by Nick Rhodes & Warren Cuccurullo from Duran Duran. They made a buzz about it, had some label issues, then the masters were "misplaced." As a result, the album was shelved. Last year, they found the tapes and in 2013 we finally got to hear it! It's funny how fresh it still sounds - it's still relevent in today's electronic music scene. This is one you don't want to buy if you're looking for Rio outtakes. It's very abstract, more of a soundscape. But, there's some real beauty to be found in it. As TV Mania, they also wrote for Blondie. One of the songs Blondie recorded was called Pop Trash Movie. Blondie's label 86'd it and it was later released as a Duran song on the Pop Trash album. This album has many moments with that Pop Trash vibe. You'll feel it more than you hear it. It's not for everyone, more for those into listening to things outside of the genre box. But, I adore it.
Mood: Really late night driving, alone, of course.
7. What The... - Black Flag
After 20 or so years, bam, a new Black Flag album? Yeah, there's a lot of back story on the why. But, I'm not going to get into the politics. The reviews of this album have been horrible. I understand why. This is possibly the worst mix I've heard since I went into the studio on my own the first time. The problem is the guitar overdubs. Mind you, Greg Ginn is my favorite guitarist in the world (aside from Heath Frazier, of course). I love where he goes musically. He thinks, musically, in a way that others simply don't. That being said, listen to it. Listen to it in headphones and listen closely. When the overdubbed guitars drop out, you can still hear Black Flag in there. Real Black Flag. And, it's great! It's like he recorded the band, then added his overdubs way too loud. Actually, that's got to be what he did. The songs, to me, are the next logical step, musically, where Black Flag left off. Unfortunately, most can't make it through the bad mix. It's hard to hear the vocals and hard to hear the drums. Just as you get that warm familiar SST vibe, the overdubs come in and kill it. I seriously hope they re-mix and re-release. At its core, it really is a good album and I hate to see a bad mix ruin it for them. Fingers crossed for a redo in 2014.
Mood: Party time.
8. Fuse - Keith Urban
Now for a change of gears... this is just a fun album. Country, pop, whatever you want to call it, it's good stuff. I really like how he's brought the synths more forward in the mix. Nothing groundbreaking, Brad Paisley's been playing with synths for years. But, the balance is really nice on this album. My favorite track is "Even The Stars Fall 4 U." Pop it in for just some light fun. My bet is Keith duets with Kylie Minogue before too long.
Mood: Daytime, top off, driving - with friends!
9. Swings Both Ways - Robbie Williams
I really wish the US would discover Robbie Williams. He's huge in Europe, has been for years. He's one of the best entertainers out there right now. So, since you're probably not familiar with him, let me say this - Robbie has no format. No genre. He does what he wants. He's done standards, rap, disco, rock, country, etc. It works for him. This album is a nod back at the big band stuff with modern thrown into the mix. It's really hard to describe. But, if you've got a sense of humor and like genuinely fun, good stuff. Check this out. I mean, how many albums have a song called "No One Likes A Fat Pop Star?" Another standout track is his rendition of "Minnie the Moocher."
Mood: Cocktails and a Chaser or ten.
10. Trouble - Randy Rogers Band
So glad to see Randy getting some national attention with this album. He's been a Texas treasure for quite some time now. Listen to this album and you'll hear what Top 40 country is going to sound like when it gets over its current "pop" phase. Randy is an excellent songwriter with a unique voice. Another that's hard to explain - you just have to listen. The obvious favorite track for me is "Fuzzy."
Mood: Bar hoppin' and boot scootin'
So, those were pretty much the ones I played over and over this year. If you haven't heard some of them, be sure to check them out. Music, to me, is a constant journey. I'm always looking for something different, something good, and something both different and good is even better. Talk to you in a few days for the SDR year end run down!
Stay gold,
RH
No comments:
Post a Comment