Antonio's album reviews (lyrics, singer, dancing, listening to music, alternative)

Antonio · 04-14-2009, 01:54 AM

well i've done a few and i don't want to clutter up the site, so i'll put my reviews in here from now on. I'll also be taking any requests to review albums, just pm me the artist and cd name, as well as a link to it, and it'll be good to go

Albums reviewed so far

Mastodon-Crack the Skye

Chiodos-All's Well that Ends Well

Bumblefoot-9.11

Clutch-Robot Hive/Exodus

Jane's Addiction-Nothing's Shocking

Avenged Sevenfold-City of Evil

The Jimi Hendrix Experience-Axis:Bold as Love

Foo Fighters-Foo Fighters

Jane's Addiction-Ritual de lo Habitual

Butthole Surfers-Hairway to Steven

Frank Zappa-Apostrophe(')

Reverend Horton Heat-It's Martini Time

Between the Buried and Me-Colors

Muse-Origin of Symmetry

R.E.M.-Green

Green Day-Nimrod

Dixie Dregs-Free Fall

more to be added soon

Antonio · 04-14-2009, 01:55 AM

Release Date: March 24, 2009
Label: Reprise Records

well, i got hold of a leaked version of the album, so here it goes....

Mastodon's latest effort seems more like a transition than a definite thing. This is the last of their "elemental" albums: where Remission was Fire, Leviathan was water, and Blood Mountain was Earth, this explores the idea of Air and the Ethereal realm(time travel, wormholes and crap). as a concept album(and yes it is a concept album), it's much more focused than its predecessor in the story, which itself is out of its mind. here's the story, btw:

There is a paraplegic and the only way that he can go anywhere is if he astral travels. He goes out of his body, into outer space and a bit like Icarus, he goes too close to the sun, burning off the golden umbilical cord that is attached to his solar plexus. So he is in outer space and he is lost, he gets sucked into a wormhole, he ends up in the spirit realm and he talks to spirits telling them that he is not really dead. So they send him to the Russian cult, they use him in a divination and they find out his problem. They decide they are going to help him. They put his soul inside Rasputin's body. Rasputin goes to usurp the czar and he is murdered. The two souls fly out of Rasputin's body through the crack in the sky(e) and Rasputin is the wise man that is trying to lead the child home to his body because his parents have discovered him by now and think that he is dead. Rasputin needs to get him back into his body before it's too late. But they end up running into the Devil along the way and the Devil tries to steal their souls and bring them down…there are some obstacles along the way

yeah, crazy stuff. but anyway, this is definately a new territory for this band. from the first song, you can already tell where they're headed in a more classic, prog rock direction. even so there's still parts to bang your head and pump your fist into the air. Musically, it's good, but the Muscality isnt as present as in Blood Mountain. This album focuses a little more on the melodies/singing than previously, plus there's a more, airy feeling to the songs themselves, like they're not entirely there. There also seems to be an....incomplete feeling after listening to it, like there should be more songs included or something. The songs themselves though, are still great. While the sudden shift in their music may turn off some people who are still waiting for "another Remmission", this'll nonetheless garner some new fans for this band, even though it's far from radio friendly music. All in all, i give this album an 8.5/10. the songs are well crafted and fantastic, but there could be more put into the album so it doesn't feel as empty.

Oblivion- an abrupt tritone assault kicks this album off. then it shifts to a chugging riff and a shockingly new singing style for the band. This song has a very sad feeling to it. at the end it starts the riff of the next song with what seems to be a banjolike instrument

Divinations- This sounds more like a standard Mastodon song, akin to Crystal Skull or Circle of Cysquatch on BM, with a kickass solo to match

Quintessence-This also sounds like normal Mastodon, although the vocals and some parts are slightly different from their usual shenanagins. it's infectious chorus'll have you singing "LET IT GO, LET IT GO!!". at the end comes a strange transition, sort of a mini song before The Czar.

The Czar- My favorite song on the album. this is split into 4 parts, Usurper, Escape, Martyr, and Spiral. Usurper repeats the same phrase "don't stay, run away" over and over again in an almost hypnotic way. Escape is where it kicks in, with a kind of southern riff that has an almost danceable groove to it. Martyr has a calming effect to it, but still has a monster riff to match as well as a melodic singing part and a furious solo. Spiral picks up where Usurper left off, with added harmony. it ends with a sad piano playing the sung melody.

