This album is Group Sex by Circle Jerks. Look at the album title, then look at the band title. Obviously a hardcore album judging by those two things alone, it's one of the earliest hardcore punk albums, and front man Keith Morris (the original singer for Black Flag) and guitarist Greg Hetson (later to join Bad Religion) are both pretty big names in the world of hardcore.
The first track, "Deny Everything", opens up fast and loud, the drums and guitar chugging along. Coming as soon as it's gone, the song lasts only 28 seconds, following the principle that one you get what you want to say out, why keep going? I liked it a lot. "I Just Want Some Skank" comes in a bit slower, with Morris singing as opposed to yelling this time. Talking about how he drinks to forget about a girl, stealing liquor, and then fucking women to feel better, the song is almost about lost love, or as close as a hardcore band can get. The third song, "Beverly Hills", is what you'd expect a bunch of punks from California to think of Beverly Hills. First complementing how pretty and clean it all is (beating Weezer to the punch by 25 years) before declaring them "lame", the heaviness and speed once again carries the message more than the lyrics.
Next up is "Operation", a song about what seems to be getting a vasectomy. It moves by in 1:30, the third longest track on the album, and still flies past almost too fast to discern. "Back Against The Wall" opens with the closest to a guitar solo I've heard yet on the album, and instead of the constant chords heard on the rest of the album a sort of riff is played (though comprised of the same chords). Featuring a guitar solo, this shows Hetson can play his instrument, separating him for many of the hardcore guitarists of the same time. The track then goes back to the intensity of the rest of the album, but it still offers a nice change of pace. Next up is "Wasted" where Morris yells of how wasted he was, and not much else for 43 seconds. "Behind the Door" is another typical hardcore song, but a good one, describing all the things that lay behind the door of Room 13, drugs, hookers, thugs, and who knows what else, before suddenly deciding not to stay there. What's the point of the song? I don't know, but I like it.
Side 2 opens with "World Up My Ass" another speeding song, but Morris is easier to hear than usual. Describing how they should tear apart the rules of society, and not listening to what anyone has to tell you, it's the most standard hardcore motto, presented very plainly before a short but sweet guitar solo. Following is "Paid Vacation" opening with a gloomy, Dead Kennedy's-esque guitar riff, discussing going on a "paid vacation" from the government. Describing it as an oil company scam, done for Uncle Sam, it's an obvious protest song against some military operation. "Don't Care" is next and in a short 36 seconds describes a pretty simple ideal, not giving a shit about anything. "Live Fast, Die Young" is a punk motto, in a lot of ways. "I don't want to live to be 34 / I don't want to die in a nuclear war" manifests both the extreme punk lifestyle as well as the fear of impending nuclear holocaust, which almost three decades later is still a looming possibility.
"What's Your Problem" comes up next, and fast, not leaving much room to consider its simple vocals. Featuring a built-up in the middle "What's Your Problem" stands out from the rest. "Group Sex" features a spoken section in the middle, describing a sort of place where couples all go to explore sexual fantasies as a group, including a phone number (I wonder whose?) it has no real depth past the title. "Red Tape" is fast. Really fast. A direct attack on taxes and how they are hurting the people, it closes out the album in only 57 seconds.
This album is fast. It consists of 14 tracks, and has an overall length of only 15 minutes and 40 seconds, short even by hardcore standards. Going between typical political rants and ramblings about drugs and sex, it is really typical hardcore fare, but the obvious ability of the musicians (particularly Hetson's guitar playing) propels it above most early hardcore.
7/10
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
I've heard a lot about this album, whether it be the positive reviews, the constant mentions on Drowned in Sound, or the fact it's NME's BEST BRITISH ALBUM EVER (which I think anyone can admit is a load of bullshit. I'm not going to say what is, but I think we can all agree it is not The Stone Roses, as good as it is.) so I guess there was a lot of expectation for me when I put this on. "I Want to Be Adored" played into my ears, the beautiful melody coming through before my brain started registering the simple-genius of the lyrics. While the tune I just heard was fantastic, I did not quite see what all the fuss was about.
