LoathsomePete

Finally my first metal review!!!
Through Silver in Blood is one of the very earliest examples of the emerging “Post-Metal” or “Metal-Gaze” genre. Not only that, it begins to mark the departure from Neurosis’ previous sounds, going for more of an atmospheric and eccentric style not found on their earlier work. Through Silver in Blood is also their highest regarded albums and easily one of the finest crafted metal albums of the ‘90’s.

Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till do a great job playing off each other, adding to the other’s tone with their own undertone and overall creating a real sense of teamwork. They really worked hard defining themselves over the years, starting off as a hardcore punk band and slowly evolving into one of the progenitors of an entire genre.

One of the trademarks of the genre is the increased length of the album, so it’s not the type of album you put on and intently listen to for every minute. Clocking in at around 72 minutes, it’s an album that sets an ambience, yet can instantly suck you back in with a scream or balls tightingly guitar riff.

Post-Metal albums can be kind of hard to critique just because of their designation. Much like with Trip-Hop they’re designed to be a kind of background piece, enjoyable, but not requiring your full attention. Neurosis made a bold effort on this album in kick-starting the genre, but as you will find in later reviews, some of the newer bands have done a far better job refining it so it becomes more than just background music.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

Bulldog

Great call on Morcheeba (although I'm more of a Big Calm fanboy myself), and Failure seem pretty interesting from what I've heard about them (if only for that cover alone).

Haven't been keeping up with this thread lately, which is a shame as it's one of my favourites doing the rounds at the moment. Keep up the good work eh.

LoathsomePete

It is quite rare to find an album that really seems to speak directly to you in each song. Scottish hip hop duo dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip seamlessly achieved this difficult goal in their 2008 debut album, Angles.

A wide array of subject matter ranging from the trials and tribulations of relationships to a poem told from the point of view of God. The last track on the album, "Waiting for the Beat to Kick In...", is one of those tracks where you need to pay close attention because if you don't then the messages of the song will be completely lost and those messages can be quite helpful if you're an adolescent.

Angles is actually quite full of messages, some more apparent in some songs than others. Tracks like "Angles" and "Magician's Assistant" are easily the most depressing but hold the two most important messages on the album, that being to always look at all sides of a conflict before you make your own opinion and that suicide affects more people than just yourself, respectfully.

Depending on how open minded to British hip-hop will definitely be a factor on whether or not you find the album appealing. Scroobius Pip is Scottish and his accent does hold pretty thick into his rapping. He does also use some terminology that you may not be familiar with, but it's never anything complex or completely important to the song. dan le sac also shows off his impressive beat making skills by utilizing a wide array of styles ranging from noise rock to glitch hop. He also samples some well known tracks in such a way that nearly makes them seem like his own.

Despite all these compliments, the album is not without its faults. It seems to be a little inconsistent at times. The songs that are really good stand out and about four of them seem more like filler than anything else. Scroobius Pip can come off as a little preachy at times, specifically on the first single, "Thou Shalt Always Kill" which I find is pretty detrimental to the album as a whole. No album is perfect, and a debut is rarely without its faults, in fact I'd rather a debut have faults because it gives the band something to work towards on future albums rather than trying to make the life breathing lightning strike again.

Angles seemed to pinch a nerve with some reviewers, particular the ass cunts at Pitchfork Media, but in all honesty complaining about a Pitchfork Media score is kind of like begrudging a dog for licking its balls. They're going to do what they're going to do and unfortunately a legion of kids hang on every word of theirs like it was the word of God. My guess it was a section in "Thou Shalt Always Kill" where Scroobius Pip lists off about 15 bands that are always on top 100 lists as "just a band". Regardless, I wouldn't waste my time guessing why a snake just bit me and I'm not going to waste my time wondering why Pitchfork Media would give an intelligent album such a low score.

If you are after some intelligent hip hop with a legion of good messages and some awesome beats, then I would definitely say give this album a chance.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

music_phantom13

Well now that it has LoathsomePete's approval I pretty much have to check this out. Keep 'em coming! I expect this thread to remain one of the most interesting around these parts, you have great taste and listen to a lot of stuff I've never heard.

LoathsomePete

I won't lie and say that I'm a long time fan of My Bloody Valentine. While I was always aware of who they were and what genre of music they played, I always steered clear of their music in fear of catching the gay. Not only that but the little elitist sitting on my shoulder would always tell me that because they're so widely regarded then they must suck. Well never has that little cocksucker ever been so wrong because Loveless is a shining aural masterpiece and just proves that sometimes the majority can be totally right.

Loveless is quite possibly one of the most captivating dreamy sounding albums that feels like it was recorded after months of sleep deprivation until all the members of the band went into a catatonic state. Vocalist Kevin Shields even sounds like he's drifting off into a deep slumber in his lyrics which are practically incomprehensible, yet the lyrics come secondary to the amazingly deep and layered sound the rest of the band creates. This is probably due to the rumored £250,000 spent on recording the album, a figure that nearly bankrupted Creation Records.

