The Anteater 30 *COMPLETE*
 

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Well, unlike the near infinity of others people's lists, this probably won't take too long and actually get completed without too much trouble. I may not have been around here as long as some people or as well known, but I hope atleast a few of you find interest in my picks, lol.

So, I'll be posting them in 3's up until the top nine, and after that each review will get its own particular in-depth post. I also like the concept of creating small compilations of tracks based upon the album choices, so I've decided I'll be posting those up also for every 6 albums I review. Hence, there should be five compilations up for DL when all is said and done, but we'll see how it goes. :D

Hope you guys enjoy the read!

I will be reading your thread! :thumb:

30. That Handsome Devil - A City Dressed In Dynamite (2008)
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When something comes along that combines the best elements of hip-hop, house, swing jazz, blues and 1950's rock n' roll into one tightly rolled up package, I sit up and pay the fuck attention. Like a real classic, it feels as if were something from both the here, the now and the future simultaneously. Consistant, diverse, and never lacking in quality, sometimes it steams high and sometimes it cooks itself to a simmering boil below MC Godforbid's mischevious croons and screams, but no matter what they're doing you can bet That Handsome Devil are going to break your reading glasses and eat them all up with shiny Bo Diddley-stamped golden dentures. Great for parties!

Track Highlights: Rob The Prez-O-Dent, Kiss The Cook, Wintergreen


29. Frank Zappa - Over-Nite Sensation (1973)
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Everyone's got a Zappa album that they at-least somewhat enjoy, and for a jazz-rock freak like myself I've always thought he was at his best here. Whether its rocking its ass off on 'Zomby Woof' or swingin' silly with "I'm the Slime", I'm never in want of entertainment. Basically: Great man+great dynamics+humor= awesome, and that's really all there is to say.

Track Highlights: I'm the Slime, Zomby Woof, Fifty-Fifty


28. Matmos - The Rose Has Teeth In the Mouth of the Beast (2006)
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Among the various insane electronic duos doing music out there, Matmos are among the maddest and coolest around. Combining their freakish art-pop tendencies with glitch and heavy bass, they grind their samples down and build them from the ground up to deadly effect. It was here where they began experimenting with jazz and drone though, and it adds dimensions to the already steller sound which got me hooked in the first place. Overall, my favorite work by them, and worth a look to anyone who is savvy on trip-hop or weird house music.

Track Highlights: Public Sex For Boyd McDonald, Snails And Lasers For Patricia Highsmith

I can dig That Handsome Devil. The singer's voice puts me off a bit, but there is some quality material on that album in particular.

Your paragraph's got me to check out the two I hadn't heard... some odd bands there. Definitely looking forward to what else I end up listing to from this. Good reviews, great thread. Keep at it.

Matmos :thumb:

where the ****'s ma booze, mayn? T_T


nah, but seriously, good first choices, looking forward to the rest of this thread

27. Chris Squire – Fish Out Of Water (1975)
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My favorite bassist released his one and only solo album back in ’75, showing the world that he didn’t need Anderson or Howe to craft kickass songs or sing when he could do both in spades himself. As a result, what we have here is a top class work with a lot of symphonic tendencies, but one that doesn’t sound anything like Squire’s parent band Yes. Lounge jazz excursions such as ‘Lucky Seven’ and the high rolling “Silently Falling” let Squire test waters he normally wouldn’t get to otherwise, and the result is wonderful to behold.

Track Highlights: Lucky Seven, Safe (Cannon Song)



26. Pharaoh Sanders – Karma (1969)
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Coltrane’s protégé steps out quite well on this ridiculously amazing release, the last great free-jazz album of the decade and among my favorites of all time. Although it only consists of two tracks (The Creator Has A Master Plan and Colors), Sander’s beautiful yet sometimes quite chaotic tenor work does much in turning Karma from mere noise into a timeless masterstroke that aptly conveys his spirituality and a sense of wonder of the unknown. Real choice jazz for interested individuals!

Track Highlights: Colors




25. Yesterdays – Holdfenykert (2008)
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I don’t own a lot of stuff from Hungary, but I really love this album. Sunlit female vocals set against a sonic backdrop that’s somewhere between early 1970’s Camel and Cocteau Twins at their dream-pop best, with oodles of gorgeous acoustic guitar work and some stellar flute to boot. Such a combination of vintage elements is quite entrancing and a nice antidote to seemingly endless procession of albums that recycle the same trip-hop elements again and again to make their songs seemingly more hypnotic than they actually are.

Simply put, this is a damn nice slice of Mellotron-pop, bleeding the beauty from every note and word within, and I’m quite fond of it. Plus it has the welcome side-effect of having a 100% chance of converting prog-haters with but a single spin through your player.

Track Highlights: If Ever, Somewhere In Space, It’s So Divine

wonderful writeups Anteater. truly eclectic taste you've got here so far, i expect it to only get better.

i'm really interested in that Matmos and Yesterdays albums, can't find them anywhere online.

God is really shows how far I need to go that I haven't heard of any of these albums

YouTube - Jazz Middelheim : Pharoah Sanders - part 3
^That guy plays like a god, and so does that Chris character. Haven't checked out Yesterdays yet. I'm definitely keeping on eye on this thread, I can't to see what comes next.

That Chris Squire album is great, nice choice.

