Antonio's album reviews

Antonio · 05-29-2009, 12:25 AM

yeah, it's definately worth a listen

Antonio · 05-29-2009, 12:53 AM

(technically, this isn't a new review, i did this a while back on another forum, but seeing there are some Muse fans here, i thought they'd get a kick out of this.)

Label: Mushroom
Release Date: June 17, 2001

now i not that big of a Muse fan, but i thought i'd give them a shot and downloaded this album. for a trio they've got a pretty full sound. Matt Bellamy's voice dominates many of the songs, and for good reason, it's intoxicating and draws comparisons to Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame. much of the songs, while not going over 6 or 7 minutes, has a very experimental and progressive feeling in them. as musicians, the bassist really stands out with some of his basslines in the songs. as a guitarist, Bellamy takes the "let me see what sounds i can get out of this thing" route. Overall, i was pretty impressed with this album, i'd reccomend it to anyone who'd like to check this band out. 8.9/10

New Born- Damn good opening, really one of their rocking tracks as well as a very distinct solo.

Bliss- I enjoy the feel of this song, especially the synth and guitar combination, gets you moving

Space Demantia- not a bad opening with the piano. this song has a feeling of despair and melancholy to it, but seems a tad drawn out

Hyper Music- the opening is a strange effect done on the guitar? i'm not sure. the bassline is very driving and takes the lead in this kickass, take names song.

Plug in Baby- good arpeggio in the beggining and rest of the song. the bass has a very strange, froglike effect on this. the chorus will have you singing with it, guaranteed.

Citizen Erased- longest song on the record. very distinct riff that starts the song. love the chorus, especially the high pitched singing. it ends very nice.

Micro Cuts- pretty chill song, something you can layback to. the vocals are pretty muffled, even when the song kicks in. the riff near the end is rocking especially with the bass doubling it

Screenager- has the feel of a singer performing at some dive bar. my least favorite track.

Darkshines- the song has a spanish feel to it, damn good.

Feeling Good- pretty jazzy. didn't know the British could be jazzy. the piano and double bass are ****ing good

Megalomania- kinda slow, but as an ending track, it's preeeetty epic, especially with the pipe organ.

Comus · 05-31-2009, 01:58 PM

Going to jump on the bandwagon and say a lot of people read the threads without posting. Not all of us are massive post whores, but I know from experience that it can get frustrating if you don't get any replies. Just don't worry about replies and keep making reviews.

Personally track by tracks are not my thing, even though I review chronologically I tend to focus more on the flow. But I did very much enjoy your ' review. Love that album.

Antonio · 06-02-2009, 09:40 PM

Label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: November 7, 1988

This is the 6th studio from R.E.M., and their first with a major label. with this clean slate, they wanted to approach the record making process a little differently. for instance, Bill Berry, Peter Buck and Mike Mills learned each other's instruments and frequently switched roles during the recording, and Michael Stipe switched from adding lyrics to finished songs to working on his writing during or before song conception. This album also marks the introduction of the mandolin in the R.E.M universe, an instrument they would call on again in the future.

I see this effort as them growing "radio wings", as in, some songs on here seem to capture a sense of upbeat pop, but still pertains to R.E.M.'s natural sound. There's alot to love here, such as the structures of the songs and Stipes' yelping dog vocals, along with more hooks than a bait shop can offer.

in the end, i give this cd an 8.5/10, with catchy hooks and melodies hand in hand with well done instrumentation and structure, this is a great cd for getting into the band as well as anyone whole likes to rock, but not too much, hehe.

Pop Song 89-The first song hits hard(by R.E.M. standards, that is). the one part i love is the catchy guitar line delivered after each verse. ironically this song seems to be making fun of pop music.

Get Up-a bit like the last song, except slower and with better background singing. in the middle it sounds like the guitarist is plucking the strings ahead of the nut(fellow guitarists would know what i'm talking about). still, this is a pretty catchy song.

You Are the Everything-the mandolin makes its introduction here. this feels like a really outdoorsy song, even with outside sounds on the recording. when i listen to this i feel like i'm outside on a summer night, laying on the grass and watching the dragonflies light up.

Stand-an organ of all things whirls you into this undeniably catchy tune. this is pure pop in its finest form. in the middle is a slightly funky solo, right before bringing you back to pop.

World Leader Pretend-This sounds more like a standard song by them. Stipe singing in his usual talking bordering on rambling singing and the backing instruments playing their parts. listening to this song, i feel like i'm sitting alone at a table, assesing my life and all the mistakes i've made

The Wrong Child-i feel soooooo sad when i listen to this song. looking at the title and hearing the lyrics, this song is pretty self explanatory. this also has a mandolin appearance in it.