Even as epic as the album is it is by no means perfect. There are a few songs that do not have that same polished feel to them and sound like pre Daydream Nation Sonic Youth. Now depending on if you like noise music could affect your opinion on these tracks. I also felt that the album ended rather abruptly and anticlimactically. The final track "Soon" is quite a lovely track, but it just doesn't provide that feeling of closure most final tracks are suppose to invoke. These are really just nitpicky minor complaints and they do not overall affect my feelings on the album.

There is no denying the massive impact Loveless has had on the alternative music scene since it was released. Many of the more popular '90's alt. rock bands have cited this album as a primary influence and the Smashing Pumpkins went so far as to hire Alan Moulder to help produce their magnum opus Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Their acclaim is not undeserving because they managed to do one of those rare things and that is to create new guitar sounds for a more populist audience. I am absolutely convinced some obscure band was doing the exact same thing at around the same time, yet it was My Bloody Valentine to bring the concept of swirling guitar sounds, waves of deeply layered fuzz, and only a vague idea of what Kevin Shields is saying to a wide audience. Loveless has become an album that I use to disprove similar close-minded individuals like my former self and has also become an album I can throw on whenever I feel the need to escape into a dreamy pseudo world without the need of intoxicants. It may be a new addition to my music archive but it has rectified some misconceptions I've had about popular albums and alternative music in a short amount of time, and thus is eligible to be put on my list.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

LoathsomePete

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is to The Flaming Lips as what Kid A was to Radiohead. Both albums are popular amongst neonates of both bands and they are rapidly different from previous acclaimed albums. Of course they're also highly rated on sites like Pitchfork Media and prove that older bands can comprehend the idea of newer sounds and technology.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is a concept album that isn't really a concept album, but it is. The first four tracks chronicle the adventures of the aptly named Yoshimi as she battles the Robots, who just happen to be pink. This is evidenced in the songs "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1" and "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2" (although it is questionable considering the second part is completely instrumental). The band has gone on the record in saying that the album is not a concept album, but much like the term "documentary" has changed over years to a completely different meaning, the definition of a concept album has been altered so that any song telling a story could technically be classified as such.

ANYWAYS… after the epic battle between Yoshimi and the Robots that are pink (which was apparently so epic any record of it was lost in its own awesomeness that opened some kind of quantum portal or some shit), we're introduced to a series of songs about magicians, the seasons, and space travel. The Flaming Lips are one of the only bands I think could get away with this kind of rapid content switch, but because of their veteran status amongst the indie scene they could take turns raping Stephen Malkmus and nobody would bat an eyebrow (and NME would probably give it a 9/10).

Fortunately for older fans of the band, The Flaming Lips fuse their previous indie acoustic sounds with the wobbly sounds effects of flanging, chorus, and heavy use of electronic drum beats. For a bunch of old farts they actually make the fusion work better than most new bands and manage to create a wonderful entry point for people new to the indie genre.

Overall Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots serves as a more serious edition to The Flaming Lips' discography, yet they do not sacrifice their established sound entirely. Compared to their previous album, The Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots deals with a more mature subject manner and does so in a hauntingly beautiful manner. That is no way a dig at The Soft Bulletin, which is possibly one of the best albums of the '90's and a great way to end a decade full of mixed hits and challenges to remain hip without selling out by just being as goofy as possible in a way that would make They Might Be Giants and The Bloodhound Gang seem conservative.

If a mellow, darkly humored, and deeply layered album that's a concept album that isn't, then you can do far worse than Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. It's a perfect album to listen to with headphones, smoke a joint to, or listen with friends or a loved one in a tranquil silence. Under the right circumstances the album will take with you to the wonderful and frightening world of Yoshimi and perhaps even you can help her battle the dastardly Robots who are Pink.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

Zer0

Woah, two completely awesome albums in a row, this thread is turning seriously epic

Excellent review of Loveless. You summed it up pretty well when you mentioned sleep deprivation, it really does have the feel. It sounds incredible when you're listening to it really late at night and deprived of sleep, it feels like you're drifting off into another world.

I only bought Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots a few weeks ago (better late than never) but it's already becoming a firm favourite. I'm looking forward to more reviews.

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Anteater

Wonderful reviews: 'Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell' was what got me into The Flaming Lips to begin with a few years back, and even now it brings back cool memories.

Keep up the good work partner: it's always a pleasure to read about albums that mean a lot to the reviewer.

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LoathsomePete

Funny you should mention that song because it was the same song that put The Flaming Lips on my radar. It was after I graduated high school and was at some shitty after party where some guys I use to know by association had hijacked a bedroom, plugged in an iPod and were listening to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and taking bong hits. That was actually the same night I discovered Ween when they threw on "Mutilated Lips" off their '97 album The Mollusk. Probably one of the only worth wild high school parties I went to, nobody got into a fight, neighbors didn't call the cops, and nobody died or killed someone while driving home.

I'm happy with the way this thread is progressing, but I need to motivate myself to update it more frequently. I was hoping to be up to the mid 80's by now, but considering most people never even finish these I shouldn't complain too much.

I'm glad you guys are enjoying it, if more people commented on them then perhaps I'd have more incentive to update it

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

Alfred

I must be one of the only people in the world who can't enjoy (or doesn't understand) Spiderland. I get its influence on post-rock, but it's so dated and boring and does absolutely nothing for me.

Maybe I'm just missing the point?

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