Glad you're all enjoying the ride so far, lol! Although I apologize for the lack of alcohol, be satiated instead with the first compilation for those who are tentative at checking out the albums reviewed thus-far :wave::

24. Symphony X – Paradise Lost (2007)
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Combining elements of thrash, progressive, speed, neoclassical and power metal in ways that Dragonforce & Dream Theater wish they could but fail at, Symphony X's Paradise Lost is, like their 2000 release V: The Mythology Suite, one of those rare works thats full of wankery but somehow just works despite evidence to the contrary. Not sure exactly why I'm drawn to this particular album so much though; maybe its because vocalist Russell Allen doesn't sound like he's trying to be Bruce Dickinson or Dio every time he opens his piehole (the title track truly does justice to his range). Or perhaps its because I just like the idea of Milton's play getting the epic concept album treatment. Either way, its a keeper in my book, and although this album won't appeal to many, its one of my favorites and something I'd recommend even to folks who aren't keen on classical-metal schnookery. It may be a riff-fest, but its a top class one!

Track Highlights: Paradise Lost, Eve of Seduction, The Walls of Babylon



23. Fever Tree – Fever Tree (1968)
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This rather obscure debut release from the Texan psychedelic rock scene of the late 60’s holds quite a bit of sentimental value for me; my uncle on my dad’s side was this group’s keyboardist, and even now tells me stories about all the fun times he had while recording and touring back in the day. Still, even without the personal attachment, I think it’s a dynamic effort considering the place and time; for although its very much a product of the era at first glance, there are a surprising amount of classical touches that elevate it beyond the status of “60’s relic”. The symphonic touches on (Rainsong), opening overture ‘Imitation Situation I’ and a few of the other tracks sets a unique mood amidst the feedback, and the proto-prog sound is overall executed much more naturally than what groups like The Nice were doing at the time.

Track Highlights: San Francisco Girls, Man Who Paints The Pictures, Come With Me (Rainsong)



22. Brian Eno & Robert Fripp – No Pussyfooting (1973)
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When two masters of mood and ambience come together to collaborate on something, the result is going to be nothing less than spectacular. Eno was fresh out from leaving Roxy Music and had yet to start the solo career most of you known him for, while Robert was still muscling up with King Crimson. Still, it should be noted that it was really here on No Pussyfooting, with the former's innovative dual tape-loop system (later known as Frippertronics) and the latter's ever enigmatic and distinctive guitar-style they singlehandedly laid the foundation which would determine both musicians' musical directions for the next thirty some odd years. The first track of the two on this record, "Heavenly Music Corporation" is a particular highlight; Fripp's guitar just builds and builds and buildsssss until you are disorientated by the ensuing cacophony, then slowly tears strips itself back down to a light drone base which vanishes into the distance as if nothing was there to begin with. Amazing!

In conclusion, this is my favorite ambient album and IMO has aged better than the majority of Eno's 70's output. Goes great with headphones too.

Track Highlights: The Heavenly Music Corporation

I just wanna say the Matmos album was awesome, great call.

No Pussyfooting is one of those albums I keep meaning to get but never do.

21. French TV – The Violence of Amateurs (1999)
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A wonderfully sunny combination plate of R.I.O. (Rock In Opposition) insanity and quirky jazz-oriented rock n' roll, French TV rips avant-garde music a new one with this very entertaining escapade into the unclassifiable. Featuring every instrument under the sun, delicious riffs straight out of an old surf rock album and some absolutely steller drumming on top of all that, The Violence of Amateurs has some of the best replay value I've gotten compared to most albums of its ilk since I discovered it two years ago; hence, its my favorite modern avant-rock album of all time and one I'm always willing to praise when given an opportunity.

Track Highlights: The Odessa Steps Sequence, Mail Order Quarks


20. D'Angelo – Brown Sugar (1995)
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A soul classic for a more modern generation, words can't express how much I love this guy's debut. The flow is godly and D'Angelo's voice and his novel sense of sound are what turns this from the usual "something good to put on in the car" to a prime work among the various albums that were umbrella'd under the moniker "neo soul", the one album in fact that singlehandedly rejuvenated an entire generation of songwriters while inspiring plenty of new ones simultaneously.

So sure, these are merely songs about life and love and subjects we've had shoved down our throats in numerous ways by genres equally multitude, but that still doesn't change the fact that, just like anything Stevie Wonder did at his peak, you can simply press play and let the music take you and forget everything else. And when it comes down to it, isn't that the thing that matters most in what you enjoy musically?

For me atleast, Brown Sugar is, in a word, divine.

Track Highlights: When We Get By, Alright


19. Nurse With Wound – Huffin' Rag Blues (2008)
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You know that when Steve Stapleton's one-man industrial project goes into film-noir soundtrack mode that something really freakin' incredible is going to flutter out forth from your speakers, and its a personal favorite as of late. Whether he's channeling Nick Cave on 'Black Teeth' or eerily recreating Arthur Brown at a 60's club scene on 'Groove Grease [Hot Catz]', it all comes off as if its completely and utterly natural even if you normally wouldn't think so. Such is why I love NWW: its not just music, its an entire WORLD to get lost in, and this take on the late 60's is certainly no exception to that standard!

Track Highlights: Ketamineaphonia, Thrill Of Romance... ?

i actually haven't heard anything of Stapleton's outside of the eighties, i much prefer his work collaborating with people whose songs are more focused structurally than his own disparate breed of songwriting. i will say that he's one of my favorite producers, and film-noir sounds like an interesting twist to it, i'll be sure to check it out.

and i was wondering when RIO would pop up, i'm a complete novice to the genre but i find it intriguing nonetheless.

great picks as always mate. :thumb:

I'm liking this list so far and I'm quite pleased to see No Pussyfooting and D'Angelo popping up.

