Progress Report - Number One

Well, not to jinx myself, but this site has got off to a surprisingly good start...and best of all, I'm really enjoying the experience writing and hearing these older albums (not that I'm not still listening to new stuff as well!).

Having managed to 'review' fifteen albums over roughly thirty days this month, that puts me on track to re-listen to all five hundred (or so) albums by... August 2012. Normally, a far-off date like that would kinda scare me, but I just look at it as thirty-four more months of re-discovery. I'm excited by that idea, I hope you are too!

Happy Hallowe'en everyone!

Hayden - Everything I Long For

Wow... this album really takes me back. I thought that I'd first heard it on cassette tape, but I don't think I ever owned Hayden's first album in that format, so either I'm wrong or I'd borrowed it from a friend. Whatever the case, I'm glad that I heard it.

Looking over the whole of the artist's catalog, this isn't my favourite album; however, it's an essential piece of work as it really sets the stage for what's to come. This is an honest-to-goodness recorded-in-my-bedroom album, or at least that's the feeling it gives off, which is perfect for this sort of gut-wrenching honesty and expression.

I chose to revisit this album tonight after submitting Bad As They Seem as my lead track in a CBC Radio 3 "themed playlist" contest earlier today. Not only is this track the start of this album, but also of my playlist. The song (and album) starts with Hayden clearing his throat and then starting to strum his acoustic guitar with a low-E string that has been tuned way down. This open, trembling, throaty bass note really works with the artist's deep, over-emphasized delivery of the phrases ("Girl of myyyyy dreaaamms, things are as bad as theyyy seeeem..."). It might seem like a bit of a creepy song now (as he talks about being interested in a sixteen year old girl), but at the time Hayden was only 23 himself, so keep that in mind.

This was just the first of what is now seven, full LP, studio recordings that he's released; he's also put out a great double-live album which includes some fun between-song banter. However I heard this album originally, I'm glad I did.

Recommended track(s):	Bad As They Seem; We Don't Mind; Driveway
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three Stars

Elbow - Asleep in the Back

"I'll be the corpse in your bathroom... useless." I can't count how many times I've listened to the song Newborn on Elbow's debut album, but that first line always catches me. It seems like such a bizarre phrase, but Guy Garvey always makes it work. Somehow.

At the time the album was released, this band was slammed with a number of comparisons: Radiohead, Coldplay, Starsailor, etc., etc. Now, these bands don't all sound the same, but Asleep... doesn't exactly play by the rules either, so ignore any of these comparisons that you might have previously heard/read. The (deserving) Mercury Prize nomination tells me that not all of the critics were so short sighted.

The tracks can be heavily backed by layers of instruments and vocals (Any Day Now), or sparsely arranged (Scattered Black and Whites); the song can almost drift along through the air (Powder Blue), or it can slam right into you (Bitten by the Tailfly). Lyrically, the band has put together some really great lines from start to finish. The band has also released a number of actual singles from this album, complete with b-sides which ranged from okay to incredible; these were obviously very successful sessions for this new group.

Speaking of alternate versions and such, if you have heard (or find) a copy of Newborn, make sure it's the full length (album) version of the track. The band release a short version of it for radio play, but the ~7.5 minute version is far superior.

Recommended track(s):	Powder Blue; Newborn; Scattered Black and Whites
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Four Stars

Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth

I've been a fan of NIN since The Downward Spiral was release many, many years ago. With Teeth is not my favourite LP from the band, but it certainly has its high points. Coming off the epic The Fragile and landing before the more impressive Year Zero, this record manages to bridge, or perhaps 'preview' where Trent Reznor was taking the NIN -sound... nay, the whole NIN Empire.

This isn't a band who releases a new album every two- or two-and-a-bit years as most are 'encouraged' to do by their record labels. Nails will release a new album when Trent is good and ready to do so, often five or six years after his previous effort. Many reviews of this album note that these songs were inspired (or influenced) by Trent's battle with, and success over, substance abuse and alcoholism, although you don't really need a review to tell you this. NIN's lyrics have never really been uplifting and inspiring, more cathartic and dark... but that's what you want from the band; you're not putting this stuff on for a sunny walk in the park.