I kept this sentiment through the next two tracks, "She Bangs The Drums" and "Waterfall". Sure, they're both pretty good, but I still don't see the fuss. Next came on "Don't Stop". Wow. Is that some sort of reversed noise I can't quite discern, or maybe even a guitar through some crazy effects, creating an almost Indian sounding melody, and then instrumentation is put on top of it, and it doesn't sound pretentious or overly-experimental? This almost-Indian psychedelic experimentation reminds me of some sort of garage-rock Beatles, experimental music for the masses, as the vocals come in and manage to sing a good melody over the bizarre backdrop. Up until now I didn't see the possibility it would live up to expectations, just another good album to add to the heap, but now I see an album that earns its place as part of a movement, even if it was before my lifetime, and across an ocean even if I had been alive. If it can stay this good, I may be discovering a brilliant album.
Only one to find out, I suppose. Next up is "Bye Bye Badman". I like the guitar work, fancy but no too prominent, making sure you know it's there, and it's good, but aware of it's job to serve as backdrop to Ian Brown's great voice. The drums sound fantastic, almost as if they were recorded inside a factory, the echo helping to showcase the spareness of the arrangement until the chorus, where it becomes an almost American-country rock song, although still with vocal melodies reminiscent of the Beatles. Pretty good guitar riffs in there, in the call-and-response with Brown before the solo. While not as good "Don't Stop" it's still a great track, enough to maintain my hope in the album.
"Elizabeth My Dear" sounds like a Medieval love song in structure, although the lyrics tell differently. Coming from America, I don't fully understand the meaning, which I assume are targeting the Queen. Next up is "(Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister". A poppy two chord rock song at the start, until is settles into the simple but always catchy I-iii-IV-V progression. This one of the most traditional rock moments so far on this album, and goes to show that the band knows how to play together. The track sounds like something a few Britpop minds might have played a few years later (maybe a bit faster, but the form is almost there), which probably isn't a coincidence. I like this song a lot, and will probably one of the tracks I listen to most out of the context of the album.
"Made of Stone" starts off with a relatively dark guitar riff and the beat from the drums helps fuel to unsettling feeling over the track, bringing to mind some of the more ominous tracks by The Rolling Stone such as "Paint it Black". Once the full band comes in, the bass really pushes the song, while the drums simply lay down a bass drum and hi-hat beat and the guitar plays arpeggios, playing full chords only when the chord changes, once again bringing to mind songs you might hear in an old Western film. The chorus turns to a more conventional rock song, with the drum playing a usual rock beat and the guitar becomes more prevalent against the still driving bass. The guitar solo starts of conventional enough, before odd phasing effects come in, fitting the song in with the psychedelic feel the album is often associated with. Good track, though certainly not one of the best so far.
As "Made of Stone" fades out, the drums fade in on "Shoot You Down" and then the bass comes in with a simple groove, followed by nice little guitar riff before the vocals on one of the most groovy tracks on the album. John Squire's guitar skills are obvious here, as he fills the track with relaxing guitar fills in between the soothing vocal melody. The lyrics themselves are about as relaxed as the tune, reversing the typical song about being turned down by the girl, and instead discussing the feeling of satisfaction when you realize you were right when you said it wouldn't work out, admitting you never loved them like they did you, and leaving the constraints of an unwanted relationship. This is the kind of track you could play in the background at a party and no one would make much note of it, but if they did they'd be pleasantly surprised.
Following what might be the most soothing track on the album comes one of the most rocking ones. Opening with a riff almost made for an arena jam, the song drops out to a great bass riff before the guitar comes in and after the same arena accents, the verses lacking any drums, giving the track a more "intimate" feel. The second verse however, might be the most traditional rock moments on the album, even if it leaves almost as soon as it comes. Sounding like the kind of song you'd hear at the end of a movie (and apparently it has been in one, a film from New Zealand I've never heard of named "Eagles Vs. Shark" starring Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords!) it is a great teenage love song, "It may go right / But it might go wrong / This is the one" expressing what every kid feels going into a relationship, knowing they're too young for it to really mean anything, but always with that feeling of "what if it does!". I like this song a lot, if you couldn't tell.