Orange Crush-my favorite R.E.M. song and the reason i bought this album. This song, as Stipe puts it, is about a football star who leaves his home and family for the war in Vietnam. The military feel is in this too, with the chantlike "Follow Me, Don't Follow Me" and the guitar, bass and drums giving a sense of marching

Turn You Inside-Out-

Quote:

I could turn you inside-out
But i choose, not to do

yep, pretty much saying "i could f*ck you up(R.E.M. style), but i wont"
pure badassery, much like this song

Hairshirt-imo a very beautiful song for the mandolin. i also love how Michael sings this, especially the note he holds at 1:09. this is a very intimate and personal song

I Remember California-this kicks in a sort of "wandering through the desert" kind of song. the bass and drums make it ever the more hopeless and desperate

[Untitled, Hidden Track]-yeah, well since this is (supposed to be) hidden, i won't talk about it

jacklovezhimself · 06-03-2009, 10:11 AM

I really enjoyed the review to one of my favorite muse albums ever. Keep it up!

Antonio · 06-03-2009, 11:15 AM

haha thanks, i love that album as well

jackhammer · 06-03-2009, 01:46 PM

I'm a big fan of Green. Great review. I Remember California is my favourite of that album. I haven't played it for a long while either although the production is a little lacklustre it's still a solid album.

Antonio · 06-10-2009, 05:37 AM

Release Date: October 14, 1997
Label: Reprise

man it's been a while since i've done one of these, but hey, the show must go on.........

Nimrod is the fifth album released by Green Day and the second album after their seminal release, Dookie. By this point they're pretty well positioned in popular music, but not too much that they'd recycle old sounds and styles completely. Now, there are two reasons that i chose to do this. One, I felt that this was a time when Green Day sound was evolving, breaking out of the pop punk barriers and encompassing new instruments and sounds into their music. Listening to this, you get random doses of fast paced punk, slower paced pop, and even ska at one point. sure, not exactly leaps and bounds, but for these guys, it's quite the change.

The only problem i have with this cd is the lack of bass prescence. Now Mike Dirnt's got the goods, but he's not using them enough. ffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuu >_<......

but yeah, in all i give this cd a 9/10, definately a milestone for Green Day and quite the listen, although don't expect Dookie II or something.

Nice Guys Finish Last-This was actually the first time i'd ever heard these guys. i remember it being 6:30 in the morning and i was about 7 years old, and just got out of bed to watch TV, and the vid for this song was on. Needless to say, things changed for me that day. A real good song by the band, but just the tip of the iceberg for what's to come.

Hitchin' a Ride-a bleeding heart violin opens up the song, which is real wandering in an alley kind of song, with sleaze and temptation at every corner. in the middle, everything goes silent before coming in and tearing up the joint. it's a bit short, but definately memorable.

The Grouch-I love how Billie Joe says "Now i'm just another sh*tty old man", in this song about growing old and just realizing it. i feel a bit of sadness tied in with this song, possibly because the person in the song misses all the crap he used to be able to do. growing old sucks :/

Redundant-this song makes me think of a high school band during the 80's at the prom, playing the obligatory slow song. Billie Joe wrote this about his marriage, which had become troubled at the time, and him reflecting on the relationship from his love for his wife and the then stagnant pattern the relationship was in. so yeah, touchy feely sh*t.

Scattered-This kicks in in a mix of pop and punk where Billie and Mike pretty much do a duet, singing in unison for almost the entire song.

All the Time-The riff here gets a bit mechanic, like the hands of a clock and the 9-5 drudgery in this song about not having enough time. short and sweet

Worry Rock-This sounds more pop rock than punk, especially at one part where it uses some "sweet chords"(once again musicians would know). but yeah good song

Platypus (I Hate You)-F*CK YEAH, SOME PUNK NOW!! it blasts in from the beginning and kicks you out of your seat. proof that these guys didn't forget where they came from.

Uptight-this makes me think of the song "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins, mainly because of the riff. yeah, maybe a bit of a ripoff, but i don't care. even when it kicks in, it seems like it's staying the course.

Last Ride In-a gas station in the middle of desert instrumental(yeah, surprising, right?). i really enjoy the guitar here and a soft trumpet makes an appeareance. if i heard this anywhere else, i wouldn't think it was them, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, seeing as their trying new things with their music. in all a pleasant listen.

Jinx-kicks in after the last song, but not too much to knock you out of your shoes. really a Green Day type of song.

Haushinka-The last song segues into this, reminiscent of something by Husker Du, one of their biggest influences. i think the title of the song may be the name of the girl described in this song, or maybe not, i'm not really sure. overall a damn good song

Walking Alone-harmonica? in my Green Day song? It's more likely than you think. this is one of the more popish songs, reminiscent of some oldschool Classic Rock, like Bob Dylan. yeah i just compared Green Day to Bob Dylan, what are you gonna do about it?

Reject-sort of a mix of punk and pop, but not technically pop punk. in the middle, i'm actually hearing some bass, yay

.

Take Back-punk, but not completely Green Day kind of punk. in the middle, Billie Joe releases a bit of demonic vocals, surprising.

