DJ Shadow / Primus - Extended Editions

Here is a couple more full-length reviews:

http://www.primaryignition.com/2011/10/28/dj-shadow-the-less-you-know-the-better-music-review/

http://www.primaryignition.com/2011/11/02/primus-green-naugahyde-music-review/

Booyah!!

Thrice / Mastodon (The extended versions)

Couple of full length reviews over at Primary Ignition...

http://www.primaryignition.com/2011/10/12/thrice-majorminor-music-review/

http://www.primaryignition.com/2011/10/05/mastodon-the-hunter-music-review/

*shels

I started writing for a website called Primary Ignition. Check out my first piece for them...

http://www.primaryignition.com/2011/08/29/shels-plains-of-the-purple-buffalo-music-review/

†††

So my favorite rock star man crush just put out a new EP of Depeche Mode tinged electronic flavored goodness. Apparently the band is called ††† (Crosses) and it consists of a bad ass koala bear named Chino Moreno and producer Shaun Lopez from Far (who used to be really good but their latest album was probably the most embarrassing album of 2010).

The vibe is quite similar to Team Sleep yet less cerebral and experimental (Zach Hill is the shit!!). Its free to download off their site http://www.crossesmusic.com/ but, you'll have to sacrifice an email address to do so. It's a small price to pay to the gods of sultry singing. Apparently this is a preview of the full length which hopefully will be out soon.

Track 3 " Op†ion" is makes me want to stuff eucalyptus leaves down my jeans...

Cave In

White Silence



So I promised a review of the new Cave In album... not that anyone really gives a shit. But I figure since I promised I should write one.

Okay so I'm just gonna throw it out there. I think that Cave In gets a lot more props and respect then most bands because of where they came from and what they have been through. Which they should, I admire the band for being able to transition genres in the beginning from some serious and influential hardcore on Until Your Heart Stops to experimental space rock on Jupiter and the major label adventure Antenna, which kinda screwed them because when they turned in a heavier follow up to RCA they were dropped. But that is the reason that I respect them the most, they continue to write the music they want regardless of what everyone expects from them. Check the wiki for more of detailed history.

So all that being considered I really like the musical path the band has taken since leaving the majors and going back to Hydrahead. White Silence is a continuance of that path, the song structures are original and interesting and the vibe of the album does this kind of cool progression from being super heavy and screamed out to a more proged out psychedelic atmosphere towards the end (its like a hardcore version of Pink Floyd). The biggest indicator of the progression is the vocals which are all screams for the first two songs and slowly those screams morph into clean vocals until towards the end of the album the yelps hardly show up at all. It makes me wonder if the band was genius enough to have planned this or if it just happened by coincidence when they ordered the tracks... the world may never now.

But, the album is not as perfect and glorious as many a reviewer on the Internet is saying. I feel like listening through the album there are times when it is missing it's intensity and emotion. I was hoping for more shnazzier rhythms and a lot more bounce. So all that considered while the album doesn't tear my pants off and throw me in the sack it's still good enough to talk me into coming in for a night cap. It's definitely worth your ears and so far is the only heavy release besides Glassjaw's   Coloring Book worth listening to in 2011. The state of heavy music sucks this year... Lame

Fleet Foxes

Helplessness Blues



Finally!! The new Fleet Foxes album leaked. Now everyone in the world can chill out and stop drooling and crapping their pants waiting for it. I know I'm relieved and once I heard it leaked I immediately ran home and did nothing. Then the next morning I woke up and downloaded it. I am still a bit confused as to why everyone is praising these guys so much. I remember a couple of years ago when their self titled came out. People kept telling me to check it out and when I did I was a bit disappointed. While these dudes are definitely a bunch of talented indie folksters that worship at the feet of Crosby, Stills and Nash and probably have nudey pics of Simon & Garfunkel. I don't quite see how they are the supposed saviors.

So again I bought into the hype and gave Helplessness Blues a bunch of listens and again I am not completely blown away but, I am impressed. This album has more textures going on than your local Whole Foods market but, the best aspect is that the different instruments and textures don't come all at once. The first track "Montezuma" is essentially just vocals and guitar (am I the only that thinks that Robin Pecknold's voice is really similar to Ben Bridwell's of Band of Horses?) then the next couple of songs throw in a violin here and there or some percussion to drive the songs to their finish. But were the album becomes really interesting is in the middle of the album on track six "Helplessness Blues" the song starts off as more of a traditional folk song then towards the end breaks into this "New Terraine" Mew vibe. But the most entertaining and experimental song is track ten "The Shrine / An Argument" it starts all reverbed and beautiful then slowly builds into your typical driving folk jam then out of nowhere there is this John Coltrane saxophone solo that I totally wasn't expecting. Thats' when I decided that this album wasn't so vanilla.

So I guess all things considered,  Fleet Foxes has done what I want every band to do, which progress and while they haven't freakin hopscotched over the moon yet. They are definitely making some strong progress and I'm already drooling and crapping my pants for their next album to come out. Haha!!

Boy & Bear

With Emperor Antarctica

If you're looking for a quick alt country fix then you need to check out this five track E.P. from Australian band Boy & Bear. While there is nothing insanely original going on here. It hits in all the ways that you would want some alt country action to hit. With driving tempo's and reverbed vocal harmonies the E.P. cruises along and before you know it the damb thing is over and you're sitting there with your indie folk junk in your hands desperately wanting more. One aspect that stands out about Boy & Bear that is lacking in other country groups is they heaviness of the rhythm section check out the bad ass drums and sweet bass line on track three "Mexican Mavis". Hopefully these dudes will come out with a full length some time soon and add a bit more experimentation cause you know I love those unorthodox sounds. Big up to Isaac for the heads up.