en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal The Last.fm journal for nibbish. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2009/12/08/381wx0_doomtree_blowout_v Tue, 8 Dec 2009 03:04:27 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2009/12/08/381wx0_doomtree_blowout_v Sat 5 Dec – DOOMTREE BLOWOUT V

Branny and I attended the annual Doomtree blowout on Saturday night. It was easily one of the best, most energetic concert experiences I've been a part of.

I enjoyed the format of the show, with the entire group performing for about a half an hour, then splitting into individual sets for each of the members (with extremely short interludes in between), before coming back together for the grand finale. The group has great chemistry, and since this was the first time they'd all been together since the previous year's blowout, you could tell they were really feeding off each other and the excitement of the crowd.

I've been a big P.O.S. fan since seeing him live a couple years ago, but I had no idea that the rest of the Doomtree crew was that good. Cecil Otter had a great set, playing with live instruments, which really accentuated his metered spoken word style. Dessa commanded attention every time she opened her mouth, I'll definitely have to hunt down some of her stuff. Sims and Mictlan put on good shows, too (even if the planned world premiere of Mictlan's new music video kept experiencing technical difficulties - it got funny toward the end, when the show was effectively over, the problems let up and we got to see what ended up being a fairly blase video).

P.O.S.' Never Better will almost certainly (spoiler alert!) be my number one CD of 2009, but it still can't even touch the raw sound it has when he's rapping live. He has a fire that I haven't seen from many other performers. He only did 5 or 6 of his own, songs, but he touched on all the biggies (thankfully, he got everyone together to sing "Low Light Low Life", a personal favorite of mine off Never Better.)

The crowd knew every word to every song (seriously, I'm not sure I've ever seen such audience participation at a show before), and more than once, you could see the performers looking at each other in disbelief at how stoked the crowd was to be there.

Seriously, anyone from the Cities area who's even remotely a fan of this group owes it to themselves to check out next year's blowout. For fans of the Doomtree collective or any of the individuals that make it up, it is not to be missed.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/12/30/2d3r7p_top_20_moments_in_music_(2008) Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:17:39 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/12/30/2d3r7p_top_20_moments_in_music_(2008) Favorite Albums are one thing, favorite songs are another, but every once in a while everything boils down to a single moment of absolute bliss. The album could suck, the song itself could fail to impress, but when that one part hits, you lose it every time.

These are the 20 moments from 2008 that set me on fire every time I hear them.

20. Machinae Supremacy - Gimme More (SID)
"Solo!"

Machinae Supremacy play sid-metal (a sort of Comodore64 enhanced metal sound). Britney Spears plays pop music. Ironic metal covers have long since run their course, and aren't exactly all that much of a novelty anymore, but this one is special. It's not a technically fantastic solo or anything, but it comes at the perfect time, just as the absurdity of the whole cover threatens to overwhelm the song.... they break right on through to the next level. It's so ridiculous that it's awesome.


19. Coldplay - Violet Hill
"I took my love down to Violet Hill..."

Viva la Vida was a seemingly small adjustment for Coldplay. They still have their big choruses, they still seem like they're trying to relive the britpop glory days, and Chris Martin still has his poofy hair. Unlike X+Y, however, the songs seem to have a little more meat to them. Nowhere is this more evident than "Violet Hill". Featuring a driving beat, it comes dangerously close (in Coldplay terms) to rocking (again, this being Coldplay, that's a relative term). The kicker here, however, is in the waning seconds of the song. Chris Martin's gone melodramatic before, but here - backed by nothing but a light piano - his voice nearly cracks under the weight of the words he's trying to get across. It succeeds in getting the emotion out in a way that was tried a failed so many times on X+Y.


18. 3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me
"...if he says he's got beef..."

3Oh!3 is normally an almost painfully ridiculous rap band. On "Don't Trust Me", however, they jump ship and rock out some almost painfully ridiculous synth-driven power pop. It's complete with 'ho' references, as well as a mind-boggling bridge where tell a girl to "do a Hellen Keller, and talk with your hips". Needless to say, the song is fantastic, but the height of the fun is found in the first verse, where the singer sneers "...and tell your boyfriend if he says he's got beef, that I'm a vegetarian and I ain't fuckin' scared of him". It's jaw-droppingly stupid, and mind-shatteringly great at the same time. More songs should be this fun, and more lyrics should be this willfully insane.


