Tom Waits- Franks Wild Years (1987)

If you haven't heard of Tom Waits, then there is something wrong with you.  Not only he is one of the best musicians in our lifetime, with a huge discography, but he has had multiple roles in films to boot.  Tom Waits has been making music, way before I was born, and the level of composition and musicianship is outstanding.  Long has Tom Waits been a quintessential listen for any and all music fan in the 20th/21st century.

Franks Wild Years was released in 1987, has 17 wonderful tracks that come right around an hours worth of music.  I have many Tom Waits albums, and whenever I meet someone who is not familiar with him, this is the album that I recommend.  This album touches on what makes Tom Waits a great composer: Great melodies that engulf his piano/guitar/drum playing all followed up by his unique voice which recites his enigmatic lyrics that bring all types of moods/emotions to the table.  Tom Waits as a whole, not just this album, is great for everyday listening as well as mood specific times.  I can't really say enough about him, in my opinion the only other musician that might be more prolific than Tom Waits, is Frank Zappa! (which if you know Zappa, then you understand the magnitude of that statement, if you don't know Zappa, then why the hell are you reading this blog?!)

This album is a must have, must listen, must everything; honestly this is the type of album that you want to copy off and give to friends so that they aren't left in the dark.  With a wide range of styles and genres being played on this album, there is something for everyone!  This should be bought; feel free to try and download it, but for the music lover/collector, you need this in your library, and in all honesty, you should already have it there.

Official score-4.25/5

P:ano- Ghost Pirates Without Heads (2005)

I somehow just stumbled onto this group while searching for something new that I hadn't heard before.  (I tend to download different things that I have never heard of or if their name looks cool, ie- P:ano)  The first time I listened to this album I was a little iffy. But since I have been searching for cool kids albums for my son to listen to, that won't drive me completely insane, I have ended up liking this.  I have since searched the internet for more information of P:ano, and have realized this is just one of those quirky indie pop groups.  Even though this isn't really a kids album, it is kid friendly; when I play it on the Xbox 360, and turn on the full screen visual effects, I get my son to zone out for a few minutes.  (He basically zones out on the imagery of the 360 visual effects, I could probably play anytime of music and he'd still like it, but for this post, I will use this band as the reason for his "zoning") 

Hailing from Canada, this 4 piece brings some really cool little songs, that are fun to listen to and is comprised of acoustic instruments. (woodblock, guitar, woodwinds, vocals, etc.)  With only 11 tracks, all of them short due to the running time of right under half an hour, this a good album to listen to while not wanting to spend energy figuring out the instrumentation or being bogged down by lots of studio layering/engineering.  Each song has lyrics based on some sort of dialogue that has some humerus lines which will make you smirk, or laugh, as you hear it. 

Like I stated above, this is kid friendly and fun; which does have it's own drawbacks since most avid music fans wants substance in what they listen to.  A great album to find cheaply or for download, in order to put in a queue while playing with the kids, cleaning the house or for a group setting where you might be drinking and having a good time. 

Official score- 3.25/5

Jonsi and Alex- Riceboy Sleeps (2009)

I had high hopes for this album when I found it, and not to say this is bad, but I was a little disappointed.  Jonsi is the front man for Sigur Ros, who I am a big fan of; not to mention the Jonsi solo album, Go, which is really good.

The album itself is a really good ambient/minimal release, that does a good job at providing a nice atmospheric sound that can calm any listener; but honestly, that's where it ended.  As I listened to each track and the build up of each song I was expecting an apex within the track, but it never arrived.  From the albums I have heard from Sigur Ros, and the solo album by Jonsi, I was anticipating more.  Maybe I psyched myself up but this just pretty much felt like a standard ambient/minimalistic album; the experimental post rock sound I am accustomed to was not there.  These 9 tracks, with a running time of a little over an hour, seemed to drag for me.  Like I said that sound is really good, if you like ambient/minimalism you'll really like this,  but in my opinion it just didn't deliver what I was wanting/expecting. 

Multiple soundscapes line this album, within each track; and each track has a few different layers that can keep you interested, but maybe not interested enough to keep it in any kind of regular listening rotation.  You might want to check out actual Sigur Ros albums or even the solo Jonsi album before you get this one. 

Official score- 3/5

Brown Whornet - Brown Whornet (2002)

Another batch of an odd band here with quite the prodigious amount available for FREE.

