Deadfood- Weird Feelings (2000)

I can still remember finding out about these guys, many years ago.  I was looking online for a Subtract to Zero LP, and came across this small distro. that was running a sale.  So, long story short I was reading through the different titles they had and saw this Deadfood release.  The description said metal and jazz and some other stuff, so I was thinking, "Metal and Jazz, Hell ya!" so I picked it up for under $5!  When I got the cd I remember looking at the cover, then the inside cover, and thinking "what the hell?", due to the fact that there are only pictures of mushrooms on the cover, and not band info. what-so-ever anywhere in their packaging. Right away from minute number one, after I started playing it, I realized that this is one of the most unique sounding projects that I had come across.  With that being said, I have come across other bands that are similar in style, over the years, but with this being such a cool/cheap find, I rank it pretty high.

Weird Feelings is 13 track release that covers all aspects of musical enlightenment.  Deadfood hits the spastic uniqueness that most bands can't even comprehend.  In all honesty the only other album that can stand toe-to-toe with this is Mr. Bungle's Disco Volante album.  Multiple instruments get intertwined in a weave of highly experimental yet really well put together noise rock meets electronic rock meets noise/grindcore/experimentalism.  The band has members in other equally impressive projects but in all honesty, none can compare to Deadfood.  EdibleChrist has given me 2 other Deadfood releases, as gifts, and they are both just as freakin' awesome.  I have sat here, while typing this review to think of multiple ways to describe this project, but there is really no way to describe them.

Multiple instruments and multiple genre's and time changes mark this album repeatedly, which for any music enthusiast is a sign of great craftsmanship.  When I think of some of my favorite all time bands, broken down by genre/style, these guys definitely top the list of of their style; not to mention that I would say that they are probably in my top 25 all time favorites.  If you can find this, you should buy it, you will not be disappointed, but if you must, look on your favorite file sharing program. 

Official score- 4.20/5 

Samla Mammas Manna- Maltid (1973)

If it wasn't for EdibleChrist introducing me to the R.I.O.- Rock In Opposition- genre, I never would have come across these guys.  Sammla Mammas Manna has gone through multiple line up changes and even a few name changes, but this album, their 2nd, seems to sum up this early 70's Swedish Prog/Rio sound to a "T". 

Maltid has a huge mix of all musical styles combined in one single direct approach for an all encompassing sound.  The vocals are in Swedish, and since I don't speak Swedish, I have no idea what they are saying; but since they use their vocals as more of an instrument and not as a "main sound" it fits in perfectly. (Seriously, they could be talking about unicorns or the newest Swedish dance hit for all I know.)  The great thing about this album, and alot of the early 70's European RIO/prog sound, is the fact that all the instruments being played, are being played very well.  You get to hear solos on various instruments, and the drumming is really quite advanced when you think of the time period when it was made.  Since the time signatures change and the instrumentation is weaving in and out of each other, the percussion is a constant throughout, not including their own solos.  Guitars, bass, pianos, xylophones, and more are used to provide you with a sense of music based comradeship that melts into a dynamic sound that will keep the most avid music fan and the most hyper ADHD child enthralled with interest.

RIO is a genre that you have to acquire a taste for.  Not for the standard music fan, this album and the genre as a whole, will be highly respected by some, and greatly disliked by others.  If you enjoy divers music, you'll love RIO and if you like RIO, you must get this album.

Official score-4/5

Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (2000)

Godspeed You! Black Emperor is one of my favorite all time bands. Years ago I was lucky enough to see them live, and out of all the live shows that I have been to, their live performance ranks in my top 5.  (If I was to refine the list, maybe even top 3 live shows that I have been to!)  Live they were amazing!, seriously there's no other way to describe it.  They had multiple different projectors showing different images that they played along to; more or less social based imagery.  I still remember watching them in aw, and if I remember correctly, they had 9 people playing music.  Usually when you have that many people playing at once, things have a tendency to sound jumbled, but they did not.  GYBE is one of those bands that even with an amazingly stellar live show, their sound transitions easily to a studio recording.

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven was the tour that I saw them play live, and the album is just as amazing and emotional as they were live.  This 2 cd release has 4 continuous tracks with a running time of nearly 90 minutes!  I know what you're thinking: 90 minutes?!  That is correct, 90 minutes, and not any of that time are you itching for it to hurry up and end. Canadian based, GYBE has a very unique way of playing the Post-Rock genre.  Each song builds slowly and quietly, then ends up becoming a huge growth of stylized sounds that will tantalize your auditory senses.  Great guitar work mixed with on the spot stylized violin/cello molds easily into their drums and percussion, reaching a point where all come together in one seamless sound; and that's with 8-9 members playing at once!  GYBE has 5 albums in total, but has many side projects that continue their sound, since GYBE is seemingly no more.  I have checked many many times, since I saw them live, in hopes that they would be touring again, with no success.  It seems as though the most prolific Post-Rock group has disbanded in this form in order to carry on in their side projects/sister bands.

If you are unfamiliar with Post-Rock, this is the band to get into first; you won't be disappointed.  In my opinion all the GYBE albums should be in your music collection.  It's very very difficult to say which album of theirs is better, for they all are very very good.  My suggestion: buy them all.  The only drawback, and seriously ONLY, is that post rock as a whole is not something that fits every occasion; it fits for an everyday listen, but due to the style of the genre, it produces feelings that might be a little downtrodden than what most circumstances ask for. 

Official score-4.75/5

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