Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews

RELIENT K – Is For Karaoke

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What was the deal with everyone and their dog putting out covers records in the summer of 2011? Within the space of a few months there were a bunch of really high-profile covers albums released, and pop-punk/alt-rock band Relient K added themselves to the ever growing list with the release of their ‘Is For Karaoke’ EP.  A few months later, with the addition of some new artwork and a further seven tracks, that EP became an album.

Of the fourteen covers featured on the full-length release, the most interesting  is a take on ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’, which replaces the pop tones of Cyndi Lauper’s original with lots of muted punk-pop guitar chords.  The Wallflowers’ ‘One Headlight’ has a hint of Relient K’s own style too, as they turn up the guitars a little, but since they don’t stretch the boundaries any farther it’s a case of “play it once, file it away, forget about it”.  For everything else, though, it’s as if somebody’s clicked the off-switch on “creativity” and Relient K work their way through the rest of the tunes just  about as faithfully as they can muster.

If you’re going to listen to Relient K play works by Tears For Fears, Tom Petty and Toto with a workman-like, almost Karaoke disc clarity, surely your time would be better spent with the originals?  Even the band’s more left-field choices – ‘Interstate Love Song’ by Stone Temple Pilots’ and ‘The Distance’ by CAKE – have no real imagination behind their reconstruction.  In the case of the latter, they’ve even reproduced the trumpet sounds as closely as possible… Matt Thiessien’s vocal doesn’t have the slacker cool of CAKE’s head honcho John McCrea but, to give credit where it’s due, John Warne’s bass sound is quite cool.

Elsewhere, you can experience tunes by Weezer, Third Eye Blind and Nada Surf played without any sense of adventure; and there’s even opportunity to hear ‘Doctor Worm’ without any of the quirky, nasal charm which makes They Might Be Giants so distinctive.  For those who are still interested by this point, tunes by Gnarls Barkly and Justin Bieber are handled just as (un)imaginatively, while the bulk of Toto’s ‘Africa’ could possibly even be a karaoke disc, just with some extra guitars thrown over the chorus.

‘Is For Karaoke’ may be well played, but most of it is played so straight, it serves no real purpose.  It’s not bad – just hopelessly unimaginative.  Relient K have recorded some great tunes in the past (with ‘Come Right Out and Say It’ being a pop-punk classic), it’s such a shame they couldn’t stamp some of their own style onto this selection of cover tunes.   Still, for its faults, it’s still preferable to that Puddle Of Mudd covers record.

October 2011

MISHKIN – Row Away From The Rocks

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This Leeds-based metal influenced outfit have already gained a fair amount of accolades for a DIY band. Regular live shows and sheer hard work eventually scored them support slots with Sepultura, Enter Shikari, hed (p.e.) and the mighty Skindred.  They’d also completed a couple of headlining tours in China.  They already have an EP under their belt, but 2011’s self-released ‘Row Away From The Rocks’ takes things up a notch, with the band getting exposure on the Kerrang! and Scuzz music channels.

At first, there’s a strong feeling this EP is to be a full-on metal fest, since the vocals tear straight out of the speakers before the band are even out of the starting blocks.  But soon, it becomes obvious that beneath the aggressive edges, Mishkin is a band with varying influences and a few more alternative elements lurking within their sound than first impressions would suggest.

The lead track – and single release – ‘Good Day To Die’ packs plenty of hard riffs into four minutes.  The twin guitars of Ali Epstone and Jimmy McGregor adopt an almost groove metal stance, providing a downtuned, relative tunefulness which provides a small amount contrast to the unavoidable heaviness.  While the chugging guitars and double bass drums are the most obvious features – each one competing for your attention – what’s most impressive is the sense of melody constantly bubbling beneath the surface, awaiting its opportunity to escape.  Sure, the verses are given maximum drive via Bradie Nixon’s drumming, but by the time the chorus appears, vocalist Ben Davy really comes into his own.  During the choruses, he moves away from a hardcore shouting style and finds a melodic voice which takes its cue from a more alternative style of hard rock.  In all, an impressive opening track.

‘Waiting For The World To Change’ could, at first, be the work of an entirely different band.  Opening with a gentle musical backdrop, with electronic drum loops and emotive vocals, the style of alternative rock is very much more in the style of ‘Make Yourself’ era Incubus (never a bad thing).  Davy has a real presence – even if there is a hint of auto-tune, maybe – and as the track builds, each of the band members offers something great.  Dave Jackson’s bass is often melodic, but there are moments where he throws in some fantastic rattling bottom end, while both guitarists’ work is more than commendable – particularly noteworthy is the inclusion of a fairly old school guitar solo within such an “alternative” sounding number.  ‘On Your Sleeve’ continues in a similar vein, though perhaps with some heavier riffs in tow.  As with parts of ‘Good Day To Die’, there’s more interesting stuff to be heard beyond the main riffs – in this case, there are multi-layered guitar parts and more old-school solos, while occasional harmony vocals are on hand to add a degree of smoothness.  Unlike the earlier tracks though, this one doesn’t possess so much of a hook.

‘Violation’ is incredibly heavy in places.  Extensive use of double drum pedals and staccato riffing opens the piece at full bore, and as such, it comes as no surprise as to how these guys got to open for Sepultura.  There’s still time for more obvious melodies to creep in during a pre-chorus, but more often than not, it backs away coyly.  While this isn’t likely to appeal to such a wide audience as ‘Waiting For The World’, it’s a great piece of metal, and certainly gives Nixon more of a chance to show off his talents.

Mishkin’s melding of Incubus-style alt-rock and downtuned metal riffing is not always unlike that of Aussie djent band Circles, but there’s often a clearer divide between the metal and alternative grooves. The fact that Mishkin’s work is either rather heavy or alternative would suggest that there are band members insistent on pulling in different musical directions.  This kind of tension can create good music, and while Mishkin have plenty of opportunity to expand on that technique over time, ‘Row Away…’ already sounds like the work of a very accomplished band.

September 2011

STEVEN WILSON – Grace For Drowning

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Over the years following the release of Porcupine Tree’s ‘In Absentia’, the band moved away from progressive rock and psyche pop/ambient works and settled on a more progressive metal direction.  Although this was not always met so favourably by some of the band’s older fans, it bought a number of new listeners to the fold.  Founder Steven Wilson’s second solo release ‘Grace For Drowning’, rather understandably, sounds a lot like post-millennium Porcupine Tree in lots of places, but brings a welcome sense of experimentation back to the fore in others.   The album is comprised of two suites of music (‘Deform to Form a Star’ and ‘Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye’), which at first, you might suspect were of very contrasting moods.  However, despite lots of different styles appearing throughout the 80+ minutes, the two suites aren’t always as distinctly different as the structure of the album suggests.

The album begins with the title cut, which works solely as an intro piece.  A piano motif (played by Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess) and a choir of vocals blend together, to create a very atmospheric start to an epic journey.  It may sound like an obvious reference point, but it’s nearly impossible to hear this without thinking of David Gilmour’s vocal sounds and the gentle laid-back sounds of his 2006 solo release ‘On An Island’.  And with that, it’s into the real meat of the album’s first half.

‘Sectarian’ begins with slightly atonal acoustic chords and slightly disjointed lead guitar.  It’s a little unsettling, but manages to sound stable thanks to a great, live sounding drum part.  When the band hit their stride, it continues to sound a little unusual in places since, at first, the guitars don’t actually reinforce their presence.  Instead, a fuzz bass provides any aggression on show – until the arrival of a mellotron and soprano sax played in a jazz-rock style.  The best moments come soon after when a lead bass line vies for attention against a very 1970s electric piano.  With lots of prog bands seemingly moving towards a prog-metal stance, it’s great to know that supposedly unfashionable 1970s style prog is still alive and well in some quarters.  Granted, the more aggressive passages are still a little too metal-fuelled for a complete authentic sound, but Wilson delves into prog rock’s past far deeper than most of his contemporaries would even dare – and for that, he must be applauded!  This is a tune which straddles the ever fine line between tuneful jazziness and ugliness and, as such, is incredibly striking.

‘Deform to Form a Star’ takes things down several notches.  Wilson and his piano take the reins and take in 70s influenced music of a different nature.  The magic really happens when the rest of the band join the arrangement; the mellotrons lend a sense of retro (un)cool and the bass is terrifically understated.  In terms of lead guitar work this is a standout too, playing host to a jazzy yet tuneful lead break.  Throughout the piece, the use of harmony vocals – possibly multi-tracked in the studio as opposed to being created organically – provides great listening pleasure. During the closing section, a wordless vocal sounds equally good against a playful bassline, solid keys and drums.  In terms of a band sounding great without showing off, this track gets ‘Grace For Drowning’s gold star award.

With some great music already laid down, the album then takes its first dip.  ‘No Part of Me’ is somewhat of a musical curveball, featuring a slightly intrusive beat pitched against a busy keyboard loop and occasional stabbed piano chords.  Wilson’s vocal appears front and centre – much smoother than the arrangement initially implies.  The music, meanwhile, begins to take a fuller form, with the introduction of strings.  The ticking of the programmed rhythm continues to feel a little intrusive and then a Warr guitar riff crushes everything (unsurprisingly played by the instrument’s biggest champion, King Crimson’s Trey Gunn).  Couple that riff with an Eastern sounding solo and you have something which sounds not unlike a messy Porcupine Tree reject.  It’s not hugely objectionable by any means, but you’ll have heard Wilson venture into similar musical territory on other occasions.  ‘Postcard’ follows, and is a complete contrast; it’s not any better – in fact, it just isn’t that good, period.  It works almost solely around a circular sounding piano line, over which Wilson’s voice sounds incredibly thin and whiny.  This alone wouldn’t matter, since its general mood seems more intimate than most Porcupine Tree recordings, but the lyrics appear somewhat self-pitying.  The combination of disinterring tune and whining, on the whole, make ‘Postcard’ a more than dreary experience, which sorely lacks the epic beauty of something like PT’s ‘Lazarus’, for example.  Luckily, nearing the track’s end, things improve briefly. The drums kick in, augmented by synths and another choir of vocals.  For a couple of minutes, grandiosity points to a light at the end of the tunnel…but it doesn’t last.  Before long, the track returns to its original mission statement and Wilson is at the piano again, under the misapprehension his semi-confessional approach carries the same weight as an early Elton John or Billy Joel recording.  More often than not, this is a number designed with the skip button in mind.

The high spot of the first disc (if not the whole album), ‘Remainder The Black Dog’ is a work of absolute genius.  Wilson (with a heavy treated vocal) lends a soft vocal to a proggy arrangement which in addition to another circular piano riff, includes a warm bass, some fantastic drumming and a hint of jazz.  The jazzy hints escalate, as the track swells to include soprano saxophones (played by jazz man Theo Travis) and electronic treatments in a way which really highlights Wilson’s fondness of 70s jazz-fusion/prog bands Soft Machine and Hatfield and the North.  These elements could provide some of the most interesting music Wilson has committed to tape for years.  It’s not quite so cut and dried though, since he just can’t resist introducing the kind of metallic riffing which has provided the heart of so many PT recordings leading up this point. Rather more interestingly, however, the harder riffs are not actually the work of Wilson himself, but of guest guitarist Steve Hackett, reprising a sound similar to his own ‘Mechanical Bride’.  Luckily, any prog-metal tendencies are balanced out by some absolutely stunning basswork and the inclusion of a few huge, but still jazz-tinted piano chords.  Throughout the tail end of the number, things decend into jazz-rock noodling, but never in a way which feels pointless.  If you’re fond of Wilson’s earliest work, you’ll certainly find some joy amongst the wandering basses, flutes and keys.

The second disc is noticeably weaker all round, as if Wilson frontloaded ‘Grace For Drowning’ with his best ideas.  However, it would be an outright lie to suggest this second disc is without flashes of true greatness…  One of the album’s most laid back offerings, ‘Belle Du Jour’ brings a mood which would befit a film score.  For three minutes, Wilson immerses us in a world of soft neo-classical guitars, swirling keys and bell-like tinkling.  Stylistically, it hovers somewhere between a Vangelis piece (albeit one played by a real band) and Mike Oldfield without the bucketload of pretension.  As part of the whole album it could be considered filler, but as the introduction to the second act (for the want of a word), it’s quite charming. ‘Track One’, at first, gives the false impression that it’s about to be just as mellow, with more fingerpicked acoustic guitars and gentle keys, but before long a darkness settles, with booming drums, waves of semi-aggressive keys and a general impending doom.  The threatening vibes eventually subside and the acoustic work makes a return – this second time joined by lead guitar work which echoes Pink Floyd, though played without as much finesse.  As the yin to ‘Belle Du Jour’s yang, ‘Track One’ is enormously cinematic too, but there’s a strong sense of it being three unfinished musical strands glued together.

Clocking in at over twenty three minutes ‘Raider II’ sees Wilson taking his audience on a grandiose musical voyage which takes in elements of ambient music, progressive rock, metal and jazz rock.  After a long intro, over which Wilson’s vocals have been subjected to studio tinkering, the riffs chug and crash, while a choir of neo-operatic voices add to the all round menace.  Wilson’s vocals appear fairly non-descript in comparison, even with some kind of demon vocal muscling in.  In absolute contrast to the heaviness, at about four minutes in, a jazz-rock flute attempts to make its presence felt – and eventually wins out. The three minutes which follow present what is possibly the best chunk of this overblown epic.  There’s a hint of Caravan here – thanks to that flute – as well as traces of Wilson’s other beloved jazz-rock/prog favourites.  In some ways, this section ought to have been longer, since once the guitars return, it’s all but forgotten.  More metal riffing and choirs (oddly reminiscent of those from the ‘Baccinale’ section of Vangelis’s ‘Heaven & Hell: First Movement’) repeat their earlier patterns (which possibly could be considered padding) before the arrival of a second jazz-rock freakout – this time with more room for the bass.   At the twelve minute mark, Wilson should have thought about wrapping things up, since several minutes of ambient drones and plunky keyboards follow (definitely padding).  For the closing section, things take a more obvious prog rock stance.  Nic France’s drums have a great sound, but looking beyond that, there’s nothing too remarkable here – it resembles various bits and pieces already recorded for Porcupine Tree albums.  While Wilson undoubtedly will consider this one of ‘Grace For Drowning’s greatest musical achievements, there’s only about eight minutes worth of music to be culled from within.

‘Index’ has a cold musical backdrop with militaristic drum rolls, a Massive Attack ‘Teardrop’-esque heartbeat and an unemotional keyboard sound.  Over this, Wilson adds an equally unemotional vocal.  It’s dull and mechanical and also hints at filler material.  ‘Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye’ brings things to a mellow end, with Wilson accompanied by a ringing guitar and old fashioned Hammond organ swirls.  The warming bass and old fashioned keyboards have charm, but Wilson was never the greatest vocalist in the world – and this is no exception – so it falls a little flat in places.  It’s funny, although Wilson probably intended this to sound heartfelt and atmospheric, it’s not so interesting…and certainly doesn’t sustain interest for eight minutes.

Since Porcupine Tree’s sound has embraced too many progressive metal elements since their big breakthrough, the more out there prog/jazz-prog moments of this ambitious release are very, very welcome indeed.  Since Wilson pulls so many influences into the project, ‘Grace For Drowning’ can prove quite tough listening in places (especially if attempted in one sitting).  It’s a great album, but it may have been much better still had Wilson trimmed ‘Raider II’ and lost ‘Part of Me’ and ‘Index’ altogether.  A lengthy single album – trimmed of the flabbier moments – would have worked better than releasing something with obvious filler, only just warranting a 2CD release.

Minor complaints aside, though, the good material is fabulous – some of the greatest material Wilson has released.  Who knows, maybe years down the line, even the filler will prove itself essential to the overall package? One day, this could be seen as Wilson’s masterpiece.  After all, even the second half of ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ has more than its share of flaws…

September 2011

TRIPLE HEX – Triple Hex

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Brooklyn’s Triple Hex have shared a stage with The Cramps.  They’ve shared a stage with The Gun Club’s Kid Congo Powers.  Their debut album is under-produced by Heavy Trash’s Matt Verta-Ray.  That, in essence, is all you need to know.  If you’re still reading, this garage rock three-piece could have a few numbers up their sleeve which appeal.

This debut full-length starts with with ‘JMZ’ – a reasonable garage/surf instrumental. The guitar twang overlaying the main riff of ‘JMZ’ is quite pleasing but the track is completely reliant on that to carry the whole piece.  It could have perhaps done with a little more embellishment. Following that, ‘Gotta Move’ is a predictable slice of garage rock.  The riffs are solid and Dave Attitudi’s vocals have the right amount of sneer, but even so, it’s the kind of thing you’ll have heard delivered much better from a Stooges record…  By the time the third number ‘Got a Girl’ kicks in, Triple Hex take turn things up a notch.  Featuring a dual vocal between Attitudi and drummer Julie Hex, there’s far more energy on show.  The main riff presents itself like the bastard child of The Cramps and The Stooges served up by Mudhoney.  A slightly lighter lead vocal provides the perfect accompaniment for the fuzzy garage tones and a sloppy guitar solo adds extra bite.

During The Velvet Underground inspired ‘365’, Triple Hex lapse mid paced workout which features heavy handed chords and a slurring vocal which drags a little.  It could be said it works quite well as homage to The Velvet Underground, but why settle for second best? If you like The Velvet Underground, chances are you aren’t likely to be swayed by imitation.  ‘Hazy Hot & Humid’ works its way around a well-worn blues riff coupled by a drum line which appears inconsistent at best.  A lead guitar struggles to find its space among the rhythm and ends up sounding ugly.  Julie Hex’s featured lead vocal (bordering on the tuneless) doesn’t help matters either.

‘Drivin’ features some cool staccato riffs, underpinned by swirling, organ noises courtesy of Triple Hex’s third member, Miss Chip.  The drum sound has a nice amount of live-in-the-studio reverb, while Dave’s vocal lead channels his inner Jon Spencer, but doesn’t quite have the edge.  The finished arrangement is augmented by a selection of backwards guitar noises, which add an extra quirk.  A similar mood provides the heart of ‘Coney Island Time’; thanks to a great garage riff (featuring some understated slide work, drowned out by the main guitar) and a straight up no-frills approach, it’s one of the album’s clear standouts. ‘Zebra Rug’ is a swaggering number which delivers a similar mood to Stray Cats‘ ‘Stray Cat Strut’, but instead of being sassy, it’s quite laboured. Dave’s drawling vocal and atonal guitar work have a certain charm in their deliberate ugliness – the featured solos make Greg Ginn sound like a blues master – but after a couple of plays, it loses its initial ramshackle cheekiness, and you have to wonder if the band were actually being serious.

Outdoing ‘Got a Girl’, ‘Alarm Clock Heart Attack’ captures Triple Hex in fantastic form.  The fuzzy guitars are spot on, Dave’s vocal sounds suitably spiteful, the pounding drum is in sync with the riffs, a while the riffs themselves deliver cool garage grooves by the bucketload.  Sounding like a mid-paced Cramps crossed with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in a particular earthy mood, Triple Hex prove that they can equal their peers when they want to… It’s just a shame they don’t seem to want to very often.

Compared to Triple Hex’s promising 2005 EP ‘Phantom Highway 13’, this full-length is somewhat of a disappointment.  It’s raw and occasionally edgy, with a few great tunes, but sadly, most of the time it doesn’t have the chops needed to make an indelible mark on the garage rock subgenre.  If raw, garage-based noises are your bag, take some advice: even though their music is more blues-rooted than some of the more raggedy stuff here, you’d be much better off checking out the debut by The Dead Exs instead…

May 2011

 

THE COMPUTERS – This Is The Computers

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The Computers’ EP ‘You Can’t Hide…’ was a blistering seven song disc which firmly laid out the band’s intentions. It was raw. It was sweaty. Most importantly, it was impossible to be still while listening to it. This was the work of a band with a great promise.
Two years later, their debut full length album, ‘This Is The Computers’ really delivers on that early promise. From the off, the energy you loved about that EP still sits at the core of the Exeter band’s sound. It’s not a retread of old and completely familiar territory, however. The band has matured over the intervening years, leaving behind a few of their punkier tendencies; instead they bring more garage rock and punk ‘n’ roll influences into their sound than ever before. The album was recorded at the home studio of Rocket From The Crypt’s John “Speedo” Reis, which alone may have had a strong influence over the material’s overall sound. While the album was recorded live to tape over four days, it somehow manages to sound like it was recorded with a much bigger budget.

The first number ‘Where Do I Fit In?’ sounds a lot like The Computers of old, with the distinctive screamo vocals and the guitars buzzing at full pelt. In just over a minute, it’s over…and then, the real fun begins. Throughout ‘Lovers Lovers Lovers’, Sonny plays a guitar riff that’s a throwback to Rocket From The Crypt at their peak, which pitched against some great drumming from Aiden makes for superb listening throughout. ‘Rhythm Revue’ moves even further away from the band’s hardcore sound and into retro punk ‘n’ roll sounds than ever before. In just over two minutes, the band run through a great rock ‘n’ roll number – think Stray Cats meets The Cramps, turned up to eleven – without seemingly breaking a sweat. ‘Music Is Dead’ also offers some great punk ‘n’ roll thrills – all boogie rock riffs, rock ‘n’ roll solos and maximum attitude. This is far better than anything hinted at on that first EP. If this sound makes up the bulk of The Computers’ music on future releases, that certainly wouldn’t be a bad move.

‘I’ve Got What It Takes’ is an effective stomper, full of gang vocals and downtuned strings. In terms of choruses, those gang vocals make this one of the album’s most catchy. The real star here, however, is Aiden, whose measured drumming really lays down a superb foundation with its relative simplicity. ‘Yeah Yeah But…’ revisits a few tried and tested ideas, with its hard drumming and harder vocal style being reminiscent of the band’s ‘Teenage Tourette’s Camp’. Here, though, the arrangements feel a little less slapdash, with a dual vocal adding an excellent extra dimension. ‘The Queen In 3D’ explores garage blues territory, with the band moodily stomping across two minutes with a swaggering riff and enjoyable blues-rock guitar leads. It’s still easily recognizable as being The Computers, though, since Alex is out front and centre, delivering a vocal about as loud as he can muster.

‘Hat Damocles’ slows things down to an intimidating chug, over which Alex screams intensely: “this could really be the moment of your reckoning” over a slow pounding drum line. As the track progresses, things don’t lighten up. The guitars alternate between a menacing riff and furious jangle. When the band toyed with similar grinding riffs on a couple of their EP tracks it didn’t always sit right. This time around they nail it, and just crank up the intensity enough to be threatening without ever becoming dreary. What are the chances of the next album being a Black Flag ‘My War’-esque pummelling of the senses?

‘This Is The Computers’ is a fantastic release. It’s only just of full-length duration (11 songs, 25 minutes), but it needn’t be any longer. The band arrives, tears it up and then leaves, knowing this was a job well done. In punk/garage rock terms, there’s precious little better than being able to leave your audience pumped up and wanting more. The Computers have that sussed…and then some.

September 2011