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08-25-2010, 01:24 PM
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#93 (permalink) |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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80. The Interpestuals - ReviveR (2000) Genre: Acoustic/ Alternative (Sorry, no album art) Moving On Regretting Time Stow Away Sordid Situation Dear Frankie Desolate Bones Walkin' Man Valley of the Shadow Portugal Boots & Skulls Here is a band that I absolutely adore and have gotten loads of other people to adore, yet know absolutely nothing about them. All I know is that they were founded in Calgary, Alberta Canada, played for a little while and then disbanded and faded from the memories of most people who saw them play live in bars, coffee shops, or street corners. However there were a few fans dedicated enough to buy the album, rip it, upload it, and eventually worm its way into my grubby little hands for me to do the same. The Interpestuals were are acoustic band that borrowed heavily from the angst of the '90's alternative rock and the story telling ability of country. While none of the songs follow any particular narrative, they do evoke the sense that a larger picture is being painted by the words. Upon closer examination one can find tales of addiction, infidelity, suicide, and witness protection program (I think). ReviveR is definitely not the album you put on if you are looking for something light and safe. The last song in particular ("Boots & Skulls") pushes the boundary of what to expect from an acoustic performer with a bitter vitriol against one's former lover. Besides the acoustic guitar there is an acoustic bass that hums happily along in at least one of the songs, but becomes less distinguished in others. In fact the audible bass and second guitar are so infrequently used that it is hard to tell if they were added using studio magic, or if there were two additional members of the group. A review of The Interpestuals is always going to be abrupt because of their criminally short musical career. With only ten songs (all of which are amazing) I'm not really left with much else to say except if you're after darker acoustic music with above average writing then you definitely cannot go wrong with the best band that nobody knows about. |
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08-26-2010, 12:50 PM
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#94 (permalink) |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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79. Sadistik - The Balancing Act (2008) Genre: Hip-Hop  Dawn of the Dead Playing God Ashes to Ashley (ft. Mac Lethal) Searching For Some Beautiful Memento Mori Clockwork Grey (Interlude) Absolution Murder of Crows Writes of Passage (Ft. Vast Aire) Angel Eyes November The Exception to Everything Cory Foster, AKA Sadistik, is a very talented MC that is only two years older than me. Despite his age he comes across as a man far older, spinning tales of heart break, disappointment, and infidelity in such a clear way, as if spending years contemplating all the experiences of his life. His work shows a very sharp contrast to many of the young rappers of the last few years. His music is far deeper, focusing on the emotions and how best to make them come alive through the lyrics, which is something he is amazing at. I have not heard an artist who could convey his emotions as well as Sadisitk in a realistic manner. Incredibly melancholy, his music is definitely not for the people who exclusively listen to happy-go-lucky music all the time. This is an artist for people who actively try to remember the pains that come with life. Some people who criticized Sadistik for focusing too heavily on himself and his own emotions, and while I cannot argue against that statement, he is hardly whiny in doing so. He goes the Johnny Cash route, writing about his own pain, but doing so in a dignified manner. He also likes to shroud the meanings of his songs with a clever array of similes, metaphors, and personification, showing his dedication to mastering the English language. The Balancing Act also features some of the best production I have ever heard on a debut album. The album feels velvety smooth, but not overproduced. There is no auto tune or studio magic done to Sadistik's flow, and trust me, when he gets going he's unstoppable. Sadistik worked with three producers on this album, Equalibrum , Emancipator, and Kid Called Computer (who later worked exclusively on his 2010 EP The Art of Dying) and all do a wonderful job creating multi-layered beats that really get under your skin after a little while. Despite all the good, the album does carry it's flaws. The song writing feels a little bit bland in the middle (from about "Memento Mori to "Murder of Crows") and the depressing lyrics can get to you after awhile. This is definitely the album you want to listen to when you're feeling down. While I doubt it will cheer you up, it will definitely help you make sense of the emotions you're feeling, which is better than nothing. It would also be nice for the subject manner to switch a little from failed relationships and friendships to a more broad subject matter, but when you're great at making boxes it makes very little sense to suddenly switch over to making rockets. Ultimately Sadistik is a breath of fresh air for hip hop. While there have always been artists doing songs about failed relationships, Sadistik's mastering of the English language really helps make the songs feel alive and easy to relate to. Fans of Radiohead will also notice their influence on Sadistik's writing, as not a day goes by where he doesn't have some kind of Radiohead update on his Twitter account. Overall I cannot recommend this album more, it's well written, beautifully executed, and proof that there is an emerging generation of hip hop MC's who saw beyond the shallow, consumerist mentality that mainstream hip hop tried to force down our throats throughout the '90's and '00's. |
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09-09-2010, 12:24 PM
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#99 (permalink) | |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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09-09-2010, 01:22 PM
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#100 (permalink) | |
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MB's Biggest Fanboy
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
Posts: 2,852
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