Austin, Texas whackos create quite the fun atmosphere with their genre mashing mayhem. Good part hard rocking ska metal (Mr.Bungle, MU330, The Urge, Fishbone, all come to mind) with a fair amount of funk and jazz influence (present in those mentioned above namely the almighty Mr.Bungle) as well as throwing other zany elements into the mix with a heavily experimental vibe into the mix yet while remaining quite tuneful (Residents, Renaldo & The Loaf, The Frogs, Ween, etc.). Quite a masterful command of the tastes making them up has one reminded of Secret Chiefs 3 (especially their earlier less polished work) Estradasphere, and other bands of the "Rock In Opposition (R.I.O)" ilk throwing together multiple styles yet maintaining a heavy foot on the PARTY pedal.

Extremely hard to pigeon hole, even harder to make sense of yet easy to enjoy. I'm not even positive as to which album I have downloaded (has some errors) here. The humorous though lacking discography info on their website and the internet in general hasn't even allowed me to figure out exactly this albums title. Ahhh their website though has hours of entertainment to be found in their streaming radio, vids, and BROWNLOADS (hours of music for free) which are a bit more determined confusedly wandering than even this trip-on, freak-out of an album. Most of the "brownloads" (some available as mp3 some as m4a, some as or with "video" footage included) starting with the same tune in different formations claim: "It's a brand new world" and indeed they've assembled quite the maniacally awesome place to visit.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/whornet
http://www.myspace.com/brownwhornet
http://apps.facebook.com/ilike/artist/Brown+Whornet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcsYMtawJGE

(4.123456789/5) great n bizarre

Tortoise- Beacons of Ancestorship (2009)

Tortoise is one of those bands that I have always liked, but haven't really familiarized myself with too much.  I have enjoyed most of what I have heard from them, so when I was browsing my favorite peer-2-peer program, not too long ago, I decided to get this album to check out; I wasn't disappointed.

Tortoise is a great instrumental project that produces really good multi-genre tracks.  11 tracks that cover a wide spectrum of styles, Beacons of Ancestorship does a nice job of producing a good flow to this album that help keeps you listening.  I have noticed that a lot of instrumental projects lack that necessary draw to keep most listeners wanting more, and Tortoise has seemed to figure out that equation.  I'll be honest in stating that there are better instrumental projects, but there a whole lot more that suck in comparison.  Within this album you get to hear: post-rock, electronic, experimental rock, great rhythms and beats and a lot more hooks that will keep you in that zone when listing to their instrumental compositions.

This is a good album that I would recommend, but there is a handful of instrumental musicians/groups that I would rather recommend first.  A good thing to go and download or to pay $3-4 bucks for if you find it used.  If you check out some of the other musical projects these guys are in, you might appreciate this more, so do a little research and you won't be too disappointed.

Official Score- 3/5

Flight of the Conchords- I Told You I Was Freaky (2009)

I am going to assume that you like music, and hopefully you enjoy comedy, or at least laughing.  (If you don't like laughing then maybe you should go see a professional and get some sort of medication for that)  If you enjoy humor, well played music and tongue in cheek lyrics, then you'll really like Flight of the Conchords. 

Flight of the Conchords play music, have a television show and play tunes live; all of which are pretty damn funny.  I'll be up front and say that I'm not really into the whole comedic music scene, nor do I buy albums that are comedy related; ( I didn't buy this album, I found it online) with all that being said, I like this one. 

I am not sure if I like it more because I am a fan of their show, and have heard the songs from this album being played on the show, or if I actually like the music.  Either way I do  like the music on half of the 13 tracks, and the rest are just kind of so-so.  All the song are funny and fit the confines of their tv show, but they don't all translate to the album.  One really cool thing about these guys is the fact that the music they play covers many genres: hip hop, folk, reggae and various others; and when you mix in their New Zealand accents and some pretty funny lyrics, you have a good match.  All the instrumentation is good, the songs have good structure and they really did do a good job adding their style of comedy to these well stylized tracks.

If you haven't seen their tv show, get online or on HBO and watch a few episodes, it'll make you appreciate their music even more.  I don't really want to score this album all that high, not due to them playing some crappy tunes, but because of the fact that this is not an everyday kinda album/musical genre.  A recommendation for those familiar with Flight of the Conchords or those that enjoy well played comedic songs.

 Official score- 3.25/5

King Crimson- Live At Summit Studios March 12, 1972 (2000)

I remember 2 of my old roommates introducing King Crimson to me, and I liked them from the first time I heard them; and my appreciation has grown throughout the years.  Years ago I had a chance to see them live, with the same 2 roommates that introduced them to me, but I didn't go; and I still kick myself for not going all these years later.

King Crimson is one of the premier Progressive Rock/Experimental Rock/ Jazz Fusion type bad asses that have graced the music world for the past 40+ years.  The first album that I was introduced to, as far as I can remember, was one of their earlier albums, Lark's Tongue in Aspic, and I was blown away.  I have always enjoyed King Crimson's multi-tempo style of music.  Each and every member is phenomenal on their instrument and they, as a whole and individually, have been influential in the progression of musicians and style of music being played/composed. 

