Priming the Year End Pump

With the holidays approaching and 2009 lurking ominously around the corner, we are hitting every music nerd's favorite season - end of year lists! Mine won't be coming for a bit yet, but to get you in the spirit I thought I would toss out my list of best metal albums of year. Up first, is the list as it appeared in the issue of Metal Edge on newsstands now:

01. Meanderthal - Torche (Hydra Head)
02. Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 - Nachtmystium (Century Media)
03. Life... The Best Game in Town - Harvey Milk (Hydra Head)
04. The Way of All Flesh - Gojira (Prosthetic)
05. Watershed - Opeth (Roadrunner)
06. Krallice - Krallice (Profound Lore)
07. Buried Death - Coffins (Southern Lord)
08. Death Magnetic - Metallica (Warner Bros.)
09. In the Future - Black Mountain (Jagjaguwar)
10. Conqueror - The Gates of Slumber (Profound Lore)
11. Acid or Blood - Racebannon (Southern)
12. Occasion - The Goslings (Not Not Fun)
13. Nude with Boots - Melvins (Ipecac)
14. War Metal Battle Master - Lair of the Minotaur (Southern Lord)
15. Board Up the House - Genghis Tron (Relapse)
16. Into Abaddon - Saviours (Kemado)
17. The Formation of Damnation - Testament (Nuclear Blast)
18. Live the Storm - Disfear (Relapse)
19. Slania - Eluveitie (Nuclear Blast)
20. An Overdose of Death - Toxic Holocaust (Relapse)

But, those lists were due waaaaay back in October, and I've heard quite a few decent metal albums since then and I've revised my list. Here's what it looks like now:

01. Meanderthal - Torche
02. Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 - Nachtmystium
03. Life... The Best Game in Town - Harvey Milk
04. The Way of All Flesh - Gojira
05. Watershed - Opeth
06. Krallice - Krallice
07. Buried Death - Coffins
08. Death Magnetic - Metallica
09. In the Future - Black Mountain
10. Conqueror - The Gates of Slumber
11. Always A Six, Never A Nine - Black Elk (Crucial Blast)
12. Occasion - The Goslings
13. Twilight of the Thunder God - Amon Amarth (Metal Blade)
14. Acid or Blood - Racebannon
15. Prehistoricisms - Intronaut (Century Media)
16. War Metal Battle Master - Lair of the Minotaur
17. Board Up the House - Genghis Tron
18. The Formation of Damnation - Testament
19. Fogcutter - Fiftywatthead (Signed By Force)
20. An Overdose of Death - Toxic Holocaust

Not a whole lot different, but I just couldn't let my list stand without those awesome Amon Amarth, Fiftywatthead, Intronaut and Black Elk albums. To wrap up my year in metal, an alphabetical list of runners-up that I also really liked (those that didn't appear on either list):

Akimbo - Jersey Shores (Neurot)
All That Remains - Overcome (Razor & Tie)
Architect - Ghost of the Salt Water Machines (Metal Blade)
Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God (Deathwish Inc.)
Boris - Smile (Southern Lord)
Clouds - We Are Above You (Hydra Head)
Death Angel - Killing Season (Nuclear Blast)
Deicide - Til Death Do Us Part (Earache)
Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull (Southern Lord)
Enslaved - Vertebrae (Nuclear Blast)
Gods and Queens - Gods and Queens (Robotic Empire)
Grand Magus - Iron Will (Candlelight)
Helms Alee - Night Terror (Hydra Head)
Hero Destroyed - Hero Destroyed (Relapse)
In Flames - A Sense of Purpose (Koch)
Medusa - En Raga SuL (Hawthorne Street)
Merciless Death - Realm of Terror (Heavy Artillery)
Meshuggah - obZen (Nuclear Blast)
Russian Circles - Station (Suicide Squeeze)
Saviours - Into Abaddon (Kemado)
Sothis - De Oppresso Liber (Candlelight)
Soulfly - Conquer (Roadrunner)
The Sword - Gods of the Earth (Kemado)
Unearth - The March (Metal Blade)
U.S. Christmas - Eat the Low Dogs (Neurot)
Witch - Paralyzed (Tee Pee)
Zozobra - Bird of Prey (Hydra Head)

And a special shout-out for completely not sucking as expected:

Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy (Geffen)

np: "Stereo" - Pavement

In celebration of Matador continuing the outstanding reissue program they've put together for one of the most essential band of the 1990s, Pavement. Today saw the release of the fourth deluxe version of a Pavement album, this time the Nicene Creedence Edition of 1997's unfairly hated on Brighten the Corners. Bouncing off the sprawling, glorious mess that was Wowee Zowee, a lot of fans seemed to dismiss this as being too lightweight and accessible. Foolishness. Nah, this is Pavement tightened into the wickedly joyful pop band that was always trapped inside. The hook-laden opening punch of "Stereo" and "Shady Lane / J vs S" were just foolin' anyway, the real beauty is found on tracks like the graceful "Type Slowly" and the gently disintegrating "Starlings of the Slipstream". Really though, there isn't a bad track on this one and need to be liberated from the unfair reputation its gotten by some die-hard Pavement fans as one of their weaker efforts.

Anyway, click below for a couple highlights including one of the fantastic album tracks mentioned above ("Starlings"), a fantastic version of the song that was originally going to open the disc ("And Then (The Hexx)"), and the band having some fun with Adult Swim ("Space Ghost Theme II").

But honestly? I cannot overstate how important it is for you to rush out and pick this package up for yourself. Matador has knocked the ball out of the park again.