King for a Day-yea, remember how i said they had a touch of ska at one point? yeah, well here it is. a Dixieland style brass section really leads this song. tbh, my favorite song on the cd. what makes it a bit more interesting is that it's about being a crossdresser. makes you wonder what the guys do on those long lonely tour bus trips.......

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)-ah, the infamous Green Day ballad. you've all heard it, and secretly love it. i find it a bit funny that people call American Idiot "the band selling out", when a few years ago they said the same to this song. and years before that when they broke out with Dookie, their hXc punk fans at 924 Gilman St said the same. take a minute and think about that, ok?

Prosthetic Head-eh, this shouldn't have been the ender. it's a very good song, mind you, but i think it should have been before Good Riddance, or somewhere near the end. other than that, it's a good song, especially when the two part harmony kicks in

Antonio · 06-27-2009, 03:13 PM

Release Date: May 27, 1977
Label: Capricorn Records

Formed at the University of Miami in the 70's, Dixie Dregs is a band that i'm surprised isn't talked about that much on here. what i can only describe as "southern fried fusion", these guys combine elements of jazz, southern rock, bluegrass and country, melding them together to take you on a journey with compositions that are well organized, complex, and brimming with excitement. just looking at the album cover tells you that you're in for quite a trip, and seeing the smiles on the guys' faces tells you that you're gonna like it. It's sunny disposition leaves you feeling like you're gonna have a good day; this is definately an album you want playing when you wake up in the morning.

I love how this album has each of the players have their defining moments as well as great parts away from the spotlight. Steve Morse of course, being the composer of all the songs on this album, takes center stage, as does violinist Allen Sloan, who's smooth and cheerful sounds compliment Morse's funky country lines. Bassist Andy West, keyboardist Steven Davidowski and drummer Rob Morgenstein provide a strong backing; having mastered the art of subtlety while still being able to tear sh*t up, so to speak.

brilliantly composed, full of good, upbeat spirit and musical virtuosity, this is one of my favorite albums and hopefully one that you'll love too. 10/10

Free Fall-Like i said before, good waking up music. this song sounds like the sun is shining and you're getting your day started, taking a bath, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and grabbing something quick to eat before you're out on your merry way. then it sounds like your in your car, trying to fight the traffic to get where you're going. it's also likely to get this stuck in your head, it's actually quite singable for being instrumental.

Holiday-sounds like you're parusing the local shops around town during christmas time, the snow is on the ground, with carolers and santa on every corner greeting you as you walk by. i love how Morse plays an almost Irish sounding diddty on this, as well as the touch of bells that give this a real seasonal feel

Hand Jig-the drummer does an offbeat solo, then it transitions into a song that feels like you're a business man walking down the street to your high rise building, getting ready to ink that new contract with the company. in the middle it does a bit of soloing, then gets back to business

Moe Down-the beginning sounds like an orchestra getting ready to play, then it goes into a hoedown, complete with fiddle, banjo, slide guitar and all around fun.

Refried Funky Chicken-the guitar on here does make it sound like chicken in the deep fryer. my favorite song on here, one that's upbeat and gets you moving, not unlike many of the songs on here already.

Sleep-sounds like the title, and the best touch is the synthesizer that makes it feel like you're being carried away on a cloud. a bit of a well deserved break from the rest of the album.

Cruise Control-You know those movies where a bunch of guys jump into the car on their way to Vegas and the camera views from really high above as they speed down the highway? yea, it feels like that, real upbeat and just cool. it makes a bit of an abrupt stop in the middle, feeling like you're walking into an amazingly fancy and state of the art hotel, just in awe of everything. it speeds up a bit, with the guys soloing back to back, then gets back to where it started

Cosmopolitan Traveler-i really like how the song titles pretty much describe the song. this actually does feel like you're walking through the big city, possibly you're first time there and just taking in the awe of everything

Dig the Ditch-hmmm......i don't know quite how to describe this song, it's hard to put my finger quite on how this song makes you feel. it's still good though.

Wages of Weirdness-starts a bit strange, then it picks up with the bass and violin, and is a bit of a clusterf*ck to me, like they're trying to fit a lot of different riffs, sounds and just plain music into one song. it's good, but you might miss something if you don't listen closely. oh yeah, there's also a piano solo, which is damn good if i say so myself

Northern Lights-i almost thought this was some kind of bonus track at first, because of the talking in the beginning. this is a pretty calm ending to the album, really just and acoustic guitar and violin.

06-03-2009, 10:11 AM	#75 (permalink)
jacklovezhimself five years Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,248	I really enjoyed the review to one of my favorite muse albums ever. Keep it up! __________________

06-03-2009, 01:46 PM	#77 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	I'm a big fan of Green. Great review. I Remember California is my favourite of that album. I haven't played it for a long while either although the production is a little lacklustre it's still a solid album. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”