Live At Summit Studios is one of my favorite King Crimson albums of all time.  Recorded live in 1972, in Denver Colorado, these 8 tracks that have a play time of over 70 minutes of sheer live raw early awesomeness.  Jazz meets progressive rock meets highly skilled improvisation.  This is a great King Crimson line up and as you listen to the album, you can tell the live audience is not disappointed in anything they get to hear.  Straight up head nodding rockin' with improvisation, on all instruments, that will make you say "WOW" out loud and make other people wonder what your thinking.  Each track builds on an improv then leads to the song or vise versa; one of the best examples of early progressive rock there is.

I would recommend this album to any/everyone that is a music fan. Whether you like standardly built songs, improv, jazz, early prog rock- this is a quintessential album for everyone's collection.

Official score-4.5/5

The Legendary Pink Dots- The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse (1990)

The Legendary Pink Dots are just that, legendary, but honestly, I have never been a big fan.  The LPD has produced some really cool stuff, and without hearing all of their albums, my opinion is based off of what I have heard.

The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse is an album from 1990, that has some pretty decent psychedelic/goth/progressive rock; if you're into that combination of genres.  This album, 12 tracks and a little over an hour long, pretty much comes in under the radar.  I am not a fan of goth rock, and the majority of the vocals on this album have a strong early goth rock style to it; think Christian Death.  I picked this album to listen to, in order to review, because I do have a digital copy of an old 7-inch split they did some time ago, that was bad ass; but after I heard this, I was not impressed.  I will say though, this album does have some absolutely wonderful experimental/early-industrial sounding rhythms that comprise most tracks.  After each song all I could think was that if they didn't sing, this album would be pretty good.  The LPD do a great job composing these experimental rhythms and you can tell they took their time in order to find the exact sound they wanted to comprise their "drum" track; but that's it.  I was not impressed with the album as a whole; only 4 of the songs do I actually like the music that is being played, and none of the vocals in the album grabbed me. 

I don't want to say that The LPD are a crappy band, because they're not, but their music only speaks to a certain audience, and unfortunately I am not from that crowd.  If your not a fan of Goth Rock or 80's-ish Industrial, then you might not need to seek out anything from The LPD, but if you do like that, you'll probably enjoy.

Official Score- 1.75/5
(I sat here trying to figure out how to rate this, I really liked the rhythms and experimental sounds and contemplated rating it a 2/5, but since I will never listen to this again, figured that 2/5 was just a little too high.)

Philip Glass- Glassworks (1982)

If you haven't heard of Philip Glass, never mind if you are a fan or not, then you must be deaf or live in some remote uni-bomber type compound in the middle of a freakin' forest.  Philip Glass is, in my opinion, the top modern/minimalist/post-modern composer, in our lifetime; he has worked with many different musicians, comprised multiple compositions and soundtracks for films.  

Glassworks is my favorite of the releases of his that I am familiar with; this album is comprised of 6 movements, with a running time right under 40 minutes, is a perfect example of tightly composed chamber music. Each track builds in layers, with one instrument after the other, until a wall of classical- meets-modern instrumentation is composed and fills your surroundings with adventure and overtones of simplicity, all the while complexing your minds eye.  Philip Glass has never left me feeling like he didn't put his all into a composition; it is obvious this modern composer takes his time and does his best to produce a high quality modern piece that will be highly anticipated as well as highly revered. 

Classically trained musicians, avid music geeks and true fans of music should be familiar with Philip Glass, and if there needs to be a jumping off place to become familiar with his work, Glassworks is the perfect place.

Official score- 4/5

Krupa & Rich (1955)

Being 2 of the best jazz drummers in history, I assumed that this album would be a great listen; and I was correct.  Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich are probably the best known names in the jazz drumming world, and there are some awesome videos out there that can prove it.  I remember watching an episode of Freaks & Geeks and the dad to one of the characters was trying to show, one of the kids, how awesome jazz drummers are, and ended up playing this album; and as expected, blew the teenager away with the album.  Seriously, both of these guys are super fast and super technical drummers.  (It would be cool if they were alive and could have a drumming duel with some of the top tiered metal drummers; that would be epic!) 

This album has 7 tracks, with each track being either from Krupa or Rich and it comes in around 72 minutes or so, in length.  If you are not a jazz fan, there's a chance that you might like this; due to the fact that is a great synopsis of their drumming skills and by no means are these jazz standards that are being played.  If you are familiar with jazz, and these drummers specifically, there is a good chance that you might have heard this before, or even own it. 

