I stopped dead in my tracks the first time I heard "Caught By the Fuzz." It's so different, yet so familiar--an addictive blend of the best hooks, arrangements and early lyrics of the Who, Beatles ("Sofa [of My Lethargy]), and the Rolling Stones ("Sitting Up Straight"), and you have Supergrass. Unadulterated fun at full distortion, by 3 remarkably accomplished musicians. A real revelation.
Genre : Alternative Rock, Rock Pop, Hardcore & Punk, Rock
Controlled chaos. At the same time relaxing and concentration enhancing. Several moments of true beauty. Has made it into the regular rotation of work music for me. Recommended!
It's easy to over-think the meaningfulness of German rock (Krautrock) of the late 60s and early 70s, especially since its image has always been somewhat cerebral and cold in itself. Too much from the head, not enough from the crotch, some have complained. Its players meant for it to be "head" music certainly, and all that implies - there was an intention to the music, a commitment to experiment and improvisation sparked by the intellectual and chemical freedoms of the 60s. But at its best Krautrock conjured a mood distinct unto itself, which in its post-WWII teutonic heaviness could be as threatening and scary as any music ever made, and in its experimental innocence also convey a warmth and humor that speaks to the soul. The album Yeti does both these things. Amon Duul II's second record is a double-album monument of dark European soundscapes that possess a Led Zeppelin heaviness without an over-reliance on the blues or a dependency on rock cliches. The hard riffing has a much more exotic, eastern European or central Asian tone, and the improvisatory tenor, no matter how edited the music might have been in the end, contributes to the feeling that this is NOW music, that this music is happening in the present. Made in 1970, it could be straight out of any time in history. It's as heavy as Beethoven, as Gothic as, well, the Goths, as free from the restrictions of language as Can, as art-y as Roxy Music, as punk as you think you are, and ROCKS in its way like the most electric god of all time. So yeah, it's music that's actually worth thinking about.
What some people appear to have not noticed is that although LTJ Bukem has been around for a while and has mixed and produced many records, Journey Inwards is in fact his first solo album. It mixes great Drum & Bass with a Jazz influence and is well worth the money. It is a great step away from the dark, and in my opinion boring, turn that most Drun & bass has taken. It has soul and feeling this is definately the way forward for Drum & Bass.
To say that the debut solo album from Miguel 'Petalpusher' Migs has been highly anticipated would be a major understatement as the hype has been building since early Spring and expectations float among the clouds. Migs' remixing credentials: solid. Big ups and deep head-bobs for his work on the Nude Dimensions series. People demand a lot from Miguel. While Naked Music co-founder Jay Denes' 'Beautiful Tomorrow' got the critic's nod earlier this year, would this album do the same? I'm not convinced.
Miguel knows his way around the studio as the production and arrangement are tight. But there is no definable peak and its consistent mid-tempo, soul groove will appeal mostly to the ladies. Deep heads out there will be disappointed. 'Days of Color' is the most qualified remixing candidate for the dance hall. 'Don't let me Down' and 'Waiting' was very R&B and pop-like. A stripped down version of 'Breakin It Down' is refreshing and almost as super soulful as 'The One'. Miguel's strength is clearly not in the lyrics with extra syrupy vocals such as 'before you break my heart, think it over.' Uh ' what? Next thing you know, will Migs be hanging out with Carson Daly on Total Request Live? No thanks. Not for me. I hate to knock Migs, but I think we were all expecting just a little more. After all, Miguel helped Naked Music set one of the standards when it comes to deep house flavors. The complete lyrics are included in the liner notes. Total time: 74 minutes. While I was hoping for some deep thumps and serious head-bobbing grooves, instead it was too sugary sweet for my taste buds.
Daydream Nation is clearly Sonic Youth's breakthrough album. The songs are stretched out more giving more of an idea of what they sounded like live. Music at this time was stuck in pop doldrums. Sonic Youth, which had built up a cult following, after the release of this album were then signed by a major label and brought all the indie rock bands into the light eventually including one that was just getting a start in Seattle that would soon eclipse all of them in popularity.
Shoegaze has been a term used to describe bands like Ringo Deathstarr since the early 1990's so it's definitely not a "new term." If you like My Bloody Valentine circa Isn't Anything or Jesus & Mary Chain those are gonna be the most major touchstones for Ringo Deathstarr. If you like this, you're gonna like both Colour Trip and Mauve (their more recent albums), if you liked those records and you don't have this then get it cause it's got front to back great songs on it too.
Vangelis was in an incredible state of inspiration when creating the songs for 666 on words by Costas Ferris. Some of the weirdest experiments in rock are complemented by some potential haunting hit singles, notably "Break", and "Aegean Sea", the latter being without doubt one of the finest examples of symphonic rock to date. It never got the attention it deserves because Aphrodite's Child had already broken up by the time this album was finished, singer Demis Roussos had already started his easy-listening solo career and Vangelis was already working on his first film scores. Still, this double album is one of the highest artistic peaks ever achieved in rock and if you're open to such a thing, this is a definitie must-have in your collection.
Genre : Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Experimental Rock
As if the game Okami itself weren't epic enough, the music that accompanies it is majestic!
Each disc is packed-full with fabulous instrumental tracks that inspire and wow me every time I listen to them. Some tracks send shivers down my body because they are so well-done. [Reset], both the instrumental and vocal versions, is an amazing addition to the CD collection - beautiful in every aspect.
I definitely recommend this collection of music to those who are fans of Okami, Japanese music/orchestra, etc. It's worth every penny!