17. Ladytron - Black Cat
"The Perfect Opening Track"

The instant the drums hit on Velocifero leadoff "Black Cat" is golden. Once the opening synth lines start hitting (first the ominous low blaster, then the heavenly main melody), it takes the whole thing to a glorious new level of sugar-coated sweetness. In "Black Cat", Ladytron have constructed the perfect opening track to this year's guilty pleasure album of the year.


16. Elbow - Friend Of Ours
"Love ya, mate"

"Friend of Ours" is a song about a friend of the band's who passed away. From the strings in the beginning to the understated lyrics, it's filled with more feeling than most bands ever manage. It all comes to a head around three and a half minutes in, with a soaring bridge, and then the piano starts. It's only five notes, but it wedges itself into your head so well that it feels like an entire song gets played out in the last minute. We should all be so lucky to get songs like this written about us.


15. The Magnetic Fields - [track artist=The Magnetic Fields]]California Girls[/track]
"Merritt goes homicidal"

"I hate California girls" Steven Merritt sings in this fantastic reverb drenched tune. Offenses like "get[ting] off like squirrels" and "breath[ing] coke and having affairs with each passing rock star" do nothing to endear the blond-headed targets of his wrath to him. Suddenly the last verse gets twisted, with Merritt picking up a battle axe before fading out the song repeating "they will hear me say, as the pavement whirls... I hate California girls...." A demented (and fitting) end.


14. ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - [track artist=...and you will know us by the trail of dead]The Betrayal of Roger Casement & the Irish Brigade[/track]
"Catharsis, Part 1"

The Trail of Dead do epic in almost every song. On this, the last track on their new EP (and album teaser) Festival Thyme, though, they really go for it. After minutes of extremely noisy building, it all breaks free with a blast. The part in question only lasts for about 20-30 seconds, but it's so big that it grabs your attention and lands its knockout punch. Not bad for a fully instrumental throwaway track.


13. Have a Nice Life - [track artist=Have a Nice Life]Holy Fucking Shit: 40,000[/track]
"World-ender"

Suffice to say, Tim Macuga does not write happy songs. "HFS40K" is as hopeless as most everything, with lyrics relaying fatalistic messages over (oddly enough) the same strange beat you hear for the first couple of seconds of "[track artist=trio]Da Da Da[/track]"

Then it hits. The song lives up to its name in full by slamming into gear about three and a half minutes in with a wall of distorted guitar and raw drums. For the next two minutes, the listener is treated to the sound of the world flying apart at the seams before an acoustic guitar comes in to put an unearthly coda on the whole thing.


12. Los Campesinos! - [track artist=Los Campesinos!]My Year in Lists[/track]
"Before"

Like all LC! songs, "My Year in Lists" is verbose and ridiculous. This would make pretty much any band tremendously irritating, but somehow they come out all the more endearing for it. 'Lists' is incredibly short, coming in well under two minutes, but they make every second count. Just after the chorus, they begin speaking "I treasure with fondness the day..." before jabbing the word "before" in like a punch, making the phrase stand "I treasure with fondness the day (before) I met you." It shouldn't be even half as clever as it is, but it is. It's harsh, and cruel... and clever and hilarious.

...and it only takes one word.


11. Jesper Kyd - [track artist=Jesper Kyd]Access the Animus[/track]
"Catharsis, Part 2"

This song, off of the Assassin's Creed soundtrack, takes its time getting to where it's going. It takes seven minutes, in fact; slowly meandering along it's path. Sounds flutter in and out of the mix almost haphazardly, false starting a couple of times, only to settle back down, getting to the point where you don't think anything will come of it. After about seven minutes, it finally wakes up growing into more of a monster by the second until it finally erupts into a massive swell of strings and takes off - then it dies down again. It's maddeningly short, and leaves you wondering if the nine and a half minute length is really worth it - but it is.


10. Crystal Castles - [track artist=Crystal Castles]Air War[/track]
"WAR!!"

"Air War" is insane. For those who don't know, Crystal Castles create electronic music built around 8-bit synth (think of your Gameboy) and almost banshee-like female vocals. "Air War" doesn't feature the banshee vocals quite as much, instead going with a barely comprehensible female speaker reading a passage from Jame Joyce's Ulysses. Featuring the band's trademark halting 8-bit sounds, the song goes into a slight lull around a minute in, before the voice rushes back half-shouting the word "WAR!!". It's as ludicrous as it sounds, and almost impossibly jarring the first time you hear it (especially considering the fact that the song tries to outdo itself by turning up the musical intensity a notch). It all adds up to a surreal pleasure.