Ghost of Karelia- The guitar riff on this song is very eriee. the vocals are once again present as they somewhat mimic a guitar part. It's still big, but it isn't as much of a headbanger as some previous songs. possibly the low point in the album

Crack the Skye- The song the album is named after isn't as riffy as it could be, once again focusing on melodies, which are themselves pretty good. the guitars in the middle of the song seem to be disappearing and reappearing at once. this is possibly the most emotive song on the album, as you can feel it tug at your heart strings.

The Last Baron- it is the longest song on the album(13 minutes exactly), and possibly one of Mastodon's most epic achievements. starts off right away in a slow sludgy fashion with acoustic and electric guitars in the background. then the electrics take the forefront in a riff that then transitions into a dark and mysterious area. then comes the pounding drums that transitions into a quick riff that almost makes you forget the entire song before it. in the middle is a rediculously jazzy point that'll turn you upside down, but not before going back to the fast riff of before. then comes a sweet riff fest that then goes back to the intro, just so they could burn it into your memory a bit more. The song ends with a solo and a trill on the piano

EDIT:if you read all of that, god bless you

original link- http://www.musicbanter.com/album-rev...rack-skye.html

Antonio · 04-14-2009, 01:57 AM

Release Date: July 26, 2005
Label: Equal Vision Records

well seeing as the other review for this album sucked, i decided to do one myself.

i got this cd after hearing a few songs from Chiodos. While people may tag them as "just another emo band", there's more to them than that. They struck me as kind of accessible for youth of today as well as a band that isn't afraid to experiment with their song structures and such. listening to each song, there's a sense of experimentation as well as one of familiarity. Maybe it's because of the singer's voice, with it's combined high pitched-ness(is that even a word?) and screaming. The guitarists do a good job of working together, alot of their playing is very cohesive and can encompass good riffs as well as solid rhythms. I loved the bassist's playing on "All Nerieds Beware", but with the rest of the album, he seemed unattentive, like "wtf? is this dude even here?". The Keyboardist(yes they have a keyboardist), adds the experimentation to their songs and leads the Prelude as well as the two Interludes. The drummer seems to stand out the least to me, but then again i'm not a drummer. All in all, i would definately reccomend this album, seeing as Chiodos can push boundaries as well as keep their sound. As for a rating, i'd give this album a 8.7 out of 10, cause while some parts aren't as good as they could be, there's still enough to enjoy here.

Prelude-Just a short intro to the album; a piano piece. the name definately fits it

All Nerieds Beware-The intro bleeds epic. when it seems like it's about to kick you in the face, the bass comes in and halts everything. Then everyone comes in and the bands skills are shown, in music as well as melody/harmony. This is a damn good song if you want to get into Chiodos

One Day All Women Will Become Monsters-the first few powerchords in the beginning set up the whole song. This one is a little more accesible, seeing as the song structure is a little more simple and there's less screaming.

Expired in Goreville-I have a kind of love/hate relationship with this song, like i want to get into this, but i can't. it starts of hard, then the keyboard leads a good part of the piece.

Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute On The Creek-This might be one of their most popular songs. the guitar starts off a sort of a fingerpicking style, then the song transitions into something that's a little tried but true in a band like this. Overall a good song.

The Words "Best Friend" Become Redifined-The opening riff to this song is BEASTLY. it tells you that these guys mean business. then the piano comes in and calms you down before you kill anyone. the drums here are somewhat foreboding, then a slow, emotive guitar part takes the song up. in the middle there's a part that sounds like it should be in an R&B song.

Interlude Pt. 1-Once again the piano is the only instrument here. it's a bit more sophisticated than the Prelude, i must say.

There's No Penguins in Alaska-I really like this song. The guitar riffs are pretty catchy and the keyboard has a very good part in this song. they both work hard here.

Interlude Pt. 2-This sounds like circus music. 'nuff said

We're Gonna Have Us a Champagne Jam-The riff here kicks off the whole song. this'd be something to make you move. This song is pretty singable too, moreso than some of the other ones.

No Hardcore Dancing in the Living Room-Don't be fooled by the name of this song. This'll make you want to do anything BUT hardcore dance. The intro is very calm at first then builds up slightly. The riff here is kind of "meh" to me, but then i kind of coasts to a point where it's pretty melodic and not so bad.

