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An artist at the time being entirely unknown who completely unexpected treats you to one of the most delicious albums of the year, that’s something I really get a kick out of. And that’s exactly what happened with Rodney Hunter’s debut album, Hunter Files.
Math-rock didn’t sound this good in five years. 31knots are revivifying a genre that was on the verge of collapsing into “dead and almost buried territory”. But voilà, the thing is still alive, and at last we’ve got something that ain’t just another rehash.
A good 16 months ago, I heard about Animal Collective for the first time. They were one of the first band to play at the Fat Cat festival in Hasselt, Belgium, and I was quite looking forward to hear what they were actually on about.
After a few ep’s and cd-r’s, it’s time for the first proper full-length for no Xivic, the Finnish ambient act.
The Danish Bliss is one of those bands that never really got out of the boundaries of their own country, despite an excellent debut album, appearances on well known compilations and a soundtrack of a famous TV series. Hopefully, this will change with their new album, Quiet Letters.
When you come to think of it, Mastodon’s rise has been meteoric. When they released Remission, their first full-length, two years ago, they were a band featuring two ex Today is the day members. Right now, it’s more like Today is the day has become the previous band of two Mastodon members.
One of the best labels around releases its second compilation, featuring classic tracks from its back catalogue as well as a few unreleased songs.
This is the first time I do that: review the CD of a band a few months after they split up. Sad news for the fans, the rest of the world won’t care. But they should take notice of Bottom of the curve, ‘cause some good songs are to be found here.
To give less popular but good releases a proper rerelease, but in limited pressings, on CD, Rhino joined forces with Warner under the banner Rhino Handmade. I have no idea what's 'handmade' about it, but this particular one is worth every penny too much I spent on it (American import in a Dutch shop was almost as expensive as a Japanese import, but I figured I needed it. And I was right, I found out once I got home).
The dusty back roads of rural Tennessee could be a very dangerous place, in the mid 60's they were dry for another reason, some counties in the southern states were called dry because alcohol was not permitted and bootlegging and shine runnin' became quite a profitable business for those on the wrong side of the law. So begins The Dirty South by the Drive By Truckers.
Minit is an Australian duo living right now in Berlin. Now Right Here is their first full-length and is released on the constantly good Staubgold label.
It’s been a rather long time since I have last reviewed some hiphop CD. I was waiting to get the good one, you know, a bit like some lads and lasses are waiting to find the right person to start spicing up their sex lives. Time has come for me to deliver my load thanks to the aural stimulation offered by Shuren the Fire.
Ha, Plop. Now we’re talking about an exciting label. Japanese, but not limited to Japanese artists. A welcoming home for people such as Kazumasa Hashimoto, Sora, Fonica, Gel and Lullatone. Music closely linked to nature. After all, isn’t plop the sound made by raindrops?
I'll be the Kaiser, you wear the diapers, we'll go thru money, like it was nothing. we will be famous, in California, I'll be the doctor...
Audiopain from Norway once called one of their demo’s 1986. That was the year that Destruction, Slayer and a couple of other greats of the time dropped their classic albums. On this album one track is called Thrash Mental so I guess you get the picture: this is a thrash metal band.
Having had Counter-Culture Nosebleed in my cd changer for the better part of a year, I was anxious to hear any news about what these fine fellows might be doing next, their website would provide smart assed gems like "got together and jammed, sounds pretty cool" or "working on some songs" or "recording next month" until finally I get this "EP is out and its better than all the other crap you have bought so far this year"
Last year, Kammerflimmer Kollektief released Cicadae, a superb electrojazz album although it sounded a little too cold (in a clinical way) to my ears. This summer, Quecksilber re-release their long deleted Hysteria ep with 17 minutes of new music added.
All members of cult leader of the underground hip-hop, Non Phixion, will release a solo-album this year. The most famous, Ill Bill is the first, followed by Sabac and Goretex. After a thoroughly listening session of all three albums I reached the conclusion that What’s Wrong With Bill? is far the best!
After touring and recording for a few years with in his own words “the baddest rock-n-roll band on the planet" Mark Lanegan decided it was time to get back to doing what he does best. Somber heartfelt acoustic ballads? Gritty blues numbers about relationships gone bad? Or maybe songs about the perils of drug and alcohol abuse? Hmm......Yes and no I suppose.
Now be honest: can you imagine Dave Mustaine ever doing anything without comparing or connecting it to Megadeth? I suspect not, especially when he wants to make metal the cloud of his former band would always hover above it to rain its relentless criticism from 'fans' and press over it. So when Dave decided to return to the game it might as well be under the name Megadeth.
When it's summer, one always needs summer music. Pretty obvious I guess. More accurately: if you live in a temperate area of the world, you'll need summer music that is at the same time sunny and melancholic (in case it starts raining). Let me introduce you to Raymondo...
Even in rainy Holland it's summer and one of the better soundtracks to that occasion is of course some (dub) reggae. The timing of this reissue of 3 historical dub highlights is impeccable. On top of that these recordings amazingly enough are finally (and properly) released on CD for the first time!
Pseudosix caught my eye when I saw that one of the members was Emil Snizek from Grails, the Portland band that revivified my interest in Post-rock (although it would be unfair to corner them into the genre). Pseudosix does not sound much like Grails, but they are almost as interesting.
The entire '3 part meta-album' Book Of Truth, according to initial announcements, should actually be finished by now but after some delays finally the first part is here! Book Of Horizons shows a new approach for Secret Chiefs 3 that's never been a 'band' in the traditional sense but now mastermind Trey took it to a new level: the Chiefs are a '7 part meta-band' now.