9. Portishead - [track artist=Portishead]The Rip[/track]
"Will I Follow??"

If all you knew about "The Rip" was the lyrics, it would already be creepy, with talk of wild white horses taking the singer away to "the dark underneath." During the end of the second chorus, though, it really takes a turn. Beth Gibbons sings - much as she did in the first - "Will I follow?". Only this time, it gets drawn out... for a LONG time, until it sounds digitized and cold. The song builds around the voice as it prepares for it's end. It's incredibly eerie - and remarkably effective.


8. The Hold Steady - [track artist=The Hold Steady]Constructive Summer[/track]
"Raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer"

Stay Positive kicks off on a great note with "Constructive Summer". The song goes on about the travails of small town life and the virtues of escapism drinking on top of the local water tower. After a short bridge - which serves as the only slowdown the song offers - the band roars back to life as Craig Finn belts out "Raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer, I think he might have been our only decent teacher." It's not incredibly deep, but it does rock, and sometimes (as in this case) that's enough.


7. The Magnetic Fields - [track artist=The Magnetic Fields]Three Way (live, 2/29/2008 Herbst Theatre, San Francisco)[/track]
"Three Way!"

I've made no secret of my love for "[track artist=The Magnetic Fields]Three-Way[/track]", the short instrumental song that leads off Distortion. This is the live version of the song, and it sounds remarkably good stripped of all its fuzz and guitar distortion. What gets it a spot on this list, though, is the "Three way!" shout at the end of each breakdown. Unlike in the original, where it somehow made perfect sense to punctuate every third of the song with a shout of innuendo, in the distortion-free live setting it sounds awkward. A half-embarassed laugh ripples through the crowd, and the band goes on. By the second and third time it happens, you realize it: it's entirely appropriate and works just as well as it did in the studio. It's exactly the type of moment live shows were made for - a subtle nuance to the song that you can't get out of a studio recording.


6. Children 18:3 - [track artist=Children 18:3]LCM[/track]
"Kicking you in the face...... again"

This track led off 2006's "Songs of Desperation", but it's been overhauled. The sinewy garage rocker has been put on steroids and placed as track #2 on Children's Tooth and Nail debut. The effect is almost enough to knock you out of your chair. As "[track artist=Children 18:3]All My Balloons[/track]" comes to close, you get hit with that delcious riff seemlessly, only this time it sounds fuller. I won't be including the song itself on my songs list tomorrow, since it's a remake (though it would probably place in the top 5 if I did), but the effect of placing it second on the album is too great to ignore on this list.


5. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - [track artist=Miles Anthony Benjamin Robinson]Buriedfed[/track]
"Everyone I know walking beside me..."

"This is my last song about myself..." and so begins "Buriedfed", one of the year's darkest (and best) songs. The song builds in intensity with every verse, with Miles practically shouting by the later verses. Just when the song feels about to fly apart, the bridge comes, and everything is momentarily calm. It's a short respite, but it's awe inspiring, the background vocals "Ah-ing" make you feel like you're out there on the empty street in the middle of the night.


4. Why? - [track artist=Why?]The Hollows[/track]
"My God..."

If I were to simply pick lyrical moments from Alopecia, I could nearly fill this list. My personal favorite moment, though, comes on "The Hollows". Yoni Wolf's lyrics, as always, are relentlessly confrontational and uncomfortably descriptive. The crux of the song comes in a short snippet where he shouts "My God! The clock's always stuck tellin' 11:11, or 3:32!" the moment to act is passing, and all anyone can do is stare dumbly at the clock.


3. Grizzly Bear -[track artist=Grizzly Bear]While You Wait for the Others (live, 02-27-2008: KCRW)[/track]
"All we want... want... want..."

This song hasn't even been released yet. It was recorded in a studio for the 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' radio show. The track itself is great, with a chorus to die for. When it gets to the bridge, though, it where it really shines, lead singer Edward Droste sounds almost pleading, singing "all we want... want... want...." before breaking into one last chorus. The last one sounds the same as the first, but somehow feels like a crashing wave. The brilliant breakdown has a lot to do with that.


