19 July 2017
Purple Rain Deluxe (Expanded Edition)
Based on what I’ve read this was remastered at Paisley Park in 2015. The contents of the original album are not wildly different from the original release, it was not remixed just remastered. Some of the more subtle things are more prominent in the …2 October 2009
I approached Journal for Plague Lovers with much trepidation. Steve Albini at the helm certainly made me hopeful but exhuming the words of the 14 years missing Richey Edwards made me fear a rehash of the brilliant horrorshow that was The Holy Bible, the last album on which he was …
3 August 2007
Anger asked if I thought that Guitar was similar to Kiss, and it got me to go back and listen to the album all the way through again. It's a decent album. Not one of his best, but it has more tracks that I like than anything since the internet-only …
23 March 2006
This album has one of the clunkiest Prince tracks I've ever heard. Which is a shame as the rest of it is top quality. Musicology was the first time Prince was relevant to the mainstream since the Symbol album, and 3121 promises to attract as much appreciation if not more …
17 March 2006
Another early 90's blockbuster revisited. And with wildly different results. Smooth rhymes and beats. You can tell these guys did their time in rap battles honing their chops. No sloppy matches or awkward forcing here. Flavor is just Flavor. Fame, fortune, and Brigette haven't gone to his head. Chuck is …
17 March 2006
I was very nervous about listening to this. Mindcrime was one of the best albums of the 90's and still stands up well today. Haunting melodies, interesting song structures, vivid imageries, characters with depth who actually develop over the course of the album. If you enjoyed the original, you may …
30 December 2004
Reissues are a tough call sometimes. It's tempting to buy the new version of a much loved album, just to see what is different. All too often (Gold Remasters series, for example) there is no noticeable change in the album itself except that it was two track remastered a bit …
22 November 2004
You would think this would be a camp album a la "Golden Throats". I was surprised when I heard it. Shatner doesn't sing, he talks through each song. There is more than an element of Was (Not Was) going on. "It Hasn't Happened Yet" is classic Was fare, a simple …
22 November 2004
I've heard it called elegaic pop, but it's more fitting to call it elegaic rock. This is more in keeping with the "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours"/"Everything Must Go" style than with "Know Your Enemy". KYE seemed to have been a reaction to critics saying they'd lost …
26 October 2004
This is a strange and beautiful album. This will not hit the top 10. And that's just fine. Bjork has never gone for conventional, and this is album was almost inevitable as a result of that. There are no instruments other than voice. There are plenty of voices augmenting her …
26 October 2004
More "Psalm 69" than "The Dark Side Of The Spoon", this is a throbbing lunging angry hyper-industrial distorted freight train of "Bush Sucks". I cannot possibly imagine a better reason to buy anything at this point in time. The staccato guitars, the screams of "you're worthless", the machine gun drums …
26 October 2004
Real Gone is a real diverse experience. This is the world music album that seems to be a required phase in the career of any serious songwriter. If you are a fan of Tom, sit down. There is no piano on the album. At all. There's a lot of experimentation …
26 October 2004
The most dangerous band in hip hop. Like most of the intellectual hip hop artists, The Roots talk to the problems facing young black people in America from a standpoint that there are answers other than dealing and stealing. On tracks like Everybody Is a Star they take a big …
26 October 2004
Loaded with guests (Pete Rock, ?uestlove, Har Mar Superstar, Katie Cassidy, and Muggs from Cypress Hill) and killer production All City is as much a shout out to NYC as the Beastie's 5 Boroughs. Touting their NY scenester creds and wearing their politics on their sleeves, Hesta, Spero, and Sprout …
26 October 2004
More sedate than Beautysleep, this has the same ethereal qualities but with sparser surroundings. She's been moving further away from the rock guitar chick thing since she went solo, and Whiskey Tango Ghosts brings her to a very traditional female singer/songwriter place. This is Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones …
12 July 2004
Imagine Guns N Roses without Axl Rose. I know, it seems like a dream come true, but it's not a dream. It's a reality. Rip roaring rock and roll, L.A. style, without the whining! Scott Weiland is a particularly smooth fit with the growling guitar of Slash and Dave …
12 July 2004
On his second effort, Mike Skinner goes for a more cohesive narrative rather than a series of vignettes. I don't think this works as effectively as the differing perspectives of "Original Pirate Material" did. Skinner takes a few risks musically, even branching into acoustic guitar anchored bits and using more …
12 July 2004
Given the popularity of acts like Evanescence I was wondering when the real deal was going to surface again. And here they are. Lovelorn and angry, Smith ignores the changing tastes of popular culture and delivers a set of classic goth. From the lament of youthful insouciance of "Lost" to …
12 July 2004
It's tough to categorize TMBG. They sound like a quirky novelty act, they have started putting out kids albums, and they have a "damn everyone we're doing what we want" attitude that wholly captures the punk ethos. John and John throw all manner of sounds and styles at the wall …
12 July 2004
Longtime Bowie collaborator Reeves Gabrels was the underappreciated genius behind much of Tin Machine, as well as several tracks on Bowie's "Black Tie, White Noise", "Outside" and "Earthling". His searing guitar can be heard on everything from the Cure to the Rolling Stones to Public Enemy. He's a pretty versatile …
12 July 2004
Back from the past, the Boys eschew much of the fad sounds that typefied Hello Nasty and embrace old school b-boy hip hop. The title telegraphs a return to roots, of course, there is no subtlety here. Lyrically as strong as ever, the stripped down sound really lets their strong …
12 July 2004
There is a strain of intellectual hip-hop that gets overshadowed by party songs and gangsta braggadocio. The Roots, Nappy Roots, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Dead Prez, Dan the Automator, and Paris are a few that come to mind. Dilated Peoples definitely fit in this subset. Hard and gritty, presenting the view …
12 July 2004
I haven't liked much of her work since Jagged Little Pill, with the occasional exception. I approached this with trepidation, as a result. For no reason, as it turns out. So Called Chaos has the energy and passion that I liked so much on JLP. There's as much introspection and …
21 April 2004
I have been a Prince fan for a long time. A very very long time. I have New Power Soul, Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic, N.E.W.S., and Rainbow Children, all albums most people never heard of. From this perspective I can say that Musicology is his strongest …
24 January 2004
George Martin has famously said on many occasions that there is "nothing left in the vault". There is no unreleased Beatles material left. Oh, except for the tons of stuff that showed up on the 6 discs of the Anthology series. And the thousands of bootlegs of recording sessions. While …
24 January 2004
I am not as enamored of this as many people seem to be. Then again, I think Tin Machine represents some of his best work in the last 20 years whereas most Bowie fans and music critics seem to want to pretend those albums never happened. Not to say that …
24 January 2004
Power pop punk, energetic songs about relationships, and a sense of humor. That's what you expect from them, and that's what you get. I know plenty of "real" punks who hate Blink 182 because they aren't "real punk". Whatever. They write catchy aggressive punk-like songs. Deal.
There is definitely a …
26 October 2003
I've been a big fan of BNL since the pre-release copies of Gordon started circulating. BNL really hit their stride with Stunt. With that album they demonstrated a fully mature band working well together, and have dedicated their time since to writing consistently great songs and taking the occasional odd …
26 October 2003
The mix on this isn't nearly as good as that of Aladdin Sane. The stereo balance seems skewed to the left speaker, and the vocals are very low in the mix while the drums are very prominent. Overall I'm just not as impressed with this remaster. Still a brilliant album …
26 October 2003
I never expected to see another Living Colour album after the breakup. The contractual obligation greatest hits collection just seemed to solidify that. Surprise surprise surprise, they have hit the ground with an album that reminds bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park who blazed the trail that …
26 October 2003
This will not shock the cognoscenti. Outkast is the most innovative rap group around today. They rap about real life and real feelings without having to go gangsta. The production is impeccable, the jams borrow heavily from Parliament and Prince, and even the skits (de rigeur, and silly at best …
26 October 2003
If you ever wondered why everyone made such a big deal about the Clash, this will answer that question. The classic Strummer sound is all over this. He writes world music influenced rock with attitude. This is the sort of album you listen to while on a road trip through …
10 October 2003
One of Bowie's best albums overall. Mick Ronson in all his rocking glory, and Bowie at his strutting best. The sound quality is really impressive, and it has benefited from the remastering quite clearly. The bonus disc of material is great to have, but doesn't really enhance the original album …
10 October 2003
s been some time since Seal has graced us with new music. On IV solidly declares that he is the heir to the throne of R&B. In the spirit of greats like Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye, Seal delivers with a smoothness and passion that make you want to …
10 October 2003
I'm sure this trio of white NY female rappers are tired of Beastie Boys references. The similarities are actually fairly minimal. Hesta Prynn, DJ Sprout, and Guinea Love are intellectual, political, and have a taste for old school beats and overdriven effects. And they sound like New Yorkers. That's pretty …
10 October 2003
Ben Folds Five - In Between Days An online EP available through iTunes and the Sony Music store, In Between Days is the first of several EPs Ben plans on releasing prior to his next album. The idea being that he can give fans access to songs that are not likely …
6 August 2003
Hmmm. If Geoff were singing some of these songs in a different language, preferably one I didn't understand at all, I'd probably like this a lot more. The music is great. Really solid, a nice blend of the aesthetic of Empire and Rage for Order.
There is less focus on …
6 August 2003
Subtitled "A Secret History of the Manic Street Preachers", this is not a completist collection of b-sides by any stretch of the imagination. Even leaving off remixes and live versions, it would still take 3 CDs (this is only two, and it includes live versions). Three full albums worth of …
30 July 2003
After some very successful forays into jazz, film and classical (and less successful efforts in videogame soundtracks), Joe decided to return to his roots. Volume 4 reunites the original Look Sharp band and returns to old direct-to-tape recording methodology. What had great potential to be an embarassing vanity project actually …
30 July 2003
Jane's Addiction is a throwback to when the term Alternative actually meant something in the context of music. There never has been and never will be another band like them. I'm normally wary of reunion albums, but with Perry, Dave, and Stephen, there was nothing to worry about. Sure enough …
23 May 2003
While Madonna has lost all connection to reality (trying to show how you understand the troubles of the average woman by discussing how hard it is only having two nannies seems to indicate a lack of any common ground), Liz epitomizes the real woman. Strong, intelligent, conflicted, attached and independent …
8 April 2003
MM is going for the gross out. I know that's a shock. Not as compelling as the last three (antichrist, mechanical animals, holywood) but still a solid album. There are plenty of cliche lyrics (this is the new shit is particularly silly) in the chorus sections, but the verses tend …
8 April 2003
Yes, the title is a reference to the 2000 elections. I've listened to this almost nonstop for the past week. This is my favorite album since Manic Street Preachers' Know Your Enemy. Keeping their distance from contemporary rock sounds of any sort, this is a throwback to when the term …
26 March 2003
he art of the live recording died in the early 70's. Very very few live albums since have had the same clarity and warmth that seemed de riguer in the 60's. This is a welcome exception.
The band is solid and clean live, and the production values on this are …
26 March 2003
The new metal genre is overflowing with bad bands with worse lyrics and cliche riffs. Godsmack is one of the rare exceptions. While full of the seriousness and sullenness you would expect, Faceless manages to have that extra edge that helps them stand out from the crowd.
Hot spots: Faceless …
26 March 2003
One of the grandaddies of industrial, Al is back with a vengeance. He explains the album title thusly: "It's the word animosity spelled forwards and backwards, minus the y. It's double the hatred." A crushing wall of tonal (and atonal) noise assaults you from beginning to end. This is a …
26 March 2003
The much awaited follow up to Hybrid Theory (Reanimation is a remix CD, not an album). The lead single is "Somewhere I Belong" and it's powerful. The album is very personal and deals primarily with relationships in all their phases (though the focus is clearly on the ending of relationships …
26 March 2003
The first live album, and the second album since they got back together, LIB is really incredible. I've heard a dozen or so bootlegs of theirs, and they are really tight live, so it's nice to have a high quality recording finally. All the favorites are here, and the renditions …
6 March 2003
Her performance at the Grammy Awards was marred by the same technical difficulties that everyone suffered, but I was interested enough to check her out. There is a seemingly endless stream of young female solo artists looking to follow in the tracks of Tori Amos and/or Britney Spears. I …
6 March 2003
This warrants a track by track breakdown.
Havana Affair - Red Hot Chili Peppers There are two approaches to doing covers: carbon copy it or make it sound like your own. RHCP make it their own, and it's probably their best song in years.
Blitzkreig Bop - Rob Zombie Solid rocking out …
10 February 2003
As per usual, some of the best avant-rap comes from a skinny white git from the UK. Mike Skinner has a deliver unlike any I've heard before. He's just behind or ahead of the beat enough to keep you on the edge. Sticking to the "write what you know" approach …
10 February 2003
The Bears are Adrian Belew, Chris Arduser, Rob Fetters, and Bob Nyswonger. They've been around since 1985 and have released 3 studio and one live album. In between albums, Adrian has released 12 solo albums, 10 King Crimson albums, and guested on/produced dozens of others by artists such as …
10 February 2003
While billed as a "DJ only", in the internet age there is no such thing. It's on amazon. This is essentially a Dan sampler. He wisely (in my opinion) avoided using obvious tracks like Clint Eastwood. Featuring Mike Patton, Zero 7, The Doves, De La Soul, Masta Ace, and more …
2 February 2003
Art et al are back and better than ever. Kicking off with "How to win friends and influence people", they show that they haven't mellowed at all. This album is all high gear rock. Giving time to issues such as people who feel the need to put other people down …
5 December 2002
Coming out of nowhere (well, New Jersey), Paul Barman broke out with a self produced 7" in 1998 featuring "Enter Pan-Man", a jab at body modification and what happens when you hit middle age and have horn implants. He then teamed up with Prince Paul for an EP in 2000 …
5 December 2002
The Roots are the best band you never heard of. Jay Z chose them to back him for his Unplugged appearance, and they overshadowed the master. More than a hip-hop band (there's such a thing? Yes, they actually play instruments), they delve into punk, rock, soul, and techno throughout the …
7 November 2002
The West Memphis Three are a trio of young men who are being railroaded into life terms in prison for a crime they could not have committed (and evidence that has been suppressed by the police seems to exculpate them). Proceeds from the album go to their legal defense. All …
6 November 2002
The Manics have been repeatedly voted the Most Important Band in the World in fan surveys, won many UK and MTV Europe awards, and took two spots in Q magazines "top 100 albums of the 1990s". This set combines the 18 Manics singles that have charted Top Ten in the …
6 November 2002
Critics seem to be mixed on Scarlet's Walk. Fans are not, from what I have seen. While Little Earthquakes or Under The Pink tend to be the favorite album of fans, Scarlet is definitely being perceived as a close second to whichever is preferred. I would have to agree. Each …
29 October 2002
Foo Fighters rose from the ashes of Nirvana in the early 90's. It was widely predicted they would fail miserably, as Kurt was obviously the musical genius. The subsequent years, albums, and string of hits tends to bring that opinion into question. Dave and friends have shown a remarkable ability …
29 October 2002
Special guests seem to be de riguer now. Nelly Furtado, Big Daddy Kane, and Juju (from beatnuts) add to the already powerful J5 (now 7, with the addition of Percy P). Old school hip hop that focuses on flow and jazzy beats. This is the real deal. Tackling prejudice, politics …
29 October 2002
Like Barenaked Ladies and Tori Amos, Ben Folds is best live. While the albums are great, the little improvisations and variations of a live performance really showcase his brilliance. By himself now, it's just a man and his piano (Hmmm, Ben Folds opening for Tori Amos would be an interesting …
29 October 2002
In interviews, Christina has been emphasizing that this is the "real" her, that she has been much more involved in writing the songs and expressing who she really is on this album. Stripped is an appropriate title. Not so much for the sound as for the lyrical content. She sings …
15 October 2002
Progressive Rock conjures images of cheesy Roger Dean album covers and long keyboard heavy songs that sound like they should be backing some 2 hour video close up of a vase with a monotone french voice over (apologies to Ian Shoales). King Crimson is not that. Pushing 35 years of …
15 October 2002
Peter Gabriel has been in hiding for some time. His few releases of the past decade have been collaborative efforts in world music or live albums. It's worth the wait. An aging prog-rocker could end up looking incredibly silly updating their sound to be "current". Gabriel was always an experimenter …
10 October 2002
When I first heard of the Wallflowers, way back when I lived in Hell A, I didn't like them at all. I thought "Oh yea, he's getting coverage because he's Son of Bob not because he's any good." Obviously, not one of my more insightful moments. A string of hits …
22 May 2002
The new Bowie album, Heathen, is due out June 11th. On a first listen, I'm not overwhelmed. It is similar in style to Hours... but I'm not as enthralled as I was by Hours...
Most of the songs are slower, more sedate, and certainly could be considered self-referential in terms …
16 May 2002
Both albums were released this year, and are works for plays produced by Robert Wilson.Alice was originally composed as an opera, and was performed in the early 90's several times. I've had bootlegs for some time, but I couldn't wait to hear the official version of the album. I …
2 May 2002
I'm a big fan of Mike Patton, and would be willing to give any of his projects a shot. This one works well. Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields), Patton, and Dan the Automator team up to give a funky twist to retro-lounge. Smooth doesn't begin to describe the looped mellow vibe …
12 April 2002
Author:Michael R. Bernstein, Scott Robertson, and the CodeIT Development Team
Pages:613
Publisher:Hungry Minds
Rating: 8
ISBN:0764548573
An in depth look at extending Zope with Python.Part One is the basics, which anyone familiar with Zope can skip over if they so choose. For a newcomer it …
10 April 2002
Rzeznick et al have to follow up their power ballad success. So they went and wrote a whole album of power ballads, right? Wrong. This is a rockin album, and of course it does have a ballad or two. What a Scene is an indictment of pop culture as a …
10 April 2002
Finely crafted electronic music. Moby is a composer plain and simple. He will add any instrument into the mix regardless of how unusual it may seem. His heavy use of vocal effects is an example of his desire to completely control the sound. On 18, he's really outdone himself. Building …
10 April 2002
The Beatles have reunited! Oh wait, no, it's Oasis. Barring a real Beatles reunion (less and less likely, these days) this is the Next Best Thing (tm). Heathen Chemistry is their latest, due out in about a month. The lead single is Hindu Times, a great Sgt Pepperish tune based …
18 March 2002
Due out sometime next month, Untouchables is number 5 for Korn. I recall when I lived in L.A. back in 96 and my girlfriend (now wife) wanted to get their first album. We bought it at Tower on Sunset, and on first listen I said "These guys suck". Ah …
14 February 2002
I was impressed with the After the Storm EP. Which did nothing to prepare me for the album. The stylized art song Life is But a Dream eases you into the dark and rich mood that is Beautysleep. Tanya writes about the daily observance of the little things that matter …
14 February 2002
Wow. Anyone familiar with Throwing Muses, Breeders, or Belly is already familiar with Tanya's strengths as a singer and guitarist. Her upcoming album, Beautysleep, is a showcase for her songwriting skills. More subtle than her earlier work, it is lush and sparse and focuses on the universal minutae in life …
14 February 2002
The new album by Concrete Blonde|I was surprised and excited to hear that the Blonde had gotten back together. The album opens with a tribute to Roxy (which I'm inferring is a reference to The Roxy), a nice pop tune with a 60's feel. Next up is Violent, a …
12 February 2002
Electronic music doesn't generally lend itself to live performance. Sound quality is generally to distorted to be able to discern the different subtle elements that make the music work in the first place, and often the massive amounts of production don't translate will to a live arena. NIN, however, works …
12 February 2002
Jay Z unplugged, with the Roots backing him, is probably the best live hip-hop album ever. Jay is quite witty and works the audience brilliantly. More important, he delivers on his hits in a fine style. I'm quite surprised at how well his heavily produced hits translate to a comparatively …
12 February 2002
Beatles covers are a tricky business. You can be true to the original, and then what's the point. Or you can make remake it into your own song and risk offending purists. Or you can try to walk the line between the two, which most artists try to do and …
11 December 2001
The avante-garde musical outfit assaults classic musical themes from movies famous and not. In many of these Patton uses his voice truly as an instrument, and does so to tremendous effect. It's interesting to contrast this with their debut album (consisting only of tracks of less than a minute), where …
11 December 2001
There is a strong influence from the dance/rap community on this album (likely a result of Gwen's recent collaborations with Prince, Moby, and Eve). The first few tracks are in that vein (Hella Good, the lead single Hey Baby) and Making Out sort of transitions the album to a …
11 December 2001
Mike Patton is one of the more prolific songwriters of the past few years, being an active member of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle simultaneously and also doing many many side projects at the same time. He tends towards less mainstream efforts (such as collaborating with John Zorn) and …
4 December 2001
Due out Jan 28th, the new Chemical Brothers is an interesting evolution in sound. They continue with loop based electronica, and are obviously enamored of their skills in producing/mixing. The lead single, It Began In Africa is fairly typical if well done house and has been doing well in …
4 December 2001
Dunno how I missed the release of this and their several other albums in the past year (It's been a busy year, I haven't really kept up with music enough!). ConstruKction of Light is a typical KC album. Brilliant, eclectic, and full of sharp turns. If you wonder where bands …
30 November 2001
J.T.S. Moore
Wonderview Productions, LLC
website
The story of Linux writ large (widescreen format, no less). J.T.S. Moore has produced as comprehensive a documentary of the development of linux as can be expected in an hour and half of running time. Moore focuses on the philosophy …
26 November 2001
Can they top "Closing Time"? All About Chemistry came out a few weeks back (I meant to write this then, but I've been busy).Standard pop fare, nothing wrong with that. I didn't expect anything particularly challenging here, and was not surprised. Solid song writing and hooks, some catchy tunes …
26 November 2001
Michael Franti and crew are back and better than ever. Sweet melodies, complex rhymes, and agitprop to sooth the soul
The man behind Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (the best name ever) leads a solid group highlighted by dozens of guests (including Zap Mama, Woody Harrelson, and Radio(Active)). Jazzy swingin …
22 November 2001
Very interesting. Available now from Amazon.com (probably will be in stores soon, though I don't have a date yet). Prince goes very jazzy for this one and it just plain works. Probably his most musically interesting stuff since Crucial (Miles Davis collaboration era). It opens up with the smooth …
12 October 2001
Yet another pre-release. Due out Nov 17th, the new Marilyn Manson CD is titled "Holy Wood". Information about the album is available at the web site.I've always liked that Manson guy. Wacky, irreverent, and not afraid to poke fun at himself. Plus he's seriously disturbed. His last CD (Mechanical …
12 October 2001
I was introduced to Flickerstick thanks to the show "Bands On The Run" on VH-1. The series is still in progress, so I don't know if they'll win but I think it will be truly a travesty if they don't. They are a solid band with a mature sound and …
12 July 2001
Breaking out with Creep et al have been trying to distance themselves from the grunge-y vibe associated with the hit single.I missed Kid A, but I think I'd better go get it. Amnesiac needs to be heard to be understood. Kurt Weil meets techno/trance. Samples and loops are …
26 June 2001
This is what the groove is all about. I realize it's a year old, but I just discovered it (thanks to MTV2, no less).Old school with no pretense, retro sound with cutting edge production and a group of incredible MCs who throw it around like there's no tomorrow. This …
15 June 2001
Sugar Ray attempt to rewrite Every Morning. Twelve times. My first reaction was "Oh no, it's the Backstreet Boys with attitude".
OK, it's not as bad as all that. But there is a very definite trend towards that style of songwriting. The lead track, When It's Over, is actually one …
11 June 2001
This isn't due out until July, so it may change wildly before then. The Jane's Addiction/RHCP/Porno for Pyros guitarist has done some fine fine work here.
Solo albums by guitarists are often truly bad and lend themselves to self-gratifying pyrotechnics supported by rather weak songs. This is not …
5 June 2001
Yet another album of finely crafted pop punk from Mark Tom and Travis. As one might expect, the trio do not make wild leaps musically from their previous efforts. And that's a good thing.
Due out on Tues (12Jun2001), this is worth picking up ASAP. The lead single/video Rock …
3 June 2001
In an era dominated by boy bands and the return of death metal/hair bands/speed metal, it's nice to hear from a group that has both talent AND taste.
Aaron Lewis has one of the best voices in music today. His self critical raging lyrics give a tremendous vehicle …
1 June 2001
Did ya hear? The Go-Go's are back. The upbeat, infectious pop stylings are back (in fact, you can hear "We Got The Beat" on a couple of tracks)!I'm wary of reunion albums. Fortunately, the Go-Go's are not trying to reinvent the wheel or pulling a "biggest event of all …
28 May 2001
After a brief hiatus, DM returns refreshed and ready to go.I've never been a huge fan, but they always have a few tracks that you never get tired of (Personal Jesus, Master And Servant, Policy Of Truth, World In My Eyes, Everything Counts, etc). The new album, Exciter, definitely …
20 March 2001
The problem with new albums by artists you love is that they may suck. Or they may have gone in a direction that doesn't interest you. Or it may be so incredible that it becomes your favorite album. Musically it's a solid progression, with the energy of Motown Junk and …
17 March 2001
You know what you're buying when you get a Tool album. An intense immersive bit of progressive hard rock, this is not for casual listening. When you listen to this, you have to really mean it.<br /
Tool could rightly claim the throne as a latter day King Crimson. Incredibly …
15 September 2000
If you heard his first solo album, The Sacred Squall of Now, the Cure's Wrong Number any of Bowie's recent albums (since Black Tie, White Noise), or Tin Machine, then you've heard this consumate musician hard at work.Distributed exclusively online on his site, this is serious music. Unlike most …
29 June 2000
They're still around? I was as shocked as anyone, given their fairly dismal last few outings. I was pleasantly surprised by this one, which is due out the middle of next month. There may not be a Reflex or Girls on Film on this one, it's certainly a solid and …
6 May 2000
OK, now that I have a few spare minutes (having just changed jobs and moved!), here's my take on Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, by the Artist. Obviously, I'm a huge fan of the man, but even taking that into consideration there is no doubt that this is about the …
26 March 2000
OK, so MDFMK is really Sascha's continuation of KMFDM with a personnel shuffle. The music still rocks my world.An all too brief but intense 10 tracks adorn this wonderous disc. I've gone through it about 2 dozen times in the last week or so. Aggressive, angry, throbbing, deviant, korrupt …
5 March 2000
No would mistake BHG for Michael Bolton (thank god!). With songs like I Hope You Die, The Ballad of Chasey Lain, and This Is Stupid you may suspect you're going to hear cheesy frat-rock. Yes and no.Jimmy Pop Ali brings together turly clever and twisted lyrics with a mix …
28 November 1999
The new Korn CD is AWESOME! If you saw them on South Park last night you heard a snippet of what to expect. It's more of the same old Korn that you know and love, just more so.
Lyrically, they've matured quite a bit, though as the title would suggest …
28 November 1999
ow, this is one strange album. Beck is up to his usual antics, being obscure and brilliant and all that garbage. He sounds a tremendous amount like Prince on several songs!
There is no two ways about it, this is a solid retro CD. Beck has mastered the style of …
26 November 1999
It is so frustrating to have to wait so long between Belew albums! Obviously, he realizes this and has taken steps to make it easier on his die-hard fans. Coming Attractions contains bits and pieces of works in progress and demo versions of older songs. It's sort of a preview …
3 November 1999
Unpredictable, energetic, obscure, all the things that make her great. The new work is certainly influenced by her work with Trent and that sound is really becoming a strong part of her music, which is a good thing.
There is an almost transcendent feel to the new music, and there …
5 October 1999
Very interesting. Much stronger Middle-Eastern influences on this one, and really quite a nice touch. Unlike most people who embrace Eastern influences, Sting manages to merge them into his music subtley rather than hitting you over the head with them.
There's also some really cool jazz touches, and he has …
21 September 1999
This CD is incredible. It's NIN, nothing has changed except some updates to the sound (drum tones are a little more naturalistic and less mechanical, some new sounds from the synth area as well).The songs are powerful. Just devastating. This is what makes me long for the days of …
26 July 1999
This is not a new Prince album (it would be an Artist album, if it was). This is a collection of tracks that the Artist submitted for other albums while he was under contract to WB, and they decided to make some more cash off of him by releasing these …
13 July 1999
Just to screw with the press, Bungle has turned down another path and gone out on a jazz/swing tangent. Even my wife found it remarkably listenable.
Much more mellow on the whole than the debut or Disco Volante, it's still just as twisted. The Zorn influence is still strong …
30 April 1999
This is the CD that the anti-Bungle music press was expecting from MB. No track is over a minute, and they are all a cacophony of noise and terror and samples.This cannot be described, it must be experienced. If you like Zorn, and you thought that Disco Volante was …
18 April 1999
YES! I have tickets to see the man himself, and it's only $70!! (Special thanks to Jamie for standing in line and getting a cold, I owe you).
Yet another acquired taste artist. I don't even try to convince people to listen to him anymore, if you're not into him …