It's loud and driving; the drums in particular seem to be up-front in the mix for this album and are usually quite fast and intense. From the slow yet steady beat in Only to the machine gun -like attack in You Know What You Are? to the cymbal crashes at the start of the chorus in The Hand That Feeds... it's an important element in the mix, but always new and powerful.

The DVD that was released following the tour for this album, Beside You in Time, is quite impressive as I remember it. I haven't watched the video in awhile, but I am always so impressed by how the NIN sound can be recreated on-stage by a live band. The light show that accompanies the band is also something to behold. Of course, this DVD also features such classic tracks as Terrible Lie, March of the Pigs, Closer and Hurt, so be sure to check it out even if you're not a huge fan of this album.

Recommended track(s):	You Know What You Are?; Only; Beside You in Time
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three Stars

K's Choice - Almost Happy

Remember back in the summer of '96 there was a song called Not An Addict that was played on seemingly every radio station? Do you remember the name of the band that performed the song? Can you name the album the track appeared on? Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Probably not... in Canada, K's Choice were something of a one-hit wonder, however, in Europe this brother-sister duo went on to release a total of five albums including their 2010 reunion release, Echo Mountain. Almost Happy was the band's fourth album which, in North America, was released as a two-CD set: a studio album plus a live album.

The studio album is a bit more laid-back than their previous two LPs, but still has it's more rockin' moments. I've always been a fan of Sarah Bettens' vocals and they're just as strong on this album as they were on the other albums. The lyrics are personal and emotional, talking about love and loss, regret and hope, making "Almost Happy" a very appropriate title for the album. As a studio album, it's perhaps not their best, but it's a solid three-stars.

The live album shows them as more upbeat, featuring most (if not all) of their singles/big hits from their previous albums: Cocoon Crash, Not an Addict, Mr. Freeze, Everything for Free, Butterflies Instead, etc.  It's quite a good live album on the whole, even if you're not a long-time fan of the band.

Recommended track(s):	Almost Happy; Live for Real; Always Everywhere
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three Stars

Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World

How to describe the sound of the Super Furry Animals... that's a tough on. The best description I could dare to give of these Welsh rockers would be "like Beck, but instead of his latin-funk stylings, think space-prog or psychedelic jams... or both... or neither". Are we clear now?

This album is all over the place, but in a really good way. It's certainly a trip, but one worth taking. Rings is only one of two SFA albums that I own and am familar with; the other one being Phantom Power which followed this release. It's also one of the reasons that I started this project. Too often this is the sort of album that I'd put on (or dig up in iTunes) just to listen to one or two tracks that really stand out in my mind, but it's certainly worth hearing from start to finish again.

When, is perhaps the question... I haven't a clue when I should be putting this album on; maybe in the car, with the roof down, in the summer, on the way to a party somewhere? It's certainly a 'feel good' album that can really get you going, but there is also so much going on at times that it screams "listen to me with headphones, dammit!". Multiple vocal melodies, distorted vocals, simple guitar lines which become over-powered by layers of techno wizardy... this album seems to have it all, but in a way that doesn't feel thrown together or forced.

Juxtapozed With U was the single that introduced me to the band (and this album). It's playful, bouncy and almost jazz-like in tone. The distorted verse vocal fits perfectly over the light-techno beat, contrasted with the strong chorus vocal, gives off that great 'call and response' feel.  This is going to be a love-hate kinda polarizing album for people I'd imagine, but I'm quite happy that I've just re-discovered it through this project.

Recommended track(s):	It's Not the End of the World?; (A) Touch Sensitive; Juxtapozed With U
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three-and-a-Half Stars

My All-Time Favourites

Hmm... I was thinking that after two four-and-a-half star reviews, I should probably make a public list of some of my favourite artists, albums, etc., of mine so you, the reader, have some idea of where I'm coming from. I have lots or weird favourites from odd genres or artists, and I'm sure I won't remember everything I should list here, but these are some of my 'all time' favourites (in no particular order) that I will always go back to:

All-Time Favourite Artists:

• Broken Social Scene – my introduction into the incredible Canadian indie music scene; their second album, You Forgot It In People is a modern day classic in my opinion
• The Arcade Fire – the release of The Suburbs this summer has solidified their place in my list here; I can't explain to those who don't love the band, why I love them, but I know I do
• Joel Plaskett (Emergency) / Thrush Hermit – down home, rockin', East Coast music love... I can't understand why these guys aren't huge, like The Tragically Hip huge, at least in Canada
• The Tragically Hip – speaking of... as a Canadian who grew up at a time when classics like Up To Here and Fully Completely were released, how can you not love them (at least, up to Phantom Power, of course); this is just great bar-room, straight ahead, Canadiana-fueled, rock music
• Ryan Adams (& the Cardinals) / Whiskeytown – I think I first heard a song by Ryan in an episode of Felicity many years ago and have been in love with his work ever since; don't mistake his prolific nature with a lack of quality, becuase there have been very (very) few misteps along the way

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cold Roses

I should preface any review I do for Ryan Adams, with or without the Cardinals, with this statement: I freakin' love Ryan and everything he's done (including his work with his previous band, Whiskeytown). This is a biased review, to be sure... but what can I do?

Cold Roses is a double album, but more in theory and execution than running time; the whole work clocks in at one hour, sixteen minutes. That said, casual fans and those new to Ryan's work should also realize that this was one of three (3) albums that he released that year (Jacksonville City Nights and 29 being the other two) and that the total running time does nothing to depreciate the impact this package has as a double album. It plays like a double album and between the packaging and the track order, I think it's essential that it be a double album like this.

Compared to his previous works at this time (e.g., Love is Hell, parts one and two, Rock n Roll) this album was a (welcome) return to a much more 'country' sound for the band. The highlights are many, the lyrics are brilliant, the music is fantastic and I got to see him tour shortly after these albums were released and they translate beautifully to the stage; I have the bootleg (Ryan is 'taper friendly') from the show I saw and listen to it all the time still.

If you're new to Ryan, I'd still probably suggest starting with something like Gold or even Whiskeytown's Strangers Almanac. And, please don't let the "country" tag scare you away: this isn't Shania-esque new country, nor is it 'your fathers' country music; yes, there is some twang, but Ryan has an incredible voice and there is enough of a 'rock' vibe underlying everything to interest anyone. Also, even if you don't know it, you've probably heard his music previously, either in a movie or on tv or something... but maybe I just notice it everywhere because I love it so much; yes, I'm that annoying person who will stop people in the middle of a conversation over dinner or whatever to point out that he's playing on the radio somewhere.

Recommended track(s):	Magnolia Mountain; Sweet Illusions; Easy Plateau; Cold Roses; Dance All Night
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Four-and-a-Half Stars

The Tragically Hip - Up To Here

There are some people who still insist that classic (read: pre-Day for Night) The Tragically Hip albums are one of those "love 'em or hate 'em" kinda things. Personally, I don't have a clue how you can't love this stuff. This album is pure awesome.

I'm pretty sure that I didn't get into The Hip until about their 4th album, Fully Completely; however, this album has some of their best work on it. I mean, when an album starts off with the 1-2-3 punch that this one does you know you're in for something great. Gord's lyrics tell wonderful little stories; the guitar solos/bridges throughout are so well done; the overall flow of the album is spot-on. Although these songs sound so much better on the remastered 'best of' collection, Yer Favourites, the album is now twenty-one years old so what do you expect?

Towards the end, the final three tracks don't quite have the same impact and lasting memory of the first eight, but that's not to say they're filler or throw-away either. Standing on the shoulders of the recommended tracks (listed below) is no easy feat. It's sing-along, it's memorable, there are great riffs and one-liners in here; it's an excellent summertime BBQ/camping album, like so much of the band's (classic- and neo-classical -era (read: pre-In Violet Light)) music is.

Recommended track(s):	Blow at High Dough; New Orleans is Sinking; 38 Years Old; Boots or Hearts
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Four-and-a-Half Stars

Damien Rice - 9

This is an album/artist that I was introduced to via the TV show, Live at Abbey Road.  In season one, Damien Rice performed a few tracks from this, his second album.  Rice was, as I remember it, the "it singer-songwriter" when his first album, O, was released, although to be fair to this review, I neither have it or am familiar with it.

My inital reaction to this album on this listen was that it's almost too sparce in places.  Almost like a grunge-styled folk album, there are really, really quiet parts followed by really, almost explosive loud parts.  The comparisons to other folk artists like Ray LaMontagne and Nick Drake are obvious, but someone I think they do it better... or, at least more consistantly.

I think that was really my issue with the album: it seemed to lack some sort of flow for me.  The changes in LOUD and soft were, at times, too dramatic for me.  There are certainly some solid singles/tracks on the disc, but as a whole it doesn't seem to work.

Listening again, I now realize how infrequently the female vocalist, Lisa Hannigan, is featured.  On the Abbey Road show, she sung on each of the three tracks they performed, but (on this album, at least) she's only used a handful of times.  It might well have been her presence, or the interaction between the two voices, that really made the songs stand-out for me initially.  That said, in looking up Lisa's name for this post, I realize that she's gone on to do some solo work; her most recent album was even nominated for a Mercury Prize.

So, it's not a great album in the folk-rock, singer-songwriter genre in my mind, but there are some choice cuts here.

Recommended track(s):	9 Crimes, Dogs, Grey Room
Worth another listen?	~Maybe
Overall rating:	Two-and-a-Half Stars

The Dears - Thank You Good Night Sold Out

Live albums are always, at least somewhat, tailored to the "true fans" of a band. It's unlikely that anyone would start listening to a band by picking up their live album (except for, perhaps, the Dave Matthews Band or the Grateful Dead). For The Dears, who at this point had a variety of LPs and EPs released, a live album seemed like a good idea. I caught the band way, way back in 2001 or 2002 as an opening act for, I believe, The Weakerthans and Billy Bragg.  I haven't had the chance to see them since, but I hear their live show is quite good and this album seems to bring that home to reflect that.

The album starts strong and carries this energy through to the double-shot of Who Are You... and 22: The Death... quite well.  Including mostly songs from their (then) recently released LP, No Cities Left, the album takes a bit of a breather at track 6 before getting ready for the big finale.  This is, for me at least on this listen, what kept the album from being a four-star selection: while I'm usually a fan of 10+ minute proggy- spacey- guitar jams, the 14-minute intro to (what is otherwise) a stellar version of Pinned Together, Falling Apart, seems both out of place and overly long for me.  It was probably quite impressive to have seen live, but it didn't translate well to the CD for me; at least if it was a separate track, the listener could skip it when they weren't in the mood for it.

Overall, it's still a great live album. It's got that live feel, with just a bit of crowd noise at certain places to remind you that this isn't a studio album. I could always nit-pick about the track selections, especially since I believe the whole concert was longer than this, but that's always the case with live releases. If you're a fan of the band, this is certainly worth a listen; if you're new to them, then you'd be better off starting with either No Cities Left or Gang of Losers.

Recommended track(s):	Atonomy; End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story; 22: The Death of All the Romance
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three-and-a-Half Stars

Linkin Park - Reanimation

Speaking of bands who have 'had their day', Linkin Park would, at least for me, be a prime example of this. Their catalogue up to, and including, Meteora (yes, I realize this is just two studio albums, this remix disc and a live album) was pretty good. After that, they are taking nothing short of a nose dive into obscurity.  Sorry boys, but the overly repetitious nature of Minutes to Midnight drives me crazy and what I've heard from A Thousand Suns comes off as the sound of a band trying way to hard to be different.

That said, I wasn't initially a huge fan of Hybrid Theory, the album on which this remix collection is mostly based, when it first came out; I'm still not a fan of "Crawling" to be honest. However, this album made me a fan of the band. This remix album seems to take the standard rap-rock nu-metal sound just a bit further, a bit more beat-heavy, a better balance of the rapping/singing dynamic, and it really works for me. Sure, I could do without the fake phone calls and I'm not saying that all the tracks are awesome, but on the whole – especially for a remix album – it's a very good set. The big singles from the previous album are given more energy; the other tracks are also treated to a good overhaul.

It should be mentioned that this album can be a bit heavy on the scratching and DJ-styles, but if you're already familiar with the LP sound, this shouldn't be a big surprise. Again, I don't know if it's the reorganization of the band's sound that makes this disc work for me, but whatever it is, I kinda wished that the band would have explored this sound more on follow-up disc (or, at least gave Meteora the same remix treatment).