This is a great listen and good for almost any occasion. Highly recommended for any true jazz aficionado or jazz newbie, to buy, download or borrow! 

Official score- 3.75/5

The Joe Rogan Experience- Podcast with Bas Rutten (02/22/2011)

Everyone probably knows who Joe Rogan is: News Radio, Fear Factor, Stand Up Comedian and commentator for the UFC.  Now I have never been a fan of his stand up, sure I have laughed a few times, but he is no Daniel Tosh.  Enter his latest podcast with Fight Legend- Bas Rutten.   If you are not familiar with Bas Rutten, or any of his fights, search him out online and on Youtube; you won't be disappointed.

Bas Rutten has had a very long history in combat sports, and is one of the, if not THE pioneer in all things combat related.  This podcast, from February 22 2011, is absolutely the best thing ever, podcast related. (that I have heard so far, since I don't listen to too many podcasts.)  Bas talks about his personal fight history, some awesome crazy moments he has had- drunken bar room brawls, going to prison and getting a testicle infection, breaking shin bones and witnessing the rise of MMA.  The commentary goes back and forth from Bas to Joe Rogan, with the majority coming from Bas.  Seriously, if you are a MMA fan, this is something that I would say you will enjoy.

With a running time around 2hrs., its a great listen and you won't even know that it lasted that long.  An even better thing?... it's totally freakin' free!  So go download/stream/watch the video of it, and you will thank me.

Official score- 4.5/5

Vas Deferens Organization - Saturation (1996)

Vas Deferens Organization - 1996 - Saturation

Being a lover of guilt free music acquisition I've decided to begin my postings here (hoping to become more proficient - M@ straight blasting away compared to my slow roll and late start) with music that is just that, both in essence and reality FREE.
Journeying along a psychedelic tunnel of the most "out there" tinklings of more synthesized free-range/jam/loose/improvisational/atmospheric/instrumental/rather "rock"& "pop"-less Pink Floyd (ok so its a bad comparison... (think Obscured By Clouds without much/or as much reliance on the bass and drums or any vocals) huh? whut? yes. um...clarity lacking due to sleep also lacking) maybe a stranger Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells?....perhaps a lunatic version of Brian Eno's ambient material?..perhaps) into the realm of abstract early Tangerine Dream'isms (Rot Weiss - Atem, a closer comparison), Vas Deferens Organization compile a massively beautiful mess of studio experimentation which touches upon many a vision and conceptual audio possibility through their many years of productivity. Strange music for bizarre people in odd mindsets.
Frankly I could rattle off adjective after adjective of descriptive explanation or you could just go to the Mutant Sounds blogspot (masters of enlightening obscurity) where a vast majority of their material can be found to download (THANK FREEDOM!!) and have it put to you in clearer definition by the ones actually responsible for the project as well as their satellites.

http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/search?q=vas+deferens

^a vast majority of their and theirs material can be had including half of their most recent outing. a collection bordering on exhaustive if not exhausting yet exciting nonetheless for hungry ears.

&

http://mattcastille.com/me/downloads/

^where their Saturation album can be found as well as a more condensed list of V.D.O. albums and projects.

yay and phew I may be dumb but DAMN I shore am purty. good thing sense making wasn't ever a strong point cuz smart and goodlookin is just dangerASS ...huh,what,yessum.

3/5 (highly experimental music ain't much for daily listening yet hits the spot when needed)

His Hero Is Gone- Monument to Thieves (1997)

Alright, I was looking at previous post that I have made so far, and realized one amazing fact: I hadn't given any album a 5/5 rating yet.  So, here's a 5/5 for you! (honestly it would be a 6/5, but I'm not going to do that)

Now defunct His Hero Is Gone is one of my top 5 favorite bands of all times!  Honestly, I cannot remember who introduced them to me, and I know that I didn't find them on my own, so whoever did, I now thank them.  I remember I was in my late teens when I was first heard them, and at that time, all I wanted to hear was hard, aggressive, intricate punk with harsh/growling vocals that had socio-political lyrics; and guess what? If you're thinking that HHIG provided all that, you are absolutely correct.

14 tracks of the best punk/crust punk/ etc. style you can think of, seriously, the best EVER!  (I even had a drunken hour long argument with an old friend of mine one night where we ended up thinking that HHIG should be classified as progressive crust punk, if that even exists.)  This album has everything, pianos, distorted guitars, thick bass and drums that are so fuckin' awesome you can just sit and listen to it and see them, in your minds eye, playing in a dirty concert hall with a bunch of punk kids that know what they are hearing is great, and yet still know they have a hidden gem to rest of the world. HHIG was out of Tennessee, and the members have now gone on to perform in other bands, but none are anywhere near what HHIG was.  I never had the luxury of seeing HHIG live, but know people who have, and I am still envious to this day.  I have everything that they released and have found some decent internet videos of them live; but it's still not the same. 