Pavement - "Starlings of the Slipstream" (taken from Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Ed.)
Pavement - "And Then (The Hexx)" (taken from Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Ed.)
Pavement - "Space Ghost Theme II" (taken from Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Ed.)

np: "Det Tar Tid" - Dungen

I love it when a band that I think I have pegged tosses a curveball and spins their sound into something quite a bit different from what I expect, but not altogether removed from what I loved about them in the first place. Such is the case with the latest album from Swedish psych-folk-rockers Dungen. Well, I used the plural form loosely, as Dungen is 98% the work of one insanely talented man that goes by the name of Gustav Ejstes. I fell in love with Dungen's 2004 album (released here in 2005) Ta Det Lungt, which was a surprisingly fresh take on the oftentimes stale retro-psych sound. Besides the expected fuzzy guitar and cascading drumfills, Ejstes packed the album with tons of instruments and mind-beding detours. Last year's Tio Bitar brought forth more of the same, but the lengthier wanderings were tightened into surprisingly tuneful pop songs without sacrificing Dungen's signature sound. But this year's release, 4, tossed many of my expectations out the window. 4 is a much more subtle, jazzier affair full of brushed drums, gentle flute, and tons of piano. The guitar-drenched acid rock is toned back in favor of lounge suited acid jazz, but the album is all the more rewarding for it. Ejstes steps back significantly this time around, letting other musicians shine and shine they do - Johan Holmegard on the drums particularly. If you are looking for a great Sunday morning record with just the barest hint of psych-rock, you could do much worse.

(In all honesty though, I still love the guitar work of Dungen, showcased on this album by "Samtidigt 1", which sounds as if was yanked directly from some lost 1960s jam session tapes. Very nice.)

Dungen - "Det Tar Tid" (taken from 4)
Dungen - "Maleras Finest" (taken from 4)
Dungen - "Samtidigt 1" (taken from 4)

np : "Satellites" - Longwave

Poor, poor Longwave. One of those bands that I've always been impressed with, but have never really seemed to catch a break in the mainstream. They were one of the many bands scooped up by the major-labels in the wake of The Strokes, Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs heyday, and other heavily hyped exploding out of the New York scene. Their second album, and first major release, caught a decent buzz on its own merits, but they always seemed to be outshined by the other names in their scene. Despite the attention paid to the "big" single, "Wake Me When It's Over", these guys faded quickly into the background.

A third album, There's A Fire, was produced by legendary Brit-helsman John Leckie and again received some favorable reviews, but from a continuingly dwindling list of supporters. It wasn't quite as solid as The Strangest Things, but I found myself returning to it time and again. I was alwyas surprised to not see their name pop up more often, but kinda happy to have them all to myself.

Thankfully, the band is still very much a going concern (despite the constantly revolving line-up and a variety of setbacks) and November just saw the release of their most recent album, Secrets Are Sinister. And what an album it is, packed with fuzzy basslines, propulsive drumming, and a fair amount of shoegaze fuzz. It recalls the best moments of The Strangest Things, while pushing the band's sound in exciting new directions. Another fantastic release from a perenially overlooked band. Maybe this album can help turn the trend around.

Check out a few of my favorites from the new one:

Longwave - "Sirens in the Deep Sea" (taken from Secrets Are Sinister)
Longwave - "Satellites" (taken from Secrets Are Sinister)
Longwave - "No Direction" (taken from Secrets Are Sinister)

np: "Spaceboy" - Smashing Pumpkins

I've had this post in mind for several weeks now, but I've been a little hesitant to approach actually writing it down. Not because it's hugely controversial or mind-blowing or anything, but I... well, I guess I just wasn't ready to admit all this out loud yet. See, the thing is this. The Smashing Pumpkins have long been one of my favorite bands of all-time, since discovering them way back in about 1992-93 (just before Siamese Dream came out). I spent countless hours with Siamese and Mellon Collie spinning on my CD player in college, in fact the band got me through some relatively tough times. Sure, its cliche to look back now, but Billy Corgan's angst really resonated with me for a time. But there was always more to the band than unfettered rage and I willingly followed the band in new directions. Adore? I loved it. Still do, in fact. Machina? Took me some time, but I really grew to embrace that record as well. I loved a lot of things about the band and became a pretty hardcore fan, at least until the "break-up" in 2000 (but more on that in a minute). In fact, as my musical horizons expanded, the Pumpkins remained one of the few bands that I obsessively followed - collecting hours of bootleg concerts, tracking down compilation appearances, etc.

So why the hesitancy for this post?

Well, its become pretty clear over the past 18 months that this band is no longer for me. I gave the reunion a shot and there were some great tunes (few that made Zeitgeist, sadly) and decent shows. But really, this incarnation of the band has never really enthralled me in any way. I was okay with that though. I had my memories of the classic era and had all the discs and gigabytes worth of shows to relive them. My problem now is that Billy Corgan's recent treatment of fans and general shitty attitude is starting to sour me on the band completely. I'm finding it harder and harder to reach back for Gish or The Aeroplane Flies High without wincing, not because I've lost a taste for the music within, but because I can't help but picture the pale shadow of a band that exists today.