I've heard of two albums on this list so far. Such is what makes these threads more interesting. Keep this up eh - you've already given me a couple of names to have a look out for.

18. Tartar Lamb – Sixty Metonymies (2007)
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Here's a pop quiz question for everyone: what happens when Toby Driver, better known as the mastermind behind such acts as maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot, teams up with fellow Kayo Dot electric violinist Mia Matsumiya to shelve the metal tendencies and dive fully into that vast ocean known as classical music?

The answer to this question comes in the form of Tartar Lamb's Sixty Metonymies, my favorite release from 2007 and among the most curious explorations into minimalism that's come out in over a decade. Violin, trumpet, guitar and drums work together, sometimes blatently but mostly in a darkling sort of quiet, to breathe a fresh yet stark creative approach into a sound that's been raped and murdered by dozens of post-rock bands over the last decade. Jazzily arranged in tracks ranging from less than 4 minutes to over 16 minutes and occasionally touched by other elements that go beyond expectations, I've found that I've enjoyed spinning this just as often as Bath, Choirs of the Eye, etc. Like much of what Driver works on, it bears the unmistakeable stamp of someone who lets a note or two speaks for itself rather than always forcing an orchestra or walls of noise down your ear canals to get a point across.

So my affections aside - for those of you into post-rock and modern day classical music, or simply for those who enjoy some the quieter classical/jazz moments in whatever motW or Kayo Dot albums you own, this is an essential.

Track Highlights: Trumpet Twine the Lamb Unhyne



17. Magma – Attahk (1978)
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My favorite Magma album, as well as being among their strangest and most accessible. To put it simply, this is what happens when progressive rock/opera has a car crash with funk, gospel and R&B, and for some confounded reason the result is freakin' brilliant. Infectiously danceable at times yet still possessing the characteristic Kobaian-language vocals and godlike drumming that French band leader Christian Vander is known for in other Magma albums, this is Zeuhl as nobody had done before or since, for never has incongruity and mind-boggling musical lunacy been so fun, and never shall it be again!

Track Highlights: Maahnt, Nono



16. It Bites – Once Around The World (1988)
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My favorite release from one of my favorite 80's bands. In a sort of parallel to Talk Talk (sorta), It Bites were originally a pop group who over the course of their decade-long career evolved into one of the few and far between notable prog. bands of the era. Along with a reputation for explosive live shows, they had a great frontman in the form of Francis Dunnery and combined rediculously high-end instrumental talent, pop-group like vocal harmonies and an occasionally quirky sense of songwriting which make them interesting to me amidst the groups which overshadowed them at the time.

Interesting Fact: Steve Hillage from Gong helped produce this.

Structure-wise, the album basically alternates between their more complex tracks and the more commercial ones, resulting in occasional imbalance. Their progressive rock tendencies are best illustrated on tracks such as 'Old Man and the Angel', which despite being over 9 minutes long possesses quite a bit of catchiness despite its techical complexity at times, the 15-minute Genesis-esque title track and the odd yet pretty "Hunting the Whale" which features sailors. Still, they're on their game even on the more pop-oriented side of things, for "Kiss Like Judas" and "Yellow Christian" are fine songs in themselves; the latter in particular is about as close to a perfectly constructed ballad as you're ever going to hear.

So although this was one of the singularly most uncommercially-commericial works of the 1980's (if that makes any sense at all), it holds a special place in my collection and there's nothing that sounds quite like it. It's leagues better than most neo-prog too, lol!

Track Highlights: Yellow Christian, Old Man and the Angel

Hmm... I love Part the Second, I'm a sucker for strings, and a whore for post rock. Yeah I think I'll check this out.

This does sound appealing, thanks for the reco.

Cool reviews so far, despite me having heard of about 3 of the albums.

But I guess thats my fault:p:

15. Ozric Tentacles – Pungent Effulgent (1990)
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Ah the ever amazing Ozrics, the kings of space grooving since the late 80's. Along with Erpland, Strangeitude and Jurassic Shift, this particularly cool set of tracks shows these guys at their most inspired psychedelic drum n' guitar driven peak, along with one of the best opening tracks on an album ever (Disolution: The Clouds Disperse), which has an extremely awesome two minute build up before going supernova.

It's not all rave fodder though; highlights such as 'Phalarn Dawn' are particularly class in setting a calming mood, while 'Agog in the Ether' is a creepy tribal foray into beat-heavy world music, and it all this and more that contributes to making Pungent Effulgent a keeper and a particular favorite in my collection.

Track Highlights: Disolution (The Clouds Disperse), Ayurvedic



14. Make A Rising – Infinite Ellipse and Head With Open Fontanel (2008)
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Another favorite from last year. Rooted in both the worlds of psychedelia and Indie-related shit but resembling none of the bands that inhabit either of those domains, Make A Rising are a lot more than most people bargain for in their pop music. For one thing, they switch style and approach on the fly without warning; going from a Beach Boy-esque piano ballad on 'All One or None' to a sort of accordion snowed-out folk freakout with Gentle Giant xylophone on 'Transmutation' is quite the leap after all, but here it fits like a fresh tailored suit and, surprisingly, doesn't seem pretentious at all considering how other bands make a big deal about being all "conceptual".

So regardless their eccentricies, its a cohesive album and by all means a brilliant indicator of just how much potential they hold as a band despite only having been around a few years, and even after half a dozen spins will continue to surprise you.