All the tracks, lyrically, are centered around social and political issues, and when you mix in the enormously fantastic instrumentation, it is easy to see how HHIG is the cream of the crop.  If you like "heavier" music, no matter what type or from what era in music, this is a "Must Have" for everyone, no if's, and's or but's.  (Seriously go buy it, don't jack around downloading it, just go find a freakin' actual copy of the cd/lp or whatever and you won't be sorry) 

Official score- 5/5

Various Artists- Girls in the Garage Vol. 1 (2004)

I have always liked compilation albums, the different bands and styles that can be heard on one release, and this is no different.  Girls in the Garage is a 10 volume set that helps us discover rare 60's garage rock bands that is either all female or at least female lead vocals. 

27 different tracks, on Volume 1, helps to show the early female pioneers in garage rock, early protopunk type bands. When I first got this release, I hadn't heard of any of these bands, and after listening to a few of the other volumes, I really enjoy most of the tracks.  Everything you will hear on this volume is sheer, pure early psych-garage rock-protopunk-rockabilly-surf greatness!  Granted at times the vocals can get a little high pitched, but it's nowhere near what X-Ray Spex produced.  If you are interested in expanding your horizon to incorporate early rock n' roll, and to see where a lot of what we hear now got it's start, find a way to get your hands on this.  (After looking online at prices for this release, might be a good album to get on your favorite peer-to-peer program.)
With lots of great songs, tons of early rockin' guitar work and your standard rock-n-roll beat, not a bad release at all.


Official score-3/5

Man Man- Six Demon Bag (2006)

Let me start out by thanking EdibleChrist, the other contributor to this blog [whenever he starts], for introducing me to this project.  EC and I have been pals for quite some time now and I always appreciate his suggestions, and this is definitely a great one!

Man Man is an experimental band from Philadelphia that pretty much hits experimental rock on the head, with a giant piano driven- gold plated hammer.  There are 2 other releases by Man Man, and each one is just as good as the next.  They throw everything at you: Piano, Rhodes Piano, woodwinds, drums, bass, guitar, vocals, off-beat time signature and lyrics that cover the spectrum of tameness to absurdity.  (absurdity is not used in a negative way for this review!)  

Six Demon Bag, with 13 glorious tracks and nearly 41 minutes of great tunage, pulls out all the stops; hitting on multiple different genres and styles that will put your ears into orgasmic convulsions.  The album, in EC's words, is a little downtrodden, but the style is fluid and makes the you always keep a foot tapping to their rhythms.  This can be categorized by multiple different genre types, but honestly, this is another one of those projects that you need to hear for yourself.  Check out their videos and try and catch them live if you can, but if not, definitely get this album. 

Official Score-4/5

Muddy Waters- The Complete Plantation Recordings (1993)

This album, though releases in 1993, was recorded in 1941-42, and is a Library of Congress Recording.  A long time ago, a guy named Alan Lomax had the awesome job of traveling around the country and ultimately the world, to make audio documentations of different music; that would have been the best job in the world!  I have other Library of Congress releases that came from these Lomax recordings, and every single one of them are unreal and are absolutely great examples of field recordings/documentation of early musical culture. 

I have heard lots of Muddy Waters, and further his career progressed, time wise, the less I like the style of Blues being played.  This recording, done in '41-'42, is a great example of early Acoustic/Delta Style Blues.  When I think of Blues, or want to listen to Blues, I want this style.  There is something about the old recordings and the unique styles of guitar picking that just speaks to my innermost music fan.  The blues has progressed in so many ways, as time has gone on, but these early acoustic recordings withstand the test of time.

The Complete Plantation Recordings has 22 tracks and goes back and forth from songs to interviews.  In the other  Library of Congress Recordings that I have, this layout is not always duplicated.  If you are a blues fan, you will love this for the fact that the early delta style recordings, and interviews, shed light on the musician himself; which is a very intimate look in the life of a blues musician, from the south, during an early time in music history.   The songs have that old lo-fi recording quality to it that enhances all of the slides and picks from Muddy Waters to show where blues started and allows the listener to realize how it has progressed over time.   There are other equally good delta style recordings from this era, but none of them have the interviews that this does.

I would recommend this album to everyone, not just based on the songs and music itself, but also for the historical aspect of this recording.  If you like music, any type of music, you will really like this; but if for some reason you hear it think it's lame, then you should take a look at your music collection and try to figure out if you are an avid music fan or just some radio hit idiot.