Who's Sandie Jenkins-This seems more like filler than an actual song. While alot of the elements of their other songs are present, it seems like they're just messing around

To Trixie and Reptile, Thanks For Everything-For an ender, it's pretty upbeat. Once again this is more melodic with less screaming. not a bad song to go out on, with the ending that's pretty emotive and a fade out to a nice ending with the keyboard.

original link- http://www.musicbanter.com/album-rev...ends-well.html

Antonio · 04-14-2009, 01:58 AM

thanks to sweet_nothing for providing the link to download this album

Release Date: Nov 6, 2001
Label: Hermit

for those of you who may not know who or what Bumblefoot is, i'll fill you in. one of the definitions is a bacterial infection in animal feet(ew). the other is Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, one of the craziest guitarists today, rivaling those of Petrucci and Buckethead. Not only does he have the technical chops to be a virtuoso, he also has the zaniness and creativity the likes of Frank Zappa. This album is no exception. much of the songs on this album seem to be more of an excercise in creativity than just the standard shredder's "look how fast i can play!" music. Each song has a uniqueness to it, but it's still Bumblefoot. And for anyone wondering why he named this album 9.11, it was originally slated to be named Guitars SUCK, but the September 11th tragedy, Thal changed the name out of respect for the victims. He later donated all of the proceeds of the sale of the album to the American Red Cross.

All in all, i give this album a 8/10, for anyone who wants to hear some weird stuff or just likes different types of music

Fly In the Batter-The album starts off FUNNNKAAY. this song sounds like some nu-metal song from the 90's. while this may throw off some people expecting some guitar acrobatics, trust me, the solo's chaotic enough to satisfy.

Lost-off time and crazy, this song features xylophone along with guitar in one hell of a ride. then everything stops, and transitions into some kind of spoken word about being lost in the forest. there's a solo in the middle, but then it goes back into another spoken verse and the opening to finish

Raygun-While this has the sounds of a raygun being made by the guitar, and a lot of other stuff, this is essentially a blues song. What's that you say? A raygun and the blues?? Hell yes

Hole In the Sky-this is a 51 second song, and just a nice, calming transition. it's beautiful if i may say so myself.

Children of Sierra Leone-This song is very ominuous and creepy, like a halloween ride that you just want to get off

Don Pardo Pimp Wagon-Compared to the previous one, this song is pretty damn upbeat. It just screams Theme Song Music, like "Welcome to the Bumblefoot Show!" this is a kickass song if you want to get into Bumblefoot, it has his strange guitar style along with a certain quirkiness that only he can pull off. There's enough soloing in this to turn your brain into sludge, at one point you hear the sounds of a cellphone being played with the guitar. Freaking Sweetness

Legend of Van Cleef-The Weirdness doesn't stop with this song. it has the sound of Knights during the middle ages, having retrieved the Holy Grail, being showered with praise and glory. uh, so yeah, it's a little epic.

Guitars SUCK-GREAT SONG! i don't know how i could state it any better. this shows Ron Thal's insane skills, starting with an insane tapping section using a thimble to get to the high notes. then out of nowhere it goes into a slide guitar solo that's both gentle and powerful at the same time. then right when you're all comfy and sh*t, it busts back into the ferocity, ending on a bluesy lick that makes you want so much more

Hall of Souls-The definition of a filler track. i'm not really sure how he plays this, but i can tell it's on a classical guitar. the title of this fits it so well, it feels as if you're going through a Hall of Souls

Top of the World- this features Frank Zappa's son, Dweezil Zappa on solo guitar. a sad song about a girl who can't take all the BS in the world, about to walk off the ledge and wanting to fly away, only to fall to her death

R2-With the strange song transitions, you gotta wonder if this guy's bipolar or something. This literally sounds like elevator music........F*CKING AWESOME ELEVATOR MUSIC!!

Time-Kind of a weird ending for this album, but not bad. really slow and basically how we're all on borrowed time. The ending is a riff that pretty much sounds angry and fades out

here's a few of the songs for anyone who wants to listen(these are the best vids i could find on youtube)
Fly in the Batter- YouTube - Bumblefoot - Fly in the batter (Live at Shredfest)
Lost- YouTube - Bumblefoot - "Lost"
Raygun- YouTube - Bumblefoot - "Raygun"
Hole in the Sky- YouTube - Hole In The Sky
Don Pardo Pimpwagon- YouTube - Bumblefoot - "Don Pardo Pimpwagon"
Legend of Van Cleef- YouTube - Bumblefoot - Legend Of Van Cleef
Guitars SUCK- YouTube - Guitars Suck - Bumblefoot
Top of the World- YouTube - Bumblefoot - Top Of The World
R2- YouTube - Bumblefoot - "R2"

original link- http://www.musicbanter.com/album-rev...ot-9-11-a.html

Antonio · 04-19-2009, 01:17 AM

well, here's another review:

