Monday, March 28, 2016

Review: Iggy Pop- Post Pop Depression


Post Pop Depression (Front Cover).png

I don't know if you've been paying attention this year, but a lot of the old guard in rock music have been dying off: Keith Emerson, Paul Kantner, and probably most covered in the media, David Bowie. His last album, released shortly before his death, was David Bowie's reflection on death, and the culmination of his legacy. This was him gracefully staring into the blackness, and taking his first steps into the dark. In contrast, Bowie's friend and occasional collaborator, Iggy Pop, sees the darkness, snarls and raises his middle fingers.

Iggy Pop, most famously known for his role as front man of the proto-punk band, The Stooges, has always been well known for his wild antics, stage presence and general air of not giving a f*ck. On this album, Pop restrains his inner animal, ever so slightly, to deliver some introspective material, facing the twilight years of his life, and its end, hence the Post Pop Depression. He however, is a little less eager and accepting than Bowie, and a lot more bitter, and I expected nothing different.

Iggy has enlisted Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age), Dean Fertita (of the same, as well as the Dead Weather), and Matt Helders (of Arctic Monkeys), to form his backing band. As such, you get some glimpses of these band's sound on the album, though a little bit subdued, and not enough to be distracting. I would have liked some more explosive drumming from Helders, but whatever. Minor nitpick. Iggy here also takes full use of his ragged voice, much like Bowie did on Blackstar. It's got a wild vibrato reminiscent of Bowie on that album, but I also get some vibes of Michael Gira during that whole Love of Life gothic folk period in Swans' career.

Though a little bit subdued, there are glimpses of intensity. 'Vultures', though complete with a chorus that has Pop making a weird cawing noise, ends with a sudden and jarring volatile screaming fit. There are the occasional hard rock riffs as well, but the real wildness here closes out the last track, 'Paraguay' in which Iggy goes on an absolutely freakish rant that is just amazing.

I think Iggy accomplished his mission here. He seems very concerned with leaving behind a legacy; more than just his name. And I think this along with his other solo work, and his work with the Stooges, will cement that legacy. I just really hope this isn't the end of his story.

Out of a total of five stars, I give this:




Check back in later, where I take a look at some other new albums. What did you think of this record? Are there any albums that you're getting into recently?


"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Review: Waldgeflüster / Panopticon- Waldgeflüster / Panopticon split


Waldgeflüster / Panopticon - Panopticon / Waldgeflüster


As stated in some of my previous posts, I really got into black metal in a big way last year (so kvlt black metal purists can just discount my opinion right now), and one of the bands that really drew me in was Panopticon. I really enjoyed the way that this one man black metal project blended traditional black metal aesthetics with the folk traditions of Austin Lunn's native American Appalachia. Also, to get this out of the way now, Austin Lunn is probably one of the best drummers of the one man black metal subset out there. A lot of the solo acts are lacking a little in this area, but he delivers amazingly well, and he's no slouch on guitar either. I really enjoy the kind of Thin Lizzy thing he has going on when he layers and harmonizes guitar parts during the more melodic lines of his songs. Autumn Eternal, Panopticon's latest, almost made my year end list, and was definitely one of the better black metal albums to come out in 2015.

This record is a split between the aforementioned Panopticon and the band Waldgeflüster, which roughly translates to Forest Whispers for us English speakers. I hadn't heard of the band, but I did a little research, to learn that they were a Bavarian group, and got their start roughly around the same time as Panopticon. The record is divided into two tracks for each band; one an epic length, multi-part song, and one softer, folky ballad to close out their half of the record. I enjoyed both of the band's offerings, and I'm definitely going to have to check out Waldgeflüster's other material. I really also enjoyed their mix of clean and screamed vocals, which kind of gave me an Emperor feel, except less orchestral, and the fiddle part on 'Der Traumschänder' was cool. The bands do compliment each other quite well, as they both kind of mix in that folk feel, with Panopticon leaning a little bit more towards the backwoods bluegrass kind. Not a whole lot of finger-picking banjos in Bavaria, I would assume.

The one complaint I would have, though minor, would have to be the drumming on the Waldgeflüster track 'Der Traumschänder'. It seems like the cymbals just ring way too much, which would be fine if they were going for a kind of lo-fi kvlt feel, but everything else is just so well recorded. I don't know if the wrong mikes were used, or the sound bleed wasn't dampened enough, but it kind of took me out of the song a little bit. Plus, to have Austin Lunn's literally insane drum take on 'Håkan's Song' come after it, it didn't do the drums any favors. Seriously though, the drumming from Panopticon is so fast, complex and disorienting because it is just so intricate and has a myriad of stuff going on. I know there has to be triggering, but apart from the toms on the blast beats, it would be very hard to tell. The intermittent fills are just crazy.

Anyway, I've probably bored you with all the drum minutia. All in all, I think this is a great showcase for both bands, and if you're a fan of either band, or are looking to dip your toes into some folk influenced black metal, this might just serve as a great sampler for you.

Out of a total of five stars, I give this:




What did you think of this split? Are there any albums that you're really excited about, or are interested in discussing? Let me know. Check back in later for my thoughts on the new (and possibly last) album from Iggy Pop, Post Pop Depression


"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."

Monday, March 14, 2016

March 2016 Mini Album Reviews: Gorlen, Jeff Buckley & Violent Femmes

Before I take a look at the Waldgeflüster / Panopticon split or Post Pop Depression, I thought I might look into a few records that have come out in the past couple of weeks and share my opinions on them, however brief.


Image result for gorlen tape death 10
Gorlen- Tape Death #10
After recording under countless pseudonyms, labels (including such brilliant names as Cascading Fragments, Turmeric Magnitudes, and Sifting Through Shards), Greg Gorlen has teamed with Lathelight Records for another installment in his expansive series of electronic tape manipulation and noise music. This is kind of a mix of ambient sounds and noise, with drones and bits of manipulated and out of speed tape loops, that sound like a slightly more chaotic and more linear version of William Basinski. The first pressing is gone, though due to an error, there will be a repressing of the tape and 7 inch vinyl presentation, so pick yours up.


Image result for jeff buckley you and i
Jeff Buckley- You and I
In terms of posthumous recordings, Jeff Buckley's legacy has definitely faired a lot better than others. This collection incorporates some unearthed originals and alternate versions, though the bulk here are covers that were performed in the studio. If you've heard the legacy edition of Live at Sin-é or other live albums, you've heard some of these covers before, but if you wanted to see them get a studio treatment, they're here now. I can't say his take on 'Everyday People' was my favorite (not a lot of soulful meaning to squeeze out of "different strokes for different folks", I'm sorry), but I really enjoyed Buckley's interpretations of the Smiths and Bob Dylan's 'Just Like a Woman'.


Image result for violent femmes we can do anything
Violent Femmes- We Can Do Anything
The strummed guitars, bouncy bass and punk aesthetic are all here, but the songs are just...not. I don't know if the whole idea of a comeback record is really big right now, and they decided to jump on it, but everyone's favorite '80s band disguised as a '90s band did not HAVE to make one. If the songs are there and it comes organically sure, but just making one to make one is unnecessary, which is how it comes across here. It won't do anything to their legacy like the Pixies' or Black Flag comeback records did, but it won't have me throwing their self titled album or Hallowed Ground in the trash to listen to this thing either.




Check back in later for more reviews, and be sure to let me know what records you can't get enough of at the moment.


"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."