Official score- 4/5

To Kill A Pretty Bourgeoisie- The Patron (2007)

Throughout my entire collection of music, I would have to say that this is by far one of the most unique releases that I have heard.  I am not too familiar with To Kill A Pretty Bourgeoisie, but their mix of genres on this album is something new- Shoe Gaze with Noisy Drones as the rhythm, to produce this fluid and full amalgamation of experimental rock meets harsh electronics.  

The Patron has 10 tracks, all of which pretty much follow the same line of style: tonal intro, heavily effected tones that builds into a nice rhythm then enter the shoe gaze style female vocals followed by a beat, that is hard to tell if it is live drums being ran through some kind of effects or just programmed beats.  I really am not trying to downplay this album, although I might be coming across a little negative, this is a really interesting album.  For me, I like it, but then again I really enjoy inventiveness/experimentation when it comes to different musicians/projects that I find and hear for the first time.

There is a major drawback to this though; I would assume that this style really only appeals to a certain demographic of listeners.  I don't see being able to copy this off for someone and hearing them rave about it when I ask their opinion of it, not because it isn't good, but due to the fact that there isn't any real hooks that would grab the average listener.  It is overall a little downtrodden in style, no uplifting sounds on this release, but it is a dark portrayal of something that the artists are trying to get out, and with that they did a good job.

I would recommend this to my friends that are into different experimental progressive styles of music, but not the average music fan.  If the songs were a little more diverse, even if they stuck to the same style, I would give it a better score.

Official Score- 3/5

Kenjihyakkei- Viva Koenji (1997)

So where to start with Kenjihyakkei? Well they are Japanese, classified as RIO-Rock In Opposition and Zeuhl, but that's just the beginning. This is truly one band that you just have to hear for yourself, honestly.  If I was to attempt to begin a description of this group, I would start with rock, then throw in some metal, add male/female vocals, mix in multiple effects on multiple different instruments all surrounded by off-beat time signatures, leads, rhythms and mix that in a pot, cook it on high, then take it off the stove and let it cool.  So that sounds crazy, right? Actually it's not that crazy at all, if you are acquainted with RIO.  Koenjihyakkei is just one of many RIO projects, yet one of the better.

Viva Koenji is the 2nd release by Kenjijyakkei and, out of the ones that I have heard, probably my favorite.  The production is really good, even though the average user might just consider it crazy unstructured noise, it is actually really well put together and has a great flow to it.  10 tracks with a running time of a little under an hour, this can be trying to complete, in one fell swoop, but if you're a fan of this style, it'll be really easy to digest.  I will say that even within their unconventional style, the tracks end up running together when you listen to them; which is good and bad at the same time, so let me explain.  When the tracks all run together, I have a tendency to not be able to see the differences in what they are pushing across the table to me as a listener, but on the other side of the coin, having them run together shows a stream-lined approach to the release; so pick your poison.  

With at least 5 solid members, and others that show up throughout this album and others, I would suggest this to someone who is adventurous and likes new things.  Kenjihyakkei throws everything at you, most of the time all at once, and with so many things going on as you listen to the album, this is a really good place to test the waters. If you use a file sharing program, or you have a certain site that shares music, you might start there; due to this not being readily available in a lot of areas, but if you can score it used, get it!

Official Score-3.5/5

Gorgoroth- Destroyer (or how to philosophize with the hammer) (1998)

Gorgoroth is one of my favorite black metal bands of all time. (2nd to Darkthrone)  If you look online, or are familiar with Gorgoroth, you know they have had some turbulent times in the last few years, but that doesn't detract from their hard lined straight forward demonic black metal they have produced in the past.  

Gorgorth has always provided me with what I truly like in black metal- fast aggressiveness with harsh vocals that are in both English & Norwegian.  Granted the lyrics are based on their satanic ideology, but what else is black metal supposed to be about?  Destroyer is probably my favorite Gorgoroth album, with heavy laden guitar works and fast blast beats that overpower you and make you want to burn down a church.  8 tracks of pure evil with vocals from Gaahl, who seems to be a very interesting yet jacked up fellow, that are some of the best in black metal history.

If you like metal, and not that crappy lame ass new metal with losers that decide to sing their chorus', then this is a must have for all enthusiasts.  Seriously, I am a big fan of all genres of music, and if I had only 3 black metal albums that I could listen to, for the rest of my life, this would be one of them.  Buy it, download it, steal from someone you know, or if you aren't technologically proficient, have someone tape it off for you to play in your walkman.