Release Date: June 21, 2005
Label: DRT Entertainment

As some of you may or may not know, I'm a big fan of the band Clutch. they're one of the first bands i got into and one of the few that i still listen to today. Clutch is a band that has survived through the 90s, with all of the numetal and grunge and haved emerged with their own cohesive style, fusing alternative, hard rock, and blues, among several other styles. They always seem to be developing further, fine tuning their style while still staying true to themselves. Each song on the album is it's own thing, but still has a familiar tone. One thing these guys have been about is big, meaty riffs, and that's just what this album offers. Tim Sult and Dan Maines make a great guitar/bass combo; bouncing ideas off of each other and laying one hell of a foundation. The addition of a organ/keyboard player, Mick Schauer, is a good one. he makes subtle, yet punchy additions to the songs. Drummer Jean Paul Gaster annihilates the drum kit as well as providing some jazzy fills. Then there's Neil Fallon. The masterful lyricist with an English degree of all things under his belt, who weaves bazzare and very cerebral lyrics in his "pack a day" vocal style. This album has much to offer for people who like their rock laden with some blues. There's a good amount of hard rocking tunes mixed with laid back, atmospheric touches that make this a good album whether you need to be pumped up or just want to relax. in all, i give this a 9.5/10.

The Incomparable Mr. Flannery -This song is one of the more rocking ones, with a Zeppelin-esque sound to it and a catchy as hell riff/chorus. a kind of song when you want to rock out at a college party

Burning Beard-this is kind of the oddball on the record. it's alot heavier than the other songs. a real headbanger, sounding like something that would be on one of their older records. it also goes the "Black Dog" route; play riff-stop-sing-play riff-stop-sing, etc. great song though

Gullah-my favorite song on the record. the opening riff fires in with fury, then preceded by one of Dan's best bass lines to date. the keyboard comes out well on this song, especially at the really funky part of the song. overall a great song by the whole band

Mice and Gods-another really rocking song that you can chill out to. the chorus is catchy as hell, and the riffs are perfectly placed.

Pulaski Skyway-Tim Sult gives a tasty intro in this song about industrialization. At this point in the album, the keyboard is out in front with the guitar and bass. the guitar solo is spaced out and just goood.

Never Be Moved-This song up until the middle isn't bad. Not great, but not bad. Then the guitar and bass kick in with a quick, almost punkish riff. there's even a keyboard solo

10001110101-a very calm, floating intro with the keyboards, then the song kicks in. This song seems to be about a robot messiah, named 10001110101. and if you think you won't be able to remember that name, don't worry, Neil sings it in a way and enough where you'll have it stuck in your head for the rest of your life

Small Upsetters-technically an instrumental, albeit one line of lyrics here and there. a somewhat jamming, yet chill song

Circus Maximus-destined to be one of their classics, about a circus with the most unusual of creatures. A funky and undeniably catchy riff as well as singing.

Tripping The Alarm-The second instrumental on the album. this one has more of a jamming feel, like the guys are more into the song this time

10,000 Witnesses-I feel like i'm in a Gospel Church whenever i hear this. probably because of the choirlike 'hey, uh huh huh huh" being repeated throughout the song.

Land Of Pleasant Living-This is a VERY chilled out song, with the echoes of the keyboard and the bassline. When the guitar kicks in, it speeds up a bit, but is still out of it.

Gravel Road-This is a cover of a blues song by Fred "Missisipi" Mcdowell, and they cover it pretty good, even using acoustic guitars like old blues players. it's really a combination of electric and acoustic. when it sounds like it's going to end, Jean Paul takes the skins like a madman, and at the last second, the song shifts into a real heavy riff that only Clutch could do and an ending solo with JP once again at the drums

Who's Been Talking?-yet another blues cover, this time by Howlin Wolf. a pretty nice end to the album.

here's some of the songs, for your listening pleasure
YouTube - Clutch - The Incomparable Mr. Flannery
YouTube - Clutch - "Burning Beard" DRT Entertainment
YouTube - Clutch - Gullah
YouTube - Clutch - Mice And Gods
YouTube - Clutch - Pulaski Skyway
YouTube - Clutch 10001110101 Robot hive exodus
YouTube - CLUTCH-Circus Maximus
YouTube - Clutch - Gravel Road

Antonio · 04-24-2009, 04:29 PM

yeah anybody who sees this feel free to comment, i'll start another review in a bit

Antonio · 04-24-2009, 10:12 PM

Release Date: August 23, 1988
Label: Warner Bros.

