Day 44

Tantifaxath - Sacred White Noise

So very recently I've been trying to get into a bit more metal and extreme music in general, and this was my first real endeavor into the genre, and really propelled me into looking into the genre father. So, yeah I like the album, a lot. The songs really paint a portrait and to listen to any of the tracks on the album songs is not really taking in the full expirience. I see each as a piece in more of a classical sense, using build up's and subtle dynamic play on instrumentation and vocals to paint this desperate painting. Not to mention it's a great metal record in general the tones on the instruments are great, and it dosent sound compressed down. The guitars are grating yet very live sounding, the drums pound along, the bass pods in the backround, and the vocals roar in a world all its own, y eet completely attached to the other players. Really this one is a must have in my opinion, and one that you need to put down what your doing and give it a listen.

This is an honest question and I really don't mean it in a mean way: is there anything Frownland likes that you've heard and you just don't?

Oh dude it happens all the time.

Well I've gotten quite a few recs from the guy, and I generally enjoy harsh music, but yeach I don't really enjoy a lot of free jazz, and some noise music I can't really get into. I am happy to say for the most part almost everything he's shown me I can dig. I hope that was a good enough answer.

Fair enough. Personally I think extreme metal is less accessible than free jazz, although I like both genres, but that's probably just a matter of taste.

Day 45

The Microphones - The Glow Pt.2

So I e done a song from this album on here quite a while ago, so I don't know if this is cheating, but I feel like I have to add it to do justice. The Glow Pt.2 is an album that always bored me until recently when I really started listening to it, and started to see all the complexities and perfectionist attitude the album takes. Songs like I Want Wind To Blow, The Moon, Map, The Gleam Pt.2, I Felt My Size, and I Felt Your Shape are all such great examples of this and should definately be given a chance if you're interested in the album. This leads me to another thing, this album is absolutely gigantic maybe not in length, but in how it's presented. To be fair the album is over an hour which is quite long, but at 20 songs ranging from a few that are short 2 minute ditties and some being 5-9 minute epics that reach a scope that one might not normally expect from a lo-fi production technique and mainly acoustic instrumentation. The Glow Pt.2 shows itself as a beast or raging fire (wink,wink) that can only be truly grasped by many listens and letting go of stereotypes associated with it. A must listen.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...s_glow_pt2.jpg

Day 46

Earl Sweatshirt - Doris

So I know what your probably thinking, oh god its another ****ing Odd Future review I hate those guys. Now I can see why you might say that, but you have to give this album a chance, and I'm about to give you the reasons why.

So a bit of backround because without knowing that you can't really get the full idea of what this album presents. Earl Sweatshirt is a California rapper and prominent member of LA based hip-hop collective that is OFWGKTA or Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. His debut mixtape EARL came out when he was 16 years old, and throughout told stories of brutal murders, rape, cannabalism, and general mayhem and damn was it good. The lo-fi production from Tyler, The Creator completely fit the punk or DIY asthetic being displayed in those Early OF releases, and Earl's rapping felt juvenile on the surface, but digging a bit deeper you really can tell what an accomplished writer by the time of the albums release. And then he dissapered, completely out of the limelight while other OF members like Tyler, The Creator, Mellowhype, Domo Genesis, and Frank Ocean went onto great success. Meanwhile Earl (a.k.a Thebe) was sent to a boarding school in Samoa by his mother for various reasons. Two years later he comes back, and is pushed to release something and Doris is the product of that.

Doris is great on two major levels, the first being how far Earl progessed as a rapper in his time in Samoa. And secondly it's a deeply personal album even self-deprecating at times some thing that is not shown very much in modern mainstream rap. Songs like Chum and Burgundy really show this off, with the latter having an intro done by Vince Staples where he talks about how no one really cares how Thebe feels and they just want raps, they don't care what he has going on even calling him a little bitch, and they just want an album from the guy. The first lines "Grandma's passing, but I'm to busy trying to get this ****ing album cracking" really show this on display even sounding like he's tearing up at the very beggining of the song. Another thing worth mentioning is Earl's style of rapping, it's almost completely monotone throughout the entire album, and I love it. It sounds like Earl almost disinterested in how people think of him, and doing this for himself. Other songs like Prez, Hive, and Centurion (which btw features an awesome Can sample) show a darker side, but not the cartoonish dark on EARL more of a personal type of dark. And while yes most songs on Doris end up being very personal and sometimes very depressing, the album is not without its fun moments like Sunday, 20 Wave Caps, and WOAH!. Sunday is more lighthearted track about past relationships, and a great guest feature from Frank Ocean, whole 20 Wave Caps features Domo and is one of the few more bragadocious tracks, but it dosent break up any kind of consistancy the album already has going, and WOAH! features and is produced by Tyler and it really brings out the most lighthearted Earl is on the enitre album, it truly sounds like they had a lot of fun working on this track. It is reminiscent of AssMilk, but without all the murder and rape on that.

All and all Doris has been the OF release I've enjoyed most of there discography beating o it WOLF only because of the condesed feel of the album, with all songs being fairly short and the album only lasting about 40 minutes as opposed to the 70 we get from WOLF. I feel it's a must listen even if you're not a fan of Odd Future, and encourages multiple listens.

Alright I'll be back on top of this thread strating tomorrow, and for Monthly Madness I'll be returning sometime next week with a review of Viet-Cong's self-titled as well as the next in my review of The Flaming Lips discography.

Day 47

Viet-Cong - S/T

I'm not going to say much about this in this journal as I'm featuring it in my second jounal this week, but I will say this that it was one of the most enjoyable listening expiriences I've had in a while. Very post-punk and noise rock influenced while maintaining their own sound and defining place in today's musical scene. Anyway more thoughts to come, but for now I leave you with a song from the album.

Day 48

BADBADNOTGOOD - Flashing Lights (Kanye West cover)

Ah BBNG you never cease to amazing me when it comes to your material. If you haven't familiarized yourself in these gentlemen might I suggest doing so now. BBNG are a Canada based instrumental hip-hop/ jazz trio that used to specialize in hip-hop covers from Odd Future, Kanye West, MF DOOM, and Zelda (yes the game) among many others. Flashing Lights comes off of their second album BBNG2, and is what really got me into the group. It starts off as a cool bass and drum riff that at its apex cuts our and absolutely breathtaking strings come in. Anyways later in the sing we get what might be the juiciest keyboard solo on the album besides the one on Bastard/Lemonade. The whole thing propels forward for another 4 or so minutes to an absolutely amazing finale really doing the original justice even rising above its former self.



Sick live version...