Official Score- 4/5

Asa Change and Junray- Tsu Gi Ne Pu (2003)

I would like to start out that I really like Asa Chang & Junray.  When I first discovered this project, some years ago, it was a mainstay for me for quite some time.  In fact, I used to play music while I slept and had a big playlist that would go throughout the night, and I can still remember my wife telling me she would hear these guys start playing and it would kinda creep her out.  (I still laugh when I think about that.)

As you might guess, Asa Chang & Junray are from Japan, and I won't go into it, but take a second and look at some of the info. that there is online about them.  So, with us not getting too much into the band, or the other things that Asa Chang is into, let's get into a review of this album.

5 tracks, actually considered a mini-album by their label, but usually referred to as an E.P., so it is rather short. This is a dark yet rhythmical electronic release with live drums; a total gem in the electronic/experimental field.  Lots of layers of sounds followed with additional layers of beats, both live and electronic covered with mood setting Japanese vocals and vocal rhythms.  I am trying to find some actual descriptive words for this review, but in all honesty, this is a project that I recommend to listen to in order to get their full effect.  The only drawback for this album is that you have to be a fan of Japanese music, experimental/electronic music and/or a combination of all 3 to enjoy this to the fullest extent.  I love experimental music, and really enjoy any type of music that can make me want to listen to it, again and again, in order to find out everything that is going on within each track.  Do what you can to find this and if you're not a fan of this style, then try it anyways- you should have more of an open mind.


Official Score-3.75/5
(I scored this right under 4/5 due to the fact that it does apply only to a certain niche of the listening community; but if I'm not being objective, 4/5 for sure.)

Christ On A Crutch- Crime Pays When Pigs Die (1991)

Let me start off with a couple things real quick: 1. In hopes to have a well rounded set of reviews, I have tried to sporadically choose bands in different genre's, so that I don't have too many highly rated reviews to post; 2. I like Punk, I grew up listening to it and still to this day enjoy it. Now enter this album by Christ On A Crutch.

At first listen, I had hopes that this would impress me, and all in all, the music itself more or less did;  Ok, maybe not impress, but I was able to get into.  Fast, aggressive bass lines mixed with the standard punk style down strokes on guitar and that always good fist punching drumming; but for me, that's where it ended.  I really did not like the vocals, and in fact, I think the vocals actually hindered the album.  To me, the vocals reminded me of Ben Weasel, from Screeching Weasel, which I liked when I was 17 or 18, but now, not something I am into at all.  As I listened through the 15 tracks of decent punk rock, nothing seemed to stick with me.  I have been lucky enough to be exposed to multiple different punk genre's, bands and albums, and honestly, Christ On A Crutch is not one that I will remember, or probably not play again. 

I don't want to totally go off and say that this is the worst punk album ever, because it's not, but really its pretty standard stuff.  There are some really good bass lines, and I will admit to getting into a couple of the tracks, but not to the point of wanting to listen to it multiple times.  I have admitted before that I am pretty choosy when it comes to vocals, and I am even more so with punk vocals; I want dirty raw aggressive vocals, these vocals are pretty wimpy sounding.  (To back up that last sentence there are good punk albums with Wimpy vocals- The Queers, which is bad ass!)

So, if you want a standard punk sound, that might get you going a few different times, but more or less leave you high and dry, get this album; but me, I will probably put this aside.

Official Score- 2/5

Fanfare Ciocarlia- Radio Pascani (1998)

Have you ever wondered what Death/Technical metal would sound like if it was played on brass instrument? If so, or even if you haven't, then Fanfare Ciocarlia is the answer.  Hailing from Romania, this 9 piece, and sometimes 12 piece, is freakin' fast and crazy.  Now, not everyone likes World music, or even traditional sounding Romanian music, but these guys need to be listened to.  With trumpets, trombones, tubas, other brass instrument and percussion, this Romani group has traveled the world, played on major stages on has been on various movies and videos.

Now, on to a review:  Even though this group is really good, the one major drawback is that you really have to be in the mood to listen to this genre, in order to appreciate it's brilliance.  During those times that you are looking for something upbeat with a fast tempo, and want to feel like your losing your mind a little bit, then you'll need nothing else.  But, that would be the only time when Fanfare Ciocarlia can truly be appreciated.  Now with that being said, I have heard a few other albums where they were "guest artists" and the music is different, due to them being guests and not the main musicians, but I have not heard any album by them alone that sounds too different from the last.

With Gypsy, or Romani, music becoming more and more popular, this is definitely the place to start for your Eastern European style traditional tunes.  (Not to digress, but there are other Gypsy groups, from elsewhere in the world, that have a completely different sound; so look for that as well.)  Restating what I did earlier, this is not an everyday album, and to be honest, I think  have only listened to the album, all the way through, a couple of times, in the last 5-6 years that I have been aware of it.  Go find it, if you think you would like it, or if you are already a World/Gypsy fan.