Track Highlights: Sneffels Yokul, Peaceful Paths


13. Camel – Rain Dances (1977)
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The most oft-forgotten work by Camel, coming off the heels of the classic Moonmadness but before the emphasized pop schema they'd begin exploring in 1978's Breathless. Seemingly nothing special when listened to initially, Rain Dances manages to incorporate the best of both musical directions while at the same time proving to be jazzier than anything else they'd done up to that point. Along with the fact that none of the songs are over six minutes, part of the appeal here is that this is where Richard Sinclair (of both Caravan and Hatfield and the North), became both bassist and vocalist. Mel Collins is on sax here also (an instrument Camel didn't have before), and the songs themselves benefit greatly from both of their presences, on occasion resulting in tracks that rank among the best the group has ever done (First Light, One Of These Days I'll Get An Early Night).

Now that I think about it, I really am very surprised how much its all grown on me since I first started listening to Camel a lot a year or so ago, and that's why its made my list despite the fact that both Mirage and Moonmadness had instantly appealed to me beforehand. For you see, an album that grows with you is just as valuable as anything you loved at first listen, and that's what happened here.

Camel fans, or even those who are new to them, should check this out.

Track Highlights: First Light, Unevensong

I should check out that Camel disc, I the first 4 albums but haven't heard anything after that. Logically this should be next.

Make A Rising also sounds very interesting, I'm likely to check that out first.

Enjoy them both dude! :)

12. Tears For Fears – Songs From The Big Chair (1985)
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One of the more interesting success stories from the mid 80's and my favorite of the decade overall, though its hard to explain why without going around in circles. Cause sure, I love the infectiousness of "Head Over Heels" and the great dynamic sensibility of "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" despite the massive airplay they both get, but what people tend to overlook is the fact these guys weren't afraid to experiment in studio or vary their approach to songwriting, as jazz-flavoured "The Working Hour", New Order-ish "Mothers Talk" and oddly jarring pieces like "Broken Revisited" or "The Conflict" certainly illustrate. I mean, its one thing to have a few strong singles and a bunch of filler, but when the filler turns out to be far more interesting than an album's selling points, you know that its something worth staying with.

Hence, I suppose the draw for me when it comes to Tears For Fears (and specifically this album) is the knowing that not just any old pair of singers/songwriters could have done a pop album like this. The diversity of the tracks and subtle dissonances within many of them were certainly above and beyond what associated bands were doing at the time, and as a result this has aged for me just as well as anything the Heads or XTC has.

For 80's afficiendos who are looking for something a bit more interesting, get this if you don't have it already. I personally couldn't do without it!

Track Highlights: The Working Hour, The Conflict, Head over Heels


11. Trist – Hin-Fort (2007)
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The album that got me into both ambient and black metal, encompassing both beauty at its most organic and natural while sometimes proving capable of scaring the shit out of you when you least expect it within the two hours of its runtime. Walls of sound and hair-raising vocal samples normally aren't my thing, but here they really, really work for me..and there are times I wonder how it succeeds where many have failed. The best explanation I can come up with is that while it drones harshly and there's often little variation outside the occassional use of strings, samples and piano, the mood it sets is unequaled by anything I've encountered beyond GY!BE's debut and some of Ulver's early material, and that certainly counts for something in my book, and there have been times when I have felt it surpasses even them.

Track Highlights: Fort, Schlaflos


10. Caravan - In the Land of the Grey and Pink (1971)
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My favorite Canterbury scene album and wonderfully vivid experience from start to finish, though saying such may seem contrived on my part. For those who won't listen to something unless its relevant to whatever angst you're going through in real life, look elsewhere; what we have here is silly, very English and has every bit of its "screw it all I'm happy" sentiments tatooed in plain sight with Golf Girl and the title track, but that's part of what makes it a wonder to behear in the first place. And wonders behold, even with a 22-minute cut of brilliance like Nine Feet Underground, the music never ceases to accessible, warm as summer, poignant and well played, and there's nothing better one can look for with music of this kind.

Track Highlights: Winter Wine, In the Land of the Grey and Pink, Nine Feet Underground

You have names I haven't heard of and some great cool prog and then names like tears For Fears and It bites creep in. I love this list for those idiosyncracities! Keep it up and I think TFF were a solid Pop band and I have their Tears Roll Down greatest hits CD and I still think it's well written Pop. If you get some Prefab Sprout in here then I will be shocked but damn pleased too!

9.

Yes - Relayer (1974)

1. Gates Of Delirium (22:55)
2. Sound Chaser (9:25)
3. To Be Over (9:08)

Introduction:

Well, anyone who knows that I'm a progressive rock whore should have been expecting an album by Yes somewhere down the line, and this is the place it happens to be. The best stuff is always saved for last after all! :laughing:

Now though, just for a bit of perspective; unlike most of the Yes albums some of you have may come into contact with already, such as The Yes Album, the awesomely bass-driven Fragile, majesty-personified Close to the Edge or the extremely polarizing Tales from Topographic Oceans, I will go ahead and point out that Relayer is a very different beast from each and every one of them for several reasons:

1. Rick Wakeman left town after the whole Topographic Oceans affair (can't blame him really), and in response Anderson and co. brought in Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz, whose rather jazzy approach to playing contributes greatly to Relayer's unique sonic balance.

2. Bikes and pedals are used in place of drumsticks in many places. Weird, but pretty freakin' sweet.

3. Steve Howe is on Telecaster instead of a Gibson like usual. Not bad!

Combine these elements with some good weed and the rest of the band in top form, and you've got yourself an album for the ages and beyond.