2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - [track artist=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds]We Call Upon the Author[/track]
"Prolix!"

"We Call Upon the Author" is a heavy song wrapped in a sneering package. Throughout the song, Nick Cave outlines the horrible, the bizzare, and the outright wrong in the world, all the while calling for answers. The genius of it all is found in the breakdown that separates the sections of the song. Explanations are dismissed with a shout of "Prolix! Prolix! Nothing a pair of scissors can't fix!", and with that the storm rages on - shouting for answers that he'll just cut down to size, anyway.


1. The Hold Steady - [track artist=The Hold Steady]Slapped Actress[/track]
"Man, we make our own movies"

Nothing needs to be said about this one except that it's the best way to end a CD that I've ever heard. Listen for yourself.



There you have it. Please post your thoughts, as well as moments you've enjoyed in 2008.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/11/09/29nkln_children_18:3_@_club1 Sun, 9 Nov 2008 05:52:23 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/11/09/29nkln_children_18:3_@_club1 After hearing about Children 18:3's legendary (at least locally legendary) live shows for years, I finally witnessed the spectacle first hand last night.

Suffice it to say, they are one of the most energetic and frenzied live bands I've ever seen. Seth Hostetter might be the bet drummer I've seen, and that's not something I say lightly. If that's what they play like when they're sick and not feeling 100%, I can't imagine what they'd do when everything was clicking.

The band hit up all my favorites, blending seemlessly between 'All My Balloons' and 'LCM' before tearing into 'Time And Wasted Bullets' and pretty much keeping the needle pegged the entire time - with one short break to, in their words "catch [their] breath". Everything from begining to end was a furious blaze of flying guitars, almost impossibly fast drumming, and just an overall sense of ROCK.

I highly recommend seeing the band live. It's no secret I greatly enjoyed the CD, but seeing the show completes the experience.

Fri 7 Nov – Children 18:3 & Triple Stitch]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/10/28/28v1ko_cd_review:_shiny_toy_guns_-_season_of_poison Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:21:20 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/10/28/28v1ko_cd_review:_shiny_toy_guns_-_season_of_poison I really liked Shiny Toy Guns' 1st/2nd/3rd CD We Are Pilots. It had an enjoyable mix of dance, electronica, and pop/rock. Whe I heard they were coming out with a new CD, I was understandably excited. Then I learned that they had parted ways with Carah Faye Charnow, who had injected a lot of the attitude and fun that made We Are Pilots so good. Shortly thereafter, I heard the lead single to Season of Poison - 'Ricochet!', which prompted me to write the following:

"I was pumped for a new Shiny Toy Guns release when I first heard it was coming, but if the rest of Season of Poison is anything like this, it'll just prove that We Are Pilots was lightning in a bottle, and that the lightning has escaped."

Luckily, Season of Poison isn't quite all that bad. Sisely's "tough girl" vocals prove to be tortuous at times, but her actual 'singing' voice is pretty decent. The album kicks off with a song that represents the abum pretty well "When Did The Storm Begin", Sisely sort of rhythmicly shouts the verses, but she's saved soon enough by a soaring power-pop chorus. This proves to be about as close as Season of Poison comes to a formula. Most of the CD is guitar-driven power-pop, basicaly A lot less "Don't Cry Out", a lot more "Chemistry of a Car Crash". Occasionaly it veers and careens from genre to genre, touching on hints of african drum beats ("Season of Love"), some honest to God prog-rock ("Poison") and a LOT of 80's pop ("I Owe You a Love Song", and especially "Blown Away"). Through it all though, there very few light melodies. These are big songs.

I've warmed to 'Ricochet!' to the extent that I greatly enjoy the chorus, but the verses are still hard to listen to. In fact, that represents one of the problems I do have with this CD. The album is so scattershot (often switching things up within the song, and putting things that don't necessarily work together - such as the organ led verses and the distorted guitar chord guzzling of "Blown Away") that you often get something you're not fond of mixed in with a song that you enjoy. There's the painful verses of the otherwise fantastic "When Did the Storm Begin?". There's the epic "Poison" with 2 minutes of needless organ and ambient noise noodling stuck on the end. A lot of it just seems disjointed, like the band had a million different directions they wanted to go, and only 45 minutes to pack it into.

If that sounds harsh, I really don't mean it to be. Like I said initially, this is a good CD. The band obviously doesn't miss Carah nearly as much as I had feared they might. With a few head-scratching exceptions, Sisely acquits herself pretty well. It's easy to miss sure things like "Don't Cry Out", and "Le Disko", and I don't think this CD will gain quite the same place in my CD wallet that We Are Pilots did, but I'd recommend this to anyone who liked Shiny Toy Guns before.

It's nice to be proven wrong sometimes.

7/10]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/02/27/3c8j_cd_review:_children_18:3 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:34:54 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/02/27/3c8j_cd_review:_children_18:3 It's no secret that I've been looking forward to Children 18:3's major(ish) label debut for quite a while (basically since 2006, when they shockingly broke into my top 10 albums of the year). I eagerly listened to the new versions of LCM and You Know We're All So Fond Of Dying, and liked what I was hearing, but I already knew that these were good songs, and while Songs of Desperation was good, it was pretty front-loaded, and my favorite 3 songs off of the CD were coming back. I began to worry that the band had already run out of gas.

No worries.

Having been familiar with a bit of their earlier work, it's no shock that the riffs are pummeling, or that the instruments are all played fantastically. It does, however, come as a pleasant surprise how tuneful the album is. As I said a while ago, they clean up nicely. David actually has a pretty decent voice when he puts his mind to it, and the male/female vocal play between him and LeeMarie is done as well as any act I can remember. It never feels like a gimmick, and they both really stepped up their game for these recordings.

The mish-mash of genres (including garage rock, punk, straight up rock, and even ska) never comes across as forced, and there really aren't any weak tracks. If this sounds a touch fanboyish, keep in mind that 3 years ago, I disliked this band enough to sell an old EP I had bought to my brother. They've come a long way as songwriters since then, and it really shows here.

Children 18:3 have put together one of the most consistantly engaging CDs in recent memory. It's not often that a CD like this comes along. Check into this album immediately. You won't regret it.

9/10

Standout tracks:
Children 18:3 - LCM (mp3)
Children 18:3 - You Know We're All So Fond Of Dying (mp3)
Children 18:3 - Even Sleeping]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/01/12/3c8i_top_20_albums_of_2007 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:59:25 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2008/01/12/3c8i_top_20_albums_of_2007 Wow... can we say "late to the party"? Usually I'm a little better at getting this stuff out in a timely fashion. It was just a little hard to get everything out with all the holidays and whatnot. Next year, this gets written up in Mid-December.

Note: This is just the list, for more in-depth talk (and MP3 files, wheeeeee) go to my blog, where such things are possible.

20. Hang Love - Burning Brides
19. † - Justice
18. Yours Truly, Angry Mob- The Kaiser Chiefs
17. The Reminder - Feist
16. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
15. Rival Factions - Project 86
14. 23 - Blonde Redhead
13. Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace - Foo Fighters
12. Speakers and Tweeters - Dub Pistols
11. Graduation - Kanye West
10. Costello Music - The Fratellis
9. Boxer - The National
8. Icky Thump - The White Stripes
7. Myths Of The Near Future - Klaxons
6. Infinity On High - Fall Out Boy
5. Vena Sera - Chevelle
4. I'll Sleep When You're Dead - El-P
3. The Black and White Album - The Hives
2. In Rainbows - Radiohead
1. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire

Feel free to leave comments, as well as let me know what albums I may have missed.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2007/06/10/3c8h_my_december_-_initial_thoughts_on_the_leaked_version Sun, 10 Jun 2007 02:27:49 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2007/06/10/3c8h_my_december_-_initial_thoughts_on_the_leaked_version Breakaway was big. REALLY big. On my local hit radio station, two of its songs (Since U Been Gone and Behind These Hazel Eyes) landed in spots #1 & #2 (respectively) on 2005's year end chart. It sold 75 billion, made Dave Grohl a Kelly Clarkson fan, and probably cured cancer. Needless to say, expectations for the followup are fairly high. So, when My December hits stores on June 26th, will legions of fans be buying a CD which will singlehandedly save their very SOULS? After all, it seems like that would be about the only way to up the ante.

The Breakaway
comparisons are inevitable, so to get them out of the way up front: 'My December' is not Breakaway
, it's not nearly as hooky and it's much more moody. To compare the two is a lost cause. Kelly's taken her artistic freedom and driven it far away from the bright, safe pop of Since U Been Gone. Whether or not that's a good thing depends greatly on one's point of view, but as a message to anyone who wanted that mythical album full of 'Since U Been Gone's;

Better luck next time.

With that out of the way, let's look at the actual songs:

Never Again starts everything off on, admittedly, a fairly bitter note. Having heard this one for a couple of months now, I have to say that it's grown on me, but that it still isn't my choice for a lead single - or, for that matter, a song I listen to for enjoyment all that often. One Minute might be my favorite track off 'My December'. A bouncy riff combined with maybe the hookiest chorus the album has to offer. A couple of times it sounds like she struggles a little bit to hit the lower notes, they're obviously not in her preferred range, but it doesn't hurt the song too much. By the time the first 15 - 20 seconds of Hole have played, it's a good indicator that not only has Kelly moved into darker territory, she's not even remotely close to the same performer that put out Thankful. (Side note: I always find it hillarious when Kelly says words like "Damn" and "Hell")

Then comes the song that's currently getting the most buzz, Sober. What the song is actually talking about is mostly a point-of-view thing. Everyone who hears this song will hear something else. For some reason, I hear Evanescence, but I've already been sufficiently ridiculed for that opinion. At this point, the album has yet to play a disappointing song.

That, of course, comes to an end on the next song. Don't Waste Your Time isn't bad by any stretch, it's just nothing special. It's the first song that smells lightly of 'filler' (mark my words, though... 'friend, what does that even mean' will be on 250,000 LiveJournals and MySpaces with the year). Another angry song (then again, there's not a WHOLE lot else to be had here) later, we come to Haunted.

Haunted is another song that gives me the Evanescence vibe. It's a pretty decent song, all things considered, but I can't seem to generate a lot of entusiasm for it. I am, again, in the minority in this viewpoint, and I'm sure most of it comes from my distaste for anything which would remind me of Evanescence. All that aside, we finally get a slow song in Be Still. It's at this point that we remember that Kelly's excellent voice still shines through better on slower songs than it does on the rockers that almost exclusively make up My December. Even if it would have been filler on any other Kelly Clarkson CD, it really sounds nice here and - more importantly - gives the listener a respite from the moodiness of the rest of the CD.

Maybe is another album standout, but it's after this point that My December loses a bit of steam, How I Feel does nothing for me, Yeah, while different, still has the 'filler' feel, and Can I Have a Kiss annoys me for some reason.

Then comes Irvine. To say that Irvine is different from anything else Kelly Clarkson's done in the past is an understatement. All it has is an acoustic guitar, and the dreamy, distant sounding vocals are extremely effective. Also worth checking out is the hidden track, which is also a fairly drastic departure form Kelly's normal repetoire.

All things considered, it needs to be stated again, just as Breakaway
wasn't the same as Thankful
, nor is My December the same as Breakaway. It's likely that it won't hit the radio waves as much (but radio sucks, anyway), and it certainly won't dominate popular culture as much, but that doesn't mean that it's not a good album - and My December IS a good album. It's a step in a different direction, and while it doesn't work all the time, it's an overall enjoyable CD that shouldn't be ignored simply because it doesn't care to play by recording industry rules.

Note: Since this is a leak - and since leaks are notorious for sounding drastically different from finished products - this review could be made completely obsolete by the album which hits stores June 26th. The songs (for the most part) don't have the 'demo quality' feel to them, though, so I'm fairly confidant that my opinion of the songs won't be wavered too much by the final release. I've only heard each song a couple of times, but then again, that's why I called it "Initial Thoughts". All of the statements above were opinion (my own). If you hate them, let me know (don't expect me to care too much, though, as your taste in music kind of sucks. As a result, I can't be bothered to care what you think of mine.)

Also note: I'm not going to post the link to the download. This is the internet, be creative - better yet, wait for the finished product to come out and purchase it.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2007/03/24/3c8g_gym_class_heroes__p.o.s.__k-os__rx_bandits_concert Sat, 24 Mar 2007 10:06:35 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2007/03/24/3c8g_gym_class_heroes__p.o.s.__k-os__rx_bandits_concert Sun 18 Mar – Gym Class Heroes, K-OS, P.O.S.

So, the Gym Class Heroes concert was on Sunday. I'd have written about this earlier, but judging by the rate at which I've been updating this blog lately, it's a miracle that I'm noting this fact at all.

It was honestly one of the more enjoyable concerts I've been to. I've come to the conclusion that First Avenue is a great place to go to concerts. It's nice and small. Small enough to where you can feel like part of an actual crowd without being so small as to be smashed together. It didn't hurt that we got in early enough to get some nice spots to sit along the side, where our view was completely unobstructed for the entire show. That helped quite a bit.

K-Os led off, and while I hadn't heard much from him, I knew somewhat of his style. He had some manner of reggae-rap, laid-back style, and he was a pretty good leadoff act. He experimented with different styles, but I would say he's more effective when he's leaning more towards the singing side of the spectrum. Either way, I had not expected to enjoy his performance nearly as much as I did.

The RX Bandits (the lone 'rock' band of the show) kicked off next, and while they weren't necessarily the calibur of any of the other acts, they're show acquitted itself just fine, bursting fitfully into crazy jam sessions where all the members of the band would just punish their instruments. Plus their keyboardist/guitarist/background singer was crazy talented, which never hurts.

Next up was P.O.S. I had heard a bit from him just in searching the net, but nothing in my expectation allowed for a show like he put on. being a native Minnesotan, it was easy to see that he was really enjoying playing in front of a home crowd, and the crowd reciprocated his energy, this was easily one of the best performances I've heard, rap or otherwise.

Gym Class Heroes (the headliner) played last, and it was really nice to see a group that didn't take themselves or their music all that seriously. They were there to give the crowd a good time, and they delivered in that respect quite nicely. They played every song that I really had wanted them to play, and even songs which I had previously thought were a bit mediocre on their CD were somehow energized and fun in concert.

All in all, between the venue, the bands, and the fact that Branny, Stu, Linds and I didn't get on each others' case for the entire day, it was one of the more enjoyable concerts I've been to. Even the opening acts were good quality (4 acts total, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed). A great time was had by all...]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2006/12/24/3c8f_top_10_albums_-_2006 Sun, 24 Dec 2006 23:37:08 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2006/12/24/3c8f_top_10_albums_-_2006 This has already been done a thousand times over the past couple of weeks. No matter, there's always room for one more.

10. Brother, Sister

I was a massive fan of mewithoutYou's debut album, their second took some time, but it eventually won me over. Their third is a great synthesis of the two. Tracks like Wolf Am I! (and Shadow) and Messes of Men really drive the album and the 'Spider trilogy' make for great interludes. Aaron Weiss' lyrics have always been the highlight of their albums, and his pen has not failed him here.

Highlights:
Wolf Am I! (and Shadow)
Messes of Men
O, Porcupine


9. My Island

I'm only a casual Starflyer 59 fan; their Shoegaze tends to lose me about midway through most of their albums. Looking back, Old was full of very consistant songs, but - as always - the momentum only carried so far. That is not the case with 'My Island'. Starflyer has never sounded so fresh and crisp (while still carrying that beloved lazy drawl in their instruments). I've only had the album a few weeks, but it's already my favorite Starflyer album.

Highlights:
The Frontman
I Win
My Island


8. Songs of Desperation

If I had been told as of December 2005 that I would have a Children 18:3 album on my top 10 list, I would have mercilessly laughed the person who informed me as such. I really really dislike old Children 18:3. From the moment LCM hits, though, everything about Children 18:3 changes. THe voice is still a little off-putting, but with better production that complaint has been asauged a bit. What remains is hgih-quality garage rock. Their songwriting has been drastically improved as well, making 'Songs of Desperation' the biggest surprise on this list by far.

Highlights:
LCM
You Know We're All So Fond Of Dying
Yesterday's Song


7. Light Grenades

It's entirely possible that - had I been able to listen to this album for a couple of months prior to the making of this list - 'Light Grenades' would have landed much higher on this list. For now, I simply enjoy it as an excellent album and somewhat of a return for Incubus after the enjoyable, but scattered A Crow Left of the Murder.

Highlights:
Dig
Anna Molly
Rogues


6. As Cruel As School Children

pop-rap shouldn't be this enjoyable. I have no illusions that this is great music or earth-shattering stuff, it's just great feel good music. Let someone else worry about technical skill and why everyone should hate this CD, it's just very fun music. And let's face it... we all need a bit of fun music every so often.

Highlights:
The Queen And I
Shoot Down the Stars
Scandalous Scholastics


5. As Far As The Eye Can See

As of June, I didn't know that People In Planes existed. Barracuda changed that in a hurry. Last.fm recommended Tetra Elemental to me, and as I couldn't find much at the time by them, I found People in Planes. The opening riff of 'Barracuda' is insanely enjoyable to listen to. While nothing else on the album hits that extreme high, it can be said that there's not really a weak track on the entire disc (a feat getting more rare as the years pass). Thank you, Last.fm!

Highlights:
Barracuda
If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)
Moth


4. Karmacode

A friend of mine once compared them to Evanescence. I found that to be one of the most unfortunate musical comparisons I'd heard in some time. Cristina Scabbia is ten times the singer Amy Lee is, and the music is more interesting, more skillful, and better in every conceivable way. Karmacode is a wonderful album which takes everything I've enjoyed about Lacuna Coil to this point, and makes it 'fuller'. (Also, it's cliche by now, but their cover of Enjoy the Silence is phenominal)

Highlights:
Fragile
Our Truth
Enjoy the Silence


3. St. Elsewhere

Crazy. Without question, the song of 2006. The rest of St. Elsewhere is extremely good (Smiley Faces is particular), but none of it can really even be mentioned before 'Crazy'. My girlfriend hates Gnarls Barkley with white hot passion, but this song made fans of everyone.

Highlights:
Go Go Gadget Gospel
Crazy
Smiley Faces


2. The Black Parade

Whatever people may say about this pick, I stand by it. The music is interesting, full of energy and life, and is out and out enjoyable. I may not be a MCR fanboy, but I can appreciate a decent CD, and I believe that's exactly what this is. If you hated all things MCR prior to this release, Black Parade' really isn't going to change your opinion about them. But if you enjoyed what you'd heard from them previously, this album with meet and likely exceed any expectations you may have for it.

Hlighlights:
Dead!
Welcome to the Black Parade
Teenagers


1. So Divided

I'd heard scattered Trail Of Dead (yay for merging!) songs before. I had Source Tags and Codes for a year or two previous, but never listened to it that much. I picked up 'So Divided' on a whim and ended up loving it. All of which made me listen to their older stuff, which I now love even more. Many people have called this effort 'uneven', and I suppose it is, Trail Of Dead have never really been that subtle or content with doing things the way others wanted them to. All any of us can do is enjoy the ride... with this album, it's not hard at all to do just that.

Highlights:
Wasted State Of Mind
Eight Days Of Hell
Witch's Web]]> http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2006/04/28/3c8e_halo_2,_vol_2_-_a_review Fri, 28 Apr 2006 01:58:19 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/nibbish/journal/2006/04/28/3c8e_halo_2,_vol_2_-_a_review The Halo series has always been marked with excellant music. So when Halo 2: Original Soundtrack: Volume 1 came out, many fans were excited at the possiblity. While the album was quite good (Incubus' neo prog takes stood out clearly, and the original score sections by Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori were superb), it really didn't feel like a true soundtrack. What were, in the game, large sprawling instrumental pieces were trimmed and cut into under 2 minute samples. As a result, the soundtrack felt more 'music inspired by' than 'original music from'.

These issues are not present in the second volume. The long-delayed project has taken a much more distinctly suite-based approach to the music, and the album is better for it. Many of the themes from Volume 1 are here, only in longer form. The Last Spartan grows and spreads to appear in much of the album, including much of Cairo Suite and parts intermingled with other themes throughout the disc. In fact, many of the extremely chopped songs from Volume 1 return in a more distinctly cinematic fashion. Unlike the first, this truely feels like a cinematic soundtrack.

The only gripe against the disc is that the slow, lazy guitar line of In Amber Clad does not manage to appear anywhere on the album. It's a curious move, considering the fact that it was considered by many to be the strongest point of the first soundtrack, and it really would have benefitted from the lack of constriction that this album would have offered. All things considered, though, this is a very well done soundtrack, extremely listenable for not only Halo fans, but for soundtrack fans in general.]]>