Jane's Addiction is a peculiar band. If i had to classify them as a genre, it'd probably be Alternative Ethreal Jungle Rock, and this album is one hell of a testement to that. listening to it made me feel like i was in the depths of the Africa, swinging on vines and feeling the breeze running through every part of my body(and i mean EVERY part). They're also one of those bands that work best with every part intact. It wouldn't be Jane's Addiction without Perry Farell's scraggly, yelping vocals, Dave Navarro's free flying solos and riffs, Eric Avery's odd, yet fulfilling basslines, and Stephen Perkins' world influenced drum parts. There's an overall feeling of darkness and mystery in the songs, where parts seem to drift in and out, as if they were possesed. There's also an unbridled, animalistic tone in their music, even on songs that may seem very tame and relaxed. This is an excellent album, not only for fans of the band or anyone wanting to get into them, but for anyone not afraid to free themselves listening to music. 10/10

Up the Beach-This is essentially an intro. this song really hits you, but more in a slow, let it sink in kind of way. The guitar works well here with a descending lick and everything is very calm and at the same time very big.

Ocean Size- a short acoustic intro shifts to a rocking riff that kicks off the album. a very vibrant song it shows more of what's to come on the cd. the solo is a bit formulaic, but such a good tone. in all honesty i'm in love with Navarro's guitar tone

Had a Dad-Another really rocking track that makes you want to get up and jump around. all of the instruments can be heard well and really make all of them make the song whole. in the middle you start hearing church bells, which actually goes very well with the song

Ted, Just Admit It...-apparently this was written for Ted Bundy, lucky guy

. the longest song on here starts with a bit of drumming on different forms of percussion. The bassline really gives a feeling of being high above the clouds in contemplation. the guitar is a bit diminutive in the beggining, but then comes up front to bring the rock. Farell delivers an angry message in the song, that "SEX. IS. VIOLENCE!!" then the drums give an ominous, jungle drumming feel, then it REALLY kicks in. overall just a great song

Standing in the Shower...Thinking-once again, just a real vibrant rock song. The Bass is funky, the guitar straight rocks, and the drums bring it all together. then the singer slows down the music, to proclaim how he's "Standing in the Shower ....Thinking".

Summertime Rolls-very much a soft song, sounding very desperate and lonely. this song gives a feeling of meditation and being above it all. the vocals, contrary to much of the other songs here, are the central focus of the song

Mountain Song-This song is focused on ONE riff, and a catchy one at that. probably the heaviest song on here. you might either get really pumped or really angry listening to this song. either way it's a real banger.

Idiots Rule -interesting tidbit, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea plays trumpet on this song. the title is pretty self explanatory. it's, guess what, another unbridled animalistic rocker that makes you want to get up and start punching the air to the rhythm

Jane Says -there's no real need to go into this song, pretty sure everyone here's already heard it, so yeah.

Thank You Boys-WTF?!?! this is so totally NOT like Jane's Addiction, seems almost like a joke ending for the album. but hell, it's only a minute, so just go with it.

Pigs in Zen -not a bad way to end, with a funky and rocking song with a really good tone on the first and ending guitar solos, making it seem almost unreal. the end comes with Perry rambling on with some bullsh*t

jackhammer · 04-25-2009, 12:19 PM

Janes Addiction are a band I should really like with their skewed view of Rock music and although they have some great moments, I have never been truly blown away by them. is it Farell's voice or the underwhelming production? I'm not quite sure. It's about time I gave this another listen as it's been quite a while since I have heard it.

Antonio · 04-25-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

Janes Addiction are a band I should really like with their skewed view of Rock music and although they have some great moments, I have never been truly blown away by them. is it Farell's voice or the underwhelming production? I'm not quite sure. It's about time I gave this another listen as it's been quite a while since I have heard it.

yeah, i've gone throught the cd at least 3 times since i got it, and while the production is surprisingly meh(it's Warner Brothers for God sakes), it still has its really good moments. as for Perry's voice, yeah, either you love it or hate it.

Antonio · 05-01-2009, 03:41 PM

Well, I've got some news everyone.

seeing as i have just finished classes and i'll be able to have more free time on my hands, and because i want to expand my musical horizon rather than posting the same old stuff, i'll start taking any requests for album reviews. anyone who wishes that i review something can PM me with the name of the artist and album, as well as a link to it. feel free to post in here too

so yeah, just so you know

04-25-2009, 12:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Janes Addiction are a band I should really like with their skewed view of Rock music and although they have some great moments, I have never been truly blown away by them. is it Farell's voice or the underwhelming production? I'm not quite sure. It's about time I gave this another listen as it's been quite a while since I have heard it. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”