Last is "I Am The Resurrection." With a title like that, the song has a lot to live up to. Opening with a standard drum beat before a nice pop bass groove, the lyrics come in and simultaneously bring The Beatles and Guided by Voices to mind, with the former most likely an actual influence, the latter just an odd similarity. The melody is fantastic, with the lyrics at first appearing almost like a more extreme take on "Made of Stone", instead of turning the person away, forcing them to stay out, as they refuse to leave your life as hard as you try to make them. The guitar playing is instantly catchy, and works incredibly well over the bass groove and constant snare hits every beat that rarely stop for fills. The melody sounds almost meant to be whistled on the street, and nearly distracts from the intensity of the great lyrics. While I'm pretty sure Ian Brown doesn't think he's the resurrection, he sings it confidently enough you think he believes it, but most likely more important to the song is the lyric after it, "I couldn't ever bring myself to hate you as I'd like." It's not that the person hasn't done anything wrong, they have, it's just that Brown doesn't doesn't have enough hate in him to hate the person as much as they deserve. While what the person has done is left up to mystery, John Squire has said it's aimed at one person specifically. Suddenly it becomes almost a different song, as the bass begins a different groove, and the drums abandon the constant driving beat to accompany the bass and confirm that the band can play as a tight unit. The guitar solo over top is fantastic, and it sounds as though the band has decided, at the last minute, to pull out one last bit of their beloved 1960's influences, the extended jam session. As soon as you think it's over however, it starts right back up, the instrumental continuing even longer, and grooving even harder. If the credits provided by Allmusic are to be believed, all of this guitar is Squire, so either some of this overdubbed, or he is one hell of a guitarist. Shortly into the second part of the groove, an acoustic guitar comes in accompanied by a drum part resembling something The Who might have done, before fading out to end the jam, and the album. The first part of the song is one of the best tracks on the album, if it wasn't the best, and the jam was great, showing off how well the band can groove together, and how they aren't carried by Brown's vocals, as great as they are.
So, as I said, this album had a lot to live up to, and it managed to meet all the expectations I'd seen given it. Is it the greatest British album of all time? No way. Did I actually believe NME to begin with? Hell no. This album is fantastic, and as much as it brings to mind all of its 60's influences, creates something new. While The Stone Roses, or any of the Madchester bands for that matter, never caught in America, which was about to be swept up in Grunge phenomenon of the early 90's, it's influence in England is too large to be overlooked, especially when looking at the 60's influence Britpop of the 90's.
9/10
I kept this sentiment through the next two tracks, "She Bangs The Drums" and "Waterfall". Sure, they're both pretty good, but I still don't see the fuss. Next came on "Don't Stop". Wow. Is that some sort of reversed noise I can't quite discern, or maybe even a guitar through some crazy effects, creating an almost Indian sounding melody, and then instrumentation is put on top of it, and it doesn't sound pretentious or overly-experimental? This almost-Indian psychedelic experimentation reminds me of some sort of garage-rock Beatles, experimental music for the masses, as the vocals come in and manage to sing a good melody over the bizarre backdrop. Up until now I didn't see the possibility it would live up to expectations, just another good album to add to the heap, but now I see an album that earns its place as part of a movement, even if it was before my lifetime, and across an ocean even if I had been alive. If it can stay this good, I may be discovering a brilliant album.
Only one to find out, I suppose. Next up is "Bye Bye Badman". I like the guitar work, fancy but no too prominent, making sure you know it's there, and it's good, but aware of it's job to serve as backdrop to Ian Brown's great voice. The drums sound fantastic, almost as if they were recorded inside a factory, the echo helping to showcase the spareness of the arrangement until the chorus, where it becomes an almost American-country rock song, although still with vocal melodies reminiscent of the Beatles. Pretty good guitar riffs in there, in the call-and-response with Brown before the solo. While not as good "Don't Stop" it's still a great track, enough to maintain my hope in the album.
"Elizabeth My Dear" sounds like a Medieval love song in structure, although the lyrics tell differently. Coming from America, I don't fully understand the meaning, which I assume are targeting the Queen. Next up is "(Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister". A poppy two chord rock song at the start, until is settles into the simple but always catchy I-iii-IV-V progression. This one of the most traditional rock moments so far on this album, and goes to show that the band knows how to play together. The track sounds like something a few Britpop minds might have played a few years later (maybe a bit faster, but the form is almost there), which probably isn't a coincidence. I like this song a lot, and will probably one of the tracks I listen to most out of the context of the album.
"Made of Stone" starts off with a relatively dark guitar riff and the beat from the drums helps fuel to unsettling feeling over the track, bringing to mind some of the more ominous tracks by The Rolling Stone such as "Paint it Black". Once the full band comes in, the bass really pushes the song, while the drums simply lay down a bass drum and hi-hat beat and the guitar plays arpeggios, playing full chords only when the chord changes, once again bringing to mind songs you might hear in an old Western film. The chorus turns to a more conventional rock song, with the drum playing a usual rock beat and the guitar becomes more prevalent against the still driving bass. The guitar solo starts of conventional enough, before odd phasing effects come in, fitting the song in with the psychedelic feel the album is often associated with. Good track, though certainly not one of the best so far.
As "Made of Stone" fades out, the drums fade in on "Shoot You Down" and then the bass comes in with a simple groove, followed by nice little guitar riff before the vocals on one of the most groovy tracks on the album. John Squire's guitar skills are obvious here, as he fills the track with relaxing guitar fills in between the soothing vocal melody. The lyrics themselves are about as relaxed as the tune, reversing the typical song about being turned down by the girl, and instead discussing the feeling of satisfaction when you realize you were right when you said it wouldn't work out, admitting you never loved them like they did you, and leaving the constraints of an unwanted relationship. This is the kind of track you could play in the background at a party and no one would make much note of it, but if they did they'd be pleasantly surprised.
Following what might be the most soothing track on the album comes one of the most rocking ones. Opening with a riff almost made for an arena jam, the song drops out to a great bass riff before the guitar comes in and after the same arena accents, the verses lacking any drums, giving the track a more "intimate" feel. The second verse however, might be the most traditional rock moments on the album, even if it leaves almost as soon as it comes. Sounding like the kind of song you'd hear at the end of a movie (and apparently it has been in one, a film from New Zealand I've never heard of named "Eagles Vs. Shark" starring Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords!) it is a great teenage love song, "It may go right / But it might go wrong / This is the one" expressing what every kid feels going into a relationship, knowing they're too young for it to really mean anything, but always with that feeling of "what if it does!". I like this song a lot, if you couldn't tell.
Last is "I Am The Resurrection." With a title like that, the song has a lot to live up to. Opening with a standard drum beat before a nice pop bass groove, the lyrics come in and simultaneously bring The Beatles and Guided by Voices to mind, with the former most likely an actual influence, the latter just an odd similarity. The melody is fantastic, with the lyrics at first appearing almost like a more extreme take on "Made of Stone", instead of turning the person away, forcing them to stay out, as they refuse to leave your life as hard as you try to make them. The guitar playing is instantly catchy, and works incredibly well over the bass groove and constant snare hits every beat that rarely stop for fills. The melody sounds almost meant to be whistled on the street, and nearly distracts from the intensity of the great lyrics. While I'm pretty sure Ian Brown doesn't think he's the resurrection, he sings it confidently enough you think he believes it, but most likely more important to the song is the lyric after it, "I couldn't ever bring myself to hate you as I'd like." It's not that the person hasn't done anything wrong, they have, it's just that Brown doesn't doesn't have enough hate in him to hate the person as much as they deserve. While what the person has done is left up to mystery, John Squire has said it's aimed at one person specifically. Suddenly it becomes almost a different song, as the bass begins a different groove, and the drums abandon the constant driving beat to accompany the bass and confirm that the band can play as a tight unit. The guitar solo over top is fantastic, and it sounds as though the band has decided, at the last minute, to pull out one last bit of their beloved 1960's influences, the extended jam session. As soon as you think it's over however, it starts right back up, the instrumental continuing even longer, and grooving even harder. If the credits provided by Allmusic are to be believed, all of this guitar is Squire, so either some of this overdubbed, or he is one hell of a guitarist. Shortly into the second part of the groove, an acoustic guitar comes in accompanied by a drum part resembling something The Who might have done, before fading out to end the jam, and the album. The first part of the song is one of the best tracks on the album, if it wasn't the best, and the jam was great, showing off how well the band can groove together, and how they aren't carried by Brown's vocals, as great as they are.
So, as I said, this album had a lot to live up to, and it managed to meet all the expectations I'd seen given it. Is it the greatest British album of all time? No way. Did I actually believe NME to begin with? Hell no. This album is fantastic, and as much as it brings to mind all of its 60's influences, creates something new. While The Stone Roses, or any of the Madchester bands for that matter, never caught in America, which was about to be swept up in Grunge phenomenon of the early 90's, it's influence in England is too large to be overlooked, especially when looking at the 60's influence Britpop of the 90's.
9/10
I have been importing loads of vinyl
I stumbled across a USB Turntable at a Radioshack. This has led me to uncovering the big stack of records left by my parents, as well as new meaning to go the record store downtown. As I import records, or listen to CDs or downloads, I'm going to start writing reviews them. If anyone reads them, it'd be cool, if not, I'm doing this a lot to help my own writing skills anyway.
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