Official Score- 3.5/5
(My unofficial score might be 4/5, due to this group being very bad ass musically, but 3.5/5 is more accurate due to listen-ability.)

Can- Delay 1968 (1981)

(I will say up front that I am not finding an official release date.  I have seen everything from 68/69 to 81 to 2010.  So, for this review, I am going with '81.)

I will have to admit, it took awhile for this album to grow on me.  At first listen, I didn't really care for it that much, but after a couple more go-thru's, I dig it.  Can is one of the best early prog-rock, kraut rock pioneers, out of Germany, and they should be a band that any major music enthusiast should be familiar with. Can has had many different vocalists and musicians, and this line up is one of the better ones.  This album has some of their earlier sounding tracks and has a great example of their early progressive sound, as all the tracks have great breakdowns and some signature vocal styles mixed with early Kraut style guitar work. Track 2- Pnoom, is a short track with a great rhythm mixed found sounds and early style electric beeps and blarps, short- but still one of my favorites on the album.  I was a little disappointed with the track "Thief", not because it's a bad track, but it slows down the pace of the actual songs and their place on the album.  Lots of the tracks remind me of early garage rock/kraut rock/prog type sound, the guitar sound pretty dirty, which I like, but in my opinion, not a must have. 

Anyone that is familiar with Can, should definitely try and check this out, this is not their best work, but not their worst, by far.  The album contains 7 tracks, with a running time a little over 35 minutes, so it's a short listen.  If you like early Prog/Kraut, then go find this, or save yourself the effort and find a way to download it.


Official Score: 3/5

Asylum Street Spankers- Spanker Madness (2001)

If you haven't heard of, or not familiar with the Asylum Street Spankers, do so now.   TASS is one of the greatest modern blues/bluegrass/country/jazzy groups ever.  TASS has a long history, too long for this entry, with a huge list of releases; all of which are worth getting, and more than likely will end up being reviewed here at sometime in the future.  If you are looking to see them live, act fast, they are currently on their farewell tour!

Spanker Madness was my first introduction to the band.  I saw this in the used section of a now local defunct book/cd store, and picked it up due to the Reefer Madness reference, and my love of all things weed related; it did not disappoint. 13 great tracks with all things weed/beer related, as well as some tongue-in-cheek stances on the socialization of usage.  I couldn't even start to list, but I suppose I will when I tag this, all the genres that are played on this album.  You could start with blues, head on over to jazz, bring it back with some good old bluegrass inspired sing-alongs then throw in some really spot on Tom Waits style tunage. 

All these songs are catchy, yet intricate and have a great style of vocals; both male/female.  Multiple musicians that make up TASS play their part to the T, and you can tell that inventiveness meets talent on a grand scale. I'm not going to say what you should listen to... well scratch that I will... listen to these guys!  If you don't like any of the genres that are played by TASS, then you'll love this album based on content alone.  Check out their website, buy the album, download the album or go see them live.  And when you do visit their website, you can see their great discography, with music, clothes and videos.

Official score: 4.5/5

The Extraordinaires-Electric and Benevolent (2009)

This is the newest album by The Extraordinaires, and it has shortly become one of my newest favorite albums, that I have discovered.  I first discovered these guys a year or so again, by finding their previous release, Short Stories.  The Extraordinaires have a wonderful way of telling stories vocally, while they mix different genres and tempos to give you something new to hear everytime you listen to the album.  I find myself being very picky, my wife calls me an elitist, when it comes to music; I want to be entertained, have the music be intriguing enough to keep my attention, so I don't skip the song to find a good one, and feel like the musician more or less knows what they are doing; and these guys, they have all those qualities.
This album has a cleaner sound then their 2 previous releases, but it doesn't lose any of the eccentric build and quality that they had before.  I can't really come up with any complaints; but I will be honest, I am not a fan of the vocals on track 4, Consummation of Lights, for some reason, the vocals make me think of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which for me, totally sucks.  Every other song, has multiple changes in timing and instrumentation, and then folds back into a great melody that makes you want to sing along; which I usually do back and forth on my daily commute.  The vocals themselves are really appealing, and each song contains its own story or dialogue; and like I said before, this helps with being able to find something new, either vocally or instrumentation wise, each time you listen to it. 
Electric and Benevolent is a great album, totally worth the price if you can get a copy, 10 tracks in all and lets not forget the awesome and inventive packaging these guys have with each album they do.  (book and cd, that covers the stories that are being sang!)  As of right now, they are on tour, so go out and find a way to go see them.

Official score: 4/5

Update: The Extraordinaires are wanting votes for them to go to Bonnaroo, download their stuff here.