Recommended track(s):	Pts.Of.Athrty; Plc. 4 Mie Hæd; Wth>You; 1stp Klosr
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Four Stars

Our Lady Peace - Happiness...

Ever since I first heard the song Naveed on Much Music, I loved these guys. Our Lady Peace were an important band while I was growing up. I loved that they were Canadian and I loved that whole scene (OLP, IME, the Tea Party, etc.) that was going on at the time. This album, Happiness... Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch, the band's third studio release, probably came out as that era in Canadian rock was fading out, but it was still a solid effort.

This album finds lead singer, Raine Madia, as cryptic as ever. There are very few OLP songs that I probably understand (fully), although I'm sure I know almost all the words to them. Yet, this was a signature of their sound at the time so you kinda have to let it pass. A few too many of the songs start out slowly and then become heavy by the first chorus, but as an album, this ebb and flow seems to work out not too badly. Perhaps it was the opportunity to work with jazz drummer Elvin Jones (who guests on the album's last, and somewhat over-done, track), but I found Jeremy Taggert's drumming to be quite good on this disc.

Overall, the singles released from the album are great; the stuff in between is also quite good. The album might be two tracks too long -- it gets kinda spacey and forced at that point -- but it still rocks like it should. Oh, and they get points for (prominently) featuring their signature 'cover model', Saul Fox on the artwork a'la Naveed.

Recommended track(s):	One Man Army; Potato Girl; Thief
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three-and-a-Half Stars

Sam Roberts - We Were Born in a Flame

While I think I'll always prefer the Inhuman Condition (EP) versions of my recommended tracks (below), they do stand up well here in the full-album context. Sam Roberts hasn't really held my attention, and in the seven years since this disc came out, I can't say I've heard anything from him that's made me take notice, but in this debut LP, he does manage to put out a decent straight-ahead (Juno Award winning) rock record.

I can't think of too much to say specifically about this album right now; it was a good Monday morning drive-in disc to listen to, and I didn't feel like skipping any tracks, but apart from the two big singles, nothing stood out for me. There are some nice little guitar solo's on the album which I was in the mood for, so that was a plus.

A good backyard BBQ, summer day, out on the deck kinda album. Upbeat, guitar-driven, solid vocals.

Recommended track(s):	Where Have All the Good People Gone; Don't Walk Away Eileen
Worth another listen?	~Maybe
Overall rating:	Three Stars

Primus - Pork Soda

This is a review that I'm sure someone will disagree with. I couldn't be bothered to listen to all of this album when I had it on. "Sludge" is how I would catagorize this album from Primus. I know Les Claypool is supposed to be a genius with a bass guitar, and maybe he is, but I certainly couldn't hear it here.

I don't know why I remember this, but I'm pretty sure I picked this album up at some used CD sale at my College one day; I probably/hopefully paid, like, $5 for it. I have no idea if I spent any time with it or if it sounded better in the mid-90s, but it certainly hasn't stood the test of time. At least, not for me. AllMusic gives this album four (out of five) stars, but reading their review, I don't think that they even believe it's that good.

There is a reason that this album isn't actually in my iTunes library and is stored away in my 'extras' box of CDs instead. Having listened (or at least tried to listen) to it again, it won't be going anywhere but perhaps the local used CD store.

Recommended track(s):	My Name is Mud
Worth another listen?	No.
Overall rating:	One Star

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

I don't really know how to label this sort of music. It's electronic, it's rock... it's awesome. This is an album that I have been known to pull out from time-to-time because it's just great. I don't remember the rest of the Bloc Party catalogue being as strong, but future reviews will sort that out. This album is solid.

I have no idea how popular or well known these guys are in Canada; I thought they toured with Broken Social Scene or were part of the Virgin/Toronto Island festival a few years back (Google says "Yes" to both), but that doesn't really mean much regarding the bands exposure over here. This album was a short list nominee for a Mercury Prize when it came out, but again, outside music snob circles, that doesn't mean much either.

This was a great album to end the week on: it's super up-beat, it's driving, has great drum parts, great hooks and vocals. Lyrically, I don't know if there is any sort of 'deeper message' to be had, but it's not one of those albums that is meant to be about the lyrics I don't think. Even the album's packaging is great: I love the cover art for this disc.

Recommended track(s):	Positive Tension; Banquet
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Four Stars