I think this will be the last batch for now, there is more music that I have to to write about and I'll get to them some time later.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
I've known RHCP for a while, since around when Californication came out. I liked the album back then but I still never was a huge fan of theirs. Theoretically their setup is ideal for me – the sound mix is heavy on the bass and drums, with the guitar usually laid back and only coming up front at particular moments, all the while some clear and melodic vocals with choiced harmonies. In practice I just didn't really get into them despite loving the singles along the way. I guess it's just that they have such a large back catalogue I wasn't prepared to go and check it all out which I like to do for any band I want to know about, rather than just hear one single album without context. This year the band released a double-album which was a little overwhelming for me because the typical music attention span usually only goes album length. I thought it was great of them to release so much material if that was what they had in them, but I suspected it might mean some filler material packaging a few hits. As it turned out I was wrong. It took me a long time to get into the album because there were a lot of songs, and I at that time had not heard the previous album, By The Way so I wasn't that familiar with their current sound. SA is consistently a good album, with highlights all the way through. I think the guitarist John Frusciante must have really had a lot of fun because he comes out with some great work throughout the album. While it's not a record I absolutely love it's good listening that I can turn to at any time.
Audioslave - Revelations
I always thought Audioslave should have been something more than they were. I never really paid much attention to their previous two releases, mainly because I didn't think they fulfilled their potential as a supergroup. I really liked some of the singles but I still wasn't convinced enough to give them a go. When Revelations dropped, though, I heard that they were taking a slightly different route and had decided to try some new things. I was intrigued enough to give the album a listen, and I was really glad that I did, because I think their experimentation proved successful. Musically I don't think they've strayed much from their distinctive style, but Cornell has injected some freshness in his vocal style, giving a bit of funk to the mix. I am enjoying it quite a bit, and applaud the new sound, however slight a difference it may have.
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta have three albums thus far, Deloused in the Crematorium, Frances de Mute and Amputecture, the last of which came out this year. I had heard a bit about them from various sources, and was interested in trying them out. They are a chaotic progressive rock band, definitely one that's hard to get into. Their music is in the majority very loud and abrasive, and their occasional moments of slow music they seem quite a different band. I still haven't listen to the latest album enough to know it well, but out of the three I think the first is their best. It manages to stay cohesive and engaging, which the second doesn't quite do with it's long periods of screwing around and noisiness. I think on the whole Amputechture is a less violent record and I think that's not that great of an advancement. They are best when they are at their most energetic, because within that chaos is music that is fresh and interesting. I do not know any other band like The Mars Volta.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
I've known RHCP for a while, since around when Californication came out. I liked the album back then but I still never was a huge fan of theirs. Theoretically their setup is ideal for me – the sound mix is heavy on the bass and drums, with the guitar usually laid back and only coming up front at particular moments, all the while some clear and melodic vocals with choiced harmonies. In practice I just didn't really get into them despite loving the singles along the way. I guess it's just that they have such a large back catalogue I wasn't prepared to go and check it all out which I like to do for any band I want to know about, rather than just hear one single album without context. This year the band released a double-album which was a little overwhelming for me because the typical music attention span usually only goes album length. I thought it was great of them to release so much material if that was what they had in them, but I suspected it might mean some filler material packaging a few hits. As it turned out I was wrong. It took me a long time to get into the album because there were a lot of songs, and I at that time had not heard the previous album, By The Way so I wasn't that familiar with their current sound. SA is consistently a good album, with highlights all the way through. I think the guitarist John Frusciante must have really had a lot of fun because he comes out with some great work throughout the album. While it's not a record I absolutely love it's good listening that I can turn to at any time.
Audioslave - Revelations
I always thought Audioslave should have been something more than they were. I never really paid much attention to their previous two releases, mainly because I didn't think they fulfilled their potential as a supergroup. I really liked some of the singles but I still wasn't convinced enough to give them a go. When Revelations dropped, though, I heard that they were taking a slightly different route and had decided to try some new things. I was intrigued enough to give the album a listen, and I was really glad that I did, because I think their experimentation proved successful. Musically I don't think they've strayed much from their distinctive style, but Cornell has injected some freshness in his vocal style, giving a bit of funk to the mix. I am enjoying it quite a bit, and applaud the new sound, however slight a difference it may have.
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta have three albums thus far, Deloused in the Crematorium, Frances de Mute and Amputecture, the last of which came out this year. I had heard a bit about them from various sources, and was interested in trying them out. They are a chaotic progressive rock band, definitely one that's hard to get into. Their music is in the majority very loud and abrasive, and their occasional moments of slow music they seem quite a different band. I still haven't listen to the latest album enough to know it well, but out of the three I think the first is their best. It manages to stay cohesive and engaging, which the second doesn't quite do with it's long periods of screwing around and noisiness. I think on the whole Amputechture is a less violent record and I think that's not that great of an advancement. They are best when they are at their most energetic, because within that chaos is music that is fresh and interesting. I do not know any other band like The Mars Volta.
2 comments:
revelations was much better than out of exile i'll admit but their first album was almost as good if not better.
de-loused in a comatorium is a bit too frantic and confusing for my liking. frances the mute is awesome!
stadium arcadium was a bit of a let down...i was expecting much more.
I don't think Frances holds together well as an album, there are too many parts that are just random scratching noises which are completely unproductive and unnecessary. That's not to say that I don't like the songs on it - the singles were better on that album than on De-loused.
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