The Album:

Like CttE, Relayer is a three track whole which flows together in an odd yet fitting manner, beginning with a pretentious epic "Gates of Delirium", hitting its stride nice and hard with "Sound Chaster" and topped with some delicious Oriental calm in the form of "To Be Over"; its almost the musical equivalent of a parabola.

But anyway, time for a song-by-song:


1. Gates of Delirium: The whole thing's based on Tolstoy's War & Peace, so you know its going to be pretentious, but its still cool because this is about as dark and violent as Yes would ever get lyrically, and it stands out because of that.

In true epic fasion we begin with Howe's awesome licks melded against a twinkling cacophony of spacy synth-work which builds and builds with volume, drums growing ever more vibrant over the course of two minutes until Anderson and Squire come in with vocals, a section which becomes more and more intricate/distorted with a quieter moments along the way until a bit past the 10 minute mark, where the whole song goes into a near hard-bop state of crazy against Howe's guitar followed by some Hawkwind style space-rock until the 16 minute mark where Anderson begins singing magnificently against a near vacuum like quiet in the aftermath of the battle that's waged its war across the suite. Howe and the rest then come back in over the last three minutes with a great outro and we're done!


2. Sound Chaser: This is what happens when Yes crosses over into Mahavishnu Orchestra territory and a classic, 'nuff said.

Everything goes nuts right from the beginning, blasting forth with some free-jazz keyboards and Alan White's furious drumming before Howe charges in with the vocals close behind. Interplay over the next minute or two with the chorus before Howe's guitar gets one hell of a spotlight up until the 5:30 minute mark or so, where Anderson followed by the rest of the band return to jazz-fusiony territory and begin to pick up speed until the song's near explosive final moments (with cha' cha cha's included). Ladies and gents, Siberian Khatru has met its match!


3. To Be Over: The single most laid-back 9 minutes this band has ever laid to posterity, and with coherent lyrics of all things!

Mood and lyrics aside, To Be Over has a rather distinctive approach going for it that's best described as Oriental raga-rock meets Hawaiian and filtered through the 'Yes sound'. Its mellow, arranged beautifully, and horribly underrated among the fanbase, and ultimately the best way this album could end. The synths are particularly uplifting here near the end, and I couldn't imagine it being any other way.


Conclusion:

Really, there's no way to describe how much I love this, even if its not particularly accessible at times. For one thing, its very much the dark mirror of Close to the Edge in spirit and a breath of fresh air for those who find Yes's usual mysticisms and kum-ba-yah a bit predictable. Secondly, Relayer is what got me into the band originally and also first record I ever owned by them (even if I normally recommend other albums for first timers). Nowadays, I recommend it to anyone and everyone; there's nothing else like it in the world!

A lot of people seem to hate To Be Over but I think it's just as strong as Gates of Delirium and Sound Chaser.

This is in my top 4 Yes albums for sure, and I have to agree, it's their weirdest album by far. I really love Howe's guitar work on this album, it's him at his most over the top, and I love how he could do all this stuff with a pedal steel that no one has even thought of doing before.

Fantastic review for a fantastic album. :thumb:

8.

Island - Pictures (1977)

1. Introduction (1:28)
2. Zero (6:13)
3. Pictures (16:51)
4. Herold And King / Dloreh (12:13)
5. Here And Now (12:15)
6. Empty Bottles (23:35)

Introduction:

Once upon a time in the year of 1977, in an era where jazz-oriented rock was commericially going the way of the dinosaur, a black-hearted little album that trumped King Crimson at their darkest and most delirious was born in Switzerland from the workings of a one-shot ensemble dubbed Island that formed out of the wreckage of a crazy psychedelic Krautrock group known as Brainticket, and boy is it a doozy. They say you can't always judge a book by its cover, but lets be honest here; anything that H.R. Giger designs a cover art for is most definitely awesome without exception.

Simply put, what we have here folks is a very sinister, yet amazing and well-presented blend of ideas; one way of describing the result would be as if King Crimson and Comus combined lineups and went to a bar together. Another analogy would be Bartok headbutting the Canterbury Scene bareskulled, and the creepy piano, organ, sax, flute, oboe, Mellotron, drums and bass sound like they're trying to claw their way out of wormy graveyard soil on Halloween. Even better are vocalist Benjamin Jager's whispery voicings; reminiscent of Gabriel or Hammil, yet farrrrr more menacing than anything those two would have thought to belt out.

Yet perhaps the most amazing thing is how it maanges to be densely heavy, enchantingly played and quite sharp...all without guitar. That's right - it's a progressive rock band without a guitarist!! Oh noes!!!

The fact there's no guitar here, however, should not dissuade any of you from looking these guys up. Rather, it makes their sound and approach all the more stand out. For even though Pictures would be the only chapter they'd release in their short career, it stands on its own two feet just as well, if not better, than many of the supposed classics of the progressive rock movement. It's production values aren't too bad for the time period either (better than VDGG's by far), so that's always a plus!

But anyway, onto the song-by-song!


The Album:


1. Introduction: We are greeted with the sound of the undead groaning form some crypt of another, followed by a bit of orchestra and offkey piano and whispering. It then erupts into a percussive craziness that ends almost as abruptly as it started. Nice!


2. Zero: A killer instrumental and a poster boy for the whole "evil" Canterbury sound I mentioned earlier. We begin with some very jazzy sax and drum work with creepy sliding piano on the forefront, which then quiets down after about two minutes leaving drum and bass to lead an almost distant organ backdrop which sounds like it came straight out of a haunted house. Slowly it picks up volume as the sax comes back in, culminating nicely in an almost upbeat manner near the end..awesome! Basically, a great track and the perfect leadoff for a record like this.