Way back in June of 2005, on the eve of the release of his first proper solo album The Future Embrace, Corgan took out full page ads in the Chicago area papers to announce that he was going to "renew and revive" the Pumpkins. And I'll admit it, I was thrilled for a hot minute. Zwan, his first post-Pumpkins project, had given me some great live shows but a lackluster album that left a lot to be desired. So the thought of my favorite band of all time back in the studio and on the stage? Awesome. But then the details slowly started to leak out. D'arcy wasn't going to be included. Fine, hardly surprising. No Melissa Auf Der Maur either. Okay, I liked her a lot - but I had to admit she really didn't bring a whole lot to the Pumpkins persona I loved. But the news that really gave me pause was that James Iha wasn't going to be a part of it. Wait... what? Despite what you think about the Pumpkins, it wasn't just Billy and Jimmy. A lot of those glorious little guitar fills that helped explode the songs into orbit? Yeah, those were James'. That was a big disappointment to me and the first sign that all wasn't quite right in Pumpkinland.

So we get Billy and Jimmy. Hmm, so how is this going to different from Zwan?

Fast forward to 2007 and the new album is imminent. "Tarantula", the lead single, hits radio and I'll admit to being pretty geeked when I hear it on Q101. Its no "Rocket" or "Zero", but I can feel it. And the first show since the break occurs in Paris. Within a couple days I've downloaded audio and video torrents of the show, just absorbing it all. All things considered, it was a decent show. They hit on a lot of the hits from the back catalog, including an extended jam on "Silverfuck" - always one of my live favorites. There's even this intriguing new jam called "Gossamer" that stretches on for twenty minutes. A couple of the new songs stuck with me, but I was mostly just happy to hear the old classics again. Maybe this reunion thing could be decent after all.

Then comes July 10, 2007 and the first in a disturbing series of ways Corgan craps on his fans (or allows his fans to be crapped on, depending on how you think it all went down). Zeitgeist is released to stores. But instead of being some sort of triumphant return, it all gets kinda confusing. Seems someone (Billy or the label, not sure who is ultimately to blame) decided that it would be a good idea to release four different versions of the album. There was the basic, 12-track, version that you could find at most stores. But, depending on where you bought it, you could be treated to a different bonus track. I believe Best Buy got one exclusive track, Target another, and iTunes yet another. Decent marketing, I suppose. But Pumpkin fans are nothing if not completist by nature. There were more tracks to hear? I gotta get 'em all! And Billy knows this. His interactions with the fan community, which has typically been very positive, acknowledged this - leaking demos, the whole Machina II thing, "accidentally" leaking the long lusted-after Mashed Potatoes rarities collection. So, in essence, he was forcing his loyal, die-hard fans to buy the same damn album three times to get all of it! Pretty shameful. Thankfully, I didn't fall for it. I picked up the regular version and *ahem* acquired the other tracks via the faithful internet. Take that, shady marketing! To add insult to injury, just four short months later the band released an "exclusive" version of the album with all the tracks included. Ridiculous.

Anyway, Zeitgeist. It was, and remains, a halfway decent album. If I'm feeling favorable. There are two great Pumpkins songs ("Tarantula" and "United States") and a couple that had potential, but disappointing production sinks them. Billy's vocals were mixed way too high and a lot of the guitars sounded muddy. Jimmy sounded the best of the bunch, but even his drums sounded a little muted to my ears. I figure it'll be an experience to see the band live, though. Surely a hometown show is in the works for the tour. But then they announce something kinda cool, extended residencies at two different clubs, one on each coast of the country. I didn't go, but I head positive things about the intimate nature of these shows and the decent new material coming out of them. I looked forward to finally catching them here in Chicago.

And... nothing. Rumors fly about a performance headlining Lollapalooza during the August festival season, but we get shot down in favor of a fest out in Baltimore. The band tours briefly in Europe and announces a two-month tour back in the States. Here we go! Hold up, still no Chicago show? Normal, Illinois gets a show - but the city that broke Billy gets no love? I was disappointed. Briefly considered driving down to Normal for the show, but I'd already grown bored with Zeitgeist and figured I'd wait for the inevitable local show. So I wait.

2008 comes in and the band releases a digital EP, American Gothic, that actually has me perked up and interested again. It's only four acoustic-based songs, but there's an inherent sweetness and a sense of melody that reminded me of some of the more intimate demos and early-era songs Billy wrote. I continue to look forward to seeing them live. They announce a Chicago area show, but it turns out to be a ridiculously priced concert at a casino in Hammond, Indiana. Still no live show for me. At this point, I've really gone beyond caring.

Then, this summer and early fall, the exciting rumors start to fly... a 20th anniversary tour! Multiple shows in each city, dedicating nights to certain albums and era. A Gish show! A Siamese Dream show! It was an exciting proposition. And they book three nights in Chicago, exciting. Then the rumors scale things back and its now merely a "celebration of 20 years of the Pumpkins" and the sole-album shows are postponed. I'm all set to finally see the Pumpkins for the first time in 9 years. Then I see the ticket prices. Couple that with the stalling economy and barrage of professional exams coming up for me, and I balked. Just couldn't justify the $90+ price.

Now that we're over a month into the tour, how do I feel about skipping out on the Chicago shows? I'm very, very grateful. This entire tour has turned into a shitstorm of embarrassment for the band and fans alike. Despite being billed as a "celebration of 20 years of the Pumpkins", fans are lucky to get much more than a handful of old tunes. Seems Billy'd rather play new stuff (fine), interminable 20-minute plus covers of "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" (these have, from the ones I've heard, been admittedly hit or miss), and sarcastic, audience-baiting covers of "Everything is Beautiful" (wtf?!?). Critics and fans are loudly voicing negative opinions of the shows, and who can blame them? Don't bill a tour as a celebration of the past if you aren't interested in playing the old songs, of course the older fans are going to expect "Mayonaise" and "Today" and a myriad of others! But, true to form, Billy isn't taking the criticism lightly and has taken to firing back at the fans from the stage. Ultimate class Billy, insult the fans that just coughed up 90 bucks to watch you play. Pretty disgusting, even without taking into consideration the time he yelled a homophobic slur to the fan he invited on stage to air his thoughts on a show.

Billy has been so disappointed by the negative reaction that he has vowed to never play another old Pumpkins song again after this tour is finished. And, oh yeah, the era-appropriate box sets he promised to clean out the archives? Those are scrapped, as well as the album tours to support them, because his fans just aren't being respectful enough. Maybe these are empty threats from a frustrated guy throwing a temper tantrum, but nonetheless its a pretty shitty approach to take with your most loyal fans. "You don't like my new stuff? Fine, I'm never going to play the ones you like!" Corgan's negative view towards his fans has grown to worrying extremes in the past few weeks, but the seeds were there back at the residencies last year - as can be seen in the recently released If All Goes Wrong DVD. The documentary is ostensibly about a band embarking on an experimental period in their history, but is really about Billy writing songs in his hotel room (mostly boring) and Billy whining about the fans not liking his new stuff (extremely boring). He comes across as quite a bitter, entitled asshole in many of the interviews. He goes as far as "punishing" one San Francisco crowd for being inattentive by playing a forty-five minute instrumental.

(I'm purposely trying to avoid the whole argument about what is reasonable for fans to expect from a band and how an artist can/is expected to evolve while still satisfying fans, because that could turn into another whole long, laborious post. But to set the record straight, I'm all for Billy writing new songs. I'd love for him to give me another classic album. I'm all for his experimentation, hell... I followed him into Zwan and the solo era. But don't resurrect the ghosts of the past by invoking a beloved name if you hate being shackled to that name's history. If he'd have toured under any other name, even his own, he wouldn't have encountered even a fraction of the negative reaction he's gotten. Advertising the tour as a celebration of the band's past was only adding fuel to the fire he himself lit. But, I digress.)

Adding up his questionable at best treatment of fans over the last year and a half, then combining it with a severe lack of engaging new tunes - it's clear that Billy Corgan's best days are behind him. If he can prove me wrong, well, bully for him. But as I've read the fan sites and taken in the show reviews, listened to Billy moan and complain, waited in vain for some new songs to really grab me... one thing has been made clear...

The band that calls themselves the Smashing Pumpkins right now, just isn't for me. And I'm fine with that. I just wish Billy would drop the name, move on, and quit souring the good memories I've had of him and his music. Will I buy the next album? Sure, I'll probably give it a shot. And yeah, if the reissue vaults ever get opened, I'll dive right in. But I'll never care for this band the way I once did.

np: "The Real Thing" - Faith No More

Just because.

Lazy post today since I'm but with 143 other things this week, but I was reminded of one of these and I thought I'd share my three favorite TV cameos from musicians.

Anthrax on Married With Children:



The Flaming Lips on Beverly Hills 90210:



Smashing Pumpkins on The Simpsons:

Okay, well, since Groening or FOX or someone is an asshat, I can't link to a clip of this one. You can, uh, read a transcript here I guess. It's a shame because it actually contains two of my favorite Homer quotes ever:

"Homer Simpson, smiling politely."

"You know, my kids think you're the greatest. And thanks to your gloomy music, they've finally stopped dreaming of a future I can't possibly provide."

np : "Farewell" - Jesu

Whew, what an absolutely exhausting week. Ultimately a very exciting week, but one that ran me through a multitude of emotions. In addition to the satisfying end to the 2008 Presidential campaign, I've been working my ass off and studying for the LEED AP exam. I'll spare you from the boring details, but for those of you not in the know - it has to do with sustainable design. Passing the test will be a big step for me, but it is looking like a very daunting task at this point.

Anyway, I somehow managed to avoid hearing the latest EP by Jesu, the most recent recording moniker for one Justin Broadrick (he formerly of Godflesh). Why Are We Not Perfect? is a gauzy affair, full of fuzzy guitar and woozy electronics, and right now it sounds like the perfect way to come down after such a full week. Might not be a bad starting point for those new to the Jesu catalog, accessible as it is. Check out a sample track below.

In writing news, I've got three new reviews in the latest issue of Metal Edge for albums that excited me each in their own way. The most thrilling of these was the latest from French progressive-metallers Gojira, you can read my absolutlely glowing review here. For my thoughts on the also enjoyable, but for far different reasons, Suicide Note and Racebannon releases - you'll have to do it old school and go buy the magazine.

With that I'm off to prepare for another sure to be grueling week, but I leave you with some positively blissed out music to end your Sunday night with...

Jesu - "Why Are We Not Perfect" (taken from Why Are We Not Perfect?)

America, thank you.

np: "Stars" - Hum

Yeah, Hum again. But only because I found it on the best thing MTV has done in... oh, a decade. At least. MTVmusic.com. Pretty cool. Though I do find it kinda funny that they had to throw in the "music" on the URL, because uh, kids these days wouldn't otherwise know what the 'M' used to stand for.

HUM |MTV Music

np: "I'd Like Your Hair Long" - Hum

Yeah, Hum. As in one of the best space rock bands to ever come out of Champaign-Urbana. A band that managed to ride the alt-rock zeitgeist to one-hit wonder status, followed that up with their best album yet... and sadly faded into relative obscurity. Those of you over the age of 25 might remember them for the minor MTV hit "Stars", while the younger of you would only know that song from the recent Cadillac commercial. Which is a huge shame, because they certainly deserve a much better legacy than a luxury car commercial.

Why do I bring this up? Because, after eight long years, the band has reformed again... for at least one show anyway. Not sure exactly what line-up will be taking part as of yet, but the band will be headlining a New Year's Eve show at the Double Door here in Chicago. (EDIT: And... yup, already sold out) This is good news for the hardcore fans (of which there are plenty!) and the younger kids who never got to witness one of their flat-out amazing live shows.

I can say this because I was fortunate enough to catch them live plenty of times back when they were regulars on the C-U scene just before (and slightly after) they blew up in the middle of the decade. I remember one show, in particular, at which Hum headlined a full day of local bands performing in a nearby park. Hum went on last, as full dark descended, and blew everyone away. Matt Talbott and Tim Lash sent their guitars soaring into the night sky while Bryan St. Pere kept everyone firmly attached to the ground with his monstrous drum sound. Hyperbole? Maybe, but this was one of those transcendent shows that came at exactly the right time for me. I was an undergrad at University of Illinois, getting into music in a big way and breaking out of the relatively shy and nerdy shell I wore for most of high school. Hum was the first band I "discovered" on my own and with them being local guys, I felt a really strong connection to them. So watching them put on a huge hometown show in front of a loyal crowd was really exciting for me. One of my favorite live memories.

Sadly their star (pardon the pun) burned brightly but died out slowly. A superb follow-up, Downward is Heavenward, to their breakthrough album came and went, but without an obvious single like "Stars", it never got the promotion it deserved. Not many seemed to hear and write/rave about it, but those who did thought it was a fantastic album. We all kinda figured people would come around. Unfortunately a string of bad fortune came their way (surprisingly thorough history on their wikipedia page), culminating in their break-up in late 2000.

Later projects came and went - National Skyline, Centaur, Glifted - and while some great music came out of them, none really resonated as strongly with me as Hum did. We've all had them and, for a long time, Hum was one of "my" bands. I wore their green/white star logo t-shirt all over campus. I put "Stars", "Iron Clad Lou" and "The Pod" on countless mixtapes. I cheered the first time I saw the video on MTV. And, despite swearing I'd never get all that bent out of shape about a band licensing a song for a commercial to get some well-deserved dough, I died a little inside when I saw that Cadillac commercial.

So, in honor of the reunion show (which it looks like I won't be seeing, damn small capacity Double Door) and a fantastic band - here's a couple tunes you need to hear. Be aware that some of these are probably a little quieter than most of the other songs on your iPod, mainly because I'm pulling them from original discs back from when they were mastered a little more quietly.

Hum - "Stars" (taken from You'd Prefer An Astronaut)
Hum - "Afternoon with the Axolotls" (taken from Downward is Heavenward)
Hum - "Iron Clad Lou" (taken from Electra 2000)
Hum - "I'd Like Your Hair Long" (taken from You'd Prefer An Astronaut)
Hum - "Dreamboat" (taken from Downward is Heavenward)

np: "Shimmer" - The Jesus & Mary Chain

I've been going through a major, major JAMC kick that started this weekend - as just about everyone should do now and then. The brothers Reid were (and hopefully will be again) outstanding songwriters, a duo that just doesn't seem to get the love and respect they deserve. Sure, they had a fairly successful return at Coachella 2007 (awkward Scarlett Johansson appearance and all) and "Just Like Honey" was used to tremendous effect in Lost in Translation, but this pair deserves to be on the level of recognition of your Depeche Modes and your New Orders. They are, to some people, but I'd be surprised if your average musically aware person under the age of 25 could name more than a couple of their songs. Someone should show them where blog-approved bands like the Raveonettes and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club got their schtick.

Anyway, the impetus for my headfirst dive back into their catalog was prompted by their fantastic new B-sides and rarities collection, The Power of Negative Thinking. In addition to being housed in one of the most lavish packages I've seen in quite some time, this set contains 82 tracks worth of prime JAMC - demos, B-sides, non-album singles, soundtrack contributions - all the detritus a hardcore fan could ever want. This probably won't be the best entry point for complete newbies (some of the early demos can be pretty raw for those yet to be babtized in the near-holy Psychocandy) but there are gems from every era of the band's history, noise pop to rural soul.

To help spread the gospel according to Bill and Jim, I'm sharing a couple of my favorite singles and appropriate B-sides in honor of Negative Thinking. Enjoy.

The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Some Candy Talking"
The Jesus & Mary Chain - "You Trip Me Up (Acoustic)"

The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Blues From A Gun"
The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Shimmer"

The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Reverence"
The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Heat"

(notice how I didn't mention the Cubs? they're dead to me... at least until April)

np: "Golden Age" - TV on the Radio

More on this at some point in the near future, but this album is a lock for one of the Top 5 albums of the year. Maybe even album of the year. These guys are brilliant and have again knocked it out of the park.

You know who isn't knocking it out of the park? The Cubs. Wow. They are looking absolutely pathetic against the Dodgers so far and I can't believe I have to watch them fall apart in the playoffs again.

Building off of yesterday's post on Kings of Leon, looks like the bands fortunes are changing on this side of the Atlantic. Only By The Night is currently the number five album in America, pretty impressive. I'm not sure if it was their decent SNL performance a couple weeks or what, but something has pushed them near the top of the charts and I'm happy to see them up there.

np: "Revelry" - Kings of Leon

If my ill-timed* post on Black Stone Cherry served as any indication, you'll know that I'll indulge in some southern-friend rock and roll from time to time. There's just something about Southern boys, their guitars, and their swampy stomp that pushes the right musical buttons. Oftentimes it is very, very bad - but when a band fires on all cylinders it can be downright great rock and roll. This approach is what first brought Kings of Leon to my attention way back in 2003 with their debut EP, Holy Roller Novocaine. Their blustery, whiskey-soaked and organ-drenched version of old-fashioned rock and roll sounded great to my ears, most notably on "Molly's Chambers" and "California Waiting". So I was pleased when their follow-up, Youth and Young Manhood, mostly lived up to the promise of that first EP. Most of the band's press buzz seemed to center around their family ties and unusual upbringing, but I could give a shit about that - they brought the songs.

The sophmore set, Aha Shake Heartbreak, brought a few new twists in the bands sound and managed to ensure their position as mega-stars over in the UK (something I still don't quite understand, but I'm truly happy for them - I wish they'd find similar success over here). My favorite track on that album was the ferocious "Four Kicks", one of the most blistering cocksure rawk swaggers I've ever heard. Those 2 minutes and 9 seconds still get me fired up. Third album Because of the Times became their first UK number one, increasingly their overseas profile while garnering subdued approval over here. This was when the guys started stretching their legs out a bit and hinted at some new horizons. I continued to be impressed with the significant growth these guys were showing from album to album.

So I was eagerly awaiting the band's fourth full-length, Only By The Night. And, much like the two before it, the band is again displaying a serious leap in songwriting abilities. The southern aspects of their particular strain of rock have almost been completely removed, turning towards a colder, more urban sound that suits them surprisingly well. After the first listen, I was thinking this sounds like Kings of Leon ditching the farm for the big city lights and learning that they aren't quite as bright as they might have seemed from the distance. While they are still peppering their tunes with liberal references to sex, drugs and the rock and roll lifestyle; everything seems much more muted than usual and wrapped in the gauze of detached observance rather than true decadence. The whole mood falls somewhere between Interpol and The Walkmen, which isn't the bad thing you might think. But what works most for me, and comes as the biggest surprise, is that lead singer Caleb Followill is no longer mumbling his lyrics under layers of fuzz and distortion. His resigned crooning takes front and center stage, propped up by the minimal instrumentation rather than buried by it. And he sounds absolutely fantastic. I've always loved his voice, but he is absolutely stunning on this one. The melodies are familiar and inviting, making up for the lack of fiery guitar showmanship. These lines are subtle and charming, rather than reckless and carefree. Kings of Leon are, dare I pull out that time-tested cliche, maturing. It's a great album and an impressive turn for the band. Check 'em out:

Kings of Leon - "Use Somebody" (taken from Only By The Night)
Kings of Leon - "Revelry" (taken from Only By The Night)

(* - I say "ill-timed" because, upon a couple further spins, that album wasn't even as good as I originally thought. The lyrics are really, really hard for me to get past and the arrangements aren't nearly as inventive as I'd like them to be. There are still a few tunes worth a spin or two and splashes of potential, but the disc isn't worth going out of your way to hear.)

np: "Scotland's Shame" - Mogwai

I was really kind of surprised by the relatively lukewarm reviews the latest from these Scottish post-rock stalwarts was getting, but thankfully others are starting to recognize how good this thing. I'm not going to say anything crazy like that this is a better album than Young Team or Come On Die Young, but for my money - this is easily their strongest release since 2001's Rock Action. The two previous full lengths, 2003's Happy Songs for Happy People and 2006's Mr. Beast, always struck me as a little too spotty to leave a favorable impression (despite some strong individual moments on each - "Ratts of the Capital" and "Glasgow Mega-Snake" to name a pair). The Hawk is Howling, however, fires on all cylinders right from the get-go and I'm finding myself anxious to return to it already.

The opening pairing of "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead" and "Batcat" works really well, with the former building up to the noisy full-bore crescendo of the latter - a strong opening statement. But my favorite run would have to be the final four tracks of the disc, "I Love You, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School" through the stunning closer "The Precipice". Totalling nearly 30 minutes by themselves, these flow together really well and form a pretty damn good soundtrack to the confused, teetering on the brink state of the economy we've been dealing with lately. I was reading a story on today's horrific 777 point drop and "Scotland's Shame" seemed to just fit. It was kind of spooky. Longtime fans may complain that this isn't anything Mogwai hasn't done before and I can ultimately see that point, but I think this is such a successful album because it feels so familiar yet packs a much harder punch than the band has for some time now. I was also struck by the brief, subtle forays into psychedelica with the organs and softly cooing guitar drone throughout "The Sun Smells Too Loud". All in all, this is a pretty solid release for a band that hadn't done a whole lot for me in the recent past.

Mogwai - "The Sun Smells Too Loud" (taken from The Hawk is Howling)
Mogwai - "Scotland's Shame" (taken from The Hawk is Howling)

np: "The Bitter End" - Black Stone Cherry

Every now and then I give in to the populist urge and check out a band I've never heard solely because they seem to be extremely popular with a certain subset of people or another. Such is the case with the latest album from this Kentucky foursome signed to Roadrunner. I kept running across their self-titled debut from 2006, but always dismissed them as being a slightly more "Southern" version of those paint-by-numbers post-grunge bands that litter rock radio stations these days - Seether, Hinder, Three Days Grace, whatever. Turns out my assumptions weren't far from wrong, but I think they're a slightly better band than I was willing to give them credit for being. Don't get me wrong, there are enough problems with this disc to keep it far, far from my end of year lists (overly preachy lyrics and over-dependence on classic rock themes being two of the largest) but there is some talent present. Lead singer Chris Robertson has the perfect voice for this sort of whiskey-soaked rock and some of the riffs are pretty damn catchy, so this is a not completely terrible southern rock album. Then again, I'll also admit to liking Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Black Crowes - so take this as you will. The ballads are mostly forgettable, but the harder rocking tracks might float your boat if you dig the southern vibe.

Black Stone Cherry - "Devil's Queen" (taken from Folklore and Superstition)

np: "Maggot Brain" - Funkadelic

It has recently been brought to my attention that there are still people on this earth that consider themselves music fans but have never heard the song "Maggot Brain" by Funkadelic. And really, that's a crime on par with being a sci-fi fan and never seeing Blade Runner or being a Cubs fan and having never been to Wrigley Field. In an effort to help rid the earth of such people, I'm uploading the song to share with you right now. Because, really, you need to hear it. Why? Because it contains the best guitar solo. EVER. No, it does. You can try to name all the greatest guitar solos you can come up with - "Stairway", "Freebird", "One", "Crazy Train", "Eruption", "Comfortably Numb", "Highway Star", "Pride and Joy" - but none of them even come close to touching the sublime soulfulness that is Eddie Hazel's guitar playing on this ten minute track. Download. Listen. Repeat.

Funkadelic - "Maggot Brain" (taken from Maggot Brain)

np: "Skull Lender" - Past Lives

See what happens when I go and gush all over my beloved Cubs? They blow it. And what happens when I post a picture of Zambrano? The Cards light him up for 8 runs in two innings. Gah.

Anyway, Past Lives. A few weeks ago I was talking about the band Jaguar Love and their new full-length that I couldn't get enough. Well, funnily enough I got a new promo package from Suicide Squeeze in the mail yesterday and it contained the debut EP by yet another band risen from the ashes of The Blood Brothers. They are called Past Lives and are basically everyone else from The Blood Brothers not named Johnny Whitney or Cody Votolato. And the verdict is, after one listen, pretty positive. They aren't striving for the same sort of pop overload as Jaguar Love, nor do they reach for the spazz-core heights of The Blood Brothers, but they do a nice job of falling somewhere in the middle. I'll definitely be looking out for their debut full-length when it hits the streets. In the meantime, you can sample all five tracks from the EP on their MySpace page.

np: "Lookaway" - Sepultura

Not for nothing, just the song that happens to be playing right now. The bigger thing on my mind right now is the number 2. As in, two more games until the Chicago Cubs clinch their division and secure a spot in the MLB playoffs. And as a Cubs fan I am the eternal optimist (at least when it comes to baseball), but I really think this could be a great year for them. Hell, it already has been a great year. They've already put together 92 wins without depending on any single player, just great everyday performances from a whole bunch of guys. It certainly helps that the pitching staff is finally coming together nicely. I was at Wrigley for Tuesday night's win over the Brewers and I thought that was an exciting game, but it had nothing on today's dramatic 12 inning comeback. Anyway. I'm excited and here's hoping the best for my Cubbies.

Music-wise? Not a whole lot new to report, I'm still spending a lot of time going through this year's metal releases to finalize my list. And, of course, things got a little more difficult when I heard another strong contender for my list today in the latest from All That Remains. I've avoided these guys, like I have most metalcore bands, because I've typically not taken a lot from that particular sub-genre. To be honest, all those bands mixing the earnest emoting with metal riffs all sort of sound alike to me. The only other metalcore band I've really gotten into was Avenged Sevenfold after their 2005 album City of Evil, but mainly because they seemed to break free of the typical metalcore sound and embrace a more classic approach to their metal (unfortunately they destroyed all their good work with that awful self-titled thing from last year, but I'm already way off topic). Anyway, All That Remains.

After reading plenty of positive thoughts from writers I really respect, I figured there must be something worth hearing and I gave their latest album, Overcome, a chance. I'm glad I did. Of all the metalcore bands out there, they really do a fantastic job of naturally melding the emotive clean vocals with the death metal growls. But what really clinched it for me is the fantastic guitar-work. I'll be damned if those aren't some of the crunchiest riffs and blistering solos I've heard this year. They may not be the most original of metal bands out there right now, far from it, but the undeniable fun of Overcome is difficult to ignore.

All That Remains - "Chiron" (taken from Overcome)

np: "All Nightmare Long" - Metallica

I've had this since last Friday, but due to a writing deadline this weekend I'm just finally getting around to listening to it. Initial thoughts? It's pretty frickin' great. Time will tell if this is really, truly great or if I'm just happy to have something so far away from the horrid St. Anger - but I'm really liking what I hear so far. Some of the lyrics are still pretty lol-worthy, but really - when has Metallica ever been about the lyrics? I'm just really happy to hear them doing thrash again, as opposed to the... well... whatever the hell they were trying to accomplish with that last one. I'm also absolutely loving Kirk's solos, glad to hear those again. Something about this album seems to be bringing out the faithful and the haters alike, there seems to be little middle ground on this one. Whatever. I like it and I'm tending to side more with this guy than this guy (and no, not just because he's my editor over at Metal Edge).

Speaking of the Metal Edge though... the October/November issue is out there on newstands and, in addition to the really interesting Manowar feature by Adrien Begrand, you can read what I had to say about recent albums by Grand Magus, Hero Destroyed, and Knights of the Abyss. The Grand Magus is a solid outing, finding them moving further away from their typical doom sound and more into traditional metal territory - but it's a good fit for them. Hero Destroyed is a promising new addition to the Relapse roster and I'll be interested to hear their full-length, even if the arrangements on this teaser EP did run a little same-y. As for the Knights of the Abyss, well, I found it hard to say much positive about that one. It just struck me as deathcore-by-numbers, nothing that isn't being done better by other bands.

In other metal news, thanks to the long lead time for print journalism, its time to start compliling my list of favorite albums for Metal Edge. This will mark the first year I've had to put together a single genre based list and I'm finding it tougher than I expected. I've heard tons of great stuff, but I don't know that I've spent enough time with some of the albums to determine just which are the cream of the crop. As of right now I can see the albums from Harvey Milk, Krallice, Black Mountain, Coffins, Nachtmystium, Opeth, Torche, Gojira, Testament, Disfear, Lair of the Minotaur and, yes, Metallica placing on my list. Now I just need to spend some time relistening and figuring out just how they drop into the overall ranking and see if there is anything else I've missed.

np: "U.S. Blues" - Grateful Dead

I figured this was a fairly appropriate song title for this evening, given the depressing several minutes of RNC coverage I was subjected to. Not to mention the very real possibility, no matter how slim, that this woman could someday be the leader of the free world. That very thought sends shivers down my spine. I try to stay away from politics on this blog, but there are so many things about this woman that chill me to the core. I'll leave it at that for now, but please... if you have any hope for the future of our country, not to mention common sense, you'll make sure she gets nowhere near the White House.

But, hey, at least someone is having some fun with this whole thing.

I'm also listening to this particular track because my wonderful wife (along with some help from my father and mother-in-law, both also wonderful) got me the fantastic Grateful Dead box set, Beyond Description (1973-1989), for my birthday. This covers the less canonical half of the Dead's studio output, but I think a great majority of this stuff holds up just as well as their earlier albums. There may be no single album as soldily classic as American Beauty or Workingman's Dead, but I've always felt that stuff like From the Mars Hotel and Blues For Allah got short shrift from casual fans and Deadheads alike. I mean, hell, the former contains great studio versions of Dead classics like "Unbroken Chain", "Scarlet Begonias" and (one of my all-time favorites) "U.S. Blues". Sure, the disco Dead period and eighties albums were full of more hits than misses, but these all deserve a place in any self-respecting (hush you) Deadhead's collection.

But, much like the first box set, this is all about the wealth of bonus live material added to the original discs. Not only are we treated to first class, era appropriate live versions of stunners like "Eyes of the World", "Fire on the Mountain" (from the Egypt shows) and "Althea"; we also get ENTIRE DISCS added to both the Reckoning and Dead Set live albums. It's fantastic.

In tribute to this fine collection and in an effort to convert more of the non-believers out there, here are a couple Dead gems to get you through your day.

Grateful Dead - "U.S. Blues" (taken from From the Mars Hotel)
Grateful Dead - "Picasso Moon" (taken from Built To Last)
Grateful Dead - "Stagger Lee" (taken from Shakedown Street)
Grateful Dead - "Stella Blue" (taken from Wake of the Flood)

np: "Georgia" - Jaguar Love

Right now I should be listening to one of the several albums I have to review, but I just can't get past this particular song at the moment. This is seriously the best Elton John ballad that indie rock has ever given us. I'm not talking the Disney-fied ballads of latter day Elton, but the classic piano man ballad narratives. Your "Tiny Dancer", your "Levon", your "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters". Just replace the piano with organ, crank up the guitars, and voila! You've got "Georgia". The lyrics are a tad more bleak than the fare Captain Fantasic and Mr. Taupin used to crank out, but lines like "we'll I've been here before, where the waterfalls decompose, and symphonies go blind in the desert, so grab a microphone put the tape in press record, Georgia can you hear my heart explode?" are no less evocative. It's a great song on an unexpectedly thrilling album.

A little background for the uninitiated. Jaguar Love is the band that resulted from the sad implosion of two of my favorite Seattle area bands to emerge in the latter half of the 1990s - The Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves. The Blood Brothers dealt in spastic post-hardcore that resulted in chaotic albums like ...Burn, Piano Island, Burn and Crimes; while Pretty Girls Make Graves traded in a more delicate, thoughtful version of post-punk that got them labeled everything from emo to art punk. Their 2003 album The New Romance made my Top 10 for that year and deservedly so, it was a beautiful album. The 2006 follow-up, Elan Vital, failed to live up to my expectations but I was gutted nonetheless to hear they disbanded.

I didn't follow up on the former members' comings and goings in the intervening months, so it wasn't until I read a press release from Matador that I knew Jaguar Love even existed. Even then I didn't get around to actually hearing them until I picked up their debut full-length, Take Me to the Sea. The Blood Brothers/PGMG connection had me intrigued, but I honestly had no idea what to expect given the divergent tastes and detours of the former bands. What I didn't expect, however, was a fairly traditional take on pop and rock songwriting. Sure, Johnny Whitney's vocals ensure that this won't accidentally end up next to Coldplay and Feist on the Starbucks shelves, but this stuff is pretty straightforward and suprisingly tuneful. There are still a few dissonant guitar stabs here and some head-turning twists of phrase courtesy of Whitney, but this stuff isn't exactly Merzbow meets Black Flag.

Can you tell I'm having a hard time working out just how to describe this album? Because I am. I just know that it immediately grabbed me on first listen and I keep returning to it over and over again. First and foremost to witness the majesty of "Georgia" again, but really, there isn't a bum track on the whole disc.
Give a listen for yourselves. Then go buy the album.

Jaguar Love - "Georgia" (taken from Take Me to the Sea)
Jaguar Love - "Bone Trees and a Broken Heart" (taken from Take Me to the Sea)