#20- Cancer Bats- Dead Set on Living
The Music-
This is the
4th proper album by Cancer Bats, and although I’ve liked everything
they have done up to this point, I feel like they really hit it out of the park
with this one. Dead Set on Living showcases a more perfect balance of the range
of styles the band has showcased on their previous albums. The Southern
rock-tinged metal riffs are at their most memorable and they have found just
the right interplay between sludge and hardcore. It sounds clean and bright
where it should, and downright filthy everywhere else. Liam Cormier’s vocals
are the most diverse I’ve heard, alternating between a half-spoken swagger and
his signature guttural scream, belting out lyrics that are to the point and
downright confrontational. There are one or two monotonous tracks on here
(Rally the Wicked), and it’s certainly not groundbreaking, but overall it’s a
record nearly chock-full of bangers in the style that Cancer Bats play better
than anyone else.
The Vinyl-
I had to order this record from Germany because I missed the
preorder and couldn’t find it anywhere in country. The record was sold as an
import since the band’s label, Distort, is based out of Canada. So, I probably
ended up playing too much for it (about $28 with shipping) but I have to say
that overall I’m pretty happy with the record. The Grey marble is the standard
worldwide pressing, and it seems to be a little heavier than standard weight.
The vinyl sounds loud enough, and I haven’t noticed any pops or clicks
indicative of a pressing error. If you can get it for the right price, it’s
probably worth picking up.
#19- Japandroids- Celebration Rock
The Music-
Yeah, I know, I’m such a hipster. This is probably the one
record that SPIN magazine and I agree about. I ended up getting both
Japandroids albums at the same time, and so I can’t claim to have been a fan
prior to this release. I’m always kind of leery of the power duo thing because
for some reason I feel like the sound won’t be full enough. Believe me, that is
not a problem here. With Celebration Rock, Japandroids have created a huge
sounding, incredibly melodic rock record. Garage-y anthems full of those
whoa-oas that we love so much dominate the album, managing to get stuck in my
head for days at a time. The lyrics are thoughtful without being overly complex,
and there is an overall theme of youthful optimism in the face of growing up. It’s
fun, it’s loud, and it’s catchy. Plain and simple.
The Vinyl-
The album was released through Polyvinyl, and in my
experience that label is pretty trustworthy for sound quality of their vinyl.
This release is no exception. On standard white vinyl, and it sounds amazing.
It’s got a gatefold jacket with a thick lyrics booklet inside full of pictures.
Pretty awesome presentation overall, and well worth the $16 I paid for it.
#18- Bone Dance- Bone Dance
The Music-
So, the other day I was bored out of mind and decided to
watch X-Men Origins: Wolverine on
Amazon. There is a line in that movie where Logan says that he is “the best
there is at what he does,” referring to his ability to rip people to shreds
with those big-ass adamantium claws. Now hold on to that seemingly random thought
for just a second, and let’s talk about this Bone Dance record.
Bone Dance play a style of music that basically takes the
heaviest, most crushing aspects of hardcore and metal and fuses them into
something even more raw, chaotic and unsettling. It’s a great formula, but it
is certainly not unique to Bone Dance. Bands like Gaza, and to some extent
Converge, have had those elements in play for a while now too. What makes Bone Dance great is that this incredibly
HEAVY, angry, despairing music is played with an authenticity that just oozes
from the album. Its unrelentingly brutal, with just enough stylistic diversity
and changes in tempo to keep it interesting before it draws you back into the driving
intensity at its core. Bone Dance know what they’re about, and this record plays
like its hellbent on destruction. Remember the line from the movie? With this stellar
album, Bone Dance are on their way to proving that they are the best they are
at what they do.
The Vinyl-
I was fortunate enough to be able to buy this record
directly from the band at their record release show here in Boise. I picked up
what I believe is the most limited variant: clear with a bright pink blob in
the middle. I have to admit, I was a little surprised when I put the record on
and discovered how great it sounded! It seems like a lot of the time, smaller
labels either do a fantastic job with the vinyl pressing, or they treat it as
almost an afterthought. Melotov deserves some credit for this one. It’s a
standard weight record with a standard jacket and a color printed inner sleeve
instead of an insert. Nice artwork and overall presentation. It’s definitely
worth getting. In fact, make an effort to go and see these guys and buy
directly from them, especially if you’re from Boise. Their live show is well
worth it.
#17- John K. Samson- Provincial
The Music-
What’s the next best thing to a new Weakerthans album? How
about a John K. Samson solo album. That was my thinking when I bought this one,
and in many ways I was right. It sounds a lot like a stripped down version of
the Weakerthans, with a lot of the songs played acoustically with less of a
rock feel but with all the catchiness intact. What I was really impressed with
on this album was the direction that Samson chose to go with it. It’s
essentially a concept album about the province of Manitoba in Canada where
Samson is from. Each track is from the perspective of a different Manitoban
character, and when combined with Samson’s obviously well established lyrical
prowess, it makes for an amazing story-telling record that is wholly special and
set apart from the Weakerthans catalogue.
The Vinyl-
An Epitaph release on standard weight black vinyl with a
standard jacket and lyric insert. What makes this a good one for vinyl is the
concept album element. Vinyl is perfect for an album that demands to be heard
front to back. It’s reasonably priced, sounds pretty good, and is worth getting
if it’s convenient, like adding it when preordering something else from Kings
Road.
#16- POS- We Don't Even Live Here
The Music-
I really have no business reviewing a hip-hop record. I
don’t have the right basis for comparison, and I’m not really up on current
trends. I couldn’t tell you if the album is wholly original or not. Here’s what
I do know- This album hit me hard from the moment I heard it. The songs struck
me as catchy and unique, with a heavy electronic element that still managed to
rock as much as groove. POS’ lyrics struck me as different from the rest of the
hip-hop albums I heard this year. I know he’s got a punk rock background, and
that must be why I hear so much defiance and rejection of the norm in his
rhymes. There’s a real “Fuck You” attitude on this record that I relate to, and
this is one of the most played records I have, getting better with each listen.
Give it a shot, even if hip-hop isn’t usually your thing.
The Vinyl-
Rhymesayers Entertainment released this one. It’s a picture
disc, and usually I hate how those sound, but this thing sounds fantastic. I
still wish it was pressed on regular vinyl, but if you happen to want to pick
this up, I don’t think you will be disappointed with the picture disc. Oh yeah,
and the artwork is pretty damn amazing too.
No comments:
Post a Comment