3. Pictures: The title track also happens to by my favorite, and is in my opinion the catchiest on the album. Starts off with the boom of cymbals and some Eastern-styled percussion. The bongo and flavourful piano arrive next, followed by Benjamin's melodic yet creepy vocals for the first time. Although he doesn't remind me of anyone in particular, it suits the music splendidly. The rest of the song flows brilliantly, with particular nods to the drums and sax, and to sum it up lightly, I'd say tracks as quirky as this one are hard to come by. Seriously now, where else are you going to get a chorus crying "gastric juices"? xD


4. Herold And King / Dloreh: Two and a half minutes of opening delicate piano, followed by an eerie recorder and Benjamin's voice set against dissonant oboe and strange noises is certainly an odd way to try hooking a listener, but it works for me! I like how the drums are front in the mix after the five minute mark also.


6. Here And Now: Heeeerrreee comessss the evillll synths!! Oh, and Benajamin proves here he could have been part of Comus no problemo, what with the crazed dramatic vocals and murderous sounding lyrics. The sax is oddly squeaky here, which reminds of some of Sun Ra's material. Near the five minute mark the song suddenly become really damn pretty and idyllic, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud for a brief instant before the greyness swallows it back up again, and its a contrast that unfolds tip-top here.


7. Empty Bottles: Wasn't on the original LP, but became a bonus track when it hit CD. Empty Bottles is basically a 23-minute tour-de-force that funnels all the various elements of this band into one big finale/push. Some real groovable moments here all in all, but trying to piece it all together would ruin the experience for those who hear this for the first time. :P


Conclusion:

This is a great dark progressive rock album and would be considered among the best releases of the latter 70's even if it wasn't a one-shot. Although its true that King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator have both done plenty of great jazz-tinted dark prog. (and deserve being recommended), the occasional schizophrenically creative approach to that sort of music like Pictures here is also quite something too, and hence I rank it highly within my collection despite some pretentious song lengths. When it comes to almost romantically demonic music, this is about as good as one can get.

^ I've heard that album twice but don't remember it really grabbing me. It initially appealed to me because I heard it was dark and I may like it since I like King Crimson and VdGG. I'm thinking it's probably the less-than-desirable production that keeps it from really doing it for me. I gotta play it again soon.

I am listening to Island's Pictures right now and I take back what I said about the production. There is nothing wrong with it, it's on par with most 70s prog. I'm liking this more than previous listens.

7.

Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage (1965)

1. Maiden Voyage (7:53)
2. The Eye of the Hurricane (5:57)
3. Little One (8:43)
4. Survival of the Fittest (9:59)
5. Dolphin Dance (9:16)

Introduction:

Heading out on a ship at dawn, the sea sparkles in a silent way, nothing more than a wet calm around you in the wake of the rising sun. Perhaps there's a sense of anticipation in reaching the eventual destination, but the time you spend looking out upon the water can seem, in many ways, a memory that you will look back upon with fondness and perhaps the tiniest bit of longing...

Well, that's merely one sort of feeling I get when I pop in this modal classic from the mid 60's, released by everyone's favorite Cock in a rather good year for jazz, though Coltrane's A Love Supreme surely overshadowed this album at the time of its release. Regardless of how much more important or beloved other releases of the classic jazz decade(s) are though, I always end up coming to the conclusion that this is among the most awesome releases above them all. Hell, it's perhaps my favorite jazz record of all time when all is said and done, and that in and of itself is a tall order considering how much I collect.

But why is this my favorite? Well one one hand, I love the general, sorta spacious atmopshere; the mood is very laid back, authentic, tranquill and features piano sometimes prominently even when I normally hate it (see Thelonius Monk). The sax is rarely harsh, the drumming quiet oftentimes, and all in all it is simply unlike the majority of hard-bop releases. It stands out sharply in a year where nearly everyone was beginning to experiment with jazziness in some way or another.

On the other hand, I find the tidal-esque instrumentals and song titles compelling in a way that's a bit iffy to discern in words. For me I guess, Maiden Voyage feels like a really cool concept album without being one in name. The motifs flow like water and continually come back to one another through the five tracks. The whole package is, in a word, fantastic.

Here are my impressions of each piece:

The Album:

1. Maiden Voyage: Piano, drums coupled with some very chill and memorable trumpet work kicks this record off on a high note, with more emphasis given to the trumpet as the atmosphere reels you down into the sea. Sax peeks in every so often, providing a nice touch, and the piano near the end is wonderfully fragile. Conclusion: its a jazz staple for a reason!. :D


2. The Eye Of The Hurricane: The most swingin' track of the five and noticeably nimble. Trumpet is strong here, but the crazy sax work that comes up after the two minute mark and beyond is where its at. Drums aren't full blown but noticeably a bit higher in the mix. Great piece from start to stop!


3. Little One: A drumroll echoes from a distant place as sax and trumpet entwine with a definite melancholy edge. The two take turns over the next few minutes as the drum comes back into audible range. A little around halfway the piano quietly takes first seat, leading off until the interplay comes back, making the track a full circle. Not too bad at all!

4. Survival Of The Fittest: Longest track. We're led off at the beginning with drumming thats a bit more energetic and heavy than we've heard so far. Piano is erratic, trumpet marches and twitters and sounds frankly fun whenever its around. Overall this is a fairly frantic and tense affair, but that's why it's awesome!


5. Dolphin Dance: And we now return to a track very much in the vein of the opening track, except perhaps a bit less introspective and more hopeful in tone. If there's a better closer for a work like this one, I certainly can't think of it, haha.

Conclusion:

The ship has sailed, and now you are once again on land. Standing on the glittering shore you sigh with something like regret. It's been a long day; already the sun is growing darker than the ocean that's swallowing it up. The feelings of awe and quiet you felt on your journey and the sight of the deep ocean waves are no longer quite clear in memory. You are ready to return to life and movement and productivity. Slowly, but with conviction, you turn from the shore and head back to what's familiar.

But, every once in awhile, when the night is long and you cannot sleep, you set 'Maiden Voyage' to play and it all comes back again as if you never left. It is wonderful to behold with every listen, even if each song lasts only for but a moment within the span of your busy, busy lifetime.

love this album, great review :thumb:

6.

Dir En Grey - Uroboros (2008)

1. Sa Bir (2:00)
2. Vinushka (9:35)
3. Red Soil (3:24)
4. Doukoku to Sarinu (3:48)
5. Toguro (3:57)
6. Glass Skin (4:27)
7. Stuck Man" 3:34
8. Reiketsu Nariseba (3:33)
9. Ware, Yami Tote... (7:01)
10. Bugaboo (4:43)
11. Gaika, Chinmoku ga Nemuru Koro (4:22)
12. Dozing Green (4:05)
13. Inconvenient Ideal (4:23)

Introduction:

Among the more eclectic groups to achieve international recognition from the Land of the Rising Sun (AKA Japan), Dir En Grey have grown quite a bit since their poppy debut back in 1999, mixing up and incorporating industrial, nu-metal, and even progressive rock influences into their oddly arranged yet accessible way of playing music over their following three or four albums, never content to sit around and recycle the same ideas over and over again like the majority are content to do.

Anyway, I've come to favor these guys more and more since I was introduced to them last year, (to the extent where they've crawled to the top of my list here) and it is this here latest work Uroboros where everything they've cultivated comes together uncannily into a face the rest of the world can look upon in wonder. It's among the most varied of their efforts (you hear everything from post-hardcore to ambient here), and as a result it's my favorite from their discography. Hell, it even charted here in the U.S. despite the fact its mostly sung in Japanese...how's that for crossover appeal?

On another point of interest, Dir En Grey are in possession of one of the most frighteningly talented frontmen in contemporary music today, Kyo, who could be best described as a Japanese Mike Patton in terms of vocal range coupled with the emotional sensibilities of a less whiny Thom Yorke.

Lyrically, he's also a rather deviant in his songwriting; it's sometimes catchy and accessible, abrasively complex, and usually very disturbing no matter which category a song falls under. From the story of a guy running from a nymphmaniacally corpse to falling in love with a fish, this guy's got one hell of an imagination. But whether or not you bother to pay attention or look up what the words may mean, the music speaks for itself regardless on the instrumental front. Guitarists Kaoru and Die shred things up nicely when necessery, Toshiya's bass is quite jazzy, and Shinya the drummer holds everything together with his insane energy and precise percussive sense. Basically, everyone here is phenomenal.

And for those that may not have noticed yet, the cover art here was inspired by King Crimson's Lizard, so that's worth extra cool points in and of itself. :tramp:

Track review time!


The Album:


1. Sa Bir: Eastern percussion, heavy beats and a bit of sitar that's straight out of Arabian Nights provide a wonderfully hypnotic introduction to my favorite metal album of the last five years.


2. Vinushka: A top class 9 minute prog-metal excursion into the subject of reincarnation and a decent indicator of the Dir En Grey's style for those who haven't heard them before. Kyo's vocals are almost mournful even when he growls or scats like some kind of monster. The acoutics near the 6 minute mark among the first of many memorable moments that follow rank across this record.


3. Red Soil: Mid-tempo/ATDI-esque fun that features some especially wicked drumming half-way through. Would have made one hell of a single!


4. Doukoku To Sarinu: Nothing special, but Kyo's voice is like the elevator of awesome here.


5. Toguro: A pseudo funk-metal escapade about the rise of chaos or somtehing like that. Some nice electronic influences come into play after the 2 minute mark.


6. Glass Skin: Opening with a fantastic dose of piano, this is my favorite track from the Uroboros and something of a throwback to this band's alternative-pop debut. It's sung in English, though unless you look up the lyrics you most likely won't understand them, haha. A very catchy ballad from start to finish!


7. Stuck Man: Funk-death metal-jazz-trip hop-hardcore in a green tea blender with extra punk. A highlight of the album and something that must be heard to be believed.


8. Reiketsu Nariseba: Kyo sounds really pissed off here, what with the hardcore breakdowns and carnival keyboards dancing around. Midway through we're treated to something like tribal jazz-ambient with the screams of the damned all around.


9. Ware, Yam Tote...: Here the listerner is treated to yet another side of this band. It's almost folky, with 7 minutes of flamenco guitar, heartfelt singing with occasional piano and drums. All in all, another prominent peak on an album with so much going for it already.


10. Bugaboo: An explosion of death metal anger presented uncharacteristically straightforward. Ideal for headbanging!


11. Gaika, Chinmoku Ga Nemurukoro: Ambient noises lead into carnival drums and a series of wazoo breakdowns. I like how it dissolves into something like audible mist near the end!


11. Dozing Green: The big single, a freakish love song balancing precariously between the soft and loud while still remaining of interest to those who pay attention to complex guitar work. Memorable moment: Kyo's screams of pain in the last minute that would make Patton proud.


12. Inconveniant Ideal: The album closer and among the best of this album. It starts of pretty and builds up ever so sharply to explosion, followed by some surprisingly proggy keyboard and guitar work before returning to the chorus. An...ideal end I'd say to an ideal album, hahahaa. :wave:


Conclusion:

Uroboros is a wonderfully violent album, vivid with spite and hopelessness even at its most idyllic. It exceeds and even laughs at genre boundaries in a world full of generic hardcore/metal bands who, along with their fans, tend to look down on anything that makes you think a bit. This album will certainly appeal to those kind of people, because it has its fare share of tracks that certainly get your blood boiling...yet still, it does more, tries more, and succeeds in ways that few others do.

For those open to something compelling, perhaps even taste-altering, this is certainly one hell of a place to start. For me, at least, the listening experience has always been worthwhile.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite threads. Keep it going. Iv'e gotten a lot of great albums from this thread.

5.

Genesis - Trespass (1970)

1. Looking For Someone (7:06)
2. White Mountain (6:42)
3. Visions Of Angels (6:50)
4. Stagnation (8:48)
5. Dusk (4:13)
6. The Knife (8:56)

Introduction:

The ever underrated and oft-dismissed sophomore record released before Phill Collins and Steve Hackett turned Genesis into one of the key bands which would define progressive rock during the years of its popularity, Trespass is nevertheless a curiously compelling musical assemblage and one of my two most beloved progressive rock album of all time, and a unique experience to those more familiar with their classic period (Nursery Cryme through Lamb Lies Down on Broadway).

For one thing, the sound is noticeably folksier/moodier thanks to the presence of an exceptionally talented 12-string guitarist by the name of Anthony Phillips and the atmospheric John Mayhew on drums (the latter of which unfortunately died earlier this year; R.I.P!). Peter Gabriel's love of soul music is more apparant here than on later Genesis releases, as his vocals at times are noticeably rougher and even bluesy at times, while Mike Rutherford rapes on bass and cello. This is also where pianist Anthony Banks started using his Mellotron for the first time, and his enthusiasm sizzles to dizzying temperatures many a' time here in all the right places.

Secondly, Sceptics take notice of the song lengths and lyrics as you listen; this is about as straightforward as Genesis ever got in the songwriting department without sacrificing instrumental prowess or their distinctive pop sensibility. Although they haven't completey shaken off the amateurisms of their debut yet, unlike that particular work its actually a chore to dislike anything here. In fact, although if follows the coattails of King Crimson's legendary debut, this is arguably one of the two or three major albums which shaped progressive rock into a force that would be quick reckonable for the next five years, and even today you will find people who are influenced by the songs on this album.

Oh, and I think the album cover is fantastic! It's a perfect "cover" for this sort of book. :p:

Introduction:

1. Looking For Someone: "Looking for someone! I guess I'm doing that." belts a Peter Gabriel from thirty-nine years in the past, thus kicking off this album on a fantastically bluesy note, before the guitars and drums come busting in. It fades in and out between guitar and Mellotron between Gabriel's lyrics, changing tempos sharply but not jarringly so. The track's got quite a gallop to it at times, but with the drums and keyboards on display more often than the organ-based rock n' roll sound that was common at the time. There is also some wonderful flute and piano dispersed about, with nary a note wasted. The last minute is particularly bombastic, and overall you can see the blueprints of many a progressive rock track from this one song alone. Still, a fantastic opener nevertheless.


2. White Mountain: Mid-tempo track that is closer in spirit than anything else here to the Genesis of Foxtrot and SEBTP; quieter than 'Looking For Someone' but not as much as some of what will come later on the record. Gabriel's vocals display the more dramatic direction he would take in later albums and his solo work, backed by the vocals of his bandmates and generally superb playing all around.


3. Visions of Angels: A song about lost love and how people can spend their whole lives without ever looking for it and yet call themselves alive. It's straightforward but beautifully done, and the execution is epically so.


4. Stagnation: Oooh yeah, now we're cooking. Stagnation is my absolute favorite song on Trespass, dealing with the story of a guy who wishes to cut himself off from the world around him. It starts off with Gabriel at his most beautiful, and has one of the best-worked musical build-ups this band would ever commit to record. I also love the lyrics here:

"Here today the red sky tells its tale
But the only listening eyes are mine.
There is peace amongst the hills,
And the night will cover all my pride,
Blessed are they who smile from bodies free-
Seems to me like any other crowd
Who are waiting to be saved."


5. Dusk: Something of an acoustic piece that bleeds gorgeous from it's twinkling start to strumming finale, and my third favorite overall. Highlights go to the brilliant flute around half way through.


6. The Knife: Beginning with some heavy organ and drum interplay, this is the only track that Genesis kept on their setlist after changing lineups for some reason. Gabriel spats in full blast here through this minature epic, a power hungry revolutionary on a bloody conquest to attain freedom. In particular, the sequence from the middle of the four minute mark up til the end of the song makes this one of the best album closers I've ever had the pleasure of hearing, and a real treat for first-timers especially. ;)


Conclusion:

Although many would disagree with me, I consider this a masterpiece on par with Foxtrot or Selling England..., if for nothing else than the fact they never quite sounded like this again. Everyone was in top form here, including Anthony Phillips who would have an incredibly awesome solo career after leaving Genesis due to stage fright. It's only a shame that my favorite Genesis record is also their most underrated, but I guess thats part of what makes it special for me.

So whether you love or hate progressive rock, this is definitely something to sink your claws into at some point. For of the many albums I love from the genre, few get my regard